liǎng dào jīng hóng yī liǎn ， tóng shí zài bàn kōng zhōng tíng le xià lái 。
两道惊虹一敛，同时在半空中停了下来。
Two streaks of lightning halted in mid-air, their brilliance fading.
lín xuān hé mèng rú yān duì shì yī yǎn ， liǎn shàng jiē shǎn guò jīng qí zhī sè ， yǐ liǎng rén rú jīn de xiū wèi fǎ lì ， jí biàn bú shì kè yì fàng chū shén shí ， fāng yuán qiān lǐ yǐ nèi ， yǒu shén me fēng chuī cǎo dòng ， yě jué duì mán bù guò tā liǎ de ěr mù shén tōng 。
林轩和梦如嫣对视一眼，脸上皆闪过惊奇之色，以两人如今的修为法力，即便不是刻意放出神识，方圆千里以内，有什么风吹草动，也绝对瞒不过他俩的耳目神通。
Lin Xuan and Meng Ruyan exchanged a glance. Both showed signs of surprise on their faces. With their current cultivation levels, even without deliberately sending out their divine senses, any movement within a thousand miles would not escape their notice.
lín xuān shuāng shǒu yī wò ， hún shēn qīng guāng shǎn shuò ， yǐ jiāng qiáng dà yǐ jí luò shén niàn fàng chū 。 mèng rú yān zé tái qǐ qiàn shǒu ， měi móu zhōng yǐn yǐn yǒu lán máng shǎn dòng 。 jiě dì èr rén shī zhǎn de mì shù suī gè bù xiāng tóng ， dàn xiào guǒ dōu shì hěn míng xiǎn de 。 jǐn jǐn guò le jǐ xī de gōng fu ， liǎng rén liǎn shàng jiù lù chū liǎo rán zhī sè 。 gè zì huà wèi yī dào jīng hóng ， lián mèi xiàng zhī cè dōng nán de fāng xiàng fēi lüè xī jī le 。 jǐn jǐn guò le bú dào bàn zhǎn chá de gōng fu ， jiě dì èr rén jiù fēi chū le bǎi lǐ zuǒ yòu 。
林轩双手一握，浑身青光闪烁，已将强大以极络神念放出。梦如嫣则抬起纤手，美眸中隐隐有蓝芒闪动。姐弟二人施展的秘术虽各不相同，但效果都是很明显的。仅仅过了几息的功夫，两人脸上就露出了然之色。各自化为一道惊虹，联袂像支侧东南的方向飞掠西击了。仅仅过了不到半盏茶的功夫，姐弟二人就飞出了百里左右。
Lin Xuan clasped his hands, emitting a shimmering green light as he released an extremely powerful network of divine sense. Meng Ruyan raised her slender hand, and a faint blue glow flickered in her eyes. While the secret techniques used by the siblings were different, their effects were evident. After just a few breaths, both revealed understanding on their faces, transforming into streaks of lightning that flew towards the southeast.
zhè lǐ de kuáng fēng jù làng bǐ xiān qián suǒ zhàn lì zhī chù ， míng xiǎn hái yào měng è ， hǎi miàn shàng xíng chéng le yí gè gè dà xiǎo bù yī de xuán wō 。
这里的狂风巨浪比先前所站立之处，明显还要猛恶，海面上形成了一个个大小不一的漩涡。
Within less than half an hour, they had flown about a hundred miles away.
tiān kōng zhī zhōng ， yín shé luàn wǔ ， ér bì cū de shǎn diàn zài hēi àn de cāng qióng zhōng xiǎn de jīng xīn cì
天空之中，银蛇乱舞，儿臂粗的闪电在黑暗的苍穹中显得惊心刺
The winds and waves here were even more fierce than before, forming various-sized whirlpools on the sea surface.
