“ wǔ dà xiū yāo zhě ？”
“五大修妖者？”
"Five top cultivators of the demonic realm?"
“ bù cuò 。” hè fā lǎo zhě de liǎn shàng mǎn shì jìng yǎng ， yǐn yǐn hái liú lù chū yī sī xiàn mù ：“ sú huà shuō dé hǎo ， bǎi zú zhī chóng ， sǐ ér bù jiāng ， nà shí hòu ， xiū yāo yī pài suī rán yǐ jīng kāi shǐ mò luò ， dàn bì jìng zài cǐ zhī qián ， gāng gāng jīng lì le jìn shí wàn nián de fán róng ， lǎo yī bèi zhī zhōng ， kě yòng rén cái jǐ jǐ lái xíng róng ， ér wǔ dà xiū yāo zhě ， jiù shì qí zhōng dǐng jiān ér de rén wù ， zhè qí zhōng ， yě bāo kuò bì pài zǔ shī xuán fèng xiān zi 。 nà shí hòu ， tā gāng gāng bù rù lí hé qī ， bù guò cóng xiū wèi lái shuō ， què shì wǔ gāo shǒu zhī zhōng zuì ruò de yí gè ……”
“不错。”鹤发老者的脸上满是敬仰，隐隐还流露出一丝羡慕：“俗话说得好，百足之虫，死而不僵，那时候，修妖一派虽然已经开始没落，但毕竟在此之前，刚刚经历了近十万年的繁荣，老一辈之中，可用人才济济来形容，而五大修妖者，就是其中顶尖儿的人物，这其中，也包括敝派祖师玄凤仙子。那时候，她刚刚步入离合期，不过从修为来说，却是五高手之中最弱的一个……”
"Not bad," said the elderly man with white hair, his face filled with admiration and a hint of envy. "As they say, even a dead worm doesn't rot completely. At that time, although the demonic faction had already begun to decline, it had experienced nearly ten thousand years of prosperity before then. The older generation was full of talent, and among them were those five top cultivators, including our ancestor, Immortal Phoenix. Back then, she had just entered the Separation Stage, but in terms of cultivation, she was the weakest among the five..."
lín xuān tīng dào zhè lǐ ， yī zhèn wú yǔ ， liǎn shàng mǎn shì hài rán zhī yì ：“ xiān zi yǐ bù rù lí hé qī ， què wèi jū wǔ gāo shǒu zhī mò ， nán dào qí yú sì rén quán shì ……”
林轩听到这里，一阵无语，脸上满是骇然之意：“仙子已步入离合期，却位居五高手之末，难道其余四人全是……”
Lin Xuan was speechless upon hearing this, his face showing shock: "If the Immortal has already entered the Separation Stage, yet ranks last among these top five, could it be that the other four are..."
“ dào yǒu suǒ liào méi cuò ， qí yú sì rén ， yě dōu shì lí hé qī lǎo guài ， yuán běn yǐ tā men de xiū wèi ， zǎo jiù bù guò wèn zhè rén jiè de shì wù ， gè zì yǐn jū yú hóng huāng dà zé ， dān jīng jié lǜ ， sī liáng de quán shì rèn hé dù guò tiān jié ， fēi shēng líng jiè ， rán ér zhè yī huí fú dào rú mó lián shǒu duì xiū yāo zhě fā nàn ， wǔ wèi gāo shǒu què bù néng bù guǎn ， zhōng yú chū miàn ……”
“道友所料没错，其余四人，也都是离合期老怪，原本以他们的修为，早就不过问这人界的事务，各自隐居于洪荒大泽，殚精竭虑，思量的全是任何渡过天劫，飞升灵界，然而这一回佛道儒魔联手对修妖者发难，五位高手却不能不管，终于出面……”
"The friend's guess is correct. The other four are also old-timers at the Separation Stage. Originally, with their cultivation levels, they wouldn't have bothered with human affairs and would have been secluded in the vast wilderness, pondering how to pass through the heavenly tribulation and ascend to the spirit realm. However, when the Buddhist, Daoist, Confucian, and demonic forces joined hands against the demonic faction, these five top cultivators couldn't just sit idly by. They eventually stepped forward..."
