“ yuán lái rú cǐ 。＝＝＝”
“原来如此。＝＝＝”
"Thus, it is clear."
lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī chén yín zhī yì 。
林轩脸上露出一丝沉吟之意。
Lin Xuan's face showed a hint of contemplation.
biǎo miàn shàng ， tā de biǎo xiàn hái suàn píng jìng wěn tuǒ ， rán ér nèi xīn shēn chù ， què yǐ xiān qǐ le tāo tiān de fēng bō 。
表面上，他的表现还算平静稳妥，然而内心深处，却已掀起了滔天的风波。
On the surface, his demeanor remained calm and steady. However, deep within, he was already stirred up by a massive storm.
shàng gǔ yǐn mì ， yuǎn bǐ zì jǐ xiǎng xiàng de hái yào fù zá xǔ duō ， qín yán ， ā xiū luó xiān hòu yǔ huà yǔ zhēn rén yǒu le qiān chě 。
上古隐秘，远比自己想象的还要复杂许多，秦妍，阿修罗先后与化羽真人有了牵扯。
The ancient secrets were far more complex than he had imagined. Qin Yan and Arura had both become entangled with Cultivation Immortal Feathers.
nà zì jǐ zài zhè zhōng jiān yòu huì bàn yǎn zěn yàng de jué sè 。
那自己在这中间又会扮演怎样的角色。
What role would he play in all of this?
zhè yī qiè yǔ xiàn zài ， jiū jìng yòu huì yǒu shén me qiān sī wàn lǚ de guān lián ne ？
这一切与现在，究竟又会有什么千丝万缕的关联呢？
How exactly did these events intertwine with his current situation?
ráo shì zhè qiān nián lái lín xuān lì jīng liǎo wú shù de fēng bō ， xiǎng yào zài duǎn shí jiān nèi xiāo huà zhè xiē xìn xī hái shì kùn nán dào jí chù 。
饶是这千年来林轩历经了无数的风波，想要在短时间内消化这些信息还是困难到极处。
Despite enduring countless storms over the past millennium, Lin Xuan found it incredibly difficult to digest such information within a short time.
dàn biǎo miàn shàng ， tā dāng rán bù hǎo yǒu tài duō de liú lù 。
但表面上，他当然不好有太多的流露。
But outwardly, he couldn't afford to show too much.
tā kě bù xiǎng ràng yǔ tóng xiān zi děng rén fā xiàn zì jǐ de bù tuǒ 。
他可不想让雨桐仙子等人发现自己的不妥。
He didn’t want Rain Orchid Fairy and others to notice any inconsistencies in him.
“ jiē xià lái ， yòu rú hé ， yún zhōng xiān zi shì dān lì báo ， gù rán bù néng jiù huà yǔ zhēn rén yú shuǐ huǒ ， dàn tā jì rán qiān chě jìn le zhè ge xuán wō ， fēi tiān mó zǔ zǒng bù kě néng zhì zhī bù gù ， bì jìng xuè nóng yú shuǐ ， qín yán kě shì tā wéi yī de mèi mèi 。”
“接下来，又如何，云中仙子势单力薄，固然不能救化羽真人于水火，但她既然牵扯进了这个漩涡，飞天魔祖总不可能置之不顾，毕竟血浓于水，秦妍可是她唯一的妹妹。”
"Next, what will happen? Cloud Fairy is alone and weak; she can't save Cultivation Immortal Feathers from danger. But since she has been drawn into this vortex, the Skyward Demon Ancestor couldn't possibly ignore her. After all, blood is thicker than water, and Qin Yan is her only sister."
