lín xuān xīn zhōng àn zì jǐng tì ， mù guāng què ！ xiàng zài tā shēn shàng duō zuò tíng liú ； shàng shuāng mù ， jìng zuò yǎng shén qǐ lái le 。
林轩心中暗自警惕，目光却！象在他身上多做停留；上双目，静坐养神起来了。
Lin Xuan kept a wary eye, but his gaze lingered little on the others. His eyes settled into a calm state as he sat and nourished his spirit.
qí tā rén zì rán yě bú huì zhǔ dòng kāi kǒu ， zhè xiē yuán yīng qī lǎo guài wù ， yí gè gè dōu jiān huá yǐ jí ， duì yú tóng jiē cún zài ， xīn zhōng yě huò duō huò shǎo yǒu xiē jiè jù ， lěng zhe liǎn ， bù yī yán 。
其他人自然也不会主动开口，这些元婴期老怪物，一个个都奸猾以极，对于同阶存在，心中也或多或少有些戒惧，冷着脸，不一言。
The others naturally didn't speak up either; these old monsters at the Incarnation Stage were all extremely cunning, harboring some degree of caution towards their peers. They remained expressionless, not uttering a word.
jiù zhè yàng ， guò le yuē yī zhǎn chá de shí jiān 。 xì suì de jiǎo bù shēng chuán rù ěr lǐ ， lín xuān yòu gǎn jué dào yuán yīng jí de líng lì ， zhè cái zhēng kāi shuāng rì ” zhuǎn tóu xiàng lóu tī kǒu wàng qù le 。
就这样，过了约一盏茶的时间。细碎的脚步声传入耳里，林轩又感觉到元婴级的灵力，这才睁开双日”转头像楼梯口望去了。
After about a tea-cup's worth of time passed, faint footsteps reached Lin Xuan’s ears, and he sensed the presence of an Incarnation Stage spirit power before opening his eyes to look toward the staircase.
yìng rù yǎn lián de shì yī guāng tóu ， suí hòu lín xuān yǎn jīng wēi wēi mī le qǐ lái ， sú huà shuō ， bù shì yuān jiā bù jù tóu ， jū rán shì gāng gāng nà yǔ shī mó jiāo shǒu de fú zōng xiū xiān zhě 。
映入眼帘的是一光头，随后林轩眼睛微微眯了起来，俗话说，不是冤家不聚头，居然是刚刚那与尸魔交手的佛宗修仙者。
Before him was a bald man. Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly; as they say, enemies meet by chance. It turned out to be the Buddhist cultivator who had just fought with the Corpse Demon.
yì wài ! bù guò lín xuān hěn kuài yòu zhèn dìng xià lái ， duì chù zì jǐ de shén tōng ， tā xīn zhōng yǒu shù ， duì fāng jué bù kě néng jiāng zì jǐ rèn chū lái de 。
意外!不过林轩很快又镇定下来，对亍自己的神通，他心中有数，对方绝不可能将自己认出来的。
Surprise! But Lin Xuan quickly regained composure. He knew his abilities well enough that the other party couldn't possibly recognize him.
liǎn shàng sī háo yì sè bù lù ， fǎng fú zì jǐ cóng wèi yǔ cǐ rén jiàn guò ， lín xuān ān wěn de zài yǐ zi shàng zuò zhe 。
脸上丝毫异色不露，仿佛自己从未与此人见过，林轩安稳的在椅子上坐着。
His face remained expressionless, as if he had never met this person before. Lin Xuan sat calmly in his chair.
cōng huì fǎ tǐ shuāng xiū ， shén tōng bù ruò ， jiā shàng tou nǎo yě pǒ wèi líng huó ， zài wò i shí chéng zhōng jí yǒu quán shì ， xū líng diàn nǎi shì yī dà dà féi quē ， jiù guī tā guǎn lǐ 。
聪慧法体双修，神通不弱，加上头脑也颇为灵活，在卧i石城中极有权势，虚灵殿乃是一大大肥缺，就归他管理。
With both wisdom and martial cultivation, his powers were not weak, and with a sharp mind, he held considerable power within Wòshí City. The Vague Spirit Pavilion was a major position, and it fell to him to manage it.
