bù guò lín xuān zì rán sī háo yì yì yě wú ， xiū xiān jiè běn jiù cán kù ， ruò ròu qiáng lǎn lán zài zhèng cháng bù guò ， jí shǐ wàn jiāo wáng bù shuō ， tā zì jǐ tóng yàng huì zhè me zuò 。
不过林轩自然丝毫异议也无，修仙界本就残酷，弱肉强懒婪再正常不过，即使万蛟王不说，他自己同样会这么做。
However, Lin Xuan had no objections. The cultivation world was inherently harsh; the weak were prey to the strong, and that was perfectly normal. Even if the King of Ten Thousand Serpents didn't say anything, he would have done the same.
yú shì ， yī lín shí de lián méng zǔ chéng le 。
于是，一临时的联盟组成了。
Thus, a temporary alliance was formed.
rén shù bù shǎo ， dàn měi yí gè ， jiē jū xīn pǒ cè 。
人数不少，但每一个，皆居心叵测。
The group wasn’t small in number but each member harbored ulterior motives. The five Core Formation Period cultivators were the most unlucky; they silently cursed their fate, knowing all too well how dire their situation was.
zuì dǎo méi de hái shì nà wǔ míng yuán yīng qī xiū xiān zhě ， àn àn jiào kǔ ， tā men chǔ jìng rú hé ， zì jǐ yòu qǐ néng bù xīn zhōng yǒu shù 。
最倒霉的还是那五名元婴期修仙者，暗暗叫苦，他们处境如何，自己又岂能不心中有数。
Facing three late-stage Elders, they could only grit their teeth and accept it.
rán ér miàn duì de shì sān míng lí hé qī lǎo guài wù ， yě zhǐ néng niē zhe bí zi rèn le 。
然而面对的是三名离合期老怪物，也只能捏着鼻子认了。
They should have known better than to seek treasures at the Netherworld Gate, but neither secular nor cultivation worlds offered any regrets.
zǎo zhī dào jiù bù gāi lái xiū luó zhī mén xún bǎo ， rán ér bù lùn shì sú ， hái shì xiū xiān zhě ， dōu méi yǒu hòu huǐ yào yī shuō 。
早知道就不该来修罗之门寻宝，然而不论世俗，还是修仙者，都没有后悔药一说。
The禁空禁制 here was terrifying, yet the lightness technique still wasn't restricted. Hence, the three moved with incredible speed. About a meal's time had passed.
zài zhè lǐ ， jìn kōng jìn zhì jí wéi kě bù ， rán ér qīng shēn shù yī jiù bù shòu xiàn zhì shén me ， gù ér sān rén de yí dòng jí wéi xùn sù 。
在这里，禁空禁制极为可怖，然而轻身术依旧不受限制什么，故而三人的移动极为迅速。
Suddenly, the King of Ten Thousand Serpents slowed down and stopped. "What’s wrong? Fellow Daoist, did you find something amiss?"
guò le yuē yī dùn fàn de fū 。
过了约一顿饭的夫。
Although Lin Xuan's divine sense far exceeded that of his peers, it was still slightly inferior to these late-stage monsters.
wàn jiāo wáng tū rán shēn xíng yī huǎn ， tíng le xià lái 。
万蛟王突然身形一缓，停了下来。
"Ah, there's an old acquaintance ahead."
“ zěn me ， dào yǒu fā xiàn le bù tuǒ ？”
“怎么，道友发现了不妥？”
The King of Ten Thousand Serpents' expression turned serious; he hadn't expected to run into the Pavilion of Hope here.
lín xuān de shén shí ， suī rán yuǎn chāo tóng jiē xiū xiān zhě ， dàn yǔ zhè hòu qī de lǎo guài wù xiāng bǐ ， hái shì yào lüè xùn yī xiē 。
林轩的神识，虽然远超同阶修仙者，但与这后期的老怪物相比，还是要略逊一些。
Though they didn’t have a deep-seated grudge, having crossed swords before, their relationship was far from harmonious. Now, on this narrow path...
