Phoenix Empress: Rise of the Fallen

Early the next morning, Ling Qianxue began preparing supplies for their outdoor training.

"Qianxue, are you really going to the Demon Beast Forest?" Ling Tianhua asked worriedly.

"Father, don't worry. We'll only stay in the outer areas," Ling Qianxue reassured him. "Besides, Hanye will be with me. Nothing will happen."

"But..." Ling Tianhua was still uneasy.

After losing his sister, he was even more afraid of losing his daughter.

"Father, I'm no longer the little girl who needed protection," Ling Qianxue said seriously. "I'm now an Awakening Stage three-star cultivator. I have the ability to protect myself."

Though only three-star, she had already proven she could fight above her level.

"Moreover, the instructors from Tiandu Academy are still secretly protecting Ling Manor," she continued. "Father will be very safe at home."

Ling Tianhua sighed. "Alright, but you must be careful."

"I know, Father."

The preparations were quickly completed. The storage ring was filled with various necessities: healing pills, antidote pills, dry rations, water, rope, fire starters, and more.

"Sister Qianxue, I'm ready!" Xiao Hanye came over carrying a large bundle.

Without storage equipment, he could only carry items the old-fashioned way.

"Carrying so many things will affect your movement," Ling Qianxue frowned.

"It's fine, I'm strong," Xiao Hanye patted his chest. "Besides, these are all necessities."

After thinking for a moment, Ling Qianxue took out a small cloth pouch from her storage ring. "This is a storage pouch. Though the space isn't large, it's enough for your things."

"This is too precious..." Xiao Hanye quickly declined.

Storage equipment wasn't cheap. Even the lowest-grade storage pouch cost over a hundred taels of silver.

"Take it," Ling Qianxue pressed the storage pouch into his hands. "We're partners. Of course our equipment should match."

Xiao Hanye accepted the storage pouch gratefully, carefully placing his belongings inside.

"Amazing!" Watching the large bundle become a small pouch, he exclaimed in wonder.

The two bid farewell to Ling Tianhua and headed out of the city.

On the way, they stopped at the Adventurer's Guild.

"Are you here to post a mission or accept one?" the receptionist asked politely.

"We'd like to learn about the Demon Beast Forest," Ling Qianxue said.

"Oh, new adventurers," the receptionist understood. "Please wait a moment."

She took out a map and began explaining in detail. "The Demon Beast Forest is divided into three areas: outer, middle, and core. The outer area mainly has low-level demon beasts like Swift Wind Rabbits, Iron Armor Boars, and Poison Fang Snakes, with strength equivalent to Awakening Stage one-star to five-star."

"The middle layer is much more dangerous, with intermediate demon beasts like Flame Wolves and Lightning Leopards, ranging from Awakening Stage six-star to Foundation Building Stage."

"As for the core area..." The receptionist's expression turned serious. "There are high-level demon beasts comparable to Core Formation Stage, and legends say there are even Beast Kings. You absolutely must not venture deep inside."

"Understood, thank you," Ling Qianxue nodded.

"By the way, here's a demon beast guide," the receptionist handed over a small booklet. "It records the characteristics and weaknesses of common demon beasts. Very helpful for newcomers."

"How much?"

"Not expensive, ten taels of silver."

Ling Qianxue paid and also bought some items specifically for dealing with demon beasts, like beast-repelling powder and beast-luring incense.

Leaving the Adventurer's Guild, they headed straight out of the city.

The Demon Beast Forest was located southeast of Tiandu City, about ten li from the city gates.

Along the way, they encountered many adventurers also heading out for training.

"Look, isn't that the Ling family's eldest daughter?"

"The one who awakened supreme fire-element talent?"

"She only brought one attendant? Too arrogant."

"She's Dean Mo's disciple, naturally she has confidence."

Discussions constantly reached their ears, but Ling Qianxue turned a deaf ear.

Xiao Hanye was somewhat annoyed. "These people are so annoying, gossiping behind our backs."

"You'll get used to it," Ling Qianxue said calmly. "We just need to do our own thing."

Soon, the massive forest appeared before them.

Ancient trees reached toward the sky, blocking out the sun. Beast roars occasionally echoed from within, filled with primal wildness.

"Such a huge forest!" Xiao Hanye exclaimed in awe.

"Be careful," Ling Qianxue reminded. "Even though it's the outer area, we can't be careless."

The two carefully entered the forest.

They hadn't gone far when a gray rabbit suddenly darted out from the bushes.

"It's a Swift Wind Rabbit!" Ling Qianxue immediately recognized it.

This type of demon beast was extremely fast. Though not strong in attack, it was very difficult to catch.

"I'll handle it!" Xiao Hanye eagerly volunteered.

He circulated the Indestructible Diamond Body, his entire aura instantly becoming sharp.

