suī shuō xiū xiān jiè gè zhǒng qí zhēn yì bǎo shǔ bù shèng shǔ ， dàn zhè zhǒng néng gòu pàn duàn rén shì fǒu zài shuō huǎng de líng wù ， hái dàng zhēn bù céng tīng shuō 。
虽说修仙界各种奇珍异宝数不胜数，但这种能够判断人是否在说谎的灵物，还当真不曾听说。
Though the cultivation world was filled with countless treasures and wonders, such a spirit object capable of detecting lies had never been heard of.
bù guò cǐ nǚ de biǎo qíng chéng kěn yǐ jí ， dào yě bù xiàng zài hú yán luàn yǔ 。
不过此女的表情诚恳以极，倒也不像在胡言乱语。
However, this woman's expression was extremely sincere, so she didn't seem to be speaking nonsense.
hé kuàng yú qíng yú lǐ ， tā yě bù kě néng zài zhè jiàn shì qíng shàng duì zì jǐ huǎng yán xiāng qī 。
何况于情于理，她也不可能在这件事情上对自己谎言相欺。
Moreover, considering both reason and emotion, it was impossible for her to deceive him on this matter.
gù ér lín xuān xiāng xìn duì fāng de yán yǔ ， zài nà ér zé zé chēng qí ：“ shì jiān zhēn yǒu rú cǐ líng wù ？”
故而林轩相信对方的言语，在那儿啧啧称奇：“世间真有如此灵物？”
Thus, Lin Xuan believed the other party's words and marveled: "Is there really such a spirit object in the world?"
“ dāng rán shì zhēn de ， zhǐ yào fú xià yī méi wèn xīn guǒ ， bàn gè shí chén zhī nèi ， jiù yī jù huǎng huà yě bù néng jiǎng le 。”
“当然是真的，只要服下一枚问心果，半个时辰之内，就一句谎话也不能讲了。”
"Of course, true. Just take one Askance Fruit, and within half an hour, you can't utter a single lie."
“ jiǎng le yòu rú hé ？”
“讲了又如何？”
"What if I do speak a lie then?"
lín xuān hào qí de shuō ， tā hái bù xiāng xìn ， qū qū yī méi líng guǒ ， néng ràng rén hún fēi pò sàn bù chéng me ？
林轩好奇的说，他还不相信，区区一枚灵果，能让人魂飞魄散不成么？
Lin Xuan curiously asked. He still didn’t believe that a mere spirit fruit could make someone’s soul scatter.
“ jù tǐ de wǎn bèi yě bù tài qīng chǔ ， bì jìng wèn xīn guǒ wǒ hái bù céng jiàn guò ， rán ér gǔ lǎo xiāng chuán ， zài wǒ men yīn sī jiè kě shì yán zhī záo záo ， fú xià wèn xīn guǒ hái gǎn sā huǎng de rén ， nǎ pà nǐ shì dù jié hòu qī de xiū xiān zhě ， yě huì hún fēi pò sàn diào de 。” xìng ér dàn dàn de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
“具体的晚辈也不太清楚，毕竟问心果我还不曾见过，然而古老相传，在我们阴司界可是言之凿凿，服下问心果还敢撒谎的人，哪怕你是渡劫后期的修仙者，也会魂飞魄散掉的。”杏儿淡淡的声音传入耳朵。
"The exact details are unclear to the junior disciple as well, since I have never seen Askance Fruit before. However, according to ancient legends in our阴司界, it is undeniably true. Anyone who dares to lie after taking an Askance Fruit will scatter their soul even if you're a late-stage cultivation cultivator." Xiang Er's calm voice entered his ears.
“ yǒu zhè me lì hài me ？”
“有这么厉害么？”
"Is it really that powerful?"
lín xuān bàn xìn bàn yí 。
林轩半信半疑。
Lin Xuan was half-believing and half-doubting.