“ ń ， qián miàn yǒu yí gè lǎo péng yǒu 。”
“嗯，前面有一个老朋友。”
The King of Ten Thousand Serpents felt uneasy but kept his face neutral: "Let’s go!"
wàn jiāo wáng de liǎn sè mǎn shì níng zhòng ， tā yě méi xiǎng dào huì zài zhè lǐ yù jiàn wàng tíng lóu 。
万蛟王的脸色满是凝重，他也没想到会在这里遇见望亭楼。
No matter what, he couldn't abandon the treasures.
liǎng rén suī méi yǒu xuè hǎi shēn chóu ， dàn bì jìng jiāo guò shǒu ， bǐ cǐ guān xì jué shuō bù shàng hé mù ， rú jīn xiá lù xiāng guò ……
两人虽没有血海深仇，但毕竟交过手，彼此关系绝说不上和睦，如今狭路相过……
Meanwhile, the wide jade steps were surging with demonic energy, and the fluctuations in primordial energy were intense. The Pavilion of Hope and the ancient Huigu worked together, but the number of ghost soldiers far exceeded their expectations, giving a sense that they could never defeat them all.
wàn jiāo wáng xīn zhōng yǒu diǎn dǎ gǔ ， dàn liǎn shàng què fēn háo yì sè bù lù ：“ zǒu ！”
万蛟王心中有点打鼓，但脸上却分毫异色不露：“走！”
"Hey?"
bù guǎn rú hé ， bǎo wù tā jué bù kě néng fàng qì de 。
不管如何，宝物他绝不可能放弃的。
An unusual expression flashed across the Pavilion of Hope's eyes; the ancient demon’s reaction was similar.
yǔ cǐ tóng shí 。
与此同时。
"Somebody is coming."
nà kuān dà de yù shí tái jiē ， mó qì fān yǒng ， tiān dì yuán qì tóng yàng jù liè bō dòng ， wàng tíng lóu yǔ gǔ huī lián shǒu rán ér yīn bīng shù liàng zhī duō ， què yuǎn yuǎn chāo guò tā men liǎng rén de xiǎng xiàng le ， pǒ yǒu yì diǎn shā bù shèng shā de wèi dào 。
那宽大的玉石台阶，魔气翻涌，天地元气同样剧烈波动，望亭楼与古麾联手然而阴兵数量之多，却远远超过他们两人的想象了，颇有一点杀不胜杀的味道。
Indeed, there were eight people, three of whom were at the Separation Stage. Pavilion of Hope, do you know any of them?
“ yí ？”
“咦？”
The ancient demon slowly spoke with a serious look on his face. The strength of this group couldn't be underestimated; it added more uncertainty to their search for treasures.
wàng tíng lóu yǎn zhōng yì sè shǎn guò ， gǔ mó de fǎn yìng yě chà bu duō ， guāng cóng shén shí lái shuō ， liǎng rén jū rán xiāng chà fǎng fú 。
望亭楼眼中异色闪过，古魔的反应也差不多，光从神识来说，两人居然相差仿佛。
"King of Ten Thousand Serpents, the top expert in the beast race, at the Separation Stage late."
“ yǒu rén lái le 。”
“有人来了。”
"Oh, how does your strength compare to mine?"
“ bù cuò ér qiě jū rán yǒu bā rén zhī duō ， qí zhōng sān gè ， dōu shì lí hé ， tíng lóu dào yǒu ， nǐ rèn shí me ？” gǔ mó huǎn huǎn de shuō ， biǎo qíng yǒu xiē níng zhòng zhè huǒ xiū shì de shí lì ， kě bù róng qīng rǔ ， néng fǒu xún dào bǎo wù yòu zēng tiān le bù shǎo xīn de biàn shù 。
“不错而且居然有八人之多，其中三个，都是离合，亭楼道友，你认识么？”古魔缓缓的说，表情有些凝重这伙修士的实力，可不容轻辱，能否寻到宝物又增添了不少新的变数。
The ancient demon's eyes gleamed as he asked.
“ wàn jiāo wáng ， yāo zú dì yī gāo shǒu ， lí hé hòu qī 。”
“万蛟王，妖族第一高手，离合后期。”
"About the same."
“ ó ， yǔ dào yǒu xiāng bǐ ， shí lì rú hé ？” gǔ mó mù guāng shuò shuò de kāi kǒu le 。
“哦，与道友相比，实力如何？”古魔目光烁烁的开口了。
Pavilion of Hope remained calm. Of course, this was a lie, but their alliance was based on ulterior motives; neither would reveal the truth.
