“ yuán běn yǐ wéi ， nà liú guāng shì wǒ de zào huà 。 rán dāng qí zhēn zhèng zhàn zài wǒ de miàn qián ， wǒ fāng cái zhī xiǎo ……”
“原本以为，那流光是我的造化。然当其真正站在我的面前，我方才知晓……”
"Unknown to me, was whether the flow of this illusory memory would continue as it had before. After all, I couldn't rely on the power of the True Sage within the shadow to manipulate the situation; instead, I needed to use my own strength as 'Li Bu Fan'."
“ zì jǐ cái shì duì fāng de zào huà ！”
“自己才是对方的造化！”
He decided that he must play the part of the True Sage himself. "If the captured object doesn't come, I'll create its presence. I will put on a show to fool this mountain and sea that's transforming from illusion into reality."
tài yì xū yǐng qīng xiào le yī shēng ：“ liú guāng jìng shì yǐ dào wèi shí ， chù lì bù dòng ， wǒ biàn bù shòu kòng zhì de bèi xī yǐn 。 fǎng fú wǒ běn jiù shì cóng liú guāng zhōng ér lái bān 。 zhū wèi kě fǒu néng tǐ huì ， wǒ dāng shí jīng bù ？”
太易虚影轻笑了一声：“流光竟似以道为食，矗立不动，我便不受控制的被吸引。仿佛我本就是从流光中而来般。诸位可否能体会，我当时惊怖？”
However, how should he go about it? He needed to think carefully.
zhū shèng xū yǐng jiē àn zì diǎn tóu 。
诸圣虚影皆暗自点头。
Firstly, he couldn't use his own power; instead, he had to rely on the strength of 'Li Bu Fan' himself.
“ bǐ shí ， wǒ suī wèi chéng shèng ， shí lì yě jìn sì rú jīn chāo tuō zhī jìng 。 rán liú guāng màn yì zhī xià ， jìng quán shēn bèi shù fù zhù bān 、 zhēng zhá bù dé 。 rú jué wàng liè wù ， huǎn huǎn zhuì rù 。”
“彼时，我虽未成圣，实力也近似如今超脱之境。然流光漫溢之下，竟全身被束缚住般、挣扎不得。如绝望猎物，缓缓坠入。”
"Although my foundation is still at the late-stage Foundation Establishment stage, I have the 'Sitting Mountain Decree'. This version differs significantly from what Hao Zhenghao obtained."
“ mèng huàn guāng huá zhōng ， wǒ huǎng hū jiān ， jiàn wàn qiān dào tú xū liè 。 yǒu kòng qí wèi zhě ， yǒu fù guī zhě ， yě yǒu chè dǐ bèi mǒ qù de yí piàn kòng bái zhī dì 。 zhǐ liú xiē xǔ hén jì cán cún 。”
“梦幻光华中，我恍惚间，见万千道途虚列。有空其位者，有复归者，也有彻底被抹去的一片空白之地。只留些许痕迹残存。”
The later version, although called "Sitting Mountain," was actually about sitting on a person. After all, finding a mountain that could grow and provide cultivation grounds would be impossible to maintain.
“ zhū dào bìng liè ， yú hóng wěi diàn táng zhī nèi 。”
“诸道并列，于宏伟殿堂之内。”
But nurturing talented individuals, spreading good karma, and casting wide nets would yield significant results.
“ ér zài qí shàng ， yǒu xū yǐng duān zuò 。”
“而在其上，有虚影端坐。”
However, the oldest version of the Sitting Mountain Decree from the Divine Wood Sect truly involved sitting on a mountain!
