dì liǎng qiān wǔ bǎi liù shí jiǔ zhāng hū yōu zhòng zhǎng lǎo
第两千五百六十九章忽悠众长老
Chapter 2570: Deceiving the Elders
“ bù cuò ， dà zhǎng lǎo dāng rì jiàn zhe wǒ ， què rán shì zhè me shuō ……”
“不错，大长老当日见着我，确然是这么说……”
"Indeed, when Grand Elder met me that day, he did say so..."
qiú xū dà hàn diǎn le diǎn tóu ， rán ér huà yīn wèi luò ， hōng lōng lóng shí mén kāi qǐ de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， suí hòu shēn qián de mí wù ， yī zhèn fān yǒng ，^ kàn
虬须大汉点了点头，然而话音未落，轰隆隆石mén开启的声音传入耳朵，随后身前的mí雾，一阵翻涌，^看
The bearded man nodded. However, before his words were fully spoken, the rumbling sound of a stone door opening entered their ears. The mist in front of them began to churn.
yòu guò piàn kè ， wù qì bù zài yǒng dòng ， yī tiáo zhí jìng zhàng xǔ de tōng dào chū xiàn zài shì xiàn zhōng 。
又过片刻，雾气不再涌动，一条直径丈许的通道出现在视线中。
After a moment, the mist ceased moving, and a passage about ten feet wide appeared in their line of sight.
“ dà zhǎng lǎo chū guān le 。”
“大长老出关了。”
"Grand Elder has emerged from seclusion."
hū lā yī shēng ， zhòng xiū shì jiē wéi le guò lái ， zú zú yǒu èr shí yú rén zhī duō ， bù kuì shì cǐ jiè dì yī zōng mén jiā zú ， dǐ yùn shēn hòu dào wú yǐ fù jiā de dì bù 。
呼啦一声，众修士皆围了过来，足足有二十余人之多，不愧是此界第一宗mén家族，底蕴深厚到无以复加的地步。
A collective "Whoosh" as numerous cultivators gathered around him, numbering over twenty. No wonder this was the first sect in the region; its底蕴 was so deep it could not be overstated.
líng xū zhēn rén mài bù cóng lǐ miàn zǒu chū lái le 。
灵虚真人迈步从里面走出来了。
Spiritual Void True Man stepped out of the inner chamber.
bú yòng shuō ， zì rán shì lín xuān shī zhǎn de yì róng zhī shù 。
不用说，自然是林轩施展的易容之术。
Of course, it was Lin Xuan using his disguise technique.
“ dà jiā dōu wéi zài zhè lǐ zuò shén me ， wǒ bú shì shuō le ， ràng gè wèi zài wèn xiān gé děng wǒ 。”
“大家都围在这里做什么，我不是说了，让各位在问仙阁等我。”
"Why are you all crowding here? Didn't I say to wait for me at the Askance Pavilion?"
líng xū zhēn rén de qì sè hái xiǎn de hěn xū ruò ， bù guò bǐ chū huí mén shí míng xiǎn yǐ hǎo le xǔ duō ， wēi yán ér lüè dài dàn mò de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
灵虚真人的气sè还显得很虚弱，不过比初回mén时明显已好了许多，威严而略带淡漠的声音传入耳朵。
Despite his weakened appearance, Spiritual Void's voice carried a commanding and slightly indifferent tone.
cǐ shí cǐ kè ， lín xuān yào shuō yì diǎn yě bù jǐn zhāng míng xiǎn shì piàn rén de ， zài chǎng nà me duō fēn shén jí bié de xiū xiān zhě ， zì jǐ yòu wèi yú duì fāng mén pài shēn chù ， ruò shì shēn fèn yí dàn bào lù， duì fāng jiāng céng céng jìn zhì kāi qǐ ， zì jǐ méi yǒu tiān shí dì lì rén hé ， yòu yǐ guǎ dí zhòng ， bù yǔn luò nà cái jiào duō duō guài shì le 。
此时此刻，林轩要说一点也不紧张明显是骗人的，在场那么多分神级别的修仙者，自己又位于对方mén派深处，若是身份一旦暴lù，对方将层层禁制开启，自己没有天时地利人和，又以寡敌众，不陨落那才叫咄咄怪事了。
Lin Xuan couldn’t help but feel tense in front of so many Core Formation cultivators, especially being deep within their sect. If his identity were exposed, they would activate layer upon layer of restrictions; without the advantage of timing, location, or allies, he was outnumbered and at a severe disadvantage.
