“ nán bù chéng ， yě shì wèi le cān jiā wàn yāo dà huì ér lái ？”
“难不成，也是为了参加万妖大会而来？”
"Could it be that he came for the Great Beast Gathering as well?"
dà fēng wú shì yī páng de mán mán niǎo ， yǔ qì hé shàn de wèn dào 。
大风无视一旁的蛮蛮鸟，语气和善的问道。
The strong wind ignored the nearby蛮蛮鸟 and asked kindly, "What's a Great Beast Gathering? I don't know anything about it."
“ shén me wàn yāo dà huì ？ wǒ bù zhī dào a 。”
“什么万妖大会？我不知道啊。”
"I was entrusted by my senior brother Luyá to bring you this wooden box," Xu Ke said with his big eyes rolling around as he stared at the strong wind bird. He pretended to be innocent and naive.
“ wǒ shì shòu shī xiōng lù yá suǒ tuō ， lái nǐ men zhè sòng yí gè mù hé de 。” xǔ kè dà yǎn jīng dī liū liū zhí zhuǎn ， dīng zhe dà fēng niǎo kàn le yī huì ， zhuāng zuò yī fù tiān zhēn wú xié de yàng zi shuō dào 。
“我是受师兄陆涯所托，来你们这送一个木盒的。”许克大眼睛滴熘熘直转，盯着大风鸟看了一会，装作一副天真无邪的样子说道。
"Luyá?" The strong wind bird tilted its head, pondering for a moment before realizing there wasn't anyone in its mind who matched that name. "It sounds familiar..."
“ lù yá ？” dà fēng niǎo tóu yī wāi ， xiǎng le yī huì ， sì hū méi néng zài nǎo hǎi zhōng zhǎo dào míng zì xiāng yìng de duì xiàng 。“ yǒu diǎn ěr shú ……”
“陆涯？”大风鸟头一歪，想了一会，似乎没能在脑海中找到名字相应的对象。“有点耳熟……”
"What wooden box? Show it to me!" It said casually.
“ shén me mù hé ， gěi dà yé wǒ chǒu chǒu ……” tā dà dà liē liē de shuō dào 。
“什么木盒，给大爷我瞅瞅……”它大大咧咧的说道。
"Sure!" Xu Ke, seemingly without any suspicion or defense, took out a red wooden box.
“ hǎo ya ！” xǔ kè sì hū háo wú xīn jī fáng bèi shì de ， jiāng yí gè zhū hóng sè de mù hé ná le chū lái 。
“好呀！”许克似乎毫无心机防备似的，将一个朱红色的木盒拿了出来。
An ancient and沧桑气息 instantly emanated from the box.
yī gǔ gǔ lǎo 、 cāng sāng de qì xī shà shí jiān qí shàng yǒng xiàn 。
一股古老、沧桑的气息霎时间其上涌现。
"What is this?" The strong wind bird's body trembled violently, nearly losing its balance and falling into the sea.
“ zhè shì ！” dà fēng niǎo shēn qū shà shí yí gè duō suo ， chà diǎn méi tíng wěn ， zhuì luò dào hǎi lǐ qù 。
“这是！”大风鸟身躯霎时一个哆嗦，差点没停稳，坠落到海里去。
The white蛮蛮bird initially didn't recognize it, staring intently at the wooden box for a while. After some time, it let out a sharp cry. Its feathers stood on end as if it had been deeply shocked. Just before it could say anything, the strong wind bird quickly stopped it with a gust of wind.
ér nà bái sè mán mán niǎo xiān shì méi rèn chū lái ， zǐ xì dīng zhe mù hé dǎ liàng le fān 。
而那白色蛮蛮鸟先是没认出来，仔细盯着木盒打量了番。
"Haha, you're the one who was sent by...,"
guò le bù jiǔ hòu ， fāng cái fā chū jiān ruì de jiào shēng 。
过了不久后，方才发出尖锐的叫声。
"Little boy, put that away quickly. If other creatures find out about this, things might get complicated."
hún shēn yǔ máo zhí lì ， sì hū shòu dào le jí dà de cì jī 。
浑身羽毛直立，似乎受到了极大的刺激。
Without asking what was inside the box, the strong wind bird awkwardly coughed and repeatedly advised him to do so.
gāng yào shuō xiē shén me ， què bèi dà fēng niǎo yǎn jí shǒu kuài ， shàn chū yī zhèn fēng 、 jiāng qí zhǐ zhù 。
刚要说些什么，却被大风鸟眼疾手快，扇出一阵风、将其止住。
"Yes, sir!" Xu Ke obediently put the wooden box back in his pocket.
