"I wouldn't dare to turn down your majesty's punishment."
Mister Ram drank a cup by himself with a smile. He sighed inside. Back then in the Feilian hall of the Cloud Sail sect, he had almost been surrounded and attacked for a seat, and it was just an average seat. Now, he could legitimately occupy the seat of honour and receive the courtesy of an esteemed guest. Even the master of the sword pavilion and the Wind Gale King were willing to take a seat below him, yet he still did not come in the end. The affairs of the world really were unpredictable. The new generation would replace the old!
Gongyuan smiled faintly, but she felt like her arrangements were extremely reasonable. She was not currying favour with Li Qingshan. Since it was a celebratory banquet, the ranking would obviously be based on merit. Let alone everything else, just the act of ordering the Myriad Poison Ancestor to blow himself up was enough for him to receive this kind of treatment.
Then she considered whether she should pay a visit to Fire Melt mountain after the banquet ended and ask him why he had stood her up. She could also discuss some important matters along the way, but as soon as she thought of that, she immediately dismissed it. Wouldn't I really be currying favour with him like that?
Gongyuan was not the only one who felt conflicted. The Divine Nun of the South Sea gazed at the empty seat and felt like she had lost something too. After the battle on Fire Melt mountain, she had returned to her dwelling to rest. Originally, she wanted to see Little Ann again so that she could wander around with her and observe her properly. She wanted to see whether she could inherit her legacy or not, whether it was worth it for her to pay a visit to the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga. Unexpectedly, Little Ann did not come at all.
"Whatever, we're not fated to meet!" However, after some consideration, she thought again, If that mountain doesn't come when I call for it, I should go look for it myself. How can I just give up so easily?
As a result, she stood up and bade farewell, turning down Gongyuan and the others who urged her to stay. She left the Crystal palace and hurried to Fire Melt mountain.
Following the traces left behind by the storm, she arrived at the four hundred kilometers of Fire Melt mountain again in the evening. The intense battle was still vivid in her mind. The setting sun enveloped the volcanoes. It was an especially bright red, but it also seemed a little more peaceful.
Under the divine wutong tree, Little Ann suddenly sensed something. She opened her eyes and went out to receive her.
She bowed politely. "Welcome, senior. Please come in and take a seat. "
"I won't be going in. I've come to ask if you're willing to travel around the South sea with me?" The Divine Nun of the South Sea asked with some anticipation.
"Senior's kindness, this disciple can't thank you enough." Little Ann glanced at the divine Wutong tree in the crater of the volcano from the corner of his eyes. Although he was unwilling to leave him, he was in seclusion this time. First, he had to balance the water spray, second, he had to break through to the fourth layer of the Phoenix, and third, he had to hatch the Phoenix egg, which would take at least ten years. After completing these three things, his cultivation would definitely have a qualitative increase. Even reaching the Demon King Realm. If he didn't work hard, he would be left far behind. He made up his mind.
"This disciple is willing."
"Alright, let's set off right now." The Divine Nun of the South Sea smiled.
"Senior, please wait a moment. Disciple will go back and give some instructions." Little Ann returned to the phoenix's nest and saw that Li Qingshan was still focusing on balancing fire and water, so he left a few words with Li Qingshan. After asking him to pass on the message to Li Qingshan, he left Fire Melt mountain and went on a journey with the Divine Nun of the South Sea.
The school of vinaya was extensive and profound, no less than the school of chan. It was rather beneficial to the cultivation of the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty, but it definitely could not be comprehended in a short amount of time. He could use this opportunity to study it in greater depth.
Although he was not a true direct disciple, and the Divine Nun of the South Sea could not pass on the divine arts and secret methods of her sect to a disciple of the school of chan, Little Ann was not interested in those cultivation methods in the first place. Instead, it was the buddhist scriptures of the school of vinaya. There were obviously no taboos about this, which made the Divine Nun of the South Sea even more fond of him.
At the end of the day, the world of cultivation was about respect for the strong. Even buddhist disciples who had become monks from a young age could not help but place more emphasis on cultivation methods. However, in the Divine Nun of the South Sea's eyes, neglecting the buddhist scriptures that were as vast as the sea was neglecting the essentials. However, "One Will" was so talented, yet she did not seem restless at all. That was far too rare.
The two of them wandered around, eating and sleeping in the open. They spent most of their time in the mundane world, reading about the affairs of the world.
Little Ann came to a realisation. It was no wonder monks loved to wander. The greatest aim of buddhism was to deliver all living beings from suffering. If they did not see all living beings, how were they supposed to deliver them from suffering? If they left the mundane world and cultivated alone, it could only be regarded as the Hinayana dharma, not the Mahayana dharma. Even the White Bone Bodhisattva who created the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty was rather intent on delivering all living beings from suffering. It was just that the method she used was rather "special".
Compared to the school of chan's root of wisdom that allowed one to see one's nature, the school of vinaya was more down-to-earth, which benefited Little Ann a lot. The Divine Nun of the South Sea grew fonder and fonder of this "disciple" who did not show any emotions, never complained, and worked hard on the buddhist dharma.
Gradually, a new legend appeared on the shore of the South sea, regarding the beautiful heavenly maiden by the Divine Nun of the South Sea's side …
At the same time, the upheaval in the world intensified. The scale of war rapidly escalated, and the flames of war began to spread across the nine provinces. The Mist province and the Green province had already reached a state of mutual hostility. Although it had not devolved into a full-scale war, the deaths of great cultivators were no longer shocking news. Everyone's gazes were drawn away, casting Fire Melt mountain to the back of their minds.
