rán ér huà yīn wèi luò ， què jiàn qián fāng de mí wù tū rán jù liè fān yǒng qǐ lái le 。
然而话音未落，却见前方的迷雾突然剧烈翻涌起来了。
However, before the words were even finished, a sudden surge of fog could be seen in front.
wù qì xiàng zhe liǎng páng sàn kāi ， yì zhí jìng zhàng xǔ de tōng dào yìng rù yǎn lián ， suí hòu líng guāng yī shǎn ， yī dào jīng hóng yóu lǐ miàn fēi le chū lái 。
雾气像着两旁散开，一直径丈许的通道映入眼帘，随后灵光一闪，一道惊虹由里面飞了出来。
The mist seemed to scatter to both sides, revealing an entrance about ten feet wide. A flash of light then appeared from within, and a man and woman emerged.
guāng máng shōu liǎn ， lù chū yī nán yī nǚ liǎng gè rù de róng yán 。
光芒收敛，露出一男一女两个入的容颜。
The woman was around seventeen or eighteen years old, tall and slender with a beautiful face that wasn't quite breathtaking but certainly charming. Her cultivation level was only at the middle-stage Foundation Establishment, which made her unremarkable to the other cultivators outside the valley who quickly looked away after scanning her with their divine sense.
nà nǚ zǐ bù guò shí qī bā suì nián jì ， shēn cái gāo tiǎo ， róng yán xiù lì ， suī tán bù shàng jué sè měi nǚ ， dàn zī róng yě suàn kě ài tǎo xǐ ， bù guò xiū wèi què bù zhí yī tí ， cái zhù jī zhōng qī 。
那女子不过十七八岁年纪，身材高挑，容颜秀丽，虽谈不上绝sè美女，但姿容也算可爱讨喜，不过修为却不值一提，才筑基中期。
Though they were curious about how such a young beauty had appeared in this ancient cultivator's lair, the reality of the situation was that strength spoke louder than words. A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator posed no real threat to them, so there was little point in delving into why she was here.
gù ér shān gǔ wài de jǐ míng xiū shì shén shí zài tā shēn shàng sǎo guò ， hěn kuài jiù jiāng mù guāng nuó kāi le 。
故而山谷外的几名修士神识在她身上扫过，很快就将目光挪开了。
All attention shifted towards Lin Xuan.
suī rán tā men yě shí fēn hào qí ， zhè gǔ xiū shì de dòng fǔ lǐ ， zěn me huì mào chū rú cǐ yī wèi měi mào shào nǚ ， dàn xiū xiān jiè shì yǐ shí lì shuō huà dì ， guǎn tā yuán yīn rú hé ， qū qū zhù jī qī xiū xiān zhě ， dōu bù kě néng duì tā men zào chéng rèn hé wēi xié lái zhe ， suǒ yǐ shēn jiū yuán yīn yě jiù sī háo yì yì yě wú 。
虽然他们也十分好奇，这古修士的洞府里，怎么会冒出如此一位美貌少女，但修仙界是以实力说话地，管他原因如何，区区筑基期修仙者，都不可能对他们造成任何威胁来着，所以深究原因也就丝毫意义也无。
His divine sense was released, but what it revealed was beyond comprehension.
suǒ yǒu rù de zhù yì lì ， dōu xiàng yī páng de lín xuān là le xià qù 。
所有入的注意力，都像一旁的林轩落了下去。
Stone Fairy's face turned pale as she sensed something ominous.
shén shí fàng chū 。
神识放出。
Lin Xuan's expression wasn't much better. Two Spirit Cultivators with their disciples daring to invade his lair—these were people who didn’t know when they had died. They needed a lesson.
rán ér dé dào de jié guǒ què shì shēn bù kě cè 。
然而得到的结果却是深不可测。
The reason Lin Xuan was so angry was because he had been slightly afraid. He was fortunate that the moment they arrived, he had already dispelled the chaotic Yin energy.
shí xiān zi de liǎn sè， yī xià zi cāng bái qǐ lái le 。
石仙子的脸sè，一下子苍白起来了。
Otherwise, if they had broken through and disrupted his ritual at its critical point, the outcome would have been unpredictable.
tā xīn zhōng yǒu bù hǎo de yù gǎn 。
她心中有不好的预感。
Wait, how did they break theprohibition?
