zài yù xuán zōng lìng yī cè de kùn xiān láo zhōng ， yǐ guī yāo ， kǔ dà shī wéi zhǔ ， qī xiū shì wèi fǔ de sān rén yī yāo ， zhèng gè zì qū shǐ zì jǐ de fǎ bǎo ， xiàng nà xiǎo qiǎo què fán fù yì cháng de fǎ zhèn měng liè jìn gōng 。
在玉玄宗另一侧的困仙牢中，以龟妖，苦大师为主，期修士为辅的三人一妖，正各自驱使自己的法宝，像那小巧却繁复异常的法阵猛烈进攻。
In the confines of another part of the Immortal Confinement Prison, under the leadership of the Turtle Demon and Master Ku, with three others supporting them, they were each using their own treasures to attack a complex array that was small yet intricate.
jù dà de hōng míng shēng mì rú yǔ diǎn ， zài zhè bǎi yú zhàng de kōng jiān nèi bù tíng huí xiǎng ， cì ěr yì cháng ， fǎ zhèn de guāng zhào yǔ qǐ chū shí xiāng bǐ ， yǐ bèi yā suō dé xiǎo le xǔ duō ， wǔ kē jīng shí biǎo miàn de líng guāng yě àn dàn le bù shǎo 。
巨大的轰鸣声密如雨点，在这百余丈的空间内不停回响，刺耳异常，法阵的光罩与起初时相比，已被压缩得小了许多，五颗晶石表面的灵光也暗淡了不少。
The loud noises echoed continuously in this space of over a hundred feet, piercingly harsh. The light barrier of the array had shrunk significantly compared to its initial state, and the glow on five crystal stones had dimmed considerably as well.
nà guī yāo yǔ yuán yīng qī lǎo guài hái hǎo ， liǎng wèi níng dān qī xiū shì kě shì liǎn sè cāng bái ， fǎ lì míng xiǎn chǔ yú le tòu zhī zhuàng tài 。
那龟妖与元婴期老怪还好，两位凝丹期修士可是脸色苍白，法力明显处于了透支状态。
The Turtle Demon and the old monster were relatively fine, but the two condensation core cultivators were pale-faced, clearly in a state of energy depletion.
xīn zhōng jiào kǔ bù dié ， kě yě méi yǒu bàn fǎ ， zhǐ néng yǎo yá kǔ kǔ zhī chēng 。
心中叫苦不迭，可也没有办法，只能咬牙苦苦支撑。
They groaned inwardly but gritted their teeth and held on.
“ hǎo le ， wǒ men shāo shì xiē xī yī xià 。”
“好了，我们稍事歇息一下。”
"Alright, let's take a brief rest."
yòu kuáng hōng le yuē bàn gè shí chén ， guī yāo tū rán kāi kǒu shuō dào ， suī rán de shēng yīn shā yǎ nán tīng ， hóng yī nǚ zǐ yǔ gěng xìng xiū shì què rú fèng lún yīn ， háo méi xíng xiàng de zuò dào zài dì ， hū hū chuǎn qì ， cóng huái zhōng qǔ chū jǐ kuài jīng shí ， wò zài shǒu lǐ ， huī fù tǐ lì 。
又狂轰了约半个时辰，龟妖突然开口说道，虽然的声音沙哑难听，红衣女子与耿姓修士却如奉纶音，毫没形象的坐倒在地，呼呼喘气，从怀中取出几块晶石，握在手里，恢复体力。
After roughly half an hour of relentless attacks, the Turtle Demon suddenly spoke up. Although his voice was hoarse, the red-robed woman and the man named耿 (Gěng) immediately obeyed as if they had received divine instructions, collapsing to the ground and panting heavily. They took out several crystal stones from their pockets and clutched them in their hands, restoring their energy.
kǔ dà shī yě shōu huí le fǎ bǎo ， suī de liǎn sè yě yǒu diǎn cāng bái ， dàn yǔ liǎng gè xiǎo bèi xiāng bǐ yào hǎo dé duō ， bì jìng shì yuán yīng qī de lǎo guài wù 。
苦大师也收回了法宝，虽的脸色也有点苍白，但与两个小辈相比要好得多，毕竟是元婴期的老怪物。
Master Ku also retracted his treasure, though his face was somewhat pale; he was still an old monster of the元婴期 (Yànyīnqí).
