Li Qingshan and Feng Xiwu stared at each other. Their eyes met, neither of them backing down.
Little Ann tugged at Li Qingshan's sleeve. Li Qingshan thought of something. "Alright then! Since I've already accepted your mission, I'll keep my word and hatch this phoenix's embryo as soon as possible. "
"Thank you for keeping your word. I'll take back what I said. Compared to regular humans and daemons, you're still relatively decent. If you can comprehend the true heart of the phoenix, perhaps we can even become friends." Feng Xiwu also expressed his modesty.
"Hehe, alright!" The tense atmosphere eased up, but Li Qingshan thought inside, Who wants to be your friend? When I want to leave, I'll obviously leave.
He did not forget that he was not staying here to complete some mission, but to reach the fourth layer of the phoenix, balance water and fire, and become a Daemon King. Once he underwent the third heavenly tribulation, how could a mere phoenix's nest stop him? Even if that did not work out, he still had the phoenix's embryo as a hostage. Even if he was in the domain Feng Xiwu controlled, he definitely had the ability to destroy it. It was enough to pose a threat. However, once he did that, it would mean completely falling out with Feng Xiwu. It had not reached that point yet, so he did not want to do that either.
"Don't worry, I'll lend you a hand. I'll do it as quickly as possible. I've waited far too long for this day."
It was not that Feng Xiwu had not considered this, but he still underestimated Li Qingshan's strength. After all, Li Qingshan was only a Daemon Commander right now. Even if he was a true Daemon King, apart from the Seventy-two Daemon Kings of the past, all the new Daemon Kings who had broken through in the past few millennia would be at his mercy if they stayed in the phoenix's nest.
From a different perspective, with his cultivation and strength, his attitude towards Li Qingshan could be regarded as "amiable". Of course, this was all because of Li Qingshan's bloodline. Otherwise, he would not even say anything to him.
Thus, Li Qingshan sat down again, picked up the phoenix egg, and placed it between his brows to examine it with his Divine Telekinesis.
Suddenly, a chaotic world was reflected in his mind. It was like a sea of magma and fire seen in the depths of the earth's crust, but it emitted pure divine light. The phoenix did not even have the most basic embryonic form. If one were to compare it with an egg, it would only have the egg white and the egg yolk. However, the power contained within it shocked even Li Qingshan.
"What a powerful and pure power. The moment this phoenix breaks out of its shell, it will probably possess the power of a Yao Commander. Its purity is comparable to a Yao King. As expected of the Divine Bird among the Divine Birds, the pinnacle of life forms among the Divine Birds." He glanced at Feng Xiwu from the corner of his eye. "However, this definitely isn't just the power of the phoenix's embryo itself. This bastard has probably put in quite a lot of effort. If I can swallow it in one gulp, it'll basically be even more nourishing than perfect nourishment."
Feng Xiwu stood to one side quietly. He did not disturb him. Li Qingshan had guessed correctly.
During the past ten thousand years, he had always attempted to hatch the phoenix's embryo. Apart from his regular cultivation, he had spent most of his time and energy on this matter. It was completely ineffective, but over time, the phoenix's embryo had accumulated a startling amount of power.
Li Qingshan dismissed his thoughts and devoted all of his attention to the phoenix's embryo. He had once experienced turning into an egg, so he could still remember how he had awakened from this chaos. Back then, he did not have any specific consciousness or memories, but he could never forget the feeling.
However, what puzzled him was that it clearly possessed such pure, tremendous life force, and its intelligence was on the level of gods. It clearly should have hatched a long time ago, so why had it not even formed a specific consciousness yet?
He could not help but think back to when he was buried deep in the magma as a phoenix's embryo. Back then, he did not rely on anyone to hatch it. He relied completely on himself, yet he still broke out of the shell in the end. Was it because the bloodline of this phoenix's embryo was even purer, which was why hatching it was especially difficult?
However, the environment in the phoenix's nest was tens or even hundreds of times more powerful than the magma he stayed in back then. Just what crucial element was missing?
Only after quite a while did Li Qingshan remove the phoenix's embryo from his forehead. He opened his eyes and furrowed his brows as if he was thinking about something.
"How is it?" Feng Xiwu asked in concern. Li Qingshan felt like he had become a gynecologist. He asked, "When the phoenix left it with you, did she say anything?"
Feng Xiwu thought back. "I can't remember. It doesn't seem to be anything special. She just told me to take good care of it."
"Didn't you say that eight thousand years is spring and eight thousand years is autumn!?"
"Yeah. It's exactly because of that that I can't remember all the details."
"Alright then! Then let me ask you another question. This might be the key to hatching this egg. It requires the bloodline of the phoenix to hatch this egg. Was that what the phoenix said, or was that your own guess? "Li Qingshan asked sternly. He had a vague guess.
"It's my guess, isn't it? Don't tell me you can't hatch the phoenix's embryo either? " Feng Xiwu answered with a question. He personally believed there was no other place in the world that could match the environment and resources he had provided the phoenix's embryo. There must be a reason why it could not hatch, which was the bloodline of the phoenix.
"I think I understand now. There's only one truth. The reason why this egg hasn't hatched into a phoenix after so long is all because of you!" Li Qingshan shook his head and sighed. Just as he had expected, even if the phoenix wanted to ascend, there was no need for it to be in such a hurry, making the phoenix's embryo wait ten thousand years for a fated person who could hatch it.
