One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

Nie Lingfeng didn't beat around the bush. He directly took out the three items he had brought from the "Sacred Object Room" of the altar from his bosom (actually, he kept them close to his body)—the heavy "Suppressing Mountain" scepter, the warm and smooth fragment of the "Nirvana Feather" jade pendant, and the "Heart of the Earth Vein" crystal containing pure earth vein energy—and placed them one by one on the simple wooden table in front of the mountain guardian.

The wooden table seemed unable to bear the weight of the "Suppressing Mountain" scepter, emitting a slight creak. The strange gem at the top of the scepter, even in the dim light of the shack, still flickered with a restrained dark golden light, exuding a calm and weighty aura. The fragment of the "Feather of Nirvana" radiated a faint, reassuring warmth. The "Heart of the Earth's Veins" crystal, like a living core, seemed to have liquid slowly flowing within, containing a vast yet gentle vitality.

Chen Duo's gaze was immediately drawn to the three items, especially the "Heart of the Earth Vein" crystal and the fragment of the "Nirvana Feather." She could clearly feel a strange aura emanating from the crystal and fragment, a warm and intimate feeling that resonated subtly with the Phoenix True Fire within her, while also carrying the weight of the earth. She subconsciously reached out, wanting to touch the crystal.

"Wait," the mountain guardian's hoarse voice rang out, stopping her. He looked at Nie Lingfeng, "You...have you decided? How will you...use them?"

Nie Lingfeng nodded solemnly: "Senior Shanpan entrusted them to me, which is both a trust and a responsibility. I think the best place for them is to make the best use of them, to help us move forward better, and to better protect this land."

He first picked up the "Heart of the Earth Vein" crystal and looked at Chen Duo: "Duo Duo, this crystal is called 'Heart of the Earth Vein.' It is the purest essence of the earth, forcibly extracted and purified by Senior Shan Pan from polluted ley lines. It contains boundless vitality and the memory of the ley lines, and can nourish, strengthen, and even enlighten any living being. But I think it may have a special meaning for you."

He paused, then explained, "Your Phoenix True Fire originates from life and purification, and the earth is the foundation of life. The pure essence of the earth veins in this 'Heart of the Earth Veins' might help your Phoenix True Fire take root and grow better, understand a deeper connection between 'life' and 'earth,' and even... help you replenish and stabilize your life essence that may have been damaged by this overdraft. Are you willing to try absorbing a portion of its power? However, this process may be risky; you will need to concentrate all your energy and guide your 'fire' to slowly communicate and merge."

Chen Duo looked at the beautiful, dark red crystal in Nie Lingfeng's palm, its interior seemingly shimmering with starlight. She then glanced up at his serious yet concerned gaze. Without hesitation, she nodded earnestly, "Yes! I'm willing! My 'fire' is very obedient now, I'm not afraid! And..." A hint of mischief and anticipation appeared on her face, "It (the crystal) smells... warm and fragrant, it'll definitely taste better than Grandma's medicine!"

The last sentence made the old woman who was stirring the earthenware pot next to her tremble, almost dropping her spoon. She glared at Chen Duo with annoyance and muttered something incomprehensible in her local dialect, probably saying, "You ungrateful little glutton." The corner of the mountain guardian's mouth also seemed to twitch almost imperceptibly.

Nie Lingfeng chuckled, but felt much more at ease. Chen Duo's intuition and optimism were sometimes a powerful force in themselves.

"Alright, let's try it when we're in better shape." Nie Lingfeng put away the "Heart of the Earth Vein" and picked up the fragment of the "Nirvana Feather" jade pendant. "This fragment should be a keepsake left by a phoenix from back then. It may contain a trace of the phoenix's true essence or inheritance information. It should be useful to you too. You can wear it with you and slowly comprehend it. Perhaps you can gain some inspiration from it about controlling and using the phoenix's true fire, or... about the secrets of the phoenix bloodline itself."

He handed the jade pendant fragment to Chen Duo. Chen Duo carefully took it; it felt warm and smooth to the touch, as if carrying a faint warmth. Holding it in her palm, she could feel the golden-red flame core within her body seemingly emitting a joyful, faint resonance. She carefully put the jade pendant close to her body, a look of cherishing on her small face.

Finally, Nie Lingfeng's gaze fell upon the heavy "Suppressing Mountain" scepter. He reached out and grasped it. It was cold and heavy to the touch, like holding a condensed mountain range. The gem at the top of the scepter seemed to brighten slightly the moment he touched it, and a clearer, more profound aura, a mixture of the earth's majesty and vicissitudes, flowed through the scepter into his palm, resonating strongly with the Qilin power within him!

