zhè huà bù wú dào lǐ ， bì jìng luàn rēng de cáng bǎo tú ， zěn me dōu ràng rén jué de kě yí 。
这话不无道理，毕竟乱扔的藏宝图，怎么都让人觉得可疑。
This was a fair point. After all, discarded treasure maps could easily raise suspicion.
rán ér lín xuān de liǎn shàng què lù chū bù yǐ wéi rán zhī yì ：“ jiù suàn yí huò yòu rú hé ， rén dōu yǒu hào qí xīn de ， hé kuàng zhòng shǎng zhī xià bì yǒu yǒng fū ， miàn duì jiǔ tiān xī rǎng de yòu huò ， jiù suàn zhī dào zhè cáng bǎo tú kě yí ， dàn dà jiā què máng wú tóu xù ， nǐ shuō tā men huì bú huì mào xiǎn yī qù ？”
然而林轩的脸上却露出不以为然之意：“就算疑惑又如何，人都有好奇心的，何况重赏之下必有勇夫，面对九天息壤的诱惑，就算知道这藏宝图可疑，但大家却茫无头绪，你说他们会不会冒险一去？”
However, Lin Xuan's face showed a dismissive attitude: "Even if they are suspicious, what of it? Humans have curiosity, and with such generous rewards, people will take risks even if they know the map is questionable. They would still venture out in the dark."
xiǎo dié chēng mù jié shé ， mén xīn zì wèn de xiǎng xiǎng ， jiǎ rú shì zì jǐ yù jiàn zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng yě huì rěn bú zhù yòu huò 。
小蝶瞠目结舌，扪心自问的想想，假如是自己遇见这种情况也会忍不住诱惑。
Little Butterfly was speechless, pondering this situation herself. If she were in their shoes, she too would be tempted.
lín xuān suǒ shī zhǎn de ， gēn běn bú shì shén me yīn móu guǐ jì ， ér shì táng táng zhèng zhèng de yáng móu ， yīn shì dǎo lì ， nà xiē lái zì sān qiān shì jiè de qiáng zhě ， jiù suàn míng zhī dào qián fāng yǒu zhe xuán yá yǔ tǎn tè ， yě fēi yìng zhe tóu pí wǎng xià tiào bù kě 。
林轩所施展的，根本不是什么阴谋诡计，而是堂堂正正的阳谋，因势导利，那些来自三千世界的强者，就算明知道前方有着悬崖与忐忑，也非硬着头皮往下跳不可。
What Lin Xuan had done wasn't a cunning plot but a straightforward strategy, leveraging circumstances to his advantage. Even if these strong figures from the Three Thousand Worlds knew there were pitfalls ahead, they would still plunge forward.
zhè yī zhāo tài hěn le 。
这一招太狠了。
This was a bold move indeed.
jiǔ tiān xuán nǚ zài yī páng tīng dé qīng chǔ ， měi mù zhōng yǒu yì cǎi shǎn guò 。
九天玄女在一旁听得清楚，美目中有异彩闪过。
Nine Heavens Goddess heard this clearly and her eyes sparkled with interest. The former Feathered Feather Immortal was generous and honest, but lacked some cunning. Otherwise, he wouldn't be in his current predicament. At that time, Tianxiang wasn't as straightforward as Feathered Feather, yet he was crafty like a fox, which allowed him to rise to become the Daoist Ancestor.
dāng nián de huà yǔ zhēn rén ， háo shuǎng dà qì ， dài rén chéng kěn yǐ jí 。
当年的化羽真人，豪爽大气，待人诚恳以极。
In truth, even if it weren't for the Asura, Feathered Feather would have eventually fallen victim to Tianxiang's machinations due to their differing opinions. Destiny is determined by one's character. Feathered Feather's straightforward nature had destined his tragic end. In this life, he was reborn with a completely different personality—either coincidentally or for other reasons.
shì zuì hǎo de péng yǒu 。
是最好的朋友。
Perceiving the subtle signs, this strategy was ingeniously executed. Even the former Feathered Feather would have struggled to come up with such a plan if he thought about it.
