Chapter 711: Divine Diviner
Chapter 711: Divine Diviner
The Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix did not know that, in truth, compared to Green Fire Luan, Fang Xi was the true genius who had made rapid progress on the path of void.
Although his aptitude for comprehending the laws of void could only be described as average, he observed the All-Heavens Precious Mirror daily, which was equivalent to witnessing the most fundamental operational laws of the void.
Even a pig. . . with such accumulation over time, would show considerable progress.
In fact, even Green Fire Luan's understanding of the path of void was taught by Fang Xi!
Seeing Fang Xi repeatedly escape, the Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix felt a secret rage in her heart. She suddenly plucked a phoenix feather ornament from her head and began to chant a spell.
After a incantation, the five-colored feather in her hand transformed into a solid arrow, nocked onto her Heavenly Phoenix Bow.
This time, Fang Xi felt an even more intense sense of life-and-death crisis than before!
The bloodstain on the Golden-winged Demonic Roc's right claw flashed, transforming into a Divine Infant Sword.
Whoosh!
A bloody crescent moon appeared, demonic flames burning fiercely upon it, meeting the five-colored arrow.
Boom!
Heaven and earth vital energy converged, space twisted. . . then transformed into a terrifying explosion!
A stunning five-colored spiritual light spread, attempting to engulf Fang Xi.
Caw!
The Golden-winged Demonic Roc let out a long cry, its wings sweeping out streaks of wind blades, blocking the rear.
The azure wind blades, upon contact with the five-colored spiritual light, shattered at once!
The five-colored spiritual light, as if sentient, continued to pursue the Golden-winged Demonic Roc, wrapping strands of itself around its tail feathers.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, streams of demonic qi violently disintegrated.
The Golden-winged Demonic Roc, like a lizard shedding its tail, cast off the greater part of its body, successfully escaping the range of the five-colored spiritual light.
Its head split open, and a cold, handsome black-robed youth emerged.
Fang Xi's expression was grave, with Phoenix Seal Script Talismans swirling around his body.
Before him, space seemed to shatter, revealing a silver-white light portal.
He traversed through it, his figure instantly reappearing ten thousand feet away.
As he fled, Fang Xi tried to intimidate the Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix relentlessly pursuing him with his divine consciousness: "Why must Your Excellency be so persistent? I am but a mere human Return to Void cultivator. . ."
"Heh heh. . . a human Return to Void cultivator? !"
The Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix sneered, "To be able to escape my grasp multiple times, you are already considered top-tier among human geniuses. If you were to advance to the Integration stage, who knows how many demon cultivators of my race would perish by your hand. . . If I can kill you today, it will be to eliminate a great enemy for the future!"
Accompanying the cold snort of the Integration stage demon cultivator, Fang Xi suddenly felt a clear and ethereal phoenix cry resonate in his sea of consciousness!
A phoenix's cry, a bird's song, ought to be exceptionally pleasant to the ear.
But a look of terror appeared on Fang Xi's face!
In his sea of consciousness, a small yellow bird appeared, its intelligent eyes filled with chilling intent, and it pecked fiercely!
It was a divine consciousness attack!
Turbulent waves surged within Fang Xi's sea of consciousness, and a layer of seven-colored light, like armor, covered his entire sea of consciousness.
Thwack!
The small yellow bird crashed against the seven-colored armor, exploding into countless specks of light, causing his sea of consciousness to tremble violently.
'Damn it! '
Fang Xi's escape light did not falter, still fleeing relentlessly, but he felt a sense of relief in his heart.
If his divine consciousness hadn't been far stronger than that of an average early-stage Return to Void cultivator, and if he hadn't cultivated a divine consciousness technique, constantly refining the 'Seven Emotions Armor' — a divine consciousness defense secret art from the 'Seven Emotions Parting Melancholy Scroll' — day and night, he might have fallen today!
"To think your divine consciousness cultivation is also excellent, it seems I truly cannot let you live!"
Seeing this, the coldness in the Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix's five-colored eyes intensified.
"Wait. . . Your Excellency's relentless pursuit, I'm afraid, isn't for me, but for my spirit pet, isn't it?"
Fang Xi immediately countered, "It has already signed a life-bound contract with me. As long as I perish, that spirit pet will surely die from the backlash of the contract!"
The Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix was unimpressed, merely saying, "You can try. . ."
Fang Xi's heart sank, knowing that this Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix had most likely observed him from the shadows for some time before.
Perhaps she had even specially prepared a treasure or secret art to counter contracts, confident that she could preserve Green Fire Luan's life after his death.
