Chapter 198: The Person Behind the Scenes

The divide between immortal and mortal is akin to a vast chasm, one that cannot be bridged by mere will alone; the concrete realm of the Immortal Immortal had not yet attained godhood, lingering instead within the Tribulation Transcendence Stage.

Though he possessed no physical form, existing only as a soul—rendering him incomplete as a Tribulation Transcender—he held the embryonic form of the Immortal Dao Fruit, which compensated for his deficiency in combat prowess.

Had a Tribulation Transcender encountered the Immortal Immortal within a spiritual domain, they would have been forced into a highly passive defense; yet, the Immortal Immortal chanced to cross paths with none other than the authentic Immortal Fairy.

An embryonic Dao Fruit could not muster a shred of its power when arrayed against the true Dao Fruit itself.

Having been thoroughly taught a lesson, the Immortal Immortal came to realize that he was likely not a true immortal at all, but rather a mere byproduct fashioned from the imitation of the Immortal Fairy.

"As for how this Dao Fruit came into existence, Senior, what are your thoughts?" Yun Zhi tossed the question to the Immortal Fairy.

This was precisely the matter the Immortal Fairy had been pondering all along; she produced that sphere of golden radiance: "My initial judgment was not mistaken; this thing can barely be called the Immortal Dao Fruit, though it is far from maturity, remaining merely an embryo."

"The emergence of this Dao Fruit ought to share the same principle as the appearance of this lad, both relying entirely upon intent."

Lu Yang grew curious: "Can a Dao Fruit truly be conjured forth by mere intent alone? If that is the case, wouldn't attaining immortality be exceedingly simple?"

The Immortal Fairy shook her head, correcting Lu Yang's misconception: "It is not a Dao Fruit, but the embryonic form of a Dao Fruit. Setting aside the fact that this fruit is the product of over ten thousand years of accumulation by the Immortal Sect, relying solely on intent to generate an embryonic Dao Fruit carries immense limitations."

The Dao Fruit was the very emblem of attaining immortality, the ultimate manifestation capable of altering the laws of the world; its concrete concept had already far outstripped Lu Yang's understanding, rendering it something he could not possibly grasp at present.

"An embryonic Dao Fruit and a true Dao Fruit are as different as heaven and earth; if I so desired, I could conjure as many embryonic Immortal Dao Fruits as I pleased, yet there shall eternally be only one true Immortal Dao Fruit, and that is mine."

At this point, the Immortal Fairy flashed a confident smile; she firmly believed her own Immortal Dao Fruit to be the strongest, and that the fruits of Ying Tian, Qilin, and the others could not compare to her own.

As for the embryonic Dao Fruits, they were, in her eyes, nothing more than substandard trinkets. "Yet, an embryonic Dao Fruit possesses the potential to supplant a true Dao Fruit."

Yun Zhi’s words poured a bucket of freezing water over the Immortal Fairy's pride; understanding Yun Zhi's implication, the Fairy calmed down instantly. "How can that be?" Lu Yang inquired.

Matters concerning the Dao Fruit were understood only by the Immortal Fairy and Yun Zhi; Lu Yang and the Immortal Immortal were entirely in the dark.

The Immortal Immortal could not even distinguish between a Dao Fruit and its embryonic form; had it not been explained just now, he himself wouldn't have known how his embryonic Dao Fruit had come to be.

Yun Zhi explained: "An embryonic Dao Fruit is a rough cast, exceedingly crude, with even its internal structure remaining unstable; if an embryonic Dao Fruit gradually matures, it will become increasingly similar to a true Dao Fruit."

"And there can only ever be one of the same kind of Dao Fruit; if an embryonic Dao Fruit wishes to mature completely, the already matured Dao Fruit must be destroyed and replaced."

Lu Yang was astonished: "Which is to say, it is possible for the Fairy's Dao Fruit to be supplanted by the embryonic Immortal Dao Fruit?"

Lu Yang felt a pang of worry for the Fairy; though she was not particularly dependable, seldom helped, and constantly brought trouble upon him, he still hoped she would always retain her Dao Fruit and never be replaced by another.

Yun Zhi shook her head, her expression solemn: "Senior holds the supreme authority over the lineage of 'Immortality'; no one can contend with her in this regard, not even an embryonic Dao Fruit that is infinitely close to maturity."

"An embryonic Dao Fruit can supplant a true Dao Fruit under only one condition—when the true Dao Fruit is masterless, while the embryonic Dao Fruit possesses a master." Lu Yang breathed a sigh of relief: "Then all is well; the Fairy is still alive, so no one can replace her."

"But she was originally not supposed to be alive."

Hearing his Eldest Senior Sister's words, Lu Yang felt as though he had been struck by lightning.

