“ xiān shī ！” zhào míng gōng gōng jìng jìng de xíng le yī lǐ 。
“仙师！”赵明恭恭敬敬的行了一礼。
"Immortal Master!" Zhao Ming respectfully performed a bow.
“ ń 。” lín xuān diǎn diǎn tóu ， yī fù màn bù jīng xīn de biǎo qíng ：“ zhè duàn shí jiān ， fèi dān fáng de qíng kuàng zěn me yàng ？”
“嗯。”林轩点点头，一副漫不经心的表情：“这段时间，废丹房的情况怎么样？”
"Mmm." Lin Xuan nodded, his expression casual and indifferent. "How has the waste pills room been going these days?"
“ nín fàng xīn ， yī qiè rú cháng 。”
“您放心，一切如常。”
"Don't worry, everything is as usual."
zài chéng wéi fèi dān fáng guǎn shì jìn sì gè yuè hòu ， lín xuān zhōng yú zài yí cì xún shì zì jǐ de lǐng dì ， yǐ zhào míng wéi shǒu de tóng zi suī rán yǒu xiē chà yì ， dàn hái shì gōng jìng xiǎo xīn de cì hòu zhe 。
在成为废丹房管事近四个月后，林轩终于再一次巡视自己的领地，以赵明为首的童子虽然有些诧异，但还是恭敬小心的伺候着。
Four months after becoming the head of the waste pills room, Lin Xuan finally got to inspect his domain again. The boys led by Zhao Ming were somewhat surprised but still served him with respect.
wèi le fāng biàn zì jǐ xiū liàn ， lín xuān céng kè yì zài tā men miàn qián shù lì qǐ le yī fù tān shuì ， lǎn duò ， xìng gé gū pì ， xǐ huān jiāng zì jǐ yí gè rén guān zài wū zi lǐ de xíng xiàng 。
为了方便自己修炼，林轩曾刻意在他们面前竖立起了一副贪睡，懒惰，性格孤僻，喜欢将自己一个人关在屋子里的形象。
To make it easier for himself to cultivate, Lin Xuan had deliberately cultivated a lazy and solitary image in front of them—someone who preferred to sleep all day and liked to be alone in his room.
yuán běn chū zhōng jǐn jǐn shì wèi le xiū liàn bù yǐn qǐ huái yí ， bù bèi dǎ rǎo ， dàn wú xīn chā liǔ ， zhè fù zhuāng chū lái de xìng gé ， fǎn ér ràng lín xuān shēn shòu tóng zi men de yōng dài 。
原本初衷仅仅是为了修炼不引起怀疑，不被打扰，但无心插柳，这副装出来的性格，反而让林轩深受童子们的拥戴。
Originally, the intention was just to avoid suspicion and disturbance during cultivation. But inadvertently, this fabricated personality won him the admiration of the boys.
yuán yīn wú tā ， duì yú gāo gāo zài shàng de xiū zhēn zhě lái shuō ， fán rén jiù shì lóu yǐ ， suǒ yǐ zài piāo yún gǔ nèi ， zhè xiē tóng zi de dì wèi hěn dī ， shuō hǎo tīng diǎn shì wài mén dì zǐ ， shuō nán tīng jiàn jiù shì nú pú ， zá yì ， zhuān mén gàn cū huó ， fú shì xiū zhēn zhě de ， shāo wēi zuò bù hǎo ， qīng zé dǎ mà ， zhòng zé diū le xìng mìng ， yě shì cháng shì ， bú huì yǒu rèn hé rén guò wèn 。
原因无他，对于高高在上的修真者来说，凡人就是蝼蚁，所以在飘云谷内，这些童子的地位很低，说好听点是外门弟子，说难听见就是奴仆，杂役，专门干粗活，服侍修真者的，稍微做不好，轻则打骂，重则丢了性命，也是常事，不会有任何人过问。
The reason was simple: for cultivators high above, ordinary people were like ants. In Drifting Cloud Valley, these boys had a low status—technically they were outer sect disciples, but in reality, they were servants or laborers, tasked with menial work to serve the cultivators. If they did something wrong, light punishments like beatings and scoldings were common; severe ones could even result in death.