At this moment, she was hoping Fang Xi would turn hostile, to hurt the spirit pet's feelings and seize the opportunity to make Green Fire Luan return to the demon race!
'Wait. . . if it comes down to it, returning Green Fire Luan to her isn't entirely out of the question. At that point, it would become her cultivating a pet for me. . . '
'But that's unlikely. Even if I'm just an External Avatar and can nobly sacrifice myself before this Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix, whether the contract on Green Fire Luan's body has been lifted can easily be checked. . . '
'If she returns to the demon race, she will definitely undergo the most rigorous inspection, and there will be no way to conceal it. . . '
Fang Xi sighed in his heart, forced to abandon this very tempting idea.
At this moment, the five-colored feathered maiden behind him, seeing this human cultivator still fleeing, grew somewhat impatient and plucked another five-colored feather.
She drew her bow and nocked the arrow, and terrifying heaven and earth vital energy once again converged.
On the arrow's tip, Phoenix Seal Script inscriptions condensed, erupting with dazzling silver light.
"Void-Breaking Arrow!"
Fang Xi's facial muscles twitched, Phoenix Seal Script Talismans already poised in his sleeve, ready to be unleashed.
However, at this moment, his heart suddenly stirred.
Whoosh!
The bowstring thrummed like a clap of thunder!
The five-colored arrow vanished into the void, only to reappear behind Fang Xi in the next instant!
He sneered and slapped his spirit beast pouch.
With a flash of azure light, Green Fire Luan emerged, her face filled with determination, and she spewed forth a mouthful of Green Luan True Fire!
Chirp!
The Green Luan True Fire transformed into the shape of a Green Luan, suddenly spreading its wings and crying out, colliding with the tip of the Void-Breaking Arrow!
Puff!
A fifth-stage Divine Transformation level True Fire met a seventh-stage Heavenly Phoenix's Void-Breaking Arrow.
That azure fire Luan was extinguished by the arrow before it could even react. The Void-Breaking Arrow wasn't weakened in the slightest, its five-colored light dazzling as it shot towards Fang Xi!
But at this moment, Green Fire Luan stood in front of Fang Xi.
Fang Xi's expression was sharp; clearly, he intended to use Green Fire Luan as a shield.
Green Fire Luan's face was resolute, and azure feathers fluttered everywhere.
"Damn it!"
Seeing this, the Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix couldn't help but form hand seals.
That five-colored arrow immediately diminished greatly in power, freezing in mid-air.
This Void-Breaking Arrow was crafted by the Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix using her own feathers, so it maintained a certain connection after leaving her body, allowing for manipulation.
Many human cultivators who did not understand this point easily perished by her hand.
But today, she was forced to unleash it prematurely.
Seeing this, Fang Xi's Divine Infant Sword appeared in his right hand, slashing across the sky!
Pfft! Pfft!
Countless red lines pierced through space, and a blood-red sword qi fiercely struck the frozen five-colored arrow.
Crackling!
The restrictions on the five-colored arrow shattered, returning it to its original form as a five-colored feather, which Fang Xi materialized into a black demonic hand and snatched.
The Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix saw this and couldn't help but sneer, "Greed-blinded, courting death. . ."
She took the opportunity to send a voice transmission to Green Fire Luan: "Did you see that? Human cultivators are so despicable and shameless. . . they would even use you as a shield. Do you still want to sacrifice yourself for him?"
Although her previous arrow failed to severely injure Fang Xi, for her, if she could instigate this spirit beast to betray him, it would be even more advantageous.
Green Fire Luan bit her red lip, her heart filled with disdain.
Her master already knew that this Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix wouldn't bear to see her die, which was why he used her to test the waters. It was a quite confident move.
Compared to his former spirit pets like Green Horned Dragon, who were genuinely used to block attacks and scout ahead, her treatment was immeasurably better. . .
Fang Xi pocketed the Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix feather, his heart delighted, and then his escape light shot forth.
His initial escape route was towards Heavenly Brahma City!
After all, encountering an Integration stage demon cultivator, he could only pray that the human Integration stage cultivator was still guarding Heavenly Brahma City.
'However, at this speed, I'll be caught by the Heavenly Phoenix halfway. . . '
Fang Xi's mind raced. The Taiyi Scripture in his embrace rapidly plotted a course, allowing him to choose the shortest route directly to Heavenly Brahma City.
"Wait, this is. . ."
Suddenly, upon seeing the map displayed on the Taiyi Scripture, a certain area within it made Fang Xi's eyes twitch.
His escape light changed direction, forming a graceful arc, subtly altering his path.
