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Chapter 227 The Lord of the Vermilion Bird Palace
Inside the Zhao family courtyard.

The scene was one of utter devastation, and the people were filled with unease.

"father!!"

A mournful, piercing scream tore through the deathly silence.

From the Zhao family crowd, a young figure dressed in mourning clothes suddenly rushed out; it was none other than Zhao Zhijun, the fifth young lady of the Zhao family.

Her short hair was disheveled, her once delicate face was streaked with tears, and her eyes were bloodshot. Disregarding her dignity, she threw herself onto Zhao Xingwei's headless corpse.

"Zhang Fuyun!"

She suddenly raised her face, her venomous gaze shooting out from her pupils and fixing directly on Zhang Fuyun, who was falling from mid-air.

"You despicable, vile, treacherous villain! First you stabbed my elder brother to death, and now you've led this scoundrel to kill my father! Are you even human?!"

"How could the Zhang family produce such a vicious beast like you! It's a good thing I didn't marry you, otherwise I don't know how much suffering I would have endured..."

She kept cursing.

Zhang Fuyun landed safely with his senior brother.

Faced with Miss Zhao's scolding, he was no longer the timid coward he used to be.

Zhang Fuyun gave a cold laugh, his face full of satisfaction:

"Miss Zhao, put away your disgusting face. Today's consequences are all the result of the blood debts your Zhao family sowed in the past. You only have yourself to blame."

Zhao Zhijun was speechless, choked by Zhang Fuyun's merciless retort. Overwhelmed with shame and anger, she abruptly turned her head and pointed her ire at the nonchalant young man in the black robe who seemed detached from the situation: "You fiend—"

"Shut up!" Zhang Fuyun's expression changed drastically.

The successive deaths of her elder brother and father caused Miss Zhao to lose her mind, and she even dared to speak recklessly.

They really aren't afraid of death.

Before Zhao Zhijun could retaliate, a fierce glint flashed in Zhang Fuyun's eyes, and he made a grabbing motion in the air with his right hand.

The soil beside Miss Zhao Wu instantly condensed into a ball, as if controlled by an invisible hand, and shot through the air with a whoosh, hitting her squarely on one side of her face.

Snapped!
A muffled sound.

Zhao Zhijun felt as if she had been punched, staggered by the sudden clump of mud, her head snapped to one side, half her face covered in cold, foul-smelling mud, looking utterly disheveled.

Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, and she was completely stunned.

Zhang Fuyun, whom she had once looked down upon, used magic to publicly humiliate her, and the burning pain made her feel deeply humiliated.

Wang Xi seemed oblivious to this farce.

His expression was calm as his gaze swept over the panicked members of the Zhao family before finally settling on Zhao Xingwei's headless corpse.

With a casual wave of his left hand, a small booklet titled "The Demon's Lament," radiating a faint spiritual light and with an antique cover, appeared out of thin air; in his right hand, a slender wolf-hair brush appeared in small regular script.

Wang Xi held the booklet, turned to a page, and began to write rapidly on the "Demon Funeral Post".

As he wrote, corresponding large ink characters appeared in mid-air behind him, flowing and floating like swimming fish, the brushstrokes vigorous and ancient, making it clear to everyone present:
Chapter One: The Zhao Family's Demonic Chapter.

"...Zhao Xingwei is a wealthy and powerful man in Fengdeng City. He appears benevolent on the outside but harbors a ruthless heart on the inside. He wants to use living people to make elixirs, steal the lifespan of the heavens, and fulfill his delusional desire for immortality. He has fallen into the trap of being a demon and has become a scourge to the region."

"The wandering cultivator Wang Xi arrived following the trail, and Zhao Mo stubbornly resisted, his malevolent aura reaching the heavens. Wang Xi, acting as divine punishment, struck him down with lightning speed, beheading him as a warning to others. The entire Zhao family was terrified and trembled, none daring to resist. This is: The alchemy furnace hadn't even boiled before he died; the demon and the human were subdued, and heavenly justice was revealed..."

Every word is as sharp as a knife.

Not only that, Wang Xi also drew pictures of Zhao Xingwei's death and the terrified expressions of the Zhao family members in front of him, and attached them to "The Demon's Funeral Scroll: The Demonic Chapter of the Zhao Family".

This publicly released "judgment document" and scroll are even more intimidating than the killings just now.

The Zhao family members looked ashen-faced; some trembled with fear, others shook with rage, yet just as Wang Xi had described—not one dared to step forward and utter a single word of argument.

