líng mài ！
灵脉！
Spirit Vein!
méi cuò ， jiù shì líng mài ！
没错，就是灵脉！
No, it was indeed a spirit vein.
suī rán lín xuān rú jīn dòng fǔ suǒ zài zhī chù ， nǎi shì xiān yún zōng zǒng duò líng mài zuì wèi yōu yì zhī suǒ ， rán ér xiān yún zōng běn shēn ， yě jǐn jǐn shì yī bù qǐ yǎn de xiǎo shì lì ， líng mài yòu néng gòu yōu yì dào nǎ ér qù ？
虽然林轩如今洞府所在之处，乃是仙云宗总舵灵脉最为优异之所，然而仙云宗本身，也仅仅是一不起眼的小势力，灵脉又能够优异到哪儿去？
Although Lin Xuan's cave abode was located in the best part of the Spirit Cloud Sect's spirit vein, the sect itself was merely an insignificant minor power. Could its spirit vein be that outstanding?
píng shí xiū liàn shì méi yǒu wèn tí ， rán ér xiǎng yào yī jǔ jiāng fēn shén qī de píng jǐng tū pò ， zhè wèn tí jiù jiē zhǒng ér lái le 。⊙ suí mèng xiǎo shuō ，.com
平时修炼是没有问题，然而想要一举将分神期的瓶颈突破，这问题就接踵而来了。⊙随夢小說，.com
While cultivation wasn't problematic on a daily basis, breaking through the Shen Splitting stage required more than just the spirit vein's purity.
líng mài suǒ néng tí gōng de líng qì chún dù bù gòu 。
灵脉所能提供的灵气纯度不够。
Of course, it couldn't be said that the spirit vein was definitely insufficient; Lin Xuan had never actually tried before. With only three Shen Splitting pills left, he knew his own situation well enough to realize he couldn't guarantee success here.
dāng rán ， yě bù néng shuō ， yí dìng bù gòu ， yīn wèi jù tǐ qíng kuàng rú hé ， lín xuān gēn běn jiù méi yǒu cháng shì guò ， fēn shén dān zhǐ shèng xià sān kē ， zì jǐ de qíng kuàng zì jǐ xiǎo de ， lín xuān shí zài méi yǒu bǎ wò ， zài zhè lǐ jiù yí dìng néng gòu jiāng píng jǐng tū pò 。
当然，也不能说，一定不够，因为具体情况如何，林轩根本就没有尝试过，分神丹只剩下三颗，自己的情况自己晓得，林轩实在没有把握，在这里就一定能够将瓶颈突破。
If he wasted all three Shen Splitting pills, where would he cry?
wàn yī jiāng sān kē fēn shén dān dōu bái bái làng fèi le ， zì jǐ qǐ bù shì kū dōu méi yǒu dì fāng kū 。
万一将三颗分神丹都白白浪费了，自己岂不是哭都没有地方哭。
Unlike previous attempts at breaking through, a single failure wouldn't be a big deal; he could just try again. But this time, limited by the number of Shen Splitting pills, he needed to maintain his success rate, making it somewhat inappropriate to attempt here.
yǔ yǐ qián tū pò píng jǐng bù tóng ， shī bài yī cì bù suàn shén me ， zhǐ xū yào jì xù cháng shì jiù xíng le 。
与以前突破瓶颈不同，失败一次不算什么，只需要继续尝试就行了。
Lin Xuan needed better spirit veins.
rán ér zhè yī huí ， yīn wèi shòu fēn shén dān shù liàng de xiàn zhì ， zì jǐ bì xū bǎo chí chéng gōng lǜ ， yīn cǐ xuǎn zé zài zhè lǐ tū pò ， jiù yǒu yì diǎn bù hé shí yí 。
然而这一回，因为受分神丹数量的限制，自己必须保持成功率，因此选择在这里突破，就有一点不合时宜。
The rumbling sound entered his ears as the stone door, sealed for decades, finally opened with a loud crash. The valley before him was now covered in leaves and withered flowers, almost as if no one had ventured there in ages.
lín xuān xū yào gèng hǎo de líng mài zhī dì 。
林轩需要更好的灵脉之地。
Silence reigned throughout the valley; even the sound of a falling needle could be heard, let alone the chirping of birds.
