dì yī qiān liù bǎi jiǔ shí qī zhāng lín xuān fā kuáng （ dì sì gèng ）
第一千六百九十七章林轩发狂（第四更）
Chapter 1697 - Lin Xuan's Madness (Fourth Update)
sī háo xuán niàn yě wú ， guāng zhù jiāng mù biāo jī zhòng 。
丝毫悬念也无，光柱将目标击中。
There was no suspense as the light beam struck its target. The seawater splashed apart, revealing nothing of Lin Xuan’s whereabouts.
hǎi shuǐ huā lā yī shēng sàn kāi ， lǐ miàn tóng yàng shì méi yǒu kàn dào lín xuān de zōng jì bàn diǎn 。
海水哗啦一声散开，里面同样是没有看到林轩的踪迹半点。
Tricked!
shàng dàng shòu piàn
上当受骗
The Poison Dragon Ancestor was shocked and realized his opponent was cunning like a fox, having been outmaneuvered.
dú lóng lǎo zǔ dà jīng shī sè ， zhè cái xiǎo de duì shǒu jiǎo huá rú hú ， zì jǐ jū rán bèi shuǎ le 。
毒龙老祖大惊失色，这才晓得对手狡猾如狐，自己居然被耍了。
Frustrating!
kě wù
可恶
But he couldn’t afford to be angry or alarmed as a powerful aura suddenly rose from thirty meters to the left. Lin Xuan had surfaced from beneath the sea.
dàn tā yǐ gù bù zhe jīng nù ， yī gǔ qiáng dà de qì xī zài zuǒ qián fāng sān shí yú zhàng chù tū rán mào qǐ ， lín xuān cóng hǎi dǐ xiǎn xiàn chū le zōng jì 。
但他已顾不着惊怒，一股强大的气息在左前方三十余丈处突然冒起，林轩从海底显现出了踪迹。
He wore a red cloth on his head, which he had used to conceal himself just now. Otherwise, how could he have fooled a Daoist of the Profound Void stage with mere breath control?
tóu shàng hái dǐng zhe yī kuài hóng bù ， gāng gāng tā jiù shì yòng zhè ge lái zhē yǎn xíng jì de ， fǒu zé guāng kào liǎn qì zhī shù ， zěn me kě néng mán dé guò dòng xuán qī xiū xiān zhě ？
头上还顶着一块红布，刚刚他就是用这个来遮掩行迹的，否则光靠敛气之术，怎么可能瞒得过洞玄期修仙者？
The Poison Dragon Ancestor was no stranger to such tricks; if they were caught out once, he could try again and misdirect them in another direction.
dú lóng lǎo zǔ yě shì lì jīng fēng yǔ de rén wù ， shēng dōng jī xī huì bèi kàn pò ， kě rú guǒ duō rào yì diǎn ， shēng dōng jī xī zài jī xī ， nà yòu rú hé 。
毒龙老祖也是历经风雨的人物，声东击西会被看破，可如果多绕一点，声东击西再击西，那又如何。
The first water column was a decoy, but so was the second.
dì yī dào shuǐ zhù shì yòu dí de ， dì èr dào yòu hé cháng bú shì ne 。
第一道水柱是诱敌的，第二道又何尝不是呢。
In terms of strength, the old monster did have an edge, but Lin Xuan wouldn’t fall behind when it came to confidence.
jiù shí lì lái shuō ， lǎo guài wù què shí yào shèng shàng yī chóu ， dàn shuǎ xīn jī ， lín xuān què bú huì luò yú bié rén zhī hòu 。
就实力来说，老怪物确实要胜上一筹，但耍心机，林轩却不会落于别人之后。
With a roar like that of a wild beast, the Poison Dragon Ancestor lowered his head and clasped his hands in a gesture of fatigue. His giant spider body folded inward, its eight legs contracting as if wrapping itself up. The scales on its surface rapidly grew at an incredible rate.
