"When will the Dragon Pool open?" Yang Kai asked again.
Huang Siniang replied, "The dragon force in the Dragon Pool has been surging lately, so it should open within the next few months. But the opening of the Dragon Pool is a major event for the Dragon Clan, so they still need time to prepare."
He was worried it might take decades or even centuries. If that were the case, the expedition would likely have already begun, rendering the whole thing pointless. It wasn't impossible—for a long-lived race like the Sacred Spirits, decades or centuries were but the snap of a finger.
A few months, on the other hand, was something Yang Kai could afford to wait.
After a brief pause, he said, "Since the Phoenix Clan's innate bloodline talent lies in the Dao of Space, why didn't the humans come to seek your help when the Qiankun Palaces fell into disrepair and were abandoned across the Three Thousand Worlds all those years ago?"
In the end, the task had fallen to him, and he had spent considerable time deciphering the Qiankun Grand Formation within those palaces and restoring the abandoned structures.
Previously, Yang Kai had assumed that the humans simply lacked sufficient attainments in the Dao of Space and were unable to handle it. But now, having learned of the Phoenix Clan's capabilities, that explanation no longer made sense.
Huang Siniang smiled. "First, while it's true that we of the Phoenix Clan are naturally adept in the Dao of Space, this is a bloodline talent—inherited by birth, fundamentally different from how you humans cultivate it through painstaking effort. As such, we Phoenix Clan members disapprove of many of the ways your humans apply the Dao of Space, and we would never learn to do so. Moreover, restoring the Qiankun Palaces involves not only the Dao of Space but also the Dao of Formations, which is beyond what we Phoenix Clan can handle. And third, bound by the Great Ancestral Blood Oath, both the Dragon and Phoenix Clans rarely leave Bu Hui Pass without good reason."
Yang Kai let out an "Oh" of understanding. When he thought about it, that made sense. The Phoenix Clan might indeed possess profound innate mastery of the Dao of Space, but high attainments didn't necessarily mean they knew how to repair the Qiankun Grand Formation.
And besides, they were bound by an ancestral blood oath.
He wasn't sure what exactly this Great Oath entailed, but anything involving bloodlines demanded caution.
He went on to ask about various matters concerning the Dragon Clan—nothing classified, so Huang Siniang answered each question without reservation.
After the better part of half a day, Yang Kai finally rose to his feet and bowed formally. "Thank you for your guidance, Siniang."
Without Huang Siniang explaining all this, he would still have been groping in the dark. Though he believed that a path always appeared when one reached the mountain, knowing sooner rather than later what kind of situation he would face would allow him to prepare ahead of time.
From the look of things, the Dragon Clan had already reached an agreement with the human Ninth-Order cultivators—as long as he didn't voluntarily withdraw, the Dragon Clan wouldn't go back on their word. But whether they might be pulling any strings behind the scenes, Yang Kai couldn't say.
"Think nothing of it," Huang Siniang said frankly. "Living here at Bu Hui Pass all these years—it's been one stagnant pond after another, dreadfully dull. It's not often I get some entertainment, so I might as well enjoy the spectacle." As for whether this might offend the Dragon Clan, that was unlikely. The Dragon Clan was arrogant and proud, but not so petty as all that.
"There's one more thing I'd like to ask of you, Siniang," Yang Kai said, bowing with sincere earnestness. When asking a favor, it was only proper to lower one's stance. Huang Siniang might look like a young girl, but her true age was beyond reckoning—what was a bow or two?
"Go ahead. Whether I agree or not, I'll hear you out first." Huang Siniang was no fool and certainly wouldn't commit to anything outright.
Yang Kai chuckled and put on his most shameless expression. "I've just arrived at Bu Hui Pass and have nowhere to stay. The Dragon Clan certainly has no intention of playing host. I'm at least half-dragon myself, so this kind of cold shoulder is honestly disheartening. There's still some time before the Dragon Pool opens—you can't expect me to sleep on the streets, can you? Would you mind if I stayed here with you for a while?"
"Lodging, is it?" Huang Siniang said, regarding him with an amused smile.
Yang Kai quickly added, "I won't stay for free! Whatever you need help with, just say the word. Or I could pay rent?"
Huang Siniang curled her lip. "What could you possibly have that's worth anything?"
Setting aside that a Seventh-Order cultivator like Yang Kai couldn't have amassed much wealth, even if he did have something fine, it was unlikely to catch her eye. For Sacred Spirits like her, the number of precious treasures encountered over a lifetime was beyond counting.
Yang Kai hurriedly produced a portion of Yellow Crystal and a portion of Blue Crystal and offered them over. "Take a look, Siniang—are these worthy of your attention?"
He had plenty of valuable items, but if he wanted to move a Phoenix, he figured Yellow Crystal and Blue Crystal were probably his best bet.
After all, both had originated from the Chaotic Dead Territory—crystallizations of the life force of Brother Huang and Sister Blue.
Since the Sun Scorch and the Deep Yin Faint Fluorescence were the common ancestors of all Sacred Spirits, crystallizations of their power should hold no small appeal for any Sacred Spirit.
Still, he wasn't entirely confident, as he himself felt nothing particularly special about the Yellow Crystal and Blue Crystal. He had always treated them as nothing more than materials to fuel the Purifying Light. Producing them now was simply worth a try.
To his surprise, Huang Siniang's eyes visibly brightened at the sight of the two crystals. She reached out and swept them into her palm, examining them carefully for a moment before looking up. "You got these from the Chaotic Dead Territory?"
"Exactly!" Yang Kai gave Huang Siniang a thumbs up. "Siniang, your keen eyes see through all things—truly piercing as flame."
The flattery was so blatant that Huang Siniang remained utterly unmoved.
She turned her palm and tucked the crystals away, then spoke. "Fine. It's rare for someone to be this considerate. You may stay here for the time being."
"Thank you, Siniang!" Yang Kai was delighted. "Then I'll go find a place to rest. It's been an exhausting journey—body and soul are both weary. I won't trouble you any further."
With that, he soared into the sky and vanished in the blink of an eye.