“ jiù xiàng shì ái dǎ de duō le , duì shén tōng chǎn shēng le kàng xìng yì bān 。” lǐ fán xīn zhōng àn zì xīn jīng 。
“就像是挨打的多了,对神通产生了抗性一般。”李凡心中暗自心惊。
"It's like the more I get hit, the less effective my techniques become," Li Fan thought to himself with a slight shock.
lǐ fán de shǒu duàn , xiào guǒ yù fā chán ruò 。
李凡的手段,效果愈发孱弱。
Li Fan’s methods were becoming increasingly ineffective.
shuò fēng què shì yuè zhàn yuè yǒng 。
朔锋却是越战越勇。
However, Suoxiong was growing stronger with each strike.
zuì zhōng , lǐ fán yǐ zì jǐ shí zài bù dí 、 huí qù sī suǒ xīn de shén tōng wèi yóu lí qù 。
最终,李凡以自己实在不敌、回去思索新的神通为由离去。
In the end, Li Fan left under the pretext that he could not withstand it and needed time to think of new divine powers.
méi yǒu qù bié de dì fāng , ér shì jìng zhí qián wǎng tiān quán zhōu tiān xuán jìng chù , dòng yòng le quán xiàn děng jí yǎn sān shí wǔ de tè quán 。
没有去别的地方,而是径直前往天权州天玄镜处,动用了权限等级衍三十五的特权。
Instead of going elsewhere, he directly headed for Tianquan State's Heavenly Mirror, using his privilege at level 35 Derivation.
hé xiǎng xiàng zhōng de bù tóng 。
和想象中的不同。
Unlike what he had expected, instead of a direct portal appearing in the Heavenly Mirror space, he was given a specific time and location. He would have to wait there until someone led him in; no latecomers allowed.
bú shì zhí jiē zài tiān xuán fēn jìng kōng jiān nèi , chǎn shēng qián wǎng tiān xuán běn jìng de tōng dào 。
不是直接在天玄分镜空间内,产生前往天玄本镜的通道。
Li Fan arrived at Tianquan City according to the agreed-upon time, standing before a tall stone mountain shaped like a lotus.
ér shì bèi gào zhī liǎo yí gè shí jiān 、 dì diǎn , ràng lǐ fán qián wǎng 。
而是被告知了一个时间、地点,让李凡前往。
A middle-aged cultivator had already been waiting for him. The man had a small beard and was wearing a blue Daoist robe. He looked Li Fan over curiously but greeted him politely, saying, "I am Wang Wan, at your service."
dào shí hòu , zì yǒu zhuān rén dài lǐng , yú qī bù hòu 。
到时候,自有专人带领,逾期不候。
Based on the aura he sensed, Li Fan judged that Wang Wan's cultivation level was at least Transcendent Spirit. He returned the greeting, "I am Li Fan, at your service."
lǐ fán àn zhào yuē dìng de shí jiān , lái dào tiān quán chéng wài , yī chù zhuàng ruò lián huā de gāo sǒng shí shān shàng 。
李凡按照约定的时间,来到天权城外,一处状若莲花的高耸石山上。
After a brief exchange of introductions, they both nodded and stopped talking.
yǐ jīng yǒu yī wèi zhōng nián xiū shì zài cǐ děng hòu le 。
已经有一位中年修士在此等候了。
"Level 35 Derivation privilege is not just about having strong cultivation; it must involve various connections within the Immortal Alliance," Li Fan thought to himself with understanding.
zhōng nián xiū shì liú zhe yī zuǒ shān yáng hú zǐ , shēn chuān lán sè dào páo , yǒu xiē chà yì de kàn le lǐ fán yī yǎn 。
中年修士留着一撮山羊胡子,身穿蓝色道袍,有些诧异的看了李凡一眼。
A moment later, another woman cultivator wearing a tight white outfit arrived at the top of the mountain.
bù guò dǎo shì shí fēn yǒu lǐ mào , zhǔ dòng gǒng le gǒng shǒu , wèn hòu dào :“ jiàn guò dào yǒu , zài xià wáng wǎn 。”
不过倒是十分有礼貌,主动拱了拱手,问候道:“见过道友,在下王皖。”
After exchanging greetings, she remained silent and waited quietly.
