lín xuān tóng kǒng wēi suō ， liǎn shàng lù chū yì wài zhī sè ， yī lù zǒu lái jiē shùn lì wú bǐ ， méi xiǎng dào zuì hòu shí kè ， què bèi bié rén jiāng xíng cáng kàn pò 。
林轩瞳孔微缩，脸上露出意外之色，一路走来皆顺利无比，没想到最后时刻，却被别人将行藏看破。
Lin Xuan's pupils constricted as he revealed a look of surprise. He had encountered no obstacles throughout his journey, but at the last moment, someone had managed to discern his movements.
nán dào shuō ， zhè shì tiān yì me ？
难道说，这是天意么？
Could this be fate?
nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou zhuǎn guò ， bù guò lín xuān liǎn shàng ， zì rán bú huì yǒu fēn háo wèi jù de 。
脑海中念头转过，不过林轩脸上，自然不会有分毫畏惧的。
The thought flashed through his mind, yet Lin Xuan's face showed no trace of fear. He was merely trying to avoid trouble by concealing his tracks; there was nothing to fear. Since he had been discovered, it made sense to reveal himself now.
yǐn cáng xíng jì gǎn lù ， tā zhǐ shì bù xiǎng zhāo rě má fán ér yǐ ， ér fēi yǒu shén me wèi jù ， jì rán bèi duì fāng kàn pò ， nà xiàn shēn jiù dé le 。
隐藏行迹赶路，他只是不想招惹麻烦而已，而非有什么畏惧，既然被对方看破，那现身就得了。
With a flick of his sleeve, the surrounding magical energy and treasures were swept away with a single motion. All attacks ceased as if they never existed.
nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou zhuǎn guò ， kōng jiān bō dòng yì qǐ ， lín xuān yǐ zhòu rán chū xiàn zài le bàn kōng lǐ 。
脑海中念头转过，空间波动一起，林轩已骤然出现在了半空里。
"Such foolishness."
“ gōng jī ！”
“攻击！”
Before he could finish speaking, a series of popping sounds echoed in his ears. The team of ancient demons had been obliterated by his strikes, even the leading婴魔 also perished without a trace.
nà xiē gǔ mó jīng yě jiǎo zhà yǐ jí ， lín xuān xiàn xíng yǐ hòu ， tā men jū rán èr huà bù shuō ， jiù fǎ bǎo qí chū ， duì zhe lín xuān suǒ zài de dì fāng hōng luò 。
那些古魔经也狡诈以极，林轩现形以后，他们居然二话不说，就法宝齐出，对着林轩所在的地方轰落。
With fluid movements, Lin Xuan eliminated his enemies like water flowing down a mountain stream. However, his face did not show much joy; instead, he narrowed his eyes and stared intently at a woman in white who entered his line of sight.
dùn shí bào liè shēng dà zuò ， lín xuān bèi wú jìn fān gǔn de mó qì bāo guǒ ， nà gōng shì bù néng shuō bù měng è ， kě xī shì tú láo de 。
顿时爆裂声大做，林轩被无尽翻滚的魔气包裹，那攻势不能说不猛恶，可惜是徒劳的。
She appeared ethereal, floating gracefully in the air with bare feet. How she had arrived was beyond Lin Xuan's comprehension, as her mysterious powers left him wary.
lín xuān zuǐ jiǎo biān lù chū yī sī jī cháo zhī sè ：“ zhēn shì tài yú chǔn le 。”
林轩嘴角边露出一丝讥嘲之色：“真是太愚蠢了。”
Lin Xuan had seen many beautiful women before—Moon, Qin Yan, and Peacock were all breathtakingly stunning. Ouyang Qixin exuded both grace and beauty. However, compared to this woman, none of them could match or even come close. (Moon's appearance was sealed with her power, so it couldn't compare.)
huà yīn wèi luò ， zhǐ jiàn tā xiù páo yī fú ， suí zhe zhè ge dòng zuò ， fù jìn de mó qì bǎo wù ， jǐn jiē bèi héng sǎo yī kōng ， suǒ yǒu de gōng jī dōu shī qù le zuò yòng 。
话音未落，只见他袖袍一拂，随着这个动作，附近的魔气宝物，尽皆被横扫一空，所有的攻击都失去了作用。
Looking at the silver-haired maiden before him, Lin Xuan almost thought she was a celestial maiden who had descended from the heavens. She was undoubtedly a fairy; no one would associate her with ancient demons.
