It was precisely because he had considered the issue of migration beforehand that Yi Tianxing had decisively chosen to carve a path through the jungle — slashing through thorns, chopping down vines, splitting trees — forcefully forging a trail through the otherwise impenetrable forest. This newly created path allowed for straight, unobstructed passage all the way to Xuanhuang Village, avoiding most of the trouble.
Now, that decision was proving its worth.
"Good," Yang Ye breathed a silent sigh of relief. Migration was no joke — done poorly, it could result in heavy casualties. Especially in a place where no one knew how many ferocious beasts might be lurking.
Without further words, the Yang Family Army began lighting fires and preparing food. The flesh of the giant wolves was rich in nutrients and vital energy, a powerful tonic. Every piece of meat was nourishing. Eating it not only filled the belly but also strengthened the body. Though they had been on watch rotations all night, they had regained peak vitality — their bloodthirsty aura stronger than ever.
Many people held unspoken thoughts. Some were filled with hope for Xuanhuang Village, others with uncertainty. But everyone ate quickly. Very soon, all was packed and ready.
The Yang Family Army was assembled.
The villagers carried their belongings, taking only the most essential items.
At the front stood Yi Tianxing.
"Move out!!"
With just those two words, he raised his hand and took the lead, heading down the path they had carved the day before.
The villagers quickly followed, eyes filled with longing. Each of their steps carried a mixture of hope and determination. Many had dreamed of what their new life might be like the night before.
This was a road of hope.
The entire group stretched like a long dragon as it moved forward.
Soldiers of the Yang Family Army spread out along the flanks of the column, guarding against accidents and watching for threats. At the very rear of the group, padding along, was a mangy dog with green fur on one leg.
It was none other than Green Emperor.
The iron muzzle was long gone.
"Why did you give me bones to eat today? Wolf bones are too hard! Are they for me to grind my teeth on? I want meat! Wolf meat! I'm the Green Emperor, the Dog Sovereign! How dare you feed me bones!"
"With my noble status, I deserve meat, nothing but meat!"
"And that guy Yi — I won't let you off! How dare you muzzle this emperor! Do you even have a conscience? Giving me one bone to make it up? Do I look so easily appeased? Impossible!"
The Green Emperor chewed fiercely on a wolf bone — not just any bone, but one from a Howling Moon Silver Wolf, rich in vital energy. He grumbled as he gnawed, occasionally glancing around with his sharp eyes, clearly plotting something.
No one dared to linger near him. The ones at the rear hurried forward with pale faces, plugging their ears to block his nonstop chatter. Just one night, and the Green Emperor's reputation had already become notorious.
His ceaseless babbling was utterly unbearable.
Many turned pale just at the sight of him, desperate to stay away.
"There really is a path — it's been cut straight through the forest! Someone hacked it open with a blade!"
"If we follow this path, we'll reach Xuanhuang Village. I wonder how long it is?"
Seeing the path eased many villagers' worries. Yi Tianxing had spoken the truth — there was a road, and it reduced the dangers of crossing the forest tremendously.
"Stay close! Don't fall behind! If you get separated, it'll be hard to find you again." Yi Tianxing warned as he stepped onto the forest path.
The Yang Family soldiers quickly relayed his words.
Night was when beasts were most active. Even now, in the morning light, the jungle was still thick with the stench of blood. Most of the beasts had retreated to slumber, and the path only crossed a small, edge portion of the forest.
No one spoke as they moved. Everyone remained tense and alert, their pace quickening.
Even so, death struck.
Some died from the sudden bite of a venomous snake, others fell victim to toxic mosquitoes, silently collapsing as they walked. Some were seized by strange vines that suddenly whipped out, wrapping around them and dragging them into the forest depths before even the soldiers could react.
Others were tempted by beautiful flowers — bright and alluring — and reached out to pluck them. But the moment the pollen touched their skin, their bodies melted into pools of blood, nourishing the soil.
