“ mò fēi ， shì nǎ yī wèi lǎo péng yǒu ， zì gān duò luò le ？” tài yì shèng zhě zhòu méi dào 。
“莫非，是哪一位老朋友，自甘堕落了？”太易圣者皱眉道。
"Could it be that one of my old friends has fallen?" the Sage Taiyi frowned.
“ cóng shān hǎi zhī chū zhì jīn ， yǐ máng máng qiān yì zài suì yuè ， shèng zhě shù shí jì 。 rán xū jiè ， shǐ zhōng zhǐ yǒu wéi yī yì zhì 。 xiǎng yào tóu bèn xū jiè ， yě bìng fēi nà bān róng yì de 。 fǒu zé shān hǎi zhōng zǎo yǒu pàn biàn zhī tú 。” guī hǎi shèng zhě wēi wēi yáo tóu 。
“从山海之初至今，已茫茫千亿载岁月，圣者数十计。然虚界，始终只有唯一意志。想要投奔虚界，也并非那般容易的。否则山海中早有叛变之徒。”归海圣者微微摇头。
From the beginning of the mountains and seas to now, countless millennia have passed. There are dozens of sages. However, the Void Realm always harbors only a single will. To seek refuge in the Void Realm is not as easy as it seems; otherwise, there would already be traitors within the mountains and seas.
“ biàn shù ， huò xǔ yuán zì xū jiè zhī nèi 。”
“变数，或许源自虚界之内。”
The Sage of Return to Sea shook his head slightly. "Perhaps the change stems from within the Void Realm."
sān shèng shì xiàn ， bǐ cǐ jiāo zhī 。 sì hū shì zài shāng liáng zhe shén me 。
三圣视线，彼此交织。似乎是在商量着什么。
Their gazes intertwined, as if they were discussing something.
ér hòu ， guāng yǐng fú dòng ， yī bǐng rú yì héng chén 。
而后，光影浮动，一柄如意横陈。
Then, light flickered, and a如意 (Ruyi) appeared before them.
níng rú qiū shuǐ ， fàn zhe qīng liè guāng huá 。 zòng shǐ sān shèng guāng huī ， yě yā zhì bú zhù 。 yún tóu liú zhuǎn ， shí bù shí fàn qǐ yōu suì hēi guāng 。 hǎo sì yǒu yī zhī yǎn jīng ， yǐn yú qí zhōng ， kuī tàn wàn wù 。
凝如秋水，泛着清冽光华。纵使三圣光辉，也压制不住。云头流转，时不时泛起幽邃黑光。好似有一只眼睛，隐于其中，窥探万物。
Its surface was clear like autumn water, radiating a cool luster that even the three sages' brilliance could not suppress. Clouds flowed over it intermittently, occasionally emitting deep black light. It seemed as if an eye hidden within was peering at all things.
bǐng shēn hú xiàn ， hùn ruò tiān chéng 。
柄身弧线，混若天成。
The handle's curve was naturally formed.
zhì yú wěi bù ， zé jìng chù zài xū shí zhī jiān 。
至于尾部，则竟处在虚实之间。
At its tail end, however, it existed in a state of both reality and illusion.
rú bǎi chuān hé liú ， yǔ guī xiàng dà hǎi jiāo huì chù 。 bǐ cǐ jiāo jiè ， liǎng xiāng huì róng 。
如百川河流，与归向大海交汇处。彼此交界，两相汇融。
Like the confluence of rivers merging into the sea, where boundaries met and merged.
ruò lǐ fán réng zài cǐ ， mù dǔ zhè rú yì fǎ bǎo de shùn jiān ， bì huì yī yǎn jiù rèn chū 、 cǐ nǎi bǎi xiǎo céng zhù zào fǎ bǎo ，【 rú xīn yì 】。
若李凡仍在此，目睹这如意法宝的瞬间，必会一眼就认出、此乃百晓曾铸造法宝，【如心意】。
If Li Fan were still here, he would have recognized this Ruyi as one crafted by Bai Xiao: [Heart's Desire].