“ zhè ……”
“这……”
However, he knew that appearances were deceiving. This woman was definitely an ancient demon.
gǔ mó men dà jīng shī sè ， lì kè míng bái zhè yī cì ， kǒng pà shì pèng jiàn le yìng chá zi 。
古魔们大惊失色，立刻明白这一次，恐怕是碰见了硬茬子。
Lin Xuan had heard that there were many types of ancient demons, some of whom were incredibly beautiful. He never imagined they could be so stunning, leaving him in awe. Besides her appearance, she also possessed a unique aura; this woman was no ordinary ancient demon.
nà wéi shǒu de gǔ mó ， yǒu diǎn zhàn zhàn jīng jīng de jiāng shén shí fàng chū ， zài lín xuān de shēn shàng yī sǎo ér guò ， biǎo qíng dùn shí shà bái le ， duì fāng de xiū wèi jìng shēn bù kě cè ， jù tǐ jìng jiè shì shén me ， gēn běn jiù bú shì tā kě yǐ tàn zhī de 。
那为首的古魔，有点战战兢兢的将神识放出，在林轩的身上一扫而过，表情顿时煞白了，对方的修为竟深不可测，具体境界是什么，根本就不是他可以探知的。
He released his divine sense and scanned her body, discovering that their levels were the same—初期洞玄!
lěng hàn lín lí ， gū jì zhè lǎo guài wù zuì shǎo yě shì lí hé qī 。
冷汗淋漓，估计这老怪物最少也是离合期。
Despite this, Lin Xuan felt no relief or ease; instead, he sensed immense pressure. His expression became even more serious.
dàn hěn kuài ， tā fā xiàn le zì jǐ de cuò wù ， lín xuān shēn shàng páng bó de líng yā fēng yōng ér chū ， nà gǎn jué jiù fǎng fú shì yī tóu jù shòu zài qiáng dà de dí rén miàn qián ， tā men chú le chàn dǒu ， lián yī gēn shǒu zhǐ tou dōu wú fǎ xíng dòng le 。
但很快，他发现了自己的错误，林轩身上磅礴的灵压蜂拥而出，那感觉就仿佛是一头巨兽在强大的敌人面前，他们除了颤抖，连一根手指头都无法行动了。
Since he embarked on his path to cultivation, such feelings had been rare. In recent centuries, with the continuous training of his second元婴 and demon core, challenging higher levels was as common as eating breakfast. He no longer paid much attention to fellow cultivators at his level; defeating them was almost effortless.
nán dào shuō …
难道说…
However, this woman presented a completely different challenge. She was the first to instill such a sense of danger in him among those of his own level.
zhòng gǔ mó bù shǎ ， zhè zhǒng kě pà de wēi yā ， lí hé qī xiū shì míng xiǎn yě wú fǎ dài gěi tā men de a ！
众古魔不傻，这种可怕的威压，离合期修士明显也无法带给他们的啊！
Could it be...
