èr gè yuè hòu 。[] lín xuān cái zhōng qiān cóng liàn gōng fáng lǐ chū lái “ āo ※
二个月后。[]林轩才终千从练功房里出来 “凹※
Two months later, Lin Xuan finally emerged from the training room.
suī rán dài yǒu xiē xǔ pí juàn zhī sè 。 dàn yī liǎn de xīng fèn zhī qíng què yǎn shì bú zhù 。
虽然带有些许疲倦之色。但一脸的兴奋之情却掩饰不住。
Although he looked slightly tired, his face was filled with excitement that couldn't be hidden.
tà pò tiě xié wú mì chù ， dé lái quán bù fèi gōng fu ， yī xiǎng dào zhè cì de shōu huò ， jí biàn yǐ lín xuān de chéng fǔ ， yě rěn bú zhù yǒu xiǎng yào kuáng xiào de chōng dòng 。
踏破铁鞋无觅处，得来全不费工夫，一想到这次的收获，即便以林轩的城府，也忍不住有想要狂笑的冲动。
After searching for something for so long and finding it without much effort, just thinking about this收获 made even Lin Xuan, known for his composure, want to burst out laughing.
zì jǐ de yùn qì zhēn shì tài hǎo le 。
自己的运气真是太好了。
What good luck I have!
hào tiān guǐ dì ， jiāng qí shēng qín huó zhuō ， yuán běn shì xiǎng sōu hún zhé mó ， bì jìng dāng nián zài yōu zhōu ， zì jǐ kě shì chī le tā bù shǎo kǔ tóu 。
昊天鬼帝，将其生擒活捉，原本是想搜魂折磨，毕竟当年在幽州，自己可是吃了他不少苦头。
He had captured the Heaven Ghost Emperor alive. Originally, he planned to torture him by probing his soul, as he had caused him a lot of trouble in Youzhou back then.
rú jīn shén tōng qiáng le ， dāng rán yào yǒu yuān bào yuān ， yǒu chóu bào chóu 。
如今神通强了，当然要有冤报冤，有仇报仇。
Now that his powers were stronger, it was only fitting to have revenge for past grievances.
zhè bú shì xīn yǎn dà xiǎo de yuán gù 。 zài xiū xiān jiè ， jiù yīng gāi kuài yì ēn chóu 。
这不是心眼大小的缘故。在修仙界，就应该快意恩仇。
This wasn't about his heart; in the cultivation world, one should take pleasure in settling scores.
nǎ zhī dào zhè lǎo jiā huǒ xiū liàn yǒu guǐ yì mì shù ， jū rán bù zhī tiān gāo dì hòu de xiǎng yào duì zì jǐ duó shě ， zuì hòu què fǎn bèi zì jǐ jiāng yuán shén tūn shì le 。
哪知道这老家伙修炼有诡异秘术，居然不知天高地厚的想要对自己夺舍，最后却反被自己将元神吞噬了。
Little did he know that this old man had practiced some strange secret technique. He attempted to possess Lin Xuan's body but ended up having his own soul devoured by Lin Xuan instead.
yuán běn lín xuān yǐ wéi zhǐ shì pǔ tōng de jìn bǔ ， nǎ zhī dào hào tiān yuán shén zhōng yùn hán de hún lì jū rán bǐ xiǎng xiàng de yào duō dé duō 。
原本林轩以为只是普通的进补，哪知道昊天元神中蕴含的魂力居然比想象的要多得多。
Lin Xuan originally thought it was just a simple replenishment, but the soul power contained within the Heaven Ghost Emperor’s soul turned out to be much more than he expected.
dì èr yuán yīng jiāng qí xiāo huà yǐ hòu ， yǐn yǐn jìng chū xiàn jìn jí de zhēng zhào lái le 。
第二元婴将其消化以后，隐隐竟出现晋级的征兆来了。
"Here, do you like this?"
