Chapter 234

Years Fox Mountain, Hundred Fox Cave

At this time demonic qi filled the mountain, endless demon clouds fell from the sky.

Before the Hundred Fox Cave with bird song and flower fragrance, yet it was murderous intent looming.

In the mountain, a daily routine of the demon clan was being staged.

Territorial contention, jungle law, the weak meat the strong eat.

Red Phoenix and Hu Yang each had a layer of thick demonic qi circulating around their bodies, evolving into two streams of light and above the azure heavens a stalwart figure with blue beard and hair contending.

Below, however, blood flowed like rivers, many little fox demons in the Hundred Fox Cave were fighting a group of lion demons, but obviously they were at a disadvantage.

Although they were all demon soldiers.

But the number of little demons in the Hundred Fox Cave was far inferior to the number of demon soldiers on Lion's Head Mountain.

Since the Qing Lion of Lion's Head Mountain learned from Hu Yang's mouth that the fox clan still hid several spiritual medicines, it came knocking every few days to demand them.

Red Phoenix and her husband, constrained by strength, had no choice but to make concessions one after another, carefully maneuvering.

But obviously the previous various verbal threats at the door were merely the Qing Lion's probing; after probing out the true trump card of Red Phoenix and her husband, the Qing Lion directly led the surrounding demons to kill up to the door.

At this time, standing firm in the demon clouds, the Qing Lion's demonic qi was profound, his form like a whirlwind, merely raising his hand—wave, the demonic qi of the Golden Core realm transformed into a azure wind blade that cleaved from the void, striking Hu Yang, a tortoise shell on Hu Yang's body instantly shattered, his form was sent flying by the slash, crashing into the earth.

Demonic qi fell, forming a deep pit on the ground.

"Husband?"

Seeing this scene, Red Phoenix's eyes turned blood-red, a hint of panic and fear flickering in her pupils.

And yet at this moment, the Qing Lion's demonic qi expanded, a huge demonic qi hand—yet saw Red Phoenix desperately grasping and pulling.

Golden Core realm great demon against Red Phoenix and her husband, two essence spirits after Foundation Establishment late stage, possessed absolute suppression.

Even if the couple used a treasure left by a senior, they could not turn the tide.

But he did not directly kill Red Phoenix.

Instead he spoke gently with a smile.

"Red Phoenix maiden, my sincerity is ample, I most appreciate talent, you have gall, perseverance, wisdom, marrying Hu Yang this wine sack and rice bag is truly a pity, as long as you submit to me, willing to marry me as a concubine, I can guarantee Years Fox Mountain remains yours fox clan's possession, and can open many southern territories for your fox clan to hunt!"

"You still have time to consider, but time is short, otherwise your fox sons and fox grandsons will all suffer total loss!"

Red Phoenix hearing this glanced down at her feet, her heart felt a chill, the main force of Years Fox Mountain below had already lost over half.

At this critical juncture, her heart hesitated somewhat.

But ultimately having dwelled long among humans, her heart held a stronger sense of chastity than ordinary fox demons.

And at this moment Red Phoenix also recalled the message left by Zhang Jian when he took away before, thoughts between, she let out a loud shout.

"Please manifest, Qing Lian Heavenly Venerable!"

"Qing Lian Heavenly Venerable?"

Qing Lion's brows furrowed, his gaze turned to Red Phoenix, his expression instantly turned unfriendly, he too was of exotic origin, instinctively felt Red Phoenix shouting this name, he felt a pang of panic.

Unable to restrain, he shouted in a deep voice.

"Red Phoenix maiden, who is Qing Lian Heavenly Venerable?"

Just then, in the depths of the void, an anomaly suddenly arose, as Red Phoenix shouted, a azure divine light tore through the sky, appearing, it condensed in the void into a lovely, lifelike azure lotus.

This azure lotus appeared in midair, in the void, the Qing Lion with a gloomy countenance, Red Phoenix, and many demon commanders all had their expressions change.

Merely glancing at that azure lotus, Qing Lion, Red Phoenix, and many demon commanders discovered, he actually became unable to move, as if forcibly suppressed in the void.

