rán zài jiàn yōu gōng zhǔ miàn qián ， kǔ dà shī wēn shùn ér xùn fú ， dàn duì tā men lái shuō ， què shì wēi xiǎn wú bǐ de 。
然在剑幽宫主面前，苦大师温顺而驯服，但对他们来说，却是危险无比的。
However, in front of Master Sour Sword Palace Lord, Monk Kǔ was meek and submissive. But for them, he was a source of immense danger.
gōng zhōng céng jīng yǒu pàn tú ， qín huò hòu jiāo yǔ kǔ dà shī luò 。
宫中曾经有叛徒，擒获后交予苦大师落。
In the palace, there had once been a traitor who was captured and handed over to Monk Kǔ. No one knew exactly what happened, but it was said that his cries lasted for an entire month, and still hadn't stopped...
jù tǐ qíng xíng rú hé ， méi yǒu rén qīng chǔ ， bù guò jù shuō guāng shì āi háo jiù chí xù le yí yuè zhī jiǔ ， ér qiě hái méi yǒu wán ……
具体情形如何，没有人清楚，不过据说光是哀嚎就持续了一月之久，而且还没有完……
Although Monk Kǔ wasn’t a true cultivator of evil magic, he had gathered quite a few strange cultivation techniques.
kǔ dà shī suī rán bìng bù suàn shì dì dì dào dào de xiū mó ， dàn gè zhǒng guǐ yì de gōng fǎ què hái shì sōu luó le bù shǎo de 。
苦大师虽然并不算是地地道道的修魔，但各种诡异的功法却还是搜罗了不少的。
Being soul-pierced and spirit-refined—this was the most terrifying outcome. It was impossible to seek life or death.
bèi chōu hún liàn pò ， nà cái shì zuì wèi kě pà de jié guǒ ， qiú shēng bù dé ， qiú sǐ bù néng 。
被抽魂炼魄，那才是最为可怕的结果，求生不得，求死不能。
Thinking about the rumors surrounding this old monster in the palace, the red-robed woman's expression turned pale. Although she and her big brother were not traitors, they had carelessly lost that savage treasure from the wilderness, a grave mistake that might as well have been treason.
xiǎng dào gōng zhōng guān yú zhè ge lǎo guài wù de chuán wén ， hóng yī nǚ zǐ huā róng shī sè ， zì jǐ hé dà gē suī rán bìng bú shì pàn tú ， dàn yīn wèi shū hū ， diū shī le nà jiàn mán huāng yì bǎo ， suǒ fàn xià de mí tiān dà cuò kǒng pà yě yǔ pàn biàn chà bu duō 。
想到宫中关于这个老怪物的传闻，红衣女子花容失色，自己和大哥虽然并不是叛徒，但因为疏忽，丢失了那件蛮荒异宝，所犯下的弥天大错恐怕也与叛变差不多。
Hearing that this person was sent to oversee the Punishment Hall, could it be an attempt to clean house?
tīng shuō cǐ rén bèi pài qù zhí zhǎng xíng táng ， nán dào shì xiǎng yào qīng lǐ mén hù ？
听说此人被派去执掌刑堂，难道是想要清理门户？
Everyone was uneasy, their faces devoid of color. Seeing them shivering in fear, Monk Kǔ smiled. His smile was like tree bark trembling, somewhat comical yet chilling.
zhòng rén tǎn tè bù ān de xiǎng zhe ， rén rén liǎn shàng háo wú xuè sè 。
众人忐忑不安的想着，人人脸上毫无血色。
"You have a big nerve, daring to... " Before he could finish his sentence, there was suddenly a loud shout: "Geng Biao, what are you doing?"
jiàn zhòng rén hún shēn dǒu ， kǔ dà shī xiào le ， nà xiào róng jiù xiàng shù pí dǒu dòng ， yǒu xiē huá jī ， què dài zhe yī sī hán qì 。
见众人浑身抖，苦大师笑了，那笑容就像树皮抖动，有些滑稽，却带着一丝寒气。
With a wave of his hand, a black beam shot out from his sleeve and entered the body of the man named Geng. The man with broad cheeks and large ears froze as his gathered spiritual energy couldn't be lifted even a bit, his expression turning grim.
