suī rán bù zhī dào qián yīn hòu guǒ ， dàn bú yào shuō ， kěn dìng shì yǒu dà yīn móu 。
虽然不知道前因后果，但不要说，肯定是有大阴谋。
Although he didn't know the full story, it was clear that there had to be a grand conspiracy at play. The force capable of using late-stage puppets couldn’t be much weaker than the Heavenly Sea Pavilion. Lin Xuan would never have agreed to get involved in such murky waters under normal circumstances.
ér néng gòu dòng yòng hòu qī kuǐ lěi de shì lì ， kǒng pà bǐ tiān yá hǎi gé yě ruò bú dào nǎ ér qù ， yǐ lín xuān de xìng gé ， yuán běn shì jué bù yuàn xiā zhè zhǒng hún shuǐ de 。
而能够动用后期傀儡的势力，恐怕比天涯海阁也弱不到哪儿去，以林轩的性格，原本是决不愿瞎这种浑水的。
But Qin Yan’s relationship with him was different. Despite the mysterious properties of the sound-emitting talisman, Lin Xuan couldn't abandon Fairy Cloudy Mist. He gritted his teeth and had no choice but to take a risk.
kě qín yán yǔ tā guān xì bì jìng bù tóng ， suī rán nà zhāng chuán yīn fú ， pǒ duō guǐ yì zhī chù ， dàn cǐ shí cǐ kè ， lín xuān rú hé néng diū xià yún zhōng xiān zi bù gù 。
可秦妍与他关系毕竟不同，虽然那张传音符，颇多诡异之处，但此时此刻，林轩如何能丢下云中仙子不顾。
Lin Xuan continued to perform Nine Heaven Microsteps while drawing out the long spear he had obtained from Snowfox King. He infused force into it and swung it down with all his might.
yǎo le yǎo yá ， zhǐ néng pīn le 。
咬了咬牙，只能拼了。
Although he didn’t know what kind of strange power the opponent was using, the fact that they could barely keep up with his Nine Heaven Microsteps suggested some spatial manipulation was involved.
lín xuān yī biān jì xù shī zhǎn jiǔ tiān huī bù ， yī biān qǔ chū dé zì xuě hú wáng de nà bǐng zhǎng gē 。
林轩一边继续施展九天徽步，一边取出得自雪狐王的那柄长戈。
A flash of green light appeared, and a bright crescent moon emerged.
lì zhù rù ， rán hòu hěn hěn de xiàng xià huī luò 。
力注入，然后狠狠的向下挥落。
Puff! About thirty feet in front of Lin Xuan, the air twisted, revealing the puppet’s form.
suī rán bù zhī dào duì fāng shī zhǎn de shì hé guǐ yì shén tōng ， dàn néng gòu miǎn qiǎng gēn shàng zì jǐ de jiǔ tiān huī bù ， xiǎn rán yě yǔ kōng jiān zé yǒu xiē xǔ guān xì de 。
虽然不知道对方施展的是何诡异神通，但能够勉强跟上自己的九天徽步，显然也与空间则有些许关系的。
His eyes widened in surprise as he saw that it was clearly a lifeless object, yet its aura was no different from a real person's.
qīng guāng yī shǎn ， yī dào yào yǎn de yuè yá chū xiàn 。
青光一闪，一道耀眼的月牙出现。
Lin Xuan didn’t have time to dwell on this. Green light flashed across his body, and he retreated another hundred feet.
pū yī yī yī yī yī yī lín xuān shēn qián yuē shù shí zhàng yuǎn ， kōng qì yī zhèn niǔ qū ， kuǐ lěi xiǎn chū le shēn xíng 。
噗一一一一一一林轩身前约数十丈远，空气一阵扭曲，傀儡显出了身形。
The puppet’s expression grew more desperate. Lin Xuan snapped his fingers, and the Nine Heaven Moon Ring flew out.
