guò le bàn chù chá de gōng fu ， lín xuān tái qǐ tóu lú ， liǎn shàng lù chū ruò yǒu suǒ sī zhī sè， zhì yú mó shé xiān zi de yuán yīng ， yǐ zài yī tuán huǒ guāng zhōng huī fēi yān miè le 。
过了半畜茶的功夫，林轩抬起头颅，脸上lù出若有所思之sè，至于魔蛇仙子的元婴，已在一团火光中灰飞烟灭了。
After half a century of rest, Lin Xuan lifted his head. A thoughtful expression appeared on his face as the soul of the Demon Snake Fairy had already turned to ashes in a ball of fire.
“ tián xiǎo jiàn de jìn jiē jū rán rú cǐ xùn sù 。”
“田小剑的进阶居然如此迅速。”
"Little Sword Tian's advancement is truly swift."
lín xuān zì yán zì yǔ de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， cóng duì fāng nà lǐ dé dào de xiāo xī hěn duō ， bù guò zuì ràng lín xuān zài yì de hái shì tián xiǎo jiàn de jìn jiē sù 。
林轩自言自语的声音传入耳朵，从对方那里得到的消息很多，不过最让林轩在意的还是田小剑的进阶速。
Lin Xuan’s self-uttered words entered my ears. While he received much information from the other party, what Lin Xuan was most concerned about was Little Sword Tian's rate of advancement.
lín xuān zì wèn ， néng zài duǎn duǎn de yī qiān yú nián ， yǒu rú jīn de chéng jiù ， yǐ shì qián wú gǔ rén ， hòu wú lái zhě ， méi xiǎng dào tián xiǎo jiàn jū rán bǐ zì jǐ háo bù xùn sè， nà xiǎo zi ， jiū jìng yòu yǒu shén me qí yù ne ？
林轩自问，能在短短的一千余年，有如今的成就，已是前无古人，后无来者，没想到田小剑居然比自己毫不逊sè，那小子，究竟又有什么奇遇呢？
Lin Xuan asked himself if his achievements within just over a thousand years were unprecedented and unparalleled in history. He couldn't help but wonder how Little Sword Tian could match him so closely. What kind of extraordinary experience did that kid have?
chú le hào qí hái shì hào qí ， kě xī jù tǐ de ， mó shé xiān zi yě bìng bù zhī dào xiáng xì ， kàn lái yǐ hòu yǔ tián xiǎo jiàn ruò shì xiāng yù ， hái zhēn dé hǎo shēng xiǎo xīn yī xiē 。
除了好奇还是好奇，可惜具体的，魔蛇仙子也并不知道详细，看来以后与田小剑若是相遇，还真得好生小心一些。
Apart from curiosity, there wasn’t much else to say. Unfortunately, the Demon Snake Fairy didn’t know the details either. It seemed he would need to be more cautious if he ever met Little Sword Tian in the future.
suí hòu lín xuān yòu kāi shǐ qīng diǎn bǎo wù ， zhè wèi mó shé xiān zi de shēn jiā hái zhēn shì fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， qí tā de zàn qiě bù shuō ， guāng shì mó shí ， jiù ràng zì jǐ xiǎo le yī bǐ 。
随后林轩又开始清点宝物，这位魔蛇仙子的身家还真是非同小可，其他的暂且不说，光是魔石，就让自己小了一笔。
Next, Lin Xuan began to count his treasures. The Demon Snake Fairy’s wealth was truly impressive. Apart from the magic stones which had already reduced him by a notch, there were other valuable items as well.
rú cǐ yī lái qù bái fú chéng fù jiā gòu mǎi fú zhuàn ， dǐ qì jiù gèng zú 。
如此一来去白浮城付家购买符篆，底气就更足。
With this, going to White Float City's Fu Family to purchase talismans would be even more confident.
dāng rán ， mó yàn shān mài de shōu huò gèng duō ， lín xuān qīng diǎn wán suǒ yǒu de bǎo wù ， jiāng zhèn qí yī shōu ， jiù fēi chū le dòng fǔ 。
当然，魔焰山脉的收获更多，林轩清点完所有的宝物，将阵旗一收，就飞出了洞府。
Of course, the收获s from the Demon Flame Mountains were greater. After counting all his treasures and retracting the array flags, Lin Xuan flew out of his cave.