bié shuō tā ， jiù suàn dù jié qī de xuán bīng lǎo zǔ ， yǔ tā yì dì ér chǔ ， bèi fā xiàn shēn fèn néng fǒu táo chū shēng tiān yī jiù shì liǎng shuō zhī shì de 。
别说他，就算渡劫期的玄冰老祖，与他易地而处，被发现身份能否逃出生天依旧是两说之事的。
Even if it was the Transcendent Ice Ancestor, another Core Formation cultivator in his position, there was no guarantee he could escape once discovered.
bù guò …… hěn wēi xiǎn shì méi cuò ， dàn mán tiān guò hǎi yí dàn chéng gōng ， shōu yì yě jiāng dà dé lí pǔ ， fù guì xiǎn zhōng qiú ， zhè ge wēi xiǎn ， hěn míng xiǎn shì zhí de yī mào de 。
不过……很危险是没错，但瞒天过海一旦成功，收益也将大得离谱，富贵险中求，这个危险，很明显是值得一冒的。
But... although dangerous, deceiving them to gain an advantage would be worth the risk.
líng xū zhēn rén zuò le nà me duō nián de dà zhǎng lǎo ， míng xiǎn wēi xìn jí gāo ， suī rán xiū wèi dà sǔn ， dàn bāo kuò liǎng míng hòu qī xiū shì ， duì tā yī jiù gōng jìng shùn fú 。
灵虚真人做了那么多年的大长老，明显威信极高，虽然修为大损，但包括两名后期修士，对他依旧恭敬顺服。
Spiritual Void had been Grand Elder for many years and commanded great respect. Even with his severe damage, two late-stage cultivators still showed him deference.
yú shì yī xíng rén xiàng wèn xiān gé fēi qù le 。
于是一行人像问仙阁飞去了。
Thus, they flew towards the Askance Pavilion.
guò chéng bù yòng lèi shù ， jìn rù nà jīng měi de gé lóu yǐ hòu ， fēn bié luò zuò ， zì yǒu mén rén shìnv fèng shàng měi jiǔ guā guǒ ， rán ér cǐ shí cǐ kè ， shuí huì yǒu xīn qíng qù chī chī hē hē ， cái gāng yī luò zuò ， jiù rěn bú zhù zhuī wèn qǐ lái le ：“ dà zhǎng lǎo ， yún shī jiě yǔ yè shī xiōng zhēn yǔn luò diào le me ？”
过程不用累述，进入那jīng美的阁楼以后，分别落座，自有mén人shìnv奉上美酒瓜果，然而此时此刻，谁会有心情去吃吃喝喝，才刚一落座，就忍不住追问起来了：“大长老，云师姐与叶师兄真陨落掉了么？”
The details of their journey were unimportant. Once inside the elegant pavilion, they took seats as servants brought them fine wine and fruit. However, none had any appetite for such luxuries; barely seated, one asked anxiously:
shuō huà de shì ， shì nà liǎn sè là huáng de xiū xiān zhě ， tā yě shì suǒ yǒu rén zhōng ， zuì wèi xīn jí de yí gè 。
说话的是，是那脸sè蜡黄的修仙者，他也是所有人中，最为心急的一个。
"Grand Elder, did Cloud Senior Sister and Leaf Senior Brother truly perish?"
“ bù cuò ， nán dào běn rén hái sā huǎng bù chéng me ， bù jǐn liǎng wèi shī dì shī mèi yǔn luò ， lián wǒ yě shēn shòu zhòng shāng le 。” lín xuān tàn le kǒu qì ， biǎo qíng yǔ qì ， dōu shì mó fǎng líng xū zhēn rén dì 。
“不错，难道本人还撒谎不成么，不仅两位师弟师妹陨落，连我也身受重伤了。”林轩叹了口气，表情语气，都是模仿灵虚真人地。
The speaker was a pale-faced cultivator, clearly the most anxious among them.