rán ér xìng gé suī rán shuǎng lì ， què shǎo le jǐ fēn xīn jī 。
然而性格虽然爽利，却少了几分心机。
Or perhaps... he wouldn't even consider it because he found it beneath him.
fǒu zé ， yě bú huì luò dào xiàn zài zhè bān jìng dì 。
否则，也不会落到现在这般境地。
Sending others to scout ahead was an unavoidable choice but not entirely honorable.
tián xiāng nà shí hòu bù jí huà yǔ ， kě què jiǎo kuài rú hú ， gù ér yǒu jī huì wèn dǐng chéng wéi dào zǔ 。
田襄那时候不及化羽，可却狡狯如狐，故而有机会问鼎成为道祖。
"My lord, your method is good, but what if someone like Master Nael Dragon or Fairy Yutong finds the treasure map?"
píng xīn lái shuō ， biàn bú shì yīn wèi ā xiū luó ， huà yǔ yǔ qí tā zhēn xiān yì jiàn xiāng zuǒ ， chí zǎo yǒu yī tiān yě huì bèi tián xiāng suǒ hài de 。
平心来说，便不是因为阿修罗，化羽与其他真仙意见相左，迟早有一天也会被田襄所害的。
Moon's voice came through with a hint of concern.
mìng yùn jué dìng yú xìng gé 。
命运决定于性格。
"Don't worry. We've already set up our communication methods. The secret techniques I applied to this map will ensure that if my brother retrieves it, he'll understand its true nature and won't fall for any tricks," Lin Xuan said with a smile.
huà yǔ zhēn rén háo shuǎng lǎo shí ， zǎo jiù zhù dìng le tā de bēi jù 。
化羽真人豪爽老实，早就注定了他的悲剧。
He needed scouts but wouldn't betray his allies.
ér zhè yī shì ， tā tóu tāi zhuǎn shì ， yě xǔ shì qiǎo hé ， yě xǔ shì yīn wèi bié de yuán gù ， xìng gé yǐ biàn dé jié rán bù tóng le 。
而这一世，他投胎转世，也许是巧合，也许是因为别的缘故，性格已变得截然不同了。
"That's good."
jiàn wēi zhī zhù ， zhè yáng móu yòng de shì qiǎo miào dào jí chù ， xī rì de huà yǔ zhēn rén biàn shì xiǎng pò tóu yě xiǎng bù chū zhè yàng de jì cè 。
见微知著，这阳谋用的是巧妙到极处，昔日的化羽真人便是想破头也想不出这样的计策。
Moon patted her chest in relief. She truly feared the young master might make a mistake, causing damage to the great cultivators of the Spirit Realm.
huò zhě shuō …… bìng bú shì xiǎng bù chū ， ér shì bù xiè wèi zhī de 。
或者说……并不是想不出，而是不屑为之的。
...
qū shǐ bié rén qù tàn lù 。 suī shuō shì bù dé yǐ de xuǎn zé ， dàn yě bù gòu guāng míng lěi luò 。
驱使别人去探路。虽说是不得已的选择，但也不够光明磊落。
Lin Xuan had devised his plan, but could everything go as he wished?
“ fū jūn ， nǐ zhè ge fāng fǎ dǎo shì bù cuò ， kě ruò shì nài lóng zhēn rén huò zhě yǔ tóng xiān zi tā men jiǎn dào le cáng bǎo tú ， yòu gāi zěn me bàn ne ？”
“夫君，你这个方法倒是不错，可若是鼐龙真人或者雨桐仙子他们捡到了藏宝图，又该怎么办呢？”
No one knew for sure; there were always unforeseen circumstances, especially in the cultivation world.
yuè ér de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， dài zhe yī lǚ dān yōu zhī sè 。
月儿的声音传入耳朵，带着一缕担忧之色。
For instance, Tianxiang had faced no obstacles while refining the Ten Thousand Volumes Scroll. Yet, he ended up being thrown into another dimension.
