“ dāng rán ， cǐ jù pò dān běn lái jiù yǒu tóu jī qǔ qiǎo zhī xián ， zài bāng zhù guǐ wáng níng tǐ huà xíng zhī shí ， zì rán yě dài lái le bù shǎo yǐn huàn 。” lán fū rén diǎn le diǎn tóu ， wàng xiàng lín xuān de mù guāng zhōng lüè hán yī sī zàn shǎng zhī yì 。
“当然，此聚魄丹本来就有投机取巧之嫌，在帮助鬼王凝体化形之时，自然也带来了不少隐患。”兰夫人点了点头，望向林轩的目光中略含一丝赞赏之意。
Of course, the Aggregating Soul Pill inherently had a hint of taking shortcuts. When it helped the Ghost King condense his body and form its shape, it naturally brought about many hidden dangers.
“ shì shén me ？” nà míng jiào wáng péng de ǎi pàng xiū shì yě rěn bú zhù chā zuǐ le 。
“是什么？”那名叫王鹏的矮胖修士也忍不住插嘴了。
Lady Lan nodded in agreement as she looked at Lin Xuan with a touch of appreciation in her gaze.
“ bié de bù tài qīng chǔ ， bù guò yǒu liǎng diǎn shì kěn dìng de ， shǒu xiān ， fú shí le jù pò dān de guǐ wáng ， yǐ hòu de xiū liàn huì nán dù fān fān ， zài xiǎng yào jìn jí ， jiù bì xū fù chū bǐ yǐ qián duō shù bèi de nǔ lì ， cǐ qí
“别的不太清楚，不过有两点是肯定的，首先，服食了聚魄丹的鬼王，以后的修炼会难度翻翻，再想要晋级，就必须付出比以前多数倍的努力，此其
"What is it?" Wang Peng, the short and plump cultivator, couldn't help but interject.
“ qí èr ， jiù suàn cǐ guǐ wáng xīn zhì jiān rèn ， cǐ shēng yě zuì duō xiū liàn dào níng dān qī dà yuán mǎn ， jué wú kě néng jìn jí dào guǐ dì 。”
“其二，就算此鬼王心智坚韧，此生也最多修炼到凝丹期大圆满，绝无可能晋级到鬼帝。”
"Other details are unclear, but there are two definite points. First, after consuming the Aggregating Soul Pill, the Ghost King's future cultivation will be twice as difficult. To advance further, he must put in far more effort than before."
“ yuán lái rú cǐ 。” lín xuān diǎn diǎn tóu ， tiān dào zì yǒu qí guī lǜ ， zhè yàng cái suàn hé qíng hé lǐ 。
“原来如此。”林轩点点头，天道自有其规律，这样才算合情合理。
"The second point is that even if this Ghost King has a resilient mind, his life can only reach the peak of the Condensation Core Stage at most. There is no way he could advance to the Ghost Emperor."
bù guò ráo shì rú cǐ ， yī rán yǒu xǔ duō guǐ wáng fú shí cǐ dān ， yī lái zài rén jiān jiè ， yǒu qū tǐ xíng dòng yào fāng biàn dé duō ， zuò wèi wú xíng hún pò ， hěn duō fāng miàn dōu yào shòu xiàn 。
不过饶是如此，依然有许多鬼王服食此丹，一来在人间界，有躯体行动要方便得多，做为无形魂魄，很多方面都要受限。
"Ah, I see." Lin Xuan nodded. The laws of heaven were reasonable.