lín xuān xīn zhōng de gāo xìng kě xiǎng ér zhī ， bì jìng duì xuán mó ** tā qiǎn cháng jí zhǐ ， shuāng yīng yī dān zhōng jiù shǔ mó yīng zuì bù róng yì jìn jí 。
林轩心中的高兴可想而知，毕竟对玄魔**他浅尝即止，双婴一丹中就属魔婴最不容易晋级。
Lin Xuan smiled as he handed over a shield that appeared from his storage bag. It was black and unremarkable in appearance, yet seemed to possess some kind of magical aura.
zhè chǎng xiǎo xiǎo de fēng bō què jiě jué le zì jǐ de nán tí 。
这场小小的风波却解决了自己的难题。
"Is this the Thousand Illusion Jiaotou Shield? This is an artifact of the heavens! Why are you giving me such a precious item?"
jiǎn dān de shuō ， jiù shì yùn qì 。
简单的说，就是运气。
The young girl exclaimed in surprise, her face showing shock.
yǐ lín xuān de chéng fǔ ， zì rán bú huì jiāng zhè yàng de hǎo shì fàng guò ， yú shì hū ， tā zhí jiē zài liàn gōng fáng lǐ bì qǐ shēng sǐ guān lái le 。
以林轩的城府，自然不会将这样的好事放过，于是乎，他直接在练功房里闭起生死关来了。
"It's fine. An artifact of the heavens can't compare to my Moonlight. Besides, your power isn't bad; even treasures like the Immortal Mansion and the Beast Soul Banner are top-tier. But we lack good defensive items. This shield is for you," Lin Xuan said with a nod.
yóu yú zhǔ yuán yīng yǐ shì hòu qī ， dì èr yuán yīng yǔ yāo dān de jìn jí ， xiāng duì lái shuō ， jiù shí fēn róng yì ， yǒu hào tiān de yuán shén zuò wèi dà bǔ ， jǐn jǐn huā le sān gè yuè de gōng fu ， lín xuān de dì èr yuán yīng jiù chéng gōng jìn jí ， yě dá dào zhōng qī 。 yǔ yǐ qián xiāng bǐ 。 tā de fǎ lì gèng jiā chún hòu ， shén shí yě zēng jiā le shǎo xǔ 。
由于主元婴已是后期，第二元婴与妖丹的晋级，相对来说，就十分容易，有昊天的元神做为大补，仅仅花了三个月的功夫，林轩的第二元婴就成功晋级，也达到中期。 与以前相比。他的法力更加淳厚，神识也增加了少许。
"But what about you?" The young girl asked worriedly.
suī rán jiù shí lì lái shuō zhǐ bù dòng yòng tōng tiān líng yàn ， yī jiù bù rú lí hé ， dàn yǐ fēi cháng jiē jìn le 。
虽然就实力来说指不动用通天灵宴，依旧不如离合，但已非常接近了。
Although the Black Gold Dragon Shield was also an upper-grade treasure, it wasn't much use against Separation Realm beings.
lín xuān xīn zhōng zì dé ， què yǒu zhī ya yī shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， shuō qǐ lái yě shì qiǎo hé ， yuè ér gāng hǎo yě cóng liàn gōng fáng lǐ chū lái le 。
林轩心中自得，却有吱呀一声传入耳朵，说起来也是巧合，月儿刚好也从练功房里出来了。
"Don't worry; I'm fine. You can keep this Thousand Illusion Jiaotou Shield," the young girl said thoughtfully.
lín xuān xīn zhōng dà xǐ ， èr huà bù shuō de kuài bù zǒu le guò qù 。
林轩心中大喜，二话不说的快步走了过去。
"You're such a silly girl. Just take it. Haven't you forgotten that I have the Azure Flame Qilin Armor? This treasure is enough to make up for the Black Gold Dragon Shield's defensive shortcomings. Even against Separation Realm monsters, I won’t be afraid." Lin Xuan poked her nose and said affectionately.
yī měi mào de shào nǚ yìng rù le yǎn lián lǐ 。
一美貌的少女映入了眼帘里。
"Thank you, young master."
