lín xuān qǔ chū yī kē ， nà rù zuǐ lǐ ， rù kǒu jí huà ， hái yǒu yī sī gān tián de fēn fāng 。
林轩取出一颗，纳入嘴里，入口即化，还有一丝甘甜的芬芳。
Lin Xuan took out a pill and popped it into his mouth, which dissolved instantly, leaving behind a hint of sweet fragrance.
rán hòu tā yùn zhuàn tiān mó nǐ róng shù ， hěn kuài jiù biàn chéng le lìng wài yī fù mú yàng 。
然后他运转天魔拟容术，很快就变成了另外一副模样。
Then he activated the Heaven Demon Mimicry Technique, quickly transforming his appearance.
mǎn yì de diǎn diǎn tóu ， lín xuān yòu fú xià yī kē ， dài yào lì huà diào yǐ hòu ， jiāng tā nà rù dān tián ， xíng chéng le yí gè qì zhuàng de yuán qiú ， hěn qīng yì jiù jiāng líng lì yǐn cáng qǐ lái le 。
满意的点点头，林轩又服下一颗，待药力化掉以后，将它纳入丹田，形成了一个气状的圆球，很轻易就将灵力隐藏起来了。
Satisfied with the result, Lin Xuan swallowed another pill. After the effects wore off, he incorporated it into his dantian, forming an ethereal ball that easily concealed his essence energy.
lín xuān jiāng zhè zhǒng dān yào mìng míng wèi yǐn líng dān ！
林轩将这种丹药命名为隐灵丹！
Lin Xuan named this type of pill "Hidden Spirit Pill"!
lín xuān yǐ jīng wán quán róng rù le líng yào shān ， yǔ bié de mén pài bù tóng ， zhè lǐ de xiū shì gèng shì děng xián nán dé yī jiàn 。
林轩已经完全融入了灵药山，与别的门派不同，这里的修士更是等闲难得一见。
Unlike other sects where cultivators were common sights, Lin Xuan had barely met any in the Spirit Medicine Mountain. He knew even fewer who were familiar with him.
chú le tōng yǔ zhēn rén ， lín xuān rèn shí de xiū shì liáo liáo wú jǐ ， xiāng shú de gèng shì zhǎo bù chū yí gè 。
除了通羽真人，林轩认识的修士寥寥无几，相熟的更是找不出一个。
But it didn't matter; he wasn't genuinely joining for the sake of cultivation. His true goal was to get his hands on waste pills. Although he hadn't taken action yet, he felt closer and closer to achieving his objective.
bù guò méi yǒu guān xì ， tā běn lái jiù bú shì zhēn xīn rù mén ， ér shì huái zhe rǎn zhǐ fèi dān de mù dì 。
不过没有关系，他本来就不是真心入门，而是怀着染指废丹的目的。
Firstly, he needed to gain Master Tongyu's trust. With Lin Xuan's ability to transform waste into treasure, there was no need for him to worry about the quality of his pills; any that were deemed a failure could be refined back into usable ones.
suī rán lín xuān hái méi yǒu cǎi qǔ xíng dòng ， dàn lí zì jǐ de mù biāo ， què yuè lái yuè jìn 。
虽然林轩还没有采取行动，但离自己的目标，却越来越近。
Of course, Lin Xuan carefully balanced this. He showed enough talent to impress without shocking everyone.
shǒu xiān shì qǔ dé tōng yǔ zhēn rén de xìn rèn 。
首先是取得通羽真人的信任。
This already pleased Master Tongyu immensely. Considering Lin Xuan's young age and potential, he believed that with more time, the young man would reach higher realms of cultivation, dedicating his life to alchemy and expanding their sect's influence.
lín xuān shēn huái biàn fèi wèi bǎo de běn lǐng ， suǒ yǐ liàn zhì dān yào bù yòng dān xīn ， liàn fèi le zhí jiē tí chún chéng chéng pǐn 。
林轩身怀变废为宝的本领，所以炼制丹药不用担心，炼废了直接提纯成成品。
Based on these thoughts, Master Tongyu decided to make Lin Xuan the successor of Spirit Medicine Mountain, taking over after his departure.
