xiū xiān wú suì yuè ， duǎn duǎn bǎi nián ， duì yú gāo jiē xiū xiān zhě ， ruò shì bì guān dǎ zuò ， gēn běn suàn bù liǎo shén me ， shuō yī zhǎ yǎn huò xǔ yǒu xiē tài guò ， dàn què rán shì hěn kuài jiù guò qù le 。
修仙无岁月，短短百年，对于高阶修仙者，若是闭关打坐，根本算不了什么，说一眨眼或许有些太过，但确然是很快就过去了。
Cultivation knows no time. A mere hundred years, for high-ranking cultivators, is nothing more than a blink of an eye. However, to ordinary people, it's a lifetime.
rán ér duì yú pǔ tōng rén ， zhè jiù shì wán wán zhěng zhěng de yī shēng 。
然而对于普通人，这就是完完整整的一生。
Lin Xuan was not an ordinary person, but the experience he gained from his journey to the Ice Sea Realm over this short period was invaluable. The hundred years had been filled with too many experiences worth reflecting on and cherishing.
lín xuān zì rán bú shì pǔ tōng rén ， rán ér zhè cì qù bīng hǎi jiè de jīng lì ， yě fēng fù wú bǐ ， duǎn duǎn bǎi nián de guāng yīn ， yǒu zhe tài duō tài duō de jīng lì ， zhí de tā tǐ wèi 、 huí yì 。
林轩自然不是普通人，然而这次去冰海界的经历，也丰富无比，短短百年的光阴，有着太多太多的经历，值得他体味、回忆。
When Lin Xuan returned to Cloud Concealment Range, looking at familiar scenery, it felt as if he were in a different world.
suǒ yǐ dāng lín xuān zài huí dào yún yǐn shān mài ， kàn zhe shú xī de jǐng wù ， jìng yǒu yī zhǒng huǎng rú gé shì zhī gǎn 。
所以当林轩再回到云隐山脉，看着熟悉的景物，竟有一种恍如隔世之感。
His emotions ran high, and he couldn't help but let out a loud song. His voice echoed like the roar of a dragon or the cooing of a phoenix, reaching up into the heavens, lingering on and on until even the clouds seemed to be shattered by its power.
xīn qíng jī dàng wú bǐ ， ràng lín xuān rěn bú zhù zòng shēng gāo gē ， gē shēng rú lóng yín fèng yín ， zhí rù jiǔ xiāo ， wǎn zhuǎn bù jué ， tiān dì jiān de yún cǎi dōu bèi zhèn suì le kāi qù 。
心情激荡无比，让林轩忍不住纵声高歌，歌声如龙吟凤吟，直入九霄，婉转不绝，天地间的云彩都被震碎了开去。
Although this place was still thousands of miles away from the main sect headquarters of Cloud Concealment Sect, such a commotion would not go unnoticed. Before long, he saw a burst of spiritual light ahead. Lin Xuan roughly counted over a dozen beams of light streaking towards him...
zhè lǐ jù lí yún yǐn zōng zǒng duò ， hái yǒu qiān lǐ zhī yuǎn ， dàn zhè me dà de dòng jìng ， chú fēi xún shān de dì zǐ gù zuò bú jiàn ， fǒu zé bì rán shì néng gòu yǒu suǒ fā xiàn 。
这里距离云隐宗总舵，还有千里之远，但这么大的动静，除非巡山的弟子故做不见，否则必然是能够有所发现。
Leading the way was a striking pinkish-red shockwave, easily noticeable due to its speed and the faint scent that wafted around it.
méi děng duō jiǔ ， jiù jiàn qián fāng líng guāng dà zuò ， lín xuān cū lüè yī shù ， zú yǒu shù shí dào líng guāng jī shè xiàng cǐ chù ……
没等多久，就见前方灵光大做，林轩粗略一数，足有数十道灵光激射像此处……
Lin Xuan's brows furrowed as he vaguely recognized this spiritual light. However, he couldn't quite recall where from. Just as he was about to use his powers to examine it more closely, the light arrived so quickly that it suddenly appeared before him in an instant.
