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Jiang Xuanzi, the leader of the Jingwei Clan, had been cultivating for thousands of years. However, he appeared to be no more than in his twenties, with narrow black eyes, very fair skin, and slightly thin lips. He had completely shed his bird form; apart from a faint aura of demonic power around him, he was indistinguishable from any other enlightened being.
He wore a black ankle-length feather cloak and a black feathered crown. Although he looked like a youth, his eyes revealed an endless depth of sorrow.
Li Hong immediately had a thought: Jiang Xuanzi must have experienced some heart-wrenching events.
The Jingwei Clan was deeply entrenched underground, in an expansive cave.
Countless strange mirrors hung from the ceiling, reflecting light from the outside world and illuminating the entire stone cavern brightly. Inside, there were small bridges, flowing water, gardens, and pavilions; red railings and green tiles were layered upon each other, with exotic flowers and rare herbs planted everywhere. At the entrance, a large cluster of banana plants swayed gently, casting large patches of cool green shadows.
Along the way, Li Hong frequently encountered Jingwei members who paused to bow to Jiang Xuanzi. It seemed that the clan leader's authority was indeed supreme among the Jingwei.
These Jingwei had all transformed into human forms, yet their features still resembled birds; their long pointed beaks were particularly striking. A few looked slightly better, with less pronounced beaks. They all looked quite similar, making it hard to distinguish between male and female. Each wore a black feathered cloak that enveloped them from head to toe and sported feathered crowns that left only their beaked faces exposed.
Could it be that they distinguished their cultivation levels by their beaks? Demonic... no, beast cultivation was indeed quite different from that of humans. Li Hong couldn't help but think of a strange question: Were the Jingwei born live or hatched from eggs? Did the transformed Jingwei have offspring that were eggs?
Imagining two Jingwei "people" affectionately holding and cuddling a round egg made Li Hong smile unconsciously.
The three sat facing each other, but after stating their purpose for visiting, Jiang Xuanzi remained silent for a long time.
Li Hong hurriedly said, "Although our ancestor did not intervene during the battle between immortals and demons three thousand years ago, everyone in our Immortal Sect still remembers the ancestor's great reputation. This time we from the Nine Li Sect are seeking your help privately; if you have any concerns, please feel free to speak up. If we can resolve them, our Nine Li Sect will do our utmost."
Jiang Xuanzi hesitated to speak when suddenly a timid female voice came from outside the hall: "Father, do we have guests?"
Jiang Xuanzi had a daughter? That must be the princess of the Jingwei Clan. Li Hong and Ling Yi Zi exchanged glances and stood up.
The beaded curtain swayed as a young girl walked in. She moved slowly, her posture awkward.
She appeared to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, with a pointed chin and elegantly arched eyebrows, strikingly beautiful. However, her complexion was pale as paper, and even her lips lacked color. Instead of wearing the standard black feathered cloak typical of the Jingwei Clan, she was dressed in a dark silk gown. Her long black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, further accentuating her porcelain-like face. Her waist was so slender that it seemed as if a gust of wind could knock her over. She clearly bore some kind of illness, looking very unwell. Yet despite this, her extraordinary beauty remained undeniable.
Jiang Xuanzi immediately stood up to assist her. "Green Lotus, you’re out? Why don’t you lie down a bit longer?"
The girl shook her head and softly replied, "I’ve been lying down every day; it gets a bit stuffy."
Li Hong cupped his hands in greeting. "I have met the princess."
The girl's dim eyes brightened for a moment, but she quickly shook her head and gently bit her lower lip. "I am not a princess; my mother is the true princess." When she mentioned her mother, she seemed on the verge of tears, her long eyelashes casting two heavy shadows on her pale face, trembling like butterfly wings.
Jiang Xuanzi's expression changed immediately. He anxiously said, "Green Lotus, you should go back and rest. If you feel bored, let Xiao Lian keep you company."
"Okay," the girl slowly walked out, her silhouette resembling delicate bamboo swaying in the wind—though unsteady, it was imbued with an indescribable grace that evoked sympathy.
