fǎng fú huí yìng zhe nà dào shēn yǐng de huà ， zhěng piàn tiān dì dōu zài chà nà jiān biàn dé hūn àn xià lái 。
仿佛回应着那道身影的话，整片天地都在刹那间变得昏暗下来。
As if in response to the figure's words, the entire expanse of space and time instantly darkened.
xǔ bái gèng shì yǐn yuē tīng jiàn wú zhù de bēi míng zhī shēng 。
许白更是隐约听见无助的悲鸣之声。
Xu Bai could faintly hear a helpless wail.
ér hòu ， dān bó shēn yǐng wēi wēi yáo tóu 、 zhuǎn guò shēn zi 。
而后，单薄身影微微摇头、转过身子。
Then, the thin figure shook its head slightly before turning around. Their eyes met with Xu Bai’s.
yǔ xǔ bái sì mù xiāng duì 。
与许白四目相对。
Boom!
hōng ！
轰！
The scene within his mind exploded into a cacophony of thunderous sounds. Xu Bai was shocked to realize that the figure's appearance was identical to his own!
nǎo hǎi zhōng dùn shí zhà kāi 、 hōng míng yī piàn 。 yīn wèi xǔ bái hài rán de fā xiàn ， nà dào shēn yǐng de yàng mào ， jìng rán gēn zì jǐ yī mú yī yàng ！
脑海中顿时炸开、轰鸣一片。因为许白骇然的发现，那道身影的样貌，竟然跟自己一模一样！
No...
bú duì ……
不对……
Before his eyes flashed, the face suddenly changed. Xu Bai seemed to see Mr. Bai’s unparalleled beauty once again.
yǎn qián yī huā ， nà zhāng miàn róng què dǒu rán biàn huà 。 xǔ bái yòu fǎng fú kàn dào le bái xiān shēng de nà zhāng jué shì róng yán 。
眼前一花，那张面容却陡然变化。许白又仿佛看到了白先生的那张绝世容颜。
However, it differed from what he had seen at Taiyin Sect. It wasn’t as radiant and heavenly; instead, it carried a sorrowful and compassionate demeanor. More real, with an unmistakably "human" quality.
zhǐ shì hé zhī qián zài yù shòu zōng shí jiàn dào de yǒu xiē bù tóng ， bù xiàng nà yàng fēng huá jué dài 、 shì tiān shàng zhī rén 。
只是和之前在御兽宗时见到的有些不同，不像那样风华绝代、似天上之人。
His clear eyes seemed to hold countless emotions and stories, like a vortex swallowing Xu Bai’s mind.
ér shì gèng duō le jǐ fēn bēi tiān mǐn rén de chóu kǔ 。 gèng jiā zhēn shí ， gèng yǒu jǐ fēn “ fán rén ” de wèi dào 。
而是更多了几分悲天悯人的愁苦。更加真实，更有几分“凡人”的味道。
...
tā nà qīng chè de yǎn shén ， shì yǒu wú shù qíng xù 、 gù shì xiǎng yào sù shuō 。
他那清澈的眼神，似有无数情绪、故事想要诉说。
"Wake up!"
wǎn ruò yí gè xuán wō ， zhú jiàn jiāng xǔ bái de xīn shén tūn shì 。
宛若一个漩涡，逐渐将许白的心神吞噬。
A light shout echoed like the sound of a great bell, as if coming from beyond the heavens. It suddenly appeared in his ears, piercing through the barriers of an infinite world.
……
……
Xu Bai's gaze instantly regained its clarity and vitality. When he looked at Mr. Bai again, the flesh on his face seemed to melt like wax, slowly dissolving into a ghastly appearance that was once so breathtakingly beautiful.