èr lái ， jiù rú tóng rén lèi xiū shì jié yīng qiān nán wàn nán yī yàng ， yīn hún xiǎng yào jìn jiē chéng wéi guǐ dì ， jī lǜ yě xiǎo dé kě yǐ hū lüè bù jì ， gù ér míng zhī cǐ dān yǐn huàn pǒ duō ， guǐ wáng men yī rán duì qí qū zhī ruò wù 。
二来，就如同人类修士结婴千难万难一样，阴魂想要进阶成为鬼帝，几率也小得可以忽略不计，故而明知此丹隐患颇多，鬼王们依然对其趋之若鹜。
Nevertheless, many Ghost Kings still consumed this pill. One reason was that in the Mortal World, having a physical body made movement much easier compared to being an intangible soul. Many aspects were limited for them.
yǎn qián sān gè jiā huo ， xiǎn rán jiù shì zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng le 。
眼前三个家伙，显然就是这种情况了。
The second reason was similar to how it was extremely difficult for human cultivators to form their cores; the odds of a yin spirit advancing to become a Ghost Emperor were negligible. Despite knowing the dangers, Ghost Kings still flocked to this pill.
yī zhèn guǐ kū zhī shēng chuán lái ， yuǎn chù yīn fēng dà zuò ， nà wū yún kāi shǐ xiàng zhe zhè biān kào lǒng 。
一阵鬼哭之声传来，远处阴风大做，那乌云开始像着这边靠拢。
These three fellows in front clearly fit that description.
“ wǒ men gāi rú hé yù dí ， liǎng wèi dào yǒu kě yǒu shén me hǎo de jiàn yì ？” lán fū rén tū rán tán kǒu qīng qǐ de xiāng xún le 。
“我们该如何御敌，两位道友可有什么好的建议？”兰夫人突然檀口轻启的相询了。
A cacophony of ghostly cries sounded as dark clouds gathered and approached from afar.
“ méi shén me ， bīng lái jiāng dǎng ， shuǐ lái tǔ yǎn ， jǐn liàng tuō yán 。”
“没什么，兵来将挡，水来土掩，尽量拖延。”
"How should we defend against them? Do our two friends have any good suggestions?" Lady Lan suddenly asked with a slight opening of her lips.
lín xuān tóu yě bù huí ， mò mò de zhù shì zhe qián miàn ， cóng biǎo miàn shàng kàn ， zhè xiē yīn hún de shí lì ， bìng bù bǐ zì jǐ zhè biān qiáng le duō shǎo ， suī rán shù liàng shì liǎng bèi yǒu yú ， dàn gāo jiē de guǐ wáng zhǐ yǒu sān gè ér yǐ 。 jiè zhù jìn zhì ， bié shuō tuō yán ， zì jǐ zhè biān shèn zhì yǒu néng lì yī zhàn 。
林轩头也不回，默默的注视着前面，从表面上看，这些阴魂的实力，并不比自己这边强了多少，虽然数量是两倍有余，但高阶的鬼王只有三个而已。借助禁制，别说拖延，自己这边甚至有能力一战。
"Nothing much, let the enemy come and meet it; water comes to stop it. Try to stall."
gù ér xiū shì men jǐn zhāng zhī yì dà jiǎn ， rén rén dōu sōng le yì kǒu qì 。 rán ér lín xuān de méi yǔ jiān què lǒng zhào zhe yī céng yīn mái 。
故而修士们紧张之意大减，人人都松了一口气。然而林轩的眉宇间却笼罩着一层阴霾。
Lin Xuan didn't turn around as he silently observed ahead. From appearances, these yin spirits weren't much stronger than his side. Although their numbers were more than double, there were only three high-ranking Ghost Kings. With the restrictions in place, not only could they hold out but even fight.
zhè xiē yīn hún lì pò de zhì shāng bìng bù bǐ rén dī ， yòu wò xīn cháng dǎn shù wàn nián ， jì rán yǒu xīn xiǎng yào jiǎo miè guǐ luó chéng wài wéi de xiū shì ， jìng rán zhǐ pài lái le zhè diǎn ……
这些阴魂厉魄的智商并不比人低，又卧薪尝胆数万年，既然有心想要剿灭鬼罗城外围的修士，竟然只派来了这点……
Thus, the cultivators' tension lessened as everyone breathed a sigh of relief. However, Lin Xuan's brows were clouded with worry.