The Swift Wind Rabbit seemed to sense danger and turned to flee.

"Don't even think about running!"

Xiao Hanye pushed off with his feet, shooting forward like an arrow from a bow.

His speed was actually not much slower than the Swift Wind Rabbit!

"Bang!"

One punch struck, leaving the Swift Wind Rabbit dizzy and disoriented.

"Success!" Xiao Hanye shouted excitedly.

But just then, the surrounding bushes all began to shake.

One, two, three...

A full dozen or more Swift Wind Rabbits emerged from all directions.

"Oh no, it's a rabbit group!" Ling Qianxue's expression changed.

Though Swift Wind Rabbits were individually weak, group combat became very troublesome.

"Sister Qianxue, I'll hold them off!" Xiao Hanye assumed a fighting stance.

"No, we'll work together," Ling Qianxue conjured flames in her hands. "You handle close combat, I'll provide ranged support."

"Got it!"

Battle instantly erupted.

Xiao Hanye stood like an iron wall, repelling the charging Swift Wind Rabbits one by one. His fists were hard as iron, each strike temporarily incapacitating a Swift Wind Rabbit.

Ling Qianxue provided support from behind, her fireballs accurately striking the Swift Wind Rabbits attempting sneak attacks.

The two coordinated seamlessly, quickly dealing with most of the Swift Wind Rabbits.

The remaining few, seeing the situation was hopeless, fled in panic.

"Phew..." Xiao Hanye wiped his sweat. "These rabbits are really troublesome."

"You did very well," Ling Qianxue praised. "Your physical techniques have improved greatly."

Actually, with her current strength, she could eliminate all the Swift Wind Rabbits with a single fireball, but she had to hide her abilities and act like a normal Awakening Stage three-star cultivator.

"Hehe, Sister Qianxue's fireballs are more powerful," Xiao Hanye scratched his head.

Ling Qianxue took out a small knife and began processing the Swift Wind Rabbit corpses.

"The most valuable part of demon beasts is the demon core," she explained while dissecting. "Though Swift Wind Rabbit cores are only the lowest grade, they can still sell for a few taels of silver each."

"There's also the fur, which can be made into protective gear."

Under her guidance, Xiao Hanye also learned how to harvest materials.

After half an hour of work, they collected thirteen demon cores and a pile of fur.

"Such a rich harvest on our first attempt. Seems our luck is good," Ling Qianxue said with satisfaction.

"Sister Qianxue, there seems to be fighting sounds ahead," Xiao Hanye suddenly said.

Ling Qianxue listened carefully and indeed heard the clash of weapons and screams.

"Let's go take a look," she said cautiously. "But don't intervene rashly."

The two quietly approached the source of the sounds.

Through the bushes, they saw an intense battle scene.

Three adventurers were besieging a massive wild boar. The boar's body was covered in black scales, with tusks like knives - it was an Iron Armor Boar.

"Damn it, why is this Iron Armor Boar so strong!" One adventurer spat blood and fell.

"Third Brother!" The other two were shocked.

The Iron Armor Boar took advantage to launch a fierce attack, its huge body charging like a war chariot.

"Dodge!"

The two adventurers scrambled aside but were still sent tumbling.

"It's over, we're no match!"

"Run!"

But how could the Iron Armor Boar let them escape? It roared and charged again.

Just as the three were about to die under the boar's tusks, Ling Qianxue acted.

"Fire Lotus!"

A lotus made of flames bloomed in the air, accurately striking the Iron Armor Boar's eyes.

"Oww!"

The Iron Armor Boar cried out in pain, temporarily stopping its attack.

"Still not running!" Ling Qianxue shouted.

The three adventurers snapped out of their daze and quickly helped their injured companion flee.

The Iron Armor Boar angrily turned toward Ling Qianxue, its blood-red eyes filled with killing intent.

"Sister Qianxue, be careful!" Xiao Hanye immediately rushed forward, blocking in front of her.

"Attack together," Ling Qianxue said gravely. "This Iron Armor Boar has Awakening Stage six-star strength. It won't be easy to deal with."

The Iron Armor Boar charged, the ground trembling.

Xiao Hanye took a deep breath, fully circulating the Indestructible Diamond Body. His skin took on a faint metallic sheen, his entire being as solid as an iron tower.

"Come on!"

"Boom!"

Man and beast collided heavily.

Xiao Hanye was pushed back several steps but surprisingly wasn't injured!

"Such strong defense!" Ling Qianxue was amazed.

She didn't idle, taking advantage of the Iron Armor Boar being blocked to continuously cast Fireball Technique.

But the Iron Armor Boar's scales were too thick. Ordinary fireballs could only cause minor damage.

"Looks like I need to use that move."