“ qián bèi ruò bù xiāng xìn ， jǐn kě yǐ zì jǐ dǎ tīng ， guān yú wèn xīn guǒ de chuán shuō ， wǒ men yīn sī dì fǔ ， nǎ pà chū rù xiān dào de cún zài ， dà duō yě dōu tīng guò 。”
“前辈若不相信，尽可以自己打听，关于问心果的传说，我们阴司地府，哪怕初入仙道的存在，大多也都听过。”
"If the senior doesn't believe, you can ask around. The legend of Askance Fruit is widely known in our阴司地府 even for those just starting their cultivation path."
lín xuān diǎn diǎn tóu ， yǐ tā chá yán guān sè de běn lǐng ， duì fāng chéng kěn yǐ jí ， dào zhēn bù xiàng shì zài huǎng yán xiāng qī 。
林轩点点头，以他察言观色的本领，对方诚恳以极，倒真不像是在谎言相欺。
Lin Xuan nodded. With his keen observation skills, he truly didn’t think she was lying.
dàn bù guǎn zhēn jiǎ rú hé ， lín xuān dōu bù zài hū 。
但不管真假如何，林轩都不在乎。
But regardless of whether it was true or not, Lin Xuan wasn't concerned.
tā běn lái yě méi yǒu qī piàn cǐ nǚ ， wèn xīn guǒ jiù suàn zài shén qí ， duì yú zì jǐ ， yě shì wú ài dì 。
他本来也没有欺骗此女，问心果就算再神奇，对于自己，也是无碍地。
He hadn’t deceived her to begin with, and no matter how miraculous the Askance Fruit might be, it wouldn’t affect him.
“ nà wǒ men yào zěn me xún dé zhè jiàn bǎo wù ？” lín xuān yòu wèn chū le yí gè ràng tā guān xīn de wèn tí 。
“那我们要怎么寻得这件宝物？”林轩又问出了一个让他关心的问题。
"How do we find this treasure?" Lin Xuan asked another question that mattered to him.
“ qián bèi fàng xīn ， zhè wèn xīn guǒ suī rán shén qí ， dàn jì bù néng zēng jìn fǎ lì ， yě wú zhù yú tū pò píng jǐng ， gù ér suàn bù shàng shén me liǎo bù qǐ de bǎo wù ， zài yī xiē dà de fāng shì 。 tōng cháng dōu néng mǎi dào yī xiē 。” shào nǚ wēi xiào de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ lǐ 。
“前辈放心，这问心果虽然神奇，但既不能增进法力，也无助于突破瓶颈，故而算不上什么了不起的宝物，在一些大的坊市。通常都能买到一些。”少女微笑的声音传入耳朵里。
"Senior don't worry. Although Askance Fruit is magical, it can neither enhance your cultivation nor help you break through barriers, so it's not considered a great treasure. In some large markets, you can usually buy some," the girl’s smiling voice entered his ears.
“ zhè me róng yì ？”
“这么容易？”
"So easy?"
lín xuān yǒu xiē wú yǔ ， yuán běn tā hái yǐ wéi yào fèi xiē bō zhé ， méi xiǎng dào jū rán zhè me róng yì ， xiān qián zì jǐ de dān xīn kàn lái chún shǔ duō yú 。
林轩有些无语，原本他还以为要费些波折，没想到居然这么容易，先前自己的担心看来纯属多余。
Lin Xuan was speechless. He originally thought he would have to go through some trouble, but unexpectedly, it turned out to be so simple. His earlier concerns seemed entirely unnecessary.
yī lù wú shì 。
一路无事。
They traveled without incident for three days.
yīn sī jiè bǐ zì jǐ xiǎng xiàng de hái yào huāng liáng yī xiē 。
阴司界比自己想象的还要荒凉一些。
The阴司界 was even more desolate than he had imagined.
liǎng rén de dùn guāng zì rán shì xùn jié yǐ jí ， kě fēi le zhè me jiǔ ， jū rán dōu liǎo wú rén jì 。
两人的遁光自然是迅捷以极，可飞了这么久，居然都了无人迹。
Their遁光 was incredibly swift, yet after flying for such a long time, there were no signs of life anywhere.
