jiàn yuǎn fāng tiān jì ， chū xiàn le yī qīng sè de guāng diǎn ， kāi shǐ hái yǒu xiē ruò yǐn guò hěn kuài ， jiù biàn dé qīng xī le qǐ lái 。
见远方天际，出现了一青色的光点，开始还有些若隐过很快，就变得清晰了起来。
From the distant horizon, a faint blue light appeared. At first, it was barely discernible, but soon became clearer.
lín xuān mī le mī yǎn ， suī rán lí dé shàng yuǎn ， dàn yǐ tā de shén shí ， yě néng biàn rèn chū zhè shì yī wèi níng dān zhōng qī de xiū shì ， ér qiě fú shì yǒu xiē yǎn shú ， sì hū shì bì yún shān de xiū xiān 。
林轩眯了眯眼，虽然离得尚远，但以他的神识，也能辨认出这是一位凝丹中期的修士，而且服饰有些眼熟，似乎是碧云山的修仙。
Lin Xuan squinted his eyes. Although he was still far away, with his refined spirit sense, he could identify that this was a condensation core中期 cultivator. The attire seemed familiar; it belonged to the practitioners of Bichun Mountain.
“ shì léi dào yǒu 。”
“是雷道友。”
"Is it Brother Lei?"
“ ó ， shěn shī zhí rèn shí ？”
“哦，沈师侄认识？”
"Oh, does Senior Scenic recognize him?"
“ ń ， cǐ rén shì bì yún shān wài shì zhǎng lǎo zhī yī ， xiū wèi dào yě bà le ， wéi rén què yuán tōng rùn huá ， dì zǐ céng yǔ tā dǎ guò jiāo dào jǐ cì ， gù ér rèn shí 。” shěn ào tiān xíng le yī lǐ ， bì gōng bì jìng de shuō dào 。
“嗯，此人是碧云山外事长老之一，修为倒也罢了，为人却圆通润滑，弟子曾与他打过交道几次，故而认识。”沈傲天行了一礼，毕恭毕敬的说道。
"Yes, this person is one of the external affairs elders of Bichun Mountain. His cultivation level is not particularly impressive, but his demeanor is smooth and accommodating. I have interacted with him several times, so I know him," said Senior Scenic傲天, bowing respectfully.
shuō huà jiān ， nà dùn guāng yǐ lái dào le miàn qián ， guāng huá shōu liǎn ， xiàn chū le yī ǎi pàng lǎo de róng yán 。
说话间，那遁光已来到了面前，光华收敛，现出了一矮胖老的容颜。
As the light approached, it condensed into a plump old man's face.
gǎn yìng dào liǎng wèi yuán yīng xiū shì suǒ sàn chū lái de jīng rén qì shì ， lǎo de liǎn shàng shǎn guò yī sī hài rán ， máng shēn shī yī lǐ ：“ wǎn bèi bì yún shān léi hè ， jiàn guò liǎng wèi qián bèi ， bù zhī dào nǎ yī wèi shì tōng yǔ zhēn rén 。”
感应到两位元婴修士所散出来的惊人气势，老的脸上闪过一丝骇然，忙深施一礼：“晚辈碧云山雷鹤，见过两位前辈，不知道哪一位是通羽真人。”
Perceiving the formidable aura of two元婴 cultivators, the old man's expression showed a hint of shock before he deeply bowed: "This latecomer is Lei He from Bichun Mountain. I meet you two seniors and wonder which one is Senior True Feather."
“ lǎo fū jiù shì 。”
“老夫就是。”
"I am."
suī rán níng yīng chéng gōng ， yǐ shì zhè yī jiè zuì dǐng jiān de cún zài ， rán ér tōng yǔ zhēn rén liǎn shàng ， kàn bú dào sī háo de ào màn ， qì dù píng hé ， bù shī yī pài zhǎng mén de fēng dù 。
虽然凝婴成功，已是这一界最顶尖的存在，然而通羽真人脸上，看不到丝毫的傲慢，气度平和，不失一派掌门的风度。
Although condensation core success made him one of the top existences in this world, Senior True Feather did not show any arrogance on his face. His demeanor was calm and befitting a sect leader.