“ xǐng lái ！”
“醒来！”
In just moments, the terrifying aura spread across Mr. Bai’s entire body.
yī shēng qīng hē ， rú hóng zhōng dà lǚ ， fǎng fú zì tiān wài zhuàn lái 。 chuān guò wú qióng shì jiè de zǔ gé ， hū de chū xiàn zài xǔ bái ěr zhōng 。
一声轻喝，如洪钟大吕，仿佛自天外传来。穿过无穷世界的阻隔，忽的出现在许白耳中。
Like being sliced by a gust of wind, he turned into a pale skeleton in an instant. His hollow eyes stared straight at Xu Bai.
xǔ bái de yǎn shén shùn jiān yóu hún zhuó 、 wú shén ， huī fù le yī sī líng dòng 。
许白的眼神瞬间由浑浊、无神，恢复了一丝灵动。
Xu Bai was immediately startled.
zài kàn miàn qián de bái xiān shēng shí ， liǎn shàng de xuè ròu jìng rán rú tóng là zhú bān ， huǎn huǎn xiāo róng 。 yuán běn měi dé lìng rén zhì xī de miàn páng ， xiàn zài què xiǎn de rú cǐ yīn sēn kě bù 。
再看面前的白先生时，脸上的血肉竟然如同蜡烛般，缓缓消融。原本美得令人窒息的面庞，现在却显得如此阴森可怖。
The surroundings seemed to shatter like glass with cracks appearing everywhere.
bù guò piàn kè gōng fu ， bái xiān shēng liǎn shàng de kǒng bù yì xiàng yǐ rán màn yán dào quán shēn 。
不过片刻功夫，白先生脸上的恐怖异象已然蔓延到全身。
Suddenly, everything vanished.
jiù xiàng bèi yī zhèn fēng xuē qù bān ， zhǎ yǎn jiān tā jiù biàn chéng le yī jù sēn bái de kū lóu 。
就像被一阵风削去般，眨眼间他就变成了一具森白的骷髅。
The black-robed cultivator who had come to guide him swept his gaze over Xu Bai before slowly saying, "This space has a lingering trace of the Transcendent Preceptor’s aura. For new arrivals, this often triggers sensations and hallucinations."
kōng dòng dòng de yǎn kuàng ， jiù zhè me zhí zhí dì dīng zhe xǔ bái 。
空洞洞的眼眶，就这么直直地盯着许白。
Xu Bai, having visited the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance multiple times, knew about it.
xǔ bái dùn shí sǒng rán ér jīng 。
许白顿时悚然而惊。
When the original self had come here last time, he saw the towering statue of the Transcendent Preceptor.
zhōu wéi de jǐng xiàng ， rú tóng bō lí chū xiàn yī dào dào liè fèng 。
周围的景象，如同玻璃出现一道道裂缝。
From that decaying image, Li Fan felt an extreme sense of danger and a faint familiarity.
chà nà pò suì 。
刹那破碎。
But this time, when his clone, refined with Xu Ke’s blood and Mr. Bai's essence, arrived at this place,
wēi wēi de xuàn yūn gǎn chuán lái ， huàn jìng jǐn jiē xiāo shī bú jiàn 。
微微的眩晕感传来，幻境尽皆消失不见。
he encountered such a bizarre scene.
qián lái jiē yǐn tā de hēi yī xiū shì ， mù guāng zài tā shēn shàng sǎo shì le piàn kè ， zhè cái huǎn huǎn shuō dào :“ cǐ chù kōng jiān ， yǒu yī sī chuán fǎ tiān zūn qì xī cán liú 。 chū cì lái dào zhè lǐ de xiū shì ， dū huì xīn yǒu suǒ gǎn ， chǎn shēng huàn jué 。”
前来接引他的黑衣修士，目光在他身上扫视了片刻，这才缓缓说道:“此处空间，有一丝传法天尊气息残留。初次来到这里的修士，都会心有所感，产生幻觉。”
"Before you lies a path to immortality, but the Transcendent Preceptor stands above..."
yǐ jīng bú shì dì yī cì lái dào wàn xiān méng zǒng bù de xǔ bái ， zì rán zhī dào cǐ shì 。
已经不是第一次来到万仙盟总部的许白，自然知道此事。
"The appearance of Mr. Bai has become identical to my clone. And in the end, his sudden transformation into bones..."
shàng yī cì běn zūn qián lái shí ， kàn dào de shì dǐng tiān chù lì de chuán fǎ tiān zūn xiàng 。
上一次本尊前来时，看到的是顶天矗立的传法天尊象。
"What does all this signify?"
cóng nà zūn diāo xiàng shàng ， lǐ fán gǎn dào le jí dù de wēi jī ， yǐ jí ruò yǒu ruò wú de shú xī gǎn 。
从那尊凋像上，李凡感到了极度的危机，以及若有若无的熟悉感。
Even after leaving the illusion, Xu Bai seemed still shaken by its impact.
