Dongyangzi waved his hand, dispelling the Innate Cloud Qi that filled the heavens and the earth. It was then that Lu Zheng realized they were not at the previous Mo Family Village but had moved to a nearby mountain.

Divine Monarch Xuan Ruo has profound Dao Practice. Long-distance teleportation is definitely out of the question, but moving to nearby places poses no problem.

Looking around, Lu Zheng saw that the forest floor within five to seven li was slightly pitted, all due to the destruction caused by the interplay of Innate Cloud Qi and black water. However, this area was at least twenty to thirty li away from the previous Mo Family Village, and its outer area was masked by Dongyangzi's spell, leaving its Qi undetectable, so no one noticed.

Divine Monarch Xuan Ruo couldn't penetrate the Innate Cloud Qi, and the battle's aura was completely concealed. Such a top-tier figure died silently.

Before them lay a colossal Black Fish, slumped on the ground, stretching for ten zhang. The Primordial Spirit Poison Pearl, whose luster had dimmed almost entirely, was ownerless, yet it still hovered above the Black Fish's head, rising and falling, drifting softly.

And in the distant Mo Family Village…

Everyone continued their work as usual, having only felt that they slept for a time that day, awakening to find it already afternoon, with no other events happening.

Well, there was something—one gentle and kind little girl left this world forever...

"Hmm?"

Dongyangzi raised an eyebrow and then lifted his hand to seize the Primordial Spirit Poison Pearl hovering above the Black Fish's head.

At this moment, the Primordial Spirit Poison Pearl was ownerless, its glow dull, and the poison emitted was weak, barely perceptible.

Upon stimulating it with True Qi, the poison still hadn't been completely refined, yet its Divine Soul, having been refined by the poison, issued continuous wails.

Then, a Divine Soul, not yet tainted and refined by the poison, was extracted by Dongyangzi.

"Mo Xiaoniao?" Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow.

"She's not dead?" Yuanlin's eyes lit up.

"Infinite Celestial Venerable!"

Dongyangzi looked at Mo Xiaoniao's Divine Soul, nodded with a smile, and said, "Lucky indeed. It seems the Black Fish only consumed the girl's body, not destroying her Divine Soul. He even intended to refine the girl's Divine Soul into the Primordial Spirit Poison Pearl, but he hadn't got the chance..."

Si Lingxi replied indifferently, "It wasn't that he didn't have the chance; he simply didn't think about it. In the end, he destroyed his collection, not wanting us to benefit. He probably forgot about Mo Xiaoniao, considering he couldn't destroy the Primordial Spirit Poison Pearl, so he didn't bother with this matter. Otherwise, eliminating an ordinary person's soul is only a matter of a thought."

Dongyangzi, "..."

"Ahem!" Yuanlin coughed twice, stepping forward to interject, "Master Ancestor, I see this girl's Divine Soul is pure and she has uncommon talent. Why not bring her back to White Cloud Temple, cultivate the Incense and Candle Divine Dao, and serve as a Guardian of the Daoist Sect?"

Dongyangzi nodded while stroking his beard, "That's a splendid suggestion!"

Only then did Mo Xiaoniao process what had happened, "Have I died?"

She couldn't utter sounds, but the soul fluctuations were perceptible to all four present.

"Miss Mo." Yuanlin stepped forward to explain everything to Mo Xiaoniao.

"Divine Monarch Xuan Ruo? Southern Border Black Fish?"

"Killed tens of thousands in a county, besieged by the Court, gravely wounded, hid in Mo Family Village?"

"I... got eaten by him too?"

Mo Xiaoniao recalled the recent events, her eyes shifting as she raised her head, panic-stricken, and asked, "Wait, what about my father..."

"Rest assured, your father is fine. Master Ancestor moved the battlefield; everyone in Mo Family Village is safe," Yuanlin comforted her.

"That's good to hear!" Mo Xiaoniao sighed in relief, then felt sorrowful upon revisiting her current situation, bitterly saying, "I... am dead, right? So... can I say goodbye to my father again?"

"Well, your body was indeed consumed by that Black Fish, but your Divine Soul is intact. I intend to accept you as my disciple, join White Cloud Temple, cultivate the Incense and Candle Divine Dao, and serve as a Guardian of the Daoist Sect," Yuanlin said.

"Eh?" Mo Xiaoniao stared, surprised. She seemed to have heard Yuanlin say these words before, but was too confused then. Hearing them again, she still... didn't quite understand.

"What do you mean?"

"Well... it means entering White Cloud Temple to cultivate spells. Not only can you continue living, but you can become formidable as well," Yuanlin clarified.

"Eh?" Mo Xiaoniao was dumbfounded, "There's such a great deal?"

Yuanlin nodded, "Yes, also, if your father is willing, he can work under White Cloud Temple, whether farming or doing labor in the temple, it's all possible. Do you agree?"

"Agree, agree! I agree!" Mo Xiaoniao nodded repeatedly. This great opportunity was undoubtedly one she welcomed.

"That's good then." Yuanlin nodded with satisfaction.

...

Once Mo Xiaoniao's family matters were settled, naturally, it was time to distribute the spoils of battle.

Though Divine Monarch Xuan Ruo had destroyed all his carried collections, his Demon Body and the Primordial Spirit Poison Pearl were indestructible, and these two items were undoubtedly genuine Heavenly and Earthly Treasures.

Ultimately, Si Lingxi received the Primordial Spirit Poison Pearl and a quarter of the Black Fish Demon Body, while Dongyangzi took the rest. After washing away the poison, cooking and consuming it was genuinely nourishing.

Of course, the most valuable was undoubtedly the Primordial Spirit Poison Pearl. Once refined, though it wouldn't contain Primordial Spirit Poison, its quality remained excellent, still a top-tier Divine Soul System Magical Treasure, effectively doubling the enhancement of Spirit Secret Techniques.

Dongyangzi relinquished it to Si Lingxi, knowing this Dharma Artifact would eventually land in Lu Zheng's possession. Since that was the case, why not do a favor?

...

Next, Dongyangzi and Yuanlin took Mo Xiaoniao to find Mo Tiezhan, while Lu Zheng and Si Lingxi naturally returned to Tonglin County.

"Wow, this battle lasted ten days!" Lu Zheng sighed.

"It was quite short. If he hadn't been badly injured beforehand, let alone ten days, even a hundred days might not have sufficed," Si Lingxi chuckled, "And he could have possibly counterattacked us."

Lu Zheng nodded, "I didn't expect he was so formidable."

Si Lingxi smiled slightly, "This Great Abyss Marsh isn't far from Lianshan Sect. For him to thrive after provoking the Lianshan Sect, he surely possesses some skills."

"But he's still gone by my wife's hand." Lu Zheng raised his thumb.

Si Lingxi's lips curled, "Dongyangzi was immensely helpful. Otherwise, I'd have put in much more effort."

"So, even without Master Ancestor's intervention, you could have contained him?" Lu Zheng couldn't help but be curious.

"Certainly." Si Lingxi raised her elegant neck and explained, "He was already inferior to me and had sustained heavy injuries. Whereas I've advanced further along my path, the balance shifting makes killing him easy; the only issue would be preventing his escape. Before, I wasn't entirely confident, but now I can contain him."

At this, Si Lingxi gazed at Lu Zheng, her eyes softening, her lips curling, her phoenix eyes full of profound meaning, "Thanks to you, Lu Lang, and our dual cultivation."