Volume 3 Chapter 74

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Volume 3 Chapter 74: Awakening (End)

"In the mountain lands of Chu during the night, fires were lit to combat the drought. In ancient times, dragons were burned to summon lightning and rain in panic."

Explosive spirits weep, collapsing ice clouds block the sun. A hundred boiling streams flow, their roots lie in ancient times.

The green forest turns to ash, with no trace of cloud mist. Night falls brightly, as autumn bathes the stars.

The wind stirs, giant flames rise, riverboats sail among columns of smoke. The world seems to burn, light spreads across continents.

The stench reaches the charred serpent, a roar entangles the fierce tiger. The divine creatures have flown high, with no sight of stone or earth.

Would you rather suffer criticism, relying on this to face mockery? The officials bear heavy worry, blind to the essence of their charge.

Who in distant lands can extinguish the flames, fearing it might reach their walls? Sweating in the river pavilion, the night deepens, with breath like threads.

—From "Feeling While Practicing Fire Technique by Yunyouzi"

Just as Bai Qingfu finally decided to strike against Jin Qinghan and the others, two blazing infernos suddenly erupted, soaring over ten feet into the sky. Even the Jiuhua elders and higher demons observing from above could clearly feel the scorching heat rushing towards them. The regular Jiuhua disciples and low-level demons in front of Linghua Hall were forced back several steps by the intense heat wave.

Under the high temperatures caused by these two scorching flames, everyone felt as if they were in a desert under the blazing sun. Even the once-clear scenery before them seemed to waver and distort in the heat.

From within the flames, a faint sound of a phoenix cry that could pierce deep into one’s soul could be heard. As time went by, this once faint sound of the phoenix cry became clearer and more distinct, and the two rising flames gradually transformed into two Flame Phoenixes ready to soar. At the same time, two powerful auras began to spread from the flames, causing the Jiuhua disciples and lower-level demons, who had just retreated from the heat, to take several more steps back under this pressure.

Jin Qinghan and the four elite Jiuhua disciples, along with Bai Qingfu and the three Snake Guards, did not retreat from the heat and power emitted by the flames, but their faces changed color in surprise at this sudden transformation. When they clearly saw that Xu Qingfan and Feng Qingtian were enveloped by the flames, they were even more astonished. They couldn’t help but focus intently on the changes in the flames, constantly speculating in their hearts about the cause and outcome of this change, temporarily forgetting the standoff between both sides.

But shortly after, the surging heat waves gradually subsided, from a distance, it seemed as if the two blazing flames were absorbed into Xu Qingfan and Feng Qingtian’s bodies. As the flames calmed, the temperature in front of Linghua Hall also gradually decreased, yet the two powerful auras not only didn’t weaken but continued to grow stronger.

Finally, as the flames completely settled, Xu Qingfan and Feng Qingtian’s figures appeared before everyone. Astonishingly, both of them now had a small Flame Phoenix tattoo faintly visible on their faces, situated near the corner of their eyes. The difference was that Xu Qingfan’s was on the left corner while Feng Qingtian’s was on the right.

Compared to before the transformation, where one lay and the other sat, both now stood proudly, surveying everyone around them with sharp eyes. It was clear that after this transformation, Feng Qingtian was no longer unconscious, and his strength had significantly increased. Xu Qingfan had also rid himself of the Xuansha poison, leaving only a slight scar by his face, adding a rugged masculine charm to his otherwise delicate features.

Seeing Xu Qingfan unharmed, the joy of Jin Qinghan and the others was evident without words. Meanwhile, Wang Qingjun was filled with shock. He had full confidence in his Xuansha poison and never expected that Xu Qingfan could remove it in such a short time.

Shortly thereafter, Xu Qingfan finally took a good look at the surroundings, realizing that no one had suffered casualties during his meditation, and felt slightly relieved. When he noticed the worried looks Jin Qinghan and the others cast his way, he smiled gently, nodded to reassure them that he was alright, and they need not worry.

