“ hái shì shuō ， dào yǒu de qíng shēn yì zhòng ， gēn běn jiù shì zhuāng chū lái de ， zài nǐ xīn zhōng ， nà wèi xuě xiān zi ， bù guò zǒu guò yǎn yún yān bà le ， dào yǒu ruò zhēn shě bù dé jiā chuán bǎo wù ， yè mǒu yě wú huà kě shuō ， fǎn zhèng wǒ bù guò shì fù zé chuán huà ér yǐ ， nǐ yǔ fù dào yǒu jiān de jiāo yì ， tóng wǒ gēn běn jiù méi yǒu duō shǎo guān xì ， zhǐ qù ……”
“还是说，道友的情深意重，根本就是装出来的，在你心中，那位雪仙子，不过走过眼云烟罢了，道友若真舍不得家传宝物，叶某也无话可说，反正我不过是负责传话而已，你与付道友间的交易，同我根本就没有多少关系，只去……”
"Or perhaps, the deep affection of your friend is merely a pretense. In your heart, that Snow Fairy is just a fleeting cloud and mist. If you truly can't bear to part with your family treasure, I have no objections. After all, it's not my responsibility to make decisions; this transaction between you and Fellow Daoist Fu has nothing to do with me."
shuō dào zhè lǐ ， jīng shòu hàn zi gù yì tàn le kǒu qì ：“ kě lián nà wèi xuě xiān zi ， jiù yào bèi tā shēn ài de shī xiōng suǒ pāo qì ， dǐng lú mìng yùn rú hé ， dào yǒu xiǎng bì yě xīn zhōng yǒu shù ， kě lián ， zhēn shì tài kě lián le ……”
说到这里，精瘦汉子故意叹了口气：“可怜那位雪仙子，就要被她深爱的师兄所抛弃，鼎炉命运如何，道友想必也心中有数，可怜，真是太可怜了……”
With these words, the lean man deliberately sighed. "Poor Snow Fairy, she is about to be abandoned by her beloved senior brother. The fate of the Cauldron Furnace... I imagine your heart aches for it as well."
jīng shòu hàn zi lián lián tàn xī ， yī fù bēi tiān mǐn rén zhī yì ， rán ér móu dǐ shēn chù ， què bù shí yǒu jī cháo zhī sè shǎn guò ， zhè fān yán yǔ ， xiǎn rán shì gù yì wèi zhī 。
精瘦汉子连连叹息，一副悲天悯人之意，然而眸底深处，却不时有讥嘲之色闪过，这番言语，显然是故意为之。
His eyes filled with pity and compassion, but beneath his gaze, there was a flicker of mockery. Clearly, this was intentional.
ér nà xiù cái de liǎn shàng ， zé chōng mǎn le tòng kǔ ， zhè jiàn shì qíng zhe shí ràng tā nán yǐ jué zé 。
而那秀才的脸上，则充满了痛苦，这件事情着实让他难以抉择。
The scholar's face was filled with pain. This matter truly left him in a dilemma.
yī biān shì jiā chuán de bǎo wù ， nà dōng xī de zhòng yào xìng tā cóng xiǎo jiù qīng chǔ 。
一边是家传的宝物，那东西的重要性他从小就清楚。
On one hand, there was the family treasure he had inherited. He understood its importance from childhood.
yī biān què shì shī mèi āi shāng de miàn róng ， yǎn kàn jiù yào chéng wéi zì jǐ de qī zǐ ， zěn me néng ràng dào shǒu de xìng fú yuǎn lí ér qù 。
一边却是师妹哀伤的面容，眼看就要成为自己的妻子，怎么能让到手的幸福远离而去。
On the other, his junior sister's sorrowful expression, about to become his wife... how could he let the happiness within reach slip away?
zhè ge xuǎn zé hái zhēn bù hǎo xià 。
这个选择还真不好下。
This choice really wasn't easy.
chú le wéi nán hái shì wéi nán a ！
除了为难还是为难啊！
It was just so difficult!
