第两千九百八十八章 化险为夷

zhěng gè guò chéng chí xù le bàn zhǎn chá de gōng fu ， rán ér gěi rén de gǎn jué ， què shì màn cháng dào wú yǐ fù jiā de dì bù 。

整个过程持续了半盏茶的功夫，然而给人的感觉，却是漫长到无以复加的地步。

The entire process lasted half a gongfu, yet it felt like an eternity to those observing.

zhōng yú ， líng guāng huǒ yàn ， dōu jiàn jiàn de àn dàn xià lái 。

终于，灵光火焰，都渐渐的黯淡下来。

Finally, the spiritual flame began to dim.

dān tián suǒ shòu dào de chuāng shāng fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， liǎng rén yě jiàn jiàn fēn chū le shèng fù qiáng ruò 。

丹田所受到的创伤非同小可，两人也渐渐分出了胜负强弱。

The injuries sustained by Lin Xuan's dantian were severe, and the two combatants gradually revealed their relative strengths. The green-robed figure was in a state of utter disarray; half its body had vanished, leaving only one hand and one foot, but no blood was flowing.

nà qīng páo xiǎo rén mǎn liǎn de láng bèi zhī sè， bàn piàn shēn tǐ dōu yǐ jīng bù yì ér fēi le ， zhǐ shèng xià yī shǒu yī zú ， bù guò què méi yǒu xiān xuè liú tǎng ér chū 。

那青袍小人满脸的狼狈之sè，半片身体都已经不翼而飞了，只剩下一手一足，不过却没有鲜血流淌而出。

Originally an incarnation of Lin Xuan’s spirit consciousness, it now bore grievous injuries, which naturally affected his own spirit consciousness as well.

tā yuán běn jiù shì lín xuān shén shí suǒ huà zhī wù ， rú jīn suǒ shòu de chuāng shāng fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， lín xuān de shén shí zì rán yě bú huì hǎo guò 。

他原本就是林轩神识所化之物，如今所受的创伤非同小可，林轩的神识自然也不会好过。

On the other side, the nine-headed bird was similarly battered. It originally had nine heads, but now only four remained; the others were presumably destroyed in the earlier battle.

lìng yī biān ， nà jiǔ tóu guài niǎo de qíng xíng yě xiāng chà fǎng fú ， tā yuán běn yōng yǒu jiǔ gè tóu lú ， rú jīn què zhǐ shèng xià sì gè ， qí tā jǐ gè ， bú yòng shuō ， dōu zài gāng cái de nà bō zhàn dòu zhōng ， bèi dǎ bào diào le 。

另一边，那九头怪鸟的情形也相差仿佛，它原本拥有九个头颅，如今却只剩下四个，其他几个，不用说，都在刚才的那波战斗中，被打爆掉了。

However, unlike Lin Xuan's severely injured spirit consciousness, this creature’s wounds seemed to be healing at an alarming rate, regaining its full nine heads within a short time and appearing robust and energetic.

rán ér yǔ lín xuān bèi zhòng chuāng de shén shí bù tóng ， tā suǒ shòu dào de chuāng shāng ， jū rán yǐ ròu yǎn kě jiàn de sù dù huī fù ， bú dào yī zhǎn chá de gōng fu ， yòu huī fù le jiǔ gè tóu lú ， shén wán qì zú 。

然而与林轩被重创的神识不同，它所受到的创伤，居然以肉眼可见的速度恢复，不到一盏茶的功夫，又恢复了九个头颅，神完气足。

"This..."

