lóng shé hùn zá ， shù rì zhī qián ， zhè xiē rén hái yǒu xiē zhē zhē yǎn yǎn ， rán ér rú jīn què chén bú zhù qì lái 。
龙蛇混杂，数日之前，这些人还有些遮遮掩掩，然而如今却沉不住气来。
The mix of characters was thick. Just a few days ago, these people were still being cautious and discreet. But now they couldn't hold back their anxiety.
zhì yú níng jiā ， dāng rán yě bú huì háo wú fáng bèi ， suǒ yǒu jìn zhì quán bù kāi qǐ ， zài léi yīn shān de wài wéi ， yě kě yǐ jiàn dào
至于宁家，当然也不会毫无防备，所有禁制全部开启，在雷阴山的外围，也可以见到
As for the Ning family, they wouldn’t be unprepared either. All prohibitions had been activated, and one could see thousands of patrol disciples outside Leiyin Mountain.
shǔ yǐ wàn jì de xún luó dì zǐ 。
数以万计的巡逻弟子。
They were on high alert!
rú lín dà dí ！
如临大敌！
When Lin Xuan arrived nearby, he saw this scene. However, after releasing his spirit sense to scan over them, he shook his head.
lín xuān lái dào fù jìn de shí hòu ， jiàn dào de jiù shì zhè me yī fān qíng jǐng 。
林轩来到附近的时候，见到的就是这么一番情景。
These Ning family disciples were too unbecoming. With the mansion about to collapse and enemies pressing from all sides, they still fought like there was no tomorrow. Truly, one wouldn’t cry until their coffin was closed.
rán ér jiāng shén shí fàng chū ， lüè lüè sǎo shì yī biàn zhī hòu ， tā què yáo le yáo tóu 。
然而将神识放出，略略扫视一遍之后，他却摇了摇头。
Lin Xuan’s recognition of this wasn’t baseless; he discovered that while the patrol cultivators numbered many, few were experts. Not a single condensation core stage cultivator could be found among them.
zhè xiē níng jiā de dì zǐ ， yě tài bù xiàng huà ， yǎn jiàn dà shà jiāng qīng ， wài dí yā jìng ， hái dòu de bù yì lè hū ， zhēn shì bù
这些宁家的弟子，也太不象话，眼见大厦将倾，外敌压境，还斗的不亦乐乎，真是不
Clearly, those senior elders had focused all their energy on internal strife, sending these shrimp and crabs to guard against enemies. They thought they could hold off the enemy with prohibitions? Truly, they knew nothing of death!
jiàn guān cái bù diào lèi 。
见棺材不掉泪。
A noble cultivator so obsessed with power would inevitably fall from grace sooner or later.
lín xuān huì yǒu zhè fān rèn shí ， zì rán bú shì wú dì fàng shǐ ， yīn wèi tā fā xiàn níng jiā nà xiē xún luó de xiū shì ， rén shù suī rán
林轩会有这番认识，自然不是无的放矢，因为他发现宁家那些巡逻的修士，人数虽然
Of course, Lin Xuan didn’t care. His current goal was merely to make the Ning family his puppets.
bù shǎo ， rán ér gāo shǒu què shì liáo liáo ， lián yí gè níng dān qī de dōu méi yǒu 。
不少，然而高手却是寥寥，连一个凝丹期的都没有。
With people bustling about and him looking ordinary, no one paid any attention. Lin Xuan transformed into a streak of light and shot towards Leiyin Mountain.
xiǎn rán nà xiē zhí shì zhǎng lǎo ， jīng lì quán dōu fàng zài le jiā zhǔ de nèi hào ， pài zhè xiē xiā bīng xiè jiàng chū lái ， jiù suàn yǒu jìn zhì
显然那些执事长老，精力全都放在了家主的内耗，派这些虾兵蟹将出来，就算有禁制
Since he had already breached it once, this protective array, though formidable, was nothing to him. He smoothly entered the main hall.
fǔ zhù ， tā men yǐ wéi jiù néng dǎng zhù dí rén me ？
辅助，他们以为就能挡住敌人么？
Inside, security was tight. Ning family elders weren’t fools, but those patrolling were from other branches. The three largest factions gathered in the White Tiger Hall.
zhēn shì bù zhī sǐ huó ！
真是不知死活！
This was the Ning family’s ancestral hall, where ancestors were worshipped and major ceremonies held.