gēn jù duì fāng bù jīng yì jiān liú lù chū de qì xī , lǐ fán pàn duàn zhè wáng wǎn zuì shǎo yě shì huà shén xiū wèi 。 yě bù dài màn , huí lǐ dào :“ jiàn guò wáng dào yǒu , zài xià lǐ fán 。”
根据对方不经意间流露出的气息,李凡判断这王皖最少也是化神修为。也不怠慢,回礼道:“见过王道友,在下李凡。”
Li Fan learned her name was Deng Minxi.
hù xiāng jiè shào le yī fān , wēi wēi diǎn tóu hòu , biàn bù zài jiāo liú 。
互相介绍了一番,微微点头后,便不再交流。
No more cultivators came after that.
“ yǎn sān shí wǔ de quán xiàn děng jí , bú shì jǐn jǐn kào zhe qiáng dà xiū wèi , jiù néng dá dào de 。 bì rán zài xiān méng nèi bù yǒu zhe zhǒng zhǒng rén mài guān xì , yě nán guài wǒ zhǐ yǒu yuán yīng zhōng qī xiū wèi , tā duì wǒ dōu shí fēn kè qì 。” lǐ fán xīn xià liǎo rán 。
“衍三十五的权限等级,不是仅仅靠着强大修为,就能达到的。必然在仙盟内部有着种种人脉关系,也难怪我只有元婴中期修为,他对我都十分客气。”李凡心下了然。
It took nearly an incense stick's worth of time before faint spatial ripples appeared above the mountain peak.
guò le piàn kè , yòu yǒu yī wèi shēn chuān bái sè jǐn shù fú zhuāng de nǚ xiū lái dào le shān dǐng 。
过了片刻,又有一位身穿白色紧束服装的女修来到了山顶。
It seemed as if a transparent door had been cut out by invisible threads. A black-robed cultivator stepped through it and swept his gaze over them, confirming their identities.
gēn lǐ fán èr rén dǎ guò zhāo hū hòu , tóng yàng bì kǒu bù yán 、 ān jìng děng dài 。
跟李凡二人打过招呼后,同样闭口不言、安静等待。
"Follow me," the black-robed cultivator said in a deep voice.
lǐ fán dé zhī le duì fāng de xìng míng , dèng míng qiàn 。
李凡得知了对方的姓名,邓茗茜。
Without any visible action on his part, the transparent door expanded instantly, enveloping Li Fan and the others.
zhè zhī hòu , què shì zài wú xiū shì qián lái 。
这之后,却是再无修士前来。
A burst of dazzling light followed, and the door carried them away from sight.
zú zú yī zhù xiāng hòu , shān dǐng shàng fāng , fú xiàn chū sī sī kōng jiān bō dòng 。
足足一炷香后,山顶上方,浮现出丝丝空间波动。
Familiar sensations washed over him.
wǎn ruò bèi wú xíng xì xiàn qiē gē chū le yī shàn tòu míng mén fēi , yī wèi hēi yī xiū shì cóng zhōng zǒu chū 。
宛若被无形细线切割出了一扇透明门扉,一位黑衣修士从中走出。
It was like when he had infiltrated the root of the universe in Tianling State. His flesh and bones seemed to dissolve and transform.
sǎo shì yī yǎn , què rèn le sān rén de shēn fèn zhī hòu 。
扫视一眼,确认了三人的身份之后。
When Li Fan regained consciousness, he found himself back in his black-and-white line form, but unlike before, there appeared to be some mysterious force in this vast black-and-white space. It suppressed him, preventing his lines from gradually fading away.
“ gēn wǒ lái ba 。” hēi yī xiū shì chén shēng dào 。
“跟我来吧。”黑衣修士沉声道。
Li Fan silently sensed the subtle restraining power on him and thought, "This must be the Heavenly Mirror's protective measure."
yě bú jiàn tā rú hé dòng zuò , nà tòu míng mén fēi shùn jiān kuò dà , jiāng lǐ fán sān rén lǒng zhào qí zhōng 。
也不见他如何动作,那透明门扉瞬间扩大,将李凡三人笼罩其中。
"Since we're here to understand divine powers, without this protection, ordinary cultivators might be completely assimilated by this space in no time," he mused.
