qīng yán zūn zhě de liǎn sèyīn qíng bù dìng qǐ lái le 。(.)
青颜尊者的脸sèyīn晴不定起来了。(.)
The face of Senior Immortal Qingyan turned pale and uncertain. (.)
háng jia yī shēn shǒu ， biàn zhī yǒu méi yǒu ， nà fēi jiàn suī rán bú shì zì jǐ de běn mìng bǎo wù ， dàn wēi lì yě zhe shí bù sú ， jū rán bèi duì fāng yī zhǐ jiù gěi huǐ le 。
行家一伸手，便知有没有，那飞剑虽然不是自己的本命宝物，但威力也着实不俗，居然被对方一指就给毁了。
A true expert could tell at a glance, even though the flying sword wasn't his own innate treasure, its power was formidable enough to be destroyed by just one finger from the opponent.
bīng pò bù kuì shì zhēn mó shǐ zǔ ， yǎn qián suī rán jǐn jǐn shì yī jù huà shēn ， dàn shí lì yě zhe shí bù sú ， zhì shǎo bǐ zì jǐ yuán xiān yù jì de yào shèng guò xǔ duō 。
冰魄不愧是真魔始祖，眼前虽然仅仅是一具化身，但实力也着实不俗，至少比自己原先预计的要胜过许多。
Ice Spirit truly lived up to her reputation as a True Demon Ancestor; although this was merely an incarnation before her, her strength was considerable. She was clearly more powerful than he had initially anticipated.
gāi zěn me bàn ne ？
该怎么办呢？
What should he do?
jiù cǐ yǎn qí xī gǔ ？
就此偃旗息鼓？
Cease and desist?
miàn zi dào yě bà le ， guān jiàn shì bèi duì fāng zhè yàng xì shuǎ ， tā xiōng zhōng de yuàn qì shí zài yàn bù xià 。
面子倒也罢了，关键是被对方这样戏耍，他胸中的怨气实在咽不下。
While面子 (face) didn't matter much, the humiliation of being toyed with made him unable to swallow his anger.
kě dòng shǒu ， tā yòu méi yǒu tài dà bǎ wò ， yī shí jiān ， qīng yán zūn zhě xiàn rù le liǎng nán de jué zé 。
可动手，他又没有太大把握，一时间，青颜尊者陷入了两难的抉择。
But he hesitated over whether to act, lacking confidence in a successful outcome. Senior Immortal Qingyan found himself caught between two choices.
dàn tā bì jìng shì dù jié jí bié de xiū xiān zhě ， jīng lì dà fēng dà làng wú shù ， xīn zhōng suī rán jiū jié ， biǎo miàn shàng ， què yī jiù shì yī fù lěng xiào zhī sè：“ bīng pò dào yǒu ， nǐ bú yào qī rén tài shèn le ， dāng chū nǐ wǒ yuē dìng rú hé ， dà jiā dōu xīn lǐ yǒu shù ， xiān zi dàng zhēn yào shí yán ér féi me ？”
但他毕竟是渡劫级别的修仙者，经历大风大浪无数，心中虽然纠结，表面上，却依旧是一副冷笑之sè：“冰魄道友，妳不要欺人太甚了，当初妳我约定如何，大家都心里有数，仙子当真要食言而肥么？”
However, as an expert who had weathered countless storms, he maintained a cold smile despite his inner turmoil: "Senior Immortal Ice Spirit, you shouldn't be so domineering. Our agreement back then—everyone knows what was said. Are the Fairy Lady really going to break her word?"
“ shí yán yòu rú hé ， ruò nǐ zhǎo dào shǒu zhuó ， běn xiān zi zì rán huì duì xiàn chéng nuò ， zhì yú xiàn zài ， běn xiān zi bù jiāng rú hé lí kāi cǐ jiè miàn de fāng fǎ jiāo chū ， nǐ yòu néng rú hé ？”
“食言又如何，若你找到手镯，本仙子自然会兑现承诺，至于现在，本仙子不将如何离开此界面的方法交出，你又能如何？”
"Breaking one's word? If you find the bracelet, I will honor my promise. But until then, how can you force me to reveal my method of leaving this plane?"
