In the boundless Sea of Mists, Yun Che sat cross-legged upon a slab of Abyssal Stone. All around him, the gray Abyssal Mist churned incessantly. The distant roars of Abyssal Beasts echoed through the gloom, yet as they drew near, they were driven away by the terrifying, majestic pressure emanating from the Abyssal Qilin God.

Yun Che’s eyes were closed. Within his consciousness, a single drop of Vermilion Bird Origin Blood¹, crimson as agate, suspended quietly in the air. Inside the blood droplet, a tiny divine silhouette of a Vermilion Bird seemed to spread its wings and cry out, sending unending ripples through his entire circulatory system.

With his Ancestor’s Divine Body and the Evil God Profound Veins, even the source essence blood of a True God—and all nine drops of it at that—could be completely refined within a month, and with flawless perfection.

At this moment, Yun Che only needed to refine one-seventh of a single drop... just enough for him to ignite the Vermilion Bird’s flames while carrying a trace of its divine aura.

Buzz—

A soft hum resonated in his mental space. As his profound energy lightly enveloped the divine blood, several wisps of scarlet light slowly diffused, surging toward Yun Che’s bloodlines, meridians, and profound veins. Though they were but faint wisps, they exploded within his body with a searing power akin to burning the heavens and boiling the seas.

For anyone else, merely enduring this bone-scorching, body-incinerating heat would be agonizingly painful, not to mention the various risks of sudden internal collapse. But for Yun Che, it felt as gentle and moisturizing as bathing in a secluded spring; he only needed to focus his mind on merging with the Vermilion Bird’s divine power contained within.

An indeterminate amount of time passed before a streak of scarlet flame suddenly illuminated the dim world. A faint, red light barrier rose around Yun Che’s body, within which feather-like patterns flowed slowly. His robes fluttered without wind, his hair was lifted by the scorching waves, and between his brows, a Vermilion Bird mark glowed with a deepening intensity.

Another hour passed, and a cluster of scarlet flames suddenly ignited in Yun Che’s palm.

This flame was entirely different from the divine fire Yun Che had burned before. It burned with utter silence and gentleness, casting a warmth that touched the very soul upon the surrounding eerie and terrifying mist.

The nearlands of the Sea of Mists.

Qianlang Realm was an unclaimed territory, yet it boasted a massive, year-round flow of people. Because of its proximity to the Sea of Mists, it had originally served as a place for cultivators to rest and heal, which naturally gave birth to a trade in supplies. Over the passing years, the scale of trade grew larger and larger until it became one of the greatest trading hubs in the vicinity of the Sea of Mists. Eventually, even Abyssal Knights would occasionally glance its way or stop by to maintain basic order.

A figure dressed in a gray-white robe, wrapped tightly from head to toe, threaded through the crowd. Even her head was covered by a heavy hood, making it impossible to see her true face. Stopping before an old man, she spoke directly in a raspy voice, "Is there any news regarding Primordial Flame Crystals² recently?"

The old man glanced at her, cocked an eyebrow, and said with a face full of helplessness, "You again. I’ve told you how many times? The last time a Primordial Flame Crystal appeared in this world, my great-great-grandfather hadn’t even been born. Such exotic crystals are heavenly miracles that only occasionally manifest in the Sea of Mists. It’s impossible for another to appear. Stop looking, and stop thinking about it."

Hidden by the hood, her expression was invisible. She said nothing and turned to move toward her next target. At that moment, a casual voice laced with mockery rang out: "As expected of people from the backwaters; such narrow knowledge is truly a joke."

The old man glared in anger, but when he saw the speaker’s attire, his expression shifted instantly. A nearly sycophantic smile appeared on his aged face. "So it is a distinguished guest from a God Kingdom. This old man is indeed shallow-sighted; I have made a fool of myself."

The man who had spoken was dressed in black, with narrow eyes and an arrogance he made no effort to hide. His head was held high, his eyes squinting as he looked down like a superior being gazing at a pathetic creature. "A Primordial Flame Crystal reappeared less than a month ago. Tsk... but then again, you lowly people from this wretched place are indeed unworthy of knowing such things."

The gray-robed figure turned abruptly, her gaze locking onto the man in black. Despite the hood, the man felt as if a pair of eyes, sharp as blades, were piercing directly into his own. "Where did that Primordial Flame Crystal appear!?"

Even though her heart was filled with boundless agitation, her voice remained sufficiently calm.

The sudden, piercing gaze and the blunt tone made the man in black narrow his eyes. He then let out a cold sneer. "Asking me? Who do you think you are!?"

The gray-robed figure took a step forward... but her left sleeve was lightly caught by the old man.

