dì liǎng qiān sì bǎi bā shí zhāng chóng xīn jù shǒu
第两千四百八十章重新聚首
Chapter 2480: Reunited Again
yí gè rén gǎn lù ， bǐ qǐ tóng jǐ míng dòng xuán qī xiū shì yì qǐ ， míng xiǎn róng yì le bù zhī fán jǐ 。(《》7*
一个人赶路，比起同几名洞玄期修士一起，明显容易了不知凡几。(《》7*
Traveling alone was significantly easier than with several Core Profound practitioners, Lin Xuan found. (From *Records of Cultivation Anecdotes*)
lín xuān bù yòng zài cáng zhuō ， quán lì shī zhǎn liǎn qì zhī shù ， zài jiā shàng mò yuè tiān wū jué fǎn pú guī zhēn de xiào guǒ ， bié shuō nà xiē dī jiē yāo shòu yǔ pǔ tōng yāo xiū ， jiù suàn tóng jí bié de cún zài yóu shēn páng jīng guò ， néng bù néng fā xiàn yě yī jiù shì liǎng shuō 。
林轩不用再藏拙，全力施展敛气之术，再加上墨月天巫诀返璞归真的效果，别说那些低阶妖兽与普通妖修，就算同级别的存在由身旁经过，能不能发现也依旧是两说。
Lin Xuan no longer needed to hide his true strength and could fully exert the敛气之术 technique. Combined with the genuine effect of the Black Moon Celestial Witch Art, it was uncertain whether even low-grade beasts or ordinary beast cultivators would notice him, let alone those at the same level passing by.
jiā shàng yāo zú rú jīn de fáng yù ， běn lái jiù shì nèi sōng wài jǐn ， gù ér lín xuān méi yǒu yù jiàn rèn hé bō zhé ， yǒu rú xián tíng xìn bù 。
加上妖族如今的防御，本来就是内松外紧，故而林轩没有遇见任何波折，有如闲庭信步。
With the current defenses of the妖族, they were generally lax on the inside but tight on the outside. Thus, Lin Xuan encountered no obstacles and moved as if strolling through an empty garden.
bàn tiān hòu 。
半天后。
Half a day later, a streak of light flashed across, appearing atop a snow-capped peak.
jīng hóng yī shǎn ， chū xiàn zài le yī xuě fēng de shàng miàn 。
惊虹一闪，出现在了一雪峰的上面。
This peak was over a thousand feet tall. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable, but after the streak of light circled around, the surroundings underwent a sudden transformation. The mist formed by the wind and snow condensed, revealing a channel about ten feet in diameter.
cǐ xuě fēng gāo qiān zhàng yú ， biǎo miàn shàng kàn ， píng píng wú qí ， rán ér nà dào jīng hóng lüè yī pán xuán ， xuě fēng zhōu wéi de jǐng wù jiù zhòu rán dà biàn 。
此雪峰高千丈余，表面上看，平平无奇，然而那道惊虹略一盘旋，雪峰周围的景物就骤然大变。
Lin Xuan's face showed satisfaction as he flew into the peak without hesitation.
yuán běn yóu fēng xuě xíng chéng de wù qì yī liǎn ， fān yǒng lù chū le yì zhí jìng zhàng xǔ de tōng dào lái 。
原本由风雪形成的雾气一敛，翻涌露出了一直径丈许的通道来。
Atop the peak stood four cultivators, some standing while others sat down. They all wore smiles upon seeing Lin Xuan.
lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū mǎn yì zhī sè ， èr huà bù shuō ， jiù fēi jìn qù le 。
林轩脸上露出满意之色，二话不说，就飞进去了。
It was the elderly man of the Fan surname, the white-haired old lady, the man in a brocade robe, and the woman in a palace attire.
fēng dǐng zhī shàng ， yǒu sì míng xiū shì huò zhàn huò zuò ， kàn jiàn lín xuān ， liǎn shàng dōu lù chū xiào róng 。
峰顶之上，有四名修士或站或坐，看见林轩，脸上都露出笑容。
"Haha, Fellow Daoist Lin has arrived safely as well; it's good news! I thought you were intercepted by the beast tribes." The laughter of the Fan surname elder echoed in Lin Xuan’s ears. His joy was evident, his excitement genuine.
zhèng shì fàn xìng lǎo zhě ， bái fà lǎo yù ， jǐn páo dà hàn ， hái yǒu gōng zhuāng měi fù 。
正是范姓老者，白发老妪，锦袍大汉，还有宫装美妇。
Lin Xuan's eyebrows twitched. This was different from what he had anticipated.
