qīng guāng yī shǎn ， fù jìn de líng lì kāi shǐ niǔ qū ， huì jí zài yì qǐ ， yī zhī qīng sè de dà shǒu píng kōng chéng xíng ， huàn huà chū yī piàn guāng yǐng ， xiàng zhe nà lǚ huáng máng lāo qù 。
青光一闪，附近的灵力开始扭曲，汇集在一起，一只青色的大手凭空成形，幻化出一片光影，向着那缕黄芒捞去。
A flash of green light distorted the nearby essence energy, gathering into a large green hand that appeared out of nowhere. The hand flickered with a shadowy glow as it reached for the yellow ray.
“ qián bèi shǒu xià liú qíng 。”
“前辈手下留情。”
"Senior, please be gentle."
huáng máng lǐ miàn ， jìng chuán lái shào nián jǔ zi jīng kǒng de shēng yīn ， rán ér lín xuān de biǎo qíng què hán lěng rú bīng ， qīng sè dà shǒu wēi yī yòng lì ， yǐ jiāng nà lǚ huáng máng zhuā zài le shǒu lǐ 。
黄芒里面，竟传来少年举子惊恐的声音，然而林轩的表情却寒冷如冰，青色大手微一用力，已将那缕黄芒抓在了手里。
From within the yellow ray, came the terrified voice of a young scholar. However, Lin Xuan's expression was icy cold. With a slight exertion, the green hand grabbed the yellow ray.
xī le kǒu qì ， bì huàn yōu huǒ yě suí zhī fēi le huí qù 。
吸了口气，碧幻幽火也随之飞了回去。
Taking a deep breath, the碧幻幽火 also flew back.
dàn zhǐ jiān ， qiáng nǔ fēi huī yān miè ， lín xuān de biǎo qíng mǎn yì wú bǐ 。
弹指间，强弩飞灰湮灭，林轩的表情满意无比。
In an instant, the powerful crossbow vanished in a puff of ash. Lin Xuan's expression was one of satisfaction.
jiù suàn shì yuán yīng qī lǎo guài ， yě bù guò rú cǐ 。
就算是元婴期老怪，也不过如此。
Even an old monster at the元婴期 wouldn't be this easy to handle.
jiāng liǎng rén de chǔ wù dài shōu rù náng zhōng ， lín xuān yòu kàn xiàng nà líng lì níng chéng de dà shǒu 。
将两人的储物袋收入囊中，林轩又看向那灵力凝成的大手。
He stowed away both their storage bags and turned his gaze towards the essence energy hand. His expression became somewhat serious.
biǎo qíng yǒu xiē níng zhòng 。
表情有些凝重。
Inside the palm of that hand, the yellow ray trembled incessantly but couldn’t break free from its constraints. Lin Xuan could feel the man's fear and resentment.
zài nà dà shǒu de zhǎng xīn zhī zhōng ， huáng máng bù tíng chàn dòng ， kě xī què wú fǎ zhèng tuō jìn gù ， lín xuān néng gòu gǎn jué dào tā de huáng kǒng yǔ yuàn dú 。
在那大手的掌心之中，黄芒不停颤动，可惜却无法挣脱禁锢，林轩能够感觉到他的惶恐与怨毒。
This is strange. It’s common knowledge that only old monsters at the元婴期 can have their souls leave their bodies. Ordinary cultivators, even if they reach the凝丹期, wouldn't be able to do such a thing.
cǐ shì kě yǒu xiē qí guài le ， zhòng suǒ zhōu zhī ， zhǐ yǒu yuán yīng qī lǎo guài ， cái néng gòu yuán shén lí tǐ ， pǔ tōng de xiū shì ， jiù suàn shì dào le níng dān qī ， yě jué mǎn yì zhè yàng de běn shì 。
此事可有些奇怪了，众所周知，只有元婴期老怪，才能够元神离体，普通的修士，就算是到了凝丹期，也绝满意这样的本事。
Once a soul leaves its body, it dissipates in no time, vanishing from this world.
