“ shì ma ？”
“是吗？”
"Is that so?"
yī qīng lěng de shēng yīn chuán le jìn lái ， zài kōng qì zhōng dàng kāi ， yuè ěr dòng tīng ， què bīng lěng yǐ jí 。
一清冷的声音传了进来，在空气中荡开，悦耳动听，却冰冷以极。
A cool voice filtered in, resonating through the air with a pleasant yet icy tone.
dùn shí ， zhěng gè xiān kè lái ān jìng le xià qù 。
顿时，整个仙客来安静了下去。
Instantly, the entire guesthouse fell silent.
bàn suí zhe xì suì de jiǎo bù ， cóng lóu tī kǒu zǒu lái yī jué sè de nǚ zǐ ， cóng biǎo miàn shàng kàn ， tā bù guò èr bā nián huá ， què shén guāng nèi liǎn 。
伴随着细碎的脚步，从楼梯口走来一绝色的女子，从表面上看，她不过二八年华，却神光内敛。
With delicate footsteps, an exceptionally beautiful woman approached from the staircase. Though she appeared to be only in her late teens or early twenties, her presence exuded a refined aura.
“ ōu yáng xiān zi ！”
“欧阳仙子！”
"Ouyang Fairy!"
yǒu rén jīng hū le chū lái ， dùn shí ， zhěng zuò xiān kè lái yī zhèn sāo dòng ， ōu yáng qín xīn ， bì yún shān zhǎng lǎo ， fàng yǎn yōu zhōu ， jìn rù níng dān qī de nǚ xiū shì yě qū zhǐ kě shǔ ， ér tā zhèng shì qí zhōng yí gè 。
有人惊呼了出来，顿时，整座仙客来一阵骚动，欧阳琴心，碧云山长老，放眼幽州，进入凝丹期的女修士也屈指可数，而她正是其中一个。
Someone exclaimed, and the entire guesthouse buzzed with activity. Ouyang Qinxin was a respected elder of Biyun Mountain, one of few female cultivators who had advanced into the Condensation Core stage in all of Youzhou. She was indeed one of them.
cǐ nǚ de fǎ bǎo yě bǐ jiào tè shū ， nǎi shì yī yōu yǎ de shù qín ， rán ér pèi hé tā de gōng fǎ ， què xī lì yǐ jí ， yào yuǎn shèng tóng jiē de xiū shì 。
此女的法宝也比较特殊，乃是一优雅的竖琴，然而配合她的功法，却犀利以极，要远胜同阶的修士。
Her treasure was also quite unique—a graceful vertical lyre that, when combined with her cultivation technique, proved exceedingly sharp and far superior to those of her peers.
zài cì jiàn dào zhè wèi ōu yáng xiān zi ， lín xuān yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī sī yì sè ， què bìng bù jīng huāng ， yǐ zì jǐ de xiū wèi ， chú fēi shì yuán yīng qī de guài wù ， fǒu zé ， wú fǎ kàn chuān tiān mó nǐ róng shù 。
再次见到这位欧阳仙子，林轩眼中闪过一丝异色，却并不惊慌，以自己的修为，除非是元婴期的怪物，否则，无法看穿天魔拟容术。
Seeing Ouyang Fairy again, Lin Xuan's eyes flickered with a hint of surprise but remained calm. With his current cultivation level, unless it was an infant spirit monster, no one could penetrate the Illusionary Face Technique he had mastered.
chá lóu lǐ hěn kuài chóng xīn ān jìng le xià lái ， xiū shì men dōu mèn bù zuò shēng ， wéi yǒu gāng cái nà dà yán bù cán ， zuò rú shēng dǎ bàn de nián qīng rén ， miàn sè rú tǔ ， shēn tǐ dōu kāi shǐ wēi wēi de chàn dǒu le 。
茶楼里很快重新安静了下来，修士们都闷不做声，唯有刚才那大言不惭，做儒生打扮的年轻人，面色如土，身体都开始微微的颤抖了。
The guesthouse quickly fell silent once more as cultivators kept their thoughts to themselves. Only the young man who had boasted earlier, now looking pale and trembling, stood out.