“ nǐ men hǎo dà de dǎn zi ， jū rán gǎn jiāng ……” kǔ dà shī huà yīn wèi luò ， tū rán yī shēng bào hē ：“ gěng biāo ， nǐ zuò shén me ？”
“你们好大的胆子，居然敢将……”苦大师话音未落，突然一声暴喝：“耿彪，你做什么？”
"Do you want to self-destruct?" The old man rolled his dead fish-like eyes.
shuō wán yī huī shǒu ， yī dào wū máng fēi chū yī ， mò rù dào nà gěng xìng xiū shì de shēn tǐ zhōng 。
说完一挥手，一道乌芒飞出衣，没入到那耿姓修士的身体中。
"I know I deserve punishment for my sins. Please, Elder, out of consideration for me having served the palace faithfully for over two hundred years, show mercy and let this be quick."
fāng miàn dà ěr de nán zi hún shēn yī jiāng ， níng jù de fǎ lì zài yě tí bù qǐ fēn háo ， bù yóu de miàn sè cǎn rán 。
方面大耳的男子浑身一僵，凝聚的法力再也提不起分毫，不由得面色惨然。
The other cultivators also showed signs of pleading, but they were similarly subdued by the old man before their spiritual energy could explode within them. Only the red-robed woman's eyes flickered as she looked at the old man’s expression, unsure what he was thinking.
“ nǐ xiǎng zì bào ？” lǎo zhuǎn dòng zhe sǐ yú yī yàng de yǎn zhū 。
“你想自爆？”老转动着死鱼一样的眼珠。
"Want to die? That's easy enough. Your mistakes are unforgivable," Monk Kǔ sneered. "If it were in my hands, you wouldn't stand a chance, but Miss Big Sister is merciful and kind-hearted; she doesn’t want your lives."
“ gěng mǒu zì zhī zuì wú kě shù ， qǐng zhǎng lǎo niàn zài wǒ wèi běn gōng ān qián mǎ hòu ， xiào lì le èr bǎi yú zài de fèn shàng ， cóng qīng luò ， gěi zài xià yí gè tòng kuài hǎo le 。”
“耿某自知罪无可恕，请长老念在我为本宫鞍前马后，效力了二百余载的份上，从轻落，给在下一个痛快好了。”
"What? Elder, you mean Miss Big Sister has forgiven us?" The man named Geng couldn’t believe his ears.
qí tā xiū shì yě lù chū āi qiú zhī sè ， rán ér tā men tóng yàng shàng wèi jiāng líng qì zài tǐ nèi yǐn bào jiù bèi lǎo zhì fú ， zhǐ yǒu hóng yī nǚ zǐ mù guāng shǎn shuò ， kàn zhe lǎo de biǎo qíng ， bù zhī xiǎng dào le shén me 。
其他修士也露出哀求之色，然而他们同样尚未将灵气在体内引爆就被老制服，只有红衣女子目光闪烁，看着老的表情，不知想到了什么。
"Forgive? You dream," the old man said. "What use would it be to kill you when the treasure is already stolen? A bunch of useless fools; so many people, and a Foundation Establishment cultivator managed to steal the treasure."
“ nǐ men xiǎng sǐ ， nà hái bù róng yì ， jiù píng nǐ men fàn xià de cuò ， yǐ bǎi sǐ mò shú 。” kǔ dà shī liǎn shàng mǎn shì lěng xiào zhī sè ：“ ruò shì luò zài lǎo fū shǒu lǐ ， jué bú huì ràng nǐ men hǎo guò ， rán ér dà xiǎo jiě rén cí ， zhái xīn rén hòu ， bìng bù xiǎng yào nǐ men de mìng 。”
“你们想死，那还不容易，就凭你们犯下的错，已百死莫赎。”苦大师脸上满是冷笑之色：“若是落在老夫手里，绝不会让你们好过，然而大小姐仁慈，宅心仁厚，并不想要你们的命。”
Monk Kǔ sneered. "Miss Big Sister wants you to make amends for your mistakes. Afraid you’re not up to the task, she asked me to help. If you can retrieve the treasure, I’ll show mercy; otherwise..."
