tiān sè yǐ jiàn jiàn de hēi xià qù le ， cǐ dǎo de huán jìng suī rán qí tè ， rán ér yī jiù yǒu zhòu yè jiāo tì lái zhe 。
天色已渐渐的黑下去了，此岛的环境虽然奇特，然而依旧有昼夜交替来着。
The sky was gradually darkening, and though the island's environment was peculiar, it still had day and night cycles.
bù guò duì yú xiū xiān zhě ， zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng shì sī háo yǐng xiǎng yě wú ， tā men nǎ yòng dé zhe yòng yǎn jīng rèn lù ， zhí jiē shén shí tàn suǒ jiù xíng le 。
不过对于修仙者，这种情况是丝毫影响也无，他们哪用得着用眼睛认路，直接神识探索就行了。
However, for cultivators like Lin Xuan, such conditions made no difference. They didn't need to rely on their eyes; they could simply use their divine sense to explore.
yuán běn lín xuān yě méi yǒu xiē xī dǎ suàn lái zhe ， rán ér suí zhe tiān sè hūn àn xià qù ， sì zhōu jū rán yīn fēng dà qǐ ， zhè yǔ yīn hún guǐ wù méi yǒu fēn háo guān xì ， ér shì mí màn zài kōng jiān de líng qì ， zhú jiàn biàn chéng zhì yīn zhì hán de yīn lì 。
原本林轩也没有歇息打算来着，然而随着天色昏暗下去，四周居然阴风大起，这与阴魂鬼物没有分毫关系，而是弥漫在空间的灵气，逐渐变成至阴至寒的阴力。
Lin Xuan originally had no intention of resting. As the sky grew darker, however, a sudden gust of cold wind began to swirl around him. This wasn’t due to any presence of ghosts or spirits; it was the lingering essence energy in the air transforming into extremely yin and coldyin power or yin strength (referring to a form of energy associated with the feminine or lunar in some traditional Chinese beliefs).
lín xuān tóng kǒng wēi suō ， zhè yàng de qíng kuàng tā hái bù céng yù jiàn guò ， xī le kǒu qì ， yǎn zhōng yín máng dà qǐ ， xiàng zhe yuǎn fāng de yī zuò xiǎo shān wàng qù 。
林轩瞳孔微缩，这样的情况他还不曾遇见过，吸了口气，眼中银芒大起，向着远方的一座小山望去。
Lin Xuan’s pupils constricted. He had never encountered such a situation before. Taking a deep breath, silver light shone from his eyes as he gazed at a small hill in the distance.
nà shān gāo bù guò bǎi zhàng yú ， suī rán zhí bèi bì lǜ ， dàn chú cǐ yǐ wài ， bìng méi yǒu fēn háo chū qí ， kě lín xuān mù guāng sǎo guò ， liǎn shàng de biǎo qíng què biàn dé gǔ guài qǐ lái le 。
那山高不过百丈余，虽然植被碧绿，但除此以外，并没有分毫出奇，可林轩目光扫过，脸上的表情却变得古怪起来了。
The mountain wasn’t more than a hundred feet tall, its vegetation lush green. However, upon closer inspection, Lin Xuan’s expression grew strange. At the base of the peak, there was originally a spirit vein snaking through it. Although the quality of the vein wasn't extraordinary, at this moment, it was gradually transforming into a yin vein.
yīn wèi zài shān fēng de dǐ bù ， yuán běn shì yǒu yī tiáo líng mài wān yán pú fú ， suī rán pǐn zhì méi yǒu shén me chū qí zhī chù ， rán ér cǐ shí cǐ kè ， nà líng mài jū rán jiàn jiàn zhuǎn huà wèi yīn mài le 。
因为在山峰的底部，原本是有一条灵脉蜿蜒匍匐，虽然品质没有什么出奇之处，然而此时此刻，那灵脉居然渐渐转化为阴脉了。
Indeed, just as essence energy transformed intoyin power or yin strength (referring to a form of energy associated with the feminine or lunar in some traditional Chinese beliefs), this spirit vein was visibly turning into a yin vein.
méi cuò ， jiù rú tóng líng qì jiàn jiàn zhuǎn huà wèi yīn lì ， zhè líng mài yě yǐ ròu yǎn kě jiàn de sù dù ， xiàng yīn mài zhuǎn huà zhe 。
没错，就如同灵气渐渐转化为阴力，这灵脉也以肉眼可见的速度，像阴脉转化着。
Could this be… Lin Xuan’s expression turned unusually ugly.
