gāo tiān zhī shàng ， yì xiàng zài shēng ！
高天之上，异像再生！
Above the heavens, a strange phenomenon emerged once again!
yī bǐng qiān chuí bǎi liàn de jù jiàn ， què bèi rén fàng zhì zài àn chù ， qiān nián lái wú rén wèn jīn 。
一柄千锤百炼的巨剑，却被人放置在暗处，千年来无人问津。
A mighty sword forged through countless hammer blows lay hidden in the shadows, untouched for millennia.
suí zhe suì yuè de liú shì ， tā de jiàn shēn bù zài míng liàng ， tā de jiàn rèn bù zài fēng lì ， tā de hún shēn shàng xià ， xiù jì bān bān ！
随着岁月的流逝，它的剑身不再明亮，它的剑刃不再锋利，它的浑身上下，锈迹斑斑！
As time passed, its blade dulled and its body rusted, but an aura of anger andunwillingness to give up (unwillingness) suddenly surged forth!
rán ér ， yī gǔ fèn nù 、 bù gān de qíng xù dǒu rán shēng chū ！
然而，一股愤怒、不甘的情绪陡然生出！
The rusting grew more severe, yet the sword's divine power and majesty increased with each passing day!
xiù jì de qīn shí yù fā yán zhòng ， ér nà bǐng jù jiàn de shén yì yǔ wēi yán ， què tóng yàng yǔ rì jù zēng ！
锈迹的侵蚀愈发严重，而那柄巨剑的神异与威严，却同样与日俱增！
"Dao Xuanzi, a Foundation Establishment cultivator who practiced cultivation for 201 years. He achieved his Dao base through the unique object 'Rusted Sword Dao Xuan'. In the realm of Immortal Desolation, he fought to the death against others, ultimately perishing at the hands of Foundation Establishment cultivator Cao Hong."
“ zhù jī xiū shì dào xuán zi ， fán xiū dào liǎng bǎi líng yī zài ， yǐ qí wù 【 xiù jiàn dào xuán 】 chéng jiù dào jī 。 zài xiān jué zhī dì ， yǔ rén pīn shā ， zuì zhōng sǐ yú zhù jī xiū shì kòu hóng zhī shǒu 。”
“筑基修士道玄子，凡修道两百零一载，以奇物【锈剑道玄】成就道基。在仙绝之地，与人拼杀，最终死于筑基修士寇洪之手。”
"Now that I am dead and my Dao extinguished, I return the Dao to Heaven!"
“ rú jīn shēn sǐ dào xiāo ， hái dào yú tiān ！”
“如今身死道消，还道于天！”
A dazzling scene illuminated the sky for thousands of miles.
xuàn làn de chǎng jǐng yān huā bān zhào liàng le shù qiān lǐ de tiān kōng 。
绚烂的场景烟花般照亮了数千里的天空。
"Dao Xuanzi…" Cao Hong looked up at the magnificent sight, seemingly stunned. He muttered under his breath.
“ dào xuán zi ……” kòu hóng yǎng tóu kàn zhe nà guī lì de jǐng xiàng ， sì hū chè dǐ lèng zhù le ， bú zhù dì nán nán zì yǔ 。
“道玄子……”寇洪仰头看着那瑰丽的景象，似乎彻底愣住了，不住地喃喃自语。
All the soldiers present also gazed upward in a daze.
zài chǎng de suǒ yǒu shì bīng yě tái tóu kàn zhe tiān kōng ， lèng lèng chū shén 。
在场的所有士兵也抬头看着天空，愣愣出神。
"I, Li Fan, pay homage to Immortal Master."
“ lǎo fū lǐ fán ， jiàn guò xiān shī 。”
“老夫李凡，见过仙师。”
At this moment, an elderly man with white hair and beard, leaning on a cane, slowly approached Cao Hong.
jiù zài zhè shí ， yī wèi xū fà jiē bái de lǎo zhě ， chǔ zhe guǎi zhàng ， chàn chàn wēi wēi dì zǒu dào le kòu hóng shēn biān 。
就在这时，一位须发皆白的老者，杵着拐杖，颤颤巍巍地走到了寇洪身边。
Cao Hong ignored him, but Li Fan remained unperturbed. He stood by waiting for the soldiers to be patient as well.
kòu hóng méi yǒu lǐ huì ， lǐ fán yě bù zháo jí ， zhàn lì zài yī páng děng hòu de tóng shí yě shì yì yī zhòng shì bīng nài xīn děng dài 。
寇洪没有理会，李凡也不着急，站立在一旁等候的同时也示意一众士兵耐心等待。
After a long while, when the strange phenomenon in the sky had dissipated, Cao Hong finally turned to Li Fan.
guò le xǔ jiǔ ， děng tiān shàng de yì xiàng sàn qù zhī hòu ， kòu hóng zhè cái kàn xiàng lǐ fán 。
过了许久，等天上的异像散去之后，寇洪这才看向李凡。
"Are you the leader of these mortals?" Cao Hong's tone was harsh; he clearly did not have a good impression of Li Fan. "The sounds that echoed from all directions were indeed your doing."
