“ ér qiě ， xiǎo yào wáng dǐng de shù liàng ， sì hū yuǎn bù zhǐ liǎng zūn 。”
“而且，小药王鼎的数量，似乎远不止两尊。”
"And more importantly, the number of Little Medicine King Cauldrons seems to be far beyond just two."
“ shí lì bù gòu ， xiǎo yào wáng dǐng fēi dàn bú shì jī yuán ， fǎn ér shì cuī mìng fú 。”
“实力不够，小药王鼎非但不是机缘，反而是催命符。”
"Insufficient strength means that these Little Medicine King Cauldrons are not opportunities but death warrants."
“ dàn tǎng ruò yǎn zhēng zhēng de kàn zhe rú cǐ zhēn bǎo ， shēn mái dì xià 。 zuì hòu bèi bié rén ná zǒu ， shí zài bù hé wǒ xīn yì 。”
“但倘若眼睁睁的看着如此珍宝，深埋地下。最后被别人拿走，实在不合我心意。”
"But if I simply watch such a treasure buried underground and let someone else take it away, it would truly go against my wishes."
“ huò xǔ ， kě yǐ yǐ cǐ wèi méi jiè ， jiǎo dòng yī fān fēng yǔ 。 ruò shì néng gòu shùn biàn gǎo qīng chǔ ， nà huí guī de yào wáng dǐng de mì mì 。 nà jiù gèng hǎo le 。”
“或许，可以以此为媒介，搅动一番风雨。若是能够顺便搞清楚，那回归的药王鼎的秘密。那就更好了。”
"Perhaps we could stir up some storms with this as a medium. If we can also figure out the secrets of the returning Medicine King Cauldron in the process, that would be even better."
lǐ fán sī xù yī zhèn fān yǒng 。
李凡思绪一阵翻涌。
Li Fan's thoughts churned.
“ bù guò ， zài cǐ zhī qián ， hái shì ràng jiāo xiū yuǎn chū shǒu ， bǎ xiǎo yào wáng dǐng wā chū lái zài shuō 。”
“不过，在此之前，还是让焦修远出手，把小药王鼎挖出来再说。”
"But before that, let's have Jiao Xiuyuan take action and dig up the Little Medicine King Caulrion."
“ shuō qǐ lái ， zhè jiāo xiū yuǎn dào dǐ kuī le duō shǎo ， zěn me hái méi yǒu huí fù wǒ ？”
“说起来，这焦修远到底亏了多少，怎么还没有回复我？”
"Speaking of which, how much has Jiao Xiuyuan lost? Could it possibly be a technique for multitasking?"
“ qiān lǐ táng yě yì zhí méi yǒu kāi yè 。”
“千里堂也一直没有开业。”
"Indeed, the effect is like multitasking. However, this isn't due to any cultivation method but an ancient magical art!" Jiao Xiuyuan said proudly. "Back then, I almost turned over half of the cultivation world in search of this magical art."
lǐ fán yǒu xiē wú nài ， zhǐ dé dòng yòng fēn shēn ， yòu gěi jiāo xiū yuǎn fā le yī dào xùn xī 。
李凡有些无奈，只得动用分身，又给焦修远发了一道讯息。
"An ancient magical art?" Li Fan's eyes narrowed as he asked.
shuí céng xiǎng ， zhè cì duì fāng hěn kuài jiù huí le guò lái 。
谁曾想，这次对方很快就回了过来。
Seeing that Li Fan seemed interested, Jiao Xiuyuan didn't waste any time and directly asked, "Do you know about the Ancient Taiyin Sect?"
yǔ qì hái yǒu diǎn wú gū 。
语气还有点无辜。
"The Taiyin Sect?" Li Fan was slightly stunned. He couldn't help but think of Yi Xing's tomb buried deep underground in Great Yan.
“ shén me ？ wǒ méi yǒu huí nǐ ？ zěn me kě néng ！”
“什么？我没有回你？怎么可能！”
That Yi Xing was a Taiyin Sect outer disciple.
“ wǒ shāng shì zǎo jiù hǎo le a ！ bù guò chū le diǎn xiǎo wèn tí ， qiān lǐ táng zàn shí shì kāi bù liǎo yè le 。”
“我伤势早就好了啊！不过出了点小问题，千里堂暂时是开不了业了。”
And he had once pretended to be a descendant of the Taiyin Sect, tricking both Kao Hong and Daoxuan into repairing his Taiyin Boat.
lǐ fán yǒu xiē wú yǔ ：“ nǐ zì jǐ zài kàn kàn lì shǐ xiāo xī 。”
李凡有些无语：“你自己再看看历史消息。”
He never thought that the technique he sought but couldn't obtain would have anything to do with the Taiyin Sect?
piàn kè zhī hòu ， jiāo xiū yuǎn lián máng bào qiàn ：“ āi yā ， shì wǒ shū hū le ！ què shí méi zhù yì ！ bù guò yě bù néng guài wǒ 。 xiàn zài wǒ shì qiān tóu wàn xù ， qiān tóu wàn xù a ！”
片刻之后，焦修远连忙抱歉：“哎呀，是我疏忽了！确实没注意！不过也不能怪我。现在我是千头万绪，千头万绪啊！”
Seeing Li Fan's silence, Jiao Xiuyuan assumed he didn't know much about it and began to explain simply. "The Taiyin Sect was renowned across the land in ancient times for its art of calculation."
