Chapter 59
The Heavenly Dao of a Minor Realm could be a stone, a piece of seaweed, or anything else. It was intricately connected to the entire realm, but its strongest link was naturally the place with the most abundant spiritual energy, the person with the most potent destiny. Therefore, upon entering the Minor Realm, Ming Jian Su and Feng Chiyue had headed straight for the most prosperous area, the towering parasol tree.
Ming Jian Su studied the leading phoenix. Each Minor Realm had its own cultivation system, but judging from her abundant spiritual energy, she was among the strongest, her cultivation reaching its peak, only a step away from ascending to the Heavenly Court. The other phoenixes behind her were slightly weaker. “Apologies for intruding upon your territory,” Ming Jian Su said, although she had no intention of leaving.
Before the leading phoenix could respond, one of the others behind her glared at them. “Intruding? This divine tree reaches the heavens. Those who are not of our kind are forbidden to approach. Your auras are unfamiliar. You don’t belong here!” She had no patience for those who dared to desecrate their sacred land. If the leader hadn’t glared at her, she would have continued berating them.
Feng Chiyue chuckled. “Then this tree belongs to us now,” she declared, her tone as domineering as ever. Ming Jian Su facepalmed, while the phoenixes were enraged, summoning their weapons. Feng Chiyue simply smiled at them, unafraid. Even if they all attacked together, they wouldn’t be a match for her and Ming Jian Su.
“What is your purpose?” the leading phoenix asked, her voice cold and stern, suppressing her anger. She couldn’t discern their origins. They had appeared on the divine tree silently. They were definitely not ordinary cultivators. A few days ago, a massive vortex had appeared in the sky, tearing through half the heavens. Were they connected to that phenomenon? She knew all the prominent cultivators in the Minor Realm. She had no recollection of these two. Perhaps they were outsiders? But what was their purpose? To conquer their land? Her mind raced, but her expression remained impassive.
Ming Jian Su had never served as an emissary to the lower realms, but having ascended from one, she had heard countless stories. For instance, the Minor Realm she had come from had been resource-poor when discovered by the Immortal Realm. The official had simply presented the Heavenly Court’s token and, with the help of the local cultivators, had successfully extracted the Minor Realm’s nascent Heavenly Dao. Of course, there had also been unsuccessful attempts. Some Minor Realms had treated the emissaries as invaders, forcing them to resort to violence. Facing these phoenixes, Ming Jian Su had a plan. She had no intention of fighting. She blinked. “Are you aware of the upper realms?” she asked instead of answering.
Her question caused their expressions to change dramatically. A sharp phoenix cry pierced the air, and the parasol tree’s branches swayed. Hundreds of streaks of light shot out from its dense canopy, transforming into young men and women, their forms ethereal and beautiful under the multicolored glow. However, their expressions were hostile, their auras filled with killing intent.
Ming Jian Su had her answer. They knew about the upper realms, and they held a grudge.
“Junior Sister?” she asked, turning to Feng Chiyue. “What should we do?”
“Kill…” Feng Chiyue frowned, cutting herself off. She didn’t look at the hostile phoenixes but stared at the sky. Ming Jian Su almost simultaneously sensed a familiar aura hiding nearby. Someone else had entered the Minor Realm. The officials assigned to accompany her likely couldn’t cross the sea of fire. The only one capable of reaching this place was another Star Monarch acting on orders.
“Since you’ve arrived, why hide?” Ming Jian Su chuckled coldly. A glint of malice flashed in her eyes, and Undefeated, like a bolt of lightning, shot forward. Its sharp cry overwhelmed the phoenixes’ cries, and countless sword beams appeared, tearing through the surrounding spiritual energy, slashing towards Ming He Star Monarch’s hiding place.
