gèng ràng sū zhǎng yù gǎn dào jīng kǒng de shì ， zhè mǎn dì shī shēn de miàn róng ， jū rán gēn xiān qián nà wèi bái fà xiū shì yī mú yī yàng ！
更让苏长玉感到惊恐的是，这满地尸身的面容，居然跟先前那位白发修士一模一样！
More alarming to Su Changyu was the fact that these corpses on the ground bore the exact same faces as the white-haired cultivator he had encountered earlier!
páng fó ， zhè xiē dōu shì tā běn rén de shī tǐ yì bān ！
彷佛，这些都是他本人的尸体一般！
It seemed like they were all his own bodies!
ráo shì zì xǔ xīn zhì jiān dìng 、 yì yú cháng rén ， cǐ kè sū zhǎng yù yě bù jīn bèi zhè guǐ yì de chǎng jǐng ， xià chū yī shēn lěng hàn 。
饶是自诩心志坚定、异于常人，此刻苏长玉也不禁被这诡异的场景，吓出一身冷汗。
Even though he prided himself on a steadfast mind and an uncommon disposition, Su Changyu couldn't help but break out in cold sweat from this eerie scene.
“ hē hē ， bú yào zhè me jǐn zhāng 。 sǐ rén ér yǐ ， yǒu shén me hǎo pà de 。”
“呵呵，不要这么紧张。死人而已，有什么好怕的。”
"Ha ha, don’t be so tense. They’re just dead people; what’s to fear?"
“ yào zhī dào ， huó rén ， kě bǐ sǐ rén kě pà duō le 。”
“要知道，活人，可比死人可怕多了。”
"To think that living beings are far more terrifying than the dead."
bái fà xiū shì yīn cè cè dì shuō dào 。
白发修士阴恻恻地说道。
The white-haired cultivator spoke with a sinister tone.
qīng qīng yī zhǐ ， dì miàn shàng shēng qǐ yī tào zhuō yǐ 。
轻轻一指，地面上升起一套桌椅。
With a gentle flick of his finger, a set of tables and chairs rose from the ground.
“ zuò ， hǎo hǎo xīn shǎng xià 。”
“坐，好好欣赏下。”
"Sit down and enjoy the view."
“ zhè lǐ ， kě shì yǒu xǔ duō nián méi rén lái guò le 。”
“这里，可是有许多年没人来过了。”
"This place hasn’t been visited for many years now."
duì yú nà guài yì de shuāng chóng shēng yīn 、 yǐ jí zhōu biān kě bù de chǎng jǐng ， zài zuì chū de jīng bù zhī hòu ， sū zhǎng yù zhú jiàn shì yìng xià lái 。
对于那怪异的双重声音、以及周边可怖的场景，在最初的惊怖之后，苏长玉逐渐适应下来。
After the initial shock, Su Changyu gradually adapted to the strange dual voice and terrifying surroundings.
《 wǒ yǒu yī juàn guǐ shén tú lù 》
《我有一卷鬼神图录》
*The Record of Ghostly Deities*
dìng le dìng xīn shén ， chén wěn jiù zuò 。
定了定心神，沉稳就坐。
He steadied himself and sat down calmly.
“ bù zhī qián bèi rú hé chēng hū ？”
“不知前辈如何称呼？”
"How should I address you, senior?"
zuò xià zhī hòu ， jiàn nà bái fà xiū shì zhǐ shì lèng lèng dì dǎ liàng zhe zhōu wéi ， sū zhǎng yù bù yóu dì chū shēng wèn dào 。
坐下之后，见那白发修士只是愣愣地打量着周围，苏长玉不由地出声问道。
Seeing that the white-haired cultivator was just staring around in a daze, Su Changyu couldn’t help but ask.
“ wǒ jiào yīn shàng rén 。”
“我叫殷上人。”
"I am Senior Yin."
“ hē hē ， bié rén dōu jiào wǒ yīn yīn shàng rén 。”
“呵呵，别人都叫我殷殷上人。”
"Ha ha, everyone calls me Senior Yin, Senior Yin."
yīn shàng rén lüè dài zì cháo de shuō dào 。
殷上人略带自嘲的说道。
Senior Yin said with a touch of self-deprecating humor.
