lín xuān qiǎo rán jiāng shén shí fàng chū ， rán ér què yī wú suǒ huò 。 zhè tiān guǐ gé jì shì gāi pài zhòng dì ， zì rán yǒu zhe xuán miào de bù zhì ， jí biàn lín xuān de shén shí yuǎn shèng tóng jiē xiū shì ， yě méi yǒu fēn háo xiào guǒ ， gēn běn chá tàn bú dào jù tǐ de qíng xíng shén me 。
林轩悄然将神识放出，然而却一无所获。这天鬼阁既是该派重地，自然有着玄妙的布置，即便林轩的神识远胜同阶修士，也没有分毫效果，根本查探不到具体的情形什么。
Lin Xuan quietly released his spirit sense, but found nothing. The Spirit Ghost Pavilion was a crucial place for this sect, naturally with intricate arrangements. Even though Lin Xuan's spirit sense far surpassed that of his peers, it yielded no results; he couldn't probe the situation at all.
lín xuān méi shāo wēi tiāo ， yǎn zhōng bù yóu de lù chū jǐ fēn chén yín zhī sè 。
林轩眉梢微挑，眼中不由得露出几分沉吟之色。
Lin Xuan's eyebrows slightly arched as a contemplative expression flashed in his eyes. However, this quickly faded away.
bù guò hěn kuài jiù suí zhī yǐn qù le 。
不过很快就随之隐去了。
After all, the saying goes: "To catch a tiger by its tail." The matter had come to this point; could one still hope for a retreat? Ahead lay a den of dragons and tigers—only by braving it out was there any chance of success.
sú huà shuō ， bù rù hǔ xué yān dé hǔ zi ， shì qíng dōu dào le zhè yī bù ， nán dào hái shē wàng zhe huí tóu me ， qián miàn jiù shì lóng tán hǔ xué ， yě zhǐ yǒu chuǎng yī chuǎng zài shuō 。
俗话说，不入虎穴焉得虎子，事情都到了这一步，难道还奢望着回头么，前面就是龙潭虎穴，也只有闯一闯再说。
Although Lin Xuan felt some doubt in his heart, he wasn't afraid. With his current strength, even if the Spirit Ghost Sect laid down many traps, he had confidence in self-preservation.
hé kuàng lín xuān xīn zhōng suī yǒu diǎn dí gū ， dàn bìng bù hài pà ， yǐ tā rú jīn de shí lì ， líng guǐ zōng jiù suàn bù xià zài duō de xiàn jǐng ， tā yě shì yǒu bǎ wò zì bǎo de 。
何况林轩心中虽有点嘀咕，但并不害怕，以他如今的实力，灵鬼宗就算布下再多的陷阱，他也是有把握自保的。
With his mind made up, Lin Xuan's courage surged. He no longer hesitated and transformed into a streak of shocking light, rushing towards the Spirit Ghost Pavilion.
nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou zhuǎn guò ， lín xuān dǎn qì dùn zú ， bù zài dān gē ， huà wèi yī dào jīng hóng ， chōng xiàng le tiān guǐ gé 。
脑海中念头转过，林轩胆气顿足，不再耽搁，化为一道惊虹，冲向了天鬼阁。
Boom!
hōng ！
轰！
A burst of spiritual light illuminated the scene. Although the heavy stone door was protected, to Lin Xuan’s eyes, it seemed as flimsy as paper. With a gentle strike, it turned to dust.
líng guāng sì shè ， hòu zhòng de shí mén suī rán yǒu fáng hù jiā chí ， dàn zài lín xuān de yǎn zhōng ， yī jiù rú tóng ní sù zhǐ hú ， bèi tā qīng qīng de yī jī ， jiù huà wèi le fěn mò 。
灵光四射，厚重的石门虽然有防护加持，但在林轩的眼中，依旧如同泥塑纸糊，被他轻轻的一击，就化为了粉末。
Smoke and dust filled the air, but before his eyes lay nothing obstructive. Everything was clear now.