tóng zi men de shēng huó ， měi tiān dōu shì rú lǚ bó bīng ， zhàn zhàn jīng jīng ， rú guǒ dǐng tóu shàng sī shì yí gè xìng gé wēn hé de xiū zhēn zhě hái hǎo ， rú guǒ shì yí gè xǐ nù wú cháng de jiā huo ， jiǎn zhí jiù ……
童子们的生活，每天都是如履薄冰，战战兢兢，如果顶头上司是一个性格温和的修真者还好，如果是一个喜怒无常的家伙，简直就……
The boys lived on tenterhooks every day, fearful of their superiors' moods. If the head was a kind cultivator, it would be better. But if he was unpredictable, life would be...
ná dān xiá shān fù zé gè chù zá wù de dì fāng lái shuō ， xiū zhēn zhě zuì bù yuàn yì lái dān guǎn shì de dì fāng ， jiù shì fèi dān fáng ， yīn wèi méi yǒu yóu shuǐ ， dàn yǔ zhī xiāng fǎn ， tóng zi men què zuì xiàng wǎng ， yīn wèi zài hěn zhǎng yī duàn shí jiān ， nà ér dōu méi yǒu fù zé de xiū shì ， zàn dài guǎn shì zhī zhí de zhào míng shì tóng tā men yī yàng de wài mén dì zǐ ， nà ér de shēng huó bù jǐn qīng xián ， ér qiě ān quán 。
拿丹霞山负责各处杂务的地方来说，修真者最不愿意来担管事的地方，就是废丹房，因为没有油水，但与之相反，童子们却最向往，因为在很长一段时间，那儿都没有负责的修士，暂代管事之职的赵明是同他们一样的外门弟子，那儿的生活不仅清闲，而且安全。
For example, among the various places responsible for miscellaneous tasks at Danxia Mountain, the waste pills room was the least desirable position for a cultivator to manage. It offered no benefits, but the boys longed for it because for a long time, there had been no one in charge, and Zhao Ming, who temporarily took on the role as an outer sect disciple, made their lives both peaceful and safe.
dāng lín xuān chū lái zhè lǐ de shí hòu ， zhào míng děng rén zuǐ shàng bù shuō ， liǎn shàng bù gǎn biǎo xiàn chū lái ， xīn zhōng què shì bǎi bān de bù qíng yuàn ， yǐ wéi měi hǎo de shēng huó dào tóu le 。
当林轩初来这里的时候，赵明等人嘴上不说，脸上不敢表现出来，心中却是百般的不情愿，以为美好的生活到头了。
When Lin Xuan first arrived, Zhao Ming and his companions didn't say anything out loud or show it on their faces, but they were secretly unhappy. They thought their good life was over.
rán ér qíng kuàng què yǔ tā men xiǎng xiàng de bù yí yàng ， lín xuān lái shì lái le ， kě què shù yuè nán dé lù yī cì miàn ， zhè wèi xiān shī dà rén xìng gé shí fēn gū pì ， xǐ huān jiāng zì jǐ guān zài wū zi lǐ 。
然而情况却与他们想象的不一样，林轩来是来了，可却数月难得露一次面，这位仙师大人性格十分孤僻，喜欢将自己关在屋子里。
However, things turned out differently from what they had imagined. Lin Xuan came, but rarely showed himself; the Immortal Master was a reclusive person who liked to stay in his room. In other words, his arrival did not change their previous lives at all. For months, no one faced punishment as long as they didn't violate the Immortal's rules and didn't get too close to his quarters.
huàn jù huà shuō ， lín xuān de dào lái ， sī háo méi yǒu gǎi biàn tā men yǐ qián de shēng huó ， jǐ gè yuè guò qù le ， méi yǒu yí gè rén shòu chǔ fá ， dāng rán ， qián tí shì bù wéi fǎn xiān shī de guī jǔ ， jiē jìn tā de qǐ jū shì 。
换句话说，林轩的到来，丝毫没有改变他们以前的生活，几个月过去了，没有一个人受处罚，当然，前提是不违反仙师的规矩，接近他的起居室。
Such an easy-going head of the waste pills room and a respectful Immortal Master were rare indeed. Zhao Ming and others sincerely supported Lin Xuan, hoping he would stay in that position forever because with him around, other cultivators wouldn't be sent from the sect.
