### Chapter 0: King vs. King (14)
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In the sky, thunder rumbled relentlessly,
and a windswept chill rushed in, sweeping away the recent cold brought by the snowfall.
Fu Yetian paid no mind to the astonished crowd and continued, “I’ve been to Phoenix Mountain, the supposed lair of the Monster King, so many times that I’ve lost count. Ever since then, I’ve been deeply intrigued by the truth behind it all.
The so-called trap where the Monster King was captured is a sloppy joke with more holes than Swiss cheese—definitely not worth multiple investigations.
I figured then and there, even if I fell for that crude trap, I could probably escape within minutes,
let alone the Monster King, who’s stronger than anything the three realms can offer?”
Lin Nan slowly replied, “So, that’s how you came to your conclusion?”
Fu Yetian said, “Not just that. Back in the day, when we fought against the Monster King, all of the Seven Great Sects sent their finest, only to sustain severe losses. It was said that humanity and the demon race united to finally bring the Monster King down.
But, during my chats with some surviving elders from that time, they scoff at the idea that the demon race played a significant role in that battle.
The only thing they brought to the table was some bizarre potions which provided temporary buffs if you dared to take them.
That’s it.
In short, when the army of monsters invaded the human realm, it was primarily the human race that held the line—while the demon race was just there for the snacks. Until the battle at Phoenix Mountain saw the Monster King fall in a miraculous twist, finally relieving countless souls.
Even those from the Heavenly Sword Sect couldn’t quite explain what exactly happened.
All they knew was that the Monster King was defeated by the united forces of humanity and demons.
History books later recorded it just like that, spreading through word of mouth.”
Lin Nan sneered, “So how does this connect to your arrival in Thousand Bird City?”
Fu Yetian composed himself, “That’s exactly what I’m about to explain.
This Floating City seems to have been hovering in the sky since the dawn of history, as unquestionable as the sun during the day and the moon at night. No one dares to ask why it’s the only floating rock on the entire continent.
Until four hundred years ago, when the Monster King’s avatar was transported to Thousand Bird City, it vanished without a trace.
At that time, it was speculated that he must have been locked inside the forbidden area of Thousand Bird City.
And exactly one thousand years prior, a fallen human ruler met the same fate, imprisoned in Thousand Bird City.
Don’t doubt the foundation of the Ji Shen organization; we’ve been around longer and older than some cultivation sects.
So, we have reason to speculate that the power source for this floating city isn’t as straightforward as it appears.
In all historical records, that once-great human ruler died by s*icide. Isn’t that a tad reminiscent of the Monster King’s own story?”
Fu Yetian spoke at a steady pace, making it easy for those around to follow his discourse.
Lin Nan couldn’t help but feel puzzled. According to Fu Yetian, the forbidden area of Thousand Bird City imprisoned numerous heroes who once controlled the fate of the continent. Logically, not only should Thousand Bird City be concerned, but the other sects should take heed as well.
If any remnants of those great figures were to be taken, the consequences would be dire.
But why did it seem like Thousand Bird City’s attention to the forbidden area was always lacking a bit?
The first time the Floating City was attacked by monster beasts, Li Ying Tian was—let’s not go there. The second time, Ji Shen and White Feather City teamed up against Thousand Bird City, and of course, guess what? Li Ying Tian was absent, focusing all attention on Cold Wind City instead.
If it were anyone else, once they understood the importance of the forbidden area, they would hardly leave its side—it should’ve been basic protocol.
Yet Li Ying Tian didn’t seem to prioritize it as much as Lin Nan thought…
Could it be that Li Ying Tian was unaware of the true nature of the forbidden area?
As a sect leader, that seemed a bit far-fetched.
Moreover, the forbidden area concerned the fate of all humanity—how could it be left solely to Thousand Bird City to bear such a grave responsibility?
Not to mention, the assault on Thousand Bird City had already stretched into the night, while other sects were sweeping their own front stoops, letting Thousand Bird City fend for itself.
If what Fu Yetian said held any truth, then where was the glitch?
Just as Lin Nan’s mind wandered, Fu Yetian suddenly smiled, “Everyone, take care!”
As soon as his words left his mouth, the Floating City began to shake violently.
Lin Nan, floating in mid-air, was unaffected, but everyone else swayed like leaves in a storm.
What happened next was a surprise for Lin Nan.
A massive beast suddenly leaped from below the forbidden area, gaping its maw wide and gobbling up an entire room containing twelve cultivation pods, including the Great Demon and a half-conscious member from Thousand Bird City.
At the same time, Fu Yetian shot upward, his back covered in countless strong spider webs, and disappeared into the distance.
All of this unfolded in an instant.
Before anyone could react, the Floating City, devoid of its power source, began a rapid descent.
People inside felt the overwhelming dread of weightlessness.
Screams and cries filled the air.
If the Floating City crashed, not only would thousands perish within it, but even Ground City would be reduced to rubble.
The Thousand Bird City, which had been carefully cultivated for thousands of years, was on the brink of destruction.
Lin Nan admitted she had been careless. She thought she had everything under control, only to realize Fu Yetian was just stalling for time.
Now that Thousand Bird City had surrendered to her, what she needed was a city with some remaining strength, not a pile of rubble.
But watching such a massive chunk, possibly weighing billions of tons, plummet from the sky, she seemed utterly helpless to stop the impending disaster.
Ah, the little brother she just picked up was about to crumble away in the blink of an eye.
Seeing Gongsun Ding nearly crying while huddled on his flying sword next to her, Lin Nan intended to comfort him.
Worse comes to worst, they could just head back to Cold Wind City together. As long as they had determination and faith, why couldn’t they build a new society?
But inadvertently, she tossed the sleeping Nightmare Beast out of her hands.
Watching her cozy warm gem drop through the air, Lin Nan hurriedly dove down after it.
In that moment, Gongsun Ding was deeply touched, tears almost spilling out.
“Master! I’ll go with you to save the Floating City! Even if it means d*ath, I’ll d*e with Thousand Bird City!”
Lin Nan flew down, completely oblivious to Gongsun Ding’s cries behind her.
In her eyes, Thousand Bird City was already a goner—what chance was there to salvage it?
“Hey, hey, warm gem, wake up!”
Lin Nan decided to accelerate immediately. That thing had been held closely all along, didn’t shed, what a treasure—how could she let it d*e?
In Gongsun Ding’s eyes, his new master was putting in such effort just to save all the residents of Thousand Bird City.
“Wuwu! Master! I’m willing to serve you until the end of time! Even if the sea dries up and the rocks decay!”
……
P.S. Breakfast is here! Not too late, right?
