159: The frantic fishing at the core of the Immortal Palace, the first revelation of the mystery of immortality

The stone tablet, named "Immortal", rose from the depths of the earth without raising any dust.

It was ancient.

Mottled.

As if it carried the silence of eons.

On the stone tablet, there were only two ancient seal characters, yet they were like two bottomless black holes, threatening to suck in the Divine Souls of all who gazed upon them.

"Immortal."

Xuanji Zi of Tianji Pavilion, his voice dry, his Adam's apple bobbed violently.

The greed in his eyes was instantly replaced by a deeper, more fervent desire for the Dao.

The Dao Rhyme Immortal Lotus was precious, but it was merely a "technique."

And Immortality was the ultimate "Dao."

It was the only truth that an Spirit Transformation Old Monster like him, with his Lifespan nearing its end, would be willing to sacrifice everything to pursue.

He was the first to move.

His figure, like a gentle breeze, carried no trace of murderous Qi as he floated towards the stone tablet.

He wanted to imprint the Dao Rhyme upon it, to comprehend the ultimate insights into "Immortality" left behind by that Immortal.

The melee among the other Spirit Transformation Old Monster also ceased abruptly with the appearance of this stone tablet.

They stared intently at the stone tablet, then warily at each other, and for a moment, the atmosphere in the hall froze to an ice-cold stillness.

Everyone knew that this was the most valuable treasure within the Immortal Cave.

Meanwhile, Lin Fan was hidden in the most secluded corner of the hall, behind a pile of collapsed ruins.

His heart almost stopped beating the moment he saw the two characters "Immortal."

The System's prompt on the light screen was no longer a warning, but a nearly boiling, crimson declaration.

【Detecting the core of the Immortal Dao Origin — Immortal Tablet!】

【Warning: This object contains extremely unstable Immortal Dao Rhyme. Any form of contact will trigger an irreversible energy detonation!】

【Predicted Death Rating: SSS+!】

Lin Fan's breathing became heavy.

His gaze swept across the stone tablet, then across the several Spirit Transformation Old Monster confronting each other.

Finally, it landed on Xuanji Zi, who appeared to be the least threatening, solely focused on comprehending the stone tablet.

He knew this was his last "courting death" before leaving this Immortal Cave.

And it had to be the most spectacular and most rewarding one.

His Immortal Grade Nascent Soul began to circulate frantically, and faint phantoms of the chaos bell flickered within the core of his Nascent Soul.

For this gamble, he would stake everything.

However, he did not notice.

The moment he made his decision, Xuanji Zi, who was floating towards the stone tablet, revealed a subtle, eerie curve at the corner of his mouth, unnoticed by anyone.

He appeared to be approaching the stone tablet with utmost concentration.

But his Divine Thought, like the finest spider silk, silently wove a Divine Soul locking Formation, centered on the stone tablet, covering the entire hall.

He wasn't after the stone tablet.

Or rather, not entirely for the stone tablet.

What he wanted was a living research sample that could demonstrate the mysteries of "Immortality" to him.

He wanted to lure that audacious "mouse" he had already locked onto to appear again.

Chaos erupted once more.

Old Ancestor Xuan Ming's patience ran out first, and his massive demonic claw tore through the sky, grabbing towards the stone tablet.

Lord Wan Jian and Holy Mother Blood Lotus also attacked simultaneously.

The power of the Soul Transformation Stage collided again.

Just at this critical moment.

Just as everyone's attention was drawn to the ownership of the stone tablet.

Lin Fan moved.

He made no attempt to conceal himself, launching himself from the ruins like a cannonball.

He was not charging towards the stone tablet.

Instead, he charged towards the center where the attacks of the three Spirit Transformation Old Monster converged.

"It's you again!"

Xuanji Zi suddenly turned his head, a perfectly timed "shock and anger" appearing in his eyes.

Lin Fan didn't even look at him.

His face bore an expression of resolute madness, almost like a martyr.

"Explode!"

He roared in his heart.

Within his Storage Ring, dozens of low-grade Magical Artifacts he had temporarily refined but never intended to use, simultaneously detonated with a roar.

The impact of this explosion did not harm anyone, but it created an unparalleled thrust, transforming his body into a dazzling streak of light.

His Immortal Grade Nascent Soul was burning.

The wisp of Origin from the chaos bell within him was unhesitatingly used as a fuse.

His goal was to detonate himself.

Then, with his insignificant explosion, he would ignite the world-destroying Immortal Dao Rhyme within the "Immortal Tablet."

