At the sacred grounds of the Demon Phoenix Clan, the Hundred Birds Valley.
A cloud arrow streaked across the sky that stretched as far as the eye could see. The sky seemed as if it had been split into two as the birds that inhabited the Hundred Birds Valley burst into a clamor and flew out in a mad rush in terror.
The sight of more than three hundred to four hundred birds bursting into flight painted a riot of colors, creating an extremely spectacular scene.
At the same time, in a bamboo stilt house located in the Hundred Birds Valley.
There was a stifling and depressed atmosphere permeating the expansive building. Ji He was Ji YunLang’s grandfather. With his back to the stairs, Ji He’s face was full of anger. His right palm was pressed tightly to the table with twisted fingers, and his hair seemed about to curl up.
The roar that had just scared off the numerous birds came from him. One could tell that he was furious with a look.
“Great Elder, do you mean leave the death of my grandson uninvestigated?!” Ji He was so angry that he could hardly breathe. He would never leave this matter at that if the Great Elder did not give him a reasonable explanation.
Currently, the people outside all thought that Ji YunLang was just missing. In actual fact, only those from the Demon Phoenix Clan know that Ji YunLang was dead. The Phoenix Clan had a Lifebound Tower and enshrined in the tower were the the Lifebound Heart Fires of all the members of the Demon Phoenix Clan. The Heart Fire would extinguish upon the death of that person.
Ji YunLang’s Heart Fire would instantly extinguish if he died.
Nothing could surpass the anger of Ji He who had placed all his hopes on Ji YunLang.
He had later heard that it was probably the work of the TianGou. This rumor was repeated till it became a fact as and more and more people began to talk about it. Ji He was then convinced that it was the TianGou who had killed Ji YunLang. He hoped that the Demon Phoenix Clan would send someone to the Ghost Tomb Mountain Range to launch a punitive expedition on the TianGou.
However, his actions were stopped by the Great Elder Ji Weng.
Ji Weng was the most respected person in the Demon Phoenix Clan and had absolute authority. He was second only to the Master of the Demon Phoenix Valley who had already been in secluded cultivation for five hundred years. Now, all trivial and major matters in the Valley had to gain his nod of approval before it could be done. Thus, even Ji He could not directly rebel against him if he opposed it.
Thus this scene came about.
Everyone was gathered to discuss this matter.
Old Monk Ji Weng opened his partially-closed eyes. His expression was without the slightest ripple, akin to a well that had been steeping for thousands of years. He started to speak after a while, breaking the tense atmosphere in the building, “Ji YunLang was not killed by the TianGou.”
“For what reason is the Great Elder so certain that YunLang wasn’t killed by the TianGou?” Ji He’s expression was fierce and harsh. Although YunLang’s two legs had been destroyed, his cultivation base was still intact. His goal could still be achieved with careful nurturing. But now, if he just left it at that and said that he was gone, wouldn’t it be letting Ji NingYu off lightly?
Ji Weng calmly stated, “Ji YunLang he had been recuperating from his injury in the Hundred Birds Valley before he went missing. It’s impossible for me to fail to discover someone if they sneaked into the Hundred Birds Valley and secretly took him away. The only other explanation is that he left the Hundred Birds Valley by himself.”
Though Ji YunLang’s legs were gone, it was not difficult for him to leave the Hundred Birds Valley if he wished to.
Ji He could not refute this point.
“Even if YunLang had left the Hundred Birds Valley by himself, why is the Great Elder so convinced that it was not the people from TianGou who had captured him?”
Ji Weng stroked his grizzled beard and just as he opened his mouth to explain, a tender, chubby and white little hand suddenly reached out from under the table.
Ji Weng suddenly bent down as the hand was about to grab his beard. A hint of a smile suddenly flashed through his calm eyes as he looked at the owner of the little hand, “You naughty boy, Grandpa is talking now. Don’t interrupt.”
The others were stunned and they looked underneath the table one after another.
It was only now they discovered that there was a fat and white baby wearing only a small red dudou under the table. The baby looked to be about two years old and had chubby cheeks, big and limpid eyes and was blowing spit bubbles. The baby was extraordinary adorable.
t/n: Dudou(Belly wraps) is a type of undergarment that cover the chest and belly, typically worn by children. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dudou
He was the only one who could make the Great Elder smile.
The apple of the Great Elder’s eye was called Ji NingYu. The Great Elder always liked to refer to himself as Grandpa though Ji NingYu was not his blood-related grandchild. Moreover, he delighted in such a thing and never got tired, and he truly cared for Ji NingYu as if he was his blood-related grandson.
The fat baby did not take his words to heart. Two short and chubby hands held onto the Great Elder’s leg as he climbed up the leg as if it was a rockface. Then he sat his butt down in the Great Elder’s arms.
