lín xuān zì rán cóng wèi jiàn guò hùn yuán lǎo zǔ 。 rán ér cǐ rén jué fēi nà wèi chuán shuō zhōng dì yuán yīng qī lǎo guài wù 。 zhè yì diǎn 。 tā què kě yǐ kěn dìng dì 。 yuán yīn wú tā 。 lín xuān suǒ xí jiǔ tiān xuán gōng nǎi shì dào jiā dì wú shàng zhēn fǎ 。 qí zhōng jiù yǒu kàn pò wěi zhuāng dì shén tōng 。
林轩自然从未见过混元老祖。然而此人绝非那位传说中地元婴期老怪物。这一点。他却可以肯定地。原因无他。林轩所习九天玄功乃是道家地无上真法。其中就有看破伪装地神通。
Lin Xuan had never met the Primordial Ancestor of Mixture and Emptiness. However, this person was definitely not that legendary old monster from the Earth Core婴期 stage. Lin Xuan could be certain about this because the Nine Heavens Profound Art he practiced was a supreme Daoist technique, which included the power to discern disguises.
pò chú huàn shù yǔ zhàng yǎn fǎ ！
破除幻术与障眼法！
Dispel illusions and obfuscating spells!
yǎn qián dì lǎo zhě sì hū shì yǒu rén yòng fǎ shù biàn huà 。
眼前地老者似乎是有人用法术变化。
The elderly man before him seemed to have been transformed by some kind of magic.
lín xuān suī rán gōng lì yǒu xiàn 。 wú fǎ kàn chuān tā dì zhēn miàn mù 。 dàn zhǐ xiāo zhī dào shì yǒu rén mào chōng jí kě 。
林轩虽然功力有限。无法看穿他地真面目。但只消知道是有人冒充即可。
Although Lin Xuan's abilities were limited, he couldn't see through his true form. But knowing that someone was impersonating him was enough.
jiū jìng fā shēng shén me shì le 。 hùn yuán lǎo zǔ shēn zài hé chù ？
究竟发生什么事了。混元老祖身在何处？
What had happened? Where was the Primordial Ancestor of Mixture and Emptiness?
lín xuān xīn zhōng yǐn yǐn gǎn dào le bù tuǒ 。 sì hū mǎ shàng lí kāi cái shì zhèng què xuǎn zé 。 dàn yǎn kàn líng yào jiù yào dào shǒu 。 fàng qì huì hòu huǐ yī bèi zi 。 jiù suàn shì dǔ 。 zhè shí hòu yě yào bó yī bó 。
林轩心中隐隐感到了不妥。似乎马上离开才是正确选择。但眼看灵药就要到手。放弃会后悔一辈子。就算是赌。这时候也要搏一搏。
Lin Xuan felt a sense of unease in his heart. It seemed leaving immediately would be the right choice. However, with precious medicinal herbs almost within reach, giving up now might lead to lifelong regret. Even if it was a gamble, he had to take that chance.
“ shī zūn 。 cǐ cì wū fǎ dà huì yǐ yuán mǎn jié shù 。 jìn rù shí èr qiáng dì dì zǐ quán dōu zài zhè lǐ 。 tā men gòng lái zì jiǔ gè bù luò 。” nà yè xìng lǎo zhě shàng qián yī bù 。 gōng jìng wàn fēn dì kāi kǒu le 。
“师尊。此次巫法大会已圆满结束。进入十二强地弟子全都在这里。他们共来自九个部落。”那叶姓老者上前一步。恭敬万分地开口了。
"Master, this Witchcraft Conference has concluded successfully. All twelve top contenders are here," said the elderly man named Ye, bowing respectfully.
lìng wài liǎng wèi dà yuán mǎn jìng jiè dì gāo shǒu 。 yún fēng yǔ nà zhōng nián fù rén 。 tóng yàng dà qì yě bù gǎn chū 。
另外两位大圆满境界地高手。云峰与那中年妇人。同样大气也不敢出。
The other two experts at the peak of their cultivation stages, Yun Feng and the middle-aged woman, did not dare to speak up either.
