Deep in Huang Cixi's heart, what she could feel was indeed not a True Fiery Drop. Unknown to her, something else had taken form. As the two True Fiery Drops looked like perfect drops of blood surrounded by a blazing aura, this thing had the appearance of two wings closed around each other. It had tiny feathers of fire and was moving around, as though it was inspecting the drops.
Then, it sent some of its feathers into Huang Cixi's bloodstream. In a matter of seconds, the feathers flowed through her entire body before joining back with the two wings. Then, Huang Cixi heard some strange words resounding in her mind. At first, she didn't know what she was hearing, until she finally realized something. Those words seemed familiar yet she couldn't recognize them right away. They were in Primitive Nuhua. This was the language spoken by the human slaves among themselves before Emperor Nuwa's war brought them freedom.
Emperor Nuwa had promoted the use of Nuhua among the Hongchen Kingdom. And that primitive language that was some form of bastardized version of the tongues spoken by the demons slowly disappeared. Of course, Nuhua had evolved in nearly twenty thousand years. In fact, the written language was almost the same, only the pronunciation had truly profoundly changed. With everything Huang Cixi had read, understanding this language was in the end not that difficult.
Now that she knew what she was hearing, it only took her some time to get used to it. She recalled the first words spoken.
"Little girl, what are you looking for, here? This place is under my protection."
Her words were not very assured but she still tried to reply as best as she could. She wasn't sure who she was talking to. Considering the voice was using such an ancient language, she decided to err on the side of caution.
"Pardon my intrusion, Lord. I am a young child of the Huang family, descending from Ancestral Matriarch Huang Baifeng. I came here in search of knowledge about my ancestry and to enhance the power in my blood."
"Oh? It has been a long time since I met someone who could speak my tongue so well. Most of the people I saw could not even answer me at all. Well, a majority did not even hear my voice. Your blood is so pure that it attracted me. Also, you have the same Dantian as Nu'er! Impressive indeed if I say so myself."
Nu'er? ... Nu'er?
"Are you perhaps talking about... Emperor Nuwa?" In her surprise, Huang Cixi spoke out loud, in Nuhua. Right away, she corrected herself and asked again but only in her mind and in Primitive Nuhua.
"Yes, I'm talking about the woman who founded your entire kingdom. I must say that I'm always surprised that she managed such a feat. But to be fair, she did like to boss me around quite a lot, that little brat..."
"Are you... the True Fiery Fenghuang who accompanied Ancestral Matriarch Huang Baifeng?"
"Ha ha ha. Ancestral Matriarch? The time has flown by. Indeed, that was me."
Huang Cixi was in shock. This kind of thing should have never happened before to other Huang family members who came to meditate here. Otherwise, that thing would have known about this information. But... was it really the spirit of the True Fiery Fenghuang? Or was it something else? After all, demonic cultivators and demonic beasts, even demons, were quite active recently. Could she have been ambushed? But why? And if it truly was the True Fiery Fenghuang's spirit, why would it only appear to her?
"Brat. Your suspicions are understandable. But I truly am the will of the True Fiery Fenghuang. Well, what remains of it at the very least. The reason why you never heard about me is quite simple. First of all, I conserve my energy as much as possible so I only appear to those with a blood pure enough. Unfortunately, the number has been decreasing as of late. And as centuries passed by, many were just unable to understand me. And I'm too weak to learn a language through someone's mind. In fact, I don't think I've been able to have a meaningful conversation in the last three millenniums. I do remember a... Gufeng... I think, around two millenniums ago."
"Yufeng?"
"Yes, that's the name! She was rather talented compared to the people I met since what you call the Forsaken Dao Era. Such a pity mankind fell so much... But I am quite impressed with you. Not only do you have a Pure Golden Dantian, but your mind cultivation is impressive as well and you seem to have even found a way to apply it to your blood cultivation. You're still a bit weak, but you're young enough that it can be corrected.
"So, little girl, are you ready to receive my help? Or do you still not trust me?"
"Lord, I am sorry to have ever doubted you. But, I was not expecting that at all. Wait! If you are the True Fiery Fenghuang's will, you should remember the words of Ancestral Matriarch Huang Baifeng, right? Please, help me. I read some of her texts but they are incomplete."
"Sorry, girl. I have almost no more memory of that time. You see, I really am just a lingering will. My memories of my life are only bits and pieces. And the more time passes, the more vague they become. Right now, the only vivid memory I have is your ancestral matriarch bawling her eyes out as I'm dying in her arms. That was such a sight... All that sorrow just for a pathetic bird like me who couldn't even protect her properly... That day, I burned everything I was just to give her a chance. I thought I would completely disappear but my will persevered. Since then, I've mostly slumbered. From time to time, I sensed her blood coming here and I tried to help. Well, I knew it wasn't her but still...
"However, I can still help you. The blood essence in your veins comes from me. And as such, it reacts to my will as well."
Suddenly, Huang Cixi felt her blood resonate with the will talking to her. It was rather scary in a sense because someone else was controlling her blood. But deep down, she felt a deep familiarity with this will. For sure, that will speaking with her was from the True Fiery Fenghuang.
"Usually, I use the blood essence in your family to help your people in their tribulation or their cultivation. But I can do much more for you. Not only can I help you break through, I can also help you condense another True Fiery Drop."
The former was not that important but the latter was a great news for Huang Cixi. Indeed, she wasn't worried about her Qi cultivation as it was extremely stable and steady. In fact, she was sure that she could break through at almost any moment. That was one of the reasons why she wasn't afraid of giving a month to Gui Bei. On the other hand, condensing a True Fiery Drop took more time for every new drop. Even the current matriarch had still not condensed the nine drops for the 'Nine Chambers of Life Fire'. If she could forge another drop right now, that would be a huge help in her upcoming duel and in her future progress as well.