ér zào chéng zhè yī qiè de zuì kuí huò shǒu jiù zài qián fāng bù yuǎn zhī chù 。
而造成这一切的罪魁祸首就在前方不远之处。
In the sky, silver snakes danced wildly, with thick bolts of lightning striking the dark heavens, creating a shocking spectacle.
zhǐ jiàn hǎi miàn shàng piāo fú zhe yī jù dà de guī lèi yāo zú 。
只见海面上漂浮着一巨大的龟类妖族。
The culprit behind all this was not far ahead.
nà jiā huo de tǐ jī shí zài shì tài guò lìng rén jīng è ， yuǎn yuǎn wàng qù ， jiù gēn yī zuò xiǎo shān de tǐ jī chà bu duō 。
那家伙的体积实在是太过令人惊愕，远远望去，就跟一座小山的体积差不多。
A giant turtle-like妖族 creature was trapped by a禁制. It roared in anger and fear, lifting its dragon-like head to release a green light wave.
kǔn ； de guī ké zuò qī hēi zhī sè ， biǎo miàn de huā wén shēn ào ér fán fù ， jí biàn yǐ lín xuān jiàn shí zhī guǎng bó ， yě wán quán biàn shí bù chū 。
悃；的龟壳做漆黑之色，表面的花纹深奥而繁复，即便以林轩见识之广博，也完全辨识不出。
Instantly, divine lights shone everywhere. The ancient beast's attack was formidable, but the禁制 itself was incredibly complex. Unless a being at the realm of separation could intervene, it would be impossible to break through for now.
zhè me yī zhī páng rán dà wù ， sì zhī jiù yǒu rú qíng tiān zhī zhù ， shāo yī dòng tán ， jiù néng xiān qǐ tāo
这么一只庞然大物，四肢就有如擎天之柱，稍一动弹，就能掀起滔
The giant turtle became enraged, using its massive body to strike against the barrier. The sound alone was so loud that it made one's eardrums ache. Ordinary mortals aside, even cultivators with lower cultivation levels might bleed from their orifices.
hǒu shēng rú léi ， qí shēng shì zhī kě pà nán yǐ yòng yán yǔ miáo shù 。 piān piān kǔn ； de shēn shàng què yī sī yāo qì yě wú ， zhè jù guī bìng fēi yāo zú 。
吼声如雷，其声势之可怕难以用言语描述。偏偏悃；的身上却一丝妖气也无，这巨龟并非妖族。
Lin Xuan and Meng Ruyan remained unperturbed; both showed no change in expression.
“ gǔ shòu !”
“古兽!”
Time passed slowly. After about half an incense stick, several streaks of light appeared on the distant horizon. Different from human cultivators'遁光, Lin Xuan's gaze identified them as several妖族.
lín xuān mù guāng sǎo guò ， rěn bú zhù shī shēng jīng hū 。
林轩目光扫过，忍不住失声惊呼。
Leading was a young woman who looked to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, with a beautiful appearance but slightly red eyes indicating she wasn't a human cultivator, but rather an early-stage化形妖兽.
mèng rú yān de biǎo qíng yě chà bu duō ， zhè gǔ shòu shí zài tài kě pà le ， suī bù jí lí hé ， dàn qí wēi shì zhī qiáng ， yǐ zài yì bān de huà xíng hòu qī yāo shòu zhī shàng
梦如嫣的表情也差不多，这古兽实在太可怕了，虽不及离合，但其威势之强，已在一般的化形后期妖兽之上
Behind her were several妖兽 at the condensation stage, each with unique appearances and surrounded by eerie妖气.
dàn zhè hái bú shì zuì lìng liǎng rén jīng è de dì fāng ， zhǐ jiàn zài nà gǔ shòu de shēn tǐ zhōu wéi ， yǒu yī wèi lán sè de guāng mù ， jiāng jù guī de zhěng gè shēn tǐ ， wán quán lǒng zhào zhù le 。
但这还不是最令两人惊愕的地方，只见在那古兽的身体周围，有一蔚蓝色的光幕，将巨龟的整个身体，完全笼罩住了。
As these streaks of light approached, their遁光 faded. The woman's face showed shock.
