The massive golden walls enclosed everyone within, countless screams filling the air, yet in an instant all the clamor suddenly vanished, leaving only the sharp, piercing howl of the hurricane winds lingering endlessly.
Ri Yan's gaze shifted from astonishment and delight to bewilderment. He scanned the surroundings, his tone turning strange: "What kind of Immortal Technique is this!"
Li Fei's voice sounded from his back, somewhat weak: "Netherworld Great Magic."
"What kind of Netherworld Great Magic is this!"
Ri Yan was still exclaiming in shock—he had seen Netherworld Great Magic before. Those trapped within golden walls would either regress in time or rapidly age beyond their lifespan, turning into complete nothingness.
Time was the domain of legendary deities. No matter how profound a cultivator's cultivation, they couldn't easily meddle with it. That was why Netherworld Great Magic was called the most perfect ultimate Immortal Technique. Even if one knew the spiritual energy combinations, successfully casting it was extremely difficult, nearly impossible.
At this moment, the bustling Celestials were all still present, not a single one missing. Yet no one moved—not a single person. Many Celestials had been mid-cast with their Immortal Techniques, the glow of Five Elements Aura still flickering, but they were abruptly frozen in place. The hurricane winds were so strong they could lift seawater into the sky, yet the immobilized Celestials stood like clay statues, not even a strand of hair trembling.
This was neither regression nor progression—she had stopped time for these Celestials. No one could achieve such a feat, not even Qing Cheng Xian Ren, the creator of Netherworld Great Magic.
Ri Yan clicked his tongue in amazement, his large, pointed nose involuntarily leaning toward Cuixuan Xianren. The old man looked utterly ridiculous now—his hair standing on end, eyes wide, his facial muscles twisted into an expression so bizarre it was almost comical. Just as Ri Yan was about to touch him, Li Fei spoke again: "Don't touch him, or his timeline will be altered."
Even the slightest change in a single hair's position could lead to unpredictable consequences—a tiny deviation could result in a huge error.
Ri Yan turned to glare at her: "I think you're the one altering things! Netherworld Great Magic can't do this!"
Li Fei's face was unusually pale, yet her expression remained calm: "I just made some minor adjustments to the incomplete aspects of this technique. Master truly is remarkable to have created such an Immortal Technique."
Ri Yan was even more stunned: "What adjustments did you make?! How... how could you..."
Even after shedding her shell, she was still that Jiang Li Fei—the person inside remained the same. Someone who didn't even know the spiritual energy combinations for Netherworld Great Magic—how could she identify its incomplete aspects? How could she possibly discover anything incomplete!
"I don't know, but I instinctively adjusted it while casting." Li Fei mounted the Horn of the Rhinoceros, slowly rising into the air as she gazed quietly at the tens of thousands of frozen Central Plains Immortals suspended mid-air. "Perhaps it's the Graftwood Seed body's instinct."
Ri Yan suddenly noticed snowflake-like fragments continuously falling from beneath her feet. A bad feeling struck him, and he hurriedly moved in front of her. What he saw horrified him—the skin on her face and hands kept peeling away, revealing terrifying flesh beneath. New pale skin continuously regenerated only to split apart again, creating a ghastly sight.
Li Fei turned her face away, avoiding his gaze: "Ri Yan, why did you come?"She thought the fox had finally gained his freedom and abandoned her to roam carefree, but when the Sea Fall descended, he still appeared. He always spoke harsh words, yet in his heart, he never stopped thinking of her.
Ri Yan abruptly closed his mouth, his gaze turning grave: "Even if you used your toes to think, you should know I would come. No need for such nonsense—let’s go now!"
Li Fei replied calmly, "If I leave with you, the Netherworld Great Magic will vanish within three miles, and they’ll catch up. I can’t hold on much longer. Take Xiu Yuan and go first. Wait for me overseas."
Wait for her overseas?! Ri Yan was so furious he nearly laughed. She was seeking death and expected him to be grateful for her "generosity"? This was why he despised humans the most—they couldn’t commit fully to being good or evil, wavering between selfishness and sudden, ill-timed nobility. When they ought to be generous, they often fell short.
He feared he would never understand what went on in their minds.
Before he could erupt into furious curses, Li Fei raised her hand and pointed toward the sea. "Go."
Ri Yan felt his entire body, from head to toe, compelled to obey that single word. His four paws moved involuntarily through the air, and in the blink of an eye, he was far away. This only stoked his rage to unbearable heights. How could he have forgotten? At his core, he was still a Demon, and Demons were bound to her command. That fool had actually ambushed him at such a critical moment!
As he flew uncontrollably forward, he roared, "I hope you die! I won’t wait for you! Just wait to be sliced into mincemeat by them! If I ever worry about you again, I’ll be a pig!"
But he truly was flying away, so far that he’d never see this brat again. Since childhood, she had always relied on others, unable to solve anything on her own, asking endless questions at the slightest difficulty, evading her own abnormalities while chasing an imagined peaceful life. Why wasn’t she relying on someone now? Once again, he was forced to watch someone he cared for die, just like back in Azure City. He couldn’t understand it—he just couldn’t!
Li Fei lowered her head to look at her hands. The cracks in her skin were spreading faster, leaving almost no intact patches. The power of the Heavenly Thunder Fire Sea seethed within her, and she felt on the verge of exploding. The spiritual energy and Netherworld Great Magic she had absorbed earlier were her absolute limit—she couldn’t take in another wisp of energy, nor could she cast even the simplest low-level Immortal Technique.