“ nǐ gāng cái shuō shén me ？”
“你刚才说什么？”
"What did you say just now?"
ōu yáng qín xīn huǎn bù zǒu le guò lái ， rú yù de jiāo yán shàng kàn bù chū xǐ nù 。
欧阳琴心缓步走了过来，如玉的娇颜上看不出喜怒。
Ouyang Qinxin walked over slowly, her jade-like face showing no emotion.
“ wǒ ， wǒ ……”
“我，我……”
"I, I..."
nà rén jiē jiē bā bā ， yóu yù le jǐ xià ， tū rán shuāng shǒu yī qiā fǎ jué ， huà wèi le yī dào huáng guāng ， fēi xiàng le chuāng kǒu de fāng xiàng 。
那人结结巴巴，犹豫了几下，突然双手一掐法诀，化为了一道黄光，飞向了窗口的方向。
He stammered, hesitating for a moment before suddenly forming a hand seal that transformed into a yellow light, flying towards the window.
jiàn dào cǐ mù ， lín xuān liǎn shàng liú lù chū yī sī lián mǐn zhī sè ， yí gè líng dòng zhōng qī de sàn xiū ， píng jiè zhe yī jiàn dī jiē líng qì ， jiù xiǎng yào cóng níng dān qī de ōu yáng qín xīn miàn qián táo zǒu ， qǐ bù shì chī rén shuō mèng ？
见到此幕，林轩脸上流露出一丝怜悯之色，一个灵动中期的散修，凭借着一件低阶灵器，就想要从凝丹期的欧阳琴心面前逃走，岂不是痴人说梦？
Lin Xuan's expression softened with pity. A mid-Flexible Spirit cultivator using a low-grade spiritual artifact to flee from Ouyang Qinxin was as foolish as dreaming of escaping a tiger by running faster than it.
zhè shì zài yú chǔn bù guò de xíng wéi le ！
这是再愚蠢不过的行为了！
This was an incredibly stupid move!
fán nǎo jiē yīn duō kāi kǒu ， huò shì jiē yóu qiáng chū tóu ， wú suǒ gù jì de hú shuō bā dào běn lái jiù shì qǔ huò zhī dào 。 piān piān shì qíng fā shēng le chǔ lǐ dé yòu zhè me zāo gāo 。
烦恼皆因多开口，祸事皆由强出头，无所顾忌的胡说八道本来就是取祸之道。偏偏事情发生了处理得又这么糟糕。
Words lead to worries; actions bring disasters. Talking without restraint is the path to misfortune, and this situation had turned out poorly.
rú guǒ tā bú shì táo zǒu ， ér shì chéng xīn chéng yì de dào qiàn qiú ráo ， yǐ ōu yáng qín xīn níng dān qī qián bèi dì shēn fèn ， xiǎng bì yě bú huì zhēn de wéi nán tā zhè me yí gè sàn xiū ， yě jiù xiǎo xiǎo de jiào xùn yī xià ， rán ér xiàn zài ……
如果他不是逃走，而是诚心诚意的道歉求饶，以欧阳琴心凝丹期前辈地身份，想必也不会真的为难他这么一个散修，也就小小的教训一下，然而现在……
Had he not fled but instead apologized sincerely, Ouyang Qinxin might have merely given him a mild lesson as her senior in the Condensation Core stage. But now...
ōu yáng qín xīn xiù méi wēi zhòu ， liǎn shàng shǎn guò yī sī nù sè 。
欧阳琴心秀眉微皱，脸上闪过一丝怒色。
Ouyang Qinxin's delicate brows furrowed with anger. Without making any move, she simply swept her sleeves and sent out a red light thin as a silver needle.
yě bú jiàn tā chū shǒu ， jǐn jǐn shì xiù páo yī fú 。 yī gēn xì ruò yín zhēn de hóng guāng jiù fēi shè ér chū 。
也不见她出手，仅仅是袖袍一拂。一根细若银针的红光就飞射而出。
The attack came from behind.
hòu fā xiān zhì 。
后发先至。
The red light struck the cultivator's escape light accurately.
