liǎng míng nán xiū zài qián miàn dài lù ， nà níng dān qī nǚ zǐ zé gōng jìng de zài páng biān péi zhe ， yī xíng sì rén chuān guò dàn zǐ sè de yāo wù ， fēi xiàng le xiōng míng zài wài de lì mǎng gǔ 。
两名男修在前面带路，那凝丹期女子则恭敬的在旁边陪着，一行四人穿过淡紫色的妖雾，飞向了凶名在外的厉蟒谷。
Two male cultivators led the way, while a woman from the Condensation Core stage respectfully accompanied them. The four of them passed through a light purple mist and soared towards the notorious Lvyang Valley.
wài miàn yǒu jìn zhì zǔ gé ， dào hái bù jué dé shén me ， jìn rù shān gǔ yǐ hòu ， yī gǔ pò bó de yāo lì pū miàn ér zhì ， lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū jīng róng ， zhè yāo mài de pǐn zhì ， sì hū bǐ xuán fèng mén suǒ yōng yǒu de ， hái yóu shèng yī chóu 。
外面有禁制阻隔，倒还不觉得什么，进入山谷以后，一股破礴的妖力扑面而至，林轩脸上露出惊容，这妖脉的品质，似乎比玄凤门所拥有的，还尤胜一筹。
Outside, there were restrictions in place, so they didn't feel anything unusual. Once inside the valley, a powerful妖力 (Jié) struck their faces. Lin Xuan's expression turned surprised; the quality of this妖脉 (Yāo Mài) seemed to be even better than what the Xuanfeng Sect possessed.
lín xuān gǎn dào yǒu xiē qí guài ， hēi mǎng fū rén suī shí lì bù ruò ， dàn guī gēn dào dǐ ， yě jǐn jǐn shì yī sàn xiū ， ér jí biàn shì yāo líng dǎo ， zhōng pǐn yǐ shàng de yāo mài yě bìng bù duō ， tā yí gè rén ， jū rán néng jiāng rú cǐ fēng shuǐ bǎo dì gěi zhàn jù le 。
林轩感到有些奇怪，黑蟒夫人虽实力不弱，但归根到底，也仅仅是一散修，而即便是妖灵岛，中品以上的妖脉也并不多，她一个人，居然能将如此风水宝地给占据了。
Lin Xuan felt somewhat puzzled. Although the Black Python Lady was not weak, she was ultimately just an individual cultivator, and even on妖灵 Island (Yáolíng Dao), there weren't many high-grade妖脉 (Jié Mài). Yet, she managed to occupy such a prime location all by herself.
nǚ zǐ jiāng lín xuān de biǎo qíng kàn zài yǎn zhōng ， liǎn shàng bù yóu de lù chū yī sī dé sè ， què bìng méi yǒu jiě shì shén me 。
女子将林轩的表情看在眼中，脸上不由得露出一丝得色，却并没有解释什么。
The woman noticed Lin Xuan's expression and couldn't help but show a hint of satisfaction, though she didn't explain anything further.
qí shí yě wú xū tā duō fèi chún shé ， yīn wèi lín xuān hěn kuài jiù cāi dào shì qíng de yuán wěi le ， cǐ chù yāo mài de pǐn zhì què shí bù cuò ， rán ér fàn wéi què tài zhǎi le ， mián yán bù guò shù lǐ 。
其实也无需她多费唇舌，因为林轩很快就猜到事情的原委了，此处妖脉的品质确实不错，然而范围却太窄了，绵延不过数里。
In fact, he didn't need her to elaborate much because he quickly deduced the situation. The quality of this妖脉 (Jié Mài) was indeed good, but its range was too narrow—only spanning several miles.
