lìng yī biān 。
另一边。
On the other side.
lìng rén yá suān de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr lǐ ， zhǐ jiàn gè sè líng máng yào mù ， nà zhàn lán sè de hù zhào zhōng yú àn dàn xià qù le 。
令人牙酸的声音传入耳里，只见各色灵芒耀目，那湛蓝色的护罩终于黯淡下去了。
An unpleasant sound entered Lin Xuan's ears as various shades of luminous light flashed. The blue barrier finally dimmed down.
lín xuān jiàn le ， bù yóu de xīn zhōng yī xǐ ， dà dà de sōng le kǒu qì ， zhè hù zhào què rán fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， yòng huàn líng tiān huǒ dōu fèi le zì jǐ bù xiǎo de gōng fu 。
林轩见了，不由得心中一喜，大大的松了口气，这护罩确然非同小可，用幻灵天火都费了自己不小的工夫。
Seeing this, Lin Xuan couldn't help but feel a surge of joy and let out a sigh of relief. This barrier was indeed no ordinary one; it had taken him considerable effort to break through with the Illusory Spirit Heaven Fire.
ruò huàn yī míng tóng jiē xiū xiān zhě ， shuō bù dìng hái zhēn zhǐ yǒu rú zhī nài hé ， shī zhǎn hún shēn xiè shù yě wú fǎ dǎ kāi cǐ wù ， rù bǎo shān què kōng shǒu ér guī le 。
若换一名同阶修仙者，说不定还真只有如之奈何，施展浑身解数也无法打开此物，入宝山却空手而归了。
If he were another cultivator of the same rank, perhaps he would have been at a loss as well, unable to open this item even by exerting all his efforts. He might end up empty-handed despite entering the treasure trove.
suí zhe dī chén de shēng yīn chuán lái ， nà hù zhào zài àn dàn dào jí diǎn hòu zhōng yú pò kāi ， lǐ miàn de dōng xī yìng rù yǎn lián 。
随着低沉的声音传来，那护罩在黯淡到极点后终于破开，里面的东西映入眼帘。
With a low sound, the barrier finally broke after dimming down to its lowest point. The contents inside were revealed.
cū yī kàn ， háo bù qǐ yǎn ， bù guò shì yī pái mù jià yǔ jǐ kǒu shù chǐ dà de xiāng zi ér yǐ 。
粗一看，毫不起眼，不过是一排木架与几口数尺大的箱子而已。
At first glance, they seemed unremarkable—just some wooden racks and several large boxes.
bù guò lín xuān yǎn zhōng què shǎn guò yī sī jī dòng zhī sè ， tā xīn zhōng yǒu shù ， zì jǐ yào de bǎo wù jiù zài lǐ miàn le 。
不过林轩眼中却闪过一丝激动之色，他心中有数，自己要的宝物就在里面了。
But Lin Xuan's eyes flashed with excitement. He knew for certain that his desired treasure was hidden here.
cóng nà hù zhào de jiān yìng chéng dù ， xiǎng bì zhè bǎo kù suǒ shōu cáng de dōng xī jué bú huì ràng zì jǐ shī wàng de 。
从那护罩的坚硬程度，想必这宝库所收藏的东西绝不会让自己失望的。
Given the strength of this barrier, he had no doubt that whatever treasures were stored here would not disappoint him.
lín xuān bù yóu de tiǎn le tiǎn zuǐ chún ， dī xià tou lú ， mù guāng xiān zài nà mù jià shàng sǎo guò 。
林轩不由得舔了舔嘴唇，低下头颅，目光先在那木架上扫过。
Lin Xuan licked his lips, lowered his head, and scanned the wooden racks first.
shàng miàn fàng zhe de ， jìng rán shì yī běn běn gǔ shū 。
上面放着的，竟然是一本本古书。
What lay on them were nothing but ancient books.
méi cuò ， jiù shì shū 。
没错，就是书。
Yes, just books.