suí hòu yòu shǒu tái qǐ ， qū zhǐ xiàng qián miàn diǎn qù ， chī chī zhī shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lì máng dà zuò ， què shì shí yú dào jiàn qì yú yóu ér chū ， hěn hěn de cháo zhe yǎn qián de shān fēng zhǎn qù le 。
随后右手抬起，屈指像前面点去，嗤嗤之声传入耳朵，厉芒大做，却是十余道剑气鱼游而出，狠狠的朝着眼前的山峰斩去了。
Then, he raised his right hand and pointed at a spot in front with his fingers. A whistling sound filled my ears as sharp sword energy burst forth, cutting fiercely towards the mountain peak before him.
hōng lōng lóng fǎng fú mèn léi yì bān de shēng yīn xiǎng guò ， suì shí fēn luò rú yǔ ， hěn kuài zhěng zuò shān fēng jiù bèi yí wéi píng dì 。
轰隆隆仿佛闷雷一般的声音响过，碎石纷落如雨，很快整座山峰就被夷为平地。
A rumbling sound echoed like thunder, followed by a shower of shattered rocks. Soon, the entire mountain was flattened to the ground.
lín xuān xiù páo yī fú ， kuáng fēng yǒng chū ， lián nà xiē sàn luò de shí tou dōu bèi chuī zǒu le 。
林轩袖袍一拂，狂风涌出，连那些散落的石头都被吹走了。
Lin Xuan waved his sleeves and strong winds blew away even the scattered stones.
lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū mǎn yì zhī sè。
林轩脸上lù出满意之sè。
Satisfied, Lin Xuan’s face showed approval.
rú cǐ yī lái yīng gāi bú huì zài lù chū shén me pò zhàn le 。
如此一来应该不会再lù出什么破绽了。
With this, no more flaws should be revealed.
yú shì lín xuān huà wèi yī dào jīng hóng ， xiāo shī zài le yuǎn fāng de tiān jì zhī chù 。
于是林轩化为一道惊虹，消失在了远方的天际之处。
Thus, Lin Xuan transformed into a streak of lightning, vanishing in the distant horizon.
zhè yī cì bù zài yǒu rèn hé dān gē ， liǎng rì hòu zhōng yú jiē jìn bái fú chéng le 。
这一次不再有任何耽搁，两日后终于接近白浮城了。
This time, there was no delay. Two days later, he finally approached White Float City.
mó jiè miàn jī guǎng kuò ， yǔ nà xiē yǒu shèng zǔ zuò zhèn de jù chéng xiāng bǐ ， bái fú chéng huò xǔ suàn bù liǎo shén me ， rán ér míng shēng què hái shì pǒ wèi xiǎn hè 。
魔界面积广阔，与那些有圣祖坐镇的巨城相比，白浮城或许算不了什么，然而名声却还是颇为显赫。
The Demon Realm was vast, and compared to those cities with sages presiding over them, White Float City might not be much, but its reputation was still quite prominent.
bìng bú shì bái fú chéng běn shēn yǒu shén me liǎo de ， ér shì yóu yú zài gāi chéng dìng jū de jiā zú 。
并不是白浮城本身有什么了得，而是由于在该城定居的家族。
It wasn't that White Float City itself was extraordinary; it was the families residing there that made a difference.
zài mó jiè 。 gāi jiā zú zhī suǒ yǐ míng shēng xiǎn hè shì yīn wèi shàn cháng zhì fú ， jù shuō 。 fù jiā de chuán chéng yǐ yǒu wàn nián zhī jiǔ ， jiā zú nèi bù ， zhì fú gāo shǒu bù jì qí shù ， gāi jiā zú liú chuán chū lái de fú zhuàn ， bù lùn pǐn jiē ， hái shì wēi lì dōu yuǎn fēi fāng shì zhōng gòu dé de kě bǐ ， bù shǎo mó zú ， dōu mù míng qián lái qiú gòu 。
在魔界。该家族之所以名声显赫是因为擅长制符，据说。付家的传承已有万年之久，家族内部，制符高手不计其数，该家族流传出来的符篆，不论品阶，还是威力都远非坊市中购得的可比，不少魔族，都慕名前来求购。
In the Demon Realm, due to their expertise in crafting talismans, the Fu Family had gained considerable fame. It was said that the Fu Family's heritage dated back over ten thousand years, and countless experts in crafting talismans were found within its ranks. The talismans produced by this family far surpassed those sold on the market in terms of both rank and power, drawing many Demon Beasts to seek their purchase.
