Chapter 543

Just as Song Song Qingming's voice fell, the mysterious Gray Crane Demon King standing before him suddenly changed his figure rapidly, transforming into a larger gray giant bird; it was Song Song Qingming's old acquaintance, Demon King Long Feng.

"Hehe! I only revealed a slight flaw, and you guessed my identity. It seems you kid are getting smarter and smarter."

Seeing Long Feng, who had already revealed his true form, Song Song Qingming was also slightly startled. Since forming his core, the two had not met for more than thirty years. Long Feng's cultivation had also reached a higher level, breaking through to the late stage of Golden Core and becoming a Great Demon King.

Back at Mount Tuoyun Mountain, although Song Song Qingming had felt from the beginning that the Gray Crane Demon King before him was somewhat strange, he had not recognized that it was Long Feng, who had already transformed his figure.

It was not until the two were fighting that Long Feng used a golden shield before Song Song Qingming, and Song Song Qingming finally sensed the opponent's identity.

When he had asked Long Feng for help in using silver sand stone to strengthen his magic treasure, the "Clear Water Bell," Song Song Qingming had once seen this golden shield in his cave dwelling, so he naturally had some impression of it.

Seeing that the Gray Crane's magic arts and divine abilities were already somewhat similar to Long Feng's, and that he had this golden shield on him, Song Song Qingming immediately guessed that the strange Demon King who had suddenly appeared before him should be his old acquaintance, Long Feng, whom he had not seen for many years.

"Senior, please do not praise me like this. If Senior Senior Qingluan were to hear it, I would offend her again. I wonder how Senior knew I was here? Is there something you need by coming to find me this time?"

Hearing the assurance in Song Song Qingming's tone, Fire Phoenix looked at him with profound meaning in her eyes, then slowly said, "I know that the Xiaoyao Sect has a scroll regarding the Heaven-Reaching Tower inside. This item is of some use to me. You go there and find a way to copy a version for me."

"Hmm! I like hearing that. You go first; I will wait for your news!"

Hearing this, Song Song Qingming hurriedly responded calmly and quickly, "Your Highness, rest assured. I will go to the Xiaoyao Sect immediately. As long as that thing is still in the sect, no matter what price I have to pay, I will definitely find a way to help you get it."

"Your Highness, that kid Song Song Qingming has already come." Seeing Fire Phoenix's eyes tightly closed, as if she hadn't noticed the two people walking in, Long Feng came before her and reminded her again.

In the past, when they met, because his own cultivation was too low, Song Song Qingming could not see the depth of Fire Phoenix's cultivation at all. This time, because his cultivation had broken through to the Golden Core stage, Song Song Qingming finally saw that Fire Phoenix's true cultivation had already reached the second layer of the Nascent Soul realm.

After walking a distance forward with Long Feng, the two arrived at a cave on the other side of the summit. Just after walking inside for more than ten zhang, Song Song Qingming saw from afar a fiery red figure sitting upright on a stone platform, closing her eyes to rest and meditate.

"Her Highness wants to see you, follow me!" Long Feng suddenly put away the smile on his face, his tone also becoming somewhat serious, and he turned and walked slowly toward the side of the summit.

At the first sight of Fire Phoenix, Song Song Qingming immediately revealed a trace of surprise. After so many years of not seeing her, Fire Phoenix's cultivation had improved quite a bit compared to before, and the momentum and pressure emanating from her body were no longer much worse than those of Li Li Mufeng, who was also a Nascent Soul cultivator.

The only thing that made Song Song Qingming somewhat uncomfortable was that Fire Phoenix's temper had always been somewhat strange and difficult for people to fathom. Every time he stood beside her, Song Song Qingming always felt an invisible pressure, fearing that if he said the wrong thing due to a moment of carelessness, he would invite the other party's displeasure again.

"Your Highness is right. My diligent cultivation over these years is also to improve my own strength as quickly as possible, striving to be able to contribute more to you, and I dare not fail Your Highness's expectations."

"What is a guest elder? You human sects really have many rules." A trace of doubt appeared on Fire Phoenix's face.

"What does Your Highness want? Regardless of whether the Xiaoyao Sect has it or not, as long as it is something I can do, I will definitely find a way to help you achieve your wish."

Song Song Qingming shook his head slightly and said, "Reporting to Your Highness, I have indeed heard some people mention this Heaven-Reaching Tower, but I don't know much about it. I only know that it seems to be an ancient secret realm that only opens once every few hundred years."

"I didn't expect that after not seeing you for so long, Senior's cultivation has actually broken through to the late stage of Golden Core. I would like to congratulate Senior here first."

"Hehe! Your Highness is joking. My meager cultivation compared to yours is like fireflies competing with the bright moon; it is truly not worth mentioning. If it weren't for the good fortune of basking in Your Highness's glory, I'm afraid I would still be a small Foundation Establishment cultivator, unable to step onto this Golden Core Great Dao."

Hearing that Fire Phoenix wanted him to go to the Xiaoyao Sect to help her get something, Song Song Qingming quickly pondered many possibilities in his mind, but he didn't expect that the thing Fire Phoenix wanted was actually the notes regarding the "Heaven-Reaching Tower" that he had just copied from the sect not long ago.

Seeing the somewhat awkward look on Song Song Qingming's face, a trace of a smile appeared on the corner of Fire Phoenix's mouth. She didn't say anything more and asked Song Song Qingming directly.