“ jiàn guò yīn qián bèi 。 zài xià sū zhǎng yù 。” sū zhǎng yù bù bēi bù kàng de zì wǒ jiè shào dào 。
“见过殷前辈。在下苏长玉。”苏长玉不卑不亢的自我介绍道。
"Delighted to meet you, Senior Yin. I am Su Changyu," Su Changyu introduced himself with dignity.
yīn shàng rén zhè shí què shì tū rán huí guò tóu lái ， zǐ xì dǎ liàng le yǎn sū zhǎng yù 。
殷上人这时却是突然回过头来，仔细打量了眼苏长玉。
Senior Yin suddenly turned and scrutinized Su Changyu closely for a long time before finally looking away.
xǔ jiǔ zhī hòu ， tā cái yí kāi mù guāng 。
许久之后，他才移开目光。
"Cheap indeed, the heavens have their own way..." Senior Yin muttered under his breath.
“ qī ， hái zhēn shì míng míng zhōng zì yǒu tiān yì ……” yīn shàng rén zuǐ lǐ dī shēng niàn dāo zhe 。
“嘁，还真是冥冥中自有天意……”殷上人嘴里低声念叨着。
Su Changyu didn’t understand what he meant.
sū zhǎng yù tīng zài xīn zhōng ， què shì bù míng suǒ yǐ 。
苏长玉听在心中，却是不明所以。
After some time, Senior Yin spoke again: "You must have come here due to hitting a bottleneck in Foundation Establishment and being guided by an inner opportunity, right?"
xǔ jiǔ zhī hòu ， yīn shàng rén zài dù kāi kǒu dào ：“ nǐ yě shì yù dào zhù jī píng jǐng ， shòu dào xīn zhōng jī yuán yǐn dǎo ， cái huì lái cǐ de ba ？”
许久之后，殷上人再度开口道：“你也是遇到筑基瓶颈，受到心中机缘引导，才会来此的吧？”
"Foundation Establishment?" Su Changyu was taken aback. He had only just reached late Qi Condensation stage.
“ zhù jī ？” sū zhǎng yù yī lèng ， tā cái gāng gāng liàn qì hòu qī ér yǐ ne 。
“筑基？”苏长玉一愣，他才刚刚炼气后期而已呢。
Before he could deny it, Senior Yin continued on his own: "Ha ha, I’m used to this. Every few years, a cultivator is guided here."
zhèng yù fǒu rèn ， què tīng yīn shàng rén zì gù zì shuō dào ：“ hē hē ， xí guàn le 。 fǎn zhèng měi gé gè jǐ nián ， dū huì yǒu xiū shì shòu zhǐ yǐn guò lái 。”
正欲否认，却听殷上人自顾自说道：“呵呵，习惯了。反正每隔个几年，都会有修士受指引过来。”
"I repeat the same thing every time. I’ve said these words so many times that they’re getting tiresome."
“ měi lái yí gè ， wǒ dōu yào chóng fù yī biàn 。 huà wǒ dōu yào shuō nì wāi le 。”
“每来一个，我都要重复一遍。话我都要说腻歪了。”
"Deities fight, little devils suffer. Truly, it’s a nuisance..."
“ shén xiān dǎ jià ， xiǎo guǐ zāo yāng 。 zhēn tā me ， fán dōu fán sǐ ……”
“神仙打架，小鬼遭殃。真他么，烦都烦死……”
Su Changyu frowned. Senior Yin was clearly mad and saying things that were hard to understand.
sū zhǎng yù méi tóu wēi zhòu ， zhè yīn shàng rén fēng fēng diān diān ， shuō de dōu shì xiē nán dǒng de huà ， bù zhī qí shēn yì 。
苏长玉眉头微皱，这殷上人疯疯癫癫，说的都是些难懂的话，不知其深意。
"Well, let me say it again."