xuě jī yù fū ， měi lì de qiào liǎn shàng dài zhe yí chēn yí xǐ de xiào róng ， bú yòng shuō ， zì rán shì yuè ér nà yā tou 。
雪肌玉肤，美丽的俏脸上带着宜嗔宜喜的笑容，不用说，自然是月儿那丫头。
The young girl no longer refused, her eyes filled with gratitude as she realized how much Lin Xuan cared about her. Even in the heavens, such treasures were rare, showing just how well he treated her.
zhǔ pú èr rén mù guāng xiāng chù ， jiē gǎn jué xǐ lè píng hé 。 yī rì bú jiàn ， rú gé sān qiū 。 liǎng rén jìn bǎi rì wèi jiàn le ， zì rán yǒu liáo bù wán de huà yào shuō 。
主仆二人目光相触，皆感觉喜乐平和。一日不见，如隔三秋。两人近百日未见了，自然有聊不完的话要说。
She gently leaned against his chest.
lín xuān tūn le yī kǒu tuò mò ， lā zhe yuè ér de shǒu ， lái dào wò fáng zhōng 。
林轩吞了一口唾沫，拉着月儿的手，来到卧房中。
With a beautiful woman in his arms and the intoxicating scent around him, Lin Xuan didn’t need to suppress himself. Dual cultivation not only strengthened their bond but also helped improve his power.
xiǎo yā tou liǎn hěn hóng ， bù guò lín xuān què bú shì hào sè wú dù de rén wù ， tā xiān jiāng shén shí fàng chū ， jiǎn chá le yī fān yuè ér jìn jìng rú hé 。
小丫头脸很红，不过林轩却不是好色无度的人物，他先将神识放出，检查了一番月儿进境如何。
Meanwhile, the region of Yunzhou was about to be engulfed by bloodshed and violence.
shǎo qǐng ， liǎn shàng lù chū mǎn yì zhī sè ， jīng guò zhè sān gè yuè de kǔ xiū ， fǎ lì jìn zhǎn suī rán bù duō ， dàn jìng jiè què yǐ wěn gù 。
少顷，脸上露出满意之色，经过这三个月的苦修，法力进展虽然不多，但境界确已稳固。
Hui Tong's death left behind his life lamp within the sect, which naturally extinguished as well.
zì yǐ zǒng suàn bù yòng zuò duō yú de dān xīn le 。
自已总算不用做多余的担心了。
This was the first Separation Realm cultivator in tens of thousands of years to die under mysterious circumstances. The impact on the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect was beyond measure.
“ yuè ér ， wǒ yào sòng chēng yī jiàn lǐ wù
“月儿，我要送称一件礼物
Although the sect tried to keep it secret and only informed the seven major forces' leaders, news eventually leaked out.
“ shén me ？。 xiǎo yā tou yī è ， hǎo duān duān de ， shào yé zěn me tū rán xiǎng qǐ yào sòng zì jǐ dōng xī lái le 。
“什么？。小丫头一愕，好端端的，少爷怎么突然想起要送自己东西来了。
The entire Sky Cloud Twelve Provinces were shocked. Hui Tong, a Separation Realm cultivator, had died for reasons unknown, unlike when they exhausted their lifespans or ascended.
lín xuān shēn chū shǒu lái ， zài yāo jiān yī pāi ， yī bā zhǎng dà xiǎo de dùn pái ， cóng chǔ wù dài lǐ fēi lüè chū lái ， hēi hū hū de ， bìng bù qǐ yǎn ， rán ér què fǎng fú dài yǒu mó lì yì bān 。
林轩伸出手来，在腰间一拍，一巴掌大小的盾牌，从储物袋里飞掠出来，黑乎乎的，并不起眼，然而却仿佛带有魔力一般。
The Ten Thousand Buddha Sect was both enraged and humiliated. The other senior elder, who was in the middle of his death meditation, was forced to end his cultivation early to deal with the situation.
