Chapter 44
When Si Lan heard Haowei’s words, his wings twitched, and he turned around. His pitch-black eyes were full of curiosity. “Didn’t Grandmaster Jiaheng say that after he achieved Buddhahood, his disciple reincarnated as a human?”
“Yes, that disciple indeed reincarnated as a human, but that doesn’t mean there’s no more connection between him and Jiaheng. Over ten thousand years ago, a young Buddha emerged from the Thirty-Three Heavens. It’s said that he did good deeds throughout his many lifetimes without committing any evil. Therefore, at the age of twelve in this life, he attained Buddhahood. On the day of his ascension, he chose to become a disciple under Grandmaster Jiaheng. However, he later fell into the Demon Realm two thousand years ago.”
Si Lan couldn’t believe it. “Could it be… the Demon Buddha, Yu Wuxia?”
Si Lan had heard this story from Luo Hui’s mouth even before he hatched, though at that time, he treated it as gossip. It was said that this disciple deeply connected to Buddhism, Yu Wuxia, on the day of his ascension in the Thirty-Three Heavens, resonated nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine bronze bells, with their ringing resounding endlessly. Buddha light illuminated a hundred thousand miles, shaking the Six Realms.
However, this disciple, once under Grandmaster Jiaheng, gradually faded from public view. The next time news of him surfaced was when he fell from the Thirty-Three Heavens into the Demon Realm.
“Are you suggesting that Yu Wuxia might be that disciple?” Si Lan asked again.
“It’s just speculation.”
“However, the reason Yu Wuxia fell into the Demon Realm seems rather inglorious.” Si Lan recalled the scrolls he had read before, his mouth twitching involuntarily.
“Three Fox Demons Battle the Handsome Monk for Seven Days and Nights”
“The Celibate Monk Falls in Love with the Peerless Fox Demon”
These two books still remained in his collection.
It was reported that Yu Wuxia, while subduing demons in the Demon Realm, fell in love with a fox demon. He often descended to the mortal realm to frolic with her, eventually bringing her to the Thirty-Three Heavens.
When Grandmaster Jiaheng discovered this, he advised Yu Wuxia to abstain from lust, but Yu Wuxia instead intensified his actions, gathering a group of fox demons to revel in the Thirty-Three Heavens, indulging in carnal pleasures and even involving his fellow disciples in such activities.
This time, Grandmaster Jiaheng did not condone Yu Wuxia’s actions and severely injured him.
Enraged, Yu Wuxia fell into the Demon Realm.
Haowei nodded gently. “This disciple Yu Wuxia has a fiery red mark on his brow, likely a manifestation of accumulated desires from countless lifetimes, concentrated at his brow.”
Si Lan was astonished. “A fiery red mark on his brow?”
It seemed like he had seen such a Buddhist disciple before, even when he was just a sticky mass of egg yolk. He remembered a monk in white robes with a demonically charming face, a red mark on his brow.
That monk’s figure seemed to hover in the vast and boundless world for an instant before disappearing.
He remembered it so clearly because when that monk appeared, he felt excruciating pain all over his body, as if the egg yolk had been scalded.
Just as he was about to succumb to the agony, Luo Hui appeared.
Luo Hui gently embraced him with her two wings, her cooing voice soothing the discomfort outside the eggshell. By the time he opened his eyes again, the monk’s figure was no longer visible in the boundless world.
Thinking of this, Si Lan suddenly felt like he was enveloped in a massive conspiracy. This conspiracy seemed to have started the moment he arrived in this world. It felt like everything he did in the Demon Realm was under someone else’s control and surveillance, even this conversation with Haowei right now…
A chill ran down his spine, making him instinctively wrap his wings around himself.
Seeing this movement, Haowei found him somewhat adorable, looking silly and absent-minded, like the naive fool in the human world with only a shred of soul left.
“Not long after Yu Wuxia fell into the Demon Realm, three Buddhas consecutively fell from the Thirty-Three Heavens. This incident became a taboo in the Thirty-Three Heavens and is prohibited from being mentioned.”
Si Lan’s mouth twitched. It turned out even Buddhas had taboos.
It seemed that even after achieving Buddhahood, it was difficult to truly attain indifference and desirelessness, free from joy and sorrow.
“Where is Yu Wuxia now?”
“After falling into the Demon Path, Yu Wuxia’s whereabouts have been elusive. The last sighting was two hundred years ago.”
This audacious young Buddhist disciple, who indulged in pleasure in the Thirty-Three Heavens, became restrained and disappeared from sight for a century.
It was indeed quite strange.
