xiū xiān jiè chuán wén sì qǐ ， bù guò tā zì rán bú huì hǎo xīn de qù jiě shì shén me 。
修仙届传闻四起，不过他自然不会好心的去解释什么。
The rumors of cultivation circles were rampant, but he naturally wouldn't bother to explain anything.
fǎn zhèng zì jǐ gū jiā guǎ rén yí gè ， xiū xiān jiè jiù suàn xiān qǐ xuè yǔ xīng fēng yě yǔ tā sī háo méi yǒu guān xì 。
反正自己孤家寡人一个，修仙界就算掀起血雨腥风也与他丝毫没有关系。
After all, he was a lone wolf. Even if the cultivation world erupted into bloodshed and chaos, it would have nothing to do with him.
zì jǐ yǐ bú shì dāng nián rèn rén zǎi gē de xiǎo xiū xiān zhě ， yǐ rú jīn de xiū wèi yǔ shén tōng 「 zài jiā shàng chuān shān jiǎ shī mó fǔ zhù ， jiù suàn duì shàng dà xiū shì lín xuān yě yǒu bǎ wò zhàn ér shèng zhī 。
自己已不是当年任人宰割的小修仙者，以如今的修为与神通「再加上穿山甲尸魔辅助，就算对上大修士林轩也有把握战而胜之。
He was no longer that weak cultivator who could be easily manipulated by others; with his current cultivation and abilities, plus the assistance of a earth mole spirit demon, even facing Lin Xuan, he had confidence in winning.
hé kuàng yún lǐng shān zhī xíng ， tā yǒu tài duō gè shōu huò ， děng dài zhè xiē hǎo chù xiāo huà xī shōu yǐ hòu ， zì jǐ de shí lì bì dìng hái huì gèng shàng yī céng lóu 。
何况云岭山之行，他有太多硌收获，等待这些好处消化吸收以后，自己的实力必定还会更上一层楼。
Moreover, his trip to Cloud Ridge Mountain had brought too many benefits. After digesting these advantages, his strength would surely improve further.
rú jīn yào zuò de ， jiù shì zhǎo yī hé shì de xiū liàn zhī suǒ 。
如今要做的，就是找一合适的修炼之所。
What needed to be done now was to find an appropriate place for cultivation.
dāng rán ， jù lí lüè shí chéng yǔ sān dà shì lì yào jǐn liàng yuǎn yī xiē 。
当然，距离略石城与三大势力要尽量远一些。
Of course, the distance from Li Shi City and the three major forces should be kept as far as possible.
ér yuǎn yě bù suàn shén me nán tí 。
而远也不算什么难题。
And that wasn't a difficult task either.
bù tóng yú yōu zhōu nà yàng de mán huāng zhī dì ， yún zhōu miàn jī liáo kuò yǐ jí ， jī hū xiāng dāng yú qī bā shí gè yōu zhōu pīn còu zài yì qǐ 。
不同于幽州那样的蛮荒之地，云州面积辽阔以极，几乎相当于七八十个幽州拼凑在一起。
Unlike the barbarian lands of Youzhou, Yunzhou was vast, almost equivalent to seventy or eighty Youzhou regions combined.
qiě fēng xiǎo zī yuán shí fēn fēng fù ， yào xún zhǎo yī qīng jìng gǔ xiū liàn zhī dì bìng bù suàn nán de 。
且烽小资源十分丰富，要寻找一清静鹄修炼之地并不算难的。
Moreover, the resources here were abundant, making it not particularly hard to find a quiet place for cultivation.
yí gè yuè hòu ， yī dào dùn guāng chū xiàn zài le yún zhōu de lǒng nán jùn shàng 。
一个月后，一道遁光出现在了云州的陇南郡上。
A month later, a streak of light appeared over Longnan County in Yunzhou.
lǒng nán suī rán jǐn shì yī jùn zhī dì ， dàn miàn jī yǔ yōu zhōu xiāng bǐ ， què yě hái yào shāo dà yī xiē 。
陇南虽然仅是一郡之地，但面积与幽州相比，却也还要稍大一些。
Although Longnan was only one county, its area was still slightly larger than that of Youzhou.