“ ń 。” hùn yuán lǎo zǔ diǎn diǎn tóu 。 mù guāng zài nà shí èr míng nián qīng wū shī dì liǎn shàng yī yī sǎo guò 。 zhòng rén wú bù lù chū jī dòng wàn fēn zhī sè 。 lín xuān yì shì rú cǐ 。 zhǐ bù guò xīn zhōng zì rán shì lěng xiào bù yǐ 。
“嗯。”混元老祖点点头。目光在那十二名年轻巫师地脸上一一扫过。众人无不露出激动万分之色。林轩亦是如此。只不过心中自然是冷笑不已。
"Hmm." The Primordial Ancestor of Mixture and Emptiness nodded. His gaze swept over the faces of the twelve young witches, all showing signs of intense excitement. Lin Xuan was no exception; his heart was filled with cold laughter instead.
hòu miàn jiù jiǎn dān le 。 zhè bǎi wàn nián lái wū fǎ dà huì yě bù zhī jǔ xíng guò duō shǎo cì 。 gāi rú hé zuò zhòng rén xīn zhōng zì rán shì yì qīng èr chǔ 。
后面就简单了。这百万年来巫法大会也不知举行过多少次。该如何做众人心中自然是一清二楚。
The rest was simple. This Witchcraft Conference had been held countless times in a million years, so everyone knew what to do.
fén xiāng 。 jì bài xiān zǔ 。 yǐ jí yī xì liè fán zá wú bǐ dì yí shì 。 zú zú guò qù le liǎng gè xiǎo shí 。 cái zhōng yú wán bì 。
焚香。祭拜先祖。以及一系列繁杂无比地仪式。足足过去了两个小时。才终于完毕。
Incense burning, honoring ancestors, and a series of complex rituals took two hours before finally coming to an end.
lín xuān zì rán shì zǎo yǐ bù nài fán le 。 dàn yě zhǐ néng rěn zhù 。
林轩自然是早已不耐烦了。但也只能忍住。
Lin Xuan was already impatient but could only hold his tongue.
“ hǎo le 。 nǐ men dōu shàng lái 。 lǐng qǔ líng dān 。” hùn yuán lǎo zǔ shuāng móu bàn kāi bàn bì 。 zhè me dàn dàn dì shuō le yī jù 。
“好了。你们都上来。领取灵丹。”混元老祖双眸半开半闭。这么淡淡地说了一句。
"Alright, come up here and receive your medicinal pills," the Primordial Ancestor said with a faint tone as he half-closed his eyes.
jìn rù shí èr qiáng dì nián qīng wū shī wú bù dà xǐ 。 duì yú tā men lái shuō 。 líng dān dǎo shì cì yào zhī wù 。 bì jìng zì jǐ yě yòng bù shàng le 。 zhēn zhèng dòng xīn dì shì kě yǐ cān bài hùn yuán lǎo zǔ 。
进入十二强地年轻巫师无不大喜。对于他们来说。灵丹倒是次要之物。毕竟自己也用不上了。真正动心地是可以参拜混元老祖。
The young witches who entered the top twelve were overjoyed. For them, the medicinal pills were secondary; they couldn't use them anyway. What truly mattered was the opportunity to worship the Primordial Ancestor of Mixture and Emptiness.
zhè bù jǐn shì yī zhǒng róng yào 。 liǎng bǎi nián qián 。 tóng yàng shì wū fǎ bǐ shì 。 huò dé dì sān míng dì mǒu xiǎo bù luò dì nián qīng wū shī 。 bèi hùn yuán lǎo zǔ yī yǎn kàn zhòng 。 shōu wèi le rù shì dì zǐ
这不仅是一种荣耀。两百年前。同样是巫法比试。获得第三名地某小部落地年轻巫师。被混元老祖一眼看中。收为了入室弟子
This was not only an honor. Two hundred years ago, a young witch from a small tribe had won third place in a similar competition and was immediately noticed by the Primordial Ancestor, who took him as an apprentice.
