Chapter 374

Chapter 374: Feng Rong’s Friend

After You You descended the mountain, she didn’t leave immediately but lingered at the foot. Many others did the same, so she blended in easily. While most stayed out of reluctance or to wait for the next entry in three days, You You surveyed the terrain for vulnerabilities. She returned to the city near dusk.

“You You.” Yuan Qi approached, scanning her carefully. “How did it go? Any issues?”

“Fine.” She nodded while walking inside. “But Jingling Institute restricts cultivators to floating peaks for Cultivation, forbidding exploration. I couldn’t investigate… Wait, where’s Feng Rong?”

She glanced around the room, finding only Yuan Papa present.

“A friend invited him out. He’s gathering information,” Yuan Qi explained.

“Friend?” You You blurted, “He has friends?” Given his temper, this shocked her. Though she recalled Zhen Yan Sect disciples often sought Feng Rong’s help over Yuan Papa’s.

“…” Yuan Qi remembered the cabin full of fragile “friends” on the Spirit Ship and changed the subject. “Did you find anything else at Jingling Institute?”

“No.” You You shook her head. “The floating peaks have a protective barrier. Plus, dozens of divine senses kept sweeping across the peaks during Cultivation. Others didn’t notice them.”

“Their masters must be two major realms above those cultivators,” he deduced.

“There were God Transformation Cultivators present. Are Jingling Institute’s members all Immortals?”

“Likely.” Yuan Qi nodded. “This realm lacks ascension. Beyond God Transformation lies Immortality.”

“But those divine senses only patrolled. They caught that qi-deviant cultivator quickly.” She frowned. “Everyone who left gained Cultivation. Could Jingling Institute actually be charitable?”

“Possibly.” Yuan Qi smiled. “But consider this: if their formation’s spiritual energy aids so many cultivators yearly, why haven’t their spiritual veins depleted? The veins remain robust despite heavy usage.”

You You’s eyes widened. The spiritual veins showed no weakening—they’d even thickened. Unless… the energy came from elsewhere. But where?

“They’ll reopen in three days,” she said. “I’ll skip the floating peak to investigate elsewhere.”

“Good.” Yuan Qi agreed. “But Feng Rong and I will accompany you.”

She opened her mouth to protest when a familiar Presence flared—crimson flames lit the western sky.

“Feng Rong!” Both recognized the True Fire of the Phoenix’s eruption.

You You grabbed Yuan Qi and raced toward the flames.

——————

West City.

A group of men cowered outside a teahouse. Only Feng Rong stood defiant before five sneering female cultivators. “Scram! I hate hitting women!”

The crowd froze, then erupted in laughter.

“Hah! How’d you hit us, pretty boy?” one cultivator taunted, winking. Others giggled, dismissing the non-cultivator’s threat.

Feng Rong’s eyes blazed. These women had harassed them for hours, even trying to kidnap the trembling veiled man behind him. Only You You had ever dared provoke him like this.

He yearned to shift into his phoenix form and incinerate them.

The lead cultivator pointed at the veiled man. “I want him. Move or suffer!”

“Die!” Red flames engulfed Feng Rong, heat scorching the air. The women stumbled back as his figure warped, wings beginning to emerge.

“Feng Rong!” You You and Yuan Qi materialized behind him, grabbing his arms.

The flames snuffed out instantly, his transformation halted.

“You You?” He glowered. “Let me teach these scum—”

“Behave!” She yanked him back. “Your original body would crush half the city!”

Feng Rong: “…”

Yuan Qi: “…”