dàn bù zhī wèi hé ， jǐn jǐn shì bǎi xiǎo shàng wèi chāo tuō shí suǒ zhù zào ， sān shèng duì dài qǐ lái ， què gé wài de jǐn shèn 。
但不知为何，仅仅是百晓尚未超脱时所铸造，三圣对待起来，却格外的谨慎。
But for some reason, even though Bai Xiao had not yet transcended when it was created, the three sages treated it with unusual caution.
nǎ pà gāng gāng dào yān dà jūn qīn lín ， jí jiāng tūn mò dà bàn shān hǎi 。 sān shèng yě yuǎn méi yǒu xiàn zài zhè bān shèn zhòng 。
哪怕刚刚道湮大军亲临，即将吞没大半山海。三圣也远没有现在这般慎重。
Even as Daoyan's army approached and threatened to consume much of the mountains and seas, the three sages were not as cautious now.
miàn duì 【 rú xīn yì 】 biǎo miàn guǐ yì guāng huá ， sān shèng jìng dōu bù yuē ér tóng ， xuǎn zé bì qǐ yǎn jīng 。
面对【如心意】表面诡异光华，三圣竟都不约而同，选择闭起眼睛。
Facing the Ruyi's strange light, the three sages all chose to close their eyes without hesitation.
“ biàn jiè cǐ wù ， yī tàn jiū jìng 。”
“便借此物，一探究竟。”
"Let us use this object to probe further."
“ xū liáng dù ér xíng 。”
“需量度而行。”
"We must proceed with caution."
yě bú jiàn sān shèng rú hé cāo zòng ，【 rú xīn yì 】 zì wěi bù kāi shǐ ， róng yú zhōu zāo de jìn chéng bèi jiā sù le qiān bǎi bèi 。
也不见三圣如何操纵，【如心意】自尾部开始，融于周遭的进程被加速了千百倍。
Without any manipulation from the three sages, the Ruyi began to merge into its surroundings at a speed increased by hundreds of times from its tail end.
yī bǐng miào rú yì ， jiàn xiāo wú xíng 。
一柄妙如意，渐消无形。
A wondrous Ruyi gradually faded away.
【 rú xīn yì 】 tóu bù ， nà àn cáng zhī yǎn ， zé shì hū de zhēng kāi 。
【如心意】头部，那暗藏之眼，则是忽的睁开。
The hidden eye on the head of the Ruyi suddenly opened and looked into the Void Realm.
kàn xiàng xū jiè zhī zhōng 。
看向虚界之中。
...
……
……
"The Three Sages cannot be underestimated. Just one glance, they already detected something amiss and set up defenses."
“ sān shèng guǒ bù kě xiǎo qù ， jǐn jǐn zhǐ shì yí gè zhào miàn ， biàn yǐ jīng chá jué le yì cháng 、 bù xià fáng fàn 。”
“三圣果不可小觑，仅仅只是一个照面，便已经察觉了异常、布下防范。”
"Thankfully, I have a better grasp!"
“ xìng hǎo wǒ jì gāo yī chóu ！”
“幸好我技高一筹！”
This time's收获 (gains) were not as bountiful as the first ambush but were sufficient to create another Sh丘化身 (Sh丘 Incarnation).
cǐ fān shōu huò ， zì rán méi yǒu dì yī cì tū xí lái de duō 。 què yě zú gòu sù zào dì èr gè shǒu qiū huà shēn le 。
此番收获，自然没有第一次突袭来的多。却也足够塑造第二个守丘化身了。
"The key is the reward from the Void Realm's will."
“ guān jiàn shì lái zì xū jiè yì zhì de shǎng cì 。”
“关键是来自虚界意志的赏赐。”
"The more Daoyan forces I can summon, the faster they'll be converted by the One Dao Mountains and Seas. The Master of the Void Realm..."
