Chapter 952: It's too wicked

Shan Shan would never forget how, before she and Ao Jing broke out of the Spirit Mirror Space, the male phoenix had helped them.

And how grieved they felt when they first returned to the Feng Clan.

After all, the male phoenix is the pure bloodline left behind by the ancient Feng Clan, which exhausted the clan's full strength to preserve it.

By reason and emotion, if there is still a sliver of hope, they should strive for the male phoenix.

The situation has come to this point; it is now the moment of a final all‑out effort.

Although dangerous, Shan Shan feels that their side's odds of winning are much greater.

If it can be saved, it had better be saved.

Of course, if saving the male phoenix causes other casualties or leads to an uncontrollable situation, then when that time comes, we must give up.

In short, we do our best and leave the rest to fate.

A Cheng murmured, saying, "If the male phoenix can survive, it will be a hundred benefits and no harm for our Feng Clan."

Xiao Jiu understood: regardless of the reason, everyone wants to save the male phoenix.

"Give him a chance." Ao Jing's voice came from behind; he strode over and said, "We won't interfere excessively, leaving it entirely to him—if he has the ability to survive, it's his good fortune."

Upon seeing Ao Jing, Shan Shan immediately ran over.

Just now at Cangwu Mountain, she hadn't even had time to thank Ao Jing.

Shan Shan grabbed Ao Jing, examined him up and down, front and back, confirmed he wasn't seriously injured, then said, "Brother Jing, thank you for saving me and for supporting my decision."

"It's only right," Ao Jing said sternly, "this is the merit of everyone's joint effort; from now on we must keep working together until the Spirit Mirror affair is completely resolved."

Shan Shan turned to look at Xiao Jiu, her pleading eyes seeking his opinion.

Xiao Jiu said, "Shan Shan, as the Phoenix Lord you have full authority to decide all matters of the Feng Clan; Mother will always support you and be your backing."

Shan Shan felt moved, glanced around, and saw everyone looking at her with encouraging and firm gazes.

"Alright, let's first make the preparations and then give it a try," Shan Shan made the final decision, "but everyone must remember that saving lives is only an attempt, not a mission; the precondition is to protect our own lives first."

After speaking, Shan Shan walked to the tightly shut doors of the Spirit Shrine.

Everyone else went about their duties and returned to their positions.

Shan Shan took three deep breaths, then raised both hands, condensed power in her palms, and with inner force pushed open the Spirit Shrine's doors from a distance.

The instant the doors were flung open, Shan Shan leapt into mid‑air, spread her wings together with Tang Xun, and began to flap rapidly.

At the moment the Spirit Shrine opened, a blinding light almost blinded everyone's eyes.

Layers of illusory space, like glass cut surfaces, surged outward; if uncontrolled, they could swallow all living beings of the Feng Clan.

But that did not happen.

The area around the Spirit Shrine had already been heavily deployed; Liu Junyan had sealed the earth veins below, while Shan Shan, Tang Xun, and Xiao Jiu stood in a triad formation above, their huge wings continuously flapping, exerting inner force downward to suppress any stray illusory space immediately.

Once the suppression reached a certain level, those illusory spaces would twist, shatter, and finally vanish completely from this world.

However, this suppression only treats the symptoms, not the root cause.

No one knows how many illusory spaces the Spirit Mirror can split into.

Even if everyone's cultivation is high and the deployments are solid, if the Spirit Mirror can split endlessly, there will eventually be a moment we cannot resist.

This is also what everyone worries about most.

To solve the problem, we must find the controller behind the Mundane Dust Pearl or its spirit, and destroy it at the source; only then can it truly end.

Everyone gritted their teeth and struggled to hold on.

After an unknown length of time, Xiao Jiu suddenly heard Liu Junyan's mental transmission: "After the Mundane Dust Pearl shatters, its fragments seep into the whole space and may soon reassemble in the present world—be careful."

Liu Junyan used earth‑vein power to seal off a region, and the effect was indeed significant.

But this Mundane Dust Pearl is special; it can exist as tiny fragments, hiding in water vapor, dust, and everything else throughout the space, making it impossible to grasp.

At this moment Liu Junyan realized a change was imminent; all he could do was continue sealing the earth veins while giving Xiao Jiu a heads‑up.

Upon receiving the message, Xiao Jiu felt a wave of heat coming from the direction of Cangwu Mountain.

Like a summer wind sweeping in, it arrived with great force.

Xiao Jiu shouted, "Be careful, everyone pull back!"

After the heat wave broke through from below, everyone saw specks of red matter constantly gathering and condensing in mid‑air.

Although it had not fully returned to the original form of the Mundane Dust Pearl, its material and shape clearly showed that the Mundane Dust Pearl was re‑condensing.

This thing is too evil—it cannot be killed, it reforms after shattering, and no matter how broken it is, it seems to possess consciousness; to say it has no spirit, no awakened spiritual awareness, nobody would believe.

While the Mundane Dust Pearl was re‑condensing, the Spirit Shrine also showed movement.

A low growl came from inside the Spirit Shrine—suppressed and painful, yet hinting at madness.

It was the male phoenix!

Shan Shan stared at the scene below, for a moment doubting whether her decision was correct.

The Mundane Dust Pearl has come for the male phoenix.

Although it possesses spirit, it is not as stable as they imagined, after all it can be shattered.

Therefore it needs a puppet, a vessel, and the male phoenix is the best candidate.

As soon as the Mundane Dust Pearl appears, the male phoenix's side shows movement.

What will happen when the two merge?

Shan Shan analyzed that there are roughly two possibilities.

First, the Mundane Dust Pearl re‑enters the male phoenix's body and launches a killing spree.

Second, the Mundane Dust Pearl controls the male phoenix to take it back into the Spirit Mirror Space for secluded cultivation.

After all, it can no longer condense into its original form, indicating that it has suffered great loss under our successive attacks.

If we must choose one of these two scenarios, Shan Shan hopes for the second.

Once it returns to the Spirit Mirror Space, Shan Shan and the others will find a way to seal the Spirit Mirror immediately.

Everyone stared intently at the movements inside the spirit shrine, their hearts guessing what would happen next.

The Male Phoenix's roaring howl grew nearer; soon, a tall, massive figure slowly emerged from the layers of illusory space.

Who else could it be but the Male Phoenix?

At the moment the Male Phoenix appeared, Shan Shan's heart leapt to their throat.

The Male Phoenix stepped toward the Mourning Dust Pearl, each step as if treading on everyone's hearts.

The Mourning Dust Pearl also sensed the Male Phoenix strongly; the loose 'ball' condensed in midair involuntarily tilted toward the Male Phoenix...