“ yě bà ， jiù zài shuō yī biàn ba 。”
“也罢，就再说一遍吧。”
Senior Yin sat down and said: "Foundation Establishment means establishing the foundation of one's cultivation path. Do you know what this foundation is?"
yīn shàng rén yě zuò le xià lái ， shuō dào ：“ suǒ wèi zhù jī ， zhù xiū dào zhī jī yě 。 nà me nǐ kě zhī ， zhè dào jī jiū jìng wèi hé wù ？”
殷上人也坐了下来，说道：“所谓筑基，筑修道之基也。那么你可知，这道基究竟为何物？”
...
……
……
"I built my own foundation with myself as a unique object!"
“ wǒ yǐ wǒ zì jǐ wèi qí wù ， zhù jiù le dào jī ！”
“我以我自己为奇物，筑就了道基！”
His body split in two, revealing another face hidden within his organs.
shēn tǐ cóng zhōng yī fēn wéi èr ， lù chū le wǔ zàng xuè ròu zhōng de lìng yī fù miàn kǒng 。
身体从中一分为二，露出了五脏血肉中的另一副面孔。
Both faces spoke simultaneously before ending with two terrifying grins.
lǐ wài liǎng zhāng miàn páng ， yì kǒu tóng shēng 。
里外两张面庞，异口同声。
Su Changyu was first shocked into standing up by the horrifying scene before him, then sat back down after the bodies returned to normal.
zuì hòu yǐ liǎng zhāng shèn rén de xiào liǎn ， jié shù le zhè duàn chǎn shù 。
最后以两张渗人的笑脸，结束了这段阐述。
...
sū zhǎng yù xiān shì bèi yǎn qián zhè hài rén de yí mù jīng de zhàn qǐ ， ér hòu kàn zhe huī fù rú chū de yīn shàng rén ， huǎn huǎn chóng xīn zuò xià 。
苏长玉先是被眼前这骇人的一幕惊的站起，而后看着恢复如初的殷上人，缓缓重新坐下。
"Establishing my foundation..." Su Changyu’s eyes showed a strange expression.
“ yǐ wǒ zhù dào jī ……” sū zhǎng yù yǎn zhōng fàn chū yì yàng de shén sè 。
“以我筑道基……”苏长玉眼中泛出异样的神色。
"You’re moved, right?" Senior Yin asked cheerfully.
“ zěn me ？ xīn dòng le ba ？” yīn shàng rén xiào hē hē de wèn dào 。
“怎么？心动了吧？”殷上人笑呵呵的问道。
"A perfect match with your foundation means all divine arts and techniques belong to you."
“ dào jī yǔ zì jǐ wán měi chóng hé ， yī qiè shén tōng fǎ shù jǐn guī jǐ shēn 。”
“道基与自己完美重合，一切神通法术尽归己身。”
"From now on, any cultivation technique or secret art will be instantly mastered."
“ cóng cǐ wǎng hòu ， wú lùn shén me gōng fǎ mì shù ， dōu shì yī xué jiù huì 、 yī huì jiù jīng 。”
“从此往后，无论什么功法秘术，都是一学就会、一会就精。”
"Punch out the world's greatest prodigy, step on hidden realm experts..."
“ quán dǎ jué shì tiān jiāo ， jiǎo cǎi yǐn shì dà néng ……”
“拳打绝世天骄，脚踩隐世大能……”
"Don’t wait any longer?"
“ hái bù gǎn jǐn xíng dòng ？”
“还不赶紧行动？”
With a mad look in his eyes, Senior Yin tempted Su Changyu.
yīn shàng rén yòng yǒu xiē fēng diān de mù guāng kàn zhe sū zhǎng yù ， chōng mǎn yòu huò dì shuō dào 。
殷上人用有些疯癫的目光看着苏长玉，充满诱惑地说道。
Su Changyu, surprisingly, remained calm and rational: "May I ask, senior, what is the cost?"
sū zhǎng yù zé shì nán dé de bǎo chí zhe lǐ zhì hé lěng jìng ：“ nà me ， gǎn wèn qián bèi ， dài jià shì shén me ne ？”
苏长玉则是难得的保持着理智和冷静：“那么，敢问前辈，代价是什么呢？”
"If everyone could easily [establish their foundation with themselves], wouldn't geniuses be everywhere?"
