Chapter 882

A shrill, ghostly wail rang out, making Wang Mingren and Ximen Feng's heads spin and their speed slow.

The void rippled, and a crimson ghost claw appeared out of thin air, slamming fiercely towards Wang Mingren.

"Look out!" Ximen Feng cried out almost instinctively, pushing Wang Mingren aside. The crimson ghost claw struck her protective spiritual barrier, shattering it instantly. Ximen Feng let out a pained shriek, spitting out a large mouthful of blood, and her aura weakened as she fell unconscious.

Witnessing this, Wang Mingren was overcome with grief.

The gigantic skeletal corpse lunged at Ximen Feng, holding a shimmering golden bone saber, poised as if to cleave her in two.

"Stop right there! Taste my True Flame Talisman of Deliverance!" Wang Mingren shouted. A shimmering golden talisman shot out, appearing instantly before the gigantic skeletal corpse.

"A True Flame Talisman of Deliverance? You're just a Core Formation cultivator. How could you possibly possess a secret Buddhist talisman? Humph, a mere trick, trying to fool this old one," the gigantic skeletal corpse sneered. It scoffed, swinging its bone saber fiercely towards the golden light.

*Boom!* The golden light shattered, transforming into a massive golden sun that enveloped the skeletal corpse.

A shrill shriek rang out, followed by a frustrated roar: "A Golden Light Devil-Slaying Talisman!"

Wang Mingren scooped up the dying Ximen Feng and flew outwards with extreme speed. At the same time, he conjured an earth-yellow talisman, which transformed into an earth-yellow light barrier, sealing the entrance.

Soon after, he returned to the surface. He summoned two red wheels, leapt onto them, and transformed into a streak of red light, vanishing into the sky.

*Boom!* With a loud bang, three skeletal corpses flew to the surface. The gigantic skeletal corpse's aura was weakened, indicating it had been severely wounded.

"Had this body not been refined with Golden Flame True Fiend Energy for thousands of years, that Golden Light Devil-Slaying Talisman would have truly annihilated me," the gigantic skeletal corpse muttered to itself. "Four Seasons Sword Venerable, once this old one reaches the Ghost Infant realm, your Taiyi Immortal Sect will face its demise." With that, it flew back into the underground cavern.

Wang Mingren held Ximen Feng's body, his eyes filled with worry.

Ximen Feng's aura was weak, as a powerful fiendish aura surged wildly within her, assaulting her meridians.

Ximen Feng had already saved him twice, and he was deeply indebted to her. This time, to save him, she had been severely injured, and it was uncertain if she would survive. He realized he could never repay her in this lifetime.

"Run, run..." Ximen Feng mumbled.

Hearing this, Wang Mingren felt a sting in his nose, and his eyes filled with guilt.

"Feng'er, you'll be fine, you'll be fine," he assured her. "I'll take you to Senior Uncle Han right away. He's a fourth-rank alchemist; he'll definitely be able to heal you."

The Fire Phoenix Mountain Range was an important branch of the Taiyi Immortal Sect in the Northern Frontier, with several Nascent Soul cultivators stationed there.

In a secluded courtyard, Chen Xiang'er was chatting and drinking tea with two fellow disciples.

"Junior Sister Chen, these are the Fire Glaze Crystals, Golden Flame Ginseng, and other fire-attributed spiritual treasures you requested," a man in red robes, in his early thirties, said as he took out several jade boxes and handed them to Chen Xiang'er.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Li, Senior Brother Sun," Chen Xiang'er replied with a pleased smile. "If you ever need my help in the future, don't hesitate to ask."

"Junior Sister Chen," one of them remarked, "I truly envy Junior Brother Wang for having such a wonderful companion who helps him gather spiritual treasures. If only my companion were half as good as you; it would be good enough if she could just take care of herself, let alone help me collect materials everywhere."

"Indeed!" the other chimed in. "I heard Junior Sister Chen even asked Senior Brother Song and others to help collect fire-attributed spiritual treasures. You're busy with your own duties, yet you also help your companion gather spiritual treasures. Junior Brother Wang must have accumulated virtue for eight lifetimes to have a companion like you. It's truly enviable."