yāo huà zhě yǔ xiū shì bù tóng ， tā men shì lìng pì xī jìng zǒu shàng de xiū xiān zhī lù ， tōng guò róng hé yāo shòu jīng hé ， huò dé yí shān dǎo hǎi de dà shén tōng 。
妖化者与修士不同，他们是另辟蹊径走上的修仙之路，通过融合妖兽晶核，获得移山倒海的大神通。
Unlike cultivators who followed a conventional path,妖化者 took an alternative route to cultivation by fusing with demon cores of beasts. They gained immense power through this method, capable of moving mountains and overturning seas.
yāo huà zhě de gǎn guān mǐn ruì dào jí chù ， yě yǒu zì jǐ dú tè de fāng fǎ gǎn shòu dí rén de cún zài yǔ qiáng ruò ， dàn tā men shì méi yǒu shén shí wài fàng yī shuō 。
妖化者的感官敏锐到极处，也有自己独特的方法感受敌人的存在与强弱，但他们是没有神识外放一说。
Despite their heightened senses,妖化者 did not have the ability to pass on their knowledge in the same way as cultivators. The most powerful among them were called Heaven Dao experts, followed by Grandmasters.
suī rán yāo huà zhě yě yǒu zì jǐ de fāng fǎ yuè dú yù tóng jiǎn ， dàn què xiāng dāng de má fán ， suǒ yǐ tā men jì zǎi gōng fǎ diǎn jí ， huò zhě shén me qí tā de zhòng yào shì wù ， qíng yuàn yòng shū 。
虽然妖化者也有自己的方法阅读玉瞳简，但却相当的麻烦，所以他们记载功法典籍，或者什么其他的重要事物，情愿用书。
However, just like in the cultivation world, one's success depended greatly on both innate talent and effort, as well as the cultivation techniques they chose.
zhè yì diǎn ， dào yǔ fán rén pǒ yǒu nà me jǐ fēn xiāng sì zhī chù 。
这一点，倒与凡人颇有那么几分相似之处。
The "Snowy Jade Dragon" was clearly a top-tier technique suitable for妖化者. Lin Xuan had already deduced its significance after considering all factors.
lín xuān lái dào nài lóng jiè suī rán shēn jū qiǎn chū ， dàn hǎo dǎi yě yǒu jǐ bǎi nián ， zhè xiē qíng kuàng tā zì rán xīn zhōng yǒu shù ， yǒu yì wú yì dōu céng jīng tīng bié rén tí qǐ guò de 。
林轩来到鼐龙界虽然深居浅出，但好歹也有几百年，这些情况他自然心中有数，有意无意都曾经听别人提起过的。
While it seemed useless to him at first glance, who knew? He hadn't thoroughly examined it yet. Even if there were no immediate uses, he could sell it to other妖化者 and gain many treasures in return. After all, rare goods are valuable.
zhè xiē gǔ jí ， zhēn ér zhòng zhī de fàng zài zhè lǐ ， nà kěn dìng bú huì shì yì bān de dōng xī ， lín xuān yòu shǒu tái qǐ ， yī běn gǔ shū jiù fǎng fú bèi shén mì lì liàng qiān yǐn ， fēi dào le tā de shǒu zhōng 。
这些古籍，珍而重之的放在这里，那肯定不会是一般的东西，林轩右手抬起，一本古书就仿佛被神秘力量牵引，飞到了他的手中。
Thus, Lin Xuan did not hesitate to tuck the "Snowy Jade Dragon" into his robe. He wouldn't overlook any of the books on the racks either; these contained top-tier techniques that he couldn't afford to miss. He placed them all in his Momentary Bag.
