yǔ cǐ tóng shí ， quē yuè chéng ， yī zuò gǔ piáo de dà diàn 。
与此同时，阙月城，一座古朴的大殿。
Simultaneously, in the ancient grand hall of阙月城 (Moonlight City), four cultivators at the Tribulation Transcending stage were also pondering something.
sì míng dù jié jí bié de xiū xiān zhě ， tóng yàng zài cān xiáng zhe shén me 。
四名渡劫级别的修仙者，同样在参详着什么。
Seated on the main seat was an elderly man with a youthful appearance and white hair. The other three cultivators had different appearances and ages.
zuò zài zhǔ wèi shàng de shì yī tóng yán hè fà de lǎo zhě ， zhì yú lìng wài sān míng xiū xiān zhě ， róng mào nián líng yě shì gè bù xiāng tóng 。
坐在主位上的是一童颜鹤发的老者，至于另外三名修仙者，容貌年龄也是各不相同。
To the left, there was one who looked rather ugly; he was a bearded monk with long hair. To the right, another dressed in Daoist robes appeared extremely young.
zuǒ biān yí gè ， róng mào pǒ chǒu ， shì yī dài fā xiū xíng de pī fà tóu tuó 。
左边一个，容貌颇丑，是一带发修行的披发头陀。
The last person was a young woman wearing palace attire, exuding an air of cold aloofness.
yòu biān de ， zé zuò dào zhuāng dǎ bàn ， cóng róng mào shàng kàn ， nián qīng dào le jí diǎn 。
右边的，则做道装打扮，从容貌上看，年轻到了极点。
"Xue Immortal, just before, Firestone City was under siege and seemed to be on the brink of collapse. We all thought it would fall, but later turned out to be safe. It's said that a passerby cultivator managed to turn things around. Is this true?" The elderly man with youthful features spoke, his face showing some gravity.
zuì hòu yī rén ， bù guò shuāng shí nián jì ， yī shēn gōng zhuāng nǚ zǐ ， xiǎn de lěng ào yǐ jí 。
最后一人，不过双十年纪，一身宫装女子，显得冷傲以极。
"Indeed, I just received word; it was Firestone City’s Daoist friend He who personally sent the message, so there is no doubt about it," the woman replied seriously.
“ xuē xiān zi ， shù rì qián huǒ shí chéng gào jí ， wǒ men dōu yǐ wéi yào bèi gōng pò ， dàn hòu lái què zhuǎn wēi wéi ān ， tīng shuō shì yī lù guò de xiū shì lì wǎn kuáng lán ， cǐ shì kě shì zhēn de ？” nà tóng yán hè fà de lǎo zhě kāi kǒu le ， liǎn shàng dài zhe jǐ fēn níng zhòng zhī sè 。
“薛仙子，数日前火石城告急，我们都以为要被攻破，但后来却转危为安，听说是一路过的修士力挽狂澜，此事可是真的？”那童颜鹤发的老者开口了，脸上带着几分凝重之色。
"With one person saving a city from peril, what do our fellow Daoists think of this?"
“ bù cuò ， wǒ yě gāng shōu dào xiāo xī ， nǎi shì huǒ shí chéng de hè dào yǒu qīn zì fā guò lái de ， zì rán bú huì yǒu jiǎ 。” nà nǚ zǐ yī běn zhèng jīng de huí dá 。
“不错，我也刚收到消息，乃是火石城的贺道友亲自发过来的，自然不会有假。”那女子一本正经的回答。
"This needs no discussion. This person must be at the Tribulation Transcending stage and likely stronger than us," said the bearded monk.
“ yǐ yī rén zhī lì ， wǎn jiù yī chéng wēi jú ， gè wèi dào yǒu ， kě yǒu shén me kàn fǎ ？”
“以一人之力，挽救一城危局，各位道友，可有什么看法？”
"Your words are correct. Based on my observation, he is almost certainly a Realm powerhouse," the Daoist revealed a thoughtful expression.
“ zhè hái yòng shuō ， cǐ rén bì shì dù jié jí bié de xiū xiān zhě ， qiě shí lì duō bàn hái zài wǒ děng zhī shàng de 。” pī fà tóu tuó kāi kǒu le 。
“这还用说，此人必是渡劫级别的修仙者，且实力多半还在我等之上的。”披发头陀开口了。
"Do we have any Realm powerhouses in our Wind痕界 (Trace Wind World)?"
