Chapter 196: Falling Phoenix Ridge

The mist in the mountains swirled around, illuminated by the morning glow, displaying hues of five or six colors, emitting a hazy brilliance.

Morning dew rolled on the grass blades, each drop sparkling in the dawn light. The plants were fresh, the sun warm. The little one set out on the road, turning his back on the desolate land behind and heading towards the distance.

Eventually, he adjusted his mood and began to run quickly, racing towards the morning glow, speeding like the wind, shining like a meteor streaking across the earth, completely distancing himself from the land of sorrow.

The destruction of the Patching Heaven Pavilion triggered a massive uproar. It shocked all corners of the world; this was a matter of immense significance that reverberated throughout the Great Wasteland.

Was chaos about to come? Everyone trembled in fear. After all, that was a renowned ancient pure land, enduring through endless ages, yet it was destroyed in a single night.

“What a terrifying battle, to be destroyed just like that. Is this a sign that the world is about to fall into chaos? Perhaps that day is not far off.”

Whether among humans or other beings, all ancient and influential powers felt deep unease. After the battle, the Patching Heaven Pavilion had become a ruin.

Claimed to be a pure land, from ancient times until now, even the gods had never turned it into wasteland. It had survived even the most terrifying era of the Saint Wars. Yet in this generation, such a vast sect was reduced to ashes, erased from the world.

Many people had a bad premonition. There was a sense of restlessness and brutality in the Great Wasteland; it seemed unlikely to calm down soon. Perhaps true turmoil was about to unfold.

“It’s hard to imagine that even an ancient great sect like the Patching Heaven Pavilion could be wiped out. Indeed, even the most glorious legacies have their days of decline and end.”

“The Tuoba Clan, the Western Beast Mountain, and other ancient families have made their move. With such a massive force invading, who can resist? It’s impossible not to be annihilated.”

“What’s most important is that the ancient divine mountains have made their stance clear. The likes of Yishan and Nanxun Divine Mountain have sent their strongest to descend. Their attitude decides everything.”

In the Great Wasteland, people were buzzing with discussions.

The destruction of the Patching Heaven Pavilion had too great an impact. The actions of the ancient divine mountains also led to speculation. Sending out golden beasts to kill created a terrifying stance, leading to a great catastrophe.

“The divine seed is astonishing. It’s a priceless treasure, nurtured from ancient times until now. The rune within it, forged through endless years of ritual, makes even the gods envious.”

Without the divine seed, perhaps even the strongest would not have intervened.

Of course, the demise of the Patching Heaven Pavilion was inevitable. After all, the old vine, having survived from ancient times, was already unsustainable. Those powerful enemies had to act at this moment.

This was a storm sweeping through all regions, causing everyone to turn pale at the mention of it. Such an ending, such a result, was very frightening.

A divine land was destroyed just like that, beyond many people’s expectations.

This was a world-shaking wave, shaking the entire wasteland. No one was not shocked, and everywhere was discussing it.

“How many can escape from the catastrophe that befell the Patching Heaven Pavilion? After all, it was an alliance of many sects. Even royal figures were surrounded and hunted, making survival difficult.”

“According to reports, only a few small fish and shrimp escaped, while almost all the rest perished in battle.”

Some sighed, while others took pleasure in the misfortune. The reactions of the various races and beings in the world were not the same.

In this battle, the leaders of the Patching Heaven Pavilion, including the Pure Land’s Lord, Mu Yan, and Elder Liu, were key targets for encirclement, fearing they might escape with their disciples.

If even one such person managed to escape, it would certainly become a major threat.

According to speculation, the high-ranking members of the Patching Heaven Pavilion were all annihilated. Except for the War King and Ling Tianhou, who were escorted out by the Emperor of Stone Kingdom, almost no important figures from the ancient pure land were seen escaping.

“It was so brutal. After one ancestor was subdued and killed, over a hundred disciples he had kept under his protection were also shattered together.”

The high-ranking members of the Patching Heaven Pavilion were the main targets and faced the most terrible ambushes. Gathering disciples around was not the best choice; dispersing and fleeing had a greater chance of survival.

Aside from the high-ranking members, some geniuses and key talents of the Patching Heaven Pavilion were also targeted and almost completely wiped out.

Lin Mu, Wu Feng, and others all perished, their blood staining the desolate land.

“The Patching Heaven Pavilion is finished. Almost all the elders above have been wiped out, and the talented disciples are also withered. The once grand pure land has become a ruin, with only a few ordinary disciples blending into the chaos to escape by chance, but they are of little consequence now.”

“Hmm, what about that little rascal? His talent seemed quite frightening. Did he survive?”

“Probably difficult to escape death. The four great clans have been pursuing him, targeting him specifically. Those who are singled out are hard to survive.”

“Probably all the disciples who were with him are doomed as well.”

The outside world was in turmoil, with various rumors circulating.

“Eat something. The spirit dog meat is very delicious,” said the little one.

A golden prey was roasting over the fire, the meat tender, and tearing off a piece brought a mouthful of fragrance, greatly stimulating one’s appetite.

“I’ll eat, I’ll eat heartily,” Qingfeng bit into it.

This was a spirit dog from the four great clans, released to track the little one. Along the way, they had indeed faced danger several times, almost being caught and found.

Fortunately, the fragrance of the orchid grass on the little one had faded, making it impossible to trace further.

The furball squeaked, also chewing with grease on its mouth.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. After all, as a child, the sadness and pain in their hearts had faded considerably. If not for deliberate recollection, they wouldn’t have been so melancholic.

The little one and Qingfeng continued their journey through the Great Wasteland, exploring and testing themselves. They weren’t in a hurry but had set a goal to return to Stone Village.

