gè zhǒng cān tiān gǔ shù què shǔ bù shèng shǔ ， ér shān lín zhī zhōng ， cháng yǒu dú shé měng shòu chū mò ， ǒu ěr hái kě yǐ jiàn dào chuán shuō zhōng de xiū xiān zhě ……
各种参天古树却数不胜数，而山林之中，常有毒蛇猛兽出没，偶尔还可以见到传说中的修仙者……
Ancient towering trees were abundant, but the mountain forests often harbored venomous snakes and fierce beasts. Occasionally, one could even encounter legendary cultivators...
yú shì fù jìn de fán rén shì zhèn zhī zhōng ， cháng yǒu yǎng mù xiān dào zhī rén jìn rù shān zhōng ， xī wàng néng bèi nà xiē 6 dì shén xiān shōu guī mén xià wèi tú ， cháng shēng bù lǎo duì yú rèn hé rén xī yán ， dōu shì wú fǎ dǐ yù de yòu huò 。
于是附近的凡人市镇之中，常有仰慕仙道之人进入山中，希望能被那些6地神仙收归门下为徒，长生不老对于任何人西言，都是无法抵御的诱惑。
Thus, in nearby human settlements, there were always people who admired the ways of immortals entering the mountains, hoping to be taken under the tutelage of those earth-bound deities. Immortality was an irresistible temptation for anyone.
rán ér shù bǎi nián yǐ lái ， què jí shǎo yǒu rén chéng gōng ， fǎn ér dà bù fèn bú shì sǐ yú měng shòu zhī kǒu ， jiù shì bì mìng yú jù dú de zhǎo zé zhī bo xiān dào bìng fēi nà me róng yì zhuī xún de 。 zhěng zuò lí shān ， qí shí bìng méi yǒu duō shǎo xiū xiān mén pài 。
然而数百年以来，却极少有人成功，反而大部分不是死于猛兽之口，就是毙命于剧毒的沼泽之卜仙道并非那么容易追寻的。整座骊山，其实并没有多少修仙门派。
However, over centuries, few succeeded. Most died at the mouths of beasts or perished in toxic swamps. The path to immortality wasn't as easy as it seemed. In reality, there weren’t many cultivation sects on Li Mountain.
wéi yǒu zài qí shēn chù ， yǒu yī zuò míng jiào lí xiàn xiá de yōu shēn xiá gǔ ， zhōng rì bèi huī sè de yāo wù lǒng zhào zhe 。
唯有在其深处，有一座名叫离线峡的幽深峡谷，终日被灰色的妖雾笼罩着。
Yet, deep within its heart lay a幽深峡谷 named Lixian Gorge, perpetually shrouded by gray demonic fog.
cǐ gǔ dì chù piān pì ， dàn zài yāo líng dǎo xiū xiān jiè ， míng shēng què xiǎng liàng dé jǐn 。
此谷地处偏僻，但在妖灵岛修仙界，名声却响亮得紧。
This valley was located in a remote area but had a reputation that echoed throughout the spirit island’s cultivation world.
gǔ zhǔ shì yī wèi yuán yīng zhōng qī de lǎo guài wù 。
谷主是一位元婴中期的老怪物。
The master of this valley was an old monster at mid-stage元婴.
míng zì sì bèi rén dàn wàng le ， dàn yī shēn jīn shǔ xìng de yāo xiū gōng fǎ què chū shén rù huà ， jī hū kě suàn shì dāo qiāng bù rù 。
名字巳被人淡忘了，但一身金属性的妖修功法却出神入化，几乎可算是刀枪不入。
Though his name had been forgotten, his metallic nature-based cultivation technique was unparalleled, almost invincible to weapons and magic.
jù shuō shù shí nián qián ， zhè lǎo guài wù céng yǔ yī huà xíng zhōng qī de yāo shòu dǎ dǔ ， bù duǒ bù shǎn ， yě bù yòng rèn hé qí tā de fǎ bǎo fáng yù ， yìng jiē duì fāng sān xià gōng jī 。
据说数十年前，这老怪物曾与一化形中期的妖兽打赌，不躲不闪，也不用任何其他的法宝防御，硬接对方三下攻击。
It was said that decades ago, he had bet with a mid-stage transformed beast, facing it head-on without any defensive talismans or other magical artifacts. He took three hits but emerged victorious, winning several rare treasures while barely sustaining injuries.
