Chapter 321 - Second Visit to the Burg of the Feral Phoenix

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, First Elder Guyang summoned the Immortals’ League’s fastest Flying-cloud Stone from the clouds and handed Xiaoyue some of Situ Bei’s Carnage Destruction Pills and Heaven List Protective Pills.

The group headed to the Abyss of Devil’s Aura this time was made up of mostly elite youngsters from the five continents. The older ones must stay behind to prevent the possible ambush of the Devils’ sects and deal with what would come next.

In the public square, Murong Xian’er refused to let go of Xiao Chen’s sleeve. Luo Shangyan walked over to them and whispered into his ear, “Junior Brother Xiao, you must watch out for Xiaoyue and Ling Fei of the Ling family.”

Xiao Chen nodded. He then caressed Murong Xian’er’s forehead and said softly, “Relax. I won’t be gone for long this time. Stay with Perfected Immortal Qing Chen and Senior Zi Mo and don’t go anywhere.” That said, he leaned on his tiptoe and flew toward the Flying-cloud Stone.

Under the stone, Zhiluan waved him farewell with a rather amused look. “Bon voyage, kid…” But before he could finish his sentence, Ziyun’er grabbed him.

“You cowardly cat, why are you staying behind? Come with me!”

“Let go of me, d*mned lass! I’m not going back to that wretched place!”

Zhiluan jumped, hopped, grabbed, and scratched but however he struggled, he had no way of getting out of Ziyun’er’s clutches. Meanwhile, the rest was biding their friends farewell. Their journey to the Abyss of Devil’s Aura would be a perilous one and their outcome was unknown.

Many disciples from famous families and sects wished to go, wanting to establish their names through this journey, but the Immortals’ League denied all of them. The league even repeatedly warned the group of eighteen to keep quiet about the Abyss of Devil’s Aura. No matter what they saw, they would first report it to the league lest they cause a commotion among the public.

Finally, under everyone’s watchful eyes, the Flying-cloud Stone slowly soared into the sky and flew southward with eighteen people on its back.

Many people on the ground waved their hands, bidding farewell to the group. Chu Hanyan stood among them, of course. She was against Yang Shaochen risking his life but she had no way of persuading her ambitious husband.

Meanwhile, someone else stood quietly in a small expanse of woods behind the public square while staring at the gradually disappearing Flying-cloud Stone. Her red clothes billowed in the wind. It was none other than Huangfu Xin’er.

“Junior Sister Xin’er…”

Huangfu Xin’er’s expression remained unchanged even at the sudden ringing of a tender voice. She slowly looked away from the stone to stare at the man in front of her.

The man was tall and elegant. From behind, he looked like the very picture of a hero. However, his face was frosty and the hair on his temples was greying as age claimed his youth in advance. He looked almost wizened. It was the same man who visited the Xiao family two years ago to break the engagement, Huangfu Xin’er’s then-Senior Brother, Qin Xiu. But he was no longer as high-spirited as he had been back then.

Ever since the entire Skygale Sect was exterminated, he tried every way possible to find his missing senior and junior brothers and sisters. Eventually, he established the Ouyang Manor House with Ouyang Yu and the rest. While those from the Ouyang Manor House had left more than a month ago, he decided to come here after hearing about Huangfu Xin’er’s safe return.

“Why are you here…?” Huangfu Xin’er was expressionless and her voice was ice-cold. Qin Xiu couldn’t help shivering.

“I came here after hearing about your safe return. Have you been doing well lately, Junior Sister? Master, Master had passed on…”

His voice began choking toward the end of his sentence and yet Huangfu Xin’er remained emotionless. She slowly approached him, causing his heart to shiver. Right then, he felt a cold murderous aura from her! He felt like he had been submerged into a pool of ice-cold water. The person before him was no longer the same Junior Sister that he knew!

“Were you the one who convinced my Second Uncle to break the engagement with the Xiao family?”

Qin Xiu jolted after hearing this question. He immediately looked up and hastily said, “Listen to me, Junior Sister. That person isn’t worthy of you at all. He’ll only hurt you once and again. Back then, you risked your life to beg for the Nine-flowered Shrub of Jaded Leaves for him, but he…”

“How dare you!” Huangfu Xin’er interrupted him with a stern bellow. Instantly, five orbs of red light flickered and cut five gaping wounds in Qin Xiu’s chest. The wounds were so deep that his bones were visible and copious amount of blood gushed from within.

Little did he imagine that his Junior Sister would ever attack him. Even knowing that she had become emotionless from practicing the Heartless Mystic Skill, he never thought she would be this ruthless and remain that emotionless even after knowing that their master had passed on…

Swish! Out of the blue, an Immortal’s Sword with an entirely white-colored body penetrated the ground next to his foot without leaving even a trace of shadow. It was the Stifled Light Immortal’s Sword that he gifted her all those years ago.

“Leave. I don’t want to see you ever again!”

…

Xiao Chen and the group had flown more than several hundred miles away by now. The second month of the year saw the melting of the ice and snow and the blossoming of warmth and flowers. It was verdant in many places. Everyone was at peace watching the mountains and creeks beneath and feeling the spring wind. How beautiful these mountains and rivers were! How could they allow the Devil Clan to turn this place into purgatory?