fēi zài zuì qián miàn de ， shì yī dào fěn hóng sè de jīng hóng ， pǒ wèi qǐ yǎn ， bù jǐn shì yīn wèi tā de sù dù zuì kuài ， ér qiě nà líng guāng sì zhōu ， yǒu dàn dàn de xiāng wèi ér ， ruò yǐn ruò xiàn de sàn fà chū lái …
飞在最前面的，是一道粉红色的惊虹，颇为起眼，不仅是因为她的速度最快，而且那灵光四周，有淡淡的香味儿，若隐若现的散发出来…
The light dimmed, revealing a tall and strikingly beautiful young woman.
lín xuān méi tóu yī tiāo ， yǐn yǐn jué de nà líng guāng yǒu diǎn yǎn shú ， dàn yī shí piàn kè ， què yòu xiǎng bù qǐ lái le ， zhèng yù shī zhǎn shén tōng ， zǐ xì kàn gè qīng chǔ ， nà líng guāng lái de hǎo kuài ， jiù zhè me yī zhǎ yǎn ， jū rán lái dào le miàn qián 。
林轩眉头一挑，隐隐觉得那灵光有点眼熟，但一时片刻，却又想不起来了，正欲施展神通，仔细看个清楚，那灵光来得好快，就这么一眨眼，居然来到了面前。
Lin Xuan's gaze swept over her. Wasn’t she someone familiar?
guāng máng shōu liǎn ， lù chū yī shēn cái gāo tiǎo de jué měi shào nǚ 。
光芒收敛，露出一身材高挑的绝美少女。
Lin Yu娇!
lín xuān mù guāng sǎo guò ， kě bú shì shú rén me ？
林轩目光扫过，可不是熟人么？
The eldest elder of Cloud Concealment Sect’s sister. They had been on equal terms when they went to the Ancient Demon Realm together in search of a spirit essence pill.
lín yù jiāo ！
林玉娇！
However, due to his good fortune and luck, Lin Xuan obtained this item from Master Real Dragon and later broke through the void ahead of everyone else, returning to the Spirit Realm.
yún yǐn zōng dà zhǎng lǎo de dí qīn mèi mèi ， shuō qǐ lái zì jǐ yǔ cǐ nǚ yě guān xì fěi qiǎn hái yǔ tā yì qǐ qù gǔ mó jiè xún zhǎo fēn shén dān 。
云隐宗大长老的嫡亲妹妹，说起来自己与此女也关系匪浅还与她一起去古魔界寻找分神丹。
Considering the time, shouldn't the trial be over by now? Shouldn’t she have returned safely?
zhǐ bù guò zì jǐ jī yuán qiǎo hé ， cóng nài lóng zhēn rén shǒu zhōng dé dào le cǐ wù ， hòu lái gèng xiān yī bù pò kāi xū kōng ， huí dào le líng jiè zhī zhōng 。
只不过自己机缘巧合，从鼐龙真人手中得到了此物，后来更先一步破开虚空，回到了灵界之中。
Seeing an old acquaintance in good health filled Lin Xuan with joy. His song had already ended, and he stood there with his hands behind his back, smiling.
suàn suàn shí jiān ， shì liàn yě yīng gāi jié shù ， cǐ nǚ yě píng ān fǎn huí le me ？
算算时间，试炼也应该结束，此女也平安返回了么？
Lin Yu娇 also recognized Lin Xuan’s face.
jiàn gù rén wú yàng ， lín xuān xīn zhōng hái shì pǒ wèi huān xǐ ， tā de gē shēng yě zǎo yǐ jié shù ， shuāng shǒu dào bèi xiào yì yín yín de zài yuán dì zhàn zhe 。
见故人无恙，林轩心中还是颇为欢喜，他的歌声也早已结束，双手倒背笑意吟吟的在原地站着。
Her expression went from shock to surprise and then to happiness as she curtsied: "Yu娇 pays respects to Senior Uncle."
