yú xīng fèn zhōng zhàn lì ， jī dòng zhōng chàn dǒu ， kǒng jù zhōng jué wàng 。
于兴奋中战栗，激动中颤抖，恐惧中绝望。
Shaken and angered, the Yellow-Ember Great Heavenly Lord suddenly turned around to scan her surroundings. Her eyes fell on Li Fan's nonchalant smile, and she immediately understood that this newcomer was far more powerful than her.
zuì zhōng xiāo mǐ yú shān hǎi zhī shàng ， huà ér wèi qiáo 。
最终消弭于山海之上，化而为桥。
"Who dares to meddle with me?" she barked, her voice filled with rage as she tried to regain control of the situation.
sù zào le yī tiáo gōng zú rén yóu hǎi rù shān zhī dào lù 。
塑造了一条供族人由海入山之道路。
Li Fan spoke calmly, "Ding."
……
……
The Yellow-Ember Great Heavenly Lord's movements froze instantly. Her expression turned from shock to fear as she realized that her connection to the Yellow-Ember realm had been severed. Even if she combined all the power of the Yellow-Ember world, it was still being suppressed by this person.
lǐ fán zǎi zǐ xì xì jiāng yù yán zhōng de zhè duàn fǎn fù dú le shù shí biàn ， shì tú gǎn wù qí suǒ miáo huì huà miàn 。 nài hé yù yán zhōng duì yú xì jié yě zhǐ shì yǔ yān bù xiáng ， zhǐ shì jiāo dài le zhè dì yī shēng líng de jié jú 。
李凡仔仔细细将寓言中的这段反复读了数十遍，试图感悟其所描绘画面。奈何寓言中对于细节也只是语焉不详，只是交代了这第一生灵的结局。
She quickly recalled the mysterious true immortal who appeared in the world and caused chaos. Only a true immortal could possess such strength.
bù guò yě kě yǐ lǐ jiě 。
不过也可以理解。
"Yellow-Ember soldiers fought bravely on the frontlines. You, as the Yellow-Ember Great Heavenly Lord, are indulging yourself with poetry and painting..." Li Fan sneered.
zhè běn yù yán zhōng suǒ jì zǎi de shān hǎi wǎng shì ， jiù yǐ jīng shì yuǎn chāo chén shì de mì xīn le 。 tǎng ruò qí hái shè jí dào shān hǎi zhī wài ……
这本寓言中所记载的山海往事，就已经是远超尘世的秘辛了。倘若其还涉及到山海之外……
Using the power of illusion to simulate a force similar to Mo Shi's soul, he poured it into her body. The Yellow-Ember Great Heavenly Lord tried to explain calmly, "My duties lie within the Yellow-Ember realm. The affairs in Taiyuan are not my concern..."
nà me lǐ fán shǒu xiān jiù yào huái yí zhè běn yù yán de zhēn shí xìng le 。
那么李凡首先就要怀疑这本寓言的真实性了。
Her voice suddenly changed as she felt the power of Mo Shi's soul eroding her connection with the Yellow-Ember world.
bì jìng yù yán zhōng jì zǎi ， nà kàn xiàng shān hǎi zhī wài de dì yī shēng líng de jié jú ， shì shēn yǔn huà qiáo 、 lián tōng shān hǎi 。 nà me chú fēi zhè wèi yǐ gù shēng líng qǐ sǐ huí shēng ， jiāng zì jǐ suǒ jiàn jì lù xià lái 。 fǒu zé shān hǎi chén shì jiān bú huì yǒu qí tā rén zài néng zhī xiǎo ， tā jiū jìng kàn dào le xiē shén me 。
毕竟寓言中记载，那看向山海之外的第一生灵的结局，是身陨化桥、联通山海。那么除非这位以故生灵起死回生，将自己所见记录下来。否则山海尘世间不会有其他人再能知晓，祂究竟看到了些什么。
Despite feeling no physical pain, sweat trickled down her face. She was reluctant to give up this position but knew that losing it passively would be worse than being stripped of it forcefully.
qí shí ， lǐ fán duì yú shān hǎi zhī wài de shì qíng ， bìng bú shì tè bié hào qí 。 yīn wèi qí lí xiàn zài de lǐ fán ， hái tài guò yáo yuǎn 。 wú wàng chuǎi cè bìng méi yǒu rèn hé de yòng chǔ ， zhǐ huì tú zēng fán nǎo 。
其实，李凡对于山海之外的事情，并不是特别好奇。因为其离现在的李凡，还太过遥远。无妄揣测并没有任何的用处，只会徒增烦恼。
The intense fear threatened to overwhelm her, but she managed to suppress it and continued explaining why she hadn't gone to the frontline in Taiyuan. Her explanation seemed logical, but Li Fan had no intention of listening.
lǐ fán gèng zài yì de ， shì yù yán zhōng de zhè duàn huà 。
李凡更在意的，是寓言中的这段话。
He cut off her power supply, and she sighed softly, "I know I have failed my duties. Please impose any punishment you see fit on me. However, I am worried that if there is no Yellow-Ember Great Heavenly Lord to manage the affairs of the realm, chaos might ensue."