yǎn jiǎo mǎn shì jīng yà ， míng míng shì sǐ wù ， dàn shén zhuān què yǔ zhēn rén méi yǒu shén me bù tóng 。
眼角满是惊讶，明明是死物，但神专却与真人没有什么不同。
"What is this..."
lín xuān zì rán gù bù shàng gǎn kǎi ， hún shēn qīng guāng lián shǎn ， yòu dùn chū le bǎi yú zhàng yuǎn 。
林轩自然顾不上感慨，浑身青光连闪，又遁出了百余丈远。
Although Qin Yan had never seen it before, their shared cultivation base allowed them to sense each other's presence.
kuǐ lěi de liǎn sè yuè fā nàn kàn ， shuāng shǒu bào xiōng ， nà páng bó de líng lì dǒu rán bào zhǎng qǐ lái ， lǐ miàn dài zhe fēng kuáng zhī yì 。
傀儡的脸色越发难看，双手抱胸，那磅礴的灵力陡然暴涨起来，里面带着疯狂之意。
Lin Xuan threw the Nine Heaven Moon Ring into the silk wall. Despite being two separate treasures, they seemed to merge seamlessly, as if they were one. Lin Xuan’s body flashed, and he opened his arms, embracing Qin Yan tightly.
jiàn zhuī zhī bù jí ， duì fāng xuǎn zé le lì kè zì bào 。
见追之不及，对方选择了立刻自爆。
He wrapped his arm around her waist, pressing his chest against her back. At this moment, it wasn’t about taking advantage or anything; the Nine Heaven Mysteries had a joint technique that, when used simultaneously by two people, would greatly enhance their power. It was like the Jiang family’s dual combat techniques, which far outmatched two late-stage middle-period cultivators.
xiāng jù bù guò bǎi yú zhàng ér yǐ ， qū qū liǎng míng chū qī yǔ zhōng qī de xiū shì ， jué duì bù kě néng yǒu sī háo de shēng jī 。
相距不过百余丈而已，区区两名初期与中期的修士，绝对不可能有丝毫的生机。
The same principle applied to the Nine Heaven Mysteries. The only drawback was that it required intimate contact; their internal energy had to merge for it to work.
lín xuān yě kàn chū le duì fāng de yì tú ， yuán bì qīng shū ， yǐ cóng qín yán de yāo jiān shōu huí le shǒu ， tóng shí xiù páo yī dǒu ， nà wū jīn lóng jiǎ dùn lì kè fēi chū yī xiù 。
林轩也看出了对方的意图，猿臂轻舒，已从秦妍的腰间收回了手，同时袖袍一抖，那乌金龙甲盾立刻飞出衣袖。
This was unavoidable since the Nine Heaven Mysteries were created when Lin Xuan and Fairy Phoenix were just starting their cultivation together, filled with tender moments.
líng guāng kuáng shǎn ， xùn sù bào zhǎng qǐ lái ， huà wèi yī céng jīn sè de guāng mù ， jiāng liǎng rén bāo guǒ zài qí nà guāng mù biǎo miàn ， yǒu wú shù quán tou dà xiǎo de fú wén shǎn shuò tūn tǔ ， kàn shàng qù xuán miào dào le jí yǔ lín xuān hái bù mǎn zú ， zhāng kāi kǒu ， bì lǜ sè de huǒ yàn pēn tǔ ér chū ， yī xià jiāng zhěng gè hù zhào diǎn rán ， zhè shén mì de mó yán ， jìn gōng gù rán xī lì ， fáng yù yī yàng yǒu dú dào zhī mí 。
灵光狂闪，迅速暴涨起来，化为一层金色的光幕，将两人包裹在其那光幕表面，有无数拳头大小的符文闪烁吞吐，看上去玄妙到了极雨林轩还不满足，张开口，碧绿色的火焰喷吐而出，一下将整个护罩点燃，这神秘的魔炎，进攻固然犀利，防御一样有独到之谜。
Lin Xuan didn’t think he was wrong in doing this. Even if they were dual cultivation partners, they should still have some secrets between them. Besides, his relationship with Qin Yan wasn't at that level yet; the future remained uncertain.
