Chapter 180: Fusion

On the divine mountain, a figure enveloped in auspicious light stepped forward, and beneath his feet appeared a golden大道 (golden path) that stretched countless miles away.

The speed of the golden path was so fast it was like a comet streaking through the sky. The divine light spread across the firmament. Despite reaching tens of thousands of miles away, he still had not come close to the补天阁 (Heavenly Restoration Pavilion).

“If you do not fall, it truly defies the heavens. Wait until you face tribulation,” his words were cold, and the sacred brilliance that had once shaken the universe had already receded, leaving him merely standing on a towering mountain.

Not only him but also two other figures had arrived, each standing apart, silently observing from a distance.

Inside the Heavenly Restoration Pavilion, the祭灵 (sacrificial spirit) was full of vitality. The previously dull leaves were rapidly turning green and then became translucent, emitting a peaceful, treasure-like glow. The gourd on the vine was rumbling, and chaotic energy appeared with a terrifying大道音 (grand sound) resonating.

Everyone was overjoyed, and the people of the Heavenly Restoration Pavilion knelt down in worship. Some elderly men were so happy they cried; the revival of the sacrificial spirit was the best news they could have received.

Over the years, the sacrificial spirit had been deteriorating, on the verge of dying, and this had spread to the outside world, causing the prestige of the Heavenly Restoration Pavilion to plummet and fall far below its former glory.

In the past, when they issued orders, no one dared to disobey, but now many major forces dared to challenge them, all due to the impending death of the sacrificial spirit.

As the long years passed, the Heavenly Restoration Pavilion lost its foundational secret techniques, and if the sacrificial spirit were to die, they would fall from being one of the top forces and face great calamity.

At this moment, everyone in the Heavenly Restoration Pavilion cheered, for the sacrificial spirit was indeed reviving, dispelling its previous decline. All the leaves were lush and green, flowing with crystal-clear green mist.

The little one stared in amazement; the vine had completely changed, now resembling jade. It was green and shimmering with treasure-like light, and threads of peaceful energy rose from it.

Was this still the same gourd vine he had seen before? It was entirely different.

Powerful fluctuations spread, vitality flowed, as if a divine being was undergoing nirvana and revival. The starlight from the sky and the essence of the sun were all absorbed by the old vine.

No one knew how much time had passed, but the life force here surged. The old vine sprouted new shoots, like green agate, bright and extraordinarily powerful.

Finally, when everything calmed down and the various phenomena disappeared, it became mysterious and awe-inspiring, wrapped in chains of ordered divine light, majestic and inviolable.

The sacrificial spirit was revived and became strong once more, and the news spread throughout the Heavenly Restoration Pavilion. Countless cheers erupted, and the people were incredibly exhilarated.

Such a significant event naturally spread to the outside world, and the news quickly disseminated. For a time, all major forces in the boundless wilderness were shocked and awed.

Everyone thought that the old vine would die; after all, it had lived for such a long time and could no longer hold on. Unexpectedly, it survived, and as long as one approached the Heavenly Restoration Pavilion, they could sense the immense life force.

Outside the Heavenly Restoration Pavilion, in the distant mountains, a glowing sound sighed lightly and then disappeared in an instant, leaving no trace.

A gigantic ferocious bird with blood-red eyes flapped its wings, raising a vast black mist, and soared towards the outer heavens. If it were to fly above the clouds, it would disturb the entire earth due to its enormous size.

Another divine light, as dazzling as the sun, exploded and vanished from the spot, terrifying to the point of making one's scalp tingle.

The revival of the sacrificial spirit in the Heavenly Restoration Pavilion created a stir, and the holy land was lively for several days before slowly calming down.

In the deep of night, the little one sat cross-legged under the crystal-clear green vine, holding a bone book and studying it earnestly. Here, his mind was exceptionally calm.

Because the soil brought back from the eternal divine spring nourished the sacrificial spirit's revival, he had made a great contribution, and the Pavilion Master allowed him to take out the符骨书 (symbolic bone book) from the藏经阁 (Scripture Pavilion).

The little one certainly did not forget the old man’s words and chose to come to the sacrificial spirit at night to practice. Indeed, it was different here; the gourd on the vine glowed, and the道音 (sound of the Tao) resonated, making it easy for him to comprehend the Tao.

Over these days, he merged the treasures of the Golden-winged Great Peng and the Azure Sky Peng, significantly increasing their power to an extraordinary level.

“That piece of golden bone, where is it? If I could find it, my technique would undergo a qualitative transformation,” the little one’s eyes sparkled.

Behind him, a golden divine moon appeared, or it might be called a divine egg, nurturing an ancient demon bird, making him look exceptionally transcendent.

“Hmm, this demon bird seems a bit different,” he turned around and stared, showing a hint of curiosity.

That night, he contemplated and elevated the Peng techniques, thoroughly understanding them. He found the ancient demon bird to be somewhat unusual, more mysterious and powerful.

Why did it flicker with golden light one moment and turn green the next, transforming into a fish? It was so strange.

The little one was puzzled, repeatedly deducing, and found that indeed, his fusion of the two techniques had greatly increased their power, with no mistakes.

But why was it like this? He stared closely, pondering and thinking deeply.

“Could this be the Kunpeng?” he suddenly trembled, suddenly realizing, and his eyes widened with incredible light.