rú cǐ yī lái ， de lì mǎng gǔ gēn běn jiù bú shì hé ān zhì nà xiē dà pài jiā zú ， fǒu zé hēi mǎng fū rén shì dān lì gū ， jiù suàn shēn wèi yuán yīng xiū shì yě jué bù kě néng jiāng zhè me hǎo de bǎo dì gěi zhàn jù le 。
如此一来，的厉蟒谷根本就不适合安置那些大派家族，否则黑蟒夫人势单力孤，就算身为元婴修士也绝不可能将这么好的宝地给占据了。
Given that, Lvyang Valley wasn’t suitable for large sects and families; otherwise, with just a single Black Python Lady, it would be impossible to claim such a prime location.
shì hē de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lín xuān dī xià tou ， què bù yóu de méi tou yí zhòu ， zhǐ jiàn bù guǎn dì shàng ， hái zhī tóu ， dào chù dōu shì yī tiáo tiáo sè cǎi bān huá de mǎng shé 。
噬喝的声音传入耳朵，林轩低下头，却不由得眉头一皱，只见不管地上，还枝头，到处都是一条条色彩斑猾的蟒蛇。
The sound of devouring echoed in his ears. Lin Xuan lowered his head, but he frowned when he saw the scene before him. Everywhere—on the ground and on tree branches—were colorful snakes. The thickest ones were as thick as a child's arm, slithering everywhere. There had to be at least tens of thousands of them. Lvyang Valley’s reputation was indeed well-deserved.
nà xiē mǎng shé zuì xì de yě yǒu ér bì cū ， sì chù yóu dòng ， fàng yǎn wàng qù ， qǐ mǎ yǒu shù wàn tiáo zhī duō ， lì mǎng gǔ zhī míng ， guǒ rán bú shì hú luàn chuī chuī de 。
那些蟒蛇最细的也有儿臂粗，四处游动，放眼望去，起码有数万条之多，厉蟒谷之名，果然不是胡乱吹吹的。
Of course, such a scene would terrify ordinary people, but as a cultivator, Lin Xuan wasn't bothered by it. Guided by the three cultivators, he flew deeper into the valley.
dāng rán ， cǐ zhǒng jǐng xiàng ， duì fán rén lái shuō shí fēn kě bù ， rán ér lín xuān shēn wèi xiū xiān zhě ， què bìng bù fàng zài yǎn zhōng ， yóu nà sān míng xiū shì dài zhe ， fēi rù le shān gǔ de shēn chù 。
当然，此种景象，对凡人来说十分可怖，然而林轩身为修仙者，却并不放在眼中，由那三名修士带着，飞入了山谷的深处。
Suddenly, a layer of red light appeared ahead.
tū rán ， qián fāng chū xiàn le yī céng tuō hóng sè de guāng mù 。
突然，前方出现了一层拖红色的光幕。
The two Foundation Establishment stage male cultivators instinctively retreated. Seeing Lin Xuan's puzzled expression, the woman quickly explained, "Friend, don’t be alarmed; what lies ahead is the Inner Valley. Without permission from the sect leader, outer-valley disciples are not allowed to enter at will."
nà liǎng míng zhù jī qī de nán xiū lì shā zì jué tuì zǒu ， jiàn lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū qí guài zhī sè ， nà nǚ zǐ lián máng gōng jìng de jiě shì ：“ dào yǒu bù yòng jīng yí ， zài wǎng qián jiù shì nèi gǔ ， wèi fèng fǎ zhǐ ， wài gǔ dì zǐ bù dé suí yì chuǎng rù 。”
那两名筑基期的男修立刹自觉退走，见林轩脸上露出奇怪之色，那女子连忙恭敬的解释：“道友不用惊疑，再往前就是内谷，未奉法旨，外谷弟子不得随意闯入。”
Lin Xuan nodded. Each sect had its own rules, and he wouldn't comment on them.
lín xuān diǎn diǎn tóu ， gè pài yǒu gè pài de guī jǔ ， tā dāng rán bú huì qù zhì píng shén me 。
林轩点点头，各派有各派的规矩，他当然不会去置评什么。
The woman flipped her left hand, revealing a silver token in her palm. A beam of霞光 (Xiáguāng) shot out from the token, causing the light screen to shake before parting to create a passage for two people.
