Gu Qingfeng rode his horse, chatting with Ouyang Ye as they traveled, until the sun set in the west and he finally arrived at the foot of Yunxia Sect's mountain.
Before him lay a majestic mountain range, crouching like a fiery red dragon, yet also as resplendent as a streak of rosy clouds in the sky—hence the name Yunxia Sect. Gu Qingfeng faintly remembered that the reason this mountain range resembled rosy clouds was because Yunxia Sect occupied a very rare Fire Spiritual Vein. The spiritual energy contained within such a Fire Spiritual Vein was far superior to ordinary spiritual energy, making it a truly precious resource. Relying on this rare Fire Spiritual Vein, Yunxia Sect had indeed nurtured many experts over the millennia.
Looking out, the mountain range was still the same majestic one from five hundred years ago, but the Yunxia Sect upon it was no longer the Yunxia Sect of old. Compared to back then, the current Yunxia Sect was truly much more imposing. Grandiose buildings were scattered across the mountains and fields, and especially the various powerful formations were dazzling to behold.
According to Ouyang Ye, Yunxia Sect now possessed three mountains, six halls, nine peaks, and twelve courtyards, with over ten thousand disciples under its banner—and that was just the disciples. Yunxia Sect also had twenty-four affiliated sects, whose members were too numerous to count.
This compelled Gu Qingfeng to sincerely exclaim, "Impressive."
The continuation of a sect's legacy was no simple matter; the effort expended was unimaginable to outsiders. Gu Qingfeng had seen many ancient sects decline over time, and that was common enough. Moreover, a Celestial Calamity had occurred a century ago. Yet Yunxia Sect had not only avoided decline but had become even stronger than before. That indeed deserved respect.
At the foot of Yunxia Sect's mountain lay a stretch of emerald green lawn, where many people had gathered—likely all Yunxia Sect disciples. These disciples clustered in small groups, some laughing and playing, but more were sparring in martial arts.
As they walked along, many disciples greeted Ouyang Ye, addressing her as "Senior Sister" one after another.
"You seem quite popular," Gu Qingfeng remarked.
Ouyang Ye responded proudly, "Of course! This young lady is an inner disciple."
Gu Qingfeng smiled but said nothing. He had spent a few years at Yunxia Sect in his youth and knew its rules. Laborers held the lowest status, followed by outer disciples. Inner disciples held relatively high status, and beyond that were personal disciples and the like, whose identities and status were even more esteemed.
Speaking of Yunxia Sect's convoluted rules, what left the deepest impression on Gu Qingfeng was that seniority upon entry didn't matter here; achievement determined respect. Even if you had been a disciple for over thirty years, as long as you remained an outer disciple, you still had to address inner disciples as "Senior Brother" or "Senior Sister."
What was even more absurd was that if an outer disciple encountered problems in cultivation and sought guidance, they still had to offer tribute. Otherwise, those teaching masters wouldn't spare the time for you.
And that was just for outer disciples. As for laborers, they held no status whatsoever and didn't even have the right to request guidance. Gu Qingfeng had experienced this deeply. Remembering the years he had spent as a laborer at Yunxia Sect, the hardship of those days still felt somewhat bitter when recalled.
But bitter as it was, Gu Qingfeng had experienced many things in this life. He had been judged successively by the Immortal Dao, the Demonic Dao, and the Heavenly Dao, and had even ascended to a venerable position like the Nine Nethers Emperor. Yet, if one asked for the memories he could never forget, it truly was those years he spent as a laborer at Yunxia Sect.
Though it had been difficult, Yunxia Sect was, after all, the place that enlightened him on his cultivation path. Moreover, it held many, many unforgettable firsts for him.
Returning to Yunxia Sect after five hundred years, Gu Qingfeng's heart was quite complex, especially as he watched the youngsters sparring on the lawn. Memories of his youth flooded his mind like a breached dam.
Just as he was reminiscing, a sudden commotion arose on the lawn, followed by a sharp cry in his ears. Looking over, it seemed as if a ball of flame was soaring in mid-air. Upon closer inspection, it was actually a bird. This bird was entirely crimson, quite large in size—stretching to a full meter when its wings were spread. As it soared through the air, it resembled a phoenix reborn from flames.
Well-traveled and knowledgeable, Gu Qingfeng recognized at a glance that this was no ordinary bird but a very rare spirit bird known as the Flaming Sun Firebird. Its ancestor was the Vermilion Bird, giving it a relatively noble bloodline. Most remarkably, this bird was extremely sensitive to fire spiritual energy. Using it to search for fire-attribute Spiritual Veins would guarantee pinpoint accuracy.
"Your Yunxia Sect really has come a long way now, even raising Flaming Sun Firebirds. This thing is quite rare, right? Where did you get it?"
In his memory, this type of Flaming Sun Firebird was extremely rare, having nearly reached extinction by the ancient era. Gu Qingfeng himself had only seen it a few times. To encounter such a rare Flaming Sun Firebird here at Yunxia Sect truly surprised him.
"What do you mean, 'where did you get it'? Why do you have to phrase it so unpleasantly?" Ouyang Ye shot him an annoyed glare before explaining, "The Flaming Sun Firebird flew into our Yunxia Sect on its own dozens of years ago. It's a treasure of our sect now."
