Emperors' Return
The vicious beast had descended—sun and moon lost their light.
The lower half of the southern domain, centered on the jungle where Liuying emerged, was sealed within a thirty-thousand-li radius by immortals.
Even the demon clan court and Great Xuan divine dynasty dispatched armies to guard all directions.
To prevent failure in suppressing the beast—allowing escape.
At least mortal armies could slightly hinder it.
Mortals and cities within evacuated.
Once-bustling cities—ghost towns now. None lingered.
Though mortals unaware—Great Xuan prestige high. Emperor's order: obedient migration.
Plus recent times—southern skies night bright as day. Anomaly signaled immortal battle.
Immortal clashes—terrifying. Ripples alone could slay mortals.
Stay: await death.
Boom!
Earth quaked—deep chasms split, grand canyon nearly tearing southern domain.
Jungle collapsed—trees shattered.
A figure flew backward—crashing earth repeatedly, raising heaven-soaring dust.
Soon—from crater, figure rose.
Overlord—dusty, wretched. Massive wound gushing blood.
"Strong!"
Overlord gasped.
"But strength not peaked... I can hold!"
Back axe/shield—charged again into encircled Liuying zone.
Heavens—murderous/killing qi fused fortune formed odd phenomenon—like volcanic ash clouding skies.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Immortal lights flashed.
Sima Qingshan stood—pale, brush gripped.
Drew embroidered mountains/rivers—shifting peaks to suppress Liuying. Too hard.
Mountains easily tail-whipped to rubble!
Mysterious Immortal power!
Five Phoenix peak true immortals united—struggled suppressing.
Frontline teetered collapse.
Lu Jiulian guarded heavens—couldn't act. Would feed fortune to Liuying—counterproductive.
Watching immortals bloodied, flung back.
Anxious.
Fortunately—true immortals three shifts.
First led by Overlord—with Tang Yimo, Sima Qingshan, Kong Nanfei.
Four peak true immortals vs beast—suppressed somewhat.
Though pressured—gained breathing room.
Overlord tanked with defense; Tang Yimo six pulses endless killing.
Sima/Kong restricted advance.
Coordinated well.
Second led by Bai Qingniao—with Nie Changqing, Du Longyang, Tianxu公子, Ye Shoudao, Empress.
Bai's chicks fire phoenixes clashed Liuying—plus true immortals blocked toward continent.
Shifts allowed no beast rest—no recovery chance.
Third led by Li San-sui—with Jiang Li, Ximen Xianzhi, Luo Mingyue, Mo Liuqi (Gu Mangran's four kings inheritors)—plus Meng Haoran, Tang Guo, Nie Shuang special physiques. Li's arrays suppressed.
No breathing room.
Shifts resisted/suppressed Liuying.
Resting shift swiftly swallowed Ni Yu pills—recover, rejoin.
Liuying too strong—six heads, six dao intents.
Tang Yimo once exploded head—but useless. Regrew soon.
But not fruitless—learned kill method: simultaneous sever six heads.
Known—but hard.
Mysterious-level beast!
War became endurance, tug-of-war.
Month passed swiftly.
Southern battlefield—Five Phoenix cultivation focus.
Liuying's might spread continent.
Aura diffused—infected southern jungle beasts with murderous/killing qi and fortune.
Turned killing machines—spreading outward from southern domain.
Longer infected—stronger.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Even human immortal-level beasts emerged.
Thus Great Xuan/demon court reinforced.
Outside battlefield—each added five hundred thousand: million total.
Stalemate.
...
Pingyang Heaven, Little Thunder Sound Buddhist World.
Five Phoenix Mysterious (saint) beast news—spread via ascension Heavenly Gate across lower three heavens.
Blood Evil, Yuan Magnetic, Pingyang—ascendants formed powerful alliances, wished aid Five Phoenix.
But ascension grounds tempered—partially ignored void heaven rules.
Rules lingered—entry suppressed cultivation.
Most lower three strong—observed, not entered.
Little Thunder Sound ancient temple.
Great Senior cross-legged—chanting, monitoring Five Phoenix.
Beast emerged—world-ending power.
Frowned—Five Phoenix now lower three master, comparable upper third-level high-martial—center.
Nine Heavens fundamentally strength-revering.
Suddenly.