Things had escalated so suddenly, beyond anything they could have anticipated. Every effect had a cause. The Heavenly Thunder Fire Sea pursued her alone—there must be some reason she didn’t know. The Graftwood Seed was inherently extraordinary; perhaps this was the price for wielding such immense power.
Li Fei raised her head again, sweeping her gaze over the thousands of motionless Celestials.
In truth, she was fortunate. Though so many had pursued her relentlessly, none of them were people she cared about. Master Chongyi, Dongyang Zhenren, Qingle Zhenren, Guangwei Zhenren, Zuoqiu Xiansheng… None of the Celestials who had shown her kindness, who had given warmth to her and Lei Xiuyuan, were among them.
That was enough. To them, at least, her existence wasn’t merely that of an outsider from beyond the sea. They had acknowledged her feelings, acknowledged her seventeen years in the Central Land—whether as Xiao Bangchui or Jiang Li Fei, she had already found fulfillment.Ri Yan and the others had traveled far, with no one able to catch up—they had truly escaped. And so, there were no more regrets left.
The Horn of the Rhinoceros let out a mournful cry as it dissipated into the air. She no longer had the strength to control it, and her body plummeted straight into the surging sea. Overwhelming shades of deep and light blue swallowed her whole. Li Fei drifted in and out of consciousness, vaguely sensing something calling to her, pulling at her—was this the Yellow Springs? Was this the feeling of death?
Amidst the shifting blues, she seemed to see a blinding white light—the last memory before she lost consciousness.
The spiritual energy of the Netherworld Great Magic dissipated in an instant. The Celestials, frozen in place, instinctively surged forward in their original motions before stopping one by one in confusion.
Cuixuan Xianren reacted the most violently. Frantically, he released spiritual energy in all directions, searching wildly as he rasped, "Where is Jiang Li Fei?! Where did she go?!"
The other Celestials were equally shocked and bewildered. After a long moment of contemplation, Sang Hua Jun exclaimed, "Was that the Netherworld Great Magic she just unleashed? Everyone... do you feel anything unusual in your bodies?"
At his words, panic spread further. If their bodies had been regressed a few hundred years—or advanced a few hundred—that would truly be disastrous!
But as time passed, the cries of alarm gradually quieted. Everyone realized they felt no abnormalities—their cultivation remained exactly as it was. So what had that Netherworld Great Magic been? They had only seen the golden barrier rise, and in the next moment, both the Nine-tailed Fox and Jiang Li Fei had vanished.
Cuixuan Xianren searched back and forth dozens of times. He looked terrible—understandably so. After finally succeeding in casting the Netherworld Great Magic once, his spiritual energy had been absorbed by Jiang Li Fei. Worse, she had wielded the immensely complex technique with such ease. For Cuixuan Xianren, this was the most devastating blow.
For three days and nights, the Celestials scoured the area but found not a trace of Jiang Li Fei. Some bold souls, seeing that the Heavenly Thunder Fire Sea had been devoured by her, speculated that the natural hazards beyond the sea had vanished. They flew forward for a long time, only to nearly lose their lives when they collided with the re-formed Heavenly Thunder Fire Sea, forcing them to retreat in embarrassment.
Three days later, the waters of the Eastern Sea had fully returned to normal, and all the strange phenomena had ceased. The Eastern Sea regained its usual tranquility and beauty. This Sea Fall had come and gone swiftly. Though some Celestials had perished, compared to the devastation such disasters usually wrought, the casualties were hardly severe.
With the Heavenly Thunder Fire Sea consumed by Jiang Li Fei, the more formidable and troublesome Otherkin had not even come ashore—what should have been an unexpected boon. Yet the inexplicable disappearance of Jiang Li Fei, who had been within their grasp, left the Celestials feeling disheartened.
The Spirit Stele standing in the Myriad Immortals Assembly's small town did not vanish. Some had tried to move it to a more secluded location, but none could budge the stele, formed from solidified spiritual energy. As the Sea Fall ended, more and more Celestials from stationed sects heard of the Spirit Stele and flocked to the Eastern Sea to see it. Eventually, even many disciples came to witness this novelty. To prevent unrest, the Celestials of the Mountain and Sea sects engaged in heated debate. In the end, Shen Xiansheng had no choice but to conceal the events beyond the sea for the time being, draping the stele in black cloth.The resentful Immortals lingered around the Eastern Sea for over a month, with Cuixuan Xianren being the most unwilling to let go. He searched the Eastern Sea daily until exhaustion. Even Celestials have finite lifespans—by the next Sea Fall five hundred years later, whether sect leaders or elder Celestials like him, none would remain to witness it. Having failed to eliminate this looming threat now, what calamity might befall the Central Land Immortals in five centuries? He dared not imagine.
Yet few Celestials shared his depth of concern. Most returned to their sects, resuming their tranquil cultivation lives as before.
Among them, the No Moon Court was likely the busiest. Jiang Li Fei and Lei Xiu Yuan's residence was completely sealed off, with every item inside thoroughly inspected—yet nothing was found. Eventually, everything was locked away again. The sect leaders and elder Celestials debated endlessly over how to punish those involved—Chongyi, Guangwei, Qing Le, Zhaomin, Su Wan, Deng Xiguang, Le Cailing—both Celestials and disciples alike.
But with the fugitives gone, even the harshest punishments would be meaningless. In the end, each was merely sentenced to three days of wall-facing in the Contemplation Tower.
From then on, the names Jiang Li Fei and Lei Xiu Yuan were forbidden within the No Moon Court. That peerlessly beautiful maiden, that dazzlingly talented genius—all traces of them were buried, as though they had never existed.
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