“Associated divine ability: Spirit Rhinoceros Finger. A single point of this finger can obliterate a peak Transformation realm expert!”
Jiang Tian’s eyes gleamed with anticipation. With a thought, he also sent a spiritual transmission to help Zhao Xueqing awaken this ability.
Whoosh!
The phoenix image was drawn back into Zhao Xueqing’s body. Her aura grew even more formidable as she extended her slender finger and pointed lightly at the void.
Boom! A bolt of finger-lightning shot out like a flash, reducing the rockery in the courtyard to dust.
Wherever the finger-light passed, a trail about twenty meters long and one meter wide was gouged into the lawn and the path. Even the bluestone-paved road seemed as if it had been torn open by an excavator, the fresh earth exposed underneath to a depth of more than a meter—a horrifying sight.
“That single finger could probably shatter an armored vehicle!”
Huo Qingtian and Wei Feilong muttered in stunned awe.
Jiang Tian was inwardly ecstatic. Qing’er’s Spirit Rhinoceros Finger was far more powerful than his own.
He glanced at the two men and grinned. “What’s coming next is even more impressive. Better watch out!”
“Ah, hell—run!”
With a yelp, the two abandoned all pretense of dignity, leaping up and retreating over a hundred meters away, watching from a safe distance, terrified of being caught in the crossfire.
“Associated ability: Lihuo Phoenix Gaze. Once unleashed, it can burn the heavens and refine all things in the world!”
Jiang Tian transmitted telepathically, his eyes full of anticipation.
Qing’er’s clear, beautiful eyes began to shimmer. First, two tiny golden specks, like pinpricks of light, appeared in her pupils. Then they bloomed into two golden flowers. Finally, with a sudden whoosh—
Two streaks of crimson flame burst from her limpid eyes, shooting ten meters outward and engulfing a swath of space.
“Good lord! This is definitely ten times more fearsome than Lin Zhenyu’s magma fire venom!”
Wei Feilong stared at the roiling flames, his awe beyond measure.
“With such power, the mistress is truly a peerless beauty—like a goddess descended!”
Huo Qingtian’s voice was filled with reverence, longing, and a hint of fear, as if gazing upon a divine maiden.
“Indeed… in this world, only the mistress is worthy of Master Jiang…”
Shen Mange nodded deeply, staring at that proud, upright figure, murmuring to herself. She felt that at this moment, Zhao Xueqing was truly like a goddess looking down upon all living beings.
Then, under Jiang Tian’s spiritual guidance, Qing’er awakened several more Immortal Body abilities.
“Associated ability: Phoenix Majesty’s Awe—a spiritual pressure that can force even a Transformation Grandmaster to their knees!”
“Associated ability: Phoenix Heart’s Benevolence—the art of creation and regeneration. It can bring the dead back to life, mend broken bones, heal wounds, and neutralize poisons!”
“Associated ability: Phoenix Dance Across the Heavens—a physical movement technique that can tear through space, achieving teleportation—mysterious and unpredictable, nearly breaking the sound barrier!”
“Associated ability: Feathers of the Phoenix—a projectile technique. Condensing phoenix-body true essence into feathered energy blades, a single sweep can cut down thousands of troops!”
One ability after another awakened in succession, leaving even Jiang Tian stunned and barely able to take it all in.
The Unblemished Phoenix Maiden Immortal Body is one of the twelve innate physiques nurtured through the ages in the cultivation world. Though it has its drawbacks—it’s not easy to stimulate one’s cultivation—once the Emperor’s Flower is consumed to replenish energy, it breaks through all shackles, soaring beyond the nine heavens and suppressing all realms.
And the abilities that come with this Immortal Body are practically instincts—they can be unleashed and retracted in an instant, killing without a trace, far more powerful than any spell or talisman.
Even though Qing’er’s cultivation wasn’t yet at its peak and she had awakened fewer than ten abilities, she could already slaughter Transformation Grandmasters like chickens or dogs, and even contend with Demigod Realm experts.
As for those with mere Iron Body or Internal Force cultivation—before the current Qing’er, they were no more significant than ants or specks of dust, swept away with a wave of her hand.
After Qing’er had fully demonstrated all the abilities she could currently awaken—
“Who would have thought such a being could exist in this world!”
Wei Feilong shook his head with a bitter sigh. “I feel like all my decades of hard cultivation have gone straight to the dogs!”
“No wonder Master Jiang went through such pains to find the Emperor’s Flower—it was to make the mistress this powerful!”
Huo Qingtian was utterly dumbfounded, his soul seemingly lost.
“Master Jiang, now the mistress is truly stronger than you. From now on, you’ll have even less standing at home!”
Shen Mange finally snapped out of her shock, suppressing her awe, and teased Jiang Tian.
“I’m absolutely thrilled! From now on, I’ll just live off my wife!” Jiang Tian said with a cheeky grin.
“Honey, don’t say that. I know—everything I have, you gave me.”
Zhao Xueqing’s face was full of smiles—sweet and beautiful—but tears glistened in her eyes as she gazed deeply at Jiang Tian.
“Why are you crying?” Jiang Tian gently wiped away her tears.
Zhao Xueqing hugged him tightly, resting her head in the crook of his neck, crying tears of joy, and said with deep emotion, “I’m so happy… truly happy. Not because I’ve become stronger, but because I finally have the right to stand beside you!”
At that moment, the sun was setting, and golden particles of light enveloped the two locked in an embrace.
Over a year ago, on that day at the Paradise Banquet on the beach in Yangcheng, Jiang Tian had said, “Then let’s cultivate together.”