The old man shook his head slowly at her and whispered, "He is from the Owl Butterfly God Kingdom. You must not provoke him."

The gray-robed figure said no more. She turned and left, her figure quickly disappearing into the crowd, completely ignoring the "tch" sound the Owl Butterfly practitioner made behind her.

An hour later, that Owl Butterfly practitioner had already left Qianlang Realm and stepped into the border of the Sea of Mists. Just as his figure passed through a grove of low, black stone trees, a sudden chill struck his back, and a heavy pressure slammed into his rear. He spun around quickly, but before his darkness profound energy could be released, it was forcibly suppressed by a sudden explosion of terrifying, gargantuan strength. His body was pinned ruthlessly against the black stone behind him by a massive claw-shadow, leaving him unable to move no matter how much he struggled.

"Divine Extinction Realm³..." His pupils shrank as he let out a startled cry. At that moment, the figure of the gray-robed person appeared in his vision.

"It’s you..."

The Owl Butterfly practitioner’s gaze was dark, yet he showed no fear. Instead, he let out a sinister, cold laugh. "My name is Pan Yexun, a Shadow Guard serving the Ninth Imperial Son of the Owl Butterfly God Kingdom. I am currently following the orders of my Exalted Divine Qi Heng to accompany His Highness the Imperial Son in searching for our former Godchild, Pan Buwang. You dare lay a hand on someone from the Owl Butterfly God Kingdom..."

The two words "God Kingdom" were enough to strike fear into the hearts of almost any practitioner beneath that status. However, the gray-robed figure remained unmoved, saying coldly, "Tell me, where did the Primordial Flame Crystal appear!"

Pan Yexun sneered again. "Fool, it seems you haven't realized your situation yet. So what if you are in the Divine Extinction Realm? You dare... Uwaaaaaa!!"

An incredibly shrill scream suddenly exploded above the border of the Sea of Mists. That pale claw-shadow ruthlessly pierced through his body, skewering his internal organs in an instant. Even his heart veins were punctured, dealing a permanent wound that could never be healed.

Into his ear drifted the gray-robed figure’s extremely cold voice: "You have one last chance... That Primordial Flame Crystal—where is it now!"

A terror he had never felt before, carrying a bone-chilling cold, surged through Pan Yexun’s entire body. His pupils dilated until they nearly burst; all his previous confidence and arrogance had transformed into ultimate dread. He could never have dreamed that after he invoked the name of the "Owl Butterfly God Kingdom," the opponent would not only show no hesitation but would drive him directly to the brink of death.

He no longer dared to rely on his God Kingdom background, nor did he even dare to beg for mercy. A trembling voice escaped his lips: "It’s... it’s the Pure Land. The Abyssal Son⁴ of the Dreamweaving God Kingdom... offered a Primordial Flame Crystal to a Spirit Immortal Divine Official..."

The gray-robed figure, who had been extremely indifferent as if devoid of emotion, suddenly felt her aura surge violently upon hearing the title "Abyssal Son." She closed the distance, and the claw-shadow suppressing Pan Yexun glowed with a slightly uncontrolled white light, drawing another round of screams from him. "You said the Abyssal Son of the Dreamweaving God Kingdom... that... Yun Che!?"

"Yes, yes!" Pan Yexun answered in a panicked rush. "The Abyssal Son’s name is Meng Jianyuan, but he is also called Yun Che. This matter was learned by His Highness the Imperial Son when he attended the Meeting of the Pure Land. Everyone from the God Kingdoms who was present knows... it is absolutely true, I have hidden nothing!!"

The gray-robed figure seemed to freeze there, silent and motionless for a long time.

"I... I have told you everything. Can you... can you let me go first? I promise... I promise I won't tell anyone about you... I don't even know what you look like..." His lips pulled back into a strained, fawning, and harmless smile. But in the next instant...

Bang!

The claw-shadow exploded—it was revealed to be a pale dragon claw. Without hesitation or mercy, under the pitiless explosion of Divine Extinction power, Pan Yexun’s body was instantly shattered by the dragon claw’s shadow. He did not even have time to let out a final scream.

Without sparing him another glance, she turned indifferently and walked away. Her gray, lonely silhouette soon vanished into the vast Abyssal Mist... traveling in the direction of the Dreamweaving God Kingdom.

In the mid-section of the Sea of Mists.

Yun Che’s hands moved in a dance, the scarlet flames in his palms as soft as flowing dawn light.

Guided by his profound energy and divine soul, the flames vibrated slightly, emitting a hum that was sometimes long and drawn out, sometimes fine and rapid. Wisps of scarlet sound waves slowly rippled out from within the fire. At first, the tune was low and distant, like an ancient wind sweeping across a silent land, carrying a hint of desolation. Gradually, the melody became gentle, like warm sunlight melting ice and snow. Wherever the sound waves reached, the surrounding Abyssal Mist seemed to lose its chill, becoming dyed with a layer of warm color.

