zhè zhèn fǎ dǎng bú zhù zì jǐ ， nán diǎn zài yú ， yào zěn yàng shén bù zhī ， guǐ bù jué de jìn qù 。
这阵法挡不住自己，难点在于，要怎样神不知，鬼不觉的进去。
This array couldn't stop him, the key was how to enter without anyone knowing.
lín xuān zhòu méi sī suǒ ， dàn yī shí zhī jiān ， nǎ yǒu shén me liáng cè 。
林轩皱眉思索，但一时之间，哪有什么良策。
Lin Xuan frowned and pondered. But for now, there were no good strategies.
kàn kàn méi yǒu shōu huò ， lín xuān bì shàng shuāng móu ， jiāng qiáng dà yǐ jí de shén shí fàng chū 。
看看没有收获，林轩闭上双眸，将强大以极的神识放出。
He looked around but found nothing useful. Closing his eyes, Lin Xuan released his extremely powerful divine consciousness.
yǐ tā rú jīn de shén shí qiáng dù ， zhǐ yào bú shì tóng jiē xiū xiān zhě ， lín xuān jiù shì qiáng xíng tōu tīng duì fāng de chuán yīn tán huà yě bú huì bèi fā xiàn de 。
以他如今的神识强度，只要不是同阶修仙者，林轩就是强行偷听对方的传音谈话也不会被发现的。
With his current divine consciousness strength, as long as it wasn't a peer-level cultivator, Lin Xuan wouldn't be discovered even if he eavesdropped on their conversation.
yú shì ， fāng yuán bǎi lǐ ， cóng dà dà xiǎo xiǎo de jiàn zhù ， yǒu gè zhǒng gè yàng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lín xuān kāi shǐ liú shén qīng tīng qǐ lái le 。
于是，方圆百里，从大大小小的建筑，有各种各样的声音传入耳朵，林轩开始留神倾听起来了。
Thus, sounds from all directions entered his ears. He began to listen carefully.
zhè ge guò chéng bìng bù qīng sōng ， lín xuān yào cóng fēn fán fù zá ， ér yòu duō biàn de xìn xī zhōng ， zhǎo dào nǎ yī tiáo duì zì jǐ yǒu yòng 。
这个过程并不轻松，林轩要从纷繁复杂，而又多变的信息中，找到哪一条对自己有用。
The process was not easy; Lin Xuan had to sift through the complex and ever-changing information to find what was useful.
tū rán ， tā shén sè yī dòng 。
突然，他神色一动。
Suddenly, his expression changed.
yī yǒu xiē cū háo de shēng yīn ， tū rán chuán rù ěr zhōng 。
一有些粗豪的声音，突然传入耳中。
A coarse voice suddenly reached his ears.
“ yè shī xiōng ， shì qíng bàn dé rú hé ， duì fāng jiū jìng dā yìng le me ， zhǐ yào néng gòu jiāng xiǎo shī mèi jiù chū ， chéng mǒu kě shì rèn hé dài jià dōu yuàn yì fù ， nà bǎi huā yuán de kān shǒu jiū jìng shì zěn yàng duì nǐ huí fù ？”
“叶师兄，事情办得如何，对方究竟答应了么，只要能够将小师妹救出，程某可是任何代价都愿意付，那百花园的看守究竟是怎样对你回复？”
"Brother Ye, how did your mission go? Did they agree to anything? As long as you can save Little Sister, I'm willing to pay any price. How did that guard of the Hundred Flower Garden respond?"
lín xuān tīng dào cǐ chù ， nǎ hái bù xīn zhōng dà xǐ ， lián máng jiāng suǒ yǒu de shén shí quán dōu diào jí ， duì fāng bié shuō shēng yīn ， lián róng mào dōu yī lǎn wú yú 。
林轩听到此处，哪还不心中大喜，连忙将所有的神识全都调集，对方别说声音，连容貌都一览无余。
Lin Xuan was delighted at this point and quickly gathered all his divine consciousness. Not only could he hear their voices, but also see their appearances.
nà shì liǎng míng sān shí yú suì de zhōng nián xiū shì ， zhèng dài zài yī dòng fǔ de kè tīng lǐ ， zuǒ biān zhī rén ， shēn chuān rú shān ， nà dǎ bàn yǒu diǎn xiàng shì sú de xiù cái ， rán ér róng mào què shí fēn de píng fán ， yì diǎn yě bù qǐ yǎn 。
那是两名三十余岁的中年修士，正待在一洞府的客厅里，左边之人，身穿儒衫，那打扮有点像世俗的秀才，然而容貌却十分的平凡，一点也不起眼。
The two middle-aged cultivators were in a cave's living room. The one on the left wore a scholar’s robe, resembling an ordinary scholar from the secular world, but his appearance was unremarkable.
