nán dào shuō ， zhè xiē fán rén ， jiù shì hòu lái de hǎi zú ？” lín xuān ruò yǒu suǒ sī de kāi kǒu le 。
难道说，这些凡人，就是后来的海族？”林轩若有所思的开口了。
Could these ordinary humans be the descendants of the Sea Clan?" Lin Xuan mused aloud.
“ qián bèi guǒ rán cōng míng ， yì diǎn jiù tòu ， bù cuò ， zuì chū zhǐ shì ān zhì zhè xiē fán rén ér yǐ ， ràng tā men zài hǎi dǐ de xiān chéng huó xià qù ， kě suí zhe shí jiān de tuī yí ， shàng bǎi wàn nián guò qù ， zhè xiē fán rén què màn màn de jìn huà ， wǒ men lù dì de fán rén zài hǎi dǐ huì yān sǐ ， kě tā men bù tóng ， zhú jiàn shì yìng le dà hǎi lǐ de huán jìng ， néng gòu zài hǎi lǐ zì * yóu de yóu yì ， xiàng yú xiā yī yàng de hū xī ， bù zhī dào cóng shén me shí hòu qǐ ， tā men bù zài chéng rèn zì jǐ shì rén lèi ， ér shì yǐ hǎi zú chēng hū zì jǐ 。”
“前辈果然聪明，一点就透，不错，最初只是安置这些凡人而已，让他们在海底的仙城活下去，可随着时间的推移，上百万年过去，这些凡人却慢慢的进化，我们陆地的凡人在海底会淹死，可他们不同，逐渐适应了大海里的环境，能够在海里自*由的游弋，像鱼虾一样的呼吸，不知道从什么时候起，他们不再承认自己是人类，而是以海族称呼自己。”
"Senior, you are indeed wise. You understood at once. Yes, initially, we merely placed them here to survive in the undersea city. But over millions of years, they gradually evolved. Humans on land would drown in water, but these people adapted and could freely swim like fish or shrimp, breathing underwater. They stopped considering themselves human and began calling themselves Sea Clan members."
“ ó ， nà nǐ men xiū xiān zhě bù guǎn me ？” lín xuān huǎn huǎn de shuō ， qí shí tā xīn zhōng yǐ jīng cāi dào le jié guǒ 。
“哦，那你们修仙者不管么？”林轩缓缓的说，其实他心中已经猜到了结果。
"Oh, so you cultivators didn't interfere?" Lin Xuan said slowly, already guessing the outcome.
“ guǎn ， wǒ men dāng rán xiǎng guǎn de 。” lǎo zhě liǎn shàng què lù chū kǔ xiào zhī sè ：“ kě nà shí hòu ， hǎi zú yǐ yǔ yì fēng mǎn ， tuō lí le wǒ men de kòng zhì ， yīn wèi shàng bǎi wàn nián guò qù ， zài nà xiē hǎi zú zhī zhōng ， yě dàn shēng le xǔ duō xiàng wǒ men yī yàng de xiū shì ， hǎi zú zì jǐ de xiū shì ， ér qiě tā men de gāo wèi cún zài ， bìng bù xùn sè yú wǒ men shēng huó zài lù dì shàng de rén zú ， jù shuō dāng shí ， shuāng fāng hái bào fā le yī cháng dà zhàn ， chéng bǎi shàng qiān wàn de fán rén zhàn shì ， zài hǎi miàn shàng sī shā ， ér wǒ men shuāng fāng de xiū xiān zhě ， zé zài tiān kōng zhōng dòu fǎ ， xuè liú chéng hé ， shèn zhì bù shǎo hǎi yù ， dōu bèi rǎn chéng le hóng sè ， dà zhàn qián hòu chí xù le shàng bǎi nián ， wǒ men suī rán zhàn dào le yì diǎn shàng fēng ， dàn hǎi zú què shí yǔ yì fēng mǎn ， zhè yàng dǎ xià qù ， zuì hòu zhǐ néng shì liǎng bài jù shāng ér yǐ ， fǎn dào shì ràng yāo zú jiǎn pián yí 。
“管，我们当然想管的。”老者脸上却露出苦笑之色：“可那时候，海族已羽翼丰满，脱离了我们的控制，因为上百万年过去，在那些海族之中，也诞生了许多像我们一样的修士，海族自己的修士，而且他们的高位存在，并不逊色于我们生活在陆地上的人族，据说当时，双方还爆发了一场大战，成百上千万的凡人战士，在海面上厮杀，而我们双方的修仙者，则在天空中斗法，血流成河，甚至不少海域，都被染成了红色，大战前后持续了上百年，我们虽然占到了一点上风，但海族确实羽翼丰满，这样打下去，最后只能是两败俱伤而已，反倒是让妖族捡便宜。
"We did try to manage them," the elder replied with a wry smile. "But by then, the Sea Clan had grown strong enough to break free from our control. Over millions of years, many of their own cultivators emerged. Their high-ranking members were no less powerful than ours on land. It's said that they even fought a war, with hundreds of thousands of ordinary warriors battling on the sea surface while we faced off in the sky. The blood flowed like rivers, and entire seas turned red. This conflict lasted for over a century before we gained an upper hand. However, their power was too great, leading to mutual destruction. In the end, it benefited the Demonic Clan.