guāng mù biǎo miàn ， fú wén shǎn shuò ， yī gǔ guǐ yì de yāo lì ， pèi rán ér chū 。
光幕表面，符文闪烁，一股诡异的妖力，沛然而出。
"Impossible. We've been tracking the ancient turtle, the玄龟, which should not be this large. Its cultivation level is only that of a mid-stage化形妖兽. With the power of the阵法, our cave lord can easily destroy it. Could it be that the intelligence we received was wrong? This ancient turtle's pressure seems to surpass even late-stage化形妖兽…" The young woman muttered.
bú yòng shuō ， zhè gǔ shòu shì chuǎng rù le zhèn fǎ de xiàn jǐng zhī zhōng ， qiě zhè jìn zhì yǔ rén lèi xiū shì de
不用说，这古兽是闯入了阵法的陷阱之中，且这禁制与人类修士的
"Lord Cave, what should we do?" spoke a snake-headed, ox-bodied妖族 with a fine voice despite its fierce appearance.
shǒu bǐ dà bù xiāng tóng ， rú guǒ méi yǒu liào cuò ， yīng gāi shì yāo zú bù xià lái de 。
手笔大不相同，如果没有料错，应该是妖族布下来的。
Generally, for a妖兽 to reach the fourth stage and gain intelligence after transformation is rare. However, some妖族 are exceptionally gifted or undergo mutations during their cultivation journey, gaining intelligence at an earlier stage.
xū zhī gǔ shòu yǔ yāo zú bù tóng ， suī rán bù néng jìn jià xiū liàn ， dàn shòu mìng què màn cháng dào jí diǎn ， cháng cháng néng gòu huó gè jǐ bǎi wàn nián 。
须知古兽与妖族不同，虽然不能进价修炼，但寿命却漫长到极点，常常能够活个几百万年。
This monster before them was one such case.
sú zàng - shuō dé hǎo ， rén lǎo chéng jīng ， dòng wù yě shì yī yàng ， zài shì jiān cán cún le zhè me jiǔ ，
俗葬-说得好，人老成精，动物也是一样，在世间残存了这么久，
The early-stage woman's brows furrowed as she realized the enemy was far stronger than expected. Yet, her master's orders could not be disobeyed. After enduring countless hardships to become a disciple of the Five-Colored Fairy, she was only a nominal disciple now. If this mission failed, what face would she have among her peers?
kǔn ； men de shēn tǐ ， jiān yìng yì cháng ， néng gòu zhì chéng gè zhǒng qì jù yǔ fǎ bǎo 。
悃；们的身体，坚硬异常，能够制成各种器具与法宝。
Her gaze swept across the scene, and determination flashed in her eyes.
kàn lái shì yǒu yāo zú xiū shì ， wèi le liè shā jù guī ， zhuān mén zài zhè lǐ bù xià jìn zhì 。
看来是有妖族修士，为了猎杀巨龟，专门在这里布下禁制。
"Let's give it our all!"
jiě dì èr rén shī zhǎn yǐn nì zhī shù ， bìng méi yǒu jí yú xiàn shēn shén me 。
姐弟二人施展隐匿之术，并没有急于现身什么。
"But, Lord Cave…"
zhè lǐ jù lí wǔ sè líng shān ， yǐ bù guò shù wàn lǐ yuǎn ， rú guǒ méi yǒu liào cuò ， jì yú gǔ shòu de yāo zú ， duō bàn shì wǔ sè xiān zi de shǒu xià lái zhe 。
这里距离五色灵山，已不过数万里远，如果没有料错，觊觎古兽的妖族，多半是五色仙子的手下来着。
The ox-headed snake-bodied妖族 tried to persuade, but the young woman's expression turned impatient: "No more idle talk. Follow my instructions; there will be no failure."
xiān kàn kàn zài shuō 。
先看看再说。
She extended a hand, withdrawing several colorful阵旗 from her waist. With both hands clenching, she cast spells like falling stars.
hōng !
轰!