“ ruò shì měi gè rén dōu néng qīng yì de 【 yǐ wǒ zhù dào jī 】， nà me qǐ bù shì tiān cái mǎn dì zǒu ？”
“若是每个人都能轻易的【以我筑道基】，那么岂不是天才满地走？”
"Without geniuses, there would be no distinction between commoners and geniuses."
“ ruò rén rén dōu shì tiān cái ， nà me yě jiù wú suǒ wèi yōng cái 、 tiān cái zhī fēn le 。”
“若人人都是天才，那么也就无所谓庸才、天才之分了。”
Senior Yin laughed madly as he pointed to the hundreds of corpses on the ground: "These are the costs!"
yīn shàng rén chī chī dì xiào dào ， shēn shǒu zhǐ le zhǐ mǎn dì de shù bǎi jù shī tǐ ：“ zhè xiē ， jiù shì dài jià ！”
殷上人痴痴地笑道，伸手指了指满地的数百具尸体：“这些，就是代价！”
Su Changyu didn’t understand but remained silent.
sū zhǎng yù bù míng qí yì ， zhǐ néng bǎo chí chén mò 。
苏长玉不明其意，只能保持沉默。
"I dissected hundreds of Foundation Establishment bodies before I had enough confidence."
“ wǒ zài jiě pōu le shù bǎi jù 【 wǒ 】， yǒu le chōng zú de bǎ wò zhī hòu 。”
“我在解剖了数百具【我】，有了充足的把握之后。”
"Then I started re-establishing my foundation with myself."
“ cái kāi shǐ chóng xīn 【 yǐ wǒ zhù dào jī 】。”
“才开始重新【以我筑道基】。”
"Even so, it’s still not perfect."
“ jí biàn rú cǐ ， yě yī jiù lí wán měi chéng gōng chà shàng nà me yī sī 。”
“即便如此，也依旧离完美成功差上那么一丝。”
"Ordinary cultivators attempting to [establish their foundation with themselves] only find death," Senior Yin explained coldly.
“ xún cháng xiū shì wàng tú 【 yǐ wǒ zhù jī 】， bù guò shì zì xún sǐ lù bà le 。”
“寻常修士妄图【以我筑基】，不过是自寻死路罢了。”
"The human body is marvelously complex and intricate."
yīn shàng rén lěng xiào zhe jiě shì dào 。
殷上人冷笑着解释道。
"How can an ordinary person fully understand themselves enough to establish a foundation?"
“ rén tǐ hé qí jīng miào ， yòu hé qí fù zá 。”
“人体何其精妙，又何其复杂。”
"Being able to do this without external help is a rare genius in the world."
“ yì bān rén ， rú hé néng jǐn zhī jǐ shēn ， yǐ zì wǒ zhù jī 。”
“一般人，如何能尽知己身，以自我筑基。”
Upon hearing this, Su Changyu understood clearly.
“ néng gòu quán píng zì jǐ ， bù kào wài lì zuò dào zhè diǎn ， yě shì dāng shì shǎo yǒu de tiān cái le 。”
“能够全凭自己，不靠外力做到这点，也是当世少有的天才了。”
He felt somewhat dejected.
sū zhǎng yù wén yán ， dùn shí míng bái le 。
苏长玉闻言，顿时明白了。
To know others is wisdom; to know oneself is enlightenment.
bù jīn xīn zhōng yǒu xiē àn rán 。
不禁心中有些暗然。
Su Changyu was well aware of his own cultivation aptitude.
suǒ wèi zhī rén zhě zhì 、 zì zhī zhě míng 。
所谓知人者智、自知者明。
He certainly wasn’t a genius.
sū zhǎng yù duì yú zì shēn de xiū xíng tiān fù jiū jìng rú hé ， hái shì shí fēn qīng chǔ de 。
苏长玉对于自身的修行天赋究竟如何，还是十分清楚的。
Not even an ordinary person.
