qǐ chū ， hái yǒu yī xiē bù xìn xié de xiū shì ， méi yǒu bǎ wàn xiān méng de jǐng gào fàng zài xīn shàng 。
起初，还有一些不信邪的修士，没有把万仙盟的警告放在心上。
At first, there were still some cultivators who did not take the warnings from the Five Elders Alliance seriously.
yī jiù wǒ xíng wǒ sù ， zhàng zhe zì jǐ xiū xíng de yǐn nì gōng fǎ ， shì tú àn zhōng qián rù jiǔ shān zhōu 。
依旧我行我素，仗着自己修行的隐匿功法，试图暗中潜入九山州。
They continued to act as they pleased, relying on their hidden cultivation techniques to attempt a covert infiltration into Jiushan Province.
dàn shì zhè cì fèng mìng yā zhèn de jǐ wèi huà shén ， kě zhēn shì yǒu bèi ér lái 。
但是这次奉命压阵的几位化神，可真是有备而来。
However, this time, the几位化神 who were ordered to oversee the operation had come fully prepared. They jointly set up a large array that encompassed the entire territory of Jiushan Province. The purpose of this array was not to kill but to automatically mark any Five Elders Alliance cultivators within its range.
lián shǒu bù xià dà zhèn ， jiāng jiǔ shān zhōu quán jìng lǒng zhào 。
联手布下大阵，将九山州全境笼罩。
No one knew the exact mechanism, but once any Five Elders Alliance cultivator stepped into it, a towering light pillar would lock onto them. Even if they tried to hide their tracks, they would be as visible as a candle in the dark.
cǐ zhèn fǎ gōng xiào bù zài shā fá ， ér shì néng jiāng fǎ zhèn fàn wéi nèi de wǔ lǎo huì xiū shì zì dòng biāo jì chū lái 。
此阵法功效不在杀伐，而是能将法阵范围内的五老会修士自动标记出来。
With this array in place, the Five Elders Alliance cultivators who had been hiding in Jiushan Province were quickly torn apart by the overwhelming force of the alliance members. This was an unprecedented array that could distinguish between both sides' identities and had never appeared before, not even during the great battle in Tianling Province.
bù zhī shì hé yuán lǐ ， dàn zhǐ yào shì wǔ lǎo huì xiū shì tà rù qí zhōng 。
不知是何原理，但只要是五老会修士踏入其中。
Its initial display proved to be highly effective. The Five Elders Alliance seemed to have found no immediate way to counter it and were not prepared for another full-scale war. Thus, they temporarily kept a low profile and did not take more aggressive measures.
yī dào chōng tiān ér qǐ de guāng zhù jiù huì jiāng qí suǒ dìng 。
一道冲天而起的光柱就会将其锁定。
However, it appeared that they had not completely abandoned their plans to explore the Dao Yuan Sect. They gathered forces at the borders of Jiushan Province, ready to invade at any moment. The front lines were tense, with a major battle on the horizon.
jí biàn zài zěn me yǐn cáng zōng jì ， yě rú hēi yè zhōng de zhú huǒ yì bān ， qīng xī kě jiàn 。
即便再怎么隐藏踪迹，也如黑夜中的烛火一般，清晰可见。
Meanwhile, in the safe rear area of the Five Elders Alliance, discussions about the motivations behind this move by the Five Elders Alliance became a popular topic among cultivators. According to common sense, after such a massive war, it should have been a period of rest and recuperation for all involved. Yet, the Five Elders Alliance was constantly provoking, which raised questions: What were their intentions? And why did they need to prepare for another confrontation when the last one had been over the rare Five Elements Great Cavern?
zhè xià kě hǎo ， bù yòng nà jǐ wèi huà shén xiū shì chū shǒu 。
这下可好，不用那几位化神修士出手。
After much discussion, it seemed that there were only two possible reasons. One was that there might be some extraordinary treasure hidden within the Dao Yuan Sect's ruins, and the Five Elders Alliance was willing to go to war to obtain it.
qián fú jìn jiǔ shān zhōu de lǎo shǔ men ， jiù bèi yī yōng ér shàng de wàn xiān méng xiū shì sī chéng le suì piàn 。
潜伏进九山州的老鼠们，就被一拥而上的万仙盟修士撕成了碎片。
The other reason could be that Jiushan Province was merely a diversion by the Five Elders Alliance. They wanted to create a significant disturbance using the opportunity of the ruins appearing in the world to draw the attention of the Five Elders Alliance away from their true target elsewhere.
