The Divine Nine-Dragon Cauldron
chapter-84

"Oh," Qin Xianer hurriedly wiped away her tears as she lowered her head. Not uttering a single word, she followed behind the stern beauty as they walked toward Fenghuang Pavilion, the most prestigious and dignified meeting hall. Various outstanding disciples and powerful elders were all standing in the meeting hall.

They were all Level Eight and Level Nine; all experts, busy cultivating an oppressive atmosphere.

Aside from them, there was an old lady, sitting calmly on the main seat in the hall.

At first glance, she appeared to be a normal elderly woman.

However, her presence made the assembled Level Eight and Level Nine experts silent in fear.

She was the Master of Fenghuang Valley, Qin Xianer's grandmother!

When Qin Xianer arrived, the outstanding disciples and elders all turned to look at her.

They appeared respectful on the surface, but deep within, they felt envy and loathing.

The Master of Fenghuang Valley opened her eyes and stared at Qin Xianer. After assessing Qin Xianer, she had confirmed Xianer's cultivation level was still Level Three Upper Tier. Within her doting eyes, a faint coldness was building.

"Xianer, do you remember grandma's promise?" The master of Fenghuang Valley asked indifferently. Her voice appeared fleeting and far. Even though she sat front and center, it was difficult to determine the origins of her voice.

Xianer's heart trembled as she lightly bit her lips. With her eyes filled with tears, under the eyes of the masses, she choked, "I remember. Should I not achieve a breakthrough to Level Five, then... I'll be exiled from Fenghuang Valley.

Fenghuang Valley's master pondered for a long while. Though her aged eyes were filled with love and displeasure, they ultimately turned cold. "Since you know, then... leave Fenghuang Valley."

Xianer's tears flowed uncontrollably. As she turned around, amid the silent laughter of the masses, she left the hall alone.

"Wait—remove your Fenghuang Valley clothes as well," the master of Fenghuang Valley ordered indifferently, "This is the rule. Anyone who leaves Fenghuang Valley will cease to be a member, and is not allowed to leave with any items belonging to the valley."

Xianer looked back. As she stared at her grandmother, she felt no warmth in her heart.

In her grandmother's eyes, she was only a replacement for her mother. Now that Xianer was not of any value, her grandmother had cut off all family ties with her.

A wave of solitude overwhelmed her. The thought of her broken familial ties made her feel exceptionally vulnerable.

Whenever her mind conjured the image of a purple-robed figure, the loneliness within Xianer's heart was slightly quelled.

With her small hands, she took off her coat. Only that belonged to Fenghuang Valley, which she did not care about.

However, just as her coat loosened, she carelessly dropped multiple items—which had been hidden in the pockets.

Splitter splatter—

Various fiery red spheres were strewn across the floor, rolling about.

Everyone was stunned.

As they looked, their facial expression instantly changed and they exclaimed in unison, "Saint grade spirit elixirs!"

There were thirteen! This was equivalent to Fenghuang Valley's two months worth of spirit elixirs in total! There was even a golden spirit elixir among them!

"Divine grade spirit elixir!"

The elders were able to hold in their horror, but the youngsters had no self-control.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—

A group of youngsters forgot the Master of Fenghuang Valley as they rushed forward, frantically snatching the spirit elixirs on the floor!

Xianer was shocked. She rushed forward to cover the golden spirit elixir with her body. Her pair of small hands grabbed the surrounding spirit elixirs.

However, how could she compete against the crowd of over ten people?

"Don't! Stop!" Amid the chaos, she managed to grab back two elixirs, including the golden spirit elixir!

The remaining were all snatched away by the crowd.

Her small hands were swollen from being stepped on. Her expression was frazzled as blood from fresh wounds stained her skin.

Seeing the spirit elixirs stolen by other students, Xianer was immensely saddened. Hugging her only two spirit elixirs, she helplessly sat on the floor and cried pitifully. "Oh... Return me. Return my spirit elixirs... Those are for Brother Su Yu, don't snatch them away..."

Hearing her pitiful cries would make anyone worried about her.

