suī rán yí huò ， dàn cǐ nǚ shēn wèi shàng shì yǐn xiū ， xīn jī zì rán shēn chén wú bǐ ， miàn róng shàng kàn bù chū sī háo jīng yì ， fǎn ér
虽然疑惑，但此女身为上士隐修，心机自然深沉无比，面容上看不出丝毫惊异，反而
Although puzzled, the woman, as a Senior Cultivator who practices in seclusion, naturally possessed profound scheming. Her expression showed no trace of surprise; instead, she chuckled and spoke: "Haha, it has only been a few years since our last meeting. I didn't expect that Daoist Lin's cultivation had advanced to such an extent. Truly, this is cause for joy."
qīng xiào yī shēng kāi kǒu le ：“ hē hē ， yī bié bù guò shù zài ér yǐ ， xiǎng bú dào lín dào yǒu de xiū wèi yǐ jīng jìn dào rú cǐ
轻笑一声开口了：“呵呵，一别不过数载而已，想不到林道友的修为已精进到如此
"Your Highness, you flatter me," Lin Xuan replied with a bow, his face beaming as if they were old friends reuniting. "It was merely a stroke of luck and opportunity."
chéng dù ， zhēn shì kě xǐ kě hè 。”
程度，真是可喜可贺。”
"Ridiculous excuse," Red Silk naturally did not take such an explanation seriously. After a moment's hesitation, she stared into Lin Xuan’s eyes and spoke slowly: "However, from your cultivation realm, it seems somewhat special; you don't seem to have condensed the essence core."
“ xiān zi kè qì le ， zài xià zī zhì yú dùn ， bù guò jī yuán qiǎo hé 。” lín xuān gǒng le gǒng shǒu 。 tóng yàng mǎn miàn chūn fēng ， ruò
“仙子客气了，在下资质愚钝，不过机缘巧合。”林轩拱了拱手。同样满面春风，若
Bravo!
bù zhī dào liǎng rén jiān de ēn yuàn jiū gé ， cǐ qíng cǐ jìng ， dào zhēn xiàng shì lǎo yǒu chóng féng 。
不知道两人间的恩怨纠葛，此情此境，倒真像是老友重逢。
Lin Xuan couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration. The other party did not engage in pretense but directly cut straight to the point.
“ jī yuán qiǎo hé ？” zhè děng tuō cí ， hóng líng zì rán bù fàng zài xīn lǐ ， lüè yī yóu yù ， dīng zhe lín xuān de yǎn móu ， yī zì
“机缘巧合？”这等托辞，红绫自然不放在心里，略一犹豫，盯着林轩的眼眸，一字
The question was so direct that it left no room for him to be ambiguous. On the surface, Lin Xuan remained calm, but his mind had already raced through countless thoughts. At this moment, he must not show any weakness; otherwise, he might give the other party a false impression. He did not want to fight with her unless absolutely necessary.
yī dùn de kāi kǒu ：“ bù guò zài xià guān dào yǒu de jìng jiè yǒu xiē tè shū ， bìng bù xiàng zhēn zhèng níng jié le yuán yīng de 。”
一顿的开口：“不过在下观道友的境界有些特殊，并不像真正凝结了元婴的。”
Although he wasn’t certain of winning, his chances were almost nonexistent. The key was that no matter who won or lost, he would gain nothing!
hǎo jiā huo ！
好家伙！
After weighing the pros and cons, Lin Xuan revealed a sinister smile: "Your Highness has keen eyesight; I indeed am not an Essence Core cultivator."
lín xuān xīn zhōng yě bù yóu de yǒng qǐ jǐ fēn pèi fú 。
林轩心中也不由得涌起几分佩服。
"Then...?" Although she had her suspicions, his straightforward admission made Red Silk’s Highness feel wary. She could tell that he was acting with confidence.
duì fāng sī háo méi yǒu xū yǔ wēi yí ， ér shì zhí jiē jiù qiē rù zhòng diǎn le 。
对方丝毫没有虚与委蛇，而是直接就切入重点了。
"I will not hide it from you; my cultivation technique is somewhat special and can be described as taking a different path. Although I have yet to successfully condense the essence core, I believe my abilities won't fall short of ordinary Essence Core cultivators."
wèn dé rú cǐ lù gǔ ， jiāng zì jǐ dǎ mǎ hǔ yǎn de yú dì dōu gěi dǔ sǐ le 。
问得如此露骨，将自己打马虎眼的余地都给堵死了。
Since entering the Daoist path, Lin Xuan had rarely told such "truths" to his enemies; naturally, he was vague about it, making it harder for the other party to discern.