zhè zhǒng néng gòu biàn bié shuāng fāng xiū shì shēn fèn de dà zhèn ， zhī qián cóng wèi chū xiàn guò 。
这种能够辨别双方修士身份的大阵，之前从未出现过。
Regardless of the motive, one thing was certain: the Five Elders Alliance had no good intentions. For the majority of cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage, the war seemed distant since they had not been involved in such a large-scale conflict before. However, the benefits of reduced cultivation technique costs after the war were real.
shèn zhì zài cǐ qián de tiān líng zhōu dà zhàn zhōng yě méi yǒu dēng cháng 。
甚至在此前的天灵州大战中也没有登场。
Thus, most people held a mix of tension and anticipation as they monitored the situation closely. "Dao Yuan Sect..."
cǐ cì chū xiǎn shēn shǒu ， xiào guǒ fēi fán 。
此次初显身手，效果非凡。
In Cunyun Sea, where the situation was still far from requiring array repairers to patrol, Li Fan remained in the Heavenly Dao Mirror, collecting and reviewing information on the new events.
wǔ lǎo huì nà biān sì hū yī shí jiān méi yǒu zhǎo dào pò jiě zhī fǎ ， yòu méi yǒu zuò hǎo zài cì quán miàn kāi zhàn de zhǔn bèi 。
五老会那边似乎一时间没有找到破解之法，又没有做好再次全面开战的准备。
"From those who have successfully explored the Dao Yuan Sect's ruins and safely returned, it seems like this is just an ordinary ruin. Apart from its size, there doesn't seem to be anything special about it."
suǒ yǐ zàn qiě yǎn qí xī gǔ ， méi yǒu cǎi qǔ gèng jī jìn de cuò shī 。
所以暂且偃旗息鼓，没有采取更激进的措施。
"The only strange thing is that the interior of the ruin is exceptionally clean; it does not resemble a place that has existed for thousands of years."
bù guò ， tā men hǎo xiàng yě méi yǒu chè dǐ fàng qì tàn suǒ cháo yuán zōng de dǎ suàn 。
不过，他们好像也没有彻底放弃探索朝元宗的打算。
"There are no signs of battles or fallen cultivators."
zài jiǔ shān zhōu jiāo jiè chù jí jié lì liàng ， bǎi chū yī fù suí shí kě néng rù qīn de zī tài 。
在九山州交界处集结力量，摆出一副随时可能入侵的姿态。
"Most of the sect's禁制 were not activated. It feels as if all the Dao Yuan Sect's cultivators vanished in an instant, and the sect suddenly appeared after crossing through time."
qián xiàn shuāng fāng jiàn bá nǔ zhāng ， dà zhàn yī chù jí fā 。
前线双方剑拔弩张，大战一触即发。
"It is said that those few Immortal Realization cultivators from the Five Elders Alliance also went inside to investigate but didn't find much."
ér zài wàn xiān méng ān quán de hòu fāng ， guān yú cǐ fān wǔ lǎo huì de dòng jī ， què chéng le xiū shì men rè zhōng tǎo lùn de huà tí 。
而在万仙盟安全的后方，关于此番五老会的动机，却成了修士们热衷讨论的话题。
"Hmm, interesting..."
àn zhào cháng lǐ lái jiǎng ， shuāng fāng gāng gāng jié shù dà zhàn bù jiǔ ， sǐ shāng liǎo wú shù xiū shì 。
按照常理来讲，双方刚刚结束大战不久，死伤了无数修士。
Li Fan's eyes flickered. It was clear that there was something odd about the Dao Yuan Sect. However, even with Immortal Realization cultivators unable to probe it, it must be extremely dangerous.
zhè duàn shí jiān ， lǐ yīng shì xiū yǎng shēng xī de hé píng qī cái duì 。
这段时间，理应是休养生息的和平期才对。
"I hope this world resolves before my True Real Technique comes into play so I can gain an advantage in the next."
kě wǔ lǎo huì què yī fǎn cháng tài de ， bù duàn tiǎo xìn 。
可五老会却一反常态的，不断挑衅。
Just as Li Fan awaited further developments, his doppelganger received a frantic message from Jia Xiuyuan. He had finally waited no longer and was planning to hold the first auction for the Little Medicine King Cauldron.
mù dì hé zài ？
目的何在？
"After all this time setting things up, I've already spent what I can afford. We're about to go to war again; I just can't wait any longer!"