“ nǐ jiù shì cǐ chù fán rén de tóu lǐng ？” kòu hóng de yǔ qì shēng yìng ， xiǎn rán duì lǐ fán de gǎn guān bú shì hěn hǎo 。“ zhī qián nà sì chù xiǎng qǐ de shēng yīn jiù shì nǐ ba 。”
“你就是此处凡人的头领？”寇洪的语气生硬，显然对李凡的感观不是很好。“之前那四处响起的声音就是你吧。”
"A mere trick, insufficient to catch Immortal Master's eye," Li Fan bowed and avoided discussing it directly. Instead, he knelt deeply: "I humbly beg for Immortal Master's mercy; save the lives of over a thousand of my people."
“ wēi mò jì liǎng ， bù zú yǐ rù xiān shī fǎ yǎn 。” lǐ fán gǒng shǒu ， bì ér bù tán cǐ shì ， ér shì zhí jiē yī jū dào dǐ ：“ hái qǐng xiān shī cí bēi ， jiù wǒ zú shàng xià qiān yú kǒu rén xìng mìng 。”
“微末伎俩，不足以入仙师法眼。”李凡拱手，避而不谈此事，而是直接一鞠到底：“还请仙师慈悲，救我族上下千余口人性命。”
"Mercy…" Cao Hong sneered at this. "In our battle with Dao Xuanzi, we fought on our own merits, and our fates were left to the heavens. You, a mere mortal, dare to interfere in the battles between cultivators?"
“ cí bēi ……” kòu hóng wén yán lěng xiào 。“ wǒ yǔ dào xuán zi dòu fǎ ， nǎi gè píng běn shì ， shēng sǐ gè ān tiān mìng 。 nǐ yī qū qū fán rén ， jū rán chā shǒu wǒ men xiū xiān zhě zhī jiān de zhàn dòu 。”
“慈悲……”寇洪闻言冷笑。“我与道玄子斗法，乃各凭本事，生死各安天命。你一区区凡人，居然插手我们修仙者之间的战斗。”
He looked at Li Fan, his tone filled with clear intent: "Speaking of which, although I and Dao Xuanzi struggled for centuries over cultivation techniques, he was still my comrade-in-arms for more than a hundred years. Now that you've betrayed him, should I kill you to avenge Dao Xuanzi?"
tā kàn zhe lǐ fán ， huà yǔ zhōng de shā qì xiǎn lù wú yí ：“ shuō qǐ lái ， suī rán wǒ hé dào xuán zi wèi le jié dān gōng fǎ pīn gè nǐ sǐ wǒ huó ， dàn tā hǎo dǎi yě shì wǒ bǎi yú nián de xiōng dì 。 rú jīn nǐ àn suàn yú tā ， wǒ shì bú shì yào shā nǐ gěi dào xuán zi bào chóu ？”
他看着李凡，话语中的杀气显露无疑：“说起来，虽然我和道玄子为了结丹功法拼个你死我活，但他好歹也是我百余年的兄弟。如今你暗算于他，我是不是要杀你给道玄子报仇？”
Li Fan remained unperturbed as Cao Hong pressed on: "It's merely a plea for survival! As I said before, if Immortal Master were to lose this battle, our people would surely perish."
méi yǒu zài yì kòu hóng de duō duō bī rén ， lǐ fán zhǐ shì kǔ xiào ：“ bù guò shì qiú yī xiàn shēng jī bà le ！ zhèng rú zhī qián lǎo xiǔ suǒ shuō ， ruò shì xiān shī luò bài ， wǒ zhī zú rén bì dìng nán táo yī sǐ 。”
没有在意寇洪的咄咄逼人，李凡只是苦笑：“不过是求一线生机罢了！正如之前老朽所说，若是仙师落败，我之族人必定难逃一死。”
Cao Hong's expression softened. He sighed lightly: "A plea for survival, indeed. You're right; in this harsh world, who doesn't struggle for that last chance at life?"