hóng máng zhǔn què jī zhòng le nà sàn xiū de dùn guāng ！
红芒准确击中了那散修的遁光！
A pained cry echoed, followed by the sight of the scholar falling from the sky, rolling on the ground in agony.
yī shēng cǎn jiào ， rán hòu biàn kàn jiàn nà rú shēng cóng bàn kōng zhōng là le xià lái ， zài dì shàng bù tíng de dǎ gǔn ， mǎn liǎn tòng chǔ zhī sè 。
一声惨叫，然后便看见那儒生从半空中落了下来，在地上不停的打滚，满脸痛楚之色。
Lin Xuan's heart stirred. Using his divine sense to scan, he found no trace of spiritual energy emanating from the man. If Ouyang Qinxin had suspected him, his fate would have been far worse than just losing his cultivation level.
lín xuān xīn zhōng yī dòng ， yòng shén shí sǎo miáo le yī xià ， fā xiàn nà rú shēng de shēn shàng yǐ jīng méi yǒu sī háo de líng lì bō dòng ， tā dì xiū wèi bèi fèi chú ， yóu xiū zhēn zhě bèi dǎ luò wèi pǔ tōng rén le 。
林轩心中一动，用神识扫描了一下，发现那儒生的身上已经没有丝毫的灵力波动，他地修为被废除，由修真者被打落为普通人了。
Seeing the power of a Condensation Core cultivator, everyone fell silent.
ōu yáng qín xīn yǐ jīng shǒu xià liú qíng 。
欧阳琴心已经手下留情。
After Ouyang Qinxin sat down, someone quickly settled the bill and left. Lin Xuan hesitated for a moment before following suit.
fǒu zé yǐ xiū zhēn jiè de ruò ròu qiáng shí ， huàn yí gè níng dān qī xiū shì 。 yù shàng zhè me bù kāi yǎn de xiǎo zi ， kǒng pà jiù bú shì fèi chú xiū wèi ， ér shì hún fēi pò sàn 。
否则以修真界的弱肉强食，换一个凝丹期修士。遇上这么不开眼的小子，恐怕就不是废除修为，而是魂飞魄散。
Leaving the market district, he immediately used his escape light to fly away.
jiàn shí le níng dān qī xiū shì de shǒu duàn ， suǒ yǒu rén jìn ruò hán chán 。
见识了凝丹期修士的手段，所有人噤若寒蝉。
Although meeting Ouyang Fairy had piqued his curiosity about her mission and whether it was related to the theft of Seven Stars Grass, as long as she didn't suspect him, there was no need to worry. Returning to the mountain to refine the Easy Classic Pills for cultivation was more important.
dài ōu yáng qín xīn zuò xià yǐ hòu ， lì kè yǒu rén jié zhàng gào cí le 。 lín xuān lüè yī yóu yù zhī hòu ， yě lí kāi le chá lóu 。
待欧阳琴心坐下以后，立刻有人结账告辞了。林轩略一犹豫之后，也离开了茶楼。
In the evening, Lin Xuan landed in a desolate plain.
rán hòu tā méi yǒu duō zuò tíng liú ， chū le fāng shì de dì jiè yǐ hòu ， lì kè jiù dùn guāng fēi zǒu 。
然后他没有多做停留，出了坊市的地界以后，立刻就遁光飞走。
The area around him was uninhabited, but he could only sleep outdoors. For cultivators, this wasn't an issue.
suī rán zài zhè lǐ yù shàng ōu yáng qín xīn ， ràng lín xuān duō shǎo yǒu xiē hào qí ， zhè wèi bì yún shān dà míng dǐng dǐng de nǚ xiū cǐ xíng yǒu hé shì 。 huì bú huì yǔ qī xīng cǎo bèi dào yǒu guān xì ， dàn zhǐ yào duì fāng méi yǒu huái yí shàng zì jǐ ， yě jiù bù yòng jīng yí ， hái shì huí shān liàn yì jīng dān ， tí shēng xiū wèi shì dà shì 。
虽然在这里遇上欧阳琴心，让林轩多少有些好奇，这位碧云山大名鼎鼎的女修此行有何事。会不会与七星草被盗有关系，但只要对方没有怀疑上自己，也就不用惊疑，还是回山炼易经丹，提升修为是大事。
Releasing his divine sense and searching nearby, he found no danger before settling at a sheltered spot to rest.
