bù guò kǒng què zhī jìng yī jiù cún zài zhe 。
不过孔雀之境依旧存在着。
However, the Realm of the Peacock still existed.
yě céng yǒu zhēn líng xiǎng yào bà zhàn cǐ chù ， rán ér fèng huáng què jiāng qí dàng chéng zì jǐ de lǐng dì yì bān ， yán jiā kān guǎn 。
也曾有真灵想要霸占此处，然而凤凰却将其当成自己的领地一般，严加看管。
Once upon a time, true spirits had also coveted this place. But the Phoenix treated it as its own territory and kept a close watch over it. With the King of All Birds guarding here, even true spirits would not dare to challenge him directly. Over time, people came to regard the Realm of the Peacock as part of the Phoenix's domain.
yǒu bǎi niǎo zhī wáng zhèn shǒu cǐ chù ， jiù suàn shì zhēn líng ， yě bú huì yǒu shuí qù zhí yīng qí fēng ， suí zhe shí jiān de tuī yí ， rén men jiāng kǒng què zhī jìng dōu dàng chéng le fèng huáng de lǐng dì 。
有百鸟之王镇守此处，就算是真灵，也不会有谁去直缨其锋，随着时间的推移，人们将孔雀之境都当成了凤凰的领地。
After all, everyone knew about the connection between the Great Peacock Dharmaraja and the Phoenix. As a King of All Birds, it was natural for him to oversee this place, and true spirits had no objections. The most crucial point was that the Phoenix's power was formidable; in some ways, true spirits were like cultivators—fearful of weakness.
bì jìng kǒng què dà míng wáng yǔ fèng huáng de yuān yuán ， dà jiā dōu xīn lǐ yǒu shù ， yǐ bǎi niǎo zhī wáng de shēn fèn yào dài guǎn cǐ chù ， zhēn líng men yě wú huà kě shuō ， dāng rán ， zuì guān jiàn de yì diǎn ， hái shì fèng huáng shí lì zú ， cóng mǒu zhǒng yì yì shàng lái shuō ， zhēn líng yǔ xiū shì yě shì yī yàng de ， qī ruǎn pà è 。
毕竟孔雀大明王与凤凰的渊源，大家都心里有数，以百鸟之王的身份要代管此处，真灵们也无话可说，当然，最关键的一点，还是凤凰实力足，从某种意义上来说，真灵与修士也是一样的，欺软怕恶。
The Realm of the Peacock did not appear desolate due to its master's absence because it was always tended by the Phoenix.
kǒng què zhī jìng ， bìng méi yǒu yīn wèi zhǔ rén de lí qù ， jiù xiǎn de huāng wú ， yīn wèi yì zhí yǒu fèng huáng zhào liào zhe 。
孔雀之境，并没有因为主人的离去，就显得荒芜，因为一直有凤凰照料着。
But at this moment, an unexpected guest had arrived here. She was a young woman around twenty years old, with black, lustrous hair reaching her waist. She wore a light green dress that accentuated her curvaceous figure and beautiful face, making her look like a peerless beauty without exaggeration.
rán ér cǐ shí cǐ kè ， zhè lǐ què lái le yī wèi bù sù zhī kè 。
然而此时此刻，这里却来了一位不速之客。
However, she lay unconscious, her eyes tightly closed as if in a deep state of confusion.
nà shì yī èr shí yú suì de nǚ zǐ ， xiù fà wū hēi yóu liàng ， zhǎng kě jí yāo ， shēn chuān yī shēn qiǎn lǜ sè de qún zhuāng ， qū xiàn líng lóng ， shēn cái jiāo hǎo ， pèi shàng měi lì de miàn róng ， shuō shì jué dài jiā rén ， nà fēn háo yě bù dài kuā zhāng 。
那是一二十余岁的女子，秀发乌黑油亮，长可及腰，身穿一身浅绿色的裙装，曲线玲珑，身材姣好，配上美丽的面容，说是绝代佳人，那分毫也不带夸张。
"Mm, where am I..."...
rán ér tā què shuāng móu jǐn bì ， xiǎn rán shì yīn wèi shén me shì qíng xiàn rù le hūn mí 。
然而她却双眸紧闭，显然是因为什么事情陷入了昏迷。
With a groan, the woman's eyelashes fluttered. Her eyes slowly opened, filled with bewilderment.
