dì liǎng qiān wǔ bǎi sì shí yī zhāng yì wài biàn gù
第两千五百四十一章意外变故
Chapter 2541: Unexpected Turn of Events
cǐ dǎo miàn jī guǎng kuò ， fāng yuán pà bù xià qiān yú ， dǎo shàng duō shān chuān hú pō ， fēng jǐng jí wéi bù cuò ， rán ér líng qì què shí fēn xī bó ， yī yǎn wàng qù ， dào kàn jiàn yī xiē fēi niǎo de zōng jì ， dàn xiǎn rán shì wú rén de dǎo yǔ 。
此岛面积广阔，方圆怕不下千余，岛上多山川湖泊，风景极为不错，然而灵气却十分稀薄，一眼望去，倒看见一些飞鸟的踪迹，但显然是无人的岛屿。
The island was vast, covering an area that could easily stretch a thousand feet in all directions. It was dotted with mountains and lakes, offering picturesque scenery. However, the aura of spiritual energy here was extremely thin. Upon looking around, one could see some traces of flying birds but no signs of human presence.
nà gōng zhuāng shǎo nv qīng qīng yī duò yù zú ， jiǎo xià de huà fǎng líng guāng dà zuò ， huǎn huǎn de jiàng xià qù le 。
那宫装少nv轻轻一跺yù足，脚下的画舫灵光大做，缓缓的降下去了。
A young woman dressed in court attire lightly stepped down from the boat, causing it to emit a bright light as it slowly descended.
“ shī mèi ， nǐ zhōng yú lái le 。”
“师妹，妳终于来了。”
"Junior Sister, you finally arrived."
lín xuān yǔ cǐ nv cái gāng gāng zǒu xià huà fǎng ， yī shēn chuān rú páo de nán zi jiù yíng le shàng lái ， yī yǎn wàng qù ， sì hū píng píng wú qí ， kě zǐ xì kàn ， tā hún shēn shàng xià ， jū rán lǒng zhào zhe yī céng dàn dàn de zǐ qì 。
林轩与此nv才刚刚走下画舫，一身穿儒袍的男子就迎了上来，一眼望去，似乎平平无奇，可仔细看，他浑身上下，居然笼罩着一层淡淡的紫气。
Just as Lin Xuan and the young woman disembarked, a man wearing a scholar's robe approached them. At first glance, he seemed unremarkable, but upon closer inspection, a faint purple aura enveloped his entire body.
líng yā méi yǒu wài lù， bù guò lín xuān ruò shì méi yǒu cāi cuò ， zhè yě shì yī wèi fēn shén hòu qī de xiū xiān zhě 。
灵压没有外lù，不过林轩若是没有猜错，这也是一位分神后期的修仙者。
Though there was no outward display of spiritual pressure, if Lin Xuan were to guess correctly, this was indeed an advanced cultivator at the Spirit Transformation后期 stage.
“ yún shī xiōng ， dà zhǎng lǎo ne ， zěn me méi yǔ nǐ zài yì qǐ ？” gōng zhuāng shǎo nv yǒu diǎn qí guài de shuō 。
“云师兄，大长老呢，怎么没与你在一起？”宫装少nv有点奇怪的说。
"Senior Brother Yun, where is the Grand Elder? Why aren't you with him?" the young woman in court attire asked curiously.
“ wǒ men lái de shí hòu shōu dào fēi jiàn chuán shū ， dài nà liǎng míng fán rén lái zhè lǐ de dì zǐ sì hū yù jiàn le shén me má fán ， gù ér líng xū shī xiōng qīn zì qù jiē yīng le 。” rú páo xiū shì dàn dàn de shuō ， shēng yīn xiǎn de pǒ wèi róu hé 。
“我们来的时候收到飞剑传书，带那两名凡人来这里的弟子似乎遇见了什么麻烦，故而灵虚师兄亲自去接应了。”儒袍修士淡淡的说，声音显得颇为柔和。
"We received a message from our flying sword, informing us that one of the disciples brought here had encountered some trouble. Thus, Senior Brother Lingxu went to meet them," the scholar-robed cultivator said softly and mildly.
