Chapter 933: Flaw

At the Ocean of Time, Li Pin circulated the Heavenly Fate Art.

"The true self..."

Although the grand summit involving hundreds of Supremes, Highlords, and Transcendents had yet to commence, the controversy surrounding it had already stirred widespread commotion.

Back when he was still a Supreme, Transcendent Black White had gotten acquainted with many other Supremes.

Supreme Regalheaven, leader of the Human Race, had rejected Transcendent Black White's proposal. But he still sought out other Supremes, seemingly poised to rally a faction to actively welcome extracosmic lifeforms such as Creator Miao Ya, Creator Yong Yao, and Creator Li into the starry cosmos.

The Human Race and many factions tried their best to stop it, but there were still many Supremes who yearned for the depths of the Void of Chaos and believed that venturing into it was the only path forward. Thus, they chose to approach Transcendent Black White.

That was especially the case after Transcendent Black White offered a method that allowed Supremes to survive safely outside the starry cosmos. That alone helped him gain recognition and support from the Supremes who had long wanted to leave but could not withstand the corrosion of the Void of Chaos.

Fortunately, though the matter was heating up, Creator Li, Creator Miao Ya, and Creator Yong Yao hadn't arrived yet.

The situation hadn't reached its tipping point yet, and conflicts between the two sides hadn't completely erupted yet. But division was already rampant.

In other words, before the enemy—or perhaps the opponent—even arrived, the starry cosmos had already split into two camps. Once powerful beings like Creator Miao Ya and Yong Yao truly arrived and displayed their formidable might, who knew how many would still be able to hold firm in their convictions?

This was an open conspiracy, yet the starry cosmos's Supremes had no means to counter it.

As for those Supremes who hadn't even bothered to establish factions or races, they only cared about their own future. They didn't give a damn whether the starry cosmos perished. Compared to the method that allowed survival in the Chaos Universe, the consequences of the cosmos's destruction simply weren't worth mentioning.

What lay beyond the starry cosmos was what truly mattered.

As for cutting off all their paths of retreat because of it... that didn't matter at all.

Li Pin observed the turmoil for a while, then simply stopped paying attention.

It was better to rely on oneself than on others.

"It's truly just like the situation when I faced the Myriad Astral God Court back in the Astral World."

At that time, the Human Race had been constantly holding meetings. A temporary Heavenly Emperor Council that was formed held countless debates, with no intention to handle the Myriad Astral God Court's matters, let alone the Astral Lord Council behind them. Therefore, neither the Heavenly Emperor Council nor the Astral Lord Council had the right to criticize the other.

When the situation was favorable, everyone was harmonious. But when the tide turned against them, it all became a contest of who could fail more miserably.

Sasha's voice rang out at that moment.

"The more powerful a being is, the harder it is to persuade them. The Heavenly Emperors stand at the peak of the Astral World, while the Supremes stand atop the true universe. In a way, their essence is the same."

Li Pin nodded.

A higher cultivation did not necessarily mean more refined ways of handling matters, nor did prolonged years of cultivation or age mean one's habits or personality would change. One who had a tainted past in youth would not necessarily become kind and benevolent in old age.

"Let's leave things be," Li Pin said softly.

Sasha was a little surprised. "You... don't intend to get involved in this matter anymore?"

Li Pin posed this question. "You are a traveler. When passing by a beautiful view, you pause to take it in, only to find two groups bickering endlessly and disturbing the peace. What would you do?"

"Step in... and try to mediate?" Sasha gave a probing reply.

"A roadside scene is always just scenery. You have your own path to walk. If the view no longer brings peace to your heart, then simply move on."

"You left behind the Phantom Space Technique. I thought that... you intended to recruit Supremes and establish a new force..."

"The Phantom Space Technique..." muttered Li Pin, a hint of wistfulness in his eyes.

The true meaning of leaving behind the Phantom Space Technique was merely to leave behind a trace, a sign that he had once been here. However, if these traces were truly erased for whatever reason, then so be it.

What he sought had always been his own heart. To live with no guilt to the heavens above, no shame to others below, and no regrets within. Even if no one in future generations remembered the name "Li Pin," what did it matter?

At that moment, he retracted all distractions and focused his full attention on his cultivation.

"The Eternal," Li Pin murmured.

The Eternity Realm, as he defined it, was the merging of the true selves of the past, present, and future as one. However, based on his contact with the Eternals and the Power of Eternity, the Eternity Realm he defined clearly did not meet the mark.

Li Pin reflected, "It's[1] Eternity Realm could distort everyone's cognition—even the Supremes'—as if... stripping away the concept of existence itself.

