zhè huà bìng fēi hú yán luàn yǔ , lín xuān cǐ kè , cái suàn míng bái le tā de yòng yì 。
这话并非胡言乱语,林轩此刻,才算明白了她的用意。
This wasn't idle talk; Lin Xuan finally understood her intentions at this moment.
yī kāi shǐ , tiān yīn xiān zi jiù xīn zhōng yǒu shù , zì jǐ bù yuàn yì jiāo chū xiān tiān zhī wù 。
一开始,天音仙子就心中有数,自己不愿意交出先天之物。
Initially, Fairy Tianshen had known in her heart that she didn’t want to hand over thepre-existing things (Primordial Treasure). But for such a precious treasure, she was determined to get it. Even if she couldn’t obtain both, getting one would be fine. However, such treasures were no small matter; Lin Xuan definitely wouldn't comply willingly. Moreover, Elder Nailong and Fairy Huazhua had shown considerable favor towards this young man, making them hesitant to take the treasure by stealth or force.
dàn duì zhè yàng de bǎo bèi , tā yòu shì zhì zài bì děi 。
但对这样的宝贝,她又是志在必得。
Thus, Fairy Tianshen set a trap.
jí biàn liǎng jiàn dé bú dào , qǔ qí zhōng zhī yī yě hǎo 。
即便两件得不到,取其中之一也好。
In simple terms, it was a strategy of giving in to gain. She first made a grand demand, asking Lin Xuan for two Primordial Treasures. When he refused, she would back down and ask for a pill that could help him break through his bottleneck instead. But even this request was denied by Lin Xuan.
dàn zhè yàng de bǎo wù fēi tóng xiǎo kě , lín xuān kěn dìng bú huì guāi guāi jiù fàn de , piān piān nài lóng zhēn rén bǎi huā xiān zi dōu duì zhè xiǎo zi pǒ duō wéi hù , ràng tā men tóu shǔ jì qì , bù néng qiǎo qǔ háo duó 。
但这样的宝物非同小可,林轩肯定不会乖乖就范的,偏偏鼐龙真人百花仙子都对这小子颇多维护,让他们投鼠忌器,不能巧取豪夺。
This gave her an excuse: "My talented junior sister, the Wondrous Sound Fairy, perished in your hands. Such grievances can't be swept under the rug without any cost."
yú shì , tiān yīn xiān zi shè xià le yí gè quān tào 。
于是,天音仙子设下了一个圈套。
Since he couldn’t provide both Primordial Treasures and didn’t have a pill to offer either, she would back down again and ask for one Primordial Treasure.
jiǎn dān de shuō , jiù shì yǐ tuì wéi jìn zhī cè 。
简单的说,就是以退为进之策。
In this way, there was nothing more to say from his side. With both parties backing down, Elder Nailong and Fairy Huazhua had given her the face she wanted. Now it was up to Lin Xuan to choose. If he still refused, it would be a sign of ingratitude. After all, she had already done everything in her power, while he, Lin Xuan, wouldn’t even make a small concession. In this case, Tianzhong Palace could claim the upper hand, and Elder Nailong and Fairy Huazhua would have no grounds to defend him.
xiān shī zi dà kāi kǒu , xiàng lín xuān yào liǎng jiàn xiān tiān zhī wù 。
先狮子大开口,像林轩要两件先天之物。
Only now did Lin Xuan fully understand the malicious intent behind their actions. He had been so overconfident that he had unknowingly walked into their trap.
lín xuān bù kěn , hǎo , nà wǒ jiù tuì yī bù , zhuǎn ér yào tū pò píng jǐng de dān yào 。
林轩不肯,好,那我就退一步,转而要突破瓶颈的丹药。
Now it was too late for any other choice. What should he do?
jié guǒ lín xuān hái shì ná bù chū lái 。
结果林轩还是拿不出来。
Giving up one Primordial Treasure, no matter what, Lin Xuan wouldn’t do it. But if he refused, he would be in the wrong at this moment. Elder Nailong and Fairy Huazhua couldn’t defend him anymore, and any conflict with Tianzhong Palace would leave him without a chance of victory.
zhè yàng de huà , kě jiù ràng tā zhǎo dào le jiè kǒu 。
这样的话,可就让她找到了借口。
Could he really use the Five Dragons Seal to fight them to a standstill?
wǒ miào yīn shī mèi , kě shì zài nǐ shǒu shàng yǔn luò , zhè yàng de chóu yuàn , nǐ zǒng bù kě néng shén me dài jià dōu bù fù , jiù xiǎng yào qīng qīng jiē guò ?
