Chapter 493 - 492: Disgust
Yi Tianyun entered Qingya Residence and went straight upstairs. He found Yan’Er already fast asleep in bed, looking peaceful. A faint smile touched his lips as he pulled the covers over her before quietly making his way downstairs.
Just then, Elder Luo walked in from outside. He had actually been waiting there for some time, but seeing Yi Tianyun tucking her in upstairs, he had decided not to go up and disturb them.
"Elder Luo, you’ve arrived." Yi Tianyun had known he was there, which was why he had come down so promptly.
"Yes. I’ve finished handling things for now," Elder Luo said apologetically. "My apologies for the poor hospitality. I’m only now getting the chance to properly receive you."
"Don’t worry about it," Yi Tianyun said casually. "This must be where Yan’Er’s mother lived, right?"
"Yes, this was Huang’Er’s residence. I’ve had it cleaned regularly, always thinking she would come back to it... but who could have known..." Elder Luo let out a deep sigh. A parent should never have to bury their own child. His expression suddenly twisted with rage. "If I find out who did this, I swear I will slice them into a thousand pieces!"
A terrifying aura erupted from Elder Luo, blasting the newly fallen leaves around them into dust. And that was with him holding back; one could only imagine the devastation if he were to unleash his full power.
He was, after all, an eighth-level Spirit King Stage Cultivator. Utterly terrifying!
This was the most formidable expert Yi Tianyun had met to date. ’An eighth-level Spirit King... Even if I pushed my Combat Power to its absolute limit, it would be incredibly difficult to face him.’
"Unfortunately, when Yan’Er’s mother entrusted her to me, she didn’t say anything except to bring her to the Phoenix Nest." Yi Tianyun shook his head. ’Luo Huang probably felt I wasn’t strong enough to get revenge for her. The priority was just getting her daughter back safely; vengeance had to be set aside for the time being.’
"I will have this matter investigated thoroughly. We must get to the bottom of this!" Elder Luo’s expression was terrifying. How could he not be enraged when his own daughter had been killed? But then his gaze softened as he looked up toward the second floor. Thankfully, Yan’Er had survived. That, at least, brought him a measure of comfort.
Yi Tianyun nodded. He would definitely pay close attention to this matter as well. ’After all, Yan’Er calls me ’Daddy.’ I have to help her.’
"In any case, thank you for bringing Yan’Er back. Otherwise, I would never have known my grandchild was still alive..." Elder Luo sighed, then looked at him and said, "Words are not enough. Since you brought Yan’Er back, the Phoenix Race will certainly not treat you poorly. Come with me."
Elder Luo glanced at a nearby guard, who nodded in understanding. He would stand guard while Yan’Er was sleeping upstairs.
Yi Tianyun followed him outside. On the way, Elder Luo inquired, "Regarding your reward, do you have any requests? You brought Yan’Er back, and we will certainly not treat you unfairly. A reward is due, and it will be given. But before that, is there a particular type of Treasure you need?"
"Actually, I just want Soul-Nourishing Grass. The more, the better," Yi Tianyun said with a faint smile.
’I don’t need any other Treasures. Sacred Artifacts and the like can wait. As for Divine Artifacts, the Phoenix Race would never give one to me anyway. That’s why I’m choosing Soul-Nourishing Grass, an exceptional item that can raise my cultivation level.’
"Soul-Nourishing Grass?" Elder Luo was taken aback. He clearly hadn’t expected Yi Tianyun to request such a thing. He had thought of many possible rewards—Sacred Artifacts, Elixir Pills, and so on—but Soul-Nourishing Grass had never crossed his mind.
"Yes, I just want some Soul-Nourishing Grass. If you have a large quantity, I’m willing to trade other items for it," Yi Tianyun added after a moment’s thought. "It’s very important to me."
"Soul-Nourishing Grass, you say..." Elder Luo said apologetically. "Our clan doesn’t have any at the moment. We used to, but it has since been consumed. Soul-Nourishing Grass is extremely Rare and not at all easy to find. How about you choose another Treasure? Come with me first. Perhaps you’ll find something else you like."
Elder Luo led him deeper inside, passing numerous guards along the way. Soon, they arrived before an immense Divine Hall. The entire structure was built from Fire Element Stones. The moment they stepped inside, a surging wave of Fire Spirit Power washed over them, an astounding sensation.
For a Cultivator with a Fire Attribute Constitution, one month of cultivation here would be equivalent to a full year outside! Only the Phoenix Race could afford such extravagance.
Inside, the walls of the Divine Hall were carved with enormous phoenixes soaring high in the sky. Furthermore, a few actual, giant phoenixes were roosting off to the side. They casually lifted their heads to glance at the newcomers as they entered.
These particular phoenixes were incapable of taking human form; they existed only as colossal beasts. Beings like Elder Luo, on the other hand, had undergone further evolution. In other words, these beast-form phoenixes had not devolved; they were the primordial form of their race.
"Elder Luo, who is this?" Just then, another elder walked over. His brow furrowed in disgust the moment he saw Yi Tianyun.
Humans were clearly not welcome here, so being met with contempt was to be expected.
"Elder Lei, this is the friend who brought back my granddaughter, who was missing for many years," Elder Luo explained. "I’m taking him to the treasury to claim his reward."
The news hadn’t spread yet, so most were unaware of the situation.
"The granddaughter who was missing for many years... you mean Luo Huang’s child?" Elder Lei paused for a moment, then nodded. "Very well, a reward is appropriate. But there is no need to bring him into the Divine Hall. Elder Luo, surely you know the rules?"
His gaze toward Yi Tianyun was still filled with loathing. The news had done nothing to change his opinion; his disgust was as plain as before.
"Elder Lei, what is the meaning of this?" Elder Luo was instantly displeased. "He traveled thousands of miles to bring my granddaughter home, and I can’t even let him see our Phoenix Divine Hall? Yes, we have rules, but to not even understand how to repay a debt of gratitude—that is the true disgrace to our code!" He was immensely grateful to Yi Tianyun for bringing his granddaughter back, and his appreciation ran deep.
"Be that as it may, he is still a human. Other races, I could let it slide, but humans... Hmph! They’re all rotten to the core!" Elder Lei snorted and shot Yi Tianyun a cold glare, his disgust clearly bone-deep.
Yi Tianyun did not grow angry. He could imagine that Elder Lei must have suffered some personal tragedy, or perhaps a loved one had been harmed by a human.
"Elder Lei, I know you are prejudiced against my people, but that doesn’t mean all of us are bad. I hope you can understand," Yi Tianyun said politely.
"I’ve yet to see one!" Elder Lei scoffed, flicking his sleeve. "Elder Luo, mind the rules. A reward is one thing, but don’t go too far!"
With that, he turned on his heel and left, not lingering a moment longer.
"My friend, my apologies. Elder Lei, he..." Elder Luo shook his head, unwilling to elaborate.
"It’s alright, I understand. It’s likely that a member of the Phoenix Race had their Essence Blood drained, or something similar happened... The truth is, every race is much the same. In the pursuit of strength, some bloodshed is unavoidable. There will always be bad people, but there are good people, too," Yi Tianyun said nonchalantly.
’It wasn’t just humans; the Phoenix Race wasn’t necessarily spotless, either. They would fight to the death over a Spirit Medicine just the same. The law of the jungle—the strong devour the weak—applied here as much as anywhere else.’