OLTFMD | Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Tell me, what do you know.

Midsummer.

The scorching sun blazed.

Heat waves like raging flames spread across the sky and earth, rolling with the searing high temperature of the intense summer heat.

Golden light poured down from overhead in full force, enveloping the land as if it were steaming into the blood, leaving even sweat no time to congeal.

Shen Ji lay on the fur back beneath him, unable to detect the slightest bump, and his instinct told him that every breath was like gulping down magma, his throat so dry it was almost cracking open.

More unbearable than this heat was the ferocious pain brewing in his internal organs.

The tearing pain like knife slashes was still spreading, constantly extending to every limb and bone.

Fortunately, as time passed bit by bit, a trace of numbness was added to the torment, and it was no longer as agonizing as when it first erupted.

However, suddenly.

The rapid movement that had always been steady beneath him slowed.

The slight swaying stirred the pain in Shen Ji's body. He frowned, and a wave of unbearable itching rushed up, making him cough twice.

It was only a light cough, but the sensation of his internal organs shifting instantly worsened by another degree.

The low, hoarse cough immediately drew the attention of the man in front of him.

"Be honest with me!" The man's face showed a trace of irritably tense unease. He glanced left and right, and seeing no one paying attention, he turned back to look. He had not expected to meet Shen Ji's gaze when he looked up, and his movements froze all at once.

This sickly weak thing, when he had first encountered him, had already been thin, pale, and looking ill. Now that he had been drugged and left powerless, lying there, he looked even more frail and helpless.

Yet his every movement did not seem sickly. He wore a black robe with an extremely simple cut and gold thread, and even lying down one could tell his figure was tall and upright, very pleasing to the eye. Not to mention this unforgettable face, with its cold outline and sharply defined features, its bone structure shockingly excellent.

Especially those brows and eyes. When one happened to meet his gaze, those black eyes like ink under the blazing sun were mixed with a faint, smiling-not-smiling look. They seemed deep and still, carrying a chilling, intimidating calm that somehow made people feel faintly awed.

After a while, the man came back to himself, uncomfortable, and sneered inwardly.

So what if his looks were good? His cultivation was low, and he was from a lowly mortal background, so he was only fit to be at other people’s mercy.

Thinking of this, the man maliciously curled his lips and continued forming hand seals as he flew toward the towering, grand city gate.

Shen Ji noticed the three large characters above the city gate. The brushwork was ancient and robust, and the flowing-gold strokes outlined a dazzling presence, faintly carrying a violent and intimidating aura, like a golden phoenix spreading its wings and about to take flight.

The man, however, had no time to observe anything else. The closer he got to the gate, the more tense his expression became. He lowered his voice and barked at Shen Ji, "I warn you, this is the foot of Qishan in the Three Spirit Realm, not your lowly mortal world. Once you enter Minghuang City, if you dare make even the slightest sound, just wait for me to show you what for!"

Shen Ji ignored the man's threat and instead recalled several keywords from his words.

Three Spirit Realm.

Qishan, Minghuang City.

Information overlapping to this extent could not possibly be a coincidence.

The contents that had inexplicably appeared in his mind the moment he came to this world, if they were true...

"Listen carefully, once we get into Minghuang City, you do everything I say, and don't give me any trouble!"

The man's voice grew lower and lower. Seeing someone come out to greet them from inside the gate, he hurriedly took out a token and handed it over with both hands, explaining respectfully, "This is—"

The other party had no leisure to listen to his nonsense. After confirming the token was correct, he impatiently waved a hand. "Go in!"

The man did not dare argue either. He bowed and hurriedly formed hand seals to leave.

Inside the city, all kinds of spiritual light flashed to and fro like dragons, and no one paid any attention to the newly arrived figure. He still carefully avoided the main road, taking side streets to a secluded courtyard.

Just as he landed, a streak of crimson spiritual light flashed out from the room.

"Why are you here so late?"

