Qi Yu strongly protested Sui You's suggestion of the Fiery Rebirth Hot Spring.
However, she ultimately couldn't resist the majority and was forced to agree.
The Phoenix clan resided on Mount Wutong, which was covered with Wutong trees.
The trees had greenish-blue trunks, were tall and straight, with large leaves, making the entire Mount Wutong appear a serene, verdant expanse.
Emerald green.
Sui You personally invited the members of their sect to be guests of the Phoenix clan. Their treatment was naturally much more grand than others; they were directly transformed into their original forms and carried Qi Yu and the others over.
Qi Yu sat on Sui You's bird back, looking up at the sky. Although she had ridden on magical artifacts before, and even on the back of a dragon, she still found sitting on a phoenix to be a novel experience.
Especially since she kept wanting to pluck a phoenix feather...
Fortunately, she managed to control herself.
Yue Zhiyin, watching her from the side, suddenly asked a critical question: "Do you think I'm better, or is the phoenix better?"
Sui You immediately paid attention to Qi Yu's answer.
Qi Yu was currently sitting on the back of a phoenix. How could she dare to say anything negative? Wouldn't she be thrown off?
So, she unhesitatingly betrayed Yue Zhiyin and sided with the phoenix: "Of course the phoenix is better, and the phoenix is warmer!"
Yue Zhiyin narrowed his eyes.
Qi Yu abruptly changed the subject: "Of course, I think dragons are also good. You two each have your own merits, there's no need to compare." kuAiδugg
Yue Zhiyin snorted coldly.
Sui You flapped his wings, suddenly accelerating, swooping down sharply, and then abruptly changing direction, flying upwards.
Qi Yu hugged his neck and let out a yelp.
Si Qing secretly complained, "Sister, I think Senior Brother Sui You is deliberately trying to scare you."
"I think so too," Qi Yu pouted, "He's a vengeful bad bird."
Sui You narrowed his eyes.
And so, the vengeful bad bird gave Qi Yu and the others a good taste of drifting.
Mount Wutong.
Sui You landed and lowered his wings, allowing Qi Yu and the others to dismount.
He then transformed back into his phoenix form and led Qi Yu and the others inside.
Qi Yu had a Fire Spirit Pearl in her sea of consciousness that allowed her to freely enter and exit the Phoenix barrier, so she walked ahead without needing Sui You to clear the way.
Ming Lou and the others were seeing the Phoenix clan's domain for the first time. Upon seeing the place filled with the gentle chirping of birds and fragrant flowers, they all tilted their heads back, their eyes wide with admiration for the celestial scenery.
"Greetings, Phoenix Lord." A member of the Phoenix clan bowed gracefully to Sui You, followed by a chorus of greetings from all directions.
Sui You casually raised his hand, signaling them to dispense with formalities, and then led Qi Yu and the others directly onto a rainbow arch bridge.
This rainbow arch bridge appeared ethereal and illusory, surrounded by wisps of immortal mist, making it feel as though there was no solid ground to step on.
Qi Yu stepped onto it and discovered that although the bridge looked illusory, there was actually a divine power supporting them.
Sui You walked at the forefront, introducing as they went, "Crossing this bridge will lead us to the Phoenix Ancient Capital."
The Phoenix Ancient Capital was the sacred hall of the Phoenix clan, and where Sui You lived.
Ming Lou was a bit curious: "I heard that the Phoenix clan is different from other races. The Phoenix clan has always had only one king? Sui You, is this true? But if that's the case, shouldn't you be very old? Yet you seem quite young."
Although Sui You was an ancient monster by human standards, he was indeed considered young by the Phoenix clan.
"Ordinary phoenix tribesmen experience cycles of life and death, but their lifespans are much longer than humans. The Phoenix King, however, does not perish. They are reborn from flames after reaching a certain age."
Ming Lou seemed to understand, yet not.
The Winged Tiger clan was truly not good at contemplating unfamiliar matters.
"It means that the Phoenix King will be reborn from fire when they reach a certain age, and then become a new king, thus alternating continuously," Qi Yu couldn't help but explain to Ming Lou. "Although Sui You appears young, he has actually been reborn from fire, so this is his new era."
"But I also have relatives," Sui You looked at Ming Lou. "They are elders of the Phoenix clan, not direct relatives in the human sense. Although, when I was a fledgling, I would call them as humans do."
Ming Lou gave an "Oh."
Unknowingly, everyone had arrived at the main gate of the Phoenix Ancient Capital.
The wooden gate of the Phoenix Ancient Capital looked very sturdy, with intricate patterns.
Qi Yu estimated it to be several zhang high.
In the center of the gate, a colossal phoenix was carved.
It sensed someone approaching and first emitted a dazzling red light. Sui You raised his hand and injected divine power.
The wooden gate immediately seemed to acknowledge his identity as Phoenix Lord, its light gradually dimming, and then, little by little, it opened on its own.
Qi Nian and the others looked up and gasped, walking in while marveling.
Qi Nian walked at the very front of everyone.
As soon as she took a step, her foot felt empty.
When she looked down at the ground, she realized there was no ground inside the wooden gate, only a vast, bottomless abyss.
Her expression changed drastically, and she quickly retracted her extended foot, her fur bristling. Her heart pounded wildly:
"Damn it! Third brother, why is there no place to step inside your Phoenix clan's Ancient Capital!?"
As soon as the large wooden gate opened, the palaces inside were suspended in mid-air, with no floating stones around, only a bottomless, abyssal chasm.
No wonder it was difficult for other races to survive after entering the Phoenix clan...
These illusory landscapes and bottomless chasms meant that without wings, passage was impossible.
Yue Zhiyin wiped his brow.
Fortunately, he hadn't stepped in directly like Qi Nian, or he would have fallen.
Although dragons could ride the clouds and mist and wouldn't fall directly, it would still be a fright.
"...I forgot about that part," Sui You said apologetically to Qi Yu and the others. "Magical artifacts cannot be used within the Phoenix Ancient Capital; you can only fly in with your wings... but you don't seem to have any... I'll take you in one by one."
"It's alright, I can help," Ming Lou spread his wings and flew into the air. "Thank goodness I'm from the Winged Tiger clan and can fly!"
Yu Zhen put a hand to his forehead, torn between amusement and exasperation.
Although Sui You could take them in one by one, it would ultimately be too strenuous.
A reliable solution was needed.
Thus, for a time, everyone began to display their unique abilities, aiming to successfully enter the Phoenix Ancient Capital without exhausting Sui You.
Feng Mingxi, Feng Sixian, and Feng Yunzui, being from the demon race, also had wings and could fly themselves.
Li Yu resumed his Qilin true form, floating in mid-air on auspicious clouds, allowing Yu Zhen to embrace Qi Yu and sit on his back, with Si Qing at the rear.
Qi Nian, Chi Ming, Qi Yan, and Yue Zhiyin looked at each other. In the end, Yue Zhiyin transformed back into his dragon form and carried the rest of them over.
They proceeded through the main gate of the Phoenix Ancient Capital, passed through the divine hall and corridors, and entered the inner hall.
Upon entering the inner hall, the first thing they saw was a waterfall that stretched as far as the eye could see.
In the center, in front of the waterfall, stood a towering ancient tree.
The tree was covered in vibrant, resplendent phoenix flowers. Many Phoenix clan members were flapping their wings, flying around the treetops in pairs, the atmosphere sweet.
"...You can reach the Fiery Rebirth Hot Spring by passing through the barriers on either side of the ancient tree," Sui You said, looking at Qi Yu with a meaningful expression. "Men on the left, women on the right. Junior Brother Qi Yu... which side do you intend to go to?"