nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou zhuǎn guò ， lín xuān liǎn shàng de shén sè jiàn jiàn píng jìng xià qù le ， yào wáng gǔ zhōng de líng cǎo zì jǐ zhì zài bì děi ， bù guò jù lí shì hún mó wù sàn qù ， zú zú hái yǒu shí nián zhī jiǔ ， huàn jù huà shuō ， zì jǐ gēn běn bù yòng zháo jí ， nà shì yǒu fēi cháng chōng zú de shí jiān gěi zì jǐ màn màn zhǔn bèi dì 。
脑海中念头转过，林轩脸上的神色渐渐平静下去了，药王谷中的灵草自己志在必得，不过距离噬魂魔雾散去，足足还有十年之久，换句话说，自己根本不用着急，那是有非常充足的时间给自己慢慢准备地。
In his mind, Lin Xuan's expression gradually calmed down. The precious herbs in the Medicine King Valley were his target, but it would still take another ten years for the Soul Devouring Demon Fog to dissipate completely. In other words, he had no need to rush; there was ample time for him to prepare.
lín xuān zhuǎn guò tóu lú ， mù guāng zài tiān guǐ shàng rén de miàn kǒng shàng sǎo guò ：“ nǐ yě bù yòng tài guò jǔ sàng le ， lín mǒu bú huì yì zhí ràng nǐ wèi nú ， nǐ yīng gāi xiǎo de ， fēn shén shì liàn shì yǒu shí jiān xiàn zhì de ， zhǐ yào zhè liǎng bǎi nián yī guò ， lín mǒu zì rán huì hái nǐ zì yóu de 。”
林轩转过头颅，目光在天鬼上人的面孔上扫过：“你也不用太过沮丧了，林某不会一直让你为奴，你应该晓得，分神试炼是有时间限制的，只要这两百年一过，林某自然会还你自由的。”
Lin Xuan turned his head and scanned Tian Gui's face with his gaze: "You don't have to be too disheartened. I won't keep you as a slave forever. You should know that the trial of spirit division has a time limit. Once these two hundred years are over, I will naturally return your freedom."
“ zhǔ rén bú shì piàn wǒ ？”
“主人不是骗我？”
"Are you lying to me, master?"
tiān guǐ shàng rén yī dāi ， suí hòu liǎn shàng lù chū kuáng xǐ de biǎo qíng lái
天鬼上人一呆，随后脸上露出狂喜的表情来
Tian Gui's expression froze for a moment before he showed signs of extreme joy.
“ zěn me ， nǐ bù xìn wǒ ， nán dào hái xū yào wǒ duì zhe xīn mó fā xià yí gè shì yuē cái chéng me ？” lín xuān bàn kāi wán xiào de shuō 。
“怎么，你不信我，难道还需要我对着心魔发下一个誓约才成么？”林轩半开玩笑的说。
"Why? Don't you trust me? Do I need to take an oath on my heart demon?" Lin Xuan said half-jokingly.
“ zhǔ rén yán zhòng le ， duō xiè nín dà ēn dà dé ， nín fàng xīn ， zhè liǎng bǎi nián ， lǎo nú yí dìng huì jìn xīn fǔ zuǒ ， wǒ de ròu shēn suī rán shī qù le ， dàn zhī shí yǎn guāng dōu hái zài de ， suǒ wèi lǎo mǎ shí tú ， yǒu lǎo nú de bāng zhù ， zhǔ rén zhè liǎng bǎi nián ， yí dìng néng gòu chèn xīn rú yì ， féng xiōng huà jí ……”
“主人言重了，多谢您大恩大德，您放心，这两百年，老奴一定会尽心辅佐，我的肉身虽然失去了，但知识眼光都还在的，所谓老马识途，有老奴的帮助，主人这两百年，一定能够称心如意，逢凶化吉……”
"I overstep my bounds. Thank you for your great kindness. Rest assured, in these two hundred years, old servant will do his utmost to assist you. Although my physical body is gone, my knowledge and insight remain. With the help of old servant, master's two hundred years will be filled with success and good fortune..."
