..bsp;“ dì zǐ bài jiàn shī shū 。 gāo sù ”
..bsp;“弟子拜见师叔。高速”
"Disciple Lin Xuan pays respect to Senior Uncle," said the crisp voice, and Gong Sun Yuyer bowed gracefully.
qīng cuì de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， gōng sūn yù ér yíng yíng yī fú 。
清脆的声音传入耳朵，公孙玉儿盈盈一福。
"Yuyer, please rise. There's no need for such formalities."
“ yù ér qǐng qǐ ， hé bì rú cǐ duō lǐ 。”
“玉儿请起，何必如此多礼。”
The silver-eyed girl smiled slightly, her anxiety seeming to ease a bit.
yín tóng shào nǚ de liǎn shàng liú lù chū jǐ fēn xiào yì ， yuán běn de jiāo lǜ sì hū yě yīn cǐ huǎn jiě le xiē 。
银瞳少女的脸上流露出几分笑意，原本的焦虑似乎也因此缓解了些。
"Why have you come here in such haste? Do you have any news of your master?"
“ yù ér cōng cōng lái cǐ ， kě shì yǒu nǐ shī fù de xiāo xī ？”
“玉儿匆匆来此，可是有你师傅的消息？”
Her tone carried a hint of hope. Lin Xuan had left vague instructions, not clearly stating where he was going.
yín tóng shào nǚ de shēng yīn yǔ qì ， dōu tòu zhe jǐ fēn qǐ pàn zhī yì ， lín shī dì lín zǒu zhī shí ， jiāo dài bǐ jiào hán hú ， bìng méi yǒu shuō qīng chǔ ， zì jǐ xiǎng yào qù hé chù ”“。
银瞳少女的声音语气，都透着几分企盼之意，林师弟临走之时，交代比较含糊，并没有说清楚，自己想要去何处”“。
But Yuyer was his most trusted disciple and bore the responsibility of managing a branch sect. Perhaps she had left some means to contact him.
dàn yù ér kě shì tā zuì qīn xìn de dì zǐ ， yòu dān zhe zhǎng guǎn fēn duò de zhí zé ， yě xǔ liú xià le shén me fāng shì lián luò 。
但玉儿可是他最亲信的弟子，又担着掌管分舵的职责，也许留下了什么方式联络。
With this thought, her expression grew more earnest.
xīn zhōng rú cǐ xiǎng zhe ， tā liǎn shàng de biǎo qíng yuè fā rè qiè qǐ lái 。
心中如此想着，她脸上的表情越发热切起来。
"None."
“ méi yǒu 。”
“没有。”
Gong Sun Yuyer shook her head. "Master said only that he would be away for a long time when he first left. He didn't elaborate on specifics, so I can't reach out to him either."
gōng sūn yù ér yáo le yáo tóu ：“ shī zūn dāng chū ， zhǐ shuō le yào qù yí gè dì fāng hěn jiǔ ， zhì yú jù tǐ de ， què bìng wèi xiáng shuō ， suǒ yǐ dì zǐ yě méi yǒu bàn fǎ yǔ tā lián luò 。
公孙玉儿摇了摇头：“师尊当初，只说了要去一个地方很久，至于具体的，却并未详说，所以弟子也没有办法与他联络。
This was a small lie; Lin Xuan had indeed left some sound transmission talismans, but she hadn't been able to use them.
gōng sūn yù ér cǐ yǔ ， què shì sā le yí gè xiǎo xiǎo huǎng de ， dāng chū lín xuān céng liú xià jǐ zhāng chuán yīn fú ， kě tā yòng le yì méi yǒu xiào guǒ 。
公孙玉儿此语，却是撒了一个小小谎的，当初林轩曾留下几张传音符，可她用了亦没有效果。
Since this attempt was pointless, she didn't want to raise Senior Uncle's suspicions unnecessarily. Regardless, she couldn't contact her master anyway, so the inaccuracy of her words wouldn't matter much.
jì rán cǐ jǔ shì duō yú ， tā yě bù xiǎng yǐn qǐ shī shū bù bì yào de cāi jì ， fǎn zhèng dōu fǎ yǔ shī zūn lián luò ， suǒ yǐ tā yán yǔ zhī zhōng bù jìn bù shí yě bú huì yǐng xiǎng shén me 。
既然此举是多余，她也不想引起师叔不必要的猜忌，反正都法与师尊联络，所以她言语之中不尽不实也不会影响什么。
"Oh."
