"What is the origin of this pool of water? That person seems to be relying on it to extend their life. I can sense the immense vitality contained within the water." Xie Lingyun looked at the pool with a cautious expression in his eyes.

"Essence of the Earth!" Zhang Chen recognized the origin of the water at a glance. At the same time, he was even more certain that the Heart of Primordial Magnetism was beneath the pool of the Earth's Essence.

Only with the Heart of Earth's Primordial Magnetism, combined with the Feng Shui Secret Technique of the Five Villages Temple, can the Essence of the Earth be gathered.

"What is the Essence of the Earth?" Xie Lingyun asked curiously.

"It's a mysterious liquid capable of bringing the dead back to life and regenerating flesh on withered bones. It is the essence birthed by the earth, but it cannot be collected; once it leaves its place of origin, it will dissipate." Zhang Chen explained.

While speaking, Zhang Chen stepped forward, looking at the pool of liquid. In his hand appeared the proboscis of an Innate Mosquito, which he directly dipped into the pool to begin devouring the Earth's Essence.

For others, the essence that cannot be stored or transported, did not constrain Zhang Chen.

As he devoured it, the liquid in the pool quickly diminished, revealing a figure with jade-like features and skin glowing with a lustrous, jade light.

"Zou Wenlong!" Zhang Chen recognized the person before him at a glance. He was all too familiar with this Little Fatty.

Moreover, he could sense the blood flowing through Zou Wenlong's body. This Little Fatty was actually still alive, and was maintaining himself at his peak by relying on the Essence of the Earth. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

In a place of such fortuitous creation, perhaps only an Ancestor of Earth Immortal like the Ancestral Master of Longevity could create it?

"Who is calling me?"

Zou Wenlong opened his eyes, locking eyes with Zhang Chen. They stared at each other, big eyes to small eyes. The next moment, Zou Wenlong suddenly stood up, glaring angrily at Zhang Chen: "Kid, it's you!"

"Zhang Chen, be careful!" Xie Lingyun saw Zou Wenlong resurrect and hastily issued a warning, but the next moment, Zhang Chen's words left him aghast. Zhang Chen grinned at the plump figure in front of him and said:

"Senior Brother Zou, long time no see!"

Upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, Xie Lingyun was shocked, his scalp tingling as his pupils rapidly contracted. Did Zhang Chen call Zou Wenlong what? Senior Brother Zou? Did he hear wrong?

"You traitor of the Five Villages Temple! I didn't expect you to still be alive! Today, I will seek justice for our fellow brothers and send you to meet them!" Zou Wenlong extended his hand, materializing a jade treasure sword. The next moment, a Sword Qi surged forth, slashing towards Zhang Chen.

"Ninth stage of Earth Cultivation!"

As Zou Wenlong attacked, his Qi Mechanism leaked out. Zhang Chen immediately sensed the opponent's Cultivation Realm, and knew he was no match for Zou Wenlong at this time, even with Xie Lingyun's help.

That Sword Qi, though seemingly ordinary, carried the imposing manner of a ninth-stage cultivator.

Fortunately, Zhang Chen was not an ordinary person. With his many techniques, he did not fear facing Zou Wenlong.

With a flicker, Zhang Chen retreated to Xie Lingyun's side and used the Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror to shield them both. Then he retrieved a green branch from the Ba Snake Space.

The green branch emitted a flicker of light, passing right through Zou Wenlong, who froze in place, staring at the green branch in Zhang Chen's hand as if he had seen a ghost: "How is this thing not withered yet!"

"Senior Brother Zou, it's been many years since we last met. Why fly into a rage upon our reunion?" Zhang Chen smiled at Zou Wenlong.

"Spit! Who's your Senior Brother Zou? You and Xu Erniu, those traitors, colluded with outsiders to attack the Five Villages Temple, imprisoning our fellow brothers here to feed that branch of yours. I am irreconcilable with you, the traitor." Zou Wenlong's voice was full of icy severity: "Do you think a single branch can intimidate me? To drain thousands of years of my lifespan, the branch must strike thousands of times, but killing you won't require even fifty moves!" As he said this, Zou Wenlong's gaze fell greedily upon the Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror above Zhang Chen's head: "Kid, hand over the Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror, and I might spare your life. Otherwise, today will be your death day."

Zhang Chen did not wish for a major confrontation with Zou Wenlong. He wanted to understand exactly what happened back then, and then, once he had uncovered the truth, confront Zou Wenlong.

"Brother, may I speak a word? Could there be some misunderstanding?" Zhang Chen asked politely.

Zou Wenlong's expression was cold: "Misunderstanding? What could be misunderstood?"

Zhang Chen hurriedly said, "Senior brother accuses me of colluding with Xu Erniu. This matter is no joke, how come I have no idea about it at all? Back then, I was in seclusion, cultivating diligently, when the Ancestral Master of Longevity suddenly sought me out and bestowed upon me the Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror, saying our Five Villages Temple was about to face a great calamity. Then, he took me to an unknown place and sealed me with the Essence of the Earth. The Ancestral Master said that if the Five Villages Temple survives the calamity, he would come to release me; if not, when the Essence of the Earth is depleted, I should come out by myself and reestablish the Five Villages Temple—as the temple's fate must not be severed. I have been sealed by the Ancestral Master within the Essence of the Earth, and only recently emerged. How could I have been involved with Xu Erniu? I went to the mountain to be apprenticed together with Xu Erniu; but you can't just wrongfully accuse me like this."

