bù jǐn jǐn shì chén jìn yú jì yì zhōng de zhū shèng ， nǎi zhì shān hǎi běn shēn ， dōu yīn zhè yī fā xiàn sǒng rán ér jīng ， zhàn lì bù zhǐ 。
不仅仅是沉浸于记忆中的诸圣，乃至山海本身，都因这一发现悚然而惊，战栗不止。
Not only did the countless sages enshrined in memory and even the mountains and seas themselves tremble with shock at this discovery, but the Infinite Sea instantly rippled with countless waves. The number of possibilities that emerged and dissipated within an instant far outnumbered those from a billion years ago.
wú xiàn hǎi shà shí dàng qǐ wú shù lián yī ， zhè yī shùn jiān chū xiàn cǐ qǐ bǐ fú de kě néng xìng shù liàng ， bǐ qǐ guò wǎng yì nián shí jiān jiā qǐ lái dōu hái yào duō 。
无限海霎时荡起无数涟漪，这一瞬间出现此起彼伏的可能性数量，比起过往亿年时间加起来都还要多。
The majestic Mount Above seemed to be struck by some invisible force as it trembled violently. After swallowing the gods, the mountains and seas had believed they controlled everything in the world, achieving harmony and shaping eternity. However, this discovery shattered their long-held hopes, prompting changes to arise naturally.
wēi é sǒng lì de shàng fāng shān ， yě hǎo shì shòu dào le wú xíng chōng jī ， zhèn chàn bù yǐ 。
巍峨耸立的上方山，也好似受到了无形冲击，震颤不已。
"Where does that gaze from beyond the mountains and seas originate? Could it be what is known as 'Star'?"
shān hǎi tūn shén hòu ， běn yǐ wéi shì jiān yī qiè jǐn guī shān hǎi 。
山海吞神后，本以为世间一切尽归山海。
"If not for that glance, perhaps the mountains and seas could truly maintain this so-called eternity. The birth and death of possibilities would have no impact on the mountains and seas themselves. Time has meaning within the Infinite Sea but none to the mountains and seas. But with that gaze from beyond... everything changes!"
hé xié gòng yī ， dé yǐ sù zào yǒng héng shì jiè 。
和谐共依，得以塑造永恒世界。
"The mountains and seas transformed from eternal creators into observers, no longer transcendent or unchanging."
rán ér zhè yī kè de fā xiàn ， què ràng shān hǎi xǔ jiǔ yǐ lái de qī xǔ bèi wú qíng dǎ pò 。
然而这一刻的发现，却让山海许久以来的期许被无情打破。
"This mysterious gaze might be the root cause of their current predicament. Just..."
yú shì biàn huà zì shēng 。
于是变化自生。
After the shock subsided, many questions arose in the minds of the gathered sages. Even the mountains and seas themselves struggled to answer this question, let alone the other sages present.
……
……
They could only continue watching with confusion.
“ nà shān hǎi wài de zhù shì ， jiū jìng lái zì hé fāng ？ mò fēi nà jiù shì suǒ wèi de 【 xīng 】？”
“那山海外的注视，究竟来自何方？莫非那就是所谓的【星】？”
---
“ ruò méi yǒu zhè dào mù guāng ， huò xǔ shān hǎi dàng zhēn néng wéi chí zhè suǒ wèi de yǒng héng 。 kě néng xìng dàn shēng xiāo wáng ， què bù yǐng xiǎng shān hǎi běn shēn 。 shí jiān duì wú xiàn hǎi nèi bù guī zé yǒng xiàn de kě néng xìng yǒu yì yì ， duì shān hǎi běn shēn ér wú yì yì 。 dàn duō le zhè lái zì shān hǎi zhī wài de zhù shì …… yī qiè jiē biàn dé bù tóng le ！”
“若没有这道目光，或许山海当真能维持这所谓的永恒。可能性诞生消亡，却不影响山海本身。时间对无限海内不规则涌现的可能性有意义，对山海本身而无意义。但多了这来自山海之外的注视……一切皆变得不同了！”
In the past, without knowing the gaze of the mountains and seas, they might have maintained their balance on their own. But after sensing that glance from beyond the mountains and seas, it became increasingly difficult for them to maintain their former tranquility.
“ shān hǎi yě cóng yǒng héng de chuàng zào wéi xì zhě ， biàn chéng le bèi guān chá zhě 。 bù zài chāo rán wù wài ， bù zài yǒng héng bù biàn 。”
“山海也从永恒的创造维系者，变成了被观察者。不再超然物外，不再永恒不变。”
As more ripples spread across the Infinite Sea simultaneously, a small pond could no longer sustain its calm state. It was as if a strong wind blew continuously, carrying water out of the pond.
