348: Chapter 348 Meeting the Phoenix King: The Tree Desires Stillness, But the Wind Never Ceases

When Chu Sheng and Jiuer stepped into the territory of the Phoenix Clan's ancestral land, the first things that came into view were two enormous wooden statues.

They stood before the main trunk of the giant Wutong tree, one on the left and one on the right, integrated with the tree body as if they had existed since the dawn of heaven and earth.

The wooden statue on the left was carved in the likeness of a Phoenix bird about to spread its wings and take flight, its posture serene, its gaze peaceful, carrying a sense of composure born from experiencing the vicissitudes of time.

Phoenix Ancestor.

The wooden statue on the right was in the form of a woman.

She wore feathered robes, her long hair draped over her shoulders, and she held no object in her hands, simply standing there quietly, gazing into the distance.

Her features bore a certain resemblance to the Phoenix Ancestor statue, yet they were colder and more distant, like a statue that did not belong to this era.

Feng Xian.

Chu Sheng paused for a moment before that wooden statue, saying nothing.

He had previously seen Feng Xian's lingering shadow and the traces she left in the Secret Realm, but those were all scattered fragments.

At this moment, beneath this ten-thousand-year-old Wutong tree, seeing this complete wooden statue, he felt a sensation that transcended time.

His gaze rested on the wooden statue for a while before moving away.

The Phoenix Clan's ancestral land was quieter than Chu Sheng had imagined.

The members of the Phoenix Clan scattered among the branches of the giant Wutong tree were not keen on noise or pomp like other Yao Race members.

They went about their own business, occasionally conversing in hushed tones, as if afraid to disturb the sleeping breath of this ancient tree.

Their postures were calm and relaxed, and regardless of gender, they all possessed an innate pride that had never been bent by the outside world.

Chu Sheng walked along the small path connecting the branches, his gaze lingering on the Phoenix Clan members for a moment as he silently noted an observation.

The men and women of the Phoenix Clan were generally outstanding in appearance, but there was a clear distinction in their temperaments.

Those with upright postures and an Aura of sternness between their brows were mostly male Phoenix birds.

And those with gentle features and a natural, composed demeanor in their actions were mostly female Huang birds.

"Feng is male, Huang is female."

Jiuer walked by his side, noticing his gaze, and added in a low voice, "The Phoenix Clan is different from ordinary Yao Race; gender is deeply engraved in the Bloodline, and it is almost impossible to confuse."

"It is said that the most distinctive feature of the Phoenix Clan is the 'Feng Seeking Huang', and I do not know if there will be an opportunity to see it..."

Chu Sheng nodded without asking further.

He noticed that the Phoenix Clan members' gaze toward Jiuer was much friendlier than their gaze toward him.

Although Jiuer came from the Fox Clan, because she had been trained as a Clan Chief for a long time, her temperament was quite similar to that of the Phoenix Clan.

Cold, composed, neither humble nor arrogant, she lacked the impetuousness often found in Yao Race with mixed Bloodlines.

When a few young Phoenix Clan maidens passed by them, their eyes lingered on Jiuer for a moment before they whispered something, as if praising her demeanor.

Jiuer did not respond to those gazes, simply continuing to walk forward at her usual pace.

Chu Sheng felt no discomfort; he knew that he was indeed unremarkable among this group of Phoenix Clan members.

This actually made him feel relaxed; at least he did not have to spend energy dealing with those probing gazes.

However, when they reached a platform near the main Wutong trunk, a young Phoenix Clan member happened to fly down from above, landing a few steps in front of them.

It was an extremely handsome young Phoenix Clan male, with deep-colored feathers and a sharp spirit between his brows that had not yet been polished.

He glanced at Jiuer, then at Chu Sheng, his gaze lingering on Chu Sheng twice.

Then, as if making a casual comment, he said: "Although the Human Race person beside her is barely passable in appearance, his Aura is too weak; it feels like he is not worthy of this elegant Fox Clan Young Miss."

His tone was not malicious; it was more like the casual opinion of a blunt person.

Some of the surrounding Phoenix Clan members laughed when they heard his words.

Chu Sheng was not angry.

He did not stop to argue with the person, but as he continued walking forward, he extremely naturally released a trace of his Aura.

Dao Completion Peak.

The Aura was not violent, nor could it be considered deliberate, but when he passed by that young Phoenix Clan member, the other's body suddenly stiffened.

