zhè shí hòu ， yī dào kàn bù qīng miàn róng de shēn yǐng zhè cái chū xiàn zài tā de miàn qián 。
这时候，一道看不清面容的身影这才出现在他的面前。
At this moment, a figure with an indistinct face appeared before him.
“ yǒu yì si ， nǐ jiū jìng shì shén me rén ？”
“有意思，你究竟是什么人？”
"Interesting. Who are you exactly?"
líng yuán jiào zhǔ tīng dào zhè ge tí wèn ， jǐ yù tù xiě 。
灵元教主听到这个提问，几欲吐血。
The Spirit Essence Sect Master heard the question and almost wanted to cough up blood.
nǐ zhòu rán bào qǐ 、 bǎ wǒ zhuā lái cǐ chù ， hái yào wèn wǒ shì shén me rén ？ wǒ hái xiǎng wèn nǐ ne ！
你骤然暴起、把我抓来此处，还要问我是什么人？我还想问你呢！
You suddenly attacked me and brought me here, then ask who I am? I should be asking you!
líng yuán jiào zhǔ lěng hēng yī shēng ， jù bù huí dá 。
灵元教主冷哼一声，拒不回答。
With a cold snort, the Spirit Essence Sect Master refused to answer.
“ yǒu shì wú kǒng ， kàn lái nǐ shì bù pà sōu hún le ？”
“有恃无恐，看来你是不怕搜魂了？”
"You have nothing to fear from my probing. It seems you're not afraid of soul searching?"
“ xiū wèi gēn wù zhì dì zào wù ， dí què bù tóng yú yì bān shēng líng 。”
“修为跟物质的造物，的确不同于一般生灵。”
"Entities with cultivation are indeed different from ordinary life forms."
“ bù guò ， nǐ kě jiàn guò cǐ wù ？”
“不过，你可见过此物？”
"But have you seen this object before?"
duì fāng yǔ qì sēn rán ， shǒu zhōng tū rán fú xiàn chū yī tuán qī cǎi guāng qiú 。
对方语气森然，手中突然浮现出一团七彩光球。
The other's tone was chilling as a ball of multicolored light suddenly appeared in his hand.
ér zhè guāng qiú zhī nèi ， líng yuán jiào zhǔ hè rán gǎn dào le yí gè shēn mái yú tā jì yì zuì dǐ bù ， ràng tā yǒng shì nán wàng 、 máo gǔ sǒng rán de dōng xī ！
而这光球之内，灵元教主赫然感到了一个深埋于他记忆最底部，让他永世难忘、毛骨悚然的东西！
And within that light, the Spirit Essence Sect Master suddenly felt something deeply buried in his memories—something he could never forget and found horrifying!
“ nǐ fēng le ！？” líng yuán jiào zhǔ de yǔ qì zhōng mǎn shì jīng kǒng 。
“你疯了！？”灵元教主的语气中满是惊恐。
"You've gone mad!?" The Spirit Essence Sect Master's voice was filled with terror.
dàn kàn jiàn duì fāng bù wèi suǒ dòng ， shèn zhì shì tú jiāng qī cǎi guāng qiú bù duàn kào jìn 。
但看见对方不为所动，甚至试图将七彩光球不断靠近。
But seeing that the other remained unmoved and even tried to get closer to the multicolored ball of light,
“ yǒu huà hǎo hǎo shuō ， yǒu huà hǎo hǎo shuō 。” líng yuán jiào zhǔ shùn jiān tuǒ xié le 。
“有话好好说，有话好好说。”灵元教主瞬间妥协了。
"Let's talk this out," the Spirit Essence Sect Master instantly capitulated.
“ kàn lái ， nǐ duì zhè 【 méi 】 zì jué ， yě bìng bù mò shēng 。” lǐ fán dàn dàn dì shuō dào 。
“看来，你对这【没】字诀，也并不陌生。”李凡淡淡地说道。
"It seems you're not unfamiliar with the 'Nothing' Technique." Li Fan said indifferently.
