zhè yù tóng jiǎn ， biǎo miàn bo kàn ， què shí zhǐ shì yī fù bù zōng zhěng de dì tú ， dàn lín xuān zài chén rù shén shí de chà nà jiān ， hái qiǎo rán shǐ yòng le tiān fèng shén mù ， pèi hé fó mén de tiān yǎn tōng mì shù ， jié guǒ jiù kàn jiàn le yī xíng xiǎo zì 。
这玉瞳简，表面卜看，确实只是一副不宗整的地图，但林轩在沉入神识的刹那间，还悄然使用了天凤神目，配合佛门的天眼通秘术，结果就看见了一行小字。
This jade-tipped scroll, at first glance, appeared to be just a fragmented map. But as Lin Xuan delved into his divine consciousness, he subtly employed the Heavenly Phoenix Divine Eye technique, complemented by the Buddhist sect's Heavenly Eye Profundity secret art. As a result, he discerned some small words.
mó hú yǐ jí ， jí shǐ zài liǎng céng mì shù de dié jiā xià yě bù guò qiān qiǎng biàn shí 。
模糊以极，即使在两层秘术的叠加下也不过牵强辨识。
These words were extremely blurry; even with the叠加 of two secret arts, they could only be vaguely identified.
rán ér lǐ miàn bāo hán de xìn xī què lìng rén dèng mù ， yí jì zhī hǎi wǔ céng dì tú 。
然而里面包含的信息却令人瞪目，遗迹之海五层地图。
However, the information contained within was astonishing. It revealed the fifth layer map of the Ruins Sea.
ruò bú shì lín xuān xīn jī gòu shēn ， dōu chà diǎn lù chū le yì sè 。
若不是林轩心机够深，都差点露出了异色。
If Lin Xuan hadn't been deep enough in scheming, his eyes would have betrayed a hint of surprise. He wasn't new to this place; he had spent two hundred years in Jiuxian City. How could he not have heard about the legends surrounding the Ruins Sea?
tā yǐ fēi chū dào guì dì de xiū xiān ， zài jiǔ xiān chéng dài le liǎng bǎi nián zhī jiǔ ， yí jì zhī hǎi de zhǒng zhǒng chuán shuō ， yòu zěn me kě néng méi yǒu tīng shuō guò 。
他已非初到贵地的修仙，在九仙城待了两百年之久，遗迹之海的种种传说，又怎么可能没有听说过。
That was an ancient battlefield where Immortal Fugitives and Heavenly Fiend Sovereigns' armies once fought desperately, leaving behind countless treasures. The deeper one went, the more treasures were found. But no one knew what lay in the fifth layer; for a million years, no one had ever returned alive from within.
nà shì shàng gǔ zhàn chǎng , sàn xiān yǔ tiān shā míng wáng de jūn duì céng zài zhè lǐ shū sǐ xiāng bó ， yí liú xià bǎo wù wú shù ， ér qiě yuè shì shēn rù ， bǎo wù yuè duō ， kě dì wǔ céng ， qíng kuàng rú hé ， què méi yǒu rén qīng chǔ ， yīn wèi bǎi wàn nián lái ， cóng bù céng yǒu rén cóng lǐ miàn huó zhe huí lái lóu
那是上古战场,散仙与天煞明王的军队曾在这里殊死相搏，遗留下宝物无数，而且越是深入，宝物越多，可第五层，情况如何，却没有人清楚，因为百万年来，从不曾有人从里面活着回来娄
Yet here was the map of the fifth layer. Could it be that senior members of Danyue Sect had once ventured there...
kě zhè lǐ ， què chū xiàn le dì wǔ céng de dì tú ， nán dào dān yuè zōng de qián bèi ， céng jīng qù nà lǐ tàn xiǎn guò ……
可这里，却出现了第五层的地图，难道丹月宗的前辈，曾经去那里探险过……
Although this map appeared incomplete, if the speculation was true, its value would be incalculable—far beyond what a mere ancient treasure could offer.