lín xuān tīng dào zhè lǐ ， diǎn le diǎn tóu ， bìng méi yǒu xún wèn wèi shén me ， yīn wèi lǐ yóu shì hěn xiǎn ér yì jiàn de 。
林轩听到这里，点了点头，并没有询问为什么，因为理由是很显而易见的。
Lin Xuan nodded without asking further; the reason was obvious.
suī shuō xiān dào jiān nán ， zhuī xún zhe dōu guǎ qíng báo yì ， zhǐ kàn zhòng zì shēn de lì yì ， dàn bìng fēi méi yǒu lì wài ， zhǐ yào shì rén ， jiù hěn nán táo tuō shì sú de jī bàn 。
虽说仙道艰难，追寻着都寡情薄意，只看重自身的利益，但并非没有例外，只要是人，就很难逃脱世俗的羁绊。
Though the path of immortals was arduous and often devoid of emotion, focusing solely on personal gain, there were always exceptions. As humans, it was hard to escape the constraints of society.
wǔ dà gāo shǒu jì bù rù lí hé qī ， nà tà shàng xiū yāo zhī lù ， kǒng pà zhì shǎo yě yǒu qī bā bǎi nián le 。 suì yuè yōu yōu ， ěr rú mù rǎn ， duì yú xiū yāo yī mài de gǎn qíng ， zì rán shì jí shēn 。
五大高手既步入离合期，那踏上修妖之路，恐怕至少也有七八百年了。岁月悠悠，耳濡目染，对于修妖一脉的感情，自然是极深。
Having entered the Separation Stage for at least seven or eight hundred years, these five top cultivators had deep feelings for their demonic lineage. Although they could transcend worldly affairs in daily life, they knew that they had to step forward during such critical moments.
píng rì lǐ kě yǐ chāo tuō shì wài ， dàn zhè zhǒng guān jiàn shí kè ， kěn dìng dé zhàn chū lái 。
平日里可以超脱世外，但这种关键时刻，肯定得站出来。
Humans were not gods; achieving complete detachment was incredibly difficult.
rén bì jìng bú shì shén xiān ， xiǎng yào zuò dào wán quán de qīng xīn guǎ yù ， shì hé qí jiān nán 。
人毕竟不是神仙，想要做到完全的清心寡欲，是何其艰难。
"The moment the five top cultivators appeared, the Buddhist, Daoist, Confucian, and demonic forces naturally fell silent. After all, Separation Stage cultivators are mere legends. Even if the other four agreed, could those demons still adhere to their pact?"
“ wǔ dà gāo shǒu yī xiàn shēn ， fú dào rú mó zì rán yǎn qí xī gǔ ， bì jìng lí hé qī gāo shǒu jǐn jǐn shì chuán shuō ， tā men méi xiǎng dào xiū yāo zhě zhōng zhēn yǒu ， hái yī xià chū xiàn le wǔ gè ， yǔ tā men duì pèng ， wú yì yú ná jī dàn zhuàng shí tou 。”
“五大高手一现身，佛道儒魔自然偃旗息鼓，毕竟离合期高手仅仅是传说，他们没想到修妖者中真有，还一下出现了五个，与他们对碰，无异于拿鸡蛋撞石头。”
Lin Xuan nodded in understanding before a hint of bewilderment crossed his face: "I wanted to know if there was any way out of the Demon Spirit Island, but you've been talking about all sorts of things."
“ yú shì yī cháng hào jié jiù zhè me xiāo nì yú wú xíng le ， rán ér wǔ gāo shǒu bìng méi yǒu pāi pāi pì gǔ zǒu lù ， yīn wèi tā men yě qīng chǔ ， duì fāng zhī suǒ yǐ fú ruǎn mǎn shì yīn wèi yǒu zì jǐ zhè zhǒng gāo rén zhàn zài yī biān ， rán ér zhè zhǒng píng héng chí xù bù liǎo duō jiǔ ， zuì duō bù guò bǎo chí qiān nián ， děng zì jǐ wǔ rén yào me zuò huà ， yào me fēi shēng líng jiè yǐ hòu ， nà xiē jiā huo zì rán huì chóng xīn duì xiū yāo zhě dòng shǒu ， zì jǐ zǒng bù néng jiāng fú dào rú mó sì mài quán bù shā guāng le ……”
“于是一场浩劫就这么消匿于无形了，然而五高手并没有拍拍屁股走路，因为他们也清楚，对方之所以服软满是因为有自己这种高人站在一边，然而这种平衡持续不了多久，最多不过保持千年，等自己五人要么坐化，要么飞升灵界以后，那些家伙自然会重新对修妖者动手，自己总不能将佛道儒魔四脉全部杀光了……”
The elderly man with white hair was also shrewd. He knew why Lin Xuan was displeased by the conversation's direction and stroked his beard, a smile playing on his lips: "Friend, no need to be in such a hurry. Your question is closely related to what I just said."