“ hē hē ， lín dào yǒu yě píng ān dào cǐ ， kě xǐ kě hè ， xiǎo lǎo ér hái yǐ wéi nǐ bèi yāo zú lán jié le 。(《》7*” fàn xìng lǎo zhě hā hā dà xiào de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， xǐ dòng yán sè ， nà xīng fèn de biǎo qíng ， jué bú shì jiǎ zhuāng chū lái de 。
“呵呵，林道友也平安到此，可喜可贺，小老儿还以为你被妖族拦截了。(《》7*”范姓老者哈哈大笑的声音传入耳朵，喜动颜色，那兴奋的表情，绝不是假装出来的。
He had planned for everyone to travel separately, thinking that this old fellow wanted to leave them behind and secretly search for treasures himself. Hence, Lin Xuan had placed a tracking mark on him.
lín xuān méi shāo yī dòng 。
林轩眉梢一动。
Now it seemed he had overthought the situation.
zhè yǔ zì jǐ yuán xiān yù xiǎng de bù tóng 。
这与自己原先预想的不同。
What did this old fellow have in mind?
ràng dà jiā fēn kāi zǒu ， hái yǐ wéi zhè lǎo jiā huǒ shì xiǎng yào jiāng dà jiā shuǎi kāi ， zì jǐ yí gè rén qiǎo rán qù xún zhǎo bǎo wù ， suǒ yǐ lín xuān hái zài tā shēn shàng zuò le zhuī zōng biāo jì lái zhe 。
让大家分开走，还以为这老家伙是想要将大家甩开，自己一个人悄然去寻找宝物，所以林轩还在他身上做了追踪标记来着。
Lin Xuan was puzzled but didn't dwell on it. He just needed to adapt regardless of what the other party planned.
xiàn zài kàn lái ， zì jǐ xiǎng duō le 。
现在看来，自己想多了。
No matter their schemes or tricks, they were mere pretenses before absolute power.
zhè lǎo jiā huǒ jiū jìng yǒu shén me dǎ suàn ne ？
这老家伙究竟有什么打算呢？
---
lín xuān yǒu xiē yí huò 。
林轩有些疑惑。
Lin Xuan's figure descended slowly as his遁光 dissipated.
bù guò yě méi qù duō xiǎng shén me ， zì jǐ zhǐ yào yǐ bù biàn yīng wàn biàn jiù kě yǐ le 。
不过也没去多想什么，自己只要以不变应万变就可以了。
"Hey, where is Fellow Daoist Evil Fire?" Lin Xuan’s voice was somewhat surprised despite not knowing them well. His eyesight was exceptional; the strength of Evil Fire Monk among the five was second only to the weakest palace-wearing woman. Could it be that Evil Fire Monk's luck was truly so bad?
bù guǎn duì fāng yǒu shén me yīn móu guǐ jì ， zài jué duì de lì liàng miàn qián ， dōu zhǐ shì bān mén nòng fǔ ér yǐ 。
不管对方有什么阴谋诡计，在绝对的力量面前，都只是班门弄斧而已。
"Hmph, that guy is always brash and reckless. We tried to shake off the beast tribes, but he likely met them head-on," a cold voice entered his ears. Lin Xuan turned around as the white-haired old lady frowned.
lín xuān dùn guāng yī liǎn ， màn màn de jiàng luò le xià qù 。
林轩遁光一敛，慢慢的降落了下去。
"Mmm, Fellow Daoist Evil Fire’s temper is indeed too fiery, but his divine treasures are formidable enough. He should be fine; we can wait a bit longer," the Fan surname elder stroked his beard and said with some embarrassment.
“ yí ， è huǒ dào yǒu hái méi yǒu lái me ？” lín xuān de shēng yīn bǐ jiào jīng qí ， suī rán jiē chù bù duō ， rán ér tā de yǎn lì ， fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， zhè è huǒ tóu tuó de shí lì ， zài wǔ rén zhōng ， bú shì shù yī yě shì shù èr dì ， lián xiū wèi zuì ruò de gōng zhuāng měi fù ， yě lái dào le cǐ dì ， nán dào è huǒ tóu tuó de yùn qì ， zhēn shì rú cǐ bù jì 。
“咦，恶火道友还没有来么？”林轩的声音比较惊奇，虽然接触不多，然而他的眼力，非同小可，这恶火头陀的实力，在五人中，不是数一也是数二地，连修为最弱的宫装美妇，也来到了此地，难道恶火头陀的运气，真是如此不济。
"What's the point of waiting? The deeper we stay in the beast tribes' territory, the greater the risk of exposure. If Fellow Daoist Evil Fire wants to fight recklessly, let him go alone. Why should we accompany him?" the palace-wearing woman was displeased.