suī rán zhè dì tú yī kàn jiù shì bù wán zhěng zhī wù ， dàn rú guǒ tuī cè shì zhēn de ， qí tōu zhí yī jiù nán yǐ gū shù ， yuǎn bú shì yī jiàn xiǎo xiǎo de gǔ bǎo kě yǐ bǐ nǐ de 。
虽然这地图一看就是不完整之物，但如果推测是真的，其偷值依旧难以估数，远不是一件小小的古宝可以比拟的。
With a clever plan, Lin Xuan secured this treasure without revealing any trace of his intentions. Six hundred years of acting came naturally to him.
qiǎo shī miào jì ， lín xuān jiāng cǐ bǎo qǔ zài le shǒu lǐ ， biǎo miàn shàng ， què fēn háo yì sè bù lù ， liù bǎi nián fēng fēng yǔ yǔ ， yǎn xì ， duì lín xuān lái shuō ， běn jiù jià qīng jiù shú 。
巧施妙计，林轩将此宝取在了手里，表面上，却分毫异色不露，六百年风风雨雨，演戏，对林轩来说，本就驾轻就熟。
"Let's go," Golden Stream Master's voice echoed in his ears. This time, no one objected; Lin Xuan had just spoken the truth.
“ zǒu ba ， wǒ men jì xù tóu suǒ qí tā de jiàn zhù 。,
“走吧，我们继续投索其他的建筑。,
However, their luck didn't hold for long. Each room yielded some收获, but those elixirs and treasures were only suitable for Core Formation cultivators.
jīn hóng dà shī de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr lǐ ， zhè yī huí ， zài méi yǒu rén yǒu yì yì ， lín xuān gāng cái kě shì yī yǔ chéng chèn 。
金泓大师的声音传入耳里，这一回，再没有人有异议，林轩刚才可是一语成谶。
They found them tasteless yet regrettable to discard. For them, these items were merely a waste of space.
rán ér jiē xià lái ， què méi yǒu hǎo yùn qì ， měi jiān wū zi ， duō shǎo dōu yǒu yī xiē shōu huò ， dàn nà xiē dān yào yǔ bǎo wù jǐn jǐn shì hé níng dān qī xiū xiān 。
然而接下来，却没有好运气，每间屋子，多少都有一些收获，但那些丹药与宝物仅仅适合凝丹期修仙。
The wastage was unacceptable; everything ended up in Lin Xuan's hands.
shí zhī wú wèi qì zhī wǎn xī ， duì tā men lái shuō ， bù guò shì jī lèi yī yàng de dōng xī 。
食之无味弃之惋惜，对他们来说，不过是鸡肋一样的东西。
The other four silently envied him, but their storage bags lacked the capacity. Besides, Lin Xuan had "lost" the Jade-tipped Scroll earlier, making them feel guilty and hesitant to argue about it further.
làng fèi shì bú duì dì ， quán bù luò zài le lín xuān de shǒu lǐ 。
浪费是不对地，全部落在了林轩的手里。
An hour passed as they searched through these low buildings, with Lin Xuan reaping a rich harvest while the others found nothing.
qí yú sì rén àn àn yǎn rè ， kě shuí ràng tā men chǔ wù dài de kōng jiān bù zú ， hé kuàng lín xuān gāng cái “ chī kuī ” ná le yù tóng jiǎn ， tā men xīn zhōng yǒu kuì ， zài zhè xiē xì jié shàng yě bù hǎo duō shuō 。
其余四人暗暗眼热，可谁让他们储物袋的空间不足，何况林轩刚才“吃亏”拿了玉瞳简，他们心中有愧，在这些细节上也不好多说。
Their faces showed signs of disappointment, but there was no point in complaining.
zhuǎn yǎn yí gè shí chén guò qù le ， zǒng suàn sōu suǒ wán le zhè xiē dī ǎi de jiàn zhù ， lín xuān zuàn de pén mǎn bō mǎn qí yú sì rén què zài méi yǒu shōu huò 。
转眼一个时辰过去了，总算搜索完了这些低矮的建筑，林轩赚得盆满钵满其余四人却再没有收获。
"Let's go. We'll explore other structures."
sì rén de liǎn shàng lù chū yù mèn zhī sè ， dàn yě méi yǒu hǎo bào yuàn de 。
四人的脸上露出郁闷之色，但也没有好抱怨的。
Meanwhile, approximately two thousand li southeast from here, at the unknown sea where Li Family cultivators had eliminated their enemies...
