After the Ancestral Dragon Dao Thought departed, Abyss entered a brief period of calm.
Dragon-Suppressing Pass was still being reinforced.
Abyss Academy continued its classes.
The Frost Phoenix Lineage gradually adapted to life in the outer city as well.
Feng Li began teaching the Frostflame Method at the Academy.
Frost Phoenix frostflame differed from the divine fire of ordinary Phoenix Clan members.
The flame was cold on the outside and blazing within. It could freeze Demonic Sha and temper water veins.
For a small realm like Abyss, where water aura was exceptionally dense, frostflame was instead extremely suitable.
After attending her lectures, many Water Clan cultivators gained a new understanding of frostflame.
Feng Li was very quiet when she taught.
She disliked wasting words.
Yet her explanations were remarkably precise.
She pointed out every place where frostflame could easily backlash, where Northern Darkness Water Aura could be used to balance it, and where the Abyss Stillness Art was needed to suppress the heartfire.
In just a few hundred years, quite a few more disciples at Abyss Academy began cultivating fire-and-frost arts.
Lu Chen was very satisfied with this.
The Frost Phoenix Lineage was indeed useful.
After Abyss's five-element balance improved, the Abyssal Womb Membrane became even more stable.
He even felt that if all Phoenix Clan members were as reasonable as Feng Li, that would not be so bad.
Unfortunately, reality quickly shattered that notion.
On this day.
Outside Dragon-Suppressing Pass.
Southern firelight reddened the Northern Sea.
A swath of crimson divine feathers tore through the water.
Wherever it passed, Blackwater steamed and the cold mist scattered.
The formation patterns of the Outer Gate of Dragon-Suppressing Pass immediately lit up.
Ao Lie raised his head and looked toward the southern firelight.
"The Phoenix Clan."
Feng Li was teaching at Abyss Academy when she suddenly sensed a familiar aura, and her expression changed slightly.
She looked up toward Dragon-Suppressing Pass.
"Elder Zhu Yan."
Han Jue happened to be patrolling outside the Academy. Hearing this, he immediately walked over.
"Here for you?"
Feng Li's expression turned faintly cold.
"For the Frost Phoenix Lineage."
Outside Dragon-Suppressing Pass.
An elderly man in a crimson-feathered robe stood amid flames.
His hair was fiery red, his pupils burned like flames, and the phantom of a Crimson Phoenix appeared behind him.
He was Elder Zhu Yan of the Phoenix Clan.
At the Supreme Unity Golden Immortal Peak.
Though he had not entered the Great Luo realm, he commanded the Phoenix Clan's Southern Bright Fire Lineage and held a lofty status among its branches.
He looked at Dragon-Suppressing Pass, his voice exploding like flames.
"Feng Li, bring out the Frost Phoenix Lineage."
"How can Phoenix Clan bloodlines be bound by the rules of outsiders?"
"Her Majesty Yuanfeng has yet to speak, yet you hid in Abyss. That is no different from fleeing before battle."
"Today, under the clan's orders, this elder has come to bring the Frost Phoenix Lineage back south."
His voice carried into the outer city.
The Frost Phoenix Lineage members instantly grew tense.
They had long known that the Phoenix Clan would eventually send someone.
They simply had not expected them to come so soon.
Nor had they expected Zhu Yan to come.
The Frost Phoenix Lineage had never gotten along with Zhu Yan's lineage.
Zhu Yan's lineage commanded Southern Bright Fire. They were forceful by nature and looked down on Frost Phoenix frostflame.
Within the Phoenix Clan, they had always advocated assigning the Frost Phoenix Lineage to the southern fire-vein battlefield, using frostflame to suppress the enemy Water Clan.
To put it bluntly, they treated the Frost Phoenix as tools of war.
Feng Li walked out of the Academy.
The Frost Phoenix Lineage members followed behind her one after another.
They arrived atop Dragon-Suppressing Pass and looked down at Zhu Yan.
"Elder Zhu Yan, the Frost Phoenix Lineage has already entered Abyss."
"Those who enter Abyss are protected by Abyss's rules."
Zhu Yan sneered.
"Abyss's rules?"
"Phoenix Clan bloodlines have Phoenix Clan rules."
