Chapter 368: Songshan Storm

A black, fierce bird of prey circled overhead, its body emitting a cold, metallic sheen. In fact, when it flapped its wings, a clanging sound echoed, and its feathers truly resembled dark gold.

At this moment, the entire world watched, with major powers across all nations keenly observing. This was an alien creature that had just arrived, and everyone was eager to see its next move.

A powerful wind swept the ground, churning up sand and stones as the black raptor descended. It measured a staggering eight hundred meters in length, with a wingspan of fifteen to sixteen hundred meters—a truly terrifying sight.

As it descended towards the main peak of Mount Song, black energy overflowed, forming vortices that crushed rocks and ripped apart vast stretches of the mountain forest.

"My fellow cultivator, you have graced our temple..."

An ancient ape appeared, standing upright with its hands clasped in a Buddhist gesture. With a benevolent expression, it greeted the fierce bird in the sky.

"Did you not hear me?!" the black fierce bird interrupted, diving close with a burst of violent wind.

The old ape coughed blood, utterly unable to withstand the blow. After being struck by a mass of black energy, its entire body was sent flying horizontally, crashing outwards and nearly plummeting over the edge of the cliff.

The old ape was both shocked and enraged; it had spoken courteously, only to be met with an immediate assault.

However, a chilling realization struck it: this alien creature was truly too powerful, far beyond its imagination. Its unleashed energy was simply unstoppable.

Observers on distant mountain peaks monitored the situation, while satellites tracked and filmed from the sky. People across the globe witnessed the scene, all of them stunned.

Just how powerful was this black divine bird?!

This was because everyone knew the old ape and understood its true strength. It was a peak-level king, the first creature to establish its own sect after the great changes to heaven and earth.

It had founded Dalin Temple on the ruins of a thousand-year-old monastery on Mount Song, an act that had once shaken the world.

Its power had also been tested by numerous kings; many had once attacked Mount Song, but it had ultimately triumphed and claimed the mountain.

It was reputed to be among the top ten masters in the East, yet now it had been severely wounded by a single strike from this black, fierce bird.

Throughout the world, all cultivators fell silent. Earth had entered a new chapter; the era of the Descendants had arrived, and all existing power structures would be fundamentally altered.

Dalin Temple on Mount Song, the very first sect to emerge, now faced an immense crisis.

"As I said, this is my place of evolution. It belongs solely to me; it is no longer your temple," the black fierce bird stated.

The old ape's eyes blazed brightly as it stared at the raptor. It was truly furious; this bird king was far too overbearing, brazenly seizing its sacred ground with such utter contempt.

However, the old ape reined itself in. It knew it was no match for this bird king; a direct confrontation would only lead to a futile death. The disparity between them was too vast.

This was because the opponent's evolutionary level was significantly higher; it had at least broken seven, or even eight, shackles, while the old ape had only broken six. It simply could not contend.

"Since you value this mountain, we will withdraw and cede it to you," the old ape declared decisively. Acting without hesitation, it gathered its disciples and grand-disciples, preparing to depart.

It showed remarkable resolve, abandoning Mount Song without the slightest hesitation once the decision was made.

After the black fierce bird landed, a dark radiance surged around it before it transformed into a human male. He was young, with flowing black hair, clad in dark gold armor, appearing incredibly heroic and extraordinary.

On his forehead was a black roc bird mark. Unruly, with eyes like black lightning, he stood on a large boulder, looking down at the old ape. He offered a faint smile and said, "You're not bad; you're quite a character, and your strength is considerable. From now on, you shall serve as my attendant. I have a need for people like you."

"You!" The old ape, usually mild-tempered, now glared with furious eyes. This bird king's assertiveness was beyond measure: seizing its sacred ground and now demanding it serve as a mere attendant?!

"Not just you, I shall take everyone on this mountain. How can a developed sanctuary not have some servants?" the black fierce bird declared.

Without allowing the old ape to speak or resist, he raised a hand, and black energy diffused. Several small flags, carved from magnetic crystals, flew from his grasp, scattering in all directions and embedding themselves into the ground.

In an instant, the entire main peak of Mount Song became shrouded in mist, completely obscuring it from external detection.

"I am the Black Underworld Roc King! This mountain is my domain! Intruders will be slain without mercy!" The Black Underworld Roc King's arrogant declaration resonated coldly, echoing across the entire region and reaching as far as a hundred miles away.

Instantly, the entire world was shaken. Was this alien creature a roc? It was truly powerful and overbearing, directly occupying Mount Song and even taking its former owner as a servant.

Across various regions, many cultivators were left speechless. Who could possibly contend with such a domineering and fierce bird?

