Chapter 35: The Phoenix Tail Flower

The barrier around Sui Ning was hit hard by the surging waves of energy. Xie Changzhou’s spiritual energy enveloped her and Ah Yan, creating an even stronger barrier that firmly protected them.

“Jianzun!” 

Xie Changzhou slightly turned toward her, giving her a reassuring look. “It’s okay, Ningning. Don’t be afraid.”

He then turned his gaze to You Ruoming, in front of him. His expression became colder, and his lips were tightly pursed. The pressure of a Crossing Tribulation expert was released without mercy, fiercely blocking You Ruoming’s spiritual energy.

“The world thought that Lord You was dead, but it seems that’s not entirely true.”

Xie Changzhou’s eyes became distant, his body as straight as a pine tree. His crystalline spiritual energy circulated around him, and his voice was calm and peaceful.

You Ruoming had one hand behind his back and held a feather fan with the other. He looked at Xie Changzhou with a smile in his eyes.

He chuckled and asked, “What’s your relationship with Banxu?”

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Dkl Ubydtgbsw eked’v alprsde; bkp lmralppksd oyp ekpvydv yp bl zssjle yv bkx.

Dkl Ubydtgbsw eke dsv ydpola yde zssjle yv bkx okvb y ekpvydv lmralppksd.

Zsw Swsxkdt zssjle yv bkx qsa y obkzl yde nswzed’v blzr cwv pxkzl, qllzkdt alzklhle. Tl pyke, “Zsw yal vawzu yd swvpvydekdt ekpnkrzl sq Jydmw. Zsw yal uswdt yde byhl yzalyeu ynbklhle vbl nwzvkhyvksd zlhlz sq nasppkdt vbl Makcwzyvksd. Zswa posaepxydpbkr kp nyryczl sq calyjkdt vbaswtb vs vbl dkdvb zlhlz. Zsw yal kxralppkhl.”

Before Xie Changzhou could reply, You Ruoming looked at Sui Ning and Ah Yan behind the barrier with his feather fan gently waving. He said, “This girl is also excellent. She has already reached the nascent soul stage at a young age. As for this child…”

He paused briefly when he saw Ah Yan, and his face showed a trace of incredulity. “Tiger? It is said that the ancient divine beast, the Tiger Clan, has already been exterminated. It seems that the rumor is true.”

Sui Ning also replied calmly, “As for you, it is also said that you have already died and disappeared. Now, don’t you still have a soul?”

You Ruoming looked at Sui Ning, and she smiled slightly and echoed his words, “It seems that the rumor is true.”

When she first saw You Ruoming, she thought he was not dead; after all, he had such strong spiritual energy. However, his figure was illusory and had no vitality. Gradually, Sui Ning realized that You Ruoming had truly died, but his soul had not dispersed.

Now, what appeared in front of them was his soul.

However, for some reason, his soul could still survive for five hundred years without dispersing.

You Ruoming was choked by Sui Ning’s words and looked a bit embarrassed. “You, little girl…”

“Master You, why don’t you tell us why you are still here?”

Before he could finish speaking, Xie Changzhou softly interrupted him. His tall and upright figure turned sideways, blocking the gaze that was directed towards Sui Ning and firmly positioning Sui Ning behind him.

Yu Ruoming was momentarily stunned but then smiled with a hint of meaningfulness. There was a touch of playfulness in his eyes as he said, “You may be stronger than Banxu, but at the very least, you can blossom. But your master is…”

“Lord You,” Xie Changzhou’s eyebrows furrowed, a hint of anger appeared in his azure eyes, and the Du Wang in his hand emitted a buzzing sound.

It seemed that he was truly angry.

Yu Ruoming helplessly shook his head, realizing that his disciple, Banxu, was just as stubborn and old-fashioned as he was.

Banxu was an old-fashioned person, and his disciple turned out to be equally conservative.