“ qián bèi ráo mìng ！”
“前辈饶命！”
She wasn't an ordinary ancient demon of初期洞玄.
lín xuān zì rán bú huì shǒu xià liú qíng ， duì zhè xiē yì jiè yāo mó ， nán dào hái xū yào kè qì ， yòu shǒu tái qǐ ， yě bú jiàn tā duō yú de dòng zuò pēng pēng pēng de xiǎng shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， nà yī duì gǔ mó ， jū rán quán tou bào tǐ ér wáng le ， jí shǐ nà wéi shǒu de yuán yīng qī gǔ mó ， yě méi néng táo tuō ， tóng yàng mǐn miè huà wèi le xū wú 。
林轩自然不会手下留情，对这些异界妖魔，难道还需要客气，右手抬起，也不见他多余的动作嘭嘭嘭的响声传入耳朵，那一队古魔，居然拳头爆体而亡了，即使那为首的元婴期古魔，也没能逃脱，同样泯灭化为了虚无。
"Are you a fragment of which Demon Sovereign?" Lin Xuan said with deliberate words. His statement implied that she might indeed be one.
rú xíng yún liú shuǐ bān jiāng dí rén miè chú ， rán ér lín xuān liǎn shàng ， què bìng méi yǒu liú lù chū duō shǎo huān xǐ zhī sè ， fǎn ér yǎn jīng wēi mī ， xiàng zhe zuǒ cè zhuǎn guò tóu qù ：“ dào yǒu hé bì yì zhí yǐn cáng zài nǎ lǐ kàn le nà me jiǔ ， shì fǒu kě yǐ xiàn shēn le ， hái shì shuō cǐ shí cǐ kè ， dào yǒu yī jiù jué de ， yǒu jī huì tōu xí lín mǒu me ？”
如行云流水般将敌人灭除，然而林轩脸上，却并没有流露出多少欢喜之色，反而眼睛微眯，向着左侧转过头去：“道友何必一直隐藏在哪里看了那么久，是否可以现身了，还是说此时此刻，道友依旧觉得，有机会偷袭林某么？”
"You could join my realm and become part of the Holy Clan," she said, her eyes filled with expectation. "I see your alertness; I will use the technique to infuse you with demonic energy."
“ bù cuò bù cuò ， qū qū yī míng dòng xuán qī xiū xiān zhě ， jū rán néng jiāng běn gōng de xíng cáng kàn pò ， yě nán guài nǐ néng ràng wǒ nà me duō shǒu xià yù jiàn bō zhé ， kàn lái nǐ hái zhēn bú shì pǔ tōng de xiū xiān zhě 。”
“不错不错，区区一名洞玄期修仙者，居然能将本宫的行藏看破，也难怪你能让我那么多手下遇见波折，看来你还真不是普通的修仙者。”
"I have no interest in such a practice," Lin Xuan replied coolly. He had seen Demon Sovereigns before—such as the fragment of Heavenly Origin Demon Sovereign that he and Wangting Tower had jointly destroyed on Penglai Mountain.
yī rú yín líng bān de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ lǐ miàn chōng mǎn le ào qì ， rán ér què dòng tīng yǐ jí ， lín xuān de yǎn jīng wēi wēi mī qǐ ， nà shēng yīn rú zhū luò yù pán ， zhí chuán rù tā de xīn dǐ ， rán ér què ràng rén cóng jiǎo jiān ， fàn qǐ yī gǔ gǔ hán qì 。
一如银铃般的声音传入耳朵里面充满了傲气，然而却动听以极，林轩的眼睛微微眯起，那声音如珠落玉盘，直传入他的心底，然而却让人从脚尖，泛起一股股寒气。
"Such audacity! Do you know who you are speaking to? My lady is not an ordinary Demon Sovereign; even a lowly ancient demon sovereign would be beneath her."
zhè yàng de gǎn jué ， tā jī hū bù céng yǒu guò ， lín xuān de shén jīng yī xià zi bēng jǐn le ， dà dí ！
这样的感觉，他几乎不曾有过，林轩的神经一下子绷紧了，大敌！
Before Lin Xuan could finish, a sharp rebuke rang out. The young demon maiden named Qiaoyun was visibly angry.
