tiān dào yùn zhuàn ， zì yǒu qí guī zé 。
天道运转，自有其规则。
The Way of Heaven operated according to its own rules.
qiáng dà rú zhēn xiān ， yì yǒu kě néng yǔn luò ， gèng bú yòng shuō pǔ tōng de xiū xiān zhě 。
强大如真仙，亦有可能陨落，更不用说普通的修仙者。
Even true immortals could fall, let alone ordinary cultivators.
zhì yú zhēn líng ， tóng yàng shì yī jí qiáng dà de shì wù ， dàn zhuī běn sù yuán ， yī jiù shì bù jí xiān rén de 。
至于真灵，同样是一极强大的事物，但追本溯源，依旧是不及仙人的。
As for true spirits, they were equally powerful beings, but in the end, they still fell short compared to true immortals.
dāng rán ， yě yǒu lì wài zhě ， bǐ rú shuō ， zhēn lóng 、 cǎi fèng ， qí shí lì zhī qiáng ， bǐ zhī zhēn xiān jiù bù xùn sè ， dàn chú cǐ èr zhě ， qí yú de zhēn líng ， shí yǒu ** dōu dǎ bù guò pǔ tōng de xiān rén le 。
当然，也有例外者，比如说，真龙、彩凤，其实力之强，比之真仙就不逊色，但除此二者，其余的真灵，十有**都打不过普通的仙人了。
Of course, there were exceptions. For instance, true dragons and colorful phoenixes had strength that rivaled true immortals. But apart from these two, most other true spirits could not match a common immortal.
dàn zhēn líng bù tóng yú yāo zú ， tā de chuán chéng yǐ kào de shì zhēn líng zhī huǒ 。
但真灵不同于妖族，它的传承倚靠的是真灵之火。
Unlike demons, whose inheritance depended on spirit flames.
xiān rén yǔn luò le yě jiù huà wèi chén tǔ ， tā de gōng fǎ 、 bǎo wù jiē yǒu kě néng mái mò 。
仙人陨落了也就化为尘土，他的功法、宝物皆有可能埋没。
When an immortal fell, they turned to dust, and their cultivation methods and treasures might be lost forever.
rán ér zhēn líng bù tóng 。
然而真灵不同。
However, true spirits were different.
yīn wèi yǒu zhe zhēn líng zhī huǒ ， jí biàn yǔn luò ， chuán chéng yě bú huì yǒu duàn jué yī shuō 。
因为有着真灵之火，即便陨落，传承也不会有断绝一说。
With the spirit flame, even if they fell, their legacy would not be broken.
duǎn zé bǎi zài ， zhǎng zé wàn nián ， yī jì chéng le qí jì yì shén tōng de quán xīn zhēn líng ， yòu huì yùn yù ér chū 。
短则百载，长则万年，一继承了其记忆神通的全新真灵，又会蕴育而出。
For short periods of time, perhaps a century or more, new true spirits would emerge by inheriting their memories and abilities.
bǐ rú shuō yǎn qián de bái hǔ ， tā suī rán yǔn luò ， dàn zhēn líng zhī huǒ què bú huì yǒu xī miè yī shuō ， ér shì huí dào zhēn líng zhī jìng qù le ， děng dài xīn de chuán chéng zhě 。
比如说眼前的白虎，它虽然陨落，但真灵之火却不会有熄灭一说，而是回到真灵之境去了，等待新的传承者。
Take this white tiger before them as an example; although it had fallen, its spirit flame did not extinguish but returned to the realm of true spirits, waiting for a new successor.
lín xuān de shí lì ， huò xǔ hái wú fǎ yǔ yǔ sān jiè zuì dǐng jí de cún zài xiāng bǐ ， jiàn shí yì yǒu suǒ bù jí ， dàn ruò lùn duì zhēn líng de liǎo jiě chéng dù ， tā què shì bù chěng duō ràng de 。
林轩的实力，或许还无法与与三界最顶级的存在相比，见识亦有所不及，但若论对真灵的了解程度，他却是不逞多让的。
Lin Xuan's strength might still fall short compared to the top-tier existences in the Three Realms, his experience was limited. But when it came to understanding true spirits, he was on par with most cultivators.