yān chén sì yì ， rán ér yǎn qián zài wú zhē dǎng zhī wù ， suǒ yǒu de yī qiè ， yě dōu qīng qīng chǔ chǔ 。
烟尘四溢，然而眼前再无遮挡之物，所有的一切，也都清清楚楚。
The so-called Spirit Ghost Pavilion was actually a vast stone hall, stretching over hundreds of mu in area.
suǒ wèi de tiān guǐ gé ， qí shí shì yī zuò shí diàn ， kuān guǎng yǐ jí ， fàng yǎn wàng qù ， pà bù xià bǎi mǔ yǒu yú 。
所谓的天鬼阁，其实是一座石殿，宽广以极，放眼望去，怕不下百亩有余。
However, when Lin Xuan scanned with his gaze, his pupils constricted, and his expression turned grim.
rán ér dāng lín xuān mù guāng sǎo guò ， què shì tóng kǒng wēi suō ， liǎn shàng de biǎo qíng ， yī xià zi yīn mái xià lái le 。
然而当林轩目光扫过，却是瞳孔微缩，脸上的表情，一下子阴霾下来了。
There were no people in the grand hall—quite contrary to what he had learned from soul probing. Had he fallen into their trap?
wú tā ， dà diàn zhōng jū rán kōng wú yì rén a ！
无他，大殿中居然空无一人啊！
The Spirit Ghost Sect truly had a broad mind; he thought they would be intimidated after the mine incident, but it seemed there was still such an elaborate setup and courage. Was this due to his own carelessness, underestimating the heroes of the world?
zhè kě yǔ zì jǐ sōu hún dé lái de qíng xíng wán quán bù fú ， nán dào zì jǐ diào rù duì fāng de xiàn jǐng lǐ ？
这可与自己搜魂得来的情形完全不符，难道自己掉入对方的陷阱里？
If another cultivator were here, perhaps they would be alarmed and hastily want to retreat.
hǎo yí gè líng guǐ zōng ， hái zhēn yǒu qì dù ， zì jǐ hái yǐ wéi kuàng mài yī yì ， yǐ ràng tā men wèi jù ， méi xiǎng dào hái yǒu zhè yàng de bù zhì yǔ dǎn qì ， shì zì jǐ dà yì ， xiǎo kàn tiān xià yīng xióng le xiē ？
好一个灵鬼宗，还真有气度，自己还以为矿脉一役，已让他们畏惧，没想到还有这样的布置与胆气，是自己大意，小看天下英雄了些？
But Lin Xuan wouldn't do that. First, he had faith in his own abilities; second, he wasn’t an ordinary cultivator—far more calm than most when faced with sudden changes.
ruò huàn yī míng xiū xiān zhě ， huò xǔ huì dà jīng shī sè ， huāng huāng zhāng zhāng de xiǎng yào tuì chū 。
若换一名修仙者，或许会大惊失色，慌慌张张的想要退出。
Having already fallen into their trap, how could one still hope for a retreat?
rán ér lín xuān dāng rán bú huì nà me zuò ， yī lái ， tā duì zì jǐ de shén tōng yǒu suǒ shì ， èr lái ， lín xuān yě bú shì yì bān de xiū shì ， yù jiàn zhè zhǒng tū rán biàn gù ， yuǎn bǐ yì bān rén yào lěng jìng xǔ duō 。
然而林轩当然不会那么做，一来，他对自己的神通有所恃，二来，林轩也不是一般的修士，遇见这种突然变故，远比一般人要冷静许多。
Panicking would only make one sink deeper into the trap, like a commoner falling into quicksand, sinking faster the harder they struggled.
jì rán dōu yǐ jīng luò rù duì fāng de bù zhì ， hái xiǎng yào tuì chū ， nà kě néng me ？
既然都已经落入对方的布置，还想要退出，那可能么？
Calmness was key to escaping. A smile appeared on Lin Xuan's face as he released his spirit sense and scanned the vast hall inch by inch.
huāng luàn zhǐ huì ràng zì jǐ zài xiàn jǐng zhōng yuè xiàn yuè shēn ér yǐ ， jiù fǎng fú fán rén luò rù zhǎo zé ， yuè shì zhēng zhá ， xià chén dé fǎn ér yuè kuài de 。
慌乱只会让自己在陷阱中越陷越深而已，就仿佛凡人落入沼泽，越是挣扎，下沉得反而越快的。
Soon, his gaze stopped at an empty space in front of him. His eyes flickered with a hint of cold light, but his voice remained calm: "I've already arrived, so why does my friend still hide in the shadows? Since you waited for me here, all your preparations must be complete. Is this how the Spirit Ghost Sect treats its guests?"