bàng wǎn 。 lín xuān zài yī chù huāng yuán jiàng luò xià lái 。
傍晚。林轩在一处荒原降落下来。
At midnight, as Lin Xuan slept soundly, his eyes suddenly opened with surprise and gravity. He quickly took out a Hiding Spirit Pill and swallowed it.
zhōu wéi bǎi lǐ liǎo wú rén yān ， yòu zhǐ yǒu lù sù huāng jiāo yě wài ， bù guò duì xiū shì ér yán ， zhè bù suàn shén me 。
周围百里了无人烟，又只有露宿荒郊野外，不过对修士而言，这不算什么。
He concealed his cultivation and minimized spiritual energy fluctuations.
fàng chū shén shí ， zài fù jìn sōu suǒ le yī quān ， què dìng méi yǒu wēi xiǎn ， lín xuān zhǎo le yī bì fēng de dì diǎn 。 hé yī tǎng le xià lái 。
放出神识，在附近搜索了一圈，确定没有危险，林轩找了一避风的地点。合衣躺了下来。
Then, from his storage bracelet, he took an invisibility talisman and stuck it on himself.
bàn yè shí fēn ， shuì dé zhèng shú de lín xuān tū rán zhēng kāi le yǎn ， liǎn shàng shǎn guò yī sī yì wài yǔ níng zhòng zhī sè ， rán hòu tā jiù háo bù yóu yù de qǔ chū yǐn líng dān fú xià yī kē 。
半夜时分，睡得正熟的林轩突然睁开了眼，脸上闪过一丝意外与凝重之色，然后他就毫不犹豫的取出隐灵丹服下一颗。
His figure vanished instantly.
shōu liǎn xiū wèi ， jǐn liàng yǐn cáng líng lì bō dòng 。
收敛修为，尽量隐藏灵力波动。
Just as he finished these preparations, a white light appeared in the distance and swiftly approached. Lin Xuan frowned; this familiar light seemed to have been seen before.
rán hòu lín xuān cóng chǔ wù shǒu zhuó zhōng qǔ chū yī zhāng yǐn shēn fú ， jiāng qí tiē zài le shēn shàng 。
然后林轩从储物手镯中取出一张隐身符，将其贴在了身上。
The light landed about fifteen feet away, revealing a middle-aged man dressed in a moon-white Daoist robe.
tā dì shēn yǐng cóng yuán dì xiāo shī le 。
他地身影从原地消失了。
He had messy hair but looked neat, giving off an air of elegance.
gāng zuò hǎo zhè yī qiè ， yī dào bái guāng jiù chū xiàn zài le tiān biān 。 bìng qiě xùn jié yǐ jí de cháo zhè biān fēi le guò lái 。 lín xuān zhòu le zhòu méi ， zhè bái guāng ràng tā yǒu yī zhǒng shú xī de gǎn jué 。 sì hū zài nǎ lǐ jiàn guò 。
刚做好这一切，一道白光就出现在了天边。并且迅捷以极的朝这边飞了过来。林轩皱了皱眉，这白光让他有一种熟悉的感觉。似乎在哪里见过。
Most striking was his single left arm.
guāng máng zài jù lí lín xuān yuē shí wǔ liù zhàng yuǎn de dì fāng là xià ， sàn kāi yǐ hòu ， yī shēn chuān yuè bái dào páo de zhōng nián rén cóng lǐ miàn zǒu le chū lái 。
光芒在距离林轩约十五六丈远的地方落下，散开以后，一身穿月白道袍的中年人丛里面走了出来。
Taoist White Sword!
tā pī tóu sàn fà ， què háo bù líng luàn ， fǎn ér gěi rén yī zhǒng xiāo sǎ de gǎn jué 。
他披头散发，却毫不凌乱，反而给人一种潇洒的感觉。
Lin Xuan's heart skipped a beat. His mind raced as he considered the coincidence. Had he met two important figures from Biyun Mountain in less than a day just because of the theft of Seven Stars Grass?