“ nǐ zhè huà méi cuò ， shàng cì yù wài tiān mó rù qīn sān jiè suī rán yǐ shī bài zuò wéi jié guǒ ， dàn ruò jǐn jǐn duì fù líng jiè yí gè ， jú miàn yòu zì bù tóng le ， yù wài tiān mó ， dōu shì jié ào bù xùn de rén wù ， suī rán céng wèi zhēn xiān qū cè ， dàn nà shì yīn wèi lì yì xiāng hé ， rú jīn jì rán yǒu le máo dùn chōng tū ， fān liǎn wú qíng yě shì sī háo yì wài yě wú 。”
“你这话没错，上次域外天魔入侵三界虽然以失败作为结果，但若仅仅对付灵界一个，局面又自不同了，域外天魔，都是桀骜不驯的人物，虽然曾为真仙驱策，但那是因为利益相合，如今既然有了矛盾冲突，翻脸无情也是丝毫意外也无。”
"Your words are correct. Although the域外天魔invasion of the Three Realms ended in failure last time, if they were to target just the Spirit Realm, the situation would be different. The域外天魔are stubborn individuals. Even though they once served true immortals for their own benefit, now that conflicts have arisen, there's no surprise in them turning against each other."
“ rú guǒ tā men wèi huà yǔ zhēn rén tí gōng tǎn hù ， líng jiè yǔ zhēn xiān kǒng pà hái zhēn de shì wú kě nài hé ， kě xī zhè jǐn jǐn shì rú guǒ ……” yǔ tóng xiān zi de liǎn shàng mǎn shì tàn xī zhī sè 。
“如果他们为化羽真人提供袒护，灵界与真仙恐怕还真的是无可奈何，可惜这仅仅是如果……”雨桐仙子的脸上满是叹息之色。
"If Cultivation Immortal Feathers received protection from the Skyward Demon Ancestor, the Spirit Realm and true immortals might indeed be helpless. Unfortunately, this is merely a hypothetical scenario..." Rain Orchid Fairy's face was filled with sighs.
“ zěn me ， zhè zhōng jiān yòu fā shēng le shén me yì wài me ？”
“怎么，这中间又发生了什么意外么？”
"How so? What happened next?"
“ bù cuò ， fēi tiān mó zǔ shī zōng le ， yù wài tiān mó qún lóng wú shǒu ， zì rán gù bù shàng yún zhōng xiān zi zài líng jiè bèi bié rén qī fù 。”
“不错，飞天魔祖失踪了，域外天魔群龙无首，自然顾不上云中仙子在灵界被别人欺负。”
"The Skyward Demon Ancestor has gone missing. With no leader among the域外天魔, they naturally won't care about Cloud Fairy being bullied in the Spirit Realm."
“ shī zōng ， zhè zěn me kě néng ？” jù jīng wáng yì shì tīng dé rù shén ：“ nán dào shì zāo le àn suàn ？”
“失踪，这怎么可能？”巨鲸王亦是听得入神：“难道是遭了暗算？”
"Missing? How can that be?" The Whale King was also engrossed: "Could it be a covert attack?"
“ àn suàn fēi tiān mó zǔ ？” yǔ tóng xiān zi de liǎn shàng lù chū bù yǐ wéi rán de shén sè ：“ zhè jiā huo kě shì dān tiāo ā xiū luó ， yě néng gòu quán shēn ér tuì de ， shí lì yuǎn shèng xún cháng zhēn xiān xǔ duō ， yòu jū zhù zài tiān wài mó yù de shēn chù 。 jìn zhì chóng chóng ， gāo shǒu wú shù ， jiù suàn shì tián xiāng nà jiā huo ， xiǎng yào àn suàn tā yě shì qiān nán wàn nán de 。”
“暗算飞天魔祖？”雨桐仙子的脸上露出不以为然的神色：“这家伙可是单挑阿修罗，也能够全身而退的，实力远胜寻常真仙许多，又居住在天外魔域的深处。禁制重重，高手无数，就算是田襄那家伙，想要暗算他也是千难万难的。”
"A covert attack on the Skyward Demon Ancestor?" Rain Orchid Fairy's face showed an expression of disdain. "This guy could single-handedly defeat Arura and escape unscathed. His strength far exceeds ordinary true immortals, and he resides deep in the Outer Demonic Realm where countless experts guard numerous restrictions. Even Tian Xiang would find it extremely difficult to carry out such a covert attack."
