wàn zhòng zhǔ mù zhī zhōng ， jiāo xiū yuǎn dǎ kāi mù hé 。
万众瞩目之中，焦修远打开木盒。
Amidst the bustling crowd, many cultivators rushed towards Jiuyuan as if he were a god. Sun Qi couldn't help but shake his head; he was not in a position to rent the Heavenly Fragrance Flower Lord.
yī piàn báo rú chán yì ， sàn fà zhe wēn rùn bái guāng de tòu míng “ zhǐ piàn ”， huǎn huǎn fēi shàng gāo kōng 。
一片薄如蝉翼，散发着温润白光的透明“纸片”，缓缓飞上高空。
After leaving the flower pavilion, Sun Qi first visited his uncle, Sun Liancheng. After all, this breakthrough was mainly due to Uncle Sun's gift of the 'Flower Invitation Scroll'.
“ tiān líng zhēn huā ！” chǎng zhōng yǒu xiū shì bù jīn shī shēng dào 。
“天灵真花！”场中有修士不禁失声道。
Sun Liancheng arrived at his residence after only a brief wait.
gèng yǒu shèn zhě zhèn jīng yú tiān líng huā zhī měi ， dāng chǎng jiù zhàn le qǐ lái 。
更有甚者震惊于天灵花之美，当场就站了起来。
"Good... Good..." Sun Liancheng looked up and down, more excited than Sun Qi himself had been upon breaking through.
shuō lái qí guài ， tiān líng zhēn huā míng míng shì bèi fēng yìn zài píng miàn zhōng ， dàn páng rén guān shǎng qǐ lái ， què sī háo bú huì chá jué chū yì yàng 。
说来奇怪，天灵真花明明是被封印在平面中，但旁人观赏起来，却丝毫不会察觉出异样。
"Our Sun Family prodigy has returned after many years," Sun Liancheng said with a sigh of relief.
jiù fǎng fú zhēn yǒu yī duǒ huā ， zài miàn qián xú xú shèng kāi yì bān ， měi bù shèng shōu 。
就仿佛真有一朵花，在面前徐徐盛开一般，美不胜收。
Sun Qi gave a self-deprecating laugh: "Prodigy..."
shèn zhì hái huì wén dào zì huā zhōng chuán lái de dàn dàn xiāng wèi 。
甚至还会闻到自花中传来的澹澹香味。
"At birth, I built my foundation; at one month old, I formed a golden core. Indeed, back then, I lived up to the name 'prodigy'. But now, I am 213 years old..."
kàn zhe chǎng zhōng zhòng rén jiē yīn wèi tiān líng zhī měi ér jì jìng wú shēng ， jiāo xiū yuǎn dé yì yī xiào ， cháo zhe kōng zhōng de tòu míng zhǐ piàn qīng qīng yī zhǐ 。
看着场中众人皆因为天灵之美而寂静无声，焦修远得意一笑，朝着空中的透明纸片轻轻一指。
Sun Qi shook his head slightly: "What kind of prodigy is this? Uncle, please don't call me that anymore. Many others have already achieved the婴stage, while I still linger in the丹stage..."
shà shí jiān ， cóng qí shàng shè chū wú shù dào guāng xiàn ， jiāng yuán běn zhǐ shì bā zhǎng dà xiǎo de huā duǒ ， tóu shè zhì chǎng dì shàng kōng 。
霎时间，从其上射出无数道光线，将原本只是巴掌大小的花朵，投射至场地上空。
"Such talk will surely earn you ridicule."
chéng bǐ lì de fàng dà le shù wàn bèi ， dàn què sī háo bù yǐng xiǎng qí shén yùn 。 fǎn ér měi yī duǒ huā bàn shàng de jǐng xiàng ， dōu xiān háo bì xiàn 、 kàn de gèng jiā qīng xī 。
成比例的放大了数万倍，但却丝毫不影响其神韵。反而每一朵花瓣上的景象，都纤毫毕现、看的更加清晰。
But Sun Liancheng remained unconcerned: "Does our Sun Family need to care about what others think? Qi'er, after more than two centuries of cultivation, you've finally broken through. With your accumulated strength, your future is boundless.
dāng quán tǐ xiū shì de xīn shén quán bèi láo láo xī yǐn de gōng fu ， chèn zhe wú rén zhù yì ， jiāo xiū yuǎn yòu jiāng yī méi yuán zhū niē suì 。
当全体修士的心神全被牢牢吸引的功夫，趁着无人注意，焦修远又将一枚圆珠捏碎。
Moreover..."
