Phượng Âm stood before the Đài Luân Hồi, her expression solemn and filled with apprehension.
Beside her, Diệp Tiếu – the wife of the Penglai Island Master and also the Master of the Underworld Manor, who had long since grown wings, ascended, and become a High God – approached and patted her shoulder reassuringly, saying with a knowing look, "Don't hesitate anymore, jump. It's not your first time, after all."
Phượng Âm turned her head, uncharacteristically serious, and pointed at the sparkling, glittering... uh... 'hole', as it were, asking, "Are you sure this is the Đài Luân Hồi and not a volcano crater?"
Giản Hề Thiên quân rushed forward and nodded, "Absolutely. I'll bet you Heavenly Emperor Mặc Tử Dạ's head that this is definitely the Đài Luân Hồi."
Phượng Âm frowned, shot Giản Hề a completely distrustful glance, then slid over to Đại Miêu Tiên quân, who hadn't said a word until now, and earnestly said, "Đại Miêu, I only trust you!"
The always trustworthy Đại Miêu nodded, "Trust me, you can jump!"
Phượng Âm looked up at the sky, her heart filled with sorrow.
To be fair, for an immortal who had lived for over a hundred thousand years yet was still only a High Immortal, to be so worried and hesitant about just one jump into the Đài Luân Hồi was not at all an act on her part. Rather, she had to confirm and ascertain it absolutely to ensure her upcoming 'absolutely flawless' mortal trial.
Phượng Âm was now a full one hundred and thirty thousand years old, and the fact that she was the Phoenix Clan's Emperor yet only a High Immortal was no coincidence. Recalling eighty thousand years ago, she had just turned fifty thousand, right when the great war between gods and demons ended. She was on the battlefield at the time when suddenly someone rushed over in a fluster and told her, "Emperor, your ascension trial has arrived! Quickly go and undergo your trial!!!"
Immortals needed a karmic opportunity to ascend, and she had finally waited for this one; how could she not be overjoyed? However, everyone was out fighting at the time, and the Đài Luân Hồi was unguarded, so there was no Immortal-Locking Water (Tỏa tiên thủy) available for descending to the mortal realm. She truly didn't know what to do. Fortunately, this junior immortal was very understanding; seeing her flustered, he generously said, "Emperor, don't worry, I have Immortal-Locking Water here for you. You just need to head straight north to the Đài Luân Hồi and then automatically descend to the mortal realm."
The matter was originally very simple, so Phượng Âm gleefully drank the Immortal-Locking Water, transformed into a Phoenix, and flew south (Author: "Yes, you're not mistaken, she flew south!!!"). After flying for a long time, she finally saw a mountain with an 'immortal hole' on its peak; although it was ugly, it truly had an immortal aura. So she cried out in joy, closed her eyes, and plunged headfirst down.
What followed was a process of freefall.
After that, she felt waves of hot air blowing onto her face. At that moment, she even thought, "The Đài Luân Hồi is really hot..."
But when a familiar smell permeated the air, she couldn't help but open her eyes, and then, molten rock was just inches away!!!
She was so scared that she chanted a spell and shot back three *trượng*, but she had forgotten that after drinking the Immortal-Locking Water, her immortal power had been sealed. Therefore, after three *trượng*, she stopped, then continued to plunge straight into the bubbling molten rock.
People often say that a Phoenix bathes in fire and is immortal.
This is true, but even if one is immortal, they will still be battered and worn out. Therefore, amidst the hot molten rock, she painfully struggled, flapping her wings to fly up to the sky.
But from behind, a completely black bird had shot forward in front of her, catching her just as she was about to sink into the molten rock!
She raised her head, about to explode in a furious tirade at the other party, when it suddenly grabbed her by the neck with its beak, held her in its mouth, and landed on a rock.
Her face was as black as the bottom of a pot.
She was the dignified Emperor Lord of the Phoenix Clan, and yet she had been held in the beak of this pitch-black bird?
But the other party was also very well-behaved; after setting her down on the rock, it obediently stood beside her, not saying a word.
She was about to give it a piece of her mind when she suddenly heard a clamor and loud curses, followed by a troop of Demon Clan soldiers running past the mouth of the volcano.
She was so scared she trembled. Now, she couldn't even fly out of this tiny lava pool; if she were discovered, she'd surely be stewed into soup.
But strangely, the bird beside her was also trembling. Phượng Âm was exasperated. "I am an immortal, a renowned immortal in the Heavenly Court," she thought. "It's understandable if I tremble at the sight of the Demon Clan, but what reason does a bird like you have to tremble?"
But in a moment, she understood.
After the Demon Clan troops swept through and left, Hắc Điểu suddenly ruffled its feathers and smugly declared to her, "To be saved by this Original Lord is a great fortune for a black crow like you!"
Phượng Âm was so angry she almost spat blood. She opened her mouth and yelled, "Saving this Emperor Lord is *your* good fortune!"
Hắc Điểu looked at her, momentarily startled. Yes, startled!
Just as Phượng Âm was feeling proud of her identity as the Phoenix Clan's Emperor Lord, the other party flapped its wings and said with a sigh of pity, "Looking at you, your cultivation isn't high, you're young, foolish, and delusional. How truly pathetic!"