Prehistoric: The female saint Shiji, brilliant and talented

There was no vegetation on the open ground, only a withered peach tree standing alone in the center.

The trunk of this peach tree was already dry and black, with peeling bark, and it looked like it had been dead for over a thousand years.

Strangely, at the base of the peach tree, three delicate pink peach blossoms were growing—these blossoms were brightly colored, with glistening dewdrops on their petals, as if they had just bloomed, forming a stark contrast with the withered peach tree.

"Why are the peach tree and peach blossoms like this? Is there something strange about it?"

Shi Ji was puzzled and was about to step forward to take a closer look when she heard the old man's angry roar from behind: "Who are you? How dare you trespass on our ancestors' tomb!"

Get out of here right now, or don't blame me for being rude!

Shi Ji turned around and looked coldly at the old man who had caught up with her. Obviously, the old man had mustered up the courage to follow after seeing that Shi Ji had safely passed through the formation. However, after seeing the scene in the open space, he suddenly became angry for some reason.

"Shut up!"

Shi Ji's gaze suddenly turned icy, like the snow of winter, as she swept it over the old man. "Say another word, and believe me, I'll kill you right now."

The old man froze instantly under Shi Ji's icy gaze, swallowing back the roar that was about to come out of his mouth.

He could clearly feel the killing intent emanating from Shi Ji enveloping him like a tangible entity, as if he would be instantly killed if he dared to utter another word.

Cold sweat beaded on the old man's forehead, and for the first time, he felt a deep fear of the young cultivator before him.

Despite his deep hatred for Shi Ji, wishing he could tear her to pieces, the old man knew how terrifying the young man before him was.

Even the high priest with unfathomable cultivation died tragically at Shi Ji's hands. How could he, a mere cultivator at the peak of the Emperor Realm, dare to easily provoke this god of death?
Shi Ji ignored the old man's fear; his attention was drawn to the peach tree that had miraculously come back to life.

He carefully plucked a few delicate pink peach blossoms and tossed them to the old man: "These peach blossoms contain special spiritual energy fluctuations, which may help break the restrictions here."

The old man hurriedly caught the peach blossom, and a look of surprise immediately appeared on his face.

He carefully examined the beautiful flowers in his hand, sensing the unique energy they contained. He quickly took out a jade box and carefully stored the three peach blossoms away.

"Thank you for bestowing this treasure upon me!"

The old man said respectfully, "Please follow me, I know a relatively safe path."

The two continued their journey deeper into the valley, one in front of the other.

The further you go in, the lower the temperature gets, and the air is filled with a strong, nauseating stench.

Shi Ji keenly sensed that this aura contained pure corpse energy, clearly indicating that countless powerful figures were buried beneath this land.

"It seems the legends are true; this forbidden land of death has indeed given birth to some terrifying being."

Shi Ji pondered to herself, a sense of unease rising in her heart.

He could feel that unsettling aura growing clearer, as if something was slowly awakening from its slumber.

Just as Shi Ji was on high alert, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

At the deepest part of the valley was a huge circular plaza, with a jet-black stone egg floating in the center.

This stone egg is about the height of a person, and its surface is covered with strange patterns, exuding an extremely sinister aura.

"Is this the origin of that being?"

Shi Ji muttered to herself, her brows furrowed.

Although the fluctuations emanating from the stone egg made him uncomfortable, it did not feel as threatening as he had imagined.

However, as the distance between them closed, a strange sense of oppression grew heavier and heavier, as if an invisible mountain was pressing down on their hearts.

"You're also interested in this black stone egg?"

A clear and melodious voice suddenly came from the right.

Shi Ji suddenly turned her head and saw a girl dressed in green appear not far away.

The girl was about sixteen years old, with exquisite features, fair skin, and a long dress that fluttered in the wind, making her look like an ethereal being descended to earth.

"Gongsun Linglong? It's you!"

Shi Ji looked slightly surprised.

This talented young woman from the Gongsun family is quite famous in the cultivation world, not only for her profound cultivation but also for her unparalleled beauty.

Although she was slightly less beautiful than the junior sister he remembered, she was still stunningly beautiful.

Gongsun Linglong smiled sweetly: "I came with my family elders to pay respects to an ancestor, and I never expected to meet you here."

Judging from your posture, you didn't come here specifically to search for treasure, did you?

Her gaze swept over the peach blossom in Shi Ji's hand, her tone tinged with a hint of teasing, "You're quite lucky, finding such a spiritual object so soon after you arrived."

It took me a tremendous amount of effort to gather just three medicinal herbs!

Shi Ji shrugged dismissively: "It all comes down to skill."

"Hmph, do you even know what 'slow and steady wins the race' means?"

