Qinglianzui possessed remarkable cultivation and could truly be considered a representative of the younger generation of Little Dragon Pool who traveled about. How could someone who seemed almost like an ordinary mortal possibly deserve such courteous treatment from Little Dragon Pool?
While everyone was still baffled, magnificent rosy clouds filled the distant sky, and the Blood Fiend Twin Beauties personally led a procession, bringing along a group of handsome men and beautiful women who danced and played music to welcome them, leaving all the demons outside the mountain gate dumbfounded.
It was not just that they were leading the procession; the crucial point was that one of them led the dance while the other played music, and both of them were prominent figures in the younger generation of the Demon Race, renowned for their fame, beauty, and strength. In Little Dragon Pool, their commands were virtually equivalent to those of the Little Dragon King, second only to him in status.
The various factions of demons who had gathered for the Dragon Gate Assembly never imagined that merely by camping outside the mountain gate, they would get to see figures like fairies of Little Dragon Pool.
The breeze blew pleasantly, and the onlookers were mesmerized.
Good grief, why such a grand display!
Just as he was about to head inside with Qinglianzui, Lin Feng stopped in his tracks. The grand welcome prepared by the two sisters caught him completely off guard.
The group finally gathered around him. Hua Ling was the first to put away her konghou and leap down, transforming it into an exquisite hair ornament to pin in her hair.
"Fu Yao Senior Brother, long time no see!"
What long time no see? With magical treasures allowing them to travel fast, it had only been about ten days.
She was well-behaved and polite. As she stood up and raised her eyes, Lin Feng was also stunned; those were eyes brimming with affection.
Feeling his Divine Soul sinking, Lin Feng felt a jolt in his heart.
"Hua Ling Junior Sister!"
When it came to acting, newborn calves were not afraid of tigers, and Lin Feng was quite bold.
With a gentle tone, he looked at Hua Ling with a calm smile, then turned around to face Feng Ling.
"Feng Ling Junior Sister!"
That put a different spin on things. While he addressed Qinglianzui and the others as Senior Brother, he called the senior sister shared by all those 'Senior Brothers' a Junior Sister!
The demon cultivators had already been guessing that his identity was mysterious and lofty, yet they never expected him to be so formidable.
Who were the Blood Fiend Twin Beauties?
Throughout the entire Demon Race, no youngster had ever been heard of who could last ten moves without defeat against their combined forces. Even the Mad Bull Demon and Baize combined had only managed to last eight moves, which showed the terrifying nature of their combat prowess.
Everyone knew that while the two of them were top-tier experts of the younger generation on their own, once they joined forces, even heavyweights from Tianchi could only suffer defeat in bitter regret.
The air was filled with the sound of people catching their breath, yet Lin Feng remained as composed as ever.
It's over, am I now unable to back down from this?
Probing Openly
"Fu Yao Senior Brother!"
The two of them offered greetings simultaneously, Hua Ling bubbling with excitement.
" Hee hee, we told Dad that an old friend was coming to visit, so Dad let us bring Senior Brother to Taihua Hall. Let's go, Senior Brother, the Dragon Gate Assembly has nothing to do with us anymore."
She chattered away endlessly. The Azure Water Beast stopped hiding, and Ling Yun'er stopped making a fuss, transforming into a fiery red cat that tilted its head in thought for a moment before jumping onto Lin Feng's shoulders alongside the Azure Water Beast.
A fire-type beast on the left and a water-type beast on the right—though small and cute, they were also fierce and formidable. At a glance, Lin Feng looked as though he had three heads.
"Hee hee, Fu Yao Senior Brother is so well-liked! These two little fellows are notoriously proud, you know!"
Ling Yun'er was completely submissive; in front of the two sisters, she dared not put on any airs. The Azure Water Beast blew bubbles, ignoring whatever Hua Ling was saying as it affectionately rubbed against the back of Lin Feng's ear.
The fluttering bubbles refracted the spiritual radiance of the procession's dance and music, creating a breathtaking scene. Hua Ling was overjoyed and scooped the creature up into her arms.
With his heart feeling ice-cold, Lin Feng was gripped by lingering fear. Only at that moment did he dare to use his cultivation to calm his wildly beating heart and restore his inner composure.
"Since the two Senior Sisters and Qingfeng Junior Brother had a prior appointment with Fu Yao Senior Brother, Qinglian will not intrude any further. When Senior Brother has some leisure time, do come to Yunjian Cave Abode for a visit. Qinglian will await you!"