ǒu ěr ， zhǐ yǒu yī xiē yóu hún yìng rù yǎn lián lǐ 。
偶尔，只有一些游魂映入眼帘里。
Occasionally, some weak wandering souls would appear, but they were so insignificant that they couldn’t form bodies. A violent gust of dark wind might scatter their souls.
dàn què ruò xiǎo yǐ jí ， gēn běn wú fǎ níng jù chū xíng tǐ ， yī zhèn měng liè de yīn fēng guā guò 。 yě yǒu kě néng ràng tā men hún fēi pò sàn diào le 。
但却弱小以极，根本无法凝聚出形体，一阵猛烈的阴风刮过。也有可能让它们魂飞魄散掉了。
As for the scenery, it was monotonous and bleak, mainly black with grayish fog permeating the sky. Various plants were strange and different from those in the spirit realm.
zhì yú jǐng sè ， yě shì sū fá kě chén dì ， yǐ hēi sè wéi zhǔ ， tiān dì jiān mí màn zhe huī méng méng de wù qì ， fàng yǎn wàng qù 。 gè zhǒng zhí wù ， yě shì xī qí gǔ guài dì ， yǔ líng jiè jiǒng yì 。
至于景色，也是苏乏可陈地，以黑色为主，天地间弥漫着灰蒙蒙的雾气，放眼望去。各种植物，也是稀奇古怪地，与灵界迥异。
Lin Xuan felt extremely fortunate to have met this girl named Xiang Er on his way. Otherwise, as a newcomer here, even with powerful divine awareness, he might still get lost due to bad luck.
lín xuān xīn zhōng bù yóu de qìng xìng bù yǐ ， hái hǎo yǔ zhè míng jiào xìng ér de shào nǚ xiá lù xiāng yù ， fǒu zé zì jǐ chū lái guì dì ， jiù suàn shén shí qiáng dà ， yě bù yí dìng huì yǒu yòng tú 。 yùn qì bù hǎo jí yǒu kě néng mí lù 。
林轩心中不由得庆幸不已，还好与这名叫杏儿的少女狭路相遇，否则自己初来贵地，就算神识强大，也不一定会有用途。运气不好极有可能迷路。
Now, there was no need to worry about that. With an experienced guide like Elder Ma, all he had to do was follow him and fly.
xiàn zài dāng rán bù yòng dān xīn zhè ge ， yǒu yī míng xiàng dǎo lǎo mǎ shí tú ， zì jǐ zhǐ yào gēn zài hòu miàn fēi jiù xíng le 。
现在当然不用担心这个，有一名向导老马识途，自己只要跟在后面飞就行了。
...
……
……
In this manner, the two of them traveled day and night for three days until a vast forest finally came into view before their eyes.
jiù zhè yàng ， liǎng rén bù xiū bù mián 。 zú zú gǎn lù le sān tiān ， yǎn qián de jǐng wù zhōng yú yī biàn ， yī piàn jù dà de sēn lín yìng rù yǎn lián 。
就这样，两人不休不眠。足足赶路了三天，眼前的景物终于一变，一片巨大的森林映入眼帘。
Though it was still mainly black, the plants inside were similar to what Lin Xuan had seen along his journey but much taller and denser.
shuō shì sēn lín ， yī jiù shì yǐ hēi sè wéi zhǔ 。 lǐ miàn de zhí wù yě yǔ zì jǐ yán tú suǒ jiàn de xiāng chà fǎng fú ， zhǐ bù guò gāo dà mào mì le xǔ duō 。
说是森林，依旧是以黑色为主。里面的植物也与自己沿途所见的相差仿佛，只不过高大茂密了许多。
And Lin Xuan could clearly feel that the dark energy in the air was more concentrated than before. This was just like the spirit veins in the spirit realm.
