Journey to Phoenix Mountain

Looking at the prompt before him, Li Xuan's brow furrowed.

Unlike when he killed the Golden Dragon, this time the system was clearly forcing him to choose to go out.

It wouldn't let him keep hiding on Mount Taixuan.

Because if he continued cultivating, the gains would be extremely, extremely low.

It was possible his cultivation wouldn't budge even for tens of thousands of years.

But going out...

Li Xuan rubbed his chin, thought for a moment, then suddenly his eyes lit up.

That's right!

What the system was making him choose was only to say—let him help calm the calamity.

Or stir up the calamity.

Or simply do nothing at all, just silently watch them fight to the death until it ended.

That meant, even if he didn't go out, as long as he completed the watching, he'd still get the reward!

Thinking of this, Li Xuan's heart stirred...

He seemed to have found a bug...

He absolutely had to try exploiting this...

Immediately he held his breath, focused his mind, formed hand seals, and chanted a spell.

Spiritual energy converged, and a figure rapidly manifested beside him.

Incarnation Outside the Body!

And an enhanced version at that!

As soon as this Incarnation Outside the Body appeared, Li Xuan was stunned.

Truly worthy of being an enhanced version—his original body was only at the Golden Immortal first level.

But this Incarnation Outside the Body had a cultivation of Golden Immortal tenth level!

Of course, the Incarnation Outside the Body didn't have a golden core inside.

But a solid Golden Immortal tenth level was still Golden Immortal tenth level!

Li Xuan's heart surged with wild joy. Without a second word, he immediately selected option three!

He would use the Incarnation Outside the Body to go out and properly observe the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity until it ended!

He would comfortably and safely enjoy this wave of benefits.

"Ding, selection made: observe the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity until successful completion."

After the selection was made, Li Xuan's Incarnation Outside the Body glanced at the lotus platform.

He casually took the Fire-Tipped Spear and White Jade Ring, two Innate Spiritual Treasures of poorer quality, for self-defense.

Then, with a flicker of movement, he flew out of Mount Taixuan.

"Milord!"

The calamity clouds dispersed, and heaven and earth were at peace.

Bright Rabbit, Qi Ying, Little Purple, and Little Blue finally dared to fly back.

Looking at Li Xuan, still lively and bouncing on the lotus platform, their reverence had reached its peak!

Under such a great calamity, Milord had come through completely unscathed!

His spirit was even still vigorous!

The four all shouted loudly, knelt before Li Xuan with awe in their eyes, and cried out: "Congratulations, Milord! You have passed the Nine-Nine Tribulation and attained Quasi-Saint!"

Li Xuan, however, chuckled and said: "What Quasi-Saint? Just a minor Golden Immortal. All of you, rise."

The four immediately felt that Milord was truly low-key...

It was one thing when he previously displayed Mystic Immortal cultivation.

But now that he had become a Quasi-Saint, he still only revealed Golden Immortal cultivation...

He didn't want to put pressure on them.

Thinking this in their hearts, the four stood up, even more respectful.

Where else could they find a Milord so powerful, so approachable, and so considerate of the dignity of minor cultivators like them?

Li Xuan smiled and said: "Bright Rabbit, Little Blue, Little Purple, if you want to stay here, just find a place to cultivate. But it's very dull here—nothing to do besides cultivate. If you want to leave, then go. You're always welcome back."

Then he looked at Qi Ying and said: "As for you, I won't force you to stay. Repent by my side for a hundred thousand years, and I'll let you go."

"To cultivate by Milord's side is already a tremendous fortune! Qi Ying is willing to be Milord's mount for life!"

Qi Ying's face was full of fervor.

At this moment, where was the slightest trace of humiliation at becoming someone's mount?

Now, he felt only honor!

To serve as the mount for a Quasi-Saint—a figure at the very ceiling of combat power in the Primordial Era—that was his honor!

The other three also nodded, their gazes burning as they shouted, "We only wish to stay by your side! We harbor no other thoughts!"

The three of them were also deeply embarrassed.

Back then, they had scorned this place for lacking opportunities and slow cultivation, and had resolutely left.

Yet they had shamelessly returned to beg for rescue.