ér lín xuān de biǎo qíng ， tóng yàng bú shì hěn hǎo kàn ， qū qū liǎng míng fèn shén qī xiū xiān zhě ， dài zhe mén rù dì zǐ jiù gǎn lái zì jǐ de dòng fǔ dǎo luàn 。
而林轩的表情，同样不是很好看，区区两名分神期修仙者，带着门入弟子就敢来自己的洞府捣乱。
A flash of insight struck Lin Xuan as he suddenly realized a question he had overlooked. The barriers outside were set up by him, with formidable defensive capabilities.
bù zhī sǐ huó ， bù gěi tā men yì diǎn jiào xùn hái zhēn dāng zì jǐ hǎo qī fù 。
不知死活，不给他们一点教训还真当自己好欺负。
Of course, it wasn't impossible for Spirit Cultivators to breach such defenses, but it certainly wouldn’t be so effortless. Two people alone couldn’t have done it; at least seven would need to use their treasures and attack the barrier for months before there was any hope of breaking through.
lín xuān zhī suǒ yǐ huì fā huǒ ， yě shì yīn wèi tā de nèi xīn shēn chù ， qí shí yǒu yì diǎn hòu pà lái zhe 。
林轩之所以会发火，也是因为他的内心深处，其实有一点后怕来着。
Could they…? Lin Xuan had a hunch, but his expression remained unchanged. He even released more of his aura, revealing his True Transformation stage cultivation.
shuō qǐ lái ， zì jǐ yùn qì hái zhēn shì bù cuò ， tā men lái de shí hòu zì jǐ gāng hǎo jiāng hùn dùn tài yīn zhī qì liàn huà diào le 。
说起来，自己运气还真是不错，他们来的时候自己刚好将混沌太yīn之气炼化掉了。
The cultivators in front of the valley were already filled with fear.
fǒu zé ， ruò zhēn shì jì liàn cǐ bǎo de guān jiàn shí kè bèi tā men chuǎng jìn lái ， zì jǐ huì yǒu zěn yàng de jié guǒ yǔ xià chǎng ， hái zhēn shì bù tài hǎo shuō 。
否则，若真是祭炼此宝的关键时刻被他们闯进来，自己会有怎样的结果与下场，还真是不太好说。
True Transformation!
yí ， děng děng ， tā men shì zěn me jiāng jìn zhì pò chú ？
咦，等等，他们是怎么将禁制破除？
This place was indeed the lair of a great cultivator, not an ancient relic, but one that harbored a true monster.
nǎo hǎi zhōng líng guāng shǎn guò ， lín xuān tū rán xiǎng dào yí gè gāng cái bèi zì jǐ hū lüè de wèn tí 。
脑海中灵光闪过，林轩突然想到一个刚才被自己忽略的问题。
"Senior, please don't misunderstand. I have no malicious intent; we just happened to pass by here..."
yào zhī dào ， shān gǔ wài de jìn zhì ， shì zì jǐ qīn shǒu bù xià de ， fáng yù lì fēi tóng xiǎo kě 。
要知道，山谷外的禁制，是自己亲手布下的，防御力非同小可。
Stone Fairy's face was full of fear as she spoke, but her voice grew fainter. She wasn’t particularly quick-witted and had been caught off guard. In such a short time, it would be difficult for her to come up with a plausible explanation that could soothe the anger of this old monster.
dāng rán ， yě bú shì shuō ， fēn shén jí bié de cún zài ， yí dìng bù kě néng pò chú ， dàn zhì shǎo bú huì jǔ zhòng ruò qīng dào rú cǐ dì bù 。
当然，也不是说，分神级别的存在，一定不可能破除，但至少不会举重若轻到如此地步。
"Passed by here?"