Qing Lion at this time had his hairs standing on end, his body filled with thick pure demonic qi continuously stirring, trying to break through that towering spiritual light suppression, but found he could not do it at all.

This was not his demonic qi being suppressed, but his soul being suppressed by this azure lotus.

"What ghostly thing is this?"

This thought flashed in his mind, his eyes could not help but show a hint of fear.

Such sorcery completely surpassed his imagination.

With his understanding of runes and sorcery, he also could not comprehend it.

But saw that the floating azure lotus rotated, in an instant it vanished from thin air, the next time it appeared it was on Qing Lion's head.

"This ghostly thing!"

As his countenance changed, saw this azure lotus instantly fall into the depths of his Niwan Palace, completely merging into the depths of his soul.

No matter how he moved, he could not move.

Its appearance was as if it severed his connection to the demonic qi within his body.

In the void, yet saw an omen appear.

Zhang Jian's form appeared, beneath his feet azure lotus light shadow holy and pure, he himself manifested his true form, Red Phoenix instantly exclaimed in delight.

"Benefactor!"

Seeing Red Phoenix's expression, Qing Lion's heart instantly felt ominous.

Zhang Jian's form manifested, he glanced at Red Phoenix then casually waved, a surge of mana freed Red Phoenix from the Qing Lion's hand, moving her near.

"Thank you, benefactor!"

Though unable to conceal his disheveled state, Red Phoenix still solemnly performed a salute, merely performing the salute, her form hastily turned into a red light falling to the ground.

Zhang Jian's vast yin spirit divine sense had already sensed Hu Yang on the ground.

Hu Yang although severely wounded and unconscious, but not dead, still had a thread of life.

His expression calm, he had previously seen Hu Yang, Red Phoenix and others had a thread of black qi appear in the center of their brows, Hundred Fox Cave would have trouble, yet it should be on this Qing Lion before our eyes.

Fortune and misfortune have no door, they are self-invited!

All this is because of Hu Yang.

Zhang Jian then glanced again at the ground where the miscellaneous soldiers of Lion Beast Mountain were still fighting, with a wave of his hand a point of golden light appeared, beneath his feet the many demon soldiers fighting with the Hundred Fox Cave miscellaneous soldiers each had their forms stained with firelight, wailing cries rose, in the golden firelight they were utterly exterminated by the Vermilion Bird's fire.

Zhang Jian's gaze then fell again on this Qing Lion before him, merely glancing once, instantly his eyes held some astonishment.

"Not bad appearance!"

Zhang Jian silently praised him.

Under his vast yin spirit divine sense, this golden core realm great demon had nowhere to hide.

It was a divine and swift blue-maned great lion, its fur glossy and smooth, with surging dense and pure demonic aura, appearing to also possess some foreign inheritance.

The bloodline within its body circulated with an ancient, distant barbaric qi.

Perhaps its bloodline was even purer.

Feeling Zhang Jian's gaze, the blue lion couldn't help but sink in heart, and spoke in a deep voice.

"Where do you come from, senior, to interfere in this king's private affairs with the fox clan?"

He had already seen the numerous miscellaneous soldiers slaughtered below.

His heart sank to the valley's bottom, yet at this moment he instead became resolute.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian glanced at him indifferently, his gaze as if piercing through the blue lion's myriad thoughts: "You do have a bit of cleverness, but you cannot escape because of it!"

The blue lion straightened his neck and said.

"Even if I cannot escape, this king never intended to flee, but you bully the small with the great, this king does not accept! Even if you kill me, this king still does not accept!"

"Whether you accept or not, you must die!"

Zhang Jian shook his head upon hearing this.

At this moment, the angry voice of the Red Phoenix came from nowhere below.

"Blue Lion, as a golden core great demon you dare to attack my Su Fox Mountain—how is this not bullying the small with the great!"

The Red Phoenix's voice was angry; at this moment she herself manifested demonic light before Zhang Jian, her graceful figure stepping forward, then cupping her hands toward Zhang Jian.

