Chapter 77 – Leaving and escaping home

Chapter 77 – Leaving and escaping home

 

On the way, Jian Luo was eagerly anticipating where Zhan Wentai would take him, carrying beautiful fantasies about these moments. They walked together with the priest leading the way, and Jian Luo followed closely behind.

 

Zhan Wentai deliberately stopped.

 

Jian Luo asked, “Where are you taking me?”

 

“To the sacred place,” Zhan Wentai, with his dignified appearance, naturally gave a sense of loftiness when speaking. “The sacred place of the Phoenix Platform.”

 

Jian Luo exclaimed, “Wow, impressive.”

 

The sacred place of the Phoenix Terrace was actually similar to that of the Dragon Clan, with their styles being remarkably alike. The Phoenix Clan deservedly held the status of divine beings, with a strong connection to the divine. The vast Phoenix Platform was shaped like a phoenix spreading its wings, with a hollow center and spiral staircases all around. Climbing up those stairs was a bit tiring.

 

Jian Luo, panting, asked, “Why don’t we use an elevator here?”

 

“There are no elevators here,” Zhan Wentai turned and said. “Generally, in places like this, we use flight.”

 

“Flight?” Jian Luo was surprised. “Really? I haven’t seen a Phoenix fly yet.”

 

Zhan Wentai glanced at him, as if Jian Luo had made a terrifying request. He cleared his throat.

 

Jian Luo coughed lightly. “I understand now, it’s about pride.”

 

“Yes, it’s about loyalty to one’s partner,” Zhan Wentai walked alongside Jian Luo, his voice firm. “It’s a kind of fidelity we show to each other.”

 

Jian Luo expressed his admiration, thinking about how their culture was so rich in rituals, much like the Dragon Clan.

 

Zhan Wentai, like a knowledgeable teacher, enlightened his eager student. “Phoenixes fly for others, Dragons allow people to touch their horns easily, Bloodline vampires let people use their coffins, and Pixius reveal their true form to humans.”

 

Jian Luo blurted out, “Why?”

 

Zhan Wentai glanced at him. “Which one are you asking about?”

 

“The first few, I can understand,” Jian Luo scratched his head. “But why does a Pixiu reveal its true form?”

 

Zhan Wentai explained, “Pixius are known for bringing wealth. They are filled with wealth energy all over their bodies. Their Pixiu bones are valuable, and they will only reveal their true form to someone they trust deeply.”

 

Jian Luo provided an analogy, “So, you mean Pixius are like treasures themselves?”

 

Zhan Wentai nodded.

 

“Oh, I remember now. Long-ge (Elder Brother Dragon) said something similar. Dragon blood and scales are highly precious. Many people covet them. When the Dragon Clan was weaker, there were instances of small dragons being hunted for their scales and blood.”

 

Following that logic, wouldn’t the Phoenix Clan also have something that attracts others? Jian Luo furrowed his brows. “Do people covet something from the Phoenix Clan?”

 

Zhan Wentai, acting like a teacher, didn’t directly answer but asked, “What do you think?”

 

Jian Luo felt a bit uneasy. “Um, let me guess. Maybe they covet your beauty?”

 

Zhan Wentai glanced at him, and Jian Luo quickly looked away, feeling embarrassed.

 

“Phoenixes have the ability of rebirth through fire,” Zhan Wentai explained without reservation. “With the blood and bones of a Phoenix, one can resurrect a person.”

 

Jian Luo widened his eyes. That was incredible! Divine beasts were truly divine. It was almost like they had a cheat code!

 

Recalling what Zhan Wentai had said, he remembered that Dragon Clan blood could heal all wounds, and their scales were nearly indestructible. People coveted them too. When the Dragon Clan was weaker, if invaded by extraterrestrial forces, young dragons might be hunted for their scales and blood.

 

By extension, wouldn’t the abilities of the Phoenix Clan be even more coveted? Resurrection was extraordinary.

 

Jian Luo frowned, thinking about Pixius, the wealth-bringing divine beasts. They were treasures themselves, and their entire beings exuded wealth. Did that also make them targets for covetousness? An innocent person might be wrongly accused, and without strong abilities to protect themselves, they could end up as sacrifices.

 

Thinking of this, Jian Luo suddenly felt a bit desolate.

 

Finally, they arrived at the so-called sacred place. It was the treasure of the High Priest, and Jian Luo was filled with curiosity.

 

Zhan Wentai said, “This is my sacred place. Enter with reverence.”

 

Jian Luo was ready to enter with joy. “Alright, alright!”

 

The priest gestured for him to push the door. Though it felt a bit formal, as an obedient student, Jian Luo decided to respect the teacher’s wishes. He reached for the door and pushed it with a bit more force…

 

A moment of silence.

 

Not a single movement.

 

Jian Luo looked somewhat embarrassed. “Uh, this door is heavy, really heavy.”

 

“…”

 

Zhan Wentai took a step forward and gently pushed the door open.

 

“Creak.”

 

The grand door slowly rotated, and Jian Luo, full of anticipation for the Phoenix’s sacred place, was presented with rows upon rows of towering bookshelves that seemed to stretch to the horizon. It was truly breathtaking.