“ dào yǒu mò fēi yě shì qí yú xiū xíng jiè ， táo nàn zhì cǐ de ？” líng yuán jiào zhǔ shì tàn zhe wèn dào 。
“道友莫非也是其余修行界，逃难至此的？”灵元教主试探着问道。
"Could you be one of those cultivators who escaped to this place from other worlds?" the Spirit Essence Sect Master asked tentatively.
lǐ fán méi yǒu huí dá ， ér shì lù chū le gè gāo shēn mò cè de xiào róng 。
李凡没有回答，而是露出了个高深莫测的笑容。
Li Fan did not answer but instead revealed a profound smile.
líng yuán jiào zhǔ xīn zhōng què yǐ jīng rèn dìng le cǐ shì 。
灵元教主心中却已经认定了此事。
The Spirit Essence Sect Master had already made up his mind about this matter.
bì jìng zuò wéi zhè piàn xīng hǎi zhōng kě néng de wéi yī lè tǔ ， xuán huáng jiè mù qián xiāng duì lái shuō hái shì ān quán de 。 méi yǒu zāo shòu 【 méi 】 zì jué qīn rǎn de jì xiàng 。
毕竟作为这片星海中可能的唯一乐土，玄黄界目前相对来说还是安全的。没有遭受【没】字诀侵染的迹象。
After all, as the only possible haven in this star sea, Xuanhuang World was relatively safe at present. There were no signs of it being affected by the 'Nothing' Technique.
“ cǐ wù wēi xiǎn zhì jí ， dào yǒu hái shì xiān shōu qǐ lái bǐ jiào hǎo 。 suī shuō cǐ jiè xiū shì yìng duì gè zhǒng zāi huò sì hū shí fēn zài háng ， dàn shì qiǎo rán bào fā zhī xià ， kǒng pà yě shì nán yǐ zhāo jià 。”
“此物危险至极，道友还是先收起来比较好。虽说此界修士应对各种灾祸似乎十分在行，但是悄然爆发之下，恐怕也是难以招架。”
"This object is extremely dangerous. It would be better for you to put it away first. Although cultivators here seem adept at dealing with various disasters, they might struggle if an unexpected calamity strikes."
“ dào bú shì wǒ gēn tā men xuán huáng jiè xiū shì yī xīn ， ér shì chú le cǐ chù ， zài méi yǒu qí tā dì fāng kě qù le 。” líng yuán jiào zhǔ sì hū shì pà lǐ fán wù huì ， lián máng jiě shì dào 。
“倒不是我跟他们玄黄界修士一心，而是除了此处，再没有其他地方可去了。”灵元教主似乎是怕李凡误会，连忙解释道。
"I'm not saying I have any special connection to these Xuanhuang World cultivators. There's nowhere else I can go except here," the Spirit Essence Sect Master quickly explained, fearing Li Fan would misunderstand.
tīng wén tā de huà ， lǐ fán shì shì zài rèn zhēn kǎo lǜ 。
听闻他的话，李凡似是在认真考虑。
Hearing his words, Li Fan seemed to be considering something seriously.
ér hòu zǒng suàn shì jiāng qī cǎi guāng tuán shōu qǐ ， nà zhì mìng de wēi xiǎn qì xī xiāo shī ， líng yuán jiào zhǔ yī kē xuán zhe de xīn zǒng suàn zàn qiě fàng le xià lái 。
而后总算是将七彩光团收起，那致命的危险气息消失，灵元教主一颗悬着的心总算暂且放了下来。
Finally, he put away the multicolored light ball, and the deadly aura vanished. The Spirit Essence Sect Master's heart was finally at ease for now.
