“ shàng yī shì quán lài shǒu qiū zhī zhù ， dé yǐ kuī jiàn xū jiè mù hòu zhēn miàn mù 。 rán yì dé jiàn hái zhēn zhēn xiàng 。 xīn zhōng kě zhēn shì xǐ kǔ càn bàn 。”
“上一世全赖守丘之助，得以窥见虚界幕后真面目。然亦得见还真真相。心中可真是喜苦掺半。”
"Being able to see what was originally unseen is already a great fortune. There's no need to demand too much; just proceed and observe."
“ yě bù pà shǒu qiū nǐ xiào huà ， wǒ lèng shì zài zhè jiě lí shān diān yìng hào le duō nián ， què réng hái méi yǒu wán quán pái jiě 。” lǐ fán yáo tóu tàn xī dào ， jiāng zì jǐ fā dòng hái zhēn hòu de fā xiàn rú shí shuō lái 。
“也不怕守丘你笑话，我愣是在这解离山巅硬耗了多年，却仍还没有完全排解。”李凡摇头叹息道，将自己发动还真后的发现如实说来。
With this principle in mind, Master Qiuxiu had no qualms about his half-utilitarian, half-cooperative relationship with Li Fan.
“ fán dào yǒu dà kě bù bì rú cǐ 。 shēn huái zhēn jiǎ dà dào ， shì shān hǎi jiān wú shù xiū shì 、 nǎ pà zhū duō shèng zhě dōu qiú zhī bù dé de zào huà 。” shǒu qiū gōng shén qíng sù rán ， sī cǔn le yī zhèn hòu shuō dào 。
“凡道友大可不必如此。身怀真假大道，是山海间无数修士、哪怕诸多圣者都求之不得的造化。”守丘公神情肃然，思忖了一阵后说道。
"In the previous life, you directly achieved sainthood using the image of the Sea and Mountains, which was a bit too ostentatious. Remember that even just pouring true essence can attract the attention of all three Sages. It would be better to remain low-key and quietly assist in restoring the Sea and Mountains."
“ jiù suàn zhēn rú nǐ cāi cè de nà yàng ……”
“就算真如你猜测的那样……”
"Regarding the incident with the spatial rift where the Sea and Mountains perished, I suggest we observe it silently. Even if the Three Sages disappear for a while, it won't affect their overall strength. On the contrary, the weaker they are around us, the more you can contribute. Even the transfer of power in the璇玑 ring might be possible."
“ hái zhēn dé nǐ wú xiàn líng xìng ， yǐ zhēn jiǎ zhī lì ， bù duàn zhòng sù shān hǎi 。 nǐ yě dé hái zhēn bù duàn lún huí biàn lì ， bù guò bǎi shì biàn chéng jiù shān hǎi yì liú shèng zhě zhī jìng 。 zhèng suǒ wèi ， tiān zuò zhī hé 、 èr zhě nán fēn yě 。”
“还真得你无限灵性，以真假之力，不断重塑山海。你也得还真不断轮回便利，不过百世便成就山海一流圣者之境。正所谓，天作之合、二者难分也。”
"Of course, if you want to act independently without the Three Sages, that's fine too. But my suggestion is still to hide behind the Three Sages when we first arrive at the Sea and Mountains..."
“ fán dào yǒu bù fáng mén xīn zì wèn ， ruò shì méi yǒu hái zhēn xiàng zhù ， yǐ nǐ zhī zī ， jiū jìng néng zài zhè xuán huáng jiè huó duō nián 、 xiū xíng zhì hé děng jìng jiè ？” shǒu qiū gōng xū yǐng zhǐ zhe jiě lí shān diān ， máng máng yún hǎi wài de xuán huáng jiè wèn dào 。
“凡道友不妨扪心自问，若是没有还真相助，以你之姿，究竟能在这玄黄界活多年、修行至何等境界？”守丘公虚影指着解离山巅，茫茫云海外的玄黄界问道。
Master Qiuxiu analyzed calmly, presenting only benefits without interfering with Li Fan's choices.
lǐ fán huí xiǎng qǐ zhè xiē nián zài xuán huáng jiè jīng lì zhǒng zhǒng ， chén mò le piàn kè hòu ， wú nài dào ：“ pà shì zǒu chū yǎn qián dà xuán xiǎo shì jiè dōu nán 。”
李凡回想起这些年在玄黄界经历种种，沉默了片刻后，无奈道：“怕是走出眼前大玄小世界都难。”
After discussing thoroughly, they proceeded according to their plan.
