qián fāng shān hǎi ， liù shèng áo dòu sì hū gāng gāng kāi shǐ 。
前方山海，六圣鏖斗似乎刚刚开始。
In front of the mountains and seas, it seemed that the six sages' fierce battle had just begun.
xū jiè zhōng yú bō jiàn qǐ ， sān shèng běn zūn shàng wèi chéng xiàn kuì bài qū shì 。 gù ér shān hǎi shàng hái wú yàng ， xuán jī huán nèi zhū shèng yī jiù duān zuò 。
虚界中余波渐起，三圣本尊尚未呈现溃败趋势。故而山海尚还无恙，璇玑环内诸圣依旧端坐。
In the Void Realm, ripples began to spread as the three sages showed no signs of retreat. Thus, the mountains and seas remained unharmed, and the various sages within the璇玑环 still sat calmly.
yóu yú shǒu qiū héng dù ér lái ， gēn cǐ shí kōng zì jǐ hé yī 。
由于守丘横渡而来，跟此时空自己合一。
Since Shou Qiu crossed over, merging with this present moment, his expression shifted several times before he suddenly stood up.
shén qíng jǐ dù biàn huà jiān ， huò rán qǐ shēn 。
神情几度变化间，豁然起身。
Amidst the collective gaze, he headed towards where the six sages were battling.
zhòng mù kuí kuí zhī xià ， cháo zhe liù shèng áo dòu suǒ zài ér qù 。
众目睽睽之下，朝着六圣鏖斗所在而去。
The other sages expressed surprise but did not follow him.
qí yú zhū shèng chà yì chí yí ， què yě méi yǒu shuí xuǎn zé gēn shàng 。
其余诸圣诧异迟疑，却也没有谁选择跟上。
"We should stick to what the three sages said and wait and see."
“ wú děng hái shì yī sān shèng suǒ yán ， jìng guān qí biàn cái shì 。”
“吾等还是依三圣所言，静观其变才是。”
"Agreed. The three sages have not revealed the dangers of the Void Realm. But since they find this trouble difficult, we indeed lack the right to intervene. Going there won't help; it might just become a burden."
“ bù cuò ， sān shèng wèi céng yán míng xū jiè zhōng xiōng xiǎn wèi hé 。 dàn jì rán shì tā men dōu gǎn dào jí shǒu de má fán ， wú děng dí què méi yǒu chā shǒu de zī gé 。 qián qù fēi dàn bāng bù shàng shén me máng ， fǎn ér chéng wéi tuō lěi 。”
“不错，三圣未曾言明虚界中凶险为何。但既然是祂们都感到棘手的麻烦，吾等的确没有插手的资格。前去非但帮不上什么忙，反而成为拖累。”
"The three sages say that things may change while waiting. We just don't know where these changes will come from."
“ sān shèng shuō jìng děng zhōng ， huò yǒu biàn shù shēng qǐ 。 jiù shì bù zhī nà biàn shù jiū jìng cóng hé ér lái ？”
“三圣说静等中，或有变数生起。就是不知那变数究竟从何而来？”
"Why has Shou Qiu, who is usually so steady, suddenly changed his stance?"
“ shǒu qiū xiàng lái wěn zhòng ， bù zhī wèi hé hū yǒu cǐ fān biàn huà ？”
“守丘向来稳重，不知为何忽有此番变化？”
Thoughts swirled in the minds of those like Qi Jī and Guǐ Mìng, but they couldn't figure it out.
qiè jī 、 guǐ mìng děng rén sī xù yǒng dòng ， què xiǎng bù chū gè suǒ yǐ rán lái 。
窃机、晷命等人思绪涌动，却想不出个所以然来。
Shou Qiu and Dào Dé had already merged with this present moment and quietly arrived at where the six sages were battling. With experience from a previous life, their infiltration was more patient.
