Chapter 125: Leap from the Clouds
Chapter 125: Leap from the Clouds
Ji Xinghuo felt that familiar hunger, signaling that he could merge with another exotic ability.
"Is this really possible?"
He was both surprised and delighted, having never considered this possibility before.
There were still two arrows in the interface of the Myriad Images Star Pupil, indicating that there were at least two more gem fragments out there. However, the size and direction of the arrows had barely changed since he entered the Star Realm, suggesting that those fragments were incredibly far away.
The distance must be vast, he thought. Even his displacement of over twelve thousand kilometers from Olympia to Yunxiao City had barely affected the arrows' positions.
Ji Xinghuo guessed that the fragments were at least a million or even more kilometers away!
There was no way he could obtain them anytime soon.
"I'll consider which ability to merge with next when I get back. No need to rush."
Ji Xinghuo was full of anticipation.
Subsequently, he spent time in his hotel room studying the applications of Microscopic Perception and adapting to this new state, relishing the feeling of having everything within his grasp.
The microscopic state was somewhat similar to Myriad Images, and since Ji Xinghuo already possessed a weakened version of Microscopic Perception, he quickly grasped its usage.
However, to truly bring out its effects, he would need to practice more in conjunction with his martial arts.
Several hours later.
Ji Xinghuo sensed through magnetic field induction that Phosphorus Flame Yongfeng had awakened in the Imperial Embassy.
The Dragon Lord's recovery power was indeed astonishing. After just three to four hours, his near-fatal injuries had mostly healed, and Phosphorus Flame Yongfeng was up and about as if nothing had happened.
Though his body had recovered, he was extremely agitated, frantically summoning two Legendary Dragon Lords and bombarding them with urgent questions.
Of course, they couldn't provide any answers, as they had arrived too late and hadn't witnessed the incident firsthand.
Phosphorus Flame Yongfeng flew into a rage.
The two Legendary Dragon Lords were bewildered, unable to understand why the Young Dragon Lord was so furious. After all, the family had already negotiated with Queen Aying, agreeing to his withdrawal from the Martial Arts Competition and foregoing any punishment for his insult to the queen. Even the deaths of the winged people would be overlooked, and the spread of information would be controlled to stabilize the emotions of the winged race and minimize the impact on the Queen's Longevity Celebration.
The incident would blow over soon, and the fact that the Young Dragon Lord was injured but alive was the best outcome they could hope for.
There were no losses to speak of.
Ji Xinghuo sensed that Phosphorus Flame Yongfeng was hesitating several times, and though he couldn't see his expression, he could guess that the Dragon Lord must be feeling extremely uncomfortable.
"Hahaha..."
Ji Xinghuo couldn't help but feel a sense of schadenfreude.
Phosphorus Flame Yongfeng paced restlessly in his room, like an ant on a hot pan.
However, he didn't hold sway over the Imperial Embassy, and when he sought out the two Heavenly King Dragon Lords, he was dismissed after only a few words.
Not long after.
Ji Xinghuo saw Phosphorus Flame Yongfeng leave the Imperial Embassy. He had disguised himself and was walking briskly toward the Martial Arts Arena without riding his dragon.
The two Legendary Dragon Lords followed him, worried that he might get into trouble, and they, too, went on foot without their dragons.
Ji Xinghuo had intended to follow them from a distance to see what would happen, but upon noticing the two Legendary Dragon Lords, he decided against it to avoid any unnecessary complications. Thus, he remained at the hotel.
Phosphorus Flame Yongfeng soon returned, his face gloomy.
It was clear that he hadn't found any clues, and he locked himself in his room, sulking and smashing things in frustration. The people of the Imperial Embassy were perplexed by the Young Dragon Lord's behavior and could only avoid him, fearing that they might incur his wrath.
Ji Xinghuo continued to explore Microscopic Perception while enjoying Phosphorus Flame Yongfeng's predicament.
From afternoon to evening.
Phosphorus Flame Yongfeng left the embassy multiple times and even met with several of the winged people who had participated in the ambush, but he came back empty-handed each time.
He had no interest in going to the usual silver party that night.
Instead, he roamed the streets of Yunxiao City with the two Legendary Dragon Lords in tow, like a headless fly, searching aimlessly. On several occasions, when he encountered humans from the True Dragon Dynasty, he immediately approached them and attacked, injuring several citizens of the dynasty.
The next day.
Not long after daybreak, Ji Xinghuo spotted Phosphorus Flame Yongfeng from the hotel balcony, looking exhausted as he returned to the Imperial Embassy. There was a hint of numbness and despair in his eyes.
The two Legendary Dragon Lords followed behind him, their expressions unhappy.
After an entire night, Phosphorus Flame Yongfeng's emotions gradually calmed, and he remained in the Imperial Embassy, refusing to see anyone.
Soon, the 19th of Xiyue arrived.
It was the day of Queen Aying's Longevity Celebration, and the city of Yunxiao came alive with festivities at dawn.
Ji Xinghuo watched the proceedings with great interest, participating as a spectator in the celebrations held outside the city. From a distance, he caught a glimpse of Queen Aying herself.
The queen wore a gorgeous long robe, and a pair of colorful wings adorned her back. Her face was youthful, giving no hint that she had lived for 500 seasons, or 925 years on Earth!