"Madman!"

Lord Wan Jian even turned his head in surprise.

Lin Fan's figure, like a phantom, plunged into the center of that energy storm.

He didn't even touch the "Immortal Tablet."

The moment his body came into contact with the raging energy, it began its most thorough disintegration.

"Boom—"

It was like a drop of water falling into boiling oil.

Lin Fan's self-detonation, and the wisp of Chaos Origin he ignited, became the final straw that broke the camel's back.

The "Immortal Tablet," which had been silent for eons, suddenly trembled.

The next moment.

The Immortal Dao Rhyme, so vast it defied description, and the raging Immortal Spiritual power, like a breached cosmic flood, surged forth with a roar.

There was no light.

No sound.

Only a pure energy that annihilated everything.

Old Ancestor Xuan Ming and the others, who bore the brunt of the impact, had their protective Divine Light shattered instantly, sending them flying back in disarray, spitting out mouthfuls of blood.

As for Lin Fan, who was at the very core of the explosion.

His Physical Body, Nascent Soul, and Divine Soul.

In less than a ten-thousandth of a moment, they were completely erased by that Immortal Dao Rhyme.

So cleanly, as if he had never existed in this world.

【Ding!】

【Congratulations, Host, you have achieved SSS+ Epic Death "Martyr of Immortality"!】

【Calculating rewards...】

【Congratulations, Host, you have received: Immortal Dao Rhyme * 1 (a wisp, can be integrated into the Divine Soul, granting immunity to some instant-death rules)!】

【Congratulations, Host, you have received: Immortal Emperor-grade Cultivation Technique "Chaos Nirvana Art" remnant (automatically analyzed and merged with Host's Cultivation Technique)!】

【Congratulations, Host, you have received: Soul Transformation-grade Formation "Heaven-Stealing, Sun-Shifting Great Formation" complete analysis!】

His consciousness plunged into absolute darkness.

And then, in the next instant, it re-condensed.

Lin Fan's body quietly appeared at his resurrection point, a hidden mountain cave he had set up outside the Immortal Cave.

However.

Before he could even feel the new power and examine the outrageously generous rewards.

A bone-deep, deadly sense of crisis, as if being targeted by a natural predator, suddenly gripped his Divine Soul.

The space within the cave, at some unknown point, had been enveloped by an invisible, inescapable network of runes.

It was precisely Xuanji Zi's Heaven-Stealing, Sun-Shifting Great Formation.

"I caught you."

An old voice, yet filled with extreme ecstasy, echoed in Lin Fan's mind.

Xuanji Zi's figure, like a ghost, appeared at the entrance of the cave.

He had personally witnessed Lin Fan being blasted to smithereens in the hall.

And he had personally watched as the Divine Soul locking Formation he had set up precisely captured the surge of resurrection that appeared out of thin air.

He had been waiting for this moment.

He conjured an ancient jade talisman that shimmered with forbidden light. The talisman instantly transformed into a streak of light and disappeared into Lin Fan's body.

Lin Fan only felt his whole body sink, as if suppressed by an invisible mountain, unable to move even a single finger.

His Aura, his existence, along with his very being, were completely locked down and sealed by that jade talisman.

Xuanji Zi burst into laughter, his laughter filled with the joy of having achieved his desire.

He grabbed the restrained Lin Fan, transformed into a streak of light, and instantly vanished into the sky.

Throughout the entire process, the Immortal Cave was in complete disarray.

The detonation of the Immortal Tablet triggered a chain reaction, and the entire Ancient Immortal Cave began to tremble violently and collapse.

The several Spirit Transformation Old Monster, severely injured by the shock, seeing the Immortal Cave about to be destroyed and the supreme treasure turned to dust, could only reluctantly and disheveledly flee.

None of them noticed that the Nascent Soul Cultivator who had stirred up the entire storm had been unknowingly taken away as a trophy... "No!"

Zhao Linger let out a piercing scream, her body went limp, and she almost collapsed to the ground.

The water mirror in her hand faithfully recorded Lin Fan's final figure.

That figure, who charged towards destruction without hesitation, ultimately turning into nothingness.

Even though she had witnessed it once before, this second impact still felt like a red-hot iron awl, piercing deeply into her heart.

The pain of witnessing her beloved being completely annihilated before her eyes almost suffocated her.

"Senior Brother Lin Fan..."

Tears, no longer suppressible, rolled down like broken pearls.

Beside her, Li Hanyue's face was as pale as paper.