kòu hóng wén yán ， liǎn sè dǎo shì yī huǎn 。 tā qīng tàn le yì kǒu qì ：“ hǎo gè qiú yī xiàn shēng jī 。 nǐ shuō de méi cuò ， shì dào jiān nán ， shuí yòu bú shì wèi le nà yī xiàn shēng jī ér kǔ kǔ zhēng zhá ne 。”
寇洪闻言，脸色倒是一缓。他轻叹了一口气：“好个求一线生机。你说的没错，世道艰难，谁又不是为了那一线生机而苦苦挣扎呢。”
Li Fan saw an opening and quickly added: "Before Dao Xuanzi… Immortal Master promised me something if…"
lǐ fán jiàn kòu hóng de yǔ qì biàn ruǎn ， lián máng dǎ shé shàng gùn dào ：“ zhī qián dào xuán zi …… xiān shī céng xǔ nuò yú wǒ ， ruò shì ……”
李凡见寇洪的语气变软，连忙打蛇上棍道：“之前道玄子……仙师曾许诺于我，若是……”
Before he could finish, Cao Hong frowned and cut him off: "If it's about that, you're likely to be disappointed. Dao Xuanzi probably never intended to fulfill his promise from the start."
huà wèi shuō wán ， kòu hóng biàn zhòu zhe méi tóu ， jiāng qí dǎ duàn ：“ rú guǒ shì zhè jiàn shì de huà ， kǒng pà yào ràng nǐ shī wàng le 。 dào xuán zi huò xǔ yī kāi shǐ jiù méi yǒu duì xiàn chéng nuò de dǎ suàn 。”
话未说完，寇洪便皱着眉头，将其打断：“如果是这件事的话，恐怕要让你失望了。道玄子或许一开始就没有兑现承诺的打算。”
Li Fan was taken aback: "What does Immortal Master mean by this?"
lǐ fán lèng le xià ：“ xiān shī zhè huà shén me yì si ？”
李凡愣了下：“仙师这话什么意思？”
Cao Hong sneered: "Dao Xuanzi always appeared serious and reliable in public, but he acted without any limits, even deceiving mortals like you."
kòu hóng lüè dài cháo fěng dì shuō dào ：“ dào xuán zi bǎi nián lái ， rén qián dōu shì yī běn zhèng jīng 、 shuō yī bù èr de xíng xiàng ， méi xiǎng xiàng dào shí jì shàng háng shì háo wú dǐ xiàn ， lián fán rén dōu piàn 。”
寇洪略带嘲讽地说道：“道玄子百年来，人前都是一本正经、说一不二的形象，没想象到实际上行事毫无底线，连凡人都骗。”
He paused, then continued, gauging Li Fan's reaction. "The Great Desolation Array is extremely perilous; we managed to enter only through luck. We struggle just to leave this place ourselves, let alone take mortals with us?"
tā dùn le dùn ， kàn le kàn lǐ fán de liǎn sè ， jiē zhe shuō dào ：“ nà jué xiān dà zhèn hé qí xiōng xiǎn ， zhī qián wǒ men èr rén néng gòu chuǎng jìn lái yě shì yǒu yí dìng de yùn qì chéng fèn 。 wǒ men zì jǐ xiǎng yào lí kāi dōu yào fèi yī fān gōng fu ， yòu zěn me kě néng dài fán rén lí kāi ？”
他顿了顿，看了看李凡的脸色，接着说道：“那绝仙大阵何其凶险，之前我们二人能够闯进来也是有一定的运气成分。我们自己想要离开都要费一番功夫，又怎么可能带凡人离开？”
"Really? You don't know any way out of here?" Li Fan was shaken to his core, his face contorted in dismay. A century's worth of hope had been dashed by the very cultivator he had hoped would help.
“ shén me ？ nǐ men yě bù zhī dào néng gòu lí kāi cǐ dì de fāng fǎ ？” lǐ fán xīn shén jù zhèn ， miàn sè biàn dé jí qí nán kàn 。 bǎi yú nián de qī dài bèi miàn qián de xiū xiān zhě qīn kǒu fǒu jué ， lǐ fán de xīn tài chà diǎn bēng kuì 。
“什么？你们也不知道能够离开此地的方法？”李凡心神剧震，面色变得极其难看。百余年的期待被面前的修仙者亲口否决，李凡的心态差点崩溃。
Fortunately, Li Fan had endured many lifetimes and remained resilient. He steadied himself and said: "This is not a place for discussion; please follow me."
