Starting with the creation of the Immortal Clan through the compilation of the family genealogy.

Chapter 15 The Phoenix's First Glance, the Tree's Shadow Conceals Its Edge

Meng Yanning fell into a deep sleep in his arms, her little face serene, completely unaware of the ripples he had unconsciously stirred up.

“The foundation is not yet solid, but the fledgling phoenix has already begun to sing…” Meng Xihong murmured to himself, a resolute glint flashing in his eyes.

He gently placed Yan Ning back into Bai's arms, casually instructing her, "My lady, the wind has been a bit dry these past few days. The children's health is of utmost importance. Unless it's absolutely necessary, please don't leave the courtyard. If you're feeling really bored, just take a walk under the east wing corridor. The shade of this old locust tree is the most nourishing place."

Bai Shi had no suspicions and took it as her husband's thoughtfulness. She gently agreed, held Yan Ning in her arms, called the wet nurse, and led Yan Qing and Yan Wei back to the inner room.

The courtyard fell silent instantly, with only the rustling of the wind through the old locust tree branches and the few withered branches in the corner that had been stimulated by Yan Ning's spiritual energy, their tender buds appearing even more vibrant.

Meng Xihong did not take immediate action.

He stood with his hands behind his back under the locust tree, looking up at the gnarled branches. A rich life force emanated from the tree, and strands of it were drawn and absorbed by the "Green Wood Nourishing Body Technique" circulating within his body, nourishing the verdant, yet subtly sharp, vortex of energy in his dantian.

He needed a way! A way to completely conceal Yan Ning's astonishing spiritual affinity, to firmly lock up the innate energy that unconsciously dissipated, and to prevent any abnormal phenomena from being revealed!

Forced suppression?

No, that would stifle her talent and could even damage her very foundation.

What he needs is guidance, restraint, and a perfect veil to cover that dazzling light!

Thoughts raced, and the extraordinary comprehension bestowed by the "Literary Mind and Spirit" was pushed to its limit at this moment.

The vast sea of ​​miscellaneous books, medical classics, fragments of Taoist scriptures, and even snippets of rural tales about "gathering breath," "concealing spirit," and "cultivating seclusion" that he had previously read were rapidly connected by invisible threads, colliding, combining, and deducing in his mind.

"Hidden in the forest... Hidden dragon, do not use... Embrace the original essence and guard the one..." One thought after another flashed through my mind.

Finally, he suddenly opened his eyes and stared intently at the old locust tree in front of him, which had weathered many storms but was still incredibly resilient!

Its roots are deep in the earth, drawing nutrients, yet it conceals all its vitality beneath its gnarled branches and withered bark. If it weren't for its cultivation of the Green Wood Technique, who could perceive the immense vitality within it?
Isn't this the best way to "hide" something?

A bold idea instantly took shape. Using the daughter's own pure innate spiritual energy as a guide, and mimicking the old locust tree's ability to store life force, an invisible "spirit-locking barrier" would be constructed!
This is not a powerful defensive spell, but the most exquisite technique of "concealment"!
It's like putting a "locust wood box" on that leaping flame of spiritual energy, isolating it from the outside but never suffocating it!
Just do it!

Meng Xihong immediately sat cross-legged on the largest root of the locust tree, pressed his hands lightly on the ground, circulated the green wood spiritual energy in his body to the fullest extent, and immersed his mind in the faint connection with the old locust tree.

He wanted to analyze, imitate, and extract the "concealing" instinct that this ordinary tree had developed over the years, and make it his own!
This is by no means an easy task.

The "concealment" of the old locust tree is the result of thousands of years of natural evolution, a silent manifestation of the law.

Meng Xihong's senses, like the finest tentacles, carefully probed into the wood grain of the old locust tree, feeling its every barely perceptible pulse, capturing how it absorbed the sunlight, rain, and the essence of the earth, settling and gathering it away without leaking a single drop.

Time passes little by little.

Sweat soaked his temples, and his brows were furrowed. Forcibly analyzing the creations of nature consumed an immense amount of mental energy.