“ wú ， wǒ zhè shì ”…”
“唔，我这是”…”
In an instant, it seemed like something came to mind, and she suddenly lifted her head.
suí zhe shēn mǎo yín shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， nà nǚ zǐ de jié máo dòng le dòng ， suí hòu yǎn jīng huǎn huǎn de zhēng kāi le ， yǎn zhōng mǎn shì mí máng zhī sè 。
随着呻冇吟声传入耳朵，那女子的睫毛动了动，随后眼睛缓缓的睁开了，眼中满是迷茫之色。
"Where is my husband?"
bù yū xià yī kè ， tā fǎng fú xiǎng qǐ le shén me ， sà rán tái qǐ tóu lú 。
不迂下一刻，她仿佛想起了什么，飒然抬起头颅。
The expression on Yu Yu's face was full of anxiety. She remembered clearly what happened before she lost consciousness—the couple had been caught in the chaotic aura of a true spirit, separated by a terrifying force.
“ fū jūn ne ？”
“夫君呢？”
There was no way around it!
yú yú de liǎn shàng mǎn shì jiāo jí zhī sè ， hūn mí qián de yí mù ， tā yǐ jīng jì de ， zì jǐ yǔ zhàng fū bèi juǎn rù le zhēn líng de hùn dùn yāo qì ， suí hòu zài nà kě pà de lì liàng miàn qián bèi shēng shēng fēn lí 。
娱娱的脸上满是焦急之色，昏迷前的一幕，她已经记得，自己与丈夫被卷入了真灵的混沌妖气，随后在那可怕的力量面前被生生分离。
Where was her husband now? She scanned the surroundings, trying to find any clues about Lin Xuan. Only then did she realize that she was inside a palace—or rather, its ruins—still magnificent despite being destroyed.
wú kě kàng jù ！
无可抗拒！
"Oh, so you know of the legends of the True Spirit Realm?" The Phoenix's voice revealed some surprise. "That's interesting."
rú jīn fū jūn zài nǎ lǐ ？
如今夫君在哪里？
Although Yu Yu didn't know why it said this, there seemed to be no malice in its tone, which was reassuring.
tā yóu mù sì gù ， xiǎng yào xún zhǎo lín xuān de xiàn suǒ rán ér dāng kàn qīng chǔ yǎn qián de jǐng wù què sà rán jīng dāi le 。
她游目四顾，想要寻找林轩的线索然而当看清楚眼前的景物却飒然惊呆了。
Yu Yu thought for a moment before speaking honestly: "Yes, I do know about these legends. I wasn't reading from any ancient texts; I had some vague memories since birth."
zhèng què de shuō ， nà bú shì jǐng wù ， ér shì yī měi lì gāo guì de dà niǎo 。
正确的说，那不是景物，而是一美丽高贵的大鸟。
"Passed down through the bloodline, huh? That's good. It seems your inheritance is much better than expected. Perhaps we can truly merge with that True Spirit Heart, and fulfill this palace's wish of a million years."
fèng huáng ！
凤凰！
"What is this True Spirit Heart?" Yu Yu asked urgently, her voice filled with questions she needed answers to: "Why did you bring me here? And where has my husband gone?"
bǎi niǎo zhī wáng ！
百鸟之王！
"Your husband, the man like an ant—what a joke. A mere human cultivator doesn't deserve to be paired with someone of the Great Peacock Dharmaraja's bloodline. If not for his golden-winged phoenix lineage, I would have already sent him to the underworld."
jǐn guǎn méi yǒu jiàn guò ， rán ér zuò wéi líng qín lèi yāo zú ， kǒng què yòu zěn me kě néng méi yǒu tīng guò fèng huáng de chuán shuō 。
尽管没有见过，然而作为灵禽类妖族，孔雀又怎么可能没有听过凤凰的传说。
The Phoenix spoke in a calm voice, as if discussing the life and death of an ant.
nà shì tā men xū yào mó bài de cún zài 。
那是他们需要膜拜的存在。
Yu Yu breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. She didn't mind the way the Phoenix looked down on her; she and her husband were like ants in the eyes of the King of All Birds. This was reality, nothing to be angry about.
rán ér cǐ shí cǐ kè ， què jiù zhè yàng chū xiàn zài le zì jǐ de yǎn qián ， kǒng què shèn zhì yǒu yī zhǒng bù zhēn mǎo shí gǎn 。
然而此时此刻，却就这样出现在了自己的眼前，孔雀甚至有一种不真冇实感。
Face and dignity could only be earned through one's own efforts, not by relying on others' pity.