zhè me hǎo de guǎn shì ， róng yì cì hòu de xiān shī ， jiǎn zhí qiān nián nán dé yī yù ， zhào míng děng rén shì cóng xīn dǐ yōng hù lín xuān ， bā bù dé tā yǒng yuǎn zuò fèi dān fáng de guǎn shì ， yīn wèi yǒu tā zài ， mén pài jiù bú huì pài qí tā xiū zhēn zhě lái 。
这么好的管事，容易伺候的仙师，简直千年难得一遇，赵明等人是从心底拥护林轩，巴不得他永远做废丹房的管事，因为有他在，门派就不会派其他修真者来。
After inspecting the waste pills room and chatting about trivial matters, Lin Xuan instructed the boys to do their work well and went out for a stroll to clear his mind.
jiāng fèi dān fáng xún shì le yī biàn ， xián liáo le yī xiē wú guān tòng yǎng de wèn tí ， lín xuān zhǔ fù tóng zi men hǎo hǎo zuò shì ， zì jǐ yào chū qù sàn sàn xīn ， tòu tòu qì 。
将废丹房巡视了一遍，闲聊了一些无关痛痒的问题，林轩嘱咐童子们好好做事，自己要出去散散心，透透气。
"Immortal Master, may you have a safe journey!"
“ gōng sòng xiān shī ！”
“恭送仙师！”
Zhao Ming and others were not surprised. Although the head was lazy and didn't like moving around, it was normal for him to take a walk now and then; no one would stay cooped up in their rooms all the time.
zhào míng děng rén háo bù huái yí ， guǎn shì dà rén suī rán lǎn duò ， bù xǐ huān dòng ， dàn shì dàng de chū qù yī xià yě shì zhèng cháng de ， bú huì yǒu rén yǒng yuǎn xǐ huān dài zài wū zi lǐ 。
赵明等人毫不怀疑，管事大人虽然懒惰，不喜欢动，但适当的出去一下也是正常的，不会有人永远喜欢待在屋子里。
With everyone out of sight, Lin Xuan's lazy aura disappeared instantly. He appeared sharp and mature, with a faint smile on his lips as he walked away.
lí kāi zhòng rén de shì xiàn ， lái dào wú rén de dì diǎn ， lín xuān shēn shàng nà gǔ lǎn yáng yáng de qì zhì dùn shí xiāo shī dé wú yǐng wú zōng ， zhěng gè rén xiǎn de jīng míng chéng shú ， zuǐ jiǎo biān lù chū yī sī ruò yǒu ruò wú de xiào róng ， xiàng wài zǒu qù le 。
离开众人的视线，来到无人的地点，林轩身上那股懒洋洋的气质顿时消失得无影无踪，整个人显得精明成熟，嘴角边露出一丝若有若无的笑容，向外走去了。
These days, Lin Xuan had considered many methods and thought of various solutions but still couldn't find one that would not arouse suspicion while allowing him to learn spirit control techniques. It seemed there was no perfect solution.
zhè xiē tiān ， lín xuān kǎo lǜ le hěn duō ， sī liáng guò gè zhǒng fāng fǎ ， kě hái shì méi yǒu xiǎng dào zěn yàng cái néng bù yǐn qǐ zhòng rén huái yí ， yòu néng chéng gōng xué xí dào líng kòng shù ， liǎng quán qí měi de fāng fǎ ， sì hū zhēn de méi yǒu 。
这些天，林轩考虑了很多，思量过各种方法，可还是没有想到怎样才能不引起众人怀疑，又能成功学习到灵控术，两全其美的方法，似乎真的没有。
Just daydreaming wouldn't solve the problem. Instead of sitting around worrying, it might be better to go out for a walk and see if any opportunities presented themselves.
