Phoenix Capital (Double Chapter)

Deep into the Eastern lands, past the mountains and plains was a gigantic ocean stretching into the horizon. Critters and deep-sea creatures roamed deep within its waters but the surface remained calm and unperturbed.

The only strangeness was a massive aurora shining within a terrifying wall of steam. The multifarious lights danced across the wall of steam and reflected on the calm waters. At that moment, the space outside of the wall of steam distorted as two figures fazed into existence.

The first was a white-robed woman with long white hair and dazzling blue eyes. The other was a young woman in a tight black dress with gleaming dark eyes and long dark hair.

The white-robed woman extended her hand out and lightly tapped on the wall of steam, and suddenly it parted and ripped open.

From the cracks, emerged a massive and glittering city floating atop the calm ocean water. The sun shone directly down on the city engulfing it with golden light. In the city, thousands of cultivators dressed in vermillion robes zigzagged throughout the various pavilions and pagodas.

At the center of all the traffic was a massive pagoda stretching hundreds of meters into the sky, flames burned all over the pagoda as sunlight gathered towards it turning it gold!

The white-robed woman entered through the crack and sealed it up again. At the moment, two figures shot out from the golden city toward the woman.

The first figure coalesced into a red-robed young man; rays of light surrounded his eyes with a triangle enclosing his pupil and his long dark hair flowed into his ponytail behind him.

The other figure coalesced into a tightly dressed young woman in golden robes, the light of providence enshrouded her in a mysterious aura as she coyly smiled.

"Noble Qian, the Overlords are awaiting your arrival." The red-robed young man said as both figures politely bowed before the white-robed woman.

"Song Yue, have you met them before?" Noble Qian asked as she turned to the young woman in the tight black dress.

"Yes I have master, you are Tang Shengzhi of the Tang Clan and Han Xiang of the Han Clan, correct?" Song Yue politely replied with a shy and ladylike demeanor.

"I'm surprised you remembered our little names, Young Noble." Tang Shengzhi blushed as he replied and stroked the back of his neck wryly.

"How could I forget the Pair of Amor Fati?" Song Yue lightly teased with a demure smile, Han Xiang's cheeks turned bright red at the mention of Amor Fati.

"That'll be enough. Tang Shengzhi, lead the way." Noble Qian cooly intoned, slightly flustering the distracted Tang Shengzhi. He turned towards the Phoenix capital and turned into a beam of black and white intertwining.

Han Xiang followed from behind turning into a golden ray. Song Yue and Noble Qian were last as their bodies changed into distorted and flitted through space. The lights and distortions dashed across space at extreme speeds instantly approaching the tower of flames.

Tang Shengzhi flew into the tower and suddenly disappeared as if never colliding, soon after Han Xiang did the same disappearing into the tower.

Then suddenly two spatial distortions passed through the tower of flames and entered a crimson world. The sky of this world was darkness, ash, and soot cutting through the clouds of ash were volcanic mountain tops that continuously erupted with magma.

Off in the distance, a fantastical bird cry echoed worldwide. At the center of the volcanic world, was a massive crimson castle floating in the sky. A gigantic mega barrier surrounded the castle and imprinted on the barrier was a Phoenix ascending to the heavens!

Inside the barrier of the castle, Song Yue and Noble Qian's forms manifested from a spatial distortion. Behind them, two beams one black and white and the other gold suddenly pierced through the barrier and shot into the ground in front of Song Yue and Noble Qian.

The moment Tang Shengzhi and Han Xiang arrived, the massive gates to the castle suddenly flew open releasing a torrent of vermillion flames. A large bellow escaped from within the castle saying: "Good, you've all arrived."

Tang Shengzhi and Han Xiang's expressions suddenly hardened with seriousness as they entered the castle leading Song Yue and Noble Qian through. They crossed the gates and happened upon a magnificent jade stairwell engraved with vermillion birds and phoenixes.

Along the walls were tapestries of different flames, each with a different color. There were red, purple, black, pink, blue, and gray flames all dancing across the tapestries.

Across all of Heaven and Earth existed six fundamental heavenly flames: Each color conformed with each flame: Flare of Vengeance - Red, Burst of pride - Purple, Burning with Shame - Black, Delightful flames - Pink, Emotionless Blaze - Blue, and Gloomy Inferno - Gray.

In a short moment, the group reached the top of the stairs and entered the throne room. Noble Qian eyes scanned over and she noticed ten cultivators that sat on either side of the room. On the right side sat a young man dressed in a blue toga, this was Mercer!