jué duì chèn bù shàng shén me tiān cái 。
绝对称不上什么天才。
Being labeled as an average talent would be accurate.
lián pǔ pǔ tōng tōng dōu bú shì 。
连普普通通都不是。
Attempting [establishing his foundation with himself] was impossible.
shèn zhì yòng “ yōng cái ” lái píng jià ， yě sī háo bù wèi guò 。
甚至用“庸才”来评价，也丝毫不为过。
Senior Yin noticed the change in Su Changyu’s expression and chuckled: "Young Su, don’t lose heart."
xiǎng yào 【 yǐ wǒ zhù jī 】， gèng shì méi yǒu kě néng le 。
想要【以我筑基】，更是没有可能了。
"You came to me at this moment, so everything is predestined."
yīn shàng rén jiāng sū zhǎng yù de shén qíng biàn huà kàn zài yǎn lǐ ， hē hē xiào dào ：“ sū xiǎo zi ， bú yào huī xīn 。”
殷上人将苏长玉的神情变化看在眼里，呵呵笑道：“苏小子，不要灰心。”
He extended a finger and lightly tapped Su Changyu's forehead.
“ zài zhè ge shí kè ， nǐ lái dào le wǒ miàn qián ， shuō míng yī qiè dōu shì mìng zhōng zhù dìng 。”
“在这个时刻，你来到了我面前，说明一切都是命中注定。”
Instantly, countless images and knowledge flooded Su Changyu's mind.
shuō zhe ， shēn chū shí zhǐ ， qīng qīng yì diǎn ， zhèng zhōng sū zhǎng yù méi xīn 。
说着，伸出食指，轻轻一点，正中苏长玉眉心。
These were Senior Yin's insights from dissecting hundreds of Foundation Establishment corpses.
chà nà jiān ， wú shù huà miàn yǔ zhī shí ， fēng kuáng de yǒng rù sū zhǎng yù nǎo hǎi zhī zhōng 。
刹那间，无数画面与知识，疯狂的涌入苏长玉脑海之中。
And even more precious was the process of [establishing his foundation with himself] and half-successful experiences.
nà xiē dōu shì yīn shàng rén jiě pōu shù bǎi jù zhù jī shī tǐ de huà miàn yǔ gǎn wù 。
那些都是殷上人解剖数百具筑基尸体的画面与感悟。
...
hái yǒu gèng jiā zhēn guì de ，【 yǐ wǒ zhù jī 】 de guò chéng yǐ jí bàn chéng gōng de jīng yàn 。
还有更加珍贵的，【以我筑基】的过程以及半成功的经验。
Swallowing such vast amounts of information at once, Su Changyu felt overwhelmed for a moment.
……
……
His temples throbbed as if his head would split open.
měng dì jiē shòu rú cǐ páng dà de xìn xī ， sū zhǎng yù yī shí yǒu xiē gǎn dào chī bù xiāo 。
勐地接受如此庞大的信息，苏长玉一时有些感到吃不消。
But he knew this might be his only chance to change his fate in life.
tài yáng xué bù duàn tiào dòng ， nǎo dài sì hū yào suí zhe liè kāi yì bān 。
太阳穴不断跳动，脑袋似乎要随着裂开一般。
So he gritted his teeth and endured.
bù guò tā xīn zhī ， zhè cì qí yù kǒng pà shì cǐ shēng wéi yī de gǎi mìng jī huì 。
不过他心知，这次奇遇恐怕是此生唯一的改命机会。
After some time, he collapsed onto the chair, drenched in sweat.
yú shì yǎo yá jiān chí 。
于是咬牙坚持。
Senior Yin shook his head repeatedly.
bàn shǎng zhī hòu ， tā hún shēn xū tuō dì tān zuò zài yǐ zi shàng ， quán shēn bèi hàn shuǐ jìn tòu 。
半晌之后，他浑身虚脱地瘫坐在椅子上，全身被汗水浸透。
Recovering his spirits, Su Changyu bowed deeply: "Thank you, senior!"
yīn shàng rén kàn le ， lián lián yáo tóu 。
殷上人看了，连连摇头。
"Ha ha, no need to thank me."
guò le huì ， sū zhǎng yù zhèn zuò qǐ jīng shén ， cháo zhe yīn shàng rén xíng le gè dà lǐ 。
过了会，苏长玉振作起精神，朝着殷上人行了个大礼。
Senior Yin revealed a mischievous smile: "You originally had no intention of [establishing your foundation with yourself]."
