duì fāng jiǎng dào zhè lǐ ， hòu miàn yě jiù méi yǒu duō shǎo mì mì 。
对方讲到这里，后面也就没有多少秘密。
By this point, there wasn't much more to the secrets.
xuán fèng xiān zi yǐ jīng cái jué yàn zhī zī ， qióng jìn bǎi nián zhī lì ， chuàng chū le kuàng gǔ jué jīn de fèng wǔ jiǔ tiān jué 。
玄凤仙子以惊才绝艳之资，穷尽百年之力，创出了旷古绝今的凤舞九天诀。
Xuanfeng Fairy Lady had created the Phoenix Dance Nine Heavens Technique with her extraordinary talent and all of her hundred years of effort.
rán ér jù lín xuān suǒ zhī ， jiǔ tiān xuán zūn bìng fēi wéi rén suǒ miè ， ér shì hào jìn shòu yuán yǐ hòu zuò huà de 。
然而据林轩所知，九天玄尊并非为人所灭，而是耗尽寿元以后坐化的。
However, according to Lin Xuan's knowledge, Ninth Heaven Profound Respect hadn't been killed by humans; he had simply exhausted his lifespan and passed away in meditation.
zhào cǐ rén suǒ shuō ， xuán fèng xiān zi kě shì bù rù le lí hé qī ， zuì hòu hái chéng gōng fēi shēng líng jiè ， nà zài zhè qī jiān ， tā wèi hé méi zhǎo jiǔ tiān xuán zūn bào chóu ， kě jiù lìng rén shí fēn fèi jiě 。
照此人所说，玄凤仙子可是步入了离合期，最后还成功飞升灵界，那在这期间，她为何没找九天玄尊报仇，可就令人十分费解。
As this man said, Xuanfeng Fairy Lady must have entered the Separation and Union Stage, and eventually ascended to the Spirit Realm. It was puzzling why she didn't seek revenge on Ninth Heaven Profound Respect during that time.
dāng rán ， lín xuān duì zhè xiē shàng gǔ shí qī de ēn yuàn jiū gé ， bìng méi yǒu duō shǎo tàn gēn jiū dǐ de xìng qù 。 yǔ zì jǐ háo wú qiè shēn lì hài guān xì 。
当然，林轩对这些上古时期的恩怨纠葛，并没有多少探根究底的兴趣。与自己毫无切身利害关系。
Of course, Lin Xuan wasn't particularly interested in probing these ancient grudges; they had no direct bearing on him.
dǎo shì suǒ wèi de fèng mài zhī tǐ ， yuán lái shì yǐ kǒng què de běn mìng líng guāng ， zài tǐ nèi zuò dà zhōu tiān xún huán ， yì jīng xǐ suǐ ， zhú jiàn jiāng tǐ zhì gǎi biàn 。
倒是所谓的凤脉之体，原来是以孔雀的本命灵光，在体内做大周天循环，易经洗髓，逐渐将体质改变。
Instead, what was known as the Phoenix Bloodline Body involved using the inherent spiritual light of a peacock to perform the Grand Circulation within the body. The Essence Cleansing Process gradually transformed his constitution.
zhì yú líng lì gāi zěn me yùn xíng ， zài fèng wǔ jiǔ tiān jué de qián yán zhī zhōng ， yǒu zhe fēi cháng xiáng jìn de shuō míng 。
至于灵力该怎么运行，在凤舞九天诀的前言之中，有着非常详尽的说明。
As for how to control one's essence energy, there were detailed explanations in the preface of the Phoenix Dance Nine Heavens Technique.
lín xuān tīng dào zhè lǐ ， méi shāo yī tiāo ， bù guò zhè ge dòng zuò fēi cháng yǐn mì ， bìng méi yǒu yǐn qǐ páng biān zhōu xuè hén de zhù yì ， jiǎng wán le shí bì de lái lì 。 tā dài zhe lín xuān xiàng bù yuǎn chù de yī zuò gé lóu zǒu qù 。
林轩听到这里，眉梢一挑，不过这个动作非常隐秘，并没有引起旁边周血痕的注意，讲完了石壁的来历。他带着林轩向不远处的一座阁楼走去。
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow when he heard this but kept it subtle enough that Zhou Xuehen didn't notice. After explaining the origin of the stone wall, he led Lin Xuan towards a pavilion not far away.