ér zhè cì ， dāng yòng xǔ kè jīng xuè 、 yǔ bái xiān shēng shén yùn liàn zhì de fēn shēn lái dào cǐ chù shí 。
而这次，当用许克精血、与白先生神韵炼制的分身来到此处时。
But out of instinct, he followed the black-robed cultivator.
suǒ jiàn de què shì zhè me yī fān guǐ yì de chǎng jǐng 。
所见的却是这么一番诡异的场景。
It appeared that Xu Bai's extraordinary good looks had an effect, as the cultivator did not interfere but silently led the way.
“ qián yǒu xiān lù tà bù dé ， chuán fǎ tiān zūn zài shàng tou ……”
“前有仙路踏不得，传法天尊在上头……”
Only when they passed through the transfer array and transformed into beams of light, rapidly traversing the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters space, did Xu Bai gradually recover from the impact of the illusion.
“ bái xiān shēng de miàn róng ， jū rán huì biàn dé gēn fēn shēn yī mú yī yàng 。 yǐ jí zuì hòu ， tā nà hū rán biàn chéng bái gǔ de sǒng rán jǐng xiàng ……”
“白先生的面容，居然会变得跟分身一模一样。以及最后，他那忽然变成白骨的悚然景象……”
The black-robed guide then explained, "This lingering aura of the Transcendent Preceptor is usually called [True Intent of Transmission]. It’s profound and has countless applications. Only new arrivals are affected by it, experiencing illusions due to the suddenness. After spending some time here, adapting to its presence, it becomes incredibly difficult to face such fantasies."
“ zhè yī qiè ， jiū jìng yù shì zhe xiē shén me ？”
“这一切，究竟预示着些什么？”
Unlike in his previous life when he, Han Yi, and Sister Ximen first arrived, there was no detailed explanation.
jí biàn tuō lí le huàn jìng ， xǔ bái sì hū yě réng rán chén jìn zài qí dài lái de zhèn hàn zhī zhōng 。
即便脱离了幻境，许白似乎也仍然沉浸在其带来的震撼之中。
"It seems that judging people by their appearance is a human nature, even for cultivators like us."
zhǐ shì chū zì běn néng ， gēn zài lǐng lù de hēi yī xiū shì shēn hòu 。
只是出自本能，跟在领路的黑衣修士身后。
Xu Bai thought to himself but seized the opportunity to ask, "As you said, facing [True Intent of Transmission] seems rare, only once in a lifetime. But besides seeing some illusions, I didn’t feel any other effects?"
sì hū shì xǔ bái nà nì tiān de yán zhí qǐ le xiào guǒ ， hēi yī xiū shì jiàn zhuàng ， jū rán yě méi yǒu dǎ jiǎo 。
似乎是许白那逆天的颜值起了效果，黑衣修士见状，居然也没有打搅。
The black-robed cultivator replied seriously, "We cultivate new methods passed down by the Transcendent Preceptor. Therefore, when we face this True Intent, it’s not just about illusions. It could be related to each of our [Ultimate Dao]."
zhǐ shì mò bù zuò shēng de dài lù 。
只是默不作声的带路。
Before Xu Bai could ask further, he explained the concept of [Ultimate Dao]:
děng dào liǎng rén tōng guò zhuǎn yí fǎ zhèn 、 shēn huà guāng shù ， zài wàn xiān méng zǒng bù kōng jiān zhōng kuài sù chuān suō de shí hòu ， xǔ bái cái huǎn huǎn cóng huàn xiǎng dài lái de yǐng xiǎng zhōng zǒu le chū lái 。
等到两人通过转移法阵、身化光束，在万仙盟总部空间中快速穿梭的时候，许白才缓缓从幻想带来的影响中走了出来。
"Each cultivator, from their first step on the path, feels that the path to immortality is distant and fraught with danger. How to progress through each realm and choose the most suitable method—these are all things we must explore ourselves."
