“ gēn wǒ men zhè xiē fán fū sú zǐ bù tóng ， dà rén tā yí dìng shì yǒu zhe gèng dà zhì xiàng de 。”
“跟我们这些凡夫俗子不同，大人他一定是有着更大志向的。”
"Different from us mere mortals, the大人must surely have greater ambitions."
“ wǒ men suǒ tān liàn de zhè xiē xiān méng guān zhí ， tā què wèi bì fàng zài yǎn lǐ 。”
“我们所贪恋的这些仙盟官职，他却未必放在眼里。”
"We covet these positions in the Immortal Alliance, but he might not even care about them," said High Far.
“ suī rán dà rén tā yǎn shì de hěn hǎo ， dàn zhēn xīn mí liàn quán shì de rén ， shì néng yī yǎn kàn chū lái de 。”
“虽然大人他掩饰的很好，但真心迷恋权势的人，是能一眼看出来的。”
"Although he conceals it well, someone who genuinely craves power can be easily spotted by those who know him," High Far said with a deep tone.
gāo yuǎn yǔ qì yōu yōu ， huǎn huǎn shuō dào 。
高远语气幽幽，缓缓说道。
Hei Zhenghao's expression turned solemn as he nodded in agreement.
hé zhèng hào wén yán ， liǎn sè yī sù ， yě shì diǎn tóu biǎo shì tóng yì 。
何正浩闻言，脸色一肃，也是点头表示同意。
"According to what I've heard, the Secret Envoy大人was actually forced to accept the position of acting island master on Ten Thousand Immortals Island. Rebuilding the immortal city was essentially a last-minute task, like forcing a duck into water," High Far revealed suddenly.
“ jù wǒ suǒ zhī ， qí shí mì shǐ dà rén tā shì bèi pò jiē shòu wàn xiān dǎo dài lǐ dǎo zhǔ yī zhí de 。 fèng mìng chóng jiàn xiān chéng ， qí shí shì gǎn yā zi shàng jià ， pò bù dé yǐ zhī shì 。” gāo yuǎn hū de yòu bào liào dào 。
“据我所知，其实秘使大人他是被迫接受万仙岛代理岛主一职的。奉命重建仙城，其实是赶鸭子上架，迫不得已之事。”高远忽的又爆料道。
Hei Zhenghao's eyes widened in surprise. "Is that really true?"
hé zhèng hào mǎn shì jīng yà ， mù lù qí sè ：“ jìng yǒu cǐ shì ？”
何正浩满是惊讶，目露奇色：“竟有此事？”
High Far nodded. "While I don't know what tricks are involved, it’s fortunate that the Secret Envoy大人completed this mission."
gāo yuǎn diǎn diǎn tóu ：“ suī rán bù zhī dào zhè lǐ miàn yǒu shén me māo nì ， dàn wàn xìng de shì ， mì shǐ dà rén tā zuì zhōng wán chéng le zhè ge rèn wù 。”
高远点点头：“虽然不知道这里面有什么猫腻，但万幸的是，秘使大人他最终完成了这个任务。”
"He also changed many of our fates along the way."
“ shùn dài hái gǎi biàn le wǒ men xǔ duō rén de mìng yùn 。”
“顺带还改变了我们许多人的命运。”
"Although he now holds the position of Secret Envoy and is in charge of政务on Cunyun Sea, I suspect he has no interest in personally managing these mundane affairs," High Far continued. "I believe that with his extraordinary talent, wasting time on such trivial matters would be a true waste."
“ rú jīn tā suī rán dān rèn mì zì shǐ ， zhǔ zhǎng cóng yún hǎi yī zhōu zhèng wù 。 dàn shì wǒ cāi cè ， huò xǔ tā gēn běn méi yǒu xìng qù qīn zì qù yī jiàn jiàn guǎn lǐ shì wù 。”
“如今他虽然担任秘字使，主掌丛云海一州政务。但是我猜测，或许他根本没有兴趣亲自去一件件管理事物。”
"The大人has a bigger stage to play. These small matters can be left for subordinates to handle."