zhè shì yī dòng sān céng jiàn zhù ， yuē yǒu qī bā zhàng gāo 。 suī shì mù zhì jié gòu ， biǎo miàn què sàn fà zhe dàn dàn de yíng guāng ， xiǎn de shén mì fēi cháng 。
这是一栋三层建筑，约有七八丈高。虽是木质结构，表面却散发着淡淡的荧光，显得神秘非常。
This was a three-story building about seven or eight zhang tall. Although made of wood, its surface emitted a faint glow, making it seem mysterious.
lín xuān bù yóu de duō kàn le liǎng yǎn ， liǎn shàng yǐn yǐn yǒu gǔ guài de lì sè nèi xiàn ， bù guò hěn kuài jiù huī fù le cóng róng ， suí zhe duì fāng zǒu rù qí zhōng 。
林轩不由得多看了两眼，脸上隐隐有古怪的厉色内线，不过很快就恢复了从容，随着对方走入其中。
Lin Xuan gave it several more glances, his expression showing a hint of strange tension, but quickly regained composure as he followed the other person inside.
lǐ miàn pǒ wèi kuān guǎng ， xiū shì bù duō ， zhōu xuè hén zhí jiē dài zhe lín xuān lái dào sān lóu ， chuān guò jǐ dào qū zhé de huí láng yǐ hòu ， yī shàn yóu hóng mù zhì chéng de dà mén chū xiàn yú yǎn lián le 。
里面颇为宽广，修士不多，周血痕直接带着林轩来到三楼，穿过几道曲折的回廊以后，一扇由红木制成的大门出现于眼帘了。
The interior was spacious with few cultivators present. Zhou Xuehen led Lin Xuan directly to the third floor and, after passing through several winding corridors, they arrived at a large wooden door.
zhōu xuè hén liǎn shàng lù chū gōng jìng zhī sè ， qīng qīng de kòu le kòu 。
周血痕脸上露出恭敬之色，轻轻的扣了扣。
Zhou Xuehen showed respect by gently knocking on it. After about half a cup of tea's time, a creaking sound was heard as the door opened mysteriously.
guò le yuē bàn zhǎn chá de gōng fu ， zhī ya yī shēng chuán rù ěr zhōng ， nà dà mén guǐ yì de dǎ kāi le 。
过了约半盏茶的功夫，吱呀一声传入耳中，那大门诡异的打开了。
However, Zhou Xuehen didn't dare to enter without caution and instead moved his lips slightly, seemingly speaking into the interior.
rán ér zhōu xuè hén què méi gǎn mào rán zǒu rù qí zhōng 。 ér shì zuǐ chún wēi dòng ， sì hū xiàng lǐ miàn chuán yīn shù shuō zhe shén me 。
然而周血痕却没敢贸然走入其中。而是嘴唇微动，似乎向里面传音述说着什么。
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow; this wasn't very polite. But despite feeling a bit displeased internally, he maintained a calm and indifferent expression.
lín xuān méi shāo yī tiāo ， duì fāng zhè yàng zuò kě pǒ bù lǐ mào ， dàn tā xīn lǐ suī lüè gǎn bù mǎn ， biǎo qíng què yī jiù chōng hé píng dàn 。
林轩眉梢一挑，对方这样做可颇不礼貌，但他心里虽略感不满，表情却依旧冲和平淡。
"Ah, you've actually come from the outside world as a guest. And you're even a Core Formation Stage expert! Such a rare visitor—please forgive me for not going out to meet you." A rather boisterous voice echoed, and an elderly man with long white hair walked out of the door.
“ ó ， jū rán lái le wài jiè de dào yǒu 。 hái shì níng dān qī gāo shǒu ， rú cǐ xī kè ， qǐng shù lǎo fū wèi céng yuǎn yíng 。” yī pǒ wèi háo shuǎng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， cóng dà mén lǐ zǒu chū lái yī wèi hè fā lǎo zhě 。
“哦，居然来了外界的道友。还是凝丹期高手，如此稀客，请恕老夫未曾远迎。”一颇为豪爽的声音传入耳朵，从大门里走出来一位鹤发老者。
Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes; this person was extremely tall, though he appeared to be in his seventies or eighties based on his appearance. He moved like a dragon and spoke with the voice of a lion—clearly a Core Formation Middle-stage cultivator.
lín xuān yǎn jīng yī mī ， cǐ rén shēn cái gāo dà zhī jí ， suī rán cóng róng mào shàng kàn ， yǐ yǒu qī bā shí suì nián jì ， què yī jiù lóng xíng hǔ bù ， shēng ruò hóng zhōng ， nǎi shì yī wèi níng dān zhōng qī de xiū yāo zhě 。
林轩眼睛一咪，此人身材高大之极，虽然从容貌上看，已有七八十岁年纪，却依旧龙行虎步，声若洪钟，乃是一位凝丹中期的修妖者。
"Junior disciple pays respects to Senior Uncle."