Not long after, a series of mountain peaks shaped like ox horns appeared ahead.
Countless mists diffused, forming incomplete restrictions that enveloped an area of a million li.
This was a forbidden land within the Heavenly Brahma Domain, named 'Myriad Horn Forest'!
For some unknown reason, these mountains were shaped like ox horns and bore natural patterns, forming many incomplete restrictions.
Numerous restrictions, when linked together, possessed power comparable to a seventh-stage grand array, making it a place where even Return to Void cultivators would have a ninety percent chance of death if they entered!
Just by approaching, Fang Xi felt a suppression, the anti-flight power of a formation!
He smiled slightly, put away Green Fire Luan, lowered his escape light, and rolled on the ground.
Moo!
A Triangular Horned Rhino emerged, its body covered in patterns, and the three sharp horns on its head constantly flickered with strange light.
Puff!
It shook its head and tail, crashing into the formation, quickly disappearing from sight.
—This was the 'Myriad Transformations of All Things' secret art from the Myriad Manifestations True Demon Arts!
Fang Xi had spent decades studying this secret art, finally achieving minor success.
Before, he could only transform into a 'Chaotic Serpent', but after obtaining the corpse of a primeval savage beast, the Triangular Horned Rhino, and thoroughly dissecting and studying it, he finally perfected this transformation within the Heavenly Charm Sect.
Now, transforming into a Triangular Horned Rhino, he possessed an innate ability to break formations, allowing him to rampage through the Myriad Horn Forest.
The incomplete restrictions, struck by the light from his three horns, immediately crumbled, revealing the path behind them.
Moreover, Fang Xi himself was a grandmaster of formations; with a single glance, he could discern the weak points of many formation restrictions.
And after breaking into the formation, he even deliberately sought out formations that could repair and transform themselves, hoping to use the power of the formations to hinder the Heavenly Phoenix's pursuit from behind.
"Despicable human cultivator!"
Behind him, the Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix's expression naturally turned ugly upon seeing this.
However, she did not show much difficulty. Instead, her hand glowed, and a five-colored formation plate appeared.
"To actually need to use this item against a mere Return to Void cultivator is truly making a mountain out of a molehill."
The Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix sighed, forming hand seals with both hands, and her Integration stage magical power poured into the five-colored formation plate.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The five-colored light roared, suddenly transforming into a misty azure radiance that enveloped the female cultivator and rushed into the Myriad Horn Forest.
Crackling!
Wherever she passed, the countless incomplete restrictions also shattered one after another!
Fang Xi turned his head to look, then immediately turned and fled.
Fortunately, the Triangular Horned Rhino, in this advantageous terrain, was truly like a fish in water. Even if it couldn't widen the distance by ten thousand li, it maintained the previous gap, and even showed a tendency to continually increase it. . .
...
Heavenly Brahma City.
This city was built by the Heavenly Brahma Army to secure the Heavenly Brahma Domain, located in the very center of the domain, radiating in all directions.
Of course, this was based on the premise that Heavenly Brahma City possessed sufficient power to suppress its surroundings.
If Heavenly Brahma City's strength waned, the city would become a battleground on all sides.
Since the super teleportation array was destroyed and Integration stage cultivators vanished, this city had experienced thirty-two beast tides and evil entities causing trouble, large and small!
Each time, the Return to Void cultivators in the city were exhausted just to suppress them, barely succeeding.
And those cultivators who had escaped from various cultivation cities and had endured countless hardships to finally reach Heavenly Brahma City were truly unlucky.
Most of them were Divine Transformation cultivators, who had ventured to migrate to Heavenly Brahma City for a safer location.
As a result, upon arriving at Heavenly Brahma City, they were immediately conscripted into the army to deal with the beast tides.
After several rounds, the casualties were immediately heavy.
The vitality of the entire city was gradually dissipating, and by now, a sense of decay permeated everywhere.
On this day.
Outside Heavenly Brahma City, array patterns in the shape of golden lotus flowers bloomed, and silver light flickered. A teleportation array had been activated!
With a flash of silver light, a team of cultivators emerged.
The leading cultivator wore a long robe, her skin was bronze, and faint Sanskrit runes flickered beneath her skin. It was none other than Yuan Yin Shangren, the former guardian of Black Rock Market!
Her expression was calm, with a hint of fatigue between her brows.
The Divine Transformation cultivators behind her wore battle armor, their faces full of vigilance.
"Our mission today is to patrol the vicinity of Heavenly Brahma City. . . to drive away savage beasts. . ."
