zhòng lǎo guài yòu shāng liáng le yī cǐ xì jié 。 shí fēn shùn liè ， suī rán tā men zhī jiān ， bìng fēi méi yǒu yì diǎn jiè dì ， dàn zuò wèi yuán yīng qī xiū xiān zhě ， zì rán fēn de qīng qīng zhòng huǎn jí 。
众老怪又商量了一此细节。十分顺列，虽然他们之间，并非没有一点芥蒂，但做为元婴期修仙者，自然分得清轻重缓急。
The old monsters deliberated on some finer details. Despite a few lingering grudges among them, as advanced cultivators of the Core Formation stage, they naturally knew which matters were more pressing.
zhè zhǒng shí kè ， bù guǎn yǒu shén me ēn yuàn dōu yào zàn shí fàng xià ， fǒu zé ， gēn běn wú fǎ yǔ xuě hú zú xiāng kàng héng de 。
这种时刻，不管有什么恩怨都要暂时放下，否则，根本无法与雪狐族相抗衡的。
At this moment, any grievances should be temporarily set aside; otherwise, they would not be able to withstand the Snow Fox Clan's assault.
“ qī shī dì ， qǐng nǐ dài lǐng dì zǐ ” bái xū lǎo zhě huà yīn wèi luò ， tū rán shēng le ràng zhòng lǎo guài mù dèng kǒu dāi de yí mù 。
“漆师弟，请你带领弟子”白须老者话音未落，突然生了让众老怪目瞪口呆的一幕。
"Junior Brother Qī, please lead your disciples," the old man with white beard began speaking. Suddenly, a scene that left all the old monsters in shock unfolded before their eyes.
tiān sè mò míng qí miào de yīn chén xià lái le ， zhōu wéi guā qǐ le yī dào dào de yāo fēng ， qíng tiān pī lì zhèn ěr yù lóng ， nán dào xuě hú zú jǐ jīng kāi shǐ jìn gōng ？
天色莫名其妙的阴沉下来了，周围刮起了一道道的妖风，晴天霹雳震耳欲聋，难道雪狐族己经开始进攻？
The sky inexplicably darkened, anddemon or妖 (depending on context) winds swept around them. A thunderclap echoed loudly, making everyone wonder if the Snow Fox Clan had already launched an attack.
zhòng lǎo guài yī dāi ， bù yóu de miàn miàn xiāng qù qǐ lái 。
众老怪一呆，不由得面面相觑起来。
All the old monsters were taken aback, glancing at each other.
ér nà gōng zhuāng nǚ zǐ fǎn yìng zuì kuài ， liǔ yāo yī bǎi ， jǐ huà wèi le yī dào dùn guāng fēi chū le gé lóu wài ， hěn kuài ， jiù yǒu tā jīng xǐ de shēng yīn chuán lái 。
而那宫装女子反应最快，柳腰一摆，己化为了一道遁光飞出了阁楼外，很快，就有她惊喜的声音传来。
The woman in a palace-style dress reacted the fastest. She swayed her slender waist and transformed into a streak of light, flying out of the pavilion. Soon, she called out with excitement:
“ dà jiā bù yòng huāng ， bú shì yāo zú dǎ lái ， ér shì dà zhǎng lǎo jìn jiē chéng gōng le 。”
“大家不用慌，不是妖族打来，而是大长老进阶成功了。”
"Everyone, don't panic! It's not thedemon or妖 (depending on context) clan attacking; it's Master Elder entering the Core Formation stage."
zhòng lǎo guài yī tīng ， wú bù dà xǐ ， gè zhǒng guāng huá kuáng shǎn ， fēn fēn fēi dào bàn kōng xuán fú le qǐ lái 。
众老怪一听，无不大喜，各种光华狂闪，纷纷飞到半空悬浮了起来。
All the old monsters were overjoyed upon hearing this. Various lights flashed as they flew to hover in mid-air.
“ guǒ rán méi cuò ， zhè yì xiàng shì cóng hòu shān hán tán chuán huí lái de 。” bái xū lǎo zhě wēi xiào zhe shuō 。
“果然没错，这异象是从后山寒潭传回来的。”白须老者微笑着说。
"The signs are indeed from behind the mountain's cold pond," the old man with white beard said with a smile.
