The roc impatiently shook its steel feathers. If Xiao Wenbing hadn't given a strict order, the hot-tempered roc would have already gone down to fight.
The closer they got to the central peak, the more Xiao Wenbing and the others could feel the power of the Phoenix Lord; its almost tangible aura was enough to suffocate them.
Even the usually unruly Roc bird became much more subdued, its gaze towards the central mountain peak filled with a hint of apprehension.
However, it was absolutely impossible for the fearless Roc to admit its fear. Its steel-like feathers trembled rapidly, the excitement of encountering a master. It seemed ready to charge forward and fight its opponent to the death.
A powerful aura surged towards the crowd like a tide.
Xiao Wenbing's expression changed slightly. This was the Phoenix Lord's true strength. Compared to the many gods in the God Realm, she was already far superior.
Of course, while this power could suppress many gods in the divine realm, it was still far inferior to that of the Turtle God and the Lonely God.
Slowly, multicolored light rose from the body of the Roc, and the gentle yet resilient power of the five elements formed a perfect barrier.
No matter how powerful the phoenix's strength is, it is powerless before the order barrier formed by the unity of the five elements.
The opponent's oppressive aura faltered instantly, clearly not expecting that such a super technique as the fusion of the five elements existed in this world.
Xiao Wenbing knew he couldn't show weakness at this moment. With a flick of his finger, five thousand divine swords flew out and merged into one in mid-air. The overwhelming and all-encompassing sword light burst forth, instantly tearing through the void and piercing towards the highest mountain peak.
Amidst the mountains, countless shouts erupted as Xiao Wenbing's audacious act instantly enraged the entire Phoenix Clan.
However, the mighty Phoenix Queen was no ordinary person. A seemingly soft and powerless colorful feather drifted down from the mountain peak. The feather floated slowly, but this slow movement met the lightning-fast Heavenly Dao Divine Sword head-on.
With a deafening roar, immense forces emanated from the center of the sword-feather clash, spreading outwards in all directions. The entire mountain range trembled slightly under this tremendous force of heaven and earth.
The phoenixes looked at each other in dismay. Although they had already discerned from the color of the roc that this group of people must be extraordinary, they truly realized the power of this group when they saw that Xiao Wenbing's sword could be evenly matched with Phoenix Queen Caiyu, and even slightly superior.
Countless points of light rose from dozens of mountain peaks, forming a massive array in the air that vanished all the turbulence in the auspicious clouds.
Xiao Wenbing secretly admired the Phoenix Clan's experts; they had easily resolved the aftermath of his confrontation with the Phoenix Lord.
"bite……"
A soft sound, yet loud and clear.
"The divine lord has graced us with his presence; please come into the mountain for a meeting."
"Since the Phoenix Lord has summoned me, how dare I disobey?"
Suddenly, the clouds surrounding the summit began to disperse, revealing a road leading to the heavens.
Numerous phoenixes appeared at the same time, singing loudly and melodiously, like celestial music, which captivated the listener.
Volume 23, Chapter 25: The Meeting of the Three Races
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From the depths of the sea of clouds, a slender figure slowly emerged, flashing a smile at the crowd.
This woman is incomparably beautiful. Even Feng Baiyi and Zhang Yaqi cannot outshine her in the slightest.
Xiao Wenbing quickly stepped forward, his divine sense scanning her body, a slight puzzlement in his heart. Although this woman's cultivation was profound, it was still far inferior to the level of the one who had just withstood his sword strike.
What's going on?
Suddenly, Xiao Wenbing thought of the Dragon King who had transformed into a four-legged lizard, and it dawned on him that these old monsters liked to play dumb to take advantage of others.
He bowed deeply to the beautiful woman opposite him and said respectfully, "Junior Xiao Wenbing greets Your Majesty, Phoenix Lord."
The beautiful woman blushed, returned the greeting, and said softly, "Your Majesty is mistaken."
"Wrong?" Xiao Wenbing was greatly surprised and asked, "Where did this junior go wrong?"
"I am Feng Ling, a maidservant of Lord Phoenix, and I have been ordered to come and welcome you all."