Without a doubt, no king-level creature on Earth could compare to this black roc; the disparity was immense. The old ape was considered a peak-level king, yet it had been easily subdued.

People trembled, realizing this was just one Descendant. If they appeared in large numbers, the consequences were simply unimaginable!

Many realized that a new era had dawned, myths were resurfacing, and Earth's native inhabitants might be in serious trouble, as such beings were simply beyond their ability to contend with.

"A roc? Is this a creature from ancient myths? Why is it black? Shouldn't they be golden?"

"It's over. Earth's darkest era has arrived. Perhaps there will be a brilliant flourishing, but that will only be for the Descendants."

Some were deeply pessimistic, sensing that the world's descent into darkness had just begun.

Chu Feng witnessed all of this through news reports and live broadcasts. His heart burned with rage, and he was deeply worried, as his parents were on Mount Song.

He sighed, realizing there might be no way left to conceal his strength. This situation had to end; he might have to reveal himself.

This event was a storm. The alien roc occupied Mount Song, declared itself king, and designated the area a forbidden zone, forbidding any intrusion. This sparked intense global discussion.

Everyone speculated on just how powerful the Black Underworld Roc King truly was.

Finally, after analyzing various energy monitoring data, a consensus was reached: the Black Underworld Roc King was likely a being that had broken eight shackles.

This level of power was simply terrifying!

Even figures like the old woman and Li Changhe had only broken their seventh shackles, and they had descended twenty-two years ago.

Chu Feng could no longer stay put; he had to go to Mount Song!

"Hmm, it's rumored that Chu Feng's parents were also on Mount Song, under the old ape's protection. It seems they are now caught up in this situation."

Such rumors suddenly began to spread.

While some individuals had known this information previously, it hadn't been widely disseminated. Now, someone was deliberately leaking it.

Instantly, another topic became the subject of fervent discussion: what would Chu Feng do?

"Given his identity as a field researcher, Chu Feng will most likely use that status to ascend the mountain, cooperate with the bird king, and rescue his parents. However, that roc seems very domineering; surely it won't simply take him as a servant?"

Many people were discussing this.

Princess Lin immediately contacted Chu Feng, expressing her willingness to help. She stated that if Chu Feng joined the Primordial Magnetic Immortal Cave, she would consider sending someone to negotiate with the Black Underworld Roc King.

Chu Feng frowned. Joining the Primordial Magnetic Immortal Cave would truly brand him as one of them.

He found Lin Nuoyi's perspective very reasonable: it was not advisable to join this faction now, as the newly emerging Descendants would most likely go to war with them.

Rashly joining one side would not be a wise choice.

Furthermore, at heart, he was unwilling to do so.

However, with his parents trapped on Mount Song, he had no choice but to consider the possibility of cooperating with the Primordial Magnetic Immortal Cave.

"I would prefer you to act first to rescue my parents; otherwise, delays will only lead to more complications," Chu Feng stated.

Princess Lin shook her head. "You must understand," she said, "forcibly breaking into the mountain to rescue your parents would escalate the situation severely. It would lead the later Descendants to believe we are intent on an all-out, relentless war, which would only force them to unite against us."

"Then what method do you propose to rescue my parents?!" Chu Feng asked, frowning.

"We can employ diplomacy," Qi Lin explained. "We can send people to establish contact and negotiate in detail. There's a reasonable chance of getting your parents off the mountain that way."

Chu Feng was quite displeased. How long would this take? That roc did not appear to be good-tempered; if it grew enraged on the mountain and began to kill indiscriminately, the consequences would be unbearable.

"Your approach is too slow!" Chu Feng declared, directly telling Qi Lin that it showed a distinct lack of sincerity.

Furthermore, Chu Feng explicitly stated that future conflicts between the old and new Descendants were inevitable, and joining the Primordial Magnetic Immortal Cave under these circumstances would offer him no benefit, nor even the hope of a short-term rescue for his parents.

Princess Lin clarified, "We might not necessarily go to war with the new Descendants. Our decision to use diplomacy to save your parents this time is precisely because we want to avoid misjudgment and prevent both sides from prematurely labeling each other as enemies."

Chu Feng shook his head; he couldn't afford to wait!

The other Descendant heirs offered faint smiles; in their view, if Chu Feng didn't cooperate with them, who else could he turn to? They were currently the most powerful force.

"Brother Chu Feng, don't misjudge the situation," Feng Hong said with a faint smile. "Joining my Primordial Magnetic Immortal Cave isn't a harsh condition. If you don't agree, we truly cannot help you with negotiations."

Others held the same belief, convinced that he had no choice but to seek assistance from the Primordial Magnetic Immortal Cave.

Even Princess Lin was confident that Chu Feng had no other options, and she maintained a gentle, charming smile as she continued her persuasion.