“ wǒ hái yǐ wéi dào yǒu kuī sǔn tài duō ， zhí jiē pǎo lù le ne 。” lǐ fán tiáo kǎn dào 。
“我还以为道友亏损太多，直接跑路了呢。”李凡调侃道。
"Their main cultivation method: 'Yan Tian Nine Volumes,' is extremely mysterious with boundless power. Upon full mastery, one can supposedly predict all events within a thousand years."
“ hē hē ， dào yǒu shuō xiào le 。 shāng zhī yī zì ， nǎi shì wǒ dào zhī suǒ zài 。 zěn me kě néng jiù zhè me qīng yì fàng qì 。 zhǐ bù guò ， xiàn zài de qíng kuàng tè shū 。 yǐ wǒ yī rén zhī lì ， xiǎng yào cāo zòng wàn qiān kuǐ lěi ， shí zài yǒu xiē miǎn qiǎng 。 yìng fù bù guò lái ， wèi le bì miǎn zuò cuò shēng yì ， zào chéng gèng dà de kuī sǔn ， zhǐ néng zàn shí jiāng yī xiē bú zhòng yào de shāng pù xiān zàn shí xiē yè le 。”
“呵呵，道友说笑了。商之一字，乃是我道之所在。怎么可能就这么轻易放弃。只不过，现在的情况特殊。以我一人之力，想要操纵万千傀儡，实在有些勉强。应付不过来，为了避免做错生意，造成更大的亏损，只能暂时将一些不重要的商铺先暂时歇业了。”
"Haha. Of course, this magical art I possess has nothing to do with that Yan Tian Nine Volumes."
jiāo xiū yuǎn yī jù huà ， shuō de duàn duàn xù xù ， gēn lǐ fán shú xī de kǎ dùn zhuàng tài yǒu diǎn xiàng 。
焦修远一句话，说的断断续续，跟李凡熟悉的卡顿状态有点像。
Jiao Xiuyuan's tone suddenly changed, catching Li Fan off guard.
lǐ fán bù yóu dì wèn dào ：“ yí ？ nán bù chéng shì dào yǒu xiū xíng de gōng fǎ chū le wèn tí ？ bù zhī dào néng fǒu tòu lù ？”
李凡不由地问道：“咦？难不成是道友修行的功法出了问题？不知道能否透露？”
"But this magical art is something every Taiyin Sect disciple must learn," Jiao Xiuyuan explained.
“ hē hē ， zhè méi shén me bù kě shuō de 。 dào yǒu kě shì wǒ de hé zuò huǒ bàn ， shàng yī cì yīn wèi wǒ de yuán yīn ， ràng dào yǒu sǔn shī le bù shǎo 。 dào yǒu què yī jù bào yuàn de huà yě méi yǒu ， wǒ xīn zhōng yě yǒu diǎn guò yì bù qù 。” jiāo xiū yuǎn dǎo shì shí fēn kè qì 。
“呵呵，这没什么不可说的。道友可是我的合作伙伴，上一次因为我的原因，让道友损失了不少。道友却一句抱怨的话也没有，我心中也有点过意不去。”焦修远倒是十分客气。
"Oh? How so?"
“ nǐ yě zhī dào ， wǒ suǒ xiū gōng fǎ ， míng wèi 《 wàn qiān kuǐ lěi dào 》。 cāo zòng wàn qiān kuǐ lěi ， qù cǎi gòu wù zī 、 sōu jí qíng bào 、 jiāo shè shēng yì ， jiāng yùn yíng qiān lǐ táng de chéng běn jiàng dī dào jí zhì 。”
“你也知道，我所修功法，名为《万千傀儡道》。操纵万千傀儡，去采购物资、搜集情报、交涉生意，将运营千里堂的成本降低到极致。”
"Think about it. A single action can affect the entire world. Everyone and everything in this world constantly influences each other."
“ dàn bì jìng rén de xīn shén zhù yì lì yǒu jí xiàn 。 yī xīn èr yòng 、 yī xīn sān yòng ， hái néng miǎn qiǎng zhèng cháng wéi chí 。 dàn xiǎng yào líng huó tóng shí zhī pèi shǔ yǐ wàn jì de kuǐ lěi ， zé lì yǒu bù dǎi le 。”
“但毕竟人的心神注意力有极限。一心二用、一心三用，还能勉强正常维持。但想要灵活同时支配数以万计的傀儡，则力有不逮了。”
"One change leads to a hundred changes, which then lead to countless more. This world is vast indeed."
jiāo xiū yuǎn yī dùn yī dùn 、 màn màn shuō dào 。
焦修远一顿一顿、慢慢说道。
"The number of variables is unimaginable."
lǐ fán cǐ shí qià hǎo chā zuǐ wèn dào ：“ suǒ yǐ dào yǒu zhī qián shì yòng shén me fāng fǎ ， lái bǎo zhèng zhè me duō shù liàng de kuǐ lěi ， yùn zhuàn zhèng cháng de ？ nán bù chéng shì shén me yī xīn duō yòng de gōng fǎ ？”
李凡此时恰好插嘴问道：“所以道友之前是用什么方法，来保证这么多数量的傀儡，运转正常的？难不成是什么一心多用的功法？”
"Even for a Great Dao cultivator, it's impossible to clear all these variables one by one."
