suī rán guān qiǎ chóng chóng ， dàn yǐ lín xuān de jī líng jiǎo huá ， yī lù shàng dào yě yǒu jīng wú xiǎn ， cǐ kè tā zhèng jià yù zhe
虽然关卡重重，但以林轩的机灵狡猾，一路上倒也有惊无险，此刻他正驾驭着
Despite the numerous obstacles, Lin Xuan's cunning and agility ensured that he encountered no significant danger. At this moment, he was piloting a flying sword, a top-grade spiritual artifact, transforming into white streaks of light as it flew eastward.
yī fēi jiàn líng qì ， huà wèi bái sè de dùn guāng ， fēi xiàng dōng biān de fāng xiàng 。
一飞剑灵器，化为白色的遁光，飞向东边的方向。
Indeed, it was truly taxing for Lin Xuan to find himself in such a situation. With his current wealth, if he wanted to acquire a treasure, there were plenty stored in his storage bracelet. However, when it came to spiritual artifacts... after flipping through every pocket on his body, Lin Xuan still found nothing.
shuō qǐ lái ， yě zhēn nán wéi le lín xuān ， yǐ tā rú jīn shēn jiā zhī fēng hòu ， jiǎ ruò shì xiǎng yào zhǎo jiàn fǎ bǎo ， kě chǔ
说起来，也真难为了林轩，以他如今身家之丰厚，假若是想要找件法宝，可储
Just as he was at a loss, Mo'er handed him a flying sword.
wù dài lǐ dào zhēn yǒu bù shǎo 。
物袋里倒真有不少。
This was an upper-grade spiritual artifact. While its power no longer appealed to the young girl, it was thin like a silk thread and extremely elegant in design. Girls often favored such beauty, so she had never discarded it.
kě líng qì …… lín xuān jiāng hún shēn de kǒu dài fān le dǐ cháo tiān ， lèng shì méi yǒu bàn diǎn fā xiàn 。
可灵器……林轩将浑身的口袋翻了底朝天，愣是没有半点发现。
It was precisely because of this that Lin Xuan found himself in a tight spot. As he flew, he carefully released his divine sense.
zhèng gǎn wéi nán ， yuè ér què dì guò lái yī bǐng fēi jiàn 。
正感为难，月儿却递过来一柄飞剑。
Throughout his journey, he had been questioned several times. However, with his skill in concealing his qi, even an advanced婴期 (yīngqī) monster would not be able to detect any flaws, let alone the people setting up these checkpoints, who were mostly at the Foundation Establishment stage.
zhè shì yī shàng pǐn líng qì ， lùn wēi lì ， zì rán zǎo yǐ bù rù xiǎo yā tou de yǎn ， hǎo zài báo rú cán yì ， zào xíng yě
这是一上品灵器，论威力，自然早已不入小丫头的眼，好在薄如蚕翼，造型也
Moreover, no one paid much attention to a mere Flexible Spirit Period novice. Thus, although Lin Xuan encountered some trouble, he managed to avoid significant danger overall, and it was relatively safe in general.
shí fēn de zūn guì huá lì ， ér nǚ hái zi dōu xǐ huān měi de dōng xī ， gù ér yì zhí méi yǒu diū qì 。
十分的尊贵华丽，而女孩子都喜欢美的东西，故而一直没有丢弃。
Relieved internally, he thought that with his current speed slightly slower than before, he could be far enough from East Border Province within half a month.
yě zhèng shì rú cǐ ， cái jiù le lín xuān de jí 。
也正是如此，才救了林轩的急。
Lin Xuan wasn't in a hurry; after all, the matter of the underground fire would have to be handled gradually. However, as time passed, he noticed something amiss.
cǐ kè tā zhèng yī biān fēi zhe ， yī biān xiǎo xīn de fàng chū shén shí 。
此刻他正一边飞着，一边小心的放出神识。
According to logic, the more distance he covered, the less stringent the checks should become. But reality was the opposite: Lin Xuan found that the number of Ghost Lake cultivators conducting a thorough search had doubled in just a few days. Furthermore, their ranks included many Condensation Core experts, and within half a day, he encountered five advanced婴期 (yīngqī) monsters.
zhè yī lù zǒu lái ， tā yě bèi pán chá guò jǐ cì ， hǎo zài yǐ lín xuān de liǎn qì gōng fu ， jiù suàn shì yuán yīng qī de lǎo
这一路走来，他也被盘查过几次，好在以林轩的敛气功夫，就算是元婴期的老
Although his body wasn't harmed, Lin Xuan was drenched in cold sweat.