jiū jìng shì guǐ wù men qīng dí ， hái shì yǒu bié de yīn móu zài lǐ miàn ？
究竟是鬼物们轻敌，还是有别的阴谋在里面？
These yin spirits weren't any less intelligent than humans and had spent countless years biding their time. Since they wanted to eliminate the cultivators in Ghost Luo City, why did they only send so few?
yī shí zhī jiān ， lín xuān yě wú fǎ pàn duàn ， zhǐ néng zài xīn lǐ tí xǐng zì jǐ ， yī huì er yào xiǎo xīn yì diǎn 。
一时之间，林轩也无法判断，只能在心里提醒自己，一会儿要小心一点。
Was it because the ghostly creatures underestimated them or was there some other plot?
gāng gāng xiǎng dào zhè lǐ 。 yīn hún men yǐ jīng kāi shǐ le gōng jī 。
刚刚想到这里。阴魂们已经开始了攻击。
Lin Xuan couldn't determine this for certain but reminded himself to be cautious.
cóng nà wū yún zhī zhōng ， fēi shè chū wú shù de guāng zhù ， líng qì fēi wǔ ， yī dào yī dào hēi sè dì shǎn diàn pī cì xià lái 。
从那乌云之中，飞射出无数的光柱，灵器飞舞，一道一道黑色地闪电劈刺下来。
The yin spirits began their attack almost immediately.
xiū shì men yě bù gǎn dài màn 。 nà chǔ zhōu dāng xiān fēi le qǐ lái ， shǒu zhōng zhèn qí yī zhèn kuáng wǔ ， zhōu wéi de jìn zhì fēn fēn fā dòng 。 yī céng yōu lán sè de guāng mù chū xiàn zài tóu dǐng shàng kōng ， bù jǐn jiē xià le rú yǔ diǎn bān de gōng jī ， ér qiě hái cóng lǐ miàn fàng shè chū yī zhī zhǐ lì jiàn mú yàng dì líng qì ， duì dí rén fǎn jī 。
修士们也不敢怠慢。那楚周当先飞了起来，手中阵旗一阵狂舞，周围的禁制纷纷发动。一层幽蓝色的光幕出现在头顶上空，不仅接下了如雨点般的攻击，而且还从里面放射出一只只利箭模样地灵气，对敌人反击。
From the dark clouds, countless beams shot out. Spirit artifacts flew about as black lightning struck down one after another.
lín xuān àn àn diǎn tóu ， zhè kūn yáng luò jīn zhèn de wēi lì guǒ rán fēi tóng xiǎo kě 。
林轩暗暗点头，这鲲阳落金阵的威力果然非同小可。
The cultivators didn't slack either. Chu Zhou led the way and flew up, waving his array flag wildly. Surrounding restrictions activated, a layer of blue-gray light appeared above them, not only intercepting the attacks but also sending out arrows of qi to retaliate.
rán ér yīn hún men tài duō ， rú guǒ rèn yóu men gōng jī ， cǐ zhèn suī rán shén miào ， què yě jiān chí bù liǎo duō jiǔ 。
然而阴魂们太多，如果任由们攻击，此阵虽然神妙，却也坚持不了多久。
Lin Xuan nodded inwardly; the power of the Kunyang Golden Falling Array was indeed formidable.
lán fū rén zì rán yě kàn chū le zhè diǎn ， shǒu zhōng lìng qí yī huī ， lì kè yǒu yī duì xiū shì fēi le chū qù 。 tā men de mù biāo bú shì pò dí 。 jǐn jǐn shì duì yīn hún jìn xíng sāo rǎo 。
兰夫人自然也看出了这点，手中令旗一挥，立刻有一队修士飞了出去。他们的目标不是破敌。仅仅是对阴魂进行骚扰。
However, with too many yin spirits, if they were allowed to continue attacking, this array would eventually wear down.
