Chapter 236
Gray mist swirled around Illya as his energy was steadily drained, thinning with every second.
Chu Feng glanced at her. “You okay?”
Eyes shut, he replied, a bit strained, “I’m fine.”
The ginseng tree continued greedily drawing in energy, until Illya felt his powers slipping out of control.
Chu Feng’s brow furrowed. “Not good.”
“What’s wrong?” Shen Yutong asked. “If you’re running out of power, maybe you should stop.”
“I’m afraid it’s too late,” Chu Feng said grimly.
Shen Yutong frowned. “Why?”
Mu Linlang took a deep breath. “The tree seems to be actively pulling energy from them. Cutting the connection by force could hurt them both.”
Chu Feng quickly pulled out two vials of life spirit liquid and handed them to Illya and Qiu Luo.
Illya grabbed the crystal bottle and downed it in one gulp. Instantly, his drained energy was fully restored.
Mu Linlang was shocked—she’d just sensed Illya’s energy nearing depletion, but now it was completely full again.
From what she knew, the Research Institute had developed a cutting-edge potion that could restore only one-tenth of an ability-user’s energy. It was hailed as a breakthrough product, in high demand.
Yet Chu Feng’s potion restored all of an S-level’s energy instantly. It was nothing short of miraculous.
She eyed the empty crystal bottle in Chu Feng’s hand. When it was opened earlier, a thick, refreshing plant aroma had filled the air, invigorating her senses. Just smelling it made her feel clear-headed—consuming it must bring tremendous benefits.
It reminded her of the mysterious Crescent No. 6 Wine she once tasted at Dong Yu’s place, which had subtly boosted her abilities. Thinking back, the beneficial substance in that wine was probably the same as what was in the vial.
*
Through their combined efforts, the ginseng fruit tree’s fruits finally ripened.
Their work done, Illya and Qiu Luo let go at the same time. Chu Feng caught the staggering Illya, asking with concern, “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” he said, shaking his head.
He turned to the Shaman. “You alright?”
Qiu Luo shook his head. “I’m fine—overestimated myself, that’s all. Luckily, the fruit’s nearly mature. Otherwise, this might have been a total waste. This tree really is a bottomless pit.”
Chu Feng sighed inwardly: So much effort… and we still nearly lost out.
Shen Yutong glanced at the tree strangely. She remembered how, before, Jocelyn—a mere B-level ability-user—had managed to ripen all the dates on a jujube tree alone.
This ginseng tree, however, had taken both the divine doctor and Illya, and still drained them heavily.
The fruit’s rich aroma spread through the air. Just inhaling it made Chu Feng feel refreshed, free of all ailments. The scent soon attracted a flock of birds.
Shen Yutong grabbed her walkie-talkie and spoke urgently, “Upgrade the protective net to maximum level.”
Chu Feng looked up and saw a special, semi-transparent light curtain forming above, like the shell of an egg.
The birds that flew into it were knocked away instantly.
“What is this curtain made from?” Chu Feng asked.
Shen Yutong said proudly, “It’s based on an energy shield ability from one of our National Bureau of Paranormal Abilities members. We reverse-engineered it into this defensive dome.”
Chu Feng thought: The National Bureau of Paranormal Abilities does have some tricks up its sleeve.
“Who developed it?”
“Our brain-type ability-user,” she replied with a smile.
“As expected, not an ordinary person,” Chu Feng said.
The fruit’s fragrance grew even stronger, almost intoxicating.
Above, more and more birds gathered, as if answering a royal summons.
Shen Yutong frowned. “The scent’s too strong—the shield can’t block it.”
Chu Feng watched as countless birds slammed into the shield. It could repel them, but the sheer number and force left several stunned in midair.
The birds that had fainted soon woke up again, and, filled with excitement, charged once more.
Chu Feng glanced at Shen Yutong. “The ginseng fruits should be just about ripe. Send people to collect them. They’ll probably need to be sealed tightly.”
More and more birds filled the sky, their cries deafening.
Shen Yutong nodded. “That’s likely.”
Chu Feng waved his hand, and several ginseng fruits were cut from the tree. Illya released his gray mist, catching the falling fruits. Guided by the mist, they floated to him, and he wrapped each one in green silkworm thread.
Seeing the silk in Illya’s hands, Shen Yutong was secretly startled.