“ hēng ， nà jiā huo ， xiàng lái hào yǒng dòu hěn ， wǒ men bèi yāo zú lán jié ， dōu shì xiǎng bàn fǎ shuǎi tuō ， tā què duō bàn shì yìng pèng yìng le 。” yī shēng lěng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lín xuān xún shēng zhuǎn guò tóu ， què jiàn nà bái fà lǎo yù ， yī liǎn de bù yù 。(《》
“哼，那家伙，向来好勇斗狠，我们被妖族拦截，都是想办法甩脱，他却多半是硬碰硬了。”一生冷的声音传入耳朵，林轩循声转过头，却见那白发老妪，一脸的不豫。(《》
"Haha, Lady Yi’s words are reasonable. However, that senior's abode is sealed by restrictions and requires several Core Profound practitioners to open it together. With just us, although possible, it would take longer, making exposure more likely. It’s better for us to wait here a bit longer," the Fan surname elder sighed. At this point, he had no choice but to reveal some secrets.
“ ń ， è huǒ tóu tuó de xìng zi ， què shí bào zào le xiē ， bù guò tā de shén tōng bǎo wù ， dōu fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， yīng gāi bú huì yǒu dà ài de ， wǒ men zài děng yī děng 。” fàn xìng lǎo zhě mō le mō hú xū ， yǒu xiē gān gà de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ lǐ 。
“嗯，恶火头陀的性子，确实暴躁了些，不过他的神通宝物，都非同小可，应该不会有大碍的，我们再等一等。”范姓老者摸了摸胡须，有些尴尬的声音传入耳朵里。
"Ah, I see."
“ děng shén me ， rú jīn zài yāo zú de fù dì ， zài zhè lǐ dài de shí jiān yuè jiǔ ， yuè yǒu fēng xiǎn bào lù ， tā jì rán yào hǎo yǒng dòu hěn ， zì jǐ qù jiù hǎo le ， wǒ men hé bì zài zhè lǐ fèng péi ne ？” nà gōng zhuāng měi fù yǒu xiē bù mǎn de shuō 。
“等什么，如今在妖族的腹地，在这里待的时间越久，越有风险暴露，他既然要好勇斗狠，自己去就好了，我们何必在这里奉陪呢？”那宫装美妇有些不满的说。
The palace-wearing woman's face still showed dissatisfaction, but she didn't insist and prepared to leave.
“ hē hē ， yì fū rén yán zhī yǒu lǐ ， bù guò nà wèi qián bèi de dòng fǔ ， shì bèi jìn zhì fēng bì ， xū yào shù míng dòng xuán qī xiū shì lián shǒu ， cái néng dǎ kāi ， jiù wǒ men jǐ gè rén ， suī rán yě bú shì bàn bú dào ， dàn huā de shí jiān huì gèng jiǔ ， nà yàng hái bú shì róng yì bào lù ， yǔ qí rú cǐ ， hái bù rú zài zhè lǐ duō děng yī huì er ， hái huá suàn yī xiē 。” fàn xìng lǎo zhě tàn le kǒu qì ， dào le zhè yī bù ， yóu bù dé tā bù tǔ lù yī xiē mì mì 。
“呵呵，易夫人言之有理，不过那位前辈的洞府，是被禁制封闭，需要数名洞玄期修士联手，才能打开，就我们几个人，虽然也不是办不到，但花的时间会更久，那样还不是容易暴露，与其如此，还不如在这里多等一会儿，还划算一些。”范姓老者叹了口气，到了这一步，由不得他不吐露一些秘密。
"We can’t wait indefinitely. Lady Yi’s words make sense; the longer we stay, the greater the risk of exposure. So, let's wait for half a day. If Fellow Daoist Evil Fire doesn’t appear by sunset, we’ll depart to seek treasures," the man in the brocade robe hesitated and proposed.