“ yǔ wǒ chà bu duō 。”
“与我差不多。”
While they conversed, their hands were busy casting various spells with wide-ranging destructive effects. The ghost soldiers fell one after another, but these creatures, being monsters crafted through spells, knew no fear and continued to charge at them without hesitation.
wàng tíng lóu miàn bù gǎi sè ， zhè fān huà ， dāng rán yǒu jiǎ ， bù guò tā yǔ gǔ mó de lián hé běn lái yě shì jū xīn pǒ cè ， zì rán bú huì shuō shí huà lái zhe 。
望亭楼面不改色，这番话，当然有假，不过他与古魔的联合本来也是居心叵测，自然不会说实话来着。
This provided some hindrance for the two, though it posed no real threat.
liǎng rén zuǐ shàng duì huà ， shǒu zhōng què méi yǒu xián zhe ， gè zhǒng gè yàng dà fàn wéi shā shāng de shù ， bù tíng de fēi lüè ér chū ， yīn bīng yī piàn piàn dǎo xià ， rán ér zhè xiē jiā huo ， běn lái jiù shì yòng shù liàn zhì chū lái de guài wù gēn běn jiù bù zhī dào wèi jù wèi hé wù yī jiù hàn bù wèi sǐ de chōng xiàng yī rén yī mó 。
两人嘴上对话，手中却没有闲着，各种各样大范围杀伤的术，不停的飞掠而出，阴兵一片片倒下，然而这些家伙，本来就是用术炼制出来的怪物根本就不知道畏惧为何物依旧悍不畏死的冲向一人一魔。
Thus, King of Iron's goal was achieved.
duì tā liǎ zì rán gòu bù chéng wēi xié ， dàn yě kě yǐ qǐ dào chí zhì de xiào guǒ 。
对他俩自然构不成威胁，但也可以起到迟滞的效果。
Time passed quickly; since they already knew hiding wouldn't work, Lin Xuan’s group decided not to use any concealment techniques. After about a cup of tea, both sides met on this narrow path.
rú cǐ yī lái ， tiě zhòu wáng de mù dì yě jiù dá dào le 。
如此一来，铁纣王的目的也就达到了。
Lin Xuan’s pupils narrowed as he saw the Separation Stage cultivator beside him—apparently it was Huigu. The aura felt familiar but he couldn’t place where he had seen it before.
shí guāng rú bái jū guò xì jì rán míng zhī dào yǐn cáng shēn xíng wú yòng ， lín xuān yī xíng rén gān cuì bù shǐ yòng yǐn nì shén tōng yuē yī zhǎn chá de fū yǐ hòu ， shuāng fāng yǐ xiá lù xiāng féng 。
时光如白驹过隙既然明知道隐藏身形无用，林轩一行人干脆不使用隐匿神通约一盏茶的夫以后，双方已狭路相逢。
In the Twelve States of the Sky Clouds, there were few Core Formation Period cultivators; late-stage ones were even rarer, like phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.
lín xuān tóng kǒng wēi suō ， lí hé hòu qī ， hái yǒu tā páng biān nà jiā huo ， jū rán shì gǔ mó ， qì xī yǒu xiē shú ， sì hū zài nǎ lǐ jiàn guò ， dàn yī shí piàn kè ， què yòu xiǎng bù qǐ lái le 。
林轩瞳孔微缩，离合后期，还有他旁边那家伙，居然是古魔，气息有些熟，似乎在哪里见过，但一时片刻，却又想不起来了。
The identity of the other party was clear: Pavilion of Hope!
fàng yǎn tiān yún shí èr zhōu ， lí hé qī xiū shì yě qū zhǐ kě shǔ ， hòu qī cún zài gèng shì yǔ fèng máo lín jiǎo chà bu duō 。
放眼天云十二州，离合期修士也屈指可数，后期存在更是与凤毛麟角差不多。
This legendary first expert of the Twelve States of the Sky Clouds didn’t seem as flamboyant as the King of Ten Thousand Serpents. Though he was now acting, his strength still seemed shrouded in a mist, making it hard to discern.
duì fāng shēn fèn yǐ hū zhī yù chū 。
对方身份已呼之欲出。
As for Huigu, although he was only at an early stage, something about him gave Lin Xuan a strong sense of danger—something not even encountered during the Soul Splitting.
wàng tíng lóu ！
望亭楼！
Though Lin Xuan’s face remained calm, he began to secretly guard himself.