ér lín yù jiāo yě kàn qīng chǔ le lín xuān de miàn róng 。
而林玉娇也看清楚了林轩的面容。
The young woman's face showed a mix of emotions. They had been on equal terms when they went to the Ancient Demon Realm, but now she was addressing him as Senior Uncle.
liǎn shàng cuò è 、 jīng yà 、 xǐ yuè de biǎo qíng yī shǎn ér guò ， suí hòu yíng yíng yī fú ：“ yù jiāo cān jiàn shī shū 。”
脸上错愕、惊讶、喜悦的表情一闪而过，随后盈盈一福：“玉娇参见师叔。”
Although it hadn't been long since her return to the Spirit Realm, Lin Xuan’s achievements were well-known. Although he didn’t want to be the eldest elder, after defeating the Elder of Desolate Heaven, he had become an object of admiration and reverence for all disciples within the sect.
shào nǚ de liǎn shàng dài zhe jǐ fēn fù zá zhī sè ， yì qǐ qù gǔ mó jiè de shí hòu hái píng bèi xiāng chèn lái zhe ， yī zhuǎn yǎn ， jiù biàn chéng le shī shū 。
少女的脸上带着几分复杂之色，一起去古魔界的时候还平辈相称来着，一转眼，就变成了师叔。
Lin Yu娇 wasn't jealous; she owed him a life-saving debt. However, thinking about his astonishing cultivation speed and strength that far surpassed his peers, she couldn’t help but feel envious.
ér qiě tā huí dào líng jiè suī bù suàn jiǔ ， dàn lín xuān de shì jì yě zǎo ěr shú néng xiáng le ， suī rán lín xuān bù yuàn yì zuò dà zhǎng lǎo ， rán ér zì cóng dǎ bài le tiān jué lǎo guài ， tā jiù yì zhí shì běn mén dì zǐ qīng mù chóng bài de duì xiàng 。
而且她回到灵界虽不算久，但林轩的事迹也早耳熟能详了，虽然林轩不愿意做大长老，然而自从打败了天绝老怪，他就一直是本门弟子倾慕崇拜的对象。
"Enough formalities."
lín yù jiāo dāng rán bìng bù jí dù ， lín xuān duì tā kě shì yǒu jiù mìng zhī ēn lái zhe zhǐ shì yī xiǎng zhe lín xuān lìng rén chēng mù jié shé de xiū liàn sù dù ， yuǎn chāo tóng jiē de shí lì ， tā xīn zhōng hái shì xī xū bù yǐ 。
林玉娇当然并不嫉妒，林轩对她可是有救命之恩来着只是一想着林轩令人瞠目结舌的修炼速度，远超同阶的实力，她心中还是唏嘘不已。
Lin Xuan waved his hand lightly as he chatted briefly with Lin Yu娇. Other cultivators arrived soon after, and upon confirming Lin Xuan’s identity, they spontaneously erupted in cheers. This showed how much the sect revered him. They then paid their respects before sending out transmission talismans to inform the main sect.
“ bù yòng duō lǐ 。”
“不用多礼。”
In just a moment, the air hummed as countless light points appeared on the horizon, speeding towards them from all directions but converging here.