zhè shí hòu ， hēi yī yǐn lù xiū shì cái duì xǔ bái jiě shì dào ：“ zhè sī chuán fǎ tiān zūn yí liú de qì xī ， wǒ men tōng cháng jiāng qí chēng zhī wèi 【 chuán fǎ zhēn yì 】。 chuán fǎ zhēn yì ， xuán zhī yòu xuán ， yǒu zhe wú qióng miào yòng 。 xiū shì zhǐ yǒu dì yī cì jìn rù xiān méng zǒng bù kōng jiān ， cù bù jí fáng zhī xià ， cái huì shòu qí yǐng xiǎng ， chǎn shēng huàn jué 。 děng dào zài zhè lǐ dāi le yī duàn shí jiān ， shēn tǐ shì yìng le chuán fǎ zhēn yì de cún zài hòu ， zài xiǎng yào miàn duì huàn xiǎng ， kě jiù qiān nán wàn nán le 。”
这时候，黑衣引路修士才对许白解释道：“这丝传法天尊遗留的气息，我们通常将其称之为【传法真意】。传法真意，玄之又玄，有着无穷妙用。修士只有第一次进入仙盟总部空间，猝不及防之下，才会受其影响，产生幻觉。等到在这里呆了一段时间，身体适应了传法真意的存在后，再想要面对幻想，可就千难万难了。”
"But life offers no second chances; a wrong turn could mean lifelong regret and self-exclusion from the Dao. Thus, every step requires careful consideration."
shàng yī shì lǐ fán běn zūn hé hán yì 、 xī mén yuè liǎng rén lái dào cǐ chù de shí hòu ， yǐn lù rén kě méi yǒu jiě shì de zhè me xiáng xì 。
上一世李凡本尊和韩易、西门月两人来到此处的时候，引路人可没有解释的这么详细。
"[Ultimate Dao] is the path best suited for our cultivation as seen by the Transcendent Preceptor. How much higher his vision is compared to ours! What he deems true is essentially the truth."
“ kàn lái yǐ mào qǔ rén ， nǎi shì rén zhī tiān xìng 。 suī wǒ bèi xiū xiān zhě ， yì bù néng miǎn sú 。”
“看来以貌取人，乃是人之天性。虽我辈修仙者，亦不能免俗。”
"So, that illusion just now was truly crucial. You should ponder it day and night; you’ll surely gain significant insights each time."
xǔ bái xīn zhōng tǔ cáo ， què shì zhuā zhù jī huì ， zhuī wèn dào ：“ àn qián bèi suǒ shuō ， zhí miàn 【 chuán fǎ zhēn yì 】 de jī huì sì hū jí wéi nán dé ， yī shēng zhǐ yǒu yī cì 。 kě wǒ chú le kàn dào xiē huàn xiàng zhī wài ， bìng méi yǒu chá jué dào tā yǒu qí tā xiào guǒ a ？”
许白心中吐槽，却是抓住机会，追问道：“按前辈所说，直面【传法真意】的机会似乎极为难得，一生只有一次。可我除了看到些幻象之外，并没有察觉到它有其他效果啊？”
Countless floating lands flashed past behind them.
hēi yī xiū shì yán sù dào ：“ wǒ děng xiū xíng de ， jiē shì tiān zūn suǒ chuán xīn fǎ 。 gù ér ， dāng wǒ men miàn duì 【 chuán fǎ zhēn yì 】 de shí hòu ， kàn dào de bù jǐn jǐn shì dān chún de huàn jué 。 ér shì hěn yǒu kě néng ， gēn měi gè rén de 【 dào zhī zhōng jí 】 yǒu guān 。”
黑衣修士严肃道：“我等修行的，皆是天尊所传新法。故而，当我们面对【传法真意】的时候，看到的不仅仅是单纯的幻觉。而是很有可能，跟每个人的【道之终极】有关。”
The black-robed guide continued explaining the wonders of True Intent of Transmission at a steady pace.