lín xuān zhī suǒ yǐ xuǎn zhōng cǐ chù ， yí gè zhòng yào yuán yīn jiù shì zhè lǐ méi yǒu shén me dà de zōng mén jiā zú 。
林轩之所以选中此处，一个重要原因就是这里没有什么大的宗门家族。
Lin Xuan chose this place primarily because there weren't any major sects or families here. The Seven Great Forces had not touched it either.
qī dà shì lì dōu bù céng rǎn zhǐ zhè lǐ 。
七大势力都不曾染指这里。
There were many reasons for this. Firstly, Longnan was remote and rarely interacted with the outside world. Secondly, in terms of spiritual veins and cultivation resources, it was slightly inferior to other counties in Yunzhou.
yuán yīn zé yǒu hěn duō ， yī lái lǒng nán piān jū yī ǒu ， yǔ wài jiè shǎo yǒu jiē chù ， èr lái lùn qǐ líng mài yǔ xiū xiān zī yuán ， zhè lǐ bǐ yún zhōu bié de jùn xiàn dōu yào shāo xùn yī chóu 。
原因则有很多，一来陇南偏居一偶，与外界少有接触，二来论起灵脉与修仙资源，这里比云州别的郡县都要稍逊一筹。
In short, the Seven Great Sects didn't pay much attention to it.
jiǎn dān de shuō ， qī dà zōng mén kàn bù shàng yǎn 。
简单的说，七大宗门看不上眼。
However, the lack of resources was relative; compared to Youzhou, Longnan wasn't as bad at all.
bù guò zī yuán pín fá qí shí yě shì xiāng duì ér yán ， zhì shǎo bǐ qǐ yōu zhōu ， lǒng nán kě bù zhǐ shèng
不过资源贫乏其实也是相对而言，至少比起幽州，陇南可不止胜
Lin Xuan's eyes widened as he scanned his surroundings. He couldn't help but show surprise on his face.
shàng yī chóu 。
上一筹。
Strange things happened every year, and this year seemed particularly frequent.
zhè lǐ fēn bù zhe dà dà xiǎo xiǎo jìn bǎi gè zōng mén jiā zú ， chú cǐ yǐ wài hái yǒu wú shù sàn xiū 。
这里分布着大大小小近百个宗门家族，除此以外还有无数散修。
Was there such a thing in the cultivation world?
shì lì cuò zōng fù zá ， duì yú zì jǐ lái shuō ， zhèng shì bì fēng tou de jué jiā zhī suǒ ， yú shì lín xuān jīng guò yí dàn quán héng zhī hòu ， biàn jué dìng qián wǎng lǒng nán yī xíng ， qù nà ér xiān jiāng yún lǐng shān suǒ huò de hǎo chù xiāo huà ， jiē xià lái jiù yào xiǎng bàn fǎ bāng zhù yuè ér níng jié yuán yīng le 。
势力错综复杂，对于自己来说，正是避风头的绝佳之所，于是林轩经过一旦权衡之后，便决定前往陇南一行，去那儿先将云岭山所获的好处消化，接下来就要想办法帮助月儿凝结元婴了。
Lin Xuan had seen many strange things, yet what was before him still left him quite shocked, almost making him think he had misunderstood something.
jìn rù lǒng nán yǐ hòu ， lín xuān fā xiàn xiū shì de shù liàng míng xiǎn zēng duō ， rán ér gāo jiē de bǐ lì què yòu xiǎn zhù xià jiàng ， yī lù shàng yù jiàn de ， shí yǒu ** dōu shì níng dān yǔ zhù jī qī de xiū xiān zhě ， yuán yīng qī lǎo guài shí zài tài zhāo yáo le ， wèi le bù yǐn rén zhǔ mù ， lín xuān shī zhǎn liǎn qì zhī fǎ ， yě ràng zì jǐ de xiū wèi xià jiàng dào le zhù jī chū qī ， zài pèi yǐ tā píng fán de miàn róng ， xiāng xìn shuí yě bú huì fàng zài yǎn zhōng 。
进入陇南以后，林轩发现修士的数量明显增多，然而高阶的比例却又显著下降，一路上遇见的，十有**都是凝丹与筑基期的修仙者，元婴期老怪实在太招摇了，为了不引人瞩目，林轩施展敛气之法，也让自己的修为下降到了筑基初期，再配以他平凡的面容，相信谁也不会放在眼中。
Several beggars were squatting by the roadside. Indeed, they were beggars.