lěng jìng cái yǒu kě néng tuō kùn ér chū ， lín xuān de liǎn shàng ， shèn zhì gōu lè chū le yì diǎn xiào róng 。
冷静才有可能脱困而出，林轩的脸上，甚至勾勒出了一点笑容。
Lin Xuan's words were truly arrogant and domineering, showing no fear of danger.
jiāng shén shí fàng chū ， zài zhè ruò dà de tīng táng zhōng yī cùn yī cùn de sǎo guò 。
将神识放出，在这偌大的厅堂中一寸一寸的扫过。
"Ha! Very good, very good. When those inner disciples described it, I was afraid they exaggerated. A mere ordinary spirit division cultivator would make this boring. But now that I see, my concerns are unnecessary. Just based on your boldness, you must far surpass most spirit division existences," a man's light laughter echoed.
hěn kuài ， tā de mù guāng tíng le xià lái ， dīng xiàng qián fāng mǒu kōng wú yì rén zhī chù ， shuāng mù zhōng yǐn yǐn yǒu hán máng shǎn shuò ， rán ér shēng yīn yī jiù shì hěn píng dàn de ：“ lín mǒu dōu yǐ jīng lái le ， dào yǒu hé bì hái guǐ guǐ suì suì de duǒ zài àn chù ， gé xià jì rán zài zhè lǐ děng wǒ ， xiǎng bì gè zhǒng bù zhì yǐ jīng jié shù ， ràng kè rén zài zhè lǐ děng dài ， nán dào jiù shì líng guǐ zōng de dài kè zhī dào me ？”
很快，他的目光停了下来，盯像前方某空无一人之处，双目中隐隐有寒芒闪烁，然而声音依旧是很平淡的：“林某都已经来了，道友何必还鬼鬼祟祟的躲在暗处，阁下既然在这里等我，想必各种布置已经结束，让客人在这里等待，难道就是灵鬼宗的待客之道么？”
A green glow flashed, and an outline gradually emerged from the area.
lín xuān zhè fān huà ， dàng zhēn shì xiāo zhāng yǐ jí ， bà qì wài lù ， sī háo zhì shēn yú xiǎn jìng de jué wù yě wú ， huò zhě shuō tā gēn běn bù zài hū 。
林轩这番话，当真是嚣张以极，霸气外露，丝毫置身于险境的觉悟也无，或者说他根本不在乎。
Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes as he sized up the person.
yòng yì gāo rén dǎn dà lái xíng róng ， dōu yuǎn bù zú 。
用艺高人胆大来形容，都远不足。
This was an elderly man in an orange-yellow robe; it was hard to tell his age.
“ hā hā ， bù cuò bù cuò ， tīng nà xiē mén nèi wǎn bèi xù shù de shí hòu ， zhōng mǒu hái hài pà tā men shì kuā dà qí cí ， dào shí hòu ， zhǐ shì qū qū yī pǔ tōng de fēn shén qī xiū shì ， nà kě jiù suǒ rán wú qù ， bù guò xiàn zài kàn lái ， zhōng mǒu de dān xīn shì duō yú ， guāng píng zhè fù dǎn sè ， xiǎng bì dào yǒu jiù yuǎn shèng yì bān de fēn shén qī cún zài xǔ duō ， zhǐ xī wàng nǐ yī huì er bú yào tài kuài yǔn luò ， néng duō péi zhōng mǒu zǒu shàng jǐ gè huí hé 。”
“哈哈，不错不错，听那些门内晚辈叙述的时候，钟某还害怕他们是夸大其词，到时候，只是区区一普通的分神期修士，那可就索然无趣，不过现在看来，钟某的担心是多余，光凭这副胆色，想必道友就远胜一般的分神期存在许多，只希望你一会儿不要太快陨落，能多陪钟某走上几个回合。”
Though his beard and eyebrows were white, his face and hands showed no wrinkles. His skin was fair and rosy, almost like a newborn’s.