“ zhè zěn me kě néng ， nǐ men bú shì qù xún zhǎo bǎo wù ， qǔ piāo miǎo jiǔ xiān dān me ， wèi hé huì biàn chéng zhè yàng de jié guǒ ， nán dào yù jiàn shén me qiáng dí le ？” nà méng miàn nv zi de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， yǔ diào míng xiǎn yǒu yī sī jī dòng ， tā yǔ nà yè xiān zi ， bù jǐn tóng mén， ér qiě hái shì tóng fù yì mǔ de qīn jiě mèi lái zhe 。
“这怎么可能，你们不是去寻找宝物，取飘渺九仙丹么，为何会变成这样的结果，难道遇见什么强敌了？”那méng面nv子的声音传入耳朵，语调明显有一丝jī动，她与那叶仙子，不仅同mén，而且还是同父异母的亲姐妹来着。
"Yes, don't you think I would lie? Not only did my two junior brothers and sisters perish, but so did I," Lin Xuan sighed, mimicking Spiritual Void's tone and expression.
jiě jiě yǔn luò ， rú guǒ bú shì tā xiū liàn de shén tōng jiǎng jiū qīng xīn guǎ yù， shuō bù dìng yǐ bó rán dà nù ， kāi shǐ fā biāo le 。
姐姐陨落，如果不是她修炼的神通讲究清心寡yù，说不定已勃然大怒，开始发飙了。
"How is that possible?" another voice asked. "You were supposed to be searching for treasures and the Ethereal Nine Immortals Pill. Why did you end up like this? Did you encounter some formidable enemy?"
“ yè shī mèi suǒ yán bù cuò ， cǐ xíng wǒ men què shí yù jiàn yù liào zhī wài de wēi xiǎn le 。” lín xuān de shēng yīn xiǎn de chén zhòng yǐ jí ， lǐ miàn de bēi shāng fèn nù ， gèng shì qīng qīng chǔ chǔ ， sì hū shí gé duō rì ， tā yī jiù méi yǒu cóng yīn yǐng zhōng zǒu chū ：
“叶师妹所言不错，此行我们确实遇见预料之外的危险了。”林轩的声音显得沉重以极，里面的悲伤愤怒，更是清清楚楚，似乎时隔多日，他依旧没有从yīn影中走出：
The masked woman’s voice carried a hint of excitement. She was not only from the same sect but also Cloud Senior Sister's half-sister.
“ shì zhè yàng de ， qián yīn gè wèi shī xiōng mèi yě qīng chǔ ， jīng guò bǎi wàn nián ， xīn de piāo miǎo jiǔ xiān dān yǐ chéng xíng le ， wǒ men sān rén àn zhào zǔ shī yé liú xià de zhǐ yǐn ， qù xún zhǎo bǎo wù ， qǐ chū ， shùn lì yǐ jí ， shèn zhì lián bǎo wù dōu kàn jiàn le ， nǎ zhī dào què yù jiàn le tiān wài zhī mó ……”
“是这样的，前因各位师兄妹也清楚，经过百万年，新的飘渺九仙丹已成型了，我们三人按照祖师爷留下的指引，去寻找宝物，起初，顺利以极，甚至连宝物都看见了，哪知道却遇见了天外之魔……”
If she had practiced techniques that required inner calm, she might have exploded with rage by now.
shuō huǎng huà ， què yào rén xiāng xìn ， zì rán bù néng suí kǒu dǎ hú luàn shuō ， suǒ wèi jiǔ fēn zhēn ， yī fēn jiǎ ， zhǐ zài guān jiàn dì fāng ， zuò yī zuò gǎi dòng ， jí biàn zài chǎng de ， jiē shì huó le shù wàn nián de lǎo guài wù ， yī jiù tīng bù chū fēn háo pò zhàn yǔ bù tuǒ 。
说谎话，却要人相信，自然不能随口打胡luàn说，所谓九分真，一分假，只在关键地方，做一做改动，即便在场的，皆是活了数万年的老怪物，依旧听不出分毫破绽与不妥。
"Leaf Junior Sister is correct," Lin Xuan said in a heavy and sorrowful tone. "We did indeed encounter unexpected danger on this journey."
