dì yī qiān bā bǎi wǔ shí bā zhāng rèn wù kāi shǐ
第一千八百五十八章任务开始
Chapter 1858: Task Commencement
“ jiǔ sǐ yì shēng ， nà yě wèi bì ， gāng gāng nà dú bì dào yǒu ， bù guò yuán yīng chū qī ， bù yě huó zhe huí dào le zhè lǐ 。” lín xuān dàn dàn de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
“九死一生，那也未必，刚刚那独臂道友，不过元婴初期，不也活着回到了这里。”林轩淡淡的声音传入耳朵。
Lin Xuan's cool voice entered everyone’s ears. "Nine out of ten chances to die, that doesn't necessarily mean it will happen. The one-armed daoist friend we met just now was only at the early stage of元婴, yet he made it back here alive."
“ kě ……” yú miào róng zuǐ wēi dòng ， hái xiǎng quàn shuō ， lín xuān què xiān yī bù kāi kǒu le ：“ sú huà shuō ， fù guì xiǎn zhōng qiú ， píng xīn lái shuō ， zhè ge rèn wù què shí wēi xiǎn ， dàn bào chóu yě gòu fēng hòu ， jīn rì cuò guò ， xià yī huí ， kǒng pà jiù méi yǒu jī huì yù jiàn le ， zǒng zhī lín mǒu bù dǎ suàn fàng qì 。”
“可……”鱼妙容嘴微动，还想劝说，林轩却先一步开口了：“俗话说，富贵险中求，平心来说，这个任务确实危险，但报酬也够丰厚，今日错过，下一回，恐怕就没有机会遇见了，总之林某不打算放弃。”
"But..." Yu Miaorong moved her lips slightly, about to persuade them further, but Lin Xuan spoke first: "As they say, wealth and honor can be sought in dangerous times. Honestly speaking, this task is indeed perilous, but the rewards are generous enough. If we miss this opportunity today, there might not be another chance next time. In any case, I won't give up."
zuǐ shàng suī zhè yàng shuō ， dàn lín xuān què lìng yǒu yī fān kǎo liáng zài lǐ tou ， tā shì zuì wēng zhī yì bù zài jiǔ ， yǐ tā shēn jiā zhī fēng fù ， qū qū jǐ kuài gāo pǐn jīng shí zěn me kě néng ràng lín xuān dòng xīn ne ？
嘴上虽这样说，但林轩却另有一番考量在里头，他是醉翁之意不在酒，以他身家之丰富，区区几块高品晶石怎么可能让林轩动心呢？
Though he said so, Lin Xuan had his own considerations. He was after something else; with his vast wealth, a few high-grade crystal stones wouldn’t make much of an impact on him.
rán ér shèng chéng yǔ jù jīng wáng ， jiē huā fèi dà lì qì shōu gòu tiān xīn shí ， ruò shuō qí zhōng méi yǒu māo nì ， dǎ sǐ lín xuān yě bù xìn ， rú guǒ zì jǐ méi yǒu liào cuò ， hóng yè dǎo tū rán biàn chéng xiāng mó mó de mì mì yě xǔ jiù zài lǐ miàn le 。
然而圣城与巨鲸王，皆花费大力气收购天心石，若说其中没有猫腻，打死林轩也不信，如果自己没有料错，红叶岛突然变成香馍馍的秘密也许就在里面了。
However, the Holy City and the Great Whale King both spent significant effort acquiring the Heartstone. If there were no hidden agendas, Lin Xuan would have died from shock. If he hadn't guessed correctly, perhaps the sudden popularity of Red Leaf Island was tied to this task.
lín xuān zhèng chóu zhǎo bú dào jī huì tū pò ， zhè yàng de hǎo shì zěn me néng cuò guò ne ？
林轩正愁找不到机会突破，这样的好事怎么能错过呢？
Lin Xuan was eager to find a way to break through his current stage, and such an opportunity shouldn’t be missed.
“ hǎo ， lín xiōng rú cǐ shì wēi xiǎn wèi wú wù ， wǒ xiōng mèi sì rén ， yě shě mìng péi jūn zǐ le 。” huáng tíng zōng xiōng kǒu xuè qì shàng yǒng ， yě huī le huī shǒu ， shí fēn háo shuǎng de kāi kǒu 。
“好，林兄如此视危险为无物，我兄妹四人，也舍命陪君子了。”黄庭宗胸口血气上涌，也挥了挥手，十分豪爽的开口。
"Alright, Brother Lin values danger so little. My three siblings and I will accompany you in risking our lives," Huang Tingzong said with a wave of his hand, showing great enthusiasm.
