Deng Shouchong could jokingly call Yuan Changwu a "feathered beast," but he would never dare to utter a single word of dissent against Yuan Changhe. His strength was enough for the city lord Deng Lifu to address him with great courtesy as " Sect Master Yuan!"
Because of the existence of these two forces, Deng Lifu could not achieve absolute control over the cultivators in Phoenix City.
However, due to the threat of the Mist Beast tide, he had no choice but to bring in some powerful forces to settle in Phoenix City, so that they could work together to resist the invasion of the Mist Beast and maintain the stability of Phoenix City.
This may seem like a division of power, but it is actually more beneficial than anything else. After all, Deng Lifu controls the City Lord's Manor, which is the largest force in Phoenix City, and its combat power is the strongest in the city.
The other two forces also regularly provide the City Lord's Manor with a large amount of Spirit Stone resources, which means they are supporting the City Lord's Manor.
The three forces both exploited and restrained each other, maintaining a delicate balance while facing the threat of the Mist Beast tide in the same city.
Xu Long looked at the land in front of him, his eyes narrowing slightly. Through the memories of several great cultivators who followed Yuan Changwu, he finally figured out the power and background of Phoenix City.
He now vaguely understands Deng Shouchong's many strange occurrences. The coincidences in the Rogue Cultivators Association's spiritual vein and Blackwater City were probably all pre-planned by Deng Shouchong, and his astonishment in the main hall of the Blackwater City Lord's Mansion was because of him.
The city lord wasn't particularly eager for the energy core that might remain in Blackwater City, but the other two forces would undoubtedly flock to it once they found out.
The three factions appear to be in balance within the city, but they still fight fiercely for resources outside the city, and murder and robbery are commonplace in the Land of Exile.
In order to maintain the suppression of the two external forces, the city lord, after careful consideration, decided to turn the tables and send his nephew Deng Shouchong to personally facilitate the matter.
After learning that Blackwater City had been occupied by the Mist Beast, he and his men began to plan their next move. Because of the presence of the Mist Beast Mist Beast within the city, they knew they would have to fight them.
However, he did not want to withstand the attack of the Mist Beast alone, so the city lord deliberately released clues, allowing the other two forces to send their own troops to investigate.
Before arriving at Blackwater City, Deng Shouchong gathered a group of people and first intercepted the spiritual veins of the Rogue Cultivators Association.
He knew he and Ma Fang's group couldn't Rogue Cultivators Association with the Loose Cultivators in Blackwater City, and Yuan Changwu was too arrogant; they certainly wouldn't submit to him.
With Deng Lifu's divination, this elaborate scheme became crystal clear: as long as Deng Shouchong allowed the two forces to enter Blackwater City, the Mist Beast Tide would erupt.
For him, the best outcome would be for Deng Shouchong to obtain the energy core and then escape quickly using the bronze chariot.
Meanwhile, Yuan Changwu and Chen Yuping's Dharma Body were caught in a fierce battle amidst the tide of Mist Beast, even suffering losses in order to weaken both forces.
This calculation encompassed almost all the forces within Phoenix City, including the Mist Beast in Blackwater City.
Deng Lifu's divination skills were truly terrifying, making Xu Long somewhat wary. However, the biggest anomaly in this scheme was Xu Long.
Xu Long obtained the energy core in the main hall, which was beyond Deng Shouchong's expectations. Therefore, his astonished expression at the time was genuine. It was Xu Long's appearance that disrupted the original plan.
But for the City Lord's Manor, this doesn't seem to be a bad thing, since the energy core of Blackwater City hasn't fallen into the hands of the Rogue Cultivators Association and the Pill Cauldron Sect.
The Ancestral Spirit were still missing, but Xu Long had already gotten a clue.
Based on these memories, Phoenix City in the Land of Exile is even larger than Blackwater City, so it must contain far more information about the Ancestral Spirit.
" Mist Beast Tide, Phoenix City, Pill Cauldron Sect, Rogue Cultivators Association, Yuan Changwu, Inner Core, Refining Pills..."
Xu Long gazed into the distance, repeatedly muttering those words to himself.
He learned the location of Phoenix City from the memories of the Ice Sculpture Grandmaster, so after leaving Blackwater City, he rushed to Phoenix City at full speed.
At this moment, he discovered that some giant blue pythons were constantly gathering on the ground, and from the air, they looked like blue rivers flowing in one direction.