guāng shì kōng xiǎng ， jiě jué bù liǎo wèn tí ， yǔ qí mèn zuò zhe shāng nǎo jīn ， bù rú chū qù zǒu zǒu ， jiàn jī xíng shì ， kàn néng fǒu yǒu shén me zhuǎn jī 。
光是空想，解决不了问题，与其闷坐着伤脑筋，不如出去走走，见机行事，看能否有什么转机。
After leaving Danxia Mountain, Lin Xuan's demeanor changed again, appearing ordinary and unremarkable. He first wandered through the sect but found nothing useful. Then he headed towards the library.
chū le dān xiá shān hòu ， lín xuān shēn shàng de qì zhì yòu shì yī biàn ， xiǎn de pǔ tōng ér píng fán ， tā xiān zài mén pài lǐ guàng le yī quān ， méi yǒu shén me shōu huò ， rán hòu xiàng zhe cáng shū gé zǒu qù le 。
出了丹霞山后，林轩身上的气质又是一变，显得普通而平凡，他先在门派里逛了一圈，没有什么收获，然后像着藏书阁走去了。
As a low-ranking disciple in the Flexible Spirit Period, only the first floor was accessible to him. Despite knowing there were no cultivation techniques on that level—just some miscellaneous studies valuable to commoners but not so much to cultivators—he still searched thoroughly, hoping for a miracle.
zuò wèi líng dòng qī de dī jiē dì zǐ ， néng gòu zì yóu chū rù de zhǐ yǒu dì yī céng ， jǐn guǎn míng zhī dào zhè ér méi yǒu gōng fǎ ， jǐn yǒu yī xiē duì fán rén lái shuō hěn bǎo guì ， duì xiū zhēn zhě què shǔ yú jī lèi de zá xué ， dàn lín xuān hái shì bào zhe wàn yī de zhǐ wàng ， zài dì yī céng zǐ xì xún zhǎo le yī biàn 。
做为灵动期的低阶弟子，能够自由出入的只有第一层，尽管明知道这儿没有功法，仅有一些对凡人来说很宝贵，对修真者却属于鸡肋的杂学，但林轩还是抱着万一的指望，在第一层仔细寻找了一遍。
But his search proved fruitless!
yī wú suǒ huò ！
一无所获！
After a moment of silence, Lin Xuan gritted his teeth and headed towards the second floor.
mò rán le bàn xiǎng ， lín xuān yǎo le yǎo yá ， xiàng zhe dì èr céng zǒu qù 。
默然了半响，林轩咬了咬牙，向着第二层走去。
Unlike buildings in the mortal world, there were no stairs between the first and second floors; instead, they were protected by heavy restrictions that could not be flown over. The only way to enter was through a teleportation array.
yǔ fán jiān de jiàn zhù bù tóng ， dì yī céng yǔ dì èr céng zhī jiān méi yǒu lóu tī ， hái bù yǒu chóng chóng jìn zhì ， bù néng gòu fēi shàng qù ， zhǐ yǒu chuán sòng zhèn zuò wèi jìn chū de gōng jù 。
与凡间的建筑不同，第一层与第二层之间没有楼梯，还布有重重禁制，不能够飞上去，只有传送阵做为进出的工具。
As he took a few steps, the air in front of him rippled like water waves. A yellow shield appeared, blocking his path as if it were a wall.
lín xuān cái zǒu le jǐ bù ， qián miàn de kōng qì jiù rú tóng shuǐ wén yī yàng de bō dòng qǐ lái ， yī céng huáng sè de hù zhào rú tóng qiáng bì yī yàng de dǎng zài le qián miàn 。
林轩才走了几步，前面的空气就如同水纹一样的波动起来，一层黄色的护罩如同墙壁一样的挡在了前面。
This was a restriction; to reach the teleportation array, one had to break through this barrier first. It was also a test, because according to the sect's design, breaking this restriction required at least the strength of a Foundation Establishment First Stage cultivator. This ensured that only high-ranking disciples could enter the second floor—unless they applied for permission and were granted it.