dāng rán ， jǐn jǐn zhè yàng shì bù gòu dì ， nà kuǐ lěi kě shì xiāng dāng yú wú yīng hòu qī ， zì bào de wēi lì jiù suàn lí hé qī lǎo guài wù ， duō shǎo yě huì yǒu xiē xǔ jì dàn dì 。
当然，仅仅这样是不够地，那傀儡可是相当于无婴后期，自爆的威力就算离合期老怪物，多少也会有些许忌惮地。
As Qin Yan pointed her finger, their treasures emitted a dazzling light, and huge runes appeared on the ice-fire wall.
lín xuān zuǒ shǒu fān zhuǎn ， yī dié fú chóu ！ zài zhǎng xīn zhōng fú xiàn 。
林轩左手翻转，一叠符筹！在掌心中浮现。
The oppressive spiritual pressure rose to the sky but was soon overwhelmed by the devastating explosion.
xiū xiān bǎi yì zhī zhōng ， zhì fú suàn shì jí wéi tè shū de yī zhǒng ， fú chóu ！ wēi lì fēi fán ， ér yòu jiǎn dān shí yòng ， dàn quē diǎn yě hěn míng xiǎn ， yòng shì sú de huà shuō ， jiù shì shāo chéng ， yī zhāng dì jiē fáng yù fú chóu ！” bù guǎn shì shén me shǔ xìng de ， zuì shǎo dōu yào shàng wàn jīng shí 。
修仙百艺之中，制符算是极为特殊的一种，符筹！威力非凡，而又简单实用，但缺点也很明显，用世俗的话说，就是烧成，一张地阶防御符筹！”不管是什么属性的，最少都要上万晶石。
An attack from a late-stage cultivator might not be able to open heaven and earth, but its power was still astonishing. It could topple mountains and reverse rivers without any exaggeration.
hǎo yì diǎn de ， qī bā wàn jīng shí yě bù guò shì xiǎo yì si ， zhè zhǒng jià gé ， jī hū dōu néng mǎi yī pǔ tōng de bǎo le ， ér dài lí kě shì yí cì xìng de xiāo hào zhī wù 。
好一点的，七八万晶石也不过是小意思，这种价格，几乎都能买一普通的宝了，而待黧可是一次性的消耗之物。
The self-destruct’s power was even more formidable. The puppet had deliberately compressed the range, adding three-tenths of its destructive force.
suǒ yǐ jí biàn shì yuán yīng qī lǎo guài wù ， chú fēi shēn fèn shí zài tè shū ， dōu hěn shǎo yòng zhè zhǒng kān chēng shē chǐ de fú ruò 0 dàn lín xuān bù tóng ， yī lái tā shēn jiā yuǎn bǐ tóng jiē xiū shì fēng hòu ， èr lái zài zhè liǎng bǎi nián de xīng fēng xuè yǔ zhī zhōng ， fú lí kě shì wèi tā lǚ lì dà ， yǒu jǐ cì ， ruò bú shì fáng yù fú gòu duō ， shuō bù dìng dōu yǐ rán yǔn luò 。
所以即便是元婴期老怪物，除非身份实在特殊，都很少用这种堪称奢侈的符箬0但林轩不同，一来他身家远比同阶修士丰厚，二来在这两百年的腥风血雨之中，符黧可是为他缕立大，有几次，若不是防御符够多，说不定都已然陨落。
They were about a hundred feet away from the explosion's center, so the spiritual pressure had somewhat weakened. However, the earth-stage and above defensive talismans shattered like bubbles.
suǒ yǐ guì shì guì shàng yī xiē ， dàn yǔ xìng mìng xiàng bǐ ， què yòu bù zhí yī tí ！
所以贵是贵上一些，但与性命相比，却又不值一提！
Layer by layer...