zhè yì diǎn jué wú kě yí 。
这一点绝无可疑。
A mere初期洞玄 cultivator, and my lady is willing to perform the demonic energy infusion technique for him—what an honor! He not only failed to show gratitude but also spoke disrespectfully. Such ungrateful behavior should be punished by being thrown into the Frost Demon Prison.
lín xuān máng dìng jīng wàng qù yī shēn zhe bái yī de nǚ zǐ jìn rù le shì xiàn lǐ 。
林轩忙定睛望去一身着白衣的女子进入了视线里。
"Insolent!" Ice Spirit's face showed displeasure as a white demonic energy shot towards Qiaoyun's forehead.
piāo rán chū chén ， piān piān ruò xiān 。
飘然出尘，翩翩若仙。
"Ahh!"
cǐ nǚ chì zhe shuāng zú ， xuán fú zài bàn kōng zhī zhōng ， zhì yú tā shì rú hé chū xiàn de ， lín xuān jū rán dōu bù xiǎo de ， duì fāng shén tōng zhī guǐ yì ， ràng qí dà gǎn jiè jù 。
此女赤着双足，悬浮在半空之中，至于她是如何出现的，林轩居然都不晓得，对方神通之诡异，让其大感戒惧。
Qiaoyun's expression turned painful, but the process was swift and ended just as quickly. However, she trembled in fear and fell to her knees, no longer daring to speak.
měi nǚ ， lín xuān jiàn guò hěn duō 。
美女，林轩见过很多。
Lin Xuan's face darkened; while Ice Spirit was punishing her servant, it also served as a warning. She had indeed made a move, though so fast that even his divine sense could barely catch it—just the slight movement of her left hand.
yuè ér ， qín yán ， nà dōu shì qīng guó qīng chéng zhī zī ， kǒng què zé shì yīng zī sà shuǎng de měi nǚ ， ōu yáng qín xīn ， zé bìng zhòng zhe wēn róu yǔ měi lì 。
月儿，秦妍，那都是倾国倾城之姿，孔雀则是英姿飒爽的美女，欧阳琴心，则并重着温柔与美丽。
How terrifying these ancient demons were! Lin Xuan remained calm on the surface but felt a chill run down his spine.
kě yǐ shuō lín xuān shēn biān de jǐ míng nǚ zǐ ， jiāng gè zhǒng měi sè dōu wǎng luò jìn qù le ， rán ér yǔ yǎn qián de nǚ zǐ xiāng bǐ ， què wú yī néng jí ， shèn zhì kě yǐ shuō ， chà zhī yuǎn yǐ 。（ yuè ér de róng yán ， yǔ fǎ lì yì qǐ ， shì bèi fēng yìn le de ， suǒ yǐ dāng rán wú fǎ yǔ yǎn qián de bīng pò xiāng bǐ 。）
可以说林轩身边的几名女子，将各种美色都网络进去了，然而与眼前的女子相比，却无一能及，甚至可以说，差之远矣。（月儿的容颜，与法力一起，是被封印了的，所以当然无法与眼前的冰魄相比。）
She was far more formidable than he imagined. This challenge was no trivial matter; he almost had an urge to flee.
kàn zhuó yǎn qián de yín fā shào nǚ ， lín xuān jī hū yǐ wéi shì jiǔ tiān xuán nǚ ， dī luò dào le chén shì ， shuō tā shì xiān zi ， jué wú kě yí ， rèn shuí yě bú huì yǔ gǔ mó lián xì zài yì qǐ 。
看着眼前的银发少女，林轩几乎以为是九天玄女，滴落到了尘世，说她是仙子，绝无可疑，任谁也不会与古魔联系在一起。
Of course, this was just a thought and not yet time for action. While feeling wary, Lin Xuan also became curious about her true strength. Even if she were a fragment of Demon Sovereign, their levels were the same—what kind of power could she wield?
rán ér lín xuān xīn lǐ yǒu shù ， zhè bù guò shì biǎo xiàng bà le 。
然而林轩心里有数，这不过是表象罢了。
"Consider my offer," Ice Spirit smiled. "While I don't truly value you, with my status and power, a mere初期洞玄 cultivator is beneath notice."
