chōng jī bō xí juǎn zhī xià ， lǐ fán zhǐ jué de zì jǐ rú tóng kuáng fēng zhōng de kū yè ， bù shòu kòng zhì de bèi chuī zhe wǎng hòu ， zhí dào bèi chōng chū shù bǎi lǐ zhī wài cái kān kān wěn zhù shēn xíng 。
冲击波席卷之下，李凡只觉得自己如同狂风中的枯叶，不受控制的被吹着往后，直到被冲出数百里之外才堪堪稳住身形。
The shockwave swept over Li Fan, making him feel like a withered leaf caught in a gale. He was blown backward until he was hurled hundreds of miles away before finally stabilizing his form.
hái hǎo zhè chōng jī bō zhǐ shì shēng shì dà le yì diǎn ， bìng méi yǒu shén me shí zhì dì pò huài lì 。
还好这冲击波只是声势大了一点，并没有什么实质的破坏力。
Fortunately, the shockwave's destructive power was merely superficial; it seemed to be constrained by some force, only causing a massive wave that spread across the entire Cunyun Sea without inflicting further damage.
fǎng fú lì liàng bèi yuē shù le yì bān ， zhǐ shì xiān qǐ le yī gǔ chuán biàn zhěng gè cóng yún hǎi de jù làng ， méi yǒu zào chéng qí tā shén me sǔn shāng 。
仿佛力量被约束了一般，只是掀起了一股传遍整个丛云海的巨浪，没有造成其他什么损伤。
There was a sense of thunder without rain. However, Li Fan did not underestimate this. The ultimate control over power indicated just how formidable his opponent was.
pǒ yǒu diǎn léi shēng dà 、 yǔ diǎn xiǎo de gǎn jué 。
颇有点雷声大、雨点小的感觉。
The Unformless Killing Opportunity's lock had vanished, clearly showing that the unfortunate cultivator had perished in the conflict between two powerful figures.
dàn lǐ fán xīn zhōng què yì diǎn bù gǎn qīng shì ， zhè zhǒng duì lì liàng de jí zhì zhǎng kòng ， gèng shuō míng le duì fāng de kě bù shí lì 。
但李凡心中却一点不敢轻视，这种对力量的极致掌控，更说明了对方的可怖实力。
But instead of retreating, Li Fan continued to fly towards the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace.
wú xiāng shā jī de suǒ dìng yǐ jīng xiāo shī ， hěn xiǎn rán nà míng dǎo méi de xiū shì yǐ jīng zài liǎng wèi dà lǎo de duì zhàn zhōng bù xìng sàng shēng 。
无相杀机的锁定已经消失，很显然那名倒霉的修士已经在两位大佬的对战中不幸丧生。
Soon enough, he could see the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace again. The vast blue and transparent building was now tinged with black. Dark clouds gathered overhead, accompanied by continuous thunderclaps. A massive vortex appeared above the palace, as if it intended to swallow this recently unsealed structure once more. The entire sky trembled, buildings tilting and slowly collapsing towards the vortex's center. There seemed to be a faint cry of不甘and anger emanating from within the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace, but nothing could change its inevitable disappearance.
bù guò lǐ fán cǐ kè què bù tuì fǎn jìn ， chóng xīn cháo zhe yún shuǐ tiān gōng de fāng xiàng fēi qù 。
不过李凡此刻却不退反进，重新朝着云水天宫的方向飞去。
After some time, this ancient sect, which had only existed for over five years in this world, vanished once more into the void.
méi duō jiǔ ， biàn yòu néng chóng xīn kàn dào yún shuǐ tiān gōng le 。
没多久，便又能重新看到云水天宫了。
The thick, electrified clouds gradually dissipated, and the sky returned to a calm scene.
zhǐ jiàn nà zuò lán sè tòu míng de páng dà jiàn zhù ， cǐ kè què shì bèi rǎn shàng le yī céng hēi sè 。
只见那座蓝色透明的庞大建筑，此刻却是被染上了一层黑色。
"Is the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace being sealed again? This didn't happen in my previous life."
shàng fāng ， wū yún jù lǒng ér lái ， léi míng bù duàn 。
上方，乌云聚拢而来，雷鸣不断。
"Was it because of the celestial doctor statue I sent?"
