Shen Zhuo nodded and said, “Exactly. Since the rumors claim that a fire from Phoenix Flame Mountain burned down the Song residence, and the fact that they released news of the stolen jade pendant is far too coincidental, I doubt anyone would believe the Song family matter has nothing to do with them.”
“Does Young Hero Shen mean to go to Phoenix Flame Mountain to scout for information?” Song Yan pondered for a moment before saying, “But I have heard that Phoenix Flame Mountain has always remained in seclusion. Their Family Head is also said to be difficult to speak with. I fear they will not be easy to deal with.”
Xie Yuan snapped his fan shut with a sharp clack and responded readily, “That is easy to handle. I shall send a formal visiting post to Phoenix Flame Mountain in the name of Wuyou Valley. Among the immortal sects, there is no one who would dare not give Wuyou Valley at least some face.”
With the plan decided, Shen Zhuo did not wish to cause further complications. Without even packing his luggage, he set out for Phoenix Flame Mountain.
Xie Yuan rented a carriage in the town at the foot of the mountain and used spiritual energy to accelerate their pace, traveling day and night. A journey that should have taken over a month was forced into completion within a mere five days.
As they drew closer to their destination, the changes in the surrounding environment became increasingly obvious. The climate grew gradually hot and dry, and the air drawn into their lungs carried a scorching parchedness.
The carriage finally came to a slow halt before a massive, vermilion mountain gate. Shen Zhuo was the first to leap down from the vehicle. On either side of the mountain gate stood two stone statues of fire phoenixes poised as if to take flight. Their heads were held high with an imposing aura. With just one look, Shen Zhuo was certain that they had arrived at Phoenix Flame Mountain.
As the three of them approached the gate, the gate-guarding disciples standing beneath the stone statues took a step forward and blocked their path.
“Halt. Phoenix Flame Mountain does not accept outside guests. Please return.”
Xie Yuan stepped forward, snapping open his white jade fan with a flourish. He offered a polite greeting with a smile. “Greetings, fellow Daoists. I am Xie Yuan of Wuyou Valley. I sent a visiting post to your esteemed sect several days ago.”
One disciple sized him up suspiciously. “Wuyou Valley? The Family Head has not mentioned any visitors arriving recently.”
“But I received a reply from Family Head Feng two days ago,” Xie Yuan paused, then continued, “Even if the post has not yet arrived, could I trouble you to report our arrival?”
“If the Family Head wished to see you, he would have given orders long ago. Since there are no notifications, it means we shall not receive you.”
“If you persist in pestering us, do not blame us for seizing you as trespassers!”
Xie Yuan slowly folded his fan, the cynical smile on his face vanishing completely. He stared at the two guarding disciples and said slowly, “Although Wuyou Valley is a place of seclusion for immortals and has not appeared in the world for years, no one among the immortal sects has yet dared to be this dismissive. I did not expect your esteemed sect to be so arrogant as to look down even on Wuyou Valley.”
People of the immortal sects could not possibly have failed to hear the name of Wuyou Valley. Although it was said that no one had ascended for nearly a thousand years on the surface, legends persisted that true masters of the Dao had long since transcended the mundane world. Seeking neither fame nor fortune, they had chosen a secluded valley to live in hermit-like isolation. That valley was known to others as Wuyou Valley.
No one knew exactly how many immortals had entered that valley over the past thousand years. Though it had never established a formal sect, the rumors alone were enough to make the name of Wuyou Valley illustrious.
As Xie Yuan used the reputation of Wuyou Valley to apply pressure, the faces of the two disciples changed slightly. However, they still forced a shout, “The, the sect rules are as such! Please leave immediately!”
Seeing that the opposition was unmoved by both soft and hard approaches, the hearts of Shen Zhuo and Xie Yuan sank. Phoenix Flame Mountain was proving to be more troublesome than they had anticipated. If they could not even enter the mountain gate, how could they investigate any leads?