“ ó 。”
“哦。”
The silver-eyed girl sighed, clearly showing disappointment. After a moment, she said hesitantly, "So, Yuyer came here for...?"
yín tóng shào nǚ tàn xī ， liǎn shàng háo bù yǎn shì shī wàng zhī yì ， guò le piàn kè ， cái chén yín zhe kāi kǒu ：“ nà yù ér nǐ lái dào cǐ chù ， jiū jìng shì wèi le ……”
银瞳少女叹息，脸上毫不掩饰失望之意，过了片刻，才沉吟着开口：“那玉儿你来到此处，究竟是为了……”
Without any leads on Lin Xuan, disappointment was inevitable. However, given Yuyer's character, she wouldn't have come without reason. If she sought an audience with Senior Uncle, there must be a purpose.
méi yǒu lín xuān de xiàn suǒ ， shī wàng shì kěn dìng de ， bù guò yǐ yù ér de xìng gé ， kěn dìng bú huì yuán gù lái dào cǐ chù ， tā jì rán qiú jiàn zì jǐ ， nà kěn dìng jiù yǒu mù dì 。
没有林轩的线索，失望是肯定的，不过以玉儿的性格，肯定不会缘故来到此处，她既然求见自己，那肯定就有目的。
"Without a lead, Master can't return. But the Plump and Skinny Elders are pressing hard. Do you have any plans to deal with this?"
“ shī zūn méi yǒu xiàn suǒ ， kěn dìng yě jiù fǎ gǎn huí lái le ， ér pàng shòu zūn zhě què duō duō bī rén ， bù zhī dào shī shū duì cǐ ， kě xiǎng hǎo le bàn fǎ yìng fù ？”
“师尊没有线索，肯定也就法赶回来了，而胖瘦尊者却咄咄逼人，不知道师叔对此，可想好了办法应付？”
"..."
“ zhè ……”
“这……”
The direct question caught her off guard. She smiled wryly. "Lin Xuan is not here. What else can I do? Relying on numbers won't work, but no matter what, I won't let the sect's reputation suffer. Whether we win or lose, there will be a fight."
méi xiǎng dào duì fāng wèn dé zhè me zhí jiē ， yín tóng shào nǚ yī dāi ， suí hòu kǔ xiào le qǐ lái ：“ lín shī dì bù zài 。 hái néng rú hé ， yǐ duō wèi shèng shì bù kě néng de ， dàn lùn rú hé ， wǒ yě bú huì ràng shī mén wēi míng shòu sǔn de ， bù guǎn shèng fù rú hé ， rú jīn yě wéi yǒu yī zhàn bà le 。”
没想到对方问得这么直接，银瞳少女一呆，随后苦笑了起来：“林师弟不在。还能如何，倚多为胜是不可能的，但论如何，我也不会让师门威名受损的，不管胜负如何，如今也唯有一战罢了。”
"Senior Uncle wants to face this personally? Here's something that might help you."
“ shī shū xiǎng yào qīn zì chū zhàn me ， dì zǐ zhè ér yǒu yī jiàn dōng xī ， huò xǔ kě yǐ bāng nǐ 。”
“师叔想要亲自出战么，弟子这儿有一件东西，或许可以帮你。”
"Help? Could it be from Lin Xuan?" The silver-eyed girl's expression showed genuine interest. She admired Lin Xuan's methods and believed he might have left some hidden support.
“ bāng wǒ ， nán dào shì lín shī dì liú xià lái de ？” yín tóng shào nǚ liǎn shàng lù chū dòng róng zhī sè ， duì yú lín shī dì de shǒu duàn 。 tā xīn yuè chéng fú ， ruò shì zhēn yǒu shén me hòu shǒu ， huò xǔ zhēn yǒu jī huì huà jiě wēi jī 。
“帮我，难道是林师弟留下来的？”银瞳少女脸上露出动容之色，对于林师弟的手段。她心悦诚服，若是真有什么后手，或许真有机会化解危机。
The young man with the surname Long and other elders exchanged concerned glances.
lóng xìng shào nián yǔ qí tā zhǎng lǎo de liǎn shàng yě liú lù chū guān zhù zhī yì 。
龙姓少年与其他长老的脸上也流露出关注之意。
"Indeed, Master said before leaving that he would give me a puppet."
