Three days later, Jiang Ping'an ran to the edge of Sky Demon Island and saw the boundless, surging ocean.
He stopped to catch his breath when a high, piercing phoenix cry suddenly broke through the roar of the enormous waves, coming from the sky ahead. The cry was clear and stirring, as though it could pierce every barrier between heaven and earth and reach straight into the depths of the soul.
Jiang Ping'an could not help looking up. He saw a gigantic Phoenix diving down from the sky above the ocean ahead.
The Phoenix's entire body burned with brilliant flames, yet they were no ordinary fire, but Seven-Colored Divine Flames. Its wings spread a full hundred zhang wide, and every beat raised towering waves upon the sea. Its tail feathers streamed like flowing sunset clouds, carving a dazzling arc through the air—so beautiful it took one's breath away.
Yet what drew the most attention was the woman seated upon the Phoenix's back.
A faint rosy glow curled around her, like a Divine Maiden stepping out of an ancient painting. She wore white robes whiter than snow, their hem fluttering lightly in the wind. A pale cyan silk sash was tied at her waist, its end adorned with a smooth jade pendant that swayed gently with the Phoenix's flight. Her long hair was black as ink, pinned up with a simple jade hairpin, while several loose strands fell across her shoulders and danced in the wind.
Her face was exquisite, but not with an aggressive, overwhelming beauty. Rather, she possessed the gentle, otherworldly grace of an immortal. Her brows were like distant mountains brushed with dark green, her eyes like rippling autumn waters, her skin like congealed cream, her lips like cherry blossoms touched with color. Most moving of all was