guài wù ， yě kàn bù chū pò zhàn ， gèng bié shuō nà xiē shè lì guān qiǎ zhī rén ， dà duō zhǐ shì zhù jī qī 。
怪物，也看不出破绽，更别说那些设立关卡之人，大多只是筑基期。
Was something wrong? Had Ghost Lake gone mad?
hé kuàng ， yě méi yǒu shuí huì duì yī líng dòng qī de cài niǎo duō jiā zhù yì 。
何况，也没有谁会对一灵动期的菜鸟多加注意。
Even if the Cloud Sea's nine major forces were deeply entrenched, this situation suggested that most of their experts might be pouring out to deal with it.
gù ér lín xuān suī rán yù jiàn le xiē má fán ， dàn què yǒu jīng wú xiǎn ， zǒng tǐ shuō lái ， hái suàn píng ān 。
故而林轩虽然遇见了些麻烦，但却有惊无险，总体说来，还算平安。
Lin Xuan had experienced many storms but was still taken aback by the current situation. What kind of treasure could have made Ghost Lake so determined not to give up? If he originally felt confident in his plan, now he was somewhat nervous.
xīn zhōng àn àn sōng le kǒu qì ， suī shuō xiàn zài de dùn sù shì shāo wēi màn le xiē ， dàn gū jì bàn gè yuè yǐ hòu ， yě kě
心中暗暗松了口气，虽说现在的遁速是稍微慢了些，但估计半个月以后，也可
After all, there's no such thing as a completely secret matter. If they caught even a hint of it, he would regret it deeply and might struggle to survive in the Cloud Sea cultivation world.
yǐ yuǎn lí dōng yuán zhōu ér qù 。
以远离东缘州而去。
Realizing the severity of the situation, Lin Xuan stopped joking around and began seriously considering how to escape without being detected.
lín xuān bù jí ， fǎn zhèng dì huǒ zhī shì ， yě zhǐ néng xú xú tú zhī 。
林轩不急，反正地火之事，也只能徐徐图之。
However, misfortune often brings good fortune. He was secretly delighted that by eliminating Old Master Ku, he had likely gained a huge advantage.
rán ér ， suí zhe shí jiān de tuī yí ， tā què fā xiàn qíng xíng yǒu xiē bú duì jìn 。
然而，随着时间的推移，他却发现情形有些不对劲。
Fortune favors the brave, and Lin Xuan wasn't afraid of trouble. Overall, his mood was more positive than negative.
àn lǐ shuō ， zì jǐ yuè zǒu yuè yuǎn ， tā jué de pán chá yīng gāi jiàn jiàn sōng xiè xià lái ， kě zhēn shí de qíng kuàng qià qià xiāng
按理说，自己越走越远，他觉得盘查应该渐渐松懈下来，可真实的情况恰恰相
Standing atop the barren mountain, Lin Xuan's expression was thoughtful. Not long ago, he encountered several wandering cultivators who provided him with crucial information. The situation had worsened for him.
fǎn ， lín xuān fā xiàn ， zhè jǐ tiān ， zài zhōu wéi zuò lā wǎng shì pái chá de wàn guǐ hú xiū shì ， shù liàng yī xià zi bèi zēng
反，林轩发现，这几天，在周围做拉网式排查的万鬼湖修士，数量一下子倍增
Perhaps it was due to not finding any treasure that the Ghost Lake sect leader became enraged. As a ghost cultivator and an advanced expert, this old monster was undoubtedly ruthless.
qǐ lái 。
起来。
He issued an order: "Better to err on the side of caution than let one slip."
ér qiě děng jí lìng rén chī jīng ， bù jǐn níng dān qī gāo shǒu suí chù kě jiàn ， jǐn jǐn bàn tiān ， tā jiù xiān hòu yù jiàn le wǔ
而且等级令人吃惊，不仅凝丹期高手随处可见，仅仅半天，他就先后遇见了五
In other words, they were ready to launch a full-scale attack.
wèi yuán yīng qī lǎo guài 。
位元婴期老怪。
If it had been another sect, such boldness would not have been possible. With this order, they were essentially at war with all the cultivators in East Border Province.