zài zhě ， shàng yī cì dà zhàn ， shì yīn wèi nà xī shì de wǔ xíng dà dòng tiān 。
再者，上一次大战，是因为那稀世的五行大洞天。
Jia Xiuyuan complained.
zhè cì chén bīng xiāng xiàng ， yòu shì wèi hé ？
这次陈兵相向，又是为何？
"Even though cultivators may not have much money now, it's better than dragging it out for a few more years and never making back the investment."
jīng guò dà jiā de yī fān tǎo lùn fēn xī ， pǔ biàn rèn wéi zhǐ yǒu liǎng zhǒng kě néng 。
经过大家的一番讨论分析，普遍认为只有两种可能。
"I invested too much in promoting the Little Medicine King Cauldron. If we delay further, I won't be able to manage my finances."
yī shì nà cháo yuán zōng yí jì nèi ， zhēn de yǒu shén me zhì bǎo 。
一是那朝元宗遗迹内，真的有什么至宝。
While Jia Xiuyuan's financial situation might not be dire, Li Fan agreed with his decision. He needed to sell the Little Medicine King Cauldrons before they lost their value when the True Medicine King Cauldron appeared. By then, even Jia Xiuyuan would face significant trouble.
wǔ lǎo huì bù xī yǔ wàn xiān méng kāi zhàn ， yě yào jiāng qí ná xià 。
五老会不惜与万仙盟开战，也要将其拿下。
"I've decided to hold the first auction in Tianhua Province, which is also within the Five Elders Alliance's territory and connected to eight other provinces. The cultivators there are generally wealthier than those in other regions."
dì èr zhǒng yuán yīn zé shì ， jiǔ shān zhōu zhè biān zhǐ bù guò shì wǔ lǎo huì gù bù yí zhèn de zhàng yǎn fǎ 。
第二种原因则是，九山州这边只不过是五老会故布疑阵的障眼法。
"Would you like to come and take a look?"
zhèng hǎo jiè zhe yí jì xiàn shì de jī huì ， nòng diǎn dà dòng jìng chū lái ， xī yǐn wàn xiān méng de zhù yì lì 。
正好借着遗迹现世的机会，弄点大动静出来，吸引万仙盟的注意力。
Jia Xiuyuan, who valued his business strategy advisor, extended an invitation.
zhēn zhèng de mù biāo zé lìng yǒu tā chǔ 。
真正的目标则另有他处。
Li Fan politely declined with a smile: "With such a grand event, I'm just a small Foundation Establishment cultivator; I'll stay out of the way."
bù guǎn chū yú hé zhǒng mù dì ， fǎn zhèng wǔ lǎo huì méi ān hǎo xīn shì kě yǐ què dìng de 。
不管出于何种目的，反正五老会没安好心是可以确定的。
"I wish you success in boosting the Little Medicine King Cauldron's reputation," Jia Xiuyuan said, slightly disappointed but understanding.
duì yú shù liàng zuì wèi páng dà de liàn qì 、 zhù jī xiū shì lái jiǎng ， zhàn zhēng sì hū lí tā men yǒu diǎn yáo yuǎn 。
对于数量最为庞大的炼气、筑基修士来讲，战争似乎离他们有点遥远。
"By the way, what do you think about the recent activities of the Five Elders Alliance?" Li Fan suddenly asked.
bì jìng shàng cì de tiān líng zhōu dà zhàn nà zhǒng guī mó de zhàn zhēng ， dōu méi yǒu ràng tā men shàng zhàn chǎng 。
毕竟上次的天灵州大战那种规模的战争，都没有让他们上战场。
"The Five Elders Alliance?" Jia Xiuyuan was taken aback before nodding and receiving some information. After a moment, he replied: "I believe this is an attempt by the Five Elders Alliance to test something."
ér zhàn zhēng hòu ， gōng fǎ dǎ zhé dài lái de hǎo chù què shì shí dǎ shí de 。
而战争后，功法打折带来的好处却是实打实的。
"Test? What do you mean?" Li Fan showed interest and probed further.
yú shì duō shù rén dōu huái zhe bàn shì jǐn zhāng 、 bàn shì qī dài de xīn tài ， shí kè guān zhù zhe shì jiàn de jìn yí bù dòng xiàng 。
于是多数人都怀着半是紧张、半是期待的心态，时刻关注着事件的进一步动向。
Jia Xiuyuan lowered his voice: "This is something we should discuss privately; please don't spread it around."
