“ ó ， hòu lái yòu yǒu shén me biàn gù ？”
“哦，后来又有什么变故？”
"Ah, and what happened afterward?"
lín xuān tái qǐ tóu lú ， liǎn shàng lù chū gǎn xìng qù zhī sè。
林轩抬起头颅，脸上露出感兴趣之sè。
Lin Xuan raised his head, showing interest on his face.
hóng líng tàn le kǒu qì ：“ qiè shēn de lái lì ， lín xiōng xiǎng bì qīng chǔ 。”
红绫叹了口气：“妾身的来历，林兄想必清楚。”
Red Silk sighed: "My origin, Brother Lin must be well aware of."
“ xiān zi de lái lì ……”
“仙子的来历……”
"The Fairy's origin..."
lín xuān yī è ， zěn me yòu shuō dào zhè ge wèn tí shàng le ， bù guò duì fāng jì rán tí qǐ ， tā zì rán bú huì chí yí ， lǎo shí de diǎn le diǎn tóu 。
林轩一愕，怎么又说到这个问题上了，不过对方既然提起，他自然不会迟疑，老实的点了点头。
Lin Xuan was taken aback. How did she bring this up again? But since the other party brought it up, he naturally wouldn't hesitate and nodded honestly.
yào shuō zhè hóng líng xiān zi ， shēn shì hái dàng zhēn qí tè 。
要说这红绫仙子，身世还当真奇特。
To say that Red Silk's origins were truly peculiar. She was a cultivator from a million years ago, but don't misunderstand—this lady wasn't someone like Nai Long or Hundred Flowers, who were great figures in their own right; she merely was an ordinary元婴 cultivator in the mortal world.
tā kě shì bǎi wàn nián qián de xiū xiān zhě ， dàn bié wù huì ， cǐ nǚ kě bú shì nài lóng 、 bǎi huā zhè yàng liǎo bù qǐ de dà rén wù ， ér jǐn jǐn shì rén jiè yī xiǎo xiǎo de yuán yīng xiū shì bà le 。
她可是百万年前的修仙者，但别误会，此女可不是鼐龙、百花这样了不起的大人物，而仅仅是人界一小小的元婴修士罢了。
However, her sect's strength within the mortal realm could be considered quite formidable. There were several people at the Separation and Union stage of existence in it.
bù guò tā suǒ zài de zōng mén ， jiù rén jiè lái shuō ， shí lì hái dàng zhēn bù cuò ， guāng lí hé qī cún zài ， jiù hǎo jǐ gè 。
不过她所在的宗门，就人界来说，实力还当真不错，光离合期存在，就好几个。
This was indeed very impressive for the mortal world. But misfortune often follows fortune. Several senior elders from the sect back then were haughty and proud due to some grievances, and they ended up turning against each other, clashing violently.
zhè zài rén jiè ， kě yǐ shuō shì fēi cháng liǎo bù qǐ le 。
这在人界，可以说是非常了不起了。
They each had their own loyal disciples, so even the sect's disciples of lesser strength were caught in this maelstrom.
rán ér fú xī huò suǒ yī ， dāng nián mén zhōng de jǐ wèi tài shàng zhǎng lǎo ， xīn gāo qì ào ， yīn wèi yī xiē yuàn yóu ， jìng fǎn mù chéng chóu ， dà dǎ chū shǒu 。
然而福兮祸所依，当年门中的几位太上长老，心高气傲，因为一些怨尤，竟反目成仇，大打出手。
Red Silk naturally couldn't escape it either. Moreover, she was already a standout among the元婴 cultivators at that time.
tā men gè yǒu qīn xìn mén tú ， yú shì zōng mén nèi de dì zǐ ， bù lùn shí lì qiáng ruò ， yě dōu bèi juǎn rù le xuán wō 。
他们各有亲信门徒，于是宗门内的弟子，不论实力强弱，也都被卷入了漩涡。
This lady truly had immense courage; not only did she get entangled in this maelstrom but also went all-in, joining the conflict between Separation and Union stage cultivators.
