The Still-Charming Phoenix Ancestor

Lan Ruo, the Nascent Soul Stage ancestor of the Luo He Sect, likewise frowned slightly. Everywhere her gaze passed, the sects within Fire Ember Country had long since been reduced to ruins.

Broken walls and crumbling remnants lay scattered everywhere, along with the corpses of countless fallen cultivators. Even the sect mountain peaks they had once been so proud of had been razed to the ground.

"Feng Luan, ancestor of the War God Hall, has come to pay respects to Senior Lin Che."

As a light voice rang out from afar, a peerlessly beautiful woman in magnificent robes appeared out of thin air amid the fiery red clouds.

She wore a sky-blue palace gown, its hem layered with overlapping triangular jade ornaments. A sash was tied around her waist, and numerous long ribbons extended beneath it.

Worn by this mature woman, the palace gown brought out a lively, ethereal air.

She was exquisitely beautiful, her face untouched by makeup yet glowing like rosy clouds reflected on snow. Her skin was smooth as congealed cream, and her features were as lovely as a flower.

This person was none other than Feng Luan, one of the mid-stage Nascent Soul Stage ancestors of the War God Hall!

Lanruo Ancestor flew up and cupped her hands toward Feng Luan. "Fellow Daoist Feng Luan, may I ask what brings you here?"

Phoenix Ancestor revealed a gentle smile, her voice as pleasant as a lark's. "I heard that the senior who recently arrived in Fire Ember Country is here. As an ancestor of the War God Hall, it is only proper that I come to pay my respects."

Lanruo Ancestor raised her head slightly and narrowed her eyes. "Fellow Daoist, you did not come merely to bow and pay respects, did you?"

"Fellow Daoist, there is no need to be nervous. We are allies now, so naturally I will not say anything else. Might you introduce me?"

Seeing that Feng Luan insisted, Lanruo Ancestor said nothing further. After all, the War God Hall and the Luo He Sect were currently allies. Making things too tense would not benefit either side.

Phoenix Ancestor landed steadily on the ground and approached the room where Lin Che was staying in small steps. Cupping her hands, she said, "This junior, Feng Luan, ancestor of the War God Hall, requests an audience with Senior Lin Che."

"Come in."

As the icy voice sounded from within the room, Feng Luan's expression changed. She could even feel her Nascent Soul falling into disorder.

It seemed that the cultivator inside surpassed her by far. With a single glance, he could likely make her soul scatter and her spirit dissipate.

Phoenix Ancestor adjusted her breathing and stepped into the room. At the same time, she noticed the handsome young man seated in a chair, drinking tea.

When she saw Lin Che's handsome face, even Feng Luan's cheeks could not help but flush slightly. In all her years, she had never seen such a handsome young man.

His face looked tender enough to squeeze water from it. So smooth...

Feng Luan had originally assumed the cultivator stationed here would be a white-haired elder, but she had not expected him to be so young. He looked no more than a hundred years old.

To reach the Nascent Soul Transformation stage at such a young age, his talent was absolutely unparalleled in this world. His future accomplishments would surely be limitless!

Feng Luan bowed respectfully to Lin Che. "This junior, Feng Luan, ancestor of the War God Hall, greets Senior Lin Che."

Lin Che took a sip of tea and glanced at Feng Luan's curvaceous figure from the corner of his eye. He had to admit that Phoenix Ancestor was still quite charming.

He vaguely remembered that in the original story, the Fire Ember Alliance would suffer a crushing defeat when attacking Xuanwu Country. Even the War God Hall would be completely slaughtered.

In the early stages of the Fire Ember Alliance's attack on Xuanwu Country, the cultivators of Xuanwu Country had indeed failed to react in time, allowing the Fire Ember Alliance to exploit the opportunity.

