dì liǎng qiān jiǔ bǎi yī shí liù zhāng dà dǎn de cāi cè
第两千九百一十六章大胆的猜测
Chapter 2916: Bold Speculation
shì fú bú shì huò ， shì huò duǒ bù guò 。
是福不是祸，是祸躲不过。
Fortune or misfortune, one must face it.
yuán běn lín xuān zuì dān xīn de jiù shì zhè ge ， suí zhe shí jiān de tuī yí ， tā de xīn ， cái jiàn jiàn fàng huí le dǔ zi lǐ ， nǎ xiǎo de ， zuì hòu hái shì méi néng duǒ guò 。
原本林轩最担心的就是这个，随着时间的推移，他的心，才渐渐放回了肚子里，哪晓得，最后还是没能躲过。
Lin Xuan had always been most worried about this. As time passed, his heart gradually settled in his chest. Yet, he still couldn't avoid the situation at the critical moment of refining a treasure.
zài bǎo wù jiù yào liàn zhì chéng gōng zuì guān jiàn de yī kè ……
在宝物就要炼制成功最关键的一刻……
That old monster, who had always caused him anxiety, finally appeared.
nà yì zhí lìng zì jǐ tí xīn diào dǎn de lǎo guài wù hái shì lái le 。
那一直令自己提心吊胆的老怪物还是来了。
Though Lin Xuan didn’t know who this formidable figure was, it was undoubtedly much more powerful than the ghost sage he had encountered before.
suī rán tā shì hé fāng shén shèng lín xuān bù xiǎo de ， dàn kěn dìng bǐ tā shàng cì yù jiàn de guǐ shèng ， yào lì hài dé duō 。
虽然他是何方神圣林轩不晓得，但肯定比他上次遇见的鬼圣，要厉害得多。
What should he do?
gāi zěn me bàn ne ？
该怎么办呢？
Lin Xuan faced a dilemma.
lín xuān miàn lín zhe liǎng nán de jué zé ！
林轩面临着两难的抉择！
But soon, his gaze became resolute. He had spent so much time and effort here; how could he just retreat silently? A cooked duck wouldn’t fly away on its own.
dàn hěn kuài ， tā de yǎn shén jiù biàn dé jiān dìng qǐ lái le 。
但很快，他的眼神就变得坚定起来了。
With a flick of his sleeve, another Lin Xuan appeared in front of him. With identical appearance and physique, it was clear that this was the Inner Refinement Self he had painstakingly cultivated.
zì jǐ zài zhè lǐ ， huā fèi le rú cǐ duō de shí jiān yǔ jīng lì ， nán dào hái néng gòu mò mò de tuì qù ， zhǔ shú de yā zi qǐ yǒu ràng tā fēi zǒu de dào lǐ 。
自己在这里，花费了如此多的时间与精力，难道还能够默默的退去，煮熟的鸭子岂有让它飞走的道理。
Lin Xuan had thought about going to meet the enemy himself while leaving the Inner Refinement Self behind. The first reason was to prevent a feint attack; the second was to protect the treasure. Once the Phoenix Ring was successfully refined, the Inner Refinement Self would retrieve it.
wàng zhe nà jí jiāng liàn zhì chéng gōng de bǎo wù ， lín xuān yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī sī huǒ rè ， zài wēi xiǎn yòu rú hé ， bù bó yī bó zì jǐ shì bú huì xīn ān de 。
望着那即将炼制成功的宝物，林轩眼中闪过一丝火热，再危险又如何，不搏一搏自己是不会心安的。
While this arrangement wasn’t foolproof, it was the best idea Lin Xuan could come up with at the moment.
wēi xiǎn zì jǐ yòu bú shì méi yǒu yù jiàn guò 。
危险自己又不是没有遇见过。
Without further ado, Lin Xuan shot upward into the air, his body enveloped in a faint green glow. The Inner Refinement Self’s expression was grave as well; he clutched his hands and his aura became almost imperceptible. Lin Xuan didn’t want this surprise attack to be revealed too soon.