“ hòu lái rú hé ？”
“后来如何？”
The sadness and anger were palpable. It seemed he was still struggling to come to terms with the events:
zhòng xiū shì dōu dà jīng shī sè， zuò wéi fēn shén jí bié de xiū xiān zhě ， huò duō huò shǎo dāng rán dōu tīng shuō guò tiān wài zhī mó ， kě nà bú shì zhǐ yǒu zài jìn jí dù jié ， yǔ jǔ xiá fēi shēng dào xiān jiè cái huì chū xiàn de xīn mó ma ， zěn me ……
众修士都大惊失sè，作为分神级别的修仙者，或多或少当然都听说过天外之魔，可那不是只有在晋级渡劫，与举霞飞升到仙界才会出现的心魔吗，怎么……
"We encountered an external demon after a long search for treasures. Initially, everything went smoothly; we even saw the treasure. But then, we ran into an external demon..."
rán ér jīng è guī jīng è ， líng xū shī xiōng bù kě néng xìn kǒu kāi hé ， hé kuàng lín xuān de miáo shù ， nǎi shì yǒu bí zi yǒu yǎn ， xiáng xì dào jí chù 。
然而惊愕归惊愕，灵虚师兄不可能信口开河，何况林轩的描述，乃是有鼻子有眼，详细到极处。
To deceive them convincingly, one must be careful not to speak too freely. Nine parts truth and one part falsehood—only tweaking key details would keep their suspicions at bay, even among these ancient monsters.
“ jiù zhè yàng ， yún shī dì yǔ yè shī mèi xiān hòu yǔn luò ， lǎo fū yě shì fèi le jiǔ niú èr hǔ zhī lì ， hǎo bù róng yì cái cóng nà fēng yìn de kōng jiān zhōng táo tuō 。” lín xuān xīn yǒu yú jì de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
“就这样，云师弟与叶师妹先后陨落，老夫也是费了九牛二虎之力，好不容易才从那封印的空间中逃脱。”林轩心有余悸的声音传入耳朵。
"How did it end?"
“ yuán lái rú cǐ ！”
“原来如此！”
The cultivators were shocked. They had heard of external demons but only in the context ofadvance through the trials of rank晋升通过劫难 or ascending to the Immortal Realm. How could this happen?
zhòng xiū shì gè yǒu suǒ sī ， guò le piàn kè ， cái yóu nà fēng xìng xiū shì kāi kǒu ：“ nà tiān wài mó tóu ne ， piāo miǎo jiǔ xiān dān dōu bèi tā duó zǒu ， nán dào jiù zhè yàng ràng tā táo le ？”
众修士各有所思，过了片刻，才由那风姓修士开口：“那天外魔头呢，飘渺九仙丹都被他夺走，难道就这样让他逃了？”
Despite their shock, Spiritual Void couldn’t be expected to speak nonsense. Lin Xuan’s account was detailed and credible.
“ bù cuò ， cǐ mó bù jǐn qiǎng zǒu le běn mén de zhèn gōng zhī bǎo ， yè shī mèi yǔ yún shī xiōng yě yǔn luò zài tā de shǒu zhōng ， rú cǐ xuè hǎi shēn chóu ， nán dào jiù zhè yàng suàn le 。”méng miàn nv xiū de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lǐ miàn hèn yì shí zú 。
“不错，此魔不仅抢走了本mén的镇宫之宝，叶师妹与云师兄也陨落在他的手中，如此血海深仇，难道就这样算了。”méng面nv修的声音传入耳朵，里面恨意十足。
"Thus, Cloud Junior Brother and Leaf Senior Sister perished one after another. I had to use all my strength to escape from that sealed space," Lin Xuan said with a tremor of fear in his voice.
“ suàn le ， shuí shuō yào suàn le 。”
“算了，谁说要算了。”
"So it is!"