Feng Qingtian, however, ignored everyone else, focusing intently on the three Snake Guards. After a long while, he finally withdrew his gaze, turned to glance at Xu Qingfan beside him, and coldly said, "I have repaid what I owe you. From now on, we owe each other nothing."

Xu Qingfan was a bit stunned but quickly understood Feng Qingtian’s reason for saying this. He smiled and replied, "Junior Brother Feng, you don’t need to worry about it. These two events were not intentional on either of our parts but rather coincidences. So there is no question of anyone owing anything."

Seeing that Feng Qingtian’s face still looked unwell, Xu Qingfan slightly frowned and continued, "Junior Brother Feng, rest assured, the Feng family’s secrets will always belong solely to the Feng family. Although I learned it accidentally, I will never pass it on."

Upon hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, Feng Qingtian knew that Xu Qingfan was a man of his word, so his expression softened slightly. He realized Xu Qingfan had indeed been kind to him, and his previous attitude was somewhat excessive, so he felt a bit guilty and said softly, "Senior Brother Xu has a broad mind; I am not as generous."

Xu Qingfan smiled slightly, indicating he didn’t mind.

Earlier, when Xu Qingfan was poisoned, he felt his body gradually becoming numb and the poison continuously attacking his vitality. He didn’t know how to resolve it and felt quite flustered.

At that moment, he unintentionally saw Feng Qingtian lying quietly on the ground in a coma, and suddenly a thought struck him because he remembered something from ten years ago.

Ten years ago, to select the five best disciples to participate in the Newcomer Competition held in collaboration with the cultivation world, Jiuhua Gate held an internal competition. Both Xu Qingfan and Feng Qingtian registered for their own reasons.

As a result, because of their extraordinary abilities, both of them progressed smoothly and entered the top four of the internal competition. Ultimately, they faced each other in the semifinals as opponents.

That match was the most complete defeat Xu Qingfan had encountered since he started cultivating. Whether it was in Spirit Qi, techniques, magical tools, or adaptability, he was utterly defeated by Feng Qingtian.

In fact, at that time, Xu Qingfan had a slim chance of winning, by using the mist created when the "Love Flower" exploded, which could numb his opponent’s body, to catch Feng Qingtian off guard. While Feng Qingtian couldn’t control his body, Xu Qingfan could have easily won.

This was the strategy Xu Qingfan thought of after much contemplation, and it was his only chance to win.

However, Xu Qingfan didn’t foresee that while the "Love Flower" mist did numb Feng Qingtian’s body, Feng Qingtian quickly recovered, and Xu Qingfan ended up severely injured by Feng Qingtian’s unexpected counterattack.

At that time, Feng Qingtian explained to Xu Qingfan that fire can burn and destroy everything in the world, and though poison is insidious, it is still a part of everything and can naturally be burned away.

In the mortal world, fire is said to represent both destruction and rebirth, capable of cleansing all the filth of the world, similar to what Feng Qingtian meant.

Thinking of this, Xu Qingfan suddenly felt that the seemingly hopeless situation had a glimmer of hope. Since Feng Qingtian could eliminate the drug in his body with Phoenix Spirit Fire, could Xu Qingfan, now having Phoenix Spirit Fire in his body, also use it to cleanse the Xuansha poison?

So, Xu Qingfan sat down cross-legged, calmed his mind, and began to mobilize the Phoenix Spirit Qi within him to burn away the poison.

Unfortunately, Xu Qingfan misjudged one thing: he had only possessed Phoenix Spirit Qi for two years and didn’t have Feng Qingtian’s talent and affinity to control it freely. Therefore, how could he, like Feng Qingtian, use Phoenix Spirit Fire to burn the toxins without harming himself?

More importantly, to prevent the poison from reaching his brain, all his Phoenix Spirit Qi was concentrated around his head. In this location, how could he easily transform Phoenix Spirit Qi into Phoenix Spirit Fire to burn away the poison?

Helpless, Xu Qingfan had to draw Phoenix Spirit Qi from the Wutong branch into his body, borrowing the Phoenix Spirit Qi from the Wutong branch to purge the deadly poison inside him.

