Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 380 Owl
Several months have passed.

At the summit of Fengyan Mountain, crimson light soared into the sky, and the Bing fire surged upwards, burning away the clouds. Numerous winged creatures came and went, leaving streaks of light across the horizon.

Giant whales and black turtles arrived on the waves, carrying palaces guarded by various demon soldiers, and stopped on the shore, making a grand spectacle.

On the cloud, Xu Xuan and Yang Yuanxin stood side by side, looking at the scene around them. The demons who came here were not just the white fox and Fei Lian. It was likely that most of the demons in the South China Sea had heard the news and come here to celebrate.

"What a grand spectacle! Many of the faces are unfamiliar."

Xu Xuan sighed. Apart from the specially invited white fox and Fei Lian, some news had also spread, but he never expected so many demons to come to celebrate. Three or four noble families came, and there were many Foundation Establishment demons as well. Fengyan Mountain was extremely noisy for a time.

"My family is, after all, a royal family of the Xia Dynasty, and we share the same surname as Jinwu. Although we cannot compare to Mingze, we still have some prestige."

Yang Yuanxin looked at Xu Xuan, her eyes filled with helplessness, her crimson pupils glistening.

"Actually, most people respect the great-grandfather's reputation. When my father broke through, a true master from the Song family came to congratulate him from the palace. Further back, when my father was building his foundation, he was summoned to Yanggu Valley to become a disciple of the Golden Crow's Purple Mansion and achieved supernatural powers in the cave heaven."

"If my great-grandfather were still alive..."

As he spoke, Yang Yuanxin's expression darkened slightly. With the elders gone, Zheng Jin's fate was uncertain. Even with the guidance of Emperor Zhu Ci, the Prince of Bingyang had failed in the past, let alone now.

"Nothing will happen. The Golden Crow has a deep foundation and should have some means to deal with it."

Xu Xuan offered a few words of comfort, and Yang Yuanxin nodded, no longer mentioning the matter.

"The Demon King Fei Xiang said he would arrive in some time, and there has been no news yet about Lord Qiewen."

When Yang Yuanxin spoke of this White Fox Demon King, her voice was filled with reverence. In terms of knowledge, this demon king was renowned far and wide, and his methods were extremely sophisticated.

As the two were talking, they saw the distant void shatter, revealing a dim, gloomy light. Supernatural powers arose from it, displaying a flickering, dark blue light that intertwined to form dead wood branches that pierced through the heavens.

'Demon King.'

Xu Xuan had already sensed the deep demonic aura emanating from it. The one who had arrived was a Purple Mansion Demon King, but it was neither Fei Lian nor the White Fox.

On the dead tree branch, the shape of an owl gradually appeared, ferocious and savage, flashing by in an instant.

The owl transformed into a middle-aged man clad in black feather armor, with a cold and aloof demeanor, a hooked nose, and thin eyebrows. Beside him, the shadows of death and life emanated from the trees, and his cultivation had reached the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion realm, making him quite intimidating.

Beside this demon king was a woman, dressed in a stone-blue brocade skirt. She was slender and delicate, with an otherworldly air. Her gray eyes flashed with a ghostly light, and her aura emanated from her. She was already at the late Foundation Establishment stage, but the immortal foundation she cultivated was somewhat strange.

Xu Xuan couldn't discern its origins at first glance. He had never seen this lineage before, only feeling that it was extremely ancient and mysterious, constantly changing, resembling both witchcraft and demonic arts, and possessing a touch of divine mystery.

"The Owl lineage, [Soul Gathering], has come today to offer their congratulations to the Fire Crow."

When this demon king, who was at the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion realm, spoke, all the demons in the mountain fell silent, no longer making a fuss, and dared not look up, lest they break a taboo.

Xu Xuan remained unmoved, standing quietly on the cloud with Yang Yuanxin, watching silently. The Soul-Gathering Demon King seemed to sense Xu Xuan's presence, glanced at him, and immediately withdrew his gaze, seemingly somewhat wary.

"So it's Senior Soul Collector, please come in quickly."

Yang Yuanyi had already emerged from the mountains on a ball of black flames. She did not lose her composure in the slightest because of the arrival of this uninvited guest, and calmly welcomed him into the mountains.

"Which kind of demon is this owl? I've never heard of it before."

Xu Xuan was somewhat puzzled. The South China Sea was vast, and the sea area near Tianchi accounted for less than one or two tenths of it. Many immortals and demons hid there, but he had never heard of this owl before.

"This clan lives in [Grave Mountain], located on the edge of the South China Sea, close to the far south, and rarely moves around."

After pondering for a while, Yang Yuan finally remembered the location of this family. He was also a little puzzled. The Fire Crow and this clan were almost separated by the entire South China Sea, and they had never had any contact before. Why did this demon king come here now?
"However, they do have some prestige, more powerful than ordinary noble families. It seems that their ancestors produced a Golden Core cultivator, but now they have declined significantly."