我妙音师妹,可是在你手上陨落,这样的仇怨,你总不可能什么代价都不付,就想要轻轻揭过?
---
liǎng jiàn xiān tiān líng bǎo nǐ bù shě , dān yào nǐ yòu ná bù chū , hǎo ba , wǒ jiù zài tuì yī bù , yào yī jiàn xiān tiān líng bǎo hǎo le 。
两件先天灵宝你不舍,丹药你又拿不出,好吧,我就再退一步,要一件先天灵宝好了。
Of course, Lin Xuan wouldn’t do that unless absolutely necessary.
zhè yàng , nǐ zǒng guī shì wú huà kě shuō 。
这样,你总归是无话可说。
Damn it!
nài lóng zhēn rén yǔ bǎi huā xiān zi ràng shuāng fāng gè tuì yī bù , hǎo , zhè ge miàn zi wǒ gěi le 。
鼐龙真人与百花仙子让双方各退一步,好,这个面子我给了。
Lin Xuan was both shocked and angry. He hadn’t expected such a slip-up to force him into this situation.
yǐ jīng tuì le yī bù , jiù kàn lín xiǎo zi zěn me xuǎn zé 。
已经退了一步,就看林小子怎么选择。
Now it seemed he had no choice but to accept their terms.
rú guǒ nǐ yī jiù bù kěn ràng bù , nà kě jiù bù shí hǎo dǎi le 。
如果你依旧不肯让步,那可就不识好歹了。
Fairy Tianshen’s face showed righteous indignation, but the smile in her eyes Lin Xuan could clearly sense. She believed she had already won this round.
bì jìng wǒ yǐ jīng rén zhì yì jìn , ér nǐ lín xiǎo zi , què yì diǎn xiǎo xiǎo de ràng bù , yě bù kěn zuò chū , rú cǐ yī lái , tiān yīn gōng kě jiù suàn zhàn le gè lǐ zì , biàn shì nài lóng zhēn rén yǔ bǎi huā xiān zi yě wú huà kě shuō 。 zài qǐ chōng tū , yě bù hǎo duì lín xuān yǒu suǒ wéi hù 。
毕竟我已经仁至义尽,而你林小子,却一点小小的让步,也不肯做出,如此一来,天音宫可就算占了个理字,便是鼐龙真人与百花仙子也无话可说。再起冲突,也不好对林轩有所维护。
However, unexpectedly, Lin Xuan’s gloomy expression gradually softened: "I have already said that I will not exchange any Primordial Treasure under any circumstances."
lín xuān cǐ shí cǐ kè 。 cái zhōng yú jiāng duì fāng de xiǎn è yòng xīn nòng qīng chǔ 。
林轩此时此刻。才终于将对方的险恶用心弄清楚。
"You..."
kě xiào zì jǐ zì shì shèn gāo , què shǎ hū hū , yí bù bù tà rù duì fāng de quān tào 。
可笑自己自视甚高,却傻乎乎,一步步踏入对方的圈套。
Fairy Tianshen was enraged; she hadn’t expected the other party to show no signs of yielding. Did they think Tianzhong Palace was easy to bully? Or did they believe their support from Elder Nailong and Fairy Huazhua would let them act without restraint?
rán ér xiàn zài cái xǐng wù , xiǎn rán wéi shí yǐ wǎn le 。
然而现在才醒悟,显然为时已晚了。
"Fellow Daoist, you are being a bit too unreasonable. I have already put forward such demands with full sincerity. If you still refuse..."
zěn me bàn ?
怎么办?
