Chapter 89: Dark Hands and Profiting from the Conflict

Above the Green Wood Continent, the winds and clouds changed color.

The Green Phoenix divine bird spread its wings, and its green, heaven-burning flames were like a raging, turbulent sea. Wherever they passed, space was scorched and twisted out of shape. The primeval forest below turned into scorched earth at a speed visible to the naked eye; rivers evaporated, and mountains and rocks melted. That high temperature was no ordinary fire, but the Green Phoenix True Flame, which contained a trace of the origin of the Phoenix True Fire; it was enough to incinerate all things and burn the soul.

The starlit figure battling it possessed equally heaven-defying methods. He seemed like a master who governed the stars of the universe. With every gesture, countless star phantoms emerged, condensing into a massive star shield to resist the green flames, or transforming into sharp star blades to slash through the sea of fire. Furthermore, chains formed from pure star power, as if possessing life, wove through the void and coiled around the Green Phoenix’s massive body, attempting to bind and seal it.

Every collision between the two erupted with world-destroying power. The shockwaves spread like ripples, tearing the clouds hundreds of miles away into shreds. Had the battle area not been sparsely populated, and had both sides not seemingly intended to control the scope of the impact, it would have long since caused countless lives to suffer.

Lin Xuan stood outside a safe distance, the chaotic energy around his body flowing naturally, easily neutralizing the incoming energy ripples. He pushed his "Eye of Breaking Delusions" to its limit, carefully observing this rare, high-level duel.

"The person within the starlight... their application of star power has reached a state of perfection, far exceeding my current understanding of the 'Universal Star Art.' Their Dao technique is grand and upright, and what they are drawing upon seems to be the true power of the stars of the heavens, rather than relying on external objects." Lin Xuan felt a secret chill in his heart. "Could this person be a successor of the legendary 'Star Palace'?"

He had once seen fragments of information about the "Star Palace" in some ancient miscellanies. It was said to be an extremely ancient and mysterious lineage. Its members were few, but each was proficient in the Great Dao of the stars, possessing the ability to observe the stars, set up arrays, and deduce heavenly secrets. They were transcendent and rarely intervened in worldly disputes.

"And this Green Phoenix..." Lin Xuan’s gaze turned to the magnificent green divine bird. "Its bloodline is pure, and the Green Phoenix True Flame is infinitely powerful, but it seems... its aura is somewhat unstable? It looks as if it has been injured, or is in some special state?"

Just as his thoughts raced, the situation on the battlefield changed abruptly!

The starlit figure seemed unwilling to prolong the fight. He formed an extremely profound seal with both hands and let out a clear, resonant chant, as if resonating with the stars of the heavens in the dark.

"Stars of the universe, hear my command! Star Fall · Demon Suppression!"

In an instant, stars appeared in broad daylight! Countless star phantoms lit up in the firmament. Despite it being daytime, their light pierced through the clouds and was clearly visible! Boundless star power crossed the infinite void, converging upon the starlit figure and transforming into a dark blue star phantom over a hundred feet in diameter, condensed to the extreme. Carrying the supreme majesty to suppress all demons and judge all living beings, it smashed down fiercely toward the Green Phoenix!

The power of this strike had already surpassed the scope of an ordinary early-stage Soul Transformation realm, triggering a resonance with the laws of heaven and earth!

The Green Phoenix let out a long cry mixed with anger and a trace of fear; it felt a fatal threat! The green flames around its body burned crazily, and its wings slammed shut, wrapping itself into a huge green fireball. Countless profound Phoenix runes appeared on the surface of the fireball, attempting to withstand this heaven-shaking strike head-on!

"Rumble—!!!"

The dark blue star and the green fireball collided fiercely!

A terrifying explosion occurred that could not be described in words! It was as if only the colors blue and green remained in the world, crazily intertwining and annihilating each other! A massive ball of energy expanded rapidly, completely swallowing both figures, and then transformed into a ring-shaped shockwave that swept away everything, spreading crazily in all directions!

Lin Xuan’s expression changed slightly, and his figure retreated rapidly. At the same time, his Chaos Dao Seed operated, and the Star Nether Light laid down a thin, yet seemingly impenetrable, gray light curtain in front of him.

"Sss, sss, sss—"

The violent energy shockwave slammed into the light curtain, making a teeth-grinding sound. The light curtain rippled violently, but in the end, it held firm. Meanwhile, a mountain range far behind Lin Xuan collapsed and shattered like a sandcastle under the shockwave!

As the light faded slightly, the green fireball around the Green Phoenix was seen to have shattered. Several deep, bone-visible wounds appeared on its magnificent body, and the blood flowing out was also green-gold, emitting a scorching and sacred aura. Its aura became extremely withered, and its eyes were dim; it had clearly been severely injured by that "Star Fall · Demon Suppression."

