Chapter 1182: Chapter 1073: Testing Li Fan’s Limits

A place in the Land of Darkness, unknowable in its entirety.

Secret Force circulates, causality boils, and in the heart of darkness, it’s as if an eye exists, aiming to gaze upon all heavens from the shadows, searching for something.

“Still haven’t found him… Are you sure he has already entered the sword array you laid out?”

A voice emerged uncertainly from the darkness.

From the Dark Throne, a low voice responded:

“Yes.”

“He has seen my Sword Dao.”

The voice in the darkness spoke again:

“Has he broken through?”

The voice from the Dark Throne responded:

“Not yet.”

The voice in the darkness murmured:

“…I hope to see results soon. If he really is weak and is slain by your sword array, that would be for the best. If he breaks your Sword Dao… I might as well find a place to hide in advance.”

The voice from the throne stated:

“…Is there really a need to think about hiding all the time? Without trying, how would you know if you can kill him along with the others…”

The voice in the darkness coldly said:

“Try? If he has the power to break your Dao, do you have the courage to try it?”

The voice from the Dark Throne answered:

“No.”

The voice in the darkness continued:

“So… It would be best if he really is just a Nascent Soul, best if he dies under your sword array… otherwise… it’d be difficult to endure even billions of years.”

The entity on the Dark Throne was left speechless for a moment, then spoke:

“What about the situation on Fire Star? Even if I have trapped him temporarily, relying solely on the black smoke probably won’t be enough to repress that Fire Star, right? The smoke that guarded Samsara before… was extinguished…”

“If it really turns into ‘A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire,’ there will be nowhere for you to hide…”

The voice in the darkness said:

“Fire Star has appeared, and in the Hanque Mountain Range, sword lights have already begun to flash…”

“Don’t worry, if your sword array can stop him, then the Fire Star… will not ignite!”

…

Kaiyuan Continent, Hanque Mountain Range.

In a Land of Mist.

Dark stones are piled around.

On every piece of black stone, the True Form of Sword Dao is depicted.

After Li Fan entered this pile of black stones, he appeared quite leisurely, strolling around with interest, examining these black stones.

“The quality of the stones is not bad, barely qualifying as adequate carving material…”

He casually patted a stone and nodded in approval.

This comment, so nonchalant, would likely astonish anyone who heard it, causing their jaws to drop.

Because these stones… even if one were to excavate the entire Forbidden World, it would be difficult to find even one such stone.

They can be called Dao Stones, capable of bearing a Dao that even heaven and earth cannot hold!

Yet in Li Fan’s eyes, they are merely… barely qualifying as adequate carving material.

“Primordial Carving Method, Vision Carving Method, Taiyi Carving Method… Hmm, all quite profound techniques of carving. That they could converge in one place is indeed rare.”

Li Fan looked over each of the sword-wielding human figure reliefs, praising as he observed.

Even he had to admit, the carver, on the path of carving, had truly entered a higher realm, having definitely grasped the true essence of the art of carving. A variety of carving techniques came naturally, focused in the simple human figure reliefs, simplicity concealing intricate truths.

Their skill had reached harmonious completion; their art could be considered flawless.

In fact, it was precisely this that attracted Li Fan; otherwise, he wouldn’t have bothered to stop and look at ordinary carvings.

“Harmonious completion is perfection.”

Li Fan spoke:

“This is the ultimate path that people desire, but unfortunately, when one path is taken to its limit, other paths become unseen…”

“The ultimate is to have in abundance, and after great abundance comes the void.”

“Well then… meeting hereby is fateful, might as well use the art of carving to greet each other from afar.”

He murmured, pondered for a moment, and then stretched out his hand, immediately producing a chisel.

–This chisel was taken from the System; he had also learned the Way of Carving, and in the years past, to break through the limits of human desires, he had damaged many high-grade stones…

Immediately afterward, he picked up the chisel and went straight to work, adjusting these carvings!

He was extremely cautious as he carved because the true quality of these black stones was not that great, and a moment’s carelessness might result in their shattering.

The first stone carving depicted a sword pointing north, with a perfectly formed figure and smooth, flawless lines.

Li Fan paid no attention to it and turned his gaze to the second stone carving.

The second carving was also complete and rounded, craftsmanship brought to perfection.

But, Li Fan directly chiseled off the long sword held within this perfect stone carving.

Then, he carved into the third stone carving in the same way, this time removing even more, including the hand that held the sword.

…

This was just the beginning.

Li Fan was indifferent and casual, not lingering too long on any single stone carving.

…

Meanwhile.

In the valley.

Dugu Yuqing defeated many experts with a single sword and was preparing to light the lamp.

A black path suddenly appeared from the void, extending straight towards Dugu Yuqing!

In that moment, everyone between heaven and earth suddenly felt a shiver from their souls, a primal fear.

“The black path… is this, is this the black path?!”

Yuan Wuji was startled, instinctively stepping back, saying:

“How could such a thing appear… ”

Ge Renxiong looked as though he had seen a ghost, his face pale with terror as he fell to the ground, exclaiming:

“The darkness is coming… the darkness is coming!”

Sword Nameless’s face also instantly broke out in cold sweat, saying:

“Black mist… The prophecy given by Lei Ting didn’t mention any black mist…”

–Sword light emerges startling the Hanque, Emperor Star hides in the divine mist.

This was what Lei Qing of Lei Ting, the Thunder Servants of Thunder Emperor City, had told them.

They came in search of the Emperor Star, yet they hadn’t encountered the so-called divine mist, but black mist emerged instead.

…Black mist, even though it had not appeared for countless years, the fear of it is deeply rooted in the soul of all beings from the Forbidden Worlds!

There was a time when even the most dazzling War Heaven Emperor’s Court was destroyed; Emperor Zhantian, hailed as invincible for all eternity, perished in the darkness…

Darkness, black mist… causing a change of color when mentioned in Forbidden Worlds!

“Could this be why Lei Ting does not interfere in this matter…”

Sword Nameless suddenly understood why, concerning the origin of fire, concerning the Emperor Star, Lei Ting could remain indifferent.

It’s not indifference… perhaps, it’s because they dare not!

No matter if it’s an Imperial Court, the once endlessly splendid War Heaven Emperor’s Court perished before the darkness, and Lei Ting… could only shrink back!

“We are cannon fodder… we are the real cannon fodder…”

At this moment, his face wretched, he understood completely.

The three great powers recruited geniuses from everywhere, using small and medium sects as cannon fodder, but in the eyes of Thunder Path Imperial Court… they too were merely cannon fodder.

Now, having witnessed the appearance of the black path with their own eyes…

They had all foreseen their fate.

The only thing that awaited them… was eternal death!

Everyone despaired.

Above the Sky Vault, Dugu Yuqing watched the arrival of the black path, but he was unruffled, even cracking a slight smile, saying:

“I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

Far from fear, he took a step forward and spoke softly:

“Before the lighting of the lamp today, let me erase another wisp of black smoke for this world!”

As his voice fell, his Path-Scenic Land appeared in its entirety, the True Form of Sword Dao’s rules connecting to the Land of Nothingness, instantly enveloping this Origin Valley!

Within the valley, those stone stumps that had been stored for ten thousand years, at this moment, seemed to enter Dugu Yuqing’s Path-Scenic Land, resonating with his Sword Dao!

…