léi hè xīn zhōng gē dēng yī xià ， tā zài lái zhè lǐ de lù shàng ， jiù gǎn jué dào fù jìn de líng qì yì cháng ， gēn chuán shuō zhōng de jié yīng tiān zhào yī mú yī yàng 。
雷鹤心中咯噔一下，他在来这里的路上，就感觉到附近的灵气异常，跟传说中的结婴天兆一模一样。
Lei He's heart skipped a beat. On his way here, he had sensed abnormal spiritual energy nearby, exactly like the signs of condensation core formation as described in legends.
qǐ chū hái cún yǒu jiǎo xìng xīn lǐ ， xī wàng shì zì jǐ gǎn yìng yǒu wù ， bì jìng líng yào shān de shí lì yǐ jīng gòu qiáng dà le ， ruò zài duō chū yī wèi yuán yīng xiū shì ， duì běn mén lái shuō ， kě bú shì shén me hǎo zhào tou 。
起初还存有侥幸心理，希望是自己感应有误，毕竟灵药山的实力已经够强大了，若再多出一位元婴修士，对本门来说，可不是什么好兆头。
Initially, he hoped it might be a false alarm due to his own misperception. After all, Lingyao Mountain already had formidable strength; adding another元婴 cultivator would not bode well for their sect.
rán ér yuè pà shén me yuè róng yì yù dào ， tōng yǔ nà lǎo jiā huǒ jū rán zhēn de jié yīng chéng gōng ， léi hè yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī sī xiàn mù ， dàn suí jí yě jiù huí fù rú cháng le ， shǒu zhǎng yī fān ， qǔ chū yī zhāng jīn sè de qǐng jiǎn ：“ fèng bì pài zhǎng mén fǎ yù ， xià yuè chū yī ， hái qǐng zhēn rén qián wǎng jiǔ lóng chí yī xù 。”
然而越怕什么越容易遇到，通羽那老家伙居然真的结婴成功，雷鹤眼中闪过一丝羡慕，但随即也就回复如常了，手掌一翻，取出一张金色的请柬：“奉敝派掌门法谕，下月初一，还请真人前往九龙池一叙。”
However, the more he feared something, the more likely it was to happen. Senior True Feather had actually succeeded in condensation core formation. A hint of envy flashed across Lei He's eyes before returning to normal. He flipped his hand and took out a golden invitation: "In accordance with our sect leader's decree, please come on the first day of next month for a meeting at Nine Dragon Pool."
“ ó ？” tōng yǔ zhēn rén bù dòng shēng sè ， shǒu yī zhāo ， qǔ guò qǐng jiǎn ， shén shí zhù rù ， lǐ miàn de nèi róng yǐ liǎo rán yú xiōng ：“ dào yǒu yuǎn lái xīn kǔ ， xìn yǐ sòng dào ， kě qián wǎng běn mén yī zuò 。”
“哦？”通羽真人不动声色，手一招，取过请柬，神识注入，里面的内容已了然于胸：“道友远来辛苦，信已送到，可前往本门一坐。”
"Oh?" Senior True Feather remained unperturbed as he took the invitation, injecting his spirit sense into it. The contents were clear to him: "Dear friend, you have traveled far and are welcome. Please visit our sect."
“ xiè qián bèi shèng qíng ， bù guò wǎn bèi hái yǒu yào shì zài shēn ……”
“谢前辈盛情，不过晚辈还有要事在身……”
"Thank you for your hospitality, but this latecomer has other matters..."
“ hǎo ba ， jì shì rú cǐ ， dào yǒu qǐng biàn jiù shì 。”
“好吧，既是如此，道友请便就是。”
"Well then, if that is so, please proceed," said Senior True Feather.
léi hè zài cì xíng le yī lǐ ， suí hòu huà wèi yī dào jīng máng ， pò kōng ér qù 。
雷鹤再次行了一礼，随后化为一道精芒，破空而去。
Lei He bowed again before vanishing into a streak of light.
cǐ rén jì yǐ zǒu le ， lín xuān děng zì rán yě bú huì zài zhè lǐ jì xù tíng liú ， shēn xíng huí zhuǎn ， fēi xiàng le líng yào shān 。
此人既已走了，林轩等自然也不会在这里继续停留，身形回转，飞向了灵药山。
With the visitor gone, Lin Xuan and Scenic naturally did not linger. They flew towards Lingyao Mountain.