zài shī luò de jiè miàn ， ā xiū luó wáng xíng gōng lǐ ， tā céng jī yuán qiǎo hé ， huò dé le jiǔ tóu niǎo chuán chéng de rèn kě 。
在失落的界面，阿修罗王行宫里，他曾机缘巧合，获得了九头鸟传承的认可。
In the lost plane, within the palace of the Asura King, he had once gained recognition from the nine-headed bird's legacy through sheer luck.
suī shuō shì yùn qì shǐ rán ， dàn duì yú zhēn líng de yóu lái ， lín xuān dào dǐ bǐ pǔ tōng de xiū shì liǎo jiě le xǔ duō 。
虽说是运气使然，但对于真灵的由来，林轩到底比普通的修士了解了许多。
Though fate played a role, Lin Xuan did know more about the origins of true spirits than ordinary cultivators.
zhēn líng zhī huǒ bù kě duó ， biàn shì zhēn xiān lín fán ， yì méi yǒu néng lì lán xià yǎn qián de zhēn líng zhī huǒ ， suǒ yǐ lín xuān suī rán kàn zhuó yǎn rè ， què jué méi yǒu qīng jǔ wàng dòng yī shuō ， rèn yóu qí fēi xiàng yuǎn chù ， zhí zhì xiāo shī dé zōng yǐng quán wú 。
真灵之火不可夺，便是真仙临凡，亦没有能力拦下眼前的真灵之火，所以林轩虽然看着眼热，却绝没有轻举妄动一说，任由其飞向远处，直至消失得踪影全无。
The spirit flame could not be taken away. Even if a true immortal descended to the mortal realm, they would have no power to stop the current spirit flame before them. So although he found it tempting, Lin Xuan did not act rashly and let it fly until it vanished without a trace.
méi le zhēn líng zhī huǒ ， dàn yǎn qián de bái hǔ ， yī jiù shì huò zhēn jià shí de zhēn líng méi cuò 。
没了真灵之火，但眼前的白虎，依旧是货真价实的真灵没错。
Though the spirit flame was gone, this white tiger remained a genuine true spirit.
suī rán yǐ jīng yǔn luò ， dàn bù lùn pí máo gǔ gé ， hái shì nèi dān xuè yè 。 jiē shì jià zhí lián chéng zhī wù 。
虽然已经陨落，但不论皮毛骨骼，还是内丹血液。皆是价值连城之物。
Even though it had fallen, its fur, bones, and internal organs were priceless treasures.
jí biàn shì sàn xiān yāo wáng ， yě huì yǎn rè 。
即便是散仙妖王，也会眼热。
Even lesser immortals or demon kings would covet them.
zhè huà kě bù dài fēn háo kuā zhāng de 。
这话可不带分毫夸张的。
This statement held no exaggeration.
zhì yú lín xuān ， nà gèng bú huì jiāng qí fàng guò 。
至于林轩，那更不会将其放过。
As for Lin Xuan, he certainly wouldn't let such an opportunity pass by.
rù bǎo shān qǐ yǒu kòng shǒu ér guī de dào lǐ ne ？
入宝山岂有空手而归的道理呢？
Entering a treasure mountain, how could one return empty-handed?
hé kuàng qǐ chū ， zì jǐ de mù dì ， yuán běn jiù shì wèi le bái hǔ de líng xuè méi cuò 。
何况起初，自己的目的，原本就是为了白虎的灵血没错。
Moreover, his original intention was to obtain the tiger's spirit blood. He hadn't planned on killing it here; that would have been too difficult. Just causing it some harm and obtaining a little blood would suffice.
yuán běn ， lín xuān hái méi yǒu xiǎng guò jiāng bái hǔ zhǎn shā yú cǐ ， nà yǒu zhe tài dà de nán dù ， zhǐ yào ràng qí shòu shāng ， huò dé yì diǎn xuè yè jiù hǎo le 。
原本，林轩还没有想过将白虎斩杀于此，那有着太大的难度，只要让其受伤，获得一点血液就好了。
However, things in the cultivation world were unpredictable. Changes often happened faster than plans could be made.
