Amidst the clouds above the azure sea, the colossal demon beast, the 'Six-Legged Saber-Cicada,' and the divine beast, the 'Immortal Phoenix,' flew southwards in tandem. Hooo...
hooo... The biting wind within the cloud layer was deflected by the flames swirling above the Immortal Phoenix's head, leaving Teng Qingshan and the others riding upon its back barely aware of the fierce drafts.
"When I went to the Duanmu Continent, traversing the Chaos Sea required me to physically drag the iron cables, allowing the entire Wumu ship to barely cross that turbulent expanse. It cost me considerable effort," Teng Qingshan remarked, sitting astride the Immortal Phoenix and looking back North with a smile.
"Now, returning to the Nine Provinces, in less than a day, we've flown nearly ten thousand li, effortlessly bypassing that very Chaos Sea." The journey out had been arduous; the return was swift and easy. "Teacher, you dragged a sea vessel through that sea region?" Yang Dong, seated beside Teng Shou, asked in astonishment.
"That's nothing. The Nine Nether Ghost Domain of Mingyue Island is far harder to traverse than the Chaos Sea," Li Jun chuckled smoothly, then suddenly looked at Teng Qingshan.
"Qingshan... you haven't forgotten Phoenix Isle, have you?" "Of course not.
I still need to obtain the Immortal Grass; how could I forget?" Teng Qingshan felt a surge of anticipation. The journey back necessitated a stop at Phoenix Isle.
The 'Immortal Phoenix,' mother of Xiao Qing, had once stated... that if he could guide Xiao Qing to reach the Void Realm and become an Immortal Phoenix, the Immortal Phoenix would grant him one stalk of Immortal Grass if the process took a century.
If it took less than a hundred years but more than ten, she would grant three stalks. But if he managed to make Xiao Qing become an Immortal Phoenix within ten years, she would give him all nine Immortal Grasses!
"In a mere three years, Xiao Qing broke through and became an Immortal Phoenix. Her mother is likely giving all nine stalks to me," Teng Qingshan grew more expectant the more he contemplated the effects of the Immortal Grass.
"Teacher, Immortal Grass? If you eat it, do you become immortal?" Teng Shou asked quizzically.
Teng Qingshan, seated high on the Phoenix's back, laughed. "A'Shou, this Immortal Grass is one of the foremost spiritual herbs in the world.
It is equal to, if not surpassing, the Three Great Spiritual Treasures of the Duanmu Continent! Each stalk of mature Immortal Grass possesses seven leaves and emits a seven-hued radiance.
Once consumed... even the gravest injuries can be healed." "Oh, isn't that the same as the Cloud Dream White Fruit?" Yang Dong exclaimed in surprise.
Li Jun quickly interjected, "It's different! The Cloud Dream White Fruit can restore severed limbs and legs, but the Immortal Grass cannot.
However, the Immortal Grass has another effect: once consumed... it grants an additional two hundred years of lifespan!" "Two hundred years of lifespan?" Both Yang Dong and Teng Shou gasped in shock.
Setting aside its miraculous healing properties, merely extending one's life by two centuries was enough to drive the world into a frenzy. The higher one's status and power, the greater the desire for longevity.
The Immortal Grass was also critically important to the Eight Great Sects of the Nine Provinces. For instance, some innate Golden Core experts nearing two hundred years old might have already brushed against the edges of the 'Dao' and were close to achieving the Void Realm!
Yet, two hundred years was the absolute limit for innate experts! If they were granted another two centuries of life, allowing them to cultivate for another two hundred years, perhaps the majority of innate Golden Core experts could attain the Void Realm!
"The Dao is boundless, but human lifespan is limited," Teng Qingshan sighed. "The top ten experts on the Nine Provinces' 'Heavenly Ranking' all hold the hope of reaching the Void Realm.
But most die when their lifespan reaches its limit. If they were given another two hundred years...
forget two hundred years, even another hundred would allow them to reach the Void Realm!" This was the true allure of the Immortal Grass! Allowing someone to surpass the lifespan limit and live for an extra two centuries.
