bù guò yě jué bù qīng sōng ， yī lù shàng lín xuān suàn shì chī zú le kǔ tóu ， rú jīn zhōng yú dào le dì tóu ， bù yóu dà dà de sōng le kǒu qì 。
不过也绝不轻松，一路上林轩算是吃足了苦头，如今终于到了地头，不由大大的松了口气。
However, it was far from easy. Lin Xuan had endured a lot of hardships along the way. Now that he finally reached his destination, he couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh of relief.
tā fàng chū shén shí ， gǎn yìng le yī xià qián miàn de chéng shì 。
他放出神识，感应了一下前面的城市。
He released his divine sense to feel around the city ahead.
zài luò yī de jì yì lǐ ， tā bìng wèi lái guò cǐ dì ， ér lín xuān yě duì mò yuè zú dì yī dà bù luò ， duō shǎo cún yǒu nà me jǐ fēn hào qí 。
在洛伊的记忆里，他并未来过此地，而林轩也对墨月族第一大部落，多少存有那么几分好奇。
In Loi's memory, he hadn't visited this place before, and Lin Xuan was naturally curious about the Moon Ink Clan’s largest tribe. The city covered an extensive area, stretching nearly a hundred miles in both length and width. However, it wasn’t built with huge stones; instead, it was constructed primarily from ironwood, which was abundant in the Quinyi Mountain Range. Despite its wooden construction, don't underestimate its defensive capabilities. These ancient trees were incredibly hard, leaving only shallow marks when struck by a massive diamond axe.
cǐ chéng zhàn dì dào yě jí guǎng ， zhǎng kuān jiē yǒu jìn bǎi lǐ ， rán ér bìng fēi yòng jù shí duī qì ér chéng ， kuí yīn shān mài zhōng zuì duō de jiù shì shù mù ， suǒ yǐ cǐ chéng yě shì yǐ mù cái wéi zhǔ yào yuán liào jiàn zào ， rán ér qiān wàn bú yào xiǎo kàn de fáng yù lì ， nà xiē qiān nián gǔ shù jiān yìng yǐ jí ， biàn shì yòng jīn gāng jù fǔ hěn hěn de kǎn xià qù ， yě zhǐ néng liú xià qiǎn qiǎn de yī dào yìn zi ， bìng bù bǐ shí tou chà duō shǎo 。
此城占地倒也极广，长宽皆有近百里，然而并非用巨石堆砌而成，奎阴山脉中最多的就是树木，所以此城也是以木材为主要原料建造，然而千万不要小看的防御力，那些千年古树坚硬以极，便是用金刚巨斧狠狠的砍下去，也只能留下浅浅的一道印子，并不比石头差多少。
The critical areas used special fireproofing treatments, and magical restrictions added by the wizards further enhanced their defenses. While this city couldn’t be considered impregnable, it was certainly formidable in terms of defense.
guān jiàn bù wèi hái shì tiě mù ， ér qiě zhuān mén zuò le fáng huǒ chǔ lǐ ， zài jiā shàng wū shī shī jiā de jìn zhì ， cǐ chéng suī bù néng shuō jiān bù kě cuī ， dàn fáng yù lì yě jí qí jīng rén 。
关键部位还是铁木，而且专门做了防火处理，再加上巫师施加的禁制，此城虽不能说坚不可摧，但防御力也极其惊人。
There were many people at the city gates, but none appeared to be cultivators. Lin Xuan’s face showed a hint of surprise as he asked, "Master Dry Leaf, should we descend now?"
chéng mén kǒu rén hěn duō ， bù guò sì hū bìng méi yǒu xiū xiān zhě ， lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī yì sè ：“ kū yè dà shī ， wǒ men shì fǒu xiàn zài jiù xià qù ？”
城门口人很多，不过似乎并没有修仙者，林轩脸上露出一丝异色：“枯叶大师，我们是否现在就下去？”
"No!" Master Dry Leaf shook his head and smiled, explaining, "The Great Wizard Gathering is about to begin, with wizards from all tribes gathering here. As the host tribe, Quinyi naturally won’t neglect us. There are designated areas within this city for hosting wizards."