She gripped her sword hilt tightly, her fingernails digging deep into her palm, a trickle of blood flowing from between her fingers, yet she seemed oblivious.

Her Sword Heart was trembling.

Su Meier was even more direct; she curled up into a ball, her fluffy fox tail hanging limply on the ground, her foxy eyes losing all their brilliance, leaving only hollow fear.

"Master... no..."

Just as the three women plunged into the abyss of despair.

In Zhao Linger's arms, an ordinary jade pendant that Lin Fan had previously given her for safekeeping suddenly warmed slightly.

It was a trace of Lin Fan's most fundamental Aura imprint, left on her.

Zhao Linger trembled violently, as if grasping at the last straw.

She could feel it.

Senior Brother Lin Fan had resurrected!

That familiar Aura, though faint, was truly present.

However, the ecstasy in her heart had not yet fully risen before it was instantly replaced by an even deeper fear.

She felt that Lin Fan's Aura, the moment it appeared, was enveloped by a powerful and despair-inducing restraining force.

Then, that Aura was moving rapidly towards the distant north at an alarming speed.

He had been captured!

"He's not dead! But he's been captured!"

Zhao Linger screamed with all her might.

Li Hanyue suddenly lifted her head, the almost extinguished sword light in her eyes reigniting, transforming into cold killing intent.

Su Meier also instantly awoke from her stupor, and pink demonic power condensed into nine illusory fox tails behind her.

"Chase!"

Li Hanyue said only one word, then transformed into a sword light and shot into the sky.

Zhao Linger wiped away her tears and took out an exquisite compass from her Storage Pouch.

The compass needle trembled slightly, pointing in the direction Lin Fan had been taken.

Three figures, without the slightest hesitation, transformed into three streaks of light, carrying a resolute Aura, and pursued madly towards that unknown region... Cold.

Darkness.

Lin Fan regained consciousness in absolute silence.

He found himself in the center of a huge Formation composed of countless profound runes.

Four stone pillars, carved with ferocious gods and demons, stood at the four corners of the Formation, exuding a chilling sealing power.

His body was firmly bound to the stone platform in the center of the Formation by energy chains.

His Immortal Grade Nascent Soul was suppressed, and the spiritual power within him was like stagnant water.

"Awake?"

An old voice echoed in the empty Immortal Cave.

Xuanji Zi slowly walked out of the darkness.

His appearance at this moment no longer held any trace of an Immortal's grace.

His eyes were like those of a madman who had discovered a peerless treasure, filled with fanaticism, greed, and undisguised desire for research.

He circled Lin Fan, marveling.

"A perfect body, without a single flaw."

"Divine Soul resilient, life force incredibly vigorous."

"Truly a miracle of the Universe, a gift of creation."

He stopped in front of Lin Fan, his cloudy eyes seemingly wanting to see through Lin Fan from the inside out.

"Little friend, no need to panic."

A smile, which he believed to be benevolent, appeared on his face.

"This Old Ancestor means you no harm."

"This Old Ancestor is just... very interested in your secret."

"How did you die and come back to life? Is it some ancient forbidden art? Or an innate Divine Ability Bloodline?"

"Tell this Old Ancestor, as long as you cooperate, this Old Ancestor can accept you as my only Personal Disciple and impart all my lifelong knowledge without reservation."

He spoke enticingly, his voice carrying a power that could bewitch people.

Lin Fan looked at him, saying nothing.

There was no fear or panic in his heart.

Imprisoned?

Unable to move?

This was not a problem at all.

His consciousness had already sunk into the System.

【Ding! Detecting Host's current environment...】

【Analyzing "Four Symbols God-Locking Formation"...】

【Found Formation energy core: Top-grade Spiritual Vein * 1, Ancient Demon God remains * 4...】

【Found unstable factor: Core Spiritual Vein and Demon God remains energy have repulsive conflict, energy output has a 0.3% fluctuation...】

【Warning: Host's current location is the core of Xuanji Zi's Immortal Cave, storing a large number of high-grade Medicinal Pills, Magic Treasures, Heaven And Earth Treasure...】

A series of System prompts flooded Lin Fan's vision.

He looked at the chattering Spirit Transformation Old Monster in front of him, who thought he had him completely under control.

The corner of Lin Fan's mouth slowly curled into a smile.

That smile was calm, even carrying a hint of anticipation.

Old man.

You think you've caught a lamb to be slaughtered.

But you don't know.

You personally invited me into your arsenal, which is filled with explosives.

This is not a cage.

This is my next, brand new, score-farming paradise.