123: From Chapter 123 onwards, you will be my king.

Within the Heartfire Pool, the once violent and rampaging Rebirth Divine Fire had now become as gentle as a spring pond, flowing quietly.

In the air lingered a trace of a not-yet-dispersed intimate aura, and the lingering resonance of two extremely powerful bloodline forces having merged.

On the shore, upon a smooth stone platform paved with Crimson Flame Divine Crystals.

Xu Chen leaned back casually, draped in a loose white robe. The lapel was slightly open, revealing a robust and well-built chest.

Resting on his lap was a head of breathtaking beauty.

Feng Jiuyou.

The once arrogant and domineering Ice Flame Queen, who had made the entire Demon Realm tremble in fear, now curled up obediently in Xu Chen's arms like a lazy Persian cat.

Her noble phoenix chignon, always meticulously styled before, was now completely undone, cascading like a waterfall over Xu Chen's thighs.

Her unpainted face had long shed its usual coldness and arrogance, replaced by a delicate, radiant glow and a look of satisfaction, as if nourished by rain and dew.

The most astonishing thing was her aura.

The gloomy aura of death that had once lingered between her brows had completely vanished. In its place was a vibrant, pure, and vast vitality of rebirth.

The Ice Flame within her body, under the domineering 'invasion' and 'harmonization' of the Hongmeng Purple Flame, had finally achieved a perfect fusion.

"How do you feel?"

Xu Chen reached out, his slender fingers gently threading through her smooth hair, playing with it absentmindedly.

"Mmm..."

Feng Jiuyou narrowed her eyes in comfort, letting out a soft, nasal hum. She subconsciously nuzzled against Xu Chen's abdomen, finding a more comfortable position. Her voice was hoarse and lazy:

"Warm."

"That chill that tormented me for ten thousand years is truly gone."

As she spoke, she slowly opened her eyes. Those ruby-like, dazzling pupils reflected Xu Chen's handsome face.

In her gaze, there was no longer scrutiny, no longer calculation, only an intense, almost overwhelming attachment and adoration.

Only by experiencing it firsthand could one understand the terror and power of this man.

It wasn't merely a physical conquest.

It was salvation at the very depths of her soul.

"Xu Chen."

Feng Jiuyou suddenly reached out, her fingertip gently tracing Xu Chen's features—from his brow bone to the bridge of his nose, finally coming to rest on his thin lips, which seemed a bit dry after the recent 'intense battle'.

"What? Still not satisfied?"

Xu Chen raised an eyebrow, lowered his head, took her fingertip into his mouth, and gave it a light nip.

"Stop fooling around."

Feng Jiuyou's pretty face flushed red. In the past, anyone who dared tease her like this would have been reduced to ashes. But now, a trace of sweetness actually stirred in her heart.

She propped herself up on her elbows. The thin blanket used for modesty slid down, revealing a body that, though dotted with faint red marks, was still breathtakingly perfect.

She made no move to cover herself. Instead, she knelt gracefully before Xu Chen, sitting back on her heels.

Then, under Xu Chen's slightly surprised gaze, she slowly leaned forward, pressing her forehead against the back of his hand.

It was an extremely humble, yet profoundly solemn posture.

A gesture of submission.

"Feng Jiuyou, Thirty-sixth Generation Patriarch of the Divine Phoenix Clan."

Her voice, though soft, carried an unshakable firmness.

"From this day forth, I pledge my allegiance to Xu Chen as my master."

"Not only my body, not only my bloodline."

"Every blade of grass and every tree on this Undying Fire Mountain, every soldier and warrior of the Divine Phoenix Clan, and this heart of mine..."

Feng Jiuyou lifted her head, her gaze burning as she looked at Xu Chen, enunciating each word clearly:

"All belong to you."

"From now on, you are the king of the Divine Phoenix Clan."

"And also... my king alone."

Looking at the queen before him, who had completely lowered her defenses and offered everything she had without reservation, Xu Chen felt an indescribable sense of accomplishment.

Conquering a woman's body is not difficult.

But to make a queen standing at the pinnacle of all beings willingly lower her head and offer her loyalty—that is the ultimate romance for a man.

"Good girl."

Xu Chen reached out, cupped the back of her head, and pulled her toward him, planting a kiss on her smooth forehead.

"Since you're my woman, there's no need to kneel from now on."

"The rules of my Xu Family do not include kneeling to one's husband."

"Only..."

Xu Chen gave a mischievous grin, leaned close to her ear, and whispered something.

Feng Jiuyou's face, which had just returned to normal, instantly flushed a deep crimson, all the way to the tips of her ears.

"You... you're so bad!"