hún pò yī dà lí kāi ròu shēn ， bù xiāo yī shí sān kè ， jiù huì huà wèi xū wú ， cóng zhè ge shì jiè xiāo shī de wú yǐng wú zōng 。
魂魄一大离开肉身，不消一时三刻，就会化为虚无，从这个世界消失的无影无踪。
But this yellow ray is clearly the opponent's soul, and yet it shows no signs of weakening after so long.
kàn zhè lǚ huáng máng ， míng míng shì duì fāng de hún pò ， guò lái zhè me jiǔ què sī háo bú jiàn tā jiǎn ruò 。
看这缕黄芒，明明是对方的魂魄，过来这么久却丝毫不见他减弱。
Could this guy have cultivated some technique to strengthen his soul?
nán dào zhè jiā huo ， jìng xiū liàn yǒu mǒu zhǒng jiā qiáng hún lì de shén tōng ？
难道这家伙，竟修炼有某种加强魂力的神通？
Lin Xuan began pondering in his mind. But he didn't have the time for such thoughts now.
lín xuān kāi shǐ zài nǎo hǎi lǐ cāi cè 。
林轩开始在脑海里猜测。
With a wave of his sleeve, a small jade box fell into his palm. He placed the yellow ray inside and affixed a禁制符箓 on the lid.
bù guò xiàn zài tā kě méi yǒu xīn qíng yán jiū shén me 。
不过现在他可没有心情研究什么。
He had no treasures to nourish soul energy, so if the opponent didn’t have any special techniques, he would let him self-destruct.
xiù páo yī fú ， yī xiǎo qiǎo de yù hé yǐ huá luò dào le zhǎng xīn zhī zhōng ， lín xuān jiāng huáng máng shèng rù ， yòu zài hé gài shàng tiē le yī zhāng jìn zhì fú lù 。
袖袍一拂，一小巧的玉盒已滑落到了掌心之中，林轩将黄芒盛入，又在盒盖上贴了一张禁制符箓。
Of course, if the opponent's元神 could persist, there might be another use for it.
tā shǒu zhōng bìng méi yǒu zī yǎng hún lì de bǎo wù ， rú guǒ duì fāng méi yǒu tè shū shén tōng ， jiù rèn tā zì shēng zì miè hǎo le 。
他手中并没有滋养魂力的宝物，如果对方没有特殊神通，就任他自生自灭好了。
After doing everything, Lin Xuan released his divine sense. There were no cultivators within a dozen miles. He sighed, though he wasn't soft-hearted, the Ma family had been brought to their downfall because of him, and that was somewhat regrettable.
dāng rán ， rú guǒ duì fāng de yuán shén néng gòu yì zhí cún zài ， nà zì jǐ yě jiù lìng yǒu yòng tú 。
当然，如果对方的元神能够一直存在，那自己也就另有用途。
Fortunately, the murderer was dead, and the innocent victims from the Ma family could rest in peace.
zuò hǎo zhè yī qiè hòu ， lín xuān jiāng shén shí fàng chū ， fāng yuán shù shí lǐ nèi ， bìng méi yǒu xiū xiān zhě ， tā bù yóu de tàn le kǒu qì ， suī rán zì jǐ bìng bú shì xīn cí shǒu ruǎn zhī tú ， dàn bù guǎn rú hé ， mǎ jiā zǒng shì yīn wèi zì jǐ ， cái zhāo lái le hèng huò ， duō shǎo hái shì yǒu xiē xī xū de 。
做好这一切后，林轩将神识放出，方圆数十里内，并没有修仙者，他不由得叹了口气，虽然自己并不是心慈手软之徒，但不管如何，马家总是因为自己，才招来了横祸，多少还是有些唏嘘的。
"Master, what should we do next? Should we continue staying here to cultivate?"
hǎo zài ， xiōng shǒu yǐ rán fú zhū ， wú gū cǎn sǐ de mǎ jiā xiū shì kě yǐ zài jiǔ quán zhī xià míng mù 。
好在，凶手已然伏诛，无辜惨死的马家修士可以在九泉之下瞑目。
"Nonsense," Lin Xuan shook his head. "Originally, I planned to stabilize the魔婴 first before seeking out the essence fire needed for the天尘丹. But now, circumstances have changed and my plans must be altered..."
