xiōng dì tóng xīn ， qí lì duàn quán ！ fū qī liǎng rén lián shǒu 。 suī jìn jí wèi jiǔ ， dàn hùn yuán lǎo zǔ yě gǎn dào le jí dà de wēi xié ， shuāng fāng hù yǒu gù jì ， zhǐ shì biǎo miàn shàng wéi chí zhe hé mù ér yǐ ， àn dì lǐ 「 què qiǎo rán zhēng dòu bù xī zhǐ bù guò ， xiàn zài hái méi yǒu zhì pò liǎn pí 。
兄弟同心，其利断全！夫妻两人联手。虽晋级未久，但溷元老祖也感到了极大的威胁，双方互有顾忌，只是表面上维持着和睦而已，暗地里「却悄然争斗不息只不过，现在还没有掷破脸皮。
Brothers in heart, their strength can cut through anything! The couple worked together. Although they had only recently advanced, the Ancestral Demon Sovereign felt a significant threat. Both parties maintained an appearance of harmony while secretly engaging in constant covert struggles. However, things were not yet at a breaking point.
rú cǐ yī lái ， yún fēng hé miào yōu xiān zi ， zì rán bú huì jū zhù zài kuí yuè chéng lǐ 。
如此一来，云峰和妙幽仙子，自然不会居住在奎月城里。
Thus, Yunfeng and Miao You naturally did not reside in the Quyue City.
shuāng fāng bǎo - chí zhe yī zhǒng wēi ruò de jūn shì 。
双方保-持着一种微弱的均势。
Both sides maintained a fragile balance.
rán ér shí fēn cuì ruò ， suí zhe shí jiān de tuī yí ， xíng shì huì biàn dé duì hùn yuán lǎo zǔ bù lì 。
然而十分脆弱，随着时间的推移，形势会变得对溷元老祖不利。
However, this balance was fragile and would become increasingly unfavorable to the Ancestral Demon Sovereign over time.
bì jìng ， tā shì gū jiā guǎ rén ér yǐ ， shǒu xià suī yě yǒu yī xiē xīn fù ， dàn zuì duō yě jiù níng dān qī ， zài yuán yīng jí de zhēng dòu zhōng méi yǒu yòng tú ， suí zhe liǎng rén jìng jiè wěn gù ， yōu shì de tiān píng yǐ jīng xiàng zhe duì fāng qīng xié le 。
毕竟，他是孤家寡人而已，手下虽也有一些心腹，但最多也就凝丹期，在元婴级的争斗中没有用途，随着两人境界稳固，优势的天平已经向着对方倾斜了。
After all, he was an isolated figure. Although he had some loyal followers, they were at most at the Condensation Core stage, making them useless in conflicts against the婴灵 Stage. As their cultivation stabilized, the scales of advantage began tilting towards the other party.
xiǎng yào wǎn huí jú miàn 。 tā yǒu liǎng gè xuǎn zé ， yī shì tū pò píng jǐng ， chéng gōng jìn jí ， zhè yàng yǐ zhōng qī de xiū wèi ， miàn duì liǎng míng chū qī xiū shì ， zì shì wěn cāo shèng quàn wú yí 。
想要挽回局面。他有两个选择，一是突破瓶颈，成功晋级，这样以中期的修为，面对两名初期修士，自是稳操胜券无疑。
To regain the upper hand, he had two options: one was to break through his bottleneck and advance successfully, thereby facing only two initial-stage cultivators with a mid-stage cultivation level, ensuring victory without doubt.
hái yǒu yí gè ， jiù shì xún zhǎo bāng shǒu ， zhǐ yào yǒu yī míng tóng jí bié xiū xiān zhě àn zhōng xiāng zhù ， yǐ zì jǐ de - shén tōng ， dǎ bài yún fēng hé miào yōu xiān zi ， yě bù suàn shén me nán shì 。
还有一个，就是寻找帮手，只要有一名同级别修仙者暗中相助，以自己的-神通，打败云峰和妙幽仙子，也不算什么难事。
The second option was to seek help. As long as there was another cultivator of the same level secretly assisting him, defeating Yunfeng and Miao You would not be too difficult using his divine powers.
dì èr &# dì yí gè ， duǎn qī nèi què shì bù tài kě néng de 。
第二&#第一个，短期内却是不太可能的。
However, the first option seemed unlikely in the short term.
xiū xiān xiū xiān ， nián 。 dào hòu miàn yuè shì jiān nán ， hùn yuán lǎo zǔ níng chéng yuán yīng yě yǒu shù bǎi nián ， suī lì jīng xīn kǔ ， zhōng yú dào le chū qī dǐng fēng ， rán ér què bèi píng jǐng kǎ zhù ， mǐn shí nián guāng yīn què yì diǎn jìn zhǎn yě wú ， duǎn qī nèi jìn jí gēn běn jiù shì chī rén shuō mèng 。
修仙修仙，鲇。到后面越是艰难，溷元老祖凝成元婴也有数百年，虽历经辛苦，终于到了初期顶峰，然而却被瓶颈卡住，敏十年光阴却一点进展也无，短期内晋级根本就是痴人说梦。
Cultivation was hard work, especially towards the end. The Ancestral Demon Sovereign had condensed his婴灵 over several hundred years. Despite much effort, he reached the initial stage's peak but got stuck at a bottleneck for ten years without progress. He couldn't blame anyone else.