“ zhè ge nǐ fàng xīn ， wǒ men zǎo yǐ dìng xià le fāng shì lián luò ， zhè cáng bǎo tú yǐ bèi wǒ shī xià mì shù ， ruò shì wǒ yì xiōng tā shí dé ， zì rán huì zhī dào qián yīn hòu guǒ 。 ér bú huì qīng yì shàng dàng de 。” lín xuān wēi xiào zhe shuō 。
“这个你放心，我们早已定下了方式联络，这藏宝图已被我施下秘术，若是我义兄他拾得，自然会知道前因后果。而不会轻易上当的。”林轩微笑着说。
Now that the Elemental God was gone, other gods had arrived en masse. Not only did Tianxiang not fear this, but he was overjoyed.
tā gù rán xū yào rén tàn lù ， dàn wú lùn rú hé ， yě bú huì kēng zì jǐ rén de 。
他固然需要人探路，但无论如何，也不会坑自己人的。
By extracting their souls and spirits, he could gain a deeper understanding of the universe's laws faster, allowing him to return to his own dimension.
“ zhè jiù hǎo le 。”
“这就好了。”
It seemed fate was on his side. Just as if he wanted to sleep, someone had handed him a pillow.
yuè ér tīng le ， pāi le pāi xiōng pú ， tā gāng cái zhēn pà shào yé máng zhōng chū cuò ， ruò shì líng jiè de jǐ wèi dà néng yīn cǐ yǒu le sǔn shāng ， kě jiù bù hǎo le 。
月儿听了，拍了拍胸脯，她刚才真怕少爷忙中出错，若是灵界的几位大能因此有了损伤，可就不好了。
But was everything really that simple?
……
……
These gods wouldn't surrender easily. While the Elemental God was their strongest, there was no dominance; with more numbers, the outcome remained uncertain.
lín xuān dìng xià le zì jǐ de jì cè ， dàn fán shì shì fǒu dōu néng rú qí suǒ yuàn ne ？
林轩定下了自己的计策，但凡事是否都能如其所愿呢？
They would have to fight to know.
zàn shí hái méi yǒu rén xiǎo de ， fán shì dōu cún zài zhe biàn shù 。 xiū xiān jiè de shì qíng yóu qí nán yǐ shuō dé qīng chǔ 。
暂时还没有人晓得，凡事都存在着变数。修仙界的事情尤其难以说得清楚。
This uncertainty gave Lin Xuan much time.
bǐ rú shuō tián xiāng jì liàn wàn juàn tiān shū ， yǐ tā dào zǔ de shí lì běn bù gāi yù jiàn bō zhé 。
比如说田襄祭炼万卷天书，以他道祖的实力本不该遇见波折。
If Tianxiang returned here, he surely wouldn't allow him to set things up calmly. Even if his previous life had been Feathered Feather, his fate would be tragic.
kě zuì hòu bù yě bèi diū dào lìng yī cì yuán le ？
可最后不也被丢到另一次元了？
But this time, there was no chance of rebirth.
rú jīn yuán sù zhī shén yǐ jīng yǔn luò ， kě qí tā de shén líng què lián mèi ér lái le 。
如今元素之神已经陨落，可其他的神灵却联袂而来了。
However, with the added time, Lin Xuan still had a chance to turn the tide.
kě tián xiāng bù jǐn méi yǒu yīn cǐ gǎn dào wèi jù ， fǎn ér shí fēn xīn xǐ 。
可田襄不仅没有因此感到畏惧，反而十分欣喜。
Of course, he didn't know all the details, but he knew two crucial things he needed to do. First, find Ice Soul and retrieve the makeup box. With all seven treasures of the Asura gathered, Moon could regain her former Asura King's power. Even if she wasn't as strong as now, she should be able to stand a fight against Tianxiang.
ruò shì zài jiāng zhè xiē shén líng chōu hún liàn pò 。 zì jǐ jiù néng gèng kuài de gǎn wù zhè ge yǔ zhòu de tiān dì fǎ zé ， cóng ér huí dào zì jǐ suǒ zài de cì yuán le 。
若是再将这些神灵抽魂炼魄。自己就能更快的感悟这个宇宙的天地法则，从而回到自己所在的次元了。
Secondly, obtain Nine Heavens Respite Soil. Although its exact use was unknown, his memory fragments told him it was important.
