Jiang Lianyi wore a puzzled expression. Judging by the name, this ought to be a cultivation technique related to the Dragon and Phoenix clans, resembling a human Body Tempering method.
“I never saw a technique for humans to transform into dragons and phoenixes back in ancient times. Is this a modern creation?”
Driven by curiosity, she gingerly opened the book.
Then, all manner of unsightly words leapt into view, vividly describing the mating rituals of dragons and phoenixes in lurid detail. It gave her quite a fright, and she dropped the book as if she had received an electric shock.
“Th-this... what kind of decency is this!”
Books like this had never existed in ancient times.
“Senior Lianyi, what happened?”
Hearing the commotion, Lu Yang hurried over. The second floor was very quiet; anyone speaking slightly louder than a whisper would draw everyone’s attention.
“Who wrote this book?”
“Which one?”
Lu Yang closed the book, caught sight of the title on the cover, and was struck speechless for a long time.
Why was this book everywhere?
The very first time he had visited the Scripture Pavilion, he had stumbled upon this book and thought he had encountered some fortuitous opportunity or mysterious cultivation technique, only for the senior brother guarding the pavilion to inform him that the thing was an erotic novel.
Just before leaving for the Demon Domain, he had learned from Old Ba that this damn thing had been written by his master, and what was kept in the Scripture Pavilion might very well be the original copy.
The copies of *Dragon Phoenix Transformation* out in the world had all been destroyed, and the copy on the first floor had supposedly been confiscated by the Scripture Pavilion’s senior brother—so why was there another on the second floor?
*Master, just how many copies did you stash in the Scripture Pavilion? Is ‘a cunning hare has three burrows’ really appropriate for this?*
“Who wrote this book?” Jiang Lianyi demanded in angry embarrassment, determined to make whoever wrote it pay!
Lu Yang’s scalp tingled from the question. Answering this concerned his master’s very life. Ever since joining the sect, his master hadn’t treated him poorly. Sure, his master was never around the sect, had never once guided his cultivation, frequently made enemies all over the place to the point that Lu Yang dared not name his sect when traveling, and, having spent so much time in prison, had ruined Lu Yang’s eligibility to take the imperial examination and become an official...
...but no matter how many flaws Daoist Buyu had, he was still his master!
“It was written by my master, Daoist Buyu.”
*Master was fated to suffer this calamity. It is a trial, but also an opportunity. Master often lectured Eldest Senior Sister that pressure breeds motivation, so he must have mentally prepared himself for this long ago.*
Jiang Lianyi gave a slight nod, the corner of her mouth curling into a terrifying smile. “The Sect Master of our Dao Seeking Sect, Daoist Buyu?”
“Yes.”
“Where is he now?”
“He wanders all over the world, his whereabouts unknown. Even the sect elders can’t locate him.”
“I see. Then I’ll look for him once I head out.”
Jiang Lianyi pocketed the copy of *Dragon Phoenix Transformation*; its contents could not be allowed to meet the eyes of outsiders.
Right then, a stooped old man shuffled over, looking utterly ordinary.
“Fellow Daoist, this book belongs to our Scripture Pavilion. The note Xiaoyun signed only gave you permission to enter the Scripture Pavilion and browse as you please, but it never said you could take it with you, did it?”
The voice was weathered and full of history, coming from a gaunt-faced old man.
He spoke slowly, yet with an unmistakable, brook-no-argument tone.
“Elder Tao.” Lu Yang cupped his fists in salute. This elder belonged to the same generation as his grandmaster, had retired here to guard the Scripture Pavilion, and possessed an unfathomable cultivation.
Jiang Lianyi let out a cold scoff and revealed her true countenance, paying little heed to the old man.
“The Phoenix Clan Ancient Ancestor?!” Elder Tao’s eyes widened abruptly, his eyelids twitching rapidly. As an elder of the older generation, his experience surpassed even that of the eight elders; he had seen statues of Jiang Lianyi in the Demon Domain.
“Heh. And what if I insist on taking it?”
Elder Tao was just as unyielding: “Then take it! It’s not like I’m stopping you!”