nán dào xīn “ lín xuān de liǎn sè biàn dé yì cháng nán kàn le 。
难道心“林轩的脸色变得异常难看了。
This situation would likely only be known by a few powerful cultivators in the Spirit Realm, excluding the majority of ordinary ones. Lin Xuan knew about it because he had heard from Little Tao when she was still in the human world. Although Little Tao often spoke harshly to him and called him stupid, as the personal attendant of the Arhats, her extensive knowledge after being imbued with divine essence made her insights invaluable.
zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng ， kǒng pà jiù shì líng jiè nà xiē xiū xiān zhě ， chú le shǎo shù dà néng cún zài ， zhī dào de yě bù duō 。
这种情况，恐怕就是灵界那些修仙者，除了少数大能存在，知道的也不多。
Lin Xuan vaguely remembered how Little Tao mentioned that between the Spirit Realm and the Netherworld, there were many peculiar spaces. These could be seen as another realm, neither belonging to the Spirit nor the Netherworld, more like a passage connecting both worlds. This analogy was apt; in ancient times, such spaces were indeed called 'passage realms.'
lín xuān zhī suǒ yǐ xiǎo de ， hái shì yīn wèi jī yuán qiǎo hé ， zài rén jiè de shí hòu céng jīng tīng xiǎo táo nà yā tou shuō qǐ guò 。
林轩之所以晓得，还是因为机缘巧合，在人界的时候曾经听小桃那丫头说起过。
A passage between two worlds!
xiǎo táo suī rán kàn lín xuān bù shuǎng ， cháng cháng shuō tā bèn dé xiàng zhū yī yàng ， dàn zuò wéi ā xiū luó wáng de tiē shēn shì nǚ ， xiān fǔ qí zhēn tōng líng hòu de shén pò ， qí jiàn shí zhī guǎng bó ， shì yì bān rén hěn nán xiǎng xiàng de 。
小桃虽然看林轩不爽，常常说他笨得像猪一样，但作为阿修罗王的贴身侍女，仙府奇珍通灵后的神魄，其见识之广博，是一般人很难想象的。
If you were a cultivator from the Spirit Realm and entered this passage, it would be akin to standing on an active volcano. No wonder such beasts hadn’t been seen before in the Spirit Realm—perhaps they came directly from the Netherworld.
dāng chū shì zěn me shuō qǐ zhè ge qíng kuàng ， lín xuān yě mó mó hú hú ， jì de bú shì hěn qīng chǔ ， bù guò jì de tīng xiǎo táo jiǎng guò ， zài líng jiè yǔ yīn sī jiè zhī jiān ， yǒu xǔ duō qí tè de kōng jiān 。
当初是怎么说起这个情况，林轩也模模糊糊，记得不是很清楚，不过记得听小桃讲过，在灵界与阴司界之间，有许多奇特的空间。
This revelation answered some of his questions, but Lin Xuan still had many uncertainties. For instance, was the ghost he encountered by chance, having entered this passage, or was it a premeditated trap?
zhè xiē kōng jiān kě yǐ shuō ， shì lìng wài yí gè jiè miàn ， jì bù shǔ yú líng jiè ， yě bù shǔ yú yīn sī ， bǎ xī men bǐ yù chéng yí gè tōng dào gèng wéi shì hé ， jiāng líng jiè yǔ yīn sī jiè lián xì qǐ lái 。
这些空间可以说，是另外一个界面，既不属于灵界，也不属于阴司，把牺们比喻成一个通道更为适合，将灵界与阴司界联系起来。
The former wouldn't matter much, but if it were the latter, that would be serious.
zhè ge bǐ yù xíng xiàng dào jí chù ， ér shàng gǔ zhī shí ， zhè zhǒng kōng jiān què shí bèi chēng wéi tōng dào jiè miàn 。
这个比喻形象到极处，而上古之时，这种空间确实被称为通道界面。
Little Tao once said that even the Arhats couldn’t accurately pinpoint where these passages appeared. However, with time passing, could the powerful beings from the Netherworld now find them? Lin Xuan wasn’t sure about this.
lián tōng liǎng jiè de cún zài ！
连通两界的存在！
But he didn't care; after all, he was a wandering cultivator. Moreover, due to Moon’s past identity, Lin Xuan didn’t hate those ghosts as much as other cultivators did—those were subjects of the Arhats and their followers.