“ hǎo ， hǎo 。”
“好，好。”
"Very well."
qīng yán zūn zhě nù jí fǎn xiào ， duì fāng hái zhēn shì sī háo gù jì yě wú ， yì diǎn yě méi yǒu jiāng zì jǐ fàng zài yǎn zhōng 。
青颜尊者怒极反笑，对方还真是丝毫顾忌也无，一点也没有将自己放在眼中。
Senior Immortal Qingyan's anger turned into a bitter laugh. The opponent showed no respect and clearly didn't consider him worthy.
jì rán rú cǐ ， nà hái yǒu shén me hǎo shuō ， dǎ bù guò yě yào dǎ ， bù gěi cǐ nǚ yì diǎn jiào xùn ， tā shí zài shì qì bù guò a ！
既然如此，那还有什么好说，打不过也要打，不给此女一点教训，他实在是气不过啊！
Given that, there was nothing left to say. He would fight even if he couldn't win; failing to teach her a lesson would leave him fuming.
“ jì rán rú cǐ ， bīng pò xiān zi ， nǐ jiù gěi běn lǎo zǔ …… qù sǐ ！”
“既然如此，冰魄仙子，妳就给本老祖……去死！”
"Since it must be this way, Senior Immortal Ice Spirit, I will let you... die!"
qīng yán zūn zhě zuì zhōng hái zuò chū le jué zé ， tā de liǎn shàng shǎn guò yī sī xiōng lì zhī sè， hún shēn líng máng dà zuò ， shù jiàn bǎo wù zài yī shùn jiān fú xiàn ér chū ， rú jí fēng zhòu yǔ ， hěn hěn de xiàng duì fāng pū le guò qù 。
青颜尊者最终还做出了抉择，他的脸上闪过一丝凶厉之sè，浑身灵芒大做，数件宝物在一瞬间浮现而出，如疾风骤雨，狠狠的像对方扑了过去。
Senior Immortal Qingyan finally made his choice. A fierce expression flashed across his face as his body was enveloped in spiritual light. Several treasures appeared instantly like a storm, rushing towards the opponent with great force.
zhè me zuò kàn shì mǎng zhuàng le xiē ， yì qì yòng shì ， dàn qīng yán zūn zhě nèi xīn shēn chù ， zì rán yǒu yī fān zì jǐ de dǎ suàn lái zhe 。
这么做看似莽撞了些，意气用事，但青颜尊者内心深处，自然有一番自己的打算来着。
Though it seemed rash and impulsive, Senior Immortal Qingyan had his reasons. While Ice Spirit's incarnation was indeed strong, he wasn't sure if she could be defeated. Capturing her to extract her soul might offer a way out of this plane.
bīng pò huà shēn kàn shì hěn qiáng méi cuò ， dàn néng fǒu shèng guò zì jǐ yī jiù shì liǎng shuō ， rú guǒ néng jiāng tā zhuō zhù chōu hún liàn pò 。 bù jiù néng dé dào lí kāi zhè lǐ de fāng fǎ le 。
冰魄化身看似很强没错，但能否胜过自己依旧是两说，如果能将她捉住抽魂炼魄。不就能得到离开这里的方法了。
With such an objective in mind, he didn't hesitate to use multiple treasures at once, their ferocity even shocking Ice Spirit.
jì rán yào zuò ， nà jiù yòng bù zhe tuō ní dài shuǐ shén me ， gù ér tā yī chū shǒu jiù shì shù jiàn bǎo wù ， lái shì zhī měng è lián bīng pò yě bù yóu de bó rán biàn sè。
既然要做，那就用不着拖泥带水什么，故而他一出手就是数件宝物，来势之猛恶连冰魄也不由得勃然变sè。
Without further thought, his jade hand swept forward, emitting several sharp rays from his fingertips.