However, Chu Feng simply turned away, ending the discussion.

"Where is that old Taoist?!" he thought, remembering the unfathomably powerful elderly Taoist priest.

Unfortunately, the old man and his grandson were completely unreachable; he had no idea where they had gone.

He suspected the old Taoist was quite frustrated; whenever he circulated energy, dog barks would sound from his backside. He was likely off exploring sparsely populated areas now.

"The roc has already broken eight shackles? Then I will act myself!" Chu Feng made this decision in secret.

Before departing, however, he contacted various powerful individuals, requesting their help in sending envoys to Mount Song to mediate on his behalf.

If possible, Chu Feng preferred not to act openly for now. He still wished to maintain a low profile and secretly enhance his strength, as the world was undoubtedly heading for turbulent times with the mass appearance of Descendants and constant warfare.

"Toad, let's go, we're off!" Chu Feng declared, then departed directly from outside the Qinling Mountains, simply waving briefly to the others without a word.

"Chu Feng, don't act rashly! Only we can help you!" Princess Lin called out from behind.

Feng Hong sneered, "He has no idea of the immense power at play. I simply don't believe he can solve this problem on his own. In the end, he'll still have to come begging us."

Chu Feng rode away on the toad, vanishing into the forest.

Unsettling news arrived: some kings, sent by Chu Feng to mediate on Mount Song, were either killed or forcibly driven away.

"Chu Feng, the field researcher, is he particularly renowned? If he wishes to rescue his parents, he should come himself. If his mastery of domains is sufficiently high, I will take him as a servant, just like the old ape, to follow me!"

These were the Black Underworld Roc King's exact words.

Furthermore, even more domineering words followed. It explicitly stated that if Chu Feng's reputation was undeserved and his mastery of domains was not high, he should stay away and preferably not appear at all, otherwise, he would be killed without mercy.

When this news spread, the world was in an uproar.

People realized that this roc was indeed arrogant and overbearing, completely disdainful of Earth's creatures, adopting a condescending posture.

"Ten days. I will wait for him for only ten days. If he does not present himself to serve as my attendant, he should not appear again!"

Even more domineering words were relayed; these were the Black Underworld Roc King's exact words.

Cultivators everywhere were alarmed and deeply shocked. The roc from outer space was simply too powerful and arrogant.

Chu Feng was livid. The opponent had seized his parents and was now threatening and disrespecting him in such a manner. It was unbearable. He muttered to himself, "It seems I truly must break my vow. There's no way to remain discreet any longer. I am going to kill this bird!"

Ten days. He believed that would be sufficient time for the small grinding disc to complete its transformation. At that point, he could freely utilize the energy within his body to break the seventh shackle.

On Mount Song, the heavily injured old ape spoke with the black roc, informing it that Chu Feng was a rare and highly accomplished field researcher, and should not be humiliated in such a manner.

In fact, the Black Underworld Roc King later conducted an investigation and, upon learning of Chu Feng's abilities, was momentarily surprised.

However, it was inherently unruly and wild-natured, showing no regret. It declared, "Since this king has already spoken, it's no big deal. There's no need to change anything. I await his surrender. If he fails to appear, he will bear the consequences!"

Five days passed in a flash. Chu Feng calmly adjusted his state; he was preparing for battle!

Time flew by quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was the eighth day. A faint, crisp sound emanated from within his body as the material encasing the small grinding disc shattered completely, and the surrounding mist dissipated.

An ancient black-and-white miniature grinding disc appeared, seemingly capable of crushing heaven and earth, connecting yin and yang, and piercing through life and death. It slowly rotated within his body.

Instantly, Chu Feng's internal energy surged. A massive influx of mysterious factors was drawn in and then purified, rapidly enhancing the quality of the energy within his physical body.

"Little bird, you're dead!" Chu Feng declared as he opened his eyes. He was currently in Henan province, not far from Mount Song, and immediately set off.

With energy surging within him, he was confident that he could break the seventh shackle without consuming any exotic fruits, evolving purely through his own power.

"Hey, isn't that Chu Feng?!"

Along the way, many people spotted Chu Feng and reacted with surprise.

In fact, in recent days, a large number of cultivators had flocked to the vicinity of Mount Song to observe. Some were convinced that Chu Feng would arrive, eager to see what choice he would make.

"Chu Feng, are you truly going to pledge allegiance to the Black Underworld Roc King?" someone asked at the foot of Mount Song.

"I'm here to kill the little bird!" Chu Feng replied simply, then began ascending the mountain step by step.

As the news spread, numerous powerful figures worldwide were startled. People were constantly monitoring Mount Song, and upon hearing Chu Feng's words, they were all left in stunned silence.