yī nán zi qīng xiào de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， suí jí nà ge dì fāng lǜ guāng yī shǎn ， yí gè rén yǐng zhú jiàn fú xiàn 。
一男子轻笑的声音传入耳朵，随即那个地方绿光一闪，一个人影逐渐浮现。
Without saying more, this naturally had to be the unsung genius of the Spirit Ghost Sect—Old Master Zhong.
lín xuān yǎn jīng wēi mī ， xiàng zhe cǐ rén dǎ liàng le guò qù 。
林轩眼睛微眯，像着此人打量了过去。
He too sized up Lin Xuan with an air of arrogance.
zhè shì yī míng shēn chuān xìng huáng cháng páo de lǎo zhě ， yī shí jiān ， què kàn bù chū duō dà de nián jì 。
这是一名身穿杏黄长袍的老者，一时间，却看不出多大的年纪。
"Are you alone? Where are the other elders? Do you plan to ambush me?" Lin Xuan's smile echoed in his voice.
zhè yàng shuō ， huò xǔ yǒu xiē xī qí ， rán ér shuí ràng cǐ rén suī xū méi jié bái ， rán ér liǎn shàng shǒu zú ， què shì sī zhòu wén yě wú ， pí fū bái xī ， hóng rùn yǐ jí ， lùn sè zé ， jiù yǔ yī chū shēng de yīng ér chà bu duō 。
这样说，或许有些稀奇，然而谁让此人虽须眉洁白，然而脸上手足，却世丝皱纹也无，皮肤白皙，红润以极，论色泽，就与一初生的婴儿差不多。
"Ambush, what a grandiose claim. You may be stronger than others, but at the end of the day, you're just a waste of spirit division. No need for such a large-scale operation; one old man like me is enough to deal with you," the other's laughter carried a hint of mockery.
bú yòng shuō ， zì rán jiù shì líng guǐ zōng bù chū shì de tiān cái zhōng lǎo le 。
不用说，自然就是灵鬼宗不出世的天才钟老了。
Lin Xuan’s expression darkened as he replied: "Waste of spirit division, don’t you fear your tongue might slip? What are you then—half human, half ghost? Spirit division isn't spirit division, andtranscend the calamityisn'ttranscend the calamity. I have no idea where you are, but after mastering a bit of clever secret techniques, you think you’re an all-powerful great cultivator. Pah! Afraid it’s more like drawing a tiger only to end up with a dog. Don’t be so smug; be careful not to harm yourself."
cǐ shí ， tā yě zài dǎ liàng lín xuān ， yī liǎn de ào rán zhī yì 。
此时，他也在打量林轩，一脸的傲然之意。
"Y-You..."
“ jiù gé xià yī rén me ， qí tā de zhǎng lǎo zài nǎ lǐ ， nán dào dǎ suàn duì lín mǒu fú jī ？” lín xuān wēi xiào de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ lǐ 。
“就阁下一人么，其他的长老在哪里，难道打算对林某伏击？”林轩微笑的声音传入耳朵里。
Lin Xuan hadn't expected such sharp-tongued remarks from Old Master Zhong, who was clearly angered by the slight. He couldn't maintain his good mood: "Young Lin, watch your words; you’re a narrow-minded fool. I’m an early-stagetranscend the calamitycultivator, not something to look up to. You dare insult me, and I’ll make sure you can neither live nor die."
“ fú jī ， gé xià hǎo dà de kǒu qì ， nǐ huò xǔ bǐ qí tā rén qiáng yī xiē ， dàn guī gēn jié dǐ ， yě bù guò yī fēn shén jí bié de fèi wù ér yǐ ， nǎ yòng dé zhe rú cǐ láo shī dòng zhòng ， duì fù nǐ ， zhōng mǒu yī rén zú yǐ 。” duì fāng de xiào shēng zhōng dài zhe jǐ fēn jī fěng zhī yì 。
“伏击，阁下好大的口气，你或许比其他人强一些，但归根结底，也不过一分神级别的废物而已，哪用得着如此劳师动众，对付你，钟某一人足矣。”对方的笑声中带着几分讥讽之意。
"What is an early-stagetranscend the calamity?"
