Serpent Ancestor

”The Ascension Token was given to me by the Flying Spirit Platform and is linked to my life force. With just a thought, I can render it ineffective!”

As she spoke, Jiang Nine Phoenix focused her mind, and the Ascension Token in her hand immediately dimmed. The surrounding light barrier contracted, showing signs of dissipating.

This made the Old Tree’s expression freeze.

Jiang Nine Phoenix continued, ”Moreover, if anything happens to me, the Jiang family will immediately sense my location and come across realms. Your primordial spirit aura will also be recorded, and by then, none of you will survive.”

”The person who just left was in a hurry. Judging by the time, those searching for me might have already arrived.”

Hearing this, Xu Hei’s pupils contracted, and his heart immediately tensed.

The expressions of the Flame Demon Ancestor and others earlier indeed seemed strange. Perhaps something had already happened outside!

Who could be searching for Jiang Nine Phoenix? Someone from the Spirit Realm?

Xu Hei had no way to contact the Divine Puppet Sect and could only make wild guesses at this moment.

”If my true self were here, I might risk burning my life soul to forcibly control this woman, even if there was only a sliver of a chance.””Unfortunately, capturing her with just a split soul is futile.”

The Old Tree felt deep regret. For the sake of ascension, he was willing to risk everything, not caring about being hunted by the Jiang family.

You simply don’t understand the desperation of a Void Shattering Stage cultivator trapped in the mortal realm, yearning for ascension. They would rather risk their lives for a slim chance than be stuck here.

Seeing the two fall silent, Jiang Nine Phoenix looked at Xu Hei and said, ”Xu Hei, thank you for bringing me half of the Ascension Token and for your help earlier. Consider it a favor I owe you.”

”I descended to escape the Jiang family and don’t want to be captured back, so I must leave through the Ascension Passage immediately. I can’t repay this favor.”

”Before I go, do you have any questions?”

Jiang Nine Phoenix looked at Xu Hei, her fiery eyes filled with complex emotions.

Since she was captured, Xu Hei had always been in a master-servant relationship with her. Several times, she almost perished, only to be saved by Xu Hei.

Her experiences in the mortal realm made Jiang Nine Phoenix realize that aside from her talent and noble status, she was practically useless.

In terms of scheming, tactics, and experience, she was far inferior to ordinary cultivators.

However, she was much stronger than before. At least now, she wouldn’t underestimate anyone or display an arrogant demeanor.

There were many in the world better than her.

”Who is searching for you? What is their cultivation level?” Xu Hei asked.

”I don’t know either.”

Jiang Nine Phoenix shook her head, ”The Jiang family’s situation is very complicated. However, anyone who can cross realms must have a significant status, at least a Void Shattering Stage late-stage guardian.”

Void Shattering Stage late-stage...

Xu Hei had no concept of Void Shattering Stage cultivators. Whether early, middle, or late stage, they were terrifying existences beyond his reach.

After a long silence, under the Old Tree’s constant urging, Xu Hei asked, ”Is there any way for cultivators here to ascend?”

He looked at the towering pillar of light in the center.

Jiang Nine Phoenix understood his meaning and replied, ”This is indeed a passage to the Spirit Realm, but it was forcibly opened by the Flying Spirit Platform. The risks are unimaginable, and without an Ascension Token, even a Void Shattering Stage cultivator would likely perish.”

”And with the spiritual qi of this realm, breaking through to the Void Shattering Stage is almost impossible.”

At this point, Jiang Nine Phoenix knew that if she didn’t offer a glimmer of hope, these two might do something irrational.

So, she took out the Ascension Token, broke off a corner, and handed it to Xu Hei.

”Although it’s just a corner, it can still shield you from most dangers. If you truly break through to the Void Shattering Stage, you can give it a try.”

Xu Hei took the corner of the Ascension Token, which was only the size of a fingernail.

After receiving it, an invisible barrier automatically appeared within a three-meter radius around Xu Hei, capable of blocking the Taiyin Divine Light.

This made the Old Tree’s face light up with joy, and he quickly asked, ”Can you give a bit more?”

”Sorry, breaking off a corner of the Ascension Token already put me at great risk. I can’t give more.” Jiang Nine Phoenix shook her head.

She walked to the towering pillar of light, turned to Xu Hei, and said, ”Xu Hei, the matters of the past between us are settled. I can’t repay today’s help, but when you ascend to the Spirit Realm, I will give you a compensation.”

”Compensation is unnecessary. This corner of the Ascension Token is enough. We are even from now on,” Xu Hei said solemnly.

Whether he could ascend was uncertain, and such verbal promises were best left unclaimed to avoid affecting his state of mind.

Jiang Nine Phoenix said no more. She glanced back at Xu Hei, leaped into the towering pillar of light, and her figure turned into a long rainbow, breaking through the void without causing any ripples.

Xu Hei looked around, and the Taiyin Divine Light quickly shot towards him, but only the area within his three-meter radius was safe.

The Old Tree hurriedly came over, looking at the nearby broken ground, and said, ”Xu Hei, do you think there’s a possibility?”

”What?” Xu Hei quickly asked.

”Suppose back then, the five of us arrived here and found an Ascension Token, but only one! What do you think would happen?” the Old Tree asked.

Xu Hei was taken aback.

The five of them had an agreement to avoid internal conflict, ensuring no one would attack their own to prevent a drop in cultivation.

But if they saw an opportunity for ascension, and there was only one token, what would happen?

It was imaginable.

”Of course, this is just a guess, and only my true self knows what happened back then,” the Old Tree sighed.

Xu Hei nodded.

Once he got out, he would find a way to seek out the sea god and awaken Hei Huang, which was the real priority.

Xu Hei walked to the teleportation array, ready to activate it.

Suddenly, he felt a strong sense of crisis, stopping him in his tracks. Immediately, Xu Hei retreated to the farthest point.

He saw the teleportation array suddenly emit intense spatial fluctuations, as if something was being transmitted from the other side.

”What is this...” Xu Hei’s face changed dramatically.

...

At this moment, on the other side of the teleportation array.

This was Guanghan Palace, at the front of the outer hall.

A group of people stood here, respectful and cautious, the same ones who had been teleported out earlier.

The first to be teleported out, the Flame Demon Ancestor, lay in the distance, his mind unclear, evidently having undergone a brutal soul-searching process that damaged his primordial spirit and erased his memory.

Everyone’s faces were pale, looking fearfully at the two cultivators in front of them.

The first was a young man in a red robe, with a flame feather mark on his forehead, wearing a crimson robe adorned with phoenix feather patterns, exuding a regal aura. He was Jiang Liuyu, the sixth son of the Jiang family.

The other was his attendant, Elder Mo.

Whether it was Jiang Liuyu or Elder Mo, the slightest hint of their aura made everyone feel as if they were facing legendary immortals.