Chapter 271. The Soul Realm!
"Your Highness, in just half a month, the ancient ruins will begin to crumble. To ensure we obtain that supreme treasure, we must go and stake it out beforehand!"
In a small courtyard in Saint Pill City, Elder Qingshan spoke to Zi Yan, who was gazing up at the starry sky.
After half a year, Zi Yan had made further progress, reaching the peak of the four-star Dou Zun realm. If it weren't for the impending opening of the ancient ruins, she might already be a five-star Dou Zun!
At the Dou Zun realm, she could still maintain a one-star improvement per year—a talent unimaginable for ordinary geniuses!
Just like the Pavilion Master of the Four Directions Pavilion, who had been at the Dou Zun realm for hundreds of years, even the highest-ranking Wind Venerable, Feng Xian, was only at the four or five-star Dou Zun realm.
Furthermore, in terms of combat strength, even those at the same realm, Zi Yan could easily sweep them aside!
This was the difference between a prodigy and an ordinary genius!
Besides Zi Yan, Cai Lin and the others had also made considerable progress.
Even Cai Lin, who had only been a Dou Zun for less than half a year, had taken a small step forward, reaching the mid-stage of a three-star Dou Zun, based on a solid foundation!
Qing Lin and Xiao Yi Xian, however, were somewhat exaggerated; these two, at least in the short term, didn't need to rely on themselves
for cultivation! Qing Lin inherited the legacy of the Heavenly Serpent Palace, and the countless serpent demon beasts within the Azure Serpent Three-Flower Pupil space continued to contribute to his cultivation.
After half a year of cultivation, Qing Lin had reached the mid-stage of a five-star Dou Zun.
Of course, the Heavenly Serpent Palace had declined for many years, and having moved from the Beast Domain to the barren Northwest Continent, much of its foundation had been lost.
During these six months of absorption, Qing Lin's cultivation speed gradually slowed down.
Xiao Yi Xian, on the other hand, made the fastest progress among them. She not only completely absorbed Bing He's acquired Calamity Poison Body but also mastered the poison-attribute secret technique Bing He had obtained, greatly increasing her combat power.
With his current six-star Dou Zun strength, coupled with the terrifyingly potent poison of the Netherworld Poison Fire, even ordinary eight-star Dou Zun wouldn't dare underestimate him!
"Let's wait five more days. If Lin Feng still hasn't emerged from seclusion after five days, we'll head to the Beast Domain first!"
Zi Yan gazed at the starry sky above Saint Pill City, hesitated for a moment, and decided to wait a little longer.
Over the years, this prince of the Ancient Dragon Clan, though seemingly carefree, had long been accustomed to being by Lin Feng's side, following his plans, while she, Miss Zi Yan, only needed to defeat the enemy with her fists!
"As Your Highness commands!"
Elder Qingshan thought for a moment, feeling that with his late-stage two-star Dou Sheng strength, and with the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit not yet exposed, having him in charge would be a sure thing. Delaying for a few days wasn't unreasonable!
"Besides, that senior will also return around that time!"
Five days passed in the blink of an eye. On this day, Zi Yan, Cai Lin, and the others emerged from seclusion early, with Elder Qingshan waiting beside them.
Of course, Xiao Yan, who had received the news half a year ago, appeared before everyone at this moment.
Shockingly, he had broken through from the eight-star Dou Zong realm to the peak of the two-star Dou Zun realm, achieving a leap forward!
Beside him was Feng Xian, the vice-pavilion master of the Starfall Pavilion.
That's right, after Yao Chen's return, Feng Xian, just like in the original story, returned the position of pavilion master to Yao Chen.
And when Xiao Yan advanced to the Dou Zun realm in front of everyone in the Starfall Pavilion, many disciples willingly bowed to him as their young pavilion master!
Beside him was a girl in a light green dress, none other than Mu Qingluan.
To minimize unnecessary trouble on their trip to the Beast Domain, Xiao Yan and the others, after discussion, brought along this disciple who wielded considerable influence there.
However, what would Xiao Yan and the others think if they knew that Zi Yan and the others had brought along a two-star Dou Sheng?
"Your Highness, Lin Feng is unlikely to emerge from seclusion anytime soon. Let's head to the Beast Domain first!"
After gazing up at the undisturbed star field, Elder Qingshan spoke slowly.
Zi Yan, who had long since shed her childlike form and transformed into a blossoming young woman, ignored him, continuing to gaze at the star field. After a long while, a smile slowly appeared on her face.
"They're here!"
"Rumble!"
As soon as Zi Yan finished speaking, a devastating wave suddenly erupted from the previously calm sky. Spatial rifts silently appeared across the cloudless sky.
"Enemy attack! Enforcement team members, prepare for battle!"
Seeing this apocalyptic scene, the first to react were the members of the enforcement team.
After reminding each other, they quickly flew to the highest point nearby, evacuating the crowd while contacting their superiors and preparing to form a small Dan Yuan array.
"No need for alert, Elder Lin Feng has emerged from seclusion!"
Just then, a cheerful voice echoed in their ears—it was Xuan Kongzi, the giant of the Dan Tower!
The three members of the Pill Tower team reappeared before everyone's eyes, standing at the highest point nearby, all gazing at the sky with expressions of shock.
"This aura... Lin Feng has actually entered this realm?"
A muttered voice came from one of the three, but who had the mind to pay attention at this moment?
"Soul, Heavenly Realm!"
Within the star field space, the previously burning purplish-black flames had vanished, and the enormous, boundless fire dragon had also disappeared without a trace.
In its place was a thousand-meter-long, cyan-green fire lotus, slowly rotating in the void. Judging from the aura it inadvertently leaked, it was comparable to a Transcendent Dou Zun!
This was the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, which had absorbed most of the original power of the Three Thousand Burning Flames. It was still cyan-green, but its strength was vastly different from half a year ago!
If the ranking of strange flames were to be recalculated now, it might even be in the top eight or top seven!
This was because, in the past six months, it had not only devoured the Three Thousand Burning Flames, but also absorbed the vast amounts of stellar power accumulated over the long years of the star field.
If Lin Feng hadn't already subdued it for many years and formed a deep connection with it, given the current strength of the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, Lin Feng would have been absolutely unable to subdue it!
Of course, Lin Feng's progress in the past six months was also considerable!
Six months was enough time for him to complete the refinement of the Nine-Colored Pill Lightning, and the refinement of the Old Dragon Emperor's essence blood had not stopped during this period!
The purity of the energy contained in these two was far beyond what Lin Feng could currently achieve; he only needed to simply imprint his own mark to absorb them.
This saved a great deal of time, and so, half a year later, with the help of many, he has already reached the peak of the First Transformation Dou Zun realm!
In fact, after entering the Transformation realm, an even bigger surprise suddenly appeared before him!
Since entering the Dou Zun realm, the cultivation resources he used were Dan Lei or Dragon Emperor's essence blood.
The former, being a test of heaven and earth for those of seventh-grade or higher pill lightning, is naturally without any impurities. The essence blood of the Old Dragon Emperor goes without saying; this is the essence blood of a nine-star Dou Sheng peak figure.
Such essence blood has already begun to undergo miraculous changes, its purity even surpassing that of eighth-grade pill lightning.
In other words, if Lin Feng continues to cultivate using these two methods, he only needs to accumulate energy on the path beyond the Transformation Realm, without worrying about purification!
And with his alchemy skills, he can naturally obtain pill lightning in abundance!
With this powerful weapon, perhaps he can complete his Transformation Realm cultivation within five years and reach the threshold of Half-Saint!
This isn't Lin Feng's biggest gain in the past six months; the improvement in his soul power is what makes him most happy!
At the beginning of his seclusion, Lin Feng took out the relatively smaller of the remaining two clumps of soul essence to refine.
After nearly a day of purification by the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, this clump of soul essence was completely pure, and Lin Feng began to absorb and refine it, hoping to advance further.
However, as he entered his second month of seclusion, Lin Feng finally opened his eyes, somewhat disappointed yet understanding.
The gap between the Spirit Realm and the Heavenly Realm was simply too vast!
Even though he had long since reached the peak of the Spirit Realm, the soul essence collected by the Earthly Fiend Hall over countless years still hadn't broken through the threshold between the Spirit Realm and the Heavenly Realm!