rán ér xiū xiān jiè de shì qíng ， shuí néng shuō dé qīng chǔ 。 biàn huà zǒng bǐ jì huà ， yào kuài dé duō 。
然而修仙界的事情，谁能说得清楚。变化总比计划，要快得多。
Before this, Lin Xuan had never imagined Moonling's strength would reach such heights. With just one sword stroke, she decapitated the white tiger that had caused shockwaves across the Three Realms.
zài zhè zhī qián ， lín xuān xiǎng pò tóu yě xíng bú dào yuè ér de shí lì huì dào zhè bān chéng dù ， yī jiàn fēi xiān ， zhī cǐ yī zhāo ， biàn zhǎn shā le ràng sān jiè yě wèi zhī sè biàn de bái hǔ 。
在这之前，林轩想破头也行不到月儿的实力会到这般程度，一剑飞仙，只此一招，便斩杀了让三界也为之色变的白虎。
...
zhè yàng de biàn gù ， suī shuō shǐ liào wèi jí ， dàn duì lín xuān ér yán ， què shì yǒu bǎi lì ér wú yī hài dì 。
这样的变故，虽说始料未及，但对林轩而言，却是有百利而无一害地。
Such a change was unforeseen but beneficial for Lin Xuan.
dàn jiàn tā xiù páo yī fú 。 yī dào qīng xiá fēi lüè ér chū ， zài xū kōng zhōng yī juàn yī guǒ ， nà bái hǔ de shī shēn ， jiù zōng yǐng quán wú 。
但见他袖袍一拂。一道青霞飞掠而出，在虚空中一卷一裹，那白虎的尸身，就踪影全无。
He waved his sleeves and a green aura shot out, wrapping around the tiger's corpse in mid-air, leaving not even a drop of spirit blood behind. Wasting resources was never a smart choice.
lián yī dī líng xuè dōu méi yǒu yí luò 。 làng fèi ， kě cóng lái bú shì cōng míng rén de xuǎn zé 。
连一滴灵血都没有遗落。浪费，可从来不是聪明人的选择。
The battle had ended, and before him lay only ruins. Thejade pavilions and jade palaces (jade pavilions) and city structures on Cloud Mist Island were reduced to rubble; even some majestic mountains had crumbled.
dòu fǎ yǐ jīng jié shù ， fàng yǎn wàng qù ， zhǐ shèng xià mǎn mù chuāng yí 。
斗法已经结束，放眼望去，只剩下满目疮痍。
While it might be an exaggeration to say the land had changed hands, Cloud Mist Sect's foundation was indeed irreversibly altered by this conflict.
yún xiá dǎo shàng de qióng lóu yù yǔ 。 chéng chí jiàn zhù ， zǎo yǐ bèi yí wèi le píng dì ， biàn shì bù shǎo tǐng bá jùn xiù de shān fēng 。 yì tā xiàn zhuì luò 。
云霞岛上的琼楼玉宇。城池建筑，早已被夷为了平地，便是不少挺拔俊秀的山峰。亦塌陷坠落。
After killing the white tiger, Lin Xuan's face brightened. However, the two senior elders of Cloud Mist Sect wore tight expressions, showing no trace of joy.
shuō cāng hǎi sāng tián huò xǔ shāo yǒu kuā zhāng zhī chù ， dàn yún xiá pài de gēn jī zhī suǒ ， jīng cǐ yī yì ， què shí shì miàn mù quán fēi diào le 。
说沧海桑田或许稍有夸张之处，但云霞派的根基之所，经此一役，确实是面目全非掉了。
Indeed, they had avenged their humiliation, but what did that matter? The sect had been uprooted entirely.
miè shā le bái hǔ ， lín xuān xǐ xíng yú sè ， rán ér yún xiá pài de liǎng wèi tài shàng zhǎng lǎo ， què shì shuāng méi jǐn suǒ ， biǎo qíng jǐn bēng bēng de ， hún bú jiàn bàn diǎn xǐ sè 。
灭杀了白虎，林轩喜形于色，然而云霞派的两位太上长老，却是双眉紧锁，表情紧绷绷的，浑不见半点喜色。
They were not late-stage cultivators with infinite lifespans; one day, they would face the underworld. How could they meet their ancestors with such a grim countenance?
