Chapter 2161: Phoenix

Emperor Si heard this and smiled. "To be frank with True Man Qin, the treasures stored in the ancient hall are invaluable to us, the Yi Ren clan. However, outsiders would gain little benefit because they can only be refined within the ancestral hall, by borrowing its power."

Qin Sang understood. Outsiders could not enter the Yi Ren clan's ancestral hall; even if they forced their way in, they wouldn't gain its approval. He couldn't refine this treasure, and even if he could trade it with others, it would mean offending the Siyou Imperial Clan, which would be a net loss.

Emperor Si's conditions suited his preferences. Qin Sang was indeed very interested in the origin of the Huoshan Pearl, especially after discovering the hidden mysteries within it, which elevated his evaluation of the precious pearl to a new level.

If the Huoshan Pearl was related to a certain legacy, that legacy should be quite significant. If given the chance, it would be worth investigating.

Helping Emperor Si seize the treasure would be dangerous, but Qin Sang believed his escape techniques and strength were not bad. As long as he remained vigilant, he should not be in mortal danger.

After thinking for a moment, Qin Sang said, "This humble Taoist cannot guarantee that I can help fellow Taoist obtain the treasure, but I can only say that I will do my best."

"Thank you, True Man Qin!"

Emperor Si was overjoyed, and the three immediately began discussing their strategy.

Earlier, Emperor Si had repeatedly claimed he would not let Qin Sang risk his life. However, once the fighting began, the situation might not always unfold according to their will. Qin Sang's approach to the ancient hall would inevitably attract all opponents' attention. After opening the ancient hall, it would be difficult to predict what choices their opponents would make. They could only adapt to the situation; Qin Sang couldn't truly ignore everything and just turn and run.

The three quickly settled on a plan. While dealing with the gray figures, they also kept an eye on the rosy glow and their opponents' movements.

The four Feathered Race members, harassed by the gray figures, felt increasing pressure and could only retreat continuously.

Seeing the slightly weaker Saint-Winged clansman separate from his companions, Emperor Si and the Young Master exchanged glances. They discreetly moved closer to the isolated individual.

The other three Feathered Race experts saw their companion targeted. They wanted to help, but were also worried about missing the treasures in the mystic realm. They were temporarily caught in a dilemma.

That person also realized he would become a burden. He made a swift decision, gave up resistance, and allowed the rosy glow to push him back. The other three retreated to a position similar to Emperor Si's, confronting them from a distance, preventing them from acting rashly.

Emperor Si could not personally pursue. He secretly sent a telepathic message to the First Prince.

The First Prince and his two companions were already struggling to resist both the rosy glow and the gray figures simultaneously. There was little room for them to act effectively here, so they pursued.

As the First Prince and the others moved further away, only six people remained in the field. Qin Sang deliberately concealed his strength, staying at the rear, appearing to struggle to hold on. Thus, it seemed their side's strength was inferior to their opponents'.

"That Saint-Winged clansman is Marquis Dingyuan of the Feathered Race, and the other two are likely not Feathered Race cultivators," Emperor Si said.

The Young Master also sent a telepathic reminder, "They are intentionally hiding their identities. During their clashes with the gray figures, they have deliberately avoided using their bloodline innate abilities. It might take a direct confrontation to determine which tribe they belong to. True Man Qin, be careful."

The legacies among the various tribes of the Yi Ren clan differ greatly. Without knowing the opponents' identities, they could only act according to the situation.

Just then, Emperor Si's hair suddenly stood on end in anger, and he roared, "Nonsense!"

Marquis Dingyuan responded with a cold, mocking smile. Clearly, they had just been negotiating telepathically, and the talks had broken down.

Although neither side showed weakness, they dared not initiate a conflict lightly.

As time passed, the situation remained unchanged. Just as both sides were caught in a stalemate, the rosy glow erupted once again. This time, its momentum was even more intense than before.