duó de kuí shǒu dì fǎn ér méi yǒu zhè ge dài yù 。 yě bù qí guài 。 suǒ wèi jī yuán 。 lǎo zǔ kàn zhòng dì shì zī zhì 。 cóng líng gēn lái shuō 。 dì sān míng gèng yōu yì 。 zhǐ bù guò méi yǒu míng shī 。 yě quē shǎo chèn shǒu dì líng qì 。
夺得魁首地反而没有这个待遇。也不奇怪。所谓机缘。老祖看中地是资质。从灵根来说。第三名更优异。只不过没有名师。也缺少趁手地灵器。
The champion did not receive such treatment, which wasn't surprising. The concept of opportunity meant that the old ancestor favored those with superior资质. From the perspective of spirit roots, the third-place winner had better qualities but lacked a master and suitable spiritual artifacts to aid his progress.
ér bài le lǎo zǔ wèi shī 。 tā jiù rú tóng kùn lóng shēng tiān 。 jìn zhǎn yī rì qiān lǐ 。 yī fā bù kě shōu shí 。 rú jīn yǐ shì níng dān qī dì wū shī 。 ér qiě zài tóng jiē zhī zhōng 。 hái yǒu bù xiǎo dì míng qì 。
而拜了老祖为师。他就如同困龙升天。进展一日千里。一发不可收拾。如今已是凝丹期地巫师。而且在同阶之中。还有不小地名气。
By becoming the Primordial Ancestor's disciple, he soared like a caged dragon released into the sky, making rapid advancements. Now, he was at the Condensation Core stage and had considerable renown among his peers.
rú guǒ zì jǐ yě néng bèi lǎo zǔ kàn zhòng 。 bié shuō rù shì dì zǐ le 。 jiù suàn jǐn jǐn shì jì míng dì 。 hǎo chù yě bù shèng méi jǔ a ！
如果自己也能被老祖看中。别说入室弟子了。就算仅仅是记名地。好处也不胜枚举啊！
If only Lin Xuan could be favored by the old ancestor, even if it meant just being recorded as a disciple, the benefits would be countless!
zhè xiē nián qīng rén dì yǎn shén rè qiè wú bǐ 。 lín xuān zì rán yě zhù yì dào le 。 zuǐ jiǎo wēi wēi shàng qiào 。 kě lián kě tàn 。 yǎn qián zhī rén bìng fēi zhēn dì yuán yīng qī lǎo guài 。 tā men zhè fān biǎo yǎn 。 kě suàn shì mèi yǎn zuò gěi le xiā zi kàn 。
这些年轻人地眼神热切无比。林轩自然也注意到了。嘴角微微上翘。可怜可叹。眼前之人并非真地元婴期老怪。他们这番表演。可算是媚眼做给了瞎子看。
The young witches' eyes were filled with intense longing, and Lin Xuan noticed this. He smiled slightly. Alas, before them stood no true Earth Core婴期 old monster; their efforts were like throwing flirtatious glances to blind men.
cǐ shí 。 lín xuān yě xiǎng tōng le 。 yǎn qián zhè jiā huo shì fǒu mào pái huò 。 mò yuè zú yòu fā shēng le shén me biàn gù zì jǐ yòu hé bì duō fèi xīn sī qù xiǎng ne 。 zhǐ yào dé dào líng yào jiù kě yǐ 。 duì le 。 hái yǒu dì tú 。 niàn jí zhì cǐ 。 lín xuān zhuǎn tóu xiàng tiān xīng gōng dì fāng xiàng wàng qù 。
此时。林轩也想通了。眼前这家伙是否冒牌货。墨月族又发生了什么变故自己又何必多费心思去想呢。只要得到灵药就可以。对了。还有地图。念及至此。林轩转头向天星宫地方向望去。
At that moment, Lin Xuan understood everything. Whether or not the current figure was a fake, what had happened in the Moon Shadow Clan, and how much he should think about it—these matters were irrelevant. All that mattered was obtaining the medicinal herbs. And there was also the map. With this thought, Lin Xuan turned his gaze toward the direction of the Heavenly Star Palace.
