“ zhè me shuō ， nǐ yǐ jīng qù guò yún yǐn zōng zǒng duò ， dài qù le wǒ men de yì tú men què háo bù yóu yù de jiāng wǒ men de hǎo yì ， gěi jù jué diào le 。”
“这么说，你已经去过云隐宗总舵，带去了我们的意图们却毫不犹豫的将我们的好意，给拒绝掉了。”
"So you've already visited the main headquarters of Cloud Concealing Sect and conveyed our intentions, yet they refused us outright without hesitation."
yī tóu fā huā bái ， dàn què jīng shén jué shuò de lǎo zhě méi tóu wēi zhòu ， huǎn huǎn de kāi kǒu 。
一头发花白，但却jīng神矍铄的老者眉头微皱，缓缓的开口。
A bearded old man with a few gray hairs frowned slightly as he spoke slowly.
“ shì ， shī bó ， nín de qīn bǐ shū xìn ， wǒ yǐ jiāo dào le yún yǐn zōng tài shàng zhǎng lǎo de shǒu lǐ ， tóng shí yě biǎo lù le wǒ men de yì tú ， bìng bú shì yào qiǎo qǔ háo duó ， yìng shēng shēng cóng tā men shǒu lǐ qiǎng zǒu nà jiàn bǎo wù ， ér shì yuàn yì gěi shàng xǔ duō hǎo chù ， zuò wèi mí bǔ ， kě yún yǐn zōng tài shàng zhǎng lǎo ， què sī háo yóu yù yě wú ， yī kǒu jiù jiāng běn zōng de hǎo yì ， gěi jù jué diào le 。”
“是，师伯，您的亲笔书信，我已交到了云隐宗太上长老的手里，同时也表露了我们的意图，并不是要巧取豪夺，硬生生从他们手里抢走那件宝物，而是愿意给上许多好处，做为弥补，可云隐宗太上长老，却丝毫犹豫也无，一口就将本宗的好意，给拒绝掉了。”
"Yes, Senior Uncle, I have delivered your personal letter to the Supreme Elder of Cloud Concealing Sect. At the same time, I expressed our intentions—neither did we plan to take by force nor snatch that treasure from them forcefully. Instead, we were willing to offer many benefits in return for their cooperation. However, the Supreme Elder of Cloud Concealing Sect showed no hesitation and rejected our good intentions outright."
huí huà de shì yī shēn cái shòu xuē de nán zi ， róng mào pǔ tōng ， sān shí duō suì nián jì ， rán ér liǎn shàng què tòu chū jǐ fēn jīng míng zhī yì 。
回话的是一身材瘦削的男子，容貌普通，三十多岁年纪，然而脸上却透出几分jīng明之意。
The man who responded was lean with an ordinary appearance, around thirty years old, but his face revealed a sharp intelligence.
yī kàn jiù shì cháng xiù shàn wǔ de xiū xiān zhě ， rán ér shí lì ， yǔ zài zuò de gè wèi zhí shì zhǎng lǎo xiāng bǐ ， yào dī yī xiē ， bù guò dòng xuán qī ， gù ér tā de biǎo qíng gōng jìng yǐ jí 。
一看就是长袖善舞的修仙者，然而实力，与在座的各位执事长老相比，要低一些，不过洞玄期，故而他的表情恭敬以极。
He was clearly a skilled cultivator adept at handling affairs, though his strength was somewhat lower than that of the present elders. He was only in the Profound Concealment stage, so his expression was extremely respectful.
