บท 42: Companions

Staring at that golden light, Feng Xue'er felt like she had seen a miraculous event happening before her very eyes. It was the very time that she saw such sight, enough to make her shiver in amazement. Even the golden flames of the Phoenix paled in comparison to that light.

When Feng Xue'er was born, she had always loved the golden color of her innate flames. It was bestowed to her by the Phoenix God who had always shown its fondness towards her. The golden flames that she possesses made her feel alive. It was the sole thing that accompanied her within the Phoenix Perching Valley, in her loneliness and happiness.

"What is that light?"

She asked herself, feeling very shocked by the splendor of the golden light that spread throughout from the Absolute Phoenix Cliff. Recalling into the books that she had read; golden light usually signified the birth of a godly treasure. It was always like that since the ancient times.

"May I know why you are here?"

Even then, when Feng Xue'er actually arrived at the place where she had estimated that the golden light originated from. She only saw three individuals; a youth with a very strong aura, a girl in her same age who also possesses a beauty that stole a breath away from Feng Xue'er, and a handsome young man who could directly stare at herself without a thread of emotions.

Feng Xue'er felt surprised that the young man who stepped forward, did not looked at her with lustful eyes. It was a very surprising thing for her, because as far as she knows, every man would look at her with their eyes filled with hidden intentions, not even her brothers were an exception.

She felt interested towards the young man who asked her such question. Feng Xue'er wasn't prepared that someone would actually ask about her motives, but she didn't falter at all.

"I… am here to excavate treasures!"

"Huh?"

Chu Xin's gaze turned weird. She even checked if her ears had gone bad. After all, who would check and excavate treasures from this spooky place. Even Chu Xin knew that it was common sense to stay away from the Absolute Phoenix Cliff, because this place is filled with death aura that could possibly affect your destiny, which will lead into mishaps or even death.

"Excavate treasures… from this place?"

Chu Xin asked the girl before her, without an ounce of hesitation. She might have felt intimidated by Feng Xue'er in the past, but that's only if Tatsuya hadn't entered the scene. Tatsuya's existence broadened Chu Xin's horizons beyond compare to any other being within this planet. She is already aware that there are still far more different things that she had yet to see.

"Yes…"

Albeit feeling awkward by herself, Feng Xue'er still carried on with her reason. After all, she knew that no other things could possibly cause the descend of that golden light. She even thought that this people before her might have stole that treasure already, but that shouldn't be possible. Based on her knowledge, such treasures couldn't be excavated through normal means, and it is not possible for the people before her to possess that means. The youth with those extraordinary eyes is far the strongest in the three, but it is still far too weak in the eyes of Feng Xue'er.

Tatsuya's eyes flashed, but no one was able to perceived it at all. He stared at the new individual before his eyes, as he inwardly shook his head. He didn't take into the fact that the Space Formation Diagram actually will produce such disturbance. Even then, it is good that only this powerful girl is near when that happened.

"If that is so, then good luck. We still have things to take care of."

Feng Xue'er felt taken aback, as she felt shocked that Tatsuya did not even consider her existence in the first place. It was the first time that such thing happened to her. Instead of feeling bad, she felt happiness blossom within her heart. It had been a long time since someone had considered her nothing special.

"Let's go…"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Chu Xin approached Tatsuya, and hugged him without feeling shy. In the end, she still can't help but indulge with her own dreams and fantasies, as the Scarlet Dragon followed behind them. Not Tatsuya, nor even Chu Xin and the Scarlet Dragon paid Feng Xue'er any interested gaze.

"Dragon, stick near to me. I'll carry you, so we'll be faster…"

"Yes, Your Highness…"

Dragon felt quite surprised when Tatsuya called him with that nickname, but it didn't feel that bad. He approached Tatsuya slowly, while looking at Tatsuya with respect and reverence. He then felt a very powerful energy engulf his body, as he relaxed his body and just let Tatsuya control the space around him.

*Shua*

A powerful wave of energy suddenly appeared around the three of them, as they instantly vanished within the Absolute Phoenix Cliff. Not even a speck of dust was affected, not a single disturbance happened. It was as if they hadn't existed in the first place.

"Tele…portation?"

Feng Xue'er shivered at such thought. She knew that not even people of the Sovereign Profound Realm could freely manipulate the space. They only possessed a godly speed that could allow them to transverse the whole Profound Sky Continent in a single day. It was simply unheard of an individual who could teleport, and Feng Xue'er was sure that she sensed a fluctuation in space in the single instant that they vanished.

"I have to tell… father! They might mindlessly provoke this person in the future!"

She hadn't expected this even the least, that the man who stepped forward and asked her motives with respect is actually someone of that level. If he could freely manipulate the space, then he could only be a Divine Realm Practitioner! Just like in the legends, where they could freely cause winds, snow, rain, and disasters fall into the material world.

*Shua*

Feng Xue'er unhesitatingly flew away from the Absolute Phoenix Cliff, and directly went towards the Divine Phoenix City with utmost haste. She couldn't help but think of the indifference present in the young man's eyes, as she felt more nervous that her family might cause some troubles again.

…

"Wow!"

"Magnificent!"

Chu Xin and the Dragon looked at the lively aura of the city before them. It felt divine compared to the places that they have visited in the past. Even the New Moon Profound Palace that Chu Xin had always thought to be beautiful, seemed to become trash in a single instant before the city before them.

"Really, the accommodation in the Floating Cloud City seems… 'lacking' compared to this place."

Tatsuya shook his head, as he also felt amazed by the structures of the Divine Phoenix City. It could certainly be called 'divine', but is still lacking compared to the things that he knew to be truly worthy of the name 'divine' location.