“ dào yǒu wèi hé shǒu ， cǐ liǎng rén shòu bù liǎo ， wǒ men hái kě yǐ jì xù jìn gōng 。” kǔ dà shī yǒu diǎn bù mǎn de kāi kǒu 。
“道友为何手，此两人受不了，我们还可以继续进攻。”苦大师有点不满的开口。
"Friend, why stop? These two can't take it anymore. We can continue our assault," Master Ku said with some dissatisfaction.
“ hē hē ， dào yǒu xīn jí le ， nǐ yǐ wéi zhè kǔn xiān de jìn zhì shì nà me róng yì gōng pò ， yuè dào hòu miàn zǔ lì yuè dà ， bú yào wàng xiǎng yī chù ér jiù ， xīn jí chī bù liǎo rè dòu fǔ ， lǎo fū zài zhè lǐ bǎi wàn nián dōu dāi guò le ， yě bù chà zhè yī liǎng tiān de 。” guī yāo yáo tóu huàng nǎo ， xiōng yǒu chéng zhú de dào 。
“呵呵，道友心急了，你以为这捆仙的禁制是那么容易攻破，越到后面阻力越大，不要妄想一处而就，心急吃不了热豆腐，老夫在这里百万年都呆过了，也不差这一两天的。”龟妖摇头晃脑，胸有成竹的道。
"Haha, friend, you're too impatient. Do you think breaking this confinement is easy? The resistance gets stronger as we go deeper. Don't expect to succeed in one fell swoop; impatience won't get you anywhere. I've been here for a million years and don't need another two days," the Turtle Demon said confidently, nodding his head.
“。” kǔ dà shī méi tóu yī tiāo ， suī rán xīn yǒu bù gān ， dàn zǒng suàn méi yǒu duō yán ， duì fāng shì dì tóu shé ， qíng kuàng bǐ zì jǐ liǎo jiě dé duō ， yě pán xī ér zuò ， tiáo xī ràng fǎ lì màn màn huī fù 。
“。”苦大师眉头一挑，虽然心有不甘，但总算没有多言，对方是地头蛇，情况比自己了解得多，也盘膝而坐，调息让法力慢慢恢复。
Master Ku raised an eyebrow but remained silent, acknowledging that the other party was familiar with the situation and had the upper hand. He sat cross-legged to regulate his breath and slowly recover his energy.
“ dǎo shì lí kāi cǐ láo yǐ hòu 。 bù zhī dào dào yǒu kě yǒu shén me dǎ suàn me ？” guò le yī huì er guī yāo tū rán zhēng kāi shuāng móu 。 sī háo méi yǒu zhēng zhào dì kāi kǒu 。
“倒是离开此牢以后。不知道道友可有什么打算么？”过了一会儿龟妖突然睁开双眸。丝毫没有征兆地开口。
"However, after we leave this prison, do you have any plans?" After a while, the Turtle Demon suddenly opened his eyes and spoke without warning.
“ dǎ suàn 。 hēi …… lǎo fū zàn shí hái méi yǒu xiǎng hǎo 。” kǔ dà shī yǔ yān bù xiáng dì dào 。
“打算。嘿……老夫暂时还没有想好。”苦大师语焉不详地道。
"I don't know yet," Master Ku replied vaguely.
zhè jiā huo suī rán cán rěn hǎo shā 。 dàn tóng yàng yě fēi cháng jiǎo huá 。 duì fāng xiǎng yào tàn xún zì jǐ dì kǒu fēng yǒu nà me qīng sōng 。
这家伙虽然残忍好杀。但同样也非常狡猾。对方想要探询自己地口风有那么轻松。
This fellow was not only cruel but also very cunning. It wouldn’t be that easy to probe his intentions.
