Chapter 344
After some time of thought, Xiao Minghuang left her room and went outside the inn.
As soon as he stepped out, he bumped into Shi Hongyu, who was rushing over.
"Princess."
Upon seeing Xiao Minghuang appear, Shi Hongyu quickly went to greet her.
"I was just about to pay a visit to your residence when I unexpectedly encountered Fellow Daoist Shi."
"What a coincidence! I've also come to invite the princess to my residence for a chat."
Shi Hongyu approached Xiao Minghuang and said respectfully, "My master has also come. He said he heard that I have made a friend and would like to meet you."
"Um?"
Xiao Minghuang frowned slightly. She could sense that Shi Hongyu was subtly different from when they had been together before, the most obvious difference being that she had become more respectful.
This change in attitude must have been due to something that happened after Shi Hongyu returned home.
"Fellow Daoist Shi, you mentioned before that your master is the Netherworld Demon Venerable, one of the Six Paths?"
Shi Hongyu nodded and said, "Indeed, Princess, please come with me. My master said that since you have come from afar, he must treat you well!"
Having said that, although it wasn't explicitly stated, it was obvious that Shi Hongyu already knew that she was Princess Xiao from the Eastern Pole.
After a moment's thought, Xiao Minghuang nodded and said:
Let's go.
She was planning to go to the Shi residence anyway, intending to try and make contact with the higher-ups of the Central Demon City through Shi Hongyu. Now that the other party had delivered themselves to her doorstep, it couldn't be better.
"Thank you, Princess," Shi Hongyu said happily.
Then, she led Xiao Minghuang toward the Stone Mansion.
Shi Mansion.
In an elegant pavilion, there is a simple little table.
Xiao Minghuang sat quietly to one side, savoring the milk, waiting for Shi Hongyu's grandmaster.
She gazed at the milky white liquid in the glass, her delicate nose twitching as she inhaled the milky aroma filling the air. Xiao Minghuang savored it carefully, sensing that the cuisine of the Southern Wilderness seemed quite different from that of the Eastern Pole.
In the Eastern Wilderness, both cultivators and mortals alike love to enjoy tea, while in the Southern Wilderness, people mostly drink dairy products.
Thinking of the boundless desert Central Demon City, Xiao Minghuang immediately understood and muttered to himself:
"It seems the soil and water here are barren, and tea leaves have nowhere to grow, so naturally, it's impossible for everyone to drink tea."
The words had barely left his mouth.
Suddenly, a hearty laugh came from outside the courtyard.
"Haha, Princess, you have come from afar! I have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me!"
Immediately afterwards, an elderly man with white hair and a youthful face stepped into the room.
He had a broad smile on his face and looked very energetic. His temples were slightly gray, but his eyes were incredibly clear and full of wisdom, giving people a sense of unfathomable depth.
Xiao Minghuang stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Junior greets Senior."
"Your Highness is too kind to this old man!"
The Netherworld Demon Venerable quickly stopped him, bowing slightly and saying, "Celestial Person, your celestial beauty and presence are an honor to my humble abode. I am but a lowly and uncouth man, how could I possibly accept such courtesy from you? We can simply address each other as equals."
"Hehe, not at all." Xiao Minghuang smiled faintly.
The two then took their seats.
Xiao Minghuang could sense that although the Netherworld Demon Venerable appeared extremely humble, his cultivation level among the Supreme beings was already at its limit, only half a step away from entering the Earth Immortal realm!
Given his status and position, he didn't need to be so respectful to her.
As the saying goes, one must have something in mind when someone treats another with courtesy. The Netherworld Demon Venerable's courteous treatment must mean he wants something from her.
"This Ten Thousand Year Crystal Milk is a rare treasure. Just one drop can elevate a King Realm cultivator by several minor realms, and it also has considerable effect on Saint Realm cultivators. Please, Princess, try it!"
The Netherworld Demon Venerable took out a jade bowl, poured in some milky white milk, and handed it to Xiao Minghuang.
"Oh?"
Xiao Minghuang smiled and said, "I'm sorry to trouble you, fellow Daoist. I can't let your kindness go to waste!"
She then picked up the jade bowl and took a sip, feeling refreshed as if she were bathed in warm sunshine.
"This Ten Thousand Year Crystal Milk is truly miraculously effective," Xiao Minghuang sighed inwardly. "If I could obtain more of this crystal milk, I should be able to advance a minor realm soon, reaching the Longevity Realm Eighth Heaven."
