Chapter 888: The Transcendent Immortal

"But… where is the Ancestor now?"

The Thirteenth Elder looked toward the Phoenix Emperor.

The Phoenix Emperor said: "I know… but the Ancestor rarely deigns to act!"

"Very well. You all come with me—we'll go to the Ma Ju Garden and ask the Ancestor to intervene!"

The crowd streamed out of the grand hall, none daring to fly, instead following behind the Phoenix Emperor as they marched along the vast rim of the volcano.

After walking for half an hour, they finally reached the entrance to a garden.

At the entrance stood a massive array.

Before the array, two phoenixes in moon-white Dao robes guarded the way, both at Body Integration realm.

"Your Majesty!"

The two Body Integration phoenixes quickly bowed to the emperors.

The Phoenix Emperor said: "We have urgent business to present to the Ancestor. Open this array for us!"

"Yes!" The two quickly pulled out their tokens and pressed them against the array, which then opened a passage.

As the passage opened, laughter and song drifted out from within.

Birds chirped, music played, peace and prosperity reigned.

The Phoenix Emperor's brow furrowed slightly, yet he still led the group inside.

Within the array lay another world, divided into four zones, each displaying a different season—spring, summer, autumn, winter.

In an instant, one could behold all four seasons.

Various palace maidens moved constantly between the seasons.

An old man with white hair sat in a wicker chair in the Golden Autumn Garden, eyes half-closed as he basked in the sun.

Before him stood a table piled high with all manner of immortal fruits.

Behind him stood four young maidens, each with a different figure, their hands gently massaging his shoulders.

Hearing the faint rustling behind him, the old man did not turn, but kept his eyes closed and said: "You've all come, then…"

"Over the years, this old man has sired many grandchildren!"

"Whether famous or unknown, regardless of their mother's lineage—all are recorded in the Phoenix Clan's genealogy. That's acceptable, isn't it?"

Behind him, the Phoenix Emperor bowed: "Yes… Ancestor!"

The Phoenix Clan's Ancestor was a Transcendent Immortal, a fragment left behind by a great Phoenix cultivator who had ascended to the Immortal Realm countless generations ago, now having lived over four hundred thousand years.

He had long abandoned pursuit of cultivation advancement, instead indulging in wine and lust, endlessly reproducing and making an indelible contribution to the Phoenix Clan's proliferation.

"We come to beg the Ancestor's aid—we have urgent matters to discuss!"

The Phoenix Emperor continued to stand respectfully beside him.

The Ancestor waved his hand: "All of you, leave!"

The palace maidens departed one by one.

The garden turned golden, the music lingering with fragrance.

At last, the old man opened his eyes and sat upright.

"What is it?"

"Er…" The Phoenix Emperor paused slightly, then said: "Ancestor, He Pingsheng has reappeared!"

"He Pingsheng?" The Ancestor pondered for a few breaths before recalling who he was: "Ah, yes—that boy who escaped long ago!"

"It's been a hundred years—has he still not died?"

"Ninety-nine years!" the Phoenix Emperor said. "Last time, that Red Luo woman interfered, and we lost track of him. We've searched for years, but found nothing. The Spirit Realm is too vast; while our Phoenix Clan holds some power on the Heavenfire Continent, we are powerless on the other four continents!"

"He's hiding on the Lei Huang Continent!"

"He broke through to Body Integration just a year ago!"

"Body Integration?" The Ancestor chuckled. "Then why not send one of your Mahayana Emperors to crush him like a bug?"

"Don't worry—Red Luo won't interfere again. For cultivators of our level, each use of power costs one hundred thousand years of lifespan. She can't afford such karmic debt!"

"Er…" The Phoenix Emperor hesitated, then continued: "Ancestor, He Pingsheng, upon breaking into Body Integration Layer One, slew a Mahayana Emperor of Layer Two. So… we cannot be certain of victory."

"We've come hoping you will personally intervene, using your absolute realm superiority to kill him!"

"Only then will our Phoenix Clan be safe!"

The Phoenix Ancestor's face darkened: "Me?"

"Each time I act, I lose one hundred thousand years of lifespan!"

"It's not surprising he can kill across realms—but can't the five of you handle him together?"

"No!" the Phoenix Emperor said. "This boy… possesses a ninth-rank destiny. We cannot overcome him."

"Moreover, our Phoenix Clan is now locked in mortal enmity with him. If we don't kill him now, once he ascends to Mahayana Emperor, our clan is finished!"

"We beg the Ancestor, for the sake of the Phoenix Clan's legacy, to act!"

Thud!

The Phoenix Emperor knelt before the Ancestor.

Thud… thud-thud-thud…

The others followed, one by one, kneeling before the Ancestor.

"Huh… you… all of you… Sigh… Has Wang Dun been captured yet?"

"I heard he, too, possesses ninth-rank destiny?"

Mentioning Wang Dun only darkened the Phoenix Emperor's face to ink-black: "Yes… Ancestor."

The Ancestor said: "Your generation will bring about the Phoenix Clan's extinction!"

"Fine. Since it's come to this, I'll act once."

"But… this is the last time!"

"After this, whether I succeed or fail, do not come to me again!"

…

Lei Huang Continent!

Tianweidicheng Domain!

Imperial City!

Outside He Pingsheng's shop, a white-haired old man suddenly appeared.

His aura was plain, indistinguishable from a mortal's, yet his eyes gleamed like sun and moon—each glance a blade, piercing straight through the soul.

He stepped lightly into He Pingsheng's shop.

Feng Wu stepped forward and bowed to the old man: "Elder…"

If one cannot discern a cultivator's realm, one calls them "Elder"—this was He Pingsheng's rule.

"Hmph…" The old man sneered coldly. "How admirable—true-blooded phoenixes, reduced to serving others like servants. You've truly brought honor to the Phoenix Clan!"

At these words, Feng Wu turned pale with shock.

He Pingsheng, seated behind the counter, narrowed his eyes slightly.

He stirred his magic power, activating the Heavenly Eye Cosmology True Interpretation technique—golden light flickered from his pupils.

No realm discernible!

Even with his technique, he could not perceive the old man's cultivation level.

He Pingsheng felt a chill run through his bones.

What did this mean?

Either the old man was a mortal with no cultivation at all… or he possessed earth-shattering power.

Clearly, he did not look like a mortal.

"You are He Pingsheng?" The old man's gaze lingered on Feng Wu only briefly before fixing on He Pingsheng.

"Yes!" He Pingsheng knew this man meant harm—he skipped all formalities: "If I'm not mistaken, you're the Phoenix Clan's Ancestor—one of the two Transcendent Immortals?"

"Correct!" The Phoenix Ancestor nodded, admitting it outright: "I am two great realms above you. Killing you would be no different than crushing an ant."

As he spoke, his aura erupted violently, instantly overwhelming the entire Imperial City.