Suspected to Be an Ice Phoenix

The muscular True Demon's expression darkened. His opponent was only a True Immortal, yet she spoke so arrogantly, showing no regard for him at all.

"Miss! We brothers have treated you as an honored guest and shown you every courtesy. Don't you dare be so ungrateful..." The voice that followed was already edged with murderous intent.

"Rip!"

Bing Lin said nothing. A streak of Snow Ice Sword light tore through the air and shot toward where they stood!

"Boom!"

Although they were all at the same cultivation level, Bing Lin's aura was ultimately stronger than theirs. Caught off guard, they took the blow head-on. They weren't seriously injured, but it was still a humiliating blow to their pride.

"Damn it! That wretched woman actually ruined my handsome face!" The short True Demon stroked his leopard-like face, heartbroken.

Chen Tong watched from the tree, his face twitching from time to time. Damn, this guy's way too full of himself. He's got a leopard's face and still calls himself handsome? Unforgivable! Absolutely unforgivable! Chen Tong slapped out with one hand!

"Smack!"

A sharp crack rang through the scene. The short True Demon was sent flying into the dense woods like a kite with its string cut, without warning.

"Third Brother!" the muscular True Demon shouted. Then he glared furiously at the icy figure ahead, his voice so angry it sounded as if he were grinding his teeth to pieces. "You... you... witch!"

Roaring, the muscular True Demon charged at Bing Lin with murderous intent, his blade in hand. Bing Lin's expression remained unchanged. Her beautiful eyes lowered slightly, and her emotionless, icy voice rang out: "If you don't want to die, stay back."

After tossing out that cool remark, she didn't wait for the Beast-clothed Man behind her to react. Gripping Snow Ice Sword, she flashed forward like a dazzling streak of ice and clashed with the charging muscular True Demon!

Clang! Bang! Boom!

The clash of weapons rang through the sky. Waves of shock spread out, shaking the surrounding trees, while flashes of blades and swords seemed ready to tear space apart.

Chen Tong folded his arms and watched in silence. Then, with a thought, he flashed over and appeared quietly beside the Beast-clothed Man.

He glanced at the Beast-clothed Man, who was staring wide-eyed, either captivated by the fight or by Bing Lin. Chen Tong said calmly, "Envious?"

The Beast-clothed Man immediately snapped out of it, staring nervously at the stranger who had appeared without warning...!

"Hmph. You're about to lose your life, and you still have the mood to admire the scenery. I'm speechless."

The Beast-clothed Man: "..."

"M-may I ask who you are, sir?" the Beast-clothed Man asked, forcing the words out through his pain. Then he seemed to think of something and added, still struggling through the pain, "Could you... could you be a companion of that immortal maiden who saved me?"

Chen Tong didn't answer. Meanwhile, the second and third True Demons had joined the fight. Three demons against one immortal—the situation had instantly turned around!

"Witch! Take my Demon King Overwhelms the World!" The muscular True Demon brought his hands together. A massive red blade, wreathed in demonic might and faint lightning, appeared in the air, as if everything in the world would be destroyed the moment it fell.

A trace of doubt crossed Bing Lin's beautiful eyes, but quickly vanished. She knocked back the two True Demons rushing at her, then gathered her strength and swung her sword directly at the descending red blade.

"Boom!"

A powerful shock wave surged outward like a tsunami, spreading in all directions from her!

"Ah!" The Beast-clothed Man squeezed his eyes shut in terror, waiting for death to come!

"Hmph, you're not dead yet, so what are you afraid of?"

The shock wave swept across the area, but when it reached Chen Tong, it was like seawater crashing against a towering wall. No matter how hard it surged, it couldn't get past him! Chen Tong gave a slight shake, and the shock wave instantly vanished into nothing.

The Beast-clothed Man opened his eyes and saw that he was still alive. He slowly let out a breath of relief.

By now, Bing Lin had gradually lost the overwhelming advantage she'd had at the start. Chen Tong wasn't worried, though. He knew she hadn't shown her full strength yet, and it was still anyone's guess who would win.

"M-my friend! I know... I know you're her friend! Please... please help her!"

Chen Tong glanced at him, looking half-dead, then continued watching the fight. Suddenly, he murmured in surprise, "Hm?" He sensed something strange about Bing Lin's aura.

"M-my friend, I'm begging you, please...!"

"Shut up!" Chen Tong snapped. Then he took two steps forward. He was at a loss for words over the Beast-clothed Man's request!

"Chirp!"

A piercing bird cry suddenly rang out from the battlefield! Clear and bright, it carried the faint pressure of a Divine Beast. Its ancient, sacred aura seemed to come from the Primordial Era, pressing all the demons to the ground. The three demons were especially terrified.

Then a massive blue bird's shadow burst from Bing Lin's body and soared into the sky! It hovered nine feet overhead, its proud bearing and immense pressure proclaiming its contempt for all creation. The aura it radiated seemed to demand the submission of every beast.

"A phoenix?"

Chen Tong stared at the bird-shaped shadow, which resembled a phoenix, and hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "No, that's not right. Phoenixes belong to fire, but that thing up there is icy blue. It looks like it could freeze the whole world. How could it be a phoenix?"

"Kid, what fearsome character have you provoked now?" Death Underworld Dragon, who had been sleeping in the Sea of Consciousness, had even been roused by this aura.

"Death Underworld Dragon, do you recognize that thing up there?" Chen Tong released his divine sense and pointed toward the sky.

"No. Who would recognize that thing?" Death Underworld Dragon replied from the Sea of Consciousness. Chen Tong furrowed his brow and pondered. "A bird's body, icy blue, ancient aura, Divine Beast! Could it be..." He seemed to realize something, and his eyes lit up. "An Ice Phoenix."

"Yes, it should be an Ice Phoenix! There are many ice-type Divine Beasts among the ancient Divine Beasts, but the only one shaped like a phoenix and as mighty as the Vermilion Bird is the Ice Phoenix."

Chen Tong looked at Bing Lin with delight! The reason he hadn't intervened from beginning to end was not only because he didn't want to alert Tathagata, but also because he wanted to force Bing Lin to reach her limits! He'd thought something like this would take a long time, but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon.

"Bing Lin!" Chen Tong shouted to her. "Quick! Disperse the technique! With your current cultivation, you can't withstand the pressure of an ancient Divine Beast for long."

As soon as Chen Tong's voice fell, Bing Lin seemed to wake from a dream. The aura around her immediately dissipated, and a profound weakness swept through her entire body. Without warning, she collapsed!

Chen Tong flashed to her side and caught her in his arms. He had no time to savor her enchanting, intoxicating presence before he spoke gently, smiling faintly. "Congratulations. You broke through your limits, and your strength has risen to a new level."

Bing Lin's heart stirred. Since she began cultivating, she had never once been in such intimate physical contact with a man. Normally, men were something she went out of her way to avoid. Yet now, held in Chen Tong's arms, she couldn't muster the slightest resistance—in fact, she even found herself enjoying it.