ér hòu bào fā chū yī zhèn yào yǎn guāng máng 。
而后爆发出一阵耀眼光芒。
"But based on my experiences in the root of the universe and my understanding of a similar life-sapping technique, I should last longer than most."
mén fēi dài zhe chǎng zhōng jǐ rén , xiāo shī bú jiàn 。
门扉带着场中几人,消失不见。
Li Fan looked around.
shú xī de gǎn jué yǒng shàng xīn tóu 。
熟悉的感觉涌上心头。
Deng Minxi and Wang Wan were also in line form nearby, but their forms differed from theirs. Deng Minxi was smaller, looking like a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl. Wang Wan's appearance had changed to that of an old man despite his unchanged body.
jiù xiàng dāng chū zài tiān líng zhōu xū kōng zhōng , qián rù 【 tiān dì zhī gēn 】 suǒ zài shí yī yàng 。
就像当初在天灵州虚空中,潜入【天地之根】所在时一样。
Wang Wan seemed to have been here before, flying forward with ease.
hún shēn xuè ròu 、 gǔ gé , dōu hǎo sì bèi róng jiě 、 zhuǎn huà 。
浑身血肉、骨骼,都好似被溶解、转化。
Deng Minxi initially looked confused and fearful but quickly adapted, following Wang Wan towards the center of this black-and-white space.
dāng lǐ fán qīng xǐng guò lái zhī hòu , fā xiàn zì jǐ yòu biàn chéng le nà wán quán yóu hēi bái xiàn tiáo zǔ chéng de huá jī mú yàng 。
当李凡清醒过来之后,发现自己又变成了那完全由黑白线条组成的滑稽模样。
Li Fan pondered for a moment before joining them.
bù guò gēn zài tiān dì zhī gēn zhōng bù tóng 。
不过跟在天地之根中不同。
During their flight, Li Fan noticed that this place was different from where he had seen the Heavenly Mirror create its own sub-mirror in his previous life. It wasn't as vast or independent but seemed to have some connection.
cǐ chù guǎng mào de hēi bái kōng jiān zhōng , sì hū cún zài zhe mǒu zhǒng shén mì lì liàng 。
此处广袤的黑白空间中,似乎存在着某种神秘力量。
"Essentially, it's still the Heavenly Mirror, just with different functions," Li Fan thought with a sudden realization.
luò zài lǐ fán shēn shàng , jìn xíng zhe yì zhì 。 shǐ qí zì shēn de xiàn tiáo , bù zhì yú qiāo qiāo liú shī 。
落在李凡身上,进行着抑制。使其自身的线条,不至于悄悄流失。
After not much time, they arrived at the center of the black-and-white space, where an elevated platform was built from countless intersecting lines.
lǐ fán mò mò gǎn wù zhe shēn shàng zhè ruò yǒu ruò wú de yì zhì zhī lì , xīn zhōng àn dào :“ zhè yīng gāi jiù shì tiān xuán jìng duì wǒ men de bǎo hù cuò shī le 。”
李凡默默感悟着身上这若有若无的抑制之力,心中暗道:“这应该就是天玄镜对我们的保护措施了。”
Deng Minxi and Wang Wan landed on this platform.
“ bì jìng shì lái lǐng wù shén tōng de 。 rú guǒ méi yǒu zhè céng fáng hù , xún cháng xiū shì pà bú shì yī shí sān kè , jiù yào bèi zhè piàn kōng jiān chè dǐ tóng huà 。”
“毕竟是来领悟神通的。如果没有这层防护,寻常修士怕不是一时三刻,就要被这片空间彻底同化。”
The line representing their feet became chaotic, spreading into numerous thin black threads that seemed to connect with the ground below.
“ bù guò , yǐ wǒ zài tiān dì zhī gēn zhōng de zāo yù , yǐ jí duì xiāng sì 【 chōu sī xuē mìng 】 shén tōng de lǐng wù 。 yīng gāi néng bǐ qí tā rén huó de gèng jiǔ yì diǎn 。”
“不过,以我在天地之根中的遭遇,以及对相似【抽丝削命】神通的领悟。应该能比其他人活的更久一点。”
This scene looked a bit eerie.
lǐ fán cháo zhe zhōu wéi dǎ liàng ér qù 。
李凡朝着周围打量而去。
Li Fan followed suit after a moment of contemplation.