dāng rán ， lín xuān hěn xiǎo xīn de zhǎng wò zhe zhè ge dù ， jì biǎo xiàn chū le zú gòu de tiān fù ， què yòu bù zhì yú jīng shì hài sú 。
当然，林轩很小心的掌握着这个度，既表现出了足够的天赋，却又不至于惊世骇俗。
"Master, this is absolutely unacceptable!"
dàn zhè yǐ zú gòu lìng tōng yǔ zhēn rén jīng xǐ ， jiù liàn dān shù de zào yì ， lín xuān suī rán hái bù jí zì jǐ ， dàn kǎo lǜ dào tā zhè me nián qīng ， yǐ hòu wán quán kě néng xiū zhēn de jìng jiè gèng shàng yī céng ， yǒu gèng zhǎng de shòu mìng zhuān yán liàn dān shù ， jiāng běn mén fā yáng guāng dà 。
但这已足够令通羽真人惊喜，就炼丹术的造诣，林轩虽然还不及自己，但考虑到他这么年轻，以后完全可能修真的境界更上一层，有更长的寿命专研炼丹术，将本门发扬光大。
Lin Xuan was taken aback. He might not be a good person, but he had no ill intentions towards anyone. His sole goal was to achieve immortality, and he had reluctantly considered using waste pills as a means to that end. Becoming the leader of Spirit Medicine Mountain was out of the question.
jī yú zhè zhǒng kǎo lǜ ， tōng yǔ zhēn rén jué dìng lì lín xuān wèi líng yào shān de yù bèi zhǎng mén ， yě jiù shì zì jǐ xiān qù zhī hòu ， tā jiāng zhí zhǎng běn mén 。
基于这种考虑，通羽真人决定立林轩为灵药山的预备掌门，也就是自己仙去之后，他将执掌本门。
"Disciple, you needn't refuse. Your talent in alchemy far exceeds mine; you will surely expand our sect's influence. You are the chosen one by all," Master Tongyu continued his persuasive speech until Lin Xuan was left speechless. Unable to reveal his true intentions, he reluctantly agreed.
“ shī zūn ， zhè wàn wàn bù kě ！”
“师尊，这万万不可！”
Exiting from Master Tongyu, Lin Xuan sighed. To be fair, his master treated him well. Although the cultivators in Spirit Medicine Mountain were somewhat eccentric, they weren't as opportunistic as those in other sects. The atmosphere here was quite pleasant, but the weight of being a leader was too heavy for someone who wanted to focus solely on cultivation.
lín xuān chī le yī jīng ， tā suī rán bú shì shén me hǎo rén ， dàn yě bú huì duì shuí bāo cáng huò xīn 。 zì jǐ bù guò shì yī xīn zhuī qiú xiān dào 。 bù dé yǐ cái dǎ fèi dān de zhǔ yì ， zěn me néng gòu chéng wéi líng yào shān de zhǎng mén 。
林轩吃了一惊，他虽然不是什么好人，但也不会对谁包藏祸心。自己不过是一心追求仙道。不得已才打废丹的主意，怎么能够成为灵药山的掌门。
Lin Xuan didn't want the position, but he quickly changed his mind when he thought about it. His worries vanished as Master Tongyu was only around 150 years old, with many more decades left in his life according to the lifespan of a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator. There wasn't much for him to worry about.
“ tú ér nǐ bù yòng tuī cí ， nǐ zài liàn dān shù shàng de tiān fù yuǎn yuǎn chāo guò wèi shī ， bì néng jiāng běn mén fā yáng guāng dà 。 yóu nǐ chuán chéng yī bō nǎi shì zhòng wàng suǒ guī ！”
“徒儿你不用推辞，你在炼丹术上的天赋远远超过为师，必能将本门发扬光大。由你传承衣钵乃是众望所归！”
Moreover, this future leadership position would be advantageous. Apart from a few obsessed alchemists who didn't care about anything else, most cultivators still valued such positions and would give some respect. His plan to obtain waste pills had taken another step forward.
jiē xià lái yòu shì yī fān kǔ kǒu pó xīn de quàn shuō ， jiǎng dé lín xuān yǎ kǒu wú yán ， zì jǐ yòu bù néng jiāng zhēn shí mù dì bào lù chū lái ， zuì hòu zhǐ hǎo gǎn yā zi shàng jià ， miǎn qiǎng dā yìng xià lái 。
接下来又是一番苦口婆心的劝说，讲得林轩哑口无言，自己又不能将真实目地暴露出来，最后只好赶鸭子上架，勉强答应下来。
Lin Xuan walked while pondering when he noticed a white light—a group of people being teleported in.