lín xuān tái shǒu xū fú ， yǔ lín yù jiāo lüè wēi hán xuān le jǐ jù ， suí hòu qí tā de xiū shì yě gǎn dào le zhè lǐ ， zài què rèn lín xuān de shēn fèn hòu ， jìng bù yóu zì zhǔ de bào fā chū yī zhèn huān hū ， zhè yě kě jiàn lín xuān de shòu huān yíng chéng dù ， suí hòu tā men yī biān dà lǐ bài jiàn yī biān xiàng mén zhōng fā chū le chuán yīn fú 。
林轩抬手虚浮，与林玉娇略微寒暄了几句，随后其他的修士也赶到了这里，在确认林轩的身份后，竟不由自主的爆发出一阵欢呼，这也可见林轩的受欢迎程度，随后他们一边大礼拜见一边像门中发出了传音符。
Though Lin Xuan didn’t hold the title of eldest elder, his importance to Cloud Concealment Sect was clear. Thanks to his victory over the Elder of Desolate Heaven, the sect had seen tremendous growth in a hundred years, its strength more than doubling. What had once been a minor sect now counted among the major ones in the Real Dragon Realm, though not at the top.
jǐn jǐn guò le piàn kè ， wēng míng shēng dà zuò ， yuǎn chù de tiān biān ， mì mì má má de quán shì guāng diǎn ， sù dù bù yī ， dàn mù biāo jiù shì zhè lǐ 。
仅仅过了片刻，嗡鸣声大做，远处的天边，密密麻麻的全是光点，速度不一，但目标就是这里。
Thus, Lin Xuan's return was a significant event. Almost all condensation core cultivators, except those who were truly meditating or couldn’t make it due to other commitments, came out to greet him.
lín xuān suī wú dà zhǎng lǎo zhī míng ， dàn duì yún yǐn zōng de zhòng yào xìng ， shǎ guā dōu qīng chǔ ， kào zhe lín xuān dǎ bài tiān jué lǎo guài de wēi míng ， zhè bǎi nián lái yún yǐn zōng kě shì huò dé le mò dà de fā zhǎn ， shí lì hé zhǐ fān le yī fān ， yuán běn zhǐ shì piān jū yī ǒu ， rú jīn fàng yǎn zhěng gè nài lóng jiè ， dōu suàn dé shàng míng mén dà pài ， suī rán bú shì dǐng jiān ， dàn duǎn duǎn de bǎi nián ， zōng mén néng yǒu zhè yàng de qǐ fú ， yǐ shì liǎo bù qǐ dào jí chù 。
林轩虽无大长老之名，但对云隐宗的重要性，傻瓜都清楚，靠着林轩打败天绝老怪的威名，这百年来云隐宗可是获得了莫大的发展，实力何止翻了一翻，原本只是偏居一偶，如今放眼整个鼐龙界，都算得上名门大派，虽然不是顶尖，但短短的百年，宗门能有这样的起伏，已是了不起到极处。
At the forefront were the silver-eyed girl and the dragon-named youth.
gù ér lín xuān huí zōng ， yě shì yī děng yī de dà shì ， zhěng gè yún yǐn zōng ， níng dān yǐ shàng de xiū xiān zhě ， chú le què shí zài bì guān dǎ zuò ， huò zhě shí zài tuō bù kāi shēn de ， jiǔ chéng yǐ shàng de ， quán dōu chū yíng 。
故而林轩回宗，也是一等一的大事，整个云隐宗，凝丹以上的修仙者，除了确实在闭关打坐，或者实在脱不开身的，九成以上的，全都出迎。
Their faces showed surprise and joy as they approached Lin Xuan.
wéi shǒu de biàn shì yín tóng shào nǚ yǔ lóng xìng shào nián 。
为首的便是银瞳少女与龙姓少年。
"Junior Brother Lin, you've finally returned. Did your mission go well? Oh, your cultivation..."
cǐ shí cǐ kè ， liǎng rén liǎn shàng dōu shì yī fù jīng xǐ zhī sè 。
此时此刻，两人脸上都是一副惊喜之色。
Before the dragon-named youth could finish his sentence, he was left speechless in shock.
