dì liǎng qiān sì bǎi qī shí jiǔ zhāng yāo zú de yīn móu
第两千四百七十九章妖族的阴谋
Chapter 2479: The Demons' Plot
dāng lín xuān pán wèn shé yāo de shí hòu ， jù cǐ bù zhī dào duō yuǎn de hán pò bīng yuán shēn chù ， bīng xióng zú lǐng dì ， yī jiān yōu shēn de mì shì lǐ ， liǎng gè rén yǐng duǒ zài àn chù ， zhèng dí dí gū gū de shāng liáng zhe shén me 。 shèng táng
当林轩盘问蛇妖的时候，距此不知道多远的寒魄冰原深处，冰熊族领地，一间幽深的密室里，两个人影躲在暗处，正嘀嘀咕咕的商量着什么。圣堂
When Lin Xuan interrogated the snake demon, far away in the icy depths of Frost Soul Ice Plain, within a dimly lit secret chamber of the Ice Bear Tribe's territory, two figures were whispering to each other.
“ shǔ xiōng ， shèng diàn shī qiè yǐ yǒu yuè yú ， yī qiè jiē àn zhào wǒ men yù xiǎng de xíng shì ， rú jīn huǒ hòu yǐ chà bu duō ， wǒ men shì bú shì yīng gāi jiāng cǐ xiāo xī ， tòu lù gěi nà ge dà rén le 。” yī yǒu xiē shā yǎ de shēng yīn ， mǎn shì bù nài dì shuō dào 。
“鼠兄，圣殿失窃已有月余，一切皆按照我们预想的行事，如今火候已差不多，我们是不是应该将此消息，透露给那个大人了。”一有些沙哑的声音，满是不耐地说道。
"Brother Rat, it has been over a month since the Holy Temple was stolen from. Everything is proceeding as we planned. The time is ripe now; shouldn't we inform that nobleman about this?" A raspy voice spoke impatiently.
“ xióng xián dì ， qiè mò zháo jí ， cǐ shì de huǒ hòu hái chà yī xiē ， ruò xiàn zài jiù tòu lù gěi nà wèi dà rén ， yǒu kě néng nòng qiǎo chéng zhuō ， hái shì zài děng yī děng 。” lìng yí gè qīng lěng de shēng yīn ， yōu rán de shuō dào 。
“熊贤弟，切莫着急，此事的火候还差一些，若现在就透露给那位大人，有可能弄巧成拙，还是再等一等。”另一个清冷的声音，悠然的说到。
"Do not rush, Brother Bear," replied another cool voice. "The timing isn't quite right yet. If we reveal it to him now, we might end up doing more harm than good. We should wait a bit longer."
“ děng ， zài tuō xià qù cái shì fēng xiǎn shí zú ， xuě hú zú de nà wèi xiāng ér gōng zhǔ ， kě bú shì shěng yóu de dēng lái zhe ， wàn yī bèi tā kàn chū duān ní ， shì wǒ bīng xióng zú jiān shǒu zì dào ， pài chū gāo shǒu mào chōng rén lèi xiū shì ， dào zǒu le shèng diàn de bǎo wù ， nà kě jiù ……”
“等，再拖下去才是风险十足，雪狐族的那位香儿公主，可不是省油的灯来着，万一被她看出端倪，是我冰熊族监守自盗，派出高手冒充人类修士，盗走了圣殿的宝物，那可就……”
"But wait? The risk is too great! Snow Fox Clan's Princess Xiang'er is no fool. If she suspects anything and discovers that our Ice Bear Tribe has stolen from the Holy Temple by sending human cultivators in disguise... That would be disastrous!"
qián yí gè shēng yīn mǎn shì nù qì de kāi kǒu ， ér jiè zhe yōu guāng ， yě zhōng yú kàn qīng chǔ le cǐ yāo de miàn róng 。
前一个声音满是怒气的开口，而借着幽光，也终于看清楚了此妖的面容。
The first voice sounded angry, and under the dim light, Lin Xuan finally got a clear view of the demon’s face.
shēn cái gāo dà yǐ jí ， biǎo miàn shàng kàn ， dà yuē sān shí chū tóu nián jì ， hǔ bèi xióng yāo ， róng mào yǔ rén lèi xiū shì bié wú èr zhì ， rán ér hún shēn nóng zhòng de yāo qì ， què shì huī zhī bù qù 。
身材高大以极，表面上看，大约三十出头年纪，虎背熊腰，容貌与人类修士别无二致，然而浑身浓重的妖气，却是挥之不去。
Tall and imposing, it appeared to be around thirty years old. It had the build of a bear, with a tiger-like back. Its appearance was no different from that of human cultivators, but its thick demonic aura persisted.