zhè xiē dōng xī ， dōu shì lín xuān tīng tiān guǐ shàng rén suǒ shuō ， duì fāng rú jīn xìng mìng cāo yú zì jǐ zhī shǒu ， zì rán bù gǎn huǎng yán xiāng qī shén me 。
这些东西，都是林轩听天鬼上人所说，对方如今xìng命操于自己之手，自然不敢谎言相欺什么。
Lin Xuan had heard all this from Sage Ghost, who now held his life in his hands; he couldn't afford to lie.
tiān guǐ shàng rén zài yán yǔ zhī zhōng ， duì fù jiā yě pǒ wèi tuī chóng ， rán ér wén bù rú yī jiàn ， cǐ shí bái fú chéng jiù zài miàn qián ， lín xuān què chà diǎn yǐ wéi zhǎo cuò dì fāng le 。
天鬼上人在言语之中，对付家也颇为推崇，然而闻不如一见，此时白浮城就在面前，林轩却差点以为找错地方了。
Sage Ghost spoke highly of the Fu Family. However, seeing was believing. Now that White Float City was before him, Lin Xuan almost thought he had gone to the wrong place.
yìng rù yǎn qián de bù guò jiù shì yī zuò tǔ chéng bà le 。
映入眼前的不过就是一座土城罢了。
What met his eyes was merely a dilapidated earthen city.
nǎ lǐ tán dé shàng qì shì huī hóng ， yòng pò bài lái xíng róng yě bù wèi guò 。
哪里谈得上气势恢宏，用破败来形容也不为过。
It lacked any grandeur; it could be described as decrepit.
ér qiě zhè zuò chéng xiǎo de lí pǔ ， dà gài yě jiù néng gòu róng nà jǐ shí wàn rén jū zhù ， yǔ lín xuān jiàn guò de nà xiē dòng zhé róng nà shù yì ， shèn zhì shàng yì rén kǒu de chāo dà chéng chí xiāng bǐ ， gēn běn jiù bú shì yí gè shù liàng jí 。
而且这座城晓得离谱，大概也就能够容纳几十万人居住，与林轩见过的那些动辄容纳数亿，甚至上亿人口的超大城池相比，根本就不是一个数量级。
Moreover, this city was absurdly small, barely able to accommodate several hundred thousand residents. Compared to those cities that housed tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of people, they were in entirely different leagues.
bié shuō shàng wèi jiè miàn ， jiù suàn shì rén jiè xiū xiān zhě de chéng chí ， yě shǎo yǒu zhè me hán suān dì 。
别说上位界面，就算是人界修仙者的城池，也少有这么寒酸地。
Not only did the appearance of White Float City not impress Lin Xuan, but its proximity to a meager spirit vein also left him puzzled. The city had just one low-grade spirit vein stretching for several miles, running through it. Strictly speaking, this wasn't an ideal place for cultivation.
rú guǒ zhǐ shì bái fú chéng bù qǐ yǎn dào yě bà le ， guān jiàn shì fù jìn de mó qì ， nà yě bìng bù zěn me chōng yù ， zhǐ yǒu yī tiáo yú lǐ zhǎng de dī liè líng mài ， guàn chuān zhěng zuò chéng chí ， yán gé de shuō ， zhè lǐ bìng bú shì shén me hé shì de xiū liàn zhī dì 。
如果只是白浮城不起眼倒也罢了，关键是附近的魔气，那也并不怎么充裕，只有一条余里长的低劣灵脉，贯穿整座城池，严格的说，这里并不是什么合适的修炼之地。
If it were merely a group of wandering cultivators or small families gathering here, it would be understandable. But the Fu Family was renowned, and they lived in such a desolate place—hadn’t their heads grown on the wrong side?
