Chapter 262: Chapter 230: The Phoenix Clan (Part 2)

Luna Sutton, draped in the Invisibility Cloak, sat atop Zeke Veridian, thinking it was unnecessary to cover herself entirely, so she let her head out to breathe.

Moonlight, like water, filtered through the treetops, casting mottled shadows on her face, revealing a kind of hazy beauty.

Zeke Veridian moved swiftly, the trees on either side seeming like rapidly rewinding images, flashing past.

The night wind howled by her ears, carrying the raw and untamed essence of the primeval forest.

She patted Zeke Veridian’s back, “Slow down, my Invisibility Cloak is about to be blown away!”

Upon hearing this, Zeke Veridian slightly reduced his speed, but his wolf ears stood alert, “Ahead lies The Pyreflame Gorge, where the patrol guards of The Phoenix Clan often appear.”

The canyon walls on both sides glistened eerily red under the moonlight, as if they had been soaked in blood.

Luna Sutton suddenly pressed down on Zeke Veridian’s spine, “Wait!”

She pointed to the canyon wall ahead where an elusive totem appeared—a Flame Phoenix spreading its wings, with two guards beneath it bearing wings on their backs.

“It’s a Phoenix Clan outpost.”

Zeke Veridian lowered his voice, his wolf body moving along the shadow of the canyon wall, “I’ll take you around.”

“No need, wait here for me, I’ll go in myself.”

Luna Sutton whispered as she carefully slid down from Zeke Veridian’s back, the Invisibility Cloak enveloping her once more, making her vanish like a wisp of smoke in the moonlight.

Zeke Veridian felt a lightness on his back, then she was gone.

Knowing Luna’s form was concealed, she was likely still nearby.

His emerald wolf eyes stared intently at the outpost ahead, a low growl rolling from his throat, “If you’re not out in half an hour, I’ll rush in.”

A light laugh drifted through the air, “Got it.”

…

Luna Sutton stepped lightly, barely brushing past the patrolling guards of The Phoenix Clan.

The guards had Bone Knives hanging from their waists, utterly unaware someone had passed by them.

Exiting the gorge, the vista suddenly opened up.

Within Pyralia, flame-like phoenix flowers clustered around towering sycamore trees, and the air was filled with the slight fragrance of those blossoms.

Moonlight filtered through sparse clouds, shimmering on the valley’s lake, resembling a sea of stars.

She lifted a corner of her cloak, revealing her eyes, surveying the surroundings.

She couldn’t help but silently admire that the Phoenix Clan’s domain was indeed exceptional, for this scenery alone was enough to make one linger and forget the way home.

Luna Sutton wasn’t sure where Arch-Shaman Ignatius Phoenix resided, attempting to locate it using the system map, only to find the map displayed only notable mountains or geographical locations.

Like the buildings within Phoenix’s Roost Valley, all were marked as white points of light uniformly.

Thus, she closed the map altogether, instructing the system to activate the sounds of life around her.

Her ears were suddenly filled with a cacophony of voices.

The sycamore leaves whispered, “The Great Witch killed ninety-nine Blazewings today, filling the air with a bloodthirsty scent that’s suffocating.”

From the crevices of rocks, came the rustling of a poisonous scorpion, “Don’t mention it, I barely escaped getting captured for bloodletting today; when will that ugly doll be used? I’m almost sick from the bloody stench here.”

Luna Sutton was intrigued. Ugly doll?

She immediately looked towards the source of the voice, spotting a plump poisonous scorpion hiding in the rock crevice, its tail agitatedly swaying.

She cautiously approached, trying not to make any sound.

The poisonous scorpion seemed oblivious to her presence, continuing to mutter, “Heard that Great Shaman Ignatius Phoenix is soaking in the hot springs tonight, and that ugly doll is placed on the altar in his house, spooky indeed…”

Luna Sutton’s eyes brightened, she discreetly lifted a corner of her cloak, crouched down, and asked the scorpion, “Which direction is Great Shaman Ignatius Phoenix’s house?”

The scorpion’s pincers suddenly spread wide, its tail hook stiffened instantly, “Who?”

“Just passing by,” she lowered her voice, “Tell me where Ignatius Phoenix resides, and I’ll help you leave Phoenix’s Roost Valley.”

The rustling sound behind the rock stopped for a moment, then an oily, shiny scorpion head popped out, “Really? Follow the path where the phoenix flowers are densest until you reach the end; there’s a charred old sycamore, the stone house beneath is it.”

Strange that this female could understand its speech.

Then the scorpion suddenly whispered, “That ugly doll is placed on the altar, but there are two Crimson-banded Serpents at the door…”

Before it finished speaking, footsteps suddenly echoed from afar.

The poisonous scorpion swiftly retreated into the rock crevice, and Luna Sutton quickly tightened her cloak, her form disappearing at once.

Two guards from The Phoenix Clan passed by nearby but failed to notice her.

She breathed a sigh of relief, waiting until the guards had gone far, then immediately moved towards the direction indicated by the scorpion.

The deeper she went, the phoenix flowers grew denser, their crimson petals scattered on the ground resembling pools of blood.

Upon seeing the charred sycamore tree, Luna Sutton abruptly halted.

Sure enough, two Crimson-banded Serpents were coiled at the stone house’s entrance.

She narrowed her eyes, and with a swift flick of her palm, tossed out thorny vines, directly severing the serpents at their vulnerable spot.

The serpents fell to the ground with a dull thud, and she darted into the stone house.

Inside, the candlelight was dim, and indeed in the center of the altar lay an ugly doll pierced with Bone Needles, the red letters spelling “Luna Sutton” starkly visible.

The eerie candlelight flickered with an unsettling glow.

She wasted no time, grabbing the ugly doll and affixing the Rebound Talisman onto the doll’s back.

The talisman flashed momentarily, then instantly vanished into the doll.

Luna Sutton breathed a sigh of relief, ready to leave.

That’s when she noticed a black wooden box next to the ugly doll, from which rustling sounds emanated.

The sound revealing the presence of poisonous insects inside.

She turned to leave.

Suddenly, the system’s voice reminded her in her mind, “Host, there’s a treasure inside, take it.”

Luna Sutton immediately furrowed her brows, her gaze directed at the black box.

A treasure?

These poisonous insects could possibly be treasures?

Despite her thoughts, she cautiously lifted the box.

She dared not use her hands directly, instead using vine tendrils to open it, standing afar.

The black box opened to reveal a Silkworm King, entirely golden.

“Rescue benefactor!”

The Silkworm King suddenly spoke, “I am the sacred item of The Veno-Herbalist Clan, captured by The Phoenix Flame to be used for venom creation. If you take me, I’ll grant you a body impervious to all poisons!”

“You promise, no trickery then,”

Luna Sutton closed the black box, directly placing it into the system’s backpack.

She was about to retreat.

When suddenly from outside came Celestia Fawkes’ delicate voice, “Great Witch, is the cursed doll prepared for the vile female yet?”

Her expression slightly changed, quickly wrapping the Invisibility Cloak around herself, leaning against the wall.

Celestia Fawkes pushed the door open, trailed by an old woman with tattoos all over her face.

Upon noticing the altar and the missing black box beside the ugly doll.

The Phoenix Flame’s expression instantly changed, gritting his teeth in rage, “Who touched my venomous insects?”

His gaze swept over the room, the tattooed face twisted and ferocious.

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