hóng líng zì rán yě bù néng miǎn sú ， hé kuàng tā dāng nián zài gāi pài de yuán yīng qī xiū shì zhōng ， běn jiù shì jí wéi chū zhòng de yí gè 。
红绫自然也不能免俗，何况她当年在该派的元婴期修士中，本就是极为出众的一个。
Back then, an elder surnamed Li had once done her a favor. Therefore, Red Silk repaid the kindness by ambushing Senior Li when he was fighting with the sect's master.
cǐ nǚ yě dàng zhēn dǎn dà bāo tiān ， bù jǐn juǎn rù xuán wō ， hái yī bù zuò èr bù xiū ， gān cuì jiā rù le lí hé qī xiū shì jiān de zhēng dòu 。
此女也当真胆大包天，不仅卷入漩涡，还一不做二不休，干脆加入了离合期修士间的争斗。
However, as the head of the sect, the other party naturally possessed extraordinary abilities. Although Red Silk's timing was good, she underestimated the disparity in their strength too much.
dāng nián ， mén zhōng yī wèi xìng lì de shī shū duì tā céng yǒu ēn dé ， suǒ yǐ hóng líng tóu táo bào lǐ ， zài lì xìng xiū shì yǔ zhǎng mén zhēng dòu de shí hòu ， chū shǒu tōu xí shī bó 。
当年，门中一位姓厉的师叔对她曾有恩德，所以红绫投桃报李，在厉姓修士与掌门争斗的时候，出手偷袭师伯。
As a result, her ambush not only failed but also saw her body destroyed by one palm strike from the other party. Even worse, her元婴 didn't escape and was encased in a million-year-old玄冰.
rán ér zuò wèi yī mén zhī zhǔ ， shén tōng zì rán shì yǒu bù fán zhī chù ， hóng líng shí jī suī rán bǎ wò dé bù cuò ， yú shuāng fāng shí lì de chā jù què tài guò dī gū 。
然而做为一门之主，神通自然是有不凡之处，红绫时机虽然把握得不错，于双方实力的差距却太过低估。
It could be said that it was a case of nine deaths and one survival.
jié guǒ tōu xí bù jǐn méi yǒu qǐ dào xiào guǒ ， fǎn ér bèi duì fāng yī zhǎng jiāng ròu mǎo shēn huǐ le ， shèn zhì lián yuán yīng yě méi yǒu táo tuō ， bèi bīng fēng zài le wàn nián bù huà de xuán bīng zhī zhōng 。
结果偷袭不仅没有起到效果，反而被对方一掌将肉冇身毁了，甚至连元婴也没有逃脱，被冰封在了万年不化的玄冰之中。
However, misfortune often harbors good fortune. It was precisely this state of apparent death that allowed her to survive the great calamity that destroyed her sect.
shuō jiǔ sǐ yì shēng yě bù wèi guò 。
说九死一生也不为过。
Moreover, even if not like this, as just an ordinary元婴 cultivator, she would have long exhausted her lifespan and turned into dust after such a long time, which wouldn't allow for any subsequent good fortune.
rán ér huò xī fú suǒ fú ， qià qià shì zhè zhǒng jiǎ sǐ zhuàng tài ， ràng tā táo guò le nà chǎng ràng mén pài fù miè de dà jié 。
然而祸兮福所伏，恰恰是这种假死状态，让她逃过了那场让门派覆灭的大劫。
---
hé kuàng jí biàn bú shì rú cǐ ， tā qū qū yī yuán yīng xiū shì ， zhè me màn cháng de suì yuè ， zǎo jiù gāi shòu yuán hào jìn huà zuò yī bēi huáng tǔ ， nǎ huì yǒu hòu miàn de qí yù 。
何况即便不是如此，她区区一元婴修士，这么漫长的岁月，早就该寿元耗尽化作一杯黄土，哪会有后面的奇遇。
Later on, Red Silk didn't take over anyone's body but instead used secret techniques to reshape her physical form. She also pursued Lin Xuan for some days.