jí biàn dǎ bù yíng ， dàn táo zǒu bǎo mìng ， lín xuān hái shì yǒu jǐ fēn bǎ wò 。
即便打不赢，但逃走保命，林轩还是有几分把握。
A surprise attack must wait for the right moment to be effective, a lesson Lin Xuan had learned through experience.
xīn zhōng rú cǐ xiǎng zhe ， lín xuān yǐ zhī dào zì jǐ gāi zěn me zuò 。
心中如此想着，林轩已知道自己该怎么做。
---
dàn shǎ hū hū shàng qián yíng dí yě bú shì lín xuān de fēng gé 。
但傻乎乎上前迎敌也不是林轩的风格。
The entire process seemed complex but took only an instant.
zhǐ jiàn tā xiù páo yī shuǎi ， lìng yí gè lín xuān yìng rù le yǎn lián 。
只见他袖袍一甩，另一个林轩映入了眼帘。
Suddenly, Lin Xuan found himself on the ground. Thunderous explosions filled his ears as he looked up. From far in the distance, a black light flashed like a dragon emerging from the sea, flying at heart-stopping speed toward him. The array he had set up was shattered effortlessly; it barely slowed down the intruder.
róng mào shēn cái sī háo qū bié yě wú ， bú yòng shuō ， zì rán shì lín xuān fèi jǐn xīn kǔ ， hǎo bù róng yì cái liàn zhì chéng gōng de shēn nèi huà shēn le 。
容貌身材丝毫区别也无，不用说，自然是林轩费尽辛苦，好不容易才炼制成功的身内化身了。
Despite his earlier expectations, Lin Xuan’s face turned pale with shock. This guy seemed even more terrifying than he had imagined.
lín xuān yǐ xiǎng guò ， běn tǐ shàng qù yíng dí ， què ràng huà shēn shǒu zài zhè lǐ 。
林轩已想过，本体上去迎敌，却让化身守在这里。
Though he felt uneasy, Lin Xuan didn’t move. He had decided to block the enemy and couldn’t retreat after just a few steps.
yī shì fáng zhǐ duì fāng shēng dōng jī xī 。
一是防止对方声东击西。
The black light soon arrived above Tianxie Mountain. The glow dissipated, revealing a strange figure in dark robes.
zhì yú dì èr diǎn me ， zé shì kān hù bǎo wù ， yí dàn zhū què huán liàn zhì chéng gōng ， jiù ràng huà shēn jiāng tā qǔ le 。
至于第二点么，则是看护宝物，一旦朱雀环炼制成功，就让化身将它取了。
Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes as he stared at him. This person’s appearance was bizarre; his entire body was wrapped in an unusually large black robe that even hid his head, making it impossible to tell if he had hair or not.
zhè yàng de ān pái ， tán bù shàng wàn wú yī shī ， dàn què shì lín xuān cǐ kè néng xiǎng dào de zuì hǎo de zhǔ yì 。
这样的安排，谈不上万无一失，但却是林轩此刻能想到的最好的主意。
His face was visible but was surrounded by an aura of阴气, rendering his features indiscernible except for a pair of blood-red eyes.
suí hòu lín xuān bù zài yóu yù ， hún shēn qīng máng yì qǐ ， xiàng dì biǎo fēi le shàng qù 。
随后林轩不再犹豫，浑身青芒一起，像地表飞了上去。
Lin Xuan’s heart raced as he met the other’s gaze.
zhì yú huà shēn ， biǎo qíng yě yán sù yǐ jí ， liǎng shǒu yī wò ， zhěng gè rén de qì xī biàn dé ruò yǒu ruò wú ， lín xuān ān pái xià de zhè ge fú bǐ ， zì rán shì bù xī wàng guò zǎo jiù bào lù dì 。
至于化身，表情也严肃以极，两手一握，整个人的气息变得若有若无，林轩安排下的这个伏笔，自然是不希望过早就暴露地。
A ghostly entity!
qí bīng zǒng yào zài guān jiàn shí kè ， cái néng shōu dào xiào guǒ ， zhè dào lǐ ， lín xuān kě shì shēn yǒu tǐ huì de 。
奇兵总要在关键时刻，才能收到效果，这道理，林轩可是深有体会的。
This guy's identity was confirmed.
