Ground Stars / 地上星 · Ch.41 第41章 天星横贯大陆-3
第41章 天星横贯大陆–3
Chapter 41: The Heavenly Sky Horizontally Carrying the Land—Part 3
忽然人群一阵骚动看向篝火旁。
Suddenly, the crowd stirred, eyes shifting toward the bonfire.
几个首领慌张地蹲著爬行过去，随后松了口气。
Several leaders scrambled over in a panicked crawl, then breathed a sigh of relief.
原来是巫席地而坐的身体差点倒下，却又马上挺起脊柱撑了起来。
It turned out that the shaman, who had been sitting cross-legged, nearly teetered over—yet immediately straightened his spine and propped himself back up.
巫身旁一个中年男人扶著他稳定身子后，突然流下眼泪。 他原本是这里最强壮的人，却足步不离地守护了这个老人十数年。
Beside the shaman, a middle-aged man, after steadying him, suddenly burst into tears. He was once the strongest man here but had never strayed a step, watching over this elder for over a decade.
现在这个曾是聚落最强的年轻小伙也成了个中年人。
Now, that young man—once the settlement’s mightiest youth—had become a middle-aged man himself.
他自然是清楚身旁这老人，已经忍受了许久的来自身心的痛苦，可他总是凭借强大的意志，延续著这具风烛残年的身躯，像是要榨干里面最后一丝生命的精华，才能安心离去。
He naturally knew well that the old man beside him had endured prolonged suffering in both body and soul. Yet always, through sheer force of will, he clung to this waning existence, as if determined to wring out every last drop of life’s essence before he could depart in peace.
每每想到老人偶尔埋于喉中的痛吟以及他肢体不受控制的晃动，他就感同身受的心疼。
Whenever he thought of the old man’s occasional groans of pain, clenched deep in his throat, or the uncontrollable trembling of his limbs, his heart ached with a sympathy that felt all too real.
巫转过皮肤松动的干瘪头颅，手掌吃力抬起，中年野人立即弯腰低下头，任由老人拍了拍自己的头颅。
The shaman turned his withered head, its skin loose and sagging, and raised his hand with great effort. The middle-aged wildling immediately bent low, bowing his head, and allowed the old man to pat him gently.
周围少了许多野性的野人们露出羡慕目光。
The wildlings around them, their feral edge tempered, gazed on with envy shining in their eyes.
高达两三米的火焰雄壮威武。
The flames, towering two to three meters high, blazed with grandeur and majesty.
无尽岁月以来夺去不知多少生命的雪白魔鬼见之也要绕行，否则就会被消灭，这就是巫的神力。
The snow-white devil, which had claimed countless lives over endless ages, would detour upon seeing it, or else be destroyed—such was the power of the shaman’s divine might.
它守卫著聚落。
It guarded the settlement.
每当火势稍有减小之意，便会有人向里面添入木材，这是巫的教导。
Whenever the flames dared to dwindle, someone would add firewood, as taught by the shaman.
在它旁边的温暖灰烬下，则掩埋著许多类似地瓜的果实。
Beneath the warm ash beside it, countless fruits resembling sweet potatoes lay buried.
数十年来，它们养活了这片区域成千上万的人，无数首领跋山涉水，冒著葬生虎口之险带领族人而来，就是为了吃上口这样填腹的东西。
For decades, they had sustained tens of thousands of people in this region; countless leaders had crossed mountains and rivers, risking death in tigers’ jaws to lead their tribes here, all for a single bite of such filling fare.
仁慈的巫从不吝啬的将之分与来此的众人。
The benevolent shaman never begrudged sharing it with all who came.
老人收回手，重新转过头，半耷拉著眼皮，坐于篝火前，宛如名入定的苦修。
The old man withdrew his hand, turned back, half-lidded his eyes, and sat before the bonfire, like an ascetic deep in meditation.
不知多久，他似乎听到了声幻音。
After who knows how long, he seemed to hear an illusory sound.
「小武？」
“Xiao Wu?”
周围哗地响起无数野人「唔喔」「呼哦」的声音。
Around him, a hubbub of “Ooh” and “Hoo-ah” erupted from the countless savages.