“ qiě bù lùn néng fǒu bàn dào ， jiù suàn zhēn de kě yǐ ， tā men yě bù gǎn nà yàng zuò ， yīn wèi líng jiè bú huì zuò shì bù lǐ ……”
“且不论能否办到，就算真的可以，他们也不敢那样做，因为灵界不会坐视不理……”
"Oh? Could it be that the way out was left behind by these five great cultivators?"
“ hé kuàng jí shǐ sì mài bù dòng shǒu ， rén jiè de yāo mài shǎo dé lí pǔ ， zēng jiā shòu yuán de xī wàng pò miè yǐ hòu ， xiū yāo zhě de mò luò yě jī hū shì zhù dìng de 。”
“何况即使四脉不动手，人界的妖脉少得离谱，增加寿元的希望破灭以后，修妖者的没落也几乎是注定的。”
"The friend is indeed clever; you guessed correctly. After migrating here, the demonic faction naturally clashed with the native demons of Demon Spirit Island. Fortunately, with the five top cultivators in charge, they didn't fall behind. However, there were still Separation Stage monsters among the demons. Luckily, the five high-ranking cultivators had a higher skill level and signed a secret pact at that time, agreeing not to interfere in clan disputes."
“ shuō lái yě qiǎo ， wǔ rén xiǎng yào fēi shēng líng jiè ， zuì kùn nán de zhàng ài jiù shì rèn hé áo guò tiān jié ， ér dù jié zuì jiǎn dān yě zuì wěn tuǒ de fāng fǎ shì ràng xiū wèi dá dào lí hé qī dǐng jiē ， nà yàng yǐ qiáng hèng de shí lì ， jiù kě yǐ yìng kàng sān jiǔ xiǎo tiān jié ， bù yòng dān xīn huī fēi yān miè 。
“说来也巧，五人想要飞升灵界，最困难的障碍就是任何熬过天劫，而渡劫最简单也最稳妥的方法是让修为达到离合期顶阶，那样以强横的实力，就可以硬抗三九小天劫，不用担心灰飞烟灭。
"Oh?" Lin Xuan's face showed some disbelief: "Even if it is as you say, this has been going on for millions of years. The five great cultivators are long gone. Would those demon beasts still abide by their pact?"
“ kě huà yòu shuō huí lái ， yǐ rén jiè de tiáo jiàn hái yǒu xiū liàn zī yuán ， néng gòu tū pò yuán yīng mài rù lí hé zhī jìng ， yǐ jīng shì jī yuán qiǎo hé ， xiǎng yào xiū dào cǐ jìng jiè de dǐng fēng jī hū shì bù kě néng de 。 chú le gāng gāng jìn jí de xuán fēng zǔ shī ， qí shí sì rén yì zhí zài xún zhǎo sān shèng dì de wèi zhì 。”
“可话又说回来，以人界的条件还有修炼资源，能够突破元婴迈入离合之境，已经是机缘巧合，想要修道此境界的顶峰几乎是不可能的。除了刚刚晋级的玄风祖师，其实四人一直在寻找三圣地的位置。”
"I'm not sure," the elderly man replied with a hint of confusion. "But in our conflicts with demons, the Separation Stage monsters have never interfered."
