Thirty Years East of the River, Thirty Years West of the River-Never Look Down on the Nine Netherbird!

Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy was located on the Northern Heavens Continent, far from the Hundred Spirit Continent.

After leaving the Black Eerie Abyss, Zhao Chen alternated between riding the tamed high-grade spirit beast Water-Fire Crane and the Heavenly-Grade Spirit Beast Snow Eagle.

Even with teleportation formations available, he did not dare use them.

Anyone who saw spirit beasts without riders would assume something was wrong and would not give them a chance to get close.

"Grass, where are you taking me?"

On the back of the Heavenly-Grade Spirit Beast Snow Eagle rested a black bird egg.

The egg was covered in countless patterns.

They intertwined, forming a giant bird wreathed in Black Flame.

It was the Nine Netherbird!

"..."

Zhao Chen's face darkened slightly.

Although he really was a blade of grass now, could she not call him that?

Seriously, he would think she was swearing at him!

"I'm taking you somewhere you can successfully overcome your tribulation and transform into the divine beast Nine Netherworld Dark Bird."

Back then, he had been the first to enter the depths of the Black Eerie Abyss and find the Nine Netherbird egg.

There had been none of the imagined life-and-death battle. They had not even exchanged blows.

After just a few words, Zhao Chen had taken the Nine Netherbird egg away.

She clearly had not wanted to remain in the depths of the Black Eerie Abyss either, so she had gone along with it.

Now that she had noticed Zhao Chen traveling for so long, the Nine Netherbird could no longer hold back and asked curiously.

"Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy?"

After thinking for a moment, the Nine Netherbird recalled something.

The Five Great Academies had quite a reputation in the Great Thousand World.

It was said that each of the Five Great Academies had a powerful divine beast stationed within it, and the divine beast guarding Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy was a Northern Sea Dragon Kun.

A Super Divine Beast born from the union of a True Dragon and a Kunpeng: the Dragon Kun.

The Northern Sea Dragon Kun, which possessed the bloodline of a Super Divine Beast, was a powerful divine beast at the Peak Ninth-grade Sovereign Realm.

It was only half a step away from the Earthly Sovereign Realm.

A single drop of Northern Sea Dragon Kun Divine Beast Blood Essence could let the Nine Netherbird take the crucial step in overcoming her tribulation!

Then, she could truly transform into a powerful divine beast!

"That's right."

Zhao Chen nodded. He did not care about essence souls.

Unlike Mu Chen, who insisted on refining spirit beast essence souls.

But he cared about the Nine Netherbird.

Especially a divine beast Nine Netherworld Dark Bird, and a future Super Divine Beast, the Primordial Undying Bird!

"Why are you helping me?"

The black giant egg swayed slightly, and faint Black Flame outlined a small, exquisite Nine Netherbird.

Her bright, lively eyes stared at the silver Nine-leaf Sword Grass, revealing a trace of confusion.

The reason she had been willing to let Zhao Chen take her away from the Black Eerie Abyss without attacking him was actually because he was unusual.

A spirit beast in plant form possessed intelligence no less than that of a human.

He also possessed sharp sword qi that was no weaker than the finest blades and swords. Anyone could tell he was no ordinary being.

Given time, he would certainly break through his limitations and evolve into a Sovereign Realm expert at the divine beast level.

Perhaps, like her, he might even touch the boundary of a Super Divine Beast.

"The reason you were willing to trust me is the same reason."

Zhao Chen smiled and continued:

"I can't exactly watch you get refined by that human, can I?"

Neither Mu Chen nor the Nine Netherbird could see the future.

They could only infer what might happen from what was happening before them.

"That ant thinks he's worthy!"

The Nine Netherbird shook her head, her expression turning humanly contemptuous and disdainful.

Even though she had failed her tribulation and fallen from the Quasi-Sovereign Stage.

She could still easily kill someone in the Fusion Heavenly Realm.

If she were truly pushed to the limit, she could even blast Sovereign Three Difficulties experts to death.

There was no special trick to it—she would directly trigger the Black God Lightning Tribulation and undergo tribulation again!

During a tribulation, anyone who intervened would be judged as someone undergoing the tribulation as well.

She had experience enduring the Black God Lightning Tribulation and still had a chance to undergo Nirvana once more.

But her enemies would not have such good fortune!

