ràng lǐ fán gǎn dào yǒu xiē yí huò de shì ， gēn jù zhī qián suǒ chá yuè dào de zī liào 。
让李凡感到有些疑惑的是，根据之前所查阅到的资料。
Li Fan was somewhat puzzled by the information he had gathered. According to previous research, this hidden cultivation method should be restricted by the laws of heaven and earth once one's strength reached the Golden Core Realm. Cultivation should slow down at that point.
zhè mì cáng xiū xíng zhī fǎ ， zài xiū liàn dá dào xiāng dāng yú jīn dān jìng de shí lì hòu ， yīng gāi huì shòu dào tiān dì guī zé de xiàn zhì 。
这密藏修行之法，在修炼达到相当于金丹境的实力后，应该会受到天地规则的限制。
But Li Fan did not see any such restrictions taking effect on Ye Feipeng. At least, not yet.
xiū xíng yuè lái yuè màn cái duì 。
修行越来越慢才对。
"Is it because of his beast bloodline? Or is he being treated differently?"
dàn shì zài yè fēi péng shēn shàng ， lǐ fán què méi yǒu kàn dào xiàn zhì shēng xiào 。
但是在叶飞鹏身上，李凡却没有看到限制生效。
Li Fan pondered this as he ran a hand over his chin.
zuì qǐ mǎ ， xiàn zài hái méi yǒu 。
最起码，现在还没有。
...
“ shì yīn wèi tā yāo shòu xuè mài de yuán yīn ？ hái qū bié duì dài ？”
“是因为他妖兽血脉的原因？还区别对待？”
In the past two months, Zhang Haibo and Su Xiaomei had left Cunyun Sea and arrived in Jiushan State. They were close to the border with Shi Lin State, heading towards the ruins of the Jiushan Sect.
lǐ fán yǒu xiē bù míng suǒ yǐ 。
李凡有些不明所以。
The sight of the vast white fog barrier stretching across the sky deeply震撼ed them. It was their first time seeing such a spectacle, so they paused for a long while before continuing on toward the Jiushan Sect's ruins.
“ huò xǔ kě yǐ zhǎo jī huì shì yàn yī fān 。”
“或许可以找机会试验一番。”
This magnificent natural wonder made Su Xiaomei feel how insignificant she was.
mō le mō xià bā ， lǐ fán xīn zhōng pán suàn qǐ lái 。
摸了摸下巴，李凡心中盘算起来。
She had been more subdued during this journey, acting低调 and just rushing through her travels.
……
……
Zhang Haibo breathed a sigh of relief. This young missy was really hard to handle; she was short-tempered and often gave people headaches. It was the first time she had traveled far on her own since growing up, so she liked to get involved in any commotion that came her way.
jiù zài yè fēi péng shí lì tū fēi měng jìn de zhè liǎng gè yuè lǐ ， zhāng hào bō hé sū xiǎo mèi yǐ jīng chū le cóng yún hǎi ， lái dào le jiǔ shān zhōu jìng nèi ， kào jìn yǔ shí lín zhōu jiāo jiè zhī chù 。
就在叶飞鹏实力突飞勐进的这两个月里，张浩波和苏小妹已经出了丛云海，来到了九山州境内，靠近与石临州交界之处。
Others would sometimes joke about her youthful appearance, but Su Xiaomei could not stand it. She would be ready for a fight at any moment.
èr rén kàn zhe nà dào héng gèn tiān dì 、 lián mián wú jì de bái wù bì zhàng ， xīn shén shòu dào jí dà zhèn hàn 。
二人看着那道横亘天地、连绵无际的白雾壁障，心神受到极大震撼。
Such incidents had occurred several times during their journey.
hái shì chū cì jiàn dào zhè zhǒng qí jǐng ， zhù zú guān wàng le xǔ jiǔ ， cái jiē zhe cháo jiǔ shān zhōu cháo yuán zōng yí jì jìn fā 。
还是初次见到这种奇景，驻足观望了许久，才接着朝九山州朝元宗遗迹进发。
Fortunately, Su Xiaomei was not stupid; she only acted when she confirmed the other party was a Foundation Establishment cultivator and that she could handle them.
