jǐ rén zǒu le yuē yī zhǎn chá de shí jiān ， tū rán ， nà dà hàn yǎn jīng yī mī ， liǎn shàng lù chū le jǐ fēn níng zhòng de biǎo qíng 。
几人走了约一盏茶的时间，突然，那大汉眼睛一眯，脸上露出了几分凝重的表情。
Several people walked for about a teacup's time when suddenly, the large man's eyes narrowed, and a serious expression appeared on his face.
“ dà gē ， zěn me le ？”
“大哥，怎么了？”
"Big Brother, what’s wrong?"
hān tóu hān nǎo de shào nián huà yīn wèi luò ， pò kōng zhī shēng jiù yǐ chuán rù ěr duǒ ， hóng guāng yī shǎn ， jìng shì jǐ bǐng fēi dāo cóng yuǎn chù
憨头憨脑的少年话音未落，破空之声就已传入耳朵，红光一闪，竟是几柄飞刀从远处
Before the honest-looking young man could finish speaking, the sound of breaking air entered their ears. A red light flashed as several flying knives shot from afar.
jī shè ér lái 。
激射而来。
Even though they were still several dozen feet away, the power of these attacks already made them shiver with fear.
jù lí hái yǒu shù zhàng zhī yuǎn ， wēi shì jiù yǐ ràng jǐ rén hún shēn fā hán 。
距离还有数丈之远，威势就已让几人浑身发寒。
"Top-grade spiritual artifact!"
“ jí pǐn líng qì ！”
“极品灵器！”
The large man's voice seemed like a dreamy murmur. Only someone with such a treasure wouldn't be an ordinary disciple. He hadn’t expected to encounter tough opponents so soon after entering the mountain.
dà hàn de shēng yīn fǎng fú mèng yì ， yōng yǒu cǐ děng bǎo wù de kě bù huì shì pǔ tōng dì zǐ ， méi xiǎng dào gāng gāng jìn shān jiù yù jiàn le
大汉的声音仿佛梦呓，拥有此等宝物的可不会是普通弟子，没想到刚刚进山就遇见了
Although he was shaken, his reaction wasn’t slow. He immediately summoned a spirit tool shaped like an axe, transforming it into a black ray and met the attack head-on.
yìng chá zi 。
硬茬子。
The four people behind him weren’t idle either; they all took out their spiritual artifacts and talismans to launch attacks from the sides.
suī rán xīn zhōng fā xū ， dàn tā fǎn yìng yě bù màn ， mǎ shàng jiāng yī fǔ tóu mú yàng de líng qì jì le qǐ lái ， huà wèi yī lǚ wū máng
虽然心中发虚，但他反应也不慢，马上将一斧头模样的灵器祭了起来，化为一缕乌芒
However, their cultivation was truly abysmal, with no impressive abilities. Facing five opponents, they quickly fell on the defensive.
， fān rán yíng shàng 。
，翻然迎上。
After several rounds of combat, a flash of blood appeared as the large man was split in two by sheer force.
ér hòu miàn sì rén yě méi yǒu xián zhe ， fēn fēn qǔ chū líng qì fú zhuàn ， cóng páng jiā gōng 。
而后面四人也没有闲着，纷纷取出灵器符篆，从旁夹攻。
"Big Brother!"
rán ér tā men de xiū wèi shí zài shì cǎn bù rěn dǔ ， shén tōng yě méi yǒu sī háo chū cǎi zhī chù ， yǐ wǔ dí yī ， hái shì hěn kuài luò
然而他们的修为实在是惨不忍睹，神通也没有丝毫出彩之处，以五敌一，还是很快落
The others flashed expressions of sorrow and anger but were more fearful. Their fighting spirit vanished, and they scattered in all directions to escape.
zài le xià fēng 。
在了下风。
"Hmph! Want to leave? Dream on."
shù gè huí hé yǐ hòu ， xuè guāng yī shǎn ， nà dà hàn jìng bèi yìng shēng shēng de pǐ chéng le liǎng bàn 。
数个回合以后，血光一闪，那大汉竟被硬生生的劈成了两半。
A woman dressed in red curled her lips with a sneer as she flicked her fingers. The flying knives quivered, making the breaking sound sharper and more piercing. Blood splattered, and none of them survived, their souls returning to the underworld.