Yu Ruoming sighed inwardly and softly spoke, “As the young lady said, I am only left with one soul. I have persisted in existing within this statue for over five hundred years, and I can’t hold on much longer.”

“The Phoenix Tail Flower was the first birthday gift I gave to Zhaozhao. However, my Zhaozhao has already passed away, and the whereabouts of the Phoenix Tail Flower were unknown until recently, when it reappeared.”

Yu Ruoming paused at this point and looked at Sui Ning and Xie Changzhou in front of him. The warm expression on his face suddenly turned serious.

He spoke slowly: “The words I am about to say next, I hope both of you will remember them.”

Xie Changzhou’s eyebrows slightly furrowed, and his expression became cold.

Sui Ning also realized that something was different and nodded gently, saying, “Lord You, please go on.”

Yu Ruoming let out a sigh and gazed into the void, as if lost in memories.

“Five hundred years ago, due to a mistake made by our Yougu family, a beast was released, causing great devastation. The Mo Ling family also suffered casualties while fighting against the beast alongside us.”

“Outsiders say that the beasts have been exterminated, but in reality, they have not died.”

Xie Changzhou’s eyes flashed with a hint of gloom, and Sui Ning’s eyes widened in an instant.

The ancient demons were not destroyed but instead hid for more than five hundred years. This is simply planting a time bomb for the cultivation world.

Looking at Xie Changzhou, You Ruoming’s face carried a plea: “Those who witnessed that battle have all passed away, and no one knows that the beast is still alive. Although I don’t know why my soul remained; I had been in a deep sleep and only woke up a few years ago.”

“I want to tell the world the truth, but I can’t leave this temple, and my soul is about to give out.”

As his words fell, Sui Ning realized that his spiritual body was already so weak that he could barely maintain a physical form.

Coming out of the statue just now, he must have consumed all his remaining cultivation base.

Xie Changzhou looked at him without saying a word for a long time, making You Ruoming feel uncertain.

Did he misjudge the disciple who appeared so feeble? Was he not as selfless as Xie Banxu?

Suddenly, a female voice rang out: “Lord You, do you know how many great cultivators who have overcome the tribulation are currently in the world?”

You Ruoming was taken aback and then shook his head slowly.

How could he know after being asleep for so many years?

Sui Ning continued: “There are only four: the person in front of you, Master Dingyuan of the Jingchan Sect, Devil Lord Lianheng, and Demon Lord Shenjie, and the Mahayana has only 17 people.”

“The demon clan began to launch a massive invasion more than two hundred years ago, causing many powerful cultivators in the cultivation world to die and outstanding disciples to fall one after another. Moreover, Master Dingyuan does not like to involve himself in the mortal world. There is also a faint trend of collaboration between LianHeng and Shenjie. Now, the only one who can solve the problem of the beast’s tribulation is the person in front of you.”

Sui Ning released Ah Yan’s hand and walked forward to stand side by side with Xie Changzhou. His pitch-black eyes looked straight at You Ruoming.

She spoke slowly: “If you want others to help, it will inevitably disturb the demon and devil clans. Do you think they will not come to snatch the beast? After all, they are eager for chaos in the cultivation world. Will it not be worse then?”

“If it’s just the two of us, do you think we can be sure of escaping from the beast’s hands?”

Sui Ning’s gaze was calm and solemn. “Lord You, we came to look for the Phoenix Tail Flower, not to die.”

You Ruoming was taken aback and then pondered for a moment before sighing heavily.

“Forget it; I won’t hide it from you anymore. I deliberately spread the aura of the Phoenix Tail Flower to lure people here. I cannot leave, so I can only let people in.”

You Ruoming took something from his chest. Sui Ning and Xie Changzhou looked at it and were immediately stunned.

It was a leaf that had already become slightly yellow and withered.

You Ruoming used his finger to condense his spiritual energy, and a steady stream of spiritual energy flowed into the leaf. His figure became more illusory, and the leaf began to slowly divide at a visible speed, ultimately growing into a small red flower with thin petals that resembled the tail of a phoenix.