"However, it's not entirely in vain. At least, that faint barrier has appeared."
"As long as I refine the soul essence I obtained from the branch hall guarded by Demon Rain, I will definitely be able to break through to the Heavenly Realm!"
Indeed, as Lin Feng had predicted, after three or four months of refinement, Lin Feng's soul finally entered the Heavenly Realm!
Observing the world with this level of soul essence, he seemed to be able to see the origin of the world. In the vast world, countless colorful energies flowed freely.
Among them, the five different colored energies seemed particularly affectionate towards him.
Even without activating his cultivation technique, these different colored energies entered his body on their own, as if Lin Feng's body were their mother.
It was precisely because he refined two clusters of soul essence that Lin Feng spent so much time.
"A peak first-stage Dou Zun, combined with various techniques, can even hold his own against a fifth-stage Dou Zun!"
He slowly rose, gently beckoning to the enormous green lotus, which then shrunk and landed in Lin Feng's palm.
"And if I were to use the Soul Secret Technique of the Great Sage of Returning Origin, hehe, even a half-saint level expert, under the Returning Origin Divine Needle of a Heavenly Realm Soul, could they possibly gain an advantage?"
After his power reached the level of a half-saint, Lin Feng felt a little more relaxed. Even his Dou Qi, which had only recently stabilized, began to fluctuate again, as if he were about to break through to the next level!
However, after hesitating for a moment, Lin Feng suppressed this feeling.
It wasn't about stabilizing his realm; nourished and enhanced by the Pill Lightning and the essence blood of a nine-star Dou Sun, Lin Feng had no crisis of unstable realm.
"However," Lin Feng looked down at the barren star field, seemingly seeing Zi Yan gazing up at him through space, a smile appearing on his lips, "I can't go back on my promise!"
A
ripple in space followed, and Lin Feng's figure vanished, leaving only the dried-up star field behind.
Even after Lin Feng's departure, the Five Elements Array didn't disappear, continuing its supporting and stabilizing function, and the stellar power gradually flowed back towards this place.
Perhaps, many years later, this place would once again be so dense with stellar power that it obscured vision.
Perhaps, another Three Thousand Burning Flames would be reborn here, though its appearance might be vastly different!
At that time, who knows if Lin Feng's legend would still be circulating on the Dou Qi Continent?
Elder Qingshan, a Dou Sheng powerhouse, personally opened a spatial passage, and even though the Beast Domain was extremely far from Saint Pill City, the group arrived at their destination after half a day.
Such a distance, if traveled by a Dou Huang powerhouse using Dou Qi wings, might take years!
Before long, the group arrived at the entrance to the ruins. Although the ruins were still ten days away from opening, some magical beasts had already begun to gather here.
Those familiar with the power dynamics of the Beast Domain would be surprised to find that these mere seventh-tier magical beasts represented many of the major families of the Beast Domain.
On a mountain peak, a force was extremely domineering; a mere dozen or so people had occupied the entire mountain range!
Strangely, the surrounding magical beasts showed no sign of discontent.
In fact, when they occasionally glanced at the mountain peak, their eyes flashed with respect!
"Your Highness, these scruffy birds are the descendants of the ancient Heavenly Phoenix Clan—the Heavenly Demon Phoenix—who once fought against our race in ancient times!"
Elder Qingshan, seeing Zi Yan's slightly furrowed brow, said knowingly.
"So that's it! No wonder I felt a mix of anger and longing; it's the descendants of those foods!"
Atop the mountain, a figure dressed in elegant attire felt a strange mix of disgust and fear.
"Qing'er, what's wrong?"
"Master, I'm fine!"
Feng Qing'er frowned and waved her hand at Lei Zunzhe's concern, then looked at the group in the sky that had given her this strange feeling and murmured softly.
"Who are they?"
"Your Highness, should we capture them and bring them here for a treat?"
Hei Qing, who had remained silent until now, clenched his enormous fist. Since finding Zi Yan, Hei Qing's status on Donglong Island had clearly risen. With
so many resources pouring in, his advancement speed was even comparable to Lin Feng and the others.
Hei Qing, who had started as an eight or nine-star Dou Zun, had now reached the third-tier Dou Zun realm!
"Forget it, the most important thing right now is to acquire that treasure. A mere eighth-tier Heavenly Demon Phoenix is not something we should bully!"
Elder Qingshan intervened, taking a slow step forward.
"Although the ruins haven't officially opened yet, they're not far off."
"In that case, I will open them ahead of schedule, leaving a seal at the entrance to ensure that no one else can enter for ten days!"
Chapter 272: The Ancient Dragon of the Void?
"Boom!"
Even a slight move from a Dou Sheng level expert was earth-shattering!
Elder Qingmu stood in the void, merely raising his hands slightly, reaching out to grab the Dou Sheng small world hidden deep within the void before him.
In the eyes of the many demonic beasts below, a pair of colossal hands formed from condensed energy suddenly appeared, plunging fiercely into the void before them.
With a tremendous sound, a massive crack thousands of meters wide suddenly appeared in the void before them, emanating a terrifying cutting and devouring force.
The surrounding ancient trees and solid ground were instantly pulled by the powerful suction, slamming into the crack.
"Your Highness, please!"
After the massive spatial crack stabilized, Elder Qingmu gestured for everyone to enter.
Nodding slightly, Zi Yan entered with Lin Feng and the others. Having already witnessed the pinnacle of power in the world at the Ancient Emperor's Cave, they were naturally not shocked by this.
Xiao Yan, however, was different from Yao Chen, who was inside his ring. Even at Yao Chen's peak, this master-disciple pair had only ever encountered one Dou Sheng expert—the Grand Elder of the Little Pill Tower!
However, that was merely guidance in alchemy; how could it compare to today?
"Junior Brother Xiao Yan!"
Seeing the group still in shock, Lin Feng, about to disappear into the distance, reminded them, gesturing for them to catch up quickly.
"Let's hurry! If Senior Brother Lin Feng and the others leave, we won't be able to withstand those greedy figures below!"
Xiao Yan glanced at the numerous seventh-tier demonic beasts with bloodshot eyes below. Faced with such a vast number, even he, having reached the Dou Zun realm, felt a sense of fear!
The attacks of Dou Sheng experts were truly terrifying. However, this place was, after all, the entrance to the ancient ruins, and the many powerful figures from the Beast Domain were naturally unwilling to leave.
Sensing the departing figures of Lin Feng and the others, they quickly converged on this place.
"The Dou Sheng Ruins have opened! Everyone, charge!"
After Lin Feng and the others completely disappeared, someone among the many transformed magical beasts shouted. The beasts' already crimson eyes burned even brighter, their greed becoming uncontrollable.
Suppressing their fear of the Dou Sheng powerhouse, they transformed back into their original forms and flew towards the massive spatial rift.
"Boom boom boom!"
However, as the beasts reached the entrance to the rift, about to pass through, their massive bodies suddenly stopped in mid-air.
Then, in the eyes of the many beasts behind them, their eyes bloodshot and driven mad by the sight of the Dou Sheng Ruins, a burst of blood exploded, filling the sky with a mist of blood.
In an instant, they were sucked into the spatial rift!
Seeing this, the beasts behind immediately stopped, drenched in sweat, the crimson light in their eyes rapidly fading.
"Roar!"
Numerous roars rose and fell, conveying both fear and relief.
If they had been any faster, they would likely have been cut into a bloody mist by the space, just like the beasts before them, and then sucked into the ruins by the powerful suction of the spatial rift.
"The ruins left by a Dou Sheng expert are not so easy to break into. That expert before must have also been a Dou Sheng expert!"
A middle-aged man in magnificent clothes and with a domineering aura stared at the huge spatial rift and said with a solemn expression.
"Tiger King, have you discovered anything?"
Seeing that it was the patriarch of a powerful clan in the Beast Domain who spoke, some eighth-order magical beasts also came to his side.
"The one who just made a move must have been a half-saint or higher expert without a doubt. You all must have explored and tried to open this ruin. Even with the combined efforts of many Dou Zun, it would be difficult to break through!"
The Tiger King walked with the stride of a dragon and the gait of a tiger, slowly taking two steps closer.
