This was utterly speechless. Back in the day, the bald bird had fallen in love with a woman from the Celestial Deity Mountain, only to be forcibly separated? Shi Hao, Huo Ling’er, and the others exchanged glances, unsure of what to say.
“That old scoundrel once wreaked havoc on our Celestial Deity Mountain, plundering spiritual herbs, stealing sacred medicines, coveting our divine treasures, and deceiving my father—truly, there was no evil he didn’t commit! And now he dares to spout nonsense here? Seize him!” Fourth Master roared. Several powerful figures rushed forward from behind him, ready to apprehend the featherless freak.
The bald bird glared. “Stop! Why don’t you ask your aunt first? If you disrespect me now and end up upsetting her, you’ll have to apologize to me later!”
This was truly scandalous. The people of Celestial Deity Mountain hesitated, and the approaching figures slowed their steps. Even Fourth Master wavered. Though he was furious, he didn’t dare act rashly—what if he was wrong?
“Yun Canghai, Kong Qiuji has arrived! You’ve got quite the nerve, not even coming down to greet me!” the bald bird suddenly declared with an inexplicable air of authority, roaring up at the mountain.
“That old scoundrel…” Yun Xi was anything but calm. The bald bird had left the worst possible impression on her. She had long heard of this villain, and now he was even calling her grandfather by name!
The towering mountain loomed, draped in mist and radiant clouds. A divine rainbow descended, scattering holy light that parted the fog as an elder landed gracefully.
Shi Hao was no stranger to this man—he had once battled him in the Void God Realm, won his armguard, and even thrashed him soundly. The memory made the corner of his mouth twitch.
Yun Canghai, a venerable figure of his generation, naturally had keen perception. He immediately noticed Shi Hao’s expression and felt a pang of irritation. Damn it, this brat again! The past was too humiliating to recall. He had the urge to silence Shi Hao permanently, just to bury that dark chapter of his life. Otherwise, every time he saw the boy, his eyelid would twitch, and his heart would feel unbearably heavy.
But right now, his priority wasn’t Shi Hao—it was shutting up that bald bird, Kong Qiuji.
“Isn’t this the legendary swindler who once dominated the Desolate Wasteland? Kong Qiuji, what happened to you? Even your feathers have fallen out. I still remember the majestic Peacock Venerable, full of vigor and dominance. How did you end up like this?” Yun Canghai remarked.
The bald bird sneered. “What do you know? This is my rebirth. Once my divine feathers regrow, my godly might will blind you all!”
“Hah, hiding for so many years, I thought you’d already succeeded in your rebirth. Still, fleeing into the Hundred Shattered Mountains back then took some courage—I’ll give you that,” Yun Canghai said, his expression darkening. “But now, with your cultivation gone, you dare return to my Celestial Deity Mountain? Aren’t you afraid I’ll sacrifice you alive?”
“If I feared you, I wouldn’t have come! Without me, do you really think you can decipher that grand formation? Don’t kid yourselves—without the formation diagram, you’re still far from understanding it!” the bald bird retorted arrogantly, glaring at the mountain’s elders with disdain. “You want to leave? To escape this realm? Have you even asked for my permission? If I say no, you’re not going anywhere!”
His voice boomed, his gaze sweeping over Yun Canghai and the others with undeniable dominance, leaving the crowd stunned.
“You—!” Fourth Master seethed. The legendary villainous peacock had returned, openly berating his father in front of everyone. The audacity was unbearable.
“Hotheaded brat, don’t move. If you don’t believe me, ask your father—didn’t he once leave green droppings on my arm?” the bald bird said dismissively.
Fourth Master, a man of authority now in his middle age, felt his veins bulge. Could this shameless creature be any more outrageous? Whether true or not, bringing it up repeatedly in public—especially in front of juniors—was downright vile.
“Xiao Si, step back,” Yun Canghai ordered, preventing him from acting.
“Wait, so it’s true?” Shi Hao muttered, just loud enough for everyone to hear.
Someone stifled a laugh.
The entire Celestial Deity Mountain was steeped in awkwardness. Even Yun Xi felt dizzy—was this villainous peacock really as bad as the legends said, or were there hidden truths?
“You scoundrel, bullying children is hardly impressive. You’re just as unreasonable and wicked as ever,” Yun Canghai scoffed.
“Nonsense! It’s all your fault for tearing me and Meng Lan apart!” the bald bird shouted.
Fourth Master, Yun Xi, and the others pricked up their ears. This actually involved a major figure from their mountain—Yun Menglan!
Yun Canghai snorted. “If you hadn’t plundered our spiritual herbs, stolen sacred medicines, and coveted our divine treasures, would we have hunted you down?”
“Lies! I was just curious, exploring a little. You were just jealous that I, the transcendent Peacock Venerable, surpassed you all!”
It was clear to everyone that this was an old feud with tangled blame—neither side was innocent. The bald bird was no saint, and neither was Celestial Deity Mountain.
“Let’s go up the mountain and settle this properly. I’ll summon Menglan,” Yun Canghai said, a sly glint in his eye.
The bald bird immediately deflated. “No, don’t call her! How can I face her like this? Let’s just sit and talk. Once I regain my divine form, I’ll seek her out.”
