lián shān ， shān hǎi zhī wén míng 。
连山，山海之文明。
Mount Lian, the civilization of mountains and seas.
guī hǎi ， shān hǎi zhī shēng líng 。
归海，山海之生灵。
Return to the Sea, the life forms of mountains and seas.
tài yì ， shān hǎi zhī dà dào 。
太易，山海之大道。
Great Simplicity, the great way of mountains and seas.
sān shèng ， jí kě dà yuē dài biǎo shān hǎi běn shēn 。
三圣，即可大约代表山海本身。
The Three Sages, roughly representing the essence of the mountains and seas themselves.
zài lǐ fán de tuī dòng zhī xià ， sān shèng jiāng xuán jī huán nèi zhū shèng ， jiē tóu rù zì shēn màn cháng jì yì lǐ 。
在李凡的推动之下，三圣将璇玑环内诸圣，皆投入自身漫长记忆里。
Under Li Fan's guidance, the Three Sages immersed all the saints within the璇玑 ring (Xuanji Ring) into their extensive memories.
bìng fēi qǐ yú shān hǎi fēn shén zhī shí 。
并非起于山海分神之时。
This was not from when the mountains and seas separated; rather, it began as the primordial immortal realm fragmented and the mountains and seas gradually merged.
ér shì zì tài chū xiān jiè fēn bēng lí xī ， shān hǎi jiàn xiāng róng kāi shǐ 。
而是自太初仙界分崩离析，山海渐相融开始。
The experience of these memories did not create actual individual entities but gathered like green light points. The Three Sages' bodies saw and heard through three screens, positioned before the saints.
yīn shì tǐ yàn jì yì ， bìng méi yǒu fēn huà chū zhēn shí cún zài gè tǐ 。
因是体验记忆，并没有分化出真实存在个体。
It was merely "watching," yet the Three Sages imposed a sense of being present in those scenes, indistinguishable from personal experiences.
zhū shèng jiē rú yī méi méi lǜ sè guāng diǎn qí jù 。
诸圣皆如一枚枚绿色光点齐聚。
Through the eyes of the Three Sages, they vaguely glimpsed a corner of the true primordial immortal realm. Past concepts were now gradually becoming concrete and clear.
sān shèng shēn qū suǒ jiàn suǒ wén ， rú sān dào guāng píng fēn liè ， wèi yú zhū shèng miàn qián 。
三圣身躯所见所闻，如三道光屏分列，位于诸圣面前。
The primordial immortal realm was born and evolved after the mountains and seas separated and at the time of their initial creation. Perhaps it was because the True Gods were countless; the mountains and seas could not consume them all. Or perhaps when the True Gods fell, the mountains and seas did not claim everything either.
suǒ zhǐ shì “ guān kàn ”， què bèi sān shèng yǐ mò cè wěi lì shī jiā “ shēn lín qí jǐng ” zhī gǎn 。
所只是“观看”，却被三圣以莫测伟力施加“身临其景”之感。
In any case, within the primordial immortal realm, there were many extraordinary beings born naturally or nurtured by the earth, even those that fed on dao. The living creatures fought each other, with some coveting the mountains and seas for their miraculous encounters.
gēn zì jǐ qīn shēn jīng lì ， jǐ wú qū bié 。
跟自己亲身经历，几无区别。
All things competed; life flourished without boundaries, constraints, or taboos. Whoever lived or died, who existed or perished, was all a matter of personal ability.
jiè yóu sān shèng zhī yǎn ， tā men yǐn yuē kuī jiàn le zhēn zhèng tài chū xiān jiè de yī jiǎo 。 guò wǎng zhǐ shì kōng dòng gài niàn ， rú jīn què zhú jiàn biàn dé jù tǐ qīng xī qǐ lái 。
借由三圣之眼，他们隐约窥见了真正太初仙界的一角。过往只是空洞概念，如今却逐渐变得具体清晰起来。
The primordial immortal realm had existed for an unknown duration but could not last forever as the mountains and seas eventually met their end today.
tài chū xiān jiè ， dàn shēng yǎn huà yú shān hǎi fēn shén zhī hòu 、 shān hǎi chū chuàng zhī shí 。
太初仙界，诞生衍化于山海分神之后、山海初创之时。
Innumerable tiny black voids appeared in various corners of the primordial immortal realm, like terrifying whirlpools that consumed everything around them.
