qǐng kè jiān shòu zhì yú rén ， lǐ fán xīn zhōng suī jīng ， zuǐ shàng què háo bù shì ruò 。
顷刻间受制于人，李凡心中虽惊，嘴上却毫不示弱。
In a moment of disappointment, Li Fan could not help but feel let down. He had thought he had found the key to reversing time, only to find that this supposed treasure was in such a state of severe depletion and near destruction.
tóng yàng wèn dào ：“ nì xíng zhōu ？”
同样问道：“逆行舟？”
After carefully checking several times and confirming the situation, Li Fan withdrew his consciousness from the Wandering Boat.
yǎn jīng jǐn jǐn dīng zhe lā tā nán zi jiān tóu ， wài biǎo kàn shàng qù yǐ jīng huàn rán yì xīn de mù zhōu 。
眼睛紧紧盯着邋遢男子肩头，外表看上去已经焕然一新的木舟。
"Is it so? Even if I were to give you this precious boat, would you still be drowned by the river of time before reaching your goal?" The ragged man said with a nonchalant smile.
lā tā nán zi yǎ rán yī xiào ， jiāng lǐ fán fàng kāi 。
邋遢男子哑然一笑，将李凡放开。
But unexpectedly, Li Fan did not follow the usual script and directly replied, "Yes. Of course."
“ bù kuì shì shǒu qiū gōng dì zǐ ， jiàn shí guǒ rán bù fán 。” jìng shì sī háo méi yǒu zhē yǎn de yì si ， dà dà fāng fāng chéng rèn le shǒu zhōng bǎo wù de shēn fèn 。
“不愧是守丘公弟子，见识果然不凡。”竟是丝毫没有遮掩的意思，大大方方承认了手中宝物的身份。
"Even if the Wandering Boat is on its last legs, it represents an opportunity for survival in dire straits. Even if the chances are slim, when you're at your wit's end, this could be your only chance," Li Fan said with a serious expression.
“ shǒu qiū gōng ……” lǐ fán zài xīn zhōng mò niàn zhe zhè jì shú xī yòu mò shēng de míng zì ， nǎo hǎi zhōng xiān hòu shǎn guò zhū duō huà miàn 。 tóng shí lǐ fán yě chá jué dào le zì jǐ shēn qū de yì cháng zhī chù 。
“守丘公……”李凡在心中默念着这既熟悉又陌生的名字，脑海中先后闪过诸多画面。同时李凡也察觉到了自己身躯的异常之处。
The ragged man was taken aback and his smile slowly faded away. After a long silence, he said softly, "You're right."
dāng jìn rù zhè fù huà hòu ， zài huí yì wǎng xī ， bù zhī wèi hé jū rán méi yǒu le guò qù nà zhǒng lú nèi cì tòng zhī gǎn 。 sì hū kě yǐ jìn qíng de liú lǎn wǎng xī de jì yì 。
当进入这副画后，再回忆往昔，不知为何居然没有了过去那种颅内刺痛之感。似乎可以尽情的浏览往昔的记忆。
"If Huangxuan Hong had such insight back then, he wouldn't have left the Wandering Boat here."
dàn xīn zhōng míng míng de zhí jué yòu gào sù lǐ fán ， rú guǒ zhè me zuò ， xià chǎng kěn dìng hǎo bù dào nǎ lǐ qù 。
但心中冥冥的直觉又告诉李凡，如果这么做，下场肯定好不到哪里去。
Hearing the familiar name, Li Fan asked, "Is this Huangxuan Hong the Xuanhuang King in the Xuanhuang Realm? Did his past achievements come from the Wandering Boat?"
qiáng liè de máo dùn gǎn ， ràng lǐ fán běn néng gǎn jué dào le cǐ dì de gǔ guài zhī chù 。
强烈的矛盾感，让李凡本能感觉到了此地的古怪之处。
The ragged man's eyes showed a hint of nostalgia as he shook his head slightly. "In my view, Huangxuan Hong reached that point due to three parts luck and three parts effort. The remaining four parts were split between the Wandering Boat and something else."
jiàn lǐ fán chén mò bù yǔ ， lā tā nán zi yě bù nǎo nù ， ér shì huàn le gè wèn tí ：“ jì shì shǒu qiū dì zǐ ， yīng dāng shì kàn bù shàng wǒ zhè nì xíng zhōu de 。 xiǎo xiōng dì yòu zěn me huì lái cǐ chù ？”
见李凡沉默不语，邋遢男子也不恼怒，而是换了个问题：“既是守丘弟子，应当是看不上我这逆行舟的。小兄弟又怎么会来此处？”
"The Sea and Mountain Fishery played an indispensable role," the ragged man's gaze drifted out of the painting.
