ér zhè yī qiè ， lín xuān bìng bù xiǎo de ， mǎi dào le chèn shǒu de bǎo wù ， tā méi yǒu zài fāng shì zhōng duō zuò dān gē ， zhí jiē jiù huí dào kè zhàn lǐ le 。
而这一切，林轩并不晓得，买到了趁手的宝物，他没有在坊市中多做耽搁，直接就回到客栈里了。
And all of this was unknown to Lin Xuan. After purchasing a suitable treasure, he did not linger in the market but returned directly to his inn.
yǎn qián de yuàn luò yī jiù bèi mí wù bāo guǒ ， lín xuān xiù páo yī fú ， jiāng yī bā zhǎng dà xiǎo de zhèn pán qǔ chū ， qīng qīng yī yáng ， yī dào fǎ jué dǎ zài qí shàng 。
眼前的院落依旧被mí雾包裹，林轩袖袍一拂，将一巴掌大小的阵盘取出，轻轻一扬，一道法诀打在其上。
The courtyard before him was still shrouded in mists. With a wave of his sleeve, Lin Xuan took out an array disk about the size of a palm and cast a spell on it with a flick of his fingers.
zhèn pán shàng guāng yūn yī shǎn ， suí hòu nà mí wù jiù zì rán ér rán de sàn kāi ，lù chū yī tiáo kě gōng yī rén chuān xíng de tōng dào lái ， lín xuān mài bù zǒu rù le lǐ miàn 。
阵盘上光晕一闪，随后那mí雾就自然而然的散开，lù出一条可供一人穿行的通道来，林轩迈步走入了里面。
A glow emanated from the array disk, and soon the mists naturally dispersed, revealing a path wide enough for one person to pass through. Lin Xuan stepped into it.
tíng tái lóu gé ， jiǎ shān pù bù ， jǐng wù yǔ zì jǐ chū lái shí xiāng tóng ， xiǎn rán bù céng yǒu xiū shì lái guò cǐ chù ， bì jìng lín xuān zì jǐ bù zhì yǒu yī tào zhèn fǎ lái zhe ， wài rén hěn nán yǒu jī huì chuǎng guǎng 、。
亭台楼阁，假山瀑布，景物与自己出来时相同，显然不曾有修士来过此处，毕竟林轩自己布置有一套阵法来着，外人很难有机会闯广、。
The pavilions and terraces, as well as the artificial mountains and waterfalls, were identical to what he had left. Clearly, no cultivators had been here recently; after all, Lin Xuan himself had set up an array of defenses, making it difficult for outsiders to intrude.
lín xuān méi yǒu xiū xī ， zhí jiē lái dào le liàn gōng fáng lǐ 。
林轩没有休息，直接来到了练功房里。
Lin Xuan did not rest but went straight into the training room.
lüè yī chí yí ， yòu zài zhōu wéi bù zhì le jǐ dào jìn zhì 。
略一迟疑，又在周围布置了几道禁制。
After a moment's hesitation, he set up several more restrictions around him.
suí hòu shēn chū shǒu lái ， zài yāo jiān yī pāi ， gāng gāng mǎi zì bǎi duàn fāng de jǐ jiàn bǎo wù jiù bèi qǔ le chū lái 。
随后伸出手来，在腰间一拍，刚刚买自百锻坊的几件宝物就被取了出来。
Then, reaching out his hand and patting his waist, he retrieved the few treasures he had just bought from the Hundred Refinement Workshop.
qí tā sān jiàn dōng xī dào yě bà le ， suī rán fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， rán ér yě zhǐ néng suàn shì jiào wéi xī hǎn de bǎo wù ， kě nà tiān guǐ chá ”，…
其他三件东西倒也罢了，虽然非同小可，然而也只能算是较为稀罕的宝物，可那天鬼茶”，…
The other three items were unremarkable, but Lin Xuan was curious about the ghostly general’s staff. He began to search through the vast collection of books in his possession, which numbered over a thousand volumes.
lín xuān zì tà rù xiū xiān jiè yǐ lái ， jīng shǒu guò de bǎo wù bù jì qí shù ， yǎn guāng kěn dìng shì yǒu de 。
林轩自踏入修仙界以来，经手过的宝物不计其数，眼光肯定是有的。
If a commoner tried to read all these books without eating or sleeping for years, it would be impossible. But as a cultivator, he could use his divine sense to read them much faster than a mortal. A glance at one hundred lines was nothing; he could see clearly and efficiently.