méi děng xǔ bái tí wèn ， tā biàn zhǔ dòng jiě shì qǐ 【 dào zhī zhōng jí 】 qǐ lái ：“ měi wèi xiū shì ， zì tà shàng xiū xíng lù qǐ ， dà dǐ dū huì jué de xiān lù miǎo miǎo 、 qián tú jiān xiǎn 。 měi yī céng jìng jiè ， gāi rú hé xiū xíng 、 yòu gāi zěn yàng xuǎn qǔ zuì shì hé zì jǐ de fǎ mén 。 zhè xiē dōu yào wǒ men zì jǐ qù mō suǒ 。”
没等许白提问，他便主动解释起【道之终极】起来：“每位修士，自踏上修行路起，大抵都会觉得仙路渺渺、前途艰险。每一层境界，该如何修行、又该怎样选取最适合自己的法门。这些都要我们自己去摸索。”
He concluded with a sigh: "Our cultivation is like climbing to heaven, shrouded in thick fog. A single misstep could lead us off the path and into ruin."
“ kě rén shēng méi yǒu zhòng lái de jī huì ， yí dàn nòng cuò ， biàn zhǐ néng bào hàn zhōng shēng 、 cóng cǐ zì jué yú dào tú 。 gù ér ， wǒ men měi zǒu yī bù ， dōu yào xiǎo xīn yì yì 、 shèn zhī yòu shèn 。”
“可人生没有重来的机会，一旦弄错，便只能抱憾终生、从此自绝于道途。故而，我们每走一步，都要小心翼翼、慎之又慎。”
"True Intent of Transmission illuminates the ultimate Dao at the peak of our journey, like lighting an unmistakable torch through the fog. The light guides our way."
“【 dào zhī zhōng jí 】， jiù shì zài tiān zūn yǎn zhōng ， zuì shì hé wǒ men xiū xíng de dào tú zhōng diǎn 。 chuán fǎ tiān zūn ， shì hé děng rén wù ？ yǎn jiè bù zhī dào bǐ wǒ men yào gāo chū duō shǎo bèi 。 tā suǒ rèn dìng de ， jī běn jiù hé shì shí wú yì le 。”
“【道之终极】，就是在天尊眼中，最适合我们修行的道途终点。传法天尊，是何等人物？眼界不知道比我们要高出多少倍。他所认定的，基本就和事实无异了。”
"This is the Transcendent Preceptor’s compassion for all living beings!"
“ suǒ yǐ shuō ， gāng gāng nà duàn huàn xiàng ， zhēn de zhì guān zhòng yào 。 nǐ kě rì yè chuǎi mó ， bì rán měi cì dū huì dà yǒu shōu huò 。”
“所以说，刚刚那段幻象，真的至关重要。你可日夜揣摩，必然每次都会大有收获。”
When they transformed back from their light forms to human figures, stepping onto the ground, the guide's words ceased.
wú shù piāo fú lù dì ， fēi kuài de shǎn guò shēn hòu 。
无数漂浮陆地，飞快的闪过身后。
He resumed his cold demeanor as he walked straight along a greenish stone path leading up to a towering black stone monument.
yǐn lù hēi yī xiū shì ， bù jí bù xú de shù shuō zhe 【 chuán fǎ zhēn yì 】 de xuán qí zhī chù 。
引路黑衣修士，不疾不徐的述说着【传法真意】的玄奇之处。
That was where the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance’s Guardian Hall resided.
zuì zhōng yǐ yī jù gǎn kǎi shōu chǎng ：“ wú bèi xiū xíng ， wǎn ruò yī tiáo dēng tiān zhī lù ， bèi chóng chóng mí wù zhē yǎn 。 shāo yǒu bù shèn ， zǒu cuò dào lù ， jiù huì shī zú diē luò 、 shuāi dé fěn suì 。”
最终以一句感慨收场：“吾辈修行，宛若一条登天之路，被重重迷雾遮掩。稍有不慎，走错道路，就会失足跌落、摔得粉碎。”
With each step on the homage path, the qi within Xu Bai sank into his body like that of an ordinary person.