In an instant, Nie Lingfeng seemed to "see" many blurry yet vast images—majestic mountains, rushing rivers, the pulse of the earth's crust, the rise and fall of all living things… Countless fragments of insights and information about "earth," "bearing," "suppression," and "vitality" surged into his consciousness like a tide! The dark golden "Qilin Star Body" on his chest, stimulated by this ancient and profound aura of the same origin, suddenly shone brightly and slowly rotated, like a student thirsting for knowledge, greedily absorbing and understanding these gifts from the ancient "earthly vein authority"!

He could feel that his understanding of the power of the Qilin and his comprehension of the mysteries of the "Earth" were deepening and expanding at an astonishing speed! Many things that were previously obscure and that he could only use the power of the Qilin by instinct were now suddenly clear! He even vaguely touched upon the threshold of how to use this "Suppressing Mountain" scepter to more efficiently communicate, guide, and even mobilize the power of the inner veins within a certain range!

This is not a direct infusion of power, but rather the transmission of knowledge, the initial recognition of authority, and the establishment of a channel for communication with the higher mysteries of the earth!

In just a few breaths, Nie Lingfeng felt that his mental strength and control over the power of the Qilin had reached a new level! Although his absolute power had not increased dramatically, his "quality," "control," and "clarity" of his future path had all improved significantly! For him, who possessed the power of the Qilin, this "Suppressing Mountain" scepter was nothing less than a "key" to unlock a treasure trove and a "divine artifact" to amplify his understanding!

After a long while, Nie Lingfeng slowly released his grip, exhaling a long breath of earthy air. The dark golden light in his eyes gradually subsided, but became even deeper and brighter. He looked at the mountain guardian and said in a deep voice, "This 'Mountain Suppressor' scepter is of paramount importance to me. It is not only a weapon, but also... a teacher, a map."

The mountain guardian nodded, seemingly unsurprised by the scene: "Shanpan... giving it to you... was the right thing to do. Only... those blessed by the Qilin... can truly... awaken... and... wield... the power of 'Zhenyue'. Use it well... do not fail... Shanpan's... entrustment... and... the Qilin's... favor."

At this moment, the elderly pharmacist, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke, saying in broken Chinese, "Breakfast... is ready. Eat first... then we'll talk. The girl... has just recovered... and needs... to eat. You (Nie Lingfeng)... too..."

A simple breakfast—thick corn and wild vegetable porridge, roasted tubers crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, and a small dish of refreshing pickled vegetables marinated with wild berries and herbs. The group sat quietly around a wooden stump, eating. Sunlight streamed in through the cracks in the shack and the doorway, illuminating the dust motes floating in the air, the post-disaster peace on everyone's faces, and the thoughtful and resolute gaze into their eyes as they contemplated the future.

After the meal, the old woman who worked as a pharmacist cleared away the dishes. The mountain guardian looked at Nie Lingfeng and slowly said, "Your injuries... have almost healed. Your power... has also... gained... a new... understanding. It's time... to consider... the... next... path."

He pulled a small scroll wrapped in animal hide from his robes and handed it to Nie Lingfeng. "This is... a... simplified... map. It marks... several... hidden routes... from this valley... safely... to... Jinghong. And... several... trustworthy... contact points... in Jinghong. Among them... there is... one person... who is... Azanji's... old friend... and also... our tribe's... eyes and ears... in Jinghong. You... can... go find him."

Nie Lingfeng took the map and unfolded it. The animal hide map was roughly drawn, but the key rivers, ridges, villages, and several red lines (safe routes) and red dots (contact points) marked by the mountain guards in charcoal were clearly visible. Next to one of the red dots in Jinghong city, a name was marked in ancient characters, along with a pattern resembling a mortar and pestle, which should be the identity of Azanji's old friend, a pharmacist or a medicinal herb merchant.

"Thank you very much, senior." Nie Lingfeng thanked him again solemnly. This map and contact information were crucial for their safe return to civilized society.

"Furthermore..." The mountain guardian paused, his dark pupils turning again to Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo, especially Chen Duo, his tone unusually grave, "After you... leave... be... extremely careful. Your... identities... and... power... have... been... exposed. The 'Council's'... eyes... and... claws... are probably... already... watching you. Jinghong... although... relatively... safe... is... also... a mixed bag. Before obtaining... support from... your... organization (referring to the 'company')... keep a low profile as much as possible."

"And..." The mountain guardian's gaze drifted beyond the valley, as if piercing through the mountain walls to see into the distant, unknown darkness. "I sense... that... blasphemous aura... originating from the 'Council'... on this land... hasn't... completely dissipated... because of the destruction of the altar... but instead... it's become... even more... active... elsewhere. Especially... in the direction of... Kachin State... in northern Myanmar. That... is... the true... land of chaos... and also... the 'Council'... possibly... important... lair... in this region. If... you... want to continue... investigating... that place... will be... an unavoidable... location. But... that place... is... ten times... more... dangerous... than the Savage Mountain."

Kachin State… Just as I suspected. It matches the information Azan Ki had previously provided, as well as the target direction of the “Parliament” team.