“ néng gòu diào yòng de dào yān yuè duō ， bèi dào yī shān hǎi tú suǒ zhuǎn huà de sù dù yě jiù yuè kuài 。 xū jiè zhī zhǔ ……”
“能够调用的道湮越多，被道一山海图所转化的速度也就越快。虚界之主……”
Li Fan was pondering when a profound sense of being probed arose within him.
lǐ fán zhèng sī cǔn zhe ， xīn zhōng què měng dì shēng qǐ yī gǔ bèi rén kuī tàn de jí dù wēi jī 。
李凡正思忖着，心中却猛地升起一股被人窥探的极度危机。
Without hesitation, Huan Yi Zhen (Illusory Reality) descended upon him, covering the One Dao Mountains and Seas Scroll as well.
bù jiǎ sī suǒ ， huàn yì zhēn shà shí lín shēn 。
不假思索，幻亦真霎时临身。
Dong... Dong... Dong
tóng shí jiāng dào yī shān hǎi tú fù gài 。
同时将道一山海图覆盖。
With Li Fan's will gone, the Void Realm returned to its original silence.
dōng …… dōng …… dōng
咚……咚……咚
In the darkness, Li Fan could hear his heartbeat, a tremor from his own body's instinctive reaction.
méi yǒu le lǐ fán yì zhì de cāo zòng ， xū jiè chóng xīn yòu huī fù le yuán běn de jì jìng 。
没有了李凡意志的操纵，虚界重新又恢复了原本的寂静。
"This presence is no less powerful than facing a new deity."
hēi àn zhōng ， lǐ fán shì néng tīng jiàn zì jǐ xīn tiào shēng bān 。
黑暗中，李凡似能听见自己心跳声般。
"Exactly..."
nà shì yuán zì shēn qū běn néng de zhàn lì 。
那是源自身躯本能的战栗。
Li Fan did not dare to move easily and forcefully suppressed all thoughts, hiding beneath the True Dao and False Dao to observe further developments.
“ zhè gǔ wēi shì ， bù ruò yú xīn shén dāng miàn 。”
“这股威势，不弱于新神当面。”
...
“ jiū jìng ……”
“究竟……”
Within the Daoyan Realm, ripples seemed to arise.
lǐ fán bù gǎn qīng yì dòng zuò ， qiáng xíng jiāng nèi xīn niàn tou jìn shù xiāo chú 。 duǒ zài zhēn jiǎ dà dào zhī xià ， yǐ guān hòu biàn 。
李凡不敢轻易动作，强行将内心念头尽数消除。躲在真假大道之下，以观后变。
Unknown in origin, they spread across the Void Realm like ripples from a single wave.
dào yān zhī zhōng ， shì yǒu lián yī shēng qǐ 。
道湮之中，似有涟漪生起。
As if a gaze swept over everything.
bù zhī zì hé chù lái ， què rú yī dào bō wén ， zhuǎn shùn jiān chuán dá biàn bù xū jiè gè chù 。
不知自何处来，却如一道波纹，转瞬间传达遍布虚界各处。
After a brief moment of calm, the infinite Daoyan forces within the Void Realm boiled over as a response!
jiù xiàng shì yī dào mù guāng sǎo guò 。
就像是一道目光扫过。
Even when the lone star descended and its light swallowed all, the reaction was not so intense.
duǎn zàn de níng jìng zhī hòu ， xū jiè wú qióng dào yān ， jìn shù fèi téng 。
短暂的宁静之后，虚界无穷道湮，尽数沸腾。
It seemed like encountering something extremely important to them. The Daoyan forces or the幕后 (Behind-the-scenes) figure in the Void Realm were using every means possible to trace the origin of that gaze.
yǐ zuò huí yìng ！
以作回应！
From Li Fan's Daoyan forces, he could sense their uncontrollable madness.
jiù suàn gū xīng jiàng shì ， xīng huī tūn mò yī qiè shí 。 xū jiè fǎn yìng yě méi yǒu zhè bān jī liè 。
就算孤星降世，星辉吞没一切时。虚界反应也没有这般激烈。
"The usually calm Master of the Void Realm is acting so out of character."
fǎng fú yù jiàn le duì zì jǐ jí qí zhòng yào zhī wù ， dào yān 、 yì huò zhě nà wèi xū jiè mù hòu ， zài qióng jìn yī qiè shǒu duàn ， zhuī xún mù guāng lái yuán 。
仿佛遇见了对自己极其重要之物，道湮、亦或者那位虚界幕后，在穷尽一切手段，追寻目光来源。
"Perhaps they can temporarily set aside the task of swallowing the mountains and seas."
lǐ fán cóng shǒu xià dào yān nà lǐ ， néng gòu gǎn shòu dào qí nán yǐ yì zhì de fēng kuáng 。
李凡从手下道湮那里，能够感受到其难以抑制的疯狂。
"Invasions of the mountains and seas are for the lone star to descend. Searching for the origin of that gaze... is for..."