zhì yú gǔ biān nà ge ， zé gāo dà zhuàng shí ， yī fù jīng míng qiáng gàn de yàng zi 。
至于古边那个，则高大壮实，一副精明强干的样子。
The other, who stood by the right, was tall and robust, looking shrewd and capable.
dòng fǔ zhōu wéi ， bù zhì dé yǒu shù céng jìn zhì ， qí zhōng gèng yǒu zhuān mén gé yīn de xiào guǒ ， kàn dé chū ， liǎng rén suǒ tú móu de shì qíng ， fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， fǒu zé bù yòng rú cǐ xiǎo xīn jǐn shèn de 。
洞府周围，布置得有数层禁制，其中更有专门隔音的效果，看得出，两人所图谋的事情，非同小可，否则不用如此小心谨慎的。
Several layers of restrictions surrounded the cave, with soundproofing effects. It was clear that what they were plotting was no small matter; otherwise, they wouldn't have taken such precautions.
kě xī liǎng rén de xiū wèi dōu cái yuán yīng chū qī ， kě xiǎng ér zhī nà jìn zhì yě hǎo bú dào nǎ lǐ ， zài lín xuān de shén shí miàn qián ， gēn běn jiù shì xíng tóng xū shè ， sī háo zuò yòng yě qǐ bú dào de 。
可惜两人的修为都才元婴初期，可想而知那禁制也好不到哪里，在林轩的神识面前，根本就是形同虚设，丝毫作用也起不到的。
Lin Xuan's lips curled into a sneer.
“ nǐ bù yòng zháo jí ， tiáo jiàn wǒ yǐ tì nǐ dǎ tàn qīng chǔ ， duì fāng shuō le ， chú le xiān qián jiù tán hǎo de jīng shí cái liào ， nǐ hái xū yào zài zhuō yī míng yuán yīng qī de nǚ xiū ， zuò wéi tì shēn shǐ yòng ， zhè yàng cái kě yǐ jiāng nǐ shī mèi huàn chū 。” nà jīng míng hàn zi ná qǐ zhuō shàng de chá hú ， hěn hěn guàn le jǐ kǒu ， cái rú cǐ zhè bān de kāi kǒu 。
“你不用着急，条件我已替你打探清楚，对方说了，除了先前就谈好的晶石材料，你还需要再捉一名元婴期的女修，作为替身使用，这样才可以将你师妹换出。”那精明汉子拿起桌上的茶壶，狠狠灌了几口，才如此这般的开口。
The shrewd man continued to speak.
“ shén me ， zhuō yī míng yuán yīng qī nǚ xiū ， dàng zuò tì shēn shǐ yòng ？” nà xiù cái chēng mù jié shé ， suí hòu liǎn shàng xiàn chū fèn nù zhī sè ：“ nà jiā huo ， hái zhēn gǎn dà kāi kǒu ， yuán běn jiù zhǎo wǒ yào le shàng bǎi wàn jīng shí de cái huò ， chéng mǒu yǐ shì qīng jiā dàng chǎn le ， rú jīn yòu tí chū zhè yàng de wú lǐ yāo qiú ， tā zhēn jiāng wǒ dàng chéng le yuān dà tóu 。”
“什么，捉一名元婴期女修，当做替身使用？”那秀才瞠目结舌，随后脸上现出愤怒之色：“那家伙，还真敢大开口，原本就找我要了上百万晶石的财货，程某已是倾家荡产了，如今又提出这样的无理要求，他真将我当成了冤大头。”
"Even though he helps us, he can't risk his own life. Brother Ye wants to save Little Sister, the only choice is to find an Incarnation-stage female cultivator as a substitute for the plan to succeed. Otherwise, he won't agree to help."
“ dào fā bù kě jī dòng ， duì fāng tí chū de yāo qiú ， shì yǒu xiē lí pǔ ， rán ér tā zhī suǒ yǐ zhè me zuò ， yě bú shì diāo nàn dào fā ， ér shì yǒu bù dé yǐ de kǔ zhōng 。” nà jīng míng hàn zi wēi wēi tàn xī ， zuǐ shàng shuō chū quàn jiě de yán yǔ 。
“道发不可激动，对方提出的要求，是有些离谱，然而他之所以这么做，也不是刁难道发，而是有不得已的苦衷。”那精明汉子微微叹息，嘴上说出劝解的言语。
He paused and added, "It's also fortunate that Little Sister is only at the Incarnation stage. If she were mid-stage, even with more crystals, he wouldn't take such risks."