"Among them are some beings no weaker than myself, reaching the peak of the eighth rank. With their combined strength, plus the naturally powerful bodies of us magical beasts, even ordinary Transcendent Realm Venerables would be no match for them!"
"And that old man was able to easily tear open space and enter before the ruins were even opened; he definitely possesses the strength of a Half-Saint, and even a Battle Saint is highly possible!"
"What!?" "
Tiger King, are you mistaken? If he's a Battle Saint, what chance do we have of obtaining the inheritance?"
"Yes, are we going to return empty-handed?
"
Many eighth-rank magical beasts wailed, and the Tiger King's face was extremely gloomy. He still hoped to obtain treasures within the Battle Saint ruins to enter the Transcendent Realm.
But what could he do in front of Half-Saints or even Battle Saints?
"Please hear me out!"
Just then, a clear voice slowly rang out across the land. From the towering mountain peak, Feng Qing'er, representing the Wind and Thunder Pavilion or the Heavenly Demon Phoenix lineage, slowly flew over.
"Gentlemen, although the Dou Sheng level expert has already entered, since he hasn't driven us away, we still have a chance to enter and obtain the treasures of this ancient ruin!"
"I have already informed the elders of my clan; they will arrive shortly. If any of you wish to enter, you can follow my Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan!"
"Of course, there's no such thing as a free lunch!"
Feng Qing'er's face revealed a hint of coldness and arrogance as she looked down at the many eighth-tier magical beasts listening below. A faint sense of control arose within her.
"To enter, you must submit to the Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan, and half of the treasures obtained within the ancient ruins must be handed over to our clan!"
"You may consider this carefully until my elders arrive!"
Having finished speaking, the arrogant Heavenly Demon Phoenix ignored the expressions of the many overlords and returned directly to the mountain peak where she had been.
"Qing'er, your actions were still reckless. If you had encountered those Venerables who disregarded everything or had a grudge against the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan, I wouldn't have been able to save you in time!"
Upon seeing Feng Qing'er's return, Venerable Lei, who had been meditating, slowly opened his eyes and advised her.
"Thank you for your correction, Master. However, you will soon see the Heavenly Demon Phoenix's status in the Beast Domain!"
Even when facing Venerable Lei, her mentor, Feng Qing'er still retained some of the pride of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix. However, when her gaze fell upon the enormous spatial rift hanging in the sky, an inexplicable sense of disgust rose again.
"What is this feeling?"
It's no wonder Feng Qing'er felt this way; the Ancient Void Dragon Clan had long since hidden themselves in the void because of Dragon Emperor Zhukun.
This fledgling, only a few hundred years old, still retained aversion and fear in her bloodline. How could she possibly recognize a true supreme demon beast?
Of course, if an older Heavenly Demon Phoenix were here, she would surely be terrified and flee immediately. How could she dare to try to subdue a group of eighth-tier beast kings with the power of a Dou Zong, like Feng Qing'er!
"Hehehe,"
just then, a strange laugh came from afar. Many demon beasts looked in the direction of the sound and saw a black mist exuding an evil aura rapidly enveloping the area.
"Soul Palace?"
Upon hearing the strange laugh, Lei Zun Zhe subconsciously uttered the two words, then quickly opened his eyes and saw more than a dozen figures dressed in black robes standing in the sky.
"Oh, Lei Zun Zhe of the Four Directions Pavilion? I wonder how strong his soul power is?"
Someone murmured in the black mist, a red light flashing in their eyes, seemingly wanting to make up for it but then giving up for some reason.
"Brother, are you confident you can break through this ruin?"
Within the black mist, an aged figure took a few steps forward. After observing the massive spatial rift, he helplessly realized that even with his semi-saint level strength, he wasn't confident he could open the spatial ruin.
"If it were before, even I could only wait for the ruin to open naturally!"
The one called "Brother" was none other than the Great Celestial Venerable of the Soul Palace. He looked up at the spatial rift and a stiff smile appeared on his face.
"However, after that Ancient Void Dragon intervened, this space has become damaged and has developed flaws."
"Even without intervention, we should be able to enter within five days at most!"
"Of course, with my abilities, I can naturally follow the original path to enter!"
As he finished speaking, the Great Celestial Venerable of the Soul Palace slowly raised his pale hand and fiercely struck at the spatial rift before him.
"Rumble!"
"The passage is open! Enter immediately!"
While the Great Celestial Venerable was making his move, everyone was already prepared. At his command, the black mist rushed in at incredible speed.
Seeing this, some fearless demonic beasts immediately charged towards the spatial rift again.
As it turned out, fearlessness didn't guarantee invincibility!
In the eyes of the many demonic beasts, the blood mist reappeared, instantly sucked into the ruins by the immense suction of the spatial rift.
Many demonic beasts, their eyes slightly red, could only suppress their desires and wait for the ruins to open on their own!
Some demonic beasts, after struggling, flew towards the mountain range where the Wind and Thunder Pavilion was located, clearly wanting to agree to Feng Qing'er's conditions!
The once arrogant Feng Qing'er now looked dazed, even showing a hint of fear in her eyes.
She seemed oblivious to the Thunder Venerable's summons, appearing completely dazed.
"The Ancient Void Dragon, the nemesis of the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix, no wonder I felt so extremely frustrated just now!"
"No, we absolutely cannot sit idly by and wait to die!"
Lei Zun, who was waiting for Feng Qing'er's response, was startled by her sudden outburst. Before he could ask, he saw Feng Qing'er talking to herself.
"Since the Ancient Void Dragon clan has already emerged, and this time it was even a Dou Sheng level expert who took action, we must inform the clan as soon as possible to avoid being attacked!"
Thinking of this, Feng Qing'er quickly used the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Secret Technique to send the news of the appearance of a Dou Sheng from the Ancient Void Dragon clan at the Dou Sheng Ruins back to the clan.
"If the elders and the clan leader can see the news in time, with the clan leader's wisdom, perhaps they can guess the Ancient Void Dragon's purpose!"
"If we don't get the support of a Dou Sheng, even if Master is willing to help with all his might, we won't escape from those people!"
Feng Qing'er clearly saw that behind that Dou Sheng stood the champion of the Pill Tower Competition—the eighth-grade nine-colored alchemist Lin Feng!
"A figure capable of withstanding even the Nine-Colored Thunder Pill is not someone the Wind and Thunder Pavilion can challenge. If it were only the Starfall Pavilion, then the Wind and Thunder Pavilion might have a chance!"
After conveying his thoughts to Thunder Venerable, a hint of helplessness appeared on his face.
Don't be fooled by the fact that the Wind and Thunder Pavilion is one of the Four Pavilions of Central Continent, ranking above the One Palace, One Tower, Two Sects, Three Valleys, and Four Pavilions, seemingly so powerful.
In reality, only he knew that the Four Pavilions could only obediently bow down before some truly powerful figures.
If it weren't for the support they received from the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan over the years, they wouldn't have their current prestige.
Now, they had actually encountered the Ancient Void Dragon Clan, whom even the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan treated with utmost respect. The mere Wind and Thunder Pavilion could only await orders.
As time passed, more and more powerful magical beasts couldn't suppress their curiosity and came to this place, witnessing the spatial rift hanging in the sky.
These overlords had learned of Feng Qing'er's earlier remarks from close associates among the kings, and each of them wore a thoughtful expression.
With a Dou Sheng present, they naturally knew that without a powerful figure of equal caliber on their side, they wouldn't gain a single benefit from the ruins.
However, if they followed the Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan, who could guarantee their safety?
Don't be fooled by Feng Qing'er's seemingly kind words; she was merely a fledgling!
And the fact that she was with humans, without any powerful figures accompanying her, clearly indicated that her Heavenly Demon Phoenix bloodline wasn't pure enough.
A truly noble Heavenly Demon Phoenix wouldn't venture out alone at the seventh rank, and wouldn't even be allowed to enter or leave its territory.
Only after the arrival of a true powerhouse from the Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan could they decide whether to bring them in.
Some eighth-rank magical beasts, after learning the whole story, left without hesitation, believing they would gain nothing from the ruins and were in grave danger of death.
Some gamblers, their eyes gleaming with longing, hoped to find an opportunity to advance further, perhaps even reach the Saint level, within these Dou Sheng ruins.