“ ó 。 dào yǒu yǐ jīng zhī dào cǐ nǎi yù xuán zōng 。 nán dào duì gāi pài mì zhì dì cháng shēng dān méi yǒu xiǎng fǎ ？”
“哦。道友已经知道此乃玉玄宗。难道对该派秘制地长生丹没有想法？”
"Oh, so Friend knows this is the Immortal Confluence Sect? Do you have no interest in their immortal pills?"
kǔ dà shī zhēng kāi yǎn jīng 。 chǒu lòu dì miàn róng shàng shǎn guò yī sī tān lán zhī sè 。 bù guò hěn kuài jiù huī fù píng jìng le 。 kàn zhuó yǎn qián huà xíng qī dì yāo xiū dàn dì kāi kǒu ：
苦大师睁开眼睛。丑陋地面容上闪过一丝贪婪之色。不过很快就恢复平静了。看着眼前化形期地妖修淡地开口：
Master Ku opened his eyes and a hint of greed flashed across his ugly face before he quickly regained composure as he addressed the cultivator who had transformed from an animal. "Friend doesn't need to probe me with words. Just speak your mind. If there's enough benefit, I'm not averse to working together."
“ dào yǒu wú xū yòng yán yǔ shì tàn mò mǒu 。 yǒu huà jiù míng shuō 。 rú guǒ yǒu zú gòu dì hǎo chù 。 zài xià bìng bù jiè yì yǔ gé xià hé zuò 。”
“道友无需用言语试探莫某。有话就明说。如果有足够地好处。在下并不介意与阁下合作。”
"Good, that’s what this old man was waiting for," the Turtle Demon clapped his hands and laughed loudly: "Even in ancient times, Immortal Confluence Sect was a formidable force in the cultivation world. Now, with the passage of time, human lifespans are limited. The sect must have turned to dust, but there should be plenty of treasures left behind, including immortal pills. If Friend is interested, we can team up and surely reap great rewards."
“ hǎo ， bǐ rén děng de jiù shì zhè jù huà 。” guī yāo fǔ zhǎng dà xiào ：“ jí shǐ zài shàng gǔ shí qī yù xuán zōng yě shì dāng shí xiū xiān jiè yī gǔ hěn qiáng de shì lì ， rú jīn cāng hǎi sāng tián ， rén lèi de shòu mìng bì jìng yǒu xiàn ， xiǎng bì gāi pài yǐ huà wèi le huī yān ， dàn kěn dìng yǒu bù shǎo bǎo wù liú xià lái ， qí zhōng kěn dìng bāo kuò cháng shēng dān ， dào yǒu ruò shì yǒu yì wǒ kě yǐ lián shǒu ， kěn dìng huì yǒu bù xiǎo de shōu huò 。”
“好，鄙人等的就是这句话。”龟妖抚掌大笑：“即使在上古时期玉玄宗也是当时修仙界一股很强的势力，如今沧海桑田，人类的寿命毕竟有限，想必该派已化为了灰烟，但肯定有不少宝物留下来，其中肯定包括长生丹，道友若是有意我可以联手，肯定会有不小的收获。”
The Turtle Demon's voice grew more enticing as he spoke, but Master Ku was no fool; he had lived for hundreds of years. He wouldn’t easily fall for such a trick.
guī yāo shuō dào hòu miàn ， shēng yīn chōng mǎn le yòu huò ， rán ér kǔ dà shī yě shì huó le jǐ bǎi nián de lǎo guài wù ， nǎ shì nà me róng yì hǒng piàn de 。
龟妖说到后面，声音充满了诱惑，然而苦大师也是活了几百年的老怪物，哪是那么容易哄骗的。
He wasn't related to the other party, and they were different species. If there weren’t some hidden agenda, why would this fellow seek his cooperation?
duì fāng yǔ zì jǐ fēi qīn fēi gù hé kuàng hái rén yāo shū tú ， jiǎ rú jǐn jǐn shì tiān dà de hǎo chù nǎo dài chú fēi bèi lǘ tī le ， fǒu zé nǎ lǐ huì zhǔ dòng lā shàng zì jǐ qí zhōng kěn dìng yǒu shén me māo nì ……
对方与自己非亲非故何况还人妖殊途，假如仅仅是天大的好处脑袋除非被驴踢了，否则哪里会主动拉上自己其中肯定有什么猫腻……
"Treasures are tempting, but I don't want to die in vain. Please tell me about any dangers or challenges," Master Ku said nonchalantly.