bì jìng tā de zī zhì suī rán bù cuò ， dàn yǔ bǎi dú shén jūn xiāng bǐ què hái shì chà yuǎn le ， shuō bù dìng jīn shēng de xiān dào zhī lù jiù zhǐ yú cǐ chù ， nà yě shì méi shén me hào qí guài de 。
毕竟他的资质虽然不错，但与百毒神君相比却还是差远了，说不定今生的仙道之路就止于此处，那也是没什么好奇怪的。
"Brother, there is no need to explain. Since it was the old monster Black Tiger who personally came here, your disturbance during my seclusion isn't wrong. I don’t hold any grudge against you," he waved his hand dismissively.
hùn yuán lǎo zǔ de quán lì yù hěn nóng ， zì rán bù gān xīn jiāng dà zhǎng lǎo de bǎo zuò guāi guāi ràng chū ， kě yún fēng hé miào yōu xiān zi jiē jī jǐng yì cháng ， jié wèi shuāng xiū bàn lǚ hòu gèng xíng yǐng bù lí ， zì jǐ gēn běn jiù bù kě néng gè gè jī pò 。 nà yào dào shén me dì fāng qù xún zhǎo bāng shǒu ne ？
溷元老祖的权力欲很浓，自然不甘心将大长老的宝座乖乖让出，可云峰和妙幽仙子皆机警异常，结为双修伴侣后更形影不离，自己根本就不可能各个击破。那要到什么地方去寻找帮手呢？
"Thank you, Master!" The black-robed demon smiled in relief.
tè bié shì kuí yīn shān mài zhī zhōng ， yǒu néng lì yuán shǒu de zhǐ yǒu huà xíng qī yāo zú ， kě nà xiē jiā huo mì shì zhī zhōng ， hùn yuán lǎo zǔ pán xī ér zuò ， shuāng méi jǐn suǒ ， zhèng kǔ xīn sī suǒ ， tū rán yī dào huǒ guāng fēi shè ér rù 。
特别是奎阴山脉之中，有能力援手的只有化形期妖族，可那些家伙密室之中，溷元老祖盘膝而坐，双眉紧锁，正苦心思索，突然一道火光飞射而入。
He then led the Ancestral Demon Sovereign to a guest room. The room was small but elegantly furnished with flowers on the windowsill and paintings hanging on the walls, giving it an air of refinement.
shì chuán yīn fú ！ hùn yuán lǎo zǔ tái qǐ tóu ， liǎn shàng lù chū xiē xǔ yà sè ， zì jǐ shuō guò ， zuì jìn bú yào dǎ rǎo de ， nán dào yǒu shén me biàn gù shēng le ？
是传音符！溷元老祖抬起头，脸上露出些许讶色，自己说过，最近不要打扰的，难道有什么变故生了？
Inside sat a high-stage demon with an impatient expression.
xiǎng dào zhè lǐ ， tā de liǎn sè yīn chén xià qù ， máng jiāng shén shí tàn rù chuán yīn fú lǐ 。
想到这里，他的脸色阴沉下去，忙将神识探入传音符里。
This creature stood unusually tall, over two meters in height if he stood up. He had long ears and green eyes, his black hair messy and unkempt. Despite his ugly appearance, his demeanor was extremely fierce, making one frown upon seeing him.
yī duàn wén zì zài nǎo hǎi zhōng fú xiàn ， tā de biǎo qíng yě biàn dé gǔ guài qǐ lái ， jīng yà ， máng rán ， dàn yǐn yǐn sì hū yě yǒu yì diǎn huān xǐ zài lǐ miàn 。
一段文字在脑海中浮现，他的表情也变得古怪起来，惊讶，茫然，但隐隐似乎也有一点欢喜在里面。
Despite the presence of two demons serving them, they kept their distance from this demon.
suí hòu hùn yuán lǎo zǔ zhèn yī ér qǐ ， tuī kāi shí mén zǒu le chū qù 。
随后溷元老祖振衣而起，推开石门走了出去。
"What's with that old fellow Ancestral Demon? What a big show! I've been here for half an hour, and he still hasn't shown up. If he doesn’t come out soon, I’ll burn your Starlight Palace," the demon said while savagely eating roasted chicken.
yī míng hēi yī wū shī gōng jìng shì lì ， kàn jiàn tā chū lái ， liǎn sè dà xǐ ， máng bài dǎo xíng lǐ ：“ jiàn guò shī zūn 。”
一名黑衣巫师恭敬侍立，看见他出来，脸色大喜，忙拜倒行礼：“见过师尊。”
"Please calm down, Senior. My master…" one of the demons wiped his forehead with sweat and smiled apologetically. Before he could finish speaking, a cold voice interrupted: "Hmph! Black Tiger friend is truly imposing and intimidating. But just waiting for an old man for a moment has you so worked up? Although the Starlight Palace can’t match your Black Tiger Cave, it’s still my ancestor's legacy. You can't burn it at will."
