Lin Feng walked through the cobblestone path as he thought of the rod he just obtained, though, from his experience with crafting, he could tell it wasn't that special, but what intrigued him to the point of spending spirit stones was the probable fact of it being related to dragons.

Where should I start looking?

Lin Feng was puzzled. The path he wanted to tread was difficult. After all, what he wanted to search for was the beasts of legend. He couldn't ask any random person if everyone knew about them. They wouldn't be so legendary.

I should be heading back.

Lin Feng thought to himself as his gaze peered the white clouds, staring directly at the burning midday sun. His little trip wasn't entirely useless as he had discovered yet another activity to indulge in.

He put the matter regarding hunting legendary beasts in the back of his mind, at least until he figured out where to start. Perhaps he could ask Jin Yuanjin. As for fishing, the separate world behind the black door would have to do.

I wonder how those guys are fairing.

Lin Feng suddenly thought of his animals and plants back home. Though he knew they could perfectly self-sustain themselves in his absence, he still missed the tranquillity he felt being around them. After all, he witnessed as they grew from stupid beasts to sapient forms.

"They should be all right," Lin Feng's sudden words confused the black dog that couldn't help but stare at him with a cocked head. Though the dog was slightly confused, it didn't ponder the subject for long as dark fog engulfed them, and they disappeared.

"What the hell was that?" Just as Lin Feng and his dog disappeared, nearby onlookers that were graced by mother fate to be able to witness such a bizarre event were shocked. Though cultivators never failed to amaze each other with different techniques, that didn't mean they wouldn't be surprised should they see a new one. But alas, they were doomed never to understand what exactly it is they saw as they started to forget who was responsible.

*******

In the first universe, a meeting was currently ongoing at a certain small mountain surrounded by thousands of li of unexplored land. The meeting was strange as if one appeared, all they would see, or more specific, hear. Was a bunch of voices speaking in turns. It was safe to say it was a meeting of voices. But the truth was anything but that, for the more knowledgeable and profound, a glance would be enough to spot where the voices came from.

On the pink-firm and unmoving cherry tree, six little red birds perched on it. A closer look and one would be able to determine the clear intelligence on the birds' faces.

"When will the master come back? It has already been a month," one bird voiced, the voice was reinforced by divine consciousness; hence it was hard to determine where the voice was actually from.

"As a divine beast that has transcended time, you're surely impatient," an ancient voice sounded from the pond with crystal clear water, though if one got closer to the pond, they would be unable to spy what exactly was deep inside.

The wind breezed, and with it, the leaves of the mighty cherry tree swayed, and a pleasant voice resounded, "Little red, there is a difference between spending an eternity with master and spending an eternity without him."

"Just as Sheng Ming has said, there is a difference," the birds on the tree jumped around joyously, " those stupid lizards are pretending not to miss the master, but in fact they are the ones that miss him the most."

The water in the pool bubbled, but eventually, everything calmed down. The dragons inside were offended, after all. How were they related to lizards? They were carps that jumped the dragon gate and transformed into heaven-defying-earth-shattering divine beasts. So when did they become lowly lizards?

The dragons were offended, but they couldn't act on their anger as the elder dragon warned them about creating a ruckus. And the current mood was about their master, to rampage while his name was mentioned was sullying it. Also, it was true they missed the aura that was ever-present with the master around.

That plus the delicious food and relaxing music he played, all the present beasts would have no problem slumbering for eons, but that was only if their master was present.

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Suddenly, as every creature present remembered their experiences with their master, something caught their attention. Somebody was trying to break inside the barrier.

The first to react were the fiery red birds perched on the cherry tree, they flew off the tree, and red strings of wispy energy connected them. A fantastical creature appeared as the birds merged into one.

Burning-hot-fiery-red eyes perfectly lodged inside the creature's eye sockets, a sharp, fiery beak that threatened to slash the sky should the need arise. It was a giant bird with flames for wings.

"Who dares?" The bird shouted.

A strong divine sense erupted from the noble bird and immediately it detected the disturbance's source.

