"Hahaha, Ziyan lacks for nothing in my Ancient Heavenly Palace. If you, senior, do not bring out something truly valuable, how could you possibly entice us?" Jiang Yun looked at the True Dragon Emperor with burning eyes and said slowly.
Taking a deep breath, the True Dragon Emperor looked seriously at Jiang Yun and said, "Since I have already come, it's only natural that I intend to genuinely nurture Ziyan. I even want to cultivate her into the next Dragon Clan Chief."
"In that case, you might as well seek someone better. Ziyan is my Empress—how could she 'moonlight' as the Dragon Clan Chief?" Jiang Yun abruptly interrupted the True Dragon Emperor, looking at him earnestly. Meanwhile, the gaze Ziyan directed at Jiang Yun was so soft it seemed as though it could melt.
Listening to Jiang Yun's words, the True Dragon Emperor almost flipped the table. Are today's youngsters really so cunning, refusing to make a move without assurance, and taking advantage of an old man like him?
"Ziyan's decision to stay or leave is up to her, but relying on a single 'True Dragon Nine Transformations' might not be enough to reverse her acquired conditions, right?" The True Dragon Emperor, somewhat frustrated, asked Jiang Yun in puzzlement.
Even though 'True Dragon Nine Transformations' was powerful and enhanced blood purity, expecting it to turn a half-dragon to a true phoenix seemed like an absolute fantasy.
"Dragon Phoenix, Dragon Phoenix—naturally, there can't be a dragon without a phoenix," Jiang Yun replied, with a mysterious smile on his face as he looked at the True Dragon Emperor.
"You mean..." The True Dragon Emperor suddenly reacted and laughed heartily, "Hahaha, if those two guys, the Phoenix King and the Luan King, know you're after them, they won't have peace."
"Little Yun, what are you two talking about?" Their laughter confused Ziyan, who always asked about her doubts. With a curious expression, she looked at Jiang Yun.
"As it happens, the Phoenix Clan has an unparalleled divine ability as their clan's ultimate skill too, one that is no less powerful than the 'One Qi Transforming into Three Pure Ones' and 'True Dragon Nine Transformations,' called the 'Nine Transformations Into Saint Art,'" Jiang Yun explained to Ziyan.
"Moreover, this 'Nine Transformations Into Saint Art' shares miraculous similarities with 'True Dragon Nine Transformations,' requiring a deeper excavation of the phoenix bloodline for nirvana cultivation."
"Its cultivation is extremely challenging, requiring extraordinary talent. Each transformation demands the absorption of a super divine beast's bloodline, and each transformation takes a decade. Upon completing all nine transformations, one can ascend to the saint rank."
"Furthermore, this divine art can fuse and refine the absorbed divine beast bloodlines to create different divine attack skills. With nine layers compounded, its power is tremendous, potentially turning back against saint ranks," the True Dragon Emperor added. Despite Jiang Yun targeting the Phoenix Clan's divine abilities, the emperor wasn't worried about Ziyan leaning towards the other side. No way would he let a prize slip from his grasp.
In this life, the Dragon Clan would unify the divine beasts, restore their glory, and at the worst, consolidate its dominance among the divine beasts.
"Such similar divine abilities—could the ancestors of the two clans have planned this together?" Ziyan laughed lightly, then frowned slightly. "Each transformation taking ten years—the total time would be almost a century even if everything went smoothly. Isn't that too long?"
The True Dragon Emperor nearly pulled out his beard upon hearing this. He explained exasperatedly, "Many creatures can't even touch the threshold of supremes in their lifetime, and this divine art, taking me nearly two hundred years to reach saint rank, makes a century for saint rank achievable in comparison."
Looking at Ziyan's eyes lingering between himself and Jiang Yun, the True Dragon Emperor almost felt belittled. Only witnessing it in person made him accept Jiang Yun's less-than-a-century cultivation into quasi-saintly status.
Seeing the True Dragon Emperor almost being shut down by Ziyan's gaze, Jiang Yun laughed and said, "Ziyan, ten years per transformation is just a phrase. If your talent is strong enough to cultivate the divine art to a sufficient level in advance, you can move on to the next transformation earlier. Besides, with your Dragon Phoenix bloodline, dual cultivating both divine arts might bring unexpected surprises."
"When will we go to the Phoenix Clan then?" Ziyan asked, her interest piqued.
"No rush. Let's wait for Medusa and the others to finish their seclusion. For now, you should follow the True Dragon Emperor for training."
"Senior, I entrust Ziyan to your care!" Jiang Yun stood up, walked over to the True Dragon Emperor, and bowed earnestly.
"I will do my utmost!" The True Dragon Emperor, looking at the two, felt excited as he thought of finding insights into the Dragon Phoenix mysteries through teaching Ziyan, potentially making his advances.
One month later.
Medusa and the others emerged from seclusion successfully, with all three advancing to the supreme rank with the help of continent power and supreme pills. Thus, Jiang Yun's Ancient Heavenly Palace added three more powerful figures.
