méi cuò ， què rán shì tōng tiān líng bǎo ！
没错，确然是通天灵宝！
没错, it was indeed a True Heaven Spirit Treasure!
yǔ zì jǐ de mó yuán jiàn yī yàng ， jué bú shì shén me fǎng zhì zhī wù ， ér shì zhēn zhèng de líng bǎo ！
与自己的魔缘剑一样，绝不是什么仿制之物，而是真正的灵宝！
Just like his Demon Fate Sword, this wasn't some imitation. It was the genuine article.
lín xuān bù yóu de dà jīng shī sè ， yào zhī dào jí shǐ zài líng jiè zhī zhōng ， tōng tiān líng bǎo yě shì jué duì de xī yǒu ， zhì shǎo zhè liǎng bǎi nián lái ， tā yě yù jiàn le bù shǎo lí hé qī xiū xiān zhě ， kě què méi yǒu yí gè rén yōng yǒu zhè zhǒng bǎo wù ， zuì duō yǒu yī jiàn fǎng zhì líng bǎo yòng lái chōng mén miàn bà le 。
林轩不由得大惊失色，要知道即使在灵界之中，通天灵宝也是绝对的稀有，至少这两百年来，他也遇见了不少离合期修仙者，可却没有一个人拥有这种宝物，最多有一件仿制灵宝用来充门面罢了。
Lin Xuan couldn't help but be greatly alarmed. Even in the Spirit Realm, True Heaven Spirit Treasures were extremely rare. In at least two hundred years, he had met many Separation Stage cultivators, yet not one of them possessed such a treasure. At most, they would use lower-grade Spirit Treasures to bolster their image.
kě yǎn qián ， què shì zhēn zhèng de líng bǎo ， zhè xiān mù yī lán ， guǒ rán bù jiǎn dān 。
可眼前，却是真正的灵宝，这纤幕伊蓝，果然不简单。
But here before him was a genuine Spirit Treasure. This Filigree Iblan truly wasn't simple.
ér cǐ kè ， tā de liǎn jiá yǔ é tóu shàng ， jū rán yǒu jǐ dào mó wén chū xiàn ， ràng tā de qì xī ， yuè fā de guǐ yì dào jí diǎn 。
而此刻，他的脸颊与额头上，居然有几道魔纹出现，让他的气息，越发的诡异到极点。
At this moment, several demonic runes appeared on his face and forehead, making his aura even more eerie. Ji Yin's expression of amusement had vanished; an inexplicable sense of danger arose in his heart as he turned to look at Lin Xuan, then at Filigree Iblan.
jīn yì liǎn shàng xī xiào de biǎo qíng yǐ rán bú jiàn ， xīn dǐ jìng mò míng qí miào de shēng qǐ le yī gǔ wēi jī gǎn ， tā zhuǎn guò tóu lú ， kàn kàn lín xuān ， suí hòu yòu kàn le kàn xiān mù yī lán 。
金义脸上嬉笑的表情已然不见，心底竟莫名其妙的升起了一股危机感，他转过头颅，看看林轩，随后又看了看纤幕伊蓝。
"Interesting. It seems you two are stronger than the monk and that wench. But what does it matter? Do you think a Separation Stage cultivator can escape my hands?"
“ yǒu yì si ， kàn lái nǐ men liǎng gè ， yào bǐ hé shàng hái yǒu nà jiàn bì qiáng shàng yī xiē ， bù guò nà yòu rú hé ， yǐ wéi qū qū lí hé qī xiū xiān zhě ， néng gòu zài běn lǎo zǔ shǒu xià ， táo dé xìng mìng me ？”
“有意思，看来你们两个，要比和尚还有那贱婢强上一些，不过那又如何，以为区区离合期修仙者，能够在本老祖手下，逃得性命么？”
As soon as these words left his mouth, Ji Yin's body exuded an aura of malevolence. His figure trembled slightly, and a series of illusory traces appeared in his vision.