“ zhè mò míng de zhù shì ， kǒng pà biàn shì shān hǎi xiàn rù rú jīn jú miàn de yuán xiōng 。 jiū jìng ……”
“这莫名的注视，恐怕便是山海陷入如今局面的元凶。究竟……”
The mountains and seas merged, breaking the stillness. Time quietly flowed over the mountains and seas.
jīng jù zhī hòu ， zhū duō yí wèn zì wéi guān shèng zhě xīn zhōng shēng qǐ 。
惊惧之后，诸多疑问自围观圣者心中升起。
After swallowing the gods, the mountains and seas sought to maintain their existence in a singular form but this didn't last long before being shattered.
dàn shān hǎi zì shēn dōu nán yǐ zhī xiǎo zhè wèn tí de dá àn ， gèng huáng lùn zài chǎng zhū shèng le 。
但山海自身都难以知晓这问题的答案，更遑论在场诸圣了。
Perhaps it was inevitable.
zhǐ dé dài zháo mí wǎng ， jì xù guān kàn xià qù 。
只得带着迷惘，继续观看下去。
The merging of the mountains and seas brought calamity upon themselves.
……
……
But for the beings within the possibilities of the mountains and seas, it became an opportunity for creation.
guò qù ， bù zhī shān hǎi zhī zhù shì ， shān hǎi huò kě zì gù zì wéi chí píng héng 。
过去，不知山海之注视，山海或可自顾自维持平衡。
Some beings glimpsed the towering Mount Above amidst the turmoil of the mountains and seas in the Infinite Sea. They began their attempts to ascend.
dàn zì cóng gǎn shòu dào nà lǚ lái zì shān hǎi zhī wài de mù guāng hòu ， shān hǎi biàn zài nán wéi chí wǎng xī píng jìng zhuàng tài le 。
但自从感受到那缕来自山海之外的目光后，山海便再难维持往昔平静状态了。
Though most failed, they continued one after another without giving up. There seemed to be some mysterious force driving them.
suí zhe wú xiàn hǎi tóng yī shí jiān dàng qǐ de lián yī yuè lái yuè duō ， yī wāng chí shuǐ ， zhōng jiū zài nán wéi xì 。
随着无限海同一时间荡起的涟漪越来越多，一汪池水，终究再难维系。
Born from the mountains and seas, yet their instinct to cross mountains and seas was innate!
fǎng fú shǐ zhōng dōu yǒu dà fēng chuī fú ， jiāng chí shuǐ dài chū chí wài 。
仿佛始终都有大风吹拂，将池水带出池外。
Time acted like a chisel, altering the shape of the mountains and seas.
zhì shǐ shān hǎi xiāng róng ， zhì shǐ jìng zhǐ bèi dǎ pò 。
致使山海相融，致使静止被打破。
---
shí jiān ， qiǎo rán zài shān hǎi shēn shàng liú tǎng 。
时间，悄然在山海身上流淌。
The water in the pond slowly flowed outwards, transforming into countless rivers merging together. The wind carved away at Mount Above, which stood by the pond's edge, eroding it until it merged with the great river.
tūn shén zhī hòu ， shān hǎi lì qiú suǒ sù zào de zì shēn zhǐ níng jù cún zài yì diǎn de jú miàn ， bìng méi yǒu chí xù duō jiǔ ， biàn bèi jī suì 。
吞神之后，山海力求所塑造的自身只凝聚存在一点的局面，并没有持续多久，便被击碎。
With time, the process of merging between the mountains and seas accelerated. It was either an inevitable fate or a conscious attempt by the mountains and seas themselves.
huò xǔ zhè yì wèi zhe mǒu zhǒng bì rán 。
或许这意味着某种必然。
From ancient times when the mountains and seas coexisted, maintaining eternity, to their current state, it took 15 billion years.
shān hǎi xiāng róng duì shān hǎi ér yán ， zhù dìng shì chǎng jié nàn 。
山海相融对山海而言，注定是场劫难。
Possibilities no longer emerged and vanished but flowed with time into the infinite future.
dàn duì shān hǎi jiān kě néng xìng zhōng shēng líng ér yán ， què wú yì yú shì chǎng zào huà 。
但对山海间可能性中生灵而言，却无异于是场造化。
The great waves sifted through sand.
