dì yī qiān jiǔ bǎi bā shí zhāng huǒ yuán qì kōng jiān
第一千九百八十章火元气空间
Chapter 1980: Fire Essence Energy Space
“ lín dào yǒu hǎo dǎn sè ， zhè me shuō ， nǐ zǎo jiù liào dào běn gōng zhǔ zài zhè lǐ děng nǐ le ？” xiān huā lǎo zǔ yī è ， yǐ shǒu fǔ é ， yǒu diǎn yì wài de kāi kǒu le 。
“林道友好胆色，这么说，你早就料到本宫主在这里等你了？”鲜花老祖一愕，以手抚额，有点意外的开口了。
"Lin Dao, you have a bold and fearless spirit. So, you must have anticipated my presence here waiting for you?" Flower Master Senior frowned, rubbing his forehead with his hand, showing some surprise as he spoke.
“ zǎo jiù liào dào bù gǎn shuō ， zhǐ bù guò nèi xīn shēn chù ， duō shǎo hái shì yǒu jǐ fēn yù gǎn ér yǐ 。” lín xuān tàn le kǒu qì ， biǎo qíng jiù fǎng fú zài gēn yī míng zhì jiāo hǎo yǒu tán xīn shì de ：“ zhǐ shì ， lín mǒu yǒu xiē hào qí ， zài xià yǔ jiǔ xiān gōng wǎng rì wú yuān ， jìn rì wú chóu ， dào yǒu wèi hé suàn jì wǒ ， bú yào shuō ， shì yīn wèi lín mǒu shàn chuǎng bǎi huā yuán de yuán gù ， zhè diǎn xiǎo chōng tū ， zài nǐ wǒ zhè děng cún zài de yǎn zhōng ， gēn běn jiù shì bù zhí yī tí 。”
“早就料到不敢说，只不过内心深处，多少还是有几分预感而已。”林轩叹了口气，表情就仿佛在跟一名至交好友谈心似的：“只是，林某有些好奇，在下与九仙宫往日无冤，近日无仇，道友为何算计我，不要说，是因为林某擅闯百花园的缘故，这点小冲突，在你我这等存在的眼中，根本就是不值一提。”
"I couldn't say I anticipated it, but there was indeed a hint of foreboding in the depths of my heart." Lin Xuan sighed, his expression as if talking to an old friend: "But what puzzles me is why you would scheme against me. Don’t even mention that it’s because I intruded into the Hundred Flower Garden; such minor conflicts are trivial for beings like us."
“ dào yǒu hǎo qí xīn zhēn duō ， bù guò yòu hé bì yí dìng yào xiǎo de ， fǎn zhèng nǐ yī huì er jiù yào yǔn luò ， duì yú yí gè sǐ rén lái shuō ， xiǎo de yuán yīn shì shén me ， nǐ bù jué dé gēn běn jiù méi yǒu yì yì me ？” xiān huā lǎo zǔ yōng lǎn de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， yǔ qì qīng sōng yǐ jí ， fǎng fú cǐ shí cǐ kè ， lín xuān yǐ shì sī háo yuán yīn yě wú ， kě yǐ rèn yóu tā bǎi bù 。
“道友好奇心真多，不过又何必一定要晓得，反正你一会儿就要陨落，对于一个死人来说，晓得原因是什么，你不觉得根本就没有意义么？”鲜花老祖慵懒的声音传入耳朵，语气轻松以极，仿佛此时此刻，林轩已是丝毫原因也无，可以任由他摆布。
"Your curiosity truly knows no bounds," the Flower Master Senior said with a lazy voice, his tone so relaxed as if Lin Xuan was already at their mercy and could be manipulated at will. "But why must you know? You're about to perish anyway. For someone who's going to die, knowing the reason doesn't seem to matter."
lín xuān xiào le ：“ dào yǒu zuì jìn ， shì bú shì xiū liàn bù tuǒ ， yǐ zhì yú shén zhì dōu yǒu xiē bù qīng xī le ， nǐ yǐ wéi lín mǒu shì zhēn bǎn shàng de yú ， kě yǐ rèn yóu nǐ bǎi bù dì ？”
林轩笑了：“道友最近，是不是修炼不妥，以至于神智都有些不清晰了，你以为林某是砧板上的鱼，可以任由你摆布地？”
The sound of his voice was clear and crisp, followed by a strange action with his fingers. He snapped them together.
