Si Lingxi beckoned, and that hairpin flew over on its own, stopping in front of Shen Ying.

"Consider it compensation for this person attacking Taohua Village." Si Lingxi said casually.

Shen Ying smiled sweetly, took the hairpin without any politeness, and said, "Thank you, Sister Lingxi!"

This hairpin seemed to be made of some kind of metal, and of no low quality— it could actually block the chop of the True Dragon Concealed Head Saber. Its grade was at least no worse than Lu Zheng's Silver Feather Cyan Mist Sword, perhaps even superior. Once she refined it, it would be a very formidable Magical Treasure.

"Sect Leader Si is really amazing!" Ning Zhiqui whispered to Yi Xiaoqian. "She really is much stronger than Brother Lu!"

As the only mortal among everyone present, he was the only one who had no concept of Si Lingxi's true strength.

Yi Xiaoqian nodded repeatedly. "Sect Leader Si is very powerful!"

As for the others, none of them were the least bit surprised that Si Lingxi had suppressed Snow Robe Princess in an instant.

Come on—who was Snow Robe Princess, and who was Si Lingxi? If Snow Robe Princess had actually managed to escape, that would have been what shocked people.

Lu Zheng put away the Five-Colored Dragon Scale Armor and the True Dragon Concealed Head Saber, stuck his thumb up toward Si Lingxi, and said, "My lady is mighty!"

Si Lingxi smiled, unconcerned.

Then they saw the Peach Blossom Array outside Taohua Village being withdrawn, the Peach Blossom Evil shrouding the village slowly dispersing, and the Eighteen Celestial Maidens flew out of Taohua Village together, saluting everyone.

Behind the Eighteen Celestial Maidens, a scholar in white robes rose into the air and flew over; it was none other than Wen Jiong of Netherworld's Wu Gou Mountain.

"Ghost King Wen!" Lu Zheng cupped his hands. He could tell Wen Jiong's Qi was unstable, his Ghost Body dim, clearly heavily injured.

"Young Master Lu!" Wen Jiong cupped his hands back, then bowed to Lu Zheng and Shen Ying in thanks. "My thanks to Young Master Lu and Fairy Shen for lending a hand."

Then he turned to Si Lingxi, gave a deep, respectful bow, and asked somewhat hesitantly, "May I ask, Fairy, would you be the esteemed Sect Leader Si of Southern Border Phoenix Mountain gracing us with your presence?"

Si Lingxi nodded. "That's right."

At a life-and-death moment, he'd rushed to Taohua Village seeking shelter, which showed Wen Jiong had ties with Lu Zheng and Shen Ying, but they shouldn't have been too deep—after all, Lu Zheng had never mentioned this person to her before.

Still, just on account of Lu Zheng having offered Wen Jiong refuge, Si Lingxi would not go so far as to completely ignore him.

"Hiss—"

Hearing Si Lingxi's reply, Wen Jiong couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath, then cast Lu Zheng a look that was equal parts shock and envy.

Although the Eighteen Celestial Maidens had just activated the Peach Blossom Evil Array to block Snow Robe Princess's attack, it hadn't affected the observation of the outside situation from within Taohua Village, so Wen Jiong had witnessed the entire battle just now, start to finish.

He was stunned by Lu Zheng's astonishing growth over these few years, and just as stunned by the way Lu Zheng had addressed Si Lingxi earlier.

Wen Jiong was also an old ghost of long standing in the Netherworld, well-informed and well-connected. How could he not have heard the name of Si Lingxi of Southern Border Phoenix Mountain in the mortal world?

She was the only Fire Phoenix in existence. Looking across the whole world and the four seas, she was one of the absolute top figures; even in the deepest reaches of the Netherworld, there were very few old ghosts or Ancestors who could stand against her.

And what had Lu Zheng just called Si Lingxi? "My lady"?

That was truly terrifying!

Wen Jiong took a long, careful look at Lu Zheng again—he didn't seem any better-looking than himself, did he?

A hundred years ago, when he'd still been human, he'd been a famed figure far and wide—erudite and well-read, handsome and dashing. Even after death, entering the Netherworld and becoming a ghost, he'd founded Wu Gou Mountain, collected scriptures and texts, innovated on the old, and with a hundred years of cultivation had already reached a thousand years of Dao Practice, dominating one region.

So how had he never run into this kind of luck?

People really couldn't be compared to other people!

