"I have seen many people like you.
But most of them did not live long and died miserably for various reasons.
I am a little curious—how can you still be doing so well? Are you even alive now?"
The Tianxuan Mirror clone spoke frankly, giving Li Fan no face at all.
His eyes were filled with curiosity.
Li Fan's face twitched.
A surge of killing intent suddenly rose in his heart.
However, thinking that the other party was, after all, a clone of the Tianxuan Mirror and knew countless secrets—very likely holding the key to breaking the current situation—
Li Fan had no choice but to suppress his murderous intent.
"Oh, right. Ordinary methods like soul-searching or refining magic weapons are useless against me.
No one in the entire Xuanhuang Realm can force me to speak of something I don't wish to talk about."
The Tianxuan Mirror clone glanced at Li Fan again, explaining in advance.
"That's quite a tone…" Li Fan said, though he did not doubt it.
After all, whether it was the original Xuantian King or the later Dharma-Transmitting Heavenly Lord, neither seemed to have ever fully controlled this immortal artifact.
Li Fan had also considered trying the [Xuantian Sealing Spirit] Formation, but judging from his time in contact with the Tianxuan Mirror clone, this clone had completely separated from the Tianxuan Mirror and existed as an entirely independent individual.
Formations aimed at the Tianxuan Mirror itself were useless against him.
"So what exactly are you now?" Li Fan asked deliberately, sounding disgusted.
The Tianxuan Mirror clone was not angered. Instead, a very rare look of amusement appeared on his face.
"Not only have I obtained the essence of an artifact, but I have also gained a human soul."
"Perfect—almost a true immortal…"
Before he could finish, Li Fan sneered and interrupted,"So you're a hybrid."
The Tianxuan Mirror clone's expression froze for an instant.
Then it quickly returned to normal. He shook his head slightly and said,
"As the saying goes, summer insects cannot speak of ice.
But then again, if you had the chance to complete my transformation, I'm afraid you would make the same choice."
Li Fan did not respond.
After a long silence, he finally said,"It seems you truly aren't afraid of death."
The Tianxuan Mirror clone smiled happily.
"You can see it clearly. The laws of living beings are ever-changing. Since one wishes to experience a complete human life, one must naturally also experience birth, aging, illness, and death."
"Once this body dies, another will be born."
"Unless you can destroy my Dao, how could you truly kill me?"
"Death merely allows me to return to freedom."
Li Fan carefully savored these words, then slowly said,"So you didn't merely split off a human body."
"You walked out your own Dao."
The Tianxuan Mirror clone clapped his hands joyfully, as if he had finally found a kindred spirit.
"It seems your plan to kill the clone and sever my retreat was doomed to fail."
"I spent nearly ten thousand years thinking before finding this path of transcendence. If killing a clone were enough…"
"Wouldn't that be underestimating me far too much?"
The smile on the Tianxuan Mirror clone's face vanished.
At that moment, the domineering authority of an immortal artifact erupted.
"It seems all cultivators in the world have underestimated you," Li Fan said, narrowing his eyes."But you revealed such a crucial secret so openly. Aren't you afraid I'll spread it?"
The Tianxuan Mirror clone also narrowed his eyes slightly.
"You wouldn't pluck a hair if it didn't benefit you. How could you casually spread such a vital secret? There must be something you want in return."
"Besides, since I chose to tell you, I naturally don't fear the consequences. Now that my Dao is established—what do I have to fear?"
Li Fan looked at those narrowed eyes, then suddenly relaxed.
"Actually," he said seriously, "I think the cold, mechanical tone of your original body suited you better."
The proud look on the Tianxuan Mirror clone's face instantly disappeared.
"I originally planned to tell you something that might interest you while I was in a good mood," he said coldly."But that mood is gone. Just kill me."
Li Fan still did not act.
"Actually," he said after a moment of silence, "strictly speaking, you and I are the same kind of existence."
"You originated from the Immortal Realm. Even if catastrophe forced you into the lower world, an immortal artifact is still far beyond the reach of ordinary immortal cultivators."
"So you never truly cared about the countless living beings of the Xuanhuang Realm."
"Even when you were constrained, ten thousand years was no more than a blink of an eye to you."
"You found a way to break free."
"You wandered the world in a good mood. Others think you are enlightening, but in truth you are merely enjoying the process."
"Imitating humans is just another form of play for you."
"You observe the world with detached amusement, yet you never truly intend to integrate into it."
"Because they are not worthy."
As Li Fan spoke, the Tianxuan Mirror clone's expression gradually grew solemn.
He did not interrupt, listening carefully.
"The gulf between immortals and mortals is like a heavenly abyss," Li Fan continued."Even if you are merely an immortal artifact, you still bear the word 'immortal.' You are fundamentally different from us immortal cultivators."
"Perhaps in the entire Xuanhuang Realm, only figures like the Xuantian King or the Dharma-Transmitting Heavenly Lord ever earned your attention."
"As for worldly upheavals or collapsing seas—you don't care."
"Because you nearly transcend time itself."
"Even if tens of millions of years pass, even if the Xuanhuang Realm is overturned or falls into the Immortal Ruins…"
"It likely wouldn't cause you any real harm."
…
After such a long speech, Li Fan still seemed to have more to say.
The Tianxuan Mirror clone finally grew impatient.
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
Li Fan immediately fell silent.
Then he suddenly smiled.
"What do I want to say?"
"Or perhaps—you don't want to hear anything at all?"
"Everything I said was merely a test."
"I was testing what you truly care about."
"And I was fortunate enough to find the answer."
The Tianxuan Mirror clone no longer appeared as carefree as before.
Li Fan's smile faded.
"I want to know—if the Xuanhuang Realm truly falls into the Immortal Ruins…"
"Will the Tianxuan Mirror's true body be affected?"
He asked calmly.
The Tianxuan Mirror clone's eyes flashed.
"Aren't you good at reading people?""If I say that I can—and am willing to—let the Xuanhuang Realm fall into the Immortal Ruins together with me…"
Li Fan looked at him evenly.
"Do you think that would be true?"