“ xiàng lái lěng jìng xū jiè zhī zhǔ ， jìng rú cǐ shī tài 。”
“向来冷静虚界之主，竟如此失态。”
"Me?"
“ kě zàn shí jiāng tūn mò shān hǎi shǐ mìng ， pāo zhī nǎo hòu 。”
“可暂时将吞没山海使命，抛之脑后。”
Li Fan gradually understood the behind-the-scenes figure's current obsession.
“ qīn tūn shān hǎi ， shì wèi gū xīng jiàng shì 。 ér sōu xún mù guāng lái yuán ， shì wèi ……”
“侵吞山海，是为孤星降世。而搜寻目光来源，是为……”
Just like a Xuanhuang cultivator witnessing red flames; an overpowered cultivator encountering the Dao of the mountains and seas; Li Fan facing the true god's finger.
“ zì jǐ ？”
“自己？”
Though their realms differed, their strength varied, but their pursuit of advancement was the same.
lǐ fán zhú jiàn pǐn wù chū le xū jiè mù hòu cǐ kè de zhí niàn yuán yóu 。
李凡逐渐品悟出了虚界幕后此刻的执念缘由。
"Can this gaze from the Void Realm bring about something different?" Li Fan felt a slight tremor in his heart.
qià rú xuán huáng xiū shì ， mù dǔ chì yán ； chāo tuō qiáng zhě ， yù jiàn shān hǎi dà dào ； lǐ fán zāo yù zhēn shén zhǐ 。
恰如玄黄修士，目睹赤炎；超脱强者，遇见山海大道；李凡遭遇真神指。
The behind-the-scenes figure seemed to have been born solely for the lone star's descent.
suī jìng jiè yǒu gāo xià zhī fēn 、 shí lì yǒu qiáng ruò zhī bié ， dàn duì yú “ jìn shēng ”、 gèng jìn yí bù kě néng de zhuī qiú ， què shì xiāng tóng de 。
虽境界有高下之分、实力有强弱之别，但对于“晋升”、更进一步可能的追求，却是相同的。
After laboriously swallowing the mountains and seas, at that moment when the lone star broke free, it would be difficult to preserve itself as well.
“ xū jiè kě píng zhè mù guāng ， gèng zhǔn què lái shuō 、 mù guāng lái yuán ， néng yǒu bié yàng zào huà ？” lǐ fán xīn zhōng shà shí wēi zhèn 。
“虚界可凭这目光，更准确来说、目光来源，能有别样造化？”李凡心中霎时微震。
But the behind-the-scenes figure was not unaware of this fact.
xū jiè mù hòu ， sì hū zhǐ shì wèi le gū xīng jiàng shì ér shēng 。
虚界幕后，似乎只是为了孤星降世而生。
Just like the mountains and seas' fate, this was its destined outcome.
xīn xīn kǔ kǔ tūn mò shān hǎi ， dài dào gū xīng zhèng tuō láo lóng nà yī kè ， tā yě nán yǐ bǎo quán zì shēn 。
辛辛苦苦吞没山海，待到孤星挣脱牢笼那一刻，祂也难以保全自身。
Rebellion was futile.
xū jiè mù hòu ， zì rán bú huì bù zhī dào zhè yì diǎn 。
虚界幕后，自然不会不知道这一点。
But what if...
dàn zhèng rú shān hǎi guī xīng de sù mìng bān ， zhè yě shì tā yīng yǒu zhī jié jú 。
但正如山海归星的宿命般，这也是祂应有之结局。
If there were a step further?
