บท 1: The Golden Roc Flame

The Three Known Realms of the Celestial Immortals are divided into the lower mortal worlds, the Celestial Realm and the Nine Heavens immortal Realm.

In the beginning, the Celestial Immortals are split into the Pangu and the Desolate Immortals; these two sides have since been engaged in numerous immortal wars.

The last immortal war between them happened not too long ago in the Nine Heavens Immortal Realm. The Pangu Immortals were led by the Great God Pangu and the Desolate Immortals were led by the Great Lord Xuan Yuan and the World Ruler Fu Xi.

The Pangu Immortals eventually won and the Great Lord Xuan Yuan was killed, along with numerous Desolate Immortals and this forced the remnants of the Desolate Immortals to flee to the Celestial Realm where they could take refuge below the desolate mists of the endless mountains of the Celestial Realm until the day they could plot their return against the Pangu Immortals!

Lu Qingyun was a young celestial cultivator with a low cultivation base.

In fact, he was only a middle tier practitioner, a tier better than the initial tier which was the lower tier.

Now there were seven celestial levels; Practitioner, Master Practitioner, Enlighten Celestial, Immortal Celestial, Golden Celestial, Supremacy and Sacred Saint. Each celestial level was further divided into three smaller tiers; initial, middle and upper.

He was an autonomous celestial cultivator from the Heavenly Fragrance Holy Land, one of the seven cultivation holy lands of the Nine Celestial Fraternity and he was on his way to the New Empyrean City to join a reputable sect.

New Empyrean City was also part of the Heavenly Fragrance Holy Land.

For most of his young life, he had practiced herbalism with his old master in the mountains until he had passed away. The final wish of his old master was that he would go to the New Empyrean City and join a reputable sect so that his 'talents' would not go to waste.

However Lu Qingyun thought that his talents were not that great in the first place but as this was his old master last wish, he had to obligate.

He was actually thinking, "Alas! With my puny talents, it is really hard to join a first rate celestial clan. I will be lucky if I were to find any celestial sect that can readily accept me."

He actually did not have much hope of being accepted as a direct disciple of any of the clan. He considered himself lucky if he were to become an ordinary protégé.

In the Nine Celestial Fraternity, protégés of a celestial clan were typically divided into two main groups, the core protégés and the ordinary protégés. The core protégés were those had familial ties with the clan itself or those that had shown exceptional talent to join as a core protégé.

He was actually neither.

His old master did not even leave behind a letter of recommendation.

At the same time, he was more scholarly than a fighter. He had heard stories that the celestial clans were typically rivals of each other and fights between the various celestial clans were a common occurrence.

It was likely that he would lose his life in the first year of joining any sect.

Just as he was lamenting his future fate, the mountains were suddenly shaking and he was startled to see two brilliant lights had suddenly crashed in front of him.

A gigantic golden roc that was enveloped in golden flames was battling a veiled maiden in white and their battle was intense. This gigantic golden roc appeared to be a ninth rank desolate beast, the highest desolate ranking of the desolate beasts and it could easily slaughter even a 7th realm great saint.

Naturally Lu Qingyun was terrified and knew that today was going to be his unlucky day…

As for the veiled maiden, she was graceful and had a white flute in her hands. Her eyes were golden, marking her instantly as a high level celestial that was at least that of the golden celestial level. When a celestial practitioner attained the golden celestial level, their eyes would turn golden, marking them as a golden celestial.

And golden celestials had considerable status in the Nine Celestial Fraternity as well.

Just as he was smiling bitterly, the golden aura of the veiled maiden had burst forth into a golden lotus as the two golden auras between the two battling entities intertwined with an astonishing speed around each other as the mountains shook.

Lu Qingyun was smiling bitterly as he thought, "This poor maiden won't be able to stand a chance against the claws of this golden roc…"

The veiled maiden in white was moving with astonishing speed and was graceful but Lu Qingyun knew that she would not be able to keep up with the stamina of the golden roc. There were very few celestial cultivators in the Nine Celestial Fraternity that could contest an eighth rank desolate beast. Moreover this was a ninth rank golden roc.