Fairy Tianshen’s voice was icy to the extreme, hinting at some form of threat.
jiāo chū yī jiàn xiān tiān líng bǎo , wú lùn rú hé , lín xuān yě bú huì nà me zuò 。
交出一件先天灵宝,无论如何,林轩也不会那么做。
But Lin Xuan waved his hand: "Fairy, there's no need for haste. I’m not unreasonable; I know your sect is very sincere. Why don’t you be patient and hear me out?"
kě bù tóng yì , cǐ shí cǐ kè , què shì zì jǐ shū lǐ 。 nài lóng zhēn rén yǔ bǎi huā xiān zi , yě bù hǎo zài duì zì jǐ yǒu suǒ wéi hù , yǔ tiān yīn gōng zài qǐ chōng tū , zì jǐ shì fēn háo shèng suàn yě wú 。
可不同意,此时此刻,却是自己输理。鼐龙真人与百花仙子,也不好再对自己有所维护,与天音宫再起冲突,自己是分毫胜算也无。
Hearing this, seeing his confident expression, Fairy Tianshen’s face showed surprise. Even if the young man had fallen into her trap, Elder Nailong and Fairy Huazhua wouldn’t defend him either. Logically, he only had one path: to hand over a Primordial Treasure. Could this young man come up with another solution?
nán bù chéng zhēn jì chū wǔ lóng xǐ , yǔ duì fāng yú sǐ wǎng pò ?
难不成真祭出五龙玺,与对方鱼死网破?
Impossible; he had no way out. This calm demeanor must be just bravado.
bù dé wàn bù dé yǐ , lín xuān dāng rán bù yuàn yì nà me zuò 。
不得万不得已,林轩当然不愿意那么做。
As these thoughts raced through her mind, Fairy Tianshen’s voice continued: "Alright, go on!"
kě wù !
可恶!
"I indeed cannot produce the Primordial Treasure. As for the pill that can help break through your bottleneck, I also don’t have one. But I do have some experience with alchemy. How about this: let me refine a batch of spirit pills for your sect? This way, our grievances will be settled."
lín xuān shì jīng nù jiāo jí , méi xiǎng dào yí gè shū hū 。 què bèi duì fāng bī pò dào zhè bān jìng dì 。
林轩是惊怒交集,没想到一个疏忽。却被对方逼迫到这般境地。
Refining a batch of pills to settle their grievances sounded absurd.
rú jīn tā sì hū yǐ bié wú xuǎn zé 。
如今他似乎已别无选择。
But Lin Xuan had his reasons for saying so. It was well known that spirit pills in the cultivation world were rare and hard to come by, especially those with higher grades. The pill Fairy Tianshen had just requested—helping a Transcendence Realm cultivator break through his bottleneck—was almost as valuable as a Primordial Treasure.
tiān yīn xiān zi de liǎn shàng zé shì yī fù yì fèn tián yīng zhī sè , rán ér yǎn zhōng de xiào yì , lín xuān què néng gǎn shòu qīng chǔ 。
天音仙子的脸上则是一副义愤填膺之色,然而眼中的笑意,林轩却能感受清楚。
Even if it wasn’t perfect, the difference was negligible.
zhè yī jú de jiào liàng , cǐ nǚ sì hū rèn dìng zì jǐ yǐ jīng yíng le 。
这一局的较量,此女似乎认定自己已经赢了。
Why?
rán ér chū hū yì liào de , lín xuān yuán běn yīn mái de liǎn sè , què yī fēn yī fēn huǎn hé kāi le :“ lín mǒu gāng gāng yǐ jīng shuō guò 。 zhè xiān tiān líng bǎo , wǒ wú lùn rú hé , yě bù yuàn yì huàn de 。”
然而出乎意料的,林轩原本阴霾的脸色,却一分一分缓和开了:“林某刚刚已经说过。这先天灵宝,我无论如何,也不愿意换的。”
The main reasons were two: one, raw materials were hard to find.
“ nǐ ……”
“你……”
Raw materials for such pills were undoubtedly rare treasures that could only be found in the most remote places. Each of them was worth its weight in gold, making it extremely difficult to gather all of them.
tiān yīn xiān zi bó rán dà nù , méi xiǎng dào shì qíng dào le zhè bān dì bù , duì fāng jū rán fēn háo qū fú zhī yì yě wú 。 zhēn dàng tiān yīn gōng hǎo qī fù , hái shì yǐ wéi yǒu nài lóng bǎi huā de xiāng zhù 。 jiù kě yǐ wú suǒ gù jì me ?
天音仙子勃然大怒,没想到事情到了这般地步,对方居然分毫屈服之意也无。真当天音宫好欺负,还是以为有鼐龙百花的相助。就可以无所顾忌么?
However, this wasn’t the biggest challenge.