lín xuān tīng le ， liǎn sè yīn chén xià qù ， suí hòu yòu fù huàn shàng xiào róng ：“ fēn shén jí bié de fèi wù ， gé xià yě bù pà fēng dà shǎn le shé tou ， nà nǐ yòu suàn shén yǒu ， rén bù rén ， guǐ bù guǐ ， fēn shén bú shì fēn shén ， dù jié bú shì dù jié ， yě bù zhī dào zài nǎ lǐ ， xiū liàn le yì diǎn zì zuò cōng míng de mì shù ， jiù zhēn dāng zì jǐ shì wú suǒ bù néng de dà néng le ， pēi ， jiù pà huà hǔ bù chéng fǎn lèi quǎn ， shǎo zài zhè lǐ dé yì ， xiǎo xīn hài rén zhōng hài jǐ 。”
林轩听了，脸色阴沉下去，随后又复换上笑容：“分神级别的废物，阁下也不怕风大闪了舌头，那你又算什友，人不人，鬼不鬼，分神不是分神，渡劫不是渡劫，也不知道在哪里，修炼了一点自作聪明的秘术，就真当自己是无所不能的大能了，呸，就怕画虎不成反类犬，少在这里得意，小心害人终害己。”
Lin Xuan was surprised internally.
“ nǐ ……。”
“你……。”
Though he had broad knowledge, the method of early-stagetranscend the calamitywas a unique path in cultivation that he hadn't heard of before.
méi xiǎng dào lín xuān rú cǐ yá jiān zuǐ lì ， nà zhōng lǎo bèi qì le yí gè bàn sǐ ， tā hé zēng bèi yī fēn shén qī cún zài rú cǐ xiǎo shì ， bó rán dà nù ， zài yě wú fǎ wéi chí nà gǎn jué liáng hǎo de fēng dù ：“ lín xiǎo zi ， xiǎo xīn huò cóng kǒu chū ， nǐ zhè gū lòu guǎ wén de jiā huo ， lǎo fū nǎi shì xiǎo dù jié qī de xiū xiān zhě ， qǐ shì nǐ qū qū yī fēn shén qī cún zài néng gòu yǎng shì de ， gǎn rú cǐ dǐ huǐ lǎo fū ， wǒ yī huì er yào ràng nǐ qiú shēng bù néng ， qiú sǐ bù dé 。”
没想到林轩如此牙尖嘴利，那钟老被气了一个半死，他何曾被一分神期存在如此小视，勃然大怒，再也无法维持那感觉良好的风度：“林小子，小心祸从口出，你这孤陋寡闻的家伙，老夫乃是小渡劫期的修仙者，岂是你区区一分神期存在能够仰视的，敢如此诋毁老夫，我一会儿要让你求生不能，求死不得。”
Despite his surprise, he felt relieved. If this opponent were truly an actualtranscend the calamitycultivator, Lin Xuan might have feared him somewhat. Early-stagetranscend the calamitysounded suspiciously like taking shortcuts. Although daring to call himself such, he was surely far better than ordinary spirit division cultivators. But was Lin Xuan just any ordinary person?
“ xiǎo dù jié qī ， nà shì shén me dōng xī ？”
“小渡劫期，那是什么东西？”
No matter how miraculous early-stagetranscend the calamitywas, it wasn't something he would take lightly.
lín xuān xīn zhōng àn gǎn chà yì 。
林轩心中暗感诧异。
But his words were correct; Lin Xuan didn’t underestimate the opponent either.
tā suī rán jiàn shí guǎng bó ， rán ér xiǎo dù jié qī zhè zhǒng lìng pì xī jìng de xiū liàn fāng fǎ dào dǐ bù céng tīng wén guò 。
他虽然见识广博，然而小渡劫期这种另辟蹊径的修炼方法到底不曾听闻过。
After all, this peculiar-looking figure and his unknown realm, along with facing him alone with confidence—these points alone indicated that he had extraordinary abilities.
rán ér chà yì guī chà yì ， xīn zhōng què yě àn sōng le yì kǒu qì 。
然而诧异归诧异，心中却也暗松了一口气。
Lin Xuan had underestimated the Spirit Ghost Sect once. Given his nature, he wouldn't make the same mistake in such a short time.