Zhang Chen eloquently spun words, turning black into white and white into black: "Think closely, when the calamity befell the Five Villages Temple, was I not already vanished?"

He exploited Zou Wenlong, who was sealed by the Nine Bends Yellow River Array and unaware of external circumstances, thus using cunning words to deceive.

Simultaneously, Zhang Chen employed the Soul Hook skill, seizing the opportunity to mark the opponent, but after the skill was activated, the reaction of the Golden Finger left Zhang Chen chilled:

[Target life span is normal, cannot be deprived.]

Upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, Zou Wenlong's attitude softened, his eyes revealing a semblance of belief mingled with doubt: "What proof do you have for these claims?"

"My ability to manipulate the Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror is the proof. If not for the Ancestral Master teaching me the manipulation method, how could I possibly wield the Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror?" Zhang Chen stated.

Hearing this, Zou Wenlong was already convinced of Zhang Chen's words, eyes locked onto the Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror above Zhang Chen's head, contemplating how to deceitfully obtain it.

It is known that the Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror requires a Manipulation Mantra. Without the Manipulation Mantra, even if tricked into possessing the artifact, it would be useless.

"Senior brother, what precisely transpired at the Five Villages Temple back then? Please enlighten me." Zhang Chen implored.

"First, store away that branch, and then I'll inform you." Zou Wenlong replied.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen stored away the branch, eyes fixed on Zou Wenlong, awaiting his words:

"I was ambushed years ago; upon awakening, the Five Villages Temple was already in turmoil, the Ancestral Master of Longevity had fallen, and the Innate Peacock emerged, dominating the world and scouring Heaven and Earth, engaging in a decisive battle with the Great Demon King of the demon race. The four Senior Brothers foresaw the unavoidable calamity and moved the entire Five Villages Temple, hiding it beneath Chunting Lake Dragon Palace to evade the catastrophe. Alas, eight hundred years later, Xu Erniu found us and commenced a massacre. Possessing immense cultivation, she repeatedly demanded our brotherhood pay for your death, insisting we all die as your burial accomplices. She even erected a grand array, trapping us all beneath the Underground Palace, using the lives of our brotherhood to nourish that branch."

At this, Zou Wenlong spoke through gritted teeth: "Fortunately, I was astute enough to dodge into the Ancestral Master's secret chamber, leveraging the Ancestral Master's preparations to avoid the calamity; otherwise, I'd have perished at Xu Erniu's hands."

"To protect our brotherhood, Senior Brother Bai Lu died in battle, Xu Erniu forcefully extracted vitality with a single finger, while the other three Senior Brothers fled for their lives, whereabouts unknown. That mad woman Xu Erniu claimed that once this branch matured, it could open the passage to the Underworld, retrieve your Origin, and with Divine Techniques, resurrect you. That lunatic woman, truly insane!" Zou Wenlong's eyes revealed abject horror.

Hearing this, Zhang Chen was taken aback, his heart stirred deeply. It turned out Xu Erniu had inexplicably sourced the Heaven-Reaching Jianmu branch to break through the Underworld passage and attempt to resurrect him?

Xu Erniu truly believed he was dead!

"Zhang Chen, you young scoundrel have really harmed our brotherhood!" Zou Wenlong's voice resounded with dissatisfaction.

"What happened afterwards? Why is the branch still here, and why didn't Xu Erniu take it away?" Zhang Chen questioned, puzzled.

Zou Wenlong answered, "One day, the Innate Peacock, garments stained with blood, personally descended, then Xu Erniu left hastily with the Innate Peacock. Since then, we brotherhood have been eternally trapped here, slowly devoured by the vitality-drawing branches."

Zou Wenlong's voice dripped with anguish: "If not aided by the Ancestral Master's means, I'd surely have died."

Listening to Zou Wenlong's words, Zhang Chen's mind swirled with countless thoughts, yet he maintained a calm exterior: "Could Xu Erniu possess such power? Her mere eight hundred years of cultivation brought Senior Brother Bai Lu to demise at her hands?"

Zou Wenlong forced a laugh: "That girl commands a bizarre Divine Technique, capable of inverting the Law of Yin Yang, alongside life extraction—terrifying indeed. Senior Brother succumbed as she drew out his life force, echoed until death!"

Listening to Zou Wenlong, Zhang Chen cautiously inquired: "Do you know what became of Xu Erniu and the Innate Peacock later?"

Zou Wenlong gestured towards the pool behind: "Ever since being trapped here, I haven't ventured out."

Zhang Chen's heart sank upon hearing, realizing he must find alternative ways to gather more information about Xu Erniu.

Gazing at Zou Wenlong before him, a sinister glimmer flickered in Zhang Chen's eyes, the information he sought obtained. Now, it seems the time for unforeseen assault and ambush has arrived.

Uncertain if combining his Buzhou Seal with Golden Scissors; the two jointly could strike down this wretched creature.