bèi zhè tiān dì guī lì jǐng xiàng suǒ zhèn shè ， sū xiǎo mèi dì yī cì gǎn jué dào le zì jǐ de miǎo xiǎo 。
被这天地瑰丽景象所震慑，苏小妹第一次感觉到了自己的渺小。
Zhang Haibo could not sit idly by in such situations. They would have to work together to教训 others before leaving quickly.
yī lù shàng dǎo shì shōu liǎn xǔ duō ， xíng shì dī diào ， zhǐ shì cōng cōng gǎn lù 。
一路上倒是收敛许多，行事低调，只是匆匆赶路。
"I hope this period of peace lasts longer."
zhè ràng zhāng hào bō yě shì sōng le kǒu qì 。
这让张浩波也是松了口气。
Zhang Haibo thought as he watched Su Xiaomei, who seemed unusually calm.
zhè wèi xiǎo gū nǎi nǎi ， shí zài shì bù hǎo zhào gù ， pí qì bào zào 、 ràng rén tóu téng 。
这位小姑奶奶，实在是不好照顾，脾气暴躁、让人头疼。
However, things often went against one's wishes.
yòu shì “ zhǎng dà ” yǐ lái dì yī cì chū yuǎn mén ， yù dào shén me shì dōu xǐ huān shàng qián còu gè rè nào 。
又是“长大”以来第一次出远门，遇到什么事都喜欢上前凑个热闹。
After traveling through Jiushan State for some time, they arrived at the first mountain range. Su Xiaomei could not hold back and started to act out again.
bié rén kàn tā rén xiǎo guǐ dà de mú yàng ， yǒu shí nán miǎn huì tiáo kǎn nà me yī liǎng jù 。
别人看她人小鬼大的模样，有时难免会调侃那么一两句。
*The Indestructible Great Sect of Vajra*
tā què shì yì diǎn dōu rěn bù dé 。
她却是一点都忍不得。
Because a checkpoint was set up before the pass leading through Shi Xixin Mountain, all cultivators who wished to cross had to pay a certain amount of contribution points or spirit stones for passage.
fēn fēn zhōng hé bié rén jiù yào dǎ yī jià 。
分分钟和别人就要打一架。
According to the map Ye Feipeng provided, each mountain in Jiushan State had unique features that made flying impossible. To cross Shi Xixin Mountain, one would have to endure the arduous journey overland through these passes.
yī lù shàng ， zhè yàng de shì qíng yǐ jīng fā shēng guò hǎo jǐ qǐ le 。
一路上，这样的事情已经发生过好几起了。
Zhang Haibo and Su Xiaomei had prepared some spirit stones before their departure and had taken a few more during fights, so they were not short on them.
hǎo zài sū xiǎo mèi zhǐ shì pí qì bào ， bú shì shǎ 。
好在苏小妹只是脾气暴，不是傻。
However, Su Xiaomei was fixated on the person collecting spirit stones, her large eyes spinning with some dangerous thoughts.
zhǐ zài què rèn duì fāng shì zhù jī xiū shì ， zì jǐ dǎ dé guò de qíng kuàng xià cái huì shuài xiān chū shǒu 。
只在确认对方是筑基修士，自己打得过的情况下才会率先出手。
Zhang Haibo's heart leapt. If this group did not have any background or power, how would they dare to set up a checkpoint and charge fees? They were clearly not easy to deal with.
sū xiǎo mèi xiàn rù zhàn dòu ， zhāng hào bō yě bù kě néng xiù shǒu páng guān 。
苏小妹陷入战斗，张浩波也不可能袖手旁观。
He tugged at her clothes and subtly warned her not to cause trouble.
zhǐ dé lián shǒu jiāng bié rén jiào xùn yī dùn hòu ， cōng cōng lí qù 。
只得联手将别人教训一顿后，匆匆离去。
Su Xiaomei rolled her eyes and whispered telepathically, "Am I that stupid? So many people choose to pay willingly. Even those Golden Core cultivators do the same."