Ling Qianxue took a deep breath, slightly circulating the Phoenix power within her body.

She didn't dare use Phoenix True Fire, fearing it would attract unwanted attention. But using a bit of Phoenix power to enhance her flames' might was acceptable.

"Flame Burst Technique!"

A fireball three times larger than normal whistled out, striking the Iron Armor Boar's flank.

"Boom!"

In the explosion, the Iron Armor Boar's scales cracked, blood spattering.

"Oww oww oww!"

The Iron Armor Boar went berserk, charging at Ling Qianxue regardless of everything.

"Don't even think about it!"

Xiao Hanye slid to the Iron Armor Boar's side, punching hard at its wound.

"Oww!"

The Iron Armor Boar cried in pain, its movements showing an opening.

"Now!"

Ling Qianxue seized the opportunity with another enhanced Flame Burst Technique.

This time it struck the Iron Armor Boar's head directly.

After the massive explosion, the Iron Armor Boar crashed to the ground, motionless.

"Huff... finally dealt with it," Xiao Hanye panted heavily.

Though the battle was brief, the consumption was significant.

"Are you alright?" Ling Qianxue asked with concern.

"I'm fine, just a bit tired," Xiao Hanye smiled. "But it was exhilarating!"

Ling Qianxue took out a Qi Recovery Pill for him. "Rest first, I'll harvest the materials."

The Iron Armor Boar's demon core was of good quality and could sell for quite a bit. Though some scales were damaged by the explosion, most remained intact and could be made into protective gear.

"Thank you both for saving our lives!"

The three adventurers who had fled earlier returned.

The lead man's gaze lingered on Ling Qianxue. After the battle, she had a light sheen of sweat on her forehead, with a few strands of hair sticking to her cheeks. Combined with her beautiful features, his heart raced.

"Young lady, what's your name?" he asked with a grin.

Ling Qianxue frowned slightly but didn't answer.

"Don't be so cold," another tall, thin man also approached. "We really want to thank you properly."

The third short, fat man even more brazenly appraised Ling Qianxue's figure. "So young yet so accomplished, and so beautiful too. Truly exceptional."

Xiao Hanye sensed something was wrong and immediately stepped in front of Ling Qianxue. "What do you want?"

"Kid, get lost if you know what's good for you," the lead man's expression darkened. "We want to have a private chat with this beauty."

"You're repaying kindness with enmity!" Xiao Hanye said angrily.

"Repaying kindness with enmity?" The thin man sneered. "Out here in the wilderness, who knows what happened? Maybe you ambushed us, and we're just defending ourselves."

The three slowly spread out in a surrounding formation.

"Beauty, come with us brothers," the fat man rubbed his hands. "We'll make sure you have a good time."

Ling Qianxue looked at them coldly. "I'll give you three breaths to get lost."

"Hahaha!" The three laughed. "The beauty has quite the temper!"

"One," Ling Qianxue began counting.

"Stop pretending!" The lead man said angrily. "It's your fortune that I fancy you! Brothers, deal with this kid first!"

The three attacked simultaneously, targeting Xiao Hanye.

Their plan was simple: knock out the nuisance first, then slowly enjoy the beauty.

"Two," Ling Qianxue's voice remained calm.

Xiao Hanye fully circulated the Indestructible Diamond Body, withstanding the three's attacks. Though his defense was amazing, facing three Awakening Stage four to five-star adventurers together was still somewhat strenuous.

"This kid's turtle shell is pretty hard!" The thin man took out a poison-coated dagger. "Let me handle this!"

Just then—

"Three."

Ling Qianxue moved.

Her figure vanished ghostlike from her original position.

"What?!"

Before the three could react, a blood line appeared on the lead man's neck.

"Uh..." He clutched his throat, falling in disbelief.

"Big Brother!" The other two looked at Ling Qianxue in terror.

She held a flaming short sword that had appeared from nowhere. That strike had been too fast for them to see clearly.

"Run!"

The two turned to flee.

But it was already too late.

Ling Qianxue's figure flashed, appearing behind the thin man. The fire sword pierced through his heart.

"Save..."

The fat man's legs went weak, collapsing to the ground.

"Spare me! Please spare me!" He knelt begging. "We were blind, please let me go!"

Ling Qianxue slowly walked up to him, looking down from above.

"Scum like you have harmed who knows how many innocent girls," her voice was cold as frost. "What use is keeping you alive?"

"No! I swear I'll never do it again! I..."

Before he could finish, the fire sword had already fallen.

The three corpses were quickly consumed by flames, turning to ash.

"Sister Qianxue..." Xiao Hanye watched this scene in shock.

He knew Ling Qianxue was strong, but hadn't expected her to kill so decisively.

"What, are you afraid?" Ling Qianxue put away the fire sword, returning to her usual demeanor.