“ ér wǒ yě rèn wéi ， yǐ dà rén de tiān zòng zhī cái ， ruò shì bǎ shí jiān làng fèi zài zhè xiē sú shì shàng ， nà cái shì zhēn zhèng de làng fèi 。”
“而我也认为，以大人的天纵之才，若是把时间浪费在这些俗事上，那才是真正的浪费。”
"He needs someone who can keep everything running smoothly when he's not around, without needing him to worry too much," High Far analyzed.
“ dà rén tā yǒu gèng dà de wǔ tái 。 zhì yú zhè xiē xiǎo shì ， zì rán yǒu xià miàn rén qù zuò 。”
“大人他有更大的舞台。至于这些小事，自然有下面人去做。”
"This mission we were given is essentially a test of our abilities. The fragmentary jade slip is a trap."
“ dà rén tā xū yào de ， jiù shì néng gòu zài tā bù zài de shí hòu ， jiāng yī qiè chǔ lǐ de jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo ， wú xū tā guò duō guān xīn de rén 。”
“大人他需要的，就是能够在他不在的时候，将一切处理的井井有条，无需他过多关心的人。”
"If we fail and need to seek permission from the Secret Envoy大人… perhaps there won't be any change in position, but he would surely label us as incompetent," said High Far solemnly.
gāo yuǎn yì diǎn yì diǎn de fēn xī zhe 。
高远一点一点的分析着。
Hei Zhenghao shuddered. "That can’t be true?"
“ zhè cì tā jiāo dài wǒ men de liǎng gè rèn wù ， jiù shì zhè yàng yí gè kǎo yàn 。”
“这次他交代我们的两个任务，就是这样一个考验。”
High Far snorted coldly. "Have you noticed how the大人looks at us?"
“ ér nà fēn shén yù jiǎn ， zé shì yí gè xiàn jǐng 。”
“而那分神玉简，则是一个陷阱。”
"What about his gaze?" Hei Zhenghao asked, confused and seeking clarification.
“ yí dàn wǒ men zhǎng kòng bú zhù jú miàn ， dào le xū yào xiàng mì shǐ dà rén qǐng shì de dì bù ……”
“一旦我们掌控不住局面，到了需要向秘使大人请示的地步……”
"Although he appears amiable to others, sometimes even showing respect, in reality…," High Far's eyes flashed with unease.
“ huò xǔ zhí wèi bú huì yǒu shén me biàn dòng ， dàn zài tā de xīn zhōng ， wǒ men jué duì cóng cǐ huì bèi tiē shàng wú néng de biāo qiān 。”
“或许职位不会有什么变动，但在他的心中，我们绝对从此会被贴上无能的标签。”
"In his eyes, everyone is treated as mere tools."
gāo yuǎn chén shēng dào 。
高远沉声道。
"It’s as if we are not on the same life level. To him, all of us might just be tools…"
hé zhèng hào sǒng rán yī jīng ：“ bù zhì yú ba ？”
何正浩悚然一惊：“不至于吧？”
"When I was still guarding at the Public Administration Hall, I once had the chance to meet a daoist who had reached the Dao Integration realm. Even an Immortal Sage with that power looked at me differently," High Far said.
gāo yuǎn lěng hēng yī shēng ：“ bù zhī dào yǒu ， yǒu méi yǒu zhù yì guò dà rén kàn wǒ men de yǎn shén 。”
高远冷哼一声：“不知道友，有没有注意过大人看我们的眼神。”
"He is rumored to be an ancient Tianshi Sect cultivator who fell into slumber and his cultivation level has dropped to the Golden Core stage."
“ yǎn shén ， yòu zěn me le ？” hé zhèng hào yǒu xiē bù jiě ， lián máng qǐng jiào dào 。
“眼神，又怎么了？”何正浩有些不解，连忙请教道。
"Previously, there were rumors of him decapitating several Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators in a single battle."
“ suī rán dà rén tā biǎo miàn shàng kàn qǐ lái dài rén hé shàn ， yǒu shí hòu shèn zhì huì lǐ xián xià shì 。 dàn shí zé ……”
“虽然大人他表面上看起来待人和善，有时候甚至会礼贤下士。但实则……”
"So, what was his cultivation level during the peak of the ancient era?"
gāo yuǎn yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī sī jīng jì 。
高远眼中闪过一丝惊季。
High Far's voice grew softer, his eyes reflecting fear.