nà nǚ zǐ zuǒ shǒu yī fān ， zhǎng xīn zhī zhōng yǐ duō le yī yín sè de lìng pái ， yī dào xiá guāng cóng shàng miàn fēi shè chū lái ， guāng mù yī zhèn huàng dòng ， suí jí fēn chū yī tiáo kě gōng liǎng rén chuān xíng de tōng dào lái le 。
那女子左手一翻，掌心之中已多了一银色的令牌，一道霞光从上面飞射出来，光幕一阵晃动，随即分出一条可供两人穿行的通道来了。
Lin Xuan followed the woman into it.
lín xuān suí nǚ zǐ fēi rù qí zhōng 。
林轩随女子飞入其中。
Inside, the scenery was different.
lǐ miàn de jǐng wù yòu zì bù tóng 。
里面的景物又自不同。
The environment was elegant and tranquil, with a small mountain in view. Only about a hundred meters high, it appeared delicate and charming, covered in lush greenery, with plants growing abundantly.
dàn yǎ ， qīng yōu ， yìng rù yǎn lián de shì yī zuò xiǎo shān ， jǐn yǒu bǎi yú zhàng gāo ， xiǎn de líng shù xiǎo qiǎo ， qiě mǎn shān cuì lǜ ， zhí wù fán mào yǐ jí 。
淡雅，清幽，映入眼帘的是一座小山，仅有百余丈高，显得玲数小巧，且满山翠绿，植物繁茂以极。
At the foot of the mountain, there was a lake. A painted boat rested in its center, measuring around one hundred meters long, two stories tall, adorned with intricate carvings. If you didn't know better, you might think it belonged to a secular royal garden rather than a demoness's residence.
zài shān jiǎo dǐ bù ， hái yǒu yī tán de hú pō 。
在山脚底部，还有一潭的湖泊。
Lin Xuan was surprised but quickly hid his astonishment, regaining his calm demeanor.
hú zhōng xīn tíng zhe yī sōu huà chuán ， zhǎng bǎi mǐ zuǒ yòu ， liǎng céng gāo ， diāo liáng huà dòng ， ruò bù zhī dào de ， sūn yǐ wéi lái dào le shì sú de huáng jiā yuán lín lǐ miàn ér bú huì xiǎng dào shì yī nǚ mó tóu de jū suǒ 。
湖中心停着一艘画船，长百米左右，两层高，雕粱画栋，若不知道的，荪以为来到了世俗的皇家园林里面而不会想到是一女魔头的居所。
"Friend, please take a seat on the painted boat; my teacher will be here shortly," the woman said as she led him forward respectfully.
lín xuān yě dà gǎn yì wài ， bù guò hěn kuài jiù jiāng zhè zhǒng chà yì de qíng xù yǐn cáng le qǐ lái ， huī fù le píng jìng de róng yán 。
林轩也大感意外，不过很快就将这种诧异的情绪隐藏了起来，恢复了平静的容颜。
Lin Xuan nodded and turned his gaze away from the mountain. Although there were no magnificent buildings atop it, the妖气 (Yāoqì) in the valley was the most abundant—clearly the Black Python Lady's true abode.
“ dào yǒu qǐng qù huà chuán shāo zuò ， jiā shī yī huì er jiù lái le 。” nǚ zǐ yī biān shuō ， yī biān zài qián miàn gōng jìng de yǐn lù 。
“道友请去画船稍坐，家师一会儿就来了。”女子一边说，一边在前面恭敬的引路。
The lady was still meditating. Lin Xuan couldn't help but speculate about what secret cultivation technique she might be practicing or if she had suffered any injuries during the mountain exchange meeting.