Yuan Yin Shangren spoke indifferently to the Divine Transformation cultivators.
As a Return to Void cultivator and a Buddhist practitioner, her treatment was actually quite good, and she was regarded as a core member by the Heavenly Brahma Army.
Now, even she, a core high-stage cultivator, had to leave the city to patrol, which showed how stretched the city's combat power had become!
Although Heavenly Brahma City had dispatched many messengers during the lull between beast tides, summoning cultivators who presided over various markets back for reinforcement.
But cultivators were not fools.
The tragic state of the previous waves of refugees who entered Heavenly Brahma City had spread, and they would rather establish cave dwellings in the wilderness and endure hardship than return to Heavenly Brahma City as cannon fodder.
After all, if there were fewer people, it was less likely to attract the attention of high-stage savage beasts.
"What is the military lord. . . thinking?"
Yuan Yin Shangren looked at the increasingly dilapidated city wall, a thought emerging in her mind.
Immediately, she buried this thought deep in her sea of consciousness and began another day of patrol.
Clang!
Accompanied by the dull sound of cymbals, a savage wolf beast fell dead on the grassland.
The Divine Transformation cultivators immediately stepped forward, skillfully skinning, butchering, and deboning it. . .
"Senior's 'Wind Thunder Cymbals' are truly sharp. Even a late-stage Divine Transformation cultivator would find this 'Iron-Boned Wolf' troublesome, yet it was killed in one strike. . ."
A Divine Transformation cultivator seemed to sigh with emotion.
"The Iron-Boned Wolf's defense is astonishing; I merely specialize in sound attack techniques, making it difficult for it to defend. . ."
Yuan Yin Shangren humbly replied, when her expression suddenly changed!
Her divine consciousness could extend over a thousand li, and she felt an early-stage Return to Void aura rapidly approaching.
Soon, the cultivator a thousand li away appeared in her divine consciousness.
"Hmm? You are. . . Fang Xi?"
Most cultivators possessed photographic memory, let alone someone who was once her subordinate Divine Transformation commandant. Yuan Yin Shangren would certainly not mistake him!
"You actually. . . reached the Return to Void stage? !"
Yuan Yin Shangren felt the aura emanating from Fang Xi, and her face filled with shock.
After all, there were rumors in the army that this ascended cultivator had exhausted his potential, and even after he recovered, he seemed a long way from the Return to Void stage. How did he achieve it so suddenly?
And on this day when Heavenly Brahma Domain's connection with the outside world was almost completely severed?
If this news spread, it would surely greatly boost morale, wouldn't it?
Many thoughts suddenly surfaced in Yuan Yin Shangren's mind.
Fang Xi had already discovered Yuan Yin Shangren, and quickly transmitted his divine consciousness: "I request fellow Daoist to lead the way, I wish to take refuge in Heavenly Brahma City. . ."
"That's natural. Heavenly Brahma City has always welcomed fellow Daoists with open arms."
Yuan Yin Shangren's face showed a hint of joy upon seeing a Return to Void cultivator actively approaching.
She thought that the other party's "taking refuge" simply meant seeking shelter from savage beasts and evil entities. . .
And bringing a Return to Void cultivator into Heavenly Brahma City could earn quite a few contribution points!
Chirp!
The divine consciousness exchange between them was incredibly fast.
But even faster was a five-colored escape light, and the divine consciousness of an Integration stage cultivator!
Before Yuan Yin Shangren could exchange more than a few words with Fang Xi via divine consciousness, she felt a cold divine consciousness sweep over her, even locking onto her. Her face changed drastically: "An Integration stage. . . demon cultivator? !"
At this moment, her gaze towards Fang Xi was filled with horror.
'Don't come over here! '
Fang Xi's divine consciousness stirred, and he seemed to read this thought from Yuan Yin Shangren's expression.
He was unconcerned, his eyes only on Heavenly Brahma City, ready to unleash his Triangular Horned Rhino transformation at any moment. If the city gates did not open, he would simply ram his way into the city.
"Go!"
Suddenly, Yuan Yin Shangren's shrill cry echoed through the surrounding void.
She herself was enveloped by the Wind Thunder Cymbals, transforming into a wind-and-thunder escape light, fleeing towards Heavenly Brahma City first.
Those Divine Transformation cultivators were all shrewd individuals. After a moment of stunned silence, they made the same choice.
Before Fang Xi even reached the spot, he saw numerous escape lights fleeing in all directions, some using earth-burrowing techniques, others blood-escape methods. . . truly, each displayed their unique abilities like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea.
