Countless Withered Dao Intents spread and extend in the void, like slender vine branches.

The Dead Phoenix instinctively gathered the Great Dao Intent to defend—

This was exactly the scene Xie Xuanyi wanted to see. The "Swallowing Dao Scroll" was activated, and the swiftly retrieving crimson withered branches in the void stalled for a moment.

"Sizzle sizzle sizzle!"

At the same time, countless sword thoughts burst forth from Xie Xuanyi's brow.

This was an extremely risky offensive move.

If the Dead Phoenix hadn't used "Dao Intent" to counterattack, then "Swallowing Dao Scroll" would have missed entirely, and the Annihilating Sword Intent would have struggled to find such a close-range opportunity to erupt!

Rumble rumble rumble—

The magnificent sword thought stabbed toward the Dead Phoenix's brow.

"Ha!"

At this moment, this Demon Country woman Great Venerable suddenly let out a low shout, and her pupils exploded with a sharp light!

Unexpectedly, she advanced instead of retreating.

A crimson phoenix phantom about the size of a fist swiftly flew out from the Dead Phoenix's Heavenly Peak Divine Sea aperture, letting out a crisp and loud screech!

"Divine Sea Spiritual Treasure?"

Xie Xuanyi frowned.

Great Cultivators who have reached the Yang God realm often carry top-grade treasures besides their Lifebound Magical Treasures. The bodies of the Great Venerables of the Demon Country are incredibly formidable, making the Divine Sea a breakthrough point… so these Great Venerables often seek a suitable "Divine Sea Spiritual Treasure" to patch their last shortcoming.

Clearly, the Dead Phoenix was the same.

However, the "phoenix phantom" that appeared was not just a simple Divine Sea Treasure!

To ensure the success of this move.

Xie Xuanyi had activated the "Swallowing Yuan Scroll" in advance to suppress the artifact's activation, but at the moment the phoenix screeched, the Swallowing Yuan Scroll did not react—

Hundreds of crimson Divine Radiances burst out, colliding with the Annihilating Sword Intent!

The void shattered, and the Great Dao vanished!

Xie Xuanyi's carefully planned "kill trap" plan thus fell apart, but it wasn't over yet. The woman Great Venerable, whose eyes were blazing with light, stared intently at the Human Race Sword Cultivator who willingly delivered himself. Now the two were "entangled" together, less than three feet apart, with Xie Xuanyi's arms crossed, suppressing one of the Dead Phoenix's arms.

The woman Great Venerable sneered, extending a hand to press on Xie Xuanyi's hand!

The next moment—

She suddenly lowered her head, fiercely headbutting Xie Xuanyi's head!

"?!"

Even Xie Xuanyi hadn't expected the woman Great Venerable's method of attack to be so simple, so crude… so savage!

With a bang.

Xie Xuanyi's forehead shattered, blood scattering.

Although the Martial Arts Divine Embryo had reached Great Success… it hadn't "Condensed Dao", nor had it forged a Sacred Body.

Demon Country Great Venerables, even those Great Demons fully devoted to "Dao Intent", experience a drastic transformation of their flesh body after Condensing Dao; such a body isn't something the Martial Arts Divine Embryo can withstand.

The Dead Phoenix was a prime example.

She wasn't one of those Great Demons famed for her formidable flesh body.

If solely discussing Great Dao comprehension, excluding special existences like the Great Palace Master who achieved perfection in all aspects, the Dead Phoenix ranks firmly in the top three within the Heavenly Phoenix Palace!

Xie Xuanyi abandoned the sword for an attack.

Dead Phoenix abandoned Dao to counterattack.

In this give and take, Xie Xuanyi did not gain the upper hand, but rather suffered some loss.

This collision.

Xie Xuanyi was covered in blood, with the Divine Sea roaring.

On the other side, Dead Phoenix also had blood trickling down her forehead, but compared to Xie Xuanyi, her condition was evidently much better.