“ hē hē ， yuán lái shì nà wèi pài lái de ……”
“呵呵，原来是那位派来的……”
"Senior, we're heading south to the Sacred Beast Mountain, but can't find our way. Do you think you could take me there?" He widened his eyes and scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
“ xiǎo wá wá gǎn jǐn bǎ tā shōu qǐ lái ba ， yào shì yǐn lái bié de jiā huo ， kě jiù bù hǎo le 。”
“小娃娃赶紧把它收起来吧，要是引来别的家伙，可就不好了。”
"Cough cough, little guy, didn't your elders give you any instructions before you left? What's this Sacred Beast Mountain? It sounds so unpleasant. You should call it the Holy Beast Mountain!" The strong wind bird lectured him earnestly.
méi yǒu zài wèn hé zi lǐ de dōng xī ， dà fēng niǎo gān gà de qīng ké le shēng ， lián shēng zhǔ fù dào 。
没有再问盒子里的东西，大风鸟尴尬的轻咳了声，连声嘱咐道。
"Disrespecting the Sacred Beast Mountain is fortunate that I'm here to save you from such a fate. If you were caught by those cruel beasts, they might tear your heart out and eat your liver on the spot!" The strong wind bird threatened.
“ hǎo de ya ！” xǔ kè shí fēn tīng huà dì chóng xīn jiāng mù hé shōu le qǐ lái 。
“好的呀！”许克十分听话地重新将木盒收了起来。
Xu Ke tilted his head, thinking for a moment before asking curiously, "But Third Grandfather said not to be nervous when we get there; it's like going home. I see my family always says that!"
“ zhè wèi qián bèi ， wǒ men zhèng yào qù nán míng yāo shān ， què zhǎo bú dào lù ne 。 bù zhī dào nǐ néng bù néng shùn biàn dài wǒ guò qù a 。” tā suí hòu dèng dà le yǎn jīng ， mō le mō hòu nǎo sháo ， yǒu xiē bù hǎo yì sī de shuō dào 。
“这位前辈，我们正要去南冥妖山，却找不到路呢。不知道你能不能顺便带我过去啊。”他随后瞪大了眼睛，摸了摸后脑勺，有些不好意思的说道。
"Third Grandfather..." The strong wind bird choked and hesitated.
“ hāi hāi ， xiǎo jiā huo ， nǐ chū mén qián ， jiā lǐ zhǎng bèi méi yǒu zhǔ tuō ma ？ shén me nán míng yāo shān ， zhè me nán tīng 。 yào jiào nán míng shèng shòu shān ！” dà fēng yǔ zhòng xīn cháng de jiào xùn dào 。
“咳咳，小家伙，你出门前，家里长辈没有嘱托吗？什么南冥妖山，这么难听。要叫南冥圣兽山！”大风语重心长的教训道。
The seemingly rebellious蛮蛮bird also pulled its head back as if it hadn't heard anything at all.
】
】
"Haha, you're happy, that's good," the strong wind bird smiled bitterly but said no more.
“ duì shèng shòu shān rú cǐ bù jìng ， yě xìng kuī nǐ yù dào wǒ zhè ge pí qì hǎo de 。 ruò shì yù dào nà xiē bào nüè zhī bèi ， pà bú shì yào bèi dāng chǎng zhuō zhù ， kāi cháng pò dù 、 tūn xīn shí gān ！” dà fēng xià hǔ dào 。
“对圣兽山如此不敬，也幸亏你遇到我这个脾气好的。若是遇到那些暴虐之辈，怕不是要被当场捉住，开肠破肚、吞心食肝！”大风吓唬道。
The group continued their journey towards the southernmost point. Xu Ke naturally kept talking to the strong wind bird along the way, asking about the Great Beast Gathering.
xǔ kè wāi le wāi nǎo dài ， xiǎng le xiǎng ， yǒu xiē yí huò ：“ kě shì sān yé yé shuō le ， dào le zhè bié jǐn zhāng ， jiù gēn huí dào jiā lǐ yī yàng 。 wǒ kān jiā lǐ rén ， dōu shì zhè me shuō de a ！”
许克歪了歪脑袋，想了想，有些疑惑：“可是三爷爷说了，到了这别紧张，就跟回到家里一样。我看家里人，都是这么说的啊！”
"Senior, what exactly is this Great Beast Gathering?"