“ gǎn jiāng cǐ wù suí shēn xié dài ， dàng zhēn shì wèi hěn rén 。” líng yuán jiào zhǔ xīn zhōng àn lǐn 。
“敢将此物随身携带，当真是位狠人。”灵元教主心中暗凛。
"Daring to carry this object with you truly makes you a formidable person," the Spirit Essence Sect Master thought inwardly.
dāng jí shí fēn shí qù de biǎo tài dào ：“ jì rán tóng shì tiān yá lún luò rén ， nà me dào yǒu yǒu shén me xiǎng wèn de ， jǐn guǎn wèn wǒ biàn shì ！ wǒ dìng dàng zhī wú bù yán yán wú bù jìn ！”
当即十分识趣的表态道：“既然同是天涯沦落人，那么道友有什么想问的，尽管问我便是！我定当知无不言言无不尽！”
---
méi bàn fǎ ， shuí ràng zì jǐ xiǎo mìng zài duì fāng shǒu zhōng ne ？
没办法，谁让自己小命在对方手中呢？
"Since we are both wanderers in this world, if there's anything you want to ask, just ask me! I'll speak my mind without reservation!" the Spirit Essence Sect Master promptly declared.
líng yuán jiào zhǔ xīn zhōng fā kǔ 。
灵元教主心中发苦。
After all, who could he blame for his life being in someone else's hands?
“ nǐ chū shēn zì nǎ ge xiū xiān jiè ？” lǐ fán yě bù fèi huà ， zhí jiē wèn dào 。
“你出身自哪个修仙界？”李凡也不废话，直接问道。
The Spirit Essence Sect Master felt bitter inside.
“ bǐ rén qiǎo gōng jū shì ， lái zì 【 tiān jī jiè 】。” líng yuán jiào zhǔ zì bào jiā mén 。
“鄙人巧工居士，来自【天机界】。”灵元教主自报家门。
"Which cultivation realm do you come from?" Li Fan asked directly.
“ nǐ shì rú hé sǐ ér fù shēng de ？” lǐ fán wèn chū le guān jiàn wèn tí 。
“你是如何死而复生的？”李凡问出了关键问题。
"I am Daoist Artisan of Ingenious Devices, from the Realm of Heavenly Secrets," the Spirit Essence Sect Master introduced himself.
qiǎo gōng jū shì yě shì hěn tòng kuài de jiě shì dào ：“ yán gé yì yì shàng lái shuō ， bìng fēi shì zhēn zhèng de sǐ ér fù shēng 。 shí jì shàng ， zài xǔ duō nián zhī qián wǒ yuán běn de shēn qū yǐ jīng xiāo shī le 。 zhǐ bù guò shì yì shí jì jū zài wǒ dǎ zào de zhè fù 【 tiān jī kuǐ lěi 】 shēn shàng 。”
巧工居士也是很痛快的解释道：“严格意义上来说，并非是真正的死而复生。实际上，在许多年之前我原本的身躯已经消失了。只不过是意识寄居在我打造的这副【天机傀儡】身上。”
"How did you bring yourself back to life?" Li Fan asked a crucial question.
“ dào yǒu nǐ shì zhī dào de ， zhè xuán huáng jiè dàng zhēn shì xiōng xiǎn wàn fēn ， bù zhī dào shén me shí hòu jiù huì yù dào yǐn cáng de xiōng rén ……”
“道友你是知道的，这玄黄界当真是凶险万分，不知道什么时候就会遇到隐藏的凶人……”
The Artisan of Ingenious Devices explained readily: "Technically speaking, it's not true resurrection. Many years ago, my original body had already vanished. I merely inhabited this 'Heavenly Secrets Puppet' that I created."
qiǎo gōng jū shì dùn le dùn ， piē le yǎn lǐ fán ， ér hòu yòu jì xù shuō dào ：“ wèi le zì shēn de ān quán ， wǒ zhǐ hǎo měi guò yī duàn shí jiān 、 dōu jiāng zì wǒ yì shí jìn xíng bèi fèn 。 zhè yàng jí biàn yù dào shén me yì wài ， yě néng kào zhe xiān qián de zhǔn bèi shí xiàn fù huó 。”
巧工居士顿了顿，撇了眼李凡，而后又继续说道：“为了自身的安全，我只好每过一段时间、都将自我意识进行备份。这样即便遇到什么意外，也能靠着先前的准备实现复活。”
"As you know, Xuanhuang World is perilous. You never know when a hidden villain might appear..."