“ yú shì shuāng fāng qiān dìng le méng yuē ， zuì hòu wǒ dōng hǎi ， jiù biàn chéng le sān zú dǐng lì 。”
“于是双方签订了盟约，最后我东海，就变成了三族鼎立。”
"So both sides signed an agreement, and here I am, part of the Three Clans."
“ yuán lái shì zhè me huí shì *……”
“原来是这么回事*……”
"Ah, that's how it is..."
lín xuān bù dòng shēng sè de diǎn diǎn tóu ， zhè xiē duì tā lái shuō ， bù guò shì zēng zhǎng jiàn shí ， fǎn zhèng zì jǐ yòu bú shì líng jiè běn tǔ de xiū xiān zhě ， yǔ suǒ wèi de hǎi zú ， gēn běn jiù tán bù shàng shén me lì yì chōng tū “ nà sān dà shì lì de guān xì rú hé ？”
林轩不动声色的点点头，这些对他来说，不过是增长见识，反正自己又不是灵界本土的修仙者，与所谓的海族，根本就谈不上什么利益冲突“那三大势力的关系如何？”
Lin Xuan nodded silently, finding this merely a source of knowledge. After all, he wasn't a native cultivator from the Spirit Realm, so there was no conflict of interest with the Sea Clan.
“ zhè ge bù hǎo shuō ， yǒu shí hé mù ， dàn yǒu shí hòu ， yě huì bào fā dà zhàn de ” guān jiàn shì kàn lì yì yǔ shí lì de duì bǐ ， bù guò wǒ men rén lèi yǔ hǎi zú ， rú jīn guān xì hái suàn bú cuò ， bì jìng fàng dào jǐ bǎi wàn nián qián ， yě yǒu xiāng tóng de zǔ xiān 。” lǎo zhě kǎn kǎn ér tán ” dào yě yīng le tā nà jù huà ， zhī wú bù yán 。
“这个不好说，有时和睦，但有时候，也会爆发大战的”关键是看利益与实力的对比，不过我们人类与海族，如今关系还算不错，毕竟放到几百万年前，也有相同的祖先。”老者侃侃而谈”倒也应了他那句话，知无不言。
"How do the three major forces get along?"
“ ń *……” lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū mǎn yì zhī sè ， bù guò suí hòu yòu qīng xiào qǐ lái le ， ráo yǒu xìng zhì de kàn le qián miàn de xiū shì yī yǎn ：“ gé xià zhēn de shì zhù jī qī me ， zěn me jiàn wén rú cǐ guǎng bó ……”
“嗯*……”林轩脸上露出满意之色，不过随后又轻笑起来了，饶有兴致的看了前面的修士一眼：“阁下真的是筑基期么，怎么见闻如此广博……”
"It’s hard to say. Sometimes they are peaceful, but other times, wars break out." It depends on their interests and power. However, our human-Sea Clan relations are still good considering we share a common ancestor millions of years ago," the elder continued confidently, as if he had no secrets.
