“ zhōng shén tōng ？ tā yào jiàn wǒ ？”
“钟神通？他要见我？”
"Zhong Tiansheng? He wants to see me?"
cāng máng bái wù zhōng ， lǐ fán tíng xià le shǒu tóu de gōng zuò 。
苍茫白雾中，李凡停下了手头的工作。
In the vast white mist, Li Fan paused his work.
tīng zhe hé chēn de huì bào ， lǐ fán wēi wēi zhòu méi ， dùn jué yǒu xiē mò míng qí miào 。
听着何琛的汇报，李凡微微皱眉，顿觉有些莫名其妙。
Listening to He Chen's report, Li Fan frowned slightly and felt a bit perplexed. He had only met Zhong Tiansheng once in passing during their discussions on philosophy, but they had never formally met in the real world.
zì jǐ jǐn jǐn shì zài 【 zuò ér lùn dào 】 zhōng gēn tā yǒu guò yí miàn zhī yuán ， xiàn shí shì jiè zhōng kě cóng wèi zhèng shì jiàn guò miàn 。
自己仅仅是在【坐而论道】中跟他有过一面之缘，现实世界中可从未正式见过面。
He Chen observed Li Fan's expression and whispered, "According to Zhong Tiansheng, he has a method to extend your lifespan. However, it requires seeing you personally."
hé chēn jiàn lǐ fán shén sè ， yā dī shēng yīn shuō dào ：“ jù zhè zhōng shén tōng shuō ， tā yǒu wéi lǐ dà shī nǐ yán shòu de fǎ zi 。 bù guò fēi yào jiàn dào nǐ běn rén bù kě 。”
何琛见李凡神色，压低声音说道：“据这钟神通说，他有为李大师你延寿的法子。不过非要见到你本人不可。”
"He may only be at the Foundation Establishment realm, but his seven-colored divine light is truly incomparable. He can even resist the devouring white mist. The adults in the Immortal Platform praise him without reservation."
“ cǐ rén suī shuō zhǐ yǒu zhù jī xiū wèi ， dàn shì yī shēn qī cǎi shén guāng dàng zhēn xuán miào wú qióng ， jìng rán lián shì yuán bái wù dōu néng dǐ dǎng 。 xiān lěi zhōng de dà rén men yě duì qí zàn bù jué kǒu 。”
“此人虽说只有筑基修为，但是一身七彩神光当真玄妙无穷，竟然连噬元白雾都能抵挡。仙垒中的大人们也对其赞不绝口。”
"Moreover, Zhong Tiansheng has a wide network of acquaintances. This time, he was introduced and vouched for by a cultivator at the Transcendent Realm, which is why they allowed him to come over."
“ ér qiě zhè zhōng shén tōng jiāo yǒu guǎng fàn ， cǐ cì shì jīng yī wèi huà shén xiū shì jiè shào bìng dān bǎo ， xiān lěi nà biān cái huì fàng tā guò lái de 。”
“而且这钟神通交友广泛，此次是经一位化神修士介绍并担保，仙垒那边才会放他过来的。”
"It would do no harm if Master Li meets with him."
“ lǐ dà shī nǐ jiàn jiàn tā dào yě wú fáng 。”
“李大师你见见他倒也无妨。”
He Chen suggested.
hé chēn jiàn yì dào 。
何琛建议道。
Among the cultivators saved from the Jia Xu base two years ago, He Chen was the one who felt most grateful towards Li Fan. Even as his lifespan neared its end, he still worked tirelessly on constructing arrays. He Chen admired Li Fan to such an extent that it bordered on reverence and even a hint of fanaticism, following every word Li Fan said.
liǎng nián qián lǐ fán jiù xià de jiǎ xū hào jù diǎn zhōng de xiū shì lǐ ， yǐ zhè hé chēn duì tā zuì wèi gǎn jī 。
两年前李凡救下的甲戌号据点中的修士里，以这何琛对他最为感激。
Li Fan nodded slightly and said, "If that's the case, you can bring me to meet him."
děng dào lǐ fán shòu mìng jiāng jǐn ， yě réng rán yào fèn dòu jiàn zào fǎ zhèn dì yī xiàn zhī hòu 。
等到李凡寿命将尽，也仍然要奋斗建造法阵第一线之后。
In his mind, he thought: "Just as one gets what they wish for. I won't mention whether this so-called longevity method is real or not, but just getting to know him a bit more and probing into the origin of his seven-colored divine light would be beneficial."