****

Outside the forbidden land, two men stood. One was fiery, showing his high affinity with fire, while the other was shabby, profound and dangerous, showing his attainments in the very sword laying dormant on his waist.

The two men hovered close to the ground with hands behind their backs.

"Is this it?" The shabbily dressed man with a sword spoke up.

"What were you expecting?" The other man didn't bother to spare his partner a glance as he answered. All his efforts were concentrated on trying to unveil the secrets of the forbidden land.

"Maybe something grander." The sword-wielding man answered.

The place they currently stood was as ordinary as the mortal realm. The plantation was nothing to waste time on, while the barrier prevented them from checking what was inside.

"Emperor Huo, I don't think there is anything for us here," the shabby man said after failing to spot anything of interest.

"Sword cultivators are praised for their patient temperament, yet look at you. A waste with the composure of a rogue, the name sword great emperor is wasted on you," Emperor Huo said with a regretful tone, though the disdain couldn't be hidden.

The sword immortal was about to defend his honour, but he couldn't. Should he fight, he would end up proving his point. And he didn't have any words to mock Emperor Huo.

Seeing his opponent wasn't responding, he continued, " no wonder you'll never be able to captivate the empress. And what type of sword cultivator pursuers mortal pleasures? It should be the other way around, the empress pursuing your love while you give her the cold shoulder."

"I gave you an inch. Now you want to take the whole yard? Don't overstep your bounds with your little flame lest I.."

"Enough of that. Let us focus on what brought us here," Emperor Huo rudely cut off the sword immortal mid sentence.

"You...," the sword immortal was angry, but he could do nothing.

"Let us try striking at the same time," Emperor Huo said.

The sword immortal didn't linger on the lack of face he was given. He remembered the possibility of breaking the forbidden land and discovering treasures untold.

They gathered their qi as they prepared their strongest attacks. The sword immortal unsheathed his sword in one fluid motion, his demeanour changed, and his aura became rampant and sharp.

Emperor Huo wasn't to be underestimated either. His eyes flickered with a red light as a fiery aura enveloped him.

"Now!" Emperor Huo shouted.

The sword immortal stepped forward and bent slightly before unleashing a crescent sword light.

Emperor Huo's aura congealed and formed the shape of a red phoenix. With a loud cry, the bird charged just behind the sword light and blasted on. They both blasted on the invisible barrier resulting in a vast... nothing.

".."

".."

The two immortal venerables were astounded. Their strongest attacks resulted in nothing? Not even a scratch? Then how did Bing Great Emperor break into the forbidden southern land?

"I don't believe that old man is more powerful than the two of us combined, again!"

The two immortal venerables tried again and again, but the result was fruitless.

***

"It's just three little fledglings," inside the forbidden land, the transformed fiery bird concluded after observing the two invaders.

"Settle down, noble phoenix, no matter how much they try, they can't scratch the barrier," the cherry tree voiced with swaying branches.

"It is as you say. Their actions are beneath us," finally, the phoenix settled down on the cherry tree with a sigh.

Though things seemed calm, a particular dragon wasn't calm.

*Roaaaaaarrrrrrr*

Emerging from the mysterious pond was the creature whose very presence radiated nobility and pride. The beast dramatically shook its long mane splattering its scaly azure body with crystal clear water.

Once the attention was on it, the beast said with a deep prideful voice, " you stupid bird, have you forgotten what task the master gave you?" The dragon got its long curly body out of the water and continued. " Protect this place," the dragon flew next to the phoenix and purposely flew higher than the phoenix's position so that he could overlook it like an overlord. "Anyone trying to break in should be killed on the spot."

"But what can they do?" The phoenix disregarded the dragon's blatant provocations, "but I agree with your point. Anyone breaking in should die."

"Then I shall do it for you," the dragon said while it turned to head in the direction of the evildoers.

"Little lizard, hold your steps," Just as the dragon was about to deliver heaven retribution, a tiny yet audible voice stopped it in its tracks

"General ant?" The dragon was confused.