ér zhèn fǎ zhōng de qí tā xiū shì ， yě méi yǒu xián zhe 。 fēn fēn shǐ chū gè zhǒng fáng yù lèi de fǎ shù ， lán jié yīn hún men de gōng jī 。 tuō yán de mù dì yǐ jīng xiǎn lù wú yí 。
而阵法中的其他修士，也没有闲着。纷纷使出各种防御类的法术，拦截阴魂们的攻击。拖延的目的已经显露无疑。
Lady Lan naturally noticed this as well. With a wave of her command flag, a team of cultivators flew out. Their goal wasn't to break through but merely to harass the yin spirits.
yóu yú guǐ wáng méi yǒu chū shǒu ， lín xuān sān rén zì rán yě bú huì dòng ， jǐn jǐn shì fàng chū shén shí ， jiān shì zhe duì fāng dì jǔ zhǐ 。
由于鬼王没有出手，林轩三人自然也不会动，仅仅是放出神识，监视着对方地举止。
The other cultivators in the array also didn't idle; they used various defensive spells to intercept the yin spirits' attacks, making it clear that their purpose was to stall.
yuǎn chù ， yě bù duàn yǒu bào liè de shēng yīn chuán lái ， xiǎn rán qí tā liǎng gè shēng mén ， yě fā shēng le jī liè de zhàn dòu 。
远处，也不断有爆裂的声音传来，显然其他两个生门，也发生了激烈的战斗。
Since the Ghost Kings hadn't acted, Lin Xuan and his companions remained motionless, only releasing their divine senses to monitor the others' actions.
yīn fēng cǎn cǎn ， guǐ kū láng háo ， gè sè guāng zhù chuān kōng ér guò 。
阴风惨惨，鬼哭狼嚎，各色光柱穿空而过。
From afar, there were continuous explosions as the other two sects also engaged in fierce battles.
cóng chǎng miàn shàng kàn ， shuāng fāng sì hū dǎ le yí gè píng shǒu ， xiū shì men bù qiú yǒu gōng ， dàn qiú wú guò ， zhè zhǒng bù shèng bù bài de jú miàn ， zhèng zhòng xià huái ， kě xī hǎo jǐng bù cháng ， hěn kuài ， xíng shì kāi shǐ fā shēng biàn huà 。
从场面上看，双方似乎打了一个平手，修士们不求有功，但求无过，这种不胜不败的局面，正中下怀，可惜好景不长，很快，形势开始发生变化。
Dark winds howled, ghostly cries echoed. Various beams pierced through the air.
gāng cái dì yī lún gōng jī ， chōng qí liàng bù guò shì shì tàn ér yǐ 。
刚才地一轮攻击，充其量不过是试探而已。
The battle seemed evenly matched from appearances. The cultivators didn't seek victory but merely avoided defeat. This stalemate suited them well. Unfortunately, things soon changed.
jī hū shì háo wú zhēng zhào de ， lì guǐ men tū rán tíng zhǐ le gōng jī ， gè zhǒng fǎ shù gā rán ér zhǐ ， yī xià zi yòu huī fù le píng jìng 。
几乎是毫无征兆的，厉鬼们突然停止了攻击，各种法术嘎然而止，一下子又恢复了平静。
The initial round of attacks was just a probing test.
xiū shì men miàn miàn xiāng qù ， dà chū yì liào ， yī shí zhī jiān ， dào xiǎn de wú suǒ shì cóng le qǐ lái ， xiān shì yǒu yī rén tíng shǒu ， jiē èr lián sān ， qí tā rén yě dōu shōu huí le fǎ shù líng qì 。
修士们面面相觑，大出意料，一时之间，倒显得无所适从了起来，先是有一人停手，接二连三，其他人也都收回了法术灵器。
Almost without warning, the ghosts suddenly stopped their assault, and all their spells ceased. Silence returned.