“ chēng kàn ， xǐ bù xǐ huān ？。
“称看，喜不喜欢？。
Initial investigations didn't yield much progress. However, about two months ago, a small piece of information spread across the Sky Cloud Twelve Provinces: Hui Tong had not died by accident but due to a cleverly laid trap by the Far Horizon Pavilion. Dream Ruyan personally led several late-stage Immortal Body cultivators in an attack on him.
lín xuān wēi xiào zhe jiāng cǐ dùn dì dào le yuè ér de miàn qián 。
林轩微笑着将此盾递到了月儿的面前。
Hui Tong was outnumbered and trapped within the array, with no way to escape, ultimately dying at the hands of the Far Horizon Pavilion.
“ zhè shì xiǎo yā tou què yī shēng jīng hū ， liǎn shàng mǎn shì è rán zhī sè ：“ qiān huàn jiāo wén dùn ， zhè kě shì tōng tiān líng bǎo ， shào yé ， nǐ bú shì kāi wán xiào ， yào sòng yǔ wǒ cǐ bǎo ？。
“这是小丫头却一声惊呼，脸上满是愕然之色：“千幻蛟纹盾，这可是通天灵宝，少爷，你不是开玩笑，要送与我此宝？。
Although this information didn't provide much concrete evidence, it raised suspicions. After all, who else besides a peer could pose a threat to Separation Realm monsters in the mortal world?
“ bù cuò lín xuān diǎn le diǎn tóu ：，“ tōng tiān líng bǎo yòu rú hé ， néng gòu yǔ wǒ de yuè ér xiāng bǐ me ， chēng fǎ lì bù cuò ， xiān fǔ qí zhēn bú yòng shuō ， shòu hún fān yě dōu shì yì liú de bǎo wù 。 bù guò jiù xìng zhì lái shuō ， dōu piān zhòng yú jìn gōng ， quē yī jiàn hǎo de fáng yù zhī wù ， zhè dùn jiù sòng yǔ mí le 。”
“不错林轩点了点头：，“通天灵宝又如何，能够与我的月儿相比么，称法力不错，仙府奇珍不用说，兽魂幡也都是一流的宝物。不过就性质来说，都偏重于进攻，缺一件好的防御之物，这盾就送与弥了。”
Dream Ruyan was indeed stronger than Hui Tong, and if she had set up an ancient array beforehand and led her subordinates in a surprise attack, there would be at least a 70% chance of success.
“ kě shào yé zì jǐ zěn me bàn ne ？。 yuè ér yǒu diǎn dān xīn de kāi kǒu 。
“可少爷自己怎么办呢？。月儿有点担心的开口。
Moreover, everyone knew that the Far Horizon Pavilion and the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect were not on good terms. This incident was just the final straw.
wū jīn lóng jiǎ dùn suī yě shì dǐng jiē bǎo wù ， bù guò miàn duì lí hé jí de cún zài què méi yǒu duō dà yòng tú 。
乌金龙甲盾虽也是顶阶宝物，不过面对离合级的存在却没有多大用途。
In short, Dream Ruyan had both the strength and motivation to do it.
“ shào yé xiǎo bì méi shì de ， zhè qiān huàn jiāo wén dùn nǐ hái shì zì jǐ liú xià hǎo le 。” yuè ér shí fēn tǐ tiē de shuō 。
“少爷小婢没事的，这千幻蛟纹盾你还是自己留下好了。”月儿十分体贴的说。
The Ten Thousand Buddha Sect demanded an explanation from her.
“ zhēn shì shǎ yā tou ， ràng chēng ná zhe jiù ná zhe ， chēng mò fēi wàng le ， shào yé hái yǒu bì yàn qí lín jiǎ ， cǐ bǎo zú yǐ mí bǔ wū jīn lóng jiǎ dùn fáng yù de bù zú 。 jí biàn miàn duì lí hé qī lǎo guài wù ， wǒ yě bù yòng hài pà de lín xuān guā le guā yuè ér de bí tóu ， yǒu xiē chǒng nì de kāi kǒu 。
“真是傻丫头，让称拿着就拿着，称莫非忘了，少爷还有碧焰麒麟甲，此宝足以弥补乌金龙甲盾防御的不足。即便面对离合期老怪物，我也不用害怕的林轩刮了刮月儿的鼻头，有些宠溺的开口。
Dream Ruyan was a proud woman who preferred soft over hard treatment. If the sect had handled things properly, she might have explained herself. After all, although the two sects were now at odds, Dream Ruyan didn't want a full-scale war.
