lín xuān yī biān yán zhe yù shí tái jiē xiàng shàng pān xíng ， yī biān yóu mù sì gù ， suī rán yīn wèi jìn zhì de yuán gù ， shén shí wú fǎ lí xiū ， bù guò yǐ tā xiàn zài de xiū wèi ， shī zhǎn líng mù zhī shù ， bǎi zhàng fàn wéi nèi de yī cǎo yī mù ， dōu néng kàn gè xiān háo bì xiàn de 。
林轩一边沿着玉石台阶向上攀行，一边游目四顾，虽然因为禁制的缘故，神识无法离休，不过以他现在的修为，施展灵目之术，百丈范围内的一草一木，都能看个纤毫毕现的。
Lin Xuan climbed up the jade stone steps while looking around. Although his divine consciousness was restricted by some kind ofprohibition, he could still use Inner Vision to see every detail within a hundred feet.
zhè fù jìn què shí ān jìng dé yǒu xiē guǐ yì le 。
这附近确实安静得有些诡异了。
Indeed, this area felt unnaturally quiet.
yào shuō qǔ xiū luó shén xuè bú huì yù jiàn bō zhé ， què shì lín xuān dǎ sǐ yě bù xiāng xìn de 。
要说取修罗神血不会遇见波折，却是林轩打死也不相信的。
Lin Xuan firmly believed that obtaining the Deva Blood would not be without any obstacles. Thus, despite the lack of danger in these past half an hour, his vigilance did not slacken at all. Suddenly, he stopped walking as thin mist began to appear around him.
gù ér zhè bàn gè shí chén suī rán méi yǒu yù jiàn fēn háo wēi xiǎn ， dàn tā de jǐng tì xīn què sī háo méi yǒu yīn cǐ sōng xiè xià lái 。 tū rán ， lín xuān tíng xià le jiǎo bù 。 yīn wèi bù zhī hé shí ， zhōu wéi jìng chū xiàn le yī xiē bó wù 。
故而这半个时辰虽然没有遇见分毫危险，但他的警惕心却丝毫没有因此松懈下来。突然，林轩停下了脚步。因为不知何时，周围竟出现了一些薄雾。
The mist was very light and sparse but slightly obstructed his vision; even with Inner Vision, he could only see about thirty feet clearly. Over these two hundred years, Lin Xuan had faced countless perils, and the mist seemed somewhat off. He felt inexplicably agitated. Was danger finally going to appear? Could it be aprohibition or something else?
hěn dàn ， bìng bù nóng chóu ， rán ér duì yú shì xiàn ， què huò duō huò shǎo yǒu yī xiē yǐng xiǎng ， líng rì shù yě zhǐ néng kàn dào sān shí duō zhàng 。
很淡，并不浓稠，然而对于视线，却或多或少有一些影响，灵日术也只能看到三十多丈。
Lin Xuan frowned as he pondered. Although his heart was filled with unease, the Deva Blood was crucial for Mo Er's condensation. No matter what, he had to get it. With this in mind, he gritted his teeth and decided to increase his vigilance.
zhè liǎng bǎi nián lái ， lín xuān jīng lì de bō zhé hé děng zhī duō ， yǐn yǐn de ， yǐ jué de zhè wù yǒu jǐ fēn bù tuǒ ， xīn zhōng gèng shì mò míng qí miào de fán zào qǐ lái le 。 wēi xiǎn zhōng yú yào chū xiàn le ma ？ jìn zhì ， hái shì bié de shén me ？
这两百年来，林轩经历的波折何等之多，隐隐的，已觉得这雾有几分不妥，心中更是莫名其妙的烦躁起来了。危险终于要出现了吗？禁制，还是别的什么？
After another half an hour of walking, the jade stone steps came to an end, revealing a spacious square before him.
lín xuān zhòu méi sī suǒ ， suī rán xīn zhōng yǒng qǐ hěn qiáng liè de bù ān gǎn ， dàn xiū luó shén xuè nǎi shì guān hū yuè ér jié yīng de bǎo wù ， wú lùn rú hé ， yě yí dìng yào nòng dào shǒu 。 niàn jí zhì cǐ ， lín xuān yǎo le yǎo yá ， dà bù liǎo zì jǐ zài tí gāo jǐng tì ， duō jiā xiǎo xīn yī
林轩皱眉思索，虽然心中涌起很强烈的不安感，但修罗神血乃是关乎月儿结婴的宝物，无论如何，也一定要弄到手。念及至此，林轩咬了咬牙，大不了自己再提高警惕，多加小心一
The square was circular with a diameter of about a thousand feet, paved with jade stones. Nine huge cauldrons were placed around its perimeter. Lin Xuan hesitated for a moment and approached one that was not far from him.
