Her bloodred eyes stared Mo Ran down as she spit out each syllable.
“No right—to make demands—of me!”
An explosive sound came from above, then the phoenix dove toward Mo Ran with a screech.
Bang!
Another deafening sound, louder than the last, like the awakening of an ancient dragon from its thousand years of slumber as it smashed through stone and earth to burst forth from the depths of the ground.
The phoenix was met by a golden light, and the force of the impact sent shock waves through the air. The weaker members of the feathered tribe shrieked as the gales bashed into them. Some even spat blood as they were thrown dozens of feet away.
The tempest swept through Campsis Pavilion, instantly obliterating trees and buildings until they were leveled to the ground.
When the dust settled, a slender, familiar figure was in the air in front of Mo Ran, shielding him.
“Sh-Shizun…?!”
Robes white as snow, sleeves billowing in the wind. When he heard Mo Ran’s call, his face turned slightly, his expression as cool and composed as ever, and his phoenix eyes swept over Mo Ran where he knelt on the ground. Chu Wanning’s voice was cold and deep, like clear water from the well on a hot summer’s day. “Are you injured?”
Mo Ran was too stunned to react. His eyes were wide, and his mouth opened in shock as he gaped wordlessly.
Chu Wanning looked him up and down and detected no obvious injuries, so he turned back to the Elder Immortal. “Weren’t you asking who his master was a moment ago?” He released his terrifyingly potent spiritual energy and slowly descended to the ground, where he said, simply and sharply, with not a single superfluous word, “Chu Wanning of Sisheng Peak. Show me your best move.”
“Wh-what?”
Chu Wanning frowned. It looked like these bird people didn’t understand etiquette. That was fine by him. He was out of patience. “I said, I am his master.” A pause. “And I don’t remember giving you permission to hurt my disciple.”
The Elder Immortal might have been called an immortal, but this was only on account of her noble bloodline—she was far from an actual immortal. In their exchange moments ago, Chu Wanning had shattered her phoenix and Tianwen had slashed her arm. She wore a sour expression as she held her limb, black blood seeping from between her fingers. “H-how dare you—a mere mortal! Who let you into Peach Blossom Springs?! How did you even get in here?!” She was almost crazed. “You conceited—”
Slash!
Tianwen appeared as summoned and lashed straight across her face, splitting the corner of her lips and spilling blood.
“Yes? Go on,” Chu Wanning said with a cold smile as he smoothed down his sleeve, which had fallen slightly askew while he brandished Tianwen. Then he grabbed Mo Ran by the collar and dragged him upright with one hand, eyes never once leaving the Elder Immortal. “You were saying? I’m a conceited what?”
“H-h-how dare you, you—”
“Why wouldn’t I dare?” Chu Wanning gazed at her, unimpressed. “What ought I be afraid of?” He paused, then pulled Mo Ran closer. “Listen up: This person is mine. I’m taking him.”
Mo Ran hadn’t even recovered from his shock at Chu Wanning’s sudden god-like descent before he was smashed into smithereens by the words, “This person is mine.”
“Sh…Shizun…”
“Shut your trap.” Chu Wanning’s face was as impassive as ever, but Mo Ran could clearly see the anger simmering in his eyes. “All you ever do is bring me trouble. Can’t do anything right.”
This scold was punctuated by a slap to the back of his head. Then Chu Wanning took off into the air with Mo Ran in tow, and he was dozens of feet away in a single leap. By the time Mo Ran realized what was happening, they were at the barren outskirts of Peach Blossom Springs.
“Shizun! My shidi is still back there—”
Chu Wanning glanced at him and let out a cold hmph at the panic on his face. “Shidi? The one named Xia?”
“Yes, he’s still at Campsis Pavilion. I have to go save him—”
Chu Wanning lifted a hand to interrupt. “I already sent him to Xuanji with a spell. There’s no need to worry.”
Mo Ran finally let out the breath he was holding and lifted his eyes to look at Chu Wanning. “Shizun, why…are you here?”
Chu Wanning had been woken by the commotion outside his room, and when he saw that the situation was dire, he’d quickly taken one of Tanlang’s pills to temporarily regain his adult form. He couldn’t explain that to Mo Ran right now, so he only said, icy as ever, “Why can’t I be here?” Then he lifted a hand and manifested a golden haitang on the tip of his finger.
“Withered blooms outside the wistful tower / Night and spring breeze down the Qiantang River.” Chu Wanning lowered his lashes and blew gently on the flower bud, which instantly bloomed with a flourish of resplendent light. He flicked his slender fingertip and gave it a quiet command: “Seek.”
The haitang flower drifted away with the wind and disappeared into the forest.
“Shizun, what spell was that?” Mo Ran asked curiously.
“Flower Toss.”
“Huh?”
“Flower Toss.” Chu Wanning’s expression was totally serious, without the slightest hint of humor. “It didn’t have a name, but since you asked, I’ve given it one.”
Mo Ran’s mouth hung open. This guy could not possibly be this lazy.
“The sect leader already told me what happened.” Chu Wanning gazed in the direction where the haitang had gone, voice deep and cold as always, like jade in the flow of a stream. “The person responsible for these events is likely also responsible for the incident at Jincheng Lake. I’m afraid that the Zhenlong Chess Formation has been performed here at Peach Blossom Springs as well.”
Mo Ran was startled. “How could that be?”
He’d excelled at the Zhenlong Chess Formation in his previous lifetime, and when Eighteen was killed, he had checked for signs of its use. This forbidden technique was always accompanied by the stench of blood—once unleashed, murder was inevitable. So, one only had to look for intense yet seemingly unfounded resentful energy to determine whether the Zhenlong Chess Formation had been deployed in the vicinity. If this mysterious person had indeed used that forbidden technique again, he would have had to pull it off perfectly. Otherwise, Mo Ran would have been able to detect it.
There was a tinge of suspicion in the look Chu Wanning threw him, and Mo Ran hurried to explain himself. “I mean…they’re all half-immortal at Peach Blossom Springs. How could they miss a forbidden technique being used here?”
Chu Wanning shook his head. “This person had already proved themselves capable of controlling the ancient spirit beasts of Jincheng Lake. Although spirit beasts can’t hope to compare to holy beasts in terms of strength, they are equipollent to demi-immortals. As he was able to control Jincheng Lake, he is very likely doing the same at Peach Blossom Springs right now.”
“I see…”
“Mn.”
Mo Ran lifted his head, the bashful grin on his face framed with dimples. “Shizun, what does equipollent mean?”
Chu Wanning gave him a look.