“ ē mí tuó fó ， lǎo nà gāng lá yǒu shì ， yǒu láo /1 wèi dào yǒu jiǔ hóu le 。” cōng huì hé shàng shuāng shǒu hé shí ， yī liǎn de xiào róng kě jū 。
“阿弥陀佛，老衲刚剌有事，有劳/1位道友久侯了。”聪慧和尚双手合十，一脸的笑容可掬。
"Namaste, venerable monk. I have something urgent to attend to; please bear with my friend for a moment," said the wise monk with a smile, his hands folded in greeting.
lín xuān děng rén zì rán yě zhàn qǐ huán lǐ 。 liù rén zhī zhōng ， jū rán yǒu liǎng míng zhōng qī xiū shì ， cōng huì hé shàng yòu jīng yòu xǐ ， mù guāng fēn bié zài shān xuān yǔ nà zhōng nián dà hàn shēn shàng sǎo guò ， què bìng wèi liú lù chū sī háo yì sè ， yuè ér sōng le kǒu qì ， kàn lái zhè jiā huo què shí méi yǐ yǒu jiāng shào yé rèn chū 。
林轩等人自然也站起还礼。六人之中，居然有两名中期修士，聪慧和尚又惊又喜，目光分别在杉轩与那中年大汉身上扫过，却并未流露出丝毫异色，月儿松了口气，看来这家伙确实没乙有将少爷认出。
Lin Xuan and others naturally stood up to return the courtesy. Among the six of them were two middle-stage cultivators. The wise monk was both surprised and delighted as he scanned Lin Xuan and the middle-aged man before him without showing any unusual reaction. Moon He finally relaxed; it seemed this guy hadn't recognized Young Master.
“ jǐ wèi dào yǒu dōu xiǎng yào zài běn chéng cháng zhù ？”
“几位道友都想要在本城常住？”
"Are all of you here to reside in our city?"
“ bù cuò ， fǒu zé wǒ men lái zhè lǐ zuò shén me ？ nà tóu huā bái de fù rén méi tou yí zhòu ， shēng yīn yǒu xiē shā yǎ de kāi kǒu 。
“不错，否则我们来这里做什么？那头花白的妇人眉头一皱，声音有些沙哑的开口。
"Yes, otherwise why would we be here?" said a woman with white hair, her voice hoarse as she spoke.
“ lǎo xiù yǔ shī dì tīng shuō guì chéng líng mài pǐn zhì jí jiā ， ér qiě duì wǒ děng sàn xiū zhī shì ， yě méi yǒu shén me xiàn zhì ， suǒ yǐ cái bù yuǎn qiān wàn lǐ ， cóng jiàn qiú lái dào cǐ dì 。” shuō huà de shì yī míng huī yī sēng rén ， kàn shàng qù bù guò sān shí yú suì nián jì ， dàn shēng yīn què cāng lǎo yǐ jí 。
“老袖与师弟听说贵城灵脉品质极佳，而且对我等散修之士，也没有什么限制，所以才不远千万里，从建蝤来到此地。”说话的是一名灰衣僧人，看上去不过三十余岁年纪，但声音却苍老以极。
"The venerable and my junior heard that your city has excellent spiritual veins. There are no restrictions on us free cultivators, which is why I came from Jiānzhou all the way," said a gray-robed monk who appeared to be in his thirties but sounded very old.
“ yuán lái liǎng wèi shī xiōng shì cóng jiàn zhōu lái de ， kǎo nà mài cún shì shī jìng le ， bù cuò ， wǒ niàn ; shí chéng hǎi nà bǎi chuān ， duì chù gè wèi wài lái de tóng dào ， yí xiàng shí fēn kuān rén ， gè wèi rú guǒ xiǎng zài yùn ér cháng zhù ， jué duì shì zuì jiā xuǎn zé ， lǎo nà zhè jiù kàn kàn yǒu duō shǎo hé shì de dòng fǔ 。” shuō wán zhè huà ， tā xiù páo yī fú ， yí gè bā zhǎng dà xiǎo de yuán pán fēi tàn ér chū ， dī liū liū xuán zhuǎn zhe ， suí hòu qīng guāng pēn bó ， huàn huà chū le yī xiē shān chuān wù 。
“原来两位师兄是从建州来的，考衲迈存是失敬了，不错，我廿;石城海纳百川，对亍各位外来的同道，一向十分宽仁，各位如果想在运儿常住，绝对是最佳选择，老衲这就看看有多少合适的洞府。”说完这话，他袖袍一拂，一个巴掌大小的圆盘飞探而出，滴溜溜旋转着，随后青光喷薄，幻化出了一些山川物。
"Turns out you two are from Jiānzhou. Brother, I apologize for my oversight. Indeed, our city welcomes everyone with open arms and offers great support to outsiders. If you wish to reside here permanently, it would be an excellent choice. Let me show you some suitable caves."