róng mào bìng bù néng shuō míng shén me ， yǎn qián zhī nǚ jué duì shì gǔ mó 。
容貌并不能说明什么，眼前之女绝对是古魔。
However, her magic was mysterious and tricky; facing him, it felt like a challenge.
lín xuān zǎo jiù tīng shuō ， gǔ mó zhǒng lèi fán duō ， qí zhōng bù fá jué sè jiā lì ， rán ér zuò mèng yě bù céng xiǎng ， jū rán kě yǐ měi dào rú cǐ jìng dì 。 lìng rén tàn wéi guān zhǐ ， chú le róng mào ， hái yǒu qì zhì ， cǐ nǚ jué bú shì pǔ tōng de gǔ mó 。
林轩早就听说，古魔种类繁多，其中不乏绝色佳丽，然而做梦也不曾想，居然可以美到如此境地。令人叹为观止，除了容貌，还有气质，此女绝不是普通的古魔。
Perhaps he had misjudged or sensed wrongly, but given that she could discern his hiding place, it was likely the latter. After all, their levels were identical—she was not easily defeated.
lín xuān jiāng shén shí fàng chū ， zài bīng pò de jiāo qū shàng sǎo guò ， fā xiàn tā de jìng jiè yǔ zì jǐ shì yī yàng de 。
林轩将神识放出，在冰魄的娇躯上扫过，发现她的境界与自己是一样的。
Ice Spirit didn't want to engage in a prolonged battle, so offering to join her realm seemed like a better strategy.
dòng xuán chū qī ！
洞玄初期！
Even without action, they had already begun to outwit each other.
rán ér lín xuān què bìng méi yǒu gǎn dào sī háo qīng sōng qiè yì ， yǒu de fǎn ér shì mò dà de yā lì 。
然而林轩却并没有感到丝毫轻松惬意，有的反而是莫大的压力。
Despite Ice Spirit's immense age as an ancient demon sovereign, Lin Xuan wasn't about to fall behind.
tā de biǎo qíng ， bù yóu de yuè fā de yán sù yǐ jí 。
他的表情，不由得越发的严肃以极。
Hearing this, Lin Xuan showed signs of hesitation, seemingly uncertain. However, Ice Spirit didn't press him; delaying served no purpose.
zì cóng tà shàng xiū xiān zhī lù ， zhè yàng de gǎn jué lín xuān jī hū bù céng yǒu guò ， tè bié shì zuì jìn jǐ bǎi nián ， suí zhe dì èr yuán yīng yǔ yāo dān xiāng xù xiū liàn ， yuè jí tiǎo zhàn duì tā ér yán ， jiù xiàng shì jiā cháng biàn fàn ， zhì yú tóng jiē xiū xiān zhě ， lín xuān zǎo yǐ bù fàng zài yǎn zhōng ， miǎo shā bù gǎn tí ， dàn duì zhàn qǔ shèng jī hū shì wú yā lì 。
自从踏上修仙之路，这样的感觉林轩几乎不曾有过，特别是最近几百年，随着第二元婴与妖丹相续修炼，越级挑战对他而言，就像是家常便饭，至于同阶修仙者，林轩早已不放在眼中，秒杀不敢提，但对战取胜几乎是无压力。
"May I ask which Demon Sovereign you are?" Lin Xuan inquired, using the principle that knowing oneself and one's enemy leads to victory.
rán ér cǐ shí cǐ kè ， gǎn jué què yǔ yǐ qián wán quán bù tóng ， tóng jiē xiū shì zhōng ， néng gěi lín xuān dài lái zhè me dà wēi jī gǎn de cǐ nǚ hái shì dì yí gè 。
然而此时此刻，感觉却与以前完全不同，同阶修士中，能给林轩带来这么大危机感的此女还是第一个。
"I am Ice Spirit. Have you heard of me?"
nán dào shuō …
难道说…
"What? Ice Spirit Demon Sovereign?"
duì fāng jué bú shì pǔ tōng de dòng xuán qī gǔ mó 。
对方绝不是普通的洞玄期古魔。
Lin Xuan was shocked. He knew about the nine True Demon Sages, so how could he not know such a powerful figure?
