bǎi huā gǔ 。
百花谷。
Flower Valley.
liǎng gè lǎo guài wù shè hǎo mái fú ， suí hòu cáng shēn yú mì lín zhī zhōng ， shōu liǎn qì xī ， shǒu zhū dài tù 。
两个老怪物设好埋伏，随后藏身于密林之中，收敛气息，守株待兔。
Two ancient monsters had set up a trap and hid in the dense forest, concealing their qi to wait for their prey.
qīng shān wēi é ， lǜ cǎo rú yīn ， fàng yǎn wàng qù ， zhěng gè shān gǔ xián jìng ér měi lì ， shuí néng xiǎng dào lǐ miàn jìng yùn hán zhe bīng lěng de shā jī 。
青山巍峨，绿草如茵，放眼望去，整个山谷娴静而美丽，谁能想到里面竟蕴含着冰冷的杀机。
The green mountains stood tall, with lush grasses underfoot. Looking around, one could see that the entire valley was tranquil and beautiful, yet who would have thought it harbored icy danger.
yī rén yī yāo lái dào cǐ dì ， mái fú le shù gè shí chén ， yǎn kàn tài yáng xī xié ， cái zhōng yú yǒu yī dào dùn guāng luò rù le shì xiàn lǐ 。
一人一妖来到此地，埋伏了数个时辰，眼看太阳西斜，才终于有一道遁光落入了视线里。
A human and a demon arrived at this place, setting up their trap for several hours. As the sun began to set in the west, a streak of light finally entered their line of sight.
hēi hǔ yāo wáng liǎn xiàn xǐ sè ， kě guò le piàn kè ， biǎo qíng què yòu biàn dé yǒu xiē gǔ guài le ， zhè dào jīng hóng huī méng méng de ， yǔ kǒng què xiān zi píng rì lǐ de dùn guāng dà bù xiāng tóng ， mò fēi shì bié de xiū shì yāo zú ， wú yì jiān yě lái dào le cǐ chù ？
黑虎妖王脸现喜色，可过了片刻，表情却又变得有些古怪了，这道惊虹灰蒙蒙的，与孔雀仙子平日里的遁光大不相同，莫非是别的修士妖族，无意间也来到了此处？
The Black Tiger Demon King's face lit up with joy, but after a moment, his expression turned somewhat strange. This streak of light was grayish and different from the usual遁光of Fairy Phoenix. Could it be that another cultivator or demon had accidentally arrived here?
xiǎng dào zhè lǐ ， hēi hǔ bù yóu de xīn xià dí gū ， xiàng cáng zài yī páng de hùn yuán lǎo zǔ shǐ le gè yǎn sè ， xīn zhōng què mò míng de yǒng qǐ yī gǔ bù miào de yù gǎn lái le 。
想到这里，黑虎不由得心下嘀咕，向藏在一旁的混元老祖使了个眼色，心中却莫名的涌起一股不妙的预感来了。
Thinking this, the Black Tiger couldn't help but feel uneasy, sending a glance to Huan Yuan Senior Immortal as if seeking reassurance, though he felt an ominous premonition.
nà dùn guāng suī háo bù qǐ yǎn ， kě dù què shì jí kuài ， piàn kè hòu ， jiù zài jù lí liǎng rén yuē bǎi yú zhàng yuǎn de dì fāng là le xià lái 。
那遁光虽毫不起眼，可度却是极快，片刻后，就在距离两人约百余丈远的地方落了下来。
Although the streak of light was unremarkable, its speed was incredibly fast. After a moment, it landed about a hundred feet away from the two.
guāng huá shōu liǎn ， lù chū yí miàn mào pǔ tōng de shào nián ， bú yòng shuō ， zhèng shì lín xuān 。
光华收敛，露出一面貌普通的少年，不用说，正是林轩。
The light faded, revealing a plain-looking young man—Lin Xuan himself.
cǐ kè tā bìng méi yǒu jiāng xiū wèi yǐn cáng ， shén guāng nèi yùn ， líng lì áng rán ， liǎng gè lǎo guài wù jiē liǎn sè dà biàn 。
此刻他并没有将修为隐藏，神光内蕴，灵力昂然，两个老怪物皆脸色大变。
At this moment, Lin Xuan did not hide his cultivation; his divine light shone brightly, and his essence energy surged. The two ancient monsters' faces changed dramatically.