“ hēng ， zhēn shì bù zhī sǐ huó ， qū qū yí gè yún yǐn zōng ， jìng rán yě gǎn shì běn mén wèi wú wù ， kàn lái bù gěi tā men yì diǎn jiào xùn shì bù chéng le 。” yī shēn chuān hēi yī de dà hàn mǎn liǎn zhēng níng zhī sè， è hěn hěn de kāi kǒu ：“ shī xiōng ， hái děng shén me ， xiǎo xiǎo yí gè yún yǐn zōng ， yě gǎn jìng jiǔ bù chī chī fá jiǔ ， hé bì zài lǐ duō fèi chún shé ， bù yòng dòng yòng duō de rén shǒu ， suí biàn pài yī xiē dì zǐ gěi wú mǒu ， wǒ jiù néng yí píng yún yǐn zōng zǒng duò ， ràng gāi pài chī bù liǎo dōu zhe zǒu ， dào shí hòu nà shén me líng yǎn zhī hú ， hái bú shì běn mén de náng zhōng wù 。”
“哼，真是不知死活，区区一个云隐宗，竟然也敢视本门为无物，看来不给他们一点教训是不成了。”一身穿黑衣的大汉满脸狰狞之sè，恶狠狠的开口：“师兄，还等什么，小小一个云隐宗，也敢敬酒不吃吃罚酒，何必在里多费唇舌，不用动用多的人手，随便派一些弟子给吴某，我就能夷平云隐宗总舵，让该派吃不了兜着走，到时候那什么灵眼之湖，还不是本门的囊中物。”
"Humph! Truly ignorant of their own mortality. A mere Cloud Concealing Sect dares to treat our sect as nothing. It seems we must give them a lesson," said a burly man in black, his face contorted with rage. "Senior Brother, why wait? Such a small Cloud Concealing Sect dares to defy us after being offered wine and refusing the cup of punishment. Why waste words? I can level their main headquarters with just a few disciples."
nà dà hàn míng xiǎn shì pí qì bào zào de rén wù ， yī yán bù hé ， jiù xiǎng yào duì yún yǐn zōng dà dǎ chū
那大汉明显是脾气暴躁的人物，一言不合，就想要对云隐宗大打出
The burly man was clearly someone quick to anger. However, among the present elders were those who were mature and prudent, so they would not allow him to act rashly. As soon as he finished speaking, a pleasant voice rang out, tinged with reproach: "Senior Brother Wu, you are at it again. Winning without fighting is the best strategy. Moreover, Cloud Concealing Sect's current strength should not be underestimated. The loss of one thousand soldiers for every eight hundred of ourselves—do you understand this principle? Stop shouting and brawling all day."
rán ér zài zuò de zhí shì zhǎng lǎo ， bù fá lǎo chéng chí zhòng zhī tú ， zì rán bú huì rèn yóu tā hú lái de ， dà hàn huà yīn gāng luò ， yī yuè ěr de shēng yīn jiù chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lǐ miàn dài zhe jǐ fēn zé guài zhī sè：“ wú shī xiōng ， nǐ yòu yǒu lái le ， bù zhàn ér qū rén zhī bīng nǎi shì shàng cè ， hé kuàng yún yǐn zōng rú jīn de shí lì yě bù kě qīng rǔ · shā dí yī qiān ， zì sǔn bā bǎi de dào lǐ dǒng bù dǒng ， bú yào chéng tiān zài zhè lǐ hǎn dǎ hǎn shā de 。”
然而在座的执事长老，不乏老成持重之徒，自然不会任由他胡来的，大汉话音刚落，一悦耳的声音就传入耳朵，里面带着几分责怪之sè：“吴师兄，你又有来了，不战而屈人之兵乃是上策，何况云隐宗如今的实力也不可轻辱·杀敌一千，自损八百的道理懂不懂，不要成天在这里喊打喊杀的。”
A woman in green robes spoke up. Her appearance was delicate, and her mannerisms were extremely refined, exuding a scholarly aura.
shuō huà de shì yī shēn chuān lǜ sè gōng zhuāng de nǚ zǐ ， zī róng xiù lì · yán tán jǔ zhǐ ， dōu wén jìng yǐ jí ， hún shēn shàng xià ， yǐn yǐn tòu chū yī gǔ shū juàn zhī qì 。
说话的是一身穿绿sè宫装的女子，姿容秀丽·言谈举止，都文静以极，浑身上下，隐隐透出一股书卷之气。
The burly man, though quick to anger, did not react to his junior sister's sharp words but instead scratched his head sheepishly before sitting down obediently.
nà dà hàn shì pí qì bào zào de rén wù ， kě miàn duì xiǎo shī mèi de qiǎng bái jìng méi yǒu fā huǒ ， fǎn ér shàn shàn de náo le náo tóu ， guāi guāi de zuò xià qù le 。
那大汉是脾气暴躁的人物，可面对小师妹的抢白竟没有发火，反而讪讪的挠了挠头，乖乖的坐下去了。
"Junior Sister speaks wisely. Cloud Concealing Sect has indeed changed significantly since that Lin Xuan joined. Their ranking in the Ten Thousand Clear Palace now approaches the top ten. Although they still fall far short of our sect, they are one of the most powerful sects in this world," said the old man at the head, stroking his beard with a solemn expression.