Just as the rosy glow became dazzling and reached its peak, the gray figure in front of Qin Sang suddenly burst into a mass of gray mist, and then vanished without a trace.

"Now!"

Emperor Si softly commanded.

They had anticipated that the gray figures might dissipate on their own. They had been waiting for this moment. Without hesitation, they immediately made their move.

At the same time, the strongest wave of impact formed by the rosy glow's eruption arrived. Marquis Dingyuan and his two companions hadn't expected the gray figures to suddenly vanish. Seeing the rosy glow erupt, they were cautiously guarding against further changes, and for a moment dared not act rashly.

Qin Sang and the others noticed their opponents' hesitation. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Emperor Si and the Young Master both lunged at their opponents. A cluster of profound yellow light appeared between their two figures. Within the light cluster, a scroll hovered, rapidly unfurling.

This time, Emperor Si and the Young Master jointly activated the Boundless Eight Extremes Map. The two top experts were in perfect sync and had already prepared. Eight accompanying beasts plunged into it, and the treasure map immediately displayed immense power.

Emperor Si and the Young Master ignored the impact of the rosy glow, launching their full power. The profound yellow light seemed to merge with the rosy glow, transforming into landmasses in the void. On these lands were mountains, rivers, and vegetation, making it difficult to discern reality from illusion.

This treasure had been damaged when attacking Qin Sang. Yet, the power it displayed now surpassed its former might, and not merely because it had two powerful operators.

As he made his move, a golden crown floated above Emperor Si's head. The golden crown transformed into a stream of light, disappearing into the treasure map, and the map's power surged dramatically!

In an instant, Marquis Dingyuan and the others found themselves on a piece of land. Majestic mountains and rivers, and lush vegetation surrounded them.

Clouds surged in the sky, all of them profound yellow clouds, mysterious and unfathomable.

Immediately, immense pressure assailed them, omnipresent from all directions, as if every mountain, every river, every tree, and every plant was their enemy.

Swoosh!

As Emperor Si made his move, lightning flashed behind Qin Sang. His phoenix wings flapped fiercely, reversing his previous decline. He did not join the battle. Instead, he charged against the rosy glow, heading towards the mystic realm's core.

At this moment, Qin Sang noticed that the rosy glow at the mystic realm's core showed signs of receding. But this didn't mean it was safe inside.

They had only deduced from the traces in the ominous lair that the rosy glow might dissipate along with the gray figures. But no one knew if the rosy glow would undergo any unusual changes. This action still carried great risks.

With their agreement in place, Qin Sang could not retreat now. A streak of blue lightning was seen surging against the rosy glow. Even the powerful impact of the rosy glow could not halt his advance.

Inside the Boundless Eight Extremes Map.

Marquis Dingyuan and his two companions naturally wouldn't just sit there and wait for death.

Emperor Si's choice to act at this moment was unexpected. However, they were all seasoned veterans of countless battles, and immediately realized that Emperor Si likely knew the patterns of the rosy glow.

Even though their vision was obstructed by the profound yellow clouds, they could guess that Emperor Si was about to make a move on the ancient hall!

As the saying goes, one false move can lose the whole game. They had lost the initiative, but with one more top expert, they were not without a chance.

A long howl echoed, shaking heaven and earth.

The sea of clouds stirred, creating a vast, surging tide of yellow clouds.

A pure white light shot into the sky, faintly revealing Marquis Dingyuan's figure. Bathed in white light, he appeared like a divine being from the heavens, untainted by worldly dust, exuding a holy aura, and looking down upon all living beings from above.

His expression was devoid of joy or sorrow. He spread his arms, a devout expression on his face, reverently saluting the heavens, offering a silent prayer.

The next moment, his sacred wings gently flapped, tracing a graceful arc in the air. His body and limbs swayed with them. Every movement was filled with power, subtly conforming to a strange rhythm, perfectly natural and otherworldly.

Heavenly War Dance of Gan Qi!