zhè shì jìn zhì ， xiǎng yào dào dá chuán sòng zhèn ， jiù bì xū xiān jiāng tā pò qù ， zhè yě shì kǎo yàn ， yīn wèi àn zhào mén pài de shè jì ， pò chú zhè ge jìn zhì zhì shǎo xū yào zhù jī chū qī de gōng lì ， zhè yě jiù bǎo zhèng le jìn rù dì èr céng de bú shì dī jiē dì zǐ ， dāng rán ， xiàng zhǎng mén shēn qǐng ， bìng dé dào yǔn xǔ de chú wài 。
这是禁制，想要到达传送阵，就必须先将它破去，这也是考验，因为按照门派的设计，破除这个禁制至少需要筑基初期的功力，这也就保证了进入第二层的不是低阶弟子，当然，像掌门申请，并得到允许的除外。
Looking at the yellow light before him, Lin Xuan stopped and observed silently. While it was common sense that this layer's restrictions needed the strength of a Foundation Establishment cultivator to break, he actually had some confidence in himself.
kàn zhuó yǎn qián de huáng guāng ， lín xuān tíng xià jiǎo bù ， mò mò de guān chá le qǐ lái ， suī rán àn zhào cháng lǐ ， zhè céng jìn zhì xū yào zhù jī qī de xiū wèi cái néng pò chú ， dàn zì jǐ qí shí yě yǒu jǐ fēn bǎ wò 。
看着眼前的黄光，林轩停下脚步，默默的观察了起来，虽然按照常理，这层禁制需要筑基期的修为才能破除，但自己其实也有几分把握。
Firstly, he had mastered Ice Needle Technique, which could rival high-level spells. Secondly, he still possessed a top-grade spiritual artifact; if he used his full power, Lin Xuan was confident that his offensive capabilities would not be inferior to those of a Foundation Establishment cultivator who lacked any spiritual artifacts.
yī lái ， zì jǐ xué huì le wēi lì kān bǐ gāo jiē fǎ shù de bīng zhēn jué ， èr lái ， zì jǐ hái yǒu wēi lì chāo fán de líng qì ， zhǐ yào quán lì shī zhǎn ， bié de bù gǎn shuō ， zhì shǎo zài gōng jī lì shàng ， lín xuān yǒu xìn xīn ， bù bǐ gāng gāng jìn rù zhù jī qī ， yòu méi yǒu líng qì de xiū shì xùn sè 。
一来，自己学会了威力堪比高阶法术的冰针诀，二来，自己还有威力超凡的灵器，只要全力施展，别的不敢说，至少在攻击力上，林轩有信心，不比刚刚进入筑基期，又没有灵器的修士逊色。
But instead of acting on it, Lin Xuan hesitated and pretended to walk away as if nothing had happened. Both the Ice Needle Technique and the spiritual artifact were too shocking; he didn't want to attract attention.
dàn lín xuān bìng méi yǒu dòng shǒu ， fǎn ér shì yóu yù le yī xià ， jiù zhuāng zuò ruò wú qí shì de zǒu kāi le ， bù lùn bīng zhēn jué hái shì líng qì dōu yǒu xiē jīng shì hài sú ， lín xuān kě bù xiǎng yǐn rén zhù yì 。
但林轩并没有动手，反而是犹豫了一下，就装作若无其事的走开了，不论冰针诀还是灵器都有些惊世骇俗，林轩可不想引人注意。
Besides, even if he broke this restriction, using the teleportation array to reach the second floor would still require other restrictions to be overcome before accessing any books.
hé kuàng jiù suàn pò chú le zhè ge jìn zhì ， yòng chuán sòng zhèn dào le dì èr céng ， xiǎng yào kàn shū ， kěn dìng yě hái yǒu qí tā jìn zhì 。
何况就算破除了这个禁制，用传送阵到了第二层，想要看书，肯定也还有其他禁制。
Although he wanted to learn spirit control techniques, weighing the pros and cons, it was better not to expose his strength. Therefore, Lin Xuan chose not to provoke trouble.