“ hē hē ， dà zhǎng lǎo jìn jiē chéng gōng ， rú cǐ yī lái ， wǒ men jiù bù yòng zài hài pà xuě hú wáng le 。” mǎ liǎn hàn zi yě bǎi le bǎi shǒu ， shí fēn xīn xǐ de dào 。
“呵呵，大长老进阶成功，如此一来，我们就不用再害怕雪狐王了。”马脸汉子也摆了摆手，十分欣喜的道。
"Haha, now that Master Elder has entered the Core Formation stage, we no longer need to fear the Snow Fox King." The bearded man waved his hand and expressed great joy.
zài tiān jìn fēng hòu shān ， yǒu yī mǔ xǔ dà xiǎo de hán tán ， zhèng shì cǐ chù yāo mài de quán yǎn ， xuán fèng mén dà zhǎng lǎo ， zhèng zài nà lǐ wèi le jìn jiē bì guān 。
在天劲峰后山，有一亩许大小的寒谭，正是此处妖脉的泉眼，玄凤门大长老，正在那里为了进阶闭关。
Behind Tianshizhu Peak, there was a small pond of cold water, which was the source of theyao pulse. The Great Elder of Xuanfeng Sect was currently meditating there for his advancement.
rú jīn kàn lái ， tā guǒ rán bù hū zhòng wàng ， chéng wéi yāo líng dǎo shàng ， jì huáng méi zhēn rén hòu de dì èr wèi dà xiū shì 。
如今看来，他果然不乎众望，成为妖灵岛上，继黄眉真人后的第二位大修士。
It seemed he had indeed lived up to everyone's expectations, becoming the second high-ranking cultivator after Huangmei True Man on Spirit Island.
yuán yīng hòu qī ， zài rén jiè jǐ shì zhēn zhèng dǐng jiān de cún zài ， suī rán chuán shuō ， zhè yī jiè yě huì yǒu lí hé qī lǎo guài wù ， rán ér shuí yě méi yǒu jiàn guò 。
元婴后期，在人界己是真正顶尖的存在，虽然传说，这一界也会有离合期老怪物，然而谁也没有见过。
At the Core Formation stage, one was truly a top-tier existence in the human world. Although it was rumored that this realm also had old monsters of the Separation and Union stage, no one had ever seen them.
ér hòu qī dà xiū shì de shén tōng ， kě yuǎn bú shì chū qī yǔ zhōng qī xiū shì kě yǐ xiāng bǐ ， shèn zhì kě yòng tiān chā dì yuǎn lái xíng róng 。
而后期大修士的神通，可远不是初期与中期修士可以相比，甚至可用天差地远来形容。
The powers of late-stage high-ranking cultivators were far beyond those of initial or middle-stage cultivators; they could be described as worlds apart.
ér jìn jiē hòu qī de guò chéng yě bǐ jiào qí tè ， yǒu shí bú huì yǐn líng qì luàn liú ， yě yǒu de shí hòu huì xiàng níng jié yuán yīng yī yàng ， nòng chū fēi cháng xuán miào de tiān xiàng 。
而进阶后期的过程也比较奇特，有时不会引灵气乱流，也有的时候会像凝结元婴一样，弄出非常玄妙的天象。
The process of advancing to a later stage was also peculiar. Sometimes it wouldn't cause a chaotic flow of essence energy, while at other times, it would create very intricate celestial phenomena similar to the formation of a Core Formation.
suǒ yǐ zhòng lǎo guài yī wàng zhī xià ， jiù zhī dào dà zhǎng lǎo jǐ jìn jiē chéng gōng ， zì rán wú bù dà xǐ guò wàng 。
所以众老怪一望之下，就知道大长老己进阶成功，自然无不大喜过望。
Thus, upon seeing this, everyone knew that the Great Elder had indeed advanced successfully and were naturally overjoyed.