“ ér chuán fǎ zhēn yì diǎn míng de dào zhī zhōng jí ， jiù xiàng zài dēng tiān zhī lù de zuì gāo diǎn ， diǎn rán le xǐng mù wú bǐ de huǒ bǎ 。 huǒ guāng chuān tòu mí wù ， jiāng fāng xiàng zhào liàng 。”
“而传法真意点明的道之终极，就像在登天之路的最高点，点燃了醒目无比的火把。火光穿透迷雾，将方向照亮。”
It was a long journey.
“ cǐ nǎi tiān zūn ， duì tiān xià yún yún zhòng shēng de lián mǐn ！”
“此乃天尊，对天下芸芸众生的怜悯！”
Only after reaching the end did the guide speak again in a gentle tone: "Present your jade token here to enter; I cannot go inside and will wait for you outside."
dāng èr rén cóng guāng xiàn xíng tài biàn huí rén xíng 、 shuāng jiǎo chóng xīn tà zú dì miàn de shí hòu ， hēi yī xiū shì de huà tóng shí zhǐ zhù 。
当二人从光线形态变回人形、双脚重新踏足地面的时候，黑衣修士的话同时止住。
Xu Bai bowed slightly before retrieving his jade token.
huī fù le yuán xiān nà bān lěng bīng bīng de mú yàng 。
恢复了原先那般冷冰冰的模样。
As in his previous life, a colorful passage emerged from the stone monument. Xu Bai strode into it confidently.
bǐ zhí de qīng lǜ sè shí lù ， zhí tōng jìn tóu de gāo dà hēi sè shí bēi 。
笔直的青绿色石路，直通尽头的高大黑色石碑。
...
nà lǐ jiù shì wàn xiān méng hù fǎ táng zǒng bù suǒ zài 。
那里就是万仙盟护法堂总部所在。
"Engraved Jade Token of Derivation, Xu Bai."
jiǎo cǎi zài jìn fǎ zhī lù shàng ， tǐ nèi líng qì shùn jiān chén jìn xià qù 。
脚踩在觐法之路上，体内灵气瞬间沉浸下去。
"ID: 03. Permission Level: Union Dao."
rú tóng fán rén yì bān ， xǔ bái yí bù yí bù ， jiǎo tà shí dì de cháo zhe mù dì dì zǒu qù 。
如同凡人一般，许白一步一步，脚踏实地的朝着目的地走去。
"Please wait here; estimated remaining waiting time: thirteen hours."
shì yī duàn pǒ wèi màn cháng de dào tú 。
是一段颇为漫长的道途。
A familiar voice echoed in his ears.
As if in response to the figure's words, the entire expanse of space and time instantly darkened.
Xu Bai could faintly hear a helpless wail.
Then, the thin figure shook its head slightly before turning around. Their eyes met with Xu Bai’s.
Boom!
The scene within his mind exploded into a cacophony of thunderous sounds. Xu Bai was shocked to realize that the figure's appearance was identical to his own!
No...
Before his eyes flashed, the face suddenly changed. Xu Bai seemed to see Mr. Bai’s unparalleled beauty once again.
However, it differed from what he had seen at Taiyin Sect. It wasn’t as radiant and heavenly; instead, it carried a sorrowful and compassionate demeanor. More real, with an unmistakably "human" quality.
His clear eyes seemed to hold countless emotions and stories, like a vortex swallowing Xu Bai’s mind.
...
"Wake up!"
A light shout echoed like the sound of a great bell, as if coming from beyond the heavens. It suddenly appeared in his ears, piercing through the barriers of an infinite world.
Xu Bai's gaze instantly regained its clarity and vitality. When he looked at Mr. Bai again, the flesh on his face seemed to melt like wax, slowly dissolving into a ghastly appearance that was once so breathtakingly beautiful.
In just moments, the terrifying aura spread across Mr. Bai’s entire body.
Like being sliced by a gust of wind, he turned into a pale skeleton in an instant. His hollow eyes stared straight at Xu Bai.
Xu Bai was immediately startled.
The surroundings seemed to shatter like glass with cracks appearing everywhere.