yòu zǒu le yuē bàn zhǎn chá de gōng fu ， zhè yī duàn yù shí tái jiē zhōng yú dào le jìn tóu ， yī kuān kuò de guǎng chǎng yìng rù le yǎn lián zhōng 。
又走了约半盏茶的功夫，这一段玉石台阶终于到了尽头，一宽阔的广场映入了眼帘中。
This cauldron was as tall as three stories, majestic and crafted entirely out of jade. Dragons and phoenixes were carved on the surface along with some intricate patterns.
jìng guǎng chǎng chéng yuán xíng ， zhí jìng yuē yǒu qiān zhàng ， nǎi shì yòng yù shí píng pū ， guǎng chǎng de sì zhōu ， duān fàng zhe jiǔ gè jù dà de dǐng lú 。 lín xuān lüè yī chí yí ， qí zhōng yí gè dǐng lú lí zì jǐ bù yuǎn ， tā màn màn de zǒu le guò qù 。
迳广场呈圆形，直径约有千丈，乃是用玉石平铺，广场的四周，端放着九个巨大的鼎炉。林轩略一迟疑，其中一个鼎炉离自己不远，他慢慢的走了过去。
"Why such large cauldrons in this square? They can't just be decorative," Lin Xuan muttered to himself.
cǐ dǐng yǒu sān céng lóu gāo de yàng zi ， qì shì huī hóng ， jū rán shì yóu yī zhěng kuài yù zhù zào ér chéng de ， biǎo miàn shàng diāo lóng kè fèng ， hái yǒu yī xiē jīng měi de huā wén zài shàng tou 。“ zhè me dà de dǐng lú ， bǎi zài guǎng chǎng sì zhōu ， suǒ qǐ de jué bú shì zhuāng shì zuò yòng ， gǔ jiū jìng shì yòng lái gàn shén me de ？” lín xuān zì yán zì yǔ de kāi kǒu le 。“ zhè ge qiè shēn yě gǎn jué hěn qí guài de 。” ōu yáng qín xīn zhàn zài yī páng ， qiào liǎn shàng mǎn shì “。&， wǒ men zài qù qí tā chù zǒu zǒu 。” lín xuān lüè yī sī suǒ ， rú cǐ zhè bān de shuō 。 huà yīn wèi luò ， tā yǐ yán zhe guǎng chǎng de biān yuán ， xiàng qián fāng zǒu qù le 。 hěn kuài ， yòu lái dào le yí gè dǐng lú de miàn qián 。 yī rán shì nà yàng de jù dà huī dàng ， zhǐ shì shàng miàn diāo kè de huā wén lüè yǒu bù tóng 。
此鼎有三层楼高的样子，气势恢宏，居然是由一整块玉铸造而成的，表面上雕龙刻凤，还有一些精美的花纹在上头。“这么大的鼎炉，摆在广场四周，所起的绝不是装饰作用，牯究竟是用来干什么的？”林轩自言自语的开口了。“这个妾身也感觉很奇怪的。”欧阳琴心站在一旁，俏脸上满是“。&，我们再去其他处走走。”林轩略一思索，如此这般的说。话音未落，他已沿着广场的边缘，像前方走去了。很快，又来到了一个鼎炉的面前。依然是那样的巨大恢宕，只是上面雕刻的花纹略有不同。
"Me too," said Ouyang Qinxin standing beside him, her face showing a mix of confusion.
