Martial World (Web Novel)
Chapter 993: Phoenix Heart Blood

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When a martial artist broke through to the Divine Transformation realm, their body would begin to transform from a spirit body to a divine body. At this time, their fires of life would greatly strengthen and their lifespan would massively increase. Their aging process would slow down and the potential of their life would also improve.

A Life Destruction martial artist over 100 years of age would find it hard to break into the Divine Sea, but a Divine Transformation martial artist over a thousand years old still had a chance of entering the Divine Lord realm. A 10,000 year old Divine Lord martial artist could even increase their cultivation by small boundaries during the Divine Lord realm. The only problem was if they wished to cultivate to a higher realm.

Sun Cyprestar had already lived for over 20,000 years and he had been stranded at the middle Divine Lord realm for 10,000 years now. 3000 years ago, he had started the preparations for refining the Phoenix Heart Pill. Gathering all of the materials for making the Phoenix Heart Pill wasn’t easy. By himself, it was nearly impossible to complete the collection, especially when it came to the rarest and most valuable medicinal ingredient – the arctic ice immortal stamen. For Sun Cyprestar, his only chance of being able to afford that ingredient was if he sold the Heaven Eclipsing Cauldron.

But once he sold the Heaven Eclipsing Cauldron, it would be impossible for him to think of refining the Phoenix Heart Pill.

On the other hand, if he couldn’t collect the full list of ingredients for making the Phoenix Heart Pill then keeping the Heaven Eclipsing Cauldron around was also worthless. Things like pill furnaces and cauldrons were magic tools mainly used in alchemy to create pills to assist in breakthroughs. These kinds of secondary magic tools were inferior to weapons when it came to directly increasing a martial artist’s strength. Besides the Phoenix Heart Pill, Sun Cyprestar didn’t need medicinal ingredients to refine anything else.

If he bet the Heaven Eclipsing Cauldron, then although the chances of losing were extremely high, there was still the faint hope that he could win and break through to the late Divine Lord realm and increase his lifespan. Otherwise, there was no hope for him. With Sun Cyprestar’s age, he had already dug out all of his potential and destiny.

Chu Redcloud had realized this point and that was the only reason why she was willing to make such a bet. She knew that even if Sun Cyprestar was aware that this was a trap, he would still readily jump into it.

Sun Cyprestar thought for a moment and said, “Chu Redcloud, your Charming Phoenix Palace was stronger than my Phoenix Cry Palace to begin with. You clearly made this bet to trick me!”

“Hehe, since it’s a bet, of course it has to be a bit more fair. My Charming Phoenix Palace’s disciples will consider their results lowered by 30%, that should be showing enough sincerity. How about it? Is Vice Hall Master Sun really so lacking in confidence towards his own disciples?”

“30%…”

Sun Cyprestar glanced at the disciples behind Chu Redcloud and then towards his own. His eyes swept over Huo Yanguang and then Lin Ming.

Although it was difficult to measure victory with sight alone, he could at least attempt to get a faint feeling. Sun Cyprestar did some calculations about potential scenarios. He felt that if Chu Redcloud lowered the results of her disciples by 30% then there really might be a chance to win.

Sun Cyprestar had already been tempted. But his voice was still cold as he said, “You’ve already understood my entire situation and have even grasped my weak point. It seems you’ve really been aiming at my Heaven Eclipsing Cauldron for a while!”

“Haha, Vice Hall Master Sun is too exaggerated. Vice Hall Master Sun is a fellow clansman of the Ancient Phoenix Hall and is also so famous. There is no need to investigate to know the situation! Of course, I truly am interested in your Heaven Eclipsing Cauldron. So how about it, would you like to make this bet with me?”

Sun Cyprestar’s lips twitched. Chu Redcloud had always been a crafty and scheming individual. He had come across her several times in his life and he had never managed to gain an advantage. Moreover, she had come prepared this time and had likely planned everything out from the start in order to win his Heaven Eclipsing Cauldron. She definitely had a great assurance she would win. But, the temptation was too great; he simply wasn’t able to refuse.

