Feng Xue took a deep breath before she answered, "I'm ready, Master."
"The barrier should be enough to prevent anyone from prying inside the mansion. Meanwhile, I'll guard here in case something happened to you," Elder Yang said.
Feng Xue took out the Phoenix Blood and Heavenly Rebirth from her ring, put them in her mouth, and gulped it without hesitation. Then, she sat in the lotus position and started chanting the Divine Phoenix Scripture.
The Qi in the air became restless and twisted around her body. More and more Qi gathered, forming a vortex with Feng Xue as its center.
Boom.
A massive amount of Qi penetrate her body and was instantly converted to Pure Fire Qi thanks to Divine Phoenix Scripture. She got a similar sensation from when she first cultivate the technique but immeasurably more intense. It felt like her own Qi was trying to incinerate her from inside, melting her.
"Argh..."
A painful scream inevitably escaped from her mouth but didn't stop her to continue chanting the scripture. Her skin gradually reddened as her breath and pulse quicken. Her heart thumping violently threaten to burst out and explode.
Thump. Thump.
Feng Xue's body trembled following the rhythm of her heartbeat.
Boom.
The Pure Fire Qi exploded from her body and twisted around, forming a massive pillar of fire. Feng Xue's body disappeared from the spectators' eyes seems like swallowed by the fire.
"Little Xue!"
Madam Feng and Elder Yang were frightened by the sight of the fire pillar and rushing toward it. Its appearance was so sudden that nobody could react before it enveloped Feng Xue's body.
But, before they reached the pillar and hurt themselves, Snowy blocked them.
"It's okay," Snowy calmly said. "It's a necessary experience for Xue so she can improve her bloodline and constitution. A Phoenix won't die from fire; instead, it will undergo rebirth and achieve perfection."
Crack. Crack.
The pillar shot straight toward the sky, impacting the barrier greatly that the barrier nearly shattered. Its brunt force affecting the surrounding and caused the entire mansion to shake. The mansion's servants' faces turn pale as they felt the earthquake beneath their feet.
Not long after, the pillar slowly shrank until it finally disappeared, yet, Feng Xue has also gone, nowhere to be seen. A pile of ashes was the only thing that remained behind.
"Aaaah...." The tears, which Madam Feng had been struggled to keep in, burst out as she was wailing loudly. She dragged her feet toward the pile of ashes and then kneeled and hugged it, didn't care that her clothes were ragged and dirty.
"You said that she would be fine. Now, look! Where is she now? How do you want to take responsibility for her death?!" Elder Yang grabbed Snowy's shoulder fiercely and snarled at Snowy with a cold voice
Snowy remained unfazed by the pain on her shoulder and calmly replied, "Don't be quick to kill other, Elder Yang. It's not over yet. Do you think I will do nothing if Xue is in danger?"
Snowy pushed Elder Yang's hand from her shoulder and approached Madam Feng. And then, she grabbed Madam Feng's hand, guided her to fall back from there, and said with a soothing voice, "Aunt Feng, don't cry. Feng Xue is still alive, and she is going back to us soon."
Madam Feng looked at Snowy with an angry and doubtful gaze. She struggled to free herself but suddenly stood still and turn her head upward when she saw a vision of a crimson bird appeared in the sky.
"Screech!" The Blazing Crimson Bird let out a loud cry and spread its wings. The disappearing fire pillar seemed to be absorbed by the bird, and all of its energy surge inside it. After the absorption, an unbelievable heatwave swept through the mansion, and the bird underwent monumental changes as if it had been reborn.
"Screeeech!" A Phoenix's cry resounded as a divine brilliance erupted from the bird. At this time, the bird in the sky ceased to be a mere bird; it had become a Phoenix!
"A Phoenix...." All shuddered—and some even kneeled—after seeing the transformation taking place in the sky. They felt reverie and awe at the presence of the root of their bloodline.
'Little Xue, please come back.' Madam Feng pleaded inwardly while her body still laid in Snowy's embrace.
The Phoenix flew out and struck the barrier like a bird trying to break through its cage.
Crack. Crack. Boom!