However, at this moment, Xu Qingfan had not yet reached a state of unity with the Wutong branch. To use the power within it, he first had to sense the energy fluctuations of the branch, then immerse his mind in it, and only after paying a certain price could he draw out a portion of Phoenix Spirit Qi.

Just as Xu Qingfan drew Phoenix Spirit Qi from the Wutong branch and withdrew his mind, he suddenly sensed another surge of Phoenix Spirit Qi fluctuating not far from him. Almost instinctively, Xu Qingfan sent his Divine Sense towards that fluctuation and found it surprisingly easy to enter. The source of the fluctuation was Feng Qingtian’s body.

In truth, after the fire on Feng Qingtian subsided on Huandao Island, the nirvana-like transformation within him had ended. However, because his mind had been greatly taxed during this transformation and he gained a new understanding of Phoenix Spirit Qi, he remained unconscious, continually processing and simulating these new insights in his mind.

Since Xu Qingfan and Feng Qingtian jointly experienced this transformation, it was as if they both received a rebirth, forming a bond akin to twins. There was a mysterious connection growing between their bodies and minds, and Feng Qingtian’s body showed no resistance to Xu Qingfan’s Divine Sense. Due to Feng Qingtian’s coma, Xu Qingfan’s Divine Sense easily entered Feng Qingtian’s, allowing him to observe Feng Qingtian’s comprehension of Phoenix Spirit Qi and unknowingly learn the three secret techniques of the Feng family, passed down for thousands of years.

As Xu Qingfan continued to grasp the usage of Phoenix Spirit Qi, the Qi within him naturally circulated with his understanding, burning away toxins in his body. Simultaneously, this understanding was used by the Phoenix Spirit Qi to reconstruct Feng Qingtian’s body. After some time, the Phoenix Spirit Fire unknowingly cleansed Xu Qingfan of all his internal toxins.

Once Xu Qingfan’s body had fully recovered, he suddenly awoke from his immersion in Feng Qingtian’s Divine Sense, quickly withdrawing back into his own body. Feng Qingtian, too, awakened from his coma due to the sudden departure of Xu Qingfan’s Divine Sense.

After regaining consciousness, they both instinctively tried their new understanding of Phoenix Spirit Qi and discovered the extent to which the Phoenix Spirit Fire had transformed their bodies. In some aspects, their bodies now possessed characteristics of the ancient Mythical Beast, the phoenix, leading to unexpected transformations as they maneuvered the Phoenix Spirit Qi.

Being both clever individuals, upon waking, they quickly understood the events that had transpired within them.

Before, with Xu Qingfan’s help from the Wutong branch, although Feng Qingtian was gravely injured, he not only survived on Huandao Island but also experienced a significant increase in the Phoenix Spirit Qi within him, greatly enhancing his understanding during the nirvana. However, this heavily depleted the Phoenix Spirit Qi in the Wutong branch, weakening Xu Qingfan’s original plan to breakthrough using its power. This was why Feng Qingtian felt indebted to Xu Qingfan.

But in this world, it seems that for every action, there is a destined reaction, and the cycle of cause and effect turns under the Heavenly Way. Just a few days later, Xu Qingfan inadvertently entered Feng Qingtian’s Divine Sense. He not only easily gained Feng Qingtian’s years of understanding of the Phoenix Spirit Qi but also learned the three secret techniques of the Feng family. Through these realizations, he saved his own life.

The reason for all this was because a few days earlier, he had used the power of the Wutong branch to save Feng Qingtian. Additionally, because Xu Qingfan’s sudden withdrawal of his Divine Sense interrupted Feng Qingtian’s continued insight into the Phoenix Spirit Qi, you could say it cut off Feng Qingtian’s opportunity. That’s why Feng Qingtian said he has repaid what he owed Xu Qingfan.

However, Feng Qingtian has always been proud of being a descendant of the Feng family. Even though he knew Xu Qingfan learned the Feng family’s techniques unintentionally and that he owed Xu Qingfan a lot, he still felt uncomfortable. As a result, he spoke to Xu Qingfan coldly. Xu Qingfan naturally understood the reason, so he promised not to pass the secret techniques to anyone else, which slightly eased Feng Qingtian’s attitude.