hòu lái hóng líng dǎo shì méi yǒu duó shě ， ér shì yǐ mì shù zhòng sù ròu qū ， hái zhuī shā guò lín xuān yī duàn rì zi 。
后来红绫倒是没有夺舍，而是以秘术重塑肉躯，还追杀过林轩一段rì子。
After experiencing many twists and turns, the two eventually became friends.
hòu lái yòu jīng lì le pǒ duō qū zhé ， liǎng rén cái huà dí wéi yǒu 。
后来又经历了颇多曲折，两人才化敌为友。
Now that Red Silk was recalling old events, what did this have to do with her ascending to the Spirit Realm? Lin Xuan couldn't help feeling very curious.
cǐ kè hóng líng jiù shì chóng tí ， yǔ tā fēi shēng líng jiè yǒu shén me guān xì ， lín xuān xīn zhōng bù yóu de dà shì hào qí 。
此刻红绫旧事重提，与她飞升灵界有什么关系，林轩心中不由得大是好奇。
"Sigh!"
“ āi ！”
“唉！”
Red Silk sighed: "Back then, I was sealed by the玄冰 in a state of apparent death for a million years. Although my lifespan wasn't consumed, there were some changes in my元婴."
hóng líng xiān zi què shì tàn le kǒu qì ：“ dāng nián wǒ bèi xuán bīng fēng zhù ， yǐ jiǎ sǐ zhuàng tài dù guò le bǎi wàn nián ， suī rán méi yǒu xiāo hào shòu yuán ， dàn yuán yīng què fā shēng le yī xiē gǎi biàn 。”
红绫仙子却是叹了口气：“当年我被玄冰封住，以假死状态度过了百万年，虽然没有消耗寿元，但元婴却发生了一些改变。”
"Changes in your元婴?"
“ yuán yīng fā shēng le gǎi biàn ？”
“元婴发生了改变？”
Lin Xuan raised his eyebrows: "I've never heard you mention this before."
lín xuān méi tóu yī tiāo ：“ zhè ge zěn me cóng bù céng tīng nǐ shuō qǐ guò 。”
林轩眉头一挑：“这个怎么从不曾听你说起过。”
"I didn't even know about it myself until recently," Red Silk said with a bitter smile. "This change was only discovered after I advanced to the Separation and Union stage."
“ qiè shēn yǐ qián zì jǐ dōu bù xiǎo de ， yòu zěn me huì xiàng lín xiōng tí jí ne 。” hóng líng kǔ xiào zhe shuō ：“ zhè biàn huà ， wǒ yě shì jìn jiē lí hé yǐ hòu cái fā xiàn de 。”
“妾身以前自己都不晓得，又怎么会像林兄提及呢。”红绫苦笑着说：“这变化，我也是进阶离合以后才发现的。”
"Almost immediately after advancing, I felt that my lifespan was passing at an accelerated rate—several times faster than before. If this continued, I wouldn't have reached the middle stage of the Separation and Union before returning to the underworld. Reluctantly, I had no choice but to ascend to the Spirit Realm without adequate preparation."
“ jī hū shì cái jìn jiē méi duō jiǔ ， wǒ jiù gǎn jué shòu yuán liú shì de sù dù ， yī xià zi bǐ yǐ qián kuài le shù bèi hái duō ， ruò shì zhào zhè ge sù dù ， bù děng wǒ jìn jiē lí hé zhōng qī ， kǒng pà jiù huì hún guī dì fǔ ， wú nài zhī xià ， wǒ zhǐ hǎo jiāng cuò jiù cuò ， zài zhǔn bèi bìng bù chōng fèn de qíng kuàng xià fēi shēng líng jiè le 。”
“几乎是才进阶没多久，我就感觉寿元流逝的速度，一下子比以前快了数倍还多，若是照这个速度，不等我进阶离合中期，恐怕就会魂归地府，无奈之下，我只好将错就错，在准备并不充分的情况下飞升灵界了。”
"Fortunately, there's always a way out for those who are in dire straits. Although some twists and turns followed, I eventually succeeded in arriving at this lost realm. While it isn't truly the Spirit Realm, the concentration of spiritual energy and resources here far surpasses that of the mortal world by countless times..."