hǎo zài ， lǐ fán bì jìng lì jīng jǐ shì mó liàn ， xīn zhì jiān rèn 。 tā dìng le dìng shén ， duì kòu hóng shuō dào ：“ cǐ dì bú shì shuō huà de dì fāng ， xiān shī hái qǐng suí wǒ lái 。”
好在，李凡毕竟历经几世磨炼，心智坚韧。他定了定神，对寇洪说道：“此地不是说话的地方，仙师还请随我来。”
Leading Cao Hong through the ruins of Xuanjing City, they arrived at an underground shelter.
shuō zhe ， tā lǐng zhe kòu hóng yú xuán jīng chéng fèi xū zhōng zǒu le piàn kè ， lái dào le yī chù dì xià yǎn tǐ zhōng 。
说着，他领着寇洪于玄京城废墟中走了片刻，来到了一处地下掩体中。
During Dao Xuanzi's battle with Cao Hong, soldiers had hidden in these shelters. There were many such shelters throughout Xuanjing City.
zhī qián kòu hóng yǔ dào xuán zi xiāng zhēng shí hòu ， chéng lǐ dī shì bīng jiù duǒ zài zhè xiē yǎn tǐ lǐ 。 xuán jīng chéng zhōng ， lèi sì de yǎn tǐ dà dà xiǎo xiǎo ， zú zú yǒu shàng bǎi gè 。
之前寇洪与道玄子相争时候，城里的士兵就躲在这些掩体里。玄京城中，类似的掩体大大小小，足足有上百个。
Though deep underground, lights illuminated them like daylight. Ventilation pipes connected to the outside world ensured a comfortable atmosphere.
yǎn tǐ suī rán shēn cáng dì xià ， dàn shì yǒu dēng guāng zhào míng ， yī rán liàng rú bái zhòu 。 gèng yǒu tōng fēng guǎn dào lián jiē wài jiè ， bù xiǎn biē mèn 。
掩体虽然深藏地下，但是有灯光照明，依然亮如白昼。更有通风管道连接外界，不显憋闷。
Cao Hong looked around curiously and praised: "No wonder Dao Xuanzi sought cooperation with mortals. Your ability to harness and control lightning is impressive; indeed, you've developed quite well over thousands of years. The earlier traps were also formidable."
kòu hóng ráo yǒu xìng zhì de dǎ liàng zhe tiān huā bǎn shàng de dēng ， kuā zàn dào ：“ nán guài dào xuán zi zhī qián huì zhǎo nǐ men zhè xiē fán rén hé zuò 。 néng gòu yuē shù bìng lì yòng léi diàn zhī lì ， kàn lái shù qiān nián lái ， nǐ men zhè xiē xiān jué zhī dì de fán rén zhe shí fā zhǎn de bù cuò 。 hái yǒu zhī qián de àn qì ， yě suàn de shàng wēi lì bù sú 。”
寇洪饶有兴致的打量着天花板上的灯，夸赞道：“难怪道玄子之前会找你们这些凡人合作。能够约束并利用雷电之力，看来数千年来，你们这些仙绝之地的凡人着实发展的不错。还有之前的暗器，也算的上威力不俗。”
He shook his head: "Too bad; these artifacts are useful only in this realm where the Great Dao is broken. Beyond here, thesuppress (suppression) of the Great Dao leaves them useless."
jǐn jiē zhe ， tā yòu yáo le yáo tóu ：“ kě xī le ， yě zhǐ yǒu zài zhè dà dào cán quē zhī dì ， zhè xiē fǎ qì cái yǒu xiē yòng chǔ 。 chū le cǐ chù ， dà dào fǎ zé yā pò zhī xià ， zhè xiē dōng xī quán dōu méi yǒu yòng wǔ zhī dì 。”
紧接着，他又摇了摇头：“可惜了，也只有在这大道残缺之地，这些法器才有些用处。出了此处，大道法则压迫之下，这些东西全都没有用武之地。”
"Speaking of which, when did Dao Xuanzi find you to plot against me? The timing doesn't match," Cao Hong suddenly remembered something and asked.
