kàn zhe cǐ sān jiàn bǎo wù ， lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū ruò yǒu suǒ sī zhī sè 。
看着此三件宝物，林轩脸上露出若有所思之色。
Looking at these three treasures, Lin Xuan's face showed a thoughtful expression.
nà chǐ xǔ zhǎng de gǔ tou zuì hǎo biàn shí ， zài yún hǎi xiū xiān jiè ， suàn shì è míng zhāo zhāng de xié wù ， yuān hún de rén gǔ
那尺许长的骨头最好辨识，在云海修仙界，算是恶名昭彰的邪物，冤魂的人骨
That inch-long bone was the easiest to identify. In the Cloud Sea Realm of cultivation, it was notorious as an evil object—human bones from冤魂 (Vengeful Ghosts).
bàng ！
棒！
This treasure had extraordinary power, but Lin Xuan instinctively felt a sense of disgust. He would never use such a thing himself, but perhaps it would be a good choice for the Corpse Demon.
cǐ bǎo wēi lì fēi tóng fán xiǎng ， dàn lín xuān què běn néng de gǎn dào yī zhèn xián wù ， tā zì jǐ shì jué bú huì yòng de ， bù
此宝威力非同凡响，但林轩却本能的感到一阵嫌恶，他自己是绝不会用的，不
Although this Vengeful Ghost Bone Staff naturally bore Master Kǔ's mark as a life-bound treasure, with his current cultivation and divine abilities, he could forcibly remove that imprint.
guò jiāo gěi shī mó ， sì hū shì yí gè bù cuò de xuǎn zé 。
过交给尸魔，似乎是一个不错的选择。
This was not difficult for him.
suī rán zuò wéi běn mìng fǎ bǎo ， zhè yuān hún rén gǔ bàng shàng zì rán yǒu kǔ dà shī de yìn jì ， dàn yǐ lín xuān xiàn zài de xiū
虽然作为本命法宝，这冤魂人骨棒上自然有苦大师的印记，但以林轩现在的修
With his realm elevated, previous problems had been effortlessly resolved. The Cloud Sea Realm was indeed magical, inspiring ceaseless effort.
wèi shén tōng ， què yě yǒu bàn fǎ jiāng qí qiáng xíng chú qù 。
为神通，却也有办法将其强行除去。
As for the dagger, while its appearance was unremarkable, Lin Xuan could tell it was an ancient treasure. Its attributes were unclear, but Master Kǔ's collection would surely not be mistaken.
zhè yì diǎn hái nán bù dào zì jǐ 。
这一点还难不倒自己。
However, this item did not seem particularly remarkable and had not brought about his demise. Therefore, the round plate that Wraith Lake had sought so diligently recently might well be what they were looking for.
jìng jiè tí shēng yǐ hòu ， yǐ qián de yī xiē nán tí ， dōu zì rán ér rán de yíng rèn ér jiě ， xiū xiān jiè jiù shì zhè me de
境界提升以后，以前的一些难题，都自然而然的迎刃而解，修仙界就是这么的
Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes, his expression peculiar as he reached out to pick up the plate.
shén qí ， yě yóu cǐ cuī fā dà jiā bù tíng de xiàng qián nǔ lì 。
神奇，也由此催发大家不停的向前努力。
In short, it was unremarkable—neither its shape nor its surface could reveal much in terms of magical power. Its strength equaled that of a middle-grade spiritual artifact.
zhì yú bǐ shǒu ， wài xíng suī rán méi yǒu shén me chū cǎi zhī chù ， dàn lín xuān què kě yǐ kàn chū ， cǐ wù nǎi shì yī jiàn gǔ
至于匕首，外形虽然没有什么出彩之处，但林轩却可以看出，此物乃是一件古
It looked like something used to hold fruit!
bǎo ， shǔ xìng suī bù qīng chǔ ， dàn yuán yīng lǎo guài de cáng pǐn kěn dìng shì cuò bù liǎo de 。
宝，属性虽不清楚，但元婴老怪的藏品肯定是错不了的。
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow and tried to project his divine sense into it, but there were no results. A spell cast on the plate did drive it, but its effects were similar to those of a middle-grade spiritual artifact.
