The Golden Crow

Chapter 94

The meal time in Xiao Long's household was interesting this time around.

All the beauties who are interested in higher cultivation were extra chirpily this time around.

They all ended up pampering the Phoenix with food and asking the True God reborn all sorts of questions.

Qianye Ying'er was extra interested in this. She would non-stop ask questions about [True God Realm].

But, it didn't last long. The Phoenix sensed a threat to her 'life' and swiftly ended up flying over and landing on the Young Master's shoulder.

"I will stay here for a while." The regal firebird said with a voice with finality in it. The bird didn't reveal that she was feeling threatened. That would be just silly!

The ladies were not as bothered as one would suggest. They simply nodded and returned to their meals.

Only the group from Realm of Gods were somewhat reluctant but they agreed either way.

They will have their time to learn more about the Primordial Era and its secrets.

After all, the bird is Xiao Long's contracted beast.

So it's only a matter of time until they learn the secrets of [True God Realm]!

In the meantime, they will enjoy the meal and spend some time with their dearest Young Master.

~~~

After the meal was over Xiao Long went back to his workshop.

Huan Caiyi, who was cultivating, opened her eyes and looked at him.

Her eyes slightly widened as she saw a majestic bird on his shoulder.

It was a beautiful bird and it was emitting a unique and heavy aura, but it was not strong and extremely strange in that regard.

How can it have such a heavy presence but no cultivation?

"...Is this?"

"The Phoenix. Caiyi, we will be going to see the Golden Crow soon."

"Are you planning to trick the Golden Crow as well?"

"Trick? There is no trick. I didn't lie, if this is what you think." Xiao Long rolled his eyes at Phoenix's words.

"It's not my fault no one is asking for details."

"...You humans and your convoluting words."

"Says the God who likes to use big words." The Young Master pointed out the Phoenix's nature of talking seriously and big so that she would appear more important than she is at this moment.

As the pair were talking the Ex-Empress looked with no small amount of fascination! This was the literal True God from the Primordial Era! It was reborn and now part of the Sect she was in!

"It's Caiyi's honour to meet the Phoenix!" The Beauty respectfully greeted the majestic bird.

"Be at ease little Crow. I can sense her blood in you. It's a blessing and a curse. Her blood makes you powerful and above average when it comes to raw strength. But you have a price to pay for such might."

"Caiyi is well aware of the shortcomings of such a bloodline."

"Phoenix, you should double-check her before you give your advice." Xiao Long exclaimed as he realised that the bird didn't sense his Demon girl properly!

"Hmm?"

The bird leaned forward slightly and scanned the Ex-Empress in front of her.

"I see… curious. You are teaching her the same method you have. I see…I see…"

The Bird proceeded to speak to herself as she was contemplating what she was sensing.

"Don't worry, Caiyi. The Phoenix is just recently reborn and needs to re-cultivate her strength. Her senses are not as good."

Xiao Long proceeded to explain instead of the Firebird. He gently pulled his girl into a hug.

Since he did that the Phoenix flew off his shoulder and landed on his chair's backrest.

"Xiao Long is right. I need to cultivate for a little bit to get my senses working properly. It appears your life is in great hands." After saying that the Phoenix closed her eyes and started to cultivate.

"Lovely, no sense of surroundings as well." The Young Master looked at the bird with a resigned look. It appears he has underestimated how annoying these True Gods can be.

For one they have no sense of surroundings. He can guess that this bird will be sleeping and cultivating anywhere she wants.

"Amazing. I never thought I would see a True God in flesh like this." Huan Caiyi's voice brought her back from his thoughts. She sounded genuinely impressed and awed seeing a literal God.

"Indeed. Wait until I bring Crow back to life." He reminded her about the next part. Which made her smile just a little bit.

"...Yes. But do you think she will teach me anything?"

The Ex-Demon Empress softly asked him. She was not certain anymore. Her loss to Xiao Long and his conquest only made her question herself!

Even now she is asking him! The very same person who conquered her homeland!

It sounds pitiful.

"Does it matter? I already taught you extremely powerful arts. Restored and balanced out your lifeforce.

By all means you shouldn't even bother, Caiyi." As he said that he hugged her even more now.

Thinking for a moment she slowly nodded at him.

"Besides. Once I have the crow I will get her Special Arts and all that stuff. You will learn it either way." He whispered into her ear.

This made her slightly blush and gently nod.

The disrespect! But it just made her more excited!

~~~~~~Later~~~~~~

Xiao Long waited for the Phoenix to recover some of its power.

The sheer cultivation talent the bird possesses is simply absurd.

It only took her a few days to reach [Nascent Profound].

Faster than anyone the Young Master has seen! Faster than people in his Sect and Realm of Gods. It's like the bird is born to cultivate.

After reaching [Nascent Profound] the trio went to the Valley where Golden Crow's remnant soul is located.

