The Long Journey to Immortality

“However, the spiritual energy on Cold Cicada Peak is similar to the environment here,” Han Lu’s gaze swept across the cave where the chill had faded considerably. “Cultivating with the spiritual energy on Cold Cicada Peak is extremely difficult for Qi Refining cultivators. Although I am somewhat special, when I cultivate with that cold spiritual energy, something will still form in my spiritual meridians that hinders the flow of spiritual energy, affecting my cultivation progress.”

"Sister Ru Bing has profound cultivation and broad knowledge. I wonder if she has any way to help me solve this problem?"

Although Han Lu estimated that Wen Erya could easily buy the Cold-Repelling Pill from the Hu family.

However, subconsciously, she did not feel that the elixir used by ordinary people to ward off the cold and keep warm could help the two of them in this matter, so she naturally thought of asking Feng Rubing for help.

After all, Feng Rubing was barely considered to be of the same clan as her, and they had some feelings for each other. Moreover, Feng Rubing was the most powerful cultivator Han Lu had ever seen.

Not to mention that Feng Rubing is the true spirit of the Ice Phoenix, the "culprit" that made the Yanzhao region extremely cold.

If even Feng Rubing couldn't solve this problem, Han Lu felt she didn't need to bother looking for a "shortcut."

Upon hearing Han Lu's question, Feng Rubing didn't even hesitate for a moment before laughing twice and replying, "Han Lu, this is easy to discuss, but whether it works out or not depends on your luck and destiny."

"Sister Ru Bing, what do you mean?" Han Lu asked, puzzled.

“Once you hear my method, you’ll understand,” Feng Rubing said without keeping him in suspense. “Have you mastered the True Phoenix Manual?”

Han Lu answered truthfully, "I've studied some, but only the Illusionary Phoenix Chapter."

Considering Han Lu's background, Feng Rubing expressed her understanding, "Do you know that the general outline of the True Phoenix Manual records a secret technique that can be performed by all true phoenix spirits, called 'Harmony'?"

"Among the fragments I read, there was a mention of it," Han Lu, being a cultivator, naturally had a good memory, "but it only mentioned the name and did not explain in detail what the secret technique was for."

Upon hearing this, Feng Rubing added a few more words, "Before the True Spirit Era, there were True Dragons and True Phoenixes. The Nine Phoenixes of the Ancient Cultivation Era, including you and me, are all offspring of True Phoenixes, inheriting only a portion of their divine powers."

The True Spirit Era that Feng Rubing mentioned is the Ancient Cultivation Era that the human race refers to; the difference in terminology stems from differing perspectives.

"And this 'Harmony' secret technique allows one of the Nine Phoenixes to fuse with the bloodlines of other phoenixes and master new true spiritual powers."

“My mother told me when I was a child that if a phoenix could fuse the nine bloodlines into one, it could restore the splendor of the true phoenix and perhaps usher in a new era of true spirits, making my phoenix clan prosperous again.”

Humans reigned supreme, and the true spirits weakened. Although the Nine Phoenixes were not one entity in this era, there was no longer any barrier between them.

The prosperity of the phoenix clan that Feng Rubing spoke of was not just a slogan, but the wish of every true spirit of the phoenix living in this era.

Although Feng Rubing's introduction was a bit long-winded, Han Lu still understood the meaning behind her words.

"Sister Ru Bing, do you mean you want to teach me the Harmony Technique so I can try to fuse with your Ice Phoenix bloodline? If I can successfully fuse with your bloodline, then I can freely absorb the extreme cold spiritual energy and no longer be troubled by the floating ice in the spiritual vein?"

“Absolutely right,” Feng Rubing said, then produced a jade slip. “The method for practicing the Harmony Secret Technique is contained within it. You should learn it first.”

Catching the jade slip, Han Lu smiled awkwardly and said, "Sister Ru Bing, my cultivation level hasn't reached the Golden Core stage yet, so I can't use my divine sense to read the contents of the jade slip."

Feng Rubing slapped her arm, only then remembering this matter. She quickly reached out to take back the jade slip and began to instruct Han Lu in the "Harmony" secret technique by dictation.

Han Lu is exceptionally intelligent, and with the guidance of the senior expert Feng Rubing, she naturally learns quickly.

The "Harmony" secret technique is not complicated, but it has too many restrictions when it is used, and the success rate is not high.

First, the prerequisite for performing the Harmony Secret Technique is that the practitioner must possess the bloodline of the Phoenix True Spirit.