“ tā men shì xiū yāo zhě ， zuì kàn zhòng de zì rán shì yāo líng dǎo ， zhè ér suī bú shì líng jiè ， dàn yāo mài de qíng kuàng què yuǎn fēi rén jiè kě bǐ ， zài yǐ wǎng de suì yuè ， zěn me zuò shì wèi le gè rén ， rú jīn ， què yǔ zhěng gè xiū yāo zhě de mìng yùn lián xì zài yì qǐ ， yě zhǐ yǒu zài zhè ge dì fāng ， cái néng ràng xiū yāo yī mài yán xù xià qù 。”
“他们是修妖者，最看中的自然是妖灵岛，这儿虽不是灵界，但妖脉的情况却远非人界可比，在以往的岁月，怎么做事为了个人，如今，却与整个修妖者的命运联系在一起，也只有在这个地方，才能让修妖一脉延续下去。”
"Friend, you've said so much; can you now answer my question?" Lin Xuan spoke with some dissatisfaction. Both Zhou Bloodtrace and this white-haired elder were overly verbose, but they had helped him understand the situation on Demon Spirit Island.
“ wǔ dà gāo shǒu yī hé jì ， biàn jué dìng lián shǒu ， hù tōng yǒu wú ， yì qǐ xún zhǎo yāo líng dǎo de zōng jì 。 tā men qióng liǎng bǎi nián zhī lì ， zhōng yú zhǎo dào le zhū sī mǎ jì ， yú shì duì xiū xiān zhě fā chū chuán yīn fú ， ràng yuàn yì de xiū yāo zhě suí tā men qiān xǐ 。”
“五大高手一合计，便决定联手，互通有无，一起寻找妖灵岛的踪迹。他们穷两百年之力，终于找到了蛛丝马迹，于是对修仙者发出传音符，让愿意的修妖者随他们迁徙。”
He hadn't expected to learn so many ancient secrets that weren't recorded in any texts. This was indeed a broadening of his horizons.
“ ér zhè jiàn shì qíng bìng bù shùn lì ， yào lí kāi rén jiè ， dào yī lèi sì yú kōng jiān liè fèng de shén mì dì fāng qù ， jí shǐ zài qián chéng de xiū yāo zhě ， yě nán miǎn xīn cún yí lǜ ， zuì hòu xiǎng yìng hào zhào de bù zú shí fēn zhī yī ， wǔ wèi qián bèi xīn zhōng tàn xī ， dàn yě bìng méi yǒu miǎn qiǎng zhī yì ， lián shǒu shī zhǎn pò suì xū kōng de mò dà shén tōng ， dǎ kāi le qián wǎng yāo líng dǎo de kōng jiān fèng xì ， suí hòu yòu lì yòng zǎo xiān bù hǎo de duàn jìn **， jiāng cǐ liè fèng jìn yí bù kuò dà ， rán hòu dài zhe tā men de zhuī suí zhě ， yì qǐ lái dào le yāo líng dǎo 。”
“而这件事情并不顺利，要离开人界，到一类似于空间裂缝的神秘地方去，即使再虔诚的修妖者，也难免心存疑虑，最后响应号召的不足十分之一，五位前辈心中叹息，但也并没有勉强之意，联手施展破碎虚空的莫大神通，打开了前往妖灵岛的空间缝隙，随后又利用早先布好的断禁**，将此裂缝进一步扩大，然后带着他们的追随者，一起来到了妖灵岛。”
"Friend, don't worry; there are two methods. One is to enter the Separation Stage and gain the ability to tear through space. Then, returning to the human realm would be no problem."
“ yuán lái rú cǐ 。” lín xuān diǎn le diǎn tóu ， suí jí liǎn shàng yòu lù chū yī lǚ mò míng zhī sè ：“ zì jǐ shì xiǎng yào zhī dào yǒu wú lí kāi yāo líng dǎo de fāng fǎ ， duì fāng zěn me dōng lā xī chě dào qí tā dì fāng qù le 。”
“原来如此。”林轩点了点头，随即脸上又露出一缕莫名之色：“自己是想要知道有无离开妖灵岛的方法，对方怎么东拉西扯到其它地方去了。”
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow, but his face showed no anger: "May I ask, what's the other method?"