zhè wèi chuán shuō zhōng de tiān yún shí èr zhōu dì yī gāo shǒu ， què xiǎn rán bù xiàng wàn jiāo wáng nà yàng fēng máng bì lù ， tā xiàn zài suī zài chū shǒu ， dàn shí lì yī jiù yǒu rú lǒng zhào zhe yī céng mí wù ， ràng rén gēn běn jiù kàn bù qīng chǔ 。
这位传说中的天云十二州第一高手，却显然不像万蛟王那样锋芒毕露，他现在虽在出手，但实力依旧有如笼罩着一层迷雾，让人根本就看不清楚。
Was this Huigu anything more than just a low-level ancient demon? Could it be that his soul was split from a high-ranking existence in the Demon Realm?
zhì yú nà gǔ mó suī rán jǐn jǐn shì chū qī de cún zài ， dàn bù zhī wèi shén me ， què gěi zì jǐ yī zhǒng qiáng liè de wēi jī gǎn 。
至于那古魔虽然仅仅是初期的存在，但不知为什么，却给自己一种强烈的危机感。
If they had met at another time, all wanting the treasures on top of the mountain, a fight would have been inevitable.
nà zhǒng gǎn jué ， biàn shì miàn duì ** fēn hún shí yě bù céng yǒu guò 。
那种感觉，便是面对**分魂时也不曾有过。
But now, someone else had already taken the lead. Fighting here would be extremely foolish.
lín xuān liǎn shàng suī bù dòng shēng sè ， dàn xīn zhōng què yě kāi shǐ àn zì jǐng tì le 。
林轩脸上虽不动声色，但心中却也开始暗自警惕了。
Lin Xuan’s thoughts raced as the King of Ten Thousand Serpents roared in anger: "Pavilion of Hope, what is your intention? As a human cultivator, you’re teaming up with demons to seek treasures—do you want to ascend to the Demon Realm?"
zhè jiā huo ， jué bú shì pǔ tōng de gǔ mó ， nán dào yě shì mó jiè shàng wèi cún zài de fēn hún me ？
这家伙，绝不是普通的古魔，难道也是魔界上位存在的分魂么？
"You wish," Pavilion of Hope responded coolly. His demeanor was impressive.
rú guǒ huàn yí gè shí jiān xiāng yù ， dà jiā dōu xiǎng yào zhēng duó shān dǐng shàng de bǎo wù ， jiàn miàn hòu dòng shǒu kěn dìng shì miǎn bù liǎo de 。
如果换一个时间相遇，大家都想要争夺山顶上的宝物，见面后动手肯定是免不了的。
"Me!" The King of Ten Thousand Serpents was furious but dared not provoke him; it wasn’t the right time and attacking would only be self-destructive.
rán ér cǐ shí cǐ kè ， xiǎn rán yǐ yǒu rén jié zú xiān dēng le ， tā men zài zhè lǐ yǐ mìng xiàng bó ， xiǎn rán jiù fēi cháng yú chǔn le 。
然而此时此刻，显然已有人捷足先登了，他们在这里以命相搏，显然就非常愚蠢了。
"We all came here for treasures—human, beast, or our Holy Clan. What past grievances matter? If I’m not mistaken, the demons and ghosts from the Netherworld have already reached the top of the mountain. Fellow Daoist, if you want a share of the treasure, team up with us to eliminate these ghost soldiers. If you insist on your grudges against our Holy Clan, I won’t say anything," the ancient demon’s voice rang out.
lín xuān nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou shǎn guò ， wàn jiāo wáng què jīng nù yǐ jí de kāi kǒu le ：“ wàng tíng lóu ， nǐ zhè shì hé yì ， shēn wéi rén lèi xiū xiān zhě ， què yǔ mó zú lián shǒu hé zuò ， mò fēi nǐ xiǎng yào fēi shēng qù mó jiè me ？”
林轩脑海中念头闪过，万蛟王却惊怒以极的开口了：“望亭楼，你这是何意，身为人类修仙者，却与魔族联手合作，莫非你想要飞升去魔界么？”
"Hmph, what are you, daring to speak to me like this? Just an early-stage Separation Daoist..."
