dì liǎng qiān wǔ bǎi qī shí zhāng diào hǔ lí shān
第两千五百七十章调虎离山
Chapter 2570 - Diverting the Tiger Away
“ nán dào shī xiōng yǒu shén me hǎo fāng fǎ ， bù yòng fù chū tài dà dài jià ， jiù néng miè shā cǐ mó ？”
“难道师兄有什么好方法，不用付出太大代价，就能灭杀此魔？”
"Could Senior Brother have a good method to eliminate this demon without paying too great a price?"
fēng xìng xiū shì kāi kǒu le ， liǎn shàng yǐn yǐn dài zhe jǐ fēn chà yì zhī sè， bì jìng shì shī xiōng zì jǐ shuō ， cǐ mó yī shēn shén tōng ， jǐ jìn dù jié jí bié de dà néng xiū xiān zhě 。 shū mí qún 4∴⑧０㈥５ shèng táng zuì xīn zhāng jié
风姓修士开口了，脸上隐隐带着几分诧异之sè，毕竟是师兄自己说，此魔一身神通，几近渡劫级别的大能修仙者。书mí群4∴⑧０㈥５圣堂最新章节
A wind-named cultivator spoke up, his face showing a hint of surprise. It was indeed Senior Brother himself who had said that this demon possessed formidable powers nearly on par with a cultivation expert at the Tribulation Transcending stage.
zhè yàng de cún zài ， rú hé kě néng qīng sōng miè shā ne ？
这样的存在，如何可能轻松灭杀呢？
Such an existence—how could it be easily eliminated?
guāng tīng tīng jiù jué de lí pǔ ， rán ér líng xū shī xiōng wěn zhòng chéng shú ， yǐ tā de xìng gé ， ruò méi yǒu jué duì de bǎ wò ， àn lǐ ， bù kě néng xìn kǒu kāi hé 。
光听听就觉得离谱，然而灵虚师兄稳重成熟，以他的xìng格，若没有绝对的把握，按理，不可能信口开河。
Just hearing about it seemed absurd, but Spirit Void Senior Brother was steady and mature. Given his nature, he wouldn't blab without having absolute confidence in his plan.
qí yú xiū shì de fǎn yìng yě chà bu duō ， yí gè gè ， jiē lù chū cè ěr qīng tīng de shén sè， bì jìng tā men zhè me duō rén zhī zhōng ， zhǐ yǒu líng xū zhēn rén yǔ cǐ mó jiāo guò shǒu ， suī rán bù dí ， dàn zài nà guò chéng zhōng ， huò xǔ shì fā xiàn le cǐ mó de shén me ruò diǎn ， yì wèi kě zhī 。
其余修士的反应也差不多，一个个，皆lù出侧耳倾听的神sè，毕竟他们这么多人之中，只有灵虚真人与此魔jiāo过手，虽然不敌，但在那过程中，或许是发现了此魔的什么弱点，亦未可知。
The other cultivators reacted similarly, all showing a listening expression as they knew only Spirit Void Immortal had faced this demon, though he hadn't won. Perhaps during that process, he might have discovered some weakness of the demon.
lín xuān jiàn le zhòng rén de liǎn sè， xīn zhōng àn àn diǎn tóu ， tóng shí xīn tiào yě lüè yǒu diǎn jiā sù ， tā zhè xiē wēi jǐn zhāng shì nán miǎn de 。
林轩见了众人的脸sè，心中暗暗点头，同时心跳也略有点加速，他这些微紧张是难免的。
Seeing everyone's faces, Lin Xuan nodded inwardly and felt his heart rate accelerate slightly. His slight tension was understandable given the stakes.
néng fǒu shùn lì móu qǔ dào piāo miǎo xiān gōng jī zǎn zì shàng gǔ de bǎo wù ， shèng fù zài cǐ yī jǔ ， kě yǐ shuō ， rú jīn zhèng shì zuì guān jiàn de shí kè 。
能否顺利谋取到飘渺仙宫积攒自上古的宝物，胜负在此一举，可以说，如今正是最关键的时刻。
The success or failure of obtaining treasures accumulated by the Ethereal Immortal Palace since ancient times hung in the balance. This moment was crucial.