tiān jié píng ān dù guò ， zhǎng mén zhēn rén yòu jié yīng chéng gōng ， zhěng gè líng yào shān zì rán shì zhāng dēng jié cǎi ， rén rén liǎn shàng jiē yáng yì zhe xiào róng 。
天劫平安度过，掌门真人又结婴成功，整个灵药山自然是张灯结彩，人人脸上皆洋溢着笑容。
After safely passing through the heavenly tribulation and with Senior True Feather's condensation core success, Lingyao Mountain was festooned with lights and decorations. Everyone wore smiles on their faces.
fén xiāng ， jì zǔ ， suī rán rú jīn shì fēi cháng shí qī ， tōng yǔ zhēn rén chuán xià fǎ yù ， yī qiè cóng jiǎn ， dàn yǐ líng yào shān rú jīn de shēng shì ， dé dào xiāo xī gǎn lái cháo hè de zōng mén jiā zú ， yī rán shì luò yì bù jué 。
焚香，祭祖，虽然如今是非常时期，通羽真人传下法谕，一切从俭，但以灵药山如今的声势，得到消息赶来朝贺的宗门家族，依然是络绎不绝。
Incense was being burned, and ancestors were being honored. Although it was a time of crisis, as per Senior True Feather’s decree to keep things simple, the arrival of congratulatory delegations from various sects and families continued unabated.
bù guò zhè xiē zì yǒu xià miàn de zhí shì ， hù fǎ jiē dài ， lín xuān ， shěn ào tiān ， tōng yǔ zhēn rén zhè xiē zhēn zhèng de gāo céng ， qīng yì bìng bú huì lòu miàn 。
不过这些自有下面的执事，护法接待，林轩，沈傲天，通羽真人这些真正的高层，轻易并不会露面。
However, these high-ranking officials seldom appeared in public. The coincidence was that Yinhun had also paused its attacks for some reason, greatly alleviating the tension among cultivators. The cultivation world returned to a semblance of peace.
qiǎo hé de shì ， yīn hún bù zhī shì hé yuán yóu ， yě zàn huǎn le jìn gōng ， zhè ràng xiū shì men dà dà sōng le kǒu qì ， xiū xiān jiè chóng xīn píng jìng le xià qù 。
巧合的是，阴魂不知是何缘由，也暂缓了进攻，这让修士们大大松了口气，修仙界重新平静了下去。
But beneath this calm surface, there were hidden currents.
kě zài fēng píng làng jìng de bèi hòu ， què shì àn cháo xiōng yǒng 。
可在风平浪静的背后，却是暗潮汹涌。
Bichun Mountain stretched eight hundred miles from west to east, resembling a giant dragon lying on the ground. Its main peak was five thousand meters high and perpetually shrouded in blue mist, hence its name.
bì yún shān ， mián yán bā bǎi lǐ ， zhì xī xiàng dōng ， qià sì yī tóu wān yán pú fú dì jù lóng ， qí zhǔ fēng gāo wǔ qiān mǐ ， zhōng nián lǒng zhào zhe qīng sè de wù qì ， bì yún shān zhī míng ， yóu cǐ ér lái 。
碧云山，绵延八百里，至西向东，恰似一头蜿蜒匍匐地巨龙，其主峰高五千米，终年笼罩着青色的雾气，碧云山之名，由此而来。
As one of the three major sects of the orthodox path, this lineage had been around for ten thousand years. Although it occasionally clashed with One Line Canyon and Lei Yun Villa, they generally supported each other, ruling over Youzhou's cultivation world together.
zuò wèi zhèng dào sān jù tóu zhī ， gāi pài yǐ jīng zhuàn chéng le shàng wàn nián ， yǔ yī xiàn xiá ， léi yún shān zhuāng suī rán yě shí yǒu mó cā ， dàn zǒng tǐ shuō lái ， què shì tóng qì lián zhī ， xiāng hù fú chí ， gòng tóng zhǔ zǎi zhe yōu zhōu de xiū xiān jiè 。
做为正道三巨头之，该派已经传承了上万年，与一线峡，雷云山庄虽然也时有摩擦，但总体说来，却是同气连枝，相互扶持，共同主宰着幽州的修仙界。
However, that era seemed to be a thing of the past.
