Chapter 37: Pecked
Although he didn’t know where Su Muluo had gone, Feng Xuan didn’t inquire further. Instead, he respectfully led Long Ling to the Bird Clan territory where the Elder resided.
Along the way, Long Ling felt his phoenix nestled obediently in his pocket and couldn’t help but reach in to gently stroke its fluffy head.
So soft.
He wanted to cup it in his palm.
“Chirp.”
The little phoenix must have been tired, its soft chirp barely audible as it pecked lightly at his fingertip.
I’ll give you a hug.
Long Ling smiled, his palm enclosing the soft little phoenix, unwilling to let go.
For ordinary people, several kilometers might seem far, but for Long Ling, it was just a brief journey that took only moments. However, Feng Xuan’s speed was not as swift, so it took them several minutes to arrive.
Similar to Feng Xuan’s territory, this place was also built amidst the trees, but it was even more magnificent and grand, exuding an air of nobility. At the edge of the territory, there was a barrier covering the entire area, making it impossible for outsiders to enter.
“Here we are,” Feng Xuan stopped at a secluded spot and said to Long Ling, “Both sides of our territories are protected by barriers, but theirs is stronger than ours. It’s difficult to get in without breaking it.”
He could only vaguely guess Su Muluo’s strength and knew nothing about the imposing black-clad man emitting a cold and majestic aura. He didn’t dare to speculate, let alone look up at him.
However, he also felt uneasy. The three thousand-year-old demons had never been known to interact with each other. If Su Muluo was one of them, then the man in front of him… probably didn’t possess the power of a thousand-year-old demon.
Thinking of this, Feng Xuan felt more worried and said, “This barrier is supported by a thousand-year-old artifact. The Bird Clan has inherited it for a thousand years, and all three thousand-year-old artifacts left behind were taken by the Elder. Perhaps we should be more cautious?”
Long Ling didn’t look at him, just gently placed the phoenix, which he had kept hidden in his palm and had not let Feng Xuan see, back into his pocket. By now, the little phoenix was fast asleep, a soft and quiet lump, completely motionless.
“No need,” Long Ling said calmly after confirming that his phoenix was sleeping soundly in his pocket, unaffected by external influences. “Let’s make it quick.”
At first, Feng Xuan didn’t understand what Long Ling meant by “make it quick,” but soon he understood.
In the Elder’s pavilion, a half-dead bird demon was brought before the Elder.
He was none other than Muge, who had recently attacked Lin Chengcheng. Knocked unconscious by Long Ling, he had awakened after two days of coma and severe injuries, contacted the Bird Clan, and only now returned here.
The Elder looked him up and down, seemingly unsurprised by his appearance, even a bit mocking. “What’s this? You killed Feng Xuan and can’t even handle a half-demon?”
“… They had help from a powerful figure,” Muge’s voice was hoarse, with a hint of blood in his cough, “Feng Xuan probably isn’t dead… I miscalculated this time.”
The Elder sneered, “What kind of ‘powerful figure’? Someone with four hundred years of power, or five hundred?”
Muge hesitated for a few seconds and said, “I didn’t see his face clearly.”
The mockery in the Elder’s eyes grew more evident. Before he could say anything, another bird demon rushed in, looking flustered.
“Elder!” he exclaimed, “Feng Xuan has brought another person into our territory!”
With a wave of his hand, the Elder sent the bird demon flying like a leaf in the wind, crashing heavily into a pillar, life or death uncertain.
“Just Feng Xuan is enough to make you fuss in front of me,” the Elder said coldly, “Send in…”
Before he could finish his sentence, another bird demon stumbled into the pavilion, trembling with fear. “Elder! That person has already reached our doorstep!”
“…!”
Feng Xuan had never seen such a scene in his life.
In their clan, where one could cover the sky with a single hand, with eight hundred years of demon power, the Elder who stood above everyone else and the black-clad man had only exchanged a glance… and lost.
Lost completely, without even giving anyone a chance to react.
Feng Xuan looked around. At this moment, all the bird demons in the territory had been subdued. Fortunately, the black-clad man hadn’t killed them, or this place would probably already be another hellish scene.