“ shuō qǐ lái ， dào xuán zi shì shén me shí hòu zhǎo dào nǐ ， ràng nǐ zài cǐ chù àn suàn wǒ de ？ shí jiān duì bù shàng a ？ nán bù chéng ， tā qiāo qiāo xiū liàn le fēn shēn zhī shù ？” kòu hóng hū de xiǎng qǐ le shén me ， tū rán wèn dào 。
“说起来，道玄子是什么时候找到你，让你在此处暗算我的？时间对不上啊？难不成，他悄悄修炼了分身之术？”寇洪忽的想起了什么，突然问道。
Li Fan remained calm as he was about to answer but saw Cao Hong's interest wane. He waved his hand dismissively: "Forget it; worrying over such matters is pointless. Once my Dao is extinguished, all will be in vain." Sitting down dejectedly, Cao Hong seemed deeply affected by Dao Xuanzi's death.
lǐ fán bù dòng shēng sè ， zhèng yù huí dá ， què jiàn kòu hóng hū rán yì xìng lán shān ， bǎi le bǎi shǒu ：“ bà le ， hái jiū jié cǐ shì zuò shèn 。 shēn sǐ dào xiāo hòu ， wàn shì jiē wèi kōng 。” shuō wán ， tā què shì zhí jiē zuò zài le yǐ zi shàng ， shén sè pǒ wèi bù zhèn 。 yǎn rán shì bèi dào xuán zi de sǐ dǎ jī dào bù shǎo 。
李凡不动声色，正欲回答，却见寇洪忽然意兴阑珊，摆了摆手：“罢了，还纠结此事作甚。身死道消后，万事皆为空。”说完，他却是直接坐在了椅子上，神色颇为不振。俨然是被道玄子的死打击到不少。
"Better not to dwell on this," Li Fan thought.
“ bù wèn cǐ shì zuì hǎo ， ruò shuō duō le ， nán miǎn yǒu xiē pò zhàn 。” lǐ fán xīn zhōng àn dào 。
“不问此事最好，若说多了，难免有些破绽。”李凡心中暗道。
He nervously asked: "Immortal Master said earlier that you cannot take mortals out of the Immortal Desolation. Is that true?"
suí hòu tā yī liǎn tǎn tè dì xiàng kòu hóng xún wèn ：“ zhī qián xiān shī suǒ shuō ， wú fǎ dài fán rén lí kāi zhè xiān jué zhī dì ， cǐ shì dàng zhēn ？”
随后他一脸忐忑地向寇洪询问：“之前仙师所说，无法带凡人离开这仙绝之地，此事当真？”
Cao Hong scoffed: "You're a mere mortal; why would I lie? Perhaps a Golden Core cultivator could protect mortals through the Great Desolation Array, but with your Foundation Establishment cultivation, it's impossible!"
kòu hóng chī xiào ：“ nǐ qū qū yī jiè fán rén ， wǒ piàn nǐ zuò shèn 。 huò xǔ jīn dān qī de xiū shì néng gòu hù zhe fán rén chuǎng guò nà jué xiān dà zhèn ， tǎng ruò guāng shì zhù jī qī de xiū wèi ， jué wú kě néng ！”
寇洪嗤笑：“你区区一介凡人，我骗你作甚。或许金丹期的修士能够护着凡人闯过那绝仙大阵，倘若光是筑基期的修为，绝无可能！”
"Of course, if you don't mind ending up as mere fragments," he added.
“ dāng rán ， ruò shì nǐ bù jiè yì chū qù zhī hòu zhǐ shèng xià jǐ gè suì kuài de huà ， wǒ yě shì yuàn yì miǎn qiǎng yī shì de 。”
“当然，若是你不介意出去之后只剩下几个碎块的话，我也是愿意勉强一试的。”
Not amused by Cao Hong's joke, Li Fan persisted: "Is there no hope for us to leave this world?"
méi yǒu zài yì kòu hóng zhè ge bù zěn me hǎo xiào de lěng xiào huà ， lǐ fán bù sǐ xīn de wèn dào ：“ nán dào ， wǒ děng fán rén jiù méi yǒu xī wàng lí kāi cǐ fāng shì jiè le ma ？”
没有在意寇洪这个不怎么好笑的冷笑话，李凡不死心的问道：“难道，我等凡人就没有希望离开此方世界了嘛？”
Cao Hong thought and shook his head: "To leave the Immortal Desolation requires passing through the Great Desolation Array. With your mortal body, it's impossible. All attempts are futile. Besides, you're near death; why be soattachment (obsessed) with leaving? Being a local ruler isn't bad."
kòu hóng xiǎng le xiǎng ， hái shì yáo le yáo tóu ：“ xiǎng yào lí kāi xiān jué zhī dì ， bì xū yào chuǎng jué xiān dà zhèn 。 yǐ qū qū fán rén zhī qū ， gēn běn méi yǒu rèn hé kě néng chuǎng guò qù 。 yī qiè cháng shì dōu zhǐ bù guò shì zì xún sǐ lù bà le 。 zài shuō le ， nǐ dōu bàn jié shēn zi dōu rù tǔ de nián líng le ， hái zhè me zhí zhuó lí kāi zhè lǐ gàn shén me 。 dāng gè tǔ huáng dì bú shì mán hǎo de me 。”
寇洪想了想，还是摇了摇头：“想要离开仙绝之地，必须要闯绝仙大阵。以区区凡人之躯，根本没有任何可能闯过去。一切尝试都只不过是自寻死路罢了。再说了，你都半截身子都入土的年龄了，还这么执着离开这里干什么。当个土皇帝不是蛮好的么。”
Cao Hong looked unconvinced.