suī rán tā men gāng cái yǐ cāi dào lái rén bìng fēi kǒng què xiān zi ， kě yě méi xiǎng dào duì fāng de xiū wèi huì gāo dào rú cǐ chéng dù ， yuán yīng zhōng qī de lǎo guài wù ， zhè kě yǒu xiē jí shǒu le 。
虽然他们刚才已猜到来人并非孔雀仙子，可也没想到对方的修为会高到如此程度，元婴中期的老怪物，这可有些棘手了。
Although they had guessed that the arrival was not Fairy Phoenix, they were still taken aback by how high the other's cultivation was—mid-stage婴灵. This would be troublesome.
duì fāng jiū jìng yǒu hé qǐ tú ， shì pèng qiǎo lù guò ， hái shì yǔ kǒng què xiān zi yǒu guān lián de ？
对方究竟有何企图，是碰巧路过，还是与孔雀仙子有关联的？
What was the other’s intention? Was it a coincidence or related to Fairy Phoenix?
hēi hǔ yāo wáng yǔ hùn yuán lǎo zǔ miàn miàn xiāng qù ， yī shí jiān yǎ rán wú yǔ 。
黑虎妖王与混元老祖面面相觑，一时间哑然无语。
The Black Tiger Demon King and Huan Yuan Senior Immortal exchanged glances, momentarily speechless.
lüè yī chóu chú ， tā men jué dìng hái shì bú yào chū shēng xī ， shāo děng piàn kè ， děng kàn qíng kuàng zài zuò dìng duó 。
略一踌躇，他们决定还是不要出声息，稍等片刻，等看情况再做定夺。
After some hesitation, they decided not to make any noise for now, waiting to see how things unfolded before making a decision.
liǎng gè lǎo guài wù rú shì xiǎng zhe 。
两个老怪物如是想着。
The two ancient monsters thought like this. If the other was just passing by, that would be best. But if he were here for a visit or acquaintance, they preferred to hold off on their plans.
duì fāng ruò shì lù guò zì rán zuì hǎo bù guò 。 jiǎ ruò zhēn lái zhè ér zǒu qīn fǎng yǒu ， tā men qíng yuàn xiān jiāng jì huà gē yī gē 。
对方若是路过自然最好不过。假若真来这儿走亲访友，他们情愿先将计划搁一搁。
After all, they had some self-awareness. With Fairy Phoenix having such a powerful ally, capturing and subduing her might not be possible. Even in battle, their side could suffer losses.
bì jìng zì zhī zhī míng hái shì yǒu ， kǒng què xiān zi duō chū zhè me yī wèi qiáng yuán ， bié shuō jiāng qí shēng qín huó zhuō ， zhēn dǎ qǐ lái ， zì jǐ zhè fāng dào yǒu kě néng yǔn luò 。
毕竟自知之明还是有，孔雀仙子多出这么一位强援，别说将其生擒活捉，真打起来，自己这方倒有可能陨落。
The Black Tiger Demon King, though lustful, understood the importance of prudence. He wouldn't risk his life over a momentary impulse here.
hēi hǔ yāo wáng suī rán hào sè ， dàn qīng zhòng huǎn jí ， hái shì fēn de qīng xī ， bú huì yīn wèi yī shí chōng dòng ， ér jiāng xiǎo mìng sòng zài zhè lǐ 。
黑虎妖王虽然好色，但轻重缓急，还是分得清晰，不会因为一时冲动，而将小命送在这里。
---
tā men bù xiǎng jié wài shēng zhī ， kě xī lín xuān piān piān què yǒu zhe tài guò qiáng dà de shén shí ， běn shēn yòu jīng shàn zhèn fǎ zhī shù ， hùn yuán lǎo zǔ bù xià de jìn zhì suī xuán miào wú bǐ ， dàn hái shì bèi tā chá jué chū le yī sī duān ní 。
他们不想节外生枝，可惜林轩偏偏却有着太过强大的神识，本身又精擅阵法之术，混元老祖布下的禁制虽玄妙无比，但还是被他察觉出了一丝端倪。
They didn’t want any complications, but Lin Xuan had too powerful a divine sense and was skilled in array techniques. Despite Huan Yuan Senior Immortal’s intricate restrictions, Lin Xuan could still detect some signs.