yǎn qián de zhè bǐng duǎn fǔ ， jiù suàn shì ná dào mì shì pāi mài huì zhōng ， yě néng zuò wéi lì zhóu de bǎo wù ， zěn me kě néng liú luò dào fāng shì zhōng ne ？
眼前的这柄短斧，就算是拿到秘市拍卖会中，也能作为历轴的宝物，怎么可能流落到坊市中呢？
Thus, although the number of volumes seemed daunting, Lin Xuan found that with his abilities, he did not need much effort.
jiù suàn jī yuán qiǎo hé ， míng zhū méng chén diào le ， nà bǎi duàn fāng kě shì zhuān mén zuò bǎo wù shēng yì de ， zhǎng guì zěn me kě néng bù shí huò ？
就算机缘巧合，明珠méng尘掉了，那百锻坊可是专门做宝物生意的，掌柜怎么可能不识货？
He began to search through the books for any information related to the ghostly general.
gèng guǐ yì de shì ， sì jiàn bǎo wù ， duì fāng yǐ rú cǐ dī lián de jià gé mài gěi zì jǐ 。
更诡异的是，四件宝物，对方以如此低廉的价格卖给自己。
After some time, Lin Xuan felt that this method was unnecessary. Why bother searching specifically when he could simply read all the books?
èr bǎi wǔ shí wàn mó shí ……， hēi hēi ， nà jiǎn zhí yǔ bái sòng yě méi yǒu duō dà de qū bié le 。
二百五十万魔石……，嘿嘿，那简直与白送也没有多大的区别了。
Since he wasn’t reading them now, he might as well do so later. So over the next few days, Lin Xuan spent his time immersing his divine sense into the Jade Pupil Scroll and absorbing knowledge about the ghostly realm.
lín xuān yě zhù yì guān chá guò ， duì fāng zhī suǒ yǐ zhè me zuò ， sì hū yě shì hài pà zì jǐ bú yào zhè sì jiàn bǎo wù ， lín xuān chá yán guān sè de běn lǐng shì yī děng yī de ， tā kě yǐ kěn dìng ， qí tā sān jiàn bǎo wù ， dōu bù guò shì péi chèn bà le ， duì fāng zhēn zhèng hài pà zì jǐ bú yào tiān guǐ fǔ 。
林轩也注意观察过，对方之所以这么做，似乎也是害怕自己不要这四件宝物，林轩察言观sè的本领是一等一的，他可以肯定，其他三件宝物，都不过是陪衬罢了，对方真正害怕自己不要天鬼斧。
This process lasted several days.
ruò shì cì pǐn bǎo wù ， duì fāng hài pà mài bù diào ， nà hái suàn zhèng cháng ， kě yǎn qián de ， míng míng shì yī bù dé le de fǎ bǎo ， duì fāng hái yǒu zhè zhǒng xīn tài ， jiù rě rén shēng yí le 。
若是次品宝物，对方害怕卖不掉，那还算正常，可眼前的，明明是一不得了的法宝，对方还有这种心态，就惹人生疑了。
To be honest, it was extremely boring, and after a while, reading the same content repeatedly would lead to fatigue.
lín xuān bù shǎ ， wú shì xiàn yīn qíng fēi jiān jí dào a ！
林轩不傻，无事献殷情非jiān即盗啊！
But Lin Xuan remained undisturbed. Compared to sitting in seclusion for a hundred years, this task was trivial.
duì fāng zhè me zuò ， kěn dìng shì yǒu lǐ yóu ， nán dào yǎn qián de tiān guǐ fǔ ， huì dài lái shén me zāi huò ？
对方这么做，肯定是有理由，难道眼前的天鬼斧，会带来什么灾祸？
One day, Lin Xuan finally lifted his head from his seat.
nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou zhuǎn guò ， lín xuān jiāng shēn chū qù de shǒu yòu chóng xīn suō huí lái le 。
脑海中念头转过，林轩将伸出去的手又重新缩回来了。
"Phew."