Seeing that light, the man hurriedly jumped down from his mount and knelt in panic. "Please forgive me, Phoenix Envoy. This person was captured from the mortal world. You know this too, spiritual power in the mortal world is thin. Whether immortal, demon, ghost, or devil, once they descend to the lower realm, their cultivation is all greatly suppressed. This little demon really spent quite a lot of effort bringing him back to the Three Spirit Realm!"

The person called Phoenix Envoy swept a glance over Shen Ji. His originally indifferent gaze landed on Shen Ji's face and paused there abruptly for a moment, before he raised a hand and used spiritual power to lift him from the mount's broad back to the ground.

"So this is the heavenly spiritual cauldron body you found?"

Hearing the four words heavenly spiritual cauldron body, Shen Ji's lowered gaze darkened slightly.

This term with such a strong sense of direction, combined with the current situation, unquestionably confirmed his earlier guess.

The unfolding plot now also matched the contents of the book that had somehow been fed into his mind.

He remembered a supporting character who had not appeared much in the book, Li Chenyin, who was the so-called heavenly spiritual cauldron body.

As for the Qishan mentioned by the man just now, according to the book, it was the territory of the supreme phoenix clan in the Three Spirit Realm, commonly called the demon realm.

Qishan, Minghuang City, was an internal city of the phoenix clan, where phoenixes of pure blood lived. The closer one's residence was to Minghuang Palace, the more distinguished one's status.

Inside Minghuang Palace was the biggest villain in the entire story, that is, the owner of this city, the phoenix clan's phoenix emperor, Xie Fu.

Shen Ji looked toward the distant palace.

The palace shrouded in clouds and mist stood between heaven and earth, grand and ethereal. Even from afar, one could glimpse a few traces of soul-stirring splendor. The dazzling golden light, too brilliant to conceal, illuminated the immortal mountains and jade pavilions with a magnificence even greater than daylight, covered in a thick layer of searing golden flames.

Minghuang Palace was a reflection of the power of every phoenix emperor of the past. Xie Fu's overwhelming strength was fully embodied in this most solid palace in the history of the phoenix clan.

"What is going on?"

Feeling a strange heat surging wildly into his body, Shen Ji kept his face expressionless.

After coming to this world, everything he knew was opposite to what it had been before. He had already suffered once from the loss to "spiritual power," and what he needed was to wait and see.

The man kneeling on the ground explained, "Replying to the envoy, don't let this kid's low cultivation fool you. His movement technique is strangely troublesome. This little demon almost fell for him, so I gave him a bit of spirit-dispersing powder. That's how I brought him here!"

"Mm." Phoenix Envoy gave a perfunctory reply and continued examining him closely. After confirming that the heavenly spiritual cauldron body was indeed real, a satisfied expression finally appeared on his face.

The man read the room and also let out a sigh of relief. "Phoenix—"

Before he could finish.

A thread of compressed crimson flame silently passed through his chest.

Phoenix Envoy raised a hand and lightly drew back, and the red thread returned from his dantian.

The man's eyes widened. He helplessly reached a hand forward, as if wanting to question something, but unfortunately his movement only reached halfway. The heat remaining in his body exploded mercilessly, roasting him from the inside out until he was hot and distorted.

"Aah—!" He let out a short, miserable cry and twisted into a curled-up mass.

The phoenix clan's origin fire seed was something ordinary demon clans simply could not withstand.

Hearing the dull thud of someone falling behind him, Phoenix Envoy did not care in the least. He casually killed the troublesome mount, spread red-feathered wings from his back, then raised a hand into a claw and scooped up Shen Ji, turning into a streak of flowing light as he flew toward the city.

Suddenly lifted into the air, Shen Ji frowned and forcibly suppressed the surging blood and qi. As he closed his eyes to steady himself, he briefly sorted through his thoughts.