“ kǔ zhōng ？”
“苦衷？”
The shrewd man looked displeased.
“ shì a ， dào fā nǐ zhàn zài tā de jiǎo dù ， zǐ xì xiǎng xiǎng ， bǎi cǎo yuán de nǚ xiū ， dōu shì fù gōng zhǔ diǎn míng yào yòng de dǐng lú ， nà wèi fù dào fā ， suī rán yǔ wǒ yǒu jiù ， ér qiě shì fù gōng zhǔ de dí xì xīn fù ， dàn guī gēn jié dǐ ， yě zhǐ shì kān shǒu ， rú guǒ shàn zì fàng rén de huà ， shàng miàn zhuī chá ， tā nǎ lǐ dān dāng dé qǐ ， kěn dìng miǎn bù liǎo bèi chōu hún liàn pò de jié jú ， rén dōu sǐ le ， cóng nǐ nà ér ， yào dào zài duō de hǎo chù ， yòu yǒu shén me yòng tú ， suǒ yǐ zhè jiàn shì qíng ， tā yuàn yì bāng máng ， yǐ shì dān le hěn dà de fēng xiǎn 。”
“是啊，道发你站在他的角度，仔细想想，百草园的女修，都是副宫主点名要用的鼎炉，那位付道发，虽然与我有旧，而且是副宫主的嫡系心腹，但归根结底，也只是看守，如果擅自放人的话，上面追查，他哪里担当得起，肯定免不了被抽魂炼魄的结局，人都死了，从你那儿，要到再多的好处，又有什么用途，所以这件事情，他愿意帮忙，已是担了很大的风险。”
"Brother Ye, this is your friend's face. Fu Dao Fa’s request isn’t unreasonable. However..."
“ zhè ……，…, nà shū shēng yī dāi ， zhè jiā huo ， suī rán xiū wèi bù dī ， dàn míng xiǎn yǒu jǐ fēn shū dāi zi de xí qì ， duì fāng jǐ jù yán yǔ ， jiù qīng yì jiāng tā hū yōu le jìn qù 。
“这……，…,那书生一呆，这家伙，虽然修为不低，但明显有几分书呆子的习气，对方几句言语，就轻易将他忽悠了进去。
"How so? You have difficulties?" The shrewd man took a bite of his apple, crossed his legs, and said with satisfaction.
lín xuān de zuǐ jiǎo biān ， zé liú lù chū yī sī lěng xiào zhī yì 。
林轩的嘴角边，则流露出一丝冷笑之意。
"Brother, you know that female cultivators are few compared to male ones. High-stage female cultivators are even rarer. Otherwise...," he hesitated but continued, "the Deputy Palace Master wouldn’t target our disciples. In such a short time, where can I find an Incarnation-stage female cultivator? Even if I do, capturing her alive would be impossible."
nà jīng míng hàn zi de shēng yīn ， jì xù wěi wěi de chuán rù ěr duǒ lǐ 。
那精明汉子的声音，继续娓娓的传入耳朵里。
"The task is to help you connect. Whether it’s possible or not has nothing to do with me," the shrewd man said leisurely.
“ duì fāng bāng máng ， dàn zǒng bù néng jiāng zì jǐ dā jìn qù ， yè xián dì xiǎng yào jiāng zì jǐ de shī mèi jiù chū ， nà zhǐ yǒu yí gè xuǎn zé ， nòng yī míng yuán yīng qī de nǚ zǐ zuò wéi tì dài zhī wù ， zhè yàng cái néng shí xíng mán tiān guò hǎi zhī cè ， fǒu zé ， tā kě shì bú huì dā yìng bāng máng de ， shuō qǐ lái ， yě shì yùn qì ， yè xián dì de shī mèi jǐn shì yuán yīng chū qī ， rú guǒ shì zhōng qī de xiū xiān zhě ， jiù suàn nǐ ná zài duō de jīng shí ， duì fāng yě bù yuàn yì dān zhè ge fēng xiǎn de 。”
“对方帮忙，但总不能将自己搭进去，叶贤弟想要将自己的师妹救出，那只有一个选择，弄一名元婴期的女子作为替代之物，这样才能实行瞒天过海之策，否则，他可是不会答应帮忙的，说起来，也是运气，叶贤弟的师妹仅是元婴初期，如果是中期的修仙者，就算你拿再多的晶石，对方也不愿意担这个风险的。”
"Is there really no way to negotiate?" The scholar's face was full of bitterness and desperation.
jīng míng hàn zi shuō dào zhè lǐ ， bǎi chū yī fù fú rán zhī sè ：“ fù dào fā zhè me zuò ， yě shì gěi yú xiōng miàn zi ， xián dì ruò shì bù yuàn yì ， tā kě bìng bù xiǎng mào xiǎn zhuàn nǐ jīng shí 。”
精明汉子说到这里，摆出一副怫然之色：“付道发这么做，也是给愚兄面子，贤弟若是不愿意，他可并不想冒险赚你晶石。”
This guy seemed a hopeless romantic.
