sūn zhāng kàn le sū zhǎng yù yī yǎn ， nài xīn de jiě shì dào ：“ fán rén xiǎng yào xiū xíng ， xū qū chú tǐ nèi zhàng qì 。 nǐ men zhè xiē cóng fàng zhú zhī dì huí guī de fán rén ， tǐ nèi zhàng qì de nóng dù gèng shì yuǎn chāo xún cháng rén 。 suǒ yǐ bù qū chú yī shēn zhàng qì ， shì wú fǎ xiū xíng de 。”
孙章看了苏长玉一眼，耐心的解释道：“凡人想要修行，需祛除体内瘴气。你们这些从放逐之地回归的凡人，体内瘴气的浓度更是远超寻常人。所以不祛除一身瘴气，是无法修行的。”
Sun Zhang glanced at Su Changyu and patiently explained, "Ordinary people wishing to cultivate must first rid themselves of the pestilence within. You folks who have returned from the Exile Lands have a much higher concentration of this pestilence than ordinary people. Therefore, without removing all that pestilence, cultivation is impossible."
sū zhǎng yù zhòu zhe méi tóu shuō dào ：“ cǐ shì wǒ děng zǎo yǐ zhī xiǎo 。 bù zhī zhè zhàng qì yòu rú hé qù chú ne ？”
苏长玉皱着眉头说道：“此事我等早已知晓。不知这瘴气又如何去除呢？”
Su Changyu frowned and said, "We already knew about this matter. But how can we remove it?"
sūn zhāng dào ：“ qù chú zhàng qì ， yǒu duō zhǒng fāng fǎ 。 yī shì nà dǎo zhōng de jìng tǐ líng chí 。 zài líng chí zhōng jìn pào yī tiān yī yè ， biàn kě jiāng tǐ nèi zhàng qì jìn shù chú qù 。 kě xī kāi qǐ líng chí suǒ xū de cái liào shèn shì jīng rén ， zán men liú lí dǎo suī rán fù yù ， yě zhǐ néng měi sān nián cái kāi qǐ yī cì 。 wǒ xiǎng xiǎng ， shàng yī cì kāi qǐ shì yī nián yǐ qián ， yě jiù shì shuō ， hái yào chà bu duō liǎng nián cái néng děng dào líng chí kāi qǐ 。”
孙章道：“去除瘴气，有多种方法。一是那岛中的净体灵池。在灵池中浸泡一天一夜，便可将体内瘴气尽数除去。可惜开启灵池所需的材料甚是惊人，咱们琉璃岛虽然富裕，也只能每三年才开启一次。我想想，上一次开启是一年以前，也就是说，还要差不多两年才能等到灵池开启。”
Sun Zhang replied, "There are several methods to remove the pestilence. One way is by soaking in the purification spirit pool on the island for a day and night. This will completely cleanse your body of the pestilence. Unfortunately, the materials required to activate the spirit pool are quite extraordinary. Even though our Lustrous Isle is wealthy, we can only open it once every three years. I'm thinking... The last time was about a year ago, so it would still be another two years before the spirit pool opens again."
“ kuàng qiě néng rù líng chí de míng é yǒu xiàn ， jìng zhēng jī liè 。 nǐ men zhè xiē wài lái rén méi yǒu gēn jī ， zěn me kě néng qiǎng de guò dǎo shàng de rén 。” sūn zhāng yáo le yáo tóu dào 。
“况且能入灵池的名额有限，竞争激烈。你们这些外来人没有根基，怎么可能抢的过岛上的人。”孙章摇了摇头道。
"Moreover, there are limited slots for the spirit pool, and competition is fierce. You outsiders without any roots have no chance of competing with the islanders," Sun Zhang shook his head.
“ nà qí tā de fāng fǎ ne ？” sū zhǎng yù jì xù wèn dào 。
“那其他的方法呢？”苏长玉继续问道。
"What other methods are there?" Su Changyu continued to ask.