“ sān yé yé ……” dà fēng dùn shí qiāng zhù ， yù yán yòu zhǐ 。
“三爷爷……”大风顿时呛住，欲言又止。
The strong wind bird didn't want to answer at first, but couldn't resist Xu Ke's persistent questions. So it reluctantly whispered, "Recently, Lord Dìyī announced that a Great Beast Gathering would be held."
ér yuán běn kàn shì jié ào de mán mán niǎo ， gèng shì bǎ tóu suō qǐ ， yī fù shén me yě méi yǒu tīng dào de yàng zi 。
而原本看似桀骜的蛮蛮鸟，更是把头缩起，一副什么也没有听到的样子。
"All beast clans must send representatives to attend the gathering in the Sacred Beast Mountain of Southmyst."
“ hē hē ， nǐ xiǎo zi kāi xīn jiù hǎo 。” zuì zhōng ， dà fēng niǎo hái shì kǔ xiào zhe ， bù zài duō yán 。
“呵呵，你小子开心就好。”最终，大风鸟还是苦笑着，不再多言。
"Apparently, this concerns the future survival or demise of all beast clans. It’s also significant because it's only been called once by Lord Dìyī in centuries."
yī xíng rén yì qǐ ， jì xù cháo zhe jí nán chù jìn fā 。
一行人一起，继续朝着极南处进发。
"Even creatures like the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Nine-Headed, and Purple Headless have shown up."
yī lù shàng ， xǔ kè zì rán yě shì zuǐ lǐ méi tíng ， bù duàn gēn dà fēng niǎo dǎ tàn xiāo xī 。
一路上，许克自然也是嘴里没停，不断跟大风鸟打探消息。
"The last time such a grand gathering was held was during the Beast Emperor Trial of Dìsān..."
“ qián bèi ， nǐ gāng gāng suǒ shuō de wàn yāo dà huì jiū jìng shì zěn me huí shì a ？”
“前辈，你刚刚所说的万妖大会究竟是怎么回事啊？”
The strong wind bird stopped mid-sentence as its expression changed. Li Fan and Xu Ke exchanged glances, understanding what had happened.
dà fēng niǎo běn bù yuàn yì huí dá ， nài hé jīng bú zhù xǔ kè jiū chán 。
大风鸟本不愿意回答，奈何经不住许克纠缠。
It seemed that even with Dìsān's high status, too much contact with human groups could have serious consequences.
yú shì zhǐ néng wú nài qiǎo shēng shuō dào ：“ qián bù jiǔ ，【 dì yī 】 dà rén zhāo gào tiān xià ， yào zhào kāi wàn yāo dà huì 。”
于是只能无奈悄声说道：“前不久，【帝一】大人昭告天下，要召开万妖大会。”
No wonder the蛮蛮bird and the strong wind both treated Dìsān with such caution.
“ tiān xià yāo shòu zú qún ， dōu bì xū pài chū dài biǎo ， qián lái nán míng shèng shòu shān cān jiā 。”
“天下妖兽族群，都必须派出代表，前来南冥圣兽山参加。”
However, it was clear that the trial of Dìsān hadn't succeeded. Otherwise, the strong wind bird and others wouldn't be showing a mix of fear and reluctance when Xu Ke took out the wooden box bearing Dìsān's seal.
“ jù shuō shì guān yāo shòu zú qún jīn hòu de shēng sǐ cún wáng ， ér qiě zhè yòu shì 【 dì yī 】 dà rén shù bǎi nián lái yòu yī cì zhào kāi dà huì ， shí fēn zhòng yào 。”
“据说事关妖兽族群今后的生死存亡，而且这又是【帝一】大人数百年来又一次召开大会，十分重要。”
Shifting topics, Xu Ke continued pestering the strong wind bird with questions about the beast clans. He inquired about their habitats, interactions with humans, future plans, and views on the Beast Taming Sect.
