CHAPTER 180: THE THREE FORMATIONS LINKED, FIRE PHOENIX SWORD

"Could it be that what you said when you first appeared was true? That you and I are one and the same..."

"Yes... and no." The green-robed Daoist flickered back to the Fire Phoenix's side and slowly drove the Hunyuan Greatsword into its body.

Lu Chen stared in horror, stumbling back several steps before collapsing to the ground. Sensing the turmoil in his emotions, the black and white fish and Eggy immediately shrank against his shoulders, trembling nonstop.

The green-robed Daoist shouted, "Dao! Formation! Art!"

Starlight flickered in his eyes as profound laws coursed through them. His raised right hand lit up with red, yellow, and blue formations—the red was the Flame Formation, the yellow the Binding Formation, and the blue the Linking Formation.

Each served its purpose. He pressed the first formation onto the jade token. Black and white fire surged upward with the wind. The black devoured matter endlessly, while the white continuously restored the elements.

Through annihilation and rebirth came Nirvana. As the twin flames consumed and renewed the surrounding space, it gradually stabilized. It even showed signs of evolving into a higher domain. The green-robed Daoist snorted and casually shattered that pocket of space, restoring its structure to its original state.

Sensing his pressure, the black and white flames thrashed violently, straining to break free of the jade token.

The second formation shot from his hand, wrapping the flames from both sides, compressing and suppressing them. Within a breath, the flames were forced into the jade token. "Hmph... did you really think this place was somewhere you could come and go as you wish?"

Lu Chen watched in disbelief as the jade token on the Hunyuan Greatsword began to take shape. He wanted to reject the Daoist's words, yet the evidence before his eyes left no room for denial.

He asked cautiously, "You're not lying, are you? The second avatar is still within my mind. There's no way the two of you are the same person."

"I only said it was possible, not certain. No matter who it is or what you do, whether you split space or reverse time, two versions of the same person can never coexist in one place."

The Daoist cast him a sidelong glance. Seeing how hard Lu Chen struggled to accept it, he changed the subject. "Haven't you noticed? The two of us are standing here together in the same space. That alone proves we're not the same person."

"Phew..." Lu Chen exhaled, climbing back to his feet. "Good. That's good. I really thought you were my second avatar. If that were true, the pressure on me would be unbearable."

"You recover remarkably fast. This explains why we are both so bold. But what I want you to know is..." The Daoist curved his lips into a mischievous smile while continuing to refine the Fire Phoenix Jade Token. "Our connection runs deeper than you think. Just look at how similar we look. You can't deny that, can you?"

"Plenty of people look alike. That doesn't prove anything."

Suppressing his unease, Lu Chen slowly approached the green-robed Daoist. "Anyway, I've figured it out. If you really are my avatar from the future, then you wouldn't harm me. Lu Qing suffered heavy backlash yesterday when he attacked me. That's proof enough.

"With that safeguard, what do I have to fear? As long as you don't start rambling about bearing the mission of the countless heavens and myriad worlds, I can handle the rest. Don't underestimate how much I've picked up from reading cultivation novels."

"You say it like you mean it. But can you really accept it?" The green-robed Daoist let out a mocking laugh. "I know you too well. Have you truly seen through me, or are you just forcing yourself to believe it?"

"Of course I mean it. In fact, I still think your first words were true. You are my avatar from the future, and you came here because something happened there, right?"

"Heh. The boss was right. As the Original, your sense of premonition really is sharp." The Daoist paused for a moment, then muttered an incantation as he gripped the Hunyuan Greatsword's hilt. With a long sigh, he continued, "Something did go wrong in the future. That's why I came back."

"So... my guess was right after all..."

The green-robed Daoist forced a faint smile. "But don't worry. I won't harm you. And until you grow strong enough, I won't burden you with what I carry. Still, if you insist on taking the burden yourself, I won't hold back."

His smile twisted, becoming wild and sinister. "How about a trade? I can give you power, power strong enough to find Grandpa in an instant."

Lu Chen shuddered, trying to steady his voice. "No, no, no. If even someone as powerful as you calls it a burden, then to me it would weigh heavier than the sky falling. By the way... do I ever find Grandpa later on?"

"That... I won't tell you. In fact, I won't reveal anything about what happens in the future. If any of it reflects back to the boss, I'd be in real trouble."

The Daoist's smile slowly faded. He looked at Lu Chen calmly. "Besides, some things are better experienced firsthand. If I were to tell you, it would surely cause irreversible changes."

"All right. I just asked on a whim. I didn't really expect you to reveal anything," Lu Chen said with a smile. "It's like reading a novel. Once you know the ending, no one would bother continuing."