“ zhè biàn shì le 。 hái zhēn zài shǒu ， biàn yǐ jīng shì dé tiān zhī xìng le 。 yòu nǎ néng dīng diǎn dài jià dōu méi yǒu ？ ruò zhēn rú cǐ ， qǐ fēi shān hǎi jiān de hǎo shì quán bèi nǐ yī rén dú zhàn le ？” shǒu qiū gōng qīng xiào dào 。
“这便是了。还真在手，便已经是得天之幸了。又哪能丁点代价都没有？若真如此，岂非山海间的好事全被你一人独占了？”守丘公轻笑道。
This life did not choose to inherit cultivation, so strictly speaking, Li Fan was still a mere mortal in terms of cultivation level. However, given his current experience, regaining the Sage realm from a mortal state wasn't particularly difficult.
“ kuàng qiě ……”
“况且……”
To prevent any unexpected incidents, Master Qiuxiu left behind some protective force before departing.
bù zhī xiǎng qǐ le shén me ， shǒu qiū xiào róng hěn kuài shōu liǎn ， wèn dào ：“ nǐ xiàn zài gǎn jué ， wú xiàn zhēn líng ， huī fù le méi yǒu ？”
不知想起了什么，守丘笑容很快收敛，问道：“你现在感觉，无限真灵，恢复了没有？”
Instead of achieving sainthood by visualizing the divine shadow, Li Fan followed the path step-by-step. He chose to follow the path of [Zhou Hui].
lǐ fán zǐ xì jiǎn chá zì shēn yī fān ， wēi wēi diǎn tóu ：“ yīng dāng wú yàng le 。 gēn guò qù měi cì hái zhe hòu sū xǐng shí ， bìng wú rèn hé chā bié 。”
李凡仔细检查自身一番，微微点头：“应当无恙了。跟过去每次还着后苏醒时，并无任何差别。”
Although it was a step-by-step process, his profound understanding of the Zhou Hui path and familiarity with the possibilities allowed him to make rapid progress.
shǒu qiū bù yóu jīng tàn ：“ wú xiàn zhēn líng ， xiàn zài xiǎng lái ， yě dàng zhēn shì bù kě sī yì 。 qí zào huà zhī qí ， jī hū kě yǐ gēn hái zhēn bǐ jiān le 。 rú cǐ shuō lái ， nǐ zài héng dù qián wǎng shān hǎi zhī mò guò chéng zhōng suǒ gǎn shòu dào de shēn tǐ bèi tāo kōng de yóu jǐn dēng kū zhī gǎn ， jí yǒu kě néng shì tǐ nèi zhēn líng bèi jí qí kě bù sù dù xiāo hào suǒ chǎn shēng de cuò jué 。 yí dàn tíng zhǐ chōu qǔ ， jí biàn shén me dōu bù yòng zuò ， nǐ zì rán huì màn màn huī fù guò lái 。”
守丘不由惊叹：“无限真灵，现在想来，也当真是不可思议。其造化之奇，几乎可以跟还真比肩了。如此说来，你在横渡前往山海之末过程中所感受到的身体被掏空的油尽灯枯之感，极有可能是体内真灵被极其可怖速度消耗所产生的错觉。一旦停止抽取，即便什么都不用做，你自然会慢慢恢复过来。”
In just three hundred years, he ascended to the Sage realm, shaking the Sea and Mountains!
“ dāng rán ， yě yǒu kě néng ……”
“当然，也有可能……”
"The cycle of rebirth itself is a great fortune."
“ jī hū hào jìn yě shì zhēn 。 bù guò nǐ zài chén shuì zhī hòu ， yòu tōng guò mǒu zhǒng fāng shì ， chóng xīn bǔ zú le 。 dāng rán ， cǐ èr zhě ， shū tú tóng guī 。” shǒu qiū tīng wén lǐ fán de xù shù ， gěi chū le lìng yī zhǒng cāi cè 。
“几乎耗尽也是真。不过你在沉睡之后，又通过某种方式，重新补足了。当然，此二者，殊途同归。”守丘听闻李凡的叙述，给出了另一种猜测。
Through personal practice, Li Fan gained new insights into the Zhou Hui path. On the panel for True Essence Returning to the Dao, the character "Second Zhou Hui" began to change.
lǐ fán xiǎng le xiǎng ， huǎn huǎn diǎn tóu zàn tóng 。
李凡想了想，缓缓点头赞同。
The brilliance gradually faded, revealing its true simplicity like returning to its original state after washing away all pretense.