The powerful insight brought by his literary talent supported him, allowing him to pull back from the brink of failure time and time again and capture those fleeting moments of inspiration.

Outside the courtyard wall, the hustle and bustle of the Wufeng County Government Office could be faintly heard.

In this small courtyard, in a corner unknown to anyone, a silent battle concerning the future was fiercely taking place deep within Meng Xihong's consciousness.

"Boss, something's up."

Ji Beichuan's deliberately lowered, gruff voice interrupted Meng Xihong's deep thoughts in the duty room. He had just finished his initial understanding of the old locust tree's "concealment" meaning and was still somewhat tired, but his eyes instantly sharpened.

"Speak." Meng Xihong put down a file about spring plowing security in his hand and leaned forward slightly.

Ji Beichuan glanced around to make sure no one was watching before moving closer, his voice low as a whisper: "The County Magistrate Zhou you asked me to keep an eye on the other day... yesterday at three-quarters past noon, he went to the 'Listening to Bamboo' private room on the second floor of 'Drunken Immortal Residence' again!"

Zuixianju is the best restaurant in Wufeng County and a favorite place for merchants and travelers to stay and socialize.

The "Listening to Bamboo" private room is located in a quiet place, with a window overlooking the back alley, making it the perfect spot for a private conversation.

"Is it the same person as last time?" Meng Xihong's eyes narrowed.

"Yes! It's that guy in the indigo silk shirt, with a jade ring at his waist, who looks like a manager of a large merchant guild!" Ji Beichuan nodded vigorously, his face showing a hint of excited self-satisfaction.

"This time I kept an eye on it myself, but I didn't dare to get close. I watched from the gap in the attic of the 'Fuji Cloth Shop' across the street!"
That person stayed for almost half an hour this time!
That old scoundrel, Magistrate Zhou, went in all high and mighty, but when he came out… tsk tsk, you wouldn't believe it, he was practically bowing to them! His face was beaming like a chrysanthemum, warmer than if he were seeing his own father!

"Could you make out the person's physical features? Accent? Followers?" Meng Xi pressed, every detail could be crucial. "The person was around forty years old, with fair skin, a small mustache, and bright eyes. When he looked at people, there was a... indescribable feeling, as if he could see right through their bones," Ji Beichuan tried hard to recall.

"I couldn't hear him very clearly, but it was definitely not a local accent, nor was it the tone of Yunzhou Prefecture. It sounded more like... like someone from Qingzhou further north? Yes, with a somewhat rugged accent!"

"He only had one attendant, a dark-faced man with bulging temples and a fierce look in his eyes. He stood there with his arms crossed, like a gatekeeper. He looked like a tough nut to crack!"

A Qingzhou accent? A strong, resonant voice? Information about Qingzhou flashed through Meng Xihong's mind in an instant.

The northern prefecture of the Great Li Dynasty, bordering the Northern Desert, is known for its fierce and warlike people, and is also the foundation of the Zhao family of Qingzhou!
That's a cultivation family on par with the Lin family of Yunzhou! Could it be that "Luan Kui" comes from the Zhao family of Qingzhou? Or... is it just a coincidence?

"What did they talk about?" That's the key question.

Ji Beichuan blushed slightly: "Boss, well... there's really no way. That private room is well soundproofed, the door is tightly closed, and that dark-faced doorman is too conspicuous, so it's really impossible to get close. But..." He changed the subject, his eyes gleaming.

"When Magistrate Zhou came out, he was clearly carrying a bulging object in his pocket! Judging from its shape and size, it was either a banknote or a land deed! Moreover, when he saw the man in blue downstairs, I vaguely heard the man in blue say one last thing..."

Ji Beichuan mimicked the man's tone, deliberately lowering his voice to imitate him perfectly: "...'County Magistrate Zhou is a shrewd man. If this matter succeeds, the Lin family... will not forget your kindness, and a future of wealth and honor is just around the corner.'"

Lin!

The Lin family of Yunzhou!

These two words struck Meng Xihong like a thunderclap! All the clues instantly connected!
That outsider speaks with a Qingzhou accent, yet he works for the Lin family of Yunzhou? This seemingly contradictory statement actually reveals a deeper scheme.

