The Immortal’s "White Moonlight" Reborn - Chapter 61

Wen Xiwu tasted the bitter dregs of the medicine a flavor so sharp that even sugar couldn’t suppress it. It reminded her of her lonely days at Reflection Cliff, yet only today did she realize the hidden truth behind those years of exile.

The signs had always been there. Back then, no one who truly knew her believed Senior Sister would treat her so cruelly. Even Zuo Lan had found it inconceivable, only beginning to curse Yun Heng after confirming that Xiwu was indeed locked away.

Perhaps moved by the guilt she saw in her Senior Sister, Wen Xiwu had acted on impulse, feeding the spirit-flower nectar to her mouth-to-mouth. By the time she pulled back, her face was burning hot, yet she didn’t pull away.

She didn’t end the kiss until the bitterness of the medicine was entirely replaced by sweetness.

Yun Heng pulled her close, refusing to let her go.

“Were those days at Reflection Cliff… very hard to endure?” Yun Heng’s voice trembled. That place was desolate by design. She had stayed away out of a selfish fear of her own feelings, only for the Demon Seed to seize that opening… Her Junior Sister had every right to resent her.

Those days had been hard. But now that the bitterness had turned to joy, Wen Xiwu didn’t want Yun Heng to drown in self-reproach. She adopted a light, teasing tone. “It wasn’t that bad. I spent most of the time sleeping. When I was awake, I had company. Besides, you arranged my living quarters, didn’t you? If the other punished disciples saw my ‘cell,’ they would have turned red with envy.”

Thinking back, she realized she hadn’t seen a single other disciple in the vicinity during her exile. Yun Heng had likely cleared the area entirely. This only proved her Senior Sister’s words. If only I had doubted the situation a little more back then, would things have turned out differently? A pang of regret flickered in her heart.

Yun Heng knew Xiwu was merely trying to comfort her. She had visited Xiwu back then while she was unconscious, rushing to Reflection Cliff with treasures she had retrieved from the Phantom Spirit Realm. At that time, Xiwu had been so frail from grief and illness that she looked as though she might vanish at a single touch.

Now she finally understood the root of that grief. Her Junior Sister spoke lightly of it now, but her condition back then had told the true story.

Damage done cannot be erased; scars remain no matter how much one tries to compensate. Yun Heng’s heart ached with a relentless pain. The girl she had tried so hard to protect had been broken by her own hand. Guilt nearly submerged her, but she took solace in the fact that Xiwu was still by her side. They had a long future ahead, and she would spend every moment of it making up for the past.

Knock, knock, knock.

A rapid tapping sounded against the window. Wen Xiwu hurriedly sat up, smoothing her messy hair in a flustered attempt to look composed.

The corners of Yun Heng’s mouth drooped slightly. She kept her arm around Xiwu’s waist, pulling her back in.

“Senior Sister, someone sent a paper crane message,” Wen Xiwu whispered.

If Xiwu could tell it was a messenger crane, Yun Heng certainly knew. The frantic frequency of the tapping suggested the sender was in a state of extreme urgency.

The markings on the crane belonged to an Elder. It was likely official business, and Wen Xiwu instinctively shifted into a more serious demeanor.

Tsk.

Having finally found a moment of solitude with her Junior Sister, Yun Heng was loath to deal with trivial matters. However, she had already announced she was recovering from illness; the Elders wouldn’t disturb her unless it was critical. She sighed and opened the window.

The paper crane flew in and transformed into the phantom projection of an Elder. This wasn’t a standard message; the crane carried a sliver of the Elder’s divine sense.

“Sect Leader, how is your recovery progressing?” The Elder’s phantom inquired with a respectful bow.

“Passable,” Yun Heng replied. It would be better if I weren’t being interrupted.

“We know you are resting, and we wouldn’t dream of bothering you for small things. However, a situation has arisen that we simply cannot handle. After much deliberation, we felt we had to consult you.” The Elders truly didn’t want to trouble the Immortal Sovereign, as her health was the sect’s top priority.

However, the Kings of the Feather Clan were currently sitting in the Great Discussion Hall. These were all Golden Immortal-level sovereigns. Since the fall of the Demon Emperor, the Feather Clan had never been this united. In terms of Golden Immortals, the Feather Clan far outnumbered the Sect of Asking God. The sect’s only true advantage was having a True Immortal Sect Leader. Without her presence to steady the room, the Elders felt they couldn’t suppress those unreasonable Demon Kings.

“It is quite strange, Sect Leader. Have you noticed the influx of Feather Clan members in our sect lately? Their numbers have already surpassed our own disciples…” For a moment, the Elders weren’t sure if this was still the Sect of Asking God or if it had become a colony of the Feather Clan.

The Elder quickly realized his question was redundant. How could she not know? Cloud Mist Mountain was practically occupied. There were so many birds that his messenger crane was nearly pecked to shreds on the way in. He had been tapping so frantically because if the window hadn’t opened, the crane would have been “eaten alive” by the flock outside!