"What! Why? "Feng Xiwu asked in surprise.
"Have you been nourishing it with your own power the entire time?"
"Of course. Ever since it was born, it's been ten thousand years. There hasn't been a single day of rest!" Feng Xiwu said. He possessed patience that no daemon or human could rival. His feelings and anticipation for the phoenix's embryo were even deeper than the phoenix itself. "Is there a problem with that?"
"Of course there's a problem. It's not just a problem. There's a huge problem!" Li Qingshan pointed at the phoenix's embryo in his bosom. "You've given it far, far too much power. It's already so much that it can't digest it at all, which is why it can't hatch!"
Feng Xiwu was completely stunned. "T- this … this …"
Li Qingshan continued, "In human terms, this is spoiling! Spoiling is like drowning, as well as drowning to death! "
Feng Xiwu felt like he had been struck by lightning. "Are you certain!?"
"I'm extremely certain. I won't hide it from you. I've also experienced turning into an egg in the past, but when I first broke out of the egg, I was extremely weak. Let alone the power of a Daemon Commander, I couldn't even rival mortals, and that was after my Nirvanic Rebirth. I was already very powerful in the first place. No matter how noble the phoenix is, is it supposed to be so powerful the moment it's born? It's definitely your 'contribution', but that won't do! "
Little Ann said, "I understand now. The buddha says, 'Success, residence, destruction, emptiness'. The towering tree was only a seed in the beginning, and the buddha was only a mortal in the first place. The phoenix's law of eternal life has broken away from the word 'emptiness'. After destruction, it's still 'success', repeating over and over again. However, it's not like it doesn't have its drawbacks, which is transforming all of its power into flames, returning from being powerful to being weak. Only then can it be reborn from the ashes.
The power you've given it is too powerful, instead destroying the process of 'success'. "
"That sounds so profound. You're still the best!" Li Qingshan praised before raising the phoenix's embryo again. "If you compare this egg to a world, then this world is still in chaos right now. If you want to form from chaos, you need to unite this world first. The initial weakness can be said to be essential. Hah, I'm profound too!"
Little Ann nodded with a smile.
Normally, Feng Xiwu would definitely look down on Li Qingshan for acting like this, but right now, his head was filled with what they had said. He muttered to himself, "Success, residence, destruction, emptiness, success, existence, destruction …"
No matter how long he had spent with the phoenix, he was not a phoenix after all. He had never experienced turning into an egg, so it was impossible for him to have the kind of personal experience Li Qingshan had. All he did was continue to give it his all, wanting to provide some help. The more the phoenix's embryo failed to hatch, the more focused he became. Even if he had to sacrifice the speed of his cultivation, even if he had to cut off his connection with the entire world, he did not care.
However, all of his efforts were actually in the opposite direction, instead becoming the main culprit that prevented the phoenix's embryo from hatching. Even with his mental fortitude, he found it rather difficult to accept for a moment.
"No wonder the power I gave it kept dissipating …"
As a natural spiritual root of divine wood, the power he had given it over ten thousand years was enough to turn a regular wild beast into a Daemon King.
"I was wrong … I've let you down …" Feng Xiwu sighed deeply as tears rolled down his cheeks. If it were not for his unnecessary actions, perhaps the phoenix's embryo would have ascended to find its parents already.
The more he thought about it, the more ashamed he became. The more he thought about it, the more regret he felt. He actually knelt on the ground, smashing his head against the ground as he began to sob.
The divine wutong tree swayed violently, but it became very dim.
Li Qingshan and Little Ann looked at one another. They did feel some sympathy for Feng Xiwu. At the end of the day, spoiling still stemmed from love. The deeper one's feelings were, the weaker one's rationality would be. It was often easier for people with great patience to remain obstinate. If they had spent ten thousand years doing something wrong, crying would be a small matter. They might even directly lose their minds.
He patted Feng Xiwu's shoulder. "Don't be sad. Hatching the egg is more important! You're lucky to have met me. "
"It's not an egg, it's a phoenix's embryo!" Feng Xiwu wiped away his tears before straightening himself up. He bowed deeply towards Li Qingshan in a kneeling posture. It was no longer a courtesy from when he was in need of help, but gratitude from the bottom of his heart. "If it weren't for you, I still wouldn't know where I've gone wrong. Thank you!"
"This is where my mission lies. There's no need to be so polite." Li Qingshan returned the bow. He also felt rather emotional inside. Great Daemon Kings like the Golden Cicada Spirit King and the Banyan Tree King were all very nice people, and they had shown him quite a lot of kindness. However, in terms of righteousness, nobility, and gentlemanliness, Feng Xiwu had truly never seen anyone like them before. He would only become hysterical when it came to matters related to the phoenix's embryo, but it was not incomprehensible.
"Then what I need to do right now is disperse the power of the phoenix's embryo?" Feng Xiwu asked.
"I have to say, your efforts haven't gone to waste. Your power has already completely merged with the phoenix's embryo. If you forcefully disperse it, you'll definitely harm its foundation."
"Then I'll let it disperse its power naturally?"
Li Qingshan shook his head. "Who knows how long that'll take. Even a century might not be enough, and wouldn't all of your efforts go to waste?"
Feng Xiwu widened his eyes. "You're saying …"
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