hé chēn gèng shì duì lǐ fán jìng pèi de wǔ tǐ tóu dì 。
何琛更是对李凡敬佩的五体投地。
The two returned to the Jia Xu base. In the meeting hall, an old man with white hair and beard in Daoist robes was already waiting.
shèn zhì yǐn yǐn dào le yǒu xiē kuáng rè de dì bù ， duì lǐ fán de huà yán tīng jì cóng 。
甚至隐隐到了有些狂热的地步，对李凡的话言听计从。
Li Fan stepped inside, and Zhong Tiansheng's gaze instantly focused on him.
lǐ fán wēi wēi diǎn tóu ， dào ：“ jì rú cǐ ， nǐ biàn dài wǒ huì yī huì zhè wèi zhōng shén tōng 。”
李凡微微点头，道：“既如此，你便带我会一会这位钟神通。”
They exchanged a glance, and Li Fan bowed first. "Friend Daoist Zhong, it is my honor to meet you!"
xīn zhōng què shì xiǎng zhe ：“ zhēn shì kē shuì le jiù lái zhěn tou 。 xiān bù tí suǒ wèi de yán shòu zhī fǎ shì zhēn shì jiǎ ， guāng shì tào diǎn jìn hū ， tí qián dǎ tàn yī fān tā qī cǎi shén guāng de lái lì ， yě shì hǎo de 。”
心中却是想着：“真是瞌睡了就来枕头。先不提所谓的延寿之法是真是假，光是套点近乎，提前打探一番他七彩神光的来历，也是好的。”
Zhong Tiansheng sighed deeply: "A name lives up to its reputation; the external rumors are true. Friend Daoist, your life force is indeed rapidly diminishing, and your time is drawing near."
èr rén huí dào jiǎ xū hào jù diǎn ， yì shì tīng nèi ， yī wèi xū fà jiē bái 、 shēn chuān dào páo de lǎo zhě ， yǐ rán děng hòu duō shí le 。
二人回到甲戌号据点，议事厅内，一位须发皆白、身穿道袍的老者，已然等候多时了。
He Chen's gaze turned slightly unfriendly at this statement.
lǐ fán tà bù jìn rù ， zhōng shén tōng de mù guāng yě shùn jiān jí zhōng zài tā de shēn shàng 。
李凡踏步进入，钟神通的目光也瞬间集中在他的身上。
Li Fan felt a sudden urge and signaled He Chen to leave for now.
hù xiāng duì shì le yī yǎn ， lǐ fán xiān xíng lǐ dào ：“ zhōng dào yǒu ， jiǔ yǎng jiǔ yǎng ！”
互相对视了一眼，李凡先行礼道：“钟道友，久仰久仰！”
Once they were alone in the hall, Li Fan bowed again and said, "Friend Daoist, there seems to be more to what you've said?"
zhōng shén tōng yě shì cháng tàn yī shēng ：“ shèng míng zhī xià wú xū shì ， wài jiè chuán yán jū rán méi yǒu zuò jiǎ 。 dào yǒu guǒ rán shì shòu yuán jí sù shuāi jiǎn 、 dà xiàn jiāng zhì zhī xiāng 。”
钟神通也是长叹一声：“盛名之下无虚士，外界传言居然没有作假。道友果然是寿元极速衰减、大限将至之相。”
Zhong Tiansheng stroked his beard and nodded. "It's because I had similar experiences that I could immediately confirm it."
cǐ yán yī chū ， hé chēn de mù guāng dùn shí yǒu xiē bù shàn 。
此言一出，何琛的目光顿时有些不善。
"Let me be honest with you; when I heard about your deeds in the external world, I actually didn't believe them."
lǐ fán què shì xīn zhōng yī dòng ， shì yì hé chēn zàn qiě lí kāi 。
李凡却是心中一动，示意何琛暂且离开。
"Because I have experienced this firsthand, I know how intense the contrast between having plenty of life left one moment and being on the brink of death the next can be. The fear of death is unimaginable."
děng dào dà tīng nèi zhǐ shèng xià le tā men liǎng rén hòu ， fāng cái gǒng le gǒng shǒu ， dào ：“ dào yǒu suǒ yán ， shì yǒu shēn yì ？”
等到大厅内只剩下了他们两人后，方才拱了拱手，道：“道友所言，似有深意？”
*The First Cause of All*
zhōng shén tōng fǔ xū diǎn tóu ：“ zhèng shì yīn wèi céng jīng yǒu guò gēn dào yǒu lèi sì de zāo yù ， suǒ yǐ cái néng yī yǎn dǔ dìng 。”
钟神通抚须点头：“正是因为曾经有过跟道友类似的遭遇，所以才能一眼笃定。”
"I thought my will was strong at first but almost collapsed. It took a long time to recover."
