kàn jiàn nà dào chì sè de shēn yǐng tóng shí ， wú shù xìn xī dǒu rán chū xiàn zài lǐ fán nǎo hǎi zhōng 。
看见那道赤色的身影同时，无数信息陡然出现在李凡脑海中。
In that moment, countless pieces of information suddenly appeared in Li Fan's mind.
tiān dì zhī pò ， jiù shì tiān dì jiān mǒu dào fǎ zé de jù xiàng tǐ xiàn 。
天地之魄，就是天地间某道法则的具象体现。
The Essence of Heaven and Earth was a concrete manifestation of some rule within the universe. When certain specific conditions were met, the Essence of Heaven and Earth would come into being and appear in a particular region.
dāng mǎn zú mǒu gè tè dìng de tiáo jiàn hòu ， tiān dì zhī pò biàn huì yìng yùn ér shēng ， chū xiàn zài mǒu gè qū yù zhōng 。
当满足某个特定的条件后，天地之魄便会应运而生，出现在某个区域中。
If it was said that heaven had unleashed its wrath, setting the plan for cultivators to be eliminated, then the Essence of Heaven and Earth would be the executor of this plan. They lacked their own thoughts; they only acted according to predetermined instincts. They were embodiments of the rule itself, slaughtering cultivators like butchering chickens.
rú guǒ shuō tiān fā shā jī ， dìng xià le xiū xiān zhě qīng chú jì huà 。
如果说天发杀机，定下了修仙者清除计划。
Their mission was to exterminate those who defied the heavens and earth. For cultivators, the Essence of Heaven and Earth was extremely dangerous. Once spotted by it, it basically meant a death sentence. But at the same time...
nà me tiān dì zhī pò ， jiù shì jì huà de jù tǐ zhí xíng zhě 。
那么天地之魄，就是计划的具体执行者。
As embodiments of the Great Dao's rule, the Essence of Heaven and Earth also represented an immense opportunity for cultivators.
tā men méi yǒu zì jǐ de sī xiǎng ， zhǐ huì àn zhào jì dìng de běn néng xíng shì 。
祂们没有自己的思想，只会按照既定的本能行事。
The saying went: Sacrifice to the Essence of Heaven and Earth to unify with the Dao. If a cultivator could sacrifice and refine one Essence of Heaven and Earth, regardless of his previous cultivation level, he would instantly achieve Unification Realm.
tā men jiù shì fǎ zé běn shēn ， tú shā xiū xiān zhě rú tóng shā jī zǎi yáng 。
祂们就是法则本身，屠杀修仙者如同杀鸡宰羊。
It was both their nemesis and a peerless temptation.
tā men de shǐ mìng ， jiù shì zhū miè nà xiē nì fǎn tiān dì de xiū xiān zhě 。
祂们的使命，就是诛灭那些逆反天地的修仙者。
At that moment, Li Fan, who had witnessed the red flames of the Essence of Heaven and Earth, felt an endless greed welling up from within him. "Eat it! Eat it to attain the Dao! Eat it to ascend to heaven!"
duì yú xiū xiān zhě lái shuō ， tiān dì zhī pò jí qí wēi xiǎn 。
对于修仙者来说，天地之魄极其危险。
Like someone on the brink of starvation encountering exquisite food, like a traveler in the desert finding clear water after days of walking, this greed was like the whisper of a demon, constantly narrating in Li Fan's ears.
yí dàn bèi dīng shàng ， jī běn jiù yì wèi zhe bì sǐ de jú miàn 。
一旦被盯上，基本就意味着必死的局面。
It drove and tempted him to run towards that red figure in the sky. As Li Fan alleviated the intense sensation from the Pearl of the Vast Sea, he franticallyoperationed the Xuanhuang Refining Heart Spell to counteract his surging greed.
dàn tóng shí ……
但同时……
He knew clearly that he could only observe the red flames due to the connection with the Pearl of the Vast Sea. In the eyes of the red flames, Li Fan was just an unformed consciousness from the Vast Sea. Therefore, even if they noticed him, they would merely glance and not pay attention again.
zuò wéi dà dào fǎ zé de huà shēn ， tiān dì zhī pò duì xiū xiān zhě lái shuō ， yě yì wèi zhe tiān dà de jī yuán 。
作为大道法则的化身，天地之魄对修仙者来说，也意味着天大的机缘。
But if he lost his composure and attacked the red flames, revealing his cultivator identity, it would certainly result in his merciless destruction.
