shuō liū zǒu yǒu xiē tài guò ， yuán běn tā men jiù méi yǒu jiāng xī wàng wán quán jì yú míng hé zhī dú 。
说溜走有些太过，原本他们就没有将希望完全寄于冥河之毒。
It was a bit too convenient for them to have completely relied on the poison from Nether River.
zài zhè shān gǔ zhī zhōng ， zǎo yǐ bù xià le zhèn fǎ 。
在这山谷之中，早已布下了阵法。
In this valley, arrays had long been set up.
cǐ kè bù guò shì cáng shēn yú qí zhōng a ！
此刻不过是藏身于其中啊！
This moment was merely about hiding within it!
rán ér fēn shén qī lǎo guài wù pǎo le ， bāo kuò sū rú zài nèi de xiū shì què quán bù bèi diū qì yú cǐ chù 。
然而分神期老怪物跑了，包括苏茹在内的修士却全部被丢弃于此处。
However, the old monster of the Spirit Dividing Realm ran off, leaving all cultivators including Su Ru behind here.
cóng yī kāi shǐ ， tā men jiù bù guò shì yòu ěr ér yǐ ， yí dàn xū yào ， suí shí kě yǐ shě qì 。
从一开始，他们就不过是诱饵而已，一旦需要，随时可以舍弃。
From the start, they were just bait; once needed, they could be discarded at any time.
zhì yú yī kāi shǐ de chéng nuò yǔ xìn yù ？
至于一开始的承诺与信誉？
As for their initial promises and credibility?
tóng jiē zhī jiàn huò xǔ huì zūn shǒu 。
同阶之间或许会遵守。
They might hold to them among peers.
qū qū yī xiē dī jiē dì zǐ ， nǎ yǒu yǔ tā men tǎo jià huán jià de zī gé 。
区区一些低阶弟子，哪有与他们讨价还价的资格。
But a few low-rank disciples had no right to haggle with them.
zhèng rú lín xuān suǒ shuō ， cǐ shì cóng yī kāi shǐ ， jiù bù guò shì jìng huā shuǐ yuè de mèng ér yǐ ， zhǐ bù guò sū rú tài guò yú zhí zhuó yú jìn jí yǔ quán lì ， zuì hòu zì jǐ piàn zì jǐ 。
正如林轩所说，此事从一开始，就不过是镜花水月的梦而已，只不过苏茹太过于执着于晋级与权力，最后自己骗自己。
Just as Lin Xuan said, this matter from the beginning was merely a mirage in water; Su Ru was too fixated on advancement and power, ultimately deceiving herself.
yú chǔn shì wéi yī de xíng róng cí 。
愚蠢是唯一的形容词。
Stupidity was the only fitting description.
huò zhě shuō ， rén yí dàn xiàn rù jìn zhí niàn lǐ ， jiù yǒu kě néng zuò wú nǎo de chǔn shì 。
或者说，人一旦陷入进执念里，就有可能做无脑的蠢事。
Or perhaps, once one is ensnared by their obsessions, they might do foolish things without thinking.
rán ér guī gēn jié dǐ ， sū rú bìng bú shì bái quán chī ， yǎn jiàn xīn bài de shī fù yǔn luò ， qí tā de fēn shén qī lǎo guài wù yě dōu pǎo le ， tā de liǎn sè ， bù yóu de shuā de yī xià bái le ， nán kàn dào wú yǐ fù jiā de jìn dì 。
然而归根结底，苏茹并不是白齤痴，眼见新拜的师傅陨落，其他的分神期老怪物也都跑了，她的脸色，不由得刷的一下白了，难看到无以复加的禁地。
However, Su Ru wasn't entirely witless. Seeing her new master fall and other old monsters of the Spirit Dividing Realm run off, her face turned pale with horror, a sight to make even the most fearsome forbidden realm seem tame.
