zhòng suǒ zhōu zhī ， xiū xiān fēn wéi bā gè jìng jiè ， jǐ bǎi wàn nián lái ， cóng lái bù céng gǎi biàn guò ， cóng shàng gǔ kāi shǐ ， yí xiàng jiù shì zhè yàng de 。
众所周知，修仙分为八个境界，几百万年来，从来不曾改变过，从上古开始，一向就是这样的。
It was well known that cultivation divided into eight stages, and this had remained unchanged for millions of years since ancient times.
rán ér xiǎo dù jié qī bù tóng ， nǎi shì lìng pì xī jìng zhī wù ， tā de dàn shēng ， kě yǐ shuō shì jī yuán qiǎo hé ， tóng shí yě shì wú shù xiān xián nǔ lì tàn suǒ de jié guǒ 。
然而小渡劫期不同，乃是另辟蹊径之物，它的诞生，可以说是机缘巧合，同时也是无数先贤努力探索的结果。
However, the Lesser Transcendence Stage was different; it was a path carved out of its own. Its existence could be attributed to both chance and the relentless efforts of countless sages over millennia.
zhuī gēn jiū dǐ ， cóng fēn shén jìn jiē dào dù jié ， yǒu zhe tài dà de nán dù 。
追根究底，从分神进阶到渡劫，有着太大的难度。
Tracing back, advancing from the Spirit Division stage to the Transcendence stage posed an immense challenge. The bottleneck at this stage was entirely different from those before. Countless geniuses had fallen victim to it throughout history. Despite their hardships, they refused to remain stagnant in the late Spirit Division stage, wasting time and essence.
nà píng jǐng ， yǔ qián miàn de guān kǒu ， wán quán bù tóng ， gǔ wǎng jīn lái ， bù zhī dào yǒu duō shǎo tiān cái ， zhé yì yú cǐ chù 。
那瓶颈，与前面的关口，完全不同，古往今来，不知道有多少天才，折翼于此处。
While constantly pushing against the bottleneck of the Transcendence stage, these cultivators also sought out new paths. The difficulty and hardship involved were beyond what an outsider could comprehend.
lì jīng xīn kǔ ， què xī wàng quán wú ， dàn zhè xiē rén yòu bù gān xīn tíng liú zài fēn shén hòu qī bù néng cùn jìn yí bù ， bái bái jiāng shí guāng yǔ jīng lì xiāo mó 。
历经辛苦，却希望全无，但这些人又不甘心停留在分神后期不能寸进一步，白白将时光与jīng力消磨。
But hard work does not go unrewarded. Over millions of years, after countless failures, a genius truly discovered this path. Thus, the Lesser Transcendence Stage had its unique methods.
tā men zài bù duàn chōng jī dù jié qī píng jǐng de tóng shí ， yě zài xún mì zhe xīn de xiū xiān zhī lù 。
他们在不断冲击渡劫期瓶颈的同时，也在寻觅着新的修仙之路。
Though not as powerful as true Transcendence, these methods significantly increased their lifespan and strength. The effort required to achieve such success was beyond description; naturally, they would not share it with others.
qí zhōng de nán dù yǔ jiān xīn shì bù zú yǐ xiàng wài rén dào de 。
其中的难度与艰辛是不足以像外人道的。
As a result, every cultivator who gained this method kept it secret, cherishing it like a personal treasure. Not only were there few practitioners of the Lesser Transcendence Stage, but even among those aware of its existence, the number was negligible in the three realms.
dàn gōng fu bù fù yǒu xīn rén ， qiān bǎi wàn nián lái ， zài jīng lì guò wú shù cì shī bài yǐ hòu ， hái zhēn bèi qí zhōng de yī wèi tiān cái gěi zhǎo dào le 。
但功夫不负有心人，千百万年来，在经历过无数次失败以后，还真被其中的一位天才给找到了。
Among the million cultivators present, none recognized her.
xiǎo dù jié qī ， yú shì biàn yǒu le zhè lìng pì xī jìng de dōng xī 。
小渡劫期，于是便有了这另辟蹊径的东西。
However, their lack of recognition did not diminish their understanding of its value. Clearly, for cultivators struggling with late Spirit Division stage, this young woman's realm could be immensely useful. If they could obtain her cultivation method, their sect would quickly gain a multitude of powerful experts.
suī rán wú fēi fǎ yǔ zhēn zhèng de dù jié xiāng bǐ ， dàn shòu yuán shí lì ， dōu zài yuán yǒu de jī chǔ shàng zēng jìn le xǔ duō 。
虽然无非法与真正的渡劫相比，但寿元实力，都在原有的基础上增进了许多。
This thought crossed the minds of countless Transcendence-stage elders, making them drool with envy.