jiù zhè yàng yòu fēi le sān tiān ， lín xuān tū rán dùn guāng yī ài ， tíng le xià lái ， jiù zài qián fāng bù yuǎn ， yī zuò xiǎo qiǎo de fāng shì chū xiàn zài le miàn qián 。
就这样又飞了三天，林轩突然遁光一瑷，停了下来，就在前方不远，一座小巧的坊市出现在了面前。
The market was protected by an illusionary array, and all those who entered were cultivators. In other words, these beggars were also practitioners.
kàn guī méi bìng bù dà ， duì yú zì jǐ zhè zhǒng děng jí de xiū xiān zhě ， bù tài kě néng táo dào hǎo dōng xī ， bù guò lín xuān lüè yī chí yí ， hái shì dùn guāng jiàng luò le xià qù 。
看规梅并不大，对于自己这种等级的修仙者，不太可能淘到好东西，不过林轩略一迟疑，还是遁光降落了下去。
Of course, they were vastly different from ordinary beggars in the mortal world; they dressed neatly, and their faces showed no signs of hunger. They weren't asking for silver coins but...
yī lái ， xiū xiān zhě suī néng yí shān dǎo hǎi ， dàn yī jiù shì ** fán tāi ， gǎn zhè me jiǔ de lù ， tā yě xiǎng shāo shāo xiē yī xià le 。
一来，修仙者虽能移山倒海，但依旧是**凡胎，赶这么久的路，他也想稍稍歇一下了。
Lin Xuan looked at one of the beggars on his left.
èr lái zì jǐ yǐ jīng jìn rù lǒng nán jùn de fàn wéi ， lín xuān yě xiǎng shí dì dǎ tīng yī xià zhè lǐ de qíng
二来自己已经进入陇南郡的范围，林轩也想实地打听一下这里的情
He was about twenty years old, with cultivation roughly at the late stage of vitality. He blushed when he met Lin Xuan's gaze, hesitated for a moment, and finally stammered, "Senior, could you give me a few crystals? Please."
kuàng 。
况。
"Uh..." Lin Xuan scratched his head, unsure how to respond: "As a cultivator, why are you doing such begging?"
yóu yú zhè lǐ jù lí fán rén de chéng lián bù yuǎn ， suǒ yǐ fāng shì zhī wài ， bù yǒu yī tào jiǎn dān de huàn shù zhèn fǎ ， lín xuān yī dào fǎ jué dǎ chū ， kōng qì qīng qīng huàng dòng ， suí hòu lín xuān bù shēng bù xiǎng de zǒu rù le qí zhōng 。
由于这里距离凡人的城镰不远，所以坊市之外，布有一套简单的幻术阵法，林轩一道法诀打出，空气轻轻晃动，随后林轩不声不响的走入了其中。
Although Lin Xuan's current cultivation was formidable, he had also started from low-ranking cultivators and understood the hardships of the vitality stage. But this situation seemed too extreme.
chū xiàn zài yǎn qián de shì yī pái pái tíng tái lóu gé ， shù liàng dào yě bìng bù suàn duō ， yuē yǒu bǎi jiān zuǒ yòu ， zhè xiē jiù shì fāng shì zhōng de gè sè diàn pù 。
出现在眼前的是一排排亭台楼阁，数量倒也并不算多，约有百间左右，这些就是坊市中的各色店铺。
"I didn't know about your background, but I am a wandering cultivator..."
lín xuān mù guāng zài zhōu wéi sǎo guò ， tū rán dèng dà le yǎn zhū ， liǎn shàng bù kě yì zhì de lù chū le chī jīng zhī sè 。
林轩目光在周围扫过，突然瞪大了眼珠，脸上不可抑制的露出了吃惊之色。
"Of course, I understand that as a wandering cultivator, you can find ways to earn crystals. Why do such begging?" Lin Xuan raised his eyebrows in puzzlement.
guài shì nián nián yǒu ， jīn nián tè bié duō 。
怪事年年有，今年特别多。
"I don't want to," the young man said with a depressed expression; this was too embarrassing.
xiū xiān jiè hái yǒu zhè yàng de shì qíng me ？
修仙界还有这样的事情么？
"Oh, is there something you're not saying? Feel free to share. If it satisfies me, I'll give you several crystals as a reward."
