Accept the C-level mission and arrive at the main city of Youlan Kingdom.

Seeing the quest prompt, a thoughtful look appeared in Cao Xing's eyes.

Clearly, the difficulty of this commission was very low, and it certainly wasn't worth the Ice Crystal King directly gifting such a large area of the Gale Snowfield to Cao Xing.

This was more of a gesture of goodwill and gratitude.

After all, everyone now knew that Cao Xing already possessed eight Legendary combatants.

In the previous battle, he had even slain a Demigod.

In the future, he might even possess his own Demigod-level combat power.

It could be said that he was not only powerful but also had boundless potential.

Such an excellent ally was naturally worth winning over and investing in.

Cao Xing nodded slightly and took the old wooden comb from the Ice Crystal King's hand.

Then he said solemnly, "I understand, Your Majesty. I will deliver this item."

[Obtained: Rosie's Wooden Comb (Quest Item)]

[You have successfully accepted the quest: Ice Crystal King's Commission (C-rank).]

Seeing that he had accepted the quest, a look of gratification appeared on the Ice Crystal King's aged face.

Neither side needed much further communication; the Ice Crystal King already understood that Cao Xing had accepted his goodwill.

At this moment, Cao Xing suddenly asked, "By the way, Your Majesty, where is the Old Patriarch?"

The Ice Crystal King replied, "The Old Patriarch is still in the royal palace, but he is currently recuperating and is not convenient to come out right now."

"I see…" Cao Xing nodded in realization.

Seeing this, the Ice Crystal King said in a gentle tone, "Then, I won't waste any more of Lord Cao Xing's time. I will take you to the depths of the royal palace now to activate the Ancient Teleportation Array."

Cao Xing was about to agree, but as if remembering something, he quickly said,

"Wait a moment, Your Majesty, I have a friend who hasn't arrived yet."

Hearing this, the Ice Crystal King stopped and waited patiently on the side.

Meanwhile, Cao Xing quickly opened the private chat channel to contact Bai Zhi.

He soon learned that she was waiting at the [Helena Tavern] in the city, which was the same tavern they had stayed at last time.

Cao Xing quickly said, "Your Majesty, City Lord Oran, please wait here for a moment. I will go and bring my friend over."

The Ice Crystal King nodded, "No problem, go ahead, Lord Cao Xing."

City Lord Oran, standing nearby, had absolutely no objections.

Cao Xing did not waste any time and immediately sprang into action.

To save time, a pair of transparent Wind Wings appeared on his back.

The next moment, with a 'whoosh' sound, he surged directly into the sky.

And with an explosive speed of over one thousand meters per second, he dashed forward.

*Swish—* Like a sharp arrow, he streaked across the sky above the royal palace, moving so fast that the soldiers couldn't even react in time.

Just three or four seconds later, Cao Xing arrived above the Helena Tavern.

Then, his gaze fell onto the street below.

The Helena Tavern was as bustling as ever, with people coming and going.

However, the flowing crowd would subconsciously avoid one figure.

That figure had white hair, and beneath her incredibly beautiful features was an iceberg-like coldness.

Coupled with the chill radiating from her entire body, it felt as if the surrounding air was frozen.

It gave people a 'keep away' feeling.

This figure was none other than Bai Zhi.

After seeing Cao Xing's private message, she had come outside the tavern to wait.

The next moment, the Wind Wings on Cao Xing's back flapped, and his figure swooped down like a shooting star.

*Whoosh!* In an instant, he appeared in front of this white-haired beauty.

Seeing the figure that had suddenly appeared before her, Bai Zhi was still in a daze.

Cao Xing reached out a hand directly and said in a steady tone, "There are people waiting for us in the royal palace. To save time, I will take you there."

"Okay…"

Bai Zhi responded subconsciously and reached out a jade-white hand.

Before she could react, she felt a warm, strong hand grip her wrist.

Then it took her straight into the sky!

"Whoosh—!"

The whistling wind rushed past her ears, and the surrounding scenery retreated rapidly.

To accommodate Bai Zhi, Cao Xing slowed his speed down to over seven hundred meters per second.