néng huò dé zhè zhǒng chéng gōng ， tā men fù chū de xīn kǔ nàn yǐ yán shù ， dāng rán bù kě néng wú yuán wú gù ， yǔ bié de xiū shì fēn xiǎng le 。
能获得这种成功，他们付出的辛苦难以言述，当然不可能无缘无故，与别的修士分享了。
However, no one acted rashly. After all, the Cloud Concealment Sect was not to be underestimated; it was because Lin Xuan was absent that they had just lost the contest. They could incite trouble and tarnish Lin Xuan's reputation, but going too far would invite severe consequences.
yú shì měi yí gè jī yuán qiǎo hé ， huò dé cǐ xiū liàn zhī fǎ de xiū xiān zhě ， dōu shǒu kǒu rú píng ， yóu yú bì zhǒu zì zhēn de yuán gù ， bié shuō xiǎo dù jié qī de cún zài bù duō ， jiù suàn tīng shuō guò zhè yī jìng jiè de xiū xiān zhě ， fàng yǎn sān jiè ， nà yě shì qū zhǐ kě shǔ 。
于是每一个机缘巧合，获得此修炼之法的修仙者，都守口如瓶，由于敝帚自珍的缘故，别说小渡劫期的存在不多，就算听说过这一境界的修仙者，放眼三界，那也是屈指可数。
Everyone understood this unspoken boundary. However, the abilities displayed by the silver-eyed maiden were too enticing.
zhì shǎo yǎn qián de bǎi wàn xiū shì zhōng ， jiù wú yī rén shí dé 。
至少眼前的百万修士中，就无一人识得。
The Lesser Transcendence Stage aside, her divine treasures were extraordinary. Instantly casting ancient powerful spells was of great use in combat. As for the true spirit puppet, it left even the hidden Transcendence-stage elders speechless.
rán ér bù rèn shí guī bù rèn shí ， què bìng bù fáng ài tā men rèn qīng qí jià zhí 。
然而不认识归不认识，却并不妨碍他们认清其价值。
Mechanical puppets were not unfamiliar to them given their extensive knowledge. However, among all cultivators across time and space, only those at the Profound Concealment level were considered high-grade. Spirit Division stage puppets were rare, and those of the Transcendence stage... they existed only in legends or theoretical possibilities.
xiǎn rán ， yín tóng shào nǚ de jìng jiè ， duì yú nà xiē chè zhǒu yú fēn shén hòu qī de xiū xiān zhě ， dà yǒu yòng chǔ 。
显然，银瞳少女的境界，对于那些掣肘于分神后期的修仙者，大有用处。
Among so many cultivators present, no one had ever seen such a puppet, dismissing it as nonsense. But now, they realized their mistake; the legend was real, and there truly existed Transcendence-stage puppets.
ruò shì néng gòu dé dào tā de xiū liàn fāng fǎ ， běn mén hěn kuài ， jiù huì zēng tiān shàng yī dà pī gāo shǒu le 。
若是能够得到她的修炼方法，本门很快，就会增添上一大批高手了。
How did the Cloud Concealment Sect obtain them? Was this due to chance or did they create these treasures themselves?
zhè ge niàn tou zài wú shù dù jié qī lǎo guài de nǎo hǎi zhōng zhuǎn guò ， yí gè gè ， dōu xiàn mù dé yào liú kǒu shuǐ le 。
这个念头在无数渡劫期老怪的脑海中转过，一个个，都羡慕得要流口水了。
If obtained from an ancient cave dwelling, that would be one thing. But if... if it was the Cloud Concealment Sect that had mastered the method for creating such puppets, its value would be immeasurable.
rán ér méi yǒu rén qīng jǔ wàng dòng ， bì jìng yún yǐn zōng de shí lì bù róng qīng wǔ ， bié kàn gāng gāng bǐ shì shū le ， nà shì yīn wèi lín xuān lín zhǎng lǎo bù zài de yuán gù 。
然而没有人轻举妄动，毕竟云隐宗的实力不容轻侮，别看刚刚比试输了，那是因为林轩林长老不在的缘故。
Although crafting a puppet of this level would require countless divine materials and treasures, once created, the benefits to their sect would be tremendous. Their strength could increase several times over. Even just having one with them would bring untold advantages, especially against peers.
tā men kě yǐ tuī bō zhù lán ， xuē lín xuān de liǎn miàn ， dàn qī rén tài shèn de shì qíng ， què bù gǎn zuò 。
他们可以推波助澜，削林轩的脸面，但欺人太甚的事情，却不敢做。
The Cloud Concealment Sect was not easily provoked; even though they had lost the contest due to Lin Xuan's absence, they could still incite trouble and tarnish their reputation. But if they truly antagonized them, it would be a different story.