méi cuò ， tā men shì miè shā le bái hǔ ， bào le yī jiàn zhī chóu ， kě nà yòu rú hé ？
没错，他们是灭杀了白虎，报了一箭之仇，可那又如何？
Though the revenge was taken, they felt no joy. Only confusion and emptiness remained.
yún xiá yī pài ， dào dǐ hái shì bèi lián gēn bá qǐ le 。
云霞一派，到底还是被连根拔起了。
...
tā èr rén bìng fēi dù jié hòu qī de xiū xiān zhě ， shòu yuán suī zhǎng ， zhōng yě yǒu qióng jǐn zhī chù ， yǒu zhāo yī rì dào le yīn cáo dì fǔ ， yǒu hé miàn mù ， què jiàn běn mén de liè zǔ liè zōng ne ？
他二人并非渡劫后期的修仙者，寿元虽长，终也有穷尽之处，有朝一日到了阴曹地府，有何面目，却见本门的列祖列宗呢？
Suspended in mid-air, Lin Xuan suddenly appeared before them as if he had traveled through space effortlessly.
dà chóu dé bào ， què gǎn jué bú dào yī sī xīn xǐ ， yǒu de zhǐ shì máng rán yǔ kōng xū 。
大仇得报，却感觉不到一丝欣喜，有的只是茫然与空虚。
Despite their dazed state, the two senior cultivators showed signs of caution on their faces.
……
……
But this expression quickly faded.
zhèng dāi dāi de xuán fú yú nà lǐ ， tū rán yǎn qián líng guāng yī shǎn ， lín xuān jìng wú shì kōng jiān de zǔ gé ， rú xián tíng xìn bù yì bān ， lái dào le tā men de miàn qián 。
正呆呆的悬浮于那里，突然眼前灵光一闪，林轩竟无视空间的阻隔，如闲庭信步一般，来到了他们的面前。
Even if his wife and he owed him a favor, or even if they held grudges, what courage did they have to challenge such formidable opponents?
liǎng rén suī zài fā dāi ， dàn dù jié qī cún zài ， bì jìng bù tóng yú děng xián ， liǎn shàng yǐ lù chū jiè bèi de shén tài 。
两人虽在发呆，但渡劫期存在，毕竟不同于等闲，脸上已露出戒备的神态。
Their power levels were worlds apart.
bù guò zhè shén sè yě shì yī shǎn jí shì 。
不过这神色也是一闪即逝。
The robed elder composed himself and bowed. "Thank you for your assistance. Rest assured, my fellow disciples and I understand the value of a promise."
bié shuō lín xuān fū qī yǒu ēn yú jǐ ， jiù suàn yǒu chóu ， tā men yòu nǎ lǐ yǒu yǔ qí fàng duì de yǒng qì 。
别说林轩夫妻有恩于己，就算有仇，他们又哪里有与其放对的勇气。
"Friend, that's too much praise."
shuāng fāng de shí lì ， gēn běn bú shì yí gè děng jí 。
双方的实力，根本不是一个等级。
Lin Xuan smiled bitterly. "I don't doubt your integrity. I came here not to discuss this matter."
zào páo lǎo zhě dìng le dìng shén ， bào quán xíng lǐ ：“ duō xiè xián kàng lì xiāng zhù ， fàng xīn ， wǒ shī xiōng dì èr rén suī xiū wèi qiǎn bó ， dàn yí nuò qiān jīn de dào lǐ hái shì dǒng de 。”
皂袍老者定了定神，抱拳行礼：“多谢贤伉俪相助，放心，我师兄弟二人虽修为浅薄，但一诺千金的道理还是懂得。”
"Oh? Then what is it?"
“ dào yǒu yán zhòng le 。”
“道友言重了。”
The robed elder's expression turned curious.
lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī kǔ xiào zhī sè ：“ duì yú èr wèi de xìn yù ， lín mǒu bìng bù huái yí ， wǒ lái cǐ ， yě bú shì wèi le zhè jiàn shì 。”
林轩脸上露出一丝苦笑之色：“对于二位的信誉，林某并不怀疑，我来此，也不是为了这件事。”
"I came to advise you two friends to let go and accept the natural course of events. As they say, old things must pass before new ones can come in. Your sect has suffered a great calamity, but its losses are not irreparable. With time, you could rise again from the ashes. Why mourn like this as if the world is ending..."
