Chapter 69
Feng Chiyue wasn’t trying to defend those young immortals. Their lives were irrelevant to her. She simply didn’t want Ming Jian Su to feel conflicted. She spoke calmly, then, under Ming Jian Su’s attentive gaze, added, “Have Que Chenyi contact them.”
“Will the feathered immortals in the Realm Beyond Heaven really stand up for their juniors?” Ming Jian Su asked, skeptical. After all, the elders from Danxue Mountain had summoned Star Monarchs from the Realm Beyond Heaven, and they had agreed, but in the end, they had only sent two pathetic manifestations. It was clear that they valued their lives more than anything else.
“How could they ignore the potential eradication of their lineages?” Feng Chiyue said with a smile. “And those in the Realm Beyond Heaven, whether human or otherworldly, are all afraid of death. They’ll be happy to just talk.”
Ming Jian Su nodded, considering her words. They made sense. If those Star Monarchs had been bolder, they would have already come to the Heavenly Court instead of just sending the Blood Sun Devouring Ring. The cultivators in the Lower Realm of the Realm Beyond Heaven were difficult to categorize. Those who had truly severed their ties with the world and were solely focused on their cultivation had ascended to the Upper Realm. Those who remained had abandoned their positions in the Heavenly Court but were unwilling to completely erase their presence, still influencing it in various ways. They desired both the peace of the Realm Beyond Heaven and the authority they had held in the Immortal Realm. With such conflicting desires, the various factions in the Realm Beyond Heaven wouldn’t truly fight each other.
However, if those Vermilion Birds and Golden Pheasants in the Realm Beyond Heaven learned about the “sacrifices,” they would definitely approach those aligned with the Heavenly Emperor, hindering their plans. In a battle, it wasn’t the enemy’s strength that was most dangerous, but their unity. If they were united, with no internal strife, they could focus all their efforts on the external threat.
Having made a decision, Ming Jian Su sent a message to Que Chenyi, instructing her to protect the feathered immortals in Danxue Mountain and subtly warn those scattered throughout the Immortal Realm. Then, she and Feng Chiyue discussed how to deal with the “Blood Sun Devouring Ring.” This artifact’s unique characteristic was its limitless capacity to absorb and release power. If the Heavenly Emperor was ruthless enough to sacrifice the entire Immortal Realm, it would unleash unimaginable power. If he wielded that power, it would be incredibly difficult to defeat him.
“Once activated, this artifact will constantly devour everything,” Feng Chiyue said. “Any attack against it will be distorted or absorbed. It’s pure yang energy, extremely powerful and aggressive.”
Ming Jian Su raised an eyebrow. “So we can’t destroy it, only seal it?” she asked. She thought for a moment, then, growing tired of thinking, said, “It’s their toy. Let the Celestial Mother worry about it.”
Seeing her lazy attitude, Ming Jian Su stopped talking, not wanting to bore her with such matters.
Feng Chiyue yawned, covering her mouth with her hand, then looked up at Ming Jian Su. “I’ve been having some dreams lately,” she said.
“What kind of dreams?”
“Old dreams,” she said with a smile. “Dreams with you and me.” Her Elder Sister was Suxin’s reincarnation, but her memories contained no trace of Suxin. She had initially decided to let it go, but seeing Ming Jian Su’s wistful expression, she had patiently searched for any relevant clues.
Perhaps that long wait had been too agonizing. Both the good and the bad had been buried deep within her.
There had been no need to remember in the past, but now, she had a reason to retrieve those memories.
In the Celestial Feather Ministry.
Upon receiving the message, Que Chenyi subtly warned the feathered immortals. Most of them had a few close friends and quickly spread the news about the “Blood Sun Devouring Ring.” It didn’t take long for the wandering immortals to learn about it. However, their reactions varied. Those who had been wavering, believing that the Emperor’s possession of such a weapon meant victory, were persuaded by the officials and abandoned their seclusion. But others were filled with fear.
After all, a similar “sacrificial” event had occurred a thousand years ago. How could they be sure that they wouldn’t be the next victims?