dàn dàn de bái sè yān wù ， sàn fà zhe shén mì xuán ào de qì xī ， huǎn huǎn jiāng chǎng dì lǒng zhào 。
澹澹的白色烟雾，散发着神秘玄奥的气息，缓缓将场地笼罩。
Sun Liancheng's expression was strange as he continued: "Breaking through at such a difficult time isn't your fault. After all, the entire clan's bottlenecks are on your shoulders. And with the Companion Oddity 'Heavenly Dao Qi' accompanying you, it's only natural that you'd face more天地malice.
jí biàn zhǐ shì kuǐ lěi shēn qū ， jiāo xiū yuǎn běn rén yě shì bì zhī bù jí 。 bù dòng shēng sè de bù xià fáng hù ， jiāng bái wù zǔ lán zài zì jǐ shēn wài 。
即便只是傀儡身躯，焦修远本人也是避之不及。不动声色的布下防护，将白雾阻拦在自己身外。
You've already been fortunate to break through the金core stage of the Heavenly Bondment. Many ancestors didn't even reach the金stage before their lifespan expired. But now..."
tā xiǎng qǐ nà wèi jiào zuò liǔ sān 、 yī tīng jiù zhī dào shì huà míng de hé dào xiū shì ， jiāng cǐ wù jiāo gěi tā shí de shuō míng 。
他想起那位叫做柳三、一听就知道是化名的合道修士，将此物交给他时的说明。
Sun Liancheng patted Sun Qi on the shoulder and said with satisfaction: "Your future is bright!"
“ é ， cǐ nǎi lǎo fū jīng xīn yán zhì de dān yào ， néng gòu fǔ zhù xiū shì xiū xíng 。 jiāng qí wù huà xī shōu hòu ， jiù néng chǎn shēng sì shì ér fēi de wù dào xiào guǒ ……”
“额，此乃老夫精心研制的丹药，能够辅助修士修行。将其雾化吸收后，就能产生似是而非的悟道效果……”
Sun Qi's expression remained unchanged.
jiāo xiū yuǎn kàn zhe chǎng zhōng xiū shì jiàn jiàn rú chī rú zuì de miàn kǒng ， xīn zhōng àn zì dī gū zhe ：“ suī rán tā xìn shì dàn dàn ， cǐ wù jīng guò gǎi liáng ， jué duì méi yǒu yī lài xìng ……”
焦修远看着场中修士渐渐如痴如醉的面孔，心中暗自滴咕着：“虽然他信誓旦旦，此物经过改良，绝对没有依赖性……”
"Is the next bottleneck in the Reverse Derivation Dao Record during the late化神stage?" asked Sun Liancheng.
“ dàn bù guǎn zěn me shuō ， zhè guǐ dōng xī hái shì shǎo pèng wèi miào 。”
“但不管怎么说，这鬼东西还是少碰为妙。”
Sun Qi nodded slightly.
tiān líng zhēn huā ， jìn qíng zhàn fàng 。 huā bàn qí jǐng ， zhào yìng zài huā jiān dòng tiān měi yī wèi xiū shì de liǎn shàng 。
天灵真花，尽情绽放。花瓣奇景，照映在花间洞天每一位修士的脸上。
"Don't worry, the resources for your cave dwelling and Heavenly Essence will be prepared by the clan. Just focus on cultivation."
měi yī lún de jiàn shǎng shí jiān ， zhǐ yǒu sān gè shí chén 。 cuò guò bù zài ， yú shì jī hū suǒ yǒu rén de mù guāng ， dōu sǐ sǐ dīng zhe kōng zhōng de tiān líng huā tóu yǐng shàng 。
每一轮的鉴赏时间，只有三个时辰。错过不再，于是几乎所有人的目光，都死死盯着空中的天灵花投影上。
After a long silence, Sun Liancheng said with a sigh: "Qi'er, all the burdens of the entire clan are on you. The resulting lack of progress in cultivation is something only you can bear silently. Do you feel wronged or resentful?"
wéi yǒu yī rén ， què shì kàn zhe chǎng zhōng de bīng fēng báo zhǐ ， lèng lèng shī shén 。
唯有一人，却是看着场中的冰封薄纸，愣愣失神。
Sun Qi's expression remained calm.
“ cuò bù liǎo ， bīng dī lù 、 rú xiāng shè 、 qiān sè juān ……”
“错不了，冰滴露、如相摄、千色娟……”
"It's just my duty. Countless ancestors have sacrificed themselves like me, and it was their efforts that made our Sun Family strong today. How could I possibly be resentful?"
“ zhè gēn wǒ 【 huā jiān jí 】 fēng cún huā duǒ de shǒu fǎ rú chū yī zhé ， kě wǒ gēn běn cóng lái méi yǒu xiàng qí tā rèn hé rén tòu lù guò cǐ shì 。”
“这跟我【花间集】封存花朵的手法如出一辙，可我根本从来没有向其他任何人透露过此事。”
Sun Liancheng squinted his eyes as he carefully observed Sun Qi, trying to gauge the sincerity of his words.