“ rú tóng dì wáng zhǔ zǎi ， mò shì xià fāng ……”
“如同帝王主宰，漠视下方……”
This was because there existed a divine tree in the sect. He checked the cultivation methods of the Divine Wood Sect's disciples stored in his memory.
tài yì xū yǐng huī huī shǒu ， xiǎng yào wèi zhū shèng fù xiàn dāng shí suǒ jiàn qíng xíng 。
太易虚影挥挥手，想要为诸圣复现当时所见情形。
The Divine Wood Sect had come from beyond the heavens, and this divine tree was its foundation. It rooted itself deep into the ground, covering an area of over 30,000 miles.
rán ér guāng yǐng yī zhèn shǎn dòng ， zhǐ chí xù le shùn jiān ， jiù rú pào mò bān xiāo sàn bú jiàn le 。
然而光影一阵闪动，只持续了瞬间，就如泡沫般消散不见了。
As the tree grew, the land around it also expanded. The original plain had transformed into a vast mountain range. The divine tree now resided atop these mountains.
hè rán yǐ tài yì xū yǐng zhī lì ， dōu wú fǎ wéi chí 、 lín mó liú guāng zhōng jù tǐ mú yàng ！
赫然以太易虚影之力，都无法维持、临摹流光中具体模样！
With the continuous growth of the divine tree, Li Bu Fan's foundation was steadily increasing. Those who practiced the Sitting Mountain Decree found their cultivation progress accelerating rapidly. The weaker they were, the more significant the effect.
tài yì zǎo jiù xí yǐ wéi cháng bān ， bù zài cháng shì ， jì xù miáo huì shuō dào ：“ wǒ zhòu rán jiàn cǐ zhèn hàn chǎng jǐng ， shēn tǐ sī xù dōu shì bèi dòng jié bān ， cháo zhe diàn táng nèi 【 tài yì 】 zhī wèi piāo qù 。 tóng shí míng wù ， ruò shì wǒ dàng zhēn luò rù qí zhōng ， biàn yī bèi zi zài yě chū bù lái le 。 yú shì xīn zhōng jǐng xǐng ， jié lì zhēng zhá ……”
太易早就习以为常般，不再尝试，继续描绘说道：“我骤然见此震撼场景，身体思绪都似被冻结般，朝着殿堂内【太易】之位飘去。同时明悟，若是我当真落入其中，便一辈子再也出不来了。于是心中警醒，竭力挣扎……”
After all, compared to the divine tree and the mountain range, even a small increase in strength would be unimaginable for a low-ranking cultivator.
“ kě wǎng zhōng zhī chóng ， yòu rú hé néng táo tuō ne ？ zuì zhōng hái shì jù lí tài yì zhī wèi ， yuè lái yuè jìn 。”
“可网中之虫，又如何能逃脱呢？最终还是距离太易之位，越来越近。”
"Once I master this Sitting Mountain Decree, I can change my cultivation method."
suī yǐ jīng zhī dào le tài yì bì dìng ān rán wú yàng ， dàn huí xiǎng zhe dāng shí jīng xiǎn chǎng miàn ， zhū shèng yě bù yóu àn zì niē le bǎ hàn 。 zhèng yù děng dài xià wén ， tài yì xū yǐng què jiù cǐ chén mò le 。
虽已经知道了太易必定安然无恙，但回想着当时惊险场面，诸圣也不由暗自捏了把汗。正欲等待下文，太易虚影却就此沉默了。
"With the help of the divine tree, the number of grassroots members in the Divine Wood Sect far outnumbers those from other sects in the Yellow and Green World. They are scattered everywhere!"
“ hòu lái ne ？ zěn me táo chū lái de ？” yī jiù shì bǎi xiǎo ， rěn bú zhù wèn dào 。
“后来呢？怎么逃出来的？”依旧是百晓，忍不住问道。
Li Bu Fan looked around at the numerous settlements under the divine tree's shade, where cultivators lived.
