Chapter 48

“Good morning, my lord!” Bai Shuo greeted cheerfully, as if the stormy events of the previous night had never happened.

Nan Wan turned and started walking downstairs.

Bai Shuo quickly followed, lowering his voice as he asked, “My lord, did you find that place?”

“No,” Nan Wan replied while descending the stairs, Bai Shuo following close behind.

“My lord, no need to rush. How about we have breakfast first…?”

Nan Wan shot a cold glance at Bai Shuo.

“Beichen left the inn this morning. If we keep delaying, do you think he’ll find the first Phoenix Heartfire before we do?”

Bai Shuo choked on his words and quickly replied, “Business first, business first. Honestly, I’m not that hungry.”

As Bai Shuo nervously chuckled, Big Iron Flower reached out with a chicken leg, licking her greasy lips.

“Want some? I saved it for you.”

“Eat, eat, eat,” Bai Shuo hurriedly grabbed it, gnawing on the chicken leg as he followed Nan Wan out the door.

Big Iron Flower, unfazed by their interaction, followed Bai Shuo out of the inn as well, since no one had stopped her.

As soon as Bai Shuo stepped outside, he let out a soft exclamation.

The street was bustling with unusual people, lively and crowded.

The Yi people were tall with sharp features; even the women had a fierceness in their brows. The harsh sun of the wilderness made both men and women appear rugged, in stark contrast to the gentle softness of those from the Central Plains.

Just as the group stood outside the inn, they saw Ming Xin leading a group of disciples with dark circles under their eyes, approaching them.

“Did you find it?” Nan Wan asked calmly.

“Senior Brother, we’ve searched every tomb in the Yi city, but none of them is called the Tomb of the Yi,” Mingxin reported, glancing skeptically at Bai Shuo, clearly doubting her divination.

Nan Wan frowned and turned to Bai Shuo, who immediately spoke up, “My lord, the tomb of the Yi must be well hidden. Would Immortal Lord Jinyao really leave the Phoenix artifact in such an obvious place? Lord Ming Xin, did you ask any of the Yi people in the city about the tomb?”

Ming Xin rolled his eyes. “Ask them? The Yi people look at us like we’re the plague. They avoid us at all costs.”

Indeed, Bai Shuo scanned the street and saw that the Yi people were deliberately avoiding the inn, not wanting to go near any of the disciples.

“We’re running out of time. There’s only a day and a half left, and we haven’t even found the first Heartfire. Taoist Bai, are you sure you haven’t calculated where the Tomb of the Yi is?” Nan Wan’s composure was starting to crack.

“Heaven and Earth bear witness, my lord; I truly haven’t figured it out.”

“If you’re so useless, then what good are you to me?” Nan Wan glanced coldly at Bai Shuo, her tone chilling.

Bai Shuo’s heart raced.

She had extorted a large sum of spiritual beads from Yunxiao, and from the look in Nan Wan’s eyes, it seemed like she might kill her for her failure…

Just as Bai Shuo was scrambling for an excuse, two people suddenly burst into the inn, followed by a Yi woman.

“Is Lord Beichen here?”

Ah Zhao?! Senior Sister Eryun?!

Chong Zhao was carrying a child, around five or six years old, as he rushed into the inn alongside Eryun.

Neither of them noticed Bai Shuo, who was mixed in with the Yunxiao disciples.

Bai Shuo, in the middle of gnawing on her chicken leg, almost choked when she recognized the familiar figures.

You search high and low, only to find it effortlessly!

The hierarchy of the immortal sects was strict, and only disciples from the Three Mountains and Six Palaces were allowed to stay at the inn.

As soon as Chong Zhao and Eryun stepped inside, they were blocked by a disciple who had been ingratiating himself with Nan Wan the previous night.

“Which sect are you from, daring to barge in here?” The disciple, Wuliang Shou’an, sneered. He was notorious for his sycophantic behavior.

“Senior Brother, this child is gravely ill. We’ve heard that Kunlun is known for its healing arts, and we beseech Lord Beichen to save him,” the Yi woman accompanying Chong Zhao pleaded urgently, her face full of desperation.

Wuliang glanced at the child in Chong Zhao’s arms—he was clearly a Yi, his face ashen and breath faint.

“A Yi? Lord Beichen isn’t here. Leave.”

