Chapter Fourteen
Almost the instant the silver light dissipated, Feng Ran and the Elders of the Phoenix Clan on the high platform outside the Phoenix Hall changed expressions drastically, rising abruptly and flying together toward the ancient Phoenix Tree Forest.
Outside the hall, the gathered Immortal Lords exchanged uneasy glances, all feeling somewhat apprehensive. It was Chang Qin who took the lead, flicking her sleeve and leading the anxious Immortal Lords with a worried expression as they flew toward the ancient Phoenix Tree Forest.
In the ancient Phoenix Tree Forest, the phoenix trees surrounding the Ancestral Phoenix Tree had been completely burned away by the white Ember Fire. The usually lush and verdant ancient forest appeared as though it had suffered a great calamity, leaving only a bare Ancestral Phoenix Tree stubbornly holding its ground at the center.
Standing alone beneath the tree was a fiery red, plump figure. Gu Jin’s hair was disheveled, his robes burned beyond recognition, and half his eyebrows had been singed off. His face was blackened, with only a pair of small eyes peering out from the flesh. His appearance was truly pitiful and wretched.
Even Feng Ran and the Elders, who had arrived with towering rage, couldn’t help but pause in their steps upon seeing the pitiful state of Little Fatty Gu as he turned around, their anger diminishing somewhat.
Behind them, the Immortal Lords led by Chang Qin also landed in the Ancestral Phoenix Tree Forest. The sight of the completely burned forest and the one standing and one sleeping figure brought everyone to a halt.
Clearly, that plump Immortal Lord was the culprit who had obstructed the Little Phoenix Lord’s Nirvana Rebirth. The gathered immortals pondered silently, deducing his identity from his plump physique and the flashy yet rare ornaments he wore. The Eastern Pearl hanging from this plump Immortal Lord’s waist was larger than those on the crowns of several Dragon Kings. In the Immortal Realm, aside from Clear Pond Palace and Phoenix Tree Island, only Great Marsh Mountain had such audacity.
The white-bearded Immortal Lords of Great Marsh Mountain knew their martial uncle had caused trouble and watched Gu Jin with worried, uneasy expressions, their eyebrows and noses nearly scrunched together.
Among the crowd, Hong Que panicked upon realizing it was Gu Jin who had obstructed the Little Phoenix Lord’s Nirvana Rebirth, flustered and looking helplessly toward Hua Shu.
Hua Shu stood behind the Peacock King, her expression calm and composed, but her hands hidden in her sleeves trembled slightly. The Phoenix Sovereign was domineering, fierce, and extremely protective of her own. If she learned that Gu Jin had come to the ancient Phoenix Tree Forest to obtain the Fire Phoenix Jade for her, the Peacock Clan would surely face the cold shoulder of the entire Immortal Realm for a century...
This Gu Jin could stir up such a storm, accomplishing nothing but causing trouble. Hua Shu glanced at Gu Jin, a flicker of impatience and anger passing through her eyes.
After taking in the sight of Little Fatty Gu, everyone’s gaze finally turned to the red-robed girl sleeping suspended in mid-air beside Gu Jin. With just that one glance, they all froze in place.
Black hair, red robes, exquisite features, and proud brows—even at a glance, the girl’s countenance already hinted at the peerless beauty that would one day captivate the Three Realms.
For such a Little Phoenix Lord to perish before even being born was truly a pity!
Having destroyed the Nirvana Rebirth of the Little Phoenix Lord of Phoenix Tree Island, even as the young disciple of the old High Lord Dong Hua, he would likely be crushed to dust before the wrath of the Celestial Emperor and the Phoenix Clan...
The immortals sighed, unable to bear watching the scene that would follow.
Gu Jin clutched the shattered Fire Phoenix Jade, catching sight of Feng Ran’s cold, stern face from afar. He glanced at Feng Yin floating beside him in mid-air, his eyes filled with regret and self-reproach.