guǒ rán ， tā de suàn jì yǒu le xiào guǒ ， dí rén bèi xū huǎng liǎng qiāng jiǎo dé yūn tóu zhuàn xiàng le 。
果然，他的算计有了效果，敌人被虚晃两枪搅得晕头转向了。
Boom
gāo shǒu guò zhāo ， zhǐ zhēng lí háo ， zhè yì diǎn pò zhàn suī rán wēi xiǎo ， dàn què zú yǐ chéng wéi duì fāng de zhì mìng shāng 。
高手过招，只争厘毫，这一点破绽虽然微小，但却足以成为对方的致命伤。
The phantom lion showed no fear, charging straight into one of the nearby light spheres.
mó yuán jiàn yǐ chū xiàn zài lín xuān de shǒu shàng ， wǔ zhǐ jǐn kòu ， fǎ lì rú cháo shuǐ yì bān kuáng yǒng ér chū ， yī gǔ bīng liáng zhī yì cóng cǐ jiàn biǎo miàn sàn fà chū lái le ， suí hòu yín guāng pēn bó ， tā de yòu shǒu cóng shǒu zhǎng zhì shǒu zhǒu ， dōu bèi yī céng xì mì de lín jiǎ bāo guǒ ， sì zhōu de tiān dì yuán qì yě gēn zhe zhù rù ……
魔缘剑已出现在林轩的手上，五指紧扣，法力如潮水一般狂涌而出，一股冰凉之意从此剑表面散发出来了，随后银光喷薄，他的右手从手掌至手肘，都被一层细密的鳞甲包裹，四周的天地元气也跟着注入……
Instantly, the sky was filled with rainbow hues, the dark night transformed by the brilliant light from the battle.
lín xuān yáng shēng tǔ qì ， suí hòu yī dào huī hóng de jiàn qì píng kōng ér qǐ ， wǎng zhōng jiān yī jù ， jìng huàn huà chū yī lóng tóu mǎ shēn de guài wù ， bèi yǒu shuāng yì ， hún shēn de lín piàn yín guāng liú lí 。
林轩扬声吐气，随后一道恢宏的剑气凭空而起，往中间一聚，竟幻化出一龙头马身的怪物，背有双翼，浑身的鳞片银光琉璃。
A green glow emerged, quickly overwhelming the red light.
qí lín
麒麟
Then a blue glow appeared...
zhè kě shì líng jiè shén shòu zhī yī ， yǔ fèng huáng qí míng ， jìn jiē lí hé zhōng qī yǐ hòu ， tōng tiān líng bǎo de wēi lì gèng dà zēng le bù shǎo 。
这可是灵界神兽之一，与凤凰齐名，进阶离合中期以后，通天灵宝的威力更大增了不少。
In that area where the light was most intense, a rumbling sound like distant thunder echoed.
qí lín zhāng kāi xuè pén dà kǒu ， shén wēi lǐn lǐn de xiàng zhe duì fāng pū qù ， ér zài qí lín de shēn zhōu ， jū rán hái yǒu bù shǎo guāng qiú ， měi yí gè dōu yǒu tóu lú dà xiǎo ， guāng qiú zhōng ， yǐn yǐn yǒu yí gè jù dà de fú wén shǎn shuò ， lǐ miàn yùn hán de lì liàng xiǎn rán fēi tóng xiǎo kě 。
麒麟张开血盆大口，神威凛凛的向着对方扑去，而在麒麟的身周，居然还有不少光球，每一个都有头颅大小，光球中，隐隐有一个巨大的符文闪烁，里面蕴含的力量显然非同小可。
It grew louder and more resonant, making one’s heart race. If it were ordinary people, they might have vomited blood from the sheer intensity of it all.
sān shí yú zhàng de jù lí ， duì yú zhè zhǒng chéng dù de gōng jī ， zhǎ yǎn jí zhì ， xiǎng duǒ ， gēn běn jiù bù xiàn shí 。
三十余丈的距离，对于这种程度的攻击，眨眼即至，想躲，根本就不现实。
Lin Xuan poured his remaining energy into the attack with no reserve, his face pale as he felt himself on the verge of collapse due to excessive mana expenditure. His physical condition was so poor that he couldn’t prepare a second wave of attacks, which would be disadvantageous.