tā qiǎo rán tūn le yī kǒu tuò mò ，xiōng yǒu chéng zhú de kāi kǒu le ：“ cǐ mó de shí lì què rán fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， ruò shì guāng píng běn mén de lì liàng jiǎo shā ， jí biàn chéng gōng le ， yě fēi fù chū zhòng dà dài jià ， jiù suàn chéng gōng qǔ huí le zhèn gōng zhī bǎo ， huàn yí gè jiǎo dù ， yě wèi bì shì wù yǒu suǒ zhí de 。”
他悄然吞了一口唾沫，xiōng有成竹的开口了：“此魔的实力确然非同小可，若是光凭本mén的力量剿杀，即便成功了，也非付出重大代价，就算成功取回了镇宫之宝，换一个角度，也未必是物有所值的。”
He swallowed a mouthful of saliva and spoke with confidence: "This demon's strength is indeed formidable. If we rely solely on our sect’s power to eliminate it, even if successful, it would come at a great cost. Even if we retrieve the palace treasure, viewed from another angle, it might not be worth it."
“ nà yī dà zhǎng lǎo de yì tú ……”
“那依大长老的意图……”
"What about Senior Elder's intention..."
nà méng miàn nv xiū ruò yǒu suǒ sī de kāi kǒu 。 shèng táng
那méng面nv修若有所思的开口。圣堂
The masked woman cultivator spoke thoughtfully.
“ cǐ mó suī shì cóng fēng yìn kōng jiān zhōng bèi fàng chū ， ràng běn mén jī yuán qiǎo hé ， chéng wéi le dì yí gè shòu hài zhě ， rán ér nà bù guò shì shì féng qí huì ér yǐ ， cǐ mó de mù biāo bìng bú shì wǒ piāo miǎo jiǔ xiān gōng ， ér shì cǐ jiè suǒ yǒu de xiū xiān zhě ， yóu qí shì gāo jiē xiū shì ， miàn duì cǐ mó ， gèng shì wēi xiǎn ， tā tūn shì de yuán yīng yuè duō ， shí lì shuō bù dìng hái huì jì xù zēng zhǎng de 。”
“此魔虽是从封印空间中被放出，让本mén机缘巧合，成为了第一个受害者，然而那不过是适逢其会而已，此魔的目标并不是我飘渺九仙宫，而是此界所有的修仙者，尤其是高阶修士，面对此魔，更是危险，他吞噬的元婴越多，实力说不定还会继续增长的。”
"Though this demon was released from an封印空间, allowing our sect to become its first victim by chance, that is merely a coincidence. Its target isn't the Ethereal Immortal Nine Palaces but all cultivators in this world, especially high-ranking ones. Facing such a demon poses more danger. The more元婴 it devours, the stronger it might become."
hòu miàn zhè jù huà ， chún cuì shì lín xuān dǎ hú luàn shuō ， zài fēng yìn kōng jiān de shí hòu ， tiān wài zhī mó bìng méi yǒu tūn shì yuán yīng lái zhe 。
后面这句话，纯粹是林轩打胡luàn说，在封印空间的时候，天外之魔并没有吞噬元婴来着。
Lin Xuan was just making up these words on the spot; during the封印 space, the demon from beyond had not consumed any元婴.
lín xuān zhī suǒ yǐ zhè yàng jiǎng ， shì yīn wèi tūn shì yuán yīng ， nǎi shì gāo jiē xiū shì de dà jì ， zuì shì jì hèn wú bǐ ， ràng dà jiā tóng chóu dí kài ， gèng yǒu bǎ wò hū yōu tā men zàn tóng zì jǐ de tí yì 。
林轩之所以这样讲，是因为吞噬元婴，乃是高阶修士的大忌，最是忌恨无比，让大家同仇敌忾，更有把握忽悠他们赞同自己的提议。
He said this because devouring an元婴 was a great taboo for high-ranking cultivators and would unite everyone against the demon. It also increased his chances of persuading them to agree with his plan.