If their physical bodies were even slightly weaker, they would be reduced to ashes by the Thunder Tribulation.

And within the range covered by the Thunder Tribulation, once one's spiritual energy was exhausted, there was no hope of recovering it quickly.

Besides, the Nine Netherbird was not facing an ordinary Thunder Tribulation!

It was the Black God Lightning Tribulation!

Even among Thunder Tribulations, it was considered one of the strongest!

Even a true divine beast would face an enormous risk of perishing!

Otherwise, with her abilities, how could she have failed her tribulation...

"How are we supposed to enter Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, and how can we obtain the Northern Sea Dragon Kun's blood essence?"

If the Northern Sea Dragon Kun's blood essence had been so easy to obtain, the Nine Netherbird would have found a way before undergoing her tribulation.

Back when she had merely been a Super Heavenly Beast, obtaining the divine beast blood essence of a Peak Ninth-grade Sovereign Realm existence like the Northern Sea Dragon Kun through her own power had been far too difficult.

For the sake of her tribulation, she had traveled across many continents.

Unfortunately, as she neared the Hundred Spirit Continent, she could no longer suppress her cultivation. Left with no other choice, she had chosen to undergo tribulation in the remote Northern Spiritual Realm.

There were many treasures that met the requirements, and the Nine Netherbird knew of quite a few.

Sadly, she lacked the ability to obtain them.

The Northern Sea Dragon Kun's divine beast blood essence was likely the same.

"We'll go in openly and rely on our own efforts."

The simple answer left the Nine Netherbird somewhat speechless.

What the hell did he mean, go in openly?

Did he think Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy was his family's property?

"Grass, little grass, are you serious?"

The Nine Netherbird called out twice, still worried.

If they barged into Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy and were discovered by those Sovereign Realm Heavenly Seat Elders, they would be in trouble.

"Of course I'm serious."

Zhao Chen nodded very seriously, wishing the Nine Netherbird could see his sincere expression.

But he was only a blade of grass.

A damn blade of grass!

He wished he could undergo tribulation right now and attain a divine beast body.

Then, he could take human form.

When that time came, he would sculpt the most handsome face for himself!

"I have connections!"

Those simple words made the Nine Netherbird's eyes light up.

Connections? Having connections was great.

She understood connections best.

Back when she had been so weak, she had relied on connections to become King-Sealed and establish her own force!

Although her force was rather weak overall.

It was still quite impressive!

"Then, little grass, I believe you."

The Nine Netherbird could barely suppress the joy in her heart, as though she could already see herself successfully overcoming her tribulation and transforming into a divine beast.

She had waited far too long!

As long as she evolved into a divine beast, she could return.

She would make everyone who had looked down on her lose face completely!

"You..."

Zhao Chen deliberately looked the Nine Netherbird over. Was she currently playing out some kind of thirty-years-east-of-the-river, thirty-years-west-of-the-river scenario in her heart?

Thinking about it carefully, it was not impossible.

A proud Nine Netherbird had been stranded for years in a backwater like the Black Eerie Abyss in the Northern Spiritual Realm. It was only natural for her to harbor resentment.

On top of that, she had suffered oppression in the past and could only swallow her anger due to her insufficient strength.

Once her strength improved, she would definitely go back to settle the score.

"Like this: use your Black Flame to raise the Water-Fire Crane to the Three Heavens Realm."

Zhao Chen looked at the somewhat struggling high-grade spirit beast Water-Fire Crane beside them. It possessed both water and fire attributes and was also a flying spirit beast, so it would be a pity to abandon it.

Once it was raised to the Three Heavens Realm and became a Heavenly-Grade Spirit Beast, it could carry the Nine Netherbird egg without being roasted into cooked meat by the Black Flame.

He glanced at the Heavenly-Grade Spirit Beast Snow Eagle beneath him. Ever since the Nine Netherbird had manifested in her Black Flame form, it had been having a hard time.

First, there was the bloodline pressure of a Super Heavenly Beast. Second, their attributes countered one another.

If this continued for too long, it might die before they even reached the Northern Heavens Continent, where Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy was located.

"Then, we'll wait for someone on the Northern Heavens Continent."

An exquisite blue jade pendant appeared before Zhao Chen.

Complex patterns were inscribed upon it, forming a special Spirit Formation.

"I'm here. Are you well?"