bǐ jiào yǐn rén zhù yì de shì ， tā zhǐ yǒu yī tiáo zuǒ bì 。
比较引人注意的是，他只有一条左臂。
But facing a late-stage Condensation Core cultivator, Lin Xuan was not complacent. He carefully concealed his divine sense. The Hiding Spirit Pill's effect was superior to the raw red lotus root juice, and combined with his Nine Heaven Mystical Art, which also included techniques for concealing spiritual energy, he felt secure.
tài bái jiàn xiān ！
太白剑仙！
"Ah, Brother Zhang, long time no see."
lín xuān de xīn lǐ gē dēng yī xià ， nǎo zi què fēi sù de sī liáng le qǐ lái ， bú dào yī tiān de shí jiān ， xiān hòu yù shàng bì yún shān dì liǎng wèi zhòng yào rén wù ， zhēn de jǐn jǐn shì yīn wèi qī xīng cǎo bèi dào me ？
林轩的心里咯噔一下，脑子却飞速的思量了起来，不到一天的时间，先后遇上碧云山地两位重要人物，真的仅仅是因为七星草被盗么？
Taoist White Sword opened his eyes, showing a hint of dissatisfaction. "You're late."
bù guò miàn duì yī wèi níng dān hòu qī de xiū zhēn zhě ， lín xuān kě sī háo bù gǎn dà yì ， xiǎo xīn yǐn cáng zhe zì jǐ de shén shí ， hǎo zài zhè yǐn líng dān de xiào guǒ bǐ wèi jiā liàn zhì dì hóng líng cǎo lǜ yè ， yào shèng shàng yī chóu ， jiā shàng lín xuān xiū liàn de jiǔ tiān xuán gōng ， qí zhōng yě yǒu yī zhǒng shōu liǎn líng qì de mì shù 。
不过面对一位凝丹后期的修真者，林轩可丝毫不敢大意，小心隐藏着自己的神识，好在这隐灵丹的效果比未加炼制地红绫草绿液，要胜上一筹，加上林轩修炼的九天玄功，其中也有一种收敛灵气的秘术。
"Haha, sorry, I had some matters to attend to," replied the scholar with a smile.
liǎng zhě hùn hé shǐ yòng ， dào yě bù pà lù chū pò zhàn lái le 。
两者混合使用，倒也不怕露出破绽来了。
Taoist White Sword's expression worsened but he quickly calmed down: "Let's not talk about it. Let's get down to business—did you bring what we need?"
zhāng tài bái là xià dùn guāng yǐ hòu ， jiù suí yì zhǎo le yī chù dì diǎn pán xī dǎ qǐ le zuò lái ， lín xuān dāng rán bú huì rèn wéi tā huì fā shén jīng pǎo dào zhè huāng yuán lǐ xiū liàn shén me gōng fǎ ， kàn qíng xíng ， dào xiàng shì zài děng shén me rén nǎ 。
张太白落下遁光以后，就随意找了一处地点盘膝打起了坐来，林轩当然不会认为他会发神经跑到这荒原里修炼什么功法，看情形，倒像是在等什么人哪。
"Yes." The man's playful demeanor vanished as his face turned stern, throwing a storage bag to Taoist White Sword.
bù chū suǒ liào ， dà yuē yī kè zhōng hòu ， yòu cóng tiān biān fēi lái le yī dào zǐ sè de dùn guāng ， cóng lǐ miàn zǒu chū lái le yí miàn mào yǒu diǎn wěi suǒ de lǎo zhě 。
不出所料，大约一刻钟后，又从天边飞来了一道紫色的遁光，从里面走出来了一面貌有点猥琐的老者。
"This item was obtained by the Evil Monarch after much difficulty from the Western Sea."
cǐ rén zhǎng dé jí chǒu ， xiǎo yǎn ， tā bí ， shān fēng dà ěr ， xiōng kǒu de yī fú shàng hái xiù zhe yī zhēng níng de kū lóu tóu 。
此人长得极丑，小眼，塌鼻，扇风大耳，胸口的衣服上还绣着一狰狞的骷髅头。
Taoist White Sword ignored him and delved into the storage bag with his divine sense. Satisfied, he put it away.