“ dāng rán shì le 。” xiān huā lǎo zǔ què yī běn zhèng jīng de diǎn le diǎn tóu ：“ fǒu zé nǐ yǐ wéi běn gōng zhǔ lái zhè lǐ zuò shén me ， wǒ jì rán dào le cǐ chù ， nǐ jīn tiān jiù bié xiǎng huó zhe huí qù le 。”
“当然是了。”鲜花老祖却一本正经的点了点头：“否则你以为本宫主来这里做什么，我既然到了此处，你今天就别想活着回去了。”
"Snap!"
huà yīn wèi luò ， tā de liǎn shàng yǐ mǎn shì zhēng níng zhī sè ， yòu shǒu tái qǐ ， què zuò le yí gè lìng rén yì wài de dòng zuò …… shí zhǐ yǔ mǔ zhǐ yī cuō ， nà bú shì zài dǎ xiǎng zhǐ me ？
话音未落，他的脸上已满是狰狞之色，右手抬起，却做了一个令人意外的动作……食指与拇指一搓，那不是在打响指么？
The sound was sharp, like a bell ringing. Then, as if mercury had spilled out, countless light halos appeared on the ground, along with mysterious symbols that quickly arranged themselves into a teleportation array.
shēng yīn qīng cuì yǐ jí ， suí hòu fǎng fú shuǐ yín xiè dì ， dì miàn shàng jū rán yǒu wú shù guāng yùn liàng qǐ ， hái yǒu yí gè gè shén mì yì cháng de fú wén fú xiàn ér chū ， xùn sù pái liè zǔ hé ， yí gè chuán sòng zhèn chū xiàn zài shì xiàn lǐ 。
声音清脆以极，随后仿佛水银泻地，地面上居然有无数光晕亮起，还有一个个神秘异常的符文浮现而出，迅速排列组合，一个传送阵出现在视线里。
Lin Xuan's face finally showed surprise. How did he manage to set this up without any prior notice?
“ zhè ……”
“这……”
But at this moment, it was no longer important to ponder over these details.
lín xuān liǎn shàng zhōng yú lù chū le jīng yà zhī sè ， zì jǐ shì xiān jū rán yì diǎn fā xiàn yě wú ， duì fāng shì zěn me zuò dào de 。
林轩脸上终于露出了惊讶之色，自己事先居然一点发现也无，对方是怎么做到的。
With a wave of his sleeves, the Mother and Son Shield flew out, converging in the middle. A green light shield appeared before him, protecting his entire body. The surface of the shield had the Taiji symbol flowing through it, making it seem incredibly mysterious. A primitive aura surged forth, seeking no success but ensuring no failure. Lin Xuan first focused on self-preservation.
rán ér cǐ shí cǐ kè ， yán jiū zhè xiē yǐ méi yǒu shén me yì yì le 。
然而此时此刻，研究这些已没有什么意义了。
Woo...
xiù páo yī fú ， xuán qīng zi mǔ dùn fēi lüè ér chū ， wǎng zhōng jiān yī jù ， yī qīng sè de guāng zhào chū xiàn zài shì xiàn lǐ ， jiāng tā quán shēn hù zhù ， nà guāng zhào biǎo miàn ， yǒu tài jí tú liú zhuǎn ， xiǎn de shén mì dào jí chù ， yī gǔ mán huāng zhī qì pèi rán ér chū ， bù qiú yǒu gōng ， dàn qiú wú guò ， lín xuān xiān tú zì bǎo zài shuō 。
袖袍一拂，玄青子母盾飞掠而出，往中间一聚，一青色的光罩出现在视线里，将他全身护住，那光罩表面，有太极图流转，显得神秘到极处，一股蛮荒之气沛然而出，不求有功，但求无过，林轩先图自保再说。
A buzzing sound filled his ears as the array became even more dazzling and brilliant, enveloping the entire hall in colorful light. But this splendid scene only lasted for a brief moment before it dimmed down again.
wū ……
呜……
"What's happening?"
