As Ye Jingyu was fully engaged in eradicating Xuanmiao Tianjun and his entourage, deep within the Savage Forest, there lay a valley, not overly vast, yet dense with towering, ancient trees that enveloped the entire area. Around the perimeter of the ravine, faint ripples of water seemed to float, within which hints of fire occasionally surged—clearly an immense formation isolating this place from the outside world. Any master of arrays stationed here would be astonished to discover this was the legendary Water-Fire Divine Formation, handed down from ancient times.

With such a formidable seal, this small pocket of space was almost entirely cut off from the external environment. The valley was so insignificant in the grand scale of the Savage Forest that it was like a mere speck of dust, and coupled with this divine array, it was nearly impossible to locate.

Within the valley, the landscape was one of pristine beauty, with countless flowers carpeting the ground. Occasionally, a few deer would bound across the grassy expanse, scattering petals into the air. Furthermore, dazzling, multi-hued Phoenixes would occasionally soar upward from the canyon depths, their cries echoing throughout the ravine. Amidst these sounds, one could vaguely hear elegant yet piercing calls, reminiscent of Divine Apes or those mythical beasts of antiquity, such as… the Vermilion Bird…

At this moment, on a rocky outcrop on the western side of the valley, a man sat cross-legged. Clad in a coarse cloth shirt, he was gaunt, his face reduced to mere skin and bone. Before him was planted an ancient, unadorned stone blade, and the man himself seemed like a blade—the ultimate manifestation of the sword, standing supreme between heaven and earth.

This man was none other than Dugu Ba Chen, who had been deep in secluded cultivation.

On the grass patch before Dugu Ba Chen sat a woman dressed entirely in black. Her features were not exceptionally beautiful, yet she possessed a pair of mesmerizing eyes capable of captivating any man. Her skin was somewhat dark, but incredibly smooth, surpassing even the luster of fine mutton-fat jade. Her chest was not overwhelmingly large, yet it was undeniably full, its shape absolutely perfect—the twin peaks most men dream of.

This was naturally Jiu Feng, who had accompanied Dugu Ba Chen. She sat quietly amidst the grass, silently absorbing the wave of blade aura emanating from Dugu Ba Chen, delving into his comprehension of the Heavenly Dao.

Dugu Ba Chen had long since firmly established himself in the Yu-rank, and moreover, among the most formidable fighters within that level. While his cultivation might lag behind the Five Great Immortal Saints, and the accumulation of his internal power perhaps less than the Three Great Demon Lords, his combat techniques were undoubtedly the strongest among the current masters of the Celestial Realm's Yu-rank.

He had inherited the mantle of the Blade; the Blade, in his time, focused not on mystical powers but solely on battle techniques, his combat strength even surpassing that of Zhu Rong and others. His martial might was naturally top-tier and terrifying.

And Jiu Feng, having once acquired the power of Medusa, cultivated her physical body. Despite possessing supernatural abilities like the Bewitching Eyes of Medusa, at her core, she remained a body-refining lineage practitioner, seeking only to enhance her own fighting prowess.

Lying near Jiu Feng was a snow-white great tiger, bearing a pair of massive wings on its back—it was the same creature from years past. Even enduring the great calamity of that era, this Ying Zhao had survived. However, lacking the fortuitous encounters of a character like Taotie Ni Bo, its current cultivation had only reached the Desolate-rank. This was achieved only after Jiu Feng expended vast quantities of elixirs and miraculous medicines, and even now, it remained incapable of achieving human form.

Ying Zhao lay comfortably on the grass, fully basking in the sunlight. Occasionally, it would squint its eyes and glance at Jiu Feng, who sat motionless. Seeing that Jiu Feng paid it no mind, it closed its eyes again and drifted into a deep sleep.

Everything appeared so peaceful, so serene. But then, with a tremendous screech, a massive, fiery red figure plummeted from the sky. The figure was enormous, and the flames it radiated were so searing that the very air seemed on the verge of combustion.

The deer in the valley, the Jade Rabbits, and even Ying Zhao’s body began to tremble uncontrollably…

Facing the fire-red figure plunging directly downward, Jiu Feng’s eyes flashed. A black banner materialized in her hand. With a gentle wave, a surge of water rushed skyward, striking the fiery mass. The scorching flames were instantly extinguished, and a moment later, a breathtakingly beautiful woman clad in a fire-red gauze skirt, now completely drenched, tumbled down.

"Ah, Sister Jiu Feng always bullies me, soaking me again!"’s still somewhat childish voice rang out. Perhaps due to her Vermilion Bird lineage, even after a thousand years, her straightforward nature had not changed in the slightest.

"Heh heh, who told you to act so carelessly when you do things? If I let you rush down like that, wouldn't this entire valley be scorched into charcoal?" A faint smile touched Jiu Feng’s lips. After millennia of companionship, her bond with Xi Yang had become akin to that of actual sisters.

"N-not at all, I was just trying to scare them a little? Right, Little Whitey…" Xi Yang giggled, attempting to reach out and gently stroke Ying Zhao. However, perhaps sensing the flames beginning to ignite anew on Xi Yang’s body, Ying Zhao recoiled fearfully backward.

Seeing that Ying Zhao refused her touch, Xi Yang’s expression darkened, and she prepared to discipline the small, winged white cat. Dugu Ba Chen’s eyes, which had been tightly shut, suddenly snapped open…

An imposing pressure erupted instantly. Both Xi Yang and Jiu Feng felt a profound tremor in their hearts, as if a blade had been plunged directly into their chests.

"Alas…" Noticing their expressions of dread, Dugu Ba Chen sighed softly. Even after so long, his blade intent was still difficult to control completely. He wondered when he might reach that ultimate level—the level the original Blade had failed to attain.

"Xi Yang, have there been any unusual movements in the Savage Forest recently?" Dugu Ba Chen retracted his intimidating blade aura and looked toward Xi Yang.

"Nothing particularly special. Only that the Heaven Alliance has suddenly mobilized an army of over a million troops, crossing the Savage Forest to attack the Earth Alliance. Moreover, Heaven Clan soldiers continue to pour into the Savage Forest; we don’t know what they are searching for?" Xi Yang glanced at Dugu Ba Chen fearfully and spoke with great caution. Although Dugu Ba Chen had always treated them well, his aura was simply too terrifying.

"Searching for something? Heh heh, an old friend has arrived. I shall go and greet them…" Dugu Ba Chen paused for a moment, but then, seemingly sensing something, his figure vanished from the spot, and the stone blade planted in the ground disappeared along with him…

(Student A’Nai has a birthday today, and it seems the Asian Games are also today. Well then, happy birthday to Student A’Nai, and I also wish our nation many gold medals in these games. Of course, Xing Chen also needs a massive amount of Gold Bricks! Four chapters daily, that’s seven extra chapters in a week, meaning ten chapters a week! Brothers, this volume of work is truly massive. Under these circumstances, the Dragon-Phoenix Ranking was snubbed yesterday, and Xing Chen is utterly bewildered, constantly asking himself, why is this? Why is this? People who read my books are more numerous than others, and I update more than others, so why was I snubbed? Why? Unable to figure it out, I’ll just stop thinking about it and focus on writing diligently. I refuse to believe that Xing Chen, who works harder than others, will end up receiving less! Brothers, sisters, send down the Gold Bricks and recommendation tickets! I need your strength! There are two more chapters this afternoon; no matter how tired I am, I will persevere!)