"No," Xiao Hanye shook his head. "I just didn't expect Sister Qianxue to be so powerful."

"This kind of scum, killing them is ridding society of evil," Ling Qianxue said indifferently. "Come on, it's getting dark."

She had deliberately displayed some of her strength to shock Xiao Hanye, letting him know she could protect herself too. But she controlled it within reasonable limits to avoid being too shocking.

Xiao Hanye silently followed, feeling even more reverent toward Ling Qianxue.

He swore he must become stronger to truly protect her. Though it now seemed the one needing protection might be himself...

After collecting the spoils, the two continued deeper.

Over the next few hours, they encountered several more waves of demon beasts. Some were solitary Poison Fang Snakes, others were groups of Blood-Sucking Bats.

Through battle after battle, their coordination grew increasingly seamless.

Ling Qianxue discovered Xiao Hanye had extremely high combat talent. He could quickly assess situations and make the most appropriate responses. Moreover, his Indestructible Diamond Body was progressing rapidly, with defense growing ever stronger.

Xiao Hanye was also amazed at Ling Qianxue's growth. Her fire techniques were not only powerful but precisely controlled. Even more rare was her calmness and wisdom beyond her years.

Before they knew it, the sun was setting.

"We should head back," Ling Qianxue checked the sky.

"Mm," Xiao Hanye nodded. "We had quite a harvest today."

Indeed, their storage equipment was filled with demon cores and materials. A preliminary estimate put the value at least three hundred taels of silver.

Just as they were preparing to leave, a shrill bird cry came from overhead.

"Watch out!"

Ling Qianxue suddenly pushed Xiao Hanye aside.

The next moment, a black shadow descended from the sky, sharp talons striking where she had just stood.

"Boom!"

Deep grooves were carved into the ground.

"It's a Shadow Hawk!" Ling Qianxue's expression turned serious.

Shadow Hawks were flying demon beasts, extremely fast and skilled at ambush. Most troublesome was that they usually appeared in pairs.

Sure enough, another Shadow Hawk dove from a different direction.

"Split up and dodge!"

The two immediately rolled in different directions.

The Shadow Hawks missed, circling angrily in the air.

"Flying demon beasts are the most troublesome," Xiao Hanye smiled bitterly.

No matter how strong his physical techniques, he couldn't hit enemies in the sky.

"I'll attack, you cover," Ling Qianxue said.

She knew that against flying demon beasts, ranged attacks were key.

The Shadow Hawks dove again, this time both together.

"Fire Net!"

Ling Qianxue formed hand seals, and a large net made of flames spread in the air.

The Shadow Hawks hurriedly changed direction, but one still had its wings caught by the net.

"Screech!"

The injured Shadow Hawk fell.

"Good opportunity!"

Xiao Hanye rushed forward, punching it dead.

The remaining Shadow Hawk, seeing its companion killed, let out an angry cry. It circled high above, looking for an opening to attack.

"It's waiting for us to show a weakness," Ling Qianxue said.

"Then let's give it a 'weakness'," Xiao Hanye's eyes gleamed with an idea.

He deliberately turned his back to the Shadow Hawk, pretending to collect his companion's corpse.

Sure enough, the Shadow Hawk took the bait.

It silently dove down, talons aimed at Xiao Hanye's back.

At the critical moment, Xiao Hanye suddenly turned, a short blade appearing in his hand - the one Ling Susu had given him.

"Die!"

The blade flashed, cutting open the Shadow Hawk's belly.

At the same time, Ling Qianxue's Flame Burst Technique arrived.

"Boom!"

The Shadow Hawk's feathers flew everywhere as it crashed heavily to the ground.

Battle over.

"Beautiful coordination!" Ling Qianxue praised.

"Sister Qianxue's fire techniques are what's powerful," Xiao Hanye said modestly.

After collecting the spoils, the two quickly left.

The Shadow Hawks' bloody scent would attract other demon beasts, so they shouldn't linger.

The journey back to the city was peaceful, with only occasional encounters with other adventurers returning from training.

Xiao Hanye was somewhat quiet along the way, clearly still processing earlier events.

"What are you thinking about?" Ling Qianxue asked.

"Sister Qianxue, those three people... did they really deserve to die?" Xiao Hanye asked hesitantly.

"What do you think?" Ling Qianxue asked in return.

Xiao Hanye thought seriously for a moment. "If they had succeeded, the consequences would be unthinkable. And judging by their practiced manner, it probably wasn't their first time doing such things."

"Exactly," Ling Qianxue nodded. "This world is like this - despicability is the pass for despicable people, kindness is the epitaph for kind people."

"I understand," Xiao Hanye clenched his fists. "I'll become stronger, strong enough that no one dares bully us."