"Hmm! You have just joined the Xiaoyao Sect, so it is normal that you don't know. The matter I am teaching you to do shouldn't be a difficult task for you now, right?" Fire Phoenix squinted her eyes and asked again.

Although the notes regarding the "Heaven-Reaching Tower" were on his person, in order to show his "effort," Song Song Qingming did not take them out directly to give to Fire Phoenix, and could only pretend that he was not very clear about these matters.

"Not bad! It's good that you still remember these things. When I supported you in forming your core back then, I indeed saw that you could be of some use to me in the future. Otherwise, no matter how nicely you spoke, I would not have wasted so many spirit items and thoughts on you." Regardless of whether Song Song Qingming liked to hear it or not, Fire Phoenix still pointed out her original purpose to his face.

"Alright! I don't want to know about those broken rules of yours. I came to find you this time because I want you to find a way to help me go to the Xiaoyao Sect and take an item. This item shouldn't be anything precious to them. No matter what kind of elder you are there, it shouldn't be a difficult matter."

Song Song Qingming nodded slightly and answered honestly, "I come from a cultivation family that was originally affiliated with the Xiaoyao Sect. After my cultivation broke through to Golden Core, they directly invited me to enter the sect and serve as a guest elder."

"Greetings, Your Highness!" Song Song Qingming, who had walked before Fire Phoenix, quickly summoned a smile and bowed respectfully on the spot.

"Heaven-Reaching Tower?" Hearing the item Fire Phoenix wanted, Song Song Qingming could not help but reveal a trace of surprise on his face.

After Song Song Qingming left the cave with a confident face, Fire Phoenix turned her head to look at Long Feng on the side and said happily, "This kid agreed quite readily this time. I thought he would complain to me again!"

Otherwise, with Song Song Qingming's cautious personality, if he didn't have absolute certainty in guessing Long Feng's identity, he would never have chased here directly without the slightest hesitation when facing a strange Demon King.

"Why, are you also clear about the Heaven-Reaching Tower?" Seeing that Song Song Qingming's expression seemed somewhat wrong, Fire Phoenix asked with a sharp gaze.

Hearing Long Feng say this, no trace of surprise appeared on Song Song Qingming's face. From the moment he recognized Long Feng's identity, Song Song Qingming had actually already guessed in his heart that the other party was very likely carrying Fire Phoenix's orders.

Song Song Qingming naturally understood this point in his heart. From the first time he was caught by Senior Qingluan and taken to Fire Phoenix, Fire Phoenix had always had a relationship of direct utilization with him. It was just that Fire Phoenix, this Demon Emperor, acted with relatively good integrity, and over these years, she had never done those things of crossing the river and tearing down the bridge, or killing the donkey after the millstone, to Song Song Qingming.

Seeing Long Feng mention the somewhat hot-tempered Senior Qingluan, Song Song Qingming's expression changed immediately, and he said modestly and somewhat awkwardly:

Hearing the flattering words from Song Song Qingming's mouth, Long Feng was also very pleased in his heart. He laughed loudly and said, "Hehe! After so many years, your mouth hasn't changed at all. But your strength has indeed improved very quickly. I estimate that in a few more years, Senior Qingluan might not necessarily be able to beat you."

After a long while, Fire Phoenix finally opened her eyes slightly, swept a glance over Song Song Qingming, and said slowly, "Your cultivation is not bad and has improved again. I always thought your cultivation talent was average in the past; it seems I still underestimated you a little!"

"This guest elder is not an official elder of the Xiaoyao Sect, but rather..."

Otherwise, just based on Long Feng's ability, it should have been very difficult for him to know that he was currently at Mount Tuoyun Mountain.

But if it were Fire Phoenix, it would be different. Her cultivation was unfathomable, and she could already transform into a human form. Back then, she even dared to mix directly into the Qinghe Market. If she wanted to find out where he was, it was just a very simple matter for Fire Phoenix.

"Hehe! Your Highness, rest assured. Although Song Song Qingming is a bit slippery on weekdays, he can be considered a person who knows how to repay kindness. His character is much stronger than those despicable human cultivators. Your Highness cares for him so much; being able to work for Your Highness is also his good fortune." Hearing Fire Phoenix's words, Long Feng immediately replied with a smile.

Although she was a high-tier demon cultivator with a noble status, Fire Phoenix's character was much stronger than that of average human cultivators. Otherwise, Song Song Qingming could not have lived well until now and achieved success in his cultivation, breaking through to the Golden Core realm.

"Your Highness has the grace of supporting my path. Song Qingming will never forget this in this life. As long as it is within my power, I will definitely do my utmost to repay Your Highness's kindness."

This was truly a coincidence. Song Song Qingming did not expect that the request Fire Phoenix put forward this time would be so simple for him now.

"I heard that you have already become a Golden Core elder of the Xiaoyao Sect!"

Seeing that Song Song Qingming wanted to explain his previous question in detail, before he could finish speaking, Fire Phoenix interrupted him again quickly.

"In this cultivation world, whether it is the demon race or the human race, there is never a lack of insidious, cunning, hypocritical, and despicable people. People with good character often seem to have a hard time living long!"

After Fire Phoenix whispered to herself, she calmed her mind, closed her eyes, and continued to meditate and cultivate.

(End of this chapter)