ér lín xuān yě míng xiǎn gǎn jué dào 。 xū kōng zhōng de yīn qì ， yě zài yuán yǒu de jī chǔ nóng mì le xǔ duō ， zhè dào lǐ ， jiù yǔ líng jiè de líng mài shì yī yàng de 。
而林轩也明显感觉到。虚空中的阴气，也在原有的基础浓密了许多，这道理，就与灵界的灵脉是一样的。
The dark energy was so thick; it must be where ghost cultivators gathered. He wondered if he might find Askance Fruit here.
zhè yīn qì rú cǐ zhī nóng ， xiǎng lái shì guǐ zú xiū shì de jù jū zhī suǒ ， jiù bù zhī dào zài zhè lǐ ， shì fǒu néng gòu zhǎo dào wèn xīn guǒ 。
这阴气如此之浓，想来是鬼族修士的聚居之所，就不知道在这里，是否能够找到问心果。
Lin Xuan thought to himself, but his doubts were answered by Xiang Er as if she had read his mind: "Beyond this is Black Rock City, a place of great renown in our阴司地府. The city lord, Old Black Rock, is an old monster at late-stage渡劫."
lín xuān xīn zhōng rú cǐ zhè bān de xiǎng zhe ， yí wèn shàng wèi chū kǒu ， xìng ér jiù fǎng fú wèi bǔ xiān zhī bān de huí dá qǐ lái le ， wèi lín xuān jiě huò ：“ cóng zhè ér guò qù ， jiù shì hēi shí chéng le ， cǐ chéng zài wǒ men yīn sī dì fǔ ， yì suàn hè hè yǒu míng zhī chù ， chéng zhǔ hēi shí lǎo zǔ ， kě shì yī dù jié zhōng qī de lǎo guài wù 。”
林轩心中如此这般的想着，疑问尚未出口，杏儿就仿佛未卜先知般的回答起来了，为林轩解惑：“从这儿过去，就是黑石城了，此城在我们阴司地府，亦算赫赫有名之处，城主黑石老祖，可是一渡劫中期的老怪物。”
"Late-stage渡劫?"
“ dù jié zhōng qī me ……”
“渡劫中期么……”
Lin Xuan muttered to himself. He wasn’t afraid.
lín xuān nán nán zì yǔ ， tā dāng rán bù jù 。
林轩喃喃自语，他当然不惧。
However, the cultivation techniques and supernatural abilities of the阴司界 were unfamiliar to him. Facing a peer would be more troublesome than in the spirit realm.
rán ér yīn sī jiè de gōng fǎ shén tōng zì jǐ bìng bù shú xī ， yǔ tóng jiē cún zài duì shàng le ， kě jiù bǐ líng jiè xiū shì gèng má fán yī xiē 。
然而阴司界的功法神通自己并不熟悉，与同阶存在对上了，可就比灵界修士更麻烦一些。
Fortunately, he came here just to buy Askance Fruit, so he shouldn’t provoke Old Black Rock unless something unexpected happened.
hǎo zài zì jǐ lái zhè lǐ ， jǐn jǐn shì wèi le gòu mǎi wèn xīn guǒ ， rú guǒ méi yǒu liào cuò ， yīng gāi bú huì zhāo rě shàng nà hēi shí lǎo zǔ de 。
好在自己来这里，仅仅是为了购买问心果，如果没有料错，应该不会招惹上那黑石老祖的。
With this thought, Lin Xuan’s expression brightened considerably.
xīn zhōng rú cǐ xiǎng zhe ， lín xuān de biǎo qíng yě jiù hǎo kàn le xǔ duō 。
心中如此想着，林轩的表情也就好看了许多。
He wasn’t worried or afraid, but it was better to avoid trouble if possible.
tā dào bù dān xīn wèi jù ， dàn shǎo yī shì zǒng yào bǐ duō yī shì hǎo de 。
他倒不担心畏惧，但少一事总要比多一事好的。
Just as his thoughts settled, a loud explosion echoed in their ears. Lin Xuan frowned and turned his head toward the sound.