“ shén me ， cǐ mó hái huì tūn shì yuán yīng ？”
“什么，此魔还会吞噬元婴？”
"What? The demon will devour more元婴?"
zhòng xiū shì guǒ rán bó rán biàn sè， shí lì dào le tā men zhè ge děng jí ， shòu yuán yǐ shì pǒ wèi màn cháng dì ， suǒ yǐ fǎn ér gèng pà sǐ 。
众修士果然勃然变sè，实力到了他们这个等级，寿元已是颇为漫长地，所以反而更怕死。
The other cultivators' expressions changed dramatically, as their lifespans were already quite long at this stage, making death even scarier.
“ bù cuò 。”
“不错。”
"Indeed."
lín xuān shā yǒu qí shì de diǎn le diǎn tóu lú ， liǎn shàng de biǎo qíng yán sù wú bǐ 。
林轩煞有其事的点了点头颅，脸上的表情严肃无比。
Lin Xuan nodded solemnly and looked grave.
“ nà yún shī dì yǔ yè shī mèi ……”
“那云师弟与叶师妹……”
"So Cloud Junior Brother and Leaf Junior Sister..."
“ wèi xiōng wú néng ， méi néng jiù chū tā men de yuán yīng 。”
“为兄无能，没能救出他们的元婴。”
"I am unable to save their元婴. I failed them."
lín xuān liǎn shàng dài zhe jǐ fēn zì zé ， chén tòng wú bǐ de shuō 。
林轩脸上带着几分自责，沉痛无比的说。
Lin Xuan's face showed a hint of guilt as he spoke with deep sorrow.
zhòng xiū shì tīng le ， jīng nù zhī yú ， yě gèng duō le jǐ fēn tù sǐ hú bēi zhī yì ， yuán yīng bèi tūn shì ， yì wèi zhe hún pò yě méi néng pǎo chū ， huàn jù huà shuō ， zhè bù jǐn jǐn shì yǔn luò ， lián zhòng rù lún huí zhī dào de jī huì dōu méi yǒu le 。 shèng táng zuì xīn zhāng jié
众修士听了，惊怒之余，也更多了几分兔死狐悲之意，元婴被吞噬，意味着魂魄也没能跑出，换句话说，这不仅仅是陨落，连重入轮回之道的机会都没有了。圣堂最新章节
The other cultivators were shocked and angry, but they also felt the pain of losing someone dear. Losing an元婴 meant the soul couldn't escape either; in essence, it was not just death but no chance for reincarnation.
“ jiě jiě 。”
“姐姐。”
"Sister."
nà méng miàn nv xiū yī shēng bēi hū ， qí tā xiū shì de biǎo qíng yě nán kàn dào jí chù ， lín xuān zhè jù huà qí shí pò zhàn pǒ duō ， rán ér duì yú tiān wài zhī mó ， jí biàn zài zuò de jiē shì fēn shén jí bié de dà néng xiū xiān zhě ， liǎo jiě dé yě bìng bù duō 。
那méng面nv修一声悲呼，其他修士的表情也难看到极处，林轩这句话其实破绽颇多，然而对于天外之魔，即便在座的皆是分神级别的大能修仙者，了解得也并不多。
The masked woman cultivator cried out in grief, while the others' expressions were equally grim. Lin Xuan's words had many flaws, yet given that none of them knew much about the demon from beyond, they believed him.
gǔ mó xǐ huān tūn shì xiū shì yuán yīng shì zhòng suǒ zhōu zhī de ， tiān wài zhī mó suī rán yǔ qí wán quán bù tóng ， dàn jì rán zhàn le yí gè mó zì ， xiǎng bì yě chà bu duō 。
古魔喜欢吞噬修士元婴是众所周知的，天外之魔虽然与其完全不同，但既然占了一个魔字，想必也差不多。
Ancient demons liked devouring cultivators’元婴, and though this demon was different, it still bore a "demon" name, so it likely followed similar patterns.
