As soon as Feng Ling Ghost King laid eyes on Zhang Jian, a chill grew in her gaze, and she said in a cold voice.
"Mortal, return my Split Soul to me!"
Zhang Jian sighed inwardly, but swiftly pulled out the treasure pearl from his hand.
The crimson treasure pearl emitted a strong glow in his hand.
"Is this the treasure the lady refers to?"
Seeing the Phoenix Soul, the black-clad woman's gaze shifted, and she nodded slightly: "Exactly, return my old property, accept the Soul-Seizing Seal, and this deity might spare your life!"
At this moment, a grand Divine Thought vaguely emanated from her body, locking onto Zhang Jian's surroundings.
Zhang Jian shook his head and said.
"The lady's words are unreasonable. Even if this treasure belonged to you, now that it has fallen into my hands, having been snatched away with great effort from strong enemies, it is naturally my spoils of war. If the young lady wishes to reclaim it, she should exchange for it or purchase it, but not take it for free!"
However, before his words were finished, the Feng Ling Ghost King grew impatient and with a wave of her hand, an immense burst of Yin Qi erupted around her, like a thick ink-black cloud, enveloping the entire Zhang Mansion and surging towards Zhang Jian.
A single strand of this aura was enough to turn into a life-devouring storm, consuming the entire Zhang Mansion.
Above the Zhang Mansion, a terrifying omen of a black phoenix devouring the mortal world appeared.
Sensing this change, Zhang Jian's expression shifted drastically, but he swiftly retracted his step.
His figure retreated back to the ancestral hall.
Before pulling back his leg, he even shook the Phoenix Soul Pearl in his hand.
Seeing this, a fierce look appeared in the black-clad woman's eyes, and her figure transformed into a giant black phoenix, charging towards the ancestral hall.
Almost simultaneously, Zhang Jian's gaze turned towards the depths of the ancestral hall, just as he anticipated, beside it, the Stone Mirror in the Ancestor's Golden Body's hand suddenly burst with radiant light, a beam of golden light like breaking through clouds and chasing the moon, swept away the endless cold aura completely.
The golden light was bright and domineering.
The descending black phoenix took the brunt of it, and was immediately enveloped by the golden light, letting out a shrill scream, as if the entire black phoenix was directly pierced by the golden light.
On the long street, the black-clad woman wearing the Nether Phoenix Robe, trying to enter the Zhang Residence, let out a painful wail. Instantly, a series of rolling golden waves erupted from inside and outside her body. Her phoenix eyes looked towards Zhang Family's direction, with a trace of fear towards death in them. Without a word, she turned into a black light and disappeared into the clouds.
Not a single word was spoken before she left.
"Master!"
Seeing this scene, the white bird let out an exclamation, hurriedly transformed into a white mist, and quickly followed.
The other birds naturally dispersed.
Seeing this, Zhang Jian also breathed a sigh of relief.
The Stone Mirror truly did not disappoint him.
"However, this pearl isn't any good fortune, it's entirely a curse, is it that Spirit Turtle who conned me?"
Zhang Jian merely furrowed his brows, feeling that the Spirit Turtle indeed bore no malice towards him.
But if placed in another situation, without the protection of the Ancestor's Golden Body within the Zhang Clan Ancestral Hall, how could he have escaped?
...
At this moment, Zhang Jian had no idea that outside the Zhang Family Mansion, a grandfather and grandson pair was watching this scene from the Golden Jade Tavern at the entrance. The guests in the tavern at this time had all fallen asleep.
They were precisely the grandfather and grandson who had fleetingly disappeared on the street corner during the day.
Under the streetlights, it was extraordinarily quiet.
One of them, a white-robed elder with long life-like brows, stood under the lights, gently stroking his beard as he watched the scene, with a hint of amazement in his eyes.
"I didn't expect such a humble family to possess such a treasure, even a naturally strong Ghost King like Feng Ling has suffered a great loss at his hands!"
Xuan Jiu was astonished in his heart, having guided Zhang Jian to seize the Phoenix Soul, he did not leave earlier, as he already calculated that the Feng Ling Ghost King lingering outside Fengyang County would not miss this opportunity.
He had originally prepared to help Zhang Jian overcome this calamity to the end, also hoping to use this chance to link up with a larger power, paving a good path for his grandson, but now it seems there are complications.
