zhè ge dà jiā dōu zài cāi cè ， dàn què méi yǒu rén qīng chǔ 。 zhū gě tiān yuán āi le yì kǒu qì de jiē kǒu le 。
这个大家都在猜测，但却没有人清楚。诸葛天元哎了一口气的接口了。
Everyone was speculating about this, but no one knew for sure. Zhuge Tianyuan took a deep breath and continued.
，“ méi yǒu rén qīng chǔ ？…… lín xuān tīng le ， liǎn shàng lù chū ruò yǒu suǒ sī zhī sè 。
，“没有人清楚？……林轩听了，脸上露出若有所思之色。
"Nobody knows? …" Lin Xuan's face showed a thoughtful expression as he listened.
，“ bù cuò ， bù lùn shì shèng chéng zhè biān de xiū xiān zhě ， hái shì nà xiē hǎi zú ， yí gè èr gè 。 jiē shì shǒu kǒu rú píng de 。 dà zhàn chí xù le zhè me jiǔ ， yě yǒu bù shǎo sàn xiū xīn zhōng hào qí 。 shī zhǎn hún shēn xiè shù 。 zhuō lái yī xiē hǎi zú ， duì tā men shī yǐ sōu hún zhī shù ， rán ér méi yǒu yòng tú ， dī jiē xiū shì bú yòng shuō ， biàn shì nà xiē yuán yīng ， shèn zhì lí hé jí bié de hǎi zú ， sōu hún zhī hòu yě méi yǒu fēn háo xiàn suǒ 。 tā men bìng bù xiǎo de hóng yè dǎo shàng yǒu shén me ， suǒ zuò de yī qiè ， dōu bù guò shì fèng mìng xíng shì bà le ……
，“不错，不论是圣城这边的修仙者，还是那些海族，一个二个。皆是守口如瓶的。大战持续了这么久，也有不少散修心中好奇。施展浑身解数。捉来一些海族，对他们施以搜魂之术，然而没有用途，低阶修士不用说，便是那些元婴，甚至离合级别的海族，搜魂之后也没有分毫线索。他们并不晓得红叶岛上有什么，所做的一切，都不过是奉命行事罢了……
"Indeed, whether it is the cultivators from the Holy City or those sea tribes, they all keep their mouths shut. The war has been going on for so long that many independent cultivators are curious. They have used every means at their disposal to capture some of the sea tribes and perform soul-searching techniques on them, but there was no use. Lower-grade cultivators need not be mentioned; even those with元婴 or even离合级别的 sea tribes did not yield any clues after a soul search. They do not know what is on Red Leaf Island; all they are doing is carrying out their orders."
，“ yuán lái rú cǐ …… lín xuān diǎn le diǎn tóu ， zhè ge xiāo xī yě zài yì liào zhī zhōng 。 rú guǒ zhēn yǒu dà mì mì ， bù lùn rén zú ， hái shì hǎi zú ， shuāng fāng gāo céng 。 kěn dìng dū bú huì dà sì xuān yáng shén me 。
，“原来如此……林轩点了点头，这个消息也在意料之中。如果真有大秘密，不论人族，还是海族，双方高层。肯定都不会大肆宣扬什么。
"Indeed, so it is …" Lin Xuan nodded. This news was expected. If there were really a great secret, neither humans nor the sea tribes would publicize it. It wouldn't be beneficial for everyone to know about it. If his guess was right, only a few Core Formation stage cultivators might have known the truth.
jiān dào rén jǐn jiē zhī duì tā men méi yǒu hǎo chù ， rú guǒ zì jǐ suǒ liào méi cuò ， xiǎo de qí zhōng zhēn xiàng de kǒng pà zhǐ yǒu jǐ míng dòng xuán qī jí bié de xiū xiān zhě 。
间到人尽皆知对他们没有好处，如果自己所料没错，晓得其中真相的恐怕只有几名洞玄期级别的修仙者。
As for the others, they were merely pawns in this game. The cultivation world was so pragmatic; lower-ranking cultivators could only follow orders from higher-ups.