“ bù ！” kū yè yáo le yáo tóu ， hán xiào jiě shì ：“ wū fǎ dà huì zhào kāi zài jí ， gè bù luò de wū shī qí jù ， kuí yuè bù zuò wéi dì zhǔ ， zì rán bú huì dài màn wǒ men zhè xiē rén le ， zài cǐ chéng de zhōng xīn chù ， yǒu zhuān mén zhāo dài wū shī dì fāng de 。”
“不！”枯叶摇了摇头，含笑解释：“巫法大会召开在即，各部落的巫师齐聚，奎月部作为地主，自然不会怠慢我们这些人了，在此城的中心处，有专门招待巫师地方的。”
"Oh!" Lin Xuan nodded, no longer speaking as two streaks of light flew through the air and entered the Quinyi City.
“ ó ！” lín xuān diǎn diǎn tóu ， bù zài duō shuō ， liǎng dào dùn guāng ， zhí jiē cóng shàng kōng lüè guò ， fēi rù kuí yuè chéng le 。
“哦！”林轩点点头，不再多说，两道遁光，直接从上空掠过，飞入奎月城了。
The journey of several dozen miles was swift, and soon a small but exquisite city came into view.
jǐ shí lǐ de jù lí ， zhuǎn shùn jí zhì ， hěn kuài yī zuò xiǎo qiǎo jīng zhì de chéng xiàn zài le yǎn lián lǐ 。
几十里的距离，转瞬即至，很快一座小巧精致的城现在了眼帘里。
"City within a city!" Lin Xuan couldn’t help being surprised. The inner city measured only about ten miles in both length and width, also built from ironwood, which was incredibly hard. Beyond this inner city, all commoners were driven away, with only respected wizards allowed to enter.
“ chéng zhōng zhī chéng ！” lín xuān bù yóu de dà chī yī jīng 。
“城中之城！”林轩不由得大吃一惊。
As they approached the inner city, Lin Xuan suddenly felt a heavy weight on his body as if gravity had increased several times. They had entered the restricted airspace.
zhè zuò chéng shì zhǎng kuān bù guò shí yú lǐ ， tóng yàng shì yòng mù tou dā jiàn ér chéng ， dàn quán bù shì jiān yìng de tiě mù ， ér cǐ chéng zhōu wéi shù lǐ zhī dì ， fán rén quán bù bèi qū gǎn le chū qù ， néng gòu jìn rù zhè lǐ de ， zhǐ yǒu shēn fèn zūn guì de wū shī 。
这座城市长宽不过十余里，同样是用木头搭建而成，但全部是坚硬的铁木，而此城周围数里之地，凡人全部被驱赶了出去，能够进入这里的，只有身份尊贵的巫师。
Although this didn’t pose much of a challenge for Lin Xuan, he wouldn’t force his way in. He and Master Dry Leaf descended together.
ér zài kào jìn cǐ chéng yǐ hòu ， lín xuān tū rán gǎn jué hún shēn yī chén 。 fǎng fú zhòng lì yī xià zi zēng jiā le shù bèi 。 yuán lái tā men yǐ jīng fēi jìn le jìn kōng jìn zhì de fàn wéi 。
而在靠近此城以后，林轩突然感觉浑身一沉。仿佛重力一下子增加了数倍。原来他们已经飞进了禁空禁制的范围。
Looking around, there were indeed many wizards bustling about. "Friend Daoist, it’s been nearly a century since we last met," one said with a slightly soft voice but an unfriendly tone. Lin Xuan turned to see two approaching wizards.
suī rán zhè nán bù dào lín xuān ， dàn tā zì rán bú huì yìng chuǎng ， lǎo lǎo shí shí de yǔ páng biān de kū yè dà shī yì qǐ là xià dùn guāng 。
虽然这难不倒林轩，但他自然不会硬闯，老老实实的与旁边的枯叶大师一起落下遁光。
The first was tall and thin, missing an eye, giving off a sinister aura like a venomous snake ready to strike. His cultivation level wasn’t weak; he was at the peak of Core Formation stage.
fàng yǎn lüè yī dǎ liàng ， zhēn hái yǒu bù shǎo wū shī ， lái lái wǎng wǎng ， biǎo qíng gè yè dào yǒu ma ， wǒ men yǒu jìn bǎi nián wèi jiàn le ba 。 hái zhēn shì qiǎo 。” yī lüè dài yīn róu dì shēng yīn xiǎng qǐ 。 yǔ qì gèng shì bù yǒu hǎo zhī jí ， lín xuān huí tóu wàng qù ， jiù kàn jiàn yíng miàn lái le liǎng gè wū shī 。
放眼略一打量，真还有不少巫师，来来往往，表情各叶道友吗，我们有近百年未见了吧。还真是巧。”一略带阴柔地声音响起。语气更是不友好之极，林轩回头望去，就看见迎面来了两个巫师。
Behind him stood someone much younger, robust in build, a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Lin Xuan paid no mind to such rookies but didn’t want to draw attention either. He subtly stepped back and lowered his head slightly.