huà yīn gāng luò ， jīn yì de shēn shàng jiù yǒu lì qì pēn bó ， suí hòu shēn xíng wēi dǒu ， yī lián chuàn de huàn yǐng cán hén chū xiàn zài le shì xiàn zhōng 。
话音刚落，金义的身上就有戾气喷薄，随后身形微抖，一连串的幻影残痕出现在了视线中。
This wasn't some illusion technique; he was simply moving too quickly. He had just turned around and stood right before Filigree Iblan. To be precise, it was the spot where he had just stood.
zhè kě bú shì shén me zhàng yǎn zhī shù ， ér shì yóu yú dòng zuò shí zài tài kuài le ， tā jī hū shì shēn xíng gāng gāng yī zhuǎn ， jiù lái dào le xiān mù yī lán de miàn qián ， zhèng què de shuō ， shì tā gāng gāng zhàn lì de dì diǎn 。
这可不是什么障眼之术，而是由于动作实在太快了，他几乎是身形刚刚一转，就来到了纤幕伊蓝的面前，正确的说，是他刚刚站立的地点。
This secret art was almost as fast as teleportation. Lin Xuan had locked onto Ji Yin's figure because he had used two Spirit Eye techniques, but Filigree Iblan managed to dodge.
zhè zhǒng mì shù ， bǐ zhī shùn yí yě xiāng chà fǎng wěi ， lín xuān yě shì yīn wèi shī zhǎn le liǎng zhǒng líng yǎn lèi mì shù ， cái jiāng tā de shēn xíng suǒ dìng zhù ， kě xiān mù yī lán jū rán duǒ kāi le 。
这种秘术，比之瞬移也相差仿纬，林轩也是因为施展了两种灵眼类秘术，才将他的身形锁定住，可纤幕伊蓝居然躲开了。
At this moment, a pair of snow-white wings appeared on his back.
cǐ kè de tā ， bèi hòu jū rán yǒu yī duì xuě bái de yǔ yì fú xiàn chū lái 。
此刻的他，背后居然有一对雪白的羽翼浮现出来。
These wings were large and long, resembling those of swans.
nà yǔ yì yòu dà yòu zhǎng ， jiù xiàng tiān é de chì bǎng yī yàng 。
那羽翼又大又长，就像天鹅的翅膀一样。
If they retracted, they would be more than enough to envelop his entire body. The hua patterns on Filigree Iblan's face also lit up.
rú guǒ shōu lǒng ， zú gòu jiāng tā de zhěng gè shēn xíng dōu bāo guǒ zhù ， ér xiān mù yī lán liǎn shàng de huā wén yě liàng qǐ lái le 。
如果收拢，足够将他的整个身形都包裹住，而纤幕伊蓝脸上的huā纹也亮起来了。
Ji Yin moved like a ghost, but Filigree Iblan was even faster. As he dodged, he raised the Spirit Treasure in his hand.
jīn yì de dòng zuò yǒu rú guǐ mèi yì bān ， ér xiān mù yī lán jū rán hái yào gèng kuài yì diǎn ， zài duǒ kāi de tóng shí ” shǒu zhōng de líng bǎo xiàng qián yī wǔ 。
金义的动作有如鬼魅一般，而纤幕伊蓝居然还要更快一点，在躲开的同时”手中的灵宝向前一舞。
A bright blade of light sliced through the air, so blinding that it could not be described with words. Sunlight paled in comparison to this.
yī dào liàng lì de dāo guāng huá guò ， cì yǎn dào wú yòng yán yǔ xíng róng de dì bù ” tài yáng guāng yǔ tā xiāng bǐ gēn běn jì bù suàn shén me 。
一道亮丽的刀光划过，刺眼到无用言语形容的地步”太阳光与他相比根本记不算什么。
"Eh?"
