“ nǐ shuō nǐ shì zhēn xiān ？”
“你说你是真仙？”
"Are you saying you are a True Immortal?"
jí biàn tiān yuán hóu shì dù jié qī lǎo guài wù ， jí biàn zài zhè shàng bǎi wàn nián de màn cháng suì yuè lǐ ， tā suǒ jīng lì de fēng yǔ shǔ bù shèng shǔ ， dàn què cóng lái méi yǒu yī jiàn shì qíng ràng tā zhè me jīng yà guò 。
即便天元侯是渡劫期老怪物，即便在这上百万年的漫长岁月里，他所经历的风雨数不胜数，但却从来没有一件事情让他这么惊讶过。
Even if Heavenly元侯 was an old monster who had passed the Tribulation stage, and even though he had experienced countless storms over millions of years, there had never been anything that surprised him as much as this.
jiù zài tā qióng tú mò lù ， yǐ chéng wéi guò jiē lǎo shǔ de jiān nán shí kè ， tū rán yǒu yí gè rén tiào chū lái ， shuō bù yòng pà ， kùn nán shì zàn shí de ， yīn wèi gē men er shì zhēn xiān ， ér xiàn zài ， wǒ kàn hǎo nǐ ……
就在他穷途末路，已成为过街老鼠的艰难时刻，突然有一个人跳出来，说不用怕，困难是暂时的，因为哥们儿是真仙，而现在，我看好你……
Just when he found himself at his wit's end, like a rat in a street, suddenly someone appeared and said not to be afraid; difficulties were temporary because he was a True Immortal, and now, the future looked bright for you...
zhè shì jī yuán me ？
这是机缘么？
Was this fate?
suī shuō fú xī huò suǒ yī ， huò xī fú suǒ fú ， zhè fú huò zhī shì ， yuán běn jiù hěn nán shuō dé qīng chǔ ， dàn yǎn qián fā shēng de zhè yí mù ， bù lùn cóng nǎ ge jiǎo dù ， dōu hái shì tài lí pǔ 。
虽说福兮祸所依，祸兮福所伏，这福祸之事，原本就很难说得清楚，但眼前发生的这一幕，不论从哪个角度，都还是太离谱。
Though it is true that misfortune may turn into good fortune and vice versa, such matters are hard to judge. But what was happening before his eyes seemed too outlandish from any angle.
yě jiù nán guài tiān yuán hóu bù néng jiē shòu 。
也就难怪天元侯不能接受。
It was no wonder Heavenly元侯 couldn't accept it.
jí biàn tā xiàn zài yǐ shì mò lù qióng tú ， jí biàn tā xiàn zài nǎ pà shì yī gēn jiù mìng dào cǎo yě xiǎng yào zhuā zhù ， kě tā bì jìng hái shì dù jié jí bié de xiū xiān zhě ， bù zhì yú lián yì diǎn pàn duàn lì yě wú 。
即便他现在已是末路穷途，即便他现在哪怕是一根救命稻草也想要抓住，可他毕竟还是渡劫级别的修仙者，不至于连一点判断力也无。
Even if he was now at his last resort, even if he desperately wanted to hold onto a lifeline, as a cultivator who had passed the Tribulation stage, he wouldn't be so lacking in judgment.
zhēn xiān ？
真仙？
A True Immortal?
kāi wán xiào ， nǎ ér shì nà me róng yì jiàn dào 。
开玩笑，哪儿是那么容易见到。
That would be a joke; they were not easy to come by.
rán ér xīn zhōng yòu yǒu yí gè shēng yīn zài shuō ， wàn yī shì zhēn de ？
然而心中又有一个声音在说，万一是真的？
Yet another voice whispered, "What if it's true?"
yī shí jiān ， tā xiàn rù le chén mò ， huò zhě shuō ， liǎng nán de jué zé 。
一时间，他陷入了沉默，或者说，两难的抉择。
For a moment, he was silent, or rather, caught between two choices.
wú shì xiàn yīn qíng ， fēi jiān jí dào ， tā jì dān xīn duì fāng yǒu suǒ tú ， lìng yì fāng miàn ， què yòu nán miǎn zài qǐ pàn sī suǒ ， zhè yàng de jī yuán ， wàn yī shì zhēn de ？
无事献殷情，非jiān即盗，他既担心对方有所图，另一方面，却又难免在企盼思索，这样的机缘，万一是真的？
To offer something in exchange for favor was often either a sign of sincerity or deceit, and he worried that the other party might have ulterior motives. On the other hand, he couldn't help but hope that this opportunity was real.