tā róu le róu yǎn jīng ， què dìng zì jǐ méi yǒu kàn cuò ， yǎn qián què rán jiù shì fèng huáng lái zhe 。
她揉了揉眼睛，确定自己没有看错，眼前确然就是凤凰来着。
If her husband ascended someday and became a true immortal, then this would all be worth it when she returned.
gāo guì měi lì ， wēi yán ， xī shēn shàng dài biǎo zhe yī qiè měi hǎo de dōng xī 。
高贵美丽，威严，牺身上代表着一切美好的东西。
For now, there was no point in arguing; it was merely laughable. She knew he was safe, which satisfied her.
yǒu fèng lái yí ， fèng huáng yě shì yàng ruì de xiàng zhēng 。
有凤来仪，凤凰也是样瑞的象征。
"Why did you bring me here?" Yu Yu began to care about her current situation.
rán ér kǒng què xīn zhōng yǒu shù ， nà bù guò shì chuán shuō ， zì jǐ yǔ fū jūn zāo yù de jū rán shì fèng huáng me ， xī jiāng zì jǐ dài dào cǐ chù ， jiū jìng shì wèi le shén me ？
然而孔雀心中有数，那不过是传说，自己与夫君遭遇的居然是凤凰么，牺将自己带到此处，究竟是为了什么？
"I've said before—my wish is for us to merge with the True Spirit Heart," the Phoenix replied slowly.
“ nǐ xǐng le ？”
“你醒了？”
"What exactly is this True Spirit Heart?"
dāng kǒng què hái zài mǎn mù zhèn jīng de shí kè ， nà fèng huáng de shēng yīn què chuán rù le ěr duǒ 。
当孔雀还在满目震惊的时刻，那凤凰的声音却传入了耳朵。
Through her bloodline, although she had some vague memories, many details were unclear. She didn't know what a True Spirit Heart was.
nà shēng yīn rú míng jiā chàng qū ， zhū luò yù pán hǎo tīng dào le jí diǎn ， lìng rén huí wèi jiǔ yuǎn 。
那声音如名家唱曲，珠落玉盘好听到了极点，令人回味久远。
The Phoenix's expression remained calm.
“ shì nǐ … zài yǔ wǒ shuō huà ？”
“是你…在与我说话？”
"Then what are true spirits? Do you know about them?"
kǒng què hěn dǎn dà ， zhè me duō nián lái ， miàn duì shén me wēi xiǎn yě bù pà ， rán ér cǐ shí cǐ kè ， què yǒu diǎn jiē ba 。
孔雀很胆大，这么多年来，面对什么危险也不怕，然而此时此刻，却有点结巴。
True spirits were the most powerful beings, even the weakest among them equaled a cultivator at the Tribulation Transcending stage. Top true spirits...
bì jìng tā miàn duì de shì bǎi niǎo zhī wáng ， jiù suàn shì dù jié qī lǎo guài wù jiàn le ， yě huì xīn zhōng fā hán de cún zài 。
毕竟她面对的是百鸟之王，就算是渡劫期老怪物见了，也会心中发寒的存在。
Yu Yu couldn't help but raise her head to look at the Phoenix: "...could be as powerful as true immortals."
“ dāng rán ， fǒu zé chēng yǐ wéi zhè kǒng què dà míng wáng zhī jìng hái huì yǒu dì èr gè rén lái ？” fèng huáng de shēng yīn dǎo shì xiǎn de hé ǎi 。
“当然，否则称以为这孔雀大明王之境还会有第二个人来？”凤凰的声音倒是显得和蔼。
"Compared to true immortals, they are not quite on par, but the difference is minimal," the Phoenix nodded, its voice still as soothing as a falling pearl.
“ kǒng què dà míng wáng ， nǐ shì shuō ， zhè lǐ shì zhēn líng zhī jìng de suǒ zài ？” kǒng què yī dāi ， máng zhuǎn tóu sì gù de dǎ liàng le qǐ lái ”，
“孔雀大明王，你是说，这里是真灵之境的所在？”孔雀一呆，忙转头四顾的打量了起来”，
"But you haven't gotten to the point yet."
cǐ shí cǐ kè ， tā cái fā xiàn zì jǐ shì zài yī gōng diàn lǐ ， huò zhě shuō ， gōng diàn de fèi xū ， rán ér jí biàn yǐ jīng bèi huǐ huài ， yī jiù shì huá měi dào jí diǎn 。
此时此刻，她才发现自己是在一宫殿里，或者说，宫殿的废墟，然而即便已经被毁坏，依旧是华美到极点。
"What point?"
