Chapter 436 Zhang Mingfeng's Gift: A Thousand-Year Opportunity for the Liu Family!

The moment the phantom of the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix rose from the soul crystal, the entire Spirit Sealing Hall fell into an unprecedented dead silence.

It wasn't ordinary quiet, but an absolute silence where one was completely suppressed by Divine Might, to the point where even breathing ceased.

That massive black Phoenix phantom floated quietly above the Spirit Sealing Hall, its wingspan stretching hundreds of feet wide.

Every pitch-black feather was clearly visible, naturally engraved with incredibly complex patterns of the Nine Nether Laws, while the edges of the feathers burned with eerie black underworld flames.

That was the Legendary Nine Nether Underworld Fire, capable of incinerating all things and even burning through space.

It simply floated there quietly, without making a single move.

But that pressure...

It was as vast as an abyss and as deep as hell.

The members of the Liu Family present felt their Souls trembling. Their legs buckled involuntarily as they knelt on the ground one after another.

"This... this is the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix!"

"The ancestor's contracted beast! The guardian Divine Beast of the Liu Family!"

"Heavens! It really has awakened! The soul of the nether phoenix has truly been roused!"

"A thousand years! A thousand years! Lord Nether Phoenix has finally reappeared in the world!"

Some elderly Liu Family Elders knelt on the ground, tears streaming down their faces, as they prostrated themselves before the phantom.

They had grown up hearing the legends of the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix and regarded it as a deity. Now, seeing this Legendary existence with their own eyes, the excitement and devotion almost overflowed from their chests.

"Descendants of the Liu Family pay respects to Lord Nether Phoenix!"

"We kowtow to the ancestor's contracted beast!"

Everyone shouted in unison, their voices shaking the hall.

And it wasn't just them.

Even Liu Qingyun, the Family Head, bowed deeply at this moment, performing a solemn ritual salute toward the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix phantom.

His eyes were slightly red, and his lips were trembling.

As the head of the Liu Family, he knew better than anyone what this soul crystal meant to the Family.

A thousand years of waiting.

A thousand years of guarding.

Countless failures, countless moments of despair.

Today, finally in his generation, they had seen the true form of the Nether Phoenix!

Great Master Master Fu Shan and Old Mo also bowed in salute.

Although they were not members of the Liu Family, as Guest Elders, they held the same respect for the contracted beast of the Liu Family's founder.

The two were interested in the runes and formation patterns surrounding the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix phantom.

But at this moment, no one spoke, because this was no longer a Domain where they could interject.

In Great Master Master Fu Shan's slightly narrowed eyes, there was nothing but focus. The mere aftereffects of this living fossil-level powerhouse's appearance caused the Eight Desolations Spirit Sealing Array, which he had studied for decades, to operate in a manner he had never seen before.

Old Mo also lightly stroked his beard, the light in his cloudy old eyes almost condensing into substance.

Standing where she was, Liu Ruyan looked up at the black Phoenix phantom that blotted out the sky, an unprecedented light flickering in her ice-blue eyes.

She had known since she was a child when she first heard the legend of the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix.

However, at this moment, her contracted beast's Bloodline was actually producing a faint resonance with that phantom.

It was a throbbing from the depths of her Soul, as if relatives separated for many years had finally met.

The only person present who did not salute was Jiang Yun.

He stood quietly in the crowd, looking at the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix phantom in mid-air with a calm expression, his heart as still as an ancient well.

As early as the first day he entered the Spirit Sealing Hall, his Entry Manifestation talent had already thoroughly investigated the soul crystal's secrets.

A wisp of the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix's remnant Soul was sealed in the core of the soul crystal, requiring the resonance of three ancient Bloodlines to awaken.

All of this was within his expectations.

So, the appearance of the Nether Phoenix phantom at this moment...

Did not surprise him.

However, when his gaze swept across the core of the soul crystal, his brow twitched slightly.

Because he perceived that with the appearance of the Nether Phoenix phantom, the Origin inside the soul crystal, which had been nearly exhausted, was actually recovering at an unimaginable speed.

No, it wasn't recovery.

It was expanding!

A type of black energy, purer and denser than at any time before, was frantically surging out from the very core of the soul crystal.

That energy was as black as ink yet as clear as water, emitting a strange aura that made one's Soul feel nourished.

"The Nether Phoenix's dark attribute Law Origin power..."

Jiang Yun understood in his heart.

This was the Origin energy naturally dissipated after the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix awakened, a great supplement for dark attribute contracted beasts.