“ hǎo zài tiān wú jué rén zhī lù ， suī rán yòu mǎo jīng lì le yī xiē qū zhé ， dàn zǒng suàn shì chéng gōng lái dào zhè shī luò de jiè miàn lái le ， suī rán zhè lǐ bù suàn zhēn zhèng de líng jiè ， dàn bù lùn líng qì nóng dù hái shì zī yuán ， dōu bǐ rén jiè hǎo le bù zhī fán jǐ ……”
“好在天无绝人之路，虽然又冇经历了一些曲折，但总算是成功来到这失落的界面来了，虽然这里不算真正的灵界，但不论灵气浓度还是资源，都比人界好了不知凡几……”
Red Silk said these words with a look of relief.
hóng líng shuō dào zhè lǐ ， yī liǎn de xīn yǒu yú jì 。
红绫说到这里，一脸的心有余悸。
After arriving in the lost realm, perhaps due to the dense spiritual energy, the rate of her lifespan's passage had returned to normal. This made her feel extremely relieved; otherwise, she would have long turned into dust.
lái dào shī luò de jiè miàn yǐ hòu ， huò xǔ shì yīn wèi líng qì nóng mì ， shòu yuán de liú shì sù dù ， yǐ huī fù zhèng cháng le ， zhè ràng cǐ nǚ qìng xìng dào jí chù ， fǒu zé zǎo jiù huà wèi le yī bēi huáng tǔ 。
来到失落的界面以后，或许是因为灵气浓密，寿元的流逝速度，已恢复正常了，这让此女庆幸到极处，否则早就化为了一杯黄土。
"Oh, Fairy, you've been here for so long now—have you joined any sects or families?"
“ ó ， xiān zi lái dào cǐ jiè ， zhè me jiǔ le ， nán dào méi yǒu jiā rù shén me zōng mén jiā zú ？”
“哦，仙子来到此界，这么久了，难道没有加入什么宗门家族？”
Lin Xuan asked curiously, knowing that in the cultivation world, survival was a struggle, and solo cultivators had it particularly tough. Lin Xuan himself could attest to this.
lín xuān hào qí de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， yào zhī dào xiū xiān jiè ruò ròu qiáng shí ， sàn xiū de rì zi bìng bù hǎo guò ， lín xuān zì jǐ jiù shì shēn yǒu tǐ huì de 。
林轩好奇的声音传入耳朵，要知道修仙界弱肉强食，散修的rì子并不好过，林轩自己就是深有体会的。
Under the shade of a big tree, one's life is more comfortable, which is applicable to the cultivation world. That's why Lin Xuan vigorously supported Cloud Concealment Sect; while the sect benefited from his name, he also gained significant advantages and benefits from it, making both parties mutually beneficial.
dà shù dǐ xià hǎo chéng liáng ， zhè jù huà yùn yòng zài xiū xiān jiè ， nà shì zài zhèng cháng bù guò ， fǒu zé lín xuān jiù bú huì dà lì fú chí yún yǐn zōng 。
大树底下好乘凉，这句话运用在修仙界，那是再正常不过，否则林轩就不会大力扶持云隐宗。
"I did want to join, but there wasn't a suitable one."
gāi pài zài jiè tā míng tóu huò dé fā zhǎn jī huì de tóng shí ， lín xuān yě cóng gāi pài de shēn shàng ， huò dé le mò dà de biàn lì yǔ hǎo chù ， shuāng fāng běn jiù shì hé zé liǎng lì de 。
该派在借他名头获得发展机会的同时，林轩也从该派的身上，获得了莫大的便利与好处，双方本就是合则两利的。
"No suitable ones?"