“ zhè ……”

“这……”

Lin Xuan watched helplessly as this scene unfolded. The anger and frustration in his heart were palpable; he might have gone blind from rage.

lín xuān yǎn zhēng zhēng kàn zhe zhè yí mù ， què shén me yě bù néng zuò ， xīn zhōng de fèn mèn kě xiǎng ér zhī ， shuō mù chì yù liè yě bù wèi guò 。

林轩眼睁睁看着这一幕，却什么也不能做，心中的愤懑可想而知，说目赤yù裂也不为过。

But what use was it to lament? Neither the cultivation realm nor the secular world offered any regrets or second chances. Dwelling on past mistakes now would be futile.

kě ào nǎo yòu yǒu shén me yòng ne ， bù lùn xiū xiān jiè hái shì shì sú ， dōu méi yǒu hòu huǐ yào yào shuō ， xiàn zài zài qù jiū jié dāng chū bù gāi dà yì shū hū yǐ méi yǒu le yòng chǔ 。

可懊恼又有什么用呢，不论修仙界还是世俗，都没有后悔药要说，现在再去纠结当初不该大意疏忽已没有了用处。

Damn!

kě wù ！

可恶！

Was he really going to perish here, after all the effort and struggle that had brought him this far, only for a damned true spirit flame to seize his soul at the critical moment of ascending?

nán dào zì jǐ dàng zhēn yào yǔn luò zài zhè lǐ me ， fèi jǐn qiān xīn wàn kǔ ， hǎo bù rú cǐ cái zǒu dào zhè yī bù ， què zài yào jìn jiē dào dù jié de guān jiàn shí kè ， bèi nà kě wù de zhēn líng zhī huǒ duó shě ？

难道自己当真要陨落在这里么，费尽千辛万苦，好不如此才走到这一步，却在要进阶到渡劫的关键时刻，被那可恶的真灵之火夺舍？

Lin Xuan's heart was filled with不甘 (discontent), but what could he do? He had already exerted every effort, yet the result remained unchanged. As the ancients said, "Planning lies in human hands; success depends on heaven."

lín xuān xīn zhōng chōng mǎn le bù gān ， rán ér yòu néng rú hé ， tā yǐ jīng pīn mìng de nǔ lì guò ， kě yī jiù gǎi biàn bù liǎo zhè ge jié guǒ ， móu shì zài rén ， chéng shì zài tiān ， gǔ rén chéng bù qī wǒ 。

林轩心中充满了不甘，然而又能如何，他已经拼命的努力过，可依旧改变不了这个结果，谋事在人，成事在天，古人诚不欺我。

"The little fellow, I told you to stop struggling earlier. Surrender and submit, and I might even allow your soul to reincarnate. But no, you ignored my good intentions. Now..."

“ xiǎo jiā huo ， wǒ zǎo jiù jiào nǐ bú yào zhēng zhá le ， guāi guāi de shù shǒu jiù fù ， běn zūn hái kě yǐ fàng nǐ de hún pò zhòng rù lún huí zhī dào de ， nǐ què jiāng wǒ de hǎo yì qì zhī bù gù ， xiàn zài me ……”

“小家伙，我早就叫你不要挣扎了，乖乖的束手就缚，本尊还可以放你的魂魄重入轮回之道的，你却将我的好意弃之不顾，现在么……”

The true spirit flame's sinister laughter echoed in his ears, its tone filled with arrogance. It seemed prepared to devour Lin Xuan’s soul completely.

zhēn líng zhī huǒ níng xiào de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， shēng yīn yǔ qì ， chōng mǎn le xiāo zhāng bá hù ， tīng tā de kǒu qì ， shì zhǔn bèi lián lín xuān de hún pò dōu bù fàng guò ， chè dǐ tūn shì diào le 。

真灵之火狞笑的声音传入耳朵，声音语气，充满了嚣张跋扈，听它的口气，是准备连林轩的魂魄都不放过，彻底吞噬掉了。

Lin Xuan was at a critical juncture where life and death hung in the balance. Since he embarked on the path of cultivation, this level of danger had never been encountered before, even when facing true primordial demons.

lín xuān yǐ dào le shēng sǐ yōu guān de yī kè ， zì cóng tà shàng xiū xiān zhī lù ， kě yǐ shuō ， jiù suàn shì miàn duì zhēn mó shǐ zǔ ， yě bù céng zhè me wēi xiǎn de 。

林轩已到了生死攸关的一刻，自从踏上修仙之路，可以说，就算是面对真魔始祖，也不曾这么危险的。

Recalling his past, a thousand years of experiences flashed through his mind.

huí shǒu wǎng xī ， qiān nián lái de jīng lì zài yǎn qián liú tǎng ér guò 。

回首往昔，千年来的经历在眼前流淌而过。

Must it end now?

