Chapter 68
After some thought, Xiao Xiao realized that even if the secret manuals had fallen into that deserted ravine, it was still better than being obtained by others.
Besides, her late master’s calligraphic brushwork had never focused on the essentials. Even if someone saw it, they would probably just assume it was some bookworm’s fictional wuxia novel filled with nonsensical ramblings…
Consoling herself this way, Xiao Xiao felt slightly relieved, but she still could not give up searching the area.
Seeing her constantly looking around, Yu Ling’er asked what she was searching for. Xiao Xiao vaguely said she had lost her bundle containing her spare clothes.
Yu Ling’er generously offered her own dress – after seeing Wei Jie buy so many beautiful dresses for Xiao Xiao, she had grown envious and pestered Tang Youshu to buy her a couple of little dresses too.
Although the style was not as exquisite as Xiao Xiao’s dresses, they were delicate and lovely, with flowing skirts.
The only issue was that with Xiao Xiao’s snake scales now turned golden, it would be difficult to match clothing colors!
For once, Xiao Xiao and Yu Ling’er shared the same heroic lament as they both sighed while gazing at the radiant golden arm.
Then Xiao Xiao sought out a pool in the rear mountains to soak and scrub away the blackened carbon remnants from her body.
As dawn began to break and the stream reflected her face, Xiao Xiao stared intently, feeling stunningly beautiful – not that her appearance had changed, but her eyes and brows now exuded an aloof, bewitching aura. Even the corners of her eyes seemed to tilt upwards like phoenix eyes, giving off an imperious and piercing feeling.
The red mole at the corner of her eye also appeared more vividly crimson. The expression in her eyes felt unfamiliar, even to herself, as if conveying the same cool, disdainful air as those five phoenixes gazing at others.
Could it be that by having those five phoenixes attached to her, she had also adopted some of their phoenix mannerisms? Amitabha, Celestial Worthy of Infinite Light! She did not particularly enjoy the taste of snake meat and hoped she would not be assimilated by the phoenixes!
However, her current appearance did exude the dignified aura of a great sect leader able to command respect without anger. Xiao Xiao felt that if she remained silent, she might even surpass Lingzi Shan’s noble bearing two hundred years in the future!
She glanced again at the colored phoenix emblems encircling her neck. No matter how vigorously she scrubbed with water, those markings showed no signs of fading.
She could only hope they would remain obedient and not cause her trouble like the demon bead.
Speaking of the demon bead, Xiao Xiao closed her eyes and tried to sense its presence. The demon bead now remained utterly silent, seemingly not even daring to slumber deeply.
When Xiao Xiao attempted to speak with it, it finally responded in a trembling voice, “You wretched girl, you did this on purpose, didn’t you? Attaching five phoenixes to yourself! If you wanted me to leave, I would have obediently departed. But now with those phoenixes attached to your neck, how can I possibly leave?”
Xiao Xiao still had her eyes closed as she asked, “Then do you understand why those phoenixes attached themselves to me, and how to remove them?”
The demon bead’s voice still quivered as it said, “If I knew, I would have told you long ago! Why wait until now? However, they have just undergone rebirth, attaching themselves to you while still in deep slumber. That’s why I dared to speak up. That man back then only brought out a single black phoenix chick, but you managed to bring out five simultaneously? Just what is your background that you possess such miraculous powers?”
Xiao Xiao knew that this demon bead was the demonic nature refined from the Demon Lord Wei Jie’s body, so it had naturally experienced all the tribulations from Wei Jie’s original destiny.
Hearing it mention the black phoenix, Xiao Xiao realized she had guessed correctly – the crow Wei Jie had brought out back then was indeed a black phoenix chick.
Thinking of this, Xiao Xiao asked further, “Then… where did the black phoenix chick the Demon Lord brought out end up?”
The demon bead let out a cold laugh, “An ominous existence unacceptable to the heavens, what fate could it possibly have? When he brought that thing out, he had his own intentions, but in the end, it naturally…”
Before the demon bead could finish, Yu Ling’er’s voice called out asking if Xiao Xiao was done bathing, as Wei Jie had roasted rabbit meat for everyone, urging her to come eat.