zhè míng xiǎn shì nián shēn yuè jiǔ de dōng xī ， rán ér bù tóng yú pǔ tōng fán rén shì jiè de shū jí ， bǎo cún dé fēi cháng wán hǎo ， yīn wèi zhì zuò zhǐ zhāng de ， jū rán shì yāo shòu cái liào ， suǒ yǐ cái bù pà suì yuè de qīn shí ， jí shǐ shù wàn nián guò qù ， shàng miàn de zì jì yī jiù fēi cháng de qīng xī 。
这明显是年深月久的东西，然而不同于普通凡人世界的书籍，保存得非常完好，因为制作纸张的，居然是妖兽材料，所以才不怕岁月的侵蚀，即使数万年过去，上面的字迹依旧非常的清晰。
The wooden racks were now empty.
“ bì xuě luò yù jué 。”
“碧雪骆玉诀。”
But Lin Xuan wasn't done yet. Who would complain about having too many treasures? He turned his head and focused on the boxes beside him.
shàng miàn de gǔ zì bìng bù fán fù ， lín xuān nán nán de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， suí hòu fān kāi shū yè ， fēi kuài de liú lǎn qǐ lái le 。
上面的古字并不繁复，林轩喃喃的声音传入耳朵，随后翻开书页，飞快的浏览起来了。
There were three of them, made from unknown precious woods, with a simple but elegant design suggesting they had been crafted by skilled artisans.
yǐ tā de shén shí ， kàn dé zì rán shì fēi cháng xùn sù ， ér qiě nà shū yě bǐ jiào báo ， jǐn jǐn jǐ shí xī de gōng fu ， lín xuān jiù dà gài liú lǎn yī biàn le 。
以他的神识，看得自然是非常迅速，而且那书也比较薄，仅仅几十息的功夫，林轩就大概浏览一遍了。
Lin Xuan approached, waving his sleeves to emit a greenish light that opened the first box with a "thud."
suī shì bù qiú shèn jiě ， dàn cǐ shū xiě de shì shén me ， lín xuān hái shì kě yǐ qīng yì fēn biàn chū 。
虽是不求甚解，但此书写的是什么，林轩还是可以轻易分辨出。
The dazzling light revealed various crystal cores inside.
zhè shì yī běn wǔ gōng mì jí ， rú guǒ ná dào shì sú de wǔ lín lǐ ， kěn dìng huì yǐn qǐ kě pà de xīng fēng xuè yǔ ， nà xiē suǒ wèi de tiān dào gāo shǒu ， dū huì wèi zhī fēng kuáng 。
这是一本武功秘籍，如果拿到世俗的武林里，肯定会引起可怕的腥风血雨，那些所谓的天道高手，都会为之疯狂。
Lin Xuan's face lit up in joy. Due to the rarity of mutated beasts, each core was worth much more than an ordinary妖丹 at the same cultivation level.
duì yú wǔ gōng ， lín xuān suī rán liǎo jiě bù duō ， dàn zuò wéi yí gè huó le shàng qiān suì de lǎo guài wù ， ěr rú mù rǎn ， yòu zěn me huì yì diǎn yě bù xiǎo de ne ？
对于武功，林轩虽然了解不多，但作为一个活了上千岁的老怪物，耳濡目染，又怎么会一点也不晓得呢？
"This is indeed worth my time."
wǔ lín rén wù ， zuì lì hài de bèi chēng wéi tiān dào gāo shǒu ， qí cì zé shì zōng shī gāo shǒu 。
武林人物，最厉害的被称为天道高手，其次则是宗师高手。
With a sigh, he scanned the crystals and found about two hundred of them. Judging by their aura, many were at the Core Formation stage, with several even reaching the Separation stage. He also discovered a dozen cores from creatures in the Profound Transformation realm.
rán ér yǔ xiū xiān jiè yī yàng dào lǐ ， xiǎng yào ào shì qún xióng ， chú le běn shēn de zī zhì yǔ nǔ lì ， suǒ xiū liàn de gōng fǎ yě yǒu hěn dà de guān xì 。
然而与修仙界一样道理，想要傲视群雄，除了本身的资质与努力，所修炼的功法也有很大的关系。
Lin Xuan, who had seen his share of grand scenes, couldn't help but take a deep breath. The value of these cores was beyond estimation; this was truly a windfall.