“ bù cuò ， lín dào yǒu rú cǐ dǎn shí guò rén ， wǒ xiōng mèi sì rén ， yě bú shì tān shēng pà sǐ zhī tú ， suǒ wèi fù guì xiǎn zhōng qiú ， jiù péi lín xiōng yì qǐ qù zǒu yī zhāo 。” zhū gě tiān yuán de shēng yīn yě chuán rù ěr duǒ ， zài yān shān sì yǒu zhōng ， tā běn lái jiù shì zuì xǐ huān shēng shì de yí gè 。
“不错，林道友如此胆识过人，我兄妹四人，也不是贪生怕死之徒，所谓富贵险中求，就陪林兄一起去走一朝。”诸葛天元的声音也传入耳朵，在燕山四友中，他本来就是最喜欢生事的一个。
"Not bad. Brother Lin's courage is commendable. We are not afraid to die either. As they say, wealth can be sought in dangerous times; let’s go together," Zhu Tianyuan’s voice echoed, as he was the one who liked stirring up trouble among the four friends of Yan Mountain.
zhì yú nà zǐ xuān xiān zi ， yóu yú kǒu jí de yuán gù ， bù néng kāi kǒu ， rán ér liǎn shàng de biǎo qíng ， xiǎn rán yě shì zàn tóng liǎng wèi xiōng zhǎng de jué dìng 。
至于那紫萱仙子，由于口疾的缘故，不能开口，然而脸上的表情，显然也是赞同两位兄长的决定。
As for Purple Orchid Immortal Lady, she couldn’t speak due to her speech impediment, but her expression clearly showed her agreement with her brothers' decision.
yú miào róng jiù gèng bú yòng shuō ， cǐ zi suī shì yuán yīng hòu qī de dà xiū xiān zhě ， dàn xìng gé què tiān shēng chán ruò ， cóng lái dōu shì yóu jǐ wèi xiōng zhǎng ná zhǔ yì de 。
鱼妙容就更不用说，此子虽是元婴后期的大修仙者，但xìng格却天生孱弱，从来都是由几位兄长拿主意的。
Fish Miaorong didn't need to be mentioned; although he was a late-stage元婴 cultivator, his disposition was naturally weak, and he always let his brothers make the decisions.
“ sì wèi dào yǒu yě jué dìng le ， yǔ lín mǒu yì qǐ ， qù jiē nà tiān xīn shí de rèn wù ？” lín xuān zhuǎn guò tóu ， shēng yīn yě dài zhe jǐ fēn dī chén zhī sè 。
“四位道友也决定了，与林某一起，去接那天心石的任务？”林轩转过头，声音也带着几分低沉之色。
"Four daoist friends have decided to join Brother Lin for this task?" Lin Xuan turned around with a slightly somber tone in his voice.
sì rén yī tóu 。
四人一头。
The four of them nodded.
“ nà hǎo ， shì bù yí chí ， wǒ men zhè jiù dòng shǒu 。”
“那好，事不宜迟，我们这就动手。”
"Well then, there's no time to lose. Let’s start now."
lín xuān shuō wán ， lüè xiàng le guǎng chǎng de yī cè ， qí yú sì rén ， yě suí hòu gēn shàng lái le ， zài nà lǐ ， yǒu yī dòng bǎo tǎ bān de jiàn zhù ， kě yǐ kàn jiàn xiū shì men jìn jìn chū chū ， dào lǐ miàn qù dēng jì rèn wù 。
林轩说完，掠像了广场的一侧，其余四人，也随后跟上来了，在那里，有一栋宝塔般的建筑，可以看见修士们进进出出，到里面去登记任务。
After Lin Xuan finished speaking, he swiftly moved towards one side of the square. The other four followed closely behind. There was a tower-like building where cultivators came and went to register their tasks.
xíng chéng fēi cháng shùn lì ， yī zhù xiāng de gōng fu yǐ hòu ， lín xuān jǐ rén ， jiù cóng nà bǎo tǎ zhōng chū lái le 。
行程非常顺利，一炷香的功夫以后，林轩几人，就从那宝塔中出来了。
Their journey was very smooth, and after about an incense stick's worth of time, they emerged from the tower with each holding a Yutong.