“ duō xiè qián bèi ！”
“多谢前辈！”
"Now that I’ve transferred my experiences into your mind, you have the urge to try it out."
“ hē hē ， bù yòng xiè wǒ 。”
“呵呵，不用谢我。”
"Remember, everyone is unique. Your situation may not apply to everyone."
yīn shàng rén lù chū yī fù bù huái hào yì de xiào róng ：“ yuán běn nǐ yǐ jīng méi le 【 yǐ wǒ zhù jī 】 de xīn sī 。”
殷上人露出一副不怀好意的笑容：“原本你已经没了【以我筑基】的心思。”
"You might fail and lose everything because of this!"
“ xiàn zài wǒ bǎ nǎo hǎi lǐ de jīng lì chuán gěi nǐ ， què shǐ de nǐ yǒu le bó yī bó de dǎ suàn 。”
“现在我把脑海里的经历传给你，却使得你有了搏一搏的打算。”
"In that case, it’s me who caused your misfortune!"
“ xū zhī měi gè rén dōu shì dú yī wú èr de ， wǒ de qíng kuàng ， nǐ kěn dìng wèi bì dōu shì yòng 。”
“需知每个人都是独一无二的，我的情况，你肯定未必都适用。”
Su Changyu replied solemnly: "But life and death are predestined; wealth and honor come from heaven."
“ shuō bù dìng ， nǐ jiù yīn cǐ shī bài ， cóng ér shēn sǐ dào xiāo 。”
“说不定，你就因此失败，从而身死道消。”
Senior Yin's smile didn’t fade: "Good spirit."
“ zhè me shuō lái ， hái shì wǒ hài de nǐ ne ！”
“这么说来，还是我害的你呢！”
He said without hesitation: "This is all for now. Get out of here!"
sū zhǎng yù yī liǎn sù rán dào ：“ bù guò shēng sǐ yǒu mìng ， fù guì zài tiān bà le 。”
苏长玉一脸肃然道：“不过生死有命，富贵在天罢了。”
Surprised by the sudden dismissal, Su Changyu was momentarily stunned.
yīn shàng rén liǎn shàng xiào róng bú jiàn ：“ dǎo shì hǎo zhì qì 。”
殷上人脸上笑容不见：“倒是好志气。”
Since Senior Yin had given his orders, he couldn't force him to stay.
háo bú kè qì dào ：“ cǐ jiān shì le ， nǐ gǔn ba ！”
毫不客气道：“此间事了，你滚吧！”
Bowing once more, he left.
méi xiǎng dào duì fāng tū rán jiù xià le zhú kè lìng ， sū zhǎng yù wēi wēi yí zhèng 。
没想到对方突然就下了逐客令，苏长玉微微一怔。
Before leaving, Su Changyu couldn’t help but ask Senior Yin: "Senior Yin, where did these corpses come from?"
bù guò jì rán yīn shàng rén yǐ jīng zhè me shuō le ， tā yě bù hǎo qiǎng liú 。
不过既然殷上人已经这么说了，他也不好强留。
Scanning the surroundings, Senior Yin’s gaze became somewhat dazed.
zài cì xíng lǐ ， jiù yào lí kāi 。
再次行礼，就要离开。
"Ah! I remember now! It was a huge rainstorm. Countless bodies fell like raindrops from the sky, and I took advantage to gather some..."
lín xíng zhī qián ， kàn zhe mǎn dì yīn shàng rén de shī shēn ， sū zhǎng yù hái shì rěn bú zhù wèn dào ：“ yīn qián bèi ， bù zhī zhè xiē shī tǐ ， jiū jìng shì cóng hé ér lái ？”
临行之前，看着满地殷上人的尸身，苏长玉还是忍不住问道：“殷前辈，不知这些尸体，究竟是从何而来？”
Senior Yin muttered in a daze.
yīn shàng rén sǎo shì zhōu wéi yī quān ， yǎn shén biàn dé yǒu xiē mí máng 。
殷上人扫视周围一圈，眼神变得有些迷茫。
Su Changyu felt another chill as he got his answer.