Yun Che flipped his palms, and the tone changed abruptly. A clear phoenix cry merged into the music, and the pitch soared. Yet, it was not sharp or soul-piercing; instead, it carried a compassion that seemed to embrace all things, as if it could turn all the pain and resentment in the world into curling wisps of smoke, scattering with the warm wind.

Li Suo let out a light murmur: "Celestial Feather Compassionate Navigation Melody⁵... the Vermilion Bird’s sound from my memory. A holy sound played by holy flames; it incinerates filth for the enemy and drives away pain and sorrow for oneself."

She listened quietly, her soul finding a rare moment of rest. Vaguely, those vanished, blank, and blurred fragments of memory began to stir with slight ripples in her soul amidst the gentle Vermilion Bird sound.

Yun Che’s mind was completely immersed in the Vermilion Bird melody he was playing. The Vermilion Bird flames at his fingertips rose and fell with the tune, transforming into the shapes of feathers. Before he knew it, they had covered a large area of the surrounding space. The flaming feathers then condensed into small bird silhouettes. Sound waves and flame power intertwined, weaving a dreamlike, warm landscape around him. Endless thoughts echoed in his soul-sea, but every wisp of hesitation, heaviness, or hostility was smoothed away bit by bit by the sound.

When he opened his eyes, the world around him was filled with drifting feathers and flying bird shadows.

He extinguished the Vermilion Bird flame in his palm and smiled faintly. "If I completely refine all nine drops of Vermilion Bird Origin Blood, the concentration of my Vermilion Bird bloodline will surely far exceed that of the Phoenix and Golden Crow blood. However, this Vermilion Bird flame actually has the lowest dependency on the bloodline; what it needs most is a powerful and compassionate divine soul."

"I could consider merging it with light profound energy."

Li Suo said, "The Vermilion Bird’s flames and light profound energy do indeed have many similarities; for instance, both are the bane of darkness profound energy. You possess the Eternal Night of Darkness, yet you can burn the flames of the Vermilion Bird... The Ancestor’s Divine Body bestowed by the Ancestor God is truly beyond the comprehension of ordinary logic."

"In the future, if you have leisure time, you can play the Vermilion Bird Requiem for me more often."

"Hmm?"

Yun Che looked surprised. For Li Suo to actively make a request was exceedingly rare.

"The Vermilion Bird’s sound seems to help awaken my dormant memories... or perhaps it is just an illusion born of a peaceful mind."

"I see..."

Yun Che’s heart stirred. As the former Creation God of Life, if Li Suo’s memories could be recovered, the help she could provide would be immeasurable.

By now, he had stayed in the Sea of Mists for a month and a half. By the standards of common knowledge, the time taken to initially refine a portion of the Vermilion Bird’s divine blood was sufficient. Stepping back into the Heaven and Earth Array Core, a flash of red light signaled his departure from the Sea of Mists and his return to the Dreamweaving God Kingdom.

Just as he stepped out of the cultivation space’s barrier, Meng Zhiyuan’s voice, half-joyful and half-anxious, rang in his ears: "Young Master, you are finally out. During this time, several people have come looking for you."

"Oh? Looking for me?" Yun Che looked surprised. Meng Kongchan and Meng Jianxi both knew he was refining divine blood; logically, they shouldn't have let anyone disturb him.

Meng Zhiyuan said, "There were three people in total. One was the Divine Son of the Senluo God Kingdom, Dian Jiuzhi."

Yun Che: "Huh??"

"There was also a strange person who hid his face and claimed to be your Elder Brother. He appeared suddenly like a phantom, and after learning you were in seclusion, he vanished just as suddenly... Even stranger, not a single guard noticed him, and even Meng Shouyuan didn't detect any movement."

Yun Che: "Uh... What!?"

"And there is one more person who is even more special."

Looking at the changes in Yun Che’s expression with some curiosity, Meng Zhiyuan continued, "She was originally unable to enter the Dreamweaving God Kingdom, but after being driven away time and again, she still refused to leave the realm gate, stubbornly insisting on seeing you."

"The gate guards intended to arrest her, but she was spotted by Divine Son Jianxi. He seemed to sense something unusual about her identity, so he sent word for me to inform you the moment you came out."

Yun Che’s brows knitted tightly as he quickly organized his thoughts. "Who is this person?"

"Divine Son Jianxi said she calls herself Long Jiang."

"...!"

Yun Che snapped his head up, his eyes shaking with shock.