méi yǒu lóng ， méi yǒu fèng i1 ér shì yī rén miàn hǔ zú de guài wù ， zhǎng zhe yě zhū yì bān de zhǎng yá ， tuō zhe cháng cháng de wěi ba 。“ chūn wù ！” yǐ lín xuān de chéng fǔ ， liǎn sè yě bù yóu de nán kàn qǐ lái le 。” zěn me ， fū jūn rèn shí zhè guài wù ？”“ bù cuò ， cǐ nǎi líng jiè sì xiōng zhī yī 。
没有龙，没有凤i1而是一人面虎足的怪物，长着野猪一般的长牙，拖着长长的尾巴。“椿杌！”以林轩的城府，脸色也不由得难看起来了。”怎么，夫君认识这怪物？”“不错，此乃灵界四凶之一。
"We should check other areas," Lin Xuan suggested and started walking along the edge of the square toward the front. Soon, he arrived at another cauldron. It was still huge but had different carvings on its surface – no dragons or phoenixes, just a monster with a human face and tiger legs, sporting long tusks and a long tail.
lín xuān kǔ xiào zhe kāi kǒu ， tā zěn me huì rèn bù chū ， zài kuí yīn shān mài de shí hòu ， hái yǔ zhè guài wù de jiàng lín fēn hún jiāo guò shǒu 。 bù zhī dào duì fāng zěn me yàng le ？
林轩苦笑着开口，他怎么会认不出，在奎阴山脉的时候，还与这怪物的降临分魂交过手。不知道对方怎么样了？
"Wild Man!" Lin Xuan's expression turned grim as he recognized the creature.
àn lǐ shuō ， zhè lǐ shì ā xiū luó wáng de bié fǔ ， jí shǐ yǒu tú téng ， yě yīng gāi shì yīn sī jiè de guǐ shòu ， kě bù guǎn zhēn lóng shén fèng ， hái shì chūn wù ， zhè xiē shén shòu kě dōu shì líng jiè zhī wù 。 nán dào zhè jǐ gè dǐng lú jìng yǔ líng jiè yǒu guān xì ， nà gǔ men wèi hé yòu huì bèi bǎi zài zhè lǐ ？ lín xuān nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou zhuǎn dòng ， yí gè jiē yí gè yí wèn zài xīn dǐ fú xiàn le 。 tā yòu zǒu xiàng xià yí gè dǐng lú 。
按理说，这里是阿修罗王的别府，即使有图腾，也应该是阴司界的鬼兽，可不管真龙神凤，还是椿杌，这些神兽可都是灵界之物。难道这几个鼎炉竟与灵界有关系，那牯们为何又会被摆在这里？林轩脑海中念头转动，一个接一个疑问在心底浮现了。他又走向下一个鼎炉。
"How do you know this monster?" his wife asked curiously.
yī jiù yǔ qián liǎng gè dǐng lú chà bu duō ， zhǐ bù guò shàng miàn diāo kè de shì yī wài xíng xiàng lù ， tóu shēng dú jiǎo ， quán shēn pī guà zhe lín jiǎ de guài wù 。
依旧与前两个鼎炉差不多，只不过上面雕刻的是一外形像鹿，头生独角，全身披挂着鳞甲的怪物。
"It is one of the Four Foes in the Spirit Realm," Lin Xuan replied bitterly. He had encountered this creature before when it had taken over part of its soul during their battle in Ku Yin Mountain. He wondered how it was faring now.
qí lín ！
麒麟！
Considering that this place was a secondary palace of the Deva King, there should be totems representing ghosts from the Netherworld, but these creatures – dragons, phoenixes, Wild Man, and others – were all from the Spirit Realm. Could these cauldrons have some connection with the Spirit Realm? Why would they be placed here?
zhè yě shì líng jiè zhù míng de shén shòu ， lùn shí lì ， zú yǐ yǔ zhēn lóng ， cǎi fèng xiāng pì měi de 。
这也是灵界著名的神兽，论实力，足以与真龙，彩凤相媲美的。
Lin Xuan's mind raced as one question after another surfaced.
lín xuān jì xù wǎng xià zǒu 。
林轩继续往下走。
He walked to the next cauldron.
hòu miàn de dǐng lú shàng ， fēn bié diāo kè zhe xuán guī 、 hùn dùn 、 qióng qí yǐ jí tāo tiè děng guài wù 。
后面的鼎炉上，分别雕刻着玄龟、混沌、穷奇以及饕餮等怪物。
It was similar to the previous two but had a creature carved on its surface that resembled a deer, with a single horn and scales covering its body.