fǎn kàng bù dé 。
反抗不得。
Even if new gods emerged after the mountains and seas perished, they would not be the match for the Daoyan forces. If it could advance again, wouldn't that grant it true godlike power?
dàn ruò shì ……
但若是……
How is this possible?!
néng gèng jìn yí bù ne ？
能更进一步呢？
"Could it be that the gaze originates from a true god?"
nǎ pà shān hǎi yǔn miè hòu dàn shēng xīn shén ， dōu bìng fēi xū jiè dào yān duì shǒu 。 ruò shì tā néng zài jìn yí bù ， qǐ bù shì yǒu zhēn shén zhī wēi ？
哪怕山海陨灭后诞生新神，都并非虚界道湮对手。若是祂能再进一步，岂不是有真神之威？
"Just like the true god's finger."
zhè zěn me kě néng ？！
这怎么可能？！
"The third fallback of the gods?"
“ nán bù chéng ， zhè dào shì xiàn de mù guāng ， yuán zì zhēn shén ？”
“难不成，这道视线的目光，源自真神？”
"Why have I never seen it in my countless lifetimes?"
“ qià rú zhēn shén zhǐ yì bān 。”
“恰如真神指一般。”
Li Fan's thoughts raced.
“ shén suǒ liú de dì sān hòu shǒu ？”
“神所留的第三后手？”
He immediately thought of its origin.
“ wèi hé wǒ xiān qián lún huí duō shì ， què cóng wèi jiàn guò ？”
“为何我先前轮回多世，却从未见过？”
"This Ruyi followed me after escaping the three sages' encirclement."
shà shí jiān ， lǐ fán sī niàn bǎi zhuǎn 。
霎时间，李凡思念百转。
"Could it be..."
lì kè jiù xiǎng dào le qí kě néng de yóu lái 。
立刻就想到了其可能的由来。
The coincidence was too great for Li Fan not to think so.
“ wǒ gāng cóng sān shèng bāo wéi zhōng táo tuō ， zhè dào mù guāng biàn zhuī suǒ ér zhì 。”
“我刚从三圣包围中逃脱，这道目光便追索而至。”
"Even the mountains, Return to Sea, and Sage Taiyi!"
shí zài tài guò qiǎo hé ， yóu bù dé lǐ fán bù zhè me xiǎng 。
实在太过巧合，由不得李凡不这么想。
A cold light flashed in Li Fan's eyes.
“ lián shān 、 guī hǎi 、 tài yì ！”
“连山、归海、太易！”
But with the Void Realm's waves and mysterious gaze intertwined, he dared not appear rashly.
lǐ fán yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī dào hán guāng 。
李凡眼中闪过一道寒光。
He could only continue hiding under the protection of True Dao and False Dao.
dàn cǐ kè xū jiè làng cháo yǔ shén mì mù guāng jiāo zhī ， lǐ fán yě bù gǎn mào rán xiàn shēn 。
但此刻虚界浪潮与神秘目光交织，李凡也不敢贸然现身。
The Void Realm was boundless, but that gaze seemed to see everything.
zhǐ néng jì xù duǒ zài zhēn jiǎ dà dào bì yòu xià 。
只能继续躲在真假大道庇佑下。
After a fruitless search, it slowly dissipated on its own.
xū jiè wú biān wú yín ， nà dào shì xiàn què shì néng jǐn lǎn 。
虚界无边无垠，那道视线却似能尽览。
Despite the behind-the-scenes figure's efforts to retain it, those ripples were like sand between his fingers, hard to grasp.
sōu xún wú guǒ hòu ， zì xíng màn màn xiāo sàn 。
搜寻无果后，自行慢慢消散。
With the gaze gone, the沸腾 (boiling) Void Realm returned to silence.
xū jiè mù hòu jié lì wǎn liú ， nà dào dào lián yī què zhōng jiū rú zhǐ jiān shā ， nán yǐ wò chí 。
虚界幕后竭力挽留，那道道涟漪却终究如指尖沙，难以握持。
Then, Li Fan felt an order from the behind-the-scenes figure.
mù guāng bù fù ， fèi téng xū jiè zhòng guī jì jìng 。
目光不复，沸腾虚界重归寂静。
The Daoyan forces surged once more, heading towards the mountains and seas with a grand momentum as if it was the final assault.