bù guò zhè dōng xī ， xiǎn rán yě bù néng shuō rú hé de liǎo bù qǐ ， yě bìng fēi tā wèi kǔ dà shī dài lái le shā shēn zhī huò 。
不过这东西，显然也不能说如何的了不起，也并非它为苦大师带来了杀身之祸。
"Master, could we have missed something?" Seeing Lin Xuan's efforts in vain, Yue'er kindly suggested.
nà me wàn guǐ hú lì jīng qiān xīn wàn kǔ ， zuì jìn xiǎng yào xún mì de bǎo wù kǒng pà jiù shì zhè yuán pán le 。
那么万鬼湖历经千辛万苦，最近想要寻觅的宝物恐怕就是这圆盘了。
"No," Lin Xuan shook his head firmly. "Yue'er, think about it—Master Kǔ was killed by me, his body reduced to ash and his spirit soul returned to the underworld. He would not leave any treasures behind."
lín xuān mī le mī yǎn ， liǎn shàng de biǎo qíng pǒ wèi gǔ guài ， shēn shǒu jiāng nà pán zi ná le qǐ lái 。
林轩眯了眯眼，脸上的表情颇为古怪，伸手将那盘子拿了起来。
"Actually, Master, you misunderstood my meaning. I meant that this old monster might have entrusted the treasure to someone else for safekeeping," Yue'er corrected.
yī jù huà ， bù qǐ yǎn ， bù zhǐ xíng zhuàng ， shèn zhì cóng qí biǎo miàn ， zhǐ néng gǎn jué dào wēi hū qí wēi de fǎ lì ， qiáng
一句话，不起眼，不止形状，甚至从其表面，只能感觉到微乎其微的法力，强
"That's impossible." Lin Xuan firmly dismissed Yue'er's assumption. "That treasure was stolen by Master Kǔ at great risk from Wraith Lake. He didn't even seek refuge in Sword Obscuring Palace, showing how much he valued it."
dù jiù xiāng dāng yú yī zhōng pǐn de líng qì 。
度就相当于一中品的灵器。
"Ah…" Yue'er nodded, acknowledging that the master had indeed analyzed correctly.
zěn me kàn zěn me xiàng shì shèng fàng guā guǒ de dōng xī ！
怎么看怎么像是盛放瓜果的东西！
"Besides, haven't you seen his state? Wraith Lake sent many experts to relentlessly attack him. He had no chance to hide anything," Lin Xuan continued.
lín xuān méi tóu yī tiāo ， shì zhe jiāng shén shí juǎn rù ， méi yǒu bàn diǎn jié guǒ 。
林轩眉头一挑，试着将神识卷入，没有半点结果。
"Master, your point is well made, but I still feel this plate isn't a treasure—it's too ordinary." Yue'er rubbed her forehead and weakly argued.
yī dào fǎ jué dǎ chū ， gāi yuán pán dào yě bèi qū dòng 。 dàn wēi lì xiào guǒ què shí dōu yǔ zhōng pǐn líng qì chà bu duō 。
一道法诀打出，该圆盘倒也被驱动。但威力效果确实都与中品灵器差不多。
"Ordinary?" A smile played on the corners of Lin Xuan's mouth. "That's just its surface appearance. While I can't figure out what it does, it’s not some worthless middle-grade spiritual artifact. Wraith Lake went to such lengths—there's a 90% chance they were after this."
“ shào yé ， huì bú huì shì wǒ men yí lòu diào le shén me ？” jiàn lín xuān zài nà lǐ bái máng huó ， yuè ér máng shàn yì de
“少爷，会不会是我们遗漏掉了什么？”见林轩在那里白忙活，月儿忙善意的
"Oh! Master, you have evidence?" Yue'er was immediately intrigued.
kāi kǒu 。
开口。
Lin Xuan didn’t explain but instead extended his finger, shooting a dazzling sword beam from the tip that struck the plate with force…
“ bú huì de 。” lín xuān què jiān dìng de yáo le yáo tóu ，“ yuè ér nǐ xiǎng ， kǔ dà shī shì bèi wǒ qīn shǒu miè diào ，
“不会的。”林轩却坚定的摇了摇头，“月儿你想，苦大师是被我亲手灭掉，
A light thud echoed as the plate hit the ground. Lin Xuan bent down to pick it up; its surface remained smooth and unscathed.
ròu shēn huà wèi fěn mò ， yuán yīng yě hún guī dì fǔ ， tā shēn shàng jué bú huì yí lòu diào shén me bǎo wù 。”
肉身化为粉末，元婴也魂归地府，他身上绝不会遗漏掉什么宝物。”
"Did you see?" Lin Xuan's expression showed amusement. "If this were truly a middle-grade spiritual artifact, my current power would have destroyed it long ago. But look at this plate—it’s made of something unknown and is so hard. Isn’t that abnormal?"
