shén me shì zhēn ， shén me yòu shì jiǎ ？
什么是真，什么又是假？
What is true, and what is false?
zì jǐ suǒ jīng lì de nà me duō shì jiè 。
自己所经历的那么多世界。
All the worlds he had experienced.
nà yī zhāng zhāng xiān huó de miàn kǒng ， nà yī duàn duàn kě gē kě qì de wǎng shì 。
那一张张鲜活的面孔，那一段段可歌可泣的往事。
The vivid faces of those he met, the touching stories from long ago.
jiāng hé hú hǎi ， shān jiān qīng fēng 。
江河湖海，山间青风。
Rivers, lakes, seas, mountains, and gentle breezes.
ài hèn qíng chóu ， cháng shēng zhí niàn 。
爱恨情仇，长生执念。
Love, hate, passion, and grudges; eternal quests for immortality.
yīng xióng nuò fū ， shèng zhě zuì rén 。
英雄懦夫，圣者罪人。
Heroes and cowards, saints and sinners...
……
……
Were these all mere illusions?
zhè xiē ， dōu shì jiǎ de me ？
这些，都是假的么？
At first, Qiao Sidi was bewildered.
zuì chū ， qiáo shì dào shì yǒu xiē mí máng de 。
最初，乔似道是有些迷茫的。
If everything in this world is illusory, then what meaning do the countless beings who are deceived have in their lives?
tā jué de jì rán shì jiān shì dōu shì xū huàn ， nà me shì shàng nà xiē bèi méng bì de yún yún zhòng shēng men ， tā men de rén shēng huán yǒu shén me yì yì ？
他觉得既然世间事都是虚幻，那么世上那些被蒙蔽的芸芸众生们，他们的人生还有什么意义？
Their cherished martial arts techniques and cultivation realms would be meaningless if time were to reset; they'd have to start from scratch.
tā men xīn xīn niàn niàn 、 kǔ kǔ zhuī qiú de shén gōng fǎ bǎo ， xiū wèi jìng jiè 。 yí dàn shí kōng chóng qǐ ， quán dōu yào chóng tóu zài lái 。
他们心心念念、苦苦追求的神功法宝，修为境界。一旦时空重启，全都要重头再来。
Death, which they feared so much, would no longer be the end of life but merely a new beginning.
tā men suǒ wèi jù de sǐ wáng ， fǎn ér bù zài shì rén shēng de zhōng diǎn ， ér shì lìng yí gè kāi shǐ 。
他们所畏惧的死亡，反而不再是人生的终点，而是另一个开始。
This was such a bitter reality.
zhè yī shì kě néng shì shēng sǐ xiāng jiāo de zhì yǒu ， xià yī shì què yòu biàn chéng le xíng tóng mò lù 。
这一世可能是生死相交的挚友，下一世却又变成了行同陌路。
During that period of confusion, Qiao Sidi lost interest in everything.
zhè yòu shì hé děng de qī liáng ？
这又是何等的凄凉？
Even at one point, he actively spread the idea that this world was false.
zài nà duàn mí wǎng de shí jiān lǐ ， qiáo shì dào fǎng fú duì rèn hé shì dōu shī qù le xìng qù 。
在那段迷惘的时间里，乔似道仿佛对任何事都失去了兴趣。
He thought it might attract attention from external "observers" and finally find salvation.
shèn zhì wàn niàn jù huī zhī xià ， tā kāi shǐ zhǔ dòng duì wài zhuàn bō ， zhè ge shì jiè shì xū jiǎ de zhēn xiàng 。
甚至万念俱灰之下，他开始主动对外传播，这个世界是虚假的真相。
What Qiao Sidi didn't expect was that no one believed him. Instead, they mocked his claims.
yuán běn yǐ wéi huì yǐn qǐ wài jiè “ guān chá zhě ” de zhù yì ， cóng ér zuì zhōng jiě tuō 。
原本以为会引起外界“观察者”的注意，从而最终解脱。
If this world is indeed illusory, then what should be done?
nà ràng qiáo shì dào méi xiǎng dào de shì ， gēn běn méi yǒu rén xiāng xìn tā 。
那让乔似道没想到的是，根本没有人相信他。
"If we can deceive the senses, it means the rules of this false world must mirror those of the real one outside."
fǎn ér fēn fēn cháo xiào tā shì yí gè fēng zi 。
反而纷纷嘲笑他是一个疯子。
"Construct a flawless new world..."
qiáo shì dào jié jìn quán lì de xiàng rén men sù shuō zhe zhēn xiàng ， huàn lái de què shì bù nài fán de hē chì 。
乔似道竭尽全力的向人们诉说着真相，换来的却是不耐烦的呵斥。
"To achieve such a feat would be akin to creating the world itself. The notion of truth and falsehood becomes irrelevant."