“My Heaven Eclipsing Cauldron is a valuable treasure found in an ancient ruin. Although the arctic ice immortal stamen is precious, it absolutely cannot compare equally to the Heaven Eclipsing Cauldron. I can agree to your bet, but if I win I want more things!”

“Haha, well said, then what do you want?” Chu Redcloud asked with a smile. She had already long expected that Sun Cyprestar would agree.

“A drop of phoenix heart blood!” Sun Cyprestar slowly enunciated.

Chu Redcloud slightly frowned but immediately said, “Done!”

Phoenix heart blood was at least a hundred times more precious than phoenix plume blood. Even a Divine Lord powerhouse would find it hard to give out a single drop. For a character on the level of Fairy Feng, even someone like her couldn’t immediately take out a drop of phoenix heart blood, because if she had it she would have already used it.

Chu Redcloud was certainly no exception. Although she had a high status in Charming Phoenix Palace, the only way for her to obtain a drop of phoenix heart blood was to pay a really high price.

“What are the rules for this bet?” Sun Cyprestar asked, his tone solemn. In the world of martial artists, bets happened all the time. But this time, the stakes were simply too high. This was a bet that concerned his life.

“Junior disciples, senior disciples, you can choose any one of those sides as you please. We will only look at the results of the top five, and victory or defeat will be decided by Senior Ruby Sovereign. I think that even you should trust the fairness of Senior Ruby Sovereign!”

The Ruby Sovereign that Chu Redcloud spoke of was the artifact spirit of Fire Spirit Star’s spirit artifact. It was an artifact spirit that had existed for a time far longer than Phoenix Cry Palace’s Saint Artifact Pavilion artifact spirit. Moreover, its strength was formidable, and through all these years it had managed the smelting trial for the disciples of Phoenix Cry Palace, Praying Phoenix Palace, and Charming Phoenix Palace. The number of talented disciples it had seen through the years was countless.

With such a respected senior judging the bet, it would undoubtedly be fair.

“I can choose junior disciples or senior disciples?” Sun Cyprestar’s eyes brightened. He turned to look at White Daohong, clearly wanting his opinion on the matter.

White Daohong thought for a brief moment and said with a true essence sound transmission, “Elder Sun, if you are counting on me to defeat Lu Xiaoyun, then I might have to disappoint you. My chances of defeating her are no higher than 30%.”

As White Daohong spoke, he kept his eyes locked onto a blue-clothed woman standing behind Chu Redcloud. This woman looked indifferent, with an ethereal air around her. The point between her eyebrows was dotted with intricate runes, lending her a mystical and marvelous temperament.

This person was the number one disciple of Charming Phoenix Palace’s Phoenix Hall, Lu Xiaoyun. She was also White Daohong’s greatest competition here.

“It’s not just Lu Xiaoyun, but everyone else is unfathomably strong. Besides me, only Junior-apprentice Brother Xiao has a chance of entering the top five. Even if Charming Phoenix Palace were to lower their results by 30%, I fear we will still lose.”

Sun Cyprestar grit his teeth. He looked over towards the junior disciples and his eyes stopped at Lin Ming.

Lin Ming remained silent throughout, not commenting on anything.

Finally, Sun Cyprestar took a deep breath and grimly said, “I choose the junior disciples!”

“Oh?” Chu Redcloud seemed surprised and then immediately smiled. “It seems Vice Hall Master Sun is confident in the junior disciples. Do you perhaps have some hidden card in hand?”

“Heh, my Phoenix Cry Palace has indeed produced a passable disciple, but… Chu Redcloud, since you made this bet it’s impossible that you didn’t look up everything ahead of time. I think you should already know who I’m talking about!” Sun Cyprestar didn’t believe that Chu Redcloud did not know about Lin Ming. Lin Ming’s name had already spread throughout the entire Phoenix Cry Palace as it stirred up a great wave. If Chu Redcloud wanted to look up information on him, that would be an extremely easy task.

At this time, Chu Redcloud was only deliberately pretending she hadn’t calculated everything in advance, thus the reason why Sun Cyprestar was lacking confidence in victory.

“Haha!” Chu Redcloud smiled, not replying.