“Back then, when the Great Salvation Sea Eye shook and the Heavenly Demons invaded the territory, my father met this person once and mentioned him once.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Xuan's mind stirred slightly, but he decided not to get involved. He simply stood quietly with Yang Yuanxin on the cloud, looking down at the scenery below.

After waiting for a while, seeing that most of the demons had arrived, Xu Xuan heard a voice in his mind. It was a rather calm voice, sent by Yang Yuanyi, who told him to come to Bingyang Palace.

Yang Yuanxin, who was standing to the side, also looked up, clearly having received the telepathic message as well.

"I'm afraid something has happened."

She had a bad feeling. Owls were notorious for their indifference to kinship and were even capable of cannibalism. However, they had rarely appeared in the world in recent years.

"It doesn't matter."

Xu Xuan, carrying Yang Yuanxin, instantly returned to the spiritual peak in the mountains and went straight into the Bingyang Palace, where he saw several figures already seated.

Yang Yuanyi sat in the main seat, looking somewhat troubled. Beside him were layers of darkness, with black flames emanating from the ground.

Lianhun sat to the side, with the gray-eyed woman standing quietly beside him, who seemed to be his junior.

"Mingdu".

When Yang Yuan saw that Xuan had entered the hall, a smile appeared on his face. He allowed Xuan to sit down with Yang Yuanxin, but in a seat very close to him.

"This is Senior Soul Collector, who cultivates in the [Grave Mountain] in the far south, and has come to our clan today."

"As expected, you are a pure blood of the Netherworld. Greetings, Dragon King."

Lianhun managed a forced smile on his cold and sharp face. "I had long heard of a dragon entering the sea and cultivating supernatural powers, but I thought it was just a rumor. Seeing it today, I can see that it is indeed true to its reputation."

"You flatter me, senior."

Xu Xuan returned the greeting. He knew nothing about the Owl, let alone why it had come.

"Senior Lianhun has lived in the far south for many years and has never interacted with our clan. What brings you here today?"

Yang Yuanyi spoke at this moment, his tone slightly somber. It was clear that Chi Xiao could not have come solely to congratulate Shen Tong; there must be other matters at stake, and he had come to offer his congratulations under this pretext.

Although Lianhun followed proper etiquette, Chixiao had a notorious reputation, and this demon king was a mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator with years of experience. He was a Golden Core cultivator with profound cultivation, far surpassing Lianhun.

"I see that the [Hidden Light] Demon King's supernatural powers do not seem to be the orthodox methods of Bing Fire, but rather tainted with evil energy that devours the light. What is this?"

Lianhun did not answer, but instead asked about Yang Yuanyi.

"My cultivation had run into a flaw, so I had no choice but to switch to another lineage." Yang Yuanyi was reluctant to discuss the matter and spoke vaguely, but Lianhun nodded slightly and said:
"I, Owl, do have some connection with nobles. In the past, Lord Shangguang visited my [Grave Mountain] and collected a kind of forbidden wood to nourish the Bing fire. Fellow Daoist Huiming, I'm afraid you don't know about this?"

"Never heard of it."

Yang Yuanyi frowned slightly. He had never heard his elders talk about this before. However, he remained calm and took out an item, which was a true red precious feather with flames rising from it, exuding a terrifying aura.

"Back then, when the Demon King Shangguang was traveling in the South China Sea, he met our clan's elders and exchanged a piece of [Heavenly Ghost Yin Wood] for him to cultivate magic. Our clan only asked him to leave behind a precious feather, as a favor to him."

"Fellow Daoist, you may take a look."

As he spoke, Lianhun handed the precious feather in his hand to Yang Yuanyi. Instantly, the feather was engulfed in flames, and the cawing of crows could be heard.

“It is indeed my great-grandfather’s precious feather.”

Yang Yuanyi's tone was slightly somber. If her father were still alive, this matter would be easier to handle. She wondered why the owl had come.

“I have come here today to ask the nobleman for a favor.” Lianhun’s gaze sharpened slightly. “My junior is born with a deficiency, his yin and yang are unbalanced, and he now needs the sun to nourish him. After much thought, I have come to realize that only the nobleman has such means.”

"Can we bring out the [Heavenly Crow Sun-Patrolling Bottle]? Just a fraction of its divine power will suffice."

Upon hearing this, Yang Yuanyi was somewhat troubled. The Sun Spiritual Treasure had already been taken to Yang Valley by the old master. After pondering for a moment, he simply said:

"The Heavenly Crow Sun-Patrolling Bottle has already been taken away by you, but the Heavenly Sun Crow Fire in the clan is still there. If we can summon a trace of its magic, it should be able to cure the younger generation of nobles."

What he was referring to was a wisp of solar fire bestowed by the Golden Crow; obtaining a trace of its divine power should be able to solve the other party's problem.