Of course, these beast kings, having reached the eighth rank, weren't fools. Feng Qing'er alone wasn't enough for them to lower themselves, even though she came from the current supreme being of the Beast Domain—the Heavenly Demon Phoenix!
As the saying goes, in the Dou Qi Continent, the strong are respected!
Feng Qing'er, who hadn't even reached the eighth rank, wasn't qualified to stand on equal footing with these beast kings!
Furthermore, beasts are inherently violent; even if the Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan was powerful, what did it matter?
Numerous eighth-rank beasts could easily kill her and hide her on the continent—who could find her?
Of course, unless absolutely necessary, no one wanted to be a fugitive!
At the same time, a beam of colorful light traversed a vast distance, reaching the Heavenly Phoenix Clan through a strange means.
A noble and dignified middle-aged man slowly raised his head, gazing towards a corner of the Beast Realm, and murmured,
"The Ancient Void Dragon?"
Chapter 273. The Return of Zhuyan!
A myriad of radiant rays spread across the land, high-grade spiritual herbs were everywhere, and numerous beautiful phoenixes could be seen roosting in their treehouses after playing.
The trees themselves were quite magical; after the young phoenixes landed, they emitted a faint, ethereal glow, interacting with the birds.
Every few breaths, the aura of the phoenixes and the magical trees subtly strengthened.
Don't underestimate these slight improvements; considering the lifespan of magical beasts, over countless years, this quantitative change leads to a qualitative leap, creating a vast difference between them and other magical beasts.
This was the power and foundation of the Heavenly Phoenix Clan!
Although other magical beast kings had other methods to strengthen their offspring's foundation, these were few and far between.
Moreover, every chick in the Heavenly Phoenix Clan had its own "wutong tree"!
And the even more powerful Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan also possessed its own spiritual objects to strengthen the foundation of its young dragons.
Zhu Kun felt so guilty towards Zi Yan not only because he was a doting father, but also because he had caused Zi Yan to not receive the nurturing of a dragon-exclusive spiritual creature during her childhood.
"Clan Chief, is the news from the Beast Domain accurate?"
The speaker was Ying Huang, one of the Three Heavenly Demon Phoenixes, the weakest of the three but with the biggest temper, a mid-stage One-Star Dou Sheng!
"Although the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan has disappeared for thousands of years, and the younger generation like Feng Qing'er haven't experienced it, the hatred ingrained deep in their bloodlines will never be mistaken!"
The noble middle-aged man, addressed as Clan Chief, slowly turned, gazing towards the ancient ruins of the Beast Domain, a hint of excitement and confusion in his eyes.
"Clan Chief, the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan disappeared for thousands of years, why has it suddenly reappeared, and why is it a Dou Sheng-level expert?"
The speaker was a graceful noblewoman in a bright red dress, the eldest of the Three Heavenly Demon Phoenixes.
"Elder sister, Feng Qing'er is only at the seventh rank, barely an adult in our clan. Could she be mistaken about the power of a Dou Sheng?"
Kunhuang, with an arrogant expression, slowly spoke, showing some restraint when facing the much stronger Fenghuang.
"A relic that has been passed down from ancient times must have been left by a Dou Sheng!"
The graceful phoenix glanced at her and said with certainty.
"You know the power of a Dou Sheng. Even after the erosion of countless years, the small world they left behind cannot be easily breached by beings below the Dou Sheng level!"
"Even a half-saint would need to attack multiple times to open it!"
"Judging from Qing'er's description, this old dragon is clearly a Dou Sheng-level being!"
The phoenix's words carried a hint of apprehension, after all, it was capable of contending with the source of their bloodline—the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix. Among those of the same rank, she was no match for the Taixu Ancient Dragon!
"Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit!"
Just then, Huang Tian, who had been silent all along, suddenly stood up and said in a fervent tone.
"The Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit! It's definitely the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit! Only a treasure like the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit could bring forth the long-lost Ancient Void Dragon, and upon its appearance, it would be a Dou Sheng-level Ancient Void Dragon!"
"Absolutely right! This is my Phoenix Heaven's destiny! Heaven has ordained that my Phoenix Heaven will surely revitalize the Heavenly Demon Phoenix lineage and restore the majesty and nobility of the ancient Heavenly Phoenix of the ancient times."
"Even surpass it!"
"What!?"
"The Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit?"
The
three Heavenly Demon Phoenixes were stunned for a moment, then shocked by their clan leader's conjecture.
The Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit could only be conceived from the corpses of an ancient Heavenly Phoenix and an Ancient Void Dragon who had reached the ninth rank, that is, Dou Sheng level, after they fought and perished together.
In the long history of the Dou Qi Continent, only a few of these fruits have appeared!
Each appearance signifies a true reshuffling of the Beast Domain!
Whether it's an ancient Heavenly Phoenix or an Ancient Void Dragon, whoever obtains the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit will achieve the supreme demonic beast body—the Dragon-Phoenix!
According to the records of the Heavenly Phoenix, this being was capable of defeating a Dou Di even at the level of a half-Emperor!
"Clan Leader, we must obtain this Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit!"
"Yes, Clan Leader, even if the Ancient Void Dragon Clan were to confront us, we would exhaust the strength of our entire clan to seize this supreme treasure!"
"Once the Clan Leader achieves the Dragon-Phoenix body, we can stand shoulder to shoulder with the Ancient Void Dragon Clan, and even crush them!"
The three phoenixes' words were filled with covetousness for the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit.
"Without delay, let's set off immediately!"
As Huang Tian finished speaking, a spatial wormhole appeared before them, leading directly to the ancient ruins!
"Clan Leader, the Dou Sheng ruins have appeared. Should we go and claim a share?"
Amidst the alluring figures of numerous snake women dancing enchantingly in their exotic forms, an aged voice rang out, completely out of place in the atmosphere of the hall!
The one addressed as clan leader was none other than Yao Xiaotian, who had secretly imprisoned the previous clan leader. He was visibly drunk, frequently sipping his wine.
When the mood struck him, he would bury his face in the body of a voluptuous, alluring snake woman, indulging in unrestrained pleasure.
Hearing his elder's words, though interrupted, he showed no anger. He calmly rose and waved for the snake women to leave.
"Elder," Yao Xiaotian said, "I've heard that a master from the Ancient Void Dragon Clan has appeared at this Dou Sheng Ruins. My Nine Nether Earth Python Clan doesn't have the confidence to contend with a supreme demon beast!"
Those who had seized the clan leader's position and cultivated to the Dou Sheng level were unlikely to be truly infatuated with women.
Yao Xiaotian slowly rose, an aura of ruthless power emanating from him, which, combined with the snake heads scattered throughout the hall, truly inspired fear.
"The Ancient Dragon Clan of the Void!"
The Grand Elder sighed, his figure becoming somewhat desolate.
"Once upon a time, my Snake Clan was on par with the Ancient Dragons of the Void and the Ancient Phoenix as the supreme beings of magical beasts. Today, we have fallen to this state!"
"It's all because of that damned Yao Ming! If he had obediently handed over the inherited treasure back then, the Snake Clan wouldn't have gone through hundreds of years without a new Dou Sheng!"
Yao Xiaotian slammed his palm against the wall of the hall. Fortunately, he still had some sense of reason; otherwise, a Dou Sheng's angry strike would have affected not only this hall but also hundreds or even thousands of miles around!
"That Yao Ming deserves to die!"
As the Grand Elder who had conspired with him to usurp the throne, he naturally shared the same hatred and indignation.
"However, our Serpent Clan naturally cannot be absent from the Battle Saint Ruins. Even if the majority is taken by the Ancient Void Dragon Clan, the remainder is enough for some juniors to improve."
"Elder, this time, you will personally lead the team to the ancient Battle Saint Ruins!"
"Yes!"
The Elder of the Nine Nether Earth Python was slightly taken aback, then reacted and did not refuse.
"Qingmu, you said you have obtained news of the Dragon Emperor. Where is the Dragon Emperor now?"
In the depths of the void, there was actually a huge island. If judged solely by its size, it seemed to be no less than half of the Central Continent!
If others saw this scene, they would definitely be astonished!