shèn zhì bú huì gěi shí jiān ràng tā jiāng bǎo wù jì qǐ ， huàn jù huà shuō ， lǎo guài wù zhǐ néng píng ròu shēn yìng káng tōng tiān líng bǎo de gōng jī 。
甚至不会给时间让他将宝物祭起，换句话说，老怪物只能凭肉身硬扛通天灵宝的攻击。
But Lin Xuan was well-off and waved his sleeves to reveal an elegant glass bottle flying out.
jí biàn dǎ bù yíng yě xiān hōng nǐ gè bàn sǐ 。
即便打不赢也先轰你个半死。
Opening it, the refreshing fragrance spread, and just by inhaling it, Lin Xuan’s complexion improved slightly. He then drank a drop of immortal milk from it.
hé kuàng duì fāng rú guǒ zhēn bèi zhòng chuāng ， zì jǐ xiǎng yíng ， wèi bì jiù méi yǒu yì diǎn xī wàng 。
何况对方如果真被重创，自己想赢，未必就没有一点希望。
The essence in his dantian and sea of energy rapidly replenished him, flowing through his body like a stream to his limbs.
lín xuān de rú yì suàn pán dǎ dé bāng bāng xiǎng ， ér lǎo guài wù què shí yě bèi tā suàn jì ， liǎn shàng mǎn shì jīng nù zhī yì ， rú tóng yě shòu sī hǒu bān de jiào shēng chuán rù ěr lǐ ， suí hòu zhǐ jiàn tā dī xià tou lú ， liǎng shǒu jǐn bào ， zuò le yí gè juàn shēn de dòng zuò 。
林轩的如意算盘打得梆梆响，而老怪物确实也被他算计，脸上满是惊怒之意，如同野兽嘶吼般的叫声传入耳里，随后只见他低下头颅，两手紧抱，做了一个倦身的动作。
His face turned rosy as he opened his eyes wide. Now was too late for another attack, but the previous one had nearly drained all his mana. Even a Daoist of the Profound Void stage would be hard-pressed after such an effort. He needed to see the outcome before deciding what to do next.
nà jù dà de zhī zhū qū tǐ ， yě zhé lǒng lái ， bā tiáo tuǐ yì qǐ shōu suō ， jiāng shēn tǐ bāo guǒ ， ér shēn tǐ biǎo miàn de lín jiǎ ， jū rán yǐ bù kě sī yì de sù dù ， fēng kuáng zī zhǎng qǐ lái le 。
那巨大的蜘蛛躯体，也折拢来，八条腿一起收缩，将身体包裹，而身体表面的鳞甲，居然以不可思议的速度，疯狂滋长起来了。
As he thought this, it was indeed his only choice. The dust gradually cleared, and any signs or sounds of the battle were gone as if nothing had happened.
qí lín xū yǐng sī háo wèi jù yě wú ， kě bù huì guǎn nǐ shì bú shì shén me dòng xuán qī lǎo guài wù ， yī tóu hěn hěn de zhuàng shàng qù le 。
麒麟虚影丝毫畏惧也无，可不会管你是不是什么洞玄期老怪物，一头狠狠的撞上去了。
Lin Xuan exclaimed in shock. It wasn’t that he lacked cunning; everything here was just too... unbelievable.
shēn biān de guāng qiú ， yě gēn zhe mò rù ……
身边的光球，也跟着没入……
He saw the old monster’s body unfold, showing no wounds despite losing a significant amount of energy. If not for witnessing it firsthand, Lin Xuan wouldn’t have believed anyone who told him this.
yī shí jiān ， cǎi xiá mǎn tiān ， yuán běn qī hēi de tiān mù ， dōu bèi nà hōng rán bó fā ér chū de líng guāng ， yìng chéng le cuǐ càn de hóng sè 。
一时间，彩霞满天，原本漆黑的天幕，都被那轰然勃发而出的灵光，映成了璀璨的红色。
How could this be?
bú duì ， bú shì hóng sè 。
不对，不是红色。
The Heavenly Dao Treasure wasn’t an ordinary item. Lin Xuan had obtained it long ago and its power had steadily increased with his growth in strength.
zhǐ jiàn yī tuán lǜ yóu yóu de guāng máng yǒng chū ， shùn jiān ， yǐ jiāng nà hóng sè yān mò 。
只见一团绿油油的光芒涌出，瞬间，已将那红色淹没。
It had never failed to secure victory against opponents.