As eerie妖气 swirled around them, mist began to form and seep into the barrier…
kě guài de bào liè shēng bù tíng chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
可怪的爆裂声不停传入耳朵。
The three-stage妖族 behind her took their positions according to the nine palaces, their妖气 surging.
bèi jìn zhì kùn zhù ， gǔ shòu yòu jīng yòu nù ， yáng qǐ jiāo lóng bān de jù dà tóu lú ， zhāng kāi dà kǒu ， biàn pēn chū yī dào qīng sè de guāng bō 。
被禁制困住，古兽又惊又怒，扬起蛟龙般的巨大头颅，张开大口，便喷出一道青色的光波。
"Stupid. Just a few of them think they can subdue this deep-sea玄龟. Even late-stage化形妖兽 would not be its match without working together," Meng Ruyan's face showed disdain as she spoke.
dùn shí ， líng guāng sì shè ， gǔ shòu de gōng jī fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， dàn jìn zhì běn shēn yě xuán ào dào jí chù ， chú fēi lí hé jí bié de cún zài chū shǒu ， fǒu zé duǎn shí jiān nèi shì bù kě néng jiāng qí jī pò 。
顿时，灵光四射，古兽的攻击非同小可，但禁制本身也玄奥到极处，除非离合级别的存在出手，否则短时间内是不可能将其击破。
"Big Sister is right. Then what do you plan to do?" Lin Xuan smiled, "Will you save the person?"
jù guī nù le ， sì zhī bù tíng wǔ dòng ， yòng páng dà de shēn tǐ zhuàng jī guāng mù ， guāng shì nà shēng yīn jiù zhèn dé rén ěr mó fā téng ， bié shuō fán rén zài cǐ chù ， jiù shì fǎ lì shāo dī diǎn de xiū xiān zhě ， kǒng pà yě huì qī qiào liú xiě le 。
巨龟怒了，四肢不停舞动，用庞大的身体撞击光幕，光是那声音就震得人耳膜发疼，别说凡人在此处，就是法力稍低点的修仙者，恐怕也会七窍流血了。
"I will certainly act, but saving them isn't necessary," Meng Ruyan said with a light laugh, "This deep-sea玄龟 is rare."
dāng rán ， lín xuān yǔ mèng rú yān dōu mǎn bù zài hū ， jiě dì èr rén jiē miàn bù gǎi sè 。
当然，林轩与梦如嫣都满不在乎，姐弟二人皆面不改色。
"Oh? Big Sister didn't come here to ally with the Five-Colored Fairy. Do you not want to show her kindness?" Lin Xuan's eyes twinkled as he appeared contemplative.
shí jiān màn màn liú shì zhe ， guò le dà yuē bàn zhù xiāng de gōng fu ， yuǎn fāng de tiān kōng ， chū xiàn le jǐ dào yào yǎn cì mù de jīng hóng ， yǔ rén lèi xiū shì de dùn guāng dà bù tóng ， lín xuān mù guāng yī sǎo ， jiù kàn jiàn lǐ miàn shì jǐ míng yāo zú 。
时间慢慢流逝着，过了大约半柱香的功夫，远方的天空，出现了几道耀眼刺目的惊虹，与人类修士的遁光大不同，林轩目光一扫，就看见里面是几名妖族。
"Brother, you don't know. Once we reach the realm of separation, few materials in this world are useful to us. This deep-sea玄龟 is one such rare material," Meng Ruyan said, "Its internal organs can add nearly fifty years to our lifespan if consumed raw. The shell is top-notch defensive material; crafting it into a shield-like法宝 could withstand even the attacks of separation-stage cultivators."
wéi shǒu de shì yī miào líng nǚ zǐ ， kàn shàng qù bù guò shí qī bā suì nián jì ， róng mào xiù lì 「 rán ér qí wēi wēi fàn hóng de yǎn zhū ， biǎo míng cǐ nǚ bìng fēi rén lèi xiū xiān zhě ， ér shì yī huà xíng chū jiē de yāo zú 。
为首的是一妙龄女子，看上去不过十七八岁年纪，容貌秀丽「然而其微微泛红的眼珠，表明此女并非人类修仙者，而是一化形初阶的妖族。
"Hmm?" Lin Xuan was intrigued despite his composure. He had many treasures but few that could block an attack from a separation-stage cultivator. The Thousand Illusion Serpent纹盾 had been given to Yue'er as a gift, and the Jade Flame Phoenix麟甲 was too thin.