huò xǔ shì yīn wèi 【 zhēn shén 】 wú liàng 、 shān hǎi nàn yǐ xiāo hào tūn shì quán bù 。 yì huò zhě zài zhēn shén yǔn luò zhī jì ， shān hǎi yě bìng wèi duó de quán bù 。
或许是因为【真神】无量、山海难以消耗吞噬全部。亦或者在真神陨落之际，山海也并未夺得全部。
The foundational principles that formed the primordial immortal realm vanished instantly within these voids. The living creatures frantically struggled for survival, no longer caring about conflicts.
zǒng zhī tài chū xiān jiè nèi ， yǒu zhū duō tiān shēng dì yǎng qí yì cún zài ， shèn zhì yǒu yǐ dào wèi shí 。 shēng líng bǐ cǐ xiāng zhēng ， gèng yǒu jì yú shān hǎi tūn shén qí yù zhě 。
总之太初仙界内，有诸多天生地养奇异存在，甚至有以道为食。生灵彼此相争，更有觊觎山海吞神奇遇者。
Green light points flickered as the saints' thoughts intertwined.
wàn wù jìng zhēng ， shēng jī bó fā 。
万物竞争，生机勃发。
"The primordial immortal realm was such a magnificent existence, nurturing countless beings and dao. Yet it fell apart when the mountains and seas merged!"
wú jiè xiàn ， wú yuē shù ， wú jìn jì 。
无界限，无约束，无禁忌。
"Even if it was extraordinary, it was merely one of the many attempts by the mountains and seas. When the mountains and seas realized their destiny lay in merging, they naturally discarded it."
shuí sǐ shuí huó ， shuí cún shuí wáng 。
谁死谁活，谁存谁亡。
"Because the mountains and seas came into being with a thought and perished with another..."
quán dōu gè píng běn shì 。
全都各凭本事。
...
tài chū xiān jiè bù zhī cún zài le duō jiǔ 。 dàn shān hǎi shàng bù néng yǒng cún ， qí zhōng jiū shì yú jīn rì yíng lái le mò rì 。
太初仙界不知存在了多久。但山海尚不能永存，其终究是于今日迎来了末日。
"I didn't expect that even the Three Sages would feel fear."
wú shù xì xiǎo hēi sè kōng dòng ， chū xiàn zài tài chū xiān jiè gè gè jiǎo luò 。
无数细小黑色空洞，出现在太初仙界各个角落。
"This scene is eerily similar to our struggles before the Dao Annihilation. Our predecessors experienced everything we did billions of years ago. It seems the mountains and seas are like an immense cycle."
rú tóng kě bù xuán wō ， tūn shì zhōu zāo yī qiè 。
如同可怖漩涡，吞噬周遭一切。
...
gòu zhù tài chū xiān jiè de jī shí dào lǐ ， chà nà jiān xiāo shī qí zhōng 。
构筑太初仙界的基石道理，刹那间消失其中。
The primordial immortal realm fragmented, like a storm sweeping through its remaining inhabitants. Even the Three Sages could only be tiny insects in this wind, unable to resist the mountain-sea's overwhelming force. They could only struggle to maintain their existence.
shēng líng gè zì bēn zǒu zhèng mìng ， zài bù gù zhēng dòu 。
生灵各自奔走挣命，再不顾争斗。
Just moments ago, they were discussing with each other, but now, as time passed, they were swept into the mountain-sea's collapse and lost their ability to speak.
lǜ sè guāng diǎn bù duàn shǎn shuò ， zhū shèng yì niàn jiāo zhī 。
绿色光点不断闪烁，诸圣意念交织。
They realized how fortunate it was to have been protected by the primordial immortal realm.
“ tài chū xiān jiè ， hé děng huī hóng wěi àn de cún zài ， yùn yù dà dào 、 shēng líng wú shù 。 què bù xiǎng zài shān hǎi xiāng róng zhī xià ， yī zhāo fēn bēng lí xī ！”
“太初仙界，何等恢弘伟岸的存在，孕育大道、生灵无数。却不想在山海相融之下，一朝分崩离析！”
While similar to the annihilation brought by Dao Annihilation, there was a fundamental difference.