biǎo miàn shàng bù dòng shēng sè ， lín xuān de nǎo hǎi lǐ què yǐ zhuǎn guò wú shù niàn tou ， zhè shí hòu qì shì shàng jué bù néng shū ， fǒu zé shāo
表面上不动声色，林轩的脑海里却已转过无数念头，这时候气势上绝不能输，否则稍
Red Silk was equally cunning and had considered that Lin Xuan might be bluffing. However, no matter how she looked at him, he seemed confident and unafraid.
yī shì ruò ， jiù yǒu kě néng gěi duì fāng yǐ cuò jué ， ér bú dào wàn bù dé yǐ shì ， lín xuān kě bù xiǎng yǔ cǐ nǚ dòng shǒu 。
一示弱，就有可能给对方以错觉，而不到万不得已是，林轩可不想与此女动手。
With a chuckle, she spoke: "Oh, this is indeed rather rare. Perhaps I am too isolated; have you heard of any Condensation Core cultivators who could withstand an Essence Core veteran?"
suī rán bù yí dìng huì shū ， dàn yíng miàn yě jī hū méi yǒu ， guān jiàn shì bù lùn shuí shèng shuí fù ， zì jǐ dōu dé bú dào bàn diǎn hǎo chù ！
虽然不一定会输，但赢面也几乎没有，关键是不论谁胜谁负，自己都得不到半点好处！
This woman was not giving up and couldn’t resist taunting him. If he were lying, there would be some hint.
quán héng lì bì yǐ hòu ， lín xuān de liǎn shàng lù chū xié yì de xiào róng ：“ xiān zi mù guāng rú jù ， lín mǒu què shí bú shì yuán yīng qī
权衡利弊以后，林轩的脸上露出邪意的笑容：“仙子目光如炬，林某确实不是元婴期
"Oh, Your Highness doesn't believe me? Do you want to test my strength?" Lin Xuan stared into Red Silk’s eyes without showing any weakness.
de xiū xiān zhě 。”
的修仙者。”
"I jest, friend; I summoned you here for something important to discuss, not to quarrel with you," Red Silk hesitated. For some reason, she sensed an unusual aura from Lin Xuan... well, how do I put it? He was very hard to deal with, and his danger level far exceeded that of a typical Essence Core cultivator. By inference, if they fought, she might have a chance but would struggle to capture or kill him.
“ nà nǐ ……” suī rán xīn zhōng yǒu suǒ huái yí ， dàn duì fāng rú cǐ tǎn chéng ， fǎn ér ràng hóng líng xiān zi dà gǎn jiè jù ， tā néng
“那你……”虽然心中有所怀疑，但对方如此坦诚，反而让红绫仙子大感戒惧，她能
"Since this is the case, please instruct me; if I can accomplish it, I will not refuse," Lin Xuan waved his hand with great generosity.
gòu kàn chū lái ， duì fāng shì yī fù yǒu shì wú kǒng de yàng zi 。
够看出来，对方是一副有恃无恐的样子。
"Indeed, your understanding and reasonableness are most welcome. Red Silk hopes that we can turn swords into plowshares and make a friend of you." Red Silk’s expression softened as she spoke: "You must know something about my background."
“ bù mán xiān zi ， zài xià xiū liàn de gōng fǎ yǒu xiē tè shū ， ēn …… kě yòng lìng pì xī jìng lái xíng róng ， rú jīn suī rán hái méi
“不瞒仙子，在下修炼的功法有些特殊，恩……可用另辟蹊径来形容，如今虽然还没
"Correct; Your Highness is an ancient practitioner from the Jade Black Sect, living for millions of years due to some fortunate circumstances."
yǒu níng jié yuán yīng chéng gōng ， dàn xiāng xìn wǒ de shén tōng ， yě bú huì xùn yú pǔ tōng de yuán yīng chū qī de xiū xiān zhě 。”
有凝结元婴成功，但相信我的神通，也不会逊于普通的元婴初期的修仙者。”
Hearing this, Red Silk’s Highness revealed a bitter smile. She was an Essence Core cultivator who had been frozen in ice and rendered unconscious; how could she be considered alive? However, she did not need to tell Lin Xuan these details.
zì cóng tà rù xiān dào yǐ lái ， lín xuān kě shì nán dé duì dí rén shuō chū rú cǐ “ zhēn huà ”， dāng rán ， miáo shù de yě hěn mó hú
自从踏入仙道以来，林轩可是难得对敌人说出如此“真话”，当然，描述的也很模糊
"You know enough," said Lin Xuan. "You once entered our sect's treasure vault... well, I won't ask for other things now, but please return the sect’s掌门令符to me."