“Senior Brother…”

“Who’s your senior brother? Stop trying to claim kinship. Lord Beichen is busy searching for the Phoenix Heartfire. Even if he were here, he wouldn’t waste his time on such a low-born disciple, let alone a Yi.”

“You!” Er Yun, enraged, was about to make a move.

The Yi woman, just as fiery, prepared to take the child back from Chong Zhao and leave.

Chong Zhao stopped her.

“Madam, let me try again.”

He suppressed his anger and asked once more, “May I ask which sect Senior Brother is from?”

“Wuliang Shou’an.”

Shou’an raised his chin, noticing the cloud patterns on Chong Zhao’s sleeve, and sneered, “So you’re from the East Sea’s Piaomiao Sect. Piaomiao hasn’t sent a disciple to the Phoenix Martial Banquet in 300 years, and now you think your Immortal Lord is a match for us?”

“I wouldn’t dare, immortal Lord Shou’an. But even if this child is a Yi, he’s still a human life. Since the Phoenix Martial Banquet is held in the Yi city, the Heavenly Palace must have intentions of goodwill towards the Yi people. If we let him die, wouldn’t Lord Jinyao blame us immortals for being heartless?”

“You!”

Shou’an was furious but couldn’t retort, especially with the many immortal disciples now watching from inside and outside the inn.

“If Lord Beichen isn’t here, could you tell us where to find him?”

Nan Wan, who was outside, overheard the argument but had no intention of getting involved.

He was about to leave when Bai Shuo tugged at her sleeve.

“My lord, this might be a great opportunity.”

Nan Wan was puzzled, but Bai Shuo quickly explained, “This child could be a key.”

Nan Wan’s mind raced, quickly grasping Bai Shuo’s meaning.

The Tomb of the Yi—by its name alone, it must contain the graves of important Yi figures. If they didn’t know its location, the Yi people surely would.

Perhaps saving this child could lead them to the tomb’s whereabouts.

“Since Beichen isn’t here, I suppose I can take a look…”

Inside the inn, the standoff continued when a voice suddenly rang out from the doorway.

Everyone turned to see Nan Wan leading the Yunxiao disciples back inside.

“Lord Nan Wan,” the immortals inside respectfully made way, their expressions deferential.

Chong Zhao turned around, momentarily stunned.

His gaze then froze on a familiar face.

Bai Shuo, holding a chicken leg, was winking at him.

The jade flute hadn’t lied! Ah Shuo was really in the Yi city!

Chong Zhao’s blood surged, and he nearly rushed over to grab the reckless girl. But just then, he saw a young man behind her, supporting her arm.

Bai Shuo seemed oblivious, but the young man looked directly at Chong Zhao.

Their eyes met in midair, and Chong Zhao’s expression changed instantly.

He tightened his grip on the Yi child.

The Lord of Haoyue Palace?! How could he be with Ah Shuo? Even though Fan Yue wore the face of a boy, Chong Zhao recognized him at once.

“Let me take a look.”

Before Chong Zhao could react, Nan Wan had already approached and placed her hand on the Yi child’s pulse.

The Yi woman watched Nan Wan nervously, her eyes full of hope.

“Strange,” Nan Wan murmured, glancing at the woman.

“Has this child practiced spiritual arts?”

The Yi tribes, with their chaotic bloodlines, were born unable to cultivate spiritual arts, yet they were physically strong. However, the child’s body contained faint traces of chaotic spiritual energy circulating wildly.

“No,” the woman replied hurriedly.

“Our people never practice spiritual arts.”

“His body’s spiritual energy is surging. It looks like the precursor to qi deviation. No worries, I’ll send a bit of my immortal energy to calm the energy,” Nan Wan said, preparing to send immortal energy into the child, but Chong Zhao stopped her.

“Lord Nan Wan, the Yi can’t cultivate spiritual arts. I fear this child isn’t experiencing Qi deviation. Kunlun is known for its healing arts. Perhaps we should wait for Lord Beichen…”

“You Piaomiao disciple, how ungrateful! My senior brother is willing to save him, and that’s a great blessing for the child!” Ming Xin, enraged, pushed Chong Zhao aside and handed the child to Nan Wan.

“Kunlun swordsmanship may be famous, but Yunxiao is no lesser name,” Nan Wan remarked lightly, then sent a stream of immortal energy into the child’s body.

Sure enough, the child gasped and opened his eyes.

“Mother…”

“My son!”

