The ancestral land of the Phoenix clan in the Demon Sea was not located on an island.
In the northern reaches of the Demon Sea lay a verdant expanse lush with towering ancient trees.
It spanned a territory broader than any forest on land, yet it was rooted entirely in the water. White roots drifted through the sea like countless slithering white snakes, their longest tendrils extending into the bottomless depths of the ocean.
Entangled beneath the surface, the boundless forest was woven together into an inseparable whole, making one wonder whether it had all grown from a single tree.
Countless demon birds inhabited this place.
Every dawn as the morning mist dispersed, their chirps and cries echoed across the expanse. Flocks of demon birds took to the air, their multicolored plumage shimmering in the sunlight and adorning the clear blue sky.
The Phoenix clan dwelt at the heart of this forest.
Early one morning...
A woman flew over the sea, dressed in vibrant, multicolored robes, with delicate features and a heroic air between her brows.
At this moment, her expression was grave and her phoenix eyes shone with an intimidating glare, exuding peerless majesty that exerted a terrifying pressure upon anyone before her.
Demon birds perched along the forest edge; sensing her aura, every one of them trembled and prostrated within their nests, not daring to stir.
What terrified them was not merely the demon king pressure radiating from her, but also the distinct aura of her bloodline.
It was an aura unique to descendants of the Heavenly Phoenix.
The sovereigns of the Demon Sea!
There were also demon birds here that did not belong to the Phoenix clan yet had unlocked their spiritual intelligence. Seeing the woman from afar, they had initially thought to approach, but meeting her gaze sent a shiver through their hearts. Not daring to court misfortune, they bowed respectfully from a distance.
The woman's escape art was extraordinarily swift, streaking straight toward the center of the forest.
As she drew near Phoenix clan territory, a patrol of demon birds appeared ahead. Though their leader possessed only Demon Core stage cultivation, it had been granted Emperor Flowing Dew early on to awaken its intelligence due to its direct Phoenix bloodline.
"Greetings, Nine Phoenix King!"
The leader led its subordinates in prostrating atop the canopy, lowering their heads.
This was their etiquette before a superior.
The Nine Phoenix King did not spare them a single glance. Without slowing, she flew straight past above them.
The demon bird leader dared not harbor the slightest resentment. The Nine Phoenix King was their king, second only to the Phoenix King in status among the clan.
The demon race of the Demon Sea did not use the honorific "Great Sage"; all Transformation demon kings were addressed as kings, but "Feng King" and "Huang King" were honorable titles reserved exclusively for the rulers of the Phoenix clan throughout the generations.
Males were called Feng, and females were called Huang.
In this generation, there was only a Huang King and no Feng King.
When the Nine Phoenix King was granted this title in the early Transformation stage, it technically carried the suspicion of overstepping her station, yet it had been bestowed personally by the Huang King.
Because she had hatched from a single egg that produced multiple offspring, she was ranked ninth with eight elder brothers above her. Yet, refusing to be outdone, she surpassed all her brothers and was conferred the title of Nine Phoenix King.
The Nine Phoenix King had once vanished for a long time, giving rise to all manner of speculation among the clan. Later, after the passage between the two domains was opened, she finally emerged. She repeatedly achieved miraculous feats in campaigns against the humans, and now her prestige across the entire Demon Sea was arguably on par with the Huang King's.
The Huang King rarely showed herself, leaving the tribes of the Phoenix clan under the Nine Phoenix King's command, and the demon armies dispatched abroad were led by her as well—evidence of her preeminent status within the clan.
The deeper she flew, the more lush and green the ancient trees grew, endowed with a spiritual elegance unmatched elsewhere.
Wherever the Nine Phoenix King passed, tribes prostrated themselves. Her path was completely unobstructed until she arrived at the ancestral land of the Phoenix clan.
Unlike what one might expect, the Phoenix clan's ancestral land at the center of the forest formed a hollow opening that exposed a wide expanse of open sea, resembling an inland lake.
Scattered across the water were floating tree islands; some were Phoenix clan strongholds, while others were cave abodes of Phoenix demon kings, exuding powerful auras.