“ bǎo wù gù rán lìng rén xīn dòng ， dàn lǎo fū kě bù xiǎng sǐ dé xī lǐ hú tú zhè qí zhōng yǒu shén me jiān nán xiǎn zǔ ， hái qǐng dào yǒu biǎo shù yī èr 。” kǔ dà shī bù dòng shēng sè de kāi kǒu 。
“宝物固然令人心动，但老夫可不想死得稀里糊涂这其中有什么艰难险阻，还请道友表述一二。”苦大师不动声色的开口。
The Turtle Demon paused, knowing he couldn’t completely hide the truth. He blinked and put on a sincere smile.
guī yāo biǎo qíng yī zhì ， dàn yě zhī dào xiǎng yào wán quán yǐn mán bù xiàn shí ， yú shì zhǎ le zhǎ yǎn ， huàn shàng yī fù chéng kěn de xiào róng 。
龟妖表情一滞，但也知道想要完全隐瞒不现实，于是眨了眨眼，换上一副诚恳的笑容。
"Don't worry, Immortal Confluence Sect was once prosperous, but that was a million years ago. Now times have changed; even if there are any setups, they can’t be of much use. Of course, some restrictions and arrays would take me alone considerable effort to break, but with Friend’s help, we could easily sweep the sect's treasures clean. Don't you want immortal pills? Although my species isn't a spirit beast, our lifespan is incredibly long; I wouldn’t compete for medicinal pills with Friend."
“ dào yǒu duō xīn le ， yù xuán zōng suī rán chāng shèng yī shí ， dàn nà yě shì bǎi wàn nián qián zhī shì ， rú jīn shí guò jìng qiān ， jiù suàn yǒu shén me bù zhì yòu néng yǒu duō dà de yòng tú ， dāng rán ， yī xiē jìn zhì zhèn fǎ jǐn shì xiōng dì yī rén de huà xiǎng yào pò chú hái yào fèi xiē gōng fu ， dàn ruò yǒu dào yǒu lián shǒu ， jué duì néng shì rú pò xiù ， jiāng gāi pài yí liú xià lái de bǎo wù xí juǎn yī kōng ， nán dào dào yǒu duì cháng shēng dān bù xīn dòng ， wǒ men xuán guī suī rán bú shì shén me líng shòu ， dàn shòu mìng què zhǎng dé lí pǔ ， jué bú huì hé dào yǒu qiǎng dān yào de 。”
“道友多心了，玉玄宗虽然昌盛一时，但那也是百万年前之事，如今时过境迁，就算有什么布置又能有多大的用途，当然，一些禁制阵法仅是兄弟一人的话想要破除还要费些工夫，但若有道友联手，绝对能势如破绣，将该派遗留下来的宝物席卷一空，难道道友对长生丹不心动，我们玄龟虽然不是什么灵兽，但寿命却长得离谱，绝不会和道友抢丹药的。”
Master Ku didn’t respond immediately but stroked his beard in thought.
kǔ dà shī tīng le zhè huà ， méi yǒu lì kè huí dá ， ér shì fǔ xū chén yín le qǐ lái 。
苦大师听了这话，没有立刻回答，而是抚须沉吟了起来。
He naturally didn’t fully believe what the other party said, but he had no reason to leave without taking anything. As they say, one must enter the tiger’s den to catch a tiger. For spirit pills and treasures, some risk was worth it.
tā zì rán bú huì wán quán xiāng xìn duì fāng de miáo shù ， dàn yě méi yǒu lǐ yóu jìn rù bǎo shān què kōng shǒu ér huí ， sú huà shuō ， bù rù hǔ xué yān dé hǔ zi ， wèi le líng dān yǔ bǎo wù ， xiē xǔ fēng xiǎn hái shì zhí de mào de 。
他自然不会完全相信对方的描述，但也没有理由进入宝山却空手而回，俗话说，不入虎穴焉得虎子，为了灵丹与宝物，些许风险还是值得冒的。
"Alright, let's cooperate. We'll split any treasures we find," Master Ku said.