gōng zhuāng nv zi tīng le ， diǎn diǎn tóu ， liǎn shàng què bìng méi yǒu lù chū duō shǎo dān xīn zhī sè， zuò le nà me duō nián de tóng mén， dà zhǎng lǎo shén tōng rú hé ， cǐ nv xīn zhōng yǒu shù ， chú fēi shì yù jiàn nà yǐ jīng xiāo shēng nì jì bù zhī dào duō shǎo nián de xuán bīng lǎo zǔ ， fǒu zé ， jī hū shì wú wǎng ér bù lì de 。
宫装nv子听了，点点头，脸上却并没有lù出多少担心之sè，做了那么多年的同mén，大长老神通如何，此nv心中有数，除非是遇见那已经销声匿迹不知道多少年的玄冰老祖，否则，几乎是无往而不利的。
The young woman nodded, but her expression did not reveal much concern. Having been in the same sect for so long, she knew well how powerful the Grand Elder was. Unless it involved that long-lost Ice Emperor Patriarch, they would be almost invincible.
jì rán tā qīn zì chū mǎ ， yǒu shén me hǎo dān xīn de 。
既然他亲自出马，有什么好担心的。
Since he had personally taken action, there was nothing to worry about.
“ shī mèi yī lù hái shùn lì ba ， zěn me ， zhè xiǎo jiā huo ， jiù shì nǐ dài lái de fán rén wǔ zhě ？” rú páo xiū shì mù guāng zài lín xuān shēn shàng sǎo guò ， lüè yǒu diǎn jīng yì de shuō ， bìng bú shì kàn chū le shén me bù tuǒ ， ér shì zhèn jīng zhè xiǎo zi jiǎn zhí zhǎng dé wèi miǎn yě tài shuài le 。
“师妹一路还顺利吧，怎么，这小家伙，就是妳带来的凡人武者？”儒袍修士目光在林轩身上扫过，略有点惊异的说，并不是看出了什么不妥，而是震惊这小子简直长得未免也太帅了。
"Junior Sister, your journey must have been smooth. Is this young man the ordinary martial artist you brought?" The scholar-robed cultivator's gaze swept over Lin Xuan, showing a slight surprise but not because of any apparent issue; rather, it was due to how exceptionally handsome the boy looked.
“ tián xiǎo jiàn gěi xiān shī jiàn lǐ ， xiān shī wàn fú 。”
“田小剑给仙师见礼，仙师万福。”
"Little Sword, I offer my respects to the Immortal Master."
lín xuān gǒng shǒu bào quán de shuō 。
林轩拱手抱拳的说。
Lin Xuan bowed and clasped his hands in greeting.
rú páo xiū shì diǎn le diǎn tóu ， yě jiù bù zuò lǐ huì le ， zhǎng dé shuài yòu rú hé ， guī gēn jié dǐ ， yě zhǐ shì qū qū yī fán rén ér yǐ 。
儒袍修士点了点头，也就不做理会了，长得帅又如何，归根结底，也只是区区一凡人而已。
The scholar-robed cultivator nodded but did not press further. Being attractive mattered little; after all, he was merely an ordinary mortal.
tā zì rán bú huì rú hé de zhòng shì 。
他自然不会如何的重视。
He naturally did not place much importance on it.