"That lightning is not part of the Golden Crow's power." Phoenix pointed out immediately.

"Is it? It was always here." Huan Caiyi said as she removed the seal at the entrance with her Imperial Seal.

"I see. It could be another Elemental Seed left behind by Ni Xuan."

The Phoenix recalled that Fire Seed was used on her to recover her soul, lifeforce and body in an embryo state.

"Ni Xuan?"

The black-haired beauty asked curiously. She never heard this name before.

"He is one of the Creation Gods."

"Indeed. Primordial Azure Dragon, Golden Crow and I were his friends who agreed to leave remnant souls on this Star.

The only reason your family has such power is that Golden Crow was friends with Ni Xuan."

Huan Caiyi slowly nodded her head. She was feeling quite weak and powerless when the Phoenix put it like this!

The only reason her family ever has power in the Illusory Demon Continent is because Golden Crow was friends with this Creation God she never heard about!?

"Yes. This Star is more than that as well. But regardless, we are not here to discuss ancient history."

As Xiao Long said, he proceeded to enter. He was followed by the Black-Haired Beauty.

The Valley is quite something else. Volcanoes and magma were everywhere. It's utterly opposite to how it was with the Phoenix location.

"This is so like her."

The Firebird commented as she looked around from Xiao Long's shoulder.

After walking for a while longer the group of two people and one bird arrived at Golden Crow's cavern.

Once they were inside the space around them distorted as a pair of large eyes manifested.

"Little girl! What did this noble one—" The Golden Crow didn't finish saying as it focused on Young Master and what was on his shoulder.

"You are alive!? Impossible!!!" The remnant spirit exclaimed with disbelief even horror!

How could this annoying bird survive while she was dead!? Utterly preposterous in Golden Crow's eyes!

"I was dead just like you. But Xiao Long revived me. More precisely helped with the rebirth ritual."

Phoenix explained to the fellow firebird. The moment she did, the Young Master could feel scrutinising eyes scanning him.

The Golden Crow was now interested. Just like Xiao Long predicted.

"So you saying this little human did what no other True God could do?"

"That is correct. Your generation focused on raw battling power. While I developed techniques and arts which could be considered support." As he proceeded to talk he lifted his hand and pulled out a heavily inscribed egg.

"This is what will bring you back to life."

"Curious, and what is the price of such an opportunity?"

"...Joining my Sect."

"Ha! You want this Noble One to become a mere member of your Sect!?"

"...Phoenix did, so did Primordial Azure Dragon who will be reborn in a few short years."

"..."

That's right. The one which the Golden Crow would respect is Ni Xuan and the Azure Dragon.

Just by mentioning those two, the Golden Crow instantly stopped mocking.

She is easy to deal with. Prideful ones are always easy. All you need is to mention a better and more powerful being.

"The choice is yours. I will be moving out to the Realm of Gods. You could come with me. People over there haven't seen your majesty for many, many years. I think it's time for them to know, don't you think?"

"..."

"This Noble One knows that you are using her. But, you are right."

Golden energy rushed into the egg, Xiao Long swiftly focused on the egg he was holding. The bird was far too rash and didn't even notify us when she would start.

The golden essence rushed into the egg, slowly it started to morph into a golden one, and it started to emit heat.

After the golden essence entered drops of blood started to fall into the egg, merging with it. Several dozen of those dropped in before it was done.

"...Is it over?" Huan Caiyi asked him as she was holding her breath the whole time.

She didn't dare to make any sort of sound. In front of her God, she felt utterly weak and powerless. Not to mention the amount of energy the Golden Crow used.

The exposure alone towards energy felt that it could erupt her organs.

"Yeah. The embryo started to form."

As Xiao Long said that he lifted his hand and a jade slip floated down, landing in his free hand.

"...What a find this is. It appears you are lucky, Caiyi. This is Golden Crow's Record of Burning the World. It's the Divine Beast's art to control its flames." He said that after checking it. Though he was not that interested in it.

He could learn it one day. But for now, he will give it to his beautiful pet. That would make her happy.

Her eyes widened as she saw him drop the jade slip into her hand.

"You are lucky, little one. This is a True God art. And you got it intact and you can study it to your heart's content."

The Phoenix reminded her how valuable it is!

"Are you sure!? You're just giving it to me!?" Huan Caiyi was perplexed by his actions.

"Yes. Study it as much as you want. I might check it one day. Maybe create something based on this. But, as I said before. This is an art for your bloodline.

So learn it to the full extent."

She slowly nodded at him before looking at the slip. There was a small but very beautiful smile on her lips. The beauty was feeling giddy! After so many years she finally got this! And with no time limit!

Never before did any of her family members learn the whole art! The Golden Crow never allowed it in the first place. There was a time limit for how long one could study it.

And so! This is heaven's luck for her!