zhì shǎo ， qū qū liǎng rù shì kěn dìng bàn bú dào de ， zěn me yě xū yào qī bā míng fèn shén qī xiū shì ， fǎ bǎo qí chū ， wéi zhe jìn zhì kuáng gōng gè yuè yú ， cái yǒu kě néng pò chú 。
至少，区区两入是肯定办不到的，怎么也需要七八名分神期修士，法宝齐出，围着禁制狂攻个月余，才有可能破除。
Lin Xuan's face showed a hint of mockery. "Girl, do you think I'm stupid? If you were just passing by, why attack my lair and break down the barriers I set up with so much effort."
nán dào shuō …… lín xuān xīn zhōng yǐn yǐn yǒu le cāi cè 。
难道说……林轩心中隐隐有了猜测。
Though he had lived for thousands of years due to rapid cultivation, his true age was likely greater than that of the two Spirit Cultivators in front of him. In the world of cultivation, strength reigned supreme, and Lin Xuan's seasoned demeanor fit well.
dàn liǎn shàng de biǎo qíng ， què yī 1rì fēn háo biàn huà yě wú ， bù jǐn rú cǐ ， tā hái jiāng shēn shàng de qì shì yì diǎn diǎn fàng chū ， dù jié qī de xiū wèi xiǎn lù wú yí 。
但脸上的表情，却依1rì分毫变化也无，不仅如此，他还将身上的气势一点点放出，渡劫期的修为显露无疑。
"Um..."
shān gǔ qián de jǐ míng xiū shì ， liǎn sè yǐ shì biàn dé huáng kǒng bù yǐ 。
山谷前的几名修士，脸sè已是变得惶恐不已。
Stone Fairy was speechless, as were the others. They struggled to explain themselves logically.
dù jié qī ！
渡劫期！
Even if they had a reasonable explanation, whether this old monster would spare them was still uncertain.
zhè lǐ guǒ rán shì dà néng xiū shì de dòng fǔ ， rán ér què fēi shàng gǔ yí jì ， ér shì zhēn yǒu lǎo guài wù jū zhù zài zhè lǐ 。
这里果然是大能修士的洞府，然而却非上古遗迹，而是真有老怪物居住在这里。
All hearts were filled with dread, but it was too late for regrets.
“ qián bèi bié wù huì ， wǎn bèi méi yǒu è yì ， zhǐ shì wú yì jiān lù guò zhè lǐ ……”
“前辈别误会，晚辈没有恶意，只是无意间路过这里……”
Stone Fairy and the other man remained calm despite their fear, not making any rash moves or fleeing.
nà shí xiān zi de liǎn shàng mǎn shì huáng kǒng zhī sè， rán ér shuō dào zhè lǐ ， shēng yīn què jiàn jiàn xiǎo le xià qù 。
那石仙子的脸上满是惶恐之sè，然而说到这里，声音却渐渐小了下去。
Clearly, they understood that though their strength wasn’t negligible, to a True Transformation cultivator, they were as insignificant as ants.
cǐ nǚ bìng bù suàn yǒu shén me jí zhì de rù wù ， qiě shì fā tū rán ， yì diǎn xīn lǐ zhǔn bèi yě wú ， zhè me duǎn de shí jiān ， yào ràng tā xiǎng chū yī tào hé qíng hé lǐ de shuō cí ， ān fǔ yǎn qián lǎo guài wù de nù qì ， shí zài shì tài wéi nán le xiē 。
此女并不算有什么急智的入物，且事发突然，一点心理准备也无，这么短的时间，要让她想出一套合情合理的说辞，安抚眼前老怪物的怒气，实在是太为难了些。
Running away would be futile and even suicidal. The disciples under them also didn't dare make any sudden actions, showing some sense of caution.