duì fāng ruò shì huò zhēn jià shí de dù jié qī dà néng ， lín xuān huò xǔ hái wèi tā sān fēn ， xiǎo dù jié qī ， yī tīng jiù yǒu qǔ qiǎo de xián yí ， suī rán gǎn zhè yàng chēng hū ， kěn dìng yuǎn shèng yì bān de fēn shén qī xiū xiān zhě ， rán ér lín xuān shì nà yì bān rén me ？
对方若是货真价实的渡劫期大能，林轩或许还畏他三分，小渡劫期，一听就有取巧的嫌疑，虽然敢这样称呼，肯定远胜一般的分神期修仙者，然而林轩是那一般人么？
At least one thing was certain: Old Master Zhong was the Spirit Ghost Sect’s trump card. If he could eliminate him, everything else would be much simpler.
guǎn tā xiǎo dù jié qī yǒu duō me shén qí ， zì jǐ dōu wèi bì fàng zài yǎn lǐ 。
管他小渡劫期有多么神奇，自己都未必放在眼里。
Having thought through all this, there was nothing left to ponder; action was the only choice.
rán ér huà shì zhè me méi cuò ， lín xuān dào yě bìng bú huì xiǎo shì duì fāng fēn háo de 。
然而话是这么没错，林轩倒也并不会小视对方分毫的。
Regardless of what early-stagetranscend the calamitymeant, Lin Xuan wasn't afraid. He flicked his sleeves, and a series of silver lights appeared as more than ten flying swords emerged from his sleeves.
bì jìng duì fāng xíng mào qí tè ， jìng jiè yě cóng wèi tīng guò ， jiā shàng gǎn yī rén miàn duì zì jǐ ， hái xìn xīn shí zú ， guāng píng zhè jǐ diǎn ， jiù néng shuō míng tā yǒu bù fán zhī chù 。
毕竟对方形貌奇特，境界也从未听过，加上敢一人面对自己，还信心十足，光凭这几点，就能说明他有不凡之处。
He didn’t know the other’s strength, but relying solely on sword light wouldn’t suffice. Now in their territory, he immediately summoned the Nine Palaces Instant Sword Technique.
Lin Xuan quietly released his spirit sense, but found nothing. The Spirit Ghost Pavilion was a crucial place for this sect, naturally with intricate arrangements. Even though Lin Xuan's spirit sense far surpassed that of his peers, it yielded no results; he couldn't probe the situation at all.
Lin Xuan's eyebrows slightly arched as a contemplative expression flashed in his eyes. However, this quickly faded away.
After all, the saying goes: "To catch a tiger by its tail." The matter had come to this point; could one still hope for a retreat? Ahead lay a den of dragons and tigers—only by braving it out was there any chance of success.
Although Lin Xuan felt some doubt in his heart, he wasn't afraid. With his current strength, even if the Spirit Ghost Sect laid down many traps, he had confidence in self-preservation.
With his mind made up, Lin Xuan's courage surged. He no longer hesitated and transformed into a streak of shocking light, rushing towards the Spirit Ghost Pavilion.
Boom!
A burst of spiritual light illuminated the scene. Although the heavy stone door was protected, to Lin Xuan’s eyes, it seemed as flimsy as paper. With a gentle strike, it turned to dust.
Smoke and dust filled the air, but before his eyes lay nothing obstructive. Everything was clear now.
The so-called Spirit Ghost Pavilion was actually a vast stone hall, stretching over hundreds of mu in area.
However, when Lin Xuan scanned with his gaze, his pupils constricted, and his expression turned grim.
There were no people in the grand hall—quite contrary to what he had learned from soul probing. Had he fallen into their trap?
The Spirit Ghost Sect truly had a broad mind; he thought they would be intimidated after the mine incident, but it seemed there was still such an elaborate setup and courage. Was this due to his own carelessness, underestimating the heroes of the world?
If another cultivator were here, perhaps they would be alarmed and hastily want to retreat.
But Lin Xuan wouldn't do that. First, he had faith in his own abilities; second, he wasn’t an ordinary cultivator—far more calm than most when faced with sudden changes.
