qián yī kè hái cí méi shàn mù ， zhuǎn yǎn jiān què fān liǎn rú tóng fān shū ， liǎng gè níng dān qī de rén ， zì shì dà jīng shī sè ， zài jiàn dào nà cuǐ càn de jiàn guāng yǐ hòu ， gèng shì biǎo qíng yī xià zi kuáng biàn le 。
前一刻还慈眉善目，转眼间却翻脸如同翻书，两个凝丹期的人，自是大惊失色，再见到那璀璨的剑光以后，更是表情一下子狂变了。
In the blink of an eye, Lin Xuan had gone from a kind-faced man to someone who could turn his face as cold as ice. Two condensation core cultivators naturally reacted with shock and fear. After seeing the dazzling sword light, their expressions turned into a mix of rage and terror.
jīng nù jiāo jí ， dàn liǎng rén dāng rán bú huì zuò yǐ dài bì ， ǎi pàng lǎo zhě liǎn rú tǔ sè ， dàn lüè yī chí yí zhī hòu ， què hái shì shēn chū yòu shǒu ， shén sè níng zhòng de xiàng qián diǎn chū yī lǚ hēi qì mò rù shào huī bái sè de xiān ， xiān jiàn biǎo miàn jìng rán fú xiàn chū yī zhēng níng de guǐ liǎn 。
惊怒交集，但两人当然不会坐以待毙，矮胖老者脸如土色，但略一迟疑之后，却还是伸出右手，神色凝重的像前点出一缕黑气没入邵灰白色的仙，仙剑表面竟然浮现出一狰狞的鬼脸。
Anger and fear mingled together, but they certainly wouldn't sit idly by. The short, plump elder's complexion was ashen, but after a moment’s hesitation, he extended his right hand, sending out a black aura that entered Shao Huaishan's body. A grotesque ghost face appeared on the surface of his immortal sword.
suí hòu lì qì chōng tiān ……
随后戾气冲天……
Then, the aura surged skyward...
“ xiōng líng zhī bǎo ？”
“凶灵之宝？”
"Treasure of Fierce Spirit?" Lin Xuan said with some surprise. The so-called treasure of fierce spirit was akin to an entity spirit, but instead of containing a beast’s soul, it sealed the spirits of fallen cultivators.
lín xuān lüè yǒu xiē yà yì de kāi kǒu dào ， suǒ wèi xiōng líng zhī bǎo ， qí shí yǔ qì líng yǒu yì qǔ tóng gōng zhī miào ， zhǐ bù guò yí gè shì jiāng yāo shòu hún pò shè rù bǎo wù ， lìng yí gè zé shì jiāng xiū xiān zhě de yuān hún fēng - yìn qí zhōng 。
林轩略有些讶异的开口道，所谓凶灵之宝，其实与器灵有异曲同工之妙，只不过一个是将妖兽魂魄摄入宝物，另一个则是将修仙者的冤魂封-印其中。
It was rumored that such treasures were even more powerful than ordinary entity spirits, but only ghost cultivators could wield them.
jù shuō bǐ pǔ tōng de qì líng zhī bǎo wēi lì hái yào shèng shàng yī chóu zhǐ bù guò néng gòu gē dòng cǐ lèi bǎo wù de zhǐ néng shì guǐ xiū 。
据说比普通的器灵之宝威力还要胜上一筹只不过能够胳动此类宝物的只能是鬼修。
After the elder's finger struck out, he transformed into a streak of light and fled backward at incredible speed. Lin Xuan nodded, his face showing some approval. The man had risked his own life support to escape, which was indeed commendable.
lǎo zhě yī zhǐ diǎn chū yǐ hòu ， què fǎn shēn huà wèi yī dào jīng hóng ， fēng chí diàn chè bān de xiàng hòu jī lín xuān yě diǎn le diǎn tóu ， liǎn shàng nán dé de lù chū jǐ lǚ zàn xǔ zhī sè 。 zhè rén wéi le táo zǒu ， jū rán bù xī jiāng běn mìng fǎ bǎo shě diào 。
老者一指点出以后，却反身化为一道惊虹，风驰电掣般的向后激林轩也点了点头，脸上难得的露出几缕赞许之色。这人为了逃走，居然不惜将本命法宝舍掉。
Unfortunately, it was all in vain! Seeing that the treasure of fierce spirit couldn't withstand his sword attack, Lin Xuan flicked his left hand, and a green aura enveloped Mo Huaishan as he shot forward.