cóng tōng yǔ zhēn rén nà lǐ chū lái ， lín xuān tàn le kǒu qì ， píng xīn ér lùn ， shī zūn dài zì jǐ bù báo ， líng yào shān dì xiū shì suī rán pí qì gǔ guài le xiē ， dàn yǔ qí tā xiū zhēn zhě xiāng bǐ 。 fǎn ér shǎo le yī fèn shì lì 。
从通羽真人那里出来，林轩叹了口气，平心而论，师尊待自己不薄，灵药山地修士虽然脾气古怪了些，但与其他修真者相比。反而少了一份势利。
The leading figure was an outer sect disciple responsible for welcoming guests. Lin Xuan calculated that today was the day they received visitors.
dài zài zhè ge mén pài lǐ gǎn jué bù cuò ， bù guò chéng wéi zhǎng mén jiān shàng de dàn zi jiù tài zhòng le 。 duì yú xī wàng xīn wú páng wù ， yī xīn xiū liàn de zì jǐ lái shuō ， wèi bì shì shén me hǎo shì 。
待在这个门派里感觉不错，不过成为掌门肩上的担子就太重了。对于希望心无旁骛，一心修炼的自己来说，未必是什么好事。
Initially, he didn't pay much attention but his eyes widened as he saw someone familiar among them.
lín xuān bìng bù xiǎng dāng ， bù guò zhuǎn niàn yī xiǎng ， tā liǎn shàng de yōu sè yòu hěn kuài yǐn qù ， shī zūn jīn nián yě cái yì bǎi wǔ shí yú suì ér yǐ ， àn zhào zhù jī qī xiū shì dì shòu mìng ， hái yǒu shù shí nián kě huó 。 zàn shí méi shén me hǎo dān xīn de 。
林轩并不想当，不过转念一想，他脸上的忧色又很快隐去，师尊今年也才一百五十余岁而已，按照筑基期修士地寿命，还有数十年可活。暂时没什么好担心的。
Ma Tianxiong!
ér qiě jiù mù qián de qíng kuàng lái shuō ， zhè wèi lái zhǎng mén de shēn fèn duì zì jǐ kě shì hǎo chù duō duō ， chú le shǎo shù zhēn zhèng chén nì yú liàn dān shù ， bù wèn shì shì de fēng zi ， qí tā de xiū zhēn zhě ， hái shì hěn zài hū zhǎng mén zhī wèi ， duō shǎo huì gěi yī xiē miàn zi 。 zì jǐ móu qǔ fèi dān de jì huà 。 yòu jìn le yī bù 。
而且就目前的情况来说，这未来掌门的身份对自己可是好处多多，除了少数真正沉溺于炼丹术，不问世事的疯子，其他的修真者，还是很在乎掌门之位，多少会给一些面子。自己谋取废丹的计划。又近了一步。
Lin Xuan had met this elite disciple a few times during his time in the Cloudy Valley. It was from him that he learned about the secrets of the top-grade pills.
lín xuān yī biān zǒu ， yī biān sī liáng 。 tū rán yī dào bái guāng ， jǐ gè rén cóng wài miàn bèi chuán sòng jìn lái 。
林轩一边走，一边思量。突然一道白光，几个人从外面被传送进来。
Of course, Ma Tianxong didn't recognize Lin Xuan; their interactions were always through the Heaven Demon Mimicry Technique, and at that time, Lin Xuan was an unremarkable low-level disciple in the Cloudy Valley.
lǐng lù de yī rán shì fù zé jiē yǐn de wài mén dì zǐ ， lín xuān qiā zhǐ yī suàn ， jīn tiān qià hǎo yòu shì jiē dài wài kè de rì zi 。
领路的依然是负责接引的外门弟子，林轩掐指一算，今天恰好又是接待外客的日子。
The outer sect disciple greeted Lin Xuan respectfully: "Immortal!"
