Above the mage!

Chapter 529 Phoenix's Guests and Gifts
There are priorities.

Having finished explaining the Blue Flame Islands route and the Siren Salt Swamp Elixir, Gao De raised his hand and rubbed his temples, preparing to invite Flora over.

Let's get the tree species sorted out first, then we can deal with the other details.

However, Sunefa revealed something even more urgent.

“A guest?!” Gao De raised his eyebrows, surprised by Sunefa’s words.

“Yes, just three days after the Sacred Tree completed its ascension, Master Sheep of the Winter's Hammer paid a visit to Phoenix,” Sunefa said slowly, her tone steady but revealing a hint of caution.

"Nine times out of ten, they came for the Sacred Tree. According to what he said before, they had noticed the fluctuations when the Sacred Tree was planted and when it advanced twice."

"It was precisely because he was startled by the fluctuations of the Holy Tree's advancement that Master Yang broke his seclusion and was ordered to leave the extremely cold region of the central North and come to our Iceborn Land."

"They must have sensed the Holy Tree's advancement this time and wanted to enter Phoenix to find the source of the fluctuations."

Sunafa paused, then added, "However, he was very polite. He not only came openly under the guise of a visit, but also brought ice-patterned steel ingots produced by the Yang family as a gift."

Phoenix is ​​an open city; I have no reason to refuse him entry.

“Moreover,” Sunefa thought for a moment and expressed his consideration, “if I refuse directly, it will only make him more convinced that the source of the fluctuation is here and related to us.”

"Given his style of doing things, he will definitely investigate in secret, and may even go back and report to that master craftsman, which will attract the even more difficult-to-deal-with members of the Yang family, making it even harder to control the situation."

It would be better to grant his request to visit and entertain him openly. At least his every move would be under our watchful eyes, and his subsequent actions would be easier to predict.

"The right decision." After listening to Sunafa's words, Gaode gave her positive evaluation of her decision.

Sunefa's considerations coincided with his.

Instead of passively defending, it is better to take the initiative to control the situation; this is the prudent way to deal with unknown threats.

He tapped his fingertips lightly on the table and pressed, "In the past month or so, has he done anything unusual?"
"That's the strange thing. This Master Yang clearly showed that he valued the fluctuations of the Sacred Tree very much before, but after entering Phoenix this time, he seemed to have no interest in it at all."

"He acted as if he really was just visiting Phoenix, just as he said he did."

I've been in Phoenix for over a month now, and every day I've just been like a tourist, enjoying Phoenix's local cuisine, visiting the various open areas, and chatting with the city's residents.

"I see." After listening to Sunefa's explanation, Gaode fell into thought.

He certainly wouldn't believe that Master Yang had only come to visit.

This inaction suggests either they are observing from the shadows and gathering intelligence on Phoenix.
They are either waiting for the right moment, looking for an opportunity to contact the sacred tree;

It might even be a delaying tactic, waiting for further support.

"Oh, by the way, he also requested to meet you, saying he brought a special gift and wanted to give it to you personally."

“You weren’t in the North at the time, so I used that as an excuse to decline his offer,” Sunefa added.

His gaze flickered slightly as he met Gao De.

The request made by Master Yang, combined with his recent activities in Phoenix, may be a test, or it may be for some kind of transaction purpose.
He was silent for a moment, his fingers lightly tracing the edge of the table, before making his final decision: "If he wants to see me, then let him. I want to see what he's planning to do."

Meeting a Five-Ring Master with such unclear motives in other places would also carry a certain risk.

But in Phoenix, with Sunefa and the sixth-tier Ice Jade Wutong around, there's relatively less to worry about.

Clearly, Sunefa thought the same thing.

Seeing that Gao De had made up his mind, she immediately nodded and said, "Then I'll go and make the arrangements right away."

To emphasize the formality of the meeting, Gao De specially changed into a blue, white, and black robe custom-made for him by the tribe.

He then met the Sheep Master that Sunefa had mentioned in the core spiritual land.

—To be on the safe side, Sunafa chose the core spiritual land as the meeting place.

Because this is the core area covered by the energy of the sixth-order Ice Jade Wutong tree, the sacred tree can provide support instantly in case of any unexpected events, making it extremely reliable.

Both Gaode and Master Yang had only heard of each other before, but had never met in person. So when they first met, they both subconsciously scanned each other with their eyes.

