132: Golden Phoenix's Memory, Demonic Rebellion

Li’s gaze seemed to pierce through endless time and space, returning to the land that gave her birth and nurtured her. As she gazed, the surrounding starry illusion began to ripple and change like water.

Lin Feng only felt a blur before his eyes, and the next moment, he was “situated” in a world whose splendor and sacredness could not be described in words.

Under his feet was solid and warm earth, the soil presenting a strange reddish-gold, exuding a faint warmth. Looking out, there was an endless, ancient Phoenix Tree forest, burning with colorful, glazed flames! These Phoenix Trees were incredibly huge, their main trunks as thick as mountains, their canopies reaching the sky, disappearing into the clouds. Their leaves were not ordinary green, but rather carved from the purest rubies, topazes, and amethysts, unfurling and swaying in the never-extinguishing colorful flames, beautiful and breathtaking.

The air was filled with extremely pure, faintly fragrant flame energy. Taking a breath, Lin Feng felt that the trace of meager Qi and Blood generated by his Cultivation of the “Ming Wang Purgatory Skill” automatically accelerated its operation, becoming hot and active, and even his understanding of “fire” became clearer. This was by no means comparable to the Fire Spiritual Qi of the mortal realm; this was the more Origin “Essence of Li Fire”!

“Caw—!”

Clear, joyful, and vibrant Phoenix cries rose and fell, piercing through clouds and splitting rocks. Countless Phoenixes with splendid wings and extraordinary majesty soared and played in the forest and in the air. Their feathers were colorful, flowing with iridescent light; some were entirely golden, noble and majestic; some were crimson like blood, passionate and unrestrained; some were azure like the sea, elegant and mysterious; and others were clad in seven colors, like moving rainbows. They flew freely, exhaling the Essence of Li Fire, or preening each other’s feathers, or chasing and playing.

Lin Feng even saw some young Phoenixes, their down still not shed, stumbling and leaping among the thick branches, clumsily pecking at the pearl-like flame dew condensed on the leaves, emitting “chirping” tender cries, looking utterly adorable.

A scene of a peaceful, tranquil, sacred, and vibrant paradise.

“This is the southern corner of the Spirit Realm, the place where our clan has lived and multiplied for generations—the Southern Bright Li Fire Realm.” Li’s voice rang out, filled with deep affection and a hint of an almost imperceptible choke. Her figure also appeared in this illusion, becoming young and vibrant, her eyes curved, her smile bright, chasing and laughing with several equally beautiful Phoenix Clan maidens among the flame Phoenix Trees, or quietly resting on the highest canopy, bathing in the sunlight and the Essence of Li Fire, her expression languid and content, her eyes filled with infinite yearning for the future.

“My name is ‘Li’, a descendant of the Golden Phoenix Bloodline. At that time, although our clan was not the strongest overlord in the Spirit Realm, we were born from the Innate Li Fire, responsible for purification and guardianship, detached from worldly affairs, free and at ease, and at peace with many friendly nations…” Li’s narration was gentle and serene, as if unwilling to break this beautiful illusion.

However, this tranquility and peace did not last long.

The scene suddenly began to tremble violently, distorting!

The sky—that originally clear and splendid firmament with thousands of auspicious glows and immortal birds and auspicious beasts soaring—was violently torn apart like exquisite porcelain by an invisible, malicious giant claw!

“Crack—!!!”

A gigantic, ear-splitting cracking sound, shaking the entire world, exploded! An incredibly huge, terrifying gash, with viscous, foul black blood flowing from its edges, appeared out of thin air! Deep within that gash was a despairing, profound darkness that swallowed all light!

Woo woo woo—!

Demonic sounds, as if billions of vengeful spirits were wailing simultaneously, poured out from the gash like a tangible tide, instantly assaulting everyone’s eardrums and Divine Soul! Even though Lin Feng knew it was an illusion, he felt a strong wave of nausea and dizziness, and his Divine Soul was in pain!

Immediately after, an endless, twisted, and ferocious torrent of shadows gushed out from the gash!

What a terrifying sight was that?!