lín xuān yǎn jīng wēi mī ， zài jiāng shén shí wǎng zuǒ cè de mì lín zhōng sǎo qù ， dùn shí liǎng gè cáng nì de lǎo guài wù jǐn rù yǎn dǐ 。
林轩眼睛微眯，再将神识往左侧的密林中扫去，顿时两个藏匿的老怪物尽入眼底。
Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed as he scanned the dense forest to his left, revealing the two hidden ancient monsters.
wàng zhe lín xuān de dòng zuò ， yī rén yī yāo xīn xià hài rán ， mò fēi jìng jiāng zì jǐ de xíng cáng kàn chuān ？
望着林轩的动作，一人一妖心下骇然，莫非竟将自己的行藏看穿？
The human and demon were taken aback by Lin Xuan's actions. Had they been discovered?
“ méi xiǎng dào cǐ dì jìng yǒu liǎng wèi tóng jiē gāo shǒu ， hé bì yǐn zài àn chù ， mò fēi shì xiǎng yào tōu xí zài xià ？” lín xuān hún shēn qīng guāng shǎn dòng ， zhuǎn tóu wàng xiàng mì lín ， dàn dàn de kāi kǒu 。
“没想到此地竟有两位同阶高手，何必隐在暗处，莫非是想要偷袭在下？”林轩浑身青光闪动，转头望向密林，淡淡的开口。
"Surprised to find two peers here," Lin Xuan said in a calm voice, his body emitting a faint green light as he turned towards the forest. "Why hide? Are you planning to ambush me?"
lín xuān shēng yīn suī rán bù dà ， què yì cháng qīng xī ， yǐ liǎng gè lǎo guài wù de líng shí ， zì rán méi yǒu tīng bú jiàn zhī lǐ 。
林轩声音虽然不大，却异常清晰，以两个老怪物的灵识，自然没有听不见之理。
Although their divine senses were sharp, they couldn't hear him clearly.
kě yī zhèn fēng chuī guò ， sì zhōu yī jiù jìng qiāo qiāo de 。
可一阵风吹过，四周依旧静悄悄的。
A gentle breeze blew, but the area remained silent.
lín xuān tàn le kǒu qì ， shuāng méi jǐn jǐn zhòu qǐ ：“ liǎng wèi jiù zài mì lín zhī zhōng ， mò fēi zhēn yào bǐ wǒ dòng shǒu 。”
林轩叹了口气，双眉紧紧皱起：“两位就在密林之中，莫非真要比我动手。”
Lin Xuan sighed and furrowed his brows: "You are in the forest; do you really want to fight?"
huà yīn wèi luò ， yī gǔ páng bó de de líng qì yǐ cóng lín xuān shēn shàng pēn yǒng ér chū ， zhǐ yào yī yán bù hé ， tā kě jiù bú huì kè qì le 。
话音未落，一股磅礴的的灵气已从林轩身上喷涌而出，只要一言不合，他可就不会客气了。
Before he could finish speaking, a powerful essence energy burst from Lin Xuan's body. If there was any disagreement, he wouldn't hold back.
shuō qǐ lái ， cǐ shì yě shì qiǎo hé ， lín xuān lái cāng míng shān ， jū rán yǔ hùn yuán lǎo zǔ zǒu de shì tóng yī lù xiàn ， ér tā bìng bù zhī dào kǒng què dòng fǔ de jù tǐ wèi zhì ， wù dǎ wù zhuàng què lái dào le bǎi huā gǔ 。
说起来，此事也是巧合，林轩来沧溟山，居然与混元老祖走的是同一路线，而他并不知道孔雀洞府的具体位置，误打误撞却来到了百花谷。
It happened by chance that Lin Xuan had come to Mount Cangming and ended up on the same path as Huan Yuan Senior Immortal. He didn’t know the exact location of Fairy Phoenix’s cave but stumbled upon Flower Valley by accident.