“ dàn shēng yú hǎi ， yì lì yú shān 。 gù shì xiàn néng chāo chū shān hǎi ……”
“诞生于海，屹立于山。故视线能超出山海……”
"Of course, if you have the time for such trivial matters as dealing with billions of mortals and the Ten Sects of Daoism, then this conversation was a waste," she added sarcastically.
“ sì hū chǎn míng liǎo chāo tuō shān hǎi zhī dào 。” lǐ fán xīn zhōng àn zì zhuó mó 。
“似乎阐明了超脱山海之道。”李凡心中暗自琢磨。
Despite her apparent willingness to accept punishment, Li Fan noticed that she didn't directly beg for mercy. She continued explaining her contributions to the Yellow-Ember realm, but Li Fan remained unimpressed.
yù yán zhōng jì zǎi zhè dì yī shēng líng de wǎng shì ， gēn xiān jiè lián shān 、 guī hǎi liǎng wèi shèng jūn de shì jì ， sì shì ér fēi 。
寓言中记载这第一生灵的往事，跟仙界连山、归海两位圣君的事迹，似是而非。
"Since the departure of the Heavenly King, how long have you served as the Great Heavenly Lord?" he asked, his gaze piercing through her.
rú guǒ àn zhào lián tōng shān hǎi de shì jì lái kàn ， sì hū qí shēn jiān liǎng wèi shèng jūn de tè diǎn 。 dàn èr shèng shàng zài shān hǎi ， bìng bù xiàng yù yán suǒ shuō nà yàng yǔn ér huà qiáo 。
如果按照联通山海的事迹来看，似乎其身兼两位圣君的特点。但二圣尚在山海，并不像寓言所说那样陨而化桥。
"For 16,342 years," she replied quickly.
“ ruò tā men zhī jiān zhēn yǒu shén me lián xì ， huò xǔ shì zhèng yīn wèi zhè wèi tài gǔ zhī xiān de dì yī shēng líng suǒ huà 【 qiáo 】 de cún zài ， cái shǐ de wú shù nián hòu de lián shān 、 guī hǎi liǎng wèi shèng jūn ， zhèng dào gōng chéng 。”
“若他们之间真有什么联系，或许是正因为这位太古之先的第一生灵所化【桥】的存在，才使得无数年后的连山、归海两位圣君，证道功成。”
According to the rules of the immortal world, each Yellow-Ember Great Heavenly Lord could not serve for more than ten thousand years. She had already surpassed that limit, but normal procedures were long gone due to the collapse of the immortal realm.
“ yě shì cóng zhè zuò míng wèi 【 qiáo 】 de shī tǐ shàng ， liǎng wèi shèng jūn yě kuī tàn dào le shān hǎi de wǎng xī 。” lǐ fán zài xīn zhōng zuò chū le hé lǐ de cāi cè 。
“也是从这座名为【桥】的尸体上，两位圣君也窥探到了山海的往昔。”李凡在心中做出了合理的猜测。
"I have been searching for a successor but have yet to find one," she admitted softly.
“ nà me zhè běn yù yán de zuò zhě ， jiù zhí de wán wèi le 。 jì zhī wèi lái mò shì ， yòu xiǎo tài gǔ zhī xiān 。 hái gēn èr shèng guān xì fěi qiǎn ……”
“那么这本寓言的作者，就值得玩味了。既知未来末世，又晓太古之先。还跟二圣关系匪浅……”
Li Fan's eyes narrowed as he noticed her unease. "You seem eager to leave your post. Can you explain why?"
shǒu zhōng wú xíng huǒ qǐ ， jiāng yù yán chè dǐ fén shāo 。
手中无形火起，将寓言彻底焚烧。
She hesitated before admitting, "I have served for ten thousand years and now feel the urge to retire. My duties are fulfilled, and it is natural for me to want to step down."