The Elder knelt on the ground, covered in mud. Feng Xuan didn’t find Muge nearby and thought that this traitor might be hiding somewhere. Anyway, he couldn’t escape, so he sent a signal to his companions in his own territory first.
Soon, his companions from Lin City arrived, and upon seeing the bird demons kneeling all over the ground, along with the black-clad man among them, they were shaken to the core, feeling a profound awe emanating from within.
To stand against an entire clan, not to mention facing an Elder with eight hundred years of demon power… Even a thousand-year-old demon might not achieve such a feat!
Who is this black-clad man exactly? His strength is terrifying!
At that moment, Feng Xuan’s group was deeply conflicted. They didn’t even dare to look up at Long Ling, afraid of offending him.
In contrast, Lin Chengcheng wasn’t as intimidated. Having spent more time with Su Muluo and Long Ling, although the scene startled him, it didn’t evoke excessive fear; instead, he felt admiration.
“Wow, this guy is something else!”
“Is this the big boss?”
“But where did the boss go?”
Looking around, Lin Chengcheng saw Feng Xuan waving to him and hurried over.
“Young Master, this is the one who killed your father,” Feng Xuan pointed at the Elder on the ground and said to Lin Chengcheng, “and his daughter.”
Beside the Elder knelt his daughter, a plump figure with a face showing both fear and anger. They were all bound by Long Ling’s invisible pressure, unable to move.
Meeting the daughter’s gaze, Lin Chengcheng felt a chill in his heart. Her eyes were like those of a venomous snake, unsettling.
The woman also sized him up, fearful yet maintaining a defiant smirk. “So it’s you, the bastard’s legacy. Just like your parents, not worth a damn—”
Before she could finish, Feng Xuan slapped her across the face, coldly saying, “I don’t want to hit a woman, but you asked for it.”
The slap was heavy, swelling half of her face instantly. Shocked and furious, she immediately looked to her father for help.
But the Elder didn’t even glance at her, just softly said, “Times have changed. You can’t rely on others now; you’ll have to endure it yourself.”
The woman gnashed her teeth in hatred, and Feng Xuan ignored them both, turning to Long Ling. “Your Excellency, shall we detain these people first and interrogate them when Mr. Su arrives?”
“They’re already back in the Bird Clan’s territory. It’s not a good idea to talk outside. I plan to detain the Elder’s people in batches, so they won’t have a chance to escape.”
Long Ling said, “No need, I’ll ask him first.”
He then raised his hand and cast a barrier, enveloping himself and the Elder within.
Outside the barrier, Feng Xuan and the others couldn’t see or hear what was happening inside. Inside the barrier, Long Ling only said one thing to the Elder, “Where is the phoenix relic?”
The Elder remained silent.
But soon, he regretted it.
A tremendous demonic aura, like the overturning of mountains and seas, pressed down. His head slammed heavily on the ground, his body convulsing, joints making unbearable “creak” sounds, as if being flayed alive, he screamed in agony.
“It’s… it’s with me!”
The Elder’s teeth chattered uncontrollably, squeezing out these words.
“I’ll give it to you… I’ll give it to you!”
Long Ling withdrew the demonic aura, leaving the Elder collapsed like mud on the ground. After a while, trembling hands reached into his bosom and took out something.
It was a flawless jade pendant, as pristine as snow, exuding an extremely pure luster.
Upon seeing the jade pendant, Long Ling furrowed his brow. For some reason, this pendant gave him a very familiar feeling… Could it really be something left by his phoenix?
Taking the jade pendant, he ignored the Elder, lifting the barrier.
Outside the barrier, Feng Xuan was startled to see the almost lifeless Elder, then heard Long Ling say, “I’ll borrow this jade pendant for now and return it later.”
Only then did Feng Xuan notice he also held a jade pendant, radiant as snow, with a restrained brilliance that captivated the eye. Obviously, it was a relic of the phoenix clan.
Feng Xuan marveled inwardly, restraining his urge to reach out and touch it when he first saw the pendant. “You and Mr. Su have saved our Young Master’s life and have great merits for the entire Bird Clan. This jade pendant…”
He had intended to say that the jade pendant could be given to Long Ling, but considering Lin Chengcheng was still present, he didn’t have the authority to decide, so he turned to ask the Young Master for his opinion.