“ zhǐ bù guò ， zhè cì wǒ yù dào de zāi huò sì hū yǒu diǎn dà 。” qiǎo gōng jū shì kǔ xiào dào 。
“只不过，这次我遇到的灾祸似乎有点大。”巧工居士苦笑道。
The Artisan of Ingenious Devices paused, glanced at Li Fan, and continued: "For safety's sake, I had to back up my consciousness periodically. This way, even if something unexpected happened, I could rely on previous preparations to revive myself."
lǐ fán wén yán diǎn diǎn tóu ， què méi yǒu jiě shì 。
李凡闻言点点头，却没有解释。
"However, this time the disaster seems particularly severe," he said with a bitter smile.
jì xù wèn dào ：“ zhè tiān jī kuǐ lěi ， wǒ kàn sì hū shì yòng 【 xiū wèi 】 wèi cái liào dǎ zào ？ yǒu xiē bù kě sī yì ……”
继续问道：“这天机傀儡，我看似乎是用【修为】为材料打造？有些不可思议……”
Li Fan nodded but did not elaborate.
qiǎo gōng jū shì dào ：“ dào yǒu dàng zhēn mù guāng rú jù 。 bù guò zài wǒ men tiān jī jiè ， yì bān jiāng xiū wèi chēng zhī wèi 【 yuán lì 】。”
巧工居士道：“道友当真目光如炬。不过在我们天机界，一般将修为称之为【源力】。”
He continued: "This puppet seems to be crafted from cultivation essence? That's quite unbelievable..."
qiǎo gōng jū shì de yǎn shén shǎn guò yī sī miǎn huái ：“ tuī dòng xiū shì jìng jiè tí shēng de běn yuán zhī lì ， jí wèi 【 yuán lì 】。”
巧工居士的眼神闪过一丝缅怀：“推动修士境界提升的本源之力，即为【源力】。”
The Artisan of Ingenious Devices replied: "You have keen insight. In our Realm of Heavenly Secrets, we call cultivation essence 'Source Power.'"
“ wǒ men tiān jī jiè huán jìng tè shū ， jiàn lì zài yī jù pò suì de xiān jiè kuǐ lěi shēn shàng 。 nà jù kuǐ lěi ， bèi wǒ men chēng zhī wèi 【 zǔ 】。 zhèng shì tōng guò bù duàn yán jiū zǔ shēn shàng de ào mì ， wǒ men cái dé yǐ fā zhǎn chū gè zhǒng yáo yáo lǐng xiān qí tā xiū xiān jiè de liàn qì jì shù 。”
“我们天机界环境特殊，建立在一具破碎的仙界傀儡身上。那具傀儡，被我们称之为【祖】。正是通过不断研究祖身上的奥秘，我们才得以发展出各种遥遥领先其他修仙界的炼器技术。”
With a hint of nostalgia in his eyes, the Artisan explained: "The fundamental force that propels cultivators to higher realms is called Source Power."
“ yuán lì ， jiù shì zhè ge guò chéng zhōng ， wǒ men tiān jī jiè de jǐ dà zuì zhòng yào fā xiàn zhī yī 。 suī rán shì jiān xiū shì xiū xíng qiān qí bǎi guài zhǒng gōng fǎ ， dàn quán dōu kě yǐ tōng guò mǒu zhǒng fāng fǎ cuì qǔ 、 tí chún ， ér hòu zhuǎn huà wèi zuì wèi tōng yòng de yuán lì 。”
“源力，就是这个过程中，我们天机界的几大最重要发现之一。虽然世间修士修行千奇百怪种功法，但全都可以通过某种方法萃取、提纯，而后转化为最为通用的源力。”
"Our environment here is unique—built on a broken Celestial puppet. That puppet is known as the Ancestor. Through continuous research into its mysteries, we developed various advanced techniques far ahead of other cultivation realms."
