“ suǒ yǐ bú shì bái xiān shēng bù rú chuán fǎ tiān zūn ， ér zhǐ shì bái xiān shēng chéng dào wǎn yú chuán fǎ tiān zūn 。”
“所以不是白先生不如传法天尊，而只是白先生成道晚于传法天尊。”
"So it's not that Master Bai is inferior to the Law Transcender, but merely that he became an Immortal later than the Law Transcender."
“ fǎn guò lái ， ruò shì bái xiān shēng xiān gǎi biàn xuán huáng jiè zài xiān ， nà shí hòu kǒng pà chuán fǎ tiān zūn yě zhǐ néng shù shǒu wú cè 。”
“反过来，若是白先生先改变玄黄界在先，那时候恐怕传法天尊也只能束手无策。”
"Reversed, if Master Bai had changed the Yellow-Black World first, then perhaps even the Law Transcender would have been at a loss for solutions."
“ zhǐ kě xī ， méi yǒu shén me rú guǒ 。”
“只可惜，没有什么如果。”
"Unfortunately, there are no 'ifs' in this matter."
cāng lǎo de xǔ kè yǔ qì zhōng ， shì yǒu zhe nóng nóng de wǎn xī zhī qíng 。
苍老的许克语气中，似有着浓浓的惋惜之情。
Old Xu Ke's voice carried a deep sense of regret.
lǐ fán chén mò xǔ jiǔ ， zuì zhōng yě shì yī shēng tàn xī yǐ duì 。
李凡沉默许久，最终也是一声叹息以对。
Li Fan remained silent for a long time before sighing.
“ yuán lái rú cǐ 。”
“原来如此。”
"So it is like that."
lǐ fán zhòu le zhòu méi ：“ bái xiān shēng yǐ shēng xùn dào ， zhēn de zhǐ shì zhè me jiǎn dān ？”
李凡皱了皱眉：“白先生以生殉道，真的只是这么简单？”
Li Fan frowned: "Is Master Bai's sacrifice merely as simple as dedicating his life to the Dao? The birth of the Immortal-Demon Mist naturally ensures the survival of ordinary people in the Yellow-Black World for a while, but fundamentally, it's just a delaying tactic."
“ xiān fán zhàng de dàn shēng ， zì rán néng gòu bǎo quán xuán huáng jiè fán rén yī shí xìng mìng 。 dàn cóng gēn běn shàng lái jiǎng ， què zhǐ shì tuō yán zhī cè bà le 。”
“仙凡瘴的诞生，自然能够保全玄黄界凡人一时性命。但从根本上来讲，却只是拖延之策罢了。”
"In the end, ordinary people are still seen by cultivators as mere beasts; and the Yellow-Black World remains perilously close to destruction. Since Master Bai could foresee the scene thousands of years later, he certainly wouldn't be blind to this fact."
“ dào tóu lái ， fán rén yī jiù bèi xiū xiān zhě shì zuò niú mǎ ； ér xuán huáng jiè ， yī jiù wēi zài dàn xī 。 bái xiān shēng jì rán néng tuī yǎn chū shù qiān nián hòu de qíng jǐng ， zì rán yě bú huì kàn bú dào zhè yì diǎn 。”
“到头来，凡人依旧被修仙者视作牛马；而玄黄界，依旧危在旦夕。白先生既然能推衍出数千年后的情景，自然也不会看不到这一点。”
"Given his character, how could he leave without any preparation?"
“ yǐ tā de wéi rén ， yǒu qǐ huì duì cǐ yì diǎn zhǔn bèi dōu méi yǒu 、 jiù zhè me cāng cù de yī zǒu liǎo zhī ？”
“以他的为人，有岂会对此一点准备都没有、就这么仓促的一走了之？”
Li Fan tried to extract more secrets from Old Xu Ke, feeling that there must be something hidden behind Master Bai's fall.
lǐ fán bù sǐ xīn de ， shì tú cóng xǔ kè zhè lǐ tào chū gèng duō de mì mì 。
李凡不死心的，试图从许克这里套出更多的秘密。
However, Old Xu Ke merely smiled and shook his head: "Both you and I think of Master Bai as an all-powerful saint. But in reality, according to his own words..."
yīn wèi tā zǒng jué de ， bái xiān shēng de yǔn luò bèi hòu ， kěn dìng hái yǐn cáng zhe shén me 。
因为他总觉得，白先生的陨落背后，肯定还隐藏着什么。
"He was just a common person who couldn't bear to see others suffer."