Lu Yang: “...”
...
While calm prevailed inside the Dao Seeking Sect, the outside world had already erupted into chaos as news spread of the Phoenix Clan Ancient Ancestor—the legendary ancient monster—awakening.
From the Demon Domain and the East Sea to the Buddhist Kingdom, from imperial courts to the martial world, across the Three Great Demonic Cults and through underground black markets—wherever cultivators dwelled, everyone was shaken by this news.
“The Phoenix Ancestor, who vanished for three hundred thousand years, is actually still alive? And her combat prowess hasn’t waned in the slightest, defeating Supreme Zhutian, who was known as the foremost figure beneath Immortals?”
“Not only that, the Phoenix Ancestor claims to be one of the Four Sovereigns of the Heavenly Court, and appearing alongside her at the founding ceremony of the Demon Empire was the young cult master of the Heavenly Court Cult!”
“The Heavenly Court Cult actually possesses such terrifying depth?!”
“See, what did I tell you? I said long ago that the Heavenly Court Cult is the real ancient Heavenly Court! Don’t go assuming it was made up just because you read a couple of books—the truth is right before our eyes!”
“The Phoenix Ancestor even personally revealed the Demon Celestial’s true form—it really is the auspicious kirin of legend!”
“And what’s more, Immortal Kirin and the Phoenix Ancestor are actually husband and wife! The foundation of the Phoenix Clan far exceeds what the world imagined. No wonder there were ancient rumors that no half-immortal dared cross the Phoenix Ancestor—with Immortal Kirin backing her up, who indeed would dare?”
In a small tavern, thoroughly inebriated patrons were discussing the affairs of the Demon Domain with vivid animation, speaking as though they had witnessed that earth-shattering battle between half-immortals with their own eyes.
“Wait, Supreme Zhutian and the Phoenix Ancestor... that means the Demon Domain has two half-immortals?”
On the surface, none of the major factions had a half-immortal; the Tribulation Transcendence stage was the absolute peak. In that case, the Demon Domain had instantly leaped to become the most formidable power.
“A half-immortal...”
Whether great Foundation Establishment cultivators or old Nascent Soul monsters, mentioning the realm of half-immortal inspired a profound sense of awe. That was a realm they could never hope to attain in their lifetimes.
In fact, most Foundation Establishment cultivators hadn’t even known the “half-immortal” realm existed. Learning about it from others gave them a piece of trivia they could take back and show off to their peers.
Soul Formation cultivators were considered pillars of the cultivation world. With sharper instincts, they caught the whiff of something unusual.
“Two ancient half-immortals waking up in succession is likely no coincidence. This is the prelude to the struggle of the Golden Age...”
An old man wearing a grimy Daoist robe listened to the news while taking desultory sips of his drink, feeling even more sentimental than the rest.
*How did Little Yang get in contact with the Phoenix Ancestor and swindle her into our Heavenly Court Cult? Even I couldn’t pull off something like that.*
Daoist Buyu was utterly baffled. Every time he heard news about his youngest disciple, it shattered his prior understanding.
*Little Yang has some nerve, daring to con even the Phoenix Ancestor. When I see him next, I must tell him: when you deceive someone, don’t pick people you can’t afford to provoke. That’s just begging for disaster.*
Daoist Buyu was highly experienced in deception, and surviving to this day wasn’t by mere luck; he had a bottom line, which was to never, ever provoke someone he couldn’t afford to mess with.
With someone of the Phoenix Ancestor’s caliber, for instance, he would certainly run far, far away at first sight and avoid meeting her entirely.
*Hm? Someone’s coming?*
Daoist Buyu keenly sensed a Body Integration powerhouse approaching him, with a savage aura that didn’t feel human!
A burly middle-aged man stepped into the tavern and sat down beside Daoist Buyu, his deep voice carrying deference toward knowledge.
“I heard that the most popular pingshu storytelling performance nowadays, *Legend of the Dao Seeking Sect*, was penned by you. Are you still taking on disciples?”
Taking a good look at the middle-aged man’s appearance, Daoist Buyu froze for a second. “Clan Head Jin?”
Chapter 631