Chapter 559: Conflict and Enmity

Having been a soul for too long, Mi Li wished she could go out and explore this new world like a normal person, instead of spending most of her time in slumber as she did now.

Though a little reluctant, Zu An had received so much help from her over the past few days, and he had promised to help her reconstruct her physical body. With such a prime opportunity now available, he found himself unable to object. He could only watch as her soul flew towards Daji.

Mi Li quickly entered Daji's body. Zu An was about to ask how she felt when he suddenly heard a scream. Mi Li's soul recoiled in a panic, then stared at Daji's body with terror.

"What's wrong, Empress Sister?" Zu An quickly asked, having noticed that something was clearly amiss.

Mi Li shot him an exasperated glare. "Did you say this woman's soul is missing?"

"Yes," Zu An replied instinctively. At least, that's what the system had told him.

Seeing that his expression wasn't deceptive, a hint of confusion flickered across Mi Li's face. "Strange…"

"What exactly happened?" Zu An grew anxious, seeing Mi Li's body flicker between light and dark, clearly having sustained significant damage.

Mi Li replied, "Her soul isn't missing; it's sealed by a profound formation. Well, I suppose you could call it 'missing' in a way. Because of this seal, her three ethereal souls and seven corporeal souls, with the exception of her life soul, cannot return to her body. That's why she's in this state, like a living corpse."

Humans possess three ethereal souls and seven corporeal souls. The three souls are the Heavenly Soul, the Earthly Soul, and the Life Soul. The seven corporeal souls represent the human emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, hate, and desire.

Zu An was taken aback. "From the sound of it, if the seal on her is broken in the future, she'll regain full consciousness?"

He was suddenly filled with anticipation. While Daji was beautiful now, her existence as merely a physical body felt incomplete. If her soul were to return in the future, she would truly become the enchanting fox spirit he was familiar with, capable of captivating the world.

"Don't even think about it," Mi Li snorted. "The sealing array within her is extraordinarily profound, seemingly in subtle alignment with the Dao. Even at my peak, I couldn't break it, let alone you."

Zu An, however, didn't mind. "We can take our time. It's better than initially thinking she'd be a living corpse forever. Empress Sister, does this mean you can't possess her body?"

Mi Li rolled her eyes. "With that terrifying grand formation inside her, am I supposed to enter and wait to be suppressed until my soul disperses?"

Zu An breathed a sigh of relief, instinctively responding, "That's good, that's good."

Mi Li's expression turned cold. "What, do you think that if I possessed this woman's body, you'd lose a stunning concubine? So, now that you know I can't, you're overjoyed?"

Zu An sighed. "I just can't bear to see you leave; I've grown accustomed to having you by my side."

Mi Li's eyes flickered slightly. After a long silence, she quietly murmured, "I must leave eventually."

Zu An laughed heartily. "At least we're still together for now. Just give me some time to mentally prepare."

Mi Li pursed her lips, saying nothing.

Zu An quickly asked, "Were you injured just now?"

Mi Li nodded, her voice filled with lingering fear and vexation. "Fortunately, I wasn't careless from the beginning. I remained fully vigilant and immediately fled when I saw things going wrong. Otherwise, my soul might truly have been scattered by that grand formation's seal. Even so, my soul has been severely damaged, and the arduous cultivation of the past few days has all been in vain."

Zu An was speechless.

Although he knew she was injured, he hadn't realized the severity. No wonder her tone had been so sharp just now.

"Alright, I genuinely need to enter a deep slumber now to restore my soul. I likely won't be able to help you for quite some time. Do not, under any circumstances, assume I'll be secretly watching over you and emerge to assist if you're in danger, or you'll die without even knowing how." Mi Li's tone was exceptionally solemn.

Zu An nodded. "Empress Sister, you've looked after me for so long, and I've faced death numerous times myself. If I were still to rely on you every single time, I might as well buy a block of tofu and bash my head in."

