The scene fell into an eerie silence.
No words were needed—her mere presence was enough for everyone to recognize her identity.
The Qingluan Goddess!
Just moments ago, the air had been thick with murmurs and clamor, but now, as she stood in their midst, not a single sound could be heard.
Rumors spoke of her as a Qingluan, yet she also carried the bloodline of the True Phoenix.
Seeing her in person surpassed all hearsay.
Before this, many among the demonic beings had doubted, unable to believe such a thing could be true.
The True Phoenix had vanished far longer ago than even the True Dragon—dating back to before the founding of the Great Shang dynasty.
And yet, here she stood before them.
No matter how noble their bloodlines or how prideful their hearts, every demon who laid eyes on her felt an involuntary sense of inferiority.
She was too radiant.
Even surpassing the wildest imaginations of those who had never witnessed the long-lost True Phoenix.
The divine mark between her brows only deepened the awe, especially among the avian clans, stirring a reverence so profound they dared not meet her gaze.
"......"
Ying Bing's eyes locked onto the young man amidst the crowd of demons. He had taken on some features of the Mingjiao, his appearance slightly altered, but the red string still unmistakably tied around his wrist.
Truthfully, no other proof was needed.
When their eyes met, the tremor in the deepest recesses of her heart could not lie...
It was him.
Truly him.
She had told him not to follow her into danger...
Yet here he was, standing before her without warning, as if emerging from a thousand miles away.
Like a reunion after long separation, like light piercing through darkness...
No one could guess the storm of emotions hidden beneath the Qingluan Goddess's frosty, untouchable demeanor.
Shang Qinqing glanced between the young Heavenly Serpent and her clan's Qingluan Goddess, her hand involuntarily clutching her chest.
To traverse thousands of miles, infiltrate demon territory—all just to find you?!
This was too perfect, too heart-fluttering, an absolute masterpiece!
As a bird at heart, Shang Qinqing desperately wanted to see them lock lips right then and there!
Damn it.
Why were there so many nosy demons around? Couldn’t they all just disappear?
Dangerous thoughts even crossed her mind.
Ying Bing, Shang Qinqing, and the rest of the Qingluan Clan descended to the ground.
She walked ahead, and no demon dared block her path. Her gaze remained fixed forward, not sparing a single glance elsewhere—not even at Zhi Duoluo, who had hoped to catch her attention.
To others, she seemed aloof, indifferent to all. But in truth, her focus was entirely on one figure in the distance.
Tap—
Ying Bing came to a gentle stop.
"Is she... the Qingluan Goddess?"
The aquatic demonesses surrounding Li Mo shuddered, a primal fear gripping them—as if they had reverted to their true forms and been placed on a chopping board, helpless.
Too terrifying!
The chattering school of fish and shrimp suddenly scattered.
And just like that, no barriers remained between the two.
"I’ve long heard of your fame. Greetings—I’m just a wandering serpent..."
Heavenly Serpent Li Mo admitted he was taking a gamble.
He had altered his appearance and suppressed his aura so thoroughly that even greater demons couldn’t see through it. He was certain that even his beautiful master, Shang Wu, wouldn’t recognize him.
But clearly...
"You came anyway."
Ying Bing’s clear, melodious voice drifted softly toward him.
A thousand thoughts condensed into just those words.
Wait—wasn’t the Qingluan Clan forbidden from speaking before meeting their destined one?
The demons were baffled.
Hmm...
But then again, with her True Phoenix bloodline, it wasn’t surprising she could defy norms. Besides, speaking wasn’t that unusual—most demons could do so after taking human form.
And that wasn’t the point!
Right now, the real spectacle was the standoff between the legendary Heavenly Serpent and the Qingluan Goddess!
Two prodigies from opposing factions—aquatic and avian clans, natural enemies—facing each other head-on!
"I swear I can see sparks flying between them!"
"Is this the aura clash between geniuses?"
"There’s something between them we can’t quite grasp..."
"Obviously! If you could understand, you’d be a genius too!"
The crowd held their breath, tension and excitement thick in the air.
Would they just start fighting right here?
"What’s happening?" whispered a Mingjiao clansman, swallowing hard.
