Chapter 209

　Qi Fei inquired and learned that Phoenix Nest was located in the capital city of the Southern Barbarian Kingdom, “Barbarian City.” It was said that the capital city of the Southern Barbarian Kingdom was built with the sacred site “Phoenix Nest” as its backdrop. There was still a considerable distance between Beiju City and Barbarian City.

　　Qi Fei planned to fill his stomach first before continuing his journey. If he could find a way to contact Feng Jianqing and the others, that would be the best outcome.

　　There was a restaurant nearby, quite large, with two floors. Qi Fei had plenty of money, so he stepped inside.

　　”Shopkeeper, bring me the best wine and food quickly!” Qi Fei took out a few pieces of silver, slapped them on the table, and sat down.

　　”Alright! Please wait a moment, sir, and we’ll arrange it for you right away—” The shopkeeper was very enthusiastic. He noticed that although Qi Fei was not tall, he was carrying a long sword, looked travel-worn, and had a horse tied up outside. He was clearly a person from the martial arts world and should not be offended easily.

　　As the saying goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover; who knows if he has any special skills he might possess?

　　The restaurant was filled with people from the martial arts world. Some were dressed in coarse linen clothes, while others wore brocade robes. Some had long knives and swords on their tables, while others had bamboo hats at their feet. They all had their own distinct characteristics, but they also shared a common feature: they all looked like they were in a hurry to get somewhere and appeared to be quite formidable.

　　”We need to speed things up and get to Phoenix Nest ahead of time. If we wait until the Barbarian King’s ceremony, we won’t get a turn.”

　　”Indeed, it is said that phoenix blood has miraculous power. Just one sip can grant immortality and make one invincible. We must obtain it!”

　　”Now that the world has changed and the phoenix is ​​weak, it is a great opportunity. However, the competition is fierce. We have encountered many martial arts masters along the way, who are obviously all after the phoenix.”

　　”Hmph, let’s see whose methods are more clever…”

　　Qi Fei’s ears twitched, and countless sounds came in. The martial arts practitioners around him whispered among themselves, but how could they escape his notice?

　　Qi Fei hadn’t expected so many people to covet the Phoenix Blood. It seemed that none of them were pushovers, and many had been plotting this for a long time.

　　”The food is here…” The restaurant staff quickly served the dishes.

　　Qi Fei’s appetite can vary greatly; he can go without eating for several days after a single meal.

　　He ate heartily, devouring the roast chicken, whole fish, and chives on the table, then drank a few mouthfuls of strong liquor, wiped the liquor stains from the corners of his mouth, and felt a surge of pleasure.

　　At this moment, several people around Qi Fei cast strange glances at him, clearly recognizing his extraordinary abilities. For a short man to have such an appetite, he must be a master of internal energy.

　　Qi Fei paid the bill and was about to leave when two young men approached him. One of them cupped his hands and said, “Brother, please wait…”

　　Qi Fei looked at the two men. Both of them were handsome and looked to be under thirty years old. The one on the left was dressed in yellow with a long sword at his waist, while the one on the right was dressed in white with a long knife in his hand. They were clearly people from the martial arts world.

　　However, Qi Fei discovered that their martial arts skills were not high; they had not even reached the Innate Realm, and at most they could be considered top-tier experts at the peak of the Acquired Realm.

　　”Is there something you need?” Qi Fei asked.

　　The young man on the left said, “I am Wu Long of the Taihua Sect, and this is Yu Hong of the White Crane Sect. We see that you have an extraordinary appearance. May we ask which sect or school you belong to?”

　　Qi Fei said, “I am not affiliated with any sect or school, but I have learned some martial arts to improve my health.”

　　Wu Long chuckled, clearly unconvinced: “Brother, you’re joking. To tell you the truth, we come from the Great Xia, and we’re here as the Phoenix of the Phoenix Nest… Nowadays, many martial artists are flocking to the Southern Barbarian Kingdom. Judging from your attire, you’re not from the Southern Barbarian Kingdom. Please don’t tell us you’re here to relax.”

　　Qi Fei shrugged and said, “Yes, I’m planning to try my luck at Phoenix Nest. So what?”

　　At this moment, Yu Hong said, “Brother, don’t worry, we have no ill intentions. Obtaining this Phoenix Blood will be extremely difficult. I heard that the Emperor of Great Xia personally went to Barbarian City, and I also heard that the Empress of Kun Kingdom came. My brother and I are planning to invite a few like-minded people to join us. I wonder if you would be willing to travel with us?”

　　Qi Fei then understood what they meant; they wanted to travel in groups, which was nothing new in the martial arts world.

　　Anyway, he didn’t know anything about Mancheng, where Phoenix Nest was, or the situation in the Southern Barbarian Kingdom. Traveling together wouldn’t be a bad idea, as it would be easier to obtain more information. So he said, “I’m just afraid of holding you two back.”