“ qiè shēn dǎo shì xiǎng ， dàn shì méi yǒu hé shì de 。”
“妾身倒是想，但是没有合适的。”
Lin Xuan was taken aback. This sounded somewhat strange—after all, the lost realm was vast, with countless small and large sects. If she truly wanted to join, how could she not find a suitable one?
“ méi yǒu hé shì de ？”
“没有合适的？”
"Small sects can only provide limited assistance. Even if I became a member of such a sect, the benefits would be few. As for larger forces, I'm no old ancestor like Brother Lin who is adept at crossing tribulation—wherever I go, people respect me. If I were to join, naturally it could happen, but half-way members rarely have opportunities to become core disciples and are often assigned various trivial tasks..."
lín xuān yī dāi ， zhè huà tīng zhe yǒu xiē gǔ guài ， àn lǐ shī luò de jiè miàn yě suàn guǎng bó ， dà dà xiǎo xiǎo de zōng mén bù jì qí shù ， ruò zhēn yǒu xīn jiā rù ， zěn me huì zhǎo bú dào hé shì de 。
林轩一呆，这话听着有些古怪，按理失落的界面也算广博，大大小小的宗门不计其数，若真有心加入，怎么会找不到合适的。
Lin Xuan nodded. Red Silk's concerns had merit. Not only was there the issue of trivial tasks, but if a conflict arose within the sect, such half-way members would be most likely used as cannon fodder, meaning it wouldn't be worth it.
“ xiǎo de zōng mén ， néng gòu tí gōng de bāng zhù yǒu xiàn ， jí biàn chéng wéi gāi pài de yī yuán ， dé dào de hǎo chù yě qū zhǐ kě shǔ ， zhì yú nà xiē dà de shì lì ， qiè shēn kě bú shì lín xiōng zhè yàng de dù jié qī lǎo zǔ ， zǒu dào nǎ li dōu shòu rén jìng zhòng ， wǒ ruò yuàn yì jiā rù ， dāng rán yě kě ， dàn bàn lù rù zōng de xiū shì ， gēn běn jiù méi yǒu shén me jī huì chéng wéi hé xīn dì zǐ ， nán yǐ shòu dào zhòng yòng ， fǎn ér huì bèi ān pái zhū duō zá wù ……”
“小的宗门，能够提供的帮助有限，即便成为该派的一员，得到的好处也屈指可数，至于那些大的势力，妾身可不是林兄这样的渡劫期老祖，走到哪里都受人敬重，我若愿意加入，当然也可，但半路入宗的修士，根本就没有什么机会成为核心弟子，难以受到重用，反而会被安排诸多杂务……”
"Ah, I see."
lín xuān diǎn le diǎn tóu ， hóng líng de dān yōu yě shì yǒu lǐ ， qí shí hái bù jǐn shì zá wù de wèn tí ， rú guǒ yù jiàn zōng mén chōng tū ， xiàng zhè zhǒng bàn lù rù zōng de dì zǐ ， shì zuì yǒu kě néng bèi dàng zuò pào huī xiāo hào diào dì ， huàn jù huà shuō ， dé bù cháng shī 。
林轩点了点头，红绫的担忧也是有理，其实还不仅是杂务的问题，如果遇见宗门冲突，像这种半路入宗的弟子，是最有可能被当作炮灰消耗掉地，换句话说，得不偿失。
Lin Xuan rubbed his forehead with concern on his face: "Then what are your plans for the future?"