Then, he abruptly raised his head. “Yun Canghai, don’t play games with me. The Peacock Venerable isn’t so easily exploited. If you want to master that formation, you’ll have to pay dearly today.”
The mountain was immense, its ancient stone path said to have been laid by a celestial deity in the primordial era, winding all the way to the summit. Moss-covered and serene, it exuded an air of immortal-seeking, further enhanced by the occasional spiritual herbs and auspicious beasts along the way.
“What an astonishing herb field!” Shi Hao marveled.
Near the peak, spiritual energy thickened, and radiant lights of various hues bloomed. A vast herb field thrived there, brimming with vitality and rich fragrance.
So many spiritual herbs growing together defied logic—this was a divine field cultivated by a primordial celestial deity, protected by a grand formation ensuring boundless energy. A spiritual spring nourished the land, sustaining its lushness.
The mountain was vast, with zones for fierce birds—each spanning dozens of meters, some even hundreds—and a beast region where terrifying roars echoed from within the formation, chilling the soul.
Only the mountaintop was tranquil.
Yun Canghai led them to a special area with two herb fields and a few thatched cottages, exuding an otherworldly aura.
“Let’s talk.” The two settled before a cottage, sitting on stone stools and sipping tea, their earlier hostility seemingly forgotten.
Meanwhile, Shi Hao and the others wandered near the herb fields.
“Yun Xi, what does your clan’s sacred medicine look like? Can we see it?” Huo Ling’er asked eagerly.
Shi Hao and the Nine-Headed Lion nodded vigorously. They had long heard of the sacred medicine but never seen it.
Yun Xi glanced around. The important figures had all left, angered by the bald bird—like Fourth Master, who had gone to verify past events with the elders.
After a moment’s hesitation, she agreed but sternly warned them—especially Shi Hao—to control the Emperor Butterfly. The area was protected by celestial formations; one misstep could mean annihilation.
The mountaintop was vast. Yun Xi led them to another zone, activating a formation that transported them into what seemed like a separate miniature world, isolated from the outside.
“Heavens, the spiritual energy here is so dense it’s liquefied!” the Fire Crow exclaimed.
Spiritual springs bubbled, lush vegetation flourished, and radiant flowers bloomed amidst strange rocks. Wisps of light condensed into droplets—pure spiritual liquid.
The group was speechless, awestruck.
“Are there many places like this?” Shi Hao asked.
“Not as concentrated, but there are several similar zones,” Yun Xi replied. The mountaintop was divided into dozens of such spaces by formations, each like its own miniature realm.
“This divine mountain is incredible!” the Nine-Headed Lion praised. What they had seen earlier was merely the surface—the true wonders lay hidden within the formations.
Venturing deeper, a faint fragrance wafted toward them, invigorating their souls.
“What ancient herb is this?” Huo Ling’er wondered.
They knew they were about to witness the sacred medicine—the source of this intoxicating scent.
After walking several miles, the fragrance intensified until they reached a small lake formed by liquefied spiritual energy.
Beneath the lake, glowing runes shimmered, alongside divine stones exuding primordial essence, nurturing the sacred plant.
It was a lotus, rooted in the lake, its entire form—stem and all—a radiant violet-gold, as if forged from divine metal.
“What sacred medicine is this? My soul feels incredibly soothed here,” the Fire Crow mused.
“Soul-Guiding Lotus,” Yun Xi answered. This sacred herb had existed for eons, its value beyond measure.
The lotus emitted a soft violet glow, wreathed in misty halos. It had eight leaves and an eight-petaled flower, its heart radiating auspicious light.
“This is truly a treasure,” Shi Hao sighed. Its effects were miraculous—reviving the dead, healing the mortally wounded, and amplifying elixirs tenfold when used as an ingredient.
Ordinary alchemists couldn’t even dream of refining an entire sacred herb.
“Legend says that in the primordial era, this herb was tended by a celestial deity. Back then, it had nine leaves and nine petals, its potency far greater,” Yun Xi explained.
“What? That’s unbelievable!” the Five-Colored Luan Bird gasped.
“Mm. Later, it was injured, its true spirit severed, and it regressed to this state,” Yun Xi sighed.
“If eight leaves and petals make it a sacred herb, what rank would nine make it?” Shi Hao wondered.
Just then, the Emperor Butterfly on his head stirred. He quickly restrained it—this place was fraught with celestial formations, and recklessness could be fatal.
At that moment, a voice called from outside the formation, summoning Shi Hao and Yun Xi back.
Returning to the thatched cottages, they found the bald bird engaged in a heated debate with a crowd of elders, spittle flying.
“Ah, you’re back! I’ve already explained everything. They realized their formation is flawed and that only my fortuitously obtained diagram can repair it. So, they’re very grateful to me now,” the bald bird declared smugly, ignoring the elders’ livid expressions.
He turned to Shi Hao. “Kid, I’ve arranged a bride for you—this purple-clad girl. From now on, she’s yours. Her grandfather agreed readily.”
“Wha—?!” Yun Xi paled. How had things escalated so quickly in such a short time?
“What was owed to me in the past must be repaid now,” the bald bird crowed, utterly disregarding Celestial Deity Mountain’s dignity.
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