Chapter 21

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Zhu Ganglie and Ma Shan entered the vast mountains and moved stealthily, following the trail left by the black dragon as they advanced quickly.

Although the vast mountains were filled with many dangers, the two were no ordinary people. With the help of their magical artifacts and the corpse they controlled, they traversed the forest for half a day and arrived at a large, deep pond.

The surface of the pond was deep and dark, giving a sense of fear, as if a prehistoric beast could emerge at any moment.

Especially with no living creatures on the pond's surface and few wild animals around, it made the place seem even more lifeless.

"Senior Ma Shan, this deep pond is probably dozens of feet deep. If the black dragon enters it and doesn't come out, what can we do?"

After carefully observing the lake, Zhu Ganglie felt unlucky. He had traveled a thousand miles, tracking through the dense forest, only to return empty-handed.

"Kid, there's no need to be so discouraged. This deep pond is very secluded, and there are few living beings. The black dragon is severely injured and needs to replenish its strength to recover.

If we just wait outside the pond, when it comes out to hunt, we can strike and finish it off."

"Alright, experience does make a difference!"

Zhu Ganglie nodded in agreement, thinking that waiting for the rabbit to come to the tree stump wasn't a bad strategy.

The two then sat cross-legged on a nearby tree, quietly waiting for the black dragon to emerge.

They waited for two days. On the third day, several beams of light suddenly appeared in the distance, startling Zhu Ganglie and Ma Shan, who were meditating.

In an instant, Ma Shan's figure disappeared into the soil below, his aura vanishing.

Zhu Ganglie gently activated the Heavenly Cicada Spirit Leaf, concealing his presence.

"Two fairies, the black dragon's lair is in the Black Dragon Pond!"

Three beams of light stopped outside the Black Dragon Pond. A man with a fish tail and a steel fork respectfully addressed two teenage girls beside him.

"This black dragon is bold, stealing the Primordial Pearl from our Illusory Wave Pool. I will tear it apart and extract its bones. That Ice Soul Daoist should die for attacking Senior Sister Cui. If not for resisting Ice Soul Daoist, Senior Sister Cui wouldn't have lost the Snow Soul Pearl!"

The woman in green, carrying a long sword, spoke with a fierce expression.

"Senior Sister Yi Jing, there's no need to be angry. Many people from various sects have died. Senior Sister Cui was only injured, which is fortunate.

If we retrieve the Snow Soul Pearl, that will be enough."

"Senior Sister Yuan is right."

Yi Jing glanced at the Chief Manager of the Ying River, knowing not to reveal too much about the sect's secrets in front of outsiders.

"Chief Manager Jin Lin, thank you for your efforts!"

Yuan Hong glanced at the merman, and with a wave of her hand, a water wave sent him back to the Ying River. Seeing this, Zhu Ganglie's face changed.

The distance to the Ying River was hundreds of miles, yet this woman could create a water path with a single gesture, sending the Chief Manager away. Her power was truly terrifying, and he held his breath, not daring to make a sound.

"Junior Sister, I will summon the Jade Purity Golden Scroll True Talisman. This talisman is one of the Illusory Wave Pool's treasures. Be on high alert to prevent others from spying."

Yuan Hong warned, and with a light wave of her hand, a fiery red talisman appeared, surrounded by six glowing circles, emitting waves of energy.

"Chant!"

At this moment, Yuan Hong softly chanted, and one of the glowing circles from the red talisman flew out, transforming into a golden dragon. It roared and dove into the deep pond.

Seeing this, Zhu Ganglie's eyes lit up. The aura of the dragon created by the talisman was so overwhelming that he could hardly breathe. Its power must be even greater.

Thinking of this, Zhu Ganglie's bright eyes dimmed. It seemed he had no hope of capturing the black dragon.

What Zhu Ganglie didn't know was that the Jade Purity Golden Scroll True Talisman was one of the three major talismans of the Illusory Wave Pool, containing the spirits of six different ancient beasts, which could be summoned to unleash terrifying power.