"Grandfather, what is that golden light?"
Beside him, a young boy with a sturdy, honest look asked, appearing a little naive.
His eyes held a trace of fear.
He too felt scared and fearful at the moment the terrifying golden light shone.
Xuan Jiu's gaze wavered, and he waved his hand, saying: "That might be an extremely terrifying treasure, even surpassing a Magical Treasure!"
When the golden light shone, even his heart trembled slightly.
This kind of Supreme Treasure he has only encountered in ancient places, and wishes not to be involved.
At the same time, he turned his gaze towards a hidden direction.
There, a small doll-like girl was counting her fingers and muttering to herself. This lass, akin to a Little Immortal, was concealed within the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Mechanism, even the Feng Ling Ghost King hadn't noticed her.
She giggled and said:
"My master's disciple is truly blessed amidst adversity, such a powerful naturally-born Ghost King suffered a huge loss in his hands!"
"This way is better, I won't need to call strong reinforcements to help, otherwise I wouldn't be able to handle that Ghost King either!"
"But such a strong naturally-born Ghost King, Lord Baili could be interested, should I find a way to notify him?"
She paused slightly and continued: "Do you think so, you peeping old man!"
As she cast her gaze towards Xuan Jiu and his grandson inside the building, the innocence of her smile turned into a frown, staring disdainfully at the two.
Seeing her gaze, Xuan Jiu slightly cupped his hands and smiled: "The old man Xuan Jiu greets Fairy Bai!"
The little girl puffed her cheeks: "I'm not an Immortal, my master is the Immortal!"
"Venerable Zhanmo is indeed the true Immortal, but who doesn't know of Fairy Bai's intelligence and perceptiveness! You're indeed considered an Immortal!"
The little girl known as Fairy Bai hummed lightly, her eyes turning in Xuan Jiu and his grandson's direction, she said smilingly.
"You two are always playing along, I see through your little schemes clearly, you want this little White Turtle to enter our Divine Mountain Dao Lineage, but it's not that easy!"
The tiny figure stared at the grandfather and grandson duo, eyes filled with pride.
She saw through Xuan Jiu's intentions at a glance.
Seems like he saw through the Dao Lineage origin of Young Master Zhang.
This was an attempt to ingratiate their future disciple to their master and to cunningly join this big ship, entering the Divine Mountain Dao Lineage.
The Divine Mountain Dao Lineage is exceptionally prestigious, one of the formidable existences in the world, not only having people below but above as well. Ordinary people, even if they exhaust their minds, may not necessarily enter, so it's not surprising this old turtle would try every trick.
She's seen such situations many times over the years.
Xuan Jiu, hearing this, cupped his hands with a smile: "Fairy Bai is indeed correct, the old man's thoughts surely can't be hidden from the Immortal, but my grandson does have a connection with that Young Master, and in the future, will assist him in achieving Dao Skill!"
"I am convinced Young Master Zhang won't refuse the companionship of a descendant of a Divine Beast!"
The little girl hummed lightly: "You're a bad old man, my master already said that the Young Master will be my master in the future, and it should be me helping the Young Master achieve something great, I won't let a crafty old man take my master away!"
She stomped her feet and instantly turned into a streak of light, disappearing into the distance.
However, she didn't directly enter the Zhang Mansion.
The Stone Mirror deep within the Zhang Mansion wasn't just feared by the Feng Ling Ghost King, she and Xuan Jiu's grandfather and grandson were also very wary.
Xuan Jiu remained impassive upon seeing this scene, merely smiling slightly, and rubbed the hair of his grandson, which aroused a grumbling dissatisfaction from the young boy.
...
In the night, after the small figure departed from the Zhang Family Mansion, she seemed a little troubled, as she had received a hint from an unseen will just now, causing her a dilemma.
But she still followed the guidance of that will, invoking the Mysterious Technique of Divine Mountain Dao Lineage's inheritance.
Within the ancestral hall
Zhang Jian pondered and deliberated for a moment, but could not find a way.
At this moment, his heart suddenly stirred, noticing a change in the scriptures he cultivated, "Nine Chapters of Pure Tongshan", as magical power within him condensed into a scripture made of runes, subtly connecting with an unknown entity in the void.
A grand anomaly appeared behind him.