shí jiān yī huǎng yòu shì shù yuè 。
时间一晃又是数月。
Several months passed in a blink.
lín xuān yī rán zài líng yào shān ， kè kǔ xiū liàn ， cóng biǎo miàn shàng ， kàn bù chū sī háo de yì yàng ， suī rán tā de xīn lǐ ， yì zhí sī liáng zhe rú hé liàn zhì yì jīng dān 。
林轩依然在灵药山，刻苦修炼，从表面上，看不出丝毫的异样，虽然他的心里，一直思量着如何炼制易经丹。
Lin Xuan was still diligently practicing on Spirit Medicine Mountain. From the outside, he showed no signs of anything unusual. Although his heart was always preoccupied with how to refine Yi Jing Pills, all the necessary herbs had been gathered except for the Seven-star Grass as an ingredient.
qí tā de yào cái yǐ jīng shōu jí qí quán ， dú quē qī xīng cǎo zuò wèi yào yǐn 。
其他的药材已经收集齐全，独缺七星草做为药引。
Lin Xuan did not act rashly.
lín xuān méi yǒu qīng jǔ wàng dòng 。
林轩没有轻举妄动。
Although he knew where the Seven-star Grass was located, it wasn't something he could enter into now. If he acted prematurely, he might fail to steal the immortal grass and even risk his life. Before making a move, Lin Xuan decided to bide his time.
suī rán dé zhī le xià luò ， dàn bì yún shān bú shì xiàn zài de zì jǐ kě yǐ chuǎng rù de 。
虽然得知了下落，但碧云山不是现在的自己可以闯入的。
Of course, he didn’t waste any time either; every day, he continued his rigorous training. Although he had only three pills of essence, his cultivation was still steadily improving. Especially with The Nine Heavens Profound Technique, one of the most famous cultivation methods from a thousand years ago, Lin Xuan could feel its immense power even though he had only mastered some basic aspects.
rú guǒ mào rán xíng dòng ， bù jǐn wú fǎ dào qǔ xiān cǎo ， hái yǒu kě néng yǔn luò ， zài yǒu wàn quán zhī cè yǐ qián ， lín xuān jué dìng yǐn rěn wèi shàng 。
如果贸然行动，不仅无法盗取仙草，还有可能陨落，在有万全之策以前，林轩决定隐忍为上。
One morning, while meditating in his practice room, Lin Xuan suddenly raised an eyebrow and looked up. Reaching out, he opened the stone door to his practice room and a sound transmission talisman flew inside.
dāng rán ， tā yě bú huì làng fèi shí jiān ， měi tiān yī rán kè kǔ xiū liàn 。
当然，他也不会浪费时间，每天依然刻苦修炼。
"Come quickly to my cave; there's something important we need to discuss."
suī rán sān kē dān yào shǎo le diǎn ， dàn xiū wèi què yě zài bù duàn de jīng jìn zhī zhōng 。
虽然三颗丹药少了点，但修为却也在不断的精进之中。
The voice of Senior Immortal Tongyu came from within as the talisman burned away. Lin Xuan’s eyes flickered with curiosity—what could his master want?
yóu qí shì lín xuān xiàn zài xiū liàn de 《 jiǔ tiān xuán gōng 》， bù kuì shì qiān nián qián xiū zhēn jiè zuì chū míng de gōng fǎ zhī yī ， suī rán yǐ lín xuān xiàn zài de xiū wèi ， jǐn jǐn shì liàn jiù le yī xiē pí máo ， què yě tǐ huì dào le de qiáng dà wēi lì 。
尤其是林轩现在修炼的《九天玄功》，不愧是千年前修真界最出名的功法之一，虽然以林轩现在的修为，仅仅是练就了一些皮毛，却也体会到了的强大威力。
Without hesitation, he stood up and headed towards Senior Immortal Tongyu’s cave. His master had been kind to him, placing high hopes on his alchemy skills but not demanding anything else. In fact, if Lin Xuan asked for something reasonable, it was almost always granted.