“ zòng shǐ hé děng bù fán ， yě bù guò shì shān hǎi de yī fān cháng shì bà le 。 dāng shān hǎi míng wù zì shēn sù mìng ， nǎi shì xiāng róng zhī hòu 。 qí zì rán jiù bèi pāo qì le 。”
“纵使何等不凡，也不过是山海的一番尝试罢了。当山海明悟自身宿命，乃是相融之后。其自然就被抛弃了。”
This storm was about the mountains and seas using everything to its fullest extent and eliminating any threats. All those that originated from the gods but were not absorbed earlier had to be reclaimed.
“ yīn shān hǎi yī niàn shēng ， yòu yīn shān hǎi yī niàn miè ……”
“因山海一念生，又因山海一念灭……”
Nothing else existed outside of the mountains and seas; no one could transcend them or stand above them. To survive in this storm, they had to become part of the mountain-sea.
“ méi xiǎng dào sān shèng nèi xīn ， dū huì shēng chū kǒng jù 。”
“没想到三圣内心，都会生出恐惧。”
The storm lasted for millions of years before finally subsiding.
“ cǐ fān jǐng xiàng ， dǎo shì xiàng jí le dào yān jiàng lín qián wú děng zhēng zhá huà miàn 。 wú děng jīng lì yī qiè ， bù xiǎng qiān yì nián qián qián bèi zǎo yǐ jīng lì guò 。 rú cǐ kàn lái ， shān hǎi fǎng ruò yí gè jù dà lún huí 。”
“此番景象，倒是像极了道湮降临前吾等挣扎画面。吾等经历一切，不想千亿年前前辈早已经历过。如此看来，山海仿若一个巨大轮回。”
If they themselves experienced it instead of just observing through the Three Sages' memories, only a fraction would have survived this ordeal.
……
……
As if having absorbed all the essence from the gods, the mountains and seas finally revealed their form.
tài chū xiān jiè fēn bēng lí xī ， wǎn ruò fēng bào ， wú qíng chuī juǎn zhe qí nèi cán cún shēng líng 。 jí biàn qiáng rú sān shèng ， yě zhǐ néng rú fēng zhōng pí fú ， rèn shòu fēng chuī yǔ dǎ 。 gēn běn wú fǎ dǐ kàng zhè shān hǎi dà shì ， zhǐ néng jié lì pū zhǎn chì bǎng ， wéi chí zì jǐ shēng cún 。
太初仙界分崩离析，宛若风暴，无情吹卷着其内残存生灵。即便强如三圣，也只能如风中蚍蜉，任受风吹雨打。根本无法抵抗这山海大势，只能竭力扑展翅膀，维持自己生存。
Infinite Sea, nurturing everything possible.
gāng gāng hái yǒu xīn qíng hù xiāng tǎo lùn de zhū shèng ， cǐ kè yě bàn suí zhe shí jiān de liú shì 、 zhòu rán xiàn rù dào shān hǎi bēng jiě de fēng bào zhōng ， màn màn quán dōu shī qù le yán yǔ de néng lì 。
刚刚还有心情互相讨论的诸圣，此刻也伴随着时间的流逝、骤然陷入到山海崩解的风暴中，慢慢全都失去了言语的能力。
Without time's concept, stars flickered on and off, life and death cycled endlessly, all continuously evolving and dissipating.
tā men fāng cái zhī xiǎo ， néng dé tài chū xiān jiè bì yòu ， jiū jìng shì hé děng xìng shì 。
他们方才知晓，能得太初仙界庇佑，究竟是何等幸事。
Above Mountain stood tall, representing eternal energy and foundations, like a pillar that allowed infinite possibilities to continue despite its intangible nature.
gēn dào yān xiāo mǐ yī qiè de jié nàn xiāng sì ， shí zhì què yòu bù tóng 。
跟道湮消弭一切的劫难相似，实质却又不同。
The mountains and seas coexisted, seemingly independent yet interdependent.
