The Immortal’s "White Moonlight" Reborn - Chapter 53

Did you think I was unaware of your physical condition, Senior Sister?

If it weren’t for the remnant of the True Demon looming over them like a hungry predator, Yu Hengwei, the woman who had snatched a Phoenix right in front of their eyes, would likely have been swarmed and pecked to death by the birds.

Flickers of unextinguished flame still danced around Yu Hengwei, but the little Phoenix was already tucked securely against her chest, hidden beneath the folds of her robes.

The various Avian Sovereigns, who had lived for thousands of years, puffed out their feathers like agitated fledglings. Aside from the Bi Fang Queen, the others did not know Yu Hengwei. To them, her act of seizing the Phoenix was an unforgivable transgression. However, they feared harming the Phoenix in the crossfire, so they held their ground at a distance, a tense stalemate hanging in the air.

Yu Hengwei’s expression was icy. After exhausting her strength, Wen Qiwu had reverted to her palm-sized form. Yu Hengwei tucked the soft, fluffy ball of feathers deeper into her clothes, until the bundle in her palm gave her fingertip an indignant peck.

Yu Hengwei’s hand stiffened, and a flash of guilt flickered across her cold features.

As the atmosphere outside grew increasingly volatile, Wen Qiwu finally managed to squeeze her tiny head out from the collar of Yu Hengwei’s robes.

Every bird’s attention snapped toward her. The hostility in the Sovereigns’ eyes vanished instantly, replaced by looks of pure, unadulterated adoration.

Our little Phoenix is so young… how adorable. She’s growing so well.

How could she have fallen into the hands of a treacherous human!

Wen Qiwu poked her head out to catch her breath and was immediately met with several scorching gazes. Seeing the expressions of the Avian Sovereigns, she instinctively let out a crisp, clear chirp.

Birds have their own unique way of communicating. She wanted to tell them they meant no harm. To her surprise, upon hearing that tender, youthful cry, the Sovereigns froze for a moment before letting out a collective roar of response.

Not just them, but all the birds in the distance joined in. For a moment, a chorus of ten thousand birds filled the air, every avian soul rejoicing at the appearance of their new Sovereign.

[Look how strong the little Phoenix’s voice is! She must be a healthy child. We must find a way to reclaim her from that human and take her to the Rising Sun Palace. Only there can she grow properly!]

The Rising Sun Palace was the residence of the previous Demon Empress. It housed the oldest Wutong tree in the Vast Delusion Realm, the most suitable home for a Phoenix.

[You’re right. By the way, Luan Queen, don’t you think this little Phoenix looks remarkably like Her Majesty?]

After the fall of the previous Phoenix Sovereign, the Feather Clan hadn’t been as united as they appeared. Relations between certain Kings were poor, and without a Sovereign to mediate, they had drifted apart over the millennia.

Yet today, to ensure the little Phoenix’s safe return to the Rising Sun Palace, these Kings were willing to set aside eons of grudges and cooperate.

[She does look like her, but Her Majesty had no children…] The Luan Queen was equally perplexed. Yet, to say this little Phoenix had no connection to the former Empress was impossible.

[And the age doesn’t match.]

This was clearly a Phoenix that had only recently broken its shell.

The Avian Sovereigns communicated via heart-voice, deeply confused by the little Phoenix’s origin. But regardless of where she came from, it didn’t change the fact that she was now the only Phoenix in the entire Vast Delusion Realm.

These birds were determined to get her back.

The Bi Fang Queen shifted back into her human form and stepped toward Yu Hengwei before the other Kings could act. Ignoring Yu Hengwei’s defensive posture, she offered a gentle, amiable smile.

Since they had met before, her words weren’t as sharp as they could have been.

“Fellow Daoist Yu, I assume the one in your embrace is young Wen?” The Bi Fang Queen had seen Yu Hengwei’s protective streak toward Wen Qiwu before. Seeing her guard the little Phoenix the same way was confirmation enough of the two’s relationship.

Yu Hengwei frowned. Despite her gentle appearance, the Bi Fang Queen was a notorious “smiling tiger” no one ever knew how many schemes she was brewing.

The other Great Birds widened their eyes. The Bi Fang Queen had met the little Phoenix already? That treacherous bird! She must have tried to curry favor before any of us!

“Chirp… ahem. Bi Fang Queen, I apologize for hiding the truth from you before…” Wen Qiwu couldn’t help but let out a chirp when she started, coughing twice to find her human voice.

“It is quite alright. You need not apologize. It is good for you to be wary of outsiders; many among the demon and human races are wicked. You must never trust them too easily.” The Bi Fang Queen shot a pointed, mocking glance at Yu Hengwei.

The Queen knew Wen Qiwu was special, but she never imagined she was a Phoenix! As for Yu Hengwei, she hadn’t had much of an opinion of the human before, but her deep possessiveness over the Phoenix was an obstacle to bringing her home. Thus, the Queen found her quite unlikable.

Yu Hengwei’s lips twitched into a cold smirk.