yǔ dì yī céng lín xuān suǒ jiàn dào de qíng xíng xiāng tóng ， rán ér què yào xǔ xǔ rú shēng dé duō 。 shàng miàn yě yǒu guāng diǎn shǎn shuò ， nà xiē dì fāng jiù biǎo shì kě yǐ kāi pì dòng fǔ 。
与第一层林轩所见到的情形相同，然而却要栩栩如生得多。上面也有光点闪烁，那些地方就表示可以开辟洞府。
He waved his sleeve, and a palm-sized round disk flew out, spinning rapidly before emitting green light that formed some mountain landscapes.
bāo kuò lín xuān zài nèi ， suǒ yǒu yuán yīng xiū shì de 8 guāng quán bèi xī yǐn guò qù le 。
包括林轩在内，所有元婴修士的8光全被吸引过去了。
Similar to what Lin Xuan had seen in the first layer, but much more vivid. There were also glowing points indicating where one could establish a cave.
“ zěn me yàng ， zhū wèi jué de rú hé ， bú shì lǎo xiù zì chuī ， zhè xiē kě dōu shàng pǐn líng mài ， líng qì chōng zú ， duì zhū wèi xiū liàn ， jué duì dà yǒu yì chù 。” huì cōng wēi xiào zhe kāi kǒu le 。
“怎么样，诸位觉得如何，不是老袖自吹，这些可都上品灵脉，灵气充足，对诸位修炼，绝对大有益处。”慧聪微笑着开口了。
All Incarnation Stage cultivators' attention was drawn by this.
“ bù cuò ， lǎo shēn kàn zhòng le zhè yī chù ， jiù bù zhī dào guì chéng biāo bǐng zán 。 hé ？ nà mǎn liǎn zhòu wén de fù rén kāi kǒu le ， suí hòu shēn shǒu rú xiàng dōng nán yī chù jì ” ǎi de shān fēng 。
“不错，老身看中了这一处，就不知道贵城标饼咱。何？那满脸皱纹的妇人开口了，随后伸手茹向东南一处骥”矮的山峰。
"How do you find it? Not boasting, but these are all high-grade spiritual veins with abundant spirit energy, which would greatly benefit your cultivation," said the wise monk with a smile.
“ shì xiǎo yún fēng ， fū rén hǎo yǎn lì ， cǐ chù líng qì suī bú shì zuì nóng ， dàn què jiā zá zhe yǒu yí dìng de yāo lì ， duì yú fū rén zhè yàng de zuǒ dào zhī shì ， zhèng zuì wèi shì hé 。
“是小云峰，夫人好眼力，此处灵气虽不是最浓，但却夹杂着有一定的妖力，对于夫人这样的左道之士，正最为适合。
"Indeed. I've chosen this place. Now, how much does it cost?" asked the woman with wrinkles on her face, pointing toward a low mountain peak in the southeast.
“ nǐ néng kàn chū lǎo shēn xiū liàn de shì hé zhǒng shén tōng ？” nà lǎo fù shuāng yǎn yī fān ， biǎo qíng biàn dé fēi cháng nán kàn 。
“你能看出老身修炼的是何种神通？”那老妇双眼一翻，表情变得非常难看。
"That's Xiao Yun Peak, Madam. Your keen eye! Although the spirit energy here is not the strongest, there is somedemonessed/witch/goddess, depending on contextpower mixed in, which would suit you well."