zhè chǎng fēng bào nǎi shì shān hǎi de wù jìn qí yòng 、 qīng chú yì jǐ 。
这场风暴乃是山海的物尽其用、清除异己。
"Companions of old... this original mountain-sea seems quite different from what we will see in the future?"
suǒ yǒu nà xiē céng yuán yú shén 、 tā men xiān qián què yòu méi yǒu xī shōu de ， rú jīn dōu yào chè dǐ shōu huí 。
所有那些曾源于神、祂们先前却又没有吸收的，如今都要彻底收回。
"The later mountain-seas, with their boundless possibilities, still exist within time's constraints, like countless great rivers converging. But at this moment..."
chú shān hǎi zhī wài ， zài wú tā wù 。
除山海之外，再无他物。
"Possible outcomes are like ripples on a tranquil pond, appearing and vanishing without affecting the infinite sea itself. Why force such a fusion?" doubts arose in the saints' minds.
wú chāo tuō zhě ， wú líng jià yú shān hǎi zhī shàng zhě 。
无超脱者，无凌驾于山海之上者。
However, these thoughts were only visible to observers; those within focused solely on survival!
xiǎng yào zài fēng bào zhōng shēng cún ， biàn zhǐ néng chéng wéi shān hǎi de yī bù fèn 。
想要在风暴中生存，便只能成为山海的一部分。
Compared to the once unrestricted paradise, the new mountain-sea's rules were incredibly strict and even harsh.
fēng bào zú zú chí xù le shù qiān wàn nián fāng cái tíng xī 。
风暴足足持续了数千万年方才停息。
No matter how powerful one was, they could not long endure. They had to live or die like the countless possibilities that constantly arose and vanished in the infinite sea.
ruò fēi zhǐ shì yú sān shèng jì yì zhōng guān mó 、 ér shì zì jǐ qīn zì jīng lì ， kǒng pà zhū shèng néng zài cǐ jié zhōng cún huó xià lái zhě ， shí bù cún yī 。
若非只是于三圣记忆中观摩、而是自己亲自经历，恐怕诸圣能在此劫中存活下来者，十不存一。
Even those who once dominated the primordial immortal realm now quietly faded away.
hǎo sì jiāng dé zì shén de jīng huá quán dōu xī shōu wán bì ， shān hǎi zhōng xiǎn qí xíng zhuàng 。
好似将得自神的精华全都吸收完毕，山海终显其形状。
For past beings, the new mountain-sea's rules were brutal but created a stable order.
wú xiàn hǎi ， yùn yù yī qiè kě néng 。
无限海，孕育一切可能。
...
wú shí jiān zhī gài niàn ， xīng guāng diǎn diǎn 、 shēng miè lún huí ， jiē zài qí zhōng bù tíng yǎn huà 、 xiāo sàn 。
无时间之概念，星光点点、生灭轮回，皆在其中不停衍化、消散。
Between the birth and death of possibilities seemed to follow some mysterious pattern. Despite the stars flickering within the pond, the water remained calm.
shàng fāng shān wēi é sǒng lì ， suī wú xíng wú xiāng 、 què dài biǎo zhe yǒng héng de néng liàng yǔ jī shí 。 hǎo sì zhī zhù ， zhèng yīn wèi yǒu shàng fāng shān de cún zài ， wú xiàn hǎi zhōng wú xiàn kě néng ， cái dé yǐ yán xù 。
上方山巍峨耸立，虽无形无相、却代表着永恒的能量与基石。好似支柱，正因为有上方山的存在，无限海中无限可能，才得以延续。
Above Mountain stood like pillars by the side of the pond.
shān hǎi xiāng yī 。 shì bǐ cǐ dú lì ， yòu hù xiāng yī cún 。
山海相依。似彼此独立，又互相依存。
The mountains and seas coexisted in balance and harmony.
“ zhū wèi ， zhè zuì chū shān hǎi …… sì hū gēn wú děng rì hòu suǒ jiàn ， dà bù xiāng tóng ？”
“诸位，这最初山海……似乎跟吾等日后所见，大不相同？”
Most companions had perished. The Three Sages were either hidden within or had already merged with the mountain-sea, waiting for their moment.