In fact, she had still many means to make sure that she would win the duel. Otherwise, she would not have challenged Gui Bei to begin with. Huang Cixi was not the kind of woman to let fate decide for her. She would rather be in control of the situation as much as possible. And even though martial arts and cultivation were not her thing, she knew that strength was essential to control one's own fate.
"Lord, this humble one seeks your help. May you show me the way?"
"Of course. I only have a small quantity of energy left. Unfortunately I cannot use everything on you or I would dissipate right away."
"Lord, if you dissipate, it will be a loss for my entire family..."
"Do not fret about that. If I help you, I'll be able to persist for at least half a millennium still. And if I don't, I'll only last eight or nine hundred years. In this time, I know that I won't find another girl as talented as you. So why waste this opportunity to wait for another chance that won't come? And if you're worried for me, remember. I sacrificed everything I was to help your ancestor. I was fully prepared to consume even my will. The fact that I survived is just a fluke.
"However, you'll have to tell your family not to send anyone in this place for at least ten years. After helping you, I'll need to take a nap for a while.
"And one last thing before we get to work. When you feel ready, you should go to the Gate of Heaven and Hell. I believe you know what I'm talking about, right?"
Of course, Huang Cixi knew about that. The Gate of Heaven and Hell was a secret location. Only the current matriarch knew where it was. Entering that gate was the final test to be recognized as the next matriarch. Even if the True Fiery Fenghuang's will did not tell her to go, she would have to.
"I'll leave an imprint in you. Baibai left something in that gate. I cannot be certain, but I do not think anyone else was able to obtain it. With this imprint, you'll have a better chance. Unfortunately, I only vaguely sense that gate so I can't tell you what's in it or how to obtain that thing. But I'll put my trust in you."
Baibai? Was he talking about Huang Baifeng? Ancestral Matriarch Huang Baifeng?
"What thing?"
"I can't be absolutely sure. You'll have to see for yourself. But I can feel that something important is behind that gate. And only Baibai could have put anything in there.
"Anyway, are you ready for my help?"
"Yes, Lord. What should I do?"
"At first, you must let me control your blood. I'll guide it exactly where it's supposed to go. I'll use my will to stimulate the blood essence within your blood. In fact, I'll even activate your two True Fiery Drops. Just focus on 'Nine Chambers of Life Fire' to extract as much blood essence as possible. My will alone may not be sufficient to fully condense a third True Fiery Drop. But I must warn you. As I activate my blood essence, it will get hotter and hotter. You must also protect your physical body with your Qi. No matter how much you protect yourself, the pain will be unbearable. But if you fail to manipulate your Qi, your veins will melt and then, your organs will too. If at any moment you wish to stop, just think about it and I'll completely retract my will. However, I do not think that I'll be able to mobilize your entire blood essence a second time.
"Now that I explained everything. Are you sure you want to try it?"
Without any hesitation, Huang Cixi answered "Yes, Lord.". Although she had other means to get stronger for her upcoming duel, this opportunity was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. If the will of the True Fiery Fenghuang was ready to help her, there was no way she would refuse because of a little fear. Moreover, she had full confidence in her mind cultivation and her ability to both resist pain and control her Qi.
"Then, I'll take control of your blood essence right away. Get ready!"
The two wings in her heart once again sent all their feathers in her bloodstream. Huang Cixi clearly felt their movement as her own blood was boiling in her veins. Along with this sensation, Huang Cixi activated her Qi to protect her body. She had to be extremely precise as her Qi coiled around her veins, her arteries and even the smallest capillaries. The will had been right, even though they had just started, the pain was already difficult to bear.
It took almost thirty breaths for the will to circulate the feathers through all Huang Cixi's bloodstream while activating her blood essence. Then, Huang Cixi felt this scorching heat navigate through her body in the opposite direction of her usual bloodstream. As the heat was gathering in the major spots of her blood system, she was able to retract her Qi in other small places. However, this also meant that the pain in those major spots was increasing like crazy.
She had to gather even more Qi to protect her body. But this was easier to do. Instead of controlling tiny strands of Qi, she only had to send huge amount of it in very specific places.
"Now, I'll bring it into your heart. Protect it as though your life depends on it, because it does. If I stop then, the blood essence will kill you. Focus on 'Nine Chambers of Life Fire', it will speed up the process and extract even more blood essence."
Usually, the blood essence in a member of the Huang family would naturally increase so long as they had at least one True Fiery Drop. And only when its level had reached a certain threshold could they condense another drop. But the will had activated every single ounce of blood essence in Huang Cixi at once. Hence, it would allow her to condense the drop way earlier. And with three drops, her rate of recovery of the blood essence would also increase.
Huang Cixi focused on her heart and felt the blood essence enter the organ. The two True Fiery Drops began to vibrate, excited by this energy. Huang Cixi used her modified version of the cultivation method to control her two drops and agglomerate the new blood essence. Very soon the two drops gained in quality as they were brimming with energy.
Around the two wings that were still in her heart, the remaining blood essence coagulated. Once more, the pain was insane, but Huang Cixi was using her mind cultivation to bear with it.
After more than two hours, she had finally condensed a third True Fiery Drop. But there was something strange with it. There were two small wings engraved on its surface. This was the imprint the will had talked about.
"Girl, I'll have to go back into a slumber very soon. But before that, I can help you temper some of your acupoints."
As the voice said that, Huang Cixi felt her blood accumulate around several points in her body. An intense warmth, but very pleasant this time, coursed through her body. She clearly felt that opening all her acupoints would become extremely easy as long as this warmth existed. Thus, she decided to use her Qi to open the acupoints she had not yet tempered.