dì èr tiān qīng chén ， lín xuān qǐ le gè dà zǎo ， yǔ bié de wài lái xiū shì yì qǐ ， zài nà wèi “ xiān kè lái ” zhǎng guì de dài lǐng xià ， lí kāi xiǎo zhèn ， zhí bēn tiān mù shān 。
第二天清晨，林轩起了个大早，与别的外来修士一起，在那位“仙客来”掌柜的带领下，离开小镇，直奔天目山。
The next morning, Lin Xuan got up early and set off with other outsiders under the guidance of the "Xian Keli" shopkeeper. They headed straight for Tianmu Mountain.
suī rán méi yǒu yù qì fēi xíng ， dàn yě jǐn huā le xiǎo bàn gè shí chén ， jiù lái dào le zhǔ fēng de shān jiǎo 。
虽然没有御器飞行，但也仅花了小半个时辰，就来到了主峰的山脚。
Although they didn't use any flying tools, it only took them a little over half an hour to reach the foot of the main peak.
lín xuān dǎ liàng le yī yǎn tóng háng zhī rén ， jū rán yǒu jìn liǎng bǎi zhī duō ， qí zhōng zì jǐ zhè yàng de sàn xiū jǐn jǐn zhàn le shǎo shù ， dà bù fèn dōu shì zōng mén huò zhě jiā zú de xiū xiān zhě 。
林轩打量了一眼同行之人，居然有近两百之多，其中自己这样的散修仅仅占了少数，大部分都是宗门或者家族的修仙者。
Lin Xuan glanced at his companions; there were nearly two hundred of them, with most being cultivators from sects or families. Only a minority were independent cultivators like himself. Moreover, more than a third of them had reached the Foundation Establishment stage.
ér qiě zhù jī qī xiū shì jū rán yǒu sān fēn zhī yī zuǒ yòu 。
而且筑基期修士居然有三分之一左右。
"Ha ha, are you here to participate in the trade fair too?" A clear voice sounded as Lin Xuan turned around and saw a young man dressed in white, about twenty years old, with a sharp gaze and an elegant demeanor—clearly from a noble family. However, his expression was slightly constrained, indicating he didn't often venture out.
“ hē hē ， xiōng tái yě shì lái cān jiā jiāo yì huì de ma ？”
“呵呵，兄台也是来参加交易会的吗？”
"Mm!"
yī qīng lǎng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， rán ér suǒ shuō de nèi róng què chún cuì shì fèi huà ， xiǎng yào dā shàn de yì si shì xiǎn lù wú yí a ！
一清朗的声音传入耳朵，然而所说的内容却纯粹是废话，想要搭讪的意思是显露无疑啊！
Lin Xuan nodded. This youth seemed to be only one or two years younger than him but had already reached the Foundation Establishment stage; this surprised Lin Xuan greatly.
lín xuān huí guò tóu ， jiù kàn jiàn yī shēn chuān bái shān de qīng nián ， dà yuē èr shí zuǒ yòu ， xīng méi lǎng mù ， yīng zī tǐng bá ， yī kàn jiù shì chū shēn shì jiā ， rán ér biǎo qíng què lüè dài zhe yì diǎn jū shù ， yīng gāi shì hěn shǎo chū mén de nà zhǒng 。
林轩回过头，就看见一身穿白衫的青年，大约二十左右，星眉朗目，英姿挺拔，一看就是出身世家，然而表情却略带着一点拘束，应该是很少出门的那种。
The reason for his surprise was simple: he himself was a special case. In the entire world, who could treat spirit pills like candy? Even descendants of old immortals couldn't do that.
“ ń ！”
“嗯！”
Without the help of medicinal power, achieving Foundation Establishment before thirty years old was possible only in rare cases—Lin Xuan knew of just a few geniuses. So, what was this person's background?
lín xuān diǎn diǎn tóu ， cǐ qīng nián kàn shàng qù bǐ zì jǐ hái xiǎo shàng yī liǎng suì de yàng zi ， kě xiū wèi jū rán yě dào le zhù jī qī ， zhè zhe shí ràng tā yǒu xiē jīng yà 。
林轩点点头，此青年看上去比自己还小上一两岁的样子，可修为居然也到了筑基期，这着实让他有些惊讶。
Although curious, Lin Xuan didn’t want to complicate matters. His goal was merely to buy the Wonders Grass; he simply nodded and said nothing.
yuán yīn wú tā ， xiàng zì jǐ zhè zhǒng shì shǔ yú tè shū qíng kuàng a ， fàng yǎn tiān xià ， shuí néng gòu jiāng líng dān dàng zuò shì táng wán ， biàn shì yuán yīng qī lǎo guài de hòu rén ， yě zuò bú dào zhè yì diǎn 。
原因无他，像自己这种是属于特殊情况啊，放眼天下，谁能够将灵丹当作是糖丸，便是元婴期老怪的后人，也做不到这一点。
"Ha ha, may I ask your name? My surname is Tian and my given name is Xiaojian. I'm an independent cultivator. Would you be willing to travel with me?"