suǒ yǐ ， lín xuān zhè fān hú shuō bā dào de yán yǔ ， què ràng zhòng xiū shì xìn zhī bù yí ， ér qiě tóng chóu dí kài yǐ jí 。
所以，林轩这番胡说八道的言语，却让众修士信之不疑，而且同仇敌忾以极。
Thus, Lin Xuan's fabricated words gained their trust, and they were united in hatred.
“ shī xiōng jiū jìng yǒu hé miào jì ， hái qǐng dào lái ， bú yào zài zhè lǐ mài guān zi 。”
“师兄究竟有何妙计，还请道来，不要在这里卖关子。”
"So Senior Brother has some clever plan. Please share."
“ hěn jiǎn dān 。”
“很简单。”
"It is simple."
lín xuān jiāng shǒu zhōng de fú chén yī bǎi ， cǐ nǎi líng xū zhēn rén de běn mìng bǎo wù ， lín xuān ná zài shǒu lǐ ， duì yú yǎn shì zì jǐ shēn fèn de hǎo chù ， nà zì rán bù bì lèi shù 。
林轩将手中的拂尘一摆，此乃灵虚真人的本命宝物，林轩拿在手里，对于掩饰自己身份的好处，那自然不必累述。
Lin Xuan waved his拂尘, which was Spirit Void Immortal’s treasure. Holding it helped him conceal his identity.
“ cǐ mó tūn shì xiū shì yuán yīng ， nǎi shì fàn le dà jì ， nà jiù bù jǐn jǐn shì běn mén de wèn tí ， suǒ yǒu zōng mén jiā zú ， hái yǒu sàn xiū ， jiē yǒu yì wù chú diào cǐ mó 。”
“此魔吞噬修士元婴，乃是犯了大忌，那就不仅仅是本mén的问题，所有宗mén家族，还有散修，皆有义务除掉此魔。”
"This demon devours cultivators’元婴, violating a great taboo. Therefore, this isn't just our sect's problem; all sects and families, as well as scattered cultivators, have the duty to eliminate this demon."
“ shī xiōng shì shuō ……”
“师兄是说……”
"So Senior Brother means..."
“ bù cuò ， jì rán dà jiā jiē yǒu yì wù ， wǒ men hé bù ràng qí tā de xiū shì qù dāng pào huī ne ， děng tā men yǔ cǐ mó pīn gè yú sǐ wǎng pò ， wǒ men zé kě yǐ duǒ zài hòu miàn yú rén dé lì le 。” lín xuān jiān zhà yì cháng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
“不错，既然大家皆有义务，我们何不让其他的修士去当炮灰呢，等他们与此魔拼个鱼死网破，我们则可以躲在后面渔人得利了。”林轩jiān诈异常的声音传入耳朵。
"Correct. Since everyone has such a duty, why don’t we let other cultivators take the brunt of it? When they fight to their deaths with the demon, we can sit back and reap the benefits," Lin Xuan’s cunning voice echoed.
“ huà shì zhè yàng méi cuò ， kě běn mén xiū shì bù qīn zì chū shǒu ， nán bǎo piāo miǎo jiǔ xiān dān bù luò dào bié rén de shǒu zhōng 。” fēng xìng xiū shì lüè yǒu xiē dān xīn de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， qí tā rén de biǎo qíng xiāng chà fǎng fú ， zhè kě yǐ shuō shì zhòng xiū shì gòng tóng de dān xīn le 。
“话是这样没错，可本mén修士不亲自出手，难保飘渺九仙丹不落到别人的手中。”风姓修士略有些担心的声音传入耳朵，其他人的表情相差仿佛，这可以说是众修士共同的担心了。
"The words are right, but our sect's members must personally act to ensure the Ethereal Immortal Nine Palaces doesn't fall into others' hands," a wind-named cultivator said worriedly. The other elders shared similar concerns.
bì jìng huà jié dān zhè yàng de líng wù ， fēn shén jí bié de xiū xiān zhě ， shuí yòu bù hún qiān mèng rào ne ？
毕竟化劫丹这样的灵物，分神级别的修仙者，谁又不魂牵梦绕呢？
After all, who wouldn’t yearn for such precious treasures like the化劫丹?
