Chapter 1453: The Royal Daewoo Class

Chu Feng traversed the land and arrived in Qingzhou.

The Sun River, imbued with a potent fire essence, made it difficult for plants to grow along its banks. Shimmering golden sands and towering rock formations created a unique landscape.

Chu Feng stood on the riverbank, enduring the scorching heat.

The mighty river was vast, stretching for millions of miles, with wide, golden waters.

Up close, it felt less like a river and more like a golden expanse.

It truly seemed as if the sun had melted, forming incredibly hot waves that roared into the distance. Even from afar, a golden light could be seen piercing the sky.

"Phoenix King, I'll chop off your chicken head!" Chu Feng glared into the distance.

Whether she was a phoenix or a human, he would demand an explanation today.

Chu Feng was certain he had never provoked this person, yet she was filled with malice toward him, capturing Ziluan and patiently waiting for him to walk into her trap.

He used his Space Shrinking technique, moving upstream along the riverbank. The golden sand under his feet shimmered and felt comfortable to walk on, but the temperature was astonishingly high.

The banks of the Sun River were not entirely barren; there were also blessed lands where white immortal mist steamed and spiritual energy was astonishingly rich.

Chu Feng's destination was on the upstream bank, where the Phoenix King's cave mansion was located.

"Ostensibly, the Phoenix King ranks among the top five beings on the Yang Realm's God King list. In reality, she may have already achieved the Heavenly Venerate status. Still under a hundred years old, she is remarkably talented and an extraordinary evolutionist."

This was information Chu Feng had learned earlier; he never dared to be careless with his enemies.

Last time, he had almost made a move, but more than one powerful being was ambushing him in the Phoenix King's cave mansion. Feeling constrained, he had turned and left then.

"After I leveled the Black Capital and killed Taiwu's senior sister, causing such a stir outside, if they were targeting me and wanted to capture and kill me, the powerful beings ambushing in the Phoenix King's cave mansion should have already moved upon hearing the news," Chu Feng speculated.

Furthermore, with Li's return and his battle against the Martial Emperor and others outside the heavens, those powerful beings should be even more restless.

This lineage originated from Soul Light Cave. Since such a major event had occurred today, the powerful beings ambushing here likely needed to rush back to consult with the ancestors within Soul Light Cave.

All in all, the opportunity was rare, and Chu Feng believed he could now make his move against the Phoenix King.

As he approached his destination, the barren riverbank began to show signs of life.

Among the golden sand, a tenacious, crimson plant resembling wild artemisia grew, emitting a faint fragrance into the air.

"Here!" Chu Feng declared, staring ahead.

Dozens of miles away lay an oasis of considerable size. Yet, compared to the golden Sun River, it seemed small, like an isolated island in a vast ocean.

As he drew closer, one could sense the extraordinary nature of the place.

Dozens of majestically beautiful mountains rose, with lush spiritual vines and brilliantly glowing exotic flowers. Copper halls, jade towers, and golden pavilions stood on the mountains or floated amidst the clouds.

Beyond this vibrant green area, the surrounding landscape remained a somewhat barren expanse of golden sand.

"What a great place," Chu Feng exclaimed.

For such abundant vitality to exist in this barren land, there must be spiritual mountains within the earth's veins, nurturing immortal qi.

"They are indeed gone."

Chu Feng touched the ground, activating his heaven-defying domain divine art to probe the earthly energy and sense the various auras and mysteries of the cave mansion. He now had a clear understanding.

The powerful beings had already left and were no longer ambushing here.

This was the wonder of mastering domain techniques: through earthly energy, he could perceive everything. The layout and secrets of the entire mountain range were clear in his mind.

"Ziluan is still here!" Divine light gleamed in Chu Feng's eyes.

That proud girl had suffered much and been reverted to her original bird form, now confined in a metal cage.

However, this time the metal cage was no longer hanging from a tree branch in the courtyard but was locked inside a copper hall.

"A mere Heavenly Venerate dares to abduct someone close to me and set a trap to kill me? Are they tired of living?!" Chu Feng muttered.

If anyone were present, they would surely be speechless. To call a Heavenly Venerate "mere"—what then could be called truly great? The Martial Maniac, perhaps?!

"I'm getting a bit overconfident; I should reflect," Chu Feng mumbled, though it seemed to lack sincerity.

Mainly, not long ago, he had witnessed Li emerge and battle the Martial Maniac and others, a truly shocking and unprecedented sight that had broadened his own perspective.