zhè yù yán dí què bìng fēi shì yóu shén me tè shū cái liào suǒ zhù ， piàn kè jiān jiù huà wèi xū wú 。
这寓言的确并非是由什么特殊材料所铸，片刻间就化为虚无。
"Even the first Great Heavenly Lord was not always in power," she defended herself.
jí biàn shàng yī shì yǐ jīng yàn zhèng guò yī cì ， rú jīn lǐ fán xīn zhōng yě réng rán yǒu xiē shī wàng 。
即便上一世已经验证过一次，如今李凡心中也仍然有些失望。
Li Fan's thoughts drifted back to the underground people of Yellow-Ember. They were transformed into half-human, half-beast creatures as punishment for their perceived crimes against the Heavenly King. He wondered if they had something to do with the first Great Heavenly Lord's actions.
“ kàn lái ， méi yǒu shén me qí tā yǐn cáng mì mì le 。”
“看来，没有什么其他隐藏秘密了。”
The Yellow-Ember Great Heavenly Lord continued her explanation: "The first Great Heavenly Lord foresaw the calamity of the immortal realm and chose to renounce his immortality, establishing a terrestrial imperial court in the Yellow-Ember world. He ruled with tyranny, treating mortals as mere slaves."
suī rán shí tǐ bù zài ， dàn yù yán wén zì réng rán shēn shēn lào yìn zài le lǐ fán nǎo hǎi zhōng 。 xì xì huí wèi zhī xià ， lǐ fán shì tú gēn jù zì shēn jīng lì ， jiě gòu zhè běn yù yán zhōng de yī bù fèn nèi róng 。
虽然实体不在，但寓言文字仍然深深烙印在了李凡脑海中。细细回味之下，李凡试图根据自身经历，解构这本寓言中的一部分内容。
"Even though he was no longer an immortal, he still considered mortal cultivators as insignificant. He used them as he pleased, like cattle. The major sects of cultivation had complaints but could not resist him."
“ rú guǒ shuō dàn shēng yú hǎi 、 yì lì yú shān jiù yǐ jīng jù bèi le chāo tuō shān hǎi de zī zhì dì huà ， nà me qí shí ， zì cóng lián shān 、 guī hǎi èr shèng chuàng zào le xiān jiè zhī hòu de rèn hé yī wèi 【 xiān 】， shí jì dōu mǎn zú le zhè ge tiáo jiàn 。”
“如果说诞生于海、屹立于山就已经具备了超脱山海的资质的话，那么其实，自从连山、归海二圣创造了仙界之后的任何一位【仙】，实际都满足了这个条件。”
Later, they reported the matter to the immortal realm, and the first Great Heavenly Lord was forced to scale back his actions.
“ qí běn zhì shì ， liǎng dào xiāng róng 。”
“其本质是，两道相融。”
"Within the imperial court, cultivators were treated like livestock, subject to his whims," she said with a hint of bitterness. "After renouncing immortality, he became even more tyrannical, using his desires as an outlet for his anger."
“ zhǐ bù guò jué dà duō shù suǒ wèi zhēn xiān ， dōu zhǐ shì jiè zhù liǎng wèi shèng jūn de lì liàng chéng dào bà le 。 bìng méi yǒu zhēn zhèng lǐng wù shān hǎi zhī dào 。”
“只不过绝大多数所谓真仙，都只是借助两位圣君的力量成道罢了。并没有真正领悟山海之道。”
"He ensnared countless mortals and cultivators but forbade any offspring from having mortal blood. Any pregnant women were immediately executed. Only one managed to escape by chance and went into hiding until after the first Great Heavenly Lord left, revealing her identity."
“ liǎng dào de jí zhì ， biàn shì chāo tuō shān hǎi 。”
“两道的极致，便是超脱山海。”
"Relying on her immortal heritage, she nearly established a second imperial court. Fortunately, other sects of Yellow-Ember worked together to stop her," the Yellow-Ember Great Heavenly Lord concluded.
“ zài wǒ zhī qián de jīng lì zhōng ， shān hǎi dà dào ， yòu gēn cháng shēng dà dào 、 zhēn jiǎ zhī biàn ， yīng dāng shì tóng děng néng jí de cún zài 。 zhè qǐ fēi shì shuō ……”
“在我之前的经历中，山海大道，又跟长生大道、真假之变，应当是同等能级的存在。这岂非是说……”
Li Fan listened intently as she recounted the actions of the first Great Heavenly Lord. These were events not recorded in history, and he found them fascinating.