“ tā de yǎn shén shēn chù ， kàn wǒ men suǒ yǒu de rén shí hòu ， dōu shì yī yàng de 。”
“他的眼神深处，看我们所有的人时候，都是一样的。”
Hei Zhenghao shivered involuntarily.
“ nà shì rú tóng wǒ men xiū xiān zhě kàn fán rén lóu yǐ ……”
“那是如同我们修仙者看凡人蝼蚁……”
The implication was clear: He suspected that Li Fan had actually been a Longevity Realm cultivator in the ancient times. Once one enters the Longevity Realm, true transcendence is achieved. The essence of life changes, making them incomparable to daoists at other stages.
“ bù ， bú duì ……” gāo yuǎn yáo yáo tóu ， méi tóu zhòu qǐ ， sì hū shì zài xún zhǎo hé shì de xíng róng yòng yǔ 。
“不，不对……”高远摇摇头，眉头皱起，似乎是在寻找合适的形容用语。
Only Longevity Realm powerhouses could look upon all beings with indifference and equality.
guò le piàn kè ， tā hū de zhǐ zhe yì shì tīng zhōng de nà xiē zhuō yǐ ， chén shēng dào ：“ méi cuò 。 zài tā de yǎn zhōng ， wǒ men suǒ yǒu rén ， dōu xiàng zhè xiē ， zhǐ shì dān chún de gōng jù yì bān 。”
过了片刻，他忽的指着议事厅中的那些桌椅，沉声道：“没错。在他的眼中，我们所有人，都像这些，只是单纯的工具一般。”
Accepting this view, combined with Li Fan's numerous astonishing feats, everything suddenly made sense.
“ fǎng fú bù zài tóng yī gè shēng mìng céng cì 。 wǒ men suǒ yǒu rén ， duì tā ér yán ， kǒng pà dōu zhǐ shì dān chún de gōng jù ……”
“仿佛不在同一个生命层次。我们所有人，对他而言，恐怕都只是单纯的工具……”
There were many cultivators skilled in derivation techniques, but none had ever been known for using it so effortlessly to amass wealth, doubling their assets as easily as that.
“ dāng wǒ hái zài bù zhèng táng mén kǒu zhàn gǎng de shí hòu ， wǒ céng yǒu xìng jiàn guò yī wèi hé dào xiū shì 。 dàn jiù suàn shì hé dào xiān zūn ， tā wàng xiàng wǒ de yǎn shén ， yě bù shì dà rén zhè bān mò rán ……”
“当我还在布政堂门口站岗的时候，我曾有幸见过一位合道修士。但就算是合道仙尊，他望向我的眼神，也不似大人这般漠然……”
If the technique was truly that powerful, all cultivators would be vying to learn it.
“ tīng shuō ， dà rén shì shàng gǔ tiān jī zōng xiū shì 。 yīn gù chén shuì zhì jīn ， bìng qiě xiū wèi yě yīn cǐ diē luò zhì jīn dān jìng jiè 。”
“听说，大人是上古天机宗修士。因故沉睡至今，并且修为也因此跌落至金丹境界。”
For thousands of years, the technique remained obscure due to its nature. Cultivators' greed and desire to dominate would not allow them to ignore such benefits.
“ xiān qián yòu yǒu guò dà rén tā jīn dān zhǎn shā shù wèi yuán yīng xiū shì lián shǒu de chuán wén 。”
“先前又有过大人他金丹斩杀数位元婴修士联手的传闻。”
Only a Longevity Heaven Sage who had mastered derivation techniques could so easily foresee the future.
