Chapter 731

Chapter 731: Nine Phoenix Ghost Carriage

Traversing through the deep underground, Lolan Hill suddenly sensed the unusual flow of the subterranean dragon vein. Countless tributaries began to intertwine and converge towards the direction of the shrine.

Unlike previous experiences, this time the aura within the dragon vein was particularly intense. Whether it was the clear dragon vein power or the murky nine-nether hellish qi, they intertwined and mixed together, surging towards the center.

Disaster…

The young lady felt a sense of unease. This situation was too special; something unexpected must have happened outside. She increased her speed, her body turning into a shadow, the shadow into a streak of light, the light into a ghostly figure, swiftly moving upward through the underground passage.

After a long while, a sudden brightness entered her eyes, and Lolan Hill found herself back on the surface of the valley.

The valley had completely transformed.

In the center of the ground, it looked as if struck by a meteor, creating a large crater. A black-and-white metal alchemical cauldron lay tilted on the ground, surrounded by a group of traitorous Zhaoye Palace disciples who remained near the cauldron, confronting their opponents. Around them were burnt corpses, black and red bloodstains, and shattered bodies, all extremely gruesome.

But this wasn’t the main focus. The chaotic battle in the sky above had captured the attention of countless people within the valley.

A strange black bird fought fiercely in the high sky, its wings tearing through the atmosphere, battling eight cloud serpents. As the dragon vein energy column rose from the shrine, the black bird grew increasingly fierce, its body emitting dense, unbreakable black smoke.

Seeing the black and red energy column rising from the shrine, Lolan Hill felt a bad premonition. She turned and rushed toward the shrine, her steps quickening, her mind racing to recall the source and reason for such a scene.

When she entered the white ocean, she saw the spirits of the Yichu clan, who had stopped breathing, looking up with a sense of enlightenment, gazing at the fluttering white banner of the shrine.

This is the blood sacrifice ritual.

In ancient times, the eastern tribes would use various rare animals for sacrifices to summon the beasts associated with the dragon veins. When the tribes lacked these rare animals but desperately needed the help of these beasts, they would sometimes resort to special blood sacrifices.

That meant using the blood and souls of their own people to worship the mountain spirits.

Some intelligent beasts, after long-term interactions with humans, formed a mutual understanding. You provide me with sustenance, and I will manipulate the dragon veins to change the local climate and weather.

Over time, these beast spirits were deified as mountain lords and river gods, even personified and given temples.

However, such times ended a thousand years ago, primarily due to the efforts of the Black Phoenix Pheasant sect. Their disciples razed mountains and destroyed temples, eliminating evil sacrifices and blood rituals. Countless mountain ghosts and witches were nailed to death by them.

It was unexpected that Grandma Ge Luo, a orthodox shaman, still knew about these ancient sacrificial rituals.

Lolan Hill sighed inwardly. Perhaps this was the helplessness of the Yichu clan. Unable to seek aid from the central government like the subjects of the dynasty, they could only rely on themselves, even if it meant sacrificing their lives.

The blood sacrifice ritual was both cruel and powerful. Numerous members of the Yichu clan voluntarily died here, willingly becoming food for the strange birds, hoping to protect the remaining clansmen in the mountains and ensure their loved ones’ survival.

Their blood gradually mixed with the dragon veins, absorbed by the black bird in the sky, while their souls continuously flowed into the hall.

Inside the shrine hall, ghostly figures flickered, and the Yichu clan members, dressed in white, danced with pale faces, devoid of any color. Although their bodies still moved, the light in their eyes gradually disappeared, eventually resembling marionettes controlled by strings, continuing their ritual dance.

Above, lanterns hung high, and the sound of copper plates clashing filled the air. Lolan Hill felt an icy sensation approaching.

To outsiders, the hall seemed cold and eerie, but to her, it was bustling with restless spirits, many of which hovered around her.

These spirits were those who had died during the ritual, though they had become ghosts, they were not hostile, but rather silently moved, guided by the shaman inside.

The black bird fighting the cloud serpents in the sky, although powerful, could only hold out temporarily. If the cloud serpents were not completely eradicated, it would eventually grow weary.

For this reason, Grandma Ge Luo had prepared for the worst.

Countless spirits transformed into black, eerie spells, covering her body and spreading. Finally, black patterns extended from her wrists, and her face was gradually wrapped in these strange patterns.

As Lolan Hill hurriedly navigated through the crowd of white-robed people, the shaman had already reached the final step, or perhaps there had never been a way back since the start of the ritual.

“You’ve come,” the shaman’s eyes, the last glimmer of light, looked at the arriving girl, seemingly relieved of the last worry, and peacefully dissipated.

Lolan Hill took a few steps forward, ready to touch the shaman, but she vanished like smoke, merging into the dragon vein pillar above the shrine.

Then, a mournful cry echoed from the sky, like weeping, like sorrow.

Lolan Hill stared blankly at the dissipating figure, feeling a void in her heart. Though she had only known Grandma Ge Luo for half a year, the kind and gentle shaman had left a deep impression on her, like a mentor, occasionally teaching her things and showing concern.

The despondent young lady stepped out of the shrine, gazing at the sky.

The black bird in the air spread its wings, and wisps of white smoke began to burn on its black feathers, leaving long trails in the sky.

Then, the black bird folded its wings, burying its head under its body, forming a huge ball.

It was evolving right then!