What kind of power is this? You must know that the Central Continent is vast and boundless, with a diameter of 60,000 to 80,000 kilometers. If calculated using Lin Feng's previous life method, its area would be nearly 5 billion square kilometers.
One Central Continent is enough to be equivalent to ten Blue Stars in Lin Feng's previous life, and a single Donglong Island is comparable to half of the Central Continent, which is five Blue Stars.
Perhaps only the Ancient Void Dragon Clan, who have pushed the use of space to its limits, could accomplish such a feat!
"Senior Zhuyan, it really is you!"
The Second Elder of Donglong Island, a powerful figure at the level of a two-star Dou Sheng, had tears streaming down his aged face.
Since the Dragon Emperor's disappearance, many elders had gone to search for the lost Dragon Emperor, and the Dragon Island had been divided into four. Donglong Island , which had always upheld the royal bloodline and firmly believed that the Dragon Emperor would return, had faced immense hardship in recent years.
Among the four Dragon Islands, they were the weakest. If it weren't for the fact that the three Dragon Kings were ruling independently, Donglong Island would have long since vanished into the endless void.
Now that their elder had returned, Qingmu's emotions were palpable.
"Qingmu, why act like a little girl? I've returned!"
Seeing Qingmu, who was once just a naive youth, now a pillar of the Dragon Clan, Zhuyan felt a mixture of relief and guilt.
"Yes, Senior Zhuyan!"
As the Second Elder of Donglong Island, having held a high position for many years, he would not have lost his composure like this unless the emotions suppressed for thousands of years were finally released.
"Qingmu, tell me, what has become of Dragon Island over the years? Why has it declined so drastically?"
With Zhuyan's cultivation level, a single sweep of his perception could traverse most of East Dragon Island, yet the result left him with a grim expression.
The once vast and boundless Dragon Island of thousands of years ago was now only a quarter of its original size. Even more
shocking was the fact that Dragon Island possessed only one Dou Sheng expert, Qingmu, and the numerous dragon cubs were not only extremely few in number, but
their cultivation levels were also terrifyingly low—almost a whole cultivation level lower than when he left!
"This…"
Qingmu's face was filled with shame. After hesitating for a moment, he slowly began to speak.
"Roar!"
Before Qingmu could finish speaking, Zhuyan unleashed a deafening roar that shook the endless void, even causing the vast Dragon Island to tremble.
"Damn beasts! How dare they betray His Majesty the Dragon Emperor! Qingmu, tell me their location immediately! I'll tear them apart!"
Seeing Senior Zhuyan's furious expression, Qingmu was overjoyed. However, remembering what His Highness and Qingshan were doing, he quickly suppressed his excitement.
"Senior Zhuyan, Princess Ziyan has returned. More importantly, Her Highness's consort seems to have found the trail of the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit."
"With Senior Zhuyan back, those three beasts can be dealt with at any time. But there may only be one Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit. We must seize it so that His Highness, the next Dragon Emperor, can achieve the Dragon-Phoenix body."
"This is the most important matter!"
Seeing Zhuyan's furious expression, Qingmu quickly explained about Ziyan and the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit.
"What? His Highness has appeared and even discovered the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit?"
Zhuyan's anger was instantly interrupted. Indeed, as Qingmu said, those three beasts were not a threat.
"Qingmu, quickly point out the direction for me, let's go there immediately!"
"Since the ruins have appeared in the Beast Domain, those scruffy birds might have already heard the news. Although they were defeated by His Majesty the Dragon Emperor, they are still a behemoth to Qingshan!"
"The ancient ruins are in the Beast Domain."
The enormous spatial rift hanging upside down in the sky was undoubtedly shocking to the people who arrived one after another.
As time passed, many powerful forces in Zhongzhou also arrived here, such as Tang Zhen and his group from Burning Flame Valley.
However, unlike in the original story, these people were all stopped by the spatial rift.
Even an eight-star Dou Zun who didn't believe in the supernatural was turned into blood foam in front of this spatial rift.
Inside the ruins, Lin Feng and the others had already crossed the deceptive fire path.
This was just a small trick. Even if they didn't know the original story, everything was exposed in front of Lin Feng's Heavenly Realm soul perception.
What's more, there was also a Dou Sheng-level Ancient Void Dragon in the group!
After being misled by the fire path, Lin Feng swept his powerful soul force across the puppets passing by the main hall, imprinting them deep in their minds and storing them in his storage ring.
This move completely shocked Yao Chen, who was hidden in Xiao Yan's storage ring. It wasn't the method itself that was so clever, but rather the subtle pressure emanating from the soul.
"Teacher, what about Senior Brother Lin Feng's soul power?"
Xiao Yan, who had just entered the Spirit Realm, was also somewhat puzzled, and at the same time, he looked enviously at the puppet that Lin Feng had stored in his storage ring.
"The younger generation is truly formidable, truly formidable!"
Yao Chen, unusually, did not answer his good disciple's question directly, but only sighed to himself.
"Which direction is it!"
Just then, Elder Qingmu, who had been concentrating on sensing the surroundings since entering the ruins, suddenly opened his eyes, his old face full of joy.
"I sensed it too, the aura of the Dragon Clan elder, and... a repulsive feeling!"
Just then, Zi Yan slowly opened her eyes, gazing at the distant forest.
"These are the conditions for the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit to grow!"
Hearing Zi Yan's confirmation, Elder Qingshan was even more certain that the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit definitely existed here.
"In that case, let's head directly to the location we sensed, and focus on obtaining the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit!"
Lin Feng waved his hand, about to act, then seemed to remember something and turned to Xiao Yan beside him.
"Junior Brother Xiao Yan, the probability of finding a Soul Infant Fruit within the ruins of such a powerful figure is extremely high. Will you travel with us, or search for it yourselves?"
"Senior Brother Lin Feng, I am already very grateful that you brought us in before the ruins opened. As for the Soul Infant Fruit, we can find it ourselves, and we dare not trouble Senior Brother Lin Feng any further!"
"Well, in that case, let's split up!"
Nodding slowly, Lin Feng was about to leave when he seemed to remember something and tossed a jade slip to Xiao Yan.
"Junior Brother Xiao Yan, this ancient ruin is not safe; many ancient ferocious beasts roam within."
"Moreover, the entrance to the ruin is about to collapse on its own, allowing outsiders to enter. Take this jade slip; if there is danger, crush it, and we will arrive immediately!"
"This…" After a moment's hesitation, Xiao Yan still put it into his storage ring. "Thank you, Senior Brother Lin Feng!"
Chapter 274 The Past of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix
Although it was merely a man-made small world, the power of a Dou Sheng was not to be underestimated.
After scanning the area several times with his Heavenly Realm soul power, Lin Feng discovered that the small world was extremely vast, enough for a Dou Zun powerhouse to roam freely.
During his soul power perception, Lin Feng also discovered many things, even the Little Pill Tower contained rare spiritual herbs, which were auxiliary materials for refining eighth-grade or even ninth-grade pills.
While scanning with his soul power, Lin Feng had already secretly marked them. As for the guardian beasts of these rare treasures, well, how could a Heavenly Realm soul be so easily detected?
Of course, obtaining the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit was still the priority!
This Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit truly lived up to its reputation as a divine object capable of enabling one to achieve the status of a Supreme Dragon-Phoenix after birth. Even after scanning it several times with his Heavenly Realm soul power, he couldn't find a trace of it.
On the contrary, Zi Yan and Elder Qingshan, guided by their bloodlines, found the direction.
"Roar!"
As soon as they entered the ancient forest of the ancient ruins, the desolate roars of beasts rose and fell, coupled with the towering trees that pierced the clouds, seemingly transporting them back to ancient times.
Occasionally, flashes of violent aura would appear, extremely terrifying, but Lin Feng and his group did not linger for a moment, rushing at full speed towards the location sensed by Zi Yan and Elder Qingshan.
The reason they didn't use spatial techniques was because the space here was extremely unstable; using spatial power would accelerate the decay of the ancient ruins
, and might even cause their collapse. Better safe than sorry, and to ensure they obtained the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit, there was no rush.
Of course, flying at their fastest speed (at least Dou Zun level), they arrived at the location sensed in less than a quarter of an hour!
