Chapter 461: Selection Begins

In the instant of collision, Feng Qing'er'er's Demon Phoenix Bell shattered Ying Jing's Demon Phoenix Bell instantly.

In fact, among super-clans like the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan, the Grand Void Dragon Clan, the Gu Clan, and the Soul Sovereign, clashes between clan members are resolved swiftly.

After all, their cultivation methods and Dou Techniques are nearly identical; when identical Dou Techniques collide, even a slight difference determines victory or defeat quickly.

"You've reached Star Nine Dou Zong!" Ying Jing's eyes filled with terror—he had sensed it when Feng Qing'er'er moved; her Cultivation Realm had already reached Star Nine Dou Zong, equal to his own.

Seeing this, Ying Jing was terrified out of his wits, realizing his strength was far inferior to Feng Qing'er'er's; he turned to flee, but Feng Qing'er'er smirked and said, "Trying to run?"

In that split second, Feng Qing'er'er changed her hand seals; with a thunderous roar, her Demon Phoenix Bell expanded wildly, growing to a hundred zhang in size, instantly engulfing the fleeing Ying Jing.

The Demon Phoenix Bell, originally a beast technique of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan that excels in both offense and defense, unleashed a terrifying sonic wave attack in that instant.

A booming sound rang out; Ying Jing, trapped inside, spewed a torrent of blood. Outside the Demon Phoenix Bell, one could only see him vomiting blood and screaming—his agonized cries were inaudible.

Watching Ying Jing spew blood uncontrollably and kneel, begging for mercy, Feng Qing'er'er felt no pity; instead, her lips curled unnaturally upward, and she felt an intense sense of exhilaration.

She changed her hand seals again; with a deep *dong*, the Demon Phoenix Bell rang once more. To those outside, it sounded like a bell tolling—but inside, it was a death-calling dirge.

*Puh! Puh! Puh! * Ying Jing's SpiritFlesh was ravaged by the sonic waves; his blood vessels burst, and blood sprayed out in thin streams. Though he had activated a Defensive Dou Technique, his strength was utterly unmatched against Feng Qing'er'er's.

A flash of light appeared; Ying Jing, severely wounded, reverted to his true form—a massive eagle, its feathers stained with blood, lying motionless on the ground. Unlike ordinary eagle-type demons, this eagle bore streaks of colorful feathers on its head, proving it carried a trace of ancient Heaven Phoenix bloodline.

Seeing Ying Jing reduced to his true form, drenched in blood and utterly defenseless, Feng Qing'er'er's eyes flickered with unusual light; her breathing quickened, her chest rising and falling.

She formed new hand seals; waves of sonic pulses and Black Flame poured down from within the Demon Phoenix Bell. The Black Flame struck the giant eagle but did not burn—it seared like a branding iron, leaving charred marks across its body.

The sonic resonance caused the eagle's feathers to explode; its wings were shredded into bloody pulp, bones shattered, and one eyeball was blasted out.

But Feng Qing'er'er controlled it perfectly—just enough force to maim, never to kill; she kept him alive, even denying him unconsciousness.

Feng Qing'er'er's gaze shifted; her red tongue licked her lips, and her hand seals prepared to change again—as if she intended to continue the torment.

"Qing'er, that's enough. He's received his due punishment." Suddenly, an old woman stood in the distant sky—Feng Lan, the clan Elder.

Feng Lan's words struck like thunder, snapping Feng Qing'er'er back to reality. Regaining her senses, she stared at Ying Jing, now a pile of ruined flesh inside the Demon Phoenix Bell—and froze.

She didn't know how she could have done something so cruel. Though Ying Jing was not dead, his injuries would keep him bedridden for a long time, and his Cultivation Realm would likely regress.

But soon, Feng Qing'er'er returned to her usual cold demeanor; she waved her hand, dispersing the Demon Phoenix Bell, and cast a gaze as icy as Nine Underworld upon her subordinates, coldly saying, "To oppose me is this fate."

When the Demon Phoenix Bell vanished, the scent of blood filled the space—Ying Jing's massive body had bled profusely, staining the earth.

Because of the Demon Phoenix Bell, no one could hear the sounds—but they saw everything clearly, especially the ten-minute torture.

This made it even more terrifying; the visuals forced everyone to imagine the screams, embedding the horror deeper into their minds.