"This must be a battle of wills between elites. Geniuses care deeply about momentum—if one side falters now, they’ll always be at a disadvantage in future confrontations."
Wu Dameng had read about this in The Tyrannical Empress Falls for Me.
The others nodded vaguely, finding his explanation plausible.
Wu Qing and Murong Feng exchanged uneasy glances but remained on guard.
What if the avian clans suddenly attacked, aiming to eliminate their Mingjiao’s rising star?
The Qingluan Goddess was known for her mercilessness, hunting calamity beasts without hesitation!
They couldn’t let their guard down...
"Well... I came anyway."
Li Mo chuckled helplessly. Of course she saw through him.
"You shouldn’t have."
Ying Bing’s lashes trembled slightly as her gaze dropped to the red string on his wrist.
Li Mo grinned. "But you came for me too, didn’t you? So it’s only fair I came for you."
He still didn’t fully understand what lay within the Jade Phoenix Divine Artifact.
But if the ice block said she was here to collect on his wish, she must have her reasons.
Ying Bing’s fingers brushed lightly over the doll in her arms.
Yet the pounding in her chest refused to settle...
The young man before her wore the same expression as when he had plunged into the Abyss with her, fearless and unhesitating.
The avian clans: "!"
The aquatic clans: "!"
Other onlookers: "!!"
Neither backing down!
They both knew the other had come specifically for them, yet neither shied away from the confrontation!
At that moment—
"Amitabha..."
A Buddhist chant echoed from above. A monk in patched robes descended—none other than the guest-receiving monk of the Hanging Temple.
Ying Bing snapped out of her thoughts, schooling her expression. Her eyes flicked toward the aquatic demonesses who had swarmed around him earlier.
Her lips curved into a faint, dangerous smile.
"Heavenly Serpent, quite the charmer, aren’t you?"
"......"
Li Mo was caught off guard.
He had imagined many scenarios for their reunion—but never this one.
Seeing his flustered reaction, Ying Bing’s brows relaxed slightly.
"I’ll be waiting for you during the Divine Jade contest."
Li Mo grinned. "Looking forward to it!"
"And one more thing."
"What?"
"We’ll settle our scores then."
"!"
Li Mo froze, recognizing the glint in her eyes—this was no joke.
Damn it!
Who the hell started the rumor that he had True Dragon blood?!
"Tch, just you wait!"
Li Mo shook his fist in mock frustration.
The Qingluan Clan departed the docks, Shang Qinqing clicking her tongue at Li Mo before stepping forward to speak with the monk.
The demons began filing into the Hanging Temple in groups, but the crowd was still buzzing over what had just transpired.
"Wow! That was intense—geniuses going head-to-head!"
"Absolutely thrilling!"
"Wait, what happened? I just got here."
"The avian and aquatic clans have always been rivals. Their top talents just faced off!"
"Rumor has it the Mingjiao’s Heavenly Serpent, Wu Mo, declared he came specifically for the Qingluan Goddess!"
"Wait, what?!"
"How could the Qingluan Goddess possibly be weaker than that demon? Naturally, she refused to back down!"
"She told Wu Dameng to wait—she’d settle the score with him later!"
"Hiss... Seems like we’re about to witness a fierce clash between serpent and phoenix!"
In no time, the news spread like wildfire among the clans, drawing widespread attention—so much so that the swarm of aquatic clans proposing to Wu Dameng was completely forgotten.
Countless demons were eager to know: who would emerge victorious in the end? Who would prove superior?
This was a battle between the bloodline of a true dragon and the bloodline of a true phoenix! A fated rivalry!
How unprecedented! Not once in the past eight millennia had such a thing been heard of!
Even Shang Qinqing, the Qingluan Clan’s leader and a former third-grade Demon Saint, remarked:
"If I’d intervened any later, it might’ve escalated into physical conflict."
"Blood might’ve even been shed!"
.....
Lately, the readership has been dropping—it’s normal, after all. Every book has its peak traffic.
The peak in traffic may have passed, but this little underdog’s story hasn’t even hit its plot climax yet.
Rolling around begging for support~ Another day hoping to be showered with love from our dear readers, hehe.