Is this meant to put the Zhao family in the history books?
Wouldn't that leave him with a lasting infamy?
Their pleading eyes all turned to Master Han.

Master Han stood there blankly, staring at the direction where Li Qingke had disappeared, as if his soul had not yet returned to its place.

When he came to his senses and saw this scene, he was even more horrified. His lips moved silently a few times, his Adam's apple bobbed, but in the end he remained silent—he dared not utter a word.

Wang Xi's methods were unfathomable, far exceeding his imagination.

Even though Master Han is the second-in-command of the military and political affairs of the Chen Kingdom, he is still just an ordinary person.

He is afraid of death!

Wang Xi continued writing until the last stroke ended, and the image and text formed by the ink slowly dissipated.

At this time.

A slight stirring ran through his heart, an indescribable, warm feeling that seemed to pass through his mind.

"Hidden virtue" seems to have increased somewhat?
However, this feeling is extremely elusive; it cannot be seen or touched, and can only be grasped through a sliver of intuition.

After doing all this, Wang Xi put away the book and the brush, which disappeared from his hands like phantoms.

He turned to face Master Han, cupped his hands in a calm gesture, and spoke in a tone that was both composed and carried an undeniable air of authority: "Master Han, the Zhao family's matter is settled. Zhao Xingwei brought this upon himself, and justice will prevail."

"As for you, Fourth Master, you'd better watch yourself."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Master Han lowered his eyes and sighed deeply in his heart.

Wang Xi's gaze swept across the crowd again, and he gave a barely perceptible nod to a few elderly men and women among them—the very elders of the Five Immortals family whom he had been secretly observing earlier.

Then, without looking at Zhao Zhijun on the ground and the Zhao family members filling the courtyard, he turned around and said, "Fuyun, let's go."

“Yes, Senior Brother,” Zhang Fuyun replied respectfully.

Wang Xi waved his sleeve, and the two of them walked leisurely, stepping through the air, passing over the heads of the crowd, and disappearing into the distance.

...

...

The Zhao family suffered a calamity, with the eldest son and the head of the family dying one after another.

This news came as a bolt from the blue, shaking the entire city of Fountain.

Legend has it that Zhao Xingwei did something inhumane, angered the immortals, and was beheaded in public... Even the usually formidable Master Han was so frightened in front of the immortals that he didn't dare to utter a sound.

At this point, Master Han's prestige collapsed.

Some even say that the immortal publicly recorded the Zhao family in the "Book of the Dead," meaning they would be reborn as animals.

Consequently, no one dared to stand up and say a word in defense of the Zhao family, fearing they would be tainted by bad luck and their descendants would be reduced to beasts of burden, let alone seek revenge. All factions in Fengdeng City remained silent, and the matter was dropped.

That night.

Private room at Tingyulou in Fengdeng City.

The flickering candlelight and the rising steam of tea dispelled the bloody and chilling atmosphere of the day.

Wang Xi, accompanied by Zhang Fuyun, was sitting around a small table chatting with the peddler and Li Qingke, whom he had arranged to meet.

The pattering rain outside the window added to the elegant atmosphere.

Before long, the curtain of the private room was lifted, and Mei Yanxi, dressed in a green robe, walked in with a smile on her face. She clasped her hands in greeting to everyone and said, "I'm sorry I'm late."

The group exchanged smiles and invited him to sit down.

The peddler took a sip of tea: "Today's events have been all over town. Young man, you truly have remarkable skills and courage... I misjudged you before; I never imagined you would make such rapid progress on your cultivation path."

Li Qingke nodded and smiled, his eyes also showing approval: "Young Master Wang is decisive in his actions, I admire him. Brother Zhang and Master Mei are also quite different now, they have already shown great promise."

He paused for a moment, then said, "I just received news that several elders of the Five Immortals Clan have arrived in Fengdeng. Hu Lang, Miss Liu, and the others are all safe and sound, so Young Master Wang can rest assured."

Wang Xi smiled and raised his glass: "It was nothing, you two are too kind. Evil spirits and heretics should be punished by everyone."

The peddler smiled, took a sip of tea, and stood up, saying, "Brother, now that this matter is settled, I should continue my journey north."

"Where is the peddler headed?"

Wang Xi asked.

The peddler waved his hand, a hint of complexity creeping into his usual carefree smile. His tone was calm yet carried a profound sense of melancholy: "It's nothing urgent. It's just... my mother's death anniversary is approaching, so I need to rush back north to offer incense at her grave and spend some time talking with her."

