yuán běn cāng cuì wú bǐ de shù mù ， suí zhe diǎn diǎn lǜ guāng de bù duàn liú shì ， ròu yǎn kě jiàn de shuāi lǎo xià lái 。
原本苍翠无比的树木，随着点点绿光的不断流逝，肉眼可见的衰老下来。
The originally lush and verdant trees began to wither visibly as the green light gradually faded away.
zhè qī jiān ，【 ruò mù 】 bú shì méi yǒu xiǎng guò fǎn jī 。
这期间，【若木】不是没有想过反击。
During this period, [Rimu] had not given up on retaliating. The trees trembled, evolving into countless spirits and beasts that fiercely attacked the cultivators. Even Rimu itself flung out branches like swords. However, those cultivators who arrived here were truly terrifying in their power. All resistance was futile; they were all suppressed instantly. Even Rimu's last-ditch effort, which left both sides severely injured, failed to save its purple gold fruit.
shù mù zhèn chàn ， qí zhōng yǎn biàn chū wú shù jīng guài ， cháo zhe xiū shì men hàn bù wèi sǐ de gōng qù 。
树木震颤，其中演变出无数精怪，朝着修士们悍不畏死的攻去。
This group of people considered it a success in salvaging the situation. Unable to resist, Rimu could only watch helplessly as its life essence was ruthlessly extracted. The leaves turned yellow and fell like rain. With thunderous sounds, many tree branches snapped. Cracks began to appear on Rimu's trunk. Yet this group showed no intention of stopping; they seemed determined not to cease until the tree was completely drained.
shèn zhì ruò mù běn shēn ， yě dōu shuǎi chū zhī yā ， rú jiàn cì qù 。
甚至若木本身，也都甩出枝桠，如剑刺去。
Fortunately, at a critical moment, it seemed another group of cultivators arrived. A mixed battle ensued, forcing them to halt their extraction. They successfully extracted the green light cluster from the air and, as they retreated, launched a joint attack on the already severely damaged Rimu. The damage this assault inflicted on Rimu was even greater than that caused by the forced energy extraction.
dàn lái dào cǐ chù de nà xiē xiū shì ， xiū wèi dàng zhēn shì kě bù zhì jí 。
但来到此处的那些修士，修为当真是可怖至极。
Cracks spread from the bottom of the trunk upwards, with branches falling in clusters, their destinations unknown. The cultivators who came to rescue Rimu abandoned their pursuit and hurriedly tended to it. Through their efforts, they managed to prevent Rimu's complete death. However, the damage was too great to be reversed.
suǒ yǒu fǎn kàng dōu shì tú láo ， tǒng tǒng zài qǐng kè jiān jiù bèi zhèn yā 。
所有反抗都是徒劳，统统在顷刻间就被镇压。
From then on, Rimu remained yellowed and aged. Years later, a human-shaped cultivator appeared within Rimu.
lián ruò mù liǎng bài jù shāng de zuì hòu yī jī ， jiāng dǐng duān jié chū de zǐ jīn guǒ shí jìn shù biàn dé kū wěi 。
连若木两败俱伤的最后一击，将顶端结出的紫金果实尽数变得枯萎。
...
dōu bèi zhè qún rén chéng wéi wǎn jiù le huí lái 。
都被这群人成为挽救了回来。
The scenes seen in [Rimu’s Life] were fragmented but provided immense information. Li Fan repeatedly watched the playback of the channeled stone, piecing together his thoughts with previous knowledge.
wú lì fǎn kàng ， ruò mù zhǐ néng rèn hé kàn zhe zì shēn de shēng mìng jīng huá ， bèi sì yì chōu qǔ 。
无力反抗，若木只能任何看着自身的生命精华，被肆意抽取。
"Those who harmed Rimu are likely the same group that advocated abandoning the Xuanhuang World and fleeing during the Great Tribulation."
shù yè huǎn huǎn biàn dé kū huáng ， rú yǔ piāo luò 。
树叶缓缓变得枯黄，如雨飘落。
"Their power suggests there are Longevity Realm cultivators among them."
léi míng bān de hōng xiǎng shēng zhōng ， bù shǎo shù mù zhī gàn hōng rán duàn liè 。
雷鸣般的轰响声中，不少树木枝干轰然断裂。
"Five hundred years ago, due to some reason, they attempted to return to the Xuanhuang World, leading to a great battle."