“ wǒ hái yǐ wéi ， zhè bèi zi bú huì zài jiàn dào qí tā rén le 。” lā tā nán zi yǒu xiē xī xū de shuō zhe 。
“我还以为，这辈子不会再见到其他人了。”邋遢男子有些唏嘘的说着。
"Sea and Mountain Fishery?" Li Fan was momentarily confused before realizing it referred to the fishing pool.
lǐ fán zhù yì dào ， suī rán tā dù ràng le dà liàng de shēng jī jìn rù huà zhōng ， dàn sì hū quán dōu bèi nì xíng zhōu xī shōu dài jìn le 。 ér shēn wèi nì xíng zhōu zhǔ rén de lā tā nán zi ， què méi yǒu fēn dào bàn fēn bàn háo 。 yī jiù shì xiān qián de mú yàng 。
李凡注意到，虽然他渡让了大量的生机进入画中，但似乎全都被逆行舟吸收殆尽了。而身为逆行舟主人的邋遢男子，却没有分到半分半毫。依旧是先前的模样。
"But what does 'sea and mountain' mean?"
miàn xiàng suī shì zhōng nián ， què tòu lù chū nán yǐ yán yù de sǐ qì 。
面相虽是中年，却透露出难以言喻的死气。
Suddenly, images of endless oceans and continuous mountains flashed through his mind. Along with these visions were countless lights and heat, melting away countless possibilities into a blazing light.
tǐ nèi yùn yù zhe dà liàng shēng jī de lǐ fán ， zì rán duì shēng jī gǎn yìng wú bǐ mǐn ruì 。
体内孕育着大量生机的李凡，自然对生机感应无比敏锐。
He felt closer to recovering his memories.
bǎo chí chén mò de zhè duàn shí jiān ， tā zhōng yú què xìn ， yǎn qián de lā tā nán zi bìng fēi shì zhēn shí cún zài de shēng líng 。 ér zhǐ shì lèi sì yú yī dào tóu yǐng zhī lèi de cún zài 。
保持沉默的这段时间，他终于确信，眼前的邋遢男子并非是真实存在的生灵。而只是类似于一道投影之类的存在。
Just as he was about to delve deeper, the ragged man pressed his palm on Li Fan's shoulder again, pulling him back to reality.
bù guò lǐ fán dào yě méi yǒu yīn cǐ diào yǐ qīng xīn 。
不过李凡倒也没有因此掉以轻心。
Li Fan realized the danger he was in. His doppelganger in the Xuanhuang Realm and his true self in the vast world of Great Xuan were both suffering from their heads exploding. The shock of the Sea and Mountain phenomenon was causing parts of their bodies to evaporate, even the "Eternal Path" within him could not stop this trend.
bì jìng lā tā nán zi gāng gāng biǎo xiàn chū lái de shí lì ， zhe shí yǒu xiē kě pà 。 jǐn jǐn shì xū huàn de tóu yǐng ， jiù yǒu rú cǐ yā pò lì 。 hěn nán xiǎng xiàng lā tā nán zi quán shèng shí qī jiū jìng shì hé zhǒng jìng jiè 。
毕竟邋遢男子刚刚表现出来的实力，着实有些可怕。仅仅是虚幻的投影，就有如此压迫力。很难想象邋遢男子全盛时期究竟是何种境界。
If it weren't for the ragged man's timely awakening, Li Fan would have turned into a mere phantom in no time.
“ cháng shēng dà dào ， shǒu qiū dì zǐ 。”
“长生大道，守丘弟子。”
"You seem... not quite right?" The ragged man looked at Li Fan with some suspicion.