By his side sat, Emily, Su Yan, and the Ghost Hands doctor. Standing separate from Mercer's group but the same side was an alluring woman dressed in a bronze-colored dress, a blonde young lady dressed in heavy armor, a bald old man in saffron monk robes, and a disheveled middle-aged man in knightly armor with a long scruffy beard.

Each of these people represented a powerful bloodline clan, The bronze dressed woman is Chen Li of the Chen clan, The blonde lady is Wang Shi of the Wang Clan, The old man is Qin Shui of the Qin clan, and the disheveled middle-aged man is Yang Cheng of the Yang clan.

On the other left side of the castle sat a different group of people if the right side was wearing western gear then they left is wearing eastern or oriental clothing.

Sitting on the left side was a young man dressed in white robes embroidered on the back was the symbol of the hand, his head, and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a cool and calm like an ocean breeze.

Next to him was a large and imposing man giant hybrid, he stood at almost three meters with a broad back and massive shoulders. He wore oversized robes that could fit multiple people and embroidered on the back was a gigantic oak tree.

Sitting next to the gigantic fellow was a familiar face, he was a dark-haired man who wore a thick black hide armor and draped over his shoulders were two ominous dog heads.

Each of these men represented a different bloodline faction. The white-robed man is Liu Kang of the Liu clan, the giant hybrid is Ming Shan of the Ming clan, and the dark-haired man is Xia Yunyi of the Xia clan.

At the center of the room, was a massive golden litter embroidered with phoenixes and vermillion birds on the side. Vermillion flames enshrouded a figure sitting in the litter, hiding their face within the ominous flames.

The man sitting within the litter is the Firelord of the Phoenix capital. The title of Firelord is an inherited title meant to mimic Venerable Phoenix's rule. The only title above that of Firelord is the Phoenix King, but that title is only for Venerable Phoenix!

Noble Qian finished scanning the room and confidently walked in front of the litter. Vermillion flames danced past her unable to cause her any harm.

"Greets Firelord and honored guests, I hope I haven't been too long." Noble Qian announced with a playful smirk.

"It has only been a few days..." Yang Cheng slyly commented as he stroked his disheveled beard.

Wang Shi coldly turned and stared at Yang Cheng until he felt a cold sweat drip down his back. He took his hand off his beard and placed on his lap looking down and going quiet. Only then did Wang Shi turn her piercing blue eyes away from him.

"As you all know there are many matters to attend to at this meeting, such as the matter of Heaven's Realm..." Noble Qian slyly smirked as her tongue glided over the words "Heaven's Realm."

The Verulyim king couldn't help but tense up at her mention. The eyes of the other clans gathered on him all at once with a greedy expression.

"But I have a matter far more pressing." Noble Qian mysteriously intoned turning all eyes back on her.

The flames around the litter danced as a magnificent voice bellowed from the flames saying: "And what might that be?"

Noble Qian eyes glanced behind her slightly as she spoke and said: "As you all know, the blood sect has become active recently."

Noble Qian expression hardened as she revealed: "This is because there is now an inheritor of Venerable Blood's inheritance!"

"What!?!"

"What kind of demon would inherit the Tyrant King's legacy?"

"Who... Who... is it?!?"

A torrent of question shot out from all the factions as they all attentively leaned forward to listen to Noble Qian.

"Tang and Han, show them what you saw." Noble Qian commanded and Tang Shengzhi and Han Xiang both stood up at the same time.

"I see you asked the Lovers of Amor Fati to do a divination..." Yang Cheng eyes gleamed as he commented.

Tang Shengzhi concentrated light and dark forces into his glabella, the lights intertwined as a third eye opened from within his glabella.

Han Xiang was quick to move releasing a massive golden light that filled the entire castle with gleaming golden light. The light entered Tang Shengzhi's glabella and illuminated the truth as the power shot into the glabella of every cultivator in the room.

The Tang Clan's bloodline totem is The All-Seeing Eye totem and they cultivate in Marks of Benevolence. The Han Clan's bloodline totem is the Light of Providence totem and they cultivate in Marks of Hope. With a synthesis of both their powers, they could illuminate things that were previously unseen.

All at once an image passed through the minds of every cultivator, it was of a black-robed young man surrounded by a swirling vortex of darkness. His dark hair and dark eyes fused perfectly with the vortex hiding his figure amidst the dark.