“ dà gē ， nǐ bié shēng qì ， shì xiǎo dì shuō huà méi yǒu qīng zhòng ， gāng gāng dé zuì nǐ ， dà gē qiān wàn bú yào jiè yì 。”
“大哥，你别生气，是小弟说话没有轻重，刚冈得罪你，大哥千万不要介意。”
From childhood friends, he had loved his little sister for centuries but couldn't express himself well. His persistent love had failed, but he never gave up hope.
shēng pà duì fāng shuǎi shǒu bù guǎn le ， nà shū shēng lián máng dǎ gōng zuō yī ， shuō hǎo huà péi zuì bù yǐ ， ér liǎn shàng de biǎo qíng ， yě shì jiāo tóu làn é yǐ jí 。
生怕对方甩手不管了，那书生连忙打躬作揖，说好话赔罪不已，而脸上的表情，也是焦头烂额以极。
Finally, the heavens took pity on him, and Little Sister agreed to marry him. They became a dual cultivation couple, and he was overjoyed.
“ dà gē shì yán zhī yǒu lǐ ， nà fù dào fā de yāo qiú ， yě bìng bù guò fēn ， kě ……”
“大哥是言之有理，那付道发的要求，也并不过分，可……”
But three days before their marriage ceremony, the Deputy Palace Master gathered thecauldron tripod furnace, and Little Sister couldn't escape; she was imprisoned in the Hundred Flower Garden with her powers sealed.
“ zěn me ， nǐ yǒu nán chǔ ？” jīng míng hàn zi yǎo le yī 。 shǒu zhōng de píng guǒ ， qiào zhe èr láng tuǐ ， dé yì yáng yáng de shuō 。
“怎么，你有难处？”精明汉子咬了一。手中的苹果，翘着二郎腿，得意洋洋的说。
The dream shattered, and the scholar was furious but helpless. He was only at the Incarnation stage and just a steward within the palace. With his hatred, he had no grounds to challenge the Deputy Palace Master.
“ dà gē ， nǐ yě xiǎo de ， yǔ nán zi xiāng bǐ ， nǚ xiū xiān zhě de shù liàng běn jiù bù duō ， gāo jiē de bǐ lì ， nà jiù gèng shì liáo liáo wú jǐ ， fǒu zé ……， zhǔ ……” shuō dào zhè lǐ ， tā de liǎn shàng lù chū jǐ fēn chí yí zhī sè ， dàn hái shì yǎo zhe yá chǐ kāi kǒu le ：“ fù gōng zhǔ yě bú huì dǎ běn mén dì zǐ de zhǔ yì ， zhè yī shí piàn kè ， nǐ ràng wǒ qù nǎ lǐ zhǎo yī míng yuán yīng chū qī de nǚ xiū xiān zhě ， hé kuàng jiù suàn shì zhǎo dào le ， hái yào jiāng duì fāng shēng qín huó zhuō ， nǐ rèn wéi zhè kě néng me ？”
“大哥，你也晓得，与男子相比，女修仙者的数量本就不多，高阶的比例，那就更是寥寥无几，否则……，丶……”说到这里，他的脸上露出几分迟疑之色，但还是咬着牙齿开口了：“副宫主也不会打本门弟子的主意，这一时片刻，你让我去哪里找一名元婴初期的女修仙者，何况就算是找到了，还要将对方生擒活捉，你认为这可能么？”
Despite his bookish nature, he wasn't foolish. Such an action would be like throwing an egg against a stone—useless and dangerous.
“ wǒ zhǐ shì fù zé bāng nǐ lián luò ， zhì yú néng bù néng zuò dào kě yǔ yè mǒu sī háo guāng xì yě wú 。” nà jīng míng hàn zi yōu zāi yóu zāi de shuō 。
“我只是负责帮你联络，至于能不能做到可与叶某丝毫光系也无。”那精明汉子优哉游哉的说。
Not only could he not save Little Sister but also risk his own life. Even if he sacrificed everything, he couldn’t bring down the emperor; their power and status were too different.