suī rán xiǎng yào xué xí líng kòng shù ， dàn quán héng lì bì ， gèng bù néng bào lù zì jǐ de shí lì ， suǒ yǐ lín xuān xuǎn zé le bú yào dǎ cǎo jīng shé 。
虽然想要学习灵控术，但权衡利弊，更不能暴露自己的实力，所以林轩选择了不要打草惊蛇。
It seemed like he had no choice but to find another way. After making this decision, Lin Xuan turned around and walked out. But at that moment, a conversation caught his ear.
kàn lái zhǐ hǎo xiǎng bié de bàn fǎ le ， zuò xià zhè ge jué dìng yǐ hòu ， lín xuān zhuǎn shēn xiàng wài zǒu ， rán ér jiù zài zhè shí ， yī zhèn jiāo tán shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
看来只好想别的办法了，做下这个决定以后，林轩转身向外走，然而就在这时，一阵交谈声传入耳朵。
"Did you hear that Lingyun Sect is going to be forced to disband."
“ tīng shuō líng yún mén yào bèi pò jiě sàn le 。”
“听说凌云门要被迫解散了。”
"Hmph. Who cares if they offended a senior cultivator in the Condensation Core Stage? Unless they want to die, there's no other way but to dissolve their sect."
“ hēng ， shuí ràng tā men dé zuì le yī wèi níng dān qī de qián bèi gāo shǒu ， chú fēi dōu bù xiǎng huó le ， fǒu zé yě zhǐ yǒu jiě sàn mén pài zhè yī tiáo lù kě zǒu 。”
“哼，谁让他们得罪了一位凝丹期的前辈高手，除非都不想活了，否则也只有解散门派这一条路可走。”
The cultivator nodded and sighed. "Although Lingyun Sect doesn't compare to our Drifting Cloud Valley, it has been around for nearly a thousand years. I imagine they have many cultivation techniques, spiritual artifacts, and talismans."
qián miàn yí gè xiū zhēn zhě diǎn diǎn tóu ， yǒu xiē xī xū de dào ：“ líng yún mén suī rán bǐ bù shàng wǒ men piāo yún gǔ ， dàn yě shì chuán chéng le jìn qiān nián de mén pài ， xiǎng bì gōng fǎ ， líng qì ， fú lù yě huì yǒu bù shǎo 。”
前面一个修真者点点头，有些唏嘘的道：“凌云门虽然比不上我们飘云谷，但也是传承了近千年的门派，想必功法，灵器，符箓也会有不少。”
"Yes, I heard that there are even some mid-stage cultivation techniques available for sale."
"Immortal Master!" Zhao Ming respectfully performed a bow.
"Mmm." Lin Xuan nodded, his expression casual and indifferent. "How has the waste pills room been going these days?"
"Don't worry, everything is as usual."
Four months after becoming the head of the waste pills room, Lin Xuan finally got to inspect his domain again. The boys led by Zhao Ming were somewhat surprised but still served him with respect.
To make it easier for himself to cultivate, Lin Xuan had deliberately cultivated a lazy and solitary image in front of them—someone who preferred to sleep all day and liked to be alone in his room.
Originally, the intention was just to avoid suspicion and disturbance during cultivation. But inadvertently, this fabricated personality won him the admiration of the boys.
The reason was simple: for cultivators high above, ordinary people were like ants. In Drifting Cloud Valley, these boys had a low status—technically they were outer sect disciples, but in reality, they were servants or laborers, tasked with menial work to serve the cultivators. If they did something wrong, light punishments like beatings and scoldings were common; severe ones could even result in death.
The boys lived on tenterhooks every day, fearful of their superiors' moods. If the head was a kind cultivator, it would be better. But if he was unpredictable, life would be...
For example, among the various places responsible for miscellaneous tasks at Danxia Mountain, the waste pills room was the least desirable position for a cultivator to manage. It offered no benefits, but the boys longed for it because for a long time, there had been no one in charge, and Zhao Ming, who temporarily took on the role as an outer sect disciple, made their lives both peaceful and safe.
When Lin Xuan first arrived, Zhao Ming and his companions didn't say anything out loud or show it on their faces, but they were secretly unhappy. They thought their good life was over.