The ancestral land was heavily guarded and protected by demon formations.
Even with the Nine Phoenix King's exalted status, she could not barge in forcefully upon reaching the ancestral land.
The ancestral land guards had already received word. A squad of demon guards flew in from each flank, surging with formidable vital energy; every one was an elite of the Phoenix clan, showing none of the meekness of those outside when facing the Nine Phoenix King.
If the Nine Phoenix King failed to abide by clan rules, they would dare to take action.
The Nine Phoenix King produced a slender, multicolored feather and swept it across the empty air, generating an invisible resonance.
The demon guards' expressions softened, and they prostrated in homage one after another: "Greetings, Nine Phoenix King."
At that moment, a streak of black light flew from the depths of the ancestral land, landing before the Nine Phoenix King in a flash to reveal a handsome man with black wings sprouting from his ribs.
"Jiufeng, weren't you on Luoying Island? Why have you returned to the ancestral land now?"
The man was not interrogating her; his tone was intimate, and his eyes held fond affection.
"Unusual movements from the humans."
The Nine Phoenix King showed him no warmth either, answering curtly before moving to bypass him.
The man tactfully stepped aside, yet followed behind her. "The clan has already received battle reports and knows of the turmoil on Dahuang Island. In past years, you always oversaw things in person to monitor human movements. Returning all the way to the ancestral land now—could something major have happened again?"
The Nine Phoenix King seemed somewhat impatient. Her face darkened and her flying speed abruptly quickened. "I must see the Huang King immediately. If you wish to know, ask the Huang King yourself."
Rebuffed, the man dared not press further, watching her receding back with a flicker of heartache in his eyes.
The ancestral land of the Phoenix clan was not particularly vast.
Flying past island after island of trees, the Nine Phoenix King soon saw a genuine spiritual island.
Thin watery mist enveloped the spiritual island, which was brimming with spiritual energy; magnificent palaces could be glimpsed nestled amid exotic flowers and rare plants.
As the Nine Phoenix King drew near the island, before she could set foot upon it, she felt a powerful pressure bear down on her.
She came to a halt in midair, not daring to move further.
The next moment, a woman's voice filled with majesty came from the center of the spiritual island: "Jiufeng, returning unannounced—what brings you here?"
The Nine Phoenix King bowed her head slightly. "The situation has changed, and I did not dare act on my own authority. I have come to ask the Huang King to decide."
"Oh?"
The watery mist slowly parted to both sides, revealing the faint figure of a woman in a five-colored gown and a phoenix crown. She was crouching beside a flowerbed, seemingly admiring the delicate, radiant spiritual flowers before her.
She stood and looked over, stunningly beautiful beyond compare. Before her, even the Nine Phoenix King paled in comparison.
"Could it be that the humans have taken Luoying Island?"
The Huang King fixed her gaze on the Nine Phoenix King, her tone placid.
At this question, the Nine Phoenix King's body shuddered.
The Huang King let out a soft sigh. "Do you know why I allowed you to enter?"
This remark was clearly not addressed to the Nine Phoenix King, and her gaze shifted to the space behind her.
She stepped forward leisurely, her colorful gown swaying gently. "When the humans captured Luoying Island, they sealed it off, assuming the news would not leak. Little did they know that my clan possesses our own means of perception. I never imagined that someone of Jiufeng's capability would fall into your hands, much less that she would fail to end her own life decisively and instead be enslaved, leading enemies into our ancestral land to assassinate me. It seems you have comprehended some extraordinary divine ability or magic treasure..."
As the Huang King drew nearer, her tone grew increasingly stern.
At the same time, the surrounding mist rippled as shadowy figures emerged, their auras formidable—clearly demon kings moving into an encircling formation.
The demon kings who should have been meditating in seclusion within their cave abodes had been summoned back to the spiritual island by the Huang King at some point, lying in wait.
This was undeniably a trap laid to lure the guest into the urn!