suǒ wèi ， jì tiān dì zhī pò yǐ shēn hé dào 。
所谓，祭天地之魄以身合道。
Rationality and desire tugged at Li Fan's soul. Two opposing ideas almost tore his consciousness apart.
yí dàn xiū shì néng gòu jì liàn yī dào tiān dì zhī pò ， bù guǎn tā zhī qián shì hé xiū wèi ， dōu néng lì mǎ chéng jiù hé dào jìng 。
一旦修士能够祭练一道天地之魄，不管他之前是何修为，都能立马成就合道境。
Li Fan could only struggle to maintain theoperation of the Xuanhuang Refining Heart Spell, preserving his Dao heart.
tā shì xiū shì de tiān dí ， yě duì xiū shì yǒu zhe wú yǔ lún bǐ de yòu huò lì 。
祂是修士的天敌，也对修士有着无与伦比的诱惑力。
After an indeterminate amount of time, the storm of greed gradually subsided. Li Fan was shaken but dared not probe any further. This chance at divine insight had preserved his consciousness, which was already a stroke of luck.
cǐ shí cǐ kè ， mù dǔ le tiān dì zhī pò chì yán de lǐ fán ， yī gǔ wú qióng de tān yù zì tā xīn dǐ yǒng chū 。
此时此刻，目睹了天地之魄赤炎的李凡，一股无穷的贪欲自他心底涌出。
Li Fan felt he had gained something profound and was about to leave the Pearl of the Vast Sea to return to his body when he discovered an extremely awkward situation.
“ chī le tā ！ chī le tā jiù néng dé zhèng dà dào ， chī le tā jiù néng bái rì fēi shēng ！”
“吃了祂！吃了祂就能得证大道，吃了祂就能白日飞升！”
It turned out that it took Li Fan nearly half a year to finally resolve the greed brought by the Essence of Heaven and Earth!
fǎng fú jí jiāng è sǐ zhī rén yù jiàn le zhēn xiū měi wèi ， fǎng fú zài shā mò zhōng háng zǒu le jǐ tiān jǐ yè de lǚ rén yù jiàn le qīng chè de hú shuǐ 。
仿佛即将饿死之人遇见了珍馐美味，仿佛在沙漠中行走了几天几夜的旅人遇见了清澈的湖水。
He had been too long connected with the consciousness of the Pearl of the Vast Sea, surpassing the limit that an Air Condensation cultivator could bear.
zhè gǔ tān niàn rú è mó de dī yǔ ， bù duàn zài lǐ fán ěr biān sù shuō 。
这股贪念如恶魔的低语，不断在李凡耳边诉说。
His consciousness was still linked now, but if he returned to his body soon, it would likely age and die in a short time.
qū shǐ yòu huò zhe tā cháo tiān shàng de nà dào chì sè shēn yǐng bēn qù 。
驱使诱惑着他朝天上的那道赤色身影奔去。
Just a glance had such terrifying consequences. Perhaps this world's cultivation journey had come to an end.
lǐ fán yī biān huǎn jiě cāng hǎi zhū zhōng chuán lái de chì liè gǎn ， yī biān fēng kuáng de yùn zhuàn xuán huáng liàn xīn zhòu ， huà jiě xīn zhōng gǔn gǔn de tān yù 。
李凡一边缓解沧海珠中传来的炽烈感，一边疯狂的运转玄黄炼心咒，化解心中滚滚的贪欲。
Although Li Fan felt some regret, he did not regret anything. Knowing the truth of the dramatic changes in Cunyun Sea, seeing the red flames of the Essence of Heaven and Earth, and personally experiencing the workings of heaven and earth—Li Fan’s gains were considerable. Even if this world ended now, he could accept it.
tā xīn lǐ qīng chǔ ， zì jǐ xiàn zài shì jiè yòng cāng hǎi zhū cái néng guān chá dào tiān dì zhī pò chì yán de 。
他心里清楚，自己现在是借用沧海珠才能观察到天地之魄赤炎的。
Moreover, he had no plans to activate [Truly Real] right away to end his current life.