jiàn xiù cái mǎn liǎn tòng kǔ ， nà jīng shòu hàn zi què shì yī liǎn dé sè ， gè zhǒng kě néng xìng tā dōu suàn guò ， cóng xìng gé lái shuō ， duì fāng shì yí dìng huì qū fú 。
见秀才满脸痛苦，那精瘦汉子却是一脸得色，各种可能性他都算过，从性格来说，对方是一定会屈服。
Seeing the scholar's face filled with pain, the lean man wore a smug smile. He had considered all possibilities and knew that from his character, the other would surely yield.
guǒ rán ， guò le yī zhǎn chá de gōng fu ， nà xiù cái tíng zhǐ le duó bù ， yǎn móu shēn chù ， shǎn guò yī sī jué rán zhī yì ， shēn shēn hū xī ， suí hòu zhuǎn guò shēn tǐ 。
果然，过了一盏茶的功夫，那秀才停止了踱步，眼眸深处，闪过一丝决然之意，深深呼吸，随后转过身体。
Indeed, after a while, the scholar stopped pacing and his eyes flashed with determination. Taking a deep breath, he turned around.
“ yè dà gē ， nǐ néng gòu bǎo zhèng ， chéng mǒu fèng shàng chuán 〖 jiā 〗 bǎo wù ， wǒ shī mèi ， tā yí dìng néng píng ān wú shì me ？”
“叶大哥，你能够保证，程某奉上传〖家〗宝物，我师妹，她一定能平安无事么？”
"Brother Ye, can you guarantee that when Fellow Daoist Cheng hands over our family treasure, my junior sister will be safe?"
“ zhè shì dāng rán ， xián dì bù yòng duō lǜ ， guān yú fù dào yǒu de xìn yù ， nǐ shì kě yǐ fàng yì bǎi èr shí gè xīn dì ， duì fāng jué wú fǎn huǐ yī shuō ， yī shǒu jiāo qián ， yī shǒu jiāo huò bù ………… wèi xiōng de yì si shì shuō ， zhǐ yào nǐ fèng shàng chuán jiā zhī bǎo duì fāng jiù yí dìng huì jiě chú xuě xiān zi de jìn gù ， nà shí hòu nǐ yǔ shī mèi ， jiù kě yǐ shuāng sù shuāng qī ， zuò yī duì rén rén xiàn mù de shén xiān juàn lǚ 。”，“ shén xiān juàn lǚ ？”， xiù cái tīng le cǐ yǔ ， liǎn shàng shǎn guò jǐ fēn qī dài zhī sè zhè shì tā jǐ bǎi nián lái yì zhí wèi zhī fèn dòu de mù biāo le 。
“这是当然，贤弟不用多虑，关于付道友的信誉，你是可以放一百二十个心地，对方绝无反悔一说，一手交钱，一手交货不…………为兄的意思是说，只要你奉上传家之宝对方就一定会解除雪仙子的禁锢，那时候你与师妹，就可以双宿双栖，做一对人人羡慕的神仙眷侣。”，“神仙眷侣？”，秀才听了此语，脸上闪过几分期待之色这是他几百年来一直为之奋斗的目标了。
"Of course, Brother Young, there's no need to worry about Fellow Daoist Fu's credibility. He has no intention of going back on his word. Hand over the money and goods will follow..."
“ bù cuò ， fù dào yǒu shèn zhì hái shuō ， zhǐ yào xián dì fèng shàng chuán 〖 jiā 〗 bǎo wù ， tā hái kě yǐ miǎn fèi zài sòng yǔ nǐ men yī zhuāng hǎo chù 。”，“ hǎo chù ？”， xiù cái tīng le ， bù yóu de yī dāi ， yǒu diǎn méi yǒu fǎn yìng guò lái 。
“不错，付道友甚至还说，只要贤弟奉上传〖家〗宝物，他还可以免费再送与你们一桩好处。”，“好处？”，秀才听了，不由得一呆，有点没有反应过来。
"No, what I mean is that once you hand over your family treasure, he'll release Snow Fairy from her bindings. Then you can be together with your junior sister as a couple everyone envies."