“ shào yé ， jiē xià lái wǒ men yīng gāi rú hé ， jì xù dāi zài zhè lǐ xiū liàn ma ？”
“少爷，接下来我们应该如何，继续呆在这里修炼吗？”
"Why?" Mo Er's eyes showed a hint of confusion.
“ dāng rán bù 。” lín xuān yáo le yáo tóu ：“ yuán běn wǒ shì zhè yàng dǎ suàn de ， mó yīng chéng xíng wèi jiǔ ， xiān jiāng qí wěn gù ， suí hòu zài qù xún zhǎo kě yǐ liàn zhì tiān chén dān de líng huǒ ， bù guò jiù xiàn zài de xíng shì lái kàn ， jì huà què bù dé bù gǎi biàn ……”
“当然不。”林轩摇了摇头：“原本我是这样打算的，魔婴成形未久，先将其稳固，随后再去寻找可以炼制天尘丹的灵火，不过就现在的形势来看，计划却不得不改变……”
"Stupid girl, don't you see? How did those two scholars find this place?" Lin Xuan said with a bitter smile.
“ wèi shén me ？” yuè ér de yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī sī mí huò 。
“为什么？”月儿的眼中闪过一丝迷惑。
"They found the celestial signs when your魔婴 formed..." Mo Er stopped mid-sentence as she realized what Lin Xuan was thinking. "You're right, if others can spot these signs, trouble will surely follow."
“ shǎ yā tou ， zhè hái yòng wèn me ， gāng cái de liǎng gè rú mén de xiū xiān zhě ， shì rú hé zhǎo dào zhè dì fāng lái de ？” lín xuān kǔ xiào zhe kāi kǒu 。
“傻丫头，这还用问么，刚才的两个儒门的修仙者，是如何找到这地方来的？”林轩苦笑着开口。
Mo Er nodded. "Master is correct; it's time to leave."
“ rú hé ？ yīng gāi shì fā xiàn le shào yé mó yīng chéng xíng shí de tiān xiàng ……” yuè ér shuō dào zhè lǐ ， biǎo qíng yī jiāng ， yǐ míng bái lín xuān xīn zhōng suǒ xiǎng 。
“如何？应该是发现了少爷魔婴成形时的天象……”月儿说道这里，表情一僵，已明白林轩心中所想。
Lin Xuan returned to the valley and removed the array in front of his cave. He tidied up everything before a gust of wind blades shot out with thunderous noise, collapsing part of the cliffs and erasing any trace he had left.
“ zhī dào le ba ， zhè liǎng gè rén jì rán néng fā xiàn jié yīng tiān zhào ， nà qí tā rén yě shì yī yàng ， rú guǒ jì xù liú zài zhè lǐ ， má fán bì jiāng jiē zhǒng ér zhì 。” lín xuān tàn le kǒu qì 。
“知道了吧，这两个人既然能发现结婴天兆，那其他人也是一样，如果继续留在这里，麻烦必将接踵而至。”林轩叹了口气。
Then Lin Xuan turned into a streak of green light and disappeared.
yuè ér diǎn le diǎn tóu ：“ shào yé cǐ yán bù cuò ， kàn lái shì shí hòu lí kāi le 。”
月儿点了点头：“少爷此言不错，看来是时候离开了。”
---
lín xuān huí dào xiá gǔ ， jiāng dòng fǔ qián de zhèn fǎ chè qù ， zài jiāng qí tā dōng xī lüè zuò shōu shí ， suí hòu xiù páo yī fú ， dà piàn de fēng rèn jī shè ér chū ， hōng lōng lóng jù xiǎng zhī zhōng ， liǎng chù jué bì bēng tā le xiǎo bàn yǒu yú ， dùn shí yān mò le tā céng jīng zài zhè lǐ dài guò de hén jì 。
林轩回到峡谷，将洞府前的阵法撤去，再将其他东西略作收拾，随后袖袍一拂，大片的风刃激射而出，轰隆隆巨响之中，两处绝壁崩塌了小半有余，顿时湮没了他曾经在这里待过的痕迹。
Lin Xuan's choice was correct; not long after, news spread far and wide. Strange celestial signs appeared on Huang Qi Mountain, drawing many cultivators to investigate, as such natural anomalies might hint at some hidden treasure. The area soon buzzed with activity, with nearby sects and even powerful wandering cultivators eager to explore.
