lǐ fán xiǎng dōu bù xiǎng ， liǎn shàng lù chū jīng xǐ wàn fēn de shén sè ， lián shēng shuō dào ：“ wǎn bèi yuàn wǎng ！”
李凡想都不想，脸上露出惊喜万分的神色，连声说道：“晚辈愿往！”
Li Fan's face lit up with surprise as he exclaimed, "Junior wishes to go!"
lǐ fán de fǎn yìng méi yǒu chāo chū zhāng zhì liáng de yì liào 。
李凡的反应没有超出张志良的意料。
Li Fan’s reaction was exactly what Zhang Ziliang expected.
tā diǎn diǎn tóu ， jiě shì dào ：“ cǐ fān péi xùn de mù dì ， jiù shì wèi le ràng nián qīng yī bèi men ， jǐn kuài de zhǎng wò 【 tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn 】。”
他点点头，解释道：“此番培训的目的，就是为了让年轻一辈们，尽快的掌握【天玄锁灵阵】。”
He nodded and explained, “The purpose of this training is to allow the younger generation to quickly master the [Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array].”
“ cóng ér zhēng qǔ ， zài sān shí nián nèi ， jiāng wàn xiān méng de měi yī chù lǐng yù ， dōu lǒng zhào zài suǒ líng zhèn fàn wéi zhī nèi 。”
“从而争取，在三十年内，将万仙盟的每一处领域，都笼罩在锁灵阵范围之内。”
“Thus, we hope to cover every domain in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance within thirty years with this locking spirit array.”
lǐ fán shén sè wēi dòng ：“ tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn ？ mò bú shì nà ge zài jiǔ shān zhōu dà fàng yì cǎi ， néng gòu jiāng wǔ lǎo huì xiū shì quán bù yòng guāng zhù biāo jì chū lái de zhèn fǎ ？”
李凡神色微动：“天玄锁灵阵？莫不是那个在九山州大放异彩，能够将五老会修士全部用光柱标记出来的阵法？”
Li Fan’s expression changed slightly. "Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array? Could it be that array which shone brightly in Nine Mountain State and was able to mark all the Five Elders Association cultivators with light columns?"
zhāng zhì liáng duì yú lǐ fán de kuài sù fǎn yìng hěn shì mǎn yì ， diǎn tóu dào ：“ bù cuò 。 tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn nǎi shì tiān líng zhōu zhī zhàn hòu ， zhòng duō zhèn fǎ dà shī ， tōng guò yán jiū fú lǔ de wǔ lǎo huì xiū shì ， gòng tóng yán fā ér chū de zhèn fǎ 。”
张志良对于李凡的快速反应很是满意，点头道：“不错。天玄锁灵阵乃是天灵州之战后，众多阵法大师，通过研究俘虏的五老会修士，共同研发而出的阵法。”
Zhang Ziliang was pleased with Li Fan's quick response and nodded, “Exactly. The Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array was developed after the battle in Heaven Spirit State by many array masters through studying the captured Five Elders Association cultivators.”
“ wǔ lǎo huì xiū shì ？” lǐ fán yǒu xiē yí huò 。
“五老会修士？”李凡有些疑惑。
“Five Elders Association cultivators?” Li Fan asked curiously.
“ gǎn wèn dà shī ， zhè zhèn fǎ yán jiū ， wèi hé huì gēn xiū shì chǎn shēng guān lián ？”
“敢问大师，这阵法研究，为何会跟修士产生关联？”
"May I ask Master, why is there a connection between this array and cultivators?"
zhāng zhì liáng duì yú lǐ fán dǎo shì nài xīn hěn zú ， dāng xià jiě shì dào ：“ nǐ kě zhī wǔ lǎo huì hé wǒ men wàn xiān méng yǒu shén me bù tóng ？”
张志良对于李凡倒是耐心很足，当下解释道：“你可知五老会和我们万仙盟有什么不同？”
Zhang Ziliang was patient with Li Fan. He explained, "Do you know what makes the Five Elders Association different from us, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance?"
lǐ fán huí dá dào ：“ wǒ men wàn xiān méng shì zì yóu de lián méng 。 píng zì jǐ de nǔ lì ， jī zǎn gòng xiàn dù ， zhuàn qǔ gōng fǎ 。”
李凡回答道：“我们万仙盟是自由的联盟。凭自己的努力，积攒贡献度，赚取功法。”
Li Fan replied, “The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance is a free alliance where one can accumulate contributions through their efforts and earn mystical techniques.”