zhì yú qí tā rén ， dōu bù guò shì qí zi ér yǐ ， xiū xiān jiè jiù shì zhè me xiàn shí ， miàn duì gāo jiē xiū shì ， jìng jiè dī de zhǐ néng tīng lìng xíng shì 。
至于其他人，都不过是棋子而已，修仙界就是这么现实，面对高阶修士，境界低的只能听令行事。
Since no one knew anything, asking further would not yield any results. It seemed he had to wait until after arriving at Red Leaf Island to think of a way out.
jì rán wú rén xiǎo de 。 nà zài wèn yě bú huì yǒu shén me jié guǒ ， kàn lái zì jǐ zhǐ yǒu dào hóng yè dǎo hòu ， màn màn qù xiǎng bàn fǎ le 。
既然无人晓得。那再问也不会有什么结果，看来自己只有到红叶岛后，慢慢去想办法了。
If all else failed, he might find an opportunity to draw the soul and refine the essence of Zhuge Tianyuan's fourth younger brother. After all, it was a desperate measure.
shí zài bù xíng ， zhǎo gè jī huì jiāng dú lóng lǎo zǔ chōu hún liàn pò ， nà ge lǎo guài wù ， shì kěn dìng xiǎo de qí zhōng yuán wěi de ， ér qiě nà me zuò 。 yě suàn shì jiāng zì jǐ xiōng zhōng de è qì qù chú ， kān chēng yī shí èr niǎo de jì cè 。
实在不行，找个机会将毒龙老祖抽魂炼魄，那个老怪物，是肯定晓得其中原委的，而且那么做。也算是将自己胸中的恶气去除，堪称一石二鸟的计策。
The young scholar with the paintbrush on hand already looked ashamed as he spoke: "Brothers, it is all my fault; I have brought you so much trouble."
dāng rán ， zhè ge dǎ suàn ， wú lùn rú hé ， lín xuān dōu bù kě néng duì wài rén shuō ， tā de mù guāng ， zài yǎn qián sì rén shēn shàng sǎo guò ：，“ hóng yè dǎo jì rán bèi shèng chéng jiē guǎn le ， nà jǐ wèi dào yǒu cǐ xíng mù dì rú hé ” shì dǎ suàn tóu kào dào shèng chéng huī xià me ？……
当然，这个打算，无论如何，林轩都不可能对外人说，他的目光，在眼前四人身上扫过：，“红叶岛既然被圣城接管了，那几位道友此行目的如何”是打算投靠到圣城麾下么？……
"Fourth Brother, that’s not right," said Yellow Court Sect. "When we became sworn brothers long ago, we swore to die together if we could not live together. A few pieces of treasure and spirit stones are nothing; what matters most is your safety."
，“ dāng rán bú shì ， wǒ men xiōng mèi sì gè 。 zǎo jiù xí guàn le xián yún yě hè ， zěn me kě néng wǎng zì jǐ shēn shàng tào shéng suǒ ， qù gōng bié rén qū cè …… zhū gě tiān yuán de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lǐ miàn sī háo gǎn qíng yě wú ， tīng bù chū xǐ nù 。
，“当然不是，我们兄妹四个。早就习惯了闲云野鹤，怎么可能往自己身上套绳索，去供别人驱策……诸葛天元的声音传入耳朵，里面丝毫感情也无，听不出喜怒。
Lin Xuan sighed. Who would have thought that cultivators were not all devoid of emotion? True feelings still existed in this world.
，“ nà sì wèi qù nà lǐ zuò shén me ？……
，“那四位去那里做什么？……
From this point on, his association with the four was justified. Friends should be those who could back you up even if it meant cutting through your ribs.
lín xuān shì zhēn de yǒu xiē chà yì le ” shéi dōu xiǎo de ， cǐ shí cǐ kè ， hóng yè dǎo bì shì shā jī biàn bù ， nán bù chéng hái shì qù yóu shān wán shuǐ de 。
林轩是真的有些诧异了”谁都晓得，此时此刻，红叶岛必是杀机遍布，难不成还是去游山玩水的。
"Let our guest think us foolish," said Lin Xuan with a smile.