ruò mù de shù gàn shàng ， dōu kāi shǐ yǒng xiàn chū dào dào liè wén 。
若木的树干上，都开始涌现出道道裂纹。
"Master Sima Changkong once said that for these cultivators, heaven and earth showed extreme hatred, surpassing even us who have stolen the heavens and seized the earth."
rán ér zhè qún rén ， què sī háo méi yǒu bà shǒu de yì si 。
然而这群人，却丝毫没有罢手的意思。
"Traitors, what did you steal..."
yī fù bù bǎ tā chè dǐ chōu gàn ， jué bù bà shǒu de mú yàng 。
一副不把它彻底抽干，绝不罢手的模样。
"Might it be this tree capable of producing [Elixir of Immortality]?"
hǎo zài ， guān jiàn shí kè ， sì hū yòu yǒu lìng wài de yī qún xiū shì gǎn dào 。
好在，关键时刻，似乎又有另外的一群修士赶到。
"Hmm... Considering their methods, there might be more."
shuāng fāng fā shēng hùn zhàn ， chōu qǔ de xíng wéi yě bèi pò zhōng zhǐ 。
双方发生混战，抽取的行为也被迫中止。
"After thousands of years, returning again. Did they fail to escape the Realm of Immortal Desolation? Or is there another reason?"
tā men jiāng kōng zhōng níng jù de lǜ sè guāng tuán chéng gōng qǔ chū ， chè lí zhī jì ， hái bù wàng duì yǐ jīng bǎo shòu cuī cán de 【 ruò mù 】， fā dòng lián shǒu gōng jī 。
他们将空中凝聚的绿色光团成功取出，撤离之际，还不忘对已经饱受摧残的【若木】，发动联手攻击。
Li Fan frowned slightly.
zhè cì xí jī gěi ruò mù dài lái de sǔn shāng ， sì hū bǐ gāng gāng bèi qiáng xíng chōu qǔ shēng mìng néng liàng hái yào dà 。
这次袭击给若木带来的损伤，似乎比刚刚被强行抽取生命能量还要大。
The existence of the Realm of Immortal Desolation was not a secret for the Ten Sects of Daoism. This group's actions were so ruthless that it showed they had confidence in escaping Xuanhuang World. But what caused their return remained unknown. There was too little known, so he would not concern himself with it.
jù dà de liè xì cóng shù gàn dǐ bù bù duàn wǎng shàng yán shēn ， chéng piàn chéng piàn de shù zhī zhuì luò ， bù zhī qù wǎng hé chù 。
巨大的裂隙从树干底部不断往上延伸，成片成片的树枝坠落，不知去往何处。
Regardless, Li Fan now understood why Rimu hated cultivators so much—whether from the fruit being plundered or nearly dying later, the enmity between them seemed endless. If treated like this, his retaliation would be even more cruel.
ér nà xiē qián lái jiù yuán de xiū shì ， jiàn zhuàng yě fàng qì le zhuī jī ， lián máng jiù zhì qǐ ruò mù lái 。
而那些前来救援的修士，见状也放弃了追击，连忙救治起若木来。
"The Supreme Sovereign's teachings led to a new method of immortality; Elixir of Immortality no longer grants immortality."
jīng guò tā men de nǔ lì ， zǒng suàn shì bì miǎn le 【 ruò mù 】 chè dǐ sǐ wáng de mìng yùn 。
经过他们的努力，总算是避免了【若木】彻底死亡的命运。
"This might be good for Rimu."
dàn tā shòu dào de shāng hài shí zài tài dà ， nán yǐ niǔ zhuǎn 。
但它受到的伤害实在太大，难以扭转。
"In some sense, the transmission of the new method could be considered its savior."
zì cǐ zhī hòu ， kū huáng 、 shuāi lǎo ， jiù yì zhí bàn suí zhe tā 。
自此之后，枯黄、衰老，就一直伴随着它。
"Otherwise, even if Rimu were strong, it would still fall victim to plundering."
zhí dào ruò gān nián hòu ， yī wèi rén xíng xiū shì ， zài ruò mù zhōng xiǎn chū xíng lái 。
直到若干年后，一位人形修士，在若木中显出形来。
"From its desire to reverse [Object Hurts Its Own Kind], it should not have reached the Longevity Realm. But how long it lived and the incredible nature of its true form made its power hard to measure by mere cultivation."