As if controlled by something, they all headed in one direction, and along the way, they had already seen several groups of Winged Mist Beast searching in the air.
Xu Long didn't want to get involved with them for the time being, so he had the Vulture King lift itself up and quickly skim over the horde of Mist Beast high in the sky. With the Vulture King's speed, the Winged Mist Beast couldn't catch up.
But looking at these gathered blue rivers, Xu Long suddenly felt a sense of urgency, as if something important was about to happen.
Xu Long's intuition was always accurate. He pondered how many Higher Mist Beast Mist Beast the numerous mist beast tides could be controlling them.
The Daoist Human Python he hunted was weakened after laying eggs. If it were Higher Mist Beast at its full strength, could he still have managed to hunt it down?
Feeling a sense of urgency, Xu Long couldn't help but want to improve his strength. He had already given the energy core he obtained in Blackwater City to his True Dragon Clone.
After absorbing this energy core, the clone will enter the Late Mahayana, and when dealing with the Daoist nun- Human Python, it will definitely not be as disheveled as it is now.
The clone's formidable combat power is undeniable, but Xu Long also sensed several different powerful auras within the cyan river.
It is likely that the Mist Beast Tide is not just the Daoist nun- Human Python group. According to ancient records, the Mist Beast are definitely an opposing force to cultivators.
They also have some close ties with the Heaven Patroler, so whether it is the sealed Ancestral Spirit or the so-called ancient gods, they will be potential enemies of the Mist Beast Tide.
It seems there are other Higher Mist Beast in this Land of Exile. At this point, whether for self-preservation or to complete the mission, improving combat power is becoming increasingly urgent.
Things should always be planned for in advance; after the Mahayana Stage comes the Earth Immortal Realm realm...
Xu Long observed from the air for a long time, and he also discovered that the direction in which these Mist Beast were surging was the same as his own. He was heading to Phoenix City, and these Mist Beast were also...
He wondered to himself: Could something similar happen in Phoenix City?
Along the way, Xu Long noticed that the tide of Mist Beast was gathering in one direction, which made him feel uneasy.
The destructive power of the Mist Beast Tide is terrifying. The Eternity Ice Mist is a nightmare for all living beings in the Land of Exile, not to mention that the Heaven Patroler are also faintly involved.
Xu Long's mind raced, and for a moment he felt a pang of worry about the fate of Phoenix City.
However, according to the memories of several great cultivators, Phoenix City is a city with a history of countless years. Its energy core was created by an ancient god and has always been a mainstay in resisting the tide of Mist Beast in the Land of Exile.
Even after the ancient gods perished, the city's scale in the Land of Exile was still considered one of the largest.
Although the various factions are not in sync, they will still unite as one due to the external conflicts surrounding the Mist Beast Tide.
However, Xu Long's concern at this moment was: with such a large horde of Mist Beast gathering, could Phoenix City really hold out?
Subconsciously, he had already placed himself among the cultivators in the Land of Exile, and after seeing the full appearance of the Human Python, he felt a great aversion to the Mist Beast clan.
Looking at this massive horde of Mist Beast, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly, realizing the situation seemed to be getting increasingly dire.
There was still no news from the Ancestral Spirit, but the speed at which things were developing had already exceeded his expectations, and a strange sense of crisis rose in his heart.
There always seems to be an ancient will in the sky, observing the world below, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Perhaps to it, everything in this world is extremely insignificant.
Xu Long gazed intently ahead, his face appearing to shift between light and shadow in the sunlight.
The Vulture King beneath him stirred up a hurricane, and a dark shadow swept through the thick clouds, causing a momentary darkness to fall over the earth.
The colossal creature transformed into a bolt of lightning in the air, the swirling wind automatically splitting the clouds. The Vulture King's seemingly wide wingspan appeared incredibly agile in flight.
With a whooshing sound in my ears, I had already traversed thousands of rivers and mountains in the blink of an eye, and countless scenes rushed past my eyes.
The land below swept past like a fleeting shadow, appearing exceptionally small amidst the vast, barren Red Land.
Vulture King sped along the direction of Phoenix City, and the scenery flashing past Xu Long faster and faster.
The land below transforms from flat plains into basins, from sand dunes into mountains, and from hills into cliffs, with undulating mountain ranges dividing the land.
On one side was the desolate Gobi Desert, and on the other side were mountains covered with forests. Traveling at full speed, Xu Long had already crossed the vast sea of sand half a month later.