Li Hong found it strange; in that brief moment, he had used Divine Consciousness to probe her body. This Green Princess showed no signs of demonic energy; she was entirely human and had practiced cultivation. The technique she used resembled that of the Immortal Sect but was at a very low level—at most the Initial Stage of Caution.
Considering the countless Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures accumulated by the Jingwei Clan over the years and that she was the daughter of their leader Jiang Xuanzi—whose cultivation was nearing the late stage of Demon Baby—it was unreasonable for this princess to have such low cultivation. Could it be related to her illness?
Jiang Xuanzi watched his daughter's figure disappear beyond the porch and said with concern, "You probably noticed too; my little girl has an incurable disease. No matter how many spiritual medicines she takes, they only preserve her life for now. Even so, she continues to grow weaker day by day. How can I find the heart to participate in battle?" He sighed deeply. "Forgive me for being unable to help. If you don’t mind, please stay here for a couple of days as a respite; as for your purpose in coming here, let’s leave it at that."
After speaking, he summoned warriors to escort the two to the Inn and hurriedly left, presumably to check on his daughter.
Li Hong and Ling Yi Zi had no other options but to follow the Jingwei Warrior toward the Inn.
The two sat facing each other. Li Hong found it strange to think of Green Lotus and transmitted a message to Ask the Way: "Why is the daughter of the Jingwei Clan Leader a human and not a demon?"
Ling Yi Zi also felt puzzled, his stern face revealing deep thought: "There are secrets recorded in the Scripture Repository. Six Thousand Years Ago, Jiang Xuanzi led the Jingwei Warriors into battle and joined the Immortal Sect. At that time, he was full of vigor, completely different from his current despondent state. Moreover, there is no mention in the records of him having a daughter. This Princess Jingwei seems to be in poor health. There must be more to this story."
Li Hong pondered, "It might be worth investigating. If there is a way to help her daughter recover, perhaps Jiang Xuanzi would agree to join the battle or at least send some Jingwei Warriors to assist us."
"That's true."
********
The Jingwei Clan was just like the outside world; when night fell, the entire cave became dark. The ceiling lit up with many glowing pearls, casting a hazy light over the Jingwei Clan territory, enhancing its serene beauty.
Li Hong could not cultivate here and found it even harder to sleep thinking about his mission. Sitting cross-legged on a cool couch, he extended his Divine Consciousness, hoping to catch some clues.
His efforts were rewarded; after midnight, noise erupted in the direction where Green Lotus was staying, as if something had happened.
He immediately directed his Divine Consciousness over.
There was a peculiar transparent Crystal Palace where he could vaguely see many people moving behind the clear walls. Most were Jingwei clad in black feather cloaks, but there were also a few slender figures in plain clothes moving about, likely Princess Jingwei's attendants.
This Crystal Palace was quite strange; it seemed very cold inside, as white mist escaped from the mouths and noses of those walking around. Yet Princess Jingwei and Green Lotus resided in this unusually frigid Crystal Palace.
The arrangement inside the Crystal Palace resembled a fragrant boudoir, with a crystal table in the center surrounded by fresh flowers. On the table lay a silver cloth adorned with shiny long-haired beast skin. Green Lotus lay on the beast skin, clutching her chest. She was sweating profusely, her brows tightly furrowed, her complexion as pale as the nearby white Azalea Petals.
Jiang Xuanzi hurriedly entered and walked to his daughter's side. He bent down to check Green Lotus's pulse and immediately turned around, shouting, "Quick! Bring me snow lotus juice!" He lifted his daughter and held her close.
A maid hurriedly approached, holding a silver bowl and using a small silver spoon to scoop up spoonfuls of clear white liquid to bring to Green Lotus's lips. Green Lotus drank it in small sips, her breathing gradually calming down, and her eyes closed as if she wanted to sleep. Jiang Xuanzi carefully helped his daughter lie down. He gestured for everyone to be silent and quietly left his daughter's fragrant chamber.
As he stepped out of Crystal Palace, Jiang Xuanzi seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up. Li Hong almost felt as if he was making eye contact with him and quickly withdrew his Divine Consciousness.