suí hòu lán máng zhà qǐ ……
随后蓝芒乍起……
Even the last time facing those saints from the city, a Daoist of the Profound Void stage, the Poison Dragon Ancestor’s attack had left him in dire straits. But this time...
jiù zhè yàng wǔ cǎi liú lí ， tóng shí zài nà guāng yùn zuì nóng zhòng zhī chù ， hái yǒu hōng lōng lóng fǎng fú mèn léi yī yàng de shēng yīn chuán chū 。
就这样五彩琉璃，同时在那光晕最浓重之处，还有轰隆隆仿佛闷雷一样的声音传出。
Facing such an unbelievable scene, Lin Xuan felt his confidence shaken.
yuè lái yuè dà ， yuè lái yuè xiǎng ， tīng dé rén xīn yáo shén chí ， rú guǒ fán rén ， kǒng pà dū huì ǒu xuè ér sǐ 。
越来越大，越来越响，听得人心摇神驰，如果凡人，恐怕都会呕血而死。
The enemy was even stronger than he imagined.
lín xuān hǎo bù róng yì cái zhì zào chū lái de shí jī ， zěn me huì yǒu fēn háo de liú lì ， hèn bù dé jiāng hún shēn de fǎ lì ， yī dī bù shèng de cháo nà tōng tiān líng bǎo zhōng guàn zhù jìn qù ， jiā shàng tā yòu jìn jiē dào lí hé zhōng qī ， cǐ bǎo de wēi lì zì rán yuǎn fēi yǐ qián kě bǐ 。
林轩好不容易才制造出来的时机，怎么会有分毫的留力，恨不得将浑身的法力，一滴不剩的朝那通天灵宝中灌注进去，加上他又进阶到离合中期，此宝的威力自然远非以前可比。
In fact, it gave him the feeling that he couldn’t possibly defeat them.
yī jiàn pī chū ， lín xuān de liǎn shàng háo wú xuè sè ， tā shèn zhì gǎn jué dào yǒu xiē xū tuō ， bú yòng shuō ， zhè shì fǎ lì xiāo hào guò shèng de yuán gù 。
一剑劈出，林轩的脸上毫无血色，他甚至感觉到有些虚脱，不用说，这是法力消耗过剩的缘故。
Was this... the true strength of a Daoist of the Profound Void stage?
shēn tǐ zhuàng kuàng rú cǐ ， ràng tā méi yǒu bàn fǎ zhǔn bèi dì èr bō gōng jī ， zhè yàng xià qù kě shì hěn bù lì ， hǎo zài lín xuān shì shēn jiā fù yù de zhǔ ér ， xiù páo yī fú ， yí gè yù píng yǐ rán fēi lüè ér chū 。
身体状况如此，让他没有办法准备第二波攻击，这样下去可是很不利，好在林轩是身家富裕的主儿，袖袍一拂，一个玉瓶已然飞掠而出。
Lin Xuan sighed, his expression complex. If any other cultivator were in such a situation, they would likely despair. After all, no matter how strong one is mentally, there’s always a limit to their endurance.
píng sāi bá kāi ， lìng rén shū shuǎng de xiāng wèi ér piāo sàn chū lái ， jǐn jǐn shì wén shàng yī wén ， jiù ràng lín xuān de liǎn sè hǎo kàn le diǎn 。
瓶塞拔开，令人舒爽的香味儿飘散出来，仅仅是闻上一闻，就让林轩的脸色好看了点。
Lin Xuan wasn’t exempt from this either, but he hadn’t been pushed to the brink yet. Similar dangerous situations had occurred before.
suí hòu lín xuān yǎng tóu jiāng yī dī wàn nián líng rǔ hē rù zuǐ bā lǐ miàn 。
随后林轩仰头将一滴万年灵乳喝入嘴巴里面。
Back then, as an intermediate-stage Soul Core cultivator, facing attacks from a Separation stage opponent was no different.
dān tián qì hǎi ， yuán běn kū jié de líng lì xùn sù yǎn shēng chū lái ， rú xiǎo xī yì bān ， liú xiàng le tā de sì zhī bǎi hái 。
丹田气海，原本枯竭的灵力迅速衍生出来，如小溪一般，流向了他的四肢百骸。
The only difference now was that he wasn’t alone. Mo Er accompanied him and they shared a bond of brotherhood with their lives intertwined. Together, they had held their own against Huì Tōng.