They had already reached Minghuang City. According to the book's next development, Li Chenyin would first be handed over to Red Phoenix Venerable, one of the five great elders of Minghuang City. After being treated with medicine by Red Phoenix Venerable, he would then be offered as a gift to the phoenix emperor Xie Fu. On the surface, this was to do everything possible to help Xie Fu awaken the ten-thousand-year inheritance. In reality, it was to use the cauldron body to destroy Xie Fu's foundation.

After all, the phoenix emperor was so powerful that none under heaven could match him. To deal with him, only such underhanded methods could be used.

But Red Phoenix Venerable did not expect that although Xie Fu had been struck by the scheme, the state of losing all cultivation only lasted for a mere three months, and during that period he vanished without a trace, giving them no chance to cut the weeds and eliminate the roots.

Three months later, the phoenix emperor returned to his throne, and all the demon clans involved in this matter, including Red Phoenix Venerable, left none alive.

The cauldron body was the center of this conspiracy, and did not even last through those three months. On the very day the deed was done, it was silenced by Red Phoenix Venerable, turned to dust in the origin fire seed, its soul extinguished, dying without a sound, and not even having the chance to be reborn through reincarnation.

"Wait here."

Not long after, the flowing light landed. Phoenix Envoy said as he put Shen Ji down, then walked to the center of the great hall and formed hand seals to send a message.

The intense heat was finally blocked, but the poison in his body still had not been relieved. Shen Ji raised a hand to press against a nearby golden pillar, turned around, and leaned back against the pillar to sit down.

At that instant, a sea of fire, like invisible waves of air, poured into the great hall, causing the hem of his robe to flutter in the silent gale.

"Venerable!" Phoenix Envoy immediately bowed.

"You did well. Tonight is the appointed time for His Majesty's inheritance, and a heavenly spiritual cauldron is most needed to serve at his side." A red-haired old man appeared from the wave of air. He did not even look at Shen Ji, only extended one finger to press against Shen Ji's dantian. After a moment, he turned to Phoenix Envoy with a smile.

"It is the duty I should fulfill, my subordinate," Phoenix Envoy said, lowering his head.

"All right," the red-haired old man said, waving a hand. His gaze toward Phoenix Envoy was meaningful. "The inheritance is approaching, there is not much time left. Take him down to wash up. Be sure to make this cauldron body decent and clean, so as not to spoil His Majesty's mood. Understand?"

Phoenix Envoy paused, then looked up at his expression, and lowered his head to reply, "This subordinate understands!"

The red-haired old man smiled, then disappeared without a trace.

Phoenix Envoy took a deep breath. Turning around and seeing Shen Ji, he flicked a pill with his finger, sending it to land on the back of Shen Ji's hand, which was casually resting on his chest.

The pill slipped down and rolled into a fold beneath Shen Ji's waistband.

"Take it. It can temporarily relieve your spirit-dispersing powder."

Temporarily.

As expected.

Shen Ji glanced at him, then unhurriedly picked up the pill and tossed it into his mouth.

Phoenix Envoy watched his movements, very surprised by both his indifference and his composure. Only after he opened his eyes again did he say, "Follow me."

The pain that had just been deep in his bones had vanished by more than half. Shen Ji supported himself on the ground with one hand and slowly stood up.

Now that he had taken the cauldron body's place, from this point on, he actually did not have much time to escape. Of course, the ideal situation would be to leave Qishan before being offered to Xie Fu, but reality was too thin, and the conditions for achieving this goal were too difficult.

First, he had not yet obtained the antidote to cure the spirit-dispersing powder. Second, he did not understand the terrain here. Most importantly, his strength was not enough to support any escape plan.

The only feasible thing now was to wait until he met Xie Fu tonight, then tell the whole truth. Unfortunately, Red Phoenix Venerable probably would not give him this chance.

However, based on Xie Fu's personality in the book, even if he learned the truth, he would definitely erase the seasoning added by Red Phoenix Venerable and leave the real main course.

