As soon as he entered the Phoenix Ancient Civilization, he beheld its structure: a vast continent large enough to contain numerous stars, with thousands of stars floating overhead. These celestial bodies seemed like a thousand staircases pointing toward the apex, where a smaller continent rested.

“The large continent below is called the Continent of the Phoenix, and the smaller one above is the Continent of the Phoenix Head. The lower Continent of the Phoenix houses the vast majority of the Phoenix Ancient Civilization’s inhabitants, while the Continent of the Phoenix Head above is reserved solely for the Lord of the Phoenix Ancient Civilization and the Seven Maidens.” Without warning, the Son of Magic—whose entire being radiated arcane energy, appearing delicate and handsome, bearing a slight resemblance to the Son of Immortality—had materialized beside Lu Yuan to offer this explanation. Lu Yuan was acquainted with the Son of Magic, knowing that despite their superficial similarity, he and the Son of Immortality were fundamentally different.

The Son of Immortality was a venomous wretch, projecting an image of goodness while taking pleasure in clandestine sabotage.

The Son of Magic, however, was not such a person; he was devoted to researching magic, often locking himself away in seclusion for years of study, completely unseen. Of course, he wasn't antisocial; interacting with others was perfectly normal—the Phoenix Ancient Civilization certainly wouldn't want one of its prized talents to become a hermit.

The Son of Magic and Lu Yuan generally had a good relationship. They had once teamed up against a common foe at the Civilization Sanctuary, and Lu Yuan had spent considerable time within the Phoenix Ancient Civilization, even studying and sparring with the Son of Magic on a few occasions through friendly contests of skill. The Son of Magic said, “That performance on the Heavenly Ranking was beyond magnificent. Defeating the Son of Barrenness so decisively—I’ve disliked that fellow for ages.” Simply put, the previous Son of Barrenness had exerted immense pressure on the Son of Magic. The Seven Sons of Fortune—there had long been a saying that the other six were merely stars meant to illuminate the Son of Barrenness; he was the moon.

If it were just talk, it wouldn't matter, but the Son of Barrenness truly possessed such overwhelming power.

Thus, the Son of Barrenness had always placed incredible stress on figures like the Son of Magic.

Everyone hoped the Son of Barrenness would suffer a defeat, but alas, he never lost; he was the perpetually flawless God of War.

The Son of Magic, the Son of Martial Arts, the Son of Demon, and the Son of Immortality—all lived under the shadow cast by the Son of Barrenness.

For instance, the Son of Immortality had even sworn allegiance to the Son of Barrenness.

As the Son of Barrenness remained undefeated, the pressure was constant, until quite recently when Lu Yuan managed to strike him down, shattering the image of the flawless God of War. Only then did the tension ease for the Son of Magic and the others. Deep down, the Son of Magic was profoundly grateful to Lu Yuan for breaking the Son of Barrenness’s golden unbeaten streak.

“The First Seat on the Heavenly Ranking belongs to you,” the Son of Magic praised again. Lu Yuan’s ascension to the Civilization Realm had not yet spread, coinciding with the chaos surrounding the Heavenly Ranking, so everyone assumed Lu Yuan was merely the top-ranked individual. Few knew that Lu Yuan had reached the Civilization Realm and survived. Meanwhile, in the New Sword World, Zhou Qingxuan was in the Lost Lands; the Son of Immortality was deep in seclusion attempting to break into the Civilization Realm; and the Deputy Master of the Martial Ancient Civilization was recovering from injuries.

“For taking the First Seat on the Heavenly Ranking, we absolutely must have a proper drink!” At that moment, the burly, bearded Son of Martial Arts approached, carrying a wooden chest on his shoulder—that chest was his weapon. The Son of Martial Arts had come as an observer, one of the leading figures from the Martial Ancient Civilization.

The Son of Magic and the Son of Martial Arts had rushed over the moment they heard Lu Yuan had arrived.

Also arriving immediately was a maiden in green, Xiao Qing.

Xiao Qing’s countenance remained unchanged: ethereally pure yet imbued with a hint of martial spirit, breathtakingly beautiful. She was tall and slender, with a narrow waist cinched by a green sash, a long sword strapped to her back. She stared at Lu Yuan with a look of profound distraction: “You’ve come.” Xiao Qing had been under immense pressure these past few days, and she was, after all, just a young woman. The person she most wanted to see during times of stress was Lu Yuan, yet he was also the person she least wished to see.

She wanted to see him out of longing, but she didn't want to see him because she feared transferring the immense burden she carried onto him. Lu Yuan couldn't bear that kind of pressure, and she wished to handle it alone. Thus, after a thousand emotional turns, the maiden’s feelings coalesced into a simple statement: “You’ve arrived.”

“Yes, I’ve arrived,” Lu Yuan replied just as simply. “I heard you were in trouble, so I came.” Lu Yuan meant this statement plainly, without any deeper implication, but Xiao Qing’s pretty face flushed slightly. The Son of Magic laughed heartily from the side, “Haha, Lu Yuan, I’ll have to relay this line to the Fourth Princess later.” The Fourth Princess he referred to was naturally the Fourth Imperial Daughter, Sword Spirit Imperial Daughter Yun Xiuxue. Of course, the Son of Magic was merely joking and had no intention of actually relaying the message.

The atmosphere became momentarily awkward.

But the awkwardness didn't last long.

The Son of Martial Arts, being the most straightforward, boomed, “Let’s go drink! Lu Yuan, we didn’t get a good session at the Civilization Sanctuary last time; we must drink properly this time!”