zhè tiān shàng wǔ ， lín xuān zhèng zài dòng fǔ nèi de liàn gōng fáng lǐ dǎ zuò 。
这天上午，林轩正在洞府内的练功房里打坐。
Moreover, regarding the cultivation of alchemy, Senior Immortal Tongyu only checked in monthly and rarely supervised him. He simply handed over his cultivation insights and various pill books, allowing Lin Xuan to study them at his own pace, with the option to ask questions whenever he needed clarification.
tū rán ， tā méi tóu tiāo le yī xià ， tái qǐ tóu lái ， shēn shǒu yì diǎn ， liàn gōng fáng de shí mén dǎ kāi ， yī zhāng chuán yīn fú fēi le jìn lái 。
突然，他眉头挑了一下，抬起头来，伸手一点，练功房的石门打开，一张传音符飞了进来。
This suited Lin Xuan well; if he had a strict teacher, he would have long left after acquiring waste pills from the Foundation Establishment stage. With regular monthly checks, it was too easy for him to pass as long as he performed appropriately—neither shocking nor disappointing Senior Immortal Tongyu, who was always pleased with his progress.
“ sù lái wèi shī de dòng fǔ ， yǒu yào shì shāng tán 。”
“速来为师的洞府，有要事商谈。”
For knowledge related to alchemy, Lin Xuan had no trouble either. He read through various pill manuals every day, even though he didn’t intend to learn alchemy. Knowing more about spirit herbs was still beneficial.
nà fú rán shāo yǐ hòu ， tōng yǔ zhēn rén de shēng yīn cóng lǐ miàn chuán chū ， lín xuān yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī sī yì sè ， shī zūn zhǎo zì jǐ gàn shén me ？
那符燃烧以后，通羽真人的声音从里面传出，林轩眼中闪过一丝异色，师尊找自己干什么？
Although he worked hard, he didn't neglect rest. Ten minutes later, Lin Xuan arrived at Senior Immortal Tongyu’s cave.
dàn lín xuān bìng méi yǒu chí yí ， qià hǎo tā jīn tiān shàng wǔ de xiū liàn gāng gāng wán bì ， yú shì lín xuān zhàn le qǐ lái ， bù huāng bù máng de xiàng zhe tōng yǔ zhēn rén de dòng fǔ ér qù 。
但林轩并没有迟疑，恰好他今天上午的修炼刚刚完毕，于是林轩站了起来，不慌不忙的像着通羽真人的洞府而去。
Just as he was about to use the sound transmission talisman, the stone door before him suddenly opened with a loud bang.
shuō qǐ lái ， zhè wèi shī zūn duì tā bù cuò ， chú le zài liàn dān shù shàng duì tā jì yǐ hòu wàng wài ， bìng méi yǒu bié de yāo qiú 。
说起来，这位师尊对他不错，除了在炼丹术上对他寄以厚望外，并没有别的要求。
Lin Xuan was taken aback but quickly regained his composure. His master excelled in alchemy and was also a middle-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator; it must be that his divine sense detected Lin Xuan’s arrival.
xiāng fǎn ， lín xuān rú guǒ tí chū shén me xī wàng ， zhǐ yào tā néng bàn dào ， dōu jǐn liàng mǎn zú 。
相反，林轩如果提出什么希望，只要他能办到，都尽量满足。
Without hesitation, Lin Xuan entered the cave.
ér qiě ， jí biàn zài liàn dān shù de xiū liàn shàng ， tā chú le měi yuè dìng qī jiǎn chá yī cì ， píng shí yě méi yǒu zěn me dū dǎo 。 zhǐ shì jiāng zì jǐ de xiū liàn xīn dé ， yǐ jí gè zhǒng dān shū ， jiāo yǔ lín xuān zì jǐ yán jiū ， yǒu bù dǒng de dì fāng ， suí shí lái wèn bà le 。
而且，即便在炼丹术的修炼上，他除了每月定期检查一次，平时也没有怎么督导。只是将自己的修炼心得，以及各种丹书，交予林轩自己研究，有不懂的地方，随时来问罢了。
"Master!"
