My Longevity Simulation

Chapter 1046: Like a Turtle in a Jar Again

In the central four prefectures of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, a strikingly clear dividing line appeared between heaven and earth.

On either side of the dividing line, the landscapes of the earth and the skies corresponded perfectly with each other.

It was as if a mirror had cleaved the world in two.

The numerous cracks radiating from the dividing line seemed to indicate that this stretch of heaven and earth was on the verge of collapse!

Seeing this apocalyptic scene, enlightenment dawned in Li Fan's mind: "So, Tianyu, Tianchen, Tianshu, Tianquan; these four central prefectures of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance were actually forged from the main body of the Tianxuan Mirror!"

"Remaking heaven and earth with a mirror..."

Li Fan's expression gradually grew solemn.

Such crucial information, and yet the Tianxuan Mirror had never mentioned it before.

Either this meant the Tianxuan Mirror's desire for freedom was a ruse, and it had merely put on a show for Li Fan and Mo Rubin to lure them into a trap.

Or, the Tianxuan Mirror itself had forgotten that its main body had been used to craft the heavens and earth of the four Xuanhuang prefectures!

The unease in his heart grew thicker, and Mo Rubin still had not appeared.

Li Fan had intended to leave directly, but when he quietly flew to the border of Tianquan Prefecture, he discovered with some alarm that the Devouring Essense White Mist, which had once spanned between heaven and earth, had vanished at some unknown point.

In its place was an invisible, formless light barrier that sealed off the entire four-prefecture region!

No entry, no exit!

In this moment, Li Fan suddenly recalled the time years ago when he had first encountered the Crimson Flame Incinerating Sea, fleeing in panic only to find himself trapped to death in the Congyun Sea!

However, compared to back then, Li Fan had grown far too much.

Without excessive panic, Li Fan steadied his mind and returned to the center of Tianquan prefecture, slipping into a random cultivator's cave mansion to lie low.

With the Final Dissociation Disc in hand, the formations protecting these cave mansions were utterly negligible to him.

The interior of the cave mansion was styled like a waterside courtyard, with no signs of recent habitation.

It was likely just one of many properties owned by the cave mansion's master.

Yet, the cave mansion had all the necessary facilities. Li Fan located a Tianxuan sub-mirror and cautiously tested the Tianxuan Mirror origin he carried with him.

"It has not failed."

"There are many discussions in the Tianxuan Mirror about the anomalies in the four provinces, but they are locked and deleted the instant they appear."

"Fortunately, I can still see the speech records."

Li Fan quickly scanned the information in the Tianxuan Mirror.

"What's going on? Has the sky fallen?"

"Could it be that the Five Elders Association has attacked again? I knew it; after suffering such a huge loss last time, how could they just let it go?"

"All teleportation methods have failed; no one can enter or leave! The central four prefectures are completely sealed off!"

"Fellow Daoists, it's best to hide in your cave mansions for safety and avoid venturing out recklessly. That's all I have to say..."

...

Most were worthless posts from cultivators in a state of panic.

However, with so many posters, Li Fan still found some useful ones.

"Something big has happened! I just came out from the Alliance headquarters, and it seems like a fight has broken out inside!"

"Don't spread rumors here; the Alliance headquarters is such a heavily guarded place; how could anyone dare to fight there?"

"I saw it with my own eyes! Right at the moment I was about to leave, I heard a thunderous explosion. Then, I vaguely saw over a hundred figures suddenly erupting into action! I was so close to not making it out."

"Hiss..."

The conversation ended abruptly there.

Similar to this, there were records from other cultivators who had been suddenly expelled from the Alliance headquarters.

"It matches the plan discussed with Mo Rubin..."

Li Fan pondered for a moment, then took out a white jade horn and crushed it viciously.

Moments later, a shrill sound that only specific cultivators could hear spread out from this location.

This was the signal to command the Five Elders Association's dead soldiers to act.

Far off, Li Fan spotted nearly a hundred black shadows flying into the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters through the cracks in heaven and earth. He then cautiously switched to another cave dwelling to hide.

"I wonder what exactly is happening inside."

Before figuring it out, Li Fan made no rash moves. Instead, he chose to observe quietly and wait for changes.

The rumbling sounds between heaven and earth grew louder and louder.

The accumulated cracks multiplied, shocking to behold. It seemed as if the entire heaven and earth might truly split open at any moment.

What made the cultivators of the four prefecture even more uneasy was that, despite such a major upheaval, no one from the Alliance headquarters had stepped forward to explain the situation or offer reassurance.

This fear persisted for fully the time it takes to burn half an incense stick.

The intermittent thunderous explosions gradually subsided, and the cracks piercing heaven and earth slowly closed.

A cultivator's figure appeared in the sky, and Li Fan instantly recognized him.

One of the Dharma Transmitters, Chen.

His expression was solemn, his eyes filled with killing intent.

Chen's voice boomed like thunder across heaven and earth, announcing that the minor disturbance within the Alliance had been quelled. There was no need for panic.

However, to thoroughly investigate the thieves' accomplices, the lockdown of the four prefecture would not be lifted for the time being.

The cultivators of the four prefecture must fully cooperate with the investigation.

...

With that said, Chen hurriedly departed and vanished from the sky.

He left behind the cultivators of the four prefecture, who buzzed with discussion and struggled to calm their emotions.

"Could it be that Mo Rubin has been captured?" Li Fan could not help but think.

But then he reconsidered: Mo Rubin's technique was profoundly strange; even if the matter was exposed, it would likely not be so easy to capture him. Thus, Li Fan's heart eased somewhat.

Next, Li Fan hid in his new shelter for three more days, maintaining the highest level of vigilance to avoid exposure.

During this time, black-robed cultivators from the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance came to search, but they failed to discover the hidden Li Fan.

Li Fan also noticed that those black-robed cultivators seemed to be merely going through the motions.

They hastily completed a perfunctory sweep before heading to the next search location.

"Interesting."

Watching their attitude, Li Fan fell into thought.

The lockdown and large-scale search continued for ten days.

At first, the cultivators of the four prefecture cooperated somewhat, but as time dragged on with no sign of normalcy returning, dissatisfaction gradually spread.

The cultivators residing in the Tianquan Four Prefecture were absolutely the most core and important part of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.

Such a baseless lockdown was destined not to last long.

Ten days later, in the face of the increasingly fierce waves of opposition, the Alliance finally lifted the restrictions on the four prefecture.

The ground scenery reflected in the sky slowly dissipated, and the boundaries of the four prefecture reappeared as white mist barriers.

But those massive cracks from heaven to earth did not vanish.

Like wounds on heaven and earth, they reminded the cultivators of the recent upheaval and the unreality of this heaven and earth.

Li Fan did not flee immediately; he continued lurking in his hidden cave dwelling. Another month passed before the influence of the incident finally subsided, with almost no one discussing it anymore. Only then did he quietly depart.

From beginning to end, he never received any message from Mo Rubin.

Whether a cry for help or a warning, nothing came.

Li Fan made another trip to Weidu, where the Tianxuan Mirror's human clone had been.

The figure of that human clone was already nowhere to be seen.