“ bù cuò ， rú jīn de jiǔ xiān gōng ， àn cháo xiōng yǒng xiàng xuě xiān zi zhè yàng de měi rén ， rú guǒ yì zhí dài zài gōng zhōng ， jí biàn duǒ dé le chū yī ， yě duǒ bù guò shí wǔ ……”
“不错，如今的九仙宫，暗潮汹涌像雪仙子这样的美人，如果一直待在宫中，即便躲得了初一，也躲不过十五……”
"Envy?" The scholar's face showed a flicker of hope. This had been his goal for centuries.
xiù cái tīng le ， zhèng shì cǐ lǐ ， liǎn shàng yě zài cǐ liú lù chū jǐn zhāng zhī yì 。
秀才听了，正是此理，脸上也在此流露出紧张之意。
"Indeed, Fellow Daoist Fu even said that if Brother Young hands over the family treasure, he'll give you an additional benefit for free," "Benefit?" The scholar was taken aback, not quite understanding.
“ suǒ yǐ fù dào yǒu shuō ， bāng rén bāng dào dǐ ， sòng fú sòng dào xī tā zài duō dān yī céng gān xì ， jiāng nǐ yǔ xuě xiān zi sòng chū gōng qù ， cóng cǐ tiān gāo rèn niǎo fēi ， hǎi kuò píng yú yuè ， xián fū fù kě yǐ suí biàn zhǎo yī chù zuò wéi ān shēn zhī chù ， xiāo yáo kuài huó ， zài yě bù yòng dān jīng shòu pà zhè qǐ bù shì měi zāi me ……”， tīng duì fāng suǒ miáo huì de měi hǎo lán tú ， xiù cái liǎn shàng yě liú lù chū xiàng wǎng zhī sè ， lín xuān lěng yǎn páng guān ， zé dōu wú yǔ le ， zì cóng tā tà shàng xiū xiān zhī lù jiàn gè zhǒng gè yàng de xiū xiān zhě ， suī rán yě yù dào guò xiāng duì lái shuō ， chǔn bèn nà me yì diǎn de dàn zhēn méi yǒu jiàn guò shuí ， chǔn bèn dào rú cǐ chéng dù huò zhě shuō ， tài tiān zhēn le 。
“所以付道友说，帮人帮到底，送佛送到西他再多担一层干系，将你与雪仙子送出宫去，从此天高任鸟飞，海阔凭鱼跃，贤夫妇可以随便找一处作为安身之处，逍遥快活，再也不用担惊受怕这岂不是美哉么……”，听对方所描绘的美好蓝图，秀才脸上也流露出向往之色，林轩冷眼旁观，则都无语了，自从他踏上修仙之路见各种各样的修仙者，虽然也遇到过相对来说，蠢笨那么一点的但真没有见过谁，蠢笨到如此程度或者说，太天真了。
"Nowadays, in the Nine Fairy Palace, there are hidden dangers. A beauty like Snow Fairy, if she stays in the palace, will eventually be caught despite her efforts to avoid it."
nà jīng shòu hàn zi bìng bú shì yí gè hěn hǎo de shuō kè ， yǐn yòu duì fāng shàng dàng de yán yǔ ， gèng kě yǐ shuō lòu dòng bǎi chū ， kě zhè jiā huo ， jū rán jiù zhè me yí bù bù tà rù xiàn jǐng le 。
那精瘦汉子并不是一个很好的说客，引诱对方上当的言语，更可以说漏洞百出，可这家伙，居然就这么一步步踏入陷阱了。
The scholar agreed with this and showed signs of tension on his face.
duì fāng yǔ nà xìng fù de xiū xiān zhě ， míng xiǎn shì lián shǒu piàn qǔ tā de chuán 〖 jiā 〗 bǎo wù ， kě zhè bèn dàn ， lèng méi yǒu kàn chū lái 。
对方与那姓付的修仙者，明显是联手骗取他的传〖家〗宝物，可这笨蛋，愣没有看出来。
"So Fellow Daoist Fu said that he'll help you all the way through. He'll take you out of the palace, allowing you to live freely as a couple, without any worries. Isn't that wonderful?"
lín xuān dōu wú yǔ le 。
林轩都无语了。
Hearing the other's description of an idyllic future, the scholar showed signs of longing. Lin Xuan watched coldly and was speechless. Since he had embarked on his cultivation path, he had met many foolish cultivators, but none so naive or trusting as this one.