“ líng jiàn rú gǔ ， yuán lì wèi ròu 。 biàn kě duàn zào chū gēn 【 zǔ 】 yǒu jǐ fēn xiāng sì de kuǐ lěi 。”
“零件如骨，源力为肉。便可锻造出跟【祖】有几分相似的傀儡。”
"Source Power is one of our most significant discoveries. Regardless of the myriad methods cultivators use to refine their essence, it can be extracted and purified into a universal form called Source Power."
qiǎo gōng jū shì kǎn kǎn ér tán 。
巧工居士侃侃而谈。
"Parts are like bones, while source power is the flesh that allows us to forge puppets resembling the Ancestor."
lǐ fán shí kè jiān dū 、 guān chá zhe duì fāng ， zhè yī xí huà lǐ ， qiǎo gōng jū shì yīng gāi méi yǒu shuō huǎng 。
李凡时刻监督、观察着对方，这一席话里，巧工居士应该没有说谎。
The Artisan of Ingenious Devices spoke eloquently.
“ nǐ men tiān jī jiè ， dàng zhēn shì yǒu dà qì yùn zài shēn 。 jū rán zhàn jù yī jù xiān jiè kuǐ lěi 。”
“你们天机界，当真是有大气运在身。居然占据一具仙界傀儡。”
Li Fan closely monitored him. The Artisan's words seemed truthful.
“ xiāng jiào zhī xià ， wǒ men wàn shèng jiè jiù xiǎn de yǒu xiē píng píng wú qí le 。” lǐ fán dàn dàn de shuō dào 。
“相较之下，我们万盛界就显得有些平平无奇了。”李凡淡淡的说道。
"Your Realm of Heavenly Secrets truly has great fortune. It occupies a Celestial puppet."
“ wàn shèng jiè ？ méi yǒu tīng shuō guò 。” qiǎo gōng jū shì yǒu xiē yí hàn de yáo yáo tóu 。
“万盛界？没有听说过。”巧工居士有些遗憾的摇摇头。
"In comparison, our Prosperous World seems rather ordinary," Li Fan said indifferently.
lǐ fán yě bù yǐ wéi yì ：“ dāng nián xiū xiān jiè zhī duō ， rú tiān shàng fán xīng 。 bù guò rú jīn quán dōu huà zuò wēi chén le ， bù tí yě bà ！”
李凡也不以为意：“当年修仙界之多，如天上繁星。不过如今全都化作微尘了，不提也罢！”
"I've never heard of the Prosperous World." The Artisan of Ingenious Devices shook his head regretfully.
zhè tīng yī xí huà ， yě shì yǐn qǐ le qiǎo gōng jū shì de gǎn kǎi 。
这听一席话，也是引起了巧工居士的感慨。
Li Fan did not mind: "In bygone days, there were countless cultivation realms like stars in the sky. But now they're all reduced to dust. We won't mention them."
“ nǐ men tiān jī jiè ， yě shì bèi 【 méi 】 zì jué huǐ le de ？” guò le huì ， lǐ fán yòu xún wèn dào 。
“你们天机界，也是被【没】字诀毁了的？”过了会，李凡又询问道。
---
suī rán yǐ jīng bù zhī dào guò qù le duō jiǔ ， qiǎo gōng jū shì sì hū réng shì yī fù xīn yǒu yú jì de yàng zi ：“ bù cuò 。 zuì kāi shǐ de shí hòu ， wǒ men hái néng zhàng zhe suǒ yán fā qì wù zhī shù zhī chēng yī èr 。 dàn nà méi bān de gǎn rǎn néng lì ， shí zài tài qiáng le 。”
虽然已经不知道过去了多久，巧工居士似乎仍是一副心有余悸的样子：“不错。最开始的时候，我们还能仗着所研发器物之术支撑一二。但那霉斑的感染能力，实在太强了。”
Hearing this, the Artisan of Ingenious Devices was also moved.
“ jiù lián 【 zǔ 】 de cán hái ， dōu táo bù guò tā de qīn shí 。 fáng xiàn bēng kuì nà tiān ， jué wàng zhī xià ， wǒ men zhǐ dé sì sàn táo mìng 。”
“就连【祖】的残骸，都逃不过它的侵蚀。防线崩溃那天，绝望之下，我们只得四散逃命。”
"Was your Realm of Heavenly Secrets destroyed by the 'Nothing' Technique?" Li Fan asked after a while.
