Chapter 562: 40. The Awakening of the Ice Phoenix
The distant northern region is constantly shrouded in frost and snow that has persisted for countless years. Since the birth of life here, since life began to observe the world, since life began to record history, the sky here has always been snowing, occasionally pausing for a moment, and then continuing again.
Is there a source for frost and snow?
If you want to pursue the answer to this question, you must travel north from the southern shore of the northern region, crossing many kingdoms that worship the Frost Phoenix, until you reach the deep expanses of the snowfields, arriving at the foot of the Sema Snow Mountain. This enormous mountain range, which seems to separate heaven and earth, is said to be the source of frost and snow.
For those who are even braver, they must continue to climb upwards, traversing the desolate mountain slopes until they reach the peak, which is sealed off by chaotic spatial currents.
At this moment, deep within the Sema Snow Mountain, amongst the layers and layers of inverted peaks formed by chaotic spatial currents, an extraordinary scene unfolds.
A number of large and robust women are surrounding a group of individuals, slowly making their way along the mountain paths wrapped in these spatial currents.
“Be careful, if you fall into the spatial currents, even the arrival of the phoenix won’t save you.”
The leading female troll warns the group of humans, who are wrapped up by her small troll squad, as she supports herself with a long spear acting as a cane—even though this small troll squad consists of only a little over ten people, compared to the more than thirty individuals they encircle, the sheer size difference makes it appear as though the humans combined are less than half of their number.
At this moment, surrounded by these trolls is a group of slightly disheveled individuals, mostly women, and prominently, robust Sardinians.
Among them is a big, sturdy old man clad in a tattered winter cloak, holding a small girl who is shivering and curling up, her round mouse ears standing out, and beside him, a seemingly plump yet strong old woman is also holding two young mouse girls.
If Fisher were here, he would surely recognize that this is none other than his old classmate Old Jack, the first mate Paz of the Iceberg Queen, along with her three mouse kin granddaughters.
In front of this group of Sardinians stands a young woman with short golden hair who appears quite strong. She has an extremely noble appearance, characteristic of the Nali bloodline, with golden hair and golden eyes. However, due to prolonged exposure to the wind and rough living, she has lost much of that noble and delicate look, resembling more of a young lioness now.
This is Elizabeth Godlin’s younger sister, Isabel Godlin.
At this moment, she is supporting a tall, lackluster, and seemingly frail Sardinian woman.
This woman has long white hair that hangs limply behind her; her usually graceful and serious face is now slightly lowered, and among her scattered white hair, her extremely pale complexion can sometimes be seen.
She gently covers her small abdomen, her body wrapped in an extremely rudimentary cloak, leaning weakly against Paz next to her. Dark smoke is continuously rising from her abdomen, as if something deeply embedded there is drawing everything from her.
“Ahem.”
In the biting cold and due to her physical condition, this Sardinian woman cannot help but cough lightly.
Isabel, biting her teeth, glances at the female troll leading the way and cannot help but speak in the Northern language, “How much longer until we arrive? We’ve been walking for almost half an hour!”
The troll in front continues walking, scratching her head, and in a dazed manner replies, “We should be close… I don’t really know; we usually just walk and see it.”
Isabel grits her teeth in frustration but feels helpless.
She has heard that there are many subhumans on the snow mountain now, and the legendary Snow Mountain Six Races’ remaining bloodlines have returned to the snow mountain, with one of them reportedly being a species called Slime that can teleport.
But now, their ship sank while fleeing, and even Captain Alagina was severely injured due to the Black Chieftain’s relic. They are in desperate need of a place to take refuge and rest, thinking returning to the northern region would be somewhat safer, only to realize the Turan Family, Nali, and the Black Chieftain are in cahoots here.
In these past years, Isabel has truly come to understand the sorrow of “the vast world, yet nowhere to find a place to settle.”
Her sister is simply too powerful; her influence and puppets are everywhere, making Isabel feel somewhat breathless.
“It’s okay, Isabel, I can still hold on.”
Just then, Alagina beside her suddenly speaks in a hoarse voice, bringing Isabel back to her senses with worry.