Even though the formation was formidable, it didn't stand a chance in front of an assault by a divine beast. The crack resulted from the fire pillar earlier spread with a breakneck speed throughout the entire barrier and shattered it.
"Screeeeech" sang The phoenix once again while it was soaring in the sky, showing its majestic and regal presence seems to declare its debut to the world.
"Look at the sky! Is that an auspicious sign?"
"Is another heaven-ranked treasure being born?"
"Where does it come from?"
"That direction, it's coming from Central Part!"
This phenomenal spectacle not only shocked the people in Phoenix City but also in the entire Eastern Region. Even people in the remote corner of the land could see this sight. All experts were alarmed by the emergence of the Phoenix.
"What's that? Is that a divine beast? How can a divine beast still live in this barren place?" an old man with unkempt hair inside a wooden shack looked in the Phoenix direction, dazing seemingly deep in thought.
"Is it a blessing? Or is it a disaster? Everything will change soon," murmured Heaven Sword Sect's Sect Master on the summit of his peak where he abode.
"Send our man to Phoenix City, make sure we get accurate information about what happened there," a middle-aged man wearing golden armor shouted at his subordinate.
"How interesting. It must be having something to do with that lass," chuckled Fairy Tantai, and then she once again looked at the painting of a four-armed woman with an extraordinary beauty playing a pipa.
After a moment, the Phoenix abruptly dived down and returned to the mansion. Then, it curled in turned into a cocoon. The fire on its surface flailing and bursting like a heartbeat.
Crack. Crack.
A cracking sound followed by the collapse of the shell revealed a figure of a young woman hugged by her fiery wing.
"How beautiful," Madam Feng exclaimed.
"Is this the rebirth mentioned in the legend? The Phoenix Bloodline actually this formidable. Its pressure is suppressing even me," murmured Elder Yang.
The woman then retracted her wing and stood there naked. Her eyes roamed, scanning her surrounding. When she saw Snowy, Madam Feng, and Elder Yang, a big smile plastered on her lovely face.
Snowy summon a robe and quickly covers her body.
"Congratulation for your breakthrough, Xue," Snowy said with a warm smile.
"Thank you, Snowy. If it's not for you, I won't have this fortune in this lifetime," said Feng Xue, grinning.
"No. It's because of your own talent and fate. I just happen to be the one who brings you the opportunity." Snowy quickly shook her head in denial.
"Little Xue.... You... You make mom so worry..." said Madam Feng as she hugged Feng Xue.
"I'm sorry, mom." Feng Xue didn't rebut or argued. She only quietly patted her back, comforting her.
"Well done, my silly disciple," Elder Yang said and looked at Feng Xue proudly.
"Thank you, Master. It's all thanks to your guidance," said Feng Xue, smiling back to him.
Snowy checked Feng Xue's information making sure there was no problem for her. She can feel something was missing.
---
Name: Feng Xue
Cultivation: Golden Core stage
Bloodline: Human, Divine Phoenix Bloodline (Divine Beast – 50% purity)
Constitution: Heavenly Phoenix Body (Heaven-ranked – Flawless)
---
'Sure enough, the Phoenix Blood's purity wasn't enough to fully unleashed her bloodline and constitution potential.' she thought.
But, Snowy didn't think too much about it.
Even though her bloodline purity only 50%, it was more than enough to help Feng Xue reaching the peak of cultivation in this mortal plane. She can even be compared to a Chosen from big sects or an heir from great families back in the Heaven Plane. Reaching Immortal King or Immortal Emperor level in under 10 years is not an impossible feat for her.
Thinking of ascending together with Feng Xue made Snowy giddy in anticipation for the future.
"Now, with you had been breaking through to Golden Core stage, I have less worry for you if you want to go to Blackwood Forest to search for Nine-petal Lotus," Elder Yang said, and continue, "When are you going to depart?"
"I will accompany mother today and then depart tomorrow with Snowy," replied Feng Xue.
"I'm going to train and advance my cultivation meanwhile we search for the Nine-Petal Lotus," Snowy nodded approvingly.
"Okay, just remember to be careful there. Blackwood Forest known as a no-man-place is not without a reason." Elder Yang reminded them.
"Okay, Master!" said Feng Xue, giving Elder Yang a thumbs-up.