“ wǒ xiǎng yào qù nà lǐ ， sì hū yǔ nǐ méi yǒu shén me guān xì 。“ miàn duì qì jí bài huài de lǎo jiāo lóng ， wàng tíng lóu què xiǎn de bù wēn bù huǒ ， guāng shì zhè fèn qì dù ， jiù lìng rén pèi fú 。
“我想要去那里，似乎与你没有什么关系。“面对气急败坏的老蛟龙，望亭楼却显得不温不火，光是这份气度，就令人佩服。
"Early stage or not, your two fellow Daoists behind you are also at that stage. Will you let the treasures be taken by demons and ghosts from the Netherworld?"
“ nǐ ！” wàn jiāo wáng dà nù ， dàn tā zì rán bù gǎn chū shǒu tiǎo xìn shén me ， qiě bù shuō shí jiān diǎn gēn běn jiù bú shì hé ， jiù suàn dǎ ， yě shì zì qǔ qí rǔ 。
“你！”万蛟王大怒，但他自然不敢出手挑衅什么，且不说时间点根本就不适合，就算打，也是自取其辱。
"Per…," The King of Ten Thousand Serpents’ face fluctuated.
“ dà jiā lái dào zhè lǐ ， suǒ qiú bù guò bǎo wù ， rén zú yě hǎo ， yāo zú yě bà ， hái shì wǒ men shèng zú ， bǐ cǐ yǒu shén me ēn yuàn ， yòu yǒu shén me yì yì ne ， rú guǒ běn zūn méi yǒu liào cuò ， yīn sī jiè de yāo guǐ ， yǐ jīng dào dá shān dǐng le ， dào yǒu rú guǒ hái xiǎng fēn yī bēi bǎo wù ， jiù yǔ wǒ men lián shǒu ， jiāng yǎn qián de yīn bīng miè chú ， rú guǒ yí dìng zhí zhuó yǔ tóng wǒ men shèng zú de ēn yuàn ， běn zūn yě wú huà kě shuō 。“ gǔ mó jīn tiě jiāo míng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
“大家来到这里，所求不过宝物，人族也好，妖族也罢，还是我们圣族，彼此有什么恩怨，又有什么意义呢，如果本尊没有料错，阴司界的妖鬼，已经到达山顶了，道友如果还想分一杯宝物，就与我们联手，将眼前的阴兵灭除，如果一定执着与同我们圣族的恩怨，本尊也无话可说。“古魔金铁交鸣的声音传入耳朵。
Lin Xuan couldn’t help but feel surprised; the King of Ten Thousand Serpents was an old veteran who had lived for tens of thousands of years, a formidable figure. He had just proposed putting aside their grudges to get the treasures, so...
“ hēng ， nǐ suàn shén me dōng xī ， gǎn yǔ běn wáng rú cǐ shuō huà ， qū qū yí gè lí hé chū qī ……”
“哼，你算什么东西，敢与本王如此说话，区区一个离合初期……”
Could there be some unknown deep-seated enmity between him and the ancient demon?
“ chū qī yòu rú hé ， nǐ shēn hòu de liǎng wèi dào yǒu ， bù tóng yàng yě shì chū qī ， wǒ zhǐ wèn nǐ yī jù ， yuàn bù yuàn yì ràng bǎo wù bèi yīn sī jiè de yāo guǐ qǔ qù ？”
“初期又如何，你身后的两位道友，不同样也是初期，我只问你一句，愿不愿意让宝物被阴司界的妖鬼取去？”
Though it was only speculation, Lin Xuan kept his guard up; this might prove useful if they turned on each other.
“ guò ……” wàn jiāo wáng de liǎn sè yīn qíng bù dìng qǐ lái le 。
“过……”万蛟王的脸色阴晴不定起来了。
This was the most encounters with high-ranking cultivators since he entered the immortal path. Even with Yue'er by his side, he still felt some trepidation.
lín xuān bù yóu de lüè gǎn chà yì ， wàn jiāo wáng kě shì huó le shù wàn nián de lǎo jiā huǒ ， yí dài xiāo xióng ， shí lì qì dù dōu bú yòng shuō 。
林轩不由得略感诧异，万蛟王可是活了数万年的老家伙，一代枭雄，实力气度都不用说。
Fighting was a last resort; strategy was equally important.
gāng cái wèi le qǔ bǎo ， céng zhǔ dòng tí chū jiāng ēn yuàn zàn qiě fàng xià ， cǐ shí cǐ kè ， wèi a ……
刚才为了取宝，曾主动提出将恩怨暂且放下，此时此刻，为啊……
Tian Xiaojian seemed to notice as well, his eyes flashing with an unusual light.