“ ér nà wǔ lǎo huì ……”
“而那五老会……”
“While the Five Elders Association...”
“ suī shuō néng miǎn fèi huò qǔ gōng fǎ ， dàn què xū yào qiān dìng mài shēn qì 。”
“虽说能免费获取功法，但却需要签订卖身契。”
"Though they offer free access to mystical techniques, one must sign a servitude contract."
“ yī bèi zi dōu yào shòu zhì yú rén 。 bǐ bù dé wǒ men wàn xiān méng xiāo yáo zì zài 。”
“一辈子都要受制于人。比不得我们万仙盟逍遥自在。”
"One will be bound by others for life. It’s nothing like our freedom in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance."
“ bù mán qián bèi ， wǒ zhī qián shì sàn xiū zhī shí ， céng kǎo lǜ guò jiā rù nǎ yī fāng 。”
“不瞒前辈，我之前是散修之时，曾考虑过加入哪一方。”
"I admit, before I was an independent cultivator, I considered joining either side."
“ zài duì bǐ shuāng fāng de tiáo jiàn hòu ， jiù háo bù yóu yù de xuǎn zé jiā rù wǒ men wàn xiān méng le 。”
“在对比双方的条件后，就毫不犹豫的选择加入我们万仙盟了。”
"After comparing their conditions, I decided without hesitation to join us, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance."
lǐ fán dà yì lǐn rán dì shuō dào 。
李凡大义凛然地说道。
Li Fan spoke with a sense of righteousness.
zhāng zhì liáng wēi wēi yī xiào ， duì yú lǐ fán gù zuò zhōng xīn de biǎo tài bù zhì kě fǒu 。
张志良微微一笑，对于李凡故作忠心的表态不置可否。
Zhang Ziliang smiled slightly and did not comment on Li Fan's show of loyalty.
jì xù shuō dào ：“ bù cuò ， měi gè jiā rù wǔ lǎo huì de xiū shì ， dū huì qiān dìng nà me yī fèn 【 hún qì 】。”
继续说道：“不错，每个加入五老会的修士，都会签订那么一份【魂契】。”
He continued, “Indeed, every cultivator who joins the Five Elders Association signs a [Soul Contract].”
“ shén hún zì rán hé pǔ tōng de xiū shì yǒu suǒ chā bié 。”
“神魂自然和普通的修士有所差别。”
"Of course, the soul naturally differs from ordinary cultivators."
“ hěn zǎo zhī qián ， wǒ men jiù chǎn shēng le gēn jù zhè zhǒng chà bié ， jìn xíng dí wǒ shuāng fāng zhēn bié de xiǎng fǎ 。”
“很早之前，我们就产生了根据这种差别，进行敌我双方甄别的想法。”
"Long ago, we had the idea to use these differences for identification purposes."
“ nài hé yán jiū yàng běn shù liàng bù gòu ， shǐ zhōng méi yǒu chéng gōng 。”
“奈何研究样本数量不够，始终没有成功。”
"But due to insufficient research samples, it was never successful."
“ qián bù jiǔ de tiān líng zhōu dà zhàn ， suī shuō zǒng tǐ shì wǒ men wàn xiān méng chǔ yú liè shì 。”
“前不久的天灵州大战，虽说总体是我们万仙盟处于劣势。”
"The recent battle in Heaven Spirit State, though we were at a disadvantage overall,"
“ dàn wǒ men yě bú shì quán wú shōu huò 。”
“但我们也不是全无收获。”
"Still, we did gain something."
