“ gé xià hé rén ？”
“阁下何人？”
"Friend, you just mentioned that everything in the Sea of Fate is subject to reset destiny. Even the True-False Transformation is not exempt from this. If that's true..." Li Fan asked about the only thing he couldn't understand.
nà dā zài jiān bǎng shàng de shǒu ， bīng liáng zhì jí 。 shèn zhì zì shēn yī qiè shēng jī dōu bèi qí yǐng xiǎng ， dòng jié 。
那搭在肩膀上的手，冰凉至极。甚至自身一切生机都被其影响，冻结。
"We still exist and are not relying on our own power but rather the efforts of countless Celestial Prophets," Zhen Shi Yin replied without any concealment. "We cannot perceive or manipulate the True-False Transformation ourselves, but we can influence and distort their thoughts to make them voluntarily apply this power to us."
nǎ pà zhāng fán shùn jiān yǐ zhēn jiǎ zhī biàn bì yòu jǐ shēn ， yě yī jiù wán quán nán táo shēng jī liú shì 。
哪怕张凡瞬间以真假之变庇佑己身，也依旧完全难逃生机流逝。
"Of course, they may not fully realize what they are doing while asleep." Li Fan remained silent as he looked at the countless 'himself' that had built the tree.
suī yǒu shèng zhě jìng jiè ， dàn zhè yī bèi zi xiū xíng ， zhāng fán què jí shǎo yǔ rén dòu fǎ 。 gù ér zhè chéng shèng hòu de dì yī zhàn ， biàn lüè wēi chī le diǎn xiǎo kuī 。
虽有圣者境界，但这一辈子修行，张凡却极少与人斗法。故而这成圣后的第一战，便略微吃了点小亏。
Zhen Shi Yin seemed to understand his thoughts and suggested, "Releasing them would be fine. Even better, you could do it yourself to end everything."
hǎo zài tā suī méi yǒu yǐ 【 cháng shēng 】 zhèng dào ， què yě pǒ shòu qí huì 。 wēn rùn cháng shēng zhī lì ， rú chūn rì chán chán xì shuǐ ， dǐ dǎng zhe bīng fēng chè dǐ jiàng lín 。
好在他虽没有以【长生】证道，却也颇受其惠。温润长生之力，如春日潺潺细水，抵挡着冰封彻底降临。
Li Fan was moved by this suggestion but did not immediately respond. "The True-False Transformation is intangible and ungraspable. Although we can use Celestial Prophets to some extent, it has no practical significance. On the contrary, if we can gain an ally who can turn the tide, that would be extremely beneficial," Zhen Shi Yin said sincerely.
cóng duì fāng tōu xí zhōng zhú jiàn huǎn guò shén lái de zhāng fán miàn sè yī hán ， mù guāng rú dāo 、 shà shí suǒ dìng 。
从对方偷袭中逐渐缓过神来的张凡面色一寒，目光如刀、霎时锁定。
"So, what's your goal?" Li Fan asked.
zòng shǐ bù zhī duì fāng dǐ xì míng xìng ， dàn zhǐ yào zài gǎn zhī zhī nèi ， zhǎn mìng dāo biàn néng là xià ！
纵使不知对方底细名姓，但只要在感知之内，斩命刀便能落下！
"Seize the True-False Transformation and return to divinity." Zhen Shi Yin replied with eight words.
ér qiě hái bù jǐn jǐn shì yī bǎ 。
而且还不仅仅是一把。
Li Fan fell into deep thought. After a long while, he finally asked, "What difference does it make if the True-False Transformation is in me or in the divine? Isn't it all about the destruction of the Sea of Fate and its cycle?"
yī zhī xiān xì yù shǒu ， píng kōng ér xiàn ， qīng qīng wò zài zhǎn mìng dāo shàng 。
一只纤细玉手，凭空而现，轻轻握在斩命刀上。
Zhen Shi Yin's gaze was profound: "Past and present may not differ, but the future..."