The Son of Martial Arts was also a passionate drinker. During their previous meeting at the Sanctuary, they had only sampled alcohol lightly and hadn't truly celebrated. Now, he wanted a hearty spree. Lu Yuan realized he hadn't had a proper binge in ages; he lacked drinking companions. Zhou Qingxuan disliked alcohol, making drinking with him dull. This Son of Martial Arts, however, seemed like an excellent drinking partner.

The Son of Martial Arts declared, “Let’s move.” He had arrived earlier and thoroughly scouted the local taverns—a prerequisite for any seasoned drunkard visiting a new locale.

The Son of Martial Arts immediately led Lu Yuan and the others to an establishment.

It was a tucked-away hotel on the Continent of the Phoenix, named the 'Drunken Slumber Inn.' Despite its secluded location, the alcohol inside was reputed to be excellent. Lu Yuan surveyed the place, noticing the atmosphere here differed significantly from other parts of the Phoenix Ancient Civilization. Elsewhere in this civilization, which was predominantly female, Lu Yuan sensed a pervasive, soft femininity. This tavern, however, lacked that delicate aura.

The Son of Martial Arts explained, “There are some men in the Phoenix Ancient Civilization too. This is where the men drink.”

Xiao Qing looked around with curiosity. “I’ve been in the Phoenix Ancient Civilization for so long and never knew this place existed, Son of Martial Arts. How did you find it?”

The Son of Martial Arts threw out his chest. “It’s the instinct of a drunkard! Waiter! Bring the wine! Start with a hundred catties of your Thousand-Degree Spirit Fire, then ten catties of Warm Bamboo Wine, and bring a hundred catties of Boiling Water Brine Stew!” The first offering, the Thousand-Degree Spirit Fire, was for him and Lu Yuan, the two heavy drinkers; it was fiercely potent. The Warm Bamboo Wine was milder, intended for the Son of Magic and Xiao Qing. The Boiling Water Brine Stew was the signature dish; it wasn't refined—it involved boiling various ingredients together with chilies and adding brine seasoning—but this style, rather than indicating lack of refinement, offered intense flavor.

A short while later, the Thousand-Degree Spirit Fire and the Warm Bamboo Wine arrived. The Spirit Fire came in one-catty bottles, while the Bamboo Wine was two catties per bottle. Lu Yuan and the Son of Martial Arts wasted no time, each cracking open a bottle of the Spirit Fire and beginning to drink deeply. What a potent brew! It had been long since he tasted anything this fierce. To find such a strong liquor in the soft, feminine environment of the Phoenix Ancient Civilization—perhaps it was a case of extreme Yin giving birth to Yang.

The Boiling Water Brine Stew was also served—hot, spicy, numbing, and incredibly satisfying mouthfuls of various snacks. This was truly exhilarating.

The first meal in the Phoenix Ancient Civilization—not bad, Lu Yuan thought to himself.

The Son of Magic smiled inwardly, watching the unrestrained drinking of the Son of Martial Arts and Lu Yuan. What two maniacs!

Xiao Qing delicately picked at the stew, maintaining a graceful posture. She loved being near Lu Yuan; this was perhaps the closest she had been to him in her life, and she felt overwhelming joy. If only time could freeze at this moment—watching Lu Yuan’s happy face, the way he gulped down his wine—she became momentarily lost in admiration.

......

“So, Xiao Qing, you are here.” A clear, delicate voice rang out, accompanied by the tinkling sound of countless charms and pendants colliding. Lu Yuan paused his drinking and looked over. Standing at the entrance of the establishment was a stunning beauty, yet one drastically different from the women Lu Yuan usually encountered. Most beauties he knew possessed a classical, elegant air, whereas this one radiated distinct wildness. She wore sky-blue attire, vastly unlike the usual garments of women Lu Yuan had seen, and her clothing was heavily ornamented.

This wild girl’s head was adorned with a myriad of silver pieces: Phoenix-Sparrow Hairpins with chains, a Silver-Sparrow Phoenix Crown, silver horns and combs, silver chains wrapping her hair, and inlaid silver sparrows among the flowers. Her forehead was covered in silver ornaments like Silver Arhats, Bodhisattvas, Guanyin figures, a silver band across her brow, and ringing bells along the edges—the sheer concentration of silver nearly blinded the eye.

“Oh, Xiao Qing, drinking here. Looks like you’ve invited quite a few reinforcements,” the wild girl said, looking at Xiao Qing.

Xiao Qing looked at the wild girl. “Qing Lian.”

Ah, this wild girl was Qing Lian, the other contender for the position of the Maiden of Green from the Miao Ancient Civilization? She truly dressed like a Miao woman.

The Miao maiden Qing Lian glanced at the three men seated with Xiao Qing, her gaze finally settling on Lu Yuan. Her eyes, carrying a hint of untamed spirit, fixed on him. “Oh, so this is your powerful backer, Lu Yuan? I heard you arrived in the Phoenix Ancient Civilization; it seems you really did. Quite brave. But even with Lu Yuan here, you are still far from a match for our Miao Ancient Civilization.” Qing Lian’s gaze held a degree of arrogance; she had always been proud, holding a high status in the Miao Ancient Civilization even before being identified as having the Maiden of Green’s essence, which only fueled her haughtiness.

(Wishing everyone a happy Dragon Boat Festival!!! But why do I realize that I dislike eating Zongzi more and more? I used to love them as a child.) (To be continued)