271: Chapter 271 Divine Phoenix Blood

The Divine Phoenix Tribulation Flame is the most core Origin power of the Phoenix Clan. Refining a "Tribulation Fire Dao Protection Talisman" with this Origin would not only damage Jian Tanghuang's cultivation Foundation, but it would also cause her Bloodline Origin to leak—

It is equivalent to sharing the Legacy essence of the Phoenix Clan!

And promising to lend a hand when the Immortal Palace encounters a tribulation drags her even further into the Karma vortex of the Guanghan Immortal Palace. In the future, no matter what crisis the Immortal Palace encounters, she must step forward—

Even if it means paying the price with her life!

Jian Tanghuang's expression did not change in the slightest, only the chill in her Phoenix eyes deepened. Her fingertips curled slightly, and the Tribulation Fire aura around her body fluctuated faintly, as if responding to these harsh conditions.

"Second,"

Fairy Xihua's gaze became increasingly sharp, like the keenest ice blade, piercing straight into the depths of Jian Tanghuang's eyes, as if wanting to pierce through her Soul and see clearly all the thoughts in her heart:

"If this battle leads to great damage to my Immortal Palace's essence, with more than half of the Elders falling, or even... provoking the crazy retaliation of the Myriad Demon Palace headquarters, causing my Guanghan Dao tradition to be in danger of overturning..."

She paused. Every word sounded as if it had been dredged from the Nine Nether ice, heavy as a thousand jun, slamming fiercely into everyone's hearts. It made their breathing hitch, and even Granny Hanmei's expression changed drastically, her eyes filled with shock—

She had guessed that Fairy Xihua would propose harsh conditions, but she had never imagined they would be harsh to such an extent!

"The Phoenix Lord must swear a Heavenly Dao oath. If that day truly comes, you must abandon everything, including your Divine Phoenix Tribulation Flame and Phoenix Bloodline, and willingly merge with my Immortal Palace's supreme clan-protecting treasure, the 'Taiyin World-Suppressing Array', becoming its array spirit to protect my Immortal Palace's Legacy for all eternity—"

"Until Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, never to be reincarnated!"

Once these words were spoken, the entire hall was shocked!

Granny Hanmei and the other Elders looked up suddenly in disbelief, looking at Fairy Xihua, their eyes full of shock and astonishment. Their mouths opened, but they could not make a sound.

Elder Shuangning's pupils constricted sharply, the blood drained from her face instantly, leaving only endless horror—

This second condition was simply cruel to the point of harshness!

The Taiyin World-Suppressing Array is the Guanghan Immortal Palace's clan-protecting array. With the Taiyin Origin as its core, it requires the Divine Soul and Origin of a living being as a sacrifice to become an array spirit and guard the array for eternity.

Once Jian Tanghuang agrees to this condition, if the time truly comes when the Immortal Palace is about to overturn, she will be forcibly stripped of her Divine Phoenix Tribulation Flame and Phoenix Bloodline. Her Divine Soul will be imprisoned within the array, becoming an array slave for all eternity—

Enduring endless pain and torment, until Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, without even the chance for Reincarnation!

This is buying the most cruel and resolute "insurance" for the Guanghan Immortal Palace at the cost of Jian Tanghuang's eternal sinking and complete extinction!

Once fulfilled, this brilliant and talented Phoenix Lord, who dared to press the Immortal Palace with a Golden Core Realm cultivation, would completely become a vassal of the Immortal Palace—

Never to be liberated for all eternity!

The air in the hall solidified once again, more suffocating than at any previous moment.

The flames burning on the jade pillars seemed to have dimmed, frightened by this cruel condition, and the "crackle" sounds became faint and weak.

Jian Tanghuang remained silent.

She looked at the increasingly solid ball of extreme cold light in Fairy Xihua's palm, which seemed capable of freezing space-time. Inside the light ball was the terrifying power of the Taiyin Origin, a power sufficient to instantly freeze and crush her; then she looked at the shocked and complex expressions of the surrounding Elders.

There was approval for Fairy Xihua's ruthlessness, there was pity for Jian Tanghuang, and even a hint of secret schadenfreude—

As if looking at a prey about to fall into an abyss.

Finally, her gaze fell back onto Fairy Xihua's resolute and cold face. In those eyes, there was no room for retreat, and no trace of pity—

Only a ruthlessness of "either agree, or perish together."

She knew that this was the maximum "deal" Fairy Xihua could make after being pushed into a corner, and also the most ruthless "revenge."

Not only wanting to use her hand to eliminate the Myriad Demon Palace, a major threat, and seek benefits, but also in the worst-case scenario—

To drag her, this "source of disaster," into eternal damnation together!

To agree is to pay a painful price, possibly even eternal sinking; to not agree is immediate war. Even though she has the Divine Phoenix Tribulation Flame to protect her, facing the full power of the Guanghan Immortal Palace, she would likely find it difficult to retreat unscathed—

Let alone going to the Myriad Demon Palace to save Junior Brother...