Xiao Xiao did not respond, wanting the demon bead to finish its words. However, it seemed to have expended its energy and fell silent again.
Xiao Xiao sighed, no longer interested in admiring her reflection in the water. She quickly squeezed the moisture from her hair, dressed in the skirt, slipped on her shoes, and joined everyone for this belated midnight snack.
Wei Jie’s culinary skills were well-known. Even outdoors with just some wild onions and the salt and spices he carried, he could roast rabbit meat to a perfect outer crisp and tender interior.
He first pulled off a rabbit leg and handed it to Xiao Xiao, then took out a handkerchief and naturally moved behind her to wipe her damp hair.
Xiao Xiao had grown somewhat desensitized and could not be bothered with propriety around Wei Jie anymore. She simply let him wipe her hair while hungrily taking a couple bites of the fragrant meat to sate her hunger.
Watching Wei Jie carefully wipe Xiao Xiao’s long hair, Yu Ling’er could not help feeling envious. Wei Jie had always been cold and curt towards others, yet he treated Xiao Xiao so well.
This Cui Xiao Xiao had truly secured the affections of her disciple…
Gathered around the campfire, everyone conversed in small groups, except for Xiao Xiao.
As Xiao Xiao had mentioned, today was the memorial day for the Lingshan Talisman Sect’s ancestors. Tang Youshu’s precious bamboo basket still contained incense, candles, paper ingots, and other ritual offerings.
They only awaited the Sect Leader’s waking to proceed to the grave for obeisance rituals.
However, the Sect Leader seemed determined to sleep in, not stirring despite Wei Jie’s repeated calls.
Yu Ling’er could not help but worry, “Could Xiao Xiao be ill? I’ve never seen her sleep in like this before.”
Wei Jie reached out to feel Xiao Xiao’s forehead and neck, discovering that the area imprinted with the phoenix emblems felt feverishly hot!
In her sleep, Xiao Xiao seemed restless, her tightly closed eyelids constantly fluttering as if trapped in a deep nightmare…
Indeed, Xiao Xiao was dreaming.
She even knew she had fallen into a dream she could not awaken from – for she had returned to the Phoenix Ravine.
Only this time, those five phoenixes resting on the branches seemed much larger than when she had first seen them. Oblivious to her presence, they leisurely preened their feathers while perched on the paulownia branches.
With her sharp eyes, Xiao Xiao immediately noticed a drab gray egg lying alone amidst the grass under the paulownia tree. However, this eggshell was intact and unbroken, unlike the fragments she had previously found.
She recalled Wei Jie mentioning that this was the egg of an ill-omened black phoenix, intentionally expelled from the phoenix nest.
Without a mother’s nurturing, it could only gradually cool and dry out, eventually fossilizing.
Feeling pity for the lonely egg, Xiao Xiao wanted to walk over and pick it up.
It was at that moment that the lead crimson phoenix let out a piercing cry, alerting the others. The phoenixes immediately spread their wings and flew towards the ravine entrance.
Xiao Xiao followed the commotion and saw a figure plunging from the sky, accompanied by a sinister gust of wind as it landed in the ravine below, startling the phoenixes into a series of prolonged cries.
When she saw who it was, Xiao Xiao could not help feeling a jolt of fear, even knowing it was a dream.
Because that strange man… looked just like Wei Jie!
However, unlike Wei Jie’s indolent and unrestrained demeanor, this man with features resembling Wei Jie had one side of his face covered in iridescent snake scales. His muscular, sword-gripping arm was also densely covered in scales, giving his entire being an ominous and menacing aura. Those purple eyes, identical to Wei Jie’s, were tinged with an unsettling, murderous gleam that could not be dispelled, causing an instinctive sense of dread to well up within Xiao Xiao.
Clearly unable to see her, the man’s gaze still caused Xiao Xiao to freeze, paralyzed by the overwhelming killing intent he exuded.
The five phoenixes seemed drawn to the demonic aura emanating from this snake-scaled man, excitedly performing their pre-meal dance before surrounding and attacking him, just as they had Xiao Xiao, intent on devouring him.