hōng lōng lóng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， chén fēng shù shí nián de shí mén zhōng yú hōng rán dǎ kāi le ， yǎn qián de shān gǔ ， yuán běn de xiǎo lù ， yǐ jīng pù mǎn le shù yè yǔ kū bài de huā duǒ ， jiù fǎng fú yǐ jīng hěn jiǔ méi yǒu rén shè zú de gǔ mù 。
轰隆隆的声音传入耳朵，尘封数十年的石门终于轰然打开了，眼前的山谷，原本的小路，已经铺满了树叶与枯败的花朵，就仿佛已经很久没有人涉足的古墓。
"Ah!"
zhěng gè shān gǔ wàn lài jù jì ， zhēn luò kě wén ， shèn zhì tīng bú dào fēi niǎo de shēng yīn 。
整个山谷万籁俱寂，针落可闻，甚至听不到飞鸟的声音。
A sigh entered his ears, and Lin Xuan's face showed a hint of regret. While this spirit vein was slightly inferior, it was indeed an excellent place for cultivation if he could have it.
“ āi ！”
“唉！”
He really didn't want to give up here, but in pursuit of the Shen Splitting stage, he had to seek out better grounds.
tàn xī de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lín xuān de liǎn shàng liú lù chū yī sī kě xī zhī sè ， chú le líng mài de pǐn zhì shāo cì ， què shí shì yī jí jiā de xiū liàn zhī suǒ 。
叹息的声音传入耳朵，林轩的脸上流露出一丝可惜之色，除了灵脉的品质稍次，确实是一极佳的修炼之所。
Lin Xuan's face showed a touch of sadness.
rú guǒ kě yǐ ， lín xuān hái zhēn bù yuàn yì fàng qì cǐ chù ， rán ér wèi le mài rù fēn shén qī ， zì jǐ bù dé bù lìng mì bǎo dì 。
如果可以，林轩还真不愿意放弃此处，然而为了迈入分神期，自己不得不另觅宝地。
A little reluctant, after all, he had been secluded here for eighty years. People weren’t made of stone; there was some attachment.
lín xuān de liǎn shàng liú lù chū yī sī shāng gǎn zhī sè 。
林轩的脸上流露出一丝伤感之色。
But soon, his sorrow was replaced by determination. He didn't see any additional movements from him, only the sound of whizzing as several colorful array flags returned.
lüè lüè yǒu xiē bù shě ， bì jìng zài zhè lǐ bì guān le bā shí nián zhī jiǔ ， rén fēi cǎo mù ， duō shǎo yě yǒu yī xiē gǎn qíng le 。
略略有些不舍，毕竟在这里闭关了八十年之久，人非草木，多少也有一些感情了。
Five Elements Spirit Enrichment Array!
bù guò hěn kuài ， nà xiē shāng gǎn jiù bèi jiān dìng suǒ tì dài ， yě bú jiàn lín xuān duō yú de dòng zuò ， jǐn yǒu sōu sōu de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， suí hòu jǐ gān wǔ yán liù sè de zhèn qí jiù fēi huí lái le 。
不过很快，那些伤感就被坚定所替代，也不见林轩多余的动作，仅有嗖嗖的声音传入耳朵，随后几杆五颜六色的阵旗就飞回来了。
Even to Lin Xuan's current state, this treasure wasn't something he could easily give up on. He retracted the Five Elements Spirit Enrichment Array and transformed into a streak of lightning towards the sky.
wǔ xíng yùn líng zhèn ！
五行蕴灵阵！
On the main peak of the Spirit Cloud Sect, in a cave towering thousands of feet high, an elderly魔族 wearing a scholar robe sat cross-legged, meditating deeply.
zhè jiàn bǎo wù ， jí biàn duì rú jīn de lín xuān lái shuō ， yì shì fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， tā dāng rán bù kě néng qīng yì fàng qì le ， shōu huí wǔ xíng yùn líng zhèn de zhèn qí ， lín xuān huà wèi yī dào jīng hóng xiàng tiān biān fēi qù 。
这件宝物，即便对如今的林轩来说，亦是非同小可，他当然不可能轻易放弃了，收回五行蕴灵阵的阵旗，林轩化为一道惊虹像天边飞去。
His strength had increased significantly since their first meeting. He was just one step away from the Separation stage, but the further he went, the more difficult it became.