zhǐ jiàn dèng míng qiàn 、 wáng wǎn yě zài bù yuǎn chù , jù shì huà zuò xiàn tiáo mú yàng 。
只见邓茗茜、王皖也在不远处,俱是化作线条模样。
In an instant, his vision was filled with vibrant colors.
bù guò gēn tā men de běn tǐ , què shì yǒu diǎn qū bié 。
不过跟他们的本体,却是有点区别。
Numerous characters fell like a waterfall before forming several lines of text:
dèng míng qiàn de shēn qū , bǐ qǐ liǎng wèi nán xiū , yào xiǎo le yī quān 。 kàn shàng qù zhǐ yǒu shí sān sì suì de yàng zi 。
邓茗茜的身躯,比起两位男修,要小了一圈。看上去只有十三四岁的样子。
"**Cultivator Li Fan has been connected."**
ér wáng wǎn suī rán tǐ xíng méi yǒu duō shǎo biàn huà , dàn shì yī xī kě jiàn de wài biǎo , què yóu zhī qián de zhōng nián shān yáng hú zǐ xiū shì , biàn chéng le chuí chuí lǎo yǐ de lǎo wēng xíng xiàng 。
而王皖虽然体型没有多少变化,但是依稀可见的外表,却由之前的中年山羊胡子修士,变成了垂垂老矣的老翁形象。
"Please demonstrate the divine power you wish to derive in your mind."
wáng wǎn sì hū bìng bú shì dì yī cì lái cǐ chù le , qīng chē shú lù de xiàng qián fāng fēi chí 。
王皖似乎并不是第一次来此处了,轻车熟路的向前方飞驰。
"Based on the current cultivation level of Cultivator Li Fan, the maximum power limit for this derivation is set at Transcendent Spirit."
dèng míng qiàn zé shì zuì chū yǒu xiē máng rán 、 jù pà 。
邓茗茜则是最初有些茫然、惧怕。
"Remaining derivation time..."
bù guò tā xīn lǐ sù zhì hěn hǎo , hěn kuài shì yìng xià lái 。 gēn suí zhe wáng wǎn , cháo zhe cǐ chù hēi bái kōng jiān de zhōng yāng fēi qù 。
不过她心理素质很好,很快适应下来。跟随着王皖,朝着此处黑白空间的中央飞去。
A countdown appeared, with only ten hours left.
lǐ fán chén yín piàn kè , yě gēn zhe yì qǐ 。
李凡沉吟片刻,也跟着一起。
Before the Heavenly Mirror, he had to be cautious.
fēi dùn tú zhōng , lǐ fán fā xiàn , zhè lǐ gēn qián shì suǒ jiàn de , tiān xuán jìng dàn shēng zì shēn fèn jìng de dì fāng , bìng bù xiāng tóng 。
飞遁途中,李凡发现,这里跟前世所见的,天玄镜诞生自身分镜的地方,并不相同。
But since this was a rare opportunity, he needed to maximize his benefits.
bù shì nà bān guǎng kuò , jiào wéi dú lì 。
不似那般广阔,较为独立。
The shocking **'Disorder'** divine power couldn't be shown.
dàn yòu yǐn yǐn yǒu suǒ guān lián 。
但又隐隐有所关联。
Li Fan pondered for a moment and made up his mind.
“ běn zhì dōu shì tiān xuán jìng , dàn shì fēn gōng yǒu suǒ bù tóng 。” lǐ fán xīn zhōng shēng qǐ yī zhèn míng wù 。
“本质都是天玄镜,但是分工有所不同。”李凡心中升起一阵明悟。
"The space here in the Heavenly Mirror is so similar to the root of the universe."
méi yòng duō jiǔ , lái dào le hēi bái kōng jiān de zuì zhōng yāng 。
没用多久,来到了黑白空间的最中央。
"If my guess is right, it's parsing the process of world creation."
nà lǐ yóu wú shù zòng héng xiàn tiáo , dā jiàn ér chéng le yí gè xuán kōng píng tái 。
那里由无数纵横线条,搭建而成了一个悬空平台。
"Given that..."