“ wǎn bèi bài jiàn shī shū 。”
“晚辈拜见师叔。”
"Enough." The elderly man waved dismissively. His gaze fell upon Lin Xuan: "You must be Fairy Lin. It's rare for us to have guests from outside our island, so it is truly fate that you are here."
“ bà le 。” lǎo zhě háo shuǎng de yī bà shǒu 。 mù guāng jiù luò zài le lín xuān de shēn shàng ：“ zhè wèi yí dìng jiù shì lín dào yǒu ， wǒ men yāo líng dǎo jìn bǎi nián lái ， hái shì dì yī cì yíng lái wài kè ， yě shì suàn shì yǒu yuán le 。”
“罢了。”老者豪爽的一罢手。目光就落在了林轩的身上：“这位一定就是林道友，我们妖灵岛近百年来，还是第一次迎来外客，也是算是有缘了。”
"Fate indeed!" Lin Xuan inwardly scoffed but kept a fake smile on his face as he chatted politely.
“ yǒu yuán gè pì ！” lín xuān xīn zhōng rěn bú zhù fù fěi le jǐ jù ， dāng rán ， biǎo miàn shàng yě bù dé duī qǐ xū wěi de xiào yì ， yǔ duì fāng jiǎ xiào zhe yìng chóu le jǐ jù 。
“有缘个屁！”林轩心中忍不住腹诽了几句，当然，表面上也不得堆起虚伪的笑意，与对方假笑着应酬了几句。
Zhou Xuehen naturally didn't dare to interrupt. After the two finished speaking, he smiled and apologized.
zhì yú zhōu xuè hén ， zì rán bù gǎn chā zuǐ 。 děng liǎng rén shuō wán yǐ hòu ， cái péi xiào zhè gào zuì 。
至于周血痕，自然不敢插嘴。等两人说完以后，才陪笑这告罪。
"Meeting someone is already considered fate. Would Fairy Lin be interested in joining our sect and becoming part of the Xuanfeng Sect?" The elderly man with long white hair invited enthusiastically.
“ xiāng féng jí shì yǒu yuán ， bù zhī dào lín dào yǒu kě yǒu xìng qù jiā rù bì pài ， chéng wéi wǒ men xuán fèng mén de yī yuán 。” hè fā lǎo zhě yǎn zhū yī zhuǎn ， shí fēn rè qíng de yāo qǐng le qǐ lái 。
“相逢即是有缘，不知道林道友可有兴趣加入敝派，成为我们玄凤门的一员。”鹤发老者眼珠一转，十分热情的邀请了起来。
"Thank you for your kind offer," Lin Xuan said hesitantly, "but I would rather return to the mortal world."
“ zhè ge ” lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū yī lǚ nán sè ， chén yín zhe kāi kǒu le ：“ duō xiè dào yǒu hǎo yì ， bù guò zài xià gèng xiǎng yào huí dào rén jiè qù 。”
“这个”林轩脸上露出一缕难色，沉吟着开口了：“多谢道友好意，不过在下更想要回到人界去。”
"Return to the mortal world? Haha, I understand. But it's unlikely that you will be able to do so at this time." The elderly man stroked his beard; he showed no anger despite being rejected.
“ huí dào rén jiè ？ hē hē ， zài xià néng gòu lǐ jiě ， bù guò cǐ shí kǒng pà hěn nán rú dào yǒu suǒ yuàn 。” hè fā lǎo zhě mō le mō hú xū ， liǎn shàng sī háo yě bú jiàn bèi jù jué hòu de nù qì 。
“回到人界？呵呵，在下能够理解，不过此时恐怕很难如道友所愿。”鹤发老者摸了摸胡须，脸上丝毫也不见被拒绝后的怒气。
"Why not? Is there no way back to the mortal world from Xuanfeng Island?" Lin Xuan frowned, speaking with skepticism.