rú guǒ píng shí ， yě hái bà le ， zài rú jīn zhè zhǒng fēi cháng shí kè ， duō chū yī wèi dà xiū shì 。 duì yú xuán fèng mén lái shuō ， yì yì zì rán fēi tóng fǎn xiǎng …… tiān biān yòu fēi lái le shù shí dào dùn guāng ， guāng huá shōu liǎn ， lù chū le shù shí míng xiū shì de róng yán 。
如果平时，也还罢了，在如今这种非常时刻，多出一位大修士。对于玄凤门来说，意义自然非同反响……天边又飞来了数十道遁光，光华收敛，露出了数十名修士的容颜。
If it were any other time, it might have been fine. But in such an extraordinary moment, adding another high-ranking cultivator meant significant implications for Xuanfeng Sect...
yǒu nán yǒu nǚ ， gāo ǎi pàng shòu bù yī ， biǎo qíng lüè yǒu xiē jīng yí ， quán shì níng dān qī xiū shì 。
有男有女，高矮胖瘦不一，表情略有些惊疑，全是凝丹期修士。
Several dozen streaks of light flew from the horizon, their brilliance fading to reveal dozens of cultivators.
“ jiàn guò shī fù ， gè wèi shī shū ， shī bó 。”
“见过师傅，各位师叔，师伯。”
There were men and women of various heights and builds, all slightly surprised, and they were all at the Condensation Core stage.
kàn jiàn xuán fú zài bù yuǎn chù de nà èr shí yú míng lǎo guài wù ， zhòng níng dān qī xiū shì wú bù liǎn sè dà biàn le ， máng fān shēn bài dǎo 。
看见悬浮在不远处的那二十余名老怪物，众凝丹期修士无不脸色大变了，忙翻身拜倒。
"Salutations Master, Uncle, and Aunt."
“ hēng ， zhè lǐ shì jìn dì ， nǐ men zěn me gǎn lái zhè lǐ ？” bái xū lǎo zhě méi tou yí zhòu ， lüè yǒu bù mǎn de kāi kǒu 。
“哼，这里是禁地，你们怎么敢来这里？”白须老者眉头一皱，略有不满的开口。
Seeing the two dozen old monsters hovering nearby, the Condensation Core cultivators all changed color. They quickly fell to their knees in obeisance.
“ qǐ bǐng shī bó ， bú shì wǎn bèi dà dǎn ， ér shì bèi yì xiàng xī yǐn guò lái ， rú jīn yāo shòu jiāng běn mén tuán tuán wéi kùn ， dì zǐ shì pà tā men tōu xí hòu shān 。” shuō huà de shì yī míng sì shí yú suì shēn chuān dào páo de zhōng nián rén ， qì dù bù fán ， rán ér cǐ kè què dà qì yě bù gǎn chuǎn 。
“启禀师伯，不是晚辈大胆，而是被异象吸引过来，如今妖兽将本门团团围困，弟子是怕他们偷袭后山。”说话的是一名四十余岁身穿道袍的中年人，气度不凡，然而此刻却大气也不敢喘。
"Hmph, this is a forbidden area; how dare you come here?" The old man with white beard frowned, slightly displeased.
“ ń 。” bái xū lǎo zhě diǎn le diǎn tóu ， duì fāng zhè fān huà hé qíng hé lǐ ， jí mén pài zhī suǒ jí ， tā yě bù hǎo chū yán zé guài ：“ bà le 。 nǐ men qǐ lái 。”
“嗯。”白须老者点了点头，对方这番话合情合理，急门派之所急，他也不好出言责怪：“罢了。你们起来。”
"Report to Uncle, it's not that late-stage junior dares to be so bold; we were drawn by the strange phenomena. Now that thedemon or妖 (depending on context) beasts have surrounded our sect, I feared they might attack from behind the mountain," said a middle-aged man in Daoist robes. He looked distinguished but was now too nervous to breathe.