“ jiū jìng ……” zhào chóng yǎn zhōng mǎn shì nán yǐ zhì xìn de shén sè ，“ nán bù chéng ， shì shàng hái yǒu yī rén ， jū rán gēn wǒ xiǎng dào yī kuài qù le ？”
“究竟……”赵崇眼中满是难以置信的神色，“难不成，世上还有一人，居然跟我想到一块去了？”
After a long while, just before opening his mouth, he suddenly said: "Guests are here."
jiàn guò tiān líng zhēn huā yí miàn hòu ， zhào chóng xīn zhōng de sù yuàn yǐ jīng xiāo chú 。 duì yú suǒ wèi de xiū wèi tū pò 、 dùn wù shén tōng ， tā yě bìng bù zěn me zài hū 。 fǎn dào shì duì nà wèi shǐ zhōng méi yǒu lòu miàn de tiān líng huā zhǔ rén ， zhú jiàn chǎn shēng le nóng nóng de xìng qù 。
见过天灵真花一面后，赵崇心中的夙愿已经消除。对于所谓的修为突破、顿悟神通，他也并不怎么在乎。反倒是对那位始终没有露面的天灵花主人，逐渐产生了浓浓的兴趣。
"Then I'll take my leave!" Sun Qi bowed and turned to leave.
shí jiān zài zhòng rén xīn shén chén jìn zhōng huǎn huǎn liú shì 。
时间在众人心神沉浸中缓缓流逝。
"It's fine. You can stay here," Sun Liancheng called out.
yǎn kàn sān gè shí chén de qī xiàn yǐ dào ， què hái shì méi yǒu rén yǒu tū pò huò zhě dùn wù de jì xiàng xiǎn lù 。
眼看三个时辰的期限已到，却还是没有人有突破或者顿悟的迹象显露。
"Hahaha, Old Sun, we've made a killing this time." Jiuyuan's voice rang before the man himself arrived.
“ zhè kě shì shǒu xiù ， kě bù néng gǎo zá le 。”
“这可是首秀，可不能搞砸了。”
Hearing Jiuyuan's voice, Sun Qi closed his mouth and stood still.
zhèng dāng jiāo xiū yuǎn zhǔn bèi qǐ dòng shì xiān bù zhì de shí hòu ， yī dào bō dòng hū de jiàng lín ， ràng tā tíng zhǐ le dòng zuò 。
正当焦修远准备启动事先布置的时候，一道波动忽的降临，让他停止了动作。
Soon after, Jiuyuan walked in with an air of triumph.
“ shì zhè xiǎo zi ， zhè xià hǎo le ， shěng de wǒ hái dé zài qù fèi lì xuān chuán yī bō ！” dāng kàn qīng le tū pò xiū shì de shēn fèn zhī hòu ， jiāo xiū yuǎn xīn zhōng dà xǐ 。
“是这小子，这下好了，省得我还得再去废力宣传一波！”当看清了突破修士的身份之后，焦修远心中大喜。
"The number of cultivators from afar is even more than you thought. Haha..."
shǎn shēn lái dào duì fāng páng biān ， jiāng bō dòng fēng suǒ 。 yǐ fáng dǎ rǎo qí tā rén jiàn shǎng 、 lǐng wù 。
闪身来到对方旁边，将波动封锁。以防打扰其他人鉴赏、领悟。
Jiuyuan stopped abruptly when he saw Sun Qi standing silently by the side. His eyes seemed to flash with a hint of surprise.
zhè dì yī wèi tū pò de xiū shì ， zhèng shì sūn qí 。
这第一位突破的修士，正是孙亓。
"Ahahaha, Jiuyuan Daoist, feel free to speak," Sun Liancheng waved his hand and said.
dāng tā kàn dào tóu dǐng tiān kōng de tiān líng jué jǐng zhī hòu ， fǎng fú hū rán jiān yòu zhì shēn cǎn liè de zhàn chǎng zhī zhōng 。 dàn shì gēn miàn duì xiàn rú jīn de 、 yǒu xuè xīng zhī qì liáo rào de tiān líng huā bù tóng ， xīn zhōng bù jǐn méi yǒu shā niàn cóng shēng 。
当他看到头顶天空的天灵绝景之后，仿佛忽然间又置身惨烈的战场之中。但是跟面对现如今的、有血腥之气缭绕的天灵花不同，心中不仅没有杀念丛生。
Jiuyuan opened his mouth but ultimately smiled lightly without saying much more.
nà tiān dì jiān zhū duō měi hǎo jǐng xiàng ， fǎn dào shì róu shuǐ yì bān ， zhì yù 、 píng fù zhe tā zài zhàn zhēng zhōng shòu dào de xīn lǐ chuāng tòng 。
那天地间诸多美好景象，反倒是柔水一般，治愈、平复着他在战争中受到的心理创痛。
"I misunderstood you, Old Sun. I know very well the relationship between this young man and you. But back when we signed the contract, it was agreed that confidentiality would be maintained."