“ wú lùn rú hé ， dào mù qián wéi zhǐ ， hái zhēn de yùn zuò jī lǐ dōu hái duì nǐ méi yǒu shén me tài dà de yǐng xiǎng 。 jí biàn shèng rén zhōng jiǎo jiǎo zhě ， yě hái yuǎn wèi dá dào néng cān yù hái zhēn yǔ xīng de bó yì zhōng 。 fán dào yǒu yǎn xià yào zuò de ， hái shì jǐn kě néng de tí shēng zì jǐ shí lì 。” shǒu qiū xún xún shàn dǎo ， gěi chū jiàn yì 。
“无论如何，到目前为止，还真的运作机理都还对你没有什么太大的影响。即便圣人中佼佼者，也还远未达到能参与还真与星的博弈中。凡道友眼下要做的，还是尽可能的提升自己实力。”守丘循循善导，给出建议。
It seemed no different from other characters at first glance.
“ zhè yī shì jì chéng xuǎn xiàng ， yīng dāng réng xuǎn shān hǎi biàn huà gāng yào wèi jiā ， shí zài bù gāi làng fèi zài 、 shǐ wǒ jì chéng jì yì shàng 。 shàng yī shì ， xū jiè mù hòu chū shǒu ， duì shān hǎi yǐng xiǎng bì dìng jí dà ……”
“这一世继承选项，应当仍选山海变化纲要为佳，实在不该浪费在、使我继承记忆上。上一世，虚界幕后出手，对山海影响必定极大……”
But as the master of Zhou Hui, Li Fan could clearly feel that Second Zhou Hui had finally gained recognition from True Essence.
lǐ fán bǎi le bǎi shǒu ：“ bì jìng kě fù guān yǐ ， wú suǒ wèi zhī shì 。 wǒ dǎo shì jué de ， yǒu shǒu qiū nǐ xiāng zhù ， gèng wéi zhòng yào yì diǎn 。 zhè yě shì wǒ ， lún huí zhè me duō cì yǐ lái ， shǒu cì ràng bié rén jì chéng ……”
李凡摆了摆手：“毕竟可复观矣，无所谓之事。我倒是觉得，有守丘你相助，更为重要一点。这也是我，轮回这么多次以来，首次让别人继承……”
Li Fan looked at the empty positions in the Dao Returning to Truth hall with a mysterious gleam in his eyes.
shǒu qiū xiào le xiào ：“ nǐ shěn shěn rú hé jiù bù suàn le ？”
守丘笑了笑：“你婶婶如何就不算了？”
"Perhaps entering True Essence isn't about integrating into it. It's more about returning to their original states."
lǐ fán huà yǔ wèi zhī yī duàn ， què shì jī hū wàng jì zhè yī chá le 。
李凡话语为之一断，却是几乎忘记这一茬了。
"The Sea and Mountains path originates from the gods, but after the division of the Sea and Mountains, they were tainted by changes. Only by removing the influence of the Sea and Mountains can we restore them to their essence."
bù guò gēn shǒu qiū rú jīn de shú xī chéng dù ， dào yě bù jué gǎn kǎi ， hěn kuài lüè guò cǐ huà tí 。
不过跟守丘如今的熟悉程度，倒也不觉感慨，很快略过此话题。
These insights would not have been possible without personally experiencing the journey again.
“ shǒu qiū nǐ dé shàng yī shì jì yì ， kě zēng gǎn jué ， zì shēn yǒu suǒ biàn huà ？”
“守丘你得上一世记忆，可曾感觉，自身有所变化？”
Under Master Qiuxiu's influence, Li Fan gained these realizations, further confirming his wisdom in bringing Master Qiuxiu into True Essence.
“ dí què yǒu suǒ zēng fú 。 bù guò xiào guǒ ， gēn nǐ zhēn líng guàn zhù shén tōng dà chà bù chà 。 zhēn líng zēng jiā dǎo zhì de zī zhì tí shēng ， qǐ diǎn yuè píng fán shí ， xiào yòng yuè xiǎn zhù 。 dài de jù bèi chéng shèng zhī zī hòu ， nǎ pà zēng jiā zài duō ， yě bú huì yǒu tè bié míng xiǎn de biàn huà le 。 gài yīn ……”
“的确有所增幅。不过效果，跟你真灵灌注神通大差不差。真灵增加导致的资质提升，起点越平凡时，效用越显著。待的具备成圣之资后，哪怕增加再多，也不会有特别明显的变化了。盖因……”
Achieving sainthood through Zhou Hui did not attract as much attention as before. He simply went to the other side and sat in the璇玑 ring under the guise of "Master Qiuxiu's friend."