“ lín shī dì ， nǐ zhōng yú huí lái le ， cǐ xíng kě hái shùn lì me ， yí ， nǐ de xiū wèi ……”
“林师弟，你终于回来了，此行可还顺利么，咦，你的修为……”
It made sense for him to be surprised. He had watched Lin Xuan advance from the Spirit Core stage to the Condensation Core stage. How many years had passed since then, and now Lin Xuan had advanced further to become a mid-stage Condensation Core cultivator?
lóng xìng shào nián huà yīn wèi luò ， tū rán biàn chéng yī fù chēng mù jié shé de biǎo qíng lái le 。
龙姓少年话音未落，突然变成一副瞠目结舌的表情来了。
Wasn't he also at the Condensation Core stage? The difficulty of advancing within this realm was well-known; his initial bottleneck had lasted for tens of thousands of years.
yě nán guài tā jīng è ， tā kě shì kàn zhe lín xuān jìn jiē fēn shén qī de ， zhè cái guò le duō shǎo nián ， jū rán yòu jìn yí bù ， chéng wéi le fēn shén zhōng qī de xiū xiān zhě 。
也难怪他惊愕，他可是看着林轩进阶分神期的，这才过了多少年，居然又进一步，成为了分神中期的修仙者。
He had worked hard, but his progress was as slow as a snail. Lin Xuan...
yǒu méi yǒu gǎo cuò ， jiù jìng jiè lái shuō ， tā yě shì fēn shén qī de ， duì yú cǐ jìng jiè jìn jí de nán dù ， kě shì yì qīng èr chǔ ， zì jǐ kǎ zài chū qī de píng jǐng ， kě shì yǒu shàng wàn nián 。
有没有搞错，就境界来说，他也是分神期的，对于此境界晋级的难度，可是一清二楚，自己卡在初期的瓶颈，可是有上万年。
At that moment, it would be a lie to say he wasn’t envious.
xiū liàn ， zì jǐ tóng yàng nǔ lì wú bǐ ， kě jìn zhǎn què bǐ wō niú hái yào huǎn màn ， ér lín xuān ……
修炼，自己同样努力无比，可进展却比蜗牛还要缓慢，而林轩……
Was Junior Brother Lin truly reborn from the True Immortal realm? Otherwise, how could his cultivation speed be so astonishing?
zhè yī kè ， shuō bù jí dù ， nà dàng zhēn shì piàn rén de 。
这一刻，说不嫉妒，那当真是骗人的。
The dragon-named youth's mind was filled with this thought.
lín shī dì shì zhēn xiān zhuǎn shì me ， fǒu zé ， xiū xiān de sù dù ， zěn me néng kuài dào rú cǐ dì bù ？
林师弟是真仙转世么，否则，修仙的速度，怎么能快到如此地步？
On the other side, the silver-eyed girl’s expression mirrored his. After an initial shock, her remaining emotion was pure joy. She even had a hint of anticipation—could their newly joined junior brother one day become a realm-transcending existence?
lóng xìng shào nián de nǎo hǎi zhōng ， zhǐ shèng xià zhè yí gè niàn tou le 。
龙姓少年的脑海中，只剩下这一个念头了。
The realm-transcending stage was the final realm in cultivation, just a step away from her late-stage Condensation Core. However, she knew that it was as distant as heaven and earth.
ér lìng yī biān ， yín tóng shào nǚ de biǎo qíng yě xiāng chà fǎng fú ， bù guò zài duǎn zàn de jīng yà zhī hòu ， suǒ shèng yú de ， biàn shì jīng xǐ le ， tā shèn zhì yǒu yī zhǒng qī dài ， zhè bàn lù rù mén de shī dì rú cǐ liǎo de ， yǒu zhāo yī rì ， běn mén yǒu méi yǒu kě néng ， chū xiàn yī wèi dù jié cún zài ？
而另一边，银瞳少女的表情也相差仿佛，不过在短暂的惊讶之后，所剩余的，便是惊喜了，她甚至有一种期待，这半路入门的师弟如此了得，有朝一日，本门有没有可能，出现一位渡劫存在？
She would never have the chance to enter this realm; the difficulty of the next bottleneck was incomparable to those before it. Many geniuses had fallen at this threshold, but Lin Xuan had already created too many miracles. Perhaps he could still reach the realm-transcending stage.