“ hǎo ， zhǐ yào nǐ zhēn jìn xīn jié lì ， lín mǒu yě yí dìng bú huì shí yán dì 。”
“好，只要你真尽心竭力，林某也一定不会食言地。”
"Very well, as long as you truly exert yourself, I won't break my word."
lín xuān de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ lǐ ， liǎn shàng mǎn shì chéng kěn zhī yì ， tā què rán bú shì huǎng yán xiāng qī ， liǎng bǎi nián hòu ， zì jǐ jiù yào fǎn huí líng jiè qù ， nà shí hòu ， zài ràng tiān guǐ shàng rén wèi nú ， jiù méi yǒu shén me yì yì le 。
林轩的声音传入耳朵里，脸上满是诚恳之意，他确然不是谎言相欺，两百年后，自己就要返回灵界去，那时候，再让天鬼上人为奴，就没有什么意义了。
Lin Xuan's voice carried a sense of sincerity. He indeed wasn’t lying; in two hundred years, he would return to the Spirit Realm. There was no point in keeping Tian Gui as a slave then.
suī rán jiù suàn bù gěi zhè ge chéng nuò ， yǒu jìn hún shù de wēi shè ， tiān guǐ shàng rén yīng gāi yě bù gǎn zài qǐ èr yì ， dàn zuò shì qíng ， shí yǒu ， jiù bú huì zěn me yòng xīn le ， ér gěi tā gè niàn xiǎng zé bù tóng ， rén zhǐ yào yǒu le xī wàng ， nà jīng qì shén dū huì dà bù yí yàng 。
虽然就算不给这个承诺，有禁魂术的威慑，天鬼上人应该也不敢再起二意，但做事情，十有，就不会怎么用心了，而给他个念想则不同，人只要有了希望，那精气神都会大不一样。
Even without this promise, with the Restraining Soul Technique intimidating him, Tian Gui probably wouldn't dare to harbor any doubts. But doing things with a bit of hope made one more diligent. His joy on his face confirmed Lin Xuan's guess; he had considerable experience in manipulating people.
tā wèi le néng gòu chóng huò zì yóu ， zhè liǎng bǎi nián bì dìng jìn xīn jié lì ， bù gǎn yǒu fēn háo xié dài de fǔ zuǒ zì jǐ 。
他为了能够重获自由，这两百年必定尽心竭力，不敢有分毫携带的辅佐自己。
"Tell me about your background. Should you reveal it now?"
ér tiān guǐ shàng rén liǎn shàng de huān xǐ zhī sè ， yě zhèng shí lín xuān de cāi cè méi cuò ， zài yù rén zhī shù shàng ， lín xuān hái shì pǒ yǒu xīn dé 。
而天鬼上人脸上的欢喜之色，也证实林轩的猜测没错，在驭人之术上，林轩还是颇有心得。
"What would master like to know?"
“ nǐ de lái lì rú hé ， xiàn zài shì fǒu yīng gāi duì lín mǒu lù yī lù dá dǐ le ？”
“你的来历如何，现在是否应该对林某露一露龘底了？”
"Not specifically, just tell me your history," Lin Xuan waved his hand nonchalantly.
“ zhǔ rén xiǎng yào xiǎo de shén me ？”
“主人想要晓得什么？”
"Master asks, how can old servant hide? I am not a native demon from the Holy Realm; originally, I was a cultivator of humans who ascended from the lower realm."
“ méi shén me jù tǐ de ， nǐ suí biàn shuō shuō shēn shì jiù xíng le 。” lín xuān bǎi le bǎi shǒu ， bù zài yì de kāi kǒu 。
“没什么具体的，你随便说说身世就行了。”林轩摆了摆手，不在意的开口。
"Oh?" Lin Xuan's face showed a hint of surprise.
“ zhǔ rén jì rán dòng wèn ， lǎo nú qǐ gǎn yǐn mán ， wǒ bìng fēi shèng jiè tǔ shēng tǔ zhǎng de mó zú ， yuán běn yě shì rén lèi xiū xiān zhě ， cóng xià jiè fēi shēng ér lái de 。”
“主人既然动问，老奴岂敢隐瞒，我并非圣界土生土长的魔族，原本也是人类修仙者，从下界飞升而来的。”
"This happened long ago. Old servant has forgotten the exact years, but it should be at least ten thousand years. Before ascending, I was on Seven Stars Island..."