shǎo le yào lì de bāng zhù ， xiǎng yào zài sān shí suì yǐ nèi zhù jī chéng gōng ， jù lín xuān suǒ zhī ， yě jiù zhǐ yǒu liáo liáo jǐ wèi tiān cái ér yǐ ， yǎn qián zhī rén ， jiū jìng shì hé lái lì ？
少了药力的帮助，想要在三十岁以内筑基成功，据林轩所知，也就只有寥寥几位天才而已，眼前之人，究竟是何来历？
Independent cultivators?
suī rán xīn zhōng hào qí 。 dàn lín xuān kě bù xiǎng jié wài shēng zhī 。 zì jǐ cǐ xíng shì xiǎng yào shōu gòu wàn xiàng cǎo ér yǐ 。 suǒ yǐ tā jǐn jǐn shì dàn dàn dì “ ń ” le yī shēng zhī hòu 。 jiù duì shēn hòu nà rén bù cǎi bù lǐ 。
虽然心中好奇。但林轩可不想节外生枝。自己此行是想要收购万象草而已。所以他仅仅是淡淡地“嗯”了一声之后。就对身后那人不睬不理。
Lin Xuan inwardly smirked. He didn't know if the other was pretending to be ignorant or had ulterior motives. This guy's appearance didn't match his words; even a fan in his hand wasn’t something ordinary, though Lin Xuan didn’t know its exact function, it was undoubtedly valuable.
“ hē hē 。 bù zhī xiōng tái zūn xìng dà míng 。 xiǎo dì xìng tián míng xiǎo jiàn 。 nǎi shì yī míng sàn xiū 。 xiōng tái kě yuàn yǔ wǒ jié bàn tóng háng ？”
“呵呵。不知兄台尊姓大名。小弟姓田名小剑。乃是一名散修。兄台可愿与我结伴同行？”
When did independent cultivators from Youzhou become so wealthy?
sàn xiū ？
散修？
While pondering this, Lin Xuan remained unfazed and said with a smile, "That's good. I am Lin Xuan."
lín xuān xīn zhōng lěng xiào yī shēng 。 bù zhī dào duì fāng shì gù yì zhuāng shǎ ne 。 hái shì duì zì jǐ yǒu suǒ tú móu 。 tā zhè fù dǎ bàn nǎ lǐ xiàng shì sàn xiū 。 bié dì bù shuō 。 jiù zhè xiǎo zi shǒu lǐ ná dì zhé shàn yī kàn jiù bù xiàng fán pǐn 。 suī rán lín xuān bù zhī dào jù tǐ yǒu hé gōng yòng 。 dàn kěn dìng shì jià zhí bù fēi dì bǎo wù 。
林轩心中冷笑一声。不知道对方是故意装傻呢。还是对自己有所图谋。他这副打扮哪里像是散修。别地不说。就这小子手里拿地折扇一看就不像凡品。虽然林轩不知道具体有何功用。但肯定是价值不菲地宝物。
He didn't use a false name; after all, he only knew a few people. Besides, there were many people in the world with the same names.
yōu zhōu xiū zhēn jiè dì sàn xiū 。 shén me shí hòu biàn dé rú cǐ fù yǒu ？
幽州修真界地散修。什么时候变得如此富有？
Seeing Lin Xuan agree, the youth’s face lit up: "Great! Finally, someone willing to befriend me!"
yī biān zài xīn zhōng chuǎi mó 。 biǎo miàn shàng lín xuān què sī háo bù dòng shēng sè 。 xiào dào ：“ rú cǐ shèn hǎo 。 zài xià jiào zuò lín xuān 。”
一边在心中揣摩。表面上林轩却丝毫不动声色。笑道：“如此甚好。在下叫做林轩。”
"Is that so? Didn’t you have friends before?" Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow and asked casually.
dào yě méi yǒu niē zào jiǎ míng 。 fǎn zhèng rèn shí zì jǐ de rén jiù nà me liáo liáo jǐ gè ， hé kuàng shì shàng tóng míng tóng xìng zhī rén shèn duō 。
倒也没有捏造假名。反正认识自己的人就那么寥寥几个，何况世上同名同姓之人甚多。
"Haha, I won't hide it from Brother. The few cultivators I've met were mostly my family's juniors or subordinates; they all spoke with great respect, which was quite boring."
jiàn lín xuān diǎn tóu yīng yǔn ， nà shào nián dùn shí mǎn liǎn xǐ sè ：“ tài hǎo le ， zhōng yú yǒu rén yuàn yì yǔ wǒ jié jiāo 。”
见林轩点头应允，那少年顿时满脸喜色：“太好了，终于有人愿意与我结交。”
Lin Xuan remained speechless. This guy had just claimed to be an independent cultivator but now mentioned subordinates. His words didn’t match his actions, and the lie he told was too obvious.