rán ér zhè zhǒng jú miàn ， què sì hū yǐ jīng yī qù bù fù fǎn 。
然而这种局面，却似乎已经一去不复返。
Firstly, among the suppressed魔 sects, there was now a genius named Supreme Demon Tyrant. Not only did he possess shocking magical abilities, but his cunning was also terrifying.
xiān shì bèi zhèng dào yā zhì de mó xiū lǐ miàn ， chū le jí è mó zūn zhè wèi tiān cái ， bù jǐn yī shēn mó gōng jīng shì hài sú ， ér qiě xīn jī zhī shēn ， yě dào le hài rén tīng wén dì dì bù 。
先是被正道压制的魔修里面，出了极恶魔尊这位天才，不仅一身魔功惊世骇俗，而且心机之深，也到了骇人听闻地地步。
He spent about a century consolidating the dark arts secretly, turning scattered魔 cultivators into his followers.
tā huā fèi bǎi nián zuǒ yòu de shí jiān ， jiāng mó dào àn zhōng zhěng hé ， ràng yuán běn shì yī pán sǎn shā de xiū mó ， quán bù guī yú tā de huī xià 。
他花费百年左右的时间，将魔道暗中整合，让原本是一盘散沙的修魔，全部归于他的麾下。
His strength had grown to the point where he could challenge the orthodox path.
shí lì zhī qiáng ， yǐ zú yǐ yǔ zhèng dào xiāng kàng 。
实力之强，已足以与正道相抗。
Then came Lingyao Mountain, which had long been renowned for its alchemy techniques.
jiē zhe biàn shì líng yào shān ， zhè shù qiān nián lái ， yì zhí yǐ liàn dān wén míng dì mén pài 。
接着便是灵药山，这数千年来，一直以炼丹闻名地门派。
Before now, despite their fame, no one took them seriously. Their sect leader was merely a筑基期 cultivator.
yǐ qián ， líng yào shān míng qì suī dà ， dàn què méi yǒu rèn hé rén fàng zài yǎn zhōng ， bì jìng tā men de zhǎng mén zhēn rén ， yě bù guò qū qū zhù jī qī de xiū xiān 。
以前，灵药山名气虽大，但却没有任何人放在眼中，毕竟他们的掌门真人，也不过区区筑基期的修仙。
Now they realized they had been deceived.
rán ér rú jīn ， dà jiā cái xiàn ， bèi shuǎ le 。
然而如今，大家才现，被耍了。
The founding ancestor of this lineage, Senior Dusty Sky, was actually an后期元婴 cultivator. He bore grudges and never revealed his true strength in public, aiming for something greater.
gāi pài dì chuàng pài zǔ shī ， tiān chén zhēn rén ， jìng rán shì yuán yīng hòu qī de dà xiū shì ， tā rěn rǔ fù zhòng ， cóng bù zài rén qián xiǎn lù zì jǐ de xiū wèi ， suǒ tú nǎi dà 。
该派地创派祖师，天尘真人，竟然是元婴后期的大修士，他忍辱负重，从不在人前显露自己的修为，所图乃大。
In just three thousand years, Lingyao Mountain rose from nothing to become one of the strongest sects, albeit with its top experts hidden away. The current leader, Senior True Feather, was a cunning fox who feigned madness. He was not actually a筑基期 cultivator but had learned from his ancestor.
qū qū sān qiān nián ， líng yào shān bái shǒu qǐ jiā ， shí lì zhī qiáng ， yǐ zài bù zhèng mó zhī xià ， zhǐ bù guò yǐ qián gāo shǒu yǐn yú gè dì ， mán tiān guò hǎi ér yǐ 。
区区三千年，灵药山白手起家，实力之强，已在不正魔之下，只不过以前高手隐于各地，瞒天过海而已。
With the chaos in the cultivation world and Yinhun's interference, the former three major orthodox sects were still enviable grand names but no longer as glorious...
dāng jīn zhǎng mén tōng yǔ ， gèng shì yī lǎo móu shēn suàn de hú lí ， tā nǎ lǐ shì shén me zhù jī qī de xiū shì ， nǎi shì xué xí zǔ shī ， zhuāng fēng mài shǎ 。
当今掌门通羽，更是一老谋深算的狐狸，他哪里是什么筑基期的修士，乃是学习祖师，装疯卖傻。
Bichun Mountain's spiritual veins ranked first in Youzhou, yet it was unknown that the back mountain area had even more abundant spiritual energy. However, this place was a forbidden zone; not only ordinary low-ranking disciples, but even condensation core期 elders needed permission from the sect leader to enter.