ér hòu rú bái zhǐ fān zhé ， zhǎn mìng dāo yī biàn wèi èr 、 èr huà wèi bā 。 bù guò hū xī jiān ， biàn yǐ jīng dāo luò rú yǔ ， sēn rán ér xià ！
而后如白纸翻折，斩命刀一变为二、二化为八。不过呼吸间，便已经刀落如雨，森然而下！
After a long silence, as if pondering something. Once he confirmed his conclusions through derivation, Zhen Shi Yin continued, "The True-False Transformation in the divine means that the Sea of Fate is not truly destroyed; death is the beginning of life, and life is the beginning of death. The cycle is endless, and so is the future."
“ gé xià hé rén ！？”
“阁下何人！？”
"But if it's in someone else..." Zhen Shi Yin did not look at Li Fan but instead looked toward the direction where Li Fan's true self was meditating within the World of Divine Transformations.
“ gé xià hé rén ！？”
“阁下何人！？”
"The Sea of Fate will be completely destroyed, and the cycle will cease to exist. Everything will belong to one person."
“ gé xià hé rén ！？”
“阁下何人！？”
"This is what we see as the outcome," Zhen Shi Yin said.
shì xún wèn ， yě shì zhì yí 。
是询问，也是质疑。
Li Fan felt a powerful shock in his heart and mind.
xún wèn de shì duì fāng shēn fèn ， zhì yí de shì duì fāng cún zài 。
询问的是对方身份，质疑的是对方存在。
"Cycle ceases, everything belongs to one?" These eight words seemed to have an infinite charm, even though he was not actually part of that one. He couldn't help but feel slightly dazed.
shēng rú jīng léi ， bù duàn huí xiǎng pī xià 。
声如惊雷，不断回响劈下。
But quickly regaining his composure, he asked incredulously, "Can he really achieve such a feat?"
yào jiāng duì fāng zhí jiē mǒ qù 。
要将对方直接抹去。
Zhen Shi Yin nodded: "These countless Celestial Prophets are the best proof. Although it is only just beginning to show, if we do not stop them..."
dié zhǐ róng hé zhǎn mìng ， wàng jī róng hé zhēn jiǎ 。
迭纸融合斩命，忘机融合真假。
"We will face nothing but destruction."
zài jiàn dào nà cāng bái zhī diǎn de dì yī shí jiān ， zhāng fán jiù běn néng zhī xiǎo duì fāng qiáng dà 。 gù ér cǐ kè shén tōng jǐn chū ， zuò wéi jìng yì ！
在见到那苍白之点的第一时间，张凡就本能知晓对方强大。故而此刻神通尽出，作为敬意！
"Destruction..." Li Fan suddenly recalled the sudden disappearance of the fallen fishermen and Xuanyuan Hong due to his actions.
cāng bái zhī diǎn mèn hēng yī shēng ， àn zài zhāng fán jiān tóu de shǒu xiāo shī bú jiàn 。
苍白之点闷哼一声，按在张凡肩头的手消失不见。
This might reveal some insights into the true nature of "him." He believed a little more.
dàn qí yì sǎn guāng máng ， què yī jiù míng liàng wěn dìng rú chū ， jìng wán quán bù shòu zhāng fán zhū bān dà dào yī yàng ！
但其溢散光芒，却依旧明亮稳定如初，竟完全不受张凡诸般大道一样！
Li Fan then frowned and asked, "Who is this person? You know about the cycle of the Sea of Fate. Shouldn't you be very familiar with him?"
míng míng yǒu suǒ shén tōng jiē zhǔn què suǒ dìng 、 zhèng zhōng ， dàn bù zhī wèi hé ， wán quán méi yǒu fā huī qí yīng yǒu xiào yòng 。
明明有所神通皆准确锁定、正中，但不知为何，完全没有发挥其应有效用。
Zhen Shi Yin denied Li Fan's guess: "The True-False Transformation has touched us, and the cycle of the Sea of Fate has begun. Everything in the Sea of Fate will inevitably be reset."