què méi liào dào ， xǔ kè zhǐ shì xiào le xiào ， yáo zhe tóu ：“ nǐ gēn wǒ yī yàng ， dōu yǐ wéi bái xiān shēng shì wú suǒ bù néng de shèng rén 。 dàn shí jì shàng ， yòng tā zì jǐ de huà lái jiǎng ……”
却没料到，许克只是笑了笑，摇着头：“你跟我一样，都以为白先生是无所不能的圣人。但实际上，用他自己的话来讲……”
"From the helplessness he felt when facing Lady Liu and the innocent civilians of Ningyuan City, to the setbacks he faced while trying to alter fate, Master Bai's life was spent in [helplessness]. So he never thought he could save everything. All he could do was try his best."
“ tā zhǐ shì yí gè bù rěn xīn kàn dào bié rén shòu kǔ de pǔ tōng rén bà le 。”
“他只是一个不忍心看到别人受苦的普通人罢了。”
"And indeed, he did pay a heavy price."
“ cóng zuì chū miàn duì liú ér gū niáng 、 yǐ jí níng yuǎn chéng wú gū mín zhòng cǎn sǐ de wú néng wéi lì ， dào hòu lái wàng tú niǔ zhuǎn tiān shù shí zāo shòu de cuò zhé 。 bái xiān shēng de yī shēng dōu shì zài 【 wú néng 】 zhōng dù guò de 。 suǒ yǐ tā cóng lái méi yǒu xiǎng guò ， zì jǐ yǒu néng lì qù wǎn jiù yī qiè 。 tā suǒ néng zuò de ， jiù shì jǐn zì jǐ zuì dà de nǔ lì 。”
“从最初面对琉儿姑娘、以及宁远城无辜民众惨死的无能为力，到后来妄图扭转天数时遭受的挫折。白先生的一生都是在【无能】中渡过的。所以他从来没有想过，自己有能力去挽救一切。他所能做的，就是尽自己最大的努力。”
Old Xu Ke fell silent again: "Do you know what is inside my coffin?"
“ ér tā ， dí què zhēn de yǐ jīng fù chū tài duō le 。”
“而他，的确真的已经付出太多了。”
Li Fan looked at Old Xu Ke's back.
xǔ kè yòu shì yī zhèn chén mò ：“ nǐ zhī dào wǒ shēn hòu de guān cái lǐ shì shén me ma ？”
许克又是一阵沉默：“你知道我身后的棺材里是什么嘛？”
Upon closer inspection, the惨white coffin seemed to be connected to the towering stone mountains on his body.
lǐ fán cháo zhe xǔ kè de bèi hòu wàng qù 。
李凡朝着许克的背后望去。
Or...
cǐ kè xì qiáo zhī xià ， cái fā xiàn zhè cǎn bái sè de guān cái ， jū rán yǐn yǐn gēn qí shēn shàng de gāo sǒng shí shān xiāng lián 。
此刻细瞧之下，才发现这惨白色的棺材，居然隐隐跟其身上的高耸石山相连。
Li Fan squinted and observed for a while before suddenly understanding.
huò zhě shuō ……
或者说……
The entire miniature world in Li Fan's eyes instantly reversed.
lǐ fán mī qǐ yǎn jīng ， yòu guān chá le xǔ jiǔ hòu ， dùn shí huǎng rán 。
李凡眯起眼睛，又观察了许久后，顿时恍然。
The ground was above, the sky below. The towering stone mountains on the coffin supported the whole sky.
zhěng gè xiǎo shì jiè zài tā yǎn zhōng de jǐng xiàng chà nà jiān dào zhuǎn 。
整个小世界在他眼中的景象刹那间倒转。
Or perhaps, the weight of the entire world rested upon the coffin.
dà dì zài shàng ， tiān kōng zài xià 。
大地在上，天空在下。
From within the coffin, Li Fan sensed an extremely familiar aura.
nà guān cái shàng de gāo sǒng shí shān ， jiù xiàng shì zài zhī chēng zhe zhěng piàn tiān kōng 。
那棺材上的高耸石山，就像是在支撑着整片天空。
It was a sensation that every Yellow-Black cultivator would not be unfamiliar with.