bù jí duō xiǎng ， yù shǒu xiàng qián huī chū ， zhǐ jiàn jǐ lǚ lì máng ， yóu tā de zhǐ zhǎng jiān jī shè。
不及多想，玉手像前挥出，只见几缕厉芒，由她的指掌间激shè。
Instantly, various colored lights zipped through the air. Explosions soon followed, shaking the entire space violently.
dùn shí ， gè sè guāng máng zài bàn kōng zhōng chuān suō 。 suí hòu bào liè shēng dà zuò ， zhěng gè kōng jiān dōu jù liè chàn dǒu qǐ lái le 。
顿时，各sè光芒在半空中穿梭。随后爆裂声大做，整个空间都剧烈颤抖起来了。
...
……
……
Setting aside the enmity between two old monsters, this had little to do with Lin Xuan.
liǎng míng dù jié qī lǎo guài fān liǎn chéng chóu zàn qiě bù tí ， zhè yǔ lín xuān yě méi yǒu tài dà de guān xì 。
两名渡劫期老怪翻脸成仇暂且不提，这与林轩也没有太大的关系。
Since he chose to stay in Spirit Wave Valley, Lin Xuan would not waste any time or hesitate; he focused entirely on arduous cultivation.
jì rán xuǎn zé le liú zài líng bō gǔ ， nà jiē xià lái de shí jiān ， lín xuān kěn dìng bú huì yǒu bàn diǎn de dài màn chí yí ， yī xīn dōu pū zài le kǔ xiū lǐ 。
既然选择了留在灵波谷，那接下来的时间，林轩肯定不会有半点的怠慢迟疑，一心都扑在了苦修里。
The valley's spiritual energy was incredibly dense. The influence of the Dark King of the Netherworld could not reach here, making it a peaceful place without disputes or disturbances. Although somewhat lonely, it was an ideal location for cultivation.
zhè lǐ de líng qì wú bǐ nóng yù ， yōu míng àn wáng de shì lì ， yě wú fǎ yán zhǎn dào zhè lǐ ， méi yǒu fēn zhēng 。 méi yǒu dǎ rǎo ， suī rán shāo wēi jì mò le yī xiē ， dàn què shí shì jué jiā de xiū liàn zhī dì 。
这里的灵气无比浓郁，幽冥暗王的势力，也无法延展到这里，没有纷争。没有打扰，虽然稍微寂寞了一些，但确实是绝佳的修炼之地。
Flowers bloomed and fell, only to bloom again. Time passed swiftly in the world of cultivation; decades went by like a blink.
huā kāi huā luò 。 huā luò huā kāi ， xiū xiān wú suì yuè ， shù shí nián de guāng yīn， yī huǎng yǎn ， jiù yǐ guò qù 。
花开花落。花落花开，修仙无岁月，数十年的光yīn，一晃眼，就已过去。
More than fifty years had passed since Lin Xuan entered Spirit Wave Valley.
jù lí lín xuān jìn rù líng bō gǔ ， qián hòu yǐ wǔ shí zài yǒu yú 。
距离林轩进入灵波谷，前后已五十载有余。
After so many years of meditation and hard work, he finally achieved satisfying results. His mind and mana were now at the peak of the Focused Mind stage.
zhè me jiǔ de dǎ zuò kǔ xiū ， zhōng yú huàn lái le lìng rén mǎn yì de jié guǒ ， lín xuān bù lùn jīng shén hái shì fǎ lì ， dōu yǐ dào le fēn shén qī de diān fēng 。
这么久的打坐苦修，终于换来了令人满意的结果，林轩不论jīng神还是法力，都已到了分神期的巅峰。
If the Focused Mind realm was compared to a bowl, his overflowing mana began spilling out from it.
jiǎ rú jiāng fēn shén jìng jiè bǐ zuò yí gè wǎn 。 tā hún shēn shàng xià chōng yíng de fǎ lì ， shèn zhì kāi shǐ yóu zhè ge wǎn lǐ yì chū lái 。
假如将分神境界比作一个碗。他浑身上下充盈的法力，甚至开始由这个碗里溢出来。
In other words, breaking through this bottleneck was now the best moment. While he couldn't say it was effortless, the timing was indeed right.