A hint of surprise flashed across Master Yang's eyes:
The new king of the North before him was much younger than he had imagined. His eyes and brows did not have the somberness of an old-fashioned tribal leader, but instead exuded a vibrant spirit.

Gaode was equally surprised:
He never expected that in a world where mages were the only power system, there would be a mage with such a tall and strong physique.

His shoulders were almost twice the width of an average person's, and he stood there like a mountain, exuding an oppressive aura. Coupled with the magic hammer tucked into his waist, he was even more reckless than a brute.

Could this be a "melee mage"?
It can only be said that Gaode's stereotype of mages as weak has been broken time and time again.

"I heard you wanted to see me, but I've been away from the North for some time, so it's been delayed until now. My apologies," Gao De said to Master Yang with a smile.

"It was my abrupt arrival without prior notice that I should apologize." Master Yang smiled, his voice deep yet not harsh, a stark contrast to the "reckless" image he was rumored to have had with Sunefah in Winter's Hammer.

"I'm not short of time, and it would be nice to experience the local culture in Phoenix."

"Phoenix is ​​a relatively new city with limited resources, so please forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality," Gao De responded smoothly.

"Compared to other tribes, the Phoenix are considered to have very good conditions."

Master Yang shook his head and commented very objectively and sincerely: "At least here there is plenty of food, clean streets, well-organized buildings, and a thriving population."

“You flatter me.” Gao De smiled, neither denying nor being complacent. “This is only in comparison to other tribes in the North. Compared to those outside cities, Phoenix is ​​still far behind. Whether it is facilities, urban construction, or anything else, it is far inferior.”

“Perhaps that is true for now,” Master Yang said, though he was a burly man, his words were anything but rough. “But this is only temporary.”

"Here, I saw a vibrant land and vibrant people. The people in this city are positive, optimistic, and fulfilled."

"This is something that even the most prosperous cities in the outside world may not have."

He paused, his voice lowering slightly, tinged with melancholy: "Our Sheep Clan has a certain connection with the Iceborn. We have witnessed the Iceborn's heyday, and we have also witnessed their gradual decline. This decline is like ore melting in a furnace, and it is irreversible."

“Only in Phoenix did I see the possibility of the Iceborn rising again. Although I don’t know how you will stop the decline of the Iceborn bloodline, at least I see a glimmer of hope.”

"From what I understand, Phoenix wasn't like this two years ago. All the changes stemmed from your arrival, from the day you became the new king." "This shows that Phoenix indeed chose the right person."

"The prophecy of the War Mother Oretia was indeed accurate," Master Yang exclaimed.

"Of course, as the War Mother of her own people, how could Oretia deceive her people?"

"The King will lead the Zhenbing tribe, and indeed all the Iceborn, toward revival." Upon hearing this, Sunafa's deep blue eyes flashed with a barely perceptible light, and the totem between her brows flickered slightly.

“I hope so too,” Master Yang said earnestly.

"I heard from Sunefa that you wanted to see me. Is there something you need?" Gao De smiled and brushed aside Master Yang's praise, getting straight to the point.

"It mainly boils down to one thing. Mother Sunafa should have told you that I had some friction with her before." Master Yang's gaze fell on Sunafa, but Sunafa remained unmoved.

"This was not an intentional provocation on my part; I was simply following the orders of the master craftsman and had no choice but to do it."

"He sensed that something with the power to 'change the North' had been born in the western part of the North. Fearing that it would cause unrest, he sent me to find it and confirm its origin."

"The North is vast and rich in resources, so finding something here isn't easy. That's why I had to ask the locals for help. It's the Winter's Hammer. Their War Mother wandered into our Sheep Clan's lands by mistake, and we rescued her. So we have some connection with them."

"Even with the help of the Winterhammer tribe, after spending almost half a year, we still haven't gained anything," he said, shaking his head helplessly.

"Until two months ago, what I was looking for once again emitted a powerful fluctuation."

"And I followed the direction of the fluctuations and came to Phoenix," Master Yang said quite frankly.

"You mean, what you're looking for is right here in Phoenix?" Gao De asked rhetorically.

"I'm not sure either, but I think you should know something about it." Facing Gao De's slightly sharp question, Master Yang remained calm and even took the initiative to lower his stance.