suī rán tā duì zì jǐ de shí lì xìn xīn shí zú ， dàn yě yuǎn hái méi yǒu dào wàng zì zūn dà de dì bù ， sú huà shuō ， xiǎo xīn wú dà cuò ， fán shì hái shì duō liú yí gè xīn yǎn zài shuō 。
虽然他对自己的实力信心十足，但也远还没有到妄自尊大的地步，俗话说，小心无大错，凡事还是多留一个心眼再说。
He took a deep breath as he finished reading what seemed like a mountain of books.
tiān guǐ fǔ ， duì fāng céng shuō ， zhè shì shù wàn nián qián ， zòng héng mó jiè de tiān guǐ shàng rén suǒ yòng bǎo wù ， zhè ge xiāo xī ， yīng gāi bú huì yǒu jiǎ ， nà zhuī běn sù yuán ， xiān chá yī xià zhè tiān guǐ shàng rén shì hé xǔ rén tiě dìng méi cuò a ！
天鬼斧，对方曾说，这是数万年前，纵横魔界的天鬼上人所用宝物，这个消息，应该不会有假，那追本溯源，先查一下这天鬼上人是何许人铁定没错啊！
Unlike the explanation by Elder Supreme, Lin Xuan now had a clearer understanding of the ghostly realm. While reading ten thousand volumes might not be equivalent to traveling ten thousand miles, it was undoubtedly an efficient way to gain knowledge.
xiǎng dào jiù zuò ， lín xuān xiù páo yī fú ， qīng guāng shǎn shuò ， yòu shì yí gè chǔ wù dài fēi lüè ér chū ， kàn shàng qù zhàng gǔ gǔ ， bú yòng shuō ， lǐ miàn jiù shì dé zì bǎi juǎn lóu de gè zhǒng zhēn guì diǎn jí le 。
想到就做，林轩袖袍一拂，青光闪烁，又是一个储物袋飞掠而出，看上去胀鼓鼓，不用说，里面就是得自百卷楼的各种珍贵典籍了。
"Ghostly General... What a reputation."
gòng qiān yú juǎn zhī duō 。
共千余卷之多。
Lin Xuan turned his head and looked at the short staff beside him. His voice was barely audible as he spoke to himself.
rú guǒ huàn chéng fán rén ， jiù suàn bù chī bù hē ， tóng shí jiāng shuì jiào yě shěng le ， méi gè shí nián bā nián yě xiū xiǎng yuè dú wán zhè me duō diǎn jí de 。
如果换成凡人，就算不吃不喝，同时将睡觉也省了，没个十年八年也休想阅读完这么多典籍的。
This ghostly general had been a formidable figure in his prime, known for his cunning and power. It was said that he had killed more than ten high-ranking magicians of the spirit realm, but somehow offended an ancient ancestor, leading to his downfall. The ghostly staff was his original divine treasure!
rán ér xiū xiān zhě yòu zì bù tóng ， tā men kàn shū ， shì yòng shén shí yuè dú ， nà sù dù ， yǔ fán rén shì méi yǒu bàn fǎ bǐ le …… kuài le bú shì yī chóu liǎng chóu ， nà zhǒng bǐ jiào ， gēn běn jiù bù yīng gāi shì yí gè céng miàn de 。
然而修仙者又自不同，他们看书，是用神识阅读，那速度，与凡人是没有办法比了……快了不是一筹两筹，那种比较，根本就不应该是一个层面的。
Despite understanding the ghostly general’s life story, it did not help much with the current problem. Lin Xuan still didn’t know what secrets lay within the ghostly staff or why the owner of the Hundred Refinement Workshop had been willing to lose money just to get rid of it.
xiū xiān zhě yuè dú ， yīn wèi yǒu shén shí fǔ zhù ， bié shuō yī mù shí háng le ， jiù suàn bǎi xíng ， qiān xíng yě méi yǒu shén me wéi nán zhī chù ， ér qiě hái néng gòu kàn de qīng qīng chǔ chǔ 。
修仙者阅读，因为有神识辅助，别说一目十行了，就算百行，千行也没有什么为难之处，而且还能够看得清清楚楚。
This was a strange situation. If this item truly brought ill fortune, he could simply discard it somewhere; there was no need to give away three other treasures for it.