dèng míng qiàn yǔ wáng wǎn cǐ kè luò zài le píng tái shàng 。
邓茗茜与王皖此刻落在了平台上。
Li Fan focused on the various insights he had about the **'Reversing Five Elements Life-Death Sword.'**
jiǎo suǒ dài biǎo de xiàn tiáo biàn dé shí fēn líng luàn , fēn sàn chéng wú shù gēn hēi sè xì xiàn , wǎn ruò xì xiǎo de chù shǒu bān , gēn xià fāng dì miàn xiāng jiē 。
脚所代表的线条变得十分凌乱,分散成无数根黑色细线,宛若细小的触手般,跟下方地面相接。
The **'Reversing Five Elements Life-Death Sword'** was a divine power Li Fan derived based on his understanding of the **Life-Death Pathway**, built upon the Great Five Elements Annihilation Sword.
zhè yí mù kàn shàng qù yǒu xiē guǐ yì 。
这一幕看上去有些诡异。
However, at only the Embryonic Spirit stage, his understanding of life and death was rather shallow.
lǐ fán chén yín piàn kè , yě xué zhe zhào zuò 。
李凡沉吟片刻,也学着照做。
His main body's innate talent for comprehension wasn't as extraordinary as his avatar Xu Bai’s.
xià yī miǎo , shì yě chóng xīn biàn dé qī cǎi bān lán qǐ lái 。
下一秒,视野重新变得七彩斑斓起来。
Since he had derived it, its practical use had been limited.
wú shù zì fú rú pù bù bān zài yǎn qián là xià 。
无数字符如瀑布般在眼前落下。
He mostly used it like a regular Annihilation Sword.
zuì zhōng xíng chéng jǐ xíng xiǎo zì 。
最终形成几行小字。
As for the "creation" function, it was currently only useful for creating spirit stones with one hand, which was rather useless.
“ xiū shì 【 lǐ fán 】 yǐ jiē rù 。”
“修士【李凡】已接入。”
"I hope this brings me some surprises," Li Fan thought.
“ qǐng yú shí hǎi zhōng , yǎn shì yù tuī yǎn shén tōng 。”
“请于识海中,演示欲推衍神通。”
As he meditated on his insights about the **'Reversing Five Elements Life-Death Sword,'** the lines connecting him to the platform began to move like they were being gently brushed by a breeze.
“ jī yú xiū shì 【 lǐ fán 】 mù qián xiū wèi , běn cì tuī yǎn shén tōng wēi lì shàng xiàn dìng yú 【 huà shén 】 jí 。”
“基于修士【李凡】目前修为,本次推衍神通威力上限定于【化神】级。”
The blackness of the lines intensified, as if something was being transmitted.
“ shèng yú tuī yǎn shí jiān ……”
“剩余推衍时间……”
In just moments, feedback from the Heavenly Mirror arrived before Li Fan's eyes.
zuì hòu shì yī xíng bù duàn tiào dòng de dào jì shí 。
最后是一行不断跳动的倒计时。
He saw the process of the Five Elements Heaven and Earth's formation again, followed by countless fleeting images forming an immense tree with numerous branches.
zhǐ yǒu shí gè shí chén 。
只有十个时辰。
Li Fan stood at the base of this tree, about to make a decision.
"It's like the more I get hit, the less effective my techniques become," Li Fan thought to himself with a slight shock.
Li Fan’s methods were becoming increasingly ineffective.
However, Suoxiong was growing stronger with each strike.
In the end, Li Fan left under the pretext that he could not withstand it and needed time to think of new divine powers.
Instead of going elsewhere, he directly headed for Tianquan State's Heavenly Mirror, using his privilege at level 35 Derivation.
Unlike what he had expected, instead of a direct portal appearing in the Heavenly Mirror space, he was given a specific time and location. He would have to wait there until someone led him in; no latecomers allowed.
Li Fan arrived at Tianquan City according to the agreed-upon time, standing before a tall stone mountain shaped like a lotus.
A middle-aged cultivator had already been waiting for him. The man had a small beard and was wearing a blue Daoist robe. He looked Li Fan over curiously but greeted him politely, saying, "I am Wang Wan, at your service."
Based on the aura he sensed, Li Fan judged that Wang Wan's cultivation level was at least Transcendent Spirit. He returned the greeting, "I am Li Fan, at your service."
After a brief exchange of introductions, they both nodded and stopped talking.
"Level 35 Derivation privilege is not just about having strong cultivation; it must involve various connections within the Immortal Alliance," Li Fan thought to himself with understanding.
A moment later, another woman cultivator wearing a tight white outfit arrived at the top of the mountain.