“ hè fū rén shuō xiào le ， dāng nián jǐng 《 hái shì náo dān qī xiū shì de shí hòu ， jiù chuǎng xià hǎo dà de míng tóu ， hòu lái suī xiāo shī le yī duàn shí jiān ， tīng shuō shì dé dào le kū yè lǎo guài de zhēn chuán ， fū rén rú jīn róng mào dà biàn ， xiǎng bì yě shì yǔ xiū liàn le kū yè shén gōng yǒu guān ， tīng shuō zhè zhǒng gōng fǎ ， suī xuán mén zhèng zōng ， wēi lì què fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， ér qiě hái yǔ xiū yāo zhě yǒu qiān sī wàn lǚ de guān lián 。” bèi duì fāng jiāng lái lì jiào pò ， nà fù rén de liǎn sè yuè yīn mái le cōng huì què shì ruò wú dǔ ：“ lǎo nà zhī dào ， fū rén yǔ lí yào gōng zhī jiān ， yǒu yī xiē huǎng huì ， bù guò shì qíng guò qù le zhè me duō wǔ ， huò xǔ duì fāng yǐ bù jì jiào le ， fū rén ruò nì bù fàng xīn ， dà kě yǐ jiā rù běn chéng ， yǐ huì ； de xiū wèi ， zài jiā shàng lǎo xiù yǐn jiàn ， lì kè jiù kě yǐ chéng wéi hé xīn chéng yuán 。”
“鹤夫人说笑了，当年颈《还是蛲丹期修士的时候，就闯下好大的名头，后来虽消失了一段时间，听说是得到了枯叶老怪的真传，夫人如今容貌大变，想必也是与修炼了枯叶神功有关，听说这种功法，虽玄门正宗，威力却非同小可，而且还与修妖者有千丝万缕的关联。”被对方将来历叫破，那妇人的脸色越阴霾了聪慧却视若无睹：“老衲知道，夫人与离药宫之间，有一些谎会，不过事情过去了这么多舞，或许对方已不计较了，夫人若逆不放心，大可以加入本城，以贿；的修为，再加上老袖引荐，立刻就可以成为核心成员。”
"Can you tell me what kind of cultivation technique I practice?" The old woman's eyes widened, her expression turning very unpleasant.
“ hēng ， duō xiè dà shī hǎo yì ， dàn lǎo shēn dōu zhè bǎ nián jì ， dú lái dú wǎng guàn le ， kě méi yǒu xìng qù jiā rù rèn hé shì lì 。” lǎo fù méi tou yí zhòu ， méi yǒu sī háo xìng qù de kāi kǒu 。
“哼，多谢大师好意，但老身都这把年纪，独来独往惯了，可没有兴趣加入任何势力。”老妇眉头一皱，没有丝毫兴趣的开口。
"Haha, Madam Hè, you jest. Back when you were still a Waste Pill Stage cultivator, you made quite a name for yourself. Even though you disappeared for some time, it was said that you received true teachings from the Old Monstrous Leaf. Your appearance has changed so much; I suspect your cultivation of the Withered Leaf Divine Technique is related. Although this technique is orthodox, its power is formidable, and there's a close connection todemonessed/witch/goddess, depending on contextcultivators," said the monk, his face unchanged.
“ āi ， rén gè yǒu zhì ， lǎo nà zì rán bú huì qiǎng qiú ， bù guò yě zhēn gòu yí hàn de ， fū rén ruò kěn jiā rù ， bù jǐn kě yǐ miǎn fèi shǐ yòng dòng fǔ ， wèi xùn ； shěng xià yī dà bǐ jīng shí ， ér qiě fū rén bìng fēi wài lái xiū shì ， yīng gāi àn chǔ ， běn chéng zhǐ shì sōng sǎn lián méng ， jí shǐ dān rèn le zhǎng lǎo ， qí shí píng shí lǐng ； huì yǒu duō shǎo zá wù ， fǎn ér gòng fèng yī fēn dōu bú huì shǎo de 。” cōng huì yǒu xiē bú duì xīn de kāi kǒu 。
“唉，人各有志，老衲自然不会强求，不过也真够遗憾的，夫人若肯加入，不仅可以免费使用洞府，为殉；省下一大笔晶石，而且夫人并非外来修士，应该暗楚，本城只是松散联盟，即使担任了长老，其实平时岭；会有多少杂务，反而供奉一分都不会少的。”聪慧有些不对心的开口。
"Ah, you know my background? Thank you for your good intentions, but at my age, I'm used to going solo and have no interest in joining any faction," said the old woman with a frown, showing no interest.