yǒu shēng líng zài shān hǎi dòng dàng jiān ， yú wú xiàn hǎi zhōng ， kuī jiàn le nà sǒng lì shàng fāng shān de zōng yǐng 。
有生灵在山海动荡间，于无限海中，窥见了那耸立上方山的踪影。
As lifespans extended, the upper limit of strength for new beings born in the mountains and seas also increased. Eventually, a being leaped from the Infinite Sea and touched Mount Above's edge, though it couldn't survive long before dissipating.
yú shì kāi shǐ le dēng lín de cháng shì 。
于是开始了登临的尝试。
But this had a profound impact on the mountains and seas, akin to a giant stone dropped into the infinite sea, causing countless waves.
suī duō yǐ shī bài gào zhōng ， dàn què qián pū hòu jì ， bù zhī fàng qì wèi hé wù 。
虽多以失败告终，但却前仆后继，不知放弃为何物。
More beings began imitating these attempts, seemingly illogical yet rational. For there was Mount Above, standing there.
fǎng fú yǒu zhǒng mò míng de lì liàng ， zài cuī dòng zhe tā men 。
仿佛有种莫名的力量，在催动着他们。
Another billion years passed.
shēng líng suī dàn yú shān hǎi 。 dàn lián shān kuà hǎi zhī zhì ， què shì tā men yǔ shēng jù lái de běn néng ！
生灵虽诞于山海。但连山跨海之志，却是他们与生俱来的本能！
The limits of what beings could touch in the mountains and seas grew higher. Even with their vastness, Mount Above would eventually be conquered.
shí jiān wǎn ruò kè dāo ， gǎi biàn le shān hǎi yuán běn xíng zhuàng 。
时间宛若刻刀，改变了山海原本形状。
Over the years, the Mountain Sage witnessed countless ascension attempts, sensing something profound.
chí táng zhōng shuǐ ， màn màn cháo wài liú tǎng 。
池塘中水，慢慢朝外流淌。
He followed the endless crowd on this journey until he overtook them all, reaching the peak of Mount Above.
yóu chán chán xiǎo xī ， biàn wèi wàn qiān bìng liú dà jiāng 。
由潺潺小溪，便为万千并流大江。
The sages' gazes shifted as they recalled the memories of the Mountain Sage. What had been three sages walking in unison now seemed to force down the other two.
fēng pī shuǐ xuē ， shǐ de yuán běn chù lì zài chí táng biān de shàng fāng shān ， yě zāo shòu qīn shí 。
风劈水削，使得原本矗立在池塘边的上方山，也遭受侵蚀。
Standing atop the mountains and seas, the Mountain Sage didn't survey the landscape but instinctively remembered the gaze that came from beyond the mountains and seas many years ago.
màn màn róng yú dà jiāng zhī zhōng 。
慢慢融于大江之中。
He raised his head, trying to look outwards. In an instant, he felt the presence of that gaze!
shān hǎi suí zhe shí jiān de liú shì ， xiāng róng de jìn chéng yě bèi jiā jù 。
山海随着时间的流逝，相融的进程也被加剧。
Even as the strongest being outside the mountains and seas, in this moment, he couldn't bear it, shattering into nothingness.
huò shì shān hǎi wú fǎ dǐ dǎng de sù mìng ， yì huò zhě shì shān hǎi zì shēn de mǒu zhǒng cháng shì 。
或是山海无法抵挡的宿命，亦或者是山海自身的某种尝试。
---
cóng gǔ zhī shān hǎi ， shān hǎi bìng lì 、 wéi xì yǒng héng de zhuàng tài 。 dào shān hǎi biàn chéng rú jīn zhè fān mú yàng 。
从古之山海，山海并立、维系永恒的状态。到山海变成如今这番模样。
However, the Mountain Sage wasn't without gain. He clearly sensed that a billion years later, the gaze from beyond the mountains and seas had grown closer.
lì jīng le yì bǎi wǔ shí yì nián de màn cháng suì yuè 。
历经了一百五十亿年的漫长岁月。
With a sense of hearing the truth and dying contentedly, the Mountain Sage didn't regret his impulsive actions despite impending death. He was still immersed in the awe brought by that gaze.
kě néng xìng bù zài chū xiàn ér yòu xiāo shī ， ér shì gēn suí shān hǎi yì qǐ ， suí zhe shí jiān wú jìn de wǎng hòu bēn téng liú tǎng xià qù 。
可能性不再出现而又消失，而是跟随山海一起，随着时间无尽的往后奔腾流淌下去。
As the first being to reach the peak of the mountains and seas, the Mountain Sage couldn't simply vanish.
dà làng táo shā 。
大浪淘沙。
In his final moments, scenes of countless beings exploring Mount Above emerged in his mind.