hè fā lǎo zhě yě shì yī jí jīng míng de rén wù ， kàn le lín xuān de liǎn sè ， yǐ zhī tā wèi hé ér bù mǎn le ， mō le mō hú xū ， zuǐ jiǎo biān liú lù chū yī sī xiào yì ：“ dào yǒu wú xū zháo jí ， nǐ de wèn tí kě yǔ lǎo xiǔ gāng gāng de jiǎng shù dà yǒu guān xì 。”
鹤发老者也是一极精明的人物，看了林轩的脸色，已知他为何而不满了，摸了摸胡须，嘴角边流露出一丝笑意：“道友无需着急，你的问题可与老朽刚刚的讲述大有关系。”
"The second... hahaha, back then, the five great cultivators left behind a teleportation array that could also tear through space," said the white-haired elder with a sly smile. "But I advise you not to have any illusions; activating this array is just as difficult as entering the Separation Stage."
“ ó ， nán dào lí kāi de fāng fǎ yě shì wǔ wèi gāo rén liú xià ？”
“哦，难道离开的方法也是五位高人留下？”
"Ah?" Lin Xuan perked up: "May I ask, what conditions are needed to activate this teleportation array?"
“ dào yǒu guǒ rán cōng míng ， yī cāi jiù zhōng ， xiū yāo zhě qiān xǐ dào zhè lǐ yǐ hòu ， zì rán yǔ yāo líng dǎo tǔ shēng tǔ zhǎng de yāo zú fā shēng le fēi cháng jī liè de chōng tū ， hǎo zài yǒu wǔ wèi gāo rén zuò zhèn ， zì rán bú huì luò yú xià fēng ， bù guò yāo zú zhī zhōng ， tóng yàng yǒu lí hé qī guài wù ， hǎo zài wǔ gāo rén jì gāo yī chóu ， yǒu diǎn jí shuō ， tā men jiù shì nà shí hòu yǔ duì fāng qiān xià mì yuē ， shuāng fāng dōu bù dé zài cān yù zú rén jiān de zhēng dòu 。”
“道友果然聪明，一猜就中，修妖者迁徙到这里以后，自然与妖灵岛土生土长的妖族发生了非常激烈的冲突，好在有五位高人坐镇，自然不会落于下风，不过妖族之中，同样有离合期怪物，好在五高人技高一筹，有典籍说，他们就是那时候与对方签下密约，双方都不得再参与族人间的争斗。”
"It seems like you're determined until you reach the Yellow River," sighed the white-haired elder, his face showing a lack of belief. "Anyway, let me tell you! First, activating this array requires extraordinary spiritual energy, which can only be obtained from top-grade crystals..."
“ ó ？” lín xuān liǎn shàng wēi lù chū bù xìn zhī sè ：“ jiù suàn shì zhēn rú dào yǒu suǒ shuō ， cǐ shì dōu guò qù jǐ bǎi wàn nián le ， wǔ gāo rén zǎo yǐ zuò gǔ 。 nà xiē yāo shòu hái huì zūn shǒu mì yuē me ？”
“哦？”林轩脸上微露出不信之色：“就算是真如道友所说，此事都过去几百万年了，五高人早已作古。那些妖兽还会遵守密约么？”
Lin Xuan's expression changed as he interrupted: "That's just one condition. Even if I could obtain such legendary items, I still need to inherit any one of the five great cultivators' teachings."
“ zhè ge …… wǒ yě bù qīng chǔ ， dàn wǒ men yǔ yāo zú jiān de zhēng dòu ， duì fāng lí hé qī de guài wù què shí cóng wèi chā shǒu 。” hè fā lǎo zhě yě lüè dài bù jiě de kāi kǒu 。
“这个……我也不清楚，但我们与妖族间的争斗，对方离合期的怪物确实从未插手。”鹤发老者也略带不解的开口。
"Oh? What do you mean by that?" Lin Xuan felt a bit puzzled: "Does activating the array have anything to do with cultivation techniques?"