huàn jù huà shuō ， xiàn zài xuǎn zé jiāng píng jǐng tū pò ， yǐ shì zuì jiā de shí kè ， shuǐ dào qú chéng bù gǎn shuō 。 dàn shí jī què shí shì dào le 。
换句话说，现在选择将瓶颈突破，已是最佳的时刻，水到渠成不敢说。但时机确实是到了。
With no further hesitation, Lin Xuan spent three days resting instead of meditating.
jì rán rú cǐ ， lín xuān yě jiù bù zài chí yí ， jiē xià lái de sān tiān lǐ ， lín xuān bù zài dǎ zuò nǔ lì ， qǔ ér dài zhī de shì hǎo hǎo xiū xī 。
既然如此，林轩也就不再迟疑，接下来的三天里，林轩不再打坐努力，取而代之的是好好休息。
Cultivation required both hard work and proper rest.
xiū xiān xiū xiān 。 yě bú shì yī wèi de kǔ xiū jí kě ， zài shì dàng de shí kè ， tóng yàng xū yào láo yì jié hé 。
修仙修仙。也不是一味的苦修即可，在适当的时刻，同样需要劳逸结合。
Over these three days, Lin Xuan relaxed his mind and reflected on his journey. This process had its purpose: he wanted to find any weaknesses in his mindset and mend them. After all, breaking through the Golden Stage bottleneck would bring about heart demons; if unlucky,域外天魔 (demons from beyond the heavens) might descend.
zhè sān tiān xiū xī ， lín xuān jiù shì jǐn liàng fàng sōng xīn qíng 。
这三天休息，林轩就是尽量放松心情。
The fewer such vulnerabilities he had, the less likely he was to fall into a trance.
tóng shí huí yì le yī xià zì jǐ de xiū xiān zhī lù ， wǎng shì zài yǎn qián yī yì liú tǎng ér guò ， ér tā zhè me zuò ， zì rán yě shì yǒu mù dì de 。
同时回忆了一下自己的修仙之路，往事在眼前一一流淌而过，而他这么做，自然也是有目的的。
Without further ado, Lin Xuan sat cross-legged on an open space at the top of the mountain. Several bottles and jars stood before him, containing the treasures needed for his breakthrough.
lín xuān xiǎng yào zhǎo dào zì jǐ xīn jìng shàng de lòu dòng ， bìng jiāng tā xiū bǔ ， bì jìng jiē xià lái ， zì jǐ yào zuò de ， shì jiāng dù jié qī píng jǐng tū pò ， zhè yī guān ， jí shǐ shì chéng gōng le ， yě huì yǐn lái xīn mó ， ruò shì yùn qì bù hǎo ， yù wài tiān mó jiàng lín ， yě bú shì bù kě néng de 。
林轩想要找到自己心境上的漏洞，并将它修补，毕竟接下来，自己要做的，是将渡劫期瓶颈突破，这一关，即使是成功了，也会引来心魔，若是运气不好，域外天魔降临，也不是不可能的。
Though unremarkable, these elixirs and medicines could cause ripples in the cultivation world if any were revealed. Lin Xuan had gone to great lengths and risked much to collect them.
ér xīn jìng shàng de lòu dòng yuè shǎo ， jiù yuè bù róng yì zǒu huǒ rù mó 。
而心境上的漏洞越少，就越不容易走火入魔。
Recalling his past struggles, Lin Xuan felt a mix of emotions. The hardships and risks he had endured were all worth it. With these treasures, his chances of successfully entering the Golden Stage stood at more than fifty percent.
zhè guò chéng ， yě bù yòng lèi shù ， lín xuān suǒ yǒu de zhǔn bèi dōu zuò hǎo le 。
这过程，也不用累述，林轩所有的准备都做好了。
No one should misunderstand; fifty percent meant half. If anyone said this out loud, it would be shocking.
suí hòu biàn jiàn tā zài shān dǐng de kòng dì shàng pán xī ér zuò 。
随后便见他在山顶的空地上盘膝而坐。
It was well known that the Golden Stage was the final realm in cultivation. The difficulty to advance there far surpassed previous stages.