“ zhè gǎn jué ， zhēn jiǎ zhī biàn bì yòu ？”
“这感觉，真假之变庇佑？”
"Even the True-False Transformation is not exempt!"
zhāng fán xīn zhōng shà shí jīng yí 。
张凡心中霎时惊疑。
"We may have some cultivation, but how can we escape this fate? Only a few can vaguely sense something due to the repeated cycles."
dàn piàn kè hòu ， tā jiù yì shí dào le qí zhōng de bù tóng zhī chù 。
但片刻后，他就意识到了其中的不同之处。
"For example, there's an intuition as if one had experienced it before when recalling past events. At the beginning of the Sea of Fate's rebirth, these feelings are faintest. As the Sea of Fate evolves, these sensations accumulate, allowing us to recall more," Zhen Shi Yin explained self-deprecatingly.
“ bìng fēi shì bù shòu yǐng xiǎng ， ér shì wǒ shǐ chū zhè zhū bān shén tōng ， tā hǎo sì zǎo jiù jīng lì chéng shòu guò wú shù cì le 。 zǎo yǐ jīng xí guàn le zhè yī qiè ， gù ér shòu zhī rú bù shòu ！”
“并非是不受影响，而是我使出这诸般神通，他好似早就经历承受过无数次了。早已经习惯了这一切，故而受之如不受！”
"Even I am like this; how much more for them?" He was referring to the other Sea of Fate sages still watching and contemplating below the tree.
zhāng fán yǐn yǐn gǎn jué dào ， yǎn qián zhè cāng bái zhī diǎn de shí lì huò xǔ bǐ tā xiǎng xiàng zhōng de hái yào shēn bù kě cè 。 yú shì zài jiāng qí bī tuì zhī hòu ， biàn méi yǒu zài dù mào rán dòng shǒu 。
张凡隐隐感觉到，眼前这苍白之点的实力或许比他想象中的还要深不可测。于是在将其逼退之后，便没有再度贸然动手。
Realizing the implication in his words, Li Fan's expression turned serious. "May I ask your level of cultivation?"
cāng bái zhī guāng ， guāng huī sàn qù ， xiǎn lù chū qí nèi róng mào 。
苍白之光，光辉散去，显露出其内容貌。
"All are at the divine realm. However, unlike most, I once achieved a divine body."
píng píng wú qí shòu xuē zhōng nián nán zi xíng xiàng 。
平平无奇瘦削中年男子形象。
"You can call me an 'Immortal Guest.'"
“ zài xià ，【 zhēn shì yǐn 】。” nán zi gǒng le gǒng shǒu ， dàn xiào zhe shuō dào 。
“在下，【真逝隐】。”男子拱了拱手，淡笑着说道。
"Divine," Zhen Shi Yin said casually as if it were nothing.
“ zhēn shì yǐn ？” nǎo hǎi zhōng chū xiàn cǐ sān zì shùn jiān ， zhāng fán biàn gǎn jué zì shēn suǒ wù zhēn jiǎ dà dào ， yǐn yǐn yǒu suǒ chù dòng 。 fǎng fú yǎn qián zhè wèi shòu xuē nán zi ， gēn 【 hái zhēn 】 yǒu suǒ guān lián yì bān 。
“真逝隐？”脑海中出现此三字瞬间，张凡便感觉自身所悟真假大道，隐隐有所触动。仿佛眼前这位瘦削男子，跟【还真】有所关联一般。
Li Fan knew that everything in the Sea of Fate originated from fallen gods and understood the weight of the word "divine." The pressure he felt from this cultivator increased slightly.
zhēn shì yǐn kàn shàng qù gēn fán rén bìng wú qū bié ， dàn tā zhǐ yào zhàn zài nà lǐ ， jiù gěi zhāng fán dài lái le yǐn yǐn yā lì 。
真逝隐看上去跟凡人并无区别，但他只要站在那里，就给张凡带来了隐隐压力。
"In fact, strictly speaking, one cannot be considered a true god," Zhen Shi Yin smiled and explained. "The cycle of the Sea of Fate should not have produced an 'Immortal Guest.'"