“ yuán lái rú cǐ 。”
“原来如此。”
The Fan surname elder nodded.
gōng zhuāng měi fù tīng le ， liǎn shàng suī rán yóu yǒu bù mǎn zhī sè ， dàn yě bù zài jiān chí ， yào mǎ shàng zǒu le 。
宫装美妇听了，脸上虽然犹有不满之色，但也不再坚持，要马上走了。
"I have no objections."
“ dàn wǒ men yě bù néng yì zhí děng xià qù ， yì fū rén de huà bù wú dào lǐ ， zài zhè lǐ dài dé yuè jiǔ ， yuè yǒu kě néng bào lù ， suǒ yǐ wǒ men zhǐ děng bàn tiān rú hé ， rú guǒ tài yáng luò shān ， è huǒ dào yǒu hái bù chū xiàn ， nà wǒ men jiù xiān lí kāi ， qù xún zhǎo bǎo wù 。” jǐn páo dà hàn lüè yī chóu chú ， rú cǐ zhè bān de tí yì le 。
“但我们也不能一直等下去，易夫人的话不无道理，在这里待得越久，越有可能暴露，所以我们只等半天如何，如果太阳落山，恶火道友还不出现，那我们就先离开，去寻找宝物。”锦袍大汉略一踌躇，如此这般的提议了。
"What about Fellow Daoist Lin?"
xìng lǎo zhě diǎn le diǎn tóu 。
姓老者点了点头。
"Fellow Dao Lin has no objection; he follows everyone's lead."
“ lǎo shēn yě méi yǒu yì jiàn 。”
“老身也没有意见。”
Thus, they quickly reached an agreement. Waiting for half a day was indeed a prudent idea.
“ lín dào yǒu ne ？”
“林道友呢？”
Lin Xuan found a relatively clean spot to sit down and meditated in the lotus position...
“ lín mǒu méi yǒu yì jiàn ， wèi dà jiā de mǎ shǒu shì zhān 。”
“林某没有意见，为大家的马首是瞻。”
Half a day passed swiftly as the sun set behind the mountains. Although the moon had not yet risen, the sky grew extremely dark.
yú shì ， zhòng rén hěn kuài dá chéng le xié yì ， děng bàn tiān ， què shí shì bǐ jiào wěn tuǒ de zhǔ yì 。
于是，众人很快达成了协议，等半天，确实是比较稳妥的主意。
Yet, aside from the sound of wind and snow, everything was eerily silent.
suí hòu lín xuān zhǎo le yī kuài bǐ jiào gān jìng de dì fāng zuò xià ， pán xī dǎ zuò 。
随后林轩找了一块比较干净的地方坐下，盘膝打坐。
"Ah!" A sigh entered Lin Xuan's ears. The Fan surname elder’s face showed concern: "It seems Fellow Daoist Evil Fire has run into serious trouble. Let’s leave!"
bàn tiān de shí jiān hěn kuài jiù guò qù le ， tài yáng yǐ là xià shān pō ， yuè liàng suī rán hái méi yǒu shēng qǐ ， dàn tiān sè yǐ biàn dé hūn àn yǐ jí 。
半天的时间很快就过去了，太阳已落下山坡，月亮虽然还没有升起，但天色已变得昏暗以极。
Lin Xuan, who had not spoken before, spoke up, causing the Fan surname elder to be taken aback.
rán ér sì zhōu chú le fēng xuě de shēng yīn ， yī jiù kě yǐ shuō shì wàn lài jù jì 。
然而四周除了风雪的声音，依旧可以说是万籁俱寂。
"Fellow Daoist Lin, what is it?"
“ āi ！” tàn xī shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， fàn xìng lǎo zhě de liǎn shàng ， mǎn shì chóu kǔ zhī sè ：“ kàn lái è huǒ shì zhēn yù jiàn dà má fán le ， jì rán rú cǐ ， wǒ men zǒu ba ！”
“唉！”叹息声传入耳朵，范姓老者的脸上，满是愁苦之色：“看来恶火是真遇见大麻烦了，既然如此，我们走吧！”
"Let's wait a bit longer. I sensed a faint energy fluctuation. It might or might not be Fellow Daoist Evil Fire, but it definitely came from this direction."