suí hòu ， lǐ fán gǎn shòu dào le lái zì xū jiè mù hòu de mìng lìng 。
随后，李凡感受到了来自虚界幕后的命令。
The mountains and seas were in peril.
dào yān qǐng kè jiān zài chéng dǐng fèi zhī shì ， cháo zhe shān hǎi hū xiào ér qù 。
道湮顷刻间再成鼎沸之势，朝着山海呼啸而去。
But Li Fan frowned slightly.
shēng shì hào dà ， wǎn ruò zuì hòu zǒng gōng 。
声势浩大，宛若最后总攻。
"Though the Void Realm has overall dominance, this is not yet the time for decisive battle."
shān hǎi yī shí xiàn rù jí jí kě wēi zhī zhōng 。
山海一时陷入岌岌可危之中。
"Stretching out the war lines, continuously invading the mountains and seas to gradually weaken its strength before finishing the job."
bù guò lǐ fán wēi wēi zhòu méi 。
不过李凡微微皱眉。
"Now, because of that mysterious gaze, the Void Realm is thrown into chaos."
“ suī shuō xū jiè zǒng tǐ zhàn jù yōu shì ， dàn cǐ kè lǐ yīng wèi dào jué zhàn zhī shí 。”
“虽说虚界总体占据优势，但此刻理应未到决战之时。”
"Moreover, I have hidden some..."
“ lā cháng zhàn xiàn ， bù duàn qīn tūn shān hǎi 、 zhú jiàn xuē ruò qí lì liàng ， cái néng zuì hòu bì qí gōng yú yī yì 。”
“拉长战线，不断侵吞山海、逐渐削弱其力量，才能最后毕其功于一役。”
"Could it be that in this lifetime, the mountains and seas will triumph over the Void Realm?" The thought suddenly flashed through Li Fan's mind.
“ xiàn zài ， què yīn wèi nà dào shén mì mù guāng de chū xiàn ， shǐ de xū jiè zì luàn zhèn jiǎo 。”
“现在，却因为那道神秘目光的出现，使得虚界自乱阵脚。”
Originally, he only saw it as a joke, intending to dismiss it with a shake of his head.
“ kuàng qiě ， wǒ hái tōu cáng le xiē ……”
“况且，我还偷藏了些……”
But something triggered in his mind, causing a sharp pain. A series of images flashed before him.
“ nán bù chéng ， zhè yī shì jìng huì chū xiàn shān hǎi shèng xū jiè zhī shì ？” lǐ fán nǎo hǎi zhōng ， hū de yǒng xiàn chū yí gè nán yǐ zhì xìn de niàn tou 。
“难不成，这一世竟会出现山海胜虚界之事？”李凡脑海中，忽的涌现出一个难以置信的念头。
"Ran countless lifetimes and finally succeeded."
yuán běn lǐ fán zhǐ dāng gè xiào huà ， zhǔn bèi yáo yáo tóu biàn jiāng qí pāo zhī nǎo hòu 。
原本李凡只当个笑话，准备摇摇头便将其抛之脑后。
"With the mountains and seas suppressing the Daoyan forces, the Void Realm's will has already crumbled; the peril of the mountains and seas' destruction is no longer!"
dàn què fǎng fú chù dòng le shén me guān jiàn cí bān ， lǐ fán nǎo hǎi yī zhèn cì tòng ， dà liàng huà miàn jiē lián shǎn xiàn 。
但却仿佛触动了什么关键词般，李凡脑海一阵刺痛，大量画面接连闪现。
His joy was evident.
“ lún huí wú shù cì ， zhōng yú chéng gōng le 。”
“轮回无数次，终于成功了。”
The sages around Li Fan were celebrating this moment.
