Their little bird emotions are the most abundant.
Cat Master was conversing with Xie Xuan Yu when a sudden “thud” sounded from the inner chamber.
Cat Master’s ears perked up, instinctively arching his back as he rushed into the inner room to find the source of the noise.
The daylight was clear, the early morning sun slanting into the room, illuminating the furniture brightly.
The room was extremely quiet, with no signs of disturbance, only a few open windows rattling in the wind, gently tapping against the windowsill.
A chill ran over his head, and Cat Master looked up.
The little Parrot was flying mid-air, flapping its wings vigorously.
Its crest swayed, its body wobbled, and after locking eyes with Cat Master, it slowly descended from the ceiling, finally landing with a single claw on Cat Master’s body.
Cat Master breathed a sigh of relief, grabbing the little Parrot and cradling it in his arms.
“I heard a thud earlier and thought a wild beast had broken in. Turns out it was you. You’re not allowed in here.”
The little Parrot shrugged its wings, glancing at the man behind it.
Xie Xuan Yu didn’t spare a second look, heading straight to the wall to retrieve his sword.
Leaving the inner room, Cat Master carried Wolong’s cage and placed it on the table, instructing, “Watch the house well. I’m taking the boss to school.”
Xi Ling stood on the windowsill, watching the two depart. Cat Master’s voice grew fainter in the distance: “Boss, you’re walking too fast! Wait for me!”
Xi Ling thought, no wonder in the past, she always saw a Black Cat following Xie Xuan Yu to school in the morning, and by evening, the Black Cat would reappear, shadowing him like a ghost.
And just now, the situation had been perilous indeed.
After Xie Xuan Yu entered, though he only cast a brief glance, that look sent a tingling sensation up Xi Ling’s tailbone.
Fortunately, she had transformed back into a Parrot in time, avoiding exposure on the spot.
His earlier behavior and words to the Parrot likely meant he hadn’t noticed anything unusual. So, after she took the Spiritual Elixir and her cultivation advanced, it was even less likely he would detect anything.
However, her meridians were severely damaged during the Thunder Tribulation. Until fully healed, she would find it difficult to cultivate.
Like a leaky bowl, no matter how much Spiritual Power she restored, it would only linger briefly, ultimately unable to be contained, all leaking away.
She estimated the Spiritual Power in her abdomen could only sustain her human form for half a day.
But that was enough.
“Hey!”
Xi Ling followed the voice to the cage. From beneath the black cloth, Wolong’s voice rang out: “You little seductive bird, troublemaker, always up to no good! You’ve bewitched Cat Master, and now even the boss is fooled by you. Once I get out, I’ll expose your schemes and tricks!”
Xi Ling acted as if she hadn’t heard, shaking her wings. The wound under her wing still throbbed with pain.
“Hey, where are you going!”
Wolong seemed to hear the sound of her flapping wings: “Come back! Are you trying to escape again?”
“Don’t go! If you leave, the boss will definitely think I bullied you and drove you away!” Wolong’s voice was frantic, hopping anxiously in the cage.
“Little Phoenix! Come back—”
Xi Ling had already left the room, soaring toward the courtyard gate.
Just as she was about to exit the courtyard, a blue barrier suddenly appeared. Blue Talisman and Spell characters danced and flickered, bursting with Spiritual Power, blocking her within the barrier.
The Talisman and Spell inside and outside this barrier were special, making it difficult for outsiders to break in, but for those inside, breaking out wasn’t particularly challenging.
Xi Ling chanted a spell, and a green light shot from the tip of her wing, immediately tearing a gap in the barrier.
Under the astonished gaze of the little dog in the courtyard, the little Parrot soared away into the distance.
A gentle breeze stirred, causing her feathers to puff up like a fluffy cloud as she flapped her wings, gliding past rows of towering palace halls.
Below her, in the Academy’s plaza, many disciples were already practicing their sword techniques.
The Mingze Immortal Palace, situated in the Yi Wang Plains, was the largest Academy across the Four Continents. Nestled among clouds and mist, it was surrounded by majestic mountains.