xiān yún zōng zhǔ fēng zhī shàng 、 gāo dá shù qiān zhàng de mǒu dòng fǔ zhī zhōng ， pán xī zuò zhe yī míng shēn chuān rú páo de zhōng nián mó zú ， zhèng tiáo xī dǎ zuò 。
仙云宗主峰之上、高达数千丈的某洞府之中，盘膝坐着一名身穿儒袍的中年魔族，正调息打坐。
He wouldn't give up; apart from his late-come senior cousin Lin, he was the sect's undisputed top expert. He needed to find a way to become an Ancient Demon of the Cave Profound stage as soon as possible.
yǔ chū cì yǔ lín xuān xiāng jiàn shí xiāng bǐ ， tā de shí lì yě zēng jiā le bù shǎo ， yǔ lí hé qī diān fēng jǐn yǒu yī bù zhī yáo ， rán ér yuè dào hòu miàn ， yuè shì jiān nán 。
与初次与林轩相见时相比，他的实力也增加了不少，与离合期巅峰仅有一步之遥，然而越到后面，越是艰难。
He continued his efforts.
bù guò tā bú huì fàng qì ， chú le bàn lù rù mén de lín shī shū ， tā yǐ shì xiān yún zōng míng fù qí shí de dì yī gāo shǒu ， yí dìng yào xiǎng bàn fǎ ， jǐn kuài chéng wéi dòng xuán qī de gǔ mó 。
不过他不会放弃，除了半路入门的林师叔，他已是仙云宗名副其实的第一高手，一定要想办法，尽快成为洞玄期的古魔。
Suddenly, the elderly man’s face changed, as if he had discovered something. He quickly opened his eyes and stood up.
tā zhèng nǔ lì xiū liàn zhe 。
他正努力修炼着。
"Could this spirit energy and aura be..."
tū rán ， nà zhōng nián rén liǎn sè yī biàn ， fǎng fú fā xiàn le shén me ， sà rán zhēng kāi le shuāng móu 。
突然，那中年人脸色一变，仿佛发现了什么，飒然睁开了双眸。
He stood up abruptly, his expression becoming extremely strange. He hurried out of the cave.
“ zhè gǔ líng lì ， zhè gǔ qì xī ， nán dào shì ……”
“这股灵力，这股气息，难道是……”
Just outside, a streak of lightning caught his eye. It was still in the distance one moment but appeared before him the next.
tā huò rán zhàn qǐ ， liǎn shàng de biǎo qíng gèng shì gǔ guài yǐ jí ， kuài bù xiàng dòng fǔ wài zǒu le chū qù 。
他豁然站起，脸上的表情更是古怪以极，快步像洞府外走了出去。
The light dissipated, revealing an ordinary-looking young man.
cái gāng gāng lái dào wài miàn ， yī gǔ jīng hóng jiù yìng rù le yǎn lián 。
才刚刚来到外面，一股惊虹就映入了眼帘。
However, the elderly魔族's face showed extreme respect as he immediately bowed: "Salutations, senior cousin!"
qián yī kè hái zài tiān biān ， zhuǎn shùn jiān jiù chū xiàn yú miàn qián 。
前一刻还在天边，转瞬间就出现于面前。
He welcomed Lin Xuan into the cave, though with a mix of curiosity and unease.
dùn guāng shōu liǎn ， lù chū yī róng mào pǔ tōng de shào nián 。
遁光收敛，露出一容貌普通的少年。
Senior cousin was a hermit who rarely ventured out. He hadn't been seen for eighty years except during a major calamity when he had come out to save the sect. Now, why would he emerge again?
rán ér nà zhōng nián mó zú de liǎn shàng què lù chū gōng jìng yǐ jí zhī sè ， èr huà bù shuō de jiù bài xià qù le ：“ cān jiàn shī shū ！”
然而那中年魔族的脸上却露出恭敬以极之色，二话不说的就拜下去了：“参见师叔！”
Before his thoughts could fully form, his expression changed as two more auras approached.
tā jiāng lín xuān yíng jìn le dòng fǔ ， xīn zhōng zé dài zhe jǐ fēn yí huò yǔ tǎn tè 。
他将林轩迎进了洞府，心中则带着几分疑惑与忐忑。
Two dark purple streaks appeared in the sky with figures flickering inside—Majestic Demon and Palace-dressed woman.