“ dà gē ！”
“大哥！”
"Humph, such cultivation, daring to provoke our Ning family’s tigers. Overestimating yourself; you deserve a hundred deaths."
qí tā jǐ rén yǎn zhōng shǎn guò bēi fèn zhī sè ， dàn kǒng jù de chéng fèn gèng duō ， zhàn yì quán wú ， fēn fēn sì sàn ér táo 。
其他几人眼中闪过悲愤之色，但恐惧的成分更多，战意全无，纷纷四散而逃。
The red-clad woman's figure turned, vanishing from her spot as she went hunting for other intruders.
“ hēng ！ xiǎng zǒu ， zuò mèng 。”
“哼！想走，做梦。”
Not far away, three members of the Ning family in yellow robes stood back-to-back, their hair disheveled and looking extremely desperate. They desperately drove their spiritual artifacts.
yī shēn chuān hóng yī de nǚ zǐ zuǐ jiǎo biān lù chū yī sī jī fěng ， qiàn shǒu diǎn chū ， fēi dāo qīng chàn ， nà pò kōng zhī shēng biàn dé yuè fā
一身穿红衣的女子嘴角边露出一丝讥讽，纤手点出，飞刀轻颤，那破空之声变得越发
But it was useless; there were seven opponents, and their cultivation was no weaker than theirs. It was like a cat playing with a mouse.
de jiān ruì cì ěr qǐ lái ， xuè guāng bèng jiàn ， sì rén wú yī xìng miǎn ， quán bù yǔn luò ， hún guī dì fǔ 。
的尖锐刺耳起来，血光迸溅，四人无一幸免，全部陨落，魂归地府。
Seeing that the three Ning family members had reached their limit, an ugly-looking old man in front of them tapped his storage bag and summoned a large ghost face.
“ hēng ， zhè děng xiū wèi ， jū rán yě gǎn lái lǚ wǒ níng jiā hǔ xū ， bù zì liàng lì ， bǎi sǐ yǒu yú 。”
“哼，这等修为，居然也敢来捋我宁家虎须，不自量力，百死有余。”
"Go!"
hóng yī nǚ shēn xíng yī zhuǎn ， yǐ cóng yuán dì xiāo shī ， qián qù liè shā qí tā rù qīn de xiū shì 。
红衣女身形一转，已从原地消失，前去猎杀其他入侵的修士。
With a flick of his finger, the ghost face immediately lunged forward viciously. Opening its mouth wide, it swallowed one of the Ning family members, gnashing its teeth loudly.
ér jù cǐ bù guò shù lǐ yuǎn de lìng yī chù shān ào lǐ ， sān míng shēn chuān huáng shān de níng jiā dì zi ， zhèng bèi kào ér lì ， yí gè gè
而距此不过数里远的另一处山坳里，三名身穿黄衫的宁家弟子，正背靠而立，一个个
The other two were greatly frightened by this, especially after losing a comrade, making their pressure skyrocket.
pī tóu sàn fà ， láng bèi zhī jí ， pīn mìng de qū shǐ shǒu zhōng líng qì 。
披头散发，狼狈之极，拼命的驱使手中灵器。
In no time, they too were broken down individually and returned to the underworld.
rán ér méi yòng ， duì fāng bù jǐn yǒu qī rén zhī duō ， xiū wèi yǔ tā men xiāng bǐ ， gèng shì zhǐ qiáng bù ruò 。 xiàn zài bù guò shì māo xì
然而没用，对方不仅有七人之多，修为与他们相比，更是只强不弱。现在不过是猫戏
...
lǎo shǔ 。
老鼠。
Such mutual hunting battles continued throughout the entire Thunder Yin Mountain. Within a hundred miles, the air was thick with the heavy scent of blood.
yǎn jiàn sān míng níng jiā dì zi yǐ shì qiáng nǔ zhī mò ， duì miàn yī róng mào xiōng è de lǎo zhě yī pāi chǔ wù dài ， jìng jì chū le yī dòu
眼见三名宁家弟子已是强弩之末，对面一容貌凶恶的老者一拍储物袋，竟祭出了一斗
Spirits roamed everywhere; it was incredibly tragic!
dà de guǐ liǎn lái 。
大的鬼脸来。
This was only the beginning. The battle between low-ranking cultivators couldn't decide the outcome. After several hours, both sides' top experts finally couldn’t hold back and began their first contact.