“ zhè mò fēi jiù shì wǒ tǐ nèi wú qióng wú jìn shēng jī de lái yuán ？” lǐ fán yǐn yǐn yuē yuē jiān huí yì qǐ le gèng duō 。
“这莫非就是我体内无穷无尽生机的来源？”李凡隐隐约约间回忆起了更多。
Li Fan bowed and said, "Senior has indeed keen insight. I had a mishap during my cultivation, losing most of my past memories. I can only vaguely recall them now, and my body is suffering severe backlash. After starting as an ordinary person, I've been struggling to rebuild myself relying on instinct and the Eternal Path within me."
jì rán duì fāng bìng méi yǒu biǎo xiàn chū tè bié míng xiǎn de dí yì ， lǐ fán jiù dǎ suàn dé cùn jìn chǐ ， shì tàn gèng duō 。
既然对方并没有表现出特别明显的敌意，李凡就打算得寸进尺，试探更多。
"Regarding what Senior said about Huangxuan Hong..."
tā chén shēng dào ：“ xiān shēng wèi miǎn yǒu xiē yǐ piān gài quán le 。 shǒu qiū dì zǐ ， rú hé jiù bù néng jì yú nì xíng zhōu zhè děng bǎo wù le ？ nì zhuǎn guāng yīn ， zhè shì hé děng de jī yuán zào huà ！ wèi bì bù zài cháng shēng dà dào zhī xià ！”
他沉声道：“先生未免有些以偏概全了。守丘弟子，如何就不能觊觎逆行舟这等宝物了？逆转光阴，这是何等的机缘造化！未必不在长生大道之下！”
"I do have some vague recollections," Li Fan revealed a solitary figure of Xuanhuang King in front of the ragged man.
lā tā nán zi wén yán ， yǒu xiē chà yì de kàn xiàng lǐ fán 。
邋遢男子闻言，有些诧异的看向李凡。
The ragged man's expression turned solemn as he showed respect for Xuanhuang King. After carefully observing Li Fan, he said slowly, "Indeed, the Eternal Path within you is under Huangxuan Hong's control. With him here, it can't be a fake."
suí hòu bù zhī dào xiǎng dào le shén me ， shì huái yī xiào 。 ér hòu jìng zhí jiē jiāng huái zhōng mù zhōu rēng le guò lái 。
随后不知道想到了什么，释怀一笑。而后竟直接将怀中木舟扔了过来。
"However, I only heard about the Sea and Mountain Path from Huangxuan Hong in passing. The details are unclear, so I can't help much."
“ shǒu qiū gōng dìng rán shì shēn xiàn 【 yǒng jì xū jiè 】 zhī zhōng ， gù zhǐ chuán dào tǒng 、 wú xiá jiào tú le 。 zhè nì xíng zhōu ， nǐ qiě guān zhī 。 kàn kàn shì xiàng nǐ xiǎng xiàng de nà bān shén yì me ？”
“守丘公定然是身陷【永寂虚界】之中，故只传道统、无瑕教徒了。这逆行舟，你且观之。看看是像你想象的那般神异么？”
"But don't worry too much. With the Eternal Path protecting you, even if this realm is destroyed, you will still be safe," the ragged man said with a hint of envy.
duì fāng jì rán gǎn rēng ， lǐ fán jiù gǎn jiē 。
对方既然敢扔，李凡就敢接。
Li Fan nodded, "Thank you for your guidance. By the way, may I know Senior's name?"
zhì bǎo nì xíng zhōu zài shǒu ， zǐ xì guān mó qǐ lái 。
至宝逆行舟在手，仔细观摩起来。
The ragged man waved his hand, "A dead person's name and past are like fleeting clouds; why mention them again?"
sì hū shì gǎn yìng dào le lǐ fán tǐ nèi de wú jìn shēng jī ， bǎo zhōu yù fā tān lán de 、 rú tóng hēi dòng bān ， shì tú jué qǔ zhe 。 lǐ fán bìng méi yǒu wán quán gé jué shēng jī de chuán shū ， zhǐ shì yǒu yì shí de ， jì xù dù chū sī sī shēng jī xì liú 。 tóng shí jiè zhù zhè lǚ shēng jī ， gǎn yìng zhe nì xíng zhōu nèi bù de zhuàng kuàng 。
似乎是感应到了李凡体内的无尽生机，宝舟愈发贪婪的、如同黑洞般，试图攫取着。李凡并没有完全隔绝生机的传输，只是有意识的，继续渡出丝丝生机细流。同时借助这缕生机，感应着逆行舟内部的状况。
But Li Fan replied, "Once I recover my memories and return to my master, I will certainly inform him of today's events. Even though you have passed on, there is still a faint trace of your existence in this world. With Master's divine power, it might be possible for you to reincarnate."