， zhè yàng gèng róng yì ràng duì fāng yǒu suǒ gù jì 。
，这样更容易让对方有所顾忌。
"掌门令符?" Lin Xuan’s face showed confusion.
hóng líng tóng yàng jiǎo huá zhì jí ， yě bú shì méi yǒu xiǎng guò lín xuān shì zài xū zhāng shēng shì ， dàn bù lùn zěn me kàn ， dōu jué de tā shì
红绫同样狡猾至极，也不是没有想过林轩是在虚张声势，但不论怎么看，都觉得他是
"Yes, it is merely an amulet with carvings of birds and beasts on one side and ancient text on the other," Red Silk said calmly. However, Lin Xuan was a seasoned character who caught a hint of excitement in her eyes.
yī fù yǒu shì wú kǒng de yàng zi 。
一副有恃无恐的样子。
That wasn’t just any ordinary掌门令符; if it were, the Jade Black Sect would have perished long ago. Why would the other party go to such lengths to reclaim it from him?
xīn zhōng dí gū ， dàn què qīng xiào yī shēng kāi kǒu le ：“ ó ， zhè dào zhēn de yǒu xiē xī qí ， mò fēi shì hóng líng tài guò gū lòu guǎ
心中嘀咕，但却轻笑一声开口了：“哦，这倒真的有些稀奇，莫非是红绫太过孤陋寡
Lin Xuan’s reaction was swift and accurate. Since this was so, he certainly wouldn't hand it over.
wén le xiē ， wǒ zěn me méi yǒu tīng shuō níng dān qī xiū shì néng gòu lì dí yuán yīng lǎo guài de 。”
闻了些，我怎么没有听说凝丹期修士能够力敌元婴老怪的。”
"Your Highness, I have never seen this item," Lin Xuan said in bewilderment.
cǐ nǚ dào dǐ bù sǐ xīn ， rěn bú zhù chū yán jī fěng le yī jù ， jiǎ rú duì fāng shì zài shuō huǎng ， duō shǎo huì lù chū yī sī pò zhàn
此女到底不死心，忍不住出言讥讽了一句，假如对方是在说谎，多少会露出一丝破绽
Red Silk frowned: "Daoist Lin, you just said pleasant words earlier; now you deny it outright. Do you think I am easily deceived?"
de 。
的。
"You are wrong to say so, Your Highness. I truly haven't seen it before and wouldn’t lie to you. Besides, how do you know that I have the掌门令符in my possession?" Lin Xuan’s expression was innocent as if he had suffered a grave injustice.
“ ó ， xiān zi bù xìn ， mò fēi xiǎng yào dòng shǒu yǔ zài xià cháng shì yī fān bù chéng ？” lín xuān dīng zhe hóng líng de yǎn jīng ， sī háo
“哦，仙子不信，莫非想要动手与在下尝试一番不成？”林轩盯着红绫的眼睛，丝毫
"I...," Red Silk opened her mouth but couldn’t find any evidence. However, she was almost certain that the item was in this young man's hands.
méi yǒu shì ruò zhī yì 。
没有示弱之意。
Initially, she thought that with her cultivation level, he would obediently hand it over. But after years of absence, his realm had changed significantly.
“ dào yǒu shuō xiào le ， wǒ yuē nǐ zài cǐ jiàn miàn ， nǎi shì yǒu shì xiǎng yào shāng tán ， kě bìng bú shì xiǎng yào yǔ dào yǒu fān liǎn 。”
“道友说笑了，我约你在此见面，乃是有事想要商谈，可并不是想要与道友翻脸。”
In the world of cultivation, strength mattered.
hóng líng lüè yī yóu yù ， bù zhī wèi hé ， tā cóng lín xuān shēn shàng gǎn jué dào yī gǔ qí guài de qì xī …… ēn ， zěn me shuō ne ，
红绫略一犹豫，不知为何，她从林轩身上感觉到一股奇怪的气息……恩，怎么说呢，
Without confidence to subdue him, the matter became complicated!
