Vermillion Bird’s Phantasm
Translator/Editor: Mr Voltaire
Every step Ling Chen took was like taking a step into the abyss of death. After a period of time that seemed both short, and long, Ling Chen’s HP was decreasing at 400 per second. Now, it only took about 4 seconds for him to run out of health. And this was under the protection of the Glacial Silk Shoes.
What was the most concerning was that he was still in the middle of the Outer Region.
The air was so hot and blistering that it was almost impossible for Ling Chen to open his eyes, and made it difficult for him to breathe. He started to feel that his footsteps were becoming incredibly light, and he knew that his body was close to reaching its limit. He raised his hands, and saw that his hands looked as if they had been completely roasted. He wondered whether he would catch on fire if he kept going.
Ling Chen was forced to drink yet another drop of Dew of Dawn. On the way to this point, he had already consumed more than 20 drops. With his consumption increasing as he advanced, it would be a pity if he ran out of the Dew of Dawn before even reaching the Middle Region.
“Little master, you should give up. As you are now, it’s impossible for you to reach the Inner Region. In fact, let alone you, even those of Heaven’s End grade would find it incredibly difficult.” Qi Yue urged. In order to save Xi Ling, he had travelled thousands of kilometres. If he couldn’t even get past the Outer Region, it would be incredibly difficult for him to accept such an outcome.
Although Ling Chen was not willing to give up, he wasn’t an idiot either. He knew what would happen if he decided to continue. However, he was simply unwilling to accept his powerlessness.
Ling Chen stood on the spot as he looked ahead. He gritted his teeth, deeply breathed in, and shouted, “Vermillion Bird!!”
“Vermillion Bird!! Come out!!”
“Vermillion Bird!! Come out!! I need your help!”
“Vermillion Bird!!!!”
… Ling Chen shouted with all of his might, and his voice travelled very far. There were not any echoes, nor any responses.
“Vermillion Bird!!!:
“Vermillion Bird, come out!!”
“Vermillion Bird!!”
Ling Chen continuously shouted, putting all of his strength into each yell. Right now, this was the only thing he could do. He prayed that his shouting could create some miracle- that the Vermillion Bird would hear him and come to him. However, he knew how naïve this plan was. After all, he was still kilometres from the centre of the Lava Purgatory- how could his voice reach such a place? Moreover, why would the Vermillion Bird come out just because of a human shouting?
Ling Chen shouted until he almost lost his voice and his head spun. The only one who could hear him shouting was Xiao Hui, who had been with him since he first entered the Lava Purgatory. The recovery items used by players also affected their pets, so with Xiao Hui’s 6000HP, Holy Spirit’s Shield and all the potions, he was much safer than Ling Chen. Hearing his master shouting, he also faced the direction to which Ling Chen was shouting, and started howling, trying to help his master.
“Awoo!!”
“Vermillion Bird!!”
“Awoo!!!”
“Vermillion Bird, come out!!”
“Awoooo!!!”
… After shouting for a while, Ling Chen’s voice became weaker and weaker, while Xiao Hui’s howls became longer and longer. Soon, the sounds produced by his little body became even louder than his owner’s, and travelled further…
“Awooooo~~~”
“Awoooooo~~~~”
“Huff… Huff…”
Ling Chen once again drank down a drop of Dew of Dawn, and panted. After resting for a bit, he squatted down, and patted Xiao Hui’s head, “Forget it, let’s not shout anymore. I think we should go back now. We’ll definitely find another way to save Xi Ling.”
“Awoo…” Xiao Hui stopped howling. It seemed that he could also feel Ling Chen’s disappointment. He softly barked a few times, as if to comfort Ling Chen.
“Let’s go.”
Ling Chen could only helplessly take out a teleport scroll for the Vermillion Bird City, and prepared to leave. After completely failing at finding the Vermillion Bird City, he could only meet with the Vermillion Bird City’s Mayor. Since the Vermillion Bird was the guardian beast of the Vermillion Bird City, the Mayor was bound to have some way of contacting the Vermillion Bird. Although it was unlikely the Mayor would help him, but it was more possible than advancing any further in the Lava Purgatory.
Just as Ling Chen was about to shatter the scroll, a faint female’s voice sounded out from the distance, “…Holy Qilin’s descendant, are you calling me…”
Ling Chen froze, and turned around, staring towards the south.