“ hòu shì shān hǎi ， suǒ wèi wú xiàn kě néng xìng 。 yě yī rán cún zài yú shí guāng cháng hé de xiàn zhì zhī zhōng ， rú tóng wàn qiān dà jiāng bìng liú 。 dàn cǐ shí shān hǎi ……”
“后世山海，所谓无限可能性。也依然存在于时光长河的限制之中，如同万千大江并流。但此时山海……”
The original mountain-sea was unusually tranquil.
“ kě néng xìng què rú yī wāng ān jìng chí táng zhōng ， bù shí dàng qǐ de yī dào dào bō wén 、 lián yī 。 chū xiàn ， xiāo sàn ， què bìng yǐng xiǎng wú xiàn hǎi běn shēn 。 xiāng jiào yú xiàn shì shān hǎi ， zuì chū shān hǎi zhī zhuàng tài ， wú yí gèng jiā wěn dìng 。 wèi hé yào qiáng xíng xiāng róng ne ？” yí wèn bù yóu yǒng shàng zhū shèng xīn tóu 。
“可能性却如一汪安静池塘中，不时荡起的一道道波纹、涟漪。出现，消散，却并影响无限海本身。相较于现世山海，最初山海之状态，无疑更加稳定。为何要强行相融呢？”疑问不由涌上诸圣心头。
Possibilities evolved simply, without strict definitions of life forms, just like algae-like entities.
bù guò tā men nèi xīn zhū bān xiǎng fǎ ， què zhǐ shì páng guān zhě cái néng fú xiàn 。 zhēn zhèng shēn chù qí jiān shēng líng ， xiàn zài zhǐ jù jiāo yú yī shì 。
不过他们内心诸般想法，却只是旁观者才能浮现。真正身处其间生灵，现在只聚焦于一事。
But as light points in the infinite sea flickered differently,
nà biàn shì huó xià qù ！
那便是活下去！
the form of possibility's evolution became richer.
xiāng jiào yú céng jīng bǎi wú jìn jì de lè tǔ ， chéng xíng hòu de shān hǎi guī jǔ zé shì wú bǐ sēn yán 。
相较于曾经百无禁忌的乐土，成型后的山海规矩则是无比森严。
Some possibilities saw the emergence of intelligent beings.
shèn zhì yǒu xiē cán kù 。
甚至有些残酷。
The Three Sages, struggling to survive under the mountain-sea's harsh rules, took this opportunity to retreat and catch their breath.
rèn píng shí lì rú hé ， yě wú fǎ cháng cún 。 zhǐ néng rú wú xiàn hǎi nèi bù tíng yǎn huà dàn shēng ér yòu xiāo wáng de wú shù kě néng xìng bān ， shēng sǐ bù yóu jǐ 。
任凭实力如何，也无法长存。只能如无限海内不停衍化诞生而又消亡的无数可能性般，生死不由己。
Compared to the naive new life forms, the Three Sages from the primordial immortal realm were true "saints."
nǎ pà xī rì yú tài chū xiān jiè zhōng xiào ào zòng héng ， rú jīn yě zhǐ dé mò mò xiāo wáng 。
哪怕昔日于太初仙界中笑傲纵横，如今也只得默默消亡。
But they did not intervene; instead, they silently observed.
shān hǎi xīn de guī zé ， duì yú guò qù de shēng líng ér yán ， wú yì shì cán kù wú bǐ de 。 rán ér què zhù zào le xīn de 、 zú gòu wěn dìng de zhì xù 。
山海新的规则，对于过去的生灵而言，无异是残酷无比的。然而却铸造了新的、足够稳定的秩序。
When they sensed that possibilities were about to vanish, they withdrew in time and sought survival within the infinite sea again.
kě néng xìng dàn shēng 、 xiāo wáng zhī jiān ， fǎng fú zūn xún mǒu zhǒng mò cè guī lǜ 。 chí táng nèi suī xīng guāng diǎn diǎn ， rán ér chí shuǐ què shǐ zhōng píng wěn rú chū 。
可能性诞生、消亡之间，仿佛遵循某种莫测规律。池塘内虽星光点点，然而池水却始终平稳如初。
How long passed, no one knew.
shàng fāng shān zé rú chí biān zhù shí 。
上方山则如池边柱石。
If nothing unexpected happened, perhaps the mountain-sea would remain tranquil forever.