kòu hóng yī liǎn de bù yǐ wéi rán 。
寇洪一脸的不以为然。
"Even if I die, it doesn't matter," Li Fan said resolutely. "I still want to leave something for my descendants." He asked again: "If my descendants could reach the same cultivation level as Immortal Master, wouldn't that give us a chance?"
“ lǎo xiǔ suī sǐ wú fáng ， kě zǒng guī xiǎng yào wèi zǐ sūn hòu dài liú gè niàn xiǎng 。” lǐ fán bù sǐ xīn ， fù yòu wèn dào ：“ ruò shì wǒ de hòu rén ， néng gòu xiū xíng dào rú tóng xiān shī yì bān de zhù jī jìng ， nà bú shì jiù yǒu kě néng lí kāi zhè lǐ le ？”
“老朽虽死无妨，可总归想要为子孙后代留个念想。”李凡不死心，复又问道：“若是我的后人，能够修行到如同仙师一般的筑基境，那不是就有可能离开这里了？”
Cao Hong laughed: "Forget about this place having any essence; you can't cultivate here at all. Even if there were no such barriers, the poisonous miasma would prevent mortals from achieving immortality."
kòu hóng tīng le zé shì hā hā dà xiào ：“ bù shuō cǐ dì méi yǒu sī háo líng qì ， gēn běn wú fǎ xiū liàn 。 dān shuō xiān fán yǒng gé ， cǐ dì fán rén hún shēn zhān mǎn zhàng qì ， rú hé néng xiū xiān dào ？”
寇洪听了则是哈哈大笑：“不说此地没有丝毫灵气，根本无法修炼。单说仙凡永隔，此地凡人浑身沾满瘴气，如何能修仙道？”
"You should give up on this," Cao Hong advised.
kòu hóng lěng xiào dào ：“ wǒ quàn nǐ hái shì sǐ le zhè tiáo xīn ba 。 nǐ men zhè xiē fán rén ， xiǎng yào xiū xíng ， zhǐ yǒu xiān qù wài jiè zhòng sù shēn qū 、 xǐ qù yī shēn zhàng qì 。 fǒu zé ， zòng shǐ nǐ chéng xiān dà dào fàng zài nǐ de miàn qián ， nǐ yě kàn de jiàn ， mō bù zháo 。”
寇洪冷笑道：“我劝你还是死了这条心吧。你们这些凡人，想要修行，只有先去外界重塑身躯、洗去一身瘴气。否则，纵使你成仙大道放在你的面前，你也看的见，摸不着。”
"True, as Immortal Master said." Li Fan sighed deeply.
yī lián jǐ gè wèn tí ， kòu hóng dōu rú cǐ dǔ dìng ， lǐ fán sì hū zhōng yú shì fàng qì le 。
一连几个问题，寇洪都如此笃定，李凡似乎终于是放弃了。
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Cao Hong nodded repeatedly.
“ xiān fán yǒng gé ， xiān fán yǒng gé ……” lǐ fán yǒu xiē shī hún luò pò dì nán nán zì yǔ ，“ zhè me shuō ， shì zhēn méi yǒu bàn fǎ le ？”
“仙凡永隔，仙凡永隔……”李凡有些失魂落魄地喃喃自语，“这么说，是真没有办法了？”
"Since immortals and mortals cannot coexist…" Li Fan paused, his tone firm: "How can I fully trust what you say when I am a mere mortal?"
“ zhēn de méi yǒu 。” kàn dào le lǐ fán xīn qíng jǔ sàng dào le jí diǎn ， kòu hóng bù zhī wèi hé xīn qíng dà hǎo 。
“真的没有。”看到了李凡心情沮丧到了极点，寇洪不知为何心情大好。
His demeanor changed; the flattery in his eyes vanished. He looked like a hunter eyeing prey.
“ zhēn méi yǒu 。” tā yòu chóng fù le jù 。
“真没有。”他又重复了句。
"What do you mean?" Cao Hong was taken aback. Looking at this ordinary old man, he felt an ominous presence.