“ yí ？”
“咦？”
Ji Yin instinctively sensed a massive threat. Even if Filigree Iblan was acting strange at the moment, he recognized a True Heaven Spirit Treasure; such an item couldn't be underestimated.
jīn yì běn néng de gǎn jué dào jù dà de wēi jī ， qiě bù shuō cǐ shí cǐ kè ， xiān mù yī lán tài gǔ guài le ， tōng tiān líng bǎo tā rú hé huì bù rèn de ， zhè dōng xī ， shì jué duì bù róng xiǎo kàn de 。
金义本能的感觉到巨大的危机，且不说此时此刻，纤幕伊蓝太古怪了，通天灵宝他如何会不认得，这东西，是绝对不容小看的。
His body flickered and shot off to the side with incredible speed. His reaction was swift, but the blade of light was too fast, passing by his nose.
xià yì shí de shēn xíng yī huǎng ， xiàng xié hòu fāng 〖 jī 〗 shè fēi chū ， tā de fǎn yìng bù kě wèi bù xùn sù ， kě nà dāo guāng tài kuài le ， jī hū shì chā zhe bí jiān fēi guò 。
下意识的身形一晃，向斜后方〖激〗射飞出，他的反应不可谓不迅速，可那刀光太快了，几乎是插着鼻尖飞过。
Ji Yin's hair stood on end as he felt the chilling sensation. The blade missed and flew off in a different direction.
jīn yì hán máo dào shù ， tā néng tǐ huì dào nà máo gǔ sǒng rán de gǎn jué ， dāo guāng yī jī bù zhōng ， cháo zhe xié hòu fāng 〖 jī 〗 shè ér chū 。
金义寒毛倒竖，他能体会到那毛骨悚然的感觉，刀光一击不中，朝着斜后方〖激〗射而出。
A moment later, it crashed into the mountain.
piàn kè yǐ hòu ” zhuàng rù le shān zhōng 。
片刻以后”撞入了山中。
Boom!
hōng ！
轰！
The sound echoed through the air. The blade of light, only about ten feet long, had cleaved the entire mountain in half, causing rocks to rain down before crashing to the ground with a thunderous crash.
yī shēng jù xiǎng ， nà dāo guāng yě jiù bù guò zhàng xǔ zhǎng ， rán ér zhěng zuò shān tǐ ， jū rán bèi rén lán yāo jié duàn le ， suì shí fēn luò rú yǔ ， suí hòu hōng rán dǎo dì 。
一声巨响，那刀光也就不过丈许长，然而整座山体，居然被人拦腰截断了，碎石分落如雨，随后轰然倒地。
"..."
“ zhè ……”
“这……”
Lin Xuan was also startled. This True Heaven Spirit Treasure truly lived up to its name.
lín xuān yě bèi xià le yī tiào ， bù kuì shì wán zhěng bǎn de tōng tiān líng bǎo 。
林轩也被吓了一跳，不愧是完整版的通天灵宝。
Behind Ji Yin, cold sweat dripped from his body. If that blade of light had hit him...
ér jīn yì de bèi hòu ， zé lěng hàn lín lí ” rú guǒ gāng cái pī zhōng de shì zì jǐ ……
而金义的背后，则冷汗淋漓”如果刚才劈中的是自己……
This treasure was too sharp; it couldn't be underestimated. He must act quickly and decisively, eliminating these two youngsters as soon as possible.
zhè bǎo wù tài fēng lì ， dào yě bù néng xiǎo shì ， bì xū kuài dāo zhǎn luàn má ， jiāng zhè liǎng gè xiǎo zi jí zǎo miè shā 。
这宝物太锋利，倒也不能小视，必须快刀斩乱麻，将这两个小子及早灭杀。
With this thought in mind, he clutched his hands together, ready to use some powerful divine technique. But at this moment, an unbelievable scene unfolded.
xīn zhōng rú cǐ xiǎng zhe ， tā shuāng shǒu yī wò ， zhèng xiǎng yào shǐ yòng shén me bù dé le de shén tōng ， rán ér jiù zài cǐ kè ” bù kě sī yì de yí mù què fā shēng le 。
心中如此想着，他双手一握，正想要使用什么不得了的神通，然而就在此刻”不可思议的一幕却发生了。
Ji Yin's aura began to wane, and the Spirit Energy around him also started to diminish.