“ wèi shén me ， nán dào méi yǒu cóng yāo líng dǎo fǎn huí rén jiè de fāng fǎ ？” lín xuān méi tou yí zhòu 。 pǒ yǒu bù xìn dì kāi kǒu 。
“为什么，难道没有从妖灵岛返回人界的方法？”林轩眉头一皱。颇有不信地开口。
"Whether or not there is a way is hard to say. There might be, or there might not."
“ zhè ge hěn nán shuō ， huò xǔ yǒu ， huò xǔ méi yǒu 。”
“这个很难说，或许有，或许没有。”
"What do you mean by that, Fairy Lin? Are you trying to tease me?" Lin Xuan's expression turned grim.
“ dào yǒu zhè huà shì hé yòng yì ， mò fēi xiǎng yào xiāo qiǎn lín mǒu ？” lín xuān de liǎn sè sà rán yīn chén xià qù le 。
“道友这话是何用意，莫非想要消遣林某？”林轩的脸色飒然阴沉下去了。
"Haha, don't get angry. I and you hit it off at first sight; how could I deliberately make things difficult for you? However, returning from the Xuanfeng Island to the mortal world is not impossible but extremely unlikely."
“ hē hē ， dào yǒu wú xū dòng nù ， huáng mǒu yǔ nǐ yī jiàn rú gù ， qǐ huì wú duān yǔ dào yǒu wéi nán ne 。 zhǐ bù guò xiǎng yào cóng yāo líng dǎo fǎn huí rén jiè ， bù néng shuō wán quán méi yǒu xī wàng ， rán ér què fēi cháng miǎo máng 。”
“呵呵，道友无需动怒，黄某与你一见如故，岂会无端与道友为难呢。只不过想要从妖灵岛返回人界，不能说完全没有希望，然而却非常渺茫。”
"Oh, I'd like to hear more about this." Lin Xuan's expression softened as he clasped his hands.
“ ó ， yuàn wén qí xiáng 。” lín xuān shén sè yī huǎn ， bào le bào quán 。
“哦，愿闻其详。”林轩神色一缓，抱了抱拳。
"Of course, you know that Xuanfeng Island is a holy land for demons. The strength of the beasts here far surpasses anything in the mortal world..."
“ dào yǒu xiǎng yě zhī dào ， zhè yāo líng dǎo duì yāo zú lái shuō ， nǎi shì xiū liàn shèng dì ， cǐ chù yāo shòu de shí lì ， yuǎn fēi rén jiè kě bǐ ……”
“道友想也知道，这妖灵岛对妖族来说，乃是修炼圣地，此处妖兽的实力，远非人界可比……”
Lin Xuan nodded; he had heard Zhou Xuehen mention these things before. Otherwise, there was no need to keep the protective array active with such a large sect.
lín xuān diǎn le diǎn tóu ， zhè xiē shì qíng ， tā zǎo tīng zhōu xuè hén shuō guò ， fǒu zé yǐ xuán fèng mén de guī mó ， yě bù yòng shí kè jiāng hù pài dà zhèn kāi qǐ le 。
林轩点了点头，这些事情，他早听周血痕说过，否则以玄凤门的规模，也不用时刻将护派大阵开启了。
"Although I haven't seen it myself, they say that there are at least three or four Separation and Union Stage beasts on this island," the elderly man said, his eyes flashing with an enigmatic look.
“ huáng mǒu suī rán méi yǒu jiàn guò ， dàn jù shuō zài zhè yāo líng dǎo zhī zhōng ， lián lí hé qī de yāo shòu yě bù xià sān sì zhǐ zhī duō 。” hè fā lǎo zhě shuō dào cǐ chù ， yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī sī guǐ yì nán míng zhī sè 。
“黄某虽然没有见过，但据说在这妖灵岛之中，连离合期的妖兽也不下三四只之多。”鹤发老者说道此处，眼中闪过一丝诡异难明之色。
"Separation and Union Stage beasts?" Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed in shock. "With such terrifying monsters around, why can your sect still"
“ lí hé qī yāo shòu ？” lín xuān yǎn jīng yī mī ， biǎo qíng dà wèi hài yì ：“ jì yǒu cǐ děng kě pà de guài wù ， guì mén pài wèi hé hái néng gòu ”
“离合期妖兽？”林轩眼睛一咪，表情大为骇异：“既有此等可怕的怪物，贵门派为何还能够”
"Why do you think we humans haven't been completely wiped out yet?"