suí hòu biàn yǔ gōng zhuāng nv zi liáo le qǐ lái ， suǒ shuō de shì qíng dōu fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， rán ér jū rán méi yǒu shǐ yòng gé yīn zhào ， huò zhě yǒu bì huì lín xuān de yì tú ， bú shì dà yì shū hū ， ér shì gēn běn jiù méi yǒu jiāng zhè xiǎo zi fàng zài yǎn lǐ ， bù rèn wéi tā tīng dào jiù néng gěi zì jǐ dài lái wēi xié shén me 。
随后便与宫装nv子聊了起来，所说的事情都非同小可，然而居然没有使用隔音罩，或者有避讳林轩的意图，不是大意疏忽，而是根本就没有将这小子放在眼里，不认为他听到就能给自己带来威胁什么。
They then began chatting with the young woman, discussing matters of great significance. However, they did not use a soundproof barrier or show any signs of avoiding Lin Xuan's presence. It wasn't due to carelessness but because they had no regard for this boy; they believed he could not pose any real threat by overhearing their conversation.
bì jìng zhǐ shì fán rén bà le 。
毕竟只是凡人罢了。
After all, he was just an ordinary mortal.
tiān dào gāo shǒu yòu rú hé ， yě jǐn jǐn shì yī zhī jiào wéi qiáng zhuàng de lóu yǐ ， zài tā men zhè yàng de dà néng cún zài yǎn lǐ ， yǔ pǔ tōng de fán rén yě shì méi yǒu qū bié dì 。
天道高手又如何，也仅仅是一只较为强壮的蝼蚁，在他们这样的大能存在眼里，与普通的凡人也是没有区别地。
Even a Heaven Dao expert was merely a relatively strong ant in their eyes. There was no difference between him and the average mortal.
“ shī mèi ， nǐ jué de wǒ men zhè cì ， néng rú yuàn yǐ cháng ma ， líng xū shī xiōng céng shuō ， zhè huí shōu huò de piāo miǎo jiǔ xiān dān zhōng ， yǒu kě néng huì yǒu líng wù ， duì tū pò jìn jiē dào dù jié qī yǒu bāng zhù 。”
“师妹，妳觉得我们这次，能如愿以偿吗，灵虚师兄曾说，这回收获的飘渺九仙丹中，有可能会有灵物，对突破进阶到渡劫期有帮助。”
"Junior Sister, do you think we will succeed? Senior Brother Lingxu mentioned that among the Penglai Nine Immortals Pills, there might be spiritual treasures that could help us advance to the Tribulation Transcending stage."
rú páo xiū shì lüè yǒu xiē xīng fèn de shēng yīn chuán lái ， lín xuān zé yī xià zi gāo gāo de shù qǐ le ěr duǒ ， shá ？ piāo miǎo jiǔ xiān dān ， nán dào tā men zhè cì tú móu de bǎo wù ， shì piāo miǎo jiǔ xiān dān me ？
儒袍修士略有些兴奋的声音传来，林轩则一下子高高的竖起了耳朵，啥？飘渺九仙丹，难道他们这次图谋的宝物，是飘渺九仙丹么？
The scholar-robed cultivator's voice sounded excited. Lin Xuan perked up at this; what? Penglai Nine Immortals Pills—were they seeking these pills?
kě zhè bú shì gāi pài de zhèn gōng zhī bǎo ， yīng gāi bǎo cún zài mén nèi jìn dì ， zěn me huì dào zhè me huāng pì de dì fāng kàn lái qǔ 。
可这不是该派的镇宫之宝，应该保存在mén内禁地，怎么会到这么荒僻的地方看来取。
But these were not supposed to be the sect’s treasure, kept in a forbidden inner chamber. Why would they come to such an isolated place for them?
lín xuān chú le chà yì hái shì chà yì ， dàn yě méi yǒu shǎ hū hū de shēn xiǎng xià qù ， ér shì yī jiù zuò zài nà lǐ tǔ nà tiáo xī ， sì hū duì tā men suǒ shuō de yī qiè bìng bù gǎn xìng qù ， rán ér àn dì lǐ ， què shì jiāng zhù yì lì ， wán quán diào jí le guò qù 。
林轩除了诧异还是诧异，但也没有傻乎乎的深想下去，而是依旧坐在那里吐纳调息，似乎对他们所说的一切并不感兴趣，然而暗地里，却是将注意力，完全调集了过去。
Lin Xuan was bewildered but did not dwell on it further. Instead, he continued sitting there, taking deep breaths and regulating his breathing as if uninterested in their conversation. However, his attention had shifted entirely to the matter at hand.
