Under the weight of many gazes, Feng Haoyu let out a heavy sigh before speaking.
"Honestly, I donât know what to say or even feel. Betrayed? Not necessarily. I swore my loyalty to him not because of his bloodline, but because of his ability and something else. So even if he isnât truly a Primordial Phoenix, as long as his abilities are real, I have no reason to complain. And... thereâs just something about himâsomething that makes me attracted to him. I canât explain it."
He then turned to his mother and continued, "Iâm sorry, Mother, for making such a decision without consulting you. I acted on my instincts."
"Since itâs your decision, I will respect it," she replied. "However, now that you know he might be a fraud, what will you do? Unless youâve performed a ritual, you can still withdraw your allegiance, as a verbal declaration isnât technically binding."
"Just like you, Iâll wait until the gathering before making my decision. There must be a good reason why Feng Yuxiangâa true Primordial Phoenixâwould follow someone like him," he said.
Hearing this last remark, the elders couldnât help but agree. It was indeed strange. They could understand why someone might follow the Celestial Emperor, the most influential figure in the Nine Heavensâbut Yuan? No one present even knew his true identity.
In their eyes, he was just a human who could somehow transform into a phoenix.
"..."
While everyone in the room pondered deeply yet failed to find a convincing reason, the leaderâs mind settled on one possibility. However, she kept it to herself, as voicing it aloud might make her sound utterly insane.
Meanwhile, after leaving the Rising Phoenix Clan for the second time, Feng Yuxiang asked Yuan, "What are we going to do for the next three months?"
"How far away is the Undying Fiery Summit?" he asked.
She pondered for a moment before responding, "If we take the teleporters, itâll only take twenty days to get there."
"Are there any good hunting grounds near that place? I want to spend this time hunting magical beasts."
"Hunting magical beasts?" Feng Yuxiang raised an eyebrow at the unusual activity. "If youâre looking for strong ones for training, Iâd recommendâ"
"No," Yuan cut in abruptly. "I donât care how strong they are. I only care about numbers. I need to kill around a hundred million, after all."
"A hundred million?!" Feng Yuxiang exclaimed after hearing this astronomical number.
"Why in heavenâs name do you need to kill so many magical beasts?" she couldnât help but ask.
"Itâs for a quest."
"..."
Feng Yuxiang fell silent for a moment to ponder. Then, she spoke, "If you want numbers, you should visit the Abyssal Underworld. All sorts of insect-type magical beasts dwell there, and they typically come in massive numbers, such as the Abyssal Crystal Ants."
"Sounds like just the place I want to go. How far is it?"
After some calculations in her head, Feng Yuxiang replied, "A month, but itâs quite close to the Undying Fiery Summit."
"Alright. Lead the way."
Feng Yuxiang summoned her flying treasure, and the two sped away.
After several teleportations and a month of travel, they finally arrived at their destination.
The entrance to the Abyssal Underworld yawned before them. It was a colossal hole in the earth, vast enough to swallow an entire mountain whole. From the outside, it appeared as nothing more than an abyss of pitch-black darkness, its depths concealing whatever lay within.
"There are a lot of people here," Yuan said in a somewhat surprised tone.
"The Abyssal Underworld is vast, with countless areas still unexplored. Mapping it can be extremely profitable. And in places untouched by cultivators, treasures are often abundant, making it a hotspot for treasure hunters as well."
"How strong are the magical beasts inside?" Yuan then asked. "Many of the cultivators here are Bronze and Silver Immortals."
"The deeper you go, the stronger the magical beasts. The weakest magical beasts inside are the ones by the entrance, and they have a cultivation of Divine King."
"How deep do I have to go for the Abyssal Crystal Ants?"
"Iâm not sure since Iâve never entered this place before. However, the Abyssal Crystal Ants are only around Divine Ancestor, so they shouldnât be too deep."
Yuan nodded.
"I should probably buy a map before I enter, right?"
"Or hire a guide who knows where to find the Abyssal Crystal Ants."
Yuan used his divine sense to look around the place, where many people were camped around the entrance.
Very quickly, he found several people selling maps of the Abyssal Underground, as well as a few people with a sign that read âguide for hireâ.
Since it would be more convenient to just hire a guide to lead him to his destination, Yuan approached one of the guides.
"Good day, Young Master. Are you looking for a guide? Where are you trying to go?"
The middle-aged man greeted Yuan, who was wearing a mask at the moment.
Yuan nodded and said, "Iâm looking for the Abyssal Crystal Ants."
At his words, the middle-aged manâs expression visibly stiffened, a flicker of unease crossing his face.
"Whatâs wrong?" Yuan asked.
"Well... I donât have what it takes to take you to the Abyssal Crystal Ants. Iâm sorry," he said.
"But youâre a Silver Immortal," Yuan remarked with raised eyebrows. "The Abyssal Crystal Ants are only Divine Ancestor, so they shouldnât be too deep."
"This must be your first time at the Abyssal Underworld. Although the Abyssal Crystal Ants are quite weak, they actually live deep within the tunnels, where insects at the Golden Immortal level roam."
"I see. Iâll find someone else, then. Thanks for your time."
Just as Yuan turned around, the middle-aged man said, "Just a moment, Young Master. I may not be able to assist you, but I know someone who can help you."
Yuan halted his movements at such words.
"I can take you to him if youâd like."
"Sure." Yuan calmly nodded.