yī wǎn hóng tāng rù dù ， jiàn yù sān rén liǎn shàng de shén qíng kāi shǐ jù liè biàn huàn qǐ lái 。
一碗红汤入肚，剑域三人脸上的神情开始剧烈变幻起来。
A bowl of the crowd fruit was served to everyone, but it had already become like hot water with no taste after being consumed repeatedly by the three people from Sword Domain for a year. However, Li Fan's treatment wasn't as good.
xiǎn rán ， bìng fēi suǒ yǒu rén dōu néng xiàng lǐ fán nà yàng ， dì yī cì pǐn cháng jiù kě yǐ ān rán xiǎng shòu zhòng shēng yù niàn de miào chù 。
显然，并非所有人都能像李凡那样，第一次品尝就可以安然享受众生欲念的妙处。
In the first year, he received six bowls in total, but after that, Master Shi ignored him completely. Li Fan knew this was to gradually increase the trio's tolerance so they wouldn’t go crazy when consuming the fruit’s infinite killing intent.
jī xīng dào shuāng mù yuán zhēng ， shēn shàng qì xī rú bō tāo bān qǐ fú bù dìng 。
姬兴道双目圆睁，身上气息如波涛般起伏不定。
After all, these were people from Sword Domain, and Master Shi had to give them some face.
sī tú tiān tiān méi máo jǐn cù ， liǎn ruò hán shuāng 。 zhōu zāo hǎo sì yǒu wú shù shuāng xuě fēi wǔ ， zǐ xì yī kàn ， nà bái sè de bīng jīng hè rán shì yī bǐng bǐng fēi jiàn mú yàng ！
司徒天天眉毛紧蹙，脸若寒霜。周遭好似有无数霜雪飞舞，仔细一看，那白色的冰晶赫然是一柄柄飞剑模样！
As for "Ma Tiande"...
zhào xīng zé shì sān rén zhōng biǎo xiàn zuì jiā zhě ， zhǐ xiàng shì hē le wǎn jí wéi xīn là de jiǔ ， liǎn shàng yì sè yī shǎn 、 hěn kuài jiù huī fù le zhèng cháng 。
赵星则是三人中表现最佳者，只像是喝了碗极为辛辣的酒，脸上异色一闪、很快就恢复了正常。
It was simply a matter of life or death.
yě bù guǎn zhè jiàn yù sān rén biǎo xiàn rú hé ， zhù xué shì què shì shēn pī cháng páo ， huǎn huǎn cóng zhǔ zuò shàng zǒu xià 。
也不管这剑域三人表现如何，祝学士却是身披长袍，缓缓从主座上走下。
The three-year period had come to an end. The blood-red sun disappeared on the horizon, leaving only a small area of the city of bliss in darkness.
gōu lóu yǐn cáng zài cháng páo nèi de shēn qū ， fā chū gē zhī gē zhī de guǐ yì shēng zhǎng zhī shēng ， hěn kuài jiù biàn dé xiū cháng qǐ lái 。
佝偻隐藏在长袍内的身躯，发出咯吱咯吱的诡异生长之声，很快就变得修长起来。
At this moment, it seemed as if time had stopped, and all survivors were frozen like ice statues.
rú qì rú sù de nǚ shēng chàng qiāng ， wěi wěi zài chǎng zhōng xiǎng qǐ 。
如泣如诉的女声唱腔，娓娓在场中响起。
Light condensed into a beam that flew directly into the main hall.