suī rán shēn tǐ méi yǒu bèi zhuàng pò ， dàn lín xuān yě bèi xià chū yī shēn lěng hàn 。
虽然身体没有被撞破，但林轩也被吓出一身冷汗。
However, Ghost Lake didn't take such matters seriously; with their formidable strength, they could act arrogantly and expect others to submit. This was how the cultivation world operated.
yǒu méi yǒu gǎo cuò ， wàn guǐ hú nán dào fēng le ？
有没有搞错，万鬼湖难道疯了？
The checkpoints had become much harder to pass through. Unless one could clearly explain their identity, they would be taken to a branch of Ghost Lake for detention before being released.
jiù suàn yún hǎi jiǔ dà shì lì gēn shēn dì gù ， kě zhào zhè xíng shì ， kǒng pà mén nèi yě yǒu dà bàn de gāo shǒu qīng cháo ér chū 。
就算云海九大势力根深蒂固，可照这形势，恐怕门内也有大半的高手倾巢而出。
Lin Xuan's expression showed his dilemma. He had Ning Family's order, but it wasn't clear if the sects on Xi Kong Island would recognize it or not; he was almost certain that he couldn't fool them.
lín xuān yě suàn shì jīng lì guò fēng yǔ ， kě zhè cì de shì qíng ， yě ràng tā zé shé bù yǐ ， nà yuán pán jiū jìng shì shén me
林轩也算是经历过风雨，可这次的事情，也让他咋舌不已，那圆盘究竟是什么
Should he... force an entry?
bǎo wù ， jìng ràng wàn guǐ hú bǎi chū yī fù shì bù bà xiū de jià shì lái le 。
宝物，竟让万鬼湖摆出一副誓不罢休的架势来了。
That would violate his original intentions and bring endless trouble afterward.
rú guǒ shuō ， yuán běn lín xuān de xīn qíng hái suàn qīng sōng ， zì rèn wéi zuò de tiān yī wú fèng ， nà me cǐ shí cǐ kè ， xīn
如果说，原本林轩的心情还算轻松，自认为做的天衣无缝，那么此时此刻，心
Moreover, he heard that many cultivators who defied this strict order ended up losing big.
zhōng yě yǒu diǎn dǎ gǔ ， sú huà shuō ， shì shàng méi yǒu bù tòu fēng de qiáng ， wàn yī bèi duì fāng chá dào diǎn zhū sī mǎ jì ，
中也有点打鼓，俗话说，世上没有不透风的墙，万一被对方查到点蛛丝马迹，
Lin Xuan wouldn't be so foolish as to take such a risk without assurance. For now, he decided to stay hidden until he found a foolproof plan. Meanwhile, he released his divine sense to gather more information; it might help him in escaping.
zì jǐ kě jiù zhuī huǐ mò jí ， kǒng pà zài zhè yún hǎi de xiū xiān jiè dōu hùn bù xià qù 。
自己可就追悔莫及，恐怕在这云海的修仙界都混不下去。
"Uncle Senior, must we really stay here? We agreed to deliver the herbs ten days from now. Given this situation, that's definitely a delay. The costs for such delays... " A grumpy voice entered Lin Xuan's ears. He focused his divine sense towards its source.
dé zhī zhè cì chuǎng xià de huò fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， lín xuān bù gǎn zài bào xī xì de niàn tou ， ér shì huò zhēn jià shí de kāi shǐ
得知这次闯下的祸非同小可，林轩不敢再抱嬉戏的念头，而是货真价实的开始
Though several miles apart, he could clearly see the scene in his mind.
sī liáng ， yào zěn me shén bù zhī guǐ bù jué de pǎo chū duì fāng de bāo wéi quān qù 。
思量，要怎么神不知鬼不觉的跑出对方的包围圈去。
It was a small valley with several large carts parked inside. The carriages were made of special materials, and the beasts pulling them had wings instead of horses.
dāng rán ， huò xī fú suǒ yǐ ， tā xīn zhōng yě pǒ wèi jīng xǐ ， zhè huí miè diào kǔ dà shī ， zì jǐ kǒng pà shì jiǎn le yī
当然，祸兮福所倚，他心中也颇为惊喜，这回灭掉苦大师，自己恐怕是捡了一
In front of the carts, bright flags fluttered.
tiān dà de pián yi 。
天大的便宜。
The setup resembled a real-world escort service.