……
……
"Beyond cultivation, no proof of immortality..."
zài 【 jiān rén shòu 】 zhōng suǒ jiàn de chǎng jǐng ， suī dōu zhǐ shì xiē pò suì de huà miàn 。
在【煎人寿】中所见的场景，虽都只是些破碎的画面。
"The gap between cultivation realm and Longevity Realm is too wide."
dàn xìn xī liàng què shì jí dà 。
但信息量却是极大。
The cultivators Li Fan saw—Heavenly Physician, Fisher Father, and this朽木—were all at this stage. While it was a coincidence, it could also illustrate the difficulty of "reversing heaven and earth to achieve immortality." Despite many talents in the world, only a few achieved new method immortality.
lǐ fán tōng guò huà dào shí de bù duàn huí fàng ， kàn le yī biàn yòu yī biàn 。
李凡通过化道石的不断回放，看了一遍又一遍。
Li Fan's gaze lingered as he remained silent for a long time.
zài jié hé zhī qián suǒ sōu jí dào de xìn xī ， màn màn yǒu le cāi cè 。
再结合之前所搜集到的信息，慢慢有了猜测。
...
“ duì ruò mù zào chéng le shāng hài de nà qún xiū shì ， kǒng pà jiù shì dāng nián dà jié jiàng lín zhī jì ， zhǔ zhāng pāo qì xuán huáng jiè 、 yuǎn dùn táo zǒu de nà xiē rén 。”
“对若木造成了伤害的那群修士，恐怕就是当年大劫降临之际，主张抛弃玄黄界、远遁逃走的那些人。”
After summarizing his gains, Li Fan began reflecting on the situation.
“ cóng tā men chū shǒu biǎo xiàn chū de wēi néng lái kàn ， qí zhōng bù fá cháng shēng jìng qiáng zhě de cún zài 。”
“从他们出手表现出的威能来看，其中不乏长生境强者的存在。”
"Being nearly killed by Ruo Mu was sheer bad luck."
“ wǔ bǎi nián qián ， zhè qún rén bù zhī yīn hé yuán yīn ， yù chóng fǎn xuán huáng jiè ， dǎo zhì yī cháng dà zhàn 。”
“五百年前，这群人不知因何原因，欲重返玄黄界，导致一场大战。”
"If I had just broken through my cultivation realm and felt a bit overconfident..."
“ sī mǎ cháng kōng céng shuō ， duì yú zhè xiē xiū shì ， tiān dì dōu biǎo xiàn chū jí dù de zēng hèn 。 hái yào yuǎn shèng wǒ men zhè xiē nǎ pà lüè tiān duó dì de rén 。”
“司马长空曾说，对于这些修士，天地都表现出极度的憎恨。还要远胜我们这些哪怕掠天夺地的人。”
"That did not happen."
“ pàn tú ， tōu zǒu le shén me ……”
“叛徒，偷走了什么……”
"This is Heavenly Spirit City, where the rental courtyard of the Daoist Theory Hall ensures safety."
“ mò bù jiù shì zhè zhū kě yǐ níng jié chū 【 cháng shēng guǒ 】 de ruò mù ？”
“莫不就是这株可以凝结出【长生果】的若木？”
"Who would have thought that a cultivator dealing in illicit gold cores and harboring malice towards humans could be such a powerful existence?"
“ ń …… yǐ zhè qún rén de xíng shì shǒu duàn lái kàn ， kǒng pà huò xǔ hái yǒu xiē qí tā de 。”
“嗯……以这群人的行事手段来看，恐怕或许还有些其他的。”
Thinking about this, Li Fan felt somewhat helpless. He couldn't keep his main body hidden; his avatar was limited.