"As I said to the noble War Mother before, our Sheep family and the Iceborn race, especially the pure-blooded Iceborn, have a connection in ancient times. Now that the Iceborn bloodline has weakened to this point, we do not want to see it, and we are even less willing to fight with you."

"That's one point. Secondly, perhaps you've misunderstood the master craftsman's intentions."

Master Yang paused for a moment before continuing, "The reason he felt uneasy was not because he wanted to fight for that thing, but because he sensed that its power was enough to overthrow the Northern Territory."

"But he couldn't see clearly whether this force was going in a good direction or a bad direction."

"The master craftsmen have stayed in the Molten Plains for many years, obsessed with forging, and have no interest in anything outside, including conflicts and treasures."

We, the Sheep Clan, are the same. We reject war, live in seclusion in the Molten Plains, isolated from the world, and have never participated in the tribal conflicts of the North.

"But the Lava Plains belong to the Northern Territory; it is part of the Northern Territory."

Master Yang's voice deepened, tinged with worry, "If the Northern Territory is overthrown because of this thing, how can the Molten Plains escape unscathed? The peaceful days of our Yang family and master craftsmen will naturally be gone forever."

"That's why the master craftsman asked me to confirm: if this item is harmful to the North, we must take action and nip the threat in the bud."

"But if it can bring positive changes to the North, such as reviving the Iceborn or strengthening the Phoenix, then we will not meddle. I will immediately return to the Molten Core to report, and perhaps the Master Craftsman will be willing to offer some assistance within his power."

At this point, he looked directly into Gao De's eyes and continued, "After all, we would be happy to see the North improve."

"So don't treat me as an enemy. If you really have information about what I'm looking for, as long as it's good for the North, we're not only not enemies, we can even be friends."

"Although the Sheep Clan will not get involved in the conflicts between the Northern forces, we will definitely support anything that can make the Northern better."

Gao De listened quietly, but his heart was far from calm.

What they were looking for was actually Yogathira, something he and Sunefa had already confirmed.

The master craftsman worshipped by the Sheep Clan is the earliest being born in the Northern Territory, having lived for countless millennia. One can imagine how terrifying this being is.

The fact that such an entity had its eye on Yggdrasil had always been a hidden worry for him and Sunefa.

Right now, the other side has only sent Master Yang from the Fifth Ring to gather information, which they can still manage for now.

But what if one day the master craftsman loses patience and intervenes personally? How would they be able to handle that?

Master Yang's statement that "as long as it is confirmed to be harmless, the matter will be dropped" is undoubtedly good news.

The changes that Yggdrasil brought to the North were definitely for the better.

The problem is that Gaode still doesn't dare to admit it easily: firstly, it's uncertain whether the master craftsman behind the sheep master really had no malicious intent.

Secondly, Yogathira is the foundation of him and even Phoenix, and exposing it to outsiders is ultimately a very risky thing.

However, if he refuses to admit it, Master Yang will certainly not leave easily until he completes the task given to him by the master craftsman.

Moreover, even if he is confident that he can deal with Master Yang now, what if the Yang family sends a sixth-ring mage next time?

Gao De remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was rapidly calculating: Did Master Yang have other motives?

If he were to meet Yugathira, what changes would that cause?
Just as Gao De was rapidly calculating in his mind, Sunefa stepped forward at the opportune moment, her tone clear yet firm: "We understand what Master Yang said. As you said, we all live in the North; if one is harmed, all are harmed."

“If the North is overthrown, Phoenix won’t fare much better. We are willing to help find that thing, and we will notify you immediately if we have any news.”

These words, seemingly in agreement, were actually a tacit "stepping stone" between them.

Sunefa neither denied knowing the clues nor directly admitted that the item was in Phoenix, thus giving Master Sheep a reason to stay and buying them time to consider.

Upon hearing this, Master Yang gave Gao De and Sunafa a meaningful look, but said nothing more, only nodding: "Then I'll trouble you. If you have any news, please let me know immediately."

“We will,” Gao De nodded in response.

Master Yang said no more and turned to take his leave.

However, before leaving, he seemed to suddenly remember something, took out a dark wooden box from his pocket, and handed it to Gao De.

"What is this?" Gao De took the wooden box, feeling the weight of the hardwood under his fingers.

"As I mentioned before, I brought a special gift that I would like to present to you in person."

(End of this chapter)