“ ó ， zhēn líng zhī jìng de chuán shuō chēng jū rán xiǎo de ？” fèng huáng shēng yīn lù chū jǐ fēn yì wài zhī sè ， yǔ qì gèng yǒu xiē xiào yì yín yín le 。
“哦，真灵之境的传说称居然晓得？”凤凰声音露出几分意外之色，语气更有些笑意吟吟了。
"You asked about which lineage these true spirits belong to. Do you know that?"
suī rán bù zhī dào xī wèi shén me zhè me shuō ， bù guò tā méi yǒu è yì ， zhè yì diǎn ， yīng gāi shì kě yǐ què dìng wú yí 。
虽然不知道牺为什么这么说，不过它没有恶意，这一点，应该是可以确定无疑。
"Which lineage?" Yu Yu's face showed curiosity: "True spirits are true spirits—how can they be divided into lineages?"
kǒng què lüè yī sī suǒ ， jiù lǎo lǎo shí shí de kāi kǒu le ：“ bù cuò ， wǒ xiǎo de ， guān yú zhēn líng zhī jìng de chuán shuō ， wǒ bìng bú shì kàn le shén me diǎn jí cái xiǎo de ， ér shì yī shēng xià ， jiù yǒu yī xiē mó mó hú hú de jì yì le 。”
孔雀略一思索，就老老实实的开口了：“不错，我晓得，关于真灵之境的传说，我并不是看了什么典籍才晓得，而是一生下，就有一些模模糊糊的记忆了。”
This was something she had never thought of, and few people would consider it.
“ nà shì tōng guò xuè mài chuán chéng xià lái le ， bù cuò bù cuò ， kàn lái nǐ chuán chéng de qíng kuàng ， bǐ wǒ xiǎng xiàng de hái yào hǎo dé duō ， nà zhēn líng zhī xīn ， yě xǔ chēng zhēn de kě yǐ róng hé ， yě suàn shì shí xiàn běn gōng zhè fán shí wàn nián lái de yuàn wàng le 。”
“那是通过血脉传承下来了，不错不错，看来你传承的情况，比我想象的还要好得多，那真灵之心，也许称真的可以融合，也算是实现本宫这凡十万年来的愿望了。”
Of course, there were distinctions. If one must categorize them, true spirits belonged to the realm of demons.
“ zhēn líng zhī xīn ， nà shì shén me dōng xī ， mí wèi shén me dài wǒ lái zhè lǐ ， hái yǒu wǒ fū jūn ， dào nǎ lǐ qù le ？” yú yú yī lián chuàn de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr lǐ ， wèn chū le sān gè ， zì jǐ pò qiè xiǎng yào zhī dào de wèn tí 。
“真灵之心，那是什么东西，猕为什么带我来这里，还有我夫君，到哪里去了？”娱娱一连串的声音传入耳里，问出了三个，自己迫切想要知道的问题。
"Demons?" Yu Yu gasped in surprise: "If that's the case, wouldn't our demon race be much stronger than humanity?"
“ nǐ fū jūn ， nǐ shì shuō ， nà rú tóng lóu yǐ bān de nán zi me ， xiào huà ， yī qū qū rén lèi xiū xiān zhě ， yě pèi yǔ yōng yǒu kǒng què dà míng wáng xuè mài de chēng jié hé ， ruò bú shì kàn nà rén yǒu yì diǎn jīn chì dà péng niǎo de xuè tǒng ， yě xǔ tóng wǒ děng yǒu xiē xǔ yuān yuán guān xì ， wǒ zǎo yǐ sòng tā dào yīn cáo dì fǔ qù 。”
“你夫君，你是说，那如同蝼蚁般的男子么，笑话，一区区人类修仙者，也配与拥有孔雀大明王血脉的称结合，若不是看那人有一点金翅大鹏鸟的血统，也许同我等有些许渊源关系，我早已送他到阴曹地府去。”
It was well-known that humans and demons fought each other but also supported each other; their power levels were roughly equal since ancient times. But suddenly hearing that true spirits belonged to the demon realm would break this balance, a shocking revelation.