And Liu Ruyan's Nether Phoenix happened to be of the dark attribute.

Sure enough.

The phantom of the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix slowly lowered its noble Phoenix head.

Those eyes, which contained the rising and falling of the sun and moon and the extinction of stars, slowly swept across the crowd below, finally coming to a stop on Liu Ruyan and her Nether Phoenix.

In the phantom's gaze, a hint of something extremely human-like emerged.

Gratification.

Then, an ancient and majestic voice rang out throughout the Spirit Sealing Hall.

That voice seemed to come from ancient times, traveling through time and space, carrying the vicissitudes and weight of the ages. Every word was like the sound of the Law, causing the air in the hall to tremble slightly.

"My descendants... have finally come."

The moment this voice rang out.

The entire Spirit Sealing Hall fell into a dead silence once more.

Everyone.

Including Liu Qingyun, Great Master Master Fu Shan, and Old Mo.

All of them widened their eyes, their faces full of shock.

The ancestor?!

Is this the voice of the ancestor Ancestor?!

"The ancestor has manifested!"

"Ancestor Tianxing! It's the voice of Ancestor Tianxing!"

"Your unworthy descendants kowtow to Ancestor Tianxing!"

The Liu Family members went completely wild, kneeling on the ground and bowing their heads deeply, pious to the extreme.

Even Liu Qingyun trembled all over and fell to his knees with a thud, his voice choking up.

"Unworthy descendant Liu Qingyun, leading all members of the Liu Family, kowtows to Ancestor Tianxing!"

Great Master Master Fu Shan and Old Mo looked at each other, both seeing the undisguisable shock in the other's eyes.

Although they had guessed that a remnant Soul of Ancestor might remain in this soul crystal, they hadn't expected that this remnant Soul would still have consciousness!

Liu Ruyan also knelt down, an uncontrollable excitement appearing on her cold face for the first time.

But the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix phantom paid no attention to the others' prostrations.

Its eerie Phoenix eyes remained locked on Liu Ruyan and the Nether Phoenix.

The ancient voice rang out again, with a tone of undisguised gratification and praise.

"Not bad... the Nether Phoenix Bloodline concentration actually exceeds seventy percent. With such extraordinary talent and even carrying a wisp of the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix's Origin aura... it seems a decent junior has finally appeared among my descendants."

Hearing the ancestor personally praise Liu Ruyan, the members of the Liu Family present were all flushed with excitement.

To be recognized by the ancestor!

This was a supreme honor!

The voice of the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix phantom continued to ring out.

"You, junior, have already obtained the Bloodline recognition of my contracted beast, the Nether Phoenix. From now on, a bloodline bond will exist between your Nether Phoenix and my Nether Phoenix. This bond will grow deeper as you grow, and when the time is ripe, your Nether Phoenix will have the chance to complete a bloodline leap that transcends its limits."

Liu Ruyan's delicate body trembled.

Her ice-blue eyes were full of disbelief.

bloodline leap!

This meant her Nether Phoenix had the potential to break through the Bloodline limit of an ancient Nether Phoenix and evolve toward the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix!

The Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix phantom withdrew its gaze and then slowly raised its Phoenix head. Its majestic eyes swept across everyone present, and its voice became even more solemn and dignified.

"Furthermore."

"When I passed away, I left an Opportunity deep within the Bone Burial Area for future generations who are destined. This Opportunity concerns whether the Liu Family can return to its Peak in the future, and it also concerns the ultimate Legacy of my Nether Phoenix."

"Now, the specific location and the method of obtaining this Opportunity have been engraved into this junior's Sea of Consciousness through the method of Legacy memory."

"Once she has digested this memory, she will naturally understand."

As the voice fell.

The entire Spirit Sealing Hall was first silent.

Then.

Boom!

"What?! The ancestor left an Opportunity?!"

"Just what kind of Opportunity is it? It can actually allow the Liu Family to return to its Peak!"

"The trump card that Ancestor Tianxing went to such lengths to leave behind must be something earth-shattering!"

"Great! This is wonderful! The Liu Family finally has hope!"

The members of the Liu Family were so excited they couldn't contain themselves, and one by one, they couldn't help but look at Liu Ruyan.

They couldn't wait to know exactly what Opportunity the ancestor had left behind.

But Young Miss Ruyan obviously couldn't say it yet.

They could only wait.

Liu Qingyun knelt on the ground, both of his hands trembling violently.

He looked up at the majestic Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix phantom, his eyes red. His lips moved several times before he murmured in a raspy voice.

"The ancestor... actually left a trump card for my Liu Family..."

