Zhongzheng Hall.
Xu Yi and Ji Buwang sat at the head of each side.
Ji Buwang slowly stood up, "Ancestor, please follow me."
Xu Yi chuckled, stood up, and said, "Then I'll trouble the Sect Master."
After speaking, Xu Yi couldn't help but laugh again.
She was accustomed to calling Ji Buwang by his name, and now calling him Sect Master felt a bit awkward.
Ji Buwang felt the same way.
After they exchanged a glance, without further words, they silently reverted to their former way of addressing each other.
As Xu Yi followed Ji Buwang out of the main hall, she asked, "How is the Demon King these days?"
The Demon King mentioned by Xu Yi was the incomplete divine soul of the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird.
When Xu Yi and Ji Buwang parted ways from Shenzhou, Xu Yi had entrusted the leaves of the World Tree and the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird to Ji Buwang for safekeeping.
The Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird was initially very unwilling, but after being frightened by Xu Yi a few times, it reluctantly left with Ji Buwang.
As it left, it looked back repeatedly, its eyes filled with reluctance.
When Ji Buwang heard Xu Yi mention the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird, he felt a headache again.
"It's more obedient now that it's gotten used to things, but in the first few days after returning..." Ji Buwang shook his head.
Xu Yi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Ji Buwang was always composed and calm, but he showed a hint of surprise when mentioning the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird, indicating that the bird had indeed caused a lot of trouble.
The Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird, likely due to its incomplete divine soul, was exceptionally stubborn and disobedient.
Even Ji Buwang had to rely on the World Tree leaf to control it.
Ji Buwang spent a considerable amount of time finally learning how to coexist with the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird.
However, now that Xu Yi had returned, the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird would likely ignore him upon seeing Xu Yi.
Just as Ji Buwang finished recounting the misdeeds of the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird, a golden phantom accompanied by a sharp cry appeared on Xu Yi's shoulder in the blink of an eye.
"It's the Demon King," Xu Yi said with surprise, looking at the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird holding a leaf.
The Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird suddenly turned its back to Xu Yi, stuck out its rear, and then shook it rapidly.
Xu Yi: ...
Was this a sign of displeasure?
Ji Buwang saw Xu Yi's confusion, "It's angry. The last time it got angry, it nearly bit off the roots of the sect's thousand-year-old tree."
"Demon King, I was wrong."
Xu Yi quickly admitted her mistake.
The Demon King was now like a child, with unpredictable temper, but it could be appeased with a little coaxing.
Xu Yi was now well-versed in the art of appeasing others, and coaxing an immature Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird was effortless.
Before long, the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird had forgotten that Xu Yi had abandoned it and was affectionately leaning by Xu Yi's head.
After playing with the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird for a while, Xu Yi said to Ji Buwang, "I think its eyes are more spirited than before. It seems the World Tree leaves are starting to take effect."
Ji Buwang looked at the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird's eyes and happened to catch a fleeting look of disdain in them, so he nodded silently.
It had indeed become more astute.
Xu Yi's lips curved slightly.
This was undoubtedly good news.
The recovery of the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird meant they were getting closer to finding its true form.
The two chatted as they walked and soon arrived outside the sect's treasure vault.
Although the sect's treasure vault was a secret place of the Xuanji Sect, it was unguarded, as entry required passing through many checkpoints.
Each checkpoint had a strict unlocking mechanism, making it impossible for outsiders to enter.
Xu Yi had visited a few times with the elders in the past.
However, if she were to attempt to enter the vault alone, she would hesitate, as she was not confident she could complete the unlocking process flawlessly.
After Xu Yi followed Ji Buwang through several checkpoints, they finally stopped outside the vault door.
This was the final checkpoint to open the vault.
Ji Buwang waved his hand, broke through the void, reached in, and retrieved a plain gray spirit key from the rift.
Xu Yi felt a little envious.
This was a portable space that only Tribulation Crossing cultivators could open, used for storage. It required no medium and had no risk of being stolen.
After cultivators broke through to the Mahayana stage, their portable spaces became even more refined and could even import vitality, forming an independent cycle.
This was also why, after many powerful cultivators perished, their portable spaces could still operate and sustain themselves eternally.
Ji Buwang did not notice Xu Yi's expression. He inserted the spirit key into the keyhole and quickly formed hand seals, injecting spiritual energy.
The great door of the sect's treasure vault slowly opened.
Before Xu Yi could get a clear look at the interior, a golden shadow flashed before her eyes.
Xu Yi was startled. Why had the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird suddenly become so agitated?
Xu Yi thought of something and also quickly flashed into the vault, with Ji Buwang close behind.
A few breaths later, in a corner of the vault, Xu Yi found the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird above a lotus-shaped lamp stand.
The Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird's expression was extremely anxious. Its claws tightly gripped the lotus stand, its beak opened and closed incessantly, and its wings flapped rapidly.
Xu Yi and Ji Buwang exchanged glances, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.
Just as they were about to step forward, the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird increased the force of its wing beats and looked at them with a highly defensive expression.
Even when facing Xu Yi, the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird's expression only relaxed slightly, still showing a considerable amount of wariness.
Xu Yi and Ji Buwang immediately stopped, no longer moving forward, fearing they might provoke the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird and cause further complications.
"Do you have any recollection of this lotus stand?" A hint of confusion appeared on Xu Yi's face.
The items in the sect's treasure vault were all registered before being placed inside.
Xu Yi had also perused the vault's registry, but she had no memory of this lotus stand.
Ji Buwang thought for a moment and also shook his head.
He confirmed, "This lotus stand is not recorded in the vault's registry."
"Strange, if it's not registered, then why is it here?"
There must be a connection between the lotus stand and the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird, yet there was no record whatsoever, which made it difficult not to be suspicious.
"Only by obtaining the lotus stand first can we know its purpose," Ji Buwang's eyes narrowed slightly.
The moment he saw the lotus stand, a premonition suddenly arose in his heart.
This premonition also brought back some unpleasant memories.
He now only hoped that things were not as he imagined.
Otherwise, he would be very disappointed.
Xu Yi also wanted to obtain the lotus stand, but the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird reacted extremely violently whenever she approached.
She had no choice but to retreat for the time being and wait.
Fortunately, the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird's affection for Xu Yi had not completely vanished.
After several attempts, the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird finally allowed Xu Yi to approach.
Of course, only Xu Yi.
Xu Yi waited for a full day and night, and finally, under the watchful eyes of the Great Peng Golden-Winged Bird, she held the lotus stand in her hand.
The next moment, she injected spirit stones into the lotus stand and immediately her brow furrowed deeper.
Ji Buwang observed Xu Yi's expression, his face ashen.
The premonition in his heart had grown increasingly strong, and now he only awaited Xu Yi's words to confirm it.