365: The project's codename was "The Fisherman's Self-Cultivation."

Tian Yuan Realm, Command Hall.

When Li Hanyue saw Lin Fan's figure reappear, her heart skipped a beat uncontrollably.

He had only just left; barely the time it takes for an incense stick to burn had passed.

But she could clearly feel that the Lin Fan who returned now was distinctly different from the unfamiliar Lin Fan of just a moment ago.

If his previous self was a block of frozen ice after glimpsing the abyss, then beneath the ice of his current self, magma seemed to be slowly flowing.

Dangerous, yet filled with a certain heart-palpitating vitality.

"Just now, thank you."

Lin Fan walked up to her and spoke softly.

His gaze fell upon Li Hanyue's eyes, which were filled with concern and inquiry. The sense of nihilism and loneliness brought about by glimpsing the truth of the Universe was diluted significantly.

"I'm fine."

He added.

Li Hanyue did not press him on what exactly he had experienced, but simply nodded gently.

"Mm."

A single word represented absolute trust.

Lin Fan sat back in the commander's seat, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest with a rhythmic light sound.

Silence fell over the hall.

He did not state his plan immediately, but instead performed rapid deductions in his mind.

Going to the "Tomb of the Epoch" was necessary.

That place was the corpse of the previous Universe, a graveyard of rules. For him, however, it was the only buffet restaurant that could quickly replenish his "existence value."

But he couldn't go there directly.

Given the nature of those old monsters in the "Anomaly Elimination Alliance," they would surely have set an inescapable net near those coordinates, waiting for him, the "Anomaly," to walk right into it.

Going there proactively would be seeking death.

So... Lin Fan's fingertips paused for a moment.

What if he didn't go there of his own accord?

What if he was "captured" and brought back by those old monsters of the Anomaly Elimination Alliance, who would be overjoyed as if they had found a priceless treasure?

A wild and daring plan rapidly took shape in his mind.

Project Code: The Self-Cultivation of a Fisherman.

"I need your help."

Lin Fan looked up, his eyes burning as he watched Li Hanyue.

"Tell me."

Li Hanyue did not hesitate for a second.

"I want you to cooperate with me and put on a play."

The corners of Lin Fan's mouth slowly curled into a familiar, lazy arc.

"A play... of shedding one's skin like a golden cicada to lure the enemy into a trap."

He briefly explained the parts of his plan that could be disclosed to Li Hanyue.

He didn't mention servers or code.

He only told her that he had discovered a secret enemy stronghold. That place was vital to him, but it was heavily guarded, and a direct assault would be suicidal.

The only way was to forge a perfect flaw, making the enemy believe they had seized his fatal weakness, so they would take the initiative to "invite" him in.

Li Hanyue listened quietly.

Her expression grew more solemn as Lin Fan spoke.

Proactively giving up the absolute safety of the Tian Yuan Realm to place himself in unknown danger.

This did not fit Lin Fan's usual "low-profile" Dao.

But she did not question him.

From Lin Fan's eyes, she read an unquestionable determination.

"What should I do?"

She asked.

"It's simple."

Lin Fan stood up and walked toward the Void Realm again.

"In a moment, I will create a 'Clone,' a perfect 'me' that cannot be distinguished from the real one even at the level of Karma."

"Then, I will have this 'me' appear to 'escape' from the Tian Yuan Realm in a pathetic state."

"And what you need to do is activate the Lesser Myriad Dao Reincarnation Array with all your strength to 'hunt' and 'blockade' this Clone of mine with the highest intensity."

"The bigger the commotion, the better. The more grand the spectacle, the better."

"We need to make those rats hiding in the shadows believe that due to my previous exhaustion and my rush for success, the Formation backfired, leaving me heavily wounded and forced to abandon my home base to flee for my life."

Li Hanyue's pupils contracted slightly.

She instantly understood Lin Fan's intention.

He wanted to stage a perfect 'self-injury ruse'.

"Alright."

She nodded heavily without the slightest hesitation.

"Leave it to me."

Lin Fan smiled.

He turned and stepped out of the Command Hall, his figure reappearing in the barren Star Domain outside the Tian Yuan Realm.

He looked at the nearby planet he had personally turned into gold, an inexplicable meaning flashing in his eyes.

He raised his hand and made a grasping motion toward that golden planet.

No change occurred.

But within Lin Fan's Sea of Consciousness, the existence value on the System panel flickered silently.

【existence value: 87.999%】

Another one percent consumed.

Only after setting this hidden move that no one could understand did he withdraw his gaze and begin executing the most critical step of the plan.

Creating the bait.

Lin Fan took a deep breath, his expression becoming more focused than ever before.

His consciousness sank into his Sea of Consciousness, communicating with the System permissions that now belonged entirely to him.

"By my 'Existence,' I command."

His voice rang out on the level of rules.

"Matter restructuring, Karma replication, condense a... false me."

The command was issued.

【existence value: 87.999%】

The numbers on the panel began to flow downward at a slow but steady pace.

85%... 80%... 77%... Finally, when the number dropped to 77.999%, it stopped.

A full 10% of existence value.

This was a massive consumption comparable to "making water burn."

A strong sense of weakness and unreality once again enveloped Lin Fan.

He felt as if a large piece of his Soul had been torn away, and even his perception of this world became somewhat blurred.

But a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

For in front of him, a "Lin Fan" identical to himself was slowly condensing from countless particles of light.

The same aura.

The same face.

The same fluctuations in cultivation.

Even the brand of his Soul Origin was replicated flawlessly.

More importantly, Lin Fan deliberately left an extremely subtle "scar" deep within this Clone's Soul.

That scar made the Clone's aura seem highly unstable, as if it could collapse at any moment, perfectly fitting the persona of being "backlashed by the Formation and heavily wounded."

This was the perfect bait.

An incredibly luxurious bait forged with 10% "existence value," enough to deceive the "Super Users."

"Next, let's see if the fish take the bait."

Lin Fan looked at the "Clone" facing him and whispered to himself.

His true body slowly faded, silently merging into the Void Realm and returning to the deepest part of the Command Hall, leaving the main stage entirely to this freshly minted "actor."

In the barren Star Domain.

The newly born "Lin Fan" showed a look of panic and weakness on his face.

He suddenly looked back toward the Tian Yuan Realm, his eyes filled with resentment and bitterness.

In the next moment, as if he had exhausted his last bit of strength, he turned into a streak of light and fled toward the general direction of the "Tomb of the Epoch" indicated by the fragmented star map.

Almost at the same moment he moved.

Rumble—

The entire Tian Yuan Realm Star Domain erupted with an unprecedented, violent roar.

The Lesser Myriad Dao Reincarnation Array was pushed to its limit by Li Hanyue.

Trillions of Law Divine Chains transformed into a giant net that blotted out the sky, carrying a lethal intent as they crazily hunted down the "fleeing" Lin Fan.

A "chase drama" spanning across countless seas of stars officially began.

Inside the Command Hall.

The real Lin Fan leaned lazily back in his seat.

He watched the star map, where the light dot representing his "Clone" was being pursued by the terrifying energy storm of the "Great Formation." Beyond this chaotic battlefield, several extremely faint yet greed-filled spying signals appeared intermittently.

The corners of his mouth curled into an arc.

It seems the fish have caught the scent.