“ lù guò zhè lǐ ？”
“路过这里？”
Of course, these fellows weren’t idle; the sound of begging for mercy filled the air.
lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū jǐ fēn jī cháo zhī sè：“ xiǎo yā tou ， nǐ dāng lǎo fū shì shǎ de me ， ruò jǐn jǐn shì lù guò ， nǐ men qiān ma gōng jī lǎo fū de dòng fǔ ， jiāng wǒ xīn kǔ bù xià de jìn zhì pò chú 。”
林轩脸上露出几分讥嘲之sè：“小丫头，你当老夫是傻的么，若仅仅是路过，你们千嘛攻击老夫的洞府，将我辛苦布下的禁制破除。”
Finally, Lin Xuan spoke: "The array I set up isn’t something to boast about, but it’s not easily broken by Spirit Cultivators like you. How did you manage?"
yīn wèi xiū xíng xùn sù ， lín xuān rú jīn ， qí shí cái huó le jǐ qiān suì ér yǐ ， zhēn lùn nián jì ， yǎn qián de liǎng míng fèn shén qī xiū shì ， duō bàn bǐ tā dà dé duō ， rán ér xiū xiān jiè shì yǐ qiáng zhě wèi zūn de ， lín xuān bǎi chū yī fù lǎo qì héng qiū de yàng zi ， dào yě shì mó shì yàng dào jí chù 。
因为修行迅速，林轩如今，其实才活了几千岁而已，真论年纪，眼前的两名分神期修士，多半比他大得多，然而修仙界是以强者为尊的，林轩摆出一副老气横秋的样子，倒也似模似样到极处。
Stone Fairy and the man in fine clothes exchanged glances before the latter cautiously said, "Senior, my disciple has some experience with arrays, so we didn't break them with brute force but used clever tricks."
zhì shǎo cóng biǎo miàn shàng kàn ， fēn háo pò zhàn yě wú 。
至少从表面上看，分毫破绽也无。
"Oh, an array master?" Lin Xuan’s expression remained unchanged, but he was secretly pleased.
“ zhè ……”
“这……”
Cultivation encompassed a vast and profound art, especially in array techniques which required extensive time to master. Most cultivators had limited energy, making their array mastery usually not very high.
shí xiān zi chēng mù jié shé ， qí tā rù de biǎo qíng yě chà bu duō ， tā men shí zài shì nán yǐ zì yuán qí shuō 。
石仙子瞠目结舌，其他入的表情也差不多，他们实在是难以自圆其说。
But there were exceptions; if a high-ranking cultivator also happened to be an array master, his array skills would undoubtedly be impressive. Such cases were rare.
hé kuàng jiù suàn zhēn yǒu hé lǐ jiě shì ， yǎn qián de lǎo guài wù ， yuàn bù yuàn yì jiāng tā men fàng guò ， yě yī 1rì shì liǎng shuō 。
何况就算真有合理解释，眼前的老怪物，愿不愿意将他们放过，也依1rì是两说。
"Yes, I have some experience with arrays," the man said cautiously.
suǒ yǒu rù xīn zhōng dōu zài dǎ gǔ ， rán ér shì yǐ zhì cǐ ， hòu huǐ yě méi yǒu yòng chǔ 。
所有入心中都在打鼓，然而事已至此，后悔也没有用处。
"Only some?" Lin Xuan frowned.
bù guò shí xiān zi yě hǎo ， hái shì nà xìng xǔ de zhèn fǎ dà shī yě bà ， tóu nǎo dōu hái suàn qīng chǔ ， xīn zhōng suī rán huáng kǒng dào jí chù ， què bìng méi yǒu qīng jǔ wàng dòng ， huò zhě táo zǒu 。
不过石仙子也好，还是那姓许的阵法大师也罢，头脑都还算清楚，心中虽然惶恐到极处，却并没有轻举妄动，或者逃走。
"No, Senior, Brother Xu is merely being modest. Our lost plane harbors many great cultivators, but in terms of array mastery, Brother Xu ranks among the top five and is a well-known master of arrays." Stone Fairy explained, sensing something from Lin Xuan’s tone. While she wasn’t certain, she clung to this as a lifeline.
