323: Chapter 323 Peng King, Offering His Divine Power

Sunset Cliff is located in the west of the Western Regions. The cliff is tens of thousands of feet high and is shrouded in sunset clouds all day long, resembling a giant sword inserted obliquely into the clouds.

When Chu Sheng and Wan Jiuer arrived, it was dusk.

The setting sun dyed the entire cliff golden-red. At the top of the cliff stood a massive stone palace with its doors wide open, emitting a warm glow from within.

Chu Sheng stood at the foot of the cliff, looking up at the stone palace, calculating how to talk to King Peng.

Jiuer followed behind him without a word.

The two walked up the stone steps. The steps were very wide, and each level was carved with a relief of a Peng bird, so vivid that it seemed as if it could fly out at any moment.

When they reached the middle of the mountainside, a voice drifted down from above, carrying a lazy smile, like a cat playing with a mouse.

"Oh? Interesting. The Fox Race, which was once exterminated, is actually still alive. And you even killed the Second Clan Chief of the Bear Clan?"

The voice was not loud, but the entire cliff was vibrating slightly, as if responding to the pressure of that voice.

Chu Sheng stopped and looked up at the top of the cliff.

At the entrance of the stone palace stood a person.

No, not a person, it was King Peng.

He was wearing a dark golden robe, and his greyish-white hair was scattered casually over his shoulders.

His face was very young, looking like a youth in his early twenties, but those eyes were very old, old like two bottomless pools of water.

In his hands, he was toying with a small jade bell. The bell's body was exquisite and translucent, as if it could shatter at any moment.

He looked down at Chu Sheng and Wan Jiuer, a playful smile on the corner of his mouth, as if examining two interesting objects.

Wan Jiuer did not speak, just stood there, letting him examine her.

Chu Sheng also did not speak.

He knew that in such a situation, the person who speaks first is often at a disadvantage.

King Peng looked at them for a good while, then turned and walked back into the palace, saying without looking back: "Come in."

Chu Sheng and Wan Jiuer looked at each other and followed.

Wan Jiuer had originally planned to just attack King Peng first; after all, in the Yao Race, whoever has the biggest fist is in the right.

She was stopped by Chu Sheng's gaze; Chu Sheng had a better method.

The stone palace was very large, and the dome was embedded with glowing crystals, illuminating the palace brightly.

King Peng sat on the main seat, still toying with that jade bell in his hand, as if he couldn't stay idle for a moment.

He glanced at Chu Sheng, then at Wan Jiuer, and the smile on his lips deepened.

"The new master of the Fox Race, the Bloodline of the Nine-Tailed Fox. You had a Breakthrough in your Divine Ability? Not bad."

His gaze then fell on Chu Sheng, examining him up and down.

"Human Race Dao Completion? You killed Bear Two? Interesting."

Chu Sheng cupped his hands: "Senior King Peng, you flatter me."

King Peng waved his hand: "Don't give me that empty talk. You came to find me, something the matter?"

Chu Sheng did not beat around the bush: "This Junior would like to ask Senior King Peng for a favor."

"What favor?"

"This Junior wants to uncover the truth about the extermination of the Fox Race back then."

King Peng's hand paused, the jade bell stopping in mid-air.

He looked at Chu Sheng, his gaze becoming somewhat subtle.

"Investigate the truth of the Fox Race's extermination? On what grounds do you think I will help you?"

Chu Sheng said: "Because King Peng is known as 'The All-Knowing of Ten Thousand Miles', there is nothing in the Western Regions that you do not know."

"And—"

He paused, took a bamboo scroll from his sleeve, and placed it on the ground.

"This Junior has a token of sincerity."

King Peng's brows moved slightly: "What is this?"

Chu Sheng said: "The Fuyao Ninety Thousand Miles Divine Ability."

King Peng's eyes lit up.

He put down the jade bell, picked up the bamboo scroll, unfolded it, and scanned it a few times, his gaze becoming serious.