ér wán chéng zì wǒ hé yī de shǒu qiū 、 dào dé ， yǐ jīng gēn lǐ fán qiǎo rán lái dào le xū jiè zhōng ， liù shèng áo dòu suǒ zài 。
而完成自我合一的守丘、道德，已经跟李凡悄然来到了虚界中，六圣鏖斗所在。
They hid in the shadows, observing every change on the battlefield without revealing themselves until the Void Realm avatar unleashed its innate ferocity all at once.
yǒu le shàng yī shì de jīng yàn ， zhè cì qián fú de gèng jiā nài xīn 。
有了上一世的经验，这次潜伏的更加耐心。
It tethered mountains to seas, suppressed the return of the sea with turtle shells, and captured Taiyi!
zhǐ shì duǒ zài àn chù ， guān chá zhàn chǎng yī qiè biàn huà 。
只是躲在暗处，观察战场一切变化。
Initially, even the three sages hesitated to use their own innate ferocity against each other, still wary of something deep within them.
nǎ pà sān shèng běn zūn kàn shàng qù zhú jiàn xiàn rù wēi jú ， yě méi yǒu qīng yì xiàn shēn 。
哪怕三圣本尊看上去逐渐陷入危局，也没有轻易现身。
Only when they could no longer hold on did they finally force themselves to do so.
zhí dào xū jiè huà shēn wèi le bì qí gōng yú yī yì ， shuài xiān shǐ chū xiān tiān xiōng lì 。
直到虚界化身为了毕其功于一役，率先使出先天凶戾。
The innate ferocity balanced out, turning danger into safety for a time. The battle once again reached an impasse.
mìng shéng suǒ lián shān ， guī ké zhèn guī hǎi ， zǔ gǔ qín tài yì ！
命绳索连山，龟壳镇归海，祖骨擒太易！
Li Fan and his companions observed every subtle change.
sān shèng zuì chū réng bù kěn jì chū zì shēn suǒ chí xiān tiān xiōng lì duì dí ， sì hū nèi xīn shēn chù yī rán zài jì dàn zhe shén me 。
三圣最初仍不肯祭出自身所持先天凶戾对敌，似乎内心深处依然在忌惮着什么。
"Shou Qiu, what does the three sages fear?"
zhí dào zì shēn zài nán zhī chēng ， zhè cái zhōng jiū bèi pò jiāng qí shǐ chū 。
直到自身再难支撑，这才终究被迫将其使出。
Dào Dé and Shou Qiu felt the hesitation in the three sages' actions as well.
xiān tiān xiōng lì hù xiāng qiān zhì ， yī shí jiān zhuǎn wēi wéi ān 。
先天凶戾互相牵制，一时间转危为安。
"Even if we die, it's just one segment of time. On a grand scale, the three sages still exist. Moreover, they have the [Hunyuan Immortal Body] ability, so even death might not be as catastrophic as we imagine. They are more worried about the mountains and seas being completely cut off."
chǎng miàn zài dù xiàn rù jiāng jú zhī zhōng 。
场面再度陷入僵局之中。
"Judging by their actions now, while the innate ferocity is suppressed, there's still a risk of backlash. If that happens..."
lǐ fán sān rén ， jiāng yī qiè xì wēi biàn huà kàn zài yǎn lǐ 。
李凡三人，将一切细微变化看在眼里。
"It could affect not just one segment of time but all three sages," Shou Qiu said after observing for some time.
“ shǒu qiū kě zhī ， sān shèng dào dǐ zài jì dàn hé wù ？”
“守丘可知，三圣到底在忌惮何物？”
Dào Dé seemed to be thinking as well: "Dao Yan divided the mountains and seas into countless segments, each isolated from one another. However, the innate ferocity comes from a fallen true god; it might still penetrate through the Void Realm's barriers."
dào dé 、 shǒu qiū tóng yàng gǎn shòu dào le sān shèng suǒ biǎo xiàn chū lái de yóu yí 。
道德、守丘同样感受到了三圣所表现出来的犹疑。
"If we can successfully trigger backlash in one segment of the mountains and seas, we could use this to expand the impact across all of the mountains and seas, thus escaping our suppression."