"Oh, by the way, once I reach the capital, I'll definitely find some medicinal herbs for you that can repair the soul."

"Hmph, once you're in the capital, facing that foremost figure of the era, your own life will be precarious, so don't even bother thinking about such things." Despite her words, Mi Li's gaze softened. She inwardly snorted, deciding that given his filial piety, she wouldn't dwell on his petty, impure thoughts.

He spoke so nicely just now, but don't think I don't know the real reason: he's afraid of losing out on 'double the pleasure' if I possess Daji's body. Hmph, to dare scheme against even me—he truly is a little lecher.

Mi Li quickly entered a deep slumber. Zu An put Daji away and began studying the *Taotie Devouring Heaven Art*. As described, it was indeed incredibly powerful. He now realized that during the trial on the Deer Terrace, Wu Geng had destroyed everything with a mere wave of his hand, sucking all things into his palm. That must have been the *Taotie Devouring Heaven Art* in action.

He wondered when he might reach such a level, filled with a deep yearning.

Suddenly, his expression turned a little strange. Wu Geng had been in the final stage at that time, but his mother, Empress Jiang, had also been present, identical in appearance and demeanor to the real Empress Jiang.

Back then, he had been too anxious about the trial's outcome to visit King Zhou's harem. But if he genuinely hadn't been able to resist and had gone to the harem to favor Empress Jiang, would Wu Geng have appeared to stop him, or not?

"What are you thinking about?" Just then, a pleasant voice reached his ear.

"I somewhat regret not having..." Zu An answered instinctively, only then noticing Pei Mianman standing beside him, smiling enchantingly.

"Regret what?" Pei Mianman asked curiously.

"Nothing." Zu An's face flushed. How could he possibly say that? He felt embarrassed just thinking about it. "Have you already refined the Fu Hao Owl Zun?"

"Yes, I've established a spiritual connection with it." Pei Mianman's jade-like hand opened slightly, and an owl zun, shrunken countless times, appeared in her palm, slowly revolving.

Zu An watched with immense envy, not for any other reason than finding the posture incredibly cool. "What does this owl zun do?"

Pei Mianman shook her head. "I still know very little about it. I only vaguely understand that it's connected to the night. The specifics will require gradual research and exploration."

Zu An nodded. Many magic artifacts require a complete spiritual resonance to unlock their full functions. Pei Mianman had only just refined this owl zun, but given her past experience as Fu Hao, she would likely achieve full integration with it before long.

"Oh, by the way, as I refined the owl zun, a hidden opening appeared on the ground that seems to lead downwards," Pei Mianman mentioned.

Zu An went to the spot where the owl zun had stood and saw a dark tunnel on the ground. Noticing that the murals on either side of the tunnel looked familiar, he suddenly blurted out, "This is Fu Hao's tomb."

"Oh? How do you know?" Pei Mianman asked, curious.

A hint of wistfulness crossed Zu An's face. "Did you forget that after you died during the trial, I was the one who built this tomb? The murals on it, and even this owl zun, are identical to how I remember them."

Pei Mianman gently held his hand. "Everything is in the past now. I'm still by your side."

Zu An nodded. "Alright, let's go down first. I remember the Eastern Yi people's jade cong was among the burial goods. We can retrieve it and fulfill our promise to the girl, Jiang Jiang."

"But wouldn't disturbing her rest like this be disrespectful?" Pei Mianman asked with some concern.

Zu An smiled slightly. "Have you forgotten that you are Fu Hao and I am Wu Ding? We're merely revisiting familiar ground. Even if her spirit resides in the heavens, she'd likely be overjoyed to see old acquaintances, rather than displeased."

Pei Mianman mumbled, "Everything in the trial was clearly fake." Despite her words, she visibly relaxed considerably.

The two descended the steps, and sure enough, everything inside was arranged exactly as he remembered, causing Zu An to feel a slight disorientation, once again experiencing the perplexing sensation of Zhuang Zhou's butterfly dream.