……
……
Indeed, just like Lin Xuan had guessed, he was at the Tribulation Period stage.
zhěng gè guò chéng shuō qǐ lái fán fù ， qí shí bù guò shùn xī de gōng fu 。
整个过程说起来繁复，其实不过瞬息的功夫。
Fortunately, this wasn’t the late-stage tribulation cultivator that Lin Xuan had initially thought. The pressure emanating from his body clearly indicated his true level.
hěn kuài ， yǎn qián yī liàng ， lín xuān yǐ lái dào dì biǎo zhī shàng 。
很快，眼前一亮，林轩已来到地表之上。
Just like the ghost sage he encountered earlier, both were at the initial stage.
hōng lōng lóng ， bào liè shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lín xuān xún shēng tái qǐ tóu lú ， liǎn sè yǐ shì yīn mái dào wú yǐ fù jiā de dì bù 。
轰隆隆，爆裂声传入耳朵，林轩循声抬起头颅，脸色已是阴霾到无以复加的地步。
From such a close distance, Lin Xuan couldn’t be mistaken; hiding his cultivation didn’t work well here.
zhǐ jiàn jí yuǎn chù de tiān biān ， hēi máng yī shǎn ， yī dào hēi sè de jīng hóng yóu rú jiāo lóng chū hǎi ， yǐ lìng rén xīn jīng de sù dù fēi chí ér lái 。
只见极远处的天边，黑芒一闪，一道黑色的惊虹犹如蛟龙出海，以令人心惊的速度飞驰而来。
However, despite being in the early stage, Lin Xuan was on high alert. Although they hadn’t fought yet, this guy felt entirely different from the ghost sage he had met before.
suǒ guò zhī chù ， bù tíng yǒu bào liè shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， zì jǐ suǒ bù xià de zhèn fǎ ， cuī kū lā xiǔ de bèi pò chú ， jī hū méi yǒu qǐ dào shén me zǔ dǎng de xiào guǒ 。
所过之处，不停有爆裂声传入耳朵，自己所布下的阵法，摧枯拉朽的被破除，几乎没有起到什么阻挡的效果。
Lin Xuan wasn’t sure why but trusted his instincts. After countless battles, his instinct to face a formidable opponent was now incredibly sharp.
jǐn guǎn xīn zhōng zǎo yǒu chuǎi mó ， lín xuān de liǎn sè ， hái shì bù yóu de kuáng biàn le ， zhè jiā huo ， sì hū bǐ zì jǐ xiǎng xiàng de ， hái yào kě pà dé duō 。
尽管心中早有揣摩，林轩的脸色，还是不由得狂变了，这家伙，似乎比自己想象的，还要可怕得多。
A formidable enemy!
jǐn guǎn xīn zhōng yǒu diǎn dǎ gǔ ， dàn lín xuān de shēn xíng què méi yǒu dòng ， jì rán zuò xià jué dìng yào jiāng dí rén zǔ shàng yī zǔ ， zǒng bù néng hái méi jiāo shǒu jiù wàng fēng ér táo le 。
尽管心中有点打鼓，但林轩的身形却没有动，既然做下决定要将敌人阻上一阻，总不能还没交手就望风而逃了。
Lin Xuan’s eyes narrowed as he maintained high alertness. The other’s face was obscured, but his red eyes glinted with surprise: "Huh? You’re just an early-stage One Spirit Period kid. Those arrays are quite impressive; I thought they were set up by a late-stage tribulation cultivator. Your appearance here means my subordinates must have fallen. Good job, it’s been millions of years since someone could defeat a tribulation cultivator at the One Spirit stage. Such a genius is rare. You’re not from this realm, right? It seems you were drawn in by spatial forces."
zhèn fǎ jì rán qǐ bú dào zǔ dǎng de xiào guǒ ， nà hēi hóng bù xiāo piàn kè ， jiù lái dào le tiān xiē shān de shàng kōng 。
阵法既然起不到阻挡的效果，那黑虹不消片刻，就来到了天蝎山的上空。
The other’s words were shocking. Lin Xuan was clearly taken aback.