ér zài lín xuān de shēn qián ， zé fàng yǒu jǐ gè píng píng guàn guàn ， zhè lǐ miàn suǒ zhuāng de ， shì lín xuān chōng jī dù jié qī píng jǐng yào yòng dào de bǎo wù 。
而在林轩的身前，则放有几个瓶瓶罐罐，这里面所装的，是林轩冲击渡劫期瓶颈要用到的宝物。
Throughout history and across the three realms, only a few like the Shakra King dared claim they had a fifty percent chance of success. For others, such thoughts were unimaginable.
kàn shì bù qǐ yǎn ， dàn zhè xiē líng dān miào yào suí biàn ná chū yī lì ， dōu zú yǐ zài xiū xiān jiè yǐn qǐ xīng fēng xuè yǔ ， lín xuān wèi le shōu jí tā men ， yě shì fèi le jiǔ niú èr hǔ zhī lì ， mào le bù shǎo fēng xiǎn cái chéng gōng dì 。
看似不起眼，但这些灵丹妙药随便拿出一粒，都足以在修仙界引起腥风血雨，林轩为了收集它们，也是费了九牛二虎之力，冒了不少风险才成功地。
Indeed, even lesser immortals or demon kings, True Demon Ancestors, or geniuses like Real Immortal Nai Long would tremble with fear when advancing from the Focused Mind to Golden Stage, only daring to celebrate if they had a two-to-three percent chance of success.
xiǎng xiǎng qián chén wǎng shì ， lín xuān yě gǎn kǎi wàn qiān ， hǎo zài chī de zhè xiē kǔ ， mào de zhè xiē xiǎn dōu jué duì zhí de ， kào zhe zhè xiē líng dān miào yào ， jìn jiē dù jié de bǎ wò ， lín xuān jiù yǒu wǔ chéng hái duō 。
想想前尘往事，林轩也感慨万千，好在吃的这些苦，冒的这些险都绝对值得，靠着这些灵丹妙药，进阶渡劫的把握，林轩就有五成还多。
Given their caution, other cultivators were even more cautious. Even after great efforts and finding some rare medicinal herbs for assistance, the odds remained less than one in a thousand.
dà jiā méi yǒu tīng cuò ， wǔ chéng ， yě jiù shì yí bàn ， rú guǒ jiāng zhè huà shuō chū qù ， nà jiǎn zhí shì jīng shì hài sú 。
大家没有听错，五成，也就是一半，如果将这话说出去，那简直是惊世骇俗。
In short, it was purely luck. If they knew Lin Xuan's current situation, they would envy him to tears.
zhòng suǒ zhōu zhī ， dù jié shì xiū xiān de zuì hòu yí gè jìng jiè ， xiǎng yào mài rù de nán dù ， yǔ qián miàn de jìng jiè ， shì bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ de 。
众所周知，渡劫是修仙的最后一个境界，想要迈入的难度，与前面的境界，是不可同rì而语的。
Lin Xuan sat cross-legged on the open ground, calming his breath and clearing his mind until he reached a state of tranquility.
fàng yǎn sān jiè ， zòng héng jīn gǔ ， chú le ā xiū luó wáng zhè yàng fēng huá jué dài de rén wù ， zài tū pò dù jié píng jǐng de shí hòu gǎn shuō zì jǐ yǒu yí bàn de bǎ wò ， qí tā rén shì xiǎng dōu bù gǎn xiǎng 。
放眼三界，纵横今古，除了阿修罗王这样风华绝代的人物，在突破渡劫瓶颈的时候敢说自己有一半的把握，其他人是想都不敢想。
Though simple to say, achieving such inner calm without any distractions was incredibly difficult.