“ shī mèi yán zhī yǒu lǐ · rú jīn de yún yǐn zōng què shí jīn fēi xī bǐ ， zì cóng yǒu le nà jiào lín xuān de xiǎo zi jiā rù ， zài wàn xiǎo xiān gōng de pái míng yǐ jiē jìn qián shí ， suī rán yǔ běn mén xiāng bǐ ， yī jiù yuǎn yuǎn bù jí ， dàn yǐ jīng kě suàn cǐ jiè zuì wèi dǐng jí de zōng mén zhī yī 。” nà zuò zài shǒu wèi de lǎo zhě lǚ le lǚ hú xū ， yī liǎn de níng zhòng zhī yì 。
“师妹言之有理·如今的云隐宗确实今非昔比，自从有了那叫林轩的小子加入，在万晓仙宫的排名已接近前十，虽然与本门相比，依旧远远不及，但已经可算此界最为顶级的宗门之一。”那坐在首位的老者捋了捋胡须，一脸的凝重之意。
"What? Approaching the top ten? Senior Brother, did you make a mistake? Cloud Concealing Sect may have inherited from ancient times, but it has no outstanding strength. No渡劫期 cultivators, and even fewer分神级别的 existences—only one or two at most. Such forces are numerous in Dragon's Roost World, and their ranking has always hovered around the three hundred mark."
“ shén me ， jiē jìn qián shí · shī xiōng ， nǐ yǒu méi yǒu gǎo cuò ， yún yǐn zōng suī rán yě chuán chéng zì shàng gǔ · dàn shí lì què méi yǒu rèn hé chū zhòng zhī chù ， dù jié qī bú yòng shuō ， jiù suàn shì fēn shén jí bié de cún zài ， gāi pài yě bù guò yī liǎng gè ， fàng yǎn nài lóng jiè ， zhè yàng de shì lì duō bù shèng shù ， pái míng hǎo xiàng yì zhí dōu zài sān bǎi zuǒ yòu pái huái lái zhe 。”
“什么，接近前十·师兄，你有没有搞错，云隐宗虽然也传承自上古·但实力却没有任何出众之处，渡劫期不用说，就算是分神级别的存在，该派也不过一两个，放眼鼐龙界，这样的势力多不胜数，排名好像一直都在三百左右徘徊来着。”
The surprised voice came from a man with a pale golden complexion, his cheeks adorned with silver lines. It was clear that he had unique cultivation techniques, likely of great power.
chī jīng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， shuō huà zhī rén zhāng kǒu jié shé ， zhè shì yí miàn sè dàn jīn de xiū xiān zhě ， liǎn jiá shàng hái yǒu jǐ dào yín wén fú xiàn ér chū · yī kàn jiù zhī dào cǐ rén xiū liàn de gōng fǎ yǒu yǔ zhòng bù tóng zhī chù ， wēi lì duō bàn fēi tóng xiǎo kě 。
吃惊的声音传入耳朵，说话之人张口结舌，这是一面sè淡金的修仙者，脸颊上还有几道银纹浮现而出·一看就知道此人修炼的功法有与众不同之处，威力多半非同小可。
Most of the present elders showed similar expressions of surprise. The rapid rise from third-hundred to near the top ten in just a few hundred years was unprecedented. No wonder they were all stunned.
zài zuò zhǎng lǎo hái yǒu yī xiǎo bàn biǎo qíng yě xiāng chà fǎng fú ， bì jìng cóng pái míng sān bǎi duō dào jiē jìn qián shí ， suǒ huā fèi de shí jiān ， bù guò shù bǎi nián ér yǐ ， zhè yàng de cuān shēng sù dù · jiǎn zhí qián wú gǔ rén hòu wú lái zhě ， yě nán guài zài zuò zhī rén ， huì jīng dé mù dèng kǒu dāi le 。
在座长老还有一小半表情也相差仿佛，毕竟从排名三百多到接近前十，所花费的时间，不过数百年而已，这样的蹿升速度·简直前无古人后无来者，也难怪在座之人，会惊得目瞪口呆了。
"How can it be that none of you know this? Senior Brother," said the old man with displeasure on his face. "As the saying goes, knowing oneself and one's enemy ensures victory in every battle. Your underestimation is excessive."