qián miàn yí gè ， shēn cái gāo shòu ， xiā le yī zhī yǎn jīng ， zhěng gè rén kàn shàng qù yīn qì chén chén ， fǎng fú yī tiáo dú shé 。 zhǔn bèi zé rén ér shì 。
前面一个，身材高瘦，瞎了一只眼睛，整个人看上去阴气沉沉，仿佛一条毒蛇。准备择人而噬。
"Friend Daoist," Master Dry Leaf greeted with a slight bow, his expression calm. But how smart was Lin Xuan? He could clearly see the warning in Master Dry Leaf’s eyes.
xiū wèi dào yě bù ruò ， tóng yàng shì níng dān chū qī dǐng fēng dì xiū wèi le 。
修为倒也不弱，同样是凝丹初期顶峰地修为了。
The two had a grudge, and Lin Xuan made an initial judgment.
ér tā hòu miàn nà rén ， zé yào nián qīng dé duō ， shēn cái zhuàng shuò ， zhù jī qī de xiū xiān zhě 。 zhè zhòng cài niǎo ， lín xuān zì rán wú shì ， bù guò tā yě bù xiǎng yǐn qǐ duì fāng de zhù yì ， bù dòng shēng sè de tuì hòu yī bù ， jiāng tóu wēi wēi dī xià le 。 dào yǒu 。” kū yè bào le bào quán ， shén sè dàn dàn ， rán ér lín xuān hé děng cōng míng ， míng xiǎn kàn chū tā móu dǐ shēn chù liú lù chū yī sī jǐng xǐng 。
而他后面那人，则要年轻得多，身材壮硕，筑基期的修仙者。这种菜鸟，林轩自然无视，不过他也不想引起对方的注意，不动声色的退后一步，将头微微低下了。道友。”枯叶抱了抱拳，神色淡淡，然而林轩何等聪明，明显看出他眸底深处流露出一丝警醒。
"How so? Is this young man from your Sky Azure tribe participating in the Great Trial as a wizard?" Xiu Kun glanced at Lin Xuan with icy cold eyes, like some reptile.
liǎng rén yǒu chóu ， lín xuān zuò chū yí gè chū bù de pàn duàn 。
两人有仇，林轩做出一个初步的判断。
If he were just a Foundation Establishment cultivator, his mind might have been scarred. But Lin Xuan was a fake, and his divine sense was far stronger than that of many others, even surpassing them in strength. He secretly chuckled but displayed an appropriate look of fear on his face. Before he could act, Master Dry Leaf Elder moved swiftly to block the path.
“ zěn me ， hòu miàn zhè xiǎo zi jiù shì nǐ men tiān cāng bù zhè cì zhǔn bèi cān jiā dà shì de wū shī ？” xiāo kūn piǎo le yī yǎn lín xuān 。 mù guāng bīng lěng zhì jí 。 jiù gēn mǒu zhǒng lěng xuè de pá xíng dòng wù xiāng sì 。
“怎么，后面这小子就是你们天苍部这次准备参加大试的巫师？”枭坤瞟了一眼林轩。目光冰冷至极。就跟某种冷血的爬行动物相似。
"Friend Daoist Xiu, what is your intention? Why are you attacking a junior here? Aren’t you afraid of attracting the attention of the patrol officers?"