“ nà me ， dà rén tā zài shàng gǔ quán shèng shí qī ， jiū jìng shì shén me xiū wèi ？”
“那么，大人他在上古全盛时期，究竟是什么修为？”
The whispers in Cunyun Sea suggested that Ten Thousand Immortals Island was suddenly sealed, and the Five Elders Alliance ambushed it. All because of an ancient prophecy. Although it was said to be derived by the renowned Gong Sun Qixuan, there were rumors that Gong Sun Qixuan himself had been influenced by Li Fan's derivation techniques.
gāo yuǎn de shēng yīn yuè lái yuè xiǎo ， yǎn shén zhōng yě shǎn xiàn guò yī sī kǒng jù 。
高远的声音越来越小，眼神中也闪现过一丝恐惧。
If Li Fan had once been a Longevity Heaven Sage, his Golden Core realm decapitating Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators and riding a puppet with Shen Transformation cultivation…
hé zhèng hào yě shì bù yóu dǎ le gè hán zhàn 。
何正浩也是不由打了个寒颤。
These would be trivial matters.
gāo yuǎn huà zhōng de yì si ， yǐ jīng hěn míng xiǎn le 。
高远话中的意思，已经很明显了。
If he couldn't do these things, how could he have been called a Longevity Heaven Sage?
tā huái yí ， zài shàng gǔ shí qī ， lǐ fán shí zé shì yī míng cháng shēng jìng de xiū shì 。
他怀疑，在上古时期，李凡实则是一名长生境的修士。
...
yīn wèi zhòng suǒ zhōu zhī ， yí dàn dāng tà rù cháng shēng jìng zhī hòu ， jiù shí xiàn le zhēn zhèng de chāo tuō 。
因为众所周知，一旦当踏入长生境之后，就实现了真正的超脱。
Silence fell in the Public Administration Hall.
shēng mìng de běn zhì yě fā shēng le biàn huà ， hé hé dào 、 huà shén 、 yuán yīng děng děng jìng jiè de xiū shì xiāng bǐ ， wán quán bú shì tóng děng yì yì shàng de cún zài le 。
生命的本质也发生了变化，和合道、化神、元婴等等境界的修士相比，完全不是同等意义上的存在了。
An eerie atmosphere hung between Hei Zhenghao and High Far as they pondered their thoughts.
néng mò shì 、 píng děng de kàn dài shì jiān zhòng shēng ， kǒng pà yě wéi yǒu cháng shēng jìng de qiáng zhě cái néng zuò dào le 。
能漠视、平等的看待世间众生，恐怕也唯有长生境的强者才能做到了。
Their bodies began to tremble uncontrollably—partly from fear of Longevity Realm powerhouses, partly because…
yí dàn jiē shòu zhè ge guān diǎn ， zài jiāng yǐ wǎng lǐ fán zhǒng zhǒng jīng shì hài sú de shì jì xiāng jié hé 。
一旦接受这个观点，再将以往李凡种种惊世骇俗的事迹相结合。
Being considered by a Longevity Heaven Sage as a confidant, even temporarily, was an honor in itself.
yī qiè yòu tū rán biàn dé nà me hé lǐ qǐ lái 。
一切又突然变得那么合理起来。
Lost in thought, the two men mulled over many things for a long time before Hei Zhenghao spoke up.
shì jiān jīng tōng tuī yǎn zhī shù de xiū shì hé qí duō ， dàn cóng lái méi tīng shuō guò ， yǒu shuí néng xiàng lǐ fán zhè yàng ， jǔ zhòng ruò qīng 、 jiāng qí yòng lái liǎn cái ， qīng sōng jiù néng zuò dào zī chǎn fān bèi de 。
世间精通推衍之术的修士何其多，但从来没听说过，有谁能像李凡这样，举重若轻、将其用来敛财，轻松就能做到资产翻倍的。
He cleared his throat and whispered, "Brother High, this is all your conjecture."
ruò tuī yǎn zhī shù ， zhēn de yǒu nà me shén qí 。 nà me pà bú shì tiān xià xiū shì ， dōu yào zhēng zhe qiǎng zhe qù xué tā le 。
若推衍之术，真的有那么神奇。那么怕不是天下修士，都要争着抢着去学它了。
"It's better not to share it with outsiders," he said. "Let’s keep it between us."