“ nà fēi tiān mó zǔ dào nǎ ér qù le ？”
“那飞天魔祖到哪儿去了？”
"Where did the Skyward Demon Ancestor go?"
“ nǐ wèn wǒ ， wǒ yòu nǎ lǐ xiǎo de 。” yǔ tóng xiān zi de liǎn shàng ， lù chū yī sī wú nài zhī sè 。
“你问我，我又哪里晓得。”雨桐仙子的脸上，露出一丝无奈之色。
"I don't know," Rain Orchid Fairy said helplessly.
lín xuān zé xiàn rù le chén mò ， zhè ge wèn tí ， tā dǎo shì kě yǐ jiě dá ， zhēn líng mái gǔ zhī suǒ ， fēi tiān mó zǔ bù zhī wèi hé 。 yǔ shù yǐ bǎi jì de zhēn líng fā shēng chōng tū ， zuì hòu tóng guī yú le cǐ chù 。
林轩则陷入了沉默，这个问题，他倒是可以解答，真灵埋骨之所，飞天魔祖不知为何。与数以百计的真灵发生冲突，最后同归于了此处。
Lin Xuan fell silent. He could answer this question, for he knew that the Skyward Demon Ancestor had unknowingly clashed with hundreds of true spirits and ended up here. However, revealing such a shocking truth would be unwise, so he kept his silence.
zhǐ shì zhè jiàn shì qíng shuō chū lái tài guò jīng shì hài sú ， suǒ yǐ lín xuān cōng míng de bǎo chí le chén mò 。
只是这件事情说出来太过惊世骇俗，所以林轩聪明的保持了沉默。
Rain Orchid Fairy continued:
yǔ tóng xiān zi de shēng yīn ， zé zài cì chuán rù le ěr duǒ ：
雨桐仙子的声音，则再次传入了耳朵：
"In summary, due to the mysterious disappearance of the Skyward Demon Ancestor, Cloud Fairy is alone and weak, forced to hide from Cultivation Immortal Feathers in the Spirit Realm."
“ zǒng ér yán zhī ， yīn wèi fēi tiān mó zǔ mò míng qí miào de zōng jì quán wú ， cóng ér dǎo zhì yún zhōng xiān zi rén dān shì gū ， zhǐ néng yǔ huà yǔ zhēn rén dōng duǒ xī cáng ， zài líng jiè liú làng 。”
“总而言之，因为飞天魔祖莫名其妙的踪迹全无，从而导致云中仙子人单势孤，只能与化羽真人东躲西藏，在灵界流浪。”
"Hardship reveals true feelings. In this case, Cloud Fairy was innocent and suffered because of me. Together, they escaped many dangers, protecting each other, spending time together, and their bond grew stronger than ever before. Although Arura is Cultivation Immortal Feathers' favorite, his deep affection for Qin Yan made it impossible to continue running away."
“ sú huà shuō ， huàn nàn jiàn zhēn qíng 。 zhè jiàn shì qíng ， shuō qǐ lái ， yún zhōng xiān zi běn shì wú gū ， nǎi shì shòu zì jǐ lián lěi 。 liǎng rén yī lù táo wáng ， xiāng hù hù chí ， ěr bìn sī mó ， qíng yì zì rán yuǎn shèng wǎng xī xǔ duō 。 huà yǔ zuì ài de gù rán hái shì ā xiū luó ， dàn miàn duì qín yán de yī wǎng qíng shēn yě jiù bù kě néng zài yī wèi de táo bì le 。”
“俗话说，患难见真情。这件事情，说起来，云中仙子本是无辜，乃是受自己连累。两人一路逃亡，相互护持，耳鬓厮磨，情意自然远胜往昔许多。化羽最爱的固然还是阿修罗，但面对秦妍的一往情深也就不可能再一味的逃避了。”
"Even a secular emperor can have countless concubines. As the strongest true immortal, why couldn't Cultivation Immortal Feathers have two or more beloved companions?"