It turned out to be the case.

Wang Xi and the others didn't ask any more questions, but simply raised their glasses in a toast, saying, "The peddler's filial piety is touching, take care on your journey!"

"Take care!" The peddler chuckled, returned the greeting with a cupped hand, said no more, got up, slung his signature large cargo box over his shoulder, turned and pushed open the door to leave.

Everyone's gaze passed over the window and saw the peddler's figure quickly disappear into the night and rain.

The peddler left, but the atmosphere inside remained harmonious.

Li Qingke looked at Wang Xi and said solemnly, "Young Master Wang, my elders have heard about your actions today that have brought honor to the righteous path... Do you have the time to accompany me to the Four Symbols Court to pay your respects?"

As he spoke, he added:
"She loved to befriend young talents."

Wang Xi had already planned to travel around and broaden his horizons. He didn't care whether it was the mortal world or the secluded world. Upon hearing this, he readily agreed: "When I first looked up at the Four Symbols Peak from the Enlightenment Platform, I longed to visit it. I never thought I would be able to climb it in person... Then I would be grateful if Young Master Li could introduce me. It is my wish, but I dare not ask."

A glint of joy flashed in Li Qingke's eyes, and he looked at Mei Yanxi and Zhang Fuyun beside him: "Master Mei and Brother Zhang are both promising talents. Would you two like to come along?"

Mei and Zhang exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes, as if they hadn't expected to receive an invitation from the "Four Symbols Court," the head of the immortal sects.

The two men quickly stood up and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Young Master Li. We are willing to go!"

"Excellent!" Li Qingke clapped his hands with delight. "Without further ado, let's set off now."

As he spoke, he picked up the teapot on the table and personally poured a cup of clear tea for Wang Xi and the other two.

Although they had all embarked on the path of cultivation and could travel from the inner realm of the Yellow Court to the outside world on their own, they needed to rely on Li Qingke's tea as a guide in order to travel together.

Wang Xi and the other two understood each other, picked up their teacups, tilted their heads back, and drank them down.

As the tea entered their stomachs, a gentle yet powerful pulling force instantly enveloped their consciousness.

The scenery of the elegant room before my eyes rippled and vanished like waves, as if I had fallen into a dream, with light and shadow shifting rapidly around me. The feeling of weightlessness lasted only a moment before my feet firmly touched solid ground.

Looking closely, I found myself inside a quiet, simple wooden cabin. Outside the window, clouds swirled, and the majestic outline of distant mountains was visible. Then…

Li Qingke led the way, with the three of them following closely behind.

First cross the arched bridge, then step onto the Enlightenment Platform.

From the bustling and lively Wudaotai side, we climbed the steps up the mountain, heading straight for the towering Zhuque Peak, where the scorching heat seemed to rise faintly.

As the group climbed the mountain, female disciples dressed in robes adorned with vermilion bird patterns could be seen passing by on both sides of the steps. Their movements were graceful and agile, and their demeanor was extraordinary.

Upon seeing Li Qingke, the group of disciples bowed and greeted him, saying "Senior Brother Li".

Li Qingke was a direct disciple of the Azure Dragon Hall of the Four Symbols Court and the chief disciple of the inner sect, so his status was naturally extraordinary.

The closer one gets to the summit, the hotter and purer the air becomes, with faint phantom images of fiery spirit birds fluttering and calling in the rosy light.

Finally, after climbing thousands of steps, we reached the summit.

A magnificent crimson palace stands before you, like a giant bird reborn from the ashes.

The entire hall was constructed from some kind of divine wood and fire jade, its surface shimmering with light and color, predominantly vermilion and adorned with gold patterns.

The eaves and brackets resemble a vermilion bird spreading its wings, while the carved beams and painted rafters exude an ancient and majestic aura. Clouds and mist swirl around the palace, and the fiery spiritual energy surges, dyeing the clouds into a magnificent rosy glow.

This is the Vermilion Bird Palace.

The palace doors were wide open, and several spirited female disciples of the Vermilion Bird Palace stood solemnly on either side of the entrance. Upon seeing Li Qingke arrive with his entourage, the leader of them nodded in greeting: "Junior Brother Li, what brings you here?"

"Greetings, Senior Sister Jiang."

Li Qingke smiled and bowed.

"I brought some friends to pay my respects to Lord Yu."

"Hmm." The female disciple surnamed Jiang nodded, glanced at Wang Xi and the other two, and a hint of helplessness flashed in her eyes: "You wait here first, I'll go and inform them."

