Clues of the Dark Phoenix

War Eagle had just finished her cultivation when she discovered her brother and nephew making a grand, ostentatious display of welcoming guests.

She scolded them with an angry expression, but she soon understood her brother's helplessness.

The Zhan Family had no talent.

Aside from herself, who had stepped into the realm of a quasi-Title Douluo, the highest anyone else had reached was the Spirit Douluo level. Among the younger generation, there wasn't a single one with good innate talent; it was questionable whether any of them would even reach the Spirit Douluo level.

"Third Elder, Baiyu." War Eagle felt a bit ashamed. She looked at the two of them and said, "Please, follow me."

Feng Qingluan nodded slightly, maintaining the aloof air of an expert.

Feng Baiyu glanced around, discovering that other than the main gate being quite imposing, the interior was nothing special.

Before long, the three of them arrived in a storage room.

"Third Elder, this card contains ten million gold spirit coins. Consider it payment for your help in hunting the spirit beast," War Eagle said, handing a gold card to Feng Qingluan. "If that spirit ring is particularly suitable for me, there will be an additional generous reward."

Feng Qingluan listened to her words and accepted it without hesitation.

Ten million to hire a level 97 Title Douluo—this was truly a significant sum!

Feng Qingluan was not short on money, but he might need to buy something for his grandson in the future, so having more money was always good.

In case he encountered any immortal herbs or Spirit Bones later on, that was all money!

After all, he was the Third Elder of Spirit Hall; he couldn't exactly go around looting things for free, could he?

"Baiyu." Feng Qingluan handed the gold card directly to him and said, "Take it."

"Thank you, Grandfather." Feng Baiyu did not decline and tucked the gold card into his storage spirit tool.

He turned his head to look at War Eagle and added, "Thank you, Great-Aunt."

War Eagle smiled slightly, gestured to the items in the secret chamber, and said, "This contains the Zhan Family's three hundred years of collection and the spoils I brought back from the Lost Canyon. Take a look and see if there is anything you like. If you do, feel free to take it."

Feng Baiyu offered his thanks and activated his Fire Phoenix True Sight to investigate.

The Zhan Family was indeed an old-established clan; they truly had quite a few good things.

Nearly half of the items here could serve as the "treasure of the shop" if placed in the Treasure Pavilion.

However, these items had limited use for Feng Baiyu. He looked through a pile of them, but nothing caught his eye.

It wasn't that these items were poor; there were many things here that would make even a Spirit Saint drool with envy.

But to Feng Baiyu, they were just mediocre.

The Zhan Family did not possess anything like the Gold of Life that would make Feng Baiyu's heart race; the best items were merely two thousand-year Spirit Bones of average quality.

To others, they were treasures, but to Feng Baiyu, they were just things found by the side of the road.

Feng Baiyu kept his Fire Phoenix True Sight active as he examined them one by one. While inspecting the spoils War Eagle had brought back from the Lost Canyon, he discovered something interesting.

Feng Baiyu picked up a stone and couldn't help but ask War Eagle, "Great-Aunt, you even collect a beast bone?"

"That was left behind by the first ten-thousand-year spirit beast I killed in the Lost Canyon!" War Eagle replied to Feng Baiyu's comment. "The Lost Canyon is filled with all sorts of bizarre spirit beasts, many of which are at the ten-thousand-year level. It is said there are even hundred-thousand-year spirit beasts, though unfortunately, I have never encountered one."

"I see." Feng Baiyu nodded in realization, marking the Lost Canyon as one of the locations he would need to visit in the future.

Aside from this bone, which piqued a sliver of interest in Feng Baiyu, there was nothing else of use.

A look of regret appeared on Feng Baiyu's face, and in the end, he reluctantly accepted another card containing one million gold spirit coins.

Just consider it a red envelope!

Finally, both sides agreed to set off within half a month to hunt for the spirit ring. Feng Qingluan and Feng Baiyu did not linger, and the two soon left the Zhan Family.

"Sister." Not long after, Zhan Kuang approached his sister. "Zhan Lie's youngest daughter, Xiangxiang, is having her spirit awakening this year, and she has innate level seven spirit power. If she could get together with Feng Baiyu..."

"Do you think the Young Master of the Feng Family would look twice at someone with a mere level seven innate spirit power?" War Eagle glanced at her brother and said indifferently, "Stop daydreaming. Unless you are willing to give the entire Zhan Family as a dowry, there isn't even a sliver of a chance."

Zhan Kuang did not show the slightest bit of annoyance at his sister's words. He continued, "Ever since my sister-in-law passed away, my brother-in-law has never remarried. If you, sister..."

Before Zhan Kuang could finish his sentence, War Eagle shot him a look that could kill.

Zhan Kuang immediately shut his mouth, terrified that he would be beaten to a pulp if he said another word.

Back home, Feng Qingluan asked curiously, "Was there a problem with that bone?"

"Grandfather, that bone is the pygostyle of a phoenix-type creature!" Feng Baiyu said. "Although it isn't a Pure-Blooded Phoenix, its bloodline concentration is far stronger than a Blazing Spirit Kite! I suspect that a Dark Phoenix very likely exists within that Lost Canyon!"

"A Dark Phoenix, you say?" Feng Qingluan nodded in realization as he listened to his grandson.

The number of spirit beasts in the Lost Canyon was countless, and there were especially many with the dark attribute! If a phoenix really haunted that place, a Dark Phoenix was the most likely candidate!

"We can talk about that later!" Feng Qingluan shook his head and said, "The Lost Canyon is extremely dangerous. Even a Spirit Douluo or a Title Douluo could die inside if they are not careful. If you truly believe there might be a Dark Phoenix there, we shall venture in when you need your eighth spirit ring."

Seeing his grandfather being so cautious, Feng Baiyu did not argue.

Perhaps he would encounter a suitable Dark Phoenix in two years, rendering the Lost Canyon completely meaningless.

Where on the Douluo Continent was not dangerous?

Was the Star Dou Forest safe? Was the Far North safe? Or was the ocean safe?

In Feng Baiyu's view, all of these places were safer than Spirit Hall.

With a moody, unhinged lunatic like Er Bi Dong around, Spirit Hall is the most dangerous place of all!

"You should seize the time to cultivate these next few days," Feng Qingluan said, looking at his grandson. "You are only a hair's breadth away from reaching level twenty. Absorb your second spirit ring as soon as possible to avoid any unforeseen variables."

"Understood," Feng Baiyu replied, agreeing readily.

Feng Baiyu returned to the Green Maple Phoenix Tree once more to cultivate, though he did not forget to summon Little Black.

Little Black knew that Qingluan only had a few days left to live, and upon seeing him, it went straight to the edge of the cage.

A phoenix and a spirit—the two of them seemed to have taken a liking to one another.

However, mutual affection was useless; it would not stop Feng Baiyu from killing a bird to obtain a spirit ring once his spirit power reached level twenty.

As the days passed, Feng Baiyu finally stepped into level twenty after a week.

That day, Feng Baiyu brought Little Black before Qingluan. He said to Little Black, "Go and see Qingluan off one last time. After this, we are going to obtain a spirit ring."

"Skree~"

Little Black did not step forward, merely letting out a cry from a distance. It had become somewhat agitated, as if it were resisting.

Qingluan chirped twice, as if bidding a final farewell.

There was no sorrow, no despair; its eyes seemed to hold only a faint blessing.

Hm?