táng táng xiū xiān zhě ， rú cǐ tān liàn quán shì ， mò luò yě shì chí zǎo de shì 。
堂堂修仙者，如此贪恋权势，没落也是迟早的事。
Logically, selecting a future head should be solemn, but today's ancestral hall was as noisy as a market.
dāng rán ， lín xuān bìng bù zài hū ， tā rú jīn de mù dì ， jǐn jǐn shì shōu níng jiā dàng zì jǐ de zhǎo yá 。
当然，林轩并不在乎，他如今的目的，仅仅是收宁家当自己的爪牙。
The courtyard was vast, over a thousand square meters, with hundreds of cultivators standing in neat rows. Yet it wasn’t crowded at all.
cǐ kè rén tóu cuán dòng ， tā yòu miàn mào pǔ tōng ， zì rán bú huì yǒu rén zhù yì fēn háo ， lín xuān huà wèi yī dào dùn guāng ， fēi shè xiàng
此刻人头攒动，他又面貌普通，自然不会有人注意分毫，林轩化为一道遁光，飞射向
These were the Ning family’s elite. Nearly a hundred had reached condensation core stage, and among the rest, they were all outstanding second-generation disciples whose cultivation levels weren't weak.
léi yīn shān de fāng xiàng 。
雷阴山的方向。
In the courtyard stood an ancient tree, possibly thousands of years old, with branches sprawling wide enough for five or six people to encircle its trunk. Lin Xuan hid amidst the foliage; his cultivation and repressed qi made it impossible for anyone to spot him.
jì rán chuǎng guò le yī cì ， zhè hù pài dà zhèn suī rán bù fán ， duì tā ér yán ， yě xíng tóng xū shè yì bān 。 lín xuān shùn lì de jìn
既然闯过了一次，这护派大阵虽然不凡，对他而言，也形同虚设一般。林轩顺利的进
He then focused his gaze, and everything below was clear.
rù le zǒng tán 。
入了总坛。
The hundreds of cultivators were clearly divided into three groups, each wearing clothes in red, yellow, or blue. Clearly, they belonged to different factions.
lǐ miàn dǎo shì jiè bèi sēn yán ， níng jiā zhǎng lǎo bì jìng bú shì bái chī ， bù guò zài wài xún luó de yī jiù shì qí tā jǐ zhī de dì zǐ
里面倒是戒备森严，宁家长老毕竟不是白痴，不过在外巡逻的依旧是其他几支的弟子
Lin Xuan released his spirit sense, and the cultivation levels, mannerisms, and words of all these people instantly flooded his mind.
， zhì yú shì lì zuì dà de sān mài ， zé tóng jù bái hǔ táng 。
，至于势力最大的三脉，则同聚白虎堂。
Two had the highest cultivation: a middle-aged man in yellow robes with a goatee and a mature woman in red clothes. The man was around fifty, vigorous and spry, while the woman was younger but still exuded beauty from her past.
zhè lǐ shì níng jiā zōng cí ， gòng fèng zhe liè zǔ liè zōng ， tóng shí yě shì jiā zú nèi bù ， jǔ xíng zhòng dà yí shì de chǎng suǒ 。
这里是宁家宗祠，供奉着列祖列宗，同时也是家族内部，举行重大仪式的场所。
Both were at late condensation core stage.
àn lǐ shuō tuī xuǎn wèi lái jiā zhǔ ， qì fēn yīng gāi zhuāng yán sù mù ， rán ér jīn tiān de zōng cí ， chǎo de què gēn cài shì chǎng shì de 。
按理说推选未来家主，气氛应该庄严肃穆，然而今天的宗祠，吵的却跟菜市场似的。
Lin Xuan’s eyes narrowed; their identities could be deduced just from this.
yuàn zi dǎo shì kuān dà yǐ jí ， zú yǒu shàng qiān píng fāng mǐ ， lǐ miàn yǐng yǐng chuò chuò de fēn lì yǒu shù bǎi xiū shì ， què yě sī háo bù
院子倒是宽大以极，足有上千平方米，里面影影绰绰的分立有数百修士，却也丝毫不
They were the leaders of the second and third branches, hot contenders for the head position.
jiàn yōng jǐ 。
见拥挤。
Lin Xuan wasn’t in a hurry to act. It was still too early. Before coming here, he had already rescued Ning Wanshan. Now, he would wait as the latter hurriedly gathered his followers, observing the situation quietly.