“ dì èr zhǒng jiù shì xiū xíng 《 xuán huáng qīng xīn zhòu 》， pèi hé tè dìng de yào wù yǔ yǐn shí ， kě rì jī yuè lěi ， gǎi biàn zì shēn tǐ zhì ， zuì zhōng jiāng tǐ nèi zhàng qì wán quán qīng chú 。 cǐ fǎ suī rán hào shí cháng jiǔ ， wǎng wǎng xū yào wǔ liù nián de gōng fu ， dàn shèng zài wěn dìng 。 yě wú xū fù chū shén me tè bié de dài jià 。《 xuán huáng qīng xīn zhòu 》 jí xiāng duì yīng de dān yào ， dǎo shàng yào diàn zhōng jiù néng mǎi dào 。”
“第二种就是修行《玄黄清心咒》，配合特定的药物与饮食，可日积月累，改变自身体质，最终将体内瘴气完全清除。此法虽然耗时长久，往往需要五六年的功夫，但胜在稳定。也无需付出什么特别的代价。《玄黄清心咒》及相对应的丹药，岛上药店中就能买到。”
"There's a second method: practicing the 'Xuanhuang Qixin Spell' while using specific medicines and food to gradually change your body's constitution. This will eventually completely clear out the pestilence in your body. Although this method takes a long time—often five or six years—it is stable, and no special sacrifices are required. The spell and corresponding elixirs can be purchased from pharmacies on the island."
“ wǔ liù nián ……” sū zhǎng yù dī shēng ní nán le jù ， yòu bù sǐ xīn de wèn dào ，“ hái yǒu ne ？”
“五六年……”苏长玉低声呢喃了句，又不死心的问道，“还有呢？”
"Five or six years..." Su Changyu murmured to himself before asking again, "Is there anything else?"
“ dì sān zhǒng fāng fǎ zé shì qù dāng shí yàn tǐ 。” shuō dào cǐ chù ， sūn zhāng de liǎn sè biàn dé yǒu xiē nán kàn ， sì hū yǒu xiē nán yǐ yì zhì de kǒng jù 。 bù guò tā hái shì chū shēng huí dá le sū zhǎng yù 。
“第三种方法则是去当实验体。”说到此处，孙章的脸色变得有些难看，似乎有些难以抑制的恐惧。不过他还是出声回答了苏长玉。
"There's also being used as a test subject," Sun Zhang said, his face turning somewhat pale as he spoke about this method. However, he still answered Su Changyu.
“ shí yàn tǐ ？” sū zhǎng yù yǒu xiē máng rán 。
“实验体？”苏长玉有些茫然。
"A test subject?" Su Changyu was confused.
“ méi cuò 。 yǒu xiē xiān shī duì wǒ men fán rén tǐ nèi de zhàng qì hěn gǎn xìng qù 。 měi nián dū huì cóng dǎo zhōng fán rén zhōng tiāo xuǎn zì yuàn zhě ， chōng dāng shí yàn tǐ 。 xiān shī huì yǐ tè shū shǒu duàn ， yuán yuán bù duàn dì jiāng shí yàn tǐ nèi de zhàng qì chōu chū ， yòng yǐ yán jiū 。 yòng bù zhe jǐ gè yuè ， jiù kě yǐ jiāng shí yàn tǐ nèi de zhàng qì chōu gè gān jìng 。”
“没错。有些仙师对我们凡人体内的瘴气很感兴趣。每年都会从岛中凡人中挑选自愿者，充当实验体。仙师会以特殊手段，源源不断地将实验体内的瘴气抽出，用以研究。用不着几个月，就可以将实验体内的瘴气抽个干净。”
"Exactly. Some Immortal Masters are very interested in the pestilence within our bodies. Every year, they select volunteers from the island's ordinary people to serve as test subjects. The Immortal Masters use special means to continuously extract the pestilence from these test subjects for research purposes. It usually takes just a few months to completely clear out the pestilence."
sì hū xiǎng dào le shén me ， sūn zhāng de liǎn sè yǒu xiē fā bái ：“ zhǐ shì zhè ge guò chéng ， shí zài tài guò tòng kǔ 。 kě yǐ shuō shì qiú shēng bù dé ， qiú sǐ bù néng 。 wǎng wǎng jué dà duō shù rén jiān chí bú dào zhàng qì bèi wán quán chōu chū de nà yī kè ， jiù bèi chè dǐ zhé mó fēng le 。”
似乎想到了什么，孙章的脸色有些发白：“只是这个过程，实在太过痛苦。可以说是求生不得，求死不能。往往绝大多数人坚持不到瘴气被完全抽出的那一刻，就被彻底折磨疯了。”
Thinking of something, Sun Zhang's face turned pale: "This process is extremely painful and can be described as neither living nor dying. Most people cannot endure until their pestilence is fully extracted; they are often driven mad by the torment."