jué shì wǔ gōng zǒng shì lìng rén xiàng wǎng dì ， bǐ rú shuō fó mén zōng pài de yì jīn jīng ， dào jiā de tài jí quán pǔ ， dōu shì dǐng jiān de wǔ gōng ， rán ér què shì jué bù wài chuán zhī wù ， xiū liàn zhè xiē wǔ gōng suǒ néng qǔ dé de chéng jiù ， dāng rán yuǎn yuǎn shèng guò shén me wǔ hǔ duàn mén dāo ， bā guà zhǎng yī lèi de pǔ tōng huò sè 。
绝世武功总是令人向往地，比如说佛门宗派的易筋经，道家的太极拳谱，都是顶尖的武功，然而却是绝不外传之物，修炼这些武功所能取得的成就，当然远远胜过什么五虎断门刀，八卦掌一类的普通货色。
With a smile on his face, he closed the box and put it back into his robe without delay.
jué shì wǔ gōng néng gòu zài hěn duǎn de shí jiān nèi zào jiù yī míng gāo shǒu ， jiù suàn tiān cái xiū liàn pǔ tōng wǔ gōng qióng qí yī shēng yě huì hěn píng yōng 。
绝世武功能够在很短的时间内造就一名高手，就算天才修炼普通武功穷其一生也会很平庸。
Next, his gaze fell upon the second box.
rán ér rú jīn shì sú wǔ lín zhōng de jué shì wǔ gōng mì jí ， yǔ yǎn qián de 《 bì xuě luò yù jué 》 xiāng bǐ ， gēn běn jiù méi yǒu shén me liǎo bù qǐ 。
然而如今世俗武林中的绝世武功秘籍，与眼前的《碧雪骆玉诀》相比，根本就没有什么了不起。
What treasures would be inside?
yāo huà zhě shì yǐ wǔ rù dào ， xiū liàn tè shū de wǔ gōng ， rán hòu yǔ yāo shòu de mó jīng róng hé ， yí dàn chéng gōng ， jiù kě yǐ qū shǐ yāo lì ， huò dé yí shān dǎo hǎi de dà shén tōng 。
妖化者是以武入道，修炼特殊的武功，然后与妖兽的魔晶融合，一旦成功，就可以驱使妖力，获得移山倒海的大神通。
Waving his sleeves again, Lin Xuan opened it as before.
zuì hòu qí shí lì rú hé ， gù rán qǔ jué yú róng hé de yāo shòu jīng hé ， bù guò yǔ suǒ liàn de wǔ gōng ， yě shì yǒu hěn dà guān xì de 。
最后其实力如何，固然取决于融合的妖兽晶核，不过与所练的武功，也是有很大关系的。
"Eh, what's this?"
ér 《 bì xuě luò yù jué 》 xiǎn rán jiù shì yī běn shì hé yāo huà zhě de wǔ gōng mì jí ， ér qiě hái shì dǐng jí de nà zhǒng ， lín xuān nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou zhuǎn guò ， yǐ jiāng zhè qián yīn hòu guǒ xiǎng qīng chǔ 。
而《碧雪骆玉诀》显然就是一本适合妖化者的武功秘籍，而且还是顶级的那种，林轩脑海中念头转过，已将这前因后果想清楚。
The boxes were琳琅满目, of various sizes and shapes. He picked up one wooden box that flew towards him.
biǎo miàn shàng cǐ wù duì zì jǐ méi yǒu yòng chǔ 。
表面上此物对自己没有用处。
Opening the lid, he saw a piece of beast bone inside. At first glance, there was nothing remarkable about it, but Lin Xuan's gaze was immediately drawn to it.