Of course, his indignation was also real. The Phoenix King's attempt to ambush and kill him, implicating those around him, naturally exceeded his psychological bottom line. Until this person was dealt with, his anger would not subside.

"Sooner or later, I will overturn even the Soul Light Cave." He knew the root cause lay there; otherwise, without powerful beings to ambush with her and the formidable Soul Light Cave as a backing, the Phoenix King would not have dared to set up this trap.

At the mountain gate, several fiery red pine trees stood, their needles like red-hot iron bars, emitting wisps of fire essence. Beneath them, two auspicious beasts lay on the ground, guarding the gate.

Chu Feng attacked as he walked, domain patterns spreading from under his feet. The two strange beasts were just about to rise and roar when they were instantly confined.

They sank into the ground, their fate unknown.

Chu Feng entered directly through the main gate, without any concealment, radiating killing intent, his face cold. Those who dared to target him should be prepared for a counterattack.

"Chirp!"

At the mountain gate, a divine-level creature was perched on an ancient tree. It was a transformed green raptor, its body having the texture of azure-gold, just about to spread its wings and pounce, emitting dazzling light from its entire form.

To ordinary mortals, this was a deity.

But Chu Feng merely pointed, and it instantly fell to the ground with a thud.

Inside the mountain gate, pavilions and towers were situated. White mist curled up from lotus ponds, emitting wafts of clear fragrance. In the distance, fairies danced, and the ceaseless music of strings and flutes filled the air. Singing and dancing created a scene of peace and prosperity.

Chu Feng strode forward, stepping inside the mountain gate.

Wherever he passed, golden ripples spread out from under his feet, making him immune to all techniques and separating him from the surroundings, forming his own distinct space. The evolutionists in the mountain did not sense his arrival.

Outside, yellow sand covered the ground, a scene of desolation.

But inside the mountain gate, green grass carpeted the ground, lakes shimmered like melted jade, sacred trees were lush, and the air was filled with the fragrance of flowers and birdsong, creating a scene as beautiful as a painting.

The Phoenix King was indeed present, hosting several guests and personally playing the zither.

Her true name was Feng Xuan. Her appearance was radiant and exceptionally outstanding. Dressed in a red gown, she sat cross-legged on the green grass, her fingers delicately plucking the guqin on the jade table.

The zither music was pleasing to the ear, like a stream murmuring under the moon or an immortal spring cascading from a high mountain, with a melodious tinkling. Beautiful notes transformed into tangible runes blooming in the air, allowing one's soul to empty and the entire world to become clear and tranquil.

Some auspicious birds and propitious beasts appeared here.

Even Chu Feng paused briefly in the pine forest outside the green lawn, not appearing immediately. To be fair, that woman's zither skills were indeed at their peak.

When the last note faded, the entire mountain gate area was filled with peace.

A red-haired man exclaimed, "Junior Sister Xuan's zither skills are divine. They inspire hundreds of birds to fly from all directions and dance along, making propitious beasts approach with an aura of peace, as if on a pilgrimage. Truly, she is a zither immortal of her generation, at the pinnacle of skill, unmatched by anyone."

A strand of Feng Xuan's beautiful hair lay against her radiant white cheek. She smiled sweetly, her lips rosy, her bright eyes casting a captivating glance that stirred hearts. Her stunning beauty made the spiritual trees and jade flowers by the lake pale in comparison.

"Senior Brother overpraises me," Feng Xuan said. "Isn't that little bird in the copper hall crying? She shows no interest in my zither music at all; she even seems disgusted by it."

The red-haired man, wearing a purple-gold crown, smiled slightly and said, "That little bird from the netherworld is quite wild and not obedient enough. Perhaps she needs to suffer a bit more. I think Junior Sister still lacks a phoenix-feather cape. That little bird's shimmering purple wings are quite beautiful; they would suit Junior Sister well."

He was not old in age, yet he had become a Heavenly Venerate in his prime, simply because he was a descendant of the Soul Light Cave master. Ultimate experts had protected his metamorphosis, making his path of evolution much smoother. Otherwise, no matter how strong his talent, insufficient accumulation could easily lead to problems.

Feng Xuan shook her head and said, "Keep her for now; she has some use."

However, she really wanted to sigh. She had captured Ziluan and set a trap, hoping that demon Chu Feng would walk into it, but there had been no reaction.