“ jiù suàn shēn sǐ ， yě bù guò shì yī duàn shí kōng zhōng xiāo shī 。 zài shān hǎi zhěng tǐ céng miàn shàng ， sān shèng yī rán cún zài 。 gèng hé kuàng sān shèng hái yǒu 【 hùn yuán bù miè 】 zhī shén tōng ， shēn yǔn de suǒ zào chéng sǔn shī kǒng pà bǐ wǒ men xiǎng xiàng zhōng de hái yào shǎo 。 xiāng bǐ yú zì jǐ bèi xū jiè huà shēn suǒ jī shā ， sān shèng fǎn dào shì gèng dān xīn shān hǎi chè dǐ duàn lián yī xiē 。”
“就算身死，也不过是一段时空中消失。在山海整体层面上，三圣依然存在。更何况三圣还有【混元不灭】之神通，身陨的所造成损失恐怕比我们想象中的还要少。相比于自己被虚界化身所击杀，三圣反倒是更担心山海彻底断联一些。”
"Thus, subduing the innate ferility is not as easy as they say. The fragmentary spirits they sent out must..."
“ cóng yǎn qián sān shèng de biǎo xiàn lái kàn ， xiān tiān xiōng lì suǒ bèi tā men zhèn yā shōu fú 。 què réng yǒu fǎn shì zhī wēi 。 ér yí dàn bèi qí fǎn shì ……”
“从眼前三圣的表现来看，先天凶戾所被祂们镇压收服。却仍有反噬之危。而一旦被其反噬……”
Recalling the unprecedented caution shown by the three sages when sending out their fragmentary spirits, Li Fan nodded slightly.
“ kǒng pà suǒ yǐng xiǎng de ， jiù bù jǐn jǐn shì mǒu yī shí duàn de sān shèng le 。” shǒu qiū mù guāng shēn chù ， guān chá le yī duàn shí jiān hòu ， xú xú shuō dào 。
“恐怕所影响的，就不仅仅是某一时段的三圣了。”守丘目光深处，观察了一段时间后，徐徐说道。
The battle in the Void Realm continued.
dào dé yě ruò yǒu suǒ sī ：“ dào yān jiāng shān hǎi fēn chéng wú shù ， gè zì duàn jué 、 wú fǎ gōu lián 。 bù guò xiān tiān xiōng lì bì jìng lái zì nà yǔn luò zhēn shén ， huò xǔ néng chuān tòu xū jiè zǔ gé 。 bǐ cǐ jiān réng cún zài xì wēi lián xì 。”
道德也若有所思：“道湮将山海分成无数，各自断绝、无法勾连。不过先天凶戾毕竟来自那陨落真神，或许能穿透虚界阻隔。彼此间仍存在细微联系。”
Relying on the seemingly endless power of the Void Realm for support, the avatar fought recklessly and without restraint.
“ ruò néng yú qí zhōng yī duàn shān hǎi chéng gōng fǎn shì sān shèng ， biàn kě jiè jī jiāng yǐng xiǎng kuò dà dào zhěng gè shān hǎi 。 cóng ér bǎi tuō zì shēn bèi zhèn yā mìng yùn 。”
“若能于其中一段山海成功反噬三圣，便可借机将影响扩大到整个山海。从而摆脱自身被镇压命运。”
While the three sages were at a disadvantage, they still had deep reserves.
“ rú cǐ shuō lái ， sān shèng xiáng fú xiān tiān xiōng lì ， yě wèi bì xiàng shuō de nà bān qīng sōng 。 gè zì sòng chū 、 jiā zhū wú shēn de nà yī dào fēn shén ， kǒng pà ……”
“如此说来，三圣降服先天凶戾，也未必像说的那般轻松。各自送出、加诸吾身的那一道分神，恐怕……”
Despite the peril, they remained unbroken.
huí xiǎng qǐ xiān qián sān shèng fēn shén shí xiǎn lù chū de qián suǒ wèi yǒu jǐn shèn mú yàng ， lǐ fán wēi wēi diǎn tóu 。
回想起先前三圣分神时显露出的前所未有谨慎模样，李凡微微点头。
Li Fan and his companions knew that the three sages' fate was sealed but never showed themselves.