He hadn’t expected them to discover him. Seeing the sword energy swirling towards him like a tornado, he hastily cast a spell and fled his hiding spot. He hovered in mid-air, looking down at the feathered immortals with disdain. “So this Minor Realm is filled with demons and monsters,” he said. Before they could respond, he continued, “I bear the Heavenly Emperor’s decree. This realm has been designated as a lower realm of the Heavenly Court.” However, he didn’t believe his own words. This Minor Realm was filled with phoenixes who had fallen into demonhood, their cultivation tainted by demonic energy. They fit the Emperor’s description of a “special situation.” His goal wasn’t to extract the Minor Realm’s nascent Heavenly Dao and integrate it into the Merit Mirror but to destroy it completely.
The phoenixes’ expressions changed drastically. Both Ming Jian Su and Feng Chiyue, as well as the sudden appearance of Ming He Star Monarch, filled them with alarm. “You… you’re all from that place?” the leading phoenix asked, her voice trembling. Then, her tone turned hateful. “You want us to submit? What a delusional dream!” She cast a spell, and golden light erupted from the parasol tree. Countless mystical runes appeared on its branches and leaves, covering it in a golden glow.
Ming He Star Monarch watched with amusement. Their defiance gave him a reason to attack. He took out a jade folding fan and, with a gentle wave, released a stream of five-colored pure energy. It expanded in the wind, forming a long, swirling mist, grinding against the golden barrier. A grating sound echoed through the air. He ignored the phoenixes and turned his gaze to Ming Jian Su and Feng Chiyue, a mocking smile playing on his lips.
Ming Jian Su lifted her eyelids. Undefeated hummed beside her, eager for battle.
Feng Chiyue’s expression remained lazy. She reached out, her fingers brushing against the runes on the parasol tree’s branches. With a gentle tap, crimson flames erupted from the runes, sweeping towards the swirling mist. A strong wind blew, fueling the flames, and in an instant, the mist was consumed.
Ming He Star Monarch’s smile faltered. “What do you mean by this, Fellow Daoist Feng?” he asked.
Feng Chiyue glanced at him lazily. “Are you blind?”
His eye twitched. “Are you defying the Heavenly Emperor’s decree?” he threatened.
Feng Chiyue ignored him and turned to Ming Jian Su. “He was the one who tried to stop us in the Realm Beyond Heaven,” she said. They had let him go only because he had fled quickly, and they had been eager to assess their spoils of war. But now, he had appeared before them. Wasn’t this fate giving them a chance for revenge?
Ming Jian Su nodded. “Don’t worry, Junior Sister,” she said. She lowered her gaze, her aura surging outwards. However, as her power increased, her figure became translucent, as if she could vanish from this realm at any moment.
Ming He Star Monarch chuckled mockingly. He discreetly activated a treasure called the “Soul Devouring Array Diagram,” which he had been refining for a thousand years. It contained a millennium’s worth of his magic power. Its energy was connected to his but not entirely integrated. He could use it to exceed the Minor Realm’s limits. His eyes gleamed with malice, and he attacked. With a wave of his fan, he unleashed a blinding light towards Ming Jian Su. “You might be unrivaled in the Immortal Realm, East Abode Master,” he said, “but this is a Minor Realm. If you exceed its limits, you will be expelled. Be careful!”
“You should worry about yourself, Fellow Daoist,” Ming Jian Su said with a faint smile. Sword beams swirled around her like stars. Two more streaks of light shot out from between her eyebrows – Eternal Sword and Three Feet Above Heaven. She channeled her surging power into the swords, and her figure solidified.
His expression changed. There was no Chaos Mirror in the Realm Beyond Heaven. Although he had his sources of information, he hadn’t paid attention to many things he considered unimportant, such as Ming Jian Su’s swords. Now, three radiant swords, each unique in form, hovered before him. Even before they moved, their chilling sword intent had already dispelled his attack! He had the array diagram as his backup, but Ming Jian Su also possessed a method to divide her power. This battle might be tricky. His expression flickered with uncertainty. After a long moment, he said, “We’re both here under the Emperor’s orders. If we fight and both end up injured, someone else will benefit.”
Before Ming Jian Su could respond, Feng Chiyue scoffed. “Both end up injured?” she asked, her tone filled with disdain. “How arrogant can you be? My Elder Sister could kill you with ease.”