“ gè wèi shī dì shī mèi de dān yōu méi yǒu cuò ， bù guò lǎo fū gǎn zuò chū zhè yàng de tí yì ， zì rán shì yǒu yī fān kǎo liáng de ……” lín xuān xiōng yǒu chéng zhú de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
“各位师弟师妹的担忧没有错，不过老夫敢做出这样的提议，自然是有一番考量的……”林轩xiōng有成竹的声音传入耳朵。
"Your worries are valid, but I dare propose this because of careful consideration..."
“ yī lái ， suī rán yún shī dì yè shī mèi yǔn luò ， lián lǎo fū yīn wèi qì xuè kuī sǔn tài duō ， shù bǎi nián nèi ， xiū wèi yě nán yǐ huī fù ， rán ér bǎi zú zhī chóng sǐ ér bù jiāng ， běn mén zuò wéi bīng hǎi jiè dì yī zōng mén dì wèi ， yī jiù shì wěn rú tài shān de ， wú lùn rén zú yāo zú ， jiē wú kàng shǒu 。”
“一来，虽然云师弟叶师妹陨落，连老夫因为气血亏损太多，数百年内，修为也难以恢复，然而百足之虫死而不僵，本mén作为冰海界第一宗mén地位，依旧是稳如泰山的，无论人族妖族，皆无抗手。”
Lin Xuan’s confident voice continued.
zhòng xiū shì diǎn le diǎn tóu ， zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng tā men dāng rán xīn zhōng yǒu shù 。
众修士点了点头，这种情况他们当然心中有数。
"One, even though Cloud Junior Brother and Leaf Junior Sister have fallen, my own cultivation will take centuries to recover due to blood loss. However, a hundred-footed worm dies hard. As the top sect in the Ice Sea, our position remains unshaken."
“ èr lái ， cǐ mó shǒu zhōng yǒu piāo miǎo jiǔ xiān dān ， qí tā xiū shì bìng bù qīng chǔ ， wǒ men zhàn jù xiān jī ， yòu yǒu zú gòu qiáng hèng de shí lì ， yǐ yǒu xīn suàn wú yì ， zuì hòu qiǎng dào bǎo wù de jī lǜ shì jí gāo dì 。”
“二来，此魔手中有飘渺九仙丹，其他修士并不清楚，我们占据先机，又有足够强横的实力，以有心算无意，最后抢到宝物的几率是极高地。”
The other cultivators nodded; they understood this situation well.
“ shī xiōng suǒ yán bù cuò 。”
“师兄所言不错。”
"Two, this demon holds the Ethereal Immortal Nine Palaces, which others don’t know about. We have an advantage and enough strength to outwit them and snatch the treasure with high probability."
fēng xìng xiū shì diǎn le diǎn tóu ， dà zhǎng lǎo zhè fān shuō cí ， què shí shì rù qíng rù lǐ ， lǎo móu shēn suàn yǐ jí 。
风姓修士点了点头，大长老这番说辞，确实是入情入理，老谋深算以极。
"Senior Brother's words are correct," a wind-named cultivator agreed. The senior elder’s argument was logical and deeply calculated.
suī rán bǎo wù réng yǒu shī luò de fēng xiǎn ， dàn xiāng bǐ jǐn kào běn mén zhī lì ， dú zì duì kàng tiān mó ， wú yí zhè shì jí wéi wěn tuǒ zhī cè 。
虽然宝物仍有失落的风险，但相比仅靠本mén之力，独自对抗天魔，无疑这是极为稳妥之策。
While there was still a risk of losing the treasure, it was far more secure than relying solely on our sect to fight the demon.