yóu qí gěi rén yìn xiàng shēn kè dì shì tā de shēn shàng sàn fà zhe jīng rén de shā qì 。
尤其给人印象深刻地是他的身上散发着惊人的煞气。
"Brother Taoist White, regarding the matter entrusted by the Evil Monarch..."
xiū mó zhě ！
修魔者！
"Don't worry, I've already arranged for Ouyang Qinxin to come in half an hour. The item the Evil Monarch desires is in her possession."
lín xuān zhòu méi dǎ liàng zhe zhè guǐ yì de yí mù 。
林轩皱眉打量着这诡异的一幕。
"In this woman's hands?" The man's face showed excitement but he confirmed with caution.
bì yún shān de zhòng yào rén wù ， yǐ jí è rú chóu zhù chēng de tài bái jiàn xiān ， jū rán huì zài shēn gēng bàn yè ， liǎo wú rén yān de huāng yuán yǔ yí gè xiū mó zhě sī huì ， shuō chū qù yě méi yǒu rén xìn 。
碧云山的重要人物，以嫉恶如仇著称的太白剑仙，居然会在深更半夜，了无人烟的荒原与一个修魔者私会，说出去也没有人信。
"I have investigated thoroughly. Ouyang Qinxin was the sole survivor of the Ouyang family three hundred years ago, and that Heaven Pole Diagram must be in her hands."
lín xuān xīn zhōng kǔ xiào ， xiǎn rán duì fāng shì yǒu shén me jiàn bù dé rén dì gòu dàng ， zhèng hǎo bèi zì jǐ zhuàng shàng 。
林轩心中苦笑，显然对方是有什么见不得人地勾当，正好被自己撞上。
"Haha, excellent. As long as we present the Heaven Pole Diagram to the Evil Monarch, it will be a significant achievement. He has promised to make Brother Taoist White vice-cave master of our Extreme Demon Cave."
niàn jí zhì cǐ ， tā gèng shì dà qì yě bù gǎn chuǎn ， yí dàn bào lù ， tiě dìng shì huì bèi shā rén miè kǒu a 。
念及至此，他更是大气也不敢喘，一旦暴露，铁定是会被杀人灭口啊。
Extreme Demon Cave! Lin Xuan frowned at this name.
bié shuō tài bái jiàn xiān ， zhè xiū mó zhě yě shì níng dān zhōng qī dì xiū wèi ， zì jǐ zài tā men shǒu lǐ ， jué duì méi yǒu rèn hé táo nì de jī huì 。
别说太白剑仙，这修魔者也是凝丹中期地修为，自己在他们手里，绝对没有任何逃匿的机会。
As the name suggested, the Extreme Demon Cave was a sect composed of evil cultivators, but in Youzhou's many factions, it was merely mid-tier and far less powerful than the three major powers. Taoist White Sword, as an elder of Biyun Mountain, held high rank; he wouldn't seek such a minor position.
“ hē hē ， zhāng xiōng ， hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn 。”
“呵呵，张兄，好久不见。”
"Thank you for your offer, but I have already provided information about the Heaven Pole Diagram in exchange for the Sea Algae. We are even now. As for vice-cave master, I'm afraid I am not interested."
tài bái jiàn xiān zhēng kāi shuāng mù ， yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī sī bù mǎn dì shén sè ， yě zhàn le qǐ lái ：“ nǐ lái wǎn le 。”
太白剑仙睁开双目，眼中闪过一丝不满地神色，也站了起来：“你来晚了。”
This statement made Miao Diao's face turn red with anger, but he quickly masked it and smiled: "Brother Zhang thinks poorly of our Extreme Demon Cave? Haha, since the Evil Monarch became cave master a hundred years ago, we evil cultivators have worked hard to improve our strength."