xiū xiān jiè yǐ shì qún xióng gē jù ， jiā shàng yīn hún yòu lái jiǎo jú ， xī rì de zhèng dào sān jù tóu ， rú jīn suī rán hái shì ràng rén yǎn hóng de míng mén dà pài ， dàn què yǐ fēng guāng bù zài ……
修仙界已是群雄割据，加上阴魂又来搅局，昔日的正道三巨头，如今虽然还是让人眼红的名门大派，但却已风光不再……
In one of the caves behind the mountain, several old men sat together. Each exuded an air of grandeur, being among the top existences in this world.
bì yún shān de líng mài zài yōu zhōu qū yī zhǐ ， rán ér wéi rén suǒ bù zhī de shì ， hòu shān dì líng qì qí shí gèng jiā chōng zú ， rán ér zhè ge dì fāng ， què shì jìn dì ， bié shuō yì bān de dī jiē dì zǐ ， jiù suàn shì níng dān qī zhǎng lǎo ， wèi dé zhǎng mén xǔ kě ， yě bù dé shàn zì jìn rù 。
碧云山的灵脉在幽州屈一指，然而为人所不知的是，后山地灵气其实更加充足，然而这个地方，却是禁地，别说一般的低阶弟子，就算是凝丹期长老，未得掌门许可，也不得擅自进入。
The four senior patriarchs of Bichun Mountain, One Line Canyon, and Lei Yun Villa were gathered here.
cǐ kè zài hòu shān de mǒu zuò dòng fǔ ， jǐ míng lǎo wéi zuò zài yì qǐ ， měi yí gè rén kàn shàng qù jiē qì yǔ bù fán ， tā men shì zhè yī jiè zuì dǐng jiān de cún zài 。
此刻在后山的某座洞府，几名老围坐在一起，每一个人看上去皆气宇不凡，他们是这一界最顶尖的存在。
"Senior Void, do we really have to cooperate with Supreme Demon Tyrant? Our sect lost countless disciples at the hands of魔 cultivators. Now, we must shake hands and reconcile. How can we explain this to our subordinates?" said a tall white-faced old man in the northwest corner, his expression displeased.
bì yún shān ， yī xiàn xiá ， léi yún shān zhuāng ， zhèng dào sān jù tóu de sì wèi tài shàng zhǎng lǎo zhèng qí jù yī táng 。
碧云山，一线峡，雷云山庄，正道三巨头的四位太上长老正齐聚一堂。
This was Elder Ma Longqing from Lei Yun Villa, an early-stage元婴 cultivator.
“ tài xū dào yǒu ， nán dào wǒ men zhēn yào yǔ jí è mó zūn hé zuò ， wǒ sān pài sǐ zài nà xiē xiū mó shǒu zhōng de dì zǐ chéng qiān shàng wàn ， rú jīn què yào yǔ tā men wò shǒu yán hé ， zhè rú hé xiàng xià miàn jiāo dài ？” zuò zài xī běi jiǎo de yī míng shēn cái gāo dà de bái miàn lǎo ， liǎn sè yǒu xiē nán kàn de kāi kǒu le 。
“太虚道友，难道我们真要与极恶魔尊合作，我三派死在那些修魔手中的弟子成千上万，如今却要与他们握手言和，这如何像下面交代？”坐在西北角的一名身材高大的白面老，脸色有些难看的开口了。
"Haha, why do you insist so much, Brother Ma? I know one of your disciples fell victim to the魔 sect. However, times have changed; while Supreme Demon Tyrant is indeed despicable, Yinhun is our common enemy. The ceasefire was not enough. We must unite and cooperate or risk being picked off by those Yinhun," said a kindly-looking old man in green robes. Although his cultivation level was unremarkable, Elder Zhao was known for his wisdom. Senior Void was his senior, but he often made the final decisions on Bichun Mountain.
zhè shì yī wèi yuán yīng chū qī de xiū shì ， xìng mǎ ， míng cháng qīng ， nǎi shì léi yún shān zhuāng dì zhǎng lǎo 。
这是一位元婴初期的修士，姓马，名长青，乃是雷云山庄地长老。
The white-faced old man's expression showed annoyance, but he knew his words had merit. He turned to another person: "What does Brother Jin think?"