“ shén me ？ zhǎng lǎo ， nǐ shì shuō dà xiǎo jiě jiāng wǒ men kuān shù ？” gěng xìng nán zi bù néng zhì xìn de shuō 。
“什么？长老，你是说大小姐将我们宽恕？”耿姓男子不能置信的说。
Everyone was stunned, looking at each other in silence until the red-robed woman finally understood. She cried out and knelt towards the east, bowing devoutly: "Thank Miss Big Sister for her grace. Your servant will do whatever it takes to find back the treasure."
“ kuān shù ？ nǐ xiǎng dé měi ， bù guò jiāng nǐ men shā le yòu yǒu hé yòng ， bǎo wù hái bú shì yǐ jīng shī qiè le ， yī qún fèi wù ， zhè me duō rén ， jū rán huì ràng yī zhù jī qī de xiū shì jiāng bǎo wù tōu zǒu 。” kǔ dà shī mǎn liǎn bù xiè de kāi kǒu ：“ dà xiǎo jiě de yì si shì ràng nǐ men jiāng gōng bǔ guò ， pà nǐ men zhè qún fèi wù méi yòng ， gù ér ràng lǎo fū yuán shǒu ， rú guǒ bǎo wù néng gòu zhǎo huí ， zì rán chóng xīn luò ， fǒu zé …… jié guǒ yòng wǒ shuō 。”
“宽恕？你想得美，不过将你们杀了又有何用，宝物还不是已经失窃了，一群废物，这么多人，居然会让一筑基期的修士将宝物偷走。”苦大师满脸不屑的开口：“大小姐的意思是让你们将功补过，怕你们这群废物没用，故而让老夫援手，如果宝物能够找回，自然重新落，否则……结果用我说。”
The other cultivators were also elated, all bowing respectfully towards Miss Big Sister.
zhòng rén jīng dāi le ， miàn miàn xiāng qù ， zuì hòu hái shì nà hóng yī nǚ zǐ zuì xiān xǐng wù guò lái ， yī shēng huān hū ， duì zhe dōng fāng guì le xià lái ， qián chéng kòu bài ：“ duō xiè dà xiǎo jiě kāi ēn ， shǔ xià fěn shēn suì gǔ ， yě yí dìng huì xún huí bǎo wù 。”
众人惊呆了，面面相觑，最后还是那红衣女子最先醒悟过来，一声欢呼，对着东方跪了下来，虔诚叩拜：“多谢大小姐开恩，属下粉身碎骨，也一定会寻回宝物。”
"Alright, your sincerity is commendable, but the priority now is retrieving the treasure; otherwise, the consequences are obvious," Monk Kǔ’s expression softened, though his voice remained icy.
qí tā xiū shì yě huān xǐ què yuè ， fēn fēn yáo bài dà xiǎo jiě 。
其他修士也欢喜雀跃，纷纷遥拜大小姐。
"Yes!"
“ hǎo le ， nǐ men yǒu cǐ xīn yì yě suàn nán dé ， bù guò dāng wù zhī jí shì xún huí bǎo wù ， fǒu zé jié guǒ rú hé ， yě bù yòng wǒ duō shuō 。” kǔ dà shī biǎo qíng yī huǎn ， dàn shēng yīn yī jiù bīng hán 。
“好了，你们有此心意也算难得，不过当务之急是寻回宝物，否则结果如何，也不用我多说。”苦大师表情一缓，但声音依旧冰寒。
They stood in silence, relieved to have escaped. But with the treasure still in the hands of a traitor, they dared not relax and flew off in various directions.