fǎng fú shí guāng dào liú ， xiān xuè 、 shī tǐ 、 jūn liè de dà dì jǐn jiē xiāo shī 。 shì jiǎo fēi yuè tiān líng zhōu shàng kōng ， huí dào dà zhàn zhī qián de shí dài 。
仿佛时光倒流，鲜血、尸体、龟裂的大地尽皆消失。视角飞跃天灵州上空，回到大战之前的时代。
The voice suddenly disappeared as Jiuyuan's lips moved, while Sun Liancheng's expression showed a mix of surprise and joy after hearing his words.
sūn qí rú chī rú zuì de kàn zhuó yǎn qián zhè yī qiè 。
孙亓如痴如醉的看着眼前这一切。
After some more conversation, Jiuyuan took out a Heavenly Dao Small Mirror from his pocket. After completing the transaction on the spot, he hurriedly left.
nà yī kè ， tā wàng jì le jiā zú zhǎng bèi de hòu ài yǔ shī wàng 、 wàng jì le tóng bèi de jī fěng cháo xiào 、 wàng jì le zhí yì xiǎng yào tū pò de yù niàn 。
那一刻，他忘记了家族长辈的厚爱与失望、忘记了同辈的讥讽嘲笑、忘记了执意想要突破的欲念。
"I never thought someone would actually be willing to offer a Daoist Level [Visitation Law Jade Token] for the first rental of the Heavenly Fragrance Flower Lord..."
nǎo hǎi zhōng chōng chì zhe tiān líng 、 tiān dì zhī měi 。
脑海中充斥着天灵、天地之美。
"Looks like our Sun Family still has some distance to go compared to the true elite of the Immortal Alliance," Sun Liancheng sighed. "Our path is long and arduous."
lì qì jǐn xiāo 、 shuǐ dào qú chéng 。
戾气尽消、水到渠成。
Sun Qi was taken aback: "Didn't you say it should be kept confidential?"
děng tā cóng huǎng hū zhōng qīng xǐng guò lái de shí hòu ， fā xiàn shēn shàng nà kùn rǎo zì jǐ duō nián 、 jìn hū shǐ tā gǎn dào jué wàng de 【 tiān zhī è 】 píng jǐng ， yǐ jīng zài qiāo wú shēng xī jiān xiāo shī wú zōng le 。
等他从恍忽中清醒过来的时候，发现身上那困扰自己多年、近乎使他感到绝望的【天之厄】瓶颈，已经在悄无声息间消失无踪了。
"It's none of my business what Jiuyuan Daoist signed in his contract," Sun Liancheng said nonchalantly.
zhǐ xū zhǎo dào yī chù hé shì dòng tiān ， jiāng qí tūn shì ， jiù kě zhí rù yuán yīng jìng 。 zhè duì yú sūn jiā lái shuō ， bìng bú shì shén me nán shì 。
只需找到一处合适洞天，将其吞噬，就可直入元婴境。这对于孙家来说，并不是什么难事。
"But the Heavenly Fragrance Flower Lord does seem interesting. An ancient slumbering cultivator, emerging from the white mist to seek your help for a way into the Immortal Alliance..."
ruò shì yǐ qián ， tā zhòu rán tū pò ， yě xǔ huì xīn shén jī dàng 、 xǐ jí ér qì 。
若是以前，他骤然突破，也许会心神激荡、喜极而泣。
"How do you see this, Qi'er?" after some contemplation, Sun Liancheng asked Sun Qi.
dàn cǐ kè ， tā què shì wú xǐ wú bēi 。 yě méi yǒu tí qián lí kāi huā jiān dòng tiān ， zhǐ shì yī jiù jìng zuò 。 wú shì zhōu wéi shí bù shí chuán lái de mù guāng ， jì xù níng shén kàn zhe tóu dǐng de tiān líng zhēn huā 。
但此刻，他却是无喜无悲。也没有提前离开花间洞天，只是依旧静坐。无视周围时不时传来的目光，继续凝神看着头顶的天灵真花。
Sun Qi thought for a moment and replied: "Scheming, he might be an agent of the Five Elders' Council."
zhí dào zhǔ chí rén jiāo xiū yuǎn jiāng huā shōu huí mù hé ， xuān bù dì yī cháng pǐn jiàn huì jié shù ， tā cái huí guò shén lái 。
直到主持人焦修远将花收回木盒，宣布第一场品鉴会结束，他才回过神来。
Sun Liancheng laughed heartily and shook his head. "Qi'er, you're still too young. The Heavenly Fragrance Flower Lord went through all this trouble just to see Derivation Jewel and find a cultivation method suitable for him. If it were really an agent, would he waste such a rare opportunity here?"
jī dòng shēng 、 wǎn xī shēng 、 zàn tàn shēng ， jiē lián xiǎng qǐ 。
激动声、惋惜声、赞叹声，接连响起。
"Moreover, Derivation Jewel is in the Immortal Alliance's Protection Hall headquarters. With the True Intent of Transmission Dao suppressing any intruders, what kind of spy dares to cause trouble at the headquarters? It's just asking for punishment."