“ yǐ shān hǎi ， zhèn dào yān 。 xū jiè yì zhì yǐ rán kuì sàn ， shān hǎi fù miè zhī wēi bù zài ！”
“以山海，镇道湮。虚界意志已然溃散，山海覆灭之危不再！”
But an ominous feeling suddenly arose in his heart.
xīn xǐ zhī qíng ， yì yú yán biǎo 。
欣喜之情，溢于言表。
The other sages remained unaware.
lǐ fán yǐ jí zhōu zāo yī zhòng shèng zhě ， jiē zài huān qìng cǐ kè 。
李凡以及周遭一众圣者，皆在欢庆此刻。
Li Fan was the first to look up.
dàn bù zhī wèi hé ， yī gǔ bù xiáng zhī gǎn ， hū de yǒng shàng xīn tóu 。
但不知为何，一股不详之感，忽的涌上心头。
A starlight, unknown in origin, fell like snow onto the mountains and seas.
qí yú shèng zhě ， wú suǒ chá jué 。
其余圣者，无所察觉。
The mountains and seas, which had been celebrating, gradually became quiet as they stared at Li Fan with strange eyes.
lǐ fán dì yí gè tái tóu wàng qù 。
李凡第一个抬头望去。
An icy chill ran down his spine. Then, everyone around him attacked him simultaneously.
yī mǒ xīng huī ， bù zhī cóng hé ér lái ， rú xuě piāo sǎ 、 luò yú shān hǎi 。
一抹星辉，不知从何而来，如雪飘洒、落于山海。
Even the mountains and seas he had fought so hard to save turned against him.
"Could it be that one of my old friends has fallen?" the Sage Taiyi frowned.
From the beginning of the mountains and seas to now, countless millennia have passed. There are dozens of sages. However, the Void Realm always harbors only a single will. To seek refuge in the Void Realm is not as easy as it seems; otherwise, there would already be traitors within the mountains and seas.
The Sage of Return to Sea shook his head slightly. "Perhaps the change stems from within the Void Realm."
Their gazes intertwined, as if they were discussing something.
Then, light flickered, and a如意 (Ruyi) appeared before them.
Its surface was clear like autumn water, radiating a cool luster that even the three sages' brilliance could not suppress. Clouds flowed over it intermittently, occasionally emitting deep black light. It seemed as if an eye hidden within was peering at all things.
The handle's curve was naturally formed.
At its tail end, however, it existed in a state of both reality and illusion.
Like the confluence of rivers merging into the sea, where boundaries met and merged.
If Li Fan were still here, he would have recognized this Ruyi as one crafted by Bai Xiao: [Heart's Desire].
But for some reason, even though Bai Xiao had not yet transcended when it was created, the three sages treated it with unusual caution.
Even as Daoyan's army approached and threatened to consume much of the mountains and seas, the three sages were not as cautious now.
Facing the Ruyi's strange light, the three sages all chose to close their eyes without hesitation.
"Let us use this object to probe further."
"We must proceed with caution."
Without any manipulation from the three sages, the Ruyi began to merge into its surroundings at a speed increased by hundreds of times from its tail end.
A wondrous Ruyi gradually faded away.
The hidden eye on the head of the Ruyi suddenly opened and looked into the Void Realm.
...
"The Three Sages cannot be underestimated. Just one glance, they already detected something amiss and set up defenses."
"Thankfully, I have a better grasp!"
This time's收获 (gains) were not as bountiful as the first ambush but were sufficient to create another Sh丘化身 (Sh丘 Incarnation).
"The key is the reward from the Void Realm's will."
"The more Daoyan forces I can summon, the faster they'll be converted by the One Dao Mountains and Seas. The Master of the Void Realm..."
Li Fan was pondering when a profound sense of being probed arose within him.
Without hesitation, Huan Yi Zhen (Illusory Reality) descended upon him, covering the One Dao Mountains and Seas Scroll as well.
Dong... Dong... Dong
With Li Fan's will gone, the Void Realm returned to its original silence.
In the darkness, Li Fan could hear his heartbeat, a tremor from his own body's instinctive reaction.
"This presence is no less powerful than facing a new deity."
"Exactly..."
Li Fan did not dare to move easily and forcefully suppressed all thoughts, hiding beneath the True Dao and False Dao to observe further developments.
...
Within the Daoyan Realm, ripples seemed to arise.
Unknown in origin, they spread across the Void Realm like ripples from a single wave.