zhè zhōng jiān de fēn cùn ， dà jiā shì xīn zhào bù xuān de 。
这中间的分寸，大家是心照不宣的。
That young Lin fellow was known for his vendetta. If they pushed too far, he would surely not take kindly to it upon his return.
rán ér yín tóng shào nǚ zhǎn shì de běn lǐng bǎo wù ， shí zài tài lìng rén dòng xīn le 。
然而银瞳少女展示的本领宝物，实在太令人动心了。
Most were hesitant, but each had their own nature. Among the Transcendence-stage beings, there were undoubtedly those who were arrogant and overconfident.
xiǎo dù jié qī de jìng jiè qiě bù tí ， nà xuán tiān líng bǎo yě shì fēi tóng yī bān de dōng xī 。
小渡劫期的境界且不提，那玄天灵宝也是非同一般的东西。
Jealousy and envy of Lin Xuan had always been simmering beneath the surface. Now faced with so many benefits, they could no longer contain themselves. The Cloud Concealment Sect mattered little; that young Lin fellow was far from invincible.
shùn fā shàng gǔ dà wēi lì fǎ shù ， zài dòu fǎ de shí hòu kě yǒu zhe jí dà de yòng tú 。
瞬发上古大威力法术，在斗法的时候可有着极大的用途。
Although the fat elder had won, he showed no intention to harm his opponent. A cold voice entered their ears as the silver-eyed maiden turned to leave:
zhì yú zhēn líng kuǐ lěi ， nà gèng bú yòng shuō ， biàn shì nà xiē cáng zài àn chù de dù jié qī lǎo guài wù ， yí gè gè yě chēng mù jié shé 。
至于真灵傀儡，那更不用说，便是那些藏在暗处的渡劫期老怪物，一个个也瞠目结舌。
"Wait!"
jī guān kuǐ lěi zhī wù ， yǐ tā men jiàn shí guǎng bó ， dāng rán bù kě néng yǒu fēn háo mò shēng de 。
机关傀儡之物，以他们见识广博，当然不可能有分毫陌生的。
The voice was hoarse and unpleasant. As it echoed in their ears, a figure appeared before them, blocking her path. It was an old man with a small stature and grotesque appearance; one could not tell his age.
rán ér fàng yǎn sān jiè ， zòng héng jīn gǔ ， dòng xuán jí bié de kuǐ lěi yǐ suàn gāo jiē le ， fēn shén qī kuǐ lěi nǎi kě yù ér bù kě qiú zhī wù 。
然而放眼三界，纵横今古，洞玄级别的傀儡已算高阶了，分神期傀儡乃可遇而不可求之物。
He seemed frail, but his entire body exuded vitality.
zhì yú dù jié jí bié de kuǐ lěi …… nà zhǐ cún zài yú chuán shuō ， huò zhě lǐ lùn shàng de kě néng xìng。
至于渡劫级别的傀儡……那只存在于传说，或者理论上的可能xìng。
"Golden Crow Ancestor!"
zài chǎng zhè me duō xiū xiān zhě ， gēn běn wú yī rén jiàn guò ， yí xiàng yě dōu shì chī zhī yǐ bí de 。
在场这么多修仙者，根本无一人见过，一向也都是嗤之以鼻的。
"Good heavens, it's that old monster."
rán ér cǐ shí cǐ kè ， tā men cái zhī dào zì jǐ cuò dé lí pǔ ， méi xiǎng dào chuán shuō shì zhēn de ， jū rán zhēn yǒu dù jié jí bié de kuǐ lěi cún zài zhe 。
然而此时此刻，他们才知道自己错得离谱，没想到传说是真的，居然真有渡劫级别的傀儡存在着。
"He dares to challenge the Cloud Concealment Sect? This is going to be good."
yún yǐn zōng shì zěn me dé dào de ？
云隐宗是怎么得到的？
"If it’s this old monster, even if that Lin fellow comes, he’ll likely end up in regret."
jiū jìng shì jī yuán qiǎo hé ， hái shì tā men zì jǐ liàn zhì chū lái de zhè jiàn bǎo wù ？
究竟是机缘巧合，还是他们自己炼制出来的这件宝物？
"Yes, as amonster race, his strength far surpasses that of Old Xue."
ruò shì shàng gǔ dòng fǔ suǒ de ， nà yě jiù bà le 。
若是上古洞府所得，那也就罢了。
...