Suddenly, everything vanished.
The black-robed cultivator who had come to guide him swept his gaze over Xu Bai before slowly saying, "This space has a lingering trace of the Transcendent Preceptor’s aura. For new arrivals, this often triggers sensations and hallucinations."
Xu Bai, having visited the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance multiple times, knew about it.
When the original self had come here last time, he saw the towering statue of the Transcendent Preceptor.
From that decaying image, Li Fan felt an extreme sense of danger and a faint familiarity.
But this time, when his clone, refined with Xu Ke’s blood and Mr. Bai's essence, arrived at this place,
he encountered such a bizarre scene.
"Before you lies a path to immortality, but the Transcendent Preceptor stands above..."
"The appearance of Mr. Bai has become identical to my clone. And in the end, his sudden transformation into bones..."
"What does all this signify?"
Even after leaving the illusion, Xu Bai seemed still shaken by its impact.
But out of instinct, he followed the black-robed cultivator.
It appeared that Xu Bai's extraordinary good looks had an effect, as the cultivator did not interfere but silently led the way.
Only when they passed through the transfer array and transformed into beams of light, rapidly traversing the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance headquarters space, did Xu Bai gradually recover from the impact of the illusion.
The black-robed guide then explained, "This lingering aura of the Transcendent Preceptor is usually called [True Intent of Transmission]. It’s profound and has countless applications. Only new arrivals are affected by it, experiencing illusions due to the suddenness. After spending some time here, adapting to its presence, it becomes incredibly difficult to face such fantasies."
Unlike in his previous life when he, Han Yi, and Sister Ximen first arrived, there was no detailed explanation.
"It seems that judging people by their appearance is a human nature, even for cultivators like us."
Xu Bai thought to himself but seized the opportunity to ask, "As you said, facing [True Intent of Transmission] seems rare, only once in a lifetime. But besides seeing some illusions, I didn’t feel any other effects?"
The black-robed cultivator replied seriously, "We cultivate new methods passed down by the Transcendent Preceptor. Therefore, when we face this True Intent, it’s not just about illusions. It could be related to each of our [Ultimate Dao]."
Before Xu Bai could ask further, he explained the concept of [Ultimate Dao]:
"Each cultivator, from their first step on the path, feels that the path to immortality is distant and fraught with danger. How to progress through each realm and choose the most suitable method—these are all things we must explore ourselves."
"But life offers no second chances; a wrong turn could mean lifelong regret and self-exclusion from the Dao. Thus, every step requires careful consideration."
"[Ultimate Dao] is the path best suited for our cultivation as seen by the Transcendent Preceptor. How much higher his vision is compared to ours! What he deems true is essentially the truth."
"So, that illusion just now was truly crucial. You should ponder it day and night; you’ll surely gain significant insights each time."
Countless floating lands flashed past behind them.
The black-robed guide continued explaining the wonders of True Intent of Transmission at a steady pace.
He concluded with a sigh: "Our cultivation is like climbing to heaven, shrouded in thick fog. A single misstep could lead us off the path and into ruin."
"True Intent of Transmission illuminates the ultimate Dao at the peak of our journey, like lighting an unmistakable torch through the fog. The light guides our way."
"This is the Transcendent Preceptor’s compassion for all living beings!"
When they transformed back from their light forms to human figures, stepping onto the ground, the guide's words ceased.
He resumed his cold demeanor as he walked straight along a greenish stone path leading up to a towering black stone monument.
That was where the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance’s Guardian Hall resided.
With each step on the homage path, the qi within Xu Bai sank into his body like that of an ordinary person.
It was a long journey.
Only after reaching the end did the guide speak again in a gentle tone: "Present your jade token here to enter; I cannot go inside and will wait for you outside."
Xu Bai bowed slightly before retrieving his jade token.
As in his previous life, a colorful passage emerged from the stone monument. Xu Bai strode into it confidently.
...
"Engraved Jade Token of Derivation, Xu Bai."
"ID: 03. Permission Level: Union Dao."
"Please wait here; estimated remaining waiting time: thirteen hours."
A familiar voice echoed in his ears.