bù guò shuí yòu zhī dào ne ， bì jìng hái méi yǒu zǐ xì yán jiū guò ， hé kuàng tuì yī wàn bù shuō ， jiù suàn zhēn de méi yǒu ， mài gěi yāo huà zhě ， nà yě kě yǐ huàn qǔ hěn duō bǎo wù ， qí huò kě jū ， jiù shì zhè ge yì si le 。
不过谁又知道呢，毕竟还没有仔细研究过，何况退一万步说，就算真的没有，卖给妖化者，那也可以换取很多宝物，奇货可居，就是这个意思了。
"Heavenly Dragon, I didn't see this coming. This is from a Spirit Formation stage beast."
yú shì lín xuān háo bù chí yí ， jiāng 《 bì xuě luò yù jué 》 shōu rù le huái lǐ ， zhì yú mù jià shàng de qí tā diǎn jí ， lín xuān yě bú huì fàng guò ， zhè yī běn běn shàng miàn suǒ jì zǎi de ， kě dōu shì jué shì wǔ gōng ， níng shā cuò ， wù fàng guò ， lín xuān jiāng tā men dōu zhuāng rù xū yú dài le 。
于是林轩毫不迟疑，将《碧雪骆玉诀》收入了怀里，至于木架上的其他典籍，林轩也不会放过，这一本本上面所记载的，可都是绝世武功，宁杀错，勿放过，林轩将牠们都装入须臾袋了。
He couldn't determine the exact type of beast, but its cultivation level was beyond doubt.
mù jià shàng kōng kōng rú yě 。
木架上空空如也。
Where did Tianfeng City get such treasures?
bù guò lín xuān dāng rán méi yǒu jiè cǐ bà shǒu yī shuō ， shuí huì xián qì bǎo wù duō ， tā zhuǎn guò tóu lú ， mù guāng yòu fàng zài páng biān de xiāng zi shàng le 。
不过林轩当然没有借此罢手一说，谁会嫌弃宝物多，他转过头颅，目光又放在旁边的箱子上了。
If they had the strength to hunt down Spirit Formation beasts, ancient demons would have long been extinct.
xiāng zi gòng yǒu sān gè ， nǎi shì yòng bù zhī míng de míng guì mù liào zhì chéng de ， shì yàng gǔ piáo ， yī kàn jiù shì chǔ yú jì qiǎo gāo míng de jiàng rén zhī shǒu 。
箱子共有三个，乃是用不知名的名贵木料制成的，式样古朴，一看就是处于技巧高明的匠人之手。
Lin Xuan pondered this, but quickly dismissed it. "Why bother with their origins? Perhaps these were passed down from ancestors. Regardless of where they came from, they are now mine."
lín xuān zǒu le guò qù ， xiù páo yī dǒu ， yī piàn qīng sè de guāng xiá juǎn guò ， pā dā yī shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， dì yí gè xiāng zi yǐ jīng bèi dǎ kāi le 。
林轩走了过去，袖袍一抖，一片青色的光霞卷过，啪嗒一声传入耳朵，第一个箱子已经被打开了。
He didn't have time to inspect each box thoroughly; he merely opened a few at random and found that the contents were all from Spirit Formation beasts.
guāng huá yào mù ， yìng rù yǎn lián de jū rán shì gè zhǒng xíng zhuàng de jīng hé 。
光华耀目，映入眼帘的居然是各种形状的晶核。
Unfortunately, there weren't many boxes—less than twenty in total. But one must be content with what one has. Such-grade beast materials would never appear at underground auctions, making them rare treasures for his future use.
lín xuān liǎn shàng bù yóu de liú lù chū dà xǐ zhī sè ， yào zhī dào yóu yú biàn yì yāo shòu shù liàng xī shǎo de yuán gù ， měi yī méi jīng hé ， lùn jià zhí kě shì shèng guò tóng jiē yāo dān xǔ duō 。
林轩脸上不由得流露出大喜之色，要知道由于变异妖兽数量稀少的缘故，每一枚晶核，论价值可是胜过同阶妖丹许多。
Lin Xuan put them back into their respective boxes and directly stored the boxes in his Momentary Bag.
