The Accident in Ying Bing's Life

Beyond the stone gate lay a cavern.

Trees, rocks, and insects—all crystallized, as if transformed into crimson gemstones.

Breathtaking yet lifeless.

No one had set foot here for ages, yet everything in the cavern seemed eternally preserved in that crystallized red, frozen in a single moment.

The radiant glow grew denser, now thick enough to grasp.

At its source stood a vividly lifelike, mystical sapling.

Nearby, a bathtub-sized pool held a liquid of rose-red hue, exuding an intoxicating fragrance that made every pore tingle.

This was the entirety of the Nine-Colored Phoenix's legacy.

Everything was identical to when Ying Bing had come here in her past life.

She exhaled slowly.

The Nine-Colored Phoenix was crucial to her.

To put it plainly—

Without its nine spirits, the Blood Phoenix Scripture she relied on would be rootless, inferior even to ordinary techniques.

Her rebirth, too, had been possible only because she’d used a forbidden art from the Blood Phoenix Scripture—one still in the realm of theory at the time:

‘Nirvana.’

Now, she had obtained the Radiant Spirit far earlier!

And without trial and error, she knew all its secrets!

This life, she would soar higher, faster, farther...

Ying Bing steadied her racing heart and spoke softly:

“The pool’s water carries a trace of an auspicious beast’s essence.”

“You may soak in it. The benefits for your future are immeasurable—at the very least, your body-refining will advance by leaps and bounds.”

A drop of the Nine-Colored Phoenix’s essence.

In her past life, soaking here had allowed her to unlock her meridians.

From then on, she became immune to all poisons and thrived effortlessly in the Qi-Blood Realm.

Now, she had no need for it.

“Many thanks, then.”

“You should go claim your inheritance now.”

Li Mo grinned, pleased.

Though the ice block hadn’t spelled it out, he knew—this so-called “auspicious beast’s essence” was undoubtedly the Nine-Colored Phoenix’s blood.

Even without the system’s promised rewards, this trip was already a windfall.

Few treasures the system offered could rival this pool’s value.

For all her frosty exterior, the ice block still had his back...

He didn’t hesitate.

Stepping into the pool, an overwhelming surge of vitality instantly seeped through every pore, like tiny fish darting through his meridians.

The sensation was euphoric, as if his very soul were being cleansed.

“With this, my debt is repaid.”

Ying Bing had expected to feel unburdened once the debt was settled.

Yet inexplicably—

A hollow ache lingered in her chest.

Still, Li Mo’s progress was already a monumental shift in fate.

In time, he might even carve out a place for himself in the Eastern Wasteland...

Suppressing her emotions, she lowered her gaze to the sapling.

Though barely taller than a person, it exuded an aura of grandeur.

Its branches were bare, lifeless—or so it seemed.

Ying Bing bit her fingertip.

Blood dripped into the soil, seeping into the roots.

A miracle unfolded.

First drop: Withered bark pulsed with renewed vitality.

Second drop: Tender buds sprouted along the trunk.

Third drop: Buds stretched into branches, rapidly growing.

Fourth drop: Leaves unfurled, and atop the canopy, a tiny bud emerged.

...

By the ninth drop—

The bud bloomed at last.

A crystalline cry, clear as shattered jade.

“Radiant Spirit.”

Her eyes fixed on the blossom, where a palm-sized phoenix perched.

The bird was exquisitely lifelike, its eyes shimmering with intelligence.

Were it not for the truth, one might mistake it for a living creature.

She reached out, expecting it to hop onto her palm.

But—

The phoenix suddenly flapped its wings and darted away.

Ying Bing: “?!”

Her heart lurched as she spun around, tracking its flight.

Toward—

Li Mo?!

The bird alighted on the young man’s shoulder, chirping and nuzzling as if greeting an old friend.

The Radiant Spirit—nurtured by her own blood—had chosen Li Mo?

She stared, disbelief warring with denial.

Her Moonfrost Phoenix Constitution had awakened the spirit.

Proving her affinity with the Nine-Colored Phoenix.

She was the rightful heir—this was indisputable, across both lifetimes!

So why... Li Mo?

How could the Radiant Spirit abandon her for him?

Was it... the aura of the True Phoenix in that pouch he carried?

“Huh? Where’d this bird come from?”

Li Mo had been blissfully soaking when a dazzling little creature started hopping on his chest.