“ ó ？” lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī yì wài zhī sè 。
“哦？”林轩脸上露出一丝意外之色。
"Seven Stars Island Cloud Sea?" Lin Xuan was taken aback; indeed, this was no coincidence.
“ zhè shì hěn jiǔ yǐ qián de shì le ， jù tǐ de suì yuè lǎo nú yǐ jīng jì bù qīng chǔ ， dàn zhì shǎo yīng gāi yě yǒu shí wàn nián zhī jiǔ ， zài fēi shēng yǐ qián ， wǒ běn shì qī xīng dǎo ……”
“这是很久以前的事了，具体的岁月老奴已经记不清楚，但至少应该也有十万年之久，在飞升以前，我本是七星岛……”
"What? Could master also be an ascended cultivator from Seven Stars Island Cloud Sea?" Tian Gui was also surprised.
“ qī xīng dǎo yún hǎi ？” lín xuān yī è ， zhè hái zhēn shì wú qiǎo bù chéng shū 。
“七星岛云海？”林轩一愕，这还真是无巧不成书。
"No."
“ shén me ， nán dào zhǔ rén yě shì fēi shēng xiū shì ， ér qiě qī xīng dǎo yún hǎi me ？” tiān guǐ shàng rén yě yǒu xiē chī jīng le 。
“什么，难道主人也是飞升修士，而且七星岛云海么？”天鬼上人也有些吃惊了。
Lin Xuan shook his head. "I am an ascended cultivator, but not from Seven Stars Island Cloud Sea. However, by chance, I once passed through the ancient teleportation array there..."
“ zhè dào bú shì 。”
“这倒不是。”
"Then that makes sense," Tian Gui sighed, showing a hint of nostalgia on his face. The two exchanged some words before Tian Gui continued to recount his history to Lin Xuan.
lín xuān yáo le yáo tóu ：“ wǒ shì fēi shēng xiū shì méi cuò ， rán ér bìng fēi qī xīng dǎo yún hǎi de ， bù guò jī yuán qiǎo hé ， céng jīng tōng guò shàng gǔ chuán sòng zhèn ， qù guò nà lǐ yī cì ……”
林轩摇了摇头：“我是飞升修士没错，然而并非七星岛云海的，不过机缘巧合，曾经通过上古传送阵，去过那里一次……”
There was no need to hide anything; at this moment, Tian Gui wanted to please Lin Xuan and spoke freely.
“ yuán lái rú cǐ 。” tiān guǐ shàng rén tàn le kǒu qì ， liǎn shàng yě liú lù chū jǐ fēn huái niàn zhī yì ， liǎng rén xī xū piàn kè ， tiān guǐ shàng rén jì xù xiàng lín xuān jiǎng shù qǐ tā de shēn shì lái le 。
“原来如此。”天鬼上人叹了口气，脸上也流露出几分怀念之意，两人唏嘘片刻，天鬼上人继续像林轩讲述起他的身世来了。
Half an hour passed. Lin Xuan had a general understanding of the old monster's background.
zhè xiē dào méi yǒu shén me hǎo yǐn mán de ， ér qiě cǐ shí cǐ kè ， tiān guǐ shàng rén yǒu yì tǎo hǎo lín xuān ， dǎo shì zhī wú bù yán 。
这些倒没有什么好隐瞒的，而且此时此刻，天鬼上人有意讨好林轩，倒是知无不言。
As time went on, fatigue began to show on Tian Gui's face. He had lost too much soul power and was naturally tired.
zhuǎn yǎn ， bàn gè shí chén guò qù le ， lín xuān yǐ duì lǎo guài wù de shēn shì lái lì ， yǒu le gè dà gài de liǎo jiě 。
转眼，半个时辰过去了，林轩已对老怪物的身世来历，有了个大概的了解。
Lin Xuan waved his sleeve, and a square wooden box flew out.