“However…” Haowei paused, looking up at Si Lan.
Si Lan, upon hearing this, widened his round eyes and tiptoed, his tail erect, earnestly listening to Haowei speak.
Softening a bit, Haowei teased him deliberately, speaking slowly, “However, some days ago, scouts reported seeing Yu Wuxia’s figure appearing in Yingzhou.”
“Yingzhou?” Si Lan couldn’t help but lean closer to Haowei, a tuft of green fur on his brow trembling.
“Mm.” Haowei continued calmly, extending his hand to stroke Si Lan’s little head.
Lost in thought, Si Lan didn’t realize he was being petted until he reacted, caught in Haowei’s embrace.
He hurriedly flapped his wings, struggling to break free, but his claws were sharp and accidentally scratched Haowei’s back. He immediately stopped struggling, holding his breath, staring wide-eyed at the two wounds on Haowei’s hand.
Haowei glanced at the wounds, seemingly unconcerned. Instead, he asked, “What’s wrong? Is it uncomfortable for me to hold you like this?”
“… Si Lan.”
For a moment, Si Lan wondered if Haowei had been possessed, otherwise, why would his temper vary so greatly?
Previously, this person had a face like a demon, with cold words and little desire. Even after revealing his identity, he still intended to punish him. How did he suddenly transform into a gentle and considerate demeanor?
Could it be that he’s also brewing some grand conspiracy?
Si Lan suddenly recalled what Haowei had once told him.
“The reason why the Feathered Jia clan was exterminated is because their flesh grants immortality, their blood revives the dead, and their bones are divine treasures and immortal objects. Thus, they were not only sought after as supplements by myriad beasts but also coveted as weapons.”
Now, was Haowei planning to eat his flesh, drink his blood, or extract his bones?
The more Si Lan thought about it, the more guarded he became.
Seeing Si Lan remain silent, Haowei couldn’t help but bend down. His previously proud expression now carried an imperceptible tenderness and caution. “Did I hurt you?”
Si Lan’s face filled with terror. He folded his wings across his chest and swallowed nervously. “N-no.” He needed to find a way out of this unpredictable person’s grasp as soon as possible.
Otherwise, he might end up being devoured entirely, and when Qu Ze and the others came to collect his corpse, there wouldn’t be much left.
Haowei sensed that Si Lan seemed somewhat different from before, more resistant towards him. He attributed it to Si Lan recognizing his true form and feeling uncomfortable, so he didn’t think much of it.
At that moment, a celestial general’s voice came from outside the hall.
“Your Majesty, Fairy Qu Yu is injured and requests an audience with Your Majesty.”
Haowei responded indifferently, “If she’s injured, she should see a physician. Why come to see me?”
“The Fairy Qu Yu says she has an important matter to report.”
Haowei fell silent for a moment, glanced at Si Lan beside him, lifted Si Lan off and placed him on his lap, the desk in front conveniently blocking Si Lan’s figure.
“Summon her into the hall.”
Haowei had some insight into Fairy Qu Yu’s thoughts, but he had never taken her seriously.
Firstly, he hadn’t resolved the divine injury on his body, so he wasn’t considering personal matters.
Secondly, he didn’t like Fairy Qu Yu.
Fairy Qu Yu entered the hall with two young men, limping and covered in dust, their faces flushed red as if they had just lost a fight.
Seeing this, Haowei’s expression turned cold. “What’s the matter?”
“Your Majesty, you must intervene for us.” Fairy Qu Yu’s voice trembled with tears in her eyes, looking pitiful. “Your Majesty, earlier, Tongyi and Boqing and I took shelter near the Parasol Tree and encountered a strange wild rooster. Though it appeared like a wild rooster, it had phoenix wings. With those wings, it blew the three of us away, even uprooting the Parasol Tree!”
After Fairy Qu Yu finished speaking, the atmosphere in the hall abruptly fell silent, almost to the point where one could hear a pin drop.
After a moment, Haowei lifted Si Lan and placed him on the desk. “Is this the wild rooster?”
“…” Si Lan.
Can you be a bit more polite?
Fairy Qu Yu immediately stared wide-eyed at Si Lan, recognizing the culprit behind it all. She couldn’t help but feel wronged, tears streaming down her face as she knelt before Haowei.
“Your Majesty, it’s indeed this wild rooster.”
“Your Majesty, you must intervene for us.” Tongyi and Boqing also knelt, pleading with Haowei.
Today, Si Lan finally understood what it meant to be “the guilty party gets there first.” These three clearly insulted him and bullied him first, but when they couldn’t beat him, they ran to Haowei for protection.