“ hǎo ， lǎo fū yǔ dào yǒu hé zuò ， dé dào de bǎo wù wǒ men píng fēn rú hé ？”
“好，老夫与道友合作，得到的宝物我们平分如何？”
"This is natural; we’ll both benefit greatly," the Turtle Demon appeared very generous, but there was a hint of sharpness in his eyes.
“ zhè shì zì rán ， wǒ men tóng zhōu gòng jì ， yí dìng huì zuàn de pén mǎn bō mǎn de 。” guī yāo xiǎn de fēi cháng háo shuǎng ， rán ér yǎn móu shēn chù què shǎn guò yī sī lì máng 。
“这是自然，我们同舟共济，一定会赚得盆满钵满的。”龟妖显得非常豪爽，然而眼眸深处却闪过一丝厉芒。
Master Ku smiled broadly as well, but he had his own plans. He wasn’t afraid of the other party turning on him. Although an intermediate-stage transformed cultivator might be stronger than him, the Turtle Demon wasn't a spirit beast, and what could he learn from being confined here?
kǔ dà shī yě xiào róng mǎn miàn ， bù guò xīn zhōng què yǒu zì jǐ de dǎ suàn ， tā yě bù pà duì fāng fān liǎn ， suī rán huà xíng zhōng qī de yāo xiū jìng jiè yào bǐ zì jǐ shèng shàng yī chóu ， dàn xuán guī bìng fēi líng shòu ， hé kuàng yì zhí guān zài zhè lǐ kǔ xiū néng xué dào shén me hǎo de gōng fǎ ？
苦大师也笑容满面，不过心中却有自己的打算，他也不怕对方翻脸，虽然化形中期的妖修境界要比自己胜上一筹，但玄龟并非灵兽，何况一直关在这里苦修能学到什么好的功法？
On the other hand, he had turned from a Buddha to a demon and knew many strange abilities; his strength far surpassed that of his peers.
ér zì jǐ yóu fú rù mó ， què huì bù shǎo guǐ yì shén tōng ， yǐ shí lì lái shuō yuǎn shèng tóng jiē xiū shì 。
而自己由佛入魔，却会不少诡异神通，以实力来说远胜同阶修士。
If they did turn on each other, it was anyone's game.
zhēn de fān liǎn de huà ， lù sǐ shéi shǒu hái shì liǎng shuō 。
真的翻脸的话，鹿死谁手还是两说。
The two, each harboring their own intentions, laughed in unison.
yī rén yī yāo gè huái guǐ tāi ， què hěn yǒu mò qì de xiào le qǐ lái 。
一人一妖各怀鬼胎，却很有默契的笑了起来。
The red-robed woman and the man named耿 (Gěng) were pale-faced. The situation was more complex than expected; they dared not hope for any treasures or spirit pills, only hoping to survive. They felt grateful.
hóng yī nǚ zǐ yǔ gěng xìng nán zi dōu liǎn sè cāng bái ， xíng shì bǐ xiǎng xiàng de hái yào fù zá yī xiē ， tā men yě bù gǎn shē qiú shén me bǎo wù líng dān ， zhǐ qiú néng gòu huó xià lái jiù yǐ xiè tiān xiè dì ， xīn cún gǎn jī 。
红衣女子与耿姓男子都脸色苍白，形势比想象的还要复杂一些，他们也不敢奢求什么宝物灵丹，只求能够活下来就已谢天谢地，心存感激。
---
……
……
At a spacious open area elsewhere,
yǔ cǐ tóng shí ， zài yī kāi kuò de kòng dì 。
与此同时，在一开阔的空地。
The earless monkey-faced cultivator also encountered trouble. Some strange-shaped puppets blocked his path. Among them were creatures like birds, beasts, insects, and even human-like monsters, of various kinds.