yí gè páng dà de xuán wō chū xiàn zài yún shuǐ tiān gōng de shàng fāng ， sì hū yào jiāng zhè zuò gāng jiě fēng bù jiǔ de jiàn zhù chóng xīn tūn mò 。
一个庞大的漩涡出现在云水天宫的上方，似乎要将这座刚解封不久的建筑重新吞没。
Thoughts raced through Li Fan's mind. "So, in my previous life, Sīkōng Yí kept that small statue for himself and did not send it to the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace?"
zhěng piàn tiān mù dōu zài huàng dòng chàn dǒu ， lián mián de lóu yǔ biàn dé qīng xié ， huǎn huǎn cháo zhe xuán wō zhōng xīn tān suō 。
整片天幕都在晃动颤抖，连绵的楼宇变得倾斜，缓缓朝着漩涡中心坍缩。
"Such a bold move? Relying on the Steal Heaven and Replace Sun Decision to defy death?"
sì hū yǐn yǐn yǒu zhe bù gān 、 fèn nù de hū háo cóng yún shuǐ tiān gōng zhōng chuán chū 。
似乎隐隐有着不甘、愤怒的呼嚎从云水天宫中传出。
"No, there might be another possibility: the celestial doctor didn't give the white jade statue to Sīkōng Yí."
dàn shì ， dōu wú fǎ gǎi biàn qí màn màn xiāo shī de xiàn shí 。
但是，都无法改变其慢慢消失的现实。
"But instead gave it to Lin Fan's avatar..."
bàn shǎng zhī hòu ， zhè zuò xiàn shì bù guò wǔ nián duō de shàng gǔ zōng mén ， biàn yòu chóng xīn xiāo shī zài le zhè piàn tiān dì jiān 。
半晌之后，这座现世不过五年多的上古宗门，便又重新消失在了这片天地间。
"If that is true, what did he discover?"
jǐn jiē zhe ， nà diàn shǎn léi míng de hēi hòu yún céng ， yě zhú jiàn xiāo sàn 。
紧接着，那电闪雷鸣的黑厚云层，也逐渐消散。
The strange howling from within the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace resurfaced in Li Fan's mind, raising more doubts. "What did the celestial doctor do to cause such hatred among all those inside…"
tiān kōng hǎi yáng jiān ， hěn kuài yòu shì yī pài yún dàn fēng qīng de píng jìng chǎng miàn 。
天空海洋间，很快又是一派云淡风轻的平静场面。
Li Fan recalled his first encounter with the celestial doctor.
“ yún shuǐ tiān gōng chóng xīn bèi fēng yìn le ？ shàng yī shì ， kě méi yǒu fā shēng zhè jiàn shì 。”
“云水天宫重新被封印了？上一世，可没有发生这件事。”
"I'm just an old man who should have died but didn't."
“ shì yīn wèi wǒ sòng rù de tiān yī diāo xiàng ？”
“是因为我送入的天医雕像？”
"…Using this statue to replace me and always be by their side…"
chà nà jiān ， xǔ duō niàn tou zì lǐ fán nǎo hǎi zhōng shǎn guò 。
刹那间，许多念头自李凡脑海中闪过。
The celestial doctor's words, filled with emotion and regret, seemed genuine. But Li Fan felt a chill at the thought of it.
“ zhè me shuō ， shàng yī shì ， sī kōng yí shì jiāng nà xiǎo diāo xiàng gěi sī tūn le ， méi yǒu sòng jìn yún shuǐ tiān gōng ？”
“这么说，上一世，司空宜是将那小雕像给私吞了，没有送进云水天宫？”
"No matter what, that old man called the celestial doctor is too dangerous. His strength exceeds my previous estimates. My avatar has already been detected; I must not engage him."
“ dǎn zi zhè me dà ？ zhàng zhe tōu tiān huàn rì jué bù pà sǐ ？”
“胆子这么大？仗着偷天换日决不怕死？”
"This world will never remain unchanged. A casual action can lead to unexpected changes."