“ shān hǎi zào wù zhī jí xiàn zài cǐ 。”
“山海造物之极限在此。”
However, after inadvertently revealing his true essence infusion abilities, Li Fan once again caught the attention of the other Sages.
“ shēng líng yuán yú shān hǎi ， shèng yǔ shān hǎi jiān qí 。 gù ér shèng ， biàn shì shān hǎi shēng líng de jí xiàn 。”
“生灵源于山海，圣与山海肩齐。故而圣，便是山海生灵的极限。”
The origin of this ability remained a mystery to him.
“ xiǎng yào zài jìn yí bù ， yǔ xīng 、 shén zhēng huī ……”
“想要再进一步，与星、神争辉……”
---
shǒu qiū kàn xiàng lǐ fán ：“ huò dé wài lì yì bǎo xiāng zhù ， huò xiào fǎng shān hǎi tūn shén ！”
守丘看向李凡：“或得外力异宝相助，或效仿山海吞神！”
It was speculated that it might be related to the Heavenly Net Emperor.
lǐ fán zì shì míng bái shǒu qiū shuō de wài lì yì bǎo ， jiù shì zhǐ de hái zhēn 。
李凡自是明白守丘说的外力异宝，就是指的还真。
"When the Immortal Realm was devoured by Dao Yin, I narrowly escaped death. My main body perished, leaving only a fragment of true essence, which fled into the lower world's star sea. It took many rebirths for me to reach this point. After reincarnation, I noticed some inexplicable changes in myself—my talents had surpassed my past, and there were even strange anomalies."
zhì yú xiào fǎng shān hǎi tūn shén ， nà biàn shì shān hǎi jiān wú shù shèng zhě ， nǎi zhì sān shèng dōu zài cháng shì zhī shì 。
至于效仿山海吞神，那便是山海间无数圣者，乃至三圣都在尝试之事。
"Despite much contemplation, it might be related to that mad plan of the Heavenly Net Emperor."
“ dé shàng yī shì jīng yàn ， zhè yī shì jì huà de kě zài zhōu quán diǎn 。 hái zhēn kě zhēn hǎo yòng a ……” shǒu qiū gōng zài gēn lǐ fán shāng yì cǐ shì xíng shì zhī jì ， bù yóu gǎn kǎi dào 。
“得上一世经验，这一世计划的可再周全点。还真可真好用啊……”守丘公在跟李凡商议此世行事之际，不由感慨道。
"I asked Master Qiuxiu; he benefited after our hometown disappeared, but his influence was less noticeable due to his higher strength," Li Fan said with a frown.
“ wǒ hái zhēn jiù xiāng dāng yú shǒu qiū nǐ hái zhēn 。 jì jué hǎo yòng ， nà biàn duō yòng diǎn ba 。 zhèng suǒ wèi ， duō duō yì shàn 。”
“我还真就相当于守丘你还真。既觉好用，那便多用点吧。正所谓，多多益善。”
Master Qiuxiu nodded in agreement.
lún huí bǎi duō shì yǐ lái ， lǐ fán shǐ zhōng dōu shì yī rén dú shǒu hái zhēn yǐ jí zì shēn yì chù mì mì ， cǐ kè néng jiāng yī qiè háo wú bǎo liú yǔ tā rén fēn xiǎng 。 dùn jué qián suǒ wèi yǒu de qīng sōng 。
轮回百多世以来，李凡始终都是一人独守还真以及自身异处秘密，此刻能将一切毫无保留与他人分享。顿觉前所未有的轻松。
With Master Qiuxiu's testimony, the credibility of Li Fan's statements increased significantly.
gèng guān jiàn de shì ， shǒu qiū wéi rén ， zhí de lǐ fán xìn lài 。 ér qiě ， zhè yī qiè de zhǔ dòng quán ， hái shì zhǎng wò zài lǐ fán zì jǐ shǒu lǐ 。 jì chéng 、 fēn xiǎng yǔ fǒu ， quán dōu shì lǐ fán yī rén shuō le suàn 。
更关键的是，守丘为人，值得李凡信赖。而且，这一切的主动权，还是掌握在李凡自己手里。继承、分享与否，全都是李凡一人说了算。
The other Sages in the璇玑 ring all showed signs of contemplation.