dù jié qī ， xiū xiān de zuì hòu yí gè jìng jiè ， kàn shì yǔ zì jǐ fēn shén hòu qī jǐn yǒu yī bù zhī yáo ， rán ér yín tóng shào nǚ xīn zhōng qīng chǔ ， nà gēn běn jiù shì zhǐ chǐ tiān yá 。
渡劫期，修仙的最后一个境界，看似与自己分神后期仅有一步之遥，然而银瞳少女心中清楚，那根本就是咫尺天涯。
With these thoughts in mind, she happily welcomed Lin Xuan into the sect with her disciples.
zì jǐ zhè bèi zi ， bù kě néng yǒu jī huì jìn rù dù jié qī ， nà nán dù yǔ qián miàn de píng jǐng bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ ， xiū xiān jiè duō shǎo tiān cái ， dōu dào zài le zhè ge mén kǎn ， rán ér yǎn qián de lín shī dì ， yǐ chuàng zào le tài duō de qí jì ， yě xǔ tā yǒu kě néng jìn rù dù jié qī 。
自己这辈子，不可能有机会进入渡劫期，那难度与前面的瓶颈不可同日而语，修仙界多少天才，都倒在了这个门槛，然而眼前的林师弟，已创造了太多的奇迹，也许他有可能进入渡劫期。
Of course, what followed was of no concern to low-ranking cultivators. After entering the main hall, they all paid their respects and left.
yín tóng shào nǚ rú cǐ xiǎng zhe ， suí hòu yǔ zhòng dì zǐ ， xǐ zī zī de jiāng lín xuān yíng rù le zōng mén lǐ 。
银瞳少女如此想着，随后与众弟子，喜滋滋的将林轩迎入了宗门里。
"Did you have a good trip, Junior Brother Lin? I bet you had some significant gains?" said the dragon-named youth with a smile.
dāng rán ， jiē xià lái de shì qíng ， yǔ dī jiē xiū shì jiù méi yǒu duō shǎo guān xì ， jìn rù zhèng diàn yǐ hòu ， tā men jiù quán bù xíng lǐ gào cí 。
当然，接下来的事情，与低阶修士就没有多少关系，进入正殿以后，他们就全部行礼告辞。
"Haha, don't laugh at me. I just got lucky and managed to advance one level."
“ rú hé ， lín shī dì zhè yī cì ， xiǎng bì dà yǒu shōu huò ？” lóng xìng shào nián wēi xiào zhe shuō 。
“如何，林师弟这一次，想必大有收获？”龙姓少年微笑着说。
The two didn’t comment on his words, knowing how difficult it was for a Condensation Core cultivator to advance. If it were merely luck, there would be high-ranking cultivators everywhere.
“ hē hē ， ràng shī xiōng jiàn xiào le ， lín mǒu zhǐ shì yùn qì bù cuò ， cái jiǎo xìng jìn le yī jí 。”
“呵呵，让师兄见笑了，林某只是运气不错，才侥幸晋了一级。”
Since they were ancient immortals who understood Lin Xuan’s reluctance to elaborate, they wisely refrained from asking further and changed the subject.
duì yú lín xuān zhè yàng de shuō fǎ ， liǎng rén xiào ér bù yǔ ， fēn shén qī de xiū liàn shì hé děng jiān nán ， rú guǒ jǐn jǐn shì yùn qì bù cuò ， jiù kě yǐ jìn jí ， nà biàn dì kǒng pà dōu shì gāo jiē xiū xiān zhě 。
对于林轩这样的说法，两人笑而不语，分神期的修炼是何等艰难，如果仅仅是运气不错，就可以晋级，那遍地恐怕都是高阶修仙者。
"Did you find the materials needed to create an avatar on this trip?"