yì huò zhě ， shì zhěng gè shì jiè de zhòng liàng ， dōu yā zài le guān cái zhī shàng 。
亦或者，是整个世界的重量，都压在了棺材之上。
Recalling Old Xu Ke's self-introduction when they met, mentioning "the one who opposes the world,"
ér cóng zhè guān cái zhōng ， lǐ fán gèng shì gǎn dào le jí wéi shú xī de qì xī 。
而从这棺材中，李凡更是感到了极为熟悉的气息。
"This... Could it be?" Li Fan was startled. He suddenly looked up at Old Xu Ke intently.
nà shì měi gè xuán huáng xiū shì ， dōu bú huì gǎn dào mò shēng de qì xī 。
那是每个玄黄修士，都不会感到陌生的气息。
Old Xu Ke's expression remained unchanged as he maintained a faint smile.
yòu xiǎng qǐ cǐ qián xǔ kè jiàn miàn shí ， zì wǒ jiè shào céng tí jí de “ yǔ shì jiè wèi dí zhī rén ”
又想起此前许克见面时，自我介绍曾提及的“与世界为敌之人”
"Master Bai is favored by the Yellow-Black Heavenly Dao, almost like an incarnation of the Heavenly Dao."
“ zhè …… nán dào shì ？” lǐ fán sǒng rán ér jīng 。 měng rán tái tóu dīng zhe xǔ kè 。
“这……难道是？”李凡悚然而惊。猛然抬头盯着许克。
"Not only did he ascend to immortality from a mere mortal, directly achieving the status of Longevity Immortal. He also bore the mission of the Yellow-Black Heavenly Dao leaving the world behind."
xǔ kè miàn sè méi yǒu sī háo biàn huà ， zhǐ shì bǎo chí dàn dàn de wēi xiào 。
许克面色没有丝毫变化，只是保持淡淡的微笑。
"But in the end, Master Bai chose not to leave. Instead, he became part of the new Law and openly defied the natural order. This was a complete betrayal to the Yellow-Black Heavenly Dao."
“ bái xiān shēng shòu xuán huáng tiān dào juàn gù ， jī hū jiù xiāng dāng yú tiān dào huà shēn de cún zài 。”
“白先生受玄黄天道眷顾，几乎就相当于天道化身的存在。”
"The deeper his favor from the Heavenly Dao, the greater the backlash when he betrayed it. This is one of the reasons why he was killed by his own creation that defied logic. He had already become very weak before that."
“ bù jǐn yǐ fán rén zhī qū 、 yī bù dēng tiān ， zhí jiē chéng jiù cháng shēng tiān zūn 。 gèng shì jiān fù le xuán huáng tiān dào qì jiè ér qù de shǐ mìng 。”
“不仅以凡人之躯、一步登天，直接成就长生天尊。更是肩负了玄黄天道弃界而去的使命。”
Old Xu Ke patted the coffin behind him and said: "In fact, at the time, given Master Bai's favor from the Heavenly Dao, he couldn't have performed such a reversal in the first place. Perhaps even before it could be completed, his own life would have been claimed by the backlash of the Heavenly Dao."
“ dàn zuì zhōng bái xiān shēng què méi yǒu xuǎn zé lí kāi 。 suí hòu gèng shì gān cuì zhí jiē chéng wéi le xīn fǎ de yī yuán ， cān yù le nì tiān dì zhī lǐ 。 zhè duì xuán huáng tiān dào ， wú yì yú shì chè dǐ de bèi pàn 。”
“但最终白先生却没有选择离开。随后更是干脆直接成为了新法的一员，参与了逆天地之理。这对玄黄天道，无异于是彻底的背叛。”
"So..."
“ shòu tiān dào juàn gù yuè shēn ， bèi pàn shí suǒ zāo shòu dào de fǎn shì yě jiù yuè dà 。 zhè yě shì bái xiān shēng huì bèi zì jǐ de nì lǐ zào wù shā sǐ de yuán yīn zhī yī 。 yīn wèi zài cǐ zhī qián ， tā yǐ jīng biàn dé shí fēn xū ruò le 。”
“受天道眷顾越深，背叛时所遭受到的反噬也就越大。这也是白先生会被自己的逆理造物杀死的原因之一。因为在此之前，他已经变得十分虚弱了。”
"Before performing the reversal, Master Bai stripped away the Heavenly Dao's favor and then suppressed it."
xǔ kè pāi le pāi shēn hòu de guān cái ， dào ：“ shì shí shàng ， dāng shí yǐ bái xiān shēng shòu tiān juàn de chéng dù ， shí zé shì gēn běn wú fǎ jìn xíng nì lǐ de 。 kǒng pà nì lǐ wèi chéng ， tā běn rén jiù huì yīn wèi tiān dào de fǎn shì ér yǔn luò le 。”
许克拍了拍身后的棺材，道：“事实上，当时以白先生受天眷的程度，实则是根本无法进行逆理的。恐怕逆理未成，他本人就会因为天道的反噬而陨落了。”
It seemed that Old Xu Ke's words triggered something as the coffin behind him suddenly emitted a dull thumping sound.