“ zhè tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn ， jiù shì zhàn zhēng de chéng guǒ zhī yī 。”
“这天玄锁灵阵，就是战争的成果之一。”
"One of those gains is this Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array."
zhāng zhì liáng sì hū shì huí xiǎng qǐ le shén me ， shén sè mò míng ， yǔ qì yě xiāo suǒ le yī xiē 。
张志良似乎是回想起了什么，神色莫名，语气也萧索了一些。
Zhang Ziliang seemed to recall something and his expression changed. His tone became more somber.
bù guò hěn kuài jiù huī fù le zhèng cháng ， jiē zhe shuō dào ：“ dà zhèn fù gài fàn wéi zhī nèi ， néng zhēn cè dào 【 hún qì 】 yǐn qǐ de shén hún tè yì diǎn 。 cóng ér jìn xíng dí wǒ biāo shì 。”
不过很快就恢复了正常，接着说道：“大阵覆盖范围之内，能侦测到【魂契】引起的神魂特异点。从而进行敌我标示。”
But he quickly recovered and continued, “Within the large array’s coverage, it can detect the special points in souls caused by [Soul Contracts]. Thus, it can distinguish friend from foe.”
“ biāo jì zhí dǐ shén hún ， fēi hé dào xiū shì bù kě jiě 。”
“标记直抵神魂，非合道修士不可解。”
"Once marked, only a cultivator who has reached the Dao can remove the mark."
“ cǐ zhèn de chéng gōng yán fā ， yì yì jù dà 。”
“此阵的成功研发，意义巨大。”
"The successful development of this array is significant."
“ zuì qǐ mǎ ， yí dàn pǔ jí ， xún cháng de jiàn dié jiāng zài yě wú fǎ yǐn cáng 。”
“最起码，一旦普及，寻常的间谍将再也无法隐藏。”
"At the very least, ordinary spies will no longer be able to hide once it’s widespread."
“ ér nà guàn chuān tiān dì de guāng zhù ， yě dù jué le wǔ lǎo huì tōu xí de kě néng 。”
“而那贯穿天地的光柱，也杜绝了五老会偷袭的可能。”
"And those light columns that penetrate the heavens and earth have eliminated the Five Elders Association's ability to launch surprise attacks."
zhāng zhì liáng kǎn kǎn shuō dào ， liǎn sè bù miǎn yǒu xiē dé yì zhī sè 。
张志良侃侃说道，脸色不免有些得意之色。
Zhang Ziliang spoke confidently, his face showing a hint of pride.
“ zhǐ bù guò zhè zhèn fǎ shè jí xiū shì shén hún ， jiān xīn huì sè 。”
“只不过这阵法涉及修士神魂，艰辛晦涩。”
"However, this array involves cultivators' souls, making it complex and difficult."
“ xún cháng zhèn fǎ shī gēn běn wú lì gòu jiàn 。”
“寻常阵法师根本无力构建。”
"Ordinary array masters cannot construct such an array."
“ wèi le jǐn kuài jiāng tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn pù kāi ， jiù xū yào péi xùn chū yī pī jīng yú cǐ dào de zhèn fǎ shī 。”
“为了尽快将天玄锁灵阵铺开，就需要培训出一批精于此道的阵法师。”
"To quickly spread the Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array, we need to train a batch of experts in this field."
“ liǎng nián hòu de tiān yǔ zhōu péi xùn ， mù dì jiù zài yú cǐ 。”
“两年后的天禹州培训，目的就在于此。”
"The training for Heaven Yu State two years from now is aimed at that purpose."
“ zhī suǒ yǐ huán yào tuō shàng liǎng nián shí jiān 。 hái shì yīn wèi shè jí shén hún de yuán yīn 。”
“之所以还要拖上两年时间。还是因为涉及神魂的原因。”
---
“ bù jǐn zhǔ bàn fāng nà biān xū yào sōu jí gè zhǒng cái liào 。”
“不仅主办方那边需要搜集各种材料。”
"Why do we still have to wait another two years?" he continued. "It’s because it involves souls."