nán dào zhēn yào jié shù le ？

难道真要结束了？

At this crucial moment, Lin Xuan’s heart strangely remained calm.

zài zhè guān jiàn shí kè ， lín xuān de xīn ， què chū qí de níng jìng xià lái le 。

在这关键时刻，林轩的心，却出奇的宁静下来了。

The external disturbances seemed like gentle breezes; everything was no longer important.

wài jiè de fēn rǎo ， dōu rú qīng fēng fú guò ， yī qiè de yī qiè ， sì hū dōu bù zài zhòng yào le 。

外界的纷扰，都如清风拂过，一切的一切，似乎都不再重要了。

He transcended life and death, transcending the mundane. At that moment, all his worldly concerns appeared trivial to him.

chāo tuō shēng sǐ ， chāo tuō shì sú ， fǎng fú zài zhè yī kè ， lín xuān jiāng suǒ yǒu de yī qiè ， quán dōu kàn pò 。

超脱生死，超脱世俗，仿佛在这一刻，林轩将所有的一切，全都看破。

My heart remains unchanged; all external disturbances are merely illusions of my own mind.

wǒ xīn yī jiù ， wài jiè suǒ yǒu de fēn rǎo ， jiē shì xīn mó 。

我心依旧，外界所有的纷扰，皆是心魔。

Wait, illusion of the mind... why did I suddenly think of this at such a critical moment?

děng děng ， xīn mó ， míng míng zài shēng sǐ yōu guān de yī kè ， zì jǐ zěn me huì mò míng qí miào de xiǎng dào zhè ge ？

等等，心魔，明明在生死攸关的一刻，自己怎么会莫名其妙的想到这个？

A flicker of spiritual light emerged in his dantian.

nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou zhuǎn guò ， suí hòu yì diǎn líng guāng zài dān tián zhōng fú xiàn ér chū 。

脑海中念头转过，随后一点灵光在丹田中浮现而出。

This light was not dazzling and had no extraordinary appearance. Its power seemed very gentle. However, upon its appearance, the previously arrogant true spirit flame suddenly appeared fearful, trying to escape as if encountering an archenemy.

nà líng guāng bìng bù yào yǎn ， yě méi yǒu rèn hé chū qí zhī chù ， tā de lì liàng shèn zhì kě yǐ shuō fēi cháng de róu hé ， rán ér zài tā chū xiàn de yī kè ， gāng gāng hái qì yàn xiāo zhāng de zhēn líng zhī huǒ tū rán xiàng yù jiàn kè xīng shì de ， mǎn liǎn kǒng jù de xiǎng yào táo tuō 。

那灵光并不耀眼，也没有任何出奇之处，它的力量甚至可以说非常的柔和，然而在它出现的一刻，刚刚还气焰嚣张的真灵之火突然像遇见克星似的，满脸恐惧的想要逃脱。

But it was too late.

rán ér wéi shí wǎn le 。

然而为时晚了。

The speed of this light was not fast, yet it seemed to transcend spatial laws, ignoring distance. In a flash, it landed on the back of the true spirit flame.

nà líng guāng sù dù bù kuài ， què fǎng fú kān pò le kōng jiān fǎ zé ， shì jù lí wèi wú wù ， yí gè shǎn dòng jiān ， jiù luò dào nà zhēn líng zhī huǒ de bèi shàng le 。

那灵光速度不快，却仿佛勘破了空间法则，视距离为无物，一个闪动间，就落到那真灵之火的背上了。

Sizzle...

chī ……

嗤……

A sound so sharp that it made his teeth ache echoed in his ears. It felt like dumping cold water into a hot oil pot.

lìng rén yá suān de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， gěi rén de gǎn jué jiù fǎng fú zài yóu guō zhōng sǎ shàng le yī piáo lěng shuǐ shì de 。

令人牙酸的声音传入耳朵，给人的感觉就仿佛在油锅中洒上了一瓢冷水似的。

Instantly, the oil pot began to boil.

shà shí jiān ， yóu guō zhěng gè fèi téng qǐ lái le 。

霎时间，油锅整个沸腾起来了。

"Ahh!"

