"Earth vein spiritual energy?" Ning Yao couldn't help but ask in confusion.

Yun Xiangnan explained, "It is the spiritual energy overflowing from the golden lotus statue in this great formation that has protected our clan from being disturbed by outsiders for thousands of years."

Ning Yao asked, "How can you be so sure that the loss of spiritual energy is because of me?"

"It's just intuition, after all, there's no such thing as a coincidence. Many people have ventured into Yunxiang City over the past thousand years, but none of them have ever returned. You are the first to enter unscathed, and you even brought two people with you. Moreover, the earth's spiritual energy began to fluctuate as soon as you arrived. How do you explain all of this?"

Ning Yao scoffed, "Ridiculous, it's all just empty talk."

Looking at Ning Yao's expressionless face, Yun Xiangnan continued, "My sister told me that you summoned something called spiritual energy in front of Chen Sheng, which greatly shocked him."

“Miss Ning, I have no ill intentions towards you. My Yunxiang Clan and Ningque Clan have always been of one mind. The Holy Maiden’s duty, besides protecting the Yunxiang Clan, is to wait for the arrival of the destined person and entrust this earth vein spiritual energy and the Golden Lotus Stone Statue to her!”

Yun Xiang and Nan Shan looked sincere, which moved Ning Yao somewhat.

The purpose of coming to Yunxiang City was for this spiritual energy. Now that the other party has offered this treasure to us, how could we refuse?

Moreover, judging from Yun Xiangnanxi's words, this thing was originally prepared for her.

Ning Yao asked with great interest, "Entrusting something so important to others? Your Yunxiang clan is quite bold."

Having said that, it would be impolite to refuse further.

As soon as she finished speaking, Ning Yao stretched out her right hand, and then a wisp of pure golden spiritual energy overflowed from her fingertips. She controlled the spiritual energy to slowly approach the golden lotus statue.

Seeing this, Yun Xiangnanxi had no time to be overjoyed and hurriedly said, "Miss Ning, the Golden Lotus statue has a self-defense mechanism and will actively attack anyone who approaches it..."

Before she could finish speaking, Ning Yao's golden spiritual energy was seen successfully embedded into the golden lotus statue.

The stone statue not only did not attack her, but its aura even intensified.

Within a few breaths, Yun Xiangnanxi felt that the earth's spiritual energy was beginning to recover!

The original one-tenth or one-twelfth of the body was instantly restored to three or four tenths.

Moreover, the cracks on the stone statue are healing one by one, gradually returning it to its original state.

Yun Xiangnan was shocked and her eyes widened. Was this the power of the destined one?

The spiritual energy from Ning Yao's fingertips continuously overflowed and surged into the golden lotus statue. The spiritual energy that was originally inside the statue overflowed from the statue and flowed into the formation, where it was absorbed by the spiritual stones at the formation's core.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Ning Yao withdrew her spiritual energy and used her spiritual power to sever the connection between the formation and the golden lotus statue.

Despite the severed connection, the Golden Lotus statue remained completely unaffected by the spiritual energy of the Thousand Illusions Secret Realm.

In contrast, the Seven Star Array on the ground trembled violently, even the spirit stones at the array's core shook, a clear sign of unstable spiritual energy.

In a short while, the spiritual energy erupting from the Seven Star Array filled the entire hinterland, completely surrounding Ning Yao and Yun Xiangnanxi.

As soon as Yun Xiangnanxi was wrapped up, she spat out a mouthful of blood. Her whole body felt like a sieve with holes, and she felt the life force in her body slowly draining away.

Yun Xiangnan endured the intense pain and gasped for breath, intending to use her internal energy to begin resisting.

As soon as she made a move, she felt a sharp pain as if her skin was being torn apart inch by inch, followed by a continuous flow of blood that quickly soaked and stained her white saintly robes red.

Yun Xiangnan collapsed to the ground instantly, completely unconscious, as the man-eating spiritual energy raged through her body.

Inside the Temple of the Holy Maiden outside, the High Priest suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, feeling as if a knife was stabbing into his heart.

"Grandmother! What's wrong?" Yun Xianglingyu quickly stepped forward to support her.

The high priest paused for a moment, then murmured, "Nancy..."

Then, she burst into tears, crying out, "No! Nancy!"

Yun Xianglingyu was taken aback, a bad feeling creeping into her heart: "Auntie? What happened to Auntie?"

"I can no longer feel the Holy Maiden's power..." The High Priest clutched his chest and closed his eyes in anguish.

These words immediately caused an uproar in the Holy Maiden's Palace.

The power of the Holy Maiden will exist even now, as no one has yet succeeded her.

However, once the Saintess's power disappears, if the position of Saintess is held by someone, it means that person will soon die; if the position of Saintess is not held by anyone, it means that the things in the forbidden area have disappeared.

The forbidden area is where the earth's spiritual energy resides; everyone knows clearly what its disappearance means.

"Auntie..."

In the forbidden area.

Ning Yao immediately noticed that Yun Xiangnanxi was acting strangely and used the spiritual energy of the Thousand Illusions Secret Realm to envelop her, isolating her from the spiritual energy overflowing from the spirit stone.

However, being instantly devoured by such a dense spiritual energy from the spirit stone has very serious consequences.

Yun Xiangnanxi's body is now like a sieve with holes; no matter how much spiritual energy goes in, it will only leak out.

There was nothing Ning Yao could do but temporarily protect her heart meridian to ensure her life was safe; anything else could only be done once they were outside.

After sending Yun Xiangnanxi into the Thousand Illusions Secret Realm, Ning Yao turned her head and reached out to grab the direction she had come from.

She was instantly drawn to a figure, grabbed the person by the neck, and upon closer inspection, realized it was Ah Heng.

A hint of murderous intent flashed in Ning Yao's eyes: "Who exactly are you? What is your purpose in approaching the Yunxiang Clan?"

Ah Heng stared in shock at the girl before him. He hadn't heard Ning Yao's conversation with Yun Xiangnanxi, but he had witnessed Ning Yao's actions toward the golden lotus statue.

"Are you the person Grandfather is looking for? The destined one for the Ning family? Is your father my second uncle?"

The three questions that Aheng posed instantly forced Ning Yao's killing intent back, causing her to loosen her grip and gasp for breath.

"Who are you? Who is your grandfather? And who is your second uncle?"

Ah Heng looked at Ning Yao with bright eyes: "My name is Ning Zhiheng. My grandfather is the current head of the Ning family, and also your grandfather! My grandfather's second son is named Ning Wenyi. He left home at a young age to enter the world and find his destined person. Just now I saw that you could control the treasure of the Yunxiang clan. Are you the person my grandfather is looking for?"

"No! No! Aren't you someone from the Ning family?"

Ning Yao's eyes were deep, and her voice was clear: "Ning Zhiheng?"

Ning Zhiheng nodded and said with a smile, "Grandfather said that Second Uncle has been in the world for too long and can't find his way back. He specially ordered me to come out and meet him, but I have never met Second Uncle. I only know her name. Yesterday outside the city, I wanted to ask her about it, but I haven't found a suitable opportunity yet!"

Ning Yao remained vigilant and instead asked him, "How come you're alright?"

Ning Zhiheng was taken aback, then understood, and explained, "My grandfather gave me a treasure that can also resist this turbid energy for a while..."

However, before he could finish speaking, he coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed, not forgetting to complain before falling: "Grandfather tricked me again!!!"