Chapter 3212: Xu Yang City
Swoosh!
A seven-colored sword ray flashed briefly before it vanished into thin air and reappeared near Zhang Jin Yi who was holding his Identity Jade Token. Alas, before he could crush it, the seven-colored sword ray had cleaved him into two from his head down. Even his purely defensive Royal Grade Celestial Weapon was cleaved into two. With that, the direct descendant from the main Phantom Fox Clan died in the grade-three secret realm of the upper realm of the Southern Heaven Ancient Realm after spending 100 years in the Southern Heaven Territory. Even he would not have expected that he would meet such an end.
Huaner, lets go. After collecting Zhang Jin Yis Celestial Weapons and Spatial Ring, Duan Ling Tian beckoned Huaner over. Before they left, he turned to look at the two entrances that were still closed. Obviously, the battles still had not concluded.
In the Zhang Clan of the main Phantom Fox Clan located in the Seven Upper Provinces Heavenly Territory.
Grand Elder! Jin Yis Soul Pearl has shattered!
Very soon after Zhang Jin Yis death, a member of the Phantom Fox Clan reported his death to the Grand Elder of the Zhang Clan upon discovering Zhang Jin Yis shattered Soul Pearl.
What?! The Grand Elder of the Zhang Clan rose to his feet, shocked. Whats happened? Wasnt he in the Southern Heaven Territory? How dare the people of the Southern Heaven Territory kill him!
Shortly afterward, an elder, the person in charge of liaising with the Phantom Fox Clans branch in the Southern Heaven Territory, was summoned before the grand elder.
Jin Yi is dead.
The elder was shocked by the grand elders words. What? Jin Yi is dead?
Speak to the Branch Leader of the Phantom Fox Clan in the Southern Heaven Territory. Tell him that only death awaits him if he cant give us an explanation of what happened, the grand elder said grimly.
With that, a special Communication Celestial Talisman was sent out of the Zhang Clan across the Riot Star Sea to the Phantom Fox Clans branch in the Southern Heaven Territory.
What?! Zhang Dong Nan, the Branch Leader of the Phantom Fox Clan in the Southern Heaven Territory, was similarly shocked when he received news of Zhang Jin Yis death. Lord envoy is dead? Isnt he in the upper realm? Did he leave after the upper realms scoreboard was refreshed and was killed by a Celestial Lord?
Zhang Dong Nan was eager to know what happened as well. However, despite pulling all the strings he could, his investigation did not yield any results.
Based on his ranking, he shouldve entered the grade-three secret realm. What could threaten him in there? Was he killed by Formation spirits in the secret realm?
However, after a while, he dismissed that thought. Although there were Formation spirits in the grade-three secret realm that could threaten Zhang Jin Yis life, Zhang Jin Yi should have been able to easily escape. There was no Formation spirit in the grade-three secret realm powerful enough to restrain Zhang Jin Yi.
Duan Ling Tian and Huaner have entered the grade-three secret realm as well? Zhang Jin Yis expression turned grim when he later discovered Duan Ling Tian and Huaner had entered the grade-three secret realm as well. 100 years ago, Huaner was already powerful even though she wasnt even 100 years old. Its not impossible for her to be able to kill Lord Envoy now that 100 years have passed.
With that, he reported back to the main Phantom Fox Clan in the Heavenly Territory.
After the elder, the person in charge of liaising with Zhang Dong Nan, relayed the message to the Grand Elder of the Zhang Clan, the grand elder said, Go to the Southern Heaven Territory and investigate this matter... I dont care who it is, but they should pay with their lives for killing a direct descendant of the Zhang Clan!
Yes, grand elder!
Thus, the elder was sent to the Southern Heaven Territory through a Transporting Formation.
Meanwhile, Duan Ling Tian and Huaner finally ran into their first Spirit Formation in the grade-three secret realm. However, the Formation spirit was so weak that Duan Ling Tian destroyed it with just a punch.
Following that, the duo continued to search for the next Spirit Formation.
The main Phantom Fox Clan will undoubtedly send someone to investigate Zhang Jin Yis death, and Huaner and I will certainly become the biggest suspects. However, its likely that theres nothing they can do to the Profound Nether Mansion since they havent confirmed Huaners identity. Moreover, Zhang Dong Nans under the impression that we left the Profound Nether Mansion years ago. Zhang Dong Nans rather smart so hell avoid involving the Profound Nether Mansion in fear of offending Huaner and me unless its absolutely necessary.
Zhang Dong Nan, whom Duan Ling Tian had met twice, left a deep impression on Duan Ling Tian during their first meeting. Duan Ling Tian could tell Zhang Dong Nan was an intelligent man. If anything were to happen to the Profound Nether Mansion, Zhang Dong Nan should know he would have to face the consequences and answer to him and Huaner. 100 years ago, they might not be a match for Zhang Dong Nan, but what about 100 years later? With Zhang Dong Nans level of intelligence, he was sure Zhang Dong Nan must have thought about this as well.