In the eyes of the Spirit Clan across the Four Continents, this Immortal Palace resembled a city in the sky. Its halls soared thousands of feet high, with eaves that seemed to take flight, massive pillars reaching into the heavens, and a dazzling splendor of gold and jade that was endlessly magnificent…
Gaining entry into this Academy was as difficult as ascending to the heavens.
Only the most exceptional individuals were admitted—either young Spirit Cultivators with remarkable talent or Noble Scions sent from the various clans of the Four Continents.
Xi Ling passed through one palace after another, the wind swirling between her wings and rustling the strings of iron wind chimes hanging beneath the eaves.
Ahead, the outline of the dormitory halls where the disciples resided came into view.
The Academy granted a special privilege to the Chief Disciples under each elder: they could claim a small courtyard within the Academy grounds for themselves.
However, Xi Ling, fearing it would inconvenience her interactions with friends, had chosen not to move out and live alone. Still, she enjoyed the privilege of having her own dormitory hall.
In the early morning, female cultivators preparing to attend classes in the Academy Halls were gathered outside the dormitory, chatting.
Amidst the chirping of birds, no one noticed a small black bird swiftly darting among the treetops.
“Have you all heard? Yesterday, Li Qin successfully underwent her tribulation. Radiant light illuminated thousands of miles, and twelve immortal cranes came to clear the way, with countless birds gathering to celebrate. The scene was truly spectacular. Unfortunately, it was so crowded that I couldn’t even squeeze in.”
“Li Qin is only thirty-two thousand years old—the fastest among the younger generation to achieve Ascension. She has already become an immortal, and given time, she might even ascend further to become a deity. Meanwhile, we’re still low-level Spirit Cultivators. I wonder what Xi Ling must be thinking? She’s always been so proud—can she handle such a blow?”
“Exactly! I thought she would be the first to ascend! After all, Xi Ling always used to outshine Li Qin. Who would have thought Li Qin was hiding such depths? Both of them studied under the esteemed Cang Qiong. The title of Chief Disciple might have to be handed over now.”
“Speaking of which, where is Xi Ling? Shouldn’t she have come out to congratulate Li Qin on her Ascension?”
“Li Qin said she’s still in seclusion, cultivating, and asked everyone not to disturb her. This morning, Li Qin and her brother have already returned. I heard the Yu Min Kingdom is holding a grand celebration to congratulate Li Qin on her Ascension. I wonder who from the Academy will receive invitations…”
The little parrot perched on a branch listened intently to the chatter, her feathers bristling with anger, wings puffed up.
She transformed into human form and descended from the air.
“Xi Ling, you’re back!”
Everyone turned to look, and upon seeing Xi Ling, they flocked around her, chattering like little birds.
“Xi Ling, why is your robe torn? Where have you been? We were just talking about you.”
“You and Li Qin are close—why didn’t you tell us that Li Qin had also entered the Transformation Realm?”
“With a bit more cultivation, given your extraordinary talent, you’ll surely ascend sooner or later.”
Furious, Xi Ling wanted to expose the crimes of Li Qin and Li Zhao. But as soon as she opened her mouth, she felt an invisible force crawl up her neck, tightly gripping her throat and preventing her from uttering a single syllable.
Something was wrong.
She tried to speak again, but the force around her throat tightened further, making it difficult to breathe, as if she were drowning.
When it came to the matter of her stolen fortune, she simply couldn’t speak—as if a curse had been cast upon her, sealing her lips.
Yet, when she tried to say anything else, she felt no discomfort.
A silencing spell?
The thought struck Xi Ling like a scalding iron. “You all go ahead to class,” she said. “I have something to attend to.”
“Hey, where are you going?” the girls called after her.
The figure in green vanished in an instant teleportation, the hem of her skirt fluttering like rippling petals. In the blink of an eye, she was gone.
The opulent bedchamber was paved with golden bricks. From the outside, it appeared elegant and serene, but inside, it was a chaotic mess, like a bird’s nest.