“ hái zhēn shì bù xū cǐ xíng 。”
“还真是不虚此行。”
With such a large haul, he was already rich beyond measure. He expected the third box to contain more treasures as well. Just as he thought this, a deafening explosion echoed through the space.
lín xuān tǔ le yī kǒu xiōng zhōng zhuó qì ， shén shí sǎo guò ， jīng hé dà yuē yǒu liǎng bǎi yú méi zhī duō ， cóng yāo qì pàn duàn ， qí zhōng zuì dī jí de yě shì yuán yīng jí bié de jīng hé ， dá dào lí hé děng jí de yě bù zài shǎo shù ， shèn zhì lín xuān hái fā xiàn le shí jǐ méi dòng xuán jí bié yāo shòu de jīng hé 。
林轩吐了一口胸中浊气，神识扫过，晶核大约有两百余枚之多，从妖气判断，其中最低级的也是元婴级别的晶核，达到离合等级的也不再少数，甚至林轩还发现了十几枚洞玄级别妖兽的晶核。
The entire area trembled, and the ground seemed to be experiencing an intense earthquake. If not for the protective barrier of this small mountain, it would have collapsed long ago.
lín xuān yě suàn jiàn guò bù shǎo dà chǎng miàn de rén wù ， yě bù yóu de dào xī yī kǒu liáng qì le ， zhè xiē jīng hé jiā zài yì qǐ ， jià zhí nán yǐ gū jì ， zhè yī cì ， hái zhēn shì zhuàn dà le 。
林轩也算见过不少大场面的人物，也不由得倒吸一口凉气了，这些晶核加在一起，价值难以估计，这一次，还真是赚大了。
Lin Xuan was shocked. The power of that explosion was terrifying; if he had been there, he would surely have perished. What happened?
liǎn shàng mǎn shì xiào róng ， lín xuān jiāng xiāng gài hé lǒng ， suí hòu háo bù yóu yù de shōu rù huái zhōng 。
脸上满是笑容，林轩将箱盖合拢，随后毫不犹豫的收入怀中。
Was it an ancient demon?
suí hòu ， tā de mù guāng luò zài dì èr gè xiāng zi shàng le 。
随后，他的目光落在第二个箱子上了。
His mind racing, Lin Xuan didn't have time to count his treasures. He waved his sleeves and the green light flashed as he put away the boxes.
lǐ miàn yòu huì yǒu shén me bǎo wù ？
里面又会有什么宝物？
He then flew out of the cave like a green flash, back into Tianfeng City.
xiù páo yī fú ， lín xuān rú fǎ páo zhì de jiāng qí dǎ kāi le 。
袖袍一拂，林轩如法炮制的将其打开了。
"What…?"
“ yí ， zhè shì ……”
“咦，这是……”
Scanning the scene, Lin Xuan was speechless. While he knew that many妖化者 would fight an ancient demon to the death, this level of destruction still surprised him.
lín láng mǎn mù ， dà dà xiǎo xiǎo de hé zi yìng rù yǎn lián ， cháng duǎn gè yì ， xíng zhuàng yě shì dà bù xiāng tóng 。
琳琅满目，大大小小的盒子映入眼帘，长短各异，形状也是大不相同。
Half of Tianfeng City had been destroyed—entire sections were flattened, and everyone within, whether human or妖化者, had perished completely.
lín xuān shǒu yī gōu ， qí zhōng yí gè mù hé jiù fēi guò lái le 。
林轩手一勾，其中一个木盒就飞过来了。
It was caused by the explosion.