měi rén de shǒu zhōng ， dōu ná zhe yī méi yù tóng 。
每人的手中，都拿着一枚欲瞳。
The instructions inside detailed everything about capturing the Heartstone, including its habits and how to catch it. The information was incredibly thorough, but the dangers were not mentioned at all.
lǐ miàn jì zǎi le rèn wù de xiáng xì xiāo xī ， bāo kuò tiān xīn chán de xí xìng， yīng gāi rú hé bǔ zhuō ， kě yǐ shuō shì wú jù xì ， xiáng jìn wú bǐ ， wéi dú rèn wù de wēi xiǎn zhī zì bù tí 。
里面记载了任务的详细消息，包括天心蟾的习xìng，应该如何捕捉，可以说事无巨细，详尽无比，唯独任务的危险只字不提。
Lin Xuan and his companions exchanged glances, feeling somewhat cold towards the Holy City's approach. They clearly treated independent cultivators like cannon fodder.
lín xuān wǔ rén duì shì yī yǎn ， dōu yǒu xiē xīn hán ， zhè shèng chéng rú cǐ zuò ， fēn míng shì jiāng sàn xiū men dàng zuò pào huī lái zhe 。
林轩五人对视一眼，都有些心寒，这圣城如此做，分明是将散修们当作炮灰来着。
However, once they accepted the task, there was no turning back. They called for a beast carriage and left the city of Linhai.
rán ér kāi gōng méi yǒu huí tóu jiàn ， jì yǐ jiē xià rèn wù ， dāng rán bù kě néng zài yǒu tuì suō yī tú ， wǔ rén jiào lái yī liàng shòu chē ， chū le lín hǎi chéng 。
然而开弓没有回头箭，既已接下任务，当然不可能再有退缩一途，五人叫来一辆兽车，出了临海城。
Soon after, their entire bodies were covered in green light as they displayed their abilities, transforming into several dazzling streaks that flew towards their destination.
suí hòu hún shēn qīng máng dà qǐ ， gè zhǎn shén tōng ， huà wèi jǐ dào cì mù yào yǎn de jīng hóng ， xiàng mù dì dì fēi lüè ér qù 。
随后浑身青芒大起，各展神通，化为几道刺目耀眼的惊虹，像目的地飞掠而去。
The mysterious island lay to the west of Linhai City, about tens of thousands of miles away. They didn’t use flying artifacts because compared to a灵舟, personal遁光 was much faster. Additionally, it was more concealed, and given the numerous dangers along the way, hiding their forms would be beneficial.
nà zuò shén mì de huāng dǎo wèi yú lín hǎi chéng yǐ xī ， jù lí cǐ dì yuē shù shí wàn lǐ ， wǔ rén bìng méi yǒu dā chéng fēi xíng fǎ qì ， yī shì yǔ líng zhōu xiāng bǐ ， xiū shì gè rén de dùn guāng dù ， wú lùn rú hé ， míng xiǎn dōu yào kuài shàng xǔ duō 。
那座神秘的荒岛位于临海城以西，距离此地约数十万里，五人并没有搭乘飞行法器，一是与灵舟相比，修士个人的遁光度，无论如何，明显都要快上许多。
All five understood this principle, so they chose similar methods. Their luck held out; there were no major incidents during the journey. After about a day and night, Huang Tingzong slowed down first.
èr lái ， zì rán shì jiào wéi yǐn bì ， jì rán yī lù shàng pǒ duō xīng fēng xuè yǔ ， nà jǐn liàng yǐn cáng shēn xíng zì rán shì dà yǒu hǎo chù dì 。
二来，自然是较为隐蔽，既然一路上颇多腥风血雨，那尽量隐藏身形自然是大有好处地。
He then took out a Yutong scroll with an engraved summary of the task from his sleeve. He sank his spirit into it, and his voice grew serious: "From here, we are approximately five hundred miles away from that mysterious island. This means we might encounter sea creatures or other cultivators who kill for treasure. Everyone needs to be extra cautious."