“ xiào guǒ dí què shì yī xīn duō yòng ， zhǐ bù guò suǒ píng jiè de ， bú shì shén me gōng fǎ ， ér shì yī mén shàng gǔ qí shù ！” jiāo xiū yuǎn yǒu xiē dé yì de shuō dào 。“ dāng chū wèi le xún zhè mén qí shù ， wǒ kě shì chà bu duō jiāng dà bàn gè xiū xiān jiè ， dōu fān le gè biàn 。”
“效果的确是一心多用，只不过所凭借的，不是什么功法，而是一门上古奇术！”焦修远有些得意的说道。“当初为了寻这门奇术，我可是差不多将大半个修仙界，都翻了个遍。”
"The amount of control over these variables is closely related to the accuracy of predictions."
“ shàng gǔ qí shù ？” lǐ fán shuāng mù yī níng ， bù yóu de wèn dào 。
“上古奇术？”李凡双目一凝，不由的问道。
"So each Taiyin Sect disciple spends their entire lives striving to improve their ability to control variables," Jiao Xiuyuan said.
jiàn lǐ fán sì hū duì cǐ hěn gǎn xìng qù ， jiāo xiū yuǎn yě bù mài guān zi ， zhí jiē wèn dào ：“ dào yǒu kě zhī ， shàng gǔ tài yǎn zōng ？”
见李凡似乎对此很感兴趣，焦修远也不卖关子，直接问道：“道友可知，上古太衍宗？”
"This ability is essentially a cultivator's calculation power. Some cultivators have extraordinary talent and exceptional computational skills, making all changes seem orderly and clear in their eyes."
“ tài yǎn zōng ？” lǐ fán wēi wēi yī lèng ， bù yóu dì xiǎng qǐ le dà xuán dì xià shēn mái de yī xíng zhī mù 。
“太衍宗？”李凡微微一愣，不由地想起了大玄地下深埋的伊行之墓。
"But such cultivators are rare. Even during the ancient Taiyin Sect era, they were extremely uncommon."
nà wèi yī xíng ， jiù shì tài yǎn zōng wài mén dì zǐ 。
那位伊行，就是太衍宗外门弟子。
"So how do ordinary Taiyin Sect disciples improve their calculation abilities?"
ér qiě zì jǐ hái céng zài kòu hóng yǔ dào xuán zi èr rén miàn qián ， jiǎ zhuāng shì tài yǎn zōng hòu rén ， hǒng piàn èr rén wéi zì jǐ xiū fù tài yǎn zhōu 。
而且自己还曾在寇洪与道玄子二人面前，假装是太衍宗后人，哄骗二人为自己修复太衍舟。
Jiao Xiuyuan paused.
xiǎng bú dào ， zì jǐ qiú ér bù dé de yī xīn duō yòng zhī fǎ ， jìng rán huì hé tài yǎn zōng yǒu guān ？
想不到，自己求而不得的一心多用之法，竟然会和太衍宗有关？
Li Fan asked, "Is this what your magical art does?"
jiāo xiū yuǎn jiàn lǐ fán lèng zhù méi yǒu huí dá ， yǐ wéi lǐ fán duì qí bìng bù liǎo jiě ， yú shì jiǎn dān jiè shào qǐ lái ：“ zhè tài yǎn zōng ， nǎi shì shàng gǔ shí qī ， yǐ tuī yǎn cè suàn zhī shù ， wén míng tiān xià 。”
焦修远见李凡愣住没有回答，以为李凡对其并不了解，于是简单介绍起来：“这太衍宗，乃是上古时期，以推衍测算之术，闻名天下。”
"Exactly!" Jiao Xiuyuan excitedly revealed the truth.
“ qí zhèn pài gōng fǎ ：《 yǎn tiān jiǔ juǎn 》， xuán miào yì cháng 、 wēi néng wú qióng 。 xiū liàn dà chéng ， hào chēng néng tuī yǎn qiān nián nèi yī qiè rén 、 yī qiè shì 。”
“其镇派功法：《衍天九卷》，玄妙异常、威能无穷。修炼大成，号称能推衍千年内一切人、一切事。”
"Cultivators are not inherently different. They just make use of external tools!"
