"These burned stones are treasures for smithing …"
After recovering from his shock, Su Yin flung his sleeves, and the jade-textured stones on the ground were kept into his storage ring. Then, he continued walking forward.
Lightning Strike Wood and Flame Stone were extremely difficult to find in smithing. Even though they were just ordinary stones, under such high temperatures, their impurities had been removed, and their density was extremely high. With suitable medicinal herbs, not only could they be used for smithing, they could also be used to treat illnesses and concoct pills.
The area that was burned by the flames was very wide. The further they walked, the darker the ground became, and the stronger the burning sensation in the air became.
However, the man, the phoenix, and the weapon were all incredibly powerful. Even ordinary Saints would find the heat unbearable, so it was nothing to them.
After walking for a while, Su Yin came to a halt. He frowned and said, "It seems like we're walking in circles!"
They had been walking for a few minutes, but there was still nothing in sight.
Without the obstruction of the Water of the Northern Underworld, given their speed, they should have been able to cover several dozen li in just a few minutes. There was no way this mountain could cover such a large area.
The Phoenix Monarch frowned and said, "Even though everything is black, the terrain is constantly changing. Based on my observation, it looks similar to the places we've been to before, but there are still some differences. Take this hill for example. We've seen it before, and it's slightly smaller than this one. It's three zhang lower than this one …"
In Su Yin's previous life, he would have needed some precision equipment to measure a difference of three zhang. However, at their current level of cultivation, it was easy for them to discern the difference.
The Heaven Measure nodded in agreement.
Su Yin shook his head and said, "It's precisely because of this that it's even more bewitching!"
It was one thing to confuse those with lower cultivation, but it was almost impossible to confuse them. The person who left behind this terrain clearly knew of this characteristic, so he deliberately made it different so that one would not suspect anything even if one were to walk around in circles.
Knowing that they weren't aware of it, Su Yin couldn't be bothered to keep them in suspense. He said, "Even though the terrain has changed, take a closer look. The Flame Stone is gone!"
The Phoenix Monarch and the Heaven Measure were taken aback.
They wouldn't have noticed it if not for Zhang Xuan's words, but at this moment, they realized that something was amiss. Even though the ground had changed, the rocks that had been burned by the flames had disappeared.
"It's the same mountain, and it's the same flame. Even if there's a difference, it shouldn't be so huge …"
Su Yin continued, "So, there's only one possibility. Because I took away those stones, it caused the scene to change. No stones appeared … So, we can conclude that we've been walking in circles!"
The Phoenix Emperor's face turned grave. His eyes narrowed as he thought of something. "Could it be … an illusion?"
Seeing that the two of them were puzzled, he continued, "It's a kind of secret art in the legends of the Phoenixes. It's different from a simple illusion. The latter is all illusory. The person who is trapped can see the same terrain or completely different terrain. However, it's very easy for someone to find something wrong with it and break it!
The Heaven Measuring Ruler was perplexed. "Ethereal and corporeal are completely different … How can they be fused together?"
Illusory arrays were a way to confuse one's mind. Mazes, on the other hand, were real. Could it be that being bewitched could make it real?
"Try using your full strength!" The Phoenix Emperor said.
Nodding, the Heaven Measuring Ruler transformed into a ruler and slashed it down.
Infused with lightning, the Heaven Measuring Ruler tore through the air like a bolt of lightning, creating a massive crater on the mountain.
"This … is the real ground?"
The Heaven Measuring Ruler was perplexed.
Even though the ground was no different from normal, if it was an illusion, it should have been able to notice the difference.
"This is the horror of the Illusory Realm. It can change the real place and circulate it back and forth, trapping you in it without you even knowing it!"
The Phoenix Emperor said. "Let's continue forward. If it's really an illusion, this place will surely appear before us once more."
The three of them rushed forward. A few minutes later, they came to a halt.
What appeared before them was a massive ravine. It was similar to the one created by the Heaven Measuring Ruler earlier, but at the same time, it wasn't too similar either.
"I intentionally left behind a sliver of lightning when I slashed down earlier …" Taking a step forward, the Heaven Measuring Ruler grabbed lightly, and a few arcs of lightning darted out from the ravine. Pipa! They flickered in the air.
Their faces stiffened, and they were rendered speechless.
If they had any doubts before, they were a hundred percent certain now.
Furthermore, the terrain had changed without a sound. It was as if someone was following behind them and modifying the terrain. It was truly bizarre.