“ ó ， hái yǒu zhè yàng de hǎo shì ， miǎn fèi shǐ yòng dòng fǔ ， yǒu gòng fèng ， ér qiě zhēn de kě yǐ bù lǐ sú wù ？ qīng lǎng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， què shì lín xuān mǎn liǎn xìng qù de zài páng biān chā kǒu le 。
“哦，还有这样的好事，免费使用洞府，有供奉，而且真的可以不理俗务？清朗的声音传入耳朵，却是林轩满脸兴趣的在旁边插口了。
"Ashamed, everyone has their own aspirations. I won't force it, but it's truly regrettable if Madam declines. Not only can you use the cave for free and save on crystal stones, but as an outsider here, you should understand that our city is loosely allied. Even if you become a senior, there would be little administrative work; offerings wouldn't decrease," said the wise monk with some unease.
“ zhè ge …… yě bú shì shuō kě yǐ wán quán bù lǐ sú wù ， zhǐ shì xiāng bǐ gè dà mén pài de gòng fèng zhǎng lǎo ， míng xiǎn yào qīng xián dé duō ， xiǎo shì kě yǐ bù guò wèn ， bù guò rú guǒ běn chéng zhēn de yù dào le wēi xiǎn ， yě bù néng xiù shǒu páng guān 。” cōng huì biǎo qíng yī è ， nán nán de jiě shì shuō lín xuān zì gào fèn yǒng ， ràng tā yǒu xiē cuò shǒu bù jí ， yào zhī dào wèi le fáng zhǐ jiān xì hùn rù ， yì bān zhǐ yǒu běn tǔ xiū shì cái néng dān rèn zhòng yào sī zhí ， tā zhī suǒ yǐ lì yāo lǎo fù ， shì yīn wèi duì qí zhī gēn zhī dǐ 。
“这个……也不是说可以完全不理俗务，只是相比各大门派的供奉长老，明显要清闲得多，小事可以不过问，不过如果本城真的遇到了危险，也不能袖手旁观。”聪慧表情一愕，喃喃的解释说林轩自告奋勇，让他有些措手不及，要知道为了防止奸细混入，一般只有本土修士才能担任重要司职，他之所以力邀老妇，是因为对其知根知底。
"Oh, there's such benefits? Free use of caves, offerings, and no involvement in mundane affairs?" Lin Xuan interjected with interest.
méi xiǎng dào duì fāng bù dā yìng ， què yǐn dé lìng yī rén dòng xīn 。 mā qì jù jué ， dàn huà dào zuǐ biān ， què yòu suō le huí lái ， duì fāng kě shì yī míng yuán yīng zhōng qī de lǎo guài ， rú guǒ mò néng jiā rù ， duì yú h;!
没想到对方不答应，却引得另一人动心。嬷憩拒绝，但话到嘴边，却又缩了回来，对方可是一名元婴中期的老怪，如果莫能加入，对于h;!
"This... it’s not that you can completely avoid mundane tasks. Compared to the elders of major sects, this is much more relaxed. You can ignore minor matters unless our city faces real danger," said the wise monk, looking a bit taken aback as Lin Xuan volunteered, catching him off guard. To prevent spies from infiltrating, only local cultivators could hold significant positions. He had invited the old woman because he knew her well.
shí chéng zì rán shì yǒu mò dà hǎo chù 。 hé kuàng zhè zhǒng děng jiē de gāo shǒu ， yì bān bù kě néng shì jiān xì de 。
石城自然是有莫大好处。何况这种等阶的高手，一般不可能是奸细的。
He didn't expect her to decline but instead piqued another's interest. The old woman refused but hesitated at the last moment; she was an Incarnation Stage middle-stage cultivator and joining would bring great benefits to Wòshí City. Besides, such high-ranking experts were unlikely to be spies.
bì jìng ， jiù suàn shì sān dà shì lì ， zōng nèi de yuán yīng lǎo guài yě jiù nà me duō ， yǒu míng yǒu xìng ， tā men zǎo jiù jiāng dǐ mō dé yì qīng èr chǔ ， jué méi yǒu yǎn qián zhè ge rén de 。
毕竟，就算是三大势力，宗内的元婴老怪也就那么多，有名有姓，他们早就将底摸得一清二楚，绝没有眼前这个人的。
After all, even with the three major forces, there weren't many named Incarnate monsters they hadn’t thoroughly investigated.