ruò zhēn shì zhù jī qī dì dì zǐ ， xīn zhì ruò yì diǎn dì kǒng pà jiù huì là xià xīn lǐ yīn yǐng le 。 rán ér lín xuān nǎi mào pái huò ， xiū wèi bìng bù bǐ duō fāng ruò ， shén shí zhī qiáng ， gèng shì yuǎn zài tā zhī shàng ， xīn zhōng àn zì lěng xiào ， liǎn shàng què qià rú qí fèn de lù chū hài pà de biǎo qíng ， hái wèi děng tā yǒu suǒ dòng zuò ， kū yè zhǎng lǎo shēn xíng yī huǎng ， yǐ jīng dǎng zài qián miàn le ：“ xiāo dào yǒu zhè shì hé yì ， jū rán zài zhè lǐ duì yī wǎn bèi chū shǒu ， nán dào jiù bù pà yǐn lái wéi chí zhì xù de xún chá shǐ ？”
若真是筑基期地弟子，心智弱一点地恐怕就会落下心理阴影了。然而林轩乃冒牌货，修为并不比多方若，神识之强，更是远在他之上，心中暗自冷笑，脸上却恰如其分的露出害怕的表情，还未等他有所动作，枯叶长老身形一晃，已经挡在前面了：“枭道友这是何意，居然在这里对一晚辈出手，难道就不怕引来维持秩序的巡察使？”
Xiu Kun’s previously arrogant expression changed slightly when he heard "patrol officer," and then he laughed dryly. "Master Dry Leaf, don’t joke around. What identity would I have to attack juniors?"
nà xiāo kūn yuán běn yī fù xiāo zhāng de biǎo qíng ， tīng dào xún chá shǐ jǐ gè zì liǎn sè yě bù yóu biàn le yī xià ， suí jí gān xiào qǐ lái ：“ kū yè dào yǒu shuō xiào le ， xiāo mǒu rén hé děng shēn fèn ， qǐ huì duì yǐ wǎn bèi chū
那枭坤原本一副嚣张的表情，听到巡查使几个字脸色也不由变了一下，随即干笑起来：“枯叶道友说笑了，枭某人何等身份，岂会对以晚辈出
Although Master Dry Leaf was displeased, he clearly had no intention of conflicting with Xiu Kun. He sneered: "If that’s the case, I’ll take my leave, Loi. Let’s go."
kū yè suī rán liǎn sè bù yù ， dàn xiǎn rán yě méi yǒu yǔ duì fāng chōng tū de yì si ， lěng xiào yī shēng ：“ jì rú cǐ ， nà kū mǒu gào cí le ， luò yī ， zán men zǒu 。”
枯叶虽然脸色不豫，但显然也没有与对方冲突的意思，冷笑一声：“既如此，那枯某告辞了，洛伊，咱们走。”
"Right, Elder," Lin Xuan obediently followed but could still feel the icy gaze from behind.
“ shì ， zhǎng lǎo 。” lín xuān zì rán shì tīng huà de gēn shàng ， rán ér suī rán bù céng huí tóu ， tā què míng xiǎn kě yǐ gǎn jué dào hòu miàn nà rú hán bīng yī yàng dì mù guāng 。
“是，长老。”林轩自然是听话的跟上，然而虽然不曾回头，他却明显可以感觉到后面那如寒冰一样地目光。
After a hundred paces, assuming they were out of sight, Lin Xuan asked curiously, "Elder, do you have an old grudge with that person?"
zǒu chū le bǎi zhàng zhī yáo ， liào xiǎng duì fāng yǐ jīng kàn bú dào ， lín xuān zhè cái lüè dài huò de kāi kǒu ：“ zhǎng lǎo ， nín yǔ nà rén yǒu chóu ？”
走出了百丈之遥，料想对方已经看不到，林轩这才略带惑的开口：“长老，您与那人有仇？”
"Yes, it was something from over a century ago." Master Dry Leaf’s voice sounded melancholic. "Back then, we were still young and full of vigor during the Great Wizard Gathering."
“ ń ， bǎi nián qián de jiù shì le 。” kū yè de shēng yīn xiǎn de yǒu xiē luò jì ：“ dāng nián yě shì shèng guò chéng shú zhī shí ， gè bù luò de nián qīng wū shī zài wū fǎ dà huì shàng bǐ shì 。”
“嗯，百年前的旧事了。”枯叶的声音显得有些落寂：“当年也是胜过成熟之时，各部落的年轻巫师在巫法大会上比试。”
"I won several rounds in succession, advancing through the competition until I met Xiu Kun from the Dusty Wind tribe. We both made it to the top ten..."
“ wǒ yī lián yíng le jǐ chǎng ， guò guān zhǎn jiàng ， hòu lái yǔ zhè fēng chén bù dì xiāo kūn pèng shàng ， wǒ men liǎ de yíng jiā kě yǐ jìn rù qián shí ……”
“我一连赢了几场，过关斩将，后来与这风尘部地枭坤碰上，我们俩的赢家可以进入前十……”
"Indeed, that battle must have been intense?"