“ dà shī suǒ yán méi cuò ， zhào pín dào kàn lái ， cǐ rén shí yǒu ** shì lǐng yù jí bié de qiáng zhě 。” nà dào rén yì lù chū ruò yǒu suǒ sī de shén sè 。
“大师所言没错，照贫道看来，此人十有**是领域级别的强者。”那道人亦露出若有所思的神色。
"You’re mistaken, Immortal Xue; just because there aren’t any in our world doesn't mean other worlds won’t send their powerful ones here. I received word that apart from Firestone City, many other places’ Daoists also benefited from this person’s efforts," the Daoist said dismissively.
“ lǐng yù qiáng zhě ， wǒ fēng hén jiè yǒu me ？”
“领域强者，我风痕界有么？”
"Alright, discussing his origin is pointless now. The critical issue is whether we can contact him. The域外天魔 (Tribulation-Transcending Demons) are eyeing our Moonlight City hungrily. I believe they will soon mass their forces to attack. This crisis is far more serious than before. Although we have prepared many countermeasures, it’s uncertain if we can hold out. With this senior’s help, the city would be secure," said the elderly man with white hair, his face grave.
“ xuē xiān zi cǐ yán chà yǐ ， fēng hén jiè méi yǒu ， bù dài biǎo qí tā jiè miàn shàng de qiáng zhě bú huì liú luò cǐ dì ， pín dào kě shì shōu dào xiāo xī ， chú le huǒ shí chéng ， hái yǒu bù shǎo qí tā dì fāng de dào yǒu ， yě shòu le cǐ rén ēn huì dì ， tā yī lù jiàng yāo chú mó ， xiǎn rán shì wǒ men rén zú de xiū xiān zhě 。” nà dào rén bù yǐ wéi rán de shuō 。
“薛仙子此言差矣，风痕界没有，不代表其他界面上的强者不会流落此地，贫道可是收到消息，除了火石城，还有不少其他地方的道友，也受了此人恩惠地，他一路降妖除魔，显然是我们人族的修仙者。”那道人不以为然的说。
"Right..."
“ hǎo le ， tǎo lùn cǐ qiáng zhě de lái lì yì diǎn yì yì yě wú ， rú jīn de guān jiàn shì ， néng gòu lián xì shàng tā me ， yù wài tiān mó duì wǒ men quē yuè chéng hǔ shì dān dān 。 xiāng xìn hěn kuài ， jiù huì chén bīng gōng chéng ， ér zhè yī cì de wēi jī ， jué fēi wǎng rì kě bǐ ， wǒ men suī rán yǐ jīng zhǔn bèi le zhū duō yìng duì de shǒu duàn ， dàn néng fǒu shǒu zhù ， yě shì liǎng shuō ， ruò yǒu zhè wèi qián bèi xiāng zhù ， nà jiù wàn wú yī shī le 。” nà hào shǒu lǎo wēng shí fēn níng zhòng de shuō 。
“好了，讨论此强者的来历一点意义也无，如今的关键是，能够联系上他么，域外天魔对我们阙月城虎视眈眈。相信很快，就会陈兵攻城，而这一次的危机，绝非往日可比，我们虽然已经准备了诸多应对的手段，但能否守住，也是两说，若有这位前辈相助，那就万无一失了。”那皓首老翁十分凝重的说。
The woman in palace attire showed a hint of difficulty on her face: "This senior is elusive; like a dragon seen only from its head. He never stays long after saving a city, so..."
“ zhè ……”
“这……”
"You mean we can’t track him at all?"
gōng zhuāng nǚ zǐ tīng le ， liǎn shàng què lù chū yī sī wéi nán zhī sè ：“ zhè wèi qián bèi xíng zōng piāo hū 。 shén lóng jiàn shǒu bù jiàn wěi ， měi cì jiǎo miè yù wài tiān mó zhī hòu ， dōu bú huì zài suǒ jiù de chéng chí tíng liú ， suǒ yǐ ……”
宫装女子听了，脸上却露出一丝为难之色：“这位前辈行踪飘忽。神龙见首不见尾，每次剿灭域外天魔之后，都不会在所救的城池停留，所以……”
The old man’s expression turned grim.