"My god."

"Miss Qing'er is so ruthless."

"Ugh!!"

Many swallowed hard; some even vomited—there were young Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan members here who had never killed before.

Witnessing this scene firsthand, they turned pale, shuddered involuntarily, and felt a chill run through them at the sight of Ying Jing's ruined, flesh-like corpse.

Brutal.

"By the way, did any of you notice? Miss Qing'er has reached Star Nine Dou Zong."

"Yes, and her Demon Phoenix Bell is much larger—her bloodline power seems stronger too."

"Where's that Alchemist?"

Xiao Yan, the mastermind behind it all, had vanished long ago; he had no stake in the selection—so long as Feng Qing'er'er passed and entered the Tian Feng Blood Pool to break the Barrier, that was all the Heavenly Venerable of Yan cared about.

The Heavenly Venerable of Yan cares only for results, not the process.

With a thunderous boom, Feng Qing'er'er flashed before the old woman and bowed deeply. "Qing'er greets Elder Feng Lan."

The old woman scrutinized Feng Qing'er'er from head to toe, her ancient eyes widening in astonishment. "Qing'er, your bloodline power and physical body have both strengthened significantly."

Reaching Star Nine Dou Zong wasn't surprising—Feng Qing'er'er had already been at the peak of Star Eight Dou Zong—but to enhance her bloodline power in just two days? That defied logic.

Feng Qing'er'er lowered her head, her eyes filled with fear, afraid of being discovered; then she looked up, smiling. "It's because, while I was away from the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan, I once obtained a drop of ancient Phoenix blood."

"I summoned the Alchemist to help me absorb the ancient Phoenix blood more fully and enhance my bloodline power."

Though the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan originally split into two branches, after countless years, descendants of both the Feng and Huang lineages have intermingled bloodlines—only differing in which side they lean toward.

"Ah, I see." Feng Lan didn't doubt further; after all, Xiao Yan's methods were unknown to her—and even if told, she wouldn't believe them.

"The selection is about to begin." Feng Lan smiled gently at Feng Qing'er'er. She had once thought Feng Qing'er'er had no hope—her attempt to enter the Tian Feng Blood Pool seemed reckless. Now, she realized she had underestimated her.

She had already devised a way to enhance her bloodline power and physical body. With her current techniques and Cultivation Realm, entering the Tian Feng Blood Pool won't be difficult.

Feng Qing'er'er bowed slightly and whispered, "Yes, Elder."

The Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan's great tree was vast; in the fourth layer of its tree-world stood a massive City—Tian Feng Sheng Cheng.

Though called a City, it was more accurately a vast forest—towering ancient trees filled the land, and at its heart lay a boundless grassland.

Unlike human dueling arenas, demon beast trials occur in the wild, better suited to their natural battle environments.

The opening of the Tian Feng Blood Pool, a Secret Realm capable of enhancing bloodline power, naturally drew every eligible Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan member.

*Jiu-jiu! * Colors of light streaked across the horizon—some Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan members arrived in their true forms, soaring through Space; others, like Feng Qing'er'er once had, rode giant birds.

Suddenly, a piercing bird cry echoed from afar; a colossal seven-colored crane flapped its wings and arrived in an instant, stirring a gale as it landed on a branch of a massive tree.

Instantly, nearly every eye in the crowd fixed upon the seven-colored crane.

"Look! It's Feng Qing'er'er!"

"She really plans to join the selection? Her bloodline power is low, and she hasn't even reached Half-step Dou Zun—how could she compete?"

"You're behind the times. An hour ago, Feng Qing'er'er clashed with Ying Jing—and defeated the Star Nine Dou Zong with a single strike."

"What?! But Feng Qing'er'er's bloodline power is only average!"

"No one knows for sure, but rumors say she summoned a mysterious Alchemist a few days ago—perhaps she received an Elixir's aid."

Feng Qing'er'er's name was already well-known, especially after returning from the Wind and Thunder Pavilion, where she swiftly passed the clan Trial and received great rewards.

Once suppressed by Huang Bao'er, Feng Qing'er'er had risen rapidly—and naturally drawn much criticism from within the clan.

Feng Qing'er'er sat cross-legged atop the seven-colored crane, eyes gently closed, waiting for the selection to begin.