jīn yì de qì xī ， yǐ jí shēn tǐ zhōu wéi de líng lì ， jìng rán kāi shǐ shuāi jiǎn 。
金义的气息，以及身体周围的灵力，竟然开始衰减。
Indeed, it was diminishing.
méi cuò ， què shí shì shuāi jiǎn 。
没错，确实是衰减。
Just a moment ago, he had been a formidable Profound Knowledge Stage cultivator. In an instant, he had fallen back to Separation Stage. Later-stage, mid-stage, then all the way down to his original form.
qián yī kè ， tā hái shì lìng rén wèi jù de dòng xuán qī xiū xiān zhě ” kě zhuǎn shùn jiān ， jiù fū luò dào lí hé qī 。
前一刻，他还是令人畏惧的洞玄期修仙者”可转瞬间，就趺落到离合期。
His face showed signs of exhaustion; his energy seemed completely drained.
hòu qī ， zhōng qī ” rán hòu yì zhí bèi dǎ huí yuán xíng 。
后期，中期”然后一直被打回原形。
The entire process took only an instant. The three of them were still in shock, staring at each other with wide eyes.
ér qiě mǎn liǎn de wěi mǐ zhī sè ， fǎng fú jīng lì yǐ rán bèi hào jìn zi 。
而且满脸的萎靡之色，仿佛精力已然被耗尽子。
Could it be...
zhěng gè guò chéng bù guò shì yī shùn jiān ， yǐ qǔ yú sān rén ， dōu hái yǒu diǎn méi yǒu fǎn yìng guò lái ， dà yǎn dèng xiǎo yǎn 。
整个过程不过是一瞬间，以娶于三人，都还有点没有反应过来，大眼瞪小眼。
This Spirit Treasure wasn't meant to raise someone to Profound Knowledge; it was merely a dream. Its sole purpose was to temporarily boost the power of cultivators for a short time, but ultimately, they would be reduced back to their original form.
nán dào shuō “…
难道说“…
Lin Xuan's thoughts raced. Only this explanation made sense.
zhè yào líng bìng bú shì néng gòu ràng duì fāng shēng jí dào dòng xuán ， suǒ yǒu de ， bù guò shì nán kē yī mèng ， xī wéi yī de zuò yòng ， zhǐ shì zài duǎn shí jiān nèi kuáng zhǎng xiū shì de lì ， dàn zuì zhōng ， hái shì huì bèi dǎ huí yuán xíng dì 。
这药灵并不是能够让对方升级到洞玄，所有的，不过是南柯一梦，牺唯一的作用，只是在短时间内狂涨修士的力，但最终，还是会被打回原形地。
The path of immortals was arduous; one couldn't simply take a pill and leap an entire cultivation stage. If it were true, it would defy the laws of nature. Relying on external forces was always a shortcut, and only through hard work could one truly possess power.
lín xuān nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou shǎn guò ， yě zhǐ yǒu zhè ge sī lù ， cái jiě shì dé tōng 。
林轩脑海中念头闪过，也只有这个思路，才解释得通。
"Haha, Brother Jin, you wanted to extract our souls and refine them. Why are you still standing there? Don't you want to try?" Lin Xuan's lips curled in mockery as he spoke coldly.
xiān dào jiān sè ， nǎ yǒu chī chī yào jiù kuáng shēng yí gè jìng jiè nà me duō ， jiǎ rú shì zhēn de ， jiǎn zhí wéi fǎn le tiān dì zé ， jiè zhù wài lì ， zhōng guī shì wāi mén xié dào ér yǐ ， lì liàng zhǐ yǒu kǔ xiū dé lái de ， cái huì zhēn zhèng shǔ yú zì jǐ 。
仙道艰涩，哪有吃吃药就狂升一个境界那么多，假如是真的，简直违反了天地则，借助外力，终归是歪门邪道而已，力量只有苦修得来的，才会真正属于自己。
"Indeed, indeed, Fellow Daoist Jin, you really have some skill. Facing four of us alone, Master Daoshi and Fairy Mingquan both died at your hands. You truly are ruthless," Filigree Iblan was equally delighted. Not only had Ji Yin been reduced to his original form, but he also seemed on the brink of collapse; squashing him or restoring him was entirely up to them.