“ nǐ shì shuō wán quán wú fǎ zhǎng wò tā de xíng jì ？”
“你是说完全无法掌握他的行迹？”
"It's not entirely impossible to trace his movements. Based on the patterns of his appearances, it seems he intended to come here to Moonlight City, but... this is just speculation and I dare not make any decisions based on that," said the woman with a sigh.
bái fà lǎo wēng tīng le ， liǎn sè nán kàn yǐ jí 。
白发老翁听了，脸色难看以极。
"Ah, that’s good news." The elderly man smiled: "But we still need to rely on ourselves. Moonlight City is the heart of our Wind痕界; if it falls, the grand array of the immortal city will be in ruins. We must never let the Tribulation-Transcending Demons take over under any circumstances. Daoist Kǔ, how are the reinforcements from Tiansheng World?"
“ yě bù néng zhè me shuō ， cóng zhè wèi qián bèi chū xiàn de guǐ jì tuī cè ， tā sì hū shì dǎ suàn lái wǒ men quē yuè chéng de ， zhǐ shì …… zhè jǐn jǐn shì tuī suàn ér yǐ ， bìng bù gǎn jiù cǐ 。 zuò xià jué duàn lái de 。” gōng zhuāng nǚ zǐ tàn le kǒu qì 。
“也不能这么说，从这位前辈出现的轨迹推测，他似乎是打算来我们阙月城的，只是……这仅仅是推算而已，并不敢就此。做下决断来的。”宫装女子叹了口气。
"I’ve contacted the four major sects there; although their situation is slightly better than here, they can only defend themselves. Despite my many generous offers, they still won’t come," said the bearded monk, his face filled with a bitter smile.
“ ń ， zhè suàn shì yí gè hǎo xiāo xī 。” lǎo zhě tīng le ， liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī xiào yì ：“ dàn fán shì hái xū yào kào zì jǐ ， quē yuè chéng gèng shì zhěng gè fēng hén jiè de zhōng shū 。 yí dàn bèi pò ， zhěng gè xiān chéng lián huán dà zhèn jiù chǔ yú bàn fèi zhuàng tài le ， suǒ yǐ wú lùn rú hé ， wǒ men yě jué bù kě yǐ ràng tā bèi yù wài tiān mó zhàn jù de 。 kǔ dào yǒu ， tiān xiáng jiè de yuán jūn zěn me yàng le ？”
“嗯，这算是一个好消息。”老者听了，脸上露出一丝笑意：“但凡事还需要靠自己，阙月城更是整个风痕界的中枢。一旦被破，整个仙城连环大阵就处于半废状态了，所以无论如何，我们也绝不可以让它被域外天魔占据的。苦道友，天祥界的援军怎么样了？”
"Humph! Each man for himself and heaven for all. Old Devil Jia doesn’t seem to remember any old grudges; I really misjudged him." The elderly man was furious.
“ wǒ yǐ jīng lián xì le tiān xiáng jiè de sì dà zōng mén ， tā men de qíng kuàng suī rán bǐ wǒ men zhè lǐ shāo hǎo yì diǎn 。 dàn yě jǐn jǐn néng gòu zì bǎo bà le ， suī rán wǒ yǐ jīng xǔ nuò le hěn duō yōu hòu tiáo jiàn ， dàn tā men hái shì bù yuàn ……” pī fà tóu tuó tàn xī ， liǎn shàng de biǎo qíng nà shì kǔ xiào bù yǐ 。
“我已经联系了天祥界的四大宗门，他们的情况虽然比我们这里稍好一点。但也仅仅能够自保罢了，虽然我已经许诺了很多优厚条件，但他们还是不愿……”披发头陀叹息，脸上的表情那是苦笑不已。
"Brother Fu, don’t get angry. We can’t rely on the reinforcements from Tiansheng World anymore, but I have good news."
“ hēng ， gè rén zhǐ sǎo mén qián xuě ， nǎ guǎn tā rén wǎ shàng shuāng ， jiǎ lǎo mó zhè jiā huo ， jìng rán yì diǎn jiù qíng yě bù gù ， lǎo fū zhēn shì kàn cuò tā le 。” lǎo zhě bó rán dà nù 。
“哼，各人只扫门前雪，哪管他人瓦上霜，贾老魔这家伙，竟然一点旧情也不顾，老夫真是看错他了。”老者勃然大怒。
"Oh? Please tell us," said the elderly man.