lín xuān diǎn diǎn tóu ， jiāng mù guāng cóng shān dǐng huí shōu ， nà ér suī méi yǒu qióng lóu yǔ shě ， dàn yāo qì jiù zhěng gè shān gǔ lái shuō ， què zuì wèi chōng zú ， xiǎn rán shì hēi mǎng fū rén zhēn zhèng de dòng fǔ 。
林轩点点头，将目光从山顶回收，那儿虽没有琼楼宇舍，但妖气就整个山谷来说，却最为充足，显然是黑蟒夫人真正的洞府。
He remembered that the Black Python Lady was also present at the time, just like everyone else, inevitably swept up in the chaos.
duì fāng réng zài dǎ zuò ， lín xuān xīn zhōng yě bù yóu de kāi shǐ le cāi cè ， zhè yāo fù jiū jìng shì xiū liàn shén me mì shù ， hái shì zài yìn shān jiāo huàn huì shí ， shòu le shén me shāng ne 。
对方仍在打坐，林轩心中也不由得开始了猜测，这妖妇究竟是修炼什么秘术，还是在印山交换会时，受了什么伤呢。
Afterward, he heard some rumors. It turned out that only a few元婴 (Yuányīn) old monsters had perished, but many were injured, leading to conflicts between once-friendly sects and leaving everyone worried about potential large-scale retaliation from the demon race.
lín xuān jì de ， dāng shí hēi mǎng fū rén ， kě yě zài chǎng ， tóng yàng bù kě bì miǎn de bèi hùn luàn juǎn ～、。
林轩记得，当时黑蟒夫人，可也在场，同样不可避免的被混乱卷～、。
Of course, these matters didn't concern him, and he felt no guilt. Everything was due to those greedy individuals' greed. Following the woman, Lin Xuan entered the painted boat.
lín xuān shì hòu yě tīng dào le yī xiē chuán shuō ， jù shuō dāng shí yǔn luò de yuán yīng lǎo guài bìng méi yǒu jǐ gè ， dàn shòu shāng zhī rén què hěn duō ， bìng ràng bù shǎo yuán běn guān xì bù cuò de mén pài fǎn mù chéng chóu ， ér qiě rén rén yě dōu hái dān xīn yāo zú shì hòu huì zhǎn kāi dà guī mó bào fù 。
林轩事后也听到了一些传说，据说当时陨落的元婴老怪并没有几个，但受伤之人却很多，并让不少原本关系不错的门派反目成仇，而且人人也都还担心妖族事后会展开大规模报复。
They arrived at a quiet room, which was decorated with great elegance. Several maids in green attire were present.
dāng rán ， zhè xiē yǔ zì jǐ méi yǒu guān xì ， lín xuān gèng bú huì yǒu sī háo nèi jiù de xīn lǐ ， yī qiè dōu shì nà xiē jiā huo tān lán suǒ zhì ， lín xuān gēn zhe nǚ zǐ ， jìn rù le huà chuán zhī zhōng 。
当然，这些与自己没有关系，林轩更不会有丝毫内疚的心理，一切都是那些家伙贪婪所至，林轩跟着女子，进入了画船之中。
However, they weren’t considered beautiful; most could only be described as merely pretty. It seemed that the rumors were not unfounded—the Black Python Lady was not only fond of beauty but also disliked female cultivators who were more attractive than herself…
lái dào yī jiān jìng shì ， lǐ miàn bù zhì dé huá měi yǐ jí 。
来到一间静室，里面布置得华美以极。
"Friend, you must have traveled far and are surely tired. Please rest here for a while," the woman from the Condensation Core stage said with great sincerity. She then gave a subtle signal, and the green maids bowed gracefully before bringing over some spiritual tea and pastries.
lǐ miàn hái yǒu jǐ míng shēn chuān qīng yī de shì nǚ 。
里面还有几名身穿青衣的侍女。
Although cultivators could practice cultivation without eating after entering the Foundation Establishment stage, the pleasure of food was still one of life's pleasures. Therefore, Lin Xuan wasn't surprised by his love for good cuisine.