yǒng lì guǒ jué 。 dào yě suàn yí gè rén wù 。
勇厉果决。倒也算一个人物。
Two days later, a vast mountain came into view. Lin Xuan slowed down and stopped mid-air.
kě xī shì tú láo ！ jiàn xiōng líng zhī bǎo dǐ dǎng zhù le zì jǐ de jiàn kàn ” lín xuān zuǒ shǒu fān zhuǎn ， yī quán tou dà xiǎo de huǒ yàn yuè shēng chū lái 。
可惜是徒劳！见凶灵之宝抵挡住了自己的剑看”林轩左手翻转，一拳头大小的火焰跃升出来。
Before him was the Qinyin Mountains, one of the two most perilous regions in Youzhou alongside the Ten Thousand Great Mountains. Even cultivators would hesitate to enter this place without good reason.
rú rú ér dòng ， huà wèi yī bì guāng yíng yíng de xiǎo niǎo ， chì bǎng yī shàn ， rú lí xián zhī jiàn ， hòu xiān zhì ， yī xià mò rù le ǎi pàng lǎo zhě suǒ huà de jīng hóng lǐ miàn 。
蠕蠕而动，化为一碧光莹莹的小鸟，翅膀一扇，如离弦之箭，后先至，一下没入了矮胖老者所化的惊虹里面。
In the case of the Qinyin Mountains, while the outer areas had been explored by many, they were mostly safe for low-rank disciples and base condensation core cultivators who could avoid dangerous beasts. They could hunt and gather resources like bones and furs from various creatures, which often fetched some crystals.
yǐ lín xuān rú jīn de xiū wèi ， bié shuō yī qū qū de níng dān qī xiū xiān zhě ， jiù suàn shì yuán yīng qī lǎo guài wù ， yù jiàn bì huàn yōu huǒ ， yě bì dìng huì shǒu máng jiǎo luàn ， fān de 。
以林轩如今的修为，别说一区区的凝丹期修仙者，就算是元婴期老怪物，遇见碧幻幽火，也必定会手忙脚乱，番的。
However, this wasn't a place of safety. Many cultivators fell victim to the dangers within each year, becoming food for the beasts. The law of the jungle was evident in these woods.
cǎn jiào shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， lǎo zhě huāng máng jì chū fáng yù bǎo wù ， kě xī méi yǒu bàn fēn zuò yòng ， shùn shí jiù lián tóng tā de ròu shēn yì qǐ bèi liàn huà le 。
惨叫声传入耳朵，老者慌忙祭出防御宝物，可惜没有半分作用，瞬时就连同他的肉身一起被炼化了。
Beyond the outer areas, after crossing a significant mountain, no one had ventured into the inner regions. Even groups of base condensation core cultivators usually ended up as prey. Legend said that countless denizens of the fourth stage and above dwelled within those dense forests, requiring at least an advanced condensation core to navigate safely.
lín xuān zhuǎn guò tóu 。 xiàn nà zhōng nián xiū shì yě xiàn rù le hūn mí zhōng ， bù guò dào bú shì bèi tā jiàn guāng dǎ yūn de ， ér shì yuè ér chū shǒu 。
林轩转过头。现那中年修士也陷入了昏迷中，不过倒不是被他剑光打晕的，而是月儿出手。
Yet, in thousands of years, few advanced condensation core cultivators dared to enter. They weren’t looking for trouble; unless they had a divine-grade treasure, no one would willingly challenge the denizens of the fourth stage and above.
xiǎo yā tou suī rán méi yǒu jié yīng chéng gōng ， dàn duì fù yī níng dān zhōng qī de guǐ xiū hái shì yóu rèn yǒu yú de 。
小丫头虽然没有结婴成功，但对付一凝丹中期的鬼修还是游刃有余的。
It was known that creatures below the third stage couldn't match their peers, but those at the fourth stage usually outmatched even advanced condensation core cultivators in terms of intelligence and strength.
bù guò jǐ xī de gōng fu ， liǎng gè dǎo méi de jiā huo jiù yī sǐ yī shāng le 。
不过几息的功夫，两个倒霉的家伙就一死一伤了。
Moreover, humans and beasts didn’t get along. Although there were no deep-seated grudges, if one side gained an upper hand, they would mercilessly wipe out any invaders.