Tsk tsk.
This is how people in the heavenly realm are.
Haowei lowered his head to look at Si Lan. Si Lan’s eyes, as black as precious gems, now carried a hint of disdain and arrogance. His two bright red wings were slightly raised, as if he was flexing them. Though his face was hidden by feathers, his expressive emotions were still evident.
Unable to help himself, Haowei chuckled indulgently and reached out to stroke Si Lan’s head. In a voice only they could hear, he said, “Do you know you’ve caused quite a stir? Fairy Qu Yu is the princess of the Phoenix Clan.”
Si Lan felt aggrieved. “I didn’t provoke them actively. They were the ones who bullied too much.”
Having spent so much time with Si Lan, Haowei naturally understood his temperament. Si Lan was not one to pick fights or be verbose. Facing Fairy Qu Yu and her group, he must have endured until he couldn’t anymore, risking exposure by revealing his phoenix wings to blow them away.
However, Haowei now wanted an excuse to keep Si Lan by his side. “Both you and Qu Yu claim to be in the right. How can I trust you?”
Si Lan’s mouth twitched. He turned his head away, refusing to look at Haowei, adopting an indifferent demeanor.
Fine, if it came to it, he would deal with him as he had dealt with others, and blow him away with a gust of wind, preferably straight back to the Demon Realm.
Haowei continued to lightly stroke his head, as if coaxing a child. Each word was deliberate. “The Heavenly Family has always had close ties with the Phoenix Clan. If I offend Fairy Qu Yu for your sake, I fear…”
Si Lan suddenly covered his ears with his wings, clearly indicating he wasn’t listening and didn’t care for Haowei’s lofty words. Why bother with such pompous talk? If he wanted to punish him, just do it directly.
Seeing this, Haowei couldn’t help feeling both amused and exasperated. He maintained a cold expression on his face.
Is this little wild rooster actually angry?
Seems like it.
But he had to admit, Si Lan looked quite adorable when he was angry.
Haowei shifted his gaze back to Qu Yu. “You must have mistaken it. It’s my pet, and it has no phoenix wings.”
“But Your Majesty, we did see a pair…” Qu Yu began, but met Haowei’s unwavering gaze and abruptly fell silent, as if overwhelmed by his imposing presence, fearfully lowering her head.
Haowei’s voice turned colder. “I released it to play earlier, and it returned injured. Did you have a hand in that too?”
“No, Your Majesty, we didn’t harm it!”
“Yeah, Your Majesty, we just mocked the little thing a bit. We definitely didn’t harm it!”
Tongyi and Boqing blurted out the truth in their desperation.
Qu Yu’s expression darkened upon hearing this, and he quickly gestured around with his eyes, signaling the two to be quiet.
They shouldn’t speak, so they shouldn’t add fuel to the fire.
Haowei’s gaze grew even more intense, and the oppressive atmosphere in the hall felt like a dense web, enveloping the three of them, making them uneasy.
“Hmm? Are you mocking him?”
The three held their breath, speechless.
Haowei continued, “He is my pet. Why mock him?”
Si Lan, upon hearing “pet,” curled his claws in irritation.
He knew Haowei had never considered him an equal.
Oh well, he had always thought of the little white dragon as a “little thing” anyway.
Qu Yu and the others paled even further at these words. None of them had heard that Haowei suddenly had a beloved pet chicken.
No wonder the chicken had remained calm when faced with their mockery earlier; its master turned out to be Haowei.
“Your Majesty, please forgive us! We truly didn’t know it was Your Majesty’s pet.” Qu Yu had wanted to please Haowei. Before seeking his judgment, she had even messed up her hair and injured herself in several places, hoping to garner Haowei’s pity.
But they never imagined that the chicken they provoked was actually Haowei’s pet.
Qu Yu felt extremely regretful.
Haowei sneered, “Oh… So if he wasn’t my pet, you could freely ridicule him?”
“Your Majesty, I… I didn’t mean that…”
“Forget it. For the sake of the Phoenix Clan’s face, I won’t hold you accountable, Qu Yu. However, from now on, you need not appear in the Jade Clear Palace.”
“Your Majesty…”
“Leave.” Haowei didn’t give Qu Yu a chance to explain and directly ordered the celestial attendants to escort her out.
Qu Yu left with red eyes, choked with emotion.
Si Lan hadn’t expected Haowei to dismiss Qu Yu like this. He had thought Haowei’s earlier words meant he couldn’t defend him.
Now, he realized he had misunderstood Haowei’s intentions and felt somewhat embarrassed.
This Emperor seemed to have a bit of conscience after all, just not much.