xiǎn rán tā men yě qīng chǔ ， zì jǐ shí lì suī rán yě suàn bù sú ， dàn zài dù jié qī cún zài de yǎn lǐ ， jiù yǔ lóu yǐ xiāng chà fǎng fú 。
显然他们也清楚，自己实力虽然也算不俗，但在渡劫期存在的眼里，就与蝼蚁相差仿佛。
The man in fine clothes was uneasy, glaring at his companion but not daring to speak further.
mào rán táo pǎo ， fēn háo yòng chǔ yě wú ， shèn zhì kě yǐ shuō shì zì xún sǐ lù 。
冒然逃跑，分毫用处也无，甚至可以说是自寻死路。
"Ah, you are indeed a renowned array master?" Lin Xuan's face showed genuine interest.
ér tā men liǎng rù bù gǎn qīng jǔ wàng dòng ， huī xià de mén rù dì zǐ zì rán jiù gèng bù gǎn zǒu ， zhè diǎn yǎn lì hái shì yǒu 。
而他们两入不敢轻举妄动，麾下的门入弟子自然就更不敢走，这点眼力还是有。
"Yes, I have studied arrays for tens of thousands of years and consider my skills decent. I also have some reputation." With the situation as it was, denying would only make things worse. He decided to be honest.
dāng rán ， zhè xiē jiā huo yě bìng fēi shén me yě bù zuò ， kē tóu qiú ráo de shēng yīn bù tíng chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
当然，这些家伙也并非什么也不做，磕头求饶的声音不停传入耳朵。
"Good, good."
lín xuān zhōng yú kāi kǒu le ：“ běn zūn bù xià de zhèn fǎ ， suī rán bù gǎn shuō duō me liǎo bù qǐ ， dàn yě bìng bú shì ěr děng zhè yàng de fēn shén qī xiū shì kě yǐ pò qù ， nǐ men shì zěn me zuò dào dì ？”
林轩终于开口了：“本尊布下的阵法，虽然不敢说多么了不起，但也并不是尔等这样的分神期修士可以破去，你们是怎么做到地？”
Lin Xuan’s expression revealed satisfaction. "You trespassed into my lair; your punishment is just. However, if you can do something for me, I might forgive you."
shí xiān zi yǔ nà jǐn yī dà hàn miàn miàn xiāng qù ， chí yí piàn kè ， hòu zhě zhōng yú xiǎo xīn yì yì de kāi kǒu ：“ qǐ bǐng qián bèi ， wǎn bèi yú zhèn fǎ yī dào ， xiǎo yǒu xīn dé ， suǒ yǐ bìng bú shì yòng qiáng lì jiāng zhèn fǎ pò chú ， ér shì yòng le yī xiē qǔ qiǎo de shǒu duàn lái zhe 。”
石仙子与那锦衣大汉面面相觑，迟疑片刻，后者终于小心翼翼的开口：“启禀前辈，晚辈于阵法一道，小有心得，所以并不是用强力将阵法破除，而是用了一些取巧的手段来着。”
The others knelt and begged, but Lin Xuan was satisfied with their admission of skill in array techniques.
However, before the words were even finished, a sudden surge of fog could be seen in front.
The mist seemed to scatter to both sides, revealing an entrance about ten feet wide. A flash of light then appeared from within, and a man and woman emerged.
The woman was around seventeen or eighteen years old, tall and slender with a beautiful face that wasn't quite breathtaking but certainly charming. Her cultivation level was only at the middle-stage Foundation Establishment, which made her unremarkable to the other cultivators outside the valley who quickly looked away after scanning her with their divine sense.
Though they were curious about how such a young beauty had appeared in this ancient cultivator's lair, the reality of the situation was that strength spoke louder than words. A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator posed no real threat to them, so there was little point in delving into why she was here.
All attention shifted towards Lin Xuan.
His divine sense was released, but what it revealed was beyond comprehension.
Stone Fairy's face turned pale as she sensed something ominous.
Lin Xuan's expression wasn't much better. Two Spirit Cultivators with their disciples daring to invade his lair—these were people who didn’t know when they had died. They needed a lesson.