“ cháo yuán zōng ……”
“朝元宗……”
"I have a special source. A certain Immortal Realization cultivator within the Five Elders Alliance wants to【reverse natural law】to prove their worth as an immortal," Jia Xiuyuan said.
cóng yún hǎi zhè biān ， jú shì hái méi yǒu fā zhǎn dào xū yào zhèn fǎ xiū shàn yuán shàng zhèn xún luó de dì bù 。
丛云海这边，局势还没有发展到需要阵法修缮员上阵巡逻的地步。
"This Immortal Realization cultivator has good relations with other powerful beings in the alliance and is said to have enlisted many helpers, but I don't know where they are."
lǐ fán yī jiù dài zài tiān xuán jìng zhōng ， sōu jí chá kàn zhe xīn shì jiàn de xìn xī 。
李凡依旧待在天玄镜中，搜集查看着新事件的信息。
"I suspect that the Five Elders Alliance got wind of this and wants to put some pressure on them to test if the information is true. The events in Jiushan Province were just a appetizer. If my guess is correct, there's more to come."
“ cóng nà xiē yǐ jīng chéng gōng tàn suǒ cháo yuán zōng yí jì 、 bìng qiě ān quán fǎn huí de xiū shì kǒu zhōng dé zhī ， zhè sì hū jiù shì yī zuò pǔ pǔ tōng tōng de yí jì 。 chú le guī mó dà yī diǎn ， sì hū yě méi shén me tè shū de dì fāng 。”
“从那些已经成功探索朝元宗遗迹、并且安全返回的修士口中得知，这似乎就是一座普普通通的遗迹。除了规模大一点，似乎也没什么特殊的地方。”
Initially, Li Fan thought Jia Xiuyuan was referring to the Blue Feather Immortal Realization cultivator from Dao Source Province.
“ wéi yī guǐ yì zhī chù zài yú ， yí jì nèi shí fēn píng zhěng ， gēn běn bù xiàng shì cún zài qiān nián de yí jì 。”
“唯一诡异之处在于，遗迹内十分平整，根本不像是存在千年的遗迹。”
However, as he continued speaking, it became clear that this was not about Blue Feather.
“ méi yǒu zhàn dòu sī shā liú xià de hén jì ， méi yǒu yǔn luò xiū shì de yí hái 。”
“没有战斗厮杀留下的痕迹，没有陨落修士的遗骸。”
"Another cultivator aspiring for the Longevity Realm?" Li Fan pondered.
“ shèn zhì zōng mén yí jì nèi jué dà duō shù de jìn zhì dōu shì chǔ yú wèi jī fā zhuàng tài 。”
“甚至宗门遗迹内绝大多数的禁制都是处于未激发状态。”
But another question arose: "This Immortal Realization cultivator wants to break through and still seeks allies? Isn't there a risk of..." Li Fan left the sentence unfinished but his meaning was clear.
At first, there were still some cultivators who did not take the warnings from the Five Elders Alliance seriously.
They continued to act as they pleased, relying on their hidden cultivation techniques to attempt a covert infiltration into Jiushan Province.
However, this time, the几位化神 who were ordered to oversee the operation had come fully prepared. They jointly set up a large array that encompassed the entire territory of Jiushan Province. The purpose of this array was not to kill but to automatically mark any Five Elders Alliance cultivators within its range.
No one knew the exact mechanism, but once any Five Elders Alliance cultivator stepped into it, a towering light pillar would lock onto them. Even if they tried to hide their tracks, they would be as visible as a candle in the dark.
With this array in place, the Five Elders Alliance cultivators who had been hiding in Jiushan Province were quickly torn apart by the overwhelming force of the alliance members. This was an unprecedented array that could distinguish between both sides' identities and had never appeared before, not even during the great battle in Tianling Province.
Its initial display proved to be highly effective. The Five Elders Alliance seemed to have found no immediate way to counter it and were not prepared for another full-scale war. Thus, they temporarily kept a low profile and did not take more aggressive measures.
However, it appeared that they had not completely abandoned their plans to explore the Dao Yuan Sect. They gathered forces at the borders of Jiushan Province, ready to invade at any moment. The front lines were tense, with a major battle on the horizon.
Meanwhile, in the safe rear area of the Five Elders Alliance, discussions about the motivations behind this move by the Five Elders Alliance became a popular topic among cultivators. According to common sense, after such a massive war, it should have been a period of rest and recuperation for all involved. Yet, the Five Elders Alliance was constantly provoking, which raised questions: What were their intentions? And why did they need to prepare for another confrontation when the last one had been over the rare Five Elements Great Cavern?