What illness does the Green Princess have? Li Hong sat cross-legged on the cool couch, pondering. Soon after, he felt Jiang Xuanzi approaching.
After taking a seat, Jiang Xuanzi remained silent for a long time, seemingly unsure of how to express himself.
Li Hong couldn't help but ask, "Forgive my rudeness, but what exactly is wrong with the princess?"
Jiang Xuanzi's expression darkened as he spoke softly, "This story goes back a long time and is related to Green Lotus's mother."
Four Thousand Years Ago, when the Jingwei Clan had not yet moved here and was still in the heart of the Central Plains, Jiang Xuanzi was full of vigor and was a prominent figure in the Immortal Sect's Beast Cultivation. He gained fame during the Six Thousand Years Ago battle between immortals and demons, showcasing his abilities. The Jingwei clan became one of the top clans among the demon tribes due to his outstanding performance.
At that time, he was playing by the Weihe River when he encountered an extraordinarily beautiful girl. Naturally, what followed was a timeless tale of love; he and the girl fell deeply in love.
Later, he discovered that his beloved was actually Princess Nvwa of the Flame Emperor. Their romance between human and demon was not tolerated by the Flame Emperor. The Flame Emperor went to great lengths to separate them and imprisoned the girl. The girl became melancholic but was already secretly pregnant; in her distress, she gave birth to Green Lotus and passed away.
Due to being born from a union of human and demon, Green Lotus had a very strange constitution. She inherited the ancient Shennong Emperor Yan's Celestial Body bloodline, possessing innate fiery power. However, the Jingwei clan had an Extreme Yin demon nature, causing constant conflict between yin and yang within her body. Additionally, she was born with innate deficiencies that made it impossible for her to suppress this conflict, leading to frequent bouts of cold and heat. During hot spells, her blood boiled throughout her body, causing unbearable pain. Jiang Xuanzi painstakingly obtained ten-thousand-year-old ice jade from the Extreme North and raised her within it since childhood. He also sought out techniques from the Immortal Sect and New Luo Sect to cultivate her internal yin essence. Over many years, he consumed countless Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures just to bring her to the Initial Stage of Caution cultivation level; however, she could not advance any further.
She had been stagnant at the Initial Stage of Caution for a thousand years; now her powers were regressing, with internal heat toxins frequently flaring up. It seemed she was on the verge of death, leaving Jiang Xuanzi in a state of urgency!
At this point, tears streamed down Jiang Xuanzi's face: "I have already wronged her mother; if I let my daughter go too, how could I face her mother in heaven or on earth!"
Li Hong was stunned; it turned out that the legendary Jingwei filling the sea was not true! The Flame Emperor's daughter died for an unrecognized love affair rather than drowning as per legend; all those tales about her spirit not dispersing and transforming into Jingwei to fill the sea were nonsense! Angrily thinking about this, he said: "The Flame Emperor is utterly unreasonable! If it weren't for him meddling in your affairs, perhaps your family would be well off now instead of ending up like this!"
Jiang Xuanzi was taken aback and said softly, "You don't know? The Flame Emperor is actually one of your Celestial Sect of True Dawn's Ancestors, who has long ascended to the Immortal Realm and is revered by all. I am just a minor demon with some cultivation; not only can I not ascend, but I can't even save my daughter."
The Flame Emperor is an Ancestor of the Zhao Zhen Sect! Li Hong was completely unaware of this.
Ling Yi Zi nodded and said, "What he said is correct. The Zhao Zhen Sect has two recognized Ancestors: one is Xuanyuan Huangdi, and the other is Shennong, the Flame Emperor. That means the Green Princess is from the Immortal Sect!"
Li Hong sneered, "So what if the Ancestor of the Immortal Sect has long ascended to the Immortal Realm and is revered by all? Cold-blooded and heartless! They forced my daughter to death and have no kinship whatsoever with my granddaughter!"
Ling Yi Zi asked, "Have you ever sought help from the Zhao Zhen Sect? After all these years, perhaps they would lend a hand out of respect for the Flame Emperor."