Ming He Star Monarch, always arrogant, had held a grudge against her ever since his defeat. Now, hearing her contemptuous tone, he felt a surge of anger. “You seem very confident in the East Abode Master, Fellow Daoist Feng,” he said coldly.
“As she should be,” Ming Jian Su said calmly. She didn’t even spare him a glance. She smiled at Feng Chiyue. “Wait for me,” she said confidently.
“Alright,” Feng Chiyue hummed. She felt that she should also contribute while her Elder Sister was working hard. “I’ll keep an eye on those phoenixes,” she said.
He wasn’t wrong. The phoenixes also considered them invaders and were now watching from the sidelines, waiting for an opportunity to drive them out. Some were staring at Ming Jian Su, while others were observing Feng Chiyue. The formation on the divine tree had always been impenetrable, protecting their lineage for a thousand years, but Feng Chiyue had touched it without any adverse effects and had even activated its fire essence – who was she?
Feng Chiyue’s actions were straightforward and brutal. To suppress the feathered immortals, especially those from the lower realms, she simply activated her “Virtuous Sound” divine ability.
Under its influence, their minds went blank. They couldn’t even think, let alone interfere in the battle.
Ming He Star Monarch, with a flick of his fan, unleashed a beam of blue light towards Ming Jian Su. This technique, called “Immobilizing Light,” could temporarily freeze an opponent, but it only lasted for a single breath. However, in a life-or-death battle, a single breath was enough. The light was unavoidable. Ming Jian Su’s eyelashes fluttered, and she activated her “Man and Sword as One” divine ability, transforming herself into a sword. The blue light immobilized Eternal Sword, and she emerged from Undefeated, her sword beam flashing as she unleashed the “Heavenly Dao’s Authority,” a technique that froze time and space. She had no reservations about fighting in this Minor Realm. Thinking about her junior sister waiting for her, she unleashed her killing move, “Heaven’s Edge Unbound,” aiming for his head.
A clang echoed through the air, as if she had struck unyielding iron. He released his grip, and a jade pendant shattered, its fragments scattering in the wind. He was surrounded by sharp sword energy, leaving him nowhere to escape. “You dare to kill me?” he asked, glaring at her.
“Why not?” she countered. He had been the one to attack first. She was simply defending herself.
He panicked. “Are you defying the Heavenly Court’s laws?”
“What nonsense are you talking about, Fellow Daoist?” she asked, her expression serious. “Didn’t you die at the hands of the demons? Don’t worry. I’ll avenge you.” Did he really think he could suppress her in this Minor Realm? She had ascended from the lower realms and was well-versed in suppressing her power and concealing her aura. How else could she have ascended to the Immortal Realm and become unrivaled?
“Elder Sister,” Feng Chiyue called out, impatient. Why was this taking so long?
Ming Jian Su focused. She didn’t know how many life-saving treasures he possessed. Heaven’s Edge Unbound only struck once. It was too slow! Her eyes turned cold. The gentle wind suddenly intensified, and countless sword beams, leaving only afterimages, shot forward, their speed and killing intent overwhelming. The air crackled with her murderous aura. He saw only a blinding white light, erasing everything from his vision, leaving only a vast expanse of white! His protective artifacts shattered simultaneously, and by the time he felt pain, his body and limbs had been severed, scattered like dust in the wind, leaving no trace of his existence. His soul tried to escape, but a red-black flame entangled him, silencing his scream before he could even utter it.
“Those from the Realm Beyond Heaven are all useless,” Feng Chiyue said, her tone dismissive. She tilted her head slightly and, when Ming Jian Su returned to her side, reached out and touched her cheek. Her heart, filled once more, finally had room for other thoughts. She glanced at the phoenixes.
They were drenched in cold sweat.
They were terrified not only by the blinding sword light that had obliterated everything but also by the silent control she had exerted over them. As their minds cleared, they realized that their thoughts had been completely suppressed. They had been powerless to resist. The leading phoenix, who had initially focused on Ming Jian Su with her sharp sword, now looked at Feng Chiyue, who was leaning against her, her posture casual. A lingering emptiness filled her mind, and when she met Feng Chiyue’s golden eyes, her body stiffened again. After a long moment, she finally spoke. “You’re not on the same side, but your goals are aligned, aren’t they?”