“ wǒ bù jiàn yì nǐ men yòng zhè zhǒng fāng fǎ 。 shí zài bú shì cháng rén suǒ néng rěn shòu de 。”
“我不建议你们用这种方法。实在不是常人所能忍受的。”
"I don't recommend this method. It’s not something ordinary people can bear."
sū zhǎng yù yě bù zhī dào yǒu méi yǒu tīng jìn qù sūn zhāng de jiàn yì ， tā zhǐ shì chén mò le piàn kè ， yòu wèn dào ：“ hái yǒu méi yǒu qí tā fāng fǎ le ？”
苏长玉也不知道有没有听进去孙章的建议，他只是沉默了片刻，又问道：“还有没有其他方法了？”
Su Changyu didn’t know if he had listened to Sun Zhang's advice, but after a moment of silence, he asked again, "Is there any other way?"
sūn zhāng yáo le yáo tóu ：“ jù shuō ， nà xiē xiān shī de zhí xì fán rén hòu dài ， kě yǐ píng jiè tiān cái dì bǎo ， zhòng sù shēn qū ， bù jǐn kě yǐ bù yòng zài dān xīn zhàng qì de kùn rǎo ， hái tóng shí kě yǐ tí gāo xiū xíng zī zhì 。 bù guò ， zhè zhǒng shǒu duàn bú shì nǐ wǒ néng xiǎng xiàng de le 。 jí biàn shì wǒ men liú lí dǎo zhǔ ， yě méi yǒu zhè zhǒng dài yù 。”
孙章摇了摇头：“据说，那些仙师的直系凡人后代，可以凭借天才地宝，重塑身躯，不仅可以不用再担心瘴气的困扰，还同时可以提高修行资质。不过，这种手段不是你我能想像的了。即便是我们琉璃岛主，也没有这种待遇。”
Sun Zhang shook his head: "It is said that the direct descendants of these Immortal Masters can use their innate talents and treasures to reshape their bodies. This allows them not only to no longer worry about the pestilence but also to improve their cultivation资质. However, this method is beyond our comprehension. Even the master of our Lustrous Isle does not have such privileges."
“ wǒ suǒ zhī de jiù zhè xiē le ， ruò shì zhēn de xiǎng yào xiū xíng ， nǐ men biàn zài jiē xià lái de rì zi lǐ hǎo hǎo kǎo lǜ xià ba 。”
“我所知的就这些了，若是真的想要修行，你们便在接下来的日子里好好考虑下吧。”
"I've told you all I know. If you truly wish to cultivate, you should consider your options carefully over the coming days."
shuō ba ， sūn zhāng yòu kàn dào sū zhǎng yù yǒu xiē shī hún luò pò de yàng zi ， rěn bú zhù quàn jiě dào ：“ wǒ zhī dào nǐ men cóng fàng zhú zhī dì lì jīng qiān xīn wàn kǔ huí guī ， dōu yǒu zhe yī kē xiàng dào zhī xīn 。 shuí dāng chū yòu bú shì ne ？”
说吧，孙章又看到苏长玉有些失魂落魄的样子，忍不住劝解道：“我知道你们从放逐之地历经千辛万苦回归，都有着一颗向道之心。谁当初又不是呢？”
Having said that, Sun Zhang noticed Su Changyu's disheartened expression and couldn’t help but comfort him: "I understand that after enduring countless hardships in the Exile Lands, you all have a strong desire for cultivation. Who among us didn't?"
“ kě xī xiān dào shí zài jiān nán ， jiù suàn néng qū chú yī shēn zhàng qì ， zhè zhī hòu néng gòu gǎn yìng dào tiān dì líng qì 、 yǐn qì rù tǐ de ， yě shì shǎo zhī yòu shǎo 。 hé bì zì xún fán nǎo ne ？ dāng gè fán rén ， yě méi yǒu shén me bù hǎo 。” sūn zhāng shì shì zài ān wèi sū zhǎng yù ， yě sì hū shì zài ān wèi zì jǐ 。
“可惜仙道实在艰难，就算能祛除一身瘴气，这之后能够感应到天地灵气、引气入体的，也是少之又少。何必自寻烦恼呢？当个凡人，也没有什么不好。”孙章似是在安慰苏长玉，也似乎是在安慰自己。
"Unfortunately, the path of Immortality is extremely difficult. Even if you can rid yourself of the pestilence, few are able to sense and draw in the primordial energy from nature. Why seek trouble? Being an ordinary person isn’t so bad," Sun Zhang seemed to be consoling Su Changyu as much as himself.