“ dào yǒu bù tài tài guò fèn le , běn gōng tí chū zhè yàng de yāo qiú , yǐ shì chéng yì shí zú , ruò shì nǐ yī jiù bù kěn dā yìng ……”
“道友不太太过分了,本宫提出这样的要求,已是诚意十足,若是你依旧不肯答应……”
For an individual cultivator, it would be impossible to complete such a task. But Tianzhong Palace had countless cultivators and numerous experts. With some time and effort, they could certainly gather enough raw materials for one batch of spirit pills.
tiān yīn de shēng yīn bīng lěng dào jí chù , yǐn yǐn yǐ yǒu jǐ fēn wēi xié de yì wèi mí sàn ér chū 。
天音的声音冰冷到极处,隐隐已有几分威胁的意味弥散而出。
Yet, they still couldn’t obtain these treasures.
rán ér lín xuān què bǎi le bǎi shǒu :“ xiān zi bù bì xīn jí , lín mǒu bìng fēi bù jiǎng dào lǐ , wǒ zhī dào guì pài yǐ shì hěn yǒu chéng yì , nà xiān zi hé bù nài xīn yī xiē , tīng wǒ jiāng huà jiǎng xià qù 。”
然而林轩却摆了摆手:“仙子不必心急,林某并非不讲道理,我知道贵派已是很有诚意,那仙子何不耐心一些,听我将话讲下去。”
The reason was simple: alchemy was too difficult!
tīng lín xuān zhè yàng shuō , yòu jiàn tā de biǎo qíng xiōng yǒu chéng zhú , tiān yīn xiān zi de liǎn shàng bù yóu de fú xiàn chū jīng qí zhī sè 。
听林轩这样说,又见他的表情胸有成竹,天音仙子的脸上不由得浮现出惊奇之色。
In the cultivation world, the more precious a spirit pill, the higher its difficulty to refine.
lín xiǎo zi luò rù zì jǐ de suàn jì , biàn shì nài lóng bǎi huā yě bú huì duì tā zài zuò wéi hù , àn lǐ shuō , tā zhǐ yǒu jiāo chū xiān tiān líng bǎo yī tú , nán dào zhè xiǎo zi hái néng xiǎng chū bié de pò jiě zhī cè ?
林小子落入自己的算计,便是鼐龙百花也不会对他再做维护,按理说,他只有交出先天灵宝一途,难道这小子还能想出别的破解之策?
Pills that helped Transcendence Realm cultivators break through their bottlenecks were almost divine treasures. Even the most famous alchemists in the Spirit World found it challenging.
bù kě néng , tā jué wú tuì lù , zhè zhèn dìng de biǎo qíng yí dìng shì xū zhāng shēng shì bà le 。
不可能,他绝无退路,这镇定的表情一定是虚张声势罢了。
The success rate was abysmally low—less than one percent at best.
nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou zhuǎn guò , tiān yīn xiān zi dàn dàn de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ :“ hǎo ba , nǐ shuō !”
脑海中念头转过,天音仙子淡淡的声音传入耳朵:“好吧,你说!”
Thus, spirit pills were hard to come by, comparable to Primordial Treasures.
“ xiān tiān líng bǎo lín mǒu què shí wú fǎ ná chū , zhì yú tū pò píng jǐng de dān yào zài xià yě wú , bù guò lín mǒu duì yú liàn dān zhī shù , què yǒu jǐ fēn xīn dé , bù rú zhè yàng , jiù ràng lín mǒu wèi guì pài liàn zhì yī lú líng dān miào yào rú hé , zhè yàng nǐ wǒ zhī jiān de ēn yuàn jiù suàn jiē guò 。”
“先天灵宝林某确实无法拿出,至于突破瓶颈的丹药在下也无,不过林某对于炼丹之术,却有几分心得,不如这样,就让林某为贵派炼制一炉灵丹妙药如何,这样你我之间的恩怨就算揭过。”
However, this problem that left countless great powers frustrated seemed trivial to Lin Xuan. He had other abilities besides alchemy; he could refine failed waste pills into usable ones with his Blue Star Sea.
wèi duì fāng liàn yī lú dān , jiù huà jiě ēn chóu , zhè huà tīng shàng qù yǒu xiē huāng miù 。
为对方炼一炉丹,就化解恩仇,这话听上去有些荒谬。
That was why he dared to propose such a solution.