「 ní cháng yǔ yī jí lè fāng ， jīn zūn yù yè yàn fāng zhǎng 。 gǔ yuè xuān tiān wǔ piān xiān ， dēng huǒ lán shān yè wèi yāng ……」
「霓裳羽衣极乐坊，金樽玉液宴方长。鼓乐喧天舞翩跹，灯火阑珊夜未央……」
The survivors emitted a faint glow as they floated out from the virtual image of the city of bliss.
zhù xué shì qīng shēng qiǎn chàng ， qiě gē qiě wǔ 。
祝学士轻声浅唱，且歌且舞。
Divided into human and ghost forms.
lǐ fán dīng zhe nà ē nuó bú jiàn miàn mù dì shēn zī ， mù bù zhuǎn jīng 。
李凡盯着那婀娜不见面目的身姿，目不转睛。
"Five ghosts, five humans? You actually guessed it right!" Shi Tian looked shocked at Li Fan.
bàn suí zhe zhù xué shì de gē shēng ， chéng zhǔ fǔ mén fēi ， hǎo sì hū de dòng kāi 。 yuán běn jì jìng wú bǐ de chǎng suǒ ， dùn shí zhuì rù le yī guō fèi tāng zhī zhōng 。 lái zì jí lè chéng de wàn qiān zhòng shēng zhī yīn ， zì sì miàn bā fāng chuán lái 。 zài fǔ zhōng qí jù 。
伴随着祝学士的歌声，城主府门扉，好似忽的洞开。原本寂静无比的场所，顿时坠入了一锅沸汤之中。来自极乐城的万千众生之音，自四面八方传来。在府中齐聚。
The three people from Sword Domain were disappointed that their extra servings had flown away.
lǐ fán huǎng hū jiān ， kàn dào le jí lè chéng zhōng zhèng zài fā shēng de yī qiè 。
李凡恍惚间，看到了极乐城中正在发生的一切。
Li Fan knew this was Master Shi saving them. With these young people's strength, swallowing a single fruit might be bearable, but two would surely result in death.
xiào 、 zòng 、 dòu 、Yin， chàng 、 yú 、 zuì 、 xīn 。
笑、纵、斗、Yin，畅、愉、醉、欣。
"Looks like Master Shi is quite petty."
wú shù shēng líng jìn qíng xiǎng lè de huà miàn ， tóng shí zài lǐ fán yǎn qián zhà xiàn 。
无数生灵尽情享乐的画面，同时在李凡眼前炸现。
Li Fan sneered inwardly.
「 jí lè chéng ， jí lè 。」
「极乐城，极乐。」
From the precise manipulation of the city of bliss’s killing time, it seemed that the entire process was just for show. The final outcome was entirely up to Master Shi's whim.
rán ér zhè yī qiè ， jiē suí zhe zhù xué shì de yīn diào ， měng rán yī biàn 。
然而这一切，皆随着祝学士的音调，猛然一变。
Since Li Fan guessed that the end result would be an equal number of humans and ghosts,
「 lè jí chéng bēi tiān dì shì ， dāo guāng jiàn yǐng xuè chéng jiāng 。 wǎng liǎng yè yǐng wàn guǐ shēng ， tóu wèi hāng tǔ gǔ zuò liáng ……」
「乐极成悲天地事，刀光剑影血成浆。魍魉夜影万鬼生，头为夯土骨作梁……」
the survivors would indeed have an equal number of both.
yǔ qì sēn rán ， shā yì tāo tiān 。
语气森然，杀意滔天。
"Good. Here are these two fruits."
「 dīng ！」 hǎo sì lì jiàn zhuì dì de shēng yīn ， jīng xǐng le jí lè chéng zhōng de wú jìn shēng líng ， jiāng tā men cóng jí lè de huàn mèng zhī zhōng jiào xǐng 。
「叮！」好似利剑坠地的声音，惊醒了极乐城中的无尽生灵，将他们从极乐的幻梦之中叫醒。
The survivor with a faint white glow, as if returning to its mother’s womb, curled into a fruit-like shape.
huá dēng jǐn miè ， jí lè chéng dùn shí xiàn rù le hēi àn zhī zhōng 。
华灯尽灭，极乐城顿时陷入了黑暗之中。
Master Shi picked out the most robust ones and handed them over to Li Fan personally.
bù guò hēi àn bìng méi yǒu chí xù tài jiǔ 。
不过黑暗并没有持续太久。
Li Fan bowed in gratitude.