lín xuān mǎn yì de diǎn diǎn tóu ， shēn xíng yī shǎn ， yǐ lái dào nà hūn mí de xiū shì miàn qián ， jiāng shǒu fàng zài tā de nǎo dài shàng miàn 。 shī zhǎn qǐ sōu hún zhī fǎ lái ……
林轩满意的点点头，身形一闪，已来到那昏迷的修士面前，将手放在他的脑袋上面。施展起搜魂之法来……
However, exceptions existed. The Mo Yue tribe could reside in the inner regions because their ancestors had some unresolved issues with higher-stage beasts.
hěn kuài ， lín xuān de liǎn sè què yīn chén le xià lái ， qū zhǐ wēi dàn ， jǐ lì huǒ qiú fú xiàn ， jiāng duì fāng huà wèi le huī yān 。
很快，林轩的脸色却阴沉了下来，屈指微弹，几粒火球浮现，将对方化为了灰烟。
Nevertheless, even so, they couldn't venture outside their territory without risking attacks from those beasts.
“ zěn me le 。 shào yé ， yǒu hé xiàn ？”
“怎么了。少爷，有何现？”
Fortunately, the Qinyin Mountains were vast, and after a defeat, the Mo Yue tribe’s population was small. The territories allocated to them were sufficient for their survival and reproduction.
lín xuān yáo le yáo měi 。 méi yǒu kāi kǒu ， ér shì yǐ shǒu zhī hé ， zhěng lǐ qǐ sī xù lái le 。
林轩摇了摇每。没有开口，而是以手支颌，整理起思绪来了。
Due to this unique environment, the region wasn’t affected by the ghostly calamity that swept through Youzhou.
duì fāng dāng rán bú shì zhēn duì bài xuān gé ， bù guò tā men de mù dì què ràng lín xuān mí huò ， jū rán shì qù kuí yīn shān mài yǔ jǐ wèi zhǎng lǎo huì hé ， suí hòu yào jìn qù wán chéng shén me zhòng yào rèn wù 。
对方当然不是针对拜轩阁，不过他们的目的却让林轩迷惑，居然是去奎阴山脉与几位长老汇合，随后要进去完成什么重要任务。
If all the beasts in these woods emerged, they would likely surpass the native cultivators of Youzhou in strength.
zhǐ kě xī liǎng rén xiū wèi tài dī ， zhǐ shì fèng mìng zēng yuán ér yǐ ， jù tǐ zuò shén me shì ， què bìng bù qīng chǔ ， mìng lìng ràng tā men jiàn miàn yǐ hòu ， tīng jǐ wèi zhǎng lǎo fēn fù 。
只可惜两人修为太低，只是奉命增援而已，具体做什么事，却并不清楚，命令让他们见面以后，听几位长老吩咐。
Lin Xuan knew he had to enter differently from before. Back then, he had accidentally entered through a teleportation array, but now, he needed to use his own abilities to sneak in. If discovered, it wouldn’t be a big issue; beasts were naturally fierce, but they likely wouldn’t provoke an advanced condensation core cultivator like himself.
zhè kě yǒu xiē qí guài le 。
这可有些奇怪了。
With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Lin Xuan transformed into a faint streak of gray light and delved deeper.
kuí yīn shān mài xiàng lái shì xiū shì de jìn qū ， wài wéi hái hǎo shuō ， shēn chù kě shì yǒu bù shǎo huà xíng qī lǎo guài wù ， tóng shí hái jū zhù zhuó mò yuè zú ， biàn shì yōu zhōu běn tǔ xiū shì ， yě hěn shǎo lái cǐ ， zǒng tán zài yún zhōu de lì hún gǔ 。 wèi hé huì tōu tōu mō mō de lái zhè lǐ bàn shì ？ lín xuān xīn zhōng yí huò ， bù guò yě méi yǒu yòng xīn sī suǒ 。
奎阴山脉向来是修士的禁区，外围还好说，深处可是有不少化形期老怪物，同时还居住着墨月族，便是幽州本土修士，也很少来此，总坛在云州的厉魂谷。为何会偷偷摸摸的来这里办事？林轩心中疑惑，不过也没有用心思索。
Though his concealment technique slowed him down, he also avoided many troubles.
bù guǎn duì fāng yǒu shén me dòng zuò ， zhǐ yào yǔ zì jǐ wú guān jiù xíng le 。
不管对方有什么动作，只要与自己无关就行了。
Lin Xuan didn't know that at this moment, some 10,000 miles away, inside another entrance to the Qinyin Mountains, in an unremarkable grove, dozens of black-robed cultivators gathered. Each one exuded a heavy aura; all were ghost cultivators.