“ bù cuò ， shī zūn dāng chū lín zǒu zhī qián ， céng jīng liú xià le yī jiàn kuǐ lěi gěi wǒ 。”
“不错，师尊当初临走之前，曾经留下了一件傀儡给我。”
"Puppet?"
“ kuǐ lěi ？”
“傀儡？”
One elder frowned. "What use is it? Even if it was from Elder Lin, a mere puppet can't solve our current crisis."
yī zhǎng lǎo liǎn sè bù yù de kāi kǒu le ：“ nà yòu yǒu shén me yòng chǔ ， jiù suàn shì lín zhǎng lǎo liú xià lái de ， qū qū yī jiàn kuǐ lěi ， yòu zěn me huà jiě yǎn qián de wēi jú ne ？”
一长老脸色不豫的开口了：“那又有什么用处，就算是林长老留下来的，区区一件傀儡，又怎么化解眼前的危局呢？”
"Senior Uncle's point is valid, but what if this puppet could match even a Golden Transformation cultivator?" Gong Sun Yuyer spoke with indifference.
“ shī shū huà shì bù cuò ， kě ruò shì zhè jiàn kuǐ lěi 。 kān bǐ dù jié ， nà yòu rú hé ？” gōng sūn yù ér de shēng yīn xiǎn de hěn shì dàn mò 。
“师叔话是不错，可若是这件傀儡。堪比渡劫，那又如何？”公孙玉儿的声音显得很是淡漠。
"What? A puppet that matches a Golden Transformation cultivator?"
“ shén me ， kān bǐ dù jié xiū shì de kuǐ lěi ？”
“什么，堪比渡劫修士的傀儡？”
"How is that possible?"
“ zhè zěn me kě néng ？”
“这怎么可能？”
"I've never heard of such a treasure. Even Lin Xuan couldn't have such an item."
“ wén suǒ wèi wén ， jiù suàn shì lín shī dì 。 yě bù kě néng yōng yǒu zhè yàng de bǎo wù 。”
“闻所未闻，就算是林师弟。也不可能拥有这样的宝物。”
...
……
……
Amidst the murmurs, the elders and the young man with the surname Long exchanged incredulous glances.
yī shí jiān ， jīng hū shēng cǐ qǐ bǐ fú ， qí tā de zhǎng lǎo qiě bù tí ， jiù suàn shì lóng xìng shào nián yǔ yín tóng shào nǚ 。 yě tóng yàng liú lù chū bù néng zhì xìn zhī sè 。
一时间，惊呼声此起彼伏，其他的长老且不提，就算是龙姓少年与银瞳少女。也同样流露出不能置信之色。
Gong Sun Yuyer didn't elaborate further. With a wave of her hand, a faint light appeared, revealing a true spirit puppet before them.
gōng sūn yù ér què méi yǒu duō zuò jiě shì ， yù shǒu yī fú ， zhǐ jiàn líng guāng sì shè 。 zhēn líng kuǐ lěi zài yǎn qián fú xiàn ér chū 。
公孙玉儿却没有多做解释，玉手一拂，只见灵光四射。真灵傀儡在眼前浮现而出。
...
……
……
The agreed time had arrived.
yuē dìng de shí jiān hěn dào le 。
约定的时间很到了。
The entire Dragon Realm once again buzzed with activity.
zhěng gè nài lóng jiè yòu yī cì rè nào le qǐ lái 。
整个鼐龙界又一次热闹了起来。
To speak of the strongest figure in this realm, it was undoubtedly Senior Daoist Dragon. But to determine who was the most prominent over these years, no one could match Lin Xuan's reputation.
yào lùn gāi jiè miàn de dì yī qiáng zhě ， zì rán fēi nài lóng zhēn rén mò shǔ ， dàn yào shù shuí shì zhè xiē nián lái fēng tou zuì jìn de rén wù ， nài lóng zhēn rén yě shì méi yǒu bàn fǎ yǔ lín xuān xiāng pì měi de 。
要论该界面的第一强者，自然非鼐龙真人莫属，但要数谁是这些年来风头最劲的人物，鼐龙真人也是没有办法与林轩相媲美的。
Though he was still considered a Golden Transformation cultivator by many, his victories over the Old Demon and the Sword Lake Palace had made him a sensation throughout the cultivation world.