wēng míng shēng chuán rù ěr lǐ ， nà zhèn fǎ yuè fā de càn làn duó mù ， zhěng gè dà diàn dōu bèi wǔ yán liù sè de guāng huá bāo guǒ ， dàn zhè cuǐ càn de yí mù ， jǐn jǐn chí xù le xū yú de gōng fu ， jiù chóng xīn chén jì xià lái le 。
嗡鸣声传入耳里，那阵法越发的灿烂夺目，整个大殿都被五颜六色的光华包裹，但这璀璨的一幕，仅仅持续了须臾的功夫，就重新沉寂下来了。
The voice of the gray-robed cultivator was hoarse, echoing through the air. Besides him, Scholar, Leaf Cultivator, and Snow Fairy were still standing there, their faces filled with confusion and fear. Lin Xuan and Deputy Palace Master had vanished without a trace.
“ zěn me huí shì ？”
“怎么回事？”
The teleportation array also disappeared, as if nothing had happened at all.
huī páo xiū shì yǒu xiē sī yǎ de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr lǐ ， chú le tā yǐ wài ， xiù cái ， yè xiū shì hái yǒu xuě xiān zi dōu hǎo hǎo de zhàn zài yuán dì ， mǎn liǎn de máng rán yǔ kǒng jù ， ér liǎng míng dòng xuán qī xiū xiān zhě ， lín xuān yǔ fù gōng zhǔ zé xiāo shī dé zōng jì quán wú 。
灰袍修士有些嘶哑的声音传入耳里，除了他以外，秀才，叶修士还有雪仙子都好好的站在原地，满脸的茫然与恐惧，而两名洞玄期修仙者，林轩与副宫主则消失得踪迹全无。
"Are we dreaming or are we still trapped in the illusory realm?" Snow Fairy's soft voice whispered into his ears, her face showing lingering fear.
chuán sòng zhèn yě xiāo shī le ， fǎng fú gāng gāng shén me yě bù céng fā shēng guò 。
传送阵也消失了，仿佛刚刚什么也不曾发生过。
Scholar and the slender man exchanged glances. They were equally bewildered.
“ nán dào wǒ men shì zuò mèng ， hái shì yì zhí dài zài huàn jìng zhī zhōng ？” xuě xiān zi nán ne de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr lǐ ， qiào liǎn shàng mǎn shì xīn yǒu yú jì 。
“难道我们是做梦，还是一直待在幻境之中？”雪仙子喃呢的声音传入耳里，俏脸上满是心有余悸。
"Dreaming, hehe, you're too naive. Betraying the Palace Master and intruding into a forbidden area—do you think there will be any good outcome?"
xiù cái yǔ jīng shòu hàn zi miàn miàn xiāng qù ， tā liǎ tóng yàng shì máng rán yǐ jí 。
秀才与精瘦汉子面面相觑，他俩同样是茫然以极。
A cold laugh echoed in his ears as light flared at the entrance. Over ten cultivators appeared before him, led by an old man whose cultivation level was at the Separation stage.
“ zuò mèng ， hēi hēi ， nǐ men tài tiān zhēn le ， bèi pàn gōng zhǔ ， shàn chuǎng jìn dì ， yǐ wéi hái yǒu hǎo xià chǎng me ？”
“做梦，嘿嘿，你们太天真了，背叛宫主，擅闯禁地，以为还有好下场么？”
Despite their different attire, all had strange patterns on their sleeves, resembling a creature with nine heads.
lěng xiào de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， rù kǒu chù ， guāng huá dà qǐ ， shí yú míng xiū shì chū xiàn zài shì xiàn lǐ ， wéi shǒu de shì yī míng lǎo zhě ， suǒ yǒu rén de xiū wèi dōu zài lí hé 。
冷笑的声音传入耳朵，入口处，光华大起，十余名修士出现在视线里，为首的是一名老者，所有人的修为都在离合。
"Palace Master's attendants!"
zhè xiē rén ， jǐn guǎn fú shì gè bù xiāng tóng ， dàn yī shān xiù kǒu ， dōu yǒu yǐ gǔ guài tú àn ， hǎo xiàng shì yī zhī ， què zhǎng zhe jiǔ gè tóu lú 。
这些人，尽管服饰各不相同，但衣衫袖口，都有以古怪图案，好像是一只，却长着九个头颅。
The gray-robed old man was shocked. He was also part of the Deputy Palace Master’s faction and knew what these cultivators represented—each one was formidable and close to the Palace Master's heart. With over ten of them appearing at once, what should he do...