lín xuān yě suàn jiàn duō shí guǎng le ， kě yǎn qián de yí mù ， què yě ràng tā chī jīng fēi xiǎo de ， jī hū qī L wèi zì jǐ kàn cuò 。 jǐ gè qǐ gài dūn zuò zài yuǎn lù de liǎng biān 。 méi fù ， què shí shì qǐ gài 。
林轩也算见多识广了，可眼前的一幕，却也让他吃惊非小的，几乎七L为自己看错。几个乞丐蹲坐在远路的两边。没阜，确实是乞丐。
Lin Xuan wasn't interested in many things, but this one caught his attention.
yào zhī dào fāng shì kě shì yóu huàn zhèn bǎo hù ， néng jìn rù lǐ miàn de quán dōu shì xiū xiān zhě ， huàn jù huà shuō ， zhè xiē qǐ gài yě dōu shì xiū dào zhī rén de 。
要知道坊市可是由幻阵保护，能进入里面的全都是修仙者，换句话说，这些乞丐也都是修道之人的。
"My abilities are poor, and my fate has been determined by chance. I've never found a sect willing to accept me," the young man sighed and began narrating his story.
dāng rán ， tā men yǔ shì sú de qǐ gài dà bù xiāng tóng 。
当然，他们与世俗的乞丐大不相同。
Lin Xuan nodded; such situations were common in the cultivation world and not particularly surprising.
yí gè èr gè dōu chuān dài zhěng qí ， zì rán yě bù kě néng liǎn yǒu jī sè ， shēn shǒu tǎo yào de yě bù
一个二个都穿戴整齐，自然也不可能脸有饥色，伸手讨要的也不
"Senior knows that to advance further in cultivation, one must practice diligently and seek various resources. About a hundred miles from here lies Clear Source Forest, where low-grade monsters live. Occasionally, we can find spiritual herbs if we're lucky. This is our hunting ground for low-ranking wandering cultivators. Although many friends have died here, most still manage to gain some meager cultivation resources through adventures. But..."
shì shì sú de yín zi ， ér shì ……
是世俗的银子，而是……
"What happened?"
lín xuān xiàng zuǒ cè gé yī míng qǐ gài wàng qù 。
林轩像左侧格一名乞丐望去。
"Recently, a Hidden Swan Sect established its headquarters in this area and claimed Clear Source Forest as their territory, forbidding us from entering to hunt monsters or dig spiritual herbs. At the time, everyone was outraged, but that Hidden Swan Sect had formidable strength; they boasted dozens of condensation core cultivators and even two old patriarchs at the foundation core stage. We couldn't offend them, yet we lost our means of survival..."
dà yuē èr shí jǐ suì nián jì ， xiū wèi yuē zài líng dòng hòu qī ， chù dào lín xuān de mù guāng ， cǐ rén liǎn shàng yī hóng ， lüè yī chí yí ， zhōng yú hái shì niè rú zhe kāi kǒu le ：“ zhè wèi qián bèi ， néng gòu gěi xiǎo kě jǐ kuài jīng shí me ， qiú qiú nǐ le 。”
大约二十几岁年纪，修为约在灵动后期，触到林轩的目光，此人脸上一红，略一迟疑，终于还是嗫嚅着开口了：“这位前辈，能够给小可几块晶石么，求求你了。”
The young man's expression turned resentful as he spoke.
“ è ……” lín xuān náo le náo tóu ， yǐ tā de chéng fǔ ， yě bù zhī dào gāi rú hé kāi kǒu ：“ dào yǒu shēn wèi xiū xiān zhě ， zěn me …… zuò qǐ le nà qǐ tǎo zhī shì 。”
“呃……”林轩挠了挠头，以他的城府，也不知道该如何开口：“道友身为修仙者，怎么……做起了那乞讨之事。”
"Oh?"
lín xuān rú jīn de xiū wèi gù rán fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， dàn tā yě shì cóng dī jiē xiū shì yí bù bù zǒu shàng lái de ， dāng rán míng bái líng dòng qī dì zǐ xiū xíng jiān nán ， dàn yǎn qián de yě wèi miǎn tài lí pǔ le yì diǎn 。
林轩如今的修为固然非同小可，但他也是从低阶修士一步步走上来的，当然明白灵动期弟子修行艰难，但眼前的也未免太离谱了一点。
Lin Xuan rubbed his forehead with a playful look on his face. With two old patriarchs, although not a major force in Yunzhou, they could be considered a mid-tier second-rate sect.
