Chapter 866: Demonic Saint Egg

Chapter 868: The Demonic Saint Egg

The Eastern Wasteland, as its name suggests, is a vast and boundless region located in the east. It is renowned for its numerous desolate areas, which gave rise to its name, and is further subdivided into regions like the Southern Domain and the Central Domain.

This particular desolate area in the Southern Domain stretches boundlessly, featuring magnificent mountains and rivers and dense primeval forests. For hundreds of thousands of miles, there are no signs of human habitation, and few people ever venture here.

Ye Fan and his companions ventured deep into these desolate mountains, having traveled an unknown number of miles. They were searching for the Immortal Ascension Valley, guided by a map of the region they had acquired from the Ji family.

This area, untouched by humans for thousands, even tens of thousands of years, is rich in rare medicinal herbs. With luck, they might even unearth rare, ancient elixirs.

Ahead, a mushroom cloud rose, followed by streaks of black heavenly lightning that descended, engulfing a swamp. There, a massive black crocodile emerged, its form so immense it seemed to blot out the sky like a dark cloud.

"What? That's a Tribulation of Dao Severing!" the Black Dog exclaimed in surprise. "Up ahead is an extraordinary black crocodile, completely black, severing its own restraints and about to enter the King Realm."

No one had expected to encounter such a creature so soon after venturing into the vast wilderness—an exotic beast on the verge of reaching a height that many sect leaders could not achieve in their entire lives.

The group did not approach, watching from a distance. The black divine crocodile roared skyward, exhaling luminous energy and fighting fiercely. The surrounding mountain ridges crumbled, and the swamp completely evaporated, turning into solid ground.

An hour later, the heavenly tribulation grew increasingly terrifying. Finally, with a thunderous roar, a cascade of black lightning descended. The massive crocodile let out a mournful shriek as its body exploded.

"What a pity," the monkey sighed. "The heavenly tribulation was about to disappear. It failed and was utterly destroyed, body and spirit."

As the heavenly tribulation bore down, the black crocodile exploded, its flesh and blood splattering. A small crocodile, formed from its divine consciousness, flew out from its skull, only to shatter into pieces in the dark sky.

In the vast wilderness, such events were not uncommon. Ancient beasts often died failing to pass their tribulations, especially in secret lands untouched by humans for tens of thousands of years.

In fact, it was the same for humans; all cultivators had to face such trials. Many fell on the path to higher realms, their remains becoming scattered white bones, just like the black divine crocodile, unseen and unknown by anyone.

They followed an ancient path into the primeval forest, passing through ridges and valleys, and deep into the heart of this vast wilderness. Suddenly, with a 'whoosh,' a golden light flashed and vanished.

"What was that?" Ye Fan's expression froze. A chill ran down his spine, giving him an ominous premonition.

"It looked like a small dragon," Li Tian said. He pursued it for a long distance but found nothing.

"It must have been a Lightning Bird," Li Heishui said. "They possess the fastest speed in the world. If it was a Lightning King, Little Ye Zi, your 'Movement' incantation wouldn't be able to catch up unless it progressed further."

"I hope so," Ye Fan said, offering no further comment. They continued their journey.

Crackling sounds echoed from the distance, accompanied by terrifying flashes of lightning that pierced the sky, staining the clouds golden. They quickly ran forward, crossed a large canyon, then flew over two towering mountains that reached into the clouds, finally arriving at the scene.

Ahead, where not a blade of grass grew, stood a stone mountain enveloped by streaks of golden lightning. It was a mysterious, blazing, and dazzling sight.

Atop the mountain peak was a gigantic bird's nest. Thousands of streaks of lightning emanated from it, falling like golden waterfalls.

"What kind of nest is this? It looks like a divine bird's nest. Could there be immortal treasures here? To think it exhibits such an unusual phenomenon!" The Black Dog couldn't hold back. Had Pang Bo not firmly restrained it, it likely would have already dashed up to snatch the treasure.

"Something's not right!"

There was a living creature in the nest. They sensed its life aura and, flying higher to observe, were immediately startled.

A phoenix-like creature was undergoing 'Dao Transformation.' All the lightning streaks emanated from it, and countless Dao patterns covered the nest, with golden lightning coiling around the mountain.