“ hē hē ， jīn xiōng ， nǐ bú shì xiǎng yào jiāng wǒ men chōu hún liàn pò ， rú jīn hái lèng zhe gàn shén me ， bù xiǎng yào shì yī shì me ？” lín xuān de zuǐ jiǎo biān lù chū yī sī jī cháo zhī sè ， shēng yīn bīng lěng de kāi kǒu 。
“呵呵，金兄，你不是想要将我们抽魂炼魄，如今还愣着干什么，不想要试一试么？”林轩的嘴角边露出一丝讥嘲之色，声音冰冷的开口。
As for Ji Yin, his face turned ashen. For him, it felt like falling from heaven into hell. Just a moment ago, he had been elated at advancing to Profound Knowledge. Although Lin Xuan and Filigree Iblan's methods were strange, the difference in cultivation stages meant that killing them was no problem. After all, he had always approached with a playful mindset; he hadn't truly exerted his full strength.
“ bù cuò bù cuò ， jīn dào yǒu ， nǐ kě hái zhēn yǒu běn shì ， yǐ yī dí sì ， dà shī yǔ míng quán xiān zi ， dōu xiān hòu sǐ zài le nǐ de shǒu lǐ ， gé xià kě gòu hěn là de 。” xiān mù yī lán tóng yàng dà xǐ ， duì fāng bù jǐn bèi dǎ huí yuán xíng ， hái lì suǒ shèng wú jǐ ， niē biǎn niē yuán hái bú shì dōu yóu zhe zì jǐ 。
“不错不错，金道友，你可还真有本事，以一敌四，大师与明泉仙子，都先后死在了你的手里，阁下可够狠辣的。”纤幕伊蓝同样大喜，对方不仅被打回原形，还力所剩无几，捏扁捏圆还不是都由着自己。
A True Heaven Spirit Treasure? It couldn't make up for the gap in advancement. As long as Filigree Iblan could be eliminated, this treasure would still fall into his hands.
zhì yú jīn yì ， liǎn sè zé yīn mái yǐ jí ， duì tā lái shuō ， jiǎn zhí shì yóu tiān táng bèi dǎ luò dào le dì yù ， qián yī kè ， zì jǐ hái chén jìn zài jìn jí dòng xuán de kuáng xǐ ， lín xuān yǔ xiān mù yī lán suī rán shǒu duàn guǐ yì ， dàn jìng jiè de chā jù bǎi zài nǎ lǐ ， miè shā tā men méi wèn tí ， bì jìng zì jǐ yì zhí dōu hái shì dài zhe xì shuǎ de xīn tài ， gēn běn jiù méi yǒu zhēn zhèng de shǐ chū quán lì 。
至于金义，脸色则阴霾以极，对他来说，简直是由天堂被打落到了地狱，前一刻，自己还沉浸在晋级洞玄的狂喜，林轩与纤幕伊蓝虽然手段诡异，但境界的差距摆在哪里，灭杀他们没问题，毕竟自己一直都还是带着戏耍的心态，根本就没有真正的使出全力。
There was nothing to worry about.
tōng tiān líng bǎo yòu rú hé ， jué bù kě néng jiāng jìn jiē de chā jù mí bǔ ， zhǐ yào jiāng xiān mù yī lán miè chú ， zhè bǎo wù hái bú shì huì bèi zì jǐ shōu rù náng zhōng 。
通天灵宝又如何，绝不可能将进阶的差距弥补，只要将纤幕伊蓝灭除，这宝物还不是会被自己收入囊中。
But who would have thought that the situation had taken a drastic turn, leaving him with only a beautiful dream?