“ nà nǐ kàn kàn běn dà yé de jiàn zhēn bù zhēn ！”
“那你看看本大爷的剑真不真！”
"Exactly, there is truth within the illusion. Even if all beings are illusory, the foundation that governs their existence might not be!"
rě de bié rén fán le ， shèn zhì yī dào jiàn guāng fēi guò ， zhí jiē jiāng tā de shuāng tuǐ zhǎn duàn 。
惹的别人烦了，甚至一道剑光飞过，直接将他的双腿斩断。
"Speaking of this, I recall the Mythical Derivation Sect's transformation stones. It’s said each moment contains countless worlds self-generating. What wonders lie in those fleeting worlds?"
nà shí ， qiáo shì dào kàn dào zhōu wéi rén yǎn zhōng ， méi yǒu sī háo de lián mǐn 。
那时，乔似道看到周围人眼中，没有丝毫的怜悯。
...
quán dōu shì xìng zāi lè huò de mù guāng 。
全都是幸灾乐祸的目光。
Collective wisdom.
shì shàng fēng fēng diān diān zhī rén hé qí duō ， nà wèi cāng qióng zhī wài de guān chá zhě ， yòu zěn me huì zài hū ne 。
世上疯疯癫癫之人何其多，那位苍穹之外的观察者，又怎么会在乎呢。
The discussions among cultivators pointed Qiao Sidi towards a path.
zì cǐ zhī hòu ， qiáo shì dào yě qīng xǐng guò lái ， duàn le jiē lù zhè yī jīng tiān yīn móu de niàn tou 。
自此之后，乔似道也清醒过来，断了揭露这一惊天阴谋的念头。
From then on, his goal was clear: no longer pursuing cultivation realms but instead delving into array formations, prohibitions, and derivation techniques.
tā chóng xīn shōu shí xīn qíng ， shì zhe měi yī shì dōu jǐn liàng róng rù zhěng gè shì jiè 。
他重新收拾心情，试着每一世都尽量融入整个世界。
Cultivation achievements couldn't be carried over from one life to the next, but memories could.
fàng qì liǎo dàng jiù shì zhǔ de dǎ suàn ， zhǐ wèi gěi zì jǐ xún qiú yī tiáo shēng lù 。
放弃了当救世主的打算，只为给自己寻求一条生路。
Qiao Sidi hoped that with time, he would accumulate enough knowledge to find a flaw in this "false world."
shēn wèi xū jiǎ shì jiè de yī yuán ， xiǎng yào cóng zhōng táo chū ， zhù dìng shì jiān nán wú bǐ de 。
身为虚假世界的一员，想要从中逃出，注定是艰难无比的。
---
zuì kāi shǐ ， qiáo shì dào yě shì yī chóu mò zhǎn 。
最开始，乔似道也是一筹莫展。
The idea was noble. But putting it into practice proved difficult.
bù guò hěn kuài ， tā jiù zhǎo dào le bàn fǎ 。 bù zài dà zhāng qí gǔ de duì bié rén xuān chuán ， zhè ge shì jiè shì xū jiǎ de 。
不过很快，他就找到了办法。不再大张旗鼓的对别人宣传，这个世界是虚假的。
Initially, Qiao Sidi's skills in these offbeat disciplines indeed improved rapidly.
ér shì biān zuǎn le huà běn ， miáo shù le yí gè shēng huó zài xiān rén fǎ bǎo 【 zǒu mǎ dēng 】 zhōng ， zhū duō chà nà xū huàn xiū xiān shì jiè 。
而是编纂了话本，描述了一个生活在仙人法宝【走马灯】中，诸多刹那虚幻修仙世界。
He quickly moved from complete ignorance to basic proficiency.
yǐ tā jīng lì wú shù wén míng de yuè lì ， suǒ miáo huì de jǐng xiàng zì rán huī hóng guǎng dà ， xī yǐn le bù shǎo xiū shì de zhù yì 。
以他经历无数文明的阅历，所描绘的景象自然恢弘广大，吸引了不少修士的注意。
But when he sought deeper understanding, he realized the extent of the cultivation realm's monopoly on such knowledge.
dāng huà běn màn màn liú chuán kāi hòu ， qiáo shì dào fā xiàn ， jìng rán yǒu yī xiē xiū shì kāi shǐ zhǔ dòng tǎo lùn qǐ ， zì shēn suǒ chù de zhè ge shì jiè shì fǒu zhēn shí de wèn tí lái 。
当话本慢慢流传开后，乔似道发现，竟然有一些修士开始主动讨论起，自身所处的这个世界是否真实的问题来。
Ordinary sects could only teach the most rudimentary techniques. The Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals had even fewer resources.
shùn qí zì rán de ，“ rú guǒ zhēn fā xiàn shì jiè wèi jiǎ 、 nà me yòu gāi zěn me bàn ” de huà tí ， yě chéng le xiǎo fàn wéi nèi tǎo lùn de duì xiàng 。
顺其自然的，“如果真发现世界为假、那么又该怎么办”的话题，也成了小范围内讨论的对象。
To truly gain mastery, one needed to enter the Daoist Ten Sects.