Wen Jiong couldn't help but bare his teeth in a wry grin, once again expressing his gratitude for Si Lingxi's aid. Then he turned to Liu Qingyan, Ao Yun, Ao Run, and the others who had come along, and saluted each one in turn, before finally coming to stand at Lu Zheng's side.

"Please forgive me for luring that Snow Robe Princess to Taohua Village."

After expressing thanks, Wen Jiong cupped his hands again in apology. "I have no friends I can truly trust in the Netherworld, and in desperation, I drew a great enemy toward Young Master Lu and Fairy Shen. That is my fault."

Lu Zheng had been able to fight Snow Robe Princess head-on because he'd grown quickly; Si Lingxi had been able to slay Snow Robe Princess because Lu Zheng had found himself a formidable wife. But when Wen Jiong had fled to Taohua Village, he'd known none of that.

"When I escaped the Netherworld back then, first, I hoped that Snow Robe Princess wouldn't be able to find me for a while; second, I figured that even if she did give chase, with the advantage of the terrain at Taohua Village, and this being the mortal world, if Young Master Lu and Fairy Shen joined forces with me, we could still hold off Snow Robe Princess and draw Great Powers of the mortal world over."

"But no matter how you look at it, it was dragging Young Master Lu and Fairy Shen into danger." Wen Jiong gave Lu Zheng and Shen Ying a long, deep bow.

"Ghost King, please rise." Lu Zheng supported Wen Jiong up. "Ghost King, don't take it to heart. Didn't you see that Snow Robe Princess and I also had old grudges? I took part in the battle to slay her senior brother, the Ten Thousand Transformations Saint Infant; I've crossed paths with her before, so we're enemies anyway."

Wen Jiong shook his head. "Brother Lu jests. I'm right there in the Netherworld—how could I not know about this Snow Robe Princess and her senior brother? That Ten Thousand Transformations Saint Infant was done in by her; how could Brother Lu and she really be said to have a feud?"

Lu Zheng had just been being polite. Wen Jiong immediately pointed out the crucial point, and his manner of address had grown closer besides. The two of them understood each other and didn't say more on it.

By now everyone had already flown into Taohua Village, entered the front hall, and taken their seats as host and guests.

"I heard that after the Ten Thousand Transformations Saint Infant died, Snow Robe Princess slaughtered Holy Infant Mountain and then vanished without a trace. How did she end up coming after you, Brother Wen?" Lu Zheng asked curiously.

"Because I obtained a book."

Wen Jiong didn't hide anything. He swept his right hand over the area in front of him, and a piece of human skin appeared on the table.

"The Seven Obscure Classics?"

Lu Zheng found the piece of human skin very familiar; the first one he'd gotten had been seized from Black Wheel King—the Refining Yang Chapter of the Seven Obscure Classics.

"Indeed, the Seven Obscure Classics." Wen Jiong nodded. "This is the last chapter I collected, the Blood Refining Chapter."

Lu Zheng's brow arched, a look of understanding flashing through his eyes. "The Blood Refining Chapter?"

"Looks like Brother Lu has already guessed it." Wen Jiong nodded with a bitter smile. "Exactly. All of Snow Robe Princess's abilities are in that Black Blood Sea. It's said that the opportunity she took from the Ten Thousand Transformations Saint Infant also has to do with the path of blood refining. Then, somehow, she heard that I had gathered the Blood Refining Chapter of the Seven Obscure Classics, and so she came knocking at my door."

"And Brother Wen didn't hand the book over to her?" Lu Zheng blinked and couldn't help asking.

Wen Jiong had only about a thousand years of Dao Practice, far inferior to Snow Robe Princess—not remotely her match. Why not avert disaster with money, copy a duplicate, and give her the original? What would have been the harm in that?

"I would have liked to." Wen Jiong said helplessly. "But Snow Robe Princess also wanted to plant a Black Blood Seal in my Sea of Consciousness."

"All right, I get it…" Lu Zheng nodded, signifying his understanding.

Planting a brand in the Sea of Consciousness meant she intended to treat Wen Jiong as a servant. Naturally, Wen Jiong refused, so he'd fled with his life to the mortal world instead, not even giving Snow Robe Princess the Blood Refining Chapter.

Then Snow Robe Princess gave chase, and not only failed to capture Wen Jiong or obtain the Blood Refining Chapter, but even managed to get herself killed in the mortal world.