“ yuán lái rú cǐ 。”
“原来如此。”
"Ah, I see."
lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū huǎng rán dà wù zhī sè ， rú guǒ duì fāng suǒ yán shǔ shí ， gǔ mó de tú móu kǒng pà fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， suǒ zào chéng de sǔn hài hái yào shèng guò yīn hún rù qīn xǔ duō 。
林轩脸上露出恍然大悟之色，如果对方所言属实，古魔的图谋恐怕非同小可，所造成的损害还要胜过阴魂入侵许多。
Lin Xuan's face showed a look of sudden realization. If what the old man said was true, the ancient demon's plot could be quite serious, potentially causing more damage than a soul invasion.
zhēn shì qián mén jù láng ， hòu mén yíng hǔ ， dōng hǎi xiū xiān jiè mǎ shàng yào jìn rù duō shì zhī qiū le 。
真是前门拒狼，后门迎虎，东海修仙界马上要进入多事之秋了。
Indeed, it seemed like repelling wolves at the front gate and welcoming tigers through the back door; the cultivation world in East Sea would soon face turbulent times.
nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou zhuǎn guò ， bù guò lín xuān liǎn shàng bìng méi yǒu shén me wèi jù zhī sè ， dà fēng dà làng tā jīng lì dé duō le ， tiān tā xià lái yǒu gè gāo de xiān dǐng zhe ， guǎn tā dōng hǎi xiū xiān jiè huì bú huì dǎ gè yī tā hú tú ， fǎn zhèng yǐ zì jǐ de shí lì ， rú jīn zòng héng dōng hǎi shì háo wú wèn tí 。
脑海中念头转过，不过林轩脸上并没有什么畏惧之色，大风大浪他经历得多了，天塌下来有个高的先顶着，管他东海修仙界会不会打个一塌糊涂，反正以自己的实力，如今纵横东海是毫无问题。
Though his mind raced with thoughts, Lin Xuan showed no signs of fear. He had faced many storms before, and he knew that even if the sky fell, there was always someone to hold it up. Whether or not the cultivation world in East Sea would descend into chaos, as long as he had his current strength, ruling over East Sea was a non-issue.
huàn jù huà shuō ， guǎn tā gǔ mó yǒu shén me yīn móu ， dōu yǔ zì jǐ méi yǒu guān xì 。
换句话说，管他古魔有什么阴谋，都与自己没有关系。
In other words, whatever ancient demon's plot might be, it did not concern him.
xiǎng dào zhè lǐ ， lín xuān zuǐ jiǎo biān lù chū yī sī lěng cháo zhī yì 。
想到这里，林轩嘴角边露出一丝冷嘲之意。
With this thought, Lin Xuan's lips curled into a cold sneer.
“ dào yǒu de zāo yù ， què shí lìng rén tóng qíng ， rán ér zhè shī huī ， yě shì lín mǒu fèi le hǎo dà de lì qì ， cái dé lái de bǎo wù ， dào yǒu rú jīn zhàn qù ， shì fǒu gāi gěi lín mǒu yī xiē bǔ cháng ， zhè ge yāo qiú ， wǒ xiǎng yīng gāi shì hé qíng hé lǐ 。”
“道友的遭遇，确实令人同情，然而这尸麾，也是林某费了好大的力气，才得来的宝物，道友如今占去，是否该给林某一些补偿，这个要求，我想应该是合情合理。”
"Comrade, your misfortune is indeed heartbreaking. However, the corpse flag I obtained required considerable effort on my part. If you now take possession of it, shouldn't you provide some compensation to me? This request, I believe, should be reasonable."
tīng lín xuān zhè yàng shuō ， lǎo zhě yī è ， suí hòu lù chū yī sī gān gà zhī sè ：“ lǎo xiǔ de zāo yù ， dào yǒu jì yǐ qīng qīng chǔ chǔ ， nà yòu hé bì jiù shì chóng tí ne ， rú guǒ wǒ hái shì shèng chéng zhī zhǔ ， bù lùn dào yǒu yǒu shén me yāo qiú ， wǒ dōu bú huì tuī tuō ， jǐn liàng mǎn zú ， rán ér cǐ shí cǐ kè ， lǎo fū bù guò shì yī sàng jiā zhī quǎn ér yǐ ， shēn wú cháng wù ， nǐ ràng wǒ rú hé bǔ cháng nǐ ne ？”
听林轩这样说，老者一愕，随后露出一丝尴尬之色：“老朽的遭遇，道友既已清清楚楚，那又何必旧事重提呢，如果我还是圣城之主，不论道友有什么要求，我都不会推脱，尽量满足，然而此时此刻，老夫不过是一丧家之犬而已，身无长物，你让我如何补偿你呢？”
The old man was taken aback by Lin Xuan's words and then showed a hint of embarrassment.