“ rú guǒ néng yǐ jiǎ luàn zhēn ， nà me shuō míng ， zhè ge xū jiǎ shì jiè de yùn xíng fǎ zé ， yí dìng shì zhào bān le wài miàn de zhēn shí zhī jiè 。”
“如果能以假乱真，那么说明，这个虚假世界的运行法则，一定是照搬了外面的真实之界。”
Yet how could a mediocre cultivator like him find his way into these sacred gates?
“ chóng xīn gòu jiàn yī tào háo wú pò zhàn de shì jiè jià gòu ……”
“重新构建一套毫无破绽的世界架构……”
In ancient times, this was still true; it became even more challenging after sects were destroyed and cultivation declined.
“ néng zuò dào zhè diǎn ， jī hū hé chuàng shì wú yì 。 yě jiù tán bù shàng shén me zhēn jiǎ le 。”
“能做到这点，几乎和创世无异。也就谈不上什么真假了。”
Only in worlds where the Immortal Network descended or the Alliance unified did suitable learning environments exist.
“ bù cuò ， suǒ wèi jiǎ zhōng yǒu zhēn 。 jiù suàn shì jiān zhòng shēng wèi jiǎ ， shì jiè yùn zhuàn jī shí què wèi bì shì jiǎ ！”
“不错，所谓假中有真。就算世间众生为假，世界运转基石却未必是假！”
If only that were so. Qiao Sidi believed he would continue to progress over time, eventually finding a way out of this world.
“ shuō qǐ zhè ge ， wǒ dǎo shì xiǎng qǐ le tài yǎn zōng huà dào shí 。 jù shuō qí nèi měi gè chà nà ， dōu yǒu wú shù shì jiè zì wǒ yǎn huà 。 bù zhī nà xiē zhuǎn shùn jí shì de shì jiè zhōng ， yòu huì shì hé děng jǐng xiàng 。”
“说起这个，我倒是想起了太衍宗化道石。据说其内每个刹那，都有无数世界自我衍化。不知那些转瞬即逝的世界中，又会是何等景象。”
But...
……
……
After experiencing 9,999 worlds,
jí sī guǎng yì 。
集思广益。
Qiao Sidi didn't reincarnate into a new one but found himself in an endless ocean.
zhòng duō xiū shì de tǎo lùn ， wèi qiáo shì dào zhǐ le yī tiáo míng lù 。
众多修士的讨论，为乔似道指了一条明路。
There, he witnessed a scene that left him forever scarred.
zì nà zhī hòu ， tā de mù biāo jiù míng què le qǐ lái 。
自那之后，他的目标就明确了起来。
Countless souls packed tightly together. From above, faces seemed to be sleeping.
měi yī shì bù zài zhuī qiú xiū wèi jìng jiè ， ér shì zuì xīn yú zhèn fǎ 、 jìn zhì 、 yǎn shù zhè xiē páng mén 。
每一世不再追求修为境界，而是醉心于阵法、禁制、衍术这些旁门。
In the sea, whirlpools formed as millions of souls churned and collided, some breaking apart while others absorbed fragments, becoming more refined.
xiū wèi wú fǎ suí zhe měi cì zhuǎn shì bǎo liú ， dàn jì yì què kě yǐ 。
修为无法随着每次转世保留，但记忆却可以。
It was like a long needle stirring his mind, causing dizziness and pain.
zài qiáo shì dào de yù xiǎng zhōng ， suí zhe yì diǎn yī dī de màn màn jī lěi ， zhǎng wò zú gòu duō zhī shí de zì jǐ ， zǒng yǒu yī tiān huì zhǎo chū zhè ge 【 xū jiǎ shì jiè 】 de pò zhàn 。
在乔似道的预想中，随着一点一滴的慢慢积累，掌握足够多知识的自己，总有一天会找出这个【虚假世界】的破绽。
What shocked Qiao Sidi even more was that he discovered certain memories in his soul were slowly fading away amidst the waves of resentment.