“ bù mán dào yǒu ， wǒ zài wài jiè ， tīng wén dào yǒu shì jì ， qí shí xīn zhōng shì bù xiāng xìn de 。”
“不瞒道友，我在外界，听闻道友事迹，其实心中是不相信的。”
"But compared to you..."
“ yīn wèi wǒ qiè shēn jīng lì guò ， suǒ yǐ cái wú bǐ zhī xiǎo ， qián yī kè míng míng hái shèng yú xǔ duō shòu mìng 、 xià yī miǎo què yǐ jīng lín sǐ bù yuǎn ， zhè zhǒng jí zhì de luò chà ， yǐ jí sǐ wáng dài lái de kǒng jù gǎn ， jiū jìng huì shì duō me qiáng liè 。”
“因为我切身经历过，所以才无比知晓，前一刻明明还剩余许多寿命、下一秒却已经临死不远，这种极致的落差，以及死亡带来的恐惧感，究竟会是多么强烈。”
Zhong Tiansheng shook his head. "Just now, it seemed like you were overseeing the construction of an array in the white mist? You put your life on the line..."
《 zhū jiè dì yī yīn 》
《诸界第一因》
"Such a realm is beyond me!"
“ wǒ dāng chū zì xǔ xīn zhì jiān rèn ， què yě jī hū bēng kuì 。 huā fèi hǎo jiǔ cái huǎn guò lái 。”
“我当初自诩心志坚韧，却也几乎崩溃。花费好久才缓过来。”
Li Fan chuckled and said, "I only did this because I knew there was no hope for extending my lifespan. I just wanted to do as much as possible while I could. As for how noble it is..."
“ dàn shì gēn dào yǒu yī bǐ ……”
“但是跟道友一比……”
"I don't think so," Li Fan said sincerely.
zhōng shén tōng yáo yáo tóu ：“ gāng gāng dào yǒu sì hū shì zài bái wù zhōng zhǔ chí zhèn fǎ jiàn zào gōng zuò ？ jiāng zì shēn xìng mìng zhì zhī dù wài ……”
钟神通摇摇头：“刚刚道友似乎是在白雾中主持阵法建造工作？将自身性命置之度外……”
Zhong Tiansheng's expression became even more animated. "Right, that detached and carefree attitude."
“ cǐ zhǒng jìng jiè ， fēi wǒ néng jí a ！”
“此种境界，非我能及啊！”
"How did you achieve this? Please teach me!"
lǐ fán shěn rán yī xiào ：“ wǒ shì zì zhī xù mìng wú wàng ， zhè cái xiǎng zhe néng duō zuò yī fēn ， biàn duō zuò yī fēn de 。 zhì yú duō me gāo shàng ……”
李凡哂然一笑：“我是自知续命无望，这才想着能多做一分，便多做一分的。至于多么高尚……”
With a solemn face, he bowed deeply.
“ wǒ dǎo shì bù zhè me rèn wéi 。” lǐ fán zhēn xīn shí yì dào 。
“我倒是不这么认为。”李凡真心实意道。
Li Fan quickly dodged the bow. "Your visit is suspicious, and your actions are inexplicable."
zhōng shén tōng què shì shén sè gèng jiā zhèn fèn ：“ duì ， jiù shì zhè zhǒng chāo rán sǎ tuō de tài dù 。”
钟神通却是神色更加振奋：“对，就是这种超然洒脱的态度。”
"If you continue to speak of things I don't want to hear, don't blame me for turning against you!"