“ bú duì ， hái yǒu zhǒng kě néng 。 jiù shì nà tiān yī méi yǒu bǎ bái yù diāo xiàng jiāo gěi sī kōng yí 。”
“不对，还有种可能。就是那天医没有把白玉雕像交给司空宜。”
"From now on, I need to be more cautious."
“ dàn què gěi le lín fán fēn shēn ……”
“但却给了林凡分身……”
"And that sword…"
“ ruò zhēn de shì zhè yàng ， shì tā kàn chū lái le shén me ？”
“若真的是这样，是他看出来了什么？”
"How many secrets are hidden in this Cunyun Sea?" Li Fan sighed and quickly returned to Ten Thousand Immortals Island.
yún shuǐ tiān gōng zhōng nà guǐ yì qí háo 、 lìng rén jīng bù de huà miàn zài cì fú xiàn yú nǎo hǎi ， lǐ fán de xīn zhōng yě shì yí dòu cóng shēng 。
云水天宫中那诡异齐嚎、令人惊怖的画面再次浮现于脑海，李凡的心中也是疑窦丛生。
He searched for information about the celestial doctor and master within the Ten Thousand Immortals Mirror. The only valuable data were recent discussions among cultivators, which was not surprising to him.
“ tiān yī jiū jìng zuò le shén me ， cái dǎo zhì zhè yún shuǐ tiān gōng shàng xià ， duì tā rú cǐ yuàn hèn ……”
“天医究竟做了什么，才导致这云水天宫上下，对他如此怨恨……”
For a while, Li Fan resumed his leisurely life on the island. Occasionally, he would use Unformless Killing Opportunity to lock down cultivators nearing Foundation Establishment stage for insight into their true essence.
lǐ fán yòu huí xiǎng qǐ liǎo dàng chū dì yī cì jiàn dào tiān yī shí de qíng jǐng 。
李凡又回想起了当初第一次见到天医时的情景。
He also took on some tasks to accumulate contributions.
“ wǒ zhǐ bù guò shì gè gāi sǐ wèi sǐ de lǎo tóu zi ér yǐ 。”
“我只不过是个该死未死的老头子而已。”
His plan was to exchange celestial treasures from the Ten Thousand Immortals Mirror for energy to recharge [Truly Real], unlocking a second anchor point.
“…… jiù yòng zhè diāo xiàng ， dài tì wǒ yì zhí péi zhe tā men ba ……”
“……就用这雕像，代替我一直陪着他们吧……”
He had a general idea of how to use it, but he would need to wait until after unlocking it to finalize his strategy.
tiān yī shuō zhè xiē huà shí ， shén qíng xī xū 、 wú xiàn gǎn kǎi ， bù shì zuò wěi 。
天医说这些话时，神情唏嘘、无限感慨，不似作伪。
Boring cultivation wasn't all there was to a cultivator's life. Most weren't like Zhang Haobo, who spent every waking moment in training. They also had their own leisure activities.
dàn yuè shì rú cǐ ， lǐ fán jiù yuè jué de xīn zhōng yī zhèn è hán 。
但越是如此，李凡就越觉得心中一阵恶寒。
In the Cunyun Sea, the most popular pastime was setting fish.
“ bù guǎn rú hé ， zhè jiào zuò tiān yī de lǎo zhě ， tài guò wēi xiǎn 。 shí lì hái yào chāo chū wǒ zhī qián de yù gū 。 fēn shēn yǐ jīng chū xiàn zài tā de shì xiàn zhī nèi ， běn zūn zé jué bù kě zài yǔ qí chǎn shēng lián xì 。”
“不管如何，这叫做天医的老者，太过危险。实力还要超出我之前的预估。分身已经出现在他的视线之内，本尊则绝不可再与其产生联系。”
On the northwest edge of the sea lay an isolated island surrounded by sheer cliffs. Water flowed up the walls and gathered at the center to form a lake. Every month, when the water reached its peak, it would burst skyward, sending fish flying into the air. Among them, one always soared higher than the rest.