lín xuān kě bù huì chī bǎo le méi shì ， qù guǎn duì fāng xián shì 。
林轩可不会吃饱了没事，去管对方闲事。
Among them were condensation core and base condensation core cultivators, but three stood out with their imposing presence—advanced condensation core cultivators.
bù guò jīng lì le zhè xiǎo chā qǔ ， lín xuān yě xiǎng hǎo le qù chù ， zì jǐ sì hū yě gāi qù kuí yīn shān mài yī yóu 。
不过经历了这小插曲，林轩也想好了去处，自己似乎也该去奎阴山脉一游。
On the left was a woman in imperial attire, though her clothes remained black. Her appearance was decent enough, not beautiful, but her eyes were blood red, with an eerie light flickering within them. Just looking at her could make one shiver.
yī lái ， zì rán shì sòng mò yuè zú dà zhǎng lǎo guī xī ， zì jǐ dāng nián zǎn duì bǎi dú shén jūn zuò xià chéng nuò ， jìn jiē yuán yīng yǐ hòu bì dìng miè le hùn yuán lǎo zǔ ， ér qiě yě zhǐ yǒu yòng nà jiā huo de jīng hún xuè jì ， cái néng dǎ kāi bǎi dú shén jūn sòng zì jǐ de yù tǒng 。
一来，自然是送墨月族大长老归西，自己当年昝对百毒神君做下承诺，进阶元婴以后必定灭了混元老祖，而且也只有用那家伙的精魂血祭，才能打开百毒神君送自己的玉筒。
Beside her stood a bald man in animal skin and painted face, resembling some primitive tribe’s savage. Yet his cultivation level surpassed that of the bizarrely dressed woman—advanced condensation core stage.
nà shì mò yuè zú de chuán chéng zhī bǎo ， lǐ miàn jì zǎi le duō zhǒng mì shù ， qí zhōng jiù bāo kuò le bì huàn yōu huǒ ， cǐ mó yán de wēi lì lín xuān yì qīng èr chǔ ， qí tā mì shù dāng rán yě shì zhì zài bì děi 。
那是墨月族的传承之宝，里面记载了多种秘术，其中就包括了碧幻幽火，此魔炎的威力林轩一清二楚，其他秘术当然也是志在必得。
The last person was completely different; he appeared to be around forty years old with three long strands of beard, looking extremely refined. Wearing a white scholar's robe, he seemed like someone preparing for an imperial examination.
cǐ shì bù néng dān gē 。 fǒu zé hùn yuán lǎo zǔ zuò huà ， huò zhě sǐ yú bié rén shǒu zhōng ， zì jǐ kě jiù kū dōu méi yǒu dì fāng kū 。
此事不能耽搁。否则混元老祖坐化，或者死于别人手中，自己可就哭都没有地方哭。
He had a gentle demeanor and was the most human-like among all the cultivators present.
lín xuān àn àn xiǎng zhe 。
林轩暗暗想着。
But as the saying goes, one shouldn't judge a book by its cover. While others exuded a heavy aura from practicing ghost techniques, this seemingly human-like figure was actually a monster from the Netherworld.
ér chú le zhè jiàn zhèng shì yǐ wài ， hái yǒu yī wèi gù rén jū zhù zài kuí yīn shān mài zhè zhōng 。
而除了这件正事以外，还有一位故人居住在奎阴山脉这中。
However, his cultivation level was too high; he had condensed his spirit to form a new physical body.
kǒng què xiān zi ！ dāng nián liǎng rén shì dí fēi yǒu ， lín xuān zài zhè wèi huà xíng zhōng qī nǚ yāo de shǒu zhōng ， shèn zhì hái chī le bù xiǎo de kǔ tóu 。
孔雀仙子！当年两人是敌非友，林轩在这位化形中期女妖的手中，甚至还吃了不小的苦头。
If Lin Xuan were here, he would recognize him and be furious. He had nearly died several times at the hands of this monster, who was...
In the blink of an eye, Lin Xuan had gone from a kind-faced man to someone who could turn his face as cold as ice. Two condensation core cultivators naturally reacted with shock and fear. After seeing the dazzling sword light, their expressions turned into a mix of rage and terror.
Anger and fear mingled together, but they certainly wouldn't sit idly by. The short, plump elder's complexion was ashen, but after a moment’s hesitation, he extended his right hand, sending out a black aura that entered Shao Huaishan's body. A grotesque ghost face appeared on the surface of his immortal sword.
Then, the aura surged skyward...
