"Good!"

Chu Ming secretly responded. It was precisely because he knew this that he dared to follow Xu Xuanze to meet the City Lord of Southern Celestial City; otherwise, he wouldn't have had the courage.

Boom!

The Black Wolf Guards had a deeply entrenched authority in Southern Celestial City. Wherever they passed, other martial artists would quickly avoid them with looks of fear on their faces.

After half an incense stick of time, Chu Ming followed Xu Xuanze to a grand and magnificent mansion. Lowering his gaze, he noticed the mansion was surrounded by artificial mountains and flowing water. A gentle breeze blew through, creating a picturesque scene.

"This is the City Lord's Mansion,"

Xu Xuanze whispered as he introduced it, then turned to give instructions to the other Black Wolf Guards. "I will take Young Hero Chu to see the City Lord. You all continue your training at the martial arts ground!"

The Black Wolf Guards maintained stern expressions, with a murderous aura emanating from them. They seemed less like human martial artists and more like a pack of fierce beasts.

"Yes!"

The Black Wolf Guards roared towards the sky, their voices earth-shattering, and the terrifying waves of air quickly spread far and wide.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

One after another, flying magical beasts turned and flew away, and in an instant, only Chu Ming and Xu Xuanze were left in front of the City Lord's Mansion.

"Let's go!"

Xu Xuanze glanced at Chu Ming and said casually.

Chu Ming nodded and followed Xu Xuanze into the City Lord's Mansion. The mansion covered an extensive area, approximately three to four square kilometers. After all, the City Lord of Southern Celestial City was a Life and Death Realm King, so the mansion had to be grand enough to suit his status.

The security within the City Lord's Mansion was stringent. As they walked, Chu Ming saw numerous patrols of guards composed of Great Powers of Transcendence. This was just what was visible; in the shadows, with Chu Ming's extreme Soul Power of the Realm of Transcendence, he could clearly sense several subtle soul waves, one of which even made his heart secretly tremble, evidently belonging to a Ninth Layer transcendent powerhouse.

The City Lord's Mansion employed ten to twenty thousand servants, whose strength was neither weak nor outstanding.

"The City Lord is a Low Tier Life and Death Realm King, known as the Cyan Bird King. He has been a king for over two hundred years and is not far from reaching the Middle Tier,"

Xu Xuanze, who had been silent all along, finally spoke slowly. His black armor was covered, his body emitted a strong killing intent, sharp and unrivaled.

"Oh? To which faction does the Cyan Bird King belong?"

An idea flashed through Chu Ming's mind as he asked casually.

"The City Lord does not belong to any faction. If you must know, the City Lord is an Outer Palace Elder of the Life and Death Palace."

Xu Xuanze replied slowly. Hearing this, Chu Ming nodded slightly. The Life and Death Palace was divided into Inner and Outer Palaces. The Inner Palace was naturally the most core part, where one needed to have the combat power of a High Tier Life and Death Realm King to serve as an Elder. The Outer Palace, on the other hand, was much more lenient; any Life and Death Realm King could serve as an Elder.

Joining the Life and Death Palace was highly tempting for Life and Death Realm Kings. The treasury of the Life and Death Palace held tens of thousands of years of treasures accumulated by the human race, and joining the Palace allowed one to exchange contribution points for these treasures.

It wasn't long before Chu Ming and Xu Xuanze arrived in front of a grand cyan palace. There were no guards at the entrance, but Chu Ming could feel an overwhelming aura emanating from the palace, giving him an oppressive feeling.

"Greetings, City Lord!"

"Greetings, Senior Qing!"

Xu Xuanze and Chu Ming bowed in front of the palace. A terrifying soul scanned over the two of them. After a long time, a melodious female voice came from within.

"Xu Xuanze, you may leave. As for Young Hero Chu, come in."

The voice was ethereal, like a divine sound from the heavens. It surprised Chu Ming that the Cyan Bird King was actually a female King.

On the mainland, although everyone practiced cultivation, female martial artists typically didn't progress as far as male martial artists. Reaching the Realm of Transcendence was already rare for one in ten martial artists, let alone the Life and Death Realm.

"Yes, City Lord!"

Xu Xuanze respectfully retreated, disappearing into the corner of the courtyard.

Chu Ming took a deep breath and walked into the palace step by step. The cyan-colored hall was filled with abundant Wood Elemental Power. The City Lord of Southern Celestial City was not called the Cyan Bird King without reason. If Chu Ming's guess was correct, the Cyan Bird King should be proficient in the Secrets of Nature and the Secrets of Wood, with considerable achievements in both.

At the head of the hall, a green cloud swirled and billowed. This was the source of all the pressure. Vaguely, Chu Ming could see a beautiful woman in a green palace robe sitting in the cloud, her eyes glowing with strands of green light.

"Greetings, Cyan Bird King!"

Chu Ming clasped his hands and bowed respectfully. A king could not be insulted. Even though his master, Qingxuan King, was a Half-Step Life and Death Realm King, only one step away from a true king, Qingxuan King would still have to salute if he met Cyan Bird King.

"Rise!"

The melodious voice rang out, carrying a magic that could captivate anyone. Though an ordinary person might be enthralled, Chu Ming's Soul Power was so strong that he instantly broke free from it.

"Yes!"

Chu Ming stood to the side, quietly waiting for the Cyan Bird King to speak.

"Do you know why I called you here?"

The Cyan Bird King asked slowly.

"Is it to make me compensate for the damage caused to Southern Celestial City during my battle with Emperor Luo?"

Chu Ming guessed.

"Heh, to me, Southern Celestial City is just a speck of dust. Even if the entire city were destroyed, it wouldn't cause me any loss,"

The Cyan Bird King laughed softly. Chu Ming found the reasoning sound. Though Cyan Bird King was a Low Tier King, she was quite formidable. Her wealth likely included thousands of Top Grade Spirit Stones, and she probably possessed over a hundred billion Upper Grade Spirit Stones. The entire Southern Celestial City meant nothing to her.

"I called you here to ask you for a favor!"

After a long time, the Cyan Bird King's leisurely voice sounded again.

Chu Ming was slightly taken aback, a bit hesitant in his heart.

"What is it? With your strength as a king, you shouldn't need my help."

Chu Ming did not immediately agree but voiced his doubts. The Cyan Bird King, a Low Tier Life and Death Realm King, could destroy mountains, fill seas, and wreak havoc with a single strike.

"Have you heard of the Wood Profound Fruit?"

After a brief pause, the Cyan Bird King asked softly.

"Wood Profound Fruit, the divine object?"

Chu Ming's face changed drastically as he took a sharp breath.

"That's right!"

The Cyan Bird King confirmed in a low voice.

The Wood Profound Fruit was a divine object that greatly benefited martial artists who had comprehended the Secrets of Wood. If a Great Power of the Realm of Transcendence, who had comprehended the Secrets of Wood, obtained the Wood Profound Fruit, refining it could likely promote them to the Life and Death Realm, making them a Life and Death Realm King.

If Chu Ming's guess was correct, the Cyan Bird King intended to use the Wood Profound Fruit to break through to the Middle Tier Life and Death Realm King.