Chapter 402: Phoenix Dance in the Heavens

In the parasol woods, knowing that the master of Lingguang Hall had arrived, Princess Zhaohuang and the five fire phoenixes all looked extremely grim and solemn.

Princess Zhaohuang looked at the five fire phoenixes: "This time, all the demon beasts your Phoenix Clan dispatched have been slaughtered by the master of Lingguang Hall. Now that she's here, are you going to help me, or will you just hand over the parasol woods to her?"

The five fire phoenixes exchanged glances, their eyes churning with deep unwillingness and hatred.

Feng Xuan, a fire phoenix of the Spiritual Platform Realm, looked at Princess Zhaohuang: "It would be better for you to help us than for us to help you."

"Although the phoenix bloodline within you has a fairly high degree of atavism, when it comes to purity of bloodline, none of you can compare to any one of us five."

As he spoke, he looked at the youngest fire phoenix.

"Feng Yao has the purest phoenix bloodline; her realm is just a bit low. If you and the four of us together transfer bloodline power to her, we can definitely help her ignite the Phoenix Spirit Flame."

"As long as Feng Yao ignites the Phoenix Spirit Flame and the Phoenix Totem is activated, she will be able to use the Divine Art of Phoenix Dance of the Nine Heavens. Then, she will surely be able to resonate with the Nine Heavens Phoenix Cry Qin."

After hearing this, annoyance flickered in Princess Zhaohuang's eyes, and she said patiently, "Do you think the master of Lingguang Hall will let the five of you leave alive?"

She paused.

"I am, after all, a human cultivator. There are many other human cultivators in the parasol woods. The master of Lingguang Hall cannot kill everyone, but as for you, do you think she will spare you?"

Hearing this, the five fire phoenixes fell silent.

Seeing that the five phoenixes were unwilling to help her, Princess Zhaohuang grew very anxious.

On one hand, she wanted to become the master of the parasol woods; on the other hand, Prince Shou, her full-blooded elder brother, had died horribly at the hands of the master of Lingguang Hall, and she truly wished she could charge out immediately to avenge her brother.

"Since you are unwilling to help me, then just leave the parasol woods to the master of Lingguang Hall."

These words stung the five phoenixes, who were a hundred times unwilling to see the parasol woods fall into the hands of the master of Lingguang Hall.

Feng Xuan looked at Princess Zhaohuang: "Even if we help you, you may not be able to resonate with the Nine Heavens Phoenix Cry Qin."

Seeing that the five phoenixes were wavering, Princess Zhaohuang immediately said, "That is exactly why I need your help."

Feng Xuan frowned: "How do you want us to help you?"

Princess Zhaohuang said: "First, transfer bloodline power to me; second, teach me the Divine Art of 'Phoenix Dance of the Nine Heavens.'"

Upon hearing this, the five phoenixes' faces darkened simultaneously.

Transferring some bloodline power might be acceptable, but the Divine Art of Phoenix Dance of the Nine Heavens was an inherited divine art of the Phoenix Clan; how could they teach it to a human?

Yet they also knew that without the Phoenix Dance of the Nine Heavens, Princess Zhaohuang would probably not even be able to pluck the strings of the Nine Heavens Phoenix Cry Qin.

Princess Zhaohuang studied the expressions of the five phoenixes and pressed on: "I understand the importance of inherited divine arts. If it weren't for the great enemy at hand, I wouldn't make such an excessive request."

"But now, none of us have any other choice."

"If the parasol woods fall into the hands of the master of Lingguang Hall, you will surely die."

"Yet as long as you are willing to help me become the master of the parasol woods, your crisis can be immediately resolved. Then, even if the master of Lingguang Hall wants to enter the parasol woods, she will have to obtain my permission first."

Seeing that the five phoenixes still refused to nod, Princess Zhaohuang could only raise the stakes further: "Don't worry. Once I become the master of the parasol woods, I will not treat you poorly. I can make a Heart Demon Oath on this."

Hearing this, Feng Xuan finally spoke: "Very well. Make a Heart Demon Oath right now that once you become the master of the parasol woods, you will share the usage rights of the parasol woods equally with the Phoenix Clan."

"As long as you swear this oath, we will help you."

Feng Xuan's condition was simply an exorbitant demand. At any other time, Zhaohuang would never agree, but now, with the master of Lingguang Hall approaching, she had no time to argue with the five phoenixes.

"Fine, I swear."

After Princess Zhaohuang made the Heart Demon Oath, Feng Xuan felt the terrifying aura outside the parasol woods drawing nearer and said urgently, "The spatial rift probably won't hold back the master of Lingguang Hall for long."

"I'm afraid she will be inside before you even finish learning the Phoenix Dance of the Nine Heavens."

Hearing this, Princess Zhaohuang gave a cold snort: "You just need to help me with all your strength. I have a way to disrupt the spatial rift and keep her out for a while."