The woman, overwhelmed with emotion, picked up her child, and Chong Zhao let out a sigh of relief. Before anyone could celebrate, the child in the woman’s arms suddenly turned bright red all over, his eyes glowing crimson as he let out a piercing wail.

His small body thrashed violently in her arms.

“What did you do?!”

The woman shouted at Nan Wan, clutching her child tightly.

“How could this happen…?”

Nan Wan was also shocked.

With his immortal energy, not only had he failed to calm the child’s internal energy, but it had worsened.

“I knew it! None of you immortal clan are any good!” The woman kicked the table and chairs in front of her, shattering them into pieces instantly.

My goodness, those from the Yi tribe really are born with immense strength.

Even an ordinary woman like her has such power.

Bai Shuo shuddered as he looked at the splintered table.

The woman, anxious for her son, didn’t want to argue further.

With eyes red from crying, she held the child tightly and rushed out.

Hearing the commotion, several people from the Yi tribe outside began to crowd in.

“Mumu! Stop her!”

“Lord Ming Xin, quickly, guard the door and don’t let the Yi in!” Bai Shuo suddenly shouted.

The Yi people already harbored deep resentment against the immortal and demon clans.

If a conflict broke out, things would be hard to resolve.

Without hesitation, Fan Yue followed Bai Shuo’s command, moving swiftly to block the woman.

Ming Xin hesitated briefly, but seeing Nan Wan didn’t object, he hurriedly led several disciples to stand at the inn’s entrance, swords drawn, keeping the Yi outside.

“Let us in! What are you trying to do?!”

“Huer’s mother, what happened?!”

Some of the Yi, who were familiar with each other in the city, recognized the woman and were about to force their way in.

“Everyone! The child is ill!” Bai Shuo called out to the crowd.

“I’m a healer; I can save him!”

Bai Shuo quickly turned to the woman and said, “Madam, let me take a look at the child.”

“Don’t touch my son! I won’t trust any of you again!” The woman didn’t believe Bai Shuo at all.

“Exactly! How can you trust these immortals, Huer’s mother! Get out of the way, let us in!” The indignant crowd of Yi outside pushed against the Yunxiao disciples, trying to break through.

Suddenly, the child in the woman’s arms convulsed even more violently, breaking free from her hold and lunging toward Bai Shuo.

“Huer!” the woman cried out, rushing forward to catch him.

But Bai Shuo, quick-eyed and swift-footed, stepped forward, pried open the child’s mouth, and slipped a pill inside.

“What did you feed him?!”

The woman, furious, immediately picked up her child and kicked at Bai Shuo.

Bai Shuo hadn’t forgotten the power of her earlier kick.

“Mumu! Save me!”

Before she could shout, the young man had already leapt forward, pulling Bai Shuo back and shielding him.

Among the crowd, Chong Zhao’s outstretched hand froze midair.

He stared at the two of them, his hand inside his sleeves quietly clenched.

Mumu?

Could this boy really not be the Lord of Haoyue?

Chong Zhao noticed that the young man had only faint spiritual energy, lacking the divine pressure he had felt back on Fire and Ice Island. What exactly was going on?

“Wait, wait! Madam, look at the child!”

Bai Shuo peeked out from behind Fan Yue and quickly spoke.

The woman glanced down and saw that the child had stopped thrashing.

The red in his eyes had faded, and the bruises on his body were slowly disappearing.

The Yi outside, seeing the child’s condition improve, also stopped pushing forward.

The child, drowsy, turned his head and called for his mother, then collapsed into her arms and fell into a deep sleep.

This time, however, his breathing was steady, and a healthy flush returned to his face.

“Huer!” The woman, now slightly relieved, hurried over to Bai Shuo.

“Taoist, my son…”

Fan Yue stared coldly at the woman, who, feeling guilty, didn’t dare to approach.

“Mumu.”

Bai Shuo patted Fan Yue’s hand, then hurried forward to check the child’s breathing, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

“He’s fine, just exhausted. Let him sleep it off.”

“Thank you, Taoist.” The woman quickly asked, “Daoist, what exactly is wrong with Huer?”

Bai Shuo, also puzzled, looked up.

“Madam, what did Huer eat today?”

The woman hesitated.

“It’s still early. He only had some water and a few fruits from home.”

“Fruits? What kind?”

“Autumn Cicada Fruit. He eats them every day. This has never happened before.”