hé gài dǎ kāi ， lǐ miàn lù chū le yī jié shòu gǔ ， biǎo miàn shàng kàn méi yǒu shén me qǐ yǎn zhī chù ， rán ér lín xuān de mù guāng què yī xià zi bèi xī yǐn zhù le 。
盒盖打开，里面露出了一截兽骨，表面上看没有什么起眼之处，然而林轩的目光却一下子被吸引住了。
As his companions fell one by one, the remaining four elders used their lives to activate the final move of the Seven Heroes Formation.
shèn zhì qīng hū ：“ wǒ méi yǒu kàn cuò ba ， zhè shì fēn shén qī yāo shòu de shòu gǔ 。”
甚至轻呼：“我没有看错吧，这是分神期妖兽的兽骨。”
The area was filled with all five elements' primordial energy, which converged into a cloud that served as a prison. This primordial energy was compressed into a spherical light ball and exploded.
jù tǐ shì shén me zhǒng lèi de yāo shòu bù xiǎo de ， dàn jìng jiè zì jǐ jué méi yǒu nòng cuò 。
具体是什么种类的妖兽不晓得，但境界自己绝没有弄错。
The ancient demon was caught in the center of the explosion; whether it lived or died remained unknown. However, its power was immense.
tiān fēng chéng nǎ lái de zhè yàng de bǎo wù ？
天风城哪来的这样的宝物？
Though Lin Xuan didn't fully understand what had happened, he could make some guesses from the scene. He smiled, truly a double blessing—gaining many treasures while an ancient demon perished.
tā men ruò yǒu shí lì liè shā fēn shén jí bié de yāo shòu ， gǔ lǎo mó ， yě zǎo gāi yǔn luò diào le 。
他们若有实力猎杀分神级别的妖兽，古老魔，也早该陨落掉了。
But just as this thought crossed his mind, a gray light beam shot down from the clouds, aimed directly at his head.
On the other side.
Squeak…
An unpleasant sound entered Lin Xuan's ears as various shades of luminous light flashed. The blue barrier finally dimmed down.
Seeing this, Lin Xuan couldn't help but feel a surge of joy and let out a sigh of relief. This barrier was indeed no ordinary one; it had taken him considerable effort to break through with the Illusory Spirit Heaven Fire.
If he were another cultivator of the same rank, perhaps he would have been at a loss as well, unable to open this item even by exerting all his efforts. He might end up empty-handed despite entering the treasure trove.
Puff…
With a low sound, the barrier finally broke after dimming down to its lowest point. The contents inside were revealed.
At first glance, they seemed unremarkable—just some wooden racks and several large boxes.
But Lin Xuan's eyes flashed with excitement. He knew for certain that his desired treasure was hidden here.
Given the strength of this barrier, he had no doubt that whatever treasures were stored here would not disappoint him.
Lin Xuan licked his lips, lowered his head, and scanned the wooden racks first.
What lay on them were nothing but ancient books.
Yes, just books.
Unlike cultivators who followed a conventional path,妖化者 took an alternative route to cultivation by fusing with demon cores of beasts. They gained immense power through this method, capable of moving mountains and overturning seas.
Despite their heightened senses,妖化者 did not have the ability to pass on their knowledge in the same way as cultivators. The most powerful among them were called Heaven Dao experts, followed by Grandmasters.
However, just like in the cultivation world, one's success depended greatly on both innate talent and effort, as well as the cultivation techniques they chose.
The "Snowy Jade Dragon" was clearly a top-tier technique suitable for妖化者. Lin Xuan had already deduced its significance after considering all factors.
While it seemed useless to him at first glance, who knew? He hadn't thoroughly examined it yet. Even if there were no immediate uses, he could sell it to other妖化者 and gain many treasures in return. After all, rare goods are valuable.
Thus, Lin Xuan did not hesitate to tuck the "Snowy Jade Dragon" into his robe. He wouldn't overlook any of the books on the racks either; these contained top-tier techniques that he couldn't afford to miss. He placed them all in his Momentary Bag.