“ nán dào zhēn de méi yǒu bàn fǎ tōng róng ？” xiù cái de liǎn shàng mǎn shì kǔ sè ， jí dé yǐ jīng xiàng shì rè guō shàng de mǎ yǐ le 。
“难道真的没有办法通融？”秀才的脸上满是苦涩，急得已经像是热锅上的蚂蚁了。
After several days of contemplation, he finally calmed down. He refused to give up on Little Sister and began thinking about other ways to rescue her.
zhè jiā huo ， shì yī duō qíng zhǒng zi 。
这家伙，是一多情种子。
Direct confrontation was impossible, but there might be other methods...
cóng liǎng xiǎo wú cāi ， dào kǔ liàn qí xiǎo shī mèi ， qián hòu yǐ yǒu shù bǎi nián ， rán ér qí bù shàn yán cí ， gēn běn jiù bù zhī dào zěn me zhuī nǚ hái zi ， gù ér yì zhí kǔ liàn wú guǒ 。
从两小无猜，到苦恋其小师妹，前后已有数百年，然而其不善言辞，根本就不知道怎么追女孩子，故而一直苦恋无果。
However, it wasn't easy to implement. After many trials and tribulations and spending countless crystals, he finally got Brother Ye to help him.
bù guò qí yì zhí bù céng dòng yáo guò ， huò xǔ lǎo tiān yé yě bèi tā de chī xīn gěi gǎn dòng le ， zhōng yú shǒu dé yún kāi jiàn yuè míng ， xiǎo shī mèi dā yìng jià yǔ tā wèi qī ， liǎng rén gòng jié lián lǐ ， chéng wéi shuāng xiū dào lǚ 。
不过其一直不曾动摇过，或许老天爷也被他的痴心给感动了，终于守得云开见月明，小师妹答应嫁与她为妻，两人共结连理，成为双修道侣。
Through his connections, they contacted the Hundred Flower Garden’s guards, who demanded such a condition.
xiù cái de gāo xìng kě xiǎng ér zhī ， xuǎn le yí gè hǎo rì zi ， bù néng qiè qū qī zǐ ， zhǔn bèi biàn yāo qīn péng hǎo fā ， lái cān jiā tā men de shuāng xiū diǎn lǐ ， běn lái shì xǐ shì ， rán ér huò cóng tiān jiàng ， jiù zài jǔ xíng shuāng xiū dà diǎn de qián sān tiān ， fù gōng zhǔ shōu luó dǐng lú ， xiǎo shī mèi yě méi néng táo tuō ， bèi jìn gù hún shēn fǎ lì ， guān zài le bǎi huā yuán lǐ 。
秀才的高兴可想而知，选了一个好日子，不能妾屈妻子，准备遍邀亲朋好发，来参加他们的双修典礼，本来是喜事，然而祸从天降，就在举行双修大典的前三天，副宫主收罗鼎炉，小师妹也没能逃脱，被禁锢浑身法力，关在了百花园里。
While the million-crystal worth of goods was acceptable, he wouldn’t hesitate even if he had to sacrifice his life force. But demanding an Incarnation-stage female cultivator as a substitute was beyond his capability.
mèng xiǎng bèi dǎ pò ， xiù cái jī hū fèn mèn yù kuáng le ， rán ér tā bù guò yuán yīng chū qī ， zài gōng nèi yě jǐn jǐn shì yī míng zhí shì ér yǐ ， jiù suàn mǎn huái hèn yì ， yòu yǒu shén me zī běn ， yǔ fù gōng zhǔ jiào bǎn ne ， tā suī rán yǒu diǎn shū dāi zi qì ， dàn bìng bù shǎ ， nà yàng zuò ， wú yì yú nà ná jī dàn yǔ shí tou duì pèng a ！
梦想被打破，秀才几乎愤懑欲狂了，然而他不过元婴初期，在宫内也仅仅是一名执事而已，就算满怀恨意，又有什么资本，与副宫主叫板呢，他虽然有点书呆子气，但并不傻，那样做，无异于那拿鸡蛋与石头对碰啊！
Seeing the scholar's desperate expression, Lin Xuan rubbed his forehead and appeared thoughtful.