One of the Feathered Race's most powerful inherited war dances. Even among the Saint-Winged clansmen, few had mastered the Gan Qi War Dance.

Marquis Dingyuan seemed to have forgotten the unfavorable situation, forgotten the treasures in the ancient hall, and was completely absorbed in his dance, gracefully fluttering in the air.

At some point, he had donned a set of pure white battle armor. The pristine white armor, without a single speck of impurity, had elegant curves that made his dance appear even more valiant and spirited. It looked less like battle armor and more like a dance costume.

If Qin Sang could have seen this scene, he would have been surprised, because Marquis Dingyuan's war dance bore a striking resemblance to the sacrificial dance once performed by the Ghost Mother!

Their dances could both draw a response from heaven and earth. A strange rhythm spread throughout the Boundless Eight Extremes Map. Emperor Si and the Young Master fully activated the Boundless Eight Extremes Map, yet were unable to erase this rhythm; instead, it was greatly destructive to them.

Rumble...

Mountains crumbled, rivers flowed backward, and countless plants and trees turned to dust.

But Marquis Dingyuan's power alone was not enough to break open the Boundless Eight Extremes Map. One of his companions also made a move.

This person wore black armor and had no facial features, constantly shifting like a black mist. Black clouds rose from behind him. The black clouds soared and transformed into a pair of giant black wings. The misty clouds steamed, like raging fire.

The black-armored figure disappeared, leaving only a pair of rapidly growing colossal black wings. When they flapped with all their might, hurricanes swept across the heavens and earth, causing the ground to crack and the sea of clouds to churn.

Before long, the sky became completely black, the entire sky obscured by the giant black wings. Marquis Dingyuan, dancing beneath the black wings, was exceptionally conspicuous.

The two top experts unleashed their full power. Although Emperor Si and the Young Master had the initiative, they now felt immense pressure. If they relaxed even slightly, their opponents might break open the Boundless Eight Extremes Map, leading to failure at the last moment.

This was precisely the goal of Marquis Dingyuan and the others. They held nothing back, aiming to tie down Emperor Si and the Young Master here, preventing them from acting rashly.

The might of the divine abilities concealed the third person's movements. This individual was clad in a gray robe and wore a mask. When he reappeared, he was high in the sky, between the black wings.

He looked up at the sky, his eyes gleaming with a strange light. Suddenly, he flew up, colliding with the yellow clouds.

The Boundless Eight Extremes Map was already trembling violently under the assault of Marquis Dingyuan and the black-armored figure. This moment only made matters worse.

Emperor Si and the Young Master hovered on either side of the treasure map, their eyes tightly shut. They remained calm and composed, but dared not hold back anything. They silently activated their divine abilities, and the eight accompanying beasts each settled into one of the Boundless Eight Extremes Map's eight cardinal positions, transforming into eight beast-patterned celestial pillars, supporting the heavens and earth.

The world within the map immediately stabilized somewhat. A heavy block of yellow cloud materialized out of thin air, descending heavily upon the third individual!

Whoosh!

Both Emperor Si and the Young Master were seasoned veterans, and their timing was extremely precise. That person trembled as if struck by lightning. Even if he wasn't severely wounded, this assault would be in vain.

Just then, a sudden change occurred in this person. A profound light emerged from behind his head. Within the profound light, there seemed to be an illusory figure.

"Not good!"

Emperor Si's expression changed dramatically.

At the same time, Marquis Dingyuan pushed his war dance to its extreme. White light transformed into a colossal axe between his hands, like the divine axe that cleaved heaven and earth!

Swoosh!

Marquis Dingyuan raised the giant axe high, and swung it fiercely at the yellow clouds. A crescent-shaped white light sliced through the void. Before this white light, everything else paled in comparison.

The black wings also vibrated violently, and a black peak protruded from them. It struck the same spot almost simultaneously with the axe light, without distinction.

The figure behind the third person's head became clear. It was a human body with a bird's head, and it had three identical heads!