Beneath him were thousands of red-robed cultivators on bended knee, looking at him with deep reverence and fear. The young man coldly smirked as he dictated: "Hear me, all those in the major and minor planes. My name is Ye Yuyan and I am the Demon Lord of the Blood Sect!"

Suddenly the light cut off as Han Xiang fell to the ground and Tang Shengzhi's third eye closed in response. He moved over to Han Xiang and helped her up as they went back to sit down.

"This... he's claiming the title of Demon Lord?!? We mustn't let this proceed any further where is this man?" Liu Kang calmly commented as he extradited himself from the vision.

"You're right we must deal with him immediately." Ming Shan calmly intoned with a deep bellowing voice.

"I understand your concern but we know where he'll be... he is heading to the Phoenix tomb." Noble Qian intoned as Ming Shan and Liu Kang conversed.

From within the curtain of flames, the Firelord's voice vibrated as he said: "If you know all this then what do you want from us?"

"Venerable Phoenix set a cultivation limit of Rank 5 for entering the Phoenix tomb. I ask that you all send your finest warriors to exterminate the threat of Demon Ye." Noble Qian articulated calmly as she scanned the room for a response.

The various clans conversed among each other for a moment until the flames danced once again and the Firelord spoke: "The Solar Prince and Lunar Princess shall attend this battle along with the Liu, Ming, and Xia Bloodlines that serve the Vermillion Country."

"Thank you, your majesty. Who else will join?" Noble Qian demurely smiled as she scanned over the western side.

"My fair lady, the Verulyim king, and Chen clan will join in your cause." The Verulyim king promptly replied with a small courtesy.

"What say you, Qin, Wang, and Yang clans?"

"The Wang and Yang clans serve the Shadow sect and will represent them in the battle." Wang Shi answered as Yang Cheng scanned Qin Shui trying to decipher him.

"What of you, Qin Shui? What is your clan's stance?" The Verulyim king respectfully asked

"Amitabha Buddha, dear benefactors my clan wishes only to protect the peace and serenity of the east. If that means fighting then we shall bear arms in this upcoming battle." Qin Shui calmly replied with his hands in two mudras.

"I see..." Noble Qian said acknowledging Qin Shui.

"Then I will leave the matter of Heaven's Realm to all that remain, Goodbye." Noble Qian declared as space distorted around her and Song Yue and their forms suddenly disappeared into the nether of space.

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At the center of the world, was a massive mountain range of hundreds of different valleys, plains, plateaus, and mountains.

This is the desolate range that houses many strange beasts and monstrosities. Cutting through the clouds into the firmament in the center of this mountain range is the legendary mountain: The Empyrean mountain.

At the precipice of the Empyrean mountain sat a bygone cottage with rotting wooden planks and thick foliage within the cracks of the building.

A small and pristine garden sat in the courtyard in front of the cottage, lilies, roses, daisies, carnations, sunflowers, and violets bloomed in the garden decorating the garden with a myriad of colors.

In the back of the cottage, an old oak tree loomed over a tiny pond with a white lotus revolving on its water. Light peeked through the oak tree's leaf hitting the white lotus and illuminating the mystical dao runes within the lotus.

The melody of the great dao played as the lotus revolved endlessly within the tiny pond. Space distorted in front of the pond as two figures manifested out of nowhere, the two figures were Song Yue and Noble Qian!

As soon as Song Yue manifested her gaze turned to the white lotus as she felt it call to her. Deep inside of her the rule fragment of the Bearer of the White Lotus stirred as the silhouette of a white lotus appeared behind her. This was the aspect she condensed when she reached Rank 4 in the immortal lake.

The white lotus stirred as it suddenly stopped revolving and the waters of the tiny pond went silent as the ripples ended. The white lotus suddenly flew up from the tiny pond and flew across space entering Song Yue's body.

"Ahhhh!" Song Yue cried out as she released a torrent of white Qi filling the precipice of the Empyrean mountain with her rampant immortal Qi.

Noble Qian coldly assessed as the immortal Qi passed her by unable to harm her. She smirked deviously as the white lotus silhouette behind Song Yue became increasingly corporeal.

"Good! With the Ocean of immortals' Qi and the activated Rule fragment, you should be able to absorb the white lotus and become the Bearer of the White Lotus!" Noble Qian exclaimed happily

Her eyes gleamed with murderous intent as she roared to the heavens: "Well done, Ye Yuyan or should I said Ye Yanrui? You've dug your own grave, the phoenix tomb will be your final resting place!"