“ hē hē ， mǎ xiōng yòu hé bì rú cǐ zhí zhuó ， xiǎo dì zhī dào nǐ de yī wèi qīn chuán dì zǐ sǐ zài le mó dào dì shǒu lǐ ， kě rú jīn cǐ yī shí ， bǐ yī shí ， jí è mó zūn gù rán kě wù ， dàn yīn hún cái shì wǒ men gòng tóng de dà dí ， xiān qián dì tíng zhàn shì bù gòu de ， ruò bù néng lián hé ， tōng lì hé zuò ， zhǐ huì bèi nà xiē yīn hún gè gè jī pò 。” shuō huà dì shì yī wèi qīng shān lǎo ， cí méi shàn mù ， xiū wèi dào yě bà le ， dàn zhè wèi xìng zhào de zhǎng lǎo yí xiàng zú zhì duō móu ， tài xū zhēn rén suī shì shī xiōng ， dàn bì yún shān de shì qíng ， zuì hòu duō bàn hái shì tā zuò zhǔ 。
“呵呵，马兄又何必如此执着，小弟知道你的一位亲传弟子死在了魔道地手里，可如今此一时，彼一时，极恶魔尊固然可恶，但阴魂才是我们共同的大敌，先前地停战是不够的，若不能联合，通力合作，只会被那些阴魂各个击破。”说话地是一位青衫老，慈眉善目，修为倒也罢了，但这位姓赵的长老一向足智多谋，太虚真人虽是师兄，但碧云山的事情，最后多半还是他做主。
"Haha, One Line Canyon has always been at the bottom of the three major sects. Jin I will follow my fellow seniors' opinions. However, this time, Senior Green Robe is right; we must prioritize the greater good," said Elder Round Enlightenment from One Line Canyon with a smile.
bái miàn lǎo liǎn shàng shǎn guò yī sī yùn nù ， dàn yě zhī dào duì fāng suǒ shuō bù wú dào lǐ ， jiāng tóu zhuǎn xiàng lìng wài yī rén ：“ jīn xiōng zěn me shuō ？”
白面老脸上闪过一丝愠怒，但也知道对方所说不无道理，将头转向另外一人：“金兄怎么说？”
Although the white-faced old man was reluctant, he could not stand alone against the other two sects. He nodded reluctantly but his eyes betrayed his inner thoughts.
From the distant horizon, a faint blue light appeared. At first, it was barely discernible, but soon became clearer.
Lin Xuan squinted his eyes. Although he was still far away, with his refined spirit sense, he could identify that this was a condensation core中期 cultivator. The attire seemed familiar; it belonged to the practitioners of Bichun Mountain.
"Is it Brother Lei?"
"Oh, does Senior Scenic recognize him?"
"Yes, this person is one of the external affairs elders of Bichun Mountain. His cultivation level is not particularly impressive, but his demeanor is smooth and accommodating. I have interacted with him several times, so I know him," said Senior Scenic傲天, bowing respectfully.
As the light approached, it condensed into a plump old man's face.
Perceiving the formidable aura of two元婴 cultivators, the old man's expression showed a hint of shock before he deeply bowed: "This latecomer is Lei He from Bichun Mountain. I meet you two seniors and wonder which one is Senior True Feather."
"I am."
Although condensation core success made him one of the top existences in this world, Senior True Feather did not show any arrogance on his face. His demeanor was calm and befitting a sect leader.
Lei He's heart skipped a beat. On his way here, he had sensed abnormal spiritual energy nearby, exactly like the signs of condensation core formation as described in legends.
Initially, he hoped it might be a false alarm due to his own misperception. After all, Lingyao Mountain already had formidable strength; adding another元婴 cultivator would not bode well for their sect.
However, the more he feared something, the more likely it was to happen. Senior True Feather had actually succeeded in condensation core formation. A hint of envy flashed across Lei He's eyes before returning to normal. He flipped his hand and took out a golden invitation: "In accordance with our sect leader's decree, please come on the first day of next month for a meeting at Nine Dragon Pool."
"Oh?" Senior True Feather remained unperturbed as he took the invitation, injecting his spirit sense into it. The contents were clear to him: "Dear friend, you have traveled far and are welcome. Please visit our sect."