suǒ yǐ qiān yú juǎn diǎn jí ， shù liàng kàn zhe shì hài rén le yī xiē ， dàn yǐ lín xuān de néng lì ， qí shí shì huā fèi bù liǎo duō shǎo gōng fu dì 。
所以千余卷典籍，数量看着是骇人了一些，但以林轩的能力，其实是花费不了多少功夫地。
Lin Xuan was well-traveled and astute, but he found himself puzzled by the matter.
lín xuān kāi shǐ shuān suǒ ， cóng lǐ miàn xún zhǎo yǔ bǎi guǐ shàng rén yǒu guān de dōng xī 。
林轩开始栓索，从里面寻找与百鬼上人有关的东西。
Should he visit the Hundred Refinement Workshop and use soul-searching techniques on the owner...?
guò le piàn kè ， lín xuān jué de zhè me zuò shì wán quán méi yǒu bì yào de ， hé bì zhuān mén xún zhǎo ne ， jiāng zhè xiē diǎn jí tōng dú yī biàn ， bù jiù jiě jué wèn tí 。
过了片刻，林轩觉得这么做是完全没有必要的，何必专门寻找呢，将这些典籍通读一遍，不就解决问题。
This would be the most straightforward approach. He could easily uncover any hidden schemes or tricks from the other party. However, after considering it, Lin Xuan decided against it.
fǎn zhèng xiàn zài bù dú ， yǐ hòu yě huì huā gōng fu ， nà hái bù rú yī cì jiù jiě jué wèn tí ， jiāng zhè xiē diǎn jí kàn wán le shì 。
反正现在不读，以后也会花功夫，那还不如一次就解决问题，将这些典籍看完了事。
Firstly, causing trouble in the market was a serious offense. Moreover, he did not know the strength of the Hundred Refinement Workshop. From what they had sold, their treasures were undoubtedly powerful. For now, Lin Xuan preferred to avoid unnecessary complications.
yú shì jiē xià lái de shù rì ， lín xuān shén me yě méi zuò ， jiù shì bù tíng de jiāng shén shí chén rù dào yù tóng jiǎn lǐ ， pīn mìng jí qǔ yǔ mó jiè yǒu guān de gè zhǒng zhī shí 。
于是接下来的数日，林轩什么也没做，就是不停的将神识沉入到玉瞳简里，拼命汲取与魔界有关的各种知识。
Even if he did this and solved the current problem, new troubles might arise. Therefore, it would be unwise.
zhè yī kàn jiù shì shù rì 。
这一看就是数日。
After weighing his options, Lin Xuan decided on a more direct approach. He was determined, so he reached out towards the ghostly staff without hesitation.
píng xīn lái shuō ， wú liáo yǐ jí ， qiān yú juǎn diǎn jí ， kàn dào hòu miàn dāng rán shì huì yǒu shěn měi pí láo dì 。
平心来说，无聊以极，千余卷典籍，看到后面当然是会有审美疲劳地。
Without any surprise, Lin Xuan grabbed the treasure in his hand. Upon closer inspection, the surface of the staff shimmered with a colorful glow, and black energy coiled around it. A small amount of magical energy injected into it revealed faint runes that appeared like grains of rice. At its handle, there was an etched ghost face, which seemed almost lifelike.
rán ér lín xuān què miàn bù gǎi sè， zhè yǔ dǎ zuò bì guān shàng bǎi nián xiāng bǐ ， qí kū zào chéng dù gēn běn jiù bù zhí yī tí 。
然而林轩却面不改sè，这与打坐闭关上百年相比，其枯燥程度根本就不值一提。
It looked exactly as he had seen in the shop. Lin Xuan intended to test it further but suddenly, something unexpected happened.
zhè tiān ， yì zhí kū zuò bù dòng de lín xuān zhōng yú tái qǐ tóu lú 。
这天，一直枯坐不动的林轩终于抬起头颅。
A loud bang echoed through his ears, and a burst of energy shot out from the staff’s surface, forming a black light that sped away.