As her cultivation level and the level of her Daoist arts increased, her connection with the Great Dao of the Eastern Pole deepened. As a result, many elixirs and divine objects gradually lost their effectiveness. Even high-level Heaven and Earth Divine Object and earth, as long as they were born in the Eastern Pole, had a significantly reduced effect on her.
Now that she has left the Eastern Pole and is in this desolate southern desert, she has tasted a highly nourishing substance that can help her improve her cultivation level.
The Tuo Beast Milk the Drunken Immortal Hermit had given her before had some effect, but it was nothing compared to this Ten Thousand Year Crystal Milk.
"This Ten Thousand Year Crystal Milk is truly a masterpiece!"
Xiao Minghuang exclaimed in admiration.
"If the princess likes it, I have quite a few more here, which I will give to her."
As he spoke, the Netherworld Demon Venerable waved his hand, and a palm-sized crystal bottle appeared in his hand, which he handed to Xiao Minghuang.
However, Xiao Minghuang did not reach out to take it, but smiled slightly, "How could I dare to accept such a valuable item so easily?"
Upon hearing this, the Netherworld Demon Venerable looked embarrassed. He coughed a few times and said, "Princess, you are overthinking it. It is truly just my humble wish. If you do not accept it, how dare I mention anything else?"
Xiao Minghuang smiled without speaking; she roughly knew why the Netherworld Demon Venerable had come to find her.
As expected, the Netherworld Demon Venerable stated directly the next moment. "This time, I have come on the orders of the Devil Master Lord, requesting that the princess assist in eliminating the traitors of the Blood Demon and Asura paths. In exchange, the Devil Master promises to hand over the Heavenly Desire Sacred Body to the princess, and also grants her an additional request. Furthermore, the Devil Master Lord states that he will provide the necessary assistance to the princess in eliminating these two paths, namely, to help the princess elevate her to the Dao Supreme realm!"
The words had barely left his mouth.
Xiao Minghuang's lips curled up slightly, and a smile appeared in the corner of her eye. In just half a day, the Demon Emperor had added another bargaining chip.
Originally, he only promised her a meeting at the Devil Palace after the matter was accomplished, but now it has become a condition he has agreed to.
The difference between the two is not small.
"To be honest, this is already the Devil Master Lord's bottom line. Once the opportunity is missed, it will be too late to regret it..."
The Netherworld Demon Venerable smiled.
After hearing this, Xiao Minghuang's eyes flickered, and she finally nodded.
As things stand, she couldn't see any malice in the other party.
If this really is a trap, then she chose...
Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
461. The Fallen Phoenix Pond
"A wise decision!"
The Netherworld Demon Venerable breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "In that case, I will make the arrangements to help the princess break through to the Supreme Realm!"
"Um."
Xiao Minghuang nodded. She was also very curious about what method Nanhuang would use to help her break through to the Supreme Realm.
"Please come with me, Princess."
The Netherworld Demon Venerable made a gesture, signaling Xiao Minghuang to follow.
Then, the two of them, one in front of the other, headed out of the city.
The Netherworld Demon Venerable led Xiao Minghuang on a flight, traversing the vast desert for an unknown and long distance before finally stopping.
"Is this the place?" Xiao Minghuang looked around and saw only desolate yellow sand all around, blown by the wind and sun, vast and empty, barren of any vegetation, devoid of any sign of life, no different from other places in the desert.
"That's right." The Netherworld Demon Venerable nodded and explained, "This location is at the southernmost tip of the Southern Wilderness, and it is the entrance to a secret realm."
"A secret realm?"
Xiao Minghuang raised an eyebrow slightly.
The Netherworld Demon Venerable smiled slightly, flipped his hand, and a crimson feather appeared in his palm, radiating a dense fiery power that seemed capable of burning the void. The intense heat of the flames was overwhelming and suffocating.
"This is the Feather of the Undying Divine Phoenix, and also the key to unlocking the secret realm."
The Undying Divine Phoenix is an ancient divine beast, usually mentioned alongside other divine beasts such as the dragon and the qilin. Once it successfully reaches adulthood, it will possess strength comparable to that of an immortal, making it extremely ancient and powerful.
"Is this secret realm related to the Undying Divine Phoenix?"
Xiao Minghuang's expression shifted slightly, and she asked.