sì líng sì xiōng ！
四灵四凶！
"Qilin!" Lin Xuan said, recognizing this legendary beast known for its power comparable to true dragons and phoenixes.
suī rán tā men nǎi shì duì tóu ， jiàn miàn hòu cháng cháng dà dǎ chū shǒu ， dàn yǒu yì diǎn què shì gòng tóng de ， zhè xiē dōu shì líng jiè zhī wù 。 zhǐ shèng xià zuì hòu yí gè dǐng lú 。 lín xuān de liǎn shàng mǎn shì chén zhòng ， dàn hái shì huǎn huǎn de zǒu guò qù le 。
虽然他们乃是对头，见面后常常大打出手，但有一点却是共同的，这些都是灵界之物。只剩下最后一个鼎炉。林轩的脸上满是沉重，但还是缓缓的走过去了。
Lin Xuan continued walking.
cǐ dǐng bǐ qí yú bā gè yào gāo dà dé duō ， zú zú yǒu qī zhàng de yàng zi ， yù zhì wēn hé ， chéng xiàn chū yī céng guī lì de bì lǜ sè 。 shàng miàn de fú diāo gèng jiā huá měi ， nà shì zài yī lǜ cǎo rú yīn de shān gǔ ， yī zhī tōng tǐ xuě bái de
此鼎比其余八个要高大得多，足足有七丈的样子，玉质温和，呈现出一层瑰丽的碧绿色。上面的浮雕更加华美，那是在一绿草如茵的山谷，一只通体雪白的
The next cauldron featured Xi Wang (a tortoise), Hua Xia (chaos), Qiong Ji (a strange creature), and Taotie (a monster).
shēn xíng miáo tiáo shòu cháng ， míng míng shì shòu lèi ， kě bù zhī wèi hé ， gěi rén de gǎn jué què shì měi yàn bù kě fāng wù 。
身形苗条瘦长，明明是兽类，可不知为何，给人的感觉却是美艳不可方物。
Four Spirits and Four Foes!
lín xuān de liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī gǔ guài zhī sè ， zì jǐ shì rén ， zěn me huì duì yī zhī hú lí chǎn shēng zhè yàng de gǎn jué ne ？“ tā hǎo měi ！
林轩的脸上露出一丝古怪之色，自己是人，怎么会对一只狐狸产生这样的感觉呢？“她好美！
Though they were enemies who often clashed, these creatures were all from the Spirit Realm. There was only one more cauldron left.
yī zàn tàn shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lín xuān huí guò tóu ， què jiàn qín xīn zhèng dāi de dīng zhe nà fú diāo shàng de xiān hú 。
一赞叹声传入耳朵，林轩回过头，却见琴心正呆的盯着那浮雕上的仙狐。
Lin Xuan's face showed a heavy burden as he walked past it. This cauldron was much taller than the others, standing at seven feet high. Its jade surface shimmered with an elegant green hue. The carvings on its surface were even more exquisite – in a lush valley, a white fox with a slender body and a long tail.
“$$； jué de tā hěn piào liàng me ？” lín xuān náo le náo tóu ， yǒu xiē qí guài de kāi kǒu 。
“$$；觉得她很漂亮么？”林轩挠了挠头，有些奇怪的开口。
Lin Xuan's face showed a strange expression. As a human, why did he feel such admiration for this fox?
“ ń ， qiè shēn yě xiǎng bú dào ， yī zhī hú lí ， néng měi dào zhè zhǒng chéng dù 。”“ zhè kě bú shì pǔ tōng de xiān hú ； kàn tā de shēn hòu 。” lín xuān huǎn huǎn de shuō 。“ shēn hòu ？” ōu yáng tīng le ， měi rì liú zhuǎn ， jiāng yǎn guāng nuó kāi ， zhǐ jiàn zài nà xiān hú de tún bù ， jìng rán yǒu jiǔ tiáo wěi ba ， máo rōng sǒng de ， zūn guì ér huá měi 。“ zhè shì jiǔ wěi tiān hú ？” ōu yáng rěn bú zhù yī shēng jīng xū 。
“嗯，妾身也想不到，一只狐狸，能美到这种程度。”“这可不是普通的仙狐；看她的身后。”林轩缓缓的说。“身后？”欧阳听了，美日流转，将眼光挪开，只见在那仙狐的臀部，竟然有九条尾巴，毛茸耸的，尊贵而华美。“这是九尾天狐？”欧阳忍不住一声惊吁。
"Such beauty!"
