"Master, you're finally awake! I thought I was going to perish with you this time!"
Then, with a flash of purple light in Li Yan's cave residence, a small purple elephant appeared beside Li Yan's bed.
When Li Yan had scanned the cave residence just now, he had noticed the small purple flag placed in a corner, but his mind was filled with so many questions that his thoughts were completely occupied. How could he have had time to check on the little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant's condition?
"You're fine, that's good. Tell me, what happened after I fainted?"
Li Yan cursed himself in his heart, 'Fool!' Since the little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant was fine, why had he been racking his brains just now instead of asking an eyewitness?
The little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant tilted its head and looked at Li Yan. It also couldn't understand the strange phenomenon that had occurred on Li Yan's body.
But seeing Li Yan's urging gaze sweep over it again, the little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant quickly said.
"Last night, I thought we were all going to die for sure. But just as the demonic cultivator's attack was about to arrive, Peak Master Wei suddenly arrived and took the opponent's attack. So we were all safe."
Although the little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant had acknowledged Li Yan as its master, it didn't have much awe for others. The pride in its bloodline was not easily erased, so it only called him "Peak Master Wei," which was already considered polite.
After hearing this, Li Yan didn't pay any mind to the little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant's form of address. Instead, his face showed surprise. "You're saying, it was Master who saved us?"
He had thought yesterday that he couldn't wait for the rescuers from Windy Cool Mountain. The main reason was that his group had walked less than a thousand li before the demonic cultivator had caught up.
It seemed that the time he had delayed was no more than twenty breaths. In such a short time, Li Yan was actually just making a last-ditch struggle. Whatever result he could achieve, he would do.
In addition, Li Yan thought that even if someone from Windy Cool Mountain went to the rescue, his master would probably not be among them. After all, the defense here was the top priority. Wei Zhongran was the main general here. How could he leave so easily?
"It was Peak Master Wei who arrived in time. Then he didn't hesitate at all and started a big fight with the opponent…".
As Li Yan listened to the little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant's account, his expression kept changing. Especially when he heard that his fatty master, in just a few exchanges, had heavily injured and knocked unconscious the enemy he regarded as a demon god.
This was something Li Yan simply couldn't imagine. He had some understanding of his own strength. At least in the Foundation Establishment stage, few could defeat him.
He even had the strength to fight against an ordinary Initial-stage Golden Core. But under the hands of this demonic cultivator, he had wracked his brains and had only managed to survive for a dozen or so breaths.
But his master had heavily injured a Mid-stage Golden Core demon lord in just a few exchanges. This level of cultivation greatly exceeded Li Yan's expectations.
'Could it be that Master's cultivation has long since reached the Late-stage Golden Core, or even the Pseudo-Nascent Soul realm? Otherwise, he couldn't have injured his opponent so easily, like chopping vegetables.'
After reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, the difference in combat power between each minor realm was quite huge. For example, a Mid-stage Golden Core killing an Initial-stage Golden Core was basically a foregone conclusion.
The reason it was said to be "basically" was that it did not include those cultivators who blindly pursued longevity. Even if they reached the Nascent Soul stage, it would take some effort for them to kill a Golden Core.
Thus, Li Yan believed that Wei Zhongran should be a Late-stage Golden Core, and a very formidable Late-stage Golden Core at that, or even a Pseudo-Nascent Soul cultivator on the verge of forming a Nascent Soul.
"Finally, Peak Master Wei imprisoned the demonic cultivator and took him away, and then he brought us all the way back…"
The more Li Yan listened, the more shocked he became. According to the little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant's description, Wei Zhongran did not put the "Great Dragon-Elephant Formation" into his storage pouch but instead tucked the small purple flag into his waist. As soon as he returned to the cave residence, he put it aside.
So the little Purple Dragon-Elephant had seen everything clearly on the way. It only took Wei Zhongran about half an hour to lead them back. This had to take into account that he was carrying six people and needed to be careful to hide their tracks at all times to prevent the possibility of being discovered.
However, the little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant said that on the nine-thousand-li journey back, they had still encountered two waves of enemy Golden Core cultivators' interception. It was unknown whether it was a coincidence or if Wei Zhongran had already detected it. When the opponent's Golden Core appeared, his side would also have Golden Core cultivators arrive to entangle the opponent.
So the journey was not as smooth as it was said to be. But even under such circumstances, Wei Zhongran had only used half an hour to return to Windy Cool Mountain, which could only mean that Wei Zhongran was not only extremely cultivated but also extremely intelligent.
"Master, your condition was actually very serious in the valley. Although Peak Master Wei treated you on the way, you were still on the verge of your physical body collapsing."
"Even later when we arrived here at Windy Cool Mountain, Peak Master Wei gave you many medicinal pills, but your condition still didn't improve."
"Later, Peak Master Wei was even planning to abandon your physical body and began to gather your soul, to find a body for you to perform Body Seizure in the future, when a strange change occurred…"
When the little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant said this, it thought of the strange silver light that had appeared on Li Yan's body. It was also a look of disbelief. It didn't know how these silver lights had been produced on Li Yan.
When Li Yan was refining the "Undead Nether Phoenix" essence blood, it had entered the "Earthen Patch" space.
And later, although Li Yan had used it several times, the little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant still hadn't seen it or, rather, hadn't noticed.
At that time, the little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant had been taken by Li Yan for other refining, so the Snow Mosquito King hadn't seen the little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant for a long time.
The strange change that had occurred on Li Yan's body, it was surprised, but it hid in the small purple flag and didn't dare to come out and check. The pressure Wei Zhongran gave it was too great. It didn't dare to show its head at all.