“ cān yù de nián qīng chéng yuán men ， yě xū yào zuò hǎo chōng zú de zhǔn bèi 。”
“参与的年轻成员们，也需要做好充足的准备。”
"Not only does the organizer need to gather various materials,"
shuō zhe ， zhāng zhì liáng jiàng yí gè chǔ wù jiè rēng le guò lái 。
说着，张志良将一个储物戒扔了过来。
"but the young members also need to prepare adequately."
lǐ fán jiē guò jiè zhǐ chá kàn ， méi tóu wēi zhòu 。
李凡接过戒指查看，眉头微皱。
Saying this, Zhang Ziliang tossed a storage ring over.
yīn wèi chǔ wù jiè nèi ， jìng rán tǎng zhe yī jù shī tǐ 。
因为储物戒内，竟然躺着一具尸体。
Li Fan caught the ring and examined it, frowning slightly.
ér chú le shī tǐ wài ， zé shì kōng wú yī wù 。
而除了尸体外，则是空无一物。
Inside the ring lay a corpse. Apart from that, there was nothing else.
gèng wéi qí tè de shì ， zhè jù shī tǐ de shēn qū hé xún cháng xiū shì bié wú èr zhì 。
更为奇特的是，这具尸体的身躯和寻常修士别无二致。
What was more peculiar was that the body looked exactly like an ordinary cultivator's body, even down to its attire.
shèn zhì chuān zhuó dǎ bàn dōu hé zhèng cháng xiū shì yī mú yī yàng 。
甚至穿着打扮都和正常修士一模一样。
The only thing that alarmed him was that the head of this corpse wasn't human; it was a horse’s head!
wéi yī ràng rén sǒng rán ér jīng de dì fāng zài yú ， shī tǐ de tóu ， bù shǔ yú rén lèi ， ér shì mǎ de tóu lú ！
唯一让人悚然而惊的地方在于，尸体的头，不属于人类，而是马的头颅！
"What is this..."
“ zhè shì ……”
“这是……”
"This is what they call [Intention Horse]. It’s very precious. I didn’t get much either, so don’t lose it," Zhang Ziliang said slowly.
“ zhè jiù shì chuán shuō zhōng de 【 yì mǎ 】。 kě shì zhēn guì de hěn ， wǒ yě méi yǒu fēn dào duō shǎo ， nǐ kě bié nòng diū le 。” zhāng zhì liáng de shēng yīn huǎn huǎn chuán lái 。
“这就是传说中的【意马】。可是珍贵的很，我也没有分到多少，你可别弄丢了。”张志良的声音缓缓传来。
"Intention Horse?" Li Fan thought to himself.
“ yì mǎ ？” lǐ fán xīn zhōng wēi dòng 。
“意马？”李凡心中微动。
"Junior knows of the [Mind Monkey], which can enhance and quickly replenish one's spirit energy. What is this Intention Horse used for?" he asked when he was unsure.
“ wǎn bèi zhī dào 【 xīn yuán 】 de cún zài ， néng gòu zēng qiáng 、 kuài sù bǔ chōng shén shí xiāo hào 。 bù zhī zhè yì mǎ ， yòu yǒu shén me yòng chǔ ？” lǐ fán bù dǒng jiù wèn 。
“晚辈知道【心猿】的存在，能够增强、快速补充神识消耗。不知这意马，又有什么用处？”李凡不懂就问。
"The Mind Monkey strengthens the spirit, while the Intention Horse strengthens the soul," Zhang Ziliang said slowly.
“ xīn yuán shì qiáng huà shén shí ， ér yì mǎ ， zé shì qiáng huà shén hún 。” zhāng zhì liáng huǎn huǎn shuō dào 。
“心猿是强化神识，而意马，则是强化神魂。”张志良缓缓说道。
"How exactly to strengthen it..." a strange smile appeared on his face.
“ zhì yú rú hé qiáng huà ……” zhāng zhì liáng liǎn shàng hū de fú xiàn chū yī sī mò míng de xiào róng 。
“至于如何强化……”张志良脸上忽的浮现出一丝莫名的笑容。
"You will have to try it out yourself."