，“ zhè ……”。
，“这……”。
"Haha, Brother Yellow does not need to say so much. Your deep bond moves me…" Lin Xuan's words were sincere and not just for show.
zhū gě tiān yuán liǎn shàng yī hóng ， qí tā sān rén de biǎo qíng yě dōu chà bu duō ， gān gà zhōng dài zhe jǐ fēn xiū cán zhī sè ， fǎng fú yǒu shén me huà nán yǐ qǐ chǐ shì de 。
诸葛天元脸上一红，其他三人的表情也都差不多，尴尬中带着几分羞惭之色，仿佛有什么话难以启齿是的。
"What are the four of you planning to do on Red Leaf Island?" Since he had already started talking, Lin Xuan decided to be straightforward and ask about their plans.
，“ hē hē ， dǎo shì lín mǒu mào mèi le 。 ruò shì yǒu shén me nán yán zhī yǐn 。 jǐ wèi dào yǒu yě bú yòng shuō 。”， lín xuān wēi xiào de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
，“呵呵，倒是林某冒昧了。若是有什么难言之隐。几位道友也不用说。”，林轩微笑的声音传入耳朵。
"We don’t have to worry about that," Zhuge Tianyuan said with a laugh. "We came here to take on tasks; otherwise, would we accept employment as guards for the city?"
，“ qí shí yě bú shì nán yán zhī yǐn ， lín xiōng jì rán dòng wèn le ， wǒ xiōng dì yòu qǐ huì zhē zhē yǎn yǎn ne ， shì zhè yàng de ……，。
，“其实也不是难言之隐，林兄既然动问了，我兄弟又岂会遮遮掩掩呢，是这样的……，。
Lin Xuan was still confused but Zhuge Tianyuan explained further: The call from the Holy City only applied to sects and families, which made sense given that independent cultivators were self-sufficient.
chén mò le jǐ xī ， yān shān sì yǒu zhōng de lǎo dà tàn le kǒu qì ：，“ shì qíng shì zhè yàng dì ， wǒ děng sì rén yì qì xiāng tóu ， gù ér yì zhí jì qíng yú shān shuǐ zhī zhōng 。 kě wǒ xiōng mèi bì jìng yě shì xiū xiān zhě ， dà hǎo guāng yīn bù néng jiù zhè yàng làng fèi le ， kě dào yǒu yě xiǎo de 。 zhè xiū liàn shì xū yào gè zhǒng zī yuán de ， dān yào ， jīng shí ， hái yǒu qí tā yī xiē cái liào ” yī yàng dōu bù néng shǎo ， ér wǒ xiōng mèi nǎi shì sàn xiū ， méi yǒu mén pài kě zuò yǐ kào ， nǐ bié kàn wǒ men shì yuán yīng hòu de qī xiū xiān zhě ， qí shí yí gè èr gè dōu náng zhōng xiū sè ” yǐ qián hái néng miǎn qiǎng yìng fù 。 kě qián yī zhèn sì dì xiū liàn de shí hòu chà diǎn zǒu huǒ rù mó ， suī fā xiàn dé zǎo ” què jīng mài nì zhuǎn ， fǎ lì dào guàn 。 chà diǎn quán shēn tān huàn ， wèi le zhì hǎo sì dì 。 wǒ men jī hū yòng wán le quán shēn de jī xù ……”。
沉默了几息，燕山四友中的老大叹了口气：，“事情是这样地，我等四人义气相投，故而一直寄情于山水之中。可我兄妹毕竟也是修仙者，大好光阴不能就这样浪费了，可道友也晓得。这修炼是需要各种资源的，丹药，晶石，还有其他一些材料”一样都不能少，而我兄妹乃是散修，没有门派可做倚靠，你别看我们是元婴后的期修仙者，其实一个二个都囊中羞涩”以前还能勉强应付。可前一阵四弟修炼的时候差点走火入魔，虽发现得早”却经脉逆转，法力倒灌。差点全身瘫痪，为了治好四弟。我们几乎用完了全身的积蓄……”。
Even if they ignored the order, the Holy City could not do much since there were too many of them scattered around. However, for sects and families, ignoring orders was impossible because they would find a way to deal with it.
huà yīn wèi luò ， nà shǒu chí huà bǐ de shū shēng yǐ shì mǎn liǎn xiū cán zhī sè ：，“ dōu shì xiǎo dì méi yòng ， lián lěi zhū wèi xiōng zhǎng le 。”。
话音未落，那手持画笔的书生已是满脸羞惭之色：，“都是小弟没用，连累诸位兄长了。”。
The tree was big and drew attention; sects and families had to follow the Holy City's call.