“ hū 。”
“呼。”
The speed was incredible; normally, such close proximity would leave no time for him to dodge. However, Lin Xuan showed no signs of alarm as he smiled faintly.
tā cháng cháng de chū le kǒu qì ， zhè duī jī shì xiǎo shān de diǎn jí ， zhōng yú yuè dú wán bì 。
他长长的出了口气，这堆积似小山的典籍，终于阅读完毕。
Possession!
yǔ tài shàng zhǎng lǎo de jiǎng jiě bù tóng ， lín xuān rú jīn duì yú mó jiè ， shì zhēn de yǒu le yí gè dà gài de liǎo jiě ， suī shuō dú wàn juàn shū ， bù rú xíng wàn lǐ lù ， dàn bù kě fǒu rèn de ， kàn shū zēng zhǎng zhī shí ， wú yí shì sù dù zuì kuài de 。
与太上长老的讲解不同，林轩如今对于魔界，是真的有了一个大概的了解，虽说读万卷书，不如行万里路，但不可否认的，看书增长知识，无疑是速度最快的。
Lin Xuan had anticipated this situation. A mere treasure could not harm people, right? Mortals might believe in ghost stories, but Lin Xuan was a cultivator; if there were any malevolent spirits, he would simply use his divine abilities to subdue them.
“ tiān guǐ shàng rén ， hēi ， hái zhēn shì hǎo dà de míng qì 。”
“天鬼上人，嘿，还真是好大的名气。”
The ghostly staff was just an object, and its original owner was the only one who might pose a threat. Even though the books said he had died, killed by some ancient ancestor, countless wonders existed in this world; it wasn’t impossible that he had escaped death.
lín xuān zhuǎn guò tóu lú ， kàn le yī yǎn páng biān de duǎn fǔ ， nán nán zì yǔ de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
林轩转过头颅，看了一眼旁边的短斧，喃喃自语的声音传入耳朵。
Although such chances were rare, Lin Xuan assumed this possibility.
zhè shàng qiān juǎn diǎn jí zhōng ， bù zhǐ yī cì de tí guò zhè wèi xiǎn hè yī shí de mó zú ， zài tā dǐng shèng zhī shí ， kě yǐ shuō shì zòng héng bǎi hé ， jù shuō ， fēn shén jí bié de mó zūn ， sǐ zài tā shǒu zhōng de jiù yǒu shí jǐ gè ， hòu lái bù zhī zěn me de ， dé zuì le yī wèi gǔ mó shèng zǔ ， zhè cái zhāo huò yǔn luò 。 ér tiān guǐ fǔ ， jiù shì tā xī rì de běn mìng bǎo wù ！
这上千卷典籍中，不止一次的提过这位显赫一时的魔族，在他鼎盛之时，可以说是纵横捭阖，据说，分神级别的魔尊，死在他手中的就有十几个，后来不知怎么的，得罪了一位古魔圣祖，这才招祸陨落。而天鬼斧，就是他昔日的本命宝物！
The remnants of his soul attempted to possess him...
liǎo jiě le tiān guǐ shàng rén de shēng píng shì jì ， rán ér duì yú jiě jué yǎn qián de nán tí ， yī jiù méi yǒu tài dà de bāng zhù ， lín xuān yī jiù bù xiǎo de ， zhè tiān guǐ fǔ zhōng ， jiū jìng yùn hán zhe shén me ， wèi hé nà bǎi duàn fāng de zhǎng guì ， qíng yuàn kuī běn yě yào jí yú tuō shǒu ne ？
了解了天鬼上人的生平事迹，然而对于解决眼前的难题，依旧没有太大的帮助，林轩依旧不晓得，这天鬼斧中，究竟蕴含着什么，为何那百锻坊的掌柜，情愿亏本也要急于脱手呢？
Much to his surprise, his prediction was correct. Since he was prepared, he could not be caught off guard. The black light moved swiftly but lacked the element of surprise. Lin Xuan had been ready for it and used Nine Heaven Micro Steps to vanish from his spot, retreating to the door.
zhēn shì guài shì ， rú guǒ zhè dōng xī ， zhēn shì shén me bù xiáng zhī wù ， tā suí biàn zhǎo yí gè dì diǎn rēng diào hái bù xíng me ， gàn má wèi le zhè tiān guǐ fǔ ， jī hū shì bái sòng bān de lìng dā shàng sān jiàn bǎo wù 。
真是怪事，如果这东西，真是什么不祥之物，他随便找一个地点扔掉还不行么，干嘛为了这天鬼斧，几乎是白送般的另搭上三件宝物。
The black light missed its target and crashed into the ceiling before stopping.