"Such a cordial invitation is hard to decline; Fu Yao will certainly visit!"
Lin Feng was extremely polite. After Qinglianzui exchanged pleasantries with the two sisters, she led her people off to attend to other matters.
"Oh dear, I almost forgot! Qingfeng Junior Brother is busy with family matters in Dragon City. Senior Brother, shall we detour to Dragon City and bring Qingfeng Junior Brother along with us?"
This left Lin Feng guessing at Hua Ling's intentions.
Nevertheless, maintaining his poise, he replied calmly, "That fellow might feel a bit uncomfortable with us around. Well then, let's go see what he's busy with first!"
Having no idea where Taihua Hall was located, Lin Feng had no desire to be a man of broken promises. Since he had previously agreed with Mu Qingfeng that he would drop his name upon coming to Little Dragon Pool, Lin Feng intended to keep his word.
With a wave of her hand to signal downward, Feng Ling indicated for the flute and string music to soften. Seizing the opening, Hua Ling pressed on.
"How does Senior Brother like this arrangement?"
Never having overestimated himself, Lin Feng dared not make a single misstep. He nodded and said, "Splendid! Everything is better with more people!"
Though this group had been meticulously trained and the music had quieted down, it remained clearly audible, blending seamlessly with the lakes and mountains along the way to strike a chord directly in the listener's heart. What Lin Feng saw before his eyes filled him with joy and beauty, and his words came straight from the heart.
Yet Hua Ling could not understand why he felt the need to add that everything was better with more people.
"As long as Senior Brother likes it! Oh, by the way, Senior Brother, this is the Jade Wave Pool of Little Dragon Pool. If this little fellow were to cultivate here, I'm afraid it could take human form in less than three days. Just now it was being greedy for spiritual fish outside the mountain gate, so it must be close to gaining human form. How about—hee hee—we leave it here? It can also be considered a small favor to Tianchi Senior Brother? Hee hee..."
Unable to fathom Hua Ling's true intentions, Lin Feng did not dare let the Azure Water Beast get too far away from him. This little fellow was quite astute; if not for it just now, he would have been wiped out by the little tiger's "joke."
"Unearned rewards should not be accepted. Its greed has already caused trouble; we'll properly discipline it when Tianchi Senior Brother arrives."
Hearing this, the Azure Water Beast let out a wronged gurgle, burrowing into the crook of Hua Ling's arm as it worked hard to blow bubbles.
The sky and earth were filled with colorful, magnificent hues, and Hua Ling was in high spirits.
"Alright, alright, it was only a few spiritual fish; I won't blame you!"
Waiting precisely for these words, the Azure Water Beast blew bubbles even more zealously.
"Hmph, spineless creature!"
Ling Yun'er spoke in human language, giving Lin Feng a start. Seeing this, Feng Ling merely offered a gentle smile without saying a word.
Shameless and thick-skinned, the Azure Water Beast acted as though it hadn't heard Ling Yun'er's disdain. It simply took to the air, circling around the two sisters while blowing bubbles, setting them off like goddesses stepping out of rosy clouds, causing a slight commotion among the procession behind as they marveled at this wondrous trick.
This fellow has quite some skill!
Utterly dazzled himself, Lin Feng did not dare to use his meager cultivation this time, judging matters purely on their merits—the beauty of the two was beyond description, yet it felt somewhat illusory.
Just as he was having this thought, Feng Ling sighed softly and spoke.
"Fu Yao Senior Brother has sharp eyes. Both of us are blood-spirit avatars and possess no actual physical flesh as a vessel. Though we appear to exist in the world, in truth the Great Dao is illusory and has nowhere to rest."
What he thought in his heart could not be hidden from the two of them at all. Shocked and alarmed, Lin Feng nonetheless remained as calm as ever.
"Junior Sister, allow me a moment to consider how to reply!"
He was genuinely pondering his answer, and the two of them sensed no flaws in his state of mind; in fact, they had ceased probing him altogether.
"Oh, Sister, how could you do that?"
She was referring to how Feng Ling had naturally taken the opportunity to probe Lin Feng's state of mind. Feng Ling tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear, lowered her gaze slightly, and offered Lin Feng an apologetic smile.
"Senior Brother's great name is truly a source of curiosity. Feng Ling won't do it again."