Sui Ning’s Soul Seal Plate in her dantian shone brightly.

Phoenix Tail Flower!

No, that’s not the real Phoenix Tail Flower!

Sui Ning looked at You Ruoming in surprise, who lowered his eyes to look at the phoenix tail flower in his hand, his expression a little unclear.

“Master You, did you use a fake phoenix tail flower to lure us here?” Sui Ning’s voice carried some anger, and You Ruoming raised his gaze to look at her, with a slightly guilty expression on his face. His lips moved, and his long beard trembled slightly. His gaze towards Sui Ning and Xie Changzhou was one of intense guilt and supplication, as well as a hint of unease.

“The phoenix-tail flower was destroyed by beasts 500 years ago, and I only have one leaf left. I know many people are looking for this flower, so I used a spell to create a fake phoenix tail flower and deliberately leaked its aura to lure people here.”

You Ruoming, stepped forward excitedly. “I know it was wrong to deceive you, but the phoenix tail flower is really gone. Even if you blame me or get angry, please consider the bigger picture. If the beasts appear one day, it will cause untold devastation!”

Sui Ning was about to burst out laughing in anger. They had gone to great lengths to find the phoenix tail flower, waiting for three months for news, only to find out that it was a scam.

No wonder the aura of the phoenix-tail flower had been intermittent; it turned out that there was no real phoenix tail flower at all. What they had was just a fake product created by You Ruoming’s spell combined with the aura of the phoenix tail flower.

Xie Changzhou’s expression remained calm, showing no surprise or shock upon learning that the flower was fake. He just silently looked at You Ruoming, with a distant and indifferent gaze.

Seeing that neither Sui Ning nor Xie Changzhou spoke, You Ruoming suddenly became anxious. His refined face carried some condemnation. His voice rose: “Junior brother, you are a disciple of the Banxu. Your master is so selfless that he is willing to die for the common people. Are you going to just sit back and watch? Can you face him?”

You Ruoming looked at Xie Changzhou earnestly; never before had he, as the head of a family, been so humble.

Xie Changzhou raised his gaze to look at him, with no displeasure on his face. His thin lips were just about to say something when a soft voice, tinged with anger, interrupted him.

“Master You, you are being too morally manipulative. Using Reverend Banxu to press him, do you know he may have to face the beasts alone? Have you considered whether he can make it out alive?” Xie Changzhou was slightly stunned, looking towards Sui Ning, who had an angry expression, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, and her fair face slightly red from the emotional outburst.

“Master You, even if you didn’t say anything, we would still go and destroy the beasts, but you shouldn’t use this as moral leverage on us. Xie Changzhou may have high cultivation, but that doesn’t mean he deserves to sacrifice himself. His life belongs to himself, not to the common people.”

As soon as Sui Ning finished speaking, she smirked and sneered, “Besides, isn’t the beast that you noble families of the secluded valley let out?” 

You Ruoming seemed shaken by Sui Ning’s last words, his face showing complex emotions and his gaze darkening with sorrow. 

Xie Changzhou clenched his hand on the hilt of his sword, his white knuckles showing the veins bulging beneath his skin as his throat tightened inexplicably. He did not understand the meaning of moral blackmail, but he knew that Sui Ning was defending him. 

When everyone thought that he, as a high-level cultivator, should sacrifice himself for the sake of the common people, Sui Ning was the first to say that his life was his own and had nothing to do with them. That’s why he liked her so much. 

Even in this inappropriate situation, even with Ah Yan and You Ruoming watching, he inexplicably wanted to embrace her. 

“Ningning…” Xie Changzhou’s voice was hoarse and deep, the trailing tone sounding strangely alluring to Sui Ning’s ears. 

She glanced at him with gentle but resolute eyes. 

Yu Ruoming’s figure became more and more translucent, indicating that he was about to lose his grip on this world. 

