Chapter 380

After Long Feng finished speaking, just as he had done before, he wrapped Song Qingming directly into his massive wings and then transformed into a gust of wind, leaving the place.

Song Qingming, sitting on Long Feng, was not visiting the depths of the Floating Cloud Mountain Range for the first time. Knowing that it would take some time to reach their destination, he took out a few spirit stones, held them in his hands, and closed his eyes to slowly recover his magic power.

The purpose of Song Qingming's return to the depths of the Floating Cloud Mountain Range after bidding farewell to Fang Wuqian and the others was, in fact, to find this Demon King, Long Feng, with whom he had dealt before.

He just hadn't expected that the man in red and his two companions would target him on the way. At the time, hiding on the small hill, Song Qingming knew that if he chose to fight head-on, he might not be a match for the three of them. In desperation, Song Qingming had no choice but to use the feather Fire Phoenix had left him for contact early on the road, hoping to use the Demon King Long Feng to help him resolve this predicament.

By the time Song Qingming arrived at the old place he had agreed upon with Long Feng, his magic power was nearly exhausted. Fortunately, Long Feng had arrived in time, having reached the spot a step ahead of him. Otherwise, if he had truly arrived late, it would have been hard to say whether Song Qingming could have escaped from the man in red unscathed.

Although this fellow Long Feng was sometimes not very polite when speaking to Song Qingming, he did not disappoint him at critical moments.

This time, not only did he save Song Qingming, but he also conveniently killed the demonic cultivators who had inexplicably targeted him. Long Feng could be considered to have helped Song Qingming resolve a major hidden danger.

Thinking of this, Song Qingming felt that the ore materials he had brought this time were truly not prepared in vain, and it was worth the time and effort the Song family had spent collecting these rare spiritual items.

However, Song Qingming hadn't expected to see Fire Phoenix during this trip to the Floating Cloud Mountain Range. Thinking of that noble, fiery-red figure from years ago, a helpless smile slowly appeared on Song Qingming's face.

Years ago, after reaching Foundation Establishment, he had gone deep into the Floating Cloud Mountain Range with the Huang family to gather herbs, and the unlucky Song Qingming had fallen into the hands of Fire Phoenix.

Later, although Song Qingming was forced to do many life-risking tasks under Fire Phoenix's coercion, he also received many benefits from her; otherwise, his cultivation base could not have improved so quickly. If he hadn't still had the Millennium Spirit Milk that Fire Phoenix had given him years ago, Song Qingming probably wouldn't have had the chance to escape to the place he had agreed to meet Long Feng.

Although there is an inherent conflict between human cultivators and the demon race over the survival resources of the cultivation world, making it impossible to live in harmony forever, being able to know a few demon friends like Fire Phoenix and Long Feng was, for Song Qingming at present, still more beneficial than harmful.

——

In a cave deep beneath a mountain tens of thousands of miles away from the Floating Cloud Mountain Range, an old man draped in a wide black robe was looking with displeasure at a small wooden plaque in his hand that had shattered into several pieces.

The plaque was very ancient in style, with patterns of floating clouds carved around the edges. In the center were a few black characters, but because the plaque was broken quite badly, these characters were also incomplete, making it impossible to see what they said.

Standing beside the black-robed old man was a middle-aged man with a red face and a long beard. The pressure emanating from this man had long since surpassed the scope of a Foundation Establishment cultivator; he was clearly a Golden Core cultivator who had already entered the Core Formation stage.

Although this man was already a Golden Core cultivator with profound cultivation, he remained furrowed-brow and trembling in front of the black-robed old man, not daring to speak first, as if afraid that a momentary slip of the tongue would provoke the displeasure of the old man before him.

"Where exactly has Qijun gone these past few years? Have you found out?"

"Reporting to Master, Ninth Junior Brother sent a message back a year ago. At that time, he was in the State of Wei to the east, searching for traces of Senior Uncle Xiao. Liu Kui, from under Second Senior Brother's tutelage, was also with Ninth Junior Brother."

"I asked Second Senior Brother before I came here just now; that Liu Kui's soul has also dissipated, and it looks like it happened around the same time Ninth Junior Brother met with misfortune. Disciple suspects that they both encountered some mishap together, but because they are too far away, we still don't know the details."