“ dào yǒu bié jí ， wǒ liǎ chū lái jiù shì 。” shì yǐ zhì cǐ ， hēi hǔ yāo wáng tàn le kǒu qì ， xīn zhōng yù mèn bù yǐ ， guài bù dé sú yǔ yǒu yán ， móu shì zài rén ， chéng shì zài tiān ， yuán běn xiǎng yào jiāng kǒng què xiān zi shēng qín huó zhuō ， méi xiǎng dào què huì chū xiàn zhè me lìng rén wú yǔ de biàn gù 。
“道友别急，我俩出来就是。”事已至此，黑虎妖王叹了口气，心中郁闷不已，怪不得俗语有言，谋事在人，成事在天，原本想要将孔雀仙子生擒活捉，没想到却会出现这么令人无语的变故。
"Friend, don't rush," the Black Tiger Demon King said, sighing with frustration. "We are here for a reason."
ruò fēi zhè lǐ nǎi shì cāng míng shān zhōng xīn ， jù lí kǒng què xiān zi de dòng fǔ tài jìn ， tā pà dǎ cǎo jīng shé ， hèn bù dé chū shǒu xiān jiāng zhè kě wù de shào nián gěi miè le 。 dāng rán ， dǎ bù dǎ dé guò yòu shì liǎng shuō ， dàn duì lín xuān ， zì rán bú huì yǒu shén me hǎo liǎn sè 。
若非这里乃是沧溟山中心，距离孔雀仙子的洞府太近，它怕打草惊蛇，恨不得出手先将这可恶的少年给灭了。当然，打不打得过又是两说，但对林轩，自然不会有什么好脸色。
He had expected to capture and subdue Fairy Phoenix, but this unexpected turn of events left him speechless. If not for their proximity to her cave in Cangming Mountain, he would have struck first.
hùn yuán lǎo zǔ zé mù guāng shǎn dòng ， tā de chéng fǔ bǐ hēi hǔ yāo wáng shēn dé duō ， kǎo lǜ de shì qíng zì rán yě jiù gèng wéi fán fù 。
混元老祖则目光闪动，他的城府比黑虎妖王深得多，考虑的事情自然也就更为繁复。
Huan Yuan Senior Immortal's eyes flickered as his thoughts were more complex than the Black Tiger Demon King’s. With an early-stage婴灵 capable of entering Quinyan Mountains, what was his purpose?
yǐ duì fāng yuán yīng zhōng qī de shén tōng ， suī rán què shí yǒu néng lì jìn rù kuí yīn shān mài shēn chù ， kě tā lái zhè lǐ de mù dì shì shén me ？
以对方元婴中期的神通，虽然确实有能力进入奎阴山脉深处，可他来这里的目的是什么？
Thirty years ago, despite the cosmic anomalies, Quinyan Mountains had been minimally affected. Few cultivators from Youzhou or outsiders ventured there.
sān shí nián qián ， suī tiān dì yì biàn ， kě kuí yīn shān mài shòu dào de yǐng xiǎng què wēi hū qí wēi ， bù guǎn shì yōu zhōu běn tǔ de xiū xiān zhě ， hái shì nà xiē wài lái de jiā huo ， dōu hěn shǎo jìn rù cǐ dì de 。
三十年前，虽天地异变，可奎阴山脉受到的影响却微乎其微，不管是幽州本土的修仙者，还是那些外来的家伙，都很少进入此地的。
This person not only broke through their restrictions but also possessed such high cultivation. Huan Yuan Senior Immortal felt a great sense of caution, fearing that he might be after the Mo Yue Clan.