ruò fēi qīn yǎn mù dǔ ， tā hái zhēn de hěn nán xiāng xìn shì jiè shàng yǒu zhè me bèn de xiū xiān zhě ， duì fāng cóng xiū wèi lái shuō ， shì yuán yīng chū qī ， dàn lùn chéng fǔ ， kǒng pà yě jiù yǔ yī líng dòng qī de cài niǎo xiāng chà fǎng fú 。
若非亲眼目睹，他还真的很难相信世界上有这么笨的修仙者，对方从修为来说，是元婴初期，但论城府，恐怕也就与一灵动期的菜鸟相差仿佛。
The lean man wasn't a good persuader; his words were full of holes, yet the other fell into the trap step by step.
bù guò ， nà yòu yǒu shén me guān xì ne ， zhì shǎo cóng liǎng rén de duì huà zhōng ， ràng lín xuān zhǎo dào le zhòng yào xiàn suǒ ， zhè jiù zú gòu ， chú cǐ yǐ wài ， hái yǒu yí gè shōu huò ， suī rán liǎng rén jǐn shì yuán yīng qī xiū xiān zhě ， dàn cóng tā men de kǒu qì ， nà chuán jiā zhī bǎo fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， duì zì jǐ ， huò xǔ yě huì yǒu yī ān de xī shēng lì de 。
不过，那又有什么关系呢，至少从两人的对话中，让林轩找到了重要线索，这就足够，除此以外，还有一个收获，虽然两人仅是元婴期修仙者，但从他们的口气，那传家之宝非同小可，对自己，或许也会有一安的吸升力的。
Clearly, the two were working together to trick him with his family treasure. But this fool didn't see through it.
dào shí hòu ， lín xuān bù jiè yì táng láng bǔ chán ， huáng què zài hòu ， xiū xiān jiè de bǎo wù ， běn lái jiù shì néng zhě jū zhī de 。
到时候，林轩不介意螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后，修仙界的宝物，本来就是能者居之的。
Lin Xuan was speechless.
xīn zhōng rú cǐ xiǎng zhe ， tā yǐ qiāo wú shēng xī de lái dào liǎng rén de dòng fǔ zhōu cè ， ér nà xiù cái de shēng yīn zài yí cì chuán rù ěr duǒ ：“ hǎo ， nà zhè jiàn shì ， jiù rú cǐ shuō dìng le ， yè cháng mèng duō ， wǒ men zhè jiù zǒu 。”
心中如此想着，他已悄无声息的来到两人的洞府周侧，而那秀才的声音再一次传入耳朵：“好，那这件事，就如此说定了，夜长梦多，我们这就走。”
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would have found it hard to believe that there were such foolish cultivators in the world. The other's cultivation level was at the early-stage Immortal Core, but his scheming skills were no better than a Flexible Spirit period novice.
“ hē hē ， méi xiǎng dào xián dì rú cǐ xīn jí ， bù guò nǐ suǒ yán yě yǒu dào lǐ ， yè cháng mèng duō ， tuō jiǔ le yě xǔ huì yǒu biàn gù ， nà wǒ men zhè jiù qù bǎi cǎo mén jiàng xuě xiān zi jiù chū ， nǐ de chuán jiā bǎo wù kě dài hǎo le ？”， jīng shòu hàn zi diǎn le diǎn tóu ， zàn tóng de kāi kǒu 。
“呵呵，没想到贤弟如此心急，不过你所言也有道理，夜长梦多，拖久了也许会有变故，那我们这就去百草门将雪仙子救出，你的传家宝物可带好了？”，精瘦汉子点了点头，赞同的开口。
But what did it matter? At least from their conversation, Lin Xuan had found important clues. That was enough. There was another benefit: although both were only at the Immortal Core stage, their tone suggested that the family treasure was of great importance and might even have some suction on him.