In the silent meeting hall, only Xianer cried.

Looking at her trembling body, several youngsters could not bear it anymore as they awkwardly put the spirit elixirs back into her arms.

The remaining youngsters were extremely ashamed as they returned the spirit elixirs.

With her teary eyes, Xianer hid the spirit elixirs back into her pockets, one by one.

A total of thirteen saint grade spirit elixirs. Were these the spirit elixirs given to Xianer in the last two months? Had… Xianer not consumed any?

"Xianer!" The Master of Fenghuang Valley trembled and threw a sharp look at her, "What is this? Why did you not eat any of the spirit elixirs given to you?!" Finally, people understood why Xianer—part of the rumored Bloodline of the Nine Phoenixes—had such awful potential!

Qin Xianer had not consumed any of the spirit elixirs given to her. She had relied solely on normal training to raise her cultivation base, which was why her progress was so slow.

Qin Xianer dared not look the Master of Fenghuang Valley in the eye. Lowering her head, she softly whispered, "Grandma, I'm sorry. I wanted to save the spirit elixirs for Brother Su Yu. He is in the mortal world and definitely does not have any spirit elixirs to consume. I want to save all of them for him."

Everyone looked at one another, deeply shocked.

Saint grade spirit elixirs only existed in Fenghuang Valley and in the Sanctuary—their value was difficult to estimate.

Qin Xianer wanted to save them for Brother Su Yu?

"Who is Su Yu?" Master of Fenghuang Valley shot a sharp look at Xianer.

Qin Xianer dared not hide the truth. "Brother Su Yu is Brother Su Yu... Oh, he is my fiancé and my only remaining family… Of course, grandma is also my family," she confessed.

Fiancé? Qin Xianer had a fiancé in the mortal world?

She had endured countless harsh words and was willing to be exiled from Fenghuang Valley, just to give Su Yu the spirit elixirs?

Everyone was speechless—they all felt as though something was caught in their throats.

Those citizens, once envious of Xianer, were unexpectedly moved by her.

The eyes of the Master of Fenghuang Valley immediately changed. Against the desires of those in Fenghuang Valley, she had taken a few months' worth of spirit elixirs and given them to her granddaughter. On top of that, when she saw that Xianer had not improved, she had secretly given her an extremely rare divine grade spirit elixir.

However, Xianer had instead saved them for some random man?

Xianer's grandmother secretly blamed herself for Xianer's pains, but she simultaneously loathed this Su Yu.

But, she did not reveal her anger, as her expression gradually softened. Taking out a saint grade spirit elixir from her sleeve, she smiled earnestly. "This is for you to consume. As for Su Yu's spirit elixirs, grandma will prepare another set for him."

Xianer hesitated before she finally swallowed a saint grade spirit elixir.

Wah—

What occurred next shocked everyone.

Under the strong power of the spirit elixir, a faint fiery red mist began to surround Xianer. Xianer appeared to look like a phoenix.

Her cultivation base began to rise rapidly at an astounding speed!

In an instant, she had risen all the way from Level Three Upper Tier to Level Five Upper Tier!

"As expected from one of the Bloodline of Nine Phoenixes. Upon consumption of the saint grade spirit elixir, normal people would only rise from Level Three Upper Tier to Level Four Upper Tier at the most. Xianer, however..."

The meeting hall was filled with gasps of astonishment; countless eyes filled with shock and envy.

This was the real power of the Bloodline of the Nine Phoenixes!

The Master of Fenghuang Valley was filled with overwhelming agitation and happiness. It was as she had expected!

This scene was enough to make Fenghuang Valley dedicate all its resources towards nurturing Xianer! Nobody would ever dare to question her bloodline, much less belittle or ridicule her!

When the meeting ended, the masses left in alarm.

"Fei Yun, make a trip to Fenglin Empire and find Su Yu," the Master of the Fenghuang Valley said indifferently.

Swoosh—

A twenty-year-old youth with a terrifying aura flew in and knelt down on the floor, "Yes, Holy King!"