“ shì ！”
“是！”
Meanwhile, Lin Xuan continued his battle with the Fire Phantom in the ice mountain. The giant fire monster had been trapped by Mo'er's divine technique, but facing this strange fiend, Lin Xuan felt somewhat at a loss.
zhòng rén shù shǒu ér lì ， néng gòu táo guò yī jié ， zì rán ràng tā men xīn zhōng huān xǐ ， dàn bǎo wù yī jiù zài pàn tú shǒu lǐ ， gèng bù gǎn yǒu sī háo xiè dài ， fēn fēn gè zhǎn shén tōng ， xiàng qián fāng fēi qù 。
众人束手而立，能够逃过一劫，自然让他们心中欢喜，但宝物依旧在叛徒手里，更不敢有丝毫懈怠，纷纷各展神通，像前方飞去。
Though it wasn't a true realm of fire, the lava pool beneath his feet gave him formidable strength.
yǔ cǐ tóng shí ， zài nà bīng shān zhī zhōng ， lín xuān yī jiù yǔ huǒ mèi dǎ dé bù yì lè hū ， huǒ jù rén yǐ bèi yuè ér shī zhǎn shén tōng kùn zhù ， bù guò miàn duì zhè guǐ yì xiōng líng ， lín xuān réng rán gǎn dào yǒu xiē jí shǒu 。
与此同时，在那冰山之中，林轩依旧与火魅打得不亦乐乎，火巨人已被月儿施展神通困住，不过面对这诡异凶灵，林轩仍然感到有些棘手。
Time was not on their side!
cǐ dì suī fēi zhēn zhèng de huǒ líng zhī dì ， dàn nà jiǎo dǐ de yán jiāng chí ， yě ràng zhè jiā huo yōng yǒu jīng rén de shí lì 。
此地虽非真正的火灵之地，但那脚底的岩浆池，也让这家伙拥有惊人的实力。
Lin Xuan didn’t have the patience for prolonged combat. Seeing another unknown flame creature summoned by the opponent, he frowned and stretched out his hand, flicking it lightly. A fist-sized green flame leapt from his palm and hovered before him—just the beginning. Another one followed.
tuō yán xià qù duì zì jǐ bù lì ！
拖延下去对自己不利！
In no time, nine fireballs appeared in front of Lin Xuan.
lín xuān kě méi yǒu xīn qíng yǔ yì zhí jiū chán xià qù 。
林轩可没有心情与一直纠缠下去。
Green Illusory Flame!
jiàn duì fāng yòu zhào huàn chū yī bù zhī míng de huǒ yàn guài shòu ， lín xuān liǎn sè yī chén ， shēn chū shǒu lái ， qīng qīng yī fān ， yī tuán quán tou dà xiǎo de bì lǜ huǒ yàn cóng zhǎng xīn zhōng yuè shēng chū lái 。
见对方又召唤出一不知名的火焰怪兽，林轩脸色一沉，伸出手来，轻轻一翻，一团拳头大小的碧绿火焰从掌心中跃升出来。
Over these three years, Lin Xuan hadn’t just been meditating and taking pills; he had also diligently practiced various divine techniques. This magical fire was incredibly powerful, surpassing ordinary talismans by a wide margin, and Lin Xuan had invested much effort into it.
piāo fú yú xiōng qián ， ér zhè jǐn jǐn shì kāi shǐ ， jiē zhe yòu shì yí gè ……
漂浮于胸前，而这仅仅是开始，接着又是一个……
Both the quantity and quality of his Green Illusory Flame were far superior to what they had been three years ago.
bù xiāo piàn kè ， lín xuān de shēn qián jiù duō chū le jiǔ gè huǒ qiú 。
不消片刻，林轩的身前就多出了九个火球。
Seeing the unknown creature charging towards him, Lin Xuan’s lips curled in a sneer. He stretched out his hand and lightly tapped it.
bì huàn yōu huǒ ！
碧幻幽火！
The nine fireballs trembled slightly before coalescing together. A clear chirping sound rang as a foot-long green phoenix shot up into the air.