“ nǐ qīn zì shì yī shì jiù zhī dào le 。”
“你亲自试一试就知道了。”
Li Fan nodded in understanding.
lǐ fán diǎn diǎn tóu ， biǎo shì qīng chǔ 。
李凡点点头，表示清楚。
"Before the closed training begins, each member from the various states must be tested. You need to work hard these two years."
“ fēng bì péi xùn kāi shǐ shí ， bì dìng yào duì qián qù de gè zhōu chéng yuán jìn xíng yī cì kǎo hé 。 zhè liǎng nián lǐ ， nǐ hái xū duō duō nǔ lì 。”
“封闭培训开始时，必定要对前去的各州成员进行一次考核。这两年里，你还需多多努力。”
"Do not bring shame to our Cloudy Sea State," Zhang Ziliang instructed and then handed him three spirit jade slips.
“ dào shí hòu ， bú yào diū le wǒ men cóng yún hǎi de liǎn miàn 。”
“到时候，不要丢了我们丛云海的脸面。”
"I have a total of six spirit jade slips. If you can read all of them, it means you are ready to graduate."
zhāng zhì liáng dīng zhǔ dào ， suí hòu yòu jiāng sān méi fēn shén yù jiǎn jiāo gěi le lǐ fán 。
张志良叮嘱道，随后又将三枚分神玉简交给了李凡。
"Of course, I don’t expect you to do so in two years. But I will give them to you as an incentive,"
“ wǒ zhī fēn shén yù jiǎn ， zǒng gòng yǒu liù méi 。 ruò shì nǐ néng jiāng qí tōng dú ， dài biǎo nǐ jiù kě yǐ chū shī le 。”
“我之分神玉简，总共有六枚。若是你能将其通读，代表你就可以出师了。”
Li Fan bowed and thanked him, taking the jade slips.
“ yě bù zhǐ wàng nǐ zài zhè liǎng nián nèi néng zuò dào 。 bù guò hái shì xiān jiāo gěi nǐ 。 yǐ shì jī lì 。”
“也不指望你在这两年内能做到。不过还是先交给你。以示激励。”
"You go now, prepare well! I’ll notify you before the official training starts."
lǐ fán gōng shēn xíng lǐ dào xiè ， jiāng yù jiǎn shōu xià 。
李凡躬身行礼道谢，将玉简收下。
Zhang Ziliang waved his hand dismissively.
“ nǐ qiě qù ba ， hǎo shēng zhǔn bèi ！ péi xùn zhèng shì kāi shǐ qián ， wǒ huì zài tōng zhī nǐ de 。”
“你且去吧，好生准备！培训正式开始前，我会再通知你的。”
Returning to the Heavenly Xuan Mirror, Li Fan first searched for information on [Intention Horse].
zhāng zhì liáng bǎi le bǎi shǒu 。
张志良摆了摆手。
The results were meager with no useful information.
huí dào tiān xuán jìng zhōng ， lǐ fán xiān shì sōu suǒ le yī fān 【 yì mǎ 】 de zī liào 。
回到天玄镜中，李凡先是搜索了一番【意马】的资料。
It seemed like something not even ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators would know about.
jié guǒ liáo liáo wú jǐ ， méi yǒu shén me yǒu xiào xìn xī 。
结果寥寥无几，没有什么有效信息。
After all, Zhang Ziliang had said it was precious, so its value must be high.
kàn lái bú shì xún cháng zhù jī xiū shì suǒ néng zhī xiǎo de dōng xī 。
看来不是寻常筑基修士所能知晓的东西。
"Try it out..."
bì jìng zhāng zhì liáng yě dōu shuō qí zhēn guì ， nà me qí jià zhí zhī gāo ， kě jiàn yī bān 。
毕竟张志良也都说其珍贵，那么其价值之高，可见一斑。
Li Fan’s eyes flashed as he released the body with a horse's head from the ring.
“ qīn zì shì yī shì ……”
“亲自试一试……”
"How to try?"
lǐ fán mù guāng shǎn dòng ， jiāng jiè zhǐ zhōng de rén shēn mǎ miàn shī tǐ fàng chū 。
李凡目光闪动，将戒指中的人身马面尸体放出。
He observed quietly for a moment. Nothing unusual happened.