fèng huáng de shēng yīn píng dàn yǐ jí ， jiù fǎng fú liǎng gè rén ， tǎo lùn yī zhī mǎ yǐ de shēng sǐ ， nà dāng rán bù kě néng yǒu fēn háo jī dòng dì 。
凤凰的声音平淡以极，就仿佛两个人，讨论一只蚂蚁的生死，那当然不可能有分毫激动地。
However, as the King of All Birds, there was no reason for it to lie.
kǒng què tīng dào zhè lǐ sōng le kǒu qì ， tā bù zài hū fèng huáng qīng shì de yǔ qì ， zì jǐ yǔ zhàng fū cǐ kè zài fèng huáng de yǎn lǐ ， yǒu rú lóu yǐ ， zhè shì shì shí ， méi shén me zhí de hǎo shēng qì 。
孔雀听到这里松了口气，她不在乎凤凰轻视的语气，自己与丈夫此刻在凤凰的眼里，有如蝼蚁，这是事实，没什么值得好生气。
"Please don't be anxious, listen carefully. True spirits can indeed be considered part of the demon race, but once they become true spirits, they have nothing to do with their original demon lineage."
miàn zi ， shì zì jǐ zhēng huí lái de ， ér bú shì kào yìng chēng ， ràng bié rén shī shě 。
面子，是自己挣回来的，而不是靠硬撑，让别人施舍。
Yu Yu listened in confusion but didn't interrupt; she knew the Phoenix would explain further.
rú guǒ yǒu zhāo yī rì ， fū jūn fēi shēng ， chéng wéi zhēn xiān bān de cún zài ， nà zì rán shì kě yǐ jiāng jīn tiān zhè chǎng zi wǒ huí lái 。
如果有朝一日，夫君飞升，成为真仙般的存在，那自然是可以将今天这场子我回来。
"This involves the True Spirit Flame. For example, how many phoenixes are there in this world?"
rú jīn xiāng zhēng ， sī háo yì yì yě wú ， ér qiě xiǎn de kě xiào dào jí chù ， fū jūn píng ān wú shì ， tā xiǎo de zhè yì diǎn ， yě jiù xīn mǎn yì zú 。
如今相争，丝毫意义也无，而且显得可笑到极处，夫君平安无事，她晓得这一点，也就心满意足。
"Isn't it just one?" Yu Yu hesitated. If there were more powerful creatures like phoenixes, wouldn't the world be chaotic?
“ chēng dài wǒ dào cǐ chù ， jiū jìng shì wèi le shén me ？” kǒng què kāi shǐ guān xīn qǐ zì jǐ rú jīn de chǔ jìng le 。
“称带我到此处，究竟是为了什么？”孔雀开始关心起自己如今的处境了。
However, the other party laughed: "Compared to other demon birds, while the number of phoenixes is smaller, there are still a hundred or so."
“ wǒ shuō guò ， xī wàng chēng yǔ zhēn líng zhī xīn róng hé 。” fèng huáng huǎn huǎn de kāi kǒu le 。
“我说过，希望称与真灵之心融合。”凤凰缓缓的开口了。
"What..."...Yu Yu was stunned.
“ zhēn líng zhī xīn ， nà shì shén me dōng xī ？”
“真灵之心，那是什么东西？”
"Please don't be anxious; I haven't finished. Although there are a hundred phoenixes, they are just ordinary ones. I am the only true spirit here."
kǒng què tōng guò xuè mài ， suī rán chuán chéng le yī xiē jì yì ， dàn què shì mó mó hú hú dì ， hěn duō dōng xī dōu bìng bù qīng chǔ ， zhè zhēn líng zhī xīn shì shén me ， tā bìng bù xiǎo de 。
孔雀通过血脉，虽然传承了一些记忆，但却是模模糊糊地，很多东西都并不清楚，这真灵之心是什么，她并不晓得。
"Why?" Yu Yu exhaled deeply.
fèng huáng tīng le ， liǎn shàng dào yě méi yǒu lù chū shén me yì wài zhī sè 。
凤凰听了，脸上倒也没有露出什么意外之色。
"The reason lies in the True Spirit Flame—it is unique."
“ nà zhēn líng shì shén me ， chēng kě xiǎo de ？”
“那真灵是什么，称可晓得？”
Yu Yu's brow twitched as she sensed something significant. She waited for the other party to continue.