These dangers struck so swiftly that even Yi Tianxing couldn't act in time.
Each attack brought instant death. Rescue was impossible.
The continuous stream of casualties cast a heavy shadow over the group. No one spoke. They just kept walking.
At last, under their hurried pace, they reached the end of the path. Up ahead, a wide clearing opened before them.
"We're out!"
Yi Tianxing stepped out of the forest, his eyes scanning the open view ahead — they had crossed the jungle.
"We made it! We crossed the forest! That jungle was terrifying. I saw Old Zhao get yanked underground by a tree root!"
"That was with a pre-cut path! If we'd gone without one, even more would've died. You can't even tell direction in there!"
"Look, a village! Is that Xuanhuang Village? Look at those wooden walls — and the thorns climbing over them! What a strange, amazing place!"
The villagers emerged from the forest path, breathing in the fresh air. Finally relaxed, they looked up to see the towering wooden walls and the neatly arranged buildings inside the village.
Excitement and longing filled their eyes.
Compared to Yang Family Village, this was a whole different world. The difference was night and day.
Yang Family Village had only simple fences. Xuanhuang Village had wooden walls like fortress ramparts — far stronger and far safer.
"So this is Xuanhuang Village!!"
Yang Ye stood beside Yi Tianxing, his expression one of awe.
He'd seen villages before — even visited the capital of the Great Song Dynasty. But this was a different world. To build such a fortified village in such a short time? He knew how hard that was. He had been a village chief before.
Even the wooden wall, reinforced by thorny vines climbing over it, was exceptional — acting as natural glue and a defensive barrier. It was no less effective than a stone wall.
That alone was impressive enough to withstand most beast attacks.
A pack of wolves, for example, would have no chance of breaching such a wall. Archers could easily pick them off from above. No need for heavy casualties.
"General Yang—" Yi Tianxing began to speak with a smile, but he was suddenly cut off.
A crisp, piercing cry rang out in the sky.
It carried an air of regal majesty, a naturally noble presence that spread through the air.
So noble… it was innate.
The moment the cry sounded, all other birdsongs in the morning fell utterly silent. No other sounds followed.
"What's that?" Yi Tianxing looked up.
In the distance, a radiance of five-colored light began to shimmer. It moved fast — shockingly fast — soaring through the sky, dazzling in the morning sunlight.
"Those are five-colored feathers — it's a Phoenix!" Yang Ye gasped in disbelief, eyes wide.
"There's a bird, shaped like a chicken, colored with five hues. Scales of a qilin in front, hind legs of a deer, head of a snake, tail of a fish, dragon markings, turtle back, swallow's jaw, rooster's beak... That's a Phoenix, the legendary divine bird — the most noble bloodline of all avians, the emperor of all birds!"
Yi Tianxing murmured, watching the sky in utter shock.
It truly was a phoenix. The majesty in its cry, the five-colored feathers glowing with light — every feature matched the descriptions in ancient texts.
A mythical beast from legend — appearing right before their eyes.
The emotional impact was indescribable.
Many villagers dropped to their knees instinctively.
Phoenix, divine bird, auspicious beast.
It commanded respect, worship — no matter who you were.
The phoenix soared over from the horizon, trailed by streaks of multicolored light and auspicious energy. In the blink of an eye, it arrived above the mountain valley, then, as if exhausted, glanced down and descended into the valley.
But it didn't land near Xuanhuang Village. Instead, it went deeper, into the very heart of the valley, far beyond where Yang Family Village had been.
Moments later, it rose again and flew off into the distance.
From the moment they spotted it to the moment it vanished, only a few breaths had passed. But the shock it brought was beyond imagining.
Countless villagers stood slack-jawed in awe.
"A phoenix… the legendary divine phoenix…"
Far away, in the Xiongnu encampment, Left Sage King Liu Bao stepped out of his tent.
He had also seen the phoenix soar across the sky — had seen it descend into a specific area.
His eyes burned with intensity.