The wooden racks were now empty.
But Lin Xuan wasn't done yet. Who would complain about having too many treasures? He turned his head and focused on the boxes beside him.
There were three of them, made from unknown precious woods, with a simple but elegant design suggesting they had been crafted by skilled artisans.
Lin Xuan approached, waving his sleeves to emit a greenish light that opened the first box with a "thud."
The dazzling light revealed various crystal cores inside.
Lin Xuan's face lit up in joy. Due to the rarity of mutated beasts, each core was worth much more than an ordinary妖丹 at the same cultivation level.
"This is indeed worth my time."
With a sigh, he scanned the crystals and found about two hundred of them. Judging by their aura, many were at the Core Formation stage, with several even reaching the Separation stage. He also discovered a dozen cores from creatures in the Profound Transformation realm.
Lin Xuan, who had seen his share of grand scenes, couldn't help but take a deep breath. The value of these cores was beyond estimation; this was truly a windfall.
With a smile on his face, he closed the box and put it back into his robe without delay.
Next, his gaze fell upon the second box.
What treasures would be inside?
Waving his sleeves again, Lin Xuan opened it as before.
"Eh, what's this?"
The boxes were琳琅满目, of various sizes and shapes. He picked up one wooden box that flew towards him.
Opening the lid, he saw a piece of beast bone inside. At first glance, there was nothing remarkable about it, but Lin Xuan's gaze was immediately drawn to it.
"Heavenly Dragon, I didn't see this coming. This is from a Spirit Formation stage beast."
He couldn't determine the exact type of beast, but its cultivation level was beyond doubt.
Where did Tianfeng City get such treasures?
If they had the strength to hunt down Spirit Formation beasts, ancient demons would have long been extinct.
Lin Xuan pondered this, but quickly dismissed it. "Why bother with their origins? Perhaps these were passed down from ancestors. Regardless of where they came from, they are now mine."
He didn't have time to inspect each box thoroughly; he merely opened a few at random and found that the contents were all from Spirit Formation beasts.
Unfortunately, there weren't many boxes—less than twenty in total. But one must be content with what one has. Such-grade beast materials would never appear at underground auctions, making them rare treasures for his future use.
Lin Xuan put them back into their respective boxes and directly stored the boxes in his Momentary Bag.
With such a large haul, he was already rich beyond measure. He expected the third box to contain more treasures as well. Just as he thought this, a deafening explosion echoed through the space.
The entire area trembled, and the ground seemed to be experiencing an intense earthquake. If not for the protective barrier of this small mountain, it would have collapsed long ago.
Lin Xuan was shocked. The power of that explosion was terrifying; if he had been there, he would surely have perished. What happened?
Was it an ancient demon?
His mind racing, Lin Xuan didn't have time to count his treasures. He waved his sleeves and the green light flashed as he put away the boxes.
He then flew out of the cave like a green flash, back into Tianfeng City.
"What…?"
Scanning the scene, Lin Xuan was speechless. While he knew that many妖化者 would fight an ancient demon to the death, this level of destruction still surprised him.
Half of Tianfeng City had been destroyed—entire sections were flattened, and everyone within, whether human or妖化者, had perished completely.
It was caused by the explosion.
As his companions fell one by one, the remaining four elders used their lives to activate the final move of the Seven Heroes Formation.
The area was filled with all five elements' primordial energy, which converged into a cloud that served as a prison. This primordial energy was compressed into a spherical light ball and exploded.
The ancient demon was caught in the center of the explosion; whether it lived or died remained unknown. However, its power was immense.
Though Lin Xuan didn't fully understand what had happened, he could make some guesses from the scene. He smiled, truly a double blessing—gaining many treasures while an ancient demon perished.
But just as this thought crossed his mind, a gray light beam shot down from the clouds, aimed directly at his head.