lín shī shū nǎi shì kǔ xiū zhě ， yí xiàng shēn jū qiǎn chū ， zhěng zhěng bā shí nián ， zhǐ yǒu nà cì mén pài yù jiàn dà jié ， cái chū guān jiě jiù guò yī cì ， chú cǐ yǐ wài ， zài wú shēng xī ， zhè yī cì chū lái ， jiū jìng shì yǒu hé yì wài ……
林师叔乃是苦修者，一向深居浅出，整整八十年，只有那次门派遇见大劫，才出关解救过一次，除此以外，再无声息，这一次出来，究竟是有何意外……
His second junior brother and third junior sister had all gathered here.
nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou shàng wèi zhuǎn guò ， tū rán shén sè yī dòng ， chóng xīn tái qǐ tóu lú ， yòu yǒu liǎng gǔ qì xī ， jiē jìn le cǐ chù 。
脑海中念头尚未转过，突然神色一动，重新抬起头颅，又有两股气息，接近了此处。
This wasn't unusual; after all, they hadn’t tried to hide their presence. They must have sensed his aura and come running over.
tiān biān chū xiàn liǎng dào wū hóng ， lǐ miàn yǐn yǐn yǒu rén yǐng shǎn shuò ， shì nà jiào mó líng de gōng zhuāng nǚ zǐ ， yǐ jí pàng zi gǔ mó 。
天边出现两道乌虹，里面隐隐有人影闪烁，是那叫魔菱的宫装女子，以及胖子古魔。
"Salutations, senior cousin!"
èr shī dì hái yǒu sān shī mèi ， quán dōu qí jù yú cǐ 。
二师弟还有三师妹，全都齐聚于此。
Their respect was genuine. If not for Lin Xuan, the Spirit Cloud Sect would long ago have been destroyed.
bù guò zhè yě bù suàn shén me qí guài zhī shì ， bì jìng shī shū méi yǒu yǐn cáng shēn xíng de yì tú ， xiǎng bì liǎng rén yě shì gǎn jué dào tā de qì xī suǒ yǐ cái pǎo guò lái le 。
不过这也不算什么奇怪之事，毕竟师叔没有隐藏身形的意图，想必两人也是感觉到他的气息所以才跑过来了。
"Enough with the formalities," Lin Xuan said coolly.
“ cān jiàn shī shū ！”
“参见师叔！”
"Thank you, senior cousin."
liǎng rén de gōng jìng yě shì fā zì fèi fǔ ， ruò bú shì lín xuān ， xiān yún zōng zǎo jiù huī fēi yān miè diào le 。
两人的恭敬也是发自肺腑，若不是林轩，仙云宗早就灰飞烟灭掉了。
Lin Xuan arrived at the main hall of the cave, flanked by the three.
“ hǎo le ， bù yòng rú cǐ duō lǐ 。” lín xuān dàn dàn de shuō le yī jù 。
“好了，不用如此多礼。”林轩淡淡的说了一句。
Of course, he didn't hesitate to sit in the main seat.
“ xiè shī shū 。”
“谢师叔。”
"Senior cousin has honored my humble abode. What is it that needs to be discussed?" The elderly man asked with utmost respect.
suí hòu lín xuān zài sān rén de cù yōng xià lái dào dòng fǔ de dà tīng chù 。
随后林轩在三人的簇拥下来到洞府的大厅处。
"I wish to find a better spirit vein."
bú yòng shuō ， lín xuān zì rán shì háo bú kè qì de zuò zài zhǔ wèi shàng le 。
不用说，林轩自然是毫不客气的坐在主位上了。
"What? Could it be that senior cousin is dissatisfied with the cave's spirit energy?"
“ shī shū dà jià guāng lín xiǎo zhí de dòng fǔ ， bù zhī dào yǒu shén me shì qíng xū yào fēn fù ？” zhōng nián rén mǎn liǎn gōng jìng de kāi kǒu le 。
“师叔大驾光临小侄的洞府，不知道有什么事情需要吩咐？”中年人满脸恭敬的开口了。
The three were shocked. Lin Xuan was their sect’s sole reliance; if he left, they couldn't imagine the consequences and were desperately worried but didn’t know how to retain him.
“ lín mǒu xiǎng yào lìng xún yī yōu yì de líng mài zhī chù 。”
“林某想要另寻一优异的灵脉之处。”
"Relax, I have no intention of abandoning the Spirit Cloud Sect," Lin Xuan said.