"Benefactor, may I entrust this blue lion to me for disposal? I wish to avenge all the fox sons and grandsons of this mountain!"

Zhang Jian's gaze shifted upon hearing this.

The Red Phoenix gritted her teeth slightly, her treasure sword already drawn; seeing this, the blue lion's expression was unwilling.

"I never thought I, the Blue Lion, a descendant of the ancient divine beasts, would die at the hands of such lowly demon beasts—truly dying with unresolved resentment!"

He maintained an appearance of facing death as if returning home, yet he bit down unusually hard on the words "descendant of the ancient divine beasts," his gaze secretly glancing toward Zhang Jian, carrying some expectation.

Zhang Jian took in this little expression of the blue lion, his heart feeling dumbfounded.

Just then, the voice of the Slay Demon True Lord sounded.

"This blue lion is rather interesting, A Yu, spare its life!"

Sensing the Slay Demon True Lord's primordial spirit divine sense, Zhang Jian's expression stirred, then he gazed toward the depths of the void, likewise condensing his voice into a single thread, and asked.

"Master, is this blue lion truly a descendant of some ancient divine beast?"

"Not bad, if I have not mistaken, it should be a descendant of the Nine-Headed Blue Lion among the ancient divine beasts; that nine-headed lion, among the ancient divine beasts, is also quite extraordinary, not inferior to dragons and phoenixes and other divine beasts—let this blue lion be entrusted to me, for I will take it back to the mountain to properly teach, nurture, and perhaps in the future it may still lend you a hand!"

As the words fell, yet in the depths of the void, a dark and tall figure condensed into form.

The Slay Demon True Lord, however, manifested his true body.

"Master!"

Seeing the Slay Demon True Lord's true body suddenly appear, Zhang Jian was slightly startled, but still performed a salute.

Beside him, the Red Phoenix also saw the Slay Demon True Lord suddenly appear, merely seeing Zhang Jian salute, for a moment she did not know what had happened.

Zhang Jian, seeing this, then said.

"This is my master, a hidden expert of the Tongshan Dao Lineage!"

"Paying respects to the senior!"

The Red Phoenix, seeing this, hurriedly performed a salute.

The Slay Demon True Lord's gaze fell upon the Red Phoenix, he glanced at her and slightly nodded, smiling.

"Not bad fortune! Only..."

The Slay Demon True Lord's words were partially spoken, with another part left unspoken; Zhang Jian took it in, knowing the Slay Demon True Lord's meaning.

Only unfortunate that Red Phoenix is dragged down by Hu Yang, this fortune is seen fading in the years, pearls turning to rubble.

This is the reality many talents must face.

Zhang Jian also knows this, but has not thought to interfere.

They are content as is, why force it?

In the void, the Slay Demon True Lord stood floating, her figure tall and slender, clad in a black long robe, black hair tied up, wearing male attire, more like a great man, yet with red lips and white teeth, her features exquisite and not of this world.

She glanced indifferently at the blue lion, then casually cast a divine light, the "Treasure Record" mana falling upon the blue lion; after this mana, the blue lion could not help but instinctively let out a beastly roar, tendons and bones swelling, countless dense blue hairs flowing from his body, instantly transforming into a true form lion beast of zhang height.

The blue hairs on his body trembled, as if countless pure qi circulated around it, faintly carrying a trace of innate spirit qi.

Zhang Jian slightly sensed it, his expression also somewhat unusual.

This blue lion's innate spirit qi is rich, as if formed from the transformation of innate beings; indeed it carries the bloodline of the ancient divine beasts.

"Wicked obstacle, are you willing to follow this venerable one to Tongshan for cultivation?"

The Slay Demon True Lord tapped with her toe, instantly standing atop the blue lion's head.

Upon hearing this, the blue lion beneath her feet became furious, roaring loudly, surging demonic aura bursting forth, as if countless wind blades were generated, seeking to devour the Slay Demon True Lord.

The Slay Demon True Lord lightly tapped with her jade foot, the blue lion immediately let out a painful howl, demonic aura vanished, the blue lion's bones throughout his body seemed to continuously tighten, his frame forcibly compressed and shrunk.