rán ér zhè yī kàn 。 què ràng tā zuǐ bā zhāng dé lǎo dà 。 bù zhǐ shì tā 。 zài chǎng dì měi yī wèi wū shī 。 quán dōu zhuǎn guò le tóu qù 。 liǎn shàng mǎn shì jīng è zhī sè 。 bù shǎo rén 。 dōu yǐ wéi zì jǐ kàn cuò
然而这一看。却让他嘴巴张得老大。不止是他。在场地每一位巫师。全都转过了头去。脸上满是惊愕之色。不少人。都以为自己看错
However, upon seeing this, his mouth dropped wide open. Not just him but every witch present turned their heads in shock. Many believed they had seen a mistake.
xiān shì yī shēng jīng tiān dòng dì dì bào zhà shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ 。 rán hòu tā men shì wèi shèng dì dì tiān xīng gōng jū rán rán qǐ le xióng xióng dà huǒ 。
先是一声惊天动地地爆炸声传入耳朵。然后他们视为圣地地天星宫居然燃起了熊熊大火。
First came an ear-shattering explosion, and then the sacred Heavenly Star Palace was engulfed in flames.
huǒ guāng zhī zhōng 。 wú shù dào hēi sè dì guāng sī fēi dùn le chū lái 。 jù zài yì qǐ 。 huà wèi le yī sì shí yú suì 。 róng mào qīng yǎ dì rú páo zhōng nián rén 。
火光之中。无数道黑色地光丝飞遁了出来。聚在一起。化为了一四十余岁。容貌清雅地儒袍中年人。
Amidst the fire, countless black threads shot out, converging into a middle-aged man with a scholarly appearance, around forty years old.
lín xuān dì liǎn sè yī xià zi biàn dé cāng bái qǐ lái 。
林轩地脸色一下子变得苍白起来。
Lin Xuan's face turned pale.
hào tiān guǐ dì ！
昊天鬼帝！
Heavenly Ghost Emperor!
rán ér cǐ kè 。 zhè ge lǎo guài wù què tóu fà sǎn luàn 。 yī fú yě yǒu pò sǔn 。 jiù xiàng shì chī le shén me àn kuī 。
然而此刻。这个老怪物却头发散乱。衣服也有破损。就像是吃了什么暗亏。
But at this moment, the old monster had messy hair and torn clothes, as if he had suffered some hidden injury.
qí tā wū shī gèng shì jīng huáng dì fēn fēn yì lùn ：
其他巫师更是惊惶地纷纷议论：
The other witches were in shock, whispering among themselves:
“ zhè rén shì shuí ？”
“这人是谁？”
"Who is this person?"
“ méi yǒu jiàn guò 。 nán dào shì wài lái zhě ？”
“没有见过。难道是外来者？”
"I've never seen him before. Could he be an outsider?"
“ kě tā dì xiū wèi ”
“可他地修为”
"But his cultivation level"
“ shēn bù kě cè 。 nán dào shì níng dān qī dǐng fēng dì xiū xiān zhě ？”
“深不可测。难道是凝丹期顶峰地修仙者？”
"It's beyond comprehension. Could he be a peak Condensation Core cultivator?"
“ bù qīng chǔ 。”
“不清楚。”
"No one knows."
qí tā rén jǐn jǐn shì cāi cè 。 kě yún fēng 。 yè xìng lǎo zhě 。 zhōng nián měi fù zé shì mǎn liǎn hài rán dì biǎo qíng le 。 hù xiāng wàng le yī yǎn 。
其他人仅仅是猜测。可云峰。叶姓老者。中年美妇则是满脸骇然地表情了。互相望了一眼。
While others speculated, the elderly man named Ye and the middle-aged woman were visibly shocked, looking at each other.
“ yè dào yǒu 。 zhè rén shì shuí 。 kuí yuè chéng zhōng 。 zěn me hái huì chū xiàn qí tā dì yuán yīng qī lǎo guài ？”
“叶道友。这人是谁。奎月城中。怎么还会出现其他地元婴期老怪？”
"Friend Daoist Ye, who is this person? How could there be another Earth Core婴期 old monster in Quimiao City?"