“ děng yī děng 。”
“等一等。”
Lin Xuan said calmly. Of course, his words were half true; his divine sense was far superior to the others, allowing him to clearly feel Evil Fire Monk.
yì zhí bù fā biǎo yì jiàn de lín xuān què kāi kǒu le ， fàn xìng lǎo zhě bù yóu de yī lèng ：“ lín dào yǒu ， zěn me le ？”
一直不发表意见的林轩却开口了，范姓老者不由得一愣：“林道友，怎么了？”
Upon hearing Lin Xuan’s words, the other cultivators hurriedly released their divine senses and found nothing, all showing a confused expression.
“ zài děng yī huì er ， wǒ gǎn jué dào yī gǔ líng lì bō dòng ， hěn wēi ruò ， shì bú shì è huǒ dào yǒu ， kě bù hǎo shuō ， dàn què shí shì xiàng zhè ge fāng xiàng fēi lái de 。”
“再等一会儿，我感觉到一股灵力波动，很微弱，是不是恶火道友，可不好说，但确实是像这个方向飞来的。”
"Did Fellow Daoist Lin misjudge?" the palace-wearing woman said doubtfully.
lín xuān dàn dàn de shuō ， dāng rán ， zhè fān huà bàn zhēn bàn jiǎ ， tā de shén shí ， bǐ yǎn qián jǐ rén ， shí zài shì qiáng le tài duō ， suǒ yǐ shí jì gǎn shòu dé qīng qīng chǔ chǔ ， jiù shì è huǒ tóu tuó 。
林轩淡淡的说，当然，这番话半真半假，他的神识，比眼前几人，实在是强了太多，所以实际感受得清清楚楚，就是恶火头陀。
Before Lin Xuan could respond, the Fan surname elder's excited voice echoed: "There is indeed an energy fluctuation; it’s far away but should be from Fellow Daoist Evil Fire."
tīng lín xuān zhè me yī shuō ， qí tā jǐ rén yě lián máng fàng chū shén shí sōu suǒ ， rán ér què yī wú suǒ huò ， yí gè èr gè ， quán bù lù chū máng rán zhī sè 。
听林轩这么一说，其他几人也连忙放出神识搜索，然而却一无所获，一个二个，全部露出茫然之色。
He was well acquainted with Evil Fire Monk and thus familiar with his energy attributes.
“ lín dào yǒu ， nǐ shì bú shì gǎn jué cuò le ？” gōng zhuāng měi fù hú yí de shuō 。
“林道友，你是不是感觉错了？”宫装美妇狐疑的说。
The others immediately released their divine senses. After a flurry of activity, everyone had some results.
rán ér lín xuān hái méi yǒu huí dá ， fàn xìng lǎo zhě xīng fèn de shēng yīn jiù chuán lái le ：“ zhēn yǒu líng lì bō dòng ， hěn yuǎn ， bù guò yīng gāi shì è huǒ dào yǒu 。”
然而林轩还没有回答，范姓老者兴奋的声音就传来了：“真有灵力波动，很远，不过应该是恶火道友。”
"Indeed, Fellow Daoist Lin's divine sense is extraordinary," the cold voice of the white-haired old lady entered his ears. There was an undercurrent of malice in her tone.
tā yǔ è huǒ tóu tuó shì lǎo jiāo qíng le ， duì yú qí líng lì shǔ xìng ， zì rán shì bǐ jiào shú xī de 。
他与恶火头陀是老交情了，对于其灵力属性，自然是比较熟悉的。
"Haha, Fellow Daoist, you are too kind; due to my cultivation method, my divine sense is indeed stronger than that of other cultivators at the same level." Lin Xuan's candid voice echoed as he sighed: "Unfortunately, this cultivation method’s power is lacking. It only has some mysterious advantages in terms of divine senses and survival."
qí tā rén tīng le ， máng chóng xīn fàng chū shén shí ， yī fān máng huó hòu ， rén rén dōu yǒu shōu huò 。
其他人听了，忙重新放出神识，一番忙活后，人人都有收获。
Lin Xuan spoke half-truthfully; whether they believed him was irrelevant.
&nff8bsp;“ lín dào yǒu hái zhēn shì liǎo de ， shén shí bǐ yì bān xiū shì qiáng dé duō 。” nà bái fà lǎo fù lěng lěng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， zěn me tīng ， dōu yǒu xiē bù huái hào yì de 。
&nff8bsp;“林道友还真是了得，神识比一般修士强得多。”那白发老妇冷冷的声音传入耳朵，怎么听，都有些不怀好意的。
As he spoke, the energy reaction became clearer. Everyone present could confirm it was Evil Fire Monk. After a few more moments, even the streak of light entered their line of sight.