“ hēng ， xióng dào yǒu chōng shǔ mǒu fā shén me pí qì ， ruò bú shì nǐ jì yú xuě hú zú nà wèi xiāng ér gōng zhǔ de měi sè ， xiǎng yào bī tā jià gěi nǐ ， wǒ men yòu hé bì bù xià zhè ge jú ， wán quán kě yǐ yòng gèng wěn tuǒ de fāng fǎ dào qǔ shèng diàn bǎo wù dì ， rú jīn ， nǐ jì xiǎng yào měi rén zài huái ， yòu bù xiǎng mào fēng xiǎn ， zhè shì shàng ， nǎ yǒu liǎng quán qí měi de hǎo shì 。《 lěng de shēng yīn de zhǔ rén ， shì yī shēn chuān bái páo de lǎo zhě ， wǔ guān dōu shēng dé bù cuò ， rán ér bù zhī wèi hé ， còu zài yì qǐ ， què gěi rén yī zhǒng zéi méi shǔ yǎn de gǎn jué 。
“哼，熊道友冲鼠某发什么脾气，若不是你觊觎雪狐族那位香儿公主的美色，想要逼她嫁给你，我们又何必布下这个局，完全可以用更稳妥的方法盗取圣殿宝物地，如今，你既想要美人在怀，又不想冒风险，这世上，哪有两全其美的好事。《冷的声音的主人，是一身穿白袍的老者，五官都生得不错，然而不知为何，凑在一起，却给人一种贼眉鼠眼的感觉。
"Hmph! Brother Bear, why are you angry at me? If it weren't for your desire for Princess Xiang'er's beauty and your attempt to force her into marriage, we wouldn’t have set this trap in the first place. We could have stolen from the Holy Temple more easily using other methods. Now, if you want a beautiful woman but don’t want to take risks... There’s no such thing as having it all."
“ hǎo le ， shǔ xiōng nǐ bú yào shēng qì ， zài xià yě jiù shì yǒu xiē jiāo jí ， wǒ tīng nǐ de hái bù chéng me ， shǔ xiōng zú zhì duō móu ， wǒ men de jì huà yí dìng huì chéng gōng dì 。”
“好了，鼠兄你不要生气，在下也就是有些焦急，我听你的还不成么，鼠兄足智多谋，我们的计划一定会成功地。”
The owner of the cool voice was an elderly man dressed in white robes with well-proportioned features. However, something about his appearance made him look suspicious.
jiàn bīng xióng wáng fú ruǎn ， hán shǔ wáng yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī sī dé sè ， biǎo miàn shàng ， què yī běn zhèng jīng de kāi kǒu le ：“ zhè jiù duì le ， xīn jí chī bù liǎo ròu dòu fǔ ， xióng xián dì zài rěn nài piàn kè ， wǒ yí dìng ràng nǐ rú yuàn jiù shì le ， bì jìng zhè cì hé zuò ， duì nǐ wǒ liǎng zú ， dōu yǒu zhe tiān dà de hǎo chù 。”
见冰熊王服软，寒鼠王眼中闪过一丝得色，表面上，却一本正经的开口了：“这就对了，心急吃不了肉豆腐，熊贤弟再忍耐片刻，我一定让你如愿就是了，毕竟这次合作，对你我两族，都有着天大的好处。”
"Alright, Brother Rat, do not be angry. I understand your anxiety. If you say so, I will follow your advice," said the Ice Bear King, who seemed to have softened.