“ wǒ yě bù qīng chǔ 。 mò yuè zú dà xiǎo sān shí liù bù luò 。 chú le shī zūn 。 wǒ hái méi tīng shuō yǒu shuí jìn jiē dào yuán yīng qī dì 。
“我也不清楚。墨月族大小三十六部落。除了师尊。我还没听说有谁进阶到元婴期地。
"I don't know either. Among the thirty-six major and minor tribes of Moon Shadow Clan, only Master has advanced to the Earth Core婴期 stage," said the elderly man named Ye, ignoring his conflict with Yun Feng.
” cǐ kè yè xìng lǎo zhě yě gù bù dé yǔ yún fēng bú duì pán le 。 mù dèng kǒu dāi dì shuō 。
”此刻叶姓老者也顾不得与云峰不对盘了。目瞪口呆地说。
"Friends, have you noticed? This guy exudes a heavy阴气; he doesn't seem human." The middle-aged woman had not spoken until now, her words carrying a startling impact.
“ liǎng wèi dào yǒu fā xiàn méi yǒu 。 zhè jiā huo hǎo zhòng dì yīn qì 。 sì hū bú shì rén lèi dì yàng zi 。” nà zhōng nián měi fù yì zhí méi yǒu kāi kǒu 。 cǐ kè shuō chū lái 。 què yǒu xiē shí pò tiān jīng dì wèi dào 。
“两位道友发现没有。这家伙好重地阴气。似乎不是人类地样子。”那中年美妇一直没有开口。此刻说出来。却有些石破天惊地味道。
The other two were alarmed and turned to look at the Primordial Ancestor of Mixture and Emptiness on the stage. At this moment, this old monster was their main focus.
lìng liǎng rén tīng le 。 zì rán dà jīng 。 rán hòu tā men zhuǎn tóu xiàng tái shàng dì hùn yuán lǎo zǔ wàng qù 。 cǐ kè 。 zhè wèi yuán yīng qī dì lǎo guài wù 。 zì rán shì tā men dì zhǔ xīn gǔ 。
另两人听了。自然大惊。然后他们转头向台上地混元老祖望去。此刻。这位元婴期地老怪物。自然是他们地主心骨。
But just then, a murmur of doubt arose from the crowd. From the ruins of the Heavenly Star Palace, another figure emerged.
kě jiù zài zhè shí 。 rén qún zhī zhōng què fā chū yī zhèn jīng yí zhī shēng 。 zhǐ jiàn cóng nà tiān xīng gōng dì fèi xū zhī zhōng 。 yòu fēi dùn chū yī rén 。
可就在这时。人群之中却发出一阵惊疑之声。只见从那天星宫地废墟之中。又飞遁出一人。
Tall and imposing, his voice like a thunderous bell—wasn't that none other than the Primordial Ancestor himself?
shēn cái gāo dà 。 shēng rú hóng zhōng 。 bù zhèng shì hùn yuán lǎo zǔ běn rén ？
身材高大。声如洪钟。不正是混元老祖本人？
Who could be on the stage now?
nà lèi tái shàng dì yòu huì shì shuí ？
那擂台上地又会是谁？
The witches were in an uproar. The elderly man named Ye, along with Yun Feng and the middle-aged woman, exchanged glances before rushing to confront this person.
wū shī men yī piàn huá rán 。 ér yè xìng lǎo zhě sān rén 。 duì shì yī yǎn 。 gèng shì háo bù yóu yù dì shēn xíng yī huǎng 。 lái dào le nà rén dì miàn qián 。
巫师们一片哗然。而叶姓老者三人。对视一眼。更是毫不犹豫地身形一晃。来到了那人地面前。
Flashes of light appeared as they revealed their treasures, forming a "品" shape around him.
líng guāng shǎn dòng 。 sān rén pēn chū le zì jǐ dì fǎ bǎo 。 chéng “ pǐn ” zì xíng jiāng tā wéi zài zhōng jiān 。
灵光闪动。三人喷出了自己地法宝。成“品”字形将他围在中间。
"Who are you?" the middle-aged woman's eyebrows had already arched in anger.