xiǎng fǎ shì měi hǎo de 。 dàn zhēn zhèng shí jiàn qǐ lái ， què shì kùn nán chóng chóng 。
想法是美好的。但真正实践起来，却是困难重重。
Despair filled him as he lost consciousness.
zuì kāi shǐ de shí hòu ， qiáo shì dào de páng mén shuǐ píng dí què tū fēi měng jìn 。
最开始的时候，乔似道的旁门水平的确突飞勐进。
When his "true self" memory returned, he had no idea how many cycles had passed since then.
hěn kuài jiù cóng yī wú suǒ zhī ， xùn sù rù mén le 。
很快就从一无所知，迅速入门了。
Despite losing most of his memories, key information like the "false world" and the "ocean of vengeful souls" remained deeply etched in his soul.
dàn tā zhēn zhèng xiǎng yào dēng táng rù shì ， cái fā xiàn xiū xiān jiè duì yú zhè fāng miàn zhī shí de lǒng duàn chéng dù 。
但他真正想要登堂入室，才发现修仙界对于这方面知识的垄断程度。
"It seems to prevent other souls from awakening their reincarnation memories; they clean us periodically."
xún cháng zōng mén zhōng néng xué dào de ， bù guò shì xiē zuì wèi cū qiǎn de fǎ mén 。 wàn xiān méng lǐ ， guān yú zhè fāng miàn de zī liào gèng shì shǎo zhī yòu shǎo 。
寻常宗门中能学到的，不过是些最为粗浅的法门。万仙盟里，关于这方面的资料更是少之又少。
"In these cleansings, I lose much of my memory."
xiǎng yào zhēn zhèng qiú dé jīng yào ， hái shì yào qián wǎng xiān dào shí zōng 。
想要真正求得精要，还是要前往仙道十宗。
"If I accumulate knowledge too slowly, I'll never find a way out."
kě zī zhì píng píng zhě ， yòu rú hé rù dé xiān mén ne ？
可资质平平者，又如何入得仙门呢？
After calculating, Qiao Sidi reached this conclusion.
shàng gǔ zhī shí shàng qiě rú cǐ ， gèng bié tí zōng mén fù miè hòu xiū xiān fèi tǔ le 。
上古之时尚且如此，更别提宗门覆灭后修仙废土了。
Despite that, he didn't give up easily.
wéi yǒu xiān wǎng jiàng shì 、 xiān méng yī tǒng děng liáo liáo jǐ gè shì jiè ， cái néng tí gōng hé shì xué xí de tǔ rǎng 。
唯有仙网降世、仙盟一统等寥寥几个世界，才能提供合适学习的土壤。
Having seen so many things, Qiao Sidi understood: with enough iterations, anything could happen.
rú guǒ zhǐ shì zhè yàng ， qiáo shì dào zì cǔn zì jǐ zǒng guī shì zài bù duàn jìn bù de 。
如果只是这样，乔似道自忖自己总归是在不断进步的。
Like him, who couldn't possibly retain memories from each life.
dāng shí jiān zú gòu màn cháng zhī hòu ， yě wèi bì bù néng zhǎo dào tū pò shì jiè de fāng fǎ 。
当时间足够漫长之后，也未必不能找到突破世界的方法。
But it did.
dàn ……
但……
Qiao Sidi waited and watched.
dāng qiáo shì dào jīng lì wán dì 9999 gè shì jiè zhī hòu 。
当乔似道经历完第9999个世界之后。
After several cleansings in the ocean of vengeful souls, he finally found an opportunity.
tā què bìng méi yǒu zài dù jiàng shēng yú xīn de shì jiè ， ér shì lái dào yī piàn wèi lán de hǎi yáng zhī zhōng 。
他却并没有再度降生于新的世界，而是来到一片蔚蓝的海洋之中。
It was a highly advanced world called "Eternal Immortal Realm."
zài nà lǐ ， qiáo shì dào kàn dào le ràng tā yǒng shēng nán wàng de yí mù 。
在那里，乔似道看到了让他永生难忘的一幕。
Here, people lived for thousands of years without cultivation. There were great existences like the Spirit Tower that released pure energy continuously.
mì mì má má 、 shù zhī bù qīng de shén hún jǐ zài yì qǐ 。
密密麻麻、数之不清的神魂挤在一起。
More importantly, any knowledge—techniques, formations, alchemy...
cóng shàng yī xī néng kàn dào yī zhāng zhāng fǎng fú zài chén shuì zhōng de miàn róng 。
从上依稀能看到一张张仿佛在沉睡中的面容。
Everything could be queried and learned freely in the Spirit Tower with no restrictions.
dà hǎi zhī zhōng ， juǎn qǐ le xuán wō 。 bǎi wàn shén hún yě suí zhī zài hǎi yáng zhōng bù duàn fān téng 。
大海之中，卷起了漩涡。百万神魂也随之在海洋中不断翻腾。
Seeing the vast information within the Spirit Tower, Qiao Sidi trembled.
shén hún zhī jiān hù xiāng pèng zhuàng 、 niǎn yā ， yǒu de zhí jiē pò suì ， róng jiě yú hǎi yáng zhī zhōng 。
神魂之间互相碰撞、碾压，有的直接破碎，溶解于海洋之中。
He knew his escape method was hidden there.