Haowei’s hand fell on Si Lan again, lifting his wings to inspect him. “Any injuries?”
“None.” Si Lan tried to retract his wings, but Haowei lifted him up instead. In the next moment, Haowei turned him upside down, parting his layers of feathers to check his condition.
Si Lan shivered involuntarily when his feathers were turned upside down, subconsciously gripping Haowei’s sleeve with his claws.
“What are you doing?”
“Checking your condition.”
“I told you I’m not injured. Now put me down!”
“Oh?” Haowei’s voice contained a hint of amusement. His gaze swept over Si Lan’s tail feathers, some of which were exceptionally beautiful. He figured those two feathers Si Lan had given him were also plucked from his tail.
His hand lightly touched the tail feathers with a hint of vengeance as he spoke, “Since you are both a divine bird and the son of the Heavenly Way, I wonder if your body is different from that of ordinary men?”
“…” Si Lan.
Si Lan had once teased Haowei like this. Later, he even scorned Haowei for having only one. Now, he found himself being teased, scared as he covered the tail area with both wings, his round black eyes widened, slightly frightened as he looked at Haowei, “Don’t talk nonsense! I’m perfectly normal!”
Haowei chuckled inwardly but showed no change on his face. He didn’t tease Si Lan further and let him go.
Even if Qu Yu and others have offended you with their words, you cannot simply dismiss them. Qu Yu is a princess of the Phoenix Clan. If she finds out you are Mo Zun Si Lan, it may lead to conflict between the Phoenix Clan and the Demon Realm again.
The relationship between the Phoenix Clan and the Demon Realm has always been poor, starting with the stories involving Si Shaoxun, Luo Hui, and the former princess of the Phoenix Clan, Ju Zhu.
Before Luo Hui appeared, everyone assumed Si Shaoxun would be with Ju Zhu, believing them to be the most compatible couple. Though they never had a formal engagement, the Phoenix Clan already considered Si Shaoxun their future son-in-law.
However, no one expected Si Shaoxun to be severely injured and fall into the Demon Realm, where he was saved by a “wild chicken” named Luo Hui. Luo Hui intervened and married Si Shaoxun, causing great humiliation to the Phoenix Clan, which severed ties with Si Shaoxun.
Later, Si Shaoxun fell into darkness, leading to direct opposition between the two sides.
It’s rumored that Luo Hui’s death was due to her jealousy of Si Shaoxun’s lingering affection for Ju Zhu. She attacked Ju Zhu but was fatally wounded by the divine mark on Ju Zhu’s body, leading to her demise.
The divine mark on Ju Zhu’s body was promised by the Lord of Sorrow to protect the Phoenix Clan. In this life, the Phoenix Clan has placed the divine mark on Ju Zhu.
Anyone who attacks someone protected by the divine mark will face its retaliation; their wounds will not heal, and their blood will not stop flowing, leading to a painful death.
Upon learning of Luo Hui’s death, Haowei understood why Si Lan was looking for Jiuying. Because the person Si Lan wants to kill, or deal with, is the Lord of Sorrow, whose cultivation has reached the level of a Son of Heaven.
Si Lan said, “The Demon Realm is not something the Phoenix Clan can provoke at will now.” When he blew away Fairy Qu Yu, he already suspected her identity.
Qu Yu should be the niece of that old witch Ju Zhu.
But so what.
He wasn’t afraid.
Haowei’s lips moved as if he wanted to say something but held back, only furrowing his brow and gazing deeply at Si Lan.
What does this little fool want to do, leaving him no choice but to help him.
Because, the little fool is his only warmth in the calamities of the mortal world.
“The fragment of the heavenly finger is also in Yingzhou,” Haowei suddenly said.
Si Lan was stunned, Yingzhou…
Yu Wuxia’s figure had also appeared in Yingzhou. Was this just a coincidence?
And why did Haowei suddenly say this?
Does he know about his grievances with the Phoenix Clan?
Yes, Haowei’s words imply that he has already investigated everything about him.
Since he is no longer hiding, Si Lan lowered his voice coldly, “Then you should know what I want to do with that fragment of the heavenly finger.”
“Well, ten thousand years ago, the Lord of Sorrow owed a favor to the Phoenix Clan. The Phoenix Clan proposed that he lay down the divine mark to protect the people of the Phoenix Clan. However, the Lord of Sorrow did not intend to harm your mother intentionally.”
“Yes, he did not intend to harm my mother, but if I kill Ju Zhu, it will inevitably break the divine mark. Will the Lord of Sorrow feel the disorder of the divine mark and come out to stop me?”