“ lán fū rén ， lǐ xiōng ， zhè shì zěn me huí shì ？” wáng péng miàn lù jīng yí 。
“兰夫人，李兄，这是怎么回事？”王鹏面露惊疑。
The cultivators exchanged puzzled glances, taken aback. One person paused first, followed by others retracting their spells and spirit artifacts.
lín xuān méi yǒu huí dá ， jiāng shén shí fàng chū ， rán ér nà wū yún shēn qián shù shí zhàng kāi wài ， jū rán bèi bù xià le yī céng gǔ guài de jìn zhì ， shén shí gāng yī jiē chù ， jiù fǎn tán le huí lái 。
林轩没有回答，将神识放出，然而那乌云身前数十丈开外，居然被布下了一层古怪的禁制，神识刚一接触，就反弹了回来。
"Mrs. Lan, Brother Li, what's going on?" Wang Peng looked surprised.
lín xuān bó rán sè biàn 。
林轩勃然色变。
Lin Xuan didn't respond but released his divine sense. However, a strange restriction was set up several dozen feet in front of the dark clouds. His divine sense bounced back upon contact.
“ bù qīng chǔ ， duì fāng xiàng shì zài zhǔn bèi shén me lì hài dì gōng jī ， yǐ zài xià zhī jiàn ， wǒ men gè lǐng yī duì rén shā chū qù ， jué bù néng zài zhè ér zuò yǐ dài bì 。” lín xuān mǎn liǎn níng zhòng de jiàn yì 。
“不清楚，对方像是在准备什么厉害地攻击，以在下之见，我们各领一队人杀出去，绝不能在这儿坐以待毙。”林轩满脸凝重的建议。
Lin Xuan's expression changed abruptly.
“ zhè ……” lán fū rén de liǎn shàng xiǎn chū wéi nán zhī sè 。
“这……”兰夫人的脸上显出为难之色。
"I'm not sure, but it seems like they're preparing for something powerful. In my opinion, we should each lead a team out and not sit here waiting to be attacked," Lin Xuan suggested gravely.
“ bù tuǒ ， wàn yī zhè shì yīn hún men shè xià de xiàn jǐng ， wǒ men qǐ bù shì zì tóu luó wǎng le ， fǎn zhèng yě shì tuō yán ， wǒ men hái shì bú yào chū qù ， duì fāng bù yí dìng néng gōng xiàn zhè zuò jìn zhì 。” wáng péng yóu yù le yī xià ， yáo yáo tóu shuō 。
“不妥，万一这是阴魂们设下的陷阱，我们岂不是自投罗网了，反正也是拖延，我们还是不要出去，对方不一定能攻陷这座禁制。”王鹏犹豫了一下，摇摇头说。
"Really?" Mrs. Lan showed signs of hesitation on her face.
lín xuān xīn zhōng dà nù ， zhè jiā huo hái zhēn shì dǎn xiǎo rú shǔ ：“ lán dào yǒu ， yě shì zhè yàng rèn wéi de me ？”
林轩心中大怒，这家伙还真是胆小如鼠：“兰道友，也是这样认为的么？”
"That would be unwise. If this is a trap set by the yin spirits, wouldn't we be walking into it? Since our goal isn't to fight but stall, let's not go out; they might not breach this restriction," Wang Peng hesitated and shook his head.
“ ń ， qiè shēn yǐ wéi wáng xiōng shuō dé yǒu lǐ ， zhè xiē yīn hún jiān zhà jiǎo huá ， wǒ men qiè bù kě tà rù men de quān tào a ， hái shì yī tuō zhèn fǎ ， yǐ jìng zhì dòng de hǎo 。” lán fū rén dī xià tou ， bì guò le lín xuān de mù guāng 。
“嗯，妾身以为王兄说得有理，这些阴魂奸诈狡猾，我们切不可踏入们的圈套啊，还是依托阵法，以静制动的好。”兰夫人低下头，避过了林轩的目光。
Lin Xuan was furious inside. This guy was truly as timid as a mouse: "Mrs. Lan, do you agree with that?"
