Kong Xuan

Within the parasol tree grove, demonic qi soared into the heavens. The man at the head, clad in a crimson-feathered cloak, stood in midair with phantom fire crows circling around him. Behind him, several demon soldiers each held a demon banner, surrounding the half-ruined stone platform at the center.

This demon was named Yu Chi. His true form was a crimson-feathered fire crow. In his early years, a wisp of fire essence from the Sun Star had awakened his intelligence. He later pledged allegiance to the Demon Court, and Di Jun had appointed him a Demon Marshal, specifically tasked with recruiting the avian lineage.

The aura of a Primordial Unity Golden Immortal pressed down, turning the faces of many remaining Phoenix Clan members in the parasol tree grove several shades paler.

Though the Phoenix Clan had once ruled over all birds beneath heaven, after the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity, most Phoenix Clan experts had withdrawn into Southern Brightness Volcano, using their suppression of the volcanoes to wash away their boundless karmic burden. The remnant branches left outside had long since lost their former glory.

Yu Chi looked down from above at Kong Xuan, who stood atop the damaged stone platform, and said, "Kong Xuan, the Demon Emperor has decreed that all birds between heaven and earth in the Primordial World must enter the Demon Court. If your Phoenix Clan is willing to submit to the Demon Court, the Demon Emperor will naturally find you a place to settle."

As those words fell, the pressure of a Primordial Unity Golden Immortal spread outward as well.

The Phoenix Clan members beside the stone platform were directly crushed to their knees by that pressure.

"Phoenix Clan! Will not enter the Demon Court!" Kong Xuan gritted his teeth, forced himself upright, and spoke each word distinctly.

Hearing this, Yu Chi said coldly, "Do you think the Phoenix Clan of today is still the Phoenix Clan that once ruled all birds of the Primordial World? Since you cannot tell good from bad, do not blame this Marshal for showing no mercy."

With a wave of his hand, several demon generals behind him immediately raised a black demon banner. Upon it was engraved a Golden Crow spreading its wings. As the banner stirred, the fortune of the Demon Court pressed down upon the parasol tree grove.

At the same time, the demon soldiers behind them charged downward.

Five-Colored Divine Light suddenly blazed behind Kong Xuan. A demon soldier who had drawn close raised a treasured saber, but the instant it approached, the five-colored radiance swept it directly to the ground.

Yet in the next moment, the fortune of the Demon Court slammed into him. Kong Xuan's chest abruptly tightened, and a thread of black-red fire-baleful karmic burden surfaced from his shoulder.

Yu Chi sneered and slowly said, "So what if you bear Yuan Feng's bloodline? You are weighed down by the Phoenix Clan's endless karmic burden. No matter how powerful the Five-Colored Divine Light is, how many times do you dare use it? If you still refuse to submit today, this Marshal will personally act, seize you, and bring you to the Sun Star to see the Demon Emperor."

Kong Xuan raised his head, five-colored radiance flowing in his eyes.

"You can try."

Yu Chi's face turned utterly cold. The presence of a Primordial Unity Golden Immortal crashed down without reservation, and the demon banners behind him billowed as black-red demon fire rained toward the parasol tree grove.

Just then, a dark azure sword light slashed in from beyond the grove. The sword light was not vast, yet it was so pristine it was almost dazzling.

The instant the black-red demon fire touched the sword light, it was as though it had been washed by clear water, dispersing more than half of it in an instant.

Seeing this, Yu Chi abruptly turned toward the direction from which the sword light had flown.

"Who dares interfere in the affairs of my Demon Court?"

Outside the parasol tree grove, Xuan Heng walked over at an unhurried pace. He did not deliberately release any pressure, yet Profound Pure Immortal Light flowed around him. The fire-baleful karmic burden, demonic qi, and aura of the old calamity within the ruined grove all silently retreated, unable to draw near him.

When Yu Chi saw the newcomer, his pupils contracted. As a Demon Marshal of the Demon Court, he naturally recognized him.

The small cushion of Purple Cloud Palace, the Dao Ancestor's direct disciple, Kunlun's Fourth Pure One—Xuan Heng.

"Demon Race's Yu Chi pays respects to Immortal Xuan Heng."

Xuan Heng glanced at him and said blandly, "Has the Demon Court now begun deciding the allegiance of every bird in the Primordial World? What, if they refuse to submit to your Demon Court today, are you planning to begin a massacre?"

Hearing Xuan Heng's questioning, Yu Chi's expression stiffened slightly. He forced himself to say, "Immortal Xuan Heng misunderstands. The remnant branch of the Phoenix Clan is lonely and without support. The Demon Emperor remembers their old reputation, and so sent me here to invite the Phoenix Clan to the Demon Court."

Upon hearing Yu Chi's words, Kong Xuan snorted coldly before saying, "Heh, heh. That was not what you said just now."

Fire flashed in Yu Chi's eyes, but he did not refute him.

Xuan Heng's expression remained calm as he spoke again. "After the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity, most of the Phoenix Clan imprisoned themselves within Southern Brightness Volcano. Your Demon Race's desire to recruit the myriad demons and expand your strength is understandable. But the Phoenix Clan—even the remnant branch before us—is entangled in the immense karmic burden of the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity. Do you truly think that a mere Demon Marshal like you can make such a decision for the Demon Court?"