This single attribute was enough to make the Immortal Grass the number one spiritual treasure under heaven! Even compared to the Three Great Spiritual Treasures of the Duanmu Continent, it held a slight edge.
"The Phoenix Mother once mentioned that there was a human expert, skilled in beast language, who flew to Phoenix Isle solely to beg for a stalk of Immortal Grass," Teng Qingshan murmured pensively. "To be capable of flight clearly indicates mastery in the Void Realm, perhaps even the Hole Void Realm!
And the location of the Phoenixes' island is something most people wouldn't know." "To make a Void Realm expert expend such effort to ascertain the Phoenixes' location, then fly nearly a hundred thousand li across the vast ocean to find an island, all for a single stalk of Immortal Grass! A'Dong, A'Shou, you must now understand the importance of this herb." Teng Qingshan gazed towards the south.
"On the Nine Provinces, only the legends of the Immortal Grass remain; no one has seen it for a very, very long time." The clearer he understood the preciousness of the Immortal Grass, the more thrilled Teng Qingshan became, realizing that a full nine stalks were about to fall into his hands. After all, only the 'Immortal Phoenix' could cultivate it; the Phoenix Mother had spent thousands of years and managed to cultivate only sixteen stalks, and now only nine remained.
* The sixth day of flight for the Six-Legged Saber-Cicada and the Immortal Phoenix 'Xiao Qing.' "Yow~~" The Immortal Phoenix 'Xiao Qing' let out a clear cry, the sound imbued with excitement and elation. Teng Qingshan, who had been meditating cross-legged on the Phoenix's back, opened his eyes in surprise.
Li Jun beside him exclaimed excitedly, "Qingshan, Xiao Qing says... her home, 'Phoenix Isle,' is just ahead." "We've arrived at last," Teng Qingshan rejoiced.
If Teng Qingshan had to find 'Phoenix Isle' himself, despite having visited once, the ocean was vast, and he had only followed a rough northern direction. Finding 'Phoenix Isle' would be incredibly difficult!
But with Xiao Qing, who grew up on 'Phoenix Isle,' finding it was effortless. "Teacher, have we arrived?" Teng Shou also stood up excitedly.
"Have we reached the Nine Provinces?" Yang Dong interjected. "Still a few days until the Nine Provinces; Phoenix Isle is right in front of us," Teng Qingshan smiled.
Hoo~~ hoo~~~ The two massive demon beasts, the 'Six-Legged Saber-Cicada' and the 'Immortal Phoenix,' swooped down from the clouds, and soon the island surrounded by the ocean appeared in their view. "It is indeed it, Phoenix Isle!" Teng Qingshan and Li Jun both stood up.
Swoosh! The Immortal Phoenix instantly dropped several hundred zhang, then slowed its descent, landing gently on the island.
Teng Qingshan, Li Jun, Teng Shou, and Yang Dong leaped off the back of the Immortal Phoenix, each carrying iron chests and packages. Beside them, the Six-Legged Saber-Cicada also settled onto the island's land.
"Is this Phoenix Isle? Where are the other Phoenixes?" Yang Dong's eyes shone.
"Yow~~~" The Immortal Phoenix 'Xiao Qing' tilted its head back and released a loud cry that echoed through the heavens, then shot skyward. "Yow~~" A sound even louder rang out from the depths of the island's center, a cry filled with excitement and joy, like a mother seeing her returning children.
In the distance, a massive fire-red phantom tore through the sky, approaching with astonishing speed, then halted above them, emitting calls toward the Immortal Phoenix 'Xiao Qing' before them. The Immortal Phoenix 'Xiao Qing' was about four zhang long, its feathers entirely fire-red, without a single speck of variation.
The Phoenix Mother looked almost identical to the Immortal Phoenix 'Xiao Qing'; the only difference was that the Phoenix Mother's body was somewhat larger, nearly five zhang long. Watching the two Immortal Phoenixes together in the high sky, smiles bloomed on the faces of Teng Qingshan and Li Jun.