zài páng rén kàn lái ， zhè zhǒng xíng wéi yǔ zhǎo sǐ wú yì ， rán ér jié guǒ què ràng suǒ yǒu rén dà chī yī jīng ， jīn lǎo guài bù jǐn huò shèng ， cóng duì fāng shǒu lǐ yíng qǔ le jǐ jiàn yì bǎo ， ér qiě jī hū méi yǒu shòu shāng 。
在旁人看来，这种行为与找死无异，然而结果却让所有人大吃一惊，金老怪不仅获胜，从对方手里赢取了几件异宝，而且几乎没有受伤。
Such formidable defense was unmatched even by mid-stage turtle beasts.
rú cǐ biàn tài de fáng yù ， biàn shì tóng jiē de guī lèi yāo shòu yě yǒu suǒ bù jí 。
如此变态的防御，便是同阶的龟类妖兽也有所不及。
His reputation soared, and there were whispers that his strength rivaled that of a great cultivator like Yellow Brow Immortal.
jīn lǎo guài míng shēng dà zào ， shèn zhì yǒu chuán yán shuō ， tā de shí lì bǐ qǐ huáng méi zhēn rén nà yàng de dà xiū shì ， yě xiāng chā wú jǐ 。
金老怪名声大噪，甚至有传言说，他的实力比起黄眉真人那样的大修士，也相差无几。
While exaggerated, it was clear how powerful this old monster was—far beyond ordinary mid-stage cultivators.
zhè dāng rán shì yǒu kuā dà de xián yí ， bù guò zú kě jiàn cǐ lǎo guài wù de shí lì ， zhì shǎo yuǎn fēi yì bān de zhōng qī xiū shì kě bǐ 。
这当然是有夸大的嫌疑，不过足可见此老怪物的实力，至少远非一般的中期修士可比。
On this day, a streak of green light appeared before Li Mountain. As the light faded, a plain-looking young man emerged.
zhè tiān ， yī dào qīng hóng chū xiàn zài le lí shān qián miàn ， guāng máng shōu liǎn ， xiàn chū le yī wèi róng mào pǔ tōng gè shào nián 。
这天，一道青虹出现在了骊山前面，光芒收敛，现出了一位容貌普通硌少年。
Sure enough, it was Lin Xuan!
bú yòng shuō ， kuí shì lín xuān ！
不用说，奎是林轩！
He had already run through his thoughts about the old metal monster in his mind. However, he wasn’t here to challenge him; instead, he wanted to find one of his junior disciples—a mid-stage Golden Spirit cultivator.
tā yǐ jiāng guān yú jīn lǎo guài de ！ kē zài nǎo hǎi zhōng zhuǎn le yī biàn 。 dāng rán ， lín xuān lái dào cǐ chù ， kě bú shì xiǎng yǔ zhè lǎo guài wù wèi dí de 。
他已将关于金老怪的！科在脑海中转了一遍。当然，林轩来到此处，可不是想与这老怪物为敌的。
Back when they met on Mount Mangshan, Lin Xuan had promised to use a high-grade base foundation pill to exchange for a rare tree called Purple Lotus Tree.
ér shì xiǎng yào zhǎo tā de yī míng hòu bèi ， nà wèi zhù jī qī de jīn líng xiān zi 。
而是想要找他的一名后辈，那位筑基期的金灵仙子。
While such trees were insignificant in the hands of other cultivators, they could significantly accelerate the maturation process for the Jade Beehive. He wouldn’t let this opportunity slip away and planned to collect them extensively.
dāng chū zài máng shān zhī shí ， lín xuān yǔ cǐ nǚ yǒu yuē ， dǎ suàn yòng shàng pǐn zhù jī dān ， huàn qǔ mǒu zhǒng míng yuē “ zǐ lián shù ” de qí mù 。
当初在邙山之时，林轩与此女有约，打算用上品筑基丹，换取某种名曰“紫莲树”的奇木。
Originally, he had agreed with Golden Spirit that after the Mount Mangshan conference, he would visit Lixian Gorge. However, due to various events in the Ice Desert Wasteland, he was delayed until now...