The Lin family didn't want to use their own people to avoid leaving obvious traces in the remote Wufeng County, so they specifically chose an outsider from another state with a clean background, at least superficially unrelated to the Lin family, as an intermediary! And the target… combining the divination hexagram "Luan Kui" with Yan Ning's unusual appearance…

A chill instantly shot up Meng Xihong's spine!
The other party's target is very likely his eldest daughter, who possesses the heaven-defying [Immortal Bones]!

Zhou Maocai, the seemingly insignificant county magistrate who had actually been deeply entrenched in the county government for many years, was a local tyrant whom the Lin family had recruited and bribed in Wufeng County! He was used to gather information and even... to wait for an opportunity to act!

"The Lin family... the Lin family!" Meng Xihong murmured to himself, his eyes becoming incredibly deep, like an ancient, cold well.

He slowly stood up, walked to the window, and his gaze seemed to penetrate the walls of the government office, heading towards Zhou Maocai's duty room.

"Boss, what's next?" Seeing Meng Xihong's grave expression, Wang Hai realized the seriousness of the situation and asked in a low voice, "Should I take a few brothers and take that guy surnamed Zhou...?"

"Absolutely not!" Meng Xihong categorically rejected, his voice as cold as a knife. "Stirring up trouble will only make them hide even deeper, or... they might resort to desperate measures."

He turned around, his eyes flashing with an extremely calm light. "Ji Beichuan, you did a good job. This matter ends here. Keep it to yourself and never mention it to anyone, including your trusted brothers."

"Huh? Then... then we'll just leave it at that?" Ji Beichuan said, somewhat unwilling.

"Forget it?" Meng Xihong's lips curled into a cold, emotionless smile, like frozen ice. "Keep an eye on him. Use the dumbest method, shifts, keep a close watch on his every move from afar! Who he meets, where he goes, what he collects, even if he goes to the toilet a few extra times, I need to know!"
"But remember, it's better to lose track of him than to let him or anyone he's in contact with notice anything! If that man in blue and his entourage reappear, report to me immediately! Again, do not alert them!"

"Yes, sir! Don't worry!" Ji Beichuan perked up and clasped his hands in a fist salute. Though rough and tough, he understood that his boss was about to use a dull knife to cut flesh.

After Wang Hai accepted the order and quietly withdrew, the guard room returned to silence.

As the sun slanted westward outside the window, it cast Meng Xihong's long shadow on the ground, carrying a kind of solitary and sharp edge.

“The Lin family… what a fine Lin family of Yunzhou…” he muttered to himself, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the cold hilt of the sword at his waist.

The sword, which combined the supple vitality of the green wood's hidden strength with the fierce and murderous aura of martial arts weapons, seemed to sense the surging killing intent in its master's heart, and emitted a faint hum like a dragon's roar from its sheath.

The crisis, like a venomous snake, has revealed its ferocious fangs. Its target is his precious, exceptionally talented young daughter! This has touched a raw nerve that he absolutely cannot allow to be crossed!

But anger did not cloud his judgment.

He knew all too well that, at this moment, the Meng family, facing the Lin family, a cultivation clan that had dominated Yunzhou for many years, was like an ant against a giant tree. To confront them head-on would only result in their annihilation.

"Hide! We must hide Yan Ning! Buy time!" Meng Xihong took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his surging blood and killing intent.

He closed his eyes again, his mind sinking into his dantian. The vortex of green wood swirled faster, and fragments of his understanding of the old locust tree's "concealment" resurfaced in his mind, clearer and more urgent than before.

He wanted to build an invisible "locust wood box" for his daughter before the sinister gaze from the Lin family truly locked onto this small courtyard!
This is not only to protect Meng Yanning, but also to protect the Meng family, which has just begun to emerge and whose foundation is not yet solid!

He will hone his claws in the shadows and accumulate strength in silence, until this little fledgling phoenix possesses wings powerful enough to tear apart all that covets it!

(End of this chapter)