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*****
Tang San, along with Xiao Wu, Guang Ling, and Lan Yinzi, walked through numerous villages and towns, witnessing a variety of unique martial spirits.
For Xiao Wu and Lan Yinzi, most of their attention was captivated by the styles of the fields and the architectural scenery in different villages and towns. Tang San, however, focused on recording data about various martial spirits and inquiring about local history from the elderly residents.
And what about Guang Ling? She was busy purchasing peculiar metal materials and domestic soul tools, seriously studying these soul tools!
However, their journey wasn't without trouble. Due to the widespread dissemination of the mother-daughter soul guide cameras, people everywhere more or less recognized Tang San and his companions.
As a result, the four of them had to travel with their faces covered, sometimes using veils.
"Becoming famous is really a hassle; there are people asking for autographs everywhere." Stepping out of a town, Xiao Wu removed her veil and glanced at the scorching sun overhead. "It's so hot wearing this; I'm drenched in sweat."
Tang San, having removed his mask, showed no signs of sweat. His Jade Bone and Golden Skin Divine Veins had been fully cultivated, making his body impervious to heat and cold.
"Everything has its pros and cons. Isn't the admiration from others proof of your excellence?" he said. "You'll get used to it."
Xiao Wu huffed, "You say that, but aren't you wearing a mask too?"
"I'm preventing you from getting jealous," Tang San replied. "If I took off my mask, the people fawning over you would be swarming around me instead."
"Show-off," Xiao Wu stuck out her tongue, then jumped onto Tang San's back, playfully demanding, "You've never given me a piggyback ride, and now I'm tired. Carry me."
"Stop it, even Guang Ling hasn't complained," Tang San said, not indulging her. He set Xiao Wu down and pointed at Guang Ling. "You're worse than Guang Ling."
Was he being serious? Lan Yinzi, following nearby, was stunned, unable to tell if Tang San was joking or not.
"Exactly, Sister Xiao Wu, you're already a Soul King, and I, a Soul Ancestor, don't feel tired at all," Guang Ling teased. Despite her close relationship with Xiao Wu, even sharing a bed with Tang San, she didn't like seeing Xiao Wu hog all the attention. If Xiao Wu insisted on being carried by Tang San, then Guang Ling would too. If only one person could be carried, she wouldn't mind hanging around Tang San's neck, letting him hold her.
Watching the three of them joke around, Lan Yinzi felt a twinge of jealousy. It was as if the cabbage she had planted was being snatched away by two pigs. Though, to be fair, she hadn't really nurtured that cabbage much since planting it...
Three days later, Tang San and his companions arrived at Phoenix City.
Outside the city gates was a lush forest, predominantly of phoenix trees with large, wide leaves that were fiery red, appearing as if they were ablaze. After inquiring with locals, they learned that these trees, known as phoenix sycamores, bore red leaves all year round, creating a spectacular sight.
"These trees are truly amazing, remaining red throughout the year," Xiao Wu remarked. She picked a paulownia leaf and sniffed it, detecting a faint fragrance. She then took out a medical book from her white jade belt and opened it to a section filled with various herbal leaves.
She placed the paulownia leaf between the pages to preserve it as a bookmark.
"This leaf carries a strong life essence mixed with fire attributes. With some research, it could probably be used in medicine."
Closing the medical book, Xiao Wu placed it back into her white jade belt.
The walls of Phoenix City were as tall as those of Tiandou City, but they were dark red in color. Legend has it that this city has a history spanning ten thousand years. The red hue on its walls isn't due to any special materials, but rather the result of the fall of a phoenix beast, whose blood covered the walls, forging them into the indestructible Phoenix Blood and Bone.
"I've been here before," Lan Yinzi recalled. "Every year in early April, the city hosts a grand festival called 'Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix.'"
"At that time, young men and women, still in the throes of youthful innocence, sing and dance in the city, searching for their beloved. If both sides are willing, they can get married under the witness of the phoenix paulownia tree."
"According to legend, if a couple's singing and dancing are exceptionally beautiful, they might earn the favor of the Phoenix God, who would bestow a blessing upon them."
"However, no one has ever received this blessing, and it's regarded as merely a legend."
"Nevertheless, the Spirit Hall once investigated the phoenix sycamore tree in the city center. It's not a plant spirit beast, but it has indeed survived for over ten thousand years. People who live nearby, even if they are not spirit masters, tend to live past ninety."