“ rú hé cháng shì ？”
“如何尝试？”
After some thought, he touched it.
lǐ fán xiān shì jìng jìng zài páng guān chá le piàn kè ， méi yǒu shén me yì cháng fā shēng 。
李凡先是静静在旁观察了片刻，没有什么异常发生。
...
chén yín piàn kè ， suí hòu yǐ shǒu chù zhī 。
沉吟片刻，随后以手触之。
A long time passed, but nothing seemed to change.
……
……
It appeared like just an ordinary corpse, albeit one that looked strange.
xǔ jiǔ zhī hòu ， sì hū yě méi yǒu fā shēng shén me biàn huà 。
许久之后，似乎也没有发生什么变化。
"Strange..."
fǎng fú miàn qián de ， wán quán jiù shì yī jù pǔ pǔ tōng tōng 、 zhǐ shì zhǎng dé yǒu xiē qí guài de shī tǐ yī yàng 。
仿佛面前的，完全就是一具普普通通、只是长得有些奇怪的尸体一样。
After a while, Li Fan still couldn’t figure out how to use the [Intention Horse].
“ qí guài ……”
“奇怪……”
Doubt suddenly arose in his mind and he subconsciously touched his chin.
yòu guò le yī huì ， lǐ fán yī rán méi néng zhǎo chū shǐ yòng 【 yì mǎ 】 de fāng fǎ 。
又过了一会，李凡依然没能找出使用【意马】的方法。
When Li Fan’s hand reached his chin, his body suddenly stiffened.
xīn zhōng yí huò dǒu shēng ， bù yóu dì xià yì shí de mō le mō xià bā 。
心中疑惑陡生，不由地下意识的摸了摸下巴。
His heart stopped.
dāng lǐ fán de shǒu chù jí zì jǐ de xià bā de shí hòu ， shēn tǐ què shì dǒu rán jiāng zhù le 。
当李凡的手触及自己的下巴的时候，身体却是陡然僵住了。
"Could it be..."
xīn zàng zhòu tíng 。
心脏骤停。
Li Fan used Mirror术 to examine himself.
“ nán dào shuō ……”
“难道说……”
"..."
lǐ fán shī zhǎn le jìng shù ， guān chá qǐ zì jǐ de miàn mù lái 。
李凡施展了镜术，观察起自己的面目来。
"Indeed."
“……”
“……”
Though he had prepared for this, seeing his own horse-headed reflection in the mirror still made him shiver.
“ guǒ bù qí rán 。”
“果不其然。”
"Could this Intention Horse be my fate?"
suī shuō yǐ jīng yǒu le xīn lǐ zhǔn bèi ， dàn shì dāng zài jìng zhōng kàn jiàn rén shēn mǎ miàn de zì jǐ de shí hòu ， lǐ fán hái shì jué de yǒu xiē bù hán ér lì 。
虽说已经有了心理准备，但是当在镜中看见人身马面的自己的时候，李凡还是觉得有些不寒而栗。
A thought suddenly flashed through his mind uncontrollably.
“ nán bù chéng ， miàn qián de zhè jù 【 yì mǎ 】， jiù shì zhè me lái de ？”
“难不成，面前的这具【意马】，就是这么来的？”
"How did it die?"
shà shí jiān ， yí gè niàn tou hū de bù shòu kòng zhì de fú xiàn zài lǐ fán nǎo hǎi zhōng 。
霎时间，一个念头忽的不受控制的浮现在李凡脑海中。
He couldn’t help but look at the quietly lying Intention Horse corpse on the ground.