zhì yú cǐ nǚ de shēn hòu ， zé shì shù tóu níng dān qī de yāo shòu ， xíng mào gè bù xiāng tóng ， hún shēn bāo guǒ zhe guǐ yì de yāo fēng 。
至于此女的身后，则是数头凝丹期的妖兽，形貌各不相同，浑身包裹着诡异的妖风。
The Black Iron Dragon Shield would be useless against a separation-stage monster, but if Meng Ruyan's plan worked, he could integrate the玄龟 shell into his Black Iron Dragon Shield, upgrading it…
hěn kuài ， nà jǐ dào jīng hóng jiù dào 7 yǎn qián ， dùn guāng yī liǎn ， cǐ nǚ de liǎn shàng què mǎn shì chī jīng
很快，那几道惊虹就到7眼前，遁光一敛，此女的脸上却满是吃惊
As for the internal organs, Lin Xuan wasn't greedy. He had plenty of lifespans in his current stage, but Meng Ruyan's eyes sparkled with interest.
“ bù kě néng ， wǒ men zhuī zōng de gǔ shòu xuán guī míng míng méi yǒu zhè me dà de ， jiù xiū wèi lái shuō ， yě bù guò yǔ huà xíng zhōng jiē de yāo shòu xiāng tóng ， jiè zhù zhèn fǎ zhī lì ， běn dòng zhǔ miè shā shùn jué méi yǒu wèn tí ， nán dào shì qíng bào chū cuò ， yǎn qián zhè gǔ shòu de wēi yā bǐ huà xíng hòu qī de tóng dào hái yào shèng shàng yī chóu ……” nà yāo zú shào nǚ zì yán zì yǔ de kāi kǒu 。
“不可能，我们追踪的古兽玄龟明明没有这么大的，就修为来说，也不过与化形中阶的妖兽相同，借助阵法之力，本洞主灭杀顺绝没有问题，难道是情报出错，眼前这古兽的威压比化形后期的同道还要胜上一筹……”那妖族少女自言自语的开口。
Though she looked like a young woman, her skin as delicate as a newborn's, she was actually over 1500 years old. Even separation-stage cultivators lived for millennia, and she only had about five or six hundred more years before facing the heavenly tribulation. The chances of success were slim with her current cultivation.
“ dòng zhǔ ， nà wǒ men yīng gāi rú hé ？” shuō huà de shì yī niú tóu shé shēn de yāo zú ， xíng mào yě
“洞主，那我们应该如何？”说话的是一牛头蛇身的妖族，形貌也
However, Meng Ruyan held a big secret. If she could use cunning to ascend, there was a chance at mid-stage separation level.
hěn xiōng è ， piān piān shuō qǐ huà lái què xì shēng xì qì de 。
很凶恶，偏偏说起话来却细声细气的。
More time meant more hope for advancement, so even fifty years mattered greatly to her.
jiù yì bān qíng kuàng lái shuō ， yāo shòu yào dá dào sì jí ， huà xíng yǐ hòu líng zhì cái huì kāi qǐ 。
就一般情况来说，妖兽要达到四级，化形以后灵智才会开启。
Such an opportunity wouldn't be missed if it presented itself. Meng Ruyan would not hesitate.
dàn yāo shòu zhǒng lèi hěn duō ， bìng fēi měi yī zhǒng dū huì zūn shǒu zhè ge fǎ zé ， yǒu yī xiē yāo zú ， tiān fù yì bǐng ， huò zhě zài xiū liàn tú zhōng jīng lì le shén me biàn yì ， zài sān jí de shí hòu líng zhì jiù néng kāi qǐ 。
但妖兽种类很多，并非每一种都会遵守这个法则，有一些妖族，天赋异禀，或者在修炼途中经历了什么变异，在三级的时候灵智就能开启。
As for offending the Five-Colored Fairy, Meng Ruyan didn't care. With their divine senses and abilities, there was no way they could let anyone escape unnoticed. Who knew who had done this?