suǒ wèi sān wěi yāo hú ， liù wěi líng hú ， jiǔ wěi tiān hú ， chuán shuō zài líng jiè zhī zhōng ， nà kě shì yāo wáng yì bān de cún zài le 。“ bù cuò ， zhèng shì jiǔ wěi tiān hú ！
所谓三尾妖狐，六尾灵狐，九尾天狐，传说在灵界之中，那可是妖王一般的存在了。“不错，正是九尾天狐！
A voice of praise entered his ears as Lin Xuan turned to see Ouyang Qinxin staring at the carved image of the immortal fox.
lín xuān huǎn huǎn de shuō ， diǎn jí shàng yǒu jì zǎi ， bù guò lín xuān de liǎo jiě ， hái yào gèng jiā xiáng xì yī xiē ， tā céng jīng tīng xiǎo mèi xià hóu lán shuō qǐ ， jiǔ wěi tiān hú ， kě shì líng jiè sān dà yāo wáng zhī yī 。
林轩缓缓的说，典籍上有记载，不过林轩的了解，还要更加详细一些，他曾经听小妹夏侯兰说起，九尾天狐，可是灵界三大妖王之一。
"Do you think she is beautiful?" Lin Xuan scratched his head and asked curiously.
shuō qǐ zhè líng jiè ， yāo wáng yuǎn bù zhǐ sān gè ， dàn suǒ wèi de sān dà yāo wáng ， qí shí nǎi shì wáng zhōng zhī wáng ， lùn shí lì ， yǔ xià hóu lán de fù qīn ， yě jiù shì sàn xiān yí gè děng jí 。 tā de diāo xiàng zěn me yě huì zài zhè lǐ ？
说起这灵界，妖王远不止三个，但所谓的三大妖王，其实乃是王中之王，论实力，与夏侯兰的父亲，也就是散仙一个等级。她的雕像怎么也会在这里？
"Yes, I never imagined a fox could be so stunning," replied Ouyang.
lín xuān mù guāng zài zhōu wéi sǎo guò ， chú le jiǔ gè dǐng lú ， zhěng gè guǎng chǎng kōng dàng dàng de ， rán ér xīn zhōng nà bù ān de gǎn jué què yuè de qiáng liè qǐ lái le 。“ shào yé ， yào bù wǒ men hái shì gǎn kuài lí kāi zhè lǐ 。” yuè ér de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。， ń ”
林轩目光在周围扫过，除了九个鼎炉，整个广场空荡荡的，然而心中那不安的感觉却越的强烈起来了。“少爷，要不我们还是赶快离开这里。”月儿的声音传入耳朵。，嗯”
"This isn't just an ordinary immortal fox. Look behind her." Lin Xuan said slowly.
lín xuān diǎn diǎn tóu ， tā xīn zhōng de dǎ suàn yǔ xiǎo yā tou bù móu ér hé ， yú shì wǎng guǎng chǎng de zhōng xīn chù zǒu 。 nà shì shàng lìng yī tiáo shí jiē de bì yóu zhī lù 。” yí ， zhè shì shén me ？” tū rán ， lín xuān tíng xià le jiǎo bù ， tā xiàn zài guǎng chǎng de zhōng xīn yǒu yī jù dà de fǎ zhèn 。
林轩点点头，他心中的打算与小丫头不谋而合，于是往广场的中心处走。那是上另一条石阶的必由之路。”咦，这是什么？”突然，林轩停下了脚步，他现在广场的中心有一巨大的法阵。
"Behind her?" Ouyang turned to look and saw that the fox's hindquarters had nine tails, each fluffy and majestic.
cǐ fǎ zhèn shí fēn fán fù ， kàn shàng qù yǔ chuán sòng zhèn yǒu jǐ fēn xiāng sì ， dàn zǐ xì guān chá ， què yòu míng xiǎn dà bù xiāng tóng 。“ fū jūn ， nǐ zěn me le ， dài zài zhè lǐ qiè shēn gǎn jué hěn bù shū fú ， wǒ men hái shì kuài diǎn
此法阵十分繁复，看上去与传送阵有几分相似，但仔细观察，却又明显大不相同。“夫君，你怎么了，待在这里妾身感觉很不舒服，我们还是快点
"A Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox?" Ouyang exclaimed in surprise.