So just now, even when Wei Zhongran left the cave and stood outside talking with Elder Chigong, it still didn't dare to show itself. It was only after Wei Zhongran had completely left that it showed itself to talk to Li Yan.
The more Li Yan listened, the more shocked he became. And at this time, he finally remembered that dream-like illusion.
'I really didn't have time to swallow the 'True Essence Pill'. That dream-like illusion should be a state of consciousness when the soul is about to leave the body. Silver light, silver light, remodeling the physical body…'
Li Yan immediately thought of the silver light he had also seen everywhere in the dream-like illusion. At the same time, he also thought of that cold and ancient voice.
"Nine Heavens of the Netherworld, one rebirth per heaven. Crossing the Yellow Springs River, a will undying and unextinguishable."
Li Yan sat on the bed in a daze for a moment, and then he reacted. 'It was the 'Undead Nether Phoenix' essence blood that I absorbed that remodeled my physical body for me.'
Thinking of this, Li Yan's divine sense connected with his storage pouch, and the Li Fire Profound Yellow Fan was already floating in front of him.
Seeing Li Yan fall into deep thought, the little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant had long since stopped talking and was once again lying prostrate on the ground. It had become somewhat accustomed to the various strange phenomena that often occurred on Li Yan's body.
Li Yan had only just summoned the Li Fire Profound Yellow Fan when he already felt dizzy. He steadied himself. It seemed that he had been seriously injured this time and might have even damaged his divine soul.
With just a trace of his divine sense, he already felt that he couldn't take it anymore.
After regulating his breath for a short while, Li Yan slowly re-condensed his divine sense and probed into the Li Fire Profound Yellow Fan.
The scenery in the Li Fire Profound Yellow Fan was still the same. Li Yan didn't bother with anything else but looked directly at the blood-colored river under the crimson sky.
The drop of silver essence blood of the "Undead Nether Phoenix" that had once been refined by the blood-colored river was still wrapped in the blood-colored river, rising and falling with the waves.
Li Yan sensed it for a moment. Besides the approximately ten percent that had been refined by him back then, the remaining ninety-plus percent of the essence blood was still the same, without any change.
Li Yan quickly withdrew his divine sense from the Li Fire Profound Yellow Fan space. He was panting heavily, and his sea of consciousness was in sharp pain. His face was a little pale.
"Master, you are…"
The little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant raised its huge head and asked uneasily. Li Yan had just managed to be fine, so it didn't have to perish with him.
But now, it looked as if Li Yan's condition had suddenly worsened again. The little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant couldn't help but feel uneasy again.
Li Yan waved his hand at it, then supported himself on the edge of the bed and closed his eyes again. It was only after a long while that he felt the sharp pain in his sea of consciousness was no longer as heart-piercing as before.
But Li Yan still didn't open his eyes immediately. Instead, he once again condensed his divine sense and probed into his own body. What was displayed in Li Yan's divine sense were the familiar meridians and flesh.
But in Li Yan's perception, these familiar meridians and flesh were very different from before.
First, the current meridians showed a tender green color, and the flesh was also like new tender shoots, full of vigorous life and fragility everywhere.
Yes, fragility. Li Yan felt that his flesh and meridians could not withstand any great force at this moment. Otherwise, they would be easily destroyed in the next moment.
This was a stark contrast to his previously tough physical body. Especially the meridians looked like a thin layer, and the blood and qi flowing inside could be easily seen.
Despite all this, there was no panic on Li Yan's face. He had already roughly guessed the reason.
The second difference was that he saw that the meridians were more than twice as thick as they had been a day ago, and the texture of the flesh had also become clearer and more refined.
After his divine sense had roamed his body, Li Yan focused again on confirming the five spirit power cauldrons in his Dantian's Purple Mansion.
There was no change in the spirit power cauldrons, but the spirit power within them was almost completely consumed. There was only a wisp of spirit qi floating in them, as if it would dissipate at any moment like rootless duckweed.
A sharp pain came from his divine sense again. Li Yan had to disperse his divine sense. Amidst heavy breathing, he began to rest again.
This time, he rested for the time it takes for a cup of tea. This time, he reopened his eyes.
Li Yan slowly raised an arm and slowly clenched his fist. After five breaths, Li Yan was already covered in sweat, his bare upper body as if washed with water.
He gritted his teeth and carefully looked at his fist and arm. After another two breaths, he suddenly let out a long breath of turbid air. His entire body swayed with fatigue, but he quickly stabilized it and finally did not fall down.
He finally confirmed some of his thoughts.
"Nine Heavens of the Netherworld, one rebirth per heaven. Crossing the Yellow Springs River, a will undying and unextinguishable." This sentence flashed through Li Yan's mind again. He now should have understood the first half of this sentence.
"Could this sentence also be the divine sense left by that dead 'Undead Nether Phoenix', or is it an inherited will left in the bloodline?" For a moment, Li Yan was also unclear.
In fact, when Li Yan heard the little Purple Divine Dragon-Elephant say that silver light had appeared on his body, and then connected it to his situation in the dream-like illusion, he had already known that what had happened to his body was all related to the trace of "Undead Nether Phoenix" essence blood he had absorbed.
This time, his physical body was severely injured and on the verge of collapse, which had truly and thoroughly stimulated the trace of silver essence blood he had absorbed.
'So the name 'Undead Nether Phoenix' doesn't just mean that its physical body is so tough that it's not easy to die, but that it has the effect of fleshing out white bones and bringing the dead to life when facing death. This should be the true meaning of 'undying'.'
Li Yan finally understood the truly powerful secret of the "Undead Nether Phoenix."