yuán běn lín xuān bìng méi yǒu zài yì ， jǐn jǐn shì piǎo le yī yǎn ， rán ér zhè yī kàn ， què ràng tā liǎn shàng lù chū le yī sī è rán 。
原本林轩并没有在意，仅仅是瞟了一眼，然而这一看，却让他脸上露出了一丝愕然。
Although he hadn't officially announced his position as a successor yet, he was still Master Tongyu's senior disciple with considerable influence within the sect. The other cultivators' faces showed surprise at this young man’s status; they were all sharp-witted and could easily see through his flattery.
jū rán yǒu yí gè shú rén zài lǐ miàn 。
居然有一个熟人在里面。
Their attention immediately turned to Lin Xuan.
mǎ tiān xióng ！
马天雄！
Seeing that Lin Xuan was a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, they were even more surprised. He didn't look over twenty, yet such an impressive cultivation level for someone so young was extraordinary, especially in a renowned sect known for alchemy where most practitioners had lower power levels.
lín xuān zài piāo yún gǔ shí céng jīng jiē chù guò jǐ cì dì jīng yīng dì zǐ ！
林轩在飘云谷时曾经接触过几次地精英弟子！
"What happened?"
guān yú jí pǐn dān de yǐn mì ， jiù shì cóng cǐ rén kǒu zhōng dé zhī 。
关于极品丹的隐秘，就是从此人口中得知。
Could the other party have practiced some special cultivation techniques that kept them youthful?
dāng rán ， zì jǐ rèn shí tā ， tā kě bù rèn shí zì jǐ ， yīn wèi lín xuān yǔ tā dǎ jiāo dào ， dōu shì yòng tiān mó nǐ róng shù huà zhuāng chéng yè tiān dì yàng zi 。
当然，自己认识他，他可不认识自己，因为林轩与他打交道，都是用天魔拟容术化妆成叶天地样子。
Indeed, there were legends in the cultivation world about certain techniques that could keep one youthful until the end of their life.
ér nà shí de lín xuān ， zài piāo yún gǔ míng bú jiàn jīng zhuàn ， jǐn jǐn shì yí gè bèi hū shì de dī jiē dì zǐ ， mǎ tiān xióng zì rán bú huì rèn shí 。
而那时的林轩，在飘云谷名不见经传，仅仅是一个被忽视的低阶弟子，马天雄自然不会认识。
Lin Xuan's face remained calm as he asked casually: "Are these guests here to refine pills?"
nà yǐn lù de wài mén dì zǐ kàn jiàn lín xuān ， lián máng gōng jìng de xíng le yī lǐ ：“ xiān shī ！”
那引路的外门弟子看见林轩，连忙恭敬的行了一礼：“仙师！”
"Yes!"
suī rán tā jiāng bèi lì wèi yù bèi zhǎng mén de xiāo xī shàng wèi gōng bù ， dàn yě shì tōng yǔ zhēn rén de rù shì dì zǐ ， zài mén zhōng hěn yǒu jǐ fēn quán shì 。
虽然他将背立为预备掌门的消息尚未公布，但也是通羽真人的入室弟子，在门中很有几分权势。
"Alright, you can lead them down. This one…" Lin Xuan pointed at Ma Tianxong, "will personally receive him."
jiàn le nà wài mén dì zǐ de biǎo qíng ， jǐ gè xiū zhēn zhě liǎn shàng dōu lù chū yī sī yì sè ， tā men yě dōu shì mù guāng rú jù dì rén wù ， zì rán bù nán kàn chū duì fāng xiàn mèi de yì tú ， nán dào yǎn qián zhè ge shào nián ， jìng shì líng yào shān de zhòng yào rén wù 。
见了那外门弟子的表情，几个修真者脸上都露出一丝异色，他们也都是目光如炬地人物，自然不难看出对方献媚的意图，难道眼前这个少年，竟是灵药山的重要人物。
The boy bowed respectfully: "As you command."
dāng jí tā men de zhù yì lì ， jiù bèi xī yǐn dào lín xuān shēn shàng lái le 。
当即他们的注意力，就被吸引到林轩身上来了。
Surprised by the situation, but obedient, he led the other cultivators away.
zhè yī kàn ， gèng shì chī le yī jīng ， jū rán shì zhù jī qī de xiū shì 。
这一看，更是吃了一惊，居然是筑基期的修士。
"Follow me."
