Zhen Hong retrieved the plate and cluelessly pocketed it back.

The chariot fell back into silence, and they just continued flying through the sky.

​​

Soon enough, the sun was the jewel in the sky, and it was noon.

Fortunately, a colossal and snowy mountain range flaunted its size below us.

"It's here, let's land on the outskirts, I'll try to remember the way," Zhen Hong informed them.

Alex nodded and slowed down the chariot.

The flying tool began a slow landing.

The mountains weren't a barren wasteland but instead had thick, autumnal forestry.

"I'll use my yin qi detection talisman," Zhen Hong took out a rectangular piece of paper.

Unlike the ones Ma Xuefeng used, the inscriptions on this one were more elaborate and complex.

However, it did not glow in the slightest.

The young man clicked his tongue, and lamented, "We need to delve further into the forest."

Delving further into the forest, they sure did.

Nevertheless, no matter which direction they went to, the talisman stayed as dark as usual.

"Junior Disciple Hong, are you sure you even detected yin qi in this forest...?" The sect leader had an annoyed face.

Zhen Hong stuttered, but he nodded fervently, "I-i am sure it was close to h-here!"

Following that, they attempted to go in other directions and walked endlessly throughout the thick woodlands.

However, there were still no results.

By this point, Zhen Hong's face had lost all hope.

Even Alex, who was usually excited to visit new locations, was starting to feel quite frustrated.

Liuxian cleared his throat, and proposed, "Perhaps, the yin qi has been concealed by the ghost king? We don't know anything about this enemy, they could very well have this ability as a protective instinct."

The sect leader harrumphed and replied, "That would better be the case.."

Zhen Hong and the sect leader began a staring contest.

Suddenly, a strange sound interrupted this tension.

*Cackle*

*Cackle*

A small creature was picking up seeds below its feet with its beak.

Alex looked down and found out that it was a...

"Hen?" He said out loud.

A yellow beak, a white body, and red feathers near its small head.

He caressed the hen, and unexpectedly, the three other immediately stepped back a few dozen steps.

"What's wrong?" Alex was confused, and his wide, heterochromatic eyes clearly showed that.

Zhen Hong coughed, and replied, "Look at its tail, that is not a hen...but a-

"Pheonix cub!" Liuxian exclaimed.

Alex followed their line of sight and perceived that the 'hen' had a small tail that was on fire.

"It might be a phoenix, but it's only a few days old as its appearance suggests, it will die if not taken back to its mother." The sect leader calmly stated.

"How do we find the mother of a divine beast, then, do we ask it?" Alex jokingly proposed.

Surprisingly, Liuxian nodded.

"Phoenixes are very intelligent, but lack the vocal cord structure to speak human language, this one shouldn't be any different."

Alex still didn't think there would be a way to communicate with it.

Unless...

Alex placed his finger on the phoenix cub's head and channeled his Faith Energy.

'Link'

Miraculously, the phoenix cub felt the connection and approved.

"Hmm, oh-great-phoenix, wherst ist thou mother?" Since children loved praise, Alex thought that a divine beast wouldn't be any different.

"Place...in...the...trees...with...fire..." Surprisingly, it was intelligible, although strange.

The other three looked at him like he was a lunatic.

Alex coughed and stood up.

"It says its mother lives in a place that has fire."

"That makes sense, it's a phoenix," The sect leader shook his head.

Alex shrugged and incarnated into Hermes.

He flew above the treeline and observed the entirety of the forest.

He stretched out his perception in all directions, and fortunately, he saw the possible location.

There was an unusually bright spot, and while Alex wasn't sure it was fiery, but it could be.

"Wait for me here," Alex held the small 'hen' in his hands and flew in that direction.

He soon reached it, and as he thought, it was a fiery plain in the middle of the forest.

Amidst a pile of ash in the middle, a large bird slept.

It was entirely ablaze, and its tail was long and majestic.

When Alex landed next to it, the beast instantly woke up.

Its two eyes were of a pristine white color, and they stared right at Alex, and the creature in its hand.

Suddenly, sharp claws charged at Alex, and he was about to dodge, but the claws didn't head for him, but instead, they gently enveloped the phoenix cub and took it back under its stomach.

Then, the phoenix stood up.

Surprisingly, there were many cute phoenix cubs sleeping under her stomach.

The phoenix roared repeatedly at him.

Alex didn't feel like it had any malevolent intent, but he didn't understand it either.

Instead, he sent out a Link connection, and the phoenix made a high-pitched and loud whistle like a majestic eagle.

It approved of the communication, and telepathically said, "You brought back my dear child, do you wish for anything in return?"

Alex fell into a contemplative state.

He didn't have anything to request from the phoenix, but something came to mind.

"Do you know of anywhere in the forest where there is a dense concentration of yin qi?"

The phoenix seemed to nod, and its wings flapped.

"Get on, I'll show you what I know," The phoenix majestically said, and extinguished the fire on the upper part of its back.

Alex was taken aback, but he happily obeyed and sat on the pheonix.

It also grabbed its children with its claws, and gently placed them next to him.

The next instant, they were already in the sky, and Alex felt invincible, as he rode on the back of a divine beast.

"Say, divine phoenix, can you get my companions too?" Alex pointed in the direction where the other three stayed.

The phoenix's head made a nodding gesture and followed his fingers.

Then, under the wide eyes and open jaws of the three immortals, Alex simply waved at them, "The divine phoenix mother will take us to the ghost king, get on!"

The stunned group couldn't do anything but oblige.

The phoenix flew back into the sky and led them to the opposite side of the mountain range.

Then, it landed near the entrance to a cave.

"Here!" It telepathically informed Alex.

"Thank you very much, Phoenix!" Alex climbed down from the creature's back and caressed its head.

Then, it nodded and left for the skies.

"I told you all, today's youths are way too talented..." Amidst the silence, the sect leader lamented.

After a bout of laughter, the four looked at the cave.

Inside of the cave, they would find the target of their expedition, the ghost king...