..bsp; wò shǒu yán hé ？
..bsp; 握手言和？
A handshake and a truce?
. yòu shī shū méng
.幼狮书盟
Young Lion Book Alliance
kū xiào bù dé ！
哭笑不得！
He couldn't help but laugh at the irony.
tā men zuò mèng yě bù céng xiǎng shì qíng huì fā zhǎn dào zhè yī dì bù 。
他们做梦也不曾想事情会发展到这一地步。
Lin Xuan's eloquence was too good. He could spin a tale so convincingly that everyone was momentarily stumped, unable to find any flaws in his narrative.
lín xiǎo zi kǒu cái tài hǎo le 。
林小子口才太好了。
From what he said, it seemed as if there had been no grudge between him and Miao Yin, even going so far as to offer her aid. Her demise was merely due to sheer coincidence, not his fault at all.
biān gù shì néng gòu biān dào zì yuán qí shuō 。
编故事能够编到自圆其说。
Though the lie was flawless, would anyone really believe it? The attendees were all cultivators who had weathered countless storms, with broad experiences; they weren't easily fooled.
yī shí piàn kè ， dà jiā hái zhēn shuō bù chū ， tā huà zhōng de pò zhàn shì shén me 。
一时片刻，大家还真说不出，他话中的破绽是什么。
While Lin Xuan could spin a convincing story, in the end, it only highlighted how good he was with words and quick on his feet. Miao Yin's death was undoubtedly not due to any of his intentions.
cóng qí xù shù ， fǎng fú tā yǔ miào yīn jiān ， dàng zhēn shì wú yuān wú chóu 。
从其叙述，仿佛他与妙音间，当真是无冤无仇。
Did he really think that would fool them into believing him?
shèn zhì hái shī yǐ yuán shǒu 。
甚至还施以援手。
However, none of the elders knew how to refute this claim. Everyone’s faces showed a look of difficulty as no one stepped forward to speak. All eyes turned towards Heavenly Sound Fairy.
zuì hòu miào yīn yǔn luò ， yě bù guò shì jī yuán qiǎo hé ， dàng zhēn guài bú dào lín xuān tóu shàng de 。
最后妙音陨落，也不过是机缘巧合，当真怪不到林轩头上的。
Her injuries had yet to heal and her face remained pale. Her expression was unreadable, revealing nothing about her inner thoughts.
bù guò zhè fān huǎng huà suī tiān yī wú fèng ， dàn zhēn yǒu rén xiāng xìn me ？
不过这番谎话虽天衣无缝，但真有人相信么？
The hall fell silent for a long time before the head of Heavenly Sound Palace finally spoke. Her voice was icy cold with an air of indifference: "Friend, your story is well-told. But do you really think we would believe it?"
zài chǎng de kě dōu shì dù jié jí bié de xiū xiān zhě ， jīng lì fēng fēng yǔ yǔ wú shù ， jiàn shí guǎng bó ， nǎ ér shì nà me róng yì hū yōu de 。..
在场的可都是渡劫级别的修仙者，经历风风雨雨无数，见识广博，哪儿是那么容易忽悠的。..
"How can you say that? Lin and Miao Yin Fairy had no grudge against each other. My words just now were completely truthful," Lin Xuan's expression showed a look of helplessness as if he was the one who had suffered great injustice.
suī rán lín xuān néng gòu zì yuán qí shuō ， dàn guī gēn jié dǐ ， yě bù guò shì tā kǒu cái hǎo ， nǎo zi huó ， miào yīn jiū jìng rú hé yǔn luò ， zhè jué bú huì shì zhēn xiàng lái zhe 。
虽然林轩能够自圆其说，但归根结底，也不过是他口才好，脑子活，妙音究竟如何陨落，这绝不会是真相来着。
"Oh, so will you swear by your heart demon?"
zhè yàng jiù xiǎng yào méng hùn guò qù ， zhēn dāng zì jǐ zhè xiē rén shì bái chī me ？
这样就想要蒙混过去，真当自己这些人是白痴么？
"Swearing by my heart demon?"