“ nǐ shuō nà hēi hǔ yāo wáng lái cǐ ？”
“你说那黑虎妖王来此？”
The words had barely left his mouth when a tall demon appeared before them. It was none other than Ancestral Demon. The two mid-stage cultivators sighed in relief and quietly retreated.
“ bù cuò ， yāo wáng bì xià qīn zì lái le ， qiě zhǐ míng yào jiàn shī zūn 。 suǒ yǐ ……
“不错，妖王陛下亲自来了，且指名要见师尊。所以……
Ancestral Demon Sovereign scanned the demon with his eyes, raising an eyebrow with a look of shock mixed with envy: "When did you advance to the middle stage? This is truly something to be rejoiced."
hùn yuán lǎo zǔ bǎi le bǎi shǒu ：“ nǐ bù yòng jiě shì ， jì rán shì hēi hǔ nà lǎo guài wù qīn lín ， nǐ dǎ rǎo bì guān bù suàn yǒu cuò 。 wǒ bìng méi guài zuì nǐ de 。”
溷元老祖摆了摆手：“你不用解释，既然是黑虎那老怪物亲临，你打扰闭关不算有错。我并没怪罪你的。”
"Spit it out," the Black Tiger Demon spat. His action stunned Ancestral Demon Sovereign, who looked surprised.
“ duō xiè shī zūn ！” hēi yī wū shī dà xǐ ， àn àn sōng le kǒu qì 。
“多谢师尊！”黑衣巫师大喜，暗暗松了口气。
"What are you saying? Although we humans and demons have different paths, pursuing immortality is the same for both of us. Every step in cultivation brings us closer to that goal. What could be more joyous than advancing to the middle stage of transformation?"
suí hòu zài qián miàn yǐn lù ， jiāng hùn yuán lǎo zǔ dài dào le yī jiān kè fáng zhī zhōng 。 fáng jiān bù dà ， què bù zhì dé shí fēn diǎn yǎ ， chuāng tái shàng bǎi zhe huā pén ， qiáng bì shàng xuán yǒu zì huà ， xiǎn de hěn shì fù yōng fēng yǎ 。
随后在前面引路，将溷元老祖带到了一间客房之中。房间不大，却布置得十分典雅，窗台上摆着花盆，墙壁上悬有字画，显得很是附庸风雅。
Ancestral Demon Sovereign's soothing words did not bring much comfort to Black Tiger Demon. He sighed with a sense of melancholy: "What use is advancement? Even if I can truly achieve immortality, she still doesn’t show me any respect."
ér fáng jiān zhī zhōng ， zé zuò zhe yī míng huà xíng qī yāo zú ， mǎn liǎn de bù nài zhī sè 。
而房间之中，则坐着一名化形期妖族，满脸的不耐之色。
"贱人?" Ancestral Demon Sovereign was utterly confused but, as an astute and cunning individual, he guessed the demon's expression indicated something. However, his mind was filled with absurdity: "Could this old demon have fallen in love?"
cǐ rén shēn cái kuí wú yǐ jí ， rú guǒ zhàn qǐ lái ， shēn gāo jué duì guò liǎng mǐ ， zhǎng ěr lǜ mù ， yī tóu hēi luàn zāo zāo de 。 piān piān què chuān zhe yī jiàn kuān dà de rú páo ， què yòu xiōng kǒu dà chǎng ， lù chū hēi hū hū de xiōng pāng xiù qí róng mào chǒu lòu bù shuō ， shén tài yě shí fēn xiōng è ， ràng rén yī kàn ， jiù dà zhòu méi tou 。
此人身材魁梧以极，如果站起来，身高绝对过两米，长耳绿目，一头黑乱糟糟的。偏偏却穿着一件宽大的儒袍，却又胸口大敞，露出黑乎乎的凶乓岫其容貌丑陋不说，神态也十分凶恶，让人一看，就大皱眉头。
The two had known each other for a century, both not being good people. Their so-called friendship was merely mutual exploitation. Hearing Black Tiger Demon’s rambling, Ancestral Demon Sovereign's eyes narrowed as an eerie light flickered in his eyes before quickly vanishing.
fáng jiān zhī zhōng ， suī yǒu liǎng míng wū shī cì hòu ， dàn dōu yǒu yì wú yì ， yǔ cǐ yāo lā kāi jù lí 。
房间之中，虽有两名巫师伺候，但都有意无意，与此妖拉开距离。
"Old friend, tell me what happened and see if I can help," he said warmly.