Flew in on its own?
Gu Qingfeng pondered. The Flaming Sun Firebird had likely been born after the Celestial Calamity, during the revival of all things. As for it flying in on its own, that was possible. Flaming Sun Firebirds were extremely sensitive to fire spiritual energy, and Yunxia Sect occupied a very rare fire-attribute Spiritual Vein. It was eighty percent likely that the Flaming Sun Firebird had taken a liking to Yunxia Sect's fire-attribute Spiritual Vein.
The Celestial Calamity, the revival of all things... it truly was a revival of all things...
Even the Flaming Sun Firebird, nearly extinct since the ancient era, had been born anew.
"The Firebird is usually very quiet, staying at Blazing Cloud Peak and rarely coming out. I've been a disciple for two or three years and have never seen it fly in the air before. What's going on today..." Ouyang Ye tilted her head back, watching the Flaming Sun Firebird soaring in mid-air, and couldn't help but say, "So beautiful...
Just like the legendary phoenix. Huh?
Why is it...
Oh no!"
Ouyang Ye's expression changed drastically because she discovered the Flaming Sun Firebird was actually flying toward them. Without time to think, the young girl reacted almost instinctively, leaping up and darting away. Perhaps only after escaping did she realize Gu Qingfeng was still standing there. Just as she was about to turn back and pull him along, it was already too late.
The Flaming Sun Firebird was charging over at extreme speed. In her panic, Ouyang Ye shouted,
"You idiot, what are you standing there for? Run!"
Seeing Gu Qingfeng standing motionless, Ouyang Ye knew this guy must have been scared stiff. Watching the Flaming Sun Firebird rapidly approaching, Ouyang Ye's heart seemed to stop. Her eyes wide, holding her breath, she stared unblinkingly.
She didn't know why the Flaming Sun Firebird had suddenly appeared today, nor why it was charging toward Gu Qingfeng, and she had no idea what terrifying event was about to occur.
She thought Gu Qingfeng would be eaten or burned to death?
But when she saw the Flaming Sun Firebird fly over and then happily dance around Gu Qingfeng, her anxiously suspended heart finally settled.
Wait!
Why was the Flaming Sun Firebird dancing around this guy?
And it seemed extremely excited, very happy, letting out sharp cries as it fluttered about.
How could this be?
Watching the scene unfolding before her, Ouyang Ye couldn't make sense of it no matter how hard she thought. She had been a disciple for over two years and occasionally visited Blazing Cloud Peak to see the Flaming Sun Firebird. But every time she went, that bird had been very quiet and always looked listless. Why was it so excited today upon seeing Gu Qingfeng?
So joyful?
Why on earth?
Not only was Ouyang Ye dumbfounded, but the disciples on the lawn were also staring wide-eyed, utterly stunned.
On the field, Gu Qingfeng stood quietly, a look of puzzlement on his face. His serene eyes narrowed slightly as he examined this crimson Flaming Sun Firebird.
To be honest, he really hadn't expected this bird to charge at him.
Could it have sensed the Netherfire energy on him?
After ascending to the Nine Nethers Emperor, Gu Qingfeng had once tempered his body with Nine Nethers Fire. Every strand of hair, every inch of skin, every bone, every drop of blood within him contained traces of Netherfire energy.
Although this bird was sensitive to fire spiritual energy, it shouldn't be able to sense the Netherfire energy on me, right?
Absolutely impossible.
Gu Qingfeng was confident about this. Even immortals and demons couldn't sense the Netherfire energy on him, so how could a mere little spirit bird? Never mind that it had Vermilion Bird bloodline; even if...
Hmm?
Thinking of the Vermilion Bird.
Gu Qingfeng suddenly understood, couldn't help but chuckle wryly, shook his head, and finally grasped why this bird had charged toward him. It was probably because of its Vermilion Bird bloodline.
Nine Nethers Fire was one of the ancestral fires between heaven and earth, which had once given birth to many powerful existences—the Vermilion Bird being one of them. Recalling that he had once tempered his body with Nine Nethers Fire, could it be that...
"Could it be this little fellow mistook me for its ancestor, the Vermilion Bird?"
Watching the Flaming Sun Firebird happily dancing around him, Gu Qingfeng shook his head with a helpless smile.
And the Flaming Sun Firebird, as if it could understand his words, let out even more excited, sharp cries.
By now, Yunxia Sect's lawn was packed with people. Disciples swarmed over, and some of Yunxia Sect's senior experts also appeared one after another, gazing at this scene in disbelief.
"Who is that person?"
"Don't know him. Probably not a disciple of our Yunxia Sect. Seems he came with Senior Sister Ouyang."
"Why is the Flaming Sun Firebird constantly dancing around him?"
"I heard the Flaming Sun Firebird is extremely sensitive to fire spiritual energy. Could it be this guy possesses a rare fire spiritual root?"
"And it must be a very high-grade fire spiritual root."
"Maybe he has a Fire Spirit Treasure Body!"
"Look! Even Elder Mude has come!"
When an elder dressed in white robes, holding a whisk, appeared, everyone present bowed respectfully and called out, "Elder Mude!"
Hearing the name Elder Mude, Gu Qingfeng's heart skipped a beat. He turned to look.