“ yǒu tiān dì líng qì wú xíng zī rùn ， jí shǐ bù néng xiū xíng ， nǐ men yě néng bǐ zài fàng zhú zhī dì zhōng huó de gèng jiǔ 。 yě bù wǎng nǐ men de jiā rén huā fèi jù dà dài jià bǎ nǐ men sòng chū lái le 。”
“有天地灵气无形滋润，即使不能修行，你们也能比在放逐之地中活的更久。也不枉你们的家人花费巨大代价把你们送出来了。”
"Even without cultivation, with the nourishment of the primordial energy, you can live longer than in the Exile Lands. Your families have already made great sacrifices to bring you here."
“ yǔ qí kǔ kǔ zhuī qiú xiān dào ， bù rú hǎo hǎo xiǎng shòu shēng huó ， zòng qíng xiǎng shòu ， huó zài dāng xià 。”
“与其苦苦追求仙道，不如好好享受生活，纵情享受，活在当下。”
"Instead of struggling for Immortality, enjoy life and live it to the fullest."
sūn zhāng yī xí huà shuō bà ， biàn lí qù le 。
孙章一席话说罢，便离去了。
Sun Zhang left after saying all this.
zài chǎng de zhòng rén yǒu de yī liǎn xīn xǐ ， duì sūn zhāng de huà shēn yǐ wéi rán ， sì hū zhǎo dào le fàng zòng de jiè kǒu ； yǒu de zé shì wú fǎ jiē shòu xiū xiān rú cǐ jiān nán ， yī shí jiān shī shēng tòng kū ； yǒu de zé shì mǎn mù chóu róng ， bù zhī gāi rú hé shì hǎo ……
在场的众人有的一脸欣喜，对孙章的话深以为然，似乎找到了放纵的借口；有的则是无法接受修仙如此艰难，一时间失声痛哭；有的则是满目愁容，不知该如何是好……
The others were divided: some looked delighted, agreeing with Sun Zhang’s words as if they had found an excuse to indulge; some were unable to accept how difficult cultivation was and burst into tears; some were deeply troubled, unsure of what to do...
zhǐ yǒu sū zhǎng yù liǎn sè jiān yì ， sì hū yǐn yǐn xià dìng le mǒu zhǒng jué xīn 。
只有苏长玉脸色坚毅，似乎隐隐下定了某种决心。
Only Su Changyu's face remained firm, hinting at a decision.
jiāng zhòng rén de fǎn yìng yī yī kàn zài yǎn lǐ ， lǐ fán xīn zhōng lěng xiào yī shēng 。
将众人的反应一一看在眼里，李凡心中冷笑一声。
Watching the reactions of everyone, Li Fan couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
méi yǒu duō guǎn xián shì ， lǐ fán chèn zhe zhòng rén shī shén de gōng fu ， qiāo qiāo dì lí kāi le 。
没有多管闲事，李凡趁着众人失神的功夫，悄悄地离开了。
Without getting involved, Li Fan took advantage of the moment when everyone was distracted to quietly leave.
yī lù dǎ tīng ， zhǎo dào le dǎo shàng lǐng qǔ miǎn fèi zhù zhái de dì fāng 。
一路打听，找到了岛上领取免费住宅的地方。
After asking around, he found where free housing could be obtained on the island.
lǐ fán chū shì le líng fú ， suí hòu zài zhuān rén de dài lǐng xià ， lái dào le liú lí dǎo běi bù de jū zhù qū nèi 。
李凡出示了灵符，随后在专人的带领下，来到了琉璃岛北部的居住区内。
Li Fan showed his spirit token and followed a guide to the residential area in the northern part of Lustrous Isle.
zhè lǐ mì mì má má zuò luò zhe bù zhī dào duō shǎo fáng wū ， yǒu de kōng zhe ， yǒu de zé shì yǐ jīng zhù jìn le rén 。
这里密密麻麻坐落着不知道多少房屋，有的空着，有的则是已经住进了人。
There were countless houses densely packed here. Some were empty while others already had residents.
zhè xiē fáng wū dà bù fèn dōu zhǐ yǒu yī jiān wū zi ， hǎo zài dōu yǒu wéi qiáng gé chū de xiǎo yuàn zi ， bú huì xiǎn de tài guò hán suān 。
这些房屋大部分都只有一间屋子，好在都有围墙隔出的小院子，不会显得太过寒酸。
Most of these houses only had one room each, but they all had small courtyards behind them, making them look less shabby.