This was Xi Ling’s personal quarters—
Tea sets, chessboards, screens, and ancient zithers were haphazardly piled together. Jewelry boxes of gold and jade lay carelessly open on the floor, while Treasure Swords and magical artifacts were scattered here and there. The furnishings were cluttered and utterly disorganized.
On the floor of the chamber, books were arranged in concentric circles. In the center, Xi Ling knelt barefoot, her green dress pooling around her, rapidly flipping through ancient texts.
No lamps were lit inside. Only a single beam of light filtered down from the gilded copper dome overhead, illuminating her exquisitely beautiful face. Though her features were strikingly vibrant, her expression was as cold as frost.
Xi Ling lifted a book to her eyes, her clear gaze trembling as she read the words on the page.
“The Silencing Curse. Extract the target’s heart’s blood, infuse it with a spiritual incantation, and weave twelve crimson threads of death. This seals the victim’s mouth, rendering them unable to speak of their grievances or experiences, nor commit them to writing…”
That day in the forest, when Li Qin ambushed her, she raised her hand to cast the spell, and crimson threads flew from her sleeve, encircling Xi Ling completely…
Each word on the page seemed to transform into a sharp blade, piercing fiercely into Xi Ling’s eyes.
It truly matched Li Qin’s meticulous nature—she had even prepared a backup plan like this.
Was she afraid that if she failed temporarily and Xi Ling escaped, she would need to seal her mouth, preventing her from sharing her ordeal with anyone, forcing her to swallow all her hatred alone?
Xi Ling still remembered Li Qin telling her that she was refining a certain elixir, lacking only the heart’s blood of a phoenix clan member. If successful, her Cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds.
Li Qin’s Spiritual Power had reached a bottleneck, stagnant for years. When she spoke these words, hope gleamed in her eyes, and she clasped her hands together.
“We’ve known each other for thirty thousand years, and I’ve never asked you for anything. I only ask for this one bowl of heart’s blood.”
Under her pleading gaze, Xi Ling turned the blade toward her own heart.
Xi Ling stared at the words on the page, her fingers gripping the edge of the book until they turned white. She lifted her head, the light from above cascading down, enveloping her entirely.
“The Silencing Curse seals the victim’s mouth, rendering them unable to speak of their grievances or experiences, nor commit them to writing.”
“This curse has no counter. The only solution is to find the caster, carve out their bones and tendons, and kill them.”
The words from the book echoed in her ears, over and over again.
Carve out their bones and tendons, and kill them.
Kill.
She gritted her teeth, a faint crimson anger flickering in her eyes.
“Little Azure Luan! Little Azure Luan!”
A voice pulled Xi Ling back from her thoughts, coming from the pile of clutter.
Xi Ling crawled over, rummaging through the mess until she finally found the jade slip beneath a wooden zither and picked it up.
After two days, her jade slip already held many unread messages. Aside from those from friends, over a dozen were from Father King and Mother Queen.
Xi Ling opened the jade slip, and the first message to appear was from Father King two days prior.
“Little Azure Luan, Little Azure Luan, are you there?”
“Little Azure Luan, what did you eat today? Even when secluding yourself for Cultivation, don’t overwork. Make sure to rest more.”
“Little Azure Luan, why aren’t you replying to your Father King and Mother Queen? Are you busy, or do you find your father’s chattering annoying? We birds are all talkative, don’t dislike your father.”
“Little Azure Luan, Qingluan, my little bird baby, my Shan Shan, why haven’t you replied to your father’s messages for a whole day?”
“Shan Shan, it’s Mother Queen. Your father sent messages to your cousin and Chao Jing, but they couldn’t find you at the Academy either. Where are you?”
“Shan Shan, reply when you see this.”
One message after another jumped out urgently. Since leaving the forest, Xi Ling had been holding back tears she couldn’t shed, and now they fell drop by drop onto the jade slip.
Her nose stung as she suppressed her trembling voice and called out, “Father King, Mother Queen.”
As soon as she spoke, the other side seemed to have been waiting for a long time, their voices eagerly ringing out: “Shan Shan, Shan Shan, Shan Shan!”