“ suǒ yǐ ……”
“所以……”
A pale face similar to Master Bai appeared before Li Fan, with a very persuasive tone, urging him to open the coffin.
“ zài nì lǐ zhī qián ， bái xiān shēng xiān bǎ tiān juàn gěi bō lí le xià lái 。 suí hòu zhèn yā 。”
“在逆理之前，白先生先把天眷给剥离了下来。随后镇压。”
Afterward, he would receive a thousandfold reward upon returning to the Yellow-Black World.
sì hū shì gǎn yìng dào xǔ kè de huà ， tā shēn hòu de guān cái hū de fā chū chén mèn de pāi dǎ shēng 。
似乎是感应到许克的话，他身后的棺材忽的发出沉闷的拍打声。
If it were an ordinary cultivator, they might have been convinced instantly and become its tool for escape, fighting against Old Xu Ke.
nǎo dài yī zhèn xuàn yūn ， yī zhāng gēn bái xiān shēng yǒu xiē xiāng sì 、 zhǐ shì xiǎn de yǒu xiē cāng bái de miàn páng ， hū de chū xiàn zài lǐ fán yǎn qián 。
脑袋一阵眩晕，一张跟白先生有些相似、只是显得有些苍白的面庞，忽的出现在李凡眼前。
But who was Li Fan?
tā yòng jí wéi gǔ huò de yán yǔ ， quàn shuō zhe lǐ fán bāng máng dǎ kāi guān cái 。
他用极为蛊惑的言语，劝说着李凡帮忙打开棺材。
He wasn't easily swayed by appearances.
shì chéng zhī hòu ， huí dào xuán huáng jiè ， bì rán huì dé dào qiān bǎi bèi de bào chóu 。
事成之后，回到玄黄界，必然会得到千百倍的报酬。
Regardless of his own resilience, he always harbored a certain level of suspicion towards Master Bai, meaning he wouldn't be easily deceived.
rú guǒ shì pǔ tōng xiū shì ， shuō bù dìng zhè shùn jiān jiù huì bèi qí shuō fú ， lún luò wèi tā de tuō kùn gōng jù 、 gēn xǔ kè sī shā qǐ lái 。
如果是普通修士，说不定这瞬间就会被其说服，沦落为它的脱困工具、跟许克厮杀起来。
With a cold snort, the scene before him shattered.
dàn shì lǐ fán hé xǔ rén yě ？
但是李凡何许人也？
Li Fan woke from the illusion to find Old Xu Ke observing him with a cold expression, as if ready to act at any moment.
bù tí qí běn shēn xīn zhì de jiān rèn chéng dù ， dān dān shì tā shǐ zhōng duì bái xiān shēng bǎo chí de nà yī lǚ jiè xīn ， jiù yì wèi zhe tā zhù dìng bú huì bèi zhè kàn shàng qù yǒu xiē shèn rén de bái xiān shēng suǒ gǔ huò 。
不提其本身心志的坚韧程度，单单是他始终对白先生保持的那一缕戒心，就意味着他注定不会被这看上去有些渗人的白先生所蛊惑。
But seeing that Li Fan wasn't affected by the illusion, the murderous intent in his eyes faded.
lěng hēng yī shēng ， yǎn qián huà miàn jǐn jiē sī liè 。
冷哼一声，眼前画面尽皆撕裂。
"Sealed Heavenly Dao favor? What exactly is it?" Li Fan feigned a look of relief.
lǐ fán cóng huàn jué zhōng qīng xǐng ， què fā xiàn xǔ kè zhèng zài lěng mò de guān chá zhe zì jǐ 、 sì hū yī yán bù hé jiù yào dòng shǒu 。
李凡从幻觉中清醒，却发现许克正在冷漠的观察着自己、似乎一言不合就要动手。
"The self-awareness of the Yellow-Black Heavenly Dao attached to Master Bai's body was stripped away and sealed for many years. It has become somewhat extreme. If released back into the Yellow-Black World..." Old Xu Ke's expression was grave.
bù guò zài kàn dào lǐ fán méi yǒu bèi huàn jìng yǐng xiǎng zhī hòu ， yǎn zhōng de shā yì yě suí zhī dàn qù 。
不过在看到李凡没有被幻境影响之后，眼中的杀意也随之淡去。
"Perhaps a disaster ten times worse than [laws cannot be simultaneously followed] would strike in an instant. This is why I didn't leave even when Blackie fell; this matter is too significant to risk."