yī lún xuè sè de dà rì ， zì tiān biān huǎn huǎn shēng qǐ 。 xuè hóng sè de guāng máng ， zhào shè jìn chéng zhōng 。
一轮血色的大日，自天边缓缓升起。血红色的光芒，照射进城中。
The three people from Sword Domain exchanged glances but didn’t dare be too bold. They reluctantly swallowed their own fruits.
shā lù ， yǐ jīng kāi shǐ le 。
杀戮，已经开始了。
Li Fan felt Master Shi's gaze always fixed on him, so he swallowed his fruit as well.
màn cháng jí lè zhī yè lǐ ， hái shì qīn qiè de zhěn biān rén 。 cǐ kè què hū de bá dāo xiāng xiàng ， bù sǐ bù xiū 。
漫长极乐之夜里，还是亲切的枕边人。此刻却忽的拔刀相向，不死不休。
There was no taste when it entered his mouth; the crowd fruit melted away instantly.
suǒ yǒu de yǒu qíng ， qīn qíng ， ài qíng 。
所有的友情，亲情，爱情。
A myriad of thoughts, memories, and emotions surged into Li Fan’s mind like a terrifying storm.
zài jiē xià lái màn cháng de cháng yè lǐ ， dōu méi yǒu le rèn hé yì yì 。
在接下来漫长的长夜里，都没有了任何意义。
It was as if a destructive force had suddenly risen from nowhere to destroy everything in sight.
wéi yǒu shēng cún ， cái shì wéi yī ér yǒng héng de huà tí 。
唯有生存，才是唯一而永恒的话题。
Li Fan's original thoughts were swept away by this tempest, leaving him vulnerable and at risk.
……
……
"This is what they call the collective consciousness of all beings that can forge countless gods."
「 sǐ sǐ sǐ sǐ ！」
「死死死死！」
"If I use my cycle through myriad lifetimes and reflect on the path of the Dao, even a powerful storm wouldn't shake me. But Ma Tiande lacks such ability..."
「 shā ！」
「杀！」
"Unless I activate the Dao Network."
「 a ！」
「啊！」
Li Fan secretly observed Master Shi from within the storm of collective consciousness.
cǎn jiào yǔ diān kuáng de shā lù zhī shēng ， rú shèng dà de jiāo xiǎng zhī lè ， zài chéng zhǔ fǔ zhōng zòu xiǎng 。
惨叫与癫狂的杀戮之声，如盛大的交响之乐，在城主府中奏响。
He had already prepared his应对策略。
zhù xué shì yǐ rán cóng wǔ niáng mú yàng ， chóng xīn biàn chéng le gōu lóu lǎo zhě 。 mǎn mù xiǎng shòu de ， kàn zhe chéng zhōng de shā lù 。
祝学士已然从舞娘模样，重新变成了佝偻老者。满目享受的，看着城中的杀戮。
"In the Dao Network, there are unnamed true immortals."
ér yǐ jīng cóng hóng tāng huàn jué zhōng zhú jiàn qīng xǐng guò lái de jiàn yù sān wèi nián qīng xiū shì ， miàn duì jí lè chéng zhōng jìn xiǎn rén jiān zhī è de kě bù huà miàn ， dōu kāi shǐ biàn dé miàn sè cāng bái 、 sè sè fā dǒu 。
而已经从红汤幻觉中逐渐清醒过来的剑域三位年轻修士，面对极乐城中尽显人间之恶的可怖画面，都开始变得面色苍白、瑟瑟发抖。
"I vaguely sensed an aura similar to Master Shi's from one of these nodes..."
lǐ fán yě zuò chū yī fù jí wéi bù shì de mú yàng 。
李凡也作出一副极为不适的模样。
Li Fan’s thoughts raced.
「 kě xī le ， rú cǐ chǎng jǐng ， běn yīng yǒu gèng duō rén yì qǐ lái xīn shǎng cái shì 。」
「可惜了，如此场景，本应有更多人一起来欣赏才是。」
In reality, Ma Tiande was sobbing uncontrollably and contorting his face into various expressions. His hands and feet were moving involuntarily as if he was desperately searching for a lifeline.