rú guǒ nǐ shì líng jiè de xiū xiān zhě ， tōng guò tōng dào jiè miàn qù yīn sī jiè huì róng yì xǔ duō ， yīn wèi gé jiè zhī lì hěn xiǎo ， zài mǒu gè tè dìng de shí hòu shèn zhì huì jiǎn ruò dào hū lüè bù jì de dì bù 。
如果你是灵界的修仙者，通过通道界面去阴司界会容易许多，因为隔界之力很小，在某个特定的时候甚至会减弱到忽略不计的地步。
Of course, he also had no fondness for them, given that Moon's past life was so distant in time. Who knew what the Netherworld was like now?
yīn sī jiè de dà yāo guǐ ， xiǎng yào dào líng jiè lái ， qíng kuàng yě shì yī yàng de 。
阴司界的大妖鬼，想要到灵界来，情况也是一样的。
In his heart, Moon was simply Moon—the sweet, innocent girl who needed him to protect her. There was nothing to do with the Arhats.
yǒu tōng dào jiè miàn de cún zài ， zài liǎng jiè zì yóu yí dòng sì hū jiù bù shòu zǔ gé ， rán ér tiān shàng shì méi yǒu diào xiàn bǐng de hǎo shì de 。
有通道界面的存在，在两界自由移动似乎就不受阻隔，然而天上是没有掉馅饼的好事的。
Thinking of this, Lin Xuan’s face broke into a smile tinged with melancholy. He thought about Moon and how much he missed her. The path of cultivation could be lonely without her, but Lin Xuan believed that their separation was temporary; one day, he would find her again.
yīn wèi zhè tōng dào jiè miàn běn shēn jiù shén mì yǐ jí ， xiǎng yào jiāng xī men zhǎo dào shì jí dà de nán tí ， kě yǐ shuō jī běn shàng shì kào yùn qì 。
因为这通道界面本身就神秘已极，想要将牺们找到是极大的难题，可以说基本上是靠运气。
Even the strongest person had moments of weakness. Thinking of Moon now, Lin Xuan’s face softened with tenderness.
gù ér xiǎng yào tōng guò xī zài liǎng jiè yóu yì shì bù xiàn shí dì 。
故而想要通过牺在两界游弋是不现实地。
However, his expression quickly changed as a cold killing intent emerged from him. Turning his head slowly, he said, "Why must you hide in darkness? Do you want to ambush me? I’m sorry, but this opportunity is over."
dāng chū xiǎo táo jiǎng zhè ge wèn tí de shí hòu dōu shì mǎn liǎn yù mèn zhī sè ， sì hū yǐ ā xiū luó wáng tiān zòng zhī zī ， yě bù néng zhǔn què dìng wèi tōng dào jiè miàn zài nǎ lǐ ， fǒu zé yīn sī jiè de dà jūn wán quán kě yǐ duì líng jiè fā dòng tū xí ， yǒu xīn suàn wú yì ， qǔ shèng huì gèng jiā de róng yì 。
当初小桃讲这个问题的时候都是满脸郁闷之色，似乎以阿修罗王天纵之资，也不能准确定位通道界面在哪里，否则阴司界的大军完全可以对灵界发动突袭，有心算无意，取胜会更加的容易。
Lin Xuan's words were polite, yet his face was filled with murderous intent. He had just been thinking about Little Tao and recalling their time together when someone interrupted him. The frustration was evident.
ér xiǎo táo céng shuō guò ， tōng dào jiè miàn zuì zhòng yào de tè zhēng zhī yī ， jiù shì zhè lǐ de líng mài huì fā shēng zhuǎn huàn dì ， suí zhe zhòu yè jiāo tì ， bái tiān shì líng mài ， wǎn shàng zé biàn wèi le yīn mài 。
而小桃曾说过，通道界面最重要的特征之一，就是这里的灵脉会发生转换地，随着昼夜交替，白天是灵脉，晚上则变为了阴脉。
Feeling resentful, Lin Xuan didn’t bother to hide it. A powerful aura surged out, heading in the direction of the source he discovered.
xiǎng dào zhè lǐ ， lín xuān xīn zhōng de zhèn jīng kě xiǎng ér zhī 。
想到这里，林轩心中的震惊可想而知。
He didn't attack, but his aura was tangible, like an angry lion ready to devour its intruder.