“ xī wàng zhè cì xiāo tíng de shí jiān néng gòu zhǎng yì diǎn 。”
“希望这次消停的时间能够长一点。”
"Isn't it just a few spirit stones? Why would I provoke any trouble?"
zhāng hào bō kàn zhe nán dé píng jìng xià lái de sū xiǎo mèi ， xīn zhōng àn dào 。
张浩波看着难得平静下来的苏小妹，心中暗道。
Zhang Haibo was taken aback. He asked, "What are you planning then?"
rán ér ， shì yǔ yuàn wéi cái shì shì jiān cháng tài 。
然而，事与愿违才是世间常态。
"Ha ha, I won’t be the one to start; someone else will," Su Xiaomei said with a mischievous smile.
zài jiǔ shān zhōu chuān xíng le yī duàn shí jiān ， lái dào le dì yī zuò héng guàn shān mài zhī qián ， sū xiǎo mèi yòu yǒu diǎn àn nè bú zhù 、 jiù tài fù fā le 。
在九山州穿行了一段时间，来到了第一座横贯山脉之前，苏小妹又有点按讷不住、旧态复发了。
"Look at that person!" She pointed vaguely towards a cultivator ahead.
《 jīn gāng bù huài dà zhài zhǔ 》
《金刚不坏大寨主》
Zhang Haibo followed her gaze and saw this man approaching the checkpoint. However...
yīn wèi chuān yuè dì yī zuò shān mài 、 shí xì shān de xíng dào qián ， jū rán shè lì le guān qiǎ 。
因为穿越第一座山脉、石细山的陉道前，居然设立了关卡。
Only now did Zhang Haibo notice the man's sneering expression, which seemed to mock those who had paid willingly.
fán shì xiǎng yào jīng guò de xiū shì ， dōu yào jiǎo nà yí dìng de gòng xiàn dù huò zhě líng shí ， cái gěi fàng xíng 。
凡是想要经过的修士，都要缴纳一定的贡献度或者灵石，才给放行。
"There’s going to be some entertainment."
gēn jù yè fēi péng suǒ gěi dì tú shàng biāo zhù de xìn xī ， jiǔ shān zhōu jiǔ shān gè yǒu shén yì ， xiū shì dōu wú fǎ zài qí shàng kōng fēi xíng 。
根据叶飞鹏所给地图上标注的信息，九山州九山各有神异，修士都无法在其上空飞行。
Su Xiaomei was excited about the prospect of chaos.
gù xiǎng yào chuān yuè shí xì shān ， chú fēi kěn bù cí láo kǔ 、 mào zhe wèi zhī de fēng xiǎn fān shān yuè lǐng 。
故想要穿越石细山，除非肯不辞劳苦、冒着未知的风险翻山越岭。
Zhang Haibo became interested too. He knew that Su Xiaomei's cultivation method was highly sensitive to emotional changes in her surroundings. Her words meant this man would likely conflict with the fee collectors.
fǒu zé zhǐ néng zǒu zhè xiē chuān shān ér guò de xíng dào 。
否则只能走这些穿山而过的陉道。
What intrigued Zhang Haibo, however, was that despite his apparent Foundation Establishment Realm strength, why did he have such confidence?
líng shí èr rén lín xíng qián zì shì bèi le yī xiē 。
灵石二人临行前自是备了一些。
Could it be a hidden powerhouse?
zhī qián yǔ rén zhēng dòu de shí ， yě shùn shǒu ná le yì diǎn 。
之前与人争斗的时，也顺手拿了一点。
Before long, the man said, "One hundred low-grade spirit stones."
suǒ yǐ dǎo shì bù quē de 。
所以倒是不缺的。
He stood tall at the entrance of the pass and did not move for a while. The black-robed cultivator in charge of collecting fees grew impatient and urged him.
bù guò kàn sū xiǎo mèi sǐ sǐ dīng zhe qián fāng shōu qǔ líng shí zhī rén ， dà yǎn jīng zhí zhuǎn ， sì hū zài móu huà zhe shén me wēi xiǎn de xiǎng fǎ 。
不过看苏小妹死死盯着前方收取灵石之人，大眼睛直转，似乎在谋划着什么危险的想法。
"None!"
zhāng hào bō yī kē xīn dùn shí xuán le qǐ lái 。
张浩波一颗心顿时悬了起来。
The man snorted coldly, his eyes narrowing as he glanced sideways.