A month later, the gloom in their hearts had dissipated, and their faces once again showed the pure and innocent smiles only children have.

“We are where now? How far is it to Stone Village?” Qingfeng asked.

“Currently, we are within the borders of Stone Kingdom. We still have around three to four hundred thousand miles to reach the western border of Stone Kingdom. After that, another three hundred thousand miles west, and we can return to Stone Village,” said the little one.

In Stone Kingdom, they inevitably thought of the Rain Clan. Yu Feng and the strong members of their clan were despicable. They had once entered the Patching Heaven Pavilion for training but, instead of showing gratitude, they had turned against the disciples of the pure land, adding to their misery and slaughtering them. This left a deep resentment in their hearts.

“Sigh, they are a powerful royal clan. We can’t shake them now, or I would really like to wipe them out,” the little one sighed.

His grudge against this clan was profound, not only because of the destruction of the Patching Heaven Pavilion but also due to everything he had suffered. Losing his Supreme Bone since childhood was the doing of a woman from that clan.

Qingfeng nodded. Even someone as innocent as he was driven to kill, feeling an impulse to destroy the Rain Clan. Many of their senior brothers and sisters had not died at the hands of great enemies but were instead killed by them.

This blood debt must be repaid eventually.

Moreover, back in the second ancestral land of the Western Frontier, it was the Rain Clan that bribed servants to act against Qingfeng, causing him to limp and nearly become crippled.

“We can’t provoke the heads of this clan, but we can at least collect some interest,” Er Tuozi said leisurely.

“A belly full of malice, but I like it,” said the Great Red Bird, excited. It then gave Er Tuozi a smack on the back of his head, making him almost jump up in anger.

“Indeed, we can collect some interest when passing by,” the little one said, nodding seriously.

Er Tuozi, the little one, the Great Red Bird, and Qingfeng discussed and then began gathering information about the Rain Clan, studying their various territories.

Attacking the Rain Clan was unrealistic given their current strength. They would need to be royal figures to wage such a war.

They were practical, aiming to raid various territories of the Rain Clan, which was a simple goal.

“This is the Falling Phoenix Ridge, right on our way back to the Western Frontier. Convenient for a visit.”

It was a crucial territory of the Rain Clan, rich in resources, with black gold mines, spirit herb fields, and auspicious beast ranges producing rare treasures.

They didn’t want to go overboard, only planning to raid one place and then leave to avoid getting into dangerous situations.

Falling Phoenix Ridge was said to be a place where a true phoenix once resided in ancient times, eventually perishing there, which made the area rich in spiritual energy. Even now, it was still a precious land.

It was twenty thousand miles from the Western Frontier of Stone Kingdom, a rare and precious territory.

“There are experts guarding it, making it hard to take. Furball, it all depends on you,” the little one said, tossing a large beast skin bag to it. “No other requirements, just fill it up.”

The golden furball squeaked in dissatisfaction, finding the beast skin bag too large. How many spirit herbs would it take to fill it?

Falling Phoenix Ridge was vast, covered with ancient forests, making it an ideal place for planting spirit herbs. After the ancient phoenix's demise, the phoenix blood had stained the area red, giving the soil a special spiritual quality.

Apart from transplanted spirit plants, there were also many ancient herbs native to the area. The Rain Clan had fought many great clans to secure this territory, paying a significant price but eventually bringing it under their control.

“Sigh, it’s hard to get a hold of, with heavy guards,” the little one said, feeling troubled. This place had many strong defenders, and making a mistake could alert the elite guards.

Perhaps they could only rely on the furball. It was crafty and had keen spiritual senses, even able to steal the eggs of the ancient five-colored peacock. Entering the spirit herb garden should not be a problem.

The furball didn’t act immediately. It circled around Falling Phoenix Ridge for several days, pondering and blinking its big eyes.

The little one did the same, carefully searching for vulnerabilities, hoping for a flawless operation. After all, they were here to collect interest and leave safely. Any cost would be unacceptable.

“Is something unusual happening in Falling Phoenix Ridge? Why are there so many personnel changes? It seems like they’re facing a great enemy,” the little one wondered.

After a few days of observation, he felt something was off. The outer defenses were being neglected, and something significant seemed to be happening inside.

“Go now. It’s the right time. Something might be happening in this spiritual land,” the little one said, instructing the furball to be careful and handing it a broken sword for use in case of being trapped.

With a whoosh, the furball turned into a golden flash and disappeared, entering Falling Phoenix Ridge. It was cunning and entirely golden, only the size of a fist. Once it fell into the grass, it was hard to see.

“Over there, chase it!”

“Hurry, don’t let it escape!”

Voices calling out came from Falling Phoenix Ridge, turning the faces of the little one and Qingfeng pale. Could it be that the furball was discovered as soon as it entered? This was bad—it could be life-threatening and not worth the risk.

The little one regretted, feeling reckless. If something happened to the furball, he would be deeply remorseful and full of guilt.

“It won’t escape. This time we must catch it. As long as it’s in Falling Phoenix Ridge, it will be hard to escape.”

“It’s been two months, showing up several times. I don’t believe we can’t catch it.”

Hearing the shouting from within Falling Phoenix Ridge, the little one and others were stunned. It didn’t seem to be about the furball. Could there be other beings that had intruded?

“We must capture it. Such a creature is rare, and there may not be another for hundreds of years. The Rain Clan is only raising one now. I’ve reported it to the higher-ups. It must be captured,” an elder shouted.

“This type of creature is incredibly rare. Only the royal family has one now.”

These words made the little one even more restless, his eyes shining with eagerness. He was eager to sneak in and争夺.

After half a day, sounds from the distant grass revealed the furball, which appeared with a round belly, almost unable to move, rolling out.

Efforts today will include three chapters in total.

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