yǎn qián zhè guài wù jiù shì qí zhōng 。
眼前这怪物就是其中。
Even without her intervention, a few early-stage化形妖兽 with several three-stage ones wouldn't be enough to handle such a formidable ancient creature.
nà huà xíng chū qī de shào nǚ bù yóu shuāng méi jǐn suǒ ， dí rén yuǎn bǐ xiǎng xiàng de yào qiáng dà dé duō ， kě ēn shī de mìng lìng shì bù néng wéi bèi de ， zì jǐ lì jīng qiān xīn wàn kǔ ， cái bài wǔ sè xiān zi wèi shī ， xiàn zài yě bù guò shì jì míng dì zǐ ， ēn shī jiāo dài xià lái de dì yí gè rèn wù ， rú guǒ jiù chuán zá le ， ēn shī jiù suàn bù shuō ， zì jǐ zài tóng mén zhōng yòu yǒu hé miàn mù ？
那化形初期的少女不由双眉紧锁，敌人远比想象的要强大得多，可恩师的命令是不能违背的，自己历经千辛万苦，才拜五色仙子为师，现在也不过是记名弟子，恩师交代下来的第一个任务，如果就椽砸了，恩师就算不说，自己在同门中又有何面目？
In the worst case, if she helped save them and then gave away the treasure after killing the玄龟, would the Five-Colored Fairy ally with her to confront the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect for a mere nominal disciple?
tā de mù guāng zài qián miàn sǎo guò ， yǎn zhōng jiàn jiàn liú lù chū jiān dìng zhī sè ：“ pīn le !”
她的目光在前面扫过，眼中渐渐流露出坚定之色：“拼了!”
Impossible. The cultivation world valued interests over personal relationships, and a single nominal disciple's weight was too light.
“ kě shì · dòng zhǔ ……”
“可是·洞主……”
With these thoughts in mind, Lin Xuan and Meng Ruyan carefully considered all possibilities.
nà niú tóu shé shēn de yāo shòu hái xiǎng quàn shuō ， shào nǚ de liǎn shàng yǐ lù chū bù nài jū ； zhī sè ：“ bú yào fèi huà ， àn wǒ shuō de zuò ， zhǐ xǔ chéng gōng ， bù shì shī bài de 。”
那牛头蛇身的妖兽还想劝说，少女的脸上已露出不耐鞫；之色：“不要废话，按我说的做，只许成功，不释失败的。”
A loud rumble echoed as the waves on the sea grew even larger.
suí hòu shào nǚ shēn chū shǒu lái ， zài yāo jiān yī pāi ， jǐ gān wǔ yán liù sè de zhèn qí bèi tā qǔ le chū lái 。
随后少女伸出手来，在腰间一拍，几杆五颜六色的阵旗被她取了出来。
The ancient turtle's limbs and head turned blood red. A terrifying aura emanated from it.
shuāng shǒu yī wò ， fǎ jué rú liú xīng suì yǔ yì bān dǎ chū 。
双手一握，法诀如流星碎雨一般打出。
"Rage Transformation Body."
bàn suí zhe gǔn gǔn de yāo fēng ， sì zhōu jiàn jiàn qǐ le mí wù ， suí hòu shèn tòu jìn guāng mù ……
伴随着滚滚的妖风，四周渐渐起了迷雾，随后渗透进光幕……
The early-stage woman's lips twitched.
ér shào nǚ shēn hòu de nà xiē sān jiē yāo zú ， yě àn jiǔ gōng bā guà de fāng wèi zhàn dìng le ， shēn shàng
而少女身后的那些三阶妖族，也按九宫八卦的方位站定了，身上
Rage Transformation was a unique power of ancient beasts, rarely seen among them. Similar to the魔道's Blood-Sucking Spell, once activated, it could significantly boost an ancient beast's strength.
yāo qì fān yǒng 。
妖气翻涌。
This creature's original strength already surpassed late-stage元婴 cultivators and now approached separation stage.