dāng rán ， zuǐ shàng zhè yàng shuō ， guān yú duì fāng de xiū wèi ， lín xuān què bìng méi yǒu gǎn dào yí huò ， qū qū yī míng xiǎo xiū xiān zhě ， shì jué bù kě néng piàn guò zì jǐ shén shí de 。
当然，嘴上这样说，关于对方的修为，林轩却并没有感到疑惑，区区一名小修仙者，是绝不可能骗过自己神识的。
"Hmm..." Lin Xuan smiled in satisfaction before chuckling. He looked at the cultivator with interest: "Sir, you really are a Foundation Establishment stage? How can your knowledge be so extensive..."
“ zhè ge …*……” lǎo zhě què bù hǎo yì sī de náo le náo tóu ， suí hòu liǎn shàng lù chū yī fù luò jì zhī sè ：“ bù mán qián bèi ， xiǎo lǎo ér qí shí chū shēng yú yī bù xiǎo de xiū xiān jiā zú ， ér qiě běn shēn de zī zhì hái hěn bú cuò ， jù dāng shí shū zǔ shuō ， wǒ rú guǒ kěn nǔ lì ， zài jiā shàng yī xiē jī yuán qiǎo hé ” níng jié yuán yīng yě shì dà yǒu kě néng de ， suǒ yǐ cóng yī kāi shǐ ， wǒ jiù bèi dàng chéng jīng yīng dì zǐ …*……”
“这个…*……”老者却不好意思的挠了挠头，随后脸上露出一副落寂之色：“不瞒前辈，小老儿其实出生于一不小的修仙家族，而且本身的资质还很不错，据当时叔祖说，我如果肯努力，再加上一些机缘巧合”凝结元婴也是大有可能的，所以从一开始，我就被当成精英弟子…*……”
Of course, while he said this, Lin Xuan wasn't skeptical about his opponent's cultivation level; a mere low-ranking cultivator couldn't deceive him.
“ nà nǐ wèi hé ？” lín xuān rěn bú zhù chā kǒu le 。
“那你为何？”林轩忍不住插口了。
"Ah...," the elder scratched his head awkwardly. His face showed a sense of desolation: "To be honest, I was born into a small but talented cultivator family. My great-uncle said that with effort and some good fortune, I could even condense an essence core. So from the start, I was considered a promising disciple..."
“ āi ， yī qiè dōu shì xiǎo lǎo ér zì jǐ zào chéng de ， sú huà shuō ， xìng gé jué dìng mìng yùn ， nà shí hòu de wǒ ， suī rán zī zhì bù cuò ， kě duì yú xiān dào ， què yì diǎn xìng qù yě wú ， fǎn ér shì xǐ huān bó lǎn qún shū ， suǒ yǐ lùn jiàn wén guǎng bó ， xiǎo lǎo ér zì wèn bú huì bǐ xǔ duō gāo jiē xiū shì xùn sè ， kě rú cǐ yī lái ， wǒ yě dān wù le zì jǐ de xiū xíng ” zuì zhōng yóu jīng yīng dì zǐ ， lún wèi le jiā zú lǐ de fèi wù ， hòu lái wǒ yí qì zhī xià ， gān cuì zuò le sàn xiū 。“”
“唉，一切都是小老儿自己造成的，俗话说，性格决定命运，那时候的我，虽然资质不错，可对于仙道，却一点兴趣也无，反而是喜欢博览群书，所以论见闻广博，小老儿自问不会比许多高阶修士逊色，可如此一来，我也耽误了自己的修行”最终由精英弟子，沦为了家族里的废物，后来我一气之下，干脆做了散修。“”
"Why then?" Lin Xuan interrupted.
“ shì ma ， kě wǒ kàn gé xià ， shā yāo qǔ dān tǐng jī jí de a ！”
“是吗，可我看阁下，杀妖取丹挺积极的啊！”
"Sigh, it's all my own doing. As they say, character determines destiny. Back then, despite my talent, I had no interest in cultivation but loved reading extensively. My knowledge is on par with many high-ranking cultivators. However, this delayed my own cultivation. Eventually, I became a waste in the family and left to become an independent cultivator."