“ nà shì dāng rán de 。”
“那是当然的。”
"That's right. Patience is key. Brother Bear, just hold on a little longer; I promise it will all work out as planned since this collaboration benefits both our tribes greatly."
qiě bù shuō zhè biān hán shǔ yǔ bīng xióng de mì móu ， lìng yī biān ， lín xuān cóng shé yāo de zuǐ lǐ ， què méi yǒu dé dào tài duō yǒu jià zhí de xiàn suǒ 。
且不说这边寒鼠与冰熊的密谋，另一边，林轩从蛇妖的嘴里，却没有得到太多有价值的线索。
...
zhǐ zhī dào shèng diàn shì yóu sān zú fēn bié kān guǎn de ， ér zài xuě hú zú zhí shǒu qī jiān ， què diū le gòng fèng de bǎo wù 。
只知道圣殿是由三族分别看管的，而在雪狐族值守期间，却丢了供奉的宝物。
Meanwhile, Lin Xuan did not get many valuable leads from the snake demon. He only learned that the Holy Temple was managed by three tribes, and during their watch over the Snow Fox Clan, a precious item had been stolen.
sān zú dōu dà wèi zhèn nù 。
三族都大为震怒。
All three tribes were furious about this. High-ranking demons and even some of the spirit beings were deployed to search for the human cultivator who stole the item. The entire Frost Soul Ice Plain was now tightly guarded from within while appearing relaxed on the surface, making it easier to enter but harder to leave.
xiàn zài kě yǐ què dìng de shì ， nà bǎo wù shì bèi yī rén lèi xiū shì suǒ de ， suǒ yǐ zhěng gè hán pò bīng yuán ， gāo jiē yāo xiū qīng qí sì chù ， qū shǐ zhe dī jiē yāo shòu ， bù xià tiān luó dì wǎng ， xún zhǎo nà rén lèi de xiū xiān zhě 。
现在可以确定的是，那宝物是被一人类修士所得，所以整个寒魄冰原，高阶妖修轻骑四处，驱使着低阶妖兽，布下天罗地网，寻找那人类的修仙者。
Lin Xuan understood why he had encountered few dangers so far; the demons in those dangerous areas had been driven away by higher-ranking demons to other places for defense.
zhěng gè hán pò bīng yuán de fù dì ， wài sōng nèi jǐn ， bù xià céng céng fáng yù ， xiàn zài shì jìn lái róng yì ， xiǎng yào chū qù què nán le 。 shèng táng
整个寒魄冰原的腹地，外松内紧，布下层层防御，现在是进来容易，想要出去却难了。圣堂
"Your meaning is that if I continue forward, I will encounter fewer dangers? But if I turn back, leaving this Ice Soul Plain would be more difficult?" Lin Xuan’s deep voice echoed as he pondered.
lín xuān tīng dào zhè lǐ ， huǎng rán dà wù ， guài bù dé jīng guò bīng jiàn fēng děng yī lián chuàn wēi xiǎn de dì yù ， què shì rú lǚ píng dì ， yuán lái ， nà lǐ de yāo shòu ， yǐ jīng bèi gāo jiē yāo xiū men qū shǐ dào bié de dì fāng qù bù fáng le 。
林轩听到这里，恍然大悟，怪不得经过冰箭峰等一连串危险的地域，却是如履平地，原来，那里的妖兽，已经被高阶妖修们驱使到别的地方去布防了。
"You are correct, Senior. With the three tribes' elite forces out and many spirit beings of various ranks involved in the search, it is not easy for even a cultivator like you to leave undetected."
“ nǐ de yì si shì shuō ， wǒ rú guǒ jì xù qián jìn ， pèng jiàn wēi xiǎn de jī lǜ fǎn ér xiǎo yī xiē ， rú guǒ diào tóu huí qù ， xiǎng yào lí kāi hán pò bīng yuán fǎn ér bù róng yì ？” lín xuān dī chén de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， liǎn shàng mǎn shì ruò yǒu suǒ sī zhī sè 。
“妳的意思是说，我如果继续前进，碰见危险的几率反而小一些，如果掉头回去，想要离开寒魄冰原反而不容易？”林轩低沉的声音传入耳朵，脸上满是若有所思之色。
The snake demon spoke honestly, knowing that she had already revealed too much and could not hide these minor details.