“ qù ！”
“去！”
Strictly speaking, this was a probing engagement. However, the combat between condensation core stage cultivators was vastly different. When magical treasures were unleashed, they didn’t cause the heavens to change color, but they still wreaked havoc within several miles. Low-ranking cultivators who couldn't avoid it might be dragged into the fray, and even the residual effects could send them to the underworld.
cǐ lǎo yì diǎn zhǐ ， guǐ liǎn lì kè è hěn hěn de pū shàng qián qù ， dà zuǐ yī zhāng ， jiù jiāng yī míng níng jiā dì zi tūn luò ， gē gē
此老一点指，鬼脸立刻恶狠狠的扑上前去，大嘴一张，就将一名宁家弟子吞落，咯咯
For the attackers, having ample manpower was an advantage. However, the Ning family had operated Thunder Yin Mountain for thousands of years, with countless prohibitions and arrays in place. Relying on these defenses, they didn’t fall behind. If nothing went wrong, this would be a tough attritional battle.
gē de luàn jué qǐ lái le 。
咯的乱嚼起来了。
However, such results were not what Lin Xuan wanted to see. He had just subdued the family; he couldn't allow them to suffer heavy losses. As the saying goes: shoot the horse before the rider, capture the king first. It was time for him to act and boost the reputation of the Corpse Demon.
lìng wài liǎng rén dà wèi dǎn hán ， jiā shàng sǐ le yī míng tóng bàn ， yā lì gèng shì bào zēng qǐ lái 。
另外两人大为胆寒，加上死了一名同伴，压力更是暴增起来。
With this in mind, Lin Xuan instructed the Corpse Demon about Ning Wan Shan a few words before transforming into a black ray and breaking through the air.
bù xiāo piàn kè ， yě bèi duì fāng gè gè jī pò ， hún guī dì fǔ 。
不消片刻，也被对方各个击破，魂归地府。
Cang Yue Peak, located approximately fifty miles from the main peak’s central stronghold, was over a thousand feet tall with steep terrain. This was where the four branches of the Ning family were based.
……
……
The Ning family had lasted for a millennium, divided into seven major branches. Although the fourth branch had dwindled in recent centuries and was already in decline, it still retained some底蕴 (underlying strength).
ér zhè zhǒng hù xiāng jiān de jiǎo shā zhàn dòu ， cǐ kè zhèng zài zhěng gè léi yīn shān ， bù tíng shàng yǎn ， fāng yuán bǎi lǐ ， dào chù dōu mí màn
而这种互相间的剿杀战斗，此刻正在整个雷阴山，不停上演，方圆百里，到处都弥漫
Although they had no say in this family dispute, the fourth branch still had three condensation core stage elders and about a hundred base stage disciples.
zhe yī gǔ nóng zhòng de xuè xīng zhī qì 。
着一股浓重的血腥之气。
However, at this moment, Cang Yue Peak was under threat. The defenses could be breached at any time by the enemy.
yuān hún biàn dì ， cǎn liè yǐ jí ！
冤魂遍地，惨烈以极！
The enemy wasn’t numerous—only several dozen—but two of them were notorious figures known as the Máng Clan Twin Devils.
ér zhè jǐn jǐn shì kāi shǐ ， dī jiē xiū shì jiān de zhàn dòu ， bìng bù néng zuǒ yòu zhàn jú ， shù gè shí chén yǐ hòu ， shuāng fāng de gāo shǒu
而这仅仅是开始，低阶修士间的战斗，并不能左右战局，数个时辰以后，双方的高手
These brothers had mysterious and unpredictable cultivation techniques and excelled in coordinated attacks. Since their debut, they had left behind thousands of cultivators under their command, known for their brutality, sometimes even targeting ordinary people. Their reputation was truly fearsome.
zhōng yú àn nà bù zhù ， kāi shǐ le dì yī bō jiē chù 。
终于按捺不住，开始了第一波接触。
"Master, what should we do now?" A thin base stage disciple with a pale face spoke up. He wasn’t the only one; almost all the fourth branch disciples were filled with fear. The enemy’s attacks were too fierce, and their reputation was too terrifying to bear.