　　Wu Long said, “Hey, it’s alright. When you’re traveling, you should help each other out!”

　　Yu Hong also said he didn’t mind. Both of them seemed to be quite generous people, and Qi Fei felt a sense of goodwill towards them, so he said, “Then I’ll gladly accept your offer.”

　　The three of them mounted their horses and headed out of the city. Once outside the city, they followed the official road straight to the barbarian city.

　　These two were very talkative, spouting off about world affairs and national glory, from the Great Gan Dynasty to the Great Xia Dynasty, from the Kun Kingdom to the Southern Barbarian Kingdom, from the Four Grandmasters of the past to the Ten Great Masters of the present. They even claimed to have met the Empress of the Kun Kingdom, and then talked about the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend Demon Gods, saying with great seriousness that they had seen them and even exchanged a few blows with those demons, ending in a draw…

　　In addition, they had also conducted in-depth research on the Southern Barbarian Kingdom, from which Qi Fei obtained a lot of useful information.

　　When they reached the halfway point of the mountain path, a group of beggars suddenly rushed out from the roadside. They were all dressed in rags and were filthy. They were carrying sticks and broken bowls, making a clanging sound as they banged them. They instantly stopped the three of them and surrounded them.

　　The leader was an old beggar, blind in one eye. He opened his mouth and said, “I planted this tree, I opened this road. If you want to pass, leave your toll…”

　　Qi Fei pulled on the reins and looked at Wu Long and Yu Hong.

　　Wu Long cupped his hands and said, “Heroes, we are all wanderers in the martial world. We are also short of money and really can’t come up with any. Please do us a favor.”

　　The old beggar laughed and said, “Give me some; this is what my brothers in the Beggars’ Clan make their living.”

　　Yu Hong angrily retorted, “This isn’t begging, it’s robbery!”

　　”So what if it is?”

　　”You…take this!”

　　Yu Hong drew his long sword, leaped into the air, raised the sword with both hands, and slashed down at the old beggar’s head.

　　The old beggar sneered, “Your martial arts skills are really not that great.” He swung his stick, and suddenly a flurry of stick shadows filled the air. Yu Hong not only missed his knife strike, but was also hit in the chest by the stick. He cried out in pain and fell to the ground.

　　Upon seeing this, Wu Long quickly drew his sword and stepped forward to help.

　　The old beggar unleashed another series of blows with his stick, and Wu Long, unable to dodge in time, was also knocked to the ground.

　　The old beggar did not pursue them or harm them. He simply stepped forward with his broken bowl and said, “Give me some money to spend.”

　　At this moment, Qi Fei suddenly recognized the old beggar. This man was none other than Chen Chijiao, the leader of the Beggar Clan, who was also a top expert in the Innate Realm. He had once followed Ye Hongyi and opposed Gan Huang, and could be considered a hero. He never expected to meet him here.

　　Qi Fei quickly asked, “Is it Senior Chen Chijiao?”

　　”Hmm?” The old beggar was slightly taken aback and looked at Qi Fei. He was shocked when he saw him and exclaimed, “Hero Qi… it’s you!”

　　Qi Fei’s name was well-known throughout the martial arts world, but few people had actually seen him, except for Chen Chijiao.

　　Chen Chijiao had not only met him, but also knew his background and how skilled he was in martial arts.

　　He immediately said, “It’s a misunderstanding, it’s all a misunderstanding…”

　　Qi Fei remained seated on his horse, not dismounting, and simply asked, “Senior Chen, what brings you here?”

　　Chen Chijiao sighed and said, “After Red Leaf Manor fell into decline, I saw that the situation was hopeless and feared being persecuted by the Gan Emperor, so I led my men away from Da Gan. We begged our way through the land and settled in the Southern Barbarian Kingdom. Later, I heard that the Kun Kingdom had defeated the Gan Dynasty, but then the Great Xia Dynasty emerged. The struggles and grudges in this world are truly endless…”

　　Qi Fei said, “I didn’t expect that you would bring the Beggars’ Sect disciples here to avoid disaster. It is indeed a good choice.” Most of the sects that followed Ye Hongyi and opposed the Gan Dynasty back then have been scattered and destroyed. Most of their leaders have died. For example, Hua Zun of the Taihua Sect and Wu Donglai of the Baihe Sect have long since turned into bones.

　　Chen Chijiao, on the other hand, is still alive and well, which can be considered a kind of wisdom. Of course, the Beggars’ Sect was one of the nine major orthodox sects back then, with members all over the world. In addition, its status in people’s eyes was not high, so it was easily overlooked, and no one would specifically go after Chen Chijiao to settle accounts.

　　Chen Chijiao said, “Why is Master Qi here? Could it be for Phoenix Nest…?”

　　”Not bad.” Qi Fei nodded.

