Rise of the Demon God

"I needed something. I was wondering if you could help me with it. If there's anyone who can get it, it'll have to be you," Zhu Chang said.

"What do you need?" Ling Ki asked.

"I need a little bit of phoenix blood for my friend here," Zhu Chang explained. "Can you help me find it?"

"For your friend?" Ling Ki asked, glancing at Long Chen. "Why would a Demon need Phoenix Blood? I don't think it helps them in any way."

"It's not for me. It's for someone else," Long Chen chimed in.

"For who? Tell me why you need it?" Ling Ki asked.

"It doesn't matter why he needs it. What truly matters is if you can get it to him," Zhu Chang said. "So can you? You know, I'll pay you handsomely for it."

"Do you think I'm running a Blood Bank? Why would I have that useless Phoenix Blood? Let alone me; no one has it here. But yeah, if you need a Dragon Bone or White Tiger Teeth, then I can help you. I've managed to get some," Ling Ki replied.

"We only need Phoenix Blood," Long Chen said.

"It's too bad then. The thing is that the Phoenixes are an annoying special. The White Tigers, Dragons, and all other species die. And their bodies remain safe. It's easy to get things from them for Grave Diggers, but Phoenix Blood? That's much harder."

"You do know, Phoenixes revive most of the time when they die. And when they can't revive, only their ashes are left. They don't even leave their bodies behind after death, let alone blood."

"No matter what you need from the Phoenix, you'll have to get it from a living Phoenix, and you know how that can go wrong, can't you?" Ling Ki said.

"I mean, I have Dragon Bone and White Tiger Teeth. But just imagine if they didn't leave their bodies behind like Phoenixes. Do you think I could have gone to the Dragons and ask them to give me their Bones? They would eat me alive!"

"It's the same case for other species. Forget getting Phoenix Blood unless you think you can capture them and force them. But if you do that, it'll be no less than declaring a war on them."

" And you don't want to didn't a War with the Annoying Phoenixes at any cost. They might not be strong like Dragons or White Tiger or Defensive like Black Tortoise, but they're certainly the most annoying enemies you could ever hope to have with their coming back from Death Abilities."

"So forget getting their blood, unless you want to spend the next thousand years fighting them. Do you understand?" Ling Ki let out.

" I don't mean fighting them to get their Blood. Can't we just ask them to give their Blood? All we need is one droplet?" Long Chen asked.

"Go ahead and try asking them. And then see their disdain. They will never give their Blood. You know why?" Ling Ki asked.

"Why?" Zhu Chang asked. Even he didn't know why they couldn't give blood.

"Sigh, Zhu Chang. It's surprising that even you don't know. Let me enlighten you then," Long Ki said, sighing. "For a Phoenix, their blood is their life essence. When they marry someone; you know what their marriage customs are?"

"What?" Zhu Chang asked. He hadn't heard about such things, maybe because he wasn't interested in the topic of marriages.

"During a marriage, the phoenix is supposed to give a blood droplet to their husband, to merge their life essence for a long life of their husband. So a blood droplet is associated with marriage for them, especially if given willingly."

"So there's no way they will give you willingly. You can only take it by attacking them, but only if you're prepared for war. You understand?"

"Life essence?"

Zhu Chang and Long Chen were both surprised at the answer. If this was certainly true, they definitely couldn't take the blood from them just by asking them. And there was no chance they could exchange anything.

"Is there really no other way to get their Blood without antagonizing them?" Long Chen asked.

"Not that I could remember," Ling Ki said, shaking his head. "Just forgot about their blood. Instead, take a Dragon Bone or a White Tiger Tooth. You know, you demons can craft really powerful artifacts with such things. I'll sell you on cheap just because you're with Zhu Chang."

"I don't need artifacts," Long Chen let out, shaking his head. He already had the strongest weapon in this world for himself. He didn't need more, especially a weapon made from the bones of a Dragon.

"Then I can't help you in any case. Now that you're done, please go back and leave the mountain," Ling Ki said, telling Zhu Chang to leave.

"What's the hurry? I still have more to show my friend." Zhu Chang smiled. He started walking towards the top.

"You! Don't you dare destroy the mountain again!" Ling Ki yelled, staring at the back of Zhu Chang.

"I'll try!" Zhu Chang replied, laughing.

"Sigh, he will certainly do something stupid. I should just leave for a week or something." Ling Ki sighed. He started packing things up since he was worried about his items.

After packing things, he left the mountain, worried about what Zhu Chang was going to do.

In the meantime, Zhu Chang continued flying towards the top of the mountain while talking to him.

"Well, Long Chen, it looks like you can't get the blood of a Phoenix. I think you should drop the plan of upgrading the bloodline of your snake. He's not worth all the risks."

"Moreover, you are already so strong. It's not like you need a strong beast. People like us can bend the laws of nature of our own will. We don't need the help of anyone else to do it. Similarly, you don't need to do it for your snake."

"Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

"I know," Long Chen replied. "I need to think about it first. Let's see if there is anything I can do."

"Now that I think about it, you have a battle coming, right? With all the beast heirs?" Long Chen asked.

"Yeah. What about that?" Zhu Chang asked.

"Hurting a phoenix outside will be considered an offense. But what if you just hurt one enough in the competition to get one blood droplet?" Long Chen asked.

"Are you really saying what I think you are?" Zhu Chang asked, frowning.

Long Chen simply nodded. "I think we can get the blood without waging a war if you help me?"