Chapter 91

Old Ancestor, the temple has already prepared a welcoming feast for you! The heads of all the Taoist temples inside and outside Fengyang Commandery have all arrived, hearing that you are entering Fengyang Commandery, they have all brought generous gifts to come and listen to your teachings.

Dongming Old Ancestor slightly furrowed his brow.

Seeing this, Yuhé Daoist hurriedly added.

'As for the many records you want about Phoenix Nest Mountain, the temple has already prepared them; you just need to look through them!'

Seeing Yuhé Daoist's thorough preparations, Dongming Old Ancestor found it hard to refuse this clever junior.

'Then lead the way!'

Hearing this, Yuhé Daoist's face instantly lit up with joy.

He lightly waved his hand, and immediately before the temple appeared rows of graceful, beautiful maidens, their bodies light, waists like flowing silk; though they wore only light makeup, they were captivating.

Dongming Old Ancestor glanced at this scene, gave a soft snort at Yuhé Daoist, did not blame him, and then, amidst Yuhé Daoist's flattery, stepped into Weiwei Taoist Temple.

……

In Phoenix Nest Mountain, the Phoenix Spirit Ghost King, acting as the mountain god, also faintly sensed something amiss; the mountain god's divine domain was silently stirred.

'The Mountain God's Office?'

On the mountain ridge, Zhang Jian felt his whole body sink, as if a layer had been interposed between himself and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, filtering out part of that energy.

The amount of heavenly and earthly spiritual energy he could attract decreased.

Zhang Jian merely adjusted slightly, then continued racing toward the depths of Phoenix Nest Mountain.

Not long after, he arrived before a canyon.

This is the place where the Phoenix Spirit Ghost King settled, as pointed out by Bai Niao'er.

The Phoenix Spirit Ghost King's abode is in a cave deep within the canyon.

The closer he got to the center of the divine domain, Zhang Jian noticed the surrounding invisible resentment growing denser; were it not for the Purifying Heart Talisman Bai Xianyin gave him, he would likely suffer severe interference.

'Cry!'

As he approached, the phoenix cries from deep in the canyon grew ever higher, the demonic sound assailing his ears; Zhang Jian could only endure it stubbornly.

Bai Xianyin was smiling cheerfully; this little girl didn't know what stage her cultivation had reached. She glanced over, and instantly her gaze fell on the cliff of the canyon. At that moment, another milky‑white halo appeared on the cliff, emitting a faint light. It resonated with the countless runes surrounding the cliff, forming a special barrier that sealed inside and outside.

She then lightly extended a hand, and saw a layer of faint golden light fly out from the void, blocking her palm from outside.

Zhang Jian saw this and likewise extended a hand, but felt his palm gradually touch a layer of golden radiance; within the golden light countless golden runes could be seen flowing, and a mysterious power kept him shut out.

"What a strange power!"

Zhang Jian gazed at this scene, unable to hide his astonishment.

Bai Xianyin nodded and said, "Young master, this forbidden grand formation takes the half‑volume Jade Saint Manual at the canyon's center as its core, forming a very powerful forbidden grand formation. However, its power is far weaker than in its heyday, less than one‑tenth, and it can hardly contain the Phoenix Spirit Ghost King anymore—it's practically failing."

Zhang Jian nodded.

But he still glanced at the canyon's center, where the Jade Saint Manual radiated a grand, luminous aura!

The Jade Saint was a sage of the Dongxuan Divine Land a thousand years ago, who wrote and taught extensively, educating countless people and leaving many mythic legends in Confucianism.

Now it indeed looks quite miraculous.

A half‑volume manual actually managed to suppress the Phoenix Spirit Ghost King for hundreds of years.

Zhang Jian stood before the golden barrier, his eyes flickering; after a moment's thought he drew the Dragon Chant Sword from his hand.

He focused his gaze inside the golden barrier; his Dragon Chant Sword turned into a golden blade of light that struck the light curtain, but the curtain only rippled slightly, yet was extraordinarily tough.

Countless golden runes wandered, linking together in layers of speckled golden light, one layer after another, making it very hard to deal with.

However, Zhang Jian felt that if he wanted to break it, it actually wasn't that difficult.

Seeing this, Bai Xianyin laughed and said, "Young master, no need for such trouble; I'll help you open this formation—just seize the chance and rush in!"

As her words fell, Bai Xianyin's expression suddenly turned solemn; streams of hand seals flowed from her hands, her body's spiritual power coalescing, and in an instant a broken blade appeared in her grasp. She swung it, and it sliced the forbidden grand formation before her like cutting tofu, opening a crack.

Countless golden runes shattered beneath the blade.

"This..."

Watching this, Zhang Jian's expression showed surprise.

But in an instant he seized the opportunity, his body turning into a gust of wind that slipped through the gap in a flash.

Bai Xianyin saw the chance, lowered her stature, and turned into a stream of light that flashed inside.

Right after Zhang Jian, she truly arrived before the cavern beneath the canyon.

Seeing this, Zhang Jian couldn't help but speak.

"Xianyin, where did that broken blade you just held come from, able to cleave this massive forbidden formation and let us rush in so easily?!"

Curiosity flashed in Zhang Jian's eyes!

He felt that blade wasn't particularly divine, nor did it seem like a high‑tier magical artifact.

Bai Xianyin shook her head and said, "Young master, being able to cut this forbidden formation isn't because of this blade; the blade is just a bit sharper. The main reason is that the formation has been corroded by the Phoenix Spirit Ghost King's resentment, strong outside but weak within—find a weak spot and entering poses no problem."

"You probably haven't systematically studied the profound art of runes; if you understood the mysteries of runes, you'd see through its flaws without issue!"

"In truth, this entire forbidden formation isn't that profound; if one masters the mysteries of runes, breaking it isn't hard, and the one who set it up was merely taking advantage of the Phoenix Spirit Ghost King's ignorance of this special language..."

Bai Xianyin giggled incessantly.

Knowledge is power!

Zhang Jian felt this sentiment well up in his heart.

At that moment, the Phoenix Spirit Ghost King within the mountain belly seemed to have heard Bai Xianyin's critique, appearing ashamed and enraged; instantly a mass of intense black flame erupted, sweeping heaven and earth toward Zhang Jian.

"Die!"

"Being ashamed and angry is useless!"

Bai Xianyin now seemed unusually sharp‑tongued; she lightly blocked the cave entrance, and a wisp of sharp white qi flowed from her hand, instantly cleaving the black flame above her head.

At the same time, countless streams of white qi swirled around her body, instantly becoming like a terrifying blade that shot straight into the cavern, slicing apart the myriad manifested black flames.

Zhang Jian likewise drew his sword, its light blazing, and the two joined forces to charge inside!

Soon they reached the depths!

Unexpectedly smooth!

The two moved at extreme speed, reaching a fissure in an instant.

Bai Xianyin had already rushed down first; Zhang Jian thought for a moment, then followed, his body falling.

Within the fissure, Zhang Jian had already seen the Phoenix Spirit Ghost King he had met before.

Just a glance, his eyes were subtle.

At this moment, the Phoenix Spirit Ghost King's condition was somewhat not good.

His whole body surged with a layer of intense golden light, while around him was a layer of black flame, forming a huge black phoenix lying on the ground, appearing already at the end of its strength.

His guess was indeed correct.

That stone mirror almost drove the renowned Phoenix Spirit Ghost King into a desperate situation.

Now his breath was faint.

He looked quite pitiful.