rán ér lín xuān zhī suǒ yǐ zhè yàng shuō , dāng rán shì yǒu yuàn yì 。
然而林轩之所以这样说,当然是有愿意。
While raw materials were hard to find, for Tianzhong Palace, it wasn’t much of an issue. As long as he helped them refine the spirit pill, that would meet their earlier demands.
zhòng suǒ zhōu zhī , xiū xiān jiè de líng dān miào yào nán dé , ér qiě yuè shì pǐn jí gāo de dān yào , yuè shì xī shǎo 。
众所周知,修仙界的灵丹妙药难得,而且越是品级高的丹药,越是稀少。
"What? You’re also skilled in alchemy?" Fairy Tianshen’s voice was filled with surprise.
jiù ná duì fāng gāng gāng tí chū de yāo qiú , yī píng kě yǐ bāng zhù dù jié qī xiū shì tū pò píng jǐng de dān yào , jià zhí zhī gāo , jī hū kě yǐ pì měi xiān tiān líng bǎo 。
就拿对方刚刚提出的要求,一瓶可以帮助渡劫期修士突破瓶颈的丹药,价值之高,几乎可以媲美先天灵宝。
He had seen Lin Xuan's strength; he far surpassed his peers by a wide margin. Logically, such a powerful cultivator should be focused on rigorous cultivation, not learning alchemy.
jiù suàn yǒu suǒ bù jí , chā jù yě bù guò yī xiàn ér yǐ 。
就算有所不及,差距也不过一线而已。
Despite the doubts, Lin Xuan’s confident reply reached her ears: "Correct!"
wèi hé ?
为何?
"You brat, are you really sure you can refine this level of spirit pill? Are you trying to play some trick? If it fails, what then?"
jiū qí yuán yīn , dà gài yǒu liǎng gè 。
究其原因,大概有两个。
The old man in the black robe's voice entered his ears. He had long disliked Lin Xuan and spoke with disbelief.
yī shì yuán liào nán dé 。
一是原料难得。
"I can’t guarantee a hundred percent success, but if I’m given ten batches of raw materials, I can ensure at least one successful refinement. In that case, our grievances will be settled," Lin Xuan said calmly.
This wasn't idle talk; Lin Xuan finally understood her intentions at this moment.
Initially, Fairy Tianshen had known in her heart that she didn’t want to hand over thepre-existing things (Primordial Treasure). But for such a precious treasure, she was determined to get it. Even if she couldn’t obtain both, getting one would be fine. However, such treasures were no small matter; Lin Xuan definitely wouldn't comply willingly. Moreover, Elder Nailong and Fairy Huazhua had shown considerable favor towards this young man, making them hesitant to take the treasure by stealth or force.
Thus, Fairy Tianshen set a trap.
In simple terms, it was a strategy of giving in to gain. She first made a grand demand, asking Lin Xuan for two Primordial Treasures. When he refused, she would back down and ask for a pill that could help him break through his bottleneck instead. But even this request was denied by Lin Xuan.
This gave her an excuse: "My talented junior sister, the Wondrous Sound Fairy, perished in your hands. Such grievances can't be swept under the rug without any cost."
Since he couldn’t provide both Primordial Treasures and didn’t have a pill to offer either, she would back down again and ask for one Primordial Treasure.
In this way, there was nothing more to say from his side. With both parties backing down, Elder Nailong and Fairy Huazhua had given her the face she wanted. Now it was up to Lin Xuan to choose. If he still refused, it would be a sign of ingratitude. After all, she had already done everything in her power, while he, Lin Xuan, wouldn’t even make a small concession. In this case, Tianzhong Palace could claim the upper hand, and Elder Nailong and Fairy Huazhua would have no grounds to defend him.
Only now did Lin Xuan fully understand the malicious intent behind their actions. He had been so overconfident that he had unknowingly walked into their trap.
Now it was too late for any other choice. What should he do?
Giving up one Primordial Treasure, no matter what, Lin Xuan wouldn’t do it. But if he refused, he would be in the wrong at this moment. Elder Nailong and Fairy Huazhua couldn’t defend him anymore, and any conflict with Tianzhong Palace would leave him without a chance of victory.
Could he really use the Five Dragons Seal to fight them to a standstill?