All six eyes blinked in unison. It was a Yang God, which had replaced the physical body, appearing like a phantom beneath the axe light.

Seeing this, the Young Master's expression also changed. He urgently warned Qin Sang, "Be careful, it's the Great Priest of the Qitu Clan!"

The divine abilities of the Qitu clan are very unique. Their essence belongs to the Spirit Cultivation lineage, but they first temper the physical body, then nourish the primordial spirit with vital essence. As cultivation progresses to the Yang God stage, the physical body gradually returns to normal. However, the Qitu clan has researched many peculiar body cultivation secret arts, which, when used, can almost perfectly mimic true body cultivation.

The Boundless Eight Extremes Map is a supreme treasure of the Siyou Imperial Clan. It also has methods to counter spirit cultivators. But body cultivators and spirit cultivators clearly cannot be lumped together. Both the Young Master and Emperor Si mistakenly identified this person as a body cultivator, leading to a tactical misstep.

It just so happened that spirit cultivators are the most unique among the three cultivation paths.

The three cultivation paths—Spirit, Dharma, and Body—have different cultivation methods, and the paths they pursue are also different.

Dharma cultivators progressively master the powers of heaven and earth.

Body cultivators devour and seize the essence of heaven and earth to nurture their own microcosms.

Spirit cultivators, on the other hand, actively integrate themselves into heaven and earth to follow the Heavenly Dao. When their spirits merge with heaven and earth, they become the most elusive, appearing and disappearing without a trace.

Of course, there are countless possibilities on the path of cultivation, and no fixed rules. However, most cultivators of the three paths choose these three mainstream routes, regardless of their race.

Thus, it is clear that spirit cultivators are the most difficult to restrict.

Boom!

Boom!

The axe light and the black peak struck the yellow clouds one after another.

Emperor Si had not exaggerated earlier; even such powerful attacks still could not break through the Boundless Eight Extremes Map. But for the Great Priest of the Qitu Clan, the gaps created by the impact were already enough for him to do many things!

Almost simultaneously with Qin Sang receiving the Young Master's warning, three bird heads extended from the yellow clouds. They glanced left and right, then suddenly all fixed their gaze on Qin Sang, their eyes filled with a mix of shock and fury.

At this moment, Qin Sang was about to approach the mystic realm's core. A mere Mid-Void Refinement cultivator, he was unexpectedly unafraid of the rosy glow's impact and had unleashed such astonishing speed. This was something they had not anticipated.

Qin Sang sensed the commotion behind him. He subconsciously glanced back, and upon meeting the bird heads' eyes, his heart instantly trembled.

A strange, demonic light flashed in the eyes of the three bird heads. Qin Sang's expression stiffened. Sharp, eerie laughter echoed in his ears. His gaze became hazy, and his escape light suddenly showed signs of scattering.

Qin Sang had clearly fallen victim to the Great Priest of the Qitu Clan's technique. Spirit cultivators' methods were mysterious and unpredictable, making them difficult to guard against. If he couldn't break free quickly, he would only be fiercely knocked away by the rosy glow, and all his efforts would be in vain.

Emperor Si and the Young Master were greatly alarmed, inwardly exclaiming, "Not good."

The Great Priest of the Qitu Clan secretly sneered. A mere mid-stage cultivator, even with some ability, how could he withstand his Qitu clan's Nightmare Soul divine ability!

Unfortunately, his triumph did not last long. Qin Sang's eyes showed intense struggle, and he let out a fierce roar. His expression and roar were both filled with pain, seemingly indicating he had paid a considerable price.

At the moment the lightning light was about to extinguish, he actually broke free from the Qitu clan Great Priest's Nightmare Soul divine ability! To the astonished gazes of Emperor Si and the Young Master, the lightning light exploded. Qin Sang, in one breath, charged towards the mystic realm's core, and the Huoshan Pearl flew out of his hand.

Boom!

A thunder seal manifested, and blue lightning illuminated the ancient hall!