“ bù …… bù kě néng ， nǐ bú shì zhōng le míng hé zhī dú ， zěn me hái huì yǒu rú cǐ kě pà de zhàn lì ？”
“不……不可能，你不是中了冥河之毒，怎么还会有如此可怕的战力？”
"Impossible... You didn't fall victim to Nether River's poison; how could you still have such formidable combat power?"
sū rú jiān jiào de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ lǐ ， chōng mǎn le shén jīng zhì ， jǐn guǎn yǐ tā de xiū wèi ， wú fǎ tǐ huì dào fēn shén jìng jiè ， dàn shī fù kě shì yī pài zhī zhǔ ， fēn shén hòu qī dà chéng de cún zài ， zěn me kě néng bèi yī zhòng dú zhī rén miǎo shā ne ？
苏茹尖叫的声音传入耳朵里，充满了神经质，尽管以她的修为，无法体会到分神境界，但师傅可是一派之主，分神后期大成的存在，怎么可能被一中毒之人秒杀呢？
Su Ru's shrill voice echoed in his ears, filled with madness. Though she couldn’t feel the Spirit Dividing Realm, her master was a sect leader and an advanced late-stage Spirit Dividing cultivator—how could he be killed by someone poisoned?
zhè wú lùn rú hé ， yě bù hé cháng lǐ ， bù kě fǒu rèn ， rú jīn tā xīn zhōng ， yǐ hài pà dào wú yǐ fù jiā de jìng dì 。
这无论如何，也不合常理，不可否认，如今她心中，已害怕到无以复加的境地。
This defied logic; she had already reached a state of extreme fear.
“ zhòng dú ？”
“中毒？”
"Poisoned?"
lín xuān xiào le ：“ ruò zhēn shì sān jiè shí dà qí dú zhī yī de míng hé zhī dú ， lín mǒu suī bù zhì yú yǔn luò ， dàn xiǎng yào qū chú ， yě bú shì nà me róng yì de ， dàn ……”
林轩笑了：“若真是三界十大奇毒之一的冥河之毒，林某虽不至于陨落，但想要驱除，也不是那么容易的，但……”
Lin Xuan smiled: "If it were one of the three realms' ten great poisons, Nether River's poison, I wouldn't necessarily fall. But..."
“ nán dào nǐ zhōng de bú shì míng hé zhī dú ？”
“难道你中的不是冥河之毒？”
"Are you not poisoned by Nether River's poison?"
bù zhǐ sū rú ， nà xiē yǐn cáng zài àn chù de fēn shén qī lǎo guài wù ， yě dōu jīng dāi le ， líng guǐ zōng zōng zhǔ ， bú shì xìn shì dàn dàn de shuō ， zhè shì tā men de zhèn pài bǎo wù ， nán dào jū rán shì jiǎ de ？
不止苏茹，那些隐藏在暗处的分神期老怪物，也都惊呆了，灵鬼宗宗主，不是信誓旦旦的说，这是他们的镇派宝物，难道居然是假的？
Not just Su Ru, but even the hidden old monsters of the Spirit Dividing Realm were stunned. The Linggui Sect leader had sworn it was their treasure; could it be fake?
gāi pài zōng zhǔ yǐ jīng yǔn luò ， tài xuán mén yǔ tiān jīng gǔ zhòng zhǎng lǎo de mù guāng ， bù yóu de luò xiàng le qí tā jǐ míng hēi páo zhào tǐ de jiā huo 。
该派宗主已经陨落，太玄门与天晶谷众长老的目光，不由得落像了其他几名黑袍罩体的家伙。
With the sect leader already dead, the Taoxuan Sect and Tianjing Valley elders looked at the few figures in black robes.
nà xiē rén ， biǎo qíng suī kàn bù qīng chǔ ， dàn mù guāng ， míng xiǎn yě shì yī pài máng rán zhī sè 。
那些人，表情虽看不清楚，但目光，明显也是一派茫然之色。
Their expressions were unclear, but their gazes showed confusion.
míng hé zhī dú de dà míng ， tā men shì zǎo yǒu ěr wén ， rú cǐ guān jiàn shí kè ， shī xiōng gèng bù kě néng cáng zhuō ， nán dào zhèn zōng zhī bǎo ， jū rán shì jiǎ huò 。
冥河之毒的大名，他们是早有耳闻，如此关键时刻，师兄更不可能藏拙，难道镇宗之宝，居然是假货。
They knew of Nether River's poison’s reputation. Their senior wouldn’t hide his strength. Could this treasure really be a fake?
zhè tài lìng rén bù kě sī yì le 。
这太令人不可思议了。
This was too unbelievable.