“ yuán lái rú cǐ 。”
“原来如此。”
Although Lin Xuan and Red Silk weren't close friends, they had known each other since their days in the mortal world. Although he couldn't say that their relationship was deep, it was the only old acquaintance he had here in the Spirit Realm.
lín xuān yǐ shǒu fǔ é ， liǎn shàng lù chū jǐ fēn guān qiè zhī sè：“ nà xiān zi yǐ hòu yǒu shén me dǎ suàn ne ？”
林轩以手抚额，脸上露出几分关切之sè：“那仙子以后有什么打算呢？”
While Wansheng Tower could be considered as well, his connection with the tower was shallow, and the other party was protected by Nai Long True Man, so there was no need for him to offer assistance.
lín xuān yǔ hóng líng yě suàn bù dǎ bù xiāng shí ， suī rán píng xīn lái shuō ， jiāo qíng shuō bù shàng shēn hòu， dàn lái dào líng jiè zhè me jiǔ ， què shì tā zài rén jiè wéi yī de jiù shí le 。
林轩与红绫也算不打不相识，虽然平心来说，交情说不上深hòu，但来到灵界这么久，却是他在人界唯一的旧识了。
However, Red Silk was different. Although she had reached the Profound Origin stage now, her life clearly wasn't going smoothly. As an old acquaintance, Lin Xuan felt a desire to help her.
suī rán yí dìng yào shuō ， wàng tíng lóu yě suàn ， rán ér yī lái tā yǔ tíng lóu jiāo qíng dàn mò ， èr lái duì fāng kě shì yǒu nài lóng zhēn rén zhè yàng de dà néng bì hù ， wú lùn rú hé ， yě lùn bú dào xū yào zì jǐ yuán shǒu 。
虽然一定要说，望亭楼也算，然而一来他与亭楼交情淡漠，二来对方可是有鼐龙真人这样的大能庇护，无论如何，也论不到需要自己援手。
Cultivators were selfish, but insofar as he could, Lin Xuan didn't mind helping his former friend.
ér hóng líng bù tóng ， suī rán rú jīn yǐ dào dòng xuán qī ， dàn míng xiǎn guò dé bìng bù rú yì ， zuò wèi gù rén ， lín xuān yě jiù qǐ le bāng chèn yī èr de xīn lǐ 。
而红绫不同，虽然如今已到洞玄期，但明显过得并不如意，做为故人，林轩也就起了帮衬一二的心理。
"Me..."
xiū xiān zhě shì zì sī zì lì ， dàn zài lì suǒ néng jí de qíng kuàng xià ， lín xuān yě bù jiè yì bāng yī xià yǐ qián de péng yǒu 。
修仙者是自私自利，但在力所能及的情况下，林轩也不介意帮一下以前的朋友。
Red Silk's face showed hesitation for a moment before she finally made up her mind. She stood up gracefully and respectfully bowed to Lin Xuan: "Brother Lin, no, Senior, if you don't find me too dull, I would be honored to become your disciple and serve by your side."
hóng líng xiān zi liǎn shàng shǎn guò yī sī chí yí ，yīn qíng bù dìng piàn kè ， sì hū cái zhōng yú zuò xià jué dìng lái le ， yíng yíng zhàn qǐ ， chōng zhe lín xuān gōng jìng de yī fú ：“ lín xiōng ， bù ， qián bèi ruò shì bù xián hóng líng zī zhì yú dùn ， hóng líng yuàn bài nǐ wèi shī ， shì fèng zuǒ yòu 。”
红绫仙子脸上闪过一丝迟疑，yīn晴不定片刻，似乎才终于做下决定来了，盈盈站起，冲着林轩恭敬的一福：“林兄，不，前辈若是不嫌红绫资质愚钝，红绫愿拜你为师，侍奉左右。”
Even with his broad experience and countless trials, Lin Xuan was left speechless. Red Silk seemed to be playing a joke—just now she had been on equal footing, but suddenly, she said she wanted to make him her teacher.