“ zhè xiǎo mèi yòu nǎ lǐ qīng chǔ ， bù guò dà zhǎng lǎo jì rán zhè me shuō ， xiǎng bì yīng gāi hái shì yǒu nà me jǐ fēn kě néng de 。”
“这小妹又哪里清楚，不过大长老既然这么说，想必应该还是有那么几分可能的。”
"Junior Sister, how could I know? But since Senior Brother Lingxu says so, there must be some possibility."
gōng zhuāng shǎo nv wēn wǎn de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， kàn bù chū ， cǐ nv de yǎng qì gōng fu ， yǐ dào chū lèi bá cuì de dì bù ， shí lì zàn qiě bù shuō ， xīn jìng de xiū yǎng ， yǐ jīng míng xiǎn shèng guò yǎn qián de shī xiōng yī chóu 。
宫装少nv温婉的声音传入耳朵，看不出，此nv的养气功夫，已到出类拔萃的地步，实力暂且不说，心境的修养，已经明显胜过眼前的师兄一筹。
The young woman's gentle voice entered Lin Xuan’s ears. It was clear that her cultivation of qi was extraordinary. Although he did not know her strength, she had a more refined mind than his current seniors.
“ ń ， wèi xiōng yě shì zhè me rèn wéi ， rú guǒ néng zhǎo dào ， nà jiù zhēn de tài hǎo le 。” rú páo xiū shì què míng xiǎn xīng fèn tài guò ， kàn tā de biǎo qíng shén tài ， sì hū dōu zài chōng jǐng zì jǐ chéng wéi dù jié qī de dà néng xiū xiān zhě 。
“嗯，为兄也是这么认为，如果能找到，那就真的太好了。”儒袍修士却明显兴奋太过，看他的表情神泰，似乎都在憧憬自己成为渡劫期的大能修仙者。
"Hmm, I agree. If we can find them, it would be wonderful," the scholar-robed cultivator said excitedly. His expression seemed to reflect his anticipation of becoming a Tribulation Transcending powerhouse.
nà gōng zhuāng nv zi jiàn le ， xiù méi bù yóu de yī zhòu ：“ shī xiōng ， nǐ zhè yàng kě yǒu xiē bù tuǒ ， qiě bù shuō ， piāo miǎo jiǔ xiān dān zhōng yǒu méi yǒu nà yàng de líng wù xiàn zài hái bìng bù qīng chǔ ， jiù suàn yǒu ， yǐ nǐ wǒ de qíng kuàng ， xiǎng yào chéng gōng jìn jí ， yě shì bìng bù róng yì ， líng xū shī xiōng ， huò xǔ hái yǒu nà me yī fēn liǎng fēn bǎ wò dì 。”
那宫装nv子见了，秀眉不由得一皱：“师兄，你这样可有些不妥，且不说，飘渺九仙丹中有没有那样的灵物现在还并不清楚，就算有，以你我的情况，想要成功晋级，也是并不容易，灵虚师兄，或许还有那么一分两分把握地。”
The young woman’s eyebrows furrowed at this: "Senior Brother, you shouldn’t act so rashly. Even if there are such spiritual treasures in Penglai Nine Immortals Pills, it is uncertain whether we can succeed. Senior Brother Lingxu might still have some chance."
cǐ nv zhè me shuō ， kě bú shì yào gù yì yào xiè tā de qì ， ér shì pà xī wàng yuè dà ， dào shí hòu shī wàng yuè dà ， xiū wèi dào le tā men zhè ge děng jí ， xīn mó rù qīn shì hěn má fán dì 。
此nv这么说，可不是要故意要泄他的气，而是怕希望越大，到时候失望越大，修为到了他们这个等级，心魔入侵是很麻烦地。
She did not say this to deflate his spirits but to avoid the disappointment that comes with high hopes. At their current level, facing heart demons was a serious matter.