zài chì yán yǎn zhōng ， lǐ fán yě zhǐ shì yī dào wèi chéng xíng de cāng hǎi yì shí ér yǐ ， suǒ yǐ jí shǐ chá jué dào lǐ fán de mù guāng hòu ， yě zhǐ shì piē le yī yǎn jiù bù zài guān zhù 。
在赤炎眼中，李凡也只是一道未成形的沧海意识而已，所以即使察觉到李凡的目光后，也只是瞥了一眼就不再关注。
With every day that passed, he would adapt. His consciousness was already trapped in the Pearl of the Vast Sea; why not seize this opportunity to further understand the workings of heaven and earth?
dàn ruò shì lǐ fán yí dàn shī qù lǐ zhì ， cháo zhe chì yán gōng jī ， bào lù xiū shì shēn fèn 。 dìng rán huì bèi tā wú qíng jī shā 。
但若是李凡一旦失去理智，朝着赤炎攻击，暴露修士身份。定然会被祂无情击杀。
As long as he did not rashly probe the Essence of Heaven and Earth again, merely perceiving the qi flow should be fine.
lǐ zhì hé yù wàng sī chě zhe lǐ fán de líng hún 。
理智和欲望撕扯着李凡的灵魂。
His physical body’s lifespan had expired. Without his body nourishing it, his consciousness would gradually dissipate like a sourceless stream or a rootless tree in the Pearl of the Vast Sea.
liǎng gè jí duān duì lì de xiǎng fǎ jī hū yào bǎ tā de yì shí shēng shēng sī chéng liǎng bàn 。
两个极端对立的想法几乎要把他的意识生生撕成两半。
Based on Li Fan's estimation, he could last another dozen years at most.
lǐ fán zhǐ néng jiān nán dì wéi chí xuán huáng liàn xīn zhòu de yùn zhuàn ， bǎo chí dào xīn 。
李凡只能艰难地维持玄黄炼心咒的运转，保持道心。
If he made good use of this time, there might still be more to gain.
bù zhī guò le duō jiǔ ， tān yù yǐn qǐ de fēng bào cái zhú jiàn píng xī 。
不知过了多久，贪欲引起的风暴才逐渐平息。
Li Fan activated a small portion of the pure power from the Pearl of the Vast Sea to protect his body and prevent it from decaying. Then, his consciousness returned to the perspective of the Pearl of the Vast Sea.
lǐ fán xīn yǒu yú jì ， bù gǎn zài zuò kuī tàn 。
李凡心有余悸，不敢再做窥探。
He observed the flow of heaven and earth's qi, watched the rise and fall of the sun and moon, and saw life in Cunyun Sea gradually fade away. He felt the cold, indifferent, eternal killing intent that permeated the universe.
cǐ fān kuī dé tiān jī hái néng bǎo quán yì shí qīng xǐng ， yǐ shì wàn xìng 。
此番窥得天机还能保全意识清醒，已是万幸。
In an instant, five years passed.
lǐ fán xīn zhōng yǐn yǐn yǒu suǒ de ， yì shí zhèng yù lí kāi cāng hǎi zhū ， fǎn huí zì jǐ de shēn tǐ ， què fā xiàn le yī jiàn jí wéi gān gà de shì qíng 。
李凡心中隐隐有所得，意识正欲离开沧海珠，返回自己的身体，却发现了一件极为尴尬的事情。
By the fortieth year, Cunyun Sea had completely dried up, becoming a true barren land. Only Tai'an Island, under Li Fan's protection, still harbored a few ordinary people.
yuán lái ， huà jiě tiān dì zhī pò dài lái de tān yù ， jìng rán huā fèi le lǐ fán jìn dà bàn nián de shí jiān ！
原来，化解天地之魄带来的贪欲，竟然花费了李凡近大半年的时间！
One day, Li Fan suddenly felt a sense of foreboding and looked to the sky. The red figure that had stood in the air for over ten years finally disappeared. Its mission completed, it naturally dissipated.
tā yǔ cāng hǎi zhū yì shí xiāng hé de shí jiān tài jiǔ ， yǐ rán chāo chū le liàn qì qī xiū shì suǒ néng chéng shòu de jí xiàn 。
他与沧海珠意识相合的时间太久，已然超出了炼气期修士所能承受的极限。
No one could predict where or when this Essence of Heaven and Earth would reappear in the cultivation world.