“ hē hē 。 dāng rán ， wǒ zhè mén qí shù ， yǔ zhè 《 yǎn tiān jiǔ juǎn 》 méi shén me guān xì 。”
“呵呵。当然，我这门奇术，与这《衍天九卷》没什么关系。”
"This magical art is called 'Hua Dao Shen Yi.'"
jiāo xiū yuǎn huà fēng tū zhuǎn ， tīng dé lǐ fán qì xī yī zhì 。
焦修远话锋突转，听得李凡气息一滞。
"In ancient times, the Taiyin Sect had a precious treasure known as Hua Dao Stone."
“ dàn zhè mén qí shù ， què shì dāng chū tài yǎn zōng mén rén dì zǐ bì xué de 。” jiāo xiū yuǎn jiě shì dào 。
“但这门奇术，却是当初太衍宗门人弟子必学的。”焦修远解释道。
"At first glance, this stone emits light and flickers like countless worlds being born and dying in an instant."
“ ó ？ cǐ huà zěn jiǎng ？”
“哦？此话怎讲？”
"But actually, these birth-and-death worlds are not just illusions."
“ dào yǒu xiǎng xiǎng ， suǒ wèi qiān yī fà ér dòng quán shēn 。 zhè shì jiān ， měi gè rén 、 měi jiàn shì ， dōu shí kè hù xiāng zài bǐ cǐ yǐng xiǎng 。”
“道友想想，所谓牵一发而动全身。这世间，每个人、每件事，都时刻互相在彼此影响。”
"They are the results of the Hua Dao Stone's own calculations. Although they appear illusory, they are real."
“ yī biàn shēng bǎi biàn ， bǎi biàn yòu shēng wàn biàn 。 zhè shì jiè yòu hé qí guǎng kuò 。”
“一变生百变，百变又生万变。这世界又何其广阔。”
"This 'Hua Dao Shen Yi' technique involves using secret methods to merge one's mind with the Hua Dao Stone."
“ biàn shù zhī duō ， shí zài lìng rén nán yǐ xiǎng xiàng 。”
“变数之多，实在令人难以想象。”
"Thus, one can utilize the terrifying computational power of the Hua Dao Stone to glimpse celestial secrets and probe causal relationships."
“ nǎ pà yǐ hé dào xiū shì zhī néng ， xiǎng yào jiāng zhè xiē biàn shù yī yī lǐ qīng ， yě shì bù kě néng de shì 。”
“哪怕以合道修士之能，想要将这些变数一一理清，也是不可能的事。”
Jiao Xiuyuan's tone became more fluid.
“ ér zhǎng wò biàn shù de duō shǎo ， yòu yǔ tuī yǎn jié guǒ de zhǔn què xìng xī xī xiāng guān 。”
“而掌握变数的多少，又与推衍结果的准确性息息相关。”
"In ancient times, almost every Taiyin Sect disciple had a Hua Dao Stone. They were separated from the largest 'Mother Hua Dao Stone.'"
“ suǒ yǐ měi wèi tài yǎn zōng mén rén ， yī shēng dōu zài lì zhì yú tí gāo zì jǐ duì biàn shù de zhǎng kòng néng lì 。”
“所以每位太衍宗门人，一生都在立志于提高自己对变数的掌控能力。”
"The higher the quality of the Hua Dao Stone, the stronger its computational power."
jiāo xiū yuǎn wěi wěi dào lái 。
焦修远娓娓道来。
"That is why I could easily control those myriad puppets before because of the Hua Dao Stone and 'Hua Dao Shen Yi'."
“ zhè zhǒng néng lì ， shuō bái le ， yě jiù shì yī wèi xiū shì de yǎn suàn néng lì 。 yǒu de xiū shì ， tiān fù yì bǐng ， suàn lì chāo qún 。 suī qiān duān wàn xù ， zài tā yǎn lǐ ， suǒ yǒu biàn shù yě zhǐ shì yǒu tiáo bù wěn 、 qīng xī wú bǐ 。”
“这种能力，说白了，也就是一位修士的衍算能力。有的修士，天赋异禀，算力超群。虽千端万绪，在他眼里，所有变数也只是有条不紊、清晰无比。”
"But now that there's a small trouble, it's also related to the Hua Dao Stone."
“ dàn zhè zhǒng xiū shì bì jìng shǎo zhī yòu shǎo 。 nǎ pà zài shàng gǔ shí qī de tài yǎn zōng ， yě shì jí qí shǎo jiàn de 。”
“但这种修士毕竟少之又少。哪怕在上古时期的太衍宗，也是极其少见的。”
"The collapse in Spirit Fog Grass prices last time was too much for me. The myriad puppets simultaneously experienced intense mental shocks. My Shen Yi Hua Dao Stone wasn't of very high quality and couldn't withstand the pressure, splitting open and losing its computational function."
“ nà me pǔ tōng de tài yǎn zōng dì zǐ xiǎng yào tí gāo zì jǐ de yǎn suàn néng lì ， yòu gāi rú hé de ？”
“那么普通的太衍宗弟子想要提高自己的衍算能力，又该如何的？”
Jiao Xiuyuan sighed as he mentioned this painful past.
jiāo xiū yuǎn dùn le dùn 。
焦修远顿了顿。
"To regain smooth control over those myriad puppets, I need to find a new Hua Dao Stone."
lǐ fán pèi hé de wèn dào ：“ zhè jiù shì nǐ nà mén qí shù de zuò yòng le ？”
李凡配合的问道：“这就是你那门奇术的作用了？”
"This is a rare item. It's valuable but hard to come by."