suí zhe shēng mìng zhōu qī de bù duàn bèi yán cháng ， shān hǎi jiān xīn dàn shēng shēng líng de shí lì shàng xiàn ， yě bù duàn bèi bá gāo 。
随着生命周期的不断被延长，山海间新诞生生灵的实力上限，也不断被拔高。
"The might of the mountains and seas is immense; so too are the spirits of its inhabitants."
zhōng yī rì ， yǒu shēng líng zì wú xiàn hǎi zòng shēn yī yuè ， chù mō dào le shàng fāng shān de biān jiè 。
终一日，有生灵自无限海纵身一跃，触摸到了上方山的边界。
"The mountains and seas are infinite, yet with finite steps, they can still be measured."
suī méi néng cún huó duō jiǔ ， jiù zì xíng xiāo wáng 。
虽没能存活多久，就自行消亡。
In the last moment before vanishing, the Mountain Sage attained enlightenment.
dàn gěi shān hǎi suǒ dài lái de yǐng xiǎng ， què wú yí shì jù dà de 。
但给山海所带来的影响，却无疑是巨大的。
He laid down a path for all beings to reach the peak, using himself as a bridge.
wǎn ruò yī méi jù shí ， zhuì rù wú xiàn hǎi zhōng ， jī qǐ wàn qiān làng huā 。
宛若一枚巨石，坠入无限海中，激起万千浪花。
"I should not have had such insight in my final moments of life."
yuè lái yuè duō de shēng líng ， kāi shǐ xiào fǎng 、 fù xíng dēng lín zhī shì 。
越来越多的生灵，开始效仿、复行登临之事。
"Because..."
sì hū méi yǒu dào lǐ ， yòu sì hū hěn yǒu dào lǐ 。
似乎没有道理，又似乎很有道理。
"That gaze."
yīn wèi shàng fāng shān ， jiù zài nà lǐ 。
因为上方山，就在那里。
The Mountain Sage descended into the world. The mountains and seas changed again.
yòu shì bǎi yì nián de cuō tuó suì yuè 。
又是百亿年的蹉跎岁月。
Originally independent, the mountains and seas, their inhabitants, civilization, and the way were unrelated. But with the appearance of the Mountain Sage, everything within the mountains and seas became more intertwined.
shān hǎi shēng líng suǒ néng chù mō dào de jí xiàn ， yuè lái gāo 。
山海生灵所能触摸到的极限，越来高。
Subsequently, the Return to Sea and Taiyi Sages emerged as catalysts, producing more beings capable of matching the mountains and seas. It was like a blooming garden, a vibrant spring.
zòng shǐ wú xiàn zhī chēng ， shàng fāng shān yě zhù dìng huì yǒu bèi zhēng fú de yī tiān 。
纵使无限之称，上方山也注定会有被征服的一天。
The unprecedented prosperity in the mountains and seas seemed beneficial from merging with them.
zhè xiē nián lái ， lián shān shèng zhě mù dǔ yí mù mù dēng lín cháng shì ， xīn yǒu suǒ gǎn 。
这些年来，连山圣者目睹一幕幕登临尝试，心有所感。
For 300 billion years, the mountains and seas thrived, countless possibilities flourishing under their guidance. Ultimately, they all pointed towards crossing the sea using its power.
yě gēn suí zhe nà yuán yuán bù jué de rén qún ， tà shàng le lǚ tú 。
也跟随着那源源不绝的人群，踏上了旅途。
The three sages were born of the mountains and seas' civilization, influencing the beings within in return.
Not only did the countless sages enshrined in memory and even the mountains and seas themselves tremble with shock at this discovery, but the Infinite Sea instantly rippled with countless waves. The number of possibilities that emerged and dissipated within an instant far outnumbered those from a billion years ago.
The majestic Mount Above seemed to be struck by some invisible force as it trembled violently. After swallowing the gods, the mountains and seas had believed they controlled everything in the world, achieving harmony and shaping eternity. However, this discovery shattered their long-held hopes, prompting changes to arise naturally.
"Where does that gaze from beyond the mountains and seas originate? Could it be what is known as 'Star'?"
"If not for that glance, perhaps the mountains and seas could truly maintain this so-called eternity. The birth and death of possibilities would have no impact on the mountains and seas themselves. Time has meaning within the Infinite Sea but none to the mountains and seas. But with that gaze from beyond... everything changes!"
"The mountains and seas transformed from eternal creators into observers, no longer transcendent or unchanging."
"This mysterious gaze might be the root cause of their current predicament. Just..."