“ ń ， nà chǎng zhàn dòu yí dìng shì fēi cháng cǎn liè le ？”
“嗯，那场战斗一定是非常惨烈了？”
"It was intense? You could say so!" Master Dry Leaf sighed. "Back then, I was young and full of vigor, with cultivation at a level similar to yours now. Xiu Kun was slightly weaker. However, he had two powerful spiritual artifacts."
“ cǎn liè ？ kě yǐ zhè me shuō ba ！” kū yè tàn le kǒu qì ：“ dāng nián wǒ nián qīng qì shèng ， xiū wèi yě yǔ nǐ xiàn zài chà bu duō ， ér nà xiāo kūn zé yào shāo xùn yī chóu ， rán ér tā shǒu lǐ yǒu liǎng jiàn wēi lì bù xiǎo de líng qì 。”
“惨烈？可以这么说吧！”枯叶叹了口气：“当年我年轻气盛，修为也与你现在差不多，而那枭坤则要稍逊一筹，然而他手里有两件威力不小的灵器。”
"We fought for several hours, neither gaining the upper hand. Our magical power almost depleted. My realm being deeper gave me an edge. Seeing defeat looming, Xiu Kun resorted to underhanded tactics..."
“ wǒ men fān fān gǔn gǔn de dǎ le shù gè shí chén ， yóu zì bù fēn shèng fù ， liǎng rén de fǎ lì yě kuài xiāo hào wán le ， xiāng jiào ér yán ， wǒ jìng jiè jiào shēn ， qíng kuàng yào shāo hǎo yì diǎn ， xiāo kūn yǎn jiàn yào luò bài ， què bēi bǐ de shǐ yòng qǐ yīn xiǎn xià liú de zhāo shù lái ……”
“我们翻翻滚滚的打了数个时辰，由自不分胜负，两人的法力也快消耗完了，相较而言，我境界较深，情况要稍好一点，枭坤眼见要落败，却卑鄙的使用起阴险下流的招数来……”
"Underhanded tactics?" Lin Xuan was taken aback. "Isn’t this a competition of skills? How can one use such underhanded tricks?"
“ yīn zhāo ？” lín xuān yí zhèng ：“ zhè wū fǎ dà huì bú shì bǐ shì jiào jì ma ， zěn me kě yǐ shǐ yòng yīn xiǎn xià liú de zhāo shù ？”
“阴招？”林轩一怔：“这巫法大会不是比试较技吗，怎么可以使用阴险下流的招数？”
"There’s nothing strange about it," Master Dry Leaf said with a hint of embarrassment on his face. "Since the defeat by the Qin tribe a million years ago, our Moon Ink Clan has never forgotten revenge. Thus, while it is a competition, it's no different from real combat, with no room for such trivialities. Victory is the only rule; any means are fair."
“ zhè méi shén me hào qí guài de 、” kū yè de liǎn shàng liú lù chū yī sī gān gà dì xiào róng ：“ zì cóng bǎi wàn nián qián ， wǒ men mò yuè zú bèi qín zú dǎ bài ， bù dé bù qiān xǐ dào zhè qióng shān è shuǐ ， zú nèi dì zhòng shǒu lǐng jiù yī kè yě méi yǒu wàng jì yào fù chóu ， suǒ yǐ suī shì jiào jì ， dàn yǔ zhēn zhèng de sī shā yě méi yǒu shén me qū bié ， gèng méi yǒu shén me yū fǔ dì xiàn zhì ， shèng lì shì wéi yī de zhǔn zé ， zhǐ yào néng gòu huò shèng ， rèn hé shǒu duàn dōu néng gòu shǐ yòng 。” lái ， kàn le yī yǎn lín xuān ：“ luò yī ， zhè yě shì wǒ yào tí xǐng nǐ de ， zài wū fǎ dà huì jiào jì zhī shí ， qiān wàn bù néng cún rén cí de xīn lǐ ， fǒu zé shì yào chī dà kuī de 。”
“这没什么好奇怪的、”枯叶的脸上流露出一丝尴尬地笑容：“自从百万年前，我们墨月族被秦族打败，不得不迁徙到这穷山恶水，族内地众首领就一刻也没有忘记要复仇，所以虽是较技，但与真正的厮杀也没有什么区别，更没有什么迂腐地限制，胜利是唯一的准则，只要能够获胜，任何手段都能够使用。”来，看了一眼林轩：“洛伊，这也是我要提醒你的，在巫法大会较技之时，千万不能存仁慈的心理，否则是要吃大亏的。”
He glanced at Lin Xuan: "Loi, this is what I want to remind you. During the Great Wizard Gathering, never have any merciful thoughts. You will suffer greatly otherwise."