fù guì xiǎn zhōng qiú ， lín xuān bú shì pà shì zhī rén ， zǒng tǐ shuō lái ， hái shì xǐ duō yú yōu 。
富贵险中求，林轩不是怕事之人，总体说来，还是喜多于忧。
Indeed, in the cultivation world, various goods and materials needed to be traded, and sometimes long-distance transportation was inconvenient for storage devices. Thus, some sects or close-knit groups of wandering cultivators organized such business trips to earn substantial amounts of crystal stones.
cǐ kè tā zhèng zhàn zài huāng shān dǐng bù ， liǎn shàng mǎn shì chén yín zhī sè 。
此刻他正站在荒山顶部，脸上满是沉吟之色。
One of these was Longfeng Escort Service.
jiù zài gāng gāng bù jiǔ ， lín xuān yù jiàn le jǐ gè sàn xiū ， cóng tā men zuǐ lǐ dé dào le yī zhòng yào xiàn suǒ 。 qíng kuàng duì
就在刚刚不久，林轩遇见了几个散修，从他们嘴里得到了一重要线索。情况对
Not long ago, they had taken on a big job, expecting to make a fortune. But things didn't go as planned.
tā lái shuō ， shì yuè fā de bù miào le 。
他来说，是越发的不妙了。
Once the delivery deadline passed, according to routine rules, they would have to compensate double the loss.
huò xǔ shì yì zhí zhǎo bú dào bǎo wù ， ràng wàn guǐ hú zōng zhǔ bó rán dà nù ， zuò wéi guǐ dào zhōng rén ， yòu shì hòu qī de
或许是一直找不到宝物，让万鬼湖宗主勃然大怒，作为鬼道中人，又是后期的
Seven or eight cultivators were present, with an elderly man in white robes and a young woman around twenty years old leading them.
dà xiū shì ， zhè lǎo guài wù zì rán shì xīn hěn shǒu là zhī tú 。
大修士，这老怪物自然是心狠手辣之徒。
The elder was at the early Condensation Core stage, while the woman was merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
jìng rán bān xià lìng lái ， níng shā cuò ， wù fàng guò ！
竟然颁下令来，宁杀错，勿放过！
"Xing'er, what's the point of rushing? Ghost Lake is not something we can offend," sighed the elder, his face showing frustration.
huàn jù huà shuō ， jiù shì yào dà kāi shā jiè le 。
换句话说，就是要大开杀戒了。
"Hmph. Even if it’s the Cloud Sea's nine major forces, they have no right to be so domineering. They're stopping everyone, even our Longfeng Escort Service, which has connections with their inner sect officials. Why are they making things so difficult?" The young woman blinked, her face full of anger.
rú guǒ shì bié de zōng mén ， zì rán méi yǒu zhè yàng de dǎn sè ， cǐ lìng yī chū ， děng yú shì yǔ dōng yuán zhōu suǒ yǒu de tóng
如果是别的宗门，自然没有这样的胆色，此令一出，等于是与东缘州所有的同
It was understandable; while the Ghost Lake sect leader's order allowed those who could prove their identity to pass freely, in practice, they still extorted crystal stones even if one explained their background and affiliation.
Despite the numerous obstacles, Lin Xuan's cunning and agility ensured that he encountered no significant danger. At this moment, he was piloting a flying sword, a top-grade spiritual artifact, transforming into white streaks of light as it flew eastward.
Indeed, it was truly taxing for Lin Xuan to find himself in such a situation. With his current wealth, if he wanted to acquire a treasure, there were plenty stored in his storage bracelet. However, when it came to spiritual artifacts... after flipping through every pocket on his body, Lin Xuan still found nothing.
Just as he was at a loss, Mo'er handed him a flying sword.
This was an upper-grade spiritual artifact. While its power no longer appealed to the young girl, it was thin like a silk thread and extremely elegant in design. Girls often favored such beauty, so she had never discarded it.
It was precisely because of this that Lin Xuan found himself in a tight spot. As he flew, he carefully released his divine sense.
Throughout his journey, he had been questioned several times. However, with his skill in concealing his qi, even an advanced婴期 (yīngqī) monster would not be able to detect any flaws, let alone the people setting up these checkpoints, who were mostly at the Foundation Establishment stage.
Moreover, no one paid much attention to a mere Flexible Spirit Period novice. Thus, although Lin Xuan encountered some trouble, he managed to avoid significant danger overall, and it was relatively safe in general.
Relieved internally, he thought that with his current speed slightly slower than before, he could be far enough from East Border Province within half a month.