nán dào tā yǔ gǔ mó zhī jiān ， yǒu shén me bù wéi rén zhī de dà chóu yuàn ？
难道他与古魔之间，有什么不为人知的大仇怨？
However, Pavilion of Hope stood with his hands behind his back, looking relaxed as if the scene before him had nothing to do with him.
suī rán jǐn jǐn shì cāi cè ， bù guò lín xuān yǐ jīng àn zì liú shàng xīn le ， děng dào le fān liǎn de yī kè ， zhè yì diǎn shuō bù dìng kě yǐ lì yòng de 。
虽然仅仅是猜测，不过林轩已经暗自留上心了，等到了翻脸的一刻，这一点说不定可以利用的。
"Alright, Fellow Daoist, your point is valid; I naturally wouldn’t want the treasures to be taken by demons and ghosts from the Netherworld. Let’s team up," after several changes in expression, the King of Ten Thousand Serpents finally calmed his anger.
zhè shì lín xuān tà rù xiān dào yǐ lái ， suǒ yù gāo shǒu zuì duō de yī cì ， jí biàn tā yǔ yuè ér lián shǒu ， xīn zhōng duō shǎo hái shì yǒu xiē tǎn tè 。
这是林轩踏入仙道以来，所遇高手最多的一次，即便他与月儿联手，心中多少还是有些忐忑。
"Hmm, that's a wise choice. Do the other fellow Daoists have any objections?"
dòu lì bù guò shì xià cè ， zhì móu yě shì hěn zhòng yào de 。
斗力不过是下策，智谋也是很重要的。
"No."
tián xiǎo jiàn sì hū yě fā xiàn le ， yǎn móu zhōng tóng yàng yǒu yī dào yì máng shǎn guò 。
田小剑似乎也发现了，眼眸中同样有一道异芒闪过。
Lin Xuan and Tian Xiaojian agreed immediately; Pavilion of Hope nodded as well. Though they all knew this temporary alliance was just for the moment, it was beneficial to everyone now. The five Core Formation Period cultivators wouldn’t be asked for their opinions.
However, Lin Xuan had no objections. The cultivation world was inherently harsh; the weak were prey to the strong, and that was perfectly normal. Even if the King of Ten Thousand Serpents didn't say anything, he would have done the same.
Thus, a temporary alliance was formed.
The group wasn’t small in number but each member harbored ulterior motives. The five Core Formation Period cultivators were the most unlucky; they silently cursed their fate, knowing all too well how dire their situation was.
Facing three late-stage Elders, they could only grit their teeth and accept it.
They should have known better than to seek treasures at the Netherworld Gate, but neither secular nor cultivation worlds offered any regrets.
The禁空禁制 here was terrifying, yet the lightness technique still wasn't restricted. Hence, the three moved with incredible speed. About a meal's time had passed.
Suddenly, the King of Ten Thousand Serpents slowed down and stopped. "What’s wrong? Fellow Daoist, did you find something amiss?"
Although Lin Xuan's divine sense far exceeded that of his peers, it was still slightly inferior to these late-stage monsters.
"Ah, there's an old acquaintance ahead."
The King of Ten Thousand Serpents' expression turned serious; he hadn't expected to run into the Pavilion of Hope here.
Though they didn’t have a deep-seated grudge, having crossed swords before, their relationship was far from harmonious. Now, on this narrow path...
The King of Ten Thousand Serpents felt uneasy but kept his face neutral: "Let’s go!"
No matter what, he couldn't abandon the treasures.
Meanwhile, the wide jade steps were surging with demonic energy, and the fluctuations in primordial energy were intense. The Pavilion of Hope and the ancient Huigu worked together, but the number of ghost soldiers far exceeded their expectations, giving a sense that they could never defeat them all.
"Hey?"
An unusual expression flashed across the Pavilion of Hope's eyes; the ancient demon’s reaction was similar.
"Somebody is coming."
Indeed, there were eight people, three of whom were at the Separation Stage. Pavilion of Hope, do you know any of them?
The ancient demon slowly spoke with a serious look on his face. The strength of this group couldn't be underestimated; it added more uncertainty to their search for treasures.