Having already fallen into their trap, how could one still hope for a retreat?
Panicking would only make one sink deeper into the trap, like a commoner falling into quicksand, sinking faster the harder they struggled.
Calmness was key to escaping. A smile appeared on Lin Xuan's face as he released his spirit sense and scanned the vast hall inch by inch.
Soon, his gaze stopped at an empty space in front of him. His eyes flickered with a hint of cold light, but his voice remained calm: "I've already arrived, so why does my friend still hide in the shadows? Since you waited for me here, all your preparations must be complete. Is this how the Spirit Ghost Sect treats its guests?"
Lin Xuan's words were truly arrogant and domineering, showing no fear of danger.
"Ha! Very good, very good. When those inner disciples described it, I was afraid they exaggerated. A mere ordinary spirit division cultivator would make this boring. But now that I see, my concerns are unnecessary. Just based on your boldness, you must far surpass most spirit division existences," a man's light laughter echoed.
A green glow flashed, and an outline gradually emerged from the area.
Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes as he sized up the person.
This was an elderly man in an orange-yellow robe; it was hard to tell his age.
Though his beard and eyebrows were white, his face and hands showed no wrinkles. His skin was fair and rosy, almost like a newborn’s.
Without saying more, this naturally had to be the unsung genius of the Spirit Ghost Sect—Old Master Zhong.
He too sized up Lin Xuan with an air of arrogance.
"Are you alone? Where are the other elders? Do you plan to ambush me?" Lin Xuan's smile echoed in his voice.
"Ambush, what a grandiose claim. You may be stronger than others, but at the end of the day, you're just a waste of spirit division. No need for such a large-scale operation; one old man like me is enough to deal with you," the other's laughter carried a hint of mockery.
Lin Xuan’s expression darkened as he replied: "Waste of spirit division, don’t you fear your tongue might slip? What are you then—half human, half ghost? Spirit division isn't spirit division, andtranscend the calamityisn'ttranscend the calamity. I have no idea where you are, but after mastering a bit of clever secret techniques, you think you’re an all-powerful great cultivator. Pah! Afraid it’s more like drawing a tiger only to end up with a dog. Don’t be so smug; be careful not to harm yourself."
"Y-You..."
Lin Xuan hadn't expected such sharp-tongued remarks from Old Master Zhong, who was clearly angered by the slight. He couldn't maintain his good mood: "Young Lin, watch your words; you’re a narrow-minded fool. I’m an early-stagetranscend the calamitycultivator, not something to look up to. You dare insult me, and I’ll make sure you can neither live nor die."
"What is an early-stagetranscend the calamity?"
Lin Xuan was surprised internally.
Though he had broad knowledge, the method of early-stagetranscend the calamitywas a unique path in cultivation that he hadn't heard of before.
Despite his surprise, he felt relieved. If this opponent were truly an actualtranscend the calamitycultivator, Lin Xuan might have feared him somewhat. Early-stagetranscend the calamitysounded suspiciously like taking shortcuts. Although daring to call himself such, he was surely far better than ordinary spirit division cultivators. But was Lin Xuan just any ordinary person?
No matter how miraculous early-stagetranscend the calamitywas, it wasn't something he would take lightly.
But his words were correct; Lin Xuan didn’t underestimate the opponent either.
After all, this peculiar-looking figure and his unknown realm, along with facing him alone with confidence—these points alone indicated that he had extraordinary abilities.
Lin Xuan had underestimated the Spirit Ghost Sect once. Given his nature, he wouldn't make the same mistake in such a short time.
At least one thing was certain: Old Master Zhong was the Spirit Ghost Sect’s trump card. If he could eliminate him, everything else would be much simpler.
Having thought through all this, there was nothing left to ponder; action was the only choice.
Regardless of what early-stagetranscend the calamitymeant, Lin Xuan wasn't afraid. He flicked his sleeves, and a series of silver lights appeared as more than ten flying swords emerged from his sleeves.
He didn’t know the other’s strength, but relying solely on sword light wouldn’t suffice. Now in their territory, he immediately summoned the Nine Palaces Instant Sword Technique.