méi cuò ， bù gǎn xiǎng ， nǎ pà shì sàn xiān yāo wáng ， zhēn mó shǐ zǔ ， huò zhě nài lóng zhēn rén zhè yàng de tiān cái de rén wù ， dāng nián yóu fēn shén jìn jiē dù jié de shí hòu ， yě shì zhàn zhàn jīng jīng ， yǒu gè liǎng sān chéng bǎ wò ， jiù tōu xiào shāo gāo xiāng le 。
没错，不敢想，哪怕是散仙妖王，真魔始祖，或者鼐龙真人这样的天才的人物，当年由分神进阶渡劫的时候，也是战战兢兢，有个两三成把握，就偷笑烧高香了。
With a wave of his sleeve, an elegant jade box rose from the air. The box was only a few inches long and wide, intricately carved from fine jade, clearly not a common item.
lián tā men dōu rú cǐ ， qí tā de xiū shì gèng bù yòng tí ， nǎ pà qiān xīn wàn kǔ xún dào yī xiē líng yào fǔ zhù ， jī lǜ yī jiù bù zú qiān fēn zhī yī 。
连他们都如此，其他的修士更不用提，哪怕千辛万苦寻到一些灵药辅助，几率依旧不足千分之一。
In his hand, it emitted a faint chill.
jiǎn dān de shuō ， chún cuì pèng yùn qì ， ruò tā men zhī dào lín xuān rú jīn de zāo yù ， fēi xiàn mù dé tòng kū liú tì 。
简单的说，纯粹碰运气，若他们知道林轩如今的遭遇，非羡慕得痛哭流涕。
Ten-thousand-year-old cold jade.
lín xuān pán xī zuò yú kòng dì ， jìng jìng de tiáo xī piàn kè ， jiāng xīn zhōng suǒ yǒu de zá niàn qū chú ， zuò dào xīn rú zhǐ shuǐ de dì bù 。
林轩盘膝坐于空地，静静的调息片刻，将心中所有的杂念驱除，做到心如止水的地步。
Actually, it should be considered the essence of ten-thousand-year-old cold jade; materials at this level were suitable for crafting excellent magical treasures. However, Lin Xuan chose to use it as a container.
zhè ge guò chéng shuō qǐ lái jiǎn dān ， dàn yào xīn zhōng dàng zhēn bù hán yì diǎn zá niàn qí shí què shì wàn bān wéi nán 。
这个过程说起来简单，但要心中当真不含一点杂念其实却是万般为难。
His choice was based on practical considerations: while ten-thousand-year-old cold jade could indeed make fine magical treasures, its primary purpose here was to preserve precious elixirs without any loss or degradation.
The face of Senior Immortal Qingyan turned pale and uncertain. (.)
A true expert could tell at a glance, even though the flying sword wasn't his own innate treasure, its power was formidable enough to be destroyed by just one finger from the opponent.
Ice Spirit truly lived up to her reputation as a True Demon Ancestor; although this was merely an incarnation before her, her strength was considerable. She was clearly more powerful than he had initially anticipated.
What should he do?
Cease and desist?
While面子 (face) didn't matter much, the humiliation of being toyed with made him unable to swallow his anger.
But he hesitated over whether to act, lacking confidence in a successful outcome. Senior Immortal Qingyan found himself caught between two choices.
However, as an expert who had weathered countless storms, he maintained a cold smile despite his inner turmoil: "Senior Immortal Ice Spirit, you shouldn't be so domineering. Our agreement back then—everyone knows what was said. Are the Fairy Lady really going to break her word?"
"Breaking one's word? If you find the bracelet, I will honor my promise. But until then, how can you force me to reveal my method of leaving this plane?"
"Very well."
Senior Immortal Qingyan's anger turned into a bitter laugh. The opponent showed no respect and clearly didn't consider him worthy.
Given that, there was nothing left to say. He would fight even if he couldn't win; failing to teach her a lesson would leave him fuming.
"Since it must be this way, Senior Immortal Ice Spirit, I will let you... die!"
Senior Immortal Qingyan finally made his choice. A fierce expression flashed across his face as his body was enveloped in spiritual light. Several treasures appeared instantly like a storm, rushing towards the opponent with great force.
