Chapter 155 Into The Phoenix Chamber Part 35

When the five Tanzanies stepped out from the mountain wall next to the waterfall, they encountered the sunrise. They were stunned for a moment because they were not mentally prepared to walk from midnight to the early morning sunshine. This situation did not surprise them much because they realized that the time inside the Phoenix Chamber might not be the same as the time outside the Phoenix Chamber. The morning air around five Tanzanies has a different flavor than the air inside the Phoenix Chamber. 

U-ri frowned, "The air here is not as fresh as the one inside the Phoenix Chamber." 

Michio said, "I have to agree with that." 

Yul said, "Fill our waterbags. We're going down this mountain and back into Scattered Forest." 

Hajime asked, "What about the others?" 

Yul said, "We have to go back to that camp and climb down the mountain wall." 

Abrafo turned to look at Yul and said, "But those tunnels that leading us here has collapsed. So, how do we get out of here?" 

Yul said, "The tunnels that brought you here has collapsed, but the tunnel that brought Hajime and me here has not collapsed. We use that tunnel to take us out of here." 

Hajime said, "Let's go see if there are any vines around. Maybe with vines, the way down the mountain will be easier." Hajime took out the white rock from the cross bag. "U-ri." 

U-ri turned around and closed the lid of the leather water bag. He asked, "What are you holding in your hand?" 

Hajime raised his eyebrows at U-ri, smiled and said, "The pure phoenix egg." 

Yul and Abrafo looked at Hajime and U-ri with smiles, knowing that Hajime was teasing U-ri with the white rock. 

U-ri smiled with wide eyes. He reached out and grabbed the white rock. "It's quite heavy," he said, lifting the white rock up toward the sunlight. "I wonder what's inside."

Michio reaches for the white rock, but U-ri moves the white rock away from Michio. "Hey, I want to hold it too," Michio frowned and tried to reach out again for a second time, but U-ri quickly hit his hand. 

U-ri said, "You're not trying to be Misnix's Phoenix General, so there's no point in you holding it." 

Michio grabbed the white rock from U-ri's hand and looked at it. He said, "This egg is much heavier than the others," he said. 

U-ri took the white rock from Michio's hand and said, "Of course, otherwise it wouldn't be the pure phoenix egg." 

Seeing that U-ri and Michio were completely convinced that the white rock was the pure phoenix egg, Hajime, Yul, and Abrafo laughed. 

"So, you five finally showed up," Bong said, walking up to the five Tanzanies and staring at the white rock in U-ri's hand. 

U-ri notices Bong staring at him, so he tries to hide the white rock behind his back. "Oh, Your Highness, why are you here?" U-ri asked with a smile. 

Bong looked at the five Tanzanies strangely and asked, "Where have you five gone?" 

Abrafo stepped forward and said, "We have been here all along. We searched all over this place and found nothing, so we decided to leave to Stone Valley." 

Bong continued to look at the five men, not believing a word Abrafo said. "Really?" He asked. 

"Why do we have to explain where we went to you? It's not like you're part of our team," said Abrafo as he approached Bong. "Where are we going? What we have to do has nothing to do with you." He took two steps closer to Bong. 

Bong shoved Abrafo with both hands and said angrily, "I told you to stay away from me or I will kill you." 

Abrafo scoffed. "Like you could beat me," he laughed. 

Bong pushed Abrafo aside and looked at U-ri. He asked, "So, what is that you are holding in your hand? Is that a pure phoenix egg?" 

Abrafo quickly rushed forward, grabbed the white rock from U-ri's hand, and stuffed it into his robe. "Whatever it is, you don't need to know," he said, still provoking Bong. 

Yul said, "Your Highness, I suggest you fill up your water bag. After tomorrow, the poisonous fog in the forest will be too thick to disperse." He looked at his friends. "Let's go." 

Bong stood by the waterfall and watched the five Tanzanies walking toward the camp. He stared at Abrafo's back, chuckled and whispered, "Before leaving Scattered Forest, I must kill you first." 

When the five Tanzanies returned to the camp, they noticed that most of the participants had not returned to the camp. The only participants from the camp who were still in the camp were the two injured participants and two female participants. 

Abrafo looked around and found that Shi and Lixin were not in the camp. He walked up to one of the female participants and asked, "Do you know where Lord Lixin and the others have gone?" 

The female participants said, "Oh, early this morning, they went out for the last time to look for the pure phoenix eggs." 

Yul asked, "So, when does everyone decide to leave?" 

The female participant said, "Tomorrow morning." 