Its body, originally black, now resembled a black sun, coiled tightly. Eight cloud serpents wrapped around it, biting, but even a bite only tore off some black feathers, unable to cause significant damage.

Though the black bird was only at the seventh rank of the Necromancer Sequence, having accompanied Shaman Ge Luo in cultivation, unlike other beasts that relied solely on their own exploration, it had almost no weaknesses. Therefore, it could still fight back against the eight cloud serpents despite being surrounded.

Seeing this, Immortal Heiling couldn’t help but activate the giant alchemical cauldron behind him again, absorbing the spirits and flesh of the dead in the wilderness and the valley, continually enhancing the strength of the eight cloud serpents.

As the eight serpents grew larger and more ferocious, the people below couldn’t help but feel anxious and uneasy.

Many Yichu clan members continued to rush into the shrine, hoping to offer themselves and strengthen the black bird’s power. They had no other choice. But upon entering, they found only a silent scene inside, with women in white dresses standing stiffly in the hall, lifeless.

In Lolan Hill’s perception, the black bird in the sky began to undergo a tremendous transformation. This was also the first time she witnessed a beast advancing from the seventh to the eighth rank after a change in the world.

Its soul seemed to fragment along with the transcendent core, transforming into a chaotic vortex of clouds. One by one, chaotic phantoms poured from the void, entering the vortex, polluting and confusing the creature about to advance.

Such a test was entirely different from previous advancements. In this state, the creature had almost no memory, relying solely on instinct. Without a profound will and determination, it would lose itself in the chaos, forever losing its memory and eventually dissipating.

This was the second-to-last checkpoint before advancing to the ninth rank, just below the promotion test for the ninth rank.

If one could maintain their original self amidst the confusion and regain clarity, they would no longer fear the illusions and could freely navigate within.

This checkpoint tested not experience, but rather the purity of one’s heart. The more focused and resolute the thoughts, the easier it was to pass. Compared to beings with various desires, the black bird’s heart burned with nothing but anger, its consciousness filled with a single thought: revenge.

Crack—

It was midday when lightning struck the coiled black bird, scorching its feathers and scattering them.

As everyone worried, its contracted wings slowly opened.

Fiery black and red flames burned fiercely, suffocating and scorching. The nearby cloud serpents were immediately incinerated and fled in panic.

But the black bird did not let them escape. Its fierce, blood-red eyes emerged from the flames, two pupils staring at the earth.

【Nine Phoenix · Ghost Carriage】

Status: Lightly injured (recovering)

Sequence: Necromancer Sequence 8 · Dark Heaven Black Bird (rating: Perfect Crystal Grade)

Talent:

Dark Heaven [Perfect]: To cover the sky with darkness, to see the night clearly, to penetrate the nine hells. Manipulate the dragon veins of a continent, altering celestial phenomena, changing the local climate, seasons, and the course of rivers.

Abilities:

[Carriage Wings] (rare): Its wings flap like a carriage wheel, tearing through the air, making a loud noise. Its wings have a certain ability to tear space.

[Nine Phoenix Flame · Dark] (perfect): As a branch of the Nine Phoenix, it still possesses divine fire, burning the netherworld, dispersing souls, piercing through metals and stones.

Skills:

[Probing Black Claw Lv.8] [Night Patrol Fire Lv.9] [Space Splitting Passage Lv.7] [Changing Day and Night Lv.7].

As Lolan Hill looked up at the terrifying bird, it spread its wings and let out a long, shrill cry. Then, its body shot straight into the sky, seemingly rising higher and higher.

As it ascended, not only did its size not decrease, but it actually grew larger. With each wing beat, countless black smoke and dragon qi rose from the earth, converging towards the sky.

The sky grew darker and heavier, though it was midday, it felt like dusk. This didn’t end there; the black clouds seemed endless, constantly appearing and overlapping.

In what felt like half a minute, it had traversed an entire day, reaching nightfall. Finally, the sky within thousands of miles was covered by layers of dark clouds, no sunlight could penetrate. Countless creatures and demons on the ground panicked and fled, trying to escape the overwhelming black clouds. No matter how they ran, the faint light at the horizon was eventually swallowed, plunging the entire world into darkness.

The heavy sky seemed to press down, enveloping the entire sunset mountain range, bringing endless oppression and fear. Only then might people realize how terrifying these celestial beasts were in ancient times.

Whisper—

The black phoenix emerged from the clouds, its wings spanning over three hundred meters. Vast flames appeared on its feathers, burning and distorting space, making its form blurry in the sky.

As it gently flew, it stirred layers of colorless currents, leaving long, vast trails.

When the ghost carriage bird descended, the eight cloud serpents once again spiraled upwards, their tongues flickering in the air.

But this ghost carriage was no longer in a passive state as before.

Its sharp claws, like lightning, protruded, grabbing the head of an attacking serpent, its sharp tips deeply embedded, as if to crush it. Another wing slashed down, neatly splitting a cloud serpent in two, while its beak pecked at the head, swallowing it whole.

Looking at the terrifying ghost carriage bird in the sky, Immortal Heiling was utterly shocked.

“How… How is this possible? This is just an animal, how can it advance before humans?”

He muttered in disbelief, as if all his strength was draining away, and the anxious inquiries of his disciples went unheard, as if the world had lost all color.

In the sky, the black ghost carriage tore apart and devoured one cloud serpent after another, its flames growing stronger, as if driven mad.

Today, nearly 7K words, should this count as three chapters?