Once Xuanwu Country came to its senses, it immediately gathered cultivators throughout the country and launched a massive counterattack. In the end, the Fire Ember Country cultivators suffered a disastrous defeat, while more than half the disciples of both the War God Hall and the Luo He Sect were slain.

As for Feng Luan before him, in order to preserve the War God Hall's legacy, she would leave Xuanwu Country with several core disciples of the War God Hall and travel to Changli Kingdom, another Third-Grade Cultivation Nation, where she would establish the War God Hall anew.

Her Dao companion, Yang Sen, would perish during the great battle in Fire Ember Country.

Phoenix Ancestor smiled. "I never expected Senior to be so young. I thought you would be an old senior."

Lin Che made a welcoming gesture. "Fellow Daoist Feng Luan, there is no need to be reserved. Please, sit."

Feng Luan nodded, turned, and sat beside Lin Che. Being this close to a Nascent Soul Transformation Expert made even Feng Luan's heart race.

After all, she had cultivated for many years, and the strongest cultivators she had encountered were merely Spirit Severing Stage experts. Now that the person before her had reached the Nascent Soul Transformation stage, she was naturally filled with astonishment.

"May I ask what brings Fellow Daoist here this time?"

"You jest, Senior. This junior learned that you are willing to escort the cultivators of Fire Ember Country to Xuanwu Country, so I came specifically on behalf of the War God Hall to thank you."

The corners of Phoenix Ancestor's lips lifted slightly, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful smile. "Besides, being able to converse with Senior is also this junior's honor."

Lin Che merely smiled without speaking.

Feng Luan truly deserved her reputation as a Nascent Soul Stage beauty within Fire Ember Country. Her bearing was indeed extraordinary. To remain so calm and composed before a Nascent Soul Transformation Expert, she could be considered the foremost person beneath the Soul Transformation Stage.

"Senior, I heard that you are not a cultivator of Fire Ember Country?"

"That is correct. I am from Zhao Kingdom."

Lin Che did not conceal his identity. After all, his name had already become known to Vermillion Bird Kingdom a hundred years ago. If he had not suddenly disappeared, Vermillion Bird Kingdom would likely have already regarded him as the next Vermillion Bird Successor.

"Zhao Kingdom..."

Feng Luan frowned slightly, seemingly unfamiliar with the name. However, for Zhao Kingdom to nurture such a gifted disciple, the immortals within its borders were surely no ordinary people.

Moreover, with such a young Nascent Soul Transformation stage cultivator, Zhao Kingdom would likely be promoted to a Fifth-Grade Cultivation Nation before long.

After all, once a cultivator entered the Spirit Severing Stage, their nation could be promoted to a Four-Grade Cultivation Nation. If they broke through to the Nascent Soul Transformation stage, it could be directly promoted to a Fifth-Grade Cultivation Nation, gaining every resource it could possibly need.

If Fire Ember Country could also advance to a Four-Grade Cultivation Nation, it would no longer need to fear the rampaging Fire Beasts, nor would it need to relocate all the cultivators within Fire Ember Country to Xuanwu Country in search of a way to survive.

Lin Che lightly tapped the table with his fingers as his divine sense expanded wildly in every direction, nearly covering the lands of Fire Ember Country within a thousand li, searching for Li Muwan's location.

Wan'er was currently accompanying her brother, Li Qiqing, to rescue stranded mortals. They both carried Nascent Soul Transformation stage magical treasures that he had given them, so their safety was naturally assured.

Phoenix Ancestor spoke at this moment. "Senior Lin Che, this junior has a daughter named Zhou Zihong. She has currently reached the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, and with her talent, she can be considered one of the proud daughters of heaven throughout Fire Ember Country."

"Would it be possible for my daughter to remain by your side? Even if she could only serve as your personal maid, that would be enough."

As a Nascent Soul Stage expert, Feng Luan understood that once this battle ended, she would very likely perish within Xuanwu Country. Therefore, the only person she could not stop worrying about was her daughter, Zhou Zihong.