“ ràng qián bèi xiào huà le ， wǒ lí kāi jiā zú yǐ hòu ， dào yě hěn shì xiāo yáo le yī zhèn zi ， kě suì yuè bù ráo rén a ， xiǎo lǎo ér jīn nián ， yǐ jīng yì bǎi bā shí suì le ， suī rán xué le yī xiē yǎng shēng zhī shù ， dàn yě zuì duō zài huó èr 、 sān shí nián 。”
“让前辈笑话了，我离开家族以后，倒也很是逍遥了一阵子，可岁月不饶人啊，小老儿今年，已经一百八十岁了，虽然学了一些养生之术，但也最多再活二、三十年。”
"Is that so? But you seem quite proactive about killing demons for their essence pills!"
“ zhè me shuō ， nǐ shā yāo qǔ dān shì wèi le ……” lín xuān kàn le yī yǎn zhù jī hòu qī de lǎo zhě ， chén yín zhe shuō 。
“这么说，你杀妖取丹是为了……”林轩看了一眼筑基后期的老者，沉吟着说。
"I apologize if it offends Senior. After leaving the family, I enjoyed a carefree life for some time. Alas, time doesn't wait for anyone; at 180 years old, even with some longevity techniques, I can only expect to live another two or thirty years."
suī rán tā suǒ shèng de shòu yuán bù duō ， dàn lǐ lùn shàng ， yě shì kě néng mài rù níng dān qī le 。
虽然他所剩的寿元不多，但理论上，也是可能迈入凝丹期了。
"So you're killing demons and taking their essence pills to...?" Lin Xuan looked at the Foundation Establishment late-stage cultivator thoughtfully.
“ bù cuò ， wǎn bèi hái bù xiǎng sǐ de 。” lǎo zhě tàn le kǒu qì ， kě xī zì jǐ xǐng wù dé tài wǎn le yī xiē ， fǒu zé qǐ huì yǒu xiàn zài zhè yàng bēi cǎn de jié jú 。
“不错，晚辈还不想死的。”老者叹了口气，可惜自己醒悟得太晚了一些，否则岂会有现在这样悲惨的结局。
Although he had little time left, theoretically, he could still advance to the Condensation Core stage.
lín xuān diǎn diǎn tóu ， méi yǒu jì xù zài zhè ge huà tí shàng jiū chán xià qù ：“ zǒu ba ， xiàng zuǒ zhuǎn duò ， wǒ xiǎng kàn kàn nà xiē hǎi zú *……”
林轩点点头，没有继续在这个话题上纠缠下去：“走吧，像左转舵，我想看看那些海族*……”
"Correct. Junior doesn't want to die yet." The elder sighed, wishing he had realized this sooner. Otherwise, he wouldn't have ended up so tragically.
suī rán yě shì yóu rén lèi jìn huà ér chéng de ， dàn bì jìng xiàn zài zì chéng yī tǐ ， hǎi zú kěn dìng yě yǒu zì jǐ de xiū liàn tǐ xì ， lín xuān dào xiǎng kàn kàn tā men de xiū shì ， jiū jìng yòu shì shén me yàng zi 。
虽然也是由人类进化而成的，但毕竟现在自成一体，海族肯定也有自己的修炼体系，林轩倒想看看他们的修士，究竟又是什么样子。
Lin Xuan nodded and didn't delve further into the topic: "Let's go. We'll turn left. I'd like to see these Sea Clan members..."
“ qián bèi ， zhè bù tuǒ ， suī rán wǒ men yǔ hǎi zú guān xì hái suàn hé mù ， dàn jiù suàn rén lèi xiū shì zài wú rén zhī dì xiāng yù ， shā rén qiǎng bǎo yě shì hěn zhèng cháng dì ， zhè yàng mào mào rán guò qù ……”
“前辈，这不妥，虽然我们与海族关系还算和睦，但就算人类修士在无人之地相遇，杀人抢宝也是很正常地，这样冒冒然过去……”
Although they were humans who evolved, they now had their own distinct cultivation system. Lin Xuan wanted to observe what kind of cultivators the Sea Clan produced.