Upon their emergence, Jiang Yun handed over all affairs to them and, together with the True Dragon Emperor, Ziyan, and Zhukun, headed to the Divine Beast Continent.
Now, both his avatars were busy, and the Ancient Heavenly Palace lacked a supreme guardian. Despite their demonstrated strength deterring trouble, he still left the Heavenly Emperor Sword with Medusa, containing his power, to unleash saintly might if needed.
Shanhai Continent!
This well-known large continent in the Great Thousand World is said to have formed from a large fragment of the shattered Divine Beast Continent of yore, now home to the flying beast clan.
What makes Shanhai Continent famous in the Great Thousand is its residence of a supreme divine beast race with ancient roots rivaling that of the Five Great Clans—the Phoenix Clan.
Its strongest members, the Phoenix King and the Luan King, are supreme saints but their combined strength rivals that of the True Dragon Emperor. Recognized as the overlords of flying beasts, the Phoenix Clan commands absolute respect.
True to its name, Shanhai Continent is filled with vast mountains and deep seas. Its intertwined grandeur stretches endlessly across millions of great mountains, housing countless divine beast races.
Among these boundless mountains, misty peaks, ethereal birds, and majestic palaces intermingle, resonating harmonious calls that make the place resemble a paradise.
At the center of these great mountains stands an enormous pillar-like peak radiating ancient grandeur.
Atop this peak resides a grand hall, spanning a small world of streams, rare flora, and ethereal ambiance.
There, numerous jade pillars crafted from finest stones hold meditation cushions—obvious seats of power.
Spiritual light surrounded each figure; behind them, ethereal bird silhouettes akin to celestial forms. The gathered individuals, all supreme ranks at the minimum, belonged to avian divine beasts, led by the Phoenix Clan.
Individually, these divine beings rivalled the super factions of the Great Thousand World, their longevity endowing unmatched heritage and potency.
Together, their might signifies a formidable force.
At the central jade pillar, two middle-aged figures with flowing hair exuded unparalleled royalty.
The Phoenix Clan consists of true phoenixes and true luans, each ruled by a Phoenix King and Luan King respectively, jointly governing the Phoenix Clan with divided tenures. Currently, the Phoenix King holds authority.
This generation's Phoenix King and Luan King, middle-stage saint almighty beings, could rival peak saints together, securing the Phoenix Clan's absolute authority among avian divine beasts.
"Surely, everyone knows why this assembly has been called, right?" asked the Phoenix King, his gaze sweeping around the hall.
The weighty expressions on the gathered faces reflected the urgency from their knowledge of recent events involving the Dragon Clan and Tianluo Continent.
Unlike the direct approach of the True Dragon Emperor, the Phoenix Clan hesitated to confront the now formidable Ancient Heavenly Palace.
With ten supreme beings and their leader Jiang Yun, who had repeatedly demonstrated overwhelming strength and strategic acumen, the Ancient Heavenly Palace had swiftly ascended to one of the premier super factions in the Great Thousand World.
"King, is the Dragon Phoenix news confirmed?" the Azure Luan Clan leader queried.
"Since receiving the news, confirmations from multiple channels verified it. The Dragon Phoenix, wife of the demon-slaying king Jiang Yun, evolved from the True Dragon out of their lower plane," the Phoenix King affirmed.
"!!!" The gathered avian and divine beast leaders' expressions fluctuated, recognizing Jiang Yun's name and his unmatched reputation.
Jiang Yun, ascendant in power and reshaping the Great Thousand World dynamics with every battle, had given pause to the avian divine beasts who now contemplated their stance toward Ziyan, the Dragon Phoenix.
Subconsciously, their gaze shifted towards the central figures—the Phoenix and Luan Kings—and the closed-eyed elder of the Kunpeng Clan.
Despite being the Phoenix and Luan Kings, the strongest individual was the Kunpeng elder—a peer to the True Dragon Emperor with peak saint realm power and immense longevity.
"What do the Phoenix and Luan Kings intend regarding the Dragon Phoenix?" the Kunpeng elder, noticing their scrutiny, asked flatly, though his words carried weight.
"This..." The two rulers exchanged solemn looks. Given the elder's peak saint rank status, his opinion held significant clout.
After a prolonged silence, the Phoenix King exhaled deeply, "Though a top divine beast, the Dragon Phoenix no longer commands divine beasts as in ancient times. Any thoughts otherwise are mere dreams."
"Hence, unless the Ancient Heavenly Palace comes for us, we should ignore them."
Were they truly uninterested in the secrets of the Dragon Phoenix?
Of course not—such prime bloodlines are rare gems. However, with Jiang Yun's mighty influence, none dared provoke him in the open despite their curiosity.
"If only things remain unchanged!" the Kunpeng elder concluded indifferently, concealing his thoughts.
Boom!
At that moment, a spatial disturbance resonated from afar like thunder, drawing the attention of all supremes there. A vast spiritual torrent surged like waves in the distant sky.
Rip!
In the observing crowd's stunned silence, a dark spatial tear appeared, accompanied by a thunderous laugh.
"Hahaha, you're still alive, old coot!" (end of chapter)