At this, Xuan Heng looked at Yu Chi and said with a smile, "I presume you have not received Fellow Daoist Di Jun's permission. You intend to recruit the Phoenix Clan first, then claim credit before Fellow Daoist Di Jun, do you not?"

Xuan Heng did not believe Di Jun would be foolish enough to absorb the Phoenix Clan into the Demon Court. The Phoenix Clan bore the karmic burden of a supreme calamity. Bringing them into the Heavenly Court would bring the Demon Court a hundred harms and not a single benefit.

Upon hearing this, Yu Chi's expression shifted slightly. Xuan Heng was right—he had indeed not received Di Jun's decree, but had come here of his own accord to recruit the Phoenix Clan.

Still, he stiffened his resolve and said, "Is Immortal Xuan Heng going to stand up for the Phoenix Clan?"

Xuan Heng chuckled softly. "This poor Daoist is merely reminding you: if the Phoenix Clan willingly enters the Demon Court, then naturally no one has anything to say. But if the Demon Court forcibly oppresses the Phoenix Clan's remnant branch, and you suffer the backlash of karmic burden, I do not think Fellow Daoist Di Jun will reward you."

Yu Chi lowered his head and cupped his hands. "I will bring the Immortal's words back to the Demon Court."

Xuan Heng said, "It is enough that you bring them back."

Yu Chi put away the demon banners and gave Kong Xuan a deep look.

"Kong Xuan, with Immortal Xuan Heng here today, this Marshal will not hold this against you. But the Demon Court's recruitment of the avian lineage will not come only once."

"Hmph, it will be the same no matter how many times you come!" Kong Xuan shouted at Yu Chi's departing figure.

After all the demons had left, an elderly woman emerged from the depths of the parasol tree grove and cupped her hands toward Xuan Heng. "Many thanks to Immortal Xuan Heng for saving us today."

The other Phoenix Clan members present also stepped forward to thank Xuan Heng.

Xuan Heng raised a hand to support them and said, "This poor Daoist was merely passing by today. It was nothing more than a casual act."

The elderly Phoenix Clan woman gave a bitter smile.

"To Immortal, it was a casual act. To us, it was the grace of survival in the face of extinction."

Xuan Heng did not respond to this. Instead, he turned to Kong Xuan and asked, "Your name is Kong Xuan?"

Hearing Xuan Heng call him, Kong Xuan turned to look at him. The youth's gaze still carried a trace of pride as he replied, "Yes."

"That Five-Colored Divine Light just now—is it your innate divine ability?"

Kong Xuan did not conceal anything at Xuan Heng's question. He nodded and said, "The qi of the Five Elements is naturally compatible with me."

"Mm. It is a fine divine ability. A pity you cannot yet control it."

Kong Xuan's expression shifted slightly, and the Phoenix Clan fell silent as well.

Kong Xuan pressed his lips together, his face full of defiance as he spoke again. "I can already brush away the treasured blade of a Demon Race general at the Golden Immortal realm."

Xuan Heng said, "The treasured blade of a Golden Immortal Demon Race member is nothing much. In the future, those who set their sights on your Five-Colored Divine Light will be far more troublesome than those few demon soldiers today."

Kong Xuan said nothing.

Xuan Heng continued, "From the moment you were born, you carried supreme karmic burden. Every time you use the Five-Colored Divine Light, it draws upon the karmic burden within you. Today, the strongest among them was only a demon marshal at the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm. But if mighty experts at the quasi-saint level—or even saint-level mighty experts—make a move against you in the future, how many of their attacks do you think you can brush away?"

"You saw it?"

Kong Xuan's expression changed slightly.

Xuan Heng said nothing. Raising his hand, he summoned the Purifying White Lotus. Purifying white light cascaded down, and the strand of black-red fire-baleful karmic burden on Kong Xuan's shoulder immediately revealed itself. It was like a tiny chain, wrapped around his origin.

When the Phoenix Clan saw this scene, all their expressions changed.

Kong Xuan himself was stunned. He only knew that whenever he used the Five-Colored Divine Light, the fire-baleful karmic burden within him would backlash against him. He had never truly seen this karmic burden before.

Xuan Heng washed away the outermost strand of Kong Xuan's fire-baleful karmic burden. It was not that he did not want to help Kong Xuan, but that this was all he could do. The karmic burden borne by the Phoenix Clan was not something that a few rays of purifying light could erase.

Kong Xuan's shoulders relaxed, and his breathing immediately became much smoother.

He looked up at Xuan Heng. The pride in his eyes remained, but now there was a measure of shock as well.

"Can you help me dissolve the Phoenix Clan's old calamity?"

Xuan Heng shook his head and said, "No."

Kong Xuan frowned.

Xuan Heng said, "The karmic burden borne by the Phoenix Clan is tied to the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity, tied to the causality of heaven and earth. If you want to wash it all away in a single day, you're dreaming."

Hearing this, Kong Xuan fell silent.

Xuan Heng looked at him, and his voice softened somewhat.

"But I can help you slowly suppress the karmic burden, and perhaps even clear away the karmic burden weighing upon you in the end."

Kong Xuan did not speak at once.

Only after a long while did he ask, "Do you want to take me as your disciple?"