dùn guāng shōu liǎn ， bàn kōng zhōng xiǎn chū le yī shēn chuān hēi páo de guài rén lái 。
遁光收敛，半空中显出了一身穿黑袍的怪人来。
"Your expression suggests I’m correct. A genius shouldn’t be without any reputation. Yes, as an Human, you have no connection with the Three Demon Kings. Do you know Guanghanzi? Or are you a disciple of that hermit, Guohongzi, or one of those descendants like Dailong and Baoxian?"
lín xuān yǎn jīng wēi mī ， xiàng tā níng wàng ér qù 。
林轩眼睛微眯，像他凝望而去。
Lin Xuan was speechless. This guy had a huge ego, speaking as if he were on par with Immortals and Demon Kings. His expression didn’t seem to be idle talk.
zhǐ jiàn zhè rén de dǎ bàn ， dàng zhēn shì gǔ guài yǐ jí ， zhěng gè shēn tǐ ， dōu lǒng zhào zài yī kuān dà yì cháng de hēi páo lǐ ， lián tóu bèi guǒ zhù ， yǒu méi yǒu tóu fà kàn bù qīng chǔ 。
只见这人的打扮，当真是古怪以极，整个身体，都笼罩在一宽大异常的黑袍里，连头被裹住，有没有头发看不清楚。
A mere early-stage tribulation cultivator shouldn’t speak so confidently. Could it be…
tā de liǎn ， dǎo shì liú zài wài miàn ， dàn zhěng zhāng miàn kǒng ， yě shì yīn qì huán rào zhe ， wǔ guān wán quán kàn bù qīng chǔ ， wéi yī néng gòu kàn jiàn de ， jiù shì yī duì yǎn móu ， nǎi xuè hóng sè 。
他的脸，倒是留在外面，但整张面孔，也是阴气环绕着，五官完全看不清楚，唯一能够看见的，就是一对眼眸，乃血红色。
The only reasonable explanation was that this guy wasn’t an early-stage tribulation cultivator but a late-stage one, appearing as a manifestation before him.
lín xuān de xīn xìng bú yòng shuō ， dàn yǔ tā duì shì yī yǎn ， yě shì hún shēn fā hán 。
林轩的心性不用说，但与他对视一眼，也是浑身发寒。
This explained why his tone was so outrageous and the pressure he exerted was far greater than the ghost sage from earlier.
yīn hún guǐ wù ！
阴魂鬼物！
Perhaps he wasn’t just a late-stage tribulation cultivator; his identity might be even higher. For example, one of the Six Kings of阴司, who ruled alongside Asura in ancient times.
zhè jiā huo de shēn fèn yǐ què dìng wú yí le 。
这家伙的身份已确定无疑了。
This speculation was bold but not impossible. After all, anything could happen in the cultivation world.
ér qiě zhèng rú zì jǐ de cāi cè ， tā guǒ rán shì dù jié qī de 。
而且正如自己的猜测，他果然是渡劫期的。
With this thought, Lin Xuan’s face turned even grimmer. The Six Kings of阴司 were formidable; their power rivaled that of Immortals and Demon Kings, on par with True Demons and Primordial Beasts. They were slightly higher than figures like Dailong Zhenren.
Chapter 2916: Bold Speculation
Fortune or misfortune, one must face it.
Lin Xuan had always been most worried about this. As time passed, his heart gradually settled in his chest. Yet, he still couldn't avoid the situation at the critical moment of refining a treasure.
That old monster, who had always caused him anxiety, finally appeared.
Though Lin Xuan didn’t know who this formidable figure was, it was undoubtedly much more powerful than the ghost sage he had encountered before.
What should he do?
Lin Xuan faced a dilemma.
But soon, his gaze became resolute. He had spent so much time and effort here; how could he just retreat silently? A cooked duck wouldn’t fly away on its own.
With a flick of his sleeve, another Lin Xuan appeared in front of him. With identical appearance and physique, it was clear that this was the Inner Refinement Self he had painstakingly cultivated.
Lin Xuan had thought about going to meet the enemy himself while leaving the Inner Refinement Self behind. The first reason was to prevent a feint attack; the second was to protect the treasure. Once the Phoenix Ring was successfully refined, the Inner Refinement Self would retrieve it.