Xiao Wenbing was taken aback. So, after all this time... this wasn't the Phoenix Lord after all...
With an awkward smile, he followed the beautiful woman who was covering her mouth and chuckling softly into the sea of clouds.
Layers of mist rose beneath their feet, making them feel as if they were floating in the clouds. However, given their current cultivation levels, they didn't care about the distance; instead, they found it quite interesting.
Since Xiao Wenbing and the others dismounted from the Roc's back, it has regained its size, now taller than a person. However, its smaller size does not diminish its powerful aura. Just standing there casually, it acts like a guiding light, drawing people's gaze involuntarily.
"As expected, it is the Xuanjin Roc." A soft voice came, indescribably pleasant to the ear: "The Roc clan has gained another powerful member, which is truly a cause for celebration."
Xiao Wenbing and the others were slightly startled and looked up together.
Standing high in the clouds was an absolutely stunning young woman, whose beauty, figure, and temperament were unparalleled.
Even the stunning beauty of Zhang and Feng pales in comparison to the breathtaking beauty of this young girl.
No need to ask. This must be the Phoenix Lord.
"Phoenix Lord... Your Excellency." Xiao Wenbing bowed to her with a rather strange expression.
However, he secretly grumbled to himself, "Why would an ancient monster, who's been around for countless billions of years, need to become so beautiful?"
If the Phoenix Lord on the other side knew what Xiao Wenbing was thinking at this moment, he would probably risk the death of his entire clan to capture him, then skin him alive and subject him to the Ten Great Tortures of the Qing Dynasty.
Fortunately, Xiao Wenbing, being a deity, was not so easily seen through. Moreover, the Phoenix Lord did not have the strange habit of spying on others, which is why Xiao Wenbing escaped a calamity.
"Please be seated, everyone." The Phoenix Lord slightly raised her hand. Instantly, the clouds around everyone began to churn. Soft clouds transformed into sturdy armchairs, which were placed behind everyone.
"Your Highness, the Phoenix Lord, is truly skilled." Xiao Wenbing praised sincerely. The way you utilize energy so skillfully is something even he couldn't match.
Phoenix Lord smiled slightly and said, "The Divine Lord's Myriad Swords Technique is the ultimate path, far more powerful than my trivial skill."
"Pfft? You know about the Myriad Swords Technique too?"
"The Myriad Swords Technique is renowned throughout the Three Realms. How could I not know about it?"
Xiao Wenbing and the others exchanged bewildered glances. Although the Myriad Swords Technique was incredibly powerful, no deity had ever been able to master it before Xiao Wenbing. The Phoenix Lord's words were truly unexpected.
"Ahem, Lord Phoenix, so you do know the origin of the Myriad Swords Technique?"
"Indeed, as far as I know, the Myriad Swords Technique is the unique skill of the Creator God, known as second only to the Heavenly Thunder and Earthly Killing Technique in the world." The Phoenix Queen said calmly, but the longing in her eyes revealed her true feelings.
"Ah, I see." Xiao Wenbing nodded in realization. No wonder this sword technique was so suitable for him to cultivate. It turned out that its previous owner on earth was the creator god.
The Phoenix Queen's gaze was gentle and peaceful as she inquired, "I've heard that the Divine Lord possesses the Phoenix Queen's crown feather; may I have the honor of seeing it?"
Xiao Wenbing did not refuse and handed over the Phoenix Lord's Top Feather, which he had kept hidden for many years.
I've never had a chance to use this thing since I got it. I never imagined that it would come in handy now that I'm in the underworld.
The Phoenix Queen examined it carefully for a moment, then slowly sighed, "Indeed, it is the token of our Phoenix clan's descendants in the cultivation world." She smiled kindly at Xiao Wenbing, her eyes revealing a hint of sincerity, and said, "Thank you, Divine Lord, for your care for our clan in the cultivation world."
"Not at all," Xiao Wenbing quickly bowed and said, "It should be me who is grateful for the righteous help from the Dragon and Phoenix clans."
"The Dragon and Phoenix clans..." The Phoenix Lord smiled meaningfully and said, "This must be the outstanding talent of the Dragon clan."