Looking at Alagina’s pale face, she feels a pang of guilt and quietly says, “I’m sorry, Captain Alagina, it’s my fault that everyone is in this situation. I should have gone back to Nali at that time, then everyone wouldn’t…”
Alagina’s long white eyelashes collect some frost and snow of the same color. Upon hearing this, she shakes her head and says, “Even if it weren’t because of you, someday in the future, because of Fisher, Elizabeth wouldn’t let us go either; it’s just a matter of sooner or later. Since that’s the case, might as well arrive earlier. Moreover, the phoenix hasn’t completely extinguished all our hopes, has it?”
“Phoenix.”
Isabel’s expression wavers slightly; she doesn’t know whether to believe in such a nebulous legend.
But the entire northern region is currently murmuring that within Sema Snow Mountain, the legendary Frost Phoenix has reincarnated to reclaim the northern region, placing it under the shadow of her wings. But can such a judgment be made solely based on the migration of those subhumans, or the existence of trolls at the snow mountain’s peak?
Isabel doesn’t know, and she remains silent, merely helping Alagina, bringing all the remaining crew of the Iceberg Queen closer ahead.
Although these female trolls seem dull-witted, they are surprisingly honest and straightforward, for not long after, another scene truly unfolds before them.
“Here, we’ve arrived.”
Upon hearing the troll’s deep voice remind them, Isabel instinctively raises her head to look ahead. To her surprise, they have crossed through the previous spatial currents without knowing, and with the shift in space, the scenery ahead has undergone a dramatic change.
At the far end of the gradually flattening snowfield stands a gigantic, towering tower, shining with a dazzling luster rarely seen in the world; it is indeed the legendary Pure Ice.
The extraordinary light of the Pure Ice descends upside down from the sky, spreading sunlight across the entire snowfield they stand upon, and it is only now that Isabel realizes that the ground beneath them is composed of Pure Ice as well.
“Is that the Frost Parasol Tree?”
As if the towering giant, growing from the heavens to the earth, in front of it, countless figures—some already vanished, some still existing—kneel on the ground, their faces devoutly etched, recording the glory that once was here.
But what concerns Isabel more is that the door of the Frost Parasol Tree is wide open, revealing many trolls and snow foxes within.
“Squawk!”
Just then, from the sky above, a shadow dressed in the same simple robe rushes towards them, accompanied by a colorful parrot whose feathers have significantly thinned.
“Sister Aoxi!”
It is a Cangniao who, upon seeing the crowd below, immediately lands in front of them, shaking her still unfurled wings to shake off the snow and wind clinging to her.
Behind her, the once plump first mate Paz, appearing thinner than before, hurriedly steps forward to ask Aoxi, “How is it? What do those slimes say?”
Aoxi looks at Paz, hesitating for a moment before saying, “They say… they’re still considering.”
“What?! Still considering? What if they disagree? We’ve struggled hard to climb here while listening to them; what should we do if they refuse, return the way we came?!”
Aoxi is annoyed by Paz’s loud voice, covering her ears with her feathered wings, then explains, “It’s not that they aren’t considering us, but they have… more important matters to attend to.”
“Busy! Busy!”
The parrot beside her, looking a bit banged up but still undeterred, nods fervently, repeating.
Paz glances behind her, noticing the trolls who escorted them have all left, not sure where they went to rest, and no one is there to greet them, as if leaving them to fend for themselves.
Thinking of this, Paz is filled with anger, crossing her arms and looking at the magnificent Frost Parasol Tree behind Aoxi, she spits onto the side of the snow, cursing,
“Damn it, those odious slime bastards. They’re so arrogant and greedy; they won’t teleport us up unless we pay them full price for everyone, making us run all the way here! Alagina is injured! If I hadn’t let you come up to see the situation halfway, would we still be stuck waiting here for days to learn the outcome? Damn it, what are those hidden Snow Mountain Six Races so busy with every day? Are they going to fight Nali too?”
Isabel helplessly reaches out to stop Paz from cursing in front of the entrance of the troll’s home, after all, they came here seeking help. However, she realizes she can’t get a word in, so she looks back towards Old Jack, who is snuggling the three mouse daughters for warmth, only to find he shakes his head, indicating he can’t help either.
“Paz.”