“ zěn me ， xiǎo gē yǐ qián nán dào méi yǒu péng yǒu ？” lín xuān méi máo yī tiāo ， zhuāng zuò bù jīng yì de dào
“怎么，小哥以前难道没有朋友？”林轩眉毛一挑，装作不经意的道
Tian Xiaojian lacked experience in dealing with people; though not stupid, when he said that, he knew it would go wrong. His face turned red as he awkwardly glanced at Lin Xuan.
“ hē hē ， bù mán dà gē ， xiǎo dì yǐ qián suǒ jiē chù de xiū shì suī rán bù shǎo ， dàn dà duō dōu shì wǒ jiā dì wǎn bèi huò zhě xià shǔ ， yí gè gè shuō huà bì gōng bì jìng de 。 shí zài shì méi qù dé jǐn 。”
“呵呵，不瞒大哥，小弟以前所接触的修士虽然不少，但大多都是我家地晚辈或者下属，一个个说话毕恭毕敬的。实在是没趣得紧。”
Afraid of losing this friend, he quickly added, "Haha, Brother don’t mind, I’m sure you’re a descendant from one of the noble families who couldn’t bear your family’s restrictions and ran away. This is something I see often; such little lies are nothing to worry about."
lín xuān wú yǔ ， zhè rén gāng cái hái shuō zì jǐ shì sàn xiū ， zhè huì er què mào chū lái shén me xià shǔ 。 qián yán bù dā hòu yǔ ， zhè huǎng yě sā dé tài làn le xiē 。
林轩无语，这人刚才还说自己是散修，这会儿却冒出来什么下属。前言不搭后语，这谎也撒得太烂了些。
"Haha, thank you, Brother! Thank you, Brother!"
tián xiǎo jiàn zhǐ shì méi yǒu shén me chǔ shì de jīng yàn ér yǐ ， rén dào yě bù bèn ， zhè jù huà yī chū kǒu ， dùn shí zhī dào yào zāo ， mǎn liǎn tōng hóng 。 shàn shàn de kàn le yī yǎn lín xuān 。
田小剑只是没有什么处事的经验而已，人倒也不笨，这句话一出口，顿时知道要糟，满脸通红。讪讪的看了一眼林轩。
Tian Xiaojian seemed relieved as he expressed his gratitude even more: "I never thought that not only do you have great cultivation but also a broad mind. You’re my friend for sure."
zì jǐ zhè yàng dāng miàn sā huǎng ， shēng pà duì fāng fú xiù ér qù ， nà me zì jǐ suǒ jié jiāo dì dì yí gè péng yǒu jiù yòu pào tāng 。
自己这样当面撒谎，生怕对方拂袖而去，那么自己所结交地第一个朋友就又泡汤。
"Speaking of cultivation, what I have is nothing compared to those around us," Lin Xuan said with a smile.
“ hē hē ， xiǎo xiōng dì bù yòng jiè yì ， xiǎng bì nǐ shì mǒu yī shì jiā zǐ dì ， shòu bù liǎo jiā lǐ guǎn shù cái pǎo chū lái de ba ， zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng ， lín mǒu jiàn dé pǒ duō ， nà diǎn xiǎo huǎng wú xū fàng zài xīn shàng 。” lín xuān què dàn dàn yī xiào 。 háo bù zài yì de shuō 。
“呵呵，小兄弟不用介意，想必你是某一世家子弟，受不了家里管束才跑出来的吧，这种情况，林某见得颇多，那点小谎无需放在心上。”林轩却淡淡一笑。毫不在意的说。
At this moment, Lin Xuan felt relieved. The youth’s mannerisms were too awkward; he didn’t seem like someone who would plot anything against him. He was just from a noble family.
“ hē hē 。 xiè xiè dà gē ， xiè xiè dà gē ！”
“呵呵。谢谢大哥，谢谢大哥！”
"Humph, what are they?" Tian Xiaojian glanced at the cultivators nearby, even regarding two pseudo-dan experts as nothing.
nà tián xiǎo jiàn què rú méng dà shè 。 duì yú lín xuān gèng shì hǎo gǎn dà zēng ：“ méi xiǎng dào dà gē bù jǐn xiū wèi gāo shēn ， lián xiōng jīn yě rú cǐ kuān guǎng ， nǐ zhè ge péng yǒu ， wǒ shì jiāo dìng le 。”
那田小剑却如蒙大赦。对于林轩更是好感大增：“没想到大哥不仅修为高深，连胸襟也如此宽广，你这个朋友，我是交定了。”
Lin Xuan's pupils narrowed. He hadn't seen that wrong. In an instant, this guy had emitted something...
