“ qǐng jūn rù wèng ？” hóng yè xiān zi yīng chún wēi qǐ ， liǎn shàng de biǎo qíng dài zhe jǐ fēn yà yì 。
“请君入瓮？”红叶仙子樱唇微启，脸上的表情带着几分讶异。
"Trap the guest in his own pot?" Red Leaf Fairy's cherry lips slightly parted, a hint of surprise on her face.
lín xuān suī shì fēi shēng xiū shì ， dàn bì jìng zhǐ shì chū qī ér yǐ ， hǎo dà de kǒu qì ， tā zhè fèn zì xìn ， jiū jìng cóng nǎ lǐ lái dì ？
林轩虽是飞升修士，但毕竟只是初期而已，好大的口气，他这份自信，究竟从哪里来地？
Lin Xuan, though an ascended cultivator, was still at the initial stage. His boldness was quite impressive. Where did this confidence come from?
xīn zhōng yí huò ， bù guò yǐ cǐ nǚ wēn wǎn de xìng gé ， dào yě bù hǎo míng shuō 。
心中疑惑，不过以此女温婉的性格，倒也不好明说。
Though puzzled, Lin Xuan didn't want to directly express his thoughts with such a gentle woman's personality.
“ dà gē ， nǐ suǒ lǜ huò xǔ bù cuò ， dàn xiǎo mèi què dān xīn ， zhè yàng zuò ， huì bú huì nòng qiǎo chéng zhuō ， wàn yī duì fāng nǎo xiū chéng nù ， lái gōng dǎ wǒ hóng yè dǎo ne ？” cǐ nǚ yǒu diǎn dān xīn de shuō 。
“大哥，你所虑或许不错，但小妹却担心，这样做，会不会弄巧成拙，万一对方恼羞成怒，来攻打我红叶岛呢？”此女有点担心的说。
"Brother, your concerns might be correct, but Sister worries that doing so could backfire. If the other party gets angry and retaliates, wouldn’t they attack Red Leaf Island?" she said with some concern.
“ hē hē ， xiǎo mèi ” mí duō lǜ le ， nà wèi ān zhǎng lǎo fēn xī dé méi cuò ， suǒ wèi shā rén yī qiān ， zì sǔn bā bǎi ， yǔ wàn shòu dǎo xiāng bǐ ， wǒ men shǒu zhōng yōng yǒu de shì lì què shí yào ruò yī xiē ， dàn yě bìng bù rèn rén ná niē de ruǎn shì zi ， duì fāng jí biàn yě xīn bó bó ” dàn yě wàn bú huì zhè yàng mào shī de ， chēng jù jué le tā de wàng xiǎng ， shuāng fāng bì dìng jiāo wù ， dàn hái bú dào bīng róng xiāng jiàn de dì bù ， yīn wèi nà yàng zhí bù dé ……”
“呵呵，小妹”弥多虑了，那位安长老分析得没错，所谓杀人一千，自损八百，与万兽岛相比，我们手中拥有的势力确实要弱一些，但也并不任人拿捏的软柿子，对方即便野心勃勃”但也万不会这样冒失的，称拒绝了他的妄想，双方必定交恶，但还不到兵戎相见的地步，因为那样值不得……”
"Haha, little sister," he said, "you're overthinking it. Elder An's analysis was right. The saying goes: 'A thousand defenses against a thief are no defense against one from within.' Compared to the Ten Thousand Beast Island, our forces are indeed weaker, but not so soft that they can be easily manipulated. Even if their ambitions are great, they won't risk everything," Lin Xuan explained.
lín xuān qīng lěng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lǐ miàn dài zhe xiōng yǒu chéng zhú zhī sè 。
林轩清冷的声音传入耳朵，里面带着胸有成竹之色。
Time passed like water in cultivation. Since joining Red Leaf Island and becoming an external affairs elder, it had been over three months since he arrived in the Spirit Realm, making a full half year.
xiū xiān jiè ， xiōng xiǎn wú bǐ ， bù guò shuǎ xīn jī ， lín xuān zǎo yǐ shì qīng chē shú lù yǐ jí 。
修仙界，凶险无比，不过耍心机，林轩早已是轻车熟路以极。
During this time, he mostly stayed secluded in his cave dwelling, rarely venturing out except for occasional visits from fellow cultivators such as Guo Ru and Wu Ziming.
“ rú guǒ wǒ shì wàn shòu zūn zhě ， zài bèi nǐ jù jué zhī hòu ， bào tiào rú léi shì kěn dìng de ， dàn wǒ què bú huì dà zhāng qí gǔ de bào fù ， ér shì ……”
“如果我是万兽尊者，在被你拒绝之后，暴跳如雷是肯定的，但我却不会大张旗鼓的报复，而是……”
The island was divided into factions, with both sides trying to draw him into their camp. Even an early-stage Core Formation cultivator was not something to be underestimated.