“ shù qiān nián guò qù ， qù ér fù fǎn 。 shì zhōng jiū méi néng táo guò xiān xū ？ hái shì lìng yǒu yuán yīn ？”
“数千年过去，去而复返。是终究没能逃过仙墟？还是另有原因？”
His avatar was just an avatar, unable to use many divine techniques. Relying on it to reach the Longevity Realm was like dreaming of something impossible.
lǐ fán méi tóu wēi zhòu 。
李凡眉头微皱。
"Like being struck by lightning while walking down the street—completely a low-probability event, not worth giving up."
xiān xū de cún zài ， duì yú xiān dào shí zōng lái jiǎng ， bìng bú shì shén me mì mì 。
仙墟的存在，对于仙道十宗来讲，并不是什么秘密。
"Many things can only be done by my main body without leaving traces."
zhè qún rén zuò shì rú cǐ hěn là ， bù liú yú dì 。
这群人做事如此狠辣，不留余地。
"However, Ruo Mu's ability to distort and change perceptions still needs a way to counteract it."
xiǎn rán yǒu bǎ wò ， néng chéng gōng táo lí xuán huáng jiè de 。
显然有把握，能成功逃离玄黄界的。
"If it hadn't harbored hatred for cultivators or glimpsed future actions I would take, wanting to use me as a means of revenge, it might not have let me return."
dàn jiù shì bù zhī jiū jìng chū le shén me biàn gù ， cái dǎo zhì tā men bù dé bù zhé fǎn le huí lái 。
但就是不知究竟出了什么变故，才导致他们不得不折返了回来。
"I don't know how long I'll be lost in the tree branches before regaining consciousness..."
yǐ zhī de xìn xī tài shǎo ， zàn qiě bù qù guǎn tā 。
已知的信息太少，暂且不去管他。
"Despite my supposed strong resolve, I still lack any defense..."
bù guǎn rú hé ， zhì cǐ lǐ fán zǒng suàn shì zhī dào ， wèi hé 【 ruò mù 】 duì yú xiū shì rú cǐ yuàn hèn le 。
不管如何，至此李凡总算是知道，为何【若木】对于修士如此怨恨了。
"But there are countless treasures and cultivation methods in the world; surely, a solution can be found."
wú lùn shì bèi rén lèi sì yì lüè duó guǒ shí ， hái shì hòu lái jìn hū shēn sǐ 。
无论是被人类肆意掠夺果实，还是后来近乎身死。
"Not to fully block but just keep a clear mind is enough to compensate for my weakness."
tā gēn xiū shì zhī jiān de chóu yuàn ， jiǎn zhí kě yǐ yòng bù sǐ bù xiū lái xíng róng 。
它跟修士之间的仇怨，简直可以用不死不休来形容。
Li Fan made sure to remember this matter as his top priority and planned to focus on gathering more information.
ruò shì lǐ fán zāo shòu rú cǐ dài yù ， kǒng pà bào fù shǒu duàn hái yào bǐ zhī cán rěn shù bèi bù zhǐ 。
若是李凡遭受如此待遇，恐怕报复手段还要比之残忍数倍不止。
After much contemplation, Li Fan finally picked up the withered branch of Rimu that had been sitting on the table. As he gently stroked it, he suddenly felt a familiar sensation. It wasn't because he had ever closely interacted with Rimu's true form; rather...
“ tiān zūn chuán dào ， lìng lì xīn fǎ zhī hòu ， cháng shēng guǒ zài wú cháng shēng zhī néng 。”
“天尊传道，另立新法之后，长生果再无长生之能。”
This branch seemed similar to the material used by Jiaoxiu Yuan to create his avatar.
The originally lush and verdant trees began to wither visibly as the green light gradually faded away.
During this period, [Rimu] had not given up on retaliating. The trees trembled, evolving into countless spirits and beasts that fiercely attacked the cultivators. Even Rimu itself flung out branches like swords. However, those cultivators who arrived here were truly terrifying in their power. All resistance was futile; they were all suppressed instantly. Even Rimu's last-ditch effort, which left both sides severely injured, failed to save its purple gold fruit.
This group of people considered it a success in salvaging the situation. Unable to resist, Rimu could only watch helplessly as its life essence was ruthlessly extracted. The leaves turned yellow and fell like rain. With thunderous sounds, many tree branches snapped. Cracks began to appear on Rimu's trunk. Yet this group showed no intention of stopping; they seemed determined not to cease until the tree was completely drained.
Fortunately, at a critical moment, it seemed another group of cultivators arrived. A mixed battle ensued, forcing them to halt their extraction. They successfully extracted the green light cluster from the air and, as they retreated, launched a joint attack on the already severely damaged Rimu. The damage this assault inflicted on Rimu was even greater than that caused by the forced energy extraction.