cǐ kè tā de yì shí shàng yǔ cāng hǎi zhū lián jiē zài yì qǐ hái hǎo ， ruò shì huí guī běn tǐ ， kǒng pà yòng bù liǎo duō jiǔ jiù huì shuāi lǎo ér sǐ le 。
此刻他的意识尚与沧海珠连接在一起还好，若是回归本体，恐怕用不了多久就会衰老而死了。
Li Fan gazed at the direction from which the red flames vanished, his consciousness once again sinking into the Pearl of the Vast Sea.
zhǐ yuǎn yuǎn kàn le yī yǎn ， dài lái de yǐng xiǎng jiù rú cǐ kě pà 。
只远远看了一眼，带来的影响就如此可怕。
As time passed, Li Fan's consciousness grew weaker. His thoughts became increasingly sluggish.
kǒng pà cǐ shì de xiū xíng jiù yào dào cǐ wéi zhǐ le 。
恐怕此世的修行就要到此为止了。
His ability to think independently was lost; he could only observe this heaven and earth through the perspective of the Pearl of the Vast Sea.
lǐ fán suī rán yǒu xiē kě xī ， dàn què bìng bù hòu huǐ 。
李凡虽然有些可惜，但却并不后悔。
The second year after the red flames vanished, several cultivators in blue Daoist robes arrived at Cunyun Sea. With a series of incantations, it finally rained after a long drought. More cultivators followed. Blue light bloomed on the dried seabed, and life returned to the land. Trees sprouted as the wind blew. Within a year, that barren land was reborn with vitality.
zhī dào le cóng yún hǎi jù biàn de zhēn xiàng ， jiàn dào le tiān dì zhī pò chì yán ， qiè shēn gǎn wù le tiān dì zhī jī 。
知道了丛云海剧变的真相，见到了天地之魄赤炎，切身感悟了天地之机。
The scene where the red flames boiled the sea seemed like a nightmare, gently blown away by the breeze. Cunyun Sea had transformed into Cunyun Mountain Range. A city began to be built above it, attracting more and more cultivators from all directions. The Cunyun Mountains became increasingly bustling. Occasionally, some cultivators would come out of curiosity to visit the only surviving island in the blaze, seeking opportunities.
lǐ fán de shōu huò bù kě wèi bù dà 。
李凡的收获不可谓不大。
But under Li Fan's instinctive concealment, they found nothing.
jiù suàn cǐ shì xiàn zài jié shù ， tā yě néng gòu jiē shòu 。
就算此世现在结束，他也能够接受。
By the forty-eighth year, a Foundation Establishment cultivator returned to Cunyun Sea. He arrived at what used to be the Luyi Island, now part of the Luyi Mountains, his expression sorrowful.
gèng hé kuàng ， tā mù qián hái bù dǎ suàn xiàn zài jiù qǐ yòng 【 hái zhēn 】， jié shù zhè yī shì 。
更何况，他目前还不打算现在就启用【还真】，结束这一世。
Li Fan’s divine sense swept over and felt this scene, stirring a sense of emotion within him.
jì lái zhī zé ān zhī ， fǎn zhèng tā de yì shí yǐ jīng bèi kùn zài cāng hǎi zhū zhōng le ， suǒ xìng jiù chèn zhe zhè ge jī huì ， zài cì gǎn wù tiān dì qì jī 。
既来之则安之，反正他的意识已经被困在沧海珠中了，索性就趁着这个机会，再次感悟天地气机。
This person was familiar to Li Fan; it was Zhang Haobo, who had decided to leave Cunyun Sea due to inner unease. Twenty years later, he had become a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
zhǐ yào tā bù zuò sǐ de zài qù kuī tàn tiān dì zhī pò ， guāng shì dān chún de gǎn wù qì jī de huà ， yīng gāi méi yǒu shén me 。
只要他不作死的再去窥探天地之魄，光是单纯的感悟气机的话，应该没有什么。
Scenes from his current life flashed through Li Fan's mind as his consciousness began to fade away.