Shan Shan was her childhood name, given by her Father King and Mother Queen in hopes that she would be kind to others.
“Your daughter is fine, I just… I just forgot to reply to your messages yesterday. Cousin and Chao Jing don’t know where my secluded cultivation cave is, so they couldn’t find me.”
“It’s good that you’re fine. If anything happens, you must tell us.”
Xi Ling raised her hand to cover her eyes, tears streaming through her fingers. She wanted to pour out all her grievances, but couldn’t utter a single word.
Father King was nearing his final transformation, his lifespan approaching its end. Though he was an immortal with a long life, even immortals have their limits—they still experience the five signs of decay and ultimately perish.
Only by becoming a god can one achieve endless lifespan.
But how difficult is it to become a god? Aside from the few ancient gods born in primordial times, no one has ascended from immortal to god in nearly a hundred thousand years.
For three hundred years now, Father King’s spiritual power had been gradually fading.
The Phoenix Bird King guards Chaoyun Royal City, overseeing the surrounding Winged Clans and patrolling the sky territories for the Divine Lord. Yet the inheritance of the royal throne throughout generations has never been determined by bloodline, but by strength alone.
Before each old king perishes, they select the next new king—regardless of status or noble lineage, the only requirement is sufficient spiritual power.
Only then can the new king use their full cultivation to form a barrier enveloping the royal city, protecting the people under their wings from evil disturbances.
And now, with Father King’s decline, the barrier protecting the Phoenix Bird Clan’s Chaoyun Royal City grows weaker day by day.
If not for this, how could the Featherfolk Nation dare to wait for an opportunity to act?
All her diligent cultivation over the years—aside from seeking her own ascension—had another purpose: to share her parents’ burdens as soon as possible.
She lifted the back of her hand to wipe away her tears. “I’m fine. Is Father King’s health better?”
“Much better than before. Shan Shan, your tone sounds off—don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Chaoyun Royal City is quite a distance from Mingze Immortal Palace. In a few days, your mother and I will come see you.”
Xi Ling replied with a laugh, not letting him detect anything unusual.
Finally reassured, the other side said, “Your cousin and Chao Jing are looking for you. Don’t forget to let them know.”
Xi Ling nodded. “I know. By the way, Father King, please avoid contact with the Featherfolk Nation recently. They…”
Her words cut off abruptly as that drowning, suffocating feeling washed over her again, preventing her from speaking further.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just listen to your daughter for now—don’t interact with them.”
The other side finally agreed, then reminded Xi Ling several more times before finally calming down.
Xi Ling closed the jade slip in her palm. Birds’ emotions are always the most abundant—their love and hatred equally intense. She took a moment to compose herself before finally settling her emotions.
Now is not the time to wallow in misery; she must pull herself together as quickly as possible.
She glanced around the bedchamber and noticed signs that the Restriction had been tampered with.
According to the Academy, Li Qin had returned last night and attempted to enter her bedchamber but was thwarted by the Restriction she had set…
Xi Ling sneered. How could Li Qin, now an immortal, fail to break through the Restriction she had laid?
What could Li Qin possibly want from this bedchamber?
The only plausible explanation was that she had come for her Magical Treasures, intending to claim them for herself.
Over the years, Xi Ling had accumulated quite a collection of treasures by completing Academy missions. Fortunately, she had taken precautions and hidden them away. These treasures were enough to ensure her survival even in the most desperate of times, and among them were several powerful, lethal weapons.
The only problem was that they were all buried in a pile of miscellaneous items, and retrieving them would require some effort.
Xi Ling took a deep breath, eyed the towering heap of clutter nearly reaching the ceiling, and agilely dove into it.
Like an ocean of odds and ends, the pile swallowed her whole. Sorting through it was tedious, so she decided to simplify matters by reciting an incantation and transforming into a small Parrot, making it easier to navigate the mess.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
“Xi Ling, it’s me.”
A clear, gentle voice rang out. The little Parrot lifted its head from the clutter.
The visitor was a man.