shān hǎi xiāng yī ， píng héng hé xié 。
山海相依，平衡和谐。
One day, the infinite sea suddenly bubbled and churned without warning.
xī rì dà duō tóng bàn ， jǐn jiē xiāo wáng 。 sān shèng zé shì zhé fú yú shān hǎi zhī zhōng ， huò shì yǐ jīng guī yú shān hǎi 、 yì huò shì jìng dài shí jī 。
昔日大多同伴，尽皆消亡。三圣则是蛰伏于山海之中，或是已经归于山海、亦或是静待时机。
Stars filled the sky like a mirror reflecting scenes beyond the mountains and seas.
zuì chū de shān hǎi ， píng jìng yì cháng 。
最初的山海，平静异常。
The Three Sages looked up, hoping to catch a glimpse. But what they saw were fragmented images that instantly revealed why the mountain-sea was agitated!
qí zhōng yǎn huà kě néng xìng ， yě jí qí jiǎn jié 。
其中衍化可能性，也极其简洁。
After swallowing gods, the mountain-sea aimed to maintain an eternal state without time's passage.
shèn zhì dōu méi yǒu yán gé yì yì shàng de shēng líng de cún zài ， zhǐ shì zhū rú zǎo lèi de shēng mìng tǐ 。
甚至都没有严格意义上的生灵的存在，只是诸如藻类的生命体。
Timeless, it could exist indefinitely. It seemed successful at first.
bù guò suí zhe wú xiàn hǎi zhōng ， guāng diǎn bù tóng shǎn shuò 。
不过随着无限海中，光点不同闪烁。
But...
kě néng xìng de yǎn huà xíng shì ， yě màn màn biàn dé fēng fù qǐ lái 。
可能性的衍化形式，也慢慢变得丰富起来。
Outside the mountains and seas, time still quietly flowed! Without the mountain-seas' knowledge!
yī xiē kě néng xìng zhōng ， kāi shǐ yǒu zhì huì shēng mìng chū xiàn 。
一些可能性中，开始有智慧生命出现。
As if there had always been a pair of eyes coldly observing them from the start.
Mount Lian, the civilization of mountains and seas.
Return to the Sea, the life forms of mountains and seas.
Great Simplicity, the great way of mountains and seas.
The Three Sages, roughly representing the essence of the mountains and seas themselves.
Under Li Fan's guidance, the Three Sages immersed all the saints within the璇玑 ring (Xuanji Ring) into their extensive memories.
This was not from when the mountains and seas separated; rather, it began as the primordial immortal realm fragmented and the mountains and seas gradually merged.
The experience of these memories did not create actual individual entities but gathered like green light points. The Three Sages' bodies saw and heard through three screens, positioned before the saints.
It was merely "watching," yet the Three Sages imposed a sense of being present in those scenes, indistinguishable from personal experiences.
Through the eyes of the Three Sages, they vaguely glimpsed a corner of the true primordial immortal realm. Past concepts were now gradually becoming concrete and clear.
The primordial immortal realm was born and evolved after the mountains and seas separated and at the time of their initial creation. Perhaps it was because the True Gods were countless; the mountains and seas could not consume them all. Or perhaps when the True Gods fell, the mountains and seas did not claim everything either.
In any case, within the primordial immortal realm, there were many extraordinary beings born naturally or nurtured by the earth, even those that fed on dao. The living creatures fought each other, with some coveting the mountains and seas for their miraculous encounters.
All things competed; life flourished without boundaries, constraints, or taboos. Whoever lived or died, who existed or perished, was all a matter of personal ability.
The primordial immortal realm had existed for an unknown duration but could not last forever as the mountains and seas eventually met their end today.
Innumerable tiny black voids appeared in various corners of the primordial immortal realm, like terrifying whirlpools that consumed everything around them.
The foundational principles that formed the primordial immortal realm vanished instantly within these voids. The living creatures frantically struggled for survival, no longer caring about conflicts.
Green light points flickered as the saints' thoughts intertwined.
"The primordial immortal realm was such a magnificent existence, nurturing countless beings and dao. Yet it fell apart when the mountains and seas merged!"
