Chapter 445: WuJiuTian

Chapter 445: Chapter 445: WuJiuTian

The Heavenly Realm, a realm blessed by the heavens with immense merit. This merit was vast, rivaling the golden dragon of an imperial dynasty's luck.

In the past, the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail had devoured two luck dragons, but those dragons had been weakened to a fraction of their original strength. This time, however, the merit was full and potent.

Zhong Shan felt an overwhelming surge of energy enveloping his body, refining it from within. More energy flowed directly to his Purple Mansion Nascent Soul, strengthening it.

Around his Nascent Soul, streaks of pure white lightning flashed, as if limitless energy was being released.

Merit, vast heavenly merit.

In an instant, Zhong Shan's cultivation broke through!

Nascent Soul Stage! Seventh level!

Nascent Soul Stage! Eighth level!

Nascent Soul Stage! Ninth level!

The immense merit, after being devoured by the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail, was converted into the most precious energy Zhong Shan needed.

Zhong Shan felt incredibly fortunate to have made the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail his spiritual root; it was one of his most crucial decisions.

"Boom~~~~~~"

A mountain beneath Zhong Shan shattered, blasted apart by the vast lightning erupting from within him.

Nascent Soul Stage! Tenth level! Nascent Soul Grand Completion!

Zhong Shan opened his eyes, filled with joy. He had advanced four levels! Something he never dared to imagine before.

As he opened his eyes, his excitement turned to astonishment.

He was surrounded.

Countless phoenixes filled the sky, dancing in all directions. Zhihuo stood protectively by his side, while Xuan Yuan hovered in the air nearby, along with a group of elegantly dressed individuals.

Leading them was an exceptionally beautiful woman, wearing a phoenix crown. Her exquisitely delicate face, with a pair of striking phoenix eyes that seemed to animate the entire world with a mere blink, held an air of sharpness and authority. Her red robes were embroidered with several phoenixes. Behind her stood a group of men and women, all standing respectfully.

Even the countless phoenixes around showed great reverence for this woman, flying nearby but not daring to overshadow her. Qinghong was also at the end of this group.

Phoenix Supreme, Wu Jiutian!

Zhong Shan looked at the group in astonishment, and they looked back at him with the same expression.

Earlier, as Zhong Shan sat cross-legged, Wu Jiutian's voice had resonated throughout Phoenix Island.

Any powerful phoenix on the island had immediately flown to this location.

The Heavenly Realm was vastly different from the Empyrean Realm. Across the Divine Land, there were only a handful of such beings! A Heavenly Realm expert suddenly appearing on Phoenix Island was enough to draw every phoenix there.

When Wu Jiutian arrived, she took one look at Xuan Yuan and knew that he had given the heavenly merit to the man sitting cross-legged on the mountain.

Xuan Yuan bowed slightly to Wu Jiutian, and they both looked towards Zhong Shan on the peak.

Zhong Shan was extraordinary. The vast merit, absorbed so quickly? How was that possible? Even Xuan Yuan couldn't absorb it that fast. Devoured?

A sweep of her divine sense revealed Zhong Shan's astonishingly poor spiritual roots.

But even with such poor spiritual roots, the sheer amount of merit should have elevated him to the Imperial Realm at least!

Yet Zhong Shan's cultivation had only increased by four levels, stopping at the Nascent Soul Stage's tenth level. He hadn't even reached the Fusion Stage.

"Friend, you have an incredibly solid foundation!" Xuan Yuan finally said after a moment, breaking the silence.

Break it herself? Anger flashed in Zhong Shan's eyes. Sufficient cultivation? That meant surpassing Wu Jiutian. Though Ling'er had the talent, she didn't have the time.

"In that case, I won't insist," Zhong Shan said, flicking his sleeve.

As Zhong Shan looked at the Phoenix Supreme, his gaze was no longer as respectful. He had his methods—if she wouldn't take the polite approach, she would have to deal with the consequences. Only Zhong Shan would dare to think this boldly. If Wu Jiutian knew his thoughts, she would have crushed him instantly.

"Xuan Yuan, since you have overcome your heart's obstacles, why not come to my Phoenix Palace? I will host a celebration for your breakthrough," Wu Jiutian said, ignoring Zhong Shan and addressing Xuan Yuan.

Xuan Yuan bowed slightly. "Thank you, but I have just broken through and need some time to comprehend my new state. I will visit the Phoenix Palace another day to express my gratitude. Here is the Nirvana Fire Pool."

"Very well," Wu Jiutian accepted the pool with a nod.

She then nodded to Xuan Yuan and disappeared with a step. She never looked at Zhong Shan again.

The other phoenixes also bowed to Xuan Yuan and quickly flew away, leaving only Qinghong behind.

In the blink of an eye, the sky was cleared of phoenixes.

"Thank you, Senior Xuan Yuan. If it weren't for you, the Phoenix Supreme wouldn't have spoken so calmly with me," Zhong Shan said sincerely.

"Oh? You think it was because of me?" Xuan Yuan smiled.

"Of course," Zhong Shan replied.

"You overestimate me! I have only just entered the Heavenly Realm, while Wu Jiutian has been in the Heavenly Realm for many years. Even if she respects me, it wouldn't be to such an extent," Xuan Yuan said.

Xuan Yuan gestured for Zhong Shan to follow him into the valley. Zhong Shan waved for Zhihuo and Qinghong to stay back and followed Xuan Yuan.

In the valley, Xuan Yuan waved his sleeve, and the surroundings transformed into a serene setting with stone tables and benches by a small stream.

"Please," Xuan Yuan invited.

"After you," Zhong Shan responded.

"Since you are on par with Emperor Xuan Sha, you need not call me 'Senior.' Just call me Xuan Yuan," Xuan Yuan said.

"Very well," Zhong Shan nodded.

"Knowledge comes with experience, and the accomplished are teachers. I still have much to learn from you. Wu Jiutian is an extremely proud Supreme. Do you know why she spoke to you as an equal?" Xuan Yuan asked with a smile.

"Emperor Xuan Sha?" Zhong Shan's eyes narrowed.

Indeed, despite his high status, his cultivation was still weak. For Wu Jiutian to lower herself, it had to be out of respect for someone else, either Xuan Yuan or Emperor Xuan Sha.

"Yes, it is because of Emperor Xuan Sha," Xuan Yuan confirmed.

"Does he hold such sway?" Zhong Shan was surprised.

He couldn't imagine that Emperor Xuan Sha's influence extended even to Phoenix Island. How could that be possible?

"Do you know the strongest race in this world?"

"The dragon clan!"

"The dragon clan? They were indeed the strongest in the past. The dragon clan was incredibly powerful, and their Supreme was unrivaled. His wrath alone could annihilate an entire clan. Among the beast clans, the dragon clan held absolute dominance. But for some reason, they had a conflict with the wolf clan. Do you know the result?" Xuan Yuan asked with a smile.

"What was the result?" Zhong Shan asked, puzzled.

"The Supreme of the dragon clan became an immortal," Xuan Yuan said.

"Huh?"

"Or rather, Emperor Xuan Sha forced him to become an immortal, driving him out of this world. The dragon clan Supreme could no longer protect his clan, leading to a significant decline for the dragon clan. If Emperor Xuan Sha had pursued further, the dragon clan might have faced extinction," Xuan Yuan explained.