zhè ge niàn tou shàng wèi zhuǎn guò ，“ hōng ” de yī shēng jù xiǎng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lín xuān méi tou yí zhòu ， xún shēng zhuǎn guò tóu lú 。
这个念头尚未转过，“轰”的一声巨响传入耳朵，林轩眉头一皱，循声转过头颅。
Xiang Er remained unperturbed: "Senior don't worry about it. The forest near Black Rock City is originally a test site with various grades of demons, ghosts, and evil beasts. Thus, some low-grade cultivators come here to train or seek treasures."
yī páng de xìng ér ， dǎo shì yī fù chù biàn bù jīng zhī sè ：“ qián bèi bù yòng zài yì ， zhè hēi shí chéng fù jìn de sēn lín ， yuán běn jiù shì yī shì liàn zhī suǒ ， lǐ miàn yǒu gè zhǒng děng jiē de yāo guǐ yīn shòu ， suǒ yǐ chǎng yǒu yī xiē dī jiē xiū shì ， lái zhè lǐ lì liàn huò shì xún zhǎo bǎo wù 。”
一旁的杏儿，倒是一副处变不惊之色：“前辈不用在意，这黑石城附近的森林，原本就是一试炼之所，里面有各种等阶的妖鬼阴兽，所以场有一些低阶修士，来这里历练或是寻找宝物。”
"Ah, I see."
“ yuán lái rú cǐ 。”
“原来如此。”
Lin Xuan nodded in relief. Low-grade cultivators in the spirit realm didn’t often hunt for beast spirits; their fur and bones were used as cultivation materials, and their inner cores could be used to refine spiritual elixirs.
lín xuān shì rán diǎn tóu ， líng jiè de dī jiē xiū xiān zhě ， bù cháng yě qù liè qǔ yāo shòu ， qí pí máo gǔ gé ， dōu shì xiū xiān zhī wù ， yāo shòu de nèi dān ， gèng shì kě yǐ yòng lái liàn zhì líng dān miào yào de 。
林轩释然点头，灵界的低阶修仙者，不常也去猎取妖兽，其皮毛骨骼，都是修仙之物，妖兽的内丹，更是可以用来炼制灵丹妙药的。
Though Lin Xuan was now at late-stage渡劫, he hadn't forgotten his past experiences, which he knew very well.
lín xuān rú jīn suī yě shì dù jié qī ， dàn duì yú xī rì de xiū xiān jīng lì kě bù céng wàng jì ， shèn zhì kě yǐ shuō fēi cháng de shú xī 。
林轩如今虽也是渡劫期，但对于昔日的修仙经历可不曾忘记，甚至可以说非常的熟悉。
The situation in the阴司界 would likely be similar. Thus, when Xiang Er spoke, Lin Xuan showed no surprise.
líng jiè rú cǐ ， yīn sī jiè de qíng kuàng ， xiǎng bì yì xiāng chà fǎng fú ， suǒ yǐ duì xìng ér suǒ shuō ， lín xuān méi yǒu lù chū bàn diǎn yì wài zhī sè 。
灵界如此，阴司界的情况，想必亦相差仿佛，所以对杏儿所说，林轩没有露出半点意外之色。
He released his divine awareness and sensed the intensity of the dark energy fluctuations, which were no more than those of a condensation period cultivator. He shook his head with a smile and put it aside.
cǐ kè jiāng shén shí fàng chū ， lüè yī gǎn yìng ， jiù nà yīn qì bō dòng de jù liè chéng dù ， zuì duō bù guò xiāng dāng yú níng dān qī xiū xiān zhě ， lín xuān yě jiù xiào zhe yáo yáo tóu ， jiāng zhè jiàn shì qíng zài zhì zhī nǎo hòu 。
此刻将神识放出，略一感应，就那阴气波动的剧烈程度，最多不过相当于凝丹期修仙者，林轩也就笑着摇摇头，将这件事情在置之脑后。
The two continued flying toward Black Rock City without being affected by this.
liǎng rén yě bù shòu yǐng xiǎng ， jì xù xiàng hēi shí chéng fēi qù 。
两人也不受影响，继续像黑石城飞去。
On their way, they encountered similar situations several times, and Lin Xuan became accustomed to them.