lín xuān měi dào fāng shì ， zhǐ yào yǒu hǎo fú ， bù guǎn jià gé rú hé ， zǒng huì xiān mǎi xià zài shuō 。
林轩每到坊市，只要有好苻，不管价格如何，总会先买下再说。
In an instant, the treasures purchased with hundreds of thousands of jades turned to nothingness.
bié kàn tā shǒu zhōng zhǐ yǒu báo báo de yī dié fú lí ， què wú yī bú shì dì jiē zhōng pǐn yǐ shàng de ， huàn chéng jīng shí ， zú yǒu liù qī shí wàn zhī jù 。
别看他手中只有薄薄的一叠符黧，却无一不是地阶中品以上的，换成晶石，足有六七十万之巨。
Of course, it wasn’t entirely wasted; their power was significantly reduced. Then came the black dragon armor shield's defense.
dàn miàn duì yǎn qián de wēi jī ， lín xuān yě zhǐ néng rěn tòng quán zá le chū qù 。
但面对眼前的危机，林轩也只能忍痛全砸了出去。
This treasure’s defensive capabilities were formidable. Late-stage cultivators' attacks weren't uncommon, but this one only lasted less than a breath before emitting a mournful sound and breaking apart as well.
qín yán dèng dà le yǎn móu ， tā kě shì yuán yīng qī xiū xiān zhě ， yòu chū shēn tiān yá hǎi gé ， zhè yǎn guāng rú hé ，g rán bù yòng duō shuō ， nà xiē fú chóu ！ rán shāo yǐ hòu ， suǒ chǎn shēng de líng lì lìng rén chēng rì jié shé 。
秦妍瞪大了眼眸，她可是元婴期修仙者，又出身天涯海阁，这眼光如何，g然不用多说，那些符筹！燃烧以后，所产生的灵力令人瞠日结舌。
Only a palm-sized shield remained, falling from mid-air with cracks all over its surface, devoid of spiritual energy. Although the black dragon armor wasn’t completely destroyed, it would need proper worship to be restored.
suī rán jù tǐ de jià zhí bù qīng chǔ ， dàn dà gài què yě néng gòu gū suàn chū 。
虽然具体的价值不清楚，但大概却也能够估算出。
Innumerable spiritual energy hurricanes finally reached the last layer of protection.
mào sì shī zūn yě méi yǒu zhè me shē chǐ de 。
貌似师尊也没有这么奢侈的。
Lin Xuan held Qin Yan tightly; her face flushed red. But at this moment, both were focused on blocking the explosion.
zhè wèi lín shī dì jiū jìng shén me lái tou ， yǎn dōu bù zhǎ yī xià jiù shāo diào shù shí wàn jīng shí le 。
这位林师弟究竟什么来头，眼都不眨一下就烧掉数十万晶石了。
Rumble!
cái dà qì cū ！
财大气粗！
A deafening roar echoed in their ears, like a monster from ancient times. Then, an unbelievable transformation occurred: the chaotic spiritual energy suddenly converged into a monstrous creature made of spiritual energy.
bù guò qín yán bì jìng bú shì huā píng rén wù ， zài hǎi wài xiū shì zhī zhōng ， yún zhōng xiān zi míng tóu jí xiǎng ， kě bú shì zhān le shī mén yǔ shī fù de guāng 。
不过秦妍毕竟不是花瓶人物，在海外修士之中，云中仙子名头极响，可不是沾了师门与师傅的光。
The creature was enormous, towering over a hundred feet high, resembling a small mountain.
tā de zhēn shí shí lì hái zài pǔ tōng de zhōng qī xiū shì zhī shàng 。
她的真实实力还在普通的中期修士之上。
It had the body of a lion and the head of a bull but was far more terrifying than their combination. Lin Xuan’s face paled as he exclaimed in shock: "Impossible! The puppet has already self-destructed; how can these residual spiritual energies still form a monster?"