“ ó ， nà dào yǒu shì wèi le shén me ？”
“哦，那道友是为了什么？”
Lin Xuan's words resonated with the two powerful cultivators, lifting their gloomy moods.
zào páo lǎo zhě liǎn shàng lù chū qí guài zhī sè 。
皂袍老者脸上露出奇怪之色。
Indeed, although Cloud Mist Sect had suffered severe losses, they still had their senior elders here, so they were far from destitute.
“ lín mǒu shì lái quàn liǎng wèi dào yǒu kàn kāi yì diǎn ， shùn qí zì rán ， sú huà shuō ， jiù de bù qù ， xīn de bù lái ， guì pài suī zāo dà nàn ， dàn suǒ shòu sǔn shī ， bìng fēi bù kě huí wǎn ， jiǎ yǐ shí rì ， zì kě dōng shān zài qǐ ， hé bì rú sàng kǎo bǐ ， fǎng fú yǐ dào le shì jiè mò rì ……”
“林某是来劝两位道友看开一点，顺其自然，俗话说，旧的不去，新的不来，贵派虽遭大难，但所受损失，并非不可回挽，假以时日，自可东山再起，何必如丧考妣，仿佛已到了世界末日……”
With time, they could certainly rise again.
lín xuān zhè huà tīng zài liǎng wèi dù jié qī dà néng de ěr lǐ ， dùn shí ràng tā men yuán běn nán kàn de biǎo qíng ， yǒu le yī sī shēng qì 。
林轩这话听在两位渡劫期大能的耳里，顿时让他们原本难看的表情，有了一丝生气。
Moping would not solve anything.
yě shì ， yún xiá pài sǔn shī suī cǎn zhòng yǐ jí ， dàn tā men liǎng wèi tài shàng zhǎng lǎo jì zài zhè lǐ ， nà me jiù hái méi yǒu dào shān qióng shuǐ jìn de jìng dì 。
也是，云霞派损失虽惨重以极，但他们两位太上长老既在这里，那么就还没有到山穷水尽的境地。
A single word woke them up from their slumber!
jiā yǐ shí rì ， hé cháng bù néng dōng shān zài qǐ ？
加以时日，何尝不能东山再起？
Turning to face each other, the two cultivators released their vast mental energies.
yī wèi yù mèn ， shì jiě jué bù liǎo wèn tí dì 。
一味郁闷，是解决不了问题地。
Almost immediately, they found something.
yī yǔ jīng xǐng mèng zhōng rén ！
一语惊醒梦中人！
Cloud Mist Sect had indeed been reduced to ruins, but there were still survivors among its members.
liǎng rén zhuǎn guò tóu lú ， jiāng páng dà yǐ jí de shén shí yī fàng ér chū 。
两人转过头颅，将庞大以极的神识一放而出。
With the battle over, those who survived emerged one by one. Most were at the realm of spirit or profound knowledge, which was not surprising; while luck played a significant role in survival, cultivation strength was also crucial.
dùn shí ， biàn yǒu le shōu huò 。
顿时，便有了收获。
At the same time, high-ranking cultivators naturally had an easier chance of surviving than novices just entering the immortal path.
yún xiá pài què shí yǐ jīng huà wèi le yī piàn fèi xū ， qióng lóu yù yǔ bān de jiàn zhù huà wèi le wǎ lì ， kě bù dài biǎo ， méi yǒu lòu wǎng zhī yú 。
云霞派确实已经化为了一片废墟，琼楼玉宇般的建筑化为了瓦砾，可不代表，没有漏网之鱼。
Of course, there were exceptions, but most survivors were elite members of Cloud Mist Sect.
cǐ kè ， yǎn jiàn dòu fǎ yǐ jīng jié shù ， xìng cún zhě men ， yě jiù yí gè yí gè de mào chū lái le 。
此刻，眼见斗法已经结束，幸存者们，也就一个一个的冒出来了。
The number wasn't large—less than ten percent—and even then, they numbered no more than a thousand.