yán gé shuō lái ， shì shì tàn xìng de ， rán ér níng dān qī xiū shì jiān de dòu fǎ ， qíng xíng zì rán dà bù xiāng tóng ， fǎ bǎo yī chū ，
严格说来，是试探性的，然而凝丹期修士间的斗法，情形自然大不相同，法宝一出，
"Send out a transmission talisman to seek help from the central stronghold." The leader of the fourth branch was an old man with a black face. He glanced at the wobbling light curtain and gave a stern order.
suī bù néng shuō tiān dì wèi zhī biàn sè ， dàn fāng yuán shù lǐ yǐ nèi ， yě dōu bèi jiǎo de tiān fān dì fù ， dī jiē xiū shì ruò shì duǒ bì
虽不能说天地为之变色，但方圆数里以内，也都被搅的天翻地覆，低阶修士若是躲避
"Yes!"
bù jí ， hěn yǒu kě néng bèi qiān chě jìn qù ， jí shǐ shì yú bō ， yě zú yǐ ràng tā men hún guī dì fǔ 。
不及，很有可能被牵扯进去，即使是余波，也足以让他们魂归地府。
Several disciples immediately rubbed their hands and sent out transmission talismans towards the outside world.
duì yú jìn gōng fāng lái shuō ， shèng zài rén shǒu chōng zú ， rán ér léi yīn shān níng jiā jīng yíng le shù qiān nián zhī jiǔ ， gè zhǒng jìn zhì céng chū
对于进攻方来说，胜在人手充足，然而雷阴山宁家经营了数千年之久，各种禁制层出
However, before they had flown just several dozen feet, they were hit by the enemy, who intended to catch them in a trap and didn’t allow any opportunity for rescue.
bù qióng ， yī tuō zhèn fǎ ， dào yě sī háo bù là xià fēng ， rú guǒ bù chū yì wài ， zhè jiāng shì yī cháng jiān kǔ de xiāo hào zhàn 。
不穷，依托阵法，倒也丝毫不落下风，如果不出意外，这将是一场艰苦的消耗战。
The old man’s expression grew even more grim. Suddenly, an earth-shattering sound echoed, mixed with cries of alarm as the defenses were breached.
rán ér rú cǐ jié guǒ ， què shì lín xuān wàn wàn bù yuàn yì kàn dào de ， zì jǐ hǎo bù róng yì shōu fú le gāi jiā zú ， qǐ néng ràng qí
然而如此结果，却是林轩万万不愿意看到的，自己好不容易收服了该家族，岂能让其
"Humph! The Ning family's reputation is nothing but hollow."
sǔn shī cǎn zhòng ， sú huà shuō de hǎo ， shè rén xiān shè mǎ ， qín zéi xiān qín wáng ， shì shí hòu chū shǒu le ， yě shùn biàn ràng shī mó de
损失惨重，俗话说的好，射人先射马，擒贼先擒王，是时候出手了，也顺便让尸魔的
A hoarse laugh entered their ears. The old man’s face froze as he looked up to see two cultivators approaching from about ten meters away.
wēi wàng bào zhǎng 。
威望暴涨。
These were twin brothers, whose appearance was ugly... or rather, terrifying.
niàn jí zhì cǐ ， lín xuān ràng shī mó duì níng wàn shān dīng zhǔ le jǐ jù ， jiù huà wèi yī dào wū máng ， pò kōng ér qù 。
念及至此，林轩让尸魔对宁万山叮嘱了几句，就化为一道乌芒，破空而去。
They were tall and thin with pale faces, bulging foreheads, and deeply sunken eyes, giving them a ghastly zombie-like appearance.
cāng yuè fēng ， jù lí léi yīn shān zhǔ fēng zǒng tán yuē wǔ shí lǐ ， gāo qiān zhàng yú ， shān shì dǒu qiào yǐ jí ， zhè lǐ shì níng jiā sì zhī
苍月峰，距离雷阴山主峰总坛约五十里，高千丈余，山势陡峭以极，这里是宁家四支
"Are these the Máng Clan Twin Devils?" The old man gasped in shock as he turned to look at his side. Originally, there had been three condensation core stage elders in the fourth branch, but his younger brothers and sisters were out patrolling, so they couldn’t have fought back. He sighed... a lone voice was powerless.