zhè zhòng shù mù ， fàng zài qí tā xiū shì shǒu lǐ ， bù zhí yī tí ， zhǐ néng yòng lái liàn zhì dī jiē líng qì ， rán ér lín xuān què xiàn zhì i duì yù luó fēng ， jū rán yǒu zhe shí fēn míng xiǎn cuī shú de xiào guǒ ， dāng rán bú huì fàng guò ， zhǔn bèi dà sì shōu jí yī fān le 。
这种树木，放在其他修士手里，不值一提，只能用来炼制低阶灵器，然而林轩却现制i对玉罗蜂，居然有着十分明显催熟的效果，当然不会放过，准备大肆收集一番了。
Lin Xuan reached out and tapped his waist. A green jade cylinder flew out. He sank his spirit into it.
yuán běn yǔ jīn líng shuō hǎo ， máng shān dà huì jié shù yǐ hòu ， biàn lái lí xiàn xiá bài fǎng ， rán ér hòu lái què xiān qù le bīng mò huāng yuán ， bìng shēng rú cǐ duō shì duān ， gù ér yì zhí tuō yán dào le xiàn zài ……
原本与金灵说好，邙山大会结束以后，便来离线峡拜访，然而后来却先去了冰漠荒原，并生如此多事端，故而一直拖延到了现在……
Lixian Gorge was remote, and even many mid-stage cultivators didn’t know its exact location. This jade cylinder had been given to him by Golden Spirit.
lín xuān shēn chū shǒu lái ， zài yāo jiān yī pāi ， yī qīng cuì bì lǜ de yù tǒng jiǎn fēi shè chū lái ， lín xuān jiāng shén shí chén rù lǐ miàn 。
林轩伸出手来，在腰间一拍，一青翠碧绿的玉筒简飞射出来，林轩将神识沉入里面。
After a quarter of an hour, Lin Xuan looked up, transformed into a streak of green light, and vanished into the dense forests of Li Mountain.
lí xiàn xiá dì chǔ huāng pì ， biàn shì hěn duō yuán yīng qī xiū shì ， yě bù zhī dào shùn de jù tǐ wèi zhì ， ér zhè méi yù yīn jiǎn ， nǎi shì dāng chū jīn líng jiāo yǔ tā de 。
离线峡地处荒僻，便是很多元婴期修士，也不知道顺的具体位置，而这枚玉茵简，乃是当初金灵交予他的。
With his current elusiveness techniques, he wouldn't need more than a moment to arrive at Lixian Gorge.
yuē bàn kè zhōng yǐ hòu ， lín xuān tái qǐ tóu ， huà wèi yī dào qīng hóng ， xiāo shī zài le lí shān mǎng mǎng de cóng lín zhī zhōng 。
约半刻钟以后，林轩抬起头，化为一道青虹，消失在了骊山莽莽的丛林之中。
Lin Xuan didn’t suppress his aura. As a mid-stage元婴 cultivator, he no longer needed to tread carefully like before.
yǐ tā rú jīn de dùn shù ， zì rán shì bù xiāo piàn kè jiù lái dào lí xiàn xiá le 。
以他如今的遁术，自然是不消片刻就来到离线峡了。
Looking down at the gray demonic fog surrounding the valley, Lin Xuan’s expression changed slightly.
lín xuān bìng méi yǒu shōu liǎn qì xī ， rú jīn tā yǐ shì yuán yīng zhōng qī de xiū shì ， zuò shì qíng zì rán bù xiāo xiàng wǎng cháng yī yàng ， rú lǚ bó bīng ， xiǎo xīn yì yì 。
林轩并没有收敛气息，如今他已是元婴中期的修士，做事情自然不消像往常一样，如履薄冰，小心翼翼。
The禁制 had been activated, but why were there no disciples patrolling nearby? This was different from what Golden Spirit had described. Had something strange happened here?
kàn zhe xià miàn biǎo huī sè yāo qì huán rào de xiá gǔ ， lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī yì sè 。
看着下面裱灰色妖气环绕的峡谷，林轩脸上露出一丝异色。
Lin Xuan lowered his head and pondered.
jìn zhì kāi qǐ ， rán ér wèi shén me què méi yǒu dì zǐ zài fù jìn xún shì ， zhè yǔ jīn líng dāng chū de miáo shù ， kě shì jiǒng rán bù tóng ， nán dào gāi gǔ shēng shén me biàn yì le ？
禁制开启，然而为什么却没有弟子在附近巡视，这与金灵当初的描述，可是迥然不同，难道该谷生什么变异了？
However, soon his expression returned to normal. He came here to exchange for the Purple Lotus Tree; what had happened in Lixian Gorge was none of his concern.
