Chapter 1346: What Is the Self?

"Why do you have that expression? Is there something wrong with this immortal domain?" Jin Tong looked at Han Li and asked, puzzled.

"Nothing. If I want to go into seclusion, no immortal domain is really safe. Better to go to the outer realms." Han Li shook his head, not saying much to Jin Tong.

He waved his hand, releasing a golden light that enveloped the two of them and shot toward the sky, quickly passing through the Wind Domain and the Azure Firmament Domain to reach the outer space.

Han Li did not stop. He flew deep into the outer space for a long time before coming to a halt.

He spread his divine sense and soon found a safe place. He carved a cave dwelling on a giant meteorite and set up restrictions.

Han Li was already well-versed in all this and finished quickly. Then he opened the Flower Branch Space and entered it with Jin Tong.

"Husband, the aura outside was intense just now. Are you all right?" Nan Gong Wan asked with concern as she saw Han Li appear.

She then saw Jin Tong behind him. Her beautiful eyes flickered, and soon a gentle smile appeared on her face.

"So you are Jin Tong? Back when you had not yet taken human form, we met in the lower realm. I never thought that now you would have become such a beautiful person."

As she spoke, Nan Gong Wan stepped forward and took Jin Tong's hand.

"Mistress..." Jin Tong seemed unaccustomed to Nan Gong Wan's warmth, her expression somewhat stiff as she spoke.

"There's no need for 'Mistress.' Although my husband is your master, that has nothing to do with me. Besides, my cultivation is now far inferior to yours. How can I deserve that title? Just call me by my name." Nan Gong Wan smiled.

"Fellow Daoist Nan Gong." Jin Tong had already addressed Han Li as fellow daoist, so upon hearing this, she did not stand on ceremony and immediately changed her address, making a bow.

Nan Gong Wan returned the greeting with a smile.

"Husband, what happened outside just now?" After greeting Jin Tong, Nan Gong Wan looked at Han Li and pressed him about the earlier matter.

"Just some conflicts with others, a couple of fights. Wan'er, don't worry." Han Li waved his hand casually.

Jin Tong rolled her eyes inwardly at these words.

Indeed, it was just a couple of fights, but the opponents were a Source Dao Ancestor and Gu Huo Jin, the current number one powerhouse.

These two great figures seemed to have become somewhat insignificant in Han Li's words.

Not long ago, the two of them had been doing their utmost to evade Gu Huo Jin's long-range pursuit, nearly perishing.

Of course, she knew in her heart that Han Li was trying not to worry Nan Gong Wan.

"That's good." Nan Gong Wan's eyes flickered with a strange light, as if she sensed something, but she did not press further.

"Wan'er, we have found a place to go into seclusion. I will be cultivating for some time..." Han Li explained his upcoming plans to Nan Gong Wan.

"Just right, I also want to see your mysterious space." Nan Gong Wan's eyes lit up, and she smiled.

Seeing this, Han Li immediately formed hand seals to unfold his spiritual domain, enveloping the Flower Branch Space, and then activated the Time Constellation Grand Formation and the Truth Dharma Wheel.

The flow of time within the Flower Branch Space immediately changed, accelerating by more than a hundred thousand times.

Compared to before, his time law power had improved again, and the time acceleration had become faster.

"How marvelous! The time law truly deserves to be one of the three supreme laws. Today I have witnessed it!" Nan Gong Wan looked around, her face full of wonder.

"This is not something ordinary time law can achieve... In short, when it comes to the time law, I dare not claim to be first in the entire True Immortal Realm, but I can certainly claim second. Even the one who is first may not have this ability." Han Li chuckled, joking with Nan Gong Wan for the first time in a long while.

Seeing the usually serious Han Li cracking a joke, Jin Tong could not help but show a hint of surprise on her face.

"So improper, aren't you afraid of being laughed at?" Nan Gong Wan shot Han Li a look.

"Fellow Daoist Han, Fellow Daoist Nan Gong, take your time chatting. I'll go find a place to go into seclusion." Jin Tong quickly took her leave and flew deeper into the Flower Branch Space.

Han Li laughed heartily, waved his hand, and brought Nan Gong Wan into the pavilion.

"Husband, is this upcoming seclusion very important?" Nan Gong Wan asked.

"I must give it my all." Han Li nodded solemnly.

"Just focus on your cultivation and don't worry about me." Nan Gong Wan said understandingly.

Han Li nodded, flipped his hand, and took out a storage device, handing it over.

"Wan'er, I don't know how long this seclusion will last. There are some pills, immortal spirit stones, and other cultivation resources inside. You can take the opportunity to cultivate for a while."

Nan Gong Wan did not stand on ceremony and accepted the storage device, knowing that only by doing so could she truly put his mind at ease.

After advising Han Li not to be too impatient, she soon left the pavilion.

Han Li watched Nan Gong Wan leave, then stood up and set up the array needed for the Corpse Separation Technique in the pavilion. Finally, he took out the Earthly Deity Incarnation and placed it within the array.

Next, he carefully set up layers of restrictions around the pavilion to prevent any unnecessary tremors from the force bursting out when he made his breakthrough.

After doing all this, he sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and calmed his mind.

...