jiǎ rú zhǐ shì yī qún sàn xiū ， huò zhě sì wǔ liù de xiǎo jiā zú jù jū zài zhè lǐ hái hǎo jiě shì ， kě fù jiā shēng míng hè hè ， jū zhù zài zhè zhǒng niǎo bù lā shǐ de dì fāng ， nán dào shì nǎo dài xiù dòu le ？
假如只是一群散修，或者四五六的小家族聚居在这里还好解释，可付家声名赫赫，居住在这种鸟不拉屎的地方，难道是脑袋秀逗了？
Lin Xuan had seen much, but before him now, he truly found himself perplexed. Unable to figure out what was going on, Lin Xuan summoned Sage Ghost's spirit.
lín xuān yě suàn jiàn wén guǎng bó ， rán ér yǎn qián de wèn tí hái zhēn lìng tā yí huò， sī bù dé qí jiě ， yú shì lín xuān huàn chū le tiān guǐ shàng rén de hún pò 。
林轩也算见闻广博，然而眼前的问题还真令他疑huò，思不得其解，于是林轩唤出了天鬼上人的hún魄。
"Haha, Master need not worry so much. The Fu Family chose this place for a purpose; in short, it’s all about crafting talismans."
“ hē hē ， zhǔ rén duō lǜ le 。 fù jiā zhī suǒ yǐ xuǎn zé zhè lǐ zuò wèi dìng jū zhī suǒ ， dāng rán shì yǒu mù dì de ， shuō bái le ， hái shì wèi le zhì fú 。”
“呵呵，主人多虑了。付家之所以选择这里做为定居之所，当然是有目的的，说白了，还是为了制符。”
"Crafting"
“ zhì bān ”
“制搬”
"Indeed, there is a place within White Float City where thousand-year stone gourds are abundant."
“ bù cuò ， zài zhè bái fú chéng mǒu chù ， shèng chǎn qiān nián shí zhōng rǔ。”
“不错，在这白浮城某处，盛产千年石钟rǔ。”
"Thousand-year stone gourds?"
“ qiān nián shí zhōng rǔ？”
“千年石钟rǔ？”
Lin Xuan was taken aback, his expression turning eager.
lín xuān yī dāi ， liǎn shàng de biǎo qíng dùn shí biàn dé rè qiè qǐ lái 。
林轩一呆，脸上的表情顿时变得热切起来。
Stone gourds were considered special in the cultivation world. Those under two years old had no use. If they lasted for three or four years, they could be used as auxiliary materials for refining magical artifacts or crafting talismans.
shí zhōng rǔ， zài xiū xiān jiè suàn shì yī tè shū zhī wù ， nián yǐ xià de háo wú yòng chǔ ， rú guǒ yǒu gè liǎng sān nián zhī jiǔ ， zé kě yǐ yòng zuò liàn zhì fǎ qì de huò shì zhì fú de fǔ zhù cái liào le 。
石钟rǔ，在修仙界算是一特殊之物，年以下的毫无用处，如果有个两三年之久，则可以用作炼制法器的或是制符的辅助材料了。
Those over a thousand years old worked similarly but with far superior effects compared to those of less than a year.
qiān nián yǐ shàng de zuò yòng yě chà bu duō ， zhǐ bù guò xiào guǒ bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ ， yào yuǎn shèng nián zhī wù 。
千年以上的作用也差不多，只不过效果不可同日而语，要远胜年之物。
As for ten-thousand-year stone gourds, they were rare treasures that couldn't be sought after. They also had another name: ten-thousand-year spirit gourd.
zhì yú wàn nián shí zhōng rǔ， nà kě jiù shì kě yù ér bù kě qiú zhī wù ， yòu yǒu yí gè chēng hū ， wàn nián líng rǔ。
至于万年石钟rǔ，那可就是可遇而不可求之物，又有一个称呼，万年灵rǔ。
Lin Xuan's thoughts suddenly became lively.
lín xuān de xīn sī yī xià zi huó fàn qǐ lái le 。
林轩的心思一下子活泛起来了。
The last bottle of ten-thousand-year spirit gourd he used up when facing the ancient demons from Heavenly Corpse Sect.
shàng cì miàn duì tiān shī mén gǔ lǎo mó ， zì jǐ zuì hòu yī píng wàn nián líng rǔ yǐ jīng yòng wán le 。
上次面对天尸门古老魔，自己最后一瓶万年灵rǔ已经用完了。
Lin Xuan had once considered finding stone gourds with shorter years, but his Azure Star Sea could purify materials and medicinal pills.