lín xuān dī tóu chén yín qǐ lái le 。
林轩低头沉吟起来了。
With a smile on his face, he flicked his fingers, sending a light ray into the fog.
bù guò hěn kuài ， tā liǎn shàng jiù huī fù le cháng sè ， zì jǐ lái dào cǐ chù ， shì wèi le jiāo huàn zǐ lián shù ， zhì yú lí xiàn xiá shēng le shén me ， yǔ zì jǐ yòu yǒu shén me guān xì ne ？
不过很快，他脸上就恢复了常色，自己来到此处，是为了交换紫莲树，至于离线峡生了什么，与自己又有什么关系呢？
Inside the light ray was a small sachet, Golden Spirit’s personal item. Most disciples recognized it.
xiǎng dào zhè lǐ ， tā zuǐ jiǎo biān lù chū yī sī xiào yì ， qū zhǐ dàn chū ， yī dào guāng xiá jiù fēi lüè dào le yāo wù lǐ 。
想到这里，他嘴角边露出一丝笑意，屈指弹出，一道光霞就飞掠到了妖雾里。
Lin Xuan waited for just a moment before the demonic fog began to churn violently, revealing a passage about ten feet wide.
guāng xiá zhī zhōng ， yǒu yī quán tou dà xiǎo de xiāng náng ， cǐ nǎi jīn líng de tiē shēn zhī wù ， jù shuō gǔ zhōng dì zǐ dà duō shí dé 。
光霞之中，有一拳头大小的香囊，此乃金灵的贴身之物，据说谷中弟子大多识得。
Several cultivators flew out from inside. Three men and two women—familiar faces to Lin Xuan, none other than the mid-stage Golden Spirit cultivator.
lín xuān jǐn jǐn děng le piàn chāng ， xià miàn de yāo wù jiù kāi shǐ jù liè fān yǒng ， lù chū yī tiáo zhàng xǔ cū de tōng dào lái le 。
林轩仅仅等了片昌，下面的妖雾就开始剧烈翻涌，露出一条丈许粗的通道来了。
"Senior, you finally came! We thought you might..."
jǐ míng xiū xiān zhě cóng lǐ miàn fēi chū 。 sān nán liǎng nǚ ， wèi zhī rén lín xuān shí fēn shú jì ， zhèng shì nà wèi jīn líng xiān zi 。” qián bèi ， nǐ zhōng yú lái le ， wǎn bèi hái yǐ wéi nǐ ……”
几名修仙者从里面飞出。三男两女，为之人林轩十分熟忌，正是那位金灵仙子。”前辈，你终于来了，晚辈还以为你……”
The light faded as Golden Spirit arrived before Lin Xuan with a joyful expression. It was understandable; they had agreed that after the Mount Mangshan conference, he would come here, but it had been years without any news. She feared he had broken his promise or met an untimely end.
guāng huá shōu liǎn ， jīn líng yǐ lái dào le lín xuān de miàn qián ， liǎn shàng mǎn shì xǐ sè ， zhè yě shì nán guài de ， yuán běn shuō hǎo máng shān dà huì jié shù yǐ hòu ， lín xuān jiù huì lái cǐ ， nǎ zhī dào yī děng shù nián ， què méi yǒu bàn diǎn xiāo xī ， tā hái yǐ wéi zhè wèi qián bèi fǎn huǐ shuǎng yuē ， huò zhě yù jiàn yì wài yǐ jīng bù zài rén shì 。
光华收敛，金灵已来到了林轩的面前，脸上满是喜色，这也是难怪的，原本说好邙山大会结束以后，林轩就会来此，哪知道一等数年，却没有半点消息，她还以为这位前辈反悔爽约，或者遇见意外已经不在人世。
Seeing him now, she was overjoyed. High-grade pills were almost supernatural, and obtaining them through other means was extremely difficult.
rú jīn jiàn dào lín xuān dào lái ， zì rán shì xīn xǐ dào le jí diǎn ， bì jìng shàng pǐn dān jī hū shì nì tiān de cún zài ， xiǎng yào tōng guò qí tā tú jìng huò dé ， shí zài shì nán shàng jiā nán 。
如今见到林轩到来，自然是欣喜到了极点，毕竟上品丹几乎是逆天的存在，想要通过其他途径获得，实在是难上加难。
"Haha, I’ve kept you waiting. Over the past few years, I encountered some unexpected events," Lin Xuan said with a smile.