“ rú hé ？” hóng yè xiān zi yǒu diǎn jǐn zhāng le 。
“如何？”红叶仙子有点紧张了。
However, this Lin elder seemed more focused on rigorous cultivation. He showed no interest in either side's attempts at persuasion.
“ xiàng yī gè dú shé ， děng dài hé shì de shí jī ， bǐ rú shuō mí dān dú wài chū ， shēn biān rén shǒu bù zú ……”
“像一各毒蛇，等待合适的时机，比如说弥单独外出，身边人手不足……”
He joined the Red Leaf Island simply to find a place of support. The island had sent him on two minor missions, which he completed without any notable success or failure.
hòu miàn de huà lín xuān bù yòng duō shuō ， hóng yè xiān zi zhǐ shì jīng yàn qiǎn bó ， bìng bú shì shǎ nǚ hái de 。
后面的话林轩不用多说，红叶仙子只是经验浅薄，并不是傻女孩的。
In summary, his actions were quite ordinary, much like an average cultivator pursuing the illusory path of the Heavenly Dao.
suǒ wèi shè rén xiān shè mǎ ， qín zéi xiān qín wáng ， yǐ wàn shòu zūn zhě de shén tōng ， zhǐ yào tā lí kāi chéng zhǔ fǔ ， bù nán jiāng qí zhuō zhù 。
所谓射人先射马，擒贼先擒王，以万兽尊者的神通，只要她离开城主府，不难将其捉住。
While luck had allowed him to successfully form a Core Formation, his performance was unremarkable. As such, both those led by Red Leaf Fairy and Wu Ziming quickly forgot about him.
dào shí hòu wēn xiāng ruǎn yù zài shǒu ， hái kě yǐ xié tiān zǐ yǐ lìng zhū hóu ， suī rán yào duō fèi yī fān zhōu zhé ， dàn jiāng shān měi rén ， zuì hòu hái shì huì luò yú tā de shǒu zhōng 。
到时候温香软玉在手，还可以挟天子以令诸侯，虽然要多费一番周折，但江山美人，最后还是会落于他的手中。
An early-stage Core Formation cultivator might be formidable in battle, but there wasn't much reason to take them seriously.
ér xiǎng xiǎng zì jǐ jiē xià lái de xià chǎng ， hóng yè xiān zi bù yóu de jiāo qū wēi chàn ， xīn zhōng dǎn hán 。
而想想自己接下来的下场，红叶仙子不由得娇躯微颤，心中胆寒。
Lin Xuan seemed like an idle person lost among the masses.
“ xiǎo mèi mí bú yào wàng le ， wú zi míng yī huǒ jì rán shì chī zhòng pá wài zhī tú ， jiù suàn méi yǒu tóu kào wàn shòu zūn zhě ， yǔ qí àn tōng kuǎn qū zé shì yí dìng le ， sú huà shuō ， qiān fáng wàn fáng ， jiā zéi nán fáng ， yǒu tā men zuò wèi nèi yìng ， wàn shòu xiǎng yào liǎo jiě mí de xíng zōng ， kě yǐ shuō sī háo nán dù yě wú ， qīng ér yì jǔ dào le jí chù 。”
“小妹弥不要忘了，吴子明一伙既然是吃重爬外之徒，就算没有投靠万兽尊者，与其暗通款曲则是一定了，俗话说，千防万防，家贼难防，有他们做为内应，万兽想要了解弥的行踪，可以说丝毫难度也无，轻而易举到了极处。”
Three months passed, a short time that felt like an instant. Lin Xuan spent his days in his cave dwelling while Red Leaf Island saw significant changes.
“ nà xiǎo mèi yīng gāi zěn me bàn ne ？”
“那小妹应该怎么办呢？”
Initially, Red Leaf Fairy had been wary of the powerful Ten Thousand Beast Island, but she dared not openly offend them. Her initial reluctance to marry into their family was just an excuse to stall.
hóng yè xiān zi de shēng yīn zhōng ， duō le jǐ fēn chǔ chǔ kě lián zhī sè ， tā wàn wàn bù céng xiǎng ， jú shì yǐ jīng è huà dào le zhè zhòng dì bù 。
红叶仙子的声音中，多了几分楚楚可怜之色，她万万不曾想，局势已经恶化到了这种地步。
The Ten Thousand Beast Island hadn't pushed too hard either; they understood that rushing things could backfire. The ambitious Elder Ten Thousand Beasts sought a gradual approach, slowly eroding the island's defenses until he could claim both its territory and its beauty.