"Fuyao Ninety Thousand Miles... The natal Divine Ability of my race's Senior, the Golden-Winged Great Peng. How do you have this?"

Chu Sheng said: "By chance."

Chu Sheng had already completely recorded the Cultivation path, and it was of relatively little use to him now, so it was better to go with the flow and give it to King Peng.

He did not explain further, and King Peng did not press for details.

He closed the bamboo scroll, looked at Chu Sheng, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled up.

"You are quite generous. This Divine Ability is worth a fortune to your Human Race, and it is an invaluable treasure to the Peng Race."

"You use this to trade for an answer, don't you feel it's a loss?"

Chu Sheng said: "This Junior feels it is worth it."

King Peng was silent for a moment, then laughed.

The laughter was very light, as if carrying a trace of appreciation, and also as if carrying a trace of scrutiny.

"Good. I will accept it."

He put the bamboo scroll into his sleeve, then looked at Chu Sheng, his gaze becoming serious.

"Regarding the matter of the Fox Race's extermination, I do indeed know some things."

"However, I cannot tell you everything. I can only tell you that it was not just the Old Dragon who acted back then."

Chu Sheng's heart stirred: "Who else?"

King Peng did not answer directly but said something meaningful.

"The waters of the Western Regions are much deeper than you imagine."

"You think the Old Dragon is the greatest enemy? He indeed is. But he is not the only one."

"The Phoenix Race, Snake Race, and Tiger Race all benefited from that operation."

Chu Sheng was silent for a moment, then asked: "Is there any evidence?"

King Peng said: "The evidence is not with me. It is in your Fox Race's Holy Land."

"The Old Ancestor of the Fox Race left behind a record before dying, hidden in some corner of the Holy Land. If you find it, you will be able to see everything."

"This is all I can tell you."

Chu Sheng did not press further.

He bowed deeply to King Peng: "Thank you, Senior."

King Peng waved his hand: "No need to thank me. I accepted your item, so naturally, I must give you some return."

His gaze fell again on that jade bell, his fingertips gently rubbing it.

"However, let me give you a piece of advice—"

"Some truths are more dangerous the more you know. Are you sure you want to continue investigating?"

Chu Sheng said: "I am sure."

King Peng looked at him, the corners of his mouth curling up again.

"Then go." He paused, "I will wait to see what you do next."

When Chu Sheng and Wan Jiuer walked out of the stone palace, the sky had completely darkened.

Moonlight shone on Sunset Cliff, plating the entire cliff with a layer of silvery-white light.

Chu Sheng stood at the edge of the cliff, looking at the boundless night in the distance, silent for a long time.

Wan Jiuer walked to his side and asked in a low voice: "Do you believe what he said?"

Chu Sheng said: "I believe half of it."

"Why?"

"Because he has no need to lie to us."

"He accepted the Fuyao Ninety Thousand Miles Divine Ability, but only gave us a direction. This direction is worth the price for us."

"But for him, telling this news does him no harm."

"If he can borrow our hands to cause some trouble for the Old Dragon, King Peng is happy to see it happen."

Wan Jiuer was silent for a while, then nodded.

"Then next, we return to Qingqiu."

Chu Sheng looked at her: "Do you really think there is still something in the Holy Land?"

Wan Jiuer said: "Great-Grandmother would not have guarded the Holy Land for so many years for no reason. She must have been guarding something."

"We only went to the first level before; the Holy Land has deeper entrances."

Chu Sheng did not ask again and turned to walk toward the stone steps.

"Then let's go back."

Under the moonlight, the two figures walked down the stone steps, getting further and further away.

On Sunset Cliff behind them, King Peng stood at the entrance of the stone palace, watching the direction in which they disappeared, the smile on his lips lingering for a long time.

He toyed with the bamboo scroll and whispered to himself.

"Fuyao Ninety Thousand Miles... This kid is interesting."

He turned and walked back into the palace, the stone palace door slowly closing, emitting a dull sound.

Sunset Cliff returned to silence, with only the evening wind still blowing.