xiān yuán zhè zhǒng dōng xī ， yuán běn jiù shì piāo hū bù dìng zhī wù ， jiǎ rú zhēn chū xiàn zài le cǐ chù ， zì jǐ què méi néng zhuā zhù ， guò hòu hái bù hòu huǐ sǐ me ？
仙缘这种东西，原本就是飘忽不定之物，假如真出现在了此处，自己却没能抓住，过后还不后悔死么？
Such a chance to meet a True Immortal was unpredictable; if he failed to seize it now, would he regret it later?
bù zhī dào gāi zěn me jué zé ， huàn dé huàn shī shì tā cǐ kè xīn jìng zuì hǎo de xiě zhào le 。
不知道该怎么抉择，患得患失是他此刻心境最好的写照了。
Uncertain about his next move, torn between hope and fear, perfectly described his current state of mind.
“ zěn me ， nǐ bù xìn wǒ ？”
“怎么，你不信我？”
"Are you not believing me?"
nà shēng yīn sà rán kāi kǒu 。” gé xià shuō zì jǐ shì zhēn xiān ， zǒng yě yào yǒu yì diǎn píng jù cái kě ， huàn zuò shì nǐ ， yǔ běn hóu yì dì ér chǔ ， nǐ huì xiāng xìn me ？”
那声音飒然开口。”阁下说自己是真仙，总也要有一点凭据才可，换做是你，与本侯易地而处，你会相信么？”
The voice spoke crisply. "If I say that I am a True Immortal, shouldn't I have some proof? If you were in my place, would you believe it?"
tiān yuán hóu lěng hēng zhe shuō ， bù yuàn yì ràng duì fāng kàn chū zì jǐ xīn qíng de jí pò 。
天元侯冷哼着说，不愿意让对方看出自己心情的急迫。
Heavenly元侯 coldly replied, unwilling to show any signs of urgency.
nà shēng yīn xiàn rù le chén mò 。
那声音陷入了沉默。
There was silence from the other side for about as long as a cup of tea. Then, the voice returned, "I can’t prove it."
jiù zhè yàng guò le dà yuē yī zhǎn chá de gōng fu ， cái chóng xīn huí dàng zài nà jiǎn lòu de dòng fǔ ：“ wǒ méi fǎ zhèng míng 。”
就这样过了大约一盏茶的功夫，才重新回荡在那简陋的洞府：“我没法证明。”
"What?"
“ shén me ？”
“什么？”
This answer clearly surprised and disappointed Heavenly元侯. At that moment, the other party spoke again: "It's been too long. Back then, I was sealed here by the Arrogant Deva. Many things have been lost over time, so now I cannot prove anything. You need to make a choice. Either believe me, and as a True Immortal, I will naturally give you endless benefits; the late-stage Tribulation is not unattainable. With this power, you can dominate the Three Realms. Or, you can leave right now. But in your current state, you won't be able to survive another Great Heaven Tribulation. Of course, before that, you still have a few ten thousand years of life left, and you can live like an ordinary person. However, when your lifespan is exhausted, the outcome doesn’t need me to say much; dust returns to dust, earth returns to earth. You might not even get another chance at reincarnation."