“ zhè wǒ què bù zhī dào le 。” tài yì hū de xiào le xiào 。
“这我却不知道了。”太易忽的笑了笑。
"Wood must fight this divine tree to the death. At this rate, it will take thousands of years for Wood to fully dominate the Yellow and Green World."
xīn jìn zhū shèng cuò è bù yǐ 。
新晋诸圣错愕不已。
"Whoever planted this divine tree must have had ulterior motives." He sighed inwardly.
rán bǐ àn zhū shèng xiǎn rán zǎo jiù zhī dào ， jiē shì wú nài de yáo yáo tóu 。
然彼岸诸圣显然早就知道，皆是无奈的摇摇头。
"The battle between Wood and the divine tree should be evenly matched, but with the True Sage secretly intervening, the Divine Wood Sect quickly fell. The tree died, the sect was destroyed..."
“ què bú shì bù biàn tòu lù ， ér shì zhēn de xī lǐ hú tú ， jiù cóng nà dà dào diàn táng zhōng táo le chū lái 。 zhè yě shì wǒ yì zhí yǐ lái ， nèi xīn zuì dà de kùn huò 。 zhí zhì hòu lái ， shān hǎi chéng xíng 、 yuán chū xiān jiè fēn bēng lí xī ， nǎi zhì wǒ chéng jiù shèng zhě ……”
“却不是不便透露，而是真的稀里糊涂，就从那大道殿堂中逃了出来。这也是我一直以来，内心最大的困惑。直至后来，山海成型、原初仙界分崩离析，乃至我成就圣者……”
"I will act as a disciple of the Divine Wood Sect to carry out the old True Sage's deeds."
“ wǒ yě méi néng zài yù jiàn guò nà dào liú guāng 。”
“我也没能再遇见过那道流光。”
With this in mind, he headed to the courtyard where disciples practiced.
tài yì yǒu xiē gǎn kǎi de shuō zhe ， tóng shí kàn xiàng chǎng zhōng zhū shèng ：“ ruò shì nǎ tiān ， nǐ men dāng zhōng yǒu shuí zài yù jiàn le zhè dào liú guāng ， nà bù fáng bāng wǒ wèn wèn ， dāng chū dào dǐ fā shēng le shén me 。 yǐ jiě wú shù nián lái ， wǒ xīn zhōng zhī huò 。”
太易有些感慨的说着，同时看向场中诸圣：“若是哪天，你们当中有谁再遇见了这道流光，那不妨帮我问问，当初到底发生了什么。以解无数年来，我心中之惑。”
Standing by the cliff, he could see the divine tree towering above. He sat down and felt the mountain's growth beneath him while silently practicing the Sitting Mountain Decree.
hǎo bù róng yì tīng le gè pǒ wèi jīng cǎi de gù shì ， què zài zhōng tú jiá rán ér zhǐ ， shèn zhì hái méi yǒu xià wén 。 zhū shèng xīn zhōng zì rán yù mèn 。
好不容易听了个颇为精彩的故事，却在中途戛然而止，甚至还没有下文。诸圣心中自然郁闷。
Sure enough, as the mountain trembled slightly, the divine tree's growth brought about a corresponding increase in his cultivation.
bǎi xiǎo yù yán yòu zhǐ ， zuì zhōng zhǐ shì qīng ké yī shēng ：“ nǐ huó de jiǔ ， zì rán jiàn de gèng duō 。 wǒ men shuí yě méi jiàn guò shén me míng méng zào wù ， kǒng pà jiù suàn zhēn de yù jiàn ， yě nán yǐ biàn bié 。”
百晓欲言又止，最终只是轻咳一声：“你活的久，自然见的更多。我们谁也没见过什么溟濛造物，恐怕就算真的遇见，也难以辨别。”
The height of the mountain was barely noticeable to the naked eye, but the feedback within his body was clear. It was like a steady stream of energy gathering.