ōu yáng huí guò tóu ， qīng shēng màn yǔ de kāi kǒu ， yī biān shuō ， yī biān bìng wèi tíng xià jiǎo bù ， jì xù xiàng qián zǒu 。
欧阳回过头，轻声慢语的开口，一边说，一边并未停下脚步，继续像前走。
In legends, three-tailed demons, six-tailed spirits, and nine-tailed heavenly foxes were considered powerful entities in the Spirit Realm.
rán ér jiù zài zhè shí ， yī bǎn jīng rén de líng qì tū rán chōng tiān ér qǐ ， nà fǎ zhèn shàng de huā wén ， měng rán yǒu cì mù guāng yùn mào chū ， tóng shí wū wū de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
然而就在这时，一版惊人的灵气突然冲天而起，那法阵上的花纹，猛然有刺目光晕冒出，同时呜呜的声音传入耳朵。
"Indeed, it is a Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox," Lin Xuan said slowly. The records mentioned this, but his knowledge was more detailed. He had heard from Little Sister Xiaohou Lan that the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox was one of the three great demon kings in the Spirit Realm.
ōu yáng dà jīng shī sè ， biǎo qíng yī xià zi nán kàn dào le jí chù ， xiǎng yě bù xiǎng ， lì kè huà wèi yī dào dùn guāng ， xiàng hòu tuì qù ， kě yǐ jīng lái bù jí ， tā yǐ jīng xiàn shēn zài le fǎ zhèn lǐ ， zhuàng dào páng biān de guāng mù ， bèi chóng xīn fǎn tán huí lái le 。
欧阳大惊失色，表情一下子难看到了极处，想也不想，立刻化为一道遁光，向后退去，可已经来不及，她已经陷身在了法阵里，撞到旁边的光幕，被重新反弹回来了。
There were many demon kings in the Spirit Realm, but these three were the kings among kings, on par with Xiaohou Lan's father – a scattered immortal. How could this statue be here?
Lin Xuan scanned his surroundings. Apart from the nine cauldrons, the square was empty, yet his unease grew stronger.
"Master, maybe we should leave quickly," Mo Er's voice entered his ears.
Lin Xuan nodded in agreement with his little girl's plan and walked toward the center of the square, where another set of stone steps led up.
"Eh, what is this?" Lin Xuan stopped as he noticed a large magical array at the center of the square.
The array was intricate, resembling a teleportation array but clearly different upon closer inspection. "My lord, why did you stop? I feel uncomfortable here; let's leave quickly," Ouyang said softly and continued walking without stopping.
Suddenly, an overwhelming amount of divine energy shot up into the air as the patterns on the array glowed brightly, accompanied by a rumbling sound.
Ouyang was shocked, her expression turning extremely grim. Without hesitation, she transformed into a streak of light and retreated backward but it was too late; she had already been ensnared in the array, colliding with an adjacent barrier before being bounced back.
Lin Xuan climbed up the jade stone steps while looking around. Although his divine consciousness was restricted by some kind ofprohibition, he could still use Inner Vision to see every detail within a hundred feet.
Indeed, this area felt unnaturally quiet.
Lin Xuan firmly believed that obtaining the Deva Blood would not be without any obstacles. Thus, despite the lack of danger in these past half an hour, his vigilance did not slacken at all. Suddenly, he stopped walking as thin mist began to appear around him.
The mist was very light and sparse but slightly obstructed his vision; even with Inner Vision, he could only see about thirty feet clearly. Over these two hundred years, Lin Xuan had faced countless perils, and the mist seemed somewhat off. He felt inexplicably agitated. Was danger finally going to appear? Could it be aprohibition or something else?
Lin Xuan frowned as he pondered. Although his heart was filled with unease, the Deva Blood was crucial for Mo Er's condensation. No matter what, he had to get it. With this in mind, he gritted his teeth and decided to increase his vigilance.
After another half an hour of walking, the jade stone steps came to an end, revealing a spacious square before him.
The square was circular with a diameter of about a thousand feet, paved with jade stones. Nine huge cauldrons were placed around its perimeter. Lin Xuan hesitated for a moment and approached one that was not far from him.