In the new Danxue Mountain, after the deaths of the elders from the Vermilion Bird, Golden Pheasant, and other lineages, only those wandering immortals who hadn’t been close to them remained. Although they had survived, they were still traumatized by that day’s events. They had no time to worry about others and ignored the Heavenly Court’s recruitment efforts.
Yuan Wuxin was in this state when she saw the news. The word “sacrifices” triggered her anxiety, and she quickly imagined the worst-case scenario. She ventured out, exploring the area around Danxue Mountain, and noticed many unfamiliar officials. Her sense of foreboding intensified. She gathered the young immortals from various lineages and informed them of the Emperor’s intentions. They were shocked and outraged.
“Let’s join the Celestial Feather Ministry,” a Bifang immortal suggested.
Yuan Wuxin smiled bitterly. “Haven’t you noticed that they’ve also rejected Phoenix Mountain?” she asked. What hope did they have, the descendants of traitors? She took a deep breath, looking at her bewildered companions. “We can only ask our ancestors in the Realm Beyond Heaven for help,” she said coldly.
The feathered Star Monarchs in the Realm Beyond Heaven had already learned about the Phoenix Sovereign’s return and her slaughter of the traitors. Thus, when the Heavenly Court requested their assistance, they had unanimously agreed to deal with the Celestial Feather Ministry. After all, they had also been involved in that past incident. If the Sovereign sought revenge, none of them would escape. They had united to suppress her a thousand years ago. They could do it again.
They were willing to help the Heavenly Court, but they wouldn’t tolerate the Emperor using their descendants as sacrifices for the Blood Sun Devouring Ring, attempting to eradicate their lineages. They approached Qing Hong Star Monarch, a former retainer of the previous Heavenly Emperor, who had once been in charge of the Heavenly Prosperity Department. He was the one who had crafted the Blood Sun Devouring Ring. He hadn’t participated in the Fall of the Phoenix, having spent most of his time in seclusion, refining the artifact, but upon hearing about the shifting Mandate of Heaven and the Celestial Mother’s Taiji Dao Body, he had emerged from seclusion to assist the current Emperor.
Upon arriving at his abode, they were met with a withered figure in purple robes, his hair white as snow, his skin dry and shrunken, as if all flesh and blood had been drained, leaving only a thin layer of dark skin clinging to his bones. They were startled. In their memories, Qing Hong Star Monarch had been handsome and elegant. How had he become like this?
He ignored their surprised expressions. Crafting the Blood Sun Devouring Ring had come at a price. He himself had been its first sacrifice. Compared to the stability and continuity of the Heavenly Court, his life was insignificant. “What brings you to my humble abode, Fellow Daoists?” he asked. His voice was still youthful and clear, but coming from that withered body, it sounded distorted and eerie.
They composed themselves. “We’re willing to help the Emperor suppress the rebellion,” a Star Monarch said coldly, “but is it appropriate for him to use our descendants as sacrifices?”
Qing Hong Star Monarch raised an eyebrow and smiled faintly. “Why wouldn’t it be appropriate?” He was willing to sacrifice his life for the greater good. Why couldn’t those juniors?
“He’s already crafted that artifact. Why are you still trying to reason with him, Fellow Daoist?” a Star Monarch from the Bifang lineage asked, his tone impatient. He glanced at Qing Hong Star Monarch, his gaze critical, then added maliciously, “I think he’s suffering from the artifact’s backlash.”
Qing Hong Star Monarch didn’t get angry or argue, maintaining his smile, which seemed even more unsettling now.
“Fine,” the Bifang Star Monarch said, his voice filled with anger. “If you insist on doing this, don’t blame us for interfering. Do you think you’re the only ones with artifacts?”
Qing Hong Star Monarch’s eyebrows twitched. He stopped smiling, his expression turning blank. “What do you intend to do, Fellow Daoists?” he asked.
“Find any sacrifices you want,” the Bifang Star Monarch declared, “but if you touch our descendants, we’ll retaliate.” His words, imbued with power, echoed through Qing Hong Star Monarch’s abode, reaching not only him but also the other Star Monarchs in the Realm Beyond Heaven. There were many human Star Monarchs there. They wouldn’t care about the potential eradication of otherworldly lineages.