Xie Yuan whispered, “What should we do? Should we force our way in?”
Shen Zhuo shook his head. “Forcing our way in would be even harder to settle.”
“We cannot have come all this way for nothing. Are we really going to turn back just because we were stopped at the door?”
Shen Zhuo’s brow furrowed as he considered a counter-strategy. Suddenly, a clear and arrogant voice rang out from behind them.
“You old bag of bones, why have you run all the way to the gate of my Phoenix Flame Mountain?”
The tone was familiar and undisguised, instantly shattering the tense atmosphere before the gate. Shen Zhuo and Xie Yuan were both startled and looked toward the source of the voice. Not far away, the scorching air was distorted by the high temperature. A figure in red appeared as if stepping out from the heat waves, walking toward them with slow steps.
The fiery red robes did not drown out his figure. Instead, they were like the feathers of a phoenix, trailing a gold-red luster behind him. His eyebrows flew toward his temples, and the corners of his eyes tilted upward slightly. A pair of golden phoenix eyes were filled with disdain and arrogance, making him look exactly like a little phoenix come to life.
Upon seeing this person, the two guarding disciples lost their previous hardened stance and hurriedly bowed in greeting. “Fam, Family Head.”
Feng Kongzun did not even look at the two disciples. His phoenix eyes looked directly past everyone and locked onto Shen Zhuo. His brow knit together in an impatient scowl.
“Speak! I have not seen you for so many years. I thought you were dead, but it seems you have become a mute instead? Or do you think that because you have changed your skin again, I would not recognize you?”
His tone was familiar to the point of being rude, causing Shen Zhuo to freeze in shock. Shen Zhuo quickly searched through his memories and was absolutely certain he had never met this person in either his past or present life. He responded cautiously.
“I am Shen Zhuo of the Xuan Yun Sect. This is my first visit to Phoenix Flame Mountain. I believe I have never met Family Head Feng before.”
“Hmm?” Upon hearing this, Feng Kongzun narrowed his golden eyes, finally noticing something was amiss. He took a few steps forward, leaning in almost directly in front of Shen Zhuo’s face, sizing him up without the slightest bit of politeness.
“Tsk,” after a moment, he suddenly retreated half a step. The expression on his face turned into one of annoyance and impatience. “I made a mistake. You still have the scent of being tethered by the Heavenly Dao on you. I was wondering how that old bag of bones could possibly return.”
He waved his hand as if to dispel some unpleasantness. Only then did his gaze lazily sweep over the two people beside Shen Zhuo before finally landing back on the guarding disciples. His tone returned to its high-and-mighty indifference.
“What is going on? What are you all shouting about at the gate?”
One guarding disciple hurriedly lowered his head to answer, “Reporting to the Family Head, these three people wish to enter the mountain, and your disciples were stopping them.”
“Entering the mountain?” Feng Kongzun arched an eyebrow, a flash of interest appearing in his golden eyes as he looked at the three again. “Why do you wish to enter the gates of Phoenix Flame Mountain?”
Xie Yuan: “I am Xie Yuan of Wuyou Valley. I sent a visiting post to your esteemed sect several days ago. It was truly not my intention to offend.”
“Wuyou Valley? I think there was indeed such a thing.”
The two gate-guarding disciples were stunned. “Fam, Family Head, we did not receive any notice.”
“It has nothing to do with you,” Feng Kongzun curled his lip and waved a hand impatiently. “I forgot.”
Having said that, he turned and walked directly into the mountain gate. Seeing no movement behind him, he looked back at Shen Zhuo’s group. “What are you standing there for? Follow me! Do you not want to enter Phoenix Flame Mountain?”
This sudden reversal left Shen Zhuo and the others stunned. One moment things were at a breaking point, and the next, they were being allowed into the mountain all because of the Family Head’s light remark about forgetting.
Xie Yuan was the first to snap out of it. He whispered behind Feng Kongzun’s back, “This Family Head of the Feng family acts quite impulsively. He is rather interesting.”