zhè sān nián lái ， lín xuān bù guāng shì fú yào dǎ zuò ， gè zhǒng shén tōng de xiū liàn yě sī háo bù céng tíng xiē ， yóu qí shì cǐ mó huǒ ， wēi lì zhī qiáng ， hái yuǎn zài yì bān de fǎ bǎo zhī shàng ， lín xuān gèng shì qīng zhù le bù shǎo xīn xuè 。
这三年来，林轩不光是服药打坐，各种神通的修炼也丝毫不曾停歇，尤其是此魔火，威力之强，还远在一般的法宝之上，林轩更是倾注了不少心血。
"Go!"
bù guǎn shù liàng hái shì zhì liàng ， yǔ sān nián qián xiāng bǐ ， dōu yǐ bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ 。
不管数量还是质量，与三年前相比，都已不可同日而语。
Facing such a creature that was several times larger, the green illusory flame transformed into a pale-green spirit bird showed no fear. The two collided once.
jiàn nà bù zhī míng de guài shòu pū xiàng zì jǐ ， lín xuān zuǐ jiǎo biān liú lù chū yī sī jī cháo zhī yì ， shēn chū shǒu lái ， qīng qīng yì diǎn 。
见那不知名的怪兽扑向自己，林轩嘴角边流露出一丝讥嘲之意，伸出手来，轻轻一点。
A blinding light exploded!
jiǔ méi huǒ qiú tóng shí qīng chàn ， suí hòu jù jí zài yì qǐ ， qīng liàng de míng jiào shēng zhōng ， yī chǐ xǔ dà de huǒ niǎo yǐ chōng tiān ér qǐ 。
九枚火球同时轻颤，随后聚集在一起，清亮的鸣叫声中，一尺许大的火鸟已冲天而起。
With a whoosh, the giant creature, despite its massive size, seemed to have met its match. After just a few seconds, it was consumed by the Green Illusory Flame, which reformed as a green demonic flame phoenix and dived towards the Fire Phantom.
“ qù ！”
“去！”
The fiend was startled; being an evil spirit of fire, but having spent his life in this ice mountain, he had never seen such domineering flames. But instinctively, he sensed danger!
miàn duì nà tǐ jī bǐ zì jǐ dà le shù bèi de guài shòu ， bì huàn yōu huǒ suǒ huà de qīng sè líng niǎo háo wú wèi jù ， liǎng zhuàng zài yī cì 。
面对那体积比自己大了数倍的怪兽，碧幻幽火所化的青色灵鸟毫无畏惧，两撞在一次。
Seeing the spirit bird approaching, it was too late to dodge. A fierce look flashed in its eyes as it opened its mouth and spat out a pale purple flame.
cì mù de líng guāng shùn jiān bào liè kāi ！
刺目的灵光瞬间爆裂开！
This was its innate spirit fire from hundreds of years of cultivation; its power was considerable. As soon as it left his body, it exploded, revealing a purple eagle amidst the flames.
hū de yī xià ， nà guài shòu suī rán tǐ xíng shuò dà ， què xiàng shì yù jiàn le kè xīng yī yàng ， jǐn jǐn guò le shù miǎo ， jiù bèi yōu huǒ liàn huà ， suí jí ， qīng sè de mó yán zài cì jù chéng líng niǎo ， xiàng zhe huǒ mèi pū qù 。
呼的一下，那怪兽虽然体型硕大，却像是遇见了克星一样，仅仅过了数秒，就被幽火炼化，随即，青色的魔炎再次聚成灵鸟，向着火魅扑去。
The two spirits entangled, green and purple flames flickering on their bodies, devouring each other.
xiōng líng chī le yī jīng ， nǎi huǒ shǔ xìng xié líng ， dàn zài zhè bīng shān zhōng zuò jǐng guān tiān ， zì rán bù céng jiàn guò rú cǐ bà dào de huǒ yàn 。
凶灵吃了一惊，乃火属性邪灵，但在这冰山中坐井观天，自然不曾见过如此霸道的火焰。
For a moment, neither seemed to have an upper hand.