“ liù zòng dì qī jiān ， jiù shì zhè le 。” bù nài fán de jiāng yào shi jiāo gěi lǐ fán ， nà rén biàn jí cōng cōng de lí qù le 。
“六纵第七间，就是这了。”不耐烦的将钥匙交给李凡，那人便急匆匆的离去了。
"Room 6-7 is this way," the person impatiently handed over the key before hurrying away.
lǐ fán dǎ kāi yuàn mén ， zǒu le jìn qù ， suí shǒu bǎ mén guān shàng 。
李凡打开院门，走了进去，随手把门关上。
Li Fan opened the gate and entered. He shut it behind him.
wū zi lǐ shèn shì jiǎn lòu ， zhǐ yǒu yī zhāng chuáng hé jǐ zhāng zhuō yǐ ， ràng lǐ fán pǒ bù xí guàn 。
屋子里甚是简陋，只有一张床和几张桌椅，让李凡颇不习惯。
The interior was quite simple, with only a bed and some tables and chairs, which made Li Fan feel somewhat uncomfortable.
bù guò tā yě bù zài yì zhè xiē wài wù ， jiǎn dān de qīng lǐ xià hòu ， lǐ fán biàn xiē xī xià lái ， sī suǒ zhe zhī hòu de dǎ suàn 。
不过他也不在意这些外物，简单的清理下后，李凡便歇息下来，思索着之后的打算。
But he didn’t mind these trivial matters. After a quick clean-up, Li Fan settled down to think about his next steps.
“ kāi jú yùn qì bù cuò ， méi fèi shén me gōng fu jiù ān dìng le xià lái 。 yě shì tuō le de nà xiē lí jiè zhī rén de fú 。 kě xī zhè huǒ rén chú le yí gè sū zhǎng yù wài ， qí yú sì hū quán dōu shì píng píng zhī bèi ， quán wú xiàng dào zhī xīn ， nán chéng dà qì 。”
“开局运气不错，没费什么功夫就安定了下来。也是托了的那些离界之人的福。可惜这伙人除了一个苏长玉外，其余似乎全都是平平之辈，全无向道之心，难成大器。”
"Starting off with good fortune, I’ve managed to settle without much effort. It’s all thanks to those who left the world behind. Unfortunately, apart from Su Changyu, everyone else seems to be mediocre and lacks the desire for cultivation."
“ zhè chù jū zhù de dì fāng jū rán jiǎn lòu le diǎn ， dàn ān quán xìng zǒng guī shì bù yòng dān xīn de 。 zhī qián biàn yǐ xún wèn guò ， liú lí dǎo yǒu xiān shī zuò zhèn ， yǐ jīng hěn jiǔ méi yǒu dǎn dà wàng wéi zhī tú fàn shì le 。”
“这处居住的地方居然简陋了点，但安全性总归是不用担心的。之前便已询问过，琉璃岛有仙师坐镇，已经很久没有胆大妄为之徒犯事了。”
"The housing here is a bit simple, but safety isn’t an issue. I had already inquired; there are Immortal Masters stationed on Lustrous Isle, and no one has dared to cause trouble for a long time now."
“ jiē xià lái de shǒu yào mù biāo zé shì yào qū chú tǐ nèi zhàng qì 。 jìn rù jìng tǐ líng chí de míng é suī rán zhēn guì ， dàn shì wǒ tài yǎn zhōu nèi sōu guā ér lái de zhēn bǎo bù jì qí shù ， qiǎng qiú gè míng é xiǎng bì bú shì nán shì 。 huài chù zé shì tài guò zhāo yáo ， suǒ wèi cái bù lù bái 。 wǒ yī wài lái wú gēn jī zhī rén ， dǒu rán jiān bào chū rú cǐ duō cái fù ， bì dìng zāo rén kuī shì 。 hái xū hǎo hǎo móu huà 。”
“接下来的首要目标则是要祛除体内瘴气。进入净体灵池的名额虽然珍贵，但是我太衍舟内搜刮而来的珍宝不计其数，强求个名额想必不是难事。坏处则是太过招摇，所谓财不露白。我一外来无根基之人，陡然间暴出如此多财富，必定遭人窥视。还需好好谋划。”
"My top priority is to remove the pestilence from my body. Although the slots for the spirit pool are precious, I have countless treasures gathered from Taiyin Boat. Getting a slot shouldn’t be too difficult. The downside is that it will attract attention. As they say, money doesn’t show itself. As an outsider without any roots, suddenly possessing so much wealth must draw suspicion. I need to plan carefully."