ér de zé shì jiāng hǎi shuǐ zhōng de cán hún xī shōu ， zài chóng zǔ zhōng biàn dé gèng jiā jīng cuì 。
而的则是将海水中的残魂吸收，在重组中变得更加精粹。
Thus, he studied tirelessly for 3,658 years without leaving the Spirit Tower.
fǎng fú yī gēn zhǎng zhēn ， zài qiáo shì dào de nǎo hǎi zhōng bù duàn jiǎo dòng 。 tiān xuán dì zhuàn zhōng ， dài zhe wú bǐ de téng tòng 。
仿佛一根长针，在乔似道的脑海中不断搅动。天旋地转中，带着无比的疼痛。
Although he was far from understanding the false world fully,
gèng ràng qiáo shì dào wú fǎ jiē shòu de shì ， tā hài rán de fā xiàn ， zì jǐ shén hún zhōng de mǒu xì jì yì ， zài yuàn hèn hǎi yáng de bō tāo zhōng ， zhèng zài màn màn xiāo shī 。
更让乔似道无法接受的是，他骇然的发现，自己神魂中的某系记忆，在怨恨海洋的波涛中，正在慢慢消失。
Qiao Sidi finally saw hope.
xīn zhōng màn màn jué wàng ， qiáo shì dào zhú jiàn shī qù le yì shí 。
心中慢慢绝望，乔似道逐渐失去了意识。
After experiencing thousands of lifetimes, when he awoke from another cleansing,
dāng tā de “ běn wǒ ” jì yì zài dù sū xǐng de shí hòu ， yǐ jīng bù zhī dào guò qù jǐ gè lún huí le 。
当他的“本我”记忆再度苏醒的时候，已经不知道过去几个轮回了。
Qiao Sidi discovered that due to his soul's increased resilience, this time fewer memories were lost compared to before.
jiù xiàng zhī qián nà yàng ， háo wú zhēng zhào de jiù mò míng qīng xǐng guò lái 。
就像之前那样，毫无征兆的就莫名清醒过来。
This gave him renewed confidence.
suī rán jué dà duō shù de jì yì dōu yǐ jīng diū shī ， dàn 【 xū jiǎ zhī jiè 】、【 yuàn hún zhī hǎi 】 děng guān jiàn xìn xī ， yǐ jí mǒu xiē líng líng suì suì de zhèn fǎ zhī shí ， què rèn rán shēn shēn lào yìn zài shén hún shēn chù 。
虽然绝大多数的记忆都已经丢失，但【虚假之界】、【怨魂之海】等关键信息，以及某些零零碎碎的阵法知识，却任然深深烙印在神魂深处。
He continued accumulating knowledge and experience, waiting for the next visit to the Eternal Immortal Realm...
“ sì hū shì wèi le fáng zhǐ bié de shén hún men xiàng wǒ zhè yàng ， jué xǐng lún huí jì yì 。 měi gé yī duàn shí jiān ， dū huì duì wǒ men jìn xíng yī bō qīng xǐ 。”
“似乎是为了防止别的神魂们像我这样，觉醒轮回记忆。每隔一段时间，都会对我们进行一波清洗。”
---
“ zài zhè qīng xǐ zhōng ， wǒ huì sǔn shī dà bù fèn de jì yì 。”
“在这清洗中，我会损失大部分的记忆。”
When Qiao Sidi visited the Eternal Immortal Realm for the ninth time,
“ rú guǒ wǒ jī lěi zhī shí de sù dù tài màn ， nà wǒ jiāng yǒng yuǎn bù kě néng zhǎng wò zú yǐ táo lí zhè lǐ de fāng fǎ 。”
“如果我积累知识的速度太慢，那我将永远不可能掌握足以逃离这里的方法。”
at the end of his life, he finally uncovered the secret of this world.
yī fān jì suàn zhī hòu ， qiáo shì dào dé chū le rú cǐ jié lùn 。
一番计算之后，乔似道得出了如此结论。
It was a false world centered around some derivation artifact.