yī lù shàng ， yòu yù jiàn le shù cì zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng ， lín xuān xí yǐ wéi cháng 。
一路上，又遇见了数次这种情况，林轩习以为常。
Even some careless evil beasts passed in front of them, so Lin Xuan took the opportunity to kill them, helping out a little.
shèn zhì hái yǒu bù zhǎng yǎn de yīn shòu cóng tā men miàn qián jīng guò ， lín xuān gān cuì chū shǒu jī shā ， suàn shì bāng le nà xiē xiǎo jiā huo yī bǎ 。
甚至还有不长眼的阴兽从他们面前经过，林轩干脆出手击杀，算是帮了那些小家伙一把。
After a short while, they were close to Black Rock City. Lin Xuan took a deep breath, his body emitting black light that shrunk his aura significantly, roughly equivalent to a spirit ghost at the 分神 stage.
jiù zhè yàng ， yī zhǎn chá de gōng fu yǐ hòu ， yǐ jīng jiē jìn hēi shí chéng le ， lín xuān xī le kǒu qì ， hún shēn hēi máng zhòu qǐ ， jiāng qì xī suō xiǎo le xǔ duō ， dà tǐ xiāng dāng yú fēn shén jí bié de yīn hún guǐ wù 。
就这样，一盏茶的功夫以后，已经接近黑石城了，林轩吸了口气，浑身黑芒骤起，将气息缩小了许多，大体相当于分神级别的阴魂鬼物。
He did this for a reason.
tā zhè me zuò ， zì rán yě shì yǒu yuán yīn de 。
他这么做，自然也是有原因的。
Though Xiang Er said that Black Rock City was famous in the阴司界 and its city lord was late-stage渡劫, the city itself must be bustling with high-grade cultivators.
suī rán xìng ér shuō ， hēi shí chéng zài yīn sī jiè ， yě shì hè hè yǒu míng zhī suǒ ， chéng zhǔ běn shēn ， jiù shì dù jié qī ， xiǎng bì gāi chéng běn shēn ， fán róng yǐ jí ， gāo jiē xiū xiān zhě chū mò ， bìng bù xī qí 。
虽然杏儿说，黑石城在阴司界，也是赫赫有名之所，城主本身，就是渡劫期，想必该城本身，繁荣以极，高阶修仙者出没，并不稀奇。
But regardless of how it was, late-stage cultivators were too conspicuous. By lowering his cultivation to 分神 stage, he became much more discreet.
dàn bù guǎn rú hé ， dù jié qī cún zài dōu tài guò yǐn rén zhǔ mù ， jiāng xiū wèi shōu liǎn dào fēn shén qī ， jiù dī diào le xǔ duō 。
但不管如何，渡劫期存在都太过引人瞩目，将修为收敛到分神期，就低调了许多。
Seeing Lin Xuan’s actions, a smile appeared on Xiang Er's face.
jiàn lín xuān zhè me zuò ， xìng ér liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī xiào róng 。
见林轩这么做，杏儿脸上露出一丝笑容。
Having traveled together for so long, he already had a good grasp of Lin Xuan's identity; this person might be the young master.
yī lù xiāng bàn ， qí shí tā duì lín xuān de shēn fèn ， yǐ yǒu le bù shǎo bǎ wò ， zhè ge rén jí yǒu kě néng jiù shì shǎo zhǔ 。
一路相伴，其实他对林轩的身份，已有了不少把握，这个人极有可能就是少主。
But that was just his feeling. Until confirmed, he couldn’t afford to be careless about the safety of the king.
dàn nà jǐn jǐn shì zì jǐ de gǎn jué bà le ， zài què dìng yǐ qián ， wèi le wáng de ān wēi ， jué bù néng dà shū hū 。
但那仅仅是自己的感觉罢了，在确定以前，为了王的安危，绝不能大疏忽。
Nonetheless, their relationship became much more harmonious.
dàn bù guǎn rú hé ， liǎng rén de guān xì ， zǒng shì róng qià le xǔ duō 。
但不管如何，两人的关系，总是融洽了许多。
Just as time passed, another loud explosion echoed in their ears. Normally, such a scene would be familiar to Lin Xuan, but this time it was different; even the primordial energy of heaven and earth was stirred. It must be a high-grade cultivator.