Hajime looked at the two female participants and then at the two injured male participants. He asked, "Does anyone want to come with us? We're leaving now." 

The female participant asked, "Why today and not tomorrow?" 

Yul said, "The poisonous fog is not that thick today. It will be thicker tomorrow. We just feel it is safer to leave today." 

The two female participants looked at each other. They were still waiting for their classmates that had gone looking for the pure phoenix egg with Lixin and the others. "Um... we...," the female participant said hesitantly. 

The two injured male participants stood up and walked towards the five Tanzanies. "We'll leave with you," said an injured male participant. 

The female participant said, "We will wait for our classmates, and if there is still light, we will follow you." 

As the five Tanzanies began to leave, Bong walked towards the camp with some participants. "Why are you leaving so early?" he asked loudly. 

Hearing Bong's voice suddenly angered Abrafo. Abrafo turned around and said angrily, "I already told you it is none of your business." 

Bong said, "You are leaving now because you five already have the pure phoenix egg. Am I right?" 

"The pure phoenix egg." 

The people standing beside Bong muttered. 

Abrafo said, "Does this matter to you?" 

Bong said, "Not really, because my goal is not to win the title of Phoenix General, but the pure phoenix egg is really important to these participants." 

Hai looked at Bong and asked, "Are you sure they have the pure phoenix egg?" 

Bong said, "I saw it with my own eyes." He pointed to U-ri. "He was holding that pure phoenix egg just now." 

The participants all stared at U-ri, as if U-ri had wrong them. U-ri said, "I don't have it." 

"Liar!" shouted another participant. "Show us the pure phoenix egg." 

"Yeah, you're old and you don't have many more years to live. What's the point of taking this title?" another participant yelled. 

Shik said, "This title should belong to Prince Gang or Lord Lixin, not some old man." 

U-ri looked at the gathered crowd and said with a smile, "I agree, but unfortunately I don't have that phoenix egg." 

Bong looked at Abrafo and asked, "Aren't you going to take out the phoenix egg to save the old man?" 

Abrafo stared angrily at Bong and asked, "Do you really want it?" Abrafo put his hand into his robe and took out the white rock. He held the white rock up high so that everyone could see the round white rock in his hand. He looked at Bong. "Do you really want it?" 

Bong said, "I don't want it, but the people I care about do." 

Abrafo smirked and said, "If I give you this pure phoenix egg, no matter what grudges we have, it will be clear. From now on, we will be two people who don't know each other." 

Bong said, "Agree." 

Abrafo smiled as he looked at Bong's face. He wanted to laugh, but at the same time he had to show his best acting skills. "Okay, here you go." He smiled and tossed the white rock to Bong. "Is yours." 

"Abrafo!" U-ri and Michio shouted in unison.

Bong grabbed the white rock and smiled. Hai quickly kicked Bong's hand, and the white rock was thrown into the air. The participants began to draw their swords and started fighting for the white rock. 

Abrafo shook his head and muttered, "What a bunch of idiots." He walked towards Hajime and Yul. "Let's go." 

Michio asked, "What about the pure phoenix egg?" 

Abrafo said, "Like U-ri said, we are not here to get that stupid title." 

Yul leads the two injured participants into the tunnel, followed by Hajime, then Abrafo, U-ri and Michio. 

Bong saw that the five Tanzanies were leaving, and Lixin had not returned to the camp yet. It was impossible for him to defeat everyone and take away the pure phoenix egg. He glanced and found that Michio and U-ri were the last people in the team, so instead of fighting the participants who were now fighting fiercely, he rushed forward, grabbed U-ri's collar, pulled U-ri aside, and placed his hand on U-ri's throat. 

Michio waved his hand at Bong. Bong quickly distanced himself from Michio. 

"Let him go!" Michio shouted at Bong. 

Michio's shout made Yul look back at the two injured participants and said, "You two keep going. Once you're about ten feet down the tunnel, the tunnel will narrow and you'll only be able to walk sideways for about an hour, then the tunnel will open, keep walking until you reach the grotto. You two can wait for us there, or you can go without us." 

The two injured participants nodded to Yul, and walked ahead, while Yul turned and headed for the exit. 

Abrafo rushes through the exit, only to find that U-ri is now a hostage. "Let him go!" Abrafo demanded. "If you hurt him, even if you are a pathetic brainless prince, I will kill you." 

Bong gritted his teeth and said, "Don't speak too early. If you want him, you can have him back unharmed, but you must give me that pure phoenix egg." 

Abrafo stared at Bong, breathing angrily from his nostrils.