xīn zhōng niàn tou shǎn guò ， lín xuān hún shēn qīng máng dà qǐ ， xiàng zhe qián fāng fēi lüè ér qù 。
心中念头闪过，林轩浑身青芒大起，向着前方飞掠而去。
Thoughts raced through Lin Xuan's mind as a faint green glow enveloped his body, propelling him forward.
jì rán qián miàn xiū shì de shēn fèn tā yǐ xīn zhōng qīng chǔ ， nà zài jì xù yǐn cáng xiū wèi jiù méi yǒu shén me yì yì 。
既然前面修士的身份他已心中清楚，那再继续隐藏修为就没有什么意义。
Since he already knew the identity of the cultivator ahead, there was no point in concealing his strength any longer. Princess Xin Yue’s power fell far short of that of Tiaomu, and she posed no real threat to him at all.
xīn yuè gōng zhǔ de shí lì hái bù jí táo wù ， gēn běn jiù bú huì duì zì jǐ zào chéng wēi xié shén me 。
新月公主的实力还不及梼杌，根本就不会对自己造成威胁什么。
Moreover, after witnessing what had just transpired, she would likely be as wary as a bird with a broken wing now. This spoiled girl, who was always pampered, must have been utterly frightened by the setback she faced; there was no way she would dare seek trouble from him again.
hé kuàng jīng lì le gāng cái de yí mù ， tā xiàn zài kǒng pà yǐ shì jīng gōng zhī niǎo le 。
何况经历了刚才的一幕，她现在恐怕已是惊弓之鸟了。
With these thoughts in mind, Lin Xuan felt no qualms and sped up significantly. He soon vanished into the faint mist ahead.
zhè diāo mán nǚ ， xiàng lái bèi rén pěng zài shǒu xīn lǐ ， rú jīn shòu le zhè me dà de cuò zhé ， shí yǒu ** yǐ bèi xià pò dǎn ， nǎ hái gǎn zhǎo zì jǐ de má fán 。
这刁蛮女，向来被人捧在手心里，如今受了这么大的挫折，十有**已被吓破胆，哪还敢找自己的麻烦。
At the same time, on the other side of the place,
xīn zhōng rú cǐ xiǎng zhe ， lín xuān zì rán méi yǒu shén me gù jì ， fēi xíng de sù dù yě bǐ gāng gāng kuài le bèi xǔ 。
心中如此想着，林轩自然没有什么顾忌，飞行的速度也比刚刚快了倍许。
On a large jade staircase, the steps were so wide that one couldn't see where they ended; they stretched all the way to the peak of Penglai Mountain. Thunderous explosions echoed through the air. If someone passed by here, they would be left in awe, for the staircase was occupied by several dozen demons and ghosts.
hěn kuài jiù xiāo shī zài qián fāng nà dàn dàn de mí wù lǐ 。
很快就消失在前方那淡淡的迷雾里。
Their appearances varied greatly, each one looking extremely fierce. The creatures from the阴司界 were even more bizarre than ancient fiends; zombies and yin souls were relatively normal.
yǔ cǐ tóng shí ， lìng yī biān 。
与此同时，另一边。
The most prominent among them was a towering skeleton, standing at over ten zhang (about 30 feet), exuding an oppressive aura that made one feel suffocated.
zài yī yù shí tái jiē de shàng miàn 。
在一玉石台阶的上面。
From its rank, this seemed to be a peak元婴期 monster, but for some reason, it felt much more formidable than ordinary cultivators of the same level.
cǐ tái jiē kuān dà yǐ jí ， yī yǎn wàng qù ， gèng kàn bú jiàn yán shēn zhì le nǎ lǐ ， xiàng zhe péng lái shān de shān dǐng wān yán ér qù 。
此台阶宽大以极，一眼望去，更看不见延伸至了哪里，向着蓬莱山的山顶蜿蜒而去。
Its attack method was also peculiar; unlike most cultivators who would release their long-cultivated treasures and control them with divine consciousness, this creature resembled a sword-wielding martial artist from the secular world. Its height alone was over ten zhang, and its sword appeared to be even longer than it.
hōng lōng lóng de bào liè shēng chuán rù ěr lǐ 。
轰隆隆的爆裂声传入耳里。
The blade had been refined from bones, and the edge was black, indicating that it contained剧毒. Each slash emitted an eerie wail of ghostly cries. The momentum behind each strike was formidable; if a mountain hundreds of zhang high were in front of him, he would surely split it in two.
rú guǒ yǒu rén lù guò cǐ chù ， kěn dìng huì xià dé mù dèng kǒu dāi ， yīn wèi zài tái jiē shàng ， jū rán jù jí zhāo shù shí tóu yāo guǐ 。
如果有人路过此处，肯定会吓得目瞪口呆，因为在台阶上，居然聚集着数十头妖鬼。
However, when this intense attack met the thick white mist ahead, it had no effect at all, as if a stone had been thrown into deep water without creating any ripples.
