Chapter 534: Requesting Heavenly Secrets

Chapter 533: Fire Phoenix Reappears

Two hundred *zhang* high in the air, Lu Ye's body was enveloped in fire, obscuring even the golden light of his Golden Body Amulet.

Along with the surging flames, profound and complex yin-yang elements rapidly unfolded and interlocked.

The spiritual energy stored in the two Spirit Gathering patterns was exhausted, and Lu Ye's own spiritual energy rapidly drained. It wasn't until nearly half his spiritual energy was depleted that the intricate pattern was complete.

Many cultivators from the Myriad Devil Ridge gazed in astonishment at the strange sight in the air.

They saw an oval-shaped egg, resembling a beast's egg, but its surface was covered in a network of intricate, flashing patterns, completely encasing Lu Ye.

The flashing light resembled a peculiar form of breathing.

As the ninth-level masters continuously attacked, this energy egg bobbed in the air.

"What on earth is this?"

Everyone was perplexed and apprehensive, but each could feel the intense and dangerous aura emanating from the energy egg.

Some people, sensing dread, had already begun to flee into the distance. Even the ninth-level masters felt an ominous warning, their skin prickling.

At this moment, inside the energy egg, Lu Ye was still channeling his spiritual energy, injecting all remaining power into the formed spirit pattern until his spiritual energy reserves were completely depleted.

The light from the energy egg became brighter and more intense, its fiery red color resembling a crimson sun hanging in the sky.

"Something's amiss, run!"

A ninth-level master cried out, daring not to linger.

Seeing this, many ninth-level masters dispersed and fled.

Regardless of Lu Yiye's actions, the sight before them defied their understanding. Their priority was to escape this perilous zone.

Unaffected by external attacks, the energy egg, two hundred *zhang* high, began to plummet.

As it fell, a network of fine, spiderweb-like cracks suddenly appeared on its surface, suggesting something was about to burst forth.

A chilling aura, along with the cracking of the energy egg, spread everywhere, distorting the very air.

Crackling sounds...

The cracking intensified, until suddenly...

"Screech!"

A clear and loud cry echoed through the heavens, deafening. As the cry resonated, the energy egg burst apart.

Flames surged and swirled, and from the heart of the inferno, the first things to appear were two massive wings, followed by a graceful, beautiful form.

The Ghost Shadow, who had already fled several tens of miles away, heard this eerily familiar sound. He shuddered involuntarily and glanced back in terror. What he saw sent a tremor through his very being.

It was a magnificent creature, its wingspan exceeding one hundred *zhang*, its body two hundred *zhang* long. This beautiful form, with long, flowing tail feathers, was shrouded in scorching flames, yet it exuded an aura of death.

The Fire Phoenix pattern had returned!

He had once seen this creature in the Spirit Stream Realm; it was also Lu Yiye's doing. That time, Lu Yiye had breached the Myriad Devil Ridge cultivators' defenses, entering the Myriad Venom Forest, and with that single move, annihilated nearly two hundred Myriad Devil Ridge cultivators.

At that time, Ghost Shadow had fled in advance, thus escaping the catastrophe.

For a long time after that incident, the graceful form was the source of his nightmares.

Today, the scene was strikingly similar!

The difference was, this time the Fire Phoenix was larger and more lifelike, every feather on its body distinctly visible.

This undoubtedly had to do with Lu Yiye's increased cultivation level. Last time he used this move, he was only at the Heavenly Seventh-stage cultivation, but now he was at the Cloud River third stage; a significant difference in cultivation.

Ghost Shadow felt immensely relieved, grateful that he had fled early. Otherwise, he would inevitably have been caught in this crisis, facing dire consequences.

The Fire Phoenix, blotting out the sky, dove from above. Its overwhelming power made many Myriad Devil Ridge cultivators feel crushed by a mountain, and the blistering heat ignited despair.

The two hundred *zhang* distance closed in an instant.

Just as the magnificent form was about to hit the ground, it suddenly veered, flying past just over ten *zhang* from the ground.

Its huge wings gracefully flapped. In its wake, space warped, flames consumed everything, and the very ground began to melt.

Screams suddenly rang out, then ceased abruptly.

Although many Myriad Devil Ridge cultivators had begun to flee before the Fire Phoenix fully manifested, it was already too late. As the vast form swept by, figures were swept up and devoured by flames, their lives extinguished in an instant.

Such immense power; only those ninth-level masters could barely withstand it, but it was merely a struggle for survival...

In what felt like an eternity, or perhaps just a moment, the Fire Phoenix's figure uncontrollably crashed into a small mountain. Behind it remained charred earth and desiccated corpses.

The chaotic situation gradually subsided. The scattered and fleeing Myriad Devil Ridge cultivators halted, shaken. Those cultivators not in the Fire Phoenix's path secretly congratulated themselves on their survival, but those directly in its path had not fared so well.