ruò shì yǒu biàn ， tā xià yī shì dà kě yǐ xuǎn zé bù ràng shǒu qiū jì chéng ， jì xù yī rén dú shǒu hái zhēn mì mì 。
若事有变，他下一世大可以选择不让守丘继承，继续一人独守还真秘密。
Li Fan seized the opportunity to ask: "Given your abilities, shouldn't you have noticed any signs when my hometown underwent such a change?"
duì lǐ fán xīn sī ， shǒu qiū zì rán dòng xī de yì qīng èr chǔ 。
对李凡心思，守丘自然洞悉的一清二楚。
"Everything is constantly changing. The possibility of sudden disappearance is unknown. We are not omniscient; it's not surprising that we might miss something," Taiyi Sage said with a smile.
bù guò tā yě bìng wú shèn yì yì 。
不过他也并无甚异议。
Taiyi paused as if in contemplation.
zhèng rú tā quàn dǎo lǐ fán de nà yàng ， shì shàng zhī shì 、 zǒng yào fù chū diǎn dài jià 。 lǐ fán dé hái zhēn xiàng zhù ， shǔ dé tiān zhī xìng 。 nà me tā shǒu qiū néng bèi xiāng yāo shēn rù hái zhēn zhī zhōng ， jiù bú shì le ma ？
正如他劝导李凡的那样，世上之事、总要付出点代价。李凡得还真相助，属得天之幸。那么他守丘能被相邀身入还真之中，就不是了吗？
"After mentioning Zhou Hui, I indeed felt an unusual premonition at the moment."
“ néng jiàn yuán běn bù néng jiàn fēng jǐng ， biàn yǐ jīng shì tiān dà xìng shì 。 bù bì kē qiú tài duō ， qiě xíng qiě guān zhī jí kě 。”
“能见原本不能见风景，便已经是天大幸事。不必苛求太多，且行且观之即可。”
The Three Sages exchanged glances and stopped speaking abruptly.
shǒu qiū xīn huái rú cǐ zhǔn zé ， duì yú gēn lǐ fán zhè zhǒng bàn lì yòng bàn hé zuò de xiāng chǔ ， xīn zhōng yě bìng méi yǒu jiè dì 。
守丘心怀如此准则，对于跟李凡这种半利用半合作的相处，心中也并没有芥蒂。
After some time, Lian Shan spoke: "It feels like we missed a great opportunity. The sensation of that opportunity is similar to when we achieved enlightenment."
“ shàng yī shì ， nǐ zhí jiē yǐ shān hǎi zhī yǐng chéng jiù shèng zhě ， què shì tài gāo diào le yì diǎn 。 xū zhī ， zhǐ zhēn líng guàn zhù yì diǎn ， jiù zú yǐ yǐn dé sān shèng zhù shì le 。 bù rú dī diào zhé fú ， mò mò zhù lì sān shèng fù lián shān hǎi ， wǎng gèng gǔ ér xíng 。”
“上一世，你直接以山海之影成就圣者，却是太高调了一点。需知，只真灵灌注一点，就足以引得三圣注视了。不如低调蛰伏，默默助力三圣复联山海，往更古而行。”
"But it was just a fleeting, very subtle premonition. We wouldn't have noticed without Zhou Hui's reminder today."
“ zhì yú yǒu shí kōng zhōng ， shān hǎi shēn yǔn zhī shì 。 wǒ zhī jiàn yì ， bù rú jìng jìng guān zhī 。 sān shèng nǎ pà xiāo shī yī duàn ， duì tā men zǒng tǐ shí lì yě bú huì chǎn shēng yǐng xiǎng 。 xiāng fǎn ， wǒ men shēn biān sān shèng yuè ruò ， nǐ suǒ néng fā huī yě jiù yuè dà 。 nǎi zhì xuán jī huán zhōng ， huà yǔ quán yì shǒu ， yě wèi bì shì bù kě néng zhī shì 。”
“至于有时空中，山海身陨之事。我之建议，不如静静观之。三圣哪怕消失一段，对他们总体实力也不会产生影响。相反，我们身边三圣越弱，你所能发挥也就越大。乃至璇玑环中，话语权易手，也未必是不可能之事。”
"Regarding the Heavenly Net Emperor..."