hěn bù hǎo rě ， gěi zì jǐ de wēi xiǎn chéng dù ， yuǎn yuǎn shèng guò yì bān de yuán yīng chū qī xiū shì ， yóu cǐ tuī suàn ， shuāng fāng dòng qǐ
很不好惹，给自己的危险程度，远远胜过一般的元婴初期修士，由此推算，双方动起
Of course, she wouldn’t give up on that treasure.
shǒu lái ， zì jǐ huò shèng yě xǔ bù nán ， dàn xiǎng yào jiāng qí liú xià ， huò zhě miè shā ， zé míng xiǎn bù xiàn shí 。
手来，自己获胜也许不难，但想要将其留下，或者灭杀，则明显不现实。
"Daoist Lin, in truth, there is no need for lies. I advise you to return our sect’s掌门令符to me; it isn't a precious item, but as an old acquaintance's relic, I must reclaim it. If you feel wronged, I can compensate you," Red Silk combed her hair and spoke sincerely.
“ jì shì rú cǐ ， hái qǐng xiān zi fēn fù ， rú guǒ shì zài xià néng gòu bàn dào de 。， jué bú huì tuī cí 。” lín xuān yī bǎi shǒu
“既是如此，还请仙子吩咐，如果是在下能够办到的。，绝不会推辞。”林轩一摆手
Unfortunately, Lin Xuan was not listening!
， shí fēn háo shuǎng de dào 。
，十分豪爽的道。
That such a relic belonged to an old acquaintance meant she had to reclaim it?
“ ēn ， dào yǒu néng rú cǐ tōng qíng dá lǐ ， zì rán zài hǎo bù guò ， hóng líng yě xī wàng huà gān gē wéi yù bó ， jiāo le gé xià zhè
“恩，道友能如此通情达理，自然再好不过，红绫也希望化干戈为玉帛，交了阁下这
Was he treating her like a novice who just stepped out of the cave?
wèi péng yǒu de 。” hóng líng shén sè yī huǎn ， yīng chún wēi qǐ de tǔ luò zì jù ：“ xiǎng bì wǒ de lái lì ， dào yǒu yě shì lüè zhī
位朋友的。”红绫神色一缓，樱唇微启的吐落字句：“想必我的来历，道友也是略知
Although Lin Xuan still didn’t know what the amulet’s purpose was, he was certain that it was extraordinary. The so-called掌门令符was identical to the one he found in the stream, with no differences in patterns or designs. This alone raised suspicions.
yī èr de 。”
一二的。”
Despite his repeated studies yielding no results, Lin Xuan would not hand it over. Moreover, Red Silk's Highness’s obvious desire made him even more certain of his suspicions.
“ bù cuò ， xiān zi nǎi yù xuán zōng gǔ xiū ， jī yuán qiǎo hé ， huó le shù bǎi wàn nián zhī jiǔ 。”
“不错，仙子乃玉玄宗古修，机缘巧合，活了数百万年之久。”
Unfortunately, with his current cultivation level, he couldn’t defeat this beautiful woman. Otherwise, Lin Xuan wouldn't mind forcing her to reveal the secret or using soul probing methods to uncover its mysteries.
Although puzzled, the woman, as a Senior Cultivator who practices in seclusion, naturally possessed profound scheming. Her expression showed no trace of surprise; instead, she chuckled and spoke: "Haha, it has only been a few years since our last meeting. I didn't expect that Daoist Lin's cultivation had advanced to such an extent. Truly, this is cause for joy."
"Your Highness, you flatter me," Lin Xuan replied with a bow, his face beaming as if they were old friends reuniting. "It was merely a stroke of luck and opportunity."
"Ridiculous excuse," Red Silk naturally did not take such an explanation seriously. After a moment's hesitation, she stared into Lin Xuan’s eyes and spoke slowly: "However, from your cultivation realm, it seems somewhat special; you don't seem to have condensed the essence core."
Bravo!
Lin Xuan couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration. The other party did not engage in pretense but directly cut straight to the point.
The question was so direct that it left no room for him to be ambiguous. On the surface, Lin Xuan remained calm, but his mind had already raced through countless thoughts. At this moment, he must not show any weakness; otherwise, he might give the other party a false impression. He did not want to fight with her unless absolutely necessary.
Although he wasn’t certain of winning, his chances were almost nonexistent. The key was that no matter who won or lost, he would gain nothing!
After weighing the pros and cons, Lin Xuan revealed a sinister smile: "Your Highness has keen eyesight; I indeed am not an Essence Core cultivator."
"Then...?" Although she had her suspicions, his straightforward admission made Red Silk’s Highness feel wary. She could tell that he was acting with confidence.