nà jiān ěr hóu sāi de xiū shì yě yù jiàn le má fán ， yī xiē qí xíng guài zhuàng de kuǐ lěi dǎng zài tā de miàn qián ， nà xiē kuǐ lěi zhōng jì yǒu niǎo shòu chóng yú ， yě yǒu rén xíng de guài wù ， zhǒng lèi fán duō 。
那尖耳猴腮的修士也遇见了麻烦，一些奇形怪状的傀儡挡在他的面前，那些傀儡中既有鸟兽虫鱼，也有人形的怪物，种类繁多。
There were nearly a hundred of these puppets, but their cultivation levels weren't high; the most powerful was only equivalent to a筑基期 (Zhùjīqí) cultivator. With his peak condensation core cultivation, he could manage them.
shù liàng zé yǒu jìn bǎi jù ， hǎo zài xiū wèi dōu bú shì hěn gāo ， zuì duō yě jiù xiāng dāng yú zhù jī qī de xiū shì ， yǐ tā níng dān qī dǐng fēng de xiū wèi ， dào yě miǎn qiǎng néng gòu yìng fù 。
数量则有近百具，好在修为都不是很高，最多也就相当于筑基期的修士，以他凝丹期顶峰的修为，倒也勉强能够应付。
However, while these puppets were cannon fodder, they had one disadvantage compared to living beings: they didn’t fear death. Even if their bodies were broken, as long as they weren't critically injured, they would continue attacking.
rán ér zhè xiē kuǐ lěi suī rán dōu shì pào huī jí bié ， dàn yǔ huó zhe de shēng wù xiāng bǐ ， què yǒu yī zhuāng nán chǔ ， hàn bù wèi sǐ 。
然而这些傀儡虽然都是炮灰级别，但与活着的生物相比，却有一桩难处，悍不畏死。
The earless monkey-faced cultivator wasn't in a hurry; he drove his bamboo-tube-shaped treasure through the puppets, which although numerous, could be eliminated eventually.
jí shǐ shēn tǐ bèi dǎ làn le ， zhǐ yào méi yǒu shòu dào zhì mìng de shāng hài ， yě huì jì xù gōng jī 。
即使身体被打烂了，只要没有受到致命的伤害，也会继续攻击。
Half an hour later,
jiān ěr hóu sāi de xiū shì dào yě bù jí ， qū shǐ zhe yī bǐng zhú tǒng xíng zhuàng de fǎ bǎo ， zài kuǐ lěi zhōng sì nüè ， zhè xiē jiā huo suī duō ， dàn zǒng yǒu xiāo miè wán de yī kè 。
尖耳猴腮的修士倒也不急，驱使着一柄竹筒形状的法宝，在傀儡中肆虐，这些家伙虽多，但总有消灭完的一刻。
Bang!
bàn gè shí chén yǐ hòu 。
半个时辰以后。
A puppet with a tiger's head and human body was decapitated. The ground was left with only some limbs and silence returned.
hōng ！
轰！
Phew! He sighed in relief, extended his hand, and the treasure quickly shrunk back into his sleeve.
yī hǔ tóu rén shēn de kuǐ lěi bèi bào tóu ， kòng dì shàng chú le yī xiē cán zhī duàn bì ， chóng xīn guī yú chén jì 。
一虎头人身的傀儡被爆头，空地上除了一些残肢断臂，重新归于沉寂。
After a brief rest, he looked ahead.
hū ， cǐ rén sōng le kǒu qì ， shēn shǒu yī zhāo ， fǎ bǎo xùn sù suō xiǎo ， fēi huí le tā de yī xiù 。
呼，此人松了口气，伸手一招，法宝迅速缩小，飞回了他的衣袖。
Several buildings came into view, along with pavilions, terraces, and small bridges, waterfalls. Clearly, he had entered the deeper parts of the Immortal Confluence Sect.
lüè zuò xiē xī ， tái yǎn xiàng qián fāng kàn qù 。
略作歇息，抬眼向前方看去。
The earless monkey-faced cultivator’s face lit up as he strode forward confidently. In front of him was a courtyard; the gate alone was several dozen feet high, exuding an imposing presence.