She hammered Xu Chen's chest in feigned annoyance, but offered no rebuttal. Instead, she buried her head in his embrace, a sweet smile curling at the corner of her lips.

...

Half an hour later.

Outside the Nirvana Palace.

The grand plaza before the palace hall was already crowded with the elders and elite guards of the Divine Phoenix Clan.

The earth-shattering energy fluctuations that had emanated from the direction of the Heartfire Pool earlier, followed by the 'Dragon and Phoenix in Harmony' phenomenon that appeared in the sky, had shaken the entire Divine Phoenix Clan.

Everyone waited anxiously, their eyes filled with both anticipation and worry.

The Patriarch's seclusion for rebirth this time was a life-or-death gamble.

Success or failure?

Just as everyone was whispering amongst themselves.

*Creak.*

The tightly shut vermilion-gold doors finally began to swing open slowly.

The first to emerge was Long Aoxue, her face full of impatience yet forced to stand guard dutifully at the entrance like a door god.

Seeing her, the hearts of the Divine Phoenix elders tightened. Why was this Dragon Empress acting like a guard?

Immediately after.

Two figures walked out side by side.

The moment the crowd clearly saw the two, the entire plaza fell into a dead silence.

Their Patriarch, Feng Jiuyou, had already changed into a brand new vermilion-gold phoenix robe. Although she was still dressed in her usual noble and aloof style, anyone with eyes could see she had changed.

The perennial gloom and sense of detachment that had enveloped her had vanished.

In its place was a radiant glow, a luster that emanated from within. It was like a flower on the verge of withering, suddenly nourished by sweet rain, blooming once more with its most dazzling brilliance.

What shocked the elders even more was this:

This queen, who in the past would fly into a rage if any male creature came within three feet of her, was now intimately clinging to the arm of the man beside her, like a little wife!

Even half of her body seemed to be leaning against him!

"This... this is..."

A Grand Elder trembled, pointing at the scene, too excited to speak coherently.

"It succeeded... it really succeeded..."

She could sense the vast, boundless vitality within the Patriarch. The Divine Phoenix bloodline had truly revived!

"Why are you all standing there dumbfounded?"

Feng Jiuyou swept her gaze over her stunned clansmen. Though she was a little kitten before Xu Chen, before her people, she remained the authoritative queen.

She straightened her posture slightly, her clear, cold voice ringing across the plaza:

"Hear my decree."

"From this day forth, to see Xu Chen is to see me."

"Xu Chen, Young Master Xu of the Ancient Xu Family, is the sole... Royal Consort of our Divine Phoenix Clan."

"From now on, he has the final say on this Undying Fire Mountain."

*Whoosh—!*

As soon as these words were spoken, an uproar swept through the crowd.

Although everyone had guessed the man was extraordinary, no one expected the Patriarch to actually marry him off! And she had even handed over the command of the entire Divine Phoenix Clan!

But the next second.

When a wisp of the terrifying aura belonging to the Hongmeng Creation Body leaked from Xu Chen.

All sounds of doubt instantly vanished.

That sense of suppression originating from the depths of their bloodlines made every Divine Phoenix clansman present, including the Grand Elder, involuntarily drop to their knees, trembling.

It was an instinctive submission to a supreme bloodline.

"We pay our respects... to the Royal Consort!"

Led by the Grand Elder, thousands of Divine Phoenix clansmen knelt in unison, their voices deafening.

"We pay our respects to the Royal Consort!"

Watching this scene, Long Aoxue, standing to the side, couldn't help but roll her eyes, muttering sourly:

"Hmph, what's so great about that."

"As if no one's ever seen anything before."

"It's just sleeping together. Look how pleased you are."

Though her words said one thing, in her heart, she had to admit.

This man really had something about him.

He had actually managed, single-handedly, to thoroughly unify these two supreme clans of the Demon Realm who had been at odds for tens of thousands of years.

"Alright, everyone rise."

Xu Chen waved his hand casually, not putting on too many airs.

He turned to look at Feng Jiuyou beside him, then glanced at Long Aoxue, who, despite her jealousy, couldn't keep her eyes off him.

"Now that the major family matters are settled."

Xu Chen stretched lazily, wrapping one arm around Feng Jiuyou's slender waist while beckoning to Long Aoxue with the other.

"Why are you still standing there? Come here."

"What for?"

Long Aoxue snorted haughtily, but her body was honest. She trotted over obediently and skillfully nestled into Xu Chen's left embrace.

"Let's go, back to the palace."

"To celebrate the rebirth of the Divine Phoenix Clan, tonight..."

A meaningful smile curled at the corner of Xu Chen's lips as his gaze swept over the two women.

"Our family should have a good 'gathering'."