“ shì a ， zhè xiē shī tǐ shì cóng nǎ lǐ lái de ne ？”
“是啊，这些尸体是从哪里来的呢？”
He didn’t dare stay on this eerie island any longer and hurried away.
“ a ！ wǒ xiǎng qǐ lái le ！”
“啊！我想起来了！”
Watching Su Changyu’s retreating figure, Senior Yin slowly returned to normal.
“ nà shì hǎo dà yī chǎng yǔ ！ wú shù de shī tǐ rú tóng yǔ shuǐ bān cóng tiān ér jiàng ， wǒ jiù chèn jī sōu guā le yī xiē ……”
“那是好大一场雨！无数的尸体如同雨水般从天而降，我就趁机搜刮了一些……”
He touched his chest, where something precious seemed to be hidden.
yīn shàng rén yǒu xiē mó zhēng ， nán nán shuō dào 。
殷上人有些魔怔，喃喃说道。
...
dé dào dá ān de sū zhǎng yù xīn zhōng zài cì shēng qì yī gǔ hán yì 。
得到答桉的苏长玉心中再次生气一股寒意。
After some time, the extinguished flames reignited, engulfing Yin Island completely.
More alarming to Su Changyu was the fact that these corpses on the ground bore the exact same faces as the white-haired cultivator he had encountered earlier!
It seemed like they were all his own bodies!
Even though he prided himself on a steadfast mind and an uncommon disposition, Su Changyu couldn't help but break out in cold sweat from this eerie scene.
"Ha ha, don’t be so tense. They’re just dead people; what’s to fear?"
"To think that living beings are far more terrifying than the dead."
The white-haired cultivator spoke with a sinister tone.
With a gentle flick of his finger, a set of tables and chairs rose from the ground.
"Sit down and enjoy the view."
"This place hasn’t been visited for many years now."
After the initial shock, Su Changyu gradually adapted to the strange dual voice and terrifying surroundings.
*The Record of Ghostly Deities*
He steadied himself and sat down calmly.
"How should I address you, senior?"
Seeing that the white-haired cultivator was just staring around in a daze, Su Changyu couldn’t help but ask.
"I am Senior Yin."
"Ha ha, everyone calls me Senior Yin, Senior Yin."
Senior Yin said with a touch of self-deprecating humor.
"Delighted to meet you, Senior Yin. I am Su Changyu," Su Changyu introduced himself with dignity.
Senior Yin suddenly turned and scrutinized Su Changyu closely for a long time before finally looking away.
"Cheap indeed, the heavens have their own way..." Senior Yin muttered under his breath.
Su Changyu didn’t understand what he meant.
After some time, Senior Yin spoke again: "You must have come here due to hitting a bottleneck in Foundation Establishment and being guided by an inner opportunity, right?"
"Foundation Establishment?" Su Changyu was taken aback. He had only just reached late Qi Condensation stage.
Before he could deny it, Senior Yin continued on his own: "Ha ha, I’m used to this. Every few years, a cultivator is guided here."
"I repeat the same thing every time. I’ve said these words so many times that they’re getting tiresome."
"Deities fight, little devils suffer. Truly, it’s a nuisance..."
Su Changyu frowned. Senior Yin was clearly mad and saying things that were hard to understand.
"Well, let me say it again."
Senior Yin sat down and said: "Foundation Establishment means establishing the foundation of one's cultivation path. Do you know what this foundation is?"
...
"I built my own foundation with myself as a unique object!"
His body split in two, revealing another face hidden within his organs.
Both faces spoke simultaneously before ending with two terrifying grins.