lín xuān kàn qǐ lái ， hái bú dào èr shí ， zhè me nián qīng ， xiū wèi jiù rú cǐ jīng rén ， biàn shì fàng zài míng mén dà pài ， yě shì chāo tiān cái ， líng yào shān kě shì yǐ liàn dān wén míng ， tīng shuō liàn dān shī de shí lì pǔ biàn jiào dī 。
林轩看起来，还不到二十，这么年轻，修为就如此惊人，便是放在名门大派，也是超天才，灵药山可是以炼丹闻名，听说炼丹师的实力普遍较低。
"Okay… okay."
zěn me huí shì ？
怎么回事？
Unlike his memory of him, this Ma Tianxong seemed somewhat nervous. He had come to Spirit Medicine Mountain out of admiration for its reputation and was here to refine a rare pill that could help him enter Foundation Establishment stage.
nán dào duì fāng liàn le shén me tè shū de gōng fǎ ？
难道对方练了什么特殊的功法？
He didn't know if being called by an elder Foundation Establishment cultivator would be good or bad luck as he followed silently.
xiū zhēn jiè què shí yǒu chuán shuō ， mǒu xiē gōng fǎ zhù yán xiào guǒ jí jiā ， zài zuò huà yǐ qián ， yì zhí dōu néng wéi chí qīng chūn nián shào 。
修真界确实有传说，某些功法驻颜效果极佳，在坐化以前，一直都能维持青春年少。
"Are you from the Cloudy Valley?"
jiāng jǐ gè xiū zhēn zhě dì mù guāng jìn shōu yǎn dǐ ， lín xuān liǎn shàng què bù dòng shēng sè ， zhǐ shì dàn dàn dì wèn le yī jù ：“ zhè jǐ wèi ， shì lái liàn dān de kè rén ma ？”
将几个修真者地目光尽收眼底，林轩脸上却不动声色，只是淡淡地问了一句：“这几位，是来炼丹的客人吗？”
"How did you know?" Ma Tianxong raised his head in surprise.
“ shì ！”
“是！”
"Haha, because I'm also from Yanzhou."
“ ń ， nǐ dài tā men xià qù ba ， zhè yī wèi ……” lín xuān zhǐ le zhǐ mǎ tiān xióng ：“ yóu wǒ qīn zì jiē dài 。”
“嗯，你带他们下去吧，这一位……”林轩指了指马天雄：“由我亲自接待。”
"Master is also a native of Yanzhou?"
“ zūn fǎ yù 。”
“尊法谕。”
"Yes," Lin Xuan scratched his nose. Being called an elder by former peers was uncomfortable; he didn't reveal the truth and instead fabricated a story: "I used to be a wandering cultivator who once visited the Cloudy Valley, where I saw you from afar. That's why I remember you. Afterward, when the conflict between Fire Spirit Sect and our sect broke out, I chose not to get involved and left Yanzhou for Youzhou."
tóng zi yǒu xiē jīng yà ， yuán yīn wú tā ， suī rán yǒu chuán yán ， zhè wèi lín xiān shī liàn dān jì shù jí jiā ， què cóng lái yě bù céng chū shǒu ， wèi wài lái dì kè rén liàn zhì ， jīn tiān zhè shì ……
童子有些惊讶，原因无他，虽然有传言，这位林仙师炼丹技术极佳，却从来也不曾出手，为外来地客人炼制，今天这是……
"Why did Master join the Spirit Medicine Mountain?" Ma Tianxong asked, feeling a bit regretful: "I shouldn't have spoken so much."
yī zhèn bù jiě ， dàn tā què guāi qiǎo de méi yǒu duō yán ， dài zhe tóng yàng mǎn fù yí dòu de jǐ gè xiū zhēn zhě ， tuì le xià qù 。
一阵不解，但他却乖巧的没有多言，带着同样满腹疑窦的几个修真者，退了下去。
"It's fine," Lin Xuan dismissed it. His kind expression made Ma Tianxong feel relieved. "I accidentally came to Spirit Medicine Mountain and met my master, Master Tongyu. He recognized my alchemical talent, which is why I joined the sect."
“ nǐ suí wǒ lái 。”
“你随我来。”
"Master Tongyu? Are you a disciple of the sect leader?"