"King of Ten Thousand Serpents, the top expert in the beast race, at the Separation Stage late."
"Oh, how does your strength compare to mine?"
The ancient demon's eyes gleamed as he asked.
"About the same."
Pavilion of Hope remained calm. Of course, this was a lie, but their alliance was based on ulterior motives; neither would reveal the truth.
While they conversed, their hands were busy casting various spells with wide-ranging destructive effects. The ghost soldiers fell one after another, but these creatures, being monsters crafted through spells, knew no fear and continued to charge at them without hesitation.
This provided some hindrance for the two, though it posed no real threat.
Thus, King of Iron's goal was achieved.
Time passed quickly; since they already knew hiding wouldn't work, Lin Xuan’s group decided not to use any concealment techniques. After about a cup of tea, both sides met on this narrow path.
Lin Xuan’s pupils narrowed as he saw the Separation Stage cultivator beside him—apparently it was Huigu. The aura felt familiar but he couldn’t place where he had seen it before.
In the Twelve States of the Sky Clouds, there were few Core Formation Period cultivators; late-stage ones were even rarer, like phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.
The identity of the other party was clear: Pavilion of Hope!
This legendary first expert of the Twelve States of the Sky Clouds didn’t seem as flamboyant as the King of Ten Thousand Serpents. Though he was now acting, his strength still seemed shrouded in a mist, making it hard to discern.
As for Huigu, although he was only at an early stage, something about him gave Lin Xuan a strong sense of danger—something not even encountered during the Soul Splitting.
Though Lin Xuan’s face remained calm, he began to secretly guard himself.
Was this Huigu anything more than just a low-level ancient demon? Could it be that his soul was split from a high-ranking existence in the Demon Realm?
If they had met at another time, all wanting the treasures on top of the mountain, a fight would have been inevitable.
But now, someone else had already taken the lead. Fighting here would be extremely foolish.
Lin Xuan’s thoughts raced as the King of Ten Thousand Serpents roared in anger: "Pavilion of Hope, what is your intention? As a human cultivator, you’re teaming up with demons to seek treasures—do you want to ascend to the Demon Realm?"
"You wish," Pavilion of Hope responded coolly. His demeanor was impressive.
"Me!" The King of Ten Thousand Serpents was furious but dared not provoke him; it wasn’t the right time and attacking would only be self-destructive.
"We all came here for treasures—human, beast, or our Holy Clan. What past grievances matter? If I’m not mistaken, the demons and ghosts from the Netherworld have already reached the top of the mountain. Fellow Daoist, if you want a share of the treasure, team up with us to eliminate these ghost soldiers. If you insist on your grudges against our Holy Clan, I won’t say anything," the ancient demon’s voice rang out.
"Hmph, what are you, daring to speak to me like this? Just an early-stage Separation Daoist..."
"Early stage or not, your two fellow Daoists behind you are also at that stage. Will you let the treasures be taken by demons and ghosts from the Netherworld?"
"Per…," The King of Ten Thousand Serpents’ face fluctuated.
Lin Xuan couldn’t help but feel surprised; the King of Ten Thousand Serpents was an old veteran who had lived for tens of thousands of years, a formidable figure. He had just proposed putting aside their grudges to get the treasures, so...
Could there be some unknown deep-seated enmity between him and the ancient demon?
Though it was only speculation, Lin Xuan kept his guard up; this might prove useful if they turned on each other.
This was the most encounters with high-ranking cultivators since he entered the immortal path. Even with Yue'er by his side, he still felt some trepidation.
Fighting was a last resort; strategy was equally important.
Tian Xiaojian seemed to notice as well, his eyes flashing with an unusual light.
However, Pavilion of Hope stood with his hands behind his back, looking relaxed as if the scene before him had nothing to do with him.
"Alright, Fellow Daoist, your point is valid; I naturally wouldn’t want the treasures to be taken by demons and ghosts from the Netherworld. Let’s team up," after several changes in expression, the King of Ten Thousand Serpents finally calmed his anger.
"Hmm, that's a wise choice. Do the other fellow Daoists have any objections?"
"No."
Lin Xuan and Tian Xiaojian agreed immediately; Pavilion of Hope nodded as well. Though they all knew this temporary alliance was just for the moment, it was beneficial to everyone now. The five Core Formation Period cultivators wouldn’t be asked for their opinions.