Passing many ancient trees that had grown for countless years, Lin Feng and his group stopped before a clearing.
"How could a flat grassland suddenly appear here?"
Everyone stared at the scene before them, puzzled. They had reached the sensing point, only to find a grassland.
However, Zi Yan and Elder Qingshan, standing in the crowd, were overjoyed. They exchanged a glance, and Elder Qingshan, suppressing his excitement, slowly stepped forward, revealing the hidden beast spirit shield.
"A beast spirit shield of this level, with both auras of familiarity and aversion, Your Highness, there's a very high probability that the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit exists within!"
Zi Yan also stepped forward, biting her jade finger, and a trickle of purplish-gold blood slowly flowed out, dripping onto the void above the grassland before them. A
strange
sound rang out, and the enormous beast spirit shield slowly transformed into light and vanished. When everyone looked again, the lush greenery was gone, replaced by a desolate plain.
From the outside, the beast spirit shield, while not small, wasn't particularly large either!
However, stepping inside revealed that the beast spirit shield must have employed advanced spatial techniques, spanning several thousand feet in size.
"Roar!"
Seemingly due to the entry of an unfamiliar aura, the previously silent space was filled with the roars of wild beasts.
Following the sound, everyone looked and saw, in the far distance, in the center of the plain, a colossal altar made of massive stones, hundreds of feet tall, sitting there, seemingly suppressing the surrounding space, emanating a sense of oppression.
Even more shocking, two enormous skeletons, each thousands of feet in size, seemed to sit atop the altar.
"Hahaha, there truly is a Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit! Your Highness, please collect it immediately!"
Elder Qingshan was the first to notice that, in the center of the two enormous skeletons, still in a fighting posture at the time of their deaths, a small sapling was growing tenaciously.
At the top of the sapling, a purplish-gold fruit stood quietly. Remarkably, half of this fruit resembled a primordial dragon, while the other half was somewhat similar to the phantom within the essence blood of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix that Lin Feng had seen.
However, the aura emanating from this fruit seemed countless times more noble than that of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix!
"Go!"
Zi Yan didn't hesitate or waver. Her hands moved swiftly, forming hand seals, and a golden light shot towards the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit.
"Roar!"
The instant the golden light touched the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit, two ancient roars suddenly erupted from the massive, thousand-foot-tall remains.
To everyone's astonishment, the golden and purple lights collided fiercely before even revealing themselves.
Terrifying spatial fluctuations and energy ripples spread through the space. After a long while, the two finally appeared—the very bloodline source of the Ancient Void Dragon and the Heavenly Phoenix—the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix!
"It seems my Ancient Void Dragon
still has the upper hand!" Elder Qingshan stroked his beard and laughed upon seeing this.
Sure enough, as soon as Elder Qingshan finished speaking, the thousand-foot-tall Ancient Void Dragon and the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix unleashed their most powerful techniques.
Silver-white spatial power and crimson light collided in an instant, and the terrifying energy fluctuations instantly destroyed everything around them.
Miraculously, the hundred-foot-tall altar remained completely undamaged despite the powerful energy wave!
The two beams of light, one golden and one purple, vanished after colliding, while the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit suddenly floated towards Zi Yan.
Finally, after hovering in front of her for a moment, it rushed into her body.
"Hahaha, my Dragon Clan is about to prosper!"
Seeing this, Elder Qingshan could no longer contain his joy and laughed heartily, stroking his beard.
Zi Yan was also filled with joy. Just as she was about to collect the thousand-foot-tall dragon bone and take it back to the Dragon Tomb, a gloomy voice rang in everyone's ears.
"Little girl of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan, you'd better obediently hand over the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit, and I might spare you a whole corpse!"
Before the figures even arrived, the voice preceded them, and soon, four figures radiating powerful pressure appeared before Lin Feng and the others.
"Four Dou Sheng!"
Upon seeing this, Elder Qingshan's expression changed drastically. His aged yet towering figure flashed, appearing before Zi Yan and the others, isolating the aura of the four Heavenly Demon Phoenix Saints.
"Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan, how dare you provoke my Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan! Do you intend to exterminate your clan?"
Elder Qingshan's gaze swept over the group, his expression growing increasingly grim when he fixed his eyes on Phoenix and Huang Tian.
"A two-star Dou Sheng, and the other one whose strength is impossible to discern! Damn it!"
"If it were only that two-star Dou Sheng and the other two one-star Dou Sheng, I could still suppress them with my mastery of space." "
But that ignorant, scruffy bird's aura is simply too terrifying. For Your Highness's safety, I must make a decision!"
"Moreover, His Highness possesses the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit. If the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan were to obtain it, it would be the end of the world for the Ancient Dragon Clan!"
"If the Dragon Emperor and many seniors had not left, they could have killed him before he reached his peak!"
"But the Dragon Clan doesn't have any experts above the Five-Star Dou Sheng level these days!"
Many thoughts flashed through his mind, and Elder Qingshan's face hardened with determination as he secretly transmitted his voice to Zi Yan.
"Your Highness, I will go all out to stir up this dilapidated ancient ruin and drag it into destruction."
"With the power of the Dou Sheng Secret Realm explosion, no Dou Sheng below the Six-Star level, except for those of my Ancient Dragon Clan who are proficient in space, can escape."
"I will open a spatial passage at that time. You must leave quickly and never look back!"
"Remember, never be born until you have achieved the Dragon-Phoenix form and become a Six-Star Dou Sheng!"
"You are Qingmu, aren't you?"
Just then, Huang Tian, who had been silent, slowly spoke, interrupting Elder Qingshan's arrangements.
"Although thousands of years have passed, I vaguely remember that you were just a newly transformed young dragon back then. I never expected you to have reached the Dou Sheng realm!"
Huang Tian's face was full of emotion, as if he were recalling something.
"You are... Huang Tian!"
Reminded by Huang Tian, Elder Qingshan's thoughts seemed to drift back thousands of years.
He remembered that Dragon Island hadn't yet split. Although the old Dragon Emperor had been missing for a long time, many elders still believed he was in seclusion seeking a way to break through to the Dou Di realm.
Back then, he was just a young dragon chasing youth in the void, unaware of sorrow!
He had no sorrow, because the Ancient Void Dragons were the most talented beings in the world, achieving the Dou Zun realm upon adulthood.
Even more so, if their bloodline was pure enough, they could reach the threshold of Half-Saint or even Dou Sheng.
As for the next realm, it relied on the slow and steady cultivation methods; fortunately, the dragon race had long enough lifespans to allow for sufficient improvement.
However, as time passed, many elders began to doubt the Dragon Emperor's whereabouts.
After thousands of years of using their bloodlines to send messages, and still no sign of the Dragon Emperor's return, many powerful elders decided to venture into the endless void to search for him.
As for whether the Dragon Emperor was dead?
"Heh, what a joke! The Dragon Emperor is the most powerful being in this world. Without a Dou Di, who can kill him?"
Of course, since the elders were leaving, they couldn't ignore the future of Dragon Island.
After much deliberation, they decided to plot a terrible plan—to slaughter the Heavenly Demon Phoenix!
Before this, Dragon Island, thanks to the intervention of many highly skilled elders, had been hidden in the void, constantly shifting with the energy tides of the Dou Qi Continent.
Under such circumstances, even the top human experts, unless there was a rebellion within the Dragon Clan, would be unable to find Dragon Island!
Whether the Dragon Clan would rebel was a question the elders hadn't considered, because at that time, they only had one thing on their minds—to find the lost Dragon Emperor!
After decades of planning, the elders finally got their chance, an opportunity to annihilate the Heavenly Demon Phoenix's leadership!
That day could be called the twilight of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan!
Numerous Dou Sheng (Battle Saints) intervened, annihilating all the Dou Sheng-level experts of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan. A terrifying dragon's might raged across the Beast Domain's skies, accompanied by the wails of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan's Dou Sheng powerhouses!
Even several high-level Dou Sheng from the Central Continent and many top experts from the Imperial Clan turned their gazes towards this scene.
However, for some unknown reason, these human powerhouses did not intervene!
The terrifying energy fluctuations lasted for a full half-month, the blood rain in the sky never ceasing. At that time, Elder Qingshan, as an outstanding junior member of the dragon clan, was brought to witness this grand dragon spectacle!