ér jiù zài zhè shí jiān ，“ hōng ” de yī shēng jù xiǎng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， àn lǐ ， duì yú zhè zhǒng qíng jǐng ， lín xuān yīng gāi yǐ hěn shú xī ， dàn zhè cì qíng kuàng bù yí yàng ， tiān dì yuán qì dōu bèi yǐn dòng le ， shì gāo jiē xiū xiān zhě 。
而就在这时间，“轰”的一声巨响传入耳朵，按理，对于这种情景，林轩应该已很熟悉，但这次情况不一样，天地元气都被引动了，是高阶修仙者。
Lin Xuan released his divine awareness but quickly retracted it as if avoiding a venomous snake or scorpion. His face showed disbelief: "Impossible, it’s him, Tian Xiaojian. How could he also come to the阴司界?"
lín xuān jiāng shén shí fàng chū ， hěn kuài què rú bì shé xiē yì bān de shōu le huí lái ， liǎn shàng mǎn shì bù kě sī yì zhī sè ：“ bù kě néng ， shì tā ， tián xiǎo jiàn ， zěn me yě huì lái le yīn sī dì fǔ ？”
林轩将神识放出，很快却如避蛇蝎一般的收了回来，脸上满是不可思议之色：“不可能，是他，田小剑，怎么也会来了阴司地府？”
(To be continued)
Though the cultivation world was filled with countless treasures and wonders, such a spirit object capable of detecting lies had never been heard of.
However, this woman's expression was extremely sincere, so she didn't seem to be speaking nonsense.
Moreover, considering both reason and emotion, it was impossible for her to deceive him on this matter.
Thus, Lin Xuan believed the other party's words and marveled: "Is there really such a spirit object in the world?"
"Of course, true. Just take one Askance Fruit, and within half an hour, you can't utter a single lie."
"What if I do speak a lie then?"
Lin Xuan curiously asked. He still didn’t believe that a mere spirit fruit could make someone’s soul scatter.
"The exact details are unclear to the junior disciple as well, since I have never seen Askance Fruit before. However, according to ancient legends in our阴司界, it is undeniably true. Anyone who dares to lie after taking an Askance Fruit will scatter their soul even if you're a late-stage cultivation cultivator." Xiang Er's calm voice entered his ears.
"Is it really that powerful?"
Lin Xuan was half-believing and half-doubting.
"If the senior doesn't believe, you can ask around. The legend of Askance Fruit is widely known in our阴司地府 even for those just starting their cultivation path."
"Oh."
Lin Xuan nodded. With his keen observation skills, he truly didn’t think she was lying.
But regardless of whether it was true or not, Lin Xuan wasn't concerned.
He hadn’t deceived her to begin with, and no matter how miraculous the Askance Fruit might be, it wouldn’t affect him.
"How do we find this treasure?" Lin Xuan asked another question that mattered to him.
"Senior don't worry. Although Askance Fruit is magical, it can neither enhance your cultivation nor help you break through barriers, so it's not considered a great treasure. In some large markets, you can usually buy some," the girl’s smiling voice entered his ears.
"So easy?"
Lin Xuan was speechless. He originally thought he would have to go through some trouble, but unexpectedly, it turned out to be so simple. His earlier concerns seemed entirely unnecessary.
They traveled without incident for three days.
The阴司界 was even more desolate than he had imagined.
Their遁光 was incredibly swift, yet after flying for such a long time, there were no signs of life anywhere.
Occasionally, some weak wandering souls would appear, but they were so insignificant that they couldn’t form bodies. A violent gust of dark wind might scatter their souls.