“ fēng yìn de tiān juàn ？ nà jiū jìng shì shén me dōng xī ？” lǐ fán zuò chū yī fù xīn yǒu yú jì de yàng zi 。
“封印的天眷？那究竟是什么东西？”李凡做出一副心有余悸的样子。
"An extremely extreme Yellow-Black Heavenly Dao?" A flash of interest appeared in Li Fan's eyes.
“ xuán huáng tiān dào yī fù zài bái xiān shēng shēn shàng de zì wǒ yì shí ， bèi bái xiān shēng bō lí le xià lái 。 yòu jīng guò zhè me duō nián de fēng yìn zhèn yā ， zhú jiàn biàn dé yǒu xiē jí duān le 。 ruò shì fàng tā chū lái ， huí guī xuán huáng běn jiè de huà ……” xǔ kè de miàn sè shí fēn yán sù 。
“玄黄天道依附在白先生身上的自我意识，被白先生剥离了下来。又经过这么多年的封印镇压，逐渐变得有些极端了。若是放它出来，回归玄黄本界的话……”许克的面色十分严肃。
"Yes. I can feel it, the Heavenly Dao consciousness inside has become increasingly strange over these years. I'm worried that one day, I might not be able to hold on." Old Xu Ke showed a deep concern in his eyes.
“ kǒng pà bǐ 【 fǎ bù kě tóng xiū 】 hái yào kǒng bù shí bèi de zāi huò huì chà nà jiān jiàng lín 。 zhè yě shì wǒ zhè xiē nián ， nǎ pà dāng nián xiǎo hēi yǔn luò zhī shí ， wǒ yě bù gǎn lí kāi zhè lǐ yī bù de yuán yīn 。 zī shì tǐ dà 、 shí zài bù róng yǒu shī 。”
“恐怕比【法不可同修】还要恐怖十倍的灾祸会刹那间降临。这也是我这些年，哪怕当年小黑陨落之时，我也不敢离开这里一步的原因。兹事体大、实在不容有失。”
"In recent times, I've been secretly searching for a suitable successor. But I haven't found anyone who can fully trust. Today, you happened to find me..."
“ jí duān de xuán huáng tiān dào ？” lǐ fán yǎn jīng shēn chù ， chà nà jiān shǎn guò yī sī yì cǎi 。
“极端的玄黄天道？”李凡眼睛深处，刹那间闪过一丝异彩。
Old Xu Ke's tone suddenly changed: "Is it fate?"
“ shì a 。 wǒ kě yǐ gǎn jué dào ， bèi fēng yìn de zhè xiē nián lǐ ， lǐ miàn de tiān dào yì shí 、 yuè lái yuè guǐ yì le 。 zhēn dān xīn ， wǒ jiāng lái yě huì yǒu jiān chí bú zhù de nà yī tiān 。” xǔ kè yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī sī shēn shēn de yōu lǜ 。
“是啊。我可以感觉到，被封印的这些年里，里面的天道意识、越来越诡异了。真担心，我将来也会有坚持不住的那一天。”许克眼中闪过一丝深深的忧虑。
"I see your temperament and character; you are undoubtedly an excellent choice." He looked sincerely at Li Fan.
“ zuì jìn zhè duàn shí jiān ， qí shí wǒ yě yì zhí zài àn zhōng wù sè hé shì de jiē bān rén xuǎn 。 bù guò shǐ zhōng méi yǒu zhǎo dào néng ràng wǒ fàng xīn de rén 。 jīn rì dào yǒu jī yuán qiǎo hé zhī xià ， zhǎo shàng mén lái ……”
“最近这段时间，其实我也一直在暗中物色合适的接班人选。不过始终没有找到能让我放心的人。今日道友机缘巧合之下，找上门来……”
Li Fan pondered but didn't respond.
xǔ kè hū de huà fēng yī zhuǎn ：“ qǐ fēi míng míng zhōng zì yǒu dìng shù ？”
许克忽的话锋一转：“岂非冥冥中自有定数？”
"Of course, the mission of suppressing the Yellow-Black Heavenly Dao is too lonely and perilous. If you don't wish to do so, I understand. But I have a request..." Old Xu Ke said seriously.