Meanwhile, Huang Tian stood on the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan's ancestral land, his face filled with resentment.
Of course, this little bird was not valued by the many elders, even though Huang Tian had already reached the Dou Zun (Battle Venerable) realm and had even been appointed as the young clan leader!
That was the first time Huang Tian and Elder Qingshan met!
"I never imagined you would grow to this level after that. My talent is inferior to yours!"
Judging by age, Elder Qingshan was only a few hundred years younger than Huang Tian, yet his face was already extremely aged, while Huang Tian remained middle-aged. In
fact, after thousands of years, Elder Qingshan could no longer clearly see Huang Tian's figure!
"If it weren't for the massacre by the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan, my patriarch's cultivation level would certainly be much higher!"
Huang Tian clenched his fists tightly, his usual composure replaced by a cruel expression.
"When your clan cruelly murdered my father, who had reached the late stage of Seven-Star Dou Sheng, I swore that one day I would exact my revenge!"
Slowly releasing his fists, a cruel smile appeared on Huang Tian's noble face.
"The Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit, such a supreme treasure, and the Ancient Dragon Clan of the Void only sent you, a mere ant, and a little girl!"
"Heh, my patriarch's guess was right. Something terrible must have happened on Dragon Island, which is why my clan suffered such a calamity back then!"
"Back then, my clan was always your clan's food!"
Recounting the humiliating past of the Heavenly Phoenix Clan, Elder Qingshan's face showed no joy, but rather grew increasingly grim.
This meant that Huang Tian would absolutely not let any of them escape!
"Elder Qingshan, don't worry. My father left me a protective item. As long as his cultivation level doesn't exceed the Seven-Star Dou Sheng, we will be safe!"
Just then, Zi Yan, protected behind Elder Qingshan, secretly transmitted her voice.
"Your Highness?"
Elder Qingshan's aged face revealed a hint of surprise. If this was true, not only would His Highness's life be spared, but the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit would still be in the hands of the Ancient Dragon Clan, and he wouldn't become a sinner against the Dragon Clan!
Standing beside Zi Yan, Lin Feng knew that with the Dragon Empress's protection, they wouldn't be in any real danger, but he still truly felt the terror of a Dou Sheng expert!
"My strongest technique right now is the Returning Origin Divine Needle, unleashed from my Heavenly Realm soul power!"
"However, a soul power newly entering the Heavenly Realm is utterly powerless against a five-star Dou Sheng!"
"Even setting aside whether the Returning Origin Divine Needle poses a threat to such a powerhouse, their innate sense of danger makes it impossible to launch a sneak attack!"
"It seems that improving my Dou Qi realm is of utmost urgency!"
Chapter 275 Three Methods
Within the ancient forest of the ancient ruins, Huang Tian and his group stood suspended in the sky, deeply moved.
Whether it was the Heavenly Demon Phoenix or the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix, they had far more defeats than victories against the Void Ancient Dragon Clan. Today's scene was truly rare and memorable!
"Qingshan, tell the little girl behind you to obediently hand over the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit. I, the clan leader, will spare her a whole corpse because you know what's good for you!"
"As for you!"
Huang Tian paused, his expression icy.
"The Heavenly Demon Phoenix has always been food for the Void Ancient Dragons. Now, I, the clan leader, would like to taste the flavor of a Dou Sheng-level dragon like you!"
"This can be considered my first victory as the sixth-generation Dragon-Phoenix, the Heavenly Demon Phoenix—no, the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix—after its resurrection!"
As soon as Huang Tian finished speaking, he suddenly attacked. A five-star Dou Sheng unleashed his full power, intending to kill Elder Qingshan in one strike, showing no mercy!
Upon seeing this, Zi Yan's consciousness shifted to the depths of her mind, where a strange scale slowly floated, seemingly awaiting a devastating attack!
"How dare you!"
Just as Zi Yan was about to unleash the Old Dragon Emperor's Reverse Scale, a furious roar came from nowhere, seemingly piercing through space!
Immediately afterward, to everyone's astonishment, a colossal hand, obscuring the
sky, slowly pressed down upon this place. It seemed that even the entire ancient ruins were grasped in the palm of this sky-covering hand; with a mere squeeze, it could crush the ancient Dou Sheng ruins passed down from antiquity!
"Zhu Yan!"
Huang Tian, who was about to capture Elder Qingshan, saw this colossal hand and distant memories suddenly flooded his mind.
It was still the scene of the annihilation war, a young ancient dragon, protected by its elders, wantonly killing a Heavenly Demon Phoenix of the same rank.
If he hadn't been held back by his elders, he probably would have rushed out to fight this young dragon!
Now, although the young dragon has aged, Huang Tian will never forget its aura, even if it turns to ashes!
"Hahaha, Huang Tian, I didn't expect you to still remember me!"
After the giant hand brought Elder Qingshan, Zi Yan, Lin Feng, and the others back to his side, Zhu Yan was clearly in a good mood and even greeted Huang Tian.
"Five-star Dou Sheng, it seems that the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan's resources have all been used on you!"
Zhu Yan's gaze swept across, and the realms of Huang Tian and the others appeared in his eyes: five-star Dou Sheng, two-star Dou Sheng, and two one-star Dou Sheng.
"Thousands of years have passed, and today this clan leader must see just how far the one who killed my clan has reached!"
"Phoenix, after this clan leader leads Zhu Yan away, you three must seize the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit, otherwise, my Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan will never have a chance to rise again!"
After Huang Tian transmitted his instructions, he ignored the expressions of the three Phoenixes and slowly walked towards Zhu Yan's direction.
"Zhu Yan, today, we must settle this!"
"I never thought that the coward who hid behind his parents back then would dare stand before me now. It seems I must let you relive the fear instilled in you by the Ancient Void Dragon."
"Remember, food is food!"
Zhu Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, a killing intent slowly emanating from him. Just then, a voice transmission entered his ears.
"Senior Zhu Yan, Princess Zi Yan has obtained the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit. Now, the most important thing is to bring her back to Dragon Island so that she can achieve the Dragon-Phoenix body!"
"Huang Tian's intention is definitely a diversionary tactic!"
"The Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit, Princess Zi Yan?"
Zhu Yan nodded slowly, a hint of joy in his eyes. Both the bloodline of the Dragon Emperor, Zi Yan, and the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit, representing the supreme power of the demon beast race, were extremely important.
As for that wretched bird, Huang Tian, he had plenty of time to deal with him.
"Huang Tian, today I will surely kill you here!"
With that, amidst the horrified gazes of Huang Tian and the others, he slowly took a few steps forward, a powerful aura flashing across his body!
"What!?"
However, whether it was due to Zhu Yan's lack of control over his aura or some other reason, the leaked aura was detected by Huang Tian!
"Six-Star Dou Sheng!"
"Not good, run!"
Ignoring the horrified expressions of the three, Huang Tian tore open the space beside him, grabbed the three, and flashed inside. His
movements were incredibly swift, as if he feared Zhu Yan would kill them!
"Six-Star Dou Sheng? Senior Zhu Yan, what is your realm?"
"Hahaha, just some little tricks I came up with in my spare time. I am still at the peak of Five-Star Dou Sheng."
"Of course, if I were to go all out, this scruffy bird Huang Tian would definitely be no match for me!"
Zhu Yan stroked his beard, then looked at Zi Yan beside Qing Shan, a hint of nostalgia flashing in his eyes as he gazed at those somewhat familiar figures.
"He really resembles the invincible Dragon Emperor of yesteryear!"
After regaining his composure, Zhu Yan's face lit up with hope.
"Your Highness, where is the Dragon Emperor now? Why hasn't he returned to Dragon Island?"
It was hard to imagine that the old dragon, who had reached the Five-Star Dou Sheng realm and could practically sweep across the entire Dou Qi Continent without the Imperial Clan's intervention, was now trembling so much.
Lin Feng observed from the side and saw that this senior of the Ancient Dragon Clan was tall and had terrifyingly muscular physiques.
However, beneath that surging life force, his face was extremely aged.
"Overwork has taken its toll; perhaps that's why most of the strong members of the Ancient Dragon Clan look so old!"