“ shuō qǐ lái ， dào yǒu nà qī cǎi guāng tuán ， sì hū néng fēng yìn zhù méi bān ？”
“说起来，道友那七彩光团，似乎能封印住霉斑？”
Although it had been some time, the Artisan still seemed shaken: "Yes. At first, we relied on our inventions to hold on. But that mold's infection ability is too strong."
dǒu rán jiān xiǎng qǐ le shén me ， qiǎo gōng jū shì hū de wèn dào 。
陡然间想起了什么，巧工居士忽的问道。
"Even the remains of the Ancestor couldn't escape its corruption. On the day defenses collapsed in despair, we scattered to survive."
lǐ fán lěng xiào dào ：“ liàn zhì le yí gè xiū xiān jiè ， cái dé cǐ bǎo wù 。 bù guò què yě zhǐ néng zǔ dǎng yī duàn shí jiān bà le ， hái xū yào wǒ rì yè bù duàn bǔ chōng néng liàng xiāo hào 。”
李凡冷笑道：“炼制了一个修仙界，才得此宝物。不过却也只能阻挡一段时间罢了，还需要我日夜不断补充能量消耗。”
"Speaking of which, does your multicolored light ball seal away the mold?"
“ ér qiě ， lǐ miàn fēng yìn de hái zhǐ shì jí shǎo de yī bù fèn 。”
“而且，里面封印的还只是极少的一部分。”
Suddenly remembering something, the Artisan asked.
“ jié nàn lín tóu ， shéi dōu bié xiǎng zhì shēn shì wài 。”
“劫难临头，谁都别想置身事外。”
Li Fan sneered: "I crafted a cultivation realm to get this treasure. But it can only hold back for so long; I need to replenish its energy day and night."
qiǎo gōng jū shì wén yán ， bù jīn chén mò bù yǔ 。
巧工居士闻言，不禁沉默不语。
"And what's sealed inside is just a small part of it."
bù jiǔ hòu ， tā què rěn bú zhù fǎn bó dào ：“ qí shí ， wǒ gǎn jué ruò shì méi yǒu tóu dǐng xiān xū de huà ， shuō bù dìng zhè xuán huáng jiè jiù néng cóng jié nàn zhōng cún huó xià lái 。”
不久后，他却忍不住反驳道：“其实，我感觉若是没有头顶仙墟的话，说不定这玄黄界就能从劫难中存活下来。”
"Disaster strikes without exception."
“ wǒ zài cǐ jiè yě guān chá dào guò jié nàn jiàng lín de hén jì ， dàn sì hū zhǐ sì nüè guò yī zhèn 、 jiù bèi bù zhī hé zhǒng shǒu duàn xiāo chú le 。 xuán huáng jiè ， dàng zhēn shì néng rén bèi chū 、 bù dé bù fú 。”
“我在此界也观察到过劫难降临的痕迹，但似乎只肆虐过一阵、就被不知何种手段消除了。玄黄界，当真是能人辈出、不得不服。”
The Artisan fell silent upon hearing this.
“ hēng ， zài rú hé bù fán ， yě zhōng jiū shì nán táo zàng shēn xiān xū de mìng yùn 。 rú jīn zhǐ bù guò gǒu yán cán chuǎn bà le ！” lǐ fán lěng shēng dào ， yǔ qì zhōng shì yǒu bù xiè 。
“哼，再如何不凡，也终究是难逃葬身仙墟的命运。如今只不过苟延残喘罢了！”李凡冷声道，语气中似有不屑。
Soon, he couldn't help but argue: "Actually, if not for the Celestial Void above our heads, Xuanhuang World might have survived the calamity."
qiǎo gōng jū shì yù yán yòu zhǐ 。
巧工居士欲言又止。
"I've seen signs of the disaster here, but it was only rampant for a while before being eliminated by some unknown means. Xuanhuang World truly has many talented people," he said with admiration.