Since entering the Phoenix Nest, Long Shi had been holding his breath and not daring to speak. However, now that the Phoenix Lord had named him, he could not be negligent. He quickly stepped forward, not daring to be as arrogant as Xiao Wenbing. Instead, he respectfully bowed and said, "Long Shi greets Your Majesty the Phoenix Lord."
"No need for formalities." With these words from the Phoenix Queen, a powerful force gently lifted Long Shi to his feet.
"Thank you Lord Phoenix."
The Phoenix Queen looked at him with a hint of suspicion. She asked, "Long Shi, how long have you been in the Underworld?"
"Your Excellency, it has been a full hundred years."
"One hundred years?" Phoenix Queen frowned slightly. "You've only cultivated for a mere one hundred years, how could you possibly have reached the fifth level of the Underworld?"
Long Shi blushed and said, "This humble dragon is only so because the Dragon King has granted me this special permission."
"Oh, what's that old dragon up to?" the Phoenix Queen muttered to herself.
"Haha, Lord Phoenix, you are overthinking it. This Brother Long Shi is a close friend of mine, and we were even comrades-in-arms in the cultivation world. That's why I asked Lord Dragon King to bring him here so we can catch up."
Phoenix Lord was taken aback, then her expression turned somewhat surprised: "Does the Divine Lord mean that we will fight side by side in the cultivation world?"
"Exactly."
"With your status and divine power as a Divine Lord, is there anyone in the cultivation world who could possibly provoke you?" Phoenix Lord asked, utterly bewildered.
"Your Majesty, you may not know this, but back then my cultivation was still at the Immortal Cultivation Realm, which is why I joined forces with Brother Long Shi to fight the enemy."
“Cultivation…” Phoenix Lord considered for a moment, then said somewhat displeased, “You jest, Divine Lord.”
"I'm not joking. I ascended from the cultivation world to the immortal realm less than two hundred years ago," Xiao Wenbing said honestly.
For a long time, there was no sound. Xiao Wenbing looked up and saw that the Phoenix Queen's cherry-like mouth was wide open in surprise, her eyes full of suspicion. Not only was she like this, but even the Phoenix Spirit beside her had the same look of disbelief.
"Cough...cough cough..."
Accompanied by a low cough, the two phoenixes seemed to awaken from their slumber.
"We apologize, Your Majesty's words are too... too absurd. That is why we were so rude. Please forgive us."
"Easy," Xiao Wenbing smiled nonchalantly. The idea of someone becoming a god within two hundred years—regardless of who they were—would elicit the same expression upon first hearing it.
Phoenix Lord's gaze shifted to Long Shi, clearly wanting to get the final answer from him.
Long Shi bowed deeply and said, "Lord Phoenix, it is indeed less than two hundred years since Brother Xiao ascended to the Immortal Realm." He paused, then added, "Actually, there are people within the Phoenix Clan who can testify to this."
Xiao Wenbing was startled and immediately realized that Feng Hua must have also ascended to immortality.
……
"Oh, you mean the members of our Phoenix Clan who ascended to immortality in the last two hundred years?"
"Exactly."
Xiao Wenbing glanced at the high and mighty Phoenix Lord with considerable admiration; her reaction was indeed quick.
The Phoenix Queen closed her eyes slightly, her delicate fingers twitching gently, and her cherry lips parted softly: "It's Feng Hua, isn't it?"
Xiao Wenbing was utterly impressed this time. He was amazed that Feng Hua could even be predicted. He truly deserved to be called an old monster who had lived for countless billions of years.
"Your Majesty the Phoenix is indeed wise. If you would not mind, how about inviting Feng Hua here for a chat?" Xiao Wenbing said loudly with a laugh.
“Okay.” Phoenix Lord agreed without hesitation.
As long as you maintain a harmonious relationship with this monster who became a god in two hundred years, then this small request will naturally not be taken seriously by her.
At the Phoenix Lord's signal, Feng Ling left, presumably to search for Feng Hua's whereabouts on the second level of the Underworld.
The Phoenix Lord's gaze now focused on the Roc, and she asked, "My Lord, where did you obtain this god among birds?"