“ jiù lián píng rì lǐ bù xiǎn zōng jì de 【 qīng shén lóng 】、【 chì jiǔ tóu 】、【 zǐ wú shǒu 】 děng dà rén dōu lái le 。”
“就连平日里不显踪迹的【青神龙】、【赤九头】、【紫无首】等大人都来了。”
After his earlier slip of tongue, the strong wind bird became more cautious, only sharing trivial information irrelevant to the situation.
“ shàng yī cì zhè me dà de zhèn róng ， hái shì wàn shòu gōng shěn dì sān ……”
“上一次这么大的阵容，还是万兽公审帝三……”
Several days passed before they finally saw the Sacred Beast Mountain looming ahead.
dà fēng shuō dào yí bàn ， hū de liǎn sè wēi biàn ， lì mǎ zhǐ zhù 。
大风说到一半，忽的脸色微变，立马止住。
From afar, a towering conical mountain appeared at the horizon where blue and green waters met. It stood majestically on the sea surface, like an impossible mirage.
lǐ fán hé xǔ kè duì shì yī yǎn ， xīn zhōng liǎo rán 。
李凡和许克对视一眼，心中了然。
At the peak of the mountain, there was a thick layer of snow, resembling a crown. The city atop the snow-covered summit could be faintly seen.
kàn lái jí biàn yǐ dì sān mò de dì wèi ， dāng tā hé rén lèi qún tǐ chǎn shēng guò yú mì jí de jiē chù hòu ， hòu guǒ yě shí fēn yán zhòng 。
看来即便以帝三貘的地位，当他和人类群体产生过于密集的接触后，后果也十分严重。
Li Fan's sharp eyes noticed that the Sacred Beast Mountain marked the boundary of the entire Southmyst Ocean. It was a wondrous sight that defied description. The endless sea seemed to abruptly end here, giving way to an abyss beyond.
yě nán guài wú lùn shì zhè mán mán niǎo ， hái shì dà fēng ， duì dì sān mò dōu shì yī fù huì mò rú shēn de yàng zi 。
也难怪无论是这蛮蛮鸟，还是大风，对帝三貘都是一副讳莫如深的样子。
The Sacred Beast Mountain stood as the border between light and darkness, reality and illusion, dividing the tangible world from the ethereal.
bù guò hěn xiǎn rán ， nà chǎng gōng shěn duì dì sān mò de shěn pàn méi néng chéng gōng 。
不过很显然，那场公审对帝三貘的审判没能成功。
Seeing Xu Ke's stunned reaction to this magnificent scene, the strong wind bird felt a sense of triumph.
yào bù rán ， dāng xǔ kè qǔ chū nà zhǐ shàng miàn yǒu dì sān mò de fēng yìn de mù hé zhī hòu ， dà fēng tā men jiù bú huì shì jì huì zhōng dài zhe kǒng jù de biǎo xiàn le 。
要不然，当许克取出那只上面有帝三貘的封印的木盒之后，大风它们就不会是忌讳中带着恐惧的表现了。
"Did you see such a sight before? This is where the horizon meets the sea’s edge, the farthest reaches of the world."
rào guò cǐ huà tí ， xǔ kè yòu chán zhe dà fēng niǎo ， wèn le xǔ duō guān yú yāo shòu zú qún de xiāo xī 。
绕过此话题，许克又缠着大风鸟，问了许多关于妖兽族群的消息。
"This is our Sacred Beast Mountain, the birthplace and sanctuary for all beasts. You may be sent by someone important, but your human identity can't change. So, you might not be allowed in."
bāo kuò tā men píng rì lǐ qī xī yǔ hé chù ， hé rén lèi xiāng chǔ rú hé 。
包括它们平日里栖息与何处，和人类相处如何。
"Ha ha, Senior Wind was right. Even you, this black bird, despite being a beast, have been tamed by humans and are just their companion spirit, so you don’t qualify to enter the Sacred Beast Mountain," the timid蛮蛮bird suddenly perked up.
jiāng lái yòu yǒu shén me dǎ suàn ， yòu shì zěn me kàn dài yù shòu zōng de 。
将来又有什么打算，又是怎么看待御兽宗的。
It let out an odd cry and, without waiting for Xu Ke's response, flapped its wings and turned into a white streak of light, heading towards the distant peak.