jiù suàn rú cǐ ， tā què yě méi yǒu qīng yì fàng qì 。
就算如此，他却也没有轻易放弃。
Most beings in this world were virtual. Only a few had real souls.
kàn guò le tài duō ， qiáo shì dào yǐ jīng míng bái yí gè dào lǐ 。 zhǐ dié dài de cì shù zú gòu duō ， nà me shén me yàng qí tè shì qíng dōu yǒu kě néng fā shēng 。
看过了太多，乔似道已经明白一个道理。只迭代的次数足够多，那么什么样奇特事情都有可能发生。
And he, Qiao Sidi, was one of those million souls.
jiù xiàng zì jǐ ， míng míng bù kě néng huì jì chéng bǎo liú měi yī shì de lún huí jì yì yī yàng 。
就像自己，明明不可能会继承保留每一世的轮回记忆一样。
"The limits of derivation."
dàn shì qíng què piān piān fā shēng le 。
但事情却偏偏发生了。
"This means there are gaps in time here."
qiáo shì dào zhé fú 、 děng dài zhe 。
乔似道蛰伏、等待着。
"Every smallest gap is an opportunity for me to escape."
bù zhī jīng lì le jǐ cì yuàn hún hǎi de qīng xǐ ， tā zhōng yú děng dào le pò jú de jī huì 。
不知经历了几次怨魂海的清洗，他终于等到了破局的机会。
"Of course, to avoid detection, it's best during the world's reset."
nà shì yí gè míng wèi 【 yǒng shì xiān jiè 】 de gāo dù fā dá shì jiè 。
那是一个名为【永世仙界】的高度发达世界。
Standing atop the Spirit Tower, Qiao Sidi looked up at the sky and silently thought.
bù jǐn rén jūn shòu mìng jí wéi màn cháng ， jiù suàn bù xiū xíng yě yǒu shù qiān nián shòu yuán 。 dāng zhōng gèng yǒu míng wèi 【 xiān líng tǎ 】 de wěi dà cún zài 。
不仅人均寿命极为漫长，就算不修行也有数千年寿元。当中更有名为【仙灵塔】的伟大存在。
With his remaining life, he began preparing.
xiān líng tǎ biàn bù shì jiè měi gè jiǎo luò ， rì yè bù tíng dì cháo wài shì fàng jīng chún de líng qì 。
仙灵塔遍布世界每个角落，日夜不停地朝外释放精纯的灵气。
When his life ended in darkness, Qiao Sidi awoke from his slumber.
gèng wéi guān jiàn de shì ， rèn hé zhī shí 。
更为关键的是，任何知识。
He sensed that fleeting opportunity, like a thin thread breaking through the barrier.
gōng fǎ 、 zhèn fǎ 、 liàn dān 、 liàn yào ……
功法、阵法、炼丹、炼药……
He imagined the outside world countless times, even facing potential observers.
yī qiè de yī qiè ， nǐ dōu kě yǐ zài xiān líng tǎ zhōng chá xún 、 xué xí ， bìng qiě méi yǒu xiàn zhì 。
一切的一切，你都可以在仙灵塔中查询、学习，并且没有限制。
But Qiao Sidi never expected the "outside" to be so cold and vast.
kàn zhe xiān líng tǎ zhōng hào rú xīng chén bān de xìn xī hòu ， qiáo shì dào hún shēn ， zhǐ bú zhù de zhàn lì qǐ lái 。
看着仙灵塔中浩如星辰般的信息后，乔似道浑身，止不住的颤栗起来。
His soul, which he thought was already powerful, was under threat as it faced the chill.
tā míng bái ， zì jǐ néng gòu táo chū qù de fāng fǎ ， jiù cáng zài qí zhōng 。
他明白，自己能够逃出去的方法，就藏在其中。
It seemed it would vanish in an instant.
yú shì qiáo shì dào fèi qǐn fāng shì de xué xí zhe 。
于是乔似道废寝方式的学习着。
Worse still, a strange noise came from the light behind him—some kind of alarm.
tā zài yǒng shì xiān jiè zhōng cún huó le sān qiān liù bǎi wǔ shí bā nián ， yī kè yě méi yǒu lí kāi guò xiān líng tǎ yī bù 。
他在永世仙界中存活了三千六百五十八年，一刻也没有离开过仙灵塔一步。
Drifting aimlessly, Qiao Sidi observed his surroundings.
suī rán lí kàn chuān 【 xū jiǎ shì jiè 】， hái yǒu yī duàn hěn yuǎn de jù lí 。
虽然离看穿【虚假世界】，还有一段很远的距离。
"Is this a museum..."