"You think hiding in Abyss lets you forget where you came from?"
Feng Li remained calm.
"The Frost Phoenix have not forgotten their Phoenix Clan origins."
"But the Frost Phoenix Lineage refuses to become meaningless battlefield fodder."
The flames in Zhu Yan's eyes surged.
"Outrageous!"
"Dragons, Phoenixes, and Qilin vie for supremacy. All races are within the calamity."
"Phoenix Clan bloodlines fighting for the Phoenix Clan is only natural."
Behind Feng Li, a young Frost Phoenix clanswoman could not help speaking out.
"But we have already been conscripted seven times in succession."
"More than half of the clan's young and strong have been killed or injured."
"We can barely preserve our young."
Zhu Yan looked at her coldly.
"What war does not have deaths?"
"Even more of the Phoenix Clan's main lineage have died."
Feng Li stepped in front of the clanswoman.
"That is why the Frost Phoenix Lineage entered Abyss to evade the calamity."
"The Book of Cause and Effect has already examined me."
"Abyss has permitted my clan to reside here temporarily."
"If Elder Zhu Yan wishes to take us away, he may ask the Mysterious Abyss Emperor."
Zhu Yan's gaze darkened.
"Using the Black Tortoise to pressure me?"
Feng Li did not back down.
"I am merely speaking of Abyss's rules."
On Dragon-Suppressing Pass, Han Jue tightened his grip on his spear.
He had found Zhu Yan unpleasant for quite some time.
Ao Lie glanced at him.
"Don't be impulsive."
Han Jue frowned.
"That's a rare thing to hear from you."
Ao Lie said blandly, "This is an internal matter of the Phoenix Clan. Let's first see how Feng Li handles it."
Lan Shuang also arrived atop the pass wall.
Holding the Book of Cause and Effect, she stood beside Feng Li.
"Elder Zhu Yan, the Frost Phoenix Lineage entered Abyss and has already been examined by the Book of Cause and Effect."
"They bear little karmic slaughter and have protected weak clans before."
"Under Abyss's rules, they may reside in the outer city temporarily."
Zhu Yan looked at Lan Shuang with contempt.
"What are you, to dare judge Phoenix Clan bloodlines?"
Lan Shuang's expression did not change.
"I am the one in charge of the Abyss Bureau of Cause and Effect."
"Since you have come outside Dragon-Suppressing Pass, you must naturally obey Abyss's rules."
Zhu Yan laughed in fury.
"What fine Abyss rules."
"This elder would like to see whether Dragon-Suppressing Pass can protect a traitorous Phoenix branch."
As soon as he finished speaking.
Zhu Yan raised his hand.
Southern Bright Fire turned into a towering sea of flames and swept toward the cold mist outside Dragon-Suppressing Pass.
The sea of flames struck the cold mist, instantly vaporizing vast swathes of it.
Though Zhu Yan had not entered the Great Luo realm, Southern Bright Fire was exceptionally tyrannical.
The formation patterns of the Outer Gate of Dragon-Suppressing Pass rapidly lit up.
Ao Lie's dragon eyes turned cold.
"Are you starting a war?"
Yet Feng Li stepped forward first.
"I'll do it."
The phantom of a Frost Phoenix appeared behind her.
Icy blue frostflame spread outward and collided with Southern Bright Fire outside Dragon-Suppressing Pass.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!
Fire and cold intertwined.
Great stretches of Blackwater evaporated, only to be frozen again by frost.
Zhu Yan sneered.
"Feng Li, this elder watched your frostflame grow."
"You think you can stop me?"
He spread his five fingers.
Southern Bright Fire transformed into a Crimson Phoenix and slammed viciously toward Feng Li.
Feng Li's face paled, and the Frost Phoenix phantom behind her was forced back dozens of yards.
The Frost Phoenix Lineage members cried out in alarm.
"Clan Sister!"
Feng Li gritted her teeth and steadied herself.
Her talent for frostflame was extraordinarily strong, but her cultivation was ultimately lower than Zhu Yan's.
Zhu Yan was also a veteran Supreme Unity Golden Immortal Peak cultivator of the Phoenix Clan who had controlled Southern Bright Fire for many years.
In a direct clash, she was indeed at a disadvantage.