After all, Li Chenyin had genuinely helped Xie Fu safely pass through the inheritance, which showed that this once-in-a-thousand-years heavenly spiritual cauldron body was very useful.

In other words, becoming a cauldron body was a foregone conclusion.

Zi la—

Shen Ji stopped in his tracks.

It seemed as if some badly received signal had sounded in his mind, the noise very clear, unlike an illusion.

But the next second, Phoenix Envoy, who had been walking in front, spread his wings again and carried him flying toward a courtyard beside the great hall.

"You stay here and rest. Do not do anything unnecessary." Phoenix Envoy landed and looked at Shen Ji. After speaking, he softened his tone again. "Rest assured, once tonight's matter is over, not only will Venerable give you a reward, His Majesty has always clearly distinguished rewards from punishments, and will not mistreat you either."

A trap carefully laid for a dying prey is always deceptive.

Hearing this, Shen Ji turned and met Phoenix Envoy's gaze, the corner of his mouth lifting into a careless sneer.

"Is that so."

From the moment they met until now, this was the first time Phoenix Envoy had heard a mortal speak.

Long hours of torment had made the mortal's naturally low voice carry a rasp, but it was not harsh or piercing. The two words were spoken lightly, and instead carried a certain indescribable flavor. Coupled with the faintly mocking tone when he spoke, it made one want to listen closely and ponder it.

But after speaking, Shen Ji had already walked on his own toward the sycamore tree with luxuriant leaves in the courtyard.

Phoenix Envoy frowned, very displeased with his acting on his own.

Shen Ji did not care about his thoughts.

In Red Phoenix Venerable's scheme against Xie Fu, the heavenly spiritual cauldron was the most important link. Before everything was done, his safety was absolutely guaranteed. Very soon there would be a hard battle, and he had to seize every second, striving to ensure the situation would be favorable to him when the time came.

"I need to replenish water as soon as possible." Walking into the shade, Shen Ji pulled open the collar of his outer robe, already soaked through with sweat, and stated his request. "Also, I am hungry."

Phoenix Envoy looked at his black bangs, also damp with sweat, turned his palm over, and took out a fruit entirely green in color, tossing it toward Shen Ji.

"Condensed pearl fruit can help you go without food for a day."

The fruit melted as soon as it entered his mouth, and waves of moist, cool sensation slid down his throat, almost instantly dispelling the dry heat within his body.

Then another red pill appeared out of thin air before him. Shen Ji raised a hand to catch it, and only then heard Phoenix Envoy's explanation.

"Wear this phoenix pill close to your body. It can cover up the mortal stench on you. If your aura leaks out, you will bear the consequences yourself."

After saying this, Phoenix Envoy's figure also disappeared in the courtyard, just as Red Phoenix Venerable's had before.

After he left, Shen Ji looked at the red glow covering the entire courtyard and casually pulled off the jade pendant tied at his waist and threw it over.

The jade pendant exploded silently the instant it touched the barrier.

The firelight twisted slightly, rippling with a faint circle of waves, and quickly returned to calm.

The exit was sealed off. Shen Ji lightly rubbed the hand resting on his waistband once, then turned and walked into the main room.

About ten minutes later, Phoenix Envoy appeared again in the courtyard.

He walked into the room and signaled for the people behind him to carry in a large bathing tub, then looked at Shen Ji.

"You have half an hour," he said. "After half an hour, I will come for you."

The three of them came and went in a hurry.

Shen Ji watched the figure disappear before him, then lifted a finger and hooked up the layer of white cloth that Phoenix Envoy had left on the screen frame.

The gauze-like fabric felt icy and smooth, flowing over his fingertip like water, briefly revealing flesh-colored skin. It was obvious that it could not serve the slightest blocking function it ought to have, and instead left everything seductively exposed, giving rise to all manner of wild thoughts.

Shen Ji laughed once. His palm brushed over the light gauze, unfastened his waistband, removed the clothes on his body that had been repeatedly soaked through with sweat, and lowered himself into the bathing tub.