gāng gāng de kǒu wù zhī hòu ， dà fēng niǎo jǐn shèn le xǔ duō 。 zhǐ shì yǒu de méi de ， tiāo xuǎn xiē wú guān jǐn yào de huà tí gào zhī xǔ kè 。
刚刚的口误之后，大风鸟谨慎了许多。只是有的没的，挑选些无关紧要的话题告之许克。
Xu Ke wasn't bothered. He shook his chest where he was hanging a jade token.
jiù zhè yàng ， yòu shì shí duō tiān guò qù 。
就这样，又是十多天过去。
"Don’t worry, Luyá Senior Brother told me that if I run into trouble, just show this token."
zhōng yú ， chuán shuō zhōng de nán míng shèng shòu shān yáo yáo zài wàng le 。
终于，传说中的南冥圣兽山遥遥在望了。
"Luyá Senior Brother won’t betray me."
yuǎn yuǎn wàng qù ， zhǐ jiàn qīng lán xiāng jiàn de hǎi tiān jiāo jiē chù ， yī zuò gāo sǒng zhí chā tiān qióng de yuán zhuī xíng shān tǐ ， píng kōng chū xiàn 。
远远望去，只见青蓝相间的海天交接处，一座高耸直插天穹的圆锥形山体，凭空出现。
"Little Qing, follow closely!"
jiù zhè me chù lì yú hǎi miàn zhī shàng ， rú hǎi shì shèn jǐng bān bù kě sī yì 。
就这么矗立于海面之上，如海市蜃景般不可思议。
Just as the strong wind bird was about to persuade him further, it suddenly remembered something. Its expression of shock far surpassed its initial reaction when sensing Dìsān's presence.
shān tǐ dǐng duān ， rú tóng dài le huáng guān bān ， yǒu yī quān hòu hòu de jié bái jī xuě 。
山体顶端，如同戴了皇冠般，有一圈厚厚的洁白积雪。
It had clearly seen the "one" symbol engraved on the jade token that flashed before his eyes—something only beasts could understand.
zài jī xuě fù gài de shān dǐng ， yī xī néng kàn jiàn yī zuò xióng wěi chéng chí de mú yàng 。
在积雪覆盖的山顶，依稀能看见一座雄伟城池的模样。
The strong wind bird finally recalled where it heard Luyá’s name. It was a person who, over a decade ago, single-handedly and as a human, entered the Sacred Beast Mountain and emerged unscathed.
"Could it be that he came for the Great Beast Gathering as well?"
The strong wind ignored the nearby蛮蛮鸟 and asked kindly, "What's a Great Beast Gathering? I don't know anything about it."
"I was entrusted by my senior brother Luyá to bring you this wooden box," Xu Ke said with his big eyes rolling around as he stared at the strong wind bird. He pretended to be innocent and naive.
"Luyá?" The strong wind bird tilted its head, pondering for a moment before realizing there wasn't anyone in its mind who matched that name. "It sounds familiar..."
"What wooden box? Show it to me!" It said casually.
"Sure!" Xu Ke, seemingly without any suspicion or defense, took out a red wooden box.
An ancient and沧桑气息 instantly emanated from the box.
"What is this?" The strong wind bird's body trembled violently, nearly losing its balance and falling into the sea.
The white蛮蛮bird initially didn't recognize it, staring intently at the wooden box for a while. After some time, it let out a sharp cry. Its feathers stood on end as if it had been deeply shocked. Just before it could say anything, the strong wind bird quickly stopped it with a gust of wind.
"Haha, you're the one who was sent by...,"
"Little boy, put that away quickly. If other creatures find out about this, things might get complicated."
Without asking what was inside the box, the strong wind bird awkwardly coughed and repeatedly advised him to do so.
"Yes, sir!" Xu Ke obediently put the wooden box back in his pocket.
"Senior, we're heading south to the Sacred Beast Mountain, but can't find our way. Do you think you could take me there?" He widened his eyes and scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Cough cough, little guy, didn't your elders give you any instructions before you left? What's this Sacred Beast Mountain? It sounds so unpleasant. You should call it the Holy Beast Mountain!" The strong wind bird lectured him earnestly.