The Nine Phoenix King's arrival had been sudden, and not many demon kings remained stationed in the ancestral land, but working in concert with the Huang King, these demon kings were more than enough to bring down any infiltrator!
The Nine Phoenix King seemed to have regained her wits.
With every word the Huang King spoke, the despair and shame upon her face deepened, yet she remained bound in place by an invisible force, unable to move a muscle.
Her eyes turned bloodshot, and she struggled desperately to say something, but could not utter a sound. In the end, overcome by agitation and grief, she retched and spewed a mouthful of blood, the light in her eyes fading rapidly.
"Fierce to the end, at least."
A voice suddenly sounded from behind her as a figure slowly materialized—a Daoist priest.
The moment he appeared, Jiufeng's body went limp. Reverting to her true form as a phoenix-tailed juan bird in midair, she plummeted into the sea, provoking a wave of grief-stricken cries.
Her colossal demon body kicked up a massive splash, her life already extinguished.
The Huang King glared fixedly at the Daoist who had materialized out of thin air. Killing intent surged skyward, yet shock and suspicion filled her eyes. "Who are you?"
The Daoist was none other than Qin Sang's external incarnation, whom the Huang King naturally did not recognize.
The other demon kings were astonished beyond belief. Showing not the slightest weakness before the Huang King, this man was actually an unfamiliar great cultivator! The humans had produced yet another powerhouse without their knowledge, and they had dared to let him risk his life alone, infiltrating the Phoenix clan's ancestral land to assassinate the Huang King.
Without a word, the incarnation flicked his wrist as dark light flashed in his right palm, revealing a tattered banner riddled with holes. With a shake of his wrist, demonic qi surged skyward, coalescing into a human form beside him.
This figure was Su Zinan, who had been turned into a demonic soul.
Su Zinan was expressionless, a black ruler hovering before him. His gaze was cold and ruthless, striking a chill into the heart of anyone who met his eyes.
Since refining the Three Corpses God-Perishing Banner, the incarnation had not yet encountered an opponent worthy of using his full strength.
As the demonic soul appeared, the Huang King's pupils shrank, and the demon kings behind her broke into an uproar.
Not only was this man a great cultivator, but he also controlled a demonic soul no weaker than his own body! Fortunately, he had not succeeded in an ambush, or the consequences would have been unthinkable.
*Swish!*
The incarnation pointed forward.
Murderous intent flashed in the demonic soul's eyes. The black ruler abruptly split into myriad shadows, blotting out the daylight until the surrounding sea turned dim. The ruler shadows suddenly converged with the weight of tens of thousands of jin, striking viciously toward the space between the Huang King's brows.
"Kill him!"
The Huang King shouted sternly.
An expert of this caliber could never be allowed to escape!
Divine radiance burst from her colorful gown. Three exquisite phoenix patterns woven upon it came to life at that instant, wheeling and soaring into the sky, arriving just before the black ruler coalesced into solid form.
*Boom!*
Dark light and five-colored radiance collided into a chaotic tangle, obscuring both ruler and phoenixes.
At the same time, an abrupt change erupted beneath the incarnation. A crimson vortex manifested out of thin air, exerting endless suction like a gaping bloody maw.
Within it lay not only suction, but also an unknown, chaotic power.
Yet the incarnation seemed prepared. Green light flashed over his chest, and a piece of wooden armor resembling tree bark emerged. Flashing into place above the vortex, it radiated an endless stream of green light brimming with immense, majestic power.
The wooden armor seemed wedged into the vortex, neither rising nor sinking, leaving the crimson vortex completely powerless against it.
However, since the Phoenix clan had prepared in advance, they naturally had more than just this in store.
Even as the demonic soul struck, the mist dispersed to reveal the figures of the demon kings, surrounding them at the center. Most carried similar bloodline auras, and they unleashed the exact same divine ability in unison.
Phantoms of their demon bodies manifested behind each of them; though their forms differed, traits of the Phoenix bloodline could be seen on every one.
Unlike the dharma idol of Qin Sang's true body, these were produced by their divine abilities. The demon body phantoms shattered instantly, transforming into strange spiritual lights that shot forward—azure, crimson, and more, each corresponding to their respective tribes.