“ hē hē ， ràng dào yǒu jiàn xiào le ， lín mǒu yīn wèi gōng fǎ de yuán gù ， shén shí què shí bǐ tóng jiē xiū shì yào qiáng yī xiē 。” lín xuān tǎn rán de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ lǐ ， suí hòu tàn le kǒu qì ：“ kě xī zhè gōng fǎ de wēi lì ， jiù bù rú hé ， wéi yǒu zài shén shí yǔ bǎo mìng fāng miàn ， yǒu jǐ fēn xuán miào zhī chù 。”
“呵呵，让道友见笑了，林某因为功法的缘故，神识确实比同阶修士要强一些。”林轩坦然的声音传入耳朵里，随后叹了口气：“可惜这功法的威力，就不如何，唯有在神识与保命方面，有几分玄妙之处。”
The Fan surname elder waved his sleeves to open the seal and welcomed Evil Fire Monk inside.
lín xuān bàn zhēn bàn jiǎ de shuō ， zhì yú duì fāng xìn bù xìn dāng rán shì méi yǒu guān xì le 。
林轩半真半假的说，至于对方信不信当然是没有关系了。
Compared to yesterday, Evil Fire Monk’s complexion was extremely pale, and the aura he emitted had weakened significantly.
shuō huà jiān ， nà líng lì fǎn yìng qīng xī le xǔ duō ， zài zuò de měi yí gè rén ， dōu kě yǐ què dìng shì è huǒ tóu tuó ， yòu děng piàn kè ， lián jīng hóng dōu yìng rù yǎn lián le 。
说话间，那灵力反应清晰了许多，在座的每一个人，都可以确定是恶火头陀，又等片刻，连惊虹都映入眼帘了。
"How is it that Fellow Daoist has been pursued by beast cultivators?" the Fan surname elder pretended concern.
fàn xìng lǎo zhě xiù páo yī fú ， jiāng jìn zhì dǎ kāi ， jiāng è huǒ tóu tuó yíng le jìn lái 。
范姓老者袖袍一拂，将禁制打开，将恶火头陀迎了进来。
"Don’t mention it. I was chased by two beast cultivators; after fully exerting my divine power to kill them, I didn't travel far before encountering three more…"
Chapter 2480: Reunited Again
Traveling alone was significantly easier than with several Core Profound practitioners, Lin Xuan found. (From *Records of Cultivation Anecdotes*)
Lin Xuan no longer needed to hide his true strength and could fully exert the敛气之术 technique. Combined with the genuine effect of the Black Moon Celestial Witch Art, it was uncertain whether even low-grade beasts or ordinary beast cultivators would notice him, let alone those at the same level passing by.
With the current defenses of the妖族, they were generally lax on the inside but tight on the outside. Thus, Lin Xuan encountered no obstacles and moved as if strolling through an empty garden.
Half a day later, a streak of light flashed across, appearing atop a snow-capped peak.
This peak was over a thousand feet tall. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable, but after the streak of light circled around, the surroundings underwent a sudden transformation. The mist formed by the wind and snow condensed, revealing a channel about ten feet in diameter.
Lin Xuan's face showed satisfaction as he flew into the peak without hesitation.
Atop the peak stood four cultivators, some standing while others sat down. They all wore smiles upon seeing Lin Xuan.
It was the elderly man of the Fan surname, the white-haired old lady, the man in a brocade robe, and the woman in a palace attire.
"Haha, Fellow Daoist Lin has arrived safely as well; it's good news! I thought you were intercepted by the beast tribes." The laughter of the Fan surname elder echoed in Lin Xuan’s ears. His joy was evident, his excitement genuine.
Lin Xuan's eyebrows twitched. This was different from what he had anticipated.
He had planned for everyone to travel separately, thinking that this old fellow wanted to leave them behind and secretly search for treasures himself. Hence, Lin Xuan had placed a tracking mark on him.
Now it seemed he had overthought the situation.
What did this old fellow have in mind?
Lin Xuan was puzzled but didn't dwell on it. He just needed to adapt regardless of what the other party planned.
No matter their schemes or tricks, they were mere pretenses before absolute power.
---
Lin Xuan's figure descended slowly as his遁光 dissipated.