Furthermore, the essence and blood of other Nascent Soul Realm Phoenix True Spirits are required as casting materials to perform this secret technique.

Finally, the success rate of the secret technique is low; the more phoenix bloodline the practitioner possesses, the lower the success rate.

Even for a caster like Han Lu, who only possesses a portion of the Illusionary Phoenix bloodline, Feng Rubing judged that the success rate of this secret technique would be at most 30%.

Moreover, there is only one chance to try for a certain type of phoenix bloodline.

After fully mastering this secret technique, Han Lu couldn't help but sigh, "With such a low success rate, it's no wonder that no phoenix can completely fuse with the bloodline of the Nine Phoenixes and recreate the true phoenix."

Feng Rubing brought up the past, "Legend has it that during the True Spirit Era, a senior successfully performed the Harmony Secret Technique four times and possessed the bloodline of the Five Phoenixes, but he stopped there."

"After that senior succeeded, he ascended to the Spirit Realm soon after. Then, the Nine Phoenixes split apart, and in the True Spirit Era, it was difficult for any phoenix to perform this Harmony Technique many times again."

"As for now, the true spirit is weakened, and it is unknown how many phoenixes still exist in the various clans of the Nine Phoenixes. Although they have made much peace with each other, it is still very difficult for them to cooperate and try to sing in harmony."

“Alright,” Feng Rubing looked at Han Lu and said seriously, “You have already learned the secret technique. Without further ado, let’s try the harmony.”

"Okay, I'll follow Sister Rubing's arrangements."

Han Lu suppressed her excitement, repeatedly recalling the secret technique she had just learned, memorizing its key points, afraid of wasting this opportunity that had come to her.

Feng Rubing nodded slightly and casually summoned an ice blade.

She silently recited the incantation, circulated her spiritual power, and used the ice blade to make a small cut on the back of her hand.

Immediately afterwards, three drops of light blue ice phoenix blood essence flew out from the wound, enveloped in spiritual energy, and flew to Han Lu's front.

The wound healed quickly, returning to normal in the blink of an eye.

After doing all this, Feng Rubing's expression changed slightly, and she looked somewhat tired.

Although it was essence blood, it was only three drops, which was not a big problem for a powerful true spirit like her. She could fully recover by taking a few pills and resting for half a day.

This is also why Feng Rubing chose to repay her kindness with "Harmony".

Han Lu stared at the three drops of essence blood floating in front of her. Without the slightest hesitation, she silently recited the incantation and used the "Harmony" secret technique.

[Author's Note] If my writing is awkward or clumsy, it means I was reading "The Overthrow of the Han Dynasty" while writing this chapter. Please forgive me.

Chapter 147 True Spirit and True Body

Although Feng Rubing was a powerful senior, she had only lived in this world for seven thousand years by virtue of her status as a true spirit.

She did not experience the heyday of the True Spirit Era, nor did she attempt the "Harmony" secret technique to mix the bloodlines of other Phoenix Clan members into her own body.

Since this secret technique has no side effects, Feng Rubing chose to give "Harmony" as a gift to Han Lu, partly out of a desire to watch the spectacle.

In addition, Feng Rubing also harbored a slight expectation that Han Lu would reciprocate her kindness.

They look forward to Han Lu reaching the Nascent Soul realm in the future, and receiving three drops of her essence blood in return, so that she too will have the opportunity to master the Illusionary Phoenix True Spirit Divine Power and greatly increase her magical power.

Feng Rubing sat on the ice chair, legs crossed, arms folded across her chest, watching the changes in Han Lu.

Although the Harmony Technique will not have any side effects even if it fails.

However, as the older sister, she still had to stand by and protect the law, lest her good intentions backfire.

Han Lu opened and closed her mouth, swallowing the three drops of blood essence in one gulp.

Under Han Lu's control, the three drops of essence blood given by Feng Rubing slowly moved within her body, imbuing various parts of her body, especially her currently empty dantian, with the aura of the icy phoenix.

By the time this preparation was completed, half of the spiritual essence within the three drops of blood essence had dissipated.

Han Lu dared not slack off in the slightest and wasted no time. She quickly continued to activate the "Harmony" secret technique, attempting to achieve a "Luan-Feng Harmony" with Feng Rubing's Ice Phoenix bloodline in the form of Illusionary Phoenix.

As the secret technique was activated, Han Lu's face turned deathly pale in the blink of an eye, and she closed her eyes tightly, clearly going through a rather painful process.

This matter was mentioned in the Harmony Secret Technique, and Han Lu was already prepared for it.