Following his memory, he easily located the jade cong. At the same time, he also found the bronze *yan* that contained Jiang Jiang's skull. During the trial, Zu An, concerned he wouldn't find it later, had specifically ordered Jiang Jiang's skull to be retrieved and placed in this tomb for ease of access today. He hadn't expected it to actually be there.

Pei Mianman's expression was somewhat strange. "It's actually here! Could everything we experienced in the trial have been real?"

"It might not be exactly as we imagine. Given our current understanding, it's normal to be unable to explain such a coincidence. Don't overthink it." Although Zu An said this, his gaze drifted towards the enormous sarcophagus nearby.

Pei Mianman's gaze also moved to the sarcophagus. Suddenly, she said in a low voice, "I want to see the person inside the coffin."

Zu An gently held her hand and shook his head slightly. "There's no need. In my heart, you are my Manman, not anyone else. Why bother yourself with unnecessary worries?"

Pei Mianman paused, then smiled charmingly. "You're right. I am me. Why should I overthink and disturb my Dao heart?"

With their minds clear, the two no longer dwelled on wild speculations. Hand in hand, they left Fu Hao's tomb together.

"Oh, by the way, I now know how to leave this secret realm," Pei Mianman suddenly said, as if recalling something.

"How do we leave?" Zu An quickly asked. They had been in this secret realm for too long, and he wondered how Chu Yan and the others were doing outside.

Although Mi Li had confirmed that not much time had passed during the trial itself, they had been in the secret realm for a long time before the trial began. What if the flow of time within this realm differed from the outside, and by the time they emerged, the world had undergone vast changes? That would truly be a cause for despair.

"This owl zun is the core of this secret realm's formation. By controlling it, we can leave at any time," Pei Mianman replied. "However, if the core leaves, this secret realm likely won't be able to be opened again."

Zu An said in a deep voice, "So, let's give the items to Jiang Jiang before we go, at least allowing her to complete the liberation of her people's souls."

Both were individuals who honored their promises and naturally wouldn't break their word. They soon exited the great gate and arrived at the spot where they had previously parted ways with the girl.

"Jiang Jiang?" The surroundings were pitch black, and nothing was visible. Zu An had no choice but to start calling for her.

In any case, this was Jiang Jiang's territory, and having gained so many adventures and experiences, they naturally weren't overly concerned about attracting danger.

"She's coming," Pei Mianman said, pointing in a direction.

Zu An was startled. He looked in that direction, but it was pitch black; he couldn't see anything. "It's so dark, can you see clearly?"

"It must be thanks to the Fu Hao Owl Zun. Owls are inherently kings of the night, and I see this darkness as if it were broad daylight. I have a faint feeling that once I completely master the owl zun, I might even be able to conjure night out of thin air and draw enemies into battle within it," Pei Mianman said with some excitement.

"This must be a form of domain," Zu An praised. "By then, even if you encounter someone with a higher cultivation level, you'll likely still have a fighting chance."

As the two were chatting, the ghostly maiden from before arrived before them. "Big brother, big sister…"

She had initially approached with a skip in her step, but her expression suddenly shifted when she saw them.

However, both were eager to leave and didn't notice the subtle change in her expression. Zu An handed her the jade cong. "Jiang Jiang, we have not failed you. We've retrieved the jade cong you mentioned."

The maiden took it, caressing the jade cong. A hint of joy at its recovery appeared on her face. "Thank… thank you."

As she spoke, she put the jade cong on her hand. For some reason, streams of light flashed across its surface, then it gradually dematerialized, finally transforming into a jade cong-shaped pattern engraved on her arm.

Zu An watched in amazement. During the trial, they had learned from the Eastern Yi people that this was their sacred object. Yet, no matter how they examined it, it appeared to be an ordinary jade cong, albeit exquisitely crafted, with no discernible unusual properties. But in Jiang Jiang's hands, it was clearly different.