Even so, it only took a few seconds for the two of them to reach the royal palace.

And they landed gently in front of the Ice Crystal King.

City Lord Oran watched the wind-like Cao Xing, and a look of admiration appeared in his eyes once again.

"Lord Cao Xing is truly an incredible existence."

"As a mage, not only is his magic power vast as the sea, but his speed is also so astonishing!"

Although he was very reluctant to admit it, he had to say,

City Lord Oran was no longer a match for Cao Xing.

Thinking back to a few months ago, when they first met, Cao Xing was only a Tier 5 combatant, and there was a world of difference between him and himself.

In the blink of an eye, he had left him far behind.

Thinking of this, a look of emotion appeared in City Lord Oran's eyes.

Cao Xing brought Bai Zhi before the two of them, let go of her wrist, and said, "Your Majesty, my friend has arrived."

The Ice Crystal King nodded slightly, his gaze falling on Bai Zhi beside him, and a flash of admiration suddenly crossed his eyes.

He exclaimed, "What a pure Ice Soul constitution! She is truly a natural Ice-attribute powerhouse. In our world of extreme cold, she will be able to display extremely powerful strength."

"Lord Cao Xing's friends are indeed all extraordinary!"

As an existence who had lived for over a thousand years, he could tell at a glance that Bai Zhi's constitution was extraordinary.

And here among the Survivors, this kind of constitution was directly classified as a type of talent, reflected on their interface.

Cao Xing chuckled, "Your Majesty is too kind. Let's hurry and set off now."

"Very well."

The Ice Crystal King nodded slightly, then waved his large sleeve and led everyone toward the depths of the royal palace.

At this moment, Bai Zhi was still in a daze.

Did she hear that right?

Cao Xing had just addressed this old man as 'Your Majesty'.

Could he be the King of the Ice Crystal Kingdom? The supreme ruler of the entire nation?

At this moment, a storm was brewing in Bai Zhi's heart!

Especially seeing Cao Xing chatting and laughing with him, and the old man treating him with such courtesy, she felt it overturned her imagination.

After all, up until now, how many Survivors could get into contact with an existence of this level?

Not to mention having a national king treat him with such respect.

However, thinking of the series of major events Cao Xing had accomplished before,

It didn't seem so surprising that he knew the Ice Crystal King.

"Phew…"

Bai Zhi took a deep breath, calmed herself down, and followed behind the three of them.

A few minutes later.

The Ice Crystal King had brought them to the depths of the royal palace.

An even more ancient and magnificent teleportation array appeared before everyone's eyes.

The surface of this Ancient Teleportation Array was covered with complex runes, emitting waves of spatial fluctuations.

"Step in, Lord Cao Xing," the Ice Crystal King said in a calm tone.

Cao Xing nodded slightly, then stepped into the teleportation array with Bai Zhi and City Lord Oran.

He cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, farewell."

The Ice Crystal King chuckled and nodded, then waved his hand casually.

A few items flew from his hand and landed above the teleportation array.

The next moment, a dazzling pillar of light shot up into the sky.

"Hum—!"

Meanwhile, as the light covered the figures of Cao Xing and the others, everyone felt a tearing sensation.

It was as if they had been pulled into a special rotating tunnel.

It was pitch black all around, and they could only feel their figures spinning wildly!

"Clatter—clatter—"

After experiencing high-intensity rotation,

Cao Xing felt his stomach churning, and he almost threw up.

"Ugh!!!"

Even a Level 100 Hero like him was like this, not to mention City Lord Oran and Bai Zhi beside him.

Both of them also had their eyes tightly closed, their faces pale.

Cao Xing couldn't help but complain internally, "Damn, this is truly worthy of being a teleportation array specifically for Legendary powerhouses. Just the commotion during this teleportation is something ordinary people couldn't bear."

Finally, after another few seconds passed, the dizzying spinning sensation gradually slowed down.

The three of them also stabilized their figures.

The darkness around them quickly receded, and the scene gradually became clear.

Cao Xing opened his eyes, but the scene before him made him slightly stunned.

What came into view was an ancient royal palace covered in vines and orchids!

This kingdom seemed to be one with nature, with vines winding like snakes, crawling all over the city walls.