---
Of course, Lin Xuan wouldn’t do that unless absolutely necessary.
Damn it!
Lin Xuan was both shocked and angry. He hadn’t expected such a slip-up to force him into this situation.
Now it seemed he had no choice but to accept their terms.
Fairy Tianshen’s face showed righteous indignation, but the smile in her eyes Lin Xuan could clearly sense. She believed she had already won this round.
However, unexpectedly, Lin Xuan’s gloomy expression gradually softened: "I have already said that I will not exchange any Primordial Treasure under any circumstances."
"You..."
Fairy Tianshen was enraged; she hadn’t expected the other party to show no signs of yielding. Did they think Tianzhong Palace was easy to bully? Or did they believe their support from Elder Nailong and Fairy Huazhua would let them act without restraint?
"Fellow Daoist, you are being a bit too unreasonable. I have already put forward such demands with full sincerity. If you still refuse..."
Fairy Tianshen’s voice was icy to the extreme, hinting at some form of threat.
But Lin Xuan waved his hand: "Fairy, there's no need for haste. I’m not unreasonable; I know your sect is very sincere. Why don’t you be patient and hear me out?"
Hearing this, seeing his confident expression, Fairy Tianshen’s face showed surprise. Even if the young man had fallen into her trap, Elder Nailong and Fairy Huazhua wouldn’t defend him either. Logically, he only had one path: to hand over a Primordial Treasure. Could this young man come up with another solution?
Impossible; he had no way out. This calm demeanor must be just bravado.
As these thoughts raced through her mind, Fairy Tianshen’s voice continued: "Alright, go on!"
"I indeed cannot produce the Primordial Treasure. As for the pill that can help break through your bottleneck, I also don’t have one. But I do have some experience with alchemy. How about this: let me refine a batch of spirit pills for your sect? This way, our grievances will be settled."
Refining a batch of pills to settle their grievances sounded absurd.
But Lin Xuan had his reasons for saying so. It was well known that spirit pills in the cultivation world were rare and hard to come by, especially those with higher grades. The pill Fairy Tianshen had just requested—helping a Transcendence Realm cultivator break through his bottleneck—was almost as valuable as a Primordial Treasure.
Even if it wasn’t perfect, the difference was negligible.
Why?
The main reasons were two: one, raw materials were hard to find.
Raw materials for such pills were undoubtedly rare treasures that could only be found in the most remote places. Each of them was worth its weight in gold, making it extremely difficult to gather all of them.
However, this wasn’t the biggest challenge.
For an individual cultivator, it would be impossible to complete such a task. But Tianzhong Palace had countless cultivators and numerous experts. With some time and effort, they could certainly gather enough raw materials for one batch of spirit pills.
Yet, they still couldn’t obtain these treasures.
The reason was simple: alchemy was too difficult!
In the cultivation world, the more precious a spirit pill, the higher its difficulty to refine.
Pills that helped Transcendence Realm cultivators break through their bottlenecks were almost divine treasures. Even the most famous alchemists in the Spirit World found it challenging.
The success rate was abysmally low—less than one percent at best.
Thus, spirit pills were hard to come by, comparable to Primordial Treasures.
However, this problem that left countless great powers frustrated seemed trivial to Lin Xuan. He had other abilities besides alchemy; he could refine failed waste pills into usable ones with his Blue Star Sea.
That was why he dared to propose such a solution.
While raw materials were hard to find, for Tianzhong Palace, it wasn’t much of an issue. As long as he helped them refine the spirit pill, that would meet their earlier demands.
"What? You’re also skilled in alchemy?" Fairy Tianshen’s voice was filled with surprise.
He had seen Lin Xuan's strength; he far surpassed his peers by a wide margin. Logically, such a powerful cultivator should be focused on rigorous cultivation, not learning alchemy.
Despite the doubts, Lin Xuan’s confident reply reached her ears: "Correct!"
"You brat, are you really sure you can refine this level of spirit pill? Are you trying to play some trick? If it fails, what then?"
The old man in the black robe's voice entered his ears. He had long disliked Lin Xuan and spoke with disbelief.
"I can’t guarantee a hundred percent success, but if I’m given ten batches of raw materials, I can ensure at least one successful refinement. In that case, our grievances will be settled," Lin Xuan said calmly.