jǐn guǎn zài dà bù fèn rén de rèn zhī lǐ ， tā hái zhǐ shì dù jié chū qī ， rán ér dǎ bài xuē lǎo yāo ， ràng jiàn hú gōng chén fú ， lín xuān yī xì liè de zhàn guǒ ， zú yǐ ràng zhěng gè xiū xiān jiè wèi zhī cè mù 。
尽管在大部分人的认知里，他还只是渡劫初期，然而打败薛老妖，让剑湖宫臣服，林轩一系列的战果，足以让整个修仙界为之侧目。
Thanks to his efforts, Cloud Concealment Sect had grown rapidly. It rose from hundreds of positions in the Ten Thousand Clear Palace rankings to become the top sect in the Dragon Realm.
tuō tā de fú ， yún yǐn zōng yě fā zhǎn xùn sù ， zài wàn xiǎo xiān gōng de pái míng zhōng ， yóu shù bǎi wèi cuān shēng dào nài lóng jiè pái míng dì yī de zōng mén jiā zú 。
托他的福，云隐宗也发展迅速，在万晓仙宫的排名中，由数百位蹿升到鼐龙界排名第一的宗门家族。
Such a rise was unprecedented, inspiring envy among many factions.
zhè yàng de jué qǐ sù dù ， kān chēng qián gǔ rén ， hòu lái zhě 。
这样的崛起速度，堪称前古人，后来者。
But jealousy served no purpose; Lin Xuan's achievements were too impressive, intimidating even the smallest villains who dared not trouble Cloud Concealment Sect.
míng lǐ àn lǐ ， bù zhī dào yǒu duō shǎo shì lì xiàn mù 。
明里暗里，不知道有多少势力羡慕。
However, unexpected events occurred. The Plump and Skinny Elders' sudden appearance was like throwing a stone into a calm lake, causing ripples that stirred up the entire Dragon Realm once again.
rán ér jí dù yòu yǒu shén me yòng tú ， lín xuān de zhàn jì tài xiǎn hè ， zú yǐ zhèn shè xiāo xiǎo zhī tú ， ràng tā men bù gǎn lái zhǎo yún yǐn zōng de má fán 。
然而嫉妒又有什么用途，林轩的战绩太显赫，足以震摄宵小之徒，让他们不敢来找云隐宗的麻烦。
Lin Xuan's reputation was formidable; with the Old Demon's fall and the two Supreme Elders of Sword Lake Palace reduced to ashes by his hands, the remaining Golden Transformation cultivators were naturally cautious.
rán ér yì wài zǒng shì yǒu de ， pàng shòu zūn zhě de yì wài mào chū ， jiù rú tóng jiāng yī méi shí zǐ tóu xiàng píng jìng de xiǎo hú ， jī dàng qǐ lián yī shù ， zhěng gè nài lóng jiè zài cì fèi téng qǐ lái le 。
然而意外总是有的，胖瘦尊者的意外冒出，就如同将一枚石子投向平静的小湖，激荡起涟漪数，整个鼐龙界再次沸腾起来了。
Cloud Concealment Sect, though envied, could have enjoyed a period of peace. But fate had other plans as the Plump and Skinny Elders, who never followed conventional paths, emerged at this moment.
lín xuān wēi míng hè hè ， xuē lǎo yāo yǔn luò ， jiàn hú gōng de liǎng wèi tài shàng zhǎng lǎo yě zài tā de shǒu zhōng hún fēi pò sàn diào le ， qián chē zhī jiàn bù yuǎn ， shèng xià de dù jié qī lǎo guài wù ， zì rán bù gǎn qīng jǔ wàng dòng le 。
林轩威名赫赫，薛老妖陨落，剑湖宫的两位太上长老也在他的手中魂飞魄散掉了，前车之鉴不远，剩下的渡劫期老怪物，自然不敢轻举妄动了。
...