zhè ge dào lǐ ， wǔ rén jiē xīn lǐ yǒu shù ， yú shì xuǎn zé ， zì rán yě dōu shì pǒ wèi xiāng tóng de 。
这个道理，五人皆心里有数，于是选择，自然也都是颇为相同的。
"Brother Huang is right; everyone should use收敛之术 to hide their forms," Lin Xuan interjected.
yùn qì hái suàn bú cuò ， zhěng gè lǚ chéng zhōng bìng méi yǒu yù jiàn shén me fēng bō ， yī tiān yī yè zhī hòu ， huáng tíng zōng shēn xíng yī huǎn ， shuài xiān jiāng dùn guāng gěi tíng le xià lái 。
运气还算不错，整个旅程中并没有遇见什么风波，一天一夜之后，黄庭宗身形一缓，率先将遁光给停了下来。
The four friends of Yan Mountain had no objections, and they prepared to display their abilities. The method of收敛气息 was versatile, and most cultivators learned it at some point, though the difference lay in proficiency.
suí hòu xiù páo yī fú ， qǔ chū le nà méi kè yìn zhe rèn wù zhāi yào de yù tóng jiǎn 。
随后袖袍一拂，取出了那枚刻印着任务摘要的欲瞳简。
However, just then, everyone seemed to sense something and turned around. Lin Xuan’s expression mirrored theirs due to his calm demeanor.
jiāng shén shí chén rù ， suí hòu shēng yīn yě biàn dé níng zhòng le qǐ lái ：“ cóng zhè lǐ guò qù ， jù lí nà shén mì de huāng dǎo dà yuē hái shèng xià wǔ bǎi lǐ ， yě jiù shì shuō ， wǒ men zài zhè lǐ ， jiù yǒu kě néng zāo yù hǎi zú ， huò zhě qí tā shā rén qiǎng bǎo de xiū xiān zhě ， dà jiā yào jiā bèi xīn le 。”
将神识沉入，随后声音也变得凝重了起来：“从这里过去，距离那神秘的荒岛大约还剩下五百里，也就是说，我们在这里，就有可能遭遇海族，或者其他杀人抢宝的修仙者，大家要加倍心了。”
His spirit perception far surpassed that of mere元婴 cultivators; he had noticed something amiss from afar but hadn’t pointed it out yet.
“ huáng xiōng suǒ yán bù cuò ， dà jiā zuì hǎo shī zhǎn liǎn qì zhī shù ， yǐn cáng shēn xíng yě shì bì xū de 。” lín xuān zài yī páng jiē kǒu shuō 。
“黄兄所言不错，大家最好施展敛气之术，隐藏身形也是必须的。”林轩在一旁接口说。
About a hundred miles away, the air was filled with surging qi and an overwhelming aura of killing intent. It was clear that cultivators were fighting there, and the battle was intense!
yān shān sì yǒu zì rán sī háo yì yì yě wú ， zhèng zhǔn bèi gè zhǎn shén tōng ， zhè shōu liǎn qì xī zhī fǎ ， kě yǐ shuō qiān biàn wàn huà ， zhǐ yào shì gè xiū shì ， jī běn shàng dōu xué guò ， suǒ chā yì de ， bù guò shì gāo xià bù tóng 。
燕山四友自然丝毫异议也无，正准备各展神通，这收敛气息之法，可以说千变万化，只要是个修士，基本上都学过，所差异的，不过是高下不同。
The four friends of Yan Mountain were shocked, their brows furrowed. They hadn't expected the situation to be more dangerous than they imagined. They hadn’t even seen the island yet but had already encountered a fight where cultivators were killing for treasure.
rán ér jiù zài zhè shí ， zhòng rén què xiàng gǎn yìng dào shén me ， yì qǐ huí guò tóu lú ， lín xuān de biǎo qíng yě chà bu duō ， dāng rán ， nà shì tā chén wěn de yuán gù 。
然而就在这时，众人却像感应到什么，一起回过头颅，林轩的表情也差不多，当然，那是他沉稳的缘故。
"Brother Lin, what do you think? Should we go and see or just bypass them?" Huang Tingzong asked. Although all four were late-stage元婴 cultivators, they still respected Lin Xuan as an "intermediate" cultivator.