shù qiān nián lái ， tuī yǎn zhī shù zhī suǒ yǐ yì zhí bù wēn bù huǒ ， zì rán yǒu tā de yuán yīn 。
数千年来，推衍之术之所以一直不温不火，自然有它的原因。
High Far glanced at Hei Zhenghao and nodded slightly. "I have my own knowledge of the matter."
yǐ xiū shì men tūn tiān lüè dì de tān lán xìng gé ， nǎ yǒu yǒu hǎo chù bù zhàn de dào lǐ 。
以修士们吞天掠地的贪婪性格，哪有有好处不占的道理。
The two men shared a smile, their understanding unspoken.
wéi yǒu cháng shēng tiān zūn ， jiāng tuī yǎn zhī shù xiū dào jí zhì de cháng shēng tiān zūn ， huò xǔ cái néng rú cǐ qīng yì de kān pò wèi lái 。
唯有长生天尊，将推衍之术修到极致的长生天尊，或许才能如此轻易的勘破未来。
They had one last line they didn't say: If Li Fan truly was a Longevity Heaven Sage, then serving him now would mean that when he recovered from his injuries and regained his strength…
cóng yún hǎi àn zhōng liú chuán de xiǎo dào xiāo xī ， dāng nián wàn xiān dǎo tū rán bèi fēng suǒ 、 ér hòu wǔ lǎo huì yòu tū xí qiǎng duó zhěng zuò dǎo yǔ 。
丛云海暗中流传的小道消息，当年万仙岛突然被封锁、而后五老会又突袭抢夺整座岛屿。
Their stage wouldn’t be this secluded Cunyun Sea.
zhè yī qiè dōu shì yīn wèi mǒu gè yù yán 。
这一切都是因为某个预言。
Hei Zhenghao recalled the ambition in his former wife's eyes, which had long since dimmed, now flickering back to life.
ér zhè ge yù yán ， suī rán dà jiā dōu shuō shì wēi míng hè hè de gōng sūn qǐ xuán tuī yǎn chū lái de 。
而这个预言，虽然大家都说是威名赫赫的公孙启玄推衍出来的。
---
dàn sī xià lǐ yě yǒu chuán wén ， gōng sūn qǐ xuán tā shí zé yě shì shòu dào le lǐ fán tuī yǎn zhī shù de yǐng xiǎng 。
但私下里也有传闻，公孙启玄他实则也是受到了李凡推衍之术的影响。
In a deeper part of the Public Administration Hall, Li Fan withdrew his attention and summoned a water mirror. He stroked his chin as he examined himself in the reflection.
zài zhě ， rú guǒ lǐ fán tā céng jīng shì cháng shēng tiān zūn ， nà me tā yǐ jīn dān xiū wèi zhǎn shā yuán yīng ， yòu yǒu huà shén xiū wèi de kuǐ lěi dàng zuò zuò qí ……
再者，如果李凡他曾经是长生天尊，那么他以金丹修为斩杀元婴，又有化神修为的傀儡当做坐骑……
"An indifferent gaze at everything…"
zhè xiē dōu bú shì shén me shì le 。
这些都不是什么事了。
He stared at his own eyes, lost in thought.
"Different from us mere mortals, the大人must surely have greater ambitions."
"We covet these positions in the Immortal Alliance, but he might not even care about them," said High Far.
"Although he conceals it well, someone who genuinely craves power can be easily spotted by those who know him," High Far said with a deep tone.
Hei Zhenghao's expression turned solemn as he nodded in agreement.
"According to what I've heard, the Secret Envoy大人was actually forced to accept the position of acting island master on Ten Thousand Immortals Island. Rebuilding the immortal city was essentially a last-minute task, like forcing a duck into water," High Far revealed suddenly.
Hei Zhenghao's eyes widened in surprise. "Is that really true?"
High Far nodded. "While I don't know what tricks are involved, it’s fortunate that the Secret Envoy大人completed this mission."
"He also changed many of our fates along the way."
"Although he now holds the position of Secret Envoy and is in charge of政务on Cunyun Sea, I suspect he has no interest in personally managing these mundane affairs," High Far continued. "I believe that with his extraordinary talent, wasting time on such trivial matters would be a true waste."