rú guǒ méi diǎn shí lì bèi jǐng ， zěn me gǎn zài zhè zhòng dì fāng shè kǎ shōu fèi ？
如果没点实力背景，怎么敢在这种地方设卡收费？
"None? A poor beggar like you, what are you doing here? Get lost!" The black-robed cultivator glared and was about to push the man away.
zhè qún rén míng xiǎn bú shì hǎo rě de 。
这群人明显不是好惹的。
However, seeing the man's condescending gaze, he hesitated. In this complex Jiushan State, many cultivators had been killed by those they shouldn't have provoked.
lián máng lā le lā tā de yī fú ， yòng yǎn shén shì yì sū xiǎo mèi bié rě má fán 。
连忙拉了拉她的衣服，用眼神示意苏小妹别惹麻烦。
This man’s demeanor suggested that if he wasn’t crazy, he must be a hidden powerhouse looking for trouble.
sū xiǎo mèi bái le tā yī yǎn ， chuán yīn dào ：“ wǒ yǒu zhè me bèn ma ？ zhè lǐ zhè me duō rén dōu xuǎn zé guāi guāi jiāo fèi ， shèn zhì nà xiē jīn dān xiū shì dōu shì rú cǐ 。”
苏小妹白了他一眼，传音道：“我有这么笨嘛？这里这么多人都选择乖乖交费，甚至那些金丹修士都是如此。”
The black-robed cultivator thought for a moment before retreating and calling more people to help him. After all, he was just an employee collecting fees; it didn’t matter much to him if he couldn't handle the situation himself.
“ bù guò yì diǎn líng shí bà le ， wǒ yòu zěn me huì mào rán rě shì ？”
“不过一点灵石罢了，我又怎么会贸然惹事？”
"You’ll see!"
zhāng hào bō bù jīn yǒu xiē è rán ， wèn dào ：“ nà nǐ zài dǎ shén me zhǔ yì 。”
张浩波不禁有些愕然，问道：“那你在打什么主意。”
He made a threatening statement and retreated into the protective array within the pass.
“ xī xī ， wǒ bù chū tóu ， zì yǒu bié rén chū tóu 。”
“嘻嘻，我不出头，自有别人出头。”
Soon, several cultivators arrived from inside the pass. The leader was a long-haired, Yin-yang-faced元婴 cultivator who approached the man with interest.
“ nǐ kàn nà ge rén ！” sū xiǎo mèi yǐn huì de cháo zhe qián fāng mǒu gè xiū shì zhǐ le zhǐ 。
“你看那个人！”苏小妹隐晦的朝着前方某个修士指了指。
"Someone like you is interesting; if you have no spirit stones, just go back. What’s the point of blocking us?"
zhāng hào bō shùn zhe fāng xiàng wàng qù ， zhǐ jiàn cǐ rén yǐ jīng kuài yào jiē jìn shōu qǔ líng shí zhī chù le 。
张浩波顺着方向望去，只见此人已经快要接近收取灵石之处了。
"Don’t you think our Spirit Essence Sect is easy to bully?"
zhǐ bù guò ……
只不过……
The Yin-yang-faced man smiled, but his eyes were full of malice as a peach-colored Taoist heaven suddenly appeared above him. Pink petals fluttered in the wind, and the powerful pressure of an元婴 cultivator instantly filled the air.
zhāng hào bō zhè cái kàn chū lái ， tā de liǎn shàng yì zhí guà zhe yī fù cháo fěng de shén qíng 。
张浩波这才看出来，他的脸上一直挂着一副嘲讽的神情。
Many Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators turned pale and trembled under this pressure.
sì hū duì yú zhī qián guāi guāi jiǎo nà líng shí de xiū shì shí fēn bù xiè 。
似乎对于之前乖乖缴纳灵石的修士十分不屑。
What no one expected was that this元婴 pressure had no effect on the provocateur. Instead, he smiled and directly revealed the Yin-yang-faced man's identity: "Chen Yurou, you’re still so effeminate."