「 què zhǐ lái le nǐ men jǐ gè xiǎo bèi 。」
「却只来了你们几个小辈。」
Master Shi looked on with satisfaction at Ma Tiande's struggles, but his peripheral vision caught something else.
zhù xué shì de shēng yīn xiǎn de yǒu xiē jì liáo ， luò mò 。
祝学士的声音显得有些寂寥，落寞。
When the Dao Network operator died, it would generate a signal that would be transmitted through the Dao Network to the Council of Affairs.
dàn jí lè chéng zhōng de shā lù ， què bìng méi yǒu yīn cǐ ér tíng zhǐ 。
但极乐城中的杀戮，却并没有因此而停止。
In the vast expanse of Shuo Star Sea, there were survivors from various cultivation realms and even different star seas. There were also former true immortals. Various mysterious means emerged, but only the Dao Network could bypass all obstacles and transmit the state of the operator in real-time to the Council of Affairs.
「 què gèng bù néng xiǎn de wú liáo le ， diū le wǒ de liǎn miàn 。」
「却更不能显得无聊了，丢了我的脸面。」
This was how Shuo Star Sea maintained its stability.
zhù xué shì wǎn ruò mó guǐ de shēng yīn ， huí dàng zài zhòng rén ěr biān 。
祝学士宛若魔鬼的声音，回荡在众人耳边。
However, this phenomenon was exactly what Master Shi had been waiting for.
jí lè chéng zhōng ， yòu shì yī zhòng biàn shù xiǎn huà 。
极乐城中，又是一重变数显化。
This was why he wanted Ma Tiande to die.
nà xiē yuán běn yǐ jīng bèi shā sǐ de shēng líng ， jìng rán sǐ ér fù shēng 。 bù guò què bìng fēi shì huó wù zhuàng tài 。 ér shì wú xíng guǐ yǐng 。
那些原本已经被杀死的生灵，竟然死而复生。不过却并非是活物状态。而是无形鬼影。
But things didn’t go as expected. The Dao Network operator who was on his last breath seemed to have found something that could save him.
zhè shí ， tā men yǒu liǎng gè xuǎn zé 。 yī shì zhí jiē è guǐ suǒ mìng ， zhè yàng néng jiāng zì jǐ de chóu rén zhí jiē shā sǐ 。 dàn tóng shí ， zì shēn guǐ yǐng xíng tài ， yě jiāng yān xiāo yún sàn 。
这时，他们有两个选择。一是直接恶鬼索命，这样能将自己的仇人直接杀死。但同时，自身鬼影形态，也将烟消云散。
Even though his face was twisted in agony, Master Shi could see that his inner self remained intact.
shì fù shēn xìng cún zhě ， jiè zhù xìng cún zhě wán zhěng fù chóu 。 bèi fù shēn zhě ， lì liàng wǎn ruò liǎng rén dié jiā ， bào chóu de kě néng xìng dà dà tí gāo 。
是附身幸存者，借助幸存者完整复仇。被附身者，力量宛若两人叠加，报仇的可能性大大提高。
This piqued Master Shi's interest.
bù guò bèi shā zhě ， tóng yàng yě huì huà zuò guǐ yǐng zhuàng tài 。
不过被杀者，同样也会化作鬼影状态。
"What is this..."
guǐ yǐng zhuàng tài xià ， kě yǐ hù xiāng gōng jī 。 bù guò jié jú zhǐ yǒu tóng guī yú jìn 。 suǒ yǐ dà dǐ huì xuǎn zé ， xún zhǎo qí tā de xìng cún zhě jìn xíng fù shēn 。
鬼影状态下，可以互相攻击。不过结局只有同归于尽。所以大抵会选择，寻找其他的幸存者进行附身。
With narrowed eyes, Master Shi suddenly changed expression.
suí zhe sī shā de jì xù ， jí lè chéng zhōng ， zhú jiàn zhǐ shèng xià le yī qún bèi guǐ fù shēn de xìng cún zhě 。
随着厮杀的继续，极乐城中，逐渐只剩下了一群被鬼附身的幸存者。
He saw that under the threat of life, Ma Tiande instinctively wrote numerous meaningless Dao symbols.