xíng mào gè yì ， yí gè gè zhēng níng yǐ jí 。
形貌各异，一个个狰狞以极。
Beside this giant skeleton was a humanoid monster with dry skin and exposed black fangs—another 僵尸魔!
yīn sī jiè de guài wù ， qí qiān qí bǎi guài de chéng dù ， kě yǐ shuō hái yào chāo guò gǔ mó 。
阴司界的怪物，其千奇百怪的程度，可以说还要超过古魔。
At peak元婴期, its presence felt even more formidable than ordinary cultivators.
jiāng shī ， yīn hún hái suàn shì zhèng cháng de 。
僵尸，阴魂还算是正常的。
Its weapon was also unique; it held two iron chains in each hand. With a flick of the wrist, the chains seemed to transform into magical whips, creating countless illusory images that resembled serpents, striking the white mist with great force.
cǐ shí zài tái jiē shàng ， zuì xiǎn yǎn de ， shì yī zūn kuí wú de kū lóu ， gāo zú yǒu shí zhàng yú ” hún shēn sàn fà chū lìng rén zhì xī de xiōng lì zhī qì 。
此时在台阶上，最显眼的，是一尊魁梧的骷髅，高足有十丈余”浑身散发出令人窒息的凶厉之气。
Unfortunately, this too showed no effect.
cóng děng jiē lái shuō ， zhè sì hū shì yī yuán yīng qī dǐng fēng de guài wù ， rán ér bù zhī wèi hé ， xī gěi rén de gǎn jué ， yào bǐ pǔ tōng dà xiū shì lì hài dé duō 。
从等阶来说，这似乎是一元婴期顶峰的怪物，然而不知为何，牺给人的感觉，要比普通大修士厉害得多。
Other creatures from the阴司界 were not idle either. A fiery figure turned out to be a burning flame, its shape shifting to reveal human features and limbs. A harsh, discordant roar echoed in his ears as his right hand suddenly swelled to three times its normal size, lifting an enormous fist and smashing it into the black mist before him.
cǐ kū lóu de gōng jī fāng shì yě hěn qí tè xī bú shì xiàng yì bān de xiū xiān zhě jiāng jì liàn yǐ jiǔ de fǎ bǎo fàng chū ， rán hòu yòng shén niàn cāo kòng 。
此骷髅的攻击方式也很奇特牺不是像一般的修仙者将祭炼已久的法宝放出，然后用神念操控。
Not far away, another stone giant was also making efforts. Counting roughly, there were twenty-three monsters from the阴司界 on the staircase. However, two of them did not attack; instead, they kept a vigilant eye on their surroundings.
zhè jiā huo ， dào gèng xiàng yī shì sú wǔ lín zhōng de jiàn kè ， xī běn shēn de gāo dù yǐ yǒu shí zhàng yú ， nà jiàn kàn shàng qù bǐ xī de shēn gāo hái yào zhǎng shàng bèi xǔ 。
这家伙，倒更像一世俗武林中的剑客，牺本身的高度已有十丈余，那剑看上去比牺的身高还要长上倍许。
"Brother Wu, how much longer do you think it will take to break this禁制? We've been delayed here for too long. Perhaps we should work together," said a man in his forties, dressed in imperial attire and exuding an extraordinary aura. However, he now looked visibly anxious.
yě shì yòng bái gǔ liàn huà ， jiàn rèn chù ， què zuò tāo hēi sè ， xiǎn rán yùn yǒu jù dú 。
也是用白骨炼化，剑刃处，却做涛黑色，显然蕴有剧毒。
"We cannot rush, friend. Here, we must maintain ample magical power; otherwise, not only will we fail to retrieve the treasure, but we might even end up dead at someone else's hands," said a robed elder with a calm voice, showing no surprise or alarm.
měi yī jiàn pī chū ， dōu jiā zá zhe qī lì de guǐ kū 。
每一剑劈出，都夹杂着凄厉的鬼哭。
"Hmph, you're right, but we can't afford to delay any longer. If those two catch up behind us, things could get tricky," muttered Iron King Zhou.
nà mài shì gèng shì fēi tóng xiǎo kě 。
那卖势更是非同小可。
"This is indeed a troublesome situation," the robed elder nodded in agreement: "If it were other cultivators, we could simply team up and eliminate them, but these two are on our level..."
háo wú yí wèn rú guǒ shì yī zuò shù bǎi zhàng gāo de shān fēng dǎng zài miàn qián ， kěn dìng huì bèi tā pī wèi liǎng bàn 。
毫无疑问如果是一座数百丈高的山峰挡在面前，肯定会被他劈为两半。
"Hmph, that's not all. The techniques they possess must be unique; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to follow us silently for so long," Iron King Zhou sighed, revealing a hint of fear in his voice.