“ nà me ， tā shì zěn me sǐ de ？”
“那么，它是怎么死的？”
There was not a single scratch or wound on its body.
jiē zhe ， lǐ fán yòu bù jīn zhè me xiǎng dào 。
接着，李凡又不禁这么想到。
As he looked, a chill ran down his spine.
lǐ fán de yǎn shén bù yóu dì luò zài jìng jìng tǎng zài dì shàng de yì mǎ shī tǐ shàng 。
李凡的眼神不由地落在静静躺在地上的意马尸体上。
He suddenly realized that this horse-headed corpse had undergone some mysterious changes.
hún shēn shàng xià méi yǒu yī sī yī háo de shāng hén 。
浑身上下没有一丝一毫的伤痕。
Its attire and appearance were so familiar; it seemed exactly like Li Fan himself.
kàn zhe kàn zhe ， lǐ fán xīn zhōng què dǒu rán shēng chū yī gǔ hán yì 。
看着看着，李凡心中却陡然生出一股寒意。
"More than just clothes."
yīn wèi tā tū rán fā xiàn ， zhè tǎng zài dì shàng de yì mǎ shī shēn 。
因为他突然发现，这躺在地上的意马尸身。
Li Fan’s heart sank.
bù zhī shén me shí hòu fā shēng le mò míng de biàn huà 。
不知什么时候发生了莫名的变化。
The entire Intention Horse corpse had subtly transformed to resemble him.
chuān zhuó dǎ bàn rú cǐ yǎn shú ， fēn míng hé lǐ fán yī mú yī yàng 。
穿着打扮如此眼熟，分明和李凡一模一样。
"This corpse is my fate?"
“ bù …… bù jǐn jǐn shì yī wù 。”
“不……不仅仅是衣物。”
A thought suddenly appeared in his mind.
lǐ fán xīn zhōng yī chén 。
李凡心中一沉。
"I..."
zhěng jù 【 yì mǎ 】 shī shēn ， dōu zài qiǎo rán jiān ， biàn dé hé lǐ fán rú chū yī zhé 。
整具【意马】尸身，都在悄然间，变得和李凡如出一辙。
"Will I die?"
“ zhè jù shī tǐ ， jiù shì wǒ bù jiǔ hòu de xià chǎng ？”
“这具尸体，就是我不久后的下场？”
Fear descended upon him instantly.
Li Fan's face lit up with surprise as he exclaimed, "Junior wishes to go!"
Li Fan’s reaction was exactly what Zhang Ziliang expected.
He nodded and explained, “The purpose of this training is to allow the younger generation to quickly master the [Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array].”
“Thus, we hope to cover every domain in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance within thirty years with this locking spirit array.”
Li Fan’s expression changed slightly. "Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array? Could it be that array which shone brightly in Nine Mountain State and was able to mark all the Five Elders Association cultivators with light columns?"
Zhang Ziliang was pleased with Li Fan's quick response and nodded, “Exactly. The Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array was developed after the battle in Heaven Spirit State by many array masters through studying the captured Five Elders Association cultivators.”
“Five Elders Association cultivators?” Li Fan asked curiously.
"May I ask Master, why is there a connection between this array and cultivators?"
Zhang Ziliang was patient with Li Fan. He explained, "Do you know what makes the Five Elders Association different from us, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance?"
Li Fan replied, “The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance is a free alliance where one can accumulate contributions through their efforts and earn mystical techniques.”
“While the Five Elders Association...”
"Though they offer free access to mystical techniques, one must sign a servitude contract."
"One will be bound by others for life. It’s nothing like our freedom in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance."
"I admit, before I was an independent cultivator, I considered joining either side."
"After comparing their conditions, I decided without hesitation to join us, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance."
Li Fan spoke with a sense of righteousness.
Zhang Ziliang smiled slightly and did not comment on Li Fan's show of loyalty.
He continued, “Indeed, every cultivator who joins the Five Elders Association signs a [Soul Contract].”
"Of course, the soul naturally differs from ordinary cultivators."
"Long ago, we had the idea to use these differences for identification purposes."
"But due to insufficient research samples, it was never successful."
"The recent battle in Heaven Spirit State, though we were at a disadvantage overall,"
"Still, we did gain something."
"One of those gains is this Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array."
Zhang Ziliang seemed to recall something and his expression changed. His tone became more somber.
But he quickly recovered and continued, “Within the large array’s coverage, it can detect the special points in souls caused by [Soul Contracts]. Thus, it can distinguish friend from foe.”