Her words were flattering, sincere, and playful all at once, perfectly striking the gentle demeanor of a woman while acknowledging her mistake in a way that made it impossible to harbor any blame.
"No matter, no matter. I actually have need of these genuine experiences, so it wasn't too startling!"
He had no idea how he managed to put on an increasingly natural act, but in a fleeting moment, Lin Feng truly felt as though he could stand alongside them and point the way across the mountains and rivers.
Hua Ling burst into inexplicable laughter beside them, roughly yet tenderly stroking the Azure Water Beast a few times.
Relishing the sensation entirely, the Azure Water Beast narrowed its eyes in comfort and began to purr.
"Bah, have you no shame at all!"
Ling Yun'er simply could not bear to watch the Azure Water Beast's complete lack of dignity any longer!
"Little fellow, Kuanghou Exalted Immortal and Dad are somewhat at odds. It's only reasonable that I teach you a lesson, isn't it?"
With a half-serious threat gleaming in her pretty eyes, Hua Ling brandished her fist at Ling Yun'er.
"Shameless, all of you are completely shameless!"
With a scold, it hurriedly shifted from Lin Feng's left shoulder to his right, watching the two sisters with heightened vigilance.
"What did you say?"
Unexpectedly, Hua Ling—who had been in a lovely mood just a moment ago—instantly clouded over, flashing a hint of killing intent.
"Roar! Meow!"
Ling Yun'er's fur stood on end. When she tried to roar angrily, a red beam of light from Feng Ling enveloped her, cutting off the sound halfway and turning it into a mere cat meow!
Truly terrified of the two sisters, she scrambled straight into Lin Feng's embrace, diving directly through the gap in the fabric over his chest to cower in trembling fear behind his back.
Without figuring out why Hua Ling had suddenly grown angry, and failing to even notice Feng Ling's movement, Lin Feng instinctively reached out to draw his sword, only to find his arm suddenly refusing to obey him.
An irresistible force surged up from his spine, naturally pressing his right hand downward in a motion that looked precisely like comforting a startled kitten.
Amidst the ripples in his own mind, Lin Feng realized he was acting like a frightened bird at the slightest sound. He instinctively patted Ling Yun'er, stroking her through his clothing.
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, they were just joking with you!"
Daring not to think too much, and unable to afford any distractions, he earnestly comforted her, finally coming to understand just how laughable it was to put on airs in front of genuine experts.Chapter 25: Dragon City
With the difference in cultivation levels lying right there, getting too close would inevitably give him away.
Yet he did not know that after Feng Ling took the initiative to test him, his generous admission that he simply needed to experience genuine sensations, coupled with his reaction upon first seeing Hua Ling—momentarily captivated by her beauty before naturally calming his mind with his cultivation—actually set the already-convinced Feng Ling completely at ease.
When they first met, Lin Feng had not been swayed by the two beauties' appearance, or at least he had shown no outward abnormality. Moreover, his actions back then had been entirely natural, even carrying a hint of seniorly concern toward them.
Both sisters had been deeply impressed when he had taken their hands to help the spirit bird undergo the master-recognition ritual.
Especially those words: "Cultivate diligently." They had carried an indescribable, steady naturalness.
Meeting again now, Lin Feng being captivated by Hua Ling and openly steadying his heartbeat right in front of them instead possessed an accidental, genuine quality.
Added to the fact that Lin Feng's cultivation was already terribly low, while a mighty deity's seal resided within his Consciousness Sea, Feng Ling could probe all she wanted and still find nothing at all.
The two sisters shared a single mind. Lin Feng was open and candid, and he had done them a favor beforehand—they could not possibly hold a higher opinion of him.
"Senior Brother, do not blame her. This little one has a fierce temper. Frightening her a bit and making her grow close to Senior Brother might just bring unexpected gains."
She truly was a shifting enchantress. Looking at Hua Ling's playful expression, Lin Feng could not quite describe what he was feeling.
*Never trust anyone within the Demon Race.*
These were Turandot's words.
It was not mere wishful thinking on his part, but Lin Feng always felt that Hua Ling seemed entirely too eager to draw close to him. This was completely different from what the two of them had said back at Tianchi.
While he was still wondering, Hua Ling took the initiative. She walked right up, looped her arm through his, and spoke in a voice that was both sweet and coy.
"Senior Brother, Elder Sister and I have already refined the Spirit Rhinoceros Bird into a Corpse Soldier, hidden deep within our hearts. Hehe! From now on, no matter how far apart we are, we will always be able to sense each other."