“ ń 。” lín xuān diǎn diǎn tóu ， lù chū yī fù gōng shùn de biǎo qíng ， dàn yòu yǒu diǎn qí guài ：“ kě zhǎng lǎo ， shǒu xià bù liú qíng ， wàn yī sǐ rén le zěn me bàn ？”
“嗯。”林轩点点头，露出一副恭顺的表情，但又有点奇怪：“可长老，手下不留情，万一死人了怎么办？”
"Right," Lin Xuan nodded and adopted a respectful expression but was still puzzled. "But Elder, if we don’t hold back, what happens if someone dies?"
yào zhī dào mò yuè zú rén dīng běn jiù bù wàng ， wū shī gèng shì bǎo guì wú bǐ de zī yuán 。
要知道墨月族人丁本就不旺，巫师更是宝贵无比的资源。
Remembering that their Moon Ink Clan had few people and wizards were an extremely precious resource.
“ fàng xīn ， yǒu wǒ men zhè xiē lǎo jiā huǒ zài cǐ ， zěn huì fā shēng nà yàng shì ， qíng kuàng bú duì ， zì rán huì chū shǒu zǔ zhǐ 。” shuō dào zhè lǐ ， tā dùn le yī dùn ， yòu huí dào gāng cái de gù shì ：“ wǒ hé xiāo kūn de bǐ shì ， tā shǐ chū le yīn zhāo ， wǒ rú guǒ bèi jī zhòng ， suī rán bú huì sǐ ， dàn luò bài kěn dìng shì wú yí ， méi yǒu jìn rù qián shí ， nà tiān cāng bù huò dé de líng yào yě jiù shǎo dé hū lüè bù jì ……”
“放心，有我们这些老家伙在此，怎会发生那样事，情况不对，自然会出手阻止。”说到这里，他顿了一顿，又回到刚才的故事：“我和枭坤的比试，他使出了阴招，我如果被击中，虽然不会死，但落败肯定是无疑，没有进入前十，那天苍部获得的灵药也就少得忽略不计……”
"Don't worry; with us old-timers here, such things won’t happen. If the situation isn’t right, we’ll naturally intervene," he said, pausing before continuing his story: "My match against Xiu Kun was when he used underhanded tactics. If I had been hit, I wouldn’t have died, but defeat would be certain. Not making it to the top ten meant that Sky Azure Tribe received little in terms of spiritual herbs..."
However, it was far from easy. Lin Xuan had endured a lot of hardships along the way. Now that he finally reached his destination, he couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh of relief.
He released his divine sense to feel around the city ahead.
In Loi's memory, he hadn't visited this place before, and Lin Xuan was naturally curious about the Moon Ink Clan’s largest tribe. The city covered an extensive area, stretching nearly a hundred miles in both length and width. However, it wasn’t built with huge stones; instead, it was constructed primarily from ironwood, which was abundant in the Quinyi Mountain Range. Despite its wooden construction, don't underestimate its defensive capabilities. These ancient trees were incredibly hard, leaving only shallow marks when struck by a massive diamond axe.
The critical areas used special fireproofing treatments, and magical restrictions added by the wizards further enhanced their defenses. While this city couldn’t be considered impregnable, it was certainly formidable in terms of defense.
There were many people at the city gates, but none appeared to be cultivators. Lin Xuan’s face showed a hint of surprise as he asked, "Master Dry Leaf, should we descend now?"
"No!" Master Dry Leaf shook his head and smiled, explaining, "The Great Wizard Gathering is about to begin, with wizards from all tribes gathering here. As the host tribe, Quinyi naturally won’t neglect us. There are designated areas within this city for hosting wizards."
"Oh!" Lin Xuan nodded, no longer speaking as two streaks of light flew through the air and entered the Quinyi City.
The journey of several dozen miles was swift, and soon a small but exquisite city came into view.