dàn běn néng yě gǎn dào le wēi xiǎn ！
但本能也感到了危险！
Seeing this scene, Lin Xuan was momentarily stunned but then his expression turned oddly pleased.
yǎn jiàn líng niǎo xí lái ， duǒ shǎn yǐ lái bù jí le ， de yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī sī hěn lì zhī sè ， zhāng kāi zuǐ ， yī kǒu dàn zǐ sè de huǒ yàn pēn chū 。
眼见灵鸟袭来，躲闪已来不及了，的眼中闪过一丝狠厉之色，张开嘴，一口淡紫色的火焰喷出。
"Young Master, what’s wrong?"
zhè shì xiū liàn le shù bǎi nián de běn mìng líng huǒ ， wēi lì zì rán shì bù xiǎo de ， lí tǐ yǐ hòu ， hū de yī xià bào rán ， yī tóu zǐ sè de cāng yīng zài huǒ yàn zhōng fú xiàn 。
这是修炼了数百年的本命灵火，威力自然是不小的，离体以后，呼的一下爆燃，一头紫色的苍鹰在火焰中浮现。
Mo'er had already reduced the giant fire monster into pieces. Seeing Lin Xuan's expression, she felt very strange.
suí jí liǎng tóu líng qín jiū chán zài yì qǐ ， qīng sè yǔ zǐ sè de liǎng zhǒng huǒ yàn zài men de shēn tǐ biǎo miàn fàn qǐ ， bìng hù xiāng tūn shì 。
随即两头灵禽纠缠在一起，青色与紫色的两种火焰在们的身体表面泛起，并互相吞噬。
Lin Xuan didn’t speak, but his joy had a reason. With its current power, Green Illusory Flame was formidable enough, and this Fire Phantom could withstand it—truly a rare fire spirit. If he refined the Green Illusory Flame with it, the demonic flames' power would surely surpass even an Incubus’s infant fire, making Lin Xuan’s own Incubus's fire seem inferior.
yī shí zhī jiān jìng bù fēn shàng xià de yàng zi 。
一时之间竟不分上下的样子。
Thinking of this, even Lin Xuan couldn’t help showing joy on his face. This troublesome enemy could be just what he needed to strengthen his demonic flames.
jiàn le zhè zhǒng qíng jǐng ， lín xuān xiān shì yī dāi ， bù guò suí jí ， biǎo qíng què biàn dé pǒ wèi gǔ guài ， bù yōu fǎn xǐ ……
见了这种情景，林轩先是一呆，不过随即，表情却变得颇为古怪，不忧反喜……
With that thought, green light enveloped him as he waved his hands, changing hand seals rapidly while reciting ancient and obscure incantations. A mouthful of fresh blood was spat out.
“ shào yé ， nǐ zěn me le ？”
“少爷，你怎么了？”
Boom!
yuè ér yǐ jiāng nà huǒ yàn jù rén pǐ chéng le suì kuài ， zhuǎn tóu kàn jiàn lín xuān de biǎo qíng ， bù yóu de gǎn jué dào shí fēn qí guài 。
月儿已将那火焰巨人劈成了碎块，转头看见林轩的表情，不由得感觉到十分奇怪。
The blood turned into mist, quickly absorbed by the green spirit bird.
lín xuān méi yǒu kāi kǒu ， bù guò tā de gāo xìng zì rán shì yǒu lǐ yóu ， rú jīn ， dān yǐ wēi lì lái shuō ， bì huàn yōu huǒ yǐ shì fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， rán ér zhè huǒ mèi jū rán néng gòu dǐng zhù ， bù kuì shì hǎn jiàn de huǒ líng zhī wù ， rú guǒ jiāng yòng bì huàn yōu huǒ liàn huà le ， cǐ mó yán de wēi lì bì rán huì gèng shèng yī chóu ， nà shí ， yuán yīng qī lǎo guài de yīng huǒ yǔ tā xiāng bǐ ， kǒng pà dōu dé gān bài xià fēng 。
林轩没有开口，不过他的高兴自然是有理由，如今，单以威力来说，碧幻幽火已是非同小可，然而这火魅居然能够顶住，不愧是罕见的火灵之物，如果将用碧幻幽火炼化了，此魔炎的威力必然会更胜一筹，那时，元婴期老怪的婴火与他相比，恐怕都得甘拜下风。
A dazzling light erupted as the size of the green phoenix grew from a foot to ten feet. The purple eagle couldn’t withstand it, turning into a ball of purple flames that were melted and consumed...