zài tóng líng xiū shì zhī zhōng ， shí lì néng gòu gài guò tā de zhēn méi yǒu jǐ gè 。
在同龄修士之中，实力能够盖过她的真没有几个。
Lin Xuan, despite his extensive experience, had never heard of such a thing.
lín xuān ， tián xiǎo jiàn bú yòng shuō ， qí tā de ， kǒng pà yě zhàn bù chū lái le 。
林轩，田小剑不用说，其他的，恐怕也战不出来了。
Could it be an old monster from the merging stage?
bù guò shì yī shùn jiān de jīng è ， suí hòu qín yán jiù yì shí dào zì jǐ liǎng rén hái chù zài wēi xiǎn zhī zhōng ， yù shǒu jǐn wò ， hún shēn de lì kuáng yǒng ér chū ， xiān zhǐ shì huǎn shí jí ， xiàng zhe shēn qián de bǎo diǎn qù 。
不过是一瞬间的惊愕，随后秦妍就意识到自己两人还处在危险之中，玉手紧握，浑身的力狂涌而出，纤指似缓实急，向着身前的宝点去。
Why would he target a late-stage cultivator and not act himself? Why send two puppets instead?
jiǔ tiān bīng huǒ líng gōng fáng yī tǐ ， jìng rán fā chū yī shēng jiāo lóng shì de qīng míng ， suí hòu nà sān chǐ hóng líng ， xùn sù bào zhǎng ， xíng chéng le yī dǔ chóu duàn zhī qiáng 。
九天冰火绫攻防一体，竟然发出一声蛟龙似的清鸣，随后那三尺红绫，迅速暴涨，形成了一堵绸缎之墙。
Countless questions swirled in Lin Xuan’s mind. But he didn’t have time to ponder them as the creature raised its paw, striking down on them with the force of Mount Tai!
bīng yǔ huǒ ， tóng shí fù gài zài le qí shàng 。
冰与火，同时覆盖在了其上。
Unlike the puppet, this purely spiritual energy monster could only exist for a short while, like a fleeting flower, but due to fully releasing its spiritual energy, it surpassed late-stage cultivators in power.
lín xuān méi tóu wēi tiāo ， yī pāi hòu nǎo sháo ， jiǔ tiān míng yuè huán yě fēi lüè ér chū 。
林轩眉头微挑，一拍后脑勺，九天明月环也飞掠而出。
Lin Xuan and Qin Yan’s expressions were grim. They gritted their teeth and held on tightly, each raising their hands and sending out hand seals towards the creature. The Nine Heaven Mysteries were at their peak...
Although he didn't know the full story, it was clear that there had to be a grand conspiracy at play. The force capable of using late-stage puppets couldn’t be much weaker than the Heavenly Sea Pavilion. Lin Xuan would never have agreed to get involved in such murky waters under normal circumstances.
But Qin Yan’s relationship with him was different. Despite the mysterious properties of the sound-emitting talisman, Lin Xuan couldn't abandon Fairy Cloudy Mist. He gritted his teeth and had no choice but to take a risk.
Lin Xuan continued to perform Nine Heaven Microsteps while drawing out the long spear he had obtained from Snowfox King. He infused force into it and swung it down with all his might.
Although he didn’t know what kind of strange power the opponent was using, the fact that they could barely keep up with his Nine Heaven Microsteps suggested some spatial manipulation was involved.
A flash of green light appeared, and a bright crescent moon emerged.
Puff! About thirty feet in front of Lin Xuan, the air twisted, revealing the puppet’s form.
His eyes widened in surprise as he saw that it was clearly a lifeless object, yet its aura was no different from a real person's.
Lin Xuan didn’t have time to dwell on this. Green light flashed across his body, and he retreated another hundred feet.