She certainly knew of Lin Ming. And in a situation where she knew of Lin Ming, she still dared to make this bet. That meant that not only was she extremely confident in the junior disciples of Charming Phoenix Hall, but she had also found a method to deal with Lin Ming. Then again, this competition was measuring the top five and not just solely first place.

“Good. Then let’s clap hands to seal the oath.”

Chu Redcloud stretched out a snow white palm. Sun Cyprestar grit his teeth and slapped his palm against hers.

Pa!

A light clap echoed out, a clear sound even in the surging winds. This meant that the bet had officially started.

“Let’s go.”

Sun Cyprestar spoke to the disciples behind him. “All disciples, follow me back to the spirit ship.”

As Chu Redcloud saw this, she smiled, not saying anything. She knew that Sun Cyprestar was gathering up all the disciples to incentivize and galvanize them.

Her eyes fell onto the back of a white-clothed youth from Phoenix Cry Palace, and her lips curved up in a devious smile. “So you’re Lin Ming, right? What a pity that you’re a man and cannot join my Charming Phoenix Palace. I’ve already looked up your information and am well aware of your strengths. Your combat strength far surpasses all other rising talents, and you truly deserve first place in that aspect. But unfortunately, when it comes down to achievements in Concepts and Laws, you are destined to suffer a loss in this Ancient Phoenix smelting trial. Littlemoon, what do you think?”

Chu Redcloud turned around to glance at a 16-17 year old girl behind her.

“Hehe, Aunty, please feel relieved. Although this Lin Ming looks a bit wooden and stodgy, I won’t underestimate my opponent. I will help Aunty win the Heaven Eclipsing Cauldron. At that time, you can help others refine pills even better.” The girl called Littlemoon said.

“Hoho, aren’t you a smart little trickster!”

Chu Redcloud brightly laughed, as if spring were blooming around her.

But at this time, within Phoenix Cry Palace’s spirit ship, another scene was occurring. Sun Cyprestar’s complexion was sober and gloomy; extremely gloomy. Since Chu Redcloud had dared to make this bet, she certainly had confidence she could win. As for him, he was just the opposite.

The Ancient Phoenix smelting trial was not just a competition of one, but a bet that looked at the top five. Phoenix Cry Palace had already gained a profit from Chu Redcloud’s decision to only look at the top five. If the two palaces had to compare overall results, Phoenix Cry Palace would be in a much worse state.

“You may have heard, but this gambling bet is extremely important to me. Extremely. Important. It concerns my life and my property. In the bet just now, I also added in the condition of a single drop of phoenix heart blood from Chu Redcloud. This drop of phoenix heart blood is for all of you. If you have the ability to win, then this drop of phoenix heart blood will be yours. Whoever has the ability to take it can take it. A drop of phoenix heart blood is a treasure that can cause even Divine Lord realm powerhouses to fight over it. Compared to a top grade saint artifact, it is at least 10 times more precious. If you can obtain a drop of phoenix heart blood and fuse it into your body, then the quality of your bloodline will vastly improve. It will be highly beneficial to you when you break into the ninth stage of Life Destruction from the eighth stage. When you are making your breakthrough into Ninefall, you will even have another two layered heavens added onto your success!

“Not just that, but I will personally put forth lucrative rewards. All sorts of pills, heavenly materials, high-grade saint artifacts, top grade saint artifacts – all those who make good contributions will be suitably rewarded!”

“In addition, in the Ancient Phoenix smelting trial, the artifact spirit that watches over this trial, Senior Ruby Sovereign, will also pass out corresponding rewards. These are the rules of the Ancient Phoenix smelting trial. All rewards come from the Ancient Phoenix Clan Headquarters. Thus, to all of you, this Ancient Phoenix smelting trial is a great lucky chance!”

Sun Cyprestar’s words were extremely moving. As the disciples heard him, all of them began to stir restlessly, their auras shooting into the skies like rainbows.

All sorts of lucky chances and treasures were placed right before them, just waiting for them to reach out their hands!

The ordinary disciples of Phoenix Cry Palace didn’t have a master who appreciated them and supported them. Thus, they had to rely on themselves and fight for every lucky chance they could. With so many opportunities placed in front of them, even if the chances of obtaining them weren’t too high, they still had to desperately claw their way towards them!