“ zhè chǔ shì jiè zhōng jiū bú shì yī chéng bù biàn de yóu xì ， wǎng wǎng bù jīng yì de jǔ dòng biàn huì yǐn qǐ xǔ duō yì xiǎng bù dào de biàn huà 。”
“这处世界终究不是一成不变的游戏，往往不经意的举动便会引起许多意想不到的变化。”
Years ago, a passing cultivator witnessed this spectacle and decided to intervene. He refined all the other fish in the lake and fed their essence to the highest-flying one. This fish transformed, becoming almost as powerful as a beast, returning to the sea.
“ yǐ hòu hái shì yào gèng jiā xiǎo xīn jǐn shèn cái shì 。”
“以后还是要更加小心谨慎才是。”
Since then, more and more fish gathered on the island. When a dispute over a treasure arose with a friend, he suggested they each choose a representative fish from the lake. The winner would be determined by which fish leaped highest when the water burst forth; the prize would go to the victor.
“ hái yǒu nà bǐng jiàn ……”
“还有那柄剑……”
The friend found it amusing and agreed. This led several other curious cultivators to join in, betting on their favorites. They set up an array around the island to prevent powerful sea creatures from interfering. Over twenty-seven days, they observed their chosen fish without using enhanced spirit energy; any cheating would result in collective punishment by the other participants.
“ zhè cóng yún hǎi zhōng ， dào dǐ hái yǐn cáng zhe duō shǎo mì mì 。” lǐ fán gǎn tàn yī shēng ， xīn zhōng yě méi le luàn guàng de xīn sī ， cōng cōng huí dào le wàn xiān dǎo shàng 。
“这丛云海中，到底还隐藏着多少秘密。”李凡感叹一声，心中也没了乱逛的心思，匆匆回到了万仙岛上。
Afterward, all the remaining fish were refined and fed to the "Fish Champion."
tiān xuán jìng nèi ， yòu sōu suǒ le yī fān “ tiān yī ”、“ fū zǐ ” děng xiāng guān de xìn xī ， quán dōu shì xiē zuì jìn xiū shì de tǎo lùn 。
天玄镜内，又搜索了一番“天医”、“夫子”等相关的信息，全都是些最近修士的讨论。
...
yǒu jià zhí de xìn xī zé shì yì diǎn dōu méi yǒu 。
有价值的信息则是一点都没有。
In the end, the cultivator's choice only came second, losing the treasure. But he didn't mind much, believing he had discovered a key to success. He planned to return next month for another showdown.
lǐ fán yě bù jué dé yì wài 。
李凡也不觉得意外。
The other participants agreed enthusiastically.
jiē xià lái yī duàn shí jiān ， lǐ fán huī fù le zhī qián zài dǎo shàng de nà zhǒng xián sǎn shēng huó 。
接下来一段时间，李凡恢复了之前在岛上的那种闲散生活。
This "setting fish" game gradually attracted more and more cultivators. As participation grew, so did the rules. A prize pool was introduced; half of each bet went into this pool, while the first-place winner received a larger share. The second through tenth places shared the remaining portion. If anyone could guess the Fish Champion, they would claim all rewards.
ǒu ěr zài dǎo shàng fā xiàn kuài yào tū pò dào zhù jī qī de xiū shì ， biàn yòng wú xiāng shā jī jiāng qí suǒ dìng ， jiè yǐ gǎn wù jī lěi zhù jī zhēn yì 。
偶尔在岛上发现快要突破到筑基期的修士，便用无相杀机将其锁定，借以感悟积累筑基真意。
At year's end, the accumulated prize pool was cleared to generate a super jackpot.
The shockwave swept over Li Fan, making him feel like a withered leaf caught in a gale. He was blown backward until he was hurled hundreds of miles away before finally stabilizing his form.
Fortunately, the shockwave's destructive power was merely superficial; it seemed to be constrained by some force, only causing a massive wave that spread across the entire Cunyun Sea without inflicting further damage.
There was a sense of thunder without rain. However, Li Fan did not underestimate this. The ultimate control over power indicated just how formidable his opponent was.
The Unformless Killing Opportunity's lock had vanished, clearly showing that the unfortunate cultivator had perished in the conflict between two powerful figures.
But instead of retreating, Li Fan continued to fly towards the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace.