“ xiè xiè shào yé
“谢谢少爷
But the monks, without any regard for the truth, treated her like a criminal. Such disrespect was unbearable to someone of her status and power.
yuè ér bù zài tuī tuō ， měi lì de yǎn móu zhōng shǎn guò gǎn dòng zhī sè ， tōng tiān líng bǎo jí biàn fàng dào líng jiè zhī zhōng ， yě shǔ xī yǒu ， cóng zhè yì diǎn jiù kě yǐ kàn chū lín xuān duì zì jǐ yǒu duō hǎo le 。
月儿不再推脱，美丽的眼眸中闪过感动之色，通天灵宝即便放到灵界之中，也属稀有，从这一点就可以看出林轩对自己有多好了。
Fine, you don’t play fair; if I did it, so be it. If you have the guts, come and kill me!
tā qīng qīng jiāng tóu kào zài lín xuān de xiōng kǒu 。
她轻轻将头靠在林轩的胸口。
Dream Ruyan wasn't afraid of death. She extracted souls from the monks who had insulted her, but she was also furious that they had caused such a commotion.
měi rén zài huái ， wēn xiāng ruǎn yù ， bí zhōng wén zhe zuì rén de xiāng qì ， lín xuān zì rán méi yǒu bì yào yā yì zì jǐ ， shuāng xiū bù jǐn néng gòu zēng jìn qíng yì ， ér qiě tóng yàng yǒu zhù yú tí shēng gōng lì 。
美人在怀，温香软玉，鼻中闻着醉人的香气，林轩自然没有必要压抑自己，双修不仅能够增进情谊，而且同样有助于提升功力。
This only further enraged the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect. In a war between two armies, one doesn’t kill envoys; Dream Ruyan’s actions were like slapping her own face.
qiě bù shuō zhè biān láng qíng qiè yì ， cǐ shí de yún zhōu zhēn de yíng lái le xīng fēng xuè yǔ 。
且不说这边郎情妾意，此时的云州真的迎来了腥风血雨。
The conflict quickly escalated to an irreconcilable state in just a few days.
huì tōng yǔn luò ， tā liú zài zōng mén nèi de běn mìng dēng zì rán yě jiù xī miè le 。
慧通陨落，他留在宗门内的本命灯自然也就熄灭了。
As they say, when a heavenly emperor is angry, rivers of blood flow. A Separation Realm cultivator's temper was even more terrifying than that of a secular emperor. The two sects' conflicts would involve many other cultivators.
zhè shì shù wàn nián lái ， dì yí gè sǐ dé bù míng bù bái de lí hé qī xiū xiān zhě ， duì yú wàn fú zōng de dǎ jī gèng shì kě xiǎng ér zhī de 。
这是数万年来，第一个死得不明不白的离合期修仙者，对于万佛宗的打击更是可想而知的。
Both Hui Tong and Dream Ruyan were usually shrewd, but this time, they acted impulsively without investigating the source or spreading rumors.
suī rán gāi pài yǐ jǐn liàng yǐn mán xiāo xī ， zhǐ shì tōng zhī le qī dà shì lì de gāo céng ér yǐ 。 dàn zuì hòu ， qíng bào hái shì zǒu lòu le chū qù 。
虽然该派已尽量隐瞒消息，只是通知了七大势力的高层而已。但最后，情报还是走漏了出去。
The conflict between the two sects had reached an irreconcilable state. Small-scale skirmishes wouldn't resolve it; at this point, one side would have to be destroyed. The seven major forces were united, but this time, they were on the brink of a full-scale war.