“ jiāo dào yǒu ， kāi gè jià ba ！ zhè 【 tiān líng zhēn huā 】 dào dǐ zěn me mài ！”
“焦道友，开个价吧！这【天灵真花】到底怎么卖！”
Sun Qi remained silent.
qīn yǎn jiàn shí guò qí xuán miào zhī chù ， zài chǎng yǐ jīng yǒu xiū shì rěn bú zhù le ， pò bù jí dài de wèn dào 。
亲眼见识过其玄妙之处，在场已经有修士忍不住了，迫不及待的问道。
These secrets were not something a mere Golden Core cultivator like him could know. Uncle Sun Liancheng was merely reminding him that even if he broke through to the婴stage, in comparison to the entire Sun Family, he still wasn't worth much. He should obediently cultivate the Reverse Derivation Dao Record and bear the clan's bottlenecks without any rebellious thoughts.
dùn shí yǐn qǐ bù shǎo rén de fù hè 。
顿时引起不少人的附和。
"Hmph."
miàn duì zhòng rén de xún wèn ， jiāo xiū yuǎn què shì xiào le xiào ，：“ gēn nǐ men shuō le duō shǎo cì le ， huā zhǔ rén de tài dù shí fēn míng què ： bù mài 、 bù mài 、 hái shì bù mài ！”
面对众人的询问，焦修远却是笑了笑，：“跟你们说了多少次了，花主人的态度十分明确：不卖、不卖、还是不卖！”
Sun Qi carefully hid his fleeting dangerous thoughts deep within himself, not daring to show any signs of dissent.
“ suī rán ǎn yě xiǎng cù chéng zhè me bǐ shēng yì ， dàn bié rén zhí yì rú cǐ ， ǎn yě shì wú kě nài hé a ！”
“虽然俺也想促成这么笔生意，但别人执意如此，俺也是无可奈何啊！”
Uncle Sun Liancheng seemed satisfied with his performance and let him stay in the city lord's residence from then on.
xià fāng rén qún wén yán ， shà shí sāo dòng le qǐ lái 。
下方人群闻言，霎时骚动了起来。
Seven days later, Sun Qi met a mysterious figure known as the Heavenly Fragrance Flower Lord, Xu Bai, at his uncle's residence.
yǒu yī wèi dà fù pián pián de zhōng nián xiū shì gèng shì zhí jiē qǐ shēn ， kàn xiàng jiāo xiū yuǎn ， ào rán dào ：“ wǒ jiù bù xìn le ， zhǐ yào chū de jià gòu gāo ， hái yǒu mǎi bù liǎo de dōng xī ？ yī qiān wàn gòng xiàn dù ， nǐ kàn xíng bù xíng ！ bù xíng zán zài jiā ！”
有一位大腹便便的中年修士更是直接起身，看向焦修远，傲然道：“我就不信了，只要出的价够高，还有买不了的东西？一千万贡献度，你看行不行！不行咱再加！”
Despite his indomitable willpower, he still momentarily lost focus when he saw Xu Bai. He realized that Jiuyuan had not exaggerated when he said the Heavenly Fragrance Flower Lord was extremely carefree and rare in this world.
bù děng jiāo xiū yuǎn dá huà ， chǎng zhōng jiù lì mǎ yǒu rén yīn yáng guài qì dào ；“ yō ， zhè bú shì tiān shū zhōu zhū yù huá zhū dào yǒu me ？ tīng shuō nǐ xiàng lái kuò chuò de hěn ， zěn me yī kāi kǒu jiù zhǐ shì qiān wàn gòng xiàn dù ？ kàn bù qǐ shuí ne ？”
不等焦修远答话，场中就立马有人阴阳怪气道；“哟，这不是天枢州朱玉华朱道友么？听说你向来阔绰的很，怎么一开口就只是千万贡献度？看不起谁呢？”
Xu Bai came for the Immortal Alliance identity.
“ hē hē ， jiù zhè me diǎn ， hái xiǎng mǎi 【 tiān líng zhēn huā 】？ wǒ kàn nà xiē lín mó pǐn ， dǎo shì hěn shì hé nǐ ！”
“呵呵，就这么点，还想买【天灵真花】？我看那些临摹品，倒是很适合你！”
For Sun Liancheng, who held great power over the state, it was merely a matter of formality.