"Mother and child reunited." The scene was genuinely moving. "What powerful auras!" Teng Qingshan clearly felt the two potent auras within his domain.
If the Immortal Phoenix 'Xiao Qing' was a scorching fireball, then the Phoenix Mother's aura was the morning sun—lacking any feeling of heat, its essence completely restrained. Yet, even without an overt display, it made Teng Qingshan's heart tremble.
He believed the Phoenix Mother possessed the power to turn the earth into scorched soil. "Xiao Qing entered the Dao of Fire to become an Immortal Phoenix.
Her mother, having followed the 'Poet-Swordsman Immortal' Li Taibai, had long ago reached the Great Perfection of the Void Realm! How formidable must a Divine Beast 'Immortal Phoenix' at the Great Perfection of the Void Realm be?" Teng Qingshan felt a shiver of dread just thinking about it.
"When Xiao Qing first broke through, she could kill the Heavenly Wind War God! If Xiao Qing were to subsequently comprehend the Dao of Metal, the Dao of Earth, and the other four Daos..." Teng Qingshan reached a conclusion: The Phoenix Mother must be stronger than a human at the Great Perfection of the Void Realm!
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two fire-red blurs flashed, and the two Immortal Phoenixes reappeared before Teng Qingshan and the others. "Yow-yow~ yow~~" The Immortal Phoenix 'Xiao Qing' chirped several times.
"Yow~~ Yow-yow-yow~~" The Phoenix Mother also called out joyfully, and its gaze upon Teng Qingshan was filled with goodwill. After listening, Li Jun spoke: "Qingshan, Xiao Qing's mother says...
she is grateful that you managed to guide her child to the Void Realm within three years, and with mastery over the Fire Dao. She also congratulates you on reaching the Void Realm in just a few short years!" "The Phoenix Mother is quite courteous," Teng Qingshan smiled.
The Phoenix Mother continued speaking beside them. "Qingshan, she also said...
she will honor her original promise. You have done exceptionally well, even exceeding her expectations.
All nine stalks of Immortal Grass she possesses will be yours," Li Jun exclaimed happily. "Qingshan, let's hurry back onto Xiao Qing's back and head to the valley." "Mm," Teng Qingshan and Li Jun immediately leaped up onto the Immortal Phoenix's back.
"A'Shou, A'Dong, you stay here with the Six-Legged Saber-Cicada for now. We will return shortly," Teng Qingshan instructed.
The Immortal Phoenix 'Xiao Qing' chirped once, then ascended with its mother, the 'Phoenix Mother,' flying toward the Phoenix Valley. ...
Within the valley. Whoosh— The dive of the Immortal Phoenix stirred a gust of wind, causing the lake surface to ripple violently.
"Swish!" The Phoenix Mother landed on a branch of the Fire Parasol King Tree. On a thick branch of the King Tree rested a massive phoenix nest.
The Phoenix Mother flew into the nest, then used its sharp beak to pluck a small grass emitting a seven-hued glow. It transformed into a fire-red blur and flew to the front of Teng Qingshan and Li Jun.
The Phoenix Mother lowered its head and opened its beak. Nine small stalks of grass fell onto the ground.
"Immortal Grass! Mature Immortal Grass!" Teng Qingshan held his breath as he looked at the nine stalks on the ground.
"Yow-yow~~" The Phoenix Mother chirped repeatedly, and the Immortal Phoenix 'Xiao Qing' also cried out happily. Li Jun’s face beamed with joy: "Qingshan, Xiao Qing's mother says that from this moment on, these nine stalks of Immortal Grass are yours; she instructs you to keep them safe." Teng Qingshan bowed slightly to the Phoenix Mother to express his thanks.
He then directly picked up the nine stalks of Immortal Grass, retrieved an empty jade box from his satchel—a box he had prepared specifically for the Immortal Grass—and carefully placed the nine stalks inside before snapping the lid shut. "Nine stalks of Immortal Grass, they are mine!" Teng Qingshan tucked the jade box into his package.