“ qián bèi suǒ yán bù cuò ， sān zú jīng ruì jǐn chū ， qí zhōng bù fá fēn shén jí bié de yāo wù ， ér dī jiē yāo shòu gèng shì shù liàng zhòng duō ， bù xià le tiān luó dì wǎng ， jí biàn shì yǐ qián bèi zhī néng ， xiǎng yào lí kāi bù bèi fā xiàn ， yě bù róng yì de 。”
“前辈所言不错，三族精锐尽出，其中不乏分神级别的妖物，而低阶妖兽更是数量众多，布下了天罗地网，即便是以前辈之能，想要离开不被发现，也不容易的。”
Her companion was already subjected to soul extraction. She did not want to end up the same way.
nà shé yāo lǎo shí de kāi kǒu ， fǎn zhèng bù gāi shuō de xiāo xī ， tā dōu yǐ jīng shuō le hěn duō ， zhè xiē xiǎo xì jié ， jiù gèng bú huì yǐn mán le 。
那蛇妖老实的开口，反正不该说的消息，她都已经说了很多，这些小细节，就更不会隐瞒了。
"Hmm."
tóng bàn yǐ bèi chōu hún liàn pò ， tā kě bù xiǎng luò de tóng yàng xià chǎng de 。
同伴已被抽魂炼魄，她可不想落得同样下场的。
Lin Xuan nodded. He easily discerned whether her words were true or false with his deep understanding.
“ ń 。”
“嗯。”
However, he didn't dwell on it too much. A net as vast as this one? He had faced far more dangerous challenges in the Demon Realm; this was nothing compared to that.
lín xuān diǎn le diǎn tóu ， yǐ tā de chéng fǔ ， dāng rán bù nán kàn chū cǐ nǚ suǒ yán shì zhēn shì jiǎ de 。
林轩点了点头，以他的城府，当然不难看出此女所言是真是假的。
As for the lost item from the Holy Temple, Lin Xuan did not care much about it. After all, what demons valued might not be useful to human cultivators.
bù guò lín xuān yě méi yǒu xiǎng tài duō ， tiān luó dì wǎng yòu rú hé ， gèng wēi xiǎn de mó jiè zì jǐ dōu chuǎng guò ， yǎn qián zhè diǎn xiǎo chǎng miàn yòu suàn dé le shén me ？
不过林轩也没有想太多，天罗地网又如何，更危险的魔界自己都闯过，眼前这点小场面又算得了什么？
The immediate task at hand was finding the spirit material needed to create an inner avatar. He had no interest in getting involved with demon affairs.
zhì yú nà shèng diàn shī luò de bǎo wù ， tā yě méi yǒu tài fàng zài xīn shàng de ， bì jìng yāo zú kàn zhòng de dōng xī ， duì yú rén lèi xiū xiān zhě ， què wèi bì yǒu yòng de 。
至于那圣殿失落的宝物，他也没有太放在心上的，毕竟妖族看重的东西，对于人类修仙者，却未必有用的。
Although Lin Xuan's expression changed when he heard of the Snow Fox Clan, they were not a particularly special clan; their presence could be found in colder regions across various planes of existence.
dāng wù zhī jí ， zì jǐ shì yào zhǎo dào liàn zhì shēn nèi huà shēn de líng wù ， zhì yú yāo zú de shì qíng ， tā kě bù xiǎng qù chān huo 。
当务之急，自己是要找到炼制身内化身的灵物，至于妖族的事情，他可不想去掺和。
This Snow Fox might not be the same as the one mentioned earlier. Without any premonition powers, how could he immediately connect with Yuanke and Xiang'er?
suī rán tīng jiàn xuě hú zú de shí hòu ， lín xuān shén sè yī dòng ， rán ér xuě hú běn shēn ， bìng bù suàn hěn tè bié de yāo zú ， zài líng jiè gè gè jiè miàn bǐ jiào hán lěng de dì fāng ， dōu cún zài zhe 。
虽然听见雪狐族的时候，林轩神色一动，然而雪狐本身，并不算很特别的妖族，在灵界各个界面比较寒冷的地方，都存在着。
So, he paid no mind to it.