Only the two of them understood the events and their origins, so everyone else who was already puzzled by the sudden changes in Xu Qingfan and Feng Qingtian became even more confused after hearing their conversation. But knowing it wasn’t the time to ask questions, they suppressed their confusion and began to guess in their minds.

While everyone was filled with doubt and secretly speculating, Bai Qingfu suddenly spoke up.

"Xu Qingfan, Feng Qingtian, long time no see."

After witnessing the changes in Xu Qingfan and Feng Qingtian, Bai Qingfu quickly recovered from a brief moment of surprise and softly said, "I thought I wouldn’t have to kill you with my own hands, but I didn’t expect you to wake up now. Could this really be fate?"

Hearing Bai Qingfu’s words, Xu Qingfan glanced at the seven identical Sethraks with confusion, then looked towards Li Yuhan for an explanation.

Jin Qinghan and Sheng Yushan are both cold and reserved, while Lv Qingshang likes to exaggerate when describing events. So at this moment, Xu Qingfan preferred to have Li Yuhan explain what had happened.

Seeing Xu Qingfan’s inquisitive look, Li Yuhan slowly stepped back to Xu Qingfan’s side and briefly explained to Xu Qingfan and Feng Qingtian what had happened after Xu Qingfan’s meditation. After a moment’s hesitation, Li Yuhan repeated Bai Qingfu’s dream-like mutterings to them.

Upon hearing Li Yuhan’s account, Xu Qingfan and Feng Qingtian couldn’t help but feel a chill run down their spines. They never imagined that their former companions and comrades were venomous snakes hiding in their midst, ready to show their fangs at any moment. It wasn’t until now that Xu Qingfan noticed Wang Qingjun, who had transformed into human form. Wang Qingjun’s clothes were different, his face was covered with blood, and his entire demeanor had changed, making Xu Qingfan fail to recognize him earlier.

It was only at this moment that Xu Qingfan finally understood why he always felt a strange similarity between Bai Qingfu and Wang Qingjun. When Nangong Qingshan appeared, Xu Qingfan had a sense of familiarity, and even after seeing the three Snake Guards, that feeling persisted. It turned out they were all pawns placed by Zhang Xusheng in Jiuhua, each having been altered by Zhang Xusheng’s experiments, making them three of Zhang Xusheng’s "Four Snake Guards."

After glancing at Wang Qingjun, who had taken on human form, Xu Qingfan turned his attention to Bai Qingfu, his feelings a mix of emotions. He suddenly realized that in his memories of Jiuhua, Bai Qingfu was an indispensable part. If Xu Qingfan were to name anyone as a friend on Jiuhua Mountain, aside from Jin Qinghan, it would be Bai Qingfu. Conversations with Bai Qingfu were much easier compared to Jin Qinghan’s silence.

But Xu Qingfan never expected that Bai Qingfu was a pawn placed by Zhang Xusheng in Jiuhua Mountain. Now, he was forced into a life-and-death struggle with Bai Qingfu, with no choice in the matter.

Looking at the drastically changed Bai Qingfu, Xu Qingfan slightly opened his mouth, about to question or rebuke him, but closed it again. He remembered Bai Qingfu’s words were true; since Zhang Xusheng transformed Bai Qingfu into a Snake Guard, Bai Qingfu was destined to become an enemy of Jiuhua. Everything Bai Qingfu did was not by his own choice.

So, at this moment, Bai Qingfu’s actions were not wrong in his own eyes. The blame lay with Zhang Xusheng, or perhaps with the invisible hand of fate.

Seeing Xu Qingfan’s complex gaze directed at him, for an instant, a trace of helplessness and sigh seemed to flash in Bai Qingfu’s eyes. However, it was quickly covered by indifference. After a silent pause, Bai Qingfu slowly said, "I kept my promise not to let any of you die in confusion. Now it seems you all understand what’s happened. Shouldn’t there be a conclusion between us?"

As he spoke, a heavy blood-red aura emanated from Bai Qingfu, his momentum rising dramatically.