“ pū ……”
“噗……”
"Are you jesting about taking me as your disciple?"
ráo shì lín xuān jiàn shí guǎng bó ， jīng lì dà fēng dà làng wú shù ， cǐ kè yě bù yóu de chēng mù jié shé ， hóng líng zhè shì zài wán nǎ yī chū ， gāng cái hái píng bèi lùn jiāo ， yī zhuǎn yǎn ， jiù shuō yào bài zì jǐ zuò shī fù 。
饶是林轩见识广博，经历大风大浪无数，此刻也不由得瞠目结舌，红绫这是在玩哪一出，刚才还平辈论交，一转眼，就说要拜自己做师傅。
After a moment, Lin Xuan replied dryly.
“ xiān zi zhè shì zài kāi wán xiào me ？”
“仙子这是在开玩笑么？”
"Taking disciples is such an important matter; how could I speak nonsense? Is it that you find my abilities too dull and refuse to accept me as a disciple?"
guò le piàn kè ， lín xuān cái gàn bā bā de shuō 。
过了片刻，林轩才干巴巴的说。
"I must have misunderstood,"
“ bài shī zhè yàng zhòng yào de shì ， hóng líng zěn me huì hú yán luàn yǔ ， dào yǒu shì xián hóng líng zī zhì yú dùn ， bù kěn shōu wǒ zhè ge tú ér me ？”
“拜师这样重要的事，红绫怎么会胡言乱语，道友是嫌红绫资质愚钝，不肯收我这个徒儿么？”
Lin Xuan scratched his head, showing a hint of embarrassment. He was usually full of clever plans, but at this moment, he truly found himself stumped.
"Ah, and what happened afterward?"
Lin Xuan raised his head, showing interest on his face.
"Sigh!"
Red Silk sighed: "My origin, Brother Lin must be well aware of."
"The Fairy's origin..."
Lin Xuan was taken aback. How did she bring this up again? But since the other party brought it up, he naturally wouldn't hesitate and nodded honestly.
To say that Red Silk's origins were truly peculiar. She was a cultivator from a million years ago, but don't misunderstand—this lady wasn't someone like Nai Long or Hundred Flowers, who were great figures in their own right; she merely was an ordinary元婴 cultivator in the mortal world.
However, her sect's strength within the mortal realm could be considered quite formidable. There were several people at the Separation and Union stage of existence in it.
This was indeed very impressive for the mortal world. But misfortune often follows fortune. Several senior elders from the sect back then were haughty and proud due to some grievances, and they ended up turning against each other, clashing violently.
They each had their own loyal disciples, so even the sect's disciples of lesser strength were caught in this maelstrom.
Red Silk naturally couldn't escape it either. Moreover, she was already a standout among the元婴 cultivators at that time.
This lady truly had immense courage; not only did she get entangled in this maelstrom but also went all-in, joining the conflict between Separation and Union stage cultivators.
Back then, an elder surnamed Li had once done her a favor. Therefore, Red Silk repaid the kindness by ambushing Senior Li when he was fighting with the sect's master.
However, as the head of the sect, the other party naturally possessed extraordinary abilities. Although Red Silk's timing was good, she underestimated the disparity in their strength too much.
As a result, her ambush not only failed but also saw her body destroyed by one palm strike from the other party. Even worse, her元婴 didn't escape and was encased in a million-year-old玄冰.
It could be said that it was a case of nine deaths and one survival.
However, misfortune often harbors good fortune. It was precisely this state of apparent death that allowed her to survive the great calamity that destroyed her sect.
Moreover, even if not like this, as just an ordinary元婴 cultivator, she would have long exhausted her lifespan and turned into dust after such a long time, which wouldn't allow for any subsequent good fortune.
---
Later on, Red Silk didn't take over anyone's body but instead used secret techniques to reshape her physical form. She also pursued Lin Xuan for some days.
After experiencing many twists and turns, the two eventually became friends.
Now that Red Silk was recalling old events, what did this have to do with her ascending to the Spirit Realm? Lin Xuan couldn't help feeling very curious.
"Sigh!"
Red Silk sighed: "Back then, I was sealed by the玄冰 in a state of apparent death for a million years. Although my lifespan wasn't consumed, there were some changes in my元婴."