After exchanging greetings, she remained silent and waited quietly.
Li Fan learned her name was Deng Minxi.
No more cultivators came after that.
It took nearly an incense stick's worth of time before faint spatial ripples appeared above the mountain peak.
It seemed as if a transparent door had been cut out by invisible threads. A black-robed cultivator stepped through it and swept his gaze over them, confirming their identities.
"Follow me," the black-robed cultivator said in a deep voice.
Without any visible action on his part, the transparent door expanded instantly, enveloping Li Fan and the others.
A burst of dazzling light followed, and the door carried them away from sight.
Familiar sensations washed over him.
It was like when he had infiltrated the root of the universe in Tianling State. His flesh and bones seemed to dissolve and transform.
When Li Fan regained consciousness, he found himself back in his black-and-white line form, but unlike before, there appeared to be some mysterious force in this vast black-and-white space. It suppressed him, preventing his lines from gradually fading away.
Li Fan silently sensed the subtle restraining power on him and thought, "This must be the Heavenly Mirror's protective measure."
"Since we're here to understand divine powers, without this protection, ordinary cultivators might be completely assimilated by this space in no time," he mused.
"But based on my experiences in the root of the universe and my understanding of a similar life-sapping technique, I should last longer than most."
Li Fan looked around.
Deng Minxi and Wang Wan were also in line form nearby, but their forms differed from theirs. Deng Minxi was smaller, looking like a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl. Wang Wan's appearance had changed to that of an old man despite his unchanged body.
Wang Wan seemed to have been here before, flying forward with ease.
Deng Minxi initially looked confused and fearful but quickly adapted, following Wang Wan towards the center of this black-and-white space.
Li Fan pondered for a moment before joining them.
During their flight, Li Fan noticed that this place was different from where he had seen the Heavenly Mirror create its own sub-mirror in his previous life. It wasn't as vast or independent but seemed to have some connection.
"Essentially, it's still the Heavenly Mirror, just with different functions," Li Fan thought with a sudden realization.
After not much time, they arrived at the center of the black-and-white space, where an elevated platform was built from countless intersecting lines.
Deng Minxi and Wang Wan landed on this platform.
The line representing their feet became chaotic, spreading into numerous thin black threads that seemed to connect with the ground below.
This scene looked a bit eerie.
Li Fan followed suit after a moment of contemplation.
In an instant, his vision was filled with vibrant colors.
Numerous characters fell like a waterfall before forming several lines of text:
"**Cultivator Li Fan has been connected."**
"Please demonstrate the divine power you wish to derive in your mind."
"Based on the current cultivation level of Cultivator Li Fan, the maximum power limit for this derivation is set at Transcendent Spirit."
"Remaining derivation time..."
A countdown appeared, with only ten hours left.
Before the Heavenly Mirror, he had to be cautious.
But since this was a rare opportunity, he needed to maximize his benefits.
The shocking **'Disorder'** divine power couldn't be shown.
Li Fan pondered for a moment and made up his mind.
"The space here in the Heavenly Mirror is so similar to the root of the universe."
"If my guess is right, it's parsing the process of world creation."
"Given that..."
Li Fan focused on the various insights he had about the **'Reversing Five Elements Life-Death Sword.'**
The **'Reversing Five Elements Life-Death Sword'** was a divine power Li Fan derived based on his understanding of the **Life-Death Pathway**, built upon the Great Five Elements Annihilation Sword.
However, at only the Embryonic Spirit stage, his understanding of life and death was rather shallow.
His main body's innate talent for comprehension wasn't as extraordinary as his avatar Xu Bai’s.
Since he had derived it, its practical use had been limited.
He mostly used it like a regular Annihilation Sword.
As for the "creation" function, it was currently only useful for creating spirit stones with one hand, which was rather useless.
"I hope this brings me some surprises," Li Fan thought.
As he meditated on his insights about the **'Reversing Five Elements Life-Death Sword,'** the lines connecting him to the platform began to move like they were being gently brushed by a breeze.
The blackness of the lines intensified, as if something was being transmitted.
In just moments, feedback from the Heavenly Mirror arrived before Li Fan's eyes.
He saw the process of the Five Elements Heaven and Earth's formation again, followed by countless fleeting images forming an immense tree with numerous branches.
Li Fan stood at the base of this tree, about to make a decision.