He turned to ask Ying Bing if it was dangerous—only to find her expression unreadably complex.

His stomach dropped.

First time he’d seen the ice block look like this.

“Is this... your inheritance?” Li Mo ventured.

Ying Bing’s voice was eerily calm. “Yes.”

Li Mo: “...”

The cavern fell into sudden silence, with only the sound of their breathing audible.

The atmosphere grew awkward for a moment.

"This... Ice Block, you’re not actually thinking of... killing me to take the treasure, are you?"

Li Mo stood up from the pool, testing the waters with his words:

"We’re practically brothers... childhood friends..."

Ying Bing’s emotions were indescribable at first.

But the nervous look on the young man’s face inexplicably struck her as comical.

She arched her delicate brows:

"Why not?"

Hearing this, Li Mo actually relaxed. "You’re bluffing. You’re not that kind of person."

Ying Bing lifted her gaze to him, silent.

Indeed.

If this boy hadn’t trusted her completely, he wouldn’t have jumped down after her.

Li Mo suddenly asked, "This is important to you, isn’t it?"

"Yes."

Ying Bing nodded, unable to stop herself from slipping into memories.

The Nine-Souls of the Nine-Colored Primordial Phoenix had helped her through countless trials. What had once seemed like mere fortune had later become an inseparable part of her destiny.

And among them, the Radiant Soul had stayed with her the longest.

Yet now, this part of her life had chosen someone else.

The Phoenix Heaven Empress’s heart was tangled with emotions beyond words.

"Then this must be something extraordinary."

Li Mo examined the lively little bird hopping in his palm.

Quite a pretty little thing.

Ying Bing’s brows remained furrowed for a long time before finally easing.

"But since it chose you, it belongs to you now."

"Huh?"

Li Mo blinked. "After going through so much trouble, aren’t you resentful?"

"I am. But it chose you."

Ying Bing regained her composure. "Besides... without it, I’m still me."

Such arrogance.

Li Mo had to admit he was a tiny bit impressed.

He’d wanted to tease the Ice Block, but instead, he ended up being the one awestruck.

No wonder she was the Chosen One.

Chuckling to himself, Li Mo blocked the little phoenix bird as it tried to nuzzle against him.

The bird looked aggrieved, its expression almost human in its confusion.

"Go. Go where you belong."

"Stay with her, and you’ll still see me often enough."

With a gentle toss, he sent the little phoenix flying back to Ying Bing.

Ying Bing looked up.

Her jade-like face finally lost its usual calm.

She stared at the boy, her eyes filled with surprise—even bewilderment.

It was as if she was seeing him for the first time.

"It could change your fate. Give you a chance to stand at the pinnacle of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. If you regret this now, it’s not too late."

"I know."

Li Mo’s smile was genuine.

The more precious the treasure, the greater the return on his investment.

A legacy valuable enough to alter Ying Bing’s destiny—what kind of reward would the System give him for this?

Tsk tsk...

"But it’s rare to see you care about something. That’s not easy."

"......"

Ying Bing’s serene eyes lingered on him, unmoving.

The boy’s smile was as bright as ever—no reluctance, no hesitation, even...

a hint of anticipation?

Having lived two lives, she had witnessed too much.

In the face of fortune, spouses schemed against each other, fathers and sons turned on one another, brothers shed blood—she had grown accustomed to it all.

It was precisely because she had never fully trusted anyone again that she had come this far.

But today...

An exception seemed to have appeared?

"Being sentimental doesn’t suit you. Hurry up and accept the legacy."

"......"

The unreadable emotions in Ying Bing’s eyes shifted several times before finally softening faintly.

"Alright."

The little phoenix bird flew into her brow, transforming into a rose-gold mark.

A myriad of auspicious lights erupted in an instant.

The radiant glow shot out from the cave entrance, blooming into an indescribable spectacle of brilliance.

Outside, dusk had begun to fall.

But the Clear Abyss suddenly brightened, as if transformed into a river of stars woven from light.

The clear cry of a phoenix echoed endlessly, resounding across the heavens.

It could be heard clearly—not just in the Clear Abyss Sect or the Purple Sun Prefecture, but throughout the entire Eastern Wasteland.

Atop the Moonview Cliff, the elders stood frozen, their shock plain to see.

"The Clear Abyss has changed."

"Notify the sect master at once!"