，“ sì dì ， nǐ zhè huà jiù bú duì le 。 dāng nián wǒ men jié bài zhī shí ， shuō guò bù qiú tóng nián tóng yuè shēng 。 dàn yuàn tóng nián tóng yuè sǐ ， qū qū cái suō jīng shí ， shēng bù dài lái ， sǐ bù dài qù ， yòu suàn dé le shén me dà shì ， nǐ rén néng gòu píng ān wú shì ， zhè cái shì zuì zhòng yào dì …… jiàn sì dì zì zé ， huáng tíng zōng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， biǎo qíng yě dài shàng jǐ fēn bù yù zhī sè 。
，“四弟，你这话就不对了。当年我们结拜之时，说过不求同年同月生。但愿同年同月死，区区财娑晶石，生不带来，死不带去，又算得了什么大事，你人能够平安无事，这才是最重要地……见四弟自责，黄庭宗的声音传入耳朵，表情也带上几分不豫之色。
But while independent cultivators were numerous, their overall power was low. If they could gather together, their strength would be formidable, especially in light of the dire situation for humans. The Holy City would not let such a force go to waste.
，“ dà gē suǒ yán méi cuò ， sì dì nǐ zài zhè yàng shuō ， èr gē wǒ yě yào shēng qì le ……
，“大哥所言没错，四弟你再这样说，二哥我也要生气了……
To get them to serve, both soft and hard measures were used. Since threats did not work, they offered substantial rewards: "Where there is great reward, there will be brave men." They would not fear that no one would follow this path.
ér nà wèi yīn wèi yǒu kǒu jí ， ér yì zhí méi yǒu kāi guò kǒu de zǐ xuān xiān zi ， zé jiāng yù shǒu shēn chū ， fǔ le fǔ sì dì de tóu lú ， zhuàng shì ān fǔ ， zhǎng jiě rú mǔ ， cóng zhè xiǎo xiǎo de dòng zuò ” jiù kě yǐ kàn chū cǐ nǚ wēn róu xián shū 。
而那位因为有口疾，而一直没有开过口的紫萱仙子，则将玉手伸出，抚了抚四弟的头颅，状似安抚，长姐如母，从这小小的动作”就可以看出此女温柔娴淑。
Compared to sect members, independent cultivators were generally poorer, making such incentives effective. Red Leaf Island had provided two types of tasks: One was to join the island's guard force alongside other sect and family cultivators, with varying pay based on their cultivation level; the other was open missions like hunting sea tribes or gathering intelligence, which could be freely taken by independent cultivators.
lín xuān tàn le kǒu qì ， shuí shuō xiū xiān zhě jiù wú yī lì wài de guǎ qíng báo yì ， zhè shì jiān ， hái shì cái zhēn qíng zài dì 。
林轩叹了口气，谁说修仙者就无一例外的寡情薄意，这世间，还是才真情在地。
"Indeed, that makes sense. Do the four of you plan to take on tasks from Red Leaf Island?" Lin Xuan nodded as he understood.
cóng zhè yì diǎn shàng ， zì jǐ yǔ sì rén jié jiāo jiù méi yǒu cuò 。 zhè péng yǒu me ， dāng rán shì yào néng gòu tì zì jǐ liǎng lèi chā dāo de 。
从这一点上，自己与四人结交就没有错。这朋友么，当然是要能够替自己两肋插刀的。
"Yes, yes. We are all free-spirited and cannot bear constraints," said Yellow Court Sect. "But these tasks on Red Leaf Island suit us well, especially with generous rewards. How about it, Brother Lin? Do you have any interest in joining?"