zhè lǐ jiù shì níng jiā de quán bù jīng yīng ， guāng shì níng dān qī gāo shǒu jiù yǒu jìn bǎi ， shèng xià lái de ， yě wú yī bú shì èr dài dì
这里就是宁家的全部精英，光是凝丹期高手就有近百，剩下来的，也无一不是二代弟
Haste makes waste; the Ning family would eventually be his.
zi zhōng de jiǎo jiǎo zhě ， xiū wèi quán dōu bù ruò 。
子中的佼佼者，修为全都不弱。
Lin Xuan waited calmly.
yuàn zi zhōng yǒu yī zhū dà shù ， pà yǒu shù qiān nián de shù líng le ， zhī fán yè mào ， guāng shì shù gàn jiù xū yào wǔ liù gè rén cái néng
院子中有一株大树，怕有数千年的树龄了，枝繁叶茂，光是树干就需要五六个人才能
"Third younger sister, do you really want to compete with your elder brother? With enemies pressing from all sides and our family in turmoil, can’t you think of the bigger picture?" The man with a goatee in yellow robes raised an eyebrow and spoke slowly.
huán bào ， lín xuān yǐn zài zhī yè jiàn xì ， yǐ tā de xiū wèi hé liǎn qì zhī fǎ ， zì rán bù kě néng yǒu rén fā xiàn 。
环抱，林轩隐在枝叶间隙，以他的修为和敛气之法，自然不可能有人发现。
"Second elder brother, what you say is amusing. The head position goes to those who deserve it; how could I hand it over? If you truly consider the greater good, why not step back and let me take the position of senior elder?" The red-robed woman combed her hair and replied coolly.
suí hòu dìng jīng wàng qù ， xià miàn de jǐng xiàng yī lǎn wú yú 。
随后定睛望去，下面的景象一览无余。
"You…" Ning Erren was furious, his chest heaving as he glared at the red-robed woman: "Younger sister, don’t forget. When you condensed your golden core, it went awry. If not for my efforts to retrieve soul-reviving elixir for you, would you have this glory?"
zhǐ jiàn zhè shù bǎi xiū shì jīng wèi fēn míng ， suǒ chuān de yī fú suī shì yàng xiāng jìn ， rán ér què fēn wéi hóng huáng lán sān zhǒng bù tóng de yán
只见这数百修士泾渭分明，所穿的衣服虽式样相近，然而却分为红黄蓝三种不同的颜
"Hmph, today is about selecting a head; why bring up old matters?" The red-robed woman retorted disdainfully: "Moreover, if we were to settle those old accounts, I ask, Elder Brother. In the great battle at Taoyin Mountain over a hundred years ago, when you were surrounded by the Five Ghosts of Kunsha, wouldn’t you have perished too without my help?"
sè ， xiǎn rán fēn shǔ bù tóng de pài bié 。
色，显然分属不同的派别。
"This…" Ning Erren was speechless, his face darkening as if a grotesque ghost face appeared momentarily but quickly vanished.
lín xuān fàng chū shén shí ， dùn shí shù bǎi rén de xiū wèi shēn qiǎn ， yán tán jǔ zhǐ ， quán dōu fēn háo bù chā de luò rù dào le tā de nǎo
林轩放出神识，顿时数百人的修为深浅，言谈举止，全都分毫不差的落入到了他的脑
"How about it, Elder Brother? If you want to fight, that’s fine. Let's see who has the better skills." The red-robed woman didn’t back down either.
hǎi lǐ miàn 。
海里面。
"Hmph, younger sister is indeed straightforward; let me test your Ghost Jade Profound Skill. But we must agree on one thing first," Ning Erren stepped forward, his voice hoarse.
qí zhōng xiū wèi zuì gāo de yǒu liǎng gè ， fēn bié shì yī míng huáng shān lǎo zhě yǔ yī míng fēng yùn yóu cún de hóng yī měi fù 。 nà lǎo zhě dà yuē wǔ shí chū tóu ， jīng shén jué shuò ， liú zhe yī bǐng shān yáng xiǎo hú ， gù pàn zhī jiān ， pǒ yǒu bù fán de qì dù 。
其中修为最高的有两个，分别是一名黄衫老者与一名风韵犹存的红衣美妇。那老者大约五十出头，精神矍铄，留着一柄山羊小胡，顾盼之间，颇有不凡的气度。
"Whatever you say, Elder Brother," For some reason, the red-robed woman didn’t yield except in matters concerning the head position; otherwise, she showed considerable respect to Ning Erren.