“ dào yǒu shì nǎ wèi mó zǔ de fēn hún jiàng shì me ？” lín xuān yī zì yī dùn de shuō ， ér tā zhè jù huà ， yǐ jiē jìn fēi cháng xiàn shí le 。
“道友是哪位魔祖的分魂降世么？”林轩一字一顿的说，而他这句话，已接近非常现实了。
Her background was far beyond his expectations; this explained why she exerted such immense pressure despite being only初期洞玄.
duì fāng shì mó zǔ ， dàn bìng bú shì pǔ tōng de 。 zuǐ xiǎo zi yǎn guāng hái bú cuò 。” bīng pò de yǎn zhōng lù chū yī sī yì wài zhī sè ：“ nǐ kě yǒu xìng qù guī shùn běn gōng ， wǒ kàn nǐ rén hái jī jǐng bù cuò ， huì duì nǐ shī zhǎn mó qì guàn tǐ zhī shù ， ràng nǐ chéng wéi de shèng zú yī yuán de 。”
对方是魔祖，但并不是普通的。嘴小子眼光还不错。”冰魄的眼中露出一丝意外之色：“你可有兴趣归顺本宫，我看你人还机警不错，会对你施展魔气灌体之术，让你成为的圣族一员的。”
"Then you are indeed Lord Ice Spirit. I apologize for my oversight," Lin Xuan said humbly. "However,"
“ mó qì guàn tǐ ， lín mǒu kě méi yǒu xìng qù ， dào yǒu jiù suàn shì mǒu wèi mó zǔ de fēn hún jiàng shì ， rú jīn de xiū wèi yě bù guò dòng xuán ér yǐ ， shuō zhè huà bù jué dé tài tuō dà le xiē 。” lín xuān dàn dàn de kāi kǒu le ， gǔ mó shèng zǔ tā yòu bú shì méi yǒu jiàn guò ， nà wèi tiān yuán mó zǔ de fēn hún ， bú shì jiù bèi zì jǐ yǔ wàng tíng lóu zài péng lái shān zhōng lián shǒu hōng shā de 。
“魔气灌体，林某可没有兴趣，道友就算是某位魔祖的分魂降世，如今的修为也不过洞玄而已，说这话不觉得太托大了些。”林轩淡淡的开口了，古魔圣祖他又不是没有见过，那位天元魔祖的分魂，不是就被自己与望亭楼在蓬莱山中联手轰杀的。
Before he could finish, Lin Xuan suddenly flicked his sleeve again, releasing a brilliant light—four-colored琉璃火焰.
“ hǎo dà dǎn de jiā huo ， nǐ kě xiǎo de ， zì jǐ zài gēn shuí shuō huà ma ， wǒ jiā xiǎo jiě ， qǐ shì pǔ tōng de mó zǔ kě yǐ bǐ nǐ ， yì bān de gǔ mó shèng zhǔ ， lián gēn wǒ jiā xiǎo jiě tí xié dōu bù gòu gé 。”
“好大胆的家伙，你可晓得，自己在跟谁说话吗，我家小姐，岂是普通的魔祖可以比拟，一般的古魔圣主，连跟我家小姐提鞋都不够格。”
Phantom Heavenly Fire!