“ zěn me ， jǐ wèi shī dì lián zhè yě bù xiǎo de ？”
“怎么，几位师弟连这也不晓得？”
Some felt ashamed, while others disagreed. A small Cloud Concealing Sect was no big deal; such fussing seemed unnecessary. However, they kept their thoughts to themselves, as speaking up would likely earn them reprimands.
nà wéi shǒu lǎo zhě liǎn shàng lù chū bù mǎn zhī sè：“ sú huà shuō ， zhī jǐ zhī bǐ bǎi zhàn bǎi shèng ， nǐ men qīng dí dào zhè bān dì bù ， kě yǒu xiē guò fèn le 。”
那为首老者脸上露出不满之sè：“俗话说，知己知彼百战百胜，你们轻敌到这般地步，可有些过分了。”
The eldest senior had great prestige within the sect not only because he entered earlier but also due to his superior strength compared to his peers. He was considered on the brink of渡劫, and thus, they held him in awe.
jǐ rén tīng le ， yǒu de cán kuì ， yǒu de bù yǐ wéi rán ， xiǎo xiǎo de yún yǐn zōng ér yǐ ， hé bì nòng dé rú cǐ fēng shēng hè lì ， shī xiōng cǐ jǔ ， wèi miǎn xiǎo tí dà zuò le xiē 。
几人听了，有的惭愧，有的不以为然，小小的云隐宗而已，何必弄得如此风声鹤唳，师兄此举，未免小题大做了些。
However, the man with a pale golden complexion still looked puzzled. After a moment's hesitation, he spoke: "Senior Brother, are you certain that Cloud Concealing Sect is now so formidable?"
dāng rán ， zhè huà tā men yě jiù xīn zhōng xiǎng xiǎng ér yǐ ， shuō chū lái kěn dìng huì shòu chì zé ， zì rán méi yǒu shuí ， huì qù zhǔ dòng zhǎo bù tòng kuài le 。
当然，这话他们也就心中想想而已，说出来肯定会受斥责，自然没有谁，会去主动找不痛快了。
"Xu Senior Brother, there's no need to doubt. What the sect leader said must be true. The change in Cloud Concealing Sect is due to that Lin Xuan. He is said to be immensely powerful, far surpassing his peers. Even the Old Monster of Heaven's End fell to him. Unless it’s a渡劫期 ancestor, none among us can match him," said a clear voice, belonging to a cultivator dressed as a scholar.
dà shī xiōng zài mén zhōng wēi wàng fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， bù jǐn rù mén bǐ tā men zǎo ， ér qiě shí lì yě yuǎn shèng tóng bèi xǔ duō ， bèi rèn wéi shì bàn zhǐ jiǎo dōu yǐ jīng mài rù le dù jié de rén wù ， tā men xīn zhōng zì rán shì yǒu xiē jìng wèi de 。
大师兄在门中威望非同小可，不仅入门比他们早，而且实力也远胜同辈许多，被认为是半只脚都已经迈入了渡劫的人物，他们心中自然是有些敬畏的。
"Why should we boost others' spirits and diminish our own? The Old Monster of Heaven's End is merely a pretender seeking fame. What he claims about being the top分神级 expert in Dragon's Roost World is mere boasting. Speaking of which, among us, who can't outmatch him in solo combat? Even if Lin Xuan isn’t weak, I doubt he would be our match," said the burly man in black.
dǎo shì nà miàn sè dàn jīn de nán zi liǎn shàng hái dài zhe yí huò ， lüè yī chí yí zhī hòu kāi kǒu le ：“ dà shī gē ， nǐ zhēn kěn dìng ， yún yǐn zōng rú jīn ， yǐ shì zhè yàng de fēi tóng xiǎo kě 。”
倒是那面sè淡金的男子脸上还带着疑惑，略一迟疑之后开口了：“大师哥，你真肯定，云隐宗如今，已是这样的非同小可。”
"Senior Brother Wu, you are mistaken," said the woman in green robes with a serious expression. "That is why."