Ji Weng had an expression of indulgence and even helped him adjust his position.
Other than Ji He’s expression which was awfully unsightly, everyone else laughed tactfully. The Hundred Birds Valley Bird Valley had been filled with much joyous laughter ever since the fat baby arrived.
Furthermore, the fat baby’s cultivation was already very high even though he looked only two years old.
This was only natural. It would be a joke if his cultivation was low. He had swallowed half of You XiaoMo’s spiritual water lake the moment he was born, and nearly got roasted and eaten by You XiaoMo.
Ji Weng made him obediently sit and stop making trouble before he answered Ji He’s question, “Ji YunLang had been recuperating from his injury in the valley. He should also know that he could not go out as he pleased in his situation, what’s more his injury had not completely healed. Then why would he secretly go out of the valley and not even bring Ji Wen? Has the Second Elder thought about this?”
Ji He’s expression was was shadowy and obscure. He had not thought of this question. His mood had been irascible ever since he knew that his grandson had died, where would he have to time to think so much?
Ji Weng continued, “The only explanation is that someone used an excuse to draw Ji YunLang out and made him go alone. This person must be Ji YunLang’s acquaintance and have a close relationship with him.”
“What the Great Elder said makes sense. Ji YunLang and the members of the TianGou had never really interacted. It seemed that someone wanted to shift the blame onto the TianGou and make us focus our attention on them.” The Fourth Elder nodded and was the first to go along with what the Great Elder said.
The Third Elder added, “I’ve heard that there are missing descendants from in Qilin Clan, the True Dragon Clan and the Black Turtle Clan too. In this case, they were most likely killed like Ji YunLang had been. Although the TianGou is really strong, they are not strong enough to resist the Four Clans at the same time. I suspect that there is an alarming conspiracy brewing here.”
The others all started to echo what was said as it was presented in a proper and logical manner.
Ji Weng nodded too. The fat baby in his arms also nodded as if he was a tiny adult.
The solemn atmosphere in the building was instantly broken by him.
Ji Weng smiled and stroked his little head, yet he was looking at Ji He whose expression was becoming increasingly overcast, “You will only fall into the enemy’s trap if you insist on getting revenge on the TianGou. Now that they are in the shadow and we are in the light, we must be more prudent.”
Ji He knew that he could not persuade them any more upon seeing that everyone agreed with the Great Elder. The Third Elder had supported him originally, but since YunLang’s mishap, the Third Elder completely sided with the Great Elder. Now he was alone and helpless and could only compromise.
“Don’t tell me YunLang will not be avenged anymore? And what will others think of the Demon Phoenix Clan if we don’t take any action?!” The more he thought about it, the more unwilling he was to let it drop. All his hopes were gone when his grandson died.
“Keep calm, Ji He. We’re not the only ones who have lost their descendants. The other three clans are bound to make a move. We’ll see how they proceed for the time being. There’s too many involved in this matter and its impossible for a solution to be reached in a short while.” Ji Weng said calmly as his hands began to suppress the increasingly restless baby in his arms.
Ji Hei looked at the interaction between the grandparent and grandson and a cold glint flashed through his eyes.
This damned old fart must be very pleased in his heart. With YunLang dead, there was no one who would vie over the Demon Phoenix Clan with the apple of his eye. He did not believe that Ji Weng could continue to sit here calmly if the one who died was Ji NingYu.
Furthermore, why did it have to be his grandson?
Ever since YunLang met You XiaoMo and Ling Xiao, first the Fire Elemental Essence was snatched by them, then even his legs were gone, and now his life was lost.
At the thought of this, Ji He was close to vomiting to death. He itched to slaughter You XiaoMo and Ling Xiao. Everything started because of them. Without them, YunLang would not have died.
At this moment, Ji He put the blame for nearly all of this onto You XiaoMo and Ling Xiao. The anger wafting off him seemed as if it was about to break through the horizon.
The big black eyes of the fat baby stared at Ji He’s resentful back as he left. Ji He’s figure was reflected in the the black and shiny pupils as a strange smile showed on his chubby cheeks.
The smile lasted only for a second before Ji Weng’s hand pinched his cheek as he doted, “You little rascal/brat, didn’t Grandpa teach you that you should just think of it in your heart or it would be easy to be seen through?”
The fat baby only heard the first three words, reminding him of a name he had always wanted to forget – HunQiu. This was the name bestowed upon him by the Boss. He really both loved and hated it!
He loved it because no one else had enjoyed this honor of being the only one who had been bestowed a name by the Boss. He hated it because the name was awful!
However, he did not want to let any single one who dared to opposed his Master and the Boss off.
Thus, under circumstances unknown to You XiaoMo, his HunQiu had grown up crooked.