Adding another layer of seals to the beast pouch, Jian Xiaolou furrowed her brows deeply, unwilling to release Xiao Hei.
The pile of bird bones before her might very well belong to the phoenix from the Chixiao Calamity—Xiao Hei himself.
She recalled the massive dragon skeleton beneath Dragon Prison Mountain, at least a complete frame. Xiao Hei's remains, in contrast, were a pitiful sight—bones shattered into pieces, not a single usable fragment for crafting artifacts.
How much torment had he endured before his death? And how much hatred did the perpetrator hold against him?
Was it that white dragon?
Jian Xiaolou felt an unshakable gloom and resentment toward the white dragon.
If not for their connection through Ye You, she would have thrown away that letter long ago.
After placing the bones aside and reapplying the seals on the jade medallion, Jian Xiaolou returned to the void formation.
The medallion could resist the tainted aura but only for two or three breaths at a time.
The short demon man remarked suspiciously, "Could this be the phoenix from the Chixiao Calamity?"
"Are all demons as ignorant as you?" scoffed Ying Zhen, his impeccably shaped brows arched disdainfully. "That phoenix fell from the skies back then, creating a massive crater in the northwest of the demon realm. Its flames burned across three thousand li and haven't completely extinguished to this day."
"Are you talking about the Sea of Fire Phoenix Palace?" The short demon man sneered. "I've heard of that rumor, but rumors are just rumors, like those about the Dragon Burial Ground. They've been circulating for millennia, only to be proven false every time."
"The Sea of Fire might be real," Shan Lu interjected, supporting Ying Zhen's account. As a disciple of the Tiandao Sect, which bordered the demon realm, he had more knowledge of its affairs. "The Sea of Fire is rich in Lihuo Essence, but it's incredibly difficult to mine. Its flames are unbearable even for Nascent Soul cultivators. Forty thousand years ago, the Demon Emperor invited sixteen Nascent Soul cultivators from four continents and nine powerful demon clans to join forces. They couldn't even open the gates of the Phoenix Palace at the sea's bottom. However, a few gained fortuitous opportunities and successfully ascended to the Divine Transformation stage."
Ying Zhen, unfamiliar with this, asked curiously, "What kind of opportunities?"
Shan Lu replied, "I'm not sure about most of them, but it's said that some three-pronged crystals scattered around the Phoenix Palace contained extremely high-quality spiritual energy, which Nascent Soul cultivators could absorb."
Jian Xiaolou silently listened to their discussion. Three-pronged crystals?
Those were Star Crystals, the currency of the Starry World. Three-pronged Star Crystals were the lowest grade, equivalent to low-grade spirit stones, followed by four-, five-, and six-pronged ones.
Her heart clenched at the thought. How frustrating that she could only travel between realms in soul form. If she could bring items back, she'd be rich just by grabbing a handful of Star Crystals.
This suggested that even if the Phoenix Palace beneath the Sea of Fire wasn't Xiao Hei's burial site, it likely contained the remains of a cultivator from the Starry World.
She considered releasing Xiao Hei to confirm whether these bones were those of a phoenix.
At the same time, she found it strange. Whether phoenixes or human cultivators, their burial sites usually contained abundant resources and opportunities. Why had the white dragon in Dragon Prison Mountain only left three boxes behind?
Surely he wasn't so poor he couldn't afford a storage ring?
Could it be that he separated his treasures from his remains?
"What's the point of this discussion?" the tall demon cultivator reminded them. "Don't forget why we're here. What should we be doing now?"
"This pit is straightforward; aside from the scattered bones, there's nothing else," Shan Lu said, sending small fireballs darting around the cave. "Where exactly is the source of the miasma from the Demon Gourd?"
"Search for hidden doors or passages," Jian Xiaolou suggested. She began examining the stone walls, avoiding the bone pile, while the others scattered to investigate.
After two hours, the five regrouped before the bone pile, exchanging glances. There were no other exits from the pit. If there was a hidden passage, it could only be beneath the bone pile.
In other words, they had to move the entire pile.
It wouldn't be difficult for the five of them to move the bones. The challenge was that they would have to break the seals and exit the void formation, exposing themselves to the miasma while using their powers.
There was no alternative. They had mentally prepared themselves for this before coming here.
No one shirked responsibility. Almost simultaneously, they removed the seals from their jade medallions, preparing to use their spells to move the bones. However, as soon as their spiritual energy touched the remains, the entire pile began to tremble violently.
Whoosh!
The bones closest to the energy shot into the air, transforming into thumb-sized black birds with bat-like wings and fox-like faces. Their sharp fangs gleamed coldly as they flapped toward the group.
"What are these things?!" Ying Zhen wielded his Spirit Snake Sword in one hand while scattering seeds with the other. The seeds sprouted into vines, weaving a net, but the black birds easily passed through.
Shan Lu's eyes narrowed. "Junior Sister Jian, try your Red Lotus!"
Jian Xiaolou responded quickly, summoning the Red Lotus from her consciousness. She skillfully plucked the strings, sending a flame blade flying. "They are neither demons nor spirits," she noted.
The Red Lotus had no effect on them, and she felt no signs of breaking her precept against killing.
The birds weren't fast, but their throats swelled as if preparing to spew something.
"Quick, retreat to the formation!" the tall demon cultivator shouted.
They all reapplied the seals to their jade medallions. As their spiritual energy disappeared, the birds reverted to bone fragments, falling to the ground with a clatter.
Wiping her brow, Jian Xiaolou remarked, "It seems moving this bone pile won't be easy. Using too much spiritual energy will only expose us to more miasma."
No one responded.
When she turned, she saw the others holding communication talismans.
Jian Xiaolou felt exasperated. First, Banbianlian and Yun Fan had sent signals to their sects, leaving her out. Now, others were sending messages, and she was still excluded. Her master's indifference was truly remarkable.
In truth, Chan Lingzi wasn't indifferent—he simply couldn't afford communication talismans, which were outrageously expensive.
As a demon, he had been wealthy. As a Buddha, he had abandoned material possessions, believing an ascetic needed no resources.
Now, he relied solely on Yiku Daojun's updates on the treasure site.