No pain, no gain. To gain more spiritual bloodline and stronger spiritual powers, one must also endure some hardship.

However, this kind of pain, which originates from various organs and blood vessels in the body and seeps into the skin, is not so easy to endure.

Fortunately, the temperature inside the cave was extremely low, which dulled Han Lu's senses; otherwise, the pain from the inside out would most likely have made her cry out.

Han Lu gritted her teeth, enduring the pain.

Time passed second by second, and the two powerful bloodlines fought each other within Han Lu's body, vying for territory, and the flames of war spread to almost every part of Han Lu's body.

It took her about 15 minutes to get used to the pain, which felt like silver needles flowing through her veins, and her facial expression gradually relaxed.

Even so, the Harmony Secret Technique has only just begun.

The techniques of the Illusionary Phoenix Chapter of the True Phoenix Manual were simultaneously activated under Han Lu's control.

The right arm, which had just returned to human form, transformed back into its true spirit form in the blink of an eye.

Harmony requires the caster to be in a state of true spirit when performing the secret technique. Han Lu, a human cultivator with a mixed true spirit bloodline, could only barely transform a part of her body into true spirit in order to meet the requirements of the secret technique.

Simultaneously employing two relatively complex techniques and secret arts poses a significant challenge to Han Lu's mental strength.

The sweat that seeped from his forehead and back instantly turned into frost.

If Han Lu had her eyes open or could use her divine sense to perceive the state of her right arm as a true spirit, she would have noticed that the right arm as a true spirit was different from the previous ones.

In the past, the feathers on Han Lu's right arm, which had transformed into a spirit, were incredibly colorful and abundant.

But this time, the feathers on her right arm were only snow-white, exactly the same color as the feathers in Feng Rubing's True Spirit state.

Seeing this, Feng Rubing was overjoyed, feeling that Han Lu had already succeeded more than halfway.

The Harmony Secret Technique has reached its third and most crucial stage.

“Looks like I’m in luck,” Feng Rubing thought to herself. “Her body doesn’t reject my Ice Phoenix bloodline. Now there’s just one more step. If I can completely fuse the two bloodlines, then this Harmony Secret Technique can be declared a great success.”

Some things are easier said than done, and the fusion that Feng Rubing was thinking about was such a thing.

About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn has passed, and Han Lu still can't explain what exactly happened inside her body. However, when she circulated the technique to its final stage, she felt a force trying to tear her apart completely from the inside out.

A light blue light shone on Han Lu's body.

Han Lu's figure became blurred and was quickly completely covered by the dazzling light.

When the light faded, only a phoenix with slightly strange feather colors stood there.

The phoenix's plumage is snow-white, but its tail feathers are multicolored.

An unexpected and tremendous opportunity befell Han Lu.

Not only did she successfully complete the Harmony, integrating the Ice Phoenix bloodline into herself, but she also unintentionally mastered the Phoenix Transformation chapter of the True Phoenix Manual, saving her from ten or even a hundred years of arduous cultivation. For the first time in this real world, she appeared in the form of a true phoenix spirit.

Upon seeing this fledgling phoenix, a hybrid of the Ice Phoenix and the Illusion Phoenix, appear in the cave, Feng Rubing, the instigator of all this, couldn't help but clap her hands and cheer for Han Lu.

When Han Lu awoke from her meditative state, she realized that she had temporarily transformed from human form into the form of a phoenix spirit.

Such a novel experience made her unable to resist trying her hand at it in the cave.

Han Lu tried to flap her wings and experience flight, but she only unintentionally used her divine power to summon countless ice spikes that smashed against the rock wall, instead of making her fly like a true phoenix spirit.

Looking at the phoenix standing on the ground, scratching its head with its left wing and studying how to fly, Feng Rubing smiled knowingly.

Feng Rubing could understand how Han Lu felt.

Back then, when she first transformed into human form after becoming an adult, her performance was similar to Han Lu's.

Han Lu, who had transformed into a phoenix spirit, could not fly. When she transformed into human form, she also could not walk for a while. She could only sit on the ground, curiously looking at and fiddling with her limbs, experiencing the wonderful feeling of existing in the world in another species form.

Out of goodwill, Feng Rubing transformed back into her ice phoenix form and came to Han Lu's side, who had transformed into a phoenix. As an "old bird," she guided Han Lu in learning to fly.

A true spirit is a true spirit after all; its talent is fused into its bloodline. As for the mere act of flying, Han Lu, the fledgling phoenix, mastered it completely in an instant under Feng Rubing's guidance.

Unfortunately, the cave was too small to perform the maneuver.