xū jiè zhōng áo dòu jì xù 。
虚界中鏖斗继续。
In their patient wait, they comprehended the six sages' battle techniques.
xū jiè huà shēn yǎng zhàng zhe xū jiè kān chēng wú qióng wú jìn lì liàng zhī yuán ， sì wú jì dàn 、 bù jì xiāo hào 。
虚界化身仰仗着虚界堪称无穷无尽力量支援，肆无忌惮、不计消耗。
With their profound understanding of the mountains and seas, each of them grasped different angles. Their shared insights intertwined, merging into a cohesive whole.
ér sān shèng suī xiàn rù liè shì ， dàn bì jìng dǐ yùn shēn hòu 。
而三圣虽陷入劣势，但毕竟底蕴深厚。
Their progress was far beyond a day's worth; it was almost as if Li Fan had directly attained enlightenment in the Grand Dao True Hall.
wēi ér bù miè 。
危而不灭。
As they say, knowing oneself and one’s enemy is key. Even with true and false dao paths, Li Fan did not think that understanding the three sages' ways would be useless.
lǐ fán sān rén què yǐ zhī sān shèng zhù dìng xiāo wáng jié jú ， shǐ zhōng bù céng lòu miàn 。
李凡三人却已知三圣注定消亡结局，始终不曾露面。
"The civilization of the mountains and seas, the life of the mountains and seas, the dao of the mountains and seas."
yú nài xīn děng dài zhōng ， gǎn wù liù shèng dòu fǎ 。
于耐心等待中，感悟六圣斗法。
"Seeing the three sages is like seeing the mountains and seas themselves."
sān rén wù xìng jiē shì shān hǎi dǐng jiān 。 rén shēng jīng lì 、 suǒ zhí dào tú bù tóng ， gǎn wù jiǎo dù yě gè chā yì 。 tóng xīn tóng dé jiā chí xià ， sān rén suǒ wù bǐ cǐ jiāo zhī 、 róng huì guàn tōng 。
三人悟性皆是山海顶尖。人生经历、所执道途不同，感悟角度也各差异。同心同德加持下，三人所悟彼此交织、融会贯通。
The insights in his heart resonated with what he had learned from Shēnzhēn's [Outline of Mountains and Seas Changes]. The once hollow data shadows gradually became more substantial.
jìn jìng yòu hé zhǐ yī rì qiān lǐ 。
进境又何止一日千里。
Li Fan felt that if he were to attain the Sage of the Mountains and Seas again, his power would be even greater than before.
xiào lǜ jī hū bù ruò yú lǐ fán yú dà dào guī zhēn diàn táng zhōng zhí jiē wù dào le 。
效率几乎不弱于李凡于大道归真殿堂中直接悟道了。
With their insatiable thirst for knowledge, they drew nourishment from the six sages' battle.
zhèng suǒ wèi zhī jǐ zhī bǐ ， suī shēn huái zhēn jiǎ dà dào ， lǐ fán què bìng bù rèn wéi wù sān shèng zhī dào wú yòng 。
正所谓知己知彼，虽身怀真假大道，李凡却并不认为悟三圣之道无用。
The final act of this battle finally unfolded quietly.
“ shān hǎi zhī wén míng ， shān hǎi zhī shēng líng ， shān hǎi zhī dà dào 。”
“山海之文明，山海之生灵，山海之大道。”
Around the three sages, countless threads representing the mountains and seas had become rusted like they were eroded by wind and frost. The transformations slowed down, and a sense of death slowly rose.