However, things turned out differently from what they had imagined. Lin Xuan came, but rarely showed himself; the Immortal Master was a reclusive person who liked to stay in his room. In other words, his arrival did not change their previous lives at all. For months, no one faced punishment as long as they didn't violate the Immortal's rules and didn't get too close to his quarters.
Such an easy-going head of the waste pills room and a respectful Immortal Master were rare indeed. Zhao Ming and others sincerely supported Lin Xuan, hoping he would stay in that position forever because with him around, other cultivators wouldn't be sent from the sect.
After inspecting the waste pills room and chatting about trivial matters, Lin Xuan instructed the boys to do their work well and went out for a stroll to clear his mind.
"Immortal Master, may you have a safe journey!"
Zhao Ming and others were not surprised. Although the head was lazy and didn't like moving around, it was normal for him to take a walk now and then; no one would stay cooped up in their rooms all the time.
With everyone out of sight, Lin Xuan's lazy aura disappeared instantly. He appeared sharp and mature, with a faint smile on his lips as he walked away.
These days, Lin Xuan had considered many methods and thought of various solutions but still couldn't find one that would not arouse suspicion while allowing him to learn spirit control techniques. It seemed there was no perfect solution.
Just daydreaming wouldn't solve the problem. Instead of sitting around worrying, it might be better to go out for a walk and see if any opportunities presented themselves.
After leaving Danxia Mountain, Lin Xuan's demeanor changed again, appearing ordinary and unremarkable. He first wandered through the sect but found nothing useful. Then he headed towards the library.
As a low-ranking disciple in the Flexible Spirit Period, only the first floor was accessible to him. Despite knowing there were no cultivation techniques on that level—just some miscellaneous studies valuable to commoners but not so much to cultivators—he still searched thoroughly, hoping for a miracle.
But his search proved fruitless!
After a moment of silence, Lin Xuan gritted his teeth and headed towards the second floor.
Unlike buildings in the mortal world, there were no stairs between the first and second floors; instead, they were protected by heavy restrictions that could not be flown over. The only way to enter was through a teleportation array.
As he took a few steps, the air in front of him rippled like water waves. A yellow shield appeared, blocking his path as if it were a wall.
This was a restriction; to reach the teleportation array, one had to break through this barrier first. It was also a test, because according to the sect's design, breaking this restriction required at least the strength of a Foundation Establishment First Stage cultivator. This ensured that only high-ranking disciples could enter the second floor—unless they applied for permission and were granted it.
Looking at the yellow light before him, Lin Xuan stopped and observed silently. While it was common sense that this layer's restrictions needed the strength of a Foundation Establishment cultivator to break, he actually had some confidence in himself.
Firstly, he had mastered Ice Needle Technique, which could rival high-level spells. Secondly, he still possessed a top-grade spiritual artifact; if he used his full power, Lin Xuan was confident that his offensive capabilities would not be inferior to those of a Foundation Establishment cultivator who lacked any spiritual artifacts.
But instead of acting on it, Lin Xuan hesitated and pretended to walk away as if nothing had happened. Both the Ice Needle Technique and the spiritual artifact were too shocking; he didn't want to attract attention.
Besides, even if he broke this restriction, using the teleportation array to reach the second floor would still require other restrictions to be overcome before accessing any books.
Although he wanted to learn spirit control techniques, weighing the pros and cons, it was better not to expose his strength. Therefore, Lin Xuan chose not to provoke trouble.
It seemed like he had no choice but to find another way. After making this decision, Lin Xuan turned around and walked out. But at that moment, a conversation caught his ear.
"Did you hear that Lingyun Sect is going to be forced to disband."
"Hmph. Who cares if they offended a senior cultivator in the Condensation Core Stage? Unless they want to die, there's no other way but to dissolve their sect."
The cultivator nodded and sighed. "Although Lingyun Sect doesn't compare to our Drifting Cloud Valley, it has been around for nearly a thousand years. I imagine they have many cultivation techniques, spiritual artifacts, and talismans."
"Yes, I heard that there are even some mid-stage cultivation techniques available for sale."