The phoenix soared through the air, straight towards the Ink sea. A girl wielding a huge blade stood tall on the back of the phoenix, gazing at the surging clouds and wind in the distance. Pointing out with her blade, she said with a childish yet gruff voice, “Hey, hurry up. They’ve already begun!”
“Alright, alright. If it weren’t for the fact that I’m afraid you might fall off, why would I fly so slowly in the first place? My name is not ‘hey’. I’m still your elder brother after all.” Li Fengyuan accelerated, also in a hurry to spectate the battle up ahead. He pouted. “Jeez. First father is doing something like this, and he doesn’t even contact me!”
“Shut up…”
As soon as Tigress opened her mouth, she caught a mouthful of wind and staggered. She lost her footing, so she lay down in a hurry.
Li Fengyuan snickered. Little girl, let’s see who’s shutting up now.
Suddenly, a streak of white light descended from above, blocking their path. Bai Jie said solemnly, “Divine bird phoenix, my king invites you to Clouded city.”
“Move aside. A good dog doesn’t get in the way of others!”
Li Fengyuan flapped his wings impatiently in an attempt to make his way around her.
“I’ve already said. My king invites you to Clouded city.”
With a flash of white, Bai Jie blocked his path again, except her tone was much firmer this time.
“You’re supposed to be a mighty divine bird, a phoenix, yet you speak in such a crude fashion. Truly like father, like son.”
“Do you want a fight?” Li Fengyuan shot a glare at her.
“That is not what I wish for, but I cannot disobey the king’s orders. If you continue to resist, I can only use force.”
Bai Jie’s unfurled wings emitted waves of white light, demonstrating her extraordinary strength at the third heavenly layer.
“I’d like to see just what an idiot like you is capable of!”
Li Fengyuan was completely unfazed. He sprayed out with flames that immediately swallowed Bai Jie.
There was a flash of a few white specks, and several arrows pierced the rolling flames.
Li Fengyuan dodged frantically, but the light arrows still brushed past and injured him. Feathers rained down.
Bai Jie held a bow in full draw and was completely wrapped in white light. She said in disdain, “Even if you’re a divine bird, you’re merely a Daemon Commander.” However, she sighed with amazement inside. He really is a phoenix. Her arrows had been probing shots, but she had not held back either, yet she actually failed to land any of them on him properly.
“This featherfolk is not an easy opponent, well beyond what any regular Daemon King can match up to, so we better flee first! Hang on tight. Ouch!”
Before Li Fengyuan could even finish what he was saying, claws sprang out from Tigress’s fingers. She gripped his back firmly. Li Fengyuan could not afford to care so much anymore at a time like this.
With a great cry, he spread his wings and soared away, turning into a resplendent streak of colourful light instantly and shooting in the direction of the Ink sea. It was one of his innate abilities, the Phoenix Soars Far.
Bai Jie stowed her bow away and turned into a white streak of light in close pursuit. To her surprise, she actually could not overtake Li Fengyuan with ease. If they actually managed to reach the Ink sea, then it would lead to a whole host of issues, so with a wave of her right hand, a ribbon of pure-white light shot out.
The colorful streak of light twisted, and Li Fengyuan avoided the ribbon, except he felt his back lighten up. He looked back.
“What, you don’t want her?”
Bai Jie held Tigress by the back of her neck. Tigress let out a growl, swung her claws, and gnashed her teeth, but she was helpless against a cultivator as powerful as her.
“Let go of her!” Li Fengyuan was furious.
“She’s useless to me. If you come with me, then I’ll let her go.” Bai Jie smiled widely.
“Don’t listen to this bitch!” Tigress growled.
“How vulgar!” Bai Jie frowned and immediately closed her hand around her neck with a bit more force.
Tigress gritted her teeth firmly, but she remained silent.
“Alright, I’ll come with you.”
With a swing of her hand, ribbons of light shot out from Bai Jie’s sleeve and wrapped around Li Fengyuan firmly.
“Let go of her. If you break your word, I’ll- I’ll…”
“Heh, you’ll what?” Bai Jie asked.
“I’ll make you perish with me!”
“Hmph, do you really think I’m the kind to lie to you?” Bai Jie said with disdain and casually tossed Tigress aside. She turned into a streak of white light and flew away.
Tigress adjusted her posture mid-air and began using all four limbs, riding the winds and running after them, but she could only watch helplessly as the white light vanished in the east.
She let out a growl before turning around again and gazing at the Ink sea.
……
“But aren’t you afraid I’ll find your master’s main body and kill him again?” Li Qingshan asked Chu Danqing with a smile.
“You- I-” Chu Dangqing was taken aback. His expression changed, except it was very difficult to tell on his pitch-black face. “Then it’s best if you don’t go with me…”
“How can I break a promise I’ve issued?” Li Qingshan laughed aloud. “Don’t worry. This is our final battle.”
Chu Danqing exhaled. Perhaps this was the best outcome possible!
“Congratulations on your complete victory, fellow.” Gu Yanying clasped her hands in congratulations as Si Bao beside her studied Li Qingshan closely. She acted as if he was some kind of rare beast.
“That goes without saying,” said Li Qingshan.
“Danqing, you better be prepared!” Gu Yanying said sternly.
“Alright. I’ll go and cultivate right now.” Chu Danqing left without any hesitation.
Li Qingshan shook his head and laid out his hands, asking, “Commander Gu, how is my current strength?”
“The nine provinces are only but a corner.”
In the past, she had once said to him, ‘The Green province spans fifteen thousand kilometers. The jianghu is only but a corner.” Back then, he was still a kid in the jianghu, still wet behind the years, yet right now, the nine provinces to him were basically just like that jianghu. It could not make him stay for too long.
“Surely you can tell me about the request that I owe to you now? Otherwise, once I ascend, it’ll all go to waste!”
“It’s still not time yet. We have to go with the flow for this matter.”
“Oh, don’t tell me that even strength like this is still insufficient?” Li Qingshan was rather surprised. “In my experience, everything that forces you to go with the flow is mostly due to the fact that you’re not strong enough.”
“You could say that,” Gu Yanying said.
“Oh, you. Just what do you want?” Li Qingshan gazed at her deeply.
“You’ll find out when time comes. Though, if you want to ascend, then ascend. You don’t have to worry too much.”
Gu Yanying unfurled her folding fan and swung it gently. She was just as graceful as before. She did not seem to be overly dependent on him at all.
Li Qingshan admired this. She was still the same Gu Yanying that he knew.
“Hmm?”
He turned around, only to see a tiny figure bounding towards the shore. He arrived before Tigress with a flash. “Why are you here?”
“Big brother has been captured,” Tigress gasped for air.
“By who?” Li Qingshan frowned.
“A white-feathered bitch!” Tigress ground her teeth.
“Sure enough, she hasn’t come with good intentions… Are you fine?” Li Qingshan rubbed her head.
“I’m fine. If it weren’t because of me…” Tigress lowered her head as tears pooled up in her eyes. She seemed extremely sad.
“Alright, you don’t have to cry. I’ll go and save that kid.” Li Qingshan picked up Tigress, showing some tenderness for once.
“Who is she referring to by ‘white-feathered bitch’?” Gu Yanying asked suddenly.
“A featherfolk called Bai Jie. She calls herself the Chamberlain for the Imperial Insignia or something.”
“Then the one that was captured was…”
“Li Fengyuan, my son. You don’t know?”
“I’m just confirming.” For once, Gu Yanying smiled wryly. She let out a long sigh. “Looks like there are some matters that I have to lay bare.”