suí hòu lín xuān huà wèi yī dào qīng hóng ， jué chén ér zǒu 。
随后林轩化为一道青虹，绝尘而走。
But no treasures were found; the only result was that the Ma family had vanished. Over a hundred cultivators within the sect were massacred, leaving no survivors. The news shook the entire Xuan Kong Island.
……
……
The Ma family might be insignificant, but they were affiliated with the魔幽门. As the saying goes, you don't hit a dog without considering its owner. This action was like slapping the face of the魔幽门.
lín xuān de xuǎn zé bìng méi yǒu cuò ， mò guò duō jiǔ ， xiāo xī jiù yuǎn yuǎn dì chuán chū 。
林轩的选择并没有错，没过多久，消息就远远地传出。
The sect leader was furious and sent an elder to investigate.
xiān shì huáng qí shān fù jìn chū xiàn guǐ yì tiān zhào ， yǐn dé dà liàng de xiū shì lái fǎng ， bì jìng zhè zhǒng tiān shēng yì xiàng ， jí yǒu kě néng qiān chě dào shén me yì bǎo 。 yī shí zhī jiān ， fēng qǐ yún yǒng ， fù jìn de mén pài jiā zú ， shèn zhì yī xiē shí lì gāo shēn de sàn xiū ， wú bù chǔn chǔn yù dòng 。
先是黄岐山附近出现诡异天兆，引得大量的修士来访，毕竟这种天生异象，极有可能牵扯到什么异宝。一时之间，风起云涌，附近的门派家族，甚至一些实力高深的散修，无不蠢蠢欲动。
Through careful examination, clues emerged pointing towards another major power in the cultivation world: the浩然宗!
jié guǒ zì rán shì shén me fā xiàn yě méi yǒu ， wéi yī de shōu huò ， jiù shì pán jù zài zhè ér de mǎ jiā xiāo shī le 。
结果自然是什么发现也没有，唯一的收获，就是盘踞在这儿的马家消失了。
However, this sect wouldn’t accept blame; instead, they accused the魔幽门 of harming their two condensation core cultivators.
mén nèi de shù bǎi xiū shì ， bèi tú lù dài jìn ， wú yī huó kǒu ， xiāo xī chuán chū ， zhěng gè xuán kōng dǎo wèi zhī zhèn dòng 。
门内的数百修士，被屠戮殆尽，无一活口，消息传出，整个旋崆岛为之震动。
Both sides engaged in heated debate, the tension rising.
mǎ jiā gù rán zhǐ shì xiǎo xiā mǐ ， dàn tā men bì jìng shì yī fù yú mó yōu mén de shì lì ， sú huà shuō ， dǎ gǒu hái yào kàn zhǔ rén ， zhè yàng zuò ， qǐ bù děng yú zài mó yōu mén de liǎn shàng ， hěn hěn dì shàn le yí gè ěr guāng 。
马家固然只是小虾米，但他们毕竟是依附于魔幽门的势力，俗话说，打狗还要看主人，这样做，岂不等于在魔幽门的脸上，狠狠地扇了一个耳光。
---
mén zhǔ zhèn nù ， yóu yī wèi zhǎng lǎo qīn zì dài duì qián lái chá xún gēn yóu 。
门主震怒，由一位长老亲自带队前来查询根由。
The atmosphere on Xuan Kong Island was tense. Various powers speculated whether this incident would spark another conflict between the magic and scholar factions.