—

Phoenix Envoy came very quickly.

Just over an hour later, knocking sounded.

Creak—

The room door opened. Seeing Shen Ji in a black robe and old clothes, Phoenix Envoy frowned. He looked past Shen Ji's shoulder at the white gauze on the screen, then when he withdrew his gaze, he saw that the water stains not yet wiped dry were clinging to the black clothes, tightly sticking to Shen Ji's body.

The black robe wrapped around the mortal's weak body made his pale skin look even more jade-like and lustrous, but this face was too hard, the masculine aura impossible to ignore, and his words and actions were also different from the soft and docile cauldrons he had seen before.

Phoenix Envoy was distracted, and by chance caught a glimpse through the mottled wet marks of the outline the mortal had inadvertently revealed. His gaze slid downward quickly, and when it went back up, he unexpectedly looked straight into those highly aggressive eyes.

The illusion of being seen through instantly overturned all the unnecessary associations.

Phoenix Envoy's hand hanging at his side suddenly clenched, and he said coldly, "Let's go."

Before Shen Ji could speak, he spread his wings and carried him flying toward the dazzling Minghuang Palace.

Shen Ji had his eyes covered by spiritual power and could only hear the sound of wind racing past his ears.

Gradually, lively music and laughter came from below him, and they should have been very close to the center.

Still in the clouds, he was taken over by another force of spiritual power that was even more oppressive and continued forward.

In the darkness created by man, Shen Ji's senses became even clearer.

The spiritual power winding around his body tightened more and more. He could feel the thin threads binding tightly into his flesh. After a long while, they suddenly loosened, turning into nearly invisible spiritual power that seeped into his pores. After that, an undetectable warmth moved through his meridians, then quickly dissipated.

Shen Ji's eyelids twitched slightly.

The book said that the process of Red Phoenix Venerable using the medicine was completely silent and was not discovered by Li Chenyin. It must be happening now.

When he landed again, the surroundings were utterly silent.

"Your Majesty?" The old voice carried a tone of inquiry.

Shen Ji heard the broad door in front of him slowly open.

"Go in." This time the old voice ordered Shen Ji.

The moment Shen Ji stepped over the threshold, he smelled a faint sweet floral fragrance in front of his nose. Frowning slightly, he immediately held his breath, but it was still too late.

A strange heat like fire suddenly rose from his lower abdomen, and he immediately realized what the floral scent he had smelled was.

Perhaps he had stayed at the door too long, because a heavy force pushed him from behind.

The room door slammed shut with a bang!

The spiritual power covering his eyes spread downward, continuing to seal his vocal cords.

However, at the same time, a spiritual power lock fastened around his waist, forcibly dragging him all the way from the doorway and throwing him onto the bed.

The movement could not be called rough, but it was definitely not gentle either.

Shen Ji lay on the bed, one foot on the mattress, elbows bent to prop up his upper body. Before he could even sit up, a hand pressed against his neck and forced him back down.

"Don't move."

The temperature of this hand was hotter than an ordinary person's, but the tone of this voice was extraordinarily cold.

As the words fell, the hot fingertips unintentionally brushed across Shen Ji's Adam's apple, and were about to move downward—

Shen Ji raised a hand to grasp his wrist, and in the darkness, he "looked" toward the owner of the hand by sound alone, silently saying, "You have fallen into the trap."

The other party paused.

The next moment, both sight and sound were restored, but the instant Shen Ji opened his eyes, he was stimulated by the palace's glittering golden light and closed them again.

The hand on his chest returned, clamping onto Shen Ji's chin like iron tongs.

The owner of the hand's tone was still flat, his voice carrying the domination and pressure of one long accustomed to power.

"Tell me, what do you know."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This book updates daily.

Random little red packets drop in the comments section~

Thanks to the friends who bookmarked early and threw in landmines, love you all -3-

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