“ zǒu ba wǒ men qù qí tā de jiàn zhù 。,
“走吧我们去其他的建筑。,
The islands had sunk into the ocean; it was hard to see any battle scars on the surface. Sunlight bathed the vast expanse of water as various seabirds circled low overhead, occasionally diving for fish.
yǔ cǐ tóng shí ， jù cǐ dōng nán yuē liǎng qiān lǐ ， lǐ jiā xiū shì suǒ xiāo miè de nà piàn wèi zhī hǎi yù 。
与此同时，距此东南约两千里，李家修士所消灭的那片未知海域。
The atmosphere seemed serene, but suddenly, two light points appeared in the distance on the horizon.
dǎo yǔ yǐ jīng chén rù le hǎi lǐ ， zhì shǎo cóng biǎo miàn shàng ， yǐ jīng hěn nán kàn chū zhàn dòu de hén jì yáng guāng pǔ zhào wàn lǐ yī xiē xíng mào gè yì de hǎi niǎo zài hǎi miàn dī kōng chù pán xuán gè bù tíng bù shí yǒu jiān míng shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， rán hòu fǔ chōng jìn hǎi miàn bǔ yú 。
岛屿已经沉入了海里，至少从表面上，已经很难看出战斗的痕迹阳光普照万里一些形貌各异的海鸟在海面低空处盘旋个不停不时有尖鸣声传入耳朵，然后俯冲进海面捕鱼。
Initially far away, they quickly approached until their light dimmed and revealed two elderly figures. The one on the left was a Daoist elder who looked over seventy but had the appearance of a child, as if he were a deity.
qì fēn xiǎn de xiáng hé yǐ jí ， kě jiù zài zhè shí ， yuǎn chù de tiān biān chū xiàn le liǎng gè guāng diǎn 。
气氛显得祥和以极，可就在这时，远处的天边出现了两个光点。
The figure on the right was even more peculiar; his eyebrows, beard, head, and even his pupils shone with an eerie golden light, suggesting some special cultivation technique.
kāi shǐ shàng yuǎn ， kě zhuǎn yǎn zhī jiān jìng rán jiù yǐ jīng lái dào le miàn qián 。
开始尚远，可转眼之间竟然就已经来到了面前。
Both were at the Realm Profound stage.
guāng máng shōu liǎn ， xiàn chū le liǎng míng lǎo de róng yán ， zuǒ biān nà ge ， shì yī míng dào zhuāng lǎo ， kàn shàng qù yǐ qī shí chū tóu ， què tóng yán hè ， fǎng fú shén xiān yì liú 。
光芒收敛，现出了两名老的容颜，左边那个，是一名道装老，看上去已七十出头，却童颜鹤，仿佛神仙一流。
After their遁光 landed, the Daoist elder reached into his robe and took out a circular object. He then cast a spell and stared intently at it in silence.
yòu biān zhī rén ， xíng mào gèng wéi qí tè ， méi máo hú xū ， hái yǒu tóu ， jiē shì jīn sè ， lián tóng kǒng zhōng ， yě yǒu yāo yì jīn guāng shè chū ， shí yǒu ， xiū liàn yǒu shén me tè bié de fǎ shù 。
右边之人，形貌更为奇特，眉毛胡须，还有头，皆是金色，连瞳孔中，也有妖异金光射出，十有，修炼有什么特别的法术。
"Brother Qiu, what do you think?" Golden Elder's eyes flashed with anxiety.
liǎng rén jiē shì dòng xuán qī xiū xiān 。
两人皆是洞玄期修仙。
"The last reaction of Li Family cultivators was here."
là xià dùn guāng yǐ hòu ， nà dào zhuāng lǎo jiù zài huái lǐ yī mō ， qǔ chū yī yuán pán zhuàng de shì wù ， rán hòu yī dào fǎ jué dǎ chū ， shuāng mù jǐn dīng zhe cǐ wù ， chén mò bù yǔ qǐ lái le 。
落下遁光以后，那道装老就在怀里一摸，取出一圆盘状的事物，然后一道法诀打出，双目紧盯着此物，沉默不语起来了。
"Do you mean...?"