tā de biǎo qíng kāi shǐ hóng rùn qǐ lái 。
他的表情开始红润起来。
But this time, it was just him.
suí hòu lín xuān yuán zhēng shuāng yǎn ， xiàn zài zài gōng jī ， yǐ jīng lái bù jí ， bù guò gāng cái nà yī jì ， jī hū hào gàn le zì jǐ de fǎ lì ， xiāng xìn jiù suàn dòng xuán qī xiū xiān zhě ， yě gòu tā hē yī hú ， xiān kàn kàn jié guǒ ， suí hòu zài jué dìng gāi zěn me zuò 。
随后林轩圆睁双眼，现在再攻击，已经来不及，不过刚才那一记，几乎耗干了自己的法力，相信就算洞玄期修仙者，也够他喝一壶，先看看结果，随后再决定该怎么做。
Laughter aside, Moon’s whereabouts were unknown after four hundred years. Lin Xuan couldn’t help but think about her.
xīn zhōng rú cǐ xiǎng zhe ， qí shí zhè yě shì lín xuān wéi yī de xuǎn zé ， nà yān chén zhú jiàn sàn qù le ， bù guǎn yì zhào hái shì shēng xiǎng ， dōu xiāo shī dé bàn diǎn zōng jì yě wú ， fǎng fú jiù cóng lái yě bù céng fā shēng guò 。
心中如此想着，其实这也是林轩唯一的选择，那烟尘逐渐散去了，不管异兆还是声响，都消失得半点踪迹也无，仿佛就从来也不曾发生过。
In his dreams at night, he often saw her.
“ bù kě néng ”
“不可能”
If Mo Er were here, they could work together and not be afraid of the old guy.
wàng zhuó yǎn qián de yí mù ， lín xuān shī shēng jīng hū ， bú shì tā méi yǒu xīn jī chéng fǔ ， ér shì zhè yī qiè ， tài …… bù kě sī yì le 。
望着眼前的一幕，林轩失声惊呼，不是他没有心机城府，而是这一切，太……不可思议了。
These thoughts raced through his mind as a sudden irritation washed over him. Suppressing emotions for too long can lead to an overwhelming sense of frustration once unleashed.
lín xuān zhèng hǎo kàn jiàn lǎo guài wù jiāng shēn qū zhǎn kāi de dòng zuò ， tā chú le lüè yǒu xiē láng bèi ， sǔn shī le bù shǎo yuán qì yǐ wài ， hún shēn shàng xià ， jū rán lián shāng kǒu yě wú 。
林轩正好看见老怪物将身躯展开的动作，他除了略有些狼狈，损失了不少元气以外，浑身上下，居然连伤口也无。
Lin Xuan was consumed by his longing for Moon, his thoughts swirling with emotion. His chest felt like it would burst from the intensity of his feelings. He just wanted someone to fight against.
ruò bú shì qīn yǎn mù dǔ ， bù lùn shuí shuō yǔ zì jǐ tīng lín xuān dōu bú huì xìn fú 。
若不是亲眼目睹，不论谁说与自己听林轩都不会信服。
Despite his cautious nature, Lin Xuan couldn’t help but be swayed by human emotions. Even the most rational person has moments of passion.
zhè zěn me kě néng ne ？
这怎么可能呢？
And he had long harbored a grudge against the Poison Dragon Ancestor, so this opponent’s strength was now irrelevant.
tōng tiān líng bǎo bú shì yì bān de bǎo wù ， lín xuān dào shǒu yě bú shì yī tiān liǎng tiān le 。
通天灵宝不是一般的宝物，林轩到手也不是一天两天了。
Lin Xuan's eyes turned bloodshot as he roared, "Even if it takes me to the Profound Void stage, I’ll fight you!"
suí zhe shí lì de zēng zhǎng ， cǐ bǎo de wēi lì yě zài wěn bù zēng qiáng 。
随着实力的增长，此宝的威力也在稳步增强。
Mana surged from him. There was no need for subtlety; his next move was a powerful attack. The Long Spear of the Snow Fox King shot out, a space-manipulating treasure that Lin Xuan had previously cherished and never used.
