Today, Yuan Jin had invited Donghua here for more than just a thank-you. She certainly had something else to ask of him, but he wasn't in a hurry.
After exchanging pleasantries, the two began chatting casually about this and that, like old friends who hadn't seen each other in years.
In truth, this was the first time they had ever met.
Before long, Yuan Jin said, "Fellow Daoist, I invited you here today because I have something to ask of you."
Donghua replied casually, "Go ahead. There's no need to hold back."
Yuan Jin considered her words for a moment, then said, "Back then, during the Three Clans War, the Dragon, Phoenix, and Kirin Three Clans committed terrible slaughter. Countless lives were wiped out, many Innate Deities perished, and countless mountains, rivers, and streams were destroyed. The newborn Heavenly Dao found this deeply displeasing."
"As a result, the merit and fortune our Phoenix Clan had earned by driving out and purging the Fierce Beasts and maintaining order in heaven and earth were completely exhausted. Countless members of our clan were killed or wounded."
At this point, Yuan Jin fell silent, sighing with sorrow.
"When the great tribulation came, neither fortune nor misfortune arrived without cause; people brought them upon themselves. Had our clan not sought to dominate the Primordial Wilderness, this calamity would never have befallen us."
Donghua thought to himself, As expected, seeking to dominate the Primordial Wilderness is a dead end.
After a moment, Yuan Jin continued, "Later, Clan Leader Yuanfeng lamented the terrible sins she and the Phoenix Clan had committed. She took the entire burden upon herself, vowing to suppress the Volcano of Immortality forever with her Dao Body. So long as the volcano remains unsettled, Yuanfeng will not emerge."
"Our clan also withdrew completely from the Primordial Wilderness. We now keep to Southern Heaven, accompanying Ancestor Yuanfeng as she guards the Volcano of Immortality."
Donghua knew this history as well. The Three Clans War had caused the Volcano of Immortality in Southern Heaven to erupt, the Four Seas to convulse and the Sea Eye to shatter. The mountains, rivers, and Earth Veins of the continent had all been destroyed, inflicting irreparable harm upon the newborn Primordial World.
The Great Dao naturally wouldn't concern itself with the fate of the Primordial World, but the Heavenly Dao was different.
The Primordial World was like its home. If the world disappeared, the Heavenly Dao would naturally vanish with it.
Yuan Jin said, "Fellow Daoist Tai Wei, what I ask of you today is that you help our clan overcome this calamity."
Donghua asked in confusion, "A calamity? Who would want to make trouble for the Phoenix Clan now?"
There was at least a case to be made for the Dragon Clan. After all, it still occupied the Four Seas. But the Phoenix Clan had only Southern Heaven. How could anyone possibly have a reason to make an enemy of them?
Even a broken ship still had three thousand nails. Though the Three Clans seemed to have become quiet and unassuming, who knew what cards they still held?
A clan that had dominated the Primordial Wilderness for an entire era couldn't possibly be ordinary.
Yuan Jin shook her head. "You misunderstand, Fellow Daoist. Our clan's calamity isn't an external threat, but an internal one. You should know how the Volcano of Immortality came to be."
The Volcano of Immortality was the fire among Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind, which had existed since the world's creation.
When the world was first created, the Heaven-Opening Axe transformed into the Taiji Diagram, Pangu Banner, and Chaos Bell. These three supreme treasures came into being to subdue Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind within heaven and earth.
Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind formed the world, but at the beginning, they were so violent that they filled all of heaven and earth. That was why the three supreme treasures had been needed to stabilize them.
And the three treasures had indeed lived up to everyone's hopes. In the end, Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind were quelled.
But the source of the fire remained unbearably violent. It was suppressed in Southern Heaven and came to be known as the Volcano of Immortality.
Donghua exclaimed, "Could it be that the Volcano of Immortality is stirring again?"
Fire was the most rigid and yang of the elements, and also the hardest of the four natural calamities to deal with. In the long years since the Primordial World had been created, it had erupted before.
Yuan Jin solemnly nodded. "That's right. For some reason, the Volcano of Immortality has been erupting frequently over the past few years. Several members of our clan on its outer reaches have already perished because of it. Ancestor Feng sent word, asking us to seek outside help, but she said nothing more."
"Since you happen to be here, Fellow Daoist Tai Wei, I'm asking you for help. You're a master of formations in the Primordial Wilderness."