tū rán ， yī zhèn qiāo mén shēng dǎ duàn le lǐ fán de sī suǒ 。
突然，一阵敲门声打断了李凡的思索。
Suddenly, the sound of knocking interrupted Li Fan’s thoughts.
“ shuí ？” lǐ fán dùn shí yǒu xiē jǐng tì 。
“谁？”李凡顿时有些警惕。
"Who?" Li Fan immediately felt wary.
“ wǒ 。” shēng yīn yǒu xiē dī chén ， tīng qǐ lái yòu yǒu xiē ěr shú 。
“我。”声音有些低沉，听起来又有些耳熟。
"It's me," a low and familiar voice replied.
lǐ fán bù dòng shēng sè ， jiāng tài yǎn zhōu qǔ chū ， cóng zhōng ná chū yī bǐng bǐ shǒu ， cáng yú xiù zhōng 。
李凡不动声色，将太衍舟取出，从中拿出一柄匕首，藏于袖中。
Li Fan remained calm as he took out Taiyin Boat and withdrew a dagger, hiding it in his sleeve.
jiàng mén dǎ kāi yī tiáo fèng ， lǐ fán kàn qīng le lái rén de mú yàng 。
将门打开一条缝，李凡看清了来人的模样。
He opened the door slightly to see who had come.
jìng rán shì zhī qián nà ge shì tú dā shàn tā de pàng zi 。
竟然是之前那个试图搭讪他的胖子。
It was that fat man who had tried to chat with him before.
lǐ fán guǒ duàn xuǎn zé bǎ mén guān shàng 。
李凡果断选择把门关上。
Li Fan decisively closed the door.
“ děng děng ……” pàng qīng nián lián máng yòng shǒu dǎng zhù ， qiǎo shēng shuō dào ，“ nǐ bú shì wǒ men lí jiè zhōng rén ba 。”
“等等……”胖青年连忙用手挡住，悄声说道，“你不是我们离界中人吧。”
"Wait..." The young man hurriedly stopped him, whispering, "You’re not one of us from beyond the boundary?"
“ shén me ？” lǐ fán lèng le xià 。
“什么？”李凡愣了下。
"What?" Li Fan was taken aback.
pàng zi chèn jī zuān le jìn lái 。
胖子趁机钻了进来。
The fat man squeezed in.
tā dǎ liàng zhe lǐ fán ， bù huái hào yì de shuō dào ：“ nǐ dào dǐ shì shén me rén ， hùn jìn zhè liú lí dǎo yòu yǒu shén me mù dì ？”
他打量着李凡，不怀好意的说道：“你到底是什么人，混进这琉璃岛又有什么目的？”
He sized up Li Fan and said maliciously, "Who are you? What’s your purpose for sneaking into this Lustrous Isle?"
“ nǐ zěn me zhī dào wǒ bú shì lí jiè rén ？” lǐ fán fǎn wèn dào 。
“你怎么知道我不是离界人？”李凡反问道。
"How do you know I’m not from beyond the boundary?" Li Fan asked back.
pàng zi yī liǎn bù xiè ：“ luò shuǐ zhī shí ， wǒ jiù yī xī kàn jiàn nǐ guǐ guǐ suì suì de shēn yǐng 。 qǐ chū wǒ hái yǐ wéi shì huàn jué ， zuó tiān wǎn shàng kàn dào nǐ de biǎo xiàn hòu ， wǒ yuè xiǎng yuè bú duì jìn ， biàn liú le gè xīn yǎn 。 kàn jiàn nǐ jí bù kě nài de xún le zhù zhái ， wǒ jiù àn zhōng qiāo qiāo gēn zhe guò lái shì tàn 。”
胖子一脸不屑：“落水之时，我就依稀看见你鬼鬼祟祟的身影。起初我还以为是幻觉，昨天晚上看到你的表现后，我越想越不对劲，便留了个心眼。看见你急不可耐的寻了住宅，我就暗中悄悄跟着过来试探。”
The fat man rolled his eyes: "When I fell into the water, I saw your suspicious figure. At first, I thought it was just an illusion. After seeing your behavior last night, I became more and more suspicious. So, I secretly followed you to see."