“ bù cuò ！” jiāo xiū yuǎn xīng fèn de jiē lù le mí dǐ 。
“不错！”焦修远兴奋的揭露了谜底。
"Back then, during the great calamity, the Taiyin Sect was destroyed, and the Mother Hua Dao Stone disappeared. So many years have passed, finding another Hua Dao Stone is as difficult as climbing heaven itself."
“ xiū shì shēng fēi yì yě ， shàn jiǎ yú wù yě ！ zì jǐ tiān shēng bù jù bèi zhè néng lì ， bù fáng jiè zhù wài wù ！”
“修士生非异也，善假于物也！自己天生不具备这能力，不妨借助外物！”
"But recently, I've gathered some information. If everything goes well, I believe we won't be far from restarting operations."
“ zhè mén qí shù ， jiù jiào zuò 【 huà dào shén yī 】。”
“这门奇术，就叫做【化道神一】。”
Jiao Xiuyuan's tone became more enthusiastic.
“ shàng gǔ zhī shí ， tài yǎn zōng mén nèi yǒu zhì bǎo 。 míng yuē ： huà dào shí 。”
“上古之时，太衍宗门内有至宝。名曰：化道石。”
"Hua Dao Stone, Hua Dao Shen Yi."
“ biǎo miàn shàng kàn qǐ lái ， zhè huà dào shí nèi guāng huá liú zhuǎn ， dàn zhǐ chà nà jiān ， jiù shì yǒu wú shù shì jiè shēng miè 。”
“表面上看起来，这化道石内光华流转，弹指刹那间，就似有无数世界生灭。”
Li Fan pondered for a moment and asked tentatively, "The Taiyin Sect has been destroyed for thousands of years. How do you know so much about its secrets? Could it be that you're a descendant of the Taiyin Sect?"
“ dàn qí shí ， zhè xiē shēng miè de shì jiè ， bìng bù zhǐ shì jiǎ xiàng 。”
“但其实，这些生灭的世界，并不只是假象。”
"Do not joke," Jiao Xiuyuan said. "Of course, I'm not a descendant of the Taiyin Sect. That's why I know these secrets—because I dug up a Taiyin Sect disciple's tomb..."
“ ér shì huà dào shí zì xíng tuī yǎn 、 jì suàn de jié guǒ xiǎn xiàn 。 suī shì xū huàn ， shí fēi xū huàn 。”
“而是化道石自行推衍、计算的结果显现。虽是虚幻，实非虚幻。”
Upon hearing this, Li Fan fell silent.
“ zhè 【 huà dào shén yī 】 zhī shù ， jiù shì yǐ mì fǎ ， jiāng zì jǐ xīn shén yǔ huà dào shí róng wéi yī tǐ 。”
“这【化道神一】之术，就是以秘法，将自己心神与化道石融为一体。”
The two were momentarily in an awkward silence.
“ cóng ér jiè huà dào shí nà kǒng bù de yǎn suàn néng lì wèi jǐ yòng ， dá dào kuī tiān jī 、 tàn yīn guǒ de dì bù 。”
“从而借化道石那恐怖的衍算能力为己用，达到窥天机、探因果的地步。”
"Haha, do not misunderstand me. Digging up tombs is something I only do occasionally. The goods at my Thousand Mile Hall are all clean and sourced from legitimate means."
jiāo xiū yuǎn yǔ qì yuè fā liú chàng qǐ lái 。
焦修远语气越发流畅起来。
"Haha, you can rest assured. I'm not too bothered by this matter. My belief is that the origin of a thing matters little as long as it's useful," Li Fan said.
“ dāng chū tài yǎn zōng mén rén ， jī hū rén shǒu yī kē huà dào shí 。 dōu shì cóng zuì dà de nà kē 【 huà dào shí mǔ 】 zhōng fēn lí chū de 。”
“当初太衍宗门人，几乎人手一颗化道石。都是从最大的那颗【化道石母】中分离出的。”
"Zzzt, your words resonate with me!" Jiao Xiuyuan was excited again.
“ huà dào shí pǐn zhì yuè gāo ， yǎn suàn néng lì jiù yuè qiáng 。”
“化道石品质越高，衍算能力就越强。”
Li Fan recalled why he had contacted Jiao Xiuyuan and continued, "Speaking of which, I have something to ask you for help."
“ wǒ xiān qián zhī suǒ yǐ néng qīng yì cāo kòng zhè wàn qiān kuǐ lěi ， jiù shì yīn wèi huà dào shí yǔ 【 huà dào shén yī 】 de yuán gù 。”
“我先前之所以能轻易操控这万千傀儡，就是因为化道石与【化道神一】的缘故。”
Jiao Xiuyuan immediately said, "Do not hesitate. If it's within my capabilities, I'll definitely assist."
