Chapter 1078: Seven-Colored Phoenix

The night sky was profound, with shattered stars like dust.

Ye Chen clutched his head as he stumbled along the bustling street, feeling as if he were stepping on clouds of cotton, swaying unsteadily.

Whoa!

Ye Chen rubbed his eyes repeatedly, but the stars kept swirling endlessly.

He had calculated the heavens' evolution, an unparalleled feat, and indeed foreseen his own victory. However, he hadn't anticipated Mu Wanqing playing dirty tricks, leaving him completely off guard. He couldn't find a brick to fight back with and ended up being thrown out of the gambling house. Thankfully, he ran fast enough to avoid a beating.

Fine, just you wait!

Ye Chen cursed inwardly, already resolving to return tomorrow. He'd win, leave, and come back again—until he bankrupted that gambling house.

Hmm?

As he walked, Ye Chen instinctively stopped, his gaze shifting to a nearby stall.

The stall wasn't large, but it offered a variety of items: magical artifacts, elixirs, and spiritual herbs, all readily available. To Ye Chen, though, these were mere trifles.

Still, there was something on the stall that caught his eye.

It was a stone, about the size of a wine jar, riddled with pits and bumps. It looked utterly ordinary, likely just a rock picked up from the roadside.

Zhuque Star actually has stones like this!

Ye Chen furrowed his brow, recognizing the aura emanating from the stone. It was familiar, very similar to the stones from the gambling event in Tianlong Ancient City years ago, probably from the same source.

Without thinking, Ye Chen stepped forward and stood before the stall, subtly activating his Xianlun Eye. He narrowed his eyes and focused on the stone.

Peering through its surface, he saw at its core a drop of seven-colored blood. This blood was extraordinary, surrounded by visions that, upon closer inspection, formed the illusion of a seven-colored phoenix.

This must be phoenix blood!

Ye Chen murmured to himself, a glint of excitement flashing in his eyes.

The phoenix, one of the four divine beasts and on par with the sacred beast Qilin, was rarely seen in the world—let alone a royal lineage like the seven-colored phoenix. The fresh blood of a seven-colored phoenix was truly priceless.

In the past, Ye Chen had once swallowed a drop of Bawang Dragon blood in Tianlong Ancient City.

Compared to the seven-colored phoenix, that Bawang Dragon blood was somewhat inferior. After all, the seven-colored phoenix was on the same level as the Taixu Ancient Dragon.

What a stroke of fortune!

Ye Chen took a deep breath and turned to the stall owner.

The owner was a sharp-featured, monkey-like old man who seemed to be dozing off, perhaps due to the late hour. He hadn't even noticed Ye Chen's arrival, which explained why business was so poor.

"How much for this stone?"

The old man jolted awake, shook his head to clear it, glanced Ye Chen up and down, and then held up three fingers.

"Three thousand, no haggling."

"A broken stone for three thousand?" Ye Chen scoffed.

"This isn't just any stone—it's a treasure."

"Where did you get this stone?" Ye Chen picked it up, examining it closely while casually asking. His real interest was in its origins and any connection to the Shiwan Great Mountains.

"Ah, that story's a long one." The old man pulled out a pipe from his pocket and puffed away, exhaling smoke rings with a serious air. "It was a stormy night, and I—"

"One thousand, and I'll take it."

Ye Chen cut him off, not in the mood for rambling tales.

"Two thousand."

"One thousand."

"One thousand five."

"One thousand."

"One thousand three."

"One thousand."

"I—" The old man nearly choked, his face turning red. He'd dropped the price all the way to one thousand three, and Ye Chen was still stuck on one thousand. What kind of bargaining was this?

"Take it or leave it."

Ye Chen grinned at the old man.

"Go ahead, take it." The old man waved him off in frustration. "Never seen anyone haggle like you."

"Thanks." Ye Chen smiled, handed over a storage bag, and left with the stone in his arms.

"Try to outsmart me, and you'll fall short." Behind him, the old man clutched the one thousand yuan stones and chuckled smugly. If he only knew that the stone contained phoenix blood—and seven-colored phoenix blood at that—he might just burst into tears.

By now, Ye Chen had already hurried toward the teleportation array in the city center, still carrying the stone.

The essence blood of a seven-colored phoenix was a heaven-defying treasure, incredibly helpful for healing his hidden injuries. This was a golden opportunity.

Swallow it!

Ye Chen quickened his pace, eager to get back and absorb the seven-colored phoenix blood. Afterward, he'd head straight to the gambling house to recoup his losses—he never let a grudge slide.

It was deep into the night by the time he returned to his lodging.

From afar, Ye Chen spotted a sleazy old man—or more precisely, a sleazy old man in floral shorts—squatting by his door. The sight was comically absurd.

Ye Chen's mouth twitched at the scene.

The sleazy old man was, of course, Fan Tong. Ye Chen strongly suspected that Fan Tong had lost everything except those floral shorts.

