Faced with Xie Lingyun's urging, Zhang Chen sighed deeply and took the handwritten letter, a strange expression in his eyes. His elder sister truly worried herself sick over him.

Zhang Chen reached out to take the blood letter and placed it in his sleeve without saying "thank you" to Xie Lingyun, because between them, the word "thank you" would seem too distant.

Seeing Zhang Chen accept the blood letter, Xie Lingyun then turned around with the Fire Extinguishing Pearl and walked towards the Sun Fragment. Upon reaching the Sun Fragment, Xie Lingyun directly placed the Fire Extinguishing Pearl towards the Sun Rock.

As the Fire Extinguishing Pearl descended, the sun's power was continuously compressed, and the light between heaven and earth gradually dimmed. At the moment of collision between the Fire Extinguishing Pearl and the Sun Fragment, the energy of the Sun Fragment seemed to be suppressed to the extreme and abruptly burst forth with a wave of light, intending to push away the Fire Extinguishing Pearl that was suppressing it.

But who would have thought that the energy from the Sun Fragment would meet the Fire Extinguishing Pearl and a mass of golden light would fall out from the Fire Extinguishing Pearl, landing at Zhang Chen's feet.

"A skill dropped?" Zhang Chen looked at the golden light mass, his eyes showing a trace of joy.

Although the Fire Extinguishing Pearl appeared to be in the form of a treasure, its essence was still the transformation of Zhang Chen's Essence, Qi, and Spirit, equivalent to Zhang Chen's avatar. In the collision between the two sides, a skill drop was not surprising.

[New skill discovered. Would you like to pick it up?]

The Golden Finger interface popped up an information banner, flickering in front of Zhang Chen's eyes, distracting him. "Pick it up!"

Following Zhang Chen's command, the golden light mass from the Golden Finger disappeared at his feet, and a line of text appeared on Zhang Chen's Golden Finger interface:

[You picked up a particle of Sun True Flame Ashes]

[18th-tier skill: A Particle of Sun True Flame Ashes (0/100000000)]

Zhang Chen looked at the description on the Golden Finger interface, a curious expression in his eyes. "Sun True Flame Ashes? It starts off at the eighth tier, and the skill value needs a billion to upgrade? Is the skill value that worthless now?"

The eighth tier is akin to the Yin Spirit Realm, which is quite a high level indeed. An eighth-tier flame is definitely not an ordinary flame.

"I wonder what power my Sun True Flame Ashes possess." Zhang Chen's eyes scanned his Golden Finger interface, but there was no opportunity to test it out. He turned his gaze to Xie Lingyun, seeing that as the Fire Extinguishing Pearl suppressed the Sun Fragment, Xie Lingyun's Yin Spirit used some Technique to swallow both the Fire Extinguishing Pearl and the Sun Fragment in one go. Then, Xie Lingyun sat cross-legged on the ground, hands forming a mysterious Seal Technique, seemingly cultivating something.

After approximately three days, Xie Lingyun suddenly opened her eyes and spat out a red pearl, the very Fire Extinguishing Pearl: "Fortunately, the mission was not disgraced, the great work complete, the Yang God path is close at hand."

Xie Lingyun's voice was somewhat excited; after all, the Yang God realm represents the ultimate transformation in cultivation, and once stepping into this realm, it would be akin to a fish leaping the Dragon Gate, able to glimpse the scenery of another path.

Zhang Chen took the Fire Extinguishing Pearl and praised, "Sister, you truly have great skills. This Sun Fragment contains the Sun True Flame, and you can actually refine it, showing the depth of your foundation."

"I was also fortunate to borrow the Dragon Pearl of the True Dragon to ignite my Heart Fire, guiding the Sun Fragment into my Heart Fire, suppressing its core and nourishing my soul's origin, cleansing my soul of Yin Qi, enhancing my strength. It won't be long before my soul is completely cleansed, becoming the legendary Yang God, and my entire being will transform into Pure Yang, granting five hundred years of life," Xie Lingyun's eyes were filled with longing.

Zhang Chen also felt envious; Xie Lingyun's opportunities and creation were indeed extraordinary. Had it not been for his own Fire Extinguishing Pearl today, even with Xie Lingyun's Secret Technique, it would have been difficult to obtain the Sun Fragment, yet he just happened to have the Fire Extinguishing Pearl which could resist even the Sun True Flame.

"Years ago, someone told me that Dugu Qiu, the top expert of the Imperial Palace, became a Yang God within ten years, and I found it hard to believe. But now, thinking carefully, I might also be able to reach the Yang God realm within ten years. While achieving Yang God in ten years is exaggerated, it's not impossible. The reason we find it unreal is purely because our vision is too low and we haven't seen the scenery at higher places," Xie Lingyun spoke with much emotion.

Zhang Chen felt that having the help of Heavenly and Earthly Treasures was one thing, but personal talent was another, accounting for the majority influence. Years ago, Xie Xuan entered the Dao in seven days. Xie Lingyun, being Xie Xuan's daughter, inherited Xie Xuan's talent. With Xie Lingyun's qualifications and the assistance of treasures, having today's creation is not surprising.