lín xuān jiàn shí guǎng bó ， rén yě cōng míng jī jǐng dào jí chù ， rán ér zhè jiàn shì qíng ， hái zhēn shì bǎi sī bù dé qí jiě de 。
林轩见识广博，人也聪明机警到极处，然而这件事情，还真是百思不得其解的。
Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes as he looked in that direction.
yào bù yào qù bǎi duàn fāng yī tàng ， jiāng nà zhǎng guì zhuā zhù ， shī zhǎn sōu hún zhī shù ……。
要不要去百锻坊一趟，将那掌柜抓住，施展搜hún之术……。
An angry roar echoed through the air.
zhè yàng zuò ， dāng rán shì zuì wěn tuǒ de ， duì fāng yǒu shén me yīn móu guǐ jì ， nà yě jiù yī mù liǎo rán le ， rán ér lín xuān xiǎng le xiǎng ， què jiāng zhè ge niàn tou fǒu le 。
这样做，当然是最稳妥的，对方有什么yīn谋诡计，那也就一目了然了，然而林轩想了想，却将这个念头否了。
Then, the black light dispersed, revealing a mass of ghostly mists. Slowly, these mists coalesced into a face. While it could be called a ghost face, the features were those of an elderly man with youthful hair, though his expression was fierce and menacing.
qiě bù shuō zài fāng shì zhōng nào shì shì dà jì ， ér qiě nà bǎi duàn fāng shí lì jiū jìng rú hé ， zì jǐ yě bìng bù qīng chǔ ， bù guò cóng qí chū 「 qǐ háng mǎo shuǐ yìn 」 shòu de jǐ jiàn bǎo wù ， xiǎng bì fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， zǒng zhī chū lín guì jiè ， zài méi yǒu jué duì de bǎ wò yǐ qián ， lín xuān shì bù xiǎng jié wài shēng zhī de 。
且不说在坊市中闹事是大忌，而且那百锻坊实力究竟如何，自己也并不清楚，不过从其出「启航冇水印」售的几件宝物，想必非同小可，总之初临贵界，在没有绝对的把握以前，林轩是不想节外生枝的。
"How did you manage to avoid my possession? Huh, you are not at the Yuan婴 stage; you’re only at the Dantian Profound中期...," the old man’s gaze swept over Lin Xuan, and he instantly recognized his cultivation level.
jiù suàn nà yàng zuò ， néng jiāng yǎn qián de wèn tí nòng qīng chǔ ， dàn xīn de má fán ， shuō bù dìng yòu jiē jù ér zhì le ， zǒng zhī shì dé bù cháng shī de 。
就算那样做，能将眼前的问题弄清楚，但新的麻烦，说不定又接距而至了，总之是得不偿失的。
Lin Xuan was taken aback. Although he had not used the Heaven Demon Transformation technique, his concealment techniques were still quite advanced.
quán héng lì bì ， lín xuān jué de hái shì yòng bǐ jiào zhí jiē de fāng 「 qǐ háng mǎo shuǐ yìn 」 fǎ jiě jué yǎn qián de nán tí ， wèi shǒu wèi wěi méi yǒu yì yì ， bù guǎn rú hé ， zhè tiān guǐ fǔ zhǐ shì yī jiàn sǐ wù ， jiù suàn tā de zhǔ rén zài fēng guāng ， nà yě shì wàn nián yǐ qián de shì le ， shì yì shí yí ， rú jīn yě zǎo yǐ yān xiāo yún qù 。
权衡利弊，林轩觉得还是用比较直接的方「启航冇水印」法解决眼前的难题，畏首畏尾没有意义，不管如何，这天鬼斧只是一件死物，就算他的主人再风光，那也是万年以前的事了，事易时移，如今也早已烟消云去。
Indeed, a name begets its worth; even with just a broken soul fragment, this person could recognize his cultivation stage so easily. It was clear that the ghostly general must have been incredibly formidable in his prime.