That was certainly true. East King Gong himself was a master of formations. The Myriad Immortals Formation, one of the four great formations of the Primordial Wilderness, had been created by him.
But as far as Donghua was concerned, the Myriad Immortals Formation didn't even exist yet.
Donghua considered it and decided he could agree. He would first go see what was happening at the Volcano of Immortality and find out whether he could resolve it.
"Fellow Daoist, I don't know what's happening with the volcano yet. I'll have to inspect it before I can give you an answer."
Yuan Jin nodded without hesitation.
The two then headed toward the Volcano of Immortality.
As they entered its depths, the temperature climbed higher and the surroundings grew increasingly desolate. All around them, there was nothing but countless gleaming formations.
At the formations' nodes, members of the Phoenix Clan worked to maintain the great array.
Seeing this, Donghua couldn't help thinking, The Phoenix Clan truly loves Yuanfeng.
With a single glance, Donghua saw that these formations weren't suppressing the volcano. They were diverting the force of its eruptions and helping Yuanfeng bear the burden.
Regardless, the Phoenix Clan had indeed rendered great service to the Primordial Wilderness.
Donghua said, "The Phoenix Clan has earned great merit from heaven and earth!"
At his words, Yuan Jin fell silent. In truth, she would rather have had no merit at all. Ever since the Phoenix Clan withdrew from the heart of the Primordial Wilderness, they had remained here to guard the volcano.
How could the sins of an entire clan be shouldered by Ancestor Feng alone? Every member of the Phoenix Clan had willingly chosen to share Yuanfeng's burden.
Many of them had already died here.
But now, in order to strengthen its hold over heaven and earth and establish the Heavenly Court, the Yao Race had begun slandering the Three Clans everywhere, recounting their crimes while saying nothing at all about their contributions.
The elders of the Three Clans were furious, but there was nothing they could do.
Now Donghua had openly acknowledged the Phoenix Clan's great merit toward heaven and earth. She was overwhelmed with joy.
It might have sounded like a simple statement, but who said it mattered.
Donghua was an Innate Deity acknowledged by heaven and earth, the Wood Duke of the East; the Eastern Emperor Donghua acknowledged by the Divine Dao; the leader of the male immortals, personally appointed by Hongjun of the Immortal Dao; and the East King of the Purple Mansion, known to all living beings.
Though Donghua's words sounded simple, they carried the weight of his status and signified that the Dao he cultivated recognized the Phoenix Clan.
As soon as he said them, heaven and earth would feel it. All living beings who cultivated the Purple Mansion's methods would feel it too.
This was the power of a true Great Power, a ruler over one realm. It was also the sacred authority of a Quasi-Saint.
Of course, not every Quasi-Saint possessed such power. The differences between Quasi-Saints could be as vast as the difference between heaven and earth.
Yuan Jin solemnly bowed to Donghua. "Thank you for recognizing us, Your Majesty King Dong. This old woman is deeply grateful."
"There's no need for such formality. The world should know the Phoenix Clan's sins, but it shouldn't forget their merit either. Merit is merit, and wrongdoing is wrongdoing."
Hearing this, Yuan Jin's eyes filled with tears.
She thought, As Candle Dragon said, East King Gong is truly a virtuous Great Power. Our Phoenix Clan should befriend him.
Donghua didn't look at Yuan Jin's reaction. A voice in his mind had caught his attention.
"Thank you, young friend. I, Yuanfeng, offer you my thanks here." After Donghua had spoken, these words had come to him from inside his mind.
Donghua was so startled that he quickly released his Primordial Spirit Power and the Pure World White Lotus, searching his body for anything amiss. He understood transmitting one's voice through divine sense.
But to send a voice into his mind without a sound or trace—that was terrifying.
Another message came at that moment. "You're cautious, young friend. But don't worry. I'm inside the volcano and can't get out."
Donghua didn't stop searching, but he replied, "Senior, you truly have impressive abilities. No wonder you're Phoenix Ancestor."
A laugh came from the voice. "I'll stop teasing you. You young ones are no fun."
This time, Donghua clearly sensed that the words were coming from inside the volcano.
The author hadn't been slacking off on updates. They had actually saved up many chapters, but the book had been signed too late and still hadn't gone through the recommendation process, so it wasn't suitable to post too many chapters yet.
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