"Treasure of Fierce Spirit?" Lin Xuan said with some surprise. The so-called treasure of fierce spirit was akin to an entity spirit, but instead of containing a beast’s soul, it sealed the spirits of fallen cultivators.
It was rumored that such treasures were even more powerful than ordinary entity spirits, but only ghost cultivators could wield them.
After the elder's finger struck out, he transformed into a streak of light and fled backward at incredible speed. Lin Xuan nodded, his face showing some approval. The man had risked his own life support to escape, which was indeed commendable.
Unfortunately, it was all in vain! Seeing that the treasure of fierce spirit couldn't withstand his sword attack, Lin Xuan flicked his left hand, and a green aura enveloped Mo Huaishan as he shot forward.
Two days later, a vast mountain came into view. Lin Xuan slowed down and stopped mid-air.
Before him was the Qinyin Mountains, one of the two most perilous regions in Youzhou alongside the Ten Thousand Great Mountains. Even cultivators would hesitate to enter this place without good reason.
In the case of the Qinyin Mountains, while the outer areas had been explored by many, they were mostly safe for low-rank disciples and base condensation core cultivators who could avoid dangerous beasts. They could hunt and gather resources like bones and furs from various creatures, which often fetched some crystals.
However, this wasn't a place of safety. Many cultivators fell victim to the dangers within each year, becoming food for the beasts. The law of the jungle was evident in these woods.
Beyond the outer areas, after crossing a significant mountain, no one had ventured into the inner regions. Even groups of base condensation core cultivators usually ended up as prey. Legend said that countless denizens of the fourth stage and above dwelled within those dense forests, requiring at least an advanced condensation core to navigate safely.
Yet, in thousands of years, few advanced condensation core cultivators dared to enter. They weren’t looking for trouble; unless they had a divine-grade treasure, no one would willingly challenge the denizens of the fourth stage and above.
It was known that creatures below the third stage couldn't match their peers, but those at the fourth stage usually outmatched even advanced condensation core cultivators in terms of intelligence and strength.
Moreover, humans and beasts didn’t get along. Although there were no deep-seated grudges, if one side gained an upper hand, they would mercilessly wipe out any invaders.
However, exceptions existed. The Mo Yue tribe could reside in the inner regions because their ancestors had some unresolved issues with higher-stage beasts.
Nevertheless, even so, they couldn't venture outside their territory without risking attacks from those beasts.
Fortunately, the Qinyin Mountains were vast, and after a defeat, the Mo Yue tribe’s population was small. The territories allocated to them were sufficient for their survival and reproduction.
Due to this unique environment, the region wasn’t affected by the ghostly calamity that swept through Youzhou.
If all the beasts in these woods emerged, they would likely surpass the native cultivators of Youzhou in strength.
Lin Xuan knew he had to enter differently from before. Back then, he had accidentally entered through a teleportation array, but now, he needed to use his own abilities to sneak in. If discovered, it wouldn’t be a big issue; beasts were naturally fierce, but they likely wouldn’t provoke an advanced condensation core cultivator like himself.
With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Lin Xuan transformed into a faint streak of gray light and delved deeper.
Though his concealment technique slowed him down, he also avoided many troubles.
Lin Xuan didn't know that at this moment, some 10,000 miles away, inside another entrance to the Qinyin Mountains, in an unremarkable grove, dozens of black-robed cultivators gathered. Each one exuded a heavy aura; all were ghost cultivators.
Among them were condensation core and base condensation core cultivators, but three stood out with their imposing presence—advanced condensation core cultivators.
On the left was a woman in imperial attire, though her clothes remained black. Her appearance was decent enough, not beautiful, but her eyes were blood red, with an eerie light flickering within them. Just looking at her could make one shiver.
Beside her stood a bald man in animal skin and painted face, resembling some primitive tribe’s savage. Yet his cultivation level surpassed that of the bizarrely dressed woman—advanced condensation core stage.
The last person was completely different; he appeared to be around forty years old with three long strands of beard, looking extremely refined. Wearing a white scholar's robe, he seemed like someone preparing for an imperial examination.
He had a gentle demeanor and was the most human-like among all the cultivators present.
But as the saying goes, one shouldn't judge a book by its cover. While others exuded a heavy aura from practicing ghost techniques, this seemingly human-like figure was actually a monster from the Netherworld.
However, his cultivation level was too high; he had condensed his spirit to form a new physical body.
If Lin Xuan were here, he would recognize him and be furious. He had nearly died several times at the hands of this monster, who was...