dāng rán ， liǎng rén nǎi shì huó le shù wàn nián de lǎo guài wù ， jiàn lín xuān bù yuàn xiáng shuō ， zì rán yě jiù shí qù de bù zài wèn le 。
当然，两人乃是活了数万年的老怪物，见林轩不愿详说，自然也就识趣的不再问了。
"Haha, thanks to Senior Sister's help. If not for her telling me about the Ice Sea Realm, I wouldn't have had any success."
suí hòu yòu huàn le yí gè huà tí 。
随后又换了一个话题。
Lin Xuan said with a smile.
“ nà shī dì cǐ xíng yào xún zhǎo de liàn zhì huà shēn de cái liào ， yīng gāi yǒu zhe là le ba ！”
“那师弟此行要寻找的炼制化身的材料，应该有着落了吧！”
"Haha, Junior Brother is too modest."
“ hē hē ， tuō shī jiě de fú ， rú guǒ bú shì mí gào sù wǒ bīng hǎi jiè ， lín mǒu yòu qǐ néng yǒu shōu huò 。”
“呵呵，托师姐的福，如果不是弥告诉我冰海界，林某又岂能有收获。”
Just as their conversation was wrapping up, a loud and arrogant voice interrupted: "I heard that Lin Xiaoer has returned. Is he still hiding like a turtle? Come out to see me."
Cultivation knows no time. A mere hundred years, for high-ranking cultivators, is nothing more than a blink of an eye. However, to ordinary people, it's a lifetime.
Lin Xuan was not an ordinary person, but the experience he gained from his journey to the Ice Sea Realm over this short period was invaluable. The hundred years had been filled with too many experiences worth reflecting on and cherishing.
When Lin Xuan returned to Cloud Concealment Range, looking at familiar scenery, it felt as if he were in a different world.
His emotions ran high, and he couldn't help but let out a loud song. His voice echoed like the roar of a dragon or the cooing of a phoenix, reaching up into the heavens, lingering on and on until even the clouds seemed to be shattered by its power.
Although this place was still thousands of miles away from the main sect headquarters of Cloud Concealment Sect, such a commotion would not go unnoticed. Before long, he saw a burst of spiritual light ahead. Lin Xuan roughly counted over a dozen beams of light streaking towards him...
Leading the way was a striking pinkish-red shockwave, easily noticeable due to its speed and the faint scent that wafted around it.
Lin Xuan's brows furrowed as he vaguely recognized this spiritual light. However, he couldn't quite recall where from. Just as he was about to use his powers to examine it more closely, the light arrived so quickly that it suddenly appeared before him in an instant.
The light dimmed, revealing a tall and strikingly beautiful young woman.
Lin Xuan's gaze swept over her. Wasn’t she someone familiar?
Lin Yu娇!
The eldest elder of Cloud Concealment Sect’s sister. They had been on equal terms when they went to the Ancient Demon Realm together in search of a spirit essence pill.
However, due to his good fortune and luck, Lin Xuan obtained this item from Master Real Dragon and later broke through the void ahead of everyone else, returning to the Spirit Realm.
Considering the time, shouldn't the trial be over by now? Shouldn’t she have returned safely?
Seeing an old acquaintance in good health filled Lin Xuan with joy. His song had already ended, and he stood there with his hands behind his back, smiling.
Lin Yu娇 also recognized Lin Xuan’s face.
Her expression went from shock to surprise and then to happiness as she curtsied: "Yu娇 pays respects to Senior Uncle."
The young woman's face showed a mix of emotions. They had been on equal terms when they went to the Ancient Demon Realm, but now she was addressing him as Senior Uncle.