zhè ge huí dá xiǎn rán ràng tiān yuán hóu dà gǎn yì wài yǔ shī luò ， ér jiù zài zhè shí ， duì fāng yòu kāi kǒu le ：“ shí jiān tài jiǔ le ， dāng chū wǒ bèi ā xiū luó fēng yìn zài cǐ chù 。 hěn duō dōng xī ， dōu yǐ jīng shī luò diào le ， shí zhì jīn rì， wǒ yǐ wú fǎ zhèng míng shén me ， xiàn zài shì xū yào nǐ zuò chū jué zé ， yào me xiāng xìn wǒ ， běn xiān zì rán huì gěi nǐ wú jìn de hǎo chù ， dù jié hòu qī bìng fēi kě wàng ér bù kě jí 。 nǐ jiāng yōng yǒu zòng héng sān jiè de shí lì ， yào me ， nǐ xiàn zài yě kě yǐ lí kāi zhè lǐ ， bù guò yǐ nǐ xiàn zài de qíng kuàng ， shì jué rán méi yǒu bàn fǎ dù guò xià yī cì dà tiān jié de ， dāng rán ， zài tiān jié dào lái yǐ qián ， nǐ yīng gāi hái yǒu shù wàn nián de shòu yuán hǎo huó ， nǐ yě kě yǐ xiàng fán rén yī yàng xiāo yáo kuài huó 。 bù guò dāng shòu yuán hào jìn hòu de xià chǎng yě bù yòng wǒ duō shuō ， chén guī chén ， tǔ guī tǔ 。 kǒng pà lián zài rù lún huí de jī huì yě bú huì yǒu le 。”
这个回答显然让天元侯大感意外与失落，而就在这时，对方又开口了：“时间太久了，当初我被阿修罗封印在此处。很多东西，都已经失落掉了，时至今rì，我已无法证明什么，现在是需要你做出抉择，要么相信我，本仙自然会给你无尽的好处，渡劫后期并非可望而不可及。你将拥有纵横三界的实力，要么，你现在也可以离开这里，不过以你现在的情况，是决然没有办法度过下一次大天劫的，当然，在天劫到来以前，你应该还有数万年的寿元好活，你也可以像凡人一样逍遥快活。不过当寿元耗尽后的下场也不用我多说，尘归尘，土归土。恐怕连再入轮回的机会也不会有了。”
"Are you threatening me?"
“ nǐ zhè shì wēi xié wǒ ？”
“你这是威胁我？”
Heavenly元侯's expression was a mix of horror and despair.
tiān yuán hóu de biǎo qíng nán kàn dào jí chù 。
天元侯的表情难看到极处。
"No, I am merely pointing out your situation so that you can make the choice yourself. You don’t need to answer now; with your current strength, you cannot break through the seal of the Arrogant Deva. If you are interested in our cooperation, come back two thousand years later. By then, the power of this seal will have weakened significantly, and it will be my only chance to escape. As for how to choose, make up your own mind."
“ bù ， běn xiān zhǐ shì jiāng nǐ de chǔ jìng zhǐ chū lái ， ràng nǐ zì jǐ qù zuò jué zé ， nǐ yě bù yòng xiàn zài huí dá wǒ ， píng xiàn zài de nǐ ， yě shì wú fǎ pò kāi ā xiū luó wáng zhī fēng yìn de ， rú guǒ nǐ duì wǒ men zhī jiān de hé zuò gǎn xìng qù ， liǎng qiān nián hòu ， nǐ kě yǐ zài lái zhè lǐ 。 nà shí hòu ， cǐ chù de fēng yìn lì liàng ， huì dà wèi jiǎn ruò ， nà shí hòu ， zé shì běn xiān wéi yī tuō kùn de jī huì le 。 zhì yú zěn me xuǎn zé ， nǐ zì jǐ kàn zhe bàn hǎo le 。”
“不，本仙只是将你的处境指出来，让你自己去做抉择，你也不用现在回答我，凭现在的你，也是无法破开阿修罗王之封印的，如果你对我们之间的合作感兴趣，两千年后，你可以再来这里。那时候，此处的封印力量，会大为减弱，那时候，则是本仙唯一脱困的机会了。至于怎么选择，你自己看着办好了。”
The voice gradually grew softer until it was completely silent.
nà shēng yīn shuō dào zhè lǐ ， jiàn jiàn dī chén xià qù ， zuì hòu ， wán quán guī yú chén jì 。
那声音说到这里，渐渐低沉下去，最后，完全归于沉寂。
"Y-You..."
“ nǐ ……”
“你……”
Heavenly元侯's expression was complex. But no matter how he called out, the other party did not appear again, as if everything that had happened was just a dream.
tiān yuán hóu de biǎo qíng fù zá yǐ jí 。 dàn suí hòu ， bù lùn tā zěn me hū hǎn ， duì fāng dōu bù zài chū xiàn ， fǎng fú gāng gāng suǒ yǒu de yī qiè ， dōu bù guò shì tā de mèng jìng yì bān 。
天元侯的表情复杂以极。但随后，不论他怎么呼喊，对方都不再出现，仿佛刚刚所有的一切，都不过是他的梦境一般。
Two thousand years?
liǎng qiān nián ？
两千年？
Was the other party truly a True Immortal?
duì fāng jiū jìng shì bú shì zhēn xiān ？
对方究竟是不是真仙？
Heavenly元侯 wasn't sure; one statement and strange demeanor left him thoroughly confused.