"Hey, where is Fellow Daoist Evil Fire?" Lin Xuan’s voice was somewhat surprised despite not knowing them well. His eyesight was exceptional; the strength of Evil Fire Monk among the five was second only to the weakest palace-wearing woman. Could it be that Evil Fire Monk's luck was truly so bad?
"Hmph, that guy is always brash and reckless. We tried to shake off the beast tribes, but he likely met them head-on," a cold voice entered his ears. Lin Xuan turned around as the white-haired old lady frowned.
"Mmm, Fellow Daoist Evil Fire’s temper is indeed too fiery, but his divine treasures are formidable enough. He should be fine; we can wait a bit longer," the Fan surname elder stroked his beard and said with some embarrassment.
"What's the point of waiting? The deeper we stay in the beast tribes' territory, the greater the risk of exposure. If Fellow Daoist Evil Fire wants to fight recklessly, let him go alone. Why should we accompany him?" the palace-wearing woman was displeased.
"Haha, Lady Yi’s words are reasonable. However, that senior's abode is sealed by restrictions and requires several Core Profound practitioners to open it together. With just us, although possible, it would take longer, making exposure more likely. It’s better for us to wait here a bit longer," the Fan surname elder sighed. At this point, he had no choice but to reveal some secrets.
"Ah, I see."
The palace-wearing woman's face still showed dissatisfaction, but she didn't insist and prepared to leave.
"We can’t wait indefinitely. Lady Yi’s words make sense; the longer we stay, the greater the risk of exposure. So, let's wait for half a day. If Fellow Daoist Evil Fire doesn’t appear by sunset, we’ll depart to seek treasures," the man in the brocade robe hesitated and proposed.
The Fan surname elder nodded.
"I have no objections."
"What about Fellow Daoist Lin?"
"Fellow Dao Lin has no objection; he follows everyone's lead."
Thus, they quickly reached an agreement. Waiting for half a day was indeed a prudent idea.
Lin Xuan found a relatively clean spot to sit down and meditated in the lotus position...
Half a day passed swiftly as the sun set behind the mountains. Although the moon had not yet risen, the sky grew extremely dark.
Yet, aside from the sound of wind and snow, everything was eerily silent.
"Ah!" A sigh entered Lin Xuan's ears. The Fan surname elder’s face showed concern: "It seems Fellow Daoist Evil Fire has run into serious trouble. Let’s leave!"
"Hold on."
Lin Xuan, who had not spoken before, spoke up, causing the Fan surname elder to be taken aback.
"Fellow Daoist Lin, what is it?"
"Let's wait a bit longer. I sensed a faint energy fluctuation. It might or might not be Fellow Daoist Evil Fire, but it definitely came from this direction."
Lin Xuan said calmly. Of course, his words were half true; his divine sense was far superior to the others, allowing him to clearly feel Evil Fire Monk.
Upon hearing Lin Xuan’s words, the other cultivators hurriedly released their divine senses and found nothing, all showing a confused expression.
"Did Fellow Daoist Lin misjudge?" the palace-wearing woman said doubtfully.
Before Lin Xuan could respond, the Fan surname elder's excited voice echoed: "There is indeed an energy fluctuation; it’s far away but should be from Fellow Daoist Evil Fire."
He was well acquainted with Evil Fire Monk and thus familiar with his energy attributes.
The others immediately released their divine senses. After a flurry of activity, everyone had some results.
"Indeed, Fellow Daoist Lin's divine sense is extraordinary," the cold voice of the white-haired old lady entered his ears. There was an undercurrent of malice in her tone.
"Haha, Fellow Daoist, you are too kind; due to my cultivation method, my divine sense is indeed stronger than that of other cultivators at the same level." Lin Xuan's candid voice echoed as he sighed: "Unfortunately, this cultivation method’s power is lacking. It only has some mysterious advantages in terms of divine senses and survival."
Lin Xuan spoke half-truthfully; whether they believed him was irrelevant.
As he spoke, the energy reaction became clearer. Everyone present could confirm it was Evil Fire Monk. After a few more moments, even the streak of light entered their line of sight.
The Fan surname elder waved his sleeves to open the seal and welcomed Evil Fire Monk inside.
Compared to yesterday, Evil Fire Monk’s complexion was extremely pale, and the aura he emitted had weakened significantly.
"How is it that Fellow Daoist has been pursued by beast cultivators?" the Fan surname elder pretended concern.
"Don’t mention it. I was chased by two beast cultivators; after fully exerting my divine power to kill them, I didn't travel far before encountering three more…"