已经迟钝无比的老人努力张开昏花的浊眼瞧去，那道身穿非常轻薄，但颜色鲜艳的人影出现在远方。
The now-sluggish old man struggled to open his blurred, turbid eyes and gazed into the distance, where a figure clad in very thin yet brightly colored clothes appeared.
实际上他已经看不清那道身影。
In truth, he could no longer make out that figure clearly.
可当此人出现的瞬间，思念无数年，想过亿万遍的记忆中的影像便瞬间与之重叠。
Yet the moment this person emerged, the image etched in his memory from countless years of longing, from billions of imagined times, instantly overlapped with them.
「啊！」
“Ah!”
老人尖叫了声，竟能独自颤抖地站立起来。
The old man let out a sharp cry, trembling as he miraculously managed to stand on his own.
无数野人站起身，充满敌视地看向远方的杨子藏。
Countless savages rose to their feet, their eyes fixed on Yang Zicang in the distance with blazing hostility.
「喝啊！」
“Hah!”
他挥动干枯但苍劲的手掌。
He swung his withered yet vigorous palm.
这一刻的老人宛若重回年轻时代，他双目爆起精芒，浑身散发肃穆威严之气。
At that moment, the old man seemed to regain his youth—his eyes flashed with piercing light, his whole being radiating solemn authority and majesty.
上千人哗地半蹲不敢动弹，惊异地偷眼看著老人。
Over a thousand people crouched down with a collective gasp, not daring to move, stealing fearful glances at the old man.
瞧见这幕的杨子藏心中也不由得抖了下。
Witnessing this scene, Yang Zicang couldn’t help but shudder inwardly.
老人接过身旁侍者递来的长棍，驻在地上，准备迈动步伐。
The old man took a long staff handed to him by an attendant, planted it on the ground, and prepared to take a step forward.
「停停停。」
“Stop, stop, stop.”
杨子藏扬了扬手。
Yang Zicang raised his hand.
这几个音节落在老人耳中，他忽地反应过来什么，哈呀一声，恍若解开了世间最难的题目，得道般自内心涌现出强烈喜悦之情。
At these syllables, the old man suddenly seemed to realize something, letting out a “Hah-yah” as if he had unraveled the world’s most perplexing riddle, his heart swelling with profound joy like one who had attained enlightenment.
原来当年那个音节，是这个意思。
So that’s what that syllable from back then meant.
那个阻止石头落下前，发出的音节，是让我不要动的意思噫。
That sound uttered before stopping the falling boulder—it meant don’t move, yep.
杨子藏从自动让出径道的人群中往前走去。
Yang Zicang walked forward through the crowd that parted before him, making way.
来到篝火前的他仰望著这冲天红焰，内心由衷的高兴。
Standing before the bonfire, he gazed up at the towering red flames, his heart filled with genuine elation.
「呜哦，噢！」
“Ooh-oh, ah!”
苍老的阿武递上个灰乎乎却还散发著热气的东西，上面裹著木灰。
The aged A-Wu handed him something grayish and grimy, still radiating heat, its surface coated with wood ash.
伸出手掌烤了烤火的杨子藏笑著接过这「古地瓜」嗅了嗅。
Yang Zicang reached out his palm to warm it by the fire, then took the “ancient sweet potato ” covered in wood ash that Old Awu handed him and sniffed it with a smile.
「真好啊。」
“This is truly wonderful.”
他用手捏下了一丁点儿尝了口。
He pinched off a tiny bit and tasted it.
「唔！ 好吃，我家小五已经是大厨了。」
“Mmm! Delicious—my little Wu is already a master chef.”
他升起大拇指道，阿武哈哈笑了起来。
He gave a thumbs up, and Awu burst into laughter.
周围上千野人从未见到巫有过如此发自内心的开心笑容。
None of the thousand savage tribesmen had ever seen the witch smile with such heartfelt joy.
随后他们震撼的见到，老人居然半蹲下去，将头伸到了杨子藏身旁。
Then, to their shock, they watched the old man half-squat and bring his head close to Yang Zicang.
年轻人愣了下，随后才反应过来，当年自己刚遇见他时好几次拍过他的头。
The youth paused for a moment before realizing what was happening—back when they first met, he had patted that head several times.
那只是自己的无心动作。
It had been an unintentional habit at the time.
「唉，岁月最是…」
“Alas, time is the cruelest…”
他轻轻拍了拍老人没什么毛发的头顶。
He lightly patted the old man’s nearly-bald crown.