lín xuān yě céng jīng xiǎng guò ， zhǎo nián fèn bù zú de shí zhōng rǔ， fǎn zhèng zì jǐ de lán sè xīng hǎi ， yǒu tí chún de xiào guǒ 。
林轩也曾经想过，找年份不足的石钟rǔ，反正自己的蓝sè星海，有提纯的效果。
However, this time, he miscalculated.
rán ér zhè yī cì ， tā què shī suàn le 。
然而这一次，他却失算了。
It seemed that because stone gourds were liquid, purification was much more difficult.
bù zhī dào shì bú shì yīn wèi shí zhōng rǔ shì yè tǐ de yuán gù ， tí chún qǐ lái ， nà shì yào nán dé duō 。
不知道是不是因为石钟rǔ是液体的缘故，提纯起来，那是要难得多。
Those under a year old didn’t need to say anything; even thousand-year stone gourds had some effect when purified, but one or two thousand years couldn't be turned into ten-thousand-year ones.
nián fèn de jiù bú yòng shuō ， jiù suàn shì qiān nián shí zhōng rǔ， tí chún yě yǒu xiào guǒ ， yī liǎng qiān nián de ， xiū xiǎng tí chún chéng wàn nián zhī wù 。
年份的就不用说，就算是千年石钟rǔ，提纯也有效果，一两千年的，休想提纯成万年之物。
Lin Xuan failed multiple times in his attempts.
lín xuān shì yàn duō cì dōu shī bài le 。
林轩试验多次都失败了。
Later, he estimated that at least five thousand-year-old stone gourds were needed as raw materials for successful purification.
hòu lái tā gū suàn guò ， xiǎng yào tí chún chéng gōng wàn nián líng rǔ， zhì shǎo yào yǒu wǔ qiān nián fèn de shí zhōng rǔ zuò yuán liào cái kě yǐ de 。
后来他估算过，想要提纯成功万年灵rǔ，至少要有五千年份的石钟rǔ做原料才可以的。
However, five thousand-year-old stone gourds had no restorative effects on one's cultivation power and could only be used as auxiliary materials for crafting talismans or refining magical artifacts.
rán ér wǔ qiān nián fèn de shí zhōng rǔ， píng xīn lái shuō ， méi yǒu huī fù fǎ lì de xiào guǒ ， zhǐ néng yòng zuò zhì fú yǔ liàn qì de fǔ zhù cái liào 。
然而五千年份的石钟rǔ，平心来说，没有恢复法力的效果，只能用作制符与炼器的辅助材料。
From a practical standpoint, they weren’t significant.
cóng zuò yòng lái shuō ， bìng méi yǒu shén me liǎo bù qǐ 。
从作用来说，并没有什么了不起。
But the rarity of an item didn't necessarily correlate with its value; it was all about quantity. Five thousand-year-old stone gourds were also rare treasures, but their limited utility meant that even if they appeared in the market, they wouldn’t fetch high prices. Even if some cultivators managed to obtain them, they would use them themselves, despite Lin Xuan’s view of it as a waste.
kě yí gè dōng xī zhēn bù zhēn xī ， bù yí dìng shì yǔ xī de zuò yòng chéng zhèng bǐ ， wù yǐ xī wéi guì jiù shì zhè ge dào lǐ ， guān jiàn hái shì kàn xī shù liàng rú hé 。
可一个东西珍不珍稀，不一定是与牺的作用成正比，物以稀为贵就是这个道理，关键还是看牺数量如何。
In other words, five thousand-year-old stone gourds were rare and difficult to find, making their search no less challenging than ten-thousand-year spirit gourds, perhaps even more so.
