Temporary Truce

After Chu Feng entered the Phoenix Clan's main hall, his expression was grave, and a hint of weariness showed between his brows.

Yuanfeng sat upright in the seat of honor. Seeing Chu Feng return, a trace of doubt flashed through her eyes as she asked with concern, "Young Friend Chu, how did your trip to the Dragon Clan go?"

Chu Feng sighed softly and recounted the events to everyone.

The moment he finished speaking, fury ignited throughout the entire hall.

"Insolence!"

Lie Yan slammed her palm on the table and rose to her feet. She had always been hot-tempered.

"How dare the Dragon Clan humiliate an honored guest of our Phoenix Clan? They are practically slapping the Phoenix Clan across the face!"

Another young general echoed, "Clan Chief, we should immediately send troops to raze the Dragon Clan's sacred land and let them know the price of offending an honored guest of the Phoenix Clan!"

Upon hearing this, anger flashed in Yuanfeng's eyes. Just as she was about to speak, she was stopped by an elderly woman in a green robe—the Phoenix Clan elder, Feng Yuan.

"Everyone, please remain calm."

Feng Yuan swept her gaze across the crowd and slowly said, "What Young Friend Chu said was true. There may be another hidden truth behind this matter. If we send troops rashly, we may fall into someone else's trap."

"Hmph, Elder Feng Yuan, you're simply afraid of trouble!" Lie Yan snorted coldly.

"General Lie, you overstate it."

Feng Yuan smiled faintly without anger. "I merely believe that before we uncover the truth, acting rashly will only make the situation more complicated."

Seeing that neither side would yield, Yuanfeng released her aura and rebuked them, "Enough! This is not the time for impulsiveness."

"Clan Chief, what should we do next?" Lie Yan asked.

A mysterious smile tugged at Yuanfeng's lips. She then formed a hand seal and set down a restriction. "Come closer and listen..."

Elsewhere, after Hongjun received the message conveyed by the Heavenly Dao, she fell into deep thought. It seems I need to help him a little.

Time was worthless, and five hundred years passed in the blink of an eye.

At Yuanfeng's invitation, Chu Feng remained at the Volcano of Immortality.

During that time, he often discussed the Dao with members of the Phoenix Clan, and his relationship with them grew much closer.

"Fellow Daoist Chu, please help!" Lie Yan suddenly sent Chu Feng a voice transmission.

After looking into the matter, Lie Yan had discovered some suspicious clues behind the recent and increasingly frequent disputes between the Dragon and Phoenix Clans.

After replying to her, Chu Feng set out to provide support. He sped through the mountains and forests, his figure darting among the trees.

The setting sun was blood-red, casting its glow over the earth, while a faint scent of blood lingered in the air.

Chu Feng frowned slightly as he sensed a disturbance ahead. With a flash, he swept onto the top of a cliff.

In the valley not far away, a woman was staggering as she fled. She wore azure-scaled battle armor, her silver hair flying wildly. Streaks of fierce sword qi tore through the air behind her, striking straight at her vital points.

Her steps were unsteady, and she had clearly suffered severe injuries, yet a trace of stubbornness remained in her eyes.

"Ao Ling!"

Chu Feng recognized the figure, and his heart jolted. Without hesitation, he leaped down, formed a hand seal, and sent the spiritual energy surging through his body into a streak of golden light that shot toward the enemies.

The expressions of the black-robed cultivators changed drastically. They exchanged glances, dared not linger, and immediately fled through the air.

Once the enemies had left, Chu Feng hurried forward, supported Ao Ling, and asked, "Are you all right?"

Ao Ling raised her head, her gaze falling on Chu Feng's face. A faint blush spread across her cheeks, and the corners of her lips lifted slightly. "So it was you..."

Chu Feng chuckled. "What? Is 'so it was you' all you have to say upon seeing the person who saved your life?"

As he spoke, he took out a bottle of healing pills from his robe and handed it to her. "Take this first."

Ao Ling accepted the pills but did not swallow them immediately. She asked softly, "How did you end up here?"

"I came to support a friend. I didn't expect to run into you under these circumstances."