gēn běn jiù méi shén me hǎo dān xīn de 。
根本就没什么好担心的。
Ji Yin's face turned ashen; there was no turning back now. He felt like an animal cornered in a dead end.
kě shuí xiǎng dào xíng shì jí zhuǎn zhí xià ， dào tóu lái gēn běn jiù shì huáng liáng měi mèng a ！
可谁想到形势急转直下，到头来根本就是黄粱美梦啊！
The dream had ended, and he remained at Separation Stage, under the watchful eyes of Lin Xuan and Filigree Iblan.
jīn yì liǎn ruò sǐ huī ， shì qíng dào le zhè yī bù ， nǎ hái yǒu shén me zhuǎn huán de yú dì le ， cǐ shí cǐ kè ， tā jiù gēn yī tóu bèi bī rù jué jìng de kùn shòu chà bu duō 。
金义脸若死灰，事情到了这一步，哪还有什么转圜的余地了，此时此刻，他就跟一头被逼入绝境的困兽差不多。
"You two shouldn't be so presumptuous. If you anger me, even if I die, I won't let you off lightly," Ji Yin said with a grimace.
mèng xǐng le ， zì jǐ hái shì lí hé ， bèi lín xuān yǔ xiān mù yī lán hǔ shì dān dān de dīng zhe 。
梦醒了，自己还是离合，被林轩与纤幕伊蓝虎视眈眈的盯着。
"Oh? Can you do that? Why aren't you calling yourself the Great Ancestor anymore?" Filigree Iblan sneered.
“ nǐ men liǎng gè ， bú yào qī rén tài shèn le ， rě jí le wǒ ， běn zūn jiù suàn shì sǐ ， yě bú huì ràng nǐ men hǎo guò 。” jīn yì sè lì nèi rěn de shuō 。
“你们两个，不要欺人太甚了，惹急了我，本尊就算是死，也不会让你们好过。”金义色厉内荏的说。
Ji Yin didn't respond. Suddenly, he pulled out a handful of talismans from his chest and threw them at Filigree Iblan. The talismans flashed, and countless ice arrows and lightning bolts appeared, enveloping him in a blinding storm.
“ ó ， nǐ zuò dé dào me ， xiàn zài zěn me bù chēng lǎo zǔ ， hái zhēn jiāng zì jǐ dàng chéng le shén me rén wù ？” xiān mù yī lán lěng xiào zhe shuō 。
“哦，你做得到么，现在怎么不称老祖，还真将自己当成了什么人物？”纤幕伊蓝冷笑着说。
He then dashed towards Lin Xuan with a roar: "Get out of the way."
jīn yì méi yǒu kāi kǒu ， tū rán cóng huái lǐ tāo chū le yī dà bǎ fú zhuàn ， yáng shǒu cháo zhe xiān mù yī lán rēng chū ， nà xiē fú zhuàn yī shǎn ， wú shù bīng shǐ léi huǒ chū xiàn ， pū tiān gài dì de jiāng tā lǒng zhào zài le lǐ miàn 。
金义没有开口，突然从怀里掏出了一大把符篆，扬手朝着纤幕伊蓝扔出，那些符篆一闪，无数冰矢雷火出现，铺天盖地的将他笼罩在了里面。
Ji Yin's actions were well thought out. He was no longer a Profound Knowledge cultivator; he had lost his courage to face a True Heaven Spirit Treasure. While Lin Xuan's methods were numerous, they were relatively easier to deal with compared to the Spirit Treasure. Moreover, as a demon cultivator, once he got close, Lin Xuan would never dare to confront him head-on.