cǐ xuě hú wèi bì shì bǐ xuě hú ， lín xuān yòu méi yǒu wèi bǔ xiān zhī de shén tōng ， zěn me kě néng yī xià zi jiù lián xì dào yuàn kē yǔ xiāng ér shēn shàng ne ？
此雪狐未必是彼雪狐，林轩又没有未卜先知的神通，怎么可能一下子就联系到媛珂与香儿身上呢？
Lin Xuan had no intention of getting involved in demon matters; his current task was to continue forward and meet up with the other cultivators.
suǒ yǐ ， tā yě méi yǒu tài zài yì de 。
所以，他也没有太在意的。
Since the defenses were tight on the inside but loose on the outside, the treasure hunt would be much easier. Lin Xuan did not worry about the dangers during departure at this moment.
yāo zú de xián shì ， lín xuān wú yì chān huo ， nà xiàn zài yào zuò de ， jiù shì jì xù qián jìn ， yǔ nà jǐ míng xiū xiān zhě huì hé 。
妖族的闲事，林轩无意掺和，那现在要做的，就是继续前进，与那几名修仙者汇合。
Seeing Lin Xuan's thoughtful expression, the female demon felt uneasy. She had already shared all the information she could; would he betray her trust and kill her?
jì rán xiàn zài hán pò bīng yuán de fáng yù shì wài jǐn nèi sōng ， nà xún bǎo zhī lǚ ， jiāng huì róng yì xǔ duō ， zhì yú lí kāi shí wēi xiǎn chóng chóng ， lín xuān xiàn zài gēn běn jiù bù qù kǎo lǜ de 。
既然现在寒魄冰原的防御是外紧内松，那寻宝之旅，将会容易许多，至于离开时危险重重，林轩现在根本就不去考虑的。
After all, such things were common in the world of cultivators.
jiàn lín xuān lù chū chén sī zhī sè ， nà nǚ yāo xīn zhōng tǎn tè ， gāi shuō de qíng bào zì jǐ dōu shuō le ， duì fāng huì bú huì guò hé chāi qiáo ， lái gè shā rén miè kǒu 。
见林轩露出沉思之色，那女妖心中忐忑，该说的情报自己都说了，对方会不会过河拆桥，来个杀人灭口。
Her fate was entirely in his hands. The few seconds it took for him to act seemed like an eternity.
bì jìng zhè zhǒng shì qíng ， duì xiū xiān zhě lái shuō ， yì diǎn yě bù xī qí 。
毕竟这种事情，对修仙者来说，一点也不稀奇。
Suddenly, Lin Xuan moved. With a wave of his sleeves, a wooden box flew out.
tā de xiǎo mìng ， quán zài duì fāng yí niàn zhī jiān ér yǐ 。
她的小命，全在对方一念之间而已。
The demon's face showed fear and confusion as she looked at the box more closely.
duǎn duǎn de jǐ xī ， què bǐ bǎi nián de dǎ zuò hái yào nán áo 。
短短的几息，却比百年的打坐还要难熬。
"I am not one who breaks promises. But now, releasing you is impossible. I believe you understand this."
tū rán ， lín xuān dòng le ， xiù páo yī fú ， yí gè mù hé fēi lüè ér chū 。
突然，林轩动了，袖袍一拂，一个木盒飞掠而出。
The female demon nodded. She would not have let her opponent off either.
cǐ yāo liǎn shàng mǎn shì jīng pà zhī sè ， dàn kàn kàn qīng chǔ nà mù hé hòu què yòu yǒu xiē bù jiě le 。
此妖脸上满是惊怕之色，但看看清楚那木盒后却又有些不解了。
"So, Lin Xuan has a solution that benefits both of us: reveal your true form and temporarily seal you away. When I leave the Frost Soul Ice Plain after completing my mission, I will release you."
“ lín mǒu bú shì shí yán ér féi de rén wù ， dàn xiàn zài fàng le nǐ yě shì bù kě néng ， zhè yì diǎn ， xiǎng bì nǐ yě xīn zhōng yǒu shù 。”
“林某不是食言而肥的人物，但现在放了妳也是不可能，这一点，想必妳也心中有数。”
"Thank you, Senior for this great kindness."
cǐ yāo diǎn le diǎn tóu ， huàn zuò tā ， yě bú huì fàng hǔ guī shān de 。
此妖点了点头，换做她，也不会放虎归山的。
The female demon bowed gracefully. Even so, she was still in danger. If Lin Xuan perished, her fate would be sealed with him. But as he admitted, she could not risk leaving now.