“ qián bèi yǒu suǒ bù zhī ， wǎn bèi nǎi shì sàn xiū ……”
“前辈有所不知，晚辈乃是散修……”
It was strange that such a sect would suddenly claim a forest suitable for vitality stage cultivators to take risks.
“ wǒ zhī dào nǐ shì sàn xiū ， dàn yě kě yǐ zì jǐ xiǎng bàn fǎ zhuàn qǔ jīng shí ， hé bì zuò nà qǐ tǎo
“我知道你是散修，但也可以自己想办法赚取晶石，何必做那乞讨
This must have been due to some hidden treasure in the forest.
zhī shì ？” lín xuān méi tóu yī tiāo ， shí fēn bù jiě de dào 。
之事？”林轩眉头一挑，十分不解的道。
Although it was just speculation, Lin Xuan had confidence that this was likely the case.
“ wǎn bèi yě bù xiǎng 。” nà qīng nián mǎn liǎn yù mèn zhī sè ， zhè yě tài diū liǎn le 。
“晚辈也不想。”那青年满脸郁闷之色，这也太丢脸了。
A little intrigued but quickly shook his head. The benefits from Cloud Ridge Mountain were already plentiful and hadn't been fully digested yet.
“ ó ， nǐ yǒu shén me nán yán zhī yǐn ， bù fáng shuō shuō ， zhǐ yào ràng wǒ mǎn yì ， lín mǒu zì
“哦，你有什么难言之隐，不妨说说，只要让我满意，林某自
Moreover, such minor treasures of second-tier sects might not interest him either; only these unfortunate vitality stage wandering cultivators suffered as a result.
rán huì gěi nǐ jǐ kuài jīng shí ， zuò wèi chóu xiè de 。”
然会给你几块晶石，做为酬谢的。”
Of course, in the cultivation world where the strong prey on the weak, this was normal. Lin Xuan wouldn't be foolish enough to stick his neck out and become some kind of savior.
ràng lín xuān gǎn xìng qù de shì qíng bù duō ， dàn yǎn qián de dào hái zhēn kě suàn shì yí gè 。
让林轩感兴趣的事情不多，但眼前的倒还真可算是一个。
"Even if Clear Source Forest is taken over, are there no other places suitable for your adventures?"
“ wǎn bèi zī zhì dī liè ， nǎi shì jī yuán qiǎo hé ， tà tǔ xiū xiān zhī lù ， yì zhí yě méi yǒu shén me zōng mén kěn yǔ shōu lù 。” nà qīng nián tàn le kǒu qì ， kāi shǐ wěi wěi de jiǎng shù 。
“晚辈资质低劣，乃是机缘巧合，踏土修仙之路，一直也没有什么宗门肯予收录。”那青年叹了口气，开始娓娓的讲述。
"There are a few places nearby with monsters and spiritual herbs, but they require foundation core cultivators or higher to enter. With my current abilities, going there would be suicide..." the young man said dejectedly.
lín xuān diǎn le diǎn tóu ， zài xiū xiān jiè ， zhè yàng de shì qíng hěn duō ， sī háo yě bù zú wéi qí de 。
林轩点了点头，在修仙界，这样的事情很多，丝毫也不足为奇的。
Since this issue only affected low-ranking wandering cultivators, the nearby sects and families all turned a blind eye to Hidden Swan Sect's dominance. No one was willing to take up their cause.