guǐ yǐng fù shēn xìng cún zhě ruò shì bèi jī bài ， bú huì dàn shēng xīn de guǐ yǐng 。 ér qí fù shēn guǐ yǐng yě jiāng gēn zhe yì qǐ yān xiāo yún sàn 。
鬼影附身幸存者若是被击败，不会诞生新的鬼影。而其附身鬼影也将跟着一起烟消云散。
These symbols couldn’t form a command for the Dao Network and didn't trigger any response from it.
zhè chǎng shā lù ， zhú jiàn zǒu xiàng le zhōng jú 。
这场杀戮，逐渐走向了终局。
However, they inexplicably formed a long dam-like structure, blocking the storm of collective consciousness outside.
dāng zuì hòu de xìng cún zhě ， zhǐ shèng xià yì bǎi míng shí 。 bèi fù shēn zhě jiù néng fā xiàn fù shēn zì jǐ de guǐ yǐng cún zài 。
当最后的幸存者，只剩下一百名时。被附身者就能发现附身自己的鬼影存在。
"By chance, you managed to activate the Dao Network without going through its official connection?"
kě yǐ xuǎn zé gòng cún 。 yě kě yǐ fā dòng bù sǐ bù xiū de jīng shén gōng jī 。
可以选择共存。也可以发动不死不休的精神攻击。
Master Shi had a deep understanding of the Dao Network and knew that Ma Tiande's survival was due to this reason.
zhàn shèng guǐ yǐng zhě ， néng wán quán jiāng duì fāng de lì liàng xī shōu ， huà wèi jǐ yòng 。
战胜鬼影者，能完全将对方的力量吸收，化为己用。
The Dao Network already existed as a real entity. Even if it was controlled by someone, the controller could only regulate the network’s behavior and commands but couldn't control all instinctive reactions.
「 nǐ men shuō ， zuì hòu de shèng zhě ， shì rén duō 、 hái shì guǐ duō ne ？」
「你们说，最后的胜者，是人多、还是鬼多呢？」
After all, the Dao Network replicated every path of the Dao in existence.
zhù xué shì hū de duì chǎng zhōng zhòng rén fā wèn dào 。
祝学士忽的对场中众人发问道。
"The Dao symbol command triggered the Dao Network."
「 cǐ cì dà diǎn ， zuì hòu dāng yǒu shí míng shèng zhě 。 nǐ men sì rén ， gè fēn de yī méi guǒ shí 。 ruò shì cāi zhōng zhě ， wǒ huì duō shǎng cì yī méi 。」
「此次大典，最后当有十名胜者。你们四人，各分得一枚果实。若是猜中者，我会多赏赐一枚。」
"According to theory, this should have caused a disturbance in the network. But it was blocked by the Council of Affairs."
jiàn yù sān rén ， wén yán jiē miàn lù xǐ sè 。 guān kàn jí lè chéng zhōng shā lù suǒ liú lù de wèi jù 、 bù rěn ， jiē qǐng kè bèi pāo dào nǎo hòu 。
剑域三人，闻言皆面露喜色。观看极乐城中杀戮所流露的畏惧、不忍，皆顷刻被抛到脑后。
"Among countless combinations, one that saved his life emerged."
「 wǒ cāi ， dìng rán shì guǐ cún huó xià lái de duō 。」 sī tú tiān tiān shǒu xiān gāo shēng shuō dào ， mǎn shì xìn xīn 。
「我猜，定然是鬼存活下来的多。」司徒天天首先高声说道，满是信心。
"Is it just luck?"
jiàn yù lìng wài liǎng rén ， yě shì fēn bié zuò chū le zì jǐ de pàn duàn 。
剑域另外两人，也是分别做出了自己的判断。
Master Shi remained silent.
yǒu cāi guǐ zhě ， yǒu cāi rén zhě 。
有猜鬼者，有猜人者。
He didn't interfere as Li Fan consumed and digested the first fruit.