“ fàng xīn ， duì fāng yě jǐn shì zhù jī ， yǒu lǎo fū zài ， nán dào hái pà tā men chī le nǐ ， guò zé *……”
“放心，对方也仅是筑基，有老夫在，难道还怕他们吃了你，过责*……”
"Senior, this isn't proper. Even though we get along well with them, if human cultivators meet in an uninhabited area, killing and looting is perfectly normal. Going there without warning..."
lín xuān de shēng yīn ， dài shàng le jǐ fēn wēi yán zhī yì 。
林轩的声音，带上了几分威严之意。
"Don't worry. They're only Foundation Establishment stage. With me here, they won't dare harm you," Lin Xuan said with a hint of authority.
tīng shuō duì fāng yě shì zhù jī ， lǎo zhě sōng le kǒu qì ， suī rán hái shì bù yuàn jié wài shēng zhī ， dàn jiàn lín xuān tài dù jiān jué de yàng zi ， yě bù gǎn wéi le zhè wèi qián bèi de xīn yì ， fǒu zé tā fān shǒu jiù néng miè le zì jǐ ， zhǐ néng tàn le kǒu qì ， yī dào fǎ jué xiàng zhe zhōu wěi de kòng zhì fǎ pán dǎ le shàng qù 。
听说对方也是筑基，老者松了口气，虽然还是不愿节外生枝，但见林轩态度坚决的样子，也不敢违了这位前辈的心意，否则他翻手就能灭了自己，只能叹了口气，一道法诀向着舟尾的控制法盘打了上去。
Hearing that the other was also at the Foundation Establishment stage, the elder breathed a sigh of relief. Although he didn't want to cause trouble, seeing Lin Xuan's firm attitude, he dared not go against his senior's wishes. Otherwise, one gesture could destroy him. He sighed and cast a spell towards the control panel at the stern.
wū de yī shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， nà líng zhōu guāng huá yī shǎn ， guǒ rán diào zhuǎn le tóu ， xiàng zhe zuǒ yòu jī * shè ér qù 。
呜的一声传入耳朵，那灵舟光华一闪，果然调转了头，向着左右激*射而去。
A whistling sound entered his ears as the spirit boat's light flickered and turned left, rushing to their destination.
zhè líng zhōu de sù dù xiāng dāng yú níng dān zhōng qī de xiū xiān zhě ， bǎi yú lǐ de jù lí yě huā bù shàng duō shǎo gōng fu ， hěn kuài jiù dào le 。
这灵舟的速度相当于凝丹中期的修仙者，百余里的距离也huā不上多少工夫，很快就到了。
The speed of this spirit boat was equivalent to that of a Condensation Core cultivator; it wouldn't take long to cover the hundred miles. Soon they arrived.
zhǐ jiàn qián miàn líng guāng kuáng shǎn ， pī lǐ pā lā de bào liè shēng bù tíng chuán rù ěr biān ， suī rán dòu fǎ de wēi lì bù zhí yī tí ， dàn chǎng miàn shàng ， hái pǒ yǒu jǐ fēn zhuàng guān de yàng zi 。
只见前面灵光狂闪，噼里啪啦的爆裂声不停传入耳边，虽然斗法的威力不值一提，但场面上，还颇有几分壮观的样子。
Before them, lights flashed wildly with continuous cracking sounds. Although the battle's power was insignificant, there was still an impressive spectacle.
liǎng nán yī nǚ 。
两男一女。
Two men and one woman.