zhì yú nà měi fù ， nián jì yào shāo qīng yī xiē ， tǐ tài fēng yíng ， suī rán suì yuè yě zài tā shēn shàng liú xià le yī xiē hén jì ， dàn
至于那美妇，年纪要稍轻一些，体态丰盈，虽然岁月也在她身上留下了一些痕迹，但
"Now that our family is leaderless, I imagine Sister knows what’s happening outside. Regardless of who wins or loses this contest, the victor will be the new head. No one else can object. Otherwise, with both second and third branches evenly matched, a collapse could lead to extermination."
réng kàn chū nián qīng de shí hòu ， nǎi shì yī wèi chū sè de měi nǚ 。
仍看出年轻的时候，乃是一位出色的美女。
Lin Xuan nodded; he wasn’t rash but overly obsessed with power, which prevented him from advancing further.
liǎng rén de xiū wèi dōu dào le níng dān hòu qī 。
两人的修为都到了凝丹后期。
"Your words are correct," The red-robed woman smiled gently: "I wouldn’t do something that would hurt those close to me. If you win my Ghost Jade Profound Skill, why not hand over the head position?"
lín xuān yǎn jīng wēi mī ， guāng cóng zhè yì diǎn ， liǎng rén de shēn fèn jiù bù nán pàn duàn 。
林轩眼睛微眯，光从这一点，两人的身份就不难判断。
Her words were gentle, but her intent was clear—she wanted the senior elder position.
èr fáng ， sān fáng de zhǔ shì zhě ， tóng shí yě shì jiā zhǔ zhī wèi de rè mén jì chéng rén 。
二房，三房的主事者，同时也是家主之位的热门继承人。
Lin Xuan’s eyes narrowed; could this person be more than a mere late condensation core cultivator? Hmm, interesting.
lín xuān bìng bù máng zhe chū shǒu ， rú jīn hái wèi dào zuì jiā de shí hòu ， lái cǐ zhī qián ， tā yǐ xiān jiāng níng wàn shān jiù chū ， ér hòu
林轩并不忙着出手，如今还未到最佳的时候，来此之前，他已先将宁万山救出，而后
The two took oaths against their inner demons and transformed into streaks of different colors, shooting up to the sky. This was an ancestral hall, and many low-ranking disciples were present. If they fought here, innocent lives might be affected, which would be disrespectful to ancestors.
zhě máng zhe qù zhào jí zì jǐ de bù shǔ ， xiān jìng guān qí biàn hǎo le 。
者忙着去召集自己的部属，先静观其变好了。
Though few in emotion, cultivators still respected their families’ traditions, making it rare for anyone to defy them.
The mix of characters was thick. Just a few days ago, these people were still being cautious and discreet. But now they couldn't hold back their anxiety.
As for the Ning family, they wouldn’t be unprepared either. All prohibitions had been activated, and one could see thousands of patrol disciples outside Leiyin Mountain.
They were on high alert!
When Lin Xuan arrived nearby, he saw this scene. However, after releasing his spirit sense to scan over them, he shook his head.
These Ning family disciples were too unbecoming. With the mansion about to collapse and enemies pressing from all sides, they still fought like there was no tomorrow. Truly, one wouldn’t cry until their coffin was closed.
Lin Xuan’s recognition of this wasn’t baseless; he discovered that while the patrol cultivators numbered many, few were experts. Not a single condensation core stage cultivator could be found among them.
Clearly, those senior elders had focused all their energy on internal strife, sending these shrimp and crabs to guard against enemies. They thought they could hold off the enemy with prohibitions? Truly, they knew nothing of death!
A noble cultivator so obsessed with power would inevitably fall from grace sooner or later.
Of course, Lin Xuan didn’t care. His current goal was merely to make the Ning family his puppets.
With people bustling about and him looking ordinary, no one paid any attention. Lin Xuan transformed into a streak of light and shot towards Leiyin Mountain.
Since he had already breached it once, this protective array, though formidable, was nothing to him. He smoothly entered the main hall.