“ duō xiè shī bó 。” níng dān qī xiū shì men xíng le yī lǐ ， cái gōng gōng jìng jìng de zhàn qǐ ， shù shǒu ér lì 。
“多谢师伯。”凝丹期修士们行了一礼，才恭恭敬敬的站起，束手而立。
"Hmm." The old man with white beard nodded. His words made sense; he couldn't blame them for acting out of concern for their sect: "Alright. You may rise."
zhè jiù shì xiū xiān jiè de děng jí ， néng gòu néng chéng jīn dān ， yě shì gāo jiē xiū shì ， ràng xiū xiān cài niǎo men gāo shān yǎng zhǐ ， kě miàn duì yuán yīng qī lǎo guài 。 què yí gè gè bǐ māo mī hái guāi 。
这就是修仙界的等级，能够能成金丹，也是高阶修士，让修仙菜鸟们高山仰止，可面对元婴期老怪。却一个个比猫咪还乖。
"Thank Uncle." The Condensation Core cultivators bowed and stood up respectfully, standing at attention.
“ gǎn wèn shī bó ， zhè yì xiàng shì zěn me huí shì ？” nà zhōng nián xiū shì xiǎo xīn yì yì de kāi kǒu le ， qí tā tóng lái zhī rén ， yě wú bù lù chū cè ěr qīng tīng zhī sè 。
“敢问师伯，这异象是怎么回事？”那中年修士小心翼翼的开口了，其他同来之人，也无不露出侧耳倾听之色。
This was the hierarchy in the cultivation world—those who could form a Golden Core were high-ranking cultivators, making thenewbie cultivators look up to them. But facing old monsters of the Core Formation stage, they all behaved like cats.
kě hē ， nǐ men bù yòng jīng yí ， cǐ nǎi dà xǐ ， yuè shī xiōng jìn jiē chéng gōng 。“ bái xū lǎo zhě mō le mō hú xū ， yǎn móu lǐ mǎn shì xiào yì 。” shén me ， dà zhǎng lǎo jìn jiē chéng gōng ， zhè me shuō ， wǒ men xuán fèng mén yě yǒu le yuán yīng hòu qī de xiū xiān zhě 。“ nà zhōng nián rén yī dāi ， suí jí lù chū xǐ bù zì jīn de biǎo qíng lái 。” wēng “ de yī shēng ， qí tā níng dān qī xiū shì tīng dé míng bái ， kuáng xǐ zhī xià ， yě wàng le zhǎng yòu zūn bēi ， fēn fēn jiāo tóu jiē ěr qǐ lái 。
坷呵，你们不用惊疑，此乃大喜，岳师兄进阶成功。“白须老者摸了摸胡须，眼眸里满是笑意。”什么，大长老进阶成功，这么说，我们玄凤门也有了元婴后期的修仙者。“那中年人一呆，随即露出喜不自禁的表情来。”嗡“的一声，其他凝丹期修士听得明白，狂喜之下，也忘了长幼尊卑，纷纷交头接耳起来。
"May I ask Uncle, what is this strange phenomenon?" The middle-aged man cautiously spoke up, and his companions also listened intently.
gōng zhuāng nǚ zǐ jiàn le ， xiù méi wēi zhòu ， yī shēng qīng ké ：” ān jìng ， nǐ men chǎo shén me ， luàn hōng hōng de chéng hé tǐ tǒng ？“ cǐ nǚ xìng zi yán lì ， zōng nèi dì yù wú bù wèi jù ， máng bì kǒu dī xià tou qù 。” rú jīn dà zhǎng lǎo jǐ jìn jiē yuán yīng hòu qī ， cǐ nǎi zǔ shī bì yòu ， wǒ xuán fèng mén yí dìng néng ān rán chēng guò cǐ jié ， nǐ men xià qù yǐ hòu ， kě jiāng cǐ shì gào sù zài mén dì zǐ ， dà jiā qí xīn yù dí 。“ gōng zhuāng nǚ zǐ shēng yīn bù dà ， què qīng xī de chuán rù le měi yí gè rén de ěr lǐ 。” jǐn zūn shī shū fǎ zhǐ 。“ níng dān qī xiū shì dà duō hái chǔ yú xīng fèn zhī zhōng ， tīng le gōng zhuāng nǚ zǐ de fēn fù ， zhèng hé xīn yì ， máng bào quán xíng lǐ ， fēn fēn diào tóu ér qù 。
宫装女子见了，秀眉微皱，一声轻咳：”安静，你们吵什么，乱哄哄的成何体统？“此女性子严厉，宗内弟芋无不畏惧，忙闭口低下头去。”如今大长老己进阶元婴后期，此乃祖师庇佑，我玄凤门一定能安然撑过此劫，你们下去以后，可将此事告诉再门弟子，大家齐心御敌。“宫装女子声音不大，却清晰的传入了每一个人的耳里。”谨尊师叔法旨。“凝丹期修士大多还处于兴奋之中，听了宫装女子的吩咐，正合心意，忙抱拳行礼，纷纷掉头而去。
"Well, it's a sign of good fortune; Senior Yè has advanced successfully," said the old man with white beard, stroking his beard as he smiled.