“ jì rú cǐ ， nà jiù yī liǎng wèi dào yǒu suǒ yán ba ！” lín xuān liǎn sè yǐ huī fù le píng jìng ， dàn dàn de kāi kǒu 。
“既如此，那就依两位道友所言吧！”林轩脸色已恢复了平静，淡淡的开口。
"Indeed, I believe Brother Wang is right. These yin spirits are cunning and deceitful. We mustn't fall into their traps. Let's rely on the array to stall," Mrs. Lan lowered her head, avoiding Lin Xuan's gaze.
wáng péng yǔ lán fū rén yī lèng ， yǒu xiē chà yì de kàn le yī yǎn lín xuān ， qí shí tā men dì xīn zhōng ， yě wèi shǐ bù jué dé gāng cái dì jiàn yì yǒu lǐ ， kě zhè yī cì de mù dì ， bú shì yǔ yīn hún sǐ kē ， ér shì tuō yán ， gù ér rén rén ài xī yǔ máo ， bù yuàn yì mào xiǎn 。
王鹏与兰夫人一愣，有些诧异的看了一眼林轩，其实他们地心中，也未始不觉得刚才地建议有理，可这一次的目地，不是与阴魂死磕，而是拖延，故而人人爱惜羽毛，不愿意冒险。
"Then let us follow your advice!" Lin Xuan's face returned to its calm as he spoke softly.
yǐ lín xuān de cái zhì ， yòu qǐ huì bù qīng chǔ liǎng rén xīn zhōng suǒ xiǎng ， jì rán tā men dōu bù yuàn yì chū lì ， zì jǐ quàn yě bú huì yǒu yòng ， shén me yǐ jìng zhì dòng ， bù guò shì pà sǐ dì tuō cí bà le 。
以林轩的才智，又岂会不清楚两人心中所想，既然他们都不愿意出力，自己劝也不会有用，什么以静制动，不过是怕死地托辞罢了。
Wang Peng and Mrs. Lan were taken aback, looking at Lin Xuan with some surprise. They also felt that his suggestion was reasonable but didn't want to risk it since their goal wasn't a direct confrontation but stalling.
dā shàng zhè liǎng gè tóng bàn ， lín xuān xīn zhōng bù shuǎng ， dàn yě bú huì shǎ shǎ de chū tóu ， fǎn zhèng jiù suàn yǒu shén me bù liáng de hòu guǒ ， lín xuān yě bù pà ， yǐ tā de shén tōng ， zài jiā shàng hún shēn de bǎo wù ， chú fēi shì guǐ dì qīn zhì ， qū qū jǐ gè guǐ wáng ， hái lán bú zhù zì jǐ 。
搭上这两个同伴，林轩心中不爽，但也不会傻傻的出头，反正就算有什么不良的后果，林轩也不怕，以他的神通，再加上浑身的宝物，除非是鬼帝亲至，区区几个鬼王，还拦不住自己。
Lin Xuan understood their thoughts well; since they refused to act, he wouldn't persuade them either. Stalling was just an excuse for fear of death.
jiù suàn zuì zhōng niàng chéng shén me kǔ guǒ ， yě shì zhè liǎng gè jiā huo zì jǐ tūn fú ， lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī jī fěng zhī sè ， bì shàng zuǐ bā ， bù zài duō shuō shén me 。
就算最终酿成什么苦果，也是这两个家伙自己吞服，林轩脸上露出一丝讥讽之色，闭上嘴巴，不再多说什么。
Adding these two companions made Lin Xuan unhappy, but he wouldn't foolishly intervene. Even if there were adverse consequences, Lin Xuan wasn't afraid. With his divine abilities and treasures, a few ghost kings couldn't stop him unless the Ghost Emperor himself came.