After hearing the red-faced man's detailed explanation, the black-robed old man paced back and forth in the cave a few times, then looked up and said calmly:

"Fourth, you go to the State of Wei and investigate who harmed Qijun. By the way, see if that fellow Xiao Huang is really hiding there. If you find news of him, hehe, do not alert him; send this Blood Sound Talisman back directly. Master wants to go meet this good Junior Brother of mine in person."

"Yes! Master, this disciple will set off for the State of Wei immediately." After receiving the order, the red-faced man took the blood-red spiritual talisman thrown by the black-robed old man and retreated respectfully.

Once only the black-robed old man remained in the depths of the cave, he held the broken wooden plaque before his eyes again and muttered to himself with a sorrowful expression: "Qijun, Master had high hopes for you. How could your Senior Uncle Xiao be like this, showing no mercy and striking to kill? You were my personal disciple, after all. Did he not recognize you at all?"

"Junior Brother Xiao, hundreds of years have passed. Logically, you should have formed your Nascent Soul long ago, so why have I not seen you come to find your Senior Brother? Have you truly let go of what happened back then?"

After the black-robed old man spoke to himself, a strange flame suddenly appeared in his hand, and it quickly burned the wooden plaque in his hand into a pile of ashes.

——

After traveling rapidly through the Floating Cloud Mountain Range with Long Feng for about two hours, Song Qingming's eyes finally lit up as he was tossed out of the pitch-black wings by Long Feng, landing on a high mountain shrouded in clouds and mist.

Looking at the somewhat familiar place before him, Song Qingming knew he had reached his destination and hurriedly stood up to tidy his appearance.

Afterward, under Long Feng's guidance, Song Qingming followed him into the underground cave where he had stayed years ago. There, he saw Fire Phoenix, whom he hadn't seen for decades since their parting at Taiyue Lake.

Just like back then, that fiery-red figure still loved to lean against the large jade stone in the middle of the cave. However, Fire Phoenix's appearance and temperament seemed to have changed somewhat compared to decades ago; she was even more enchanting and mature, which made Song Qingming, who saw her, stand stunned for a moment.

Over these years, although Song Qingming's cultivation had improved from the third level of Foundation Establishment to the seventh, he still could not see through Fire Phoenix's true cultivation level. He only vaguely felt that the pressure she emitted from time to time was still as terrifying as before.

The gap between a Nascent Soul Demon Emperor and a Foundation Establishment cultivator was simply too vast. Standing before Fire Phoenix, Song Qingming only felt as if he were standing before an unreachable mountain, feeling truly insignificant.

"Bold! You don't even know how to pay respects when seeing Her Highness? You really are ignorant of what's good for you!" Not far from Fire Phoenix, a large cyan bird saw Song Qingming dazed after arriving and shouted at him unhappily, seemingly not very fond of this human.

This Azure Luan Demon King, who had captured Song Qingming years ago, looked much the same as she had decades ago, and her cultivation didn't seem to have changed much either. Now that Song Qingming's cultivation had reached the late Foundation Establishment stage, he could finally sense that there was a slight gap between the Azure Luan's strength and Long Feng's.

"Your Highness, this junior pays his respects!" After hearing the Azure Luan's reminder, Song Qingming didn't dare say anything else and hurriedly stepped forward to bow respectfully to Fire Phoenix.

"Alright, Azure Luan, stop scaring him. I still have some things to ask him. Go busy yourself first."

Seeing that the Highness beside her didn't seem to care about the previous impoliteness of this insignificant human, the Azure Luan curled her lip and, feeling somewhat depressed, retreated from the cave with Long Feng.

After dismissing the Azure Luan, Fire Phoenix looked at Song Qingming calmly, then rose and walked to a spot on the side of the cave, sitting down at a stone table. Song Qingming stood cautiously not far from her side.

"Your cultivation has improved quite a bit over these years. It seems you have made some progress."

"Compared to Your Highness and the seniors, this junior's natural talent is dull, and it is truly not easy to take even a small step forward. If it weren't for the spiritual items Your Highness gave me back then, this junior would not have been able to break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage so quickly. This junior will certainly never forget Your Highness's great kindness in this lifetime."