“ hǎo …… hǎo de 。”
“好……好的。”
Ma Tianxong's face showed both surprise and joy. He had guessed that Lin Xuan was someone important but didn't expect such a high status. The pill he needed to refine was extremely difficult; if he could get Master Tongyu's help...
yǔ lín xuān jì yì zhōng de xíng xiàng bù tóng ， cǐ shí de mǎ tiān xióng xiǎn de yǒu xiē jū shù ， cǐ cì tā shì mù míng lái líng yào shān ， wèi de shì liàn zhì yī zhǒng hǎn jiàn dān yào ， zhè guān xì zhe tā néng fǒu jìn rù zhù jī qī 。
与林轩记忆中的形象不同，此时的马天雄显得有些拘束，此次他是慕名来灵药山，为的是炼制一种罕见丹药，这关系着他能否进入筑基期。
Ma Tianxong felt excited, but despite coming from the same region, they were strangers with no common ground. He didn't know how to approach him.
nǎ zhī dào gāng dào guì dì ， jiù bèi zhè wèi zhù jī qī de qián bèi jiào zhù ， yě bù zhī dào shì fú shì huò ？
哪知道刚到贵地，就被这位筑基期的前辈叫住，也不知道是福是祸？
As they arrived at Lin Xuan’s cave dwelling, they entered the reception hall and settled down. After brewing some tea, Lin Xuan took a sip: "I've been away from Yanzhou for nearly a year; do you have any news?"
mǎ tiān xióng xīn zhōng tǎn tè ， mò mò de gēn zài hòu miàn ， yī jù huà yě bù gǎn duō shuō 。
马天雄心中忐忑，默默的跟在后面，一句话也不敢多说。
"Of course, Master, I'll speak freely."
“ dào yǒu shì piāo yún gǔ de xiū zhēn zhě ？”
“道友是飘云谷的修真者？”
Ma Tianxong had something to ask him but didn't know how to build rapport. Seeing that Lin Xuan was interested in the situation of Youzhou, he eagerly began talking...
“ qián bèi zěn me zhī dào ？” mǎ tiān xióng è rán tái qǐ tóu 。
“前辈怎么知道？”马天雄愕然抬起头。
After three incense sticks.
“ hē hē ， yīn wèi wǒ yě chū shēn yú yǎn zhōu 。”
“呵呵，因为我也出身于兖州。”
"What? The消耗战in Yanzhou has ended?"
“ qián bèi yě shì wǒ men yǎn zhōu de rén ？”
“前辈也是我们兖州的人？”
"Yes, Fire Spirit Sect acted against their allies and even attacked affiliated cultivation families, killing all the friends from Stream Leap Canyon. Although they tried to keep it secret, news eventually spread, making them public enemies in the Yanzhou cultivation community. They ultimately collapsed."
“ duì 。” lín xuān mō le mō bí zi ， bèi yǐ qián de shī xiōng dì chēng hū wèi qián bèi ， hái zhēn yǒu xiē bù xí guàn ， tā dāng rán bú huì jiǎng chū shí qíng ， ér shì kāi shǐ biān zào huǎng yán ：“ wǒ běn shì yī míng sàn xiū ， céng jīng qù guò piāo yún gǔ ， hái céng yuǎn yuǎn de jiàn guò dào yǒu yī yǎn ， suǒ yǐ jì de ， hòu lái guì pài yǔ huǒ líng mén dà zhàn ， wǒ bù yuàn yì juǎn rù qí jiān ， gù ér lí kāi yǎn zhōu ， lái dào le yōu zhōu zì móu shēng lù 。”
“对。”林轩摸了摸鼻子，被以前的师兄弟称呼为前辈，还真有些不习惯，他当然不会讲出实情，而是开始编造谎言：“我本是一名散修，曾经去过飘云谷，还曾远远的见过道友一眼，所以记得，后来贵派与火灵门大战，我不愿意卷入其间，故而离开兖州，来到了幽州自谋生路。”
Lin Xuan frowned; he had expected a downfall for Fire Spirit Sect but didn't anticipate such a swift end. It was the second-strongest sect in Yanzhou, nearly on par with Cloudy Valley. Even if it became an outcast, it should have lasted longer.