xiū wèi cēn cī bù qǐ ， dàn jué dà bù fèn ， què shì fēn shén ， dòng xuán qī de gāo jiē xiū shì ， zhè bù xī qí ， suī rán néng jiāng xiǎo mìng bǎo zhù ， zuì zhòng yào de yīn shù shì yùn qì rú hé ， dàn xiū wèi shí lì ， yě shì bì bù kě shǎo de 。
修为参差不起，但绝大部分，却是分神，洞玄期的高阶修士，这不稀奇，虽然能将小命保住，最重要的因数是运气如何，但修为实力，也是必不可少的。
But with their presence, Cloud Mist Sect's lineage would not decline. Over time, it had a good chance to rise again.
zài tóng yàng de yùn dào xià ， gāo jiē xiū shì dāng rán bǐ chū rù xiān dào de cài niǎo róng yì jiāng xiǎo mìng bǎo zhù 。
在同样的运道下，高阶修士当然比初入仙道的菜鸟容易将小命保住。
The robed elder and the middle-aged man from the surname Lu exchanged glances.
dāng rán ， yě yǒu lì wài de qíng kuàng fā shēng ， dàn huó xià lái de ， jué dà bù fèn dōu shì yún xiá pài de jīng yīng ， zhè yì diǎn ， què bú huì yǒu cuò 。
当然，也有例外的情况发生，但活下来的，绝大部分都是云霞派的精英，这一点，却不会有错。
Their previously gloomy expressions brightened. Lin Xuan was right; although Cloud Mist Sect faced significant changes, they were far from destitute.
dāng rán ， rén bú huì hěn duō 。
当然，人不会很多。
"Thank you for your advice," they both bowed deeply to Lin Xuan with sincerity.
lián shí zhī yī èr yě wú ， mǎn dǎ mǎn suàn lián qiān rén dōu bù zú 。
连十之一二也无，满打满算连千人都不足。
"Not at all."
bù guò yǒu tā men zài ， yún xiá pài de dào tǒng ， jiù bú huì shuāi luò ， jiā yǐ shí rì ， dà yǒu jī huì chóng xīn xīng shèng qǐ lái de 。
不过有他们在，云霞派的道统，就不会衰落，加以时日，大有机会重新兴盛起来的。
Lin Xuan smiled and returned the bow. After apologizing, they flew towards Cloud Mist Island.
zào páo lǎo zhě yǔ lǚ xìng zhōng nián rén duì shì yī yǎn 。
皂袍老者与吕姓中年人对视一眼。
Postscript: Today I bought a new computer, but unfortunately, various issues arose. It took me quite some time to resolve them. I will still write another chapter tonight if possible. Although I'm not used to writing at night, I'll try my best and aim for three chapters tomorrow since there's nothing else pressing.
The Way of Heaven operated according to its own rules.
Even true immortals could fall, let alone ordinary cultivators.
As for true spirits, they were equally powerful beings, but in the end, they still fell short compared to true immortals.
Of course, there were exceptions. For instance, true dragons and colorful phoenixes had strength that rivaled true immortals. But apart from these two, most other true spirits could not match a common immortal.
Unlike demons, whose inheritance depended on spirit flames.
When an immortal fell, they turned to dust, and their cultivation methods and treasures might be lost forever.
However, true spirits were different.
With the spirit flame, even if they fell, their legacy would not be broken.
For short periods of time, perhaps a century or more, new true spirits would emerge by inheriting their memories and abilities.
Take this white tiger before them as an example; although it had fallen, its spirit flame did not extinguish but returned to the realm of true spirits, waiting for a new successor.
Lin Xuan's strength might still fall short compared to the top-tier existences in the Three Realms, his experience was limited. But when it came to understanding true spirits, he was on par with most cultivators.
In the lost plane, within the palace of the Asura King, he had once gained recognition from the nine-headed bird's legacy through sheer luck.
Though fate played a role, Lin Xuan did know more about the origins of true spirits than ordinary cultivators.
The spirit flame could not be taken away. Even if a true immortal descended to the mortal realm, they would have no power to stop the current spirit flame before them. So although he found it tempting, Lin Xuan did not act rashly and let it fly until it vanished without a trace.
...
Though the spirit flame was gone, this white tiger remained a genuine true spirit.
Even though it had fallen, its fur, bones, and internal organs were priceless treasures.
Even lesser immortals or demon kings would covet them.