“ zhè què bú huì ， qià rú zhè bèi 【 mìng shū 】 zuàn yú shǒu zhōng zhī wù ， jí biàn wú xíng wú xiāng ， dàn nǐ men yě dìng néng gǎn shòu dào qí bù fán 。” tài yì xū yǐng ， zhǐ zhe xū jiè zhōng shǎn shuò de shān hǎi jì yì shuō dào 。
“这却不会，恰如这被【命枢】攥于手中之物，即便无形无相，但你们也定能感受到其不凡。”太易虚影，指着虚界中闪烁的山海记忆说道。
"This speed can't compare to that of geniuses, but it will definitely outpace most cultivators. At least it's much faster than Hao Zhenghao."
lǐ fán yóu cǐ zhī xiǎo ， nà zài xuán huáng jiè zhōng zuò ér zhī wǎng de shén mì shēn yǐng de shēn fèn 。
李凡由此知晓，那在玄黄界中坐而织网的神秘身影的身份。
"If there is a mountain, sitting on people or deities won't be necessary.
“ tīng lián shān shèng jūn huà lǐ de yì si ， sì hū gēn zhè mìng shū nǎi shì jiù shí ？”
“听连山圣君话里的意思，似乎跟这命枢乃是旧识？”
"The original intent behind the Sitting Mountain Decree aligns perfectly with its ultimate form; no changes are needed."
“ wǒ dēng lín shàng fāng shān tú zhōng ， tóng háng zhī rén bà le 。 bǐ shí shān hǎi gé jú wèi dìng ， wú shù háo jié tiān jiāo ， dōu xiǎng diàn dìng wàn shì zhī jī yè 。 yù pān dēng shàng fāng shān zhě ， zì rán yě bú shì zhǐ yǒu wǒ yī rén 。”
“我登临上方山途中，同行之人罢了。彼时山海格局未定，无数豪杰天骄，都想奠定万世之基业。欲攀登上方山者，自然也不是只有我一人。”
However, this 'mountain' was not the same as before. After experiencing it, Li Bu Fan had many insights. Although cultivating using the divine tree sped up his progress, it didn't fully meet his needs.
“ dēng lín zhě wú shù ， dàn zhè mìng shū ， què shì wéi yī néng jǐn gēn wǒ shēn hòu de 。 gù ér duì tā yìn xiàng pǒ shēn 。”
“登临者无数，但这命枢，却是唯一能紧跟我身后的。故而对他印象颇深。”
He aimed to improve "Li Bu Fan's" strength while keeping a low profile so that the shadow mountain wouldn't notice.
“ zhǐ bù guò ……”
“只不过……”
"If you sit on mountains or deities, I'll sit on you."
“ wǒ zhōng jiū xiān yú tā yī bù ， chù lì shān diān 。 zhèng bì mù míng sī zhī jì ， què hū jiàn tā miàn lù jīng jù zhī sè ， sì hū yù jiàn le shén me jí wéi kě bù zhī shì 。 ér hòu yǎo yá dùn zǒu ， zài bù jiàn zōng jì 。 zì cǐ shān hǎi wú yǐng ， wǒ yě hěn duō hěn duō nián ， méi yǒu zài kàn jiàn guò tā le 。” lián shān shèng zhě shēng yīn yǒu xiē piāo hū 。
“我终究先于他一步，矗立山巅。正闭目冥思之际，却忽见他面露惊惧之色，似乎预见了什么极为可怖之事。而后咬牙遁走，再不见踪迹。自此山海无影，我也很多很多年，没有再看见过他了。”连山圣者声音有些飘忽。
With this thought, he surveyed the tens of thousands of Divine Wood Sect disciples. He decided to take a year to visit all the sect's mountain ranges.
“ huò xǔ shì yǐ wéi ， lián shān shèng jūn huì xíng nà 【 zuò shān 】 zhī shì 。 yǐ wéi zì jǐ huì yī bèi zi bèi rén yā zài shēn xià ， gù ér fāng cái huāng máng dùn zǒu 。” bǎi xiǎo dǎ qù dào 。
“或许是以为，连山圣君会行那【坐山】之事。以为自己会一辈子被人压在身下，故而方才慌忙遁走。”百晓打趣道。
His actions were simple: every time he met someone or arrived at a new place, he would offer them gifts as a token of appreciation.