“ nà hùn yuán lǎo ér zěn me huí shì ， hǎo dà de jià zi ， běn wáng dōu lái le bàn gè shí chén ， tā yī jiù méi yǒu zōng jì ， zài bù chū lái ， xiǎo ‘。y běn wáng jiāng nǐ men zhè tiān xīng gōng shāo qù 。” nà yāo zú yī biān dà kǒu kěn zhe shāo jī 。 yī biān è hěn hěn de kǒu tǔ wēi xié zhī yǔ 。
“那溷元老儿怎么回事，好大的架子，本王都来了半个时辰，他依旧没有踪迹，再不出来，小‘。y本王将你们这天星宫烧去。”那妖族一边大口啃着烧鸡。一边恶狠狠的口吐威胁之语。
"To the west of here, about ten million miles away, there is a mountain called Cangming. Have you heard of it?"
“ qián ， bèi ， xī nù 。 jiā shī ……” yī míng wū shī mǒ le mǒ é tóu shàng de hàn dī ， péi xiào zhe kāi kǒu ， huà yīn wèi luò o yī lěng lěng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ：“ hēng ， hēi hǔ dào yǒu zhēn shì hǎo wēi fēng ， hǎo shā qì ， bù guò shāo shāo děng le lǎo fū piàn kè ér yǐ ， jiù zhè me dà huǒ qì ， tiān xīng gōng suī bǐ bù liǎo nǐ de hēi hǔ dòng ， dàn yě shì zǔ shī liú xià lái de jī yè ， kě bù néng róng nǐ shuō shāo jiù shāo huà yīn wèi luò ， yī shēn cái gāo dà de wū shī yǐ chū xiàn zài yǎn lián zhōng ， bú yòng shuō ， zhèng shì hùn yuán liǎng gè níng dān qī de wū shī rú shì zhòng fù ， máng xíng le yī lǐ ， qiǎo rán tuì le xià qù 。
“前，辈，息怒。家师……”一名巫师抹了抹额头上的汗滴，陪笑着开口，话音未落o一冷冷的声音传入耳朵：“哼，黑虎道友真是好威风，好煞气，不过稍稍等了老夫片刻而已，就这么大火气，天星宫虽比不了你的黑虎洞，但也是祖师留下来的基业，可不能容你说烧就烧话音未落，一身材高大的巫师已出现在眼帘中，不用说，正是溷元两个凝丹期的巫师如释重负，忙行了一礼，悄然退了下去。
"Cangming Mountain?" Ancestral Demon Sovereign frowned as he thought deeply before slowly replying: "I haven’t been there, but our clan’s records mention it. It's said to be dangerous with countless ravines and gorges in the Quyue Mountains. Apart from demons, many unknown dangers lurk there. Why did you suddenly bring up this place?"
hùn yuán lǎo zǔ mù guāng zài duì fāng shēn shàng sǎo guò ， què méi tóu yī tiāo ， liǎn shàng lù chū jǐ fēn hài rán ， yǐn yǐn hái yǒu jǐ fēn jí dù zài lǐ miàn ：“ dào yǒu shén me shí hòu jìn jiē zhōng qī le ， zhēn shì kě xǐ kě “ pēi ， zhè yǒu shén me zhí de gāo xìng de 。” hēi hǔ yāo wáng què hěn hěn tǔ le yī kǒu tù mò ， tā zhè dòng zuò ràng hùn yuán lǎo zǔ yě dāi zhù le ， miàn lù yà rán zhī sè ：“ dào yǒu zhè shì shén me huà ， suī rán nǐ wǒ rén yāo shū tú 。 dàn zhuī xún xiān dào què shì yī yàng de ， cháng shēng suī rán piāo miǎo ， dàn xiū wèi měi jìn yí bù ， jù lí zhè ge míng chēng yě jiù gèng jìn yī fèn le ， dào yǒu néng gòu jìn jiē huà xíng zhōng qī ， hái yǒu shén me bǐ zhè ge zhí de gāo xìng de duó 。”
溷元老祖目光在对方身上扫过，却眉头一挑，脸上露出几分骇然，隐隐还有几分嫉妒在里面：“道友什么时候进阶中期了，真是可喜可“呸，这有什么值得高兴的。”黑虎妖王却狠狠吐了一口吐沫，他这动作让溷元老祖也呆住了，面露讶然之色：“道友这是什么话，虽然你我人妖殊途。但追寻仙道却是一样的，长生虽然飘淼，但修为每进一步，距离这个名称也就更近一份了，道友能够进阶化形中期，还有什么比这个值得高兴的夺。”
"Humph! Cangming Mountain is indeed perilous, but not as described," Black Tiger Demon frowned.
tīng le hùn yuán lǎo zǔ kuān wèi de yán yǔ ， hēi hǔ yāo wáng què yōu yōu de tàn le kǒu qì ， xiàn chū jǐ fēn luò jì ：“ jìn jí yǒu shén me yòng ， jiù suàn zhēn néng cháng shēng yòu rú hé ， nà jì rén hái shì sī háo bú duì wǒ jiǎ yǐ cí sè 。”
听了溷元老祖宽慰的言语，黑虎妖王却幽幽的叹了口气，现出几分落寂：“晋级有什么用，就算真能长生又如何，那骥人还是丝毫不对我假以词色。”
"Transformation-stage demon? So, the demon veins of Cangming Mountain are also good. Then, why did you get into a conflict with its ruler?" Ancestral Demon Sovereign asked, his eyes moving.