“ zhēn líng shì zuì qiáng dà de cún zài ， chuán shuō jí shǐ shì zuì ruò xiǎo de zhēn líng ， shí lì yě xiāng dāng yú dù jié qī xiū xiān zhě ， dǐng jí zhēn líng ”…” shuō dào cǐ chù ， yú yú rěn bú zhù tái qǐ tóu lú ， wàng le qián miàn de fèng huáng yī yǎn ：“ shèn zhì kě yǐ kān bǐ zhēn xiān 。”
“真灵是最强大的存在，传说即使是最弱小的真灵，实力也相当于渡劫期修仙者，顶级真灵”…”说到此处，娱娱忍不住抬起头颅，望了前面的凤凰一眼：“甚至可以堪比真仙。”
"The difference between true spirits and demons does not lie in power but in the inheritance of the True Spirit Flame. Otherwise, if we only consider strength, even the Three Great Demon Kings like Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox could be on par with me or even surpass me. Most true spirits would fall short, so why isn't Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox a true spirit?"
“ kān bǐ zhēn xiān dào bù zhì yú ， bù guò chā jù yě jǐn yǒu yī xiàn 。” fèng huáng diǎn le diǎn tóu ， yī jiù shì nà zhū luò yù pán de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr zhōng 。
“堪比真仙倒不至于，不过差距也仅有一线。”凤凰点了点头，依旧是那珠落玉盘的声音传入耳中。
"Because that Queen of Qingqiu did not have the True Spirit Flame."
“ bù guò chēng yī jiù méi yǒu shuō dào zhòng diǎn 。”
“不过称依旧没有说到重点。”
"Exactly, it's about the True Spirit Flame. Its origin is unclear to me as well; I only know it appeared in the first generation of true spirits and was passed down through generations. It contains our true spirits' experiences, knowledge, memories..."
“ zhòng diǎn ？”
“重点？”
"Wait a moment, you said it was passed down through generations—so are you not the original Phoenix? Can true spirits die?"
“ bù cuò ， wǒ shì wèn ， zhēn líng jiū jìng shǔ yú nǎ yī zú ， zhè mí kě qīng chǔ ？”
“不错，我是问，真灵究竟属于哪一族，这猕可清楚？”
"Stupid girl, I am certainly not the original Phoenix. Even true immortals can fall, let alone true spirits."
“ nǎ yī zú ？” yú yú liǎn shàng lù chū hào qí zhī sè ：“ zhēn líng zì rán jiù shì zhēn líng le ， hái fēn nǎ yī zú ？”
“哪一族？”娱娱脸上露出好奇之色：“真灵自然就是真灵了，还分哪一族？”
The Phoenix's voice remained soothing but carried a hint of melancholy.
zhè ge wèn tí tā shì zhēn bù xiǎo de ， xiāng xìn yě hěn shǎo yǒu rén huì qù xiǎng yū 。
这个问题她是真不晓得，相信也很少有人会去想迂。
True spirits do indeed die; counting from ancient times, I am the ninth generation Phoenix.
“ dāng rán yǒu qū fēn de ， zhēn líng rú guǒ yí dìng yào shuō ， nà shì shǔ yú yāo zú 。”
“当然有区分的，真灵如果一定要说，那是属于妖族。”
"Ninth generation Phoenix?"
“ yāo zú ？” yú yú dà jīng shī sè ：“ ruò shì nà yàng de huà ， wǒ men yāo zú ， qǐ bù shì bǐ rén zú yào qiáng dà dé duō ？”
“妖族？”娱娱大惊失色：“若是那样的话，我们妖族，岂不是比人族要强大得多？”
"Yes, when any true spirit completely dies, its True Spirit Flame will fly out on its own and return to the True Spirit Realm, waiting for the next successor to merge with it."
zhòng suǒ zhōu zhī ， rén yāo liǎng zú hù xiāng zhēng dòu ， dàn yě hù xiāng fú chí ， liǎng zú jiān de shí lì ， nà shì xiāng chà fǎng fú dì ， zì shàng gǔ yǐ lái ， yì zhí rú cǐ 。
众所周知，人妖两族互相争斗，但也互相扶持，两族间的实力，那是相差仿佛地，自上古以来，一直如此。
"Merge and become a true spirit?"