"Roar!"

A moment later, the golden dragon emerged from the pond, carrying a dying black dragon.

"Finally, we've retrieved the Snow Soul Pearl!"

Holding a milky white pearl the size of an egg, Yuan Hong's face was filled with joy. She quickly put it away and then looked coldly at the black dragon on the ground.

"Senior Sister Yuan Hong, this black dragon is a rare species. Let me refine it into my sword to become a sword spirit. My White Feather Sword is already under nine major restrictions and can't be refined into a magical treasure. Absorbing the black dragon's soul will make it a pseudo-magical treasure!"

Yi Jing smiled, her eyes fixed on the black dragon.

"Not a bad idea. This black dragon has the bloodline of the ancient beast Xuanming. It might help your White Feather Sword become a true magical treasure in the future."

Yuan Hong glanced at the black dragon and lightly tapped her hand, preparing to store it in the talisman.

But at that moment, a ruler suddenly appeared beside the black dragon, drawing it into the Yangyang Ruler.

"What?"

Yuan Hong and Yi Jing's faces changed, and they angrily shouted, their minds sweeping the area to find Zhu Ganglie.

"Such a high-level concealment spell."

Unable to find him, the two women's faces hardened. Yuan Hong summoned the talisman again, transforming it into a golden dragon that swept the area for several miles, indiscriminately attacking and killing.

"Little thief, show yourself!"

Yi Jing's White Feather Sword flew out, transforming into hundreds of white swords that continuously attacked the surrounding area, centered around the two women, bombarding the ground for a while.

At this moment, Zhu Ganglie, who had captured the black dragon, did not flee but instead moved to stand beside Yi Jing and Yuan Hong.

This move, though dangerous, was a way to survive, based on his confidence in the Heavenly Cicada Spirit Leaf.

The two women bombarded the area for half a day, weakening the ground by several meters, making Zhu Ganglie worry about Ma Shan's safety.

However, after half a day of bombardment, they found no trace of Ma Shan, turning Zhu Ganglie's worry into admiration.

After bombarding the area for half a day and even exploring the Black Dragon Pond, the two women left in frustration, allowing Zhu Ganglie to breathe a sigh of relief.

However, Zhu Ganglie did not immediately reveal himself. He waited until the two women had left for half a day, and night fell, before he dared to show himself.

He did not dare to fly but instead used his agility to run along the ground, heading out of the mountains. He ran all night.

Zhu Ganglie arrived at a small town at the foot of the mountain, where he finally relaxed and entered the town.

After a night of running, Zhu Ganglie was extremely tired and did not dare to reveal his identity. He wanted to rest in the town and refine the black dragon.

After wandering for a while, Zhu Ganglie chose a large household surnamed Hou, the largest in the town.

The house had excellent feng shui, situated at the town's energy point, gathering a certain amount of spiritual energy. Although this energy was weak and insignificant to cultivators, it was a good place for him to hide.

To smoothly stay in this household and cultivate, Zhu Ganglie used a small spell he had learned from the True Gang Sect's library, the "Paper Puppet Spell."

He drew a talisman on an ordinary piece of paper with his spiritual energy and then cut out the shape of a ghost with his fingers.

He threw it, and it slipped through the door crack, transforming into a large ghost, startling the household and causing them to panic and scream.

After creating this effect, Zhu Ganglie did not show off further.

The spell looked mysterious, but the paper puppets had only slightly more strength than ordinary people. If the target was timid, they would be scared and easily controlled. If they were brave, they could kick the paper puppets apart, making them like silver-tipped spears.

Zhu Ganglie only wanted to scare the household and then play the role of an exorcist to enter the household, receive their offerings, and cultivate in peace.

He then pointed his fingers, and the ghost created by the talisman disappeared.

However, this scene only reinforced the rumor that the Hou household was haunted. The next day, the servants went out to invite exorcists.

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