“ ér xiàn zài zhī suǒ yǐ chū le diǎn xiǎo má fán ， yě gēn huà dào shí yǒu guān 。”
“而现在之所以出了点小麻烦，也跟化道石有关。”
"You should know about the Ancient Medicine King Sect. When I was checking ancient texts today, I found that the Medicine King Sect disciples used a small cauldron to cultivate and nurture various Spirit Plants."
“ shàng yī cì de líng wù cǎo jià gé xuě bēng ， wǒ shí zài kuī sǔn tài duō 。 wàn qiān kuǐ lěi ， tóng shí xīn shén jù zhèn 。 yǔ wǒ shén yī de nà kuài huà dào shí pǐn zhì yě bù suàn tài hǎo 。 jìng rán chéng shòu bú zhù ， zhí jiē liè kāi ， shī qù le yǎn suàn gōng néng 。”
“上一次的灵雾草价格雪崩，我实在亏损太多。万千傀儡，同时心神剧震。与我神一的那块化道石品质也不算太好。竟然承受不住，直接裂开，失去了衍算功能。”
"This small cauldron creates its own space, generating Wood属性灵力 to accelerate plant growth."
jiāo xiū yuǎn tí jí shāng xīn wǎng shì ， bù jīn āi shēng tàn qì dào 。
焦修远提及伤心往事，不禁唉声叹气道。
"I need such a cauldron to grow a rare herb," Li Fan said.
“ xiǎng yào chóng xīn liú chàng kòng zhì zhè wàn qiān kuǐ lěi ， xū yào zhǎo dào xīn de huà dào shí 。”
“想要重新流畅控制这万千傀儡，需要找到新的化道石。”
"But that Medicine King Sect ruins seem dangerous. So I hope you can go there for me and bring some back."
“ zhè kě shì gè xī hǎn wù 。 yǒu jià wú shì 。”
“这可是个稀罕物。有价无事。”
"Of course, the reward will not be lacking. Although we share similar goals and are good friends, business is still business," Li Fan smiled as he spoke.
“ dāng nián dà jié jiàng lín ， tài yǎn zōng pò miè ， huà dào mǔ shí bù zhī suǒ zōng 。 rú jīn yòu guò qù le zhè me jiǔ ， xiǎng yào zài zhǎo dào huà dào shí ， zhēn shì nán rú dēng tiān 。”
“当年大劫降临，太衍宗破灭，化道母石不知所踪。如今又过去了这么久，想要再找到化道石，真是难如登天。”
Jiao Xiuyuan agreed enthusiastically.
“ bù guò ， zuì jìn wǒ chá dào le diǎn xiāo xī 。 rú guǒ yī qiè shùn lì de huà ， xiǎng bì lí chóng xīn kāi gōng bù yuǎn le 。”
“不过，最近我查到了点消息。如果一切顺利的话，想必离重新开工不远了。”
"You said it well; business is business. Just because of that sentence, I'll definitely help you! It's a cauldron, right? Each disciple gets one, so they're not particularly rare."
jiāo xiū yuǎn de yǔ qì yòu zhèn fèn qǐ lái 。
焦修远的语气又振奋起来。
"Please wait for my good news," Jiao Xiuyuan readily agreed.
“ huà dào shí ， huà dào shén yī 。”
“化道石，化道神一。”
"Thank you, Master Jiao!" Li Fan thanked in advance.
lǐ fán xīn zhōng pán suàn le piàn kè ， yòu shì tàn xìng de wèn dào ：“ zhè tài yǎn zōng zǎo yǐ pò miè shù qiān nián 。 zěn me wǒ kàn dào yǒu què duì tài yǎn zōng nèi zhǒng zhǒng mì wén ， zhī dào de rú cǐ qīng chǔ ？ nán bù chéng dào yǒu shì tài yǎn zōng hòu rén ？”
李凡心中盘算了片刻，又试探性的问道：“这太衍宗早已破灭数千年。怎么我看道友却对太衍宗内种种秘闻，知道的如此清楚？难不成道友是太衍宗后人？”
After some more casual conversation, Li Fan ended the communication without mentioning Hua Dao Stones and 'Hua Dao Shen Yi.'
“ dào yǒu mò kāi wán xiào ， wǒ dāng rán bú shì shén me tài yǎn zōng hòu rén 。 zhī suǒ yǐ wǒ zhī dào zhè xiē yǐn mì ， hái bú shì yīn wèi wǒ qià hǎo wā le gè tài yǎn zōng dì zǐ de fén ……”
“道友莫开玩笑，我当然不是什么太衍宗后人。之所以我知道这些隐秘，还不是因为我恰好挖了个太衍宗弟子的坟……”
"In the Taiyin Sect disciples' tombs, Hua Dao Stone..."
lǐ fán wén yán ， dùn shí chén mò le 。
李凡闻言，顿时沉默了。
Inside the Heavenly Dao Mirror, scenes of the former ordinary master leading a group to explore Yi Xing's tomb flashed through Li Fan's mind.
liǎng rén yī shí jiān xiàn rù le guǐ yì de ān jìng zhī zhōng 。
两人一时间陷入了诡异的安静之中。
"At that time, as an ordinary person, I didn't pay much attention."