dāng rán ， bìng bù néng jiù cǐ kěn dìng tā jiù méi yǒu bāo xīn huò xīn ， dàn yǐ kuàng shí chéng de shí lì ， xiǎng yào jiāng yǎn qián zhī rén de dǐ xì chá qīng chǔ ， yīng gāi bù suàn tài nán de lì niàn jí zhì cǐ ， tā de zuǐ jiǎo biān duī qì chū yī sī xiào yì ：“ zěn me ， dào yǒu xiǎng yào jiā rù běn chéng me ？”
当然，并不能就此肯定他就没有包薪祸心，但以眶石城的实力，想要将眼前之人的底细查清楚，应该不算太难的励念及至此，他的嘴角边堆砌出一丝笑意：“怎么，道友想要加入本城么？”
Of course, he couldn't be certain she had no hidden motives, but given Wòshí City's strength, it shouldn't be too difficult to uncover her background.
“ bù cuò ， lín mǒu nǎi sàn xiū ， tóng yàng dú lái dú wǎng guàn le ， níng chéng yuán yīng yǐ hòu ， suī rán yě yǒu yī xiē mén pài xiǎng chá lā lǒng ， dàn wǒ tiān shēng bù xǐ huān shù fù ， gù ér yě dōu jù jué le ， tīng shuō guì chéng dú qù zì yóu ， suǒ yǐ ……
“不错，林某乃散修，同样独来独往惯了，凝成元婴以后，虽然也有一些门派想察拉拢，但我天生不喜欢束缚，故而也都拒绝了，听说贵城毒去自由，所以……
With this thought, a smile formed on his lips: "So, friend, you want to join our city?"
“ hē hē ， dào yǒu zhè yàng de gāo shǒu xiǎng yào jiā rù ， wǒ men huān yíng zhī jí ， bù zhī dào nǐ yuán lái xiān xiāng hé dì ？”
“呵呵，道友这样的高手想要加入，我们欢迎之极，不知道你原来仙乡何地？”
"Yes, I'm a free cultivator and used to going solo. After forming my Incarnation, some sects tried to recruit me, but I dislike being bound, so I turned them down. Hearing that your city values freedom..."
“ lín mǒu bìng fēi yún zhōu rén shì ， nǎi shì cóng qīng zhōu guò lái de 。” lín xuān wēi xiào zhe shuō 。 tā huà yīn gāng luò ， yòu yī xiǎng liàng de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， zhèng shì nà míng ràng tā gǎn dào wēi xiǎn de lǎo guài wù ：“ jì rán jiā rù guì chéng lū zhū duō hǎo chù ， nà fāng mǒu yě lái còu còu rè nào hǎo le 。
“林某并非云州人士，乃是从青州过来的。”林轩微笑着说。他话音刚落，又一响亮的声音传入耳朵，正是那名让他感到危险的老怪物：“既然加入贵城噜诸多好处，那方某也来凑凑热闹好了。
"Haha, we welcome such skilled experts with open arms. Where did you come from originally?"
"I’m not a resident of Cloud Province; I came from Green Province," said Lin Xuan with a smile.
Before he finished speaking, another loud voice echoed: "Since joining the city brings many benefits, I'll join as well."
Lin Xuan kept a wary eye, but his gaze lingered little on the others. His eyes settled into a calm state as he sat and nourished his spirit.
The others naturally didn't speak up either; these old monsters at the Incarnation Stage were all extremely cunning, harboring some degree of caution towards their peers. They remained expressionless, not uttering a word.
After about a tea-cup's worth of time passed, faint footsteps reached Lin Xuan’s ears, and he sensed the presence of an Incarnation Stage spirit power before opening his eyes to look toward the staircase.
Before him was a bald man. Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly; as they say, enemies meet by chance. It turned out to be the Buddhist cultivator who had just fought with the Corpse Demon.
Surprise! But Lin Xuan quickly regained composure. He knew his abilities well enough that the other party couldn't possibly recognize him.
His face remained expressionless, as if he had never met this person before. Lin Xuan sat calmly in his chair.
With both wisdom and martial cultivation, his powers were not weak, and with a sharp mind, he held considerable power within Wòshí City. The Vague Spirit Pavilion was a major position, and it fell to him to manage it.
"Namaste, venerable monk. I have something urgent to attend to; please bear with my friend for a moment," said the wise monk with a smile, his hands folded in greeting.