Yu Yifeng chuckled. “That reminds me. Junior Brother Xiao Chen, Senior Brother Xu Gu, Fairy Xiaoyue, this is our second time heading somewhere together, is it not?”

The four of them were also in the group heading to the Wuwang Wind Cloud City last time. Xiaoyue sat delicately on the corner of the Flying-cloud Stone with her clothes and hair fluttering in the air, looking like a fairy in the human world. She smiled but didn’t reply.

Xu Gu put his palms together and said, “Of the countless paths in this world, everything boils down to fate. Considering our destiny, why don’t you reconsider, Benefactor Xiao? Study the Dharma with me at my temple and distance yourself from the hardships of the secular world…”

Xiao Chen faked a laugh. “Ah, what a lovely day…”

“You must be joking, Benefactor Xiao. The way I see it, it’s going to rain soon…”

The horizon shifted uncertainly from an expanse of dark clouds to an expanse of clear sky. Zhiluan, still sulking over being forced on this trip, lay lazily on the straw mat and said nonchalantly, “It’s not a bad idea for you to shave your head and become a monk, kid, lest you break the hearts of girls everywhere.”

He suddenly leaped up and put his claws together the way a human would. “Amitabha. Well done, well done. The way this great Immortal sees it, this is considered an act of virtue, an act of…”

Xu Gu nodded, smiling. “Benefactor Zhi is right. It looks like you’re fated with Buddhism as well. Why don’t you come with me…?”

“Meow!” Zhiluan immediately hid behind Ziyun’er. “I’m not becoming a monk!”

Xiao Chen shook his head with a wry smile. Suddenly, he remembered the strange expressions of those from the Wuyin Monastery whenever the name Xiao Ning was mentioned. He said, “By the way, Senior Brother Xu Gu, I have a question for you.”

Xu Gu put his palms together. “Feel free to ask, Benefactor Xiao.”

“Senior Brother Xu Gu, have you heard of Xiao Ning?”

The moment he mentioned the name, the Frigid Jade Pendant resting on his chest shuddered. Xu Gu’s expression also turned strange. He put his palms together and began reciting scripture under his breath over and over.

This confused Xiao Chen immensely but he didn’t find it appropriate for him to continue questioning. When he looked at the others, he noticed that while they looked tranquil, they must have a lot on their minds as well.

Qi Feng, the eldest disciple of Senior Xingxiu of the White Mist Academy in West Continent, looked about twenty years old but his true age was unknown. Xiao Chen’s late return meant that he wasn’t able to witness Qi Feng fighting his way into the top twenty of the competition but he had heard from Xian’er that Qi Feng was capable of some truly splendid magic spells. His spells could summon the wind and lightning. It was as if there wasn’t anything he wasn’t capable of.

Qin Shaoyang and Liu Feiyan of Xianyong Sect, as well as Han Moyang of the Order of the Countless Blades, were familiar faces to Xiao Chen. Seated on the straw mat, the three of them were engrossed in a quiet conversation.

There was another one in the group that caught Xiao Chen’s attention: Zhong Buhui of the Yin-Yang Sect in the North Continent. Zhong Buhui was a sullen-looking man at the age of 23 or 24 who didn’t like conversing with others. Since the beginning of the trip, he leaned against a boulder all by himself. He placed a leaf by his lip to produce a melancholic song. Though the song was desolate, it didn’t carry a hint of regret. Whoever listened to it would feel an indescribable feeling of sorrow.

Of course, there were another two that Xiao Chen had been noticing all along: Ling Fei of the Ling family and Wan Yanyan of the Order of the Divine Fire. The two of them sat close together. It went without saying that Ling Fei looked vicious, while Wan Yanyan was holding a grudge against Xiao Chen for ruining his plans.

The last of them was the disciple of the Third Elder of the Immortals’ League, Bai Yushu. With a face as elegant as a piece of jade and a jade ornament decorating his hair, Bai Yushu looked like he was in his early twenties even though his real age was unknown. Even though he was the disciple of the strict, red-robed Elder, he was mild-mannered and handsome. Quite a few junior sisters harbored a crush on him. It was even rumored that many female disciples from other sects deliberately participated in the Immortal’s Sword Assembly to see him.

Even on this perilous trip to the Abyss of Devil’s Aura, he didn’t forget to bring books with him. He read his books quietly in a corner, unperturbed by the world around him.

Time gradually slipped out of their hands. Since they were riding the fastest Flying-cloud Stone in the Immortals’ League, it took them about three days to reach the Burg of the Feral Phoenix. The citizens immediately dashed out of their houses with their children upon their arrival to the City Master’s Manor, forgetting to even lock their doors.

Folks that were working hard in the shops abandoned their tasks and ran over. Within minutes, the City Master’s Manor was surrounded by so many people that not even a fly could enter. The crowd immediately looked disappointed when they saw eighteen youngsters stepping off the Flying-cloud Stone and sounds of lament resounded all around.

“What’s going on? Why did they just send some kids?”

“What can these kids do when even the Three Friends of Winter were left helpless? Is the Daoist League of the Five Continents really abandoning us to our fate…?”

The citizens had no idea just how powerful these youngsters were. Xiao Chen, Su Zimu, and the rest naturally wouldn’t take their opinions to heart, but Ling Fei and Wan Yanyan were both frowning in annoyance.