In the end, the master not only saved them but did not despise them, allowing them to remain by his side to cultivate.

What more could they say, other than to repay him with their very lives?

Even if this place were a land of Dharma's End, they would never leave again!

Li Xuan, feeling a bit creeped out by the four pairs of eyes fixed on him, let out a dry chuckle and waved his hand.

Instantly, four clumps of blood, each the size of a basketball and glowing with a shimmering light, appeared before the four.

"Alright, then you'll stick with me. These four drops of Qiongqi Blood Essence—refine them first. We'll talk after you've fully absorbed them."

As for Qiongqi Blood Essence, Li Xuan had tens of thousands of catties here.

He could eat Qiongqi meat, though.

But he couldn't use the blood.

Because Qiongqi blood was too toxic. Given his cultivation level back then, if he had used it, he would likely have been directly poisoned into losing his mind and turning into a ferocious beast.

Now that he had become a Golden Immortal, he figured he could probably use it.

As for setting aside a few hundred catties from the tens of thousands for his four underlings, that was no big deal.

As for Qi Ying and the others, they were already stunned, staring at the Qiongqi Blood Essence before them.

Even Bright Rabbit, who had once by chance eaten a piece of Qiongqi meat and thus awakened his spiritual wisdom, was now utterly shocked beyond words at the sight of this Qiongqi Blood Essence!

This was a peerless treasure, a rare find that couldn't be found anywhere else in the entire Primordial Era!

Who could find a second Qiongqi?

At most, they could only find the mixed-blood descendants left behind by Qiongqi.

After a moment, the four hurriedly knelt again, shouting excitedly, "Thank you, master, for granting us the blood essence!"

"Strive hard in your cultivation."

Li Xuan smiled faintly, closed his eyes first, and began to cultivate.

The four glanced at each other, then carefully took hold of the Qiongqi Blood Essence.

They flew down from the mountain peak, found a spot, and began earnestly refining the Qiongqi Blood Essence to elevate their cultivation.

Mount Taixuan fell silent once more.

"Little boy, little boy, carrying his schoolbag off to school..."

Ten thousand li west of Mount Taixuan.

Li Xuan's Incarnation Outside the Body held the Fire-Tipped Spear, with the White Jade Ring slung across his back.

His face beamed with a sunny smile as he sang a song, heading straight westward.

The final eruption point of the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity was at Phoenix Mountain.

So by heading directly to Phoenix Mountain, he should be able to witness the final great battle.

After tens of thousands of years of war among the three races, the Primordial Beings had clearly withered severely.

Along his entire journey, Li Xuan could barely see any living beings. The entire Primordial Era was desolate and bleak.

Under the great calamity, all beings perished—that was no empty saying.

Still, Li Xuan had long grown accustomed to this silence.

So it didn't bother him much, and besides, he was extremely familiar with this stretch of road.

Over the past ten thousand years, he had used his clone to scout an immeasurable distance.

On the Primordial Earth, the lineage of the Prime Kirin had perished, and the Beast Race was left without a master.

Thus, they were utterly routed, then gathered up by the Flying Bird and Scaled Tribes, becoming cannon fodder and combat strength for both sides.

With the threat of the Prime Kirin gone, the conflict between Ancestor Dragon and Primordial Phoenix grew ever greater.

The battles below naturally became more brutal.

Li Xuan's earlier sighting of the Luan Bird and the Flood Dragon locked in combat was proof of that.

After defeating the Beasts, how could the two tribes evenly distribute the flesh ingredients, rare treasures, and magical artifacts they had obtained?

Especially between the Ancestor Dragon and the Primordial Phoenix, they were even vying for fortune!

All for the sake of that chance to attain the Hunyuan Wuji Great Luo Dao Fruit!

Thus, the Feathered and Scaled Tribes were gradually about to begin an all-out war.

Flying along the way.

Li Xuan was no longer the desperate Heavenly Immortal he had been back then.

As a Golden Immortal of the tenth level, though still cautious, he now had some confidence to roam the Primordial Wilderness!

Coupled with the Fire-Tipped Spear and White Jade Ring as protective treasures, he was well-equipped for both offense and defense.

So his speed compared to before was a full...

More than double!