“ shì sú de huáng dì shàng kě yǐ yǒu fēi pín wú shù ， huà yǔ zhēn rén zuò wèi zhēn xiān zhī zhōng de dì yī qiáng zhě 。 nán dào jiù bù kě yǐ yǒu liǎng wèi hóng yán zhī jǐ me ？”
“世俗的皇帝尚可以有妃嫔无数，化羽真人做为真仙之中的第一强者。难道就不可以有两位红颜知己么？”
"Yes, of course," said True Immortal Nai Long with great excitement.
“ kě yǐ ， dāng rán kě yǐ 。” nài lóng zhēn rén de shēng yīn nà shì jī dòng yǐ jí 。
“可以，当然可以。”鼐龙真人的声音那是激动以极。
"Hmph, you're not involved in this discussion; what does your commentary mean?" Rain Orchid Fairy frowned and rebuked Nai Long harshly.
“ hēng ， shuō de yòu bú shì nǐ ， nǐ zài yī páng qǐ hòng yǒu shén me yì yì ？” yǔ tóng xiān zi de dài méi zhòu zài yì qǐ ， duì nài lóng zhēn rén de xùn chì nà shì háo bù liú qíng dì 。
“哼，说的又不是你，你在一旁起哄有什么意义？”雨桐仙子的黛眉皱在一起，对鼐龙真人的训斥那是毫不留情地。
"How did it end? Did Cultivation Immortal Feathers and Qin Yan become a couple?" Lin Xuan said with a hint of envy.
“ hòu lái rú hé ， huà yǔ zhēn rén hé qín yán hǎo le ？” lín xuān yǒu diǎn chī wèi de shuō 。
“后来如何，化羽真人和秦妍好了？”林轩有点吃味的说。
"Unfortunately, no," Rain Orchid Fairy's response was shocking.
“ méi yǒu 。” yǔ tóng xiān zi de huí dá què ràng rén cuò è 。
“没有。”雨桐仙子的回答却让人错愕。
"What do you mean?"
“ shén me ？”
“什么？”
"Your fellow daoists are surprised, right?" Rain Orchid Fairy’s expression was both playful and regretful. "To be honest, Cultivation Immortal Feathers is an admirable figure, though one might say he is somewhat old-fashioned."
“ gè wèi dào yǒu hěn yì wài ba 。” yǔ tóng xiān zi de biǎo qíng yě shì pǒ wèi wán wèi de ， shì zàn tàn ， shì wǎn xī ， zǒng zhī cóng tā de biǎo qíng fēn bù qīng chǔ tā nèi xīn de qíng xù ：“ shuō qǐ lái ， zhè wèi huà yǔ zhēn rén shì yī zhí de zūn jìng de rén wù ， dāng rán ， yě kě yǐ shuō ， tā yǒu yī xiē yū fǔ 。”
“各位道友很意外吧。”雨桐仙子的表情也是颇为玩味的，似赞叹，似惋惜，总之从她的表情分布清楚她内心的情绪：“说起来，这位化羽真人是一值得尊敬的人物，当然，也可以说，他有一些迂腐。”
"Old-fashioned?"
“ yū fǔ ？”
“迂腐？”
"Yes, he has begun to accept Qin Yan from his heart but fears disappointing Arura. Thus, while they spend time together, their relationship remains strictly within the bounds of propriety and respect, with no transgressions. He claims it's for Arura’s approval."