tā men bù liǎo jiě ， zì rán bù kě néng jiě dá shén me ， ér jiù zài cǐ kè ， lín xuān de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， suàn shì dài tì tā men dá fù ：“ shuō jiǎ de ， dào bù zhì yú ， zhè yīng gāi shì míng hé zhī dú de fǎng zhì zhī wù ， dú xìng yě suàn bù sú ， bù guò píng zhè ge jiù xiǎng yào mí dào lín mǒu ， zé yǒu xiē miǎn wéi qí nán le ……”
他们不了解，自然不可能解答什么，而就在此刻，林轩的声音传入耳朵，算是代替他们答复：“说假的，倒不至于，这应该是冥河之毒的仿制之物，毒性也算不俗，不过凭这个就想要迷倒林某，则有些勉为其难了……”
Lin Xuan's voice then interrupted: "It's not entirely false. This should be a counterfeit of Nether River's poison, with considerable toxicity. But wanting to bewitch me with just this is a bit too much..."
dú yào jū rán yě yǒu fǎng zhì de 。
毒药居然也有仿制的。
Poisons could have counterfeits. That was new knowledge.
zhè suàn shì zhǎng jiàn shí 。
这算是长见识。
He had only heard about fake treasures before.
yǐ qián zhǐ tīng shuō guò fǎ bǎo kě yǐ fǎng zhì 。
以前只听说过法宝可以仿制。
But the absence of information didn’t mean such things didn't exist.
rán ér bù qīng chǔ bìng bù dài biǎo zhè shì jiān jiù zhēn méi yǒu le 。
然而不清楚并不代表这世间就真没有了。
After all, among the three realms' ten great poisons, their complexity and value were beyond even the utmost divine treasures.
xū zhī ， sān jiè shí dà qí dú ， lùn xuán miào yǔ bǎo guì chéng dù ， nà kě shì bù shǔ yú tōng tiān …… bù ， xuán tiān líng bǎo de 。
须知，三界十大奇毒，论玄妙与宝贵程度，那可是不属于通天……不，玄天灵宝的。
Such-grade treasures couldn’t possibly lack imitations.
zhè zhǒng pǐn jí de bǎo wù ， yòu zěn me kě néng méi yǒu fǎng zhì pǐn ne ？
这种品级的宝物，又怎么可能没有仿制品呢？
Their power wasn’t inferior.
wēi lì yī yàng bù sú 。
威力一样不俗。
Unfortunately, Lin Xuan's Illusory Spirit Heavenly Fire was already a supreme poison in this world. Thus, this counterfeit Nether River’s poison was insufficient to deal with him.
kě xī lín xuān de huàn líng tiān huǒ ， yuán běn jiù shì shì jiān de jué dú zhī wù ， yú shì zhè fǎng zhì de míng hé zhī dú yòng lái duì fù tā ， jiù yǒu xiē bù gòu kàn le 。
可惜林轩的幻灵天火，原本就是世间的绝毒之物，于是这仿制的冥河之毒用来对付他，就有些不够看了。
It could be compared to a dog carrying a meat bun; after Lin Xuan refined it with his Illusory Spirit Heavenly Fire, its power would even increase.
shèn zhì kě yǐ shuō shì ròu bāo zi dǎ gǒu ， lín xuān yòng huàn líng tiān huǒ jiāng tā liàn huà zhī hòu ， hái néng zēng jiā cǐ mó yán wēi lì de 。
甚至可以说是肉包子打狗，林轩用幻灵天火将它炼化之后，还能增加此魔炎威力的。
Su Ru might not fully understand the intricacies.
zhè zhōng jiān de xuán miào sū rú wèi bì nòng dé qīng chǔ 。
这中间的玄妙苏茹未必弄得清楚。
But at that moment, she realized her dream of advancement and easy power had turned into an illusion.
rán ér cǐ shí cǐ kè ， yě zhī dào zì jǐ bù guò shì zuò le yī huáng liáng měi mèng ， jìn jiē dòng xuán yǔ tuò shǒu kě dé de quán lì ， jiē huà wèi le pào yǐng 。
然而此时此刻，也知道自己不过是做了一黄粱美梦，进阶洞玄与唾手可得的权利，皆化为了泡影。
She faced Lin Xuan's wrath.
tā jiāng miàn duì de ， shì lín xuān de léi tíng zhī nù 。
她将面对的，是林轩的雷霆之怒。
"Grandmaster, could you let me take my own life out of old favors?"