"Disrespecting the Sacred Beast Mountain is fortunate that I'm here to save you from such a fate. If you were caught by those cruel beasts, they might tear your heart out and eat your liver on the spot!" The strong wind bird threatened.
Xu Ke tilted his head, thinking for a moment before asking curiously, "But Third Grandfather said not to be nervous when we get there; it's like going home. I see my family always says that!"
"Third Grandfather..." The strong wind bird choked and hesitated.
The seemingly rebellious蛮蛮bird also pulled its head back as if it hadn't heard anything at all.
"Haha, you're happy, that's good," the strong wind bird smiled bitterly but said no more.
The group continued their journey towards the southernmost point. Xu Ke naturally kept talking to the strong wind bird along the way, asking about the Great Beast Gathering.
"Senior, what exactly is this Great Beast Gathering?"
The strong wind bird didn't want to answer at first, but couldn't resist Xu Ke's persistent questions. So it reluctantly whispered, "Recently, Lord Dìyī announced that a Great Beast Gathering would be held."
"All beast clans must send representatives to attend the gathering in the Sacred Beast Mountain of Southmyst."
"Apparently, this concerns the future survival or demise of all beast clans. It’s also significant because it's only been called once by Lord Dìyī in centuries."
"Even creatures like the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Nine-Headed, and Purple Headless have shown up."
"The last time such a grand gathering was held was during the Beast Emperor Trial of Dìsān..."
The strong wind bird stopped mid-sentence as its expression changed. Li Fan and Xu Ke exchanged glances, understanding what had happened.
It seemed that even with Dìsān's high status, too much contact with human groups could have serious consequences.
No wonder the蛮蛮bird and the strong wind both treated Dìsān with such caution.
However, it was clear that the trial of Dìsān hadn't succeeded. Otherwise, the strong wind bird and others wouldn't be showing a mix of fear and reluctance when Xu Ke took out the wooden box bearing Dìsān's seal.
Shifting topics, Xu Ke continued pestering the strong wind bird with questions about the beast clans. He inquired about their habitats, interactions with humans, future plans, and views on the Beast Taming Sect.
After his earlier slip of tongue, the strong wind bird became more cautious, only sharing trivial information irrelevant to the situation.
Several days passed before they finally saw the Sacred Beast Mountain looming ahead.
From afar, a towering conical mountain appeared at the horizon where blue and green waters met. It stood majestically on the sea surface, like an impossible mirage.
At the peak of the mountain, there was a thick layer of snow, resembling a crown. The city atop the snow-covered summit could be faintly seen.
Li Fan's sharp eyes noticed that the Sacred Beast Mountain marked the boundary of the entire Southmyst Ocean. It was a wondrous sight that defied description. The endless sea seemed to abruptly end here, giving way to an abyss beyond.
The Sacred Beast Mountain stood as the border between light and darkness, reality and illusion, dividing the tangible world from the ethereal.
Seeing Xu Ke's stunned reaction to this magnificent scene, the strong wind bird felt a sense of triumph.
"Did you see such a sight before? This is where the horizon meets the sea’s edge, the farthest reaches of the world."
"This is our Sacred Beast Mountain, the birthplace and sanctuary for all beasts. You may be sent by someone important, but your human identity can't change. So, you might not be allowed in."
"Ha ha, Senior Wind was right. Even you, this black bird, despite being a beast, have been tamed by humans and are just their companion spirit, so you don’t qualify to enter the Sacred Beast Mountain," the timid蛮蛮bird suddenly perked up.
It let out an odd cry and, without waiting for Xu Ke's response, flapped its wings and turned into a white streak of light, heading towards the distant peak.
Xu Ke wasn't bothered. He shook his chest where he was hanging a jade token.
"Don’t worry, Luyá Senior Brother told me that if I run into trouble, just show this token."
"Luyá Senior Brother won’t betray me."
"Little Qing, follow closely!"
Just as the strong wind bird was about to persuade him further, it suddenly remembered something. Its expression of shock far surpassed its initial reaction when sensing Dìsān's presence.
It had clearly seen the "one" symbol engraved on the jade token that flashed before his eyes—something only beasts could understand.
The strong wind bird finally recalled where it heard Luyá’s name. It was a person who, over a decade ago, single-handedly and as a human, entered the Sacred Beast Mountain and emerged unscathed.