“ wǒ dāng shí yě shì zhè yàng xiǎng de 。” lián shān què shì hū de shuō dào ， bǎi xiǎo xiào róng dùn shí jiāng zhù 。
“我当时也是这样想的。”连山却是忽的说道，百晓笑容顿时僵住。
The value didn't matter; what mattered was the gift itself. Once they accepted his "gift," it meant they had formed a connection with him. The repayment could be delayed indefinitely.
“ suī shuō dāng shí jué zé ， nǎi shì shēn sī shú lǜ 。 bù guò zài mìng shū méi yǒu xiāo shī zhī qián ， wǒ yě shàng wèi zuò chū jué dìng 。 yě zhèng shì tā jīng bù táo dùn de xíng wéi ， wǒ fāng cái zuì zhōng xià le jué dìng 。 xíng lián shān ， ér fēi zuò shān 。”
“虽说当时抉择，乃是深思熟虑。不过在命枢没有消失之前，我也尚未作出决定。也正是他惊怖逃遁的行为，我方才最终下了决定。行连山，而非坐山。”
For those few who refused, Li Bu Fan used his methods to make them indirectly owe him something.
lián shān shèng zhě huà zhōng ， shì yǒu wèi jìng zhī chù 。
连山圣者话中，似有未竟之处。
As for where he got these tens of thousands of gifts...
lǐ fán yǐ jí zhū shèng ， zì rán néng tīng chū qí zhōng yǐn yǔ 。
李凡以及诸圣，自然能听出其中隐语。
"Son, you've ruined our family's fortune in just one year!"
dà dǐ shì ， shàng wèi zhèng dào de lián shān ， céng jīng qì shèng 。 zì jǐ shàng wèi zuò chū jué zé ， mìng shū jiàn zhuàng jiù huāng máng dùn zǒu ， yú shì xīn zhōng nán miǎn shēng chū “ jū rán zhè bān kàn wǒ ”、“ wǒ qǐ shì zhè yàng de rén ” zhī lèi de xiǎng fǎ 。
大抵是，尚未证道的连山，曾经气盛。自己尚未作出抉择，命枢见状就慌忙遁走，于是心中难免生出“居然这般看我”、“我岂是这样的人”之类的想法。
Li Bu Fan's parents were shocked and angry but couldn't do anything about it. They couldn't kill their only son, especially since the funds would be distributed among the sect members.
yú shì zuǒ yòu le tā bǐ shí jué zé 。
于是左右了他彼时抉择。
Thanks to his actions, Li Bu Fan's parents gained a good reputation as elders of the Divine Wood Sect. They could only sigh and try to accumulate more wealth through other means.
xīn jìn zhū shèng xīn zhōng àn xiào 。 wú xíng zhōng ， zhè wèi shì shàng dì yī xiān ， zài zhòng rén xīn zhōng de xíng xiàng ， biàn dé gèng jiā jù tǐ le xiē 。 bù zài shì nà bān ， yǒng yuǎn shēn bù kě cè de qiáng zhě mú yàng 。
新晋诸圣心中暗笑。无形中，这位世上第一仙，在众人心中的形象，变得更加具体了些。不再是那般，永远深不可测的强者模样。
Now, he stood on the highest peak of the Divine Wood Sect outside the main hall, looking down at countless disciples below.
“ rú cǐ shuō lái ， zhè mìng shū chū zhèng wú wàng ， yú shì jiù xún niǔ zhuǎn zhī fǎ 。 zhè míng méng zào wù ， biàn bèi qí dīng shàng le 。 ruò zhēn shì shān hǎi zhī xiān ， yuán qí shén zhě …… shuō bù dìng hái zhēn néng gǎi biàn yī qiè 。”
“如此说来，这命枢初证无望，于是就寻扭转之法。这溟濛造物，便被其盯上了。若真是山海之先，源其神者……说不定还真能改变一切。”
"My debts are heavy; they can't be measured in pounds or ounces. Once I put them on a scale, they'll weigh much more."