He paid no attention to these cultivators, although it seemed there were familiar faces among them, such as Kuang Tao Jushi. At this moment, they could only fend for themselves.
As his escape light mercilessly swept past, it was immediately followed by the Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix!
"To think he managed to escape all the way here? !"
The Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix looked at Heavenly Brahma City not far away, a hint of ruthlessness flashing across her face: "Today is a good day to destroy this city!"
This grand city clearly harbored an Integration stage-level foundation.
But after her previous secret attempts to drive beast tides to test it, she had confirmed that the human Integration stage cultivator had already secretly left. . .
Coupled with the treasure in her hand, she felt utterly fearless.
Fang Xi's escape light was incredibly swift. In an instant, he caught up to Yuan Yin Shangren, who was using the Wind-Thunder Escape technique: "Fellow Daoist. . . at this point, we can only brave this together."
Yuan Yin Shangren's face was ashen, but she had to admit there was some truth to his words.
The Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix behind them did not seem like someone who would show mercy to humans.
Wherever she passed, several of the Divine Transformation cultivators who had not fled far enough collapsed dead on the ground, their life force completely extinguished. . .
"To enter the city, we need a transit token to activate the teleportation array. . . I need to cast the spell."
Yuan Yin Shangren quickly said.
"If you can stall that demon phoenix for a moment, I should be able to. . ."
Fang Xi pondered, his reply only half-finished.
Suddenly!
From within Heavenly Brahma City, an escape light flashed, and a cultivator flew out.
This was actually a very strange occurrence.
Which cultivator would dare to confront an Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix?
Even if this Heavenly Phoenix's aura was only at the early Integration stage, she was still exceptionally troublesome.
Unless. . . it was a mighty human Integration stage expert!
A white light flashed, and an old man stood before the Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix.
He wore a tattered Daoist robe and held a white banner. On the front of the white banner were four ancient seal characters—Human Race First!
'This Integration stage old man talks big! '
Fang Xi's divine consciousness swept over it, but behind the white banner, he saw a few more seal characters—'Iron Mouth Direct Prediction'!
'So combined, it's 'Human Race First Iron Mouth Direct Prediction'? '
Suddenly, a layer of memory was extracted by Fang Xi.
Back when they were discussing why the Heavenly Brahma Army was reclaiming the wilderness, the intelligence stated that Jin Gangzi had a friend, the number one divination master of the human race, who had divined that this reclamation would bring great benefits!
'Could it be. . . this very person? ! '
Fang Xi felt a profound exasperation in his heart, unsure how to vent it: 'Did he make a mistake in his divination and now can't save face, so he came to clean up his friend's mess? '
"It's Senior Divine Diviner!"
Compared to Fang Xi, Yuan Yin Shangren's eyes, however, glowed with worship and admiration: "Divine Diviner is one of our human race's mighty cultivators. In the past, he almost competed for a spot among the Human Race Five Sons. . . now, within our race, there's even a faint rumor of him being called the 'Sixth Son of the Human Race'. . ."
'Sixth Son of the Human Race? '
Fang Xi's expression became even stranger upon hearing this, almost wanting to shout "Awesome! ". . .
The Divine Diviner's face was ordinary, as if he were just an old man from next door, without any distinguishing features.
At this moment, looking at the Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix opposite him, a joyous smile appeared on his old face: "Indeed. . . How could this old man make a mistake? There truly is a great harvest here today! It wasn't in vain for this old man to conceal himself for so long. . ."
"Divine Diviner? !"
The Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix let out a sharp cry, retreating even faster.
A ball of five-colored light enveloped her, and the faint sound of a phoenix's cry emanated from the void.
A huge five-colored Heavenly Phoenix flapped its wings, and space directly shattered, causing it to be enveloped by a silver-white light, performing successive short-range teleportations!
Nascent Soul teleportation was relatively simple, but this Integration stage Heavenly Phoenix actually employed a void divine ability, her true form instantly vanishing into the horizon.
“You mustn’t run. . . the opportunity for this old man’s treasured artifact truly falls upon you! ”
Shen Suan Zi gazed intently in the direction the Integration stage Celestial Phoenix flew, when suddenly, a golden light flashed in his hand, and an abacus-shaped treasure materialized.
Each abacus bead on it seemed to be blessed with golden Sanskrit characters, and beyond the abacus itself, the illusory forms of sixty-four counting rods emerged.
Countless counting rods converged, forming a temporary teleportation array.
Shen Suan Zi stepped into it and instantly vanished!
“Instantly setting up a temporary teleportation array? ”
This display of array dao mastery caused Fang Xi’s eyes to stir.
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