"I will! This is an incredible opportunity!"

He nodded at her and then stroked her cheek, gently.

"You look very beautiful when you are smiling like this."

Xiao Long honestly said that to her which made Huan Caiyi start blushing immediately!

"You are messing with me! Doing this on purpose!"

"Indeed-"

Her eyes widened.

"I am telling you on purpose the truth, what else is there?"

*Groan*

The Ex-Empress rubbed her head with one of her hands from sheer frustration! If it was the time when she was the Empress she would have killed him hundred times over!

And he knows it! That is why he is constantly teasing her like this!

This is just driving her mad.

"Come now. Let's collect the Elemental Seed and then we can leave." He motioned for her to start walking.

*Resigned Sigh*

"Fine."

~~~

Finding the Lightning Seed was not difficult. When the crystalized law ended up in his hands Xiao Long was impressed, even awed by this element.

Because he realised that he could use Lightning to improve his Sect's overall Profound Energy distribution speed! In other words, he could potentially use this seed as a core to help him fly into the Realm of Gods!

This was simply a monumental discovery!

After getting the seed the Young Master took the Golden Crow egg and placed it where Phoenix was before.

"I do wonder what the Golden Crow would think if she were to learn that this was the place where your rebirth happened."

"Knowing her, she would throw a fit."

The Phoenix casually mentioned that they don't get along and when Gods don't get along it usually means billions of casualties in a cultivation universe.

"Yes. It's a good thing she didn't ask more questions." Xiao Long rolled up his right-hand sleeve. A new tattoo was there.

His right hand is full of animal tattoos. At least they appear in a tribal-like fashion which looks cool enough for him to not mind the amount of tattoos he has now.

"Yes. You tricked another God."

"You didn't try to stop me or bother to even mention it."

"Why should I?" The Phoenix asked him curiously.

"Fellow God? Bird? Fire Bird?"

"We don't have such kinship like you humans do. We are individual Gods. As such we are far more independent. Many True Gods used to create worlds and just live there far away from everyone else."

"...But your 'main' Legacy was left on the same star as Vermillion bird and Golden Crow."

"We had no choice. The majority if not all True Gods were poisoned at the same time. It was a means to make sure we survived, so we ended up on the same star and left the legacies there."

"In the end, survival triumphed over individual pride."

"...No shame to agree that it was the truth."

After getting Golden Crow there was nothing else left to do in the Illusory Demon Continent.

The Young Master proceeded to work towards self-government for this place as he will be leaving towards Azure Cloud Continent.

For this, he decided to implement some of the experimental things he had been working on.

One of those is the profound energy flow. Same technique which he used to discover Illusory Demon Continent.

Sending a shockwave of Profound Energy with specific tailoring.

Since he knows it works he can proceed to improve on it.

That's right even if he used Old Yun's Profound Energy signature a couple of years ago he wasn't certain this art would work.

In other words, it was experimental 'tech'. But since it worked he can proceed to build up on this and create a holographic-like means to talk from a large distance.

Lightning seed will help him, lightning travels very fast, add some space laws and he will have a cultivation version of the internet.

To test this out he created a pair of artefacts which emit profound energy at specific 'nature'. They communicate from one to another.

This was nothing new since shielding artefacts he has worked similarly. A receiver and a deploying device in one package.

With few changes in the runic sequence instead of deploying a shield it will deploy a picture.

"So what is this? You went to work on this the moment you got the Golden Crow egg and that Elemental Seed." Huan Caiyi is confused by his strange behaviour. He is nothing like people from her Continent.

What is annoying to her is that she can't predict what he could do.

Just like now. He started tinkering on something without any sort of explanation.

"It's a communication device."

"...Like the talismans we use?" The talisman was the first thing which came to her mind. It's the only means they have to send messages to people far away.

"Yes, but far better. We will be leaving this Continent soon for the third one. Once we acquire the third one we will leave for the Realm of Gods. So we need means to keep in touch with places far away." He explained to her while looking at the pair of disks like artefacts.

The Ex-Empress eyes widened when she heard that! She realised that it was the truth… the continent more or less was fully subdued by the Supreme Cloud Sect.

Even if the main Island flies away there are still smaller ones which are always here.

This made her feel weird and annoyed at the same time. She was supposed to be the one true ruler of this place. Leaving was never on her mind.

But now? No matter what she does she will go with him.

"I see."

Hearing her voice which was a mix of sadness and some anger made Xiao Long turn towards her.

"You don't want to go?"

"...Of course not. I am supposed to be the Empress here."

"Not anymore. I dethroned you, and took your continent."

She huffed and looked away. Huan Caiyi was annoyed but not as much as she used to be before.

"That's right. So you will be going where I am going. For many, many years to come."

For some reason it made her start blushing. As she interpreted in some weird way.

"...Yes, as you wish, Caiyi understands."