，“ ràng dào yǒu jiàn xiào le 。”。
，“让道友见笑了。”。
"Perhaps …"
，“ hē hē ， huáng xiōng hé bì zhè yàng shuō 。 sì wèi qíng shēn yì zhòng ， ràng lín mǒu pèi fú …… lín xuān zhè jù huà jué bú shì xū yǔ wēi yí ， ér shì fā zì fèi fǔ 。
，“呵呵，黄兄何必这样说。四位情深意重，让林某佩服……林轩这句话绝不是虚与委蛇，而是发自肺腑。
Lin Xuan showed a hesitant expression before saying: "I originally had no such intention, but your mention has piqued my interest. However, I cannot decide now; we will see when we get to Red Leaf Island."
，“ jǐ wèi náng zhōng xiū sè ， nà dào hóng yè dǎo qù yòu zhǔn bèi gàn shén me ？”。 fǎn zhèng yǐ jīng kāi kǒu ， lín xuān gān cuì jiù hòu zhe liǎn pí ， dǎ pò shā guō wèn dào dǐ 。
，“几位囊中羞涩，那到红叶岛去又准备干什么？”。反正已经开口，林轩干脆就厚着脸皮，打破沙锅问到底。
"That is reasonable."
，“ hē hē ， zhè hái yòng shuō ， wǒ men dào hóng yè dǎo ， dāng rán shì wèi le jiē rèn wù ， fǒu zé nán dào hái jiē shòu gù yōng ， qù dāng nà xiē shǒu chéng de xiū xiān zhě ？…… nà zhū gě tiān yuán kàn qǐ lái shì jiàn tán de rén wù 。 yòu cóng páng biān jiē kǒu le 。
，“呵呵，这还用说，我们到红叶岛，当然是为了接任务，否则难道还接受雇佣，去当那些守城的修仙者？……那诸葛天元看起来是健谈的人物。又从旁边接口了。
Lin Xuan's words were logical, and the four did not press further. With their shared spirit, they soon became lively as they drank and ate together, exchanging cultivation insights.
lín xuān zé tīng dé yī tóu wù shuǐ ， hǎo zài duì fāng dǎo shì bù yàn qí fán ， yòu jiě shì le bàn tiān 。 lín xuān zhōng yú bō kāi yún wù ， jiāng zhè qí zhōng de yuán wěi ， yī yī de nòng míng bái 。
林轩则听得一头雾水，好在对方倒是不厌其烦，又解释了半天。林轩终于拨开云雾，将这其中的原委，一一的弄明白。
Lin Xuan did not reveal his true strength but occasionally offered some advice that benefited them greatly.
shuō chuān le ， qí shí yě jiǎn dān ， jiù shì shèng chéng suǒ fā chū de zhào jí lìng ， yuán lái zhǐ duì zōng mén jiā zú yǒu xiào guǒ 。
说穿了，其实也简单，就是圣城所发出的召集令，原来只对宗门家族有效果。
In a few hours, Red Leaf Island finally came into view.
zhè yě shì bù qí guài de ， sàn xiū shǔ yú yī rén chī bǎo ， quán jiā bù è ， jiù suàn shì yǒu shuāng xiū dào lǚ ， tōng cháng yě shì jū wú dìng suǒ 。
这也是不奇怪的，散修属于一人吃饱，全家不饿，就算是有双修道侣，通常也是居无定所。
Looking at its lush greenery, Lin Xuan felt a sense of nostalgia. Time passed quickly; over four hundred years had gone by since he ascended. He could not help but feel a myriad of emotions as he thought back to his first flight.
jiù suàn bù tīng shèng chéng de hào lìng yòu rú hé ？
就算不听圣城的号令又如何？
Red Leaf Island was now more bustling than before.
duì fāng jiù suàn shā jī jǐng hóu yě méi yǒu yòng chǔ ， sàn xiū shù liàng zhòng duō ， piān piān yòu tài guò fèn sàn le ， jí biàn yǐ shèng chéng shí lì zhī xióng hòu ” ná tā men yě mò nài hé 。
对方就算杀鸡儆猴也没有用处，散修数量众多，偏偏又太过分散了，即便以圣城实力之雄厚”拿他们也没奈何。
Colorful lights appeared in his vision, and upon scanning with his divine sense, Lin Xuan saw that the cultivators' cultivation levels varied from灵动 to离合. Most were independent cultivators based on their attire. The four of Yellow Court Sect had not been lying; the Holy City's generous rewards had brought even rebellious independent cultivators under its control.