“ yú chǔn ， jiù píng tā men jǐ gè ， yě xiǎng zhì zhù zhè shēn hǎi xuán guī ， jiù suàn shì huà xíng hòu qī de yāo shòu ， rú guǒ méi yǒu sān rén lián shǒu ， yě jué bú shì yǎn qián zhè jù dà gǔ shòu de duì shǒu 。” rú yān xiān zi de liǎn shàng mǎn shì bù xiè zhī sè ， lüè hán jī fěng de kāi kǒu le 。
“愚蠢，就凭他们几个，也想制住这深海玄龟，就算是化形后期的妖兽，如果没有三人联手，也绝不是眼前这巨大古兽的对手。”如嫣仙子的脸上满是不屑之色，略含讥讽的开口了。
P.S.: Huan Yu wishes all fellow daoists a happy new year, good health, and everything you desire.
Two streaks of lightning halted in mid-air, their brilliance fading.
Lin Xuan and Meng Ruyan exchanged a glance. Both showed signs of surprise on their faces. With their current cultivation levels, even without deliberately sending out their divine senses, any movement within a thousand miles would not escape their notice.
Lin Xuan clasped his hands, emitting a shimmering green light as he released an extremely powerful network of divine sense. Meng Ruyan raised her slender hand, and a faint blue glow flickered in her eyes. While the secret techniques used by the siblings were different, their effects were evident. After just a few breaths, both revealed understanding on their faces, transforming into streaks of lightning that flew towards the southeast.
Within less than half an hour, they had flown about a hundred miles away.
The winds and waves here were even more fierce than before, forming various-sized whirlpools on the sea surface.
In the sky, silver snakes danced wildly, with thick bolts of lightning striking the dark heavens, creating a shocking spectacle.
The culprit behind all this was not far ahead.
A giant turtle-like妖族 creature was trapped by a禁制. It roared in anger and fear, lifting its dragon-like head to release a green light wave.
Instantly, divine lights shone everywhere. The ancient beast's attack was formidable, but the禁制 itself was incredibly complex. Unless a being at the realm of separation could intervene, it would be impossible to break through for now.
The giant turtle became enraged, using its massive body to strike against the barrier. The sound alone was so loud that it made one's eardrums ache. Ordinary mortals aside, even cultivators with lower cultivation levels might bleed from their orifices.
Lin Xuan and Meng Ruyan remained unperturbed; both showed no change in expression.
Time passed slowly. After about half an incense stick, several streaks of light appeared on the distant horizon. Different from human cultivators'遁光, Lin Xuan's gaze identified them as several妖族.
Leading was a young woman who looked to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, with a beautiful appearance but slightly red eyes indicating she wasn't a human cultivator, but rather an early-stage化形妖兽.
Behind her were several妖兽 at the condensation stage, each with unique appearances and surrounded by eerie妖气.
As these streaks of light approached, their遁光 faded. The woman's face showed shock.
"Impossible. We've been tracking the ancient turtle, the玄龟, which should not be this large. Its cultivation level is only that of a mid-stage化形妖兽. With the power of the阵法, our cave lord can easily destroy it. Could it be that the intelligence we received was wrong? This ancient turtle's pressure seems to surpass even late-stage化形妖兽…" The young woman muttered.
"Lord Cave, what should we do?" spoke a snake-headed, ox-bodied妖族 with a fine voice despite its fierce appearance.
Generally, for a妖兽 to reach the fourth stage and gain intelligence after transformation is rare. However, some妖族 are exceptionally gifted or undergo mutations during their cultivation journey, gaining intelligence at an earlier stage.
This monster before them was one such case.
The early-stage woman's brows furrowed as she realized the enemy was far stronger than expected. Yet, her master's orders could not be disobeyed. After enduring countless hardships to become a disciple of the Five-Colored Fairy, she was only a nominal disciple now. If this mission failed, what face would she have among her peers?