“ yě bù zhī ， tā bù jú zhuī suǒ de ， jiū jìng shì shén me 。 cóng tā chū rù jiù miàn lù xǐ sè de qíng xíng lái kàn ， zhè huò xǔ bìng bú shì tā dì yī cì de yòu bǔ le 。” bǎi xiǎo nán nán zì yǔ dào 。
“也不知，他布局追索的，究竟是什么。从他初入就面露喜色的情形来看，这或许并不是他第一次的诱捕了。”百晓喃喃自语道。
"After a year of hard work, it's time to collect some interest."
zhū shèng bù yǔ ， shì xiàn zài dù luò yú shān hǎi jì yì zhōng 。
诸圣不语，视线再度落于山海记忆中。
"This will serve as a rehearsal for my Sitting Sage Decree!"
zuì zhōng ， hái shì shǒu qiū fā huà 。
最终，还是守丘发话。
He silently practiced the Sitting Heaven Decree within his body.
“ xiàn zài zhòng diǎn ， hái shì fù lián shān hǎi 。 zhì yú zhè míng méng zào wù xiàn suǒ …… děng shān hǎi gōu lián chéng gōng ， huò xǔ wǒ děng dào shí kě qīn fù xiàn chǎng ， yī tàn jiū jìng 。”
“现在重点，还是复联山海。至于这溟濛造物线索……等山海勾连成功，或许我等到时可亲赴现场，一探究竟。”
Boom...
zhū shèng diǎn diǎn tóu ， suí hòu shōu huí mù guāng ， shì xiàn zài dù huí guī zì shēn yì niàn suǒ jiàn qū yù 。
诸圣点点头，随后收回目光，视线再度回归自身意念所见区域。
All the disciples who had received Li Bu Fan's benefits felt their bodies tremble slightly. The flow of spiritual energy in their dantians seemed to speed up significantly.
lǐ fán jiāng shǒu qiū huà àn zì jì xià 。
李凡将守丘话暗自记下。
Confused, they thought it was the divine tree manifesting and accelerating their cultivation even further. They were overjoyed.
“ shān hǎi fù lián ， shān hǎi jiān yī qiè jiē huī fù céng jīng mú yàng 。”
“山海复联，山海间一切皆恢复曾经模样。”
However, as their spiritual energy flowed within them, nearly half of each new increment was taken away and accumulated on Li Bu Fan's body.
“ dàn hái zhēn chāo tuō shān hǎi zhī wài ， jì yǐ jīng zài wǒ tǐ nèi ， zì rán bú huì zài dù píng kōng chū xiàn 。”
“但还真超脱山海之外，既已经在我体内，自然不会再度凭空出现。”
In reality, he used his Sitting Heaven Decree to secretly accelerate the growth of all these disciples at the cost of their lives, temporarily boosting their cultivation progress.
“ nà wèi mìng shū shèng zhě ， kǒng pà yě shì rú cǐ 。”
“那位命枢圣者，恐怕也是如此。”
Overall, their cultivation progress increased. He carried out this plan with great secrecy.
“ suǒ wèi xiàn chǎng ， bù guò shì bǐ jì yì xū yǐng ， gèng jiā zhēn shí diǎn de hén jì bà le 。”
“所谓现场，不过是比记忆虚影，更加真实点的痕迹罢了。”
A True Sage's power was beyond ordinary people's detection.
zhè yì diǎn ， lǐ fán dǎo shì méi yǒu yōu lǜ 。
这一点，李凡倒是没有忧虑。
"Regardless of the upcoming battle between Wood and the divine tree; you'll all die."