kè dí zhì shèng ， cóng lái méi yǒu ràng zì jǐ shī wàng 。
克敌制胜，从来没有让自己失望。
Now he unleashed it directly at the opponent, its power far greater than before.
biàn shì shàng cì miàn duì nà shèng chéng de xiū xiān zhě ， duì fāng tóng yàng shì dòng xuán qī lǎo guài wù ， mó yuán jiàn de yī jī ， yě ràng tā láng bèi yǐ jí ， kě zhè cì ……
便是上次面对那圣城的修仙者，对方同样是洞玄期老怪物，魔缘剑的一击，也让他狼狈以极，可这次……
His staff also flew out, the sentient Buddha Treasure radiating light as it appeared in his vision—a golden lion towering over him. It opened its mouth to release a beam of light while lunging forward with all four legs.
shuō zhēn de ， wàng zhe zhè bù kě sī yì de yí mù ， lín xuān de xìn xīn ， shì què rán yǒu xiē shòu dǎ jī 。
说真的，望着这不可思议的一幕，林轩的信心，是确然有些受打击。
Lin Xuan moved even more dramatically, vanishing from sight as he shifted positions in an instant.
dí rén zhī qiáng ， hái yào chāo guò yuán xiān de xiǎng xiàng 。
敌人之强，还要超过原先的想象。
Lin Xuan’s ferocity left the Poison Dragon Ancestor speechless. He knew Lin Xuan possessed a Heavenly Dao Treasure and had seen him take a hit earlier, but it was clear that wasn’t how things appeared on the surface.
shèn zhì kě yǐ zhè yàng shuō ， gěi tā yī zhǒng gēn běn jiù wú fǎ zhàn shèng de gǎn jué 。
甚至可以这样说，给他一种根本就无法战胜的感觉。
It was all an act.
nán dào shuō …… zhè cái shì dòng xuán qī zhēn zhèng de shí lì ？
难道说……这才是洞玄期真正的实力？
Of course, the Poison Dragon Ancestor did this not out of pride, but to undermine Lin Xuan’s confidence. After all, in battle, confidence is as crucial as strength.
lín xuān tàn le kǒu qì ， yǎn shén fù zá wú bǐ ， rú guǒ huàn yī míng xiū xiān zhě ， miàn duì zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng kǒng pà dōu jué wàng le ， bì jìng měi yí gè rén ， bù guǎn nǐ yǒu duō jiān qiáng ， xīn lǐ chéng shòu lì ， zǒng guī shì yǒu jí xiàn de 。
林轩叹了口气，眼神复杂无比，如果换一名修仙者，面对这种情况恐怕都绝望了，毕竟每一个人，不管你有多坚强，心理承受力，总归是有极限的。
If Lin Xuan lost his confidence, his fate would be clear even to a blind man.
lín xuān yě bù néng miǎn sú ， bù guò xiàn zài zhè zhǒng jú miàn hái méi jiāng tā bī dào shān qióng shuǐ jìn de dì bù ， tóng yàng wēi xiǎn de zāo yù ， yǐ qián yě shì yǒu guò 。
林轩也不能免俗，不过现在这种局面还没将他逼到山穷水尽的地步，同样危险的遭遇，以前也是有过。
Psychological warfare was key.
jì de nà shí hòu ， zì jǐ bù guò yuán yīng zhōng qī ， miàn duì lí hé qī xiū shì de zhuī shā ， qíng kuàng bù yě yī yàng dì 。
记得那时候，自己不过元婴中期，面对离合期修士的追杀，情况不也一样地。
Thus, after taking a hit, the Poison Dragon Ancestor feigned immense power and acted as if nothing had happened, aiming to crush Lin Xuan’s confidence.