“ hā hā ， dào yǒu bú yào wù huì 。 wā fén zhī shì ， wǒ yě zhǐ shì ǒu ěr gàn gàn ér yǐ 。 wǒ qiān lǐ táng de huò wù lái yuán qīng bái ， chū zì fén mù lǐ de ， kěn dìng zhǐ shì shǎo shù 。”
“哈哈，道友不要误会。挖坟之事，我也只是偶尔干干而已。我千里堂的货物来源清白，出自坟墓里的，肯定只是少数。”
"Now looking back, there seems to be more in that Yi Xing tomb."
“ hē hē ， dào yǒu fàng xīn 。 wǒ duì cǐ shì dǎo shì bù zěn me jì huì 。 wǒ xìn fèng de shì ， bù lùn lái lù ， hǎo yòng jiù xíng 。” lǐ fán shuō dào 。
“呵呵，道友放心。我对此事倒是不怎么忌讳。我信奉的是，不论来路，好用就行。”李凡说道。
"Even though the area is known for its lack of Spirit Qi, there are mountains and clouds that never dissipate in that tomb."
“ zé zé ， dào yǒu suǒ yán ， jiǎn zhí gēn wǒ xìn niàn ， bù móu ér hé ！” jiāo xiū yuǎn yòu jī dòng qǐ lái 。
“啧啧，道友所言，简直跟我信念，不谋而合！”焦修远又激动起来。
"It clearly isn't a human mechanism; it should be some kind of array or prohibition," Li Fan stood up abruptly.
lǐ fán xiǎng qǐ le lián xì jiāo xiū yuǎn de chū zhōng ， yòu shùn shì shuō dào ：“ shuō qǐ zhè ge ， wǒ dào yǒu gè shì ， yào qǐng dào yǒu bāng máng 。”
李凡想起了联系焦修远的初衷，又顺势说道：“说起这个，我倒有个事，要请道友帮忙。”
"If so, then I'll return to Great Yan!"
"And more importantly, the number of Little Medicine King Cauldrons seems to be far beyond just two."
"Insufficient strength means that these Little Medicine King Cauldrons are not opportunities but death warrants."
"But if I simply watch such a treasure buried underground and let someone else take it away, it would truly go against my wishes."
"Perhaps we could stir up some storms with this as a medium. If we can also figure out the secrets of the returning Medicine King Cauldron in the process, that would be even better."
Li Fan's thoughts churned.
"But before that, let's have Jiao Xiuyuan take action and dig up the Little Medicine King Caulrion."
"Speaking of which, how much has Jiao Xiuyuan lost? Could it possibly be a technique for multitasking?"
"Indeed, the effect is like multitasking. However, this isn't due to any cultivation method but an ancient magical art!" Jiao Xiuyuan said proudly. "Back then, I almost turned over half of the cultivation world in search of this magical art."
"An ancient magical art?" Li Fan's eyes narrowed as he asked.
Seeing that Li Fan seemed interested, Jiao Xiuyuan didn't waste any time and directly asked, "Do you know about the Ancient Taiyin Sect?"
"The Taiyin Sect?" Li Fan was slightly stunned. He couldn't help but think of Yi Xing's tomb buried deep underground in Great Yan.
That Yi Xing was a Taiyin Sect outer disciple.
And he had once pretended to be a descendant of the Taiyin Sect, tricking both Kao Hong and Daoxuan into repairing his Taiyin Boat.
He never thought that the technique he sought but couldn't obtain would have anything to do with the Taiyin Sect?
Seeing Li Fan's silence, Jiao Xiuyuan assumed he didn't know much about it and began to explain simply. "The Taiyin Sect was renowned across the land in ancient times for its art of calculation."
"Their main cultivation method: 'Yan Tian Nine Volumes,' is extremely mysterious with boundless power. Upon full mastery, one can supposedly predict all events within a thousand years."
"Haha. Of course, this magical art I possess has nothing to do with that Yan Tian Nine Volumes."
Jiao Xiuyuan's tone suddenly changed, catching Li Fan off guard.
"But this magical art is something every Taiyin Sect disciple must learn," Jiao Xiuyuan explained.
"Oh? How so?"
"Think about it. A single action can affect the entire world. Everyone and everything in this world constantly influences each other."
"One change leads to a hundred changes, which then lead to countless more. This world is vast indeed."
"The number of variables is unimaginable."
"Even for a Great Dao cultivator, it's impossible to clear all these variables one by one."
"The amount of control over these variables is closely related to the accuracy of predictions."
"So each Taiyin Sect disciple spends their entire lives striving to improve their ability to control variables," Jiao Xiuyuan said.
"This ability is essentially a cultivator's calculation power. Some cultivators have extraordinary talent and exceptional computational skills, making all changes seem orderly and clear in their eyes."
"But such cultivators are rare. Even during the ancient Taiyin Sect era, they were extremely uncommon."