zhè zhèng hé le lín xuān de xīn yì ， jiǎ rú zhēn yù shàng yī wèi yán lì de lǎo shī 。 tā móu qǔ le zhù jī qī de fèi dān yǐ hòu 。 kěn dìng zǎo jiù pǎo lù ， yīn wèi yào xué xí liàn dān shù ， zì jǐ xiū liàn dì shí jiān jiù dà dà jiǎn shǎo le 。
这正合了林轩的心意，假如真遇上一位严厉的老师。他谋取了筑基期的废丹以后。肯定早就跑路，因为要学习炼丹术，自己修炼地时间就大大减少了。
"Hmm," Senior Immortal Tongyu nodded as he saw Lin Xuan. "Sit down."
xiàn zài bù tóng ， měi yuè de dìng qī jiǎn chá 。 duì yú yǒu tí chún běn lǐng de lín xuān lái shuō ， shí zài tài róng yì guò guān le 。
现在不同，每月的定期检查。对于有提纯本领的林轩来说，实在太容易过关了。
"Thank you, Master."
měi yī cì tā dōu biǎo yǎn dé qià dào hǎo chù 。 jì bù jīng shì hài sú 。 tóng shí yòu zhǎn shì chū zú gòu de tiān fù ， ràng tōng yǔ zhēn rén xīn xǐ bù yǐ ， zì jǐ guǒ rán méi yǒu shōu cuò tú dì 。
每一次他都表演得恰到好处。既不惊世骇俗。同时又展示出足够的天赋，让通羽真人欣喜不已，自己果然没有收错徒弟。
Lin Xuan didn’t bother with formalities and sat on a stone bench beside him.
zhì yú yī xiē yǔ dān yào yǒu guān de zhī shí kǎo hé ， duì lín xuān lái shuō ， jiù gèng bù zài huà xià ， yuán yīn wú tā ， měi tiān xiū liàn zhī yú ， lín xuān dōu yǎng chéng le yuè dú gè zhǒng liàn dān mì jí de xí guàn 。 suī rán tā bìng méi yǒu dǎ suàn xué xí liàn dān 。 dàn duō liǎo jiě yī xiē líng yào dì zhī shí zǒng shì yǒu hǎo chù 。
至于一些与丹药有关的知识考核，对林轩来说，就更不在话下，原因无他，每天修炼之余，林轩都养成了阅读各种炼丹秘籍的习惯。虽然他并没有打算学习炼丹。但多了解一些灵药地知识总是有好处。
"What is it that you called me here for?"
tā suī rán kè kǔ ， dàn yě bù néng méi rì méi yè dì xiū liàn 。 yuè dú zhè xiē dān shū ， jiù dàng zuò shì xiū xī hǎo le 。 shí fēn zhōng yǐ hòu ， lín xuān lái dào le tōng yǔ zhēn rén de dòng fǔ 。
他虽然刻苦，但也不能没日没夜地修炼。阅读这些丹书，就当做是休息好了。十分钟以后，林轩来到了通羽真人的洞府。
"I just received an invitation from Spirit Cloud Mountain to attend their celebration of one of their elders successfully forming an infant spirit," Senior Immortal Tongyu said.
lín xuān zhèng zhǔn bèi jì chū chuán yīn fú ， yǎn qián de shí mén què hōng rán yī shēng zì jǐ dǎ kāi le 。
林轩正准备祭出传音符，眼前的石门却轰然一声自己打开了。
"Forming an infant spirit?" Lin Xuan asked, surprised.
lín xuān yī lèng ， bù guò suí jí jiù lù chū le shì rán de biǎo qíng ， zì jǐ zhè wèi shī zūn suī rán shàn cháng dì shì liàn dān shù ， dàn tóng shí yě shì zhù jī zhōng qī de xiū zhēn zhě 。
林轩一愣，不过随即就露出了释然的表情，自己这位师尊虽然擅长地是炼丹术，但同时也是筑基中期的修真者。
"Yes. According to the invitation, a senior elder recently emerged from seclusion and achieved full maturity in the Condensation Core stage, becoming the second cultivator to enter the Infant Spirit realm in their sect."
yīng gāi shì tā dì shén shí chá jué dào zì jǐ lái le 。
应该是他地神识察觉到自己来了。
Even with his composure, Lin Xuan was taken aback. Legends were always legends, but he had long suspected that Spirit Cloud Mountain, One-Line Gorge, and Thunder Cloud Manor, the three major sects of Youzhou, harbored powerful infant spirit cultivators. He never expected this to be true.
lín xuān háo bù yóu yù dì jìn rù dào le dòng fǔ zhī zhōng 。
林轩毫不犹豫地进入到了洞府之中。
Lin Xuan swallowed his saliva: "Master, do you want me to accompany you?"