xiǎo táo nà yā tou shuō huà suī rán kè bó ， dàn zhè zhǒng shì qíng shì kěn dìng bú huì piē huǎng de ， nà cǐ chù shì tōng dào jiè miàn yě jiù jué wú kě yí le 。
小桃那丫头说话虽然刻薄，但这种事情是肯定不会撇谎的，那此处是通道界面也就绝无可疑了。
If it were a regular cultivator, even someone at the Separation Stage, they would have suffered some consequences. After all, everyone knew that Lin Xuan’s power with two infants and one pill was no exaggeration.
lín xuān kū xiào bù dé ， zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng yāo huáng yě hǎo ， hǎi wáng yě bà ， hái shì shèng chéng zhī zhǔ ， méi yǒu yí gè qīng chǔ ， bì jìng tā men yě bù guò dòng xuán zhōng qī dà chéng ér yǐ ， zhěng gè dōng hǎi xiū xiān jiè shuǐ píng tài dī ， bù kě néng xiǎo de zhè yàng de yǐn mì 。
林轩哭笑不得，这种情况妖皇也好，海王也罢，还是圣城之主，没有一个清楚，毕竟他们也不过洞玄中期大成而已，整个东海修仙界水平太低，不可能晓得这样的隐秘。
"Hey?"
lái zhè lǐ bǔ zhuō tiān xīn zhān ， hēi hēi ， nà xiē xiū shì jiǎn zhí shì zhàn zài huǒ shān kǒu shàng de 。
来这里捕捉天心瞻，嘿嘿，那些修士简直是站在火山口上的。
A surprised female voice caught his attention, causing Lin Xuan to show surprise on his face. It was a female cultivator. However, he didn’t care about gender; in the cultivation world, there was no such thing ascherish fragrant flowers and delicate jade (idiomatically meaning to be tender towards women) (treating women with extra kindness). Being merciful to an enemy was foolish.
guài bù dé zhè zhǒng yāo shòu líng jiè bù céng jiàn guò ， shuō bù dìng gēn běn jiù shì lái zì yīn sī jiè de 。
怪不得这种妖兽灵界不曾见过，说不定根本就是来自阴司界的。
Such mistakes were made by inexperienced newcomers who fell for beautiful women. Lin Xuan wasn't like that; his enemies were his enemies regardless of their gender.
duō shǎo yǐ jīng jiě kāi le yī xiē yí huò ， bù guò lín xuān hái shì yǒu hěn duō wèn tí bù qīng chǔ ， bǐ rú shuō ， zì jǐ zhuàng jiàn de yīn sī guǐ wù ， jiū jìng shì jī yuán qiǎo hé ， jìn rù dào le zhè tōng dào jiè miàn zhī zhōng ， hái shì gēn běn jiù yǒu yù móu de 。
多少已经解开了一些疑惑，不过林轩还是有很多问题不清楚，比如说，自己撞见的阴司鬼物，究竟是机缘巧合，进入到了这通道界面之中，还是根本就有预谋的。
Despite the aura not weakening, it grew stronger. Although the opponent had used some secret technique to mask themselves, Lin Xuan could sense they weren’t at a low level. Having faced many dangers, he knew this enemy was formidable and wouldn’t be easily defeated.
qián zhě dāng rán méi yǒu guān xì ， bù guò rú guǒ shì hòu zhě ， zhè qíng kuàng jiù yǒu xiē yán zhòng le 。
前者当然没有关系，不过如果是后者，这情况就有些严重了。
Anger aside, Lin Xuan’s mind remained clear. How could he act on impulse?
xiǎo táo céng shuō guò ， dāng nián ā xiū luó wáng yě wú fǎ zhǔn liàn gū suàn jiè miàn tōng dào chū xiàn de wèi zhì ， bù guò shì yì shí yí ， rú jīn zhè me duō nián guò qù ， yīn sī jiè de nà xiē dà néng cún zài ， yǒu méi yǒu bàn fǎ jiāng qí zhǎo chū ， lín xuān yě bù hǎo tài zǎo xià jié lùn de 。
小桃曾说过，当年阿修罗王也无法准练估算界面通道出现的位置，不过事易时移，如今这么多年过去，阴司界的那些大能存在，有没有办法将其找出，林轩也不好太早下结论的。
Releasing his aura was both an expression of anger and a test. This action also had the benefit of making the opponent think he was rash, which would mislead her in their next battle. Without realizing it, Lin Xuan was already considering the enemy's psychology. The outcome of a cultivation battle wasn’t just about strength; intelligence played a significant role.