“ bù cuò ， tā cóng xīn zhōng ， yǐ kāi shǐ jiē nà qín yán le ， kě yòu pà duì bù qǐ ā xiū luó ， suǒ yǐ yǔ qín yán suī ěr bìn sī mó ， dàn yī jiù shì fā hū yú qíng ， zhǐ hū yú lǐ ， méi yǒu rèn hé yú yuè zhī chù ， shuō shì yào de dào ā xiū luó wáng de tóng yì yǔ rèn kě 。”
“不错，他从心中，已开始接纳秦妍了，可又怕对不起阿修罗，所以与秦妍虽耳鬓厮磨，但依旧是发乎于情，止乎于礼，没有任何逾越之处，说是要得到阿修罗王的同意与认可。”
Lin Xuan was speechless. This Cultivation Immortal Feathers truly... seemed a bit too bookish.
lín xuān tīng dé dōu yǒu xiē wú yǔ le ， zhè huà yǔ zhēn rén hái zhēn shì …… yǒu xiē shū dāi zi qì 。
林轩听得都有些无语了，这化羽真人还真是……有些书呆子气。
Arura’s approval? In this moment?
ā xiū luó wáng de rèn kě ， yě bù kàn kàn zhè shì shén me shí kè ？
阿修罗王的认可，也不看看这是什么时刻？
Indeed, Nai Long’s plan nearly succeeded, but he missed his target.
ér hòu hái zhēn bèi tā bù xìng gěi yán zhōng le 。
而后还真被他不幸给言中了。
Without the support of other forces, their escape became increasingly difficult.
dé bú dào qí yú shì lì de bāng zhù ， liǎng gè rén de táo wáng shì fēi cháng jiān xīn de 。
得不到其余势力的帮助，两个人的逃亡是非常艰辛的。
Cultivation Immortal Feathers' injuries worsened as they repeatedly narrowly escaped danger. Over time, the situation grew more unfavorable for them.
huà yǔ zhēn rén shāng shì wèi fù ， ér qiě hái yuè lái yuè yán zhòng le ， liǎng rén yě céng shù cì huà xiǎn wéi yí ， kě suí zhe shí jiān de tuī yí ， jú miàn duì tā men yuè fā de bù lì 。
化羽真人伤势未复，而且还越来越严重了，两人也曾数次化险为夷，可随着时间的推移，局面对他们越发的不利。
One day, they were lured into a trap in Drifting Cloud Valley, where true immortals and Spirit Realm experts had set an ambush. With overwhelming numbers and additional restrictions, Cloud Fairy and Cultivation Immortal Feathers found themselves trapped with no escape.
zhōng yú yǒu yī tiān ， tā men bèi yǐn dào le yī chù xiàn jǐng lǐ miàn ， fěi yún gǔ ， nà lǐ yǒu zhēn xiān yǔ líng jiè dà néng shì xiān shè xià de mái fú ， dí zhòng wǒ guǎ ， hái yǒu jìn zhì de bāng zhù ， zhè yī cì ， yún zhōng xiān zi yǔ huà yǔ zhēn rén shì chā chì nán táo le 。
终于有一天，他们被引到了一处陷阱里面，翡云谷，那里有真仙与灵界大能事先设下的埋伏，敌众我寡，还有禁制的帮助，这一次，云中仙子与化羽真人是插翅难逃了。
The situation was dire. However, Cultivation Immortal Feathers refused to sit idly by. He fought desperately alongside Cloud Fairy, trying to break through the encirclement.
jú miàn bù lì yǐ jí ， dàn huà yǔ zhēn rén zì rán yě bù kěn zuò yǐ dài bì ， yǔ yún zhōng xiān zi pīn sǐ tū jī ， xiǎng yào shā chū chóng wéi qù 。
局面不利以极，但化羽真人自然也不肯坐以待毙，与云中仙子拼死突击，想要杀出重围去。
Unfortunately, it was too late; they didn't know that Tian Xiang had secretly orchestrated this from behind the scenes.
kě xī huí tiān fá shù ， tā men gēn běn jiù bù zhī dào ， zhè yī qiè dōu shì tián xiāng àn zhōng zhǔ dǎo 。
可惜回天乏术，他们根本就不知道，这一切都是田襄暗中主导。
Tian Xiang also descended into the Spirit Realm, but the news remained highly confidential, known only to a few.