“Something like that,” Ming Jian Su said, her answer vague.
The phoenix, suppressing her fear and despair, said resolutely, “We will never become vassals of the Heavenly Court!”
Vassals? Well, it wasn’t entirely inaccurate. Ming Jian Su looked at her with amusement. “Do you wish to serve the Demon Realm?” she asked. Faint traces of demonic energy lingered around them. They weren’t cultivating pure spiritual energy.
“No!” the phoenix cried, her gaze fixed on them. “If you wish to take it by force, you’ll have to step over our dead bodies!”
Feng Chiyue glanced at these stubborn phoenixes, her heart devoid of any sympathy for her fellow clansmen. “How messy,” she said coldly. She didn’t want to stay in this Minor Realm any longer. Even a glimpse of those phoenixes in their true forms was torture. She tugged at Ming Jian Su’s sleeve. “I want to go back,” she said, her tone petulant.
Ming Jian Su had already noticed her bad mood, likely triggered by the phoenixes. She should have been more assertive and refused to bring her along. She sighed inwardly but kept her expression neutral. “Alright, alright,” she said, coaxing her gently. “We’ll go back right away.”
Feng Chiyue stared at her. “How soon is ‘right away’?”
Ming Jian Su: “…” The essence of “right away” was its ambiguity. How could she give a specific time? An idea struck her. She leaned towards Feng Chiyue and whispered in her ear, “It’s the same ‘right away’ you always say at night.” She felt embarrassed, her voice barely audible, but the words echoed in her mind like thunder, and a blush crept up her ears, deepening under Feng Chiyue’s questioning gaze.
Feng Chiyue pursed her lips. After a long moment, she looked at Ming Jian Su intently. “I’ll remember that,” she said.
Her gaze made Ming Jian Su’s heart race. Something felt off, but she had no time to dwell on it. The phoenix’s voice rang out again.
“Why aren’t you being repelled by the divine tree’s formation?”
“Perhaps it likes me,” Feng Chiyue replied casually. The golden flames in her eyes had vanished. She was staring at Ming Jian Su, her gaze unwavering. “I want to take this tree back to Dong’e Mountain,” she declared. Not even Dong’e Mountain, Danxue Mountain, or Phoenix Mountain had such a tall parasol tree.
Her increasingly outrageous demands drew hostile glares from the other phoenixes, but she ignored them.
The parasol tree hadn’t developed sentience. Moving it from this Minor Realm to Dong’e Mountain was impossible. Ming Jian Su didn’t say “no” directly. She simply lowered her gaze, her expression melancholic. “Don’t you like the peach trees I planted outside the Dharma Hall, Junior Sister?” she asked softly.
“I like them,” Feng Chiyue said.
“Then you don’t like the hammock on the peach tree?”
“I like it too.”
Ming Jian Su sighed. “Then you must not like the fruits.”
Feng Chiyue: “…” She frowned, realizing that Ming Jian Su didn’t like this tree. After a moment of deliberation, she said, “I don’t want it anymore, alright?”
Ming Jian Su, having achieved her goal, smiled, her gaze towards the phoenixes softening slightly.
The phoenixes: “…” They were discussing the ownership of their divine tree as if they weren’t even there! But they couldn’t defeat them. Frustration simmered within them.
Having appeased Feng Chiyue, Ming Jian Su finally had time to address the phoenixes. “Isn’t ascension and seeking the Dao every cultivator’s dream?” she asked calmly. “Why do you harbor such animosity towards the upper realms?”
“Will you give up if we tell you?” a young phoenix blurted out.
“I’ll consider it,” Ming Jian Su said. “Considering” simply meant delaying the inevitable. The outcome wouldn’t change.