Su Changyu was first shocked into standing up by the horrifying scene before him, then sat back down after the bodies returned to normal.
...
"Establishing my foundation..." Su Changyu’s eyes showed a strange expression.
"You’re moved, right?" Senior Yin asked cheerfully.
"A perfect match with your foundation means all divine arts and techniques belong to you."
"From now on, any cultivation technique or secret art will be instantly mastered."
"Punch out the world's greatest prodigy, step on hidden realm experts..."
"Don’t wait any longer?"
With a mad look in his eyes, Senior Yin tempted Su Changyu.
Su Changyu, surprisingly, remained calm and rational: "May I ask, senior, what is the cost?"
"If everyone could easily [establish their foundation with themselves], wouldn't geniuses be everywhere?"
"Without geniuses, there would be no distinction between commoners and geniuses."
Senior Yin laughed madly as he pointed to the hundreds of corpses on the ground: "These are the costs!"
Su Changyu didn’t understand but remained silent.
"I dissected hundreds of Foundation Establishment bodies before I had enough confidence."
"Then I started re-establishing my foundation with myself."
"Even so, it’s still not perfect."
"Ordinary cultivators attempting to [establish their foundation with themselves] only find death," Senior Yin explained coldly.
"The human body is marvelously complex and intricate."
"How can an ordinary person fully understand themselves enough to establish a foundation?"
"Being able to do this without external help is a rare genius in the world."
Upon hearing this, Su Changyu understood clearly.
He felt somewhat dejected.
To know others is wisdom; to know oneself is enlightenment.
Su Changyu was well aware of his own cultivation aptitude.
He certainly wasn’t a genius.
Not even an ordinary person.
Being labeled as an average talent would be accurate.
Attempting [establishing his foundation with himself] was impossible.
Senior Yin noticed the change in Su Changyu’s expression and chuckled: "Young Su, don’t lose heart."
"You came to me at this moment, so everything is predestined."
He extended a finger and lightly tapped Su Changyu's forehead.
Instantly, countless images and knowledge flooded Su Changyu's mind.
These were Senior Yin's insights from dissecting hundreds of Foundation Establishment corpses.
And even more precious was the process of [establishing his foundation with himself] and half-successful experiences.
...
Swallowing such vast amounts of information at once, Su Changyu felt overwhelmed for a moment.
His temples throbbed as if his head would split open.
But he knew this might be his only chance to change his fate in life.
So he gritted his teeth and endured.
After some time, he collapsed onto the chair, drenched in sweat.
Senior Yin shook his head repeatedly.
Recovering his spirits, Su Changyu bowed deeply: "Thank you, senior!"
"Ha ha, no need to thank me."
Senior Yin revealed a mischievous smile: "You originally had no intention of [establishing your foundation with yourself]."
"Now that I’ve transferred my experiences into your mind, you have the urge to try it out."
"Remember, everyone is unique. Your situation may not apply to everyone."
"You might fail and lose everything because of this!"
"In that case, it’s me who caused your misfortune!"
Su Changyu replied solemnly: "But life and death are predestined; wealth and honor come from heaven."
Senior Yin's smile didn’t fade: "Good spirit."
He said without hesitation: "This is all for now. Get out of here!"
Surprised by the sudden dismissal, Su Changyu was momentarily stunned.
Since Senior Yin had given his orders, he couldn't force him to stay.
Bowing once more, he left.
Before leaving, Su Changyu couldn’t help but ask Senior Yin: "Senior Yin, where did these corpses come from?"
Scanning the surroundings, Senior Yin’s gaze became somewhat dazed.
"Ah! I remember now! It was a huge rainstorm. Countless bodies fell like raindrops from the sky, and I took advantage to gather some..."
Senior Yin muttered in a daze.
Su Changyu felt another chill as he got his answer.
He didn’t dare stay on this eerie island any longer and hurried away.
Watching Su Changyu’s retreating figure, Senior Yin slowly returned to normal.
He touched his chest, where something precious seemed to be hidden.
...
After some time, the extinguished flames reignited, engulfing Yin Island completely.