"So how do ordinary Taiyin Sect disciples improve their calculation abilities?"
Jiao Xiuyuan paused.
Li Fan asked, "Is this what your magical art does?"
"Exactly!" Jiao Xiuyuan excitedly revealed the truth.
"Cultivators are not inherently different. They just make use of external tools!"
"This magical art is called 'Hua Dao Shen Yi.'"
"In ancient times, the Taiyin Sect had a precious treasure known as Hua Dao Stone."
"At first glance, this stone emits light and flickers like countless worlds being born and dying in an instant."
"But actually, these birth-and-death worlds are not just illusions."
"They are the results of the Hua Dao Stone's own calculations. Although they appear illusory, they are real."
"This 'Hua Dao Shen Yi' technique involves using secret methods to merge one's mind with the Hua Dao Stone."
"Thus, one can utilize the terrifying computational power of the Hua Dao Stone to glimpse celestial secrets and probe causal relationships."
Jiao Xiuyuan's tone became more fluid.
"In ancient times, almost every Taiyin Sect disciple had a Hua Dao Stone. They were separated from the largest 'Mother Hua Dao Stone.'"
"The higher the quality of the Hua Dao Stone, the stronger its computational power."
"That is why I could easily control those myriad puppets before because of the Hua Dao Stone and 'Hua Dao Shen Yi'."
"But now that there's a small trouble, it's also related to the Hua Dao Stone."
"The collapse in Spirit Fog Grass prices last time was too much for me. The myriad puppets simultaneously experienced intense mental shocks. My Shen Yi Hua Dao Stone wasn't of very high quality and couldn't withstand the pressure, splitting open and losing its computational function."
Jiao Xiuyuan sighed as he mentioned this painful past.
"To regain smooth control over those myriad puppets, I need to find a new Hua Dao Stone."
"This is a rare item. It's valuable but hard to come by."
"Back then, during the great calamity, the Taiyin Sect was destroyed, and the Mother Hua Dao Stone disappeared. So many years have passed, finding another Hua Dao Stone is as difficult as climbing heaven itself."
"But recently, I've gathered some information. If everything goes well, I believe we won't be far from restarting operations."
Jiao Xiuyuan's tone became more enthusiastic.
"Hua Dao Stone, Hua Dao Shen Yi."
Li Fan pondered for a moment and asked tentatively, "The Taiyin Sect has been destroyed for thousands of years. How do you know so much about its secrets? Could it be that you're a descendant of the Taiyin Sect?"
"Do not joke," Jiao Xiuyuan said. "Of course, I'm not a descendant of the Taiyin Sect. That's why I know these secrets—because I dug up a Taiyin Sect disciple's tomb..."
Upon hearing this, Li Fan fell silent.
The two were momentarily in an awkward silence.
"Haha, do not misunderstand me. Digging up tombs is something I only do occasionally. The goods at my Thousand Mile Hall are all clean and sourced from legitimate means."
"Haha, you can rest assured. I'm not too bothered by this matter. My belief is that the origin of a thing matters little as long as it's useful," Li Fan said.
"Zzzt, your words resonate with me!" Jiao Xiuyuan was excited again.
Li Fan recalled why he had contacted Jiao Xiuyuan and continued, "Speaking of which, I have something to ask you for help."
Jiao Xiuyuan immediately said, "Do not hesitate. If it's within my capabilities, I'll definitely assist."
"You should know about the Ancient Medicine King Sect. When I was checking ancient texts today, I found that the Medicine King Sect disciples used a small cauldron to cultivate and nurture various Spirit Plants."
"This small cauldron creates its own space, generating Wood属性灵力 to accelerate plant growth."
"I need such a cauldron to grow a rare herb," Li Fan said.
"But that Medicine King Sect ruins seem dangerous. So I hope you can go there for me and bring some back."
"Of course, the reward will not be lacking. Although we share similar goals and are good friends, business is still business," Li Fan smiled as he spoke.
Jiao Xiuyuan agreed enthusiastically.
"You said it well; business is business. Just because of that sentence, I'll definitely help you! It's a cauldron, right? Each disciple gets one, so they're not particularly rare."
"Please wait for my good news," Jiao Xiuyuan readily agreed.
"Thank you, Master Jiao!" Li Fan thanked in advance.
After some more casual conversation, Li Fan ended the communication without mentioning Hua Dao Stones and 'Hua Dao Shen Yi.'
"In the Taiyin Sect disciples' tombs, Hua Dao Stone..."
Inside the Heavenly Dao Mirror, scenes of the former ordinary master leading a group to explore Yi Xing's tomb flashed through Li Fan's mind.
"At that time, as an ordinary person, I didn't pay much attention."
"Now looking back, there seems to be more in that Yi Xing tomb."
"Even though the area is known for its lack of Spirit Qi, there are mountains and clouds that never dissipate in that tomb."
"It clearly isn't a human mechanism; it should be some kind of array or prohibition," Li Fan stood up abruptly.
"If so, then I'll return to Great Yan!"