The starlit figure also seemed to have consumed a great deal, the starlight around him dimming significantly, but his momentum remained strong. He did not give the Green Phoenix a chance to catch its breath. His figure flashed, appearing above the Green Phoenix. A long spear formed entirely of star power condensed in his hand, the tip pointing directly at the Green Phoenix’s head, intending to deliver the final blow!

A trace of sorrow and unyielding spirit flashed in the Green Phoenix’s eyes. It seemed to want to struggle, but it was already at the end of its rope.

Just at this critical moment!

A sudden change occurred!

"Sss!"

An extremely subtle, almost imperceptible black light, like a venomous snake, shot out from the ruins of a forest below that had been destroyed by the energy ripples. Its speed surpassed the limits of spiritual sense perception. Its target was not the Green Phoenix, nor the starlit figure, but... the void node between the two that had become extremely unstable and filled with spatial cracks due to the intense collision!

The black light shot precisely into the void node!

"Hum—!"

The already fragile spatial balance was shattered in an instant! The void node twisted and collapsed violently, and then erupted with an extremely chaotic, tearing spatial storm!

The appearance of this spatial storm was without warning and possessed immense power, instantly engulfing both the starlit figure, who was preparing to deliver the final blow, and the critically wounded Green Phoenix!

"Hmph!" The starlit figure let out a muffled groan, clearly not expecting this turn of events. Starlight exploded around him as he forcibly stabilized his figure to resist the tearing of the spatial storm, but he was also temporarily trapped and unable to strike at the Green Phoenix again.

As for the already severely injured Green Phoenix, it was a case of adding frost to snow. It let out a painful cry, its massive body like a fallen leaf in a gale within the spatial storm, torn and covered in wounds. Green-gold blood spilled across the sky, its aura growing weaker and weaker; it looked as if it were about to be completely torn apart by the storm!

Lin Xuan’s eyes narrowed! Someone was hiding in the dark, deliberately triggering a spatial storm. What was the purpose? To disrupt the situation? Or... to reap the benefits as the third party?

He had no time to think, his gaze falling on the Green Phoenix. This Green Phoenix was a top-tier divine bird; its essence blood, true feathers, and even the potential inner core (Phoenix Pearl) were all priceless treasures. More importantly, it seemed to know something—for instance, why was that Star Palace successor hunting it down?

In a flash of lightning, Lin Xuan made his decision.

His figure moved, employing "Shrinking the Earth into an Inch." Ignoring the chaotic spatial turbulence, he moved like a ghost, appearing instantly beside the Green Phoenix’s massive head. The embryonic form of his Star Nether Light domain quietly unfolded, temporarily isolating the raging spatial power.

He reached out and pressed his hand onto the Green Phoenix’s cold forehead. Pure chaotic spiritual power, mixed with a trace of star power containing vitality, was channeled into its body, temporarily protecting its life force, which was on the verge of collapse.

The Green Phoenix’s eyes, which had been closed in despair, snapped open. Seeing Lin Xuan so close, its eyes were first filled with vigilance, then it felt that the pure and vast spiritual power—which was completely different from that of the Star Palace successor—contained no malice, but rather a sense of soothing and protection. The vigilance in its eyes faded slightly, turning into a trace of bewilderment and supplication.

"If you don't want to die, don't resist," Lin Xuan transmitted his voice, his tone calm but carrying an unquestionable power.

With his other hand, he slashed through the void, forcibly tearing open a briefly stable gap in the chaotic spatial storm, and pulled the Green Phoenix’s massive body into it!

The very next second after they disappeared, the starlit figure finally forcibly broke free from the constraints of the spatial storm, the starlight becoming intense once more. Looking at the empty spot and the spatial gap that was rapidly closing, a trace of anger seemed to flash across the face hidden beneath the starlight.

"The aura of chaos... it's you again! The variable!" A cold and ethereal voice seemed to come from above the nine heavens, carrying a trace of imperceptible indignation.

His gaze was like lightning, sweeping across the forest ruins below, but he did not find any trace of the dark hand that had released the black light; clearly, the other party had already fled.

"A rat hiding its head and showing its tail, and... the chaotic successor who disrupts the game." The starlit figure snorted coldly but did not pursue, seemingly having some misgivings or other urgent matters. The starlight around him swirled, his figure gradually fading, and finally disappearing completely from the spot, as if he had never appeared at all.

A sudden Soul Transformation-level battle ended with both sides suffering, a third party intervening, and the target being mysteriously rescued, leaving behind a devastated land and countless shaken onlookers.

……

In a remote mountain stream tens of thousands of miles away from the battlefield.

Space twisted, and Lin Xuan stumbled out, carrying the Green Phoenix, which had shrunk its size but was still three or four zhang long and breathing its last.