yùn qì bù cuò ， jiù hǎo bǐ gāng xiǎng yào kē shuì jiù yǒu rén sòng zhěn tou lái le 。
运气不错，就好比刚想要瞌睡就有人送枕头来了。
Finding Ice Soul would be challenging, but with the treasure map scattered about, whoever found it would likely investigate regardless of their doubts.
rán ér fán shì zhēn yǒu zhè me jiǎn dān me ？
然而凡事真有这么简单么？
Thus, by waiting for them, he could solve both problems at once—a two-for-one strategy.
nà xiē shén líng kě bù huì shù shǒu jiù fù 。
那些神灵可不会束手就缚。
Lin Xuan was far more clever than Nine Heavens Goddess imagined.
chéng rán ， yuán sù zhī shén shì tā men zhōng zuì qiáng de yí gè 。 dàn yě jué bú huì yǒu niǎn yā yī shuō ， ér cǐ shí tā men rén duō ， suǒ yǐ shèng fù rú hé 。 yī jiù shì yī yán nán yǐ shuō dé qīng chǔ 。
诚然，元素之神是他们中最强的一个。但也绝不会有碾压一说，而此时他们人多，所以胜负如何。依旧是一言难以说得清楚。
"Let's go. Although many great cultivators will help me test the waters, I need to see how things unfold with my own eyes. We shouldn't waste time and head for Illusory Sea Desert."
zǒng yào dǎ le cái xiǎo de 。
总要打了才晓得。
Lin Xuan's calm voice echoed in their ears.
yě zhèng shì zhè yàng de biàn shù ， cái wèi lín xuān zhēng qǔ le shí jiān xǔ duō 。
也正是这样的变数，才为林轩争取了时间许多。
"Agreed."
fǒu zé tián xiāng ruò shì huí dào zhè lǐ ， qǐ huì róng xǔ tā cóng róng bù zhì 。
否则田襄若是回到这里，岂会容许他从容布置。
The girls had no objections, but how to proceed was a problem. Lin Xuan preferred caution; given the circumstances, fewer people were better. So, returning to the Momentary Heavenly Cavern Map would be ideal.
jiù suàn lín xuān de qián shì zhēn shì huà yǔ ， děng dài tā de yě bì shì yí gè yǔn luò de bēi cǎn jié jú 。
就算林轩的前世真是化羽，等待他的也必是一个陨落的悲惨结局。
Originally, this wasn't an issue, but with Nine Heavens Goddess added, Lin Xuan couldn't pretend he wasn't worried or had no qualms. What if the girls fought...
ér qiě zhè yī cì ， jué bù zài huì yǒu jī huì tóu tāi zhuǎn shì 。
而且这一次，绝不再会有机会投胎转世。
Fortunately, these concerns were unnecessary. Moon was a model girl unlike her Asura past. Peacock might be troublesome, but she understood the bigger picture. And as for Nine Heavens Goddess, who hadn't been acknowledged by Lin Xuan, she wouldn't provoke trouble.
dàn xiàn zài zé bù tóng ， chǔ jìng suī rán jiān xiǎn ， dàn yóu yú duō chū le bù shǎo shí jiān ， lín xuān yī jiù yǒu jī huì fān pán 。
但现在则不同，处境虽然艰险，但由于多出了不少时间，林轩依旧有机会翻盘。
Thus, despite some minor setbacks, they maintained a delicate balance.
dāng rán ， zhè zhōng jiān de qián yīn hòu guǒ ， jí biàn lín xuān yì bìng bù xiǎo de ， tā zhǐ zhī dào dāng qián ， zì jǐ yǒu liǎng jiàn zuì zhòng yào de shì qíng qù zuò 。
当然，这中间的前因后果，即便林轩亦并不晓得，他只知道当前，自己有两件最重要的事情去做。
The girls returned to the Momentary Heavenly Cavern Map, and Lin Xuan flew towards his destination, surrounded by green light.