“ hěn jiǎn dān ， jiāng jì jiù jì ， wàn shòu xiǎng yào zhuō zhù chēng ， zhè hé cháng bú shì wǒ men miè shā tā de hǎo shí jī 。”
“很简单，将计就计，万兽想要捉住称，这何尝不是我们灭杀他的好时机。”
Everything seemed to be going smoothly until Red Leaf Fairy suddenly hardened her stance. She firmly rejected the marriage proposal, calling it asinine for an amphibian to dream of swan flesh.
lín xuān zuǐ jiǎo biān lù chū yī sī xiào yì ， huàn zuò yǐ qián ， hóng yè dǎo de xíng shì ， què shí wēi jī ， kě rú jīn duō le zì jǐ ， zhè liè rén yǔ liè wù de jué sè ， shuō bù dìng jiù yào chóng xīn duì diào yī fān le 。
林轩嘴角边露出一丝笑意，换做以前，红叶岛的形势，确实危机，可如今多了自己，这猎人与猎物的角色，说不定就要重新对调一番了。
As the head of the island, Elder Ten Thousand Beasts was a proud figure who couldn't tolerate such insults. Moreover, this incident somehow became public knowledge, turning him into a laughingstock in the markets and taverns. Even within his own sphere of influence, many cultivators discussed it.
shí guāng rú shuǐ ， xiū xiān gèng shì méi yǒu suì yuè 。
时光如水，修仙更是没有岁月。
Elder Ten Thousand Beasts was furious but restrained himself from immediately mobilizing an attack on Red Leaf Island. He understood that patience was key; while his old comrade Gu Mu was gone, Red Leaf Island's long-term development had created a formidable defense.
lín xuān jiā rù hóng yè dǎo ， chéng wéi wài shì zhǎng lǎo ， yòu guò qù le sān yuè yǒu yú ， suàn suàn tā dào líng jiè ， yǐ zú zú yǒu bàn nián de yàng zi 。
林轩加入红叶岛，成为外事长老，又过去了三月有余，算算他到灵界，已足足有半年的样子。
Even if there were traitors within the island, they wouldn't easily fall to an assault. Wu Ziming and his ilk were known for their opportunism, making them unreliable allies at best.
zhè xiē shí rì ， tā yí xiàng shēn jū qiǎn chū ， dà bù fèn shí jiān dōu dài zài zì jǐ de dòng fǔ 。
这些时日，他一向深居浅出，大部分时间都待在自己的洞府。
After weighing the pros and cons, Elder Ten Thousand Beasts decided not to launch a direct attack just yet. Red Leaf Fairy's stubbornness would eventually bring her down...
zhè qí jiān ， dào yě yǒu bù shǎo yuán yīng qī de tóng dào lái bài fǎng guò ， bāo kuò guō rú yǐ jí wú zi míng děng zhòng liàng jí rén wù 。
这其间，倒也有不少元婴期的同道来拜访过，包括郭儒以及吴子明等重量级人物。
This incident shook the entire Red Leaf Island, creating an atmosphere of tension. The number of visiting cultivators decreased, affecting local businesses as well. However, this wasn't Lin Xuan's concern; he was merely an external affairs elder.
shéi dōu zhī dào ， rú jīn de hóng yè dǎo kàn shì hé mù ” qí shí shì pài xì cóng shēng de 。
谁都知道，如今的红叶岛看似和睦”其实是派系丛生的。
March 3rd marked exactly one hundred days since Lin Xuan arrived in Lianhai City. He received a summons for the memorial service on that day—three years had passed since Elder Gu Mu's death.
shuāng fāng de dào lái ， xiǎn rán dōu shì yào lā tā rù huǒ 。
双方的到来，显然都是要拉他入伙。
Red Leaf Fairy, known for her filial piety, would attend to honor her grandfather. The peculiar thing was that while Gu Mu was the island's leader, his grave wasn't on Red Leaf Island but ten million miles away in a desolate island called Jiang.
bì jìng jiù suàn shì yī míng yuán yīng chū qī de xiū xiān zhě ” yě shì bù róng xiǎo kàn de 。
毕竟就算是一名元婴初期的修仙者”也是不容小看的。
Lin Xuan received the summons and stopped meditating, transforming into a streak of light to reach the designated location.
rán ér zhè wèi lín xìng zhǎng lǎo ， què sì hū shì yī wèi kǔ xiū zhī shì ， duì yú shuāng fāng de lā lǒng ， méi yǒu rèn hé biǎo shì 。
然而这位林姓长老，却似乎是一位苦修之士，对于双方的拉拢，没有任何表示。
Several ancient warships were already moored at the beach. The smallest was over 100 meters long, while the largest stretched for more than 700 meters—enormous vessels that dwarfed humans.