“ jiàn rén ？” hùn yuán lǎo zǔ tīng dé yī tóu wù shuǐ ， dàn tā dào dǐ shì fù hēi shēn chén zhī bèi ， jiàn le duì fāng de biǎo qíng 。 xīn zhōng yǐn yǐn yǒu hào - cāi cè ， dàn gèng duō de ， què shì huāng miù de gǎn jué ：“ mò fēi zhè lǎo yāo guài ， jìng rán zhuì rù qíng wǎng le ？”
“贱人？”溷元老祖听得一头雾水，但他到底是腹黑深沉之辈，见了对方的表情。心中隐隐有号-猜测，但更多的，却是荒谬的感觉：“莫非这老妖怪，竟然坠入情网了？”
"It wasn’t a conflict." Black Tiger Demon shook his head: "I fell in love with its ruler."
shuō qǐ zhè yī rén yī yāo ， xiāng jiāo yě yǒu bǎi nián ， dāng rán ， liǎng rén dōu bú shì shén me hǎo dōng xī ， suǒ wèi jiāo qíng yě bù guò shì hù xiāng lì yòng ér yǐ ， cǐ kè tīng le hēi hǔ yāo wáng zhè fān méi tóu méi nǎo de yán yǔ ， hùn yuán lǎo zǔ yǎn zhū yī zhuǎn ， yī gǔ guǐ yì de guāng máng zài móu dǐ fú xiàn ， dàn hěn kuài yòu xiāo shī bú jiàn ……
说起这一人一妖，相交也有百年，当然，两人都不是什么好东西，所谓交情也不过是互相利用而已，此刻听了黑虎妖王这番没头没脑的言语，溷元老祖眼珠一转，一股诡异的光芒在眸底浮现，但很快又消失不见……
"Ah?" Despite his guesses, Ancestral Demon Sovereign’s face showed shock. "Could the other party be female?"
“ lǎo yǒu jiū jìng yù jiàn shén me ， bù fáng màn màn shuō ， kàn xiǎo dì yǒu méi yǒu shén me kě yǐ bāng máng de 。” hùn yuán lǎo zǔ rè qíng de shuō 。
“老友究竟遇见什么，不妨慢慢说，看小弟有没有什么可以帮忙的。”溷元老祖热情的说。
"Yes, it's a mid-stage transformation-stage peacock. She is breathtakingly beautiful, and I did fall for her," Black Tiger Demon explained.
“ zài jù cǐ yǐ xī 。 yuē shí wàn lǐ ， yǒu yī zuò cāng míng shān ， bù zhī dào yǒu kě tīng shuō guò ？”
“在距此以西。约十万里，有一座沧溟山，不知道友可听说过？”
He recounted his story, which was indeed coincidental. His territory was far from Cangming Mountain. However, during an excursion, he encountered the Fairy Peacock returning from Youzhou.
“ cāng míng shān ？” hùn yuán lǎo zǔ méi tou yí zhòu ， xì xì sī suǒ ， bàn xiǎng yǐ hòu ， cái zhōng yú huǎn huǎn de kāi kǒu ：“ lǎo fū méi qù guò nà lǐ ， bù guò zú zhōng diǎn jí jì zǎi guò yī xiē ， jù shuō zài kuí yīn shān mài zhī zhōng ， nà yě suàn shì yī xiǎn dì ， xiá gǔ gōu hè ， shǔ bù shèng shǔ ， chú le yāo shòu ， jù shuō wèi zhī de wēi xiǎn yě hěn duō ， dào yǒu zěn me tū rán tí dào nà lǐ le ？”
“沧溟山？”溷元老祖眉头一皱，细细思索，半响以后，才终于缓缓的开口：“老夫没去过那里，不过族中典籍记载过一些，据说在奎阴山脉之中，那也算是一险地，峡谷沟壑，数不胜数，除了妖兽，据说未知的危险也很多，道友怎么突然提到那里了？”
Upon seeing her, Black Tiger Demon was immediately struck dumb with admiration, bowing before her and starting a persistent pursuit to become her dual cultivation partner.
“ hēng ， cāng míng shān shì hěn wēi xiǎn ， bù guò yǔ dào yǒu miáo shù de què yòu bù tóng ， nà lǐ jū zhù zhe yī huà xíng qī de sì jiē yāo shòu 。” hēi hǔ yāo wáng méi tou yí zhòu de kāi kǒu 。
“哼，沧溟山是很危险，不过与道友描述的却又不同，那里居住着一化形期的四阶妖兽。”黑虎妖王眉头一皱的开口。
Unfortunately, despite his persistence, Fairy Peacock showed no interest, rejecting him outright.
