Return of the Immortal Emperor Daddy

"What kind of fire is this?" someone asked, puzzled, looking around for answers.

"Don’t you know the Divine Beast that commands the South Ming Li Fire?" another retorted, looking at the ignorant man as if he were a fool. There has only ever been one Divine Bird that commands the South Ming Li Fire.

"This is the South Ming Li Fire. And this bird is none other than the Vermilion Bird of the South," Bo Gu announced, watching the bird exhale plumes of blue South Ming Li Fire. He could no longer contain his excitement and burst into gratified laughter.

His words were like a thunderclap that exploded in the hearts of the crowd, leaving their ears ringing. In the blink of an eye, their doubtful expressions turned ashen. Staring at the Vermilion Bird, some felt their legs go weak and collapsed to the ground.

Divine Beasts had all but vanished after the departure of the Creation Martial Emperor. The ones that remained were mostly hybrids—similar in appearance, but not the genuine article. But now, the true Vermilion Bird had appeared.

What did this mean? It meant that Wu Tian’s Art of Blood Refinement had succeeded. For thousands of years, Blood Refiners had pursued this ideal, one generation after the next. Now, it had been realized by a young man. This was a miracle! A miracle created by a youth not yet twenty years old!

"He... he really did it..." Meng Xue whispered, her slender hand covering her mouth, unable to hide her astonishment. Although she wasn’t a Blood Refiner herself, she had witnessed her father and many others struggle painfully with the art. She knew how incredibly difficult it was to create the Art of Blood Refinement, yet Wu Tian had succeeded. Her curiosity about him was growing. How could someone so young be so formidable? She wanted to understand him, completely forgetting his warning to never fall for him.

"Why... Why did *he* have to be the one to succeed?" Mr. Ke was delighted by the success of the Path of Blood Refinement, but he was also deeply conflicted. His mouth twitched, and his eyes burned with an unmistakable jealousy. Why wasn’t I the one to develop the Art of Blood Refinement? How wonderful would that have been? I would be the Ancestor of Blood Refinement! The birth of this art would undoubtedly elevate the status of Blood Refiners above that of Array Masters and Alchemists. By refining the bloodline, one could achieve Reversion, allowing even an ordinary person’s lineage to awaken and grant them the aptitude of a genius. Countless people would flock to it! If I were the Ancestor of Blood Refinement, revered by the entire world, even an Immortal Emperor would desire me as a retainer, regardless of my own martial might. What an extraordinary honor!

All he could resent now was a single thought: Why wasn’t it me?

Wu Tian smiled and reached out a hand to playfully tease the Vermilion Bird. The fledgling felt a natural closeness to him, affectionately nuzzling its small head against his fingers.

"You’re still young. Just stay by my side for now," Wu Tian said with a gentle smile.

The Vermilion Bird nodded. Wu Tian’s smile lingered.

The Vermilion Bird! It’s one of the Five Celestial Beasts, alongside the Azure Dragon, the White Tiger, the Xuanwu, and the Yellow Dragon. Legend tells that the Phoenix has five forms, known as the ’Five Phoenixes.’ The Vermilion Bird is one of them—the crimson one. The others are the cyan Qingluan, the yellow Yuan Chu, the white Honghu, and the purple Yingzhao. The little Vermilion Bird, though a variant of the Phoenix, is not a Phoenix itself. Within my Nine Dragon Ring, the little Kunpeng, little Phoenix, and Little Kirin are already playing. There’s certainly room to add the little Vermilion Bird.

These supreme creatures did not need to cultivate. By merely practicing their innate Divine Skills and maturing over time, they would naturally come to possess the power of a Quasi-Immortal Emperor. This was precisely why the Human Clan had been enslaved by the Beast Clan and other races in ancient times. If the Creation Martial Emperor had not created the Martial Path, who knows how long it would have taken for humanity to rise up and escape its servitude.

Bo Gu and Meng Tian exchanged a look, so overjoyed they were at a loss for words. That group of Blood Refiners had called them fools, idiots, and simpletons for believing in a young man. Both of them had been bottling up a fire of frustration, and now, it was finally released.

Do you see that? Do you see it now? The person we had faith in created the Art of Blood Refinement! Do you have anything to say now? Don’t you feel like you’ve been slapped in the face? Does your cheek sting right now?

The triumphant look in Bo Gu’s and Meng Tian’s eyes made Mr. Ke and the other dissenters grind their teeth in fury. Most of the Blood Refiners, realizing their mistake, hung their heads in shame. A few, however, like Mr. Ke, scoffed contemptuously and muttered, "The petty man gets his lucky day."

Then, another thought occurred to Mr. Ke, and a bitter smile touched his lips. This young man created the Art of Blood Refinement... so he has to teach it to us now, right? To carry the art forward.

With this in mind, Mr. Ke immediately stepped forward and said, "Congratulations, young man, on creating the Art of Blood Refinement."

Wu Tian nodded at him, then turned to Bo Gu and Meng Tian. "Let’s go. It’s too stuffy down here; I’m going for a walk."

Bo Gu and Meng Tian nodded, preparing to lead the way personally.

"Wait a moment!" Seeing Wu Tian about to leave, Mr. Ke couldn’t stop himself from shouting.

Wu Tian paused, his brow furrowing slightly. He glanced at Mr. Ke and asked in a cold voice, "Do you need something?"

"You have created the Art of Blood Refinement, so shouldn’t you share it for the good of all? We’re all here," Mr. Ke declared, pointing first to himself and then to the Blood Refiners behind him. "Everyone is present, young man, so what are you waiting for? Time is of the essence! Teach us the Art of Blood Refinement quickly, so we can all help it flourish!"

"I’m tired. I’m going for a walk," Wu Tian said dismissively.

How could he let Wu Tian just leave? Mr. Ke was desperate to learn the Art of Blood Refinement, his mind racing with possibilities. First, very few people know this young man is the creator. If I learn it, I can claim I created it myself. As a senior Blood Refiner, most people would believe me over some kid. Second, I could sincerely help Wu Tian establish the world’s first Blood Refiners Guild. As vice president, I could still profit handsomely. My reputation wouldn’t be as great as his, but it would still be significant.

He was conflicted, unsure which path to take. But regardless of the path he chose, Mr. Ke knew the most urgent priority was to learn the Art of Blood Refinement first. He could figure out the rest later.

"Young man, you can’t leave. The Art of Blood Refinement you possess is a monumental treasure for all Blood Refiners! You must teach us before you go anywhere. Otherwise, what if something happens to you out there? If the art is lost again, it would be the greatest tragedy in the history of our craft! For the sake of security, I think you should teach us right now!" Mr. Ke declared with an air of righteous indignation.

Hearing this, the other Blood Refiners realized the same terrifying possibility. If something happened to Wu Tian, they would have to start from scratch, with no idea how many more years it would take to succeed. One by one, they voiced their agreement with Mr. Ke, urging Wu Tian to teach them immediately.