“ chǔ shī xiōng ， nǐ bù yòng yí huò ， zhǎng mén suǒ yán ， zì rán shì zhēn de ， yún yǐn zōng jīn fēi xī bǐ ， dōu shì yīn wèi nà lín xiǎo zi de yuán gù ， jù shuō cǐ rén shí lì zhī qiáng ， yuǎn zài tóng jiē xiū shì zhī shàng ， tiān jué lǎo guài ， yě zhé yì zài tā de shǒu lǐ ， chú fēi dù jié qī lǎo zǔ ， fǒu zé wǒ děng fēn shén qī cún zài ， méi yǒu rén néng gòu yǔ tā xiāng pǐ dí de 。” qīng liàng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， què shì yī shēn chuān rú shēng ， zuò shū shēng dǎ bàn de xiū shì jiē kǒu 。
“楚师兄，你不用疑惑，掌门所言，自然是真的，云隐宗今非昔比，都是因为那林小子的缘故，据说此人实力之强，远在同阶修士之上，天绝老怪，也折翼在他的手里，除非渡劫期老祖，否则我等分神期存在，没有人能够与他相匹敌的。”清亮的声音传入耳朵，却是一身穿儒生，做书生打扮的修士接口。
"Oh, why do you say so?"
“ sūn shī dì hé bì zhǎng tā rén zhì qì ， miè zì jǐ wēi fēng ， tiān jué nà lǎo guài wù ， bù guò shì gū míng diào yù zhī tú ， shén me nài lóng jiè fēn shén qī dì yī gāo shǒu ， bù guò shì hú chuī dà qì bà le ， bié de bù shuō ， wǒ men zài zuò de shī xiōng dì ， dān dǎ dú dòu ， shuí bù néng shèng tā yī chóu ， nà lín xiǎo zi jiù suàn shí lì bù ruò ， wǒ xiǎng yě bù yí dìng huì shì wǒ men de duì shǒu 。” hēi yī dà hàn bù yǐ wéi rán de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
“孙师弟何必长他人志气，灭自己威风，天绝那老怪物，不过是沽名钓誉之徒，什么鼐龙界分神期第一高手，不过是胡吹大气罢了，别的不说，我们在座的师兄弟，单打独斗，谁不能胜他一筹，那林小子就算实力不弱，我想也不一定会是我们的对手。”黑衣大汉不以为然的声音传入耳朵。
Seeing Zhou Junior Sister contradict his words again, the burly man was extremely helpless but still不服气, prompting him to ask: "Junior Sister, what reason do you have for saying this?"
“ wú shī xiōng zhè yàng xiǎng me ， nà kě jiù dà cuò tè cuò 。” nà shēn chuān cuì lǜ gōng zhuāng de nǚ zǐ yòu kāi kǒu le ， liǎn shàng mǎn shì níng zhòng zhī sè。
“吴师兄这样想么，那可就大错特错。”那身穿翠绿宫装的女子又开口了，脸上满是凝重之sè。
"Since I am on good terms with Fairy Ruo Yan," said the woman in green robes.
“ ó ， shī mèi wèi hé zhè yàng shuō ？”
“哦，师妹为何这样说？”
"Head of the Cloud Family."
jiàn yòu shì zhōu shī mèi fǎn bó zì jǐ de yán yǔ ， hēi yī dà hàn wú nài yǐ jí ， dàn xīn zhōng hái shì bù fú qì ， gù ér zhè me wèn le yī jù 。
见又是周师妹反驳自己的言语，黑衣大汉无奈以极，但心中还是不服气，故而这么问了一句。
The cultivators present knew who she meant—the Cloud family, ranked eleventh in the Ten Thousand Clear Palace's list. As the head of the Cloud family, Fairy Ruo Yan was naturally formidable, and her friendship with Zhou Junior Sister was no small matter.