chōu sī bō jiǎn ， zhū sī mǎ jì fú chū shuǐ miàn ， gè zhǒng zhèng jù dōu zhǐ xiàng gāi dǎo xiū xiān jiè de lìng yī dà jù tóu 。
抽丝剥茧，蛛丝马迹浮出水面，各种证据都指向该岛修仙界的另一大巨头。
Wise ones secluded themselves, many families and sects restricted their disciples' activities to avoid being targeted. It was better to stay hidden like a turtle in its shell.
hào rán zōng ！
浩然宗！
However, some powers secretly rejoiced. In times of chaos, heroes emerged; with proper planning, there might be hope for gaining an advantage.
rán ér gāi pài qǐ huì rèn xià zuì zhuàng ， fǎn ér zhǐ zé mó yōu mén cán hài le tā men de liǎng wèi níng dān qī gāo shǒu 。
然而该派岂会认下罪状，反而指责魔幽门残害了他们的两位凝丹期高手。
The undercurrents were strong.
shuāng fāng chún qiāng shé jiàn ， huǒ yào wèi ér yù yǎn yù nóng 。
双方唇枪舌剑，火药味儿愈演愈浓。
---
yī shí zhī jiān ， xuán kōng dǎo fēng shēng hè lì ， gè dà shì lì dōu zài cāi cè ， zhè jiàn shì huì bú huì chéng wéi mó rú liǎng pài yòu yī ** zhàn de dǎo huǒ suǒ 。
一时之间，旋崆岛风声鹤唳，各大势力都在猜测，这件事会不会成为魔儒两派又一**战的导火索。
On the Muguang Mountain, at the most abundant essence energy site, a white-robed scholar and a bald old man sat cross-legged. Both散发 out aura indicating they were experts at the元婴期.
cōng míng zhě bì guān bù chū ， hěn duō jiā zú zōng pài yě dōu kāi shǐ xiàn zhì dì zǐ de wài chū huó dòng ， qiāng dǎ chū tóu niǎo ， zhè shí hòu ， hái shì dāng suō tóu wū guī zuì hǎo 。
聪明者闭关不出，很多家族宗派也都开始限制弟子的外出活动，枪打出头鸟，这时候，还是当缩头乌龟最好。
The white-robed scholar was known as the 上人 of the魔幽门 and was the sect's leader. His magic was strange and cruel but often appeared scholarly in demeanor.
dāng rán ， yě yǒu yī xiē shì lì àn zhōng xīng fèn qǐ lái le ， luàn shì chū yīng xióng ， zhǐ yào guī huà de hǎo ， wèi shǐ méi yǒu huǒ zhōng qǔ lì de xī wàng 。
当然，也有一些势力暗中兴奋起来了，乱世出英雄，只要规划的好，未始没有火中取栗的希望。
The bald old man, on the other hand, was robust with a surging aura of evil, clearly a ruthless master of the dark arts.
àn cháo xiōng yǒng 。
暗潮汹涌。
"Senior Brother, why must we endure? The Ma family is insignificant, but this incident tarnishes our reputation," the bald old man glared with his bulging eyes, his expression displeased.
……
……
"Oh, what do you suggest we do to rekindle the conflict with those scholar cultivators?"
wù cāng shān ， mó yōu mén zǒng tán 。
雾苍山，魔幽门总坛。
"Why not? Are they so formidable?" the bald old man retorted.
zài mǒu líng qì zuì wèi chōng zú dì diǎn ， yī bái páo rú shēng yǔ hè fā lǎo zhě pán xī ér zuò ， cóng sàn fà de líng qì lái kàn ， zhè liǎng rén dōu shì yuán yīng qī gāo shǒu 。
在某灵气最为充足地点，一白袍儒生与赫发老者盘膝而坐，从散发的灵气来看，这两人都是元婴期高手。
Seeing that he was serious, the 上人 was taken aback. "Junior Brother, your thinking is too simple. We don't know if this incident is really orchestrated by the浩然宗. Even if evidence points to them, we shouldn’t engage in open conflict now."