“ yǒu hǎo xì kàn gē 。”
“有好戏看咯。”
Chen Yurou’s face turned pale as his peach-colored Taoist heaven vanished.
wéi kǒng tiān xià bú luàn de sū xiǎo mèi xīng fèn dào 。
唯恐天下不乱的苏小妹兴奋道。
He stared at the provocateur with a stern expression, asking, "Who are you?"
zhāng hào bō yě lái le xìng qù 。
张浩波也来了兴趣。
The provocateur dusted off his clothes and said casually, "Just changed my outfit; do you not recognize me now?"
tā zhī dào xiǎo mèi suǒ xiū de gōng fǎ duì yú zhōu wéi qíng xù biàn huà shí fēn mǐn gǎn 。
他知道小妹所修的功法对于周围情绪变化十分敏感。
As he spoke, a golden light suddenly flashed over his blue robe, transforming it into a bright golden armor.
tā zhè me shuō ， jiù yì wèi zhe zhè wèi xiū shì ， jī hū kěn dìng huì gēn shōu fèi de zǔ zhī chǎn shēng chōng tū 。
她这么说，就意味着这位修士，几乎肯定会跟收费的组织产生冲突。
Chen Yurou was taken aback before realizing something. He exclaimed in shock, "I’m invincible?"
bù guò ràng zhāng hào bō gǎn dào hào qí de shì ， zhè rén míng míng kàn shàng qù zhǐ yǒu zhù jī xiū wèi ， yòu shì nǎ lǐ lái de zì xìn ne ？
不过让张浩波感到好奇的是，这人明明看上去只有筑基修为，又是哪里来的自信呢？
He quickly retreated and pulled back to a safe distance. Then, he stopped and turned around, looking at the inscription [I Am Invincible] with a suspicious expression.
nán bù chéng ， shì yǐn nì xiū wèi de dà lǎo ？
难不成，是隐匿修为的大老？
"Didn’t you break through to Transcendence Realm? Why are you now a Foundation Establishment cultivator?"
hǎo zài ， méi yǒu ràng tā duō děng 。
好在，没有让他多等。
[I Am Invincible] shrugged nonchalantly. "I felt like I was cultivating wrong, so I might as well start over."
Li Fan was somewhat puzzled by the information he had gathered. According to previous research, this hidden cultivation method should be restricted by the laws of heaven and earth once one's strength reached the Golden Core Realm. Cultivation should slow down at that point.
But Li Fan did not see any such restrictions taking effect on Ye Feipeng. At least, not yet.
"Is it because of his beast bloodline? Or is he being treated differently?"
Li Fan pondered this as he ran a hand over his chin.
...
In the past two months, Zhang Haibo and Su Xiaomei had left Cunyun Sea and arrived in Jiushan State. They were close to the border with Shi Lin State, heading towards the ruins of the Jiushan Sect.
The sight of the vast white fog barrier stretching across the sky deeply震撼ed them. It was their first time seeing such a spectacle, so they paused for a long while before continuing on toward the Jiushan Sect's ruins.
This magnificent natural wonder made Su Xiaomei feel how insignificant she was.
She had been more subdued during this journey, acting低调 and just rushing through her travels.
Zhang Haibo breathed a sigh of relief. This young missy was really hard to handle; she was short-tempered and often gave people headaches. It was the first time she had traveled far on her own since growing up, so she liked to get involved in any commotion that came her way.
Others would sometimes joke about her youthful appearance, but Su Xiaomei could not stand it. She would be ready for a fight at any moment.
Such incidents had occurred several times during their journey.
Fortunately, Su Xiaomei was not stupid; she only acted when she confirmed the other party was a Foundation Establishment cultivator and that she could handle them.
Zhang Haibo could not sit idly by in such situations. They would have to work together to教训 others before leaving quickly.
"I hope this period of peace lasts longer."
Zhang Haibo thought as he watched Su Xiaomei, who seemed unusually calm.
However, things often went against one's wishes.
After traveling through Jiushan State for some time, they arrived at the first mountain range. Su Xiaomei could not hold back and started to act out again.
*The Indestructible Great Sect of Vajra*
Because a checkpoint was set up before the pass leading through Shi Xixin Mountain, all cultivators who wished to cross had to pay a certain amount of contribution points or spirit stones for passage.