wǔ qiān nián fèn de shí zhōng rǔ， tóng yàng shì kě yù ér bù kě qiú zhī wù ， guān jiàn shì ， zhè dōng xī ， zuò yòng yǒu xiàn ， ná dào fāng shì ， yě mài bù qǐ jià ， jí shǐ yǒu xiū shì jiǎo xìng dé dào le ， yě dōu gān cuì zì jǐ yòng ， suī rán zài lín xuān kàn lái shì bào tiǎn tiān wù ， rán ér tā men bù jué dé ， bì jìng zhǐ yǒu lín xuān ， yōng yǒu lán sè xīng hǎi zhè zhǒng nì tiān zhī wù ， kě yǐ duì cái liào dān yào yǒu tí chún de xiào guǒ 。
五千年份的石钟rǔ，同样是可遇而不可求之物，关键是，这东西，作用有限，拿到坊市，也卖不起价，即使有修士侥幸得到了，也都干脆自己用，虽然在林轩看来是暴殄天物，然而他们不觉得，毕竟只有林轩，拥有蓝sè星海这种逆天之物，可以对材料丹药有提纯的效果。
Otherwise, if he had the Azure Star Sea, he could have purified some for his own use. Knowing that magical battles required ten-thousand-year spirit gourds would be like having a god’s assistance.
huàn jù huà shuō ， wǔ qiān nián fèn de shí zhōng rǔ běn lái jiù shǎo ， jí biàn chū shì ， yě bèi jiǎo xìng dé dào xī de xiū shì gěi zì jǐ xiāo hào diào ， rú cǐ yī lái ， lín xuān xiǎng yào xún mì qí de nán ， sī háo bù yà yú wàn nián líng rǔ， shèn zhì kě yǐ shuō gèng shèng yī chóu 。
换句话说，五千年份的石钟rǔ本来就少，即便出世，也被侥幸得到牺的修士给自己消耗掉，如此一来，林轩想要寻觅其的难，丝毫不亚于万年灵rǔ，甚至可以说更胜一筹。
Unfortunately, it was difficult to make something out of nothing. With his Azure Star Sea, Lin Xuan could only sigh in frustration. He didn’t expect to find such good fortune after searching so hard, and now he heard that White Float City produced thousand-year spirit gourds.
fǒu zé ， lín xuān zǎo jiù tí chún chū yī xiē zuò wèi zì yòng ， yào zhī dào dòu fǎ liàn gōng ， yǒu wàn nián líng rǔ， nà jiǎn zhí kě yǐ shuō shì rú yǒu shén zhù 。
否则，林轩早就提纯出一些做为自用，要知道斗法练功，有万年灵rǔ，那简直可以说是如有神助。
Although the exact year wasn't known, as long as the Fu Family was willing to settle here, there must be a considerable number of stone gourds. There should be some five thousand-year-old ones!
After half a century of rest, Lin Xuan lifted his head. A thoughtful expression appeared on his face as the soul of the Demon Snake Fairy had already turned to ashes in a ball of fire.
"Little Sword Tian's advancement is truly swift."
Lin Xuan’s self-uttered words entered my ears. While he received much information from the other party, what Lin Xuan was most concerned about was Little Sword Tian's rate of advancement.
Lin Xuan asked himself if his achievements within just over a thousand years were unprecedented and unparalleled in history. He couldn't help but wonder how Little Sword Tian could match him so closely. What kind of extraordinary experience did that kid have?
Apart from curiosity, there wasn’t much else to say. Unfortunately, the Demon Snake Fairy didn’t know the details either. It seemed he would need to be more cautious if he ever met Little Sword Tian in the future.
Next, Lin Xuan began to count his treasures. The Demon Snake Fairy’s wealth was truly impressive. Apart from the magic stones which had already reduced him by a notch, there were other valuable items as well.
With this, going to White Float City's Fu Family to purchase talismans would be even more confident.
Of course, the收获s from the Demon Flame Mountains were greater. After counting all his treasures and retracting the array flags, Lin Xuan flew out of his cave.
Then, he raised his right hand and pointed at a spot in front with his fingers. A whistling sound filled my ears as sharp sword energy burst forth, cutting fiercely towards the mountain peak before him.
A rumbling sound echoed like thunder, followed by a shower of shattered rocks. Soon, the entire mountain was flattened to the ground.
Lin Xuan waved his sleeves and strong winds blew away even the scattered stones.
Satisfied, Lin Xuan’s face showed approval.
With this, no more flaws should be revealed.
Thus, Lin Xuan transformed into a streak of lightning, vanishing in the distant horizon.
This time, there was no delay. Two days later, he finally approached White Float City.