After the shock subsided, many questions arose in the minds of the gathered sages. Even the mountains and seas themselves struggled to answer this question, let alone the other sages present.
They could only continue watching with confusion.
---
In the past, without knowing the gaze of the mountains and seas, they might have maintained their balance on their own. But after sensing that glance from beyond the mountains and seas, it became increasingly difficult for them to maintain their former tranquility.
As more ripples spread across the Infinite Sea simultaneously, a small pond could no longer sustain its calm state. It was as if a strong wind blew continuously, carrying water out of the pond.
The mountains and seas merged, breaking the stillness. Time quietly flowed over the mountains and seas.
After swallowing the gods, the mountains and seas sought to maintain their existence in a singular form but this didn't last long before being shattered.
Perhaps it was inevitable.
The merging of the mountains and seas brought calamity upon themselves.
But for the beings within the possibilities of the mountains and seas, it became an opportunity for creation.
Some beings glimpsed the towering Mount Above amidst the turmoil of the mountains and seas in the Infinite Sea. They began their attempts to ascend.
Though most failed, they continued one after another without giving up. There seemed to be some mysterious force driving them.
Born from the mountains and seas, yet their instinct to cross mountains and seas was innate!
Time acted like a chisel, altering the shape of the mountains and seas.
---
The water in the pond slowly flowed outwards, transforming into countless rivers merging together. The wind carved away at Mount Above, which stood by the pond's edge, eroding it until it merged with the great river.
With time, the process of merging between the mountains and seas accelerated. It was either an inevitable fate or a conscious attempt by the mountains and seas themselves.
From ancient times when the mountains and seas coexisted, maintaining eternity, to their current state, it took 15 billion years.
Possibilities no longer emerged and vanished but flowed with time into the infinite future.
The great waves sifted through sand.
As lifespans extended, the upper limit of strength for new beings born in the mountains and seas also increased. Eventually, a being leaped from the Infinite Sea and touched Mount Above's edge, though it couldn't survive long before dissipating.
But this had a profound impact on the mountains and seas, akin to a giant stone dropped into the infinite sea, causing countless waves.
More beings began imitating these attempts, seemingly illogical yet rational. For there was Mount Above, standing there.
Another billion years passed.
The limits of what beings could touch in the mountains and seas grew higher. Even with their vastness, Mount Above would eventually be conquered.
Over the years, the Mountain Sage witnessed countless ascension attempts, sensing something profound.
He followed the endless crowd on this journey until he overtook them all, reaching the peak of Mount Above.
The sages' gazes shifted as they recalled the memories of the Mountain Sage. What had been three sages walking in unison now seemed to force down the other two.
Standing atop the mountains and seas, the Mountain Sage didn't survey the landscape but instinctively remembered the gaze that came from beyond the mountains and seas many years ago.
He raised his head, trying to look outwards. In an instant, he felt the presence of that gaze!
Even as the strongest being outside the mountains and seas, in this moment, he couldn't bear it, shattering into nothingness.
---
However, the Mountain Sage wasn't without gain. He clearly sensed that a billion years later, the gaze from beyond the mountains and seas had grown closer.
With a sense of hearing the truth and dying contentedly, the Mountain Sage didn't regret his impulsive actions despite impending death. He was still immersed in the awe brought by that gaze.
As the first being to reach the peak of the mountains and seas, the Mountain Sage couldn't simply vanish.
In his final moments, scenes of countless beings exploring Mount Above emerged in his mind.
"The might of the mountains and seas is immense; so too are the spirits of its inhabitants."
"The mountains and seas are infinite, yet with finite steps, they can still be measured."
In the last moment before vanishing, the Mountain Sage attained enlightenment.
He laid down a path for all beings to reach the peak, using himself as a bridge.
"I should not have had such insight in my final moments of life."
"Because..."
"That gaze."
The Mountain Sage descended into the world. The mountains and seas changed again.
Originally independent, the mountains and seas, their inhabitants, civilization, and the way were unrelated. But with the appearance of the Mountain Sage, everything within the mountains and seas became more intertwined.
Subsequently, the Return to Sea and Taiyi Sages emerged as catalysts, producing more beings capable of matching the mountains and seas. It was like a blooming garden, a vibrant spring.
The unprecedented prosperity in the mountains and seas seemed beneficial from merging with them.
For 300 billion years, the mountains and seas thrived, countless possibilities flourishing under their guidance. Ultimately, they all pointed towards crossing the sea using its power.
The three sages were born of the mountains and seas' civilization, influencing the beings within in return.