“ dào yǒu shuō le nà me duō ， rú jīn shì bú shì gāi huí dá zài xià tí chū de wèn tí ？” lín xuān lüè yǒu bù mǎn de kāi kǒu ， zhè zhōu xuè hén yǔ hè fā lǎo zhě ， yí gè bǐ yí gè luō suo ， bù guò yě tuō tā men de fú ， ràng zì jǐ jiāng yāo líng dǎo de qíng kuàng quán bù nòng qīng chǔ 。
“道友说了那么多，如今是不是该回答在下提出的问题？”林轩略有不满的开口，这周血痕与赫发老者，一个比一个啰嗦，不过也托他们的福，让自己将妖灵岛的情况全部弄清楚。
"Indeed, the teleportation array was set up jointly by the five great cultivators and can only be activated by their direct disciples. The requirements are not high; one just needs to learn part of their cultivation technique. However, according to me, the other four great cultivators were independent practitioners. After so many years, it's impossible to find any of their successors. Therefore, you can only learn our sect's 'Phoenix Dance Nine Heavens Technique.' But as your nephew Zhou mentioned, although Immortal Phoenix is our ancestor, no one in our sect has been able to practice her unique secrets for decades. Unless you are a member of the Phoenix lineage..."
wèi céng xiǎng diǎn jí shàng méi yǒu jì zǎi de shàng gǔ yǐn mì ， jū rán rú cǐ zhī duō ， zhè yī cì ， yě suàn dà kāi yǎn jiè le 。
未曾想典籍上没有记载的上古隐秘，居然如此之多，这一次，也算大开眼界了。
Lin Xuan was taken aback by this revelation and sighed: "It seems leaving Demon Spirit Island won't be easy."
“ dào yǒu bù yòng zháo jí ， fāng fǎ yǒu liǎng gè ， yī shì bù rù lí hé qī ， yǒu pò suì xū kōng de néng lì ， nà yàng chuān yuè kōng jiān fèng xì ， huí dào rén jiè zì rán méi yǒu wèn tí 。”
“道友不用着急，方法有两个，一是步入离合期，有破碎虚空的能力，那样穿越空间缝隙，回到人界自然没有问题。”
"Not just difficult; it's impossible," said the white-haired elder with a cold laugh. "To be honest, over these years, although few friends have been drawn into the human realm, there are still some. But I've never heard of anyone successfully leaving."
lín xuān méi tóu yī tiāo ， zhè huà shuō le děng yú méi shuō ， bù guò tā liǎn shàng què sī háo bú jiàn nù sè ：“ gǎn wèn dào yǒu ， lìng wài yí gè fāng fǎ shì shén me ？”
林轩眉头一挑，这话说了等于没说，不过他脸上却丝毫不见怒色：“敢问道友，另外一个方法是什么？”
He then changed his expression to one of comfort and spoke gently: "Friend, don't think too much about it. As they say, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Actually, our Demon Spirit Island has good cultivation resources; why not stay here?"
“ lìng wài yí gè ， hē hē ， wǔ gāo rén dāng nián ， céng liú xià yí gè chuán sòng zhèn ， jù shuō yě néng pò suì xū kōng ， bù guò wǒ quàn dào yǒu hái shì bú yào chī xīn wàng xiǎng le ， yīn wèi qǐ dòng cǐ chuán sòng zhèn de nán dù ， yě bǐ bù rù lí hé qī xiǎo bù liǎo shén me ……” hè fā lǎo zhě de liǎn shàng ， lù chū yī sī guǐ yì zhī sè ， yīn yīn de shuō 。
“另外一个，呵呵，五高人当年，曾留下一个传送阵，据说也能破碎虚空，不过我劝道友还是不要痴心妄想了，因为启动此传送阵的难度，也比步入离合期小不了什么……”鹤发老者的脸上，露出一丝诡异之色，阴阴的说。
Seeing Lin Xuan's silence but a slight relaxation on his face, he pressed further: "Our Phoenix Sect is quite powerful; why not consider joining us?"
“ ó ？” lín xuān què jīng shén yī zhèn ：“ gǎn wèn dào yǒu ， xiǎng yào jī dòng cǐ chuán sòng zhèn ， xū yào mǎn zú shén me yāo qiú ？”
“哦？”林轩却精神一振：“敢问道友，想要激动此传送阵，需要满足什么要求？”
Although Lin Xuan remained calm externally, internally he was pondering. The other party repeatedly invited him to join with such enthusiasm—was there something sinister behind it?