“ shī mèi yě bié zhè me shuō ， bù yòng wàng zì fěi bó ， líng xū shī xiōng de shén tōng què shí yuǎn shèng nǐ wǒ ， dàn xiǎng yào jìn jiē dào dù jié qī yě shì yào kàn jī yuán de ， wǒ men bù yí dìng …… yí ， nà shì shén me ？”
“师妹也别这么说，不用妄自菲薄，灵虚师兄的神通确实远胜妳我，但想要进阶到渡劫期也是要看机缘的，我们不一定……咦，那是什么？”
"Junior Sister, don’t be so pessimistic. Don't undervalue yourself; Senior Brother Lingxu’s abilities are indeed far superior to ours. But advancing to the Tribulation Transcending stage depends on opportunities. We might not… Eh? What is that?"
rú páo xiū shì liǎn shàng lù chū bù yǐ wéi rán zhī sè， rán ér huà yīn wèi luò tū rán tái qǐ le tóu lú ， yǎn jīng wēi mī ， wàng xiàng tiān biān jí yuǎn zhī chù 。
儒袍修士脸上lù出不以为然之sè，然而话音未落突然抬起了头颅，眼睛微眯，望向天边极远之处。
The scholar-robed cultivator's expression turned skeptical as he suddenly lifted his head, narrowing his eyes and looking towards a distant part of the sky.
gōng zhuāng shǎo nv sì hū yě gǎn yìng dào shén me ， yǔ tā zuò chū yī yàng de dòng zuò 。
宫装少nv似乎也感应到什么，与他做出一样的动作。
The young woman seemed to sense something too, mirroring his actions.
lín xuān zé yǒu diǎn máng rán ， bì jìng tā shén shí bù néng fàng chū ， suī rán xún shēng tái qǐ tóu lái ， rán ér guāng píng ròu yǎn ， nán yǐ kàn chū shén me bù tuǒ 。
林轩则有点茫然，毕竟他神识不能放出，虽然寻声抬起头来，然而光凭ròu眼，难以看出什么不妥。
Lin Xuan was somewhat perplexed; unable to release his spiritual senses, he raised his head in response to the sound but could not discern anything unusual with just his naked eye.
bù guò liǎng rén bù kě néng wú dì fàng shǐ ， gù ér lín xuān biǎo miàn shàng ， bù dòng shēng sè， nèi xīn shēn chù ， què yě yǒu xiē jǐng tì le 。
不过两人不可能无的放矢，故而林轩表面上，不动声sè，内心深处，却也有些警惕了。
However, they couldn’t act without reason. Thus, while outwardly remaining calm, Lin Xuan’s inner vigilance increased.
guò le dà yuē yī zhǎn chá de gōng fu ， yī zhèn páo xiāo shēng cóng tiān wài biān yóu yuǎn jí jìn de chuán lái ， jiē zhe lán máng yī shǎn ， yī dào dùn guāng chū xiàn zài yǎn qián 。
过了大约一盏茶的功夫，一阵咆哮声从天外边由远及近的传来，接着蓝芒一闪，一道遁光出现在眼前。
After about a cup of tea's worth of time, a roar echoed from afar and approached. A streak of blue light appeared before them, like a whirlwind of lightning.
kě yǐ shuō shì fēng xuán diàn chè ， rán ér zài dùn guāng hòu miàn ， què yǒu mó yún duǒ duǒ ， sù dù yì diǎn yě bù bǐ nà dùn guāng ruò 。
可以说是风旋电掣，然而在遁光后面，却有魔云朵朵，速度一点也不比那遁光弱。
Despite the speed, behind it were dark clouds of magic, moving just as fast.
