Chapter 93: Stepping Inside

The tension was taut as drawn steel.

Seeing Red Cloud’s expression, Clear Mountain’s eyes narrowed slightly. At that moment, he had no way to judge whether the other man’s words were true or false, but from that look alone... it did not seem like a lie.

Yet the more one came into contact with that thing, the greater the danger became. As one of the great demon clans that had existed since the ancient age in the Treasure Vase Realm, the Phoenix Bird Clan still exerted far-reaching influence to this day. That, in itself, was proof of both caution and strength.

Even so, he still did not wish to take the risk.

As a race especially favored by heaven and earth, they possessed a certain instinct for avoiding disaster.

The moment the other man’s hand closed around the blade, he instinctively sensed something different.

It was the scent of danger.

The two remained deadlocked for a while, until the second supreme elder of the Phoenix Bird Clan arrived once more.

The newcomer held a long flute in his hand, his voice bright and pleasant, almost like singing.

He glanced at the scene before him, neither refusing nor agreeing.

“The thing you seek does indeed exist within our clan. But if you wish to take it, then you will have to retrieve it yourself. We have only the duty of guarding it, and no ability to control it in the slightest.”

...

Red Cloud did not fight with Clear Mountain, the supreme elder of the Phoenix Bird Clan.

After another transformed cultivator from the Phoenix Bird Clan appeared, Red Cloud already understood that matters in this place would not be so simple.

And when the other side agreed, he was faintly astonished.

To speak plainly, according to his own estimation, the two sides should at least have fought a real battle before there could be any room for discussion.

Red Cloud dispersed the aura around him and followed the two supreme elders of the Phoenix Bird Clan toward the clan’s ancestral sacrificial grounds.

Along the way, Red Cloud saw many demon cultivators in the Treasure Body stage and Nirvana stage, and there were even more Phoenix Bird clansmen in the Nirvana stage than in the Treasure Body stage.

The atmosphere between the two sides was not harmonious to begin with, so no one spoke much.

But Clear Mountain seemed to see what Red Cloud was thinking, and offered an explanation:

“My Phoenix Bird Clan is naturally blessed by heaven. After remaining in the shell for a period of time, once we break free, the least among us are already in the Condensed Sha stage. Some with especially dense bloodlines are born in the Treasure Body stage. When our clan reaches adulthood, we can at the very least enter the Nirvana stage. If one can undergo transformation into a phoenix-bird, then reaching the late Nirvana stage, or even the peak of Nirvana, is not a problem...”

Red Cloud merely nodded to show that he understood, without any real reaction in his heart.

In the wilderness beyond, he had already seen certain true dragons and true phoenixes who were at least immortal at birth. There was nothing strange about this.

A high starting point and extraordinary talent did not necessarily mean great strength.

After all, such beings were not only exceedingly rare, but even those who could survive to adulthood were few and far between.

After walking for a short while longer, the world ahead suddenly changed, turning entirely crimson.

The earth and sky were filled at every moment with a scorching presence.

The instant he entered, Red Cloud’s heart gave a faint tremor. His once steady heartbeat quickened slightly, and a thin veil of tribulation energy unconsciously rose around his body.

From start to finish, the man holding the flute had never told Red Cloud his identity, nor had he said much else.

When they reached a cave outside, the flute-bearing man looked at the barren opening, plucked a feather from his person, and tossed it into the cave. Flames flared up and roared.

“We’re here.”

He glanced at Red Cloud, saying nothing more.

“If you think you can take it, then feel free to try.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the weapons in the hands of the two demons flew out of their grasp and swept into the cave. After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, a demon cultivator in the form of a child emerged from within.

“Is it him?”

He lifted his eyes to look at Red Cloud, then lowered his head and took off the robe from his body.

“Since all of you want to send him in, I have no objections.”

At his words, as the aura upon the robe deepened and spread inward, a crack suddenly split open with a thunderous boom.

“Although I cannot see through your cultivation, I do not believe you can grasp the secret of becoming emperor.”

He said this to Red Cloud, then seemed to be speaking to himself as well.

“Still, I do rather hope that you succeed. After all, I have guarded this cave for nearly five hundred years...”

Red Cloud could not quite tell the tone behind those words, but he could feel some indescribable implication within them.

He did not answer. Feeling the cave slowly sealing itself shut, he gave a shake of the Cloud-Riding Wings on his back and reached the cave entrance in an instant.

“Many thanks.”

Red Cloud turned and cupped his hands toward the three of them, then turned around and stepped inside.

After Red Cloud entered, the cave closed. The three weapons also returned once more to the front of their owners.

Looking at the cave, Clear Mountain felt a faint, inexplicable stirring in his heart and, moved by some strange impulse, asked a question.

“Brother, do you think he can succeed?”

“What?”

The flute-bearing man merely shot him a glance, the flute in his hand practically itching to smack the top of his head.

“You ask me? How should I know? That’s no different from asking you whether, when the Demon Emperor first stepped out of the gates of the Demon Emperor Palace this year, he used his left foot or his right foot. Do you know that?”

“How would I possibly know that...”

Clear Mountain looked up at the cave, his eyes seeming to conceal a faint,幽幽 fire.

“But if he truly can succeed, then wouldn’t our clan finally be able to find release?”

“When he first stepped out of the gates of the Demon Emperor Palace this year, he flew out.”

The child had no intention of lingering here; his figure had already drifted far away.

“Golden Power Demon King came to chat with me once and told me that. That night, he got drunk in the Demon Emperor Palace and was personally thrown out by the Demon Emperor.”

...

Truly, unexpectedly straightforward.

Red Cloud turned and glanced behind him, only to find that the formation over the cave had already re-formed. He then pressed two fingers together and thrust forward.

The formation above the cave merely rippled faintly, like a pebble sinking into the sea.

Was baleful qi really of no use here...?

Red Cloud’s brows furrowed slightly. He opened his Tribulation-Scouting Eye and looked inward once more. The scattered tribulation energy sealed the cave shut, filling every inch of it bit by bit.

At the sight, understanding dawned in his heart.

This must be the outward manifestation of the power of tribulation energy within. If one truly wished to break it open, there were two ways.

First, one could do as he had when entering, borrowing the power of those few weapons.

Second, one could take the tribulation energy here and make use of it for oneself.

With that thought, he no longer hesitated and walked toward the cave.

The moment he entered, a wave of searing heat rushed straight at him.

He first enveloped his body in a barrier of baleful qi to isolate the flames, then condensed his own tribulation energy and laid another layer around himself before finally surveying the surroundings.