kě fèng huáng tū rán shuō ， zhēn líng yě shǔ yú yāo zú ， nà liǎng zú jiān de píng héng ， qǐ bù shì yī xià zi bèi dǎ pò ， zhè xiāo xī ， wèi miǎn tài guò jīng sǒng le ， rán ér yú qíng yú lǐ ， bǎi niǎo zhī wáng ， nà dōu shì méi yǒu bì yào sā huǎng dì 。
可凤凰突然说，真灵也属于妖族，那两族间的平衡，岂不是一下子被打破，这消息，未免太过惊悚了，然而于情于理，百鸟之王，那都是没有必要撒谎地。
"Not that simple. But close enough. The creation of true spirits is most challenging—the fusion of the True Spirit Flame. Afterward, the steps are much easier because the True Spirit Flame contains not only the experiences, knowledge, but also the seed of power."
“ chēng xiān bié jí ， nài xīn de tīng wǒ shuō xià qù ， zhēn líng rú guǒ yí dìng yào shuō ， shì kě yǐ suàn chéng yāo zú ， rán ér yāo zú yí dàn huà wèi zhēn líng yǐ hòu ， yòu tóng yāo zú méi yǒu shén me guān xì le 。”
“称先别急，耐心的听我说下去，真灵如果一定要说，是可以算成妖族，然而妖族一旦化为真灵以后，又同妖族没有什么关系了。”
"Seed of power?"
kǒng què tīng dé yǒu xiē mí hū ， dàn bìng méi yǒu jiē kǒu ， tā xiǎo de fèng huáng zì huì xiáng xì jiě shuō 。
孔雀听得有些迷糊，但并没有接口，她晓得凤凰自会详细解说。
"Yes, don't underestimate it. Although the power within that seed might be insignificant to me, a seed is still a seed. Once planted and sprouted, it will one day grow into a towering tree."
However, the Realm of the Peacock still existed.
Once upon a time, true spirits had also coveted this place. But the Phoenix treated it as its own territory and kept a close watch over it. With the King of All Birds guarding here, even true spirits would not dare to challenge him directly. Over time, people came to regard the Realm of the Peacock as part of the Phoenix's domain.
After all, everyone knew about the connection between the Great Peacock Dharmaraja and the Phoenix. As a King of All Birds, it was natural for him to oversee this place, and true spirits had no objections. The most crucial point was that the Phoenix's power was formidable; in some ways, true spirits were like cultivators—fearful of weakness.
The Realm of the Peacock did not appear desolate due to its master's absence because it was always tended by the Phoenix.
But at this moment, an unexpected guest had arrived here. She was a young woman around twenty years old, with black, lustrous hair reaching her waist. She wore a light green dress that accentuated her curvaceous figure and beautiful face, making her look like a peerless beauty without exaggeration.
However, she lay unconscious, her eyes tightly closed as if in a deep state of confusion.
"Mm, where am I..."...
With a groan, the woman's eyelashes fluttered. Her eyes slowly opened, filled with bewilderment.
In an instant, it seemed like something came to mind, and she suddenly lifted her head.
"Where is my husband?"
The expression on Yu Yu's face was full of anxiety. She remembered clearly what happened before she lost consciousness—the couple had been caught in the chaotic aura of a true spirit, separated by a terrifying force.
There was no way around it!
Where was her husband now? She scanned the surroundings, trying to find any clues about Lin Xuan. Only then did she realize that she was inside a palace—or rather, its ruins—still magnificent despite being destroyed.
"Oh, so you know of the legends of the True Spirit Realm?" The Phoenix's voice revealed some surprise. "That's interesting."
Although Yu Yu didn't know why it said this, there seemed to be no malice in its tone, which was reassuring.
Yu Yu thought for a moment before speaking honestly: "Yes, I do know about these legends. I wasn't reading from any ancient texts; I had some vague memories since birth."
"Passed down through the bloodline, huh? That's good. It seems your inheritance is much better than expected. Perhaps we can truly merge with that True Spirit Heart, and fulfill this palace's wish of a million years."
"What is this True Spirit Heart?" Yu Yu asked urgently, her voice filled with questions she needed answers to: "Why did you bring me here? And where has my husband gone?"
"Your husband, the man like an ant—what a joke. A mere human cultivator doesn't deserve to be paired with someone of the Great Peacock Dharmaraja's bloodline. If not for his golden-winged phoenix lineage, I would have already sent him to the underworld."
The Phoenix spoke in a calm voice, as if discussing the life and death of an ant.