If not for his reckless intrusion into the Ancestral Tree of Feng Yin’s Nirvana Rebirth, all for the sake of winning a smile from Hua Shu, he would never have caused her such harm.In the recent clash of divine powers, Feng Yin's spiritual power was completely drained by Gu Jin's Chaos Origin, and her three hun and seven po dissipated along with the shattered Fire Phoenix Jade. Feng Yin, who had already been safely born, was forced into a deep slumber by him. If her soul cannot be recovered, it may be difficult for her to ever awaken again.
How is this any different from killing the little phoenix of Phoenix Tree Island? Although Gu Jin had been spoiled by his elders into a fearless and unrestrained nature, he was not an ungrateful person and knew he had caused a great disaster this time. With a look of grim determination, he carried Feng Yin toward Feng Ran. However, before he could approach, Feng Yun, the anxious Elder of the Phoenix Clan, snatched Feng Yin away and reached out to touch her forehead.
A red light entered Feng Yin's forehead, but there was no response whatsoever. Upon this examination, Feng Yun's face turned as dark as a pot. Suppressing his anger with difficulty, he said to Feng Ran, "Your Majesty, all of A Yin's spiritual power is gone, and her three hun and seven po have scattered without a trace."
Growing more furious as he spoke, Feng Yun suddenly looked up at Gu Jin and roared, "Who are you, daring to obstruct the Nirvana Rebirth of the Phoenix Clan's successor? Speak! Which mountain or sect do you belong to, that you would be so bold?"
With her soul completely scattered, it seemed beyond remedy. Feng Ran frowned deeply as she looked at Gu Jin, her eyes filled with unprecedented severity and anger.
She knew A Qi had always been unruly, but she never expected him to be so reckless as to cause such a catastrophe. The Ember Fire of Feng Yin's Nirvana Rebirth could incinerate all things, so she had not stationed any Elders to guard the area, forgetting about the Primordial Chaos Power within A Qi's body.
With a wave of his hand, Feng Yun sent a blazing fire spirit rope binding toward Gu Jin. The Elder of the Phoenix Clan possessed spiritual power comparable to a Demigod, and this strike carried surging fury. If it touched Gu Jin, it would undoubtedly leave him severely injured and bloodied.
The old Immortal Lords of Great Marsh Mountain were frantic with worry.
Gu Jin, aware of his wrongdoing, stood still without dodging or evading, wearing an expression of heroic sacrifice. The gathered immortals could not bear to watch, and many even cried out in alarm.
Yet, moments later, the expected sight of scorched flesh and blood did not appear. The ancient forest remained eerily quiet and still.
When the immortals looked up, they were all stunned.
A pair of slender hands had grasped the roaring Blazing Fire Spirit Rope in Feng Yun's grip. The rope had barely approached the hem of Gu Jin's robe before it could advance no further.
What astonished the immortals was none other than the fact that the one who had seized the Blazing Fire Spirit Rope was none other than the Celestial Emperor, Feng Ran.
If there was anyone in the Upper and Lower Three Realms who protected their own without rhyme or reason, Feng Ran would claim second place, and no one would dare claim first. That she, with her bold and fiery temperament, would shield the one who had caused the Little Phoenix Lord's soul to scatter was utterly unbelievable.
Feng Ran always acted according to her own principles and would never casually overlook offenses against Phoenix Tree Island. Seeing Feng Ran intervene, Feng Yun reluctantly withdrew the Blazing Fire Spirit Rope.
Feng Ran looked at Gu Jin, who wore an expression of grim determination, and asked sternly, "What happened? You came on behalf of your master to offer congratulations. Why did you appear at Feng Yin's Nirvana Rebirth site? And how did you cause Feng Yin's soul to scatter completely?"
This sharp inquiry did not startle the crowd, but it caused Hua Shu and her attendants to pale with tension. However, Feng Ran's words also gave the immortals some insight: the Celestial Emperor and High Lord Dong Hua shared a deep friendship, and she likely intended to show leniency toward his young disciple as well.Gu Jin was raised single-handedly by Feng Ran, who cherished him as dearly as her own eyes. When had he ever heard Feng Ran speak in such a stern tone? He couldn't help but feel somewhat saddened, lowering his gaze and murmuring softly, "Your Majesty, I..." Gu Jin glanced in Hua Shu's direction, noticing her tense expression. He sighed lightly and replied, "Your Majesty, I heard that the Little Phoenix Lord's Fire Phoenix Jade is an ancient treasure and wanted to borrow it for admiration. In a moment of recklessness, I barged into the Ancestral Phoenix Tree where the Little Phoenix Lord was undergoing Nirvana Rebirth and shattered the Fire Phoenix Jade that was gathering her soul. As a result, I caused her soul to scatter and spirit disperse, preventing her from completing the Nirvana Rebirth."