This statement held no exaggeration.
As for Lin Xuan, he certainly wouldn't let such an opportunity pass by.
Entering a treasure mountain, how could one return empty-handed?
Moreover, his original intention was to obtain the tiger's spirit blood. He hadn't planned on killing it here; that would have been too difficult. Just causing it some harm and obtaining a little blood would suffice.
However, things in the cultivation world were unpredictable. Changes often happened faster than plans could be made.
Before this, Lin Xuan had never imagined Moonling's strength would reach such heights. With just one sword stroke, she decapitated the white tiger that had caused shockwaves across the Three Realms.
...
Such a change was unforeseen but beneficial for Lin Xuan.
He waved his sleeves and a green aura shot out, wrapping around the tiger's corpse in mid-air, leaving not even a drop of spirit blood behind. Wasting resources was never a smart choice.
The battle had ended, and before him lay only ruins. Thejade pavilions and jade palaces (jade pavilions) and city structures on Cloud Mist Island were reduced to rubble; even some majestic mountains had crumbled.
While it might be an exaggeration to say the land had changed hands, Cloud Mist Sect's foundation was indeed irreversibly altered by this conflict.
After killing the white tiger, Lin Xuan's face brightened. However, the two senior elders of Cloud Mist Sect wore tight expressions, showing no trace of joy.
Indeed, they had avenged their humiliation, but what did that matter? The sect had been uprooted entirely.
They were not late-stage cultivators with infinite lifespans; one day, they would face the underworld. How could they meet their ancestors with such a grim countenance?
Though the revenge was taken, they felt no joy. Only confusion and emptiness remained.
...
Suspended in mid-air, Lin Xuan suddenly appeared before them as if he had traveled through space effortlessly.
Despite their dazed state, the two senior cultivators showed signs of caution on their faces.
But this expression quickly faded.
Even if his wife and he owed him a favor, or even if they held grudges, what courage did they have to challenge such formidable opponents?
Their power levels were worlds apart.
The robed elder composed himself and bowed. "Thank you for your assistance. Rest assured, my fellow disciples and I understand the value of a promise."
"Friend, that's too much praise."
Lin Xuan smiled bitterly. "I don't doubt your integrity. I came here not to discuss this matter."
"Oh? Then what is it?"
The robed elder's expression turned curious.
"I came to advise you two friends to let go and accept the natural course of events. As they say, old things must pass before new ones can come in. Your sect has suffered a great calamity, but its losses are not irreparable. With time, you could rise again from the ashes. Why mourn like this as if the world is ending..."
Lin Xuan's words resonated with the two powerful cultivators, lifting their gloomy moods.
Indeed, although Cloud Mist Sect had suffered severe losses, they still had their senior elders here, so they were far from destitute.
With time, they could certainly rise again.
Moping would not solve anything.
A single word woke them up from their slumber!
Turning to face each other, the two cultivators released their vast mental energies.
Almost immediately, they found something.
Cloud Mist Sect had indeed been reduced to ruins, but there were still survivors among its members.
With the battle over, those who survived emerged one by one. Most were at the realm of spirit or profound knowledge, which was not surprising; while luck played a significant role in survival, cultivation strength was also crucial.
At the same time, high-ranking cultivators naturally had an easier chance of surviving than novices just entering the immortal path.
Of course, there were exceptions, but most survivors were elite members of Cloud Mist Sect.
The number wasn't large—less than ten percent—and even then, they numbered no more than a thousand.
But with their presence, Cloud Mist Sect's lineage would not decline. Over time, it had a good chance to rise again.
The robed elder and the middle-aged man from the surname Lu exchanged glances.
Their previously gloomy expressions brightened. Lin Xuan was right; although Cloud Mist Sect faced significant changes, they were far from destitute.
"Thank you for your advice," they both bowed deeply to Lin Xuan with sincerity.
"Not at all."
Lin Xuan smiled and returned the bow. After apologizing, they flew towards Cloud Mist Island.
Postscript: Today I bought a new computer, but unfortunately, various issues arose. It took me quite some time to resolve them. I will still write another chapter tonight if possible. Although I'm not used to writing at night, I'll try my best and aim for three chapters tomorrow since there's nothing else pressing.