biǎn yǎn jiān ， cǐ dì yòu zhǐ shèng xià yuán yīng qī lǎo guài 。
贬眼间，此地又只剩下元婴期老怪。
"What? Master Elder has entered the Core Formation stage. That means Xuanfeng Sect now has a late-stage Core Formation cultivator." The middle-aged man was taken aback before his face lit up with joy.
hē hē ， shī mèi zuò dé bù cuò ， cǐ shì bù yòng yǐn mán ， xiāo xī chuán kāi ， yí dìng néng ràng zhòng dì zǐ shì qì dà zhǎng 。“ bái xū lǎo zhě wēi xiào zhe dào 。”
呵呵，师妹做得不错，此事不用隐瞒，消息传开，一定能让众弟子士气大涨。“白须老者微笑着道。”
"Buzz." The other Condensation Core cultivators understood; in their excitement, they forgot about seniority and began whispering to each other.
shī xiōng ， dà zhǎng lǎo jìn jiē gù rán shì hǎo ， dàn rú cǐ yī lái ， wǒ men yě dé duō zuò dī fáng ， xiǎo mèi dān xīn xuě hú zú huì tí zǎo jìn gōng 。 nǐ shì shuō bái xū lǎo zhě yī dāi ， yě huì yì guò lái ， biǎo qíng níng zhòng de diǎn le diǎn tóu ， bù cuò ， zhè dǎo shì dà yǒu kě néng de ， wǒ rǎn de ān pái dé chóng xīn zuò yī fān gǎi dòng 。“ shān yǔ yù lái fēng mǎn lóu ， gōng zhuāng nǚ zǐ suǒ liào bìng méi yǒu chū piān lòu 。”
师兄，大长老进阶固然是好，但如此一来，我们也得多做提防，小妹担心雪狐族会提早进攻。你是说白须老者一呆，也会意过来，表情凝重的点了点头，不错，这倒是大有可能的，我冉的安排得重新做一番改动。“山雨欲来风满楼，宫装女子所料并没有出偏漏。”
The woman in the palace-style dress frowned and coughed lightly: "Silence! What are you all fussing about? What a mess!"
jù lí xuán fèng mén zǒng tán bù guò shù shí lǐ ， yāo shòu jǐ ān yíng zhā zhài ， chú le xuě hú yī zú ， hái yǒu xǔ duō qí tā de yāo shòu ， zuò wèi bīng mò huāng yuán de bà zhǔ ， nà lǐ de yāo zú wú bù wéi xuě hú wáng zhī mìng shì cóng 。
距离玄凤门总坛不过数十里，妖兽己安营扎寨，除了雪狐一族，还有许多其他的妖兽，做为冰漠荒原的霸主，那里的妖族无不惟雪狐王之命是从。
Her stern demeanor intimidated everyone in the sect. They quickly closed their mouths and lowered their heads.
suī rán xiāng jù pǒ yuǎn ， dàn tiān jìn fēng de yì xiàng tài míng xiǎn ， cǐ shí zài mǒu gè xiǎo shān pō shàng ， jiù yǐng yǐng chuò chuò de chù lì zhāo shù shí míng yāo zú 。
虽然相距颇远，但天劲峰的异象太明显，此时在某个小山坡上，就影影绰绰的矗立着数十名妖族。
"Now that Master Elder has entered the late-stage Core Formation, it's due to our ancestor’s blessings. Xuanfeng Sect will surely weather this crisis. Afterward, tell your fellow disciples; we must unite to repel the enemy." The woman spoke clearly, her words reaching everyone's ears.
quán shì huà xíng qī de guài wù 。
全是化形期的怪物。
"Respect Uncle's orders," the Condensation Core cultivators bowed and left in a flurry.