Vast primordial spirit ripple.
Current near true immortal Great Senior—felt terrifying aura.
"Void sealed!"
Chills—gazed.
Water surged—graceful figure emerged.
Great Senior mind horrified.
"Water Saint Ancestor?!"
Shocked—then chilled. She fled outer battlefield?
Why here?
Mind moved—understood. Hidden Pingyang all along!
Closest to void heaven Pingyang.
Most dangerous: safest.
Bold Water Saint Ancestor!
If Young Master Lu primordial sweep—exposed.
"No need futile. Entire Little Thunder Sound sealed—Lu Ping'an can't sense you."
Water Saint Ancestor blue hair flowing.
"Amitabha... your holiness saint ancestor—what virtue monk warrant personal action?"
"Kill monk—with status, your Pingyang hide exposed."
Great Senior said.
"Won't kill—want all Five Phoenix beast 'Liuying' info!"
Water Saint Ancestor grave.
Great Senior shifted.
About destroy data—
Water Saint Ancestor saw—instant shadow-shift beside.
Finger flick.
Saintly might vast.
Near true immortal Great Senior—blocked nothing, coughed blood flying, ground—barely breathing.
Saint ancestor—not resistible.
Water Saint Ancestor flipped all data.
Shocked.
"Demon/Devil Lords—Mysterious pinnacle... two saints?"
"Great Xuan Academy Lu Jiulian, Buzhou witch... Five Phoenix saints?!"
Unseen—shocked.
From Great Senior—first understood Five Phoenix.
Destroying Cloud/Dao—merely half force!
Gu Mangran, Lu Ping'an... not limits!
So many saints—Five Phoenix second-level high-martial comparable!
"Terrifying!"
Water Saint Ancestor trembled—lingering fear.
"These beasts... from ancient emperor aura? Hold rules—Mysterious can't act or fortune absorbed?"
"No wonder Five Phoenix world-ending! Saints only counter saints... saints can't—Five Phoenix doomed! More Primordial Unity useless vs saint!"
Water Saint Ancestor read on—eyes brighter!
Finally truth of Five Phoenix tribulation.
Plus Great Senior data—clear judgment.
"This tribulation—beast 'Liuying' from Water ancient emperor aura activation, fused Five Phoenix heaven-earth fortune—born! Water ancient emperor contingency—likely ancient emperors return start!"
Seeing—Water Saint Ancestor gleamed.
"Indeed... true!"
"Lu Ping'an seized my weapon—now regret!"
"Self-inflicted!"
Water Saint Ancestor set data—distant Great Senior coughed rising, staring.
Great Senior disappointed—once idealized upper realm beautiful.
Witnessed Cloud/Dao—now Water Saint Ancestor domineering.
Upper realm, saint clans—utter disappointment.
Water Saint Ancestor glanced.
Hand raised—water arrow gathered palm.
About arrow kill Little Thunder Sound Great Senior.
But Great Senior resolute—primordial spirit quaked, immortal qi boiled—self-detonate.
"Water Saint Ancestor—even death drag you—expose to Young Master Lu!"
Great Senior calm.
Increasingly Buddha light illuminated.
Water Saint Ancestor killing intent surged—tiny bald donkey dare threaten!
But too late strike.
Vast aura swept—heaven-soaring killing intent like blood sea surging.
Five Phoenix continent—strong primordial spirit swept!
"Stay!"
Cold coffin collapsed void arriving.
Gu Mangran!
Sensed Pingyang anomaly—from void heaven acted.
Water Saint Ancestor fear flashed—Blood-Clothed strength undeniable. Though vitality withered—with medicines—entangled, no weapon: escape hard.
Gathered all data—no linger.
Turned water flow vanished Little Thunder Sound—swiftly left Pingyang.
Exposed—no stay.
Perfect—unite other six saints—no remain Pingyang.
After departure.
Gu Mangran coffin descended Little Thunder Sound—long suppressed Great Senior coughed blood heavily—body powerless ground.
Gasped heavily.
"Unexpected Water Saint Ancestor hidden Pingyang..."
Gu Mangran seated coffin.
"General Gu... Water Saint Ancestor seized Five Phoenix emerging beast 'Liuying' data. Knows beasts from imperial weapons... now likely uniting other six weapon-bearing saints!"