“ wú děng jiàn sān shèng ， jǐ rú jiàn shān hǎi 。”
“吾等见三圣，几如见山海。”
Feeling the signs of impending doom for the three sages, new ripples emerged in the Void Realm.
xīn zhōng suǒ wù ， yǔ dé zì hái zhēn 【 shān hǎi biàn huà gāng yào 】 liǎng xiāng yìn zhèng 。 yuán běn zhǐ shì kōng dòng de shù jù xū yǐng ， jiàn jiàn biàn dé fēng mǎn qǐ lái 。
心中所悟，与得自还真【山海变化纲要】两相印证。原本只是空洞的数据虚影，渐渐变得丰满起来。
The three sages' avatars showed grim expressions as they spawned more innate ferocity from the Void Realm.
lǐ fán xīn yǒu yù gǎn ， ruò shì zì jǐ xià yī shì zài zhèng shān hǎi shèng zhě ， wēi shì dìng gèng shèng cóng qián 。
李凡心有预感，若是自己下一世再证山海圣者，威势定更胜从前。
It descended upon their true forms!
sān rén rú jī sì kě ， cóng liù shèng áo dòu zhōng jí qǔ yǎng fèn 。
三人如饥似渴，从六圣鏖斗中汲取养分。
"Act now!"
ér zhè chǎng zhàn dòu zuì hòu mù ， zhōng yú qiǎo rán dēng cháng 。
而这场战斗最后幕，终于悄然登场。
Before Shou Qiu's words had finished, he stepped forward and appeared on the battlefield.
sān shèng zhōu zāo ， dài biǎo shān hǎi de wú shù xì xiàn ， fǎng fú zāo shòu fēng shuāng qīn shí bān ， yǐ jīng xiù jì bān bān 。 yùn zhuàn biàn huàn yuè lái yuè màn ， sǐ jì zhī yì xú xú shēng téng ér qǐ 。
三圣周遭，代表山海的无数细线，仿佛遭受风霜侵蚀般，已经锈迹斑斑。运转变换越来越慢，死寂之意徐徐升腾而起。
Carrying the god of the sea returning to its source, he went to save Taiyi.
gǎn yìng dào le sān shèng de jiāng sǐ zhī zhào ， xū jiè zhōng ， yòu yǒu àn bō yǒng dòng 。
感应到了三圣的将死之兆，虚界中，又有暗波涌动。
As the second piece of ancestral bone was about to attach to Taiyi's body, it was gently stopped by Shou Qiu.
sān shèng xū yǐng miàn lù zhēng níng zhī sè ， yòu cóng xū jiè zhōng yǎn huà chū xīn de xiān tiān xiōng lì 。
三圣虚影面露狰狞之色，又从虚界中衍化出新的先天凶戾。
Li Fan and Dào Dé also acted simultaneously.
jiàng lín běn zūn shēn qū ！
降临本尊身躯！
Dào Dé held Taiyi's spirit to help Lian Shan resist the命绳's intrusion.
“ dòng shǒu ！”
“动手！”
Li Fan, embodying Lian Shan, helped the sea return escape its fate of being trapped under a turtle shell.
shǒu qiū huà yīn wèi luò ， biàn yī bù tà chū ， shū rán xiàn yú chǎng zhōng 。
守丘话音未落，便一步踏出，倏然现于场中。
Seeing Li Fan and his companions suddenly appear, Shou Qiu's calm face showed surprise.
shēn xié guī hǎi zhī shén ， què shì qù jiě tài yì zhī wēi 。
身携归海之神，却是去解太易之危。
But he quickly understood when he sensed their fragmentary spirits.
dì èr méi zǔ gǔ jí jiāng xī fù tài yì shēn qū zhī jì ， bèi shǒu qiū qīng qīng dǎng xià 。
第二枚祖骨即将吸附太易身躯之际，被守丘轻轻挡下。
"Use divine power to restrain them with your thoughts."
lǐ fán yǔ dào dé yě shì tóng shí chū shǒu 。
李凡与道德也是同时出手。
The three sages' words echoed in his mind. They revealed the key to subduing the innate ferocity.
dào dé chí tài yì zhī shén ， bāng zhù lián shān dǐ yù mìng shéng qīn rǎo 。
道德持太易之神，帮助连山抵御命绳侵扰。
Though they were fighting separately, under the influence of their shared resolve, it felt as if they were one, witnessing the arrival of the innate ferocity together.