Lin Xuan wasn't in a hurry; after all, the matter of the underground fire would have to be handled gradually. However, as time passed, he noticed something amiss.
According to logic, the more distance he covered, the less stringent the checks should become. But reality was the opposite: Lin Xuan found that the number of Ghost Lake cultivators conducting a thorough search had doubled in just a few days. Furthermore, their ranks included many Condensation Core experts, and within half a day, he encountered five advanced婴期 (yīngqī) monsters.
Although his body wasn't harmed, Lin Xuan was drenched in cold sweat.
Was something wrong? Had Ghost Lake gone mad?
Even if the Cloud Sea's nine major forces were deeply entrenched, this situation suggested that most of their experts might be pouring out to deal with it.
Lin Xuan had experienced many storms but was still taken aback by the current situation. What kind of treasure could have made Ghost Lake so determined not to give up? If he originally felt confident in his plan, now he was somewhat nervous.
After all, there's no such thing as a completely secret matter. If they caught even a hint of it, he would regret it deeply and might struggle to survive in the Cloud Sea cultivation world.
Realizing the severity of the situation, Lin Xuan stopped joking around and began seriously considering how to escape without being detected.
However, misfortune often brings good fortune. He was secretly delighted that by eliminating Old Master Ku, he had likely gained a huge advantage.
Fortune favors the brave, and Lin Xuan wasn't afraid of trouble. Overall, his mood was more positive than negative.
Standing atop the barren mountain, Lin Xuan's expression was thoughtful. Not long ago, he encountered several wandering cultivators who provided him with crucial information. The situation had worsened for him.
Perhaps it was due to not finding any treasure that the Ghost Lake sect leader became enraged. As a ghost cultivator and an advanced expert, this old monster was undoubtedly ruthless.
He issued an order: "Better to err on the side of caution than let one slip."
In other words, they were ready to launch a full-scale attack.
If it had been another sect, such boldness would not have been possible. With this order, they were essentially at war with all the cultivators in East Border Province.
However, Ghost Lake didn't take such matters seriously; with their formidable strength, they could act arrogantly and expect others to submit. This was how the cultivation world operated.
The checkpoints had become much harder to pass through. Unless one could clearly explain their identity, they would be taken to a branch of Ghost Lake for detention before being released.
Lin Xuan's expression showed his dilemma. He had Ning Family's order, but it wasn't clear if the sects on Xi Kong Island would recognize it or not; he was almost certain that he couldn't fool them.
Should he... force an entry?
That would violate his original intentions and bring endless trouble afterward.
Moreover, he heard that many cultivators who defied this strict order ended up losing big.
Lin Xuan wouldn't be so foolish as to take such a risk without assurance. For now, he decided to stay hidden until he found a foolproof plan. Meanwhile, he released his divine sense to gather more information; it might help him in escaping.
"Uncle Senior, must we really stay here? We agreed to deliver the herbs ten days from now. Given this situation, that's definitely a delay. The costs for such delays... " A grumpy voice entered Lin Xuan's ears. He focused his divine sense towards its source.
Though several miles apart, he could clearly see the scene in his mind.
It was a small valley with several large carts parked inside. The carriages were made of special materials, and the beasts pulling them had wings instead of horses.
In front of the carts, bright flags fluttered.
The setup resembled a real-world escort service.
Indeed, in the cultivation world, various goods and materials needed to be traded, and sometimes long-distance transportation was inconvenient for storage devices. Thus, some sects or close-knit groups of wandering cultivators organized such business trips to earn substantial amounts of crystal stones.
One of these was Longfeng Escort Service.
Not long ago, they had taken on a big job, expecting to make a fortune. But things didn't go as planned.
Once the delivery deadline passed, according to routine rules, they would have to compensate double the loss.
Seven or eight cultivators were present, with an elderly man in white robes and a young woman around twenty years old leading them.
The elder was at the early Condensation Core stage, while the woman was merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"Xing'er, what's the point of rushing? Ghost Lake is not something we can offend," sighed the elder, his face showing frustration.
"Hmph. Even if it’s the Cloud Sea's nine major forces, they have no right to be so domineering. They're stopping everyone, even our Longfeng Escort Service, which has connections with their inner sect officials. Why are they making things so difficult?" The young woman blinked, her face full of anger.
It was understandable; while the Ghost Lake sect leader's order allowed those who could prove their identity to pass freely, in practice, they still extorted crystal stones even if one explained their background and affiliation.