……
……
After half a day, Xu Bai completed his registration with the help of the Heavenly Dao Small Mirror. He nodded contentedly after verifying his identity and praised Sun Liancheng's 'infinite power' before leaving gracefully.
zhū yù huá liǎn sè wēi biàn ， cháo zhe jǐ wèi fā shēng zhī rén wàng qù ， dí què dōu shì xiē yǒu tóu yǒu liǎn de zhǔ 。 qiān wàn gòng xiàn dù duì tā men ér yán ， dí què suàn bù shàng shén me dà shù zì 。
朱玉华脸色微变，朝着几位发声之人望去，的确都是些有头有脸的主。千万贡献度对他们而言，的确算不上什么大数字。
Sun Qi followed him until he disappeared.
zuǐ biān huà yě chóng xīn yàn le huí qù 。 miàn shàng wú guāng ， zhū yù huá zhèng yù kāi kǒu jiā jià 。
嘴边话也重新咽了回去。面上无光，朱玉华正欲开口加价。
"Indeed, there are signs of divine favor..."
jiāo xiū yuǎn què shì zhǔ dòng zhàn le chū lái ， chōng dāng le hé shì lǎo 。
焦修远却是主动站了出来，充当了和事老。
"But alas, it has gone astray," Sun Liancheng said with a cold snort.
“ zhū wèi ， zhū wèi ……”
“诸位，诸位……”
Sun Qi was taken aback. He wondered what mistake he had made to anger his uncle.
tā jiāng shēng yīn tí gāo le jǐ dù ， chóng xīn xī yǐn le zhòng rén zhù yì 。
他将声音提高了几度，重新吸引了众人注意。
After a moment, Sun Qi realized that Uncle Sun was not referring to him but Xu Bai who had just left.
“ tiān líng huā zhǔ ， nǎi shì jí dù xiāo sǎ zhī rén 。 wú lùn shì róng mào 、 qì dù ， dōu shì ǎn lǎo jiāo shēng píng jǐn jiàn 。 duì yú zhè shì shàng wéi yī yī zhū tiān líng huā ， tā dāng rán shì wàn wàn shě bù dé mài chū de 。”
“天灵花主，乃是极度潇洒之人。无论是容貌、气度，都是俺老焦生平仅见。对于这世上唯一一株天灵花，他当然是万万舍不得卖出的。”
"Strayed from the path? What does Uncle mean?" Sun Qi asked in confusion.
“ bù guò ma ……” jiāo xiū yuǎn huà fēng yī zhuǎn 。
“不过嘛……”焦修远话锋一转。
"A person favored by heaven in ancient times might be a sought-after existence by various sects, a natural seed for cultivation."
“ tā yě zhī dào ， ruò shì zhè bān qí pā ， zhěng rì bèi shù zhī gāo gé 、 zhǐ liáo liáo jǐ rén xīn shǎng ， yě shì duì tā de xiè dú 。 zài jiā shàng ǎn de yī fān yóu shuì ， zuì zhōng jué dìng le yī tiáo zhé zhōng fāng àn 。”
“他也知道，若是这般奇葩，整日被束之高阁、只寥寥几人欣赏，也是对它的亵渎。再加上俺的一番游说，最终决定了一条折中方案。”
"But now..." Sun Liancheng's eyes flashed with disdain.
jiāo xiū yuǎn dùn le dùn ， rán hòu xuān bù dào ：“ suī rán bù mài ， dàn zhè 【 tiān líng zhēn huā 】， què shì kě yǐ duì wài “” chū zū ！”
焦修远顿了顿，然后宣布道：“虽然不卖，但这【天灵真花】，却是可以对外“”出租！”
"The new laws of the Heavenly Lord are against nature. The more blessings from heaven and earth you receive, the harder it will be to go against their ways later on."
“ rú guǒ duì cǐ yǒu xìng qù de dào yǒu ， kě yǐ liú xià lái ， tīng wǒ xì jiǎng 。”
“如果对此有兴趣的道友，可以留下来，听我细讲。”
"Even when sacrificing your body to honor heaven and earth, you'll face a greater backlash from heaven and earth's will. No matter how high your talent is, you're likely to stop at the化神stage."
……
……
"Just like your Companion Oddity, Heavenly Dao Qi. Half of it is a heavenly oddity, already blessed by heaven and earth. Have you ever felt the malice of heaven and earth during your cultivation? As your strength improves, this malice will become more apparent."