“ shī zūn ！”
“师尊！”
"No, I don’t plan on attending," Senior Immortal Tongyu said. "Instead, I want you to represent Spirit Medicine Mountain."
“ ń 。” tōng yǔ zhēn rén kàn jiàn lín xuān ， diǎn le diǎn tóu ：“ zuò ！”
“嗯。”通羽真人看见林轩，点了点头：“坐！”
"What?" Lin Xuan was taken aback by these words but didn’t speak, knowing that he would eventually be explained.
“ xiè shī zūn 。”
“谢师尊。”
Indeed, after taking a sip of tea, Senior Immortal Tongyu continued: "Firstly, I’m currently experimenting with a new type of pill and can’t spare the time. Secondly, I don’t want to get involved in this."
lín xuān yě bú kè qì ， zhī dào zì jǐ zhè wèi lǎo shī bìng bù zài hū xū lǐ ， zài páng biān de yí gè shí dèng shàng zuò le xià qù 。
林轩也不客气，知道自己这位老师并不在乎虚礼，在旁边的一个石凳上坐了下去。
"Get involved?" Lin Xuan was confused.
“ nín chuán yīn jiào dì zǐ guò lái ， yǒu shén me shì ma ？”
“您传音叫弟子过来，有什么事吗？”
"Yes, we speak freely as master and disciple. Don’t you think there’s more to this celebration than just congratulating Spirit Cloud Mountain's elder?"
“ gāng cái ， wèi shī jiē dào le bì yún shān chuán lái de bài tiē ， yāo qǐng wǒ cān jiā qìng zhù gāi pài yī wèi qián bèi jié yīng chéng gōng de dà huì 。”
“刚才，为师接到了碧云山传来的拜贴，邀请我参加庆祝该派一位前辈结婴成功的大会。”
"Is there some hidden agenda?"
“ jié yīng chéng gōng ？”
“结婴成功？”
"Of course," Senior Immortal Tongyu sneered. "While congratulations are part of it, the real intent is to show strength to all sects."
“ shì de ， jù bài tiē shàng suǒ yán ， gāi pài de yī wèi zhǎng lǎo ， zuì jìn gāng gāng chū guān ， bìng yī jǔ cóng níng dān qī dà yuán mǎn jié yīng chéng gōng ， chéng wéi gāi pài dì èr gè tà rù yuán yīng qī de xiū zhēn zhě 。”
“是的，据拜贴上所言，该派的一位长老，最近刚刚出关，并一举从凝丹期大圆满结婴成功，成为该派第二个踏入元婴期的修真者。”
Half an hour later.
jí biàn yǐ lín xuān de chéng fǔ ， yě bù yóu sǒng rán dòng róng ， chuán shuō yǒng yuǎn shì chuán shuō ， suī rán zǎo jiù tīng shuō bì yún shān ， yī xiàn xiá ， léi yún shān zhuāng zhè yōu zhōu sān dà mén pài yǒu yuán yīng qī dì gāo shǒu ， dàn lín xuān yì zhí jiāng xìn jiāng yí ， méi xiǎng dào chuán shuō jū rán méi yǒu kuā dà 。
即便以林轩的城府，也不由耸然动容，传说永远是传说，虽然早就听说碧云山，一线峡，雷云山庄这幽州三大门派有元婴期地高手，但林轩一直将信将疑，没想到传说居然没有夸大。
After listening to Senior Immortal Tongyu’s analysis, Lin Xuan remained silent. He never expected his master, who seemed uninterested in worldly matters and deeply involved in alchemy, to have such a clear understanding of everything.
lín xuān yàn le kǒu tuò mò ：“ shī zūn jiào dì zǐ lái ， shì xiàng ràng wǒ péi nín yì qǐ qù ma ？”
林轩咽了口唾沫：“师尊叫弟子来，是像让我陪您一起去吗？”
Especially after the master explained the layout of Youzhou’s cultivation world.