tiān yuán hóu yě bù qīng chǔ ， tā bèi duì fāng de yī fān huà ， yǐ jí qí guài de biǎo qíng chè dǐ nòng hú tú 。
天元侯也不清楚，他被对方的一番话，以及奇怪的表情彻底弄糊涂。
Fortunately, he still had plenty of time to verify this. Was it a trap or an opportunity? He didn’t need to rush to make a judgment now.
hǎo zài zì jǐ hái yǒu hěn zhǎng de shí jiān ， qù màn màn yàn zhèng zhè yì diǎn ， jiū jìng shì xiàn jǐng ， hái shì jī yuán ， xiàn zài bù yòng jí zhe xià tuī duàn 。
好在自己还有很长的时间，去慢慢验证这一点，究竟是陷阱，还是机缘，现在不用急着下推断。
In any case, this place might be a turning point in his life. He silently memorized the location before resting briefly and leaving with a golden glow enveloping him at a moderate speed.
zǒng zhī ， zhè ér huò xǔ huì shì zì jǐ rén shēng de yí gè zhuǎn zhé diǎn ， tā mò mò jì zhù le cǐ dì ， suí hòu yòu shāo shì xiū xī ， cái hún shēn jīn máng yì qǐ ， yòng bù bù tài kuài de sù dù ， lí kāi le zhè lǐ 。
总之，这儿或许会是自己人生的一个转折点，他默默记住了此地，随后又稍事休息，才浑身金芒一起，用不不太快的速度，离开了这里。
Heavenly元侯 was unaware that when he disappeared, the once empty desert suddenly saw grains of sand moving without wind.
ér tiān yuán hóu bù zhī dào de shì ， dāng tā de shēn yǐng xiāo shī ， yuán běn kōng wú yì rén de huāng mò ， dì shàng nà tǔ huáng sè de shā lì tū rán wú fēng zì dòng qǐ lái le 。
而天元侯不知道的是，当他的身影消失，原本空无一人的荒漠，地上那土黄sè的沙粒突然无风自动起来了。
Wu...
wū ……
呜……
Driven by some mysterious force, the sand kept shifting until an image of a human face appeared in his line of sight.
fǎng fú bèi shén me shén mì de lì liàng qū shǐ ， nà shā lì bù tíng de yóu yí ， hěn kuài ， yī zhāng rén liǎn de tú àn chū xiàn zài le shì xiàn lǐ 。
仿佛被什么神秘的力量驱使，那沙粒不停的游移，很快，一张人脸的图案出现在了视线里。
"Hehe, a cultivator who has passed the Tribulation stage. Although his initial realm is slightly low, it doesn’t matter; he is filled with resentment and at his wit's end. In two thousand years, he will have no choice but to come looking for me."
“ hēi hēi ， dù jié jí bié de xiū xiān zhě ， suī rán chū qī de jìng jiè shāo wēi yǒu diǎn dī ， bù guò méi guān xì ， rú jīn tā xīn zhōng chōng mǎn le yuàn yóu zhī yì ， chǔ jìng yòu shì rú cǐ de qióng tú mò lù ， liǎng qiān nián hòu ， tā chú le lái zhǎo zì jǐ ， nǎ lǐ hái yǒu shén me bié de xuǎn zé 。”
“嘿嘿，渡劫级别的修仙者，虽然初期的境界稍微有点低，不过没关系，如今他心中充满了怨尤之意，处境又是如此的穷途末路，两千年后，他除了来找自己，哪里还有什么别的选择。”
"Cultivators are cultivators; regardless of their high realms, as long as there’s a flaw in their mindset, I can exploit it. Two thousand years, hmm, once I wake up, I should be able to leave this place."
“ xiū xiān zhě jiù shì xiū xiān zhě ， jìng jiè zài gāo yòu rú hé ， zhǐ yào zhè xīn jìng yǒu le lòu dòng ， jiù dōu kě yǐ bèi wǒ lì yòng de ， liǎng qiān nián ， ń ， děng wǒ yī jiào xǐng lái hòu yīng gāi jiù kě yǐ lí kāi zhè lǐ le 。”
“修仙者就是修仙者，境界再高又如何，只要这心境有了漏洞，就都可以被我利用的，两千年，嗯，等我一觉醒来后应该就可以离开这里了。”
The voice's tone grew lower and was replaced by an eerie laughter that chilled his bones.