The puppet’s expression grew more desperate. Lin Xuan snapped his fingers, and the Nine Heaven Moon Ring flew out.
"What is this..."
Although Qin Yan had never seen it before, their shared cultivation base allowed them to sense each other's presence.
Lin Xuan threw the Nine Heaven Moon Ring into the silk wall. Despite being two separate treasures, they seemed to merge seamlessly, as if they were one. Lin Xuan’s body flashed, and he opened his arms, embracing Qin Yan tightly.
He wrapped his arm around her waist, pressing his chest against her back. At this moment, it wasn’t about taking advantage or anything; the Nine Heaven Mysteries had a joint technique that, when used simultaneously by two people, would greatly enhance their power. It was like the Jiang family’s dual combat techniques, which far outmatched two late-stage middle-period cultivators.
The same principle applied to the Nine Heaven Mysteries. The only drawback was that it required intimate contact; their internal energy had to merge for it to work.
This was unavoidable since the Nine Heaven Mysteries were created when Lin Xuan and Fairy Phoenix were just starting their cultivation together, filled with tender moments.
Lin Xuan didn’t think he was wrong in doing this. Even if they were dual cultivation partners, they should still have some secrets between them. Besides, his relationship with Qin Yan wasn't at that level yet; the future remained uncertain.
As Qin Yan pointed her finger, their treasures emitted a dazzling light, and huge runes appeared on the ice-fire wall.
The oppressive spiritual pressure rose to the sky but was soon overwhelmed by the devastating explosion.
An attack from a late-stage cultivator might not be able to open heaven and earth, but its power was still astonishing. It could topple mountains and reverse rivers without any exaggeration.
The self-destruct’s power was even more formidable. The puppet had deliberately compressed the range, adding three-tenths of its destructive force.
They were about a hundred feet away from the explosion's center, so the spiritual pressure had somewhat weakened. However, the earth-stage and above defensive talismans shattered like bubbles.
Layer by layer...
In an instant, the treasures purchased with hundreds of thousands of jades turned to nothingness.
Of course, it wasn’t entirely wasted; their power was significantly reduced. Then came the black dragon armor shield's defense.
This treasure’s defensive capabilities were formidable. Late-stage cultivators' attacks weren't uncommon, but this one only lasted less than a breath before emitting a mournful sound and breaking apart as well.
Only a palm-sized shield remained, falling from mid-air with cracks all over its surface, devoid of spiritual energy. Although the black dragon armor wasn’t completely destroyed, it would need proper worship to be restored.
Innumerable spiritual energy hurricanes finally reached the last layer of protection.
Lin Xuan held Qin Yan tightly; her face flushed red. But at this moment, both were focused on blocking the explosion.
Rumble!
A deafening roar echoed in their ears, like a monster from ancient times. Then, an unbelievable transformation occurred: the chaotic spiritual energy suddenly converged into a monstrous creature made of spiritual energy.
The creature was enormous, towering over a hundred feet high, resembling a small mountain.
It had the body of a lion and the head of a bull but was far more terrifying than their combination. Lin Xuan’s face paled as he exclaimed in shock: "Impossible! The puppet has already self-destructed; how can these residual spiritual energies still form a monster?"
Lin Xuan, despite his extensive experience, had never heard of such a thing.
Could it be an old monster from the merging stage?
Why would he target a late-stage cultivator and not act himself? Why send two puppets instead?
Countless questions swirled in Lin Xuan’s mind. But he didn’t have time to ponder them as the creature raised its paw, striking down on them with the force of Mount Tai!
Unlike the puppet, this purely spiritual energy monster could only exist for a short while, like a fleeting flower, but due to fully releasing its spiritual energy, it surpassed late-stage cultivators in power.
Lin Xuan and Qin Yan’s expressions were grim. They gritted their teeth and held on tightly, each raising their hands and sending out hand seals towards the creature. The Nine Heaven Mysteries were at their peak...