"The大人has a bigger stage to play. These small matters can be left for subordinates to handle."
"He needs someone who can keep everything running smoothly when he's not around, without needing him to worry too much," High Far analyzed.
"This mission we were given is essentially a test of our abilities. The fragmentary jade slip is a trap."
"If we fail and need to seek permission from the Secret Envoy大人… perhaps there won't be any change in position, but he would surely label us as incompetent," said High Far solemnly.
Hei Zhenghao shuddered. "That can’t be true?"
High Far snorted coldly. "Have you noticed how the大人looks at us?"
"What about his gaze?" Hei Zhenghao asked, confused and seeking clarification.
"Although he appears amiable to others, sometimes even showing respect, in reality…," High Far's eyes flashed with unease.
"In his eyes, everyone is treated as mere tools."
"It’s as if we are not on the same life level. To him, all of us might just be tools…"
"When I was still guarding at the Public Administration Hall, I once had the chance to meet a daoist who had reached the Dao Integration realm. Even an Immortal Sage with that power looked at me differently," High Far said.
"He is rumored to be an ancient Tianshi Sect cultivator who fell into slumber and his cultivation level has dropped to the Golden Core stage."
"Previously, there were rumors of him decapitating several Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators in a single battle."
"So, what was his cultivation level during the peak of the ancient era?"
High Far's voice grew softer, his eyes reflecting fear.
Hei Zhenghao shivered involuntarily.
The implication was clear: He suspected that Li Fan had actually been a Longevity Realm cultivator in the ancient times. Once one enters the Longevity Realm, true transcendence is achieved. The essence of life changes, making them incomparable to daoists at other stages.
Only Longevity Realm powerhouses could look upon all beings with indifference and equality.
Accepting this view, combined with Li Fan's numerous astonishing feats, everything suddenly made sense.
There were many cultivators skilled in derivation techniques, but none had ever been known for using it so effortlessly to amass wealth, doubling their assets as easily as that.
If the technique was truly that powerful, all cultivators would be vying to learn it.
For thousands of years, the technique remained obscure due to its nature. Cultivators' greed and desire to dominate would not allow them to ignore such benefits.
Only a Longevity Heaven Sage who had mastered derivation techniques could so easily foresee the future.
The whispers in Cunyun Sea suggested that Ten Thousand Immortals Island was suddenly sealed, and the Five Elders Alliance ambushed it. All because of an ancient prophecy. Although it was said to be derived by the renowned Gong Sun Qixuan, there were rumors that Gong Sun Qixuan himself had been influenced by Li Fan's derivation techniques.
If Li Fan had once been a Longevity Heaven Sage, his Golden Core realm decapitating Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators and riding a puppet with Shen Transformation cultivation…
These would be trivial matters.
If he couldn't do these things, how could he have been called a Longevity Heaven Sage?
...
Silence fell in the Public Administration Hall.
An eerie atmosphere hung between Hei Zhenghao and High Far as they pondered their thoughts.
Their bodies began to tremble uncontrollably—partly from fear of Longevity Realm powerhouses, partly because…
Being considered by a Longevity Heaven Sage as a confidant, even temporarily, was an honor in itself.
Lost in thought, the two men mulled over many things for a long time before Hei Zhenghao spoke up.
He cleared his throat and whispered, "Brother High, this is all your conjecture."
"It's better not to share it with outsiders," he said. "Let’s keep it between us."
High Far glanced at Hei Zhenghao and nodded slightly. "I have my own knowledge of the matter."
The two men shared a smile, their understanding unspoken.
They had one last line they didn't say: If Li Fan truly was a Longevity Heaven Sage, then serving him now would mean that when he recovered from his injuries and regained his strength…
Their stage wouldn’t be this secluded Cunyun Sea.
Hei Zhenghao recalled the ambition in his former wife's eyes, which had long since dimmed, now flickering back to life.
---
In a deeper part of the Public Administration Hall, Li Fan withdrew his attention and summoned a water mirror. He stroked his chin as he examined himself in the reflection.
"An indifferent gaze at everything…"
He stared at his own eyes, lost in thought.