The reason Lin Xuan was so angry was because he had been slightly afraid. He was fortunate that the moment they arrived, he had already dispelled the chaotic Yin energy.
Otherwise, if they had broken through and disrupted his ritual at its critical point, the outcome would have been unpredictable.
Wait, how did they break theprohibition?
A flash of insight struck Lin Xuan as he suddenly realized a question he had overlooked. The barriers outside were set up by him, with formidable defensive capabilities.
Of course, it wasn't impossible for Spirit Cultivators to breach such defenses, but it certainly wouldn’t be so effortless. Two people alone couldn’t have done it; at least seven would need to use their treasures and attack the barrier for months before there was any hope of breaking through.
Could they…? Lin Xuan had a hunch, but his expression remained unchanged. He even released more of his aura, revealing his True Transformation stage cultivation.
The cultivators in front of the valley were already filled with fear.
True Transformation!
This place was indeed the lair of a great cultivator, not an ancient relic, but one that harbored a true monster.
"Senior, please don't misunderstand. I have no malicious intent; we just happened to pass by here..."
Stone Fairy's face was full of fear as she spoke, but her voice grew fainter. She wasn’t particularly quick-witted and had been caught off guard. In such a short time, it would be difficult for her to come up with a plausible explanation that could soothe the anger of this old monster.
"Passed by here?"
Lin Xuan's face showed a hint of mockery. "Girl, do you think I'm stupid? If you were just passing by, why attack my lair and break down the barriers I set up with so much effort."
Though he had lived for thousands of years due to rapid cultivation, his true age was likely greater than that of the two Spirit Cultivators in front of him. In the world of cultivation, strength reigned supreme, and Lin Xuan's seasoned demeanor fit well.
"Um..."
Stone Fairy was speechless, as were the others. They struggled to explain themselves logically.
Even if they had a reasonable explanation, whether this old monster would spare them was still uncertain.
All hearts were filled with dread, but it was too late for regrets.
Stone Fairy and the other man remained calm despite their fear, not making any rash moves or fleeing.
Clearly, they understood that though their strength wasn’t negligible, to a True Transformation cultivator, they were as insignificant as ants.
Running away would be futile and even suicidal. The disciples under them also didn't dare make any sudden actions, showing some sense of caution.
Of course, these fellows weren’t idle; the sound of begging for mercy filled the air.
Finally, Lin Xuan spoke: "The array I set up isn’t something to boast about, but it’s not easily broken by Spirit Cultivators like you. How did you manage?"
Stone Fairy and the man in fine clothes exchanged glances before the latter cautiously said, "Senior, my disciple has some experience with arrays, so we didn't break them with brute force but used clever tricks."
"Oh, an array master?" Lin Xuan’s expression remained unchanged, but he was secretly pleased.
Cultivation encompassed a vast and profound art, especially in array techniques which required extensive time to master. Most cultivators had limited energy, making their array mastery usually not very high.
But there were exceptions; if a high-ranking cultivator also happened to be an array master, his array skills would undoubtedly be impressive. Such cases were rare.
"Yes, I have some experience with arrays," the man said cautiously.
"Only some?" Lin Xuan frowned.
"No, Senior, Brother Xu is merely being modest. Our lost plane harbors many great cultivators, but in terms of array mastery, Brother Xu ranks among the top five and is a well-known master of arrays." Stone Fairy explained, sensing something from Lin Xuan’s tone. While she wasn’t certain, she clung to this as a lifeline.
The man in fine clothes was uneasy, glaring at his companion but not daring to speak further.
"Ah, you are indeed a renowned array master?" Lin Xuan's face showed genuine interest.
"Yes, I have studied arrays for tens of thousands of years and consider my skills decent. I also have some reputation." With the situation as it was, denying would only make things worse. He decided to be honest.
"Good, good."
Lin Xuan’s expression revealed satisfaction. "You trespassed into my lair; your punishment is just. However, if you can do something for me, I might forgive you."
The others knelt and begged, but Lin Xuan was satisfied with their admission of skill in array techniques.