"Useless. The Green Lotus is not recognized by the Flame Emperor; even my daughter's death has been covered up, and those who knew this secret are long gone. Two thousand years ago, I sought help from the Zhao Zhen Sect but was coldly rejected and driven down the mountain. Later, it was a high-ranking expert from the New Luo Sect who took pity on me and taught my Little Girl part of the New Luo Technique, saying it was most suitable for women to cultivate their Yuan Yin and counteract this innate heat poison. Indeed, my Little Girl has relied on practicing the New Luo Technique to prolong her life, but now she can no longer continue with that technique; her cultivation keeps regressing, and her life hangs by a thread. I worry about this day and night," Jiang Xuanzi sighed deeply.
Li Hong calculated the time carefully and realized how difficult it had been for Jiang Xuanzi as a father. For four thousand years, he had been trying every possible way to save his daughter's life; thinking about it made him feel pity for him. No wonder he had no intention of participating in battle.
Ling Yi Zi suddenly said coldly, "Actually, there is a way to save your daughter's life."
Jiang Xuanzi was suddenly moved and stood up anxiously, saying, "If Elder has a way, please let me know. I, Jiang Xuanzi, would be immensely grateful; what your sect seeks is not something I cannot consider." He was about to bow deeply.
Li Hong stopped him with a hand and said, "No need for that! We cannot take advantage of others' misfortunes." He glanced at Ling Yi Zi resolutely and continued, "Honestly, I did have that thought at first, but I am not considering it now. Healing your daughter and whether you are willing to send someone to our Nine Li Sect are two separate matters. There’s no need to use this as a condition. The most urgent matter now is the princess's illness."
"Thank you, Elder!" Jiang Xuanzi did not bow due to his status but looked at Li Hong with deep gratitude in his eyes.
"What method are you talking about?" Li Hong asked.
"It's very simple. Find someone with exceptionally high cultivation to absorb all the flames brought by the Flame Emperor's bloodline within Green Lotus; then the princess will naturally be fine. However, this would mean she would lose all her cultivation in one go and must start over again. Actually, this might be good; after rebuilding her cultivation, it could become more stable, and she might even turn misfortune into fortune. You must remember she is after all of the Flame Emperor's bloodline—a natural half-immortal body—with limitless potential," Ling Yi Zi explained.
Li Hong realized this and gave a heartfelt thumbs up, exclaiming, "What a great idea!"
However, Jiang Xuanzi, after hearing this, not only did not feel pleased but instead looked even more dejected. "So that's the plan. I thought of it long ago, but it’s simply unworkable! First of all, none of us from the demon clan can do it. The innate fire from the Flame Emperor's bloodline is the nemesis of every one of us demons. Even you cultivators cannot absorb Emperor Yan's Fire; it would burn you alive." At this point, he suddenly had a thought, his eyes lighting up. "Could it be... could your Nine Li Sect disciples do it? Oh my god! How did I not think of this before? You all have the innate Fire Spirit Root; absorbing Emperor Yan's Fire might actually benefit each other!" He slapped his forehead. "How foolish! Why didn’t I think of this sooner?"
"Not quite," Ling Yi Zi splashed cold water on him without hesitation. "While our Nine Li Sect practices the Li Fire Scripture and most of us indeed have the innate Fire Spirit Root, none of us can withstand the fire from the Flame Emperor's celestial body."
However, Jiang Xuanzi, who had been feeling disappointed, sensed a glimmer of hope upon hearing the word "however." He urged, "Elder, please tell me! As long as it can save Little Girl, I am willing to personally come out and assist; I will agree to any conditions! This is not taking advantage of your situation; I genuinely volunteer! I, Jiang Xuanzi, will be eternally grateful!"
Ling Yi Zi smiled lightly. "In fact, there is only one person in our entire Nine Li Sect who is not afraid of Emperor Yan's Celestial Body Fire Flame, and that person is far away yet close at hand."
He quietly looked at Li Hong.
Li Hong pointed at himself and asked, "Are you saying that person is me?!"
"Exactly!"
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