Chapter 512

The path is very narrow, only able to accommodate one person.

Feng Wu was inside my body, quietly saying to me: 'Wutong Granny is the best tree spirit in this world; she created me and cultivated me into your natal magic artifact; without her, there would be no me.'

I can empathize with Feng Wu's current mood.

The wutong tree in Cangwu Mountain is huge, but only this branch, Feng Wu, was selected and cultivated into a natal magic artifact.

Feng Wu felt fortunate.

She is grateful to Wutong Granny, and so am I.

Wutong Granny knows where her mission lies; her fate will ultimately wither and collapse.

Yet she is willing, at her prime, to break off her most spiritually vigorous branch, cultivate it, name it Feng Wu, and give it to me to accompany and protect me.

Wutong Granny's love and care for me are no less than anyone's.

We are reluctant, but we will eventually bid farewell to Wutong Granny.

We are like her children about to spread their wings and fly; she sees us off, giving countless instructions and admonitions.

'Xiao Jiu, when you reach the end of the sap path and Cangwu Mountain collapses with a roar, the Cangwu Dark Seal will return to your hand, but you will no longer be able to use it.'

I didn't understand, and while running I asked: 'Why?'

Wutong Granny explained: 'The Cangwu Dark Seal is not a symbol of power; it is a Fire Seed, a continuation. After I fulfill my mission, it will enter dormancy, and no one can open or use its abilities until the next Nirvana Phoenix is about to descend into the world; then it will awaken, scattering the Fire Seed, and where the natal tree spirit sprouts will be the next Feng Clan habitat. Xiao Jiu, you must guard it well.'

I nodded firmly, promising: 'Granny, I will guard it with my life; as long as I am here, it remains.'

I could see nothing around me, only the green sap-paved path beneath my feet and the wutong branches continually extending ahead as I ran.

As I ran, Wutong Granny's voice grew fainter, the color of the path beneath my feet faded, and the wutong branches overhead became sparser… until, from between those sparse leaves, I occasionally glimpsed a bird flashing by.

'Xiao Jiu, run fast! They're coming!'

Wutong Granny let out a final shout; the green path vanished instantly, and the wutong branches disappeared.

From behind, far away, came the tremendous sound of the mountain collapsing; the Cangwu Dark Seal appeared out of thin air in my hand, seemingly still retaining some warmth.

At that moment, a mist suddenly welled up in my eye sockets.

Wutong Granny said the Cangwu Dark Seal is a Fire Seed, but in plain terms, what is sealed inside it is the inner elixir she condensed when her life finally ended.

That is the seed of the natal tree spirit.

Bird cries rose and fell behind me; Feng Wu flashed out, transformed into a longbow, and shot backward into the air.

Flames, following the twang of the bowstring, were shot out, killing the birds with scarlet eyes that were pursuing me.

But the birds were too numerous; killing one layer, another immediately took its place, endless.

I desperately ran forward, not looking back or helping Feng Wu, because my temperature was gradually rising.

Without Wutong Granny's protection, the cooldown period of the Nirvana Fire is being rapidly depleted.

And I saw not far ahead, it was Phoenix Ridge!

Jilian had reminded me that after undergoing Nirvana, I should immediately go to the cold pool in the heart of Phoenix Ridge.

The cold pool's water can temporarily suppress the effect of the fifth chapter of the Dream Weaving on me.

So perhaps the cold pool's water could also temporarily suppress this heat surging within me that is about to make a comeback.

The Soul-guiding Lamp is also waiting for me there.

My goal is clear; I keep running.

I don't know if it's my imagination, but I feel that after I locked my target on the heart of Phoenix Ridge, the speed of the bird flock behind me seemed to be restrained.

They are still chasing, but not like the frantic pursuit at the beginning.

Even Feng Wu sensed it: 'Xiao Jiu, is there something in Feng Wu Mountain that they fear? Their flight speed seems to have slowed a bit.'

I don't know, but I also can't afford to think too much about it.

Because Phoenix Ridge lies behind the Feng Clan, I cannot, at this moment, turn back to meet the flock and run toward the Feng Clan entrance.

I can only grit my teeth and enter Phoenix Ridge.

The Feng Clan borders the Nether Realm; perhaps crossing Phoenix Ridge I still have a slim chance.

Thinking thus, I quickened my pace.

Soon, I stepped into Phoenix Ridge with one foot.

I had studied the map and knew the direction of the cold pool; as I ran toward it, far off I saw, amidst the mist swirling over the cold pool, a blood-red figure standing.

The Soul-guiding Lamp hung high on the nearby tree trunk, like a beacon.

That person was gazing at the Soul-guiding Lamp.

He seemed to sense something, turned and looked over toward me.

I turned my head back for a glance and saw that the bird flock had not followed into the heart of Phoenix Ridge.

Why?

Is there something in the heart of Phoenix Ridge that they fear?

Or is it some other reason?

'Xiao Jiu Zhanggui, you have finally come.'

As he approached, the man came forward; with his movement, a bloody smell rushed toward me—who else could it be but Jilian?

He said somewhat excitedly: 'I've been waiting for you here a long time; now it's time to fulfill the promise, right?'

He pointed to the lamp chamber of the Soul-guiding Lamp.

As the Soul-guiding Lamp fell toward me, I suddenly noticed something sinking and floating within the Merit Light in its lamp chamber.

When I saw it clearly, I discovered it was actually the bronze box I had the ghost-faced creature hide back in the beam's secret compartment!

I was somewhat incredulous; could the Soul-guiding Lamp actually store things?

'This bronze box was unearthed from a famous monk's tomb,' Jilian said. 'It has not only been exposed to incense but also tainted with ancient tomb yin qi, so the Soul-guiding Lamp can contain it; it will not easily corrode, nor be devoured.'

So that's how it is.

That actually saved me a lot of trouble.

Dìluán suddenly glanced at the road I had come from, his body stiffened, and he urged me anxiously: "Xiao Jiu Zhanggui, make good on your promise."

I nodded, with no intention of brushing him off.

Having taken the Thousand-work Key, at the moment the pawn transaction was completed, I could not possibly break the contract.

Moreover, I had already considered the consequences, and I felt Dìluán was worth shouldering this karma.

I picked up the Soul-guiding Lamp, quickly formed the hand seal and chanted, made a sword finger, drew a drop of lamp oil from the lamp's chamber, and flicked it toward Dìluán's brow.

The moment I withdrew my hand, Dìluán turned around, looked back toward the road I had come from, and burst into wild laughter: "Dìshì, you've schemed to the utmost, yet you still fall short by a hair—why can't you accept the fact that the world doesn't revolve around you alone?"

I was stunned.

So, did Dìshì temporarily suppress the flock of birds?

A point of light shone at Dìluán's brow—that was the lamp oil taking effect.

Dìluán, overcome with triumph, said: "Dìshì, I have no interest in continuing to play with you—I'll go on ahead…"