fù wáng ， nà yì xiàng shì zěn me huí shì ， wǒ gǎn jué dào le líng qì yì cháng ， mò fēi cǐ shí cǐ kè ， xuán fèng mén hái pèng qiǎo yǒu rén zài níng jié yuán yīng me ？“ shuō huà de shì yī míng shào nián mú yàng de yāo zú ， zhè jiā huo nǎi xuě hú zú shǎo zhǔ 。”
父王，那异象是怎么回事，我感觉到了灵气异常，莫非此时此刻，玄凤门还碰巧有人在凝结元婴么？“说话的是一名少年模样的妖族，这家伙乃雪狐族少主。”
In an instant, only old monsters of the Core Formation stage remained.
bú shì jié yīng tiān zhào ， ér shì yǒu rén jìn jiē dào yuán yīng hòu qī ， yǐn de tiān dì yì cháng 。“ xuě hú wáng sǐ sǐ dīng zhe yuǎn chù de yì xiàng ， yī zì yī dùn de kāi kǒu 。”
不是结婴天兆，而是有人进阶到元婴后期，引的天地异常。“雪狐王死死盯着远处的异象，一字一顿的开口。”
"Haha, my sister did well. There’s no need to hide this news; it will surely boost our disciples' morale when it spreads." The old man with white beard smiled.
shén me ， jìn jiē chéng wéi hòu qī de dà xiū shì ， zài zhè shí ？ zěn me huì yǒu rú cǐ pèng qiǎo de shì ？“ shào nián mǎn liǎn jīng è ， qí tā huà xíng qī yāo zú de biǎo qíng yě yǒu xiē nán kàn le 。”
什么，进阶成为后期的大修士，在这时？怎么会有如此碰巧的事？“少年满脸惊愕，其他化形期妖族的表情也有些难看了。”
"Senior Brother, while Master Elder's advancement is good, we must be more cautious now that there's a high-ranking cultivator among us. I'm worried the Snow Fox Clan might attack sooner," said the old man.
hēng ， wú qiǎo bù chéng shū ， shì jiè shàng méi yǒu shén me shì bù kě néng de ， hé kuàng yuè lǎo guài zǎo zài liǎng bǎi nián qián jiù xiū liàn dào le yuán yīng zhōng qī de dǐng duān ， jǐ cì jìn jiē shī bài ， rú jīn pèng qiǎo chéng gōng yě bù zú guài 。“ nà zěn me bàn ， duì fāng yǒu le yī míng dà xiū shì ， duì yú wǒ men ér yán ， kě jiù yǒu xiē má fán 。” pà shén me ？“ xuě hú wáng yǎn zhōng lì sè yī xiǎn ：“ bīng lái jiāng dǎng shuǐ lái tǔ yǎn ， hé kuàng tā yí gè gāng jìn jiē de hòu qī xiū shì ， qǐ shì běn wáng de duì shǒu ， dāng rán ， wǒ men yě bù néng tài guò diào yǐ qīng xīn le ， chèn zhe tā jìng jiè shàng wèi wěn gù ， chuán lìng xià qù ， gěi wǒ lì kè jìn gōng 。”
哼，无巧不成书，世界上没有什么是不可能的，何况岳老怪早在两百年前就修炼到了元婴中期的顶端，几次进阶失败，如今碰巧成功也不足怪。“那怎么办，对方有了一名大修士，对于我们而言，可就有些麻烦。”怕什么？“雪狐王眼中厉色一显：“兵来将挡水来土掩，何况他一个刚进阶的后期修士，岂是本王的对手，当然，我们也不能太过掉以轻心了，趁着他境界尚未稳固，传令下去，给我立刻进攻。”
The old man with white beard nodded gravely: "You're right; this is highly possible. I'll need to make some adjustments in my plans."
"Rain before the storm, as expected by the woman in the palace-style dress."
Xuanfeng Sect was only a dozen miles from its main headquarters, wheredemon or妖 (depending on context) beasts had already set up camp. Besides the Snow Fox Clan, there were many otherdemon or妖 (depending on context) beasts, all of which obeyed the Snow Fox King as the lord of the Ice Desert.