suí zhe shí jiān de tuī yí ， tiān guǐ shàng rén de liǎn shàng zhú jiàn lù chū pí juàn zhī sè ， tā de hún lì sǔn shī tài duō ， zì rán nán miǎn yǒu xiē lèi le 。
随着时间的推移，天鬼上人的脸上逐渐露出疲倦之色，他的魂力损失太多，自然难免有些累了。
Tian Gui's eyes snapped open; the aura emitted by the box attracted him endlessly.
lín xuān xiù páo yī fú ， yí gè sì sì fāng fāng de mù hé fēi lüè ér chū 。
林轩袖袍一拂，一个四四方方的木盒飞掠而出。
His two eyes stared intently, and excitement flashed from deep within them. After a moment, he hesitantly said, "This treasure... could it be made of Nourishing Soul Wood?"
tiān guǐ shàng rén yī xià zi zhēng kāi le shuāng móu ， nà mù hé suǒ sàn fà chū lái de qì xī ， duì tā yǒu wú jǐn de xī yǐn lì 。
天鬼上人一下子睁开了双眸，那木盒所散发出来的气息，对他有无尽的吸引力。
Nourishing Soul Wood, as its name suggests, nourishes spirit consciousness and soul essence. If a cultivator lost their physical body or suffered severe damage to their divine soul, this item would be a lifesaver.
liǎng zhǐ yǎn jīng sǐ sǐ de dīng zhe ， cóng móu dǐ shēn chù ， bào fā chū xīng fèn zhī sè ， guò le piàn kè ， cái yǒu xiē bù què dìng de kāi kǒu ：“ zhè bǎo wù ， nán dào shuō …… shì yǎng hún mù liàn zhì ér chéng de ？”
两只眼睛死死的盯着，从眸底深处，爆发出兴奋之色，过了片刻，才有些不确定的开口：“这宝物，难道说……是养魂木炼制而成的？”
Since entering the cultivation world, Lin Xuan had killed countless cultivators; he accidentally obtained Nourishing Soul Wood, which he had been keeping in his storage pouch. He hadn't expected it to come in handy now.
yǎng hún mù ， gù míng sī yì ， duì yú shén shí hún pò ， yǒu zhe zī yǎng de xiào guǒ ， ruò shì xiū shì shī qù le ròu shēn ， huò zhě shén hún shòu chuàng yán zhòng ， zhè dōng xī ， kě jiù shì jiù mìng de bǎo wù 。
养魂木，顾名思义，对于神识魂魄，有着滋养的效果，若是修士失去了肉身，或者神魂受创严重，这东西，可就是救命的宝物。
"Is master giving me this treasure?"
lín xuān zì tà rù xiū xiān jiè yǐ lái ， miè shā le xiū shì wú shù ， zhè yǎng hún mù ， shì tā wú yì jiān dé dào de ， yì zhí xián zhì zài chǔ wù dài zhōng ， méi xiǎng dào cǐ shí cǐ kè ， dǎo shì pài shàng yòng chǎng le 。
林轩自踏入修仙界以来，灭杀了修士无数，这养魂木，是他无意间得到的，一直闲置在储物袋中，没想到此时此刻，倒是派上用场了。
"Yes, as long as you obey my commands faithfully, I won't fail you," Lin Xuan's smiling voice entered Tian Gui's ears as he opened the box.
“ zhǔ rén ná chū cǐ wù ， nán dào shì gěi wǒ ？”
“主人拿出此物，难道是给我？”
Tian Gui, having received a positive response, didn’t hesitate and darted inside with a whoosh.
“ bù cuò ， nǐ zhǐ yào hǎo hǎo tīng mìng yú wǒ ， lín mǒu jué bú huì kuī dài nǐ de 。” lín xuān wēi xiào de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， yī biān dǎ kāi le mù hé 。
“不错，你只要好好听命于我，林某绝不会亏待你的。”林轩微笑的声音传入耳朵，一边打开了木盒。
With a "snap" sound, Lin Xuan closed the lid, his smile fading. He generously took out Nourishing Soul Wood; of course, it wasn't for Tian Gui's free use.
dé dào kěn dìng de dá fù ， tiān guǐ shàng rén zì rán bú huì chí yí ， sōu de yī xià jiù zuān le jìn qù 。
得到肯定的答复，天鬼上人自然不会迟疑，嗖的一下就钻了进去。
Instead, this was a two-for-one strategy.