The battle prowess of a golden roc was legendary and its claws could even tear apart any seventh rank desolate beast with ease. With just a single hit, this veiled maiden would be a goner.

Lu Qingyun was not a fighter and although he had a sword with him, it was more of a decoration than a useful weapon. He knew that he was helpless against this monster and his first thought was to get out of here.

But when he saw this veiled maiden was faltering, he heaved a soft sigh and picked a rock. He uncorked his wine gourd as he threw a fiery pill into it before he shook it hard to dissolve it. Then he began to pour the wine over the rock.

Inhaling deeply, he aimed the rock at the gigantic golden roc and it flew straight for its eyes.

The golden flames of the golden roc would actually dissolve such a puny attack but weirdly enough, the rock began to disintegrate and exploded furiously in mid-air. Although the minute explosion was impressive but the protective aura of the golden roc was too formidable. It was actually only a minute distraction.

However this minute distraction was enough to buy the veiled maiden a much precious time to steady her footings as she thrust her white flute like a piercing light through the forehead of the golden roc.

Lu Qingyun was stunned by the ferocity of the counter-attack as the golden light of the white flute pierced through the golden roc and killing it instantly.

The veiled maiden then began to lean her back on the cliff as she took a curious look at him, "Thank you. This is much needed…"

Lu Qingyun was dumbfounded as he looked at the corpse of the golden roc: What kind of a weapon is this white flute?

He did not know that the inconspicuous white flute that was in her hands was actually a powerful saint-step divine weapon.

But to her, this divine weapon was powerful enough and for her to possess such a powerful divine weapon, her background must truly be extraordinary. It was likely that she was from a powerful influence.

The veiled maiden was still looking at him and her alluring eyes were looking intensely at him, "You are…"

Lu Qingyun quickly bowed with his hands as he said politely, "Your celestial, my name is Lu Qingyun. There is actually no need to thank me. I did what I can do. Actually I think that even without my help, it is only a matter of time before the golden roc can be vanquished by your celestial. May I know how do I address your celestial?"

The veiled maiden seemed to be smiling behind her veil as she continued to look at him curiously. She was thinking, "Weird, why is that I've seen him before?"

Actually even without his help, she would be able to defeat the golden roc in no time. But she was grateful that he did not ask for any reward and was humble. So she said with some hesitation, "Celestial Meixue."

Lu Qingyun nodded and greeted, "Celestial Meixue. I shall humbly take my leave first."

Celestial practitioners had titles according to their cultivation level. Those who had attained the Golden Celestial Level would be known as Celestial while those who had attained the Supremacy Level would be known as Supremacy. As for those that had reached the Sacred Saint Level, they would be known as Saint.

Therefore he knew that she was at the Golden Celestial Level by her title.

"You are leaving so quickly?" She asked curiously.

Lu Qingyun paused in his tracks, not understanding. Surely she was not thinking of silencing him? Suddenly he had a great fear in his heart. For these prideful sons and daughters of the heavens, they treasured their pride highly. Now that he had helped her, she would be afraid that this matter would be leaked out that a lowly cultivator had helped her and this would cause her prestige to suffer. Therefore she may be thinking of silencing him…

The veiled maiden said mesmerizingly as she flickered her fingers and a golden flame emerged from the corpse of the golden roc, "Since you have aided me, I should at least present to you the spiritual golden flame of this golden roc."

Lu Qingyun was stunned as he stammered with shock, "This won't do. It is too precious…"

The spiritual golden flame of the golden roc was too precious and there were too many celestials that sought to have it. Lu Qingyun dare not even dream of it and yet this veil maiden was giving it to him in such a casual manner?

Naturally he had to reject it because he really valued his own life. What if she was only testing him? Before he could even take the golden flame, this veil maiden may well incinerate him with the golden flame…

So he quickly said with a bitter smile, "I really do not need anything at all." Then he turned around to leave.

All of a sudden he could feel a stab with her fingers on his back that immobilized him as she said coolly, "I guess that I will have to force you to accept it then…"

In the next instant, he could feel that his entire body was now burning in unbearable pain…

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Author Note:

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