lǐ fán shēn jiān lián shān zhī shén ， zhù guī hǎi táo lí bèi guī ké zhèn yā mìng yùn 。
李凡身兼连山之神，助归海逃离被龟壳镇压命运。
Thunder roared and the earth shook as this was the first time after the mountains and seas' division that a remnant emerged.
jiāng yǔn sān shèng kàn zhe mò míng xiàn shēn de lǐ fán sān rén ， shǐ zhōng píng jìng de liǎn shàng zhōng yú shǎn guò yī sī cuò è 。
将陨三圣看着莫名现身的李凡三人，始终平静的脸上终于闪过一丝错愕。
It represented both the mountains and seas themselves and everything old that had been discarded by the new mountains and seas.
dàn hěn kuài ， gǎn shòu dào le tā men suǒ xié zì shēn yī lǚ shén niàn ， shà shí jiān míng bái guò lái 。
但很快，感受到了他们所携自身一缕神念，霎时间明白过来。
Its power was immeasurable, and it carried boundless resentment of the mountains and seas.
“ yǐ shén jū zhī ， yǐ niàn jiàng zhī 。”
“以神拘之，以念降之。”
"Why discard? Why change?"
sān shèng chuán yīn ， què shì shuō chū le tóng yàng xiáng fú xiān tiān xiōng lì zhī guān jiàn 。
三圣传音，却是说出了同样降服先天凶戾之关键。
"Discard what is useless; change to death!"
suī shuō shì fēn bié duì dí ， dàn zài tóng xīn tóng dé zuò yòng xià ， sān rén wǎn ruò yī tǐ 、 tóng shí mù dǔ le xiān tiān xiōng lì lái xí huà miàn 。
虽说是分别对敌，但在同心同德作用下，三人宛若一体、同时目睹了先天凶戾来袭画面。
"Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!"
tiān dì hōng míng sī hǒu ， shān hǎi fēn shén hòu de dì yī cì yǎn huà zhōng ， yǒu yí tuì shēng yān 。
天地轰鸣嘶吼，山海分神后的第一次衍化中，有遗蜕生焉。
From a tiny turtle shell,煞气 rose, carrying the weight of the mountains and seas, slamming down on Li Fan's head.
jì shì shān hǎi běn shēn ， tóng yàng yě dài biǎo zhe bèi xīn shān hǎi suǒ bǐng qì de yī qiè chén jiù guò wǎng 。
既是山海本身，同样也代表着被新山海所摒弃的一切陈旧过往。
"Why did you nurture me only to kill me?"
shì chén nán gū liáng ， yì yǒu shān hǎi wú qióng yuàn niàn ér shēng 。
势沉难估量，亦有山海无穷怨念而生。
"If I do not forgive, why should you?"
“ wèi hé qì zhī ？ wèi hé biàn zhī ？”
“为何弃之？为何变之？”
"Come with me!"
“ qì ér wú yòng ， biàn zhī wèi sǐ ！”
“弃而无用，变之为死！”
It seemed as if flesh was growing from the ancestral bone. A figure that had been dead for years suddenly came alive, glaring at Shou Qiu with hatred.
“ sǐ sǐ sǐ sǐ sǐ sǐ sǐ ！”
“死死死死死死死！”
"Why be born when it's already determined?"
xiǎo xiǎo yī piàn guī ké zhōng ， shā qì chōng tiān ， guǒ xié zhe shān hǎi zhī zhòng ， cháo zhe lǐ fán tóu dǐng hěn hěn zá lái 。
小小一片龟壳中，煞气冲天，裹挟着山海之重，朝着李凡头顶狠狠砸来。
"Why struggle when one is destined to die?"
“ shēng wǒ yǎng wǒ ， wèi hé shā wǒ ？”
“生我养我，为何杀我？”
"Just a futile existence!"
“ wǒ jì bù shè ， ěr yòu wèi hé ？”
“我既不赦，尔又为何？”
As the命绳wove together, Dào Dé vaguely saw another version of himself.