lín xuān de yǔ qì ， tóng yàng shì yuàn dú yǐ jí ：“ lǎo fū wèi le cóng nà mó tóu de shǒu zhōng táo tuō ， yī lián shī zhǎn shù zhǒng mì shù ， jiā shàng shēn shòu zhòng shāng ， qì xuè kuī sǔn yán zhòng ， méi yǒu shù bǎi nián de kǔ xiū ， jìng jiè nán yǐ huī fù ， rú cǐ xuè hǎi shēn chóu ， nǐ dāng lǎo fū bù xiǎng bào fù ， bù guò nà mó tóu de shí lì fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， jiù suàn bù jí dù jié qī lǎo guài wù ， kǒng pà yě xiāng chà bù duō ， cǐ shì hái xū yào cóng cháng jì yì de 。”
林轩的语气，同样是怨毒以极：“老夫为了从那魔头的手中逃脱，一连施展数种秘术，加上身受重伤，气血亏损严重，没有数百年的苦修，境界难以恢复，如此血海深仇，你当老夫不想报复，不过那魔头的实力非同小可，就算不及渡劫期老怪物，恐怕也相差不多，此事还需要从长计议的。”
The cultivators pondered. Then, a Fengsurname cultivator spoke up: "What about the external demon? He took away the Ethereal Nine Immortals Pill; didn’t he just let him escape?"
“ shī xiōng suǒ yán bù cuò ， wǒ men zhōng ， yě wéi yǒu nǐ ， tóng nà tiān mó jiāo guò shǒu ， nǐ kě yǒu shén me bàn fǎ me ？”
“师兄所言不错，我们中，也唯有你，同那天魔jiāo过手，你可有什么办法么？”
"Yes, this demon not only stole our sect’s treasure but also killed Leaf Senior Sister and Cloud Junior Brother," the masked woman said with clear resentment.
“ bàn fǎ méi yǒu ， bù guò lǎo fū yǐ xiǎng hǎo le yī tiáo jì cè ， rú guǒ yī qiè shùn lì ， wèi bì bù néng miè shā nà kě pà de tiān mó ， bìng duó huí zhèn gōng zhī bǎo ， bù mán gè wèi dào yǒu ， zhè cì de piāo miǎo jiǔ xiān dān pǐn zhì jí gāo ， lǐ miàn shèn zhì yǒu jǐ lì huà jié dān de 。”
“办法没有，不过老夫已想好了一条计策，如果一切顺利，未必不能灭杀那可怕的天魔，并夺回镇宫之宝，不瞒各位道友，这次的飘渺九仙丹品质极高，里面甚至有几粒化劫丹的。”
"Let it be. Who says we should?"
“ shén me ， huà jié dān ， jiù shì nà chuán shuō zhōng ， fú yòng le kě yǐ dà zēng jìn jiē dào dù jié qī jī lǜ de nì tiān líng wù ？”
“什么，化劫丹，就是那传说中，服用了可以大增进阶到渡劫期几率的逆天灵物？”
Lin Xuan's voice was filled with venom: "To escape that demon, I used several secret techniques. With my severe injuries, my vital energy is depleted; without hundreds of years of cultivation, my realm will not recover. This grudge... do you think I don’t want revenge? But the demon’s strength is formidable—perhaps on par with Core Formation cultivators. We need to plan carefully."
“ piāo miǎo jiǔ xiān dān zhōng zhēn de yǒu me ， ér qiě hái shì jǐ lì ？”
“飘渺九仙丹中真的有么，而且还是几粒？”
"Brother's words are wise. Among us, only you have faced that demonic fiend. Do you have any plans?"
zhòng xiū shì dà jīng shī sè， gāng cái bēi qíng de qì fēn yī sǎo ér kōng ， qǔ ér dài zhī de shì xīng fèn zhī sè， huà jié dān ， fēn shén qī cún zài rén rén mèng mèi yǐ qiú zhī wù ， jū rán zhēn rú cǐ hǎo yùn de chū xiàn zài zhè lǐ le 。
众修士大惊失sè，刚才悲情的气氛一扫而空，取而代之的是兴奋之sè，化劫丹，分神期存在人人梦寐以求之物，居然真如此好运的出现在这里了。
"No, but I have a strategy. If everything goes smoothly, we might be able to eliminate the demon and reclaim our treasure. To be honest with all of you, this Ethereal Nine Immortals Pill is of extremely high quality; it even contains several Transcendent Pills."
shuí yuàn yì bái bái cuò guò ？
谁愿意白白错过？
"What? Transcendent Pills? These are legendary treasures that can significantly increase one's chances of advancing to Core Formation?"
rú guǒ zì jǐ kě yǐ dé dào nà me yī lì ， shuō bù dìng jiù zhēn yǒu nà me yī sī jī huì jìn jiē dào dù jié qī 。
如果自己可以得到那么一粒，说不定就真有那么一丝机会进阶到渡劫期。
"Is there really a Transcendent Pill in the Ethereal Nine Immortals Pill, and not just one but several?"
xiān dào piāo miǎo ， yóu qí shì xiū wèi dào le tā men zhè ge děng jí ， jī yuán de zhòng yào ， shèn zhì yuǎn yuǎn chāo guò le tā men de nǔ lì 。
仙道飘渺，尤其是修为到了他们这个等级，机缘的重要，甚至远远超过了他们的努力。
The cultivators were stunned. The somber atmosphere was replaced by excitement. Transcendent Pills were coveted by all Core Formation cultivators; this was an unprecedented stroke of luck.
