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

Lu Qingyan noticed her little actions but didn't disturb her. After everyone had sat for a while, he stood up and said, "I'll take Your Highness to see your residence. It's in the back. The phoenix aura there is stronger than here. You should like it. Dinner will also be sent over. Have a good rest tonight."

Cang Gu, who was standing to the side, also got up, intending to take Murong Yan and Shen Chang'an to arrange accommodations.

Shen Chang'an originally intended to leave with Cang Gu and the others, but as soon as he turned around, his sleeve was pulled.

Du Yue looked up at him: "Where are you going?"

"Come and see where I live."

"Come with me first."

Shen Chang'an glanced at Lu Qingyan, somewhat helplessly: "She's taking you to her palace, what am I supposed to do following her?"

"Can you take a look at this for me?"

"So many people are here with you."

"Let's take a look first."

He was momentarily speechless. Just now, Du Yue had been quite bold, looking at the mountains and rivers from the back of the dragon beast. But once inside the royal court, surrounded by these people, she suddenly became clingy to him again.

Lu Qingyan smiled and said, "It's fine for Inspector Shen to come along too. There are several independent courtyards next to the palace. If you'd like, you can stay closer to them, which will make it more convenient for you to visit each other."

Du Yue immediately nodded: "Then let's stay closer."

Shen Chang'an looked at her and finally agreed. He turned to Murong Yan and said, "I'll go with her to take a look first. You and Senior Cang Gu go and find out about the other arrangements. Contact me if anything comes up."

Cang Gu nodded: "Leave Inspector Murong to me."

The group parted ways inside the hall. Murong Yan left through a side door with Cang Gu and the others, while Shen Chang'an was pulled by Du Yue and followed behind Lu Qingyan through the long corridor at the back of the hall.

The further you go in, the quieter it becomes. The tall pillars and long steps of the council hall are gradually replaced by courtyards, and golden wind chimes hang under the corridors, tinkling softly when the wind blows.

Tall sycamore trees grow outside the courtyard wall, their branches and leaves reaching over the roof ridge and casting large shadows. Several shallow ditches flow along the corridor, with golden and red leaves floating in the water, turning around the corner of the wall with the slowly flowing clear water.

Du Yue looked up several times, seemingly very interested in the place, and her grip on Shen Chang'an's sleeve loosened.

"Did you enjoy your stay?"

She nodded: "Yes, there's the scent of phoenixes and parasol trees here."

Lu Qingyan turned around and smiled: "The next one is Qiwu Palace, where there are even more phoenix trees."

After passing through several courtyards, the three arrived at the western side of the palace's core. The palace walls here were light gold, with graceful sycamore leaf patterns carved on their surface. Inside the walls, ancient trees intertwined, their branches obscuring most of the sky.

The setting sun pierced through the golden-red leaves, casting dappled light on the ground. A palace, quite large, sat in the forest, yet it lacked the solemnity of a council hall that made one hesitant to speak.

Two stone phoenix statues stand on either side of the palace gate. One raises its head to the sky, its tail feathers spreading along its stone base. The other slightly folds its wings, bowing its head to protect a phoenix egg, its posture quiet and gentle.

A dark red plaque hung above the door.

Qiwu Palace.

"This is where the Phoenix Demon Emperors of all generations have lived."

Lu Qingyan stopped in front of the door: "We've repaired it several times, but the name has never been changed, and it's maintained regularly."

She placed her hand on the array pattern beside the door, and slowly poured in pale blue spiritual energy. The outer layer of restrictions lit up one by one, and the two palace doors opened inward, letting in a warm breeze carrying the fragrance of paulownia trees.

Du Yue's eyes lit up slightly.

The aura there was different from the outside; it was more familiar and warmer. She didn't even need to look closely to know that someone similar to herself had once lived here and left deep traces.

She unconsciously loosened her grip on Shen Chang'an's sleeve and took two steps inside.

Lu Qingyan didn't urge her, but instead followed by her and explained, "The portraits and relics of the Phoenix Demon Emperors of all generations are preserved in front. Go through to the living quarters, and that's where the daily living quarters are. If Your Highness is interested, you can take a look first."

The front hall had few tables and chairs, with a wide corridor in the center, portraits hanging on both sides, and jade platforms below each, with array light shielding the items inside.

The figures in the painting are dressed in different clothes. Some stand on burning paulownia trees, some stand in the sky above the Wan Yao Plain, and some have flocks of birds circling behind them. The distant mountains and rivers all appear small.

Shen Chang'an looked at several of them and quickly realized that most of the paintings depicted more than one person.

Most of the paintings depict a man and a woman, either standing side by side or on opposite sides of the canvas, each with different phoenix or dragon shadows behind them. Their expressions also vary, some solemn, some casual. One painting even shows the two sitting opposite each other under a tree, one playing a zither while the other listens with her head bowed.

Lu Qingyan explained, "The Phoenix lineage is usually ruled by the Phoenix Lord and the Phoenix Queen together as the Demon Emperor. The two lineages have different powers and they need to cooperate to fully activate the clan's most precious treasures. Therefore, the portraits left here are mostly of the two of them together."

Du Yue listened attentively, her gaze shifting from the portrait to the jade platform.

The contents inside are also different: a golden feather that is still slowly burning, an old bell full of cracks, a broken weapon, a jade pendant, and a piece of sycamore branch that has long lost its vitality.

Some items may look unremarkable, or even be damaged, but they are all carefully kept, with brief inscriptions on them.

Du Yue didn't recognize those names, but walking here, she always felt an inexplicable sense of closeness.

When they reached the middle of the corridor, Shen Chang'an suddenly stopped.

There is only one woman in the portrait in front of you.

She stood beneath the fire-reddened sky, dressed in a long, golden-red robe, her long hair flowing behind her. In her left hand, she held a cluster of phoenix true fire, her expression composed, yet her eyes held an undisguised pride.

Shen Chang'an stared at the portrait, his gaze lingering for a moment. This was... a portrait of Du Qiongyu.

Du Yue beside her also stopped. She first looked up at the woman in the painting, and then her gaze gradually moved down to a hairpin on the jade platform.

The hairpin is carved from crimson jade, with nine delicate phoenix feathers branching out from the end. The head of the hairpin is a small golden phoenix with its wings folded and its eyes slightly closed, as if it were quietly resting among the feathers.

There were no flames on the surface, nor any outward pressure, but Du Yue still recognized the aura within immediately.

It was the same as the jade pendant that Shen Chang'an had given her.

The warmth hidden within the Phoenix True Fire is almost indistinguishable.

She subconsciously turned to look at Shen Chang'an, who was also staring at the phoenix feather hairpin. The Phoenix True Fire within his body had already reacted, and the golden parasol tree in his spiritual realm swayed gently, but he suppressed it in time, preventing the aura from leaking out.

Seeing the two stop, Lu Qingyan came to their side.

"This is the thirteenth Demon Emperor, Du Qiongyu."

"According to the order in which the Phoenix Clan takes control of the royal court, she is the second to last generation."

"After her, the True Dragon Clan took over, and the next one was the last Demon Emperor in the Ancient Demon King Court with clear records, who also came from the Phoenix Clan."

Shen Chang'an composed himself and asked, "Most of the other portraits show two people, why is there only one for her?"

Looking at the portrait, Lu Qingyan's tone became more respectful: "She was a rare exception. In that era, no one from the other lineage had ever emerged who could share power with her. But she was too talented and, on her own, gained the recognition of the royal court and the Phoenix Treasure."

"Therefore, she was the only demon queen in that generation."