"Brother, this time, I must really thank you; otherwise, I would need at least ten more years of stumbling before breaking into the Yang God realm." Xie Lingyun expressed her most sincere gratitude to Zhang Chen.

Zhang Chen lightly chuckled, "This is all sister's own opportunity for creation; I'm merely going along with the flow."

Zhang Chen is skilled in conversation, always providing maximum emotional value, making people feel pleasant and harmonious when listening.

"Quickly take this small branch," Xie Lingyun changed the topic, looking at the branch stuck in the ground.

The small sapling appeared green, like a piece of pure jade stone, almost like a piece of artwork. Zhang Chen looked at the branch before him, his eyes showing a hint of eagerness: "I wonder if this sapling has taken root and sprouted. If it has, I've struck it big."

A living Heaven-Reaching Jianmu sapling is valued the same as an Innate Supreme Treasure.

Even if it's no longer alive, I can find a way to see if it can be revived.

Zhang Chen walked up with the Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror, reached out to grab the small branch, but to his surprise, it emitted a green light shield that blocked his hand.

"Does such a Heaven and Earth Spirit Root have self-protection functions?" Zhang Chen's hand was brushed aside, yet he was not in a hurry. He remembered the coffin made by the princess using the Tree of Life, which also had self-protection functions.

"Let me help you!" Xie Lingyun's Yin Spirit approached, reaching out for the small branch, but as soon as she got close, she encountered the same situation as Zhang Chen. The small branch gently shook, creating a protective barrier that repelled Zhang Chen.

"What is the origin of this small branch? I've already reached the peak of the eighth tier, yet I cannot do anything to it?" Xie Lingyun's eyes revealed disbelief.

Zhang Chen ignored Xie Lingyun's words, staring blankly at the small branch, and then he had an idea: "Sister, step back and watch me pull out this branch."

Xie Lingyun obediently stepped back and saw the five-colored light flashing behind Zhang Chen, lightly brushing over the branch. The next moment, the green branch vanished without a trace, and the five-colored divine light disappeared with it. Only a branch about one and a half meters long remained in Zhang Chen's hand.

The branch was as thin as chopsticks, seemingly fragile, as if it could break at any moment, yet it also appeared like a jade ornament.

Looking at the branch in his hand, Zhang Chen saw that the base of the branch was neatly cut at an angle, without any roots, evidently showing no signs of new life.

"What's the use of this branch?" Xie Lingyun curiously approached.

Holding the branch, Zhang Chen pondered over its intricacies, but despite thinking for a long time, he couldn't understand it: "Logically, this branch should have withered long after leaving the main body, so how has it remained in good condition for countless years?"

"Stop wondering, this Jianmu branch has been preserved through the ages solely by being nourished with life force," the Great Freedom Celestial Demon's voice echoed in Zhang Chen's ear.

"What do you mean?" Zhang Chen thought to himself.

"This branch has absorbed all the life within the Daoist Temple to extend its own lifespan, thus maintaining its vitality to this day. If you gain great creation in the future and master top-tier wood divine techniques, you might have a chance to revive it. Of course, if you can find the Three Lights Divine Water, it could also take root. Then, with the help of your Ascension Pool, you'll have a continuous supply of creation liquid, aiding your Immortal Body's transformation," the Great Freedom Celestial Demon continued.

"Top-tier wood divine techniques?" Zhang Chen looked at the branch in his hand, eyes wandering. If he could gain skills from this branch, was there a chance to obtain top-tier wood divine techniques, perhaps like the 'Authority of Wood Element,' allowing him to command the branch to sprout?

Zhang Chen figured it was worth a try, but now wasn't the right time for experimentation. He opened his mouth and swallowed the Jianmu branch into the Ba Snake Space, recalling the Great Freedom Celestial Demon's words that the Jianmu branch extended its own life using the disciple's life force from the entire Five Villages Temple. What about Xu Erniu?

Did Xu Erniu suffer any misfortune?

A concern arose in Zhang Chen's heart: "What happened back then to cause such a mess?"

"Xu Erniu must not encounter any trouble," Zhang Chen felt a bit uneasy.

"Should we leave or continue exploring?" Xie Lingyun's eyes looked at Zhang Chen; she thought in such a peculiar place, it was better to heed Zhang Chen's opinion.

"Continue exploring!" Zhang Chen looked at the ruins of the Five Villages Temple: "Perhaps there's other unexpected gains to be found."

Zhang Chen left the platform, put away the Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror, and arrived at a deserted palace, staring at the ruins. In the next moment, the Authority of Earth Element mobilized, twisting and clearing all the broken remnants with it at the center, categorically placing them revealing the situation inside the palace.

Under the ruins of the palace, there were more than a dozen skeletons.

Zhang Chen stepped forward, looking at the bones which, despite countless millennia passing, still shone with a jade-like luster, appearing quite extraordinary.

"What strange bones," Xie Lingyun followed behind Zhang Chen. Her pair of bright eyes saw the jade-like bones and exclaimed in amazement: "How are these bones like jade? What unimaginable level had their cultivation reached in life? I've heard that only upon reaching the tenth tier can one's bones be refined to transform into jade bones, possessing the power of an indestructible body through countless calamities. The owner of these bones must have been a great cultivator beyond the tenth tier in life."