"My Eternity Realm fused the past, present, and future true selves. The past true self allows me to solidify the past. The present true self allows me to solidify the present and freely command the moment. But the future true self..."

Deep within his mind, the brilliance of the Heavenly Fate Light continued to flow.

"The future true self... merely allows me to stand at an endpoint... an end representing all causes and all effects! That's because that point represents my life's pursuit, the whole meaning of my existence."

Aside from serving as a guiding beacon, the future true self had no other mystic qualities.

"What is wrong?" asked Sasha.

Li Pin came to a realization. Just like when he pioneered the Liberation Realm, he thought understanding matter, energy, time, and space was enough. However, it later turned out he lacked the crucial links of reincarnation and karma.

Now, he thought fusing the past, present, and future true selves would grant him access to the Eternity Realm. Yet again, he found himself lacking a crucial piece—something analogous to reincarnation and karma.

Due to this missing piece, even if he achieved True Self Unity, the Eternity he attained would resemble that of the Supremes and Creators, a rough imitation of true Liberation.

It would be incomplete, falling far short of a true, complete Liberation.

In the next moment, Li Pin took a step and moved toward the outer edge of the Ocean of Time.

Sensing that Li Pin intended to leave, Null appeared immediately, asking, "Lord Origin, has your cultivation come to an end?"

"No, it hasn't." Li Pin shook his head. "Something is wrong... or rather, something is missing. So I need to test it out."

He paused, then said, "I need to gather my strength and test it out with everything I've got."

There was a strange glint in Null's eyes. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Although it may be a bit presumptuous... might I observe?"

"Yes, you may. But my true body is in the Void of Chaos."

Null smiled faintly. "It doesn't matter. To those of us who walk the Transcendence path, the Void of Chaos poses less danger than the Supreme Path or the Highlord Path. We may not be able to achieve eternal life, but drifting for ten or even eighteen epochs likely won't do much harm."

Li Pin nodded.

With that, his avatar departed from the Ocean of Time. Null followed closely, heading beyond the Ocean of Time.

Once he was some distance away from the Ocean of Time and had ensured that his fall into the Void of Chaos would not disturb the Ocean's flow, Li Pin's avatar began its descent.

It wasn't just his avatar in the Ocean of Time that moved. Another avatar, located at the Supreme Council, also stood and walked away.

Before leaving, he sent a message to Supreme Primordial. "There's a problem with my cultivation path. I need to enter the Void of Chaos to verify something. I'll try to return before the meeting begins. If I cannot make it in time... don't worry about my opinion."

"A problem with your cultivation path?" Supreme Primordial immediately projected an avatar, asking with concern, "What happened? Is it about the Phantom Space Technique?"

"Yes." Li Pin nodded. "The issue lies not in the fifth layer, but the sixth. Your continued adjustments in pursuit of Liberation won't be affected."

With that, he did not linger. This avatar, whose power rivaled a Supreme's true body, quickly vanished outside the Supreme Council.

Seeing Li Pin leave, Supreme Primordial opened his mouth, wanting to stop him.

Although they hadn't experienced it firsthand, they understood the power of the Liberation Realm from the descriptions of the fifth layer of the Phantom Space Technique. If Li Pin were present, he would undoubtedly be a decisive force for the Human Race. He might even rival the fused form of Regalheaven and Equiheaven.

However, since Li Pin's cultivation path had encountered a critical issue, it would be improper to stop him from pursuing a solution.

For now, all Supreme Primordial could do was silently hope that Li Pin would soon clarify his path and return before ancient beings like Creator Miao Ya arrived in the starry cosmos.

***

Avatars strong enough to rival a Supreme's true body were, in truth, nothing compared to Li Pin's present true form.

However, to verify the doubt in his heart and simulate the path ahead in detail, he refused to divide any of his focus. He was going to try to discern the true position of his future true self, perhaps even use the future true self to glimpse, in advance, the secrets of all causes and all effects.

Under such circumstances, his avatars naturally had to fuse with his true body.

It was just as the two avatars returned that Null saw Li Pin's true body for the first time.

Li Pin's true body had only recently begun growing in mass across the vast starry skies, yet its scale was already enough to shock Null greatly, especially when she saw Li Pin's mass increasing steadily.

It struck certain memories within her.

"This is... a Liberator?" She blurted out involuntarily.

However, even as she said those words, she was slightly confused. Clearly, Li Pin had said more than once that he had already reached the Liberation Realm. In other words, he was a qualified Liberator. But why then, why, upon seeing his full true form now, would she uncontrollably utter that word once again?

She couldn't understand.

The only explanation she could come up with was that... she had seen this realm before.

1. The "It" here is commonly used to refer to a godly existence. ☜