As for the scenery, it was monotonous and bleak, mainly black with grayish fog permeating the sky. Various plants were strange and different from those in the spirit realm.
Lin Xuan felt extremely fortunate to have met this girl named Xiang Er on his way. Otherwise, as a newcomer here, even with powerful divine awareness, he might still get lost due to bad luck.
Now, there was no need to worry about that. With an experienced guide like Elder Ma, all he had to do was follow him and fly.
...
In this manner, the two of them traveled day and night for three days until a vast forest finally came into view before their eyes.
Though it was still mainly black, the plants inside were similar to what Lin Xuan had seen along his journey but much taller and denser.
And Lin Xuan could clearly feel that the dark energy in the air was more concentrated than before. This was just like the spirit veins in the spirit realm.
The dark energy was so thick; it must be where ghost cultivators gathered. He wondered if he might find Askance Fruit here.
Lin Xuan thought to himself, but his doubts were answered by Xiang Er as if she had read his mind: "Beyond this is Black Rock City, a place of great renown in our阴司地府. The city lord, Old Black Rock, is an old monster at late-stage渡劫."
"Late-stage渡劫?"
Lin Xuan muttered to himself. He wasn’t afraid.
However, the cultivation techniques and supernatural abilities of the阴司界 were unfamiliar to him. Facing a peer would be more troublesome than in the spirit realm.
Fortunately, he came here just to buy Askance Fruit, so he shouldn’t provoke Old Black Rock unless something unexpected happened.
With this thought, Lin Xuan’s expression brightened considerably.
He wasn’t worried or afraid, but it was better to avoid trouble if possible.
Just as his thoughts settled, a loud explosion echoed in their ears. Lin Xuan frowned and turned his head toward the sound.
Xiang Er remained unperturbed: "Senior don't worry about it. The forest near Black Rock City is originally a test site with various grades of demons, ghosts, and evil beasts. Thus, some low-grade cultivators come here to train or seek treasures."
"Ah, I see."
Lin Xuan nodded in relief. Low-grade cultivators in the spirit realm didn’t often hunt for beast spirits; their fur and bones were used as cultivation materials, and their inner cores could be used to refine spiritual elixirs.
Though Lin Xuan was now at late-stage渡劫, he hadn't forgotten his past experiences, which he knew very well.
The situation in the阴司界 would likely be similar. Thus, when Xiang Er spoke, Lin Xuan showed no surprise.
He released his divine awareness and sensed the intensity of the dark energy fluctuations, which were no more than those of a condensation period cultivator. He shook his head with a smile and put it aside.
The two continued flying toward Black Rock City without being affected by this.
On their way, they encountered similar situations several times, and Lin Xuan became accustomed to them.
Even some careless evil beasts passed in front of them, so Lin Xuan took the opportunity to kill them, helping out a little.
After a short while, they were close to Black Rock City. Lin Xuan took a deep breath, his body emitting black light that shrunk his aura significantly, roughly equivalent to a spirit ghost at the 分神 stage.
He did this for a reason.
Though Xiang Er said that Black Rock City was famous in the阴司界 and its city lord was late-stage渡劫, the city itself must be bustling with high-grade cultivators.
But regardless of how it was, late-stage cultivators were too conspicuous. By lowering his cultivation to 分神 stage, he became much more discreet.
Seeing Lin Xuan’s actions, a smile appeared on Xiang Er's face.
Having traveled together for so long, he already had a good grasp of Lin Xuan's identity; this person might be the young master.
But that was just his feeling. Until confirmed, he couldn’t afford to be careless about the safety of the king.
Nonetheless, their relationship became much more harmonious.
Just as time passed, another loud explosion echoed in their ears. Normally, such a scene would be familiar to Lin Xuan, but this time it was different; even the primordial energy of heaven and earth was stirred. It must be a high-grade cultivator.
Lin Xuan released his divine awareness but quickly retracted it as if avoiding a venomous snake or scorpion. His face showed disbelief: "Impossible, it’s him, Tian Xiaojian. How could he also come to the阴司界?"
(To be continued)