Complex emotions surged within her Phoenix eyes; there was unwillingness, anger, and determination—

And even more, concern for Junior Brother.

Her fingertips trembled slightly, and the Tribulation Fire aura around her body fluctuated, making her purple robes flicker in light and shadow, just like her current state of mind.

The great hall fell into deathly silence once again. Even the rustling sound of falling dust was suppressed by this extreme confrontation, as if time itself had frozen at this moment.

Only the ball of extreme cold power solidified in Fairy Xihua's palm was gurgling, emitting a biting cold air capable of freezing the Divine Soul— wisps of silvery-white cold air distorted the Void Realm. Wherever it passed, even light seemed to be frozen, stagnant and unable to advance, and a layer of ice crystals quietly condensed on the floor tiles of the hall—

Spreading out fine ice patterns.

Opposing this was the remaining scorching Tribulation Fire aura on Jian Tanghuang's body. Scarlet, molten gold-like fire waves surged ceaselessly around her, steaming the surrounding cold air with a sizzling sound, creating curling white mist.

Ice and fire, like two eternally opposing poles, clashed and annihilated each other silently in the center of the great hall, stirring up visible energy turbulence that whipped the robes of everyone in the hall, making them rustle and their hair fly.

Yet, not a single Elder or Disciple in the hall dared to cough, and they even suppressed their breathing to the extreme—

Only the tremors in their hearts revealed their awe of this suffocating pressure.

After a long time.

Jian Tanghuang suddenly smiled.

This smile was no longer the shallow, almost caustic mockery from before, nor was it the arrogant and wild unruliness when she was bathed in fire, but a kind of... as if seeing through life and death, letting go of all obsessions—

A carefree and arrogant willingness to bear all destiny.

This smile washed over her blood-stained lips. What surged in the depths of her eyes was the determination of finding life after death, the solitary courage of betting everything—

Like a raging fire blooming on a cold cliff, beautiful and magnificent.

"Deal."

Two words, wrapped in the scorching heat of the Phoenix True Fire and the resonance of Divine Soul tempering, were like a thunderclap breaking through the sky. They did not seem to come from her throat, but instead rang out clearly in the depths of everyone's Divine Soul.

It caused many Disciples with weaker cultivation to have their blood and Qi surging, a sweet taste in their throats, and they nearly lost their footing. Even the dragon-headed cane in Granny Hanmei's hand trembled slightly.

She did not even have the slightest intention of bargaining. She curled her slender fingertip slightly, and her white fingertip was cut by her sharp nail— without any unnecessary movement, a drop of crimson-gold essence blood slowly seeped out. As soon as it left her fingertip, it suddenly burst into flames in mid-air.

This drop of blood was like a small, beating sun. Inside, a faint phantom of a Phoenix with spread wings circled and soared. Wherever its wings swept, golden flames billowed, and the cry of a Divine Phoenix faintly appeared, carrying the majesty and dominance of an ancient Divine Beast.

What was even more startling was that wisps of extinguishing black Qi were entwined within it, interwoven like ink threads. This was the unique Evil Qi of the Phoenix Clan when they sacrifice themselves to meet a tribulation and burn their Origin—

Cold and bone-piercing, enough to make ordinary Golden Immortals fearful and avoid it at all costs.

This drop of essence blood, containing endless power and karmic bonds, dragged a tail of intertwined gold and black flames, slowly floating toward Fairy Xihua—

Every inch it moved seemed to be questioning the Heavenly Dao, tugging at the hearts and minds of everyone in the hall.

"This is 'Divine Phoenix Blood'. With this as a guide, and the Heavenly Dao as witness—"

"Taiyin Phoenix Blood Alliance, established!"

At the same time, Jian Tanghuang suddenly looked up at the vast Void Realm. Her voice, originally filled with slaughter, now carried a heaven-shaking and earth-shattering solemnity. Every word and every sentence stirred the Dao Laws in the netherworld.

Invisible ripples spread out from her as the center. The sky outside the hall suddenly darkened for an instant, clouds swirled backward, thunder faintly appeared, as if Heavenly Might had descended—

Even the moonlight above the Guanghan Immortal Palace became stagnant and heavy.

"I, Jian Tanghuang, hereby swear an oath! If, because of the Guanghan Immortal Palace's assistance in my crusade against the Myriad Demon Palace today, the Immortal Palace's Legacy comes into danger of overturning—"

"I am willing to abandon my 'Divine Phoenix Tribulation Flame' and Phoenix Bloodline Origin, to suppress Guanghan forever, to protect its Dao tradition, until my Divine Soul is destroyed and the Great Dao collapses!"

"Let Heaven and Earth bear witness to this oath!"

Boom—

The moment her voice fell, it was as if a real thunderclap rolled through the netherworld, resounding throughout the Three Realms and the Six Paths—

Shaking the world until it trembled slightly.