"Once marked, only a cultivator who has reached the Dao can remove the mark."
"The successful development of this array is significant."
"At the very least, ordinary spies will no longer be able to hide once it’s widespread."
"And those light columns that penetrate the heavens and earth have eliminated the Five Elders Association's ability to launch surprise attacks."
Zhang Ziliang spoke confidently, his face showing a hint of pride.
"However, this array involves cultivators' souls, making it complex and difficult."
"Ordinary array masters cannot construct such an array."
"To quickly spread the Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array, we need to train a batch of experts in this field."
"The training for Heaven Yu State two years from now is aimed at that purpose."
---
"Why do we still have to wait another two years?" he continued. "It’s because it involves souls."
"Not only does the organizer need to gather various materials,"
"but the young members also need to prepare adequately."
Saying this, Zhang Ziliang tossed a storage ring over.
Li Fan caught the ring and examined it, frowning slightly.
Inside the ring lay a corpse. Apart from that, there was nothing else.
What was more peculiar was that the body looked exactly like an ordinary cultivator's body, even down to its attire.
The only thing that alarmed him was that the head of this corpse wasn't human; it was a horse’s head!
"What is this..."
"This is what they call [Intention Horse]. It’s very precious. I didn’t get much either, so don’t lose it," Zhang Ziliang said slowly.
"Intention Horse?" Li Fan thought to himself.
"Junior knows of the [Mind Monkey], which can enhance and quickly replenish one's spirit energy. What is this Intention Horse used for?" he asked when he was unsure.
"The Mind Monkey strengthens the spirit, while the Intention Horse strengthens the soul," Zhang Ziliang said slowly.
"How exactly to strengthen it..." a strange smile appeared on his face.
"You will have to try it out yourself."
Li Fan nodded in understanding.
"Before the closed training begins, each member from the various states must be tested. You need to work hard these two years."
"Do not bring shame to our Cloudy Sea State," Zhang Ziliang instructed and then handed him three spirit jade slips.
"I have a total of six spirit jade slips. If you can read all of them, it means you are ready to graduate."
"Of course, I don’t expect you to do so in two years. But I will give them to you as an incentive,"
Li Fan bowed and thanked him, taking the jade slips.
"You go now, prepare well! I’ll notify you before the official training starts."
Zhang Ziliang waved his hand dismissively.
Returning to the Heavenly Xuan Mirror, Li Fan first searched for information on [Intention Horse].
The results were meager with no useful information.
It seemed like something not even ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators would know about.
After all, Zhang Ziliang had said it was precious, so its value must be high.
"Try it out..."
Li Fan’s eyes flashed as he released the body with a horse's head from the ring.
"How to try?"
He observed quietly for a moment. Nothing unusual happened.
After some thought, he touched it.
...
A long time passed, but nothing seemed to change.
It appeared like just an ordinary corpse, albeit one that looked strange.
"Strange..."
After a while, Li Fan still couldn’t figure out how to use the [Intention Horse].
Doubt suddenly arose in his mind and he subconsciously touched his chin.
When Li Fan’s hand reached his chin, his body suddenly stiffened.
His heart stopped.
"Could it be..."
Li Fan used Mirror术 to examine himself.
"..."
"Indeed."
Though he had prepared for this, seeing his own horse-headed reflection in the mirror still made him shiver.
"Could this Intention Horse be my fate?"
A thought suddenly flashed through his mind uncontrollably.
"How did it die?"
He couldn’t help but look at the quietly lying Intention Horse corpse on the ground.
There was not a single scratch or wound on its body.
As he looked, a chill ran down his spine.
He suddenly realized that this horse-headed corpse had undergone some mysterious changes.
Its attire and appearance were so familiar; it seemed exactly like Li Fan himself.
"More than just clothes."
Li Fan’s heart sank.
The entire Intention Horse corpse had subtly transformed to resemble him.
"This corpse is my fate?"
A thought suddenly appeared in his mind.
"I..."
"Will I die?"
Fear descended upon him instantly.