"Even if it was extraordinary, it was merely one of the many attempts by the mountains and seas. When the mountains and seas realized their destiny lay in merging, they naturally discarded it."
"Because the mountains and seas came into being with a thought and perished with another..."
...
"I didn't expect that even the Three Sages would feel fear."
"This scene is eerily similar to our struggles before the Dao Annihilation. Our predecessors experienced everything we did billions of years ago. It seems the mountains and seas are like an immense cycle."
...
The primordial immortal realm fragmented, like a storm sweeping through its remaining inhabitants. Even the Three Sages could only be tiny insects in this wind, unable to resist the mountain-sea's overwhelming force. They could only struggle to maintain their existence.
Just moments ago, they were discussing with each other, but now, as time passed, they were swept into the mountain-sea's collapse and lost their ability to speak.
They realized how fortunate it was to have been protected by the primordial immortal realm.
While similar to the annihilation brought by Dao Annihilation, there was a fundamental difference.
This storm was about the mountains and seas using everything to its fullest extent and eliminating any threats. All those that originated from the gods but were not absorbed earlier had to be reclaimed.
Nothing else existed outside of the mountains and seas; no one could transcend them or stand above them. To survive in this storm, they had to become part of the mountain-sea.
The storm lasted for millions of years before finally subsiding.
If they themselves experienced it instead of just observing through the Three Sages' memories, only a fraction would have survived this ordeal.
As if having absorbed all the essence from the gods, the mountains and seas finally revealed their form.
Infinite Sea, nurturing everything possible.
Without time's concept, stars flickered on and off, life and death cycled endlessly, all continuously evolving and dissipating.
Above Mountain stood tall, representing eternal energy and foundations, like a pillar that allowed infinite possibilities to continue despite its intangible nature.
The mountains and seas coexisted, seemingly independent yet interdependent.
"Companions of old... this original mountain-sea seems quite different from what we will see in the future?"
"The later mountain-seas, with their boundless possibilities, still exist within time's constraints, like countless great rivers converging. But at this moment..."
"Possible outcomes are like ripples on a tranquil pond, appearing and vanishing without affecting the infinite sea itself. Why force such a fusion?" doubts arose in the saints' minds.
However, these thoughts were only visible to observers; those within focused solely on survival!
Compared to the once unrestricted paradise, the new mountain-sea's rules were incredibly strict and even harsh.
No matter how powerful one was, they could not long endure. They had to live or die like the countless possibilities that constantly arose and vanished in the infinite sea.
Even those who once dominated the primordial immortal realm now quietly faded away.
For past beings, the new mountain-sea's rules were brutal but created a stable order.
...
Between the birth and death of possibilities seemed to follow some mysterious pattern. Despite the stars flickering within the pond, the water remained calm.
Above Mountain stood like pillars by the side of the pond.
The mountains and seas coexisted in balance and harmony.
Most companions had perished. The Three Sages were either hidden within or had already merged with the mountain-sea, waiting for their moment.
The original mountain-sea was unusually tranquil.
Possibilities evolved simply, without strict definitions of life forms, just like algae-like entities.
But as light points in the infinite sea flickered differently,
the form of possibility's evolution became richer.
Some possibilities saw the emergence of intelligent beings.
The Three Sages, struggling to survive under the mountain-sea's harsh rules, took this opportunity to retreat and catch their breath.
Compared to the naive new life forms, the Three Sages from the primordial immortal realm were true "saints."
But they did not intervene; instead, they silently observed.
When they sensed that possibilities were about to vanish, they withdrew in time and sought survival within the infinite sea again.
How long passed, no one knew.
If nothing unexpected happened, perhaps the mountain-sea would remain tranquil forever.
One day, the infinite sea suddenly bubbled and churned without warning.
Stars filled the sky like a mirror reflecting scenes beyond the mountains and seas.
The Three Sages looked up, hoping to catch a glimpse. But what they saw were fragmented images that instantly revealed why the mountain-sea was agitated!
After swallowing gods, the mountain-sea aimed to maintain an eternal state without time's passage.
Timeless, it could exist indefinitely. It seemed successful at first.
But...
Outside the mountains and seas, time still quietly flowed! Without the mountain-seas' knowledge!
As if there had always been a pair of eyes coldly observing them from the start.