“ shī zǔ ， kàn zài xī rì de qíng fēn shàng néng ràng wǒ zì jǐ liǎo duàn me ？”
“师祖，看在昔日的情分上能让我自己了断么？”
Su Ru’s face fluctuated for a moment before she bit her lip and spoke.
sū rú liǎn sè yīn qíng bù dìng le piàn kè ， tū rán qīng yǎo zhū chún de kāi kǒu 。
苏茹脸色阴晴不定了片刻，突然轻咬朱唇的开口。
"To take one's own life?"
“ zì wǒ liǎo duàn ？”
“自我了断？”
Lin Xuan was taken aback; he had expected her to beg for forgiveness, but instead, she proposed this.
lín xuān yī è ， yuán běn yǐ wéi duì fāng huì qiú ráo ， tòng kū liú tì de qǐng qiú zì jǐ yuán liàng ， méi xiǎng dào tā de fǎn yìng huì shì zhè yàng 。
林轩一愕，原本以为对方会求饶，痛哭流涕的请求自己原谅，没想到她的反应会是这样。
Despite her many faults, Su Ru’s self-awareness impressed Lin Xuan.
cǐ nǚ jí biàn yǒu zhū duō bú shì ， dàn zhè fèn zì zhī zhī míng hái shì ràng lín xuān zàn shǎng 。
此女即便有诸多不是，但这份自知之明还是让林轩赞赏。
He sighed: "If I knew today, why would I have acted that way."
wēi wēi tàn xī ：“ zǎo zhī jīn rì ， dāng chū yòu hé bì rú cǐ 。”
微微叹息：“早知今日，当初又何必如此。”
"Millions of mistakes, all my fault. But now, no matter what I say is too late. I don't seek forgiveness; only ask the grandmaster to consider my past diligence and let me reincarnate. In my next life, I will repay your great kindness with a thousand grasses."
“ qiān cuò wàn cuò ， dōu shì dì zǐ de cuò ， dàn rú jīn shuō shén me dōu yǐ jīng wǎn le ， dì zǐ bù qiú yuán liàng ， zhǐ qǐng shī zǔ kàn zài xī rì de qín fèn shàng ， fàng wǒ hún pò chōng rù lún huí zhī dào ， dì zǐ lái shì ， bì jié huán xián cǎo ， yǐ bào dà dé 。”
“千错万错，都是弟子的错，但如今说什么都已经晚了，弟子不求原谅，只请师祖看在昔日的勤奋上，放我魂魄冲入轮回之道，弟子来世，必结环衔草，以报大德。”
With a gentle wave, she spoke pitifully.
cǐ nǚ yíng yíng yī fú ， chǔ chǔ kě lián de shuō 。
此女盈盈一拂，楚楚可怜的说。
"Unnecessary."
“ zhè dào bù bì 。”
“这倒不必。”
Lin Xuan sighed. He was sentimental by nature. Though this woman deserved punishment, he wouldn’t be merciful. But since they were both fated to die, letting her soul reincarnate was still within his bounds of mercy.
lín xuān tàn le kǒu qì ， tā yuán běn jiù shì niàn jiù zhī rén ， suī rán cǐ nǚ zuì yǒu yīng dé ， zì jǐ jué bú huì xīn ruǎn jiāng qí fàng guò ， dàn fǎn zhèng dōu shì yǔn luò ， fàng qí hún pò chōng rù lún huí zhī dào lín xuān hái shì yuàn yì gāo tái guì shǒu de 。
林轩叹了口气，他原本就是念旧之人，虽然此女罪有应得，自己绝不会心软将其放过，但反正都是陨落，放其魂魄冲入轮回之道林轩还是愿意高抬贵手的。
It would be repaying an old favor.
jiù dāng hái xī rì yí gè rén qíng hǎo le 。
就当还昔日一个人情好了。
"Take care." Lin Xuan said blandly.