zhè zì rán shì dà shí huà ， rán ér lín xuān jì rán zhè yàng shuō ， nà kěn dìng shì yǒu suǒ kǎo liáng de 。
这自然是大实话，然而林轩既然这样说，那肯定是有所考量的。
"My misfortune is clear to you; why bring up the past again? Had I still been the ruler of the Holy City, no matter what your demands were, I would have accommodated them. But now, I am merely a homeless dog with nothing left. How can I possibly compensate you?"
“ dào yǒu yòu hé bì wàng zì fěi bó ， lín mǒu bú shì bù jiǎng dào lǐ ， wǒ suǒ tí chū de bǔ cháng shì dào yǒu lì suǒ néng jí ， shèn zhì kě yǐ shuō ， jǐn jǐn jǔ shǒu zhī láo ér yǐ 。”
“道友又何必妄自菲薄，林某不是不讲道理，我所提出的补偿是道友力所能及，甚至可以说，仅仅举手之劳而已。”
This was undoubtedly true, but Lin Xuan's words had their own reasoning.
“ ó ？”
“哦？”
"Why should Comrade belittle yourself? I am not unreasonable; the compensation I propose is within your reach, almost trivial."
tīng lín xuān zhè yàng shuō ， lǎo zhě liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī yì wài zhī sè ：“ dào yǒu qǐng shuō ， rú guǒ zhēn shì lǎo fū lì suǒ néng jí ， nà wǒ zì rán bú huì tuī tuō 。”
听林轩这样说，老者脸上露出一丝意外之色：“道友请说，如果真是老夫力所能及，那我自然不会推脱。”
"Oh?"
“ dào yǒu rú jīn suī shí yùn bù jì ， yù jiàn le xiē xǔ bō zhé ， dàn yǐ qián bì jìng shì shèng chéng zhī zhǔ ， nǎi cǐ jiè zuì dǐng jiān de cún zài le ， wǒ xiǎng qǐng wèn dào yǒu ， ruò xiǎng lí kāi cǐ chù ， jì jiāng ān chū ？”
“道友如今虽时运不济，遇见了些许波折，但以前毕竟是圣城之主，乃此界最顶尖的存在了，我想请问道友，若想离开此处，计将安出？”
The old man's expression showed surprise as he asked for clarification.
“ lí kāi cǐ chù ， dào yǒu shì shuō lí kāi dōng hǎi me ？”
“离开此处，道友是说离开东海么？”
"Comrade, please explain. If it truly lies within my power, naturally, I will not refuse."
“ bù cuò 。” lín xuān diǎn le diǎn tóu ， liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī qī dài zhī sè ， zhè ge wèn tí ， yuán běn tā shì xiǎng qù jiǔ xiān gōng xún qiú dá è àn le ， rú jīn jī yuán qiǎo hé ， zài zhè lǐ qiǎo yù shèng chéng zhī zhǔ ， zhè me hǎo de jī huì lín xuān dāng rán bú huì fàng guò ， yào xiàng tā xún wèn yī fān le 。
“不错。”林轩点了点头，脸上露出一丝期待之色，这个问题，原本他是想去九仙宫寻求答垩案了，如今机缘巧合，在这里巧遇圣城之主，这么好的机会林轩当然不会放过，要像他询问一番了。
"Comrade, although you are currently experiencing misfortune and have encountered some setbacks, you were once the ruler of the Holy City, one of the top existences in this world. May I ask, if Comrade wishes to leave here, what plan do you have?"
yào zhī dào jiù quán shì lái shuō ， shèng chéng bǐ jiǔ xiān gōng gèng shèng yī chóu ， yǎn qián zhī rén suī lóng kùn qiǎn tān ， dàn jì yì zhī shí ， bìng bú huì yīn cǐ shāo jiǎn fēn háo 。
要知道就权势来说，圣城比九仙宫更胜一筹，眼前之人虽龙困浅滩，但记忆知识，并不会因此稍减分毫。
"Do you mean leaving East Sea?"