lún dào lǐ fán shí ， tā chén yín yī fān ， rèn zhēn de huí dá dào ：「 shí míng shèng zhě zhōng ， wǒ kàn rén 、 guǐ gè zhàn yí bàn 。」
轮到李凡时，他沉吟一番，认真的回答道：「十名胜者中，我看人、鬼各占一半。」
The storm gradually subsided.
jiàn yù sān rén ， wén yán jiē miàn lù chà yì zhī sè 。
剑域三人，闻言皆面露诧异之色。
Li Fan regained clarity from confusion and pain but couldn’t fully grasp the changes brought by consuming the fruit before Master Shi coldly said, "Continue. There’s one more."
zhù xué shì zé shì yì wèi shēn cháng de kàn le lǐ fán yī yǎn ， méi yǒu dá huà 。
祝学士则是意味深长的看了李凡一眼，没有答话。
Li Fan was slightly stunned, unable to understand why Master Shi was so indifferent.
rì shàng zhōng tiān ， jí lè chéng zhōng ， shā lù jì xù shàng yǎn 。
日上中天，极乐城中，杀戮继续上演。
But he gritted his teeth and swallowed the second fruit.
néng zài zuì chū de tú shā shàng cún huó xià lái de ， yǐ jīng jù bèi le yí dìng de shēng cún jīng yàn 。 qián fú ， yǐn cáng ， àn zhōng chū jī 。 jiù shǐ de shā lù de jié zòu ， zhú jiàn màn le xià lái 。
能在最初的屠杀上存活下来的，已经具备了一定的生存经验。潜伏，隐藏，暗中出击。就使得杀戮的节奏，逐渐慢了下来。
A storm raged in his mind once again.
dàn shì zhèng zài suō xiǎo de jí lè chéng ， què shì shǐ de tā men bèi pò hù xiāng jí zhōng 。 yòu chóng xīn jiā kuài le yóu xì jié zòu 。
但是正在缩小的极乐城，却是使得他们被迫互相集中。又重新加快了游戏节奏。
This time, it seemed even more intense than before.
chóng fù xìng de guān kàn ， dài lái le shěn měi pí láo 。 kàn le duō le ， nǎ pà zài zěn me de xuè xīng 、 liè qí ， yě jué de píng píng le 。
重复性的观看，带来了审美疲劳。看了多了，哪怕再怎么的血腥、猎奇，也觉得平平了。
It consumed Li Fan's consciousness once more.
jiàn yù sān rén ， yǐ jīng kāi shǐ biàn dé má mù 。 bù zài yǒu rèn hé yì yàng biǎo qíng fú xiàn 。 shèn zhì kāi shǐ jué de yǒu xiē bù nài fán qǐ lái 。
剑域三人，已经开始变得麻木。不再有任何异样表情浮现。甚至开始觉得有些不耐烦起来。
"I'll see if you can have another stroke of luck!"
zhǐ yǒu lǐ fán ， yī jiù zài rèn zhēn guān chá zhe ， jí lè chéng zhōng měi yí gè shēng líng 、 zài miàn duì shēng sǐ zhī shí de ， bù tóng biǎo xiàn yǔ jué zé 。
只有李凡，依旧在认真观察着，极乐城中每一个生灵、在面对生死之时的，不同表现与抉择。
Master Shi stared at Ma Tiande’s识海 from the beginning.
shuō hǎo de jí lè chéng sān nián yī lún huí 。
说好的极乐城三年一轮回。
Sure enough, when he struggled and gradually lost consciousness,
zhè chǎng sī shā yě dàng zhēn zhěng zhěng chí xù le sān nián 。
这场厮杀也当真整整持续了三年。
Ma Tiande instinctively called out numerous Dao symbols again.
sì hū zài mù hòu ， yǒu zhǒng shén mì de lì liàng zài àn zhōng cāo zòng zhe zhè chǎng yóu xì de jìn chéng 。
似乎在幕后，有种神秘的力量在暗中操纵着这场游戏的进程。
This time, the command was different from before.