As if a gaze swept over everything.
After a brief moment of calm, the infinite Daoyan forces within the Void Realm boiled over as a response!
Even when the lone star descended and its light swallowed all, the reaction was not so intense.
It seemed like encountering something extremely important to them. The Daoyan forces or the幕后 (Behind-the-scenes) figure in the Void Realm were using every means possible to trace the origin of that gaze.
From Li Fan's Daoyan forces, he could sense their uncontrollable madness.
"The usually calm Master of the Void Realm is acting so out of character."
"Perhaps they can temporarily set aside the task of swallowing the mountains and seas."
"Invasions of the mountains and seas are for the lone star to descend. Searching for the origin of that gaze... is for..."
"Me?"
Li Fan gradually understood the behind-the-scenes figure's current obsession.
Just like a Xuanhuang cultivator witnessing red flames; an overpowered cultivator encountering the Dao of the mountains and seas; Li Fan facing the true god's finger.
Though their realms differed, their strength varied, but their pursuit of advancement was the same.
"Can this gaze from the Void Realm bring about something different?" Li Fan felt a slight tremor in his heart.
The behind-the-scenes figure seemed to have been born solely for the lone star's descent.
After laboriously swallowing the mountains and seas, at that moment when the lone star broke free, it would be difficult to preserve itself as well.
But the behind-the-scenes figure was not unaware of this fact.
Just like the mountains and seas' fate, this was its destined outcome.
Rebellion was futile.
But what if...
If there were a step further?
Even if new gods emerged after the mountains and seas perished, they would not be the match for the Daoyan forces. If it could advance again, wouldn't that grant it true godlike power?
How is this possible?!
"Could it be that the gaze originates from a true god?"
"Just like the true god's finger."
"The third fallback of the gods?"
"Why have I never seen it in my countless lifetimes?"
Li Fan's thoughts raced.
He immediately thought of its origin.
"This Ruyi followed me after escaping the three sages' encirclement."
"Could it be..."
The coincidence was too great for Li Fan not to think so.
"Even the mountains, Return to Sea, and Sage Taiyi!"
...
A cold light flashed in Li Fan's eyes.
But with the Void Realm's waves and mysterious gaze intertwined, he dared not appear rashly.
He could only continue hiding under the protection of True Dao and False Dao.
The Void Realm was boundless, but that gaze seemed to see everything.
After a fruitless search, it slowly dissipated on its own.
Despite the behind-the-scenes figure's efforts to retain it, those ripples were like sand between his fingers, hard to grasp.
With the gaze gone, the沸腾 (boiling) Void Realm returned to silence.
Then, Li Fan felt an order from the behind-the-scenes figure.
The Daoyan forces surged once more, heading towards the mountains and seas with a grand momentum as if it was the final assault.
The mountains and seas were in peril.
But Li Fan frowned slightly.
"Though the Void Realm has overall dominance, this is not yet the time for decisive battle."
"Stretching out the war lines, continuously invading the mountains and seas to gradually weaken its strength before finishing the job."
"Now, because of that mysterious gaze, the Void Realm is thrown into chaos."
"Moreover, I have hidden some..."
"Could it be that in this lifetime, the mountains and seas will triumph over the Void Realm?" The thought suddenly flashed through Li Fan's mind.
Originally, he only saw it as a joke, intending to dismiss it with a shake of his head.
But something triggered in his mind, causing a sharp pain. A series of images flashed before him.
"Ran countless lifetimes and finally succeeded."
"With the mountains and seas suppressing the Daoyan forces, the Void Realm's will has already crumbled; the peril of the mountains and seas' destruction is no longer!"
His joy was evident.
The sages around Li Fan were celebrating this moment.
But an ominous feeling suddenly arose in his heart.
The other sages remained unaware.
Li Fan was the first to look up.
A starlight, unknown in origin, fell like snow onto the mountains and seas.
The mountains and seas, which had been celebrating, gradually became quiet as they stared at Li Fan with strange eyes.
An icy chill ran down his spine. Then, everyone around him attacked him simultaneously.
Even the mountains and seas he had fought so hard to save turned against him.