Yu Yu breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. She didn't mind the way the Phoenix looked down on her; she and her husband were like ants in the eyes of the King of All Birds. This was reality, nothing to be angry about.
Face and dignity could only be earned through one's own efforts, not by relying on others' pity.
If her husband ascended someday and became a true immortal, then this would all be worth it when she returned.
For now, there was no point in arguing; it was merely laughable. She knew he was safe, which satisfied her.
"Why did you bring me here?" Yu Yu began to care about her current situation.
"I've said before—my wish is for us to merge with the True Spirit Heart," the Phoenix replied slowly.
"What exactly is this True Spirit Heart?"
Through her bloodline, although she had some vague memories, many details were unclear. She didn't know what a True Spirit Heart was.
The Phoenix's expression remained calm.
"Then what are true spirits? Do you know about them?"
True spirits were the most powerful beings, even the weakest among them equaled a cultivator at the Tribulation Transcending stage. Top true spirits...
Yu Yu couldn't help but raise her head to look at the Phoenix: "...could be as powerful as true immortals."
"Compared to true immortals, they are not quite on par, but the difference is minimal," the Phoenix nodded, its voice still as soothing as a falling pearl.
"But you haven't gotten to the point yet."
"What point?"
"You asked about which lineage these true spirits belong to. Do you know that?"
"Which lineage?" Yu Yu's face showed curiosity: "True spirits are true spirits—how can they be divided into lineages?"
This was something she had never thought of, and few people would consider it.
Of course, there were distinctions. If one must categorize them, true spirits belonged to the realm of demons.
"Demons?" Yu Yu gasped in surprise: "If that's the case, wouldn't our demon race be much stronger than humanity?"
It was well-known that humans and demons fought each other but also supported each other; their power levels were roughly equal since ancient times. But suddenly hearing that true spirits belonged to the demon realm would break this balance, a shocking revelation.
However, as the King of All Birds, there was no reason for it to lie.
"Please don't be anxious, listen carefully. True spirits can indeed be considered part of the demon race, but once they become true spirits, they have nothing to do with their original demon lineage."
Yu Yu listened in confusion but didn't interrupt; she knew the Phoenix would explain further.
"This involves the True Spirit Flame. For example, how many phoenixes are there in this world?"
"Isn't it just one?" Yu Yu hesitated. If there were more powerful creatures like phoenixes, wouldn't the world be chaotic?
However, the other party laughed: "Compared to other demon birds, while the number of phoenixes is smaller, there are still a hundred or so."
"What..."...Yu Yu was stunned.
"Please don't be anxious; I haven't finished. Although there are a hundred phoenixes, they are just ordinary ones. I am the only true spirit here."
"Why?" Yu Yu exhaled deeply.
"The reason lies in the True Spirit Flame—it is unique."
Yu Yu's brow twitched as she sensed something significant. She waited for the other party to continue.
"The difference between true spirits and demons does not lie in power but in the inheritance of the True Spirit Flame. Otherwise, if we only consider strength, even the Three Great Demon Kings like Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox could be on par with me or even surpass me. Most true spirits would fall short, so why isn't Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox a true spirit?"
"Because that Queen of Qingqiu did not have the True Spirit Flame."
"Exactly, it's about the True Spirit Flame. Its origin is unclear to me as well; I only know it appeared in the first generation of true spirits and was passed down through generations. It contains our true spirits' experiences, knowledge, memories..."
"Wait a moment, you said it was passed down through generations—so are you not the original Phoenix? Can true spirits die?"
"Stupid girl, I am certainly not the original Phoenix. Even true immortals can fall, let alone true spirits."
The Phoenix's voice remained soothing but carried a hint of melancholy.
True spirits do indeed die; counting from ancient times, I am the ninth generation Phoenix.
"Ninth generation Phoenix?"
"Yes, when any true spirit completely dies, its True Spirit Flame will fly out on its own and return to the True Spirit Realm, waiting for the next successor to merge with it."
"Merge and become a true spirit?"
"Not that simple. But close enough. The creation of true spirits is most challenging—the fusion of the True Spirit Flame. Afterward, the steps are much easier because the True Spirit Flame contains not only the experiences, knowledge, but also the seed of power."
"Seed of power?"
"Yes, don't underestimate it. Although the power within that seed might be insignificant to me, a seed is still a seed. Once planted and sprouted, it will one day grow into a towering tree."