zhāng fán bù dòng shēng sè hòu tuì yuǎn lí shǎo xǔ ， gù zuò hú tú dào ：“ bù zhī zhēn dào yǒu suǒ shuō mù hòu zhī rén ， jiū jìng shì shén me yì si ？”
张凡不动声色后退远离少许，故作糊涂道：“不知真道友所说幕后之人，究竟是什么意思？”
"Old gods fall, and the Sea of Fate appears. When the Sea of Fate disappears, new gods emerge."
zhēn shì yǐn bìng méi yǒu jiē chuān zhāng fán de zhuāng shǎ chōng lèng ， ér shì zhí jiē liǎo dàng de shuō le chū lái ：“ zhè huò luàn xīng hǎi de mù hòu zhī rén ， zì rán shì nà wèi 【 zhēn jiǎ dà dào 】 zhī zhǔ 。”
真逝隐并没有揭穿张凡的装傻充愣，而是直接了当的说了出来：“这祸乱星海的幕后之人，自然是那位【真假大道】之主。”
"It has always been about new gods replacing old ones."
“ zhì yú nǐ ， yǐ jí tā men ……”
“至于你，以及他们……”
"A single divine transformation is forever a god—either existing in name or falling into oblivion."
“ bù guò shì tā suǒ chuàng zào de fēn shēn bà le 。”
“不过是他所创造的分身罢了。”
"But what is an 'Immortal Guest'..."
“ fēn …… fēn shēn 。” zhāng fán dùn shí lèng zhù le 。
“分……分身。”张凡顿时愣住了。
"An Immortal Guest forcibly seized the essence of old gods during their division and was reset by the True-False Transformation. Although they returned to normal, they still existed under the guise of a divine being for some time, making them somewhat different from other creatures in the Sea of Fate."
“ fēn shēn ？ yuán lái shì zhè yàng 。”
“分身？原来是这样。”
"But only slightly." Zhen Shi Yin elaborated on the nature of an "Immortal Guest."
suí hòu tā rú mèng chū xǐng ， míng bái le yī qiè 。 yǒu xiē shì rán ， yòu yǒu xiē huǎng hū 。
随后他如梦初醒，明白了一切。有些释然，又有些恍惚。
"Only an 'Immortal Guest' can understand the truth within the cycle of the Sea of Fate. So, Senior Fisher and others might be Immortal Guests?" Li Fan asked after understanding the background.
suǒ wèi bù shí lú shān zhēn miàn mù ， zhǐ yuán shēn zài cǐ shān zhōng 。 zhāng fán zǎo jiù yǐn yǐn kuī tàn dào le nà kě néng de mù hòu cún zài ， ér hòu shèn zhì néng yí bù bù bǎi tuō jì dìng sù mìng 、 lǐng wù zhū duō shān hǎi chāo fán dào zé ， zhèng jiù shèng zhě jìng jiè 。
所谓不识庐山真面目，只缘身在此山中。张凡早就隐隐窥探到了那可能的幕后存在，而后甚至能一步步摆脱既定宿命、领悟诸多山海超凡道则，证就圣者境界。
Realizing this, he felt much less pressure from Zhen Shi Yin. He was even more amazed at the power of the True-False Transformation, which had once been in his possession and still lingered with him now.
dàn tā què shǐ zhōng běn néng rèn wéi ， nà mù hòu zhēn xiōng ， shì lìng wài tā rén 。
但他却始终本能认为，那幕后真凶，是另外他人。
Suddenly, he recalled a sentence Zhen Shi Yin said earlier and felt something was off.
