An Unexpected Event in Ying Bing's Life

Behind the stone gate lay a karst cave.

Trees, rocks, and insects were all crystallized, resembling red gemstones.

Magnificent, yet deathly silent.

No one had set foot here for a long time, yet everything within the cave seemed encased in red crystals, eternally frozen in a single moment.

The rosy light grew increasingly dense, condensing into a tangible substance.

At the source of this radiance stood a lifelike, miraculous little tree.

Not far away, a pool the size of a bathtub held a reservoir of rose-colored liquid, emitting an exotic fragrance that made one's pores open wide.

This was the entirety of the Nine-Colored Primal Phoenix's inheritance.

Everything was exactly as it had been when Ying Bing arrived in her past life.

She let out a long breath.

The Nine-Colored Primal Phoenix was of vital importance to her.

It could be said that without the Nine Souls of the Nine-Colored Primal Phoenix, the Blood Phoenix Sutra she relied upon would be like duckweed without roots, inferior even to a standard ultimate technique.

The reason she was able to be reborn was because, at the very last moment, she had utilized a forbidden art from the Blood Phoenix Sutra that had only been in the theoretical stage:

'Nirvana.'

Now, she had reached the point of obtaining the Rosy Soul much earlier!

Furthermore, she had no need to fumble in the dark; she knew all of its wonders!

In this life, she would fly higher, faster, and further...

Ying Bing reined in her surging emotions and said softly, "The water in that pool is tainted with a trace of a divine beast's essence blood."

"You may go in and soak; the benefits to your future are immeasurable. At the very least, your body-tempering cultivation will be able to reach a higher level."

A trace of the Nine-Colored Primal Phoenix's essence blood.

It was precisely because she had soaked in this pool in her past life that she had completed her meridian opening.

From then on, she had been immune to all poisons and possessed divine-like assistance while in the Blood-Qi Realm.

She had no need for it now, however.

"Then many thanks."

"You should also go and accept your inheritance quickly."

Li Mo smiled, his mood quite good.

Although the ice block hadn't stated it explicitly, he knew in his heart that this so-called divine beast essence blood was, in all likelihood, the essence blood of the Nine-Colored Primal Phoenix.

Even without the investment returns, this trip could be considered a bountiful harvest.

The items provided by the system that could compare to this pool of spring water were few and far between.

Don't let the ice block's aloof exterior fool you; she still thinks of me in her heart...

He didn't stand on ceremony.

He stepped directly into the pool water.

Instantly, an extremely potent vitality burrowed in through every pore on his body, as if schools of tiny fish were swimming through the major meridians surrounding him.

It was so comfortable that it felt as if his very soul were being cleansed.

"With this, I can consider this favor repaid."

Ying Bing had expected to feel as though a weight had been lifted from her heart once the favor was settled.

But for some reason, she felt a trace of emptiness instead?

Still, for Li Mo to have come this far was already a massive change in his destiny.

In the future, he might even have a place for himself in the Eastern Wasteland Domain...

Suppressing her thoughts, Ying Bing lowered her gaze to the little tree.

Though the tree was clearly less than a person's height, it faintly exuded a sense of grandeur and majesty.

Its branches were bare, and it was impossible to tell if it was dead or alive.

Ying Bing bit her fingertip.

Drip—

Her blood fell onto the soil, flowing into the root system of the little tree.

A miraculous scene unfolded.

At the very first drop, the withered trunk began to radiate vitality.

The second drop, and new buds began to appear on the trunk.

The third drop, and the buds transformed into branches, beginning to grow rapidly.

The fourth drop, and the branches became lush and leafy, with a tiny flower bud emerging at the very top of the canopy.

Until the ninth drop of blood fell.

The flower bud finally bloomed completely.

A clear, resonant cry rang out, like the shattering of jade.

"Rosy Soul."

Ying Bing's gaze fell upon the flower bud, where a miniature phoenix the size of a palm stood.

The phoenix was lifelike and incredibly spirited.

If one did not know the secret behind it, one would think it was a living creature.

She reached out her hand, wanting it to hop onto her palm.

However...

The phoenix suddenly flapped its wings and flew away rapidly.

Ying Bing: "?!"

A sudden change occurred.

Her heart gave a violent jolt, and she turned her head in a hurry, her gaze following the phoenix.

This is...

Li Mo?!

The phoenix landed on the young man's shoulder, hopping about and appearing extremely affectionate.

The Nine-Colored Primal Phoenix Rosy Soul, which she had nurtured with her own blood, had actually chosen Li Mo?

Ying Bing found it hard to believe the scene before her, even suspecting it was a hallucination.

Her Lunar Phoenix Physique had successfully awakened the Rosy Soul.

This proved that her constitution had a close connection with the Nine-Colored Primal Phoenix.

She was rightfully the chosen successor.

This was something she had been absolutely certain of in both her past and present lives!

But Li Mo... why?

The phoenix formed by the Rosy Soul had actually abandoned her and chosen him?