“ fù xiōng bù yòng shēng qì ， tiān xiáng jiè de yuán jūn suī rán zhǐ wàng bù shàng le ， dàn wǒ zhè lǐ què yǒu yí gè hǎo xiāo xī 。”
“付兄不用生气，天祥界的援军虽然指望不上了，但我这里却有一个好消息。”
"The Nine-Nine Eighty-One Heaven-King Puppet figures you asked Tianqiao Sect to forge are progressing much faster than expected and will be completed soon."
“ ó ， dà shī qǐng shuō ？”
“哦，大师请说？”
"Really?"
“ biàn shì nián qián nǐ ràng tiān qiǎo mén liàn zhì de nà jiǔ jiǔ bā shí yī zuò tiān gāng kuǐ lěi ， jìn dù bǐ yuán xiān yù xiǎng de kuài dé duō ， yǐ mǎ shàng jiù yào wán chéng le 。”
“便是年前你让天巧门炼制的那九九八十一座天罡傀儡，进度比原先预想的快得多，已马上就要完成了。”
The old man with white hair was overjoyed. "Heaven-King Puppets were passed down from ancient times; each is equivalent in power to a late-stage Profound Transformation cultivator. Once set up, their array’s power is terrifying; they can be used for both solo combat and frontline assault. With them, the chances of holding Moonlight City will increase by at least thirty percent."
“ zhēn de jiǎ de ？”
“真的假的？”
"You’re too happy about this, Brother Fu. You should wait before rejoicing," said the young Daoist.
bái fà lǎo zhě dà xǐ ：“ tiān gāng kuǐ lěi chuán chéng zì shàng gǔ ， jù shuō měi yī zuò de shí lì ， dōu xiāng dāng yú fēn shén hòu qī dà chéng de xiū xiān zhě ， bù chéng zhèn fǎ zhī hòu ， wēi lì gèng shì kě bù ， bù lùn dān dǎ dú dòu ， hái shì chōng fēng xiàn zhèn ， dōu néng fā huī chū mò dà de yòng tú ， yǒu tā men xiāng zhù ， shǒu zhù quē yuè chéng de jī lǜ ， zú néng zēng dà sān chéng le 。”
白发老者大喜：“天罡傀儡传承自上古，据说每一座的实力，都相当于分神后期大成的修仙者，布成阵法之后，威力更是可怖，不论单打独斗，还是冲锋陷阵，都能发挥出莫大的用途，有它们相助，守住阙月城的几率，足能增大三成了。”
"Good news! The puppet figures are almost complete. In addition, the seventy-two backup array flags you asked me to prepare have all been completed as well," the woman in palace attire’s light laughter sounded.
“ fù xiōng zhè jiù xīn xǐ ， gāo xìng dé yě tài zǎo le xiē ， chú le tiān gāng kuǐ lěi ， qián rì nǐ ràng wǒ zhǔn bèi de nà qī shí èr tào bèi yòng zhèn qí ， yě quán bù liàn zhì wán bì 。” gōng zhuāng nǚ zǐ qīng xiào de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ lǐ 。
“付兄这就心喜，高兴得也太早了些，除了天罡傀儡，前日你让我准备的那七十二套备用阵旗，也全部炼制完毕。”宫装女子轻笑的声音传入耳朵里。
"The disciples of the Five Major Sects, including Tianyin Gang, have also been ordered to come and support; they’ve already taken their positions..." said the young Daoist with a bow.
“ hǎo jiào fù xiōng dé zhī ， tiān yīng bāng děng wǔ dà zōng pài de dì zǐ ， yě dōu fèng mìng lái yuán ， yǐ jīng zhù zhā wán bì ……” qīng nián dào rén de bào quán xíng lǐ 。
“好教付兄得知，天鹰帮等五大宗派的弟子，也都奉命来援，已经驻扎完毕……”青年道人的抱拳行礼。
...