She always felt as if she had wasted her efforts, as if this slow, leisurely trap had not caught the demon's attention at all, and he might not even know about it.

The red-haired man said, "I told you long ago, why bother with elaborate methods against such a person? If we find him, just rush over and kill him, then calmly take away his treasures."

"Didn't I find it interesting?" Feng Xuan said, displeased, "A bit more elegant, quietly waiting for the prey to walk into the trap. How much more amusing." Every frown and smile of hers was full of charm.

"Elegant trap," "prey," "interesting," "walk into the trap," "amusing"—when this series of words reached Chu Feng's ears, his face instantly turned cold, and he erupted in fury.

The disciples of Soul Light Cave were truly remarkable: abducting Ziluan to hunt his life was just a game, which they found amusing.

Who gave them the audacity? How dare they hunt him, Chu Feng? Chu Feng was enraged!

"Forget it, talking about that demon is too much of a downer," someone said. "Especially now, it would be troublesome if he showed up. Only a powerful being can subdue him now."

Someone spoke, dressed in black, with piercing, extremely sharp golden-yellow eyes. This was also one of only two Heavenly Venerates among the guests.

It was a Fiery Sky Raven spirit that resided in the Sun River and was on good terms with the Phoenix King. However, it had achieved enlightenment earlier and had been in the Heavenly Venerate realm for a very long time.

Feng Xuan frowned slightly and said, "He possesses a supreme treasure from our Yang Realm that was lost in the Lesser Netherworld. If we obtain it, it can certainly help us evolve rapidly. Especially today, seeing Li's return and his fierce battle with the Martial Emperor and others, the impact on us is too strong. Beings of that level are too terrifying, simply despair-inducing. In comparison, we are not even as good as ants. How can we protect ourselves in this chaotic world?"

"Several of our Martial Uncle-Ancestors have intervened; let's quietly await news," the red-haired man said, seemingly somewhat annoyed. He lightly flicked his finger, and with a loud thud, the copper hall not far away shook violently.

"Ah..."

From within, sounds of extreme fright were heard. Inside the copper hall, a metal birdcage hung, where a small purple bird, reverted to its original form and suppressed, trembled and whined.

A Heavenly Venerate's flick of the finger was meant to intimidate; how could she not be startled?

All her purple feathers bristled with fear, standing on end. Her large eyes were filled with terror, swimming in tears.

These days, she had been anxious and fearful, each day feeling like a year.

A young God King spoke, saying, "When she first arrived, she was arrogant and unyielding. Now, after these days, she finally knows fear. This is the result of taming; even the wild ones will become domesticated."

The copper hall door had already opened. Ziluan saw the people outside and was terrified, her large eyes filled with tears, but she still timidly and weakly said, "You're the wild one! Your whole family is wild!"

Her voice was very small, almost inaudible, but she had finally said it, and these people heard it.

"Hahaha..." Many people burst into laughter.

"You're asking for death!" the God King coldly shouted.

The red-haired Heavenly Venerate from Soul Light Cave unexpectedly smiled at this moment and said, "Interesting. Her little appearance is quite charming. Even though she's terrified, she still has a bit of pride."

"How about this: I'll give you your freedom. How about you become my Daoist attendant?" the red-haired Heavenly Venerate asked.

Ziluan was very timid and quietly made demands, saying, "First, let me out. I need half a month to consider. Now, I need to bathe and change. I'm hungry... I want to eat crystal trotters, dragon liver and phoenix marrow, I want to eat... all sorts of rare delicacies."

By the end of her list, she was practically drooling.

Many people couldn't help but laugh. She was indeed very proud. At a time like this, she still dared to make demands and bargain, truly pushing her luck.

"Hmph!"

Feng Xuan let out a cold snort. A silvery light shot from her glabella, striking the copper hall and instantly making it vibrate like a giant bell. The colossal sound was deafening.

She was revered as the Phoenix King, and the words "phoenix marrow" were taboo to her.

Ziluan let out a scream, struck by a sliver of silvery-white light. She flew backward, crashing into the metal cage, her body convulsing. She held her head with her wings, trembling constantly.

Feng Xuan originated from Soul Light Cave, a lineage whose strongest aspect was its research into soul power. All their techniques were related to soul light; she had just launched a psychic attack.

Ziluan's injuries were not severe, but this was a form of psychological intimidation. If too extreme, it could leave a lifelong psychological shadow.