tā shǐ zhōng shí fēn hào qí ， wèi hé zhè jù shuō néng nì zhuǎn guāng yīn de bǎo wù ， jìng hé shì jiān shēng líng yì bān ， xū yào shēng jī cái néng wéi chí zì shēn cún zài 。
他始终十分好奇，为何这据说能逆转光阴的宝物，竟和世间生灵一般，需要生机才能维持自身存在。
The ragged man seemed not to hold much hope at first but changed his mind after a moment.
zhǐ bù guò bā zhǎng dà de mù zhōu ， què shì rú shān yuè bān chén zhòng 。 lǐ fán yě shì yòng jǐn le quán shēn lì qì ， cái miǎn qiǎng jiāng qí bǎ wò 。 shén sī shùn zhe liú tǎng de shēng jī ， jìn rù bǎo zhōu nèi bù 。
只不过巴掌大的木舟，却似如山岳般沉重。李凡也是用尽了全身力气，才勉强将其把握。神思顺着流淌的生机，进入宝舟内部。
"I am the Celestial Emperor Tai Tian," he said calmly.
fā xiàn nì xíng zhōu nèi lǐ de zhuàng tài ， shèn zhì bǐ qǐ wài biǎo hái yào zāo gāo 。
发现逆行舟内里的状态，甚至比起外表还要糟糕。
"Ruling for a thousand years without disturbance, then retiring in seclusion. When the Dharma Annihilation approached and intensified, I secretly sought ways to save us. This烂柯道场 was built by me," the ragged man continued.
chù mù jīng xīn de liè wén ， biàn bù bǎo zhōu de měi yī chù jiǎo luò ， wǎn rú yī dào dào kě bù de bā hén 。 tòu guò zhè xiē liè fèng ， lǐ fán yǐn yuē jiān kàn dào le bìng bù shǔ yú zhè ge shí kōng de wú shù huà miàn 。
触目惊心的裂纹，遍布宝舟的每一处角落，宛如一道道可怖的疤痕。透过这些裂缝，李凡隐约间看到了并不属于这个时空的无数画面。
The terms "Celestial Emperor of Concealed Heaven", "烂柯道场", and "Dharma Annihilation" triggered a flood of memories in Li Fan's mind.
lǐ fán xīn zhōng yǐn yǐn míng wù ， zhè bìng fēi shì zì jǐ de cuò jué 。 zhè xiē huà miàn yě jué bù jǐn jǐn zhǐ shì xū xiàng 。 ruò shì bù shèn zhuì rù zhè xiē liè xì zhī zhōng ， shuō bù dìng zhēn de huì yīn cǐ mí shī zài shí kōng luàn liú zhī zhōng 。
李凡心中隐隐明悟，这并非是自己的错觉。这些画面也绝不仅仅只是虚像。若是不慎坠入这些裂隙之中，说不定真的会因此迷失在时空乱流之中。
After a long time, he managed to recover from his condition.
bì guò zhè xiē jí qí wēi xiǎn de liè xì ， lǐ fán shén sī ， cháng shì suǒ dìng zhěng zuò nì xíng zhōu zhōng de shēng jī qù xiàng 。
避过这些极其危险的裂隙，李凡神思，尝试锁定整座逆行舟中的生机去向。
Li Fan looked at the ragged man with a different expression now.
shòu dào le biàn bù de shí kōng liè xì de yǐng xiǎng ， tā duì shēng jī de gǎn yìng yě biàn dé hùn luàn qǐ lái 。 pǒ fèi le yī fān gōng fu ， cái zuì zhōng nòng qīng chǔ 。
受到了遍布的时空裂隙的影响，他对生机的感应也变得混乱起来。颇费了一番功夫，才最终弄清楚。
"Senior was once the Celestial Emperor of the Celestial Realm, surely you have contributed greatly to creation and transformation. Why did you end up like this?" Li Fan asked bluntly, full of doubts.