“ dào yǒu jiū jìng shì rú hé zuò dào de ？ hái wàng jiào wǒ ！”
“道友究竟是如何做到的？还望教我！”
"Though your seven-colored divine light is formidable, I'm not afraid of you either!"
shuō bà ， tā mǎn liǎn zhèng zhòng ， yī jū dào dǐ 。
说罢，他满脸郑重，一鞠到底。
Zhong Tiansheng laughed bitterly and rubbed his head. "I apologize, Friend Daoist; I was too hasty."
lǐ fán yě fǎn yìng xùn sù ， shǎn shēn duǒ guò le zhè yī lǐ 。
李凡也反应迅速，闪身躲过了这一礼。
Standing up straight, he pondered for a moment and said slowly, "The method to extend your lifespan that I mentioned earlier is indeed true."
sù rán dào ：“ dào yǒu cǐ xíng lái de qī qiāo ， jǔ zhǐ gèng shì mò míng qí miào 。”
肃然道：“道友此行来的蹊跷，举止更是莫名其妙。”
"And I sincerely wish to seek your advice."
“ ruò shì zài yán bù jìn zhī shì ， xiū guài wǒ fān liǎn le ！”
“若是再言不尽之事，休怪我翻脸了！”
"Have you heard of procrastination?"
“ nǐ de qī cǎi shén guāng suī rán lì hài ， wǒ què yě bù pà nǐ ！”
“你的七彩神光虽然厉害，我却也不怕你！”
Li Fan was surprised. "Yes, old Daoist, you suffer from severe procrastination. It's incurable," Zhong Tiansheng sighed.
zhōng shén tōng kǔ xiào yī shēng ， yī pāi nǎo dài ：“ dào yǒu jiàn liàng ， shì wǒ mǎng zhuàng le 。”
钟神通苦笑一声，一拍脑袋：“道友见谅，是我莽撞了。”
"In my youth, at eighteen, I chanced upon a mysterious technique. But the drive to practice it was lacking. Thinking that I was young and had plenty of time ahead, I became increasingly lax."
zhí qǐ shēn zi ， tā chén yín piàn kè ， huǎn huǎn shuō dào ：“ wǒ xiān qián suǒ shuō ， yǒu wéi dào yǒu yán shòu zhī fǎ ， dí què bù jiǎ 。”
直起身子，他沉吟片刻，缓缓说道：“我先前所说，有为道友延寿之法，的确不假。”
"I fished for three days and dried myself in two, living freely until I was over fifty without breaking through to the Qi Refinement realm."
“ ér yù xiàng dào yǒu qǐng jiào ， yě shì zhēn xīn shí yì 。”
“而欲向道友请教，也是真心实意。”
"And I didn't feel any urgency at the time."
“ dào yǒu kě zēng tīng shuō guò wǒ shì jì ？”
“道友可曾听说过我事迹？”
Zhong Tiansheng squinted his eyes as if lost in memory.
zhōng shén tōng kàn xiàng lǐ fán ， wèn dào 。
钟神通看向李凡，问道。
"Thinking that with my physical condition, I could live into my seventies and still have thirty years left for enjoyment."
lǐ fán diǎn diǎn tóu ：“ yǒu suǒ ěr wén 。 dào yǒu nǎi shì chū le míng de dà qì wǎn chéng 。”
李凡点点头：“有所耳闻。道友乃是出了名的大器晚成。”
"Until one day, I mistakenly ingested a toxic fruit."
“ liù shí duō suì ， fán rén liàn qì 。 liàn qì shù shí zài ， fāng cái zhù jī 。”
“六十多岁，凡人炼气。炼气数十载，方才筑基。”
"I survived but was on the brink of death. Death seemed so close to me; I became unprecedentedly fearful."
“ zhì sǐ dōu méi yǒu fàng qì tū pò jìn jiē de xī wàng ， wǒ dǎo shì duì dào yǒu qīn pèi de jǐn 。”
“至死都没有放弃突破进阶的希望，我倒是对道友钦佩的紧。”
"There is great terror in life and death!"
zhōng shén tōng wén yán ， jū rán lǎo liǎn yī hóng 。
钟神通闻言，居然老脸一红。
"So, I thought that breaking through to Qi Refinement would extend my lifespan significantly."
huán gù zuǒ yòu ， jiàn sì xià wú rén ， zhè cái xiǎo shēng dào ：“ dào yǒu shí zài miù zàn le 。”
环顾左右，见四下无人，这才小声道：“道友实在谬赞了。”
"It felt like grabbing onto a last straw, and I threw all other matters out of my mind, focusing solely on cultivation."