“ nǐ hǎo zì wèi zhī ba ！” lín xuān dàn dàn de shuō 。
“你好自为之吧！”林轩淡淡的说。
She was startled but understood that Lin Xuan agreed. Overjoyed, she bowed: "Thank you, grandmaster; I will repay your kindness in my next life."
cǐ nǚ yī è ， suí hòu míng bái lín xuān shì tóng yì le zì jǐ de yāo qiú ， xīn zhōng dà xǐ ， yíng yíng bài le xià qù ：“ duō xiè shī zǔ ， sū rú lái shì zài bào nǐ de ēn dé 。”
此女一愕，随后明白林轩是同意了自己的要求，心中大喜，盈盈拜了下去：“多谢师祖，苏茹来世再报你的恩德。”
Her tone was equally flat. Whether it was gratitude or revenge, no one knew. But Lin Xuan didn’t care.
tā de yǔ qì ， tóng yàng shì píng dàn yǐ jí ， zhì yú jiū jìng shì bào ēn ， hái shì bào chóu ， nà jiù shuí yě bù xiǎo de ， dàn lín xuān yě bù zài hū 。
她的语气，同样是平淡以极，至于究竟是报恩，还是报仇，那就谁也不晓得，但林轩也不在乎。
Regardless of the vague concept of reincarnation, her next existence could be anything—human, animal, plant—who knew?
qiě bù shuō lún huí zhī dào ， xū wú piāo miǎo ， xià yī shì jiū jìng shì zuò rén ， hái shì qí tā de shén me dòng wù ， shèn zhì tóu tāi chéng wéi shù mù huā cǎo shuí yě bù qīng chǔ 。
且不说轮回之道，虚无缥缈，下一世究竟是做人，还是其他的什么动物，甚至投胎成为树木花草谁也不清楚。
Even if she were reborn as a human, the chance to follow the path of cultivation would be one in ten thousand.
jiù suàn zài shì wéi rén le ， zǒu shàng xiū xiān zhī lù de jī huì ， yě shì wàn zhōng wú yī 。
就算再世为人了，走上修仙之路的机会，也是万中无一。
And even then, would becoming a cultivator offer any challenge?
hé kuàng chéng wéi xiū xiān zhě ， jiù yǒu jī huì tiǎo zhàn zì jǐ me ？
何况成为修仙者，就有机会挑战自己么？
That was absurd.
bié kāi wán xiào le 。
别开玩笑了。
She had some grace.
zhè diǎn qì dù hái shì yǒu de 。
这点气度还是有的。
There was no way she could seek revenge; Lin Xuan’s cautious nature wouldn’t allow him to extract her soul and deny her reincarnation for even a hint of possibility.
duì fāng gēn běn bù kě néng yǒu jī huì xiàng zì jǐ bào fù ， fǒu zé yǐ lín xuān jǐn xiǎo shèn wēi de xìng gé ， nǎ pà shì yì diǎn kě néng ， tā yě jué bù jiāng cǐ nǚ chōu hún liàn pò ， ràng tā méi yǒu yì diǎn chōng rù lún huí de zī gé 。
对方根本不可能有机会像自己报复，否则以林轩谨小慎微的性格，哪怕是一点可能，他也绝不将此女抽魂炼魄，让她没有一点冲入轮回的资格。
Now it wasn't necessary.
xiàn zài què shì méi bì yào zhè me zuò 。
现在却是没必要这么做。
With Lin Xuan's permission, Su Ru suddenly clasped her hands. A pinkish spiritual light began to flow over her body, her aura fluctuating wildly as if getting stronger then weaker.
ér dé dào lín xuān de xǔ kě ， sū rú zài háng wán yī lǐ hòu tū rán shuāng shǒu yī wò ， suí zhe tā de dòng zuò ， cǐ nǚ shēn shàng ， tū rán yī zhèn fěn hóng sè de líng máng liú zhuǎn ， hún shēn de qì xī yě fān gǔn bù dìng ， biàn dé hū qiáng hū ruò qǐ lái 。
而得到林轩的许可，苏茹在行完一礼后突然双手一握，随着她的动作，此女身上，突然一阵粉红色的灵芒流转，浑身的气息也翻滚不定，变得忽强忽弱起来。
The process didn’t last long; in just a few breaths, "Peng," a small explosion sounded, and Su Ru’s body turned into sparkling stars, vanishing.