“ pā ” de yī shēng ， lín xuān jiāng gài zi hé lǒng ， liǎn shàng de xiào róng suí zhī liǎn qù bú jiàn le ， tā dà fāng de ná chū yǎng hún mù ， dāng rán bú shì gěi tiān guǐ shàng rén bái yòng de 。
“啪”的一声，林轩将盖子合拢，脸上的笑容随之敛去不见了，他大方的拿出养魂木，当然不是给天鬼上人白用的。
Firstly, he couldn’t afford to let the old monster die; otherwise, all his previous plans would be in vain. As they say, an old horse knows its way home. This old monster still had significant value.
ér shì yī shí èr niǎo zhī cè 。
而是一石二鸟之策。
Before this, of course, he needed to ensure that Tian Gui could survive for a while longer.
yī lái zhè lǎo jiā huǒ hái sǐ bù dé ， fǒu zé zì jǐ qián miàn de zhū bān móu huà kě bù jiù dǎ shuǐ piāo diào le ， zhèng suǒ wèi lǎo mǎ shí tú ， zhè lǎo guài wù ， hái yǒu hěn dà lì yòng jià zhí de 。
一来这老家伙还死不得，否则自己前面的诸般谋划可不就打水漂掉了，正所谓老马识途，这老怪物，还有很大利用价值的。
Secondly, Nourishing Soul Wood not only nourished the divine soul but also shielded it from detection by other divine consciousnesses. In essence, placing him inside would make him as blind and deaf as a mute; even if he was beside Lin Xuan, he wouldn’t be able to pry into any of his secrets.
zài zhè zhī qián ， dāng rán yào xiǎng bàn ， ràng qí néng gòu xún yán cán chuǎn de 。
在这之前，当然要想办，让其能够荀延残喘的。
Lin Xuan never acted without careful planning, despite the Restraining Soul Technique complicating matters. After all, there were too many dark secrets that couldn't see the light of day—whether it was Azure Star Sea or Five Dragon Seal; if any of them were exposed, it would bring about fatal consequences.
èr lái zhè yǎng hún mù ， chú le duì shén hún yǒu liáng hǎo de zī yǎng xiào guǒ ， tóng shí hái kě yǐ píng bì shén shí de tàn cè ， huàn jù huà shuō ， jiāng tā zhuāng zài zhè yǎng hún mù lǐ ， tā jiù děng yú shì lóng zi xiā zi ， jí shǐ zài zì jǐ shēn cè ， yě xiū xiǎng kuī tàn dào zì jǐ yì diǎn mì mì de 。
二来这养魂木，除了对神魂有良好的滋养效果，同时还可以屏蔽神识的探测，换句话说，将他装在这养魂木里，他就等于是聋子瞎子，即使在自己身侧，也休想窥探到自己一点秘密的。
Being overly cautious was always a good idea!
lín xuān zuò shì qíng kě shì móu dìng ér hòu dòng ， jí shǐ yǐ jīng yǒu jìn hún shù de qiān chě ， yī jiù sī háo dà yì bù dé ， bì jìng zì jǐ jiàn bù dé guāng de mì mì shí zài tài duō ， lán sè xīng hǎi yě hǎo ， wǔ lóng xǐ yě bà ， nǎ yī yàng bào guāng le ， dū huì yǐn lái shā shēn zhī huò 。
林轩做事情可是谋定而后动，即使已经有禁魂术的牵扯，依旧丝毫大意不得，毕竟自己见不得光的秘密实在太多，蓝色星海也好，五龙玺也罢，哪一样曝光了，都会引来杀身之祸。
Even with such thorough precautions, Lin Xuan wasn’t satisfied. He flipped his hand and revealed another Restraining Technique Talisman. He affixed it to the surface of the wooden box before returning it to his waist.
xiǎo xīn yì diǎn méi yǒu cuò ！
小心一点没有错！
With Tian Gui subdued, Lin Xuan turned to face Tian Gui's battle axe.