qí shén shí ， nǎ shì qū qū jǐ míng yuán yīng qī xiū shì kě bǐ ， lín xuān zǎo jiù xiàn le yuǎn chù de bù tuǒ ， zhǐ bù guò yì zhí méi yǒu diǎn pò 。
其神识，哪是区区几名元婴期修士可比，林轩早就现了远处的不妥，只不过一直没有点破。
"Since we've encountered it, let’s take a look. Perhaps one of our fellow daoists is currently battling the sea creatures," Lin Xuan didn’t overthink it; with his strength, he had no reason to fear danger.
jù lí cǐ chù yuē bǎi yú lǐ ， líng qì fān yǒng ， gèng yǒu chōng tiān de shā qì mí màn ér chū ， bú yòng shuō ， zì rán shì xiū shì zài nà lǐ dòu fǎ ， ér qiě hái jī liè yì cháng a ！
距离此处约百余里，灵气翻涌，更有冲天的杀气弥漫而出，不用说，自然是修士在那里斗法，而且还jī烈异常啊！
"Alright!"
yān shān sì yǒu sì yǒu dà gǎn jīng è ， wú yī lì wài de jiāng méi tóu zhòu qǐ lái le ， méi xiǎng dào qíng kuàng bǐ zì jǐ xiǎng xiàng de hái yào wēi xiǎn dé duō ， huāng dǎo lián yǐng zi dōu méi yǒu kàn dào ， fǎn ér xiān pèng jiàn xiū shì shā rén qiǎng bǎo 。
燕山四友四友大感惊愕，无一例外的将眉头皱起来了，没想到情况比自己想象的还要危险得多，荒岛连影子都没有看到，反而先碰见修士杀人抢宝。
The four friends of Yan Mountain agreed without objection. They then concealed their qi and flew forward quietly together.
“ lín xiōng ， rú hé ， wǒ men shì guò qù kàn yī kàn ， hái shì cóng páng biān rào guò ？” huáng tíng zōng kāi kǒu le ， suī rán tā men sì rén jiē shì yuán yīng hòu qī de xiū xiān zhě ， dàn duì lín xuān zhè míng “ zhōng qī ” xiū shì ， hái shì shí fēn zūn jìng de 。
“林兄，如何，我们是过去看一看，还是从旁边绕过？”黄庭宗开口了，虽然他们四人皆是元婴后期的修仙者，但对林轩这名“中期”修士，还是十分尊敬的。
With the use of concealment techniques, their speed naturally slowed down. The hundred miles took them about a cup of tea's worth of time.
“ jì rán yù dào le ， hái shì kàn yī kàn ba ， yě xǔ shì mǒu wèi tóng dào xiū shì ， zhèng yǔ hǎi zú dà zhàn zhe 。” lín xuān bìng méi yǒu duō xiǎng shén me ， yǐ tā de shí lì ， yòu zěn me kě néng hài pà yù jiàn wēi xiǎn ne ？
“既然遇到了，还是看一看吧，也许是某位同道修士，正与海族大战着。”林轩并没有多想什么，以他的实力，又怎么可能害怕遇见危险呢？
Before them, light flickered as explosions echoed in their ears. However, the battle was nearing its end.
“ hǎo ！”
“好！”
Or rather, Lin Xuan and his companions had arrived too late.
yān shān sì yǒu bìng wú yì yì ， yú shì wǔ rén shōu liǎn qì xī ， yī qí xiàng qián fāng qiāo qiāo de fēi le guò qù 。
燕山四友并无异议，于是五人收敛气息，一齐像前方悄悄的飞了过去。
The combatants were indeed human cultivators and sea creatures, but their strength was vastly disproportionate. The sea creature was a初级化形妖修 with long ears, red eyes, bat-like wings, and exposed fangs. His true form couldn’t be determined from appearance alone, but it was terrifying.
jì rán shī zhǎn yǐn nì zhī shù ， zhè dùn guāng de dù zì rán jiù huì màn shàng xǔ duō ， qū qū bǎi lǐ de jù lí ， tā men huā fèi le yī zhǎn chá de gōng fu 。
既然施展隐匿之术，这遁光的度自然就会慢上许多，区区百里的距离，他们花费了一盏茶的功夫。
Facing him were seven cultivators in different attire—five at the凝丹 stage and two at the筑基 stage. Lin Xuan couldn't help feeling speechless; such strength coming to take on the Heartstone task was almost suicidal.