nà rén liǎn de huà yīn yuè lái yuè dī ， qǔ ér dài zhī de shì lìng rén máo gǔ sǒng rán de xiào shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ lǐ 。
那人脸的话音越来越低，取而代之的是令人毛骨悚然的笑声传入耳朵里。
A gust of wind blew over the sand face, erasing it, and the surroundings returned to silence as if nothing had happened.
suí hòu yī zhèn fēng chuī guò ， jiāng nà yóu shā lì zǔ chéng de rén miàn mǒ qù ， sì zhōu yòu biàn dé píng jìng yǐ jí ， fǎng fú shén me yě bù céng fā shēng guò 。
随后一阵风吹过，将那由沙粒组成的人面抹去，四周又变得平静以极，仿佛什么也不曾发生过。
...
……
……
Heavenly元侯 didn't know any of this. Lin Xuan, who had been aimlessly wandering outside for years, finally returned to the Hundred Flowers Valley.
zhè yī qiè ， tiān yuán hóu bìng bù xiǎo de ， lín xuān jiù gèng bú yòng shuō ， zài wài màn wú mù dì de yóu dàng shù nián ， tā zhōng yú huí dào le bǎi huā gǔ 。
这一切，天元侯并不晓得，林轩就更不用说，在外漫无目的的游荡数年，他终于回到了百花谷。
The cave remained unchanged.
dòng fǔ yī qiè rú gù 。
洞府一切如故。
Apart from a few more withered branches and dead leaves on the path leading deeper into the valley, everything was as it was when he left.
chú le tōng wǎng shān gǔ shēn chù de xiǎo lù yòu duō le yī xiē kū zhī bài yè ， qí yú de ， yǔ zì jǐ lí kāi shí méi yǒu shén me bù tóng 。
除了通往山谷深处的小路又多了一些枯枝败叶，其余的，与自己离开时没有什么不同。
Lin Xuan's face showed a hint of amusement. He knew how this place looked; after all, his main body and avatar shared almost everything except for cultivation techniques.
lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī xiào yì ， zhè ér jǐng xiàng rú hé ， tā dāng rán qīng chǔ ， yào zhī dào běn tǐ yǔ huà shēn zhī jiān chú le xiū liàn de gōng fǎ bù tóng ， qí yú de yī qiè ， gēn běn jiù shì kě yǐ gòng xiǎng de 。
林轩脸上露出一丝笑意，这儿景象如何，他当然清楚，要知道本体与化身之间除了修炼的功法不同，其余的一切，根本就是可以共享的。
In other words, both were essentially Lin Xuan himself.
huàn jù huà shuō ， huà shēn yǔ běn tǐ ， qí shí dōu shì lín xuān yī rén ér yǐ 。
换句话说，化身与本体，其实都是林轩一人而已。
Over these years, while his avatar had been venturing out, his main body hadn't been idle either. Whether it was the Illusory Yin Flower or the foreign heaven metal, Lin Xuan went through great lengths to separate them from their original containers and integrate them into his own命宝.
zhè xiē nián ， huà shēn zài wài mào xiǎn ， běn tǐ yě méi yǒu xián ， huàn yīn mó huā yě hǎo ， yù wài tiān jīn yě bà ， lín xuān fèi jǐn bō zhé ， yóu duì fāng de jiàn hú zhōng fēn lí ér chū ， mù dì dōu shì wèi le róng rù zì jǐ de běn mìng bǎo wù 。
这些年，化身在外冒险，本体也没有闲，幻yīn魔花也好，域外天金也罢，林轩费尽波折，由对方的剑葫中分离而出，目的都是为了融入自己的本命宝物。
The Nine Palace Moment Sword's power was formidable; after incorporating these materials, its abilities naturally improved significantly more than just adding a finishing touch. The sword spirit becoming ethereal was no small feat—it was essentially the Hundred Flowers Fairy’s signature secret technique. Its power could be easily imagined by everyone.
jiǔ gōng xū yú jiàn wēi néng fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， róng rù zhè liǎng zhǒng cái liào yǐ hòu ， shén tōng zì rán néng gèng shàng yī céng lóu ， zhè zhōng jiān ， suǒ qǐ dào de ， kě bù jǐn jǐn shì jǐn shàng tiān huā de zuò yòng 。
九宫须臾剑威能非同小可，融入这两种材料以后，神通自然能更上一层楼，这中间，所起到的，可不仅仅是锦上添花的作用。
And Illusory Yin Thunder, according to legend, even at its deepest stage, could corrupt a True Immortal's命宝.
jiàn líng huà xū bú yòng shuō ， nà xiāng dāng yú shì bǎi huā xiān zi de zhāo pái mì shù ， wēi lì rú hé ， dà jiā zì rán kě yǐ cāi xiǎng qīng chǔ 。
剑灵化虚不用说，那相当于是百花仙子的招牌秘术，威力如何，大家自然可以猜想清楚。
Lin Xuan couldn’t reach that level, but adding these abilities made the Nine Palace Moment Sword more powerful and harder to deal with.