“ guǒ rán ， xiǎo yé wǒ yī shì nǐ jiù lù chū le mǎ jiǎo 。” pàng zi yǒu xiē dé yì 。
“果然，小爷我一试你就露出了马脚。”胖子有些得意。
"Sure enough, you’ve exposed yourself," the fat man said with some satisfaction.
“ zhè me kàn lái ， nǐ dǎo shì yǒu xiē jīng míng ， xīn xì xì nì 。” lǐ fán diǎn diǎn tóu 。
“这么看来，你倒是有些精明，心细细腻。”李凡点点头。
"It seems you’re quite clever, meticulous," Li Fan nodded.
“ dāng rán ， chú le wǒ zhī wài ， nà bāng chǔn huò jū rán méi yí gè fā xiàn bèi mò shēng rén hùn jìn lái le 。”
“当然，除了我之外，那帮蠢货居然没一个发现被陌生人混进来了。”
"Of course, none of those fools noticed a stranger sneaking in..."
“ zhēn de chú le nǐ ， méi yǒu bié rén fā xiàn zhè jiàn shì me ？” lǐ fán wèn dào 。
“真的除了你，没有别人发现这件事么？”李凡问道。
"Is it true that no one else noticed this?" Li Fan asked.
“ nà dāng rán ！ nà xiē chǔn cái zěn me néng hé xiǎo yé wǒ xiāng tí bìng lùn ……”
“那当然！那些蠢材怎么能和小爷我相提并论……”
"Of course! Those idiots can’t compare to me..." The fat man’s words trailed off as he was cut short by a sharp dagger piercing his chest.
pàng zi de huà shuō dào yí bàn ， biàn zài yě shuō bù chū le 。
胖子的话说到一半，便再也说不出了。
Looking at the fallen fat man, Li Fan remained expressionless.
Sun Zhang glanced at Su Changyu and patiently explained, "Ordinary people wishing to cultivate must first rid themselves of the pestilence within. You folks who have returned from the Exile Lands have a much higher concentration of this pestilence than ordinary people. Therefore, without removing all that pestilence, cultivation is impossible."
Su Changyu frowned and said, "We already knew about this matter. But how can we remove it?"
Sun Zhang replied, "There are several methods to remove the pestilence. One way is by soaking in the purification spirit pool on the island for a day and night. This will completely cleanse your body of the pestilence. Unfortunately, the materials required to activate the spirit pool are quite extraordinary. Even though our Lustrous Isle is wealthy, we can only open it once every three years. I'm thinking... The last time was about a year ago, so it would still be another two years before the spirit pool opens again."
"Moreover, there are limited slots for the spirit pool, and competition is fierce. You outsiders without any roots have no chance of competing with the islanders," Sun Zhang shook his head.
"What other methods are there?" Su Changyu continued to ask.
"There's a second method: practicing the 'Xuanhuang Qixin Spell' while using specific medicines and food to gradually change your body's constitution. This will eventually completely clear out the pestilence in your body. Although this method takes a long time—often five or six years—it is stable, and no special sacrifices are required. The spell and corresponding elixirs can be purchased from pharmacies on the island."
"Five or six years..." Su Changyu murmured to himself before asking again, "Is there anything else?"
"There's also being used as a test subject," Sun Zhang said, his face turning somewhat pale as he spoke about this method. However, he still answered Su Changyu.
"A test subject?" Su Changyu was confused.
"Exactly. Some Immortal Masters are very interested in the pestilence within our bodies. Every year, they select volunteers from the island's ordinary people to serve as test subjects. The Immortal Masters use special means to continuously extract the pestilence from these test subjects for research purposes. It usually takes just a few months to completely clear out the pestilence."
Thinking of something, Sun Zhang's face turned pale: "This process is extremely painful and can be described as neither living nor dying. Most people cannot endure until their pestilence is fully extracted; they are often driven mad by the torment."
"I don't recommend this method. It’s not something ordinary people can bear."
Su Changyu didn’t know if he had listened to Sun Zhang's advice, but after a moment of silence, he asked again, "Is there any other way?"