rú guǒ yí dìng yào shuō yǒu shén me dì fāng xiāng yì ， jiù shì zì jǐ bìng fēi gū jiā guǎ rén yí gè ， bù jǐn yǒu yuè ér péi zhe ， hái yǒu jié bài mèi mèi yǔ zì jǐ shēng sǐ yǔ gòng 。
如果一定要说有什么地方相异，就是自己并非孤家寡人一个，不仅有月儿陪着，还有结拜妹妹与自己生死与共。
He knew this came at a cost; using his body’s energy reserves, which took centuries to accumulate, was painful. He had to weigh the benefits against the drawbacks.
xiōng dì tóng xīn ， qí lì duàn jīn ， dāng shí sān rén lián shǒu ， yìng shì yǔ huì tōng píng fēn qiū sè 。
兄弟同心，其利断金，当时三人联手，硬是与慧通平分秋色。
The attack from the Heavenly Dao Treasure was devastating, but he had taken some damage and forced himself to endure it. This act of feigned nonchalance would only worsen his injuries in reality.
rán ér zhè yī huí ， què jǐn yǒu zì jǐ yí gè 。
然而这一回，却仅有自己一个。
The Poison Dragon Ancestor’s efforts were well-intentioned, but Lin Xuan's reaction far exceeded expectations.
xià hóu lán zàn qiě bù shuō ， yuè ér yě bù zhī fāng zōng hé chù ， sì bǎi nián le ， lín xuān néng bù xiǎng yuè ér me ？
夏侯兰暂且不说，月儿也不知芳踪何处，四百年了，林轩能不想月儿么？
PS: Fourth update for the day. More updates will come tonight. First-page recommendation votes are a dream, but I hope to get as many as possible. Fellow daoists, do you have any more recommendation votes? Please give them to me; I still need to write the next chapter.
Chapter 1697 - Lin Xuan's Madness (Fourth Update)
Bang
There was no suspense as the light beam struck its target. The seawater splashed apart, revealing nothing of Lin Xuan’s whereabouts.
Tricked!
The Poison Dragon Ancestor was shocked and realized his opponent was cunning like a fox, having been outmaneuvered.
Frustrating!
But he couldn’t afford to be angry or alarmed as a powerful aura suddenly rose from thirty meters to the left. Lin Xuan had surfaced from beneath the sea.
He wore a red cloth on his head, which he had used to conceal himself just now. Otherwise, how could he have fooled a Daoist of the Profound Void stage with mere breath control?
The Poison Dragon Ancestor was no stranger to such tricks; if they were caught out once, he could try again and misdirect them in another direction.
The first water column was a decoy, but so was the second.
In terms of strength, the old monster did have an edge, but Lin Xuan wouldn’t fall behind when it came to confidence.
With a roar like that of a wild beast, the Poison Dragon Ancestor lowered his head and clasped his hands in a gesture of fatigue. His giant spider body folded inward, its eight legs contracting as if wrapping itself up. The scales on its surface rapidly grew at an incredible rate.
Boom
The phantom lion showed no fear, charging straight into one of the nearby light spheres.
Instantly, the sky was filled with rainbow hues, the dark night transformed by the brilliant light from the battle.
No, not red.
A green glow emerged, quickly overwhelming the red light.
Then a blue glow appeared...
In that area where the light was most intense, a rumbling sound like distant thunder echoed.
It grew louder and more resonant, making one’s heart race. If it were ordinary people, they might have vomited blood from the sheer intensity of it all.
Lin Xuan poured his remaining energy into the attack with no reserve, his face pale as he felt himself on the verge of collapse due to excessive mana expenditure. His physical condition was so poor that he couldn’t prepare a second wave of attacks, which would be disadvantageous.
But Lin Xuan was well-off and waved his sleeves to reveal an elegant glass bottle flying out.
Opening it, the refreshing fragrance spread, and just by inhaling it, Lin Xuan’s complexion improved slightly. He then drank a drop of immortal milk from it.
The essence in his dantian and sea of energy rapidly replenished him, flowing through his body like a stream to his limbs.
His face turned rosy as he opened his eyes wide. Now was too late for another attack, but the previous one had nearly drained all his mana. Even a Daoist of the Profound Void stage would be hard-pressed after such an effort. He needed to see the outcome before deciding what to do next.
As he thought this, it was indeed his only choice. The dust gradually cleared, and any signs or sounds of the battle were gone as if nothing had happened.
Impossible!