Unlike Xiao Xiao’s frantic evasions, this snake-scaled man fought with vicious ruthlessness, his moves aimed to tear out the phoenixes’ throats as he used his fangs to bite at their necks, splattering phoenix blood.
He even ripped out handfuls of their magnificent plumage, causing two of the phoenixes to screech in pain like fighting roosters.
Xiao Xiao watched silently from the sidelines, feeling an epiphany – so this was how one should deal with these ferocious birds, resorting to the brutal methods of slaughtering chickens and butchering livestock. Compared to him, her previous approach had been far too gentle!
However, a lone hero could not prevail against five birds. When the five phoenixes simultaneously breathed flames at the man, he had nowhere to evade and was scorched into charred cinders, just like Xiao Xiao had been.
Yet in his final burst of strength, he cleaved all five phoenixes to the ground with his sword, twisting and snapping their necks.
The five phoenixes also began spontaneously combusting, falling alongside the snake-scaled man into the ravine depths.
Although she knew he was not her disciple Wei Jie, Xiao Xiao still felt an urge to call out to him, but it was as if her throat was constricted, unable to utter a sound.
She could only watch helplessly as he collapsed onto the grass, raging flames still burning his body…
The searing agony – Xiao Xiao had experienced it herself. It was excruciatingly painful!
Yet this man endured it silently, only gritting his teeth in anguish before letting out a demonic roar, “Heavens, how much longer must you torment me!”
That single cry contained the bitter desolation of one who had seen through the suffering of this mortal world!
Xiao Xiao felt her heart tremble violently, tears involuntarily welling up and spilling from her eyes. She wanted to embrace this grievously wounded man, yet it was as if she had been paralyzed, unable to move a muscle.
As his body burned, the man painstakingly dragged himself towards the stream, seemingly hoping to douse the flames and cool himself down.
Alas, he had already depleted his strength, unable to crawl any further halfway to the water’s edge.
But at that moment, perhaps drawn by the scorching heat of the raging flames, the drab gray egg that had previously fallen under the paulownia tree suddenly began rolling towards the man, propelled by a gust of wind.
The man’s body still burned with the vermilion flames of true fire, radiating intense heat.
Yet that egg seemed to nestle against him as if cuddling up to a downy mother bird, shuddering its shell as it burrowed towards the man’s searing hot arm. When the egg collided against the man’s burned skin, he could not help but let out a gruff groan of pain.
As if terrified of being abandoned again, the egg immediately stilled, stubbornly pressing against the crook of his elbow while greedily yet meticulously absorbing the heat from his body.
The man felt the intense burning subside as the egg absorbed his body heat, the agonizing sensation greatly alleviated.
After finally catching his breath, he extended his charred hand to grasp the egg, squinting as he examined it before placing it against his chest.
The drab egg seemed delighted, even more eagerly absorbing the man’s warmth until its shell began turning a faint reddish hue.
The five phoenixes, reborn after being slain by the man, had shrunk significantly in size. No longer daring to approach this man who glared at them with lifeless eyes, they meekly flew back onto the tree branches, cocking their heads to observe the egg cradled in the man’s embrace.
Xiao Xiao lost track of how long she watched, only aware of the shifting light patterns within the Phoenix Ravine. Finally, as the man slowly sat upright, the eggshell in his arms also began cracking open.
When a wet, jet-black hatchling emerged from the eggshell, the charcoal-covered man seemed visibly repulsed, furrowing his brow as he flung it away without hesitation.
Seemingly pained from being thrown, the newly hatched chick let out a squeaky “caw caw” that sounded uncannily like… a crow’s call.
Despite being so callously cast aside by the man, the chick’s imprinting instinct ran deep. Flapping its tiny wings persistently, it rolled back into the man’s embrace, nuzzling its downy head against him in an aggrieved manner. It even used its petite beak to peck at the cracked, charred outer shell on the man before letting out two more plaintive “caw caws”, as if endearingly recognizing the jet-black man as its equally soot-colored parent who had no right to reject its appearance.
Unfortunately, the man’s heart seemed even colder than his scaly exterior, utterly unmoved as he shook off the chick before rising to leave.