It is still the unwell Alagina who speaks softly to stop her first mate’s disrespectful words.
Paz quiets down, but her expression remains displeased, angrily staring at the female troll nearby, who is sprawled out in the icy wilderness, seemingly unaffected as she sleeps.
Aoxi sighs as well; she looks back at the Frost Parasol Tree and explains, “I couldn’t help it. They said the phoenix is about to awaken, so everyone is quite nervous.”
Paz, who had been angry, suddenly looks startled by Aoxi’s words, along with all the others behind her, especially the Sardinians who look at Aoxi in disbelief.
“What? Did you say the phoenix? Is there really a phoenix here? Have you seen one?”
“No, but it’s very likely true. I went inside and saw that the decorations really belong to the phoenixes’ former residence. This is indeed the Frost Parasol Tree.”
Paz opens her mouth wide. No matter how angry she is, as a Sardinian, she can no longer vent her frustrations.
After all, being disrespectful to the phoenix in the northern region is akin to being disrespectful to the Mother Goddess in Cardu; moreover, they all believe in the Frost Phoenix and naturally understand the taboos.
Paz pouts, looking like a deflated rooster, and can no longer speak.
She can only kick the nearby snow pile and wait for a while before quietly complaining, “Then can’t you take us to a warmer place? Old Jack is almost frozen to death.”
At this moment, within the Frost Parasol Tree, they pass through the outer area and arrive at a deep, vast courtyard of the colossal phoenix.
Unlike the pitch-blackness and deathly silence when Fisher came here four and a half years ago, the place is now brightly lit and lively. Though after years of suffering and the slaughter from curses, the numbers of the Snow Mountain Six Races have dwindled far below what they once were. Even if they all entered here, it still doesn’t seem bustling, but at least it has a bit of life.
And deep within the Parasol Tree, above the roots left behind by the World Tree, is where the Moon Princess’s remains lay after her death. The ruins here have been cleared by the trolls, and the Moon Princess’s body has been properly buried. Subsequently, some temporary housing has been constructed here to guard their master who has been asleep underneath for years.
However, at this moment, several big figures of the Six Races are anxiously pacing back and forth. Among them is the gargantuan Slime King, Barien, who is too huge to even move.
Two elder trolls, Daliwu and Kokoliah, are looking down at the world tree roots that emanate a brilliant light. Daliwu’s expression is serious as he says, “This is bad; the roots have started to grow branches, and those branches are entangled around the phoenix’s egg.”
Behind them, a tall Cangniao woman, wearing a Sardinian steel helmet, glances down and coldly asks, “What does this mean?”
Kokoliah gives a sidelong glance at the Cangniao woman and says, “Hamlia, it means the roots are entangling the egg shell, preventing us from retrieving the Phoenix’s rebirth shell. The problem is that the surface of the egg shell is already full of cracks; the phoenix’s arrival will soon be upon us.”
Hamlia is the leader of the largest remaining Cangniao settlement in the northern region and is also Aoxi’s mother’s superior. She is a child of hybrid blood between Cangniao and troll, thus larger and stronger than the other northern Cangniaos.
Upon hearing the calls from the Slime species, troll species, and snow fox species four and a half years ago, she weighed the pros and cons and decided to lead Cangniaos willing to leave Sardinia northward, returning to Sema Snow Mountain, the homeland of their ancestors.
Hamlia is slightly taken aback, seemingly not yet understanding what they are worried about, but still asks, “So the phoenix can’t just be born directly? What will happen if she lands on the world tree roots?”
“She will die.”
Daliwu’s straightforward answer startles Hamlia, who immediately flaps her wings and moves to the platform’s edge, looking down at the glowing phoenix egg floating underneath the world tree.
“Damn it, then how about we just use weapons to scoop the phoenix up? How about that?”
“No, there are more severe chaotic spatial currents near the roots. Even the most extraordinary divine weapon would be dissolved—unless…”
“Unless what?”
The enormous Shivali Barien, sitting on the ground, chewing on a pacifier, mumbles dullly, “Use the Sword of the Phoenix King; that sword is currently lying in the room above.”
“Then go get it! What are you waiting for?”