Its body was not large, just over ten feet long, entirely golden. Including its beautiful tail feathers, however, it would measure thirty to forty feet in length, making it dazzling and splendid.

"Could it truly be a Demonic Saint with phoenix bloodline? It's actually undergoing 'Dao Transformation'!" Everyone was stunned.

"This is a Lightning Phoenix Bird, possessing an extremely high concentration of phoenix blood," the Black Dog, knowledgeable from its vast experience, stated after observing for a long time.

Lightning Birds are powerful exotic birds, incredibly fast in flight, appearing as if cast from gold, their bodies wreathed in lightning. They are sought-after battle pets by many cultivators, but are exceedingly difficult to tame. Some among them possess very special bloodlines and even more formidable talent, developing phoenix crests on their heads and thus being called Phoenix-Crested Lightning Birds; most cultivators would retreat upon encountering one. The kings among them are even more exceptional, named Lightning Phoenix Birds. They exhibit an atavistic phenomenon, possessing partial phoenix bloodline, making them the most supreme. It is rumored that once fully grown, even those at the Immortal Three stage would find it difficult to stop them.

"These are what are truly called rare beasts and exotic birds!" the Black Dog exclaimed, then boastfully declared its intention to take one as a beast pet.

In this world, no true immortals are seen. True Dragons, Immortal Phoenixes, and similar beings are merely legendary existences. The most top-tier spiritual beasts and divine birds with such bloodlines are only at the level of the Lightning Phoenix.

"If we raise one and keep it by our side, perhaps it could be nurtured into a Demonic Saint in the future," Pang Bo said, clearly tempted and rubbing his hands together. However, the Black Dog immediately bit his arm, preventing him from making the first move in a clear act of malicious competition.

"This Lightning Phoenix Bird was injured and forced into 'Dao Transformation'," the monkey stated, his Fiery Golden Eyes keen. He saw a bloody hole behind the bird's head, bleeding, which had pierced its primordial spirit.

"This is a king bird that has reached the Immortal Three realm, yet it's injured like this. This vast wilderness is truly terrifying; everyone needs to be careful," Ye Fan warned.

Then, he recalled the golden light that had flashed and vanished earlier. Could it truly have been a Lightning Bird? After all, such a powerful bloodline existed in these mountains.

Pop.

A soft sound came from the nest as the Lightning Phoenix Bird's 'Dao Transformation' entered its final stage. Its entire body was dissolving into light, slowly becoming a rain of light, exceptionally beautiful.

"How pitiful. I once raised a Phoenix-Crested Lightning Bird that was killed by Ji Biyue. Although its bloodline wasn't as strong as this one, it was very intelligent. It died while whimpering and gently pecking my finger," Ji Ziyue said softly, sounding very sad.

Pop.

Finally, a burst of blazing light erupted as the Lightning Bird completely underwent 'Dao Transformation.' Its bones disintegrated, feathers vanished, and flesh burned away, becoming a rain of divine light, exceptionally brilliant.

A cry echoed, and then all the light converged, disappearing into the nest and sinking into an egg.

"What? There's a golden egg, and the divine rain generated by the 'Dao Transformation' flowed into it!" they exclaimed.

Then, they sprang into action, quickly rushing up the stone mountain. By this time, the lightning had disappeared, and the place was exceptionally quiet.

The nest was constructed from various spiritual woods, padded inside with soft medicinal herbs that exuded a spiritual power. In its very center lay a fist-sized egg, its golden light contained, translucent and crystalline.

"This is a Lightning Phoenix Bird's egg; you'd be hard-pressed to find even one or two like it in the entire world. And now, it's been infused by the light rain from the 'Dao Transformation,' making it truly rare in all ages. If no accidents occur, it will undoubtedly grow into a Demonic Saint in the future," the large black dog said.

The golden egg emitted strands of Dao pattern fluctuations, naturally resonating with the Dao and autonomously absorbing vital essence from all directions, appearing extremely mysterious.

"Mine!" The large black dog lunged, using its bull-like strong body to push aside its competitor, Pang Bo.

Of course, Pang Bo wouldn't give up so easily. He was exceptionally gifted, standing a foot or two taller than ordinary people. With a swing of his arms, he effortlessly lifted the large black dog.