“ kàn lái dào yǒu shì bú dào huáng hé bù sǐ xīn le ， yě bà ， wǒ jiù shuō yǔ nǐ ba ！” hè fā lǎo zhě tàn le kǒu qì ， dàn liǎn shàng què mǎn shì bù yǐ wéi rán de biǎo qíng ：“ qiě bù shuō cǐ chuán sòng zhèn zài yōu huàn shān mài shēn chù ， nà ér de yāo shòu bù jì qí shù ， lǐ miàn bù fá huà xíng qī de guài wù ， guāng shì qǐ dòng cǐ chuán sòng zhèn de liǎng gè tiáo jiàn ， rú jīn jiù shì bù kě néng bàn dào de ……”
“看来道友是不到黄河不死心了，也罢，我就说与你吧！”鹤发老者叹了口气，但脸上却满是不以为然的表情：“且不说此传送阵在幽幻山脉深处，那儿的妖兽不计其数，里面不乏化形期的怪物，光是启动此传送阵的两个条件，如今就是不可能办到的……”
With his defenses up, Lin Xuan wouldn't easily agree but also didn't want to offend the other party.
shuō dào zhè lǐ ， tā yī shēng qīng ké ， suí hòu cái jì xù wǎng xià shuō ：“ dì yī ， cǐ chuán sòng zhèn néng gòu pò suì xū kōng ， suǒ yāo qiú de líng lì zì rán fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， xū yào jí pǐn jīng shí ……”
说到这里，他一声轻咳，随后才继续往下说：“第一，此传送阵能够破碎虚空，所要求的灵力自然非同小可，需要极品晶石……”
A minor condensation-stage cultivator wasn't significant, and given his unfamiliarity with this place, he preferred not to cause trouble.
huà hái méi yǒu shuō wán ， lín xuān jiù yǐ méi tóu dà zhòu ， jí pǐn jīng shí ？ shàng gǔ shí qī ， huò xǔ hái yǒu nà me yī liǎng kuài ， xiān rú jīn ， zǎo yǐ chéng wéi le xū wú piāo miǎo de chuán shuō 。
话还没有说完，林轩就已眉头大皱，极品晶石？上古时期，或许还有那么一两块，先如今，早已成为了虚无缥缈的传说。
Smiling slightly, Lin Xuan said: "This... I'm new here; I need some time to consider. Once I decide, I'll give you a response. What do you think?"
"Five top cultivators of the demonic realm?"
"Not bad," said the elderly man with white hair, his face filled with admiration and a hint of envy. "As they say, even a dead worm doesn't rot completely. At that time, although the demonic faction had already begun to decline, it had experienced nearly ten thousand years of prosperity before then. The older generation was full of talent, and among them were those five top cultivators, including our ancestor, Immortal Phoenix. Back then, she had just entered the Separation Stage, but in terms of cultivation, she was the weakest among the five..."
Lin Xuan was speechless upon hearing this, his face showing shock: "If the Immortal has already entered the Separation Stage, yet ranks last among these top five, could it be that the other four are..."
"The friend's guess is correct. The other four are also old-timers at the Separation Stage. Originally, with their cultivation levels, they wouldn't have bothered with human affairs and would have been secluded in the vast wilderness, pondering how to pass through the heavenly tribulation and ascend to the spirit realm. However, when the Buddhist, Daoist, Confucian, and demonic forces joined hands against the demonic faction, these five top cultivators couldn't just sit idly by. They eventually stepped forward..."
Lin Xuan nodded without asking further; the reason was obvious.
Though the path of immortals was arduous and often devoid of emotion, focusing solely on personal gain, there were always exceptions. As humans, it was hard to escape the constraints of society.
Having entered the Separation Stage for at least seven or eight hundred years, these five top cultivators had deep feelings for their demonic lineage. Although they could transcend worldly affairs in daily life, they knew that they had to step forward during such critical moments.
Humans were not gods; achieving complete detachment was incredibly difficult.
"The moment the five top cultivators appeared, the Buddhist, Daoist, Confucian, and demonic forces naturally fell silent. After all, Separation Stage cultivators are mere legends. Even if the other four agreed, could those demons still adhere to their pact?"