感受到头顶的安实触感，阿武似乎了却了最后的心愿般，体内的精力霎时变得虚弱无比，连声咳嗽了起来。
Feeling the solid, reassuring sensation on his scalp—as if his final wish had been fulfilled—the vitality in Edzun’s aging frame suddenly dwindled, leaving him frail as he broke into a string of coughs.
「你快好好休息。」 杨子藏将他抱起，走到几步后的皮垫上，周围野人自动让开。
“You need to rest well.” Without further words, Yang Zicang scooped him up and carried him to the leather mat a few steps away. The surrounding savages parted way without a word.
几名当年见过杨子藏的族人早已过来趴在了地上，这更是让上千野人明白此人的身份不一般。
Several elders who had crossed paths with Yang Zicang long ago had already prostrated themselves on the ground, stirring the gathering’s unspoken reverence—none of them dared act carelessly with the appearance of the eminent young man.
杨子藏想要一一去扶起，却被老人死死拉住手腕。
As Orc bowed down offering those yet to grovel was he also held back from helping people back to their feat- Yang Zicang swept them one after the other up the but by hardened grasp into hand of old Awu being resolutely checking him and fiercely by how persistent wrist when struggling still gripping around his stop.
他虚弱地从身上摸出两个小黑石，张开手掌递给身旁这个数十年竟然没有老去一分的人。
He weakly fumbled two small black stones from his person, opening his palm to pass them to the man beside him who had not aged a single bit over the decades.
阿武已经不去思索这是为什么，反正只要是发生在这个人身上的，都是正常的。
A Wu had long stopped pondering why; anything that happened with this man was simply taken as normal.
杨子藏摇摇头，拿手将他干枯手指曲卷包裹火石，握成了拳头。
Yang Zicang shook his head, gently curling the withered fingers around the flint, shaping them into a fist.
「你自己指定个继承人吧。」
“Designate your own successor.”
他指了指老人的拳头，又拿手指向旁边蹲成一片的众野人。
He pointed at the old man’s fist, then gestured toward the cluster of savages squatting nearby.
阿武含笑点点头，内心充满无尽的幸福之意。
A Wu smiled and nodded, his heart overflowing with boundless bliss.
他终于等到了那个人，他脑袋终于灵光了些的想到：
He had finally found that man, and his mind, flickering with newfound clarity, realized:
——他一定是知道自己可以坚持这么久，才在最后一刻前来，他在鼓励我坚持地活下去。
—He must have known I could endure this long, and so he came at the last moment to encourage me to keep living on.
阿武最后看了篝火一眼，火星飘飘荡荡卷往天上。
A Wu cast one final glance at the bonfire, its sparks drifting and curling up toward the sky.
宽广的横洞上方是高耸的崖壁，按理说这并不是个安全的地势，但神奇的是这么多年以来，并没什么落石松动落下，砸伤下方的这些披头散发，身穿兽皮的原始人。
Above the wide horizontal cave gaped steep cliffs. By all logic, this was not a safe place, yet miraculously, over so many years, no loosened rocks had ever fallen to injure these disheveled, fur-clad primitives below.
杨子藏盘坐于山巅，暗红灵物战器横放腿上。
Yang Zicang sat cross-legged atop the mountain peak, the dark red spirit artifact laid horizontally across his lap.
他等待著前方那稳步而来的彗星。
He awaited the slowly approaching comet before him.
天际的光点带著灰蓝尾迹。
The celestial point of light trailed a gray-blue streak across the horizon.
它步伐稳定，横贯碧宇。 犹如孤高的君王悠然前行。
It treads with steady steps across the blue firmament, like a solitary king strolling forward with dignity.
从容破开湛蓝苍穹。
It calmly splits the azure sky.
雪止了又下，风停了又起。
The snow stops and falls again; the wind ceases and rises once more.
这一日，杨子藏缓慢睁开眼眸，他感受到了山下有浓重的恐怖气息在蕴量之中。
This day, Yang Zicang slowly opened his eyes, sensing a heavy, terrifying aura brewing at the foot of the mountain.
彗星从头顶威严踏步而来。
The comet strides solemnly from above, descending.
「来了。」
“It’s coming.”