Soon enough, he could see the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace again. The vast blue and transparent building was now tinged with black. Dark clouds gathered overhead, accompanied by continuous thunderclaps. A massive vortex appeared above the palace, as if it intended to swallow this recently unsealed structure once more. The entire sky trembled, buildings tilting and slowly collapsing towards the vortex's center. There seemed to be a faint cry of不甘and anger emanating from within the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace, but nothing could change its inevitable disappearance.
After some time, this ancient sect, which had only existed for over five years in this world, vanished once more into the void.
The thick, electrified clouds gradually dissipated, and the sky returned to a calm scene.
"Is the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace being sealed again? This didn't happen in my previous life."
"Was it because of the celestial doctor statue I sent?"
Thoughts raced through Li Fan's mind. "So, in my previous life, Sīkōng Yí kept that small statue for himself and did not send it to the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace?"
"Such a bold move? Relying on the Steal Heaven and Replace Sun Decision to defy death?"
"No, there might be another possibility: the celestial doctor didn't give the white jade statue to Sīkōng Yí."
"But instead gave it to Lin Fan's avatar..."
"If that is true, what did he discover?"
The strange howling from within the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace resurfaced in Li Fan's mind, raising more doubts. "What did the celestial doctor do to cause such hatred among all those inside…"
Li Fan recalled his first encounter with the celestial doctor.
"I'm just an old man who should have died but didn't."
"…Using this statue to replace me and always be by their side…"
The celestial doctor's words, filled with emotion and regret, seemed genuine. But Li Fan felt a chill at the thought of it.
"No matter what, that old man called the celestial doctor is too dangerous. His strength exceeds my previous estimates. My avatar has already been detected; I must not engage him."
"This world will never remain unchanged. A casual action can lead to unexpected changes."
"From now on, I need to be more cautious."
"And that sword…"
"How many secrets are hidden in this Cunyun Sea?" Li Fan sighed and quickly returned to Ten Thousand Immortals Island.
He searched for information about the celestial doctor and master within the Ten Thousand Immortals Mirror. The only valuable data were recent discussions among cultivators, which was not surprising to him.
For a while, Li Fan resumed his leisurely life on the island. Occasionally, he would use Unformless Killing Opportunity to lock down cultivators nearing Foundation Establishment stage for insight into their true essence.
He also took on some tasks to accumulate contributions.
His plan was to exchange celestial treasures from the Ten Thousand Immortals Mirror for energy to recharge [Truly Real], unlocking a second anchor point.
He had a general idea of how to use it, but he would need to wait until after unlocking it to finalize his strategy.
Boring cultivation wasn't all there was to a cultivator's life. Most weren't like Zhang Haobo, who spent every waking moment in training. They also had their own leisure activities.
In the Cunyun Sea, the most popular pastime was setting fish.
On the northwest edge of the sea lay an isolated island surrounded by sheer cliffs. Water flowed up the walls and gathered at the center to form a lake. Every month, when the water reached its peak, it would burst skyward, sending fish flying into the air. Among them, one always soared higher than the rest.
Years ago, a passing cultivator witnessed this spectacle and decided to intervene. He refined all the other fish in the lake and fed their essence to the highest-flying one. This fish transformed, becoming almost as powerful as a beast, returning to the sea.
Since then, more and more fish gathered on the island. When a dispute over a treasure arose with a friend, he suggested they each choose a representative fish from the lake. The winner would be determined by which fish leaped highest when the water burst forth; the prize would go to the victor.
The friend found it amusing and agreed. This led several other curious cultivators to join in, betting on their favorites. They set up an array around the island to prevent powerful sea creatures from interfering. Over twenty-seven days, they observed their chosen fish without using enhanced spirit energy; any cheating would result in collective punishment by the other participants.
Afterward, all the remaining fish were refined and fed to the "Fish Champion."
...
In the end, the cultivator's choice only came second, losing the treasure. But he didn't mind much, believing he had discovered a key to success. He planned to return next month for another showdown.
The other participants agreed enthusiastically.
This "setting fish" game gradually attracted more and more cultivators. As participation grew, so did the rules. A prize pool was introduced; half of each bet went into this pool, while the first-place winner received a larger share. The second through tenth places shared the remaining portion. If anyone could guess the Fish Champion, they would claim all rewards.
At year's end, the accumulated prize pool was cleared to generate a super jackpot.