“ zhè jiù shì hǎi zú ？”
“这就是海族？”
"Are these the Sea Clan?"
lín xuān mù guāng zài tā men shēn shàng sǎo guò ， bō lán bù jīng de kāi kǒu le 。
林轩目光在他们身上扫过，波澜不惊的开口了。
Lin Xuan scanned their appearances without emotion. "Yes."
cóng dǎ bàn lái shuō ， tā men yǔ rén zú guǒ rán yǒu hěn dà bù tóng ， duǎn yī duǎn ǎo ， yī fú de fēng gé xiǎn de bǐ jiào jiǎn jié míng liàng 。
从打扮来说，他们与人族果然有很大不同，短衣短袄，衣服的风格显得比较简洁明亮。
From their attire, they indeed looked different from humans—short shirts and trousers, simple yet bright clothing.
cóng zhǎng xiàng lái shuō ， yě yǔ rén zú méi yǒu shén me bù tóng …… bù ， hái shì yǒu yī xiē jiǒng yì zhī chù ， tā men de yǎn jīng shì wèi lán sè 。
从长相来说，也与人族没有什么不同……不，还是有一些迥异之处，他们的眼睛是蔚蓝色。
Their appearance also resembled humans... but with some differences; their eyes were a vivid blue.
pí fū yuǎn bǐ pǔ tōng de rén lèi bái xī ， tè bié shì nà nǚ zǐ ， jiǎn zhí rú tóng xiàng yá yì bān de jīng zhì ， ér chú le yǎn jīng yǔ fū sè ， zài tā men de shǒu wàn yǔ jiǎo huái chù ， yǒu yī xiē mǔ zhǐ dà xiǎo ， yú lín yī yàng de dōng xī 。
皮肤远比普通的人类白皙，特别是那女子，简直如同象牙一般的精致，而除了眼睛与肤色，在他们的手腕与脚踝处，有一些拇指大小，鱼鳞一样的东西。
Their skin was far more pale than ordinary humans', especially the woman, who seemed as delicate as ivory. On their wrists and ankles, there were small, fish-scale-like protrusions about the size of thumbs.
bù guò hěn dàn ， hěn báo ， ér qiě bù duō ， kàn shàng qù bìng bù yǐng xiǎng měi guān ， fǎn ér bié yǒu yī gǔ yì zú de fēng qíng zài lǐ miàn 。
不过很淡，很薄，而且不多，看上去并不影响美观，反而别有一股异族的风情在里面。
They weren't visible gills or fins, yet Lin Xuan wondered how they could breathe underwater like fish.
bìng méi yǒu kàn jiàn sāi hé qí ， yě bù zhī dào tā men wèi hé néng zài hǎi lǐ rú tóng yú xiā yì bān de hū xī ， lín xuān xīn zhōng yǒu xiē hào qí 。
并没有看见鳃和鳍，也不知道他们为何能在海里如同鱼虾一般的呼吸，林轩心中有些好奇。
All three Sea Clan members were at the Foundation Establishment stage, lower than the elder beside him.
zhè sān míng hǎi zú de xiū wèi jiē shì zhù jī zhōng qī ， bǐ zì jǐ páng biān zhè míng lǎo zhě ， hái yào dī shàng yī xiàn de yàng zi 。
这三名海族的修为皆是筑基中期，比自己旁边这名老者，还要低上一线的样子。
This amused Lin Xuan; he had expected to be cautious in the Spirit Realm, but every cultivator he met was a low-rank one.
Could these ordinary humans be the descendants of the Sea Clan?" Lin Xuan mused aloud.
"Senior, you are indeed wise. You understood at once. Yes, initially, we merely placed them here to survive in the undersea city. But over millions of years, they gradually evolved. Humans on land would drown in water, but these people adapted and could freely swim like fish or shrimp, breathing underwater. They stopped considering themselves human and began calling themselves Sea Clan members."
"Oh, so you cultivators didn't interfere?" Lin Xuan said slowly, already guessing the outcome.
"We did try to manage them," the elder replied with a wry smile. "But by then, the Sea Clan had grown strong enough to break free from our control. Over millions of years, many of their own cultivators emerged. Their high-ranking members were no less powerful than ours on land. It's said that they even fought a war, with hundreds of thousands of ordinary warriors battling on the sea surface while we faced off in the sky. The blood flowed like rivers, and entire seas turned red. This conflict lasted for over a century before we gained an upper hand. However, their power was too great, leading to mutual destruction. In the end, it benefited the Demonic Clan.
