Chapter 1623 — Chapter 1623 Phoenix Ascendancy Plateau

"Fuck, that was fucking painful!" Yuan cursed out loud after taking off the Ancient Phoenix Robes.

He'd worn it out of curiosity and expected some pain, but he never anticipated it to be that painful. 'Even though it increased my fire resistance by an entire stage after wearing it for a few seconds, I don't want to experience that level of pain again… It's not worth it…' Yuan quickly put the Ancient Phoenix Robes back into Feng Yuxiang's spatial ring before retrieving another treasure.

'I need to mask my dragon scent first and foremost since I cannot undo my transformation, or everyone will know that I am a human.'

The item he retrieved was a small red pouch.

[Phoenix Powder]

[Description: Made from Phoenix Feathers. It has incredible healing properties and produces the scent of a Phoenix when mixed with water.]

'This is exactly what I am looking for. Since it's only made from feathers, I doubt it's too valuable to use,' Yuan smiled at this find.

Sometime later, Yuan filled a bottle with water and added the Phoenix Powder to it, creating a light red liquid that resembled blood diluted in water. The mixture emitted a unique scent that tingled his nose with each whiff.

"Yingzi, does this smell like a Phoenix to you?" Yuan asked her.

Yingzi took a deep breath and pondered for a moment before responding, "It's similar, but it's a little weak. I don't think it'll be able to mask your dragon scent, either."

"Is that so?"

Upon hearing Yingzi's criticism, Yuan added more Phoenix Powder to the liquid, intensifying the smell.

"That should be good enough," Yingzi said after taking another deep breath.

"Okay."

Yuan proceeded to rub the liquid all over his body until Yingzi could no longer smell the scent of dragons on him.

Not only did the liquid mask his Dragon scent and make him smell like a Phoenix, but he could also feel his body becoming more energetic.

'I should save the Burning Phoenix Pill for when I really need it since it only lasts for nine days…'

Now that Yuan had found a way to mask his Dragon scent, he needed to make his identity more convincing, a challenging task given that he wasn't originally from their world, and crafting a believable persona required careful attention to the cultural and social nuances of this new environment.

"Can you tell me what you know about Phoenixes in the Primal Expanse?" Yuan asked Yingzi as they continued their journey.

"Hmm…" Yingzi had to really think about it since she hadn't had much interaction with Phoenixes, given their rarity.

"I'm not too familiar with them, but from what I've heard, they're all incredibly selfish and unreasonably prideful creatures. They're arrogant, have bad tempers, and are generally unpleasant to be around if you're not a fellow Phoenix."

"..."

Yingzi's description of Phoenixes left Yuan speechless, but he didn't doubt it.

A week later, Yuan had to reapply the liquid on his body to maintain his Phoenix scent.

As they approached the Phoenixes' territory, Yingzi suddenly warned Yuan, "A Phoenix is coming."

Moments later, a large, fiery Phoenix could be seen soaring in their direction. This Phoenix stopped once it was before Yuan.

'Divine Emperor, huh? A little weaker than I was expecting, but this is good for us.' Yuan quickly gauged the Phoenix's strength.

"I don't recognize you. Which bloodline do you belong to? And what are you trying to achieve in our Phoenix Ascendancy Plateau? " The Phoenix asked him.

"I am from the Ancient Phoenix Bloodline," Yuan said, using Feng Yuxiang's bloodline as his own.

"A-Ancient Phoenix?!" The Phoenix exclaimed in a shocked voice after hearing this.

"That's impossible! There are very few Ancient Phoenixes in the Primal Expanse, and I know all of them! How come I don't recognize you?"

"Can't you tell by my cultivation that I was only recently born?" Yuan shook his head in a disappointed manner.

"Indeed, you do smell a little young… Who are your parents, if you don't mind me asking?"

Yuan frowned and responded in an irritated tone, "I do mind. Who the hell are you to question me? I may be young, but I still have the Ancient Phoenix Bloodline. Watch your manners!"

He deduced that the Ancient Phoenix Bloodline likely held a high standing among the Phoenix clans, so he decided to embrace this identity and play along.

The Phoenix trembled after hearing Yuan and quickly said, "M-my apologies!"

"Forget it. Anyway, let's talk about my reason for being here. I am looking for a treasure called the True Ember, and I was told that I could find it here."

"The True Ember? While it's true that we have it, it's not something we can give away…"

"I am willing to trade for it. Is there anything you want for it?"

"I apologize, but I do not have the authority to speak on this."

"Then bring me to someone who does."

"I understand. Please, follow me."

Sometime later, they reached the heart of the territory, where a community of Phoenixes resided. However, within the Phoenix Ascendancy Plateau, most of the Phoenixes possessed low-grade bloodlines, and the majority of its population consisted not of true Phoenix bloodlines but rather of subspecies related to Phoenixes, such as the Divine Yang Bird or the Vermillion Sky Hawk.

"Please wait here while I notify our leader of your presence." The Phoenix that led Yuan said to him before disappearing somewhere.

Yuan used this opportunity to closely observe the Phoenix Ascendancy Plateau. Despite being referred to as a community, there were no buildings; instead, most of the beings resided within caves and outdoor nests. This setting gave Yuan the impression of being in a zoo, one predominantly populated by birds and Phoenixes, a stark contrast to the urban or structured habitats he might have expected.

The temperature within the Phoenix Ascendancy Plateau was also hot and dry, but it wasn't as bad as the Starfire Dragon's territory.

Still, it was hot enough to temper his body.