dàn qiáo shì dào zǒng suàn kàn dào le xī wàng 。
但乔似道总算看到了希望。
He fell silent.
yòu jīng lì guò jǐ qiān shì lún huí ， dāng yòu cóng yī cì dà qīng xǐ zhōng qīng xǐng guò lái zhī hòu 。
又经历过几千世轮回，当又从一次大清洗中清醒过来之后。
His world was merely an exhibit here.
qiáo shì dào jīng xǐ de fā xiàn ， sì hū shì yóu yú zì jǐ shén hún gèng jiā jiān rèn de yuán yīn ， zhè cì diū shī de jì yì bǐ qǐ yǐ wǎng ， shǎo le hěn duō 。
乔似道惊喜的发现，似乎是由于自己神魂更加坚韧的原因，这次丢失的记忆比起以往，少了很多。
Strong auras approached.
zhè ràng tā gèng shì duō le jǐ fēn xìn xīn 。
这让他更是多了几分信心。
The vastness of the universe offered no hiding place.
tā jì xù jī zǎn zhī shí 、 jiàn wén ， děng dài zhe xià yī cì 【 yǒng shì xiān jiè 】 de jiàng lín 。
他继续积攒知识、见闻，等待着下一次【永世仙界】的降临。
Qiao Sidi finally felt true despair.
dāng qiáo shì dào dì jiǔ cì lái dào 【 yǒng shì xiān jiè 】 zhī hòu 。
当乔似道第九次来到【永世仙界】之后。
He saw a human skull in the center of the museum.
zài shēng mìng de mò wěi ， tā zhōng yú kān pò le suǒ chǔ shì jiè de mì mì 。
在生命的末尾，他终于勘破了所处世界的秘密。
It stood there quietly, as if watching him.
zhè shì yí gè yǐ mǒu jiàn tuī yǎn qí wù wèi hé xīn ， sù zào ér chéng de xū jiǎ shì jiè 。
这是一个以某件推衍奇物为核心，塑造而成的虚假世界。
From the skull, Qiao Sidi felt warmth.
shì jiè shàng de jué dà duō shù shēng líng ， dōu shì xū nǐ de cún zài 。
世界上的绝大多数生灵，都是虚拟的存在。
When everyone rejected him, it showed him kindness.
zhǐ yǒu shǎo bù fèn ， yǒu zhe zhēn shí de shén hún 。
只有少部分，有着真实的神魂。
Like a mother's embrace, tears welled up in his eyes.
ér tā qiáo shì dào ， jiù shì bǎi wàn shén hún dāng zhōng de yī yuán 。
而他乔似道，就是百万神魂当中的一员。
As his soul was about to dissipate,
“ tuī yǎn yǒu zhe néng lì de jí xiàn 。”
“推衍有着能力的极限。”
Qiao Sidi used his last strength and entered the skull.
What is true, and what is false?
All the worlds he had experienced.
The vivid faces of those he met, the touching stories from long ago.
Rivers, lakes, seas, mountains, and gentle breezes.
Love, hate, passion, and grudges; eternal quests for immortality.
Heroes and cowards, saints and sinners...
Were these all mere illusions?
At first, Qiao Sidi was bewildered.
If everything in this world is illusory, then what meaning do the countless beings who are deceived have in their lives?
Their cherished martial arts techniques and cultivation realms would be meaningless if time were to reset; they'd have to start from scratch.
Death, which they feared so much, would no longer be the end of life but merely a new beginning.
This was such a bitter reality.
During that period of confusion, Qiao Sidi lost interest in everything.
Even at one point, he actively spread the idea that this world was false.
He thought it might attract attention from external "observers" and finally find salvation.
What Qiao Sidi didn't expect was that no one believed him. Instead, they mocked his claims.
If this world is indeed illusory, then what should be done?
"If we can deceive the senses, it means the rules of this false world must mirror those of the real one outside."
"Construct a flawless new world..."
"To achieve such a feat would be akin to creating the world itself. The notion of truth and falsehood becomes irrelevant."
"Exactly, there is truth within the illusion. Even if all beings are illusory, the foundation that governs their existence might not be!"
"Speaking of this, I recall the Mythical Derivation Sect's transformation stones. It’s said each moment contains countless worlds self-generating. What wonders lie in those fleeting worlds?"
...
Collective wisdom.
The discussions among cultivators pointed Qiao Sidi towards a path.
From then on, his goal was clear: no longer pursuing cultivation realms but instead delving into array formations, prohibitions, and derivation techniques.
Cultivation achievements couldn't be carried over from one life to the next, but memories could.
Qiao Sidi hoped that with time, he would accumulate enough knowledge to find a flaw in this "false world."
