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Cracks spread rapidly across the cocoon's surface. Finally, with a sharp snap, a large chunk of the cocoon shell broke off. As that first piece fell away, a chain reaction followed—the entire cocoon burst apart. A three-colored pillar of light shot straight into the sky like a sudden explosion.
From within the shattered cocoon emerged a dragon—neither particularly massive nor small—but its body stretched over a hundred zhang long and exuded the aura of an early-stage Dou Zong. Its scales were entirely golden, with only traces of violet scattered sparsely across them, giving it a completely different appearance from the typical Taixu Ancient Dragons. Even its wings and hind claws were pure radiant gold, devoid of any purple whatsoever.
As the golden dragon emerged from the cocoon, it spread its wings and gave them a gentle flap. Deep, rumbling sonic booms echoed across the sky, stirring up violent gales with every motion.
Surprisingly, the wings were not covered in dragon scales but in feathers—feathers strikingly similar to those of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix. However, just like the scales of a Taixu Ancient Dragon, these feathers were densely packed, fitted seamlessly against the flesh. The two golden hind claws also differed slightly from the front ones, resembling those of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix—immensely powerful and sharply curved.
As a magical beast on par with the Taixu Ancient Dragon, the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix naturally had its own areas of terrifying prowess.
The Taixu Ancient Dragon is the darling of space itself, wielding unmatched spatial mastery. The Ancient Heavenly Phoenix, meanwhile, reigns supreme over the skies, its flight speed enough to tear through the void with ease.
The Taixu Ancient Dragon possesses scales of peerless hardness, a body built like steel, and overwhelming brute strength. In contrast, the Heavenly Phoenix has razor-sharp talons capable of tearing through metal and stone—claws that can pierce even the scales of a Taixu Ancient Dragon.
Ziyan, in this moment, had inherited the best of both bloodlines. Not only had her lineage evolved—her physical form itself had transformed into the perfect fusion: a Dragon-Phoenix!
Qian Renhan looked up briefly at Ziyan, who still carried the carefree nature of a child, flying joyfully through the sky while experiencing her newfound power. Then, without wasting a second, he shut his eyes and resumed refining his Dou Qi. He never let a moment go to waste.
In the sky, Ziyan eventually grew tired of playing. With a shimmer of golden light, her massive dragon form transformed into a human figure. Now fully human, she hovered in the air, completely bare, a faint violet glow swirling around her figure. Her long, soft, violet hair flowed down to the curve of her firm, shapely backside. Her figure was voluptuous and mature, her body now fully developed—far from the little girl she once was.
Stretching lazily in midair, Ziyan extended her arms, and her alluring curves were further accentuated by the motion. Her long lashes fluttered as she opened her eyes. Glancing down at Qian Renhan, still seated cross-legged in cultivation, a mischievous impulse stirred in her heart. She paid no mind to her lack of clothing and floated down in front of him. Placing her hands on her hips, she leaned forward slightly. Her generous curves hung in the air between them as she spoke in a clear and melodious voice:
"Qian Renhan, I've finished my closed-door cultivation. I've grown up. The transforming herb doesn't work on me anymore!"
In the Black-Corner Region of the Northwestern Continent—where Jia Nan Academy was located—the beast mountains were rich in elemental energy, yet even the most fertile parts could only grow sixth-grade Transformation Herbs, which were effective only for magical beasts of Dou Huang level. Now that Ziyan had advanced to the Dou Zong realm, such herbs were completely useless. In other words, Ziyan's transformation was complete—she would never revert to her previous loli form.
The now fully mature Ziyan stood over 1.8 meters tall. Her long, shapely legs were smooth, fair, and straight—each over a meter long. The ratio of her thigh length to her upper body was a perfect 0.618: the Golden Ratio of beauty.
In fact, her legs were long enough to stand taller than Qian Renhan, who was still seated. As she leaned forward, her seductive posture reached an almost nosebleed-inducing level. From Qian Renhan's seated position, the part of her body directly in his line of sight required no explanation.