　　”As expected.” Chen Chijiao laughed. “Everyone says that Master Qi prefers to work alone, and it’s true. However, I think the two henchmen beside Master Qi are not very skilled. If Master Qi were to give me some silver, hehe, I, this old beggar, would escort you to the Phoenix Nest. How about that?”

　　Qi Fei found it amusing upon hearing this, but after a moment’s thought, he realized that the Beggars’ Sect had members all over the world and were extremely well-informed. If Chen Chijiao were to accompany him, it would be a good choice. So he said, “Alright, I’ll give you one hundred taels of silver. You can take me to Phoenix Nest.”

　　”Alright!” Chen Chijiao’s eyes lit up, clearly indicating that he had been living a very frugal life for the past few years.

　　Qi Fei gave him two silver ingots, each worth fifty taels, totaling one hundred taels. Chen Chijiao took the silver, put it in his pocket, and called out, “Kids, escort Hero Qi to Phoenix Nest—”

　　”Waaah—”

　　”Waaah—”

　　The beggars cried out in surprise and crowded around Qi Fei’s horse as they walked forward.

　　At this moment, Wu Long and Yu Hong also remounted their horses. Having overheard Qi Fei and Chen Chijiao’s conversation, they both looked at Qi Fei with suspicion. Wu Long said, “Qi…Master Qi…which Master Qi?”

　　Yu Hongdao: “Could it be His Highness Prince Qi of Kun Kingdom? The invincible hero Qi Fei?”

　　Chen Chijiao laughed loudly, “Who else could it be but him? You two were with him, yet you don’t even know who he is? How foolish!”

　　Upon hearing this, the two men turned pale with fright. Wu Long exclaimed, “I’ve heard that Master Qi is handsome and dashing, nine feet tall, with eyes like bronze bells and a face like jade. How could this be… how could this be…”

　　”That’s right, that’s right. I’ve heard that Master Qi is tall and strong, and was born with three heads and six arms, but I never imagined… cough, the rumors are wrong!” Yu Hong shook his head repeatedly.

　　Upon hearing their words, Qi Fei felt ashamed, wondering how much of the rumors circulating in the martial arts world were true.

　　”My darling, let’s go!” Qi Fei patted the Panlong Sword on his back and spurred his horse forward.

　　The Panlong Sword hummed, its blade vibrating as if in response to him.

　　The people around looked at each other, all thinking it was their imagination.

　　With Chen Chijiao and the others leading the way, the journey went very smoothly, and they encountered no further unexpected situations. By the evening of the second day, the group had entered the barbarian city.

　　On the city wall of the barbarian city stood a large banner, embroidered with the image of a phoenix, a mythical bird poised to take flight, lifelike and vivid. Bare-chested armored soldiers patrolled the city wall.

　　Armored soldiers guarded the city gates, searching everyone who came and went. Those who were from the martial arts world were the focus of the search, and if their identities were found to be suspicious, they would be taken back for questioning.

　　Fortunately, with Chen Chijiao and others providing cover, Qi Fei was able to enter the city smoothly. Chen Chijiao had accumulated a lot of connections and experience in the Southern Barbarian Kingdom over the past few years, so his time there hadn’t been wasted.

　　After entering the city, Chen Chijiao found Qi Fei an inn to stay in, while he himself led a group of beggars to sleep outside the inn.

　　At night, Qi Fei sat cross-legged in the guest room, circulating his divine power and entering a meditative state.

　　In an instant, the sounds of the entire barbarian city filled my ears, creating an incredibly noisy cacophony.

　　”Your Majesty, a large number of martial artists have recently infiltrated the city, clearly with ill intentions. Among them are many people from the Great Xia Dynasty and the Kun Kingdom…”

　　”Pass on my order: send more men, and forbid anyone from setting foot in the Phoenix Nest…”

　　”Your Majesty, the Barbarian King is going to hold a grand ceremony to worship the phoenix on the first day of next month. Should we go to the phoenix’s nest in advance and ambush it?”

　　”Hmph, these mere barbarians pose no threat whatsoever. Keep a close eye on the movements of the Kun Kingdom’s experts, especially Feng Jianqing and the others; you must find them as soon as possible…”

　　“Recently, there have indeed been young women from the Kun Kingdom appearing in the city…”

　　”My sister told us not to go out, have you noticed anything?”

　　”Sister, you may not know this, but Xia Yushu and the others are in the city. The Barbarian City is in turmoil. Before the Empress arrives, we must not act rashly…”

　　Countless voices entered Qi Fei’s ears. He filtered out the irrelevant sounds and focused his thoughts on the information he wanted. He soon made a discovery, including the voice of the Barbarian King, the voices of Xia Yushu and other experts from the Great Xia Dynasty, and the voices of Feng Jianqing and others.