xiǎng dào zhè lǐ ， jí biàn yǐ lín xuān de chéng fǔ ， liǎn shàng yě bù yóu de liú lù chū xǐ bù zì jīn zhī sè ， zhè nán chán de dí rén ， zhèng hǎo kě yǐ gěi zì jǐ de mó yán jìn bǔ 。
想到这里，即便以林轩的城府，脸上也不由得流露出喜不自禁之色，这难缠的敌人，正好可以给自己的魔炎进补。
: Sorry for the delay today; there was no electricity at all yesterday. I'll make up for it with more chapters tomorrow and an extra one on Sunday as compensation. Please continue reading. To be continued...
However, in front of Master Sour Sword Palace Lord, Monk Kǔ was meek and submissive. But for them, he was a source of immense danger.
In the palace, there had once been a traitor who was captured and handed over to Monk Kǔ. No one knew exactly what happened, but it was said that his cries lasted for an entire month, and still hadn't stopped...
Although Monk Kǔ wasn’t a true cultivator of evil magic, he had gathered quite a few strange cultivation techniques.
Being soul-pierced and spirit-refined—this was the most terrifying outcome. It was impossible to seek life or death.
Thinking about the rumors surrounding this old monster in the palace, the red-robed woman's expression turned pale. Although she and her big brother were not traitors, they had carelessly lost that savage treasure from the wilderness, a grave mistake that might as well have been treason.
Hearing that this person was sent to oversee the Punishment Hall, could it be an attempt to clean house?
Everyone was uneasy, their faces devoid of color. Seeing them shivering in fear, Monk Kǔ smiled. His smile was like tree bark trembling, somewhat comical yet chilling.
"You have a big nerve, daring to... " Before he could finish his sentence, there was suddenly a loud shout: "Geng Biao, what are you doing?"
With a wave of his hand, a black beam shot out from his sleeve and entered the body of the man named Geng. The man with broad cheeks and large ears froze as his gathered spiritual energy couldn't be lifted even a bit, his expression turning grim.
"Do you want to self-destruct?" The old man rolled his dead fish-like eyes.
"I know I deserve punishment for my sins. Please, Elder, out of consideration for me having served the palace faithfully for over two hundred years, show mercy and let this be quick."
The other cultivators also showed signs of pleading, but they were similarly subdued by the old man before their spiritual energy could explode within them. Only the red-robed woman's eyes flickered as she looked at the old man’s expression, unsure what he was thinking.
"Want to die? That's easy enough. Your mistakes are unforgivable," Monk Kǔ sneered. "If it were in my hands, you wouldn't stand a chance, but Miss Big Sister is merciful and kind-hearted; she doesn’t want your lives."
"What? Elder, you mean Miss Big Sister has forgiven us?" The man named Geng couldn’t believe his ears.
"Forgive? You dream," the old man said. "What use would it be to kill you when the treasure is already stolen? A bunch of useless fools; so many people, and a Foundation Establishment cultivator managed to steal the treasure."
Monk Kǔ sneered. "Miss Big Sister wants you to make amends for your mistakes. Afraid you’re not up to the task, she asked me to help. If you can retrieve the treasure, I’ll show mercy; otherwise..."
Everyone was stunned, looking at each other in silence until the red-robed woman finally understood. She cried out and knelt towards the east, bowing devoutly: "Thank Miss Big Sister for her grace. Your servant will do whatever it takes to find back the treasure."
