Chapter 37: The Master of the Divine Phoenix Manor

The small town was far from safe, so Hu Jiuyan rented a carriage and brought Feng Qianning into the city to recuperate.

Meanwhile, Qin Yue slipped back near Mount Yandang, hiding in the shadows; the mountains remained shrouded in rolling black clouds. The infant wailing of the serpent had vanished, yet the disciples from the major sects had not departed, their magical boats anchored at the periphery, dozens of li away. The good news was that no one knew of the existence of the small cauldron; they still believed Feng Qianning had perished within.

Each group sought aid from their respective sects, intent on destroying the monstrous creature within the underground palace and claiming the treasures from Feng Qianning’s body. Some bold souls attempted to re-enter the underground palace, only to die before even approaching, falling victim to the attacks of the black threadworms and venomous serpents.

Qin Yue waited patiently, not far from them. Some sects hailed from the distant lands, yet others were based within the borders of Jin. Ordinary magical boats could travel a thousand li a day; the advanced ones even faster, covering several thousand li daily. So reinforcements would soon arrive.

Sure enough, around midnight, a magical boat streaked across the sky, descending onto a clearing thirty li from the entrance to the underground palace at Mount Yandang. Its arrival drew the attention of the other sects. Qin Yue invoked his Nether Stealth, quietly approaching to listen in on their conversation.

“Master Zhang, what brings you here?” Xue Lei from the Heavenly Splendor Palace was the first to greet him.

“Greetings, Master Zhang. It’s been six years since our last meeting. You seem to have made great strides—how delightful,” said Qiao Zhen from the Moonlit Pavilion, approaching with a smile.

The two elders from the Zhaoyang Sect and Xuan Xiao, along with their disciples, also came forward to pay their respects.

Zhang Taiyue, Master of Phoenix Mountain Villa, was once an itinerant cultivator. He apprenticed under a mysterious family from the Sacred Radiance Sanctuary, later founding Phoenix Mountain Villa and establishing his own sect. He was a true master of the Dao Realm.

At such a level, one’s origins mattered little; in the martial world, all showed him due respect. Zhang Taiyue greeted the crowd with calm detachment. Li Qing of Phoenix Mountain Villa stood behind his master, saluting each person in turn.

Qiao Zhen looked at Zhang Taiyue and asked, “Is it the monster you have come for, Master?”

Zhang Taiyue replied, “For the monster, and for the treasures upon the Saintess of Sky Net.”

The great ones conceal nothing; their words are direct. At this, many faces changed. Mount Yandang lay in the western lands of Jin; Phoenix Mountain Villa was closest, and it seemed the treasures and legacy of Feng Qianning would inevitably fall into their hands.

Qiao Zhen forced a laugh. “We have summoned our own experts as well. They should be arriving soon.”

Zhang Taiyue glanced at Qiao Zhen. “Exterminating monsters is the right thing to do.”

With that, he made clear he did not wish to waste words. Whether the monster in the underground palace or the treasures of Feng Qianning, he wanted them all. This was a rare opportunity.

Even Ling Chen, young master of the Zhaoyang Sect, had nothing to say; their sects were simply too far away, and the fastest could not arrive until the next day.

Zhang Taiyue instructed the others to stay put, then strode toward the area cloaked in black clouds. His steps were unhurried, his confidence absolute.

A Dao Realm master, newly attuned to the mysteries of space, was revered as a terrestrial immortal. In an instant, Zhang Taiyue’s figure vanished from sight.

“Ah, just a little too late,” Qiao Zhen sighed, shaking his head.

“The monster in the underground palace is not easily subdued. It may be the legendary serpent,” Xue Lei remarked.

“Suppressed for who knows how many years—this is its weakest period. But against a Dao Realm master... It’s hard to say,” an elder of the Zhaoyang Sect commented.

While the crowd gazed toward the valley, torn with conflicting emotions, Qin Yue quietly followed Zhang Taiyue from a not-too-distant vantage, using his Nether Stealth.

Although the rain had ceased, the valley air was thick with humidity and a bone-chilling aura of evil. Qin Yue dared not approach too closely. Judging from the attitudes of Qiao Zhen and the others, Zhang Taiyue was a true powerhouse, most likely a Dao Realm master.

As for the serpent, Qin Yue had lost hope; his thoughts now turned solely toward the small cauldron. According to Feng Qianning, the cauldron could suppress the serpent and all evil within—an authentic treasure.

Upon entering the valley, Zhang Taiyue did not approach the underground palace immediately. He had judged, based on the accounts of wandering cultivators, that the monster inside was likely the legendary serpent. With such a famed yet unfamiliar creature, he was cautious.

But his true focus lay on the Saintess of Sky Net, said to have died inside. The Wind-Fixing Pearl, the Transforming Gourd, the legacy and divine weapons of the North Sea Dragon Palace—all these were more alluring than a mere monster. If he could obtain the dragon clan’s heritage, his Phoenix Mountain Villa would be blessed with both dragon and phoenix, perhaps even surpassing the Zhaoyang Sect.

He first surveyed the surroundings, then began to lay out a formation, planting numerous flags and arranging various materials according to their positions. This was a formation specifically designed to lure out monsters.