yún yǐn zōng suī rě rén xiàn mù ， dàn yuán běn shì kě yǐ píng jìng hěn zhǎng yī duàn shí jiān de 。
云隐宗虽惹人羡慕，但原本是可以平静很长一段时间的。
Without mentioning Cloud Concealment Sect's dire situation, other sects and factions eagerly awaited the event.
kě rén suàn bù rú tiān suàn ， zhè shí hòu tiào chū le bù xǐ huān àn cháng lǐ chū pái de pàng shòu zūn zhě 。
可人算不如天算，这时候跳出了不喜欢按常理出牌的胖瘦尊者。
They didn't need to risk anything to learn about Cloud Concealment Sect's true strength. Such an opportunity was too good to miss. With their encouragement, hundreds of thousands of cultivators flooded into the Cloud Concealment Mountains on the agreed day.
yún yǐn zōng xiàn rù jué dà de má fán bù tí ， qí tā zōng mén shì lì ， kě dōu shì lè jiàn qí chéng dì 。
云隐宗陷入绝大的麻烦不提，其他宗门势力，可都是乐见其成地。
Their goals varied; some sought to gauge Cloud Concealment Sect's strength, others merely for a spectacle, and still, others hoped to see Golden Transformation cultivators in action—rarities that were usually hidden. Observing such battles might offer insights beneficial to their own cultivation.
bù yòng mào wēi xiǎn ， jiù néng tàn dé yún yǐn zōng de xū shí ， zhè yàng de hǎo shì ， tā men nǎ ér yǒu cuò guò de dào lǐ ， yú shì tuī bō zhù lán zhī xià ， dào le yuē dìng de rì zi ， zhěng gè yún yǐn shān mài ， jìng yǒng rù le shù yǐ bǎi wàn jì de xiū shì 。
不用冒危险，就能探得云隐宗的虚实，这样的好事，他们哪儿有错过的道理，于是推波助澜之下，到了约定的日子，整个云隐山脉，竟涌入了数以百万计的修士。
Hearing one speech was worth ten years of study. The logic before them seemed compelling.
zhè xiē rén de mù dì gè bù xiāng tóng ， yǒu de shì wèi le yī tàn yún yǐn zōng de xū shí ， yě yǒu de ， jǐn jǐn shì wèi le kàn yī kàn rè nào ér yǐ ， hái yǒu de ， zé shì wèi le yī dǔ dù jié jí bié de lǎo guài wù ， zhè zhǒng cún zài ， píng shí dōu shì shén lóng jiàn shǒu bù jiàn wěi ， bú yào shuō zhēng dòu ， yě xǔ kàn zhè me yī cháng bǐ shì ， jiù néng huò dé xiē xǔ gǎn wù ， duì zì jǐ rì hòu de xiū xíng ， dà yǒu bāng zhù 。
这些人的目的各不相同，有的是为了一探云隐宗的虚实，也有的，仅仅是为了看一看热闹而已，还有的，则是为了一睹渡劫级别的老怪物，这种存在，平时都是神龙见首不见尾，不要说争斗，也许看这么一场比试，就能获得些许感悟，对自己日后的修行，大有帮助。
Regardless of their intentions, they traveled far to witness the event.
tīng jūn yī xí huà ， shèng dú shí nián shū ， yǎn qián de dào lǐ ， yě xiāng chà fǎng fú 。
听君一席话，胜读十年书，眼前的道理，也相差仿佛。
However, unexpectedly, when the fight began, Lin Xuan wasn't present.
bù guǎn mù dì shì shén me ， zhè xiē rén dōu bù yuǎn qiān lǐ ， lái dào le yún yǐn zōng 。
不管目的是什么，这些人都不远千里，来到了云隐宗。
Cloud Concealment Sect claimed that their Supreme Elder had gone out on a tour and hadn't returned yet.
rán ér chū hū yì liào de shì ， jué dòu kāi shǐ ， zhǔ jué ér lín xuān què bù zài 。
然而出乎意料的是，决斗开始，主角儿林轩却不在。
The Plump and Skinny Elders were disappointed. They proposed waiting for five or ten years until Lin Xuan returned.
yún yǐn zōng de jiě shì shì tài shàng zhǎng lǎo wài chū yún yóu ， zhì jīn wèi guī 。
云隐宗的解释是太上长老外出云游，至今未归。
But Cloud Concealment Sect rejected this offer, stating they could still have another Supreme Elder step in if Lin Xuan was unavailable.