bù jǐn bù néng jiāng xiǎo shī mèi jiù chū ， ér qiě hái huì jiāng zì jǐ yě dā jìn qù ， jí biàn shě de yī shēn guǎ ， yě wú fǎ jiāng huáng dì lā xià mǎ ， shuāng fāng de shí lì yǔ dì wèi ， xiāng chà tài dà 。
不仅不能将小师妹救出，而且还会将自己也搭进去，即便舍得一身剐，也无法将皇帝拉下马，双方的实力与地位，相差太大。
There seemed to be a plot, but it was too early to draw conclusions. He decided to observe first.
dōu mèn le shù rì ， tā zhōng yú lěng jìng xià lái le ， fàng qì xiǎo shī mèi tā shì jué bù yuàn yì de ， yú shì kāi shǐ sī suǒ ， yǒu shén me bié de bàn fǎ kě yǐ yíng jiù ne ？
都闷了数日，他终于冷静下来了，放弃小师妹他是绝不愿意的，于是开始思索，有什么别的办法可以营救呢？
"Brother Cheng, you don't need to worry. If we can’t find an Incarnation-stage female cultivator, there’s another plan," the shrewd man said when he felt the time was right.
yìng pèng kěn dìng bù xíng ， dàn wèi bì méi yǒu bié de zhǔ yì ， fāng fǎ shì rén xiǎng chū lái bàn …
硬碰肯定不行，但未必没有别的主意，方法是人想出来办…
"What other plan?" The scholar was overjoyed, feeling like a drowning man who clung to a straw.
rán ér shuō qǐ lái suī rán róng yì ， zhēn yào zuò ， què kùn nán chóng chóng ， qián hòu tā yě bù zhī dào fèi le duō shǎo bō zhé ， huā fèi le duō shǎo jīng shí bǎo wù ， cái zhōng yú qǐng dào qián miàn zhè wèi yè xiū shì bāng máng 。
然而说起来虽然容易，真要做，却困难重重，前后他也不知道费了多少波折，花费了多少晶石宝物，才终于请到前面这位叶修士帮忙。
"Brother Ye, what do you think?"
yóu tā qiān xiàn dā qiáo ， lián luò shàng bǎi cǎo guó kān shǒu ， rán ér duì fāng què tí chū zhè yàng de yāo qiú 。
由他牵线搭桥，联络上百草国看守，然而对方却提出这样的要求。
"If we can’t use an Incarnation-stage female cultivator for this ruse, Fu Dao Fa would bear more risks. Emotionally and logically, should he not give us some additional benefits?" The shrewd man said with a smile on the outside but no sincerity in his heart.
nà jià zhí shàng bǎi wàn jīng shí de cái huò yě jiù bà le ， zhǐ yào néng jiāng xiǎo shī mèi jiù chū ， jiù suàn jiāng běn mìng fǎ bǎo diǎn dàng tā yě bú huì zhòu yī xià méi tóu ， kě duì fāng jū rán shuō ， yào nòng yī míng yuán yīng qī nǚ xiū zuò tì dài zhī wù ， zhè ge yāo qiú tā bú shì bù yuàn yì mǎn zú ， ér shì gēn běn jiù chāo chū tā néng lì fàn wéi zhī wài le ， nǐ ràng tā zěn me zuò ？
那价值上百万晶石的财货也就罢了，只要能将小师妹救出，就算将本命法宝典当他也不会皱一下眉头，可对方居然说，要弄一名元婴期女修做替代之物，这个要求他不是不愿意满足，而是根本就超出他能力范围之外了，你让他怎么做？
The scholar was taken aback and looked displeased.
jiàn nà xiù cái yī liǎn de kǔ sè ， jí dé xiàng rè guō shàng de mǎ yǐ yì bān ， zài yuán dì dǎ zhuàn ， nà jīng shòu hàn zi ， liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī dé sè ， suī rán yī shǎn jí shì ， dàn lín xuān yī jiù kàn de qīng qīng chǔ chǔ ， píng jiè qiáng dà shén shí de zhī chí ， liǎng gè rén zài wēi xiǎo de dòng zuò ， yě wú fǎ jiāng tā mán guò 。
见那秀才一脸的苦涩，急得像热锅上的蚂蚁一般，在原地打转，那精瘦汉子，脸上露出一丝得色，虽然一闪即逝，但林轩依旧看得清清楚楚，凭借强大神识的支持，两个人再微小的动作，也无法将他瞒过。
"Fu Dao Fa is generous; it seems you are sincere. However, Fu Dao Fa doesn’t care about crystals..."