Tatsuya looked left and right, and couldn't see cultivators below the True Profound Realm. Aside from the mortals who did their own business, he could see an endless flock of cultivators in all sides. It seems to be because of the purer quality of the profound energy present within the city.

"I see…"

It seems that there is a great formation diagram around the city that purified the profound energy. It is still lacking in Tatsuya's eyes, but he knew that only a single being could possibly deploy this formation diagram, The Phoenix God.

They are currently falling in line, just to enter the Divine Phoenix City. Tatsuya had applied a technique on Chu Xin and the Dragon to make their cultivation look like it is only at the initial stages of True Profound Realm. The same could be applied to him, as he made his profound energy flow look like that of initial stage of True Profound Realm.

When they teleported, he set the destination into the outskirts of the Divine Phoenix City. He even modified the Space Formation Diagram, and made it weaker. It is so that it wouldn't trigger such disturbance, allowing them to arrive here silently without catching any attention.

He also gave Chu Xin a veil to hide her peerless beauty. It might not work because she can't hide her innate beauty just with a veil, but Tatsuya applied a formation diagram, so that people won't focus on her and just ignore her presence. In this way, they wouldn't attract that much attention.

"Look! A powerhouse! Amazing…"

Someone amongst the line pointed his finger at the sky, making everyone turn their gaze towards the sky. They saw a quick shadow enter the city, as they concluded that it might be a very powerful being. After all, not even Thrones could enter this city through flight. They must respect the will of the Divine Phoenix Sect.

Tatsuya did not bother to take a look, but he already knew that it was Feng Xue'er who hastily flew here for some sort of reason. He hoped that they are not involved in whatever that girl is up to. They came here to relax and hide, not to gain needless attention and popularity.

Not to mention, it seems that peerless beauties are always present whenever he's in some sort of trouble. He is always catching their attention, which made him feel very helpless. Right now, he's not in the mood to entertain girls, because he still has a lot of things to do within this planet.

Different inheritance and places are still left unexplored within this planet, and every single location would allow Tatsuya to become stronger than before. Right now, he's so unbalanced that it's annoying him. Tatsuya's cultivation base is currently at the Seventh Stage of Earth Profound Realm, but his strength is already at the level where no Monarch could defeat him. The Demon Condemning Sword allowed him to gain this strength spike, because this sword allowed him to amplify his control and power over the Divine Lightning Art.

"I really need to practice the way of the sword…"

Tatsuya muttered himself, as he found themselves at the very front of the gate. After paying a few profound coins towards the guards, they entered the city and inhaled a gasp of surprise and shock. Chu Xin and the Dragon were amazed by the magnificent view of the city.

The city seemed like a living object, filled with endless vitality that made the atmosphere around the whole city quite lively. Countless stores are lined up, offering different type of delicious course that will attract the eyes of visitors. Not a single trouble or fight is happening, because they dare not offend the Divine Phoenix Sect.

"Big brother! Look, let's eat this!"

Chu Xin unhesitatingly grasped Tatsuya's hand and pulled him over a stall. The Dragon followed them from behind, and also relaxed himself while constantly watching their surroundings. He seemed like a guard for Tatsuya and Chu Xin who is currently buying foods from the stall.

"Here!"

"Eh? No, this Dragon couldn't accept such luxury, Milady."

The Dragon felt surprised, when he saw Chu Xin offer a delicious food to him. He instantly rejected it because he doesn't dare accept luxury from the individuals before him. After all, he currently owes his life to them, and someone of his species doesn't really need to eat such food.

"Accept it, Dragon."

"That's right, Dragon! Don't be too respectful towards us. You're now one of us, our companion. Don't you reject our kind intentions, okay?"

Chu Xin puffed her cheeks, acting very childish while emitting a very charming aura. She forcefully placed the food stick in the Dragon's hand, and did not paid any heed to the Dragon, as she pulled Tatsuya again to another stall.

"…"

The Dragon couldn't help but stare at the food stick within his hand, as his eyes flashed in various emotions. He then smiled, as he slowly followed Tatsuya and Chu Xin. No one noticed it, but a smile appeared on Tatsuya's face, as he noticed what just happened to the Dragon. It seems that the Dragon finally acknowledged himself as their companion.

"Now then, get ready Big brother and Dragon! We will fill our bellies till we can't walk!"

"What if we don't have enough money?"

"I don't believe that Big brother don't have enough money!"

Tatsuya wryly smiled at Chu Xin's declaration, as he couldn't help but feel that Chu Xin is currently feeling very cocky. But he felt that Chu Xin felt more natural compared to when they first met. It really is a right choice to leave Chu Xin into the New Moon Profound Palace to learn different lots of things, which resulted into her current attitude.

"She looks carefree and happy…"

"Yes. I agree, Milord."

"That doesn't apply only to her, but also to you Dragon. Xin'er is right. You are now our companion, so you shouldn't be that tight and just relax. Don't really act like a bodyguard. Or are you telling me that your senses are better than mine?"

Tatsuya laughed, and joked with the Dragon. He also felt happy, and set aside his indifference for the time being. He also wants to enjoy the current atmosphere to the fullest, as it wasn't really everyday for him to do such thing.

"No. I don't dare. Then, thank you, Milord!"

The muscles in the Dragon's humanoid body loosened up, as a smile blossomed at his face. Tatsuya had already caught up into Chu Xin's rapid figure who's trying out different foods. The Dragon stared at the his two 'companions', and also took a step forward, following Chu Xin and Tatsuya with a smile on his face.