“ nì xíng 、 nì xíng 。”
“逆行、逆行。”
He held out the Wandering Boat in his hand: "Is it because of this?"
lǐ fán dūn xià ， qīng qīng yòng shǒu fǔ mō zhe bǎo zhōu de jiǎ bǎn ， ruò yǒu suǒ sī ：“ suī kàn shì shì zhǐ shì wù ， què shí zé shì shēng líng 。 nì liú ér shàng ， tóng yàng xū hào fèi zì shēn shòu yuán 。 shèn zhì shí guāng zhī lì de chōng shuā xià ， hào fèi qiān bǎi bèi bù zhǐ 。 ér qiě ， chú le shēng jī ， sì hū hái yào xiāo hào qí tā shén me dōng xī ……”
李凡蹲下，轻轻用手抚摸着宝舟的甲板，若有所思：“虽看似是只是物，却实则是生灵。逆流而上，同样需耗费自身寿元。甚至时光之力的冲刷下，耗费千百倍不止。而且，除了生机，似乎还要消耗其他什么东西……”
Tai Tian nodded, "This is one reason. But mainly, my cultivation was insufficient."
lǐ fán mī qǐ yǎn jīng 。
李凡眯起眼睛。
He sighed as if lost in memories from the past. After a while, he continued, "You entered the boat with your divine consciousness just now. Did you sense any life force within it?"
zài tā de shì jiǎo zhōng ， zhè sōu nì xíng zhōu jiù xiàng yī wèi xíng jiāng jiù mù de lǎo zhě 。 suī rán jié lì shì tú tōng guò xī qǔ wài jiè shēng jī ， wéi chí zì shēn gǒu huó 。 dàn zuì duō yě zhǐ néng zuò dào miǎn qiǎng diào zhe yì kǒu qì 。 ér qiě ， hái hěn nán shuō ， zhè yàng de xù mìng hái néng chí xù duō jiǔ 。
在他的视角中，这艘逆行舟就像一位行将就木的老者。虽然竭力试图通过吸取外界生机，维持自身苟活。但最多也只能做到勉强吊着一口气。而且，还很难说，这样的续命还能持续多久。
"I did notice something. This treasure is like an object but actually a spirit."
ruò fēi jīn rì lǐ fán lái dào cǐ chù ， gòng xiàn le yī dà bō shēng jī 。 shuō bù dé nǎ tiān ， zhè jīng shì hài sú de xiān jiā zhì bǎo ， jiù yào bàn suí zhe zhè fú huà ， qiāo wú shēng xī de xiāo shī wú zōng le 。
若非今日李凡来到此处，贡献了一大波生机。说不得哪天，这惊世骇俗的仙家至宝，就要伴随着这幅画，悄无声息的消失无踪了。
"That's because this Wandering Boat was crafted using my body," Tai Tian smiled.
“ zěn huì rú cǐ ？”
“怎会如此？”
Li Fan was stunned and looked at the ragged man, confirming that he wasn't joking.
lǐ fán xīn zhōng nán miǎn yǒu xiē shī wàng 。
李凡心中难免有些失望。
"But there are rumors that the Wandering Boat was created by a Reverse Immortal..."
běn yǐ wéi zhǎo dào le néng gòu nì zhuǎn guāng yīn zhì bǎo de xiāo xī ， què bù céng xiǎng dào ， zhè bǎo wù jìng rán shì bèi yán zhòng tòu zhī hòu de jǐ jǐn sǔn huǐ zhuàng tài 。
本以为找到了能够逆转光阴至宝的消息，却不曾想到，这宝物竟然是被严重透支后的几尽损毁状态。
"Oh? A Reverse Immortal? I've never heard of it. But there might be more than one Wandering Boat. Once you understand the path of reversal, you can create another," Tai Tian said calmly.
zài sān jiǎn chá le jǐ biàn ， què rèn zhè shì shí hòu ， lǐ fán yì niàn cóng nì xíng zhōu zhōng tuì le chū lái 。
再三检查了几遍，确认这事实后，李凡意念从逆行舟中退了出来。
"Understanding the path of reversal?" Li Fan seemed to have an idea.
“ rú hé ？ jiù suàn jiāng zhè bǎo zhōu sòng gěi nǐ ， nǐ huì yào me ？ pà bú shì hái méi huí dào mù biāo shí jiān jié diǎn ， jiù yǐ jīng nì bì zài le shí guāng cháng hé zhī zhōng le ……” lā tā nán zi sì xiào fēi xiào de shuō zhe 。
“如何？就算将这宝舟送给你，你会要么？怕不是还没回到目标时间节点，就已经溺毙在了时光长河之中了……”邋遢男子似笑非笑的说着。
"Huangxuan King?"
què méi liào dào ， lǐ fán gēn běn méi yǒu àn zhào tào lù chū pái ， zhí jiē liǎo dàng de shuō dào ：“ yào 。 dāng rán shì yào le 。”
却没料到，李凡根本没有按照套路出牌，直接了当的说道：“要。当然是要了。”
Tai Tian remained noncommittal, "I'm just a wandering soul. How could I know everything? But if anyone in this world could recreate the Wandering Boat, Huangxuan Hong would be the most likely candidate. After all, his understanding of the path of reversal was already quite profound when we parted ways."