ér fáng fàn cuò shī zuò dé zhè me hǎo le ， lín xuān yī jiù bù shàn bà gān xiū ， shǒu zhǎng yī fān ， yī zhāng jìn zhì fú lù yòu yìng rù yǎn lián ， lín xuān jiāng qí tiē yú mù hé de biǎo miàn ， suí hòu cái jiāng tā fàng huí le yāo jiān 。
而防范措施做得这么好了，林轩依旧不善罢甘休，手掌一翻，一张禁制符箓又映入眼帘，林轩将其贴于木盒的表面，随后才将它放回了腰间。
As a peak Spirit Division cultivator's treasure, this axe’s power was formidable indeed.
tiān guǐ shàng rén yǐ bèi shōu fú ， lín xuān zhè cái zhuǎn tóu wàng xiàng yī páng de tiān guǐ fǔ 。
天鬼上人已被收服，林轩这才转头望向一旁的天鬼斧。
Lin Xuan raised his right hand, and the artifact seemed to be pulled by some force, flying up into his grasp.
zuò wéi fēn shén qī dǐng fēng xiū shì de bǎo wù ， cǐ fǔ de wēi néng jué duì shì fēi tóng xiǎo kě 。
作为分神期顶峰修士的宝物，此斧的威能绝对是非同小可。
He closed his eyes and released his divine consciousness. The guess proved correct; there were Tian Gui's residual divine consciousness marks on it.
lín xuān yòu shǒu tái qǐ ， cǐ bǎo dùn shí fǎng fú bèi shén me lì liàng qiān yǐn zhe ， zì jǐ fēi qǐ ， luò zài le tā de shǒu lǐ 。
林轩右手抬起，此宝顿时仿佛被什么力量牵引着，自己飞起，落在了他的手里。
In general, erasing these marks would be challenging. Lin Xuan’s divine consciousness was far superior to that of ordinary cultivators at the same level, but the opponent's higher realm made him seem unattainable. Both were not in the same league.
lín xuān shēn shǒu wò zhù ， bì shàng shuāng móu ， jiāng shén shí fàng chū ， cāi cè guǒ rán méi cuò ， shàng miàn yǒu tiān guǐ shàng rén liú xià de shén shí yìn jì 。
林轩伸手握住，闭上双眸，将神识放出，猜测果然没错，上面有天鬼上人留下的神识印记。
However, with Tian Gui already under the Restraining Soul Technique, this task became much easier. With a gesture from Lin Xuan, the artifact slowly floated up. He opened his mouth and expelled infant fire to begin purifying the divine consciousness marks.
In his mind, Lin Xuan's expression gradually calmed down. The precious herbs in the Medicine King Valley were his target, but it would still take another ten years for the Soul Devouring Demon Fog to dissipate completely. In other words, he had no need to rush; there was ample time for him to prepare.
Lin Xuan turned his head and scanned Tian Gui's face with his gaze: "You don't have to be too disheartened. I won't keep you as a slave forever. You should know that the trial of spirit division has a time limit. Once these two hundred years are over, I will naturally return your freedom."
"Are you lying to me, master?"
Tian Gui's expression froze for a moment before he showed signs of extreme joy.
"Why? Don't you trust me? Do I need to take an oath on my heart demon?" Lin Xuan said half-jokingly.
"I overstep my bounds. Thank you for your great kindness. Rest assured, in these two hundred years, old servant will do his utmost to assist you. Although my physical body is gone, my knowledge and insight remain. With the help of old servant, master's two hundred years will be filled with success and good fortune..."
"Very well, as long as you truly exert yourself, I won't break my word."
Lin Xuan's voice carried a sense of sincerity. He indeed wasn’t lying; in two hundred years, he would return to the Spirit Realm. There was no point in keeping Tian Gui as a slave then.
Even without this promise, with the Restraining Soul Technique intimidating him, Tian Gui probably wouldn't dare to harbor any doubts. But doing things with a bit of hope made one more diligent. His joy on his face confirmed Lin Xuan's guess; he had considerable experience in manipulating people.
"Tell me about your background. Should you reveal it now?"
"What would master like to know?"
"Not specifically, just tell me your history," Lin Xuan waved his hand nonchalantly.