Those beings, called “Heavenly Demons,” had bizarre and grotesque forms, beyond the comprehension of ordinary people: some were like giant, rotten, swollen corpses, their bodies covered with constantly opening and closing, pus-flowing, fanged mouths; others were massive Soul bodies formed by countless twisted, pained human faces or beast heads, emitting piercing shrieks; some resembled multi-segmented, ferocious beetles, covered with hard carapaces that reflected evil, shimmering spots, their compound eyes flashing with pure greed and destruction; and still others were like pools of flowing shadows, where they passed, even light was swallowed…

What they collectively exuded was an Aura of extreme coldness, death, greed, tyranny, chaos, and depravity! Their very existence seemed to be polluting and distorting all the Laws around them!

Wherever the torrent of Heavenly Demons passed, the rich Essence of Li Fire was rapidly polluted and assimilated into pitch-black Devilish Qi, exuding a foul stench. The colorful Phoenix Tree divine flames seemed to have been splashed withsewage (foul water), emitting “hissing” wails, rapidly dimming and extinguishing. The beautiful Phoenix homeland was stained with the ink of despair at a visible speed!

“Caw!!!”

The Phoenixes let out cries of fear, anger, and then resolute defiance! Without the slightest hesitation, they transformed into streaks of colorful light, bravely charging into the destructive torrent! The Nirvana flames burned fiercely, like the most scorching sun, incinerating everything in their path. Large swathes of Heavenly Demons wailed piteously as if encountering their nemesis, turning into dust.

The battle erupted instantly, so tragic that it was beyond words!

Colorful flames and pitch-black Devilish Qi furiously intertwined and annihilated each other. Claws tore through demonic bodies, and demonic blades pierced through Phoenix bodies. Every moment, Phoenixes cried out in sorrow, falling from the sky like brilliant meteors, their beautiful feathers defiled and broken, their burning blood staining the reddish-gold earth a tragic and vivid color.

Li’s phantom also donned armor, holding a long spear forged from pure Nirvana flames, her eyes sharp as knives. Her former brightness and innocence were replaced by resolve and anger. She led a team of her clansmen, like a sharp dagger, charging left and right through the demonic tide. With each swing of her spear, raging flames surged, purifying Heavenly Demons in swathes. But the companions by her side grew fewer and fewer, familiar faces annihilated one by one in the demonic tide, and the grief and hatred in her eyes grew even more intense.

“…They came.” Li’s true form stood beside Lin Feng, her voice as cold as ten thousand years of ice, carrying bone-deep hatred and a barely perceptible tremor, “From the Outer Heaven Demonic Realm, an aggregate of the destruction of all realms… They came not for conquest, but only to devour and destroy all life and order…”

“The myriad races of the Spirit Realm, initially confident in their strength, either fought individually, or still held old grudges and disagreements among themselves, or even harboredlucky (a slim hope)… The result…” Her voice dropped, and a few brief scenes flashed in the illusion: some powerful ancient demon races self-sufficiently activated their protective formations and stayed behind closed doors; two rival races with ancient feuds even started fighting on the edge of the battlefield due to old grievances; a once powerful Stone Spirit race, known for its defense, was surrounded by countless Heavenly Demons, inside and out, and eventually, the entire race was annihilated, reduced to dust…

“…Lessons of blood, the annihilation of countless ethnic groups, only then finally forced all survivors to temporarily put aside their grievances and form the fragile ‘Spirit Realm Myriad Races Alliance’ to jointly resist the demonic catastrophe…” Li’s tone was filled with weariness and sarcasm, “That was a war of blood and fire that lasted for countless millennia… Stars collapsed, continents sank, Laws wailed, and all living beings bled…”

The scene changed again, displaying a magnificent but cruelly despairing grand battlefield. True Dragons swung their tails, shattering stars; Qilin stepped through the void, Holy Light purifying; ancient giants hurled burning mountains; elemental spirits invoked natural disaster storms; winged races formed battle formations, and a rain of light fell, purifying filth… Countless races, existing only in myths, fought for survival against the overwhelming, seemingly endless, terrifying Heavenly Demons. The battlefield spanned the starry sky, covered the earth, and every moment, powerful beings fell, with tragic roars and explosions becoming the eternal backdrop.

Lin Feng, immersed in this grand illusion, felt as tiny as a speck of dust, his Soul shaken by the brutality and magnificent Aura of the war, almost unable to breathe. This was the true great catastrophe of heaven and earth! In comparison, the conflicts of the Boundless Sea were simply child’s play.