“ gōng zhǔ jìn shì ！”
“宫主近侍！”
On another side,
huī páo lǎo zhě dà jīng shī sè ， yuán běn tā yě shì fù gōng zhǔ dí xì ， zì rán zhī dào yǎn qián zhè xiē xiū shì yì wèi zhe shén me ， tā men měi yí gè dōu xiū wèi bù sú ， nǎi shì gōng zhǔ zuì wèi yǐ zhàng de xīn fù ， jū rán yī xià zi chū dòng le shí yú rén zhī duō ， zì jǐ gāi zěn me bàn ne ……
灰袍老者大惊失色，原本他也是副宫主嫡系，自然知道眼前这些修士意味着什么，他们每一个都修为不俗，乃是宫主最为倚仗的心腹，居然一下子出动了十余人之多，自己该怎么办呢……
"Where are we?"
zài shuō lìng yī cè 。
再说另一侧。
Lin Xuan turned his head, surveying the surroundings. He had been teleported to an unfamiliar place.
“ zhè lǐ jiū jìng shì hé chù ？”
“这里究竟是何处？”
Looking around, everything appeared grayish-white, but as he looked further, rolling mountains could be seen in the distance.
lín xuān zhuǎn zhe tóu lú ， dǎ liàng zhe sì zhōu de jǐng wù ， cǐ shí tā bèi chuán sòng dào le yī mò shēng zhī chù 。
林轩转着头颅，打量着四周的景物，此时他被传送到了一陌生之处。
Boom!
fàng yǎn wàng qù ， dào chù dōu shì yī piàn huī bái de yán sè ， rán ér wǎng gèng yuǎn de dì fāng kàn ， què shì lián mián qǐ fú de qún shān 。
放眼望去，到处都是一片灰白的颜色，然而往更远的地方看，却是连绵起伏的群山。
A rumbling sound echoed through his ears. These weren't ordinary mountains; they were volcanoes.
hōng ！
轰！
More accurately, a cluster of volcanoes.
rú tóng gǔn léi bān de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， nà xiē bìng bú shì pǔ tōng de shān mài ， ér shì huǒ shān 。
如同滚雷般的声音传入耳朵，那些并不是普通的山脉，而是火山。
Lin Xuan's expression darkened slightly. Due to the presence of these volcanoes, the surrounding elemental energy was dominated by fire. The other four types of energy were present but so negligible as to be almost nonexistent.
zhèng què de shuō ， shì yī qún huǒ shān 。
正确的说，是一群火山。
Had they brought him here for...
lín xuān de liǎn sè yǒu xiē yīn mái ， huò xǔ shì yóu yú huǒ shān de yuán gù ， zhè fù jìn de tiān dì yuán qì ， yǐ huǒ wéi zhǔ ， qí tā sì zhǒng yuán qì ， bù néng shuō yì diǎn méi yǒu ， dàn què wēi xiǎo dào kě yǐ hū lüè bù jì de dì bù 。
林轩的脸色有些阴霾，或许是由于火山的缘故，这附近的天地元气，以火为主，其他四种元气，不能说一点没有，但却微小到可以忽略不计的地步。
Releasing his spirit sense, Lin Xuan realized he was in a small space. Even if he tried to escape, there would be no place to go.
duì fāng jiāng zì jǐ dài dào cǐ chù ， nán dào shì wèi le ……
对方将自己带到此处，难道是为了……
The Flower Master Senior hovered about ten feet in front of him, with a lazy expression on his face. His gaze at Lin Xuan was even more bizarre, filled with greed.
lín xuān jiāng shén shí fàng chū ， xiǎn rán zhè yòu shì zài yí gè xiǎo kōng jiān lǐ miàn ， zì jǐ jí biàn xiǎng táo ， yě shì zhǎo bú dào dì fāng de 。
林轩将神识放出，显然这又是在一个小空间里面，自己即便想逃，也是找不到地方的。
"Your cultivation technique appears to be the most fierce and yang, fire-based."