ér zhè rén bù jǐn jiāng jìn zhì kàn pò ， xiū wèi hái rú cǐ gāo shēn ， tā xīn zhōng zì rán shì dà wèi jì dàn ， shēng pà duì fāng lái cǐ de mù dì yǔ mò yuè zú yǒu guān 。
而这人不仅将禁制看破，修为还如此高深，他心中自然是大为忌惮，生怕对方来此的目的与墨月族有关。
With these concerns in mind, the two ancient monsters slowly emerged from the forest.
xīn zhōng jiè jù ， liǎng gè lǎo guài wù huǎn bù cóng mì lín zhōng zǒu chū 。
心中戒惧，两个老怪物缓步从密林中走出。
Seeing Lin Xuan's face clearly, his pupils constricted. He had never expected to encounter Huan Yuan Senior Immortal here.
kàn qīng chǔ duì fāng de miàn róng ， lín xuān tóng kǒng wēi suō ， tà pò tiě xié wú mì chù dé lái quán bù fèi gōng fu ， tā wàn wàn xiǎng bú dào huì zài zhè lǐ yù jiàn hùn yuán lǎo zǔ 。
看清楚对方的面容，林轩瞳孔微缩，踏破铁鞋无觅处得来全不费工夫，他万万想不到会在这里遇见混元老祖。
---
dāng rán ， yǐ lín xuān de chéng fǔ ， liǎn shàng zì rán shì sī háo yì sè bù lù 。
当然，以林轩的城府，脸上自然是丝毫异色不露。
Lin Xuan’s expression remained unchanged despite his inner excitement. Decades ago, though he had impersonated a shaman and stayed in Quiyue City for several days, back then, he was just a minor figure, so Huan Yuan Senior Immortal had no memory of him.
ér shù shí nián qián ， lín xuān suī mào chōng wū shī ， hái zài kuí yuè chéng dòu liú le shù rì ， bù guò nà shí hòu de tā ， bù guò shì xiǎo jiǎo sè ， hùn yuán lǎo zǔ zì rán shì bàn diǎn yìn xiàng yě méi yǒu 。
而数十年前，林轩虽冒充巫师，还在奎月城逗留了数日，不过那时候的他，不过是小角色，混元老祖自然是半点印象也没有。
"Master, what should we do? We've run into an enemy here. He seems to have a Formed Spirit demon as an ally; shall we fight?" Mo'er's voice echoed in his ears. The young girl was unsure about their next move.
“ shào yé ， zěn me bàn ， jū rán zài zhè lǐ yù jiàn le duì tóu ， bù guò tā sì hū yǒu yī huà xíng qī de yāo zú zuò bāng shǒu ， wǒ men hái dòng bù dòng shǒu ？” yuè ér de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr zhōng ， duì yú zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng 。 xiǎo yā tou kě shì ná bù dìng zhǔ yì le 。
“少爷，怎么办，居然在这里遇见了对头，不过他似乎有一化形期的妖族做帮手，我们还动不动手？”月儿的声音传入耳中，对于这种情况。小丫头可是拿不定主意了。
"What do you think?" Lin Xuan smiled slightly: "Just two early-stage ancient monsters. With my abilities, I can handle them alone or with Mo'er and the Corpse Demon."
“ nǐ shuō ne ？” lín xuān zuǐ jiǎo biān lù chū jǐ fēn xiào róng ：“ bù guò shì liǎng gè chū qī de lǎo guài wù ， yǐ shào yé wǒ de shén tōng ， yǐ yī dí èr ， yě méi yǒu wèn tí ， hé kuàng jiù suàn dǎ bù guò ， bú shì hái yǒu nǐ hé shī mó ？”
“你说呢？”林轩嘴角边露出几分笑容：“不过是两个初期的老怪物，以少爷我的神通，以一敌二，也没有问题，何况就算打不过，不是还有你和尸魔？”
"True," Mo'er nodded. Although she hadn’t successfully formed a body, her powers were far beyond those of her peers. Even if they couldn't defeat an early-stage Formed Spirit demon, they could stall for some time. Plus, there was the mid-stage Corpse Demon. But…
“ zhè dǎo shì 。” yuè ér diǎn le diǎn tóu ， tā suī rán méi néng jié yīng chéng gōng ， dàn shén tōng què yě yuǎn zài tóng jiē xiū shì zhī shàng de ， suī rán dǎ bù guò huà xíng chū qī de lǎo guài wù ， dàn tuō yán piàn kè hái shì yǒu bǎ wò de ， hé kuàng hái yǒu yuán yīng qī de shī mó ， bù guò ……
“这倒是。”月儿点了点头，她虽然没能结婴成功，但神通却也远在同阶修士之上的，虽然打不过化形初期的老怪物，但拖延片刻还是有把握的，何况还有元婴期的尸魔，不过……
Mo'er's thoughts raced as she seemed to be thinking about something.
yuè ér nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou zhuǎn dòng ， fǎng fú yòu xiǎng dào le shī mó ， lù chū yī fù yù yán yòu zhǐ de shén sè 。
月儿脑海中念头转动，仿佛又想到了尸魔，露出一副欲言又止的神色。
"Master, what is it? Speak your mind; don’t hesitate in front of me."