The man from earlier glared at the incarnation with burning hatred, firing a beam of black spiritual light.
All the beams were aimed squarely at the incarnation.
Facing this sudden coordinated assault, the incarnation remained calm. Just as he prepared to strike, he sensed something strange—to his surprise, the beams of spiritual light dissipated into nothingness a hundred zhang away from him, as though they did not exist at all.
The next moment, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and his surroundings shifted drastically, leaving him trapped within a dazzling, multicolored boundary.
He could still see the demon kings around him, with streamers of light dancing between them, yet the demon kings seemed to be drifting farther away, carried off by the flowing light.
The incarnation looked left and right. He remained where he was, yet he felt as though if he moved to pursue them now, he might chase until utter exhaustion without ever reaching them.
This was naturally an illusion, but had someone of weaker cultivation taken his place, they truly would have chased until they dropped dead of exhaustion.
The streamers flowed like a tide, omnipresent.
The incarnation looked up and saw what appeared to be a multicolored sun hanging above, continuously drawing in streams of light.
Sensing the threat, he knew he could not allow this sun to fully take shape. With a shake of his sleeve, he shot out a beam of cold light, finally unleashing the Fourfold Tengshe Seal!
The halo formed by the blue cold light shone like a spiritual seal, its densest areas resembling sheets of cold flame.
*Whoosh!*
Within the cold flame, two colossal beasts emerged, chasing one another as if at play.
At this sight, the confident demon kings blanched, and someone cried out in horror: "A spirit treasure!"
Before the cry could fade, the two Tengshe raised their heads and glared at the multicolored sun. Riding the cold flames, they roared and surged into the heavens, while the demonic soul drove the black ruler straight toward the brilliant sun as well.
At this moment, anyone observing from the perimeter of the battlefield would only see the incarnation and the demonic soul encircled by the demon kings without any apparent abnormality, assuming the two sides were merely locked in a standoff.
Suddenly, an earth-shattering boom erupted.
Monstrous waves surged across the Phoenix clan's ancestral land.
The void around the incarnation shattered like a mirror. The colorful streamers reappeared in utter disarray as the two majestic Tengshe burst forth, opening their maws to unleash a sweeping torrent of cold flames.
The demon kings were stricken with panic, caught completely off guard.
The Huang King was currently chanting an incantation. Not expecting the divine ability to be broken so quickly, her expression changed repeatedly. With a cold snort, she jabbed a jade-white finger. A phoenix talon suddenly appeared above the two Tengshe, striking as if tearing through the void, unpredictable and ghostly.
With the talon's emergence, the chaotic streamers found an anchor and immediately stabilized, surging toward the talon to manifest a colossal claw that pressed down on the Tengshe.
This was equivalent to a strike launched by the Nine Phoenix King joining hands with the demon kings.
The Tengshe roared, spewing cold flames from their maws. The two blasts of cold flame merged into one in midair, joining forces with the demonic soul to slam squarely into the center of the giant claw's palm.
*Rumble!*
Strange light radiated in all directions, dazzling and splendid.
Just as the Huang King was about to strike again, she seemed to sense something. Her expression changed drastically, and crying out, "Not good!" she pulled away from the battlefield, appearing above the spiritual island in a flash.
At this moment...
Before a primitive, ancient hall on the spiritual island.
Qin Sang's true body had arrived here at some point unknown. Looking at the ancient hall sealed beneath a five-colored light barrier, he hovered his palm above it, a curious light in his eyes.
In his perception, this light barrier was far from simple; a familiar power circulated within it, likely originating from that remnant feather.
The Huang King rushed over in alarm.
Qin Sang looked up and smiled faintly. With a flick of his finger, the Seven Mansions Partition Sword Array manifested a starry sky, enveloping a vast expanse of the heavens along with the Huang King and severing her from the seal within the hall.
Then he raised his palm, revealing a spirit tree.
Six firebirds fluttered their wings, took flight from the tree, and dashed toward the ancient hall!
Chapter 1736