She felt an immediate displeasure and took her mood out on Xin Ci, glaring at him fiercely.
Xin Ci couldn't be bothered with the woman. He took another sip of tea and said coldly, "If the four of you have nothing else, could you please leave? I dislike being watched while I drink tea."
"You're still putting on airs!"
Lin Qi and Miao Qing could no longer stand it.
"Xin Ci, say a few less words."
Su Baiwei saw Xin Ci's demeanor and found it difficult to mediate, so she could only say this.
Xin Ci, however, sneered inwardly. He still made it clear that he didn't want much contact with them.
It was annoying that these people were still lingering and talking to themselves.
However, to his surprise, Xia Wu reached out and stopped Lin Qi and the others.
He said politely to Xin Ci, "Since Junior Brother Xin Ci prefers to be alone, we won't disturb your pleasant mood."
Turning around, his gaze immediately became sharp, and he waved his sleeve.
"Let's go, Junior Brothers and Sisters. We should head to Fengyang Mountain to find the Phoenix's essence blood."
Lin Qi and Miao Qing were both displeased, wondering if their senior brother had lost his mind.
He was so polite to a freshman, which made them very unconvinced.
But under Xia Wu's pressure, they could only obediently follow.
Xin Ci always felt that what Xia Wu had just said seemed deliberately intended for him to hear.
Also, Xia Wu had mentioned going to Fengyang Mountain at the beginning, but he hadn't revealed his destination.
How did this Senior Brother Xia Wu know?
The most important point was that they were also going to Fengyang Mountain to find the Phoenix's essence blood!
This was the content of the King-level mission he had taken on. He didn't believe these four people had taken on the same mission.
Although he vaguely sensed that Xia Wu's spiritual energy should be at the Earth Realm level.
But the King-level demon beast in Fengyang Mountain was not to be trifled with.
Even a hundred Heavenly Realm experts would be useless.
Xin Ci dared to venture into Fengyang Mountain because he had the Crystal Space. But how did these four dare?
Thinking too much was useless. It was better to follow them quietly.
Let's see if Xia Wu and the others really had any news about the Phoenix's essence blood.
...
"It's so hot, Senior Brother Xia Wu, does Fengyang Mountain really have the Phoenix's essence blood?"
Miao Qing fanned herself constantly, and much of the rouge and powder on her face had already been washed away by sweat.
The scorching air of Fengyang Mountain was indeed unbearable.
Xia Wu and the others had only entered Fengyang Mountain for a short time, and their boots were already beginning to melt.
"Senior Brother Xia, although the King-level demon beast is dormant, the scorching air within the mountain makes it extremely difficult to proceed."
The other three sought Xia Wu's opinion.
This was because Xia Wu was the organizer and leader of their expedition.
They had thought that if they found the Phoenix's remains, they would gain considerable benefits.
However, Fengyang Mountain was truly not a place where humans could stay.
As soon as they entered the mountain, they saw only withered and dry trees, cracked earth, and not even a small stream.
Moreover, the scorching heat in the air seemed to be too much even for their spiritual energy shields, causing them to melt.
However, at this moment, Xia Wu suddenly decided to retreat.
"Since Junior Brothers and Sisters are so uncomfortable, let's wait until sunset to explore. For now, let's return to Fengming City."
Xin Ci, who was several hundred meters away, was using his soul power to perceive their every move.
Hearing Xia Wu say they were returning to Fengming City, Xin Ci couldn't help but frown.
He couldn't quite figure out this guy's intentions. He only stayed in Fengyang Mountain for less than an hour before leaving with Su Baiwei and the others.
It didn't seem like he was after the Phoenix's essence blood.
Xia Wu's strange behavior made Xin Ci very suspicious. To be safe, he decided not to follow any further.
He didn't believe that Xia Wu and the others could actually find the Phoenix's essence blood. It would be better for him to act alone.
The temperature in Fengyang Mountain did not improve at night. It was still that scorching heat that burned the skin.
Xin Ci put on the Ice Silkworm Robe he had bought from Fengming City, and only then did he feel less sweltering.
"Elder Han, why is Fengyang Mountain so hot? This is really abnormal," Xin Ci transmitted to the crystal.
Elder Han floated out of the crystal space. His soul form was much more stable than before.
After recuperation, he had now escaped the state of a remnant soul and could appear in the outside world for extended periods.
Elder Han observed Fengyang Mountain, his expression slightly surprised, and slowly said, "I didn't expect to see a sixth-grade spirit formation in a place like this."
"A sixth-grade spirit formation? Elder Han, do you mean that the scorching heat of Fengyang Mountain is related to this sixth-grade spirit formation?" Xin Ci quickly reacted.
"That's right. Judging by the formations of this spirit formation, it seems to be a sixth-grade sealing formation."
"A formation of this level is enough to seal a Heavenly Venerable-level expert. I infer that what this spirit formation is sealing is some kind of heavenly and earthly spirit fire."
"Heavenly and earthly spirit fire? What is that?"
This was the first time Xin Ci had heard of such a thing.
Elder Han patiently explained, "Heavenly and earthly spirit fires are born from the nurturing of heaven and earth. Their temperature far exceeds that of ordinary flames, and each one is incredibly powerful, capable of burning all things."
"Moreover, Fengyang Mountain is rumored to have had a phoenix fall here, so I infer that the heavenly and earthly spirit fire brewing beneath the mountain is most likely the Undying Phoenix Flame. This sixth-grade sealing formation should have been set up to seal it."
Listening to Elder Han, Xin Ci was certain that the legend of a phoenix falling in Fengyang Mountain was not just a legend.
However, as he was contemplating how to find the Phoenix's essence blood within the mountain, Elder Han suddenly warned him, "Someone is following us!"
Xin Ci's pupils trembled, but he quickly regained his composure.
With his three-star soul realm soul power, he hadn't detected anyone following him.
Regardless, he decided to pretend not to have noticed, probe the situation, and communicate with Elder Han via soul power.
"Elder Han, where is that person now, and what is their strength?"
"That person is behind a tree less than sixty meters to your left. That fellow should have a spiritual artifact that shields soul power. Soul masters below the four-star soul realm cannot detect him."
"However, unfortunately for him, he encountered me. That fellow's spiritual cultivation is probably at the middle stage of the Earth Realm."
Middle stage of the Earth Realm!
Xin Ci's eyes changed. A master at this level wouldn't be tracking him for no reason.
Especially not in the desolate Fengyang Mountain.
Unless... it was Xia Wu!
Xin Ci suddenly realized, gritted his teeth, and said with a solemn expression, "It's a trap..."
Before he could finish speaking, a sword qi tore through the air.
Wherever it passed, fallen leaves and flying flowers were cut in half.
Xin Ci quickly stomped on the ground and leaped into the air.
He dodged the attack in time and landed steadily on a tree about ten meters high, like a flying swallow.
Looking down, the ground where the sword qi had struck was enveloped in smoke and dust.
After the smoke dissipated, a long, narrow gully, more than thirty meters deep, had been carved into the ground where he had just been standing.
It was obvious that the sword strike just now was aimed at taking his life.