However, right after the Jade Plate shattered, a deep blue figure appeared in the void.
With the appearance of that figure, the operation of laws within heaven and earth seemed to come to a halt, and all of creation fell into a state of stillness. Even the rushing river stopped flowing.
An unclear, ethereal sound echoed through the void, resonating in Zhang Chen's ears: 'Ethereal like a light cloud masking the moon, drifting like wind-blown snow. From afar, it appears as radiant as the sun at dawn; upon closer inspection, it is as vivid as lotus flowers in the clear waves…'
The figure seemed to be that of a woman, although her form was indistinct, yet she exuded peerless grace. Surrounded by divine light, she seemed as if she had stepped out of ancient times as a Divine Lady, her allure overshadowing all other women Zhang Chen had ever seen.
The woman was enveloped by a mysterious power, halting even the workings of heaven and earth. The mighty Miluo River became frozen because of her.
Zhang Chen's body and soul were directly immobilized, as an inexplicable power spread through the void, enveloping Zhang Chen and applying pressure on his soul, completely locking his thoughts.
Most critically, the True God Golden Light within Zhang Chen's body was unexpectedly extinguished, left without any means to counter such suppressive power.
Meanwhile, Zhang Xiaohua's Celestial Soul, like a mere reptile, was pinched within the woman's grasp.
"The life-bound River Map is shattered, my last strand of essence will dissipate. Could it be that heaven has abandoned me too?" The woman sighed softly, surveying the heaven and earth before her, her clear, tender voice tinged with faint sorrow and despair, causing Zhang Chen to feel as though his very heart was shattered, wishing he could offer his own heart to her.
"Oh, the Sea Calming Divine Pearl…" The woman's eyes sparkled as they landed upon the Sea Calming Divine Pearl, her eyes suddenly brightening in the next moment: "There is still hope!"
The woman reached out her hand, intending to grasp the Sea Calming Divine Pearl, only for the pearl's light to converge, enveloping a three-foot void, transforming into a water-blue barrier that sealed the space around it.
The woman's hand, though gently extended, could not approach the Sea Calming Divine Pearl, being blocked by that light.
The illusory figure of the woman tilted her head, her eyes, twinkling like waves, gazed at the Sea Calming Divine Pearl. After a moment, she seemed to perceive something, gently raising her left hand. Her ethereal, delicate jade finger shimmered with a mysterious radiance, and on her ring finger, a red light flickered, transforming into a red thread, one end connecting to her, the other to Zhang Chen's left ring finger.
"A Thread Connects a Thousand Miles of Destiny?" The woman examined the red thread in her hand pensively, her eyes looking between Zhang Chen and the Sea Calming Divine Pearl:
"So, I have inherited the inevitable karma of fate, and this red thread of destiny is tied to me. This red thread is also my sole lifeline. If I accept this destiny, I can use its power to influence the Sea Calming Divine Pearl!"
The woman tugged at the red thread with her left hand, using an unknown technique, seeing the red thread on her left hand flicker with light, directly merging into her Divine Soul. The thread shifted and astonishingly self-formed into a red Thousand Thousand Knots, connecting Zhang Chen and the woman at either end. Then the woman beckoned towards the Sea Calming Pearl, which was influenced by the Thousand Thousand Knots, actively flying into her hand. The woman transformed into a stream of light, merging into the Sea Calming Divine Pearl within the blink of an eye.
Then the Sea Calming Divine Pearl transformed into a stream of light, flying away, vanishing without a trace in the vastness of the sky.
"What the hell ~ what's going on?"
As the woman manipulated the Sea Calming Divine Pearl to fly away, Zhang Chen immediately regained control over his own body, his eyes reflecting a state of bewilderment as he looked at the pitch-black sky?
In a godslayer battle, not only did he not gain any advantage, but he also ended up losing a Sea Calming Divine Pearl?
Is this some kind of joke?
That was my Sea Calming Divine Pearl! Although it wasn't much use, it still shouldn't be lost like this!
Zhang Chen quickly closed his eyes, trying to sense the Sea Calming Divine Pearl's location within the void, but he had lost control over it, unable to summon the pearl back.
"Is that the direction of Huangli Temple? My Sea Calming Divine Pearl fell within Huangli Temple?" Zhang Chen pondered the flight trajectory of the Sea Calming Divine Pearl, his eyes revealing a peculiar expression.
What was that red thread tied around my ring finger?
As the woman disappeared, that red thread quietly faded away, leaving Zhang Chen unable to sense it at all.
"What was all that about? It's utterly inexplicable. I killed Liu Feng, but instead of gaining any benefits, I lost a Sea Calming Divine Pearl? This is damnably unfair." Zhang Chen stood by the riverbank, somewhat baffled.
Then, looking again, he saw Zhang Xiaohua's Celestial Soul left frozen in the void by frost, Zhang Chen sneered coldly: "Well, well, I've finally got something on you!"
Then, with a thought, Zhang Chen collected Zhang Xiaohua's soul into a Jade Bottle sealed with a Sealing Rune.
"Taoist friend, where is Liu Feng's soul? Has it returned to the Miluo River?"
At that moment, a streak of light flickered across the sky, and Xie Xuan hurried over with a weathered face. He tightened his chest upon seeing Zhang Chen standing in the river water, recognizing the aura of the enigmatic figure before him, that mischievous lad.
Although Zhang Chen wore a mask, Xie Xuan had long remembered his aura.
He had been pursuing that Divine Position, but Liu Feng's Escape Light with the Divine Position's blessing was too fast, so fast that despite hastening all the more, he was still several breaths too late.