Great Senior weak—saint pressure plus initial heavy injury. If not questioned—likely crushed dead.
But ignored wounds—informed speculation.
Gu Mangran shifted.
"Now troublesome—internal/external woes... truly Five Phoenix great tribulation! Five Phoenix first poison hexagram—well-deserved..."
Gu Mangran heard Mo Tianyu's divination.
One "great fortune"—scared countless true immortals.
"But these saints not foolish—Liuying truly from Water weapon Young Master Lu seized? Uncertain."
"Cloud/Dao weapons long trapped Five Phoenix—no beasts. Perhaps... coincidence."
Gu Mangran said.
Brows tight—words even he doubted.
Truly coincidence?
Water ancient emperor aura undeniable—why only Water?
Not from Water weapon fall?
Cloud/Dao weapons—fell by void heaven mysterious rift power—perhaps suppressed ancient emperor aura spread.
But regardless—if next Cloud/Dao ancient emperor aura infected beasts born—Five Phoenix truly doomed!
Gu Mangran no linger Pingyang.
Soon back Five Phoenix.
Vast Ocean sought lake heart island.
But...
Found whale, island.
Chrysanthemums swayed, peaches bloomed—no Lu.
"Indeed Young Master secluded... perhaps breaking Mysterious Immortal."
"But so what? Beasts hold ancient emperor rules—Mysterious can't act. Young Master becomes Mysterious: worse."
Gu Mangran seated coffin—heavenward long sigh.
Perhaps... fate.
"Perhaps seek Mr. Lu—more chrysanthemum medicines."
After departure.
Lake heart island.
Breeze blew.
Lu suddenly appeared.
White flowing, black vigorous.
Leaned Thousand Bladed Chair—odd face.
"Water Saint Ancestor uniting six saints... use weapons activate Five Phoenix peerless beasts?"
"This woman... so talented?!"
Lu smacked lips—shocked.
But soon eyes brightened.
Gazed drained lusterless Water imperial weapon.
Feasible method.
Roundabout—million reserve business on.
Sleepy—pillow delivered. Reject... grave sin?
"Need Cloud/Dao ancient emperor aura infected beasts as convincing evidence?"
Lu stroked chin.
Seems next period—busier.
Mind moved—entered preaching platform, perfected Cloud/Dao beasts details.
Within.
Gossip array words floated.
Before Lu—two murderous/killing qi surging beasts no weaker Liuying models floated.
"Dao beast name 'Yungu Diao'—two forms: vicious eagle, remnant leopard. Release: Heavenly Gate ascension grounds."
"Cloud beast name 'Hell Hou'—ferocious, spits karma fire. Release: Netherworld abyss."
...
Great Xuan calendar year 532.
Historians recorded: southern domain sealed, beast "Liuying" emerged—southern skies bright as day. Five Phoenix immortals soared—clashed endlessly with beast.
Same year—Heavenly Gate hung heavens, heaven-soaring murderous qi overflowed. Great vicious emerging—immortals panicked, rushed back Heavenly Gate.
Next year—Nine Prisons secret realm unrest. Nine prison gates karma fire burned—surroundings barren.
"Vicious beast great era" descended.
...
Outer battlefield.
Seven vast auras interwoven—boundless saintly might impacting endlessly.
Water Saint Ancestor body flickering—like vanishing anytime.
"Indeed... long trapped Five Phoenix Heavenly Gate/Netherworld Cloud/Dao weapons—birthed beasts!"
"Five Phoenix world-ending tribulation come!"
"Lu Ping'an self-inflicted... we must not miss chance."
Battlefield.
Saints hesitant.
Exchanged gazes.
Hand raised.
Void showed Liuying—plus gestating, not emerged—murderous/killing qi and fortune nurturing, entwined ancient emperor aura "Yungu Diao", "Hell Hou" images.
Latter two occasionally flashed Cloud/Dao ancient emperor auras—several saints grave.
"You still hesitate?! Breaching Five Phoenix—perhaps war-vanished ancient emperors... return!"
Water Saint Ancestor anxious.
Finally...
Six exchanged.
Killing intent gleamed—decided inwardly.
"Beasts emerge—ancient emperors return omen..."
"We duty-bound."
"Bear imperial weapons—invade Five Phoenix—welcome ancient emperors' return!"
