Dragon Phoenix Mountain

"Futu Yijing, that is the Dragon Phoenix Land you're looking for. Hurry inside." The Human Emperor's voice reached Futu Yijing's ears.

Futu Yijing was taken aback.

Hadn't the Dragon Phoenix fallen on the far eastern border of the Great Thousand World?

How could it be here in the Demon Domain?

"Don't doubt it. It's right there!" the Human Emperor continued.

Futu Yijing gathered his thoughts. He stopped the step he had been about to take forward and headed toward that small world instead.

As a Heavenly Sovereign, Futu Yijing blasted an opening straight through the small world's space, then stepped toward it.

Before entering the small world, he sent a message to Black Piece and White Piece, informing them of the situation.

Passing through the opening, Futu Yijing saw the scenery before him change abruptly. Rich spiritual energy filled this small world. Before him stretched a hundred thousand mountains, their peaks lofty and imposing, lush greenery covering their slopes.

Even though this small world lay within the Demon Domain, it showed not the slightest sign of having been altered by the Outer Realm Evil Clan.

It was as though a supreme expert had bestowed protection upon this small world.

Futu Yijing's perception swept across the entire small world in an instant. After probing it, he was somewhat startled. This small world was already comparable in size to a lower plane.

In terms of its experts, this small world was already on par with the Northern Realm of the Tianluo Continent.

Through his perception, Futu Yijing discovered that countless living beings inhabited this small world, and some of their spiritual energy fluctuations had already reached the lower earthly sovereign realm.

He also discovered that many spiritual energy fluctuations were converging on a single location.

The spiritual energy fluctuations there were exceptionally intense.

Yet despite the Dragon Phoenix being a supreme expert of the ancient era, Futu Yijing had sensed no fluctuations of comparable strength.

Rather than stumbling blindly through this small world with his head shrouded in fog, gathering information would save him more trouble.

Having made up his mind, Futu Yijing did not delay. With a shift of his body, he became a streak of light and shot into the distance, heading straight for the place where the spiritual energy fluctuations were gathering.

At his cultivation level, unless he wished it, no one in this small world could detect his spiritual energy fluctuations.

In just half an incense stick's time, Futu Yijing reached his destination.

The hundred thousand mountains before him stood guard around a central peak. Like a divine mountain descended from beyond the heavens, it was unfathomably profound. Countless streaks of light landed at its foot, then followed the ancient mountain path gleaming with golden radiance, ascending step by step into the divine mountain.

Below the divine mountain, countless figures lingered, their conversations unceasing.

From their conversations, Futu Yijing also learned about this small world.

This was the Dragon Phoenix Realm, and the divine mountain before him was called Dragon Phoenix Mountain. The greatest faction in the Dragon Phoenix Realm was based here, and it, too, was called Dragon Phoenix Mountain.

According to their conversations, Dragon Phoenix Mountain had been founded by a subordinate of a supreme expert known as the Dragon Phoenix Empress. It was the guardian faction of the entire Dragon Phoenix Realm.

The Dragon Phoenix Empress's subordinates were likewise supreme experts, but after establishing Dragon Phoenix Mountain, they had vanished without a trace.

The present Dragon Phoenix Mountain was divided into two branches. One was the Divine Beast Tribe, comprising numerous divine beast races. The other was the Dragon Phoenix Army, comprising many human experts.

With a faction divided into two branches, competition was inevitable.

Some time ago, an extremely well-hidden secret realm within Dragon Phoenix Mountain had erupted with boundless, dazzling divine light.

Afterward, Dragon Phoenix Mountain had seethed with excitement. Experts from all quarters arrived, and overwhelmingly powerful auras descended from time to time as their owners came to observe.

The various factions rushed over in mighty processions. For a time, wind and clouds converged, and soon the already prosperous Dragon Phoenix Mountain grew even more clamorous, with figures everywhere.

Just yesterday, Dragon Phoenix Mountain had publicly announced the opening of a tournament for outstanding young talents, with all such talents across the Dragon Phoenix Realm eligible to participate.

The ten highest-ranked talents would be allowed to enter the secret realm.

Following that announcement, powerful factions from the eastern, western, southern, and northern regions of the Dragon Phoenix Realm descended upon Dragon Phoenix Mountain one after another. They had crossed entire regions to get here, and all were the most outstanding figures of their respective factions. This time, they had come solely for that secret realm.

Today, a feverish atmosphere permeated heaven and earth, for the Dragon Phoenix Mountain tournament would begin this very day.

Suddenly, ancient, melodious bells rang out continuously from every peak amid the layered mountain ranges, their tolling filling heaven and earth.

Several figures with powerful auras appeared atop the divine mountain.

These figures naturally divided into two groups: the Divine Beast Tribe on one side and the Dragon Phoenix Army on the other.

The leader of the Divine Beast Tribe was a man. Futu Yijing saw through his true form at a glance: an Ancient Era Tiger Jiao, with the strength of a Lower Earthly Sovereign. The two behind him were also Lower Earthly Sovereigns.

On the other side, the leader of the Dragon Phoenix Army was a woman in the lower earthly sovereign realm.

Two others followed behind her, both likewise Lower Earthly Sovereigns.

Six Lower Earthly Sovereigns. Without Mandala, Mu Chen's Mu Estate would actually have been weaker than this Dragon Phoenix Mountain.

"Hmm?" Futu Yijing murmured in surprise, his gaze upon the woman filled with uncertainty.

A Pagoda Tower?!

Although even those outside the Futu Ancient Clan could learn the Great Pagoda Art, only someone with the Futu Ancient Clan's bloodline could cultivate a Pagoda Tower.

Atop the divine mountain, the woman felt the Pagoda Tower within her body respond to some kind of pull at that very same moment. Spiritual light flashed in her eyes, and a Pagoda Tower appeared within her pupils, slowly rotating.

This development had clearly caught the woman by surprise. Her expression immediately changed, and she looked around, somewhat at a loss.

She had only ever experienced this feeling before in the presence of her family's elders.

But her family's elders had long since passed away, so why was this happening again?!

"What's wrong?" The two behind the woman noticed something amiss and asked.

The woman forcibly suppressed her shock and shook her head.

Meanwhile, a possibility flashed through Futu Yijing's mind. He immediately asked, "Senior Human Emperor, was there someone from my Futu Ancient Clan among the Dragon Phoenix Empress's subordinates back then?"

"There was indeed one. He was a late immortal grade Heavenly Sovereign. If I remember correctly, his name was Qing Yang."

His surname was Qing. Someone from the Qing Lineage!

Futu Yijing began to piece things together.

No wonder Qing Yanjing knew about the place where the Dragon Phoenix had fallen.

So someone from the Qing Lineage had once followed the Dragon Phoenix Empress in fighting the Outer Realm Evil Clan.

At that thought, Futu Yijing's gaze toward the woman softened.

However, Futu Yijing had no intention of disturbing her.

Atop the divine mountain, the woman swept her hand through the air, every movement bearing the majesty of one of the mightiest experts between heaven and earth.

"The tournament begins now!"

As her words fell, vast spiritual energy surged wildly between heaven and earth. Great drums rose atop the many peaks, and heavy blows struck them. Deep, heart-racing drumbeats immediately boomed and echoed throughout the world.

With that single declaration from the woman, the whole of Dragon Phoenix Mountain erupted with excitement.