Autumn Cicada Fruit was a spiritual fruit containing weak spiritual energy.

The Yi tribe, living in a barren land, had consumed it for generations, making them all strong and robust.

Bai Shuo glanced at the child. The Yi tribe was naturally born with strong physiques, but this child was one of the few weak ones in his tribe.

Clearly, he couldn’t absorb the spiritual energy in the fruit, and the accumulation of energy had disrupted the balance of immortal and demonic energy in his body.

The pill Bai Shuo had given him was a Qingxin Pill, which dissolves spiritual energy.

Bai Shuo had concocted it out of boredom on Piaomiao Island, intending to make laxatives to prank the inner disciples who bullied her. Instead, she accidentally created this. The materials used were common, and it only worked on half-immortals; for immortal lords, it had no effect.

Had it not been for the child’s chaotic spiritual energy, Bai Shuo might have forgotten about this useless pill.

“Madam, the Autumn Cicada Fruit contains spiritual energy. Huer’s body is too weak to absorb it, and the energy has accumulated inside, causing the imbalance. Once he grows stronger, he can eat it again.”

The woman nodded repeatedly, feeling guilty.

“It’s all my fault. Huer was born weak, and I fed him the fruit daily, not realizing it would harm him.”

She bowed to Bai Shuo, still holding her child.

“I’m sorry, Taoist, I was just panicking earlier…”

“No worries, no worries! I’m perfectly fine, aren’t I?”

Bai Shuo quickly helped the woman up and scratched her head awkwardly. Glancing at the Yi outside, she added, “Perhaps you could let everyone know? It’s not great for so many people to be gathered here.”

The woman quickly shouted outside, “It’s fine now, everyone! Disperse, disperse. Huer just ate something wrong. Thanks to the Taoist, he’s alright!”

The Yi outside, hearing the woman’s words and seeing the child’s healthy complexion, finally relaxed and dispersed.

After they left, the woman turned to Chong Zhao again.

“Thank you, Immortal, for bringing me here.”

Chong Zhao, his expression softening, replied, “As long as the child is alright.”

His gaze met Bai Shuo’s, and just as Bai Shuo was about to wink at him, Chong Zhao turned his head away as if he didn’t know her.

What now?

Bai Shuo was confused and then noticed Nan Wan standing to the side, his face stiff and his expression terribly sour.

Oops, she had almost forgotten about him.

The woman had thanked her and Chong Zhao but had completely ignored Nan Wan.

Being quick-witted, Bai Shuo immediately spoke up. “Madam, I wanted to ask you something.”

The woman blinked in surprise.

“What is it, Taoist? Please feel free to ask.”

Just as Bai Shuo was about to continue, Nan Wan interrupted, “The child has just been frightened. We should escort the lady home first. We can discuss other matters later.”

The disciples of the immortal sects were watching closely, and Bai Shuo instantly understood.

“Yes, let’s take Huer home first. I’ll give him another Qingxin Pill to protect his spiritual platform.”

“This…” The woman glanced at the Yunxiao disciples, still wary. After a brief hesitation, she said, “Thank you for your kindness, but I’d feel better if this young gentleman took me back. After all, it was thanks to him earlier.”

Though the Yunxiao disciples seemed kind, their aloofness and disdain were clear. Only Chong Zhao and Bai Shuo showed genuine concern. As a member of the Yi tribe, even though she was indebted to Bai Shuo, the woman didn’t want to get too entangled with the immortal.

Seeing Nan Wan frown, Bai Shuo quickly grabbed Chong Zhao’s hand.

“Madam, don’t worry. Yunxiao and Piaomiao Island are very close. This young gentleman is also our Nan Wan senior brother’s friend. Right, Chong Zhao?”

Bai Shuo swiftly wrote the word “Wu” in Chong Zhao’s palm and gave him a wink. Chong Zhao paused, set aside the annoyance he had felt earlier, and nodded. “Yes, madam, no need to worry.”

Seeing her hesitation, Nan Wan calmly added, “Ming Xin, you and the disciples stay here at the inn. I’ll accompany Young master Chong for a short trip.”

“Yes, senior brother.”

With Nan Wan willing to go alone, the woman finally agreed.

“Then I’ll trouble you all.”

Seeing the woman nod, Chong Zhao took the child from her arms and

said, “Let’s go, madam.”