bù guò gāi rú hé fǎn bó ， zhòng zhǎng lǎo de liǎn shàng què lù chū le wéi nán zhī sè。
不过该如何反驳，众长老的脸上却露出了为难之sè。
Lin Xuan frowned. At their level, the heart demon oath held little binding power. He had even slain an outsider demon before; what did a mere heart demon matter?
yī shí jiān ， méi yǒu rén jiē kǒu ， suǒ yǒu rén de mù guāng ， quán dōu luò dào le tiān yīn xiān zi shēn shàng 。
一时间，没有人接口，所有人的目光，全都落到了天音仙子身上。
The other party was merely seeking a way out.
tiān yīn de shāng shì shàng wèi huī fù ， liǎn sè yī jiù shì cǎn bái cǎn bái de ， cóng biǎo qíng shàng ， kàn bù chū tā de xǐ nù ， yě bù zhī nèi xīn shēn chù ， jiū jìng zài xiǎng shén me 。
天音的伤势尚未恢复，脸sè依旧是惨白惨白的，从表情上，看不出她的喜怒，也不知内心深处，究竟在想什么。
It seemed she also wanted to shake hands and make peace. After all, Miao Yin's death meant that both sides would suffer, making it unwise for either of them.
yī shí jiān ， dà tīng zhōng ān jìng le xià lái 。
一时间，大厅中安静了下来。
Lin Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. The same went for Fairy Hundred Flowers.
liáng jiǔ ， zhè wèi tiān yīn gōng zhǔ cái zhōng yú kāi kǒu le ， shēng yīn qīng lěng yǐ jí ， chōng mǎn le lěng mò zhī yì ：“ dào yǒu gù shì biān dé bù cuò ， kě nǐ rèn wéi wǒ men zhēn de huì xiāng xìn me ？”
良久，这位天音宫主才终于开口了，声音清冷以极，充满了冷漠之意：“道友故事编得不错，可你认为我们真的会相信么？”
Such an outcome pleased the two of them as well.
“ dào yǒu zěn me zhè yàng shuō ， lín mǒu yǔ miào yīn xiān zi wú yuān wú chóu ， gāng cái nà fān huà ， gèng shì bàn diǎn huǎng yán méi yǒu 。” lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū wú kě nài hé zhī sè， guāng kàn biǎo qíng ， fǎng fú dǎo shì tā ， shòu le mò dà wěi qū lái zhe 。
“道友怎么这样说，林某与妙音仙子无冤无仇，刚才那番话，更是半点谎言没有。”林轩脸上露出无可奈何之sè，光看表情，仿佛倒是他，受了莫大委屈来着。
Unless absolutely necessary, they didn't want to offend Heavenly Sound Palace. If both parties could make peace, everyone would be happy.
“ ó 。 nà dào yǒu kě gǎn yòng xīn mó fā shì me ？”
“哦。那道友可敢用心魔发誓么？”
The reactions of the other elders varied. Some showed resentment while others remained indifferent, as if it was none of their business. A few even looked delighted, clearly satisfied with this outcome.
“ xīn mó zhī shì ？”
“心魔之誓？”
But regardless of their reactions, no one spoke up to refute him.
lín xuān méi tou yí zhòu ， shí lì dào le tā men zhè ge děng jí ， xīn mó shì yuē bìng méi yǒu tài duō de yuē shù lì ， zì jǐ lián yù wài tiān mó dōu zhǎn guò ， qū qū yí gè xīn mó shì yuē yòu suàn dé le shén me 。
林轩眉头一皱，实力到了他们这个等级，心魔誓约并没有太多的约束力，自己连域外天魔都斩过，区区一个心魔誓约又算得了什么。
Clearly, they had already decided that the head of the palace would have the final say.
duì fāng zhè yàng zuò ， bù guò shì xiǎng yào yí gè tái jiē bà le 。
对方这样做，不过是想要一个台阶罢了。
Lin Xuan didn't know why or care much about the reason. The current situation was favorable for him.