She clearly knew this too. She screamed loudly, encouraging herself, "I'm actually... not scared! It's just a psychic attack, nothing great! You old witch, you can't scare me!"

By the end of her outburst, she was only moving her lips without sound, afraid of retaliation and torture.

"Even if you don't make a sound, I know what you're saying. Slap her!" Feng Xuan said coldly.

At this, two maidservants quickly walked over, with cold smiles on their faces. It was clear this wasn't their first time undertaking such a task.

"Ah, don't come near me! I'm very powerful!" Ziluan cried, typically strong on the outside but weak on the inside. "Beware that if I'm provoked, I might awaken my past life's Great Universe-level Dao fruit! A single gaze could collapse all heavens and shake you to death!" She threatened others while trying to embolden herself.

The two maidservants sneered, approaching the copper hall, and said, "It's not the first time we've slapped your mouth. Go ahead and awaken then. Let us see how powerful a Great Universe-level expert truly is."

"Wuwu... I miss my mother. Mother, where are you? And Grandpa, hurry and save me!" Ziluan cried, tears incessantly rolling down her large eyes. This was sincere sadness and helplessness, born from being pushed to extreme fear.

Outside the metal cage, the two maidservants laughed happily, showing no sympathy or mercy.

"Kidnapper, where are you? Chu, great demon, hurry and come! The people here are so fierce! People in the Yang Realm are not friendly at all! Hurry and save me! You're the one who implicated me! Liar! Kidnapper! Great demon! Wuwu... Help!"

Ziluan cried out. This was not the first time she was about to be tortured; she loudly called out, not wanting to be abused again.

She had heard news of Chu Feng because these people were always at ease when discussing him, believing her strength was insufficient, and thus did not specifically avoid her.

"Kidnapper, you're the one who implicated me! Great demon, hurry and save me! Old demon... someone's going to get killed!" She actually wanted to shout "old hag," but she was afraid the Phoenix King would kill her, so she stopped herself mid-sentence.

Feng Xuan said indifferently, "I've changed my mind. Pluck half her purple feathers for me and make a phoenix-feather cape. She's an eyesore; this will be a small punishment to make her learn."

"No, I'm scared! Help! Kidnapper, great demon, where are you? Hurry and throw yourself into the net, quickly walk into the trap! And... beat them all to death!"

Ziluan cried out. One might say she had no backbone, yet she still hoped Chu Feng would beat these people to death. One might say she wasn't scared, yet she was trembling violently, practically scared to death.

With a clang, the metal cage was opened. Ziluan shrieked in terror, desperately fleeing to the corner of the cage, trembling all over. Her feathers stood on end, overcome with fright, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Help! Mother, I miss you!"

"Grandpa, you're called the Old Demon King, hurry and save me!"

"Kidnapper, you're a bastard! Every time I'm involved with you, I get utterly unlucky! I command you to come and rescue me!"

The usually proud girl was now truly terrified, her various wails making those who knew her feel sorrow and pity, yet also a little amused.

What was Chu Feng doing at this moment? He was sealing off the entire cultivation ground, not wanting to let a single person escape. He was truly enraged.

After confirming Ziluan was not in mortal danger, he quickly completed these tasks and was now rapidly forcing his way in!

He heard Ziluan's cries for help, rage filling his chest as he strode across the pine forest. He wanted to see how elegant these people would be when they saw him, how they would hunt, and if they would still find it amusing.

To treat Ziluan like this made his fury boil!

"Heh heh, aren't you a reincarnated Great Universe-level expert?" one said. "Hurry and awaken your past life's Dao fruit then."

The two maidservants sneered with mocking expressions. One of them opened the iron cage, reaching out to grab Ziluan.

"I am originally a Great Universe-level expert!" Ziluan cried. "Get away quickly, or you'll all die!"

"Hahaha..." The two maidservants laughed frivolously and happily.

Behind them, a group of people also laughed. All the guests, including the Heavenly Venerates, smiled.

However, at this moment, something terrifying happened. The two maidservants who were mocking and ridiculing suddenly collapsed with two muffled sounds, turning into two crimson blood flowers.

At this moment, everyone's smiles froze!

"Great Universe-level... Dao fruit revived?!" someone timid shrieked.

Even Ziluan was a bit dazed amidst her fear, her eyes full of tears, holding her head and frozen in place. Even she herself was questioning reality, thinking, "Could this princess truly be a reincarnated Great Universe-level being? Does this mean... this princess is now invincible? Can I fight a hundred of you by myself!?"