"Oh dear, my hands are itching too. Number Seven, share some of your opponents with me so we can finish things here quickly and report back to the master sooner."

Shrouded in mist, Number 33 suddenly appeared beside Bai Qingfu and spoke softly. He had noticed the formidable presence of Xu Qingfan and Feng Qingtian and feared Bai Qingfu might find himself outnumbered. Putting aside his pride, he offered to join forces with Bai Qingfu.

Bai Qingfu glanced at Number 33 beside him, realizing he couldn’t persuade him otherwise, he simply nodded in agreement.

With a slight sigh, Xu Qingfan stepped forward, intending to face Bai Qingfu alongside Jin Qinghan and the others.

Since an adversarial destiny was inevitable, no matter how much he disliked it, Xu Qingfan had to confront it.

But as soon as Xu Qingfan moved, Feng Qingtian reached out to stop him. Looking confused, he heard Feng Qingtian say coldly, "Although you’ve expelled the venom from your body, your Spirit Qi is still depleted. Moreover, when you used the Phoenix Spirit Fire to burn away the poison, the unfamiliar process caused significant harm to your body. You should rest for a while, let me handle these Sethrak for you."

Hearing Feng Qingtian’s words, Xu Qingfan paused in silence. Despite knowing they were true, he eventually shook his head and replied slowly, "Since Bai Qingfu has taken action, Junior Brother Jin has taken action, and you have taken action, everyone has taken action, how can I stand idly by? As Bai Qingfu said, we are adversaries shaped by fate. Both you and I are meant to act, and I alone can’t stand aside."

Saying this, Xu Qingfan pushed away Feng Qingtian’s obstructing hand, quietly walked over to Jin Qinghan, and patted his shoulder, signaling that he need not worry.

"A design of fate, is it?"

Feng Qingtian silently glanced at Xu Qingfan’s back, a slight smirk appearing on his lips, seemingly mocking Xu Qingfan’s stubbornness, yet also mocking the fickleness and heartlessness of fate. However, he made no further attempts to stop him and, along with Li Yuhan, moved to stand beside Lv Qingshang, gravely watching Bai Qingfu and Number 33, the two Sethrak in front of them.

Faced with these two eerie Sethrak, even with their combined strength, he couldn’t guarantee victory.

Once both sides took their positions, the tension began to intensify, with an atmosphere growing heavy and anxious, hinting that a great battle was about to commence.

…

In the sky, upon seeing Feng Qingtian and Xu Qingfan regain their clarity after the transformation, the elders of Jiuhua couldn’t help but smile. After all, Feng Qingtian was the number one expert of the young generation in Jiuhua, and Xu Qingfan was also among the finest. With the two of them joining in, their side’s chance of victory increased significantly.

However, when they saw Number 33 standing alongside Bai Qingfu, their expressions became tense again. With the two Snake Guards joining forces, the outcome became uncertain once more.

"Alas…"

In the midst of this tension, Zhang Xusheng suddenly sighed, breaking the heavy silence and drawing everyone’s attention to him.

A hint of caution flashed in Li Xuhan’s eyes as he asked, "Why are you sighing, my junior?"

Zhang Xusheng looked down at Xu Qingfan and the others, and said softly, "Although Jiuhua has declined over the years, with these little ones, the day of revival is just around the corner. I’m really eager to watch the competition between them and my Snake Guard. What a pity."

"What’s a pity?" Li Xuhan asked with a frown.

Zhang Xusheng smiled faintly and slowly said, "It’s a pity that the time has come."

Li Xuhan’s brow furrowed, and a sense of foreboding arose within him as he silently prepared himself. He asked, "What time has come?"

Zhang Xusheng turned to look at Li Xuhan and said calmly, "The people from the other Five Holy Lands will soon arrive at Jiuhua, and I don’t want them to discover my existence. Besides, what I have prepared is almost ready, so the time has come."

Saying this, Zhang Xusheng sighed once more and said slowly, "Senior brother, thank you for taking care of me all these years. Now, rest in peace."

As Zhang Xusheng’s voice fell, a sudden change occurred!