"Stop fighting! Be careful not to damage the Demonic Saint egg," Ye Fan warned. This golden egg was indeed extraordinary and absolutely could not be lost.

Ultimately, they decided to let Ji Ziyue keep the egg for now and keep the large black dog away. While taking it as a beast pet was a minor concern, the critical issue was their fear that the dog might eat it. This 'dead dog' had accidentally let slip that consuming such a divine egg would be a great tonic, significantly increasing one's cultivation level.

"Damn it, this Emperor was just joking! Do you really need to be so wary of me?" it said, clearly unwilling.

At the foot of this stone mountain, they found several Lightning Phoenix feathers, all stained with blood. Clearly, they had fallen from the transformed king bird during its death throes after it returned.

"How pitiful. I believe it struggled back only to transfer the power of its 'Dao Transformation' to this egg; everything was for the sake of its child," Ji Ziyue said.

The group sighed, agreeing that this was likely the case. What kind of creature could have killed it? Ye Fan picked up one of the feathers from the ground, examining it carefully for a long time.

"Let's go. We've reached the heart of the vast wilderness; the Immortal Ascension Valley is still ten to twenty thousand miles away."

Following the map, they traversed mountain ranges. Some mountains soared into the clouds, their peaks covered in white snow, while others were shrouded in mist and remained evergreen throughout the seasons.

The wilderness stretched endlessly, with lush vegetation and the cries of apes and roars of tigers. Ahead, a stone forest appeared, its jagged rocks intertwined to form a unique spectacle.

"We're here! According to the map, it's just a few tens of miles ahead of the stone forest. We've finally found it," Yan Yixi said.

This place was home to various spiritual birds and rare beasts, appearing very peaceful. Fragrances wafted through the stone forest from ginseng, Ganoderma, and orchid grass, among other plants. Even before reaching the Immortal Valley, they observed various auspicious energies.

"No wonder we haven't heard any news of Lin Jia all these years. So she was hiding in a pure land. She must have gained a lot in the Immortal Palace and has been cultivating in seclusion," Pang Bo said.

They proceeded along the stone forest, advancing for over thirty miles, until they finally saw a magnificent place. Auspicious mists veiled it, immortal cranes danced, various rare beasts hid from sight, and the scenery was truly splendid.

Inside the valley, it was like a fairyland, wreathed in colorful clouds. The valley entrance connected to the stone forest, and within it grew various spiritual trees and ancient medicinal plants. At the valley entrance stood a stone tablet, inscribed with four ancient characters: Immortal Ascension Valley.

This was a peaceful and serene place, with auspicious light everywhere and fragrant medicinal herbs. The creatures did not startle upon encountering humans. There were no disturbances, only tranquility and harmony.

"It truly is a rare sacred land, conducive to calming the mind and aiding in enlightenment. This is why many cultivators choose to live in seclusion," even the Black Dog praised. "Here, one can align with the Dao and achieve a clear state of mind."

"It smells so good," Ji Ziyue said, blinking her large eyes, her face showing a look of intoxication.

"It's Kylin Orchid Ancient Trees! There's a huge patch of them!" the monkey exclaimed in surprise, looking into the small valley.

There was a patch of ancient trees, from which a fresh fragrance wafted. Each tree resembled a coiled dragon, its branches intricately intertwined, like meticulously cultivated rare trees.

Moreover, what was most special was that the flowers borne by the ancient trees were wonderfully mystic, crystal clear and seemingly dripping, shaped like small purple Kylins—truly unique.

"These ancient trees were also rare in ancient times. Cultivating a dozen or so of them has a wonderful effect on cultivators: their minds become incredibly peaceful, making it easy to resonate with the Dao," the monkey explained.

The fragrance of these Kylin Orchid Trees was very special; once on the body, it would linger for days, leaving a pleasant scent all over. They were a favorite among women in ancient times.

"What a truly wonderful place!" the group exclaimed in admiration, about to enter.

However, Ye Fan reached out to stop them, saying, "Wait a moment."

His expression was solemn. He took out the blood-stained Lightning Phoenix feather, placed it near his nose, and gently fanned it. The scent was very faint, but it was indeed present.