ér tā shēn xíng yī shǎn ， cháo zhe lín xuān chōng le guò lái ， yī shēng bào hē ：“ gǔn kāi 。”
而他身形一闪，朝着林轩冲了过来，一声暴喝：“滚开。”
So although opportunities were few, if he seized them well, there was still a chance of escape.
jīn yì zhè me zuò ， zì rán shì yòng le nǎo zi de ， cǐ shí cǐ kè ， tā yǐ jīng bú shì dòng xuán qī xiū xiān zhě ， zài méi yǒu dǎn zi qù miàn duì tōng tiān líng bǎo le ， lín xuān de shǒu duàn ， suī rán yě céng chū bù qióng ， dàn xiāng duì lái shuō ， bì jìng bǐ líng bǎo hǎo duì fù ， hé kuàng zì jǐ shì xiū yāo zhě ， zhǐ yào jiē jìn le ， duì fāng shì jué bù gǎn yǔ zì jǐ yìng káng de 。
金义这么做，自然是用了脑子的，此时此刻，他已经不是洞玄期修仙者，再没有胆子去面对通天灵宝了，林轩的手段，虽然也层出不穷，但相对来说，毕竟比灵宝好对付，何况自己是修妖者，只要接近了，对方是绝不敢与自己硬扛的。
Lin Xuan's experience was vast; how could he not guess what Ji Yin, this fool, was thinking? He had mistaken himself for an easy target.
suǒ yǐ jī huì suī rán bù duō ， dàn zhǐ yào shí jī bǎ wò dé hǎo ， yě shì yǒu jī huì táo zǒu de 。
所以机会虽然不多，但只要时机把握得好，也是有机会逃走的。
Choosing Lin Xuan as his breakthrough point—perfect.
没错, it was indeed a True Heaven Spirit Treasure!
Just like his Demon Fate Sword, this wasn't some imitation. It was the genuine article.
Lin Xuan couldn't help but be greatly alarmed. Even in the Spirit Realm, True Heaven Spirit Treasures were extremely rare. In at least two hundred years, he had met many Separation Stage cultivators, yet not one of them possessed such a treasure. At most, they would use lower-grade Spirit Treasures to bolster their image.
But here before him was a genuine Spirit Treasure. This Filigree Iblan truly wasn't simple.
At this moment, several demonic runes appeared on his face and forehead, making his aura even more eerie. Ji Yin's expression of amusement had vanished; an inexplicable sense of danger arose in his heart as he turned to look at Lin Xuan, then at Filigree Iblan.
"Interesting. It seems you two are stronger than the monk and that wench. But what does it matter? Do you think a Separation Stage cultivator can escape my hands?"
As soon as these words left his mouth, Ji Yin's body exuded an aura of malevolence. His figure trembled slightly, and a series of illusory traces appeared in his vision.
This wasn't some illusion technique; he was simply moving too quickly. He had just turned around and stood right before Filigree Iblan. To be precise, it was the spot where he had just stood.
This secret art was almost as fast as teleportation. Lin Xuan had locked onto Ji Yin's figure because he had used two Spirit Eye techniques, but Filigree Iblan managed to dodge.
At this moment, a pair of snow-white wings appeared on his back.
These wings were large and long, resembling those of swans.
If they retracted, they would be more than enough to envelop his entire body. The hua patterns on Filigree Iblan's face also lit up.
Ji Yin moved like a ghost, but Filigree Iblan was even faster. As he dodged, he raised the Spirit Treasure in his hand.
A bright blade of light sliced through the air, so blinding that it could not be described with words. Sunlight paled in comparison to this.
"Eh?"
Ji Yin instinctively sensed a massive threat. Even if Filigree Iblan was acting strange at the moment, he recognized a True Heaven Spirit Treasure; such an item couldn't be underestimated.
His body flickered and shot off to the side with incredible speed. His reaction was swift, but the blade of light was too fast, passing by his nose.
Ji Yin's hair stood on end as he felt the chilling sensation. The blade missed and flew off in a different direction.
A moment later, it crashed into the mountain.
Boom!
The sound echoed through the air. The blade of light, only about ten feet long, had cleaved the entire mountain in half, causing rocks to rain down before crashing to the ground with a thunderous crash.