Though it seemed rash and impulsive, Senior Immortal Qingyan had his reasons. While Ice Spirit's incarnation was indeed strong, he wasn't sure if she could be defeated. Capturing her to extract her soul might offer a way out of this plane.
With such an objective in mind, he didn't hesitate to use multiple treasures at once, their ferocity even shocking Ice Spirit.
Without further thought, his jade hand swept forward, emitting several sharp rays from his fingertips.
Instantly, various colored lights zipped through the air. Explosions soon followed, shaking the entire space violently.
...
Setting aside the enmity between two old monsters, this had little to do with Lin Xuan.
Since he chose to stay in Spirit Wave Valley, Lin Xuan would not waste any time or hesitate; he focused entirely on arduous cultivation.
The valley's spiritual energy was incredibly dense. The influence of the Dark King of the Netherworld could not reach here, making it a peaceful place without disputes or disturbances. Although somewhat lonely, it was an ideal location for cultivation.
Flowers bloomed and fell, only to bloom again. Time passed swiftly in the world of cultivation; decades went by like a blink.
More than fifty years had passed since Lin Xuan entered Spirit Wave Valley.
After so many years of meditation and hard work, he finally achieved satisfying results. His mind and mana were now at the peak of the Focused Mind stage.
If the Focused Mind realm was compared to a bowl, his overflowing mana began spilling out from it.
In other words, breaking through this bottleneck was now the best moment. While he couldn't say it was effortless, the timing was indeed right.
With no further hesitation, Lin Xuan spent three days resting instead of meditating.
Cultivation required both hard work and proper rest.
Over these three days, Lin Xuan relaxed his mind and reflected on his journey. This process had its purpose: he wanted to find any weaknesses in his mindset and mend them. After all, breaking through the Golden Stage bottleneck would bring about heart demons; if unlucky,域外天魔 (demons from beyond the heavens) might descend.
The fewer such vulnerabilities he had, the less likely he was to fall into a trance.
Without further ado, Lin Xuan sat cross-legged on an open space at the top of the mountain. Several bottles and jars stood before him, containing the treasures needed for his breakthrough.
Though unremarkable, these elixirs and medicines could cause ripples in the cultivation world if any were revealed. Lin Xuan had gone to great lengths and risked much to collect them.
Recalling his past struggles, Lin Xuan felt a mix of emotions. The hardships and risks he had endured were all worth it. With these treasures, his chances of successfully entering the Golden Stage stood at more than fifty percent.
No one should misunderstand; fifty percent meant half. If anyone said this out loud, it would be shocking.
It was well known that the Golden Stage was the final realm in cultivation. The difficulty to advance there far surpassed previous stages.
Throughout history and across the three realms, only a few like the Shakra King dared claim they had a fifty percent chance of success. For others, such thoughts were unimaginable.
Indeed, even lesser immortals or demon kings, True Demon Ancestors, or geniuses like Real Immortal Nai Long would tremble with fear when advancing from the Focused Mind to Golden Stage, only daring to celebrate if they had a two-to-three percent chance of success.
Given their caution, other cultivators were even more cautious. Even after great efforts and finding some rare medicinal herbs for assistance, the odds remained less than one in a thousand.
In short, it was purely luck. If they knew Lin Xuan's current situation, they would envy him to tears.
Lin Xuan sat cross-legged on the open ground, calming his breath and clearing his mind until he reached a state of tranquility.
Though simple to say, achieving such inner calm without any distractions was incredibly difficult.
With a wave of his sleeve, an elegant jade box rose from the air. The box was only a few inches long and wide, intricately carved from fine jade, clearly not a common item.
In his hand, it emitted a faint chill.
Ten-thousand-year-old cold jade.
Actually, it should be considered the essence of ten-thousand-year-old cold jade; materials at this level were suitable for crafting excellent magical treasures. However, Lin Xuan chose to use it as a container.
His choice was based on practical considerations: while ten-thousand-year-old cold jade could indeed make fine magical treasures, its primary purpose here was to preserve precious elixirs without any loss or degradation.