“ dāng rán ， nǐ ruò shì xiǎng piē kāi sān shèng ， dú zì xíng dòng ， yě wú bù kě 。 dàn wǒ zhī jiàn yì ， hái shì zài dǐ dá shān hǎi zhī chū shí ， duǒ zài sān shèng shēn hòu ……”
“当然，你若是想撇开三圣，独自行动，也无不可。但我之建议，还是在抵达山海之初时，躲在三圣身后……”
"The Sea and Mountains were created by divine forces; apart from the Sea and Mountains' virtual realm, there's nothing else. If they want to transcend again, where can they go? The blessings we received might not be a result of successful transcendence but could be remnants of the sudden disappearance of all possibilities along with the Heavenly Net Emperor and other divine artifacts."
shǒu qiū wěi wěi fēn xī dào lái ， zhǐ chǎn yǐ lì bì ， bìng bù gàn yù lǐ fán xuǎn zé 。
守丘娓娓分析道来，只阐以利弊，并不干预李凡选择。
Master Qiuxiu understood Lian Shan's meaning: "In other words, our changes might have been caused by that object the Heavenly Net Emperor was guarding? Such an extraordinary change must be a great fortune."
dài dào shuō wán ， lǐ fán sī cǔn liáng jiǔ zhī hòu ， hái shì diǎn tóu yīng xià 。
待到说完，李凡思忖良久之后，还是点头应下。
Returning to the Sea smiled: "Everything is now empty, so we can't know for sure. But perhaps there are still some clues in the old Sea and Mountains. When we reunite with the Sea and Mountains and cross over to when the Heavenly Net Emperor was still around, we can investigate this directly."
“ shǒu qiū shuō de zài lǐ 。 dà shù dǐ xià hǎo chéng liáng ， jiù qiě ràng sān shèng ， zài dāng jǐ shì wǒ men de dà shù ！”
“守丘说的在理。大树底下好乘凉，就且让三圣，再当几世我们的大树！”
"With Master Zhou Hui's help, the success rate of this matter has greatly increased.
“ bù guò ， nà shì yǐ hòu dé huà le 。 xū jiè mù hòu zào chéng shān hǎi biàn yì ， wǒ què shì dìng yào jǐn zǎo kuī tàn qīng chǔ de 。 wǒ xīn zhōng yǒu míng míng yù gǎn ， huò xǔ huì duì lǐng wù zhēn jiǎ zhī biàn 、 nǎi zhì hái zhēn zhòng sù shān hǎi ， yǒu zhe mò dà bāng zhù 。”
“不过，那是以后得话了。虚界幕后造成山海变易，我却是定要尽早窥探清楚的。我心中有冥冥预感，或许会对领悟真假之变、乃至还真重塑山海，有着莫大帮助。”
Li Fan immediately stepped back, no longer mentioning the topic.
shǒu qiū huí xiǎng shàng yī shì zì jǐ jīng lì ， yě shì ruò yǒu suǒ sī ：“ xū jiè gēn shān hǎi bó yì ， yǐ shè jí shān hǎi jiān zuì dǐng jí de lì liàng jiāo fēng 。 rú tóng yī pán chí xù wú shù zài qí jú 。”
守丘回想上一世自己经历，也是若有所思：“虚界跟山海博弈，已涉及山海间最顶级的力量交锋。如同一盘持续无数载棋局。”
The infusion of true essence did indeed provide a revolutionary aid in reuniting with the Sea and Mountains. Not only could it generate an endless supply of potential Sage candidates but also ensure that the Sages wouldn't be concerned about Dao Yin's erosion, allowing them to focus entirely on restoring the Sea and Mountains.
“ zhēn jiǎ zhī biàn ， zài zào shān hǎi 。 huò kě kàn zuò jiāng qí pán nèi wài ， yī qiè sàn luò qí zi ， jǐn guī yuán chù 。 cóng qí pán biàn huà ， kuī qí pán wài zhī shǒu ……”
“真假之变，再造山海。或可看做将棋盘内外，一切散落棋子，尽归原处。从棋盘变化，窥棋盘外之手……”
Just as Li Fan had experienced in previous lives, what was once a massive project requiring careful attention from all three Sages became something they could accomplish with ease.