“ jiù shì bù zhī dào ， tài yì dāng chū suǒ yù jiàn de nà dào liú guāng ， jiū jìng shì bú shì hái zhēn 。”
“就是不知道，太易当初所遇见的那道流光，究竟是不是还真。”
"Prematurely spending your lifespans won't affect the mountain and sea's flow."
“ tā suǒ miáo huì de zhū dào diàn táng ， gēn 【 dà dào guī zhēn 】， jìng yǒu xiē bù móu ér hé 。 què yě bù néng kěn dìng 。”
“他所描绘的诸道殿堂，跟【大道归真】，竟有些不谋而合。却也不能肯定。”
Feeling the constant feedback from his body, Li Bu Fan nodded in satisfaction.
“ rú fēi hái zhēn …… shān hǎi jiān hái cún zài qí tā míng méng zào wù ？”
“如非还真……山海间还存在其他溟濛造物？”
One person could never match the power of Sitting Heaven.
sī xù wàn qiān zhōng ， lǐ fán zhù yì lì ， màn màn huí guī “ lǐ bù fán ” shēn shàng 。
思绪万千中，李凡注意力，慢慢回归“李不凡”身上。
In just three years, he had advanced from Foundation Establishment to Union Formation stage.
jì rán yǐ jīng qīng chǔ le shān hǎi guān jiàn jì yì jié diǎn suǒ zài ， nà me lǐ fán yào zuò de ， jiù shì què bǎo zhè duàn xū huàn de jì yì ， jì xù àn zhào céng jīng de liú xiàng zǒu xià qù 。
既然已经清楚了山海关键记忆节点所在，那么李凡要做的，就是确保这段虚幻的记忆，继续按照曾经的流向走下去。
The limit of a mortal!
"Unknown to me, was whether the flow of this illusory memory would continue as it had before. After all, I couldn't rely on the power of the True Sage within the shadow to manipulate the situation; instead, I needed to use my own strength as 'Li Bu Fan'."
He decided that he must play the part of the True Sage himself. "If the captured object doesn't come, I'll create its presence. I will put on a show to fool this mountain and sea that's transforming from illusion into reality."
However, how should he go about it? He needed to think carefully.
Firstly, he couldn't use his own power; instead, he had to rely on the strength of 'Li Bu Fan' himself.
"Although my foundation is still at the late-stage Foundation Establishment stage, I have the 'Sitting Mountain Decree'. This version differs significantly from what Hao Zhenghao obtained."
The later version, although called "Sitting Mountain," was actually about sitting on a person. After all, finding a mountain that could grow and provide cultivation grounds would be impossible to maintain.
But nurturing talented individuals, spreading good karma, and casting wide nets would yield significant results.
However, the oldest version of the Sitting Mountain Decree from the Divine Wood Sect truly involved sitting on a mountain!
This was because there existed a divine tree in the sect. He checked the cultivation methods of the Divine Wood Sect's disciples stored in his memory.
The Divine Wood Sect had come from beyond the heavens, and this divine tree was its foundation. It rooted itself deep into the ground, covering an area of over 30,000 miles.
As the tree grew, the land around it also expanded. The original plain had transformed into a vast mountain range. The divine tree now resided atop these mountains.
With the continuous growth of the divine tree, Li Bu Fan's foundation was steadily increasing. Those who practiced the Sitting Mountain Decree found their cultivation progress accelerating rapidly. The weaker they were, the more significant the effect.
After all, compared to the divine tree and the mountain range, even a small increase in strength would be unimaginable for a low-ranking cultivator.
"Once I master this Sitting Mountain Decree, I can change my cultivation method."
"With the help of the divine tree, the number of grassroots members in the Divine Wood Sect far outnumbers those from other sects in the Yellow and Green World. They are scattered everywhere!"
Li Bu Fan looked around at the numerous settlements under the divine tree's shade, where cultivators lived.