“ zhǐ zū bù mài 。 zhè tiān líng huā zhǔ ， hái zhēn shì huì zuò shēng yì 。” sūn qí shěn rán yī xiào 。
“只租不卖。这天灵花主，还真是会做生意。”孙亓哂然一笑。
"Originally, how much did heaven and earth favor you? Yet you still chose to cultivate new methods, turning against them."
kàn zhe fēng yōng cháo zhe jiāo xiū yuǎn jǐ qù de yī zhòng xiū shì ， sūn qí zhī dào zì jǐ shì méi yǒu nà ge néng lì qù zū lìn tiān líng huā de 。 yáo le yáo tóu ， tā qiǎo rán lí kāi le huā jiān dòng tiān zhī zhōng 。
看着蜂拥朝着焦修远挤去的一众修士，孙亓知道自己是没有那个能力去租赁天灵花的。摇了摇头，他悄然离开了花间洞天之中。
"It's strange not to hate people like you."
chū qù hòu sūn qí dì yí gè bài fǎng de ， jiù shì shū fù sūn lián chéng 。 bì jìng tā zhè cì néng tū pò ， zuì gēn běn yuán yīn hái shì sūn lián chéng zèng yǔ de 【 huā jiān jiǎn 】。
出去后孙亓第一个拜访的，就是叔父孙连城。毕竟他这次能突破，最根本原因还是孙连城赠与的【花间柬】。
Ignoring Jiuyuan's faintly mocking tone, Sun Qi nodded slowly and fell into deep thought.
zài tā dòng fǔ zhōng zhǐ shāo děng le piàn kè ， sūn lián chéng biàn cōng cōng ér zhì 。
在他洞府中只稍等了片刻，孙连城便匆匆而至。
Both he and Sun Liancheng at the Daoist Level could not have noticed that their entire conversation was being watched by Li Fan, who was monitoring Sun Qi with an invisible killing intent.
Amidst the bustling crowd, many cultivators rushed towards Jiuyuan as if he were a god. Sun Qi couldn't help but shake his head; he was not in a position to rent the Heavenly Fragrance Flower Lord.
After leaving the flower pavilion, Sun Qi first visited his uncle, Sun Liancheng. After all, this breakthrough was mainly due to Uncle Sun's gift of the 'Flower Invitation Scroll'.
Sun Liancheng arrived at his residence after only a brief wait.
"Good... Good..." Sun Liancheng looked up and down, more excited than Sun Qi himself had been upon breaking through.
"Our Sun Family prodigy has returned after many years," Sun Liancheng said with a sigh of relief.
Sun Qi gave a self-deprecating laugh: "Prodigy..."
"At birth, I built my foundation; at one month old, I formed a golden core. Indeed, back then, I lived up to the name 'prodigy'. But now, I am 213 years old..."
Sun Qi shook his head slightly: "What kind of prodigy is this? Uncle, please don't call me that anymore. Many others have already achieved the婴stage, while I still linger in the丹stage..."
"Such talk will surely earn you ridicule."
But Sun Liancheng remained unconcerned: "Does our Sun Family need to care about what others think? Qi'er, after more than two centuries of cultivation, you've finally broken through. With your accumulated strength, your future is boundless.
Moreover..."
Sun Liancheng's expression was strange as he continued: "Breaking through at such a difficult time isn't your fault. After all, the entire clan's bottlenecks are on your shoulders. And with the Companion Oddity 'Heavenly Dao Qi' accompanying you, it's only natural that you'd face more天地malice.
You've already been fortunate to break through the金core stage of the Heavenly Bondment. Many ancestors didn't even reach the金stage before their lifespan expired. But now..."
Sun Liancheng patted Sun Qi on the shoulder and said with satisfaction: "Your future is bright!"
Sun Qi's expression remained unchanged.
"Is the next bottleneck in the Reverse Derivation Dao Record during the late化神stage?" asked Sun Liancheng.
Sun Qi nodded slightly.
"Don't worry, the resources for your cave dwelling and Heavenly Essence will be prepared by the clan. Just focus on cultivation."
After a long silence, Sun Liancheng said with a sigh: "Qi'er, all the burdens of the entire clan are on you. The resulting lack of progress in cultivation is something only you can bear silently. Do you feel wronged or resentful?"
Sun Qi's expression remained calm.
"It's just my duty. Countless ancestors have sacrificed themselves like me, and it was their efforts that made our Sun Family strong today. How could I possibly be resentful?"
Sun Liancheng squinted his eyes as he carefully observed Sun Qi, trying to gauge the sincerity of his words.
After a long while, just before opening his mouth, he suddenly said: "Guests are here."
"Then I'll take my leave!" Sun Qi bowed and turned to leave.
"It's fine. You can stay here," Sun Liancheng called out.
"Hahaha, Old Sun, we've made a killing this time." Jiuyuan's voice rang before the man himself arrived.
Hearing Jiuyuan's voice, Sun Qi closed his mouth and stood still.
Soon after, Jiuyuan walked in with an air of triumph.
"The number of cultivators from afar is even more than you thought. Haha..."
Jiuyuan stopped abruptly when he saw Sun Qi standing silently by the side. His eyes seemed to flash with a hint of surprise.