However, they weren't so greedy as to covet others' possessions. At that moment, suddenly recalling something, he handed her the bronze *yan* containing her skull. "Jiang Jiang, this should be your skull…"

He had intended to offer some words of comfort, but after the maiden saw the skull resting in the bronze *yan*, her eyes immediately turned red. She gritted her teeth and declared, "Merchants, all of you must die!"

A strong warning flared in Zu An's heart. He quickly pulled Pei Mianman back. The spot where they had just stood immediately collapsed, evidently struck by an immense force.

He demanded angrily, "Jiang Jiang, are you out of your mind?"

The maiden floated into the air, her beautiful hair swaying without a breeze. "Merchants must die! Both of you carry an incredibly strong merchant aura; you're absolutely genuine merchants."

Zu An was speechless. He figured it must be because one of them possessed the *Taotie Devouring Heaven Art*, while the other carried the Shang Dynasty's invaluable treasures, the Fu Hao Owl Zun and the Heavenly Wisdom Jade. Furthermore, having played the roles of Shang King and Queen for so long during the trial, it would be difficult *not* to exude a merchant aura.

At that moment, the maiden's cold voice rang out, "So… die!"

With a sweep of her hand, various rustling sounds suddenly erupted around them. Both of their faces instantly turned grim as they saw the Kuman Thongs circling the maiden, while dense ranks of skeletal warriors advanced towards them. Simultaneously, hissing sounds emanated from the ground—the strange snakes they had encountered earlier in the giant pit.

Zu An still remembered the headache those strange snakes had caused him before. He quickly asked Pei Mianman, who was beside him, "Didn't you say we could leave the secret realm? Can we leave now?"

Pei Mianman shook her head, her brow furrowed. "No, that requires a period of quiet communication. These creatures won't give us any time at all."

The moment she finished speaking, the skeletal warriors had already launched their attack, swinging their blades.

Zu An drew his Tai'a sword and stabbed the skull of a nearby skeletal warrior. However, more skeletal warriors immediately assailed them. That wasn't the primary concern; the main issue was the strange snakes slithering across the ground, constantly spewing venom and unexpectedly darting out to bite.

The skeletal warriors were naturally immune to the strange snakes' venom, but Zu An and Pei Mianman dared not risk being bitten.

Consequently, the two were quickly overwhelmed. Suddenly, a black rose blossomed, incomparably beautiful yet simultaneously brimming with destructive energy. Within a few yards, the surrounding bones and strange snakes were instantly incinerated to ash.

This was Pei Mianman's combat skill, "Rose Karma Fire." Before entering the secret realm, she had been injured, and her condition hadn't been strong enough to sustain such a powerful display. In her current full-strength state, her attack was indeed extraordinary.

Pei Mianman whispered, "I can't keep using this move."

The moment she finished speaking, many strange snakes and skeletal warriors began to converge around them again, seemingly endless.

The maiden in mid-air frowned slightly, seemingly issuing an command. The surrounding Kuman Thongs then all surged towards Pei Mianman.

Pei Mianman's expression shifted slightly; she clearly still remembered the pain of being controlled by the Kuman Thongs. These Kuman Thongs also appeared to have a very strong immunity to fire, which made them a significant counter to her abilities.

Zu An quickly moved to her side, swinging his sword to help repel several Kuman Thongs around her. He knew this wasn't a sustainable solution and considered using the *Taotie Devouring Heaven Art* he had just learned. However, the creatures surrounding them were either inanimate or disgusting snakes. Perhaps at a more advanced level, the art could absorb all things, but his current skill wasn't sufficient for that.

Suddenly, an idea struck him. The creatures around them were numerous and had low intelligence. He himself lacked area-of-effect skills, but someone else possessed them.

He quickly summoned Daji and rapidly issued instructions.

Pei Mianman's eyes widened. She saw an incredibly beautiful woman suddenly appear before them, holding a jade pipa. With a gentle pluck of her delicate fingers, a melodious tune resonated, and then the previously aggressive Kuman Thongs, skeletal warriors, and countless strange snakes all froze in their tracks.