"Changes in your元婴?"
Lin Xuan raised his eyebrows: "I've never heard you mention this before."
"I didn't even know about it myself until recently," Red Silk said with a bitter smile. "This change was only discovered after I advanced to the Separation and Union stage."
"Almost immediately after advancing, I felt that my lifespan was passing at an accelerated rate—several times faster than before. If this continued, I wouldn't have reached the middle stage of the Separation and Union before returning to the underworld. Reluctantly, I had no choice but to ascend to the Spirit Realm without adequate preparation."
"Fortunately, there's always a way out for those who are in dire straits. Although some twists and turns followed, I eventually succeeded in arriving at this lost realm. While it isn't truly the Spirit Realm, the concentration of spiritual energy and resources here far surpasses that of the mortal world by countless times..."
Red Silk said these words with a look of relief.
After arriving in the lost realm, perhaps due to the dense spiritual energy, the rate of her lifespan's passage had returned to normal. This made her feel extremely relieved; otherwise, she would have long turned into dust.
"Oh, Fairy, you've been here for so long now—have you joined any sects or families?"
Lin Xuan asked curiously, knowing that in the cultivation world, survival was a struggle, and solo cultivators had it particularly tough. Lin Xuan himself could attest to this.
Under the shade of a big tree, one's life is more comfortable, which is applicable to the cultivation world. That's why Lin Xuan vigorously supported Cloud Concealment Sect; while the sect benefited from his name, he also gained significant advantages and benefits from it, making both parties mutually beneficial.
"I did want to join, but there wasn't a suitable one."
"No suitable ones?"
Lin Xuan was taken aback. This sounded somewhat strange—after all, the lost realm was vast, with countless small and large sects. If she truly wanted to join, how could she not find a suitable one?
"Small sects can only provide limited assistance. Even if I became a member of such a sect, the benefits would be few. As for larger forces, I'm no old ancestor like Brother Lin who is adept at crossing tribulation—wherever I go, people respect me. If I were to join, naturally it could happen, but half-way members rarely have opportunities to become core disciples and are often assigned various trivial tasks..."
Lin Xuan nodded. Red Silk's concerns had merit. Not only was there the issue of trivial tasks, but if a conflict arose within the sect, such half-way members would be most likely used as cannon fodder, meaning it wouldn't be worth it.
"Ah, I see."
Lin Xuan rubbed his forehead with concern on his face: "Then what are your plans for the future?"
Although Lin Xuan and Red Silk weren't close friends, they had known each other since their days in the mortal world. Although he couldn't say that their relationship was deep, it was the only old acquaintance he had here in the Spirit Realm.
While Wansheng Tower could be considered as well, his connection with the tower was shallow, and the other party was protected by Nai Long True Man, so there was no need for him to offer assistance.
However, Red Silk was different. Although she had reached the Profound Origin stage now, her life clearly wasn't going smoothly. As an old acquaintance, Lin Xuan felt a desire to help her.
Cultivators were selfish, but insofar as he could, Lin Xuan didn't mind helping his former friend.
"Me..."
Red Silk's face showed hesitation for a moment before she finally made up her mind. She stood up gracefully and respectfully bowed to Lin Xuan: "Brother Lin, no, Senior, if you don't find me too dull, I would be honored to become your disciple and serve by your side."
Pfft...
Even with his broad experience and countless trials, Lin Xuan was left speechless. Red Silk seemed to be playing a joke—just now she had been on equal footing, but suddenly, she said she wanted to make him her teacher.
"Are you jesting about taking me as your disciple?"
After a moment, Lin Xuan replied dryly.
"Taking disciples is such an important matter; how could I speak nonsense? Is it that you find my abilities too dull and refuse to accept me as a disciple?"
"I must have misunderstood,"
Lin Xuan scratched his head, showing a hint of embarrassment. He was usually full of clever plans, but at this moment, he truly found himself stumped.