“ qián bèi yě qīng chǔ ， xiǎng yào zài xiū xíng JL gèng jìn yí bù ， chú le nǔ lì dǎ zuò ， gè zhǒng xiū xiān zī yuán yě bì bù kě shǎo ， yuán běn jù lí cǐ chù yuē bǎi yú lǐ de dì fāng ， yǒu yī zuò qīng yuán sēn lín ， lǐ miàn bù jǐn shēng huó dé yǒu dī jiē yāo shòu ， rú guǒ yùn qì hǎo ， ǒu ěr hái néng wā jué dào líng cǎo ， nǎi shì wǒ men zhè xiē dī jiē sàn xiū shòu liè de dì fāng ， suī rán shí cháng yǒu dào yǒu mái gǔ cǐ chù ， dàn dà duō shù rén hái shì néng gòu tōng guò mào xiǎn huàn qǔ yī xiē wēi bó de xiū liàn zī yuán ， kě ……”
“前辈也清楚，想要在修行JL更进一步，除了努力打坐，各种修仙资源也必不可少，原本距离此处约百余里的地方，有一座清源森林，里面不仅生活得有低阶妖兽，如果运气好，偶尔还能挖掘到灵草，乃是我们这些低阶散修狩猎的地方，虽然时常有道友埋骨此处，但大多数人还是能够通过冒险换取一些微薄的修炼资源，可……”
Lin Xuan frowned.
“ zěn me le ？”
“怎么了？”
"Why don't you work as an apprentice in the shops of the market? You could earn some crystals that way or simply leave this place?"
“ kě qián yī zhèn ， lái le gè xiá yàn mén ， zài gē jìn yī kuài líng dì shè lì zǒng tán ， bìng jiāng qīng yuán sēn lín huà wèi le zì jǐ de shì lì fàn wéi ， bù yǔn xǔ wǒ men zài jìn qù liè shā yāo shòu ， wā jué líng cǎo ， dāng shí ， qún qíng xiōng yǒng ， hěn duō tóng dào bù fú ， kě nà yǐn yàn mén yǐ qián suī bù céng tīng guò ， shí lì què dàng zhēn fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， tīng shuō guāng shì níng dān qī xiū shì jiù yǒu shù shí zhī duō ， hái yǒu liǎng wèi yuán yīng qī lǎo zǔ ， nǎ shì wǒ men zhè xiē xiǎo xiū shì kě yǐ dé zuì de ， rán ér wǒ men què yě duàn le shēng lù ……” nà qīng nián shuō dào cǐ chù ， rěn bú zhù liú lù chū jǐ fēn tòng hèn de biǎo qíng lái le 。
“可前一阵，来了个辖雁门，在胳近一块灵地设立总坛，并将清源森林划为了自己的势力范围，不允许我们再进去猎杀妖兽，挖掘灵草，当时，群情汹涌，很多同道不服，可那隐雁门以前虽不曾听过，实力却当真非同小可，听说光是凝丹期修士就有数十之多，还有两位元婴期老祖，哪是我们这些小修士可以得罪的，然而我们却也断了生路……”那青年说道此处，忍不住流露出几分痛恨的表情来了。
As cultivators, begging was too shameful.
“ ó ？”
“哦？”
"I want to, but those shops are run by nearby sects and families. They recruit their own disciples for apprenticeships. It's like letting the fat water flow into the fields; there's no chance for a wandering cultivator like me. As for leaving, it's just wishful thinking. From here to other places, there are some dangerous areas. Foundation core cultivators might be able to pass safely, but we low-ranking cultivators would surely become monster food," he said with a depressed expression, showing signs of fear.
lín xuān què yǐ shǒu fǔ é ， liǎn shàng lù chū jǐ fēn wán wèi de biǎo qíng lái le ， yōng yǒu liǎng wèi yuán yīng xiū shì ， suī rán jiù yún zhōu lái shuō ， yuǎn yuǎn suàn bù shàng dà pài ， dàn yě miǎn qiǎng ， kě yǐ shuō shì èr liú zhōng děng guī mó de shì lì 。
林轩却以手抚额，脸上露出几分玩味的表情来了，拥有两位元婴修士，虽然就云州来说，远远算不上大派，但也勉强，可以说是二流中等规模的势力。
Lin Xuan couldn't help feeling speechless; it seemed that Hidden Swan Sect had truly cornered these unfortunate wandering cultivators into a corner. However, the disparity in strength was too great for them to dare speak out.
jū rán mò míng qí miào de qiǎng yī shì hé líng dòng qī xiū shì mào xiǎn de sēn lín ， zhè zhōng jiān jué duì yǒu
居然莫名其妙的抢一适合灵动期修士冒险的森林，这中间绝对有
"So you beg?"
māo nì 。
猫腻。
"We have no choice but to do this," the young man said, bowing and asking Lin Xuan for crystals.