“ a ！”

“啊！”

A piercing scream filled the air as the nine-headed bird vanished, replaced by a ghastly face with grotesque features and a twisted expression, clearly suffering immense pain, its shape constantly changing.

qī lì de cǎn jiào chuán rù ěr duǒ ， nà jiǔ tóu guài niǎo bú jiàn le ， qǔ ér dài zhī de shì yī zhāng guǐ liǎn ， wǔ guān chǒu lòu yǐ jí ， miàn róng niǔ qū ， fǎng fú zhèng jīng lì zhe mò dà de tòng kǔ ， xíng zhuàng bù tíng de biàn huàn zhe 。

凄厉的惨叫传入耳朵，那九头怪鸟不见了，取而代之的是一张鬼脸，五官丑陋以极，面容扭曲，仿佛正经历着莫大的痛苦，形状不停的变幻着。

A demon from beyond the heavens!

yù wài tiān mó ！

域外天魔！

Technically speaking, it was merely a fragment of demonic consciousness. Yet just moments ago, it nearly led Lin Xuan to his doom.

zhèng què de shuō ， zhǐ shì yī lǚ mó niàn ， rán ér gāng gāng jiù shì tā ， què chà diǎn ràng lín xuān wàn jié bù fù 。

正确的说，只是一缕魔念，然而刚刚就是它，却差点让林轩万劫不复。

But everything had ended.

rán ér yī qiè dōu yǐ jīng jié shù 。

然而一切都已经结束。

Although terrifying, as long as the illusion was seen through, it posed no real threat.

xīn mó suī rán kě bù ， dàn zhǐ yào bèi kàn chuān yě jiù zài yě gòu bù chéng wēi xié shén me 。

心魔虽然可怖，但只要被看穿也就再也构不成威胁什么。

The demon's agonized screams echoed in his dantian but could not dislodge that single flicker of spiritual light.

nà mó tóu qī lì de cǎn jiào shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， zài lín xuān de dān tián zhōng zhǎn zhuǎn téng nuó ， què wú fǎ jiāng nà yì diǎn líng guāng bǎi tuō 。

那魔头凄厉的惨叫声传入耳朵，在林轩的丹田中辗转腾挪，却无法将那一点灵光摆脱。

After a moment, the sound abruptly stopped. The spiritual light had transformed the scream into nothingness, as if it never existed.

piàn kè hòu shēng yīn gá rán ér zhǐ ， bèi nà líng guāng liàn huà chéng le xū wú ， fǎng fú cóng lái bù céng zài zhè ge shì jiè chū xiàn guò 。

片刻后声音噶然而止，被那灵光炼化成了虚无，仿佛从来不曾在这个世界出现过。

"Phew!"

“ hū ！”

“呼！”

Lin Xuan’s consciousness gradually returned to him, yet everything seemed like a dream. His mana was restored, and his body moved freely once more; even his severely injured spirit consciousness had recovered...

lín xuān de yì shí yě zhú jiàn huī fù ， què fǎng fú jīng lì le nán kē yī mèng shì de ， yǎn qián de yī qiè ， dōu yǔ gāng gāng bù zài xiāng tóng 。

林轩的意识也逐渐恢复，却仿佛经历了南柯一梦似的，眼前的一切，都与刚刚不再相同。

No, not recovered, but merely an illusion created by the demon of the mind.

fǎ lì yǐ jīng huī fù ， shēn tǐ yě néng gòu xíng dòng zì rú ， shèn zhì lián gāng gāng bèi zhòng chuāng de shén shí ， rú jīn dōu yǐ huī fù rú chū …… bú duì ， bú shì huī fù ， shì gāng gāng suǒ jīng lì de yī qiè ， yuán běn jiù zhǐ shì huàn jué ， xīn mó suǒ chǎn shēng de huàn jué 。

法力已经恢复，身体也能够行动自如，甚至连刚刚被重创的神识，如今都已恢复如初……不对，不是恢复，是刚刚所经历的一切，原本就只是幻觉，心魔所产生的幻觉。

With the demon vanquished, Lin Xuan felt as if he had just awakened from a dream.