“ xiū wèi ， wǒ zhè diǎn suàn shén me ， páng biān nà xiē dào yǒu ， cái yào shēn hòu dé duō 。”
“修为，我这点算什么，旁边那些道友，才要深厚得多。”
Although it quickly disappeared, Lin Xuan still caught a glimpse of it.
cǐ shí lín xuān dào yě fàng xià xīn lái le ， cǐ xiǎo zi de yán tán jǔ zhǐ dōu xiǎn de tài guò bèn zhuō ， zěn me kàn yě bù xiàng shì gōng yú xīn jì de yàng zi ， duì zì jǐ yīng gāi méi yǒu shén me è yì ， yě jiù yī shì jiā zǐ dì 。
此时林轩倒也放下心来了，此小子的言谈举止都显得太过笨拙，怎么看也不像是工于心计的样子，对自己应该没有什么恶意，也就一世家子弟。
"Why, do you think those friends are beneath us?" Lin Xuan asked calmly.
“ hēng ， nà xiē rén suàn shén me ？”
“哼，那些人算什么？”
"Of course not; I just don’t get along with them. They’re much older and are all so serious; there’s no fun in talking to them," Tian Xiaojian said dejectedly.
tián xiǎo jiàn piē le yī yǎn páng biān de xiū zhēn zhě ， jiù suàn shì liǎng wèi jiǎ dān jìng jiè de gāo shǒu ， tā jìng yě xiàng shì sī háo méi yǒu fàng zài yǎn zhōng 。
田小剑瞥了一眼旁边的修真者，就算是两位假丹境界的高手，他竟也像是丝毫没有放在眼中。
"That makes sense. But if you want to make friends, it's easy enough. Just find some cultivators of your age..."
lín xuān dì tóng kǒng wēi wēi yī suō ， zì jǐ gāng cái jué méi yǒu kàn cuò ， jiù zài nà yī shùn jiān ， zhè xiǎo zi de shēn shàng jìng fàng chū yī gǔ ……
林轩地瞳孔微微一缩，自己刚才绝没有看错，就在那一瞬间，这小子的身上竟放出一股……
"Brother, that’s not right. You must know that everything in our cultivation world depends on strength. I became a Foundation Establishment cultivator half a year ago," Tian Xiaojian said with a hint of pride.
suī rán hěn kuài jiù yǐn qù le ， dàn hái shì bèi lín xuān shōu rù yǎn zhōng 。
虽然很快就隐去了，但还是被林轩收入眼中。
"But most of my peers are still at the Spirit Activity stage; I don’t care about those things. I’m willing to lower myself, but they call me senior constantly, which makes me uncomfortable."
“ zěn me ， xiǎo gē nán dào jìng kàn bù qǐ nà xiē dào yǒu ？” lín xuān dàn dàn de dào 。
“怎么，小哥难道竟看不起那些道友？”林轩淡淡的道。
Tian Xiaojian sighed but quickly perked up: "I’ve been lucky enough to find a brother like you. We’re of similar age and have achieved Foundation Establishment. But are you really an independent cultivator? According to what I know, the cultivation stages for independents are usually low, especially someone so young," Tian Xiaojian said doubtfully.
“ zěn me huì ne ， zhǐ shì yǔ nà xiē rén huà bù tóu jī ba le ， tā men bǐ wǒ men dà dé duō ， yí gè gè lǎo qì héng qiū ， yì diǎn yì si yě méi yǒu 。” tián xiǎo jiàn biǎo qíng àn rán de dào 。
“怎么会呢，只是与那些人话不投机吧了，他们比我们大得多，一个个老气横秋，一点意思也没有。”田小剑表情黯然的道。
"I just had good luck. In my early years, I accidentally consumed a strange immortal fruit, which caused my cultivation to skyrocket. Otherwise, I would only be at the Spirit Activity stage now."
“ zhè dǎo shì ， bù guò xiǎo gē xiǎng jié jiāo péng yǒu yě bù nán a ， zhǐ yào zhǎo xiē yǔ wǒ men nián suì xiāng fǎng de xiū shì ……”
“这倒是，不过小哥想结交朋友也不难啊，只要找些与我们年岁相仿的修士……”
Lin Xuan’s explanation was perfect; after all, such legends existed in the cultivation world for thousands of years, though their authenticity couldn't be confirmed.