Although they were far apart, the strange phenomena at Tianshizhu Peak were too obvious. On a nearby hill, dozens ofdemon or妖 (depending on context) creatures could be vaguely seen standing in formation.
They were all monsters that had transformed into human form.
Father, what is this strange phenomenon? I sensed an abnormal flow of essence energy; could it be that someone is forming a Core Formation at Xuanfeng Sect right now?" The speaking creature was the Snow Fox Clan's young lord.
It wasn't a sign of forming a Core Formation; rather, someone had advanced to late-stage Core Formation and caused this anomaly in nature. "The Snow Fox King stared intently at the distant phenomena, speaking slowly.
"What? Someone has become a high-ranking cultivator right now? How could such a coincidence happen?" The young lord was shocked, as were the other transformed monsters.
"Hmph, where there's no coincidence, there's no story; anything is possible in this world. Besides, Old Monster Yè had already reached the peak of Core Formation stage two hundred years ago and failed several times to advance further. His success now isn't surprising," said the Snow Fox King.
"What should we do? Now that they have a high-ranking cultivator, it will be more troublesome for us." "Fear not," the Snow Fox King's eyes glinted with resolve: "We'll face whatever comes our way; after all, he is just a late-stage cultivator who has just entered his stage. He won't be my match. Of course, we can't be too complacent. Order everyone to attack immediately while his foundation isn’t yet stable."
The old monsters deliberated on some finer details. Despite a few lingering grudges among them, as advanced cultivators of the Core Formation stage, they naturally knew which matters were more pressing.
At this moment, any grievances should be temporarily set aside; otherwise, they would not be able to withstand the Snow Fox Clan's assault.
"Junior Brother Qī, please lead your disciples," the old man with white beard began speaking. Suddenly, a scene that left all the old monsters in shock unfolded before their eyes.
The sky inexplicably darkened, anddemon or妖 (depending on context) winds swept around them. A thunderclap echoed loudly, making everyone wonder if the Snow Fox Clan had already launched an attack.
All the old monsters were taken aback, glancing at each other.
The woman in a palace-style dress reacted the fastest. She swayed her slender waist and transformed into a streak of light, flying out of the pavilion. Soon, she called out with excitement:
"Everyone, don't panic! It's not thedemon or妖 (depending on context) clan attacking; it's Master Elder entering the Core Formation stage."
"What?"
All the old monsters were overjoyed upon hearing this. Various lights flashed as they flew to hover in mid-air.
"The signs are indeed from behind the mountain's cold pond," the old man with white beard said with a smile.
"Haha, now that Master Elder has entered the Core Formation stage, we no longer need to fear the Snow Fox King." The bearded man waved his hand and expressed great joy.
Behind Tianshizhu Peak, there was a small pond of cold water, which was the source of theyao pulse. The Great Elder of Xuanfeng Sect was currently meditating there for his advancement.
It seemed he had indeed lived up to everyone's expectations, becoming the second high-ranking cultivator after Huangmei True Man on Spirit Island.
At the Core Formation stage, one was truly a top-tier existence in the human world. Although it was rumored that this realm also had old monsters of the Separation and Union stage, no one had ever seen them.
The powers of late-stage high-ranking cultivators were far beyond those of initial or middle-stage cultivators; they could be described as worlds apart.
The process of advancing to a later stage was also peculiar. Sometimes it wouldn't cause a chaotic flow of essence energy, while at other times, it would create very intricate celestial phenomena similar to the formation of a Core Formation.
Thus, upon seeing this, everyone knew that the Great Elder had indeed advanced successfully and were naturally overjoyed.
If it were any other time, it might have been fine. But in such an extraordinary moment, adding another high-ranking cultivator meant significant implications for Xuanfeng Sect...
Several dozen streaks of light flew from the horizon, their brilliance fading to reveal dozens of cultivators.
There were men and women of various heights and builds, all slightly surprised, and they were all at the Condensation Core stage.
"Salutations Master, Uncle, and Aunt."
Seeing the two dozen old monsters hovering nearby, the Condensation Core cultivators all changed color. They quickly fell to their knees in obeisance.