ér huàn yīn shén léi ， chuán shuō ， xiū liàn dào zuì jīng shēn zhī chù ， lián zhēn xiān de běn mìng fǎ bǎo yě néng wū zhuó 。
而幻yīn神雷，传说，修炼到最jīng深之处，连真仙的本命法宝也能污浊。
Especially this time, although his avatar had failed to find any ancient secrets, it unexpectedly gained significant discoveries.
lín xuān dāng rán dá bú dào zhè yī bù ， dàn zēng jiā zhè liǎng zhǒng shén tōng yǐ hòu ， jiǔ gōng xū yú jiàn ， yě jiāng biàn dé gèng jiā de qiáng dà yǔ nán yǐ yìng fù 。
林轩当然达不到这一步，但增加这两种神通以后，九宫须臾剑，也将变得更加的强大与难以应付。
He didn't need to worry about the true spirit blood for now; he still had a lot of work to do. But from the Hundred Flowers Fairy, he obtained the technique for the sword spirit becoming ethereal.
yóu qí zhè cì huà shēn wài chū ， yuán běn xún zhǎo de shàng gǔ yǐn mì suī rán kǔ wú xiàn suǒ ， dàn què yì wài yǒu le gèng dà sōu huò 。
尤其这次化身外出，原本寻找的上古隐秘虽然苦无线索，但却意外有了更大搜获。
Although he had already destroyed Old Monster Zhong, there were many gaps that couldn’t be compared to the original version.
zhēn líng zhī xuè qiě bù tí ， lín xuān xiàn zài hái méi yǒu shí jiān chǔ lǐ ， ér cóng bǎi huā xiān zi nà lǐ ， tā kě shì huò dé le jiàn líng huà xū de mì shù 。
真灵之血且不提，林轩现在还没有时间处理，而从百花仙子那里，他可是获得了剑灵化虚的秘术。
PS: Dizzy, it seems I ate something bad yesterday; I didn't sleep well all night and still feel unwell. But don't worry; since I've committed to this month with monthly passes, I will do my best. I'll start writing the next chapter now, and please give me some more monthly passes for encouragement! Full text.
"Are you saying you are a True Immortal?"
Even if Heavenly元侯 was an old monster who had passed the Tribulation stage, and even though he had experienced countless storms over millions of years, there had never been anything that surprised him as much as this.
Just when he found himself at his wit's end, like a rat in a street, suddenly someone appeared and said not to be afraid; difficulties were temporary because he was a True Immortal, and now, the future looked bright for you...
Was this fate?
Though it is true that misfortune may turn into good fortune and vice versa, such matters are hard to judge. But what was happening before his eyes seemed too outlandish from any angle.
It was no wonder Heavenly元侯 couldn't accept it.
Even if he was now at his last resort, even if he desperately wanted to hold onto a lifeline, as a cultivator who had passed the Tribulation stage, he wouldn't be so lacking in judgment.
A True Immortal?
That would be a joke; they were not easy to come by.
Yet another voice whispered, "What if it's true?"
For a moment, he was silent, or rather, caught between two choices.
To offer something in exchange for favor was often either a sign of sincerity or deceit, and he worried that the other party might have ulterior motives. On the other hand, he couldn't help but hope that this opportunity was real.
Such a chance to meet a True Immortal was unpredictable; if he failed to seize it now, would he regret it later?
Uncertain about his next move, torn between hope and fear, perfectly described his current state of mind.
"Are you not believing me?"
The voice spoke crisply. "If I say that I am a True Immortal, shouldn't I have some proof? If you were in my place, would you believe it?"
Heavenly元侯 coldly replied, unwilling to show any signs of urgency.
There was silence from the other side for about as long as a cup of tea. Then, the voice returned, "I can’t prove it."
"What?"