Shaken and angered, the Yellow-Ember Great Heavenly Lord suddenly turned around to scan her surroundings. Her eyes fell on Li Fan's nonchalant smile, and she immediately understood that this newcomer was far more powerful than her.
"Who dares to meddle with me?" she barked, her voice filled with rage as she tried to regain control of the situation.
Li Fan spoke calmly, "Ding."
The Yellow-Ember Great Heavenly Lord's movements froze instantly. Her expression turned from shock to fear as she realized that her connection to the Yellow-Ember realm had been severed. Even if she combined all the power of the Yellow-Ember world, it was still being suppressed by this person.
She quickly recalled the mysterious true immortal who appeared in the world and caused chaos. Only a true immortal could possess such strength.
"Yellow-Ember soldiers fought bravely on the frontlines. You, as the Yellow-Ember Great Heavenly Lord, are indulging yourself with poetry and painting..." Li Fan sneered.
Using the power of illusion to simulate a force similar to Mo Shi's soul, he poured it into her body. The Yellow-Ember Great Heavenly Lord tried to explain calmly, "My duties lie within the Yellow-Ember realm. The affairs in Taiyuan are not my concern..."
Her voice suddenly changed as she felt the power of Mo Shi's soul eroding her connection with the Yellow-Ember world.
Despite feeling no physical pain, sweat trickled down her face. She was reluctant to give up this position but knew that losing it passively would be worse than being stripped of it forcefully.
The intense fear threatened to overwhelm her, but she managed to suppress it and continued explaining why she hadn't gone to the frontline in Taiyuan. Her explanation seemed logical, but Li Fan had no intention of listening.
He cut off her power supply, and she sighed softly, "I know I have failed my duties. Please impose any punishment you see fit on me. However, I am worried that if there is no Yellow-Ember Great Heavenly Lord to manage the affairs of the realm, chaos might ensue."
"Of course, if you have the time for such trivial matters as dealing with billions of mortals and the Ten Sects of Daoism, then this conversation was a waste," she added sarcastically.
Despite her apparent willingness to accept punishment, Li Fan noticed that she didn't directly beg for mercy. She continued explaining her contributions to the Yellow-Ember realm, but Li Fan remained unimpressed.
"Since the departure of the Heavenly King, how long have you served as the Great Heavenly Lord?" he asked, his gaze piercing through her.
"For 16,342 years," she replied quickly.
According to the rules of the immortal world, each Yellow-Ember Great Heavenly Lord could not serve for more than ten thousand years. She had already surpassed that limit, but normal procedures were long gone due to the collapse of the immortal realm.
"I have been searching for a successor but have yet to find one," she admitted softly.
Li Fan's eyes narrowed as he noticed her unease. "You seem eager to leave your post. Can you explain why?"
She hesitated before admitting, "I have served for ten thousand years and now feel the urge to retire. My duties are fulfilled, and it is natural for me to want to step down."
"Even the first Great Heavenly Lord was not always in power," she defended herself.
Li Fan's thoughts drifted back to the underground people of Yellow-Ember. They were transformed into half-human, half-beast creatures as punishment for their perceived crimes against the Heavenly King. He wondered if they had something to do with the first Great Heavenly Lord's actions.
The Yellow-Ember Great Heavenly Lord continued her explanation: "The first Great Heavenly Lord foresaw the calamity of the immortal realm and chose to renounce his immortality, establishing a terrestrial imperial court in the Yellow-Ember world. He ruled with tyranny, treating mortals as mere slaves."
"Even though he was no longer an immortal, he still considered mortal cultivators as insignificant. He used them as he pleased, like cattle. The major sects of cultivation had complaints but could not resist him."
Later, they reported the matter to the immortal realm, and the first Great Heavenly Lord was forced to scale back his actions.
"Within the imperial court, cultivators were treated like livestock, subject to his whims," she said with a hint of bitterness. "After renouncing immortality, he became even more tyrannical, using his desires as an outlet for his anger."
"He ensnared countless mortals and cultivators but forbade any offspring from having mortal blood. Any pregnant women were immediately executed. Only one managed to escape by chance and went into hiding until after the first Great Heavenly Lord left, revealing her identity."
"Relying on her immortal heritage, she nearly established a second imperial court. Fortunately, other sects of Yellow-Ember worked together to stop her," the Yellow-Ember Great Heavenly Lord concluded.
Li Fan listened intently as she recounted the actions of the first Great Heavenly Lord. These were events not recorded in history, and he found them fascinating.