Gongsun Linglong's pretty face hardened, and her words carried a lecturing tone, "Squandering resources like this will inevitably lead to dire consequences sooner or later!"

"It's none of your business to tell me what to do."

Shi Ji responded coldly.

Gongsun Linglong wasn't angry. Instead, she chuckled and said, "Since we've met here, it's fate."

How about we cooperate? This forbidden land is fraught with danger; more people means more protection.

Shi Ji's eyes flickered slightly, and after a moment of contemplation, she said, "Cooperation is possible, but you must show sincerity."

"I am the most outstanding alchemist of this generation of the Gongsun family."

Gongsun Linglong proudly raised her chin, "If you are willing to help me break through to the Immortal Realm, I can repay you with my unique elixir."

This suggestion sparked an idea in Shi Ji's mind.

He desperately needs various rare elixirs to improve his cultivation. If he could cooperate with an alchemist, it would indeed be twice as effective.

Moreover, the Gongsun family is renowned for its alchemy, and its unique elixirs must be extraordinary.

"make a deal."

Shi Ji readily agreed, "However, before that, we need to deal with the immediate problem."

He pointed to the black stone egg floating in mid-air, his expression grave: "This thing is very strange. I can sense that something terrible is being conceived inside it."

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Linglong also suppressed her smile and carefully examined the stone egg: "That's true."

According to family records, these stone eggs are likely the egg cases of some ancient demons.

If it were to hatch, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Just then, the previously quiet stone egg suddenly trembled slightly, and the patterns on its surface began to shimmer with a faint light.

An oppressive aura instantly enveloped the entire square, even the silent old man was so frightened that he retreated repeatedly.

"not good!
It's about to awaken!

Gongsun Linglong exclaimed in surprise and hurriedly took out a talisman from her sleeve and held it in her hand.

Shi Ji acted decisively, quickly forming hand seals and unleashing a profound magic technique.

Three peach blossoms flew out from his sleeve, forming a peculiar array in the air, emitting a soft light that temporarily blocked the terrifying pressure emanating from the stone egg.

"quick!

"Set up the seal now!"

Shi Ji shouted loudly, and his true energy surged around him.

Gongsun Linglong did not hesitate and immediately cooperated with Shiji's actions, shooting the talisman in her hand towards the stone egg.

The talisman transformed into a golden light in the air, echoing the peach blossom formation and forming a huge net of light that enveloped the stone egg.

However, just as the seal was about to be completed, the stone egg suddenly trembled violently, and a crack appeared on its surface.

A sharp claw covered in black scales emerged from the crack, tearing through the light net with destructive force. "Boom!"

Amidst a deafening roar, the light net shattered.

Shi Ji and Gongsun Linglong both coughed up blood and were sent flying by the powerful recoil.

The old man screamed and was knocked unconscious to the ground.

"Damn it!
This thing is even more powerful than I imagined!

Shi Ji wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her eyes becoming extremely solemn.

Gongsun Linglong struggled to her feet and said with a wry smile, "It seems we've gotten ourselves into big trouble."

This monster is already so powerful even before it's fully hatched; once it emerges, the entire valley will likely be destroyed.

Shi Ji did not answer; his gaze was fixed on the ever-widening crack.

Through the crack, one could vaguely see a pair of scarlet eyes slowly opening, filled with an aura of violence and slaughter.

Just then, a familiar figure suddenly appeared at the edge of the square.

The newcomer was dressed in white and had an exquisitely beautiful face; she was none other than Shi Ji's long-cherished junior sister!

"Brother!
Stop it now! "

The junior sister cried out anxiously, "This stone egg contains the guardian beast of the ancient descendant clan. Forcibly sealing it will only hasten its awakening!"

Shi Ji was taken aback: "The Descendant Clan? The Guardian Beast? What exactly is going on?"

The junior sister quickly came to Shi Ji's side and explained, "According to the sect's secret records, the Houyi clan made a pact with this sacred beast in ancient times, using its power to protect this land."

However, the descendants later suffered a great calamity, and the sacred beast was also severely damaged, forced into a deep slumber.

She pointed to the cracking stone egg and said urgently, "Your sealing spell just now stimulated the remaining consciousness of the sacred beast, making it mistakenly believe that it was under attack."

The spell must be stopped immediately, or the consequences will be unimaginable!

Gongsun Linglong looked at her junior sister in confusion: "You said this is a guardian beast? But the aura it emits is clearly so evil."

"That's because the sacred beast was corrupted by demonic energy during its slumber."

The junior sister sighed, "After the Houyi clan was destroyed, no one was able to purify the demonic energy within it."

Over the years, the sacred beast has gradually become demonic.