bù guò lín xuān bù zài hū ， fǎn zhèng tā shì sàn xiū yí gè ， hé kuàng yóu yú yuè ér qián shì shēn fèn de yuán gù ， lín xuān duì nà xiē yīn hún guǐ wù ， yě bù xiàng qí tā líng jiè de xiū xiān zhě ， yí gè gè jiē tòng hèn dào jí chù 。
不过林轩不在乎，反正他是散修一个，何况由于月儿前世身份的缘故，林轩对那些阴魂鬼物，也不像其他灵界的修仙者，一个个皆痛恨到极处。
The aura drew attention but then seemed to be swallowed by something.
nà xiē dōu shì ā xiū luó wáng de zi mín yǔ shǒu xià lái zhe 。
那些都是阿修罗王的子民与手下来着。
Indeed, a vortex suddenly appeared in the empty night sky without any warning. All the essence energy that surged towards it was absorbed and vanished.
dāng rán ， lín xuān duì tā men yě méi yǒu hǎo gǎn ， bì jìng yuè ér de qián shì ， yǐ jīng shì jǐ bǎi wàn nián qián de shì ， tiān zhī dào rú jīn yīn sī jiè qíng kuàng rú hé 。
当然，林轩对他们也没有好感，毕竟月儿的前世，已经是几百万年前的事，天知道如今阴司界情况如何。
"What…?"
ér qiě zài zì jǐ de xīn lǐ ， yuè ér jiù shì yuè ér ， nà ge rě rén lián ài ， hěn tiān zhēn de xiǎo yā tou ， xū yào zì jǐ wèi tā zhē fēng dǎng yǔ ， yǔ qián shì de ā xiū luó wáng gēn běn jiù méi yǒu shén me guān xì 。
而且在自己的心里，月儿就是月儿，那个惹人怜爱，很天真的小丫头，需要自己为她遮风挡雨，与前世的阿修罗王根本就没有什么关系。
Lin Xuan’s pupils constricted as he realized this wasn’t just an illusion or some kind of magical barrier. The aura had been absorbed without breaking through, something ordinary cultivators couldn’t do.
xiǎng dào zhè lǐ ， lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū tián mì de xiào róng ， què yòu hùn zá zhe jǐ fēn wǎng chàng zhī sè ， shì yì shí yí ， yuè ér rú jīn zài nǎ lǐ ， lín xuān hěn xiǎng jǐn jǐn de jiāng tā yōng zài huái lǐ ， duì tā shuō ：“ wǒ xiǎng nǐ ， zhēn de zhēn de hěn xiǎng nǐ 。
想到这里，林轩脸上露出甜蜜的笑容，却又混杂着几分惘怅之色，事易时移，月儿如今在哪里，林轩很想紧紧的将她拥在怀里，对她说：“我想你，真的真的很想你。
No, not ordinary cultivators; even a初级神秘洞穴知识 (early-stage Spirit Realm) cultivator wouldn’t be able to achieve this with his experience. Could it be…
xiū xiān zhī lù méi yǒu mí péi zhe tài jì mò ， bù guò lín xuān xiāng xìn ， fēn kāi shì zàn shí de ， zǒng yǒu yī tiān ， zì jǐ huì jiāng yuè ér chóng xīn zhǎo dào de 。
修仙之路没有弥陪着太寂寞，不过林轩相信，分开是暂时的，总有一天，自己会将月儿重新找到的。
Lin Xuan’s expression turned serious. A level difference in strength could make all the difference. With his current power and all his treasures, he could face an early-stage cultivator without much difficulty, especially if he summoned the successfully cultivated Corpse Demon.
zài jiān qiáng de rén ， yě yǒu ruǎn ruò de shí hòu ， cǐ kè xiǎng zhe yuè ér ， lín xuān de liǎn shàng jiù mǎn shì wēn róu 。
再坚强的人，也有软弱的时候，此刻想着月儿，林轩的脸上就满是温柔。
However, facing a mid-stage cultivator would be another matter entirely; he wouldn’t have any chance of victory. The gap was too great for even him to bridge.