kàn lái tā yě xiǎng yǔ zì jǐ wò shǒu yán hé ， bì jìng miào yīn yǐ jīng yǔn luò ， yú sǐ wǎng pò ， yú shuāng fāng lái shuō ， dōu shì yǒu bǎi hài ér wú yī lì de 。
看来她也想与自己握手言和，毕竟妙音已经陨落，鱼死网破，于双方来说，都是有百害而无一利的。
Thus, without hesitation, he followed the other party's instructions and swore by his heart demon.
lín xuān sōng le kǒu qì 。 nài lóng ， bǎi huā xiān zi tóng yàng rú cǐ 。
林轩松了口气。鼐龙，百花仙子同样如此。
"Fine!"
zhè yàng de jié guǒ ， yě shì liǎng rén suǒ xǐ wén lè jiàn de 。
这样的结果，也是两人所喜闻乐见的。
Heads turned as Heavenly Sound Fairy’s expression softened but it didn’t mean the matter was settled. Her voice remained cold: "Now that we’ve cleared up this misunderstanding, Miao Yin Sister did indeed die due to sheer coincidence. This wasn't your intention, so I won't seek revenge for her. However..."
bú dào wàn bù dé yǐ ， tā men tóng yàng bù xiǎng yǔ tiān yīn gōng jiāo wù ， ruò shì shuāng fāng néng gòu wò shǒu yán hé ， nà jiù suàn shì jiē dà huān xǐ de jié guǒ 。
不到万不得已，他们同样不想与天音宫交恶，若是双方能够握手言和，那就算是皆大欢喜的结果。
At this point, she changed the subject.
zhì yú tiān yīn gōng zhū wèi tài shàng zhǎng lǎo ， zé fǎn yìng gè bù xiāng tóng 。
至于天音宫诸位太上长老，则反应各不相同。
"However...?"
yǒu de lù chū bù fèn zhī sè。
有的露出不忿之sè。
Lin Xuan showed no surprise on his face.
hái yǒu de ， zé mò rán yǐ jí ， fǎng fú shì bù guān jǐ 。 yě yǒu rén yǎn zhōng lù chū xǐ yì ， xiǎn rán duì yú zhè yàng de jié jú ， shí fēn mǎn yì 。
还有的，则漠然以极，仿佛事不关己。也有人眼中露出喜意，显然对于这样的结局，十分满意。
He knew well that even if they wanted a truce, he couldn’t go without any compensation. As long as their demands weren’t unreasonable, Lin Xuan was willing to make some concessions for Heavenly Sound Palace.
dàn bù guǎn zhè xiē rén de fǎn yìng shì shén me ， tā men dōu méi yǒu kāi kǒu fǎn bó 。
但不管这些人的反应是什么，他们都没有开口反驳。
A true man could bend and stretch when necessary. The loss of an upper-stage elder at the peak of his cultivation period was indeed significant for the sect or family. He should compensate accordingly.
xiǎn rán bù lùn cǐ shì rú hé chǔ zhì 。 tā men dōu yǐ dǎ dìng zhǔ yì ， yào gōng zhǔ wéi mǎ shǒu shì zhān le 。
显然不论此事如何处置。他们都已打定主意，要宫主唯马首是瞻了。
Lin Xuan’s expression remained unchanged as he waited for her to continue. Her voice continued: "But regardless of the reason, Miao Yin Sister can’t die in vain. How about this? I’m not an unreasonable cultivator. Hand over two pieces of先天灵宝to me as compensation for my palace, and we’ll call it a day..."
zhì yú yuán yīn shì shén me ， lín xuān bù xiǎo de ， tā yě bù xiǎng shēn jiū 。 fǎn zhèng mù qián de xíng shì ， duì zì jǐ shì yǒu lì de 。
至于原因是什么，林轩不晓得，他也不想深究。反正目前的形势，对自己是有利的。
The elders who had been displeased before now beamed with satisfaction at the condition.
yú shì lín xuān háo bù hán hú ， lì kè àn zhào duì fāng de fēn fù 。 yǐ xīn mó qǐ shì 。
于是林轩毫不含糊，立刻按照对方的吩咐。以心魔起誓。
This wasn't surprising; while upper-stage immortals were invaluable, the先天灵宝were even rarer. These top-tier treasures said to come from the immortal realm were owned by only one in Heavenly Sound Palace and kept in the ancestral hall, accessible only to the grand elders.