“ yīng dāng kě xíng 。”
“应当可行。”
After their first successful reunion, the Sages rejoiced at their newfound fortune. However, the Three Sages looked towards ancient times, sensing their impending demise.
tīng wén shǒu qiū zhī yán ， lǐ fán xīn zhōng gèng dǔ dìng zì jǐ jì huà 。
听闻守丘之言，李凡心中更笃定自己计划。
"May I ask if there are any issues ahead?"
shāng yì le yī fān hòu ， biàn yī jì ér xíng 。
商议了一番后，便依计而行。
Master Qiuxiu asked.
zhè yī shì yóu yú méi yǒu xuǎn zé jì chéng xiū wèi ， cóng yán gé yì yì shàng lái jiǎng ， lǐ fán cǐ kè de jìng jiè ， yī rán hái shì fán rén 。
这一世由于没有选择继承修为，从严格意义上来讲，李凡此刻的境界，依然还是凡人。
After some thought, the Three Sages revealed that they faced a life-threatening situation in the Sea and Mountains.
dàn yǐ lǐ fán rú jīn yuè lì ， cóng fán rén yí bù bù zhòng huí shèng zhě zhī jìng ， bìng bú shì shén me nán shì 。
但以李凡如今阅历，从凡人一步步重回圣者之境，并不是什么难事。
This immediately dampened the joyful atmosphere of the other side.
bù guò wèi le fáng zhǐ yì wài fā shēng ， shǒu qiū xū yǐng lí qù zhī qián ， hái shì liú xià le yī dào lì liàng yòng yǐ fáng shēn 。
不过为了防止意外发生，守丘虚影离去之前，还是留下了一道力量用以防身。
Li Fan solemnly said: "The Three Sages are our support. Their success is crucial to reuniting with the Sea and Mountains; we cannot afford any mistakes. Since there's trouble ahead, we should quickly provide aid!"
lǐ fán bù zài píng zì jǐ suǒ guān xiǎng shén zhī yǐng ， yǐ shān hǎi shèng zhě gāo diào chéng shèng 。 ér shì àn bù jiù bān xiū xíng 。
李凡不再凭自己所观想神之影，以山海圣者高调成圣。而是按部就班修行。
"One more difficulty for the Three Sages in a segment of time—what difference does it make if we join them?"
suǒ xuǎn dào tú ， zhèng shì 【 zhòu huí 】 yī dào 。
所选道途，正是【宙廻】一道。
His words were filled with righteous indignation and passion.
"Being able to see what was originally unseen is already a great fortune. There's no need to demand too much; just proceed and observe."
With this principle in mind, Master Qiuxiu had no qualms about his half-utilitarian, half-cooperative relationship with Li Fan.
"In the previous life, you directly achieved sainthood using the image of the Sea and Mountains, which was a bit too ostentatious. Remember that even just pouring true essence can attract the attention of all three Sages. It would be better to remain low-key and quietly assist in restoring the Sea and Mountains."
"Regarding the incident with the spatial rift where the Sea and Mountains perished, I suggest we observe it silently. Even if the Three Sages disappear for a while, it won't affect their overall strength. On the contrary, the weaker they are around us, the more you can contribute. Even the transfer of power in the璇玑 ring might be possible."
"Of course, if you want to act independently without the Three Sages, that's fine too. But my suggestion is still to hide behind the Three Sages when we first arrive at the Sea and Mountains..."
Master Qiuxiu analyzed calmly, presenting only benefits without interfering with Li Fan's choices.
After discussing thoroughly, they proceeded according to their plan.
This life did not choose to inherit cultivation, so strictly speaking, Li Fan was still a mere mortal in terms of cultivation level. However, given his current experience, regaining the Sage realm from a mortal state wasn't particularly difficult.
To prevent any unexpected incidents, Master Qiuxiu left behind some protective force before departing.
Instead of achieving sainthood by visualizing the divine shadow, Li Fan followed the path step-by-step. He chose to follow the path of [Zhou Hui].
Although it was a step-by-step process, his profound understanding of the Zhou Hui path and familiarity with the possibilities allowed him to make rapid progress.
In just three hundred years, he ascended to the Sage realm, shaking the Sea and Mountains!
"The cycle of rebirth itself is a great fortune."
Through personal practice, Li Fan gained new insights into the Zhou Hui path. On the panel for True Essence Returning to the Dao, the character "Second Zhou Hui" began to change.
The brilliance gradually faded, revealing its true simplicity like returning to its original state after washing away all pretense.
It seemed no different from other characters at first glance.
But as the master of Zhou Hui, Li Fan could clearly feel that Second Zhou Hui had finally gained recognition from True Essence.