"Ahahaha, Jiuyuan Daoist, feel free to speak," Sun Liancheng waved his hand and said.
Jiuyuan opened his mouth but ultimately smiled lightly without saying much more.
"I misunderstood you, Old Sun. I know very well the relationship between this young man and you. But back when we signed the contract, it was agreed that confidentiality would be maintained."
The voice suddenly disappeared as Jiuyuan's lips moved, while Sun Liancheng's expression showed a mix of surprise and joy after hearing his words.
After some more conversation, Jiuyuan took out a Heavenly Dao Small Mirror from his pocket. After completing the transaction on the spot, he hurriedly left.
"I never thought someone would actually be willing to offer a Daoist Level [Visitation Law Jade Token] for the first rental of the Heavenly Fragrance Flower Lord..."
"Looks like our Sun Family still has some distance to go compared to the true elite of the Immortal Alliance," Sun Liancheng sighed. "Our path is long and arduous."
Sun Qi was taken aback: "Didn't you say it should be kept confidential?"
"It's none of my business what Jiuyuan Daoist signed in his contract," Sun Liancheng said nonchalantly.
"But the Heavenly Fragrance Flower Lord does seem interesting. An ancient slumbering cultivator, emerging from the white mist to seek your help for a way into the Immortal Alliance..."
"How do you see this, Qi'er?" after some contemplation, Sun Liancheng asked Sun Qi.
Sun Qi thought for a moment and replied: "Scheming, he might be an agent of the Five Elders' Council."
Sun Liancheng laughed heartily and shook his head. "Qi'er, you're still too young. The Heavenly Fragrance Flower Lord went through all this trouble just to see Derivation Jewel and find a cultivation method suitable for him. If it were really an agent, would he waste such a rare opportunity here?"
"Moreover, Derivation Jewel is in the Immortal Alliance's Protection Hall headquarters. With the True Intent of Transmission Dao suppressing any intruders, what kind of spy dares to cause trouble at the headquarters? It's just asking for punishment."
Sun Qi remained silent.
These secrets were not something a mere Golden Core cultivator like him could know. Uncle Sun Liancheng was merely reminding him that even if he broke through to the婴stage, in comparison to the entire Sun Family, he still wasn't worth much. He should obediently cultivate the Reverse Derivation Dao Record and bear the clan's bottlenecks without any rebellious thoughts.
"Hmph."
Sun Qi carefully hid his fleeting dangerous thoughts deep within himself, not daring to show any signs of dissent.
Uncle Sun Liancheng seemed satisfied with his performance and let him stay in the city lord's residence from then on.
Seven days later, Sun Qi met a mysterious figure known as the Heavenly Fragrance Flower Lord, Xu Bai, at his uncle's residence.
Despite his indomitable willpower, he still momentarily lost focus when he saw Xu Bai. He realized that Jiuyuan had not exaggerated when he said the Heavenly Fragrance Flower Lord was extremely carefree and rare in this world.
Xu Bai came for the Immortal Alliance identity.
For Sun Liancheng, who held great power over the state, it was merely a matter of formality.
After half a day, Xu Bai completed his registration with the help of the Heavenly Dao Small Mirror. He nodded contentedly after verifying his identity and praised Sun Liancheng's 'infinite power' before leaving gracefully.
Sun Qi followed him until he disappeared.
"Indeed, there are signs of divine favor..."
"But alas, it has gone astray," Sun Liancheng said with a cold snort.
Sun Qi was taken aback. He wondered what mistake he had made to anger his uncle.
After a moment, Sun Qi realized that Uncle Sun was not referring to him but Xu Bai who had just left.
"Strayed from the path? What does Uncle mean?" Sun Qi asked in confusion.
"A person favored by heaven in ancient times might be a sought-after existence by various sects, a natural seed for cultivation."
"But now..." Sun Liancheng's eyes flashed with disdain.
"The new laws of the Heavenly Lord are against nature. The more blessings from heaven and earth you receive, the harder it will be to go against their ways later on."
"Even when sacrificing your body to honor heaven and earth, you'll face a greater backlash from heaven and earth's will. No matter how high your talent is, you're likely to stop at the化神stage."
"Just like your Companion Oddity, Heavenly Dao Qi. Half of it is a heavenly oddity, already blessed by heaven and earth. Have you ever felt the malice of heaven and earth during your cultivation? As your strength improves, this malice will become more apparent."
"Originally, how much did heaven and earth favor you? Yet you still chose to cultivate new methods, turning against them."
"It's strange not to hate people like you."
Ignoring Jiuyuan's faintly mocking tone, Sun Qi nodded slowly and fell into deep thought.
Both he and Sun Liancheng at the Daoist Level could not have noticed that their entire conversation was being watched by Li Fan, who was monitoring Sun Qi with an invisible killing intent.