“ xiǎo mèi zhè yàng shuō ， zì rán shì yǒu yuán yīn de ， zài zuò de gè wèi shī xiōng yīng gāi xiǎo de ， wǒ yǔ ruò yán xiān zi de jiāo qíng yí xiàng bù cuò 。”
“小妹这样说，自然是有原因的，在座的各位师兄应该晓得，我与若颜仙子的交情一向不错。”
Could there be any unexpected information from Fairy Ruo Yan?
“ yún jiā jiā zhǔ 。”
“云家家主。”
Even the old man at the head turned his head, clearly unaware of this intelligence.
zài chǎng xiū shì zì rán zhī dào tā zhǐ de shì nǎ ge ， fēng yuàn jùn yún jiā ， zài wàn xiǎo xiān gōng de bǎng dān zhōng ， shì pái míng dì shí yī de páng rán dà wù 。
在场修士自然知道她指的是哪个，枫苑郡云家，在万晓仙宫的榜单中，是排名第十一的庞然大物。
Thus, everyone showed interest on their faces.
yún ruò yán zuò wèi yún jiā jiā zhǔ ， shí lì zì rán bù sú ， ér qiě yǔ zhōu shī mèi de jiāo qíng yě shì fēi tóng xiǎo kě 。
云若颜做为云家家主，实力自然不俗，而且与周师妹的交情也是非同小可。
"Junior Sister, stop teasing."
nán dào cóng nà wèi ruò yán xiān zi de kǒu zhōng ， jìng dé dào le shén me chū rén yì liào de qíng bào me ？
难道从那位若颜仙子的口中，竟得到了什么出人意料的情报么？
"Indeed. We are all listening attentively."
lián nà zuò zài shǒu wèi de lǎo zhě yě zhuǎn guò tóu lú ， xiǎn rán zhè qíng bào ， lián tā yě bù qīng chǔ 。
连那坐在首位的老者也转过头颅，显然这情报，连他也不清楚。
The urging voice came, but the woman in green robes remained calm and composure, brushing her hair before speaking slowly: "Two hundred years ago, Senior True Man held a dual cultivation ceremony to marry Fairy Qianqian. I believe everyone here remembers this clearly."
gù ér rén rén liǎn shàng dōu lù chū guān zhù zhī sè。
故而人人脸上都露出关注之sè。
"Yes."
“ shī mèi jiù bié mài guān zi le 。”
“师妹就别卖关子了。”
They all nodded in agreement. The Great Elder had disappeared after attending the ceremony, so they remembered it vividly.
"So you've already visited the main headquarters of Cloud Concealing Sect and conveyed our intentions, yet they refused us outright without hesitation."
A bearded old man with a few gray hairs frowned slightly as he spoke slowly.
"Yes, Senior Uncle, I have delivered your personal letter to the Supreme Elder of Cloud Concealing Sect. At the same time, I expressed our intentions—neither did we plan to take by force nor snatch that treasure from them forcefully. Instead, we were willing to offer many benefits in return for their cooperation. However, the Supreme Elder of Cloud Concealing Sect showed no hesitation and rejected our good intentions outright."
The man who responded was lean with an ordinary appearance, around thirty years old, but his face revealed a sharp intelligence.
He was clearly a skilled cultivator adept at handling affairs, though his strength was somewhat lower than that of the present elders. He was only in the Profound Concealment stage, so his expression was extremely respectful.
"Humph! Truly ignorant of their own mortality. A mere Cloud Concealing Sect dares to treat our sect as nothing. It seems we must give them a lesson," said a burly man in black, his face contorted with rage. "Senior Brother, why wait? Such a small Cloud Concealing Sect dares to defy us after being offered wine and refusing the cup of punishment. Why waste words? I can level their main headquarters with just a few disciples."
The burly man was clearly someone quick to anger. However, among the present elders were those who were mature and prudent, so they would not allow him to act rashly. As soon as he finished speaking, a pleasant voice rang out, tinged with reproach: "Senior Brother Wu, you are at it again. Winning without fighting is the best strategy. Moreover, Cloud Concealing Sect's current strength should not be underestimated. The loss of one thousand soldiers for every eight hundred of ourselves—do you understand this principle? Stop shouting and brawling all day."