“ jiù suàn shì jí jiāng pò sǔn de nì xíng zhōu ， yě dài biǎo zhe yī cì jué dì qiú shēng de jī huì 。 jiù suàn chéng gōng de xī wàng zài rú hé miǎo máng ， dài dào shí zài zǒu tóu wú lù de jué jìng zhī shí ， què yě shì wéi yī shēng jī suǒ zài 。” lǐ fán shén qíng yán sù de shuō zhe 。
“就算是即将破损的逆行舟，也代表着一次绝地求生的机会。就算成功的希望再如何渺茫，待到实在走投无路的绝境之时，却也是唯一生机所在。”李凡神情严肃的说着。
Li Fan remained silent.
lā tā nán zi lèng le lèng ， zuǐ jiǎo de xiào róng màn màn xiāo shī le 。
邋遢男子愣了愣，嘴角的笑容慢慢消失了。
"Some things can only be understood by experiencing them. For instance, perhaps most events in the world can be changed through reversing time, but it's that small part which cannot be altered that ultimately determines the outcome of the river of time."
chén mò liáng jiǔ zhī hòu ， tā fāng cái yǒu xiē yǔ qì yōu yōu dì shuō le yī jù ：“ nǐ shuō de ， dào yě méi cuò 。”
沉默良久之后，他方才有些语气幽幽地说了一句：“你说的，倒也没错。”
"No matter how you change the flow of the river, at the end of the day, the torrent will still converge into the vast and tranquil ocean," Tai Tian said calmly.
“ ruò shì xuān yuán hóng dāng chū yǒu zhè fān jué wù ， yě jiù bú huì jiāng nì xíng zhōu jiù cǐ fàng zài zhè lǐ le 。”
“若是轩辕宏当初有这番觉悟，也就不会将逆行舟就此放在这里了。”
Li Fan felt a familiar sensation from what he heard. It seemed like he had once had similar thoughts.
lǐ fán tīng dào le shú xī de míng zì ， dāng jí shùn zhe duì fāng de huà wèn dào ：“ xuān yuán hóng …… shì fǒu jiù shì xuán huáng jiè zhōng xuán tiān wáng ？ tā yǒu xī rì chéng jiù ， mò fēi jiù shì zhān le zhè nì xíng zhōu de guāng ？”
李凡听到了熟悉的名字，当即顺着对方的话问道：“轩辕宏……是否就是玄黄界中玄天王？他有昔日成就，莫非就是沾了这逆行舟的光？”
"Unrelated to the final outcome."
lā tā nán zi mù lù miǎn huái zhī sè ， wēi wēi yáo tóu dào ：“ zài wǒ kàn lái ， xuān yuán hóng zhī suǒ yǐ huì zǒu dào nà bān dì bù ， sān fēn kào yùn 、 sān fēn kào tā zì jǐ de xīn xìng nǔ lì 。 shèng xià sì fēn ， nì xíng zhōu zhǐ zhàn le yí bàn 。 zhì yú shèng xià de yí bàn me ……”
邋遢男子目露缅怀之色，微微摇头道：“在我看来，轩辕宏之所以会走到那般地步，三分靠运、三分靠他自己的心性努力。剩下四分，逆行舟只占了一半。至于剩下的一半么……”
Four words flashed in his mind, corresponding with the picture painted by Tai Tian.
“ shān hǎi yú chǎng ， gōng bù kě méi 。” lā tā nán zi shì xiàn piāo xiàng huà wài 。
“山海渔场，功不可没。”邋遢男子视线飘向画外。
"Even as Celestial Emperor, how many have I been compared to?"
“ shān hǎi yú chǎng ？” lǐ fán xiān shì yī lèng ， ér hòu fāng cái fǎn yìng guò lái ， duì fāng shuō de yīng gāi jiù shì diào yú chí 。
“山海渔场？”李凡先是一愣，而后方才反应过来，对方说的应该就是钓鱼池。
"How many can transcend like Xuanhuang Hong?"