“ nà qián bèi zěn me jiā rù le líng yào shān ？” mǎ tiān xióng wèn wán zhè huà ， liǎn shàng shǎn guò yī sī hòu huǐ de biǎo qíng ： fán shì jiē yīn duō kāi kǒu ， huò shì jiē yóu qiáng chū tóu ， zì jǐ dǎ tīng zhè xiē gàn shén me ：“ duì bù qǐ qián bèi ， shì wǎn bèi shī yán le 。”
“那前辈怎么加入了灵药山？”马天雄问完这话，脸上闪过一丝后悔的表情：凡事皆因多开口，祸事皆由强出头，自己打听这些干什么：“对不起前辈，是晚辈失言了。”
"By the way, Master, this is due to our sect's genius, Sister Qinyan."
“ méi shén me 。” lín xuān bù yǐ wéi yì ， tā cí hé de biǎo qíng ， ràng mǎ tiān xióng sōng le kǒu qì ：“ wǒ ǒu rán lái dào líng yào shān ， yù dào jiā shī tōng yǔ zhēn rén ， bèi què dìng yǒu liàn dān tiān fù ， gù ér jiā rù le běn pài 。”
“没什么。”林轩不以为意，他慈和的表情，让马天雄松了口气：“我偶然来到灵药山，遇到家师通羽真人，被确定有炼丹天赋，故而加入了本派。”
"Cloud Fairy?"
Lin Xuan took out a pill and popped it into his mouth, which dissolved instantly, leaving behind a hint of sweet fragrance.
Then he activated the Heaven Demon Mimicry Technique, quickly transforming his appearance.
Satisfied with the result, Lin Xuan swallowed another pill. After the effects wore off, he incorporated it into his dantian, forming an ethereal ball that easily concealed his essence energy.
Lin Xuan named this type of pill "Hidden Spirit Pill"!
Unlike other sects where cultivators were common sights, Lin Xuan had barely met any in the Spirit Medicine Mountain. He knew even fewer who were familiar with him.
But it didn't matter; he wasn't genuinely joining for the sake of cultivation. His true goal was to get his hands on waste pills. Although he hadn't taken action yet, he felt closer and closer to achieving his objective.
Firstly, he needed to gain Master Tongyu's trust. With Lin Xuan's ability to transform waste into treasure, there was no need for him to worry about the quality of his pills; any that were deemed a failure could be refined back into usable ones.
Of course, Lin Xuan carefully balanced this. He showed enough talent to impress without shocking everyone.
This already pleased Master Tongyu immensely. Considering Lin Xuan's young age and potential, he believed that with more time, the young man would reach higher realms of cultivation, dedicating his life to alchemy and expanding their sect's influence.
Based on these thoughts, Master Tongyu decided to make Lin Xuan the successor of Spirit Medicine Mountain, taking over after his departure.
"Master, this is absolutely unacceptable!"
Lin Xuan was taken aback. He might not be a good person, but he had no ill intentions towards anyone. His sole goal was to achieve immortality, and he had reluctantly considered using waste pills as a means to that end. Becoming the leader of Spirit Medicine Mountain was out of the question.
"Disciple, you needn't refuse. Your talent in alchemy far exceeds mine; you will surely expand our sect's influence. You are the chosen one by all," Master Tongyu continued his persuasive speech until Lin Xuan was left speechless. Unable to reveal his true intentions, he reluctantly agreed.
Exiting from Master Tongyu, Lin Xuan sighed. To be fair, his master treated him well. Although the cultivators in Spirit Medicine Mountain were somewhat eccentric, they weren't as opportunistic as those in other sects. The atmosphere here was quite pleasant, but the weight of being a leader was too heavy for someone who wanted to focus solely on cultivation.
Lin Xuan didn't want the position, but he quickly changed his mind when he thought about it. His worries vanished as Master Tongyu was only around 150 years old, with many more decades left in his life according to the lifespan of a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator. There wasn't much for him to worry about.
Moreover, this future leadership position would be advantageous. Apart from a few obsessed alchemists who didn't care about anything else, most cultivators still valued such positions and would give some respect. His plan to obtain waste pills had taken another step forward.
Lin Xuan walked while pondering when he noticed a white light—a group of people being teleported in.
The leading figure was an outer sect disciple responsible for welcoming guests. Lin Xuan calculated that today was the day they received visitors.
Initially, he didn't pay much attention but his eyes widened as he saw someone familiar among them.