zhěng gè guò chéng bìng méi yǒu chí xù duō jiǔ ， jǐn jǐn jǐ xī de gōng fu ，“ pēng 。” yī shēng bù suàn tài dà de bào liè shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， sū rú de shēn tǐ huà wèi diǎn diǎn xīng guāng xiāo sàn bú jiàn le 。
整个过程并没有持续多久，仅仅几息的功夫，“嘭。”一声不算太大的爆裂声传入耳朵，苏茹的身体化为点点星光消散不见了。
Not only her body, but even her essence. However, after losing memory, she would reincarnate.
bù ， bù zhǐ shì shēn tǐ ， yuán yīng yě shì yī yàng de ， bù guò tā de hún pò ， què bú huì mǐn miè wèi xū wú ， sàng shī jì yì hòu jiāng chōng rù lún huí zhī dào de 。
不，不止是身体，元婴也是一样的，不过她的魂魄，却不会泯灭为虚无，丧失记忆后将冲入轮回之道的。
Lin Xuan letting her soul reincarnate was already generous.
lín xuān fàng qí hún pò zhuǎn shì ， yě suàn shì rén zhì yì jìn le 。
林轩放其魂魄转世，也算是仁至义尽了。
Turning to the other cultivators trapped in the valley, there were disciples from the three alliances and Cloud Concealing Sect members. Regardless of their origins, they shared a similar fate—being discarded as pawns.
suí hòu tā zhuǎn guò tóu lú ， wàng xiàng kùn zài shān gǔ zhōng de qí tā xiū xiān zhě ， zhè zhōng jiān jì yǒu sān pài lián méng de dì zǐ ， yě bù fá yún yǐn zōng de xiū shì ， bù guǎn tā men yǐ qián lái zì yú nǎ yí gè zōng mén jiā zú ， rú jīn mìng yùn dōu shì yī yàng de ， bèi zuò wéi qì zi shě qì diào le 。
随后他转过头颅，望向困在山谷中的其他修仙者，这中间既有三派联盟的弟子，也不乏云隐宗的修士，不管他们以前来自于哪一个宗门家族，如今命运都是一样的，被作为弃子舍弃掉了。
Those who accomplish great deeds needn’t worry about small details; discarding hundreds of low-rank disciples was trivial.
chéng dà shì zhě bù jū xiǎo jié ， zhǐ yào néng jiāng lín xuān kùn zài cǐ chù ， shě qì jǐ bǎi míng dī jiē dì zǐ yòu suàn dé le shén me ？
成大事者不拘小节，只要能将林轩困在此处，舍弃几百名低阶弟子又算得了什么？
"Take your own life." Lin Xuan’s voice remained calm.
“ nǐ men yě zì jǐ bīng jiě ba ！” lín xuān dàn rán de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
“你们也自己兵解吧！”林轩淡然的声音传入耳朵。
The three alliances didn’t care, so he had no reason to spare them.
sān pài lián méng dōu bù xīn téng ， lín xuān zì rán gèng méi yǒu bì yào jiāng tā men fàng guò 。
三派联盟都不心疼，林轩自然更没有必要将他们放过。
"Take your own lives," his voice echoed.
Lin Xuan naturally had no need to let them live on.
It was a bit too convenient for them to have completely relied on the poison from Nether River.
In this valley, arrays had long been set up.
This moment was merely about hiding within it!
However, the old monster of the Spirit Dividing Realm ran off, leaving all cultivators including Su Ru behind here.
From the start, they were just bait; once needed, they could be discarded at any time.
As for their initial promises and credibility?
They might hold to them among peers.
But a few low-rank disciples had no right to haggle with them.
Just as Lin Xuan said, this matter from the beginning was merely a mirage in water; Su Ru was too fixated on advancement and power, ultimately deceiving herself.
Stupidity was the only fitting description.
Or perhaps, once one is ensnared by their obsessions, they might do foolish things without thinking.
However, Su Ru wasn't entirely witless. Seeing her new master fall and other old monsters of the Spirit Dividing Realm run off, her face turned pale with horror, a sight to make even the most fearsome forbidden realm seem tame.
"Impossible... You didn't fall victim to Nether River's poison; how could you still have such formidable combat power?"
Su Ru's shrill voice echoed in his ears, filled with madness. Though she couldn’t feel the Spirit Dividing Realm, her master was a sect leader and an advanced late-stage Spirit Dividing cultivator—how could he be killed by someone poisoned?
This defied logic; she had already reached a state of extreme fear.
"Poisoned?"