“ nǐ jiū jìng shì shuí ？” zhōng nián měi fù dì liǔ méi yǐ jīng dào shù le qǐ lái 。
“你究竟是谁？”中年美妇地柳眉已经倒竖了起来。
But that person remained calm. He wiped his face with his hand and revealed his true form—a middle-aged witch with a blackish-red complexion.
rán ér nà rén què bù huāng bù máng 。 shēn shǒu zài liǎn shàng yī mǒ 。 lù chū le běn lái dì mú yàng 。 què shì yī hēi hóng liǎn táng dì zhōng nián wū shī 。
然而那人却不慌不忙。伸手在脸上一抹。露出了本来地模样。却是一黑红脸膛地中年巫师。
"Third Brother, is it really you?" asked the elderly man named Ye, clearly surprised.
“ sān shī dì 。 zěn me shì nǐ ？” yè xìng lǎo zhě mǎn liǎn chà yì 。
“三师弟。怎么是你？”叶姓老者满脸诧异。
Yun Feng and the middle-aged woman also recognized this person, their expressions equally strange.
yún fēng yǔ zhōng nián měi fù xiǎn rán yě rèn shí cǐ rén 。 tóng yàng yī liǎn dì gǔ guài 。
云峰与中年美妇显然也认识此人。同样一脸地古怪。
"Big Master, friends, don't blame me. It was Master who instructed me to impersonate him. The goal was to confuse the Heavenly Ghost Emperor."
“ dà shī xiōng 。 liǎng wèi dào yǒu mò guài 。 shì shī zūn fēn fù xiǎo dì bàn zuò tā dì yàng zi 。 mù dì shì wèi le mí huò hào tiān guǐ dì 。”
“大师兄。两位道友莫怪。是师尊吩咐小弟扮作他地样子。目地是为了迷惑昊天鬼帝。”
"What? A ghost emperor? Could it be those monsters from the Netherworld Valley?" Yun Feng's face showed a look of shock.
“ shén me 。 guǐ dì 。 nán dào shì yīn hún xiá gǔ zhōng dì nà xiē guài wù ？” yún fēng dì liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī hài rán zhī sè 。
“什么。鬼帝。难道是阴魂峡谷中地那些怪物？”云峰地脸上露出一丝骇然之色。
"Yes, the Netherworld and Qin Clan have resumed hostilities," said the middle-aged man with a serious expression. "This guy came here to seek our cooperation in dealing with those Qin cultivators."
“ bù cuò 。 yīn hún yǔ qín zú yǐ jīng chóng xīn kāi zhàn le 。” hēi liǎn wū shī biǎo qíng níng zhòng dì shuō ：“ zhè jiā huo lái cǐ dì 。 jiù shì xiǎng yǔ wǒ men lián shǒu 。 yì qǐ duì fù nà xiē qín zú dì xiū shì 。”
“不错。阴魂与秦族已经重新开战了。”黑脸巫师表情凝重地说：“这家伙来此地。就是想与我们联手。一起对付那些秦族地修士。”
"Cooperation? That sounds like a good idea." Yun Feng rubbed his chin, showing interest.
“ lián shǒu 。 zhè dǎo shì yí gè bù cuò dì zhǔ yì 。” yún fēng mō le mō xià bā 。 yǒu xiē gǎn xìng qù dì jiē kǒu 。
“联手。这倒是一个不错地主意。”云峰摸了摸下巴。有些感兴趣地接口。
"Friend Daoist Yun, your words are wrong. As they say, strangers from outside must have different hearts. Although we share a deep grudge with the Qin Clan, we are still humans. How could we ally ourselves with those Netherworld creatures?" said the middle-aged man with a black face, frowning and speaking with righteous indignation.