rán ér dōu shuō bù shàng shén me měi nǚ ， zuì duō bù guò miǎn qiǎng kě suàn qīng xiù ér yǐ ， kàn lái chuán yán què shí bìng fēi kōng xué lái fēng ， hēi mǎng fū rén bù jǐn tān huā hào sè ， ér qiě yě hěn tǎo yàn zhǎng dé bǐ zì jǐ piào liàng de nǚ xiū ， fǒu zé tā zhè xiē dì zǐ pú rén zhī zhōng ， bú huì lián yí gè róng yán chū sè de dōu méi yǒu …………
然而都说不上什么美女，最多不过勉强可算清秀而已，看来传言确实并非空穴来风，黑蟒夫人不仅贪花好色，而且也很讨厌长得比自己漂亮的女修，否则她这些弟子仆人之中，不会连一个容颜出色的都没有…………
The number of pastries was limited but incredibly exquisite. The spiritual tea had a color like amber and emitted an invigorating fragrance.
“ dào yǒu yuǎn lái xīn kǔ ， qǐng zài zhè lǐ shāo shì xiē zhe 。” nà níng dān nǚ zǐ shí fēn diàn qíng de kāi kǒu ， suí hòu shǐ le yí gè yǎn sè ， nà xiē qīng yī shì nǚ yíng yíng yī fú ， xià qù jiāng líng chá yǔ gāo diǎn duān shàng lái le 。
“道友远来辛苦，请在这里稍事歇着。”那凝丹女子十分殿情的开口，随后使了一个眼色，那些清衣侍女盈盈一福，下去将灵茶与糕点端上来了。
"Please try these," the woman said warmly. "The flowers from this valley are unique, making the flower cakes and Lvyang tea particularly special. Even cultivators can benefit greatly from them."
suī rán jìn rù zhù jī qī yǐ hòu jiù néng bì gǔ ， dàn kǒu fù zhī yù nǎi shì rén shēng yī dà xiǎng shòu ， suǒ yǐ xǐ hào měi shí duì xiū xiān zhě lái shuō bìng méi shén me hào qí guài de 。
虽然进入筑基期以后就能辟谷，但口腹之欲乃是人生一大享受，所以喜好美食对修仙者来说并没什么好奇怪的。
Lin Xuan took a piece of the flower cake and put it in his mouth; it melted instantly with an excellent taste.
gāo diǎn de shù liàng bù duō ， rán ér què jīng měi dào le jí chù ， ér nà líng chá gèng shì sè zé yǒu rú hǔ pò ， yī gǔ qìn rén xīn pí de xiāng wèi cóng lǐ miàn fā chū 。
糕点的数量不多，然而却精美到了极处，而那灵茶更是色泽有如琥珀，一股沁人心脾的香味从里面发出。
He then sipped some tea, which was initially bitter but transformed into a fiery sensation that flowed to his dantian. It was an experience he had never felt before.
“ dào yǒu qǐng cháng cháng ， chǎng gǔ de bǎi huā gāo yǔ lì mǎng chá dōu bié jù tè sè ， fán rén hē le yǒu qīng xīn míng mù ， qiáng shēn jiàn tǐ de xiào guǒ ， biàn shì wǒ děng xiū xiān zhī rén yǐn yòng ， yī yàng hǎo chù pǒ duō 。” nǚ zǐ yīn qíng de jiè shào zhe 。
“道友请尝尝，敞谷的百花糕与厉蟒茶都别具特色，凡人喝了有清心明目，强身健体的效果，便是我等修仙之人饮用，一样好处颇多。”女子殷情的介绍着。
Seeing Lin Xuan eat so freely, the woman from the Condensation Core stage showed mild surprise. After all, her master's reputation was notorious; even元婴 (Yuányīn) old monsters were careful when visiting here. But this guy… She didn't know that Lin Xuan practiced碧幻幽火 (Bìhuàn Yōu Huǒ), and most poisons didn’t affect him. Otherwise, his cautious nature wouldn’t allow such unrestrained eating.