After crossing a long mountain range, we entered a Earth Realm completely different from the desert.
The landscape began to become more varied, with high mountains blocking the hurricane and trapping moisture in the air.
Countless water vapors condense along the mountain range, and droplets of water gather between the mountains, causing waterfalls to cascade down and crash against the earth.
Countless creatures hide beneath the scattered mist, and a stream flows down the mountain ravine before gathering together to become a rushing river.
The river flows ceaselessly, carrying water to distant places. Although the water is murky, the trees on both banks have become lush and verdant thanks to the river's nourishment.
The continuous forests take root along the river, and the continuous wilderness disappears along the river. If it is said that the city supports this great river, it is more accurate to say that the great river supports the city.
The surging torrent eventually flows across the flat land, leading to an endless expanse of open space.
From afar, one can already see several golden rays shining, their majestic aura soaring into the sky. This is the blessed land in the Land of Exile, a place that countless people yearn for.
Cultivator City!
The land beneath our feet may have been trodden by powerful beings in the past, may have been inhabited by deities, and may have been the site of a brilliant civilization.
But their lifespans, like the ceaseless flow of the torrent, advance continuously through history, eventually evaporating and beginning anew.
Upon reaching both banks of the great river, it felt as if we had entered another world. Unlike the desolate desert, the Red Land had vanished here.
With the flow of the great river, the number of creatures in the mountains has increased, and Xu Long has even detected traces of cultivators.
After leaving the desert, the several large waves of Mist Beast gradually subsided.
The blue rivers that flowed across the sand dunes seemed to be blocked by high mountains, forcing them to seek other destinations.
The desolation and barrenness of this land have vanished; life and order have sprung up here, and the golden light in the sky spreads immense energy across the land.
Countless living beings were drawn to it, allowing this world to escape the barbaric era and become a land for cultivators.
Gazing at the beam of golden light shooting straight into the sky, Xu Long's eyes narrowed. He knew that it was the aura of the energy core!
The reason this world is different from the desert is because it is protected by an energy core, which contains the laws and world rules condensed by the ancient gods, allowing the city to be self-contained.
It became a blessed land in the closed and barren Land of Exile, used to preserve the civilization of cultivators and to pass on the flame of cultivation.
Having had close contact with the energy core of Blackwater City, Xu Long knew without needing to search for a path that Phoenix City was just ahead!
After passing the high mountain range, Xu Long slowed down the Vulture King's speed. The enormous creature circled continuously in the air as Xu Long carefully observed the world below.
It seems that with the protection of the energy core, the number of Mist Beast in this area has decreased significantly, but there are still many Mist Beast gathering on one side of the mountain.
The azure river might be blocked by high mountains, but Xu Long knew they would definitely use force to flatten the mountains, after all, there were countless cultivators in Phoenix City ahead.
At this moment, a small number of Mist Beast that had already crossed the mountains were gathered on both sides of the river, as if waiting for something.
Among the towering mountains, there were also traces of some cultivators. They looked travel-worn, as if they had trekked through Red Land for a long time to reach this place.
The brows of the crowd were always furrowed, and the worried look in their eyes seemed to indicate that they were concerned about something. However, when they looked at this unique world, the tense expressions on the faces of the cultivators finally relaxed a little.
Having endured wind and rain, trekked through mountains and rivers, and survived countless crises, they finally arrived outside the city of cultivators. Upon seeing that beam of golden light in the distance, a strange excitement appeared in their eyes.
Staying in the Red Land for too long makes one feel extremely unsafe. The Mist Beast tide and other cultivators are all great threats. After crossing this mountain range, we have finally arrived in an orderly Earth Realm today.
The prospect of escaping the Mist Beast horde once they entered the city was incredibly exciting.
While the cultivators were still examining the golden light, a shout of battle suddenly erupted from the crowd. Everyone was startled and immediately scattered to the side to guard against each other.
The relaxation on his face had long since vanished, and the excitement in his eyes had turned into coldness.
They were all desperate criminals, so there was no need to guess each other's intentions or methods. But when this unexpected turn of events occurred, everyone couldn't help but feel a chill in their hearts.
It was clear that someone harbored ulterior motives, but they had kept quiet all along the way. After crossing the mountains, they suddenly attacked the moment everyone's guard was lowered.
The timing was impeccably chosen. With golden light shimmering in the distance, the person was completely unprepared, and thus, the unscrupulous individual was determined to pull off one last heist before entering the city.