"Exactly!" The Netherworld Demon Venerable Lord nodded and said, "In an extremely distant ancient era, an Undying Divine Phoenix once perished here. His flesh and blood transformed into a secret realm called: the Fallen Phoenix Pond."
"The Fallen Phoenix Pond contains the blood of the Undying Divine Phoenix. Bathing in this blood will surely enable the princess to break through to the Supreme Realm!"
Immediately afterwards, the Netherworld Demon Venerable threw out the Immortal Divine Phoenix Feather.
Suddenly, some mysterious power seemed to be activated, the void trembled, the earth shook, and a huge, fiery red door rose from the sand and stood in the void, like a legendary Realm Gate to another world!
Within the gate, a faint aura of antiquity and majesty emanates, as if it has traversed countless ages, arriving from the beginning of time to the present!
Gazing at that ancient gate, Xiao Minghuang seemed to faintly hear a resounding phoenix cry echoing through the heavens and earth—the voice of the Undying Divine Phoenix.
Seeing this, Xiao Minghuang frowned slightly.
As luck would have it, this secret realm is called the Fallen Phoenix Pond, and her name also happens to contain the character "phoenix".
However, she did not sense any warning, so she assumed that there was no danger in this secret realm.
Xiao Minghuang said, "In that case, please, Demon Lord, open the secret realm!"
The Netherworld Demon Venerable shook his head. "Opening this Fallen Phoenix Pond is not without conditions. One must gather both the Immortal Divine Phoenix Feather and the essence blood of the Heavenly Desire Sacred Body before it can be opened."
"Now that the Immortal Divine Phoenix Feather is in my hands, all that's missing is the essence blood of the Heavenly Desire Sacred Body..."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Minghuang's eyes narrowed slightly, and she reacted almost instantly.
The essence of a cultivator is their physical body.
The aura of a cultivator is spiritual power, or magical power.
The spirit of a cultivator is the Primordial Spirit or true spirit.
These three elements are inherently interconnected and none can be dispensed with.
Although the Southern Wilderness possesses the physical body of the Heavenly Desire Sacred Body and has not lost the spiritual power attached to it, it lacks the Primordial Spirit and true spirit. Therefore, its essence and energy have lost their vitality. The Primordial Spirit and true spirit must return to the physical body so that the essence, energy, and spirit can circulate again and the essence and blood can regain their spirituality.
No wonder both the Drunken Immortal Hermit and the Netherworld Demon Venerable Lord invited her to cooperate with them.
So that's the reason...
Seeing Xiao Minghuang's unusual expression, the Netherworld Demon Venerable was slightly embarrassed and quickly explained, "Princess, please don't worry. It's just that this secret realm does require the essence blood of the Heavenly Desire Sacred Body to open. If you could invite the Primordial Spirit of the Heavenly Desire Sacred Body, you could enter the secret realm together. You could break through to the Supreme Realm, and the Sacred Body could also enhance its cultivation. Wouldn't that be a win-win situation?"
After saying that, he added, "I meant no harm; I was only thinking of the princess!"
Xiao Minghuang remained silent, her trust in the Netherworld Demon Venerable diminishing further.
After all, the Netherworld Demon Venerable had already deceived her once, so deceiving her again wouldn't be a big deal.
In a mere instant, although her expression remained unchanged, her mindset underwent a complete transformation.
She won't let this go!
A short while later.
Xiao Minghuang gazed at the bright red door and slowly said, "This is the Southern Wilderness. Her Primordial Spirit is far away in the Endless Sea, separated by two realms. If I go back to the Eastern Pole now, I don't know how long it will take to get back."
"These are not problems!"
The Netherworld Demon Venerable was overjoyed and hurriedly said, "I have a Heavenly Divine Object that can open a void passage connecting the two realms, and the round trip won't even take a quarter of an hour!"
"Oh?" Xiao Minghuang's eyes narrowed, and he asked with great interest, "I wonder what kind of divine object it is?"
The Netherworld Demon Venerable's lips curled into a smile, and with a flick of his sleeve, a silver gate appeared in the void.
"This is the Void Piercing Gate, containing a trace of the true essence of the Great Dao of the Void, capable of tearing apart the barrier between the two realms and traveling between them."
Xiao Minghuang nodded and said, "What a wonderful treasure."
Of course she knew that the Void Dao that the Netherworld Demon Venerable spoke of was not the Way of Void of this world, but the Void Dao, one of the fundamental Daos of the universe!