The several Grand Elders beside him were also covered in tears.

"Heaven bless the Liu Family... Heaven bless the Liu Family..."

Great Master Master Fu Shan stood a short distance away, lightly stroking his long beard, his eyes flashing with sharp light.

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"Senior Ancestor is truly far-sighted; he paved the way for his descendants a millennium ago. This chess game of his was played quite far ahead."

Elder Mo also nodded slowly, his voice filled with emotion.

"Senior Liu's fall back then was too sudden, and there have always been rumors that he failed to leave behind a complete Legacy. Now it seems he had long sealed the most important things within the Bone Burial Area. Such far-sightedness is truly admirable."

While the crowd was shocked and discussing, Jiang Yun remained as calm and composed as ever.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze falling upon the phantom of the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix, and he silently thought, 'As expected.'

When he had checked the data entries for the soul crystal earlier, his talent had already given him a hint.

There was a Bloodline lock within the soul crystal's core; only those of the Liu Family with direct Bloodline and Excellent talent could absorb the Soul Power.

The hidden information also clearly stated that before Ancestor passed away, he had sealed a forbidden object located deep within the Bone Burial Area.

However, the data entries did not tell him exactly what that forbidden object was.

Now it seemed that Ancestor had directly engraved that secret into Liu Ruyan's Sea of Consciousness through the Legacy memory, saving him the trouble of guessing.

Jiang Yun was not in a hurry.

What he cared more about now was what benefits he could obtain after the soul crystal was activated.

After the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix phantom finished speaking, those majestic eyes slowly swept across the crowd, finally lingering on Jiang Yun for an instant.

That instant was very short, so short that almost no one noticed.

But Jiang Yun noticed.

He felt a hint of complex, deep meaning contained within that gaze.

There was scrutiny, there was probing, and there was an indescribable, unclear feeling.

Then, the phantom began to slowly dissipate.

"My remnant Soul has been consumed too much and needs to return to slumber."

"Descendants, take care of yourselves."

The voice faded.

The black Phoenix phantom that had covered the sky slowly retracted back into the soul crystal like an ink stain blown away by the wind.

The terrifying Divine Might that had enveloped the entire Spirit Sealing Hall also receded like a tide.

The soul crystal still hovered in its original place, but the light on its surface was several times brighter than before; clearly, the awakening of the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix had restored much of its Origin.

The great hall returned to silence.

After experiencing extreme shock and ecstasy, everyone finally stood up one after another.

Liu Ruyan also rose from the ground; her cold, beautiful face still retained some lingering, uncalmable excitement. She took a deep look at the soul crystal, then reached out and gently stroked the wings of the Nether Phoenix beside her.

Just a moment ago.

She had received the Legacy memory of her ancestor, and there was much more in her Sea of Consciousness.

But the current occasion was not suitable for discussing it in detail.

She frowned slightly, then turned and walked towards Liu Qingyun.

"Yan'er!"

Liu Qingyun hurried up to meet her, his face full of eagerness.

"What exactly is in the ancestor's Legacy memory? What is that Opportunity?"

The Elders behind him also pricked up their ears, their eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation.

Although Great Master Master Fu Shan and Elder Mo did not crowd around, their gazes couldn't help but drift over.

After all, this was a contingency left behind by Ancestor.

Anyone would be curious.

However, Liu Ruyan shook her head gently.

Her voice returned to its usual coldness, though it carried a slight trace of unnaturalness.

"Father, the Nether Phoenix absorbed quite a bit of the Nether Phoenix's Origin Qi during the resonance just now, and its state is a bit special. I need to go back immediately to help it stabilize. As for the content of the Legacy memory..."

Speaking to this point, her voice paused slightly.

Her ice-blue eyes involuntarily looked toward where Jiang Yun was, but she quickly retracted her gaze after just one glance.

Then she lowered her eyelashes and said in a flat tone, "We will discuss this later."

Liu Qingyun was stunned for a moment, then followed his daughter's gaze to see Jiang Yun and immediately understood something.

He nodded inwardly.

The Opportunity left by the ancestor was of great importance; it was indeed not appropriate to discuss it in front of outsiders.

Even if it was a benefactor like Great Master Dong Xuan, one still had to be on guard.

He quickly put on a concerned expression and nodded, saying, "Yes, yes, yes! The Nether Phoenix is important! You take the Nether Phoenix back to rest first; if you need anything, just tell your father!"

Elder Liu Lan behind him also echoed repeatedly, her face full of concern.