“ chéng rú xiān shī suǒ yán ， xiān fán yǒng gé 。” lǐ fán cháng tàn yī shēng 。
“诚如仙师所言，仙凡永隔。”李凡长叹一声。
"Just a plea for survival!" Li Fan said softly, his face expressionless.
“ a duì duì duì 。” kòu hóng lián lián diǎn tóu 。
“啊对对对。”寇洪连连点头。
Suddenly, the ground beneath him split open.
“ jì rán xiān fán bù liǎng lì ……” lǐ fán dùn le dùn ， yī zì yī jù de shuō dào ，“ nà me wǒ yī jiè fán rén ， yòu zěn me gǎn wán quán xiāng xìn xiān shī de huà ne 。”
“既然仙凡不两立……”李凡顿了顿，一字一句的说到，“那么我一介凡人，又怎么敢完全相信仙师的话呢。”
The trap mechanism reactivated; in moments, Li Fan vanished without a trace.
tā shēn shàng de qì zhì tū rán yī biàn ， yǎn zhōng de chǎn mèi xiāo shī ， qǔ ér dài zhī de ， shì zhǒng liè rén yù dào liè wù shí de yǎn shén 。
他身上的气质突然一变，眼中的谄媚消失，取而代之的，是种猎人遇到猎物时的眼神。
Cao Hong stared in shock as the scene unfolded. His heart raced with impending danger.
“ shén me yì si ？” kòu hóng lèng zhù le 。 kàn zhuó yǎn qián de zhè ge píng píng wú qí de fán rén lǎo tóu ， kòu hóng hū rán gǎn dào yī gǔ wēi xiǎn de qì xī 。
“什么意思？”寇洪愣住了。看着眼前的这个平平无奇的凡人老头，寇洪忽然感到一股危险的气息。
Before he could react, thick clouds of Immortal-Demon Mist began to pour out from various corners of the room.
“ bù guò shì qiú yī xiàn shēng jī bà le ！” lǐ fán kàn zhe kòu hóng ， yōu yōu dì shuō dào ， miàn wú biǎo qíng 。
“不过是求一线生机罢了！”李凡看着寇洪，幽幽地说道，面无表情。
"Ah!"
lǐ fán jiǎo xià de dì miàn hū de liè kāi 。
李凡脚下的地面忽的裂开。
Cao Hong screamed and was engulfed by the mist.
Above the heavens, a strange phenomenon emerged once again!
A mighty sword forged through countless hammer blows lay hidden in the shadows, untouched for millennia.
As time passed, its blade dulled and its body rusted, but an aura of anger andunwillingness to give up (unwillingness) suddenly surged forth!
The rusting grew more severe, yet the sword's divine power and majesty increased with each passing day!
"Dao Xuanzi, a Foundation Establishment cultivator who practiced cultivation for 201 years. He achieved his Dao base through the unique object 'Rusted Sword Dao Xuan'. In the realm of Immortal Desolation, he fought to the death against others, ultimately perishing at the hands of Foundation Establishment cultivator Cao Hong."
"Now that I am dead and my Dao extinguished, I return the Dao to Heaven!"
A dazzling scene illuminated the sky for thousands of miles.
"Dao Xuanzi…" Cao Hong looked up at the magnificent sight, seemingly stunned. He muttered under his breath.
All the soldiers present also gazed upward in a daze.
"I, Li Fan, pay homage to Immortal Master."
At this moment, an elderly man with white hair and beard, leaning on a cane, slowly approached Cao Hong.
Cao Hong ignored him, but Li Fan remained unperturbed. He stood by waiting for the soldiers to be patient as well.
After a long while, when the strange phenomenon in the sky had dissipated, Cao Hong finally turned to Li Fan.
"Are you the leader of these mortals?" Cao Hong's tone was harsh; he clearly did not have a good impression of Li Fan. "The sounds that echoed from all directions were indeed your doing."
"A mere trick, insufficient to catch Immortal Master's eye," Li Fan bowed and avoided discussing it directly. Instead, he knelt deeply: "I humbly beg for Immortal Master's mercy; save the lives of over a thousand of my people."
"Mercy…" Cao Hong sneered at this. "In our battle with Dao Xuanzi, we fought on our own merits, and our fates were left to the heavens. You, a mere mortal, dare to interfere in the battles between cultivators?"
He looked at Li Fan, his tone filled with clear intent: "Speaking of which, although I and Dao Xuanzi struggled for centuries over cultivation techniques, he was still my comrade-in-arms for more than a hundred years. Now that you've betrayed him, should I kill you to avenge Dao Xuanzi?"