“ qiū xiōng ， rú hé ？” jīn lǎo de yǎn zhōng ， shǎn guò yī lóu jiāo jí zhī sè 。
“邱兄，如何？”金老的眼中，闪过一偻焦急之色。
"Not exactly," the Daoist elder analyzed seriously. "The spirit disk's response has vanished. In other words, they either found a treasure that could conceal their tracks or were all killed here."
“ lǐ jiā de xiū shì ， zuì hòu de fǎn yìng jiù zài zhè lǐ 。”
“李家的修士，最后的反应就在这里。”
"Really?"
“ zài zhè lǐ ， dào yǒu shì shuō ……”……,
“在这里，道友是说……”……,
Golden Elder's expression turned serious as he closed his eyes and released his divine consciousness, muttering ancient incantations that sounded like Buddhist mantras.
“ bù cuò ， hòu lái yì líng pán de fǎn yìng xiāo shì le ， huàn jù huà shuō ， tā men bú shì zài zhè lǐ dé dào mǒu jiàn bǎo wù kě yǐ zhē dǎng zōng jì ， jiù shì quán tǐ xiāo miè zài le zhè lǐ 。” dào zhuāng lǎo shén sè níng zhòng de fēn xī 。
“不错，后来异灵盘的反应消逝了，换句话说，他们不是在这里得到某件宝物可以遮挡踪迹，就是全体消灭在了这里。”道装老神色凝重的分析。
After about half an hour, he opened his eyes.
“ ó ？,
“哦？,
"How is it? Has Brother Yu found anything?" the Daoist elder asked eagerly. His cultivation technique was particularly unique; its probing effect far surpassed that of most Realm Profound cultivators.
jīn lǎo de biǎo qíng yě yán sù qǐ lái le ， suí hòu bì shàng shù mù ， jiāng shén shí fàng chū ， kǒu zhōng yě niàn niàn yǒu cí ， fǎng ruò fàn yīn de gǔ piáo zhòu yǔ chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
金老的表情也严肃起来了，随后闭上数目，将神识放出，口中也念念有词，仿若梵音的古朴咒语传入耳朵。
"It's too early to say; I need to see clearly," Golden Elder replied bluntly. He then radiated light and flew towards the sea surface like a seabird.
guò le yuē bàn zhǎn chá de gōng fu ， tā jiù zhēng kāi shuāng móu 。
过了约半盏茶的功夫，他就睁开双眸。
A splash echoed in his ears as he submerged into the ocean.
“ rú hé ， yú xiōng dì kě yǒu shén me xiàn me ？,
“如何，余兄弟可有什么现么？,
The Daoist elder hesitated but didn't follow him.
dào zhuāng lǎo yǒu diǎn rè qiè de kāi kǒu ， duì fāng xiū liàn de shén tōng shí fēn tè bié ， qí tàn chá de xiào guǒ yuǎn yuǎn shèng guò yì bān de dòng xuán qī xiū xiān 。
道装老有点热切的开口，对方修炼的神通十分特别，其探查的效果远远胜过一般的洞玄期修仙。
In just a few breaths, the monster with golden features broke through the water.
“ hái bù hǎo shuō ， lǎo fū kàn kàn cái qīng chǔ 。,
“还不好说，老夫看看才清楚。,
"There's an island that has sunk. The battle scars are evident; although we didn't see any bodies, most of Li Family's cultivators likely perished here."
jīn lǎo méi tóu méi nǎo de jiē le yī jù ， suí hòu hún shēn guāng máng yì qǐ ， rú hǎi niǎo yì bān de cháo zhe dǐ xià de hǎi miàn fēi le guò qù 。
金老没头没脑的接了一句，随后浑身光芒一起，如海鸟一般的朝着底下的海面飞了过去。
"What?" the Daoist elder's face darkened: "How can this be? Our city lord specifically instructed us to capture these Asura remnants alive. How do we explain this?"
pū tōng yī shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， tā yǐ fēn shuǐ jìn rù le hǎi dǐ 。
扑通一声传入耳朵，他已分水进入了海底。
"I don't know," Golden Elder said irritably.