“ dào yǒu xiǎng yào lí kāi dōng hǎi ， jiù rú jīn lái shuō ， hěn nán ……”
“道友想要离开东海，就如今来说，很难……”
Lin Xuan nodded, his face showing a hint of anticipation. He had originally intended to seek an answer from the Nine Immortal Palace, but now, with this unexpected encounter with the ruler of the Holy City, he wouldn't let such a good opportunity slip.
“ hěn nán ， zhè huà zěn shuō ， lín mǒu rú guǒ méi yǒu liào cuò ， zhè yī jiè yīng gāi yǒu lián tōng qí tā xiǎo jiè miàn de chuán sòng zhèn de 。” lín xuān de biǎo qíng rèn zhēn yǐ jí ， tā xiāng xìn zì jǐ de pàn duàn ， yīng gāi méi yǒu shén me cuò wù 。
“很难，这话怎说，林某如果没有料错，这一界应该有联通其他小界面的传送阵的。”林轩的表情认真以极，他相信自己的判断，应该没有什么错误。
After all, while the Holy City was more powerful than the Nine Immortal Palace in terms of authority, the current person might be like a dragon trapped in a shallow pond, but his knowledge and memories remained intact.
“ dào yǒu suǒ yán méi cuò ， yǐ qián chuán sòng zhèn què shí shì yǒu ， rán ér sān shí wàn nián qián ， dōng hǎi dà luàn ， sān zú jiē bèi juǎn rù ， dǎ le gè yī tā hú tú ， shèng chéng shèn zhì yě bèi gōng pò ， chéng zhōng de chuán sòng zhèn yǐ jīng huǐ le ， ér jù wǒ suǒ zhī ， yāo zú yǔ hǎi zú de qíng kuàng yě shì yī yàng dì ……”
“道友所言没错，以前传送阵确实是有，然而三十万年前，东海大乱，三族皆被卷入，打了个一塌糊涂，圣城甚至也被攻破，城中的传送阵已经毁了，而据我所知，妖族与海族的情况也是一样地……”
"Comrade, it is difficult to leave East Sea now."
“ lāo jù huà shuō ， wǒ men dōng hǎi xiū xiān jiè gēn běn jiù shī qù le yǔ qí tā xiǎo jiè miàn lián xì de tōng lù ， suī rán tóng wèi líng jiè ， bǐ cǐ zhī jiān de gé jiè zhī lì yuǎn bù zú yǐ yǔ cóng rén jiè dào líng jiè jiān de gé jiè zhī lì xiāng bǐ ， dàn bù jiè zhù chuán sòng zhèn ， xiǎng yào pò suì xū kōng ， chú fēi shì zhǎng wò le kōng jiān zé ， huò zhě zhì shǎo yào shì dù jié chū qī de xiū xiān zhě ……”
“捞句话说，我们东海修仙界根本就失去了与其他小界面联系的通路，虽然同为灵界，彼此之间的隔界之力远不足以与从人界到灵界间的隔界之力相比，但不借助传送阵，想要破碎虚空，除非是掌握了空间则，或者至少要是渡劫初期的修仙者……”
"How so? If I am not mistaken, this world should have teleportation arrays that connect to other minor worlds," Lin Xuan's expression was extremely serious. He believed in his judgment; he had no reason to doubt himself.
tīng duì fāng zhè yàng shuō ， lín xuān de liǎn sè ， yīn mái dào jí chù ， àn zhào cháng lǐ ， duì fāng méi yǒu bì yào duì zì jǐ huǎng yán xiāng qī 。
听对方这样说，林轩的脸色，阴霾到极处，按照常理，对方没有必要对自己谎言相欺。
"You are correct. Teleportation arrays did exist before. However, 300,000 years ago, East Sea fell into chaos as all three races were involved in the conflict. The Holy City itself was even breached, and its teleportation array was destroyed. I believe the same fate befell the妖族and 海族,"
lüè yī sī suǒ ， cái shēng yīn dī chén de kāi kǒu le ：“ zhào dào yǒu zhè me shuō ， xiǎng yào lí kāi cǐ chù ， què shí wéi nán yǐ jí ， rán ér ruò dà de dōng hǎi ， nán dào chuán sòng zhèn jǐn yǒu sān chù ？”
略一思索，才声音低沉的开口了：“照道友这么说，想要离开此处，确实为难以极，然而偌大的东海，难道传送阵仅有三处？”
"In short, our cultivation world in East Sea has lost contact with other minor worlds. Although the barrier between us is not as formidable as that from the human world to the spirit realm, without a teleportation array, one would need to master spatial techniques or at least be an early-stage cultivator to breach it."