suǒ yǐ lín xuān yě méi yǒu shén me hǎo wèi jù ， ér tā shì xīn zhì jiān rèn zhī rén ， bù guǎn qián miàn yǒu duō shǎo yóu yí ， yí dàn xià dìng le jué xīn ， nà jiù sī háo yě bù huì jì ， zhí jiē shēn shǒu xiàng nà tiān guǐ fǔ zhuā le guò qù 。
所以林轩也没有什么好畏惧，而他是心智坚韧之人，不管前面有多少犹疑，一旦下定了决心，那就丝毫也不讳忌，直接伸手像那天鬼斧抓了过去。
Fortunately, he had guessed correctly. Otherwise, being possessed would have caused him trouble.
sī háo yì wài yě wú ， lín xuān yī bǎ jiù jiāng cǐ bǎo ná zài le zhǎng zhōng ， xì xì guān kàn ， zhǐ jiàn cǐ fǔ biǎo miàn liú guāng yì cǎi ， hēi qì chán rào ， fǎ lì lüè yī zhù rù ， gèng yǒu xiē xǔ mǐ lì dà xiǎo de fú wén yǐn xiàn ér chū ， zài qí shǒu bǐng chù ， hái diāo kè yǒu yí gè guǐ liǎn ， yǎn ěr kǒu bí ， jiē huó líng huó xiàn ， rú tóng zhēn zhèng de yāo mó è guǐ yì bān 。
丝毫意外也无，林轩一把就将此宝拿在了掌中，细细观看，只见此斧表面流光溢彩，黑气缠绕，法力略一注入，更有些许米粒大小的符文隐现而出，在其手柄处，还雕刻有一个鬼脸，眼耳口鼻，皆活灵活现，如同真正的妖魔恶鬼一般。
With these thoughts racing through his mind, Lin Xuan’s face showed excitement: "Are you the ghostly general? Let us talk."
yǔ diàn pù zhōng suǒ jiàn ， bié wú èr zhì ， lín xuān zhèng xiǎng zài shì ， rán ér jiù zài zhè shí ， yì biàn tū qǐ 。
与店铺中所见，别无二致，林轩正想再试，然而就在这时，异变突起。
PS: Ugh, the recommendation votes are not doing well at all! Fellow daoists, everyone has them; please give me one! @。
And all of this was unknown to Lin Xuan. After purchasing a suitable treasure, he did not linger in the market but returned directly to his inn.
The courtyard before him was still shrouded in mists. With a wave of his sleeve, Lin Xuan took out an array disk about the size of a palm and cast a spell on it with a flick of his fingers.
A glow emanated from the array disk, and soon the mists naturally dispersed, revealing a path wide enough for one person to pass through. Lin Xuan stepped into it.
The pavilions and terraces, as well as the artificial mountains and waterfalls, were identical to what he had left. Clearly, no cultivators had been here recently; after all, Lin Xuan himself had set up an array of defenses, making it difficult for outsiders to intrude.
Lin Xuan did not rest but went straight into the training room.
After a moment's hesitation, he set up several more restrictions around him.
Then, reaching out his hand and patting his waist, he retrieved the few treasures he had just bought from the Hundred Refinement Workshop.
The other three items were unremarkable, but Lin Xuan was curious about the ghostly general’s staff. He began to search through the vast collection of books in his possession, which numbered over a thousand volumes.
If a commoner tried to read all these books without eating or sleeping for years, it would be impossible. But as a cultivator, he could use his divine sense to read them much faster than a mortal. A glance at one hundred lines was nothing; he could see clearly and efficiently.
Thus, although the number of volumes seemed daunting, Lin Xuan found that with his abilities, he did not need much effort.
He began to search through the books for any information related to the ghostly general.
After some time, Lin Xuan felt that this method was unnecessary. Why bother searching specifically when he could simply read all the books?
Since he wasn’t reading them now, he might as well do so later. So over the next few days, Lin Xuan spent his time immersing his divine sense into the Jade Pupil Scroll and absorbing knowledge about the ghostly realm.
This process lasted several days.
To be honest, it was extremely boring, and after a while, reading the same content repeatedly would lead to fatigue.
But Lin Xuan remained undisturbed. Compared to sitting in seclusion for a hundred years, this task was trivial.
One day, Lin Xuan finally lifted his head from his seat.
"Phew."
He took a deep breath as he finished reading what seemed like a mountain of books.
