The jade pendant had only been on Gu Zhan's body for a short while when the general's eyes gradually regained their clarity, and as soon as he opened them, sand and stones flew everywhere.

Those with mortal bodies could only see a bright red light in the distance, and a phoenix-like shadow circling and biting a woman.

He glanced at her briefly before looking away, then helped the drowsy Xu Nian up. When his gaze fell on the girl's wounds, a pang of sorrow shot through his heart.

Although he was being controlled, he could see everything. The moment he stepped into Xiangyang Prefecture, he felt a surge of black energy rush into his body. No matter how much he struggled, he was ultimately taken over by that black energy!

He stood in the darkness, desperately trying to regain control of his body, but to no avail. He could only watch helplessly as Xu Nian was repeatedly cut by the sword tip because she couldn't bear to hurt herself!

My heart ached as if it were being torn apart. Suddenly, I felt a golden light shooting straight in with an unstoppable momentum, accompanied by the roar of a dragon, tearing the black energy to shreds!

"I'm sorry." Gu Zhan picked up the person in his arms and carried her horizontally, his eyes filled with pain. He had never felt so guilty before. "I shouldn't have hurt you."

Xu Nian rested her head on the man's shoulder, the warmth of the courtyard gradually dissipating as the yin energy returned to her body. She forced a weak smile and shook her head, "It has nothing to do with you. Even I might not be immune to this kind of century-old evil spirit."

"Take me there," she said weakly, patting the man's chest.

Princess Xiangyang's soul had been tormented beyond recognition by the power of the Vermilion Bird. If it had been one of the other three deities, they would not have suffered such a tragic end.

Unfortunately, she offended one of the people Xu Nian cared about most, which destined today's events to end badly.

"Today I am outmatched. The King of Xuan Dynasty is cruel and heartless, harming my family..."

"I have no interest in hearing your grievances." Xu Nian frowned, interrupting Princess Xiangyang. "Regardless of the past, grievances should be settled and revenge taken. But you cultivated using the essence of living beings to commit the ten unforgivable sins!"

Xiangyang's eyes were bloodshot. As she listened to Xu Nian's words, she suddenly laughed in a daze. The pain in her soul was not even half as bad as the pain she had felt when she was hacked to pieces by swords and axes back then. With the help of the things given to her by the Imperial Advisor, she desperately gathered a wisp of her soul, hoping that one day she could break free from the shackles of this mansion and rush into the palace to take revenge!

Unexpectedly, what she thought would help her cultivation improve again turned into her death day!

As he laughed, a tear of blood fell from the corner of his eye. Even a thousand-year-old demon might not be able to withstand such a heavy blow from the Vermilion Bird's power.

Someone like her, just being able to hold on this long is already a struggle. Watching her spirit body gradually dissipate as she transformed into starlight, the red in her eyes faded, and her beautiful gaze turned to Xu Nian, "The Xuan Dynasty shouldn't have a Taoist priest capable of wielding such divine power. From where did you come from..."

Before she could finish speaking, her soul could no longer withstand the scorching heat of the Vermilion Bird Divine Fire and turned into specks of starlight, dissipating into the air.

Xu Nian's body could no longer hold on. The moment the Vermilion Bird illusion vanished, a mouthful of blood welled up inside her, and she shoved Gu Zhan away. A mouthful of blood spurted out!

The spilled liquid fell on the marble steps of Xiangyang Prefecture, causing a burning sensation in my heart.

The Blood Qi Array is a forbidden technique taught by her master that must never be used unless absolutely necessary! Invoking the power of the Four Directions Gods is no small matter.

One wrong move and you could lose your life.

"Xu Nian!" Gu Zhan's heart skipped a beat. If he hadn't felt that Xu Nian's pulse was weak but not nonexistent, he probably would have gone crazy on the spot. "I'll take you home!"

The midday sun shone brightly, its golden rays once again bathing the once magnificent and exquisite mansion. Tiny specks of dust climbed upwards, carried by the sunlight.

The glazed tile roof reflected a rainbow of light, and the entire mansion seemed to be shrouded in a hazy mist, and then there was a loud rumble!

The already dilapidated house collapsed with a roar after Gu Zhan carried Xu Nian out! Smoke and dust rose, burying all the past, pain and joy, underground.

Gu Zhan didn't turn around, but carried Xu Nian and mounted his horse. They rode smoothly and quickly back to her courtyard.

Sigh, that princess seems to be a pitiful person too.

[The older sister is so beautiful. It's a pity. If she could cultivate herself properly and walk the right path, the streamer might be able to help her.]

[It's hard to say, the streamer can't exactly go and slay a dragon for her.]

[It just goes to show that there's always a reason why someone is pitiful. It's a pity for those she harmed; their families will probably never see them return.]

【Holy crap, stop talking! What's going on?!】

[My God! Who did this?! How could this happen?!]

Xu Nian initially chose this row of five courtyards because each courtyard had osmanthus trees planted in it. At this time of year, when the osmanthus blossoms, the whole garden is filled with fragrance.

Over time, they themselves began to faintly carry the fragrance of osmanthus.

But now, the courtyard that once filled with the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms is completely shrouded in the stench of blood. Villagers lie on the ground, blood pooling everywhere, their fates unknown!

"Third Prince!" Xu Nian caught a glimpse of this scene in her dazed state, her eyes instantly clearing. She pushed Gu Zhan to put her down. Her delicate hands clenched into fists!

Gu Zhan also frowned, found a clean place to help Xu Nian sit down, and checked her breath and pulse one by one before his expression relaxed.

He wiped the blood off his hands with a silk handkerchief and put his arm around Xu Nian's shoulder to comfort her, "Most of them are just superficial wounds, but they look serious. Only a few have already died."

“Most of them had the amulets you gave them; that must have been what saved them.” Gu Zhan glanced at the lifeless bodies on the ground, the ones who had been clamoring to work at Xu Nian’s residence that day. “The dead ones had nothing on them.”

"Old Zhao?!"

"Aunt Liu!"

Two voices suddenly came from behind. Wang Jinmei almost knelt down in front of the village chief, crying, "Old Zhao, wake up! What happened? How could such a thing have happened?!"

"It's you!" Zhao Yingying pointed at Xu Nian's nose, then secretly glanced at Gu Zhan beside her. "It's all your fault! You must have messed with the wrong person, causing us to suffer this undeserved misfortune. Poor Aunt Liu is only in her thirties, how could she be so unlucky?"