zhǐ jiàn qián fāng líng guāng dà zuò ， bào liè shēng yě bù tíng de chuán rù ěr duǒ ， kě xī dòu fǎ yǐ jīng jiē jìn wěi shēng 。
只见前方灵光大做，爆裂声也不停的传入耳朵，可惜斗法已经接近尾声。
How they met those sea creatures, Lin Xuan didn’t know, but the current situation was clearly dire. The gap between元婴 and 凝丹 cultivators was obvious, let alone the 筑基 ones.
huò zhě shuō ， lín xuān jǐ rén lái wǎn le yī bù 。
或者说，林轩几人来晚了一步。
This wasn't a battle of the same level.
zhēng dòu de shuāng fāng guǒ rán shì rén lèi xiū shì yǔ hǎi zú 。
争斗的双方果然是人类修士与海族。
Moreover, these seven were not coordinating well; it would be easy to break them apart individually.
rán ér shí lì què wán quán bù chéng bǐ lì ， hǎi zú zhè biān ， shì yī míng huà xíng chū qī de yāo xiū ， zhǎng ěr chì mù ， bèi hòu hái yǒu yī duì biān fú bān de chì bǎng ， liáo yá wài lù ， yě kàn bù chū tā běn tǐ shì shén me ， dàn xíng mào jí wéi kě bù 。
然而实力却完全不成比例，海族这边，是一名化形初期的妖修，长耳赤目，背后还有一对蝙蝠般的翅膀，獠牙外露，也看不出他本体是什么，但形貌极为可怖。
Initially, with their numbers, they managed to hold off for some time. But now, they were at the end of their strength, and their deaths were imminent.
ér yǔ qí duì lěi de shì qī míng shēn chuān bù tóng fú shì de xiū xiān zhě nán sān nǚ ， qí zhōng wǔ rén shì níng dān qī ， hái yǒu liǎng gè ， jū rán jǐn jǐn shì zhù jī qī de xiū xiān zhě ， lín xuān dōu yǒu xiē wú yǔ le ， zhè zhǒng shí lì ， yě gǎn lái jiē tiān xīn shí de rèn wù ， nà jiǎn zhí yǔ zhǎo sǐ chà bu duō 。
而与其对垒的是七名身穿不同服饰的修仙者男三女，其中五人是凝丹期，还有两个，居然仅仅是筑基期的修仙者，林轩都有些无语了，这种实力，也赶来接天心石的任务，那简直与找死差不多。
Postscript: The last day of double daily votes is here. After this village, there's no shop. This is your final chance. Fellow daoists, please don't save your monthly votes;投给百炼吧! 幻雨会努力的，拜托各位了。
Chapter 1858: Task Commencement
Lin Xuan's cool voice entered everyone’s ears. "Nine out of ten chances to die, that doesn't necessarily mean it will happen. The one-armed daoist friend we met just now was only at the early stage of元婴, yet he made it back here alive."
"But..." Yu Miaorong moved her lips slightly, about to persuade them further, but Lin Xuan spoke first: "As they say, wealth and honor can be sought in dangerous times. Honestly speaking, this task is indeed perilous, but the rewards are generous enough. If we miss this opportunity today, there might not be another chance next time. In any case, I won't give up."
Though he said so, Lin Xuan had his own considerations. He was after something else; with his vast wealth, a few high-grade crystal stones wouldn’t make much of an impact on him.
However, the Holy City and the Great Whale King both spent significant effort acquiring the Heartstone. If there were no hidden agendas, Lin Xuan would have died from shock. If he hadn't guessed correctly, perhaps the sudden popularity of Red Leaf Island was tied to this task.
Lin Xuan was eager to find a way to break through his current stage, and such an opportunity shouldn’t be missed.
"Alright, Brother Lin values danger so little. My three siblings and I will accompany you in risking our lives," Huang Tingzong said with a wave of his hand, showing great enthusiasm.
"Not bad. Brother Lin's courage is commendable. We are not afraid to die either. As they say, wealth can be sought in dangerous times; let’s go together," Zhu Tianyuan’s voice echoed, as he was the one who liked stirring up trouble among the four friends of Yan Mountain.
As for Purple Orchid Immortal Lady, she couldn’t speak due to her speech impediment, but her expression clearly showed her agreement with her brothers' decision.
Fish Miaorong didn't need to be mentioned; although he was a late-stage元婴 cultivator, his disposition was naturally weak, and he always let his brothers make the decisions.
