CHAPTER 914: THE FOUR ANCIENT DEITIES

[Sacred Land of the Forgotten Immortal]

"This is everything I’ve gathered over the past two thousand years," Musical Fairy Qing Luan said, her voice tinged with melancholy. "Once I’m gone, I hope you’ll care for the sacred land in my stead. Since you’ve become its half-owner, you must master your abilities to fully command it."

Shenlian Yingyue hovered beside her, gazing down at the breathtaking expanse of the sacred land below. Yet, even as she marveled at its beauty, doubt crept into her mind. Could Qing Luan truly be trusted?

Before she could dwell on it further, four immense figures emerged, their auras radiating power enough to shake even the Immortal Realm. Ancient beings of legend, each capable of sowing terror across the heavens. Yet here they dwelled, hidden within the sacred land.

No wonder, she realized, no one who entered ever left. Countless treasures and relics lay buried here, remnants of those who had ventured in and never returned. To prevent endless bloodshed, the ancient creatures had joined forces with Fairy Qing Luan long ago, sealing the land away from the outside world.

"Musical Fairy Qing Luan, you dare bring a human immortal here without our consent?" boomed a deep, resonant voice laced with displeasure.

The speaker was Qing Long, the Azure Dragon, a majestic serpentine figure draped in shimmering blue-green scales, his jade-like horns arching proudly, his ancient eyes gleaming with wisdom and authority.

"How dare you!" Zhu Que, the Vermilion Bird, snapped, her voice sharp with fury. Of the four, her temper burned the hottest. Yet despite her wrath, her form exuded elegance, a majestic crimson phoenix wreathed in eternal flames, her wings flowing like molten silk. Gold and scarlet feathers shimmered with every movement, and her eyes glowed like smoldering coals.

"What is your reason for this?" Bai Hu, the White Tiger, demanded, his steel-cold gaze locking onto Qing Luan. His massive form, a beast of snow-white fur streaked with silver, radiated both majesty and menace. Moonlight glinted off his fur, and his presence alone was enough to freeze the air with tension.

Shenlian Yingyue remained silent, weathering the crushing pressure of their auras. Though shock reverberated through her at the sight of these legendary beings, she forced herself to stay composed, drawing no attention and making no offense.

To them, she was nothing. An ant. A fleeting shadow. Humans, in their eyes, were greedy, deceitful creatures, unworthy of even a glance.

"Deities, please calm your anger," Qing Luan said, bowing deeply, her voice steady.

"You had better have a worthy explanation," Qing Long growled, his jade-like eyes glinting with lethal intent. "Or do not blame us for what comes next."

Dragons were prideful by nature, and disrespect was a sin they would never tolerate.

Only Xuan Wu, the Black Tortoise, remained silent, his ancient eyes, deep and gold like the earth itself, studying Qing Luan with quiet intensity. His colossal form, a fusion of tortoise and serpent, bore cryptic runes upon his obsidian shell, his very presence heavy with the weight of millennia.

"A thousand years ago," Qing Luan began, her voice measured, "the four of you suffered grave injuries. Your souls weakened, your cultivation plummeting to a mere fraction of your former might. To escape your pursuers, you sought refuge in this Sacred Land. But in your diminished state, you could not fully control it."

"A millennium passed, and your strength recovered, barely ten percent of what it once was. So we struck a bargain. Combining your power with mine, we claimed this realm as our own and sealed it away."

"Yet a century ago, I was betrayed. My enemies left me for dead, my soul clinging to existence by the thinnest thread. Even now, I burn the last of my life force just to remain."

"But today, fate has intervened. I have found one worthy to inherit my role. With her here, even after I fade, this land and all of you will remain protected. The seal weakens as my time runs short. Your strength has only recovered fifteen percent at most, far from enough to face those who hunt you."

"Once I am gone, it will not be long before they sense you. And when they do, this land’s riches will be plundered like scraps. I will not allow that to happen." Her voice hardened.

Qing Long, Bai Hu, Xuan Wu, and Zhu Que fell silent, their expressions darkening. Qing Luan’s words struck a chord. They had nearly forgotten. Two thousand years of seclusion had dulled their urgency, and yet, their strength remained a shadow of what it once was.

Their piercing gazes swept over Qing Luan, probing the flickering embers of her life force. She was not lying. Her time was almost up.

"In this life, my vengeance is beyond my reach," Qing Luan admitted, her voice steady.

"So I bequeath my treasures and legacy to her, in the hope that she will wield them well. If she grows stronger, she can safeguard what I hold dear. Better my hoard serve a worthy heir than feed the greed of those who betrayed me." She cast a firm, reassuring glance at Shenlian Yingyue, a silent promise. She would make a way for her.

Shenlian Yingyue remained still, her face unreadable, but her attention never wavered. The weight of their history settled on her shoulders like a burning brand. This was no blessing; it was a trial by fire.

"Her?" Bai Hu’s voice was a low rumble, skepticism etched into his steel-eyed glare.

"How strong is she, truly?" Zhu Que’s flames flickered hotter, her suspicion palpable.

But when their divine senses brushed over Shenlian Yingyue, their arrogance faltered.

A Heavenly Immortal.

Under thirty years old.

"Impossible," Zhu Que hissed, her wings flaring.

"This defies reason," Bai Hu muttered, his piercing gaze now alight with something akin to intrigue.

"Are you certain she’s human?" Qing Long’s voice was sharp, his jade-like eyes narrowing.

"No." Xuan Wu, who had been silent until now, materialized before Shenlian Yingyue in an instant. His massive form loomed, the serpent coiled around his shell hissing softly. "She is not."

"Speak. Who are you?" Xuan Wu’s golden eyes, deep as the earth itself, locked onto hers.

"She isn’t human?" Qing Luan stiffened. Even she hadn’t sensed it. How?

Shenlian Yingyue hesitated. Were these ancient deities allies, or enemies in disguise? Their past foes had brought them low once. Were they the same ones who had hunted her?

Her silence stoked their impatience.

"Girl," Zhu Que snapped, flames licking at her beak. "Answer."

They had tolerated her presence only for Qing Luan’s sake. Had she been anyone else, she would have been reduced to ashes the moment she set foot here.

"Does it matter who I am?" Shenlian Yingyue met Xuan Wu’s gaze, steady, unflinching.