Unlike the explanation by Elder Supreme, Lin Xuan now had a clearer understanding of the ghostly realm. While reading ten thousand volumes might not be equivalent to traveling ten thousand miles, it was undoubtedly an efficient way to gain knowledge.
"Ghostly General... What a reputation."
Lin Xuan turned his head and looked at the short staff beside him. His voice was barely audible as he spoke to himself.
This ghostly general had been a formidable figure in his prime, known for his cunning and power. It was said that he had killed more than ten high-ranking magicians of the spirit realm, but somehow offended an ancient ancestor, leading to his downfall. The ghostly staff was his original divine treasure!
Despite understanding the ghostly general’s life story, it did not help much with the current problem. Lin Xuan still didn’t know what secrets lay within the ghostly staff or why the owner of the Hundred Refinement Workshop had been willing to lose money just to get rid of it.
This was a strange situation. If this item truly brought ill fortune, he could simply discard it somewhere; there was no need to give away three other treasures for it.
Lin Xuan was well-traveled and astute, but he found himself puzzled by the matter.
Should he visit the Hundred Refinement Workshop and use soul-searching techniques on the owner...?
This would be the most straightforward approach. He could easily uncover any hidden schemes or tricks from the other party. However, after considering it, Lin Xuan decided against it.
Firstly, causing trouble in the market was a serious offense. Moreover, he did not know the strength of the Hundred Refinement Workshop. From what they had sold, their treasures were undoubtedly powerful. For now, Lin Xuan preferred to avoid unnecessary complications.
Even if he did this and solved the current problem, new troubles might arise. Therefore, it would be unwise.
After weighing his options, Lin Xuan decided on a more direct approach. He was determined, so he reached out towards the ghostly staff without hesitation.
Without any surprise, Lin Xuan grabbed the treasure in his hand. Upon closer inspection, the surface of the staff shimmered with a colorful glow, and black energy coiled around it. A small amount of magical energy injected into it revealed faint runes that appeared like grains of rice. At its handle, there was an etched ghost face, which seemed almost lifelike.
It looked exactly as he had seen in the shop. Lin Xuan intended to test it further but suddenly, something unexpected happened.
A loud bang echoed through his ears, and a burst of energy shot out from the staff’s surface, forming a black light that sped away.
The speed was incredible; normally, such close proximity would leave no time for him to dodge. However, Lin Xuan showed no signs of alarm as he smiled faintly.
Possession!
Lin Xuan had anticipated this situation. A mere treasure could not harm people, right? Mortals might believe in ghost stories, but Lin Xuan was a cultivator; if there were any malevolent spirits, he would simply use his divine abilities to subdue them.
The ghostly staff was just an object, and its original owner was the only one who might pose a threat. Even though the books said he had died, killed by some ancient ancestor, countless wonders existed in this world; it wasn’t impossible that he had escaped death.
Although such chances were rare, Lin Xuan assumed this possibility.
The remnants of his soul attempted to possess him...
Much to his surprise, his prediction was correct. Since he was prepared, he could not be caught off guard. The black light moved swiftly but lacked the element of surprise. Lin Xuan had been ready for it and used Nine Heaven Micro Steps to vanish from his spot, retreating to the door.
The black light missed its target and crashed into the ceiling before stopping.
Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes as he looked in that direction.
An angry roar echoed through the air.
Then, the black light dispersed, revealing a mass of ghostly mists. Slowly, these mists coalesced into a face. While it could be called a ghost face, the features were those of an elderly man with youthful hair, though his expression was fierce and menacing.
"How did you manage to avoid my possession? Huh, you are not at the Yuan婴 stage; you’re only at the Dantian Profound中期...," the old man’s gaze swept over Lin Xuan, and he instantly recognized his cultivation level.
Lin Xuan was taken aback. Although he had not used the Heaven Demon Transformation technique, his concealment techniques were still quite advanced.
Indeed, a name begets its worth; even with just a broken soul fragment, this person could recognize his cultivation stage so easily. It was clear that the ghostly general must have been incredibly formidable in his prime.
Fortunately, he had guessed correctly. Otherwise, being possessed would have caused him trouble.
With these thoughts racing through his mind, Lin Xuan’s face showed excitement: "Are you the ghostly general? Let us talk."
PS: Ugh, the recommendation votes are not doing well at all! Fellow daoists, everyone has them; please give me one! @。