“ bù ， shào yé ， nǐ wù huì wǒ yì si le 。 wǒ shì xiǎng shuō ， zhè lǎo guài wù ， huì bú huì jiāng bǎo wù jiāo gěi bié rén
“不，少爷，你误会我意思了。我是想说，这老怪物，会不会将宝物交给别人
"Oh!" Yue'er's face lit up with realization, fully trusting the master's judgment. "So what use does this object serve?"
bǎo guǎn le ？”
保管了？”
"I don't know," Lin Xuan shrugged. "But Wraith Lake went to such great lengths—afterward, we can certainly gather some information. For now… heh, that’s not something we should worry about."
“ nǎ yǒu kě néng 。” lín xuān yī jiù háo bù yóu yù de fǒu dìng le yuè ér jiǎ shè ，“ nà bǎo bèi ， shì kǔ dà shī mào
“哪有可能。”林轩依旧毫不犹豫的否定了月儿假设，“那宝贝，是苦大师冒
Lin Xuan was right. The two old monsters of the middle-stage cultivators were still searching nearby. Although he had destroyed their remains, staying here posed significant danger.
zhe shēng mìng wēi xiǎn ， cóng wàn guǐ hú zhōng dào chū ， tā shèn zhì bù huí jiàn yōu gōng xún qiú bì hù ， kě jiàn duì cǐ bǎo de zhòng
着生命危险，从万鬼湖中盗出，他甚至不回剑幽宫寻求庇护，可见对此宝的重
Originally, Lin Xuan planned to first visit the market to understand the situation in the Seven Stars Island Realm of cultivation. Then, he would proceed with caution regarding the matter of the earth fire—it was no small affair and couldn’t be rushed. However, this plan now had to be broken. The robed old man had already gone to the market. If Lin Xuan blindly entered again, wouldn't that be incredibly foolish?
shì chéng dù ， háo wú yí wèn shì xiǎng yào dú tūn ， nǐ shuō tā huì fàng xīn jiāo dào péng yǒu shǒu zhōng me ？”
视程度，毫无疑问是想要独吞，你说他会放心交到朋友手中么？”
Lin Xuan wasn’t afraid of middle-stage cultivators but would expose himself if he were careless.
“ è ……” yuè ér diǎn le diǎn tóu ， chéng rèn shào yé fēn xī dí què shí méi cuò 。
“呃……”月儿点了点头，承认少爷分析的确实没错。
Therefore, he couldn’t change his appearance; after all, Lin Xuan was naturally unremarkable. He merely suppressed his cultivation to the base stage using敛气 (concealing qi) techniques.
“ hé kuàng nǐ méi yǒu jiàn dào nà lǎo guài wù de láng bèi chéng dù ma ， wàn guǐ hú pài chū dà liàng gāo shǒu ， jié shā bù xiū ，
“何况你没有见到那老怪物的狼狈程度吗，万鬼湖派出大量高手，劫杀不休，
Lin Xuan didn't want to act like a pig eating tiger, but this place was too remote. High-stage cultivators were rare, and lower-stage ones were less likely to attract attention.
tā jué duì lián cáng bǎo de jī huì dōu méi yǒu 。”
他绝对连藏宝的机会都没有。”
Who would notice an apprentice at the灵动期 (Flexible Spirit Stage), even if Wraith Lake's cultivators wanted to reclaim their treasure?