jiǎ rú …… jiǎ rú shì yún yǐn zōng dé dào le liàn zhì zhī fǎ ， nà jià zhí kě jiù tài dà 。
假如……假如是云隐宗得到了炼制之法，那价值可就太大。
Whispers filled the air, and the silver-eyed maiden's face turned pale. The situation was developing beyond her expectations.
suī rán xiǎng yào liàn zhì chū zhè zhǒng děng jí de kuǐ lěi ， kěn dìng jí bù róng yì ， yào xiāo hào tiān cái dì bǎo wú shù ， dàn bù guǎn rú hé ， dù jié jí bié de kuǐ lěi ， dōu yǒu tài dà de yòng tú 。
虽然想要炼制出这种等级的傀儡，肯定极不容易，要消耗天材地宝无数，但不管如何，渡劫级别的傀儡，都有太大的用途。
If it continued like this, the Cloud Concealment Sect would not merely suffer damage to their reputation.
zhǐ yào liàn chū jǐ gè ， zōng mén shí lì jiāng jīn fēi xī bǐ ， zài yuán yǒu de jī chǔ shàng ， zēng jiā shù bèi yǒu yú 。
只要炼出几个，宗门实力将今非昔比，在原有的基础上，增加数倍有余。
She feared but could not retreat as the leader of a sect. She stopped, showing no emotion: "Senior, what is your command?"
ruò shì jiāng yí gè dài zài shēn cè ， huò dé de hǎo chù gèng bú yòng shuō ， zhì shǎo duì shàng tóng jiē xiū xiān zhě ， nà kěn dìng shì yǒu shèng wú bài le 。
若是将一个带在身侧，获得的好处更不用说，至少对上同阶修仙者，那肯定是有胜无败了。
While saying so, she quickly ran through the information about this old monster in her mind. The Golden Crow Ancestor was named for his status as amonster race. It was well known that people referred to true spirits as golden crows. However, there were many more members of the Golden Crow clan, and among them, those who had inherited the true spirit's flames were considered powerfulmonster race.
yún yǐn zōng bù hǎo rě ， jí biàn gāng cái de bǐ shì shū le ， nà yě shì yīn wèi lín xuān bù zài de jié guǒ 。
云隐宗不好惹，即便刚才的比试输了，那也是因为林轩不在的结果。
...
tā men kě yǐ tuī bō zhù lán ， xuē yún yǐn zōng de liǎn miàn ， rán ér zhēn yào yǔ qí jiāo wù ， kě jiù yào diān liáng yī xià le 。
他们可以推波助澜，削云隐宗的脸面，然而真要与其交恶，可就要掂量一下了。
Theoretically, true spirits were immortal, but due to various reasons, they would eventually fall. Then a new strong spirit would inherit their flame.
nà xìng lín de xiǎo jiā huo ， kě shì ēn yuàn fēn míng de ， ruò shì zì jǐ zhè xiē rén zuò dé tài guò ， děng tā huí lái ， shì jué bú huì yǒu hǎo guǒ zi yī shuō 。
那姓林的小家伙，可是恩怨分明的，若是自己这些人做得太过，等他回来，是绝不会有好果子一说。
Many high-ranking cultivators knew this. The current Golden Crow Ancestor was one of them. About a million years ago, the previous true spirit had fallen, and the Golden Crow's true spirit flame returned to the true spirit realm, waiting for its next successor.
dà bù fèn rén ， yī jiù zài chí yí ， rán ér měi gè rén yǒu měi gè de xìng gé ， dù jié jí bié de cún zài zhōng ， kěn dìng bù fá wàng zì zūn dà de rén wù 。
大部分人，依旧在迟疑，然而每个人有每个的xìng格，渡劫级别的存在中，肯定不乏妄自尊大的人物。
This position was not easily attained; it required being the strongest member of the Golden Crow clan. (To be continued.)
It was well known that cultivation divided into eight stages, and this had remained unchanged for millions of years since ancient times.
However, the Lesser Transcendence Stage was different; it was a path carved out of its own. Its existence could be attributed to both chance and the relentless efforts of countless sages over millennia.
Tracing back, advancing from the Spirit Division stage to the Transcendence stage posed an immense challenge. The bottleneck at this stage was entirely different from those before. Countless geniuses had fallen victim to it throughout history. Despite their hardships, they refused to remain stagnant in the late Spirit Division stage, wasting time and essence.
While constantly pushing against the bottleneck of the Transcendence stage, these cultivators also sought out new paths. The difficulty and hardship involved were beyond what an outsider could comprehend.