“ shén me ， mò fēi shī shū duì dòng fǔ de líng qì bù mǎn yì me ？”
“什么，莫非师叔对洞府的灵气不满意么？”
"That being so, senior cousin is seeking a new spirit vein...?"
sān jīng shī sè ， lín xuān rú jīn kě shì běn mén wéi yī de yǐ kào ， ruò shì tā fàng qì zhǎng lǎo zhī wèi chū zǒu 。
三惊失色，林轩如今可是本门唯一的倚靠，若是他放弃长老之位出走。
The Palace-dressed woman cautiously asked. But before she could finish, her hand covered her mouth in shock as if she had discovered something.
sān rén bù gǎn xiǎng xiàng hòu guǒ ， xīn zhōng dōu jiāo jí dào jí chù ， rán ér què yòu bù zhī dào gāi zěn me wǎn liú ， bì jìng běn mén shí lì chán ruò ， néng gòu kāi chū de tiáo jiàn yě jiù shì yǒu xiàn de 。
三人不敢想象后果，心中都焦急到极处，然而却又不知道该怎么挽留，毕竟本门实力孱弱，能够开出的条件也就是有限的。
"Third junior sister, what's wrong?"
“ nǐ men bù yòng jǐn zhāng ， lín mǒu bìng méi yǒu fàng qì xiān yún zōng de yì tú 。”
“你们不用紧张，林某并没有放弃仙云宗的意图。”
Majestic Demon and the elderly man were surprised; they hadn't sensed anything unusual.
lín xuān jiē xià lái de huà yǔ ， què ràng sān rén xīn zhōng de shí tou luò dì 。
林轩接下来的话语，却让三人心中的石头落地。
"Senior cousin, senior cousin’s cultivation..."
“ nà shī shū shuō xún zhǎo xīn de líng mài ， shì ……”
“那师叔说寻找新的灵脉，是……”
The woman's shocked voice entered their ears. The two looked at Lin Xuan with their minds reeling in shock as well.
nà gōng zhuāng nǚ zǐ xiǎo xīn de kāi kǒu ， rán ér huà yīn wèi luò ， tū rán yǐ shǒu yǎn kǒu ， liǎn shàng mǎn shì chī jīng zhī sè ， fǎng fú fā xiàn le shén me 。
那宫装女子小心的开口，然而话音未落，突然以手掩口，脸上满是吃惊之色，仿佛发现了什么。
Powerful, immeasurable. Although they didn’t know exactly what stage Lin Xuan was in, his current power was more than double that of when he first appeared.
“ sān shī mèi ， zěn me le ？”
“三师妹，怎么了？”
Had he already reached the Shen Splitting stage?
pàng zi yǔ zhōng nián rén yī è ， tā men bìng méi yǒu gǎn jué dào yì cháng shén me 。
胖子与中年人一愕，他们并没有感觉到异常什么。
No, if it were a legendary Shen Splitting cultivator, he would be even stronger now.
“ shī shū ， shī shū de xiū wèi ……”
“师叔，师叔的修为……”
Or...
nǚ zǐ chī jīng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， nà liǎng rén tīng le ， zhè cái fàng chū shén shí ， zài lín xuān shēn shàng sǎo guò ， liǎn shàng yě liú lù chū jīng è 。
女子吃惊的声音传入耳朵，那两人听了，这才放出神识，在林轩身上扫过，脸上也流露出惊愕。
Before their thoughts could fully form, Lin Xuan spoke: "You are observant; you’ve noticed. After eighty years of hard work, I have reached the peak of Cave Profound..."
hǎo qiáng ， shēn bù kě cè ， suī rán tā men yě bù xiǎo de lín xuān de jù tǐ jìng jiè shì shén me ， dàn cǐ kè de lín shī shū ， míng xiǎn bǐ chū jiàn shí xiāng bǐ ， fǎ lì shēn hòu le bèi xǔ yǒu yú 。
好强，深不可测，虽然他们也不晓得林轩的具体境界是什么，但此刻的林师叔，明显比初见时相比，法力深厚了倍许有余。
"The peak of Cave Profound? Senior cousin’s next step will surely make him a great power in the Shen Splitting stage."
