Ancestor Dongming's speed was extremely fast, like a blazing azure stream of light. Within half an hour, his figure appeared above Phoenix Nest Mountain.
With just a glance, his expression changed.
On the mountain, the rolling spiritual mechanism was converging towards Phoenix Nest Mountain, completely different from what Yuhe Daoist described—where the grievances of heaven and earth transformed into a long river converging into the mountain; these were two completely different scenes.
Ancestor Dongming hesitated internally.
The scene below seemed like a cultivator of extremely profound magical power was undergoing a breakthrough.
His eyes wavered slightly, uncertain whether he should proceed to investigate.
Meanwhile, inside the Phoenix Nest, Bai Xianyin, who was waiting, suddenly stood up, frowning.
"Young master, something's not right. A formidable figure has arrived above!"
Zhang Jian raised his head.
His sensitive divine thought vaguely sensed a profound and vast aura emerging in the void, but he couldn't pinpoint its exact location.
At this moment, Bai Xianyin volunteered, "The newcomer may not be friendly; I'll go scare him off a bit. Maybe it will make him retreat without a fight!"
Seeing her eagerness, Zhang Jian did not speak to stop her!
Zhang Jian wasn't particularly concerned, as he had three backup plans left behind by True Monarch Zhanmo, allowing him to borrow True Monarch Zhanmo's power three times.
Knowing the existence of True Monarch Zhanmo, he believed he could protect Feng Ling Ghost King to complete the nirvana.
In the void, Ancestor Dongming weighed his options for a moment before deciding to proceed and investigate. Suddenly, a white mist appeared above him, a hundred feet away.
The white mist formed a petite figure in white, exquisite and delicate, while the sound of wind bells faintly rang from afar.
"Stop there!"
Bai Xianyin stood atop the void, her hands on her hips, blocking Ancestor Dongming's path.
Seeing a small girl's figure, Ancestor Dongming scrutinized her, a hint of strangeness in his gaze.
"A demon?"
"Bah, can't you see? This young lady is a descendant of the divine beast lineage!"
Bai Xianyin, enraged, pointed at Ancestor Dongming and shouted.
"Old man, take a good look. I'm a member of the Winged White Tiger Tribe in Tongshan!"
Hearing "Tongshan," Ancestor Dongming's eyes flickered slightly, his tone changing immediately.
"So, a Guardian Divine Beast from the Divine Mountain lineage? I was rude. May I ask why you are here?"
His gaze was searching as he looked at Bai Xianyin and towards the depths of the canyon. The auspicious aura and anomalies surrounding the gorge caught his attention, and a glimmer of peculiar light appeared in his eyes.
Bai Xianyin, seeing Ancestor Dongming's expression, knew this Golden Core Stage high-tier cultivator would not be so easily dismissed. She spoke gravely.
"Old man, you haven't told me who you are. On what grounds do you question me?"
Bai Xianyin snorted lightly.
She deliberately adopted this proud demeanor, her strong presence instinctively suggested to the opposition that she wasn't to be trifled with.
"I am Dongming Daoist of Dong Shen Temple!"
"A 'Dong' generation cultivator?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Xianyin frowned slightly.
Dong Shen Temple is the national religion appointed by the Daqian Royal Family. Bai Xianyin knew well of their authority, intertwined with the might of the Daqian Court, their presence bolstered by the Daqian Court's support, additionally excelling at magic that harnesses external power, making them quite formidable.
Not to mention the first-generation disciples of Dong Shen Temple, the strong ones known as the 'Dong' generation.
Bai Xianyin snorted lightly.
"Among the 'Dong' generation, you must be the weakest!"
She said nonchalantly, "Old man, leave this place. My young master is cultivating for a breakthrough below; you better not disturb him!"
"Young master?"
Ancestor Dongming furrowed his brows.
Bai Xianyin replied proudly, "Yes, he is none other than my master, True Monarch Zhanmo's last disciple!"
"True Monarch Zhanmo?"