“ huà xíng yāo shòu 。 zhè me shuō ， cāng míng shān de yāo mài yě bù cuò 。 zěn me 。 dào yǒu yǔ nà lǐ de lǐng zhǔ qǐ le chōng tū ？” hùn yuán lǎo zǔ yǎn zhū zhuǎn dòng de shuō 。
“化形妖兽。这么说，沧溟山的妖脉也不错。怎么。道友与那里的领主起了冲突？”溷元老祖眼珠转动的说。
However, the stubborn demon didn’t give up. He continued pestering her until she finally had to use divine powers to drive him away. In those ten years, Fairy Peacock advanced to mid-stage while he remained at the initial stage's peak. The outcome was clear: he lost.
“ bú shì chōng tū 。” hēi hǔ yāo wáng yáo le yáo tóu ：“ ér shì wǒ xǐ huān shàng le nà lǐ de lǐng zhǔ 。
“不是冲突。”黑虎妖王摇了摇头：“而是我喜欢上了那里的领主。
Despite her dislike for him, Fairy Peacock spared his life out of respect as a fellow demon.
“ a ？” jǐn guǎn xīn zhōng yǐ yǒu cāi cè ， dàn biǎo miàn shàng ， hùn yuán lǎo zǔ què lù chū jīng è zhī sè ：“ mò fēi duì fāng shì nǚ de ？”
“啊？”尽管心中已有猜测，但表面上，溷元老祖却露出惊愕之色：“莫非对方是女的？”
With no other choice, Black Tiger Demon could only return dejectedly.
“ bù cuò ， nà shì yī huà xíng zhōng qī de kǒng què ， yǒu zhe qīng guó qīng chéng zhī sè ， měi mào wú bǐ ， wǒ què shí duì qí dòng xīn le ……
“不错，那是一化形中期的孔雀，有着倾国倾城之色，美貌无比，我确实对其动心了……
But he wasn’t giving up. As a demon with considerable strength, he lacked the agility to change his fate easily. He believed that Fairy Peacock rejected him because she felt he was not powerful enough, inferior to her in cultivation.
hēi hǔ yāo wáng jiǎng qǐ le tā de jīng lì ， shuō qǐ lái yě shì qiǎo hé 。 yuán běn tā de lǐng dì yǔ cāng míng shān xiāng jù shèn yuǎn 。 kě yī cì chū wài yóu lì ， què qià hǎo jiàn dào le cóng yōu zhōu guī lái de kǒng què xiān zi 。
黑虎妖王讲起了他的经历，说起来也是巧合。原本他的领地与沧溟山相距甚远。可一次出外游历，却恰好见到了从幽州归来的孔雀仙子。
If he advanced to mid-stage, perhaps she would reconsider.
hēi hǔ yāo wáng yī jiàn zhī xià ， dùn shí jīng wèi tiān rén ， bài dǎo zài le kǒng què xiān zi de shí liú qún xià ， yú shì biàn kāi shǐ le chī chán làn dǎ ， xiǎng yào yǔ qí jié wèi shuāng xiū dào lǚ 。
黑虎妖王一见之下，顿时惊为天人，拜倒在了孔雀仙子的石榴裙下，于是便开始了痴缠烂打，想要与其结为双修道侣。
With this one-sided hope, he began secluding himself for intensive cultivation.
kě xī luò huā yǒu yì liú shuǐ wú qíng ， zhè tóu sǐ lǎo hǔ ， kǒng què xiān zi yā gēn jiù kàn bù shàng yǎn ， yī kǒu huí jué 。
可惜落花有意流水无情，这头死老虎，孔雀仙子压根就看不上眼，一口回绝。
His sole goal was to break through the bottleneck.
rán ér hǔ yāo wáng bìng bù sǐ xīn ， jì xù jiū chán ， kǒng què xiān zi bù shèng qí fán ， yú shì chū shǒu qū gǎn ， liǎng rén yī fān dà zhàn ， zài mǐn shí nián qián ， kǒng què yǐ jìn jiē zhōng qī ， ér tā bù guò chū qī dǐng jiē ér yǐ ， shèng fù zì rán méi yǒu xuán yí 。
然而虎妖王并不死心，继续纠缠，孔雀仙子不胜其烦，于是出手驱赶，两人一番大战，在敏十年前，孔雀已进阶中期，而他不过初期顶阶而已，胜负自然没有悬疑。
According to common sense, this should have been extremely difficult. Otherwise, Ancestral Demon Sovereign wouldn’t be stuck at a bottleneck.
hǎo zài kǒng què suī rán tǎo yàn cǐ rén ， kě zǒng zàng - kàn zài tóng wèi yāo zú de fèn shàng ， méi yǒu qǔ tā xìng mìng 。
好在孔雀虽然讨厌此人，可总葬-看在同为妖族的份上，没有取他性命。
But as the saying goes, fools sometimes have good luck. Perhaps it was his good fortune that he succeeded in advancing after only sixty years.