rán ér hěn kuài ， tā de biǎo qíng biàn le ， xiào róng xiāo shī dé wú yǐng wú zōng ， wēn róu fǎng fú cóng lái bù céng chū xiàn guò ， qǔ ér dài zhī de shì lěng liè de shā qì bèng fā ér chū ， lín xuān huǎn huǎn zhuǎn guò tóu lú ：“ dào yǒu hé bì cáng zài hēi àn zhī zhōng ， zhè me zuò ， kě shì xiǎng yào tōu xí lín mǒu ， bù hǎo yì sī ， mí méi yǒu jī huì le 。”
然而很快，他的表情变了，笑容消失得无影无踪，温柔仿佛从来不曾出现过，取而代之的是冷冽的杀气迸发而出，林轩缓缓转过头颅：“道友何必藏在黑暗之中，这么做，可是想要偷袭林某，不好意思，弥没有机会了。”
Of course, if the Five Dragon Seal could be used effectively, that would change everything. Its power was described as heavenly-defying, but Lin Xuan didn’t know how to use it beyond releasing some colorful clouds. He had no idea how to control it. If only Moon were here; he could ask Little Tao when she woke up. Her knowledge and insight in the cultivation world were unparalleled.
lín xuān de huà bīn bīn yǒu lǐ ， rán ér liǎn shàng què mǎn shì shā qì ， gāng gāng zì jǐ zhèng xiǎng zhe diāo zhǔ yā tou ， shèn zhì huí yì qǐ yǔ tā zài rén jiè de diǎn diǎn dī dī ， rán ér zhè zhǒng shí kè ， què bèi rén gěi yìng shēng shēng de dǎ duàn le ， nà zhǒng gǎn jué shì kě xiǎng ér zhī de 。
林轩的话彬彬有礼，然而脸上却满是杀气，刚刚自己正想着刁丶丫头，甚至回忆起与她在人界的点点滴滴，然而这种时刻，却被人给硬生生的打断了，那种感觉是可想而知的。
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Lin Xuan’s expression grew more serious. Suddenly, a cool breeze began to blow, accompanied by a clear, melodious sound that sounded like bells clinking together.
yù mèn jiù yí gè cí ， lín xuān zì rán duì lái zhě chōng mǎn le yuàn hèn zhī sè 。
郁闷就一个词，林轩自然对来者充满了怨恨之色。
Lin Xuan’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the vortex. A slender figure soon appeared in his vision!
The sky was gradually darkening, and though the island's environment was peculiar, it still had day and night cycles.
However, for cultivators like Lin Xuan, such conditions made no difference. They didn't need to rely on their eyes; they could simply use their divine sense to explore.
Lin Xuan originally had no intention of resting. As the sky grew darker, however, a sudden gust of cold wind began to swirl around him. This wasn’t due to any presence of ghosts or spirits; it was the lingering essence energy in the air transforming into extremely yin and coldyin power or yin strength (referring to a form of energy associated with the feminine or lunar in some traditional Chinese beliefs).
Lin Xuan’s pupils constricted. He had never encountered such a situation before. Taking a deep breath, silver light shone from his eyes as he gazed at a small hill in the distance.
The mountain wasn’t more than a hundred feet tall, its vegetation lush green. However, upon closer inspection, Lin Xuan’s expression grew strange. At the base of the peak, there was originally a spirit vein snaking through it. Although the quality of the vein wasn't extraordinary, at this moment, it was gradually transforming into a yin vein.
Indeed, just as essence energy transformed intoyin power or yin strength (referring to a form of energy associated with the feminine or lunar in some traditional Chinese beliefs), this spirit vein was visibly turning into a yin vein.
Could this be… Lin Xuan’s expression turned unusually ugly.
This situation would likely only be known by a few powerful cultivators in the Spirit Realm, excluding the majority of ordinary ones. Lin Xuan knew about it because he had heard from Little Tao when she was still in the human world. Although Little Tao often spoke harshly to him and called him stupid, as the personal attendant of the Arhats, her extensive knowledge after being imbued with divine essence made her insights invaluable.
Lin Xuan vaguely remembered how Little Tao mentioned that between the Spirit Realm and the Netherworld, there were many peculiar spaces. These could be seen as another realm, neither belonging to the Spirit nor the Netherworld, more like a passage connecting both worlds. This analogy was apt; in ancient times, such spaces were indeed called 'passage realms.'
A passage between two worlds!
If you were a cultivator from the Spirit Realm and entered this passage, it would be akin to standing on an active volcano. No wonder such beasts hadn’t been seen before in the Spirit Realm—perhaps they came directly from the Netherworld.