“ xiōng tái cǐ yán chà yǐ ， nǐ yòu bú shì bù zhī dào ， wǒ men xiū zhēn jiè shén me dōu jiǎng jiū shí lì ， xiǎo dì bù cái ， kě bàn nián qián què yě tà rù le zhù jī zhī jìng ， tián xiǎo jiàn de liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī dé yì de biǎo qíng ：” kě yǔ wǒ men tóng líng de xiū shì ， dà duō dōu hái zài líng dòng qī pái huái ， xiǎo dì dǎo shì bù jiǎng jiū zhè xiē de ， yuàn yì zhé jié xià jiāo ， kě duì fāng què yī kǒu yí gè qián bèi ， jiào dé wǒ hún shēn bù zì zài 。“
“兄台此言差矣，你又不是不知道，我们修真界什么都讲究实力，小弟不才，可半年前却也踏入了筑基之境，田小剑的脸上露出一丝得意的表情：”可与我们同龄的修士，大多都还在灵动期徘徊，小弟倒是不讲究这些的，愿意折节下交，可对方却一口一个前辈，叫得我浑身不自在。“
Tian Xiaojian's eyes sparkled with envy: "That’s amazing! I never thought you had such good luck. It must have been fate."
tián xiǎo jiàn tàn le kǒu qì ， dàn hěn kuài ， yòu shí fēn gāo xìng de tái qǐ tóu lái ：“ xiǎo dì kě shì hǎo bù róng yì ， cái yù jiàn nǐ zhè me yī wèi dà gē ， nián líng xiāng fǎng ， jiù zhù jī chéng gōng le ， bù guò xiōng tái zhēn dì shì sàn xiū me ， jù wǒ suǒ zhī ， sàn xiū de jìng jiè dōu bǐ jiào dī ， gèng bié shuō ， zhè me nián qīng ， jiù néng tà rù le zhù jī zhī jìng 。” tián xiǎo jiàn shuō dào hòu lái ， biǎo qíng yòu bǐ jiào huái yí 。
田小剑叹了口气，但很快，又十分高兴的抬起头来：“小弟可是好不容易，才遇见你这么一位大哥，年龄相仿，就筑基成功了，不过兄台真地是散修么，据我所知，散修的境界都比较低，更别说，这么年轻，就能踏入了筑基之境。”田小剑说到后来，表情又比较怀疑。
While chatting, a thick fog suddenly surged at the foot of the mountain, and nearby spiritual energy began to fluctuate wildly as if being pulled by some invisible force.
“ wǒ zhǐ shì yùn qì hǎo ér yǐ ， zài xià zǎo nián ， céng jīng jī yuán qiǎo hé de fú shí guò yī yì zhǒng xiān guǒ ， xiū wèi jiù mò míng qí miào dì kuáng zhǎng le ， fǒu zé xiàn zài kǒng pà yě jiù líng dòng qī wǔ liù céng zuǒ yòu 。”
“我只是运气好而已，在下早年，曾经机缘巧合的服食过一异种仙果，修为就莫名其妙地狂涨了，否则现在恐怕也就灵动期五六层左右。”
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow, and other cultivators whispered among themselves.
lín xuān suǒ shuō jué duì shì zuì hǎo de jiè kǒu ， fǎn zhèng xiū zhēn jiè shù wàn nián lái zǒng yǒu zhè yàng de chuán shuō ， dāng rán jù tǐ shì zhēn shì jiǎ jiù wú cóng kǎo jiū ， dàn bù shǎo xiū dào zhě què duì qí shēn xìn bù yí de 。
林轩所说绝对是最好的借口，反正修真界数万年来总有这样的传说，当然具体是真是假就无从考究，但不少修道者却对其深信不疑的。
"That’s the Tianmu Cloud Sea Split Light Array!"
tián xiǎo jiàn de yǎn zhōng yě shǎn guò yī sī xiàn mù ：“ yuán lái rú cǐ ， méi xiǎng dào dà gē hái yǒu zhè yàng hǎo de xiān fú ， nà yě shì yùn shù 。”
田小剑的眼中也闪过一丝羡慕：“原来如此，没想到大哥还有这样好的仙福，那也是运数。”
"Cloud Sea Split Light Array?" Lin Xuan turned to Tian Xiaojian: "Do you know about it?"
liǎng rén zhèng zài liáo tiān ， tū rán shān jiǎo xià dì nóng wù què jù liè de fān yǒng le qǐ lái ， ér fù jìn de líng qì ， gèng shì fǎng fú shōu dào shén me qiān yǐn yī yàng ， jù liè bō dòng bù zhǐ 。
两人正在聊天，突然山脚下地浓雾却剧烈的翻涌了起来，而附近的灵气，更是仿佛收到什么牵引一样，剧烈波动不止。
"How could I? I just heard of it by chance," Tian Xiaojian seemed lost in thought as he looked at the rolling fog. He responded both to Lin Xuan and to himself, "The Cloud Sea Split Light Array is said to have been set up thousands of years ago by the founder of the Tianmu Sect. It relies on the underground spiritual veins beneath the mountain, capable of mobilizing all the spiritual energy within a dozen miles. Its power is immense; if used properly, it could even trap an Immortal Core cultivator."