shì yǐ zhì cǐ 。 hēi hǔ yāo wáng yě zhǐ néng chàng rán huí jī 。
事已至此。黑虎妖王也只能怅然回击。
After entering the mid-stage, his joy was evident. Once his cultivation stabilized, he returned to Cangming Mountain hoping for success this time. However, from start to finish, it was all a one-sided hope. Fairy Peacock had no feelings for him and would never agree to marry him. They ended up in a heated argument before finally resorting to combat.
dàn tā bìng bù sǐ xīn 。 shuō qǐ zhè lǎo hǔ ， xiū wèi suī rán bù ruò ， dàn tóu pēi què bìng méi yǒu duō líng huó ， zài tā xiǎng lái 。 zhī suǒ yǐ huì bèi jù jué ， shì yīn wèi kǒng què xián zì jǐ xiū wèi bù gòu ， bǐ tā hái yào xùn shàng yī chóu 。
但他并不死心。说起这老虎，修为虽然不弱，但头胚却并没有多灵活，在他想来。之所以会被拒绝，是因为孔雀嫌自己修为不够，比她还要逊上一筹。
As both mid-stage demons, with Fairy Peacock having advanced ten years earlier and possessing the bloodline of a celestial bird, the outcome was predictable: Black Tiger Demon fled in defeat once again.
rú guǒ zì jǐ néng gòu jìn jià zhōng qī ， shuō bù dìng jiā rén jiù huì huí xīn zhuǎn yì 。
如果自己能够进价中期，说不定佳人就会回心转意。
After hearing the story, Ancestral Demon Sovereign was stunned. He felt elated, looking down on this demon who wasted his time on trivial matters instead of focusing on cultivation. As a high-stage cultivator, he should have been dedicated to seeking immortality rather than engaging in such nonsense. Such creatures were nothing but fools.
bào zhe zhè zhǒng yì xiāng qíng yuàn de xiǎng fǎ ， tā kāi shǐ bì guān kǔ xiū le 。
抱着这种一厢情愿的想法，他开始闭关苦修了。
However, upon reflection, the foolishness of the tiger demon allowed him to break through and advance to mid-stage transformation. Yet Ancestral Demon Sovereign was stuck at this stage despite his single-minded pursuit of the Way. It was utterly unjust.
yī xīn xiǎng yào tū pò píng jǐng 。
一心想要突破瓶颈。
Jealousy flashed in his eyes, yet he maintained a facade: "Brother, what do you want from me? I can’t persuade Fairy Peacock to change her mind."
Brothers in heart, their strength can cut through anything! The couple worked together. Although they had only recently advanced, the Ancestral Demon Sovereign felt a significant threat. Both parties maintained an appearance of harmony while secretly engaging in constant covert struggles. However, things were not yet at a breaking point.
Thus, Yunfeng and Miao You naturally did not reside in the Quyue City.
Both sides maintained a fragile balance.
However, this balance was fragile and would become increasingly unfavorable to the Ancestral Demon Sovereign over time.
After all, he was an isolated figure. Although he had some loyal followers, they were at most at the Condensation Core stage, making them useless in conflicts against the婴灵 Stage. As their cultivation stabilized, the scales of advantage began tilting towards the other party.
To regain the upper hand, he had two options: one was to break through his bottleneck and advance successfully, thereby facing only two initial-stage cultivators with a mid-stage cultivation level, ensuring victory without doubt.
The second option was to seek help. As long as there was another cultivator of the same level secretly assisting him, defeating Yunfeng and Miao You would not be too difficult using his divine powers.
However, the first option seemed unlikely in the short term.
Cultivation was hard work, especially towards the end. The Ancestral Demon Sovereign had condensed his婴灵 over several hundred years. Despite much effort, he reached the initial stage's peak but got stuck at a bottleneck for ten years without progress. He couldn't blame anyone else.
"Brother, there is no need to explain. Since it was the old monster Black Tiger who personally came here, your disturbance during my seclusion isn't wrong. I don’t hold any grudge against you," he waved his hand dismissively.
"Thank you, Master!" The black-robed demon smiled in relief.
He then led the Ancestral Demon Sovereign to a guest room. The room was small but elegantly furnished with flowers on the windowsill and paintings hanging on the walls, giving it an air of refinement.
Inside sat a high-stage demon with an impatient expression.
This creature stood unusually tall, over two meters in height if he stood up. He had long ears and green eyes, his black hair messy and unkempt. Despite his ugly appearance, his demeanor was extremely fierce, making one frown upon seeing him.
Despite the presence of two demons serving them, they kept their distance from this demon.
"What's with that old fellow Ancestral Demon? What a big show! I've been here for half an hour, and he still hasn't shown up. If he doesn’t come out soon, I’ll burn your Starlight Palace," the demon said while savagely eating roasted chicken.
"Please calm down, Senior. My master…" one of the demons wiped his forehead with sweat and smiled apologetically. Before he could finish speaking, a cold voice interrupted: "Hmph! Black Tiger friend is truly imposing and intimidating. But just waiting for an old man for a moment has you so worked up? Although the Starlight Palace can’t match your Black Tiger Cave, it’s still my ancestor's legacy. You can't burn it at will."