"..."
Lin Xuan was also startled. This True Heaven Spirit Treasure truly lived up to its name.
Behind Ji Yin, cold sweat dripped from his body. If that blade of light had hit him...
This treasure was too sharp; it couldn't be underestimated. He must act quickly and decisively, eliminating these two youngsters as soon as possible.
With this thought in mind, he clutched his hands together, ready to use some powerful divine technique. But at this moment, an unbelievable scene unfolded.
Ji Yin's aura began to wane, and the Spirit Energy around him also started to diminish.
Indeed, it was diminishing.
Just a moment ago, he had been a formidable Profound Knowledge Stage cultivator. In an instant, he had fallen back to Separation Stage. Later-stage, mid-stage, then all the way down to his original form.
His face showed signs of exhaustion; his energy seemed completely drained.
The entire process took only an instant. The three of them were still in shock, staring at each other with wide eyes.
Could it be...
This Spirit Treasure wasn't meant to raise someone to Profound Knowledge; it was merely a dream. Its sole purpose was to temporarily boost the power of cultivators for a short time, but ultimately, they would be reduced back to their original form.
Lin Xuan's thoughts raced. Only this explanation made sense.
The path of immortals was arduous; one couldn't simply take a pill and leap an entire cultivation stage. If it were true, it would defy the laws of nature. Relying on external forces was always a shortcut, and only through hard work could one truly possess power.
"Haha, Brother Jin, you wanted to extract our souls and refine them. Why are you still standing there? Don't you want to try?" Lin Xuan's lips curled in mockery as he spoke coldly.
"Indeed, indeed, Fellow Daoist Jin, you really have some skill. Facing four of us alone, Master Daoshi and Fairy Mingquan both died at your hands. You truly are ruthless," Filigree Iblan was equally delighted. Not only had Ji Yin been reduced to his original form, but he also seemed on the brink of collapse; squashing him or restoring him was entirely up to them.
As for Ji Yin, his face turned ashen. For him, it felt like falling from heaven into hell. Just a moment ago, he had been elated at advancing to Profound Knowledge. Although Lin Xuan and Filigree Iblan's methods were strange, the difference in cultivation stages meant that killing them was no problem. After all, he had always approached with a playful mindset; he hadn't truly exerted his full strength.
A True Heaven Spirit Treasure? It couldn't make up for the gap in advancement. As long as Filigree Iblan could be eliminated, this treasure would still fall into his hands.
There was nothing to worry about.
But who would have thought that the situation had taken a drastic turn, leaving him with only a beautiful dream?
Ji Yin's face turned ashen; there was no turning back now. He felt like an animal cornered in a dead end.
The dream had ended, and he remained at Separation Stage, under the watchful eyes of Lin Xuan and Filigree Iblan.
"You two shouldn't be so presumptuous. If you anger me, even if I die, I won't let you off lightly," Ji Yin said with a grimace.
"Oh? Can you do that? Why aren't you calling yourself the Great Ancestor anymore?" Filigree Iblan sneered.
Ji Yin didn't respond. Suddenly, he pulled out a handful of talismans from his chest and threw them at Filigree Iblan. The talismans flashed, and countless ice arrows and lightning bolts appeared, enveloping him in a blinding storm.
He then dashed towards Lin Xuan with a roar: "Get out of the way."
Ji Yin's actions were well thought out. He was no longer a Profound Knowledge cultivator; he had lost his courage to face a True Heaven Spirit Treasure. While Lin Xuan's methods were numerous, they were relatively easier to deal with compared to the Spirit Treasure. Moreover, as a demon cultivator, once he got close, Lin Xuan would never dare to confront him head-on.
So although opportunities were few, if he seized them well, there was still a chance of escape.
Lin Xuan's experience was vast; how could he not guess what Ji Yin, this fool, was thinking? He had mistaken himself for an easy target.
Choosing Lin Xuan as his breakthrough point—perfect.