Seven years later, in the Forbidden Land of the Phoenix Clan.
"Please, O ancestors and primal founders, issue your edicts! Bestow blessings and peace, bring wide - spread tranquility, and purify the karmic fire. Hurry, as commanded..."
Night had fallen. The remaining members of the Phoenix Clan, their clothes tattered, knelt in front of the boundary stele of the Forbidden Land, bowing repeatedly.
A rustling sound came from within the Forbidden Land. The night wind whispered sadly, carrying with it a faint smell of blood.
Mo Qing, with a blade of grass in his mouth, frowned as he gazed into the distance. "This is a critical moment for our clan. We don't ask for the ancestors' protection only, but it's unreasonable for more disasters to befall us."
He took a few steps into the Forbidden Land. Not hearing any movement behind him, he turned around and saw that the clan members were hesitating. None of them was willing to go in first.
"What are you afraid of? I'm the one leading you in. If the ancestors are to punish anyone, it'll be me first." He was a bit annoyed. "In another two quarters of an hour, the karmic fire will fall. If you don't die from the ancestors' curse, you'll be burned to death by the karmic fire!"
"But the underground tunnels can still hide people. We'll be safe once dawn breaks."
"Most of the tunnels have collapsed. Do you really want to wait for death inside?" Mo Qing frowned tightly. "There's the strongest formation of our Phoenix Clan protecting the tomb of the primal founder. What are you afraid of!"
"But even so, we can't get through that formation!"
"Father is the clan leader. He's in the Forbidden Land. He must have a way to open the formation and let us in!"
"But the clan leader and the little princess have been missing for seven years. Maybe, maybe they're already dead!"
Mo Qing's face darkened. "Father and younger sister's life - charts are still intact. What are you talking nonsense about!"
"But such a big thing has happened outside. If the clan leader is still alive, why hasn't he come out to help us?"
"Father must be unable to get away. Maybe he's waiting for us in the Forbidden Land!" Mo Qing's eyes turned cold. "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll beat you up!"
"Why is the young god - lord being so unreasonable!"
Mo Qing waved his fist. The threat in his words was obvious. "Get in here quickly. Don't force me to really hit someone!"
There was a faint red glow flickering on the horizon. Mo Qing looked up, his eyes trembling slightly. "It's coming earlier again today!"
"What should we do? Are we really going to wait for death here?"
Mo Qing cursed under his breath and rushed out, using his spiritual power to push the clan members in one by one. "Hurry in! The tomb of the primal founder is so big. Are you still afraid it can't protect us?"
He was quick - witted. After pushing people in, he immediately set up a barrier outside.
Being pushed in like this with no way back, although the clan members were dissatisfied, they had no choice but to brace themselves and move forward.
"I don't know what the elder god - lords were thinking, letting the young god - lord protect us. Now it's great. We're definitely going to die in here."
"Yeah. If I had known this, I'd rather die under the karmic fire!"
"Shut up! What makes you think I'm leading you to your deaths!" Mo Qing glared angrily, but he was helpless against these complaining clan members.
The red glow on the horizon grew stronger. The world was bathed in a blood - red light. Amid the rolling clouds and wind, thick black mist swept in.
"The karmic fire! It's the karmic fire!"
Someone was so scared that they collapsed to the ground, trembling in fear.
Mo Qing's eyelids twitched. He quickly grabbed the person. "Run! Before the karmic fire falls, quickly find the tomb of the primal founder!"
The scorching air was like a hot tongue, licking their tracks.
The continuous black mist rolled down from the sky like a flood.
"I can't run anymore!"
"You can't give up!" Mo Qing was sweating profusely with anxiety. He pulled a clan member up, half - dragging and half - pulling. "Get up quickly!"
"I can't either. You guys run. Don't worry about me!"
"You guys—" Mo Qing's eyes were red with frustration. "Get up quickly!"
"Lord Mo Qing, we really can't run anymore!"
Mo Qing looked over, disbelief in his eyes. "How can you just give up like this?"
"Lord Mo Qing, you should take these young clan members and run. We're old. We really can't run anymore."
An old clan member, leaning on a walking stick and hunched over, said, "Lord Mo Qing, please. They're the only hope of the Phoenix Clan."
"No!" Mo Qing clenched his fists. "I will never leave any of you behind!"
"Lord Mo Qing, don't be so impulsive!"
"The elder brothers told me to protect you, not to watch you die!"
The black karmic fire was like a fierce beast, roaring and crashing to the ground with overwhelming force. The sky flickered, and the red glow and black mist intertwined.
Seeing the karmic fire about to fall on the clan members, Mo Qing transformed into his original form. The phoenix fire gushed out of his body like a flood.
It was like a drop in the ocean, but it managed to create a space where the clan members could catch their breath.
"Lord Mo Qing!"
Amid the exclamations of the clan members, clusters of karmic fire fell on the illusory shadow of the phoenix.
The phoenix let out low, restrained gasps, but its unruly spirit became even more valiant in the face of adversity. The somewhat dim phoenix fire was reignited.
"You guys... once you've rested, run quickly... The tomb of the primal founder is... just ahead."
It took Mo Qing two or three pauses to say just this one sentence.
The phoenix's small body sank a bit. Mo Qing summoned his energy and flapped his wings, rising a little higher.
"Lord Mo Qing, let's go. Let's go. Stop blocking it. Come down quickly!"
"Yeah, come down quickly!"
"Are you guys really... rested?"
...
At the tomb of the primal founder.
Colorful paper cranes flapped their wings gently, dancing in the tomb chamber. One of them landed silently on the girl's head.
After the spiritual power had circulated for the eighty - first cycle, Yaohua felt her body lighten. She transformed into all things and then returned to unity. Everywhere her divine sense could reach was a hazy gray.
Her divine sense flew over the vast land of Shenzhou towards the Celestial Realm. Just then, she suddenly felt something land on her head.
Her thick, dark - blue eyelashes drooped slightly, then trembled and slowly lifted, revealing a golden and a red eye.
She reached up and took the paper crane off her head, sighing softly. "It's been seven years."
Since the day her father had sent her into the tomb of the primal founder, she had been alone in this tomb chamber, not knowing day from night or the passage of time. She could only use the paper cranes given to her by her master to record how much time had passed.
She stood up and walked to the small canal in front of her. Looking at herself by the light of the night pearl, she covered her left eye somewhat dejectedly. "Why is this eye still red?"
"You guys go..."
A sudden voice made her look up in surprise.
The voice was hoarse and hard to recognize, but Yaohua immediately recognized it as the voice of her sixth elder brother.
But... why was her sixth elder brother here?
She walked to the tomb door. "Father, did you hear the voice of sixth elder brother?"
Qingcang, who had transformed into his phoenix form and was guarding outside the tomb door, opened his narrow eyes. He flew up to the dome, his ears almost touching the wall.