“ hǎo ！”
“好！”
In terms of value, the two pieces of先天灵宝certainly outweighed a regular upper-stage cultivator.
tiān yīn xiān zi de liǎn sè， zǒng suàn yǒu suǒ huǎn hé ， dàn bìng bù dài biǎo ， cǐ shì zhì cǐ ， jiù suàn gào yí duàn luò ， tā shēng yīn qīng lěng de kāi kǒu ：“ xiàn zài wù huì yǐ jīng jiǎng qīng chǔ ， kàn lái miào yīn shī mèi què shí shì jī yuán qiǎo hé ， bèi wù shāng hòu yǔn luò ， cǐ shì bìng fēi lín dào yǒu de běn yì ， běn gōng yě jiù kě yǐ bù wèi miào yīn shī mèi bào chóu ， bù guò ……”
天音仙子的脸sè，总算有所缓和，但并不代表，此事至此，就算告一段落，她声音清冷的开口：“现在误会已经讲清楚，看来妙音师妹确实是机缘巧合，被误伤后陨落，此事并非林道友的本意，本宫也就可以不为妙音师妹报仇，不过……”
So this deal was definitely profitable for them. They also envied Lin Xuan’s luck.
duì fāng shuō dào cǐ chù ， què yòu huà fēng yī zhuǎn le 。
对方说到此处，却又话锋一转了。
After years of积累, Heavenly Sound Palace had only one such treasure. This young man hadn’t even reached the peak of his cultivation yet and already possessed two pieces. How could he be so lucky?
“ bù guò shén me ……”
“不过什么……”
Lin Xuan frowned at the other party's audacity. Did they really think he was a fool to hand over two先天灵宝?
lín xuān liǎn shàng ， dào bìng wú yì sè。
林轩脸上，倒并无异sè。
Of course, Lin Xuan couldn't agree to such terms.
tā xīn zhōng qīng chǔ ， duì fāng jiù suàn yuàn yì wò shǒu yán hé ， zì jǐ yě bù kě néng shén me dài jià yě bù fù 。
他心中清楚，对方就算愿意握手言和，自己也不可能什么代价也不付。
But he didn’t get angry either.
zhǐ yào duì fāng de yāo qiú bù lí pǔ ， lín xuān yě bù jiè yì ， duì tiān yīn gōng zuò chū yì diǎn bǔ cháng de 。
只要对方的要求不离谱，林轩也不介意，对天音宫做出一点补偿的。
He knew that this demand was merely a test. It was like asking for the moon and bargaining from there. The other party wanted to see his limits.
néng qū néng shēn fāng wèi dà zhàng fū ， hé kuàng dù jié zhōng qī tài shàng zhǎng lǎo yǔn luò ， duì yú zōng mén jiā zú lái shuō ， sǔn shī què shí fēi tóng xiǎo kě 。
能屈能伸方为大丈夫，何况渡劫中期太上长老陨落，对于宗门家族来说，损失确实非同小可。
While he wasn’t concerned about his strength, in terms of intelligence and strategy, Lin Xuan was confident he could outwit these old monsters.
zì jǐ wèi cǐ ， zuò chū yī xiē bǔ cháng ， yě shì yīng dāng de 。
自己为此，做出一些补偿，也是应当的。
Thus, he remained calm: "先天灵宝, Friend, you jest. This condition is too harsh for me to accept. If Fairy has genuine intentions, please offer something else."