“ ó ， nà zài xià dào yào yī bǎo kǒu fú 。” lín xuān cóng pán zhōng qǔ guò yī kuài bǎi huā gāo ， fàng rù zuǐ zhōng ， rù kǒu jí huà ， wèi dào què shí shàng jiā 。
“哦，那在下倒要一饱口福。”林轩从盘中取过一块百花糕，放入嘴中，入口即化，味道确实上佳。
Moreover, he had secretly used his divine sense to scan the area, though she hadn’t noticed.
suí hòu yòu yǐn le yī kǒu chá ， rù kǒu wēi kǔ ， suí jí yǒu rú yī dào huǒ xiàn ， cóng zuǐ zhōng liú lù dān tián ， yī zhǒng cóng lái méi yǒu guò de tǐ yàn ”
随后又饮了一口茶，入口微苦，随即有如一道火线，从嘴中流露丹田，一种从来没有过的体验”
Of course, Lin Xuan didn't eat or drink too much; after a light taste, he put down the tea and pastries.
jiàn lín xuān chī hē dé rú cǐ shuǎng kuài ， nà níng dān qī nǚ zǐ yě wēi wēi yǒu xiē jīng chà ， bì jìng shī zūn è míng zhāo zhāng ， biàn shì nà xiē yuán yīng qī de lǎo guài wù ， lái zhè lǐ zuò kè ， yī yàng xiǎo xīn yì yì de ， kě zhè jiā huo ，， tā nǎ lǐ zhī dào ， lín xuān xiū liàn yǒu bì huàn yōu huǒ ， chú le yī xiē chuán shuō zhōng de jué dú zhī wù ， yì bān de dú yào ， lín xuān gēn běn jiù bù fàng zài yǎn zhōng ， fǒu zé yǐ tā xiǎo xīn jǐn shèn de xìng gé ， yòu qǐ huì zhè me wú suǒ gù jì de chī hē ？
见林轩吃喝得如此爽快，那凝丹期女子也微微有些惊诧，毕竟师尊恶名昭彰，便是那些元婴期的老怪物，来这里做客，一样小心翼翼的，可这家伙，，她哪里知道，林轩修炼有碧幻幽火，除了一些传说中的绝毒之物，一般的毒药，林轩根本就不放在眼中，否则以他小心谨慎的性格，又岂会这么无所顾忌的吃喝？
The maids had already left, leaving only the woman from the Condensation Core stage seated beside him as a guest.
hé kuàng lín xuān yě qiāo qiāo yòng shén shí sǎo guò ， zhǐ bù guò zuò dé hěn yǐn mì ， nà níng dān qī nǚ zǐ bìng wèi fā xiàn bà le 。
何况林轩也悄悄用神识扫过，只不过做得很隐秘，那凝丹期女子并未发现罢了。
She had many questions but dared not ask anything rash. She merely chatted about trivial matters with a servile smile on her face.
dāng rán ， lín xuān yě bú huì chī hē tài duō ， qiǎn cháng jí zhǐ zhī hòu jiù jiāng chá shuǐ gāo diǎn fàng xià le 。
当然，林轩也不会吃喝太多，浅尝即止之后就将茶水糕点放下了。
However, Lin Xuan showed no interest; after a few words of polite exchange, he fell silent and closed his eyes to meditate.
jǐ míng shì nǚ yǐ jīng tuì chū ， zhǐ yǒu nà míng níng dān qī nǚ zǐ zuò zài xià shǒu péi kè 。
几名侍女已经退出，只有那名凝丹期女子坐在下首陪客。
Finally, he even closed his eyes and began to regulate his breath. The woman's expression stiffened as anger flashed in her eyes but quickly disappeared. Given that the master held such high regard for this young man, she couldn't treat him like any other Condensation Core stage cultivator.