It was bizarre. A century ago, the sect had been a favorite haunt for the Feather Clan. But after the Great Disaster, not a single bird wanted to stay. Even the celestial cranes that had lived there for ages almost staged a mass exodus; the Elders of the Beast Park had to literally cry and beg to keep a few of them.

Now, after a hundred years of being shunned, the sect had suddenly become the hottest destination in the realms. Every tree on Cloud Mist Mountain held several birds. Even species that were natural enemies were roosting peacefully on the same branch. It was baffling.

As the Elder spoke, his gaze drifted to the side, and he finally noticed the unfamiliar young woman sitting beside the Sect Leader.

The Sect Leader herself looked pale and fragile, leaning against the bed a sight that made his heart tighten.

“Sect Leader, your health…” The Elder had never seen her like this. Even when she was gravely wounded in the past, she never allowed others to see her weakness.

Could the rumors be true? Is the Sect Leader’s foundation truly… failing?

Because of his shock, his thoughts were written clearly across his face.

Wen Xiwu sensed his negative thoughts and frowned, looking displeased. Yun Heng reached out and squeezed her hand. Under that silent comfort, Xiwu decided not to take offense at the Elder’s expression.

The two shared a lingering look. Anyone with a keen eye would have noticed the unusual intimacy between them, but the Elder was too preoccupied with his worries to catch the subtext.

“My health is fine. Tell me what is happening,” Yun Heng said. “I am aware of the situation outside. Do not worry about the Feather Clan; they mean no harm. Let them stay.”

Though Yun Heng didn’t enjoy being surrounded by birds every day, she knew that Xiwu was the Phoenix, the Lord of all birds. The Feather Clan had a biological instinct to gather near her. She couldn’t drive them away, and a thousand birds weren’t much different from one. Besides, her “Little Sparrow” enjoyed their company.

If A-Que likes them, I suppose I can endure them, Yun Heng sighed internally.

“Very well. I shall have the Beast Park expand their accommodations, though I suspect even that won’t be enough.” There were so many birds they could practically evict the disciples to make room.

Lately, people had been joking that they should change the sect’s nameplate to “Sun-Rising Palace”—the traditional home of the Demon Emperor.

“Senior Sister, leave that to me. I will arrange their housing,” Wen Xiwu chimed in. She realized she had forgotten to look after her kin; she had been too worried about Yun Heng to think of anything else.

Senior Sister?

The Elder resisted the urge to clean his ears. Yun Heng was the Sect Leader; even disciples of the same generation addressed her as “Sect Leader” or “Immortal Sovereign.” In his memory, only one person had ever called her “Senior Sister” the late Wen Xiwu, who died a hundred years ago.

No one else was allowed such familiarity. Even if the Sect Leader had taken a new favorite junior, he had never seen this girl before. Who is she?

“Elder Wu?” Yun Heng called out twice to snap him out of his confusion.

“Is there anything else?”

“Yes! It’s… the Golden Immortal Kings of the Feather Clan! They are refusing to leave the hall. They claim… they claim that our sect has stolen the Feather Clan’s greatest treasure!” The Elders had talked themselves hoarse trying to explain, but the Demon Kings wouldn’t listen.

Steal their treasure? They didn’t even know the Feather Clan had a supreme treasure.

But the Kings were unanimous: they insisted the Sect Leader had stolen it a few days ago. It was absurd—the Sect Leader had been “recovering” at the sect the whole time. How could she have gone out to steal anything?

But since the Demon Kings were powerful and numerous, the Elders had no choice but to seek out Yun Heng. They hoped her presence alone would be enough to make the Kings back down.

“Cough, cough…” Yun Heng coughed lightly.

Actually… she had stolen it.

No, wait—how could it be called stealing? The Phoenix Lord had entrusted A-Que to her. She had brought A-Que back quite openly. Or more accurately, A-Que had brought her back. She had been unconscious at the time and didn’t even remember the journey.

Wen Xiwu hurriedly patted Yun Heng’s back to help her breathe. This intimate gesture made the Elder’s eyes bulge again. Since when did the Sect Leader allow outsiders to touch her so casually?

“I understand,” Yun Heng said. “Tell the Kings I will speak with them personally in a moment. Ask them to wait.”

“Yes.” The Elder felt a weight lift from his shoulders and hurried off to placate the visitors.

“They  are just worried about me,” Wen Xiwu said, looking at Yun Heng’s pale face. She didn’t want her to exert herself. “Stay here and rest, Senior Sister. I’ll go talk to them.”

“No, I must be the one to speak with them.” Yun Heng didn’t dare let Xiwu go alone. If one of those birds decided to fly off with her A-Que, she would never forgive herself. Given the Phoenix’s allure to the Feather Clan, she didn’t put it past them to try a kidnapping!

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