“ hē hē ， ràng dào yǒu jiǔ děng le ， zhè jǐ nián ， běn rén yù jiàn le yī xiē yì wài 。” lín xuān wēi xiào zhe shuō 。
“呵呵，让道友久等了，这几年，本人遇见了一些意外。”林轩微笑着说。
"Senior, please don’t say such things. Please come inside."
“ qián bèi yán zhòng le ， kuài qǐng rù gǔ 。”
“前辈言重了，快请入谷。”
Before Golden Spirit could finish speaking, an odd expression appeared on her face. For some reason, she felt that this senior was different from their last meeting, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was.
jīn líng huà yīn wèi luò ， liǎn shàng tū rán chū xiàn le yī sī gǔ guài shén sè ， bù zhī wèi hé ， tā xiàn zhè wèi qián bèi yǔ shàng cì jiàn miàn shí dà bù xiāng tóng ， dàn jù tǐ shì shén me ， què yòu shuō bù qīng chǔ 。
金灵话音未落，脸上突然出现了一丝古怪神色，不知为何，他现这位前辈与上次见面时大不相同，但具体是什么，却又说不清楚。
Could he have advanced to late-stage condensation core in just a few years? Golden Spirit wondered, though it seemed impolite, she couldn’t help feeling curious and used her spirit sense to secretly scan Lin Xuan.
“ nán dào duǎn duǎn de jǐ nián ， duì fāng yǐ jīng jìn jiē ， chéng wéi le níng dān hòu qī de xiū xiān zhě ？ jīn líng yǒu xiē chà yì de xiǎng zhe ， suī rán zhè yàng zuò yǒu xiē shī lǐ ， dàn hái shì rěn bú zhù xīn zhōng hào qí ， yòng shén shí qiāo qiāo de xiàng lín xuān sǎo qù 。
“难道短短的几年，对方已经进阶，成为了凝丹后期的修仙者？金灵有些诧异的想着，虽然这样做有些失礼，但还是忍不住心中好奇，用神识悄悄的像林轩扫去。
Upon seeing him, she was taken aback. Her expression grew even more peculiar.
zhè yī kàn ， zì rán ràng qí dà gǎn è rán ， biǎo qíng biàn dé yuè gǔ guài 。
这一看，自然让其大感愕然，表情变得越古怪。
Impossible. When she last saw this senior, he was only at mid-stage condensation core despite his unique abilities. How could he have become a mid-stage元婴 in just a few years?
bù kě néng ， dāng nián zì jǐ jiàn dào zhè wèi qián bèi de shí hòu ， tā suī rán shén tōng qí tè ， dàn yě jǐn jǐn shì yī níng dān zhōng qī de xiū xiān zhě ， zěn me duǎn duǎn jǐ nián wèi jiàn ， jiù biàn chéng yuán yīng zhōng qī le 。
不可能，当年自己见到这位前辈的时候，他虽然神通奇特，但也仅仅是一凝丹中期的修仙者，怎么短短几年未见，就变成元婴中期了。
Even if an immortal descended to the mortal world, it wouldn’t be possible to advance so quickly.
jiù suàn tiān xiān xià fán ， xiū liàn dù yě bù kě néng rú cǐ zhī kuài 。
就算天仙下凡，修炼度也不可能如此之快。
Moved by her curiosity, she ignored propriety and scanned him several more times with her spirit sense.
cǐ nǚ dòng róng zhī xià ， gù bù dé shī lǐ ， yòu yòng shén shí zǎi zǐ xì xì de lián sǎo le shù biàn 。
此女动容之下，顾不得失礼，又用神识仔仔细细的连扫了数遍。
Indeed, he was at mid-stage元婴!
què shí shì yuán yīng zhōng qī ！
确实是元婴中期！
"Senior, there’s no need for alarm. Back then, I had special reasons that led me to conceal my cultivation," Lin Xuan shook his head, speaking calmly.
“ xiān zi bù yòng jīng yí ， dāng nián lín mǒu yīn wèi yǒu tè shū yuán yīn ， suǒ yǐ céng jiāng xiū wèi yǐn mán le yī xiē 。” lín xuān yáo le yáo tóu ， biǎo qíng dàn rán de kāi kǒu 。
“仙子不用惊疑，当年林某因为有特殊原因，所以曾将修为隐瞒了一些。”林轩摇了摇头，表情淡然的开口。
"Senior, please don’t say such things. I can’t bear the honor of being called so; just call me by my name."