"If an illusion is constructed using formation foundations, formation flags, and the like, one should be able to create a disturbance if one were to slash at it with all one's might. However, the one before us is a combination of illusion and reality. No matter how high one's cultivation is, even if one were to pierce through the ground, it would be nigh impossible to break it! "
The Phoenix Emperor said with a deep frown.
This was a secret art that had been lost since the ancient times. Even he was unable to do anything about it.
"It's probably a means to distort and fold space!"
Su Yin said. "It's to fold the space that we have walked through and place it in front of us while placing the space in front of us behind us. It's as if we are trapped in a thousand-layer biscuit. No matter where we go, we will return to the same spot. Furthermore, the longer we stay here, the greater the changes to the surroundings. In the end, we won't be able to escape anymore. "
"That should be the case …" The Heaven Measuring Ruler frowned. "Then, is there a way to decipher it?"
This kind of folded space was completely different from a maze or illusion array. If one couldn't find a way, it was impossible to break it with brute force.
After pondering for a moment, Su Yin said, "There are two ways. First, the person who set up this place is most likely the Phoenix Clan's Phoenix Ancestor. They probably left this thing behind to prevent external enemies, not to make things difficult for their own people. If the Phoenix Emperor has a way to prove that you are their descendant, perhaps the array will be broken by itself!"
"This …" the Phoenix Emperor shook his head. "I'm afraid it's very difficult. As the leader of the Phoenix Clan, my bloodline is pure. I should have sensed it long ago, but I'm still trapped here … Let's talk about the second method!"
If it were an ordinary member of the Phoenix Clan, it would be fine if they couldn't sense it. However, he was the Phoenix Emperor!
The current strongest member of the Phoenix Clan. If such a mechanism really existed, it would have been triggered long ago.
Su Yin continued, "Second, regardless of whether it's a folded space or a distorted space, as long as it's a closed loop, there must be a connection somewhere. Find this place and set up a teleportation gate. Perhaps we can leave!"
No matter how perfect a closed loop was, there must be a connection somewhere. As long as they found it, they would definitely be able to leave.
"It won't be that easy to find it, right?" the Phoenix Emperor said with a bitter smile.
"It won't be easy to find it!"
Su Yin shook his head. Suddenly, a thought came to his mind, and his eyes lit up. "However, there's a flaw in it. It's connected from the beginning to the end. In other words … the place where we entered is definitely the place where we left! As soon as we entered, I took away a lot of stones … If we can find this place, we'll be able to find the exit! "
"That's right!"
The Phoenix Emperor said excitedly.
Previously, when Zhang Xuan took away the stones, he still felt that it was a little petty. Who would have thought that it would be the key to leaving this place?
In any case, they would be able to return to a place far away. Thus, the three of them continued forward. Not long after, they saw a place without any stones. Even though the terrain had changed a lot, they could still recognize it.
"This is it!"
Su Yin took a deep breath and flicked his finger. Streams of Celestial Energy descended and formed a small teleportation formation.
It was the long-distance teleportation formation that Su Xiuyi had comprehended.
"We can only give it a try!"
After activating the formation, Su Yin took the lead and walked in. The Heaven Measuring Ruler and the Phoenix Emperor followed closely behind.
With a flash of light, the three of them swayed, and a canyon appeared before them.
"We're out …"
Seeing that the scene was different from before, Su Yin heaved a sigh of relief. He could not help but look into the canyon.
The ground in front of him was also charred black. The corpse of a phoenix stood on a rock not far away. Its bones and muscles had all turned into stone. It was indistinguishable from one another.
"Could this be … the Phoenix Ancestor that you mentioned?" Su Yin's expression froze.
The flames had burned the ground for tens of thousands of years, and not even a blade of grass had grown. However, this corpse could be preserved. Perhaps only the Phoenix Ancestor could do that.
"It's him!"
The Phoenix Emperor nodded. "Legend has it that this ancestor has nine blood-red feathers on his head. They represent the purest bloodline of our Phoenix Clan!"
Su Yin counted. Indeed, there were nine blood-red feathers on the petrified corpse. They stood up like a cockscomb, but the Phoenix Emperor only had three feathers on his head.
The difference was too big!
Sighing in his heart, his eyes fell on the front of the Phoenix Ancestor. A similarly petrified Wutong tree was rooted in the rock, standing proudly.
The height of this tree was only about a person, and it was extremely thin and weak. At a glance, one could tell that it was extremely difficult to grow from underground.
"This is that Wutong tree? That's not right. Shouldn't it have been burned to ashes long ago, leaving nothing behind? How could it grow again? "
Seeing this sapling, the Phoenix Emperor was full of doubts. Soon, he thought of something, and a complicated expression appeared in his eyes. "I understand …"
"It's this Phoenix Ancestor …" Su Yin nodded.