Lin Chengcheng was also captivated by the jade pendant and looked a bit dazed when he met Feng Xuan’s eyes but quickly regained his composure.
“No need to borrow it. Consider this jade pendant a token of gratitude from me to the boss,” Lin Chengcheng casually waved his hand. “It’s not much use to me anyway. If it weren’t for the boss and you, I might not have survived until now.”
Long Ling didn’t say much, just nodded. Thinking of the phoenix still in his pocket, he decided to find a secluded place to let it see the jade pendant.
Knowing Long Ling would only be away temporarily, Feng Xuan ordered his men to prepare the best room for them and kindly said to Lin Chengcheng, “Young Master, why don’t you visit the place where your father lived first? As for these people, we can question them after detaining them in batches.”
Lin Chengcheng nodded, took a deep breath in front of the completely unfamiliar building, and walked in.
Feng Xuan turned back, gesturing for his men to take the Elder and the others away, but saw the Elder still staring dead ahead in the direction Long Ling had left, asking, “Who is he?”
Feng Xuan sneered, “You won’t get a chance to know.”
Then he turned and followed in Lin Chengcheng’s footsteps.
—
Outside the Bird Clan territory, Long Ling took his phoenix out of his pocket.
The little phoenix blinked its eyes sleepily, just waking up with its feathers all ruffled, resting softly in Long Ling’s palm, a small, motionless ball.
Long Ling had thought the phoenix might be greatly affected by the jade pendant, but now it seemed only sleepy, its feathers intact. The situation was better than he had expected.
So he gently placed the jade pendant in front of it and smiled, “Phoenix, take a look. Is this yours?”
Little Phoenix: “Chirp?”
It stared sleepily at the jade pendant for a while, then chirped and moved closer, spreading its small wings to cover the jade pendant.
At this moment, it wasn’t fully awake yet, its mind still fuzzy, not knowing what this jade pendant was, but feeling an instinctual attraction towards it.
Shiny and beautiful.
Likes it.
Long Ling saw his phoenix holding onto the jade pendant tightly and didn’t let go. He said, “I brought it over for the phoenix. How will the phoenix thank me?”
Little Phoenix tried to hide the jade pendant under its feathers and pecked lightly on Long Ling’s fingertip.
%”Dear you.”
Long Ling immediately frowned and said, “I don’t want this kind of %”Dear you.” I want the phoenix to transform into a human %”Dear you.” I want it a hundred times!”
Little Phoenix stared at him for a second, then turned its head away, ignoring him.
Long Ling: “…”
Tsk.
He reached out, trying to retrieve the jade pendant hidden under Little Phoenix’s feathers.
Little Phoenix: “Chirp!”
Its feathers were ruffled!
“I don’t care,” Long Ling said, “I went through great hardships to retrieve the jade pendant for the phoenix. Yet the phoenix is so dismissive of me. Now I’m taking this jade pendant away and not giving it to the phoenix!”
When Little Phoenix heard the words “great hardships,” it looked at Long Ling suspiciously with its small eyes, immediately alert and protective of the jade pendant, not giving him any chance to take advantage.
Seeing this, Long Ling exclaimed loudly again, “The phoenix only likes the jade pendant! It doesn’t like me at all! I’m hurt! I won’t pay attention to the phoenix anymore!”
Then he reached out again, trying to take back the jade pendant.
Of course, Little Phoenix refused to let him snatch it away, flapping its small wings fiercely to protect the jade pendant, angrily chirping… Amidst the commotion between the dragon and the phoenix, Long Ling accidentally plucked out a feather from Little Phoenix.
Though “plucked out” might be an overstatement; the feather might have fallen out on its own, but it just so happened that Long Ling grabbed it from among Little Phoenix’s feathers.
Little Phoenix: “…”
Long Ling: “…”
After a moment, the last true dragon in the world was extremely pitiful, chased all the way by an enraged little Phoenix.
“Chirp!!”
T/N: Hello hello! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!
If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’
How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection
What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
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