Magical Beast Families differ somewhat from human society; compared to the relatively mild Jia Nan Academy, they place greater emphasis on the law of the jungle.

Although this selection for the Tian Feng Blood Pool is called a selection, it is not conducted by clan Elders—it is chosen by the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan's own disciples.

There are only ten Blood Pools in total, meaning only ten slots available.

The selection has no cultivation realm restriction, but since the Tian Feng Blood Pool, like the Tian Shan Xue Tan in the Heaven Eye Mountain Range, grants no effect upon a second immersion.

Thus, the disciples who participate are usually Dou Zong or those who recently entered Dou Zun due to some opportunity; veteran Dou Zun have long since entered the Tian Feng Blood Pool.

Seeing Feng Qing'er'er arrive, Huang Bao'er's beautiful eyes darkened. Without doubt, Ying Jing was sent by her—intentionally provoking conflict with Feng Qing'er'er to obstruct her from entering the selection and the Tian Feng Blood Pool.

Two years ago, when Feng Qing'er'er left the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan, she was still a Nine-Star Dou Huang; breaking through to Dou Zun via the Tian Shan Xue Tan was not surprising.

But after returning from the North Domain, she swiftly passed the Phoenix Nest Trial, and within just over a year, this Feng Qing'er'er had reached Nine-Star Dou Zun!

This speed startled even her!

"Since you insist on coming, don't blame me for being ruthless."

A single boom of the bell rang out, drawing all eyes to the horizon.

At that moment, three elders emerged from Space; the one leading them was naturally Feng Lan, who also served as the judge of the Tian Feng Blood Pool selection.

"Enough talk. There are only ten Blood Pools. Any disciple who has not undergone the Blood Pool's purification and wishes to enter, step forward." The elder beside Feng Lan scanned the crowd and spoke gravely.

This selection resembles the Inner Court selection at Jia Nan Academy: the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan's disciples choose for themselves; the final ten remaining on the field will enter the Blood Pool.

As soon as the elder finished speaking, one by one, powerful Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan disciples appeared from the trees or flashed onto the grassland—all fully transformed, several even reaching Dou Zun, materializing directly from Space Wormholes.

With these Dou Zun-level Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan disciples appearing, everyone understood the slots had implicitly decreased.

After all, Shou Yu is vast; some clan members ventured out seeking Secret Realms or legacies and returned as Dou Zun. Thus, each time, some newly arrived Dou Zun disciples inevitably claim slots.

No one would be foolish enough to attack a Dou Zun, and for fairness, none could strike first.

"Who is that man beside Huang Bao'er?"

"Isn't that Huang Pei, Huang Bao'er's fiancé? He's reached Dou Zun too!"

The wormhole twisted, and Huang Bao'er stepped out holding the arm of a white-robed man; the white-robed man had refined features, his lips curled in a faint, arrogant, confident smile.

As the white-robed man emerged from the Space Wormhole, several other newly arrived Dou Zun Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan disciples instinctively drew back—clearly, this Huang Pei held a lofty status within the clan.

Huang Pei's gaze sharpened as he looked at Feng Qing'er'er nearby, smiling faintly: "So she's reached Nine-Star Dou Zun. With her Wind-Thunder Body, defeating Ying Jing was indeed not difficult."

A sinister gleam flashed in Huang Pei's eyes; though deeply concealed, it was still caught by Huang Bao'er beside him.

"Does Pei-ge think her Wind-Thunder Body is stronger than my Heaven Phoenix Bloodline?" Huang Bao'er smiled sweetly, yet her tone held no warmth.

"Hahaha, impossible! Bao'er possesses a High-Level Heaven Phoenix Bloodline—how could it compare to a Mid-Level one? A mere Wind-Thunder Body can only cultivate two types of Dou Qi simultaneously." Huang Pei laughed loudly. "I merely feel sorry—I cannot assist you in dealing with Feng Qing'er'er."

"Hmph."

Feng Qing'er'er had also noticed Huang Pei's sinister gaze; her eyes darkened.

In the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan, bloodline is everything.

Just as Feng Qing'er'er rose to enter the arena, a voice echoed in her mind—the instant it appeared, her body trembled uncontrollably, her eyes filled with terror.

【Feng Qing'er'er, you know the consequence of disappointing me.】

Xiao Yan!