Everyone present is left speechless by Hamlia. Whether she has been a guard in Sardinia for too long or the mixed blood of Cangniao and trolls has caused a strange chemical reaction in her, her brain seems to have short-circuited, making her not very smart.
She is skilled in fighting, but every time it’s time to discuss such matters, she comes up with ridiculous suggestions that leave the leaders of the other Six Races bewildered.
“We can’t lift it. Only the bloodlines of the phoenix can wield the phoenixes’ weapons completely. Even if you go grab it, if you can’t fully control it after a huge cost, you still can’t retrieve the phoenix egg from the roots.”
“Wait, so what you’re saying is, now we need to…”
“Only someone with the Phoenix bloodline can use the sword to save the only Phoenix in the world?”
“Theoretically, yes. Of course, if there are other ways to think of…”
“Can your Slime teleport?”
“With the power of the tree roots present, it’s not possible.”
“…”
At this moment, the leaders gathered at the base of the Parasol Tree fell into silence, seemingly without a better solution.
Hamlia was so angry her teeth were grinding, and in a fit of impotent rage, she flapped her wings and looked around at the tents, asking,
“…Where is that woman?”
All the leaders looked at her, knowing who Hamlia was talking about, but they had no idea where she had gone.
It was the small Snow Fox Tribe leader, Dar, next to the huge figure of Barleen, who spoke up. He glanced up and said,
“She was just here discussing how to rescue the Phoenix who is about to be reborn and came up with quite a few methods. As for now, it seems she heard there was a guest arriving; she seemed to think of something and just ran out with Sister Ilos.”
“With Ilos? What guest?”
Daliwu turned his head in curiosity, while Dar thought for a moment and said,
“It seems to be a desperate pirate from Sardinia, called the Ice Mountain Queen.”
“Alagina?”
Upon hearing this, Hamlia preemptively stated the name before Dar could finish.
“Yes, yes, that’s her.”
“Heh, so this traitorous wretch finally has her day. I heard she not only killed her own mother but also stole the Ice Prince’s sword from her. Taking her in requires caution; be careful not to get backstabbed by her.”
Hamlia sneered in such a manner.
“That’s enough, Hamlia. You are no longer Sardinian; in the future, the Northern Region will only have the Parasol Tree. Of course, if you want to go back to your country, I have no objections, and I would even gladly teleport you back for free.”
Barleen toyed with the pacifier in his hand and unceremoniously interrupted Hamlia’s words. In the current council of the six races in the Snow Mountain, this Slime King was undoubtedly the one in charge.
After stopping Hamlia, who had many objections, Barleen scratched his heavily wrinkled chin and murmured,
“Alagina, speaking of the Ice Prince’s sword, I think I understand that woman’s thoughts. The power of the Phoenix King’s sword is simply too strong to be completely controlled. But the swords of the three Sons of the Phoenix could be worth a try. The Moon Princess’s sword is lost with Valentina asleep, and now Alagina has the Ice Prince’s sword; perhaps we can give it a shot.”
Daliwu also looked solemnly at the trembling Phoenix egg below and said,
“We can only try that. We need to hurry; Valentina is about to hatch. We can’t wait any longer. Let’s get them here right away!”
Valentina’s consciousness had always been in darkness, as if it were as vague as when she first emerged from chaos, but at times, it would become slightly clearer, flashing terrifying dreams.
She seemed to see a massive, golden-hued illusory tree, floating in the cosmos, looking down upon all living beings as if it were a deity. Yet, when it looked at “herself” and “the two people beside her,” for some reason, Valentina could feel a different kind of emotion.
This tree seemed to look at “herself” as a mother would, with warmth.
“Peach.”
Her gentle voice was like a solace for an infant in a cradle, almost like an expectation imbued with hope,
“Protect… your siblings.”
Peach?
Who is Peach?
Have I ever seen or heard this name?
Suddenly, the scene before her changed dramatically. “She” seemed to see a horrific war, as if witnessing a chaotic life descending from the heavens. “It” sang a song composed of an unknown language, turning flesh and blood into part of its poem.
It infected everything, bringing a vibrant continent to disaster, transforming countless powerful lives that Valentina could hardly imagine into its puppets, snatching “her” mother away.
Mother?