“ sān chù dāng rán bù zhǐ ， jù lǎo fū suǒ zhī ， zài shàng gǔ zhī shí ， gé jiè chuán sòng zhèn bìng fēi zhǐ yǒu zhè sān gè ， ér shì yǒu wǔ chù cái duì de 。”
“三处当然不止，据老夫所知，在上古之时，隔界传送阵并非只有这三个，而是有五处才对的。”
Hearing this, Lin Xuan's face darkened significantly. It was reasonable; there was no reason for the old man to lie.
“ wǔ chù ， nà lìng wài liǎng gè ……”
“五处，那另外两个……”
After some thought, he said in a low voice, "If Comrade says so, leaving here would indeed be difficult. But with such vast East Sea, could teleportation arrays only exist at three places?"
“ lìng wài liǎng gè ， dào yǒu jiù bù yòng wàng xiǎng le 。”
“另外两个，道友就不用妄想了。”
"Of course not. According to what I know, during ancient times, there were five teleportation arrays instead of just these three."
“ wàng xiǎng ， wèi shén me ？” lín xuān yǒu diǎn qí guài de kāi kǒu le 。
“妄想，为什么？”林轩有点奇怪的开口了。
"Five? Where are the other two?"
“ yīn wèi lìng wài liǎng chù ， yí gè zài yí jì zhī hǎi de zuì shēn zhī chù ， kě nà lǐ ， jiù suàn shì dòng xuán hòu qī de xiū xiān zhě jìn qù ， yě shì yǒu sǐ wú shēng de jié jú ， kě yǐ hū lüè bù jì ， ér hái yǒu yí gè ， zé yì zhí shì dà yǐn mì ， yǒu guān qí wèi zhì de shàng gǔ diǎn jí ， zǎo yǐ bèi huǐ qù ， tiān zhī dào jiū xiàn zài nǎ lǐ 。” lǎo zhě zé huǎn huǎn de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
“因为另外两处，一个在遗迹之海的最深之处，可那里，就算是洞玄后期的修仙者进去，也是有死无生的结局，可以忽略不计，而还有一个，则一直是大隐秘，有关其位置的上古典籍，早已被毁去，天知道究宪在哪里。”老者则缓缓的声音传入耳朵。
"The other two… you can forget about them,"
lín xuān tīng le ， yě méi tóu dà zhòu ， cǐ shì què shí jí shǒu 。
林轩听了，也眉头大皱，此事确实棘手。
"Why?" Lin Xuan asked curiously.
nà wèi zhì yǐn mì de chuán sòng zhèn zàn qiě bù tí ， jì rán jǐ shí nián lái dōu méi yǒu xiū shì fā xiàn xī zài nǎ lǐ ， nà zì jǐ jiù suàn yǒu nì tiān de rén pǐn yǔ yùn qì ， xiǎng bì yě shì bù tài kě néng zhǎo dào dì 。
那位置隐秘的传送阵暂且不提，既然几十年来都没有修士发现牺在哪里，那自己就算有逆天的人品与运气，想必也是不太可能找到地。
"One is in the deepest part of the Ruins Sea, where even late-stage cultivators would face certain death. The other location has always been a great secret; ancient texts that might reveal its whereabouts have long been destroyed. Heaven only knows where it is."
zhì yú yí jì zhī hǎi zuì shēn chù ， zhè me duō nián tóng yàng wú rén tàn suǒ ， nà wēi xiǎn rú hé ， zì rán shì kě xiǎng ér zhī de 。
至于遗迹之海最深处，这么多年同样无人探索，那危险如何，自然是可想而知的。
The old man's slow voice echoed in Lin Xuan's ears.
zhōng yú dé dào le lí kāi de xiàn suǒ ， rán ér què yǔ sǐ jú chà bu duō ， gāi zěn me bàn ne ？
终于得到了离开的线索，然而却与死局差不多，该怎么办呢？
Lin Xuan frowned deeply. This matter was indeed complicated.