ér xià yì shí běn néng de hū lüè le ， zì jǐ shì fēn shēn de kě néng xìng 。
而下意识本能的忽略了，自己是分身的可能性。
"You just mentioned that everything in the Sea of Fate is subject to reset destiny, including the True-False Transformation. If that's true..." Li Fan frowned.
xiàn zài zhāng fán hòu zhī hòu jué ， fǎn yìng guò lái 。
现在张凡后知后觉，反应过来。
"He should have been reset as well, right? How can he...?" Zhen Shi Yin's words made him stop abruptly and his doubts vanished: "That’s because he’s an 'Outsider.'"
huò xǔ shì yīn wèi shòu dào shān hǎi chuí diào wēng yǐ jí xuān yuán hóng děng rén qián yí mò huà de yǐng xiǎng 。
或许是因为受到山海垂钓翁以及轩辕宏等人潜移默化的影响。
"Exactly, exactly."
“ zhèng yīn wèi ， wǒ cóng lái dōu jiān dìng rèn wéi ， zì jǐ shì dú lì zhī rén 、 ér fēi tā rén fēn shēn 。 huò xǔ cái néng chéng gōng jì chéng zhòng rén dào zé ， xiū xíng zhèng dào chéng shèng 。 ér ruò nǎo hǎi zhōng yí dàn yǒu shì tā rén fēn shēn niàn xiǎng chū xiàn ， zhǐ yào céng jīng chū xiàn guò nǎ pà yī shùn ， chéng shèng zhī lù biàn huì zì cǐ duàn jué 。”
“正因为，我从来都坚定认为，自己是独立之人、而非他人分身。或许才能成功继承众人道则，修行证道成圣。而若脑海中一旦有是他人分身念想出现，只要曾经出现过哪怕一瞬，成圣之路便会自此断绝。”
Li Fan repeated these words softly.
yǐn yǐn míng bái guò lái de zhāng fán ， bù yóu gǎn dào yī sī qìng xìng 。
隐隐明白过来的张凡，不由感到一丝庆幸。
Zhen Shi Yin continued in a somber tone, "Once upon a time, most Immortal Guests gathered at the end of the Sea of Fate with partial enlightenment to discuss the source of the reset cycle."
“ dào yǒu huò xǔ yǐ jīng zhī xiǎo ， shān hǎi chǔ yú wú jìn lún huí zhī zhōng 。”
“道友或许已经知晓，山海处于无尽轮回之中。”
"But we could never figure it out."
“ shēng shēng pò miè ， lún huí bù zhǐ 。”
“生生破灭，轮回不止。”
"After all, we are divine bodies, but we are always reset and reverted."
“ zhēn jiǎ zhī shì ， běn wèi xū huàn 。”
“真假之事，本为虚幻。”
"All things come from gods. But gods can be reset by True-False Transformation. This seems completely illogical."
“ rán ér zài wú shù cì de jīng lì zhōng ， shì zhè yàng de chǎng miàn ， hái zhēn shì tóu yī zāo 。” zhēn shì yǐn zhǐ zhe qián fāng xū kōng zhōng chù lì de nà zhū dà shù shuō dào 。
“然而在无数次的经历中，似这样的场面，还真是头一遭。”真逝隐指着前方虚空中矗立的那株大树说道。
"Then, during the Sea of Fate's destruction, we suddenly realized."
“ yě xìng de rú cǐ ， wú děng fāng cái yǒu xìng ， néng gòu rú cǐ jìn jù lí guān mó zhēn jiǎ dà dào 。”
“也幸得如此，吾等方才有幸，能够如此近距离观摩真假大道。”
"The True-False Transformation is a power that even gods cannot escape."
zhēn shì yǐn de zhè jù huà zhōng ， jìng yǒu zhe zài míng xiǎn bù guò de qíng xù qǐ fú 。
真逝隐的这句话中，竟有着再明显不过的情绪起伏。
"It originates from true gods but affects them as well. We speculate this might be an innate divine power and the root cause of the cycle of the Sea of Fate."