“ dào yǒu shì xiǎng shuō ， wǒ men rén zú wèi shén me hái méi yǒu bèi tú lù dài jìn duì ba ？”
“道友是想说，我们人族为什么还没有被屠戮殆尽对吧？”
Lin Xuan nodded; according to what he knew, humans and demons had never been on good terms since ancient times. They constantly fought, but they could coexist because neither side had the absolute power to eliminate the other.
lín xuān diǎn le diǎn tóu ， jù tā suǒ zhī ， rén lèi yǔ yāo zú zhī jiān kě tán bù shàng hé mù ， cóng shàng gǔ shí hòu kāi shǐ ， jiù gōng fá bù duàn ， zhī suǒ yǐ néng gòu gòng cún dào xiàn zài ， nǎi shì yóu yú bù guǎn shuí qiáng shuí ruò 。 què dōu méi yǒu jué duì de shí lì jiāng duì fāng xiāo miè bà le 。
林轩点了点头，据他所知，人类与妖族之间可谈不上和睦，从上古时候开始，就功伐不断，之所以能够共存到现在，乃是由于不管谁强谁弱。却都没有绝对的实力将对方消灭罢了。
However, on Xuanfeng Island, this balance was clearly broken—there were three or four Transmutation Stage beasts...
kě zài yāo líng dǎo ， zhè ge píng héng míng xiǎn bèi dǎ pò ， guāng shì huà xíng qī de yāo shòu jiù yǒu sān sì gè ……
可在妖灵岛，这个平衡明显被打破，光是化形期的妖兽就有三四个……
"We can still live in peace today because Separation and Union Stage beasts never get involved in conflicts between our two races."
“ wǒ men rén lèi néng gòu xiāo yáo zhì jīn ， nǎi shì yóu yú lí hé qī de yāo shòu cóng lái bù céng cān yù liǎng zú jiān de zhēng dòu 。”
“我们人类能够逍遥至今，乃是由于离合期的妖兽从来不曾参与两族间的争斗。”
"Oh, why is that?" Lin Xuan rubbed his forehead with interest showing on his face.
“ ó ， wèi shén me ？” lín xuān yǐ shǒu fǔ é 。 liǎn shàng lù chū jǐ fēn gǎn xìng qù de biǎo qíng le 。
“哦，为什么？”林轩以手抚额。脸上露出几分感兴趣的表情了。
"This I'm not sure about. Perhaps after entering the Separation and Union Stage, those monsters focus entirely on how to survive their heavenly tribulations and ascend to the Spirit Realm. They have no interest in conflicts at our level, but this is just a guess. There are more reliable theories: Our senior cultivators once made secret agreements with Separation and Union Stage demons, forcing them not to intervene when we fight."
“ zhè ge ， wǒ yě bù qīng chǔ ， huò xǔ jìn rù lí hé qī yǐ hòu ， nà xiē guài wù de jīng lì quán dōu fàng zài rú hé dù guò tiān jié ， chéng gōng fēi shēng líng jiè ， duì yú wǒ men zhè zhǒng céng cì de zhēng dòu ， yǐ jīng xìng qù quán wú ， bù guò zhè jǐn jǐn shì yī zhǒng cāi cè ， hái yǒu gèng jiā kào pǔ de shuō fǎ wǒ men zhè xiē xiū yāo zhě de qián bèi ， céng yǔ lí hé qī de yāo zú dìng xià mì yuē 。 yǐ qiáng hèng shí lì ， bī pò tā men zài liǎng zú zhēng dòu shí hòu bù néng chū shǒu 。”
“这个，我也不清楚，或许进入离合期以后，那些怪物的精力全都放在如何度过天劫，成功飞升灵界，对于我们这种层次的争斗，已经兴趣全无，不过这仅仅是一种猜测，还有更加靠谱的说法我们这些修妖者的前辈，曾与离合期的妖族定下密约。以强横实力，逼迫他们在两族争斗时候不能出手。”
"Senior Cultivator?" Lin Xuan was taken aback; his expression turned strange.
“ xiū yāo zhě qián bèi ？” lín xuān yī dāi ， liǎn shàng bù yóu de lù chū le jǐ fēn gǔ guài 。
“修妖者前辈？”林轩一呆，脸上不由得露出了几分古怪。
"We're not from the island originally; our ancestors came from the mortal world. It happened a few million years ago when hopes of extending lifespans were dashed. The cultivation sects declined and were replaced by the Four Great Schools—Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, and Magic. People with spiritual roots no longer chose to cultivate; if this trend continues, demon techniques might disappear from the cultivation world in a few thousand years..."