In the phoenix's nest, Li Qingshan completely forgot about the outside world. In his sea of consciousness, the spirit turtle dove deep as the phoenix danced. The light intertwined, constantly harmonizing and merging …
After who knew how long, Li Qingshan shuddered. The red and blue light merged together, and he opened his eyes. He could not help but exhale deeply, overjoyed.
Alright. At least all my arduous cultivation hasn't gone to waste. I've finally taken another step forward and obtained the third innate ability of the phoenix.
Sure enough, it was still the phoenix's nirvāṇa. In other words, he possessed three chances to be reborn, which he could use in battle. Once he was killed, he would immediately have two chances to be reborn.
"Hah, now it really won't be easy even if I want to die. Little Ann, Little Ann!" Li Qingshan could not see Little Ann around.
"Congratulations. Your cultivation has advanced again. You can actually balance two powerful bloodlines of completely different natures? The secrets you carry sure run deep! " Feng Xiwu's figure appeared. He had been paying attention to Li Qingshan the entire time, so he could obviously sense the changes in his aura.
"Friend Feng, how long did it take me? Where's Little Ann?"
"A little over two years. Little Ann travelled the world with the Divine Nun of the South Sea and returned a few times. However, you were always cultivating, so she didn't disturb you."
"I see. Cultivation really is a race against time!" Li Qingshan nodded. Although he liked cultivating in secluded cultivation together, increasing his cultivation was without a doubt more important, which was why he fully supported her going to the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga in the past. The environment of Fire Melt mountain was actually not particularly suitable for her cultivation. Finding a direction to advance in was for the best.
"It's just two years. What's the big deal? Though, you can focus on hatching the phoenix's embryo now, right? Friend Li! " For once, Feng Xiwu also cracked a joke. His attitude became much gentler, no longer as aloof as before.
"Alright, no problem. I'll still need your help!" Li Qingshan felt rather tired, but he did not slack off at all. He was not as slow-witted as Feng Xiwu. If he did not advance valiantly and diligently, how was he supposed to make it to the Nine Heavens?
Of course, advancing valiantly and diligently was not reckless. Everything was going according to the plan he had set down. After balancing fire and water, he had cleared away the obstacles for his future cultivation. He could work hard to push the Phoenix's Scripture of Nirvāṇa to the fourth layer.
This process could be carried out simultaneously with the phoenix's embryo, complementing each other. Perhaps it would produce wondrous effects. It was all thanks to Feng Xiwu's slow-witted nature that he was not in a hurry even after two years, which was why he could remain so composed.
"Please don't disappoint me!" Feng Xiwu said sternly.
"Don't worry, friend. The time for harvest has arrived!"
Li Qingshan understood. If he could not keep his promise and hatch the phoenix's embryo, not only would the friendship he had built up be completely gone, but they might even turn against each other. No one wanted to face a hysterical great Daemon King.
Feng Xiwu said, "Let's hope so. Even to me, ten thousand years is far too long!"
Li Qingshan said nothing more. He closed his eyes again and picked up the phoenix's embryo, circulating the Phoenix's Scripture of Nirvāṇa as hard as he could. Not only was it in his body, but it was also in the phoenix's embryo.
At this moment, he suddenly heard the wondrous sound of a zither.
Feng Xiwu sat down close to him. A zither pedestal and a zither appeared before him, and the music poured out from the tip of his fingers. It was a heavenly sound that Li Qingshan had never heard before. Although he could not figure out what was special about it, he only felt his mind calm down. His exhaustion vanished, and his circulation of the cultivation method became especially smooth.
He praised, "Nice zither!"
Feng Xiwu said without even raising his head, "Don't talk. Focus. This isn't for you either, or you'd be playing the zither to a cow."
"If it's not for me, then who else … Fine!" Li Qingshan suddenly realised that the phoenix's embryo in his arms was the true listener. He smiled bitterly. Was this the legendary prenatal education?
"You're just too malevolent at the end of the day. Your vulgarity is difficult to purge, so you'll probably infect the little phoenix. You need to cleanse it with the zither first!"
Li Qingshan sneered. He could not be bothered with retorting. As he listened to the zither, his mind gradually sank.
Time flew by, and the zither's music came and went.
During this time, Little Ann returned many times, spending a few days with Li Qingshan before setting off again.
One year, two years, three years, four years …
Li Qingshan's presence became more and more powerful, and the light on the phoenix's embryo became brighter and brighter. Every single pattern seemed to be forged from sunlight.
Suddenly, one day, an extremely feeble consciousness was born in the centre of the phoenix's embryo. It was even hotter than fire, even more resplendent than light.
"It's there! It's there!" Li Qingshan's cry of joy interrupted the zither's music.
Feng Xiwu shuddered, almost snapping a zither string. "It's there?"
"Come over and take a look!"
Before he had even finished speaking, Feng Xiwu had arrived with a flash and pressed his hand against the phoenix's embryo. He also sensed the birth of the consciousness, and his expression immediately became extremely fascinating. He said, "Good!" three times in a row!
Although it was still very far away from actually hatching, this was without a doubt a milestone. At the very least, it proved that Li Qingshan was not lying.
"What do you think? I didn't lie to you, did I?" Li Qingshan said.
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