Chapter 202: Snow Phoenix

Liu Junyan once told me that Cangwu Mountain is the most important mountain of the Phoenix Clan.

In my previous life, I parted with Liu Junyan at the foot of Cangwu Mountain.

Later, it's also very possible that I failed to achieve Nirvana on Cangwu Mountain…

Therefore, Cangwu Mountain holds extraordinary significance for me and for us both.

"I didn't expect the back of Cangwu Mountain to connect with this place," Liu Junyan said. "Xiao Jiu, that area is the territory of the Phoenix Clan."

No wonder… Fènglí Shū would appear here.

I instinctively shrank into Liu Junyan's embrace, clutching the Soul-guiding Lamp tighter: "Āyàn, let's go back, quick!"

After Fènglí Shū was rescued, news of my presence here will quickly spread among the Phoenix Clan.

How could a clan capable of placing a natal curse on me let me leave here in peace?

I came with a mission; I must first return Tang Xun's soul.

I cannot linger here, nor can I allow the Phoenix Clan to surround and intercept me.

Perhaps one day I will return to settle accounts with Fènglí Shū and the Phoenix Clan, but absolutely not now!

Liu Junyan knew what I was worried about and turned, holding me.

The Xuán Māo had already settled back onto his shoulder.

But just as we were about to leave, a weak girl's voice came from behind: "Sister, save me, please take me away…"

That voice was strange—clearly a young girl's, yet mixed within the short sentence were several mournful bird cries.

We turned and saw the girl who had just been pressed to the ground and bitten by Fènglí Shū; she could no longer maintain her human form, turning into… well, how to describe it?

Her body was pure white, with only three pale blue feathers standing upright on her head.

She resembled a white peacock, but her size was at least half that of an adult white peacock.

Half of her wing was broken, especially the upper part of the major wing, which was bloody and stained much of her white feathers red.

She looked especially miserable.

She strained to lift her head, pleading: "Sister, take me away; I cannot stay here, and I cannot return to the Phoenix Clan, or I will die!"

She repeated it over and over, starting fluently, then straining to open her long beak, producing not human speech but bird cries.

She was so gravely injured that she almost fell victim to Fènglí Shū's torment.

She also came from the Phoenix Clan and was another victim of Fènglí Shū's cruelty; her situation is much like mine.

To be honest, I hesitated at this moment.

Should I save her?

Out of pity.

But more than that, I was thinking that my knowledge of the Phoenix Clan is too scarce; perhaps through her I could obtain some useful information about them.

For example… my inexplicably appearing fiancé.

As I hesitated, the Xuán Māo suddenly darted over, plunged into the flowerbed, and soon emerged holding a small bamboo basket.

The bamboo basket was also smeared with blood, containing a small shovel and some plant roots.

The Xuán Māo placed the bamboo basket beside the little white… bird…, its jade-green eyes fixed on me.

Obviously, the Xuán Māo wanted me to save her.

"Take her with us," Liu Junyan said. "She must have sneaked over here to gather herbs, not expecting to be spotted by Fènglí Shū and nearly lose her life."

"This is the border of the Nether Realm; members of the Phoenix Clan lingering here are in great danger."

She wasn't lying; Fènglí Shū intends to harm her, and the Phoenix Clan will not let her return.

The Xuán Māo bears no hostility toward her, at least indicating she is harmless for now.

I nodded, walked over, picked up the little white bird, placed it in the bamboo basket, shouldered the basket, and followed Liu Junyan away.

We returned the way we came.

Still, the Yin Soldiers led the way, and we continued forward along the white road.

Tang Xun's true bond was strong enough that none of the anticipated dangers occurred, and we safely returned to the foot of Hu Shan.

As we left Hu Shan, I couldn't help but glance up at the mountain.

I don't know if it's my imagination, but I seemed to see a tall figure standing on the mountainside, watching our carriage depart.

But that figure soon vanished, the Yin Soldiers stationed on the mountain road disappeared, and all of Hu Shan sank into darkness, as if it had evaporated from this world.

Back at the Tang Family residence, I took the Soul-guiding Lamp to Tang Xun's room.

Tang Tang called Uncle Huo, asking him to come see the little white bird.

Placing the Soul-guiding Lamp on the bedside table, Tang Xun's soul immediately drifted out, requiring little effort from me as it returned to her body on its own.

At the moment her soul and body reunited, the Ghost King Butterfly that had been perched on Tang Xun's lips fluttered its wings twice, its body gradually turning transparent until it vanished.

Only a faint fragrance remained.

Tang Xun did not wake immediately; the merging is a complex process, and she needs time.

Tang Tang came up to care for Tang Xun, telling me to go downstairs because Uncle Huo had something to say to me.

I was a bit puzzled; when I went downstairs, I saw that the little white bird had already been bandaged.

Its snowy white body was wrapped in a thick layer of gauze, rendering it immobile.

The little white bird kept its eyes closed and had not yet awakened.

I walked over and asked, "Uncle Huo, are you looking for me?"

Uncle Huo was visibly agitated.

He is an heir of the Guileful Medicine tradition, having seen countless strange things in his lifetime.

Yet tonight, upon seeing this little white bird, he seemed unusually excited.

He pointed at the little white bird and asked, "Xiao Jiu Zhanggui, do you know what this is?"

I shook my head: "I don't know, I just happened to rescue it."

"If I'm not mistaken, this should be a Snow Phoenix chick." Uncle Huo said, "When I was young, I once saw a record of it in the mysterious medical manual left by my ancestors; I always thought it only existed in legends, never expecting to see a living one in my lifetime!"

Everyone was stunned.

Snow Phoenix?

That is to say, the little white bird is indeed a young phoenix.

But it's not the white phoenix I imagined; it's a Snow Phoenix.

Uncle Huo rubbed his palms, eager to try: "Xiao Jiu Zhanggui, I have a favor to ask; in a few days I happen to have business in Wufu Town, so I'll inevitably have to bother you at the pawnshop; please don't mind."

Uncle Huo and Bai Jingmo are on good terms; his trip to Wufu Town should originally be to the Bai Family Medical Clinic, right?

Now it seems obvious that he's coming to the pawnshop for the Snow Phoenix.

I hesitated a little: "Uncle Huo, it's an honor for you to come to the pawnshop, but this Snow Phoenix is special; I'm worried..."

"I understand, I understand!" Uncle Huo hurriedly said, "The Snow Phoenix is inherently rare in the world, and with such severe injuries, if it falls into the hands of someone with ill intent, the consequences are unimaginable; rest assured, I will absolutely not leak a single word, not even my own father could!"

He was almost about to swear an oath to the heavens...