sān nián lǐ ， jiàn yù sān rén hóng tāng hē le shì yī wǎn yòu yī wǎn 。 xiàn zài hē qǐ lái ， yǐ jīng shì rú kāi shuǐ bān ， méi yǒu rèn hé gǎn jué le 。
三年里，剑域三人红汤喝了是一碗又一碗。现在喝起来，已经是如开水般，没有任何感觉了。
"It seems good fortune won't strike a second time," Master Shi said with satisfaction.
lǐ fán de dài yù jiù méi yǒu nà me hǎo le 。
李凡的待遇就没有那么好了。
He waited for the storm of collective consciousness to consume Ma Tiande completely.
zhǐ shì zài tóu yī nián lǐ ， gòng bèi shǎng cì le liù wǎn 。 zhī hòu ， zhù xué shì jiù gù yì jiāng tā hū lüè le 。
只是在头一年里，共被赏赐了六碗。之后，祝学士就故意将他忽略了。
But soon, his expression became strange.
lǐ fán zhī dào ， zhè shì zhù xué shì zài zhú jiàn tí gāo jiàn yù sān rén de chéng shòu néng lì 。 yǐ miǎn zuì hòu fú yòng guǒ shí de shí hòu chéng shòu bú zhù ， bèi guǒ shí zhōng yùn hán de wú qióng shā lù yì niàn gěi zhí jiē nòng chéng bái chī 。
李凡知道，这是祝学士在逐渐提高剑域三人的承受能力。以免最后服用果实的时候承受不住，被果实中蕴含的无穷杀戮意念给直接弄成白痴。
Although these symbols didn’t form a dam,
bì jìng shì jiàn yù de rén ， zhù xué shì duō shǎo yào gěi diǎn miàn zi 。
毕竟是剑域的人，祝学士多少要给点面子。
they transformed into another storm.
zhì yú 「 mǎ tiān dé 」……
至于「马天得」……
The two storms canceled each other out and left Ma Tiande unharmed!
A bowl of the crowd fruit was served to everyone, but it had already become like hot water with no taste after being consumed repeatedly by the three people from Sword Domain for a year. However, Li Fan's treatment wasn't as good.
In the first year, he received six bowls in total, but after that, Master Shi ignored him completely. Li Fan knew this was to gradually increase the trio's tolerance so they wouldn’t go crazy when consuming the fruit’s infinite killing intent.
After all, these were people from Sword Domain, and Master Shi had to give them some face.
As for "Ma Tiande"...
It was simply a matter of life or death.
The three-year period had come to an end. The blood-red sun disappeared on the horizon, leaving only a small area of the city of bliss in darkness.
At this moment, it seemed as if time had stopped, and all survivors were frozen like ice statues.
Light condensed into a beam that flew directly into the main hall.
The survivors emitted a faint glow as they floated out from the virtual image of the city of bliss.
Divided into human and ghost forms.
"Five ghosts, five humans? You actually guessed it right!" Shi Tian looked shocked at Li Fan.
The three people from Sword Domain were disappointed that their extra servings had flown away.
Li Fan knew this was Master Shi saving them. With these young people's strength, swallowing a single fruit might be bearable, but two would surely result in death.
"Looks like Master Shi is quite petty."
Li Fan sneered inwardly.
From the precise manipulation of the city of bliss’s killing time, it seemed that the entire process was just for show. The final outcome was entirely up to Master Shi's whim.
Since Li Fan guessed that the end result would be an equal number of humans and ghosts,
the survivors would indeed have an equal number of both.
"Good. Here are these two fruits."
The survivor with a faint white glow, as if returning to its mother’s womb, curled into a fruit-like shape.
Master Shi picked out the most robust ones and handed them over to Li Fan personally.
Li Fan bowed in gratitude.
The three people from Sword Domain exchanged glances but didn’t dare be too bold. They reluctantly swallowed their own fruits.