ér huà jié dān ， wú yí jiù shì nì tiān de jī yuán ， yú shì piāo miǎo xiān gōng de xiū xiān zhě ， yòu duō le yī tiáo miè shā nà tiān wài mó tóu de lǐ yóu 。
而化劫丹，无疑就是逆天的机缘，于是缥缈仙宫的修仙者，又多了一条灭杀那天外魔头的理由。
Who would want to miss such an opportunity?
“ shī xiōng yǐ xiǎng hǎo le yī tiáo jì cè ， shì shén me ？”
“师兄已想好了一条计策，是什么？”
If he could get even a single pill, it might give him a chance to advance to Core Formation.
nà huáng liǎn xiū shì xīn jí yì cháng de kāi kǒu 。
那黄脸修士心急异常的开口。
The path to immortality was elusive, and at their level, opportunities mattered more than effort.
“ hěn jiǎn dān ， yí huò jiāng dōng 。” lín xuān de liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī jiǎo xiá de xiào róng 。
“很简单，移祸江东。”林轩的脸上lù出一丝狡黠的笑容。
Thus, the Ethereal Immortal Palace’s cultivators had another reason to eliminate that external demon.
“ yí huò jiāng dōng ？”
“移祸江东？”
"What is your strategy?"
qí tā fēn shén qī lǎo guài wù liǎn shàng zé lù chū yí huò zhī sè， xiǎn rán duì lín xuān de dǎ suàn ， bìng méi yǒu zěn me tīng dǒng 。
其他分神期老怪物脸上则lù出疑huò之sè，显然对林轩的打算，并没有怎么听懂。
The pale-faced cultivator, eager for answers, asked.
“ bù cuò ， tiān wài mó tóu duó shě hòu ， yī shēn shén tōng tài guò kě pà ， suī rán wǒ men zhè me duō rén lián shǒu ， yě néng miè shā cǐ mó ， dàn fù chū de dài jià wèi miǎn tài dà ……”
“不错，天外魔头夺舍后，一身神通太过可怕，虽然我们这么多人联手，也能灭杀此魔，但付出的代价未免太大……”
"It's simple: shifting the blame," Lin Xuan said with a sly smile.
!@#
!@#
"Shifting the blame?" The other Core Formation cultivators looked puzzled. They didn’t understand his plan fully.
"Indeed, after the external demon possessed someone, its power became too great. While we can still defeat it together, the cost would be too high..."
Chapter 2570: Deceiving the Elders
"Indeed, when Grand Elder met me that day, he did say so..."
The bearded man nodded. However, before his words were fully spoken, the rumbling sound of a stone door opening entered their ears. The mist in front of them began to churn.
After a moment, the mist ceased moving, and a passage about ten feet wide appeared in their line of sight.
"Grand Elder has emerged from seclusion."
A collective "Whoosh" as numerous cultivators gathered around him, numbering over twenty. No wonder this was the first sect in the region; its底蕴 was so deep it could not be overstated.
Spiritual Void True Man stepped out of the inner chamber.
Of course, it was Lin Xuan using his disguise technique.
"Why are you all crowding here? Didn't I say to wait for me at the Askance Pavilion?"
Despite his weakened appearance, Spiritual Void's voice carried a commanding and slightly indifferent tone.
Lin Xuan couldn’t help but feel tense in front of so many Core Formation cultivators, especially being deep within their sect. If his identity were exposed, they would activate layer upon layer of restrictions; without the advantage of timing, location, or allies, he was outnumbered and at a severe disadvantage.
Even if it was the Transcendent Ice Ancestor, another Core Formation cultivator in his position, there was no guarantee he could escape once discovered.