---
The idea was noble. But putting it into practice proved difficult.
Initially, Qiao Sidi's skills in these offbeat disciplines indeed improved rapidly.
He quickly moved from complete ignorance to basic proficiency.
But when he sought deeper understanding, he realized the extent of the cultivation realm's monopoly on such knowledge.
Ordinary sects could only teach the most rudimentary techniques. The Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals had even fewer resources.
To truly gain mastery, one needed to enter the Daoist Ten Sects.
Yet how could a mediocre cultivator like him find his way into these sacred gates?
In ancient times, this was still true; it became even more challenging after sects were destroyed and cultivation declined.
Only in worlds where the Immortal Network descended or the Alliance unified did suitable learning environments exist.
If only that were so. Qiao Sidi believed he would continue to progress over time, eventually finding a way out of this world.
But...
After experiencing 9,999 worlds,
Qiao Sidi didn't reincarnate into a new one but found himself in an endless ocean.
There, he witnessed a scene that left him forever scarred.
Countless souls packed tightly together. From above, faces seemed to be sleeping.
In the sea, whirlpools formed as millions of souls churned and collided, some breaking apart while others absorbed fragments, becoming more refined.
It was like a long needle stirring his mind, causing dizziness and pain.
What shocked Qiao Sidi even more was that he discovered certain memories in his soul were slowly fading away amidst the waves of resentment.
Despair filled him as he lost consciousness.
When his "true self" memory returned, he had no idea how many cycles had passed since then.
Despite losing most of his memories, key information like the "false world" and the "ocean of vengeful souls" remained deeply etched in his soul.
"It seems to prevent other souls from awakening their reincarnation memories; they clean us periodically."
"In these cleansings, I lose much of my memory."
"If I accumulate knowledge too slowly, I'll never find a way out."
After calculating, Qiao Sidi reached this conclusion.
Despite that, he didn't give up easily.
Having seen so many things, Qiao Sidi understood: with enough iterations, anything could happen.
Like him, who couldn't possibly retain memories from each life.
But it did.
Qiao Sidi waited and watched.
After several cleansings in the ocean of vengeful souls, he finally found an opportunity.
It was a highly advanced world called "Eternal Immortal Realm."
Here, people lived for thousands of years without cultivation. There were great existences like the Spirit Tower that released pure energy continuously.
More importantly, any knowledge—techniques, formations, alchemy...
Everything could be queried and learned freely in the Spirit Tower with no restrictions.
Seeing the vast information within the Spirit Tower, Qiao Sidi trembled.
He knew his escape method was hidden there.
Thus, he studied tirelessly for 3,658 years without leaving the Spirit Tower.
Although he was far from understanding the false world fully,
Qiao Sidi finally saw hope.
After experiencing thousands of lifetimes, when he awoke from another cleansing,
Qiao Sidi discovered that due to his soul's increased resilience, this time fewer memories were lost compared to before.
This gave him renewed confidence.
He continued accumulating knowledge and experience, waiting for the next visit to the Eternal Immortal Realm...
---
When Qiao Sidi visited the Eternal Immortal Realm for the ninth time,
at the end of his life, he finally uncovered the secret of this world.
It was a false world centered around some derivation artifact.
Most beings in this world were virtual. Only a few had real souls.
And he, Qiao Sidi, was one of those million souls.
"The limits of derivation."
"This means there are gaps in time here."
"Every smallest gap is an opportunity for me to escape."
"Of course, to avoid detection, it's best during the world's reset."
Standing atop the Spirit Tower, Qiao Sidi looked up at the sky and silently thought.
With his remaining life, he began preparing.
When his life ended in darkness, Qiao Sidi awoke from his slumber.
He sensed that fleeting opportunity, like a thin thread breaking through the barrier.
He imagined the outside world countless times, even facing potential observers.
But Qiao Sidi never expected the "outside" to be so cold and vast.
His soul, which he thought was already powerful, was under threat as it faced the chill.
It seemed it would vanish in an instant.
Worse still, a strange noise came from the light behind him—some kind of alarm.
Drifting aimlessly, Qiao Sidi observed his surroundings.
"Is this a museum..."
He fell silent.
His world was merely an exhibit here.
Strong auras approached.
The vastness of the universe offered no hiding place.
Qiao Sidi finally felt true despair.
Then...
He saw a human skull in the center of the museum.
It stood there quietly, as if watching him.
From the skull, Qiao Sidi felt warmth.
When everyone rejected him, it showed him kindness.
Like a mother's embrace, tears welled up in his eyes.
As his soul was about to dissipate,
Qiao Sidi used his last strength and entered the skull.