lín xuān huà yīn wèi luò ， yī hē chì shēng jiù chuán rù ěr duǒ ， tā nà fān huà ， bīng pò bìng wèi shēng qì ， fǎn ér nà jiào qiǎo yún de mó zú shào nǚ ， mǎn liǎn de fèn nù zhī yì 。
林轩话音未落，一呵斥声就传入耳朵，她那番话，冰魄并未生气，反而那叫巧芸的魔族少女，满脸的愤怒之意。
Lin Xuan couldn't surrender; however, after learning her identity, he didn't underestimate her either. He unleashed one of his most powerful techniques, the dazzling flames flying towards Ice Spirit's direction.
qū qū yī dòng xuán qī xiū xiān zhě ， xiǎo jiě yuàn yì wèi tā shī zhǎn mó qì guàn tǐ zhī shù ， nà shì duō dà de shū róng ， tā bù jǐn bù gǎn jī ， fǎn ér yán yǔ bù jìng ， zhè yàng bù shí hǎo dǎi de rén wù ， shā le tā dōu tài pián yi ， jiù yīng gāi diū dào hán bīng mó yù lǐ 。
区区一洞玄期修仙者，小姐愿意为他施展魔气灌体之术，那是多大的殊荣，他不仅不感激，反而言语不敬，这样不识好歹的人物，杀了他都太便宜，就应该丢到寒冰魔狱里。
Postscript: Another year has passed. Thank you for your companionship. It's Christmas today, and I wish everyone good health and happiness. Tomorrow is Christmas, and I will continue to work hard on updates. If anyone could consider giving me a vote as a Christmas gift, that would be wonderful. We're still short of 500 votes for the guarantee. I don't want to fail at the last moment; let's all pitch in together! Thank you!
Lin Xuan's pupils constricted as he revealed a look of surprise. He had encountered no obstacles throughout his journey, but at the last moment, someone had managed to discern his movements.
Could this be fate?
The thought flashed through his mind, yet Lin Xuan's face showed no trace of fear. He was merely trying to avoid trouble by concealing his tracks; there was nothing to fear. Since he had been discovered, it made sense to reveal himself now.
With a flick of his sleeve, the surrounding magical energy and treasures were swept away with a single motion. All attacks ceased as if they never existed.
"Such foolishness."
Before he could finish speaking, a series of popping sounds echoed in his ears. The team of ancient demons had been obliterated by his strikes, even the leading婴魔 also perished without a trace.
With fluid movements, Lin Xuan eliminated his enemies like water flowing down a mountain stream. However, his face did not show much joy; instead, he narrowed his eyes and stared intently at a woman in white who entered his line of sight.
She appeared ethereal, floating gracefully in the air with bare feet. How she had arrived was beyond Lin Xuan's comprehension, as her mysterious powers left him wary.
Lin Xuan had seen many beautiful women before—Moon, Qin Yan, and Peacock were all breathtakingly stunning. Ouyang Qixin exuded both grace and beauty. However, compared to this woman, none of them could match or even come close. (Moon's appearance was sealed with her power, so it couldn't compare.)
Looking at the silver-haired maiden before him, Lin Xuan almost thought she was a celestial maiden who had descended from the heavens. She was undoubtedly a fairy; no one would associate her with ancient demons.
However, he knew that appearances were deceiving. This woman was definitely an ancient demon.
Lin Xuan had heard that there were many types of ancient demons, some of whom were incredibly beautiful. He never imagined they could be so stunning, leaving him in awe. Besides her appearance, she also possessed a unique aura; this woman was no ordinary ancient demon.
He released his divine sense and scanned her body, discovering that their levels were the same—初期洞玄!
Despite this, Lin Xuan felt no relief or ease; instead, he sensed immense pressure. His expression became even more serious.
Since he embarked on his path to cultivation, such feelings had been rare. In recent centuries, with the continuous training of his second元婴 and demon core, challenging higher levels was as common as eating breakfast. He no longer paid much attention to fellow cultivators at his level; defeating them was almost effortless.
However, this woman presented a completely different challenge. She was the first to instill such a sense of danger in him among those of his own level.
Could it be...
She wasn't an ordinary ancient demon of初期洞玄.