“ wǒ guān dào yǒu xìng qíng pǐn gé ， dōu jué duì shì shàng shàng zhī xuǎn 。” tā zhēn zhì de kàn zhe lǐ fán ， shí fēn chéng kěn de shuō dào 。
“我观道友性情品格，都绝对是上上之选。”他真挚的看着李凡，十分诚恳的说道。
"Please speak," Li Fan responded solemnly.
lǐ fán chén yín ， méi yǒu jiē huà 。
李凡沉吟，没有接话。
"If one day, I am controlled by the Yellow-Black Heavenly Dao inside this coffin and lose my self-awareness, please kill me." Old Xu Ke spoke with great seriousness.
“ dāng rán ， zhèn yā xuán huáng tiān dào de shǐ mìng shí zài tài guò gū dú 、 xiōng xiǎn 。 rú guǒ dào yǒu bù yuàn ， wǒ yě néng lǐ jiě 。 dàn wǒ yǒu yí gè qǐng qiú ……” xǔ kè dào 。
“当然，镇压玄黄天道的使命实在太过孤独、凶险。如果道友不愿，我也能理解。但我有一个请求……”许克道。
Looking at Old Xu Ke's aged gaze, Li Fan nodded: "Alright, I promise."
“ dào yǒu qǐng jiǎng 。” lǐ fán shēn sè sù rán 。
“道友请讲。”李凡深色肃然。
"And don't worry about your search for a successor."
“ ruò shì yǒu zhāo yī rì ， wǒ bèi zhè guān cái zhōng de xuán huáng tiān dào suǒ kòng zhì 、 shī qù le zì wǒ yì shí 。 hái qǐng dào yǒu chū shǒu ， jiāng wǒ zhǎn shā 。” xǔ kè shí fēn zhèng zhòng de shuō dào 。
“若是有朝一日，我被这棺材中的玄黄天道所控制、失去了自我意识。还请道友出手，将我斩杀。”许克十分郑重的说道。
Old Xu Ke's expression changed slightly.
kàn zhe cāng lǎo xǔ kè de mù guāng ， lǐ fán diǎn le diǎn tóu ：“ hǎo ， wǒ dā yìng nǐ 。”
看着苍老许克的目光，李凡点了点头：“好，我答应你。”
"In fact, you might not believe this. I'm not alone; I am part of the [Interdimensional Association]."
"So it's not that Master Bai is inferior to the Law Transcender, but merely that he became an Immortal later than the Law Transcender."
"Reversed, if Master Bai had changed the Yellow-Black World first, then perhaps even the Law Transcender would have been at a loss for solutions."
"Unfortunately, there are no 'ifs' in this matter."
Old Xu Ke's voice carried a deep sense of regret.
Li Fan remained silent for a long time before sighing.
"So it is like that."
"But..."
Li Fan frowned: "Is Master Bai's sacrifice merely as simple as dedicating his life to the Dao? The birth of the Immortal-Demon Mist naturally ensures the survival of ordinary people in the Yellow-Black World for a while, but fundamentally, it's just a delaying tactic."
"In the end, ordinary people are still seen by cultivators as mere beasts; and the Yellow-Black World remains perilously close to destruction. Since Master Bai could foresee the scene thousands of years later, he certainly wouldn't be blind to this fact."
"Given his character, how could he leave without any preparation?"
Li Fan tried to extract more secrets from Old Xu Ke, feeling that there must be something hidden behind Master Bai's fall.
However, Old Xu Ke merely smiled and shook his head: "Both you and I think of Master Bai as an all-powerful saint. But in reality, according to his own words..."
"He was just a common person who couldn't bear to see others suffer."
"From the helplessness he felt when facing Lady Liu and the innocent civilians of Ningyuan City, to the setbacks he faced while trying to alter fate, Master Bai's life was spent in [helplessness]. So he never thought he could save everything. All he could do was try his best."
"And indeed, he did pay a heavy price."
Old Xu Ke fell silent again: "Do you know what is inside my coffin?"
Li Fan looked at Old Xu Ke's back.
Upon closer inspection, the惨white coffin seemed to be connected to the towering stone mountains on his body.