The moment it was activated, a piercing infant cry echoed from the direction of the underground palace, swiftly drawing near. Hidden in the darkness, Qin Yue was startled—not by Zhang Taiyue’s method, but by the serpent’s cry, which sounded far stronger than before.

Had it been in this condition earlier, his and Feng Qianning’s escape would likely not have succeeded.

As Qin Yue pondered, the terrifying wail grew louder, seeming to move from deep within the palace to right before his eyes in the blink of an eye. A dreadful demonic wind swept through, dark mist billowing, the air turning even colder.

Then came a rustling and hissing sound; Qin Yue’s heart leapt in alarm. The black threadworms and snakes from the palace were emerging.

Though previously buried and pressed down, monsters whose scales could withstand even the Qi-absorbing realm were not so easily killed. The valley, once ravaged by floods, was now crawling with venomous snakes of every hue and invisible threadworms, swarming into Zhang Taiyue’s formation.

Within the formation, lights flashed; many insects and snakes were cut in half, the air thick with the stench of blood. Yet many survived, fleeing in panic.

The grisly scene made Zhang Taiyue curse aloud.

“Damn it, where did so many poisonous creatures come from?”

His formation was meant to lure and trap the serpent, then leave it for later while he used stealth to search for Feng Qianning’s treasures inside.

Though the informant had mentioned threadworms and snakes in the palace, Zhang Taiyue had not given it much thought.

Now, seeing his formation half-ruined, he was infuriated. He had not expected the serpent to be so clever, sending its minions ahead while lurking in the shadows for a sneak attack.

Yet these venomous creatures were no threat to him; with a gesture and a spell, he smashed many snakes to pieces, their tough scales no match for his power.

The remaining ones, however, were not deterred; instead, as if enraged, they swarmed toward him.

Zhang Taiyue snorted coldly; his aura flared, and waves of sword energy shot out, slaughtering swathes of snakes and insects.

Suddenly, a shadow darted from the darkness, its claw slashing toward his face.

...

Qin Yue watched from a distance, his heart pounding. The serpent was indeed far stronger than when he had last encountered it—its speed and power several times greater.

Bang!

A muffled boom echoed.

The valley seemed to erupt in a violent explosion. Waves of energy blasted outward, pulverizing trees and stones.

Qin Yue no longer lingered; he invoked his stealth art, slipping silently toward the underground palace.

In a blink, he entered its depths.

Below, the water was deep, the ceiling riddled with ruined walls and shattered pillars; the palace was devastated.

As he plunged into the water, a sense of danger arose. He activated the bronze mirror lent to him by Tang Qingxuan, forming a defensive shield around himself.

The black threadworms crashed into the shield, unable to penetrate. Only now did he truly grasp their terrifying strength; they struck the barrier with resounding thuds.

Qin Yue quickly swam to the location of the small cauldron, now submerged beneath icy mountain water.

Holding his breath, he dove down and spotted the cauldron, sitting cross-legged in the water. He began to refine it according to Feng Qianning’s instructions, step by step.

Whether he would succeed was uncertain; Feng Qianning herself could not guarantee it, for Qin Yue’s cultivation was far beneath hers.

She let him attempt it because she had realized he was not as weak as she had first thought. Talented cultivators in the Art Realm could possess some divine abilities—but the fact that he had carried her dozens of li with a single use of stealth was astonishing.

She could forgo the cauldron, but would never allow others to seize it. Since Qin Yue had a chance, she would not let him miss it.

...

As Qin Yue began refining the cauldron, the serpent outside, locked in battle with Zhang Taiyue, seemed to sense something. It suddenly grew frenzied, emitting a chilling wail, spewing noxious black mist—fetid and venomous, it corroded even the air, sizzling as it spread.

Its ferocity reached new heights, its form agile and defenses formidable. The wailing continued, disturbing the mind.

Though it caused Zhang Taiyue no real harm, it was vexing and persistent; even his deadly attacks were deftly evaded.

Venomous snakes kept seeking opportunities, fearlessly surging toward him, threadworms hidden among them, striving to pierce his skin.

Though unable to breach the powerful Dao Realm field, they still drained his energy.

The serpent, in its current state, was no match for him, but he needed to finish quickly.

The creature’s defenses were formidable, its demonic shield hard to break.

He grew impatient; any delay would bring more Dao Realm experts. Then, claiming Feng Qianning’s treasures for himself would become difficult.

Gritting his teeth, Zhang Taiyue unleashed a crimson beam from his brow, slashing at the serpent.

These cultivators always held something in reserve, but now he could not afford it.

The longer the battle dragged on, the greater his disadvantage.

At the same time, he activated a communication stone, summoning Li Qing and the others to assist.

Originally, he had wanted them to monitor the other sects, but now he cared only for a swift victory.

The serpent let out a shrill cry; its formidable defense was finally breached, a deep gash sliced into its body, blood flowing.

Zhang Taiyue’s heart leapt with joy; as he prepared to press his advantage and finish the monster, a sudden rush of wind sounded at his ear.

A surge of alarm swept through him!