gēn běn jiù bù gǎn xìng qù ！
根本就不感兴趣！
The ships' hulls gleamed darkly, with numerous gun turrets protruding from both sides. Each turret was two meters long and far more powerful than Crystal Power Cannons.
tā jiā rù hóng yè dǎo ， sì hū dān chún de zhǐ shì xiǎng yào zhǎo yī shì lì qǐ kào 。
他加入红叶岛，似乎单纯的只是想要找一势力绮靠。
Despite the disparity in cultivation realms, human-made weapons were still formidable tools for conquest.
zhè qí jiān ， dǎo shàng yě pài tā chū le liǎng cì rèn wù ， dōu shì bù tài zhòng yào ， yě bù tài nán de nà zhǒng 。
这其间，岛上也派他出了两次任务，都是不太重要，也不太难的那种。
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow but remained silent as he landed on a barren hill overlooking the beach.
bì jìng duì yú tā zhè zhǒng jiā rù méi duō jiǔ de wài xìng zhǎng lǎo ， hóng yè dǎo gāo céng ， yě bù kě néng zhòng yòng xìn rèn 。
毕竟对于他这种加入没多久的外姓长老，红叶岛高层，也不可能重用信任。
Thousands of cultivators had gathered here, some sitting or standing quietly without any noise. They looked disciplined, like organized soldiers rather than the chaotic groups seen in ordinary sects and families.
rán ér nà wèi lín zhǎng lǎo gēn běn jiù bù zài hū ， dài lǐng zhǐ pài ér lái de xiū xiān zhě ， zhōng guī zhōng jǔ de wán chéng le rèn wù 。
然而那位林长老根本就不在乎，带领指派而来的修仙者，中规中矩的完成了任务。
The reason was that in the Spirit Realm, especially in the Eastern Sea region, multiple factions coexisted with complex relationships. The islands were scattered, making conflicts common between adjacent territories.
jì méi yǒu chū cuò ， yě sī háo méi yǒu chū cǎi de biǎo xiàn shén me 。
既没有出错，也丝毫没有出彩的表现什么。
Discipline among these cultivators had improved due to their unique circumstances—each island's leader held significant power, akin to small kingdoms. This environment fostered a disciplined and cooperative spirit among the inhabitants.
zǒng zhī ruò yào yòng yí gè cí gài kuò ， jiù shì “ píng fán ”。
总之若要用一个词概括，就是“平凡”。
Lin Xuan didn't join the crowd but landed on an empty hill several miles from the beach. A dozen or so people were meditating or whispering nearby, all at high-stage Core Formation cultivators.
yī rú nà xiē pǔ tōng de xiū xiān zhě ， zhōng rì máng lù ， jǐn jǐn shì wèi nà xū wú piāo miǎo de tiān dào zhuī zhú 。
一如那些普通的修仙者，终日忙碌，仅仅是为那虚无缥缈的天道追逐。
For this memorial service, Red Leaf Island had brought out its elite forces—about a third of the island's top-tier cultivators.
cǐ rén zuì duō suàn shì yùn qì bù cuò ， níng jié yuán yīng chéng gōng ， kě nà yòu rú hé ， tā de biǎo xiàn ， gēn běn jiù sī háo méi yǒu kě quān kě diǎn zhī chù 。
此人最多算是运气不错，凝结元婴成功，可那又如何，他的表现，根本就丝毫没有可圈可点之处。
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"Trap the guest in his own pot?" Red Leaf Fairy's cherry lips slightly parted, a hint of surprise on her face.
Lin Xuan, though an ascended cultivator, was still at the initial stage. His boldness was quite impressive. Where did this confidence come from?
Though puzzled, Lin Xuan didn't want to directly express his thoughts with such a gentle woman's personality.
"Brother, your concerns might be correct, but Sister worries that doing so could backfire. If the other party gets angry and retaliates, wouldn’t they attack Red Leaf Island?" she said with some concern.
"Haha, little sister," he said, "you're overthinking it. Elder An's analysis was right. The saying goes: 'A thousand defenses against a thief are no defense against one from within.' Compared to the Ten Thousand Beast Island, our forces are indeed weaker, but not so soft that they can be easily manipulated. Even if their ambitions are great, they won't risk everything," Lin Xuan explained.
Time passed like water in cultivation. Since joining Red Leaf Island and becoming an external affairs elder, it had been over three months since he arrived in the Spirit Realm, making a full half year.