lín xuān liǎn shàng fēn háo yì sè bù lù ， jì xù děng zhe duì fāng wǎng xià shuō ， tiān yīn xiān zi de shēng yīn ， zé wěi wěi chuán rù ěr duǒ ：“ dàn bù guǎn yuán yīn rú hé ， miào yīn shī mèi zǒng bù néng bái bái yǔn luò ， zhè yàng ba ， běn gōng yě bú shì bù jiǎng dào lǐ de xiū xiān zhě ， zhè yàng ba ， nǐ jiāng nǐ shǒu zhōng de liǎng jiàn xiān tiān líng bǎo zhī wù jiāo chū ， zuò wèi duì wǒ tiān yīn gōng de bǔ cháng ， cǐ ēn yuàn jiù yī bǐ gōu xiāo ……”
林轩脸上分毫异sè不露，继续等着对方往下说，天音仙子的声音，则娓娓传入耳朵：“但不管原因如何，妙音师妹总不能白白陨落，这样吧，本宫也不是不讲道理的修仙者，这样吧，你将你手中的两件先天灵宝之物交出，做为对我天音宫的补偿，此恩怨就一笔勾销……”
Though Lin Xuan’s words were polite, his tone was firm.
zhòng zhǎng lǎo liǎn shàng yuán běn hái yǒu bù mǎn zhī sè， tīng le zhè ge tiáo jiàn ， zé yí gè gè xǐ xiào yán kāi qǐ lái le 。
众长老脸上原本还有不满之sè，听了这个条件，则一个个喜笑颜开起来了。
"Something else? Miao Yin Sister's death isn’t worth a piece of先天灵宝? Then according to your logic, what will you use to compensate my loss..."
zhè bù xī qí ， dù jié qī cún zài gù rán fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， rán ér xiān tiān líng bǎo què gèng wéi nán dé 。
这不稀奇，渡劫期存在固然非同小可，然而先天灵宝却更为难得。
Her cold voice cut in, using the strategy of retreating to advance.
zhè zhǒng jù shuō shì yóu xiān jiè liú chuán xià lái de dǐng jí bǎo wù ， jiù suàn tiān yīn gōng ， yě bù guò zhǐ yǒu yī jiàn bà le ， ér qiě gòng fèng zài zǔ shī cí táng zhī zhōng ， fēi dà zhǎng lǎo bù néng dòng yòng 。
这种据说是由仙界流传下来的顶级宝物，就算天音宫，也不过只有一件罢了，而且供奉在祖师祠堂之中，非大长老不能动用。
"Ah..."
jiù jià zhí lái shuō ， xiān tiān líng bǎo kěn dìng shì shèng guò yī míng pǔ tōng de dù jié zhōng qī de xiū xiān zhě 。
就价值来说，先天灵宝肯定是胜过一名普通的渡劫中期的修仙者。
Lin Xuan’s face showed a hint of contemplation. He couldn't hand over the先天灵宝, but offering ordinary treasures would only make them more insistent.
suǒ yǐ zhè mǎi mài ， tā men shì wěn zhuàn bù péi de 。
所以这买卖，他们是稳赚不赔的。
So which treasure should he offer was indeed a difficult decision. (To be continued...)
tóng shí yě duì lín xuān shí fēn jí dù 。
同时也对林轩十分嫉妒。
PS: Sorry for today's sudden business; I'll have just one update today.
A handshake and a truce?
Young Lion Book Alliance
He couldn't help but laugh at the irony.
Lin Xuan's eloquence was too good. He could spin a tale so convincingly that everyone was momentarily stumped, unable to find any flaws in his narrative.
From what he said, it seemed as if there had been no grudge between him and Miao Yin, even going so far as to offer her aid. Her demise was merely due to sheer coincidence, not his fault at all.
Though the lie was flawless, would anyone really believe it? The attendees were all cultivators who had weathered countless storms, with broad experiences; they weren't easily fooled.
While Lin Xuan could spin a convincing story, in the end, it only highlighted how good he was with words and quick on his feet. Miao Yin's death was undoubtedly not due to any of his intentions.
Did he really think that would fool them into believing him?
However, none of the elders knew how to refute this claim. Everyone’s faces showed a look of difficulty as no one stepped forward to speak. All eyes turned towards Heavenly Sound Fairy.
Her injuries had yet to heal and her face remained pale. Her expression was unreadable, revealing nothing about her inner thoughts.
The hall fell silent for a long time before the head of Heavenly Sound Palace finally spoke. Her voice was icy cold with an air of indifference: "Friend, your story is well-told. But do you really think we would believe it?"