“ bù ， wǒ bìng bù dǎ suàn cān jiā ， ér shì xiǎng ràng nǐ dài biǎo wǒ men líng yào shān chū xí 。”
“不，我并不打算参加，而是想让你代表我们灵药山出席。”
Lin Xuan had known some details before but learned much more from Senior Immortal Tongyu today. The immortal realm of Youzhou was indeed thriving, composed of sects, cultivation families, and independent cultivators. The three major sects—Spirit Cloud Mountain, One-Line Gorge, and Thunder Cloud Manor—were the most powerful, maintaining a balance for over a thousand years.
“ shén me ？” tōng yǔ zhēn rén dì zhè yī fān huà ， wán quán chū hū lín xuān de yù liào ， bù guò tā bìng méi yǒu kāi kǒu ， yīn wèi lín xuān zhī dào ， bù yòng wèn ， shī fù kěn dìng yě huì xiàng zì jǐ jiě shì 。
“什么？”通羽真人地这一番话，完全出乎林轩的预料，不过他并没有开口，因为林轩知道，不用问，师傅肯定也会像自己解释。
However, all three were secretly amassing power to outdo each other. This made the recent invitation from Spirit Cloud Mountain intriguing, as it was rumored that only one infant spirit cultivator existed in each sect for millennia.
guǒ rán ， tōng yǔ zhēn rén hē le yī kǒu chá ， jiù jiē zhe wǎng xià shuō ：“ yī lái ， wèi shī zuì jìn zhèng zài shì yàn yī zhǒng xīn dì dān yào ， qià hǎo dào le jǐn yào guān tóu ， tuō bù kāi shēn ， èr lái ， wèi shī què shí bù xiǎng zhè hún shuǐ 。”
果然，通羽真人喝了一口茶，就接着往下说：“一来，为师最近正在试验一种新地丹药，恰好到了紧要关头，脱不开身，二来，为师确实不想这浑水。”
The path of immortals was arduous. Although cultivation stages were divided into eight levels, ninety percent of cultivators spent their lives at the Spirit Flexibility stage. Only a few entered Foundation Establishment, and those who reached Condensation Core were rare as phoenix feathers or unicorn horns. An Infant Spirit cultivator, unless an exceptional genius with immense luck, was extremely rare—only one in ten thousand cultivators.
“ hún shuǐ ？” lín xuān yī lèng 。
“浑水？”林轩一愣。
With the three major sects maintaining an infant spirit cultivator at all times, it was already impressive. Now, Spirit Cloud Mountain had another one.
“ duì ， wǒ men shī tú shuō huà ， zì rán bù yòng zhē zhē yǎn yǎn ， nǐ dāng zhè cì shèng huì ， zhēn de shì qìng zhù bì yún shān de nà wèi zhǎng lǎo jié yīng chéng gōng nà me jiǎn dān ？”
“对，我们师徒说话，自然不用遮遮掩掩，你当这次盛会，真的是庆祝碧云山的那位长老结婴成功那么简单？”
While a single individual’s influence might be negligible, the reality was different. Lin Xuan hadn’t seen an Infant Spirit cultivator himself, but legends spoke of their immense power—capable of moving mountains and filling seas with a mere gesture.
“ nán dào hái yǒu shén me nèi mù zài lǐ miàn ？”
“难道还有什么内幕在里面？”
The addition of an infant spirit cultivator to Spirit Cloud Mountain could significantly alter the balance among the three major sects. According to the invitation, almost all sects in Youzhou would be invited; it was clear what their intentions were.