The faint fragrance of orchids drifted by, mixed with the cold wind, giving people a feeling of tranquility and clarity at all times.

Cao Xing looked up and could see a faint blue light barrier enveloping the entire city.

And it completely isolated the city from the wind and snow outside.

Furthermore, the temperature inside the city was warm as spring, forming a sharp contrast with the bitter cold outside.

At this moment, everyone was stunned.

Bai Zhi widened her eyes and murmured, "In such a frigid world, to think there is still such a beautiful and warm city."

"Incredible—"

City Lord Oran also couldn't help but sigh in a low voice, "This is the main city of the Orchid Kingdom; it is truly beautiful."

"It is worthy of being a great nation that has existed for thousands of years."

Meanwhile, a system notification appeared before Cao Xing.

[You have arrived at a new area: Spirit Orchid Main City]

[Obtained Map Exploration EXP: 300,000, Obtained Reputation Points: 1,000]

"I didn't expect that just after arriving in the Orchid Kingdom, I would come directly to the main city."

Cao Xing chuckled and shook his head.

Then, with a wave of his hand, he summoned all thirty-plus experts he had brought with him, except for his pets like the Mammoth Dabai.

"Whoosh—"

One after another, formidable figures appeared before the three of them.

As they broke free from their undead state, terrifying auras surged into the sky, as if even the air was trembling because of it!

In an instant, every living being in the entire Spirit Orchid Main City felt this heart-palpitating pressure!

One must know that a single Hero-level expert possesses the power to destroy a city.

And every single person who appeared on Cao Xing's side possessed power far exceeding that of an average Hero-level expert.

Moreover, there were four Legendary experts among them!

The terrifying aura swept through the surroundings like a tidal wave, instantly covering the entire Spirit Orchid Main City.

Those civilians all turned deathly pale, standing frozen in place, not daring to move.

Cao Xing also realized this and quickly said, "Alright, everyone restrain your auras; don't scare the civilians of this nation."

Hearing this, the group of experts suppressed their auras one after another.

In fact, they didn't do it on purpose; it was just that they had just come out of the necromancers bag, and coupled with the transformation from undead to living, their auras were a bit difficult to control.

After suppressing the aura within their bodies, everyone couldn't help but look around.

A moment later, looks of curiosity and surprise appeared in their eyes.

They were also amazed by the beauty and magnificence of this city.

Meanwhile, several soldiers on guard nearby sensed the eruption of aura and rushed over immediately.

When they saw so many terrifying and unfamiliar existences suddenly appear around the teleportation array, they instantly froze in place.

They widened their eyes and said with trembling voices, "The Orchid God is above! So—so many powerful existences—"

Another soldier also stammered and shouted, "Quick—quickly go notify Her Majesty the Queen!"

Only then did this group of soldiers wake up from their stupor, scrambling to escape from here.

Just at this moment, the surrounding vines suddenly swayed gently, and orchid flowers bloomed in the air.

A beautiful figure wearing magnificent clothing and possessing a noble temperament descended slowly, stepping on the orchid flowers.

Her gorgeous skirt swayed slightly in the air, and she landed lightly and elegantly in front of Cao Xing, looking like a character who had just stepped out of a painting.

Everyone's gaze was instantly drawn to this stunning figure.

Her skin was like snow, her features were as picturesque as a painting, and in her deep eyes, flower petals swirled, carrying a hint of inviolable majesty.

Her long hair cascaded down like a waterfall, dotted with several crystalline orchid flowers, adding to her coldness and nobility.

It was none other than the Yōulán Queen.

Seeing the Queen's arrival, those soldiers felt as if they had found their backbone, and the fear in their hearts quickly dissipated.

They knelt on one knee and respectfully said, "Greetings, Your Majesty the Queen!"

The Yōulán Queen extended her slender, jade-like right hand and waved it gently in the air, signaling the group of soldiers to leave, her movements elegant and composed.

The group of soldiers exchanged glances and then quickly retreated from this area.

Meanwhile, the Yōulán Queen cast her gaze upon the few Legendary experts behind Cao Xing and nodded slightly, acknowledging them.