This revelation answered some of his questions, but Lin Xuan still had many uncertainties. For instance, was the ghost he encountered by chance, having entered this passage, or was it a premeditated trap?
The former wouldn't matter much, but if it were the latter, that would be serious.
Little Tao once said that even the Arhats couldn’t accurately pinpoint where these passages appeared. However, with time passing, could the powerful beings from the Netherworld now find them? Lin Xuan wasn’t sure about this.
But he didn't care; after all, he was a wandering cultivator. Moreover, due to Moon’s past identity, Lin Xuan didn’t hate those ghosts as much as other cultivators did—those were subjects of the Arhats and their followers.
Of course, he also had no fondness for them, given that Moon's past life was so distant in time. Who knew what the Netherworld was like now?
In his heart, Moon was simply Moon—the sweet, innocent girl who needed him to protect her. There was nothing to do with the Arhats.
Thinking of this, Lin Xuan’s face broke into a smile tinged with melancholy. He thought about Moon and how much he missed her. The path of cultivation could be lonely without her, but Lin Xuan believed that their separation was temporary; one day, he would find her again.
Even the strongest person had moments of weakness. Thinking of Moon now, Lin Xuan’s face softened with tenderness.
However, his expression quickly changed as a cold killing intent emerged from him. Turning his head slowly, he said, "Why must you hide in darkness? Do you want to ambush me? I’m sorry, but this opportunity is over."
Lin Xuan's words were polite, yet his face was filled with murderous intent. He had just been thinking about Little Tao and recalling their time together when someone interrupted him. The frustration was evident.
Feeling resentful, Lin Xuan didn’t bother to hide it. A powerful aura surged out, heading in the direction of the source he discovered.
He didn't attack, but his aura was tangible, like an angry lion ready to devour its intruder.
If it were a regular cultivator, even someone at the Separation Stage, they would have suffered some consequences. After all, everyone knew that Lin Xuan’s power with two infants and one pill was no exaggeration.
"Hey?"
A surprised female voice caught his attention, causing Lin Xuan to show surprise on his face. It was a female cultivator. However, he didn’t care about gender; in the cultivation world, there was no such thing ascherish fragrant flowers and delicate jade (idiomatically meaning to be tender towards women) (treating women with extra kindness). Being merciful to an enemy was foolish.
Such mistakes were made by inexperienced newcomers who fell for beautiful women. Lin Xuan wasn't like that; his enemies were his enemies regardless of their gender.
Despite the aura not weakening, it grew stronger. Although the opponent had used some secret technique to mask themselves, Lin Xuan could sense they weren’t at a low level. Having faced many dangers, he knew this enemy was formidable and wouldn’t be easily defeated.
Anger aside, Lin Xuan’s mind remained clear. How could he act on impulse?
Releasing his aura was both an expression of anger and a test. This action also had the benefit of making the opponent think he was rash, which would mislead her in their next battle. Without realizing it, Lin Xuan was already considering the enemy's psychology. The outcome of a cultivation battle wasn’t just about strength; intelligence played a significant role.
The aura drew attention but then seemed to be swallowed by something.
Indeed, a vortex suddenly appeared in the empty night sky without any warning. All the essence energy that surged towards it was absorbed and vanished.
"What…?"
Lin Xuan’s pupils constricted as he realized this wasn’t just an illusion or some kind of magical barrier. The aura had been absorbed without breaking through, something ordinary cultivators couldn’t do.
No, not ordinary cultivators; even a初级神秘洞穴知识 (early-stage Spirit Realm) cultivator wouldn’t be able to achieve this with his experience. Could it be…
Lin Xuan’s expression turned serious. A level difference in strength could make all the difference. With his current power and all his treasures, he could face an early-stage cultivator without much difficulty, especially if he summoned the successfully cultivated Corpse Demon.
However, facing a mid-stage cultivator would be another matter entirely; he wouldn’t have any chance of victory. The gap was too great for even him to bridge.
Of course, if the Five Dragon Seal could be used effectively, that would change everything. Its power was described as heavenly-defying, but Lin Xuan didn’t know how to use it beyond releasing some colorful clouds. He had no idea how to control it. If only Moon were here; he could ask Little Tao when she woke up. Her knowledge and insight in the cultivation world were unparalleled.
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Lin Xuan’s expression grew more serious. Suddenly, a cool breeze began to blow, accompanied by a clear, melodious sound that sounded like bells clinking together.
Lin Xuan’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the vortex. A slender figure soon appeared in his vision!