This answer clearly surprised and disappointed Heavenly元侯. At that moment, the other party spoke again: "It's been too long. Back then, I was sealed here by the Arrogant Deva. Many things have been lost over time, so now I cannot prove anything. You need to make a choice. Either believe me, and as a True Immortal, I will naturally give you endless benefits; the late-stage Tribulation is not unattainable. With this power, you can dominate the Three Realms. Or, you can leave right now. But in your current state, you won't be able to survive another Great Heaven Tribulation. Of course, before that, you still have a few ten thousand years of life left, and you can live like an ordinary person. However, when your lifespan is exhausted, the outcome doesn’t need me to say much; dust returns to dust, earth returns to earth. You might not even get another chance at reincarnation."
"Are you threatening me?"
Heavenly元侯's expression was a mix of horror and despair.
"No, I am merely pointing out your situation so that you can make the choice yourself. You don’t need to answer now; with your current strength, you cannot break through the seal of the Arrogant Deva. If you are interested in our cooperation, come back two thousand years later. By then, the power of this seal will have weakened significantly, and it will be my only chance to escape. As for how to choose, make up your own mind."
The voice gradually grew softer until it was completely silent.
"Y-You..."
Heavenly元侯's expression was complex. But no matter how he called out, the other party did not appear again, as if everything that had happened was just a dream.
Two thousand years?
Was the other party truly a True Immortal?
Heavenly元侯 wasn't sure; one statement and strange demeanor left him thoroughly confused.
Fortunately, he still had plenty of time to verify this. Was it a trap or an opportunity? He didn’t need to rush to make a judgment now.
In any case, this place might be a turning point in his life. He silently memorized the location before resting briefly and leaving with a golden glow enveloping him at a moderate speed.
Heavenly元侯 was unaware that when he disappeared, the once empty desert suddenly saw grains of sand moving without wind.
Wu...
Driven by some mysterious force, the sand kept shifting until an image of a human face appeared in his line of sight.
"Hehe, a cultivator who has passed the Tribulation stage. Although his initial realm is slightly low, it doesn’t matter; he is filled with resentment and at his wit's end. In two thousand years, he will have no choice but to come looking for me."
"Cultivators are cultivators; regardless of their high realms, as long as there’s a flaw in their mindset, I can exploit it. Two thousand years, hmm, once I wake up, I should be able to leave this place."
The voice's tone grew lower and was replaced by an eerie laughter that chilled his bones.
A gust of wind blew over the sand face, erasing it, and the surroundings returned to silence as if nothing had happened.
...
Heavenly元侯 didn't know any of this. Lin Xuan, who had been aimlessly wandering outside for years, finally returned to the Hundred Flowers Valley.
The cave remained unchanged.
Apart from a few more withered branches and dead leaves on the path leading deeper into the valley, everything was as it was when he left.
Lin Xuan's face showed a hint of amusement. He knew how this place looked; after all, his main body and avatar shared almost everything except for cultivation techniques.
In other words, both were essentially Lin Xuan himself.
Over these years, while his avatar had been venturing out, his main body hadn't been idle either. Whether it was the Illusory Yin Flower or the foreign heaven metal, Lin Xuan went through great lengths to separate them from their original containers and integrate them into his own命宝.
The Nine Palace Moment Sword's power was formidable; after incorporating these materials, its abilities naturally improved significantly more than just adding a finishing touch. The sword spirit becoming ethereal was no small feat—it was essentially the Hundred Flowers Fairy’s signature secret technique. Its power could be easily imagined by everyone.
And Illusory Yin Thunder, according to legend, even at its deepest stage, could corrupt a True Immortal's命宝.
Lin Xuan couldn’t reach that level, but adding these abilities made the Nine Palace Moment Sword more powerful and harder to deal with.
Especially this time, although his avatar had failed to find any ancient secrets, it unexpectedly gained significant discoveries.
He didn't need to worry about the true spirit blood for now; he still had a lot of work to do. But from the Hundred Flowers Fairy, he obtained the technique for the sword spirit becoming ethereal.
Although he had already destroyed Old Monster Zhong, there were many gaps that couldn’t be compared to the original version.
PS: Dizzy, it seems I ate something bad yesterday; I didn't sleep well all night and still feel unwell. But don't worry; since I've committed to this month with monthly passes, I will do my best. I'll start writing the next chapter now, and please give me some more monthly passes for encouragement! Full text.