Fire Phoenix glanced sideways at Song Qingming and smiled: "It seems that not only has your cultivation improved, but your way with words has also progressed quite a bit. Even Long Feng praised you in front of me last time."

Hearing Fire Phoenix say this, the corners of Song Qingming's mouth curled slightly. He hadn't expected Long Feng to be so honest; he had only made a fair trade with him, and yet he had praised him to Fire Phoenix. This was something he hadn't expected.

"Your Highness, these two pots of spiritual wine are the best vintages I could find among our human cultivators after traveling a great distance. I had intended to give them to you last time, but Senior Long Feng said you were in seclusion and not here. Fortunately, this trip was not in vain. If you have time, you must do me the honor of tasting them." After lightly brushing his waist with his right hand, Song Qingming quickly took two white jade pots from his storage bag and placed them respectfully on the stone table before Fire Phoenix.

Fire Phoenix squinted at the spiritual wine on the table, then quickly looked away, seemingly not very interested in such things.

"If you have something to say, just say it. Don't beat around the bush with me. Although my place is not as prosperous as yours, it is not as if I haven't seen anything before. You don't need to keep trying to please me with these things."

Seeing that Fire Phoenix didn't seem to like the routine he was accustomed to among human cultivators, Song Qingming slowly put away his smile and took a cyan jade pendant from his person, placing it on the stone table.

"Your Highness, I obtained this item by chance a year ago, but because my cultivation is too low, I have never been able to open the restriction on it. I came here this time to ask Senior Long Feng to help me see if there is any way to open it."

Fire Phoenix glanced at the jade pendant on the table indifferently, then her eyes suddenly lit up. She extended a crystal-clear jade hand and gently picked up the pendant to examine it closely.

"This item appears to be a spatial artifact. Logically, only Golden Core cultivators among your humans can use such things. How did you obtain it?"

Facing Fire Phoenix's puzzled inquiry, Song Qingming took a deep breath and hurriedly poured out the explanation he had prepared on the way.

"It was a matter of chance. I actually obtained this jade pendant from the corpse of a Qi Refining cultivator. As for how he obtained it or why it was on him, I am not entirely sure."

Hearing Song Qingming's answer, Fire Phoenix stared calmly into his eyes for a moment, then suddenly turned her face away and said faintly: "Long Feng is not skilled in arrays and restrictions; finding him would be of no help to you."

"Senior Long Feng cannot open it? Then does Your Highness have any way? As long as the restriction can be removed, I am willing to offer half of the spiritual items inside to Your Highness."

Song Qingming had brought this jade pendant to find Long Feng hoping to see if he could open it and find a few good items to exchange for the resources he would need for Core Formation in the future. Hearing Fire Phoenix say this, Song Qingming immediately became anxious.

"I hope this trip wasn't in vain!" If even Fire Phoenix, a Nascent Soul Demon Emperor, had no way, then Song Qingming would truly have to give up on opening it until he reached Core Formation.

"Hehe! Half of the spiritual items? You certainly have a good plan. You said yourself that you don't know the origin of this item, which means you have no idea what is inside. What if it's empty? Wouldn't I be wasting my effort?" After Fire Phoenix finished speaking, she placed the jade pendant back on the stone table and began to tap her slender fingers on the table.

Seeing Fire Phoenix say this, Song Qingming felt a sense of relief. It seemed Fire Phoenix did indeed have a way to open this spatial artifact, but Song Qingming would still have to pay a price to persuade her.

Song Qingming lowered his head to ponder for a moment, then slowly raised his head and said: "Ever since I became acquainted with and followed Your Highness, I have received much care and many benefits, which is why my cultivation has progressed so quickly today. How could I ever forget Your Highness's kindness? If you have any orders, just command me; please don't treat me as an outsider."

"Hmm! It is best that you think this way. Although I occasionally need your help with some things, I am not someone who likes to force others. If you are unwilling, you can say so now, and I will find other ways." Fire Phoenix said with a smile.

"Hehe! Your Highness jokes. I am only too happy to have the opportunity to contribute to you; how could I be unwilling?"

"Very well! I will keep this item for now; come back tomorrow to retrieve it!"

Having obtained the answer she wanted, Fire Phoenix waved her hand and put away the cyan jade pendant on the table, and the two bottles of spiritual wine Song Qingming had offered earlier also vanished.