"Hmph, this is a forbidden area; how dare you come here?" The old man with white beard frowned, slightly displeased.
"Report to Uncle, it's not that late-stage junior dares to be so bold; we were drawn by the strange phenomena. Now that thedemon or妖 (depending on context) beasts have surrounded our sect, I feared they might attack from behind the mountain," said a middle-aged man in Daoist robes. He looked distinguished but was now too nervous to breathe.
"Hmm." The old man with white beard nodded. His words made sense; he couldn't blame them for acting out of concern for their sect: "Alright. You may rise."
"Thank Uncle." The Condensation Core cultivators bowed and stood up respectfully, standing at attention.
This was the hierarchy in the cultivation world—those who could form a Golden Core were high-ranking cultivators, making thenewbie cultivators look up to them. But facing old monsters of the Core Formation stage, they all behaved like cats.
"May I ask Uncle, what is this strange phenomenon?" The middle-aged man cautiously spoke up, and his companions also listened intently.
"Well, it's a sign of good fortune; Senior Yè has advanced successfully," said the old man with white beard, stroking his beard as he smiled.
"What? Master Elder has entered the Core Formation stage. That means Xuanfeng Sect now has a late-stage Core Formation cultivator." The middle-aged man was taken aback before his face lit up with joy.
"Buzz." The other Condensation Core cultivators understood; in their excitement, they forgot about seniority and began whispering to each other.
The woman in the palace-style dress frowned and coughed lightly: "Silence! What are you all fussing about? What a mess!"
Her stern demeanor intimidated everyone in the sect. They quickly closed their mouths and lowered their heads.
"Now that Master Elder has entered the late-stage Core Formation, it's due to our ancestor’s blessings. Xuanfeng Sect will surely weather this crisis. Afterward, tell your fellow disciples; we must unite to repel the enemy." The woman spoke clearly, her words reaching everyone's ears.
"Respect Uncle's orders," the Condensation Core cultivators bowed and left in a flurry.
In an instant, only old monsters of the Core Formation stage remained.
"Haha, my sister did well. There’s no need to hide this news; it will surely boost our disciples' morale when it spreads." The old man with white beard smiled.
"Senior Brother, while Master Elder's advancement is good, we must be more cautious now that there's a high-ranking cultivator among us. I'm worried the Snow Fox Clan might attack sooner," said the old man.
The old man with white beard nodded gravely: "You're right; this is highly possible. I'll need to make some adjustments in my plans."
"Rain before the storm, as expected by the woman in the palace-style dress."
Xuanfeng Sect was only a dozen miles from its main headquarters, wheredemon or妖 (depending on context) beasts had already set up camp. Besides the Snow Fox Clan, there were many otherdemon or妖 (depending on context) beasts, all of which obeyed the Snow Fox King as the lord of the Ice Desert.
Although they were far apart, the strange phenomena at Tianshizhu Peak were too obvious. On a nearby hill, dozens ofdemon or妖 (depending on context) creatures could be vaguely seen standing in formation.
They were all monsters that had transformed into human form.
Father, what is this strange phenomenon? I sensed an abnormal flow of essence energy; could it be that someone is forming a Core Formation at Xuanfeng Sect right now?" The speaking creature was the Snow Fox Clan's young lord.
It wasn't a sign of forming a Core Formation; rather, someone had advanced to late-stage Core Formation and caused this anomaly in nature. "The Snow Fox King stared intently at the distant phenomena, speaking slowly.
"What? Someone has become a high-ranking cultivator right now? How could such a coincidence happen?" The young lord was shocked, as were the other transformed monsters.
"Hmph, where there's no coincidence, there's no story; anything is possible in this world. Besides, Old Monster Yè had already reached the peak of Core Formation stage two hundred years ago and failed several times to advance further. His success now isn't surprising," said the Snow Fox King.
"What should we do? Now that they have a high-ranking cultivator, it will be more troublesome for us." "Fear not," the Snow Fox King's eyes glinted with resolve: "We'll face whatever comes our way; after all, he is just a late-stage cultivator who has just entered his stage. He won't be my match. Of course, we can't be too complacent. Order everyone to attack immediately while his foundation isn’t yet stable."