Feng Chiyue was impatient with this back-and-forth. Countless phoenixes were perched on this tree, constantly flickering in and out of their true forms. She didn’t want to hear the word “ugly” from her Elder Sister. She tugged at Ming Jian Su’s sleeve. “There’s something strange about this parasol tree,” she said. “The Minor Realm’s nascent Heavenly Dao might be attached to it. Let’s just extract it directly.”
Ming Jian Su’s eyelids twitched. If they did that, regardless of whether the Heavenly Dao was there or not, the tree would likely wither. Many feathered lineages relied on this tree, and the phoenixes considered it sacred. This seemed wrong. She hesitated but didn’t try to dissuade Feng Chiyue. Her Qiankun bag contained a special spring water used to nourish fruit trees, crafted by the alchemists in the Celestial Feather Ministry. If the parasol tree truly lost its vitality, she would use her magic power and the spring water to revive it. As for her junior sister… her past had been too tragic. She would indulge her whims as long as it was within her power to fix any consequences. Besides, her junior sister had always been sensible. She likely had a plan.
Upon hearing those words, the phoenixes were ready to fight.
Ming Jian Su channeled her magic power, her sword beams swirling like a silver river, dazzling and dreamlike.
She stood before them, blocking their path.
Feng Chiyue slowly approached the parasol tree’s trunk, her robes billowing in the wind like flames, the bells on her waist tinkling melodiously, their sound gradually transforming into a long phoenix cry. The moment she touched the trunk, flames erupted, engulfing the entire tree.
But the branches didn’t wither, and the leaves didn’t fall.
From a distance, the tree seemed to be enveloped in an inferno. The wind whipped the flames, giving them the appearance of wings, resembling a giant phoenix ablaze.
It wasn’t just the phoenixes who cultivated in this Minor Realm. Almost the moment the phoenix totem appeared, cultivators from all over turned to look, their hearts filled with wonder and apprehension.
The phoenix spread its wings, unleashing a storm of fire.
The phoenixes gathered beneath the tree initially tried to break through Ming Jian Su’s barrier of sword energy, but upon seeing the totem, they froze. The leading phoenix had felt as if she had been plunged into an icy abyss, her body enveloped in coldness. But now, with a soft cracking sound, the ice encasing her began to melt, and she felt as if she had returned to a comforting sea of fire. Her heart pounded like a drum, its rhythm accelerating. She stared at the totem, her lips moving soundlessly. Her eyes reflected the immense flames, as if a fire were burning within them.
She couldn’t control her instincts. With a long, mournful cry, she transformed into her true form. Not just her, but all the feathered immortals present.
Ming Jian Su frowned. She had seen many birds paying homage to her junior sister in Dong’e Mountain, but even the banquet at Danxue Mountain couldn’t compare to this scene. She turned to look at Feng Chiyue, who was standing on a high branch, her gaze cold and aloof, like a deity looking down upon ants. A pang of pain stabbed at Ming Jian Su’s heart. This wasn’t the junior sister she wanted. Without hesitation, she stepped into the raging flames, like a crane dancing in fire.
Feng Chiyue blinked, her expression returning to normal. She smiled at Ming Jian Su, her eyes pleading. “Elder Sister,” she called out. Then, the massive phoenix totem raised its head, and with a piercing cry, it charged forward, sweeping all the gathered feathered immortals from the sky, until they were out of sight.
Ming Jian Su’s heart leaped into her throat. Anxiety surged within her, but she kept her expression neutral. She crossed the sea of fire and reached for Feng Chiyue, her voice gentle. “What’s wrong, Junior Sister?”
“Hug me,” Feng Chiyue said.
Ming Jian Su obeyed, pulling her into an embrace.
Feng Chiyue clung to her tightly. Their hearts pounded, their rhythms gradually synchronizing, as if merging into one. After a moment, she calmed down and, releasing Ming Jian Su, studied her intently. “I thought I saw you injured,” she finally said, her voice filled with lingering fear. “You were bleeding. I was so scared!”
This was bad. She had to forget it. That stupid tree… Elder Sister was right. It didn’t deserve to be in Dong’e Mountain.
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