Lin Xuan exclaimed in shock. It wasn’t that he lacked cunning; everything here was just too... unbelievable.
He saw the old monster’s body unfold, showing no wounds despite losing a significant amount of energy. If not for witnessing it firsthand, Lin Xuan wouldn’t have believed anyone who told him this.
How could this be?
The Heavenly Dao Treasure wasn’t an ordinary item. Lin Xuan had obtained it long ago and its power had steadily increased with his growth in strength.
It had never failed to secure victory against opponents.
Even the last time facing those saints from the city, a Daoist of the Profound Void stage, the Poison Dragon Ancestor’s attack had left him in dire straits. But this time...
Facing such an unbelievable scene, Lin Xuan felt his confidence shaken.
The enemy was even stronger than he imagined.
In fact, it gave him the feeling that he couldn’t possibly defeat them.
Was this... the true strength of a Daoist of the Profound Void stage?
Lin Xuan sighed, his expression complex. If any other cultivator were in such a situation, they would likely despair. After all, no matter how strong one is mentally, there’s always a limit to their endurance.
Lin Xuan wasn’t exempt from this either, but he hadn’t been pushed to the brink yet. Similar dangerous situations had occurred before.
Back then, as an intermediate-stage Soul Core cultivator, facing attacks from a Separation stage opponent was no different.
The only difference now was that he wasn’t alone. Mo Er accompanied him and they shared a bond of brotherhood with their lives intertwined. Together, they had held their own against Huì Tōng.
But this time, it was just him.
Laughter aside, Moon’s whereabouts were unknown after four hundred years. Lin Xuan couldn’t help but think about her.
In his dreams at night, he often saw her.
If Mo Er were here, they could work together and not be afraid of the old guy.
These thoughts raced through his mind as a sudden irritation washed over him. Suppressing emotions for too long can lead to an overwhelming sense of frustration once unleashed.
Lin Xuan was consumed by his longing for Moon, his thoughts swirling with emotion. His chest felt like it would burst from the intensity of his feelings. He just wanted someone to fight against.
Despite his cautious nature, Lin Xuan couldn’t help but be swayed by human emotions. Even the most rational person has moments of passion.
And he had long harbored a grudge against the Poison Dragon Ancestor, so this opponent’s strength was now irrelevant.
Lin Xuan's eyes turned bloodshot as he roared, "Even if it takes me to the Profound Void stage, I’ll fight you!"
Mana surged from him. There was no need for subtlety; his next move was a powerful attack. The Long Spear of the Snow Fox King shot out, a space-manipulating treasure that Lin Xuan had previously cherished and never used.
Now he unleashed it directly at the opponent, its power far greater than before.
His staff also flew out, the sentient Buddha Treasure radiating light as it appeared in his vision—a golden lion towering over him. It opened its mouth to release a beam of light while lunging forward with all four legs.
Lin Xuan moved even more dramatically, vanishing from sight as he shifted positions in an instant.
Lin Xuan’s ferocity left the Poison Dragon Ancestor speechless. He knew Lin Xuan possessed a Heavenly Dao Treasure and had seen him take a hit earlier, but it was clear that wasn’t how things appeared on the surface.
It was all an act.
Of course, the Poison Dragon Ancestor did this not out of pride, but to undermine Lin Xuan’s confidence. After all, in battle, confidence is as crucial as strength.
If Lin Xuan lost his confidence, his fate would be clear even to a blind man.
Psychological warfare was key.
Thus, after taking a hit, the Poison Dragon Ancestor feigned immense power and acted as if nothing had happened, aiming to crush Lin Xuan’s confidence.
He knew this came at a cost; using his body’s energy reserves, which took centuries to accumulate, was painful. He had to weigh the benefits against the drawbacks.
The attack from the Heavenly Dao Treasure was devastating, but he had taken some damage and forced himself to endure it. This act of feigned nonchalance would only worsen his injuries in reality.
The Poison Dragon Ancestor’s efforts were well-intentioned, but Lin Xuan's reaction far exceeded expectations.
PS: Fourth update for the day. More updates will come tonight. First-page recommendation votes are a dream, but I hope to get as many as possible. Fellow daoists, do you have any more recommendation votes? Please give them to me; I still need to write the next chapter.