“ zěn me ， dào yǒu shì yǒu gāo jiàn ？” lǐ fán piē le duì fāng yī yǎn 。
“怎么，道友似有高见？”李凡瞥了对方一眼。
"Hmph, no matter how extraordinary, they still can't escape their fate in the Celestial Void. They're merely hanging on!" Li Fan said coldly, his tone filled with disdain.
qiǎo gōng jū shì rěn bú zhù shuō dào ：“ rú guǒ yǐ sān bǎi duō nián qián wǒ guān cè de jié guǒ lái kàn ， xuán huáng jiè yǐ jīng hěn jiē jìn xiān xū le 。 dàn zài zhè zhǒng páng dà de lì liàng miàn qián ， xuán huáng jiè què réng rán méi yǒu jiě tǐ ……”
巧工居士忍不住说道：“如果以三百多年前我观测的结果来看，玄黄界已经很接近仙墟了。但在这种庞大的力量面前，玄黄界却仍然没有解体……”
The Artisan of Ingenious Devices hesitated.
“ wǒ cāi cè ， yīng gāi shì yǒu zhǒng jiē jìn xiān xū de lì liàng ， zài bì hù zhe xuán huáng 。”
“我猜测，应该是有种接近仙墟的力量，在庇护着玄黄。”
"How so? Do you have a plan?" Li Fan glanced at him.
“ suǒ yǐ shuō ， xiǎng yào táo lí xiān xū 、 wǒ kàn wèi bì méi yǒu kě néng 。”
“所以说，想要逃离仙墟、我看未必没有可能。”
Unable to hold back, the Artisan said: "Based on my observations three hundred years ago, Xuanhuang World is very close to the Celestial Void. But in the face of such immense power, it hasn't disintegrated..."
xiàn jì yī xià 。
献祭一下。
"I speculate that there's some force akin to the Celestial Void protecting Xuanhuang."
( běn zhāng wán )
(本章完)
"So, I think escaping the Celestial Void might not be impossible."
At this moment, a figure with an indistinct face appeared before him.
"Interesting. Who are you exactly?"
The Spirit Essence Sect Master heard the question and almost wanted to cough up blood.
You suddenly attacked me and brought me here, then ask who I am? I should be asking you!
With a cold snort, the Spirit Essence Sect Master refused to answer.
"You have nothing to fear from my probing. It seems you're not afraid of soul searching?"
"Entities with cultivation are indeed different from ordinary life forms."
"But have you seen this object before?"
The other's tone was chilling as a ball of multicolored light suddenly appeared in his hand.
And within that light, the Spirit Essence Sect Master suddenly felt something deeply buried in his memories—something he could never forget and found horrifying!
"You've gone mad!?" The Spirit Essence Sect Master's voice was filled with terror.
But seeing that the other remained unmoved and even tried to get closer to the multicolored ball of light,
"Let's talk this out," the Spirit Essence Sect Master instantly capitulated.
"It seems you're not unfamiliar with the 'Nothing' Technique." Li Fan said indifferently.
"Could you be one of those cultivators who escaped to this place from other worlds?" the Spirit Essence Sect Master asked tentatively.
Li Fan did not answer but instead revealed a profound smile.
The Spirit Essence Sect Master had already made up his mind about this matter.
After all, as the only possible haven in this star sea, Xuanhuang World was relatively safe at present. There were no signs of it being affected by the 'Nothing' Technique.
"This object is extremely dangerous. It would be better for you to put it away first. Although cultivators here seem adept at dealing with various disasters, they might struggle if an unexpected calamity strikes."
"I'm not saying I have any special connection to these Xuanhuang World cultivators. There's nowhere else I can go except here," the Spirit Essence Sect Master quickly explained, fearing Li Fan would misunderstand.
Hearing his words, Li Fan seemed to be considering something seriously.
Finally, he put away the multicolored light ball, and the deadly aura vanished. The Spirit Essence Sect Master's heart was finally at ease for now.
"Daring to carry this object with you truly makes you a formidable person," the Spirit Essence Sect Master thought inwardly.
---
"Since we are both wanderers in this world, if there's anything you want to ask, just ask me! I'll speak my mind without reservation!" the Spirit Essence Sect Master promptly declared.