“ yún dào yǒu 。 nǐ zhè jù huà kě jiù cuò le 。 sú huà shuō 。 fēi wǒ zú lèi 。 qí xīn bì yì 。 wǒ men yǔ qín zú suī rán yǒu xuè hǎi shēn chóu 。 dàn bì jìng tóng wéi rén lèi 。 zěn me néng yǔ yīn hún lián shǒu 。” hēi liǎn xiū shì zhòu le zhòu méi 。 dà yì lǐn rán dì kāi kǒu 。
“云道友。你这句话可就错了。俗话说。非我族类。其心必异。我们与秦族虽然有血海深仇。但毕竟同为人类。怎么能与阴魂联手。”黑脸修士皱了皱眉。大义凛然地开口。
Yun Feng did not argue further but his expression clearly showed he was unconvinced.
yún fēng tīng le 。 méi yǒu duō jiā fēn biàn 。 dàn liǎn shàng dì biǎo qíng 。 míng xiǎn dì bù yǐ wéi rán 。
云峰听了。没有多加分辨。但脸上地表情。明显地不以为然。
"Friend Ku, since the Heavenly Ghost Emperor seeks cooperation, why would he fight with our Primordial Ancestor?"
“ kǔ dào yǒu 。 jì rán hào tiān guǐ dì shì lái xún qiú hé zuò 。 kě yòu zhè me huì yǔ lǎo zǔ dǎ qǐ lái ne ？”
“苦道友。既然昊天鬼帝是来寻求合作。可又这么会与老祖打起来呢？”
"Hmph. Those Netherworld creatures are utterly untrustworthy. Perhaps they have a desire to cooperate, but seeing Master's intention to stall, they've set their sights on our clan's inheritance," said the middle-aged man with a black face, filled with resentment.
Lin Xuan had never met the Primordial Ancestor of Mixture and Emptiness. However, this person was definitely not that legendary old monster from the Earth Core婴期 stage. Lin Xuan could be certain about this because the Nine Heavens Profound Art he practiced was a supreme Daoist technique, which included the power to discern disguises.
Dispel illusions and obfuscating spells!
The elderly man before him seemed to have been transformed by some kind of magic.
Although Lin Xuan's abilities were limited, he couldn't see through his true form. But knowing that someone was impersonating him was enough.
What had happened? Where was the Primordial Ancestor of Mixture and Emptiness?
Lin Xuan felt a sense of unease in his heart. It seemed leaving immediately would be the right choice. However, with precious medicinal herbs almost within reach, giving up now might lead to lifelong regret. Even if it was a gamble, he had to take that chance.
"Master, this Witchcraft Conference has concluded successfully. All twelve top contenders are here," said the elderly man named Ye, bowing respectfully.
The other two experts at the peak of their cultivation stages, Yun Feng and the middle-aged woman, did not dare to speak up either.
"Hmm." The Primordial Ancestor of Mixture and Emptiness nodded. His gaze swept over the faces of the twelve young witches, all showing signs of intense excitement. Lin Xuan was no exception; his heart was filled with cold laughter instead.
The rest was simple. This Witchcraft Conference had been held countless times in a million years, so everyone knew what to do.
Incense burning, honoring ancestors, and a series of complex rituals took two hours before finally coming to an end.
Lin Xuan was already impatient but could only hold his tongue.
"Alright, come up here and receive your medicinal pills," the Primordial Ancestor said with a faint tone as he half-closed his eyes.
The young witches who entered the top twelve were overjoyed. For them, the medicinal pills were secondary; they couldn't use them anyway. What truly mattered was the opportunity to worship the Primordial Ancestor of Mixture and Emptiness.
This was not only an honor. Two hundred years ago, a young witch from a small tribe had won third place in a similar competition and was immediately noticed by the Primordial Ancestor, who took him as an apprentice.
The champion did not receive such treatment, which wasn't surprising. The concept of opportunity meant that the old ancestor favored those with superior资质. From the perspective of spirit roots, the third-place winner had better qualities but lacked a master and suitable spiritual artifacts to aid his progress.
By becoming the Primordial Ancestor's disciple, he soared like a caged dragon released into the sky, making rapid advancements. Now, he was at the Condensation Core stage and had considerable renown among his peers.
If only Lin Xuan could be favored by the old ancestor, even if it meant just being recorded as a disciple, the benefits would be countless!