"Wood must fight this divine tree to the death. At this rate, it will take thousands of years for Wood to fully dominate the Yellow and Green World."
"Whoever planted this divine tree must have had ulterior motives." He sighed inwardly.
"The battle between Wood and the divine tree should be evenly matched, but with the True Sage secretly intervening, the Divine Wood Sect quickly fell. The tree died, the sect was destroyed..."
"I will act as a disciple of the Divine Wood Sect to carry out the old True Sage's deeds."
With this in mind, he headed to the courtyard where disciples practiced.
Standing by the cliff, he could see the divine tree towering above. He sat down and felt the mountain's growth beneath him while silently practicing the Sitting Mountain Decree.
Sure enough, as the mountain trembled slightly, the divine tree's growth brought about a corresponding increase in his cultivation.
The height of the mountain was barely noticeable to the naked eye, but the feedback within his body was clear. It was like a steady stream of energy gathering.
"This speed can't compare to that of geniuses, but it will definitely outpace most cultivators. At least it's much faster than Hao Zhenghao."
"If there is a mountain, sitting on people or deities won't be necessary.
"The original intent behind the Sitting Mountain Decree aligns perfectly with its ultimate form; no changes are needed."
However, this 'mountain' was not the same as before. After experiencing it, Li Bu Fan had many insights. Although cultivating using the divine tree sped up his progress, it didn't fully meet his needs.
He aimed to improve "Li Bu Fan's" strength while keeping a low profile so that the shadow mountain wouldn't notice.
"If you sit on mountains or deities, I'll sit on you."
With this thought, he surveyed the tens of thousands of Divine Wood Sect disciples. He decided to take a year to visit all the sect's mountain ranges.
His actions were simple: every time he met someone or arrived at a new place, he would offer them gifts as a token of appreciation.
The value didn't matter; what mattered was the gift itself. Once they accepted his "gift," it meant they had formed a connection with him. The repayment could be delayed indefinitely.
For those few who refused, Li Bu Fan used his methods to make them indirectly owe him something.
As for where he got these tens of thousands of gifts...
"Son, you've ruined our family's fortune in just one year!"
Li Bu Fan's parents were shocked and angry but couldn't do anything about it. They couldn't kill their only son, especially since the funds would be distributed among the sect members.
Thanks to his actions, Li Bu Fan's parents gained a good reputation as elders of the Divine Wood Sect. They could only sigh and try to accumulate more wealth through other means.
Now, he stood on the highest peak of the Divine Wood Sect outside the main hall, looking down at countless disciples below.
"My debts are heavy; they can't be measured in pounds or ounces. Once I put them on a scale, they'll weigh much more."
"After a year of hard work, it's time to collect some interest."
"This will serve as a rehearsal for my Sitting Sage Decree!"
He silently practiced the Sitting Heaven Decree within his body.
Boom...
All the disciples who had received Li Bu Fan's benefits felt their bodies tremble slightly. The flow of spiritual energy in their dantians seemed to speed up significantly.
Confused, they thought it was the divine tree manifesting and accelerating their cultivation even further. They were overjoyed.
However, as their spiritual energy flowed within them, nearly half of each new increment was taken away and accumulated on Li Bu Fan's body.
In reality, he used his Sitting Heaven Decree to secretly accelerate the growth of all these disciples at the cost of their lives, temporarily boosting their cultivation progress.
Overall, their cultivation progress increased. He carried out this plan with great secrecy.
A True Sage's power was beyond ordinary people's detection.
"Regardless of the upcoming battle between Wood and the divine tree; you'll all die."
"Prematurely spending your lifespans won't affect the mountain and sea's flow."
Feeling the constant feedback from his body, Li Bu Fan nodded in satisfaction.
One person could never match the power of Sitting Heaven.
In just three years, he had advanced from Foundation Establishment to Union Formation stage.
The limit of a mortal!