Or...
Li Fan squinted and observed for a while before suddenly understanding.
The entire miniature world in Li Fan's eyes instantly reversed.
The ground was above, the sky below. The towering stone mountains on the coffin supported the whole sky.
Or perhaps, the weight of the entire world rested upon the coffin.
From within the coffin, Li Fan sensed an extremely familiar aura.
It was a sensation that every Yellow-Black cultivator would not be unfamiliar with.
Recalling Old Xu Ke's self-introduction when they met, mentioning "the one who opposes the world,"
"This... Could it be?" Li Fan was startled. He suddenly looked up at Old Xu Ke intently.
Old Xu Ke's expression remained unchanged as he maintained a faint smile.
"Master Bai is favored by the Yellow-Black Heavenly Dao, almost like an incarnation of the Heavenly Dao."
"Not only did he ascend to immortality from a mere mortal, directly achieving the status of Longevity Immortal. He also bore the mission of the Yellow-Black Heavenly Dao leaving the world behind."
"But in the end, Master Bai chose not to leave. Instead, he became part of the new Law and openly defied the natural order. This was a complete betrayal to the Yellow-Black Heavenly Dao."
"The deeper his favor from the Heavenly Dao, the greater the backlash when he betrayed it. This is one of the reasons why he was killed by his own creation that defied logic. He had already become very weak before that."
Old Xu Ke patted the coffin behind him and said: "In fact, at the time, given Master Bai's favor from the Heavenly Dao, he couldn't have performed such a reversal in the first place. Perhaps even before it could be completed, his own life would have been claimed by the backlash of the Heavenly Dao."
"So..."
"Before performing the reversal, Master Bai stripped away the Heavenly Dao's favor and then suppressed it."
It seemed that Old Xu Ke's words triggered something as the coffin behind him suddenly emitted a dull thumping sound.
A pale face similar to Master Bai appeared before Li Fan, with a very persuasive tone, urging him to open the coffin.
Afterward, he would receive a thousandfold reward upon returning to the Yellow-Black World.
If it were an ordinary cultivator, they might have been convinced instantly and become its tool for escape, fighting against Old Xu Ke.
But who was Li Fan?
He wasn't easily swayed by appearances.
Regardless of his own resilience, he always harbored a certain level of suspicion towards Master Bai, meaning he wouldn't be easily deceived.
With a cold snort, the scene before him shattered.
Li Fan woke from the illusion to find Old Xu Ke observing him with a cold expression, as if ready to act at any moment.
But seeing that Li Fan wasn't affected by the illusion, the murderous intent in his eyes faded.
"Sealed Heavenly Dao favor? What exactly is it?" Li Fan feigned a look of relief.
"The self-awareness of the Yellow-Black Heavenly Dao attached to Master Bai's body was stripped away and sealed for many years. It has become somewhat extreme. If released back into the Yellow-Black World..." Old Xu Ke's expression was grave.
"Perhaps a disaster ten times worse than [laws cannot be simultaneously followed] would strike in an instant. This is why I didn't leave even when Blackie fell; this matter is too significant to risk."
"An extremely extreme Yellow-Black Heavenly Dao?" A flash of interest appeared in Li Fan's eyes.
"Yes. I can feel it, the Heavenly Dao consciousness inside has become increasingly strange over these years. I'm worried that one day, I might not be able to hold on." Old Xu Ke showed a deep concern in his eyes.
"In recent times, I've been secretly searching for a suitable successor. But I haven't found anyone who can fully trust. Today, you happened to find me..."
Old Xu Ke's tone suddenly changed: "Is it fate?"
"I see your temperament and character; you are undoubtedly an excellent choice." He looked sincerely at Li Fan.
Li Fan pondered but didn't respond.
"Of course, the mission of suppressing the Yellow-Black Heavenly Dao is too lonely and perilous. If you don't wish to do so, I understand. But I have a request..." Old Xu Ke said seriously.
"Please speak," Li Fan responded solemnly.
"If one day, I am controlled by the Yellow-Black Heavenly Dao inside this coffin and lose my self-awareness, please kill me." Old Xu Ke spoke with great seriousness.
Looking at Old Xu Ke's aged gaze, Li Fan nodded: "Alright, I promise."
"And don't worry about your search for a successor."
Old Xu Ke's expression changed slightly.
"In fact, you might not believe this. I'm not alone; I am part of the [Interdimensional Association]."