He could see it too.
The Wutong tree was burned to ashes, but some roots were still left. This Phoenix Ancestor noticed this and wanted to revive the other party, exhausting all the undying energy in his body.
In the end, the roots grew a seedling, but he was also a lamp that had run out of oil and was at the stage of dying.
The Wutong tree knew its intentions and tried its best to get closer. Unfortunately, it did not succeed in the end. Both of them turned into rocks. They were only a meter away from each other, but they could not lean on each other.
It could be considered a real-life version of Liang Zhu, Romeo and Juliet.
"I'm afraid that's not the only thing. There must have been another lightning strike that destroyed their bodies and souls."
After hearing the explanation of the two, the Heaven Measuring Ruler said.
Su Yin looked around. Just as the other party said, after the Wutong tree appeared, it seemed to have experienced another lightning tribulation. Its weak body was covered with scars left by lightning. It seemed that the heavens did not allow them to be together.
"No matter what, it's impossible to investigate …"
With a sigh, the Phoenix Emperor no longer pursued the specific cause of death of this ancestor. Instead, he said, "I want to put their corpses together!"
Su Yin nodded.
They could not live together. After death, he would find a way to let them live together. It could also be considered as fulfilling the last wish of the ancestor.
The man and the Phoenix came forward.
After turning into a rock, it no longer had the power of a saint. Su Yin and the Phoenix Emperor worked together and quickly took it off the rock.
"The ancestor's favorite thing when he was alive was to stand on the Wutong tree and sing. Although this tree is a little small, he used his life to revive it … Put its corpse on it and let them be together forever …"
The Phoenix Emperor said.
Su Yin gently placed the corpse of the Phoenix ancestor on the Wutong tree.
The moment the two came into contact, the jade-like stone shone. In an instant, a breeze blew from somewhere. The trees on the entire Nanyu Mountain rustled as if a phoenix was singing.
Su Yin was stunned.
After being dead for tens of thousands of years, its body had already turned into rock. How could this happen? Could it be that its consciousness was still alive?
"Look …" the Heaven Measuring Ruler hurriedly said.
Su Yin and the Phoenix Emperor looked over and were stunned at the same time.
Below the petrified Wutong tree, a tree root had drilled out. It was only two feet long, and its skin was green. There was vitality flowing inside.
The Phoenix Emperor came to a realization. "It's a bit of vitality that they used their lives to preserve …"
He thought that this magical Wutong tree was completely dead. He did not expect that there was still a tree root left.
Su Yin grabbed the tree root. It was only the thickness of a finger and was extremely weak.
The Phoenix Emperor said, "The Fire of the Wutong is produced by burning this Wutong Tree. Even though this branch is small, if it can be burned, it should be able to help Xiao Wu overcome the danger …"
The reason why the Phoenix ancestor was able to achieve Nirvana was because of this Wutong Tree. Even though there was only a branch left, there should be a chance of success if it was used properly.
"It's too wasteful to burn it directly …"
Su Yin pondered for a moment before saying, "Let's see if we can nurture it and let it grow. If it can grow into a huge tree, there will be more Wutong Trees in the future. Who knows, it might even give birth to more Phoenixes!"
"I know that nurturing it is the best, but … I'm afraid that Xiao Wu won't be able to hold on for much longer!" the Phoenix Emperor shook her head.
Everyone knew that it was better to teach a man how to fish than to give him a fish. However, they had already been out for more than forty-five minutes. There were only ten minutes left before the hour was up.
In such a short time, they had to rush down the mountain, return to the ancestral ground, light up the Wutong Tree, and find a way to save Xiao Wu …
There was no time to nurture it at all.
Besides, even if they were able to nurture it successfully, if Xiao Wu died, there was no telling when the next Phoenixes would appear.
The situation of their ancestor was just an example. If it could be used as a teaching material, the bloodline of the Phoenixes would not be cut off.
Not everyone could truly be fearless in the face of death. There were also those who could truly rise from the ashes and walk out from the ashes.
"How about this? Heaven Measuring Ruler, Phoenix Emperor, you lead the way and deal with the unpredictable dangers. I'll nurture it as we walk. It's best if it succeeds, but it doesn't matter if it doesn't …"
Knowing that time was of the essence, Su Yin let out a sigh and turned to give instructions.
"Alright!"
The Heaven Measuring Ruler and the Phoenix Emperor rushed down the mountain.
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