“ wǒ méi kàn cuò ba ， qián miàn táo de nà dào dùn guāng ， shì dà zhǎng lǎo me ？” rú páo xiū shì chēng mù jié shé ， sì hū kàn jiàn le shén me bù kě sī yì de shì wù 。
“我没看错吧，前面逃的那道遁光，是大长老么？”儒袍修士瞠目结舌，似乎看见了什么不可思议的事物。
"Did I see correctly? The Grand Elder is that fleeing streak of light," the scholar-robed cultivator exclaimed in disbelief.
“ shì líng xū shī xiōng méi cuò ！”
“是灵虚师兄没错！”
"It's indeed Senior Brother Lingxu!"
nà gōng zhuāng shǎo nv， yě wú fǎ bǎo chí gāng cái de dàn dìng le ， tóng yàng huái yí zì jǐ de yǎn jīng shì bú shì chū le wèn tí ， fàng yǎn bīng hǎi jiè ， chú le nà xuán bīng lǎo zǔ ， hái yǒu shén me rén néng ràng dà zhǎng lǎo rú cǐ láng bèi ne ？
那宫装少nv，也无法保持刚才的淡定了，同样怀疑自己的眼睛是不是出了问题，放眼冰海界，除了那玄冰老祖，还有什么人能让大长老如此狼狈呢？
The young woman also lost her composure, suspecting something might be wrong with her eyes. In this ice sea world, who else could make the Grand Elder appear so disheveled?
rán ér yí huò guī yí huò， yù jiàn zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng zǒng bù néng zhì zhī bù lǐ de 。
然而疑huò归疑huò，遇见这种情况总不能置之不理的。
However, they couldn’t ignore such a situation.
“ yún shī xiōng ， nǐ kàn hǎo tián gōng zi ， wǒ qù jiē yīng dà zhǎng lǎo 。”
“云师兄，你看好田公子，我去接应大长老。”
"Senior Brother Yun, keep an eye on Young Master Tian. I’ll go to meet the Grand Elder."
cǐ nv huà yīn wèi luò ， hún shēn líng máng ， yǐ huà wèi yī dào jīng hóng fēi le shàng qù 。
此nv话音未落，浑身灵芒，已化为一道惊虹飞了上去。
Before she finished speaking, a figure in a Daoist robe had already transformed into a streak of light and flown off.
rán ér bìng méi yǒu fēi chū duō yuǎn ， yīn wèi nà dào lán sè de jīng hóng gèng kuài ， yī zhǎ yǎn ， jù lí tā men ， zhǐ shèng xià bǎi zhàng zhī yuǎn ， guāng máng shōu liǎn ，lù chū yī shēn chuān dào páo ， tóng yán hè fà de lǎo zhě lái 。
然而并没有飞出多远，因为那道蓝sè的惊虹更快，一眨眼，距离他们，只剩下百丈之远，光芒收敛，lù出一身穿道袍，童颜鹤发的老者来。
But he did not fly far; before long, the blue streak was only a hundred feet away from them. The light dimmed as an old man with a youthful face and white hair appeared.
ér tā de shēn biān ， hái yǒu yī nán yī nv liǎng rén ， lín xuān mù guāng sǎo guò ， zhè liǎng rén shēn shàng bàn fēn líng qì yě wú ， nán dào yǔ zì jǐ yī yàng ， shì fán rén zhōng de tiān dào wǔ zhě ？
而他的身边，还有一男一nv两人，林轩目光扫过，这两人身上半分灵气也无，难道与自己一样，是凡人中的天道武者？
Beside him were two others—Lin Xuan’s gaze swept over them, finding no trace of spiritual energy on their bodies. Were they also ordinary mortals who had become Heaven Dao martial artists?
nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou shàng wèi zhuǎn guò ， nà dào páo lǎo zhě de liǎn shàng yǐ lù chū xiào róng ：“ shī mèi ， nǐ yě dào le cǐ dì ， tài hǎo le ， xiān bāng wǒ zhào gù zhè liǎng gè xiǎo jiā huo 。”
脑海中念头尚未转过，那道袍老者的脸上已lù出笑容：“师妹，妳也到了此地，太好了，先帮我照顾这两个小家伙。”
Before his thoughts could fully form, the old man in the Daoist robe smiled: "Junior Sister, you’ve arrived as well. This is wonderful. First, take care of these two little ones."
huà yīn wèi luò ， zhǐ jiàn tā xiù páo yī fú ， nà yī nán yī nv liǎng míng fán rén jiù bèi dà fēng bāo guǒ ， xiàng zhè biān fēi guò lái le 。
话音未落，只见他袖袍一拂，那一男一nv两名凡人就被大风包裹，像这边飞过来了。
Before he finished speaking, he waved his sleeves and enveloped the two mortals with a strong wind, flying them over.
gōng zhuāng shǎo nv yī dāi ， jiāng yù shǒu tái le qǐ lái ， líng guāng yī shǎn ， huàn huà chū yī sōu xiǎo chuán ， jiāng liǎng rén jiē zhù 。
宫装少nv一呆，将yù手抬了起来，灵光一闪，幻化出一艘小船，将两人接住。
The young woman was taken aback, raising her hand to summon a small boat that materialized in a flash, catching the two.
dāng tā zài tái qǐ tóu ， què fā xiàn dà zhǎng lǎo yǐ zhuǎn guò shēn tǐ ， xiàng zhe nà mó yún yíng le shàng qù 。
当他再抬起头，却发现大长老已转过身体，向着那魔云迎了上去。
When she looked up again, she found the Grand Elder had turned around, heading towards the dark clouds.
Chapter 2541: Unexpected Turn of Events
The island was vast, covering an area that could easily stretch a thousand feet in all directions. It was dotted with mountains and lakes, offering picturesque scenery. However, the aura of spiritual energy here was extremely thin. Upon looking around, one could see some traces of flying birds but no signs of human presence.
A young woman dressed in court attire lightly stepped down from the boat, causing it to emit a bright light as it slowly descended.
"Junior Sister, you finally arrived."
Just as Lin Xuan and the young woman disembarked, a man wearing a scholar's robe approached them. At first glance, he seemed unremarkable, but upon closer inspection, a faint purple aura enveloped his entire body.
Though there was no outward display of spiritual pressure, if Lin Xuan were to guess correctly, this was indeed an advanced cultivator at the Spirit Transformation后期 stage.
"Senior Brother Yun, where is the Grand Elder? Why aren't you with him?" the young woman in court attire asked curiously.
"We received a message from our flying sword, informing us that one of the disciples brought here had encountered some trouble. Thus, Senior Brother Lingxu went to meet them," the scholar-robed cultivator said softly and mildly.
"Oh!"
The young woman nodded, but her expression did not reveal much concern. Having been in the same sect for so long, she knew well how powerful the Grand Elder was. Unless it involved that long-lost Ice Emperor Patriarch, they would be almost invincible.
Since he had personally taken action, there was nothing to worry about.
"Junior Sister, your journey must have been smooth. Is this young man the ordinary martial artist you brought?" The scholar-robed cultivator's gaze swept over Lin Xuan, showing a slight surprise but not because of any apparent issue; rather, it was due to how exceptionally handsome the boy looked.
"Little Sword, I offer my respects to the Immortal Master."
Lin Xuan bowed and clasped his hands in greeting.
"Hmm."
The scholar-robed cultivator nodded but did not press further. Being attractive mattered little; after all, he was merely an ordinary mortal.
He naturally did not place much importance on it.
They then began chatting with the young woman, discussing matters of great significance. However, they did not use a soundproof barrier or show any signs of avoiding Lin Xuan's presence. It wasn't due to carelessness but because they had no regard for this boy; they believed he could not pose any real threat by overhearing their conversation.