"How can you say that? Lin and Miao Yin Fairy had no grudge against each other. My words just now were completely truthful," Lin Xuan's expression showed a look of helplessness as if he was the one who had suffered great injustice.
"Oh, so will you swear by your heart demon?"
"Swearing by my heart demon?"
Lin Xuan frowned. At their level, the heart demon oath held little binding power. He had even slain an outsider demon before; what did a mere heart demon matter?
The other party was merely seeking a way out.
It seemed she also wanted to shake hands and make peace. After all, Miao Yin's death meant that both sides would suffer, making it unwise for either of them.
Lin Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. The same went for Fairy Hundred Flowers.
Such an outcome pleased the two of them as well.
Unless absolutely necessary, they didn't want to offend Heavenly Sound Palace. If both parties could make peace, everyone would be happy.
The reactions of the other elders varied. Some showed resentment while others remained indifferent, as if it was none of their business. A few even looked delighted, clearly satisfied with this outcome.
But regardless of their reactions, no one spoke up to refute him.
Clearly, they had already decided that the head of the palace would have the final say.
Lin Xuan didn't know why or care much about the reason. The current situation was favorable for him.
Thus, without hesitation, he followed the other party's instructions and swore by his heart demon.
"Fine!"
Heads turned as Heavenly Sound Fairy’s expression softened but it didn’t mean the matter was settled. Her voice remained cold: "Now that we’ve cleared up this misunderstanding, Miao Yin Sister did indeed die due to sheer coincidence. This wasn't your intention, so I won't seek revenge for her. However..."
At this point, she changed the subject.
"However...?"
Lin Xuan showed no surprise on his face.
He knew well that even if they wanted a truce, he couldn’t go without any compensation. As long as their demands weren’t unreasonable, Lin Xuan was willing to make some concessions for Heavenly Sound Palace.
A true man could bend and stretch when necessary. The loss of an upper-stage elder at the peak of his cultivation period was indeed significant for the sect or family. He should compensate accordingly.
Lin Xuan’s expression remained unchanged as he waited for her to continue. Her voice continued: "But regardless of the reason, Miao Yin Sister can’t die in vain. How about this? I’m not an unreasonable cultivator. Hand over two pieces of先天灵宝to me as compensation for my palace, and we’ll call it a day..."
The elders who had been displeased before now beamed with satisfaction at the condition.
This wasn't surprising; while upper-stage immortals were invaluable, the先天灵宝were even rarer. These top-tier treasures said to come from the immortal realm were owned by only one in Heavenly Sound Palace and kept in the ancestral hall, accessible only to the grand elders.
In terms of value, the two pieces of先天灵宝certainly outweighed a regular upper-stage cultivator.
So this deal was definitely profitable for them. They also envied Lin Xuan’s luck.
After years of积累, Heavenly Sound Palace had only one such treasure. This young man hadn’t even reached the peak of his cultivation yet and already possessed two pieces. How could he be so lucky?
Lin Xuan frowned at the other party's audacity. Did they really think he was a fool to hand over two先天灵宝?
Of course, Lin Xuan couldn't agree to such terms.
But he didn’t get angry either.
He knew that this demand was merely a test. It was like asking for the moon and bargaining from there. The other party wanted to see his limits.
While he wasn’t concerned about his strength, in terms of intelligence and strategy, Lin Xuan was confident he could outwit these old monsters.
Thus, he remained calm: "先天灵宝, Friend, you jest. This condition is too harsh for me to accept. If Fairy has genuine intentions, please offer something else."
Though Lin Xuan’s words were polite, his tone was firm.
"Something else? Miao Yin Sister's death isn’t worth a piece of先天灵宝? Then according to your logic, what will you use to compensate my loss..."
Her cold voice cut in, using the strategy of retreating to advance.
"Ah..."
Lin Xuan’s face showed a hint of contemplation. He couldn't hand over the先天灵宝, but offering ordinary treasures would only make them more insistent.
So which treasure should he offer was indeed a difficult decision. (To be continued...)
PS: Sorry for today's sudden business; I'll have just one update today.