Amidst the scorched landscape, a lone figure stood. It was indeed a ninth-level master, but at this moment, he stood motionless, his body blackened, his hair and clothes incinerated. Though life still clung to him, he was grievously wounded. Such severe injuries demanded immediate attention from a healing cultivator, or he would surely not survive long.

This person was unfortunate; he was directly in the Fire Phoenix's flight path.

Streams of light shot into the sky. The surviving ninth-level masters converged on the Fire Phoenix's crash site. Arriving swiftly, they found Lu Ye, pale and lifeless, lying amidst the scorched earth, staring vacantly at the sky, seemingly devoid of the strength to even stir.

However, given their past encounters, no one dared to get too close to Lu Ye at this moment. Who knew what other astonishing methods he possessed?

Some gnashed their teeth in horror.

They had assumed Lu Yiye intended to self-destruct, but he unleashed such an incredible technique. This time, the Myriad Devil Ridge had suffered countless casualties.

But even if they knew Lu Ye's plan, they were powerless to stop him. With the Golden Body Amulet protecting him, Lu Ye had no fear of their attacks.

Unless they retreated early, otherwise, Lu Ye could seize the chance to flee.

Lu Ye ignored the curses. At this moment, his vision swam with golden motes, his body utterly weak and powerless, feeling completely hollowed out.

Not only that, his skin cracked and fissured, his entire body stained crimson.

The last time he activated the Fire Phoenix pattern, it was the same, and this time, it still was...

His strength remains insufficient. The aftermath of activating the Fire Phoenix pattern is simply too severe. At his current level, as long as he has sufficient time and spiritual energy, activation isn't difficult, but control is virtually impossible. Otherwise, he wouldn't have crashed here; he would have ridden the Fire Phoenix to pursue and eliminate as many of the ninth-level masters as possible.

Numerous crimson lights, like fireflies, floated over from a certain direction, landing in the War Mark on his hand.

Those were the contribution points from the fallen Myriad Devil Ridge cultivators.

At the same time, on the Hunter Rankings displayed high in the sky, Lu Yiye's name, which had nearly fallen out of the top ten, flickered briefly before soaring to the very top.

Originally, his hunter points were 7,110, but now they directly became 15,620, more than double.

Such a massive tally of hunter points rightfully placed him at the summit. The previous top-ranked individual had less than nine thousand points.

Such a significant increase in hunter points undoubtedly showed that Lu Ye had eliminated at least forty to fifty Myriad Devil Ridge cultivators with that single Fire Phoenix attack.

Compared to the total number of Myriad Devil Ridge cultivators gathered nearby, this number was relatively small, less than one-tenth. This was primarily because many Myriad Devil Ridge cultivators had dispersed and fled upon sensing danger; the Fire Phoenix could only kill enemies in one direction, powerless against those in other directions.

A faint crack...

A slight crisp sound seemed to resonate deep within everyone's minds. As it echoed, the blood-red barrier enshrouding the heavens and earth fractured like glass. Dazzling sunlight streamed through, and Lu Ye squinted.

The hunting ground had closed!

Coincidentally, it closed precisely as he reclaimed the top spot on the Hunter Rankings.

Lu Ye found it hard to believe this was mere coincidence. Such perfect timing couldn't be accidental; the Heavenly Mechanism must have played a hand.

But for his current situation, the closing of the hunting ground seemed to have little significance. He was surrounded by numerous ninth-level masters, and he was completely drained. Escape was impossible.

The closing of the hunting ground caused a commotion, especially for the former top-ranked ninth-level master, who was frustrated to the point of spitting blood.

If the hunting ground had closed ten breaths sooner, he would have been the top of the Hunter Rankings, receiving a Grade A Spring Spirit and nine Golden Spirit Charms as a reward. But that ten-breath difference made him miss out on the Grade A Spring Spirit.

He was furious. He felt the heavens were unjust. What good was it for a dead man to claim the top spot on the Hunter Rankings?

Numerous golden lights descended from the sky, landing on the present ninth-level masters. One such golden light touched Lu Ye's hand, forming an imprint.

This was the Heavenly Mechanism dispensing rewards.

At the same time, a realization dawned on Lu Ye. With that golden imprint, he could redeem his deserved rewards from the Heavenly Mechanism Vault.

So this was how the Heavenly Mechanism dispensed rewards. He had initially thought the benefits would be directly bestowed, but now it seemed he still needed to visit the Heavenly Mechanism Vault.

This was more logical. After all, there were always some who could not conveniently receive the Heavenly Mechanism's blessings at that precise moment. They could retrieve their rewards at a more opportune time.

However, this very fact left many Myriad Devil Ridge masters feeling frustrated. Once the Golden Body Amulet's effect faded, Lu Yiye would undoubtedly perish, and his Hunter Rankings reward would naturally vanish, a true waste.

As for sparing his life temporarily, waiting for him to claim his rewards before killing him—that was unthinkable. After Lu Ye's recent stunt, would any Myriad Devil Ridge cultivator dare to let him live? They were all merely biding their time until the Golden Body Amulet faded.