Cracks spread from the bottom of the trunk upwards, with branches falling in clusters, their destinations unknown. The cultivators who came to rescue Rimu abandoned their pursuit and hurriedly tended to it. Through their efforts, they managed to prevent Rimu's complete death. However, the damage was too great to be reversed.
From then on, Rimu remained yellowed and aged. Years later, a human-shaped cultivator appeared within Rimu.
...
The scenes seen in [Rimu’s Life] were fragmented but provided immense information. Li Fan repeatedly watched the playback of the channeled stone, piecing together his thoughts with previous knowledge.
"Those who harmed Rimu are likely the same group that advocated abandoning the Xuanhuang World and fleeing during the Great Tribulation."
"Their power suggests there are Longevity Realm cultivators among them."
"Five hundred years ago, due to some reason, they attempted to return to the Xuanhuang World, leading to a great battle."
"Master Sima Changkong once said that for these cultivators, heaven and earth showed extreme hatred, surpassing even us who have stolen the heavens and seized the earth."
"Traitors, what did you steal..."
"Might it be this tree capable of producing [Elixir of Immortality]?"
"Hmm... Considering their methods, there might be more."
"After thousands of years, returning again. Did they fail to escape the Realm of Immortal Desolation? Or is there another reason?"
Li Fan frowned slightly.
The existence of the Realm of Immortal Desolation was not a secret for the Ten Sects of Daoism. This group's actions were so ruthless that it showed they had confidence in escaping Xuanhuang World. But what caused their return remained unknown. There was too little known, so he would not concern himself with it.
Regardless, Li Fan now understood why Rimu hated cultivators so much—whether from the fruit being plundered or nearly dying later, the enmity between them seemed endless. If treated like this, his retaliation would be even more cruel.
"The Supreme Sovereign's teachings led to a new method of immortality; Elixir of Immortality no longer grants immortality."
"This might be good for Rimu."
"In some sense, the transmission of the new method could be considered its savior."
"Otherwise, even if Rimu were strong, it would still fall victim to plundering."
"From its desire to reverse [Object Hurts Its Own Kind], it should not have reached the Longevity Realm. But how long it lived and the incredible nature of its true form made its power hard to measure by mere cultivation."
"Beyond cultivation, no proof of immortality..."
"The gap between cultivation realm and Longevity Realm is too wide."
The cultivators Li Fan saw—Heavenly Physician, Fisher Father, and this朽木—were all at this stage. While it was a coincidence, it could also illustrate the difficulty of "reversing heaven and earth to achieve immortality." Despite many talents in the world, only a few achieved new method immortality.
Li Fan's gaze lingered as he remained silent for a long time.
...
After summarizing his gains, Li Fan began reflecting on the situation.
"Being nearly killed by Ruo Mu was sheer bad luck."
"If I had just broken through my cultivation realm and felt a bit overconfident..."
"That did not happen."
"This is Heavenly Spirit City, where the rental courtyard of the Daoist Theory Hall ensures safety."
"Who would have thought that a cultivator dealing in illicit gold cores and harboring malice towards humans could be such a powerful existence?"
Thinking about this, Li Fan felt somewhat helpless. He couldn't keep his main body hidden; his avatar was limited.
His avatar was just an avatar, unable to use many divine techniques. Relying on it to reach the Longevity Realm was like dreaming of something impossible.
"Like being struck by lightning while walking down the street—completely a low-probability event, not worth giving up."
"Many things can only be done by my main body without leaving traces."
"However, Ruo Mu's ability to distort and change perceptions still needs a way to counteract it."
"If it hadn't harbored hatred for cultivators or glimpsed future actions I would take, wanting to use me as a means of revenge, it might not have let me return."
"I don't know how long I'll be lost in the tree branches before regaining consciousness..."
"Despite my supposed strong resolve, I still lack any defense..."
"But there are countless treasures and cultivation methods in the world; surely, a solution can be found."
"Not to fully block but just keep a clear mind is enough to compensate for my weakness."
Li Fan made sure to remember this matter as his top priority and planned to focus on gathering more information.
After much contemplation, Li Fan finally picked up the withered branch of Rimu that had been sitting on the table. As he gently stroked it, he suddenly felt a familiar sensation. It wasn't because he had ever closely interacted with Rimu's true form; rather...
This branch seemed similar to the material used by Jiaoxiu Yuan to create his avatar.