“ bù guò ， yǐ shān hǎi míng zhī ， yòu shì hé yì ？”
“不过，以山海名之，又是何意？”
"You are a disciple of Xuanhuang Hong and possess the Eternal Path. You already have a foundation for transcendence. How much stronger than ordinary Celestial Emperors are you?"
huǎng hū jiān ， wú jìn wāng yáng 、 lián mián qún shān de jǐng xiàng ， dùn shí yòu yuè rù lǐ fán de nǎo hǎi zhī zhōng 。 yǔ shān hǎi yì xiàng gòng tóng chū xiàn de ， hái yǒu wú jǐn de guāng yǔ rè 。 wú shù kě néng xìng bèi róng huà zài chì liè zhī guāng zhōng de jǐng xiàng 。
恍惚间，无尽汪洋、连绵群山的景象，顿时又跃入李凡的脑海之中。与山海异象共同出现的，还有无尽的光与热。无数可能性被融化在炽烈之光中的景象。
Despite Tai Tian's constant praise, Li Fan did not feel honored but rather uncomfortable.
sì hū lí wán quán huī fù jì yì gèng jìn yī bù le 。
似乎离完全恢复记忆更近一步了。
"It seems strange."
jiù zài zhè guān jiàn shí kè ， lā tā nán zi què yòu shì yī zhǎng ， àn zài le lǐ fán jiān tóu 。
就在这关键时刻，邋遢男子却又是一掌，按在了李凡肩头。
"Could it be..."
jiāng lǐ fán cóng huí yì de huàn xiǎng zhōng ， lā huí le xiàn shí 。
将李凡从回忆的幻想中，拉回了现实。
Li Fan suppressed his odd thoughts and continued to ask based on what Tai Tian said, "A figure like my master should have the power to change the entire ocean, right?"
lǐ fán zhè cái jīng jué ， zì jǐ zài xiàn shí zhōng de wēi xiǎn chǔ jìng 。
李凡这才惊觉，自己在现实中的危险处境。
"But only with a small possibility. Even in the Void of Eternal Silence, Xuanhuang Hong would find it difficult," Tai Tian added.
In a moment of disappointment, Li Fan could not help but feel let down. He had thought he had found the key to reversing time, only to find that this supposed treasure was in such a state of severe depletion and near destruction.
After carefully checking several times and confirming the situation, Li Fan withdrew his consciousness from the Wandering Boat.
"Is it so? Even if I were to give you this precious boat, would you still be drowned by the river of time before reaching your goal?" The ragged man said with a nonchalant smile.
But unexpectedly, Li Fan did not follow the usual script and directly replied, "Yes. Of course."
"Even if the Wandering Boat is on its last legs, it represents an opportunity for survival in dire straits. Even if the chances are slim, when you're at your wit's end, this could be your only chance," Li Fan said with a serious expression.
The ragged man was taken aback and his smile slowly faded away. After a long silence, he said softly, "You're right."
"If Huangxuan Hong had such insight back then, he wouldn't have left the Wandering Boat here."
Hearing the familiar name, Li Fan asked, "Is this Huangxuan Hong the Xuanhuang King in the Xuanhuang Realm? Did his past achievements come from the Wandering Boat?"
The ragged man's eyes showed a hint of nostalgia as he shook his head slightly. "In my view, Huangxuan Hong reached that point due to three parts luck and three parts effort. The remaining four parts were split between the Wandering Boat and something else."
"The Sea and Mountain Fishery played an indispensable role," the ragged man's gaze drifted out of the painting.
"Sea and Mountain Fishery?" Li Fan was momentarily confused before realizing it referred to the fishing pool.
"But what does 'sea and mountain' mean?"
Suddenly, images of endless oceans and continuous mountains flashed through his mind. Along with these visions were countless lights and heat, melting away countless possibilities into a blazing light.
He felt closer to recovering his memories.
Just as he was about to delve deeper, the ragged man pressed his palm on Li Fan's shoulder again, pulling him back to reality.
Li Fan realized the danger he was in. His doppelganger in the Xuanhuang Realm and his true self in the vast world of Great Xuan were both suffering from their heads exploding. The shock of the Sea and Mountain phenomenon was causing parts of their bodies to evaporate, even the "Eternal Path" within him could not stop this trend.
If it weren't for the ragged man's timely awakening, Li Fan would have turned into a mere phantom in no time.
"You seem... not quite right?" The ragged man looked at Li Fan with some suspicion.