"City within a city!" Lin Xuan couldn’t help being surprised. The inner city measured only about ten miles in both length and width, also built from ironwood, which was incredibly hard. Beyond this inner city, all commoners were driven away, with only respected wizards allowed to enter.
As they approached the inner city, Lin Xuan suddenly felt a heavy weight on his body as if gravity had increased several times. They had entered the restricted airspace.
Although this didn’t pose much of a challenge for Lin Xuan, he wouldn’t force his way in. He and Master Dry Leaf descended together.
Looking around, there were indeed many wizards bustling about. "Friend Daoist, it’s been nearly a century since we last met," one said with a slightly soft voice but an unfriendly tone. Lin Xuan turned to see two approaching wizards.
The first was tall and thin, missing an eye, giving off a sinister aura like a venomous snake ready to strike. His cultivation level wasn’t weak; he was at the peak of Core Formation stage.
Behind him stood someone much younger, robust in build, a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Lin Xuan paid no mind to such rookies but didn’t want to draw attention either. He subtly stepped back and lowered his head slightly.
"Friend Daoist," Master Dry Leaf greeted with a slight bow, his expression calm. But how smart was Lin Xuan? He could clearly see the warning in Master Dry Leaf’s eyes.
The two had a grudge, and Lin Xuan made an initial judgment.
"How so? Is this young man from your Sky Azure tribe participating in the Great Trial as a wizard?" Xiu Kun glanced at Lin Xuan with icy cold eyes, like some reptile.
If he were just a Foundation Establishment cultivator, his mind might have been scarred. But Lin Xuan was a fake, and his divine sense was far stronger than that of many others, even surpassing them in strength. He secretly chuckled but displayed an appropriate look of fear on his face. Before he could act, Master Dry Leaf Elder moved swiftly to block the path.
"Friend Daoist Xiu, what is your intention? Why are you attacking a junior here? Aren’t you afraid of attracting the attention of the patrol officers?"
Xiu Kun’s previously arrogant expression changed slightly when he heard "patrol officer," and then he laughed dryly. "Master Dry Leaf, don’t joke around. What identity would I have to attack juniors?"
Although Master Dry Leaf was displeased, he clearly had no intention of conflicting with Xiu Kun. He sneered: "If that’s the case, I’ll take my leave, Loi. Let’s go."
"Right, Elder," Lin Xuan obediently followed but could still feel the icy gaze from behind.
After a hundred paces, assuming they were out of sight, Lin Xuan asked curiously, "Elder, do you have an old grudge with that person?"
"Yes, it was something from over a century ago." Master Dry Leaf’s voice sounded melancholic. "Back then, we were still young and full of vigor during the Great Wizard Gathering."
"I won several rounds in succession, advancing through the competition until I met Xiu Kun from the Dusty Wind tribe. We both made it to the top ten..."
"Indeed, that battle must have been intense?"
"It was intense? You could say so!" Master Dry Leaf sighed. "Back then, I was young and full of vigor, with cultivation at a level similar to yours now. Xiu Kun was slightly weaker. However, he had two powerful spiritual artifacts."
"We fought for several hours, neither gaining the upper hand. Our magical power almost depleted. My realm being deeper gave me an edge. Seeing defeat looming, Xiu Kun resorted to underhanded tactics..."
"Underhanded tactics?" Lin Xuan was taken aback. "Isn’t this a competition of skills? How can one use such underhanded tricks?"
"There’s nothing strange about it," Master Dry Leaf said with a hint of embarrassment on his face. "Since the defeat by the Qin tribe a million years ago, our Moon Ink Clan has never forgotten revenge. Thus, while it is a competition, it's no different from real combat, with no room for such trivialities. Victory is the only rule; any means are fair."
He glanced at Lin Xuan: "Loi, this is what I want to remind you. During the Great Wizard Gathering, never have any merciful thoughts. You will suffer greatly otherwise."
"Right," Lin Xuan nodded and adopted a respectful expression but was still puzzled. "But Elder, if we don’t hold back, what happens if someone dies?"
Remembering that their Moon Ink Clan had few people and wizards were an extremely precious resource.
"Don't worry; with us old-timers here, such things won’t happen. If the situation isn’t right, we’ll naturally intervene," he said, pausing before continuing his story: "My match against Xiu Kun was when he used underhanded tactics. If I had been hit, I wouldn’t have died, but defeat would be certain. Not making it to the top ten meant that Sky Azure Tribe received little in terms of spiritual herbs..."