Ancestor Dongming's expression changed; True Monarch Zhanmo was notoriously fierce in the cultivation realm, and he felt a chill of fear, intending to leave.
Only a moment later, he paused, his gaze fluctuating, and he looked at Bai Xianyin with a flicker of suspicion in his eyes, smiling as he said, "Since there is a high-level expert from the Divine Mountain Dao Lineage cultivating here, how can I not pay my respects!"
"I also wish to meet a young talent from the Divine Mountain lineage!"
Hearing this, Bai Xianyin's expression changed, and she wanted to step forward to stop him. Seeing this, Ancestor Dongming became increasingly certain that there was a secret below, eager to uncover it. His eyes gleamed sharply, and his figure transformed into a stream of light, flying towards the depths of the canyon.
He had come here to subdue the Ghost King within Phoenix Nest Mountain, intending to turn it into a Dharma-Protecting Ghost God for Dong Shen Temple, unwilling to give up easily!
As for the Tongshan Dao Lineage, although renowned, it couldn't suppress Dong Shen Temple!
"Begone!"
From the depths of the canyon, an icy voice echoed, and instantly a dense, pitch-black radiance cut upwards like a tapestry. The black light seemed to obliterate all vitality, and under this sword light, Ancestor Dongming's hairs stood on end. Countless blue lights intertwined in his hands, instantly forming a jade disc made of azure runes to shield him.
Simultaneously, he retreated explosively.
The pitch-black true qi sliced through, shattering the azure rune-formed jade disc in an instant.
"Demon-Slaying Immortal-Slaying Sword!"
Feeling this terrifying divine power, Ancestor Dongming shrieked.
A pitch-black banner materialized in his grasp, quickening his retreat threefold.
However, the sword light pursued like a meteor, enveloping him. Ancestor Dongming nearly believed he'd be sliced into fragments by the sword light.
In desperation, he summoned a ghost god with the banner to block in front!
But with horror, he watched the ghost god annihilated in an instant, the banner snapping in two!
The sword light, however, didn't completely seal his fate, merely grazing Ancestor Dongming's true body. The void seemed torn by the black light, revealing a fearsome black glow.
Ancestor Dongming, battered and disheveled, his pill qi and profound light dimmed, stared in shock at the terrifying black hole behind him. Without a word, his figure transformed into a stream of light, quickly fleeing.
"Such terror!"
Below, Zhang Jian gazed at his palm's depths where a disappearing black sword seal lay, a tinge of shock in his eyes.
Just now, with a casual strike, he nearly slew the high figure from Dong Shen Temple.
Even the Golden Core Profound Light couldn't hold it!
His master, True Monarch Zhanmo, might have intervened; otherwise, Ancestor Dongming would've perished.
Within his palm's depths remained two black sword seals.
In the void, Bai Xianyin also witnessed the scene, snorting coldly.
"That old man really won't shed tears until he sees the coffin!"
In the void, Yuhe Daoist sped swiftly on a breeze, seeing from afar a stream of azure light rush by. Within the azure light, Ancestor Dongming's true body manifested, blood seeping through, a trace of fear on his previously relaxed face. Seeing Yuhe Daoist about to inquire, Ancestor Dongming urgently waved a hand.
"Go, we must leave immediately!"
Yuhe Daoist wished to inquire, but upon seeing Ancestor Dongming's battered appearance, wisely chose silence, though he cast a startled glance towards Phoenix Nest Mountain's direction, bewildered by the events that sent Ancestor Dongming fleeing, unwilling to even mention it.
...
In Phoenix Nest Mountain, Zhang Jian and Bai Xianyin had waited nearly half a month until one day, a dense, seven-colored divine light suddenly enveloped the entire Phoenix Nest Mountain, spreading towards the Shuangfeng Mountain Range.
A resounding, clear phoenix song echoed from the depths of the mountains.
This reverberant phoenix song was clearly heard by many ordinary mortals living around the Shuangfeng Mountain Range.
Fiery clouds and dazzling light descended suddenly, flowing in one direction.