“ fàng xīn ， nà dōng xī ， xiǎo dì yì zhí suí shēn dài zhe ， bù guò dà gē xiǎng bì yě qīng chǔ ， zhè chuán jiā zhī wù nǎi shì xiān zǔ yòng xuè hún ** fēng yìn le de ， chú fēi xiǎo dì zhè yàng de zhí xì xuè qīn ， fǒu zé jiù suàn shì gōng zhǔ ， yě méi yǒu bàn fǎ jiāng qí qiáng xíng jiě chú ， ér fēng yìn zhǐ yào zài ， nà chuán 〖 jiā 〗 bǎo jiù méi yǒu yòng chǔ 。” xiù cái tū rán rú cǐ zhè bān de kāi kǒu le ， kàn lái zhè jiā huo dào yě méi yǒu chǔn dào bù kě jiù yào de dì bù 。
“放心，那东西，小弟一直随身带着，不过大哥想必也清楚，这传家之物乃是先祖用血魂**封印了的，除非小弟这样的直系血亲，否则就算是宫主，也没有办法将其强行解除，而封印只要在，那传〖家〗宝就没有用处。”秀才突然如此这般的开口了，看来这家伙倒也没有蠢到不可救药的地步。
At this thought, he silently approached their abode. The scholar's voice reached his ears once more:
“ dào yǒu xiǎng shuō shén me ？”
“道友想说什么？”
"Alright, let's settle it like this. It's better to act now than to wait and see what happens."
“ yī huì er dào le bǎi cǎo yuán zhōng ， chú fēi xiān jiāng xiǎo shī mèi jiù chū ， fǒu zé chéng mǒu bú huì jiāo chū bǎo wù 。”
“一会儿到了百草园中，除非先将小师妹救出，否则程某不会交出宝物。”
"Haha, I didn't expect Brother Young to be so eager. But your point is valid; waiting too long might cause trouble. Let's go to the Hundred Herbs Garden to save Snow Fairy. Have you brought your family treasure?"
“ fàng xīn ， fù dào yǒu shuō guò ， jué bú huì shí yán de ， xián dì jì rán hái yǒu huái yí ， nà jiù àn nǐ de yāo qiú hǎo le 。” jīng shòu hàn zi yǎn zhōng yì máng shǎn guò ， rú cǐ zhè bān de kāi kǒu le 。
“放心，付道友说过，绝不会食言的，贤弟既然还有怀疑，那就按你的要求好了。”精瘦汉子眼中异芒闪过，如此这般的开口了。
The lean man nodded in agreement.
jiàn duì fāng tóng yì ， xiù cái yě sōng le kǒu qì ， suí hòu liǎng rén bù zài duō yǔ ， zhí jiē cóng dòng fǔ zhōng chū qù ， cǐ shí cǐ kè ， yǐ jīng shì bàn yè sān gēng shí fēn le ， hēi yè lǒng zhào dà dì ， bìng méi yǒu duō shǎo wài chū huó dòng de xiū xiān zhě 。
见对方同意，秀才也松了口气，随后两人不再多语，直接从洞府中出去，此时此刻，已经是半夜三更时分了，黑夜笼罩大地，并没有多少外出活动的修仙者。
"Relax, that item has always been with me. However, I'm sure Brother Young knows that this family treasure was sealed by our ancestors using a Blood Soul Seal. Only direct blood relatives like myself can remove it. The seal must remain for the family treasure to be useful."
liǎng rén de liǎn shàng ， dōu dài zhe jǐ fēn jǐng tì zhī sè ， xiān yóu mù sì gù de dǎ liàng le yī xià sì zhōu ， què dìng méi yǒu rén gēn zōng ， rán hòu cái xiàng qián fēi qù le 。
两人的脸上，都带着几分警惕之色，先游目四顾的打量了一下四周，确定没有人跟踪，然后才向前飞去了。
The scholar suddenly spoke up, showing he wasn't as foolish as expected.
fāng xiàng zhèng shì bǎi huā yuán 。
方向正是百huā园。
"What do you mean?"