This cauldron was as tall as three stories, majestic and crafted entirely out of jade. Dragons and phoenixes were carved on the surface along with some intricate patterns.
"Why such large cauldrons in this square? They can't just be decorative," Lin Xuan muttered to himself.
"Me too," said Ouyang Qinxin standing beside him, her face showing a mix of confusion.
"We should check other areas," Lin Xuan suggested and started walking along the edge of the square toward the front. Soon, he arrived at another cauldron. It was still huge but had different carvings on its surface – no dragons or phoenixes, just a monster with a human face and tiger legs, sporting long tusks and a long tail.
"Wild Man!" Lin Xuan's expression turned grim as he recognized the creature.
"How do you know this monster?" his wife asked curiously.
"It is one of the Four Foes in the Spirit Realm," Lin Xuan replied bitterly. He had encountered this creature before when it had taken over part of its soul during their battle in Ku Yin Mountain. He wondered how it was faring now.
Considering that this place was a secondary palace of the Deva King, there should be totems representing ghosts from the Netherworld, but these creatures – dragons, phoenixes, Wild Man, and others – were all from the Spirit Realm. Could these cauldrons have some connection with the Spirit Realm? Why would they be placed here?
Lin Xuan's mind raced as one question after another surfaced.
He walked to the next cauldron.
It was similar to the previous two but had a creature carved on its surface that resembled a deer, with a single horn and scales covering its body.
"Qilin!" Lin Xuan said, recognizing this legendary beast known for its power comparable to true dragons and phoenixes.
Lin Xuan continued walking.
The next cauldron featured Xi Wang (a tortoise), Hua Xia (chaos), Qiong Ji (a strange creature), and Taotie (a monster).
Four Spirits and Four Foes!
Though they were enemies who often clashed, these creatures were all from the Spirit Realm. There was only one more cauldron left.
Lin Xuan's face showed a heavy burden as he walked past it. This cauldron was much taller than the others, standing at seven feet high. Its jade surface shimmered with an elegant green hue. The carvings on its surface were even more exquisite – in a lush valley, a white fox with a slender body and a long tail.
Lin Xuan's face showed a strange expression. As a human, why did he feel such admiration for this fox?
"Such beauty!"
A voice of praise entered his ears as Lin Xuan turned to see Ouyang Qinxin staring at the carved image of the immortal fox.
"Do you think she is beautiful?" Lin Xuan scratched his head and asked curiously.
"Yes, I never imagined a fox could be so stunning," replied Ouyang.
"This isn't just an ordinary immortal fox. Look behind her." Lin Xuan said slowly.
"Behind her?" Ouyang turned to look and saw that the fox's hindquarters had nine tails, each fluffy and majestic.
"A Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox?" Ouyang exclaimed in surprise.
In legends, three-tailed demons, six-tailed spirits, and nine-tailed heavenly foxes were considered powerful entities in the Spirit Realm.
"Indeed, it is a Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox," Lin Xuan said slowly. The records mentioned this, but his knowledge was more detailed. He had heard from Little Sister Xiaohou Lan that the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox was one of the three great demon kings in the Spirit Realm.
There were many demon kings in the Spirit Realm, but these three were the kings among kings, on par with Xiaohou Lan's father – a scattered immortal. How could this statue be here?
Lin Xuan scanned his surroundings. Apart from the nine cauldrons, the square was empty, yet his unease grew stronger.
"Master, maybe we should leave quickly," Mo Er's voice entered his ears.
"Hmm."
Lin Xuan nodded in agreement with his little girl's plan and walked toward the center of the square, where another set of stone steps led up.
"Eh, what is this?" Lin Xuan stopped as he noticed a large magical array at the center of the square.
The array was intricate, resembling a teleportation array but clearly different upon closer inspection. "My lord, why did you stop? I feel uncomfortable here; let's leave quickly," Ouyang said softly and continued walking without stopping.
Suddenly, an overwhelming amount of divine energy shot up into the air as the patterns on the array glowed brightly, accompanied by a rumbling sound.
Ouyang was shocked, her expression turning extremely grim. Without hesitation, she transformed into a streak of light and retreated backward but it was too late; she had already been ensnared in the array, colliding with an adjacent barrier before being bounced back.