It wasn’t until a fuzzy sensation nuzzled against her palm that the light in Yu Hengwei’s eyes suddenly softened. She stopped glaring at the Queen and quietly stroked Wen Qiwu’s tiny face.

Wen A-Que angrily pecked at her hand. I’m talking business! How can you rub my face right now?

Yu Hengwei immediately froze, though her tender gaze remained fixed on Wen Qiwu.

The other birds watched with indignant, jealous eyes. That insolent human! How dare she rub the Phoenix’s face? Even we haven’t done that!

Seeing Wen Qiwu peck Yu Hengwei’s finger, the Bi Fang Queen’s smile grew even more tender. “We have just consulted with one another. We intend to take you back to the Rising Sun Palace. What do you think?”

“The Rising Sun Palace was the home of the previous Sovereign. We have guarded it for years, ensuring no other demon tribes could damage it. Everything is intact. There are Primal Chaos Fires beneath the earth, hot springs above, and the mountains are covered in Wutong trees, including the oldest one in existence. It is the perfect place for a young Phoenix to grow.”

The Queen wasn’t exaggerating. It truly was the best place for Wen Qiwu.

But…

Wen Qiwu didn’t even need to look up to feel a desolate gaze silently watching her.

Yu Hengwei had heard of the Rising Sun Palace and knew the Queen spoke the truth. For Wen Qiwu’s sake, she shouldn’t interfere. But a dense, aching bitterness made her bite her lower lip, making her look incredibly pitiable.

The little ball of fluff in her hand looked up at her. Seeing Yu Hengwei’s expression, Wen Qiwu sighed. How could she possibly leave her like this?

Wen Qiwu thanked the Bi Fang Queen for her kindness but said, “I still have some matters to attend to, so I cannot go just yet.”

She had to at least stay until her “patient” had healed in both body and soul before she could leave in peace.

The dim light in Yu Hengwei’s eyes suddenly blazed bright. She moved to stroke the little bird’s head, but the fluff-ball tilted its head away, dodging her finger.

“Wen… Daoist?” Yu Hengwei keenly sensed that Wen Qiwu was in a bad mood and was refusing her touch.

The little bundle turned its back to her. Though it said nothing, Yu Hengwei felt a surge of guilt, as if she had done something terribly wrong.

Touching feathers is a reward. People who make mistakes don’t get rewards.

“Then where are you staying? We must send people to protect you!” As the only Phoenix left, Wen Qiwu’s safety was the top priority for every bird. The Bi Fang Queen pressed for an answer.

“I live at…” Before Wen Qiwu could decide whether to reveal her identity to the Kings, a thunderous roar erupted from the sky. Blood-red light tore through the heavens.

“ROAR!” The True Demon remnant had invoked a forbidden technique. A massive gash opened in its body, revealing a gory interior from which a thick, red mist began to pour.

The barrier constructed by the Avian Sovereigns was shredded by a single claw. The blood mist began spreading toward them with terrifying speed.

The remnant’s power surged once more. The Avian Sovereigns could no longer even gauge its level, but Yu Hengwei knew, it had reached the True Immortal Realm.

The surrounding space was locked down. Yu Hengwei disliked these birds, but she knew Wen Qiwu cared for them. She had planned to use a secret spatial technique to teleport them all away, but that path was now blocked.

She noticed several Golden Immortal-level beasts from the center of the forest wandering outside. Their divine light had been extinguished, but their bodies were rising again under the influence of the blood mist.

The True Demon conjured arms and thrust them into its own body. As its claws swung down, Yu Hengwei immediately cupped Wen Qiwu and dodged, the other birds following suit.

However, the demon’s destructive power had multiplied. Compared to this, its previous attacks were child’s play.

The Golden Immortal birds were soon injured. With the situation becoming dire, the two eldest Kings decided to stay behind to cover the escape of the Phoenix and the younger generation.

“Luan Queen.” Yu Hengwei suddenly called out to the Queen who had volunteered to stay.

Time was short, and the Luan Queen told her to speak quickly. She didn’t expect that the human who had nearly fought them to keep the Phoenix would suddenly, with a look of profound reluctance, place the little bird into her hands.

“I will go handle that demon. Please look after her.” Yu Hengwei didn’t want to let go for a single second, but the demon was too dangerous; she couldn’t take Wen Qiwu with her.

She chose the Luan Queen because she was an honest bird. Yu Hengwei was saving their lives; once she returned, an honest bird would return Wen Qiwu. If she gave her to the Bi Fang Queen, she might never see Qiwu again.

The little bird’s eyes widened. “With your body… don’t push yourself!”

Yu Hengwei gave a gentle smile, trying to soothe her. “Rest easy. My body is fine. It’s just a remnant.”

If she were truly just “Yu Hengwei,” Wen Qiwu might have believed her. But she knew the woman’s other identity.

Wen Qiwu’s feathers puffed out, making her look twice her size. As Yu Hengwei turned to leave, Wen Qiwu shouted in anger:

“Did you think I was unaware of your physical condition?”

“Senior Sister!“

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