shù dòng fáng wū yìng rù le yǎn lián zhī zhōng ， chú cǐ yǐ wài ， hái yǒu tíng tái lóu gé ， xiǎo qiáo pù bù ， xiǎn rán ， tā yǐ jìn rù yù xuán zōng shēn chù 。
数栋房屋映入了眼帘之中，除此以外，还有亭台楼阁，小桥瀑布，显然，他已进入玉玄宗深处。
He stretched out his chicken-claw-like right hand to push open the door but suddenly felt a massive force strike without warning, throwing him like a rag doll towards the distant end.
jiān ěr hóu sāi xiū shì liǎn shàng shǎn guò yī sī xǐ sè ， dà tà bù wǎng qián zǒu ， tā de qián fāng shì yí gè yuàn luò ， guāng shì dà mén jiù gāo dá shù zhàng ， kàn shàng qù qì shì fēi cháng 。
尖耳猴腮修士脸上闪过一丝喜色，大踏步往前走，他的前方是一个院落，光是大门就高达数丈，看上去气势非常。
---
tā shēn chū jī zhǎo bān de yòu shǒu ， xiǎng yào jiàng mén tuī kāi ， rán ér cái gāng gāng jiē chù ， tū rán yī gǔ jù lì háo méi yǒu zhēng zhào de xí lái ， jiāng tā xiàng yī kuài pò bù bān de xiàng yuǎn fāng pāo kāi 。
他伸出鸡爪般的右手，想要将门推开，然而才刚刚接触，突然一股巨力毫没有征兆的袭来，将他像一块破布般的像远方抛开。
Sorry for the delay in updates, everyone. I know things have been unstable recently due to some family matters, but everything should be sorted by tonight. Starting tomorrow, regular updates will resume. I promise to work harder on my writing; please continue supporting me.
In the confines of another part of the Immortal Confinement Prison, under the leadership of the Turtle Demon and Master Ku, with three others supporting them, they were each using their own treasures to attack a complex array that was small yet intricate.
The loud noises echoed continuously in this space of over a hundred feet, piercingly harsh. The light barrier of the array had shrunk significantly compared to its initial state, and the glow on five crystal stones had dimmed considerably as well.
The Turtle Demon and the old monster were relatively fine, but the two condensation core cultivators were pale-faced, clearly in a state of energy depletion.
They groaned inwardly but gritted their teeth and held on.
"Alright, let's take a brief rest."
After roughly half an hour of relentless attacks, the Turtle Demon suddenly spoke up. Although his voice was hoarse, the red-robed woman and the man named耿 (Gěng) immediately obeyed as if they had received divine instructions, collapsing to the ground and panting heavily. They took out several crystal stones from their pockets and clutched them in their hands, restoring their energy.
Master Ku also retracted his treasure, though his face was somewhat pale; he was still an old monster of the元婴期 (Yànyīnqí).
"Friend, why stop? These two can't take it anymore. We can continue our assault," Master Ku said with some dissatisfaction.
"Haha, friend, you're too impatient. Do you think breaking this confinement is easy? The resistance gets stronger as we go deeper. Don't expect to succeed in one fell swoop; impatience won't get you anywhere. I've been here for a million years and don't need another two days," the Turtle Demon said confidently, nodding his head.
Master Ku raised an eyebrow but remained silent, acknowledging that the other party was familiar with the situation and had the upper hand. He sat cross-legged to regulate his breath and slowly recover his energy.
"However, after we leave this prison, do you have any plans?" After a while, the Turtle Demon suddenly opened his eyes and spoke without warning.
"I don't know yet," Master Ku replied vaguely.
This fellow was not only cruel but also very cunning. It wouldn’t be that easy to probe his intentions.
"Oh, so Friend knows this is the Immortal Confluence Sect? Do you have no interest in their immortal pills?"
Master Ku opened his eyes and a hint of greed flashed across his ugly face before he quickly regained composure as he addressed the cultivator who had transformed from an animal. "Friend doesn't need to probe me with words. Just speak your mind. If there's enough benefit, I'm not averse to working together."