tā xīn zhōng yí wèn hěn duō ， dàn què bù gǎn hú luàn kāi kǒu xiāng xún shén me ， zhǐ shì shuō zhe yī xiē wú guān jǐn yào de huà tí ， mǎn liǎn de tǎo hǎo péi xiào zhī yì 。
她心中疑问很多，但却不敢胡乱开口相询什么，只是说着一些无关紧要的话题，满脸的讨好陪笑之意。
With this thought, she calmed down and remained silent.
rán ér lín xuān míng xiǎn bù gǎn xìng qù ， yìng fù le jǐ jù zhī hòu jiù chén jiù xià lái 。
然而林轩明显不感兴趣，应付了几句之后就沉就下来。
Time passed swiftly, and before they knew it, almost an hour had gone by.
zuì hòu gān cuì bì shàng shuāng móu ， tiáo xī dǎ zuò kǒu nà nǚ zǐ biǎo qíng yī jiāng ， yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī lǚ nù sè ， dàn hěn kuài jiù yǐn cáng qǐ lái le ， shī zūn duì cǐ zi rú cǐ kàn zhòng ， tā zì rán bù néng dàng zuò yì bān níng dān qī xiū shì kàn dài 。
最后干脆闭上双眸，调息打坐口那女子表情一僵，眼中闪过一缕怒色，但很快就隐藏起来了，师尊对此子如此看中，她自然不能当做一般凝丹期修士看待。
Suddenly, a light step was heard. A woman in black entered the room.
Two male cultivators led the way, while a woman from the Condensation Core stage respectfully accompanied them. The four of them passed through a light purple mist and soared towards the notorious Lvyang Valley.
Outside, there were restrictions in place, so they didn't feel anything unusual. Once inside the valley, a powerful妖力 (Jié) struck their faces. Lin Xuan's expression turned surprised; the quality of this妖脉 (Yāo Mài) seemed to be even better than what the Xuanfeng Sect possessed.
Lin Xuan felt somewhat puzzled. Although the Black Python Lady was not weak, she was ultimately just an individual cultivator, and even on妖灵 Island (Yáolíng Dao), there weren't many high-grade妖脉 (Jié Mài). Yet, she managed to occupy such a prime location all by herself.
The woman noticed Lin Xuan's expression and couldn't help but show a hint of satisfaction, though she didn't explain anything further.
In fact, he didn't need her to elaborate much because he quickly deduced the situation. The quality of this妖脉 (Jié Mài) was indeed good, but its range was too narrow—only spanning several miles.
Given that, Lvyang Valley wasn’t suitable for large sects and families; otherwise, with just a single Black Python Lady, it would be impossible to claim such a prime location.
The sound of devouring echoed in his ears. Lin Xuan lowered his head, but he frowned when he saw the scene before him. Everywhere—on the ground and on tree branches—were colorful snakes. The thickest ones were as thick as a child's arm, slithering everywhere. There had to be at least tens of thousands of them. Lvyang Valley’s reputation was indeed well-deserved.
Of course, such a scene would terrify ordinary people, but as a cultivator, Lin Xuan wasn't bothered by it. Guided by the three cultivators, he flew deeper into the valley.
Suddenly, a layer of red light appeared ahead.
The two Foundation Establishment stage male cultivators instinctively retreated. Seeing Lin Xuan's puzzled expression, the woman quickly explained, "Friend, don’t be alarmed; what lies ahead is the Inner Valley. Without permission from the sect leader, outer-valley disciples are not allowed to enter at will."
Lin Xuan nodded. Each sect had its own rules, and he wouldn't comment on them.
The woman flipped her left hand, revealing a silver token in her palm. A beam of霞光 (Xiáguāng) shot out from the token, causing the light screen to shake before parting to create a passage for two people.
Lin Xuan followed the woman into it.
Inside, the scenery was different.