yī shí jiān ， zhěng gè tiān yún shí èr zhōu wèi zhī huá rán ， lí hé qī qī xiān 。 chú le hào jìn shòu shì ， huò zhě fēi shēng de shí hòu chū xiàn yì jiàn ， xiàng lái bèi dòng lán xiǎo shí bù miè de cún zài ， kě zhè yī cì ， huì tōng shén sēng què sǐ dé bù míng bù bái
一时间，整个天云十二州为之哗然，离合期七仙。除了耗尽寿示，或者飞升的时候出现意件，向来被动阑小识不灭的存在，可这一次，慧通神僧却死得不明不白
Fortunately, there was still someone who could prevent such a disaster: the Sky Cloud Twelve Provinces' top expert, Wang Tinglou, rumored to have reached the late Separation Realm stage.
wàn fú zōng jīng nù zhī yú ， yě yán miàn jǐn shī ， shèng xià de lìng yī míng tài shàng zhǎng lǎo yuán běn zài bì shēng sǐ guān ， yě zhǐ hǎo cōng cōng jié shù xiū liàn ， chū lái shōu shí jú miàn 。
万佛宗惊怒之余，也颜面尽失，剩下的另一名太上长老原本在闭生死关，也只好匆匆结束修炼，出来收拾局面。
He had often mediated disputes between the seven sects. His power and fairness made him an impartial judge.
diào chá qǐ chū bìng méi yǒu jìn zhǎn 。
调查起初并没有进展。
With no desire or attachment, he could make fair decisions without bias.
rán ér dà yuē zài liǎng gè yuè qián ， què yǒu yī xiǎo dào xiāo xī zài tiān yún shí èr zhōu chuán kāi ， shuō huì tōng bìng fēi sǐ yú yì wài ， ér shì tiān yá hǎi gé qiǎo miào bù jú ， shè xià jí wéi lì hài de jìn zhì ， suí hòu mèng rú yān qīn zì chū shǒu ， dài lǐng mén xià de shù míng yuán yīng hòu qī xiū shì duì qí wéi gōng 。
然而大约在两个月前，却有一小道消息在天云十二州传开，说慧通并非死于意外，而是天涯海阁巧妙布局，设下极为厉害的禁制，随后梦如嫣亲自出手，带领门下的数名元婴后期修士对其围攻。
Although Dream Ruyan didn't recognize Wang Tinglou as her brother-in-law and called him a faithless, lustful scoundrel, she respected his judgments.
huì tōng guǎ bù dí zhòng ， yòu shēn chù zhèn fǎ zhī zhōng ， táo wú kě táo ， zuì zhōng sǐ zài le tiān yá hǎi gé de shǒu zhōng 。
慧通寡不敌众，又身处阵法之中，逃无可逃，最终死在了天涯海阁的手中。
The conflict between the Far Horizon Pavilion and the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect had reached a critical point. However, Wang Tinglou had vanished.
suī rán zhè xiǎo dào xiāo xī bìng méi yǒu tí gōng shén me yǒu lì de zhèng jù ， rán ér què rě rén lián xiǎng yǐ jí ， bì jìng chú le tóng jiē xiū xiān zhě ， rén jiè hái yǒu shén yǒu cún zài néng gòu wēi xié dào lí hé qī lǎo guài 。
虽然这小道消息并没有提供什么有利的证据，然而却惹人联想以极，毕竟除了同阶修仙者，人界还有什有存在能够威胁到离合期老怪。
People at the Pine Wind Academy said he was in seclusion, but it was clearly a lie. An upper-grade monk from the Spirit Manipulation Sect burst into Wang Tinglou's lair with his temper flaring, ignoring several Immortal Body cultivators who tried to stop him.