The green-robed Daoist freed a hand and patted Lu Chen's shoulder. "Let the future be borne by those who live in it. What matters is that we are already on the winning side. It's just that, during cultivation, I discovered hidden dangers in the past, so I came back to correct them. It's still too early for you to worry about these things. That's why I never told you who I am, fearing you might overthink. Now it seems I was the one overthinking things. You were never troubled by these matters to begin with."

"Heh, perhaps. Though I was quite terrified when you admitted it just now," Lu Chen told him.

He noticed the Hunyuan Greatsword gradually settling. Pointing at the black-and-white jade token, he asked, "Is the Fire Phoenix Jade Token complete? I thought it would end up fiery red, but it's black and white instead. It looks a lot like the Twin-Fish Medallion."

"That's because it was formed from the medallion. In fact, every jade token is created with the medallion as its foundation."

The green-robed Daoist laid his hand on the Fire Phoenix's neck, silently chanting an ancient incantation. "The Fire Phoenix Jade Token is one step from completion. It must be linked to the Fire Phoenix. Bind!"

The final formation shot from his right hand toward the black-and-white token. Two chains, one black and one white, extended from the planetary jade token, wrapping around Fire Phoenix's wings and body, layer by layer.

Seeing Fire Phoenix restrained by the chains, Lu Chen cried out, "What's going on? It looks like Fire Phoenix is being restrained by the planetary jade token."

Without turning, the green-robed Daoist replied softly, "I know. Its power is beyond your ability to command right now, so I sealed most of it away. When you grow strong enough, the chains will vanish on their own."

"Now, give me a drop of your Blood Essence. I'm going to awaken the token fully." The Daoist raised a finger, and a bead of crimson condensed at its tip. "Break!"

The blood slid along his fingertip and sank into Fire Phoenix's forehead. The creature stirred awake, spreading its golden, flaming wings wide and letting out a long, piercing cry.

"Is that it?" Lu Chen asked doubtfully. "Why hasn't the Hunyuan Greatsword shown any change at all?"

"Be patient. The Fire Phoenix Jade Token is of a higher grade than the others; it just needs time."

With a flick of his hand, the Daoist set up a temporal field, accelerating everything within. Under this field, every movement of the Fire Phoenix was sped up hundreds of times.

Three minutes later, the field dispersed, and Fire Phoenix cried out again. Apart from the thin layer of black-and-white core still linked to the sword hilt, the rest of the Fire Phoenix Jade Token had turned entirely golden.

A pair of long feathers sprouted from either side of the Fire Phoenix's forehead—one black, the other white—while the five elemental feathers along its sides swelled several sizes.

With another piercing cry, the Fire Phoenix Mark on Lu Chen's brow flared. Around the Fire Phoenix, the Five Elements Cycle Ring slowly wove black-and-white threads. The interplay of colors mirrored in Lu Chen's mark, making it glow even more vividly.[1]

A sharp cry rang out again, and this time the Hunyuan Greatsword reacted. Golden flames surged from the sword hilt, coating both sides of the guard and solidifying into barbed handguards.

"Are those the Fire Phoenix's wings?" Lu Chen immediately recognized their source as he gazed at the barbed guards. "So this is the final form it took upon evolution?"

"This is only the beginning..." The green-robed Daoist's voice dropped low as the golden Fire Phoenix burst forth from the token. Its wings leaned against the barbed guards, growing larger and longer.

The rest of the sword hilt transformed as well. On the Hunyuan Greatsword, black-and-white patterns, like twin dragons, unfurled along the flanks of the hilt, while golden motifs wove around the guard, linking the glow to the barbed handguards. At the center, a curved clasp formed, shaped to hold a secondary blade.

At that moment, the Fire Phoenix completed its evolution. A small golden longsword emerged from the token, resting perfectly within the curved clasp.

The black-and-white patterns remained flat along the blade, merging with the golden motifs near the guard into intricate, flowing designs. From afar, the Hunyuan Greatsword looked as if wrapped in ancient runes, its presence more mysterious than ever

"This is..."

"This is a lady's sword," the green-robed Daoist said, drawing out the small golden longsword. "Think carefully, who would be worthy of wielding a sword forged from the Fire Phoenix?"

"Wan'er?"

"Heh, you're not so dull after all."

With that, the Daoist tossed both the golden longsword and the Hunyuan Greatsword back to Lu Chen. "The Fire Phoenix Jade Token is complete. But I've restricted most of its functions. Aside from the addition of this golden sword, the rest of its functions are almost identical to the original Hunyuan Greatsword."

1. Five Elements Cycle Ring is a circular formation or field where the Five Elements continuously cycle in harmony, each one strengthening the next, creating a self-sustaining loop. The Fire Phoenix is naturally associated with elemental power (especially Fire, sometimes all Five Elements). The Five Elements Cycle Ring around the Fire Phoenix is a spiritual manifestation of its elemental energy, floating around or enveloping it rather than being physically attached. Its presence is visible as a circular field of energy. ☜