“ yǐ dào yǒu de shí lì ， qí shí yòu hé bì lí kāi zhè lǐ ， ruò nǐ néng bāng zhù lǎo fū ， zhù wǒ chǎn chú gǔ mó ， lǎo fū yuàn yǔ nǐ bā bài wèi jiāo ， jié wèi jīn lán zhī hǎo ， yī tóng zhǎng guǎn shèng chéng de ……”
“以道友的实力，其实又何必离开这里，若你能帮助老夫，助我铲除古魔，老夫愿与你八拜为交，结为金兰之好，一同掌管圣城的……”
Ignoring the hidden teleportation arrays for now, since no cultivators had discovered their location over decades, he doubted his chances of finding them even with extraordinary luck and fate.
shuō dào zhè lǐ ， lǎo zhě de liǎn shàng ， mǎn shì qī dài zhī sè ， lín xuān bú shì pǔ tōng de xiū xiān zhě ， shén tōng rú hé tā gāng cái yǐ jīng qīn yǎn kàn guò ， rú guǒ néng gòu dé tā xiāng zhù ， chǎn chú nà duó qǔ zì jǐ qū tǐ de gǔ mó ， yě bú shì bù kě néng de ……
说到这里，老者的脸上，满是期待之色，林轩不是普通的修仙者，神通如何他刚才已经亲眼看过，如果能够得他相助，铲除那夺取自己躯体的古魔，也不是不可能的……
As for the deepest part of the Ruins Sea, it remained unexplored for many years; the dangers were obvious.
tā kāi chū de tiáo jiàn ， yǐ shì chōng mǎn le yòu huò ， rán ér duì yú lín xuān lái shuō ， gēn běn kǎo lǜ dōu bú huì kǎo lǜ de 。
他开出的条件，已是充满了诱惑，然而对于林轩来说，根本考虑都不会考虑的。
Finally, he had a clue to leave, but it seemed like a dead end. What should he do?
tā kě shì kǔ xiū zhě ， wéi yī de yuàn wàng ， jiù shì néng gòu fēi shēng dào xiān jiè zhī zhōng ， yǔ tiān dì tóng shòu ， bié shuō gòng tóng zhǎng guǎn shèng chéng le ， jiù suàn shì hào lìng zhěng gè dōng hǎi ， lín xuān yě sī háo xìng qù yě wú 。
他可是苦修者，唯一的愿望，就是能够飞升到仙界之中，与天地同寿，别说共同掌管圣城了，就算是号令整个东海，林轩也丝毫兴趣也无。
"Comrade, given your strength, why bother leaving here? If you can help me eliminate the ancient demon that took over my body, I am willing to become your sworn brother and jointly manage the Holy City,"
quán shì zài xiǎn hè ， yòu néng rú hé ， ruò bù néng jìn jí dào fēn shén qī ， shù wàn nián hòu ， yě nán miǎn shì yī bēi huáng tǔ ， zhè zhǒng xiǎng tài duǎn shì le ， qǐ néng yǔ fēi shēng dào xiān jiè xiāng pì měi ne ？
权势再显赫，又能如何，若不能晋级到分神期，数万年后，也难免是一杯黄土，这种想太短视了，岂能与飞升到仙界相媲美呢？
The old man's face was filled with hope as he spoke.
“ dào yǒu bù zài kǎo lǜ kǎo lǜ me ， nǐ kě zhī dào ， néng gòu chéng wéi shèng chéng zhī zhǔ de huà ， zài xiū xiān shàng ， néng dé dào duō shǎo biàn lì yǔ hǎo chù ， duì yú dào yǒu de jìn jiē ， jué duì shì dà yǒu bāng zhù ……”； lǎo zhě yī jiù shì zī zī bù juàn de quàn shuō 。
“道友不再考虑考虑么，你可知道，能够成为圣城之主的话，在修仙上，能得到多少便利与好处，对于道友的进阶，绝对是大有帮助……”；老者依旧是孜孜不倦的劝说。
Lin Xuan wasn't an ordinary cultivator; his abilities had already been witnessed. If he could assist in eliminating the demon, it wouldn't be impossible…
“ hǎo chù zài dà yòu rú hé ， dōng hǎi zhè me duō wàn nián ， bù yě méi yǒu dàn shēng yī wèi fēn shén jí bié de xiū xiān zhě 。”
“好处再大又如何，东海这么多万年，不也没有诞生一位分神级别的修仙者。”
His offer was tempting, but for Lin Xuan, it was not even worth considering.