“ hē hē ， bù hǎo yì sī ， yǒu diǎn shì ， dān gē le 。”
“呵呵，不好意思，有点事，耽搁了。”
"Oh?"
tài bái jiàn xiān de biǎo qíng gèng shì nán kàn ， bù guò shāo yī yóu yù zhī hòu ， què yòu yā xià le huǒ qì ：“ bù shuō zhè xiē ， xiān jiǎng zhèng shì ， dōng xī dài lái le ma ？”
太白剑仙的表情更是难看，不过稍一犹豫之后，却又压下了火气：“不说这些，先讲正事，东西带来了吗？”
"Our true power is just an iceberg. If one-on-one, even Biyun Mountain would be outmatched," boasted Taoist White Sword.
“ ń 。” nà xiū mó zhě yě shōu qǐ le xī xiào zhī sè ， shén sè lǐn rán de jiāng yí gè chǔ wù dài pāo dào tài bái jiàn xiān shǒu zhōng 。
“嗯。”那修魔者也收起了嬉笑之色，神色凛然的将一个储物袋抛到太白剑仙手中。
Taoist White Sword's eyebrows raised in skepticism. He had only agreed to this transaction because the Sea Algae could cure his ailment and did not want to align with evil cultivators. "Brother Zhang, is what you say a lie? In any case, thank you for your good intentions. The Extreme Demon Cave welcomes you at all times."
“ cǐ wù kě shì jí è mó zūn tā lǎo rén jiā hǎo bù róng yì cái cóng xī jí zhī hǎi zhōng huò dé 。”
“此物可是极恶魔尊他老人家好不容易才从西极之海中获得。”
"Humph." Taoist White Sword didn't speak further but transformed into an escape light that vanished into the horizon.
"Is that so?"
A cool voice filtered in, resonating through the air with a pleasant yet icy tone.
Instantly, the entire guesthouse fell silent.
With delicate footsteps, an exceptionally beautiful woman approached from the staircase. Though she appeared to be only in her late teens or early twenties, her presence exuded a refined aura.
"Ouyang Fairy!"
Someone exclaimed, and the entire guesthouse buzzed with activity. Ouyang Qinxin was a respected elder of Biyun Mountain, one of few female cultivators who had advanced into the Condensation Core stage in all of Youzhou. She was indeed one of them.
Her treasure was also quite unique—a graceful vertical lyre that, when combined with her cultivation technique, proved exceedingly sharp and far superior to those of her peers.
Seeing Ouyang Fairy again, Lin Xuan's eyes flickered with a hint of surprise but remained calm. With his current cultivation level, unless it was an infant spirit monster, no one could penetrate the Illusionary Face Technique he had mastered.
The guesthouse quickly fell silent once more as cultivators kept their thoughts to themselves. Only the young man who had boasted earlier, now looking pale and trembling, stood out.
"What did you say just now?"
Ouyang Qinxin walked over slowly, her jade-like face showing no emotion.
"I, I..."
He stammered, hesitating for a moment before suddenly forming a hand seal that transformed into a yellow light, flying towards the window.
Lin Xuan's expression softened with pity. A mid-Flexible Spirit cultivator using a low-grade spiritual artifact to flee from Ouyang Qinxin was as foolish as dreaming of escaping a tiger by running faster than it.
This was an incredibly stupid move!
Words lead to worries; actions bring disasters. Talking without restraint is the path to misfortune, and this situation had turned out poorly.
Had he not fled but instead apologized sincerely, Ouyang Qinxin might have merely given him a mild lesson as her senior in the Condensation Core stage. But now...
Ouyang Qinxin's delicate brows furrowed with anger. Without making any move, she simply swept her sleeves and sent out a red light thin as a silver needle.
The attack came from behind.
The red light struck the cultivator's escape light accurately.
A pained cry echoed, followed by the sight of the scholar falling from the sky, rolling on the ground in agony.
Lin Xuan's heart stirred. Using his divine sense to scan, he found no trace of spiritual energy emanating from the man. If Ouyang Qinxin had suspected him, his fate would have been far worse than just losing his cultivation level.
Seeing the power of a Condensation Core cultivator, everyone fell silent.
After Ouyang Qinxin sat down, someone quickly settled the bill and left. Lin Xuan hesitated for a moment before following suit.
Leaving the market district, he immediately used his escape light to fly away.
Although meeting Ouyang Fairy had piqued his curiosity about her mission and whether it was related to the theft of Seven Stars Grass, as long as she didn't suspect him, there was no need to worry. Returning to the mountain to refine the Easy Classic Pills for cultivation was more important.