But hard work does not go unrewarded. Over millions of years, after countless failures, a genius truly discovered this path. Thus, the Lesser Transcendence Stage had its unique methods.
Though not as powerful as true Transcendence, these methods significantly increased their lifespan and strength. The effort required to achieve such success was beyond description; naturally, they would not share it with others.
As a result, every cultivator who gained this method kept it secret, cherishing it like a personal treasure. Not only were there few practitioners of the Lesser Transcendence Stage, but even among those aware of its existence, the number was negligible in the three realms.
Among the million cultivators present, none recognized her.
However, their lack of recognition did not diminish their understanding of its value. Clearly, for cultivators struggling with late Spirit Division stage, this young woman's realm could be immensely useful. If they could obtain her cultivation method, their sect would quickly gain a multitude of powerful experts.
This thought crossed the minds of countless Transcendence-stage elders, making them drool with envy.
However, no one acted rashly. After all, the Cloud Concealment Sect was not to be underestimated; it was because Lin Xuan was absent that they had just lost the contest. They could incite trouble and tarnish Lin Xuan's reputation, but going too far would invite severe consequences.
Everyone understood this unspoken boundary. However, the abilities displayed by the silver-eyed maiden were too enticing.
The Lesser Transcendence Stage aside, her divine treasures were extraordinary. Instantly casting ancient powerful spells was of great use in combat. As for the true spirit puppet, it left even the hidden Transcendence-stage elders speechless.
Mechanical puppets were not unfamiliar to them given their extensive knowledge. However, among all cultivators across time and space, only those at the Profound Concealment level were considered high-grade. Spirit Division stage puppets were rare, and those of the Transcendence stage... they existed only in legends or theoretical possibilities.
Among so many cultivators present, no one had ever seen such a puppet, dismissing it as nonsense. But now, they realized their mistake; the legend was real, and there truly existed Transcendence-stage puppets.
How did the Cloud Concealment Sect obtain them? Was this due to chance or did they create these treasures themselves?
If obtained from an ancient cave dwelling, that would be one thing. But if... if it was the Cloud Concealment Sect that had mastered the method for creating such puppets, its value would be immeasurable.
Although crafting a puppet of this level would require countless divine materials and treasures, once created, the benefits to their sect would be tremendous. Their strength could increase several times over. Even just having one with them would bring untold advantages, especially against peers.
The Cloud Concealment Sect was not easily provoked; even though they had lost the contest due to Lin Xuan's absence, they could still incite trouble and tarnish their reputation. But if they truly antagonized them, it would be a different story.
That young Lin fellow was known for his vendetta. If they pushed too far, he would surely not take kindly to it upon his return.
Most were hesitant, but each had their own nature. Among the Transcendence-stage beings, there were undoubtedly those who were arrogant and overconfident.
Jealousy and envy of Lin Xuan had always been simmering beneath the surface. Now faced with so many benefits, they could no longer contain themselves. The Cloud Concealment Sect mattered little; that young Lin fellow was far from invincible.
Although the fat elder had won, he showed no intention to harm his opponent. A cold voice entered their ears as the silver-eyed maiden turned to leave:
"Wait!"
The voice was hoarse and unpleasant. As it echoed in their ears, a figure appeared before them, blocking her path. It was an old man with a small stature and grotesque appearance; one could not tell his age.
He seemed frail, but his entire body exuded vitality.
"Golden Crow Ancestor!"
"Good heavens, it's that old monster."
"He dares to challenge the Cloud Concealment Sect? This is going to be good."
"If it’s this old monster, even if that Lin fellow comes, he’ll likely end up in regret."
"Yes, as amonster race, his strength far surpasses that of Old Xue."
...
Whispers filled the air, and the silver-eyed maiden's face turned pale. The situation was developing beyond her expectations.
If it continued like this, the Cloud Concealment Sect would not merely suffer damage to their reputation.
She feared but could not retreat as the leader of a sect. She stopped, showing no emotion: "Senior, what is your command?"
While saying so, she quickly ran through the information about this old monster in her mind. The Golden Crow Ancestor was named for his status as amonster race. It was well known that people referred to true spirits as golden crows. However, there were many more members of the Golden Crow clan, and among them, those who had inherited the true spirit's flames were considered powerfulmonster race.
...
Theoretically, true spirits were immortal, but due to various reasons, they would eventually fall. Then a new strong spirit would inherit their flame.
Many high-ranking cultivators knew this. The current Golden Crow Ancestor was one of them. About a million years ago, the previous true spirit had fallen, and the Golden Crow's true spirit flame returned to the true spirit realm, waiting for its next successor.
This position was not easily attained; it required being the strongest member of the Golden Crow clan. (To be continued.)