In the heavens above, the ancient bronze tree vine rooted in Taiyin was withering at a rapid pace. Despite being a part of the great cosmic order, it was merely a tiny seedling of the mighty bronze tree, ultimately unable to compete with the grand scheme of the nation.
Once the decline began, there was no turning back.
The City of Divine Beings was caught in a chaotic upheaval, suddenly thrown off balance.
No one could see what was happening up in the heavens, but nine fierce dragons surged forth majestically from the blazing sun, radiating authority that demanded no dissent.
Finally, the court made its move, didn’t it?
Many faces brightened up.
What they didn’t realize was that the power manifested from the nation’s fortune was precisely the source of impending doom.
…..
Ying Bing stood alone in front of Taiyin, her brows bearing the mark of the Original Phoenix’s three souls flickering in and out of existence.
The bl**d Phoenix Essence, the Glow of the Dawn Phoenix, and the Jade Phoenix Divine three souls shone brilliantly, drawing together the fragmented Heavenly Phoenix Domain—a matter of life and d*ath for everyone else was originally not that hard for her to handle.
But at this critical moment, she had to deal with external enemies as well.
In her hand, the Moon Shadow hung low, the tip of the sword rising, tracing out a perfect full moon, as the blade flowed against the current of time, blocking the shadow of those nine dragons.
Time flowed like water, yet the fortune of the nation surged unceasingly, rising and falling, dispersing and then re-gathering.
The shadows of the nine dragons still moved ominously below.
Crack—
They strained against the sky.
“Heaven and Earth unite, all things become one, the divine pities mortals, the other shore descends…”
The voice seemed to emanate from countless beings, a rumbling chant incomprehensible to mere mortals.
As the sound grew louder and more chaotic, the stars from the national blueprint blazed brightly!
The scene unfolding before Ying Bing stirred a ripple in her serene heart.
This ripple originated from familiarity.
It felt like something she had witnessed in a distant past.
“Do you want to repeat this little episode?” Her tone remained calm, though her heart sought the source of that familiar sensation.
Clearly, she had never experienced a similar event before.
“Hehehe…”
Empress Chuge’s voice carried delight, as if her speculations had been confirmed: “It seems you’ve remembered your existence long ago, no wonder… no wonder you know so much about matters that don’t belong to your realm, aside from your innate talent.”
“No wonder you went to the South Border ahead of time, seizing the Jade Phoenix Divine to obstruct Han Zhen.”
“Heaven and Earth are indifferent, treating all things as mere tools, the great Dao is impartial. You claim you’ve truly died, but you’re lying! You’re the most hypocritical deceiver under heaven and earth! For you, I feel like I have to tread carefully like I’m wearing someone else’s skin…”
Ying Bing wore an icy expression, seeming to take little notice of Empress Chuge’s vulnerabilities.
A deceiver?
What had she lied to the other about?
Was it the reason that even if they destroyed the Heavenly Phoenix Domain, they insisted on keeping her around?
No…
Ying Bing recalled someone long gone, yet familiar, whom she had seen in the Jade Phoenix Divine and in her dreams.
Ying Huang?
What did the head of the Nine Immortals mean when she spoke of those who learn from her living and those who d*e by her example?
Ying Bing’s thoughts began to scatter.
“Oh, by the way, that pawn of yours is running out of time. You’re not still counting on him to help you, are you?”
Empress Chuge’s voice resounded once more.
“He…”
“Hmm?”
Chuge paused, noticing that Ying Bing seemed a bit different now.
Phoenix feathers appeared, igniting gradually, burning with the eternal essence of the True Phoenix, her aura growing ever more terrifying.
“He’s not a pawn.”
A pure, jade-like hand extended, pointing into the part of the Heavenly Phoenix Domain occupied by the national blueprint—the great sun in the heavenly dome.
In this tense Heavenly Phoenix Domain, it felt as if a tightrope was being pulled, both sides in a tug-of-war.
Both forces were immense, equally balanced.
But it was like the boundary of the City of Divine Beings, nearing its breaking point.
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Setting
…
In a corner of the City of Divine Beings.
A fierce wind howled as a storm swirled, bringing devastation and chaos.
The storm destroyed everything in its path, and even the granite flowers left nothing behind with a single gust.
“Turns out, I’ve already gone through many cycles…”
Feng Zhi stood all alone at the edge of the bustling Human City, her gaze growing complex.
These numerous cycles didn’t begin with the Divine Beings’ trials; it stretched back to an even more ancient past, as she began to remember where she had come from.
Da Shang.
Standing here today and facing choices—this was something she’d done countless times before.
“But it’s the first time I have an older sister and brother-in-law…”
Feng Zhi glanced up.
In the ruins of the City of Heaven, a giant stood amidst the wreckage. Nobody knew what he continued to endure, but everyone knew he was once a child of the wilderness.
Taiyin still hung high in the sky, no longer a place of freedom.
Even standing this far from home, it felt just like standing in front of a furnace in Great King Village, where she could see their figures.
“Let’s hope this is the last time.”
Carefully folding a bright red cotton coat and leaving it behind, Feng Zhi vanished.
The next moment, she appeared in the eye of the storm, transformed into a gentle breeze.
Having found her place, she would carry the storm back home.
….
“I can’t escape, and neither can you…”
Amidst the ruins, Ke Mo’s vision was blurred as he echoed the bl**d God’s earlier words.
The external forces continued to roll in, which was why he remained bloodied and unable to move, yet still managed to maintain the illusion of heaven and earth.
He no longer had the energy to ponder the deeper meaning of those words.
Straining his gaze through the dissipating bl**d clouds, what first caught his eye was the chaotic remnants of the City of Divine Beings.
Ruined walls and scattered debris, countless corpses.
He stood on a high point, hearing nothing below, yet seeing the distant places alive with activity.
As heaven and earth merged, natural disasters flourished.
Volcanoes erupted, sending forth scarlet debris, the thick smoke raised dust, making the area sink into darkness.
The parched ground looked like rotten cookies, torn apart by the rising serpents and dragons, crashing violently against each other.
A ten-thousand-foot storm raged, like a blender tearing everything to shreds, incorporating it into its jagged exterior.
Before long, this place would cease to exist even in silence, turning into an empty void.
The proud Celestial beings were returning themselves to this profound heaven and earth.
How similar was that to the moths rushing toward the flame that Ke Mo witnessed in the Heavenly Phoenix Domain?
That gentle gaze, transcending time, met his own.
Silently waiting for him to make his choice.
Waiting for him to grasp his inner reality.
“This time, I might not get married after all…”
Ke Mo mumbled to himself, grabbing the Ruyi Jingu Bang, which was stuck in the field, and with a forceful tug, pulled it out.