Valentina paused slightly, suddenly becoming much more aware.
No. This didn’t seem like something she should have seen. This is not herself. Whose memory is this?
“This Peach must protect your siblings.”
Valentina’s perspective gradually began to withdraw. Finally, it seemed her consciousness detached from a certain “existence.” No, that “existence” should be the one detaching from her!
Valentina felt the consciousness of that being as if intertwined with her like tree roots, being cut by a sharp sword, while that existence was moving further away from her.
As this distance stretched, Valentina finally saw the true form of that “existence,” though it was merely a silhouette.
It turned out to be a strange little girl.
She had shiny black hair, neatly tied up, transforming into a hairstyle Valentina had never seen before, the Fairy hairstyle. On that hairstyle, there was either a pink peach blossom or a bloom of the same shade.
She wore a light pink skirt that matched the color of the flower on her hair, looking quite beautiful, making her tiny figure even more adorable and graceful.
But at this moment, she was pitifully hugging her knees, curled up, her expression seeming dazed and helpless, allowing herself to drift further away from Valentina.
As this distancing occurred, Valentina quickly noticed that there were suddenly increasing frost-covered wounds appearing on her skirt, as if something sharp was chopping at her body.
Scarlet blood splashed down from her, disappearing quickly into the darkness, leaving only a faint scent of peach blossoms.
The little girl, however, seemed oblivious, as if she couldn’t feel anything at all, just despairingly clutching her knees without moving.
Valentina felt her heart ache. Perhaps her inner kindness couldn’t bear to see such a child harmed; her consciousness gradually became clearer. She couldn’t help but remind the other,
“You have… injuries, child.”
The moment Valentina spoke, both sides of her cheeks suddenly quivered as her long white ears, adorned with many tiny earrings that jingled, lifted up, startling Valentina.
Unexpectedly, the little girl glanced at Valentina beside her before shrinking back into her original position, mumbling,
“Mind your own business, fish.”
“…”
Valentina’s face darkened, caught breathless by the little girl’s words.
She clenched her fists, wanting to punch this rude little brat, but soon, she sensed the deep despair and sorrow hidden in the other’s words.
She didn’t understand why this child looked so sad when she was so young.
But the wounds on the little girl kept multiplying, that scarlet blood, sweet-scented, brought Valentina back to her senses. She worriedly said,
“What’s wrong with you? Are you seriously going to die right in front of me?”
The little girl didn’t even look at her, saying,
“Everyone will die sooner or later; it doesn’t matter if I die now. Only fish like you, small as ants, would lament the passage of life.”
“Hah, what is that supposed to mean? Is the passage of life not worth lamenting over?”
The girl paused slightly at her words, as if recalling something sad, and she didn’t refute but lowered her voice,
“You’re right, fish.”
“You little brat, seriously…”
Valentina was already annoyed. She felt like she had been oblivious to everything and didn’t know where she was. She just woke up, yet immediately encountered this naive kid.
She stood up, gritting her teeth, wanting to grab the little girl’s long ears, but to her surprise, the child was astonishingly fast, instantly appearing not far away, leaving her grasping at nothing.
The girl disdainfully glanced at her, then mumbled,
“Such a fish.”
Valentina frowned, her anger flaring up again as she charged at the girl, but every time she neared, the girl would move to another spot, making it impossible for her to catch up.
Like she was being toyed with, the more Valentina chased, the angrier she grew.
But the next moment, her pursuit abruptly halted, taking the anger with it.
Because she suddenly realized she could stand up.
“I…”
She looked down at her unblemished, pale body, and strong, intact legs were firmly planted in the darkness.
“I can stand up!”
Valentina no longer chased the girl; instead, she dazedly came back to reality, looking at the girl, watching her blood increase, gradually soaking her skirt, yet the girl remained indifferent.
After hesitating for a moment, Valentina couldn’t help but ask,
“What happened to your body? Why are you bleeding?”
The little girl ceased being rude, lying in the darkness as if waiting for death, replying in a lackluster manner,
“Someone is chopping at where my consciousness resides with those angelic artifacts. The quality of this artifact is quite good; it should be one of Michael’s angels, forged by one of his wise angels… Youfiele. It must be her.”