lín xuān duǎn duǎn yī jù huà ， jiù jiāng duì fāng de quàn shuō gěi dǔ huí qù le ， shuāng fāng dōu shì míng bái rén ， yǒu yī xiē huà ， bù xū yào shuō dé tài qīng chǔ ， lín xuān de yì si shì hěn míng xiǎn de ， xiāng duì yú líng jiè qí tā jiè miàn ， dōng hǎi hái shì tài lā jī ， dé dào de hǎo chù ， bù zú yǐ cuī shēng chū fēn shén qī xiū xiān zhě ， suǒ yǐ nà suǒ wèi de hǎo chù ， duì zì jǐ yě jiù méi yǒu yòu huò lì le 。
林轩短短一句话，就将对方的劝说给堵回去了，双方都是明白人，有一些话，不需要说得太清楚，林轩的意思是很明显的，相对于灵界其他界面，东海还是太垃圾，得到的好处，不足以催生出分神期修仙者，所以那所谓的好处，对自己也就没有诱惑力了。
He was a hardworking cultivator whose sole wish was to ascend to the Immortal Realm and live as long as heaven and earth. Even if they jointly managed the Holy City or ruled over East Sea, he showed no interest.
“ dào yǒu yǒu rú cǐ xióng xīn zhuàng zhì shì hǎo de ， bù guò fēn shén qī ， bìng bú shì nǐ xiǎng xiàng nà me jiǎn dān de ， dōng hǎi zī yuán què shí bù zú ， dàn jiù suàn shì nà xiē dà de jiè miàn ， fēn shén qī xiū shì yě shì liáo liáo kě shǔ ， bìng fēi nà me róng yì jìn jiē de 。” lǎo zhě hái xiǎng quàn shuō 。
“道友有如此雄心壮志是好的，不过分神期，并不是你想象那么简单的，东海资源确实不足，但就算是那些大的界面，分神期修士也是寥寥可数，并非那么容易进阶的。”老者还想劝说。
No matter how glorious the power might be, what difference would it make? If he couldn't advance to the Spirit Formation stage, in tens of thousands of years, he would still end up as dust. Such a short-sighted goal could never compare to ascending to the Immortal Realm.
"Comrade, you should reconsider. Do you know how much convenience and benefits you can gain by becoming the ruler of the Holy City? It will greatly aid your advancement," the old man persisted in his persuasion.
"Even if there are such benefits, what difference does it make when East Sea has not produced a single Spirit Formation cultivator over countless years?"
Lin Xuan's brief remark effectively shut down the old man's arguments. Both were clear-sighted; some things didn't need to be said explicitly. Lin Xuan's point was obvious: compared to other spirit realms, East Sea was too worthless for such benefits to produce a Spirit Formation cultivator. Thus, those supposed advantages held no allure.
"Comrade, your ambition is commendable, but the Spirit Formation stage isn't as simple as you think. Although resources in East Sea are scarce, even on larger worlds, few reach that stage; it's not an easy advancement," the old man tried to persuade again.
"Ah, I see."
Lin Xuan's face showed a look of sudden realization. If what the old man said was true, the ancient demon's plot could be quite serious, potentially causing more damage than a soul invasion.
Indeed, it seemed like repelling wolves at the front gate and welcoming tigers through the back door; the cultivation world in East Sea would soon face turbulent times.
Though his mind raced with thoughts, Lin Xuan showed no signs of fear. He had faced many storms before, and he knew that even if the sky fell, there was always someone to hold it up. Whether or not the cultivation world in East Sea would descend into chaos, as long as he had his current strength, ruling over East Sea was a non-issue.
In other words, whatever ancient demon's plot might be, it did not concern him.
With this thought, Lin Xuan's lips curled into a cold sneer.
"Comrade, your misfortune is indeed heartbreaking. However, the corpse flag I obtained required considerable effort on my part. If you now take possession of it, shouldn't you provide some compensation to me? This request, I believe, should be reasonable."
The old man was taken aback by Lin Xuan's words and then showed a hint of embarrassment.
"My misfortune is clear to you; why bring up the past again? Had I still been the ruler of the Holy City, no matter what your demands were, I would have accommodated them. But now, I am merely a homeless dog with nothing left. How can I possibly compensate you?"
This was undoubtedly true, but Lin Xuan's words had their own reasoning.