He knew very well the changes in his body, and his expression became anxious as he pleaded with them, “Both of you, the beast was indeed unintentionally released by my noble family of the secluded valley. It’s all our fault.” 

He stepped forward and offered a phoenix tail flower, his tall and thin figure slightly hunched over. “I was just speaking out of desperation earlier. I apologize to both of you. But the matter of the beast cannot be delayed. Its power is growing stronger, and I can feel its frenzy.” 

Xie Changzhou’s eyes narrowed, his warm and gentle voice turning cold. “The powerful frenzy in Yong’an City is caused by the beast?” 

Yu Ruoming was surprised and asked softly, “Do you know?” 

As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized they were inappropriate and quickly denied them, saying, “Never mind. You have reached the level of crossing the tribulation, so you couldn’t possibly fail to detect it.”

“I sensed that power as soon as I entered the city. It was strong and evil, but it existed in the void. I could tear it apart, but if I do, the entire city will be destroyed.”

Yue Ruoming looked up at him with a serious expression and said, “I’ve been guarding the beasts for a hundred years, and I understand it very well. It’s already becoming restless. If one day it breaks through the void, I ask for your help to stop it.”

He finished speaking and looked at Sui Ning and Xie Changzhou in silence. Then he slowly bent down and bowed to the two of them.

A shining white sword blocked his bowing motion in front of him. Yue Ruoming was stunned and looked up, confused.

Xie Changzhou looked at him with a calm expression and spoke softly, “Lord You are too polite. This is my responsibility, and Ningning and I will go and help.”

You Ruoming’s eyes brightened, and he was about to thank Xie Changzhou, but Xie Changzhou interrupted him.

“Lord You, there’s no need to thank us. Can you tell us why the beast is in the void?” Xie Changzhou’s gaze fell on You Ruoming’s increasingly transparent body, and he continued, “If you don’t speak now, Lord You may not have the chance to speak again.”

You Ruoming sighed softly, “Five hundred years ago, our Yougu family accidentally released the beast. Later, the Mo Ling family also perished with us in the battle. None of the people who participated in the war survived. I don’t know why I was left with one soul, and I didn’t wake up until five years ago.”

“So, I really don’t know why the beast is in the void. I only sensed its aura two years ago.”

Xie Changzhou remained silent, and Sui Ning felt helpless.

Talking to You Ruoming is as good as not talking at all. There’s no difference. If the ancient beast had the ability to hide in the void, it would have come out and caused trouble long ago. But now, it’s only gradually becoming restless and unable to come out, which shows that it didn’t enter the void on its own but was trapped in there by someone.

Who has the ability to imprison an ancient demon beast in the void and seal it for more than five hundred years? The fact that the beast has been silent for hundreds of years and is only now becoming restless suggests that the person who sealed it no longer has the power to do so.

So what happened to that person?

Sui Ning raised her eyes and met Xie Changzhou’s gaze. It seemed that Xie Changzhou also realized the problem.

You Ruoming’s figure has become more and more transparent. His time is running out, and he hurriedly said: “Two young friends, please be sure to kill the beast and don’t let it escape to harm people.”

Sui Ning and Xie Changzhou looked over You Ruoming’s body, which had begun to emit a faint light.

Xie Changzhou nodded slightly and said in a clear voice, “Master You, rest assured.”

You Ruoming smiled with relief, and his face returned to its original gentleness and kindness.

As his figure gradually faded away, a mellow voice came through.

“As the master of the You family, I am ashamed of the Yougu family and the Mo Ling family. I am ashamed of the innocent people who died tragically in Yong’an City a hundred years ago, and I am ashamed of my daughter ZhaoZhao. Finally, I have done the right thing with this matter. The people of Yong’an City will remember the efforts of the two young friends, and I hope you will take good care of yourself.”

The temple returned to tranquility, with only the shattered porcelain on the ground indicating what had just happened.

Ah Yan lightly tugged on Sui Ning’s clothes and whispered, “Sui Ning, that person just said the Phoenix Tail Flower is missing. What should we do about the master’s poison?”