xiàn zài tā de shēn qū shòu yuán yǐ jǐn 。 yì shí méi yǒu shēn qū zī yǎng ， yóu yú wú yuán zhī shuǐ wú běn zhī mù ， zài cāng hǎi zhū zhōng huì bèi zhú jiàn xiāo hào 。
现在他的身躯寿元已尽。意识没有身躯滋养，由于无源之水无本之木，在沧海珠中会被逐渐消耗。
Before completely disappearing, Li Fan’s consciousness returned to his body. Decades of understanding the qi flow had suddenly dissolved the barriers that prevented him from advancing in cultivation. Heaven and earth's qi surged into him, propelling his cultivation to the late Air Condensation stage.
gēn jù lǐ fán gū suàn ， zuì duō yě jiù néng chēng gè shí jǐ nián de shí jiān 。
根据李凡估算，最多也就能撑个十几年的时间。
A smile appeared on Li Fan's face but froze as his body rapidly aged. A breeze blew, turning him into dust, vanishing into the heavens.
ruò shì néng hǎo hǎo lì yòng zhè duàn shí jiān ， wèi bì bù néng zài yǒu suǒ zhǎn huò 。
若是能好好利用这段时间，未必不能再有所斩获。
Only a white skeleton remained there quietly.
lǐ fán diào chū cāng hǎi zhū de yī sī chún jìng de lì liàng ， hù zhe zì jǐ de qū tǐ ， shǐ qí bù zhì yú fǔ bài 。
李凡调出沧海珠的一丝纯净的力量，护着自己的躯体，使其不至于腐败。
"Truly Real!"
suí hòu yì shí biàn zài cì chén jìn zài le cāng hǎi zhū de shì jiǎo zhōng 。
随后意识便再次沉浸在了沧海珠的视角中。
Before dissipating, Li Fan called out in his heart.
In that moment, countless pieces of information suddenly appeared in Li Fan's mind.
The Essence of Heaven and Earth was a concrete manifestation of some rule within the universe. When certain specific conditions were met, the Essence of Heaven and Earth would come into being and appear in a particular region.
If it was said that heaven had unleashed its wrath, setting the plan for cultivators to be eliminated, then the Essence of Heaven and Earth would be the executor of this plan. They lacked their own thoughts; they only acted according to predetermined instincts. They were embodiments of the rule itself, slaughtering cultivators like butchering chickens.
Their mission was to exterminate those who defied the heavens and earth. For cultivators, the Essence of Heaven and Earth was extremely dangerous. Once spotted by it, it basically meant a death sentence. But at the same time...
As embodiments of the Great Dao's rule, the Essence of Heaven and Earth also represented an immense opportunity for cultivators.
The saying went: Sacrifice to the Essence of Heaven and Earth to unify with the Dao. If a cultivator could sacrifice and refine one Essence of Heaven and Earth, regardless of his previous cultivation level, he would instantly achieve Unification Realm.
It was both their nemesis and a peerless temptation.
At that moment, Li Fan, who had witnessed the red flames of the Essence of Heaven and Earth, felt an endless greed welling up from within him. "Eat it! Eat it to attain the Dao! Eat it to ascend to heaven!"
Like someone on the brink of starvation encountering exquisite food, like a traveler in the desert finding clear water after days of walking, this greed was like the whisper of a demon, constantly narrating in Li Fan's ears.
It drove and tempted him to run towards that red figure in the sky. As Li Fan alleviated the intense sensation from the Pearl of the Vast Sea, he franticallyoperationed the Xuanhuang Refining Heart Spell to counteract his surging greed.
He knew clearly that he could only observe the red flames due to the connection with the Pearl of the Vast Sea. In the eyes of the red flames, Li Fan was just an unformed consciousness from the Vast Sea. Therefore, even if they noticed him, they would merely glance and not pay attention again.
But if he lost his composure and attacked the red flames, revealing his cultivator identity, it would certainly result in his merciless destruction.
Rationality and desire tugged at Li Fan's soul. Two opposing ideas almost tore his consciousness apart.
Li Fan could only struggle to maintain theoperation of the Xuanhuang Refining Heart Spell, preserving his Dao heart.
After an indeterminate amount of time, the storm of greed gradually subsided. Li Fan was shaken but dared not probe any further. This chance at divine insight had preserved his consciousness, which was already a stroke of luck.
Li Fan felt he had gained something profound and was about to leave the Pearl of the Vast Sea to return to his body when he discovered an extremely awkward situation.