While this arrangement wasn’t foolproof, it was the best idea Lin Xuan could come up with at the moment.
Without further ado, Lin Xuan shot upward into the air, his body enveloped in a faint green glow. The Inner Refinement Self’s expression was grave as well; he clutched his hands and his aura became almost imperceptible. Lin Xuan didn’t want this surprise attack to be revealed too soon.
A surprise attack must wait for the right moment to be effective, a lesson Lin Xuan had learned through experience.
---
The entire process seemed complex but took only an instant.
Suddenly, Lin Xuan found himself on the ground. Thunderous explosions filled his ears as he looked up. From far in the distance, a black light flashed like a dragon emerging from the sea, flying at heart-stopping speed toward him. The array he had set up was shattered effortlessly; it barely slowed down the intruder.
Despite his earlier expectations, Lin Xuan’s face turned pale with shock. This guy seemed even more terrifying than he had imagined.
Though he felt uneasy, Lin Xuan didn’t move. He had decided to block the enemy and couldn’t retreat after just a few steps.
The black light soon arrived above Tianxie Mountain. The glow dissipated, revealing a strange figure in dark robes.
Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes as he stared at him. This person’s appearance was bizarre; his entire body was wrapped in an unusually large black robe that even hid his head, making it impossible to tell if he had hair or not.
His face was visible but was surrounded by an aura of阴气, rendering his features indiscernible except for a pair of blood-red eyes.
Lin Xuan’s heart raced as he met the other’s gaze.
A ghostly entity!
This guy's identity was confirmed.
Indeed, just like Lin Xuan had guessed, he was at the Tribulation Period stage.
Fortunately, this wasn’t the late-stage tribulation cultivator that Lin Xuan had initially thought. The pressure emanating from his body clearly indicated his true level.
Just like the ghost sage he encountered earlier, both were at the initial stage.
From such a close distance, Lin Xuan couldn’t be mistaken; hiding his cultivation didn’t work well here.
However, despite being in the early stage, Lin Xuan was on high alert. Although they hadn’t fought yet, this guy felt entirely different from the ghost sage he had met before.
Lin Xuan wasn’t sure why but trusted his instincts. After countless battles, his instinct to face a formidable opponent was now incredibly sharp.
A formidable enemy!
Lin Xuan’s eyes narrowed as he maintained high alertness. The other’s face was obscured, but his red eyes glinted with surprise: "Huh? You’re just an early-stage One Spirit Period kid. Those arrays are quite impressive; I thought they were set up by a late-stage tribulation cultivator. Your appearance here means my subordinates must have fallen. Good job, it’s been millions of years since someone could defeat a tribulation cultivator at the One Spirit stage. Such a genius is rare. You’re not from this realm, right? It seems you were drawn in by spatial forces."
The other’s words were shocking. Lin Xuan was clearly taken aback.
"Your expression suggests I’m correct. A genius shouldn’t be without any reputation. Yes, as an Human, you have no connection with the Three Demon Kings. Do you know Guanghanzi? Or are you a disciple of that hermit, Guohongzi, or one of those descendants like Dailong and Baoxian?"
Lin Xuan was speechless. This guy had a huge ego, speaking as if he were on par with Immortals and Demon Kings. His expression didn’t seem to be idle talk.
A mere early-stage tribulation cultivator shouldn’t speak so confidently. Could it be…
The only reasonable explanation was that this guy wasn’t an early-stage tribulation cultivator but a late-stage one, appearing as a manifestation before him.
This explained why his tone was so outrageous and the pressure he exerted was far greater than the ghost sage from earlier.
Perhaps he wasn’t just a late-stage tribulation cultivator; his identity might be even higher. For example, one of the Six Kings of阴司, who ruled alongside Asura in ancient times.
This speculation was bold but not impossible. After all, anything could happen in the cultivation world.
With this thought, Lin Xuan’s face turned even grimmer. The Six Kings of阴司 were formidable; their power rivaled that of Immortals and Demon Kings, on par with True Demons and Primordial Beasts. They were slightly higher than figures like Dailong Zhenren.