duì yú shān hǎi lún huí zhī shì ， zhāng fán yě zhǐ shì yǒu gè yǐn yǐn de cāi cè 。
对于山海轮回之事，张凡也只是有个隐隐的猜测。
"Even if they fall or disappear, they can return to their original state through the True-False Transformation in the void. This is what makes a 'god.'"
cǐ kè cóng zhēn shì yǐn kǒu zhōng dé dào yìn zhèng ， yě méi yǒu duō shǎo chī jīng 。
此刻从真逝隐口中得到印证，也没有多少吃惊。
From Zhen Shi Yin's description, Li Fan seemed to glimpse the might of the true god who had given birth to everything in the Sea of Fate.
tā gèng duō de guān zhù diǎn ， hái shì zài zhēn jiǎ dà dào zhī shàng 。 yú shì wèn dào ：“ kě yǒu suǒ de ？”
他更多的关注点，还是在真假大道之上。于是问道：“可有所得？”
But quickly, his tone changed.
zhēn shì yǐn zài dù xiào le qǐ lái ：“ jiàn dōu bù néng jiàn ， yòu tán hé suǒ de ？”
真逝隐再度笑了起来：“见都不能见，又谈何所得？”
"If the True-False Transformation remains with the divine body, it would be straightforward."
“ zhēn jiǎ dà dào ， zhǐ zhōng yī rén 。 jiù suàn qióng jìn yī qiè bàn fǎ ， yě wú fǎ chù 、 wú fǎ wù 。 suī rán cóng qián wǒ zǎo jiù yǒu suǒ yù gǎn le ， bù guò zhí dào zhè yī cì ， fāng cái suàn shì chè dǐ què xìn sǐ xīn le 。”
“真假大道，只钟一人。就算穷尽一切办法，也无法触、无法悟。虽然从前我早就有所预感了，不过直到这一次，方才算是彻底确信死心了。”
"But..."
“ nà zài gāng gāng de shān hǎi xiǎo guī mó zhòng zhì zhōng ， wèi hé nǐ men néng gòu gēn suí yī tóng bèi bǎo liú ？” zhè yě shì zhāng fán wéi yī xiǎng bù tōng de dì fāng 。
“那在刚刚的山海小规模重置中，为何你们能够跟随一同被保留？”这也是张凡唯一想不通的地方。
"Why did the True-False Transformation fall into an 'outsider'?"
“ wú děng yī jiù cún zài ， bìng fēi píng jiè zì jǐ lì liàng 。 ér shì yī zhàng ， yǎn qián wú shù tiān mìng zi de gōng láo 。” zhēn shì yǐn dào yě méi yǒu yǐn mán 。
“吾等依旧存在，并非凭借自己力量。而是依仗，眼前无数天命子的功劳。”真逝隐倒也没有隐瞒。
"Divine power has deviated from its rightful place. Because it comes from an outsider, it can avoid being reset. The True-False Transformation in his hands may even surpass the divine," Li Fan felt a faint sense of fear.
“ wǒ men zì shēn suī wú fǎ gǎn wù 、 cāo zòng zhēn jiǎ zhī biàn ， rán ér què kě yǐ tōng guò yǐng xiǎng niǔ qū tiān mìng zi sī xù ， shǐ de tā men zì yuàn jiāng zhēn jiǎ zhī lì 、 zuò yòng yú wǒ men 。”
“我们自身虽无法感悟、操纵真假之变，然而却可以通过影响扭曲天命子思绪，使得他们自愿将真假之力、作用于我们。”
"A single thought could reverse everything we know and return us to the beginning. He would carry past memories while you would be clueless."