Gu Jin bowed toward Feng Ran and the furious Elders of the Phoenix Clan. "Gu Jin has committed a grave mistake..." he said earnestly. "I hope the Elders will allow me to make amends. Permit me to retrieve Feng Yin's Three Hun and Seven Po. Once I have gathered all her soul fragments, I will personally go to Phoenix Tree Island to seek forgiveness from Your Majesty and the Elders, accepting any punishment you deem fit. However, the fault for disrupting the Little Phoenix Lord's Nirvana Rebirth lies solely with me and has nothing to do with my fellow disciples of Great Marsh Mountain or my master. I implore Your Majesty and the Elders not to hold Great Marsh Mountain accountable."
Although Gu Jin had committed a grave mistake for a baffling reason, his composed and responsible words in the face of the enraged Phoenix Clan Elders earned him the admiration of the Immortals present.
"Nonsense! Once a soul scatters, it is nearly impossible to gather it again even over a thousand years. Even the Ancient True God of old could not retrieve Bai Jue True God's soul, let alone you! How could we allow you to roam free for a thousand years?" Feng Zhi, the hot-tempered Elder of the Phoenix Clan, was furious and rejected Gu Jin's request without a second thought.
Upon hearing this, Gu Jin's face turned deathly pale. He lowered his gaze, a rare flicker of sorrow and stubbornness passing through his eyes.
In contrast, the Grand Elder Feng Yun sensed something amiss. He stopped Feng Zhi, who was about to lash out at Gu Jin, and narrowed his eyes as he studied Gu Jin. The white Ember Fire during Feng Yin's Nirvana Rebirth could incinerate all things in the Three Realms, and no one except the Phoenix Sovereign could approach it. Yet this Immortal Lord had managed to break through the Ember Fire and get close to Feng Yin. Could it be...? Feng Yun scrutinized Gu Jin closely and gasped, realizing the truth behind Feng Ran's earlier leniency.
Although Gu Jin was unacceptably plump, upon closer inspection, he still bore some resemblance to Bai Jue True God from the past.
The Phoenix Sovereign was not sparing him out of respect for Dong Hua High Lord of Great Marsh Mountain—she simply could not bear to harm the Little Divine Lord of the Ancient Divine Realm, whom she had raised herself!
Sure enough, Feng Ran frowned and shot a stern glance at Feng Zhi, her phoenix eyes filled with authority.
Feng Zhi was taken aback by the glare and, realizing his earlier indiscretion, awkwardly retreated behind Feng Yun, not daring to speak further.
Among everyone present, only Feng Ran understood how deeply the Phoenix Clan Elder's words had wounded Gu Jin. Seeing Gu Jin lower his gaze in silence, she frowned, unable to suppress a pang of heartache.
Although Feng Yin's failed Nirvana Rebirth was Gu Jin's fault, perhaps it was also her destined fate.
After all, he was the child she had raised, and she could not bear to see him suffer even a little. Yet, given A Qi's temperament, if he did not endure some hardship, he might cause even greater trouble in the future. Moreover, Feng Yin was the Phoenix Clan's treasured gem. Since Gu Jin had caused her soul to scatter completely, a light punishment would not suffice to appease the entire Phoenix Clan.
Feng Ran quickly ran through the usual punishments of the Immortal Realm—Nine Heavens Thunder Punishment, Ice Spike Whipping—but ruthlessly dismissed every one of them.Just as Feng Ran was in a predicament, a powerful surge of Divine Power swept across the sky, and the Five-Colored Lotus, accompanied by clouds, blotted out the sun, instantly covering the sky above the Phoenix Tree Forest.
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