“ yǔ wǒ tóng qù bà ！”
“与我同去罢！”
...
fǎng fú yǒu xuè ròu cóng zǔ gǔ shàng zī shēng ， yī dào sǐ qù duō nián de shēn yǐng ， fǎng fú zài zhè chà nà jiān huó le guò lái 。 dīng zhe shǒu qiū ， miàn lù yuàn dú 。
仿佛有血肉从祖骨上滋生，一道死去多年的身影，仿佛在这刹那间活了过来。盯着守丘，面露怨毒。
"Use divine power to restrain them with your thoughts."
“ shēng ér jì dìng ， wèi hé ér shēng 。”
“生而既定，为何而生。”
The reminder from the three sages echoed in his mind once more.
“ qí mìng jì sǐ ， lù lù hé wèi ？”
“其命既死，碌碌何为？”
At the same time, their fragmentary spirits emerged, facing the innate ferocity head-on as a demonstration.
“ zhǐ bù guò kōng kōng yī cháng ！”
“只不过空空一场！”
"Let the old die, let the weak die, let those who deserve it die!" Lian Shan's spirit responded coldly to the turtle shell carrying boundless resentment.
mìng shéng biān zhī zhōng ， dào dé yǐn yuē kàn jiàn lìng wài yí gè zì jǐ 。
命绳编织中，道德隐约看见另外一个自己。
With just a flick of his finger, he stopped the turtle shell's overwhelming force.
In front of the mountains and seas, it seemed that the six sages' fierce battle had just begun.
In the Void Realm, ripples began to spread as the three sages showed no signs of retreat. Thus, the mountains and seas remained unharmed, and the various sages within the璇玑环 still sat calmly.
Since Shou Qiu crossed over, merging with this present moment, his expression shifted several times before he suddenly stood up.
Amidst the collective gaze, he headed towards where the six sages were battling.
The other sages expressed surprise but did not follow him.
"We should stick to what the three sages said and wait and see."
"Agreed. The three sages have not revealed the dangers of the Void Realm. But since they find this trouble difficult, we indeed lack the right to intervene. Going there won't help; it might just become a burden."
"The three sages say that things may change while waiting. We just don't know where these changes will come from."
"Why has Shou Qiu, who is usually so steady, suddenly changed his stance?"
Thoughts swirled in the minds of those like Qi Jī and Guǐ Mìng, but they couldn't figure it out.
Shou Qiu and Dào Dé had already merged with this present moment and quietly arrived at where the six sages were battling. With experience from a previous life, their infiltration was more patient.
They hid in the shadows, observing every change on the battlefield without revealing themselves until the Void Realm avatar unleashed its innate ferocity all at once.
It tethered mountains to seas, suppressed the return of the sea with turtle shells, and captured Taiyi!
Initially, even the three sages hesitated to use their own innate ferocity against each other, still wary of something deep within them.
Only when they could no longer hold on did they finally force themselves to do so.
The innate ferocity balanced out, turning danger into safety for a time. The battle once again reached an impasse.
Li Fan and his companions observed every subtle change.
"Shou Qiu, what does the three sages fear?"
Dào Dé and Shou Qiu felt the hesitation in the three sages' actions as well.
"Even if we die, it's just one segment of time. On a grand scale, the three sages still exist. Moreover, they have the [Hunyuan Immortal Body] ability, so even death might not be as catastrophic as we imagine. They are more worried about the mountains and seas being completely cut off."
"Judging by their actions now, while the innate ferocity is suppressed, there's still a risk of backlash. If that happens..."
"It could affect not just one segment of time but all three sages," Shou Qiu said after observing for some time.
Dào Dé seemed to be thinking as well: "Dao Yan divided the mountains and seas into countless segments, each isolated from one another. However, the innate ferocity comes from a fallen true god; it might still penetrate through the Void Realm's barriers."
"If we can successfully trigger backlash in one segment of the mountains and seas, we could use this to expand the impact across all of the mountains and seas, thus escaping our suppression."
"Thus, subduing the innate ferility is not as easy as they say. The fragmentary spirits they sent out must..."