That young Phoenix Clan member froze, his gaze fixed on Chu Sheng.

"You, you, you..."

Jiuer, walking by Chu Sheng's side, naturally saw this scene.

The corners of her mouth twitched slightly, as if she were suppressing a smile.

The two passed through an open area of the Wutong trunk and arrived in front of a grand hall converted from a natural tree hollow.

The hall doors were open, and a gentle spiritual light shone from within.

A Phoenix Clan male with ordinary features was sitting in the main seat, flipping through a Jade Slip.

His appearance was indeed unremarkable; he could even be said to be an extremely rare, plain-looking individual among the Phoenix Clan, where everyone was typically handsome or beautiful.

But when he looked up, his gaze carried a composure that was inconsistent with his appearance.

Seeing Chu Sheng and Jiuer, he put down the Jade Slip in his hand, his tone carrying a bit of casual yet not disrespectful courtesy.

"This must be young friend Chu Sheng. And this is the Fox Clan Young Miss."

He did not stand up to welcome them, nor did he deliberately put on airs, as if he were receiving two acquaintances passing by.

Chu Sheng bowed in salute, and Jiuer nodded slightly.

The Clan Chief gestured for them to sit, then got straight to the point.

"I have already read the record you sent regarding the Fengxian Secret Realm."

His tone remained steady, yet it held a bit more seriousness than before.

"The content is detailed, the details are clear, and it does not look like it was fabricated on the spot."

Chu Sheng did not reply, simply waiting quietly for what he had to say next.

The Phoenix Clan Clan Chief did not beat around the bush anymore.

He put down the Jade Slip, his gaze landing on Chu Sheng, his tone carrying a focus that could not be ignored.

"In that record, there are a few details involving content that I have not even fully confirmed myself. Therefore, I want to ask you face-to-face once more—"

He paused.

"Is what you said something you saw with your own eyes, or is there another source?"

Chu Sheng met his gaze for a moment, then answered simply.

"Most of it was seen with my own eyes, and a small portion came from indirect deduction. But this Junior can ensure that those deductions are well-founded and not fabricated from nothing."

The Phoenix Clan Clan Chief looked at him for a while, as if confirming the credibility of this statement.

After a moment, he nodded slightly, as if he had already obtained the information he wanted.

He did not continue to ask for details, instead switching to a more practical topic.

"The old Dragon will not trace this to the Phoenix Clan for the time being."

His tone was like stating a fact that had already been confirmed.

"He suffered some backlash in the Formation; although it is not fatal, he has no energy to deal with peripheral matters in the short term."

"Moreover, he does not intend to announce to the outside world that you have escaped."

Chu Sheng did not interrupt, listening quietly.

The Clan Chief continued: "If he admits to setting up the Nine-Nine Blood Origin Formation, he will completely lose control over other clans. With his style, he would rather let the outside world think the birthday banquet went as normal than proactively expose the existence of the Formation."

"So he announced to the outside world that the accident in the depths of the Heavenly Pool was just caused by the Formation being in disrepair for a long time, and it has already been repaired."

Hearing this, the stone that had been hanging in Chu Sheng's heart finally settled a little.

"Then the Dragon Clan will not send pursuers?"

The Clan Chief shook his head: "Not openly. But whether they will secretly send people to watch you, I cannot say."

"However—"

He changed the subject, "The Phoenix Clan does not fear the Dragon Clan. If he dares to send people into the Phoenix Clan's territory, I have plenty of ways to ensure his people never return."

His tone remained steady, yet it carried a confidence that did not need to be emphasized by speaking loudly.

Chu Sheng did not continue to ask, simply nodding and noting this information.

The Clan Chief put away the Jade Slip, as if he had already finished the current topic.

He glanced at Chu Sheng, his tone returning to its previous casualness.

"You may stay here for now. After I have confirmed the details with a few Elders in the clan, we will decide on the next arrangements."

Chu Sheng stood up and bowed in thanks: "Thank you, Senior, for your hospitality."

The Clan Chief waved his hand, not saying anything else, and picked up the Jade Slip again, as if he had already begun to ponder its content.

Chu Sheng and Jiuer exited the grand hall and walked back among the branches of the giant Wutong tree.

Looking at this towering tree.

Next, he needed to stay here for a period of time, wait for the storm to pass, and then decide on the next direction.

But it is possible... the tree desires calm, but the wind does not cease.