bì jìng zhè bù fú hé cháng lǐ ， shí yǒu ** shì nà sēn lín zhōng chū xiàn le shén me bǎo wù 。
毕竟这不符合常理，十有**是那森林中出现了什么宝物。
"Friend, there's no need." Lin Xuan sighed; although he was ruthless towards his enemies, he wasn't heartless. Despite being lazy about getting involved in trivial matters, he couldn't help feeling compassion for these low-ranking cultivators.
tā men dé dào le xìn xī ， bìng qǐ le dú tūn zhī yì 。
他们得到了信息，并起了独吞之意。
He extended his hand and tapped his storage bag, revealing several crystals. "Thank you, thank you, senior!"
suī rán jǐn jǐn shì cāi cè ， dàn lín xuān yǒu bǎ wò ， shì shí duō bàn shì zhè yàng de 。
虽然仅仅是猜测，但林轩有把握，事实多半是这样的。
The young man's face lit up with joy; originally, he had thought Lin Xuan was only a foundation core cultivator who might be sympathetic but couldn't afford much more than two or three crystals. He didn't expect to receive seven.
lüè wēi yǒu yì diǎn xīn dòng ， dàn hěn kuài jiù yáo le yáo tóu ， yún lǐng shān zhōng dé dào de hǎo chù yǐ jīng gòu duō ， hái méi yǒu lái de jí xiāo huà xī shōu 。
略微有一点心动，但很快就摇了摇头，云岭山中得到的好处已经够多，还没有来得及消化吸收。
He hadn't earned such a large amount of crystals even after risking his life in Clear Source Forest. His face showed genuine happiness as he bowed deeply and thanked Lin Xuan.
The rumors of cultivation circles were rampant, but he naturally wouldn't bother to explain anything.
After all, he was a lone wolf. Even if the cultivation world erupted into bloodshed and chaos, it would have nothing to do with him.
He was no longer that weak cultivator who could be easily manipulated by others; with his current cultivation and abilities, plus the assistance of a earth mole spirit demon, even facing Lin Xuan, he had confidence in winning.
Moreover, his trip to Cloud Ridge Mountain had brought too many benefits. After digesting these advantages, his strength would surely improve further.
What needed to be done now was to find an appropriate place for cultivation.
Of course, the distance from Li Shi City and the three major forces should be kept as far as possible.
And that wasn't a difficult task either.
Unlike the barbarian lands of Youzhou, Yunzhou was vast, almost equivalent to seventy or eighty Youzhou regions combined.
Moreover, the resources here were abundant, making it not particularly hard to find a quiet place for cultivation.
A month later, a streak of light appeared over Longnan County in Yunzhou.
Although Longnan was only one county, its area was still slightly larger than that of Youzhou.
Lin Xuan chose this place primarily because there weren't any major sects or families here. The Seven Great Forces had not touched it either.
There were many reasons for this. Firstly, Longnan was remote and rarely interacted with the outside world. Secondly, in terms of spiritual veins and cultivation resources, it was slightly inferior to other counties in Yunzhou.
In short, the Seven Great Sects didn't pay much attention to it.
However, the lack of resources was relative; compared to Youzhou, Longnan wasn't as bad at all.
Lin Xuan's eyes widened as he scanned his surroundings. He couldn't help but show surprise on his face.
Strange things happened every year, and this year seemed particularly frequent.
Was there such a thing in the cultivation world?
Lin Xuan had seen many strange things, yet what was before him still left him quite shocked, almost making him think he had misunderstood something.
Several beggars were squatting by the roadside. Indeed, they were beggars.
The market was protected by an illusionary array, and all those who entered were cultivators. In other words, these beggars were also practitioners.
Of course, they were vastly different from ordinary beggars in the mortal world; they dressed neatly, and their faces showed no signs of hunger. They weren't asking for silver coins but...
Lin Xuan looked at one of the beggars on his left.
He was about twenty years old, with cultivation roughly at the late stage of vitality. He blushed when he met Lin Xuan's gaze, hesitated for a moment, and finally stammered, "Senior, could you give me a few crystals? Please."
"Uh..." Lin Xuan scratched his head, unsure how to respond: "As a cultivator, why are you doing such begging?"
Although Lin Xuan's current cultivation was formidable, he had also started from low-ranking cultivators and understood the hardships of the vitality stage. But this situation seemed too extreme.
