Chapter: 1372 (2/2)

The continent’s capital was composed of a group of powers. It was a bit hard for a single clan to dominate over an entire continent and thus the continent’s capital was dominated by a group of powers. A group of clans and other powers that had common interests would form something like an alliance, sharing all their benefits and resources.

However, there would be a leader amongst a group like this, coming from one of the clans. The leader would be someone picked by the others and must be able to convince others with his own cultivation and prestige.

Not only did these people receive the money and treasures from others, they must also continue to suppress cities or countries who didn’t bow down to them. When the region got bigger, with the formation of a leading alliance, there would naturally also be other groups forming. While it appeared that some powers seemed to be the ones dominating an entire continent, there were some countries that had maintained a neutral standing. It was the same for some cities. It was impossible for all of them to remain silent and abiding. Generally, those that were dominated by the dominating alliance would be about one-third. This was already considered quite a big amount.

The remaining two-thirds were a chaotic mix of all sorts of people. This was something very normal.

Since the area was too large, power would be delegated downward and places that were further away were practically independent.

“Do you know which clans in the continent’s capital belong to which respective powers?” Qing Shui was referring to the powers that dominated in name.

“There are many. It’s no secret. So many years have passed and I’m not too sure either. When you reach the continent’s capital, you’ll be able to get this news easily,” Yehuang Guwu smiled and said.

…

The next day, Qing Shui entered the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal very early. It was because after attaining a breakthrough to the eighth heavenly layer, the Phoenix Form in the Nine Animals Mimicry Technique had lit up, indicating that Qing Shui could start cultivating it.

Dragons and phoenixes were legendary creatures but they did exist in the world of the nine continents. In Qing Shui’s previous life, there were many descriptions which associated dragons with men and phoenixes with women. The characters used to describe male and female phoenixes were different but people were used to using the two characters together when referring to phoenixes [1]. When used to describe people, the phoenix was generally associated with ladies. Viewed as the king of all birds, the phoenix held a very high status.

When Qing Shui saw the battle techniques which he could learn, he was stunned. Right now, he could only learn two of the battle techniques.

Hundred Birds Worshiping The Phoenix, Phoenix Cry Sonic Attack!

Hundred Birds Worshiping The Phoenix was a kind of Qi technique that could reduce all of the opponent’s abilities by 10%. It could be stacked with other Qi related techniques.

Was it that simple? It was what its name suggested: Hundred Birds Worshiping The Phoenix, the aura of a sovereign. Furthermore, it could be stacked with other techniques which weakened the opponents. The first thing that came to Qing Shui mind was the Emperor’s Qi. When the two of them were stacked together, he would be able to weaken his opponents by 30%.

30% was considered to be quite significant. The Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant’s 10% wasn’t something that could be guaranteed but this 30% was sufficient to deal a huge blow to his opponents, since it was a reduction to their overall abilities.

The description then went on to the cultivation method. It wasn’t very difficult but Qing Shui wasn’t in any hurry to start now. Instead, he turned to look at the Phoenix Cry Sonic Attack.

Music score?

Qing Shui saw that the thing there was actually something that looked like a music score. Cultivating this required the use of a zither and it must be one that was made from the wood of a Chinese parasol tree [2].

Qing Shui had the required wood. The resting place of the Fire Bird in the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal was definitely considered to be the best wood from the Chinese parasol tree. It was just that the method of making the zither seemed to be very special as well.

Qing Shui didn’t take a close look at that but looked toward the few types of Phoenix Cries.

Phoenix Cry (Battle): Can increase the target’s battle will, allowing the target’s abilities to be fully unleashed or even to bring them beyond their full potential.

Phoenix Cry (Eruption): Can increase target’s battle prowess, giving a certain chance of letting the attacking power be doubled.

Phoenix Cry (Break): Can increase target’s chances of bypassing the opponent’s defense, to a certain degree.

Phoenix Cry (Retreat): Can reduce the target’s battle will, causing the target to be unable to perform as well as usual.

…

When Qing Shui saw this, he was overjoyed. To think that these were possible. It seemed to be very amazing and powerful. Qing Shui had no idea what it was really like when put into use. He decided to make a zither during this period of time. As for the Phoenix Cry Sonic Attack, he didn’t feel like learning it, at least, not at the moment. It was nothing for a man to be holding a zither. On the contrary, it was very normal. However, Qing Shui knew nothing about music and melody.

Moreover, Qing Shui felt that it was still better to learn the domineering Hundred Birds Worshiping The Phoenix. With his current abilities, after further weakening all of the opponent’s abilities by 30%, his opponents would all be left demoralized and crying.

Qing Shui started to cultivate. It could be due to the martial techniques he knew or maybe due to the existence of the Emperor’s Qi, that the rate at which Qing Shui learned the technique was very fast, with no challenges. It was a technique that was strangely similar to the Emperor’s Qi but just wasn’t as domineering.

One day passed by. Qing Shui hadn’t succeeded in learning it completely but the progress was going smoothly. Qing Shui took a rest and then took a branch off that huge Chinese parasol tree. This tree had received the nourishment from the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal’s spiritual Qi. Moreover, having the Fire Bird resting on the tree was also,in a way, a nurturing of the tree’s spiritual intelligence.

There was of course no need to consider whether the tree was of the appropriate age. Qing Shui first studied the method of creating the zither. As he read through the description, the information seemed to have been imprinted into his mind. He quickly managed to remember all the small details and then tried to simulate the production process in his mind.

[1] Feng and Huang refers to the male and female phoenixes respectively but people generally combined the two to form Feng Huang when referring to the phoenix in general.

[2] The Chinese parasol tree is often associated with the Phoenix with the saying that Phoenixes like to rest on them.