ér xiān huā lǎo zǔ ， jiù xuán fú zài shēn qián shí yú zhàng yuǎn chù ， yī liǎn yōng lǎn zhī sè ， kàn xiàng lín xuān de mù guāng ， gèng gǔ guài yǐ jí ， jìng chōng mǎn le tān lán zhī yì 。
而鲜花老祖，就悬浮在身前十余丈远处，一脸慵懒之色，看像林轩的目光，更古怪以极，竟充满了贪婪之意。
Lin Xuan sighed, his voice devoid of emotion as if recounting something unrelated to himself.
“ kàn lái dào yǒu xiū liàn de fǎ shù ， yīng gāi shì zhì gāng zhì yáng ， huǒ shǔ xìng de 。”
“看来道友修炼的法术，应该是至刚至阳，火属性的。”
"Indeed, you seem to already know my intentions. Your subordinates have already investigated; your cultivation technique is wood-based. Is there any mistake in what I say? In this special space filled with fire essence energy, the Nine Departure True Fire Art will have an additional effect of over twenty percent. As for your wood-based techniques, they will be greatly weakened. With such a disparity and no place to escape, do you think you can still protect yourself?" The Flower Master Senior seemed pleased with himself. He didn't claim to be omniscient but believed that Lin Xuan was now like a fish on the chopping block.
lín xuān tàn le kǒu qì ， shēng yīn què tīng bù chū xǐ nù ， fǎng fú zài xù shù yī jiàn yǔ zì jǐ wú guān de shì qíng shì de 。
林轩叹了口气，声音却听不出喜怒，仿佛在叙述一件与自己无关的事情似的。
After all, his cultivation level had reached its peak, while the other was only at an early stage, and the environment favored him greatly. There was no way he would lose.
“ bù cuò ， kàn lái nǐ yǐ jīng xiǎo de lǎo fū de yòng yì le ， xià miàn de rén yǐ jīng dǎ tàn guò ， dào yǒu suǒ xiū liàn de shén tōng ， yīng gāi shì mù shǔ xìng de ， běn zuò suǒ shuō ， kě yǒu miù wù ， ér zhè tè shū de xiǎo kōng jiān lǐ ， quán shì huǒ yuán qì ， lǎo fū de jiǔ lí zhēn huǒ jué ， jiāng yǒu liǎng chéng yǐ shàng de fù jiā xiào guǒ ， zhì yú mù shǔ xìng de shén tōng ， zé huì bèi dà dà de xuē ruò ， cǐ xiāo bǐ zhǎng zhī xià ， yòu wú chǔ kě táo ， dào yǒu yǐ wéi ， nǐ hái néng gòu bǎo de zhù zì jǐ de xìng mìng me ？” xiān huā lǎo zǔ yí rán zì dé ， tā bù gǎn shuō suàn wú yí cè ， dàn xiāng xìn cǐ shí cǐ kè ， lín xuān jiù shì zhēn bǎn shàng de yú 。
“不错，看来你已经晓得老夫的用意了，下面的人已经打探过，道友所修炼的神通，应该是木属性的，本座所说，可有谬误，而这特殊的小空间里，全是火元气，老夫的九离真火诀，将有两成以上的附加效果，至于木属性的神通，则会被大大的削弱，此消彼长之下，又无处可逃，道友以为，你还能够保得住自己的性命么？”鲜花老祖怡然自得，他不敢说算无遗策，但相信此时此刻，林轩就是砧板上的鱼。
Hearing this, Lin Xuan lowered his head slightly, falling into silence for several moments before speaking again: "You've been scheming against me, but we have no grudges or enmity between us. What's the reason? Do you truly refuse to reveal it?"
bì jìng zì jǐ de xiū wèi ， yǐ dào zhōng qī dǐng fēng ， ér duì fāng ， zé zhǐ shì chū qī de xiū xiān zhě ， huán jìng yě duì zì jǐ dà dà yǒu lì ， zài bù yíng ， nà shì méi yǒu tiān lǐ 。
毕竟自己的修为，已到中期顶峰，而对方，则只是初期的修仙者，环境也对自己大大有利，再不赢，那是没有天理。
His tone carried a hint of despair and dejection as if he was in grave danger.