Valentina completely didn’t understand the names she was uttering. She just pursed her lips and slowly walked over to the little girl, saying,
“What can I do to help you? This can’t go on forever, right?”
“What’s the point of going on? It’s just death. After all… we will all die.”
“What kind of talk is that? Just because we all die, we should stop living? I was paralyzed and thought I wouldn’t live past twenty, but I never thought like this; you’re still so young, why are you so down?”
Upon hearing the word “young,” a hint of mockery appeared on the little girl’s face. She closed her eyes and muttered,
“…You don’t understand. My mother, my siblings, everyone I cared about has died. In this world, I am the last of my kind, making my existence utterly meaningless.”
“My kind… is also down to me, and I haven’t met them either. I have seen them even if only after their death.”
Valentina squatted beside the little girl, her previously muddled memories growing clearer, suddenly recalling events that seemed to have occurred not long ago.
She remembered the Turan Family, the Parasol Tree, the curse, the sacrifices made for this world by the Moon Princess and the Phoenixes, and she also recalled Fisher.
“They are my kin whom I’ve never met. They entrusted the future of our race to me. I don’t know if I alone can manage it, but they believe in me; I feel I should believe in myself too, even if I’m the only one left, I cannot let their hopes down.”
The little girl opened her eyes. In the increasing red, she seemed to think of something or see something.
She abruptly turned her head to Valentina, breaking into a smile,
“I forgot, you are a Phoenix.”
“A Phoenix… yes, I am the last Phoenix.”
In the moment this thought burst forth in Valentina, her body seemed to undergo a revolutionary change.
Frost-covered blue feathers slowly adorned parts of her body, and behind her, a pair of gigantic and powerful wings gradually spread out, as if bringing the entire northern region’s snow and wind.
Her figure began to rise, no longer fragile as before.
Ice light blossomed in her eyes, bringing a hint of fateful brilliance.
The little girl watched this remaining Phoenix of the entire world before her, for a long time, she suddenly sat up. With a mysterious power bursting forth from her, her wounds instantly returned to their past perfect state.
She asked,
“Fish Phoenix, what was your name again?”
“Fish? You little brat, if you’re going to introduce yourself, at least do it properly!”
Valentina playfully knocked the little girl on the head, and this time she didn’t dodge but let Valentina’s fist lightly land on her head, as if waking her from the darkness.
“My name is Valentina.”
“Valentina.”
The little girl chewed on the name, then stood up and suddenly approached Valentina, saying,
“I am Peach, one of the three sons of the elves… Duke of Peach.”
In the next moment, the entire darkness erupted with terrifying light, as if blasted open by that peach blossom, spreading awareness.
Under the urging of that bright light, Valentina suddenly opened her eyes, as if the previous waking, everything she had seen was nothing more than an illusion.
What reappeared before her was a brightly lit room and a broken eggshell?
She was curled up inside the eggshell, staring blankly as she opened her new body’s eyes for the first time, surveying everything about the ceiling, yet feeling so out of place.
“Great, my lady, you finally woke up, how wonderful!”
“My lady?”
That voice…
So familiar.
Valentina turned her head dazedly to look at outside the broken eggshell, but saw that in the quiet room, only the person who had just spoken was present. At this moment, that person was looking at her with great concern.
That person had their black hair elegantly tied up, wrapped in a gemstone-encrusted crown, presenting a visage Valentina had seen countless times.
Looking at that crown and the appearance of the person before her, countless memories surged instantly; she blinked and was astonished to find that a beautiful snowflake had inexplicably fallen from her lashes due to this action.
Had she already become a Phoenix?
But she didn’t have time to explore her current appearance. She looked at the woman in front of her who was gazing at her with utmost worry, and she couldn’t help but smile, murmuring,
“Great, Heidi Lin, I’m so glad you’re okay.”
The bright candlelight illuminated the woman’s features outside the eggshell. Her worried expression stiffened momentarily upon hearing Valentina’s words from the eggshell, then her eyes reddened, almost spilling tears.
“It’s me, my lady. It’s me, Heidi Lin. Oh, it’s so great that you finally woke up.”
The Phoenix of the Northern Region, at this moment, finally awakened.