bái páo rú shēng wài hào mó yōu shàng rén ， nǎi shì gāi pài zhǎng mén ， yī shēn mó gōng guǐ yì cán rěn ， rán ér cóng qì zhì shàng kàn ， què cháng cháng bèi rèn wéi sì hū rú mén zhī rén 。
白袍儒生外号魔幽上人，乃是该派掌门，一身魔功诡异残忍，然而从气质上看，却常常被认为似乎儒门之人。
"Why not?"
zhì yú hè fā lǎo zhě ， zé shēn cái zhuàng shuò ， hún shēn mó qì fān yǒng ， yī kàn jiù shì xīn hěn shǒu là de mó dào jù tóu 。
至于赫发老者，则身材壮硕，浑身魔气翻涌，一看就是心狠手辣的魔道巨头。
"Junior Brother, have you forgotten our grand scheme?" The 上人 turned and looked at the life essence beast on the shelf, nine of which were already glowing. "We've made significant progress with our plan. We can't afford to alienate the浩然宗 at this critical juncture; some patience is necessary."
“ shī xiōng ， wǒ men wèi shén me yào rěn qì tūn shēng ， mǎ jiā suī rán bù zhí yī tí ， dàn zhè jiàn shì qíng ， yě tài shāng wǒ mó yōu mén de miàn zi 。” hè fā lǎo zhě dèng qǐ yī shuāng dòu jī yǎn ， biǎo qíng bù shàn 。
“师兄，我们为什么要忍气吞声，马家虽然不值一提，但这件事情，也太伤我魔幽门的面子。”赫发老者瞪起一双斗鸡眼，表情不善。
"But..." the bald old man nodded but still seemed reluctant.
“ ó ， nà yǐ shī dì zhī yì ， yīng gāi rú hé ， yǔ nà xiē suān rú zhòng rán zhàn huǒ ？”
“哦，那以师弟之意，应该如何，与那些酸儒重燃战火？”
"Junior Brother, small grudges can disrupt grand plans. You’ve lived for six hundred years; haven’t you figured out that it's better to endure a momentary grievance? Once our plan succeeds, what does the浩然宗 matter? Even unifying Xuan Kong Island would be easy," the white-robed scholar sneered.
A flash of green light distorted the nearby essence energy, gathering into a large green hand that appeared out of nowhere. The hand flickered with a shadowy glow as it reached for the yellow ray.
"Senior, please be gentle."
From within the yellow ray, came the terrified voice of a young scholar. However, Lin Xuan's expression was icy cold. With a slight exertion, the green hand grabbed the yellow ray.
Taking a deep breath, the碧幻幽火 also flew back.
In an instant, the powerful crossbow vanished in a puff of ash. Lin Xuan's expression was one of satisfaction.
Even an old monster at the元婴期 wouldn't be this easy to handle.
He stowed away both their storage bags and turned his gaze towards the essence energy hand. His expression became somewhat serious.
Inside the palm of that hand, the yellow ray trembled incessantly but couldn’t break free from its constraints. Lin Xuan could feel the man's fear and resentment.
This is strange. It’s common knowledge that only old monsters at the元婴期 can have their souls leave their bodies. Ordinary cultivators, even if they reach the凝丹期, wouldn't be able to do such a thing.
Once a soul leaves its body, it dissipates in no time, vanishing from this world.
But this yellow ray is clearly the opponent's soul, and yet it shows no signs of weakening after so long.
Could this guy have cultivated some technique to strengthen his soul?
Lin Xuan began pondering in his mind. But he didn't have the time for such thoughts now.
With a wave of his sleeve, a small jade box fell into his palm. He placed the yellow ray inside and affixed a禁制符箓 on the lid.
He had no treasures to nourish soul energy, so if the opponent didn’t have any special techniques, he would let him self-destruct.
Of course, if the opponent's元神 could persist, there might be another use for it.
After doing everything, Lin Xuan released his divine sense. There were no cultivators within a dozen miles. He sighed, though he wasn't soft-hearted, the Ma family had been brought to their downfall because of him, and that was somewhat regrettable.