The commotion in the Realm Beyond Heaven naturally reached the Heavenly Emperor’s ears.
Upon learning that there were no ascending human immortals, he was furious. Only after Si Li Star Monarch’s reminder did he remember those forgotten descendants of the Vermilion Birds, Bifang, and other lineages. They had been rejected by the feathered lineages and lacked a strong leader. They were scattered and vulnerable. But just as he was about to act, a warning arrived from the Realm Beyond Heaven.
Everyone on the Chaos Mirror was talking about the Blood Sun Devouring Ring. He had never revealed its existence. How did they know? Had the information come from the Realm Beyond Heaven? The Star Monarchs there were never truly united. Who was Chang Yi’s informant?
“What should we do, Your Majesty?” Si Li Star Monarch asked. There were no newly ascended human immortals, the Vermilion Birds and Bifang lineages were protected by the feathered Star Monarchs in the Realm Beyond Heaven, and the wandering immortals were scattered and elusive. Finding enough sacrifices to activate the artifact wouldn’t be easy. They could sacrifice some of their own officials and attendants, but that would cause chaos in the Heavenly Court. Such a method was too cruel.
The Emperor’s eyes flickered. “What’s the situation on the battlefield?” he asked coldly. “Are there any captured demons?”
“After the West Sea Lord and the Polaris Lord went to the battlefield, the demons stopped advancing,” Si Li Star Monarch replied, his head bowed. “We’re at a stalemate. We captured a few demon generals initially, but the Heavenly Princess, after arriving, exchanged them for the immortals who were captured in Asura City.” Now, everyone was praising her kindness. The most volatile area, after the initial deployment of troops, had unexpectedly become peaceful. No one could predict what would happen next.
Hearing this, the Emperor was furious. Everyone was making things difficult for him.
“Should we target the Four Seas?” Si Li Star Monarch asked.
His previous emissary had been killed upon arriving in the East Sea, a blatant disregard for the Heavenly Court’s authority. He wanted to punish them, but the Blood Sun Devouring Ring was special. He had to set aside that thought for now. He couldn’t touch people yet, but he couldn’t wait any longer for sacrifices. He thought for a moment. “Gather all the rare birds and beasts kept by various departments,” he said coldly. These creatures were otherworldly but hadn’t developed sentience. They weren’t born Heavenly Immortals. He would use them as the initial sacrifice, testing the Blood Sun Devouring Ring’s power.
Si Li Star Monarch sighed in relief and hurriedly agreed. He had been afraid that the Emperor would demand human sacrifices. Where could he find enough immortals?
A few days later, a ring suddenly appeared above Kunlun Mountain, flames swirling across its surface, its aura growing stronger, overwhelming the pure light of the Heavenly Court’s palaces. All the immortals sensed it and, glancing up at the Blood Sun Devouring Ring, felt a pang of fear, as if they were about to be consumed by that blazing sun.
The wandering immortals on the Chaos Mirror had already learned about the artifact. Now, seeing it activated, hanging in the sky like a miniature sun, they were both awestruck and puzzled.
This Blood Sun Devouring Ring could only be activated with sacrifices. Who were the first victims?
Soon, a series of questions appeared on the Chaos Mirror.
“Has anyone seen my friend who often comes to play Go with me?”
“So I’m not the only one whose friend has disappeared? I have a friend from the Bifang lineage. Of course, she wasn’t involved in those evil deeds. Now, she’s vanished without a trace.”
“Hey, has anyone seen my Golden Pheasant friend?”
…
More and more people reported missing friends. They didn’t need to say it explicitly. Everyone naturally thought of the Blood Sun Devouring Ring. Had their friends been captured by the Heavenly Court and used as sacrifices? If the Heavenly Court was treating them this way, who would be next?
In Morning Phoenix Mountain.
Zhu Wan withdrew her consciousness from the Chaos Mirror. She preferred participating in online discussions to practicing swordsmanship.
The voices of doubt were growing louder. Even the Heavenly Mechanism Department’s attempts to clarify the situation were useless.
A smile of satisfaction spread across her face. Her cultivation might be lacking, but this was her true battlefield.