This sudden sharing of intimate details made Lin Feng extremely uncomfortable. Having been an orphan since childhood, her sudden closeness left him at a loss, forcing him to react somehow.
"Oh? The Heart-Linking Knot is not easily practiced; the two of you are truly remarkable." He had only ever heard of the Heart-Linking Knot, but since such monstrous talents could use it for cultivation, it had to be extraordinary. All he had to do was lay the flattery on thick.
Sure enough, Hua Ling nodded with a pleased expression.
"Then what sort of divine technique is Senior Brother practicing? Do genuine sensations really require walking on your own two feet while traveling?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Hua Ling stuck out her tip of her tongue, realizing it was somewhat presumptuous to ask Lin Feng about his cultivation method.
Yet these words provided Lin Feng with the very excuse he needed to spin his tale.
First, he pointed to his own head, twirling his index finger twice before speaking amidst the sisters' bewildered gazes: "My cultivation takes place entirely in my mind. When I'm tired, I sleep; ordinarily, I labor hard."
It sounded mysterious, and he gave no concrete details, but everything he said was the absolute truth—he had no fear of any experts secretly probing him.
And wasn't it true? No matter how much spiritual energy he tried to draw into his body from the outside world, it would simply be devoured by the seals. He had to exert every ounce of strength he possessed just to absorb energy of the same origin, relying on the handouts of that bloody bagua to gain a tiny fraction of feedback to nourish his pitiful cultivation.
Any other spiritual energy entering his body was split evenly and devoured by those two gluttons. Yet the imprint of the Jade Emperor Scripture sat there like a meditating old Daoist, completely ignoring everything.
Without Turandot's assistance, his own personal power still drifted like a stray hair within his Consciousness Sea. Now that there was a connection in their vital energy, he could easily locate it—he simply couldn't use it.
It was far too heavy amidst the spiritual energy; he could only surmise that the combined might of figures like the Little Dragon King and Zhao Wuji was still beyond his ability to wield.
Powerful though the Divine Mysterious Heart-Clearing Technique undoubtedly was, his own personal strength was simply too meager and pitiful, utterly insufficient to feed the insatiable appetites of those two seals. He was utterly helpless against it.
"I need to experience the mundane walk of ordinary mortals, drawing close to the primal state and observing the most minute details. That is why it is somewhat more tiring."
It sounded refined, but in truth, his cultivation simply wasn't enough for him even to fly, and he was just leaving himself an escape route.
Yet precisely because he spoke with such earnestness, and the two sisters listened with equal sincerity, they actually believed him.
"Oh? Truly so miraculous?"
Slightly exaggerating, Hua Ling acted as though she had never heard of anything so eccentric, turning her head to look at Feng Ling.
"Senior Brother's method is indeed unique. In that case..."
Before Feng Ling could finish, Hua Ling had already led Lin Feng straight into Dragon City.
Dragon City?
The city walls towering before them were immensely grand, even in mere outline. Outside the city, buildings stood in neat and orderly rows, stretching endlessly into the distance.
With people coming and going, towering structures rising on all sides, and various demon cultivators riding the clouds and mists—some returning to enter the city, others departing—each followed their own proper paths.
The vast city exuded an atmosphere of peace and stability.
The bustling prosperity before his eyes dealt Lin Feng a tremendous shock.
In the Human Race's Qingluan Continent where he had grown up, let alone a gathering of cultivators and mortals of this scale, even within the Moon Flower Sect—the foremost sect of the continent—he had never laid eyes upon more than a handful of tall buildings during all his hurried years there.
And for good reason: the Demon Race had waged perennial war against Qingluan Continent, conquering the entire land. Many human cities and sects scarcely dared to construct tall buildings anymore.
Within the territory of the Baishui Sect where he lived, he had never even seen a building taller than seven stories. Yet the Dragon City before him truly deserved the description of a forest of towering buildings; they soared into mid-air, piercing straight through the clouds.
Massive cables linked them together, interconnected pavilions spanned the gaps, and even the upper and lower sections of the grand towers were demarcated to form distinct zones for different social strata or factions. This deeply shocked a bumpkin who had seen nothing of the world.
"What a magnificent city!"
Standing upon the slope, his heart soared with yearning!
"Dragon City was built by my father, modeled after the Dragon City in Zhonghuang Continent of the Human Race. It is a pity that we have captured only its form, not its spirit, and possess barely thirty percent of its prosperity!"
