Yan Lei's Clone sped over the gray-white earth in his Xiangliu body, with nine human heads and a serpent's form. Each sweep of his four pairs of claws left several afterimages in the void.
Half a month later, the outline of a towering city appeared on the horizon.
Its walls were built from massive blue-gray star-core stones that glowed softly green in the sunlight.
A huge plaque hung above the gate, bearing three characters in ancient script.
Feather Alliance City!
"Ten Thousand Woods Country, Floating Ox Chaos Continent, Feather Alliance City."
In the Marquis Chunqiu Mansion of the Flame Wind Ancient Country's imperial capital, Fang Yan's Di Chunqiu Clone murmured the names.
"If Yan Lei's Clone travels on his own, it'll take hundreds of years at least. Who knows what dangers he might run into along the way?"
Fang Yan set down his teacup and tapped the table twice.
He raised his right hand. A green jade talisman, thin as a cicada's wing, appeared in his palm.
Fang Yan sent a thread of divine power into it. Pale green light flowed across its surface for a moment, then became a fine strand that vanished into the void.
The message was sent. Now he only had to wait.
Deep within the Marquis Chunqiu Mansion, a sealing formation in a secret chamber suddenly glimmered.
Zhang Xu, now a member of the mansion, was already kneeling outside the chamber.
"Feather Alliance City on the Floating Ox Chaos Continent, in Ten Thousand Woods Country... Not exactly a peaceful place."
Fang Yan sent Zhang Xu an image of Yan Lei's Clone as he now appeared, then said:
"This person is in Feather Alliance City. Take my jade talisman and bring him back."
Zhang Xu accepted the talisman, then shot away as a streak of