The spiritual energy was restored, and he became a mortal immortal in two days.

On the Lingxiao intranet, the update notification for "Phoenix Nirvana" lit up again.

This time, the article is much longer than before.

........

After that day, I did not leave that deep valley.

Instead, I settled in the valley.

They euphemistically called it: seeking revenge.

In truth, I don't know what I'm doing either.

I just felt that person was special. So special that I couldn't help but want to get closer to them.

I built a simple wooden hut in the valley, not far from the stream where he fished. Every morning I could see him sitting on that rock, holding a bamboo pole, motionless, as if he could sit there forever.

The next day, I got up early and ran to the stream.

He remained seated there, like a stone statue.

I cleared my throat, walked up behind him, and said in a deliberately fierce tone, "Hey! I haven't settled the score with you for hitting me yesterday!"

He didn't turn around, only saying calmly, "How do you want to settle this?"

"I........"

I was speechless for a moment.

How do you want to calculate it?

Should I let him get a beating too?

But his bamboo pole... I don't think I can beat him.

Make him apologize?

But judging from his appearance, it seems unlikely.

"I...I want you to pay me back!"

I finally managed to squeeze out this sentence.

"What will I compensate you for?"

"Give me back...give me back a fish!"

After I finished speaking, I realized that my request was somewhat ridiculous.

But he actually nodded.

"it is good."

With a flick of his wrist, he lifted the bamboo pole—

"Splash!"

A silverfish, even larger than yesterday's, was caught.

He threw the fish to me.

"Take it."

I caught it in a flurry, and the fish was still thrashing about in my hand, splashing water all over me.

"you........"

I looked at him, not knowing what to say.

"Is there anything else?" he asked.

"No...that's all."

"Then let's go, don't disturb my fishing."

After he finished speaking, he ignored me.

I stood by the stream, holding the fish, staring blankly at its calm profile, when a strange sense of grievance welled up inside me.

From childhood to adulthood, who hasn't pampered and coaxed me?

But this person........

He hit me, and not only that, he didn't try to comfort me, but he also kicked me out.

"I'm not leaving!"

I said defiantly, "This valley isn't yours to roam; I can't just go wherever I want!"

He didn't speak, nor did he turn around.

It was as if they hadn't heard anything.

I just stood behind him and watched him fish for the entire morning.

He didn't put away his bamboo pole, pick up his bamboo basket, and leave until the sun was high in the sky.

I quickly followed.

He walked slowly but steadily, traversing the mountains and forests as if on flat ground.

I followed behind him, stumbling along, and almost fell several times.

After walking for about half an hour, we arrived at a mountain hollow.

There was a simple thatched hut there, with several vegetable patches in front of it and a bamboo grove behind it.

He pushed open the door of the hut and went inside.

I hesitated for a moment, then followed them inside.

Then, I saw it—

Two phoenixes.

One red and one blue, each only the size of a palm, were squatting in a grassy nest inside the house, sleeping soundly.

They exuded a pure phoenix aura, the same aura I had sensed before!

"This...this is..."

I stared blankly at the two little phoenixes, my voice trembling.

"I found it."

He said calmly, placed the bamboo basket on the table, and began to process the silver-scaled fish.

"Found it?"

I couldn't believe it. "You can even pick up a phoenix?"

"Why not?"

He countered, "They were injured and lying on the roadside, so I picked them up."

He spoke casually, as if he were talking about picking up two kittens and puppies.

But a storm raged within me.

Phoenix!

That's a mythical beast! A legendary being!

The Tianfeng Dynasty has existed for eight hundred years. Successive royal families have sent people to search for the phoenix, hoping to use its essence and blood to cultivate the "Tianfeng Technique," but no one has ever truly found it!

But now........

This person just picked up two of them so casually?

"Do you...do you know what they are?"

I asked with difficulty.

"Know."

Without even looking up, he said, "Just two little birds."

Little bird........

I'm completely speechless.

That night, I ate a meal at his hut.

The fish he cooked was delicious, incredibly fresh, and a taste I had never experienced before.

After the meal, I mustered up my courage and asked, "Um... can I stay?"

He glanced at me.

Why?

"I...I'm going to keep an eye on you!" I said defiantly. "I haven't settled the score with you for hitting me yet!"

He was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Whatever."

From then on, I built a wooden hut next to that thatched cottage and settled down there.

They euphemistically called it: seeking revenge.

In reality... I don't even know what I'm doing.

I just feel very safe and secure when I'm by his side.

I started learning to do some things—

Help him catch fish.

At first, I couldn't even hold the fishing rod steady. Every time I cast the line, I would either hook the weeds or scare away the fish.

He always sat quietly to the side, watching, occasionally offering a word of advice:

"Relax your wrists."

"You need to have good eyesight."

"patience."

Gradually, I was able to catch fish.

Help him wash his clothes.

He only had a few simple white clothes, worn and faded from washing, but they were always clean.

I learned to wash clothes with spring water, remove dirt with soap, and hang them on bamboo poles to dry in the wind.

Help him brew wine.

He enjoys drinking, but he never buys alcohol; he brews it himself.

I learned from him, gathering wild fruits from the mountains and taking clear spring water from deep valleys, fermenting them using ancient methods, and sealing them for several months before they could be made into wine.

That period was the most peaceful and fulfilling time of my life.

There was no palace intrigue, no sycophancy from officials, and no cumbersome formalities.

There are only mountains, only water, and only him.

Occasionally, he would also give me guidance in my spiritual practice.

"The Heavenly Wind Technique is too powerful and unsuitable for women to cultivate."

He glanced at me and said calmly, "If you want to go further, you'd better switch to studying the Phoenix Scripture."

"The Phoenix Sutra?"

I was taken aback. "What kind of martial arts technique is that?"

"The Phoenix Clan's inherited cultivation technique."

He pointed to the two little phoenixes inside the house, "They will teach you."

I was skeptical.

But when I actually went to contact those two little phoenixes, they actually passed on the cultivation method of the "Phoenix True Scripture" to me!

From then on, I began to revise the Phoenix Sutra.

His cultivation level improved by leaps and bounds.

From the early stage of Foundation Establishment, to the middle stage, and then to the late stage...

It only took three short months.

And all of this is because of him.

That man named Chen Xiang.

The story ends abruptly here once again.

The last line contains only one sentence:

"Those three months were the best time of my life."

"It's also the time I least want to forget."

.........

Lingxiao Headquarters, inside Lingxiao Pavilion.

Everyone stared blankly at the text on the communicator, speechless for a long time.

What did they see?

They witnessed the Empress's past.

I saw how that arrogant and domineering princess transformed into a young girl who could fish, wash clothes, and brew wine.

They witnessed how the man named Chen Xiang used a bamboo pole, a thatched hut, and two phoenixes to completely change the Empress's life.

"Prime Minister Chen..."

The old Taoist priest muttered to himself, "Just who is he?"

"He could make the Empress fish and wash clothes for him... and make the Phoenix willingly impart its martial arts techniques to him..."

Of all the people, only Lin Xiaoman had a strange look in her eyes. If she remembered correctly,

Chen Xuan, also known as Master, mentioned before that the bird he kept was a phoenix.

Isn't this too much of a coincidence?

Could it be that the Empress's intuition was correct, and he really is Prime Minister Chen?