In the evening, Lin Xuan landed in a desolate plain.
The area around him was uninhabited, but he could only sleep outdoors. For cultivators, this wasn't an issue.
Releasing his divine sense and searching nearby, he found no danger before settling at a sheltered spot to rest.
At midnight, as Lin Xuan slept soundly, his eyes suddenly opened with surprise and gravity. He quickly took out a Hiding Spirit Pill and swallowed it.
He concealed his cultivation and minimized spiritual energy fluctuations.
Then, from his storage bracelet, he took an invisibility talisman and stuck it on himself.
His figure vanished instantly.
Just as he finished these preparations, a white light appeared in the distance and swiftly approached. Lin Xuan frowned; this familiar light seemed to have been seen before.
The light landed about fifteen feet away, revealing a middle-aged man dressed in a moon-white Daoist robe.
He had messy hair but looked neat, giving off an air of elegance.
Most striking was his single left arm.
Taoist White Sword!
Lin Xuan's heart skipped a beat. His mind raced as he considered the coincidence. Had he met two important figures from Biyun Mountain in less than a day just because of the theft of Seven Stars Grass?
But facing a late-stage Condensation Core cultivator, Lin Xuan was not complacent. He carefully concealed his divine sense. The Hiding Spirit Pill's effect was superior to the raw red lotus root juice, and combined with his Nine Heaven Mystical Art, which also included techniques for concealing spiritual energy, he felt secure.
"Ah, Brother Zhang, long time no see."
Taoist White Sword opened his eyes, showing a hint of dissatisfaction. "You're late."
"Haha, sorry, I had some matters to attend to," replied the scholar with a smile.
Taoist White Sword's expression worsened but he quickly calmed down: "Let's not talk about it. Let's get down to business—did you bring what we need?"
"Yes." The man's playful demeanor vanished as his face turned stern, throwing a storage bag to Taoist White Sword.
"This item was obtained by the Evil Monarch after much difficulty from the Western Sea."
Taoist White Sword ignored him and delved into the storage bag with his divine sense. Satisfied, he put it away.
"Brother Taoist White, regarding the matter entrusted by the Evil Monarch..."
"Don't worry, I've already arranged for Ouyang Qinxin to come in half an hour. The item the Evil Monarch desires is in her possession."
"In this woman's hands?" The man's face showed excitement but he confirmed with caution.
"I have investigated thoroughly. Ouyang Qinxin was the sole survivor of the Ouyang family three hundred years ago, and that Heaven Pole Diagram must be in her hands."
"Haha, excellent. As long as we present the Heaven Pole Diagram to the Evil Monarch, it will be a significant achievement. He has promised to make Brother Taoist White vice-cave master of our Extreme Demon Cave."
Extreme Demon Cave! Lin Xuan frowned at this name.
As the name suggested, the Extreme Demon Cave was a sect composed of evil cultivators, but in Youzhou's many factions, it was merely mid-tier and far less powerful than the three major powers. Taoist White Sword, as an elder of Biyun Mountain, held high rank; he wouldn't seek such a minor position.
"Thank you for your offer, but I have already provided information about the Heaven Pole Diagram in exchange for the Sea Algae. We are even now. As for vice-cave master, I'm afraid I am not interested."
This statement made Miao Diao's face turn red with anger, but he quickly masked it and smiled: "Brother Zhang thinks poorly of our Extreme Demon Cave? Haha, since the Evil Monarch became cave master a hundred years ago, we evil cultivators have worked hard to improve our strength."
"Oh?"
"Our true power is just an iceberg. If one-on-one, even Biyun Mountain would be outmatched," boasted Taoist White Sword.
Taoist White Sword's eyebrows raised in skepticism. He had only agreed to this transaction because the Sea Algae could cure his ailment and did not want to align with evil cultivators. "Brother Zhang, is what you say a lie? In any case, thank you for your good intentions. The Extreme Demon Cave welcomes you at all times."
"Humph." Taoist White Sword didn't speak further but transformed into an escape light that vanished into the horizon.