She smiled disdainfully: "I heard your 'Life Dao Realm' is very powerful… such injuries shouldn't be a big deal, right?"

"..."

Xie Xuanyi still frowned.

For some reason, his Heart Lake weighed heavily.

By logic, the scene he most enjoyed seeing was this kind of situation, exchanging injury for injury! Exchanging life for life!

His Dantian held a substantial amount of "Undying Spring," and as long as someone like Chong Kan, an Eighth Heaven Great True Master, couldn't kill him instantly, the "Undying Spring" could swiftly heal his injuries… Compared to that, the strike just now from Dead Phoenix was almost negligible.

Yet, contrary to his usual self, Xie Xuanyi hadn't activated the water vapor, nor had he activated the Life Dao Realm!

"Something's wrong."

"Very wrong."

He merely allowed the blood to flow from his head, rapidly reviewing the exchange between them in a flash.

From the beginning.

He felt that the "Dead Phoenix" was somewhat peculiar.

With the Path of Withering, she cut off his retreat… this setup was very clever.

Yet what followed seemed odd.

Considering the Demon Country Great Venerables' deep hatred for him, once the Dead Phoenix completed the Great Dao's cage, she should have done everything possible immediately to kill him on the spot!

Dead Phoenix observed him for some time.

This person seemed to know he had some incredible bottom card, deliberately wary.

Later, although Dead Phoenix entered the fray, the effects of "Swallowing Dao Scroll" and "Swallowing Yuan Scroll" weren't as successful as anticipated.

It can even be said to be quite a failure.

Last time on Jinli Mountain, Xie Xuanyi had used the Primordial Swallowing Divine Power to trade blows with Wu Jiu, but the exchange was too brief; it was impossible for the details of the Primordial Swallowing Divine Power to have been figured out just like that.

There must be a reason for everything.

Perhaps it's due to the Divine Travel.

Xie Xuanyi's first thought was of someone attempting to infiltrate and control the entire Demon Country.

"Paperman Sect…"

If Lu Yuzhen had indeed made contact with the Heavenly Phoenix Palace.

Then everything makes sense!

Paperman Sect leaked his information to the upper echelons of the Heavenly Phoenix Palace!

This was why the Dead Phoenix was so cautious… she already knew the special nature of the Primordial Swallowing Divine Power, so the phoenix divine form treasure that countered the Swallowing Yuan Scroll wasn't a coincidence either.

As soon as this thought emerged, a fine layer of cold sweat surfaced on Xie Xuanyi's back.

Following this line of thought.

Then Dead Phoenix's strategy of exchanging injury for injury seemed to have a clearer aim.

This was a probe into the limits of his Life Dao Realm.

Or perhaps…

To test his real bottom card.

Undying Spring!

This was why his Heart Lake unconsciously refrained from mobilizing the water vapor.

"Has Lu Yuzhen already collaborated with the Heavenly Phoenix Palace?"

"No…"

"Impossible."

As soon as this thought surfaced in his Heart Lake, Xie Xuanyi immediately denied it.

The Great Demons of the Heavenly Phoenix Palace are inherently suspicious, and Lu Yuzhen doesn't have Demon Blood in him. No matter how much sincerity he offers, he couldn't be genuinely accepted by the Heavenly Phoenix Palace. Even someone like Ci Jing, a pure-blood Vermilion Bird, was still used as a "pawn" by the Great Palace Master in the past, discarded at will.

Therefore.

Even if Lu Yuzhen presented true information, the Heavenly Phoenix Palace wouldn't easily trust it.

Perhaps…

This was the real reason why Dead Phoenix previously used the Withered Dao Domain to trap him, slowly observing!

Not to be fully trusted, nor completely doubted.

The Heavenly Phoenix Palace must have received a piece of intelligence from the Paperman Sect, but due to their suspicion of Lu Yuzhen, this intelligence still needs personal verification.

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