"Thank you for your hospitality, but this latecomer has other matters..."
"Well then, if that is so, please proceed," said Senior True Feather.
Lei He bowed again before vanishing into a streak of light.
With the visitor gone, Lin Xuan and Scenic naturally did not linger. They flew towards Lingyao Mountain.
After safely passing through the heavenly tribulation and with Senior True Feather's condensation core success, Lingyao Mountain was festooned with lights and decorations. Everyone wore smiles on their faces.
Incense was being burned, and ancestors were being honored. Although it was a time of crisis, as per Senior True Feather’s decree to keep things simple, the arrival of congratulatory delegations from various sects and families continued unabated.
However, these high-ranking officials seldom appeared in public. The coincidence was that Yinhun had also paused its attacks for some reason, greatly alleviating the tension among cultivators. The cultivation world returned to a semblance of peace.
But beneath this calm surface, there were hidden currents.
Bichun Mountain stretched eight hundred miles from west to east, resembling a giant dragon lying on the ground. Its main peak was five thousand meters high and perpetually shrouded in blue mist, hence its name.
As one of the three major sects of the orthodox path, this lineage had been around for ten thousand years. Although it occasionally clashed with One Line Canyon and Lei Yun Villa, they generally supported each other, ruling over Youzhou's cultivation world together.
However, that era seemed to be a thing of the past.
Firstly, among the suppressed魔 sects, there was now a genius named Supreme Demon Tyrant. Not only did he possess shocking magical abilities, but his cunning was also terrifying.
He spent about a century consolidating the dark arts secretly, turning scattered魔 cultivators into his followers.
His strength had grown to the point where he could challenge the orthodox path.
Then came Lingyao Mountain, which had long been renowned for its alchemy techniques.
Before now, despite their fame, no one took them seriously. Their sect leader was merely a筑基期 cultivator.
Now they realized they had been deceived.
The founding ancestor of this lineage, Senior Dusty Sky, was actually an后期元婴 cultivator. He bore grudges and never revealed his true strength in public, aiming for something greater.
In just three thousand years, Lingyao Mountain rose from nothing to become one of the strongest sects, albeit with its top experts hidden away. The current leader, Senior True Feather, was a cunning fox who feigned madness. He was not actually a筑基期 cultivator but had learned from his ancestor.
With the chaos in the cultivation world and Yinhun's interference, the former three major orthodox sects were still enviable grand names but no longer as glorious...
Bichun Mountain's spiritual veins ranked first in Youzhou, yet it was unknown that the back mountain area had even more abundant spiritual energy. However, this place was a forbidden zone; not only ordinary low-ranking disciples, but even condensation core期 elders needed permission from the sect leader to enter.
In one of the caves behind the mountain, several old men sat together. Each exuded an air of grandeur, being among the top existences in this world.
The four senior patriarchs of Bichun Mountain, One Line Canyon, and Lei Yun Villa were gathered here.
"Senior Void, do we really have to cooperate with Supreme Demon Tyrant? Our sect lost countless disciples at the hands of魔 cultivators. Now, we must shake hands and reconcile. How can we explain this to our subordinates?" said a tall white-faced old man in the northwest corner, his expression displeased.
This was Elder Ma Longqing from Lei Yun Villa, an early-stage元婴 cultivator.
"Haha, why do you insist so much, Brother Ma? I know one of your disciples fell victim to the魔 sect. However, times have changed; while Supreme Demon Tyrant is indeed despicable, Yinhun is our common enemy. The ceasefire was not enough. We must unite and cooperate or risk being picked off by those Yinhun," said a kindly-looking old man in green robes. Although his cultivation level was unremarkable, Elder Zhao was known for his wisdom. Senior Void was his senior, but he often made the final decisions on Bichun Mountain.
The white-faced old man's expression showed annoyance, but he knew his words had merit. He turned to another person: "What does Brother Jin think?"
"Haha, One Line Canyon has always been at the bottom of the three major sects. Jin I will follow my fellow seniors' opinions. However, this time, Senior Green Robe is right; we must prioritize the greater good," said Elder Round Enlightenment from One Line Canyon with a smile.
Although the white-faced old man was reluctant, he could not stand alone against the other two sects. He nodded reluctantly but his eyes betrayed his inner thoughts.