Although their Cinnabar Jade was rapidly depleting, it didn’t matter. Soon, she would be counting their new spoils of war.
Her Master, no, she was now a Phoenix Immortal Monarch, would never let their treasury run dry.
In the new Danxue Mountain, Yuan Wuxin and the others, seeing the messages on the Chaos Mirror, felt a mix of emotions. As the “friends” mentioned, if they revealed themselves, they could easily debunk those rumors. But if they did, Ming Jian Su would kill them before they could even become sacrifices.
“Don’t leave the mountain, and don’t use the Chaos Mirror,” Yuan Wuxin warned her companions. But after a moment of thought, she realized that even the mountain wasn’t safe. The Heavenly Emperor had been falsely accused. Wouldn’t he come to investigate? She was about to speak when a full moon silently appeared in the sky. A flash of light blinded them, and they lost consciousness. By the time the Heavenly Court’s emissaries arrived, the new Danxue Mountain was deserted.
The Heavenly Court immediately suspected Ming Jian Su and Feng Chiyue.
Feng Chiyue, under the Heavenly Mechanism Department’s accusatory announcement, wrote boldly, “If we wanted to kill them, we would have done it already. Why bother with such elaborate schemes?”
The Celestial Mother had abducted those immortals. What did it have to do with them? This time, she was truly righteous.
In the Great Yin Palace.
The Celestial Mother stood before the hall, her hands clasped behind her back.
She hadn’t abducted them without reason. First, she needed to ensure the credibility of those “rumors.” Second, she was protecting their lives. The feathered Star Monarchs in the Realm Beyond Heaven were closely monitoring the situation. When they discovered that they couldn’t contact their juniors, they would panic. Then she would spread a few more rumors, and those aligned with the Heavenly Emperor in the Realm Beyond Heaven wouldn’t be able to rely on the feathered Star Monarchs anymore.
Things unfolded as she had predicted.
The feathered Star Monarchs in the Realm Beyond Heaven, upon receiving the news, were furious and confronted Qing Hong Star Monarch.
He didn’t care about the fate of those feathered immortals. The impatience and mockery in his voice as he tried to appease them only fueled their suspicions. After a heated argument, they parted ways on bad terms.
They might be angry enough to confront Qing Hong Star Monarch and his allies, but they wouldn’t risk their lives for those juniors. However, they couldn’t shake their frustration. Even after returning to their abodes, they remained restless.
“If you continue to appease them, Fellow Daoist, they’ll only become bolder,” a voice, clear and crisp like flowing water, said from beside him as the Bifang Star Monarch sat in meditation in his abode. He was startled. “Who’s there?” he asked, grabbing his sword, his aura surging.
The newcomer, wearing a golden crown and a green dress, held a lotus bud in her hand, her aura ethereal and elegant.
He relaxed upon recognizing her, his aura subsiding. “So it’s Fellow Daoist Bi Xiao,” he said. Bi Xiao was well-liked in the Realm Beyond Heaven, friendly with both human and otherworldly Star Monarchs. He had engaged in philosophical debates with her before. It was she who had informed them about their descendants becoming sacrifices. He trusted her more than that creepy Qing Hong Star Monarch.
She bowed to him. “I apologize for my intrusion, Fellow Daoist,” she said, smiling.
“I haven’t thanked you yet,” he replied, returning the gesture. “That old Qing Hong is truly despicable. He doesn’t respect us at all!”
“He was indeed in the wrong,” she agreed. “There are so many artifacts. Why did he have to choose that vicious weapon that devours everything?” She paused, then added, “The chaos in the Immortal Realm needs to be addressed, but not with such methods.”
His eyes flickered. “Do you have a better idea, Fellow Daoist?” He didn’t want the Heavenly Emperor to lose, but he also didn’t want to swallow this humiliation. That old Qing Hong was two-faced. He had promised to help them, but he had still betrayed them. Using feathered immortals as sacrifices… wasn’t he implying that they were useless?
She smiled faintly. “The Heavenly Court doesn’t have only one ruler.”