Ma Tianxiong!
Lin Xuan had met this elite disciple a few times during his time in the Cloudy Valley. It was from him that he learned about the secrets of the top-grade pills.
Of course, Ma Tianxong didn't recognize Lin Xuan; their interactions were always through the Heaven Demon Mimicry Technique, and at that time, Lin Xuan was an unremarkable low-level disciple in the Cloudy Valley.
The outer sect disciple greeted Lin Xuan respectfully: "Immortal!"
Although he hadn't officially announced his position as a successor yet, he was still Master Tongyu's senior disciple with considerable influence within the sect. The other cultivators' faces showed surprise at this young man’s status; they were all sharp-witted and could easily see through his flattery.
Their attention immediately turned to Lin Xuan.
Seeing that Lin Xuan was a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, they were even more surprised. He didn't look over twenty, yet such an impressive cultivation level for someone so young was extraordinary, especially in a renowned sect known for alchemy where most practitioners had lower power levels.
"What happened?"
Could the other party have practiced some special cultivation techniques that kept them youthful?
Indeed, there were legends in the cultivation world about certain techniques that could keep one youthful until the end of their life.
Lin Xuan's face remained calm as he asked casually: "Are these guests here to refine pills?"
"Yes!"
"Alright, you can lead them down. This one…" Lin Xuan pointed at Ma Tianxong, "will personally receive him."
The boy bowed respectfully: "As you command."
Surprised by the situation, but obedient, he led the other cultivators away.
"Follow me."
"Okay… okay."
Unlike his memory of him, this Ma Tianxong seemed somewhat nervous. He had come to Spirit Medicine Mountain out of admiration for its reputation and was here to refine a rare pill that could help him enter Foundation Establishment stage.
He didn't know if being called by an elder Foundation Establishment cultivator would be good or bad luck as he followed silently.
"Are you from the Cloudy Valley?"
"How did you know?" Ma Tianxong raised his head in surprise.
"Haha, because I'm also from Yanzhou."
"Master is also a native of Yanzhou?"
"Yes," Lin Xuan scratched his nose. Being called an elder by former peers was uncomfortable; he didn't reveal the truth and instead fabricated a story: "I used to be a wandering cultivator who once visited the Cloudy Valley, where I saw you from afar. That's why I remember you. Afterward, when the conflict between Fire Spirit Sect and our sect broke out, I chose not to get involved and left Yanzhou for Youzhou."
"Why did Master join the Spirit Medicine Mountain?" Ma Tianxong asked, feeling a bit regretful: "I shouldn't have spoken so much."
"It's fine," Lin Xuan dismissed it. His kind expression made Ma Tianxong feel relieved. "I accidentally came to Spirit Medicine Mountain and met my master, Master Tongyu. He recognized my alchemical talent, which is why I joined the sect."
"Master Tongyu? Are you a disciple of the sect leader?"
Ma Tianxong's face showed both surprise and joy. He had guessed that Lin Xuan was someone important but didn't expect such a high status. The pill he needed to refine was extremely difficult; if he could get Master Tongyu's help...
Ma Tianxong felt excited, but despite coming from the same region, they were strangers with no common ground. He didn't know how to approach him.
As they arrived at Lin Xuan’s cave dwelling, they entered the reception hall and settled down. After brewing some tea, Lin Xuan took a sip: "I've been away from Yanzhou for nearly a year; do you have any news?"
"Of course, Master, I'll speak freely."
Ma Tianxong had something to ask him but didn't know how to build rapport. Seeing that Lin Xuan was interested in the situation of Youzhou, he eagerly began talking...
After three incense sticks.
"What? The消耗战in Yanzhou has ended?"
"Yes, Fire Spirit Sect acted against their allies and even attacked affiliated cultivation families, killing all the friends from Stream Leap Canyon. Although they tried to keep it secret, news eventually spread, making them public enemies in the Yanzhou cultivation community. They ultimately collapsed."
Lin Xuan frowned; he had expected a downfall for Fire Spirit Sect but didn't anticipate such a swift end. It was the second-strongest sect in Yanzhou, nearly on par with Cloudy Valley. Even if it became an outcast, it should have lasted longer.
"By the way, Master, this is due to our sect's genius, Sister Qinyan."
"Cloud Fairy?"