他起身而立，自怀中掏出把如小刀般的灵物战器。
He stood up and drew a small knife-like spirit artifact from his robe.
｛在很久很久以前，有人与你遇到了同样的境地，做出了同样的抉择。｝
{Long, long ago, someone found themselves in the same situation as you and made the same choice.}
忽然，杨子藏像是看到了一片幻影。
Suddenly, Yang Zicang seemed to see a phantom, a vision.
[我和融脉者阿斯纳契合了超过50%的心力共鸣。]
[I have achieved over 50% resonance of the core with Rong Maimai (Vessel-Merger) Asnar.]
「这是？」
“What is this?”
杨子藏如梦似幻的站立在原地，此刻的山头已经不是之前所在的那处，而是陌生的，但有著几分相似的高耸悬崖。
Yang Zicang stood on the spot, lost in a dream-like haze. The mountaintop was no longer the same place as before, but an unfamiliar towering cliff with some resemblance.
一道挺拔身影背著巨剑站在自己身前，看到他的瞬间，杨子藏就知道这人便是阿斯纳。
A tall, upright figure stood before him, carrying a huge sword on his back. The moment he saw this figure, Yang Zicang knew it was Asnar.
虽然站立在此，可是杨子藏却透过这道身影见到了他的过去碎片般的经历：
Though standing still, Yang Zicang could perceive through this silhouette fragmented scenes of his past experiences:
在文明如蔓草枯萎的荒芜之地上，这个名为阿斯纳的男人独自走过某些还拥有人类身影的聚集地，为那里已经变得如原始社会般的流浪者们带去了能让人温饱的技艺。
On that desolate land where civilization withered like creeping weeds, the man named Asna walked alone through some settlements that still bore the shadow of humanity, bringing to the wanderers, who had already regressed to a primitive society, the skills that could provide warmth and sustenance.
此刻，他与自己一般，站立山巅，等待著下方教导用火的流浪营地中，诞生强大的恶魇。
At this moment, standing on the mountain peak just like himself, he awaited the birth of a powerful nightmare from the wandering camp below, where he had taught the use of fire.
「这是真的…」
“This is real…”
杨子藏震撼的看著他拔下巨剑，然后纵身而跃。
Yang Zicang watched in awe as he drew the massive sword and leaped down.
幻像消失了。
The illusion vanished.
下方，上千的野人不知所措地看著前方那保护了他们数十年的「火」。
Below, thousands of savages stared at the “fire” that had protected them for decades, lost and bewildered.
此刻它仿佛活了过来。
Now, it seemed to come alive.
虽然散发的气息令人胆颤心惊，直想逃离，可众人还是努力按下心中的惧意向它埋下了头颅。
Though its aura was so terrifying that their hearts trembled and their instinct screamed to flee, they pressed down their fear and bowed their heads towards it.
是因为巫的离去，神力失控了吗？
Was it the departure of the shaman that had caused the divine power to go out of control?
还是说巫与火融为了一体，在里面醒了？
Or had the shaman merged with the fire, awakening within it?
众野人闪过各种念头，他们难以理解到底发生了什么，但肯定是跟巫有关。
Various thoughts flashed through the minds of the savages. They could not understand what had happened, but they were certain it was related to their shaman.
一些人求助般扭头望向崖顶。
Some turned their heads towards the cliff top, as if seeking help.
杨子藏心中升起一股豪气，自己之所以敢站在这里，是因为自己不论怎样都不会真的死亡。
A surge of heroic spirit rose in Yang Zicang’s heart. The reason he dared to stand here was that no matter what happened, he would not truly die.
可刚才那道身影，他所在的世界却不是梦幻，那人却也义无反顾的跳了下去。
But that figure just now—the world he inhabited was not an illusion—leaped down without hesitation as well.
「阿斯纳吗，还真是个豪杰般的人物。」
“Asnar, huh? A truly heroic figure.”
巨大篝火外一根根火焰形成的细线不断产生，在如此多野人的聚集之下，里面的东西快速诞生著，一只朦胧眼眸长出。
Outside the massive bonfire, countless thin threads of flame continuously emerged. Amidst the assembly of so many savages, something within rapidly took shape, and a hazy eye grew forth.
火焰之眼四下一扫，首先映入其眼眸的是一群被困住的野兽。
The flame-eye swept its gaze around, and the first thing it laid its eye on was a group of trapped beasts.