ér zōng mén jiā zú jiù bù tóng le ， zhǐ yào nǐ bù tíng hào lìng 。 zǒng yǒu bàn fǎ duì fù nǐ ， pǎo dé le hé shàng ， nán dào hái pǎo dé le miào me ？
而宗门家族就不同了，只要你不停号令。总有办法对付你，跑得了和尚，难道还跑得了庙么？
Upon arriving at Red Leaf Island, they found it was completely enclosed by a massive light barrier. The barrier was thick and shimmered with countless runes, indicating its significance.
fǔ wèi shù dà zhāo fēng 。 zōng mén jiā zú duì yú shèng chéng de zhào jí lìng ， fǎn dào shì bù gǎn bù zūn cóng 。
甫胃树大招风。宗门家族对于圣城的召集令，反倒是不敢不遵从。
Lin Xuan could only marvel inwardly. Knowing that Red Leaf Island’s area was considerable, the Holy City had managed to enclose the entire island with禁制. This was truly a grand gesture.
rán ér sàn xiū rén shù zhòng duō 。 yīng rán xiū wèi pǔ biàn piān dī ， kě rú guǒ néng gòu jù hé zài yì qǐ ， shí lì hái shì kě guān wú bǐ 。
然而散修人数众多。英然修为普遍偏低，可如果能够聚合在一起，实力还是可观无比。
Previously, when Fairy Red Leaf was the island's ruler, she only set up a protective array for the main city and did not activate it regularly. It was nothing like this luxurious setup now.
yóu qí shì rú lìng rén zú de xíng shì 。 shí zài shì bù miào yǐ jí ， zhè me dà yī gǔ lì liàng ， shèng chéng zěn me kě néng bái bái fàng qì 。
尤其是如令人族的形势。实在是不妙以极，这么大一股力量，圣城怎么可能白白放弃。
Lin Xuan’s thoughts raced as he narrowed his eyes. The Holy City's strength was indeed formidable; he had to be extra cautious to avoid attracting unwanted attention from Core Formation stage experts.
xiǎng yào duì fāng tì zì jǐ xiào lì ， wú wài hū ruǎn yìng jiān shī ér yǐ 。
想要对方替自己效力，无外乎软硬兼施而已。
Although the Illusory Shadow Escape Technique was incredibly powerful, it wasn't foolproof. Who knew if there were any secret techniques that could disrupt it? Such a scenario would be disastrous!
Everyone was speculating about this, but no one knew for sure. Zhuge Tianyuan took a deep breath and continued.
"Nobody knows? …" Lin Xuan's face showed a thoughtful expression as he listened.
"Indeed, whether it is the cultivators from the Holy City or those sea tribes, they all keep their mouths shut. The war has been going on for so long that many independent cultivators are curious. They have used every means at their disposal to capture some of the sea tribes and perform soul-searching techniques on them, but there was no use. Lower-grade cultivators need not be mentioned; even those with元婴 or even离合级别的 sea tribes did not yield any clues after a soul search. They do not know what is on Red Leaf Island; all they are doing is carrying out their orders."
"Indeed, so it is …" Lin Xuan nodded. This news was expected. If there were really a great secret, neither humans nor the sea tribes would publicize it. It wouldn't be beneficial for everyone to know about it. If his guess was right, only a few Core Formation stage cultivators might have known the truth.
As for the others, they were merely pawns in this game. The cultivation world was so pragmatic; lower-ranking cultivators could only follow orders from higher-ups.
Since no one knew anything, asking further would not yield any results. It seemed he had to wait until after arriving at Red Leaf Island to think of a way out.
If all else failed, he might find an opportunity to draw the soul and refine the essence of Zhuge Tianyuan's fourth younger brother. After all, it was a desperate measure.
The young scholar with the paintbrush on hand already looked ashamed as he spoke: "Brothers, it is all my fault; I have brought you so much trouble."