"I will not hide it from you; my cultivation technique is somewhat special and can be described as taking a different path. Although I have yet to successfully condense the essence core, I believe my abilities won't fall short of ordinary Essence Core cultivators."
Since entering the Daoist path, Lin Xuan had rarely told such "truths" to his enemies; naturally, he was vague about it, making it harder for the other party to discern.
Red Silk was equally cunning and had considered that Lin Xuan might be bluffing. However, no matter how she looked at him, he seemed confident and unafraid.
With a chuckle, she spoke: "Oh, this is indeed rather rare. Perhaps I am too isolated; have you heard of any Condensation Core cultivators who could withstand an Essence Core veteran?"
This woman was not giving up and couldn’t resist taunting him. If he were lying, there would be some hint.
"Oh, Your Highness doesn't believe me? Do you want to test my strength?" Lin Xuan stared into Red Silk’s eyes without showing any weakness.
"I jest, friend; I summoned you here for something important to discuss, not to quarrel with you," Red Silk hesitated. For some reason, she sensed an unusual aura from Lin Xuan... well, how do I put it? He was very hard to deal with, and his danger level far exceeded that of a typical Essence Core cultivator. By inference, if they fought, she might have a chance but would struggle to capture or kill him.
"Since this is the case, please instruct me; if I can accomplish it, I will not refuse," Lin Xuan waved his hand with great generosity.
"Indeed, your understanding and reasonableness are most welcome. Red Silk hopes that we can turn swords into plowshares and make a friend of you." Red Silk’s expression softened as she spoke: "You must know something about my background."
"Correct; Your Highness is an ancient practitioner from the Jade Black Sect, living for millions of years due to some fortunate circumstances."
Hearing this, Red Silk’s Highness revealed a bitter smile. She was an Essence Core cultivator who had been frozen in ice and rendered unconscious; how could she be considered alive? However, she did not need to tell Lin Xuan these details.
"You know enough," said Lin Xuan. "You once entered our sect's treasure vault... well, I won't ask for other things now, but please return the sect’s掌门令符to me."
"掌门令符?" Lin Xuan’s face showed confusion.
"Yes, it is merely an amulet with carvings of birds and beasts on one side and ancient text on the other," Red Silk said calmly. However, Lin Xuan was a seasoned character who caught a hint of excitement in her eyes.
That wasn’t just any ordinary掌门令符; if it were, the Jade Black Sect would have perished long ago. Why would the other party go to such lengths to reclaim it from him?
Lin Xuan’s reaction was swift and accurate. Since this was so, he certainly wouldn't hand it over.
"Your Highness, I have never seen this item," Lin Xuan said in bewilderment.
Red Silk frowned: "Daoist Lin, you just said pleasant words earlier; now you deny it outright. Do you think I am easily deceived?"
"You are wrong to say so, Your Highness. I truly haven't seen it before and wouldn’t lie to you. Besides, how do you know that I have the掌门令符in my possession?" Lin Xuan’s expression was innocent as if he had suffered a grave injustice.
"I...," Red Silk opened her mouth but couldn’t find any evidence. However, she was almost certain that the item was in this young man's hands.
Initially, she thought that with her cultivation level, he would obediently hand it over. But after years of absence, his realm had changed significantly.
In the world of cultivation, strength mattered.
Without confidence to subdue him, the matter became complicated!
Of course, she wouldn’t give up on that treasure.
"Daoist Lin, in truth, there is no need for lies. I advise you to return our sect’s掌门令符to me; it isn't a precious item, but as an old acquaintance's relic, I must reclaim it. If you feel wronged, I can compensate you," Red Silk combed her hair and spoke sincerely.
Unfortunately, Lin Xuan was not listening!
That such a relic belonged to an old acquaintance meant she had to reclaim it?
Was he treating her like a novice who just stepped out of the cave?
Although Lin Xuan still didn’t know what the amulet’s purpose was, he was certain that it was extraordinary. The so-called掌门令符was identical to the one he found in the stream, with no differences in patterns or designs. This alone raised suspicions.
Despite his repeated studies yielding no results, Lin Xuan would not hand it over. Moreover, Red Silk's Highness’s obvious desire made him even more certain of his suspicions.
Unfortunately, with his current cultivation level, he couldn’t defeat this beautiful woman. Otherwise, Lin Xuan wouldn't mind forcing her to reveal the secret or using soul probing methods to uncover its mysteries.