At such close range, if Qian Renhan were to open his eyes, even someone with a temperament as cold and steadfast as his might be caught off guard.
But his eyelids remained shut. Only his nose twitched slightly as a wave of Ziyan's fragrance washed over him. Her scent was far more intense—several times stronger—than that of Gu Xun'er, whom he had once lifted with a single hand. His brows furrowed as he spoke:
"Are you wearing any clothes?"
"I am."
Ziyan's reply came with a brief pause and the slightest hint of hesitation. A moment later, a black robe was tossed at her, covering her bare body.
"Put some clothes on."
Ziyan held the robe in her hands, staring at Qian Renhan's expressionless face, which hadn't changed in the slightest. Her delicate brows furrowed, and she glanced down at herself before muttering internally:
"But Sister Xiao Yixian said all men are the same—they like women who are fair-skinned, beautiful, long-legged, curvy, with a slender waist, plump chest, and peach-shaped rear. So why doesn't any of this work on Qian Renhan?"
"Ziyan, it's time for you to return to Ancient Dragon Island and take over Elder Zhukun's position."
On Ancient Phoenix Island, Qian Renhan was, for once, enjoying a hearty meal. He casually slew the island's strongest magical beast and began roasting it. The fire he used was none other than Ziyan's unique Dragon-Phoenix Flame, a divine flame she acquired after achieving the Dragon-Phoenix transformation. Its level and intensity were no less than the famed Green Lotus Core Flame.
Ziyan paused, slightly surprised. "Aren't you coming to Ancient Dragon Island?"
Qian Renhan replied indifferently, "With my current strength, taking care of the three Dragon Kings of the southwest, northwest, and north would be a trivial matter. But the internal division of Ancient Dragon Island is, ultimately, a matter of your clan. You are the next Dragon Emperor. To resolve the conflict and establish your authority, it must be done by your own hands."
"If you truly encounter something beyond your ability to handle, crush this jade slip. I'll come to Ancient Dragon Island and assist you."
Upon hearing this, Ziyan's red lips parted slightly, but in the end, she didn't object. She simply took all her pent-up frustration and unleashed it on the roasted magical beast, devouring it with great enthusiasm.
During the time Ziyan was advancing, a new explosive crisis erupted across the Central Plains. Already weakened by the Spirit-Devouring Life-Termination Array that had blood-sacrificed countless experts, the region was still reeling from power struggles and shifting factions—until a colossal bombshell dropped, turning the already boiling waters into a raging tempest.
A rumor spread—its source unknown—that the infamous demon Qian Renhan was connected to Xiao Yan, the young master of Starfall Pavilion. In response, Spirit Hall, Heaven Nether Sect, Ice River Valley, remnants of Wind and Thunder Pavilion, and dozens of other major and minor factions united to declare the formation of the Alliance to Exterminate Demons, issuing a call to arms against Starfall Pavilion.
These three dominant factions, each a titan in their own right on the Central Plains, needed no introduction. Any one of them could be considered a sovereign force. As for the Spirit Hall, it couldn't even be described merely as a sovereign force anymore—it was an undisputed overlord among the powers of the Central Plains. Even the alchemy giant Pill Tower, with its immense influence, could only barely stand on equal footing with it.
It was indeed strange that the Spirit Hall would name their coalition the "Alliance to Exterminate Demons," given their own notorious reputation. But when considering Qian Renhan's deployment of the Spirit-Devouring Life-Termination Array and the blood sacrifice of countless living beings, his actions seemed far more demonic than the Spirit Hall, which at most only harvested souls from the dead. In that light, the name of the alliance actually carried a certain twisted legitimacy.
Furthermore, under the banner of "demon extermination," the Spirit Hall leveraged moral pressure to drag other influential sects into their cause—such as the Pill Tower, Flower Sect, Sound Valley, and Blazing Flame Valley. These forces, though skeptical of the narrative, still had no choice but to send troops against Starfall Pavilion, if only to avoid public backlash.
Starfall Pavilion had entered a dire crisis!
(End of Chapter)