nán dào tā yǐ jīng mài rù le fēn shén qī ？
难道他已经迈入了分神期？
The elderly man's excited voice echoed. The other two魔族 had similar expressions.
bú duì ， ruò shì chuán shuō zhōng de fēn shén qī xiū xiān zhě ， zhǐ huì bǐ xiàn zài gèng jiā qiáng dà de 。
不对，若是传说中的分神期修仙者，只会比现在更加强大的。
If Lin Xuan could reach the Shen Splitting stage, it would be invaluable to the Spirit Cloud Sect. They hadn't seen any Shen Splitting cultivators before; was this heaven’s favor for their sect?
hái shì shuō ……
还是说……
Their faces lit up with excitement.
nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou shàng wèi zhuǎn guò ， lín xuān jiù yǐ jīng kāi kǒu le ：“ nǐ dǎo shì xīn xì ， yǐ jīng fā xiàn le ， jīng guò bā shí nián de kǔ xiū ， lín mǒu rú jīn yǐ jīng tà shàng de dòng xuán qī diān fēng ……”
脑海中念头尚未转过，林轩就已经开口了：“你倒是心细，已经发现了，经过八十年的苦修，林某如今已经踏上的洞玄期巅峰……”
"Indeed, but don’t get too excited yet. I still need something," Lin Xuan said.
“ dòng xuán qī diān fēng ， nà shī shū zài jìn yí bù ， qǐ bù shì kě yǐ chéng wéi fēn shén qī de dà néng 。”
“洞玄期巅峰，那师叔再进一步，岂不是可以成为分神期的大能。”
"If it's a medicinal pill, senior cousin just say the word. Our disciples will do whatever it takes to gather them."
zhōng nián xǐ de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lìng liǎng míng mó zú de biǎo qíng yě xiāng chà fǎng fú ， lín xuān rú guǒ néng gòu mài rù fēn shén qī ， duì xiān yún zōng de hǎo chù ， nà jiǎn zhí shì bù yán ér yù ， běn mén hái cóng lái méi yǒu chū xiàn guò fèn shén qī dà néng ， nán dào zhēn shì shàng tiān chuí lián ， yào ràng xiān yún zōng cóng cǐ xīng wàng xià qù me ？
中年喜的声音传入耳朵，另两名魔族的表情也相差仿佛，林轩如果能够迈入分神期，对仙云宗的好处，那简直是不言而喻，本门还从来没有出现过分神期大能，难道真是上天垂怜，要让仙云宗从此兴旺下去么？
A friend named r1688 donated 10,000起点币. Thank you for your support, r1688. I apologize for not being able to update recently due to family matters. When I have some free time, I'll make up for it. Thank you again.
Spirit Vein!
No, it was indeed a spirit vein.
Although Lin Xuan's cave abode was located in the best part of the Spirit Cloud Sect's spirit vein, the sect itself was merely an insignificant minor power. Could its spirit vein be that outstanding?
While cultivation wasn't problematic on a daily basis, breaking through the Shen Splitting stage required more than just the spirit vein's purity.
Of course, it couldn't be said that the spirit vein was definitely insufficient; Lin Xuan had never actually tried before. With only three Shen Splitting pills left, he knew his own situation well enough to realize he couldn't guarantee success here.
If he wasted all three Shen Splitting pills, where would he cry?
Unlike previous attempts at breaking through, a single failure wouldn't be a big deal; he could just try again. But this time, limited by the number of Shen Splitting pills, he needed to maintain his success rate, making it somewhat inappropriate to attempt here.
Lin Xuan needed better spirit veins.
The rumbling sound entered his ears as the stone door, sealed for decades, finally opened with a loud crash. The valley before him was now covered in leaves and withered flowers, almost as if no one had ventured there in ages.
Silence reigned throughout the valley; even the sound of a falling needle could be heard, let alone the chirping of birds.
"Ah!"
A sigh entered his ears, and Lin Xuan's face showed a hint of regret. While this spirit vein was slightly inferior, it was indeed an excellent place for cultivation if he could have it.
He really didn't want to give up here, but in pursuit of the Shen Splitting stage, he had to seek out better grounds.
Lin Xuan's face showed a touch of sadness.
A little reluctant, after all, he had been secluded here for eighty years. People weren’t made of stone; there was some attachment.
But soon, his sorrow was replaced by determination. He didn't see any additional movements from him, only the sound of whizzing as several colorful array flags returned.