de suǒ zài dì 。
的所在地。
Apart from the Máng Clan Twin Devils, the other party also had several dozen base stage cultivators who were now clashing with the remaining disciples of the fourth branch without any array protection.
níng jiā mián yán qiān zài ， gòng fēn qī mài ， sì fáng jìn bǎi nián lái suī rén dīng bù wàng ， zǎo yǐ shuāi luò ， dàn sú huà shuō ， bǎi zú zhī
宁家绵延千载，共分七脉，四房近百年来虽人丁不旺，早已衰落，但俗话说，百足之
Without defenses to shield them, most of the fourth branch’s cultivators were on the defensive. In just a few rounds, several disciples were already bloodied.
chóng ， sǐ ér bù jiāng ， duō shǎo hái shì yǒu yī xiē dǐ yùn zài lǐ tou 。
虫，死而不僵，多少还是有一些底蕴在里头。
Anger flashed in the old man's eyes, but he knew it was futile. He quietly instructed: "Order everyone not to fight to the death; wait for an opportunity to break through and return to the central stronghold. Revenge is a dish best served cold."
suī rán zhè cì jiā zhǔ zhī zhēng ， tā men wán quán méi yǒu fā yán quán ， dàn shuāi luò de sì fáng yī jiù yōng yǒu sān wèi níng dān qī zhǎng lǎo ，
虽然这次家主之争，他们完全没有发言权，但衰落的四房依旧拥有三位凝丹期长老，
"Yes!"
zhù jī qī de dì zǐ yě yǒu bǎi míng zuǒ yòu 。
筑基期的弟子也有百名左右。
The disciples went off to carry out his orders while he leaped into the air, heading towards the Máng Clan Twin Devils.
Several people walked for about a teacup's time when suddenly, the large man's eyes narrowed, and a serious expression appeared on his face.
"Big Brother, what’s wrong?"
Before the honest-looking young man could finish speaking, the sound of breaking air entered their ears. A red light flashed as several flying knives shot from afar.
Even though they were still several dozen feet away, the power of these attacks already made them shiver with fear.
"Top-grade spiritual artifact!"
The large man's voice seemed like a dreamy murmur. Only someone with such a treasure wouldn't be an ordinary disciple. He hadn’t expected to encounter tough opponents so soon after entering the mountain.
Although he was shaken, his reaction wasn’t slow. He immediately summoned a spirit tool shaped like an axe, transforming it into a black ray and met the attack head-on.
The four people behind him weren’t idle either; they all took out their spiritual artifacts and talismans to launch attacks from the sides.
However, their cultivation was truly abysmal, with no impressive abilities. Facing five opponents, they quickly fell on the defensive.
After several rounds of combat, a flash of blood appeared as the large man was split in two by sheer force.
"Big Brother!"
The others flashed expressions of sorrow and anger but were more fearful. Their fighting spirit vanished, and they scattered in all directions to escape.
"Hmph! Want to leave? Dream on."
A woman dressed in red curled her lips with a sneer as she flicked her fingers. The flying knives quivered, making the breaking sound sharper and more piercing. Blood splattered, and none of them survived, their souls returning to the underworld.
"Humph, such cultivation, daring to provoke our Ning family’s tigers. Overestimating yourself; you deserve a hundred deaths."
The red-clad woman's figure turned, vanishing from her spot as she went hunting for other intruders.
Not far away, three members of the Ning family in yellow robes stood back-to-back, their hair disheveled and looking extremely desperate. They desperately drove their spiritual artifacts.
But it was useless; there were seven opponents, and their cultivation was no weaker than theirs. It was like a cat playing with a mouse.
Seeing that the three Ning family members had reached their limit, an ugly-looking old man in front of them tapped his storage bag and summoned a large ghost face.
"Go!"
With a flick of his finger, the ghost face immediately lunged forward viciously. Opening its mouth wide, it swallowed one of the Ning family members, gnashing its teeth loudly.
The other two were greatly frightened by this, especially after losing a comrade, making their pressure skyrocket.
In no time, they too were broken down individually and returned to the underworld.