tīng duì fāng zhè yàng shuō ， lín xuān wēi wēi dī chuí xià tou lú ， xiàn rù le chén mò ， guò le shí jǐ xī de gōng fu ， cái chóng xīn kāi kǒu ：“ dào yǒu chǔ xīn jī lǜ ， àn suàn lín mǒu ， kě wǒ men zhī jiān ， míng míng shì wú yuān wú chóu ， zhè yuán yīn shì shén me ， nán dào dào yǒu zhēn bù kěn tòu lù ？”
听对方这样说，林轩微微低垂下头颅，陷入了沉默，过了十几息的功夫，才重新开口：“道友处心积虑，暗算林某，可我们之间，明明是无冤无仇，这原因是什么，难道道友真不肯透露？”
"Why not just let me die like this?" The Flower Master Senior laughed: "I can tell you, I practice a demonic technique that requires your元婴to be useful. If everything goes well, perhaps I could advance to the late Separation stage?"
shuō zhè huà de shí hòu ， lín xuān yǔ qì ， yǐ dài zhe jǐ fēn tuí fèi yǔ jǔ sàng zhī sè ， sì hū shēn chù xiǎn dì ， xiǎo de zì jǐ de chǔ jìng bù miào yǐ jí 。
说这话的时候，林轩语气，已带着几分颓废与沮丧之色，似乎身处险地，晓得自己的处境不妙以极。
Lin Xuan frowned: "You want my元婴to advance? Are you an ancient demon?"
“ zěn me ， jiù zhè yàng zuò yuān sǐ guǐ bù gān xīn me ？” xiān huā lǎo zhě xiào le ：“ gào sù nǐ yě wú fáng ， lǎo fū xiū liàn yī zhǒng mó gōng ， xū yào nǐ de yuán yīng yǒu dà yòng ， rú guǒ shùn lì ， wǒ huò xǔ kě yǐ jìn jí ， dá dào dòng xuán hòu qī ？”
“怎么，就这样做冤死鬼不甘心么？”鲜花老者笑了：“告诉你也无妨，老夫修炼一种魔功，需要你的元婴有大用，如果顺利，我或许可以晋级，达到洞玄后期？”
"Ha, of course not; I'm not from another world or realm," the Flower Master Senior said coldly. "But a quarter of my bloodline is from a beast tribe."
lín xuān méi tou yí zhòu ：“ yào wǒ de yuán yīng jìn jí ， nán dào nǐ shì gǔ mó ？”
林轩眉头一皱：“要我的元婴晋级，难道你是古魔？”
"A quarter beast lineage... So, you can be considered half-beast..." Lin Xuan murmured, his face showing signs of deep thought.
“ pēi ， lǎo fū dāng rán bú shì yì jiè yāo mó ， bù guò wǒ shēn shàng ， dǎo shì yǒu sì fēn zhī yī de yāo zú xuè tǒng 。” xiān huā lǎo zǔ lěng xiào zhe shuō 。
“呸，老夫当然不是异界妖魔，不过我身上，倒是有四分之一的妖族血统。”鲜花老祖冷笑着说。
: Third update for today! More coming tonight!~!
Chapter 1980: Fire Essence Energy Space
"Lin Dao, you have a bold and fearless spirit. So, you must have anticipated my presence here waiting for you?" Flower Master Senior frowned, rubbing his forehead with his hand, showing some surprise as he spoke.
"I couldn't say I anticipated it, but there was indeed a hint of foreboding in the depths of my heart." Lin Xuan sighed, his expression as if talking to an old friend: "But what puzzles me is why you would scheme against me. Don’t even mention that it’s because I intruded into the Hundred Flower Garden; such minor conflicts are trivial for beings like us."
"Your curiosity truly knows no bounds," the Flower Master Senior said with a lazy voice, his tone so relaxed as if Lin Xuan was already at their mercy and could be manipulated at will. "But why must you know? You're about to perish anyway. For someone who's going to die, knowing the reason doesn't seem to matter."
The sound of his voice was clear and crisp, followed by a strange action with his fingers. He snapped them together.
"Snap!"
The sound was sharp, like a bell ringing. Then, as if mercury had spilled out, countless light halos appeared on the ground, along with mysterious symbols that quickly arranged themselves into a teleportation array.
"What...?"
Lin Xuan's face finally showed surprise. How did he manage to set this up without any prior notice?
