Inside the Biyou Palace, several people were watching the Shi Qilin. The Shi Qilin was sitting there motionless, looking somewhat dispirited. After a long while, it slowly let out a sigh: "Ah... this Tathagata Buddha is truly extraordinary. Fortunately, he didn't continue, otherwise, I really wouldn't have been able to take it!"
"This fellow is a junior, who entered Buddhism from Daoism, and cultivated quite quickly. However, his not continuing the attack proves he's the same as you. He has no confidence in victory. Hmph! No need to worry! Besides, the Ancestral Dragon hasn't made a move yet!" Lu Fan said with a faint smile from the side.
"What worries me is that if Tathagata is already this powerful, then Yuanshi Tianzun will be even harder to deal with. Moreover, there are still five others among the Six Saints," the Shi Qilin said, shaking its head slightly.
"Hmph! I'm afraid they are too preoccupied to bother with us now. The seals of the Three Thousand Great Demon Kings are loosening. Once the Great Demon Kings are all out, they will have plenty to keep them busy," Lu Fan said with a slight smile.
"Even one of the Three Thousand Great Demon Kings emerging would be earth-shattering. If all three thousand were to appear, no one would be able to stop them, and heaven and earth would be overthrown!" the Ancestral Dragon said from the side.
"There's no need to worry about that. Only twenty of the Great Demon Kings can come out. And the Heavenly Court has countless powerful beings, they are just too arrogant to show themselves. Moreover, there is the support of the Western Buddha. It won't be easy to overthrow the Heavenly Court. However, it will definitely be a fight for a while."
Lu Fan smiled with a bit of smugness. He wanted to force out the person who had been looking for him. Moreover, he was right here on Penglai Immortal Island, so this person would definitely show up.
...
At this time, Lu Fan's true form, holding Yuan Feng, appeared before a bare mountain where all the rocks were red. There was no vegetation or life on the mountain. The only thing that could be called immortal was the flame within the mountain's core.
The Undying Volcano, like the Flaming Mountain, had red stones all over it, with unbearable high temperatures. At the summit, a crater spewed thick flames, making it impossible to approach. It felt as if one would melt into smoke and disappear before even getting close.
"Yuan Feng! You are still very weak. Are you sure you want to undergo rebirth through fire here?" Lu Fan stood at the crater, looking at the extremely hot flames, and asked again.
"At the end of the Dragon-Han initial calamity, my origin was severely damaged, and my soul was ultimately annihilated. But my obsession did not dissipate. A trace of my obsession, using my immortal body and seven-colored wings, regenerated the weak me. Originally, I would have needed another five hundred years to be reborn through nirvana and reshape my immortal body.
However, the Shi Qilin and the Ancestral Dragon have both been revived. If they get the chance, they will eradicate the Phoenix clan. Therefore, I cannot wait any longer," Yuan Feng said.
"Sigh! You overheard our conversation?" Lu Fan said with a light sigh.
"Hmph! You two were right beside me, treating me as if I didn't exist. Talking about whatever you wanted, playing around. How could I not hear?" Yuan Feng said with disdain.
"Cough cough cough... Alright! Let's not talk about those things! Since that's the case, I can only respect your choice. However, perhaps I can lend you a hand." As Lu Fan spoke, he took out a small bottle containing a purple liquid.
"Hongmeng Purple Qi?" Yuan Feng stretched its neck out, and its two small round eyes widened, gleaming with light.
As the bottle was opened, Yuan Feng, without any hesitation, drank the entire bottle of Hongmeng Purple Qi spiritual liquid. *Hoo...* Seven-colored light immediately erupted from Yuan Feng's body, and its wings began to extend at a visible speed... *Hoo...* Yuan Feng leaped into the air, its wings spread out, spanning dozens of zhang.
"Wow! As expected of a phoenix! The King of Birds! Nothing can be more beautiful than you!" Lu Fan looked up at Yuan Feng in the sky and couldn't help but exclaim.
"Hmph! You have some taste! Great kindness needs no thanks! If I can be reborn through nirvana, I am willing to be at your command!" Yuan Feng said, then suddenly rushed towards the crater.
"Haha! You will succeed! In fact, you have already achieved the Dao by being able to regenerate your physical body over countless years. You just need a transition period," Lu Fan said with a slight smile.
"You... you actually..." Yuan Feng was greatly alarmed, but before it could express its surprise, it had already rushed into the crater.
*Hoo...* An incredibly high and unbearable heat instantly turned Yuan Feng's beautiful wings into ashes. However, Yuan Feng showed no intention of stopping, continuing to dive straight down.
At the very bottom of the volcano, there was a Fire Spirit Stone as large as a bed. By this point, no flames were visible, only extremely high temperatures and a fiery red color.
Yuan Feng landed on the Fire Spirit Stone and slowly lowered itself. This was the place where the phoenixes were reborn, and also where they cultivated. However, if one failed to cultivate, they would be turned into ashes forever. Failure meant becoming ash.
Lu Fan sat cross-legged beside the crater, cultivating while waiting for Yuan Feng to return. The high temperature of the flames attacked him, but Lu Fan paid no heed.
After an unknown amount of time, Lu Fan felt that the temperature of the flames around him was no longer warm enough. He got up and came to the crater. Waves of heat washed over him, but Lu Fan smiled faintly and took a step forward...
On the Fire Spirit Stone, Yuan Feng suddenly opened its eyes and looked up. It saw Lu Fan leisurely walking down, as if the flames had merged into his being. Not even his clothes were scorched. Compared to its own image of being roasted like a chicken the moment it entered, the difference was truly heaven and earth.
Lu Fan slowly descended, casting a faint glance at Yuan Feng. It seemed to convey: You're not wearing clothes, and you look pretty much like a roasted chicken.
Seeing Lu Fan sitting beside it, and then with each breath, the vast heat seemed to be instantly absorbed by Lu Fan and then exhaled, Yuan Feng seemed to have a sudden realization. It immediately closed its eyes and entered a state of cultivation. Slowly, feathers the color of flames began to grow on Yuan Feng's body...
Outside the Undying Volcano, several figures flew from afar. It was nine phoenixes!
The nine phoenixes landed, all looking at the crater.
"Big sister! Someone has intruded into the Undying Volcano! Could it be that there are other phoenixes in this world?" the youngest phoenix said to another phoenix.
"After the Dragon-Han initial calamity, we nine sisters are the only ones left of the phoenix clan! We've been hiding in Xifeng Valley, afraid to show ourselves. We can only come here once every five hundred years for rebirth through fire. I really didn't know there were other phoenixes in the world!" the eldest phoenix murmured, her gaze fixed on the crater.
"Big sister! Could it be that some foreign race wants to steal our Fire Spirit Stone!?" another phoenix suddenly said.
"If anyone dares to steal our Fire Spirit Stone, we will fight to the death to keep them here!" another phoenix immediately said.
*Hoo...* Suddenly, a stream of flames shot out from the crater, followed by a burst of nine-colored auspicious light.