Fei Yun hesitated for a moment, before he asked, "After I have found him, do I pass Junior Xianer's spirit elixirs on to him?" After all, she had promised Xianer she would prepare another set of spirit elixirs for Su Yu.

"No! Kill him!" The calm master of the Fenghuang Valley was murderous.

Fei Yun looked slightly shocked before his eyes turned cold.

He was not angry. This wild Su Yu of unknown origins had taken possession of Qin Xianer's heart and forced her to slow her training—forced her to hoard spirit elixirs for him!

Furthermore, he called himself Qin Xianer's fiancé!

Prior to this—although Qin Xianer's potential had been misunderstood—her small and beautiful figure, like a fairy from the wilderness, had won over many hearts, Fei Yun's included!

Upon hearing that Qin Xianer had a fiancé, he could not help but feel dejected. In his eyes, there was a wave of envy and loathing.

"Also, make a trip to the Sanctuary in the Alliance of the Nine Empires. Tell Li Guang that I will not wait if he's late!" The master of Fenghuang Valley said indifferently.

"Roger!"

Swoosh—

Fei Yun disappeared into the shadows like a ghost.

Back in the Sanctuary, deep within the Evil Forest, a valley sat in ruins, destroyed two weeks previously.

A purple-robed young man was buried amid the gravel. The sky was dark as if it too grieved the loss of Su Yu. The clouds began to snow, as they never had before in the Sanctuary.

It persisted for ten days.

Even the world's purest white snow was unable to cover the coldest scene in the valley.

Dong, dong—

Beneath the deep layers of white snow, a boulder shifted.

A hand suddenly emerged from the gravel!

"Xianer..." A faint sigh permeated the gigantic boulder and reached the horizons.

Far away in the Sanctuary, Xia Jingyu finally awoke after ten days of sleep.

Her fatigue was so excessive that she had almost died. She had fallen into a coma.

The instant she opened her eyes, Xia Jingyu cried hoarsely, "Brother Yu!"

Long Xiaoyue, who watched over her by her side, sighed. "Jingyu... Don't be like this. It has already been fifteen days since he..." she said brokenly.

Fifteen days... Xia Jingyu sighed sorrowfully, staring dumbly at the ceiling.

Fifteen days. Even if he had not been crushed to death, he would have long ago died of hunger and thirst.

Xia Jingyu's determined heart shattered.

"Brother Yu..." Her eyes, which had never cried before, swelled with tears. Her sorrowful voice reverberated into the far distance, carrying the sounds of a deep-seated pain.

Dong—

The sound of a distant bell could be heard coming from the Holy King's Great Hall.

Swish—

A person entered the house.

Wearing a white shirt, he had a pair of eye-catching sharp brows. His eyes were filled with a deep sense of loss. "I should not have brought Su Yu to the Sanctuary. If I had not done so, Su Yu would not have died," he said, ashamed.

For someone like Su Yu, who highly valued his friends, to have died without any of them at his side… Qiu Changjian felt a deep sense of loss.

Thinking back, during the Holy Meet Su Yu had gone to great lengths to save the Duke of Xianyu—even though he had not been sure he would survive.

Such a loyal person, unmatched by any in his generation, had died in the Evil Forest.

Qiu Changjian looked at Long Xiaoyue, took another look at Xia Jingyu, and sighed. "The holy bell has been sounded. The Storm Competition will soon begin. I have already received news from my seniors that, after this competition, the Sanctuary will be dismissed.

"Moreover, the Holy King will bring us Ten Great Holy Disciples and leave for Fenghuang Valley," Qiu Changjian said sternly. The dissolution of the Sanctuary, to them, was difficult to expect.

Swish—

Qiu Changjian and Long Xiaoyue's facial expressions suddenly changed.

The listless and grieving Xia Jingyu had, upon hearing the words 'Fenghuang Valley,' suddenly sat up. Her pair of colorful eyes suddenly contained an astonishing light as they glared intently at Qiu Changjian. While her voice had once been melodious, she now spoke with a harsh, hoarse voice, "Fenghuang Valley? The Ten Great Holy Disciples will make their way towards Fenghuang Valley?"