At first glance, Queen Aying appeared no different from the other female winged people of the Aying Clan.
However, in the magnetic field induction, she shone like the sun! Ji Xinghuo had never encountered such a strong induction, and the power of a single person surpassed that of the hundreds of Legendaries and Heavenly Kings present at the celebration.
This was a Star Shepherd!
A being whose power could suppress an entire planet, treating it as their personal pasture.
Only two others present could match Queen Aying's power, and they were both winged people, a male and a female, attending to the queen's sides.
The Longevity Celebration lasted an entire day.
Not only did Queen Aying leave the palace and appear before her people, but she also descended from Yunxiao City and joined the grand celebratory parade in the lower city.
The festivities continued late into the night, with both the upper and lower cities illuminated by bright lights.
However, Ji Xinghuo checked out of his hotel room.
Under the cover of night, he made his way through the jubilant crowds of Winged People, using his magnetic field induction to stealthily avoid the Winged guards. He reached a secluded corner of Yunxiao City, where a chain connected two hovering peaks, rarely visited by anyone. The high winds caused the chain to sway gently.
Ji Xinghuo looked up at the night sky; it was mid-Yin, and the night would last for a little over four hours.
With thick clouds obscuring the sky, the silver moonlight was dim.
It was the perfect time to make his move.
Ji Xinghuo climbed over the railing at the edge and stood on the chain, looking down at the brightly lit lower city of Yunxiao, about five thousand meters below.
He activated his Stealth Ring, causing his figure to disappear into the darkness.
Then, he leaped off!
His body plummeted towards the ground, gaining speed as he fell, the howling wind rushing past him. Yet, Ji Xinghuo remained calm.
From mid-air, he could see Winged guards patrolling in the distance.
But they didn't notice someone jumping off from Yunxiao City, as the Stealth Ring not only concealed his figure but also absorbed the sound of his body cutting through the air.
He had chosen a secluded spot for his jump, carefully avoiding the patrol routes of the Winged guards.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."
Ji Xinghuo maintained his head-down position, his arms crossed over his chest as he fell faster and faster towards the ground. The black earth below seemed like an approaching wall.
He began adjusting his direction, aiming to land in a river on the outskirts of the lower city of Yunxiao.
When he was about a thousand meters from the ground, Ji Xinghuo activated the Myriad Images Star Pupil.
In his vision, he saw future scenes unfold.
At the perfect moment, he reached into his Dimensional Pouch and pulled out a parachute backpack, immediately pulling the cord. The parachute opened, creating drag and significantly reducing his falling speed. However, he didn't keep the parachute open for long, closing it after just two or three seconds to prevent anyone nearby from noticing.
His descent speed increased again, but it was much slower than before.
Ji Xinghuo activated his Windwalking Boots, generating wind beneath his feet. These super-powered boots allowed him to briefly float in the air, further reducing his downward momentum.
A few seconds later, he precisely dropped into the river.
Splash!
Ji Xinghuo sank into the water but didn't resurface. Instead, he swam along the riverbed for several hundred meters before reaching an uninhabited shore and climbing out.
He changed into a set of clean clothes and made his way back to the road, heading towards the lower city of Yunxiao.
Strolling along the streets, he took in the night views.
Soon enough, Ji Xinghuo returned to the Yunzhong Manke Hotel.
As he walked into the lobby, Jiang Wei, who was on duty, saw him and was surprised, thinking she must be mistaken.
"Mr. Xin, you're back!" Jiang Wei exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief.
It had been over ten days since Ji Xinghuo had sneaked into Yunxiao City through the channel she provided, and there had been no news from him since. She had assumed something had happened to him.
"You seem surprised," Ji Xinghuo remarked.
"I am," Jiang Wei replied in a lowered voice. "Several previous guests who entered Yunxiao City never returned."
For outsiders without proper identification, entering and exiting Yunxiao City was extremely difficult.
Jiang Wei was curious about what Ji Xinghuo had been up to, spending millions of federal dollars. She wondered if he had come to Yunxiao City just to attend the Longevity Celebration. Of course, she wouldn't ask him directly.
Ji Xinghuo smiled. "Is my pegasus still here?"
"Of course," Jiang Wei nodded. "As long as the fees are prepaid, we will take care of the guests' mounts to the best of our ability."
For expensive mounts like the Silver-winged Pegasus, the hotel would take even better care of them.
They would only sell the pegasus to recoup the care costs if the maintenance fees exceeded the mount's value. Naturally, if Ji Xinghuo didn't return for several months, the Yunzhong Manke Hotel wouldn't continue waiting and would sell the pegasus ahead of time.
"That's good," Ji Xinghuo said.
He used his magnetic field induction to sense his Silver-winged Pegasus and found it to be in good condition.
He returned to his room upstairs and stayed there for the night.
The next morning, Ji Xinghuo bid farewell to Jiang Wei and mounted his Silver-winged Pegasus, slowly departing from the Yunzhong Manke Hotel.
The Longevity Celebration would continue for several more days, but he no longer had any interest in staying.
Riding his pegasus, Ji Xinghuo made his way through the streets of the lower city of Yunxiao. When there were fewer people around, he nudged his mount, and the Silver-winged Pegasus sprinted forward, flapped its wings, and took to the skies. It flew southeast towards Olympia and soon disappeared from view.
(End of Chapter)
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