Han Jue could no longer hold himself back and was about to move.
But Lan Shuang raised a hand to stop him.
"Wait."
She looked toward the depths of Abyss.
The Emperor had not acted yet.
Or rather, the Emperor was waiting for Feng Li to endure this trial herself.
If Feng Li wished to truly establish the Frost Phoenix Lineage in Abyss, she had to personally face the Phoenix Clan's accusation.
Lu Chen was watching as well.
He did not particularly want to interfere in the Phoenix Clan's internal conflict.
But Zhu Yan had already burned his way to the Outer Gate of Dragon-Suppressing Pass.
That meant he could not ignore it completely.
The system's voice rang out.
"Detected Phoenix Clan member Zhu Yan accusing the Frost Phoenix Lineage. Please choose."
"One: Personally suppress Zhu Yan and intimidate the Phoenix Clan. Reward: one wisp of Southern Bright Fire."
"Two: Expel the Frost Phoenix Lineage and avoid Phoenix Clan karma. Reward: Fire-Repelling Pearl."
"Three: Use the water aura of the Northern Darkness Sea to empower Feng Li's frostflame, allowing the Frost Phoenix Lineage to prove its worthiness to establish itself in Abyss. Reward: Coldflame Wutong Seed."
Lu Chen chose the third option.
Personally suppressing Zhu Yan could easily draw Yuanfeng here.
Driving out the Frost Phoenix Lineage would be too great a loss.
The third option was best.
Feng Li would win on her own; Abyss would only provide a little reinforcement.
"Choose the third."
"Congratulations, Host, for obtaining the Coldflame Wutong Seed."
Within the Northern Darkness Sea, a stream of deep-blue water aura rose.
The Black Tortoise Sea-Calming Pearl rotated slightly.
That stream of water aura passed through the Abyssal Womb Membrane and descended upon Feng Li.
Feng Li had originally been suppressed by the Southern Bright Fire, her frostflame on the verge of collapsing.
But the instant the Northern Darkness Water Aura entered her body, her frostflame suddenly became even deeper.
Amid the icy blue, a wisp of shadowy black appeared.
The Frost Phoenix phantom spread its wings once more.
This time, the frostflame did not clash head-on with the Southern Bright Fire.
Instead, it flowed along with the flames, freezing, entangling, and swallowing them bit by bit.
Zhu Yan's expression changed.
"Northern Darkness Water Aura?"
"Abyss actually dares interfere in the Phoenix Clan's affairs?"
Feng Li raised her head, her gaze firmer than ever before.
"Having entered Abyss, I am under Abyss's protection."
"Elder Zhu Yan, the Frost Phoenix Lineage will not return with you."
She spread her wings.
Her frostflame transformed into an enormous ice-blue Frost Phoenix and slammed head-on into Zhu Yan's Crimson Phoenix.
Boom!
The two phoenix phantoms collided outside Dragon-Suppressing Pass.
The Southern Bright Fire was forced back by the frostflame.
Zhu Yan gave a muffled grunt and staggered back several steps.
Atop Dragon-Suppressing Pass, the Frost Phoenix Lineage instantly erupted in cheers.
Feng Li had won.
At least in that strike, she had truly forced Zhu Yan back.
Zhu Yan's face became incomparably grim.
He had never expected that Feng Li, borrowing Abyss Water Aura, could evolve her frostflame to such a degree.
"Good."
"Very good."
"Feng Li, you dare borrow an outsider's power to resist a Phoenix Clan elder."
"Yuanfeng will certainly learn of this!"
The moment his words fell.
A phoenix cry suddenly rang out from the southern horizon.
That cry pierced through the black waters of the Northern Sea, carrying the majesty to burn the heavens and boil the seas.
All the flames outside Dragon-Suppressing Pass fell silent in an instant.
Zhu Yan's expression changed drastically, and he immediately knelt.
"Greetings, Your Majesty Yuanfeng!"
Feng Li's entire body trembled.
The Frost Phoenix Lineage all dropped to their knees.
Atop Dragon-Suppressing Pass, every Abyss living being felt a terrifying pressure utterly different from Ancestral Dragon's.
The ruler of the Phoenix Clan.
Yuanfeng's divine sense descended upon the Northern Sea.