Not long after.

The female disciple returned and said that the temple master had allowed them to enter.

Led by Li Qingke, Wang Xi and his two companions entered the hall. The interior of the hall was extremely spacious, reaching a height of several tens of feet, with the dome depicting the movement of stars and the floor paved with red jade.

The surrounding pillars are all adorned with statues of crimson phoenixes soaring into the sky, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

Soon, the beaded curtain of the inner hall fluttered slightly, and a dignified woman walked out slowly, surrounded by several female disciples.

The following terms instantly appeared in Wang Xi's field of vision:
"Nan Ji, the Vermilion Bird Palace Master of the Four Symbols Court, Yu Lingguang (Friendly/Five-Star Title/Legendary)"

Five-star gold-framed title!

A powerful figure on par with Wang Xi's master, Song Hui, the master of Mo Jian Zhai.

In other words, this is also an ascended being.

Wang Xi thought to himself.

This woman, who held power in the palace, looked like a beautiful woman in her early thirties. Her long, black hair was styled into a bun and tied with a gold crown inlaid with red diamonds and tassels. The jewels shimmered and the tassels swayed, making her extremely gorgeous.

She wore a wide and exquisite crimson robe with gold trim, embroidered with the mythical Vermilion Bird, a bird reborn from the ashes, in extremely intricate craftsmanship, its feathers vividly depicted and lifelike.

Her gorgeous attire accentuated her snow-white skin, her long, narrow phoenix eyes exuding majesty, her delicate nose high and straight, and her lips naturally red without any lipstick.

Like a queen.

When her languid gaze swept over Wang Xi and the others, her majestic phoenix eyes held an appreciation for beautiful things and... a hint of undisguised interest.

"Qingke, are these the young talents you mentioned?"

Yu Lingguang's voice was quite magnetic, like the clinking of jade stones, pleasant to the ear yet dignified.

She stared intently at Wang Xi.

This young man particularly caught her eye.

It wasn't just his handsome appearance, but also his unique temperament, his calm magical power, and the "yin virtue" radiance that even she found exceptionally bright.

This made her eyes light up.

She moved gracefully, stopping a few steps in front of Wang Xi. She looked him up and down carefully, her eyes overflowing with admiration and affection: "Hmm—not bad, really not bad."

"It is no exaggeration to say that this young master's appearance, demeanor, foundation, and cultivation are one in a million."

He then looked at Zhang Fuyun and Mei Yanxi and nodded, saying, "One is naturally gifted, and the other is exceptionally talented; both are promising talents blessed with good fortune."

The tone of her comment was like that of an intellectual older sister next door, yet it also carried the natural pressure of a superior and a strangely dangerous attraction.

Wang Xi felt somewhat helpless under their gaze, but he also keenly sensed that it wasn't malicious.

He bowed slightly, a perfectly timed smile on his face: "Junior Wang Xi greets the Palace Master... Palace Master is too kind. Today, I have witnessed the magnificent scenery atop Vermilion Bird Peak, and even more so, I have the honor of seeing the Palace Master's celestial countenance. Only now do I truly understand what it means to have heavens beyond heavens and immortals beyond immortals. My journey has been truly fortunate and worthwhile."

These compliments were impeccable, and what's even more remarkable is that they were sincere and natural, without the slightest hint of flattery.

Zhang Fuyun and Mei Yanxi also quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Palace Master."

Upon hearing this, Yu Lingguang's smile widened, and his fondness for Wang Xi skyrocketed.

She chuckled, her voice clear and melodious, causing her tasseled crown to tremble slightly: "You child, is your mouth coated with honey? You have excellent cultivation, handsome looks, and a sweet tongue. I find you more and more pleasing to the eye."

The warmth in his tone was genuine.

A thought struck her, and she asked, "My Vermilion Bird Peak is rich in spiritual energy, has an excellent environment, and offers many superior cultivation manuals for you to study. Would you three little ones be willing to stay here on my Vermilion Bird Peak for the time being? When I have time, I can also give you some pointers on the key points of cultivation."

His gaze was intense, and he paused slightly when he said "point out," as if there was some deeper meaning behind it.

Wang Xi sensed that gaze and understood the temperament of this Vermilion Bird Palace Master.

He thought to himself that something was wrong.

His face showed no embarrassment, but rather an expression of being flattered and surprised. He said loudly, "I am deeply grateful for the Palace Master's kindness. This is truly an opportunity that we cultivators have been dreaming of."