"I didn't know about your background, but I am a wandering cultivator..."
"Of course, I understand that as a wandering cultivator, you can find ways to earn crystals. Why do such begging?" Lin Xuan raised his eyebrows in puzzlement.
"I don't want to," the young man said with a depressed expression; this was too embarrassing.
"Oh, is there something you're not saying? Feel free to share. If it satisfies me, I'll give you several crystals as a reward."
Lin Xuan wasn't interested in many things, but this one caught his attention.
"My abilities are poor, and my fate has been determined by chance. I've never found a sect willing to accept me," the young man sighed and began narrating his story.
Lin Xuan nodded; such situations were common in the cultivation world and not particularly surprising.
"Senior knows that to advance further in cultivation, one must practice diligently and seek various resources. About a hundred miles from here lies Clear Source Forest, where low-grade monsters live. Occasionally, we can find spiritual herbs if we're lucky. This is our hunting ground for low-ranking wandering cultivators. Although many friends have died here, most still manage to gain some meager cultivation resources through adventures. But..."
"What happened?"
"Recently, a Hidden Swan Sect established its headquarters in this area and claimed Clear Source Forest as their territory, forbidding us from entering to hunt monsters or dig spiritual herbs. At the time, everyone was outraged, but that Hidden Swan Sect had formidable strength; they boasted dozens of condensation core cultivators and even two old patriarchs at the foundation core stage. We couldn't offend them, yet we lost our means of survival..."
The young man's expression turned resentful as he spoke.
"Oh?"
Lin Xuan rubbed his forehead with a playful look on his face. With two old patriarchs, although not a major force in Yunzhou, they could be considered a mid-tier second-rate sect.
It was strange that such a sect would suddenly claim a forest suitable for vitality stage cultivators to take risks.
This must have been due to some hidden treasure in the forest.
Although it was just speculation, Lin Xuan had confidence that this was likely the case.
A little intrigued but quickly shook his head. The benefits from Cloud Ridge Mountain were already plentiful and hadn't been fully digested yet.
Moreover, such minor treasures of second-tier sects might not interest him either; only these unfortunate vitality stage wandering cultivators suffered as a result.
Of course, in the cultivation world where the strong prey on the weak, this was normal. Lin Xuan wouldn't be foolish enough to stick his neck out and become some kind of savior.
"Even if Clear Source Forest is taken over, are there no other places suitable for your adventures?"
"There are a few places nearby with monsters and spiritual herbs, but they require foundation core cultivators or higher to enter. With my current abilities, going there would be suicide..." the young man said dejectedly.
Since this issue only affected low-ranking wandering cultivators, the nearby sects and families all turned a blind eye to Hidden Swan Sect's dominance. No one was willing to take up their cause.
Lin Xuan frowned.
"Why don't you work as an apprentice in the shops of the market? You could earn some crystals that way or simply leave this place?"
As cultivators, begging was too shameful.
"I want to, but those shops are run by nearby sects and families. They recruit their own disciples for apprenticeships. It's like letting the fat water flow into the fields; there's no chance for a wandering cultivator like me. As for leaving, it's just wishful thinking. From here to other places, there are some dangerous areas. Foundation core cultivators might be able to pass safely, but we low-ranking cultivators would surely become monster food," he said with a depressed expression, showing signs of fear.
Lin Xuan couldn't help feeling speechless; it seemed that Hidden Swan Sect had truly cornered these unfortunate wandering cultivators into a corner. However, the disparity in strength was too great for them to dare speak out.
"So you beg?"
"We have no choice but to do this," the young man said, bowing and asking Lin Xuan for crystals.
"Friend, there's no need." Lin Xuan sighed; although he was ruthless towards his enemies, he wasn't heartless. Despite being lazy about getting involved in trivial matters, he couldn't help feeling compassion for these low-ranking cultivators.
He extended his hand and tapped his storage bag, revealing several crystals. "Thank you, thank you, senior!"
The young man's face lit up with joy; originally, he had thought Lin Xuan was only a foundation core cultivator who might be sympathetic but couldn't afford much more than two or three crystals. He didn't expect to receive seven.
He hadn't earned such a large amount of crystals even after risking his life in Clear Source Forest. His face showed genuine happiness as he bowed deeply and thanked Lin Xuan.