West Phoenix Mountain

"Hmph! What do you know? This venerable one is addicted to eating it. Hurry up and move aside."

The woman behind Chen Tong furrowed her brows slightly. But when she remembered that this evil dragon seemed to be connected to the man before her, her expression gradually relaxed.

"Stupid dragon, get back to the Sea of Consciousness." Chen Tong gave a low command and moved his divine sense. Regardless of whether Death Underworld Dragon was willing, he sent him away.

"You brat, you've gone too far! When you need this venerable one, you throw me out like garbage. When you don't, you toss me back like garbage. What do you take me for?!"

An angry voice came from the Sea of Consciousness. Chen Tong calmly replied, "You're wrong. I never wanted to throw the garbage back."

As soon as he finished speaking, violent crashes rang out in the Sea of Consciousness. The pain made his soul shudder.

"What's wrong?"

Bing Yu's gentle voice sounded by his ear, striking straight into his soul. The shuddering had actually calmed just a little.

"I'm... I'm fine!"

Chen Tong turned around. Only now did he truly feel, from such close range, the woman's grace and icy beauty. Her face was so enchanting that one look made him want to make her his. His heart pounded wildly.

"Um... you should go!" Chen Tong agonized over it for a long while, only to blurt out something he immediately regretted.

Fairy Bing Lin: "..."

"I know I disturbed you. Please forgive me." Her delicate, icy figure bowed slightly to Chen Tong.

Chen Tong: "..."

"So you knew I was here all along?" Chen Tong stared at her in astonishment. She was only a True Immortal, so how could she have discovered him? But if he didn't believe her, he couldn't explain what had just happened.

"No." She shook her head, then turned to the side and said softly, "My intuition told me this was a place where I could feel at ease. At first, I didn't know where that feeling came from. Not until you appeared."

Chen Tong glanced at her profile. Her face betrayed no emotion. He muttered, "A woman's intuition really is terrifying."

"What are you saying?" Bing Rong turned back to Chen Tong, her pretty face tinged with confusion. Chen Tong hurriedly shook his head, pointedly avoiding her gaze. "I said you're very beautiful."

Bing Lin: "??"

Seeing her icy expression turn strange, Chen Tong thought she had misunderstood him and quickly explained, "Don't get me wrong. When I say you're beautiful, I don't mean anything improper. I'm saying it from the heart. You're so beautiful that, if I saw you, I'd be willing to protect you with my life."

"Such a hypocritical man!"

A cold voice suddenly rang out in the Sea of Consciousness, making Chen Tong's soul tremble again. All he could do was face her with an awkward grin.

Bing Lin looked at Chen Tong's strange behavior in confusion. After studying him for a moment, she turned aside and said softly, "Beauty is nothing but a useless shell. It has only brought me endless trouble. You saw what happened just now. If I could choose, I'd rather be ordinary."

Damn, what kind of thing is that? Is she showing off? Chen Tong complained inwardly, but smiled and said, "A fairy's beauty is Heaven's favor, an angel's affection, and a treasure of this world. It's also a treasure for the person you'll love someday. Please don't belittle yourself."

Bing Lin let out a soft laugh. It was quiet and held little emotion, but to Chen Tong it sounded like celestial music, like the sweetest melody.

"Young Master saved Bing Lin from danger, and Bing Lin has yet to thank you. Instead, you've comforted me again and again. I'm deeply grateful, and I'll keep that kindness in my heart. If you don't mind, please just call me Bing Lin!"

"Bing Lin!" Chen Tong murmured, then said, "All right! My name is Chen Tong."

"So you're Young Master Chen!" Bing Lin bowed again and said gently, "There's something I'd like to ask of you, Young Master Chen. I hope you'll agree."

Chen Tong: "??"

We aren't even that familiar yet, and she's already asking me for something. Isn't this a little too forward? Chen Tong grumbled inwardly. He didn't want to invite trouble right now. He still needed to recover his strength so he could deal with Tathagata and the Heavenly Court.

"Um... well... go ahead." In the end, Chen Tong still couldn't bring himself to refuse. What could he do? She was a woman, and she looked so pitiful. How could he bear to turn her down?

"It's like this. Bing Lin has a younger sister trapped in West Phoenix Mountain. My strength is too low to rescue her. I hope you'll help me. Bing Lin will be eternally grateful."

"How do you know I can save her?" Chen Tong asked, watching her bow without making a move to help her up. Rescuing someone was complicated. What if he couldn't beat their enemy? And wasn't West Phoenix Mountain in Tathagata's territory in the west again?

"You defeated those three Grand Unity Golden Immortals. You must be strong enough to save my sister."

Chen Tong's face twitched. I wasn't the one who defeated those three Grand Unity Golden Immortals. But... sigh, forget it.

"Fine. I'll do it."

Bing Lin's expression brightened, and a rare hint of red appeared on her usually icy face.

"Thank you, Young Master."

"Don't call me Young Master. I'm not used to it," Chen Tong said with a wave of his hand.

"This..." Bing Lin paused, then hesitated for three seconds. "Then... then I'll call you Big Brother Chen!"

"Big Brother?" Chen Tong's expression turned strange. You're probably thousands of years older than me, and you're calling me Big Brother?

"Let me ask you, how many years have you been cultivating?" Chen Tong suddenly asked, changing the subject.

Bing Lin paused again, but answered honestly. "Since I joined the immortal sect and ascended to the Immortal Realm, I've been cultivating for thirty thousand years."

Chen Tong's soul visibly trembled, and the skin on his face twitched several times. "Then just call me by my name."

"By the way, did you say you ascended here from the lower realm?" Chen Tong asked curiously.

"Yes."

"Oh, I see!" Chen Tong didn't find it strange. The vast chaos was boundless, and this world was only a tiny corner of it.

As they talked, they made their way to West Phoenix Mountain. It lay on the western edge of West Niu He Continent, at the boundary where it met the eastern part of East Victory Divine Continent. Though the two continents each occupied half the land, the entire West Phoenix Mountain region worshiped Buddhism. Over time, it had effectively become part of Spiritual Mountain's domain.

Seated upon colorful clouds, the icy beauty accompanied the lord of the clouds. They gazed down upon the world below, coming and going through the emptiness.

"Hmph, looks like I was right. This place really is that Old Thief Tathagata's territory." Chen Tong coldly remarked as he looked down at the countless temples where people burned incense and worshiped Buddha.

"Though West Phoenix Mountain lies at the boundary between the two continents, Buddhism has preached and exerted its influence here for many years. This land is practically Buddhist territory now." Bing Lin didn't understand the hatred in Chen Tong's words, so she explained calmly.

Chen Tong didn't know the full extent of West Phoenix Mountain's power, but the presence of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal made it clear that there was at least one deity here whose cultivation was at that level or higher. And that deity seemed to be quite powerful.

"Bing Lin, do you know which deity is holding your sister captive?"

Bing Lin's face remained icy. She seemed calm and emotionless, but Chen Tong's divine perception caught the murderous intent in her beautiful eyes.

"I only know they're two Buddhist followers called Yellow Eyebrow Rat Wolf."