After much discussion, it seemed that there were only two possible reasons. One was that there might be some extraordinary treasure hidden within the Dao Yuan Sect's ruins, and the Five Elders Alliance was willing to go to war to obtain it.
The other reason could be that Jiushan Province was merely a diversion by the Five Elders Alliance. They wanted to create a significant disturbance using the opportunity of the ruins appearing in the world to draw the attention of the Five Elders Alliance away from their true target elsewhere.
Regardless of the motive, one thing was certain: the Five Elders Alliance had no good intentions. For the majority of cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage, the war seemed distant since they had not been involved in such a large-scale conflict before. However, the benefits of reduced cultivation technique costs after the war were real.
Thus, most people held a mix of tension and anticipation as they monitored the situation closely. "Dao Yuan Sect..."
In Cunyun Sea, where the situation was still far from requiring array repairers to patrol, Li Fan remained in the Heavenly Dao Mirror, collecting and reviewing information on the new events.
"From those who have successfully explored the Dao Yuan Sect's ruins and safely returned, it seems like this is just an ordinary ruin. Apart from its size, there doesn't seem to be anything special about it."
"The only strange thing is that the interior of the ruin is exceptionally clean; it does not resemble a place that has existed for thousands of years."
"There are no signs of battles or fallen cultivators."
"Most of the sect's禁制 were not activated. It feels as if all the Dao Yuan Sect's cultivators vanished in an instant, and the sect suddenly appeared after crossing through time."
"It is said that those few Immortal Realization cultivators from the Five Elders Alliance also went inside to investigate but didn't find much."
"Hmm, interesting..."
Li Fan's eyes flickered. It was clear that there was something odd about the Dao Yuan Sect. However, even with Immortal Realization cultivators unable to probe it, it must be extremely dangerous.
"I hope this world resolves before my True Real Technique comes into play so I can gain an advantage in the next."
Just as Li Fan awaited further developments, his doppelganger received a frantic message from Jia Xiuyuan. He had finally waited no longer and was planning to hold the first auction for the Little Medicine King Cauldron.
"After all this time setting things up, I've already spent what I can afford. We're about to go to war again; I just can't wait any longer!"
Jia Xiuyuan complained.
"Even though cultivators may not have much money now, it's better than dragging it out for a few more years and never making back the investment."
"I invested too much in promoting the Little Medicine King Cauldron. If we delay further, I won't be able to manage my finances."
While Jia Xiuyuan's financial situation might not be dire, Li Fan agreed with his decision. He needed to sell the Little Medicine King Cauldrons before they lost their value when the True Medicine King Cauldron appeared. By then, even Jia Xiuyuan would face significant trouble.
"I've decided to hold the first auction in Tianhua Province, which is also within the Five Elders Alliance's territory and connected to eight other provinces. The cultivators there are generally wealthier than those in other regions."
"Would you like to come and take a look?"
Jia Xiuyuan, who valued his business strategy advisor, extended an invitation.
Li Fan politely declined with a smile: "With such a grand event, I'm just a small Foundation Establishment cultivator; I'll stay out of the way."
"I wish you success in boosting the Little Medicine King Cauldron's reputation," Jia Xiuyuan said, slightly disappointed but understanding.
"By the way, what do you think about the recent activities of the Five Elders Alliance?" Li Fan suddenly asked.
"The Five Elders Alliance?" Jia Xiuyuan was taken aback before nodding and receiving some information. After a moment, he replied: "I believe this is an attempt by the Five Elders Alliance to test something."
"Test? What do you mean?" Li Fan showed interest and probed further.
Jia Xiuyuan lowered his voice: "This is something we should discuss privately; please don't spread it around."
"I have a special source. A certain Immortal Realization cultivator within the Five Elders Alliance wants to【reverse natural law】to prove their worth as an immortal," Jia Xiuyuan said.
"This Immortal Realization cultivator has good relations with other powerful beings in the alliance and is said to have enlisted many helpers, but I don't know where they are."
"I suspect that the Five Elders Alliance got wind of this and wants to put some pressure on them to test if the information is true. The events in Jiushan Province were just a appetizer. If my guess is correct, there's more to come."
Initially, Li Fan thought Jia Xiuyuan was referring to the Blue Feather Immortal Realization cultivator from Dao Source Province.
However, as he continued speaking, it became clear that this was not about Blue Feather.
"Another cultivator aspiring for the Longevity Realm?" Li Fan pondered.
But another question arose: "This Immortal Realization cultivator wants to break through and still seeks allies? Isn't there a risk of..." Li Fan left the sentence unfinished but his meaning was clear.