...
Such mutual hunting battles continued throughout the entire Thunder Yin Mountain. Within a hundred miles, the air was thick with the heavy scent of blood.
Spirits roamed everywhere; it was incredibly tragic!
This was only the beginning. The battle between low-ranking cultivators couldn't decide the outcome. After several hours, both sides' top experts finally couldn’t hold back and began their first contact.
Strictly speaking, this was a probing engagement. However, the combat between condensation core stage cultivators was vastly different. When magical treasures were unleashed, they didn’t cause the heavens to change color, but they still wreaked havoc within several miles. Low-ranking cultivators who couldn't avoid it might be dragged into the fray, and even the residual effects could send them to the underworld.
For the attackers, having ample manpower was an advantage. However, the Ning family had operated Thunder Yin Mountain for thousands of years, with countless prohibitions and arrays in place. Relying on these defenses, they didn’t fall behind. If nothing went wrong, this would be a tough attritional battle.
However, such results were not what Lin Xuan wanted to see. He had just subdued the family; he couldn't allow them to suffer heavy losses. As the saying goes: shoot the horse before the rider, capture the king first. It was time for him to act and boost the reputation of the Corpse Demon.
With this in mind, Lin Xuan instructed the Corpse Demon about Ning Wan Shan a few words before transforming into a black ray and breaking through the air.
Cang Yue Peak, located approximately fifty miles from the main peak’s central stronghold, was over a thousand feet tall with steep terrain. This was where the four branches of the Ning family were based.
The Ning family had lasted for a millennium, divided into seven major branches. Although the fourth branch had dwindled in recent centuries and was already in decline, it still retained some底蕴 (underlying strength).
Although they had no say in this family dispute, the fourth branch still had three condensation core stage elders and about a hundred base stage disciples.
However, at this moment, Cang Yue Peak was under threat. The defenses could be breached at any time by the enemy.
The enemy wasn’t numerous—only several dozen—but two of them were notorious figures known as the Máng Clan Twin Devils.
These brothers had mysterious and unpredictable cultivation techniques and excelled in coordinated attacks. Since their debut, they had left behind thousands of cultivators under their command, known for their brutality, sometimes even targeting ordinary people. Their reputation was truly fearsome.
"Master, what should we do now?" A thin base stage disciple with a pale face spoke up. He wasn’t the only one; almost all the fourth branch disciples were filled with fear. The enemy’s attacks were too fierce, and their reputation was too terrifying to bear.
"Send out a transmission talisman to seek help from the central stronghold." The leader of the fourth branch was an old man with a black face. He glanced at the wobbling light curtain and gave a stern order.
"Yes!"
Several disciples immediately rubbed their hands and sent out transmission talismans towards the outside world.
However, before they had flown just several dozen feet, they were hit by the enemy, who intended to catch them in a trap and didn’t allow any opportunity for rescue.
The old man’s expression grew even more grim. Suddenly, an earth-shattering sound echoed, mixed with cries of alarm as the defenses were breached.
"Humph! The Ning family's reputation is nothing but hollow."
A hoarse laugh entered their ears. The old man’s face froze as he looked up to see two cultivators approaching from about ten meters away.
These were twin brothers, whose appearance was ugly... or rather, terrifying.
They were tall and thin with pale faces, bulging foreheads, and deeply sunken eyes, giving them a ghastly zombie-like appearance.
"Are these the Máng Clan Twin Devils?" The old man gasped in shock as he turned to look at his side. Originally, there had been three condensation core stage elders in the fourth branch, but his younger brothers and sisters were out patrolling, so they couldn’t have fought back. He sighed... a lone voice was powerless.
Apart from the Máng Clan Twin Devils, the other party also had several dozen base stage cultivators who were now clashing with the remaining disciples of the fourth branch without any array protection.
Without defenses to shield them, most of the fourth branch’s cultivators were on the defensive. In just a few rounds, several disciples were already bloodied.
Anger flashed in the old man's eyes, but he knew it was futile. He quietly instructed: "Order everyone not to fight to the death; wait for an opportunity to break through and return to the central stronghold. Revenge is a dish best served cold."
"Yes!"
The disciples went off to carry out his orders while he leaped into the air, heading towards the Máng Clan Twin Devils.