Disrupt the spatial rift!

On hearing this, the five phoenixes' expressions shifted slightly, thinking to themselves that humans were not only cruel to demon beasts but also treated their own kind the same way.

After all, there were still many human cultivators in the spatial rift, struggling to cross and trying to enter the parasol woods in search of opportunities.

Once the spatial rift was disrupted, these people would surely die.

The spatial rift area on the outskirts of the parasol woods was like a moat, firmly protecting the parasol woods in the center.

Space rifts, like hideous scars, spread throughout the surroundings, turning this region into a chaotic void hell.

Only after delving deep did Hua Changxi understand why, ten years later, no one had managed to take Wutong Forest.

Not to mention the trials inside Wutong Forest, just crossing this outer area of space rifts is enough to give cultivators a hard time.

Some of these space rifts are as thin as hair, silently cutting through light, grinding everything that passes into dust; some are as wide as swamps of varying sizes, filled with rolling chaos currents that emit a terrifying suction that devours all things; others appear and disappear like lurking venomous snakes, ready to burst open beside you at any moment for a fatal strike.

Not to mention ordinary cultivators—even Hua Changxi, who has reached the seventh level of body refinement, must be careful walking here.

Her sleeves and robes were noisily flapped by the chaotic energy flows. Relying on her mastery of the law of 'Splitting' for space, Hua Changxi avoided both large and small space rifts. Even those hidden rifts that appeared suddenly were foreseen and dodged by her.

As she pressed deeper, she saw many broken branches and severed limbs left behind by cultivators who had tried to enter Wutong Forest.

At the same time, she sensed that within the area riddled with space rifts, there were still many cultivators moving with difficulty.

To this, Hua Changxi paid little heed.

Just like when she arrived at Wutong Forest and told the cultivators gathered outside not to waste time lingering, but they simply wouldn't leave—she was helpless about that.

At first, Hua Changxi's passage went smoothly enough, but as she walked, the space suddenly began to fluctuate noticeably. The originally small rifts suddenly grew larger, the already large rifts turned into black holes, and the silently blooming rifts became more and more numerous.

"Ah—"

Screams of misery rose and fell, many voices cutting off abruptly almost as soon as they began.

"Zzz—"

A thin, blade-like rift appeared silently, touched Hua Changxi's arm, and erupted with a terrifying grating sound. Dazzling sparks burst from her fair arm.

Hua Changxi looked at her arm, her brow furrowed. These rapidly changing, completely unpredictable rifts were the most dangerous.

After that, she quickly dodged the rift, leaving not even a mark on her arm.

The physical strength of body refinement at the seventh level was no joke—this degree of rift could not hurt her.

Before she could breathe a sigh of relief, another rift appeared silently at the side of her neck, its sharp intent piercing straight to the soul.

"Clang—"

That rift, which could sever the soul, was directly shattered by the blood-and-qi power naturally radiating from her neck!

Her body at present could already rival armor.

Hua Changxi felt the fluctuations in the air growing more intense, and her expression gradually darkened.

Generally speaking, even in an unstable region with space rifts, there wouldn't be such great fluctuations, unless... someone was deliberately stirring up this space!

Hua Changxi's gaze turned toward the depths of Wutong Forest. Those inside probably didn't want her to go any deeper.

"Ah—"

The screams continued to sound from time to time.

Hua Changxi's eyes turned cold. Spiritual power circulated, and a fire lotus bloomed beneath her feet. At the same time, wave-like fire spiritual power began surging toward her from all directions, most intensely from the flying fire spiritual energy within Wutong Forest.

The lotus grew in the wind, visibly expanding. Petal after petal of flame spread outward and radiated outward from Hua Changxi as the center.

Where the lotus petals passed, the twisting space instantly stabilized. Even under the illumination of the firelight, some space rifts showed signs of healing.

The timely blooming of the fire lotus saved many cultivators who would otherwise have been doomed.

"This space has been stirred up. If you don't want to die, leave quickly."

Hua Changxi issued the warning again, then, without dodging or avoiding, let the space rifts cut at her as she strode boldly toward Wutong Forest.

All the attacks could only leave fleeting marks on her body or burst into brilliant sparks.

Throughout the entire process, Hua Changxi used no spells or divine abilities, relying solely on her physical defense.

She also wanted to test just how powerful her current body really was.

The path of the physical body—wrestling with the world through absolute strength and the power to control the laws—did not disappoint Hua Changxi. As she stepped out of the space rift region and stood at the entrance of Wutong Forest, she slightly stirred the blood-and-qi around her, shaking off the last trace of void energy clinging to her.

The flames in Wutong Forest illuminated her unscathed skin, flowing with a faint divine radiance, as if the place she had just traversed was no deathland.

Hua Changxi looked coldly into the depths of Wutong Forest, her hand gathering firelight, a dazzling fire axe rapidly taking shape.