"Are you a fragment of which Demon Sovereign?" Lin Xuan said with deliberate words. His statement implied that she might indeed be one.
"You could join my realm and become part of the Holy Clan," she said, her eyes filled with expectation. "I see your alertness; I will use the technique to infuse you with demonic energy."
"I have no interest in such a practice," Lin Xuan replied coolly. He had seen Demon Sovereigns before—such as the fragment of Heavenly Origin Demon Sovereign that he and Wangting Tower had jointly destroyed on Penglai Mountain.
"Such audacity! Do you know who you are speaking to? My lady is not an ordinary Demon Sovereign; even a lowly ancient demon sovereign would be beneath her."
Before Lin Xuan could finish, a sharp rebuke rang out. The young demon maiden named Qiaoyun was visibly angry.
A mere初期洞玄 cultivator, and my lady is willing to perform the demonic energy infusion technique for him—what an honor! He not only failed to show gratitude but also spoke disrespectfully. Such ungrateful behavior should be punished by being thrown into the Frost Demon Prison.
"Insolent!" Ice Spirit's face showed displeasure as a white demonic energy shot towards Qiaoyun's forehead.
"Ahh!"
Qiaoyun's expression turned painful, but the process was swift and ended just as quickly. However, she trembled in fear and fell to her knees, no longer daring to speak.
Lin Xuan's face darkened; while Ice Spirit was punishing her servant, it also served as a warning. She had indeed made a move, though so fast that even his divine sense could barely catch it—just the slight movement of her left hand.
How terrifying these ancient demons were! Lin Xuan remained calm on the surface but felt a chill run down his spine.
She was far more formidable than he imagined. This challenge was no trivial matter; he almost had an urge to flee.
Of course, this was just a thought and not yet time for action. While feeling wary, Lin Xuan also became curious about her true strength. Even if she were a fragment of Demon Sovereign, their levels were the same—what kind of power could she wield?
"Consider my offer," Ice Spirit smiled. "While I don't truly value you, with my status and power, a mere初期洞玄 cultivator is beneath notice."
However, her magic was mysterious and tricky; facing him, it felt like a challenge.
Perhaps he had misjudged or sensed wrongly, but given that she could discern his hiding place, it was likely the latter. After all, their levels were identical—she was not easily defeated.
Ice Spirit didn't want to engage in a prolonged battle, so offering to join her realm seemed like a better strategy.
Even without action, they had already begun to outwit each other.
Despite Ice Spirit's immense age as an ancient demon sovereign, Lin Xuan wasn't about to fall behind.
Hearing this, Lin Xuan showed signs of hesitation, seemingly uncertain. However, Ice Spirit didn't press him; delaying served no purpose.
"May I ask which Demon Sovereign you are?" Lin Xuan inquired, using the principle that knowing oneself and one's enemy leads to victory.
"I am Ice Spirit. Have you heard of me?"
"What? Ice Spirit Demon Sovereign?"
Lin Xuan was shocked. He knew about the nine True Demon Sages, so how could he not know such a powerful figure?
Her background was far beyond his expectations; this explained why she exerted such immense pressure despite being only初期洞玄.
"Then you are indeed Lord Ice Spirit. I apologize for my oversight," Lin Xuan said humbly. "However,"
Before he could finish, Lin Xuan suddenly flicked his sleeve again, releasing a brilliant light—four-colored琉璃火焰.
Phantom Heavenly Fire!
Lin Xuan couldn't surrender; however, after learning her identity, he didn't underestimate her either. He unleashed one of his most powerful techniques, the dazzling flames flying towards Ice Spirit's direction.
Postscript: Another year has passed. Thank you for your companionship. It's Christmas today, and I wish everyone good health and happiness. Tomorrow is Christmas, and I will continue to work hard on updates. If anyone could consider giving me a vote as a Christmas gift, that would be wonderful. We're still short of 500 votes for the guarantee. I don't want to fail at the last moment; let's all pitch in together! Thank you!