"Therefore, Phoenix City is also a retirement place for the nobility and high-ranking members of the Spirit Hall within the Tiandou Empire."
Tang San nodded slightly, recalling in the original work how Ma Hongjun, after failing to inherit the Fire God's mantle, chose to become the Phoenix God instead. It was possible that the Phoenix God's inheritance was linked to the phoenix paulownia tree in the center of Phoenix City.
The four of them entered the city, heading straight for the center.
It was currently March 28, just three days before April.
As a result, every household in the city had phoenix statues and lanterns at their doors, phoenix-patterned decorations on their windows, or red flags hanging outside.
Along the way, many couples walked together, discussing the upcoming "Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix" festival and planning to sing and dance together.
Some even kissed openly in the streets, expressing their love for each other.
Such scenes were common in Phoenix City.
Especially in the days leading up to the "Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix" festival, it wasn't unusual to see couples professing their love and making vows to each other in every corner.
"How can they say such things? It's so cheesy," Xiao Wu remarked, cringing at a couple singing poetic comparisons using sausages and bread.
Tang San covered Guang Ling's ears, clearly stating, "Little kids shouldn't listen to these adult love poems."
Guang Ling: "..."
In reality, Guang Ling knew all about relationships. Having grown up in a small village, she often shared a bed with her parents, making it impossible for them to hide such matters from her.
Nevertheless, she was very touched by Tang San's protective gesture.
Lan Yinzi interrupted the playful banter, pointing to the towering phoenix paulownia tree in the center, which stood about a hundred meters tall. "Look, that's the legendary residence of the Phoenix God, the phoenix sycamore tree."
Surrounding the phoenix sycamore tree was a thousand-meter-wide open space paved with dark red bricks. A five-meter-high fence encircled the area, low enough for an average person to climb over. However, patrols composed of Spirit Hall members and city officials guarded the perimeter, preventing unauthorized entry.
This place was only open to the public on specific holidays; at all other times, it remained closed off.
"Tang San, can you sense anything unusual?" Lan Yinzi asked.
Tang San focused his mental energy, but his spiritual power hadn't yet reached the divine level, so he could only sense a peculiar heat emanating from the tree. This heat could only be detected by someone with exceptionally strong spiritual power, and while ordinary people couldn't perceive it, they were passively affected, which invigorated their blood and contributed to their longevity.
"The longevity in this area is due to the passive influence of this heat," Tang San observed.
"There is a remnant soul of a phoenix beast within this phoenix sycamore tree," Electrolux, with his divine consciousness, immediately identified the essence within the tree. "From my perspective, this tree should have developed its own intelligence, but the remnant soul of the phoenix beast is preventing it from transforming into a true spirit beast."
"If the tree could perfectly devour and absorb the remnant soul of the phoenix beast, it might become a plant spirit beast with a cultivation of over 900,000 years."
"A god's remnant soul is a tremendous supplement for a mortal creature," Electrolux continued. "A soul master with a phoenix or bird martial spirit who acquires this remnant soul might have the potential to become the Phoenix God."
Although the phoenix beast's remnant soul was of a higher grade than Electrolux, to him, a phoenix was still just a beast, despite its noble bloodline.
"What else does it have over me?" he scoffed. "Besides, it's just a remnant soul now."
Electrolux had various ways to handle such a remnant, such as refining it into an undead puppet.
"So, the annual 'Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix' festival might be a time for this remnant soul to gather faith energy?" Tang San speculated.
"Faith energy?" Electrolux mused, sitting cross-legged in Tang San's mental sea, thoughtfully rubbing his necromancer's staff. "I almost forgot, in this realm, gods below the level of divine kings tend to heavily rely on faith energy."
"If your memories of 'Douluo Dalu' can be taken as a reference, then the Sea God Trident on Seagod Island was probably left intentionally by the Sea God. It might not have been just to choose an heir but to gather faith energy to upgrade it into a super divine tool."
"When the Sea God wanted to leave the divine realm, he likely decided to leave the trident behind because, having done it once, he could replicate the process in another area beyond the reach of this divine realm."
"After all, the trident was the Sea God's martial spirit weapon before he ascended to godhood. For weapon martial spirit soul masters, if their weapon is shattered, they can spend time and cultivation to reform it. By extension, transforming a martial spirit into a divine tool and passing it on is feasible, though it would consume significant effort and energy, which is why most gods wouldn't do it."