yī shì zhǎo dào bīng pò ， duó huí shū zhuāng hé ， zhè yàng de huà ， xiū luó qī bǎo ， jiù yǐ jù qí ， yuè ér néng gòu huī fù xī rì ā xiū luó wáng de shí lì ， jiù suàn bù jí jīn shí jīn rì de qiáng dí ， dàn miàn duì tián xiāng yě yīng gāi yǒu yī zhàn zhī lì 。
一是找到冰魄，夺回梳妆盒，这样的话，修罗七宝，就已聚齐，月儿能够恢复昔日阿修罗王的实力，就算不及今时今日的强敌，但面对田襄也应该有一战之力。
Although it was called a desert, the terrain varied with hills, slopes, rivers, and small lakes, dotted with oases.
cǐ qí yī ， qí èr zé shì dé dào jiǔ tiān xī rǎng zhè jiàn bǎo wù 。
此其一，其二则是得到九天息壤这件宝物。
...
suī rán xiàn zài hái bù zhī dào jù tǐ yòng tú ， dàn jì yì suì piàn gào sù zì jǐ ， zhè yì diǎn shì hěn zhòng yào de 。
虽然现在还不知道具体用途，但记忆碎片告诉自己，这一点是很重要的。
Lin Xuan had arrived at his destination. How did the treasure map he scattered look?
rú hé zhǎo dào bīng pò ， zhè yì diǎn yuán běn yīng gāi duō fèi bō zhé ， dàn rú jīn jì rán yǒu le cáng bǎo tú ， yòu jiāng qí luàn rēng ér chū ， bīng pò jiǎn dào zhī hòu ， bù lùn xìn yǔ bù xìn ， yīng gāi dū huì qù kàn yī kàn de 。
如何找到冰魄，这一点原本应该多费波折，但如今既然有了藏宝图，又将其乱扔而出，冰魄捡到之后，不论信与不信，应该都会去看一看的。
On a hillside, a monstrous scorpion-like creature's head had just been severed. Beside it stood a cold-faced cultivator in black robes.
rú cǐ zì jǐ zhǐ yào shǒu zhū dài tù ， zhè liǎng dà nàn tí dōu yǒu kě néng yī bìng jiě jué le 。
如此自己只要守株待兔，这两大难题都有可能一并解决了。
Suddenly, a streak of light descended from the sky. The black-robed cultivator caught it with a hand and examined the jade pupil scroll in his palm before releasing his divine sense.
cǐ nǎi yī shí èr niǎo zhī cè 。
此乃一石二鸟之策。
"Illusory Sea Desert, heh, do I really think I'll fall for this? But checking out is harmless."
lín xuān kě bǐ jiǔ tiān xuán nǚ xiǎng xiàng de hái yào cōng míng xǔ duō 。
林轩可比九天玄女想象的还要聪明许多。
Postscript: Sorry, I'm too busy today. (To be continued...)
This was a fair point. After all, discarded treasure maps could easily raise suspicion.
However, Lin Xuan's face showed a dismissive attitude: "Even if they are suspicious, what of it? Humans have curiosity, and with such generous rewards, people will take risks even if they know the map is questionable. They would still venture out in the dark."
"Ah..."
Little Butterfly was speechless, pondering this situation herself. If she were in their shoes, she too would be tempted.
What Lin Xuan had done wasn't a cunning plot but a straightforward strategy, leveraging circumstances to his advantage. Even if these strong figures from the Three Thousand Worlds knew there were pitfalls ahead, they would still plunge forward.
This was a bold move indeed.
Nine Heavens Goddess heard this clearly and her eyes sparkled with interest. The former Feathered Feather Immortal was generous and honest, but lacked some cunning. Otherwise, he wouldn't be in his current predicament. At that time, Tianxiang wasn't as straightforward as Feathered Feather, yet he was crafty like a fox, which allowed him to rise to become the Daoist Ancestor.
In truth, even if it weren't for the Asura, Feathered Feather would have eventually fallen victim to Tianxiang's machinations due to their differing opinions. Destiny is determined by one's character. Feathered Feather's straightforward nature had destined his tragic end. In this life, he was reborn with a completely different personality—either coincidentally or for other reasons.
Perceiving the subtle signs, this strategy was ingeniously executed. Even the former Feathered Feather would have struggled to come up with such a plan if he thought about it.