Shi Ji nodded thoughtfully: "In that case, how should we deal with it?"

The junior sister took out an ancient jade pendant from her bosom: "This is a token passed down from the descendants of the clan. Perhaps it can temporarily soothe the sacred beast's emotions."

However, to completely purify the demonic energy, it is necessary to find the legendary Pure White Lotus.

As they were talking, the cracks in the stone egg grew larger and larger, and the sharp claw had fully extended, frantically tearing at the eggshell.

The terrifying demonic energy spread out as if it were a tangible substance, causing the temperature of the entire square to plummet.

"There's no time to explain in detail!"

The junior sister tossed the jade pendant toward Shiji, saying, "Senior brother, let's activate the jade pendant together and try to establish a connection with the sacred beast!"
"Miss Gongsun, please protect us!"

Shi Ji took the jade pendant and immediately channeled her inner energy into it.

The jade pendant immediately emitted a soft white light, which merged with the junior sister's true energy, forming a beam of light that shot towards the stone egg.

Surprisingly, under the beam of light, the stone egg's vibrations gradually subsided, and the sharp claw stopped moving.

The ferocity in his scarlet eyes lessened slightly, replaced by a hint of confusion.

"effective!"

Gongsun Linglong exclaimed in surprise, while cautiously observing her surroundings to prevent any disturbance.

However, at this crucial moment, a chilling laugh suddenly came from the shadows: "Tsk tsk tsk, what a touching scene."

Unfortunately, your efforts are destined to be in vain.

As soon as the words fell, several dark figures emerged from all directions, surrounding Shi Ji and the other two.

The leader was a man in black wearing a ghost mask, exuding a powerful and chilling aura.

“The remnants of the Descendant Clan, we have finally found you.”

The man in black's voice was as harsh as metal scraping against metal, "This sacred beast egg is a welcome addition to our Netherworld Palace!"

Shi Ji's face darkened: "The Netherworld Palace? You're the organization that's been secretly pursuing the ruins of the Houyi clan?"

"clever."

The man in black laughed smugly, "We have waited far too long for this day."

"Now, hand over the jade pendant, and perhaps I might consider sparing your bodies."

The junior sister retorted angrily, "Don't even think about it!"
"How could the sacred artifacts of our descendants fall into the hands of you evil heretics!"

"In that case, don't blame us for being rude!"

The man in black waved his hand, and the shadowy figures behind him immediately swarmed forward.

Shi Ji made a quick decision and handed the jade pendant to her junior sister: "You continue to appease the sacred beast, I'll deal with these people!"

Having said that, he flashed forward to meet the oncoming enemy.

Three peach blossoms flew out again, tracing mysterious trajectories in the air, and wherever they passed, the assassins of the Netherworld Palace fell to the ground.

Gongsun Linglong was not to be outdone, and sprinkled a handful of medicinal powder from her sleeve.

The powder ignited upon contact with the wind, turning into a rain of fire that forced the men in black who tried to approach to retreat.

"Little tricks!"

The man in black snorted coldly and took action himself.

He formed a hand seal, and an extremely cold aura instantly spread out, as if the air itself was about to freeze.

Shi Ji felt her movements become sluggish and was secretly alarmed: "This is the Xuanming Cold Qi!"
"You are Elder Xuanming of the Netherworld Palace!"

"A bit of knowledge."

Elder Xuanming gave a sinister smile, "To die under my Xuanming Divine Art is your good fortune!"

At the critical moment, the stone egg suddenly began to shake violently.

Under the comforting words of his junior sister, the sacred beast seemed to regain some of its senses and instinctively repelled the evil aura emanating from Elder Xuanming.

"Roar!"

A deafening roar emanated from the stone egg, and the terrifying sound waves spread out as if they were tangible.

Elder Xuanming's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly channeled his energy to defend himself, but he was still forced to retreat repeatedly by the shock.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shi Ji quickly formed a hand seal, and the three peach blossoms formed a mysterious array that trapped Elder Xuanming.

Gongsun Linglong also coordinated perfectly, scattering another kind of medicinal powder, forming a colorful smoke that enveloped the entire area.

"go!"

Shi Ji took her junior sister's hand and called out to Gongsun Linglong at the same time.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the three broke through the encirclement and sped towards the outside of the valley.

Behind them came Elder Xuanming's furious roar and the loud crash of the stone egg shattering, but they had no time to pay attention.

During the escape, Shi Ji noticed that her junior sister's face was unusually pale, obviously because activating the jade pendant had consumed a lot of her true energy.

Although Gongsun Linglong appeared calm on the surface, her slightly trembling hands betrayed her inner nervousness. (End of Chapter)