Shen Zhuo’s suspicions had not faded, so he did not answer. Who had the other person mistaken him for just now? And what did that scent of being tethered by the Heavenly Dao mean? He glanced at Song Yan, whose face was still pale from the days of travel, and temporarily suppressed his doubts to follow.
Stepping inside the mountain gate, a wave of scorching air hit them in the face. Feng Kongzun walked ahead, his red robes fluttering wildly in the hot wind like flowing fire burning across the ground. Phoenix Flame Mountain was not as tranquil as the Xuan Yun Sect. As far as the eye could see, the buildings were built into the mountain slopes. Gold-traced patterns were painted upon the eaves, resembling the trailing tail feathers of a phoenix in flight.
Feng Kongzun led them through several twists and turns before finally heading toward a luxurious courtyard located in the very center of the mountains. Upon entering the courtyard, the parched heat of the outside world seemed to be cut off by an invisible barrier, and it instantly felt cool and pleasant.
Several attendants dressed in uniform dark red clothing quickly came forward to surround Feng Kongzun, calling out respectfully, “Family Head.”
“Hmm.” Feng Kongzun spread his arms slightly, allowing the attendants to remove his half-hanging outer robe. The remaining servants followed closely behind, lightly pressing damp cloths soaked in cold water against his exposed skin to cool him down. The moment the wet cloths touched his skin, white steam instantly rose.
He did not stop walking, heading straight for the main hall while giving instructions, “These few are guests from Wuyou Valley. Treat them well.”
Entering the hall surrounded by attendants, Feng Kongzun casually waved his hand to dismiss the servants. He plopped down into the large chair at the head of the room and yawned without any concern for his image.
“Sit wherever you like,” he greeted them lazily, his voice still carrying the sleepiness following his yawn. “People of Wuyou Valley usually do not enter the secular world, and it is even rarer for their disciples to walk among men. I am curious, why would you leave Wuyou Valley?”
Xie Yuan lightly shook his white jade fan, bringing forth a sliver of a breeze that slightly dispelled the unique heat of Phoenix Flame Mountain. “I left the valley to find someone.”
Feng Kongzun asked curiously, “Who?”
“My master, Lord Taoheng.”
“Who did you say?” Feng Kongzun suddenly sat up straight. “You are the disciple of Lord Taoheng?”
Seeing his reaction was so significant, Xie Yuan could not help but ask, “Does Family Head Feng know my master?”
“Humph, who would know that old bag of bones?” Feng Kongzun snorted coldly and tilted his chin up slightly. “We merely drank together a few times, that is all.”
Xie Yuan took the opportunity to ask further, “I wonder when and where Family Head Feng last saw my master? Did he ever mention where he intended to go?”
Feng Kongzun’s eyes darkened, a trace of loneliness flickering within them. “The last time I saw him was many years ago. At that time, he asked me for something. I did not give it to him, and there has been no news since.”
Xie Yuan’s hand shaking the fan suddenly stopped. “What was it that he sought?”
“It was Phoenix Blood.”
Xie Yuan’s voice could not help but tighten. “Did he say why he needed Phoenix Blood?”
“He only said it was to suppress something. But when I asked specifically what it was, his words were vague, so I did not give it to him.”
Halfway through his sentence, Feng Kongzun suddenly looked at Shen Zhuo and murmured in a low voice, “I often wonder if I had given it to him then, would he have disappeared?”
“What exactly did he want to suppress?”
Feng Kongzun let out a cold laugh. “If he had been willing to speak clearly back then, why would I have refused him?”
Feng Kongzun waved his hand, seemingly unwilling to continue this topic. “Old matters need not be mentioned again. You came to Phoenix Flame Mountain with this kid from the Xuan Yun Sect just to ask about this?”
“We have come this time for another matter,” Shen Zhuo looked at Song Yan, who was sitting quietly nearby, and spoke. “I wonder if Family Head Feng still remembers the Song family?”