According to the map Ye Feipeng provided, each mountain in Jiushan State had unique features that made flying impossible. To cross Shi Xixin Mountain, one would have to endure the arduous journey overland through these passes.
Zhang Haibo and Su Xiaomei had prepared some spirit stones before their departure and had taken a few more during fights, so they were not short on them.
However, Su Xiaomei was fixated on the person collecting spirit stones, her large eyes spinning with some dangerous thoughts.
Zhang Haibo's heart leapt. If this group did not have any background or power, how would they dare to set up a checkpoint and charge fees? They were clearly not easy to deal with.
He tugged at her clothes and subtly warned her not to cause trouble.
Su Xiaomei rolled her eyes and whispered telepathically, "Am I that stupid? So many people choose to pay willingly. Even those Golden Core cultivators do the same."
"Isn't it just a few spirit stones? Why would I provoke any trouble?"
Zhang Haibo was taken aback. He asked, "What are you planning then?"
"Ha ha, I won’t be the one to start; someone else will," Su Xiaomei said with a mischievous smile.
"Look at that person!" She pointed vaguely towards a cultivator ahead.
Zhang Haibo followed her gaze and saw this man approaching the checkpoint. However...
Only now did Zhang Haibo notice the man's sneering expression, which seemed to mock those who had paid willingly.
"There’s going to be some entertainment."
Su Xiaomei was excited about the prospect of chaos.
Zhang Haibo became interested too. He knew that Su Xiaomei's cultivation method was highly sensitive to emotional changes in her surroundings. Her words meant this man would likely conflict with the fee collectors.
What intrigued Zhang Haibo, however, was that despite his apparent Foundation Establishment Realm strength, why did he have such confidence?
Could it be a hidden powerhouse?
Before long, the man said, "One hundred low-grade spirit stones."
He stood tall at the entrance of the pass and did not move for a while. The black-robed cultivator in charge of collecting fees grew impatient and urged him.
"None!"
The man snorted coldly, his eyes narrowing as he glanced sideways.
"None? A poor beggar like you, what are you doing here? Get lost!" The black-robed cultivator glared and was about to push the man away.
However, seeing the man's condescending gaze, he hesitated. In this complex Jiushan State, many cultivators had been killed by those they shouldn't have provoked.
This man’s demeanor suggested that if he wasn’t crazy, he must be a hidden powerhouse looking for trouble.
The black-robed cultivator thought for a moment before retreating and calling more people to help him. After all, he was just an employee collecting fees; it didn’t matter much to him if he couldn't handle the situation himself.
"You’ll see!"
He made a threatening statement and retreated into the protective array within the pass.
Soon, several cultivators arrived from inside the pass. The leader was a long-haired, Yin-yang-faced元婴 cultivator who approached the man with interest.
"Someone like you is interesting; if you have no spirit stones, just go back. What’s the point of blocking us?"
"Don’t you think our Spirit Essence Sect is easy to bully?"
The Yin-yang-faced man smiled, but his eyes were full of malice as a peach-colored Taoist heaven suddenly appeared above him. Pink petals fluttered in the wind, and the powerful pressure of an元婴 cultivator instantly filled the air.
Many Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators turned pale and trembled under this pressure.
What no one expected was that this元婴 pressure had no effect on the provocateur. Instead, he smiled and directly revealed the Yin-yang-faced man's identity: "Chen Yurou, you’re still so effeminate."
Chen Yurou’s face turned pale as his peach-colored Taoist heaven vanished.
He stared at the provocateur with a stern expression, asking, "Who are you?"
The provocateur dusted off his clothes and said casually, "Just changed my outfit; do you not recognize me now?"
As he spoke, a golden light suddenly flashed over his blue robe, transforming it into a bright golden armor.
Chen Yurou was taken aback before realizing something. He exclaimed in shock, "I’m invincible?"
He quickly retreated and pulled back to a safe distance. Then, he stopped and turned around, looking at the inscription [I Am Invincible] with a suspicious expression.
"Didn’t you break through to Transcendence Realm? Why are you now a Foundation Establishment cultivator?"
[I Am Invincible] shrugged nonchalantly. "I felt like I was cultivating wrong, so I might as well start over."