“ dāng rán 。” tōng yǔ zhēn rén lěng xiào yī shēng ：“ qìng zhù de yì si dāng rán yě yǒu ， dàn nà bù guò shì biǎo miàn ， zhēn zhèng de yì tú qí shí shì xiàng gè pài shì wēi ……”
“当然。”通羽真人冷笑一声：“庆祝的意思当然也有，但那不过是表面，真正的意图其实是像各派示威……”
No wonder Senior Immortal Tongyu didn’t want to get involved. As the head of Spirit Medicine Mountain, he might face pressure from other sects and have to choose between submission or conflict. The balance that supported Spirit Medicine Mountain’s unique position had been disrupted!
bàn gè shí chén yǐ hòu 。
半个时辰以后。
By having Lin Xuan attend in his stead, it would be a clever way to avoid this situation. As a junior disciple, he could claim he couldn’t make decisions within the sect. And as deputy headmaster, it wouldn’t be considered disrespectful.
tīng wán tōng yǔ zhēn rén de fēn xī ， lín xuān chén mò bù yǔ ， méi xiǎng dào zì jǐ zhè wèi shī zūn biǎo miàn shàng bù tōng shì wù ， chén nì yú liàn dān ， xīn lǐ què xiàng míng jìng yī yàng qīng xī 。
听完通羽真人的分析，林轩沉默不语，没想到自己这位师尊表面上不通事务，沉溺于炼丹，心里却像明镜一样清晰。
In short, it was a form of evasion.
yóu qí shì zài tā jiě shuō le yōu zhōu xiū zhēn jiè de gé jú yǐ hòu 。
尤其是在他解说了幽州修真界的格局以后。
After considering Senior Immortal Tongyu’s request, Lin Xuan thought about it and decided not to refuse. He had already been planning how to acquire Seven-star Grass; this was like an unexpected gift from the heavens. With thousands of cultivators expected to attend the celebration, he might have a chance to steal the immortal grass.
zhè xiē qíng kuàng ， lín xuān suī rán yǐ qián yě liǎo jiě le yī xiē ， què yuǎn méi yǒu jīn tiān zài tōng yǔ zhēn rén zhè lǐ tīng lái de rú cǐ xiáng xì hé chè dǐ 。
这些情况，林轩虽然以前也了解了一些，却远没有今天在通羽真人这里听来的如此详细和彻底。
Even if his chances were slim, at least he could try! And the opportunity to witness such an event would be valuable experience.
yōu zhōu de xiān jiè què shí fēi cháng fán róng 。
幽州的仙界确实非常繁荣。
Although he had already made up his mind to go, Lin Xuan still showed reluctance: "Master, you said this conference is full of hidden dangers. I don’t want to get involved either!"
yī rán shì yóu mén pài ， xiū xiān jiā zú hé sàn xiū zǔ hé ér chéng de 。
依然是由门派，修仙家族和散修组合而成的。
Senior Immortal Tongyu was taken aback: "Hehe, don’t worry. You’re just a junior disciple; they won’t trouble you. If they ask for your stance, you can blame it all on me."
mén pài de shì lì zuì dà ， bìng qiě yòu yǐ bì yún shān ， yī xiàn xiá ， léi yún shān zhuāng jū shǒu ， qiān nián yǐ lái ， yì zhí dǐng zú ér sān ， wéi chí zhe yí gè xiāng duì píng héng de jú miàn 。
门派的势力最大，并且又以碧云山，一线峡，雷云山庄居首，千年以来，一直鼎足而三，维持着一个相对平衡的局面。
"But..."
kě sān dà pài àn dì lǐ dōu zài jī zǎn shí lì ， xiǎng yào yā guò duì fāng yī chóu 。
可三大派暗地里都在积攒实力，想要压过对方一筹。
Lin Xuan still looked reluctant: "What if something dangerous happens during the journey?"
liǎo jiě le zhè xiē yǐ hòu ， cǐ cì bì yún shān zhào kāi de zhè ge shèng huì jiù pǒ zhí de wán wèi le ， yīn wèi jù shuō ， sān dà pài yuán běn dōu zhǐ yǒu yī wèi yuán yīng qī de xiū zhēn zhě ， shù qiān nián lái ， xiàng lái shì zhè yàng 。
了解了这些以后，此次碧云山召开的这个盛会就颇值得玩味了，因为据说，三大派原本都只有一位元婴期的修真者，数千年来，向来是这样。
Half an hour later, Lin Xuan left Senior Immortal Tongyu’s cave with a satisfied expression. He had successfully negotiated to obtain some treasures from his master.
xiān dào jiān nán ， suī rán xiū zhēn gòng fēn wéi bā gè jiē duàn ， dàn bǎi fēn zhī jiǔ shí de xiū shì ， yī shēng dōu zhǐ zài líng dòng qī pái huái 。
仙道艰难，虽然修真共分为八个阶段，但百分之九十的修士，一生都只在灵动期徘徊。
Although Spirit Medicine Mountain was only considered third-rate among Youzhou’s sects in terms of strength, it was very wealthy due to its alchemy services and the collection of crystals from various regions.