liǎng rén yǐ jīng hěn xiǎo xīn le ， kě dāng tā men lí kāi hòu bù jiǔ ， mǒu kōng wú yì rén zhī chù qīng guāng yī shǎn ， lín xuān rú tóng guǐ mèi yì bān de fú xiàn 。
两人已经很小心了，可当他们离开后不久，某空无一人之处青光一闪，林轩如同鬼魅一般的浮现。
"Once we arrive at the Hundred Herbs Garden, I won't hand over the treasure until my junior sister is saved,"
mō le mō xià bā ， lín xuān de zuǐ jiǎo biān liú lù chū yī sī wán wèi zhī sè ， suí hòu yě qiāo wú shēng xī de gēn shàng qù le 。
摸了摸下巴，林轩的嘴角边流露出一丝玩味之色，随后也悄无声息的跟上去了。
"Don't worry, Fellow Daoist Fu promised that he wouldn't break his word. If Brother Young still has doubts, let's proceed according to your requirements."
liǎng rén jǐn zhāng de mēn tóu gǎn lù ， yī lù shàng kāi shǐ zhī shí hái suàn shùn lì ， kě hěn kuài ， jìn zhì jiù lán lù héng zài miàn pīn le 。
两人紧张的闷头赶路，一路上开始之时还算顺利，可很快，禁制就拦路横在面拼了。
The lean man's eyes flashed with a hint of cunning as he spoke.
zhè shì yí gè pǔ tōng de zhèn fǎ ， yǐ lín xuān de shén tōng ， kě yǐ zài bù chù dòng yù jǐng de qíng kuàng xià qiāo wú shēng xī de dù guò ， rán ér zhè liǎng gè jiā huo ， bù guò yuán yīng qī ， zì rán bù kě néng yǒu zhè yàng de běn shì 。
这是一个普通的阵法，以林轩的神通，可以在不触动预警的情况下悄无声息的度过，然而这两个家伙，不过元婴期，自然不可能有这样的本事。
Seeing this agreement, the scholar relaxed. They then left without further words and flew out of their abode. It was already past midnight; few cultivators were outside.
rán ér tā men yì diǎn yě bù jí ， nà jīng shòu hàn zi shēn shǒu yī pāi ， jiù qǔ chū le yī kuài bā zhǎng dà xiǎo de lìng pái ， yī dào guāng xiá cóng lǐ miàn fēi lüè ér chū ， mò rù qián miàn de nóng wù 。
然而他们一点也不急，那精瘦汉子伸手一拍，就取出了一块巴掌大小的令牌，一道光霞从里面飞掠而出，没入前面的浓雾。
Both wore cautious expressions, looking around before confirming no one was following them. Then they headed towards the Hundred Herbs Garden.
hōng lōng ！
轰隆！
They had been very careful, but soon after leaving, a faint light appeared in an empty area. Lin Xuan materialized like a ghost.
yī zhèn qīng wēi de mèn xiǎng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， suí hòu bái wù fān yǒng ， yī tiáo tōng lù chū xiàn zài shì xiàn zhōng 。！~！
一阵轻微的闷响传入耳朵，随后白雾翻涌，一条通路出现在视线中。！~！
Rubbing his chin, he smiled playfully and silently followed them.
The two rushed ahead nervously. At first, everything went smoothly, but soon, barriers blocked their path.
This was just a simple array; with Lin Xuan's abilities, he could pass without triggering any alarms. But these two were only at the Immortal Core stage, so they couldn't do that.
However, they weren't anxious. The lean man took out a small token and a beam of light flew into the fog ahead.
A faint rumble echoed as white mist surged, revealing a path before their eyes!~!
"Or perhaps, the deep affection of your friend is merely a pretense. In your heart, that Snow Fairy is just a fleeting cloud and mist. If you truly can't bear to part with your family treasure, I have no objections. After all, it's not my responsibility to make decisions; this transaction between you and Fellow Daoist Fu has nothing to do with me."
With these words, the lean man deliberately sighed. "Poor Snow Fairy, she is about to be abandoned by her beloved senior brother. The fate of the Cauldron Furnace... I imagine your heart aches for it as well."
His eyes filled with pity and compassion, but beneath his gaze, there was a flicker of mockery. Clearly, this was intentional.
The scholar's face was filled with pain. This matter truly left him in a dilemma.
On one hand, there was the family treasure he had inherited. He understood its importance from childhood.
On the other, his junior sister's sorrowful expression, about to become his wife... how could he let the happiness within reach slip away?