lǐng tóu de sān wèi níng dān qī gāo shǒu méi yǒu mìng lìng ， qí tā dī jiē xiū shì yě bú huì shàn zì chū shǒu ， yī shí zhī jiān ， chǎng miàn dào xiàn rù le chén jì 。
领头的三位凝丹期高手没有命令，其他低阶修士也不会擅自出手，一时之间，场面倒陷入了沉寂。
Even then, any bitter fruits would be theirs to bear; Lin Xuan's face showed a hint of mockery as he closed his mouth without saying more.
guò le bú dào bàn zhǎn chá de gōng fu ， yì biàn chū xiàn le ， nà yīn hún cáng shēn de wū yún ， tū rán jù liè de fān yǒng le qǐ lái ， ér qiě yán sè yě kāi shǐ biàn huà ， hēi dé fā liàng ， jiē zhe pū tiān gài dì de guǐ kū zhī shēng chuán le guò lái ， yǐ lín xuān de xiū wèi ， jū rán yě zhèn dé ěr mó wēng wēng zuò xiǎng ， lián máng yī tí fǎ lì ， zhè cái xiāo qù bù shì de gǎn jué 。
过了不到半盏茶的功夫，异变出现了，那阴魂藏身的乌云，突然剧烈的翻涌了起来，而且颜色也开始变化，黑得发亮，接着铺天盖地的鬼哭之声传了过来，以林轩的修为，居然也震得耳膜嗡嗡作响，连忙一提法力，这才消去不适的感觉。
Since the leading three Condensation Core cultivators didn't give orders, the lower-ranking cultivators wouldn't act either. The scene fell silent for a short while.
After less than half an hour, something unexpected happened. The dark clouds where the yin spirits were hiding suddenly surged violently and changed color, becoming bright black. Ghostly cries filled the air, even causing Lin Xuan's ears to buzz with the intensity. He quickly raised his mana to alleviate the discomfort.
Of course, the Aggregating Soul Pill inherently had a hint of taking shortcuts. When it helped the Ghost King condense his body and form its shape, it naturally brought about many hidden dangers.
Lady Lan nodded in agreement as she looked at Lin Xuan with a touch of appreciation in her gaze.
"What is it?" Wang Peng, the short and plump cultivator, couldn't help but interject.
"Other details are unclear, but there are two definite points. First, after consuming the Aggregating Soul Pill, the Ghost King's future cultivation will be twice as difficult. To advance further, he must put in far more effort than before."
"The second point is that even if this Ghost King has a resilient mind, his life can only reach the peak of the Condensation Core Stage at most. There is no way he could advance to the Ghost Emperor."
"Ah, I see." Lin Xuan nodded. The laws of heaven were reasonable.
Nevertheless, many Ghost Kings still consumed this pill. One reason was that in the Mortal World, having a physical body made movement much easier compared to being an intangible soul. Many aspects were limited for them.
The second reason was similar to how it was extremely difficult for human cultivators to form their cores; the odds of a yin spirit advancing to become a Ghost Emperor were negligible. Despite knowing the dangers, Ghost Kings still flocked to this pill.
These three fellows in front clearly fit that description.
A cacophony of ghostly cries sounded as dark clouds gathered and approached from afar.
"How should we defend against them? Do our two friends have any good suggestions?" Lady Lan suddenly asked with a slight opening of her lips.
"Nothing much, let the enemy come and meet it; water comes to stop it. Try to stall."
Lin Xuan didn't turn around as he silently observed ahead. From appearances, these yin spirits weren't much stronger than his side. Although their numbers were more than double, there were only three high-ranking Ghost Kings. With the restrictions in place, not only could they hold out but even fight.
Thus, the cultivators' tension lessened as everyone breathed a sigh of relief. However, Lin Xuan's brows were clouded with worry.
These yin spirits weren't any less intelligent than humans and had spent countless years biding their time. Since they wanted to eliminate the cultivators in Ghost Luo City, why did they only send so few?
Was it because the ghostly creatures underestimated them or was there some other plot?