dào zhuāng lǎo liǎn shàng lù chū jǐ fēn chí yí , dàn zuì zhōng méi yǒu gēn xià qù 。
道装老脸上露出几分迟疑,但最终没有跟下去。
"Brother Yu, there's no need for anger. We must find out what happened. Otherwise, even with our status as elders, the city lord won't be lenient."
jǐn jǐn jǐ xī de gōng fu ， nà jīn lǎo guài wù jiù pò shuǐ ér chū 。
仅仅几息的功夫，那金老怪物就破水而出。
"While that may be true, based on the battle scars, it seems at least a half day has passed since the conflict. The opponent is likely above the Separation stage; in half a day, they could have traveled millions of li. It would be like searching for a needle in a haystack,"
“ yǒu yí gè xiǎo dǎo chén mò ， dǎ dòu de hén jì míng xiǎn yǐ jí ， suī rán méi yǒu kàn jiàn shī tǐ ， dàn lǐ jiā de xiū shì ， duō bàn shì yǔn luò le 。”
“有一个小岛沉没，打斗的痕迹明显以极，虽然没有看见尸体，但李家的修士，多半是陨落了。”
"Yet this might not be the case. Why did they come to such a remote sea? If it was just passing through, why would there be conflict with Li Family's cultivators..." The Daoist elder analyzed calmly.
“ shén me ？, dào zhuāng lǎo tīng le ， liǎn sè yīn yún mì bù ：“ zhè kě rú hé shì hǎo ， chéng zhǔ dà rén kě shì zhǐ míng ， yào jiāng zhè xiē ā xiū luó zú de yú niè shēng qín huó zhuō ， rú jīn wǒ men gāi zěn me jiāo dài ne ？,
“什么？,道装老听了，脸色阴云密布：“这可如何是好，城主大人可是指名，要将这些阿修罗族的余孽生擒活捉，如今我们该怎么交代呢？,
"So you think...?" Golden Elder's expression showed he was pondering.
“ nǐ wèn wǒ ， wǒ yòu nǎ lǐ xiǎo de 。, jīn lǎo méi hǎo qì de shuō 。
“你问我，我又哪里晓得。,金老没好气的说。
"They came here for a reason, which is why they clashed with the Li Family. If my guess is correct, they haven't left yet. We can search each island one by one using our divine consciousness,"
“ yú xiōng hé bì huǒ ， zhè jiàn shì qíng ， wǒ men zǒng yào chá gè shuǐ luò shí chū ， fǒu zé jí biàn yǐ nǐ wǒ zhǎng lǎo de shēn fèn ， chéng zhǔ dà rén yě bú huì qīng ráo 。,
“余兄何必火，这件事情，我们总要查个水落石出，否则即便以你我长老的身份，城主大人也不会轻饶。,
This analysis made sense to Golden Elder; although he secretly doubted the city lord's identity, there was no evidence. As cultivators of the Holy City, they had to follow orders.
“ huà shì zhè me shuō , kě cóng dǎ dòu de hén jì fēn xī ， zhè jiàn shì qíng zhì shǎo yǐ jīng guò qù le bàn rì yǒu yú ， duì fāng qǐ mǎ shì lí hé qī yǐ shàng de xiū xiān ， bàn rì shí jiān ， zú gòu pǎo chū shàng bǎi wàn lǐ ， xiǎng chá ， gēn běn jiù shì dà hǎi lāo zhēn ér yǐ 。,
“话是这么说,可从打斗的痕迹分析，这件事情至少已经过去了半日有余，对方起码是离合期以上的修仙，半日时间，足够跑出上百万里，想查，根本就是大海捞针而已。,
"Agreed. Let's first release our divine consciousness and see if anything suspicious is nearby."
“ zhè què wèi bì ， duì fāng wèi hé lái zhè me piān pì de hǎi yù ， rú guǒ jǐn jǐn zǒu lù guò ， yòu zěn me huì yǔ lǐ jiā shēng chōng tū ……” dào zhuāng lǎo què shí fēn lěng jìng de fēn xī de shuō 。
“这却未必，对方为何来这么偏僻的海域，如果仅仅走路过，又怎么会与李家生冲突……”道装老却十分冷静的分析的说。
The two elder monsters agreed, each releasing their divine consciousness to search within a radius of nearly ten thousand li. The Realm Profound monster's divine consciousness was far more powerful than that of the Separation stage; in fact, it was incomparable.