……
……
The rest of the discussion was mostly good news. They also discussed some shortcomings in Moonlight City’s defenses so that they could make improvements over the coming days.
jiē xià lái xù shù de ， dà duō shì hǎo xiāo xī ， dāng rán ， sì rén yě tǎo lùn le yī xiē quē yuè chéng fáng shǒu fāng miàn de bù zú ， yǐ biàn zài jiē xià lái de rì zi lǐ kě yǐ mí bǔ 。
接下来叙述的，大多是好消息，当然，四人也讨论了一些阙月城防守方面的不足，以便在接下来的日子里可以弥补。
In this way, several days passed quickly.
jiù zhè yàng ， shù rì de shí jiān yī huǎng ér guò 。
就这样，数日的时间一晃而过。
It was an ordinary noonday, but the sun didn’t feel particularly hot. In fact, the sky seemed somewhat gloomy; if one didn’t know the time, it might appear like dusk.
zhè shì yí gè pǔ tōng de zhèng wǔ 。
这是一个普通的正午。
This was a desert, devoid of life. Looking around, there were no signs of human habitation or vegetation; within a hundred miles, only some low shrubs could be seen.
rán ér tài yáng què xiǎn de bìng bù zhì rè ， qià qià xiāng fǎn ， tiān sè yǒu yī xiē yīn àn ， ruò bù zhī dào shí jiān ， kàn shàng qù ， dào yǒu jǐ fēn xiàng shì bàng wǎn 。
然而太阳却显得并不炙热，恰恰相反，天色有一些阴暗，若不知道时间，看上去，倒有几分像是傍晚。
Woo...
zhè shì yī piàn huāng mò ， fàng yǎn wàng qù ， liǎo wú shēng jī ， bié shuō rén jì ， biàn shì zhí bèi ， yě xī shū yǐ jí ， fāng yuán bǎi lǐ ， jǐn yǒu yī xiē dī ǎi de guàn mù ér yǐ 。
这是一片荒漠，放眼望去，了无生机，别说人迹，便是植被，也稀疏以极，方圆百里，仅有一些低矮的灌木而已。
Suddenly, without any warning, a buzzing sound echoed as a streak of green light flew from the horizon towards them.
wū ……
呜……
The speed was incredible; it started far away but suddenly appeared right before their eyes. The light dimmed to reveal a young man with an ordinary appearance.
tū rán sī háo zhēng zhào yě wú ， wēng míng shēng dà zuò ， yī dào qīng hóng yóu tiān biān fēi lüè ér lái 。
突然丝毫征兆也无，嗡鸣声大做，一道青虹由天边飞掠而来。
It was Lin Xuan.
sù dù jí kuài ， kāi shǐ hái zài tiān biān ， xià yī kè ， jū rán jiù lái dào le yǎn qián 。
速度极快，开始还在天边，下一刻，居然就来到了眼前。
His face showed no surprise or joy, but he turned his head to the left: "Two fellow Daoists hiding nearby, do you intend to harm me? If that’s so, why not come out and fight openly? Hiding like this, are you afraid of being ridiculed by heroes?"
guāng máng shōu liǎn ， lù chū le yī róng mào pǔ tōng de qīng nián 。
光芒收敛，露出了一容貌普通的青年。
"Hmph! Little brat, your spiritual sense is surprisingly strong. Since you’ve discovered our whereabouts, this place will be your grave."
zhèng shì lín xuān 。
正是林轩。
A light laugh entered his ears; then, about a hundred feet away from Lin Xuan, dark energy rolled out.
tā de liǎn shàng wú jīng wú xǐ ， què cháo zhe zuǒ biān zhuǎn guò tóu qù ：“ liǎng wèi dào yǒu yǐn nì zài cè ， kě shì xiǎng yào duì lín mǒu bù lì me ， jì rán rú cǐ ， wèi hé bù gǎn fàng shǒu yī bó ， cáng tóu nì wěi ， yě bù pà tiān xià yīng xióng chǐ xiào me ？”
他的脸上无惊无喜，却朝着左边转过头去：“两位道友隐匿在侧，可是想要对林某不利么，既然如此，为何不敢放手一搏，藏头匿尾，也不怕天下英雄耻笑么？”
Lin Xuan’s eyes narrowed as two Tribulation Transcending Demons appeared in his sight.