Li Fan felt Master Shi's gaze always fixed on him, so he swallowed his fruit as well.
There was no taste when it entered his mouth; the crowd fruit melted away instantly.
A myriad of thoughts, memories, and emotions surged into Li Fan’s mind like a terrifying storm.
It was as if a destructive force had suddenly risen from nowhere to destroy everything in sight.
Li Fan's original thoughts were swept away by this tempest, leaving him vulnerable and at risk.
"This is what they call the collective consciousness of all beings that can forge countless gods."
"If I use my cycle through myriad lifetimes and reflect on the path of the Dao, even a powerful storm wouldn't shake me. But Ma Tiande lacks such ability..."
"Unless I activate the Dao Network."
Li Fan secretly observed Master Shi from within the storm of collective consciousness.
He had already prepared his应对策略。
"In the Dao Network, there are unnamed true immortals."
"I vaguely sensed an aura similar to Master Shi's from one of these nodes..."
Li Fan’s thoughts raced.
In reality, Ma Tiande was sobbing uncontrollably and contorting his face into various expressions. His hands and feet were moving involuntarily as if he was desperately searching for a lifeline.
Master Shi looked on with satisfaction at Ma Tiande's struggles, but his peripheral vision caught something else.
When the Dao Network operator died, it would generate a signal that would be transmitted through the Dao Network to the Council of Affairs.
In the vast expanse of Shuo Star Sea, there were survivors from various cultivation realms and even different star seas. There were also former true immortals. Various mysterious means emerged, but only the Dao Network could bypass all obstacles and transmit the state of the operator in real-time to the Council of Affairs.
This was how Shuo Star Sea maintained its stability.
However, this phenomenon was exactly what Master Shi had been waiting for.
This was why he wanted Ma Tiande to die.
But things didn’t go as expected. The Dao Network operator who was on his last breath seemed to have found something that could save him.
Even though his face was twisted in agony, Master Shi could see that his inner self remained intact.
"Hmm?"
This piqued Master Shi's interest.
"What is this..."
With narrowed eyes, Master Shi suddenly changed expression.
He saw that under the threat of life, Ma Tiande instinctively wrote numerous meaningless Dao symbols.
These symbols couldn’t form a command for the Dao Network and didn't trigger any response from it.
However, they inexplicably formed a long dam-like structure, blocking the storm of collective consciousness outside.
"By chance, you managed to activate the Dao Network without going through its official connection?"
Master Shi had a deep understanding of the Dao Network and knew that Ma Tiande's survival was due to this reason.
The Dao Network already existed as a real entity. Even if it was controlled by someone, the controller could only regulate the network’s behavior and commands but couldn't control all instinctive reactions.
After all, the Dao Network replicated every path of the Dao in existence.
"The Dao symbol command triggered the Dao Network."
"According to theory, this should have caused a disturbance in the network. But it was blocked by the Council of Affairs."
"Among countless combinations, one that saved his life emerged."
"Is it just luck?"
Master Shi remained silent.
He didn't interfere as Li Fan consumed and digested the first fruit.
The storm gradually subsided.
Li Fan regained clarity from confusion and pain but couldn’t fully grasp the changes brought by consuming the fruit before Master Shi coldly said, "Continue. There’s one more."
Li Fan was slightly stunned, unable to understand why Master Shi was so indifferent.
But he gritted his teeth and swallowed the second fruit.
A storm raged in his mind once again.
This time, it seemed even more intense than before.
It consumed Li Fan's consciousness once more.
"I'll see if you can have another stroke of luck!"
Master Shi stared at Ma Tiande’s识海 from the beginning.
Sure enough, when he struggled and gradually lost consciousness,
Ma Tiande instinctively called out numerous Dao symbols again.
This time, the command was different from before.
"It seems good fortune won't strike a second time," Master Shi said with satisfaction.
He waited for the storm of collective consciousness to consume Ma Tiande completely.
But soon, his expression became strange.
Although these symbols didn’t form a dam,
they transformed into another storm.
The two storms canceled each other out and left Ma Tiande unharmed!