Xiao Yan had not left the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan—he had merely concealed himself using the Soul Robe and Soul Force; as long as no Dou Sage appeared, he was nearly impossible to detect with the Soul Robe and Spirit Realm Soul Power.

Feng Qing'er'er spoke as if to herself, trembling: "Qing'er understands. Please, Master, rest assured."

【Jiejiejie, the Soul Hall tolerates no failure.】

"Yes."

Feng Qing'er'er's back was already drenched in cold sweat; she dared not imagine the consequence if she failed the selection. Death might even be a blessing!

The horror and methods of the Soul Hall filled Feng Qing'er'er with greater fear and despair—she feared being made to suffer worse than death!

Feng Lan gazed at Feng Qing'er'er, motionless atop the seven-colored giant crane, and transmitted a voice: "Qing'er? Aren't you going to join the selection?"

Hearing Feng Lan's voice, Feng Qing'er'er jolted, her breathing slightly ragged. Fear had made her forget to breathe!

Feng Qing'er'er took a deep breath, temporarily suppressing her terror, and stared at the dozens of fully transformed Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan disciples on the grassland—all at least High-Level Dou Zong—her gaze turning fierce.

She must win—by any means necessary!

After taking a deep breath, Feng Qing'er'er floated forward and appeared before Huang Bao'er, coldly staring at her: "Since you're trying to block me, I'll kill you!"

At these words, not only was Huang Bao'er stunned, but even the three Elders above were astonished—what was wrong with Feng Qing'er'er today? She was initiating confrontation!

"You fool who doesn't know death! Today I'll tear you apart myself!" Huang Bao'er snapped back, unleashing terrifying power as a phoenix cry rang out.

She had planned to ambush Feng Qing'er'er during the selection and cripple her—but never expected Feng Qing'er'er to provoke her directly!

Seeing the two on the verge of combat, the three Elders showed no surprise or pity—competition within any clan is brutal.

"Since everyone is here, begin." Feng Lan waved her hand, her voice echoing across the entire grassland.

Huang Bao'er cried out sharply, drawing a divine sword, leaping into the air; the blade was wrapped in Heaven Phoenix Black Flame, which cascaded like a river of fire downward.

Sensing the terrifying power of Huang Bao'er's attack, others swiftly retreated, avoiding involvement in this feud.

"Foolish wretch!" Huang Bao'er slashed downward; black flames crashed down with a thunderous boom, instantly engulfing Feng Qing'er'er.

The terrifying flame slash activated the array on the grassland—the ground had been reinforced with a protective array to prevent destruction; otherwise, such a cataclysmic flame would have shattered mountains.

"Heh, Feng Qing'er'er only defeated Ying Jing—a coward who didn't even dare enter the selection. She's gotten too full of herself."

Seeing Feng Qing'er'er engulfed in flames, someone sneered.

Suddenly, wind and thunder flashed—the space twisted—and Feng Qing'er'er reappeared behind Huang Bao'er, her body crackling with lightning arcs and raging wind; her eyes were icy.

Gathering wind-thunder power in her palm, she struck from behind, sending Huang Bao'er flying; the wind and thunder spiraled around her, inspiring awe.

"Was that a clone?!"

"Is that the Three Thousand Thunder Illusion Body from the Wind-Thunder Pavilion?!"

Seeing Feng Qing'er'er unharmed and successfully ambushing Huang Bao'er, some knowledgeable disciples paled and cried out.

Even the Dou Zun disciples watching could not help but shudder, staring at Feng Qing'er'er—her clone was too real! None of them had recognized it as a clone!

"It seems the Three Thousand Thunder Illusion Body truly has its merits—this clone is incredibly lifelike." Huang Pei nodded silently, not surprised that the Clan Leader had agreed to support the Wind and Thunder Pavilion.

"Kill!!"

Huang Bao'er's face turned utterly grim; she let out a deep roar and lunged forward in an instant. In that fleeting moment, her speed was unimaginable—like wind racing and lightning striking. The Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan possessed powerful Body Techniques and Dou Techniques.

With such speed, she slammed forward like a falling star. Many clan youths paled; Huang Bao'er's move relied purely on speed—no Dou Technique needed, just raw physical prowess.

"Bao'er has already perfected the Heaven Phoenix Pursuing Light." The Elder stroked his beard and smiled.

(End of Chapter)