Chapter 151: I Am Wang Ping

Huo Yunzi doubted he was hallucinating; in the lower realm, how could a true spirit Golden Crow's apparition appear? Even if merely an illusion, its aura was astonishingly real.

Looking at the red halo around it, it appeared exceedingly noble.

Just one glance could make one believe it was a true Golden Crow descending to the mortal world.

Huo Yunzi's thought merely passed through his mind for a moment, and below, the golden three-legged divine bird had already collided with his Sunset Human World Dao Technique.

This time it did not emit a heaven-shaking sound, because as the divine bird illusion approached the blue fireball, it directly opened its huge beak, continuously devouring strands of blue flame.

Wang Ping watched from below with extreme clarity; the illusion of a three-legged Golden Crow devoured at astonishing speed, almost changing with each breath—when the blue fireball fell to fifty meters altitude, its size had already shrunk from ten zhang to nine zhang.

After falling another ten meters, it became six zhang in size; this change was naturally seen by Huo Yunzi above.

But he did not stop it; instead, a hint of surprise and anticipation flickered in the depths of his eyes.

Thus, Wang Ping and Huo Yunzi fell into a strange calm, silently watching as the golden divine bird illusion frenziedly devoured the blue fireball.

This process did not last long; after only five breaths, the blue fireball was reduced to one zhang in size.

At this point, the visible three-legged divine bird illusion became even more lifelike, to the extent that its golden feathers could be seen.

The remaining one-zhang blue fireball was swallowed in one gulp by the divine bird illusion; Wang Ping's heart tightened suddenly, and Huo Yunzi aloft was the same.

Both of their eyes were fixed on the motionless divine bird illusion, especially Huo Yunzi—his cultivation realm caused his body to tremble uncontrollably.

If that divine bird illusion were truly a true spirit Golden Crow, even possessing just one-ten-thousandth of its divine might would be enough for him to roam the spiritual realm, easily break through to Void Refinement, and ascend to the spiritual world—none of that would be a problem.

After all, that is a true spirit Golden Crow! It belongs to legendary existence; even a single glance is a tremendous blessing.

Although he also wondered how a Foundation Establishment cultivator below could possess such a thing, it didn't matter; as long as he obtained that divine bird illusion, that would suffice.

Wang Ping, however, was not excited; at that moment he silently circulated the Qingdi Changsheng Gong, using wood-attribute spiritual power to quickly heal his bodily injuries.

However, this healing did not last long; suddenly, the divine bird above let out a long cry to the heavens.

Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!

This bird's cry was not only sharp, but also carried a hint of ferocity and a hint of nobility.

Somewhere deep in the wasteland, when the Golden Crow cried out, a figure bound by chains opened his eyes; his head lifted slightly, and his pair of black pupils seemed to pierce the earth, directly gazing at that mass of divine bird illusion.

Neither of them knew this. The change continued; suddenly, two small-sun-like lights blazed at its head, and the divine bird opened its eyes.

Clatter!

Its wings likewise unfolded simultaneously; the splendid, mysterious golden wings seemed to draw in the surrounding sunlight, as if the world held nothing but that pair of golden wings.

"Hahaha! Truly a Golden Crow illusion—upon opening its eyes, it actually gained a hint of possibility to become real; my fortune has arrived."

Huo Yunzi laughed triumphantly; then he flickered his body, instantly arriving beside the three-legged Golden Crow illusion, and a large hand condensed from fire-attribute spiritual power reached out to seize the divine bird illusion.

Before Wang Ping could act, the divine bird illusion rapidly shrank; in the blink of an eye it became a fire-red pearl the size of a lychee, though inside the pearl a golden three-legged divine bird stood still with eyes closed.

When Huo Yunzi's large hand reached for it, it slipped through the gaps between his fingers at extreme speed; after a few flickers, it returned to Wang Ping's side.

Huo Yunzi grasped at empty air; involuntarily he turned his gaze to Wang Ping, but this time, upon seeing that red pearl, doubt appeared in his eyes.

Just moments ago he thought that red halo was the aura emitted by the Golden Crow illusion; now he clearly knew the Golden Crow illusion was being nurtured within that red pearl.

The more Huo Yunzi looked, the more doubtful he became—how could that red pearl resemble his own spirit pearl so closely?

At first Huo Yunzi hadn't thought along those lines, but once doubt arose, the more he looked, the more he felt that red pearl was heading toward his spirit pearl.

"Junior! The white spirit pearl you hold in your hand is mine!" Huo Yunzi shouted.

Wang Ping did not respond; instead, he flipped his palm, and placed that red pearl back into his dantian—the embryonic True Solar Fire absorbed the vast spiritual fire of a Golden Core cultivator, already fallen into slumber, and in a short time it could no longer provide motive power.

"Hehe! Not speaking, do you think I wouldn't guess? You must have obtained a bit of True Solar Fire, then placed it into the spirit pearl to nurture; the spirit pearl seizes the work of creation of heaven and earth, placing True Solar Fire within it naturally nurtures a Golden Crow—although now merely an illusion, if enough exotic fire is gathered, it may not be impossible to turn illusion into reality, allowing a true Golden Crow to manifest in the world."

"Hahaha! Lan Ming, I want to thank you for bringing me this opportunity! I will not intervene again; I'll simply wait for the time when your great formation is ready, then see what you can do, hahaha……"

Huo Yunzi laughed halfway, his voice abruptly cut off, and then his crimson eyes actually showed a look of fear.

"Stop!"

A trembling voice echoed across the wasteland's skies.

Wang Ping wore a faint smile, gripping a black token in his hand—this was precisely that transmission token.

"Senior! If we cannot determine superiority, I will have to leave!"

Huo Yunzi's expression was awkward, yet gazing at the token in Wang Ping's hand, he still wore a look of disbelief.

"How could you have a transmission token in your hand!"

"This, senior, need not be known; if you insist on waiting idly, I will also have to depart, and after I break through to Golden Core, I will bring the Golden Crow to seek you for battle."

The threatening intent in Wang Ping's words was unmasked; he spoke it outright in the nakedest manner.

Huo Yunzi had already regained his calm, and asked indifferently:

"Do you truly think you are a match for this True Person?"

Wang Ping shook his head, saying: "I don't know, but I must give it a try!"

Huo Yunzi's face showed doubt as he voiced the question he had pondered for long: "I really want to know, you sensed danger a month in advance—why not seize the chance to flee, instead leaving clues all the way, waiting for me to come knocking?"

Wang Ping gave a slight smile, saying: "Quite simple—just seeking the Dao. I wish to cultivate the Five Elements Returning to One, which requires a highly condensed essence-energy-spirit state; your arrival merely gave me an opportunity."

Huo Yunzi's face showed realization, he nodded, then exclaimed in amazement: "Another madman! After this battle, your name, Lan Ming, will surely be recorded in the annals of cultivation!"

Wang Ping pondered, a green light flashed on his body, restoring his original appearance, and he said with a faint smile:

"My name is Wang Ping! 'Ping' as in peace; in this battle, regardless of life or death, Wang Ping's name ought to shake the heavens!"

"Wang Ping! Is that your real name? It doesn't matter—since you seek the Dao, I will fulfill you!" Huo Yunzi said with an indifferent expression.

"Please, senior, bestow your instruction!"

A clear, resolute voice rang out between heaven and earth.