Lin Xuan smiled: "If it were one of the three realms' ten great poisons, Nether River's poison, I wouldn't necessarily fall. But..."
"Are you not poisoned by Nether River's poison?"
Not just Su Ru, but even the hidden old monsters of the Spirit Dividing Realm were stunned. The Linggui Sect leader had sworn it was their treasure; could it be fake?
With the sect leader already dead, the Taoxuan Sect and Tianjing Valley elders looked at the few figures in black robes.
Their expressions were unclear, but their gazes showed confusion.
They knew of Nether River's poison’s reputation. Their senior wouldn’t hide his strength. Could this treasure really be a fake?
This was too unbelievable.
Lin Xuan's voice then interrupted: "It's not entirely false. This should be a counterfeit of Nether River's poison, with considerable toxicity. But wanting to bewitch me with just this is a bit too much..."
Poisons could have counterfeits. That was new knowledge.
He had only heard about fake treasures before.
But the absence of information didn’t mean such things didn't exist.
After all, among the three realms' ten great poisons, their complexity and value were beyond even the utmost divine treasures.
Such-grade treasures couldn’t possibly lack imitations.
Their power wasn’t inferior.
Unfortunately, Lin Xuan's Illusory Spirit Heavenly Fire was already a supreme poison in this world. Thus, this counterfeit Nether River’s poison was insufficient to deal with him.
It could be compared to a dog carrying a meat bun; after Lin Xuan refined it with his Illusory Spirit Heavenly Fire, its power would even increase.
Su Ru might not fully understand the intricacies.
But at that moment, she realized her dream of advancement and easy power had turned into an illusion.
She faced Lin Xuan's wrath.
"Grandmaster, could you let me take my own life out of old favors?"
Su Ru’s face fluctuated for a moment before she bit her lip and spoke.
"To take one's own life?"
Lin Xuan was taken aback; he had expected her to beg for forgiveness, but instead, she proposed this.
Despite her many faults, Su Ru’s self-awareness impressed Lin Xuan.
He sighed: "If I knew today, why would I have acted that way."
"Millions of mistakes, all my fault. But now, no matter what I say is too late. I don't seek forgiveness; only ask the grandmaster to consider my past diligence and let me reincarnate. In my next life, I will repay your great kindness with a thousand grasses."
With a gentle wave, she spoke pitifully.
"Unnecessary."
Lin Xuan sighed. He was sentimental by nature. Though this woman deserved punishment, he wouldn’t be merciful. But since they were both fated to die, letting her soul reincarnate was still within his bounds of mercy.
It would be repaying an old favor.
"Take care." Lin Xuan said blandly.
She was startled but understood that Lin Xuan agreed. Overjoyed, she bowed: "Thank you, grandmaster; I will repay your kindness in my next life."
Her tone was equally flat. Whether it was gratitude or revenge, no one knew. But Lin Xuan didn’t care.
Regardless of the vague concept of reincarnation, her next existence could be anything—human, animal, plant—who knew?
Even if she were reborn as a human, the chance to follow the path of cultivation would be one in ten thousand.
And even then, would becoming a cultivator offer any challenge?
That was absurd.
She had some grace.
There was no way she could seek revenge; Lin Xuan’s cautious nature wouldn’t allow him to extract her soul and deny her reincarnation for even a hint of possibility.
Now it wasn't necessary.
With Lin Xuan's permission, Su Ru suddenly clasped her hands. A pinkish spiritual light began to flow over her body, her aura fluctuating wildly as if getting stronger then weaker.
The process didn’t last long; in just a few breaths, "Peng," a small explosion sounded, and Su Ru’s body turned into sparkling stars, vanishing.
Not only her body, but even her essence. However, after losing memory, she would reincarnate.
Lin Xuan letting her soul reincarnate was already generous.
Turning to the other cultivators trapped in the valley, there were disciples from the three alliances and Cloud Concealing Sect members. Regardless of their origins, they shared a similar fate—being discarded as pawns.
Those who accomplish great deeds needn’t worry about small details; discarding hundreds of low-rank disciples was trivial.
"Take your own life." Lin Xuan’s voice remained calm.
The three alliances didn’t care, so he had no reason to spare them.
"Take your own lives," his voice echoed.
Lin Xuan naturally had no need to let them live on.