After thinking about this, Duan Ling Tian felt more at ease and wandered the grade-three secret realm carefreely with Huaner.
After encountering many Spirit Formation, including those that needed Huaner to unleash her full strength to deal with, she did not have a breakthrough and become a Celestial Lord.
At this time, half a day was left before they would be transported out of the grade-three secret realm.
Huaner, lets leave the upper realm... Its about time for us to leave the Spirit Overarching Heaven for the Jade Emperor Heaven. Duan Ling Tian decided to shatter their Identity Jade Tokens instead of waiting to be transported out.
When Duan Ling Tian and Huaner returned to the Imperial Tutor Pavilion, they did not waste time and bade farewell to the Pavilion Master of the Imperial Tutor Pavilion before they left the Profound Nether Mansion.
The duo was clad head to toe in black robes to disguise themselves when they left the Profound Nether Mansion to avoid people connecting them to the Profound Nether Mansion.
When Duan Ling Tian and Huaner were leaving the Spirit Overarching Heaven through the Transporting Formation located in a city under the Profound Nether Mansion, the people in the grade-three secret realms were transported out one after another now that their time there was up.
Following that, Zhang Dong Nan began to look for those who had left the grade-three secret realm to uncover what had happened to Zhang Jin Yi. Then, he and the elder from the main Phantom Fox Clan interrogated them.
Hes very strong. Before entering the grade-three secret realm, he killed a man who offended him. However, after the entrance to the secret realm opened, he didnt leave immediately. He was standing guard outside the other three entrances as though he was waiting for someone...
With this, Zhang Dong Nan and the elder confirmed that Zhang Jin Yi had indeed entered the grade-three secret realm.
The elder asked Zhang Dong Nan solemnly, Do you think that woman Huaner whom we suspect to be the Thousands Phantom Ice Fox is capable of killing Jin Yi?
Its possible... However, if shes that strong, I dont see a reason why she would enter the grade-three secret realm... I have a strong feeling that someone entered the grade-three realm using Huaners name. Even Lord Envoy was suspicious about her identity and thought it might be an impostor. Theres a possibility that after Lord Envoy confirmed that Huaner was an impostor, he had left after crushing his Identity Jade Token. After all, the treasures in the secret realm didnt hold his interest at all. With this, theres a possibility he was killed outside of the upper realm. Over the past decades, Lord Envoy didnt enter the upper realm using our branchs Transporting Formation so Im not sure about his whereabouts as well... Under such circumstances, itd be like searching for a needle in a haystack if we want to find his murderer... Zhang Dong Nan speculated out loud.
From the beginning until the end, Zhang Dong Nan tried his best to convince the elder from the main Phantom Fox Clan that Zhang Dong Nan was killed by a Celestial Lord after leaving the upper realm of the Southern Heaven Ancient Realm in an attempt to misdirect the elder and the main clan.
It was just as Duan Ling Tian had expected, Zhang Dong Nan did not bring up the Profound Nether Mansion in fear of attracting trouble to himself. Even if he was punished by the main Phantom Fox Clan, it was not a big deal. After all, as one of the branch leaders of the Phantom Fox Clan, the main clan would not punish him too heavily unless they had evidence that he had committed a grave mistake. Moreover, since Zhang Jin Yi was rarely in the branch estate, he could not be held accountable for Zhang Jin Yis disappearance and death.
Continue investigating Jin Yis death. If youre able to find the murderer, the main clan will definitely handsomely reward you after avenging him, the elder from the main clan said before leaving the Southern Heaven Territory.
Zhang Dong Nan did not think much of the elders words. He was convinced that Huaner was the one who killed Zhang Jin Yi. Based on her strength previously, he believed she must have grown incredibly strong. In fact, he would not find it surprising if her strength was on par with his now. Therefore, he had no intention of voicing his suspicion to the main clan. All he wanted was to secure his life and his position as a branch leader. It was true that he was rather ambitious in the past. However, now that so much time had passed and he was certain that Huaner was very strong, he did not want to attract trouble to himself.
Duan Ling Tian would never have expected that Zhang Dong Nan was much smarter than he had thought.
In the Jade Emperor Heaven.
Duan Ling Tian brought Huaner to a place called the Nan Dou Territory instead of the Equal Heaven Territory he had gone to previously.
The Nan Dou Territory and another seven territories were collectively known as the Eight Upper Provinces in the Jade Emperor Heaven.
Huaner, well settle down temporarily in this city... After we obtain enough information, well decide on our next move, Duan Ling Tian said after he and Huaner decided to settle down in a city called Xu Yang City that was located not far from the Transporting Formation they had arrived in.