He was torn!
This choice really wasn't easy.
It was just so difficult!
Seeing the scholar's face filled with pain, the lean man wore a smug smile. He had considered all possibilities and knew that from his character, the other would surely yield.
Indeed, after a while, the scholar stopped pacing and his eyes flashed with determination. Taking a deep breath, he turned around.
"Brother Ye, can you guarantee that when Fellow Daoist Cheng hands over our family treasure, my junior sister will be safe?"
"Of course, Brother Young, there's no need to worry about Fellow Daoist Fu's credibility. He has no intention of going back on his word. Hand over the money and goods will follow..."
"No, what I mean is that once you hand over your family treasure, he'll release Snow Fairy from her bindings. Then you can be together with your junior sister as a couple everyone envies."
"Envy?" The scholar's face showed a flicker of hope. This had been his goal for centuries.
"Indeed, Fellow Daoist Fu even said that if Brother Young hands over the family treasure, he'll give you an additional benefit for free," "Benefit?" The scholar was taken aback, not quite understanding.
"Nowadays, in the Nine Fairy Palace, there are hidden dangers. A beauty like Snow Fairy, if she stays in the palace, will eventually be caught despite her efforts to avoid it."
The scholar agreed with this and showed signs of tension on his face.
"So Fellow Daoist Fu said that he'll help you all the way through. He'll take you out of the palace, allowing you to live freely as a couple, without any worries. Isn't that wonderful?"
Hearing the other's description of an idyllic future, the scholar showed signs of longing. Lin Xuan watched coldly and was speechless. Since he had embarked on his cultivation path, he had met many foolish cultivators, but none so naive or trusting as this one.
The lean man wasn't a good persuader; his words were full of holes, yet the other fell into the trap step by step.
Clearly, the two were working together to trick him with his family treasure. But this fool didn't see through it.
Lin Xuan was speechless.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would have found it hard to believe that there were such foolish cultivators in the world. The other's cultivation level was at the early-stage Immortal Core, but his scheming skills were no better than a Flexible Spirit period novice.
But what did it matter? At least from their conversation, Lin Xuan had found important clues. That was enough. There was another benefit: although both were only at the Immortal Core stage, their tone suggested that the family treasure was of great importance and might even have some suction on him.
At this thought, he silently approached their abode. The scholar's voice reached his ears once more:
"Alright, let's settle it like this. It's better to act now than to wait and see what happens."
"Haha, I didn't expect Brother Young to be so eager. But your point is valid; waiting too long might cause trouble. Let's go to the Hundred Herbs Garden to save Snow Fairy. Have you brought your family treasure?"
The lean man nodded in agreement.
"Relax, that item has always been with me. However, I'm sure Brother Young knows that this family treasure was sealed by our ancestors using a Blood Soul Seal. Only direct blood relatives like myself can remove it. The seal must remain for the family treasure to be useful."
The scholar suddenly spoke up, showing he wasn't as foolish as expected.
"What do you mean?"
"Once we arrive at the Hundred Herbs Garden, I won't hand over the treasure until my junior sister is saved,"
"Don't worry, Fellow Daoist Fu promised that he wouldn't break his word. If Brother Young still has doubts, let's proceed according to your requirements."
The lean man's eyes flashed with a hint of cunning as he spoke.
Seeing this agreement, the scholar relaxed. They then left without further words and flew out of their abode. It was already past midnight; few cultivators were outside.
Both wore cautious expressions, looking around before confirming no one was following them. Then they headed towards the Hundred Herbs Garden.
They had been very careful, but soon after leaving, a faint light appeared in an empty area. Lin Xuan materialized like a ghost.
Rubbing his chin, he smiled playfully and silently followed them.
The two rushed ahead nervously. At first, everything went smoothly, but soon, barriers blocked their path.
This was just a simple array; with Lin Xuan's abilities, he could pass without triggering any alarms. But these two were only at the Immortal Core stage, so they couldn't do that.
However, they weren't anxious. The lean man took out a small token and a beam of light flew into the fog ahead.
Boom!
A faint rumble echoed as white mist surged, revealing a path before their eyes!~!