Oh boy!

As soon as Fan Tong saw Ye Chen arrive, he jumped up, rubbing his hands with a greasy smile and sidling closer.

"What's the deal, lurking outside my door in the dead of night?"

Ye Chen eyed him suspiciously.

"Waiting for you, of course!"

"Don't even think about it—I don't swing that way."

"Cut it out." Fan Tong grinned slyly, winking and nudging. "Come on, spill it to your old pal. What did that purple-robed elder want with you upstairs? Did he pay up to make peace?"

"Don't bring that up—it just makes me furious."

Ye Chen replied, black lines crawling across his forehead.

"Forget it, then." Fan Tong rubbed his hands again, chuckling. "I heard you won a bundle today. How about lending me some to turn my luck around? Once I win big, I'll pay you back double—my word is gold."

"No money."

Ye Chen was blunt, already stepping toward the door.

"Hold on, don't go!"

Fan Tong grabbed his arm. "You can't do me like this—we're neighbors, after all."

"There are plenty of neighbors—why pick me?"

"Because no one else will lend to me."

"You're a quasi-emperor, and your reputation's that bad?" Ye Chen sighed in disbelief. "With your strength, you could take on missions and make quick money."

"Missions are too much work—I pass."

"Hey, that woman isn't wearing any clothes."

Ye Chen suddenly exclaimed.

"Isn't wearing clothes? Where?" Fan Tong whipped around, eyes gleaming, but all he saw was empty space—not even a bird in sight.

Fan Tong's face darkened instantly.

But when he turned back to confront Ye Chen, the door was already shut.

You old hag!

Fan Tong leaped three feet in the air, spitting curses left and right.

Ye Chen ignored the outburst completely, simply setting up a barrier to block out the noise and distractions.

Once inside, Ye Chen sat cross-legged by the spirit-gathering array and sliced open the stone with a palm strike.

Instantly, seven-colored immortal light burst forth as the drop of seven-colored phoenix blood emerged, encircled by visions of a seven-colored phoenix. Faintly, the cry of a phoenix could be heard. It seemed to have a spirit of its own and tried to flee, but Ye Chen caught it in his hand.

I'll share half with you!

Ye Chen divided the phoenix blood into two parts and offered one to the little eagle.

The little eagle flew far away at once, eyeing the blood with a mix of wariness and reluctance in its gaze.

This is a treasure!

Ye Chen urged with a smile.

But the little eagle shook its head, its wariness growing.

"Big brother, my bloodline clashes with phoenix blood. The essence of a royal phoenix is too powerful; I can't suppress it—it would backfire on me. Compared to me, your sacred body bloodline can merge with it and even keep it in check."

"There's such a thing?" Ye Chen was taken aback.

"Anyway, I'm not touching it."

The little eagle backed away another few yards.

Ye Chen chuckled and didn't press further. He recombined the two halves of the phoenix blood, took a deep breath, and swallowed it whole.

Immediately, his sacred blood boiled like a raging fire, turning his body into a sea of flames. Though the drop was small, its power was fierce, scorching his sacred body like a blaze.

Ye Chen let out a sharp shout and activated his Chaos technique, his bloodline surging and the power of reincarnation joining in.

The phoenix blood contained vast essence and immortal imprints, far more dominant than the Bawang Dragon blood from before. No wonder the little eagle dared not consume it—its bloodline couldn't handle the suppression.

Ye Chen closed his eyes, suppressing and refining the phoenix blood wildly, absorbing its essence and using it to mend his hidden injuries.

The night grew deeper.

In the third-floor private room of the Youdu Second Heaven gambling house, Mu Wanqing lounged against the railing, swigging from her wine gourd. Her cheeks were flushed from drinking, and thinking back to Ye Chen's exasperated face from earlier, she couldn't help but giggle.

"Holy Maiden, this approach was a bit reckless."

The purple-robed elder beside her stroked his beard.

"It's so much fun, though."

"That young man may look ordinary, but he's no simple foe. If he keeps showing up, we won't be able to handle it."

"He'd have to get in first." Mu Wanqing took another swig, giggling like a mischievous girl, and tossed out a beam of divine light that formed a divine mirror. "Here, hang this Shenji Mirror at the entrance. No matter how he disguises himself, it won't escape its scrutiny. Don't worry, I've got it under control."

"But—"

"No buts."

Mu Wanqing cut him off. "Just focus on finding the essence blood of the Archaic Sacred Body. Once you do, spare no expense to acquire it."

"Holy Maiden, forgive my bluntness." The purple-robed elder inhaled deeply. "Even if we find the sacred blood, it may not save the Ninth Prince. The Zhuque family has already given up on him, so why persist? Things have changed—he's lost his former glory. Over the years, you've spent a fortune on him, and the family's elders are growing dissatisfied. I urge you to think twice."

"So what if he's become a waste?" Mu Wanqing shrugged it off. "I'd rather hold up the sky for him myself."