"The human Dragon City? Junior Sister has already been there?"
Hua Ling nodded and continued, "However, under the management of my sister and me over these years, all the races within the city live in peace. Moreover, cultivators keep arriving from the wilderness and the Three Continents to settle here. At this rate, in less than a century, this place will become a true Dragon City, surpassing the one in Zhonghuang Continent!"
Catching the flash of pride and joy over an impending great accomplishment on her face for the first time, Lin Feng felt an unbidden urge to curse the Dragon City before him to ruin.
One glance was all it took for him to understand that this Little Dragon Pool posed far too great a threat to the Human Race.
They had completely mastered how to subjugate humans. The ordinary citizens within the city looked entirely like normal members of the Human Race, and the slaves sold in the markets included both humans and various other races.
The flavor of demon supremacy was heavily diluted here. Though Lin Feng had not experienced many things, the intelligence left behind by Shen Xuanyue allowed him to take a high vantage point and see far. At a single glance, he realized that the Little Dragon King was conducting an experiment.
An experiment for the day when the Demon Race completely conquered the Eighteen Continents of the Human Race, testing the methods of governing humanity.
What pained him most was seeing human bailiffs, accompanied by demon colleagues, arresting petty criminals.
They did so with such natural ease!
As a human, Lin Feng could feel no sense of shared honor or pride in the peace and stability before him—only a deep, profound fear and a sense of utter powerlessness.
He firmly believed this was not because the Little Dragon King was genuinely kind to humanity.
"If there were more such magnificent cities, my Demon Race would surely flourish greatly!"
Chapter 26: Shock
"Mm-hmm, there are, there are! The cities under the rule of the various Demon Kings are simply different. Once Senior Brother travels around more in the future, you will understand!"
She really did tell him everything she knew. Lin Feng smiled wryly and shook his head.
"Coming here this time to view the Dragon Gate Grand Assembly is already thanks to Senior Brother Tianchi's light. As for traveling across all Three Continents—I'd rather go back to sleep!"
No hidden meaning could be discerned from Lin Feng's smile. Feng Ling, equally pleased, walked into the city with him. Just as they reached the city gate tower, they caught sight of Mu Qingfeng with a sorrowful expression on his face, holding his sword as he stepped out, clearly preparing to take flight.
"Junior Brother Qingfeng!"
She called out to him. Mu Qingfeng looked over in bewilderment, and upon seeing the three of them, he was greatly startled, hurriedly coming forward to pay his respects.
"Whatever is the matter with you? You look so thoroughly displeased!"
With lingering sorrow still visible on his face, Mu Qingfeng shook his head slightly.
"Just some trivial family matters. They have already been dealt with, so Senior Sister need not worry!"
"Really?"
"Really!"
Confirming it once and receiving his reply, Hua Ling's expression instantly shifted into something else—a nuance Lin Feng took in completely.
"Junior Brother Qingfeng, it has been a long time. Last time you insisted that I must drop your name—well, how is that? Have I kept my word?"
It wasn't that Lin Feng had gone out of his way to find Mu Qingfeng; rather, since the two sisters had brought him up, he had no choice but to maintain the consistency of his actions. Neither of the sisters was ordinary, and he was terrified of making a misstep that would expose his true identity.
Lin Feng and Mu Qingfeng had met only once, not even qualifying as nodding acquaintances. Yet it was obvious that Lin Feng exerted far less pressure on Mu Qingfeng. Hua Ling held too high a status in Little Dragon Pool, creating an unbridgeable chasm of status between her and other disciples.
"Qingfeng is deeply grateful for Senior Brother's patronage!"
Being equally candid, Mu Qingfeng voiced his thanks directly.
The situation was roughly this: he knew Lin Feng and assumed the latter possessed a lofty status, so he had simply wanted to borrow the connection to curry favor, using Lin Feng's name to elevate his own standing within Little Dragon Pool.
Seeing this, Lin Feng understood. Mu Qingfeng and Qing Lingzi were not familiar with the Hua Ling sisters at all. Though they were fellow disciples of Little Dragon Pool, their statuses were worlds apart, which explained why Mu Qingfeng had been so frank.
Likely, few dared to harbor petty schemes in front of the two sisters!
"Haha, Dragon City is your home turf, and you are about to leave? Do you not plan to show me around?"
Without putting on any airs, Lin Feng immediately stepped deeper into the city.