"Master asks, how can old servant hide? I am not a native demon from the Holy Realm; originally, I was a cultivator of humans who ascended from the lower realm."
"Oh?" Lin Xuan's face showed a hint of surprise.
"This happened long ago. Old servant has forgotten the exact years, but it should be at least ten thousand years. Before ascending, I was on Seven Stars Island..."
"Seven Stars Island Cloud Sea?" Lin Xuan was taken aback; indeed, this was no coincidence.
"What? Could master also be an ascended cultivator from Seven Stars Island Cloud Sea?" Tian Gui was also surprised.
"No."
Lin Xuan shook his head. "I am an ascended cultivator, but not from Seven Stars Island Cloud Sea. However, by chance, I once passed through the ancient teleportation array there..."
"Then that makes sense," Tian Gui sighed, showing a hint of nostalgia on his face. The two exchanged some words before Tian Gui continued to recount his history to Lin Xuan.
There was no need to hide anything; at this moment, Tian Gui wanted to please Lin Xuan and spoke freely.
Half an hour passed. Lin Xuan had a general understanding of the old monster's background.
As time went on, fatigue began to show on Tian Gui's face. He had lost too much soul power and was naturally tired.
Lin Xuan waved his sleeve, and a square wooden box flew out.
Tian Gui's eyes snapped open; the aura emitted by the box attracted him endlessly.
His two eyes stared intently, and excitement flashed from deep within them. After a moment, he hesitantly said, "This treasure... could it be made of Nourishing Soul Wood?"
Nourishing Soul Wood, as its name suggests, nourishes spirit consciousness and soul essence. If a cultivator lost their physical body or suffered severe damage to their divine soul, this item would be a lifesaver.
Since entering the cultivation world, Lin Xuan had killed countless cultivators; he accidentally obtained Nourishing Soul Wood, which he had been keeping in his storage pouch. He hadn't expected it to come in handy now.
"Is master giving me this treasure?"
"Yes, as long as you obey my commands faithfully, I won't fail you," Lin Xuan's smiling voice entered Tian Gui's ears as he opened the box.
Tian Gui, having received a positive response, didn’t hesitate and darted inside with a whoosh.
With a "snap" sound, Lin Xuan closed the lid, his smile fading. He generously took out Nourishing Soul Wood; of course, it wasn't for Tian Gui's free use.
Instead, this was a two-for-one strategy.
Firstly, he couldn’t afford to let the old monster die; otherwise, all his previous plans would be in vain. As they say, an old horse knows its way home. This old monster still had significant value.
Before this, of course, he needed to ensure that Tian Gui could survive for a while longer.
Secondly, Nourishing Soul Wood not only nourished the divine soul but also shielded it from detection by other divine consciousnesses. In essence, placing him inside would make him as blind and deaf as a mute; even if he was beside Lin Xuan, he wouldn’t be able to pry into any of his secrets.
Lin Xuan never acted without careful planning, despite the Restraining Soul Technique complicating matters. After all, there were too many dark secrets that couldn't see the light of day—whether it was Azure Star Sea or Five Dragon Seal; if any of them were exposed, it would bring about fatal consequences.
Being overly cautious was always a good idea!
Even with such thorough precautions, Lin Xuan wasn’t satisfied. He flipped his hand and revealed another Restraining Technique Talisman. He affixed it to the surface of the wooden box before returning it to his waist.
With Tian Gui subdued, Lin Xuan turned to face Tian Gui's battle axe.
As a peak Spirit Division cultivator's treasure, this axe’s power was formidable indeed.
Lin Xuan raised his right hand, and the artifact seemed to be pulled by some force, flying up into his grasp.
He closed his eyes and released his divine consciousness. The guess proved correct; there were Tian Gui's residual divine consciousness marks on it.
In general, erasing these marks would be challenging. Lin Xuan’s divine consciousness was far superior to that of ordinary cultivators at the same level, but the opponent's higher realm made him seem unattainable. Both were not in the same league.
However, with Tian Gui already under the Restraining Soul Technique, this task became much easier. With a gesture from Lin Xuan, the artifact slowly floated up. He opened his mouth and expelled infant fire to begin purifying the divine consciousness marks.