The environment was elegant and tranquil, with a small mountain in view. Only about a hundred meters high, it appeared delicate and charming, covered in lush greenery, with plants growing abundantly.
At the foot of the mountain, there was a lake. A painted boat rested in its center, measuring around one hundred meters long, two stories tall, adorned with intricate carvings. If you didn't know better, you might think it belonged to a secular royal garden rather than a demoness's residence.
Lin Xuan was surprised but quickly hid his astonishment, regaining his calm demeanor.
"Friend, please take a seat on the painted boat; my teacher will be here shortly," the woman said as she led him forward respectfully.
Lin Xuan nodded and turned his gaze away from the mountain. Although there were no magnificent buildings atop it, the妖气 (Yāoqì) in the valley was the most abundant—clearly the Black Python Lady's true abode.
The lady was still meditating. Lin Xuan couldn't help but speculate about what secret cultivation technique she might be practicing or if she had suffered any injuries during the mountain exchange meeting.
He remembered that the Black Python Lady was also present at the time, just like everyone else, inevitably swept up in the chaos.
Afterward, he heard some rumors. It turned out that only a few元婴 (Yuányīn) old monsters had perished, but many were injured, leading to conflicts between once-friendly sects and leaving everyone worried about potential large-scale retaliation from the demon race.
Of course, these matters didn't concern him, and he felt no guilt. Everything was due to those greedy individuals' greed. Following the woman, Lin Xuan entered the painted boat.
They arrived at a quiet room, which was decorated with great elegance. Several maids in green attire were present.
However, they weren’t considered beautiful; most could only be described as merely pretty. It seemed that the rumors were not unfounded—the Black Python Lady was not only fond of beauty but also disliked female cultivators who were more attractive than herself…
"Friend, you must have traveled far and are surely tired. Please rest here for a while," the woman from the Condensation Core stage said with great sincerity. She then gave a subtle signal, and the green maids bowed gracefully before bringing over some spiritual tea and pastries.
Although cultivators could practice cultivation without eating after entering the Foundation Establishment stage, the pleasure of food was still one of life's pleasures. Therefore, Lin Xuan wasn't surprised by his love for good cuisine.
The number of pastries was limited but incredibly exquisite. The spiritual tea had a color like amber and emitted an invigorating fragrance.
"Please try these," the woman said warmly. "The flowers from this valley are unique, making the flower cakes and Lvyang tea particularly special. Even cultivators can benefit greatly from them."
Lin Xuan took a piece of the flower cake and put it in his mouth; it melted instantly with an excellent taste.
He then sipped some tea, which was initially bitter but transformed into a fiery sensation that flowed to his dantian. It was an experience he had never felt before.
Seeing Lin Xuan eat so freely, the woman from the Condensation Core stage showed mild surprise. After all, her master's reputation was notorious; even元婴 (Yuányīn) old monsters were careful when visiting here. But this guy… She didn't know that Lin Xuan practiced碧幻幽火 (Bìhuàn Yōu Huǒ), and most poisons didn’t affect him. Otherwise, his cautious nature wouldn’t allow such unrestrained eating.
Moreover, he had secretly used his divine sense to scan the area, though she hadn’t noticed.
Of course, Lin Xuan didn't eat or drink too much; after a light taste, he put down the tea and pastries.
The maids had already left, leaving only the woman from the Condensation Core stage seated beside him as a guest.
She had many questions but dared not ask anything rash. She merely chatted about trivial matters with a servile smile on her face.
However, Lin Xuan showed no interest; after a few words of polite exchange, he fell silent and closed his eyes to meditate.
Finally, he even closed his eyes and began to regulate his breath. The woman's expression stiffened as anger flashed in her eyes but quickly disappeared. Given that the master held such high regard for this young man, she couldn't treat him like any other Condensation Core stage cultivator.
With this thought, she calmed down and remained silent.
Time passed swiftly, and before they knew it, almost an hour had gone by.
Suddenly, a light step was heard. A woman in black entered the room.