High-level martial arts: Long spear with black flames to suppress demons.

Many things in the royal court felt familiar to Du Yue, especially the phoenix mural on the wall. As she looked at it, she couldn't help but want to get closer.

On one of the stone walls, several phoenixes perched on the branches of a paulownia tree, their tail feathers drooping into the sea of ​​clouds. Du Yue stopped in front of the mural and gently touched the feathers of one of the phoenixes.

The moment her fingertips touched the stone surface, a thin golden light shone along the engravings. The phoenix in the painting seemed to tilt its head slightly. Du Yue was startled, but upon closer inspection, it was still a still mural.

She turned and asked, "Were these all left behind by phoenixes from a very long time ago?"

Lu Qingyan also stopped in her tracks: "Yes, the royal court was originally built jointly by the True Dragon and Phoenix clans. Although it has been repaired many times since then, it still retains most of its original appearance."

She looked at the lingering golden light beneath Du Yue's fingertips, and her gaze softened.

"Some formations can only be maintained, not truly awakened. They will only react when the bloodlines of both races return."

Du Yue touched the mural again; the warmth was still there, flowing through her fingertips and unconsciously relaxing her tense body.

Lu Qingyan didn't urge them, and the others waited for a while until Du Yue withdrew her hand before continuing forward.

At the end of the long road was the council hall that had been seen in the distance.

The main hall stands atop nine jade steps, with stone statues of dragons and phoenixes arranged in front of the entrance. Compared to the long corridor outside, the decoration here is simple, without excessive embellishments of pearls and jade. Only the tall hall doors and an ancient plaque above them reveal the weight of time.

The plaque has four characters engraved on it.

The Ancient Demon King's Court.

Upon entering the hall, the view suddenly opens up, with dozens of tall pillars supporting the dome, and the patterns of mountains and rivers faintly emerging from the depths of the jade floor, as if a vast map is laid out under your feet.

At the very top is a wide throne, with two real dragons coiled around the armrests. A phoenix with its head bowed and wings spread out to the sides is carved in the center of the backrest. Below the throne are seats of different styles, positioned at slightly different heights, each with its own rules.

Shen Chang'an glanced around and found that there were no other demons in the hall. Only a few servants were waiting quietly. Most of the royal court personnel who had come to greet them on the platform had already left, and those who came in were still the clan leaders who had accompanied them.

"This place is usually used for meetings; we only gather here when it involves matters common to all ethnic groups."

Lu Qingyan introduced Du Yue briefly, but seeing that she looked up at the throne and seemed somewhat uncomfortable, he did not lead her forward. Instead, he had the servants arrange chairs and refreshments below.

Du Yue immediately chose a seat next to Shen Chang'an.

Lu Qingyan also sat down to the side and said with a smile, "Senior Cang Gu instructed in advance that you do not like complicated etiquette, so today only a simple greeting has been arranged. Demons from various races who wish to pay their respects, please wait for the time being."

Du Yue visibly breathed a sigh of relief. On the way in, she had been worried that a large group of people might suddenly appear and wait for her to speak.

Seeing that Du Yue was still holding her teacup, Lu Qingyan pushed the pastries on the table towards her: "I heard from Qing Ge on the way that you like pastries. I've prepared a few here as well. I wonder if they'll suit your taste? Why don't you try some?"

Du Yue glanced at it, picked up a piece of light golden pastry, took a small bite, the outer layer was soft and crisp, the inside was filled with sweet fruit, and after swallowing it, a gentle spiritual energy slowly spread out.

"tasty."

She nodded, then asked curiously, "What is this made of?"

"A kind of spiritual fruit produced in the parasol tree forest, mixed with some honey, the method of preparation was learned from the human world."

Lu Qingyan smiled and said, "If you like it, have someone send a few more over later. If there are any other things you don't like to eat or use, feel free to tell us."

Du Yue responded, her expression much more relaxed than when she first entered the hall. Lu Qingyan took the opportunity to ask about her experiences along the way, and she gradually became more willing to talk, from the tortoises carrying the village on their backs to the market floating on the river, and finally she remembered the murals she had encountered earlier.

"The phoenix mural in the hallway seemed to move a little. Did I bump into something?"

Lu Qingyan said, "Those murals were originally connected to the palace's array. Sensing your presence, they began to manifest."

Shen Chang'an continued, "Did you sense her bloodline?"

Lu Qingyan nodded and gestured for the two of them to look at the throne above.

The phoenix with its head bowed suddenly developed a faint golden luster. The fine light flowed slowly along the patterns on its tail feathers, disappearing into the depths of the jade. After a moment, it reappeared from the other wing.

Du Yue put down the pastry and looked at it carefully for a while: "Is this one too?"

"Yes, it responded as soon as you came in."

Lu Qingyan gazed at the throne, his tone tinged with emotion: "Over the years, we have been maintaining the palace's array, repairing what needed repairing and replenishing the spiritual energy as needed. The palace can still be used as usual, but many parts related to the phoenix have remained unchanged."

Du Yue seemed thoughtful: "So, that's why you want me to come back?"

Lu Qingyan looked at her with a gentle smile: "That's one of the reasons, but this place was originally the residence of the Phoenix Clan. If you are willing to come back and stay, this palace can slowly be restored to its original state."

Du Yue hesitated for a moment: "But I don't know anything about formations or anything like that."

"You don't need to know any formations, nor do you need to do anything special. Just the phoenix aura that naturally emanates during your daily life will be enough to gradually restore them. Didn't you just touch that mural and it lit up?"

Qing Ge chimed in, "And then there's the sycamore grove behind. Although those ancient trees have always been cared for, the largest sycamore tree is far less magnificent than described in ancient books. If Your Highness were to stay there for a while, perhaps things would change."

Du Yue looked at him, then at the throne, as if she finally understood something: "If I move in, the palace will slowly come alive?"

Lu Qingyan nodded: "That's one way to put it, but there's no need to rush. Your Highness should focus on getting better first, and we can observe the other changes gradually."

Shen Chang'an observed for a while longer. The array patterns on the throne were indeed responding to Du Yue, but they did not actively draw away her spiritual power. The flow of the golden light was also very smooth.

He reminded her, "She hasn't recovered from the losses she incurred. If there's anything we need her to do, she should let us know first."

"Of course, the nourishing ingredients have been prepared. As for how to use them, we'll need Jin Yao and Qing Ge to confirm. Your Highness, please rest assured and stay here."

Cang Gu stroked his beard and smiled: "There are people taking care of things in the palace. It's not Your Highness's place to be busy with these things as soon as you get back. Stay for a few days, and go wherever you like. Don't be shy."

Du Yue then picked up the snacks again. Hearing that she didn't need to do anything, she felt much more at ease. However, halfway through her meal, she couldn't help but look up at the phoenix on the throne.

The golden light flashed again, as if in response to her gaze.