"Alright, thank you, nobleman. Dong'er, why don't you thank the Demon King?"

Lianhun nodded slightly, gesturing for the woman beside him to step forward. She gracefully approached and respectfully said:

"Fu Dong thanks the Demon King Huiming."

"It's alright." Yang Yuanyi's gaze swept over Li Jingcheng. A junior who could be valued so much by Lianhun must be extraordinary. She sensed him slightly but was somewhat puzzled.

"Isn't this a case where wood is considered inauspicious?"

Lianhun then had Fu Donggui by his side and smiled:

“My junior is exceptionally talented, so I had him cultivate another lineage of my clan, the [Heavenly Inquiry] lineage, which originated from the Chu region.”

"So it was one of the three witches."

Yang Yuanyi nodded slightly, understanding somewhat. The Owl Clan had a long history, so it was normal for them to have such a lineage.

Now that the matter was settled, Lianhun turned his gaze to Xu Xuan, his expression slightly changing, and said in a deep voice:
"I just happened to meet the Dragon King of Mingdu today. I heard that the Dragon King wants to reclaim the Heavenly Pool and re-establish the Renze?"

"Exactly."

When Xu Xuan heard Lian Hun bring up this matter, he didn't try to hide anything and told him frankly. Upon hearing this, Lian Hun's gaze became even more solemn, and he simply said:

"I, the Owl, migrated into the sea after retreating from the Southern Sea. I have never been to the Dragon Palace to govern the sea. However, if I can take back the Heavenly Pool, it would be a blessing for my kind of demons."

Without saying much, he stood up, took out a black wooden box, and handed it to Yang Yuanyi, saying only:

"This box contains a [Heavenly Ghost Yin Wood], which the Dark and Bright Demon King might find useful if he is practicing the clan's magic. However, I have matters to attend to and cannot stay any longer. Could you please give me a strand of Solar Fire Qi first?"

"This is far too valuable."

Although Yang Yuanyi did not know about this spiritual item, it must be extremely precious for Lord Shang Guang to exchange for it. Now that the other party has brought another one, how can he accept it?
"It's alright, it's also to celebrate your breakthrough."

The Soul-Gathering Technique only allowed him to accept it, and Yang Yuanyi couldn't refuse. So he broke through the void, took a wisp of solar fire energy, and carefully handed it to the other party.

He rose and, with Fu Dong beside him, prepared to take his leave. He broke through the void and was about to depart.

Xu Xuan glanced at Fu Dong one last time, only to find that she was also looking at him. Their eyes met, and although she was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, she did not flinch in the face of the dragon's might.

A faint light shone in those grey eyes, as if they were scrutinizing something, extremely subtle.

Within Xu Xuan's inner vision, the sea of ​​blood-red flowers left behind by Tian Tuo suddenly began to tremble, with each blood-red flower swaying as if sensing something, causing his heart to sink.

For a fleeting moment, he seemed to see an extremely terrifying light in those gray eyes, but it vanished in an instant. Fu Dong returned to normal, lowered his eyes, and retreated with the Soul-Gathering technique.

'This is? ’

Xu Xuan silently watched the woman's back, his mind racing, but he couldn't come up with a solution.

The hall returned to peace. Yang Yuanyi opened the treasure box in his hand, and there was a dark green spiritual branch inside. The branches were all in the shape of celestial demons, ferocious and fierce, with the yin energy of wood rising up.

"Indeed, it is extremely precious Yin wood, which is perfect for cultivating the [Ten Ritual of the Heavenly Crow] of my clan."

Yang Yuanyi's tone was slightly pleased. This spell in his clan was of the sixth rank and was passed down from the Xia Palace. It was a wonderful technique of Bing Fire, which inherited the true form of the Golden Crow. It required wood to help the fire, and the spiritual wood sent by the Owl was just right.

Xu Xuan remained silent for a moment, still pondering the woman's identity, but he couldn't come up with a clue.

After a long time, the outside world became lively again, with demons moving around and most of them feasting.

Suddenly, a clear blue flame ignited in the hall, the characters shifted and changed, and a narrow fox eye appeared from within. A calm female voice rang out, causing the people in the hall to stand up.

"Am I late?"

The sound of the stolen text rang out, and a woman slowly stepped out from the azure flames. She was tall and slender, dressed in a plain white dress, her face blurred, with many characters changing on it, and she stood in the hall.

"I've met senior."

Yang Yuanyi and Xu Xuan bowed respectfully, while Qie Wen smiled and said softly:
“Lianhun certainly knows how to pick his time. He came to see you before I arrived. He has been in the Tomb Mountain for so long, and he has finally been born.”

From his words, it seemed he knew the Soul-Gathering Demon King. After taking his seat, he glanced at Xu Xuan and Yang Yuanyi, and said in a low voice:

"Feng Yan and Ming Ze, now we only have two early-stage Purple Mansion cultivators. I wonder if they can hold on?"

(End of this chapter)