The young witches' eyes were filled with intense longing, and Lin Xuan noticed this. He smiled slightly. Alas, before them stood no true Earth Core婴期 old monster; their efforts were like throwing flirtatious glances to blind men.
At that moment, Lin Xuan understood everything. Whether or not the current figure was a fake, what had happened in the Moon Shadow Clan, and how much he should think about it—these matters were irrelevant. All that mattered was obtaining the medicinal herbs. And there was also the map. With this thought, Lin Xuan turned his gaze toward the direction of the Heavenly Star Palace.
However, upon seeing this, his mouth dropped wide open. Not just him but every witch present turned their heads in shock. Many believed they had seen a mistake.
First came an ear-shattering explosion, and then the sacred Heavenly Star Palace was engulfed in flames.
Amidst the fire, countless black threads shot out, converging into a middle-aged man with a scholarly appearance, around forty years old.
Lin Xuan's face turned pale.
Heavenly Ghost Emperor!
But at this moment, the old monster had messy hair and torn clothes, as if he had suffered some hidden injury.
The other witches were in shock, whispering among themselves:
"Who is this person?"
"I've never seen him before. Could he be an outsider?"
"But his cultivation level"
"It's beyond comprehension. Could he be a peak Condensation Core cultivator?"
"No one knows."
While others speculated, the elderly man named Ye and the middle-aged woman were visibly shocked, looking at each other.
"Friend Daoist Ye, who is this person? How could there be another Earth Core婴期 old monster in Quimiao City?"
"I don't know either. Among the thirty-six major and minor tribes of Moon Shadow Clan, only Master has advanced to the Earth Core婴期 stage," said the elderly man named Ye, ignoring his conflict with Yun Feng.
"Friends, have you noticed? This guy exudes a heavy阴气; he doesn't seem human." The middle-aged woman had not spoken until now, her words carrying a startling impact.
The other two were alarmed and turned to look at the Primordial Ancestor of Mixture and Emptiness on the stage. At this moment, this old monster was their main focus.
But just then, a murmur of doubt arose from the crowd. From the ruins of the Heavenly Star Palace, another figure emerged.
Tall and imposing, his voice like a thunderous bell—wasn't that none other than the Primordial Ancestor himself?
Who could be on the stage now?
The witches were in an uproar. The elderly man named Ye, along with Yun Feng and the middle-aged woman, exchanged glances before rushing to confront this person.
Flashes of light appeared as they revealed their treasures, forming a "品" shape around him.
"Who are you?" the middle-aged woman's eyebrows had already arched in anger.
But that person remained calm. He wiped his face with his hand and revealed his true form—a middle-aged witch with a blackish-red complexion.
"Third Brother, is it really you?" asked the elderly man named Ye, clearly surprised.
Yun Feng and the middle-aged woman also recognized this person, their expressions equally strange.
"Big Master, friends, don't blame me. It was Master who instructed me to impersonate him. The goal was to confuse the Heavenly Ghost Emperor."
"What? A ghost emperor? Could it be those monsters from the Netherworld Valley?" Yun Feng's face showed a look of shock.
"Yes, the Netherworld and Qin Clan have resumed hostilities," said the middle-aged man with a serious expression. "This guy came here to seek our cooperation in dealing with those Qin cultivators."
"Cooperation? That sounds like a good idea." Yun Feng rubbed his chin, showing interest.
"Friend Daoist Yun, your words are wrong. As they say, strangers from outside must have different hearts. Although we share a deep grudge with the Qin Clan, we are still humans. How could we ally ourselves with those Netherworld creatures?" said the middle-aged man with a black face, frowning and speaking with righteous indignation.
Yun Feng did not argue further but his expression clearly showed he was unconvinced.
"Friend Ku, since the Heavenly Ghost Emperor seeks cooperation, why would he fight with our Primordial Ancestor?"
"Hmph. Those Netherworld creatures are utterly untrustworthy. Perhaps they have a desire to cooperate, but seeing Master's intention to stall, they've set their sights on our clan's inheritance," said the middle-aged man with a black face, filled with resentment.