“ dāng rán ， tā men zài shuì mèng zhōng ， yě wèi bì néng zhēn zhèng yì shí dào zì jǐ jiū jìng gàn le xiē shén me 。”
“当然，他们在睡梦中，也未必能真正意识到自己究竟干了些什么。”
"Such an opponent, how can one fight against him?"
zhāng fán mò rán bù yǔ ， zài dù kàn xiàng wú shù “ zì jǐ ” suǒ zhù jiù dà shù 。
张凡默然不语，再度看向无数“自己”所筑就大树。
"After countless cycles, we have seen no hope for resolution until..."
zhēn shì yǐn sì hū kàn chū le zhāng fán nèi xīn xiǎng fǎ ， hū de kāi kǒu tí yì dào ：“ ràng tā men jiě tuō ， yě bìng wú bù kě 。 shèn zhì ， hái kě yǐ ràng nǐ lái qīn zì dòng shǒu ， liǎo jié zhè yī qiè 。”
真逝隐似乎看出了张凡内心想法，忽的开口提议道：“让他们解脱，也并无不可。甚至，还可以让你来亲自动手，了结这一切。”
"The appearance of friend."
"Friend, you just mentioned that everything in the Sea of Fate is subject to reset destiny. Even the True-False Transformation is not exempt from this. If that's true..." Li Fan asked about the only thing he couldn't understand.
"We still exist and are not relying on our own power but rather the efforts of countless Celestial Prophets," Zhen Shi Yin replied without any concealment. "We cannot perceive or manipulate the True-False Transformation ourselves, but we can influence and distort their thoughts to make them voluntarily apply this power to us."
"Of course, they may not fully realize what they are doing while asleep." Li Fan remained silent as he looked at the countless 'himself' that had built the tree.
Zhen Shi Yin seemed to understand his thoughts and suggested, "Releasing them would be fine. Even better, you could do it yourself to end everything."
Li Fan was moved by this suggestion but did not immediately respond. "The True-False Transformation is intangible and ungraspable. Although we can use Celestial Prophets to some extent, it has no practical significance. On the contrary, if we can gain an ally who can turn the tide, that would be extremely beneficial," Zhen Shi Yin said sincerely.
"So, what's your goal?" Li Fan asked.
"Seize the True-False Transformation and return to divinity." Zhen Shi Yin replied with eight words.
Li Fan fell into deep thought. After a long while, he finally asked, "What difference does it make if the True-False Transformation is in me or in the divine? Isn't it all about the destruction of the Sea of Fate and its cycle?"
Zhen Shi Yin's gaze was profound: "Past and present may not differ, but the future..."
After a long silence, as if pondering something. Once he confirmed his conclusions through derivation, Zhen Shi Yin continued, "The True-False Transformation in the divine means that the Sea of Fate is not truly destroyed; death is the beginning of life, and life is the beginning of death. The cycle is endless, and so is the future."
"But if it's in someone else..." Zhen Shi Yin did not look at Li Fan but instead looked toward the direction where Li Fan's true self was meditating within the World of Divine Transformations.
"The Sea of Fate will be completely destroyed, and the cycle will cease to exist. Everything will belong to one person."
"This is what we see as the outcome," Zhen Shi Yin said.
Li Fan felt a powerful shock in his heart and mind.
"Cycle ceases, everything belongs to one?" These eight words seemed to have an infinite charm, even though he was not actually part of that one. He couldn't help but feel slightly dazed.
But quickly regaining his composure, he asked incredulously, "Can he really achieve such a feat?"
Zhen Shi Yin nodded: "These countless Celestial Prophets are the best proof. Although it is only just beginning to show, if we do not stop them..."
"We will face nothing but destruction."
"Destruction..." Li Fan suddenly recalled the sudden disappearance of the fallen fishermen and Xuanyuan Hong due to his actions.
This might reveal some insights into the true nature of "him." He believed a little more.
Li Fan then frowned and asked, "Who is this person? You know about the cycle of the Sea of Fate. Shouldn't you be very familiar with him?"
Zhen Shi Yin denied Li Fan's guess: "The True-False Transformation has touched us, and the cycle of the Sea of Fate has begun. Everything in the Sea of Fate will inevitably be reset."
"Even the True-False Transformation is not exempt!"
