Read Novel Full Chapter 178: Return to the Eastern Region
Chapter 178: Return to the Eastern Region
When Tian Fan returned, the beautiful woman was already standing at the mouth of the cave, waiting for him. A little dragon perched on her shoulder, hugging a fiery red fruit that released a rich spiritual fragrance. The tiny creature looked perfectly content.
“Brother!”
Seeing him come back, the little one immediately flew up happily, landing on his shoulder and offering him the fruit in its claws. Tian Fan affectionately rubbed its small head and told it to eat it itself.
“Keep the Fire Spirit Orb safe. From now on, it’s yours…you don’t have to return it.”
Tian Fan froze when he heard the woman’s words. This was a divine treasure of heaven and earth…to the phoenix clan, the Fire Spirit Orb was priceless, far beyond all else.
“No, Aunt!”
The little phoenix panicked the moment it heard that. Transforming into a palm-sized bird, it stood on the woman’s shoulder, flapping its tiny wings in protest. That Orb had always been with it; lending it out was already the greatest compromise it could make.
“Little Ling’er, you should go out with him too.”
The beautiful woman turned around, gazing softly at the small phoenix. Tian Fan’s jaw nearly dropped…what was going on?
“Young man,” the woman said, “although Ling’er is stronger than you right now, she was only recently born. She’s still a child. You must take good care of her.”
Her words made the little phoenix beam with joy. It hopped up and down, chirping cheerfully, “Auntie, you finally let me go out! It’s been so many years! I can finally leave…Ling’er is so happy!”
“Ling’er, once Auntie isn’t by your side anymore, you must listen to him, understand?”
Hearing that, the little phoenix suddenly sensed something was wrong. It tugged on a strand of the woman’s hair anxiously. “Auntie, what do you mean? Aren’t you coming with Ling’er?”
“Be good, Ling’er. Auntie must stay here…I can’t leave. I don’t want to see you so lonely without a playmate. The outside world is vast; that’s where you belong. Go on, Auntie will bless you from here.”
The woman gently stroked the little creature on her shoulder, her eyes full of love.
“No! If Auntie doesn’t go, Ling’er won’t go either! Ling’er doesn’t want playmates…Ling’er just wants to stay with Auntie!” The little phoenix cried, unwilling to leave, tears already forming.
“Be good, Ling’er. No matter where you are, Auntie will always think of you.”
The woman spoke softly and tapped the little phoenix lightly on the head. The tiny creature instantly fell unconscious. Carefully, she handed it over to Tian Fan.
“Young man, Ling’er is still small. She’s adorable and well-behaved. You must look after her and never let her be wronged. Otherwise, no matter who you are, even if I have to chase you to the ends of the earth, I will not let you go.”
For the first time, a look of sternness appeared on the woman’s face, and a faint but overwhelming pressure filled the air.
“I don’t know why Senior is doing this,” Tian Fan said seriously, “but please rest assured…I will never let her suffer, not even a little.”
There was a heaviness in his chest. The deep affection between this woman and the little phoenix stirred something inside him. He had lived in the Soaring Dragon Dynasty for nearly twenty years, yet his own father had never once looked him in the eye. Others had only ever mocked him. Only his honest, simple-hearted younger brother had ever truly acknowledged his existence.
“Young man, don’t dwell on it. Everyone has their own journey. What you see may be nothing but illusion. The place you think of as home may only be a small inn on your path…and the one you believe furthest from you may, in fact, be your closest kin.”
Her calm voice echoed in Tian Fan’s ears. She looked up toward the depths of the starry heavens, then back at him. “The Earth Spirit Orb lies beneath a sacred martial ground in the Eastern Region. It will soon reappear. Go now…end your mortal entanglements and fulfill your destiny.”
“Thank you, Senior. Please take care.”
Tian Fan bowed deeply. The beautiful woman was unfathomable; he couldn’t read her at all. After a final glance, he turned and retraced his path.