“ zhè zhī zhōng ， qí shí lìng yǒu yǐn qíng 。”
“这之中，其实另有隐情。”
"Under the pressure of impending death, my progress was unimaginably fast. Within just one day, I successfully entered the Qi Refinement realm!"
“ yě gēn wǒ cǐ cì lái xún dào yǒu yǒu guān 。”
“也跟我此次来寻道友有关。”
"But after that, increased life force made me lose all motivation again. Thinking there were still many years left to live, I decided to enjoy myself first."
“ jīn rì gào zhī dào yǒu ， hái wàng bú yào wài zhuàn 。”
“今日告之道友，还望不要外传。”
"Only decades later did I face the limit of my lifespan once more."
lǐ fán shén sè wēi yì ， bù guò hái shì diǎn tóu dā yìng 。
李凡神色微异，不过还是点头答应。
"Under the threat of death, I finally broke through to the Foundation Establishment realm!"
zhōng shén tōng qīng le qīng sǎng zi ， dào ：“ bù zhī dào yǒu ， kě zēng tīng shuō guò tuō yán zhèng ？”
钟神通清了清嗓子，道：“不知道友，可曾听说过拖延症？”
After Zhong Tiansheng's words, Li Fan's expression turned bizarre.
“ tuō yán zhèng ？” lǐ fán yǒu xiē chà yì 。
“拖延症？”李凡有些诧异。
If he hadn't lied...
“ bù cuò ， lǎo dào wǒ ， jiù huàn yǒu shí fēn yán zhòng de tuō yán zhèng 。 bìng rù gāo huāng ， wú yào kě yī 。” zhōng shén tōng tàn xī dào 。
“不错，老道我，就患有十分严重的拖延症。病入膏荒，无药可医。”钟神通叹息道。
This person was truly a genius.
“ xiǎng dāng nián ， wǒ shí bā suì shí jiù yǐ jīng ǒu dé yī bù xuán gōng 。 nài hé xiū xíng qǐ lái ， shí zài méi yǒu dòng lì 。 xiǎng zhe fǎn zhèng hái nián qīng ， jīn hòu de rì zi hái zǎo zhe ne 。 yú shì xiū xíng yù fā xiè dài qǐ lái 。”
“想当年，我十八岁时就已经偶得一部玄功。奈何修行起来，实在没有动力。想着反正还年轻，今后的日子还早着呢。于是修行愈发懈怠起来。”
"So, what is your so-called method for extending one's lifespan?" Li Fan asked with a pleasant smile, showing patience.
“ rú cǐ sān tiān dǎ yú ， liǎng tiān shài wǎng 。 yì zhí xiāo yáo zì zài dào wǔ shí duō suì ， yī rán hái méi néng tū pò dào liàn qì qī 。”
“如此三天打鱼，两天晒网。一直逍遥自在到五十多岁，依然还没能突破到炼气期。”
Zhong Tiansheng said confidently, "I heard that you have little time left and gave up on advancing to the Yuan婴 realm? In my opinion, there's no need!"
"Zhong Tiansheng? He wants to see me?"
In the vast white mist, Li Fan paused his work.
Listening to He Chen's report, Li Fan frowned slightly and felt a bit perplexed. He had only met Zhong Tiansheng once in passing during their discussions on philosophy, but they had never formally met in the real world.
He Chen observed Li Fan's expression and whispered, "According to Zhong Tiansheng, he has a method to extend your lifespan. However, it requires seeing you personally."
"He may only be at the Foundation Establishment realm, but his seven-colored divine light is truly incomparable. He can even resist the devouring white mist. The adults in the Immortal Platform praise him without reservation."
"Moreover, Zhong Tiansheng has a wide network of acquaintances. This time, he was introduced and vouched for by a cultivator at the Transcendent Realm, which is why they allowed him to come over."
"It would do no harm if Master Li meets with him."
He Chen suggested.
Among the cultivators saved from the Jia Xu base two years ago, He Chen was the one who felt most grateful towards Li Fan. Even as his lifespan neared its end, he still worked tirelessly on constructing arrays. He Chen admired Li Fan to such an extent that it bordered on reverence and even a hint of fanaticism, following every word Li Fan said.