pàng shòu zūn zhě jué de sǎo xìng bǐ ， dāng jí tí chū ， tā men kě yǐ děng ， wǔ nián shí nián ， zhí dào lín xuān guī lái 。
胖瘦尊者觉得扫兴比，当即提出，他们可以等，五年十年，直到林轩归来。
This proposal sent shockwaves through the cultivation world.
rán ér yún yǐn zōng què jù jué le zhè fān hǎo yì ， biǎo shì lín xuān bù zài ， hái kě yǐ yóu qí tā de tài shàng zhǎng lǎo chū zhàn 。
然而云隐宗却拒绝了这番好意，表示林轩不在，还可以由其他的太上长老出战。
Such a bold claim—were there other Golden Transformation cultivators in Cloud Concealment Sect?
cǐ yì yī chū ， zhěng gè xiū xiān jiè wèi zhī huá rán 。
此议一出，整个修仙界为之哗然。
Otherwise, how could they dare to make such a claim?
hǎo dà de kǒu qì ， mò fēi yún yǐn zōng hái yǒu qí tā de dù jié qī ？
好大的口气，莫非云隐宗还有其他的渡劫期？
But only those within Cloud Concealment Sect knew the truth. Yuyer wished for more time but understood that waiting wouldn't exceed five or ten years. Lin Xuan had said he needed centuries, if not millennia, to complete his important task.
fǒu zé ， tā men zěn me gǎn tuō dà dào zhè ge chéng dù 。
否则，他们怎么敢托大到这个程度。
They couldn't wait so long and delaying was meaningless. It would only worsen their situation, potentially turning them into laughingstock.
rán ér yún yǐn zōng de qíng kuàng zhǐ yǒu zì jǐ qīng chǔ ， àn zhào běn yì ， yín tóng shào nǚ hé cháng bù xiǎng yán qī ， kě duì fāng jí biàn děng dài ， yě zuì duō bù guò wǔ nián shí nián ér yǐ 。
然而云隐宗的情况只有自己清楚，按照本意，银瞳少女何尝不想延期，可对方即便等待，也最多不过五年十年而已。
Since this approach was futile, Yuyer decided to face the challenge now. To be continued...
ér lín shī dì lín zǒu qián shuō guò ， zhè yī cì ， yào bàn hěn zhòng yào de shì ， xū yào huā fèi hěn zhǎng de shí jiān ， jǐ bǎi nián ， shèn zhì shàng qiān nián 。
而林师弟临走前说过，这一次，要办很重要的事，需要花费很长的时间，几百年，甚至上千年。
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"Disciple Lin Xuan pays respect to Senior Uncle," said the crisp voice, and Gong Sun Yuyer bowed gracefully.
"Yuyer, please rise. There's no need for such formalities."
The silver-eyed girl smiled slightly, her anxiety seeming to ease a bit.
"Why have you come here in such haste? Do you have any news of your master?"
Her tone carried a hint of hope. Lin Xuan had left vague instructions, not clearly stating where he was going.
But Yuyer was his most trusted disciple and bore the responsibility of managing a branch sect. Perhaps she had left some means to contact him.
With this thought, her expression grew more earnest.
"None."
Gong Sun Yuyer shook her head. "Master said only that he would be away for a long time when he first left. He didn't elaborate on specifics, so I can't reach out to him either."
This was a small lie; Lin Xuan had indeed left some sound transmission talismans, but she hadn't been able to use them.
Since this attempt was pointless, she didn't want to raise Senior Uncle's suspicions unnecessarily. Regardless, she couldn't contact her master anyway, so the inaccuracy of her words wouldn't matter much.
"Oh."
The silver-eyed girl sighed, clearly showing disappointment. After a moment, she said hesitantly, "So, Yuyer came here for...?"
Without any leads on Lin Xuan, disappointment was inevitable. However, given Yuyer's character, she wouldn't have come without reason. If she sought an audience with Senior Uncle, there must be a purpose.
"Without a lead, Master can't return. But the Plump and Skinny Elders are pressing hard. Do you have any plans to deal with this?"
"..."