méi cuò ， tián xiāng yě jiàng lín dào le líng jiè ， rán ér xiāo xī què shì jué mì ， zhī dào de rén fèng máo lín jiǎo 。
没错，田襄也降临到了灵界，然而消息却是绝密，知道的人凤毛麟角。
This secrecy was for his covert plan: to ambush them in the shadows.
wèi de jiù shì zhè yī cì de yīn móu guǐ jì ， duǒ zài àn chù tōu xí 。
为的就是这一次的阴谋诡计，躲在暗处偷袭。
As the saying goes, even a dying worm can still struggle. Despite being severely injured, it wasn't easy to defeat Cultivation Immortal Feathers. Once he recovered, he would face immense danger. Therefore, they couldn’t relax; they must seize this opportunity and eliminate Cultivation Immortal Feathers.
sú huà shuō ， bǎi zú zhī chóng sǐ ér bù jiāng ， huà yǔ zhēn rén suī shēn shòu zhòng shāng ， dàn xiǎng yào ná xià tā yě bìng bù róng yì ， ér děng tā huǎn guò qì ， děng dài zì jǐ de jiāng shì jué dà wēi jī ， suǒ yǐ bù kě yǐ fàng sōng jǐng tì ， bì xū zhuā zhù liáng jī ， zhì huà yǔ zhēn rén yú sǐ dì 。
俗话说，百足之虫死而不僵，化羽真人虽身受重伤，但想要拿下他也并不容易，而等他缓过气，等待自己的将是绝大危机，所以不可以放松警惕，必须抓住良机，置化羽真人于死地。
Compared to Cultivation Immortal Feathers, Tian Xiang was more cunning. His plan almost succeeded but fell short...
yǔ huà yǔ zhēn rén xiāng bǐ ， tián xiāng gèng jiā de gōng yú xīn jì ， tā de jì huà jī hū yào chéng gōng le ， rán ér què shī zhī jiāo bì ……
与化羽真人相比，田襄更加的工于心计，他的计划几乎要成功了，然而却失之交臂……
"Fallen from his grasp?" Lin Xuan was surprised: "How could that happen? Could it be Arura came?"
“ shī zhī jiāo bì ？” lín xuān tīng dào zhè lǐ ， dà gǎn cuò è ：“ zěn me huì zhè yàng ne ， nán dào shì ā xiū luó wáng lái le ？”
“失之交臂？”林轩听到这里，大感错愕：“怎么会这样呢，难道是阿修罗王来了？”
"Hmph, if Arura had arrived at this moment, he wouldn't have allowed Cultivation Immortal Feathers to face such a fatal attack. Cloud Fairy stepped in and blocked the critical move."
“ hēng ， rú guǒ ā xiū luó wáng néng gòu zài zhè shí gǎn dào ， yòu qǐ huì hòu miàn de yí mù ， méi yǒu rén duì tā men chū shǒu xiàng zhù ， yǎn kàn huà yǔ zhēn rén jiù yào āi shàng yī jì wàn juàn tiān shū ， yún zhōng xiān zi què shě shēn xiāng zhù ， wèi tā dǎng zhù le zhè bì shā de zhāo shù 。”
“哼，如果阿修罗王能够在这时感到，又岂会后面的一幕，没有人对他们出手相助，眼看化羽真人就要挨上一记万卷天书，云中仙子却舍身相助，为他挡住了这必杀的招数。”
"What? Qin Yan blocked it?" Lin Xuan's eyes widened.
“ shén me ， qín yán dǎng zhù le ？” lín xuān dèng dà le yǎn zhū 。
“什么，秦妍挡住了？”林轩瞪大了眼珠。
"No, she merely pushed Cultivation Immortal Feathers away. She herself... passed away."