“ dào yǒu bú huì zhēn de yǐ wéi ， wǒ men jiù shì zhè yāo líng dǎo tǔ shēng tǔ zhǎng de jū mín ba ， wǒ men de xiān bèi ， tóng yàng lái zì yú rén jiè ， nà shì zài shù bǎi wàn nián qián ， yīn wèi zēng jiā shòu yuán de xī wàng pò miè le ， xiū yāo zhě shèng jí ér shuāi ， xùn sù bèi fú dào rú mó sì gè liú pài qǔ dài ， yǒu líng gēn zhī rén zài yě bù yuàn yì xuǎn zé xiū yāo zhī lù ， zhào zhè ge xíng shì kǒng pà bù chū wàn nián ， yāo zú gōng fǎ jiù huì cóng xiū xiān jiè xiāo shī ……”
“道友不会真的以为，我们就是这妖灵岛土生土长的居民吧，我们的先辈，同样来自于人界，那是在数百万年前，因为增加寿元的希望破灭了，修妖者盛极而衰，迅速被佛道儒魔四个流派取代，有灵根之人再也不愿意选择修妖之路，照这个形势恐怕不出万年，妖族功法就会从修仙界消失……”
"Although many cultivators have switched sides, the prosperity of cultivation techniques has its reasons beyond just extending lifespans. Even though it was hard to recruit disciples back then, there were still many loyal seniors who persisted."
“ jǐn guǎn yǐ jīng yǒu hěn duō xiū yāo zhě gǎi huàn mén tíng 。 rán ér xiū yāo gōng fǎ chāng shèng yī shí ， yě zì yǒu tā de dào lǐ ， bìng bù jǐn jǐn shì kě néng zēng jiā shòu yuán zhè yí gè yuán yīn ， jǐn guǎn nà shí hòu yǐ hěn nán zhāo shōu dào dì zǐ ， dàn yī jiù yǒu xǔ duō zhōng yú cǐ dào de xiān bèi mò mò jiān chí 。”
“尽管已经有很多修妖者改换门庭。然而修妖功法昌盛一时，也自有它的道理，并不仅仅是可能增加寿元这一个原因，尽管那时候已很难招收到弟子，但依旧有许多忠于此道的先辈默默坚持。”
"But without spiritual roots in the mortal world, cultivating is much harder than with Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, and Magic. The decline of the cultivation sect seems irreversible; all four schools are eyeing us hungrily, even wanting to attack us. Just as things seemed dire, five senior cultivators stepped forward."
By this point, there wasn't much more to the secrets.
Xuanfeng Fairy Lady had created the Phoenix Dance Nine Heavens Technique with her extraordinary talent and all of her hundred years of effort.
However, according to Lin Xuan's knowledge, Ninth Heaven Profound Respect hadn't been killed by humans; he had simply exhausted his lifespan and passed away in meditation.
As this man said, Xuanfeng Fairy Lady must have entered the Separation and Union Stage, and eventually ascended to the Spirit Realm. It was puzzling why she didn't seek revenge on Ninth Heaven Profound Respect during that time.
Of course, Lin Xuan wasn't particularly interested in probing these ancient grudges; they had no direct bearing on him.
Instead, what was known as the Phoenix Bloodline Body involved using the inherent spiritual light of a peacock to perform the Grand Circulation within the body. The Essence Cleansing Process gradually transformed his constitution.
As for how to control one's essence energy, there were detailed explanations in the preface of the Phoenix Dance Nine Heavens Technique.
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow when he heard this but kept it subtle enough that Zhou Xuehen didn't notice. After explaining the origin of the stone wall, he led Lin Xuan towards a pavilion not far away.
This was a three-story building about seven or eight zhang tall. Although made of wood, its surface emitted a faint glow, making it seem mysterious.
Lin Xuan gave it several more glances, his expression showing a hint of strange tension, but quickly regained composure as he followed the other person inside.
The interior was spacious with few cultivators present. Zhou Xuehen led Lin Xuan directly to the third floor and, after passing through several winding corridors, they arrived at a large wooden door.
Zhou Xuehen showed respect by gently knocking on it. After about half a cup of tea's time, a creaking sound was heard as the door opened mysteriously.