In Haowei’s heart, the phrase “I’m here” surged out, but before he could speak, he saw Si Lan turn away from him and look out of the hall.
Si Lan continued, “So I must find a way to restrain the Lord of Sorrow, so that my revenge will be foolproof.”
Moreover, is the Lord of Sorrow really innocent?
When he first gave the divine mark to the Phoenix Clan, he should have anticipated that innocent people might die under the divine mark, but he still didn’t care. Perhaps the Lord of Sorrow, like Bian Rang, sees all living beings as ants, without any empathy at all.
Thinking of this, Si Lan looked up at Haowei.
The Lord of Sorrow is one of the two emperors in the immortal realm, older than Haowei’s grandfather, and has the deepest qualifications in the immortal realm today. Therefore, if he really fights the Lord of Sorrow, Haowei will certainly stand on the Lord of Sorrow’s side.
Initially, when he learned that Haowei was his fated one, he was so happy because of this reason. He thought he could win over Haowei and make the heavenly realm stand on his side. Now, it turns out to be a misunderstanding.
Si Lan still felt a little lost in his heart. “Your Majesty, thank you for settling the dispute between me and the Phoenix Clan today. I still have things to do, so I’ll leave first.”
“Are you going to Yingzhou in the Eastern Sea?” Haowei asked.
“I… didn’t plan to go,” Si Lan said insincerely, fearing that Haowei would stop him if he knew he was going.
However, Haowei didn’t believe him. “Good, I have something to do and need to go to Yingzhou. You can accompany me.”
“…” Si Lan.
He really didn’t say he was going to Yingzhou in the Eastern Sea!
But Haowei didn’t give him a chance to explain. He lifted him with his wings and held him in his arms. “Be careful following me.”
His two claws were forced to step on Haowei’s palm, feeling the warmth of his palm, somewhat hot, while above his head was his chest.
He could feel the other’s eyes staring at him all the time, warm breath falling from top to bottom on his head. Feeling uncomfortable, he shifted his claws, trying to find a topic. “Yu Wuxia appeared in Yingzhou. Could she also be looking for the end of the paper for Heavenly Cultivation…”
“Well, it’s possible.”
The atmosphere fell silent again, and Si Lan tried to find a topic. “Some time ago, I went to Qiangjue Mountain to see the Divine Seer. The Divine Seer said that person’s purpose was not to harm the Six Realms.”
Haowei originally wanted to say the Divine Seer was unreliable, but suddenly remembered that Si Lan had relied on the guidance of the Divine Seer when he picked him up on Qianqiong Sand Island. So he held back his words.
That ancient turtle spirit, usually full of tricks and deceptions, ended up inadvertently helping Si Lan meet him.
“Perhaps his purpose is not to harm the Six Realms, but he also doesn’t regard the life and death of the Six Realms as important.” Otherwise, he wouldn’t have allowed Jiuying and Dayong to cause trouble in the mortal world.
Si Lan nodded, feeling like there was something he had overlooked, but despite recalling segments of memories, nothing came to mind. His mind was in turmoil, but he couldn’t make sense of it.
In the blink of an eye, he and Haowei had arrived at Yingzhou.
Yingzhou, where peach blossoms bloom year-round, immortal mist swirls, and countless exquisite buildings grace the land.
As soon as they landed, Si Lan felt a fragrance permeating the air, like the scent of peach blossoms mixed with something else. A gust of wind blew, petals fluttered down, painting the ground in crimson.
Si Lan asked, “Where is the end of the paper now in Yingzhou?”
Haowei explained, “After Jiuying killed Bian Rang, this long sword fell into Fan Yu’s hands. Fan Yu attempted to destroy the sword but was instead pierced through the chest, losing much of his cultivation. Later, Fan Yu had no choice but to seal the sword in Yingzhou in the Eastern Sea. Thousands of years later, this sword may have absorbed the spiritual energy of Yingzhou and cultivated into human form.”
No wonder it’s not listed on the Six Realms’ Weaponry List; it turned out it had cultivated into human form.
Si Lan asked, “Who holds this sword now in Yingzhou?”
“Yide Xianjun.”
“…”
Yide Xianjun is the lord of Yingzhou. Three hundred years ago, he entered reincarnation and later returned to his position. Unexpectedly, this immortal lord turned out to be a fragment of the heavenly finger.
Si Lan hesitated, furrowing his brow. “So, can he still transform into a sword?”
“If he jumps into the furnace, he naturally can transform back into a sword,” Haowei replied.
“…” Si Lan.
T/N: Hey there! 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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If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
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How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
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