cóng shí lì lái shuō ， mèng rú yān suī shì nǚ xiū ， dàn què shí bǐ huì tōng yào gèng shèng yī chóu ， rú guǒ qǐng jūn rù wèng ， shì xiān bù hǎo shàng gǔ de duàn jìn zhèn fǎ ， zài dài lǐng shǒu xià de xiū shì wéi gōng ， miè shā huì tōng ， zuì qǐ mǎ yě yǒu qī chéng yǐ shàng de bǎ wò 。
从实力来说，梦如嫣虽是女修，但确实比慧通要更胜一筹，如果请君入瓮，事先布好上古的断禁阵法，再带领手下的修士围攻，灭杀慧通，最起码也有七成以上的把握。
But upon entering, all he found were dozens of beautiful female cultivators of various powers, none of whom was Wang Tinglou.
hé kuàng zuì jìn rén rén dōu qīng chǔ ， tiān yá hǎi gé yǔ wàn fú zōng běn jiù bú duì lù ， yǐ jīng mó cā shù cì le 。
何况最近人人都清楚，天涯海阁与万佛宗本就不对路，已经摩擦数次了。
Facing Separation Realm monsters, the women didn't hide anything, but they had no idea where Wang Tinglou went.
huàn jù huà shuō ， mèng rú yān yǒu zhè yàng de shí lì ， yě yǒu dòng jī ， yī shí jiān ， tā chéng le zuì dà de xián yí 。
换句话说，梦如嫣有这样的实力，也有动机，一时间，她成了最大的嫌疑。
Finally, a petite woman provided a clue: Wang Tinglou had gone on a pilgrimage about a month ago and left no trace since then.
Two months later, Lin Xuan finally emerged from the training room.
Although he looked slightly tired, his face was filled with excitement that couldn't be hidden.
After searching for something for so long and finding it without much effort, just thinking about this收获 made even Lin Xuan, known for his composure, want to burst out laughing.
What good luck I have!
He had captured the Heaven Ghost Emperor alive. Originally, he planned to torture him by probing his soul, as he had caused him a lot of trouble in Youzhou back then.
Now that his powers were stronger, it was only fitting to have revenge for past grievances.
This wasn't about his heart; in the cultivation world, one should take pleasure in settling scores.
Little did he know that this old man had practiced some strange secret technique. He attempted to possess Lin Xuan's body but ended up having his own soul devoured by Lin Xuan instead.
Lin Xuan originally thought it was just a simple replenishment, but the soul power contained within the Heaven Ghost Emperor’s soul turned out to be much more than he expected.
"Here, do you like this?"
Lin Xuan smiled as he handed over a shield that appeared from his storage bag. It was black and unremarkable in appearance, yet seemed to possess some kind of magical aura.
"Is this the Thousand Illusion Jiaotou Shield? This is an artifact of the heavens! Why are you giving me such a precious item?"
The young girl exclaimed in surprise, her face showing shock.
"It's fine. An artifact of the heavens can't compare to my Moonlight. Besides, your power isn't bad; even treasures like the Immortal Mansion and the Beast Soul Banner are top-tier. But we lack good defensive items. This shield is for you," Lin Xuan said with a nod.
"But what about you?" The young girl asked worriedly.
Although the Black Gold Dragon Shield was also an upper-grade treasure, it wasn't much use against Separation Realm beings.
"Don't worry; I'm fine. You can keep this Thousand Illusion Jiaotou Shield," the young girl said thoughtfully.
"You're such a silly girl. Just take it. Haven't you forgotten that I have the Azure Flame Qilin Armor? This treasure is enough to make up for the Black Gold Dragon Shield's defensive shortcomings. Even against Separation Realm monsters, I won’t be afraid." Lin Xuan poked her nose and said affectionately.
"Thank you, young master."
The young girl no longer refused, her eyes filled with gratitude as she realized how much Lin Xuan cared about her. Even in the heavens, such treasures were rare, showing just how well he treated her.
She gently leaned against his chest.
With a beautiful woman in his arms and the intoxicating scent around him, Lin Xuan didn’t need to suppress himself. Dual cultivation not only strengthened their bond but also helped improve his power.
Meanwhile, the region of Yunzhou was about to be engulfed by bloodshed and violence.
Hui Tong's death left behind his life lamp within the sect, which naturally extinguished as well.