Several months passed in a blink.
Lin Xuan was still diligently practicing on Spirit Medicine Mountain. From the outside, he showed no signs of anything unusual. Although his heart was always preoccupied with how to refine Yi Jing Pills, all the necessary herbs had been gathered except for the Seven-star Grass as an ingredient.
Lin Xuan did not act rashly.
Although he knew where the Seven-star Grass was located, it wasn't something he could enter into now. If he acted prematurely, he might fail to steal the immortal grass and even risk his life. Before making a move, Lin Xuan decided to bide his time.
Of course, he didn’t waste any time either; every day, he continued his rigorous training. Although he had only three pills of essence, his cultivation was still steadily improving. Especially with The Nine Heavens Profound Technique, one of the most famous cultivation methods from a thousand years ago, Lin Xuan could feel its immense power even though he had only mastered some basic aspects.
One morning, while meditating in his practice room, Lin Xuan suddenly raised an eyebrow and looked up. Reaching out, he opened the stone door to his practice room and a sound transmission talisman flew inside.
"Come quickly to my cave; there's something important we need to discuss."
The voice of Senior Immortal Tongyu came from within as the talisman burned away. Lin Xuan’s eyes flickered with curiosity—what could his master want?
Without hesitation, he stood up and headed towards Senior Immortal Tongyu’s cave. His master had been kind to him, placing high hopes on his alchemy skills but not demanding anything else. In fact, if Lin Xuan asked for something reasonable, it was almost always granted.
Moreover, regarding the cultivation of alchemy, Senior Immortal Tongyu only checked in monthly and rarely supervised him. He simply handed over his cultivation insights and various pill books, allowing Lin Xuan to study them at his own pace, with the option to ask questions whenever he needed clarification.
This suited Lin Xuan well; if he had a strict teacher, he would have long left after acquiring waste pills from the Foundation Establishment stage. With regular monthly checks, it was too easy for him to pass as long as he performed appropriately—neither shocking nor disappointing Senior Immortal Tongyu, who was always pleased with his progress.
For knowledge related to alchemy, Lin Xuan had no trouble either. He read through various pill manuals every day, even though he didn’t intend to learn alchemy. Knowing more about spirit herbs was still beneficial.
Although he worked hard, he didn't neglect rest. Ten minutes later, Lin Xuan arrived at Senior Immortal Tongyu’s cave.
Just as he was about to use the sound transmission talisman, the stone door before him suddenly opened with a loud bang.
Lin Xuan was taken aback but quickly regained his composure. His master excelled in alchemy and was also a middle-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator; it must be that his divine sense detected Lin Xuan’s arrival.
Without hesitation, Lin Xuan entered the cave.
"Master!"
"Hmm," Senior Immortal Tongyu nodded as he saw Lin Xuan. "Sit down."
"Thank you, Master."
Lin Xuan didn’t bother with formalities and sat on a stone bench beside him.
"What is it that you called me here for?"
"I just received an invitation from Spirit Cloud Mountain to attend their celebration of one of their elders successfully forming an infant spirit," Senior Immortal Tongyu said.
"Forming an infant spirit?" Lin Xuan asked, surprised.
"Yes. According to the invitation, a senior elder recently emerged from seclusion and achieved full maturity in the Condensation Core stage, becoming the second cultivator to enter the Infant Spirit realm in their sect."
Even with his composure, Lin Xuan was taken aback. Legends were always legends, but he had long suspected that Spirit Cloud Mountain, One-Line Gorge, and Thunder Cloud Manor, the three major sects of Youzhou, harbored powerful infant spirit cultivators. He never expected this to be true.
Lin Xuan swallowed his saliva: "Master, do you want me to accompany you?"