Could it be because there was the aura of a True Phoenix in that silk pouch?

"Huh? Where did this bird come from?"

Li Mo was soaking in the hot spring.

He opened his eyes to see a beautiful little bird hopping about on his chest.

He wanted to ask Ying Bing what was going on and if there was any danger, but he found that her expression was complex to the extreme.

Li Mo's heart skipped a beat.

It was his first time seeing the Ice Block with such an expression.

"Is this... your inheritance?" Li Mo asked.

Ying Bing nodded faintly: "Yes."

Li Mo: "..."

The cavern suddenly fell silent, with only the sound of their breathing audible.

The situation was, for a moment, extremely awkward.

"This... Ice Block, you aren't thinking of... killing me to seize the treasure, are you?"

Li Mo stood up from the pool and asked tentatively:

"We are as close as siblings... childhood sweethearts..."

Ying Bing's mood had originally been beyond words.

But the young man's nervous expression made her feel inexplicably amused.

She raised her dark eyebrows:

"Why wouldn't I?"

When she said that, Li Mo's expression relaxed instead: "Stop lying to me, you aren't that kind of person."

Ying Bing lifted her eyes to look at him, saying nothing.

Indeed.

If this youth did not trust her completely, he would never have followed her down here.

Li Mo suddenly asked, "This is very important to you, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is."

Ying Bing nodded, unable to help but fall into memories.

The Nine-Colored Primal Phoenix's nine souls had helped her overcome many crises; rather than just a stroke of fortune, they had become a vital, inseparable part of her life and destiny.

Among them, the Rosy Soul had accompanied her for the longest time.

And now, a part of her life had chosen someone else.

The Phoenix Heavenly Empress's mood was complex to the point of extremity.

"Then this must be a very powerful thing."

Li Mo scrutinized the little bird hopping about in his palm.

The little thing was quite pretty.

Ying Bing's dark brows remained knitted for a long time, but eventually, they relaxed.

"But since it has chosen you, it belongs to you."

"Hm?"

Li Mo blinked and asked:

"After going through so much trouble, aren't you unwilling to let it go?"

"I am, but it has already chosen you."

Ying Bing regained her composure. "Besides... without it, I am still myself."

That was quite overbearing.

Young Master Li admitted to being a tiny bit impressed.

He had tried so hard to tease the ice block, only to end up being shown up himself.

No wonder she was the Daughter of Destiny.

He chuckled in spite of himself.

Li Mo blocked the Little Phoenix Bird that wanted to snuggle up to him.

The Little Phoenix Bird looked aggrieved, displaying a surprisingly human-like confusion.

"Go on, go to where you should be."

"Follow her, and you'll still be able to see me often."

Li Mo gave a gentle toss.

The Little Phoenix Bird seemed to understand his meaning, flapping its wings as it flew back to Ying Bing.

Ying Bing looked up.

Her cold, jade-like face finally lost its ripple-free calm.

She looked at the youth, her eyes filled with surprise and even bewilderment.

As if meeting him for the first time, Ying Bing asked, "It is a fortune capable of changing your destiny, giving you the chance to stand at the pinnacle of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. If you regret it now, there is still time."

"I know that."

Li Mo smiled from the bottom of his heart.

The more precious it was, the better his investment rebate would be.

A precious inheritance capable of changing Ying Bing's destiny—what would the system return to him for this?

Tsk, tsk...

"But it's not easy to see you find something you consider important."

"..."

Ying Bing's clear, secluded eyes stared at him in a daze.

The youth's smile was as sunny as ever, without a hint of reluctance, no holding back, and even...

A little bit of anticipation?

Having lived two lifetimes, she had seen too much.

In the face of opportunity, husbands and wives plotted against each other, fathers and sons turned into enemies, and brothers slaughtered one another; she was long accustomed to it all.

It was precisely because she had never fully trusted anyone again that she had been able to walk so far.

But today.

It seemed an exception had appeared?

"Stop being sentimental, it doesn't suit you. Hurry up and accept the inheritance."

"..."

The inscrutable expression in Ying Bing's eyes shifted several times, eventually settling into a faint, gentle warmth.

"Very well."

The Little Phoenix Bird flew into the center of her brow, transforming into a rose-red mark upon her skin.

Ten thousand rays of auspicious light erupted in a sudden burst.

The radiance surged out from the cave entrance, blooming with an indescribable magnificence.

Outside, the sky was growing dark.

Yet the Clear Abyss suddenly lit up, resembling a galaxy forged from shimmering clouds.

The clear, resonant cry of a phoenix echoed incessantly, ringing out across the heavens.

The Clear Abyss Sect, the Purple Sun Prefecture, and indeed the entire Eastern Wasteland could hear it clearly.

At the summit of Moon-Gazing Cliff, the elders stared blankly as the scene unfolded, their shock written plainly across their faces.

"The Clear Abyss is changing."

"Quickly, go notify the Sect Master!"