This voice was… could it be… wait, Holy Qilin’s descendant? What was that about?
Just as Ling Chen turned around, he saw a massive red phantasm. It was the phantasm of a bird with outstretched wings, which emanated a sense of power and majesty. Its head and tail looked like that of a Phoenix, and had claws like eagles. Its neck was like that of a snake’s, and its body was covered with crimson red feathers. Each feather was burning with an intense flame.
Ling Chen held his breath as he gazed at this this spectacle before him.
Vermillion Bird!! This was definitely the phantasm of the Vermillion Bird!
“Vermillion Bird!” Qi Yue called out in Ling Chen’s mind, affirming his suspicions. This was because Qi Yue had actually met the Vermillion Bird in the past!
“Vermillion Bird!!” Seeing this phantasm, Ling Chen shouted out emotionally.
Although this was only the phantasm of the Vermillion Bird, it carried some of its consciousness. It responded with a voice filled with curiosity, “Oh? Only some of your appearance looks like that of the Holy Qilin’s. Evidently, your energy is not that of the Holy Qilin’s, but why do you give me a feeling similar to that which the Holy Qilin gives?”
“Me?” Ling Chen stared in shock, before he suddenly looked down at Xiao Hui. Xiao Hui was currently also staring into the sky, unaware of what the Vermillion Bird was talking about.
Could it be that the Vermillion Bird was talking about Xiao Hui? It had called Xiao Hui… the Holy Qilin’s descendant?
The Holy Qilin’s descendant? What a joke! Xiao Hui looked like a little dog with a horn- it looked completely different to the mighty Qilin. Moreover, Xiao Hui was given to him by the evil beast Tao Tie- why would the Holy Qilin’s descendant be with an evil beast, rather with the Holy Qilin itself? Could it be that Xiao Hui’s aura was similar to that of the Holy Qilin’s, which was what drew the Vermillion Bird here?
“Never mind, the feeling you give me is only slightly similar to that of the Holy Qilin’s- looks like I was too sensitive. The Lava Purgatory is not somewhere you should be, so you should quickly leave. If you continue, you’ll definitely die here.”
As soon as it had finished talking, the Vermillion Bird’s phantasm turned to leave. Ling Chen hurriedly stepped forwards as he rasped, “Wait, Vermillion Bird, I need your help!”
“Unless the Vermillion Bird City is facing catastrophe, otherwise I won’t interfere with human affairs at all. Leave immediately.” The Vermillion Bird’s voice began to sound further away, and its phantasm became more and more transparent.
“It’s not about human affairs- it’s to save the sovereign of your Fire Clan!” Ling Chen desperately yelled as he summoned Xi Ling and cradled her in his arms, “Please save her; you’re the only one who can save her now!”
After a month had passed, Xi Ling had grown even weaker. Right now, she could only weakly lie in Ling Chen’s arms as she trembled. There were no longer any flames on her feathers, and she couldn’t raise her head no matter how hard she tried. She could only make some weak noises as she lay in Ling Chen’s arms.
The powerful and beautiful Xi Ling had become like this because of him. Ling Chen’s heart ached when he saw her in such a state.
The Vermillion Bird seemed to sense something, and the phantasm became vivid and clear again. This time, as it spoke, its voice was filled with shock, “The Golden Crow’s aura… no! Not just the Golden Crow, there’s also… also…”
A red ray of light descended from the sky, and swept towards Ling Chen. Ling Chen’s instincts told him not to dodge, and he watched as the red light landed on Xi Ling’s body, and carried her into the air, until she reached the Vermillion Bird’s phantasm. Ling Chen didn’t resist as he watched Xi Ling being taken over to the Vermillion Bird.
“So it’s like this! Although the Golden Crow has perished, it left behind a descendant! And not only the Golden Crow, but that race’s blood also flows through her veins! No less than expected from a being birthed from wielders of two of the strongest flames. Even though the flames of her lifeforce have almost gone out, but the remaining flames are still enough to make my flames tremble…”
The Vermillion Bird’s voice was filled with emotion, and this sort of reaction caused Ling Chen’s heart rate to speed up as he intently listened to every word the Vermillion Bird said. He had travelled thousands of kilometres just to bet on the Vermillion Bird’s emotions.
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