The feathered wings of the tentacle were very hard, feeling slightly warm to the touch.
"Is 'Fire Phoenix' its name, or are all beasts of its species called Fire Phoenix?" Lu Heng's hand glided backward from the Fire Phoenix's wing.
"Their species are all fire-elemental magical beasts, so its name is also the name of its species."
"Come on up, let it take us for a flight. I see it has accepted you as a rider." Wu Chenzi walked to the Fire Phoenix's side, leaped onto its back, and sat down in the seat.
"Alright." Lu Heng smiled, placed his hand on the Fire Phoenix's wing, and also leaped up.
"I can tell, this Fire Phoenix is usually quite difficult to approach."
Standing in front of the seat, Lu Heng looked at the single-seater rattan chair. Did he have to squeeze in with this old man?
"Can this seat be modified? I feel like we'll be very uncomfortable if we're squeezed together halfway up in the air."
"Mm, it can be modified. See, I forgot."
As they spoke, Wu Chenzi activated his wood-elemental abilities, controlling the seat to change. Fortunately, the Fire Phoenix was not small, and it was possible to install a double seat.
"Let's go, we'll circle Qingcheng Mountain."
Wu Chenzi manipulated the ropes tied to the Fire Phoenix's neck, seemingly giving some sort of signal. The Fire Phoenix let out a loud cry and rapidly soared into the sky.
"Hmm, this Fire Phoenix's speed is indeed faster than the Eagle Beak Beasts of the same level."
"Huh? What did you say?" Wu Chenzi asked, looking at Lu Heng as he controlled the ropes.
He forgot, they were flying in mid-air at the moment, and Lu Heng wasn't controlling the surrounding air currents. Thus, his words were instantly carried away by the wind, and Wu Chenzi definitely hadn't heard what he just said.
Moreover, this high-speed flight made the body very uncomfortable, giving the sensation of experiencing wind and cold in the air.
There was no other way. Lu Heng had to control his wind-elemental abilities, creating a shield around the Fire Phoenix to block the airflow caused by the flight, and also boosting the airflow between the Fire Phoenix's wings to assist its flight.
"Oh, you have wind-attribute abilities too? And to the extent of controlling the surrounding air?" Wu Chenzi asked in surprise, sensing the change in the surrounding air currents.
"Mm, when I sat on the Eagle Beak Beast's back before, every time we ascended to a high altitude, I would feel uncomfortable. Later, I figured out this ability."
"You mean, you figured out this ability to control wind later?"
Wu Chenzi was somewhat astonished. In his understanding, these cultivable abilities were fixed when one first embarked on the path of enlightenment. He had never heard of any cultivator who, after practicing for a period, figured out other attributes.
"Yes, many of my skills were figured out later." Lu Heng continued to talk nonsense, covering up for any future skills he might develop.
"Young friend Lu, do you have other cultivators in your family? With your talent, I now understand why your spiritual stone test showed black. No wonder..." Wu Chenzi fell into thought, his hand controlling the Fire Phoenix's reins loosening slightly.
"Where did you catch this Fire Phoenix?" Lu Heng looked down, and the entire panorama of Qingcheng Mountain was now visible.
"What? What did you say just now, young friend?" As if startled awake, Wu Chenzi hadn't heard Lu Heng's question clearly.
"I'm asking, where can these Fire Phoenixes usually be caught?"
"On Blazing Island. Many fire-elemental magical beasts live there." Wu Chenzi tugged the right side of the Fire Phoenix, guiding it to adjust its direction to the right.
"Did you get this Fire Phoenix on Blazing Island?"
"Mm, when I was young, I liked to travel around. I happened to hear about Blazing Island and went to see it. Unexpectedly, I obtained a Fire Phoenix egg. After that, I barely escaped Blazing Island with my life, bringing the egg back to the Danyang Sect."
...
Soon, Lu Heng and the others, riding the Fire Phoenix, had circled Qingcheng Mountain. Qingcheng Mountain actually had three main peaks and a smaller peak. These continuous mountain ranges formed Qingcheng Mountain.
Lu Heng also noticed a large lake to the west of Qingcheng Mountain.
"The reason the Danyang Sect chose Qingcheng Mountain is also because there aren't many peaks here. As you saw, the three main peaks are occupied by our three sub-sects as their respective cultivation residences. As for the smaller one, it's for outer disciples to live in."
"Oh, how long has the Danyang Sect been established?" Lu Heng jumped off the Fire Phoenix, smoothing his robe.
"Mm, nearly a thousand years. We can be considered a sect with a long history." Handing the reins to a disciple who was watching the Fire Phoenix, Wu Chenzi took out a wine pot from his storage accessory and took a sip.
"Ha, Young friend Lu, won't you have a drink? It was a bit chilly flying up there."
"No, I don't drink alcohol."
"Then let's go back to my place for some tea. It'll warm you up."
In reality, cultivators like Wu Chenzi, who had fire-attribute abilities, were not afraid of the cold. They could simply activate their fire-elemental energy, and their bodies would warm up. This was just an excuse for Wu Chenzi to find a reason to have a drink.
Returning to Wu Chenzi's alchemy room, Lu Heng sat down at a table.
Wu Chenzi went into his room to search for tea sets. Soon, a disciple entered the room, helped him boil water, and then withdrew.
"Let's drink this tea today. Lu Heng took out two large packages from his space again, each containing two jin of tea leaves. However, the tea leaves were not a new variety, but the same kind he had given Wu Chenzi before."
"Oh, you've brought me new tea again, hahaha, so much."
"Mm, drink this."
"Say, Young friend Lu, do you have the tea trees for this tea? Some parts of our Qingcheng Mountain are also shrouded in mist, which is very suitable for planting tea trees."
"Yes, but these tea trees might lose their original flavor due to differences in soil and water when planted here."
"Then let's try it. I really like this tea you have. You don't need much, just a few saplings, and I'll have the disciples who tend to medicinal herbs plant them specifically."
Lu Heng raised an eyebrow, surprised that this old man liked the tea from the apocalypse so much. He wasn't stingy and took out over thirty tea saplings from his space.
The tea saplings were about half a person's height, with soil still attached to their roots.
"Oh my, you carry them with you?"
Looking at the tea saplings placed on the ground, Wu Chenzi was very excited. He immediately got up and called out to the disciples outside the door.
"You few, quickly clear a space in the medicinal garden and plant these. Remember, plant them in places shrouded in mist."
"Hehehe, I drink your tea, and now I have to ask you for the tea saplings."
"It's fine, it's not anything precious," Lu Heng said indifferently.
"Come, have some tea. The water used for brewing this tea is the clear spring water from our mountain. The water from the spring eye is what I use for refining pills, and others can't usually drink it."
Wu Chenzi was very happy and personally poured a cup of tea for Lu Heng.