“ shào yé ， nǐ shuō de hěn yǒu dào lǐ ， dàn wǒ zǒng jué de zhè yuán pán bù xiàng bǎo wù ， tài píng fán le 。” yuè ér yǐ
“少爷，你说的很有道理，但我总觉得这圆盘不像宝物，太平凡了。”月儿以
A small shrimp had its advantages, and Lin Xuan was cunning.
shǒu fǔ é ， ruò ruò de fēn biàn zhe 。
手抚额，弱弱的分辩着。
Based on his speculation, since they relentlessly pursued Master Kǔ, there might be more than just two old monsters sent. Perhaps a vast net of surveillance covered several thousand miles around.
“ píng fán ？” lín xuān zuǐ jiǎo biān liú lù chū yī sī xiào yì ，“ nà zhǐ shì biǎo miàn ér yǐ ， wǒ suī rán nòng bù qīng chǔ
“平凡？”林轩嘴角边流露出一丝笑意，“那只是表面而已，我虽然弄不清楚
If he rushed, using his法宝 (magic treasures) to flee quickly, the inevitable result would be suspicion and then a long chase.
cǐ wù de ào mì ， dàn jué bú shì shén me lā jī de zhōng pǐn líng qì ， wàn guǐ hú dà dòng gān gē ， shí yǒu ** xún zhǎo
此物的奥秘，但绝不是什么垃圾的中品灵器，万鬼湖大动干戈，十有**寻找
Indeed, Lin Xuan's foresight proved correct. As he traveled, he sensed an increase in cultivators nearby, all with highly alert expressions.
de jiù shì cǐ wù 。”
的就是此物。”
Even checkpoints were set up on land and air, screening passing cultivators.
“ ó ？ shào yé ， nǐ yǒu shén me zhèng jù ？” yuè ér tīng le ， dùn shí dà gǎn xìng qù 。
“哦？少爷，你有什么证据？”月儿听了，顿时大感兴趣。
This unexpected and arrogant behavior naturally upset many high-stage cultivators, but no one动手 (took action) because the checkpoint guards revealed their affiliation—Wraith Lake.
lín xuān méi yǒu jiě shì ， ér shì shēn chū yī gēn shǒu zhǐ ， cóng zhǐ jiān shàng ， měng rán bèng shè chū yī dào yào yǎn de jiàn guāng ，
林轩没有解释，而是伸出一根手指，从指尖上，猛然迸射出一道耀眼的剑光，
Knowing that Seven Stars Island was vast, divided among various major forces, with nine large territories controlled by the Nine Great Sects, and the rest chaotic, Wraith Lake's influence extended to East Border State and its neighboring regions. However, East Border State was too remote, lacking cultivation resources, so Wraith Lake hadn't ventured there.
hěn hěn de cì zài le yuán pán zhī shàng ……
狠狠的刺在了圆盘之上……
Here, they were in their territory—where independent cultivators or other sects dared question Wraith Lake’s authority?
Looking at these three treasures, Lin Xuan's face showed a thoughtful expression.
That inch-long bone was the easiest to identify. In the Cloud Sea Realm of cultivation, it was notorious as an evil object—human bones from冤魂 (Vengeful Ghosts).
This treasure had extraordinary power, but Lin Xuan instinctively felt a sense of disgust. He would never use such a thing himself, but perhaps it would be a good choice for the Corpse Demon.
Although this Vengeful Ghost Bone Staff naturally bore Master Kǔ's mark as a life-bound treasure, with his current cultivation and divine abilities, he could forcibly remove that imprint.
This was not difficult for him.
With his realm elevated, previous problems had been effortlessly resolved. The Cloud Sea Realm was indeed magical, inspiring ceaseless effort.
As for the dagger, while its appearance was unremarkable, Lin Xuan could tell it was an ancient treasure. Its attributes were unclear, but Master Kǔ's collection would surely not be mistaken.
However, this item did not seem particularly remarkable and had not brought about his demise. Therefore, the round plate that Wraith Lake had sought so diligently recently might well be what they were looking for.
Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes, his expression peculiar as he reached out to pick up the plate.
In short, it was unremarkable—neither its shape nor its surface could reveal much in terms of magical power. Its strength equaled that of a middle-grade spiritual artifact.
It looked like something used to hold fruit!
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow and tried to project his divine sense into it, but there were no results. A spell cast on the plate did drive it, but its effects were similar to those of a middle-grade spiritual artifact.
"Master, could we have missed something?" Seeing Lin Xuan's efforts in vain, Yue'er kindly suggested.