Green silkworm thread can block the aura of witch stones… and it can block the aura of spiritual fruits too?
A clear birdsong rang out. The flock that had been battering against the light shield suddenly stopped its assault, instead arranging itself into neat, flying rows.
The birds began to spiral through the air, the scene mesmerizingly beautiful.
Chu Feng frowned. “What’s wrong with these birds?”
Illya looked up. “It’s like they’re welcoming the arrival of a king.”
A moment later, a seven-colored bird flew toward them, wings shimmering as it gazed down from above.
Chu Feng tilted his head at Shen Yutong. “That bird… looks a bit like a phoenix.”
Shen Yutong took a deep breath. “Recently, many brightly feathered birds have flown out from deep in the mountains. But one that looks this much like the legendary phoenix? This is my first time seeing it.”
The colorful bird flapped its wings, releasing a jet of flames onto the light shield.
Chu Feng’s eyes widened. “It can breathe fire?”
Shen Yutong glanced at her ability detector—capable of scanning both humans and beast-types. The results flashed clearly: S-class.
Her heart skipped a beat. Known S-class beings were already as rare as phoenix feathers, but without exception, each one possessed terrifying destructive power.
Chu Feng thought to himself: Legends say the phoenix can be reborn in fire—the undying bird. Now, with the world changing, is the phoenix truly appearing? If so… will the Azure Dragon and White Tiger emerge too? Thinking of dragons, he recalled the giant golden python he had once seen in the Kunlun Mountains.
Shen Yutong stared in disbelief. “Impossible…”
The blazing flames looked terrifying. The intense heat sapped the vitality of the spiritual herbs in the Hundred Herbs Garden. As an ordinary person, Shen Yutong felt faint from the heat alone.
Mu Linlang said urgently, “This won’t do! The herbs will wither and die!” Her face was pale—the loss of the spirit herbs would be disastrous.
Chu Feng released a spatial barrier, covering all the herbs in the garden with an invisible dome. It was as if they had been placed into another space entirely, their rate of withering immediately slowing.
Mu Linlang’s eyes filled with shock once again. Spatial isolation was a new ability Chu Feng had recently acquired. Originally, he could only create a barrier the size of a room, but after obtaining a space stone at the banquet—enhanced by life spirit liquid—his power had made another great leap.
Illya gave Shen Yutong a glance. “This beast is… troublesome.”
An alarm blared. Chu Feng looked at Shen Yutong. She gritted her teeth. “The shield might not hold.”
“If it fails, that’ll be a big problem, won’t it?” Illya asked.
“Plenty of the birds are already eyeing the herbs and fruits in the garden,” Shen Yutong said. “If the barrier is breached, they’ll swarm in. The damage could be immeasurable.”
Gunfire thundered. The National Bureau of Paranormal Abilities’s operatives were clearly using high-powered weapons.
“Energy guns?” Chu Feng muttered.
Shen Yutong nodded. “Yes. They’re newly developed—more destructive than conventional firearms, but with less pollution.”
Several birds hit by the shots fell from the sky, and a dark rain began to fall.
Yet even as many birds were downed, more gathered above.
The colorful bird’s defenses were astonishing—energy bullets simply melted in the flames surrounding its body.
The spectacle in the sky had drawn many ability-users from the National Bureau of Paranormal Abilities.
“What’s going on? Why is it suddenly so hot?”
“The indoor temperatures are nearing seventy degrees!”
Several flight-capable ability-users tried to take off, but under the oppressive presence of the firebird, they were forced back down.
National Bureau of Paranormal Abilities surveillance caught a clear image of the creature.
“An Ultra S-class beast?! It broke in without us noticing?”
“Even if we noticed, what could we do? When the hundred birds gather for the phoenix… could this really be a phoenix?”
The more birds were killed, the angrier the colorful bird seemed. Flames gathered into a single beam, burning a hole in the shield.
Chu Feng swung his blade through the opening, slashing at the bird—but it dodged in an instant. Its speed was so great that afterimages blurred in the air.
Until now, only the golden python in Kunlun had ever evaded Chu Feng’s strikes.
Light flared around the bird, and in the next instant, it transformed into a woman in colorful robes.
Shen Yutong jumped in shock. The National Bureau of Paranormal Abilities had heard reports of certain beasts taking human form, but seeing it happen right before her eyes was something else entirely.