“ qián bèi yán zhòng le ， wǎn bèi kě bù gǎn dāng nín rú cǐ chēng hū ， nín jiào wǒ míng zì jiù hǎo le 。”
“前辈言重了，晚辈可不敢当您如此称呼，您叫我名字就好了。”
Golden Spirit’s expression turned reverent as she hurriedly bowed. As a peer at mid-stage元婴, she dared not be disrespectful.
jīn líng liǎn shàng lù chū jìng wèi zhī sè ， máng yíng yíng xià bài de kāi kǒu ， duì fāng yǔ jiā zǔ shì tóng jiē xiū shì ， tā zì rán bù gǎn yǒu sī háo de fàng sì qīng hū 。
金灵脸上露出敬畏之色，忙盈盈下拜的开口，对方与家祖是同阶修士，她自然不敢有丝毫的放肆轻忽。
The other four disciples also changed their expressions and quickly bowed to greet him.
qí tā sì míng dì zǐ yě biǎo qíng dà biàn ， máng xià bài gōng yíng le qǐ lái 。
其他四名弟子也表情大变，忙下拜恭迎了起来。
"Enough, no need for such formalities. Lead the way!"
“ hǎo le ， zhū wèi bù yòng duō lǐ ， qián fāng dài lù jiù shì ！”
“好了，诸位不用多礼，前方带路就是！”
"Yes!"
“ shì ！”
“是！”
Seeing this easy-going senior, several low-ranking cultivators, including Golden Spirit, breathed a sigh of relief. Just as they were about to guide him into the valley, Lin Xuan abruptly stopped walking.
jiàn zhè yī wú yīng qián bèi biǎo qíng suí hé ， bāo kuò jīn líng zài nèi de jǐ míng dī jiē xiū shì bù yuē ér tóng de sōng le kǒu qì ， zhèng yù jiāng tā yǐn lǐng rù gǔ ， lín xuān què sà rán tíng xià le jiǎo bù 。
见这依无婴前辈表情随和，包括金灵在内的几名低阶修士不约而同的松了口气，正欲将他引领入谷，林轩却飒然停下了脚步。
His eyes narrowed as he turned to look behind. A faint yellow streak appeared in his vision. The feeling and power...
yǎn jīng gǎn mī ， zhuǎn tóu xiàng hòu kàn qù 。 yī dào ruò yǒu ruò wú de dàn huáng sè jīng hóng chū xiàn zài le shì xiàn lǐ 。 nà gǎn jué ， nà wēi shì ……
眼睛橄眯，转头向后看去。一道若有若无的淡黄色惊虹出现在了视线里。那感觉，那威势……
It seemed like an advanced mid-stage元婴 cultivator.
Ancient towering trees were abundant, but the mountain forests often harbored venomous snakes and fierce beasts. Occasionally, one could even encounter legendary cultivators...
Thus, in nearby human settlements, there were always people who admired the ways of immortals entering the mountains, hoping to be taken under the tutelage of those earth-bound deities. Immortality was an irresistible temptation for anyone.
However, over centuries, few succeeded. Most died at the mouths of beasts or perished in toxic swamps. The path to immortality wasn't as easy as it seemed. In reality, there weren’t many cultivation sects on Li Mountain.
Yet, deep within its heart lay a幽深峡谷 named Lixian Gorge, perpetually shrouded by gray demonic fog.
This valley was located in a remote area but had a reputation that echoed throughout the spirit island’s cultivation world.
The master of this valley was an old monster at mid-stage元婴.
Though his name had been forgotten, his metallic nature-based cultivation technique was unparalleled, almost invincible to weapons and magic.
It was said that decades ago, he had bet with a mid-stage transformed beast, facing it head-on without any defensive talismans or other magical artifacts. He took three hits but emerged victorious, winning several rare treasures while barely sustaining injuries.
Such formidable defense was unmatched even by mid-stage turtle beasts.
His reputation soared, and there were whispers that his strength rivaled that of a great cultivator like Yellow Brow Immortal.
While exaggerated, it was clear how powerful this old monster was—far beyond ordinary mid-stage cultivators.
On this day, a streak of green light appeared before Li Mountain. As the light faded, a plain-looking young man emerged.