Or perhaps... he wouldn't even consider it because he found it beneath him.
Sending others to scout ahead was an unavoidable choice but not entirely honorable.
"My lord, your method is good, but what if someone like Master Nael Dragon or Fairy Yutong finds the treasure map?"
Moon's voice came through with a hint of concern.
"Don't worry. We've already set up our communication methods. The secret techniques I applied to this map will ensure that if my brother retrieves it, he'll understand its true nature and won't fall for any tricks," Lin Xuan said with a smile.
He needed scouts but wouldn't betray his allies.
"That's good."
Moon patted her chest in relief. She truly feared the young master might make a mistake, causing damage to the great cultivators of the Spirit Realm.
...
Lin Xuan had devised his plan, but could everything go as he wished?
No one knew for sure; there were always unforeseen circumstances, especially in the cultivation world.
For instance, Tianxiang had faced no obstacles while refining the Ten Thousand Volumes Scroll. Yet, he ended up being thrown into another dimension.
Now that the Elemental God was gone, other gods had arrived en masse. Not only did Tianxiang not fear this, but he was overjoyed.
By extracting their souls and spirits, he could gain a deeper understanding of the universe's laws faster, allowing him to return to his own dimension.
It seemed fate was on his side. Just as if he wanted to sleep, someone had handed him a pillow.
But was everything really that simple?
These gods wouldn't surrender easily. While the Elemental God was their strongest, there was no dominance; with more numbers, the outcome remained uncertain.
They would have to fight to know.
This uncertainty gave Lin Xuan much time.
If Tianxiang returned here, he surely wouldn't allow him to set things up calmly. Even if his previous life had been Feathered Feather, his fate would be tragic.
But this time, there was no chance of rebirth.
However, with the added time, Lin Xuan still had a chance to turn the tide.
Of course, he didn't know all the details, but he knew two crucial things he needed to do. First, find Ice Soul and retrieve the makeup box. With all seven treasures of the Asura gathered, Moon could regain her former Asura King's power. Even if she wasn't as strong as now, she should be able to stand a fight against Tianxiang.
Secondly, obtain Nine Heavens Respite Soil. Although its exact use was unknown, his memory fragments told him it was important.
Finding Ice Soul would be challenging, but with the treasure map scattered about, whoever found it would likely investigate regardless of their doubts.
Thus, by waiting for them, he could solve both problems at once—a two-for-one strategy.
Lin Xuan was far more clever than Nine Heavens Goddess imagined.
"Let's go. Although many great cultivators will help me test the waters, I need to see how things unfold with my own eyes. We shouldn't waste time and head for Illusory Sea Desert."
Lin Xuan's calm voice echoed in their ears.
"Agreed."
The girls had no objections, but how to proceed was a problem. Lin Xuan preferred caution; given the circumstances, fewer people were better. So, returning to the Momentary Heavenly Cavern Map would be ideal.
Originally, this wasn't an issue, but with Nine Heavens Goddess added, Lin Xuan couldn't pretend he wasn't worried or had no qualms. What if the girls fought...
Fortunately, these concerns were unnecessary. Moon was a model girl unlike her Asura past. Peacock might be troublesome, but she understood the bigger picture. And as for Nine Heavens Goddess, who hadn't been acknowledged by Lin Xuan, she wouldn't provoke trouble.
Thus, despite some minor setbacks, they maintained a delicate balance.
The girls returned to the Momentary Heavenly Cavern Map, and Lin Xuan flew towards his destination, surrounded by green light.
Although it was called a desert, the terrain varied with hills, slopes, rivers, and small lakes, dotted with oases.
...
Lin Xuan had arrived at his destination. How did the treasure map he scattered look?
On a hillside, a monstrous scorpion-like creature's head had just been severed. Beside it stood a cold-faced cultivator in black robes.
Suddenly, a streak of light descended from the sky. The black-robed cultivator caught it with a hand and examined the jade pupil scroll in his palm before releasing his divine sense.
"Illusory Sea Desert, heh, do I really think I'll fall for this? But checking out is harmless."
Postscript: Sorry, I'm too busy today. (To be continued...)