bì jìng ruò shì zài wéi jiǎo tiān mó de guò chéng zhōng ， běn mén de gāo jiē xiū shì yǔn luò tài duō ， shí lì fēi dà sǔn bù kě ， cǐ xiāo bǐ zhǎng ， qí tā shí lì jǐn cì yú běn mén de zōng pài kěn dìng bú huì jiāng dà hǎo jī huì fàng guò ， huì xiǎng bàn fǎ qǔ ér dài zhī ， nà jiù shì dé bù cháng shī le 。
毕竟若是在围剿天魔的过程中，本mén的高阶修士陨落太多，实力非大损不可，此消彼长，其他实力仅次于本mén的宗派肯定不会将大好机会放过，会想办法取而代之，那就是得不偿失了。
If too many high-ranking members were lost in the battle, other powerful sects would seize this opportunity, making it a loss for us.
qí tā zhǎng lǎo yě lián lián diǎn tóu ， méi yǒu yī rén tí chū fǎn duì lái zhe 。
其他长老也连连点头，没有一人提出反对来着。
The other elders nodded without objection.
“ jì rán dà jiā dōu shì zhè ge yì si ， xiǎo mèi lì kè pài chū dì zǐ ， lián luò gè zōng mén jiā zú ， yī tóng wéi jiǎo cǐ mó 。” nà méng miàn nv xiū hěn hěn de shuō ， yī xīn wèi tóng fù yì mǔ de jiě jiě bào chóu 。
“既然大家都是这个意思，小妹立刻派出弟子，联络各宗mén家族，一同围剿此魔。”那méng面nv修狠狠的说，一心为同父异母的姐姐报仇。
"Since everyone agrees, I will immediately send disciples to contact all sects and families to join forces in eliminating this demon," the masked woman cultivator said resolutely, determined to avenge her sister.
“ cǐ jǔ bù tuǒ 。”
“此举不妥。”
"This is inappropriate."
lín xuān què yáo le yáo tóu 。
林轩却摇了摇头。
Lin Xuan shook his head.
“ wèi hé bù tuǒ ？”
“为何不妥？”
"Why is it inappropriate?"
zhòng zhǎng lǎo dōu yǒu xiē chà yì le 。
众长老都有些诧异了。
The elders were surprised.
“ ruò jǐn pài chū dì zǐ tōng zhī ， qí tā mén pài wèi bì huì zhòng shì ， bù pài chū gāo jiē xiū shì ， rú hé wéi jiǎo cǐ mó ， hé kuàng jiù suàn cǐ mó guǎ bù dí zhòng de yǔn luò ， zhū wèi tóng mén nán dào hái shē wàng jǐ míng dì zǐ jiù tì wǒ men duó huí piāo miǎo jiǔ xiān dān me ？” lín xuān dàn dàn de shuō 。
“若仅派出弟子通知，其他mén派未必会重视，不派出高阶修士，如何围剿此魔，何况就算此魔寡不敌众的陨落，诸位同mén难道还奢望几名弟子就替我们夺回飘渺九仙丹么？”林轩淡淡的说。
"If we only send disciples for notification, other sects might not take it seriously. Without high-ranking members, how can we eliminate this demon? Even if the demon falls due to overwhelming numbers, do you expect a few disciples to reclaim the Ethereal Immortal Nine Palaces?" Lin Xuan said calmly.
“ nà dà zhǎng lǎo de yì tú ……”
“那大长老的意图……”
"What about Senior Elder's intention..."