But at this moment, it was no longer important to ponder over these details.
With a wave of his sleeves, the Mother and Son Shield flew out, converging in the middle. A green light shield appeared before him, protecting his entire body. The surface of the shield had the Taiji symbol flowing through it, making it seem incredibly mysterious. A primitive aura surged forth, seeking no success but ensuring no failure. Lin Xuan first focused on self-preservation.
Woo...
A buzzing sound filled his ears as the array became even more dazzling and brilliant, enveloping the entire hall in colorful light. But this splendid scene only lasted for a brief moment before it dimmed down again.
"What's happening?"
The voice of the gray-robed cultivator was hoarse, echoing through the air. Besides him, Scholar, Leaf Cultivator, and Snow Fairy were still standing there, their faces filled with confusion and fear. Lin Xuan and Deputy Palace Master had vanished without a trace.
The teleportation array also disappeared, as if nothing had happened at all.
"Are we dreaming or are we still trapped in the illusory realm?" Snow Fairy's soft voice whispered into his ears, her face showing lingering fear.
Scholar and the slender man exchanged glances. They were equally bewildered.
"Dreaming, hehe, you're too naive. Betraying the Palace Master and intruding into a forbidden area—do you think there will be any good outcome?"
A cold laugh echoed in his ears as light flared at the entrance. Over ten cultivators appeared before him, led by an old man whose cultivation level was at the Separation stage.
Despite their different attire, all had strange patterns on their sleeves, resembling a creature with nine heads.
"Palace Master's attendants!"
The gray-robed old man was shocked. He was also part of the Deputy Palace Master’s faction and knew what these cultivators represented—each one was formidable and close to the Palace Master's heart. With over ten of them appearing at once, what should he do...
On another side,
"Where are we?"
Lin Xuan turned his head, surveying the surroundings. He had been teleported to an unfamiliar place.
Looking around, everything appeared grayish-white, but as he looked further, rolling mountains could be seen in the distance.
Boom!
A rumbling sound echoed through his ears. These weren't ordinary mountains; they were volcanoes.
More accurately, a cluster of volcanoes.
Lin Xuan's expression darkened slightly. Due to the presence of these volcanoes, the surrounding elemental energy was dominated by fire. The other four types of energy were present but so negligible as to be almost nonexistent.
Had they brought him here for...
Releasing his spirit sense, Lin Xuan realized he was in a small space. Even if he tried to escape, there would be no place to go.
The Flower Master Senior hovered about ten feet in front of him, with a lazy expression on his face. His gaze at Lin Xuan was even more bizarre, filled with greed.
"Your cultivation technique appears to be the most fierce and yang, fire-based."
Lin Xuan sighed, his voice devoid of emotion as if recounting something unrelated to himself.
"Indeed, you seem to already know my intentions. Your subordinates have already investigated; your cultivation technique is wood-based. Is there any mistake in what I say? In this special space filled with fire essence energy, the Nine Departure True Fire Art will have an additional effect of over twenty percent. As for your wood-based techniques, they will be greatly weakened. With such a disparity and no place to escape, do you think you can still protect yourself?" The Flower Master Senior seemed pleased with himself. He didn't claim to be omniscient but believed that Lin Xuan was now like a fish on the chopping block.
After all, his cultivation level had reached its peak, while the other was only at an early stage, and the environment favored him greatly. There was no way he would lose.
Hearing this, Lin Xuan lowered his head slightly, falling into silence for several moments before speaking again: "You've been scheming against me, but we have no grudges or enmity between us. What's the reason? Do you truly refuse to reveal it?"
His tone carried a hint of despair and dejection as if he was in grave danger.
"Why not just let me die like this?" The Flower Master Senior laughed: "I can tell you, I practice a demonic technique that requires your元婴to be useful. If everything goes well, perhaps I could advance to the late Separation stage?"
Lin Xuan frowned: "You want my元婴to advance? Are you an ancient demon?"
"Ha, of course not; I'm not from another world or realm," the Flower Master Senior said coldly. "But a quarter of my bloodline is from a beast tribe."
"A quarter beast lineage... So, you can be considered half-beast..." Lin Xuan murmured, his face showing signs of deep thought.
: Third update for today! More coming tonight!~!