"Fourth Brother, that’s not right," said Yellow Court Sect. "When we became sworn brothers long ago, we swore to die together if we could not live together. A few pieces of treasure and spirit stones are nothing; what matters most is your safety."
Lin Xuan sighed. Who would have thought that cultivators were not all devoid of emotion? True feelings still existed in this world.
From this point on, his association with the four was justified. Friends should be those who could back you up even if it meant cutting through your ribs.
"Let our guest think us foolish," said Lin Xuan with a smile.
"Haha, Brother Yellow does not need to say so much. Your deep bond moves me…" Lin Xuan's words were sincere and not just for show.
"What are the four of you planning to do on Red Leaf Island?" Since he had already started talking, Lin Xuan decided to be straightforward and ask about their plans.
"We don’t have to worry about that," Zhuge Tianyuan said with a laugh. "We came here to take on tasks; otherwise, would we accept employment as guards for the city?"
Lin Xuan was still confused but Zhuge Tianyuan explained further: The call from the Holy City only applied to sects and families, which made sense given that independent cultivators were self-sufficient.
Even if they ignored the order, the Holy City could not do much since there were too many of them scattered around. However, for sects and families, ignoring orders was impossible because they would find a way to deal with it.
The tree was big and drew attention; sects and families had to follow the Holy City's call.
But while independent cultivators were numerous, their overall power was low. If they could gather together, their strength would be formidable, especially in light of the dire situation for humans. The Holy City would not let such a force go to waste.
To get them to serve, both soft and hard measures were used. Since threats did not work, they offered substantial rewards: "Where there is great reward, there will be brave men." They would not fear that no one would follow this path.
Compared to sect members, independent cultivators were generally poorer, making such incentives effective. Red Leaf Island had provided two types of tasks: One was to join the island's guard force alongside other sect and family cultivators, with varying pay based on their cultivation level; the other was open missions like hunting sea tribes or gathering intelligence, which could be freely taken by independent cultivators.
"Indeed, that makes sense. Do the four of you plan to take on tasks from Red Leaf Island?" Lin Xuan nodded as he understood.
"Yes, yes. We are all free-spirited and cannot bear constraints," said Yellow Court Sect. "But these tasks on Red Leaf Island suit us well, especially with generous rewards. How about it, Brother Lin? Do you have any interest in joining?"
"Perhaps …"
Lin Xuan showed a hesitant expression before saying: "I originally had no such intention, but your mention has piqued my interest. However, I cannot decide now; we will see when we get to Red Leaf Island."
"That is reasonable."
Lin Xuan's words were logical, and the four did not press further. With their shared spirit, they soon became lively as they drank and ate together, exchanging cultivation insights.
Lin Xuan did not reveal his true strength but occasionally offered some advice that benefited them greatly.
In a few hours, Red Leaf Island finally came into view.
Looking at its lush greenery, Lin Xuan felt a sense of nostalgia. Time passed quickly; over four hundred years had gone by since he ascended. He could not help but feel a myriad of emotions as he thought back to his first flight.
Red Leaf Island was now more bustling than before.
Colorful lights appeared in his vision, and upon scanning with his divine sense, Lin Xuan saw that the cultivators' cultivation levels varied from灵动 to离合. Most were independent cultivators based on their attire. The four of Yellow Court Sect had not been lying; the Holy City's generous rewards had brought even rebellious independent cultivators under its control.
Upon arriving at Red Leaf Island, they found it was completely enclosed by a massive light barrier. The barrier was thick and shimmered with countless runes, indicating its significance.
Lin Xuan could only marvel inwardly. Knowing that Red Leaf Island’s area was considerable, the Holy City had managed to enclose the entire island with禁制. This was truly a grand gesture.
Previously, when Fairy Red Leaf was the island's ruler, she only set up a protective array for the main city and did not activate it regularly. It was nothing like this luxurious setup now.
Lin Xuan’s thoughts raced as he narrowed his eyes. The Holy City's strength was indeed formidable; he had to be extra cautious to avoid attracting unwanted attention from Core Formation stage experts.
Although the Illusory Shadow Escape Technique was incredibly powerful, it wasn't foolproof. Who knew if there were any secret techniques that could disrupt it? Such a scenario would be disastrous!