jiàn dào cǐ jǐng ， lín xuān bù yóu méi tóu yī tiāo ， páng biān de xiū shì yě dōu sān wǔ chéng qún de qiè qiè sī yǔ 。
见到此景，林轩不由眉头一挑，旁边的修士也都三五成群的窃窃私语。
"What? Trap an Immortal Core cultivator?" Lin Xuan was taken aback: "You must be mistaken. Senior Immortal Core cultivators have vast powers and can move mountains with just a flick of their wrist. How can they be trapped by such a small array?"
“ shì tiān mù shān de yún hǎi liè guāng zhèn ！”
“是天目山的云海裂光阵！”
"Haha, I didn’t make any mistake. I assume you are diligent in your cultivation and know little about the outside world," Tian Xiaojian regained his composure: "I don’t have many hobbies, but I love collecting strange stories and reading books. I know quite a bit about famous sects and families. You must be aware that every major sect or family sets up protective arrays at their main headquarters."
“ yún hǎi liè guāng zhèn ？” lín xuān zhuǎn guò tóu ， kàn le yī yǎn tián xiǎo jiàn ：“ xiǎo gē nán dào rèn shí ？”
“云海裂光阵？”林轩转过头，看了一眼田小剑：“小哥难道认识？”
Lin Xuan nodded; he had studied array techniques extensively. There were two types of arrays: those for individual cultivators, which could trap enemies or protect dwellings, requiring only one person to operate them. These were simpler and less powerful but more convenient.
“ zěn me kě néng ne ， wǒ jǐn jǐn còu qiǎo shì tīng shuō guò ér yǐ 。” wàng zhuó yǎn qián gǔn gǔn de wù qì ， tián xiǎo jiàn jìng xiǎn de yǒu xiē shī shén ， jì xiàng shì zài huí dá lín xuān de wèn huà ， yòu xiàng shì zài nán nán zì yǔ ；“ zhè yún hǎi liè guāng zhèn ， chuán shuō shì shù qiān nián qián ， tiān mù pài kāi shān zǔ shī suǒ bù zhì de jìn fǎ ， cǐ zhèn yī tuō shān jiǎo dì dǐ xià dì líng mài ， néng gòu jiāng fāng yuán jǐ shí lǐ nèi dì de líng qì quán dōu diào dòng qǐ lái ， wēi lì wú bǐ ， rú guǒ yùn yòng dé dàng ， shèn zhì néng gòu kùn zhù yuán yīng qī xiū shì ？”
“怎么可能呢，我仅仅凑巧是听说过而已。”望着眼前滚滚的雾气，田小剑竟显得有些失神，既像是在回答林轩的问话，又像是在喃喃自语；“这云海裂光阵，传说是数千年前，天目派开山祖师所布置的禁法，此阵依托山脚地底下地灵脉，能够将方圆几十里内地的灵气全都调动起来，威力无比，如果运用得当，甚至能够困住元婴期修士？”
The other type was complex, often needing dozens or even hundreds of people to activate. While powerful, these arrays couldn’t be dismantled once set up—a feature similar to simplified array talismans. However, their power paled in comparison.
“ shén me ， kùn zhù yuán yīng qī xiū shì ？” lín xuān bù yóu de sǒng rán dòng róng ：“ xiǎo gē pà shì nòng cuò le ba ， yuán yīng qī qián bèi shén tōng guǎng dà ， jǔ shǒu tóu zú jiān jiù néng yí shān tián hǎi ， qǐ néng shòu kùn yǔ yī zuò xiǎo xiǎo dì zhèn fǎ ？”
“什么，困住元婴期修士？”林轩不由得耸然动容：“小哥怕是弄错了吧，元婴期前辈神通广大，举手投足间就能移山填海，岂能受困与一座小小地阵法？”
Given this characteristic, such arrays were typically used as protective barriers for sects and families’ main headquarters. Once a sect decided its location, it wouldn't move unless there was an extreme reason. Thus, the inability to dismantle these arrays became irrelevant.