“ nà dào yǒu shì shuō ……, jīn lǎo guài yě lù chū le ruò yǒu suǒ sī zhī sè 。
“那道友是说……,金老怪也露出了若有所思之色。
Disappointed but not disheartened, they continued searching. If they found something easily, it would be strange.
“ tā men lái zhè lǐ ， yīng gāi shì yǒu suǒ tú móu dì ， suǒ yǐ cái huì yǔ lǐ jiā xiū shì shēng chōng tū ， rú guǒ lǎo fū suǒ liào duì de ， tā men wèi bì yǐ jīng lí kāi le ， rú guǒ shén shí chá bú dào ， wǒ men kě yǐ yí gè xiǎo dǎo ， yí gè xiǎo dǎo de zhǎo 。,
“他们来这里，应该是有所图谋地，所以才会与李家修士生冲突，如果老夫所料对的，他们未必已经离开了，如果神识查不到，我们可以一个小岛，一个小岛的找。,
Slow and steady wins the race. As long as the opponent was still nearby, digging three feet deep would surely find them.
zhè fān fēn xī ， rù qíng rù lǐ ， jīn lǎo liǎn shàng yě lù chū le zàn tóng zhī sè ， bì jìng ， tā suī rán duì chéng zhǔ de shēn fèn ， àn zì huái yí ， dàn bì jìng méi yǒu zhèng jù ， hé kuàng shēn wèi shèng chéng de xiū xiān ， yě wéi yǒu tīng lìng xíng shì de 。
这番分析，入情入理，金老脸上也露出了赞同之色，毕竟，他虽然对城主的身份，暗自怀疑，但毕竟没有证据，何况身为圣城的修仙，也唯有听令形势的。
PS: Second update. Phantom Rain knows she writes slowly, but compared to before, she has really tried her best. This is the second time this week that I've pushed hard. I don't ask for monthly votes, but if we're knocked off the category recommendation list, it won't be too disappointing. Fellow readers, Phantom Rain is working hard; please don't slack off either. Do you still have promotion votes? I need motivation! (To be continued)
This jade-tipped scroll, at first glance, appeared to be just a fragmented map. But as Lin Xuan delved into his divine consciousness, he subtly employed the Heavenly Phoenix Divine Eye technique, complemented by the Buddhist sect's Heavenly Eye Profundity secret art. As a result, he discerned some small words.
These words were extremely blurry; even with the叠加 of two secret arts, they could only be vaguely identified.
However, the information contained within was astonishing. It revealed the fifth layer map of the Ruins Sea.
If Lin Xuan hadn't been deep enough in scheming, his eyes would have betrayed a hint of surprise. He wasn't new to this place; he had spent two hundred years in Jiuxian City. How could he not have heard about the legends surrounding the Ruins Sea?
That was an ancient battlefield where Immortal Fugitives and Heavenly Fiend Sovereigns' armies once fought desperately, leaving behind countless treasures. The deeper one went, the more treasures were found. But no one knew what lay in the fifth layer; for a million years, no one had ever returned alive from within.
Yet here was the map of the fifth layer. Could it be that senior members of Danyue Sect had once ventured there...
Although this map appeared incomplete, if the speculation was true, its value would be incalculable—far beyond what a mere ancient treasure could offer.
With a clever plan, Lin Xuan secured this treasure without revealing any trace of his intentions. Six hundred years of acting came naturally to him.
"Let's go," Golden Stream Master's voice echoed in his ears. This time, no one objected; Lin Xuan had just spoken the truth.
However, their luck didn't hold for long. Each room yielded some收获, but those elixirs and treasures were only suitable for Core Formation cultivators.
They found them tasteless yet regrettable to discard. For them, these items were merely a waste of space.
The wastage was unacceptable; everything ended up in Lin Xuan's hands.