Sun Zhang shook his head: "It is said that the direct descendants of these Immortal Masters can use their innate talents and treasures to reshape their bodies. This allows them not only to no longer worry about the pestilence but also to improve their cultivation资质. However, this method is beyond our comprehension. Even the master of our Lustrous Isle does not have such privileges."
"I've told you all I know. If you truly wish to cultivate, you should consider your options carefully over the coming days."
Having said that, Sun Zhang noticed Su Changyu's disheartened expression and couldn’t help but comfort him: "I understand that after enduring countless hardships in the Exile Lands, you all have a strong desire for cultivation. Who among us didn't?"
"Unfortunately, the path of Immortality is extremely difficult. Even if you can rid yourself of the pestilence, few are able to sense and draw in the primordial energy from nature. Why seek trouble? Being an ordinary person isn’t so bad," Sun Zhang seemed to be consoling Su Changyu as much as himself.
"Even without cultivation, with the nourishment of the primordial energy, you can live longer than in the Exile Lands. Your families have already made great sacrifices to bring you here."
"Instead of struggling for Immortality, enjoy life and live it to the fullest."
...
Sun Zhang left after saying all this.
The others were divided: some looked delighted, agreeing with Sun Zhang’s words as if they had found an excuse to indulge; some were unable to accept how difficult cultivation was and burst into tears; some were deeply troubled, unsure of what to do...
Only Su Changyu's face remained firm, hinting at a decision.
Watching the reactions of everyone, Li Fan couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
Without getting involved, Li Fan took advantage of the moment when everyone was distracted to quietly leave.
After asking around, he found where free housing could be obtained on the island.
Li Fan showed his spirit token and followed a guide to the residential area in the northern part of Lustrous Isle.
There were countless houses densely packed here. Some were empty while others already had residents.
Most of these houses only had one room each, but they all had small courtyards behind them, making them look less shabby.
"Room 6-7 is this way," the person impatiently handed over the key before hurrying away.
Li Fan opened the gate and entered. He shut it behind him.
The interior was quite simple, with only a bed and some tables and chairs, which made Li Fan feel somewhat uncomfortable.
But he didn’t mind these trivial matters. After a quick clean-up, Li Fan settled down to think about his next steps.
"Starting off with good fortune, I’ve managed to settle without much effort. It’s all thanks to those who left the world behind. Unfortunately, apart from Su Changyu, everyone else seems to be mediocre and lacks the desire for cultivation."
"The housing here is a bit simple, but safety isn’t an issue. I had already inquired; there are Immortal Masters stationed on Lustrous Isle, and no one has dared to cause trouble for a long time now."
"My top priority is to remove the pestilence from my body. Although the slots for the spirit pool are precious, I have countless treasures gathered from Taiyin Boat. Getting a slot shouldn’t be too difficult. The downside is that it will attract attention. As they say, money doesn’t show itself. As an outsider without any roots, suddenly possessing so much wealth must draw suspicion. I need to plan carefully."
...
Suddenly, the sound of knocking interrupted Li Fan’s thoughts.
"Who?" Li Fan immediately felt wary.
"It's me," a low and familiar voice replied.
Li Fan remained calm as he took out Taiyin Boat and withdrew a dagger, hiding it in his sleeve.
He opened the door slightly to see who had come.
It was that fat man who had tried to chat with him before.
Li Fan decisively closed the door.
"Wait..." The young man hurriedly stopped him, whispering, "You’re not one of us from beyond the boundary?"
"What?" Li Fan was taken aback.
The fat man squeezed in.
He sized up Li Fan and said maliciously, "Who are you? What’s your purpose for sneaking into this Lustrous Isle?"
"How do you know I’m not from beyond the boundary?" Li Fan asked back.
The fat man rolled his eyes: "When I fell into the water, I saw your suspicious figure. At first, I thought it was just an illusion. After seeing your behavior last night, I became more and more suspicious. So, I secretly followed you to see."
"Sure enough, you’ve exposed yourself," the fat man said with some satisfaction.
"It seems you’re quite clever, meticulous," Li Fan nodded.
"Of course, none of those fools noticed a stranger sneaking in..."
"Is it true that no one else noticed this?" Li Fan asked.
"Of course! Those idiots can’t compare to me..." The fat man’s words trailed off as he was cut short by a sharp dagger piercing his chest.
Looking at the fallen fat man, Li Fan remained expressionless.