Inside, security was tight. Ning family elders weren’t fools, but those patrolling were from other branches. The three largest factions gathered in the White Tiger Hall.
This was the Ning family’s ancestral hall, where ancestors were worshipped and major ceremonies held.
Logically, selecting a future head should be solemn, but today's ancestral hall was as noisy as a market.
The courtyard was vast, over a thousand square meters, with hundreds of cultivators standing in neat rows. Yet it wasn’t crowded at all.
These were the Ning family’s elite. Nearly a hundred had reached condensation core stage, and among the rest, they were all outstanding second-generation disciples whose cultivation levels weren't weak.
In the courtyard stood an ancient tree, possibly thousands of years old, with branches sprawling wide enough for five or six people to encircle its trunk. Lin Xuan hid amidst the foliage; his cultivation and repressed qi made it impossible for anyone to spot him.
He then focused his gaze, and everything below was clear.
The hundreds of cultivators were clearly divided into three groups, each wearing clothes in red, yellow, or blue. Clearly, they belonged to different factions.
Lin Xuan released his spirit sense, and the cultivation levels, mannerisms, and words of all these people instantly flooded his mind.
Two had the highest cultivation: a middle-aged man in yellow robes with a goatee and a mature woman in red clothes. The man was around fifty, vigorous and spry, while the woman was younger but still exuded beauty from her past.
Both were at late condensation core stage.
Lin Xuan’s eyes narrowed; their identities could be deduced just from this.
They were the leaders of the second and third branches, hot contenders for the head position.
Lin Xuan wasn’t in a hurry to act. It was still too early. Before coming here, he had already rescued Ning Wanshan. Now, he would wait as the latter hurriedly gathered his followers, observing the situation quietly.
Haste makes waste; the Ning family would eventually be his.
Lin Xuan waited calmly.
"Third younger sister, do you really want to compete with your elder brother? With enemies pressing from all sides and our family in turmoil, can’t you think of the bigger picture?" The man with a goatee in yellow robes raised an eyebrow and spoke slowly.
"Second elder brother, what you say is amusing. The head position goes to those who deserve it; how could I hand it over? If you truly consider the greater good, why not step back and let me take the position of senior elder?" The red-robed woman combed her hair and replied coolly.
"You…" Ning Erren was furious, his chest heaving as he glared at the red-robed woman: "Younger sister, don’t forget. When you condensed your golden core, it went awry. If not for my efforts to retrieve soul-reviving elixir for you, would you have this glory?"
"Hmph, today is about selecting a head; why bring up old matters?" The red-robed woman retorted disdainfully: "Moreover, if we were to settle those old accounts, I ask, Elder Brother. In the great battle at Taoyin Mountain over a hundred years ago, when you were surrounded by the Five Ghosts of Kunsha, wouldn’t you have perished too without my help?"
"This…" Ning Erren was speechless, his face darkening as if a grotesque ghost face appeared momentarily but quickly vanished.
"How about it, Elder Brother? If you want to fight, that’s fine. Let's see who has the better skills." The red-robed woman didn’t back down either.
"Hmph, younger sister is indeed straightforward; let me test your Ghost Jade Profound Skill. But we must agree on one thing first," Ning Erren stepped forward, his voice hoarse.
"Whatever you say, Elder Brother," For some reason, the red-robed woman didn’t yield except in matters concerning the head position; otherwise, she showed considerable respect to Ning Erren.
"Now that our family is leaderless, I imagine Sister knows what’s happening outside. Regardless of who wins or loses this contest, the victor will be the new head. No one else can object. Otherwise, with both second and third branches evenly matched, a collapse could lead to extermination."
Lin Xuan nodded; he wasn’t rash but overly obsessed with power, which prevented him from advancing further.
"Your words are correct," The red-robed woman smiled gently: "I wouldn’t do something that would hurt those close to me. If you win my Ghost Jade Profound Skill, why not hand over the head position?"
Her words were gentle, but her intent was clear—she wanted the senior elder position.
Lin Xuan’s eyes narrowed; could this person be more than a mere late condensation core cultivator? Hmm, interesting.
The two took oaths against their inner demons and transformed into streaks of different colors, shooting up to the sky. This was an ancestral hall, and many low-ranking disciples were present. If they fought here, innocent lives might be affected, which would be disrespectful to ancestors.
Though few in emotion, cultivators still respected their families’ traditions, making it rare for anyone to defy them.