But... although dangerous, deceiving them to gain an advantage would be worth the risk.
"Yes!"
Spiritual Void had been Grand Elder for many years and commanded great respect. Even with his severe damage, two late-stage cultivators still showed him deference.
Thus, they flew towards the Askance Pavilion.
The details of their journey were unimportant. Once inside the elegant pavilion, they took seats as servants brought them fine wine and fruit. However, none had any appetite for such luxuries; barely seated, one asked anxiously:
"Grand Elder, did Cloud Senior Sister and Leaf Senior Brother truly perish?"
The speaker was a pale-faced cultivator, clearly the most anxious among them.
"Yes, don't you think I would lie? Not only did my two junior brothers and sisters perish, but so did I," Lin Xuan sighed, mimicking Spiritual Void's tone and expression.
"How is that possible?" another voice asked. "You were supposed to be searching for treasures and the Ethereal Nine Immortals Pill. Why did you end up like this? Did you encounter some formidable enemy?"
The masked woman’s voice carried a hint of excitement. She was not only from the same sect but also Cloud Senior Sister's half-sister.
If she had practiced techniques that required inner calm, she might have exploded with rage by now.
"Leaf Junior Sister is correct," Lin Xuan said in a heavy and sorrowful tone. "We did indeed encounter unexpected danger on this journey."
The sadness and anger were palpable. It seemed he was still struggling to come to terms with the events:
"We encountered an external demon after a long search for treasures. Initially, everything went smoothly; we even saw the treasure. But then, we ran into an external demon..."
To deceive them convincingly, one must be careful not to speak too freely. Nine parts truth and one part falsehood—only tweaking key details would keep their suspicions at bay, even among these ancient monsters.
"How did it end?"
The cultivators were shocked. They had heard of external demons but only in the context ofadvance through the trials of rank晋升通过劫难 or ascending to the Immortal Realm. How could this happen?
Despite their shock, Spiritual Void couldn’t be expected to speak nonsense. Lin Xuan’s account was detailed and credible.
"Thus, Cloud Junior Brother and Leaf Senior Sister perished one after another. I had to use all my strength to escape from that sealed space," Lin Xuan said with a tremor of fear in his voice.
"So it is!"
The cultivators pondered. Then, a Fengsurname cultivator spoke up: "What about the external demon? He took away the Ethereal Nine Immortals Pill; didn’t he just let him escape?"
"Yes, this demon not only stole our sect’s treasure but also killed Leaf Senior Sister and Cloud Junior Brother," the masked woman said with clear resentment.
"Let it be. Who says we should?"
Lin Xuan's voice was filled with venom: "To escape that demon, I used several secret techniques. With my severe injuries, my vital energy is depleted; without hundreds of years of cultivation, my realm will not recover. This grudge... do you think I don’t want revenge? But the demon’s strength is formidable—perhaps on par with Core Formation cultivators. We need to plan carefully."
"Brother's words are wise. Among us, only you have faced that demonic fiend. Do you have any plans?"
"No, but I have a strategy. If everything goes smoothly, we might be able to eliminate the demon and reclaim our treasure. To be honest with all of you, this Ethereal Nine Immortals Pill is of extremely high quality; it even contains several Transcendent Pills."
"What? Transcendent Pills? These are legendary treasures that can significantly increase one's chances of advancing to Core Formation?"
"Is there really a Transcendent Pill in the Ethereal Nine Immortals Pill, and not just one but several?"
The cultivators were stunned. The somber atmosphere was replaced by excitement. Transcendent Pills were coveted by all Core Formation cultivators; this was an unprecedented stroke of luck.
Who would want to miss such an opportunity?
If he could get even a single pill, it might give him a chance to advance to Core Formation.
The path to immortality was elusive, and at their level, opportunities mattered more than effort.
Thus, the Ethereal Immortal Palace’s cultivators had another reason to eliminate that external demon.
"What is your strategy?"
The pale-faced cultivator, eager for answers, asked.
"It's simple: shifting the blame," Lin Xuan said with a sly smile.
"Shifting the blame?" The other Core Formation cultivators looked puzzled. They didn’t understand his plan fully.
"Indeed, after the external demon possessed someone, its power became too great. While we can still defeat it together, the cost would be too high..."
!@#