The words had barely left his mouth when a tall demon appeared before them. It was none other than Ancestral Demon. The two mid-stage cultivators sighed in relief and quietly retreated.
Ancestral Demon Sovereign scanned the demon with his eyes, raising an eyebrow with a look of shock mixed with envy: "When did you advance to the middle stage? This is truly something to be rejoiced."
"Spit it out," the Black Tiger Demon spat. His action stunned Ancestral Demon Sovereign, who looked surprised.
"What are you saying? Although we humans and demons have different paths, pursuing immortality is the same for both of us. Every step in cultivation brings us closer to that goal. What could be more joyous than advancing to the middle stage of transformation?"
Ancestral Demon Sovereign's soothing words did not bring much comfort to Black Tiger Demon. He sighed with a sense of melancholy: "What use is advancement? Even if I can truly achieve immortality, she still doesn’t show me any respect."
"贱人?" Ancestral Demon Sovereign was utterly confused but, as an astute and cunning individual, he guessed the demon's expression indicated something. However, his mind was filled with absurdity: "Could this old demon have fallen in love?"
The two had known each other for a century, both not being good people. Their so-called friendship was merely mutual exploitation. Hearing Black Tiger Demon’s rambling, Ancestral Demon Sovereign's eyes narrowed as an eerie light flickered in his eyes before quickly vanishing.
"Old friend, tell me what happened and see if I can help," he said warmly.
"To the west of here, about ten million miles away, there is a mountain called Cangming. Have you heard of it?"
"Cangming Mountain?" Ancestral Demon Sovereign frowned as he thought deeply before slowly replying: "I haven’t been there, but our clan’s records mention it. It's said to be dangerous with countless ravines and gorges in the Quyue Mountains. Apart from demons, many unknown dangers lurk there. Why did you suddenly bring up this place?"
"Humph! Cangming Mountain is indeed perilous, but not as described," Black Tiger Demon frowned.
"Transformation-stage demon? So, the demon veins of Cangming Mountain are also good. Then, why did you get into a conflict with its ruler?" Ancestral Demon Sovereign asked, his eyes moving.
"It wasn’t a conflict." Black Tiger Demon shook his head: "I fell in love with its ruler."
"Ah?" Despite his guesses, Ancestral Demon Sovereign’s face showed shock. "Could the other party be female?"
"Yes, it's a mid-stage transformation-stage peacock. She is breathtakingly beautiful, and I did fall for her," Black Tiger Demon explained.
He recounted his story, which was indeed coincidental. His territory was far from Cangming Mountain. However, during an excursion, he encountered the Fairy Peacock returning from Youzhou.
Upon seeing her, Black Tiger Demon was immediately struck dumb with admiration, bowing before her and starting a persistent pursuit to become her dual cultivation partner.
Unfortunately, despite his persistence, Fairy Peacock showed no interest, rejecting him outright.
However, the stubborn demon didn’t give up. He continued pestering her until she finally had to use divine powers to drive him away. In those ten years, Fairy Peacock advanced to mid-stage while he remained at the initial stage's peak. The outcome was clear: he lost.
Despite her dislike for him, Fairy Peacock spared his life out of respect as a fellow demon.
With no other choice, Black Tiger Demon could only return dejectedly.
But he wasn’t giving up. As a demon with considerable strength, he lacked the agility to change his fate easily. He believed that Fairy Peacock rejected him because she felt he was not powerful enough, inferior to her in cultivation.
If he advanced to mid-stage, perhaps she would reconsider.
With this one-sided hope, he began secluding himself for intensive cultivation.
His sole goal was to break through the bottleneck.
According to common sense, this should have been extremely difficult. Otherwise, Ancestral Demon Sovereign wouldn’t be stuck at a bottleneck.
But as the saying goes, fools sometimes have good luck. Perhaps it was his good fortune that he succeeded in advancing after only sixty years.
After entering the mid-stage, his joy was evident. Once his cultivation stabilized, he returned to Cangming Mountain hoping for success this time. However, from start to finish, it was all a one-sided hope. Fairy Peacock had no feelings for him and would never agree to marry him. They ended up in a heated argument before finally resorting to combat.
As both mid-stage demons, with Fairy Peacock having advanced ten years earlier and possessing the bloodline of a celestial bird, the outcome was predictable: Black Tiger Demon fled in defeat once again.
After hearing the story, Ancestral Demon Sovereign was stunned. He felt elated, looking down on this demon who wasted his time on trivial matters instead of focusing on cultivation. As a high-stage cultivator, he should have been dedicated to seeking immortality rather than engaging in such nonsense. Such creatures were nothing but fools.
However, upon reflection, the foolishness of the tiger demon allowed him to break through and advance to mid-stage transformation. Yet Ancestral Demon Sovereign was stuck at this stage despite his single-minded pursuit of the Way. It was utterly unjust.
Jealousy flashed in his eyes, yet he maintained a facade: "Brother, what do you want from me? I can’t persuade Fairy Peacock to change her mind."