Indeed, had he not inadvertently called out the Immortal Fairy's true name, it was highly probable that she would have been unable to resurrect even by the conclusion of the Great Era's contention.

Perhaps it was exactly as his Eldest Senior Sister had said: without him, it would have taken another three hundred thousand years for a second person to inadvertently utter the Immortal Fairy's true name.

No, if the Immortal Fairy had failed to resurrect, the Immortal Immortal would have been able to nurture the embryonic Immortal Dao Fruit to maturity, supplanting the original Immortal Dao Fruit.

By the time the Great Era's contention arrived, the Immortal Immortal would have led the Immortal Sect into the world, spreading his title far and wide; at that time, who would dare, as he had, to utter those four words, "Immortal Fairy," with a jesting mindset?

When that day came, it was feared the Immortal Fairy would never again be able to resurrect, perishing in the truest sense. The Immortal Fairy had also realized this point, her heart filled with lingering dread.

Yun Zhi briefly organized her thoughts: "During the ancient era, Senior was struck down by a sneak attack, and the Immortal Dao Fruit lost its owner, becoming a masterless object."

"The mastermind behind the scenes disclosed the concept of the Immortal Dao Fruit to the public, fabricating the non-existent Immortal Immortal, causing the followers of the Immortal Sect to believe, visualize, and resurrect the Immortal Immortal, while the Immortal Immortal himself remained entirely oblivious to this, desperately striving to mature the embryonic Dao Fruit."

"When the time was ripe, the mastermind would make their move, harvesting the Immortal Dao Fruit to claim it as their own."

"The only uncertainty now is whether the mastermind intended to harvest it the moment the Immortal Dao Fruit reached maturity, or when it was on the verge of maturity, or perhaps... he has already arrived?"

At this juncture, Yun Zhi's voice grew as cold as ten-thousand-year-old ice, the latent killing intent within causing Lu Yang's blood to run cold.

Yun Zhi and the Immortal Fairy simultaneously released their divine senses, sweeping through every inch of the surrounding space to flush out the mastermind.

Suddenly, in a corner of the secret chamber, the space rippled, and a pitch-black figure stepped gracefully into view, clapping his hands rhythmically as he praised Yun Zhi's extraordinary nature.

Lu Yang stared intently at the pitch-black figure; clearly, the man stood right there, yet when swept over with divine sense, the space appeared completely void.

Lu Yang felt as though the man were a bottomless black hole, harboring immense ambition capable of swallowing all things, sending an involuntary shiver down his spine.

Yun Zhi and the Immortal Fairy stepped forward to shield Lu Yang, warily eyeing the newcomer.

"As expected of the strongest expert among the Five Great Immortal Sects; to me, the Central Continent holds but a few threats, and you are the greatest among them." "Originally, I came here merely to observe whether the embryonic Immortal Dao Fruit had truly condensed; I did not expect that after observing for just a few days, I would reap such a grand harvest."

The pitch-black figure looked toward the Immortal Fairy; though his facial features could not be discerned, Lu Yang felt that he was smiling. "To think, Immortal Fairy, that you have actually resurrected; the greatest variable, entirely beyond my expectations."

"Since you have returned to life, the plan to supplant the Dao Fruit with the embryonic Immortal Dao Fruit is rendered void; a pity for the fourteen thousand years of preparation by the Immortal Sect, all reduced to drawing water with a bamboo basket." The pitch-black figure shook his head in regret, though it remained unclear whether he lamented for the Immortal Sect or for his own designs.

"Ying Tian, Qilin, Sui Yue, Jiu Chong—who are you! Sneaking around in the shadows, show your true face!" the Immortal Fairy shouted sharply; this person had sought to utterly erase her existence, a blood feud born of life and death that could never be reconciled!

Between her and this dark shadow, there must inevitably be a final reckoning!

The dark shadow shook his head and laughed softly: "Did your era truly possess only five immortals? Was the Nine Heavens Immortal truly the very first immortal?"

"Fairy, there are far too many matters wrapped in uncertainty; how can you be so certain that I am one of those four?" "Playing the ghost!" The Immortal Fairy gnashed her teeth.

Without another word, Yun Zhi acted directly, unleashing her full power in a decisive strike.

The dark shadow’s expression froze: "As expected, your strength far exceeds what you display to the outside world; even if my true body were to appear, I would likely find it difficult to defeat you."

"To think that after the ancient era, a person like you could emerge; it is truly a miracle of heaven and earth." Acknowledging his own inferiority, the dark shadow decisively chose self-detonation.

"A pity for my true body, which shall remain ignorant of the events here."

Some people are dead, but they are not entirely dead...