rán ér zhè me měng liè de gōng jī yī jiē chù qián miàn nà nóng chóu de bái wù què wán quán méi yǒu xiào guǒ ， fǎng fú ní niú rù hǎi ， bù céng xiān qǐ yī sī bō lán 。
然而这么猛烈的攻击一接触前面那浓稠的白雾却完全没有效果，仿佛泥牛入海，不曾掀起一丝波澜。
"True, it is indeed due to divine assistance. Who would have thought that we passed through the area without incident while those two triggered the禁制? Otherwise, we might not even know about the presence of two late-stage离合期 cultivators," said the robed elder, stroking his beard and showing a lingering sense of unease.
ér zài zhè jù dà hái gǔ de páng biān ， zé shì yī rén lèi xíng tài de guài wù ， zhǐ bù guò pí fū gān kū ， hēi sè de liáo yá wài lù 。
而在这巨大骸骨的旁边，则是一人类形态的怪物，只不过皮肤干枯，黑色的獠牙外露。
"At the moment they were trapped by the禁制, I could see one of them was an ancient fiend, likely from the upper realm..."
shī mó ！
尸魔！
"There's nothing strange about that. The treasures on Penglai Mountain are invaluable; not just the Spirit Realm but even the阴司界 covets them. Ancient fiends have long coveted these treasures and would seize any opportunity to muddy the waters," said the robed elder dismissively.
yuán yīng hòu qī ！
元婴后期！
"No, Brother Wu, you misunderstood my meaning. I meant that if an ancient fiend came from the upper realm, it might be due to some extraordinary techniques; but why would a human cultivator be involved with him? Human cultivators and demons are usually at odds, so is there something hidden between them?" Iron King Zhou pondered aloud, showing concern on his face.
dàn gěi rén de gǎn jué ， tóng yàng yuǎn chāo yì bān de dà xiū xiān zhě 。
但给人的感觉，同样远超一般的大修仙者。
"I don't know, but there's nothing strange about that. In this world, there are no eternal enemies; only eternal interests. Ancient fiends and cultivators might be able to cooperate, but their formidable strength requires us to be cautious."
xī de wǔ qì tóng yàng qí tè jū rán shì liǎng gè shǒu wàn gè tuō zhe yī gēn tiě liàn 。
牺的武器同样奇特居然是两个手腕各拖着一根铁链。
The two continued chatting with worried expressions, while the other ghostly creatures ignored them, continuing their relentless attacks on the white mist.
xiàng qián yī shuǎi ， nà tiě liàn jiù yǒu rú mó biān huàn huà chū wàn qiān xū yǐng ， yǒu rú mó shé ， hěn hěn de xiàng zhe nà bái wù zá luò 。
向前一甩，那铁链就有如魔鞭幻化出万千虚影，有如魔蛇，狠狠的向着那白雾砸落。
Fortunately, there were no late-stage cultivators here. The lowest-ranked among them was a peak元婴期 monster, and twenty-one of them together made for formidable strength.
kě xī ， tóng yàng kàn bù chū shén me xiào guǒ 。
可惜，同样看不出什么效果。
An隆隆's voice echoed in his ears as he continued his journey.
qí yú yīn sī jiè de guài wù ， yě méi yǒu xián zhe 。
其余阴司界的怪物，也没有闲着。
Meanwhile, several million miles away,
yī huǒ hóng sè de shēn xíng ， zǐ xì kàn ， jū rán shì yī tuán rán shāo zhe de huǒ yàn ， shēn xíng piāo hū ， què huàn huà chū le rén lèi de wǔ guān yǔ shǒu zú 。
一火红色的身形，仔细看，居然是一团燃烧着的火焰，身形飘忽，却幻化出了人类的五官与手足。
The same jade staircase appeared, surrounded by the same scenery. However, on this staircase, there were six massive copper columns, each over a hundred zhang high, arranged in a circular pattern. Countless beams of light emanated from these columns, forming a luminous screen that encompassed an area several miles wide.
Thoughts raced through Lin Xuan's mind as a faint green glow enveloped his body, propelling him forward.
Since he already knew the identity of the cultivator ahead, there was no point in concealing his strength any longer. Princess Xin Yue’s power fell far short of that of Tiaomu, and she posed no real threat to him at all.
Moreover, after witnessing what had just transpired, she would likely be as wary as a bird with a broken wing now. This spoiled girl, who was always pampered, must have been utterly frightened by the setback she faced; there was no way she would dare seek trouble from him again.
With these thoughts in mind, Lin Xuan felt no qualms and sped up significantly. He soon vanished into the faint mist ahead.