"Why should Comrade belittle yourself? I am not unreasonable; the compensation I propose is within your reach, almost trivial."
"Oh?"
The old man's expression showed surprise as he asked for clarification.
"Comrade, please explain. If it truly lies within my power, naturally, I will not refuse."
"Comrade, although you are currently experiencing misfortune and have encountered some setbacks, you were once the ruler of the Holy City, one of the top existences in this world. May I ask, if Comrade wishes to leave here, what plan do you have?"
"Do you mean leaving East Sea?"
Lin Xuan nodded, his face showing a hint of anticipation. He had originally intended to seek an answer from the Nine Immortal Palace, but now, with this unexpected encounter with the ruler of the Holy City, he wouldn't let such a good opportunity slip.
After all, while the Holy City was more powerful than the Nine Immortal Palace in terms of authority, the current person might be like a dragon trapped in a shallow pond, but his knowledge and memories remained intact.
"Comrade, it is difficult to leave East Sea now."
"How so? If I am not mistaken, this world should have teleportation arrays that connect to other minor worlds," Lin Xuan's expression was extremely serious. He believed in his judgment; he had no reason to doubt himself.
"You are correct. Teleportation arrays did exist before. However, 300,000 years ago, East Sea fell into chaos as all three races were involved in the conflict. The Holy City itself was even breached, and its teleportation array was destroyed. I believe the same fate befell the妖族and 海族,"
"In short, our cultivation world in East Sea has lost contact with other minor worlds. Although the barrier between us is not as formidable as that from the human world to the spirit realm, without a teleportation array, one would need to master spatial techniques or at least be an early-stage cultivator to breach it."
Hearing this, Lin Xuan's face darkened significantly. It was reasonable; there was no reason for the old man to lie.
After some thought, he said in a low voice, "If Comrade says so, leaving here would indeed be difficult. But with such vast East Sea, could teleportation arrays only exist at three places?"
"Of course not. According to what I know, during ancient times, there were five teleportation arrays instead of just these three."
"Five? Where are the other two?"
"The other two… you can forget about them,"
"Why?" Lin Xuan asked curiously.
"One is in the deepest part of the Ruins Sea, where even late-stage cultivators would face certain death. The other location has always been a great secret; ancient texts that might reveal its whereabouts have long been destroyed. Heaven only knows where it is."
The old man's slow voice echoed in Lin Xuan's ears.
Lin Xuan frowned deeply. This matter was indeed complicated.
Ignoring the hidden teleportation arrays for now, since no cultivators had discovered their location over decades, he doubted his chances of finding them even with extraordinary luck and fate.
As for the deepest part of the Ruins Sea, it remained unexplored for many years; the dangers were obvious.
Finally, he had a clue to leave, but it seemed like a dead end. What should he do?
"Comrade, given your strength, why bother leaving here? If you can help me eliminate the ancient demon that took over my body, I am willing to become your sworn brother and jointly manage the Holy City,"
The old man's face was filled with hope as he spoke.
Lin Xuan wasn't an ordinary cultivator; his abilities had already been witnessed. If he could assist in eliminating the demon, it wouldn't be impossible…
His offer was tempting, but for Lin Xuan, it was not even worth considering.
He was a hardworking cultivator whose sole wish was to ascend to the Immortal Realm and live as long as heaven and earth. Even if they jointly managed the Holy City or ruled over East Sea, he showed no interest.
No matter how glorious the power might be, what difference would it make? If he couldn't advance to the Spirit Formation stage, in tens of thousands of years, he would still end up as dust. Such a short-sighted goal could never compare to ascending to the Immortal Realm.
"Comrade, you should reconsider. Do you know how much convenience and benefits you can gain by becoming the ruler of the Holy City? It will greatly aid your advancement," the old man persisted in his persuasion.
"Even if there are such benefits, what difference does it make when East Sea has not produced a single Spirit Formation cultivator over countless years?"
Lin Xuan's brief remark effectively shut down the old man's arguments. Both were clear-sighted; some things didn't need to be said explicitly. Lin Xuan's point was obvious: compared to other spirit realms, East Sea was too worthless for such benefits to produce a Spirit Formation cultivator. Thus, those supposed advantages held no allure.
"Comrade, your ambition is commendable, but the Spirit Formation stage isn't as simple as you think. Although resources in East Sea are scarce, even on larger worlds, few reach that stage; it's not an easy advancement," the old man tried to persuade again.