As soon as he landed, Lin Xuan quickly set up several layers of concealment and defensive arrays, completely sealing off the area.

The Green Phoenix lay on the ground, green-gold blood still flowing from its wounds. It looked at Lin Xuan, its eyes complex, filled with both gratitude and vigilance, and finally transmitted a weak message via divine sense:

"Human... why... save me?"

Lin Xuan did not answer immediately, instead checking the Green Phoenix’s injuries, his brows furrowed. The injuries were extremely severe; not only was its physical body damaged, but its demon soul had also been shaken. More troublesome was that a pure and overbearing star power remained in its body, constantly destroying its life force and conflicting with its Green Phoenix True Flame.

"Heal your wounds first, stabilize your condition before we talk." Lin Xuan took out several top-grade healing elixirs obtained from secret realms and purchases, dissolved them with his chaotic spiritual power, and sent them into the Green Phoenix’s mouth. His chaotic spiritual power contained the wonders of creation and destruction, having miraculous effects on healing, and combined with the power of the elixirs, it temporarily suppressed the worsening of the Green Phoenix’s injuries.

Feeling the gentle yet vast power within its body, the look of astonishment in the Green Phoenix’s eyes deepened. It said no more, closed its eyes, and focused all its efforts on guiding the medicinal power to heal.

Lin Xuan sat cross-legged to the side, guarding it while digesting what he had just witnessed.

"A Star Palace successor... a dark hand in the shadows... and this Green Phoenix." He felt that he had inadvertently been drawn into a larger vortex. "That Star Palace successor seems to know me, or rather, knows the identity of the 'Chaotic Successor.' And that dark hand in the shadows, its purpose is unknown, but its methods were ruthless and precise; it is definitely not someone to be trifled with."

Several hours later, the Green Phoenix’s aura stabilized slightly. It opened its eyes again, and the vigilance in its gaze toward Lin Xuan had diminished, replaced by more gratitude.

"Many thanks... fellow Daoist, for saving my life." Its divine sense transmission was smoother now. "My name is... Feng Xi."

"Lin Xuan." Lin Xuan stated his name and asked directly, "Fellow Daoist Feng Xi, why was that person from the Star Palace hunting you down?"

A trace of sorrow and helplessness flashed in the eyes of the Green Phoenix, Feng Xi: "They... want my 'Green Phoenix Origin' to... sacrifice to the Star Tower, to draw upon the power of the so-called... 'Progenitor Star' to stabilize their... Star Palace secret realm."

Lin Xuan’s gaze narrowed. Seizing the origin of a divine bird for sacrifice? The actions of this Star Palace did not seem as grand and upright as their Dao techniques.

"Do you have any clues about the person who triggered the spatial storm from the shadows?"

Feng Xi shook its head: "I do not know... but their aura... was cold and sinister, and they... are not of the same path as the Star Palace."

Lin Xuan pondered for a moment; it seemed the situation was even more complex than he had imagined.

"What are your plans, Fellow Daoist? Your injuries require quiet recuperation, and I fear the people from the Star Palace will not give up easily."

A trace of bewilderment flashed in Feng Xi’s eyes. Now that it was severely injured, the world was vast, but it seemed there was nowhere for it to find refuge. It looked at Lin Xuan, this human who had saved it; there was an aura about him that made it feel at ease and trusting.

"I... have nowhere to go. If Fellow Daoist does not mind... Feng Xi is willing to... follow you for a time, to repay the debt of saving my life." It lowered its head, indicating submission. As a proud divine bird, making this decision was not easy, but it could feel that the person before it might be its only chance at survival, and perhaps... even a greater opportunity.

Lin Xuan looked at the severely injured divine bird before him, his thoughts racing. Taking in a Green Phoenix with the potential to grow to the Soul Transformation realm was undoubtedly a huge help, but it also meant taking on the associated karma, such as the pursuit by the Star Palace.

But he, Lin Xuan, had never feared trouble.

"Very well." He nodded. "You may follow me for now. When your injuries recover, whether you stay or leave will be up to you."

A look of gratitude appeared in Feng Xi’s eyes, and it let out a low, joyful cry.

Lin Xuan took it into his cave-heaven magic treasure (imitation), allowing it to recuperate in peace. Although this cave-heaven magic treasure was only an imitation, the internal space was not small, and it contained spiritual energy, enough for Feng Xi to reside in.

After doing all this, Lin Xuan withdrew the array and looked toward the east.

The direction of the Imperial Capital seemed to have become even more shrouded in mist due to this unexpected interlude, and even more... worth looking forward to.

"Star Palace... dark hand... Green Phoenix... interesting." A faint curve appeared at the corner of his mouth, and his figure transformed into a stream of light, continuing his journey east.