Ao Ling nodded slightly in thought and did not ask further.

"What exactly happened to you? Why were you being hunted?" Chu Feng asked in surprise.

Ao Ling sighed softly and slowly said, "Someone has been secretly driving a wedge between the Dragon Clan and the Phoenix Clan, trying to make the two clans break completely. I accidentally uncovered some of the truth, but the Sixth Elder branded me a traitor."

"It seems this Sixth Elder has a problem." Chu Feng's expression turned grave. He then discussed matters with Ao Ling and had her notify the Dragon Clan.

Several days later, within the Dragon Clan's sacred land, Ancestral Dragon and Yuanfeng sat on opposite sides of the hall.

Ancestral Dragon wore a golden-scaled battle robe. Looking at Yuanfeng across from her, she slowly said, "Fellow Daoist Yuanfeng, what brings you here today?"

Dressed in crimson-gold feathered robes, Yuanfeng smiled faintly. "I came to resolve this misunderstanding."

Ancestral Dragon's gaze shifted slightly. "You mean Chu Feng's matter?"

"Precisely."

Yuanfeng nodded. "Chu Feng is not a spy of the Phoenix Clan. He came to inform us about the tribulation, yet you misunderstood him and even allowed your elders to besiege him."

Ancestral Dragon was silent for a moment before slowly speaking. "Ao Ling has already given me a detailed report on this matter. The Dragon Clan was at fault."

Yuanfeng's expression eased slightly as she proposed, "It is not too late to understand this now. Over the years, the Dragon and Phoenix Clans have clashed without end. It is time to call a truce and recuperate."

After pondering for a moment, Ancestral Dragon walked toward Yuanfeng and extended her hand. "Very well. From this day onward, the Dragon Clan and Phoenix Clan will temporarily cease hostilities."

Time was not counted in the primordial world. With Ao Ling's help, the Dragon and Phoenix Clans finally reached a temporary truce agreement.

To express her gratitude for Chu Feng's previous rescue, she decided to personally travel to the Volcano of Immortality to find him.

Volcano of Immortality.

At that moment, Chu Feng was seated cross-legged at the edge of the crater. A faint barrier of flames surrounded him, his eyes closed as he absorbed spiritual energy.

After the Dragon and Phoenix Clans called a truce, Chu Feng simply stayed here to cultivate at Yuanfeng's invitation. With Yuanfeng providing cultivation resources, he was more than happy to remain.

Just then, a commotion arose in the distance, followed by a clear voice tinged with anger. "I have already explained why I came. Why are you still stopping me?"

Chu Feng frowned slightly, opened his eyes, and looked toward the sound.

Not far away, several Phoenix Clan warriors in golden-feathered battle robes had surrounded a woman in their midst. That woman was Ao Ling of the Dragon Clan.

"You are from the Dragon Clan. Who would believe you mean no harm? Though there is now a truce agreement, people's hearts are difficult to predict."

Ao Ling suppressed her anger and tried to keep her tone calm. "I hope there can be less suspicion between us. Otherwise, even if we have a truce now, conflict will inevitably erupt again in the future."

"Silence!"

Lie Yan shouted sharply and swung the spear in her hand. "You little Dragon Clan girl, how dare you lecture our Phoenix Clan here? If you refuse to leave today, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"

As soon as she finished speaking, several Phoenix Clan warriors behind her also drew their swords. The atmosphere immediately grew tense.

Just as a great battle was about to erupt, a figure descended from the sky like a meteor and positioned himself between the two sides...

"Enough!"

Chu Feng stood in the middle of the battlefield, his gaze sweeping across the crowd before settling on Lie Yan. "Fellow Daoist Lie Yan, why not do me a favor and let her in?"

Lie Yan cupped her hands in salute but was unwilling to back down. "Fellow Daoist Chu, her identity is special. If we let her in rashly, I fear something may happen..."

Chu Feng snorted softly and slightly released his aura. "She is my friend. If Fellow Daoist Lie Yan finds this difficult, then I will leave the Volcano of Immortality with her and make other arrangements. What do you think, Fellow Daoist Lie Yan?"