This was the first Separation Realm cultivator in tens of thousands of years to die under mysterious circumstances. The impact on the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect was beyond measure.
Although the sect tried to keep it secret and only informed the seven major forces' leaders, news eventually leaked out.
The entire Sky Cloud Twelve Provinces were shocked. Hui Tong, a Separation Realm cultivator, had died for reasons unknown, unlike when they exhausted their lifespans or ascended.
The Ten Thousand Buddha Sect was both enraged and humiliated. The other senior elder, who was in the middle of his death meditation, was forced to end his cultivation early to deal with the situation.
Initial investigations didn't yield much progress. However, about two months ago, a small piece of information spread across the Sky Cloud Twelve Provinces: Hui Tong had not died by accident but due to a cleverly laid trap by the Far Horizon Pavilion. Dream Ruyan personally led several late-stage Immortal Body cultivators in an attack on him.
Hui Tong was outnumbered and trapped within the array, with no way to escape, ultimately dying at the hands of the Far Horizon Pavilion.
Although this information didn't provide much concrete evidence, it raised suspicions. After all, who else besides a peer could pose a threat to Separation Realm monsters in the mortal world?
Dream Ruyan was indeed stronger than Hui Tong, and if she had set up an ancient array beforehand and led her subordinates in a surprise attack, there would be at least a 70% chance of success.
Moreover, everyone knew that the Far Horizon Pavilion and the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect were not on good terms. This incident was just the final straw.
In short, Dream Ruyan had both the strength and motivation to do it.
The Ten Thousand Buddha Sect demanded an explanation from her.
Dream Ruyan was a proud woman who preferred soft over hard treatment. If the sect had handled things properly, she might have explained herself. After all, although the two sects were now at odds, Dream Ruyan didn't want a full-scale war.
But the monks, without any regard for the truth, treated her like a criminal. Such disrespect was unbearable to someone of her status and power.
Fine, you don’t play fair; if I did it, so be it. If you have the guts, come and kill me!
Dream Ruyan wasn't afraid of death. She extracted souls from the monks who had insulted her, but she was also furious that they had caused such a commotion.
This only further enraged the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect. In a war between two armies, one doesn’t kill envoys; Dream Ruyan’s actions were like slapping her own face.
The conflict quickly escalated to an irreconcilable state in just a few days.
As they say, when a heavenly emperor is angry, rivers of blood flow. A Separation Realm cultivator's temper was even more terrifying than that of a secular emperor. The two sects' conflicts would involve many other cultivators.
Both Hui Tong and Dream Ruyan were usually shrewd, but this time, they acted impulsively without investigating the source or spreading rumors.
The conflict between the two sects had reached an irreconcilable state. Small-scale skirmishes wouldn't resolve it; at this point, one side would have to be destroyed. The seven major forces were united, but this time, they were on the brink of a full-scale war.
Fortunately, there was still someone who could prevent such a disaster: the Sky Cloud Twelve Provinces' top expert, Wang Tinglou, rumored to have reached the late Separation Realm stage.
He had often mediated disputes between the seven sects. His power and fairness made him an impartial judge.
With no desire or attachment, he could make fair decisions without bias.
Although Dream Ruyan didn't recognize Wang Tinglou as her brother-in-law and called him a faithless, lustful scoundrel, she respected his judgments.
The conflict between the Far Horizon Pavilion and the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect had reached a critical point. However, Wang Tinglou had vanished.
People at the Pine Wind Academy said he was in seclusion, but it was clearly a lie. An upper-grade monk from the Spirit Manipulation Sect burst into Wang Tinglou's lair with his temper flaring, ignoring several Immortal Body cultivators who tried to stop him.
But upon entering, all he found were dozens of beautiful female cultivators of various powers, none of whom was Wang Tinglou.
Facing Separation Realm monsters, the women didn't hide anything, but they had no idea where Wang Tinglou went.
Finally, a petite woman provided a clue: Wang Tinglou had gone on a pilgrimage about a month ago and left no trace since then.