“ bù rù hǔ xùe yān dé hǔ zi ， zhè jiàn shì qíng ， gè wèi shī dì shī mèi ， kǒng pà dé qīn zì zǒu yī tàng le ， ér qiě rén shǎo le bù xíng ， wèi le què bǎo duó huí bǎo wù ， chú le lǎo fū zuò zhèn zǒng duò ， shùn dài yǎng shāng yǐ wài ， gè wèi quán dōu yào xíng dòng qǐ lái 。”
“不入虎xùe焉得虎子，这件事情，各位师弟师妹，恐怕得亲自走一趟了，而且人少了不行，为了确保夺回宝物，除了老夫坐镇总舵，顺带养伤以外，各位全都要行动起来。”
"Entering the tiger’s den is necessary to catch the cub. This matter requires each of you to personally take action. We need more than just one person at headquarters; besides my presence there, everyone must participate."
“ shén me ， wǒ men quán dōu wài chū ， jǐn liú shī xiōng yī rén zuò zhèn zǒng duò ， zhè zěn me kě yǐ ， zǒng duò kōng xū ， wàn yī nà tiān wài mó tóu lái cǐ ……”méng miàn nv zi dà jīng shī sè， dān xīn de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
“什么，我们全都外出，仅留师兄一人坐镇总舵，这怎么可以，总舵空虚，万一那天外魔头来此……”méng面nv子大惊失sè，担心的声音传入耳朵。
"What? All of us will go out, leaving only Senior Brother to stay at headquarters. How can this be allowed? The headquarters will be empty, and if that demon from beyond comes..."
ps： zuó tiān bàn yè bǎo bǎo yòu fā shāo le ， jīn tiān yī zǎo dài bǎo bǎo qù kàn bìng dǎ zhēn ， yī máng yī shàng wǔ a ， kàn bǎo bǎo bìng hòu kě lián de yàng zi ， zhēn hèn bù dé shēng bìng de shì zì jǐ 。
ps：昨天半夜宝宝又发烧了，今天一早带宝宝去看病打针，一忙一上午啊，看宝宝病后可怜的样子，真恨不得生病的是自己。
The masked woman was alarmed as she spoke.
PS: Last night, the baby had another fever, and I took her to see a doctor early in the morning for an injection. It was hectic all morning. Seeing my baby after being sick made me wish it were me who was ill instead.
Chapter 2570 - Diverting the Tiger Away
"Could Senior Brother have a good method to eliminate this demon without paying too great a price?"
A wind-named cultivator spoke up, his face showing a hint of surprise. It was indeed Senior Brother himself who had said that this demon possessed formidable powers nearly on par with a cultivation expert at the Tribulation Transcending stage.
Such an existence—how could it be easily eliminated?
Just hearing about it seemed absurd, but Spirit Void Senior Brother was steady and mature. Given his nature, he wouldn't blab without having absolute confidence in his plan.
The other cultivators reacted similarly, all showing a listening expression as they knew only Spirit Void Immortal had faced this demon, though he hadn't won. Perhaps during that process, he might have discovered some weakness of the demon.
Seeing everyone's faces, Lin Xuan nodded inwardly and felt his heart rate accelerate slightly. His slight tension was understandable given the stakes.
The success or failure of obtaining treasures accumulated by the Ethereal Immortal Palace since ancient times hung in the balance. This moment was crucial.
He swallowed a mouthful of saliva and spoke with confidence: "This demon's strength is indeed formidable. If we rely solely on our sect’s power to eliminate it, even if successful, it would come at a great cost. Even if we retrieve the palace treasure, viewed from another angle, it might not be worth it."
"What about Senior Elder's intention..."
The masked woman cultivator spoke thoughtfully.
"Though this demon was released from an封印空间, allowing our sect to become its first victim by chance, that is merely a coincidence. Its target isn't the Ethereal Immortal Nine Palaces but all cultivators in this world, especially high-ranking ones. Facing such a demon poses more danger. The more元婴 it devours, the stronger it might become."
Lin Xuan was just making up these words on the spot; during the封印 space, the demon from beyond had not consumed any元婴.
He said this because devouring an元婴 was a great taboo for high-ranking cultivators and would unite everyone against the demon. It also increased his chances of persuading them to agree with his plan.