"No," Lin Xuan shook his head firmly. "Yue'er, think about it—Master Kǔ was killed by me, his body reduced to ash and his spirit soul returned to the underworld. He would not leave any treasures behind."
"Actually, Master, you misunderstood my meaning. I meant that this old monster might have entrusted the treasure to someone else for safekeeping," Yue'er corrected.
"That's impossible." Lin Xuan firmly dismissed Yue'er's assumption. "That treasure was stolen by Master Kǔ at great risk from Wraith Lake. He didn't even seek refuge in Sword Obscuring Palace, showing how much he valued it."
"Ah…" Yue'er nodded, acknowledging that the master had indeed analyzed correctly.
"Besides, haven't you seen his state? Wraith Lake sent many experts to relentlessly attack him. He had no chance to hide anything," Lin Xuan continued.
"Master, your point is well made, but I still feel this plate isn't a treasure—it's too ordinary." Yue'er rubbed her forehead and weakly argued.
"Ordinary?" A smile played on the corners of Lin Xuan's mouth. "That's just its surface appearance. While I can't figure out what it does, it’s not some worthless middle-grade spiritual artifact. Wraith Lake went to such lengths—there's a 90% chance they were after this."
"Oh! Master, you have evidence?" Yue'er was immediately intrigued.
Lin Xuan didn’t explain but instead extended his finger, shooting a dazzling sword beam from the tip that struck the plate with force…
A light thud echoed as the plate hit the ground. Lin Xuan bent down to pick it up; its surface remained smooth and unscathed.
"Did you see?" Lin Xuan's expression showed amusement. "If this were truly a middle-grade spiritual artifact, my current power would have destroyed it long ago. But look at this plate—it’s made of something unknown and is so hard. Isn’t that abnormal?"
"Oh!" Yue'er's face lit up with realization, fully trusting the master's judgment. "So what use does this object serve?"
"I don't know," Lin Xuan shrugged. "But Wraith Lake went to such great lengths—afterward, we can certainly gather some information. For now… heh, that’s not something we should worry about."
Lin Xuan was right. The two old monsters of the middle-stage cultivators were still searching nearby. Although he had destroyed their remains, staying here posed significant danger.
Originally, Lin Xuan planned to first visit the market to understand the situation in the Seven Stars Island Realm of cultivation. Then, he would proceed with caution regarding the matter of the earth fire—it was no small affair and couldn’t be rushed. However, this plan now had to be broken. The robed old man had already gone to the market. If Lin Xuan blindly entered again, wouldn't that be incredibly foolish?
Lin Xuan wasn’t afraid of middle-stage cultivators but would expose himself if he were careless.
Therefore, he couldn’t change his appearance; after all, Lin Xuan was naturally unremarkable. He merely suppressed his cultivation to the base stage using敛气 (concealing qi) techniques.
Lin Xuan didn't want to act like a pig eating tiger, but this place was too remote. High-stage cultivators were rare, and lower-stage ones were less likely to attract attention.
Who would notice an apprentice at the灵动期 (Flexible Spirit Stage), even if Wraith Lake's cultivators wanted to reclaim their treasure?
A small shrimp had its advantages, and Lin Xuan was cunning.
Based on his speculation, since they relentlessly pursued Master Kǔ, there might be more than just two old monsters sent. Perhaps a vast net of surveillance covered several thousand miles around.
If he rushed, using his法宝 (magic treasures) to flee quickly, the inevitable result would be suspicion and then a long chase.
Indeed, Lin Xuan's foresight proved correct. As he traveled, he sensed an increase in cultivators nearby, all with highly alert expressions.
Even checkpoints were set up on land and air, screening passing cultivators.
This unexpected and arrogant behavior naturally upset many high-stage cultivators, but no one动手 (took action) because the checkpoint guards revealed their affiliation—Wraith Lake.
Knowing that Seven Stars Island was vast, divided among various major forces, with nine large territories controlled by the Nine Great Sects, and the rest chaotic, Wraith Lake's influence extended to East Border State and its neighboring regions. However, East Border State was too remote, lacking cultivation resources, so Wraith Lake hadn't ventured there.
Here, they were in their territory—where independent cultivators or other sects dared question Wraith Lake’s authority?