"That's right, Ruyan, go back and take care of the Nether Phoenix quickly. This is the future hope of the Liu Family; absolutely nothing must go wrong!"

Liu Ruyan nodded slightly, then said no more, turned, and led the Nether Phoenix out of the Spirit Sealing Hall.

However, as she passed by Jiang Yun, her footsteps paused imperceptibly.

Her ice-blue eyes swept across Jiang Yun quickly, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she said nothing and walked straight out.

Jiang Yun stood where he was, watching Liu Ruyan's departing back, and understood clearly in his heart.

They were not letting him know what the Opportunity was. This was to guard against him.

His face showed no expression, but he sneered inwardly.

It wasn't that he was angry. He just found it somewhat amusing.

If he didn't have his Entry Manifestation talent, even if the Liu Family hid the secret as deeply as possible, he wouldn't care in the slightest.

But now... after the soul crystal was activated, his Entry Manifestation talent had already captured enough information when the phantom dissipated.

Although the specific forbidden object Ancestor left behind hadn't been fully revealed, he already knew the general direction.

Deep within the Bone Burial Area. That was enough.

As for the rest, the Liu Family might even have to beg him for help.

So, there was no rush.

However, from his perspective, the Liu Family being so secretive was indeed somewhat unpleasant.

He had just helped the Liu Family awaken the soul of the nether phoenix that had waited for a millennium, and then he was treated like a thief; anyone would feel uncomfortable.

But Jiang Yun thought about it and felt relieved.

He helped the Liu Family activate the soul crystal, and the Liu Family gave him treasures; this was a transaction from the start.

Now that the transaction was complete and both sides had obtained what they needed, there was no need to care about these small details.

Moreover, once he entered the treasury and obtained those five treasures, the gains from his trip to the Liu Family would be rich enough.

Just then, Liu Qingyun walked towards Jiang Yun with a beaming smile.

This Family Head Liu had just been excited about the Legacy memory his daughter received, but in an instant, he had reined in his emotions, his face filled with a sincere and enthusiastic smile. He arrived in front of Jiang Yun and bowed solemnly.

"Great Master Dong Xuan!"

His voice was loud and excited, drawing the attention of everyone around.

"Today, the soul crystal was activated and the soul of the nether phoenix was awakened, all thanks to Great Master's own efforts! Great Master not only has divine proficiency in the Dao of Formations and peerless rune skills, but also possesses two tamed beasts with the Bloodlines of ancient Divine Beasts; such foundation is Rare in this world!"

Liu Qingyun became more excited as he spoke, his voice rising a few notches.

"The matter that the Liu Family failed to complete for a millennium, Great Master achieved in just a few days! This kindness is something the entire Liu Family will never forget!"

"Yes, yes! Great Master Dong Xuan has boundless Karma!"

"Without Great Master Dong Xuan, our Liu Family might not have succeeded even after waiting another millennium!"

"Great Master Dong Xuan is the great benefactor of our Liu Family!"

The Liu Family members present echoed one after another, their tones sincere.

Having witnessed Jiang Yun create a miracle with their own eyes, no one dared to hold even the slightest bit of contempt for this young man wearing a silver mask.

Elder Mo also walked over and cupped his hands, saying, "Little Friend Dong Xuan, I have lived for nearly two hundred years and pride myself on having some accomplishments in the Dao of Runes. But compared to Little Friend's performance over these past few days, my meager skills are truly not worth mentioning."

Great Master Master Fu Shan laughed heartily, patting Jiang Yun on the shoulder.

This originally arrogant Formation Master now looked at Jiang Yun as if he were looking at a Rare treasure.

"Little friend, if you have time, you must come to our Central Plains Formation Master Guild to sit for a while. With your talent in the Dao of Formations, not going to the Formation Master Guild to hold the title of Grand Tutor would be a complete waste of your talent!"

Facing the flattery of the crowd, Jiang Yun still wore the same calm smile on his face.

He cupped his hands slightly, his tone neither servile nor overbearing.

"Everyone is too kind. I have only done my duty."

Liu Qingyun waved his hands repeatedly and laughed, "Great Master is too humble!"

Speaking to this point, he adjusted his collar and said seriously, "Now that the soul crystal has been activated and the soul of the nether phoenix has awakened, it is time for the Liu Family to fulfill its promise to the Great Master."

His voice echoed in the Spirit Sealing Hall, and all eyes were fixed on Jiang Yun.

"The Opportunity to choose five treasures, as well as the previously promised Ancestral Dragon bone fragment..."

"Please take a moment to rest, Great Master. I, Liu, will personally take you to the Liu Family treasury!"