A woman in green robes spoke up. Her appearance was delicate, and her mannerisms were extremely refined, exuding a scholarly aura.
The burly man, though quick to anger, did not react to his junior sister's sharp words but instead scratched his head sheepishly before sitting down obediently.
"Junior Sister speaks wisely. Cloud Concealing Sect has indeed changed significantly since that Lin Xuan joined. Their ranking in the Ten Thousand Clear Palace now approaches the top ten. Although they still fall far short of our sect, they are one of the most powerful sects in this world," said the old man at the head, stroking his beard with a solemn expression.
"What? Approaching the top ten? Senior Brother, did you make a mistake? Cloud Concealing Sect may have inherited from ancient times, but it has no outstanding strength. No渡劫期 cultivators, and even fewer分神级别的 existences—only one or two at most. Such forces are numerous in Dragon's Roost World, and their ranking has always hovered around the three hundred mark."
The surprised voice came from a man with a pale golden complexion, his cheeks adorned with silver lines. It was clear that he had unique cultivation techniques, likely of great power.
Most of the present elders showed similar expressions of surprise. The rapid rise from third-hundred to near the top ten in just a few hundred years was unprecedented. No wonder they were all stunned.
"How can it be that none of you know this? Senior Brother," said the old man with displeasure on his face. "As the saying goes, knowing oneself and one's enemy ensures victory in every battle. Your underestimation is excessive."
Some felt ashamed, while others disagreed. A small Cloud Concealing Sect was no big deal; such fussing seemed unnecessary. However, they kept their thoughts to themselves, as speaking up would likely earn them reprimands.
The eldest senior had great prestige within the sect not only because he entered earlier but also due to his superior strength compared to his peers. He was considered on the brink of渡劫, and thus, they held him in awe.
However, the man with a pale golden complexion still looked puzzled. After a moment's hesitation, he spoke: "Senior Brother, are you certain that Cloud Concealing Sect is now so formidable?"
"Xu Senior Brother, there's no need to doubt. What the sect leader said must be true. The change in Cloud Concealing Sect is due to that Lin Xuan. He is said to be immensely powerful, far surpassing his peers. Even the Old Monster of Heaven's End fell to him. Unless it’s a渡劫期 ancestor, none among us can match him," said a clear voice, belonging to a cultivator dressed as a scholar.
"Why should we boost others' spirits and diminish our own? The Old Monster of Heaven's End is merely a pretender seeking fame. What he claims about being the top分神级 expert in Dragon's Roost World is mere boasting. Speaking of which, among us, who can't outmatch him in solo combat? Even if Lin Xuan isn’t weak, I doubt he would be our match," said the burly man in black.
"Senior Brother Wu, you are mistaken," said the woman in green robes with a serious expression. "That is why."
"Oh, why do you say so?"
Seeing Zhou Junior Sister contradict his words again, the burly man was extremely helpless but still不服气, prompting him to ask: "Junior Sister, what reason do you have for saying this?"
"Since I am on good terms with Fairy Ruo Yan," said the woman in green robes.
"Head of the Cloud Family."
The cultivators present knew who she meant—the Cloud family, ranked eleventh in the Ten Thousand Clear Palace's list. As the head of the Cloud family, Fairy Ruo Yan was naturally formidable, and her friendship with Zhou Junior Sister was no small matter.
Could there be any unexpected information from Fairy Ruo Yan?
Even the old man at the head turned his head, clearly unaware of this intelligence.
Thus, everyone showed interest on their faces.
"Junior Sister, stop teasing."
"Indeed. We are all listening attentively."
The urging voice came, but the woman in green robes remained calm and composure, brushing her hair before speaking slowly: "Two hundred years ago, Senior True Man held a dual cultivation ceremony to marry Fairy Qianqian. I believe everyone here remembers this clearly."
"Yes."
They all nodded in agreement. The Great Elder had disappeared after attending the ceremony, so they remembered it vividly.