Lin Xuan and others naturally stood up to return the courtesy. Among the six of them were two middle-stage cultivators. The wise monk was both surprised and delighted as he scanned Lin Xuan and the middle-aged man before him without showing any unusual reaction. Moon He finally relaxed; it seemed this guy hadn't recognized Young Master.
"Are all of you here to reside in our city?"
"Yes, otherwise why would we be here?" said a woman with white hair, her voice hoarse as she spoke.
"The venerable and my junior heard that your city has excellent spiritual veins. There are no restrictions on us free cultivators, which is why I came from Jiānzhou all the way," said a gray-robed monk who appeared to be in his thirties but sounded very old.
"Turns out you two are from Jiānzhou. Brother, I apologize for my oversight. Indeed, our city welcomes everyone with open arms and offers great support to outsiders. If you wish to reside here permanently, it would be an excellent choice. Let me show you some suitable caves."
He waved his sleeve, and a palm-sized round disk flew out, spinning rapidly before emitting green light that formed some mountain landscapes.
Similar to what Lin Xuan had seen in the first layer, but much more vivid. There were also glowing points indicating where one could establish a cave.
All Incarnation Stage cultivators' attention was drawn by this.
"How do you find it? Not boasting, but these are all high-grade spiritual veins with abundant spirit energy, which would greatly benefit your cultivation," said the wise monk with a smile.
"Indeed. I've chosen this place. Now, how much does it cost?" asked the woman with wrinkles on her face, pointing toward a low mountain peak in the southeast.
"That's Xiao Yun Peak, Madam. Your keen eye! Although the spirit energy here is not the strongest, there is somedemonessed/witch/goddess, depending on contextpower mixed in, which would suit you well."
"Can you tell me what kind of cultivation technique I practice?" The old woman's eyes widened, her expression turning very unpleasant.
"Haha, Madam Hè, you jest. Back when you were still a Waste Pill Stage cultivator, you made quite a name for yourself. Even though you disappeared for some time, it was said that you received true teachings from the Old Monstrous Leaf. Your appearance has changed so much; I suspect your cultivation of the Withered Leaf Divine Technique is related. Although this technique is orthodox, its power is formidable, and there's a close connection todemonessed/witch/goddess, depending on contextcultivators," said the monk, his face unchanged.
"Ah, you know my background? Thank you for your good intentions, but at my age, I'm used to going solo and have no interest in joining any faction," said the old woman with a frown, showing no interest.
"Ashamed, everyone has their own aspirations. I won't force it, but it's truly regrettable if Madam declines. Not only can you use the cave for free and save on crystal stones, but as an outsider here, you should understand that our city is loosely allied. Even if you become a senior, there would be little administrative work; offerings wouldn't decrease," said the wise monk with some unease.
"Oh, there's such benefits? Free use of caves, offerings, and no involvement in mundane affairs?" Lin Xuan interjected with interest.
"This... it’s not that you can completely avoid mundane tasks. Compared to the elders of major sects, this is much more relaxed. You can ignore minor matters unless our city faces real danger," said the wise monk, looking a bit taken aback as Lin Xuan volunteered, catching him off guard. To prevent spies from infiltrating, only local cultivators could hold significant positions. He had invited the old woman because he knew her well.
He didn't expect her to decline but instead piqued another's interest. The old woman refused but hesitated at the last moment; she was an Incarnation Stage middle-stage cultivator and joining would bring great benefits to Wòshí City. Besides, such high-ranking experts were unlikely to be spies.
After all, even with the three major forces, there weren't many named Incarnate monsters they hadn’t thoroughly investigated.
Of course, he couldn't be certain she had no hidden motives, but given Wòshí City's strength, it shouldn't be too difficult to uncover her background.
With this thought, a smile formed on his lips: "So, friend, you want to join our city?"
"Yes, I'm a free cultivator and used to going solo. After forming my Incarnation, some sects tried to recruit me, but I dislike being bound, so I turned them down. Hearing that your city values freedom..."
"Haha, we welcome such skilled experts with open arms. Where did you come from originally?"
"I’m not a resident of Cloud Province; I came from Green Province," said Lin Xuan with a smile.
Before he finished speaking, another loud voice echoed: "Since joining the city brings many benefits, I'll join as well."