"Good, that’s what this old man was waiting for," the Turtle Demon clapped his hands and laughed loudly: "Even in ancient times, Immortal Confluence Sect was a formidable force in the cultivation world. Now, with the passage of time, human lifespans are limited. The sect must have turned to dust, but there should be plenty of treasures left behind, including immortal pills. If Friend is interested, we can team up and surely reap great rewards."
The Turtle Demon's voice grew more enticing as he spoke, but Master Ku was no fool; he had lived for hundreds of years. He wouldn’t easily fall for such a trick.
He wasn't related to the other party, and they were different species. If there weren’t some hidden agenda, why would this fellow seek his cooperation?
"Treasures are tempting, but I don't want to die in vain. Please tell me about any dangers or challenges," Master Ku said nonchalantly.
The Turtle Demon paused, knowing he couldn’t completely hide the truth. He blinked and put on a sincere smile.
"Don't worry, Immortal Confluence Sect was once prosperous, but that was a million years ago. Now times have changed; even if there are any setups, they can’t be of much use. Of course, some restrictions and arrays would take me alone considerable effort to break, but with Friend’s help, we could easily sweep the sect's treasures clean. Don't you want immortal pills? Although my species isn't a spirit beast, our lifespan is incredibly long; I wouldn’t compete for medicinal pills with Friend."
Master Ku didn’t respond immediately but stroked his beard in thought.
He naturally didn’t fully believe what the other party said, but he had no reason to leave without taking anything. As they say, one must enter the tiger’s den to catch a tiger. For spirit pills and treasures, some risk was worth it.
"Alright, let's cooperate. We'll split any treasures we find," Master Ku said.
"This is natural; we’ll both benefit greatly," the Turtle Demon appeared very generous, but there was a hint of sharpness in his eyes.
Master Ku smiled broadly as well, but he had his own plans. He wasn’t afraid of the other party turning on him. Although an intermediate-stage transformed cultivator might be stronger than him, the Turtle Demon wasn't a spirit beast, and what could he learn from being confined here?
On the other hand, he had turned from a Buddha to a demon and knew many strange abilities; his strength far surpassed that of his peers.
If they did turn on each other, it was anyone's game.
The two, each harboring their own intentions, laughed in unison.
The red-robed woman and the man named耿 (Gěng) were pale-faced. The situation was more complex than expected; they dared not hope for any treasures or spirit pills, only hoping to survive. They felt grateful.
---
At a spacious open area elsewhere,
The earless monkey-faced cultivator also encountered trouble. Some strange-shaped puppets blocked his path. Among them were creatures like birds, beasts, insects, and even human-like monsters, of various kinds.
There were nearly a hundred of these puppets, but their cultivation levels weren't high; the most powerful was only equivalent to a筑基期 (Zhùjīqí) cultivator. With his peak condensation core cultivation, he could manage them.
However, while these puppets were cannon fodder, they had one disadvantage compared to living beings: they didn’t fear death. Even if their bodies were broken, as long as they weren't critically injured, they would continue attacking.
The earless monkey-faced cultivator wasn't in a hurry; he drove his bamboo-tube-shaped treasure through the puppets, which although numerous, could be eliminated eventually.
Half an hour later,
Bang!
A puppet with a tiger's head and human body was decapitated. The ground was left with only some limbs and silence returned.
Phew! He sighed in relief, extended his hand, and the treasure quickly shrunk back into his sleeve.
After a brief rest, he looked ahead.
Several buildings came into view, along with pavilions, terraces, and small bridges, waterfalls. Clearly, he had entered the deeper parts of the Immortal Confluence Sect.
The earless monkey-faced cultivator’s face lit up as he strode forward confidently. In front of him was a courtyard; the gate alone was several dozen feet high, exuding an imposing presence.
He stretched out his chicken-claw-like right hand to push open the door but suddenly felt a massive force strike without warning, throwing him like a rag doll towards the distant end.
---
Sorry for the delay in updates, everyone. I know things have been unstable recently due to some family matters, but everything should be sorted by tonight. Starting tomorrow, regular updates will resume. I promise to work harder on my writing; please continue supporting me.