Li Fan bowed and said, "Senior has indeed keen insight. I had a mishap during my cultivation, losing most of my past memories. I can only vaguely recall them now, and my body is suffering severe backlash. After starting as an ordinary person, I've been struggling to rebuild myself relying on instinct and the Eternal Path within me."
"Regarding what Senior said about Huangxuan Hong..."
"I do have some vague recollections," Li Fan revealed a solitary figure of Xuanhuang King in front of the ragged man.
The ragged man's expression turned solemn as he showed respect for Xuanhuang King. After carefully observing Li Fan, he said slowly, "Indeed, the Eternal Path within you is under Huangxuan Hong's control. With him here, it can't be a fake."
"However, I only heard about the Sea and Mountain Path from Huangxuan Hong in passing. The details are unclear, so I can't help much."
"But don't worry too much. With the Eternal Path protecting you, even if this realm is destroyed, you will still be safe," the ragged man said with a hint of envy.
Li Fan nodded, "Thank you for your guidance. By the way, may I know Senior's name?"
The ragged man waved his hand, "A dead person's name and past are like fleeting clouds; why mention them again?"
But Li Fan replied, "Once I recover my memories and return to my master, I will certainly inform him of today's events. Even though you have passed on, there is still a faint trace of your existence in this world. With Master's divine power, it might be possible for you to reincarnate."
The ragged man seemed not to hold much hope at first but changed his mind after a moment.
"I am the Celestial Emperor Tai Tian," he said calmly.
"Ruling for a thousand years without disturbance, then retiring in seclusion. When the Dharma Annihilation approached and intensified, I secretly sought ways to save us. This烂柯道场 was built by me," the ragged man continued.
The terms "Celestial Emperor of Concealed Heaven", "烂柯道场", and "Dharma Annihilation" triggered a flood of memories in Li Fan's mind.
After a long time, he managed to recover from his condition.
Li Fan looked at the ragged man with a different expression now.
"Senior was once the Celestial Emperor of the Celestial Realm, surely you have contributed greatly to creation and transformation. Why did you end up like this?" Li Fan asked bluntly, full of doubts.
He held out the Wandering Boat in his hand: "Is it because of this?"
Tai Tian nodded, "This is one reason. But mainly, my cultivation was insufficient."
He sighed as if lost in memories from the past. After a while, he continued, "You entered the boat with your divine consciousness just now. Did you sense any life force within it?"
"I did notice something. This treasure is like an object but actually a spirit."
"That's because this Wandering Boat was crafted using my body," Tai Tian smiled.
Li Fan was stunned and looked at the ragged man, confirming that he wasn't joking.
"But there are rumors that the Wandering Boat was created by a Reverse Immortal..."
"Oh? A Reverse Immortal? I've never heard of it. But there might be more than one Wandering Boat. Once you understand the path of reversal, you can create another," Tai Tian said calmly.
"Understanding the path of reversal?" Li Fan seemed to have an idea.
"Huangxuan King?"
Tai Tian remained noncommittal, "I'm just a wandering soul. How could I know everything? But if anyone in this world could recreate the Wandering Boat, Huangxuan Hong would be the most likely candidate. After all, his understanding of the path of reversal was already quite profound when we parted ways."
Li Fan remained silent.
"Some things can only be understood by experiencing them. For instance, perhaps most events in the world can be changed through reversing time, but it's that small part which cannot be altered that ultimately determines the outcome of the river of time."
"No matter how you change the flow of the river, at the end of the day, the torrent will still converge into the vast and tranquil ocean," Tai Tian said calmly.
Li Fan felt a familiar sensation from what he heard. It seemed like he had once had similar thoughts.
"Unrelated to the final outcome."
Four words flashed in his mind, corresponding with the picture painted by Tai Tian.
"Even as Celestial Emperor, how many have I been compared to?"
"How many can transcend like Xuanhuang Hong?"
"You are a disciple of Xuanhuang Hong and possess the Eternal Path. You already have a foundation for transcendence. How much stronger than ordinary Celestial Emperors are you?"
Despite Tai Tian's constant praise, Li Fan did not feel honored but rather uncomfortable.
"It seems strange."
"Could it be..."
Li Fan suppressed his odd thoughts and continued to ask based on what Tai Tian said, "A figure like my master should have the power to change the entire ocean, right?"
"But only with a small possibility. Even in the Void of Eternal Silence, Xuanhuang Hong would find it difficult," Tai Tian added.