Lin Xuan couldn't determine this for certain but reminded himself to be cautious.
The yin spirits began their attack almost immediately.
From the dark clouds, countless beams shot out. Spirit artifacts flew about as black lightning struck down one after another.
The cultivators didn't slack either. Chu Zhou led the way and flew up, waving his array flag wildly. Surrounding restrictions activated, a layer of blue-gray light appeared above them, not only intercepting the attacks but also sending out arrows of qi to retaliate.
Lin Xuan nodded inwardly; the power of the Kunyang Golden Falling Array was indeed formidable.
However, with too many yin spirits, if they were allowed to continue attacking, this array would eventually wear down.
Lady Lan naturally noticed this as well. With a wave of her command flag, a team of cultivators flew out. Their goal wasn't to break through but merely to harass the yin spirits.
The other cultivators in the array also didn't idle; they used various defensive spells to intercept the yin spirits' attacks, making it clear that their purpose was to stall.
Since the Ghost Kings hadn't acted, Lin Xuan and his companions remained motionless, only releasing their divine senses to monitor the others' actions.
From afar, there were continuous explosions as the other two sects also engaged in fierce battles.
Dark winds howled, ghostly cries echoed. Various beams pierced through the air.
The battle seemed evenly matched from appearances. The cultivators didn't seek victory but merely avoided defeat. This stalemate suited them well. Unfortunately, things soon changed.
The initial round of attacks was just a probing test.
Almost without warning, the ghosts suddenly stopped their assault, and all their spells ceased. Silence returned.
The cultivators exchanged puzzled glances, taken aback. One person paused first, followed by others retracting their spells and spirit artifacts.
"Mrs. Lan, Brother Li, what's going on?" Wang Peng looked surprised.
Lin Xuan didn't respond but released his divine sense. However, a strange restriction was set up several dozen feet in front of the dark clouds. His divine sense bounced back upon contact.
Lin Xuan's expression changed abruptly.
"I'm not sure, but it seems like they're preparing for something powerful. In my opinion, we should each lead a team out and not sit here waiting to be attacked," Lin Xuan suggested gravely.
"Really?" Mrs. Lan showed signs of hesitation on her face.
"That would be unwise. If this is a trap set by the yin spirits, wouldn't we be walking into it? Since our goal isn't to fight but stall, let's not go out; they might not breach this restriction," Wang Peng hesitated and shook his head.
Lin Xuan was furious inside. This guy was truly as timid as a mouse: "Mrs. Lan, do you agree with that?"
"Indeed, I believe Brother Wang is right. These yin spirits are cunning and deceitful. We mustn't fall into their traps. Let's rely on the array to stall," Mrs. Lan lowered her head, avoiding Lin Xuan's gaze.
"Then let us follow your advice!" Lin Xuan's face returned to its calm as he spoke softly.
Wang Peng and Mrs. Lan were taken aback, looking at Lin Xuan with some surprise. They also felt that his suggestion was reasonable but didn't want to risk it since their goal wasn't a direct confrontation but stalling.
Lin Xuan understood their thoughts well; since they refused to act, he wouldn't persuade them either. Stalling was just an excuse for fear of death.
Adding these two companions made Lin Xuan unhappy, but he wouldn't foolishly intervene. Even if there were adverse consequences, Lin Xuan wasn't afraid. With his divine abilities and treasures, a few ghost kings couldn't stop him unless the Ghost Emperor himself came.
Even then, any bitter fruits would be theirs to bear; Lin Xuan's face showed a hint of mockery as he closed his mouth without saying more.
Since the leading three Condensation Core cultivators didn't give orders, the lower-ranking cultivators wouldn't act either. The scene fell silent for a short while.
After less than half an hour, something unexpected happened. The dark clouds where the yin spirits were hiding suddenly surged violently and changed color, becoming bright black. Ghostly cries filled the air, even causing Lin Xuan's ears to buzz with the intensity. He quickly raised his mana to alleviate the discomfort.