“ yā tou ， zěn me le ， yǒu huà jiù shuō ， zài shào yé wǒ miàn qián hái tūn tūn tǔ tǔ de 。”
“丫头，怎么了，有话就说，在少爷我面前还吞吞吐吐的。”
"If we fight and win, that’s fine," Mo'er said hesitantly. "But if they are friends with Fairy Phoenix, how can we be sure?"
“ shào yé ， zhè yī jià dǎ xià lái wǒ men què shí yǒu shèng wú bài ， kě tā men huì chū xiàn zài cāng míng shān ， wàn yī shì kǒng què xiān zi de péng yǒu zěn me bàn ？” yuè ér jiāng zì jǐ xīn zhōng de gù jì shuō le chū lái 。
“少爷，这一架打下来我们确实有胜无败，可他们会出现在沧溟山，万一是孔雀仙子的朋友怎么办？”月儿将自己心中的顾忌说了出来。
Lin Xuan was taken aback but chuckled: "Why not? If I’m on good terms with her, does that mean I should extend the same courtesy to her friends? There's no such thing as benevolence in the cultivation world. We each do our own calculations. Even if Huan Yuan Senior Immortal is a friend of Fairy Phoenix, for that secret technique, I would still extract his soul and refine it."
“ fàng xīn ， zhè jué duì bù kě néng 。” lín xuān yī dāi ， yǎ rán shī xiào le qǐ lái 。
“放心，这绝对不可能。”林轩一呆，哑然失笑了起来。
After hearing this analysis, Mo'er nodded. Still, she was hesitant: "What if..."
“ wèi shén me ？” shào nǚ liǎn shàng lù chū bù jiě zhī sè 。
“为什么？”少女脸上露出不解之色。
Lin Xuan's face turned into a cold smile: "Even if we guess wrong and they are friends with her, what then? If Huan Yuan Senior Immortal is truly her friend, I would still extract his soul for that secret technique."
Flower Valley.
Two ancient monsters had set up a trap and hid in the dense forest, concealing their qi to wait for their prey.
The green mountains stood tall, with lush grasses underfoot. Looking around, one could see that the entire valley was tranquil and beautiful, yet who would have thought it harbored icy danger.
A human and a demon arrived at this place, setting up their trap for several hours. As the sun began to set in the west, a streak of light finally entered their line of sight.
The Black Tiger Demon King's face lit up with joy, but after a moment, his expression turned somewhat strange. This streak of light was grayish and different from the usual遁光of Fairy Phoenix. Could it be that another cultivator or demon had accidentally arrived here?
Thinking this, the Black Tiger couldn't help but feel uneasy, sending a glance to Huan Yuan Senior Immortal as if seeking reassurance, though he felt an ominous premonition.
Although the streak of light was unremarkable, its speed was incredibly fast. After a moment, it landed about a hundred feet away from the two.
The light faded, revealing a plain-looking young man—Lin Xuan himself.
At this moment, Lin Xuan did not hide his cultivation; his divine light shone brightly, and his essence energy surged. The two ancient monsters' faces changed dramatically.
Although they had guessed that the arrival was not Fairy Phoenix, they were still taken aback by how high the other's cultivation was—mid-stage婴灵. This would be troublesome.
What was the other’s intention? Was it a coincidence or related to Fairy Phoenix?
The Black Tiger Demon King and Huan Yuan Senior Immortal exchanged glances, momentarily speechless.
After some hesitation, they decided not to make any noise for now, waiting to see how things unfolded before making a decision.
The two ancient monsters thought like this. If the other was just passing by, that would be best. But if he were here for a visit or acquaintance, they preferred to hold off on their plans.