After all, he was just an ordinary mortal.
Even a Heaven Dao expert was merely a relatively strong ant in their eyes. There was no difference between him and the average mortal.
"Junior Sister, do you think we will succeed? Senior Brother Lingxu mentioned that among the Penglai Nine Immortals Pills, there might be spiritual treasures that could help us advance to the Tribulation Transcending stage."
The scholar-robed cultivator's voice sounded excited. Lin Xuan perked up at this; what? Penglai Nine Immortals Pills—were they seeking these pills?
But these were not supposed to be the sect’s treasure, kept in a forbidden inner chamber. Why would they come to such an isolated place for them?
Lin Xuan was bewildered but did not dwell on it further. Instead, he continued sitting there, taking deep breaths and regulating his breathing as if uninterested in their conversation. However, his attention had shifted entirely to the matter at hand.
"Junior Sister, how could I know? But since Senior Brother Lingxu says so, there must be some possibility."
The young woman's gentle voice entered Lin Xuan’s ears. It was clear that her cultivation of qi was extraordinary. Although he did not know her strength, she had a more refined mind than his current seniors.
"Hmm, I agree. If we can find them, it would be wonderful," the scholar-robed cultivator said excitedly. His expression seemed to reflect his anticipation of becoming a Tribulation Transcending powerhouse.
The young woman’s eyebrows furrowed at this: "Senior Brother, you shouldn’t act so rashly. Even if there are such spiritual treasures in Penglai Nine Immortals Pills, it is uncertain whether we can succeed. Senior Brother Lingxu might still have some chance."
She did not say this to deflate his spirits but to avoid the disappointment that comes with high hopes. At their current level, facing heart demons was a serious matter.
"Junior Sister, don’t be so pessimistic. Don't undervalue yourself; Senior Brother Lingxu’s abilities are indeed far superior to ours. But advancing to the Tribulation Transcending stage depends on opportunities. We might not… Eh? What is that?"
The scholar-robed cultivator's expression turned skeptical as he suddenly lifted his head, narrowing his eyes and looking towards a distant part of the sky.
The young woman seemed to sense something too, mirroring his actions.
Lin Xuan was somewhat perplexed; unable to release his spiritual senses, he raised his head in response to the sound but could not discern anything unusual with just his naked eye.
However, they couldn’t act without reason. Thus, while outwardly remaining calm, Lin Xuan’s inner vigilance increased.
After about a cup of tea's worth of time, a roar echoed from afar and approached. A streak of blue light appeared before them, like a whirlwind of lightning.
Despite the speed, behind it were dark clouds of magic, moving just as fast.
"Did I see correctly? The Grand Elder is that fleeing streak of light," the scholar-robed cultivator exclaimed in disbelief.
"It's indeed Senior Brother Lingxu!"
The young woman also lost her composure, suspecting something might be wrong with her eyes. In this ice sea world, who else could make the Grand Elder appear so disheveled?
However, they couldn’t ignore such a situation.
"Senior Brother Yun, keep an eye on Young Master Tian. I’ll go to meet the Grand Elder."
Before she finished speaking, a figure in a Daoist robe had already transformed into a streak of light and flown off.
But he did not fly far; before long, the blue streak was only a hundred feet away from them. The light dimmed as an old man with a youthful face and white hair appeared.
Beside him were two others—Lin Xuan’s gaze swept over them, finding no trace of spiritual energy on their bodies. Were they also ordinary mortals who had become Heaven Dao martial artists?
Before his thoughts could fully form, the old man in the Daoist robe smiled: "Junior Sister, you’ve arrived as well. This is wonderful. First, take care of these two little ones."
Before he finished speaking, he waved his sleeves and enveloped the two mortals with a strong wind, flying them over.
The young woman was taken aback, raising her hand to summon a small boat that materialized in a flash, catching the two.
When she looked up again, she found the Grand Elder had turned around, heading towards the dark clouds.