“ dāng rán bú shì ， zhǐ shì tuī kāi huà yǔ zhēn rén ér yǐ ， tā zì jǐ ， zé xiāng xiāo yù sǔn le qù 。”
“当然不是，只是推开化羽真人而已，她自己，则香消玉损了去。”
Despite knowing the outcome, Lin Xuan was still shocked. He never expected Qin Yan’s past to be so convoluted. Since she had died, the Cloud Fairy he met in the mortal realm must have been her reincarnation.
jǐn guǎn cāi dào le jié jú ， lín xuān liǎn shàng yī jiù chōng mǎn le zhèn jīng zhī yì 。 méi xiǎng dào qín yán de qián shì zhè me lí qí qū zhé ， tā jì rán yǔn luò ， nà zì jǐ zài rén jiè suǒ yù jiàn de yún zhōng xiān zi zì rán shì qí tóu tāi zhuǎn shì 。
尽管猜到了结局，林轩脸上依旧充满了震惊之意。没想到秦妍的前世这么离奇曲折，她既然陨落，那自己在人界所遇见的云中仙子自然是其投胎转世。
Lin Xuan couldn't help but think about the transmission scroll from Stream Leaping Ravine. What did it signify?
lín xuān bù yóu de yòu xiǎng dào le xī yuè jiàn de chuán yīn fú ， nà zhōng jiān de yù yì jiū jìng shì shén me ？
林轩不由得又想到了溪跃涧的传音符，那中间的寓意究竟是什么？
If Qin Yan admired the former top immortal, why would she still have such a complicated connection with him in this life? (To be continued...)
"Thus, it is clear."
Lin Xuan's face showed a hint of contemplation.
On the surface, his demeanor remained calm and steady. However, deep within, he was already stirred up by a massive storm.
The ancient secrets were far more complex than he had imagined. Qin Yan and Arura had both become entangled with Cultivation Immortal Feathers.
What role would he play in all of this?
How exactly did these events intertwine with his current situation?
Despite enduring countless storms over the past millennium, Lin Xuan found it incredibly difficult to digest such information within a short time.
But outwardly, he couldn't afford to show too much.
He didn’t want Rain Orchid Fairy and others to notice any inconsistencies in him.
"Next, what will happen? Cloud Fairy is alone and weak; she can't save Cultivation Immortal Feathers from danger. But since she has been drawn into this vortex, the Skyward Demon Ancestor couldn't possibly ignore her. After all, blood is thicker than water, and Qin Yan is her only sister."
"Your words are correct. Although the域外天魔invasion of the Three Realms ended in failure last time, if they were to target just the Spirit Realm, the situation would be different. The域外天魔are stubborn individuals. Even though they once served true immortals for their own benefit, now that conflicts have arisen, there's no surprise in them turning against each other."
"If Cultivation Immortal Feathers received protection from the Skyward Demon Ancestor, the Spirit Realm and true immortals might indeed be helpless. Unfortunately, this is merely a hypothetical scenario..." Rain Orchid Fairy's face was filled with sighs.
"How so? What happened next?"
"The Skyward Demon Ancestor has gone missing. With no leader among the域外天魔, they naturally won't care about Cloud Fairy being bullied in the Spirit Realm."
"Missing? How can that be?" The Whale King was also engrossed: "Could it be a covert attack?"
"A covert attack on the Skyward Demon Ancestor?" Rain Orchid Fairy's face showed an expression of disdain. "This guy could single-handedly defeat Arura and escape unscathed. His strength far exceeds ordinary true immortals, and he resides deep in the Outer Demonic Realm where countless experts guard numerous restrictions. Even Tian Xiang would find it extremely difficult to carry out such a covert attack."
"Where did the Skyward Demon Ancestor go?"
"I don't know," Rain Orchid Fairy said helplessly.
Lin Xuan fell silent. He could answer this question, for he knew that the Skyward Demon Ancestor had unknowingly clashed with hundreds of true spirits and ended up here. However, revealing such a shocking truth would be unwise, so he kept his silence.