After all, they had some self-awareness. With Fairy Phoenix having such a powerful ally, capturing and subduing her might not be possible. Even in battle, their side could suffer losses.
The Black Tiger Demon King, though lustful, understood the importance of prudence. He wouldn't risk his life over a momentary impulse here.
---
They didn’t want any complications, but Lin Xuan had too powerful a divine sense and was skilled in array techniques. Despite Huan Yuan Senior Immortal’s intricate restrictions, Lin Xuan could still detect some signs.
Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed as he scanned the dense forest to his left, revealing the two hidden ancient monsters.
The human and demon were taken aback by Lin Xuan's actions. Had they been discovered?
"Surprised to find two peers here," Lin Xuan said in a calm voice, his body emitting a faint green light as he turned towards the forest. "Why hide? Are you planning to ambush me?"
Although their divine senses were sharp, they couldn't hear him clearly.
A gentle breeze blew, but the area remained silent.
Lin Xuan sighed and furrowed his brows: "You are in the forest; do you really want to fight?"
Before he could finish speaking, a powerful essence energy burst from Lin Xuan's body. If there was any disagreement, he wouldn't hold back.
It happened by chance that Lin Xuan had come to Mount Cangming and ended up on the same path as Huan Yuan Senior Immortal. He didn’t know the exact location of Fairy Phoenix’s cave but stumbled upon Flower Valley by accident.
"Friend, don't rush," the Black Tiger Demon King said, sighing with frustration. "We are here for a reason."
He had expected to capture and subdue Fairy Phoenix, but this unexpected turn of events left him speechless. If not for their proximity to her cave in Cangming Mountain, he would have struck first.
Huan Yuan Senior Immortal's eyes flickered as his thoughts were more complex than the Black Tiger Demon King’s. With an early-stage婴灵 capable of entering Quinyan Mountains, what was his purpose?
Thirty years ago, despite the cosmic anomalies, Quinyan Mountains had been minimally affected. Few cultivators from Youzhou or outsiders ventured there.
This person not only broke through their restrictions but also possessed such high cultivation. Huan Yuan Senior Immortal felt a great sense of caution, fearing that he might be after the Mo Yue Clan.
With these concerns in mind, the two ancient monsters slowly emerged from the forest.
Seeing Lin Xuan's face clearly, his pupils constricted. He had never expected to encounter Huan Yuan Senior Immortal here.
---
Lin Xuan’s expression remained unchanged despite his inner excitement. Decades ago, though he had impersonated a shaman and stayed in Quiyue City for several days, back then, he was just a minor figure, so Huan Yuan Senior Immortal had no memory of him.
"Master, what should we do? We've run into an enemy here. He seems to have a Formed Spirit demon as an ally; shall we fight?" Mo'er's voice echoed in his ears. The young girl was unsure about their next move.
"What do you think?" Lin Xuan smiled slightly: "Just two early-stage ancient monsters. With my abilities, I can handle them alone or with Mo'er and the Corpse Demon."
"True," Mo'er nodded. Although she hadn’t successfully formed a body, her powers were far beyond those of her peers. Even if they couldn't defeat an early-stage Formed Spirit demon, they could stall for some time. Plus, there was the mid-stage Corpse Demon. But…
Mo'er's thoughts raced as she seemed to be thinking about something.
"Master, what is it? Speak your mind; don’t hesitate in front of me."
"If we fight and win, that’s fine," Mo'er said hesitantly. "But if they are friends with Fairy Phoenix, how can we be sure?"
Lin Xuan was taken aback but chuckled: "Why not? If I’m on good terms with her, does that mean I should extend the same courtesy to her friends? There's no such thing as benevolence in the cultivation world. We each do our own calculations. Even if Huan Yuan Senior Immortal is a friend of Fairy Phoenix, for that secret technique, I would still extract his soul and refine it."
After hearing this analysis, Mo'er nodded. Still, she was hesitant: "What if..."
Lin Xuan's face turned into a cold smile: "Even if we guess wrong and they are friends with her, what then? If Huan Yuan Senior Immortal is truly her friend, I would still extract his soul for that secret technique."