Sure enough, it was Lin Xuan!
He had already run through his thoughts about the old metal monster in his mind. However, he wasn’t here to challenge him; instead, he wanted to find one of his junior disciples—a mid-stage Golden Spirit cultivator.
Back when they met on Mount Mangshan, Lin Xuan had promised to use a high-grade base foundation pill to exchange for a rare tree called Purple Lotus Tree.
While such trees were insignificant in the hands of other cultivators, they could significantly accelerate the maturation process for the Jade Beehive. He wouldn’t let this opportunity slip away and planned to collect them extensively.
Originally, he had agreed with Golden Spirit that after the Mount Mangshan conference, he would visit Lixian Gorge. However, due to various events in the Ice Desert Wasteland, he was delayed until now...
Lin Xuan reached out and tapped his waist. A green jade cylinder flew out. He sank his spirit into it.
Lixian Gorge was remote, and even many mid-stage cultivators didn’t know its exact location. This jade cylinder had been given to him by Golden Spirit.
After a quarter of an hour, Lin Xuan looked up, transformed into a streak of green light, and vanished into the dense forests of Li Mountain.
With his current elusiveness techniques, he wouldn't need more than a moment to arrive at Lixian Gorge.
Lin Xuan didn’t suppress his aura. As a mid-stage元婴 cultivator, he no longer needed to tread carefully like before.
Looking down at the gray demonic fog surrounding the valley, Lin Xuan’s expression changed slightly.
The禁制 had been activated, but why were there no disciples patrolling nearby? This was different from what Golden Spirit had described. Had something strange happened here?
Lin Xuan lowered his head and pondered.
However, soon his expression returned to normal. He came here to exchange for the Purple Lotus Tree; what had happened in Lixian Gorge was none of his concern.
With a smile on his face, he flicked his fingers, sending a light ray into the fog.
Inside the light ray was a small sachet, Golden Spirit’s personal item. Most disciples recognized it.
Lin Xuan waited for just a moment before the demonic fog began to churn violently, revealing a passage about ten feet wide.
Several cultivators flew out from inside. Three men and two women—familiar faces to Lin Xuan, none other than the mid-stage Golden Spirit cultivator.
"Senior, you finally came! We thought you might..."
The light faded as Golden Spirit arrived before Lin Xuan with a joyful expression. It was understandable; they had agreed that after the Mount Mangshan conference, he would come here, but it had been years without any news. She feared he had broken his promise or met an untimely end.
Seeing him now, she was overjoyed. High-grade pills were almost supernatural, and obtaining them through other means was extremely difficult.
"Haha, I’ve kept you waiting. Over the past few years, I encountered some unexpected events," Lin Xuan said with a smile.
"Senior, please don’t say such things. Please come inside."
Before Golden Spirit could finish speaking, an odd expression appeared on her face. For some reason, she felt that this senior was different from their last meeting, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was.
Could he have advanced to late-stage condensation core in just a few years? Golden Spirit wondered, though it seemed impolite, she couldn’t help feeling curious and used her spirit sense to secretly scan Lin Xuan.
Upon seeing him, she was taken aback. Her expression grew even more peculiar.
Impossible. When she last saw this senior, he was only at mid-stage condensation core despite his unique abilities. How could he have become a mid-stage元婴 in just a few years?
Even if an immortal descended to the mortal world, it wouldn’t be possible to advance so quickly.
Moved by her curiosity, she ignored propriety and scanned him several more times with her spirit sense.
Indeed, he was at mid-stage元婴!
"Senior, there’s no need for alarm. Back then, I had special reasons that led me to conceal my cultivation," Lin Xuan shook his head, speaking calmly.
"Senior, please don’t say such things. I can’t bear the honor of being called so; just call me by my name."
Golden Spirit’s expression turned reverent as she hurriedly bowed. As a peer at mid-stage元婴, she dared not be disrespectful.
The other four disciples also changed their expressions and quickly bowed to greet him.
"Enough, no need for such formalities. Lead the way!"
"Yes!"
Seeing this easy-going senior, several low-ranking cultivators, including Golden Spirit, breathed a sigh of relief. Just as they were about to guide him into the valley, Lin Xuan abruptly stopped walking.
His eyes narrowed as he turned to look behind. A faint yellow streak appeared in his vision. The feeling and power...
It seemed like an advanced mid-stage元婴 cultivator.