Although it hadn't been long since her return to the Spirit Realm, Lin Xuan’s achievements were well-known. Although he didn’t want to be the eldest elder, after defeating the Elder of Desolate Heaven, he had become an object of admiration and reverence for all disciples within the sect.
Lin Yu娇 wasn't jealous; she owed him a life-saving debt. However, thinking about his astonishing cultivation speed and strength that far surpassed his peers, she couldn’t help but feel envious.
"Enough formalities."
Lin Xuan waved his hand lightly as he chatted briefly with Lin Yu娇. Other cultivators arrived soon after, and upon confirming Lin Xuan’s identity, they spontaneously erupted in cheers. This showed how much the sect revered him. They then paid their respects before sending out transmission talismans to inform the main sect.
In just a moment, the air hummed as countless light points appeared on the horizon, speeding towards them from all directions but converging here.
Though Lin Xuan didn’t hold the title of eldest elder, his importance to Cloud Concealment Sect was clear. Thanks to his victory over the Elder of Desolate Heaven, the sect had seen tremendous growth in a hundred years, its strength more than doubling. What had once been a minor sect now counted among the major ones in the Real Dragon Realm, though not at the top.
Thus, Lin Xuan's return was a significant event. Almost all condensation core cultivators, except those who were truly meditating or couldn’t make it due to other commitments, came out to greet him.
At the forefront were the silver-eyed girl and the dragon-named youth.
Their faces showed surprise and joy as they approached Lin Xuan.
"Junior Brother Lin, you've finally returned. Did your mission go well? Oh, your cultivation..."
Before the dragon-named youth could finish his sentence, he was left speechless in shock.
It made sense for him to be surprised. He had watched Lin Xuan advance from the Spirit Core stage to the Condensation Core stage. How many years had passed since then, and now Lin Xuan had advanced further to become a mid-stage Condensation Core cultivator?
Wasn't he also at the Condensation Core stage? The difficulty of advancing within this realm was well-known; his initial bottleneck had lasted for tens of thousands of years.
He had worked hard, but his progress was as slow as a snail. Lin Xuan...
At that moment, it would be a lie to say he wasn’t envious.
Was Junior Brother Lin truly reborn from the True Immortal realm? Otherwise, how could his cultivation speed be so astonishing?
The dragon-named youth's mind was filled with this thought.
On the other side, the silver-eyed girl’s expression mirrored his. After an initial shock, her remaining emotion was pure joy. She even had a hint of anticipation—could their newly joined junior brother one day become a realm-transcending existence?
The realm-transcending stage was the final realm in cultivation, just a step away from her late-stage Condensation Core. However, she knew that it was as distant as heaven and earth.
She would never have the chance to enter this realm; the difficulty of the next bottleneck was incomparable to those before it. Many geniuses had fallen at this threshold, but Lin Xuan had already created too many miracles. Perhaps he could still reach the realm-transcending stage.
With these thoughts in mind, she happily welcomed Lin Xuan into the sect with her disciples.
Of course, what followed was of no concern to low-ranking cultivators. After entering the main hall, they all paid their respects and left.
"Did you have a good trip, Junior Brother Lin? I bet you had some significant gains?" said the dragon-named youth with a smile.
"Haha, don't laugh at me. I just got lucky and managed to advance one level."
The two didn’t comment on his words, knowing how difficult it was for a Condensation Core cultivator to advance. If it were merely luck, there would be high-ranking cultivators everywhere.
Since they were ancient immortals who understood Lin Xuan’s reluctance to elaborate, they wisely refrained from asking further and changed the subject.
"Did you find the materials needed to create an avatar on this trip?"
"Haha, thanks to Senior Sister's help. If not for her telling me about the Ice Sea Realm, I wouldn't have had any success."
Lin Xuan said with a smile.
"Haha, Junior Brother is too modest."
Just as their conversation was wrapping up, a loud and arrogant voice interrupted: "I heard that Lin Xiaoer has returned. Is he still hiding like a turtle? Come out to see me."