 

Jian Luo couldn’t help but speak, “Oh my, is this the sacred place?”

 

Zhan Wentai stood behind him and explained, “Knowledge is the most sacred power, and this is the treasure of the Phoenix Clan.”

 

Jian Luo was amazed.

 

He had thought that the entire floor of bookshelves on the 15th floor was impressive enough, but this was on a whole new level. Zhan Wentai continued, “When my heart is at peace, I come here to read. It helps me forget the pain.”

 

Jian Luo nodded, “Reading all of this, my head is buzzing with information. Teacher was right.”

 

Zhan Wentai gave him a cool glance.

 

Jian Luo, feeling guilty, mumbled, “Sorry.” There were stairs everywhere here, and since he was pregnant, he needed to be careful while walking. He easily got tired, especially after the long journey they had just taken.

 

Zhan Wentai extended his hand, his voice unusually gentle for the High Priest. “This place has steep stairs. Let me guide you.”

 

Jian Luo looked up at his face, the High Priest truly had an advanced appearance, and combined with his ethereal aura, he gave off the impression of being ready to ascend to the heavens at any moment. Moreover, he seemed quite gentle.

 

Thinking back, Jian Luo had previously considered Zhan Wentai to be rather stern, but now, he didn’t appear as strict as before.

 

Jian Luo walked over to Zhan Wentai, holding the priest’s slightly cold hand. It was a stark contrast to Zhan Wentai’s usual warm touch. “Thank you.”

 

Zhan Wentai led him down the stairs.

 

After a few levels, Zhan Wentai finally stopped on one of them and pointed upward, saying, “These are records left by humans when they first arrived on the Dark Star.”

 

Jian Luo was astonished. “Huh?”

 

He stared wide-eyed at the rows of text in front of him, then slowly walked to the next row and discovered that it was a series of dusty books. However, their preservation seemed nearly perfect.

 

Jian Luo turned to look at Zhan Wentai. “Have you studied these?”

 

“Yes,” Zhan Wentai nodded and pointed at the books. “Human languages are incredibly diverse, making translation a challenge.”

 

Jian Luo agreed wholeheartedly. Aside from Chinese and English, he couldn’t claim to be fluent in the other eight languages. He randomly picked up a book from the shelf, and luckily, it was in Chinese. The title read, “Records of the Underground City?”

 

A history book, perhaps. Jian Luo hadn’t lived through that period, but it didn’t hinder his interest in that part of history.

 

There were many books on the shelves, and Jian Luo began flipping through them one by one. He discovered that over the years, humans as a species had recorded and surveyed many planets during their long space travels, searching for a new home.

 

The Dark Star, according to human data analysis, was the most ecologically similar to Earth among the advanced planets. Jian Luo kept flipping until he thought he had reached the end of the book. However, as he was about to close it, he noticed a line of text at the very end: “Initial research suggests that the Dark Star’s original ecological circle has been disrupted, with the planet’s creatures losing their reproductive functions.”

 

This page was entirely in Chinese.

 

Jian Luo continued flipping and found some recipes and medicinal formulas at the end of the book. However, some of the characters were strange and unfamiliar.

 

It seemed that over the years, language had evolved and changed, even for the major languages like Chinese and English. Jian Luo turned to Zhan Wentai and asked, “Do you recognize these human languages?”

 

“I’ve studied them,” Zhan Wentai replied, walking beside Jian Luo. “If you need help, I can assist you.”

 

Jian Luo felt touched. “Thank you.”

 

What he thought was going to be a leisurely visit turned into a whole day immersed in the library. He had forgotten about everything else, engrossed in reading various records. He particularly focused on recipes, especially spicy ones, and diligently recorded them for future practical use.

 

Zhan Wentai asked, “Do you like spicy food?”

 

Jian Luo, still recording, replied, “Yes, Long-ge also likes spicy food.”

 

Zhan Wentai fell silent for a while.

 

After speaking, Jian Luo suddenly realized he was unconsciously paying attention to others’ preferences. Well, he was practically a half-boss now, so it made sense to care about these things. On the other hand, it was already evening.

 

Secretary Jin tried to contact Jian Luo several times, but there was no response. Normally, at this time, Jian Luo would have left the Planting base. Zhan Wentai might have requested for him to work overtime, but even in such cases, Jian Luo would have notified her in advance. Secretary Jin wondered what could be wrong.

 

She reluctantly called Lu Shifeng. “General.”

 

Lu Shifeng’s voice came through. “What is it?”

 

“Well, um…” Secretary Jin hesitated, “It seems that Luo Luo has temporarily lost contact. I tried to reach him several times, but he didn’t respond. Should we try to find him?”

 

Lu Shifeng furrowed his brows. “Where did he go?”

 

Secretary Jin had previously checked. “Luoluo should be with the High Priest, as he was there before. But now he’s not answering my calls, and I’m starting to think… he might be upset.”

 

It’s going to be a cold war!

 

After all, he had left home in anger but was thinking of making up later.

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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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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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