During this time, he mostly stayed secluded in his cave dwelling, rarely venturing out except for occasional visits from fellow cultivators such as Guo Ru and Wu Ziming.
The island was divided into factions, with both sides trying to draw him into their camp. Even an early-stage Core Formation cultivator was not something to be underestimated.
However, this Lin elder seemed more focused on rigorous cultivation. He showed no interest in either side's attempts at persuasion.
He joined the Red Leaf Island simply to find a place of support. The island had sent him on two minor missions, which he completed without any notable success or failure.
In summary, his actions were quite ordinary, much like an average cultivator pursuing the illusory path of the Heavenly Dao.
While luck had allowed him to successfully form a Core Formation, his performance was unremarkable. As such, both those led by Red Leaf Fairy and Wu Ziming quickly forgot about him.
An early-stage Core Formation cultivator might be formidable in battle, but there wasn't much reason to take them seriously.
Lin Xuan seemed like an idle person lost among the masses.
Three months passed, a short time that felt like an instant. Lin Xuan spent his days in his cave dwelling while Red Leaf Island saw significant changes.
Initially, Red Leaf Fairy had been wary of the powerful Ten Thousand Beast Island, but she dared not openly offend them. Her initial reluctance to marry into their family was just an excuse to stall.
The Ten Thousand Beast Island hadn't pushed too hard either; they understood that rushing things could backfire. The ambitious Elder Ten Thousand Beasts sought a gradual approach, slowly eroding the island's defenses until he could claim both its territory and its beauty.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly until Red Leaf Fairy suddenly hardened her stance. She firmly rejected the marriage proposal, calling it asinine for an amphibian to dream of swan flesh.
As the head of the island, Elder Ten Thousand Beasts was a proud figure who couldn't tolerate such insults. Moreover, this incident somehow became public knowledge, turning him into a laughingstock in the markets and taverns. Even within his own sphere of influence, many cultivators discussed it.
Elder Ten Thousand Beasts was furious but restrained himself from immediately mobilizing an attack on Red Leaf Island. He understood that patience was key; while his old comrade Gu Mu was gone, Red Leaf Island's long-term development had created a formidable defense.
Even if there were traitors within the island, they wouldn't easily fall to an assault. Wu Ziming and his ilk were known for their opportunism, making them unreliable allies at best.
After weighing the pros and cons, Elder Ten Thousand Beasts decided not to launch a direct attack just yet. Red Leaf Fairy's stubbornness would eventually bring her down...
This incident shook the entire Red Leaf Island, creating an atmosphere of tension. The number of visiting cultivators decreased, affecting local businesses as well. However, this wasn't Lin Xuan's concern; he was merely an external affairs elder.
March 3rd marked exactly one hundred days since Lin Xuan arrived in Lianhai City. He received a summons for the memorial service on that day—three years had passed since Elder Gu Mu's death.
Red Leaf Fairy, known for her filial piety, would attend to honor her grandfather. The peculiar thing was that while Gu Mu was the island's leader, his grave wasn't on Red Leaf Island but ten million miles away in a desolate island called Jiang.
Lin Xuan received the summons and stopped meditating, transforming into a streak of light to reach the designated location.
Several ancient warships were already moored at the beach. The smallest was over 100 meters long, while the largest stretched for more than 700 meters—enormous vessels that dwarfed humans.
The ships' hulls gleamed darkly, with numerous gun turrets protruding from both sides. Each turret was two meters long and far more powerful than Crystal Power Cannons.
Despite the disparity in cultivation realms, human-made weapons were still formidable tools for conquest.
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow but remained silent as he landed on a barren hill overlooking the beach.
Thousands of cultivators had gathered here, some sitting or standing quietly without any noise. They looked disciplined, like organized soldiers rather than the chaotic groups seen in ordinary sects and families.
The reason was that in the Spirit Realm, especially in the Eastern Sea region, multiple factions coexisted with complex relationships. The islands were scattered, making conflicts common between adjacent territories.
Discipline among these cultivators had improved due to their unique circumstances—each island's leader held significant power, akin to small kingdoms. This environment fostered a disciplined and cooperative spirit among the inhabitants.
Lin Xuan didn't join the crowd but landed on an empty hill several miles from the beach. A dozen or so people were meditating or whispering nearby, all at high-stage Core Formation cultivators.
For this memorial service, Red Leaf Island had brought out its elite forces—about a third of the island's top-tier cultivators.
Thank you to everyone who posted in the comments section! I appreciate your support. Please continue to share any feedback or suggestions. I really need the support today. Please consider voting for me on Monday. Thank you all, and please vote if you can!