"So both sides signed an agreement, and here I am, part of the Three Clans."
"Ah, that's how it is..."
Lin Xuan nodded silently, finding this merely a source of knowledge. After all, he wasn't a native cultivator from the Spirit Realm, so there was no conflict of interest with the Sea Clan.
"How do the three major forces get along?"
"It’s hard to say. Sometimes they are peaceful, but other times, wars break out." It depends on their interests and power. However, our human-Sea Clan relations are still good considering we share a common ancestor millions of years ago," the elder continued confidently, as if he had no secrets.
"Hmm..." Lin Xuan smiled in satisfaction before chuckling. He looked at the cultivator with interest: "Sir, you really are a Foundation Establishment stage? How can your knowledge be so extensive..."
Of course, while he said this, Lin Xuan wasn't skeptical about his opponent's cultivation level; a mere low-ranking cultivator couldn't deceive him.
"Ah...," the elder scratched his head awkwardly. His face showed a sense of desolation: "To be honest, I was born into a small but talented cultivator family. My great-uncle said that with effort and some good fortune, I could even condense an essence core. So from the start, I was considered a promising disciple..."
"Why then?" Lin Xuan interrupted.
"Sigh, it's all my own doing. As they say, character determines destiny. Back then, despite my talent, I had no interest in cultivation but loved reading extensively. My knowledge is on par with many high-ranking cultivators. However, this delayed my own cultivation. Eventually, I became a waste in the family and left to become an independent cultivator."
"Is that so? But you seem quite proactive about killing demons for their essence pills!"
"I apologize if it offends Senior. After leaving the family, I enjoyed a carefree life for some time. Alas, time doesn't wait for anyone; at 180 years old, even with some longevity techniques, I can only expect to live another two or thirty years."
"So you're killing demons and taking their essence pills to...?" Lin Xuan looked at the Foundation Establishment late-stage cultivator thoughtfully.
Although he had little time left, theoretically, he could still advance to the Condensation Core stage.
"Correct. Junior doesn't want to die yet." The elder sighed, wishing he had realized this sooner. Otherwise, he wouldn't have ended up so tragically.
Lin Xuan nodded and didn't delve further into the topic: "Let's go. We'll turn left. I'd like to see these Sea Clan members..."
Although they were humans who evolved, they now had their own distinct cultivation system. Lin Xuan wanted to observe what kind of cultivators the Sea Clan produced.
"Senior, this isn't proper. Even though we get along well with them, if human cultivators meet in an uninhabited area, killing and looting is perfectly normal. Going there without warning..."
"Don't worry. They're only Foundation Establishment stage. With me here, they won't dare harm you," Lin Xuan said with a hint of authority.
Hearing that the other was also at the Foundation Establishment stage, the elder breathed a sigh of relief. Although he didn't want to cause trouble, seeing Lin Xuan's firm attitude, he dared not go against his senior's wishes. Otherwise, one gesture could destroy him. He sighed and cast a spell towards the control panel at the stern.
A whistling sound entered his ears as the spirit boat's light flickered and turned left, rushing to their destination.
The speed of this spirit boat was equivalent to that of a Condensation Core cultivator; it wouldn't take long to cover the hundred miles. Soon they arrived.
Before them, lights flashed wildly with continuous cracking sounds. Although the battle's power was insignificant, there was still an impressive spectacle.
Two men and one woman.
"Are these the Sea Clan?"
Lin Xuan scanned their appearances without emotion. "Yes."
From their attire, they indeed looked different from humans—short shirts and trousers, simple yet bright clothing.
Their appearance also resembled humans... but with some differences; their eyes were a vivid blue.
Their skin was far more pale than ordinary humans', especially the woman, who seemed as delicate as ivory. On their wrists and ankles, there were small, fish-scale-like protrusions about the size of thumbs.
They weren't visible gills or fins, yet Lin Xuan wondered how they could breathe underwater like fish.
All three Sea Clan members were at the Foundation Establishment stage, lower than the elder beside him.
This amused Lin Xuan; he had expected to be cautious in the Spirit Realm, but every cultivator he met was a low-rank one.