Fortunately, the murderer was dead, and the innocent victims from the Ma family could rest in peace.
"Master, what should we do next? Should we continue staying here to cultivate?"
"Nonsense," Lin Xuan shook his head. "Originally, I planned to stabilize the魔婴 first before seeking out the essence fire needed for the天尘丹. But now, circumstances have changed and my plans must be altered..."
"Why?" Mo Er's eyes showed a hint of confusion.
"Stupid girl, don't you see? How did those two scholars find this place?" Lin Xuan said with a bitter smile.
"They found the celestial signs when your魔婴 formed..." Mo Er stopped mid-sentence as she realized what Lin Xuan was thinking. "You're right, if others can spot these signs, trouble will surely follow."
Mo Er nodded. "Master is correct; it's time to leave."
Lin Xuan returned to the valley and removed the array in front of his cave. He tidied up everything before a gust of wind blades shot out with thunderous noise, collapsing part of the cliffs and erasing any trace he had left.
Then Lin Xuan turned into a streak of green light and disappeared.
---
Lin Xuan's choice was correct; not long after, news spread far and wide. Strange celestial signs appeared on Huang Qi Mountain, drawing many cultivators to investigate, as such natural anomalies might hint at some hidden treasure. The area soon buzzed with activity, with nearby sects and even powerful wandering cultivators eager to explore.
But no treasures were found; the only result was that the Ma family had vanished. Over a hundred cultivators within the sect were massacred, leaving no survivors. The news shook the entire Xuan Kong Island.
The Ma family might be insignificant, but they were affiliated with the魔幽门. As the saying goes, you don't hit a dog without considering its owner. This action was like slapping the face of the魔幽门.
The sect leader was furious and sent an elder to investigate.
Through careful examination, clues emerged pointing towards another major power in the cultivation world: the浩然宗!
However, this sect wouldn’t accept blame; instead, they accused the魔幽门 of harming their two condensation core cultivators.
Both sides engaged in heated debate, the tension rising.
---
The atmosphere on Xuan Kong Island was tense. Various powers speculated whether this incident would spark another conflict between the magic and scholar factions.
Wise ones secluded themselves, many families and sects restricted their disciples' activities to avoid being targeted. It was better to stay hidden like a turtle in its shell.
However, some powers secretly rejoiced. In times of chaos, heroes emerged; with proper planning, there might be hope for gaining an advantage.
The undercurrents were strong.
---
On the Muguang Mountain, at the most abundant essence energy site, a white-robed scholar and a bald old man sat cross-legged. Both散发 out aura indicating they were experts at the元婴期.
The white-robed scholar was known as the 上人 of the魔幽门 and was the sect's leader. His magic was strange and cruel but often appeared scholarly in demeanor.
The bald old man, on the other hand, was robust with a surging aura of evil, clearly a ruthless master of the dark arts.
"Senior Brother, why must we endure? The Ma family is insignificant, but this incident tarnishes our reputation," the bald old man glared with his bulging eyes, his expression displeased.
"Oh, what do you suggest we do to rekindle the conflict with those scholar cultivators?"
"Why not? Are they so formidable?" the bald old man retorted.
Seeing that he was serious, the 上人 was taken aback. "Junior Brother, your thinking is too simple. We don't know if this incident is really orchestrated by the浩然宗. Even if evidence points to them, we shouldn’t engage in open conflict now."
"Why not?"
"Junior Brother, have you forgotten our grand scheme?" The 上人 turned and looked at the life essence beast on the shelf, nine of which were already glowing. "We've made significant progress with our plan. We can't afford to alienate the浩然宗 at this critical juncture; some patience is necessary."
"But..." the bald old man nodded but still seemed reluctant.
"Junior Brother, small grudges can disrupt grand plans. You’ve lived for six hundred years; haven’t you figured out that it's better to endure a momentary grievance? Once our plan succeeds, what does the浩然宗 matter? Even unifying Xuan Kong Island would be easy," the white-robed scholar sneered.