He was truly shocked. Such a being was considered supreme and unparalleled, ranking among the top ten divine birds and fierce beasts of ancient times.

“Is this real?” The little one was doubtful. He never expected that his experimentation and comprehension would result in the birth of such a demon bird.

He gazed at the creature in the golden divine egg, which really seemed to shift between a fish and a Peng, shrouded in mist with a terrifying aura.

“Hmm, I have stepped onto a path, but this is only the starting point. It is definitely not the true Kunpeng; there is still a significant gap. It is only approaching and evolving into it.”

The little one’s eyes glowed with intense light. He was extremely happy, having discovered a powerful path. If possible, he hoped to recreate this supreme technique.

The Kunpeng technique, whether in the ancient era of divine brilliance or in the present and future, was absolutely supreme. It had once been among the top ten.

“The fusion of the Golden-winged Great Peng and the Azure Sky Peng can produce such a transformation, manifesting as the Kunpeng. I will explore this path,” the little one was full of confidence.

“Indeed, this path is correct. The fusion of the Golden-winged Great Peng and the Azure Sky Peng reappears as the Kunpeng,” an ancient and weathered voice said.

The little one was startled, looking up to see the old vine. It was the first time he saw it speak, actually communicating with him.

“Sacrificial spirit, please guide me,” the little one jumped up and then hugged the gourd vine, blinking his big eyes with great hope.

The old vine was speechless. Who dared to be so bold? After meeting him, everyone would bow in respect. This child was not afraid of him at all, so familiar like a koala hanging on him.

The mischievous child still had some confidence. After all, he brought back the “eternal mud,” which had revived the sacrificial spirit from near death. He believed the other party would not be harsh with him.

“I am just a vine and do not understand the Kunpeng technique. How can I guide you? I can only tell you that your direction is correct,” the sacrificial spirit sighed.

The little one scratched his head, released his hold, and whispered, “Is there anything else you need to guide me on?”

“Learn more things. There are some excellent scriptures in the Scripture Pavilion, even very remarkable ones,” the old vine said, looking exhausted.

The little one was puzzled. “Sacrificial spirit, what’s wrong with you?”

"I'm going to die," the old vine said calmly, as if discussing a very ordinary matter.

The little one gasped. Covering his small mouth, he said, "How could that be? You’ve just revived; how can you be dying again?"

The sacrificial spirit now looked lush and vibrant, like jade carved into shape, flowing with divine light. It was as mysterious and powerful as could be, with immense life energy pervading the air, creating an aura of reverence.

"I have lived from ancient times until now; it has been long enough. Life is waning, which is quite normal," it explained.

"But you are much better than before," the little one said, not believing it.

"That’s because I had to be. If I were to sit down and die immediately, the Heavenly Restoration Pavilion might face a great calamity," the sacrificial spirit sighed.

"Ah!" the little one exclaimed.

"The wasteland is about to be thrown into chaos. It may start with the Heavenly Restoration Pavilion and could very well begin with my death," the sacrificial spirit said with a sense of desolation.

The little one was stunned. This wasn’t the first time he had heard such things, and it seemed that one day, the wasteland would indeed face a great disaster.

"With the onset of chaotic times, everything is ephemeral. Only by making oneself strong can one hope to survive," the old vine said.

"Are you really going to fall?" The little one looked at it, vibrant with life, yet could not believe that this would be the end result.

"There is no other way," the sacrificial spirit nodded.

The little one hesitated for a moment and said, "If I give you two drops of genuine eternal spring water, could it save you?"

The sacrificial spirit shook its head and said, "With life dwindling, no one can stop it. A few drops of divine liquid cannot change my fate."

Hearing this, the little one could only sigh. Even such a powerful sacrificial spirit was still facing death. In his cosmos bag, there was a jade jar containing five golden little dragons, representing five drops of divine liquid.

"I will continue to hold on and buy time for the Heavenly Restoration Pavilion, perhaps a few months, maybe a year," the sacrificial spirit said. It would not die immediately but would support itself for some time.

The little one chatted with it for a while, feeling that the old vine was very open-minded and had no real distress. According to it, living so long and nearing death was quite normal.

Seeing this, the little one was no longer as heavy-hearted as before. His mood recovered, and he felt no sadness.

"Senior, can you really not guide me?"

"I truly do not understand the Kunpeng technique."

The little one did not give up and said, "You are so powerful; there must be a way. Didn’t you say my path was correct? I want to obtain the golden bone from the Scripture Pavilion. Maybe it will make my techniques even stronger, allowing them to transform and elevate."

The green vine shook, sprouting a new shoot that reached deep into the ground, turning over the soil. The vine dug deep and eventually wrapped around a golden bone and pulled it out of the earth.

The little one’s eyes widened, staring without blinking. The golden bone was adorned with flickering symbols, intensely brilliant and more spiritual than a treasure, looking incredibly mysterious.

"This is the bone? How is it here?" The little one was astonished, and then he looked at the soil around the root of the sacrificial spirit, wondering if there were many bone books buried here or if the lost foundational techniques of the sect were also buried here.

"This bone is excellent, not inferior to the foundational techniques of the sect. If you truly comprehend it, you will benefit greatly," the sacrificial spirit said.