"Four daoist friends have decided to join Brother Lin for this task?" Lin Xuan turned around with a slightly somber tone in his voice.
"Yes."
The four of them nodded.
"Well then, there's no time to lose. Let’s start now."
After Lin Xuan finished speaking, he swiftly moved towards one side of the square. The other four followed closely behind. There was a tower-like building where cultivators came and went to register their tasks.
Their journey was very smooth, and after about an incense stick's worth of time, they emerged from the tower with each holding a Yutong.
The instructions inside detailed everything about capturing the Heartstone, including its habits and how to catch it. The information was incredibly thorough, but the dangers were not mentioned at all.
Lin Xuan and his companions exchanged glances, feeling somewhat cold towards the Holy City's approach. They clearly treated independent cultivators like cannon fodder.
However, once they accepted the task, there was no turning back. They called for a beast carriage and left the city of Linhai.
Soon after, their entire bodies were covered in green light as they displayed their abilities, transforming into several dazzling streaks that flew towards their destination.
The mysterious island lay to the west of Linhai City, about tens of thousands of miles away. They didn’t use flying artifacts because compared to a灵舟, personal遁光 was much faster. Additionally, it was more concealed, and given the numerous dangers along the way, hiding their forms would be beneficial.
All five understood this principle, so they chose similar methods. Their luck held out; there were no major incidents during the journey. After about a day and night, Huang Tingzong slowed down first.
He then took out a Yutong scroll with an engraved summary of the task from his sleeve. He sank his spirit into it, and his voice grew serious: "From here, we are approximately five hundred miles away from that mysterious island. This means we might encounter sea creatures or other cultivators who kill for treasure. Everyone needs to be extra cautious."
"Brother Huang is right; everyone should use收敛之术 to hide their forms," Lin Xuan interjected.
The four friends of Yan Mountain had no objections, and they prepared to display their abilities. The method of收敛气息 was versatile, and most cultivators learned it at some point, though the difference lay in proficiency.
However, just then, everyone seemed to sense something and turned around. Lin Xuan’s expression mirrored theirs due to his calm demeanor.
His spirit perception far surpassed that of mere元婴 cultivators; he had noticed something amiss from afar but hadn’t pointed it out yet.
About a hundred miles away, the air was filled with surging qi and an overwhelming aura of killing intent. It was clear that cultivators were fighting there, and the battle was intense!
The four friends of Yan Mountain were shocked, their brows furrowed. They hadn't expected the situation to be more dangerous than they imagined. They hadn’t even seen the island yet but had already encountered a fight where cultivators were killing for treasure.
"Brother Lin, what do you think? Should we go and see or just bypass them?" Huang Tingzong asked. Although all four were late-stage元婴 cultivators, they still respected Lin Xuan as an "intermediate" cultivator.
"Since we've encountered it, let’s take a look. Perhaps one of our fellow daoists is currently battling the sea creatures," Lin Xuan didn’t overthink it; with his strength, he had no reason to fear danger.
"Alright!"
The four friends of Yan Mountain agreed without objection. They then concealed their qi and flew forward quietly together.
With the use of concealment techniques, their speed naturally slowed down. The hundred miles took them about a cup of tea's worth of time.
Before them, light flickered as explosions echoed in their ears. However, the battle was nearing its end.
Or rather, Lin Xuan and his companions had arrived too late.
The combatants were indeed human cultivators and sea creatures, but their strength was vastly disproportionate. The sea creature was a初级化形妖修 with long ears, red eyes, bat-like wings, and exposed fangs. His true form couldn’t be determined from appearance alone, but it was terrifying.
Facing him were seven cultivators in different attire—five at the凝丹 stage and two at the筑基 stage. Lin Xuan couldn't help feeling speechless; such strength coming to take on the Heartstone task was almost suicidal.
How they met those sea creatures, Lin Xuan didn’t know, but the current situation was clearly dire. The gap between元婴 and 凝丹 cultivators was obvious, let alone the 筑基 ones.
This wasn't a battle of the same level.
Moreover, these seven were not coordinating well; it would be easy to break them apart individually.
Initially, with their numbers, they managed to hold off for some time. But now, they were at the end of their strength, and their deaths were imminent.
Postscript: The last day of double daily votes is here. After this village, there's no shop. This is your final chance. Fellow daoists, please don't save your monthly votes;投给百炼吧! 幻雨会努力的，拜托各位了。