“ hē hē ， wǒ kě méi yǒu nòng cuò ， xiǎng bì dà gē xiū liàn kè kǔ ， duì yú wài jiè de shì qíng liǎo jiě bù duō 。” tián xiǎo jiàn yòu huī fù le cháng sè ：“ xiǎo dì bié de ài hào méi yǒu ， què shì hěn xǐ huān sōu luó qí wén yì shì ， yǐ jí kàn shū ， duì yú gè mén gè pài chū míng de dōng xī ， dào yě dōu duō shǎo zhī dào yì diǎn ， xiǎng bì dà gē yě zhī dào ， měi yí gè mén pài ， shèn zhì guī mó shāo dà diǎn de xiū zhēn jiā zú ， dū huì zài qí zǒng tán shè xià hù pài dà zhèn 。”
“呵呵，我可没有弄错，想必大哥修炼刻苦，对于外界的事情了解不多。”田小剑又恢复了常色：“小弟别的爱好没有，却是很喜欢搜罗奇闻异事，以及看书，对于各门各派出名的东西，倒也都多少知道一点，想必大哥也知道，每一个门派，甚至规模稍大点的修真家族，都会在其总坛设下护派大阵。”
Although array techniques were rare, more so than alchemists, a powerful sect could spend centuries and vast resources to find and set up a good protective array for their main entrance.
lín xuān diǎn le diǎn tóu ， duì yú zhèn fǎ ， tā hái shì xià guò yī fān gōng fu liǎo jiě de ， zhèn fǎ fēn wéi liǎng lèi ， yī lèi shì gěi zì jǐ zhè zhǒng dān gè de xiū zhēn zhě shǐ yòng ， kùn dí ， huò zhě shì bǎo hù dòng fǔ ， zhǐ yào yǒu zhèn pán ， yí gè rén jiù kě yǐ cāo zòng ， xiāng duì lái shuō ， zhè zhǒng zhèn fǎ jiào wéi jiǎn dān ， wēi lì yě shāo ruò ， dàn yōu diǎn yě hěn míng xiǎn ， nà jiù shì shǐ yòng fāng biàn 。
林轩点了点头，对于阵法，他还是下过一番功夫了解的，阵法分为两类，一类是给自己这种单个的修真者使用，困敌，或者是保护洞府，只要有阵盘，一个人就可以操纵，相对来说，这种阵法较为简单，威力也稍弱，但优点也很明显，那就是使用方便。
Moreover, the stronger the sect, the more formidable its protective array would be.
The next morning, Lin Xuan got up early and set off with other outsiders under the guidance of the "Xian Keli" shopkeeper. They headed straight for Tianmu Mountain.
Although they didn't use any flying tools, it only took them a little over half an hour to reach the foot of the main peak.
Lin Xuan glanced at his companions; there were nearly two hundred of them, with most being cultivators from sects or families. Only a minority were independent cultivators like himself. Moreover, more than a third of them had reached the Foundation Establishment stage.
"Ha ha, are you here to participate in the trade fair too?" A clear voice sounded as Lin Xuan turned around and saw a young man dressed in white, about twenty years old, with a sharp gaze and an elegant demeanor—clearly from a noble family. However, his expression was slightly constrained, indicating he didn't often venture out.
"Mm!"
Lin Xuan nodded. This youth seemed to be only one or two years younger than him but had already reached the Foundation Establishment stage; this surprised Lin Xuan greatly.
The reason for his surprise was simple: he himself was a special case. In the entire world, who could treat spirit pills like candy? Even descendants of old immortals couldn't do that.
Without the help of medicinal power, achieving Foundation Establishment before thirty years old was possible only in rare cases—Lin Xuan knew of just a few geniuses. So, what was this person's background?
Although curious, Lin Xuan didn’t want to complicate matters. His goal was merely to buy the Wonders Grass; he simply nodded and said nothing.
"Ha ha, may I ask your name? My surname is Tian and my given name is Xiaojian. I'm an independent cultivator. Would you be willing to travel with me?"
Independent cultivators?
Lin Xuan inwardly smirked. He didn't know if the other was pretending to be ignorant or had ulterior motives. This guy's appearance didn't match his words; even a fan in his hand wasn’t something ordinary, though Lin Xuan didn’t know its exact function, it was undoubtedly valuable.
When did independent cultivators from Youzhou become so wealthy?
While pondering this, Lin Xuan remained unfazed and said with a smile, "That's good. I am Lin Xuan."
He didn't use a false name; after all, he only knew a few people. Besides, there were many people in the world with the same names.
Seeing Lin Xuan agree, the youth’s face lit up: "Great! Finally, someone willing to befriend me!"
"Is that so? Didn’t you have friends before?" Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow and asked casually.
"Haha, I won't hide it from Brother. The few cultivators I've met were mostly my family's juniors or subordinates; they all spoke with great respect, which was quite boring."
Lin Xuan remained speechless. This guy had just claimed to be an independent cultivator but now mentioned subordinates. His words didn’t match his actions, and the lie he told was too obvious.