“A million years of waiting, all to keep him from stepping into fate…yet now he bears an even greater burden. Was it worth it?”
Watching Tian Fan’s departing figure, the woman murmured softly. For the first time, sorrow flickered in her eyes. Gazing toward the heart of the island, she sighed faintly. Fate was set…what could she possibly do?
“Hmph. You’ve watched long enough. Come out!”
Her cold snort shattered the air. Her small frame erupted with a terrifying, sky-piercing aura. Twin beams of crimson light shot from her eyes, piercing the void ahead.
“Hehehe…”
A chilling laugh echoed. A shadowy figure was forced out of the void, wrapped in black deathly mist. It was impossible to tell if it was male or female…only a pair of eerie green eyes glowed with vile energy. The vegetation below withered instantly.
“Don’t flatter yourself. If he could release you, he could destroy you just as easily. A million years later, you still cannot escape death. This time, it won’t be a mere seal…it will be your end.”
The woman’s gaze turned icy cold. Stepping into the Fire Spirit Cave, she unleashed a storm of violet flame that descended from the heavens, annihilating all. The black wraith screamed in agony, its voice splitting the sky.
“Before you’re destroyed, allow me to give you a little parting gift.”
Her voice drifted faintly from within the cave. Violet radiance surged like a thick fog, engulfing the entire divine volcano. When it finally dispersed, nothing remained. The Fire Spirit Cave had vanished without a trace, as though it had never existed.
The wraith howled in fury, twin green beams lancing from its eyes, tearing through time and space. The surrounding forests disintegrated into dust, and the land split apart, crumbling into ruin.
At that moment, Tian Fan was circling around Immortal Island of No Return. The little one lay curled on his shoulder, happily munching the Fire Spirit Fruit. Though not quite a sacred fruit, it was still a heavenly treasure…a delicacy loved by divine beasts.
Tian Fan gazed at the adorable little phoenix. There were still faint tear marks by her eyes. To suddenly lose a family member she had lived with for years…anyone would struggle to bear it. Gently wiping away her tears, he tucked her carefully into his arms and began walking back the way he had come.
Just then, the ancient divine script within his body trembled faintly. Sensing something, Tian Fan turned toward the island’s center, a trace of confusion in his eyes.
“Brother, what’s wrong?” the little dragon asked, puzzled by his silence.
“Nothing. Let’s go.” Tian Fan shook off his thoughts and continued onward.
When he reached the shore, the giant octopus was already waiting, clearly aware that he would need transport since no ships remained. Smiling, Tian Fan stepped lightly onto its broad back.
“Young man, did you find what you’d lost?”
When the old man saw Tian Fan returning on the sea beast, he came out personally to greet him. The dark-skinned young man beside him looked stunned…he hadn’t expected this man to actually survive that place.
“Yes, I found it. Thank you for your concern.”
Tian Fan bowed respectfully. Though the elder’s cultivation wasn’t high, his kindness made Tian Fan feel a rare warmth. After saying his farewells, he explained that he needed to deliver something important without delay.
In a small forest, the tiny purple-gold dragon expanded its body, stretching into a thirty-zhang-long form that soared into the heavens. Below, countless beasts trembled and knelt, not daring to breathe.
Tian Fan crouched lightly atop the little dragon’s head as it sped through the skies. Though there was no teleportation gate, the divine dragon embodied the very essence of speed…in no time, they would reach the Eastern Region of the Divine Martial Continent.
Even though the little dragon had suppressed its aura as much as possible, traces of draconic might still leaked out. Wherever it passed, beasts prostrated themselves as if the end of the world had arrived, not daring to move until the dragon was far beyond sight.
“I’m back,” Tian Fan murmured. “It’s time to bring it all to an end.”
Three days later, atop a small mountain ridge in the Eastern Region of the Divine Martial Continent, a violet figure stood silently. His eyes were sharp as blades as he gazed into the distance.