"We may have some cultivation, but how can we escape this fate? Only a few can vaguely sense something due to the repeated cycles."
"For example, there's an intuition as if one had experienced it before when recalling past events. At the beginning of the Sea of Fate's rebirth, these feelings are faintest. As the Sea of Fate evolves, these sensations accumulate, allowing us to recall more," Zhen Shi Yin explained self-deprecatingly.
"Even I am like this; how much more for them?" He was referring to the other Sea of Fate sages still watching and contemplating below the tree.
Realizing the implication in his words, Li Fan's expression turned serious. "May I ask your level of cultivation?"
"All are at the divine realm. However, unlike most, I once achieved a divine body."
"You can call me an 'Immortal Guest.'"
"Divine," Zhen Shi Yin said casually as if it were nothing.
Li Fan knew that everything in the Sea of Fate originated from fallen gods and understood the weight of the word "divine." The pressure he felt from this cultivator increased slightly.
"In fact, strictly speaking, one cannot be considered a true god," Zhen Shi Yin smiled and explained. "The cycle of the Sea of Fate should not have produced an 'Immortal Guest.'"
"Old gods fall, and the Sea of Fate appears. When the Sea of Fate disappears, new gods emerge."
"It has always been about new gods replacing old ones."
"A single divine transformation is forever a god—either existing in name or falling into oblivion."
"But what is an 'Immortal Guest'..."
"An Immortal Guest forcibly seized the essence of old gods during their division and was reset by the True-False Transformation. Although they returned to normal, they still existed under the guise of a divine being for some time, making them somewhat different from other creatures in the Sea of Fate."
"But only slightly." Zhen Shi Yin elaborated on the nature of an "Immortal Guest."
"Only an 'Immortal Guest' can understand the truth within the cycle of the Sea of Fate. So, Senior Fisher and others might be Immortal Guests?" Li Fan asked after understanding the background.
Realizing this, he felt much less pressure from Zhen Shi Yin. He was even more amazed at the power of the True-False Transformation, which had once been in his possession and still lingered with him now.
Suddenly, he recalled a sentence Zhen Shi Yin said earlier and felt something was off.
"You just mentioned that everything in the Sea of Fate is subject to reset destiny, including the True-False Transformation. If that's true..." Li Fan frowned.
"He should have been reset as well, right? How can he...?" Zhen Shi Yin's words made him stop abruptly and his doubts vanished: "That’s because he’s an 'Outsider.'"
"Exactly, exactly."
Li Fan repeated these words softly.
Zhen Shi Yin continued in a somber tone, "Once upon a time, most Immortal Guests gathered at the end of the Sea of Fate with partial enlightenment to discuss the source of the reset cycle."
"But we could never figure it out."
"After all, we are divine bodies, but we are always reset and reverted."
"All things come from gods. But gods can be reset by True-False Transformation. This seems completely illogical."
"Then, during the Sea of Fate's destruction, we suddenly realized."
"The True-False Transformation is a power that even gods cannot escape."
"It originates from true gods but affects them as well. We speculate this might be an innate divine power and the root cause of the cycle of the Sea of Fate."
"Even if they fall or disappear, they can return to their original state through the True-False Transformation in the void. This is what makes a 'god.'"
From Zhen Shi Yin's description, Li Fan seemed to glimpse the might of the true god who had given birth to everything in the Sea of Fate.
But quickly, his tone changed.
"If the True-False Transformation remains with the divine body, it would be straightforward."
"But..."
"Why did the True-False Transformation fall into an 'outsider'?"
"Divine power has deviated from its rightful place. Because it comes from an outsider, it can avoid being reset. The True-False Transformation in his hands may even surpass the divine," Li Fan felt a faint sense of fear.
"A single thought could reverse everything we know and return us to the beginning. He would carry past memories while you would be clueless."
"Such an opponent, how can one fight against him?"
"After countless cycles, we have seen no hope for resolution until..."
"The appearance of friend."