At the same time, on the other side of the place,
On a large jade staircase, the steps were so wide that one couldn't see where they ended; they stretched all the way to the peak of Penglai Mountain. Thunderous explosions echoed through the air. If someone passed by here, they would be left in awe, for the staircase was occupied by several dozen demons and ghosts.
Their appearances varied greatly, each one looking extremely fierce. The creatures from the阴司界 were even more bizarre than ancient fiends; zombies and yin souls were relatively normal.
The most prominent among them was a towering skeleton, standing at over ten zhang (about 30 feet), exuding an oppressive aura that made one feel suffocated.
From its rank, this seemed to be a peak元婴期 monster, but for some reason, it felt much more formidable than ordinary cultivators of the same level.
Its attack method was also peculiar; unlike most cultivators who would release their long-cultivated treasures and control them with divine consciousness, this creature resembled a sword-wielding martial artist from the secular world. Its height alone was over ten zhang, and its sword appeared to be even longer than it.
The blade had been refined from bones, and the edge was black, indicating that it contained剧毒. Each slash emitted an eerie wail of ghostly cries. The momentum behind each strike was formidable; if a mountain hundreds of zhang high were in front of him, he would surely split it in two.
However, when this intense attack met the thick white mist ahead, it had no effect at all, as if a stone had been thrown into deep water without creating any ripples.
Beside this giant skeleton was a humanoid monster with dry skin and exposed black fangs—another 僵尸魔!
At peak元婴期, its presence felt even more formidable than ordinary cultivators.
Its weapon was also unique; it held two iron chains in each hand. With a flick of the wrist, the chains seemed to transform into magical whips, creating countless illusory images that resembled serpents, striking the white mist with great force.
Unfortunately, this too showed no effect.
Other creatures from the阴司界 were not idle either. A fiery figure turned out to be a burning flame, its shape shifting to reveal human features and limbs. A harsh, discordant roar echoed in his ears as his right hand suddenly swelled to three times its normal size, lifting an enormous fist and smashing it into the black mist before him.
Not far away, another stone giant was also making efforts. Counting roughly, there were twenty-three monsters from the阴司界 on the staircase. However, two of them did not attack; instead, they kept a vigilant eye on their surroundings.
"Brother Wu, how much longer do you think it will take to break this禁制? We've been delayed here for too long. Perhaps we should work together," said a man in his forties, dressed in imperial attire and exuding an extraordinary aura. However, he now looked visibly anxious.
"We cannot rush, friend. Here, we must maintain ample magical power; otherwise, not only will we fail to retrieve the treasure, but we might even end up dead at someone else's hands," said a robed elder with a calm voice, showing no surprise or alarm.
"Hmph, you're right, but we can't afford to delay any longer. If those two catch up behind us, things could get tricky," muttered Iron King Zhou.
"This is indeed a troublesome situation," the robed elder nodded in agreement: "If it were other cultivators, we could simply team up and eliminate them, but these two are on our level..."
"Hmph, that's not all. The techniques they possess must be unique; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to follow us silently for so long," Iron King Zhou sighed, revealing a hint of fear in his voice.
"True, it is indeed due to divine assistance. Who would have thought that we passed through the area without incident while those two triggered the禁制? Otherwise, we might not even know about the presence of two late-stage离合期 cultivators," said the robed elder, stroking his beard and showing a lingering sense of unease.
"At the moment they were trapped by the禁制, I could see one of them was an ancient fiend, likely from the upper realm..."
"There's nothing strange about that. The treasures on Penglai Mountain are invaluable; not just the Spirit Realm but even the阴司界 covets them. Ancient fiends have long coveted these treasures and would seize any opportunity to muddy the waters," said the robed elder dismissively.
"No, Brother Wu, you misunderstood my meaning. I meant that if an ancient fiend came from the upper realm, it might be due to some extraordinary techniques; but why would a human cultivator be involved with him? Human cultivators and demons are usually at odds, so is there something hidden between them?" Iron King Zhou pondered aloud, showing concern on his face.
"I don't know, but there's nothing strange about that. In this world, there are no eternal enemies; only eternal interests. Ancient fiends and cultivators might be able to cooperate, but their formidable strength requires us to be cautious."
The two continued chatting with worried expressions, while the other ghostly creatures ignored them, continuing their relentless attacks on the white mist.
Fortunately, there were no late-stage cultivators here. The lowest-ranked among them was a peak元婴期 monster, and twenty-one of them together made for formidable strength.
An隆隆's voice echoed in his ears as he continued his journey.
Meanwhile, several million miles away,
The same jade staircase appeared, surrounded by the same scenery. However, on this staircase, there were six massive copper columns, each over a hundred zhang high, arranged in a circular pattern. Countless beams of light emanated from these columns, forming a luminous screen that encompassed an area several miles wide.