After all, who could he blame for his life being in someone else's hands?
The Spirit Essence Sect Master felt bitter inside.
"Which cultivation realm do you come from?" Li Fan asked directly.
"I am Daoist Artisan of Ingenious Devices, from the Realm of Heavenly Secrets," the Spirit Essence Sect Master introduced himself.
"How did you bring yourself back to life?" Li Fan asked a crucial question.
The Artisan of Ingenious Devices explained readily: "Technically speaking, it's not true resurrection. Many years ago, my original body had already vanished. I merely inhabited this 'Heavenly Secrets Puppet' that I created."
"As you know, Xuanhuang World is perilous. You never know when a hidden villain might appear..."
The Artisan of Ingenious Devices paused, glanced at Li Fan, and continued: "For safety's sake, I had to back up my consciousness periodically. This way, even if something unexpected happened, I could rely on previous preparations to revive myself."
"However, this time the disaster seems particularly severe," he said with a bitter smile.
Li Fan nodded but did not elaborate.
He continued: "This puppet seems to be crafted from cultivation essence? That's quite unbelievable..."
The Artisan of Ingenious Devices replied: "You have keen insight. In our Realm of Heavenly Secrets, we call cultivation essence 'Source Power.'"
With a hint of nostalgia in his eyes, the Artisan explained: "The fundamental force that propels cultivators to higher realms is called Source Power."
"Our environment here is unique—built on a broken Celestial puppet. That puppet is known as the Ancestor. Through continuous research into its mysteries, we developed various advanced techniques far ahead of other cultivation realms."
"Source Power is one of our most significant discoveries. Regardless of the myriad methods cultivators use to refine their essence, it can be extracted and purified into a universal form called Source Power."
"Parts are like bones, while source power is the flesh that allows us to forge puppets resembling the Ancestor."
The Artisan of Ingenious Devices spoke eloquently.
Li Fan closely monitored him. The Artisan's words seemed truthful.
"Your Realm of Heavenly Secrets truly has great fortune. It occupies a Celestial puppet."
"In comparison, our Prosperous World seems rather ordinary," Li Fan said indifferently.
"I've never heard of the Prosperous World." The Artisan of Ingenious Devices shook his head regretfully.
Li Fan did not mind: "In bygone days, there were countless cultivation realms like stars in the sky. But now they're all reduced to dust. We won't mention them."
---
Hearing this, the Artisan of Ingenious Devices was also moved.
"Was your Realm of Heavenly Secrets destroyed by the 'Nothing' Technique?" Li Fan asked after a while.
Although it had been some time, the Artisan still seemed shaken: "Yes. At first, we relied on our inventions to hold on. But that mold's infection ability is too strong."
"Even the remains of the Ancestor couldn't escape its corruption. On the day defenses collapsed in despair, we scattered to survive."
"Speaking of which, does your multicolored light ball seal away the mold?"
Suddenly remembering something, the Artisan asked.
Li Fan sneered: "I crafted a cultivation realm to get this treasure. But it can only hold back for so long; I need to replenish its energy day and night."
"And what's sealed inside is just a small part of it."
"Disaster strikes without exception."
The Artisan fell silent upon hearing this.
Soon, he couldn't help but argue: "Actually, if not for the Celestial Void above our heads, Xuanhuang World might have survived the calamity."
"I've seen signs of the disaster here, but it was only rampant for a while before being eliminated by some unknown means. Xuanhuang World truly has many talented people," he said with admiration.
"Hmph, no matter how extraordinary, they still can't escape their fate in the Celestial Void. They're merely hanging on!" Li Fan said coldly, his tone filled with disdain.
The Artisan of Ingenious Devices hesitated.
"How so? Do you have a plan?" Li Fan glanced at him.
Unable to hold back, the Artisan said: "Based on my observations three hundred years ago, Xuanhuang World is very close to the Celestial Void. But in the face of such immense power, it hasn't disintegrated..."
"I speculate that there's some force akin to the Celestial Void protecting Xuanhuang."
"So, I think escaping the Celestial Void might not be impossible."
End of chapter.
(Sacrifice)