The Demon Realm was vast, and compared to those cities with sages presiding over them, White Float City might not be much, but its reputation was still quite prominent.
It wasn't that White Float City itself was extraordinary; it was the families residing there that made a difference.
Fu Family!
In the Demon Realm, due to their expertise in crafting talismans, the Fu Family had gained considerable fame. It was said that the Fu Family's heritage dated back over ten thousand years, and countless experts in crafting talismans were found within its ranks. The talismans produced by this family far surpassed those sold on the market in terms of both rank and power, drawing many Demon Beasts to seek their purchase.
Lin Xuan had heard all this from Sage Ghost, who now held his life in his hands; he couldn't afford to lie.
Sage Ghost spoke highly of the Fu Family. However, seeing was believing. Now that White Float City was before him, Lin Xuan almost thought he had gone to the wrong place.
What met his eyes was merely a dilapidated earthen city.
It lacked any grandeur; it could be described as decrepit.
Moreover, this city was absurdly small, barely able to accommodate several hundred thousand residents. Compared to those cities that housed tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of people, they were in entirely different leagues.
Not only did the appearance of White Float City not impress Lin Xuan, but its proximity to a meager spirit vein also left him puzzled. The city had just one low-grade spirit vein stretching for several miles, running through it. Strictly speaking, this wasn't an ideal place for cultivation.
If it were merely a group of wandering cultivators or small families gathering here, it would be understandable. But the Fu Family was renowned, and they lived in such a desolate place—hadn’t their heads grown on the wrong side?
Lin Xuan had seen much, but before him now, he truly found himself perplexed. Unable to figure out what was going on, Lin Xuan summoned Sage Ghost's spirit.
"Haha, Master need not worry so much. The Fu Family chose this place for a purpose; in short, it’s all about crafting talismans."
"Crafting"
"Indeed, there is a place within White Float City where thousand-year stone gourds are abundant."
"Thousand-year stone gourds?"
Lin Xuan was taken aback, his expression turning eager.
Stone gourds were considered special in the cultivation world. Those under two years old had no use. If they lasted for three or four years, they could be used as auxiliary materials for refining magical artifacts or crafting talismans.
Those over a thousand years old worked similarly but with far superior effects compared to those of less than a year.
As for ten-thousand-year stone gourds, they were rare treasures that couldn't be sought after. They also had another name: ten-thousand-year spirit gourd.
Lin Xuan's thoughts suddenly became lively.
The last bottle of ten-thousand-year spirit gourd he used up when facing the ancient demons from Heavenly Corpse Sect.
Lin Xuan had once considered finding stone gourds with shorter years, but his Azure Star Sea could purify materials and medicinal pills.
However, this time, he miscalculated.
It seemed that because stone gourds were liquid, purification was much more difficult.
Those under a year old didn’t need to say anything; even thousand-year stone gourds had some effect when purified, but one or two thousand years couldn't be turned into ten-thousand-year ones.
Lin Xuan failed multiple times in his attempts.
Later, he estimated that at least five thousand-year-old stone gourds were needed as raw materials for successful purification.
However, five thousand-year-old stone gourds had no restorative effects on one's cultivation power and could only be used as auxiliary materials for crafting talismans or refining magical artifacts.
From a practical standpoint, they weren’t significant.
But the rarity of an item didn't necessarily correlate with its value; it was all about quantity. Five thousand-year-old stone gourds were also rare treasures, but their limited utility meant that even if they appeared in the market, they wouldn’t fetch high prices. Even if some cultivators managed to obtain them, they would use them themselves, despite Lin Xuan’s view of it as a waste.
In other words, five thousand-year-old stone gourds were rare and difficult to find, making their search no less challenging than ten-thousand-year spirit gourds, perhaps even more so.
Otherwise, if he had the Azure Star Sea, he could have purified some for his own use. Knowing that magical battles required ten-thousand-year spirit gourds would be like having a god’s assistance.
Unfortunately, it was difficult to make something out of nothing. With his Azure Star Sea, Lin Xuan could only sigh in frustration. He didn’t expect to find such good fortune after searching so hard, and now he heard that White Float City produced thousand-year spirit gourds.
Although the exact year wasn't known, as long as the Fu Family was willing to settle here, there must be a considerable number of stone gourds. There should be some five thousand-year-old ones!