It turned out that it took Li Fan nearly half a year to finally resolve the greed brought by the Essence of Heaven and Earth!
He had been too long connected with the consciousness of the Pearl of the Vast Sea, surpassing the limit that an Air Condensation cultivator could bear.
His consciousness was still linked now, but if he returned to his body soon, it would likely age and die in a short time.
Just a glance had such terrifying consequences. Perhaps this world's cultivation journey had come to an end.
Although Li Fan felt some regret, he did not regret anything. Knowing the truth of the dramatic changes in Cunyun Sea, seeing the red flames of the Essence of Heaven and Earth, and personally experiencing the workings of heaven and earth—Li Fan’s gains were considerable. Even if this world ended now, he could accept it.
Moreover, he had no plans to activate [Truly Real] right away to end his current life.
With every day that passed, he would adapt. His consciousness was already trapped in the Pearl of the Vast Sea; why not seize this opportunity to further understand the workings of heaven and earth?
As long as he did not rashly probe the Essence of Heaven and Earth again, merely perceiving the qi flow should be fine.
His physical body’s lifespan had expired. Without his body nourishing it, his consciousness would gradually dissipate like a sourceless stream or a rootless tree in the Pearl of the Vast Sea.
Based on Li Fan's estimation, he could last another dozen years at most.
If he made good use of this time, there might still be more to gain.
Li Fan activated a small portion of the pure power from the Pearl of the Vast Sea to protect his body and prevent it from decaying. Then, his consciousness returned to the perspective of the Pearl of the Vast Sea.
He observed the flow of heaven and earth's qi, watched the rise and fall of the sun and moon, and saw life in Cunyun Sea gradually fade away. He felt the cold, indifferent, eternal killing intent that permeated the universe.
In an instant, five years passed.
By the fortieth year, Cunyun Sea had completely dried up, becoming a true barren land. Only Tai'an Island, under Li Fan's protection, still harbored a few ordinary people.
One day, Li Fan suddenly felt a sense of foreboding and looked to the sky. The red figure that had stood in the air for over ten years finally disappeared. Its mission completed, it naturally dissipated.
No one could predict where or when this Essence of Heaven and Earth would reappear in the cultivation world.
Li Fan gazed at the direction from which the red flames vanished, his consciousness once again sinking into the Pearl of the Vast Sea.
As time passed, Li Fan's consciousness grew weaker. His thoughts became increasingly sluggish.
His ability to think independently was lost; he could only observe this heaven and earth through the perspective of the Pearl of the Vast Sea.
The second year after the red flames vanished, several cultivators in blue Daoist robes arrived at Cunyun Sea. With a series of incantations, it finally rained after a long drought. More cultivators followed. Blue light bloomed on the dried seabed, and life returned to the land. Trees sprouted as the wind blew. Within a year, that barren land was reborn with vitality.
The scene where the red flames boiled the sea seemed like a nightmare, gently blown away by the breeze. Cunyun Sea had transformed into Cunyun Mountain Range. A city began to be built above it, attracting more and more cultivators from all directions. The Cunyun Mountains became increasingly bustling. Occasionally, some cultivators would come out of curiosity to visit the only surviving island in the blaze, seeking opportunities.
But under Li Fan's instinctive concealment, they found nothing.
By the forty-eighth year, a Foundation Establishment cultivator returned to Cunyun Sea. He arrived at what used to be the Luyi Island, now part of the Luyi Mountains, his expression sorrowful.
Li Fan’s divine sense swept over and felt this scene, stirring a sense of emotion within him.
This person was familiar to Li Fan; it was Zhang Haobo, who had decided to leave Cunyun Sea due to inner unease. Twenty years later, he had become a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Scenes from his current life flashed through Li Fan's mind as his consciousness began to fade away.
Before completely disappearing, Li Fan’s consciousness returned to his body. Decades of understanding the qi flow had suddenly dissolved the barriers that prevented him from advancing in cultivation. Heaven and earth's qi surged into him, propelling his cultivation to the late Air Condensation stage.
A smile appeared on Li Fan's face but froze as his body rapidly aged. A breeze blew, turning him into dust, vanishing into the heavens.
Only a white skeleton remained there quietly.
"Truly Real!"
Before dissipating, Li Fan called out in his heart.