Five Elements Spirit Enrichment Array!
Even to Lin Xuan's current state, this treasure wasn't something he could easily give up on. He retracted the Five Elements Spirit Enrichment Array and transformed into a streak of lightning towards the sky.
On the main peak of the Spirit Cloud Sect, in a cave towering thousands of feet high, an elderly魔族 wearing a scholar robe sat cross-legged, meditating deeply.
His strength had increased significantly since their first meeting. He was just one step away from the Separation stage, but the further he went, the more difficult it became.
He wouldn't give up; apart from his late-come senior cousin Lin, he was the sect's undisputed top expert. He needed to find a way to become an Ancient Demon of the Cave Profound stage as soon as possible.
He continued his efforts.
Suddenly, the elderly man’s face changed, as if he had discovered something. He quickly opened his eyes and stood up.
"Could this spirit energy and aura be..."
He stood up abruptly, his expression becoming extremely strange. He hurried out of the cave.
Just outside, a streak of lightning caught his eye. It was still in the distance one moment but appeared before him the next.
The light dissipated, revealing an ordinary-looking young man.
However, the elderly魔族's face showed extreme respect as he immediately bowed: "Salutations, senior cousin!"
He welcomed Lin Xuan into the cave, though with a mix of curiosity and unease.
Senior cousin was a hermit who rarely ventured out. He hadn't been seen for eighty years except during a major calamity when he had come out to save the sect. Now, why would he emerge again?
Before his thoughts could fully form, his expression changed as two more auras approached.
Two dark purple streaks appeared in the sky with figures flickering inside—Majestic Demon and Palace-dressed woman.
His second junior brother and third junior sister had all gathered here.
This wasn't unusual; after all, they hadn’t tried to hide their presence. They must have sensed his aura and come running over.
"Salutations, senior cousin!"
Their respect was genuine. If not for Lin Xuan, the Spirit Cloud Sect would long ago have been destroyed.
"Enough with the formalities," Lin Xuan said coolly.
"Thank you, senior cousin."
Lin Xuan arrived at the main hall of the cave, flanked by the three.
Of course, he didn't hesitate to sit in the main seat.
"Senior cousin has honored my humble abode. What is it that needs to be discussed?" The elderly man asked with utmost respect.
"I wish to find a better spirit vein."
"What? Could it be that senior cousin is dissatisfied with the cave's spirit energy?"
The three were shocked. Lin Xuan was their sect’s sole reliance; if he left, they couldn't imagine the consequences and were desperately worried but didn’t know how to retain him.
"Relax, I have no intention of abandoning the Spirit Cloud Sect," Lin Xuan said.
"That being so, senior cousin is seeking a new spirit vein...?"
The Palace-dressed woman cautiously asked. But before she could finish, her hand covered her mouth in shock as if she had discovered something.
"Third junior sister, what's wrong?"
Majestic Demon and the elderly man were surprised; they hadn't sensed anything unusual.
"Senior cousin, senior cousin’s cultivation..."
The woman's shocked voice entered their ears. The two looked at Lin Xuan with their minds reeling in shock as well.
Powerful, immeasurable. Although they didn’t know exactly what stage Lin Xuan was in, his current power was more than double that of when he first appeared.
Had he already reached the Shen Splitting stage?
No, if it were a legendary Shen Splitting cultivator, he would be even stronger now.
Or...
Before their thoughts could fully form, Lin Xuan spoke: "You are observant; you’ve noticed. After eighty years of hard work, I have reached the peak of Cave Profound..."
"The peak of Cave Profound? Senior cousin’s next step will surely make him a great power in the Shen Splitting stage."
The elderly man's excited voice echoed. The other two魔族 had similar expressions.
If Lin Xuan could reach the Shen Splitting stage, it would be invaluable to the Spirit Cloud Sect. They hadn't seen any Shen Splitting cultivators before; was this heaven’s favor for their sect?
Their faces lit up with excitement.
"Indeed, but don’t get too excited yet. I still need something," Lin Xuan said.
"If it's a medicinal pill, senior cousin just say the word. Our disciples will do whatever it takes to gather them."
A friend named r1688 donated 10,000起点币. Thank you for your support, r1688. I apologize for not being able to update recently due to family matters. When I have some free time, I'll make up for it. Thank you again.