“ suǒ yǐ ， lín mǒu xiǎng le gè liǎng quán qí měi de zhǔ yì ， nǐ xiàn chū yuán xíng ， wǒ zàn qiě jiāng nǐ fēng yìn ， děng lín mǒu bàn wán shì ， lí kāi hán pò bīng yuán de shí hòu ， zì rán huì jiāng nǐ fàng chū 。”
“所以，林某想了个两全其美的主意，妳现出原形，我暂且将妳封印，等林某办完事，离开寒魄冰原的时候，自然会将妳放出。”
Bargaining only served to anger the opponent; if that old monster changed his mind and killed her outright, there would be no place for her to cry.
“ hǎo ， duō xiè qián bèi dà ēn dà dé 。”
“好，多谢前辈大恩大德。”
Content with what she had, the female demon agreed without hesitation.
cǐ yāo yíng yíng yī fú ， jǐn guǎn zhè yàng ， tā yī jiù wēi xiǎn ， lín xuān ruò shì yǔn luò ， tā de xià chǎng jiù zhǐ yǒu péi zàng le ， dàn zhèng rú duì fāng tǎn yán ， xiàn zài bù néng fàng tā lí kāi c3 yǐ hóng guǒ sú bāo dùn xu guǐ mù mǎo yā qiōng mèi shù ?br/>
此妖盈盈一福，尽管这样，她依旧危险，林轩若是陨落，她的下场就只有陪葬了，但正如对方坦言，现在不能放她离开c3椅闳猓俗龅顿蓿庋慕峁丫芎昧恕?br/>
Lin Xuan's face showed satisfaction.
tǎo jià huán jià zhǐ huì jiāng duì fāng jī nù ， ruò shì zhè lǎo guài wù gǎi biàn zhǔ yì ， zhí jiē jiāng zì jǐ miè chú ， nà kě jiù kū dōu zhǎo bú dào dì fāng kū 。
讨价还价只会将对方激怒，若是这老怪物改变主意，直接将自己灭除，那可就哭都找不到地方哭。
The female demon then cast a spell, causing her body to emit a shimmering light as demonic winds swirled around her. She transformed into a crimson red snake over ten feet long.
rén guì zài zhī zú ， suǒ yǐ cǐ yāo háo bù yóu yù de yī kǒu dā yìng le 。
人贵在知足，所以此妖毫不犹豫的一口答应了。
With a wave of Lin Xuan’s sleeves, a greenish aura enveloped the snake and shrank it before placing it in the wooden box. Lin Xuan then sealed the box and sent it flying towards the distant horizon.
Chapter 2479: The Demons' Plot
When Lin Xuan interrogated the snake demon, far away in the icy depths of Frost Soul Ice Plain, within a dimly lit secret chamber of the Ice Bear Tribe's territory, two figures were whispering to each other.
"Brother Rat, it has been over a month since the Holy Temple was stolen from. Everything is proceeding as we planned. The time is ripe now; shouldn't we inform that nobleman about this?" A raspy voice spoke impatiently.
"Do not rush, Brother Bear," replied another cool voice. "The timing isn't quite right yet. If we reveal it to him now, we might end up doing more harm than good. We should wait a bit longer."
"But wait? The risk is too great! Snow Fox Clan's Princess Xiang'er is no fool. If she suspects anything and discovers that our Ice Bear Tribe has stolen from the Holy Temple by sending human cultivators in disguise... That would be disastrous!"
The first voice sounded angry, and under the dim light, Lin Xuan finally got a clear view of the demon’s face.
Tall and imposing, it appeared to be around thirty years old. It had the build of a bear, with a tiger-like back. Its appearance was no different from that of human cultivators, but its thick demonic aura persisted.
"Hmph! Brother Bear, why are you angry at me? If it weren't for your desire for Princess Xiang'er's beauty and your attempt to force her into marriage, we wouldn’t have set this trap in the first place. We could have stolen from the Holy Temple more easily using other methods. Now, if you want a beautiful woman but don’t want to take risks... There’s no such thing as having it all."