"What? The demon will devour more元婴?"
The other cultivators' expressions changed dramatically, as their lifespans were already quite long at this stage, making death even scarier.
"Indeed."
Lin Xuan nodded solemnly and looked grave.
"So Cloud Junior Brother and Leaf Junior Sister..."
"I am unable to save their元婴. I failed them."
Lin Xuan's face showed a hint of guilt as he spoke with deep sorrow.
The other cultivators were shocked and angry, but they also felt the pain of losing someone dear. Losing an元婴 meant the soul couldn't escape either; in essence, it was not just death but no chance for reincarnation.
"Sister."
The masked woman cultivator cried out in grief, while the others' expressions were equally grim. Lin Xuan's words had many flaws, yet given that none of them knew much about the demon from beyond, they believed him.
Ancient demons liked devouring cultivators’元婴, and though this demon was different, it still bore a "demon" name, so it likely followed similar patterns.
Thus, Lin Xuan's fabricated words gained their trust, and they were united in hatred.
"So Senior Brother has some clever plan. Please share."
"It is simple."
Lin Xuan waved his拂尘, which was Spirit Void Immortal’s treasure. Holding it helped him conceal his identity.
"This demon devours cultivators’元婴, violating a great taboo. Therefore, this isn't just our sect's problem; all sects and families, as well as scattered cultivators, have the duty to eliminate this demon."
"So Senior Brother means..."
"Correct. Since everyone has such a duty, why don’t we let other cultivators take the brunt of it? When they fight to their deaths with the demon, we can sit back and reap the benefits," Lin Xuan’s cunning voice echoed.
"The words are right, but our sect's members must personally act to ensure the Ethereal Immortal Nine Palaces doesn't fall into others' hands," a wind-named cultivator said worriedly. The other elders shared similar concerns.
After all, who wouldn’t yearn for such precious treasures like the化劫丹?
"Your worries are valid, but I dare propose this because of careful consideration..."
Lin Xuan’s confident voice continued.
"One, even though Cloud Junior Brother and Leaf Junior Sister have fallen, my own cultivation will take centuries to recover due to blood loss. However, a hundred-footed worm dies hard. As the top sect in the Ice Sea, our position remains unshaken."
The other cultivators nodded; they understood this situation well.
"Two, this demon holds the Ethereal Immortal Nine Palaces, which others don’t know about. We have an advantage and enough strength to outwit them and snatch the treasure with high probability."
"Senior Brother's words are correct," a wind-named cultivator agreed. The senior elder’s argument was logical and deeply calculated.
While there was still a risk of losing the treasure, it was far more secure than relying solely on our sect to fight the demon.
If too many high-ranking members were lost in the battle, other powerful sects would seize this opportunity, making it a loss for us.
The other elders nodded without objection.
"Since everyone agrees, I will immediately send disciples to contact all sects and families to join forces in eliminating this demon," the masked woman cultivator said resolutely, determined to avenge her sister.
"This is inappropriate."
Lin Xuan shook his head.
"Why is it inappropriate?"
The elders were surprised.
"If we only send disciples for notification, other sects might not take it seriously. Without high-ranking members, how can we eliminate this demon? Even if the demon falls due to overwhelming numbers, do you expect a few disciples to reclaim the Ethereal Immortal Nine Palaces?" Lin Xuan said calmly.
"What about Senior Elder's intention..."
"Entering the tiger’s den is necessary to catch the cub. This matter requires each of you to personally take action. We need more than just one person at headquarters; besides my presence there, everyone must participate."
"What? All of us will go out, leaving only Senior Brother to stay at headquarters. How can this be allowed? The headquarters will be empty, and if that demon from beyond comes..."
The masked woman was alarmed as she spoke.
PS: Last night, the baby had another fever, and I took her to see a doctor early in the morning for an injection. It was hectic all morning. Seeing my baby after being sick made me wish it were me who was ill instead.