He immediately understood. The Celestial Mother was also born from the Mandate of Heaven. Qing Hong Star Monarch and his allies wouldn’t reveal her cultivation of the Taiji Dao Body, so the feathered Star Monarchs were unaware that the Emperor and the Celestial Mother had parted ways. He pondered for a moment, then bowed deeply to her. “We have something,” he said, “an artifact crafted by all of us after entering the Realm Beyond Heaven. Would you deliver it to the Celestial Mother?”
She understood their intentions. They still didn’t want to directly confront Qing Hong Star Monarch and his allies. But that was fine. Obtaining the artifact was a good thing. She hesitated, claiming that she didn’t want to take credit for such a great deed. He had to spend a considerable amount of effort persuading her before she finally agreed.
A few days later, Ming Jian Su received the artifact from the Celestial Mother.
“May I ask who your allies are in the Realm Beyond Heaven?” she asked curiously.
The Celestial Mother didn’t reveal any names. “The one who gave you the map of the Lower Realm when you entered the Realm Beyond Heaven,” she said simply.
Ming Jian Su was surprised. It hadn’t been a random act of kindness but rather the Celestial Mother’s arrangement.
She turned her attention to the artifact. This collaborative creation, called “Feathers United,” was a small, white feather, only a few inches long.
She glanced at it, then handed it to Feng Chiyue.
“This artifact contains the auras of various feathered lineages,” Feng Chiyue said. “It was likely crafted using their blood essence. It can unite the power of the feathered lineages or act as a protective shield, sharing the burden of any attack. As long as it’s not a force capable of instantly killing everyone, this artifact can withstand it, and those under its protection won’t be harmed.” She casually tossed the artifact onto the table and, suppressing her disgust towards those Star Monarchs, added fairly, “It’s a decent artifact.”
Ming Jian Su nodded. “It’s best for Que Chenyi and the others to use it.” She paused, then, looking at Feng Chiyue, she said, “It bears the marks of those feathered Star Monarchs. If they descend from the Realm Beyond Heaven, they can easily recall it. It’s a potential risk.”
“But if we erase their marks, they’ll sense it, and it will complicate things for the Celestial Mother.”
Feng Chiyue blinked. “Then we’ll just apologize to her?”
Ming Jian Su pondered. She still had a sliver of conscience. She wouldn’t deliberately betray the Celestial Mother. “We are allies,” she said. “We should inform her first. Perhaps she can ‘borrow’ other useful artifacts from those Star Monarchs?”
The Celestial Mother chuckled upon receiving the news.
Did they think powerful artifacts were as common as cabbages? With the Dragon Cauldron Palace in the Heavenly Prosperity Department providing artifacts, the immortals rarely bothered crafting them themselves. Their skills were mediocre, and naturally, no exceptional artifacts were created. As for those from the Heavenly Prosperity Department, they enjoyed endless benefits regardless of their skills. Why bother putting in any effort? With such laziness, what powerful artifacts could they possibly create? If Qing Hong Star Monarch hadn’t been from the Heavenly Prosperity Department, hadn’t been in charge of the Dragon Cauldron Palace, and hadn’t possessed exceptional talent, he wouldn’t have been able to craft the Blood Sun Devouring Ring. As for those feathered Star Monarchs, they had been driven by fear, diligently studying the art of artifact crafting to defend themselves against the Phoenix Sovereign’s potential revenge. They were naturally gifted with fire manipulation. It was only logical that they had stumbled upon some unique techniques.
Seeing her reply, a single word, “As you wish,” Ming Jian Su was relieved.
If her junior sister acted, using her phoenix fire to meticulously erase those marks, they might be able to prevent the Star Monarchs from noticing.
But she didn’t want her junior sister to be burdened by such a trivial matter.
She simply swept her sword energy across “Feathers United,” severing its connection to the Star Monarchs.
It was theirs now. There was no reason for it to be returned. It was “Feathers United”‘s honor to be in their possession.
The moment the marks were erased, the feathered Star Monarchs in the Realm Beyond Heaven were jolted awake from their meditation.
The artifact was connected to their souls. They had felt that chilling sword energy, as if it had passed through their hearts. Fear and alarm filled their faces.
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