Besides, Lin Feng found it hard to imagine that Zhu Yan, who was about the same age as Huang Tian and also at the Five-Star Dou Sheng realm, had such a vastly different appearance! "He... the old man is trapped in the Ancient Emperor's Cave!" Zi Yan hesitated for a moment before finally using the somewhat affectionate term "old man.
" "What!?" Upon hearing this, Zhu Yan's face immediately turned to shock. Zi Yan then revealed everything she knew without further ado. "The Ancient Emperor Tuoshe!" Zhu Yan's expression was extremely grim. Even the Dragon Emperor couldn't break free; what could he do? A sense of powerlessness washed over Zhu Yan. A Dou Di's cave—without the power of a Dou Di of the corresponding level, how could he open it? "Senior Zhu Yan, there's no need to despair. As far as I know, there are three ways to open the Ancient Emperor's cave!" Just then, Lin Feng stepped forward and spoke.
"Senior Zhuyan, this is His Highness's husband, Lin Feng, an eighth-grade, nine-colored alchemist, highly regarded by the Pill Tower!"
Elder Qingshan hurriedly transmitted his voice to Zhuyan, explaining Lin Feng's identity. He knew of this senior's fiery temper, or rather, the Ancient Dragon Clan was generally known for its volatile nature.
"An eighth-grade, nine-colored alchemist, a Heavenly Realm soul, around thirty years old, and a first-stage Dou Zun realm cultivator—not bad, not bad!"
Zhuyan had originally wanted to see which young man had the audacity to become the consort of the Ancient Dragon Clan, but upon closer inspection, he found him increasingly pleasing to the eye.
"Your Highness, you are exceptionally talented, achieving so much at such a young age. Your future accomplishments will surely surpass mine!"
Even disregarding Princess Zi Yan's influence, Lin Feng's current achievements were enough to impress Zhu Yan
, a five-star Dou Sheng. Zhu Yan had learned about human alchemists over the years and knew that there were three conditions for becoming a ninth-grade alchemist.
Lin Feng had already reached the most difficult one, the Soul Heaven Realm. Considering his age, the remaining half-saint realm and the ninth-grade alchemist realm would naturally follow with the accumulation of years.
Even at the five-star Dou Sheng level, he would still have to show respect to alchemists of the ninth grade and above!
"Thousands of years ago, before leaving Dragon Island to search for the Dragon Emperor in the void, that alchemist was extremely terrifying!"
Zhu Yan sighed inwardly and then asked Lin Feng.
"Young friend Lin Feng, you said you have three methods to rescue the Dragon Emperor from the Ancient Emperor's Cave. What are these three methods, and how do you intend to do them? I will certainly cooperate fully with you!"
Not only Zhu Yan, but also Elder Qingshan and Zi Yan were filled with curiosity. What method did Lin Feng have to rescue the Dragon Emperor from the Ancient Emperor's Cave?
Especially Zi Yan and the others, they had entered that magma space and witnessed Zhu Kun's immense power.
Even he had no way to rescue it, so how could Lin Feng possibly succeed?
"The first method, as you all know, is the eight Imperial Jade artifacts possessed by the Imperial Clan!"
"Imperial Jade?"
"That's right. As an ancient cave dwelling, it naturally has a medium to open it, and the Imperial Jade artifacts that serve as the medium are currently controlled by the eight major Imperial Clans."
"Each of the eight Imperial Clans possesses one. If we can gather these eight Imperial Jade artifacts, we can not only rescue the Dragon Emperor, but we might even be able to obtain the Dou Di inheritance!"
"If the Dragon Emperor had not been trapped, we might still have a chance to collect these Imperial Jade artifacts. Relying on our strength, even if many seniors return, it will probably be difficult to accomplish this!"
Zhu Yan sighed slightly, but he was not disappointed, after all, Lin Feng still had two other methods.
"Senior Zhuyan, you may not know, but the Soul Clan within the Imperial Clan has long coveted the Dou Di inheritance within this Ancient Emperor's Cave."
"Perhaps, without our intervention, the Soul Clan will gather the Emperor Jade themselves. We can simply stand by and watch, or even obstruct them!"
"That's not a bad method!"
Zhuyan and Elder Qingshan both nodded. While they were somewhat puzzled as to why Lin Feng knew these secrets, they didn't press him.
Firstly, Lin Feng was, after all, Princess Ziyan's husband, and they couldn't afford to be disrespectful. Secondly, with Lin Feng's current strength, they could easily destroy him, so they weren't afraid of any hidden schemes.
Of course, Elder Qingshan trusted Lin Feng implicitly, given the aura of the Dragon Emperor that had leaked during his breakthrough.
He naturally trusted the Dragon Emperor's gaze completely.
"The second method depends on Zi Yan."
"Me?"
Seeing everyone's gaze suddenly focused on her, Zi Yan was stunned, then filled with doubt.
"That's right, Zi Yan, you are the second method to open the Ancient Emperor's Cave!"
"Young friend Lin Feng, do you mean the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit?"
Zhu Yan was the first to react, guessing.
"That's right, it's the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit!"
Lin Feng clapped his hands, his expression somewhat excited.
"It is also recorded in the records of the Pill Tower that the ancient supreme divine beast, the Dragon-Phoenix, can fight Emperors when fully cultivated! And with Zi Yan's understanding of space, if she cultivates the Dragon-Phoenix body to the fullest level, opening the Ancient Emperor's Cave will be a piece of cake!"
"That's right, with Your Highness's bloodline inherited from His Majesty the Dragon Emperor, if you also achieve the Dragon-Phoenix body, your understanding of space will definitely far surpass that of ordinary royal bloodlines!"
Zhu Yan's old face was full of excitement, and he was already imagining the scene of Zi Yan immediately achieving the Dragon-Phoenix body and reaching the fullest level within a thousand years, and the Dragon Emperor being rescued!
"Of course, the time required for the Dragon-Phoenix to reach its peak is too long. I have a third method!"
At this moment, Lin Feng spoke again, surprising everyone and causing them to exchange glances.
"Could it be that the third method is simpler than the Zi Yan Dragon-Phoenix's peak?"
"I once saw in a certain ancient text that there is a wondrous object in this world that can even produce a Battle Emperor, and it may still exist in this world!"
"What!?"
A shocked shout rang out; it was Zhu Yan.
As a five-star Dou Sheng, his shock today surpassed even his thousands of years of wandering in the endless void.
"The Dragon Emperor has searched for countless years. If such a wondrous object truly exists, how could he not know?"
It's no wonder Zhu Yan didn't believe it. The time when the Bodhi Ancient Tree joined forces with another Dou Emperor to kill the Black Qi Dou Emperor was countless years ago.
Moreover, after being injured, the Bodhi Ancient Tree only had three functions left. Although still incredibly powerful, enough to produce a Dou Sheng expert
, killing a newly-entered Dou Sheng expert was as easy as crushing an ant for the old Dragon Emperor Zhu Kun!
Naturally, he wouldn't pay much attention to it!
Lin Feng then shared the news of the Bodhi Ancient Tree with everyone, eliciting a wave of sighs.
If the Dragon Emperor had known the Bodhi Ancient Tree's former power, perhaps he wouldn't have been trapped!
However, Lin Feng held a different view. Despite the current closeness of the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan to him, the true dragon race was extremely domineering.
If the Dragon Emperor Zhu Kun knew about the Bodhi Ancient Tree, it might still all be in vain.
"It is said that the Bodhi Ancient Tree appears only once every thousand years. It has been almost a thousand years since the last appearance of the Bodhi Ancient Tree, so news should be coming soon!"
"In that case, we must hasten the return of our brothers!"
Zhu Yan stroked his beard, his face thoughtful. After regaining his composure, Zhu Yan slowly bowed slightly to Lin Feng.
"Young friend Lin Feng, although we know you are willing to help His Majesty because of His Highness,"
Elder Qingshan said, "we will forever remember the help the Ancient Dragon Clan has given you. If there is anything you need, Your Highness need not ask; we will certainly do our utmost!"
Elder Qingshan, though silent after Zhu Yan spoke, clearly agreed.
"In that case, thank you very much, Senior Zhu Yan!"
Lin Feng didn't refuse, after all, this was a five-star Dou Sheng, practically invincible in the current Central Continent!