“ zhè jiā huo ， nán dào shuō chuān …, lín xuān yǐ shǒu fǔ é ， liǎn shàng lù chū jǐ fēn chén lìng de biǎo qíng lái le 。
“这家伙，难道说川…,林轩以手抚额，脸上露出几分沉呤的表情来了。
"Why does he need crystals? Whatever Brother Cheng can do, I won't refuse," the scholar said eagerly.
sì hū yǒu yīn móu ， bù guò xiàn zài xià jié lùn ， xiǎn rán hái wéi shí guò zǎo ， lín xuān jué dìng xiān kàn kàn zài shuō 。
似乎有阴谋，不过现在下结论，显然还为时过早，林轩决定先看看再说。
This guy truly seemed a hopeless romantic, but revealing his bottom line so quickly made him an easy target.
“ chéng xián dì bù yòng zháo jí ， rú guǒ shí zài zhǎo bú dào yuán yīng qī de nǚ xiū xiān zhě ， hái yǒu yí gè tì dài fāng àn kě yǐ jiě jué de 。” jiàn huǒ hòu yǐ jīng chà bu duō ， nà jīng shòu hàn zi zhōng yú kāi kǒu 。
“程贤弟不用着急，如果实在找不到元婴期的女修仙者，还有一个替代方案可以解决的。”见火候已经差不多，那精瘦汉子终于开口。
Lin Xuan couldn't help but laugh inwardly. The key now was how to use these two to infiltrate the Hundred Flower Garden.
“ tì dài fāng àn ？”
“替代方案？”
Their conversation continued clearly in Lin Xuan's ears.
xiù cái dà xǐ ， yuán běn tā dōu yào jué wàng le ， méi xiǎng dào yòu liǔ àn huā míng ， cǐ shí cǐ kè ， tā jiù xiàng yī míng nì shuǐ zhě ， jiù suàn shì yǒu yī gēn dào cǎo ， yě yào jǐn jǐn zhuā zhù 。
秀才大喜，原本他都要绝望了，没想到又柳暗花明，此时此刻，他就像一名溺水者，就算是有一根稻草，也要紧紧抓住。
"Fu Dao Fa’s requirements are simple and not difficult for Brother Cheng. Just gather the crystals, and give him your ancestral treasure."
“ yè xiōng ， nǐ shuō 。”
“叶兄，你说。”
"What ancestral treasure?" The scholar's face changed abruptly, looking panicked.
“ rú guǒ méi yǒu yuán yīng qī nǚ xiū xíng shǐ mán tiān guò hǎi zhī cè ， fù dào fā chéng dān de fēng xiǎn jiù yào dà dé duō ， yú qíng yú lǐ ， dào fā shì bú shì yīng gāi zài duō gěi yì diǎn hǎo chù ？” jīng shòu hàn zi pí xiào ròu bù xiào de shuō 。
“如果没有元婴期女修行使瞒天过海之策，付道发承担的风险就要大得多，于情于理，道发是不是应该再多给一点好处？”精瘦汉子皮笑肉不笑的说。
Despite denying it, his acting skills were terrible; this only made him look like a man who had nothing to hide.
duì fāng jiù shì zhēn bǎn shàng de yú ， zěn me zǎi gē suí tā xīn yì ， rán ér xiù cái què méi yǒu bèi dàng zuò féi yáng de jué wù ， fǎn ér mǎn xīn huān xǐ 。
对方就是砧板上的鱼，怎么宰割随他心意，然而秀才却没有被当作肥羊的觉悟，反而满心欢喜。
"Speak frankly in front of me. Fu Dao Fa has asked for such a condition because you must have an ancestral treasure," the shrewd man said with a mocking smile.
This array couldn't stop him, the key was how to enter without anyone knowing.
Lin Xuan frowned and pondered. But for now, there were no good strategies.
He looked around but found nothing useful. Closing his eyes, Lin Xuan released his extremely powerful divine consciousness.
With his current divine consciousness strength, as long as it wasn't a peer-level cultivator, Lin Xuan wouldn't be discovered even if he eavesdropped on their conversation.
Thus, sounds from all directions entered his ears. He began to listen carefully.
The process was not easy; Lin Xuan had to sift through the complex and ever-changing information to find what was useful.
Suddenly, his expression changed.
A coarse voice suddenly reached his ears.
"Brother Ye, how did your mission go? Did they agree to anything? As long as you can save Little Sister, I'm willing to pay any price. How did that guard of the Hundred Flower Garden respond?"
Lin Xuan was delighted at this point and quickly gathered all his divine consciousness. Not only could he hear their voices, but also see their appearances.
The two middle-aged cultivators were in a cave's living room. The one on the left wore a scholar’s robe, resembling an ordinary scholar from the secular world, but his appearance was unremarkable.