As expected, upon hearing this, Yu Lingguang's smile widened, and his gaze toward Wang Xi became even more affectionate.

This child is so sensible.

You have to love her well.

Unexpectedly, Wang Xi changed the subject, his tone revealing regret and apology: "However... the three of us juniors still have important matters to attend to."

Zhang Fuyun and Mei Yanxi immediately understood and bowed in response, adding a few words of agreement.

Yu Lingguang's gaze swept across the three of them, and finally he sighed softly.

"Very well." Yu Lingguang quickly regained the composure of the master of Vermilion Bird Peak. "Since you have matters to attend to, I cannot force you to stay. All relationships, whether they come together or separate, have their time."

Before she finished speaking, she pointed her slender finger in the air.

In an instant, the magnificent sunset on the horizon seemed to be drawn in, transforming into countless shimmering, colorful threads that converged towards it.

Yu Lingguang's ten fingers flew so fast that only afterimages could be seen, and pure magic power flowed from his fingertips.

Li Qingke understood something, a hint of surprise flashing across his face, and then explained in a low voice at the right moment: "You are fortunate to have mastered the 'Way of Clothing' and the 'Way of Needlework' of the Feather Palace."

"Huh?" Zhang Fuyun and Mei Yanxi were somewhat puzzled.

The gathering rays of light, in Yu Lingguang's hands, were like the gentlest silk, being woven, cut, and sewn...

In a short while, three sets of radiant robes floated in the air.

A set of dark ink-colored brocade robes was presented to Wang Xi. The robes had a faint glow on them, as if dark dragons and fish were swimming and flowing within them. They exuded a powerful protective aura and a spiritual energy within them, indicating that they were of extraordinary quality.

The other two sets, a white robe and a blue gown, were handed to Zhang Fuyun and Mei Yanxi respectively. Although not as ornate and refined as Wang Xi's ink robe, they were still shimmering with rosy light, soft yet resilient, and were also rare and superior robes.

"It's our first meeting, so I can't let you leave empty-handed," Yu Lingguang said with a smile. With a flick of his sleeve, three sets of cloud-patterned robes landed steadily in the hands of the three. "These are 'Flowing Cloud Robes.' They offer decent defense, are comfortable to wear, and are also suitable for covering the body while traveling."

"I hope the three of you have a safe journey and achieve your goals soon. Remember, when you have time in the future, you must come and visit my Vermilion Bird Peak again."

Wang Xi and the other two quickly bowed and thanked him in unison, saying, "Thank you for your generous gift, Palace Master Yu!"

With a flash of light, the three felt a slight dizziness, and when they opened their eyes again, they were back in the private room of Tingyu Tower.

The night outside the window was already deep.

Only Li Qingke, sitting opposite them, watched them with a gentle smile. The experience on the summit of Vermilion Bird Peak just now felt like a dream, yet incredibly real; the soft, warm touch of the flowing robe in his hand was still vivid in his memory.

The three of them looked at each other and smiled.

"Haha." Zhang Fuyun couldn't help but laugh first, then his eyes showed a look of longing: "This senior is dignified yet straightforward, truly a peerless talent."

Mei Yanxi nodded in agreement, stroking the blue robe in her hand, clearly liking it very much.

Wang Xi carefully put away the dark-colored robe, looked at Li Qingke, and said, "I am very grateful to Young Master Li for introducing me to the Lord of the Vermilion Bird Palace and for obtaining this precious robe."

Li Qingke smiled and shook his head: "It's all due to fate. The three of you are very fortunate. There's no need to be so polite. May I ask what your plans are next?"

Wang Xi turned to look out the window: "This trip to Vermilion Bird Peak has made me realize how long the path of cultivation is, and I also plan to head north."

"It is said that the evil spirits in the northern lands have not yet been quelled, and the people are suffering greatly. We cultivators should walk the path beneath our feet and prove the Dao in our hearts."

"Is Young Master Wang planning to travel and slay demons at the same time?"

Li Qingke was very surprised.

Wang Xi smiled and nodded.

"Amazing!" Li Qingke exclaimed.

Zhang Fuyun chimed in, "Wherever my senior brother goes, I will go!"

Mei Yanxi thought for a moment and finally said, "Anyway, my Jinghong Troupe will sing wherever we go, so I might as well travel with Brother Wang Xi."

The three planned to travel together.

The night was deep, and the aroma of tea wafted through the air.

Laughter and conversation filled the private room.

(End of this chapter)