Chapter 147 ·The Nine Nether Ice Phoenix Wants to Save Himself

Spirit ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Realm, Northern Plains.

Within ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a hidden valley somewhere.

Endless ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍wind and snow howled through the air as the Nine Nether Ice Phoenix stood atop an icy boulder in human form.

He ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍wore an ice-blue robe, his black hair hanging loose, his skin white as snow.

Upon ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that face more beautiful than a woman’s, a delighted smile was currently blooming.

“Hahahahaha!”

He threw back his head in loud laughter, the sound echoing amidst the snowstorm.

Dead.

That bull demon was truly dead!

The future he had seen through Iceheart Peering into Heaven had come true!

One year.

Exactly one year after that bull demon subdued him, he died in the Eastern Continent.

A five-colored giant hand descended from the heavens and slapped him into complete annihilation.

What expression did that old bull have before death?

Fear? Despair? Disbelief?

No matter which it was, it must have been wonderful to see.

Unfortunately, he had not witnessed it personally.

As the Nine Nether Ice Phoenix laughed, the smile on his face gradually faded.

He lowered his head and looked toward his hand.

Upon his wrist, a faint crack flickered into visibility.

That was a Heaven-Peering Scar.

Every time he used Iceheart Peering into Heaven, another mark would be left upon his body.

The Nine Nether Ice Phoenix remained silent for a moment before slowly clenching his fist.

He could feel that the injuries within his body were still worsening.

At this rate, surviving another hundred years would already be difficult.

He had to find a way to save himself.

But how was he supposed to save himself?

The Nine Nether Ice Phoenix raised his head toward the endless snowstorm, bitterness flashing through his eyes.

Long ago, he had already contacted the ancestor of his clan in the Immortal Realm through bloodline divine abilities.

But after hearing of his condition, even the ancestor had no good solution.

The Nine Nether Ice Phoenix closed his eyes and allowed the wind and snow to batter against his face.

He did not want to die.

Even less did he want to simply wait for death.

Opening his eyes once more, light flickered within them.

Since his body already bore so many Heaven-Peering Scars anyway...

Then adding one more shouldn’t matter, right?

The Nine Nether Ice Phoenix took a deep breath and slowly raised both hands.

Demonic power surged within him as a profound and mysterious aura spread from his body.

Iceheart Peering into Heaven.

He wanted to see whether there existed any method capable of saving himself.

Even if it was only the slightest thread of hope.

The snowstorm suddenly froze in place.

Within the Nine Nether Ice Phoenix’s pupils, countless scenes flashed by rapidly.

He saw his own future.

But in every single future, he died from the backlash of the Heaven-Peering Scars.

Sometimes earlier.

Sometimes later.

Sometimes quickly.

Sometimes slowly.

But the ending was always the same.

Death.

The Nine Nether Ice Phoenix’s face turned pale as a strand of blood seeped from the corner of his lips.

He was unwilling to accept this.

And so, he continued activating the divine ability.

The scenes flashed again.

Pfft.

A mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips as his entire body staggered backward.

Another Heaven-Peering Scar appeared.

The Nine Nether Ice Phoenix dropped to one knee atop the icy boulder, breathing heavily.

Useless.

He could not find it.

A way to save himself...

There was no path forward.

He lowered his head, allowing blood to drip onto the snow beneath him, blooming into crimson flowers one after another.

The wind and snow continued howling endlessly.

No one knew how much time passed.

Suddenly, the Nine Nether Ice Phoenix raised his head sharply.

If saving himself was impossible...

Then what about finding someone else?

Finding a mighty expert.

A mighty expert capable of opposing heavenly dao itself and erasing the Heaven-Peering Scars.

Did such an existence exist in this world?

A faint glimmer ignited within the Nine Nether Ice Phoenix’s eyes.

He recalled the news currently spreading throughout the Spirit Realm.

The Eastern Continent.

A mighty expert from the Immortal Realm was secretly protecting it.

That mighty expert had slapped the Bull Demon Demon King to death with a single palm and shattered the demonic power projection of a mighty Immortal Realm expert with another.

He had even spoken these words:

“If you dare descend into the Spirit Realm, I shall kill you as well.”

What kind of dominance was that?

What kind of strength was that?

If that mighty expert...

The Nine Nether Ice Phoenix took a deep breath and struggled to his feet.

He did not know who that mighty expert was.

Nor did he know whether the other party would be willing to help him.

He knew even less what he could possibly offer in exchange.

But this was his final hope.

Raising a hand, the Nine Nether Ice Phoenix wiped away the blood from his lips before once more activating Iceheart Peering into Heaven.

This time, what he wished to see was not self-salvation.

He wanted to see whether traveling to the Eastern Continent to seek that mighty expert would lead to life—or death.

The vision appeared.

Blurred.

Completely blurred.

He could see nothing clearly.

Grinding his teeth, the Nine Nether Ice Phoenix frantically pushed the remaining demonic power within his body to its limit.

The vision remained blurred.

It was as though some force was obstructing his perception.

Unwilling to accept this, he exerted all his strength.

Pfft.

Another mouthful of blood sprayed out.

The Nine Nether Ice Phoenix’s body swayed before he directly fell from the icy boulder and crashed into the snow.

He lay upon the ground, trembling all over.

Blood stained the white snow beneath him crimson.

Still unable to see.

He could see nothing at all.

The existence of that mighty expert seemed to transcend the boundaries of the laws themselves. His divine ability simply could not reach that level.

The Nine Nether Ice Phoenix lay in the snow, gasping heavily.

He raised his head toward the gray sky overhead.

Snowflakes landed upon his face, icy and bone-piercing.

At this moment—

This ice phoenix, who had lived within the Spirit Realm for countless tens of thousands of years, suddenly felt his eyes sting slightly.

He blinked forcefully.

Something seemed to slide down from the corners of his eyes.

He could not tell whether it was melted snow...

Or something else.

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