Before the nameless palace of the Heavenly Court.

Gu Huo Jin sat in a wheelchair, holding a earthen-yellow orb in his hand.

A faint yellow light flowed continuously on the surface of the orb, clearly indicating it was no ordinary object, exuding an extremely powerful earth law.

Looking at this orb, a hint of a smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

But the joy on his face soon froze, and he closed his eyes, as if sensing something.

After a moment, Gu Huojin opened his eyes, frowning.

"In such a short time, he's already vanished without a trace. Perhaps I shouldn't have hesitated earlier; after all, we've reached the final step, so there's no need to be overly concerned..." Gu Huojin murmured.

...

Inside the Flower Branch Space.

After a full three days and nights of meditation and breath regulation, Han Li was now in optimal condition, both physically and mentally.

He rose and checked all the arrangements once more, then closed his eyes again, focused his mind, and entered the divine sense space.

"Hehe, you've finally found time to see me." The other Han Li sat there, looking over calmly with a faint smile.

This man wore the same green robe as Han Li, with a peaceful expression, neither the ferocity of the evil corpse nor the kindness of the good corpse, and his aura was identical to Han Li's own.

Han Li's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, sensing that this severing of the corpse would be far more difficult than the previous two times.

He walked over to the green-robed Han Li and sat down cross-legged.

"You've come here to sever me?" The green-robed Han Li asked with a faint smile, as if speaking of something unrelated to himself.

As he spoke, he pointed a finger, and a stone table appeared between them, on which were placed two cups of clear tea.

"That's right." Han Li picked up a cup of tea, took a light sip, and said with an unchanged expression.

"Oh, then do you understand what the self-corpse is? And how to sever me?" The green-robed Han Li was not angered, but instead asked in return.

Han Li fell silent.

Indeed, he knew very little about severing the self-corpse, and had no clear understanding of what the self-corpse was, unlike the evil corpse and the good corpse.

Previously, he had tried to obtain some information about the self-corpse through the Reincarnation Mask, but with little success; most of it was just general overviews, and very little actually touched on severing the corpse.

After all, severing the self-corpse is the final step in the Three Corpses Severing for a Da Luo realm cultivator. Generally, those who have insights or methods for this process are mostly Dao Ancestors, or at least peak Da Luo cultivators.

Even if such figures recorded their insights on severing the corpse for posterity, they would mostly be shelved away, not circulated in the world except under special circumstances or at a high price.

"The self is oneself. To sever me, you must kill yourself." The green-robed Han Li seemed to read Han Li's thoughts and said calmly.

"You yourself telling me this is somewhat unexpected." Han Li's eyes flickered as he heard this.

"Such matters, once you reach that step, you will naturally understand; there is no need to hide them. And even if you know this, severing me will still be extremely difficult." The green-robed Han Li smiled.

"You are quite confident." Han Li's eyes narrowed at these words.

"Then let me ask you, to sever me, would you be willing to kill your companions? For instance, that Golden Boy outside?" The green-robed Han Li asked.

"Why would severing the self-corpse require killing friends?" Han Li frowned at this.

"Then what about killing your wife?" The green-robed Han Li ignored Han Li's question and asked in return.

Han Li's face darkened, and he said nothing.

"Or perhaps killing your parents?" The green-robed Han Li continued.

"I think it would be better to kill you." Han Li suddenly rose and threw a punch at the green-robed Han Li.

A golden fist the size of a mountain appeared before the green-robed Han Li and struck down fiercely.

The green-robed Han Li shook his head with a sigh, flicked his sleeve, and a fair hand reached out, fingertips blazing with golden light.

With a dull thud, the hand grabbed the golden fist, preventing it from advancing any further.

Seeing this, Han Li did not hesitate and threw his other arm with full force.

At the same time, golden light blazed from his body, and the Time Domain emerged, covering the sky as it descended toward the green-robed Han Li.

The green-robed Han Li flashed with golden light, and a Time Domain also appeared around him.

Han Li's other fist struck the green-robed Han Li's domain, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea, causing no ripples.

The two domains collided with equal force, stalemating each other.

"You and I are identical in both cultivation and divine abilities; why waste your strength? If you want to sever me, go and understand yourself first." The green-robed Han Li said with a faint smile.

Han Li acted as if he hadn't heard the green-robed Han Li's words and pointed a finger.

Dozens of lightning sword beams shot out, shifting slightly, then rolled up a thousand golden lights and ten thousand thunderbolts, slashing toward the green-robed Han Li.

The green-robed Han Li frowned, formed a hand seal, and waved his hand, summoning a thousand golden lightning sword shadows to meet them.

The two fought fiercely in the divine sense space, and as the green-robed Han Li had said, their strength was evenly matched, with neither gaining the upper hand.

In the blink of an eye, over ten days passed.

Both were exhausted, panting heavily, and unable to continue fighting, so they stopped.

Han Li gave a light snort, and his figure flickered as he left the divine sense space.

His consciousness returned to his main body, and his soul was indescribably weary.

The struggle with the self-corpse in the divine sense space was mostly a contest of soul power, placing a great burden on the soul.

Han Li's expression shifted between gloom and uncertainty, but in the end, he sighed and closed his eyes again.