Chapter 2220: Melancholy Feng Jiuge

The Phoenix clan tests bloodline similarity, specifically to that of their old ancestor, and the Phoenix Cry Stone is a treasure refined from his bloodline. Normally, testing the bloodline of descendants had no bearing on him and wouldn't affect him at all. Yet, for some unknown reason, just a moment ago, a deep tremor surged within his heart. It felt as though something was oppressing his soul, rendering him unable to object.

"The Emperor?" His pupils constricted. As a Conferred God King, only one being in the entire world could evoke such a sensation in him!

But... the Emperor of Spirit Origin Heaven had already fallen. Why was he still sensing his powerful aura?

"Perhaps it's a mere illusion... Even if the Emperor were to revive, it wouldn't happen this quickly..." He shook his head, recalling the words the Emperor had left behind. Conferred God King Huoyu then closed his eyes again, muttering, "I need to investigate..." The sensation had appeared for only an instant before vanishing. He concentrated his mind, attempting to investigate, but found it was as if shielded by the Heavenly Dao; even he could not trace its origin.

He shook his head. Since that was the case, there was no need to dwell on it. It would be better to improve his strength as quickly as possible. If even an Emperor could perish, then a Conferred God King, without diligent effort, could likewise be slain during the next Spirit Energy Tide.

The God Realm, once as tranquil as still water, rarely saw the demise of even ordinary God Kings. However, with the current decline in spiritual energy, the emergence of Spirit Energy Tides, and the sudden rise of the Peerless Great Emperor, the demise of Conferred God Kings has become commonplace, and it is no longer as safe as it once was. Therefore, with no critically important matters to attend to, most of them are now in secluded cultivation, primarily to better protect their families and ensure their survival in the current circumstances.

With his bloodline confirmed, Zhang Xuan successfully secured his desired qualification for the selection competition. As for the competition itself, there was little to remark upon. Even the clan's strongest members were no match for him, unable to withstand even a single move. The selection competition lasted a full three days, during which the top ten were chosen. Unsurprisingly, Zhang Xuan secured the first position, with Feng Jiuge taking second place. The return of someone once expelled from the family, now possessing the power to effortlessly dominate the younger generation, caused an immense sensation not only within the Phoenix clan but also throughout Spirit Origin City.

"The competition among the three great families will be held the day after tomorrow. I have some free time today, so take me to the place where you had your last trial!" Zhang Xuan told Feng Jiuge. After the participants for the competition had been chosen, the Phoenix clan granted them a day for rest and adjustment. This presented a perfect opportunity to visit the deep pit and investigate the source of the peculiar aura within Feng Jiuge.

"Okay!" Having only just managed to recover his bloodline and strength, Feng Jiuge naturally did not wish to lose them again. Without much hesitation, he readily nodded. Both were core disciples, highly esteemed, and their standing within the clan was at least as strong, if not stronger, than that of the elders. No one dared to hinder their departure. They mounted a flying divine beast and reached the area beneath the suspended city in less than an hour.

The immense city floated in the air, casting a vast shadow. A single feather held it aloft, emitting a faint golden glow, like a burning flame. Activating his Eye of Insight, he observed that the feather was yellow and somewhat familiar. After pondering for a long time, he still could not recall where he had seen it. He then shook his head, no longer dwelling on the matter.

The deep pit beneath the city was shrouded in absolute darkness, its depths unknown and its end unseen.

"Teacher, I descended from this spot back then!" Feng Jiuge said, pointing to the rock wall on one side.

Zhang Xuan looked and saw that a long, narrow passage had indeed been carved into the rock, clinging tightly to the steep stone wall as it spiraled downwards.

"Let's go take a look!" After instructing the divine beast to wait on the sandy ground, Zhang Xuan stepped forward first. The passage was narrow, wide enough for only one person, and on the other side lay the bottomless pit, creating an intense sense of oppression.

Zhang Xuan followed closely behind Feng Jiuge, slowly descending. The deep pit imparted a powerful sense of oppression on him; his Heavenly Dao True Qi within his body felt suppressed, making its circulation somewhat difficult. However, the refined Heaven's Love Art remained completely unaffected.

After an hour of descending, they still could not see the end, unsure of how deep they had gone. Suddenly, Zhang Xuan felt a stir in his heart and took out the pendant hanging around his neck.

"It appears... Luo Ruoxi must have been here!" The pendant in his palm emitted a faint warmth, just as it had when near Luo Ruoxi's blood previously.

"Teacher, there's no path ahead. Last time, I reached this point and inadvertently stumbled into a place, which caused my cultivation to plummet..." After walking a little further, a hint of awe appeared in Feng Jiuge's eyes.

Zhang Xuan looked and indeed saw that the narrow path, previously accessible for passage in the deep pit, had vanished. It seemed that the cultivators who had excavated this path had either perished or returned the way they came.

"This place is utterly barren, with nothing at all. Why did you come here for a trial?" Zhang Xuan asked, looking over with some curiosity instead of continuing his descent. A trial, by definition, either involved seeking treasures in a particular location or undergoing dangers to temper oneself. Having carefully observed the entire descent, he saw nothing but absolute darkness; not even a common plant was present. What kind of trial could possibly be conducted here?

"There's a legend that deep beneath this place, there exists a life-form that enables one to break through to the God King realm... the God King Grass!" Feng Jiuge's face flushed as he continued, "I believed the legend and wanted to investigate it myself..."

"God King Grass?" Zhang Xuan was momentarily stunned, then offered a bitter smile. Setting aside whether such a thing truly existed, even if it did, one could not simply consume it and expect to break through to the God King realm. The God King realm involved comprehending the powers of heaven and earth, a feat no mere medicine could facilitate. Nevertheless, despite this knowledge, the mere prospect of a breakthrough opportunity would still draw countless individuals to investigate. The chance to break through to the God King realm held an irresistible, fatal allure for countless beings throughout the God Realm!

"You wait here. I'll go down and take a look. If I don't emerge within two hours, you should ascend first; do not come down..." Understanding the situation, Zhang Xuan asked no further questions but gave these instructions. The peculiar energy flow within his disciple was exceedingly strange. If his disciple were to descend again, there was a high probability that his cultivation would also be sealed. Given this risk, it was better for Zhang Xuan to go personally.

"Teacher... please be careful..." Seeing his teacher, fearless and unhesitating, willing to venture alone into danger to completely resolve the hidden issue within his body, Feng Jiuge's eyes reddened once more. He was merely an ordinary student, yet for his sake, his teacher was willing to sacrifice so much, even risking the complete loss of his cultivation, without a moment's hesitation... With a teacher like this, what more could one possibly desire!

Zhang Xuan responded with a baffled expression. Turning to look at his student, whose eyes were reddened, a string of question marks appeared on Zhang Xuan's face. "What's wrong with this kid now?" he thought. "I'm just going down a pit; if I encounter danger, I'll simply return. There's no need to be *this* moved... He's far too sentimental..."