Chen Xiang'er smiled sweetly upon hearing this. "Senior Brothers, you're joking. Your companions are also very good. Please don't praise me so much; I'm not as good as you say. Well, I have matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."

Wang Mingren hadn't spoken to her in a long time. Chen Xiang'er had reflected for a while and admitted she tended to overthink things. Using her position, she had discovered that Wang Mingren and Ximen Feng's previous escort mission together was purely coincidental.

Prior to that, Wang Mingren and Ximen Feng had no contact.

She had gathered some fire-attributed spiritual treasures for Wang Mingren, intending to use this to mend their relationship, believing that a couple's bond was deeper than a hundred nights of grace and there should be no overnight grudges between husband and wife.

Chen Xiang'er, with a team of enforcement disciples, left the Fire Phoenix Mountain Range.

She had a mission and was passing through the Fire Crow Market, so she decided to hand over the collected fire-attributed spiritual treasures to Wang Mingren along the way.

With these fire-attributed spiritual treasures, Wang Mingren's cultivation speed would surely increase!

Suddenly, a streak of red light appeared ahead, rapidly flying towards Chen Xiang'er's position.

Chen Xiang'er paid no mind, as many Taiyi Immortal Sect disciples entered and exited daily.

Soon after, when the red light was less than a hundred zhang from Chen Xiang'er, her expression instantly turned cold.

Wang Mingren was riding a pair of red fire wheels, his face filled with worry. He held Ximen Feng in his arms, her aura weak and her eyes tightly closed.

"Oh, Junior Aunt Chen, it's Senior Uncle Wang," one of the disciples remarked.

Wang Mingren paused slightly upon seeing Chen Xiang'er. He said nothing, as Ximen Feng's severe injuries couldn't be delayed. Recalling Chen Xiang'er's previous issues with him, Wang Mingren couldn't be bothered to say anything to her.

And so, the couple, like strangers, neither greeted the other and simply passed each other by.

Witnessing this scene, the Taiyi Immortal Sect disciples exchanged glances, their eyes filled with curiosity.

"It seems something big has happened," Chen Xiang'er muttered to herself. "Could my husband and Junior Sister Ximen have been attacked by a powerful enemy?"

Chen Xiang'er muttered this to herself, though her words were clearly for her disciples. She needed to save face; she had asked her disciples to collect spiritual treasures Wang Mingren needed, and he had just walked past her with Ximen Feng in his arms, without even a greeting. Chen Xiang'er was in an embarrassing situation and had to find an excuse.

Wang Mingren had angered her to no end. Was the last time a coincidence, and this time also a coincidence? She had helped him gather spiritual treasures, delaying her own cultivation. She truly wanted to be a virtuous wife and loving mother, but reality had slapped her hard.

"A dog can't change its spots," she thought bitterly. "Those adulterers."

Chen Xiang'er thought to herself, her heart filled with towering hatred.

Hearing these words, the disciples suddenly understood. Even if some had doubts, they dared not voice them openly.

Chen Xiang'er performed a hand seal, and the red flying boat beneath her accelerated, vanishing into the sky.

In a secret chamber, Ximen Feng lay on a bed, her eyes tightly closed. Wang Mingren and an old man in green robes stood nearby, both their eyes filled with worry.

A white-robed elder stood at the bedside, his brows tightly furrowed.

"The cadaveric fiend energy has entered her body, and too much time has passed," the white-robed elder slowly explained, his tone serious. "I've given her a Nine-Origin Pill, so her life isn't in danger. However, if the cadaveric fiend energy isn't removed, her cultivation won't be able to advance further, and she will suffer from its torment day and night."

"Senior Uncle Han, the cadaveric fiend energy isn't that powerful, is it?" Wang Mingren asked cautiously, his gaze filled with worry as he looked at Ximen Feng. "Do you mean even you have no solution?"

"Nonsense," the white-robed elder retorted. "This isn't ordinary cadaveric fiend energy. It's a divine ability cultivated by a fiendish corpse of at least a thousand years; otherwise, it wouldn't possess such immense power. There is a solution: a fourth-rank Snow Jade Pill should be able to remove it. However, there's no stock of it here in the Northern Frontier. The Snow Jade Pill is an uncommon elixir, refined from the inner core of a fourth-rank Snow Jade Beast."