The other four silently envied him, but their storage bags lacked the capacity. Besides, Lin Xuan had "lost" the Jade-tipped Scroll earlier, making them feel guilty and hesitant to argue about it further.
An hour passed as they searched through these low buildings, with Lin Xuan reaping a rich harvest while the others found nothing.
Their faces showed signs of disappointment, but there was no point in complaining.
"Let's go. We'll explore other structures."
Meanwhile, approximately two thousand li southeast from here, at the unknown sea where Li Family cultivators had eliminated their enemies...
The islands had sunk into the ocean; it was hard to see any battle scars on the surface. Sunlight bathed the vast expanse of water as various seabirds circled low overhead, occasionally diving for fish.
The atmosphere seemed serene, but suddenly, two light points appeared in the distance on the horizon.
Initially far away, they quickly approached until their light dimmed and revealed two elderly figures. The one on the left was a Daoist elder who looked over seventy but had the appearance of a child, as if he were a deity.
The figure on the right was even more peculiar; his eyebrows, beard, head, and even his pupils shone with an eerie golden light, suggesting some special cultivation technique.
Both were at the Realm Profound stage.
After their遁光 landed, the Daoist elder reached into his robe and took out a circular object. He then cast a spell and stared intently at it in silence.
"Brother Qiu, what do you think?" Golden Elder's eyes flashed with anxiety.
"The last reaction of Li Family cultivators was here."
"Do you mean...?"
"Not exactly," the Daoist elder analyzed seriously. "The spirit disk's response has vanished. In other words, they either found a treasure that could conceal their tracks or were all killed here."
"Really?"
Golden Elder's expression turned serious as he closed his eyes and released his divine consciousness, muttering ancient incantations that sounded like Buddhist mantras.
After about half an hour, he opened his eyes.
"How is it? Has Brother Yu found anything?" the Daoist elder asked eagerly. His cultivation technique was particularly unique; its probing effect far surpassed that of most Realm Profound cultivators.
"It's too early to say; I need to see clearly," Golden Elder replied bluntly. He then radiated light and flew towards the sea surface like a seabird.
A splash echoed in his ears as he submerged into the ocean.
The Daoist elder hesitated but didn't follow him.
In just a few breaths, the monster with golden features broke through the water.
"There's an island that has sunk. The battle scars are evident; although we didn't see any bodies, most of Li Family's cultivators likely perished here."
"What?" the Daoist elder's face darkened: "How can this be? Our city lord specifically instructed us to capture these Asura remnants alive. How do we explain this?"
"I don't know," Golden Elder said irritably.
"Brother Yu, there's no need for anger. We must find out what happened. Otherwise, even with our status as elders, the city lord won't be lenient."
"While that may be true, based on the battle scars, it seems at least a half day has passed since the conflict. The opponent is likely above the Separation stage; in half a day, they could have traveled millions of li. It would be like searching for a needle in a haystack,"
"Yet this might not be the case. Why did they come to such a remote sea? If it was just passing through, why would there be conflict with Li Family's cultivators..." The Daoist elder analyzed calmly.
"So you think...?" Golden Elder's expression showed he was pondering.
"They came here for a reason, which is why they clashed with the Li Family. If my guess is correct, they haven't left yet. We can search each island one by one using our divine consciousness,"
This analysis made sense to Golden Elder; although he secretly doubted the city lord's identity, there was no evidence. As cultivators of the Holy City, they had to follow orders.
"Agreed. Let's first release our divine consciousness and see if anything suspicious is nearby."
The two elder monsters agreed, each releasing their divine consciousness to search within a radius of nearly ten thousand li. The Realm Profound monster's divine consciousness was far more powerful than that of the Separation stage; in fact, it was incomparable.
Disappointed but not disheartened, they continued searching. If they found something easily, it would be strange.
Slow and steady wins the race. As long as the opponent was still nearby, digging three feet deep would surely find them.
PS: Second update. Phantom Rain knows she writes slowly, but compared to before, she has really tried her best. This is the second time this week that I've pushed hard. I don't ask for monthly votes, but if we're knocked off the category recommendation list, it won't be too disappointing. Fellow readers, Phantom Rain is working hard; please don't slack off either. Do you still have promotion votes? I need motivation! (To be continued)