"No, I don’t plan on attending," Senior Immortal Tongyu said. "Instead, I want you to represent Spirit Medicine Mountain."
"What?" Lin Xuan was taken aback by these words but didn’t speak, knowing that he would eventually be explained.
Indeed, after taking a sip of tea, Senior Immortal Tongyu continued: "Firstly, I’m currently experimenting with a new type of pill and can’t spare the time. Secondly, I don’t want to get involved in this."
"Get involved?" Lin Xuan was confused.
"Yes, we speak freely as master and disciple. Don’t you think there’s more to this celebration than just congratulating Spirit Cloud Mountain's elder?"
"Is there some hidden agenda?"
"Of course," Senior Immortal Tongyu sneered. "While congratulations are part of it, the real intent is to show strength to all sects."
Half an hour later.
After listening to Senior Immortal Tongyu’s analysis, Lin Xuan remained silent. He never expected his master, who seemed uninterested in worldly matters and deeply involved in alchemy, to have such a clear understanding of everything.
Especially after the master explained the layout of Youzhou’s cultivation world.
Lin Xuan had known some details before but learned much more from Senior Immortal Tongyu today. The immortal realm of Youzhou was indeed thriving, composed of sects, cultivation families, and independent cultivators. The three major sects—Spirit Cloud Mountain, One-Line Gorge, and Thunder Cloud Manor—were the most powerful, maintaining a balance for over a thousand years.
However, all three were secretly amassing power to outdo each other. This made the recent invitation from Spirit Cloud Mountain intriguing, as it was rumored that only one infant spirit cultivator existed in each sect for millennia.
The path of immortals was arduous. Although cultivation stages were divided into eight levels, ninety percent of cultivators spent their lives at the Spirit Flexibility stage. Only a few entered Foundation Establishment, and those who reached Condensation Core were rare as phoenix feathers or unicorn horns. An Infant Spirit cultivator, unless an exceptional genius with immense luck, was extremely rare—only one in ten thousand cultivators.
With the three major sects maintaining an infant spirit cultivator at all times, it was already impressive. Now, Spirit Cloud Mountain had another one.
While a single individual’s influence might be negligible, the reality was different. Lin Xuan hadn’t seen an Infant Spirit cultivator himself, but legends spoke of their immense power—capable of moving mountains and filling seas with a mere gesture.
The addition of an infant spirit cultivator to Spirit Cloud Mountain could significantly alter the balance among the three major sects. According to the invitation, almost all sects in Youzhou would be invited; it was clear what their intentions were.
No wonder Senior Immortal Tongyu didn’t want to get involved. As the head of Spirit Medicine Mountain, he might face pressure from other sects and have to choose between submission or conflict. The balance that supported Spirit Medicine Mountain’s unique position had been disrupted!
By having Lin Xuan attend in his stead, it would be a clever way to avoid this situation. As a junior disciple, he could claim he couldn’t make decisions within the sect. And as deputy headmaster, it wouldn’t be considered disrespectful.
In short, it was a form of evasion.
After considering Senior Immortal Tongyu’s request, Lin Xuan thought about it and decided not to refuse. He had already been planning how to acquire Seven-star Grass; this was like an unexpected gift from the heavens. With thousands of cultivators expected to attend the celebration, he might have a chance to steal the immortal grass.
Even if his chances were slim, at least he could try! And the opportunity to witness such an event would be valuable experience.
Although he had already made up his mind to go, Lin Xuan still showed reluctance: "Master, you said this conference is full of hidden dangers. I don’t want to get involved either!"
Senior Immortal Tongyu was taken aback: "Hehe, don’t worry. You’re just a junior disciple; they won’t trouble you. If they ask for your stance, you can blame it all on me."
"But..."
Lin Xuan still looked reluctant: "What if something dangerous happens during the journey?"
Half an hour later, Lin Xuan left Senior Immortal Tongyu’s cave with a satisfied expression. He had successfully negotiated to obtain some treasures from his master.
Although Spirit Medicine Mountain was only considered third-rate among Youzhou’s sects in terms of strength, it was very wealthy due to its alchemy services and the collection of crystals from various regions.