And now, with that promise fulfilled, he had climbed to the summit of Everest to retrieve the thousand-year Emperor’s Flower—like a beam of light dispelling long solitude and endless night.
The dust settled.
And light broke through.
Illuminating countless blossoms across mountains and rivers.
——–
November 12, 2008.
Zhao Xueqing consumed the thousand-year Emperor’s Flower, seizing the fortune of heaven and earth, defying fate itself. The Unblemished Phoenix Maiden Immortal Body successfully awakened, making her a true cultivation powerhouse!
She stepped directly into the sixth level of Qi Refining, looking down upon the world—a supreme, peerless beauty!
As night fell, warm lamplight filled the room.
Jiang Tian, having changed his clothes, walked into the living room and said casually, “I’m going out to buy groceries! Today I’ll cook a few of my signature dishes, and we’ll have a good drink to thank Brother Huo and Brother Wei for their hard work!”
“Master Jiang is going grocery shopping and cooking?”
Huo Qingtian and Wei Feilong were flabbergasted—they had just finished rinsing the juicer used for the Emperor’s Flower seven or eight times, drinking every last drop until their bellies were round. They simply couldn’t picture Jiang Tian doing something so… down-to-earth.
“For Master Jiang to cook for us—what an honor and blessing!”
“Let’s go together, together!”
They quickly followed suit. If Master Jiang was going grocery shopping, it wouldn’t be right for them to stay behind.
Soon, the three arrived at a nearby supermarket and began picking out ingredients.
Suddenly, Jiang Tian staggered. He quickly grabbed a tissue and covered his mouth.
Beside him, Huo Qingtian immediately steadied him, frowning. “Master Jiang, still not feeling well?”
Jiang Tian frowned, tossed the bloodstained tissue into the trash can, and said calmly, “A few of my meridians and acupoints are injured. Right now, I can only use about a tenth of my original cultivation. I’ll probably need to go into seclusion for three months…”
“Don’t buy too much—let’s head back!”
“Yes, you need plenty of rest!”
Huo Qingtian and Wei Feilong urged him anxiously.
“I came out just to spit out this blood. Now that Qing’er has spiritual awareness, it’s hard to hide things from her eyes.”
Jiang Tian said calmly. He unscrewed a bottle of mineral water, swallowed a pill, and then said flatly, “Let’s go.”
After Jiang Tian left, a tall man in a red cap and a red clerk’s vest suddenly approached the trash can. He bent down, pulled out the tissue Jiang Tian had discarded, examined it carefully, and even sniffed it.
“He’s injured?”
He straightened up. Beneath the red brim, his azure eyes glinted with killing intent.
“Report this to the leader. This should be the perfect time for our Tombstone Organization to strike. Five hundred million US dollars—even split among a dozen or so of us, that’s a windfall!”
With that thought, he hurried out of the supermarket, his figure quickly disappearing into the bustling crowd.
“Master! Sister Qing’er!”
The next day, while Jiang Tian was recuperating, Tang Linglong strode briskly into the villa, beaming.
She was dressed in camouflage combat gear, high-top boots, her hair tied in a crisp ponytail—valiant, dashing, and imposing.
“Heh, you’ve been doing well in the War Dragon, little girl! Congratulations on the promotion! You’ll have to treat your master to a meal someday.”
Jiang Tian glanced at her shoulder insignia and smiled faintly, a hint of approval in his eyes.
Last year, on the occasion of Elder Jiang Changgeng’s birthday, the Tang family had come in full force bearing gifts, including a red coral.
But at that banquet, Old Tang had also sought Jiang Tian’s permission to let Tang Linglong join the War Dragon, leaving the decision to him.
Jiang Tian had gladly agreed.
The girl had never been fond of finery—she preferred the military. Joining the War Dragon had always been her dream, and for her, the best training was battle and bloodshed.
It was clear that after about a year of experience, Tang Linglong’s cultivation had grown considerably stronger.
Her Haoran Body Tempering Art had reached great perfection—her breath was long and steady, her true essence abundant, and she was on the verge of truly stepping into the Qi Refining realm.
And judging by her insignia, she was now a senior colonel—most likely the captain of the War Dragon.
The Tang family finally had a worthy successor.
“Yeah, I used to train the War Dragon members, after all. As soon as I joined, Cheng Tiantian stepped aside, and I became the captain!”
Tang Linglong chatted with Jiang Tian and his wife, smiling sweetly at first.
Then her expression turned serious. Frowning, she said, “Master, there’s something urgent I need to report to you.”
“Go ahead.”
“Master…” But Tang Linglong hesitated, casting an uneasy glance at Zhao Xueqing.
“Oh, you’re worried about making your mistress worry? Don’t be. She’s a cultivator now too.”
Jiang Tian said with a calm smile, a hint of pride swelling in his chest—her strength was now on par with his own!
“Ah! Mistress has become a cultivator!”
Tang Linglong was overjoyed, and only then did she notice the change in Zhao Xueqing’s bearing—an added aura of dignity and authority.
Only then did she lay all her cards on the table, speaking with deep concern: “Master, our military’s red-hat hackers breached the dark web and intercepted a message. Someone has put a bounty of five hundred million US dollars on your head!”
“My head—worth that much?” Jiang Tian said with an amused half-smile.
“Five hundred million dollars!”
Beside him, Huo Qingtian and Wei Feilong were stunned, both gaping in disbelief.
Money moves hearts.
Five hundred million US dollars in 2008 was equivalent to nearly four billion Chinese yuan—an astronomical sum that would set countless desperate souls in motion.
“Who placed the bounty?” Jiang Tian frowned, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