Li Fan nodded slightly and said, "If that's the case, you can bring me to meet him."
In his mind, he thought: "Just as one gets what they wish for. I won't mention whether this so-called longevity method is real or not, but just getting to know him a bit more and probing into the origin of his seven-colored divine light would be beneficial."
The two returned to the Jia Xu base. In the meeting hall, an old man with white hair and beard in Daoist robes was already waiting.
Li Fan stepped inside, and Zhong Tiansheng's gaze instantly focused on him.
They exchanged a glance, and Li Fan bowed first. "Friend Daoist Zhong, it is my honor to meet you!"
Zhong Tiansheng sighed deeply: "A name lives up to its reputation; the external rumors are true. Friend Daoist, your life force is indeed rapidly diminishing, and your time is drawing near."
He Chen's gaze turned slightly unfriendly at this statement.
Li Fan felt a sudden urge and signaled He Chen to leave for now.
Once they were alone in the hall, Li Fan bowed again and said, "Friend Daoist, there seems to be more to what you've said?"
Zhong Tiansheng stroked his beard and nodded. "It's because I had similar experiences that I could immediately confirm it."
"Let me be honest with you; when I heard about your deeds in the external world, I actually didn't believe them."
"Because I have experienced this firsthand, I know how intense the contrast between having plenty of life left one moment and being on the brink of death the next can be. The fear of death is unimaginable."
*The First Cause of All*
"I thought my will was strong at first but almost collapsed. It took a long time to recover."
"But compared to you..."
Zhong Tiansheng shook his head. "Just now, it seemed like you were overseeing the construction of an array in the white mist? You put your life on the line..."
"Such a realm is beyond me!"
Li Fan chuckled and said, "I only did this because I knew there was no hope for extending my lifespan. I just wanted to do as much as possible while I could. As for how noble it is..."
"I don't think so," Li Fan said sincerely.
Zhong Tiansheng's expression became even more animated. "Right, that detached and carefree attitude."
"How did you achieve this? Please teach me!"
With a solemn face, he bowed deeply.
Li Fan quickly dodged the bow. "Your visit is suspicious, and your actions are inexplicable."
"If you continue to speak of things I don't want to hear, don't blame me for turning against you!"
"Though your seven-colored divine light is formidable, I'm not afraid of you either!"
Zhong Tiansheng laughed bitterly and rubbed his head. "I apologize, Friend Daoist; I was too hasty."
Standing up straight, he pondered for a moment and said slowly, "The method to extend your lifespan that I mentioned earlier is indeed true."
"And I sincerely wish to seek your advice."
"Have you heard of procrastination?"
Li Fan was surprised. "Yes, old Daoist, you suffer from severe procrastination. It's incurable," Zhong Tiansheng sighed.
"In my youth, at eighteen, I chanced upon a mysterious technique. But the drive to practice it was lacking. Thinking that I was young and had plenty of time ahead, I became increasingly lax."
"I fished for three days and dried myself in two, living freely until I was over fifty without breaking through to the Qi Refinement realm."
"And I didn't feel any urgency at the time."
Zhong Tiansheng squinted his eyes as if lost in memory.
"Thinking that with my physical condition, I could live into my seventies and still have thirty years left for enjoyment."
"Until one day, I mistakenly ingested a toxic fruit."
"I survived but was on the brink of death. Death seemed so close to me; I became unprecedentedly fearful."
"There is great terror in life and death!"
"So, I thought that breaking through to Qi Refinement would extend my lifespan significantly."
"It felt like grabbing onto a last straw, and I threw all other matters out of my mind, focusing solely on cultivation."
"Under the pressure of impending death, my progress was unimaginably fast. Within just one day, I successfully entered the Qi Refinement realm!"
"But after that, increased life force made me lose all motivation again. Thinking there were still many years left to live, I decided to enjoy myself first."
"Only decades later did I face the limit of my lifespan once more."
"Under the threat of death, I finally broke through to the Foundation Establishment realm!"
After Zhong Tiansheng's words, Li Fan's expression turned bizarre.
If he hadn't lied...
This person was truly a genius.
"So, what is your so-called method for extending one's lifespan?" Li Fan asked with a pleasant smile, showing patience.
Zhong Tiansheng said confidently, "I heard that you have little time left and gave up on advancing to the Yuan婴 realm? In my opinion, there's no need!"