Li Fan looked at the empty positions in the Dao Returning to Truth hall with a mysterious gleam in his eyes.
"Perhaps entering True Essence isn't about integrating into it. It's more about returning to their original states."
"The Sea and Mountains path originates from the gods, but after the division of the Sea and Mountains, they were tainted by changes. Only by removing the influence of the Sea and Mountains can we restore them to their essence."
These insights would not have been possible without personally experiencing the journey again.
Under Master Qiuxiu's influence, Li Fan gained these realizations, further confirming his wisdom in bringing Master Qiuxiu into True Essence.
Achieving sainthood through Zhou Hui did not attract as much attention as before. He simply went to the other side and sat in the璇玑 ring under the guise of "Master Qiuxiu's friend."
However, after inadvertently revealing his true essence infusion abilities, Li Fan once again caught the attention of the other Sages.
The origin of this ability remained a mystery to him.
---
It was speculated that it might be related to the Heavenly Net Emperor.
"When the Immortal Realm was devoured by Dao Yin, I narrowly escaped death. My main body perished, leaving only a fragment of true essence, which fled into the lower world's star sea. It took many rebirths for me to reach this point. After reincarnation, I noticed some inexplicable changes in myself—my talents had surpassed my past, and there were even strange anomalies."
"Despite much contemplation, it might be related to that mad plan of the Heavenly Net Emperor."
"I asked Master Qiuxiu; he benefited after our hometown disappeared, but his influence was less noticeable due to his higher strength," Li Fan said with a frown.
Master Qiuxiu nodded in agreement.
With Master Qiuxiu's testimony, the credibility of Li Fan's statements increased significantly.
The other Sages in the璇玑 ring all showed signs of contemplation.
Li Fan seized the opportunity to ask: "Given your abilities, shouldn't you have noticed any signs when my hometown underwent such a change?"
"Everything is constantly changing. The possibility of sudden disappearance is unknown. We are not omniscient; it's not surprising that we might miss something," Taiyi Sage said with a smile.
Taiyi paused as if in contemplation.
"After mentioning Zhou Hui, I indeed felt an unusual premonition at the moment."
The Three Sages exchanged glances and stopped speaking abruptly.
After some time, Lian Shan spoke: "It feels like we missed a great opportunity. The sensation of that opportunity is similar to when we achieved enlightenment."
"But it was just a fleeting, very subtle premonition. We wouldn't have noticed without Zhou Hui's reminder today."
"Regarding the Heavenly Net Emperor..."
"The Sea and Mountains were created by divine forces; apart from the Sea and Mountains' virtual realm, there's nothing else. If they want to transcend again, where can they go? The blessings we received might not be a result of successful transcendence but could be remnants of the sudden disappearance of all possibilities along with the Heavenly Net Emperor and other divine artifacts."
Master Qiuxiu understood Lian Shan's meaning: "In other words, our changes might have been caused by that object the Heavenly Net Emperor was guarding? Such an extraordinary change must be a great fortune."
Returning to the Sea smiled: "Everything is now empty, so we can't know for sure. But perhaps there are still some clues in the old Sea and Mountains. When we reunite with the Sea and Mountains and cross over to when the Heavenly Net Emperor was still around, we can investigate this directly."
"With Master Zhou Hui's help, the success rate of this matter has greatly increased.
Li Fan immediately stepped back, no longer mentioning the topic.
The infusion of true essence did indeed provide a revolutionary aid in reuniting with the Sea and Mountains. Not only could it generate an endless supply of potential Sage candidates but also ensure that the Sages wouldn't be concerned about Dao Yin's erosion, allowing them to focus entirely on restoring the Sea and Mountains.
Just as Li Fan had experienced in previous lives, what was once a massive project requiring careful attention from all three Sages became something they could accomplish with ease.
After their first successful reunion, the Sages rejoiced at their newfound fortune. However, the Three Sages looked towards ancient times, sensing their impending demise.
"May I ask if there are any issues ahead?"
Master Qiuxiu asked.
After some thought, the Three Sages revealed that they faced a life-threatening situation in the Sea and Mountains.
This immediately dampened the joyful atmosphere of the other side.
Li Fan solemnly said: "The Three Sages are our support. Their success is crucial to reuniting with the Sea and Mountains; we cannot afford any mistakes. Since there's trouble ahead, we should quickly provide aid!"
"One more difficulty for the Three Sages in a segment of time—what difference does it make if we join them?"
His words were filled with righteous indignation and passion.