The direct question caught her off guard. She smiled wryly. "Lin Xuan is not here. What else can I do? Relying on numbers won't work, but no matter what, I won't let the sect's reputation suffer. Whether we win or lose, there will be a fight."
"Senior Uncle wants to face this personally? Here's something that might help you."
"Help? Could it be from Lin Xuan?" The silver-eyed girl's expression showed genuine interest. She admired Lin Xuan's methods and believed he might have left some hidden support.
The young man with the surname Long and other elders exchanged concerned glances.
"Indeed, Master said before leaving that he would give me a puppet."
"Puppet?"
One elder frowned. "What use is it? Even if it was from Elder Lin, a mere puppet can't solve our current crisis."
"Senior Uncle's point is valid, but what if this puppet could match even a Golden Transformation cultivator?" Gong Sun Yuyer spoke with indifference.
"What? A puppet that matches a Golden Transformation cultivator?"
"How is that possible?"
"I've never heard of such a treasure. Even Lin Xuan couldn't have such an item."
...
Amidst the murmurs, the elders and the young man with the surname Long exchanged incredulous glances.
Gong Sun Yuyer didn't elaborate further. With a wave of her hand, a faint light appeared, revealing a true spirit puppet before them.
...
The agreed time had arrived.
The entire Dragon Realm once again buzzed with activity.
To speak of the strongest figure in this realm, it was undoubtedly Senior Daoist Dragon. But to determine who was the most prominent over these years, no one could match Lin Xuan's reputation.
Though he was still considered a Golden Transformation cultivator by many, his victories over the Old Demon and the Sword Lake Palace had made him a sensation throughout the cultivation world.
Thanks to his efforts, Cloud Concealment Sect had grown rapidly. It rose from hundreds of positions in the Ten Thousand Clear Palace rankings to become the top sect in the Dragon Realm.
Such a rise was unprecedented, inspiring envy among many factions.
But jealousy served no purpose; Lin Xuan's achievements were too impressive, intimidating even the smallest villains who dared not trouble Cloud Concealment Sect.
However, unexpected events occurred. The Plump and Skinny Elders' sudden appearance was like throwing a stone into a calm lake, causing ripples that stirred up the entire Dragon Realm once again.
Lin Xuan's reputation was formidable; with the Old Demon's fall and the two Supreme Elders of Sword Lake Palace reduced to ashes by his hands, the remaining Golden Transformation cultivators were naturally cautious.
Cloud Concealment Sect, though envied, could have enjoyed a period of peace. But fate had other plans as the Plump and Skinny Elders, who never followed conventional paths, emerged at this moment.
...
Without mentioning Cloud Concealment Sect's dire situation, other sects and factions eagerly awaited the event.
They didn't need to risk anything to learn about Cloud Concealment Sect's true strength. Such an opportunity was too good to miss. With their encouragement, hundreds of thousands of cultivators flooded into the Cloud Concealment Mountains on the agreed day.
Their goals varied; some sought to gauge Cloud Concealment Sect's strength, others merely for a spectacle, and still, others hoped to see Golden Transformation cultivators in action—rarities that were usually hidden. Observing such battles might offer insights beneficial to their own cultivation.
Hearing one speech was worth ten years of study. The logic before them seemed compelling.
Regardless of their intentions, they traveled far to witness the event.
However, unexpectedly, when the fight began, Lin Xuan wasn't present.
Cloud Concealment Sect claimed that their Supreme Elder had gone out on a tour and hadn't returned yet.
The Plump and Skinny Elders were disappointed. They proposed waiting for five or ten years until Lin Xuan returned.
But Cloud Concealment Sect rejected this offer, stating they could still have another Supreme Elder step in if Lin Xuan was unavailable.
This proposal sent shockwaves through the cultivation world.
Such a bold claim—were there other Golden Transformation cultivators in Cloud Concealment Sect?
Otherwise, how could they dare to make such a claim?
But only those within Cloud Concealment Sect knew the truth. Yuyer wished for more time but understood that waiting wouldn't exceed five or ten years. Lin Xuan had said he needed centuries, if not millennia, to complete his important task.
They couldn't wait so long and delaying was meaningless. It would only worsen their situation, potentially turning them into laughingstock.
Since this approach was futile, Yuyer decided to face the challenge now. To be continued...
PS: The double vote month has ended. Fellow daoists with votes, please support!