Tian Xiaojian lacked experience in dealing with people; though not stupid, when he said that, he knew it would go wrong. His face turned red as he awkwardly glanced at Lin Xuan.
Afraid of losing this friend, he quickly added, "Haha, Brother don’t mind, I’m sure you’re a descendant from one of the noble families who couldn’t bear your family’s restrictions and ran away. This is something I see often; such little lies are nothing to worry about."
"Haha, thank you, Brother! Thank you, Brother!"
Tian Xiaojian seemed relieved as he expressed his gratitude even more: "I never thought that not only do you have great cultivation but also a broad mind. You’re my friend for sure."
"Speaking of cultivation, what I have is nothing compared to those around us," Lin Xuan said with a smile.
At this moment, Lin Xuan felt relieved. The youth’s mannerisms were too awkward; he didn’t seem like someone who would plot anything against him. He was just from a noble family.
"Humph, what are they?" Tian Xiaojian glanced at the cultivators nearby, even regarding two pseudo-dan experts as nothing.
Lin Xuan's pupils narrowed. He hadn't seen that wrong. In an instant, this guy had emitted something...
Although it quickly disappeared, Lin Xuan still caught a glimpse of it.
"Why, do you think those friends are beneath us?" Lin Xuan asked calmly.
"Of course not; I just don’t get along with them. They’re much older and are all so serious; there’s no fun in talking to them," Tian Xiaojian said dejectedly.
"That makes sense. But if you want to make friends, it's easy enough. Just find some cultivators of your age..."
"Brother, that’s not right. You must know that everything in our cultivation world depends on strength. I became a Foundation Establishment cultivator half a year ago," Tian Xiaojian said with a hint of pride.
"But most of my peers are still at the Spirit Activity stage; I don’t care about those things. I’m willing to lower myself, but they call me senior constantly, which makes me uncomfortable."
Tian Xiaojian sighed but quickly perked up: "I’ve been lucky enough to find a brother like you. We’re of similar age and have achieved Foundation Establishment. But are you really an independent cultivator? According to what I know, the cultivation stages for independents are usually low, especially someone so young," Tian Xiaojian said doubtfully.
"I just had good luck. In my early years, I accidentally consumed a strange immortal fruit, which caused my cultivation to skyrocket. Otherwise, I would only be at the Spirit Activity stage now."
Lin Xuan’s explanation was perfect; after all, such legends existed in the cultivation world for thousands of years, though their authenticity couldn't be confirmed.
Tian Xiaojian's eyes sparkled with envy: "That’s amazing! I never thought you had such good luck. It must have been fate."
While chatting, a thick fog suddenly surged at the foot of the mountain, and nearby spiritual energy began to fluctuate wildly as if being pulled by some invisible force.
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow, and other cultivators whispered among themselves.
"That’s the Tianmu Cloud Sea Split Light Array!"
"Cloud Sea Split Light Array?" Lin Xuan turned to Tian Xiaojian: "Do you know about it?"
"How could I? I just heard of it by chance," Tian Xiaojian seemed lost in thought as he looked at the rolling fog. He responded both to Lin Xuan and to himself, "The Cloud Sea Split Light Array is said to have been set up thousands of years ago by the founder of the Tianmu Sect. It relies on the underground spiritual veins beneath the mountain, capable of mobilizing all the spiritual energy within a dozen miles. Its power is immense; if used properly, it could even trap an Immortal Core cultivator."
"What? Trap an Immortal Core cultivator?" Lin Xuan was taken aback: "You must be mistaken. Senior Immortal Core cultivators have vast powers and can move mountains with just a flick of their wrist. How can they be trapped by such a small array?"
"Haha, I didn’t make any mistake. I assume you are diligent in your cultivation and know little about the outside world," Tian Xiaojian regained his composure: "I don’t have many hobbies, but I love collecting strange stories and reading books. I know quite a bit about famous sects and families. You must be aware that every major sect or family sets up protective arrays at their main headquarters."
Lin Xuan nodded; he had studied array techniques extensively. There were two types of arrays: those for individual cultivators, which could trap enemies or protect dwellings, requiring only one person to operate them. These were simpler and less powerful but more convenient.
The other type was complex, often needing dozens or even hundreds of people to activate. While powerful, these arrays couldn’t be dismantled once set up—a feature similar to simplified array talismans. However, their power paled in comparison.
Given this characteristic, such arrays were typically used as protective barriers for sects and families’ main headquarters. Once a sect decided its location, it wouldn't move unless there was an extreme reason. Thus, the inability to dismantle these arrays became irrelevant.
Although array techniques were rare, more so than alchemists, a powerful sect could spend centuries and vast resources to find and set up a good protective array for their main entrance.
Moreover, the stronger the sect, the more formidable its protective array would be.