　　Qi Fei opened his eyes and stopped practicing.

　　”It’s good that you’re alright…” Qi Fei breathed a sigh of relief.

　　Now that it’s confirmed that Feng Jianqing, Xia Yushu, and the others are all in the city, the next objective is clear: first, find a way to reunite with Feng Jianqing and the others, while also being wary of Xia Yushu and his group, since they have many experts on their side.

　　Especially with powerful figures like Jiang Yuangong, who are at the Heavenly Rank, they must also possess the ability to “see the heavens and hear the earth.” If they manage to find where Feng Jianqing and the others are, it will be troublesome.

　　Qi Fei knew that Feng Liyao and other experts from the Kun Kingdom were already on their way to the Barbarian City, and he hoped they could arrive soon.

　　After a period of random thoughts, Qi Fei gradually drifted off to sleep…

　　The next morning, Qi Fei got up early and walked out of the inn. Chen Chijiao was the first person to greet him.

　　”How did you rest last night, Master Qi?”

　　”It’s alright, the customs and culture of the Southern Barbarian Kingdom are quite nice…”

　　At this moment, Wu Long and Yu Hong also came out of the inn. The two looked at Qi Fei, and Wu Long said, “Hero Qi, do you plan to go to the Phoenix Nest now, get the Phoenix Blood, and obtain an immortal body?”

　　Qi Fei frowned, thinking to himself that these two were truly ignorant of their own limitations, still indulging in such unrealistic dreams. If they went to the Phoenix Nest, they would surely die without a burial place, with no chance of survival. Their desire to obtain Phoenix Blood was simply wishful thinking.

　　Qi Fei sighed and said, “I advise you two to give up as soon as possible. That thing is not easy to obtain. Compared to that, your life is more important.”

　　Wu Long and Yu Hong were displeased upon hearing this. Yu Hong said, “Master Qi, with you here, who can compete with us? The essence blood on the phoenix must be more than just a few clumps. We’ll be satisfied with just a small share.”

　　Wu Long also said, “Could it be that Master Qi looks down on us two brothers and is unwilling to share a piece of the pie with us?”

　　Qi Fei hadn’t expected their thoughts to be so complicated. Since that was the case, he didn’t try to persuade them any further. He simply said, “That’s not what I meant. Since you two brothers have such lofty ambitions, then I wish you all the best.”

　　”That’s more like it!”

　　The two men beamed with joy and began to call Qi Fei their brother again.

　　Qi Fei then looked at Chen Chijiao and asked, “Where do you plan to go next, senior?”

　　Chen Chijiao laughed and said, “Hero Qi, I am an old beggar with a lowly life. I have no good fortune to share the phoenix blood. I will not accompany you any longer. The phoenix nest is easy to find. Hero Qi, you just need to go north. It is in the back mountain north of the barbarian city. However, there are soldiers from the Southern Barbarian Kingdom guarding it, so it is not easy to get in.”

　　Qi Fei nodded: “Thank you.”

　　”Farewell,” Chen Chijiao said, and left with the group of beggars.

　　As soon as Chen left, Wu Long and Yu Hong eagerly urged Qi Fei to hurry up. Wu Long said, “Hero Qi, when are we going to Phoenix Nest?”

　　Yu Hong also said, “We two brothers are willing to be Qi Daxia’s henchmen. Qi Daxia, whatever you command, we will obey without question!”

　　Qi Fei paused for a moment and said, “Brothers, I will definitely go to Phoenix Nest, but before that, we must ensure our safety and at least take care of the enemy first.”

　　”Enemy? What enemy?” The two looked at each other in bewilderment.

　　Qi Fei said, “It’s Xia Yushu, the emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty, have you heard of him?”

　　Upon hearing this, the two were stunned. They then remembered that Qi Fei was the young prince of Kun Kingdom, a sworn enemy of the Great Xia Dynasty, and that the people of the Great Xia Dynasty were obviously in the Barbarian City at this moment.

　　Yu Hong asked, “Surely Master Qi can guarantee our safety?”

　　”I’ll try my best,” Qi Fei said, and then walked towards the street.

　　Wu Long and Yu Hong quickly followed behind him. They didn’t want to miss this opportunity to curry favor with a powerful figure. If they succeeded, it would immediately change their future.

　　With these two burdens following him, Qi Fei couldn’t go directly to Feng Jianqing and the others. At the same time, he couldn’t bear to see them die here, so he tried to avoid meeting Xia Yushu and the others.

　　They wandered around the streets, eating when it was time to eat, and resting and practicing their skills at the inn in the evening, eavesdropping on the movements of Xia Yushu and others in the city, and always on guard against them attacking Feng Jianqing and the others.

　　Before they knew it, three days had passed. During these days, more martial arts figures came to the city. Although there seemed to be no conflict on the surface, anyone could feel the undercurrents of tension.