“ hēng ， xiǎo jiā huo ， shén shí dào hái zhēn bù ruò ， jì rán fā xiàn le wǒ fū qī èr rén de xíng jì ， nà zhè lǐ jiù shì nǐ de zàng shēn zhī dì 。”
“哼，小家伙，神识倒还真不弱，既然发现了我夫妻二人的行迹，那这里就是你的葬身之地。”
At first glance, these two didn’t look particularly strange and resembled humans. One was male and the other female, both towering at over six feet tall, incredibly strong. They had bat-like wings on their backs, faces adorned with intricate light arrays composed of dense demonic runes.
yī qīng xiào de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， suí hòu jù lí lín xuān dà yuē bǎi yú zhàng yuǎn ， sī háo zhēng zhào yě wú ， mó qì gǔn gǔn ér chū 。
一轻笑的声音传入耳朵，随后距离林轩大约百余丈远，丝毫征兆也无，魔气滚滚而出。
"These are Tribulation Transcending Demons, likely late-stage."
lín xuān yǎn jīng wēi mī ， liǎng míng yù wài tiān mó yǐ chū xiàn zài le shì xiàn lǐ 。
林轩眼睛微眯，两名域外天魔已出现在了视线里。
Lin Xuan’s pupils constricted as he instantly recognized their cultivation levels.
zhà yī kàn ， zhè liǎng rén xíng mào suàn bù shàng guǐ yì ， yǔ rén zú pǒ yǒu jǐ fēn xiāng sì 。
乍一看，这两人形貌算不上诡异，与人族颇有几分相似。
"Hmph! You’re right; you aren’t from our Wind痕界. It was you who repeatedly disrupted our affairs?"
nǎi shì yī nán yī nǚ 。
乃是一男一女。
Upon closer inspection, the female demon looked quite beautiful, but her brows and eyes carried a sinister aura. Her words were brusque, treating Lin Xuan as if he were merely a junior, with life and death in her hands.
dōu shēn gāo zhàng xǔ ， qiáng zhuàng yǐ jí ， bèi hòu shēng zhe yī biān fú mú yàng de yǔ yì ， liǎn shàng xiù zhe guāng zhèn ， zǔ chéng zhèn fǎ de nǎi shì mì mì má má de mó wén 。
都身高丈许，强壮以极，背后生着一蝙蝠模样的羽翼，脸上绣着光阵，组成阵法的乃是密密麻麻的魔纹。
[PS: Wishing all fellow Daoists a happy Mid-Autumn Festival; may you be healthy and have everything go well.]
Simultaneously, in the ancient grand hall of阙月城 (Moonlight City), four cultivators at the Tribulation Transcending stage were also pondering something.
Seated on the main seat was an elderly man with a youthful appearance and white hair. The other three cultivators had different appearances and ages.
To the left, there was one who looked rather ugly; he was a bearded monk with long hair. To the right, another dressed in Daoist robes appeared extremely young.
The last person was a young woman wearing palace attire, exuding an air of cold aloofness.
"Xue Immortal, just before, Firestone City was under siege and seemed to be on the brink of collapse. We all thought it would fall, but later turned out to be safe. It's said that a passerby cultivator managed to turn things around. Is this true?" The elderly man with youthful features spoke, his face showing some gravity.
"Indeed, I just received word; it was Firestone City’s Daoist friend He who personally sent the message, so there is no doubt about it," the woman replied seriously.
"With one person saving a city from peril, what do our fellow Daoists think of this?"
"This needs no discussion. This person must be at the Tribulation Transcending stage and likely stronger than us," said the bearded monk.
"Your words are correct. Based on my observation, he is almost certainly a Realm powerhouse," the Daoist revealed a thoughtful expression.
"Do we have any Realm powerhouses in our Wind痕界 (Trace Wind World)?"
"You’re mistaken, Immortal Xue; just because there aren’t any in our world doesn't mean other worlds won’t send their powerful ones here. I received word that apart from Firestone City, many other places’ Daoists also benefited from this person’s efforts," the Daoist said dismissively.
"Alright, discussing his origin is pointless now. The critical issue is whether we can contact him. The域外天魔 (Tribulation-Transcending Demons) are eyeing our Moonlight City hungrily. I believe they will soon mass their forces to attack. This crisis is far more serious than before. Although we have prepared many countermeasures, it’s uncertain if we can hold out. With this senior’s help, the city would be secure," said the elderly man with white hair, his face grave.