Li Fan remained unperturbed as Cao Hong pressed on: "It's merely a plea for survival! As I said before, if Immortal Master were to lose this battle, our people would surely perish."
Cao Hong's expression softened. He sighed lightly: "A plea for survival, indeed. You're right; in this harsh world, who doesn't struggle for that last chance at life?"
Li Fan saw an opening and quickly added: "Before Dao Xuanzi… Immortal Master promised me something if…"
Before he could finish, Cao Hong frowned and cut him off: "If it's about that, you're likely to be disappointed. Dao Xuanzi probably never intended to fulfill his promise from the start."
Li Fan was taken aback: "What does Immortal Master mean by this?"
Cao Hong sneered: "Dao Xuanzi always appeared serious and reliable in public, but he acted without any limits, even deceiving mortals like you."
He paused, then continued, gauging Li Fan's reaction. "The Great Desolation Array is extremely perilous; we managed to enter only through luck. We struggle just to leave this place ourselves, let alone take mortals with us?"
"Really? You don't know any way out of here?" Li Fan was shaken to his core, his face contorted in dismay. A century's worth of hope had been dashed by the very cultivator he had hoped would help.
Fortunately, Li Fan had endured many lifetimes and remained resilient. He steadied himself and said: "This is not a place for discussion; please follow me."
Leading Cao Hong through the ruins of Xuanjing City, they arrived at an underground shelter.
During Dao Xuanzi's battle with Cao Hong, soldiers had hidden in these shelters. There were many such shelters throughout Xuanjing City.
Though deep underground, lights illuminated them like daylight. Ventilation pipes connected to the outside world ensured a comfortable atmosphere.
Cao Hong looked around curiously and praised: "No wonder Dao Xuanzi sought cooperation with mortals. Your ability to harness and control lightning is impressive; indeed, you've developed quite well over thousands of years. The earlier traps were also formidable."
He shook his head: "Too bad; these artifacts are useful only in this realm where the Great Dao is broken. Beyond here, thesuppress (suppression) of the Great Dao leaves them useless."
"Speaking of which, when did Dao Xuanzi find you to plot against me? The timing doesn't match," Cao Hong suddenly remembered something and asked.
Li Fan remained calm as he was about to answer but saw Cao Hong's interest wane. He waved his hand dismissively: "Forget it; worrying over such matters is pointless. Once my Dao is extinguished, all will be in vain." Sitting down dejectedly, Cao Hong seemed deeply affected by Dao Xuanzi's death.
"Better not to dwell on this," Li Fan thought.
He nervously asked: "Immortal Master said earlier that you cannot take mortals out of the Immortal Desolation. Is that true?"
Cao Hong scoffed: "You're a mere mortal; why would I lie? Perhaps a Golden Core cultivator could protect mortals through the Great Desolation Array, but with your Foundation Establishment cultivation, it's impossible!"
"Of course, if you don't mind ending up as mere fragments," he added.
Not amused by Cao Hong's joke, Li Fan persisted: "Is there no hope for us to leave this world?"
Cao Hong thought and shook his head: "To leave the Immortal Desolation requires passing through the Great Desolation Array. With your mortal body, it's impossible. All attempts are futile. Besides, you're near death; why be soattachment (obsessed) with leaving? Being a local ruler isn't bad."
Cao Hong looked unconvinced.
"Even if I die, it doesn't matter," Li Fan said resolutely. "I still want to leave something for my descendants." He asked again: "If my descendants could reach the same cultivation level as Immortal Master, wouldn't that give us a chance?"
Cao Hong laughed: "Forget about this place having any essence; you can't cultivate here at all. Even if there were no such barriers, the poisonous miasma would prevent mortals from achieving immortality."
"You should give up on this," Cao Hong advised.
"True, as Immortal Master said." Li Fan sighed deeply.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Cao Hong nodded repeatedly.
"Since immortals and mortals cannot coexist…" Li Fan paused, his tone firm: "How can I fully trust what you say when I am a mere mortal?"
His demeanor changed; the flattery in his eyes vanished. He looked like a hunter eyeing prey.
"What do you mean?" Cao Hong was taken aback. Looking at this ordinary old man, he felt an ominous presence.
"Just a plea for survival!" Li Fan said softly, his face expressionless.
Suddenly, the ground beneath him split open.
The trap mechanism reactivated; in moments, Li Fan vanished without a trace.
Cao Hong stared in shock as the scene unfolded. His heart raced with impending danger.
Before he could react, thick clouds of Immortal-Demon Mist began to pour out from various corners of the room.
"Ah!"
Cao Hong screamed and was engulfed by the mist.