Her gaze swept across the scene, and determination flashed in her eyes.
"Let's give it our all!"
"But, Lord Cave…"
The ox-headed snake-bodied妖族 tried to persuade, but the young woman's expression turned impatient: "No more idle talk. Follow my instructions; there will be no failure."
She extended a hand, withdrawing several colorful阵旗 from her waist. With both hands clenching, she cast spells like falling stars.
As eerie妖气 swirled around them, mist began to form and seep into the barrier…
The three-stage妖族 behind her took their positions according to the nine palaces, their妖气 surging.
"Stupid. Just a few of them think they can subdue this deep-sea玄龟. Even late-stage化形妖兽 would not be its match without working together," Meng Ruyan's face showed disdain as she spoke.
"Big Sister is right. Then what do you plan to do?" Lin Xuan smiled, "Will you save the person?"
"I will certainly act, but saving them isn't necessary," Meng Ruyan said with a light laugh, "This deep-sea玄龟 is rare."
"Oh? Big Sister didn't come here to ally with the Five-Colored Fairy. Do you not want to show her kindness?" Lin Xuan's eyes twinkled as he appeared contemplative.
"Brother, you don't know. Once we reach the realm of separation, few materials in this world are useful to us. This deep-sea玄龟 is one such rare material," Meng Ruyan said, "Its internal organs can add nearly fifty years to our lifespan if consumed raw. The shell is top-notch defensive material; crafting it into a shield-like法宝 could withstand even the attacks of separation-stage cultivators."
"Hmm?" Lin Xuan was intrigued despite his composure. He had many treasures but few that could block an attack from a separation-stage cultivator. The Thousand Illusion Serpent纹盾 had been given to Yue'er as a gift, and the Jade Flame Phoenix麟甲 was too thin.
The Black Iron Dragon Shield would be useless against a separation-stage monster, but if Meng Ruyan's plan worked, he could integrate the玄龟 shell into his Black Iron Dragon Shield, upgrading it…
As for the internal organs, Lin Xuan wasn't greedy. He had plenty of lifespans in his current stage, but Meng Ruyan's eyes sparkled with interest.
Though she looked like a young woman, her skin as delicate as a newborn's, she was actually over 1500 years old. Even separation-stage cultivators lived for millennia, and she only had about five or six hundred more years before facing the heavenly tribulation. The chances of success were slim with her current cultivation.
However, Meng Ruyan held a big secret. If she could use cunning to ascend, there was a chance at mid-stage separation level.
More time meant more hope for advancement, so even fifty years mattered greatly to her.
Such an opportunity wouldn't be missed if it presented itself. Meng Ruyan would not hesitate.
As for offending the Five-Colored Fairy, Meng Ruyan didn't care. With their divine senses and abilities, there was no way they could let anyone escape unnoticed. Who knew who had done this?
Even without her intervention, a few early-stage化形妖兽 with several three-stage ones wouldn't be enough to handle such a formidable ancient creature.
In the worst case, if she helped save them and then gave away the treasure after killing the玄龟, would the Five-Colored Fairy ally with her to confront the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect for a mere nominal disciple?
Impossible. The cultivation world valued interests over personal relationships, and a single nominal disciple's weight was too light.
With these thoughts in mind, Lin Xuan and Meng Ruyan carefully considered all possibilities.
A loud rumble echoed as the waves on the sea grew even larger.
The ancient turtle's limbs and head turned blood red. A terrifying aura emanated from it.
"Rage Transformation Body."
The early-stage woman's lips twitched.
Rage Transformation was a unique power of ancient beasts, rarely seen among them. Similar to the魔道's Blood-Sucking Spell, once activated, it could significantly boost an ancient beast's strength.
This creature's original strength already surpassed late-stage元婴 cultivators and now approached separation stage.
P.S.: Huan Yu wishes all fellow daoists a happy new year, good health, and everything you desire.