Rain Orchid Fairy continued:
"In summary, due to the mysterious disappearance of the Skyward Demon Ancestor, Cloud Fairy is alone and weak, forced to hide from Cultivation Immortal Feathers in the Spirit Realm."
"Hardship reveals true feelings. In this case, Cloud Fairy was innocent and suffered because of me. Together, they escaped many dangers, protecting each other, spending time together, and their bond grew stronger than ever before. Although Arura is Cultivation Immortal Feathers' favorite, his deep affection for Qin Yan made it impossible to continue running away."
"Even a secular emperor can have countless concubines. As the strongest true immortal, why couldn't Cultivation Immortal Feathers have two or more beloved companions?"
"Yes, of course," said True Immortal Nai Long with great excitement.
"Hmph, you're not involved in this discussion; what does your commentary mean?" Rain Orchid Fairy frowned and rebuked Nai Long harshly.
"How did it end? Did Cultivation Immortal Feathers and Qin Yan become a couple?" Lin Xuan said with a hint of envy.
"Unfortunately, no," Rain Orchid Fairy's response was shocking.
"What do you mean?"
"Your fellow daoists are surprised, right?" Rain Orchid Fairy’s expression was both playful and regretful. "To be honest, Cultivation Immortal Feathers is an admirable figure, though one might say he is somewhat old-fashioned."
"Old-fashioned?"
"Yes, he has begun to accept Qin Yan from his heart but fears disappointing Arura. Thus, while they spend time together, their relationship remains strictly within the bounds of propriety and respect, with no transgressions. He claims it's for Arura’s approval."
Lin Xuan was speechless. This Cultivation Immortal Feathers truly... seemed a bit too bookish.
Arura’s approval? In this moment?
Indeed, Nai Long’s plan nearly succeeded, but he missed his target.
Without the support of other forces, their escape became increasingly difficult.
Cultivation Immortal Feathers' injuries worsened as they repeatedly narrowly escaped danger. Over time, the situation grew more unfavorable for them.
One day, they were lured into a trap in Drifting Cloud Valley, where true immortals and Spirit Realm experts had set an ambush. With overwhelming numbers and additional restrictions, Cloud Fairy and Cultivation Immortal Feathers found themselves trapped with no escape.
The situation was dire. However, Cultivation Immortal Feathers refused to sit idly by. He fought desperately alongside Cloud Fairy, trying to break through the encirclement.
Unfortunately, it was too late; they didn't know that Tian Xiang had secretly orchestrated this from behind the scenes.
Tian Xiang also descended into the Spirit Realm, but the news remained highly confidential, known only to a few.
This secrecy was for his covert plan: to ambush them in the shadows.
As the saying goes, even a dying worm can still struggle. Despite being severely injured, it wasn't easy to defeat Cultivation Immortal Feathers. Once he recovered, he would face immense danger. Therefore, they couldn’t relax; they must seize this opportunity and eliminate Cultivation Immortal Feathers.
Compared to Cultivation Immortal Feathers, Tian Xiang was more cunning. His plan almost succeeded but fell short...
"Fallen from his grasp?" Lin Xuan was surprised: "How could that happen? Could it be Arura came?"
"Hmph, if Arura had arrived at this moment, he wouldn't have allowed Cultivation Immortal Feathers to face such a fatal attack. Cloud Fairy stepped in and blocked the critical move."
"What? Qin Yan blocked it?" Lin Xuan's eyes widened.
"No, she merely pushed Cultivation Immortal Feathers away. She herself... passed away."
Despite knowing the outcome, Lin Xuan was still shocked. He never expected Qin Yan’s past to be so convoluted. Since she had died, the Cloud Fairy he met in the mortal realm must have been her reincarnation.
Lin Xuan couldn't help but think about the transmission scroll from Stream Leaping Ravine. What did it signify?
If Qin Yan admired the former top immortal, why would she still have such a complicated connection with him in this life? (To be continued...)