The other cultivators were also elated, all bowing respectfully towards Miss Big Sister.
"Alright, your sincerity is commendable, but the priority now is retrieving the treasure; otherwise, the consequences are obvious," Monk Kǔ’s expression softened, though his voice remained icy.
"Yes!"
They stood in silence, relieved to have escaped. But with the treasure still in the hands of a traitor, they dared not relax and flew off in various directions.
Meanwhile, Lin Xuan continued his battle with the Fire Phantom in the ice mountain. The giant fire monster had been trapped by Mo'er's divine technique, but facing this strange fiend, Lin Xuan felt somewhat at a loss.
Though it wasn't a true realm of fire, the lava pool beneath his feet gave him formidable strength.
Time was not on their side!
Lin Xuan didn’t have the patience for prolonged combat. Seeing another unknown flame creature summoned by the opponent, he frowned and stretched out his hand, flicking it lightly. A fist-sized green flame leapt from his palm and hovered before him—just the beginning. Another one followed.
In no time, nine fireballs appeared in front of Lin Xuan.
Green Illusory Flame!
Over these three years, Lin Xuan hadn’t just been meditating and taking pills; he had also diligently practiced various divine techniques. This magical fire was incredibly powerful, surpassing ordinary talismans by a wide margin, and Lin Xuan had invested much effort into it.
Both the quantity and quality of his Green Illusory Flame were far superior to what they had been three years ago.
Seeing the unknown creature charging towards him, Lin Xuan’s lips curled in a sneer. He stretched out his hand and lightly tapped it.
The nine fireballs trembled slightly before coalescing together. A clear chirping sound rang as a foot-long green phoenix shot up into the air.
"Go!"
Facing such a creature that was several times larger, the green illusory flame transformed into a pale-green spirit bird showed no fear. The two collided once.
A blinding light exploded!
With a whoosh, the giant creature, despite its massive size, seemed to have met its match. After just a few seconds, it was consumed by the Green Illusory Flame, which reformed as a green demonic flame phoenix and dived towards the Fire Phantom.
The fiend was startled; being an evil spirit of fire, but having spent his life in this ice mountain, he had never seen such domineering flames. But instinctively, he sensed danger!
Seeing the spirit bird approaching, it was too late to dodge. A fierce look flashed in its eyes as it opened its mouth and spat out a pale purple flame.
This was its innate spirit fire from hundreds of years of cultivation; its power was considerable. As soon as it left his body, it exploded, revealing a purple eagle amidst the flames.
The two spirits entangled, green and purple flames flickering on their bodies, devouring each other.
For a moment, neither seemed to have an upper hand.
Seeing this scene, Lin Xuan was momentarily stunned but then his expression turned oddly pleased.
"Young Master, what’s wrong?"
Mo'er had already reduced the giant fire monster into pieces. Seeing Lin Xuan's expression, she felt very strange.
Lin Xuan didn’t speak, but his joy had a reason. With its current power, Green Illusory Flame was formidable enough, and this Fire Phantom could withstand it—truly a rare fire spirit. If he refined the Green Illusory Flame with it, the demonic flames' power would surely surpass even an Incubus’s infant fire, making Lin Xuan’s own Incubus's fire seem inferior.
Thinking of this, even Lin Xuan couldn’t help showing joy on his face. This troublesome enemy could be just what he needed to strengthen his demonic flames.
With that thought, green light enveloped him as he waved his hands, changing hand seals rapidly while reciting ancient and obscure incantations. A mouthful of fresh blood was spat out.
Boom!
The blood turned into mist, quickly absorbed by the green spirit bird.
A dazzling light erupted as the size of the green phoenix grew from a foot to ten feet. The purple eagle couldn’t withstand it, turning into a ball of purple flames that were melted and consumed...
: Sorry for the delay today; there was no electricity at all yesterday. I'll make up for it with more chapters tomorrow and an extra one on Sunday as compensation. Please continue reading. To be continued...