Recalling the unprecedented caution shown by the three sages when sending out their fragmentary spirits, Li Fan nodded slightly.
The battle in the Void Realm continued.
Relying on the seemingly endless power of the Void Realm for support, the avatar fought recklessly and without restraint.
While the three sages were at a disadvantage, they still had deep reserves.
Despite the peril, they remained unbroken.
Li Fan and his companions knew that the three sages' fate was sealed but never showed themselves.
In their patient wait, they comprehended the six sages' battle techniques.
With their profound understanding of the mountains and seas, each of them grasped different angles. Their shared insights intertwined, merging into a cohesive whole.
Their progress was far beyond a day's worth; it was almost as if Li Fan had directly attained enlightenment in the Grand Dao True Hall.
As they say, knowing oneself and one’s enemy is key. Even with true and false dao paths, Li Fan did not think that understanding the three sages' ways would be useless.
"The civilization of the mountains and seas, the life of the mountains and seas, the dao of the mountains and seas."
"Seeing the three sages is like seeing the mountains and seas themselves."
The insights in his heart resonated with what he had learned from Shēnzhēn's [Outline of Mountains and Seas Changes]. The once hollow data shadows gradually became more substantial.
Li Fan felt that if he were to attain the Sage of the Mountains and Seas again, his power would be even greater than before.
With their insatiable thirst for knowledge, they drew nourishment from the six sages' battle.
The final act of this battle finally unfolded quietly.
Around the three sages, countless threads representing the mountains and seas had become rusted like they were eroded by wind and frost. The transformations slowed down, and a sense of death slowly rose.
Feeling the signs of impending doom for the three sages, new ripples emerged in the Void Realm.
The three sages' avatars showed grim expressions as they spawned more innate ferocity from the Void Realm.
It descended upon their true forms!
"Act now!"
Before Shou Qiu's words had finished, he stepped forward and appeared on the battlefield.
Carrying the god of the sea returning to its source, he went to save Taiyi.
As the second piece of ancestral bone was about to attach to Taiyi's body, it was gently stopped by Shou Qiu.
Li Fan and Dào Dé also acted simultaneously.
Dào Dé held Taiyi's spirit to help Lian Shan resist the命绳's intrusion.
Li Fan, embodying Lian Shan, helped the sea return escape its fate of being trapped under a turtle shell.
Seeing Li Fan and his companions suddenly appear, Shou Qiu's calm face showed surprise.
But he quickly understood when he sensed their fragmentary spirits.
"Use divine power to restrain them with your thoughts."
The three sages' words echoed in his mind. They revealed the key to subduing the innate ferocity.
Though they were fighting separately, under the influence of their shared resolve, it felt as if they were one, witnessing the arrival of the innate ferocity together.
Thunder roared and the earth shook as this was the first time after the mountains and seas' division that a remnant emerged.
It represented both the mountains and seas themselves and everything old that had been discarded by the new mountains and seas.
Its power was immeasurable, and it carried boundless resentment of the mountains and seas.
"Why discard? Why change?"
"Discard what is useless; change to death!"
"Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!"
From a tiny turtle shell,煞气 rose, carrying the weight of the mountains and seas, slamming down on Li Fan's head.
"Why did you nurture me only to kill me?"
"If I do not forgive, why should you?"
"Come with me!"
It seemed as if flesh was growing from the ancestral bone. A figure that had been dead for years suddenly came alive, glaring at Shou Qiu with hatred.
"Why be born when it's already determined?"
"Why struggle when one is destined to die?"
"Just a futile existence!"
As the命绳wove together, Dào Dé vaguely saw another version of himself.
...
"Use divine power to restrain them with your thoughts."
The reminder from the three sages echoed in his mind once more.
At the same time, their fragmentary spirits emerged, facing the innate ferocity head-on as a demonstration.
"Let the old die, let the weak die, let those who deserve it die!" Lian Shan's spirit responded coldly to the turtle shell carrying boundless resentment.
With just a flick of his finger, he stopped the turtle shell's overwhelming force.