The owner of the cool voice was an elderly man dressed in white robes with well-proportioned features. However, something about his appearance made him look suspicious.
"Alright, Brother Rat, do not be angry. I understand your anxiety. If you say so, I will follow your advice," said the Ice Bear King, who seemed to have softened.
"That's right. Patience is key. Brother Bear, just hold on a little longer; I promise it will all work out as planned since this collaboration benefits both our tribes greatly."
"Of course."
...
Meanwhile, Lin Xuan did not get many valuable leads from the snake demon. He only learned that the Holy Temple was managed by three tribes, and during their watch over the Snow Fox Clan, a precious item had been stolen.
All three tribes were furious about this. High-ranking demons and even some of the spirit beings were deployed to search for the human cultivator who stole the item. The entire Frost Soul Ice Plain was now tightly guarded from within while appearing relaxed on the surface, making it easier to enter but harder to leave.
Lin Xuan understood why he had encountered few dangers so far; the demons in those dangerous areas had been driven away by higher-ranking demons to other places for defense.
"Your meaning is that if I continue forward, I will encounter fewer dangers? But if I turn back, leaving this Ice Soul Plain would be more difficult?" Lin Xuan’s deep voice echoed as he pondered.
"You are correct, Senior. With the three tribes' elite forces out and many spirit beings of various ranks involved in the search, it is not easy for even a cultivator like you to leave undetected."
The snake demon spoke honestly, knowing that she had already revealed too much and could not hide these minor details.
Her companion was already subjected to soul extraction. She did not want to end up the same way.
"Hmm."
Lin Xuan nodded. He easily discerned whether her words were true or false with his deep understanding.
However, he didn't dwell on it too much. A net as vast as this one? He had faced far more dangerous challenges in the Demon Realm; this was nothing compared to that.
As for the lost item from the Holy Temple, Lin Xuan did not care much about it. After all, what demons valued might not be useful to human cultivators.
The immediate task at hand was finding the spirit material needed to create an inner avatar. He had no interest in getting involved with demon affairs.
Although Lin Xuan's expression changed when he heard of the Snow Fox Clan, they were not a particularly special clan; their presence could be found in colder regions across various planes of existence.
This Snow Fox might not be the same as the one mentioned earlier. Without any premonition powers, how could he immediately connect with Yuanke and Xiang'er?
So, he paid no mind to it.
Lin Xuan had no intention of getting involved in demon matters; his current task was to continue forward and meet up with the other cultivators.
Since the defenses were tight on the inside but loose on the outside, the treasure hunt would be much easier. Lin Xuan did not worry about the dangers during departure at this moment.
Seeing Lin Xuan's thoughtful expression, the female demon felt uneasy. She had already shared all the information she could; would he betray her trust and kill her?
After all, such things were common in the world of cultivators.
Her fate was entirely in his hands. The few seconds it took for him to act seemed like an eternity.
Suddenly, Lin Xuan moved. With a wave of his sleeves, a wooden box flew out.
The demon's face showed fear and confusion as she looked at the box more closely.
"I am not one who breaks promises. But now, releasing you is impossible. I believe you understand this."
The female demon nodded. She would not have let her opponent off either.
"So, Lin Xuan has a solution that benefits both of us: reveal your true form and temporarily seal you away. When I leave the Frost Soul Ice Plain after completing my mission, I will release you."
"Thank you, Senior for this great kindness."
The female demon bowed gracefully. Even so, she was still in danger. If Lin Xuan perished, her fate would be sealed with him. But as he admitted, she could not risk leaving now.
Bargaining only served to anger the opponent; if that old monster changed his mind and killed her outright, there would be no place for her to cry.
Content with what she had, the female demon agreed without hesitation.
Lin Xuan's face showed satisfaction.
The female demon then cast a spell, causing her body to emit a shimmering light as demonic winds swirled around her. She transformed into a crimson red snake over ten feet long.
With a wave of Lin Xuan’s sleeves, a greenish aura enveloped the snake and shrank it before placing it in the wooden box. Lin Xuan then sealed the box and sent it flying towards the distant horizon.