Without the Phoenix Tail Flower, Xie Changzhou couldn’t cure the poison.

Xie Changzhou’s expression remained calm and serene, as if whether or not he could cure the poison had no effect on him.

He wasn’t afraid, but Sui Ning was!

Noticing Sui Ning’s panic, the system came online: [Don’t worry, in the original book, Xie Changzhou does cure the poison.]

Sui Ning’s pitch-black eyes suddenly lit up. Right, in the original book, Xie Changzhou did cure the poison.

The cold poison can only be treated with three immortal herbs and a circulating formation. Since Xie Changzhou had cured the poison, it meant he had found the Phoenix Tail Flower.

Just now, You Ruoming said the Phoenix Tail Flower disappeared with the beast. Could it be that finding the beast would lead to finding the Phoenix Tail Flower?

Sui Ning lowered her head in thought, her beautiful eyebrows furrowed with confusion, causing Xie Changzhou to want to laugh.

“Ningning, don’t worry, we will find it eventually.”

Sui Ning looked up and saw Xie Changzhou’s face with a smile on it, her lustrous eyes soft, and her face clear and warm.

She spoke softly, “Jianzun, since You Ruoming said the Phoenix Tail Flower disappeared with the beast, it’s possible that it’s with the beast in that void.”

“Mmm, Sui Ning is clever.”

“But how can we get in? If we tear open the void, the entire Yong’an City will be flattened. If we don’t tear open the void, we can only wait for the beast to come out, but when it does, it will surely cause widespread destruction. What if we can’t stop it…”

Sui Ning hesitated, wondering what they would do if they couldn’t stop the beast.

Beside her, Ah Yan spoke with a childish voice, “We can evacuate the people of Yong’an City so that the beast won’t harm them temporarily.”

Ah Yan’s tender and cute face, with bright and dark eyes, showed a hint of pride.

Sui Ning was surprised and couldn’t help but laugh, gently stroking his furry hair. “Ah Yan is very clever, but this method won’t work.”

Ah Yan frowned, “Why not?”

Xie Changzhou looked down at her, his voice soft and helpless. “Because there are too many people in Yong’an City, and we won’t be able to evacuate all of them. Besides, the demon and devil clans are watching us. If we evacuate the people on a large scale, we will be telling them that we are here in Yong’an City. Then, they just need to ask around a bit to find out the whereabouts of the beast.”

“At that time, they will be able to find out where the beast is with just a little investigation.”

Ah Yan nodded, seemingly understanding. “Then how can we catch the beast without hurting the people?”

Sui Ning also looked at Xie Changzhou with some confusion in her clear eyes.

Xie Changzhou focused on her and spoke softly: “I can set up a barrier and divide the space where the beast is into the barrier. As soon as it comes out, I will kill it. As long as I don’t die, the barrier won’t break.”

Sui Ning was a bit worried. “But the beast is an ancient demon beast. Even thousands of years ago, so many powerful beings couldn’t kill it. Can you really do it alone, Jianzun?”

After all, he’s just crossing the tribulation stage. Even when surrounded by so many people, the beast couldn’t be killed. How could Xie Changzhou alone possibly slay it?” Sui Ning’s concern made Xie Changzhou soften. His clear voice was gentle and low, “Ningning, don’t worry. I will send a message to Master Dingyuan to ask him for help.”

Sui Ning was surprised. “Master Dingyuan?”

She remembered that the Buddhist teachings practiced by Master Dingyuan emphasized detachment from worldly affairs. He never intervened, even when the demon clan attacked. Will Master Dingyuan come?

Xie Changzhou lightly laughed, his handsome face full of confidence. “He will.”

Master Dingyuan owed him a favor, and it was time to repay it.

He turned around and stood with his hands behind his back, looking out of the temple at the dark and eerie night sky.

Calculating the time, Master Dingyuan should be on his way.