The other, who stood by the right, was tall and robust, looking shrewd and capable.
Several layers of restrictions surrounded the cave, with soundproofing effects. It was clear that what they were plotting was no small matter; otherwise, they wouldn't have taken such precautions.
Lin Xuan's lips curled into a sneer.
The shrewd man continued to speak.
"Even though he helps us, he can't risk his own life. Brother Ye wants to save Little Sister, the only choice is to find an Incarnation-stage female cultivator as a substitute for the plan to succeed. Otherwise, he won't agree to help."
He paused and added, "It's also fortunate that Little Sister is only at the Incarnation stage. If she were mid-stage, even with more crystals, he wouldn't take such risks."
The shrewd man looked displeased.
"Brother Ye, this is your friend's face. Fu Dao Fa’s request isn’t unreasonable. However..."
"How so? You have difficulties?" The shrewd man took a bite of his apple, crossed his legs, and said with satisfaction.
"Brother, you know that female cultivators are few compared to male ones. High-stage female cultivators are even rarer. Otherwise...," he hesitated but continued, "the Deputy Palace Master wouldn’t target our disciples. In such a short time, where can I find an Incarnation-stage female cultivator? Even if I do, capturing her alive would be impossible."
"The task is to help you connect. Whether it’s possible or not has nothing to do with me," the shrewd man said leisurely.
"Is there really no way to negotiate?" The scholar's face was full of bitterness and desperation.
This guy seemed a hopeless romantic.
From childhood friends, he had loved his little sister for centuries but couldn't express himself well. His persistent love had failed, but he never gave up hope.
Finally, the heavens took pity on him, and Little Sister agreed to marry him. They became a dual cultivation couple, and he was overjoyed.
But three days before their marriage ceremony, the Deputy Palace Master gathered thecauldron tripod furnace, and Little Sister couldn't escape; she was imprisoned in the Hundred Flower Garden with her powers sealed.
The dream shattered, and the scholar was furious but helpless. He was only at the Incarnation stage and just a steward within the palace. With his hatred, he had no grounds to challenge the Deputy Palace Master.
Despite his bookish nature, he wasn't foolish. Such an action would be like throwing an egg against a stone—useless and dangerous.
Not only could he not save Little Sister but also risk his own life. Even if he sacrificed everything, he couldn’t bring down the emperor; their power and status were too different.
After several days of contemplation, he finally calmed down. He refused to give up on Little Sister and began thinking about other ways to rescue her.
Direct confrontation was impossible, but there might be other methods...
However, it wasn't easy to implement. After many trials and tribulations and spending countless crystals, he finally got Brother Ye to help him.
Through his connections, they contacted the Hundred Flower Garden’s guards, who demanded such a condition.
While the million-crystal worth of goods was acceptable, he wouldn’t hesitate even if he had to sacrifice his life force. But demanding an Incarnation-stage female cultivator as a substitute was beyond his capability.
Seeing the scholar's desperate expression, Lin Xuan rubbed his forehead and appeared thoughtful.
There seemed to be a plot, but it was too early to draw conclusions. He decided to observe first.
"Brother Cheng, you don't need to worry. If we can’t find an Incarnation-stage female cultivator, there’s another plan," the shrewd man said when he felt the time was right.
"What other plan?" The scholar was overjoyed, feeling like a drowning man who clung to a straw.
"Brother Ye, what do you think?"
"If we can’t use an Incarnation-stage female cultivator for this ruse, Fu Dao Fa would bear more risks. Emotionally and logically, should he not give us some additional benefits?" The shrewd man said with a smile on the outside but no sincerity in his heart.
The scholar was taken aback and looked displeased.
"Fu Dao Fa is generous; it seems you are sincere. However, Fu Dao Fa doesn’t care about crystals..."
"Why does he need crystals? Whatever Brother Cheng can do, I won't refuse," the scholar said eagerly.
This guy truly seemed a hopeless romantic, but revealing his bottom line so quickly made him an easy target.
Lin Xuan couldn't help but laugh inwardly. The key now was how to use these two to infiltrate the Hundred Flower Garden.
Their conversation continued clearly in Lin Xuan's ears.
"Fu Dao Fa’s requirements are simple and not difficult for Brother Cheng. Just gather the crystals, and give him your ancestral treasure."
"What ancestral treasure?" The scholar's face changed abruptly, looking panicked.
Despite denying it, his acting skills were terrible; this only made him look like a man who had nothing to hide.
"Speak frankly in front of me. Fu Dao Fa has asked for such a condition because you must have an ancestral treasure," the shrewd man said with a mocking smile.