However, Zhou Xuehen didn't dare to enter without caution and instead moved his lips slightly, seemingly speaking into the interior.
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow; this wasn't very polite. But despite feeling a bit displeased internally, he maintained a calm and indifferent expression.
"Ah, you've actually come from the outside world as a guest. And you're even a Core Formation Stage expert! Such a rare visitor—please forgive me for not going out to meet you." A rather boisterous voice echoed, and an elderly man with long white hair walked out of the door.
Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes; this person was extremely tall, though he appeared to be in his seventies or eighties based on his appearance. He moved like a dragon and spoke with the voice of a lion—clearly a Core Formation Middle-stage cultivator.
"Junior disciple pays respects to Senior Uncle."
"Enough." The elderly man waved dismissively. His gaze fell upon Lin Xuan: "You must be Fairy Lin. It's rare for us to have guests from outside our island, so it is truly fate that you are here."
"Fate indeed!" Lin Xuan inwardly scoffed but kept a fake smile on his face as he chatted politely.
Zhou Xuehen naturally didn't dare to interrupt. After the two finished speaking, he smiled and apologized.
"Meeting someone is already considered fate. Would Fairy Lin be interested in joining our sect and becoming part of the Xuanfeng Sect?" The elderly man with long white hair invited enthusiastically.
"Thank you for your kind offer," Lin Xuan said hesitantly, "but I would rather return to the mortal world."
"Return to the mortal world? Haha, I understand. But it's unlikely that you will be able to do so at this time." The elderly man stroked his beard; he showed no anger despite being rejected.
"Why not? Is there no way back to the mortal world from Xuanfeng Island?" Lin Xuan frowned, speaking with skepticism.
"Whether or not there is a way is hard to say. There might be, or there might not."
"What do you mean by that, Fairy Lin? Are you trying to tease me?" Lin Xuan's expression turned grim.
"Haha, don't get angry. I and you hit it off at first sight; how could I deliberately make things difficult for you? However, returning from the Xuanfeng Island to the mortal world is not impossible but extremely unlikely."
"Oh, I'd like to hear more about this." Lin Xuan's expression softened as he clasped his hands.
"Of course, you know that Xuanfeng Island is a holy land for demons. The strength of the beasts here far surpasses anything in the mortal world..."
Lin Xuan nodded; he had heard Zhou Xuehen mention these things before. Otherwise, there was no need to keep the protective array active with such a large sect.
"Although I haven't seen it myself, they say that there are at least three or four Separation and Union Stage beasts on this island," the elderly man said, his eyes flashing with an enigmatic look.
"Separation and Union Stage beasts?" Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed in shock. "With such terrifying monsters around, why can your sect still"
"Why do you think we humans haven't been completely wiped out yet?"
Lin Xuan nodded; according to what he knew, humans and demons had never been on good terms since ancient times. They constantly fought, but they could coexist because neither side had the absolute power to eliminate the other.
However, on Xuanfeng Island, this balance was clearly broken—there were three or four Transmutation Stage beasts...
"We can still live in peace today because Separation and Union Stage beasts never get involved in conflicts between our two races."
"Oh, why is that?" Lin Xuan rubbed his forehead with interest showing on his face.
"This I'm not sure about. Perhaps after entering the Separation and Union Stage, those monsters focus entirely on how to survive their heavenly tribulations and ascend to the Spirit Realm. They have no interest in conflicts at our level, but this is just a guess. There are more reliable theories: Our senior cultivators once made secret agreements with Separation and Union Stage demons, forcing them not to intervene when we fight."
"Senior Cultivator?" Lin Xuan was taken aback; his expression turned strange.
"We're not from the island originally; our ancestors came from the mortal world. It happened a few million years ago when hopes of extending lifespans were dashed. The cultivation sects declined and were replaced by the Four Great Schools—Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, and Magic. People with spiritual roots no longer chose to cultivate; if this trend continues, demon techniques might disappear from the cultivation world in a few thousand years..."
"Although many cultivators have switched sides, the prosperity of cultivation techniques has its reasons beyond just extending lifespans. Even though it was hard to recruit disciples back then, there were still many loyal seniors who persisted."
"But without spiritual roots in the mortal world, cultivating is much harder than with Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, and Magic. The decline of the cultivation sect seems irreversible; all four schools are eyeing us hungrily, even wanting to attack us. Just as things seemed dire, five senior cultivators stepped forward."