Lin Xuan nodded in understanding before a hint of bewilderment crossed his face: "I wanted to know if there was any way out of the Demon Spirit Island, but you've been talking about all sorts of things."
The elderly man with white hair was also shrewd. He knew why Lin Xuan was displeased by the conversation's direction and stroked his beard, a smile playing on his lips: "Friend, no need to be in such a hurry. Your question is closely related to what I just said."
"Oh? Could it be that the way out was left behind by these five great cultivators?"
"The friend is indeed clever; you guessed correctly. After migrating here, the demonic faction naturally clashed with the native demons of Demon Spirit Island. Fortunately, with the five top cultivators in charge, they didn't fall behind. However, there were still Separation Stage monsters among the demons. Luckily, the five high-ranking cultivators had a higher skill level and signed a secret pact at that time, agreeing not to interfere in clan disputes."
"Oh?" Lin Xuan's face showed some disbelief: "Even if it is as you say, this has been going on for millions of years. The five great cultivators are long gone. Would those demon beasts still abide by their pact?"
"I'm not sure," the elderly man replied with a hint of confusion. "But in our conflicts with demons, the Separation Stage monsters have never interfered."
"Friend, you've said so much; can you now answer my question?" Lin Xuan spoke with some dissatisfaction. Both Zhou Bloodtrace and this white-haired elder were overly verbose, but they had helped him understand the situation on Demon Spirit Island.
He hadn't expected to learn so many ancient secrets that weren't recorded in any texts. This was indeed a broadening of his horizons.
"Friend, don't worry; there are two methods. One is to enter the Separation Stage and gain the ability to tear through space. Then, returning to the human realm would be no problem."
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow, but his face showed no anger: "May I ask, what's the other method?"
"The second... hahaha, back then, the five great cultivators left behind a teleportation array that could also tear through space," said the white-haired elder with a sly smile. "But I advise you not to have any illusions; activating this array is just as difficult as entering the Separation Stage."
"Ah?" Lin Xuan perked up: "May I ask, what conditions are needed to activate this teleportation array?"
"It seems like you're determined until you reach the Yellow River," sighed the white-haired elder, his face showing a lack of belief. "Anyway, let me tell you! First, activating this array requires extraordinary spiritual energy, which can only be obtained from top-grade crystals..."
Lin Xuan's expression changed as he interrupted: "That's just one condition. Even if I could obtain such legendary items, I still need to inherit any one of the five great cultivators' teachings."
"Oh? What do you mean by that?" Lin Xuan felt a bit puzzled: "Does activating the array have anything to do with cultivation techniques?"
"Indeed, the teleportation array was set up jointly by the five great cultivators and can only be activated by their direct disciples. The requirements are not high; one just needs to learn part of their cultivation technique. However, according to me, the other four great cultivators were independent practitioners. After so many years, it's impossible to find any of their successors. Therefore, you can only learn our sect's 'Phoenix Dance Nine Heavens Technique.' But as your nephew Zhou mentioned, although Immortal Phoenix is our ancestor, no one in our sect has been able to practice her unique secrets for decades. Unless you are a member of the Phoenix lineage..."
Lin Xuan was taken aback by this revelation and sighed: "It seems leaving Demon Spirit Island won't be easy."
"Not just difficult; it's impossible," said the white-haired elder with a cold laugh. "To be honest, over these years, although few friends have been drawn into the human realm, there are still some. But I've never heard of anyone successfully leaving."
He then changed his expression to one of comfort and spoke gently: "Friend, don't think too much about it. As they say, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Actually, our Demon Spirit Island has good cultivation resources; why not stay here?"
Seeing Lin Xuan's silence but a slight relaxation on his face, he pressed further: "Our Phoenix Sect is quite powerful; why not consider joining us?"
Although Lin Xuan remained calm externally, internally he was pondering. The other party repeatedly invited him to join with such enthusiasm—was there something sinister behind it?
With his defenses up, Lin Xuan wouldn't easily agree but also didn't want to offend the other party.
A minor condensation-stage cultivator wasn't significant, and given his unfamiliarity with this place, he preferred not to cause trouble.
Smiling slightly, Lin Xuan said: "This... I'm new here; I need some time to consider. Once I decide, I'll give you a response. What do you think?"