Tendons and bones were forcibly stretched and compressed, the blue lion could no longer bear it, and involuntarily knelt down.

"Call again, and this venerable one will geld you!"

Upon hearing this, the blue lion's body trembled, fear appearing in his eyes, and he immediately dared not howl anymore.

"Do not move, little beast is willing!"

Upon hearing this, the Slay Demon True Lord's expression remained calm, then she glanced again at the Red Phoenix beside her, thought for a moment, and took out a bottle of medicine from her sleeve to throw to the Red Phoenix.

"This is the Tongshan lineage's healing spirit medicine, Gujing Jingyuan Dan, usable internally or externally; after six days of a full cycle, it will be sufficient to let your husband's injury improve!"

Upon hearing this, Hongluan's face lit up with joy, and she quickly clasped her hands in salute.

"Thank you, senior, for bestowing this treasure!"

With this bottle of elixir, Huyang finally had a way to survive.

Zhang Jian retracted his Yin Spirit Dharma Aspect and employed the Qinglian Tianzun Dharma Aspect to deal with a Golden Core demonic beast—truly using a cannon to swat a mosquito.

After confirming that Hongluan, Huyang, Bai Shi, and Bai Shiyi were all safe and sound, Zhang Jian turned and departed.

Zhenjun Zhanmo had already arranged his private tutelage, leading the Qing Lion ahead to the Two Realms region.

This time, Zhenjun Zhanmo's entry into Haojing City was merely a passage, simply visiting friends in the Two Realms region along the way.

……

Haojing City

The nine-day Taihe Zhai Jiao ritual proceeded very smoothly.

No mishaps occurred, and upon the conclusion of the final day of the Taihe Zhai Jiao ritual, auspicious clouds and radiant light became visible to the naked eye above the Shu Kingdom's dragon vein, with profound and ethereal radiance flowing forth from deep within the dragon vein.

The vengeful spirits lurking deep within the Shu Kingdom's dragon vein were finally completely dispelled.

After the vengeful spirits within the Shu Kingdom's dragon vein had dispersed, the vital essence of that dragon vein also began to fade invisibly, being fully absorbed and replenished into the Great Qian dragon vein.

Zhang Jian could sense that the depleted dragon energy of the Great Qian dragon vein had been replenished, restoring somewhat once more.

Zhang Jian paid no heed to this change.

In the time that followed, Zhang Jian continued his cultivation in an orderly manner within the Wen Ti Yuan.

Cultivating well while serving in the public office, especially in gathering the spiritual essence of the state and land.

One year later, Zhang Jian successfully passed through the third tribulation of the Yin Spirit, the Wuwang Tribulation.

It was also the Heart-Mind Monkey Tribulation.

This tribulation involved the cosmic qi and fortune of heaven and earth; for Zhang Jian, passing through it was exceedingly smooth.

Time flowed like a shuttle, and two years passed silently.

Spring came and went, autumn followed; Zhang Jian had already resided in the Wen Ti Yuan for seven years. During those seven years, many of his former classmates and examination peers had completed their terms in various bureaus of inspection, been dispatched to external prefectures, and become local officials overseeing administration, military affairs, or grain and finance.

Two years after resolving the dragon vein's vengeful spirits, Zhang Jian was promoted once more, receiving the title of Minister of the Grand Agriculture Temple of the Shao Fu Si, which already placed him at the fifth rank.

Moreover, during these two years, through Zhang Jian's 'efforts,' the compilation of the Great Qian Compendium finally neared completion.

This great work, beneficial to the state and enduring for a thousand autumns, was now about to be completed under the joint supervision of Huang Liangzhong and Zhang Jian.

The Great Qian Compendium spans nearly thirty thousand volumes, exceeding one billion characters, encompassing countless classics, histories, philosophical works, and collections. Countless individuals have paid a tremendous price, leaving no detail unexamined in search of errors and omissions.

Zhang Jian's participation alone spanned seven years, while others involved in the compilation have collectively labored for nearly ten or more years.

Upon completion, the work can be entered into the official histories.