rú jīn xīn mó jì miè ， lín xuān yě jiù fǎng fú zuò le yì cháng mèng shì de 。

如今心魔既灭，林轩也就仿佛做了一场梦似的。

Apart from feeling mentally exhausted, there was no discomfort anywhere in his body. When he looked up, he noticed that the true spirit flame, which should have vanished, now quietly hovered beside him, emitting a very gentle aura.

chú le gǎn jué xīn shén pí bèi wú bǐ ， hún shēn shàng xià ， bìng méi yǒu rèn hé bù shì 。

除了感觉心神疲惫无比，浑身上下，并没有任何不适。

"This..."

ér dāng tā tái qǐ tóu lú ， què fā xiàn ， yuán běn yīng gāi yǐ jīng xiāo shī de zhēn líng zhī huǒ ， rú jīn jìng jìng de xuán fú zài zì jǐ shēn cè ， sàn fà chū lái de qì xī fēi cháng róu hé 。

而当他抬起头颅，却发现，原本应该已经消失的真灵之火，如今静静的悬浮在自己身侧，散发出来的气息非常柔和。

Seeing the true spirit flame that almost caused his downfall, Lin Xuan was startled and showed signs of fear.

“ zhè ……”

“这……”

But quickly, he realized it wasn’t an illusion. He scratched his head with a chuckle; he really had been bitten by a snake and now feared ropes.

kàn qīng chǔ gāng gāng chà diǎn ràng zì jǐ yǔn luò de zhēn líng zhī huǒ ， lín xuān zì rán bèi xià le yī dà tiào de ， liǎn shàng lù chū rú lín dà dí zhī sè。

看清楚刚刚差点让自己陨落的真灵之火，林轩自然被吓了一大跳的，脸上露出如临大敌之sè。

The true spirit flame before him was real, not an illusion.

dàn hěn kuài ， yòu fǎn yìng guò lái ， náo le náo tóu ， yǎ rán shī xiào ， zì jǐ hái zhēn shì yī zhe bèi shé yǎo shí nián pà jǐng shéng 。

但很快，又反应过来，挠了挠头，哑然失笑，自己还真是一着被蛇咬十年怕井绳。

Lin Xuan had unknowingly passed the final heart demon trial during this ordeal.

yǎn qián shì zhēn zhèng de zhēn líng zhī huǒ ， bìng fēi xīn mó 。

眼前是真正的真灵之火，并非心魔。

Reflecting on what happened, Lin Xuan could guess the sequence of events. Although he knew there would be a heart demon during his ascension, he didn’t expect it to appear at such a critical moment, making him almost fall for its trap.

zì jǐ gāng gāng yǐ zài bù zhī bù jué jiān ， jiāng dù jié de zuì hòu yī guān ， xīn mó zhī jié dù guò 。

自己刚刚已在不知不觉间，将渡劫的最后一关，心魔之劫度过。

In truth, his mental resilience was not strong enough, allowing the demon an opportunity.

rú jīn huí xiǎng qǐ lái ， zhè qián yīn hòu guǒ ， lín xuān dà gài yě néng yǒu suǒ cāi cè 。

如今回想起来，这前因后果，林轩大概也能有所猜测。

Initially, when the nine-headed bird was destroyed and the true spirit flame drifted towards him, Lin Xuan had believed it was an auspicious sign. He remained still, letting it merge with him, appearing resolute on the surface.

suī rán zǎo jiù zhī dào dù jié huì yǒu xīn mó ， dàn lín xuān bìng méi yǒu xiǎng dào ， tā huì tiāo nà yàng yí gè shí jiān jiàng luò ， jī huì bǎ wò dé tài hǎo le ， yǐ zhì yú zì jǐ dōu bèi piàn guò ， chà yì diǎn zhe le tā de dào le 。

虽然早就知道渡劫会有心魔，但林轩并没有想到，它会挑那样一个时间降落，机会把握得太好了，以至于自己都被骗过，差一点着了它的道了。

However, deep down, he wasn’t entirely fearless or without hesitation. He had wondered if the true spirit flame possessed intelligence and intended to seize his soul.