Then, her gaze turned to Cao Xing, and a faint smile curved at the corners of her lips, "Lord Cao Xing, I trust you have been well."

"Since we last parted, I was just preparing to find time to visit your territory, but it turns out you brought people here yourself."

Her voice was gentle yet did not lack majesty.

In a non-combat state, the Yōulán Queen appeared much more approachable.

But even so, the innate aura of a superior being that she possessed still made people afraid to approach her easily.

This temperament was similar to Victoria in Cao Xing's territory, but even more imposing.

After all, in comparison, the Orchid Kingdom was far more powerful than the Renowa Kingdom, so naturally, it possessed the aura and majesty to match.

Cao Xing smiled and said with a hint of apology in his tone, "Your Majesty the Queen is too kind; our sudden arrival this time without prior notice was a bit presumptuous."

The Yōulán Queen shook her head gently and said in a calm tone, "It was indeed a bit unexpected."

"I suddenly sensed so many Legendary auras appearing in my royal palace and thought the ancient teleportation array had been breached."

Cao Xing was also a bit embarrassed; he didn't expect that the Ice Crystal King hadn't told this Queen in advance about his intention to come to the Orchid Kingdom.

It was likely that the Ice Crystal King also thought Cao Xing would contact the Yōulán Queen himself, which led to this situation.

However, the Yōulán Queen did not mind.

She asked calmly, "Lord Cao Xing, is there any important matter for your visit to my Orchid Kingdom this time?"

Cao Xing explained his purpose to her.

After listening, a flash of understanding passed through the Yōulán Queen's eyes, and she said softly, "So that's how it is; you also want to head to that ruin."

"The day for that Lost Royal City to open has indeed arrived."

"However, according to the news I received, the inner city of that ruin has recently experienced a strong tremor, and it is said that something extraordinary might be coming into the world."

Hearing this, there was some surprise in Cao Xing's eyes, "Something extraordinary coming into the world? There's such a thing?"

Before the Yōulán Queen could reply.

City Lord Oran, who was nearby, interjected, "In past years when the ruins opened, such things would indeed occasionally happen."

"During the period before the inner city opens, if some special movements occur inside, it means that after this opening, there is a high probability that some kind of treasure or special scene will appear inside."

"Sometimes, even some magical buildings will appear, such as that ancient arena—"

"Regarding this point, I believe Mr. Qinong beside you should know."

Oran seemed to know Qinong and also knew that he had once won the title of Champion Fighter.

Cao Xing looked at him.

This tall and straight old man nodded slightly, "He is right."

And after receiving confirmation from Qinong, Cao Xing felt even more interested.

If that was the case, they might really find some unexpected gains when heading to the ancient ruins this time.

At this time, the Yōulán Queen said slowly, "Precisely because of this, several Legendary auras have already appeared at that ruin."

"Some reclusive Legendary experts have also been attracted by these rumors and have appeared one after another."

"So—"

She was just about to say, telling Cao Xing to be careful.

But as her gaze swept over the few Legendary experts behind him, she immediately stopped speaking.

Because she knew that with the strength on Cao Xing's side.

It would be fine if those Legendary experts didn't come to provoke this Otherworld Lord.

If they dared to actively provoke Cao Xing.

The ones who should be careful are those people—

The Yōulán Queen smiled and shook her head, "With Lord Cao Xing's strength, you shouldn't need to worry about these things."

"Since that's the case, I will send someone to prepare accommodation for everyone, and entertain you all before you leave."

Speaking of this, she seemed to remember something and said, "By the way, in recent days our Orchid Kingdom is holding the Hundred Flowers Festival, and many of the kingdom's citizens will bring the plants and flowers they have carefully cultivated for a year to the Spirit Orchid Main City to participate."

"As long as they pass the evaluation and are selected for the Hundred Flower Garden, they will receive generous rewards."

"Therefore, the city will be quite lively, and you all can have some fun in the city."

"Of course, you all can also bring your favorite plants and flowers to participate."

After a pause, the Yōulán Queen turned her head, her beautiful eyes filled with a hint of inquiry, "I wonder, is Lord Cao Xing interested?"