智商还极低的它首先想到的便是补充最近的食物。
With its intelligence still extremely low, its first instinct was to replenish nearby sustenance.
唰唰！
Swoosh! Swoosh!
数道火焰轨迹自地面延伸，卷向这些被杨子藏捉来的虎狼。
Several trails of flame extended from the ground, coiling toward the tigers and wolves that Yang Zicang had captured.
哀嚎声中，野兽们快速变得干枯。
Amidst anguished howls, the beasts rapidly withered and dried up.
无数野人大声叫嚷，他们极其害怕，但在几位首领的啊呀叫嚷下，众野人又停下了想要逃离的动作。
Countless savages shouted and screamed, trembling in terror; but under the guttural commands of a few chieftains, the crowd halted their urge to flee.
杨子藏在高处静静看著这一切，他在等，等火焰攻击这些野人，如此才能教会他们恶魇是如何的恐怖。
High above, Yang Zicang silently watched it all. He was waiting—waiting for the flames to attack the savages, so that they could learn just how terrifying a nightmare could be.
轰轰轰！
Boom! Boom! Boom!
震耳欲聋的轰鸣，篝火猛然扩张，数道长著狼头与虎头的怪物身形自内部闪动著出现，仿佛长著四五个头颅，十几只火焰长脚的畸形。
With deafening roars, the bonfire violently expanded. From within its core, several monstrous figures with wolf and tiger heads appeared, flickering into existence—deformed beings seemingly sporting four or five heads and a dozen long, flaming limbs.
诞生的瞬间，好些小火虎猛然自焰中射向周围人群。
The moment they were born, several small fire tigers shot out from the flames toward the surrounding crowd.
簌簌簌簌！
Hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss!
劲芒自高空快速打下，带著毁灭气息将它们钉在宽广的地面上，蠕动的幻影虎狼再也无法挪动分毫。
Arcs of fierce light shot down from the high sky, with a destructively doomed aura driving them down into the broad ground below. The wiggling illusory tigers and wolves could no longer move an inch.
众野人终于晓得这并不是巫复苏了，顷刻间乱成一团。
The savage hordes finally realized that this was not Witch revival—the sheep instantly plunged into chaos.
正中的畸形多头恶魇怒而昂立，仰头锁定屹立山巅的身影。
Forming the center of it all swung that twisted multi-headed nightmare ablaze, its angry raised eyes locking on the standing silhouette above the distant edge of the cliff.
「吼~」
*”Groooowwwl~”*
地面焦灼剧烈燃烧，它快速聚集著力量，好些头颅与四肢融合，即将从拔高许多的篝火中诞生。
Seared rock gathered speed by furious great energy surging; heads upground drawing number per each limb meeting close—besting aim dead straight births from and for the enlarged volume around the inferno rising suddenly still above measure sky high depth in folds. There is newly enough kindling quick hope long waiting. In newly merged solid new form swelling here: not so formless anymore therefore born almost the old.
「感谢你告知我，你们的来历。」
*”I thank you for telling me your origins.”*
高空传来神威般的沉静嗓音，随后一声怒吼，杨子藏那道干练身影带著金芒悍然射下！
There came all so quiet authority vast descending on great rising gusting following burning wrath sworn brawler sound that followed roaring crash: down. That man too, simply metal-hard, burning flash-shot direct from all air-ruling invisible bellow of voice from spheres they hid far: Yang Zicang impools gold ray arrow heavy perfectly launched!
「现在，去死吧！」
*”Now, perish!”*
落下的瞬间，杨子藏感觉自己身上像是出现了另一个人的投影。
Crashing crashing an own life–Yangling sharply quickly quake feeling strange thing new around fall route hugging flash… ghost running over his form doubling open presence still there project of one entirely shadow brought while he rushed high brave again—
[我和融脉者阿斯纳契合了超过85%的心力共鸣。]
*[I have generated over 85 percent mental resonance alignment rate advanced; with conductor Asner named one still before summon this ever made gift chain help state draw whole reading core. ]*
[我与融脉者阿斯纳同行。]
*[We—the two of Pulse-fused leader Asner so deep— unite walking powerfully closer existing times crossing still race within faster course– alongside not broken… still I run same speed now lived heavy purpose also free march forward as him. ]*