"Right..."
The woman in palace attire showed a hint of difficulty on her face: "This senior is elusive; like a dragon seen only from its head. He never stays long after saving a city, so..."
"You mean we can’t track him at all?"
The old man’s expression turned grim.
"It's not entirely impossible to trace his movements. Based on the patterns of his appearances, it seems he intended to come here to Moonlight City, but... this is just speculation and I dare not make any decisions based on that," said the woman with a sigh.
"Ah, that’s good news." The elderly man smiled: "But we still need to rely on ourselves. Moonlight City is the heart of our Wind痕界; if it falls, the grand array of the immortal city will be in ruins. We must never let the Tribulation-Transcending Demons take over under any circumstances. Daoist Kǔ, how are the reinforcements from Tiansheng World?"
"I’ve contacted the four major sects there; although their situation is slightly better than here, they can only defend themselves. Despite my many generous offers, they still won’t come," said the bearded monk, his face filled with a bitter smile.
"Humph! Each man for himself and heaven for all. Old Devil Jia doesn’t seem to remember any old grudges; I really misjudged him." The elderly man was furious.
"Brother Fu, don’t get angry. We can’t rely on the reinforcements from Tiansheng World anymore, but I have good news."
"Oh? Please tell us," said the elderly man.
"The Nine-Nine Eighty-One Heaven-King Puppet figures you asked Tianqiao Sect to forge are progressing much faster than expected and will be completed soon."
"Really?"
The old man with white hair was overjoyed. "Heaven-King Puppets were passed down from ancient times; each is equivalent in power to a late-stage Profound Transformation cultivator. Once set up, their array’s power is terrifying; they can be used for both solo combat and frontline assault. With them, the chances of holding Moonlight City will increase by at least thirty percent."
"You’re too happy about this, Brother Fu. You should wait before rejoicing," said the young Daoist.
"Good news! The puppet figures are almost complete. In addition, the seventy-two backup array flags you asked me to prepare have all been completed as well," the woman in palace attire’s light laughter sounded.
"The disciples of the Five Major Sects, including Tianyin Gang, have also been ordered to come and support; they’ve already taken their positions..." said the young Daoist with a bow.
...
The rest of the discussion was mostly good news. They also discussed some shortcomings in Moonlight City’s defenses so that they could make improvements over the coming days.
In this way, several days passed quickly.
It was an ordinary noonday, but the sun didn’t feel particularly hot. In fact, the sky seemed somewhat gloomy; if one didn’t know the time, it might appear like dusk.
This was a desert, devoid of life. Looking around, there were no signs of human habitation or vegetation; within a hundred miles, only some low shrubs could be seen.
Woo...
Suddenly, without any warning, a buzzing sound echoed as a streak of green light flew from the horizon towards them.
The speed was incredible; it started far away but suddenly appeared right before their eyes. The light dimmed to reveal a young man with an ordinary appearance.
It was Lin Xuan.
His face showed no surprise or joy, but he turned his head to the left: "Two fellow Daoists hiding nearby, do you intend to harm me? If that’s so, why not come out and fight openly? Hiding like this, are you afraid of being ridiculed by heroes?"
"Hmph! Little brat, your spiritual sense is surprisingly strong. Since you’ve discovered our whereabouts, this place will be your grave."
A light laugh entered his ears; then, about a hundred feet away from Lin Xuan, dark energy rolled out.
Lin Xuan’s eyes narrowed as two Tribulation Transcending Demons appeared in his sight.
At first glance, these two didn’t look particularly strange and resembled humans. One was male and the other female, both towering at over six feet tall, incredibly strong. They had bat-like wings on their backs, faces adorned with intricate light arrays composed of dense demonic runes.
"These are Tribulation Transcending Demons, likely late-stage."
Lin Xuan’s pupils constricted as he instantly recognized their cultivation levels.
"Hmph! You’re right; you aren’t from our Wind痕界. It was you who repeatedly disrupted our affairs?"
Upon closer inspection, the female demon looked quite beautiful, but her brows and eyes carried a sinister aura. Her words were brusque, treating Lin Xuan as if he were merely a junior, with life and death in her hands.
[PS: Wishing all fellow Daoists a happy Mid-Autumn Festival; may you be healthy and have everything go well.]