shuō qǐ lái ， hái shì zì jǐ xīn zhì bù gòu jiān rèn de yuán gù ， suǒ yǐ cái ràng tā yǒu jī kě chèn le 。

说起来，还是自己心智不够坚韧的缘故，所以才让它有机可趁了。

The answer was no; Lin Xuan had indeed hesitated.

dāng chū ， jiāng jiǔ tóu niǎo miè chú ， zhēn líng zhī huǒ cháo zhe zì jǐ zhè biān piāo luò ， suī rán lín xuān xīn zhōng ， yě rèn dìng zhè shì jī yuán ， ér bù dòng ， rèn yóu tā yǔ zì jǐ róng hé ， biǎo miàn shàng kàn ， lín xuān zhè ge xuǎn zé ， shì hěn jiān dìng de 。

当初，将九头鸟灭除，真灵之火朝着自己这边飘落，虽然林轩心中，也认定这是机缘，而不动，任由它与自己融合，表面上看，林轩这个选择，是很坚定的。

These thoughts had circled in his mind, hidden but discovered by the demon of the mind.

rán ér nèi xīn shēn chù ， lín xuān dàng zhēn jiù yì diǎn dōu bù pà me ， jiù yì diǎn dōu bù céng chí yí guò ， huái yí zhè zhēn líng zhī huǒ yōng yǒu líng zhì ， xiǎng yào jiè jī jiāng zì jǐ duó shě 。

然而内心深处，林轩当真就一点都不怕么，就一点都不曾迟疑过，怀疑这真灵之火拥有灵智，想要借机将自己夺舍。

This time, what Lin Xuan encountered wasn’t an ordinary heart demon but a fragment of a demon from beyond the heavens. The timing was perfect; he barely noticed its attack, and any other cultivator would have been lost forever. Even for Lin Xuan, it was perilous to the extreme—nearly fatal.

dá àn shì fǒu dìng de 。

答案是否定的。

Fortunately, his unwavering dedication to the path saved him at the last moment.

lín xuān dāng rán chí yí guò 。

林轩当然迟疑过。

Recalling this scene, Lin Xuan felt a great sigh of relief. He wasn’t entirely fearless; he had indeed been shaken by what happened.

zhè xiē xiǎng fǎ dōu céng pán huán yú tā de nǎo hǎi ， suī rán yǐn cáng dé hěn shēn ， dàn yī jiù bèi xīn mó fā xiàn le 。

这些想法都曾盘桓于他的脑海，虽然隐藏得很深，但依旧被心魔发现了。

PS: This chapter should have surprised many readers. The so-called soul seizure was actually an illusion created by the heart demon. Regarding the ascension and tribulation part, personally speaking, Rain wrote it with less satisfaction. However, this heart demon pit is probably the deepest one since Hundred Refinements began its serialization. Did any Daoist friends notice before this chapter?

ér qiě lín xuān zhè yī cì ， yù jiàn de hái bú shì pǔ tōng de xīn mó ， shì yù wài tiān mó de yī lǚ mó niàn 。

而且林轩这一次，遇见的还不是普通的心魔，是域外天魔的一缕魔念。

Hehe, did I guess right? For those who didn’t see through it, please vote for recommendations!

tiāo xuǎn de jī huì gèng shì qià dào hǎo chù ， dāng tā fā dòng gōng jī lín xuān shèn zhì sī háo chá jué yě wú ， huàn yī míng xiū xiān zhě ， kǒng pà yǐ wàn jié bù fù ， jiù suàn shì lín xuān ， yě wēi xiǎn dào le jí chù ， shuō jiǔ sǐ yì shēng ， yě méi yǒu fēn háo kuā zhāng zhī chù 。

挑选的机会更是恰到好处，当它发动攻击林轩甚至丝毫察觉也无，换一名修仙者，恐怕已万劫不复，就算是林轩，也危险到了极处，说九死一生，也没有分毫夸张之处。

Hundred Refinements to Immortality... Chapter 2988 - Turning Danger into Safety is complete. You can return to the list…RQ