Chapter 1456 - 516: Kindred Spirits
Finally, we repelled them. Boss, I lived up to your expectations and protected the villagers of Shou Village.
After driving away the mysterious Array Master, Little Wuya was exhausted, but she felt a surge of pride in her heart.
This was her first independent battle. She could no longer maintain her owlish form; her body fell, reverting to her original form, and she plummeted down, about to crash into the river below.
"Little Wuya!"
Little Zhiyo arrived first, leaping gracefully to catch Little Wuya accurately.
Earlier, when distributing tasks, Little Zhiyo had the foresight to request Ye Lingyue to assign him to the village closest to Shou Village.
Just before dawn, Little Zhiyo felt his eyelids twitch uncontrollably.
He subconsciously felt that Little Wuya might be in trouble.
He hesitated no longer, rushing over at lightning speed.
Seeing Little Wuya’s once-bright feathers now appearing somewhat dull, Little Zhiyo grew anxious and licked Little Wuya’s feathers with his moist tongue.
"Little Wuya, don’t worry, I’ve already informed the boss. They’ll be here soon."
Little Zhiyo comforted her.
Soon, Ye Lingyue arrived.
Seeing the devastation outside Shou Village, Ye Lingyue could imagine how fierce the battle had been.
She hadn’t expected Captain An’s group to be foolish enough to engage the Array Master head-on.
"Boss, how is Little Wuya?"
Little Zhiyo watched Ye Lingyue diagnose Little Wuya, pacing anxiously beside her.
"She’s just exhausted, don’t worry."
Ye Lingyue fed Little Wuya a Vermilion Fruit and used Cauldron Breath to treat her. After a while, Little Wuya was back to moving freely.
While Ye Lingyue was treating Little Wuya, the members of the Huangquan Team arrived to support them.
Last night, besides Little Wuya and Ye Lingyue, the other villages were peaceful.
It was evident the mysterious Array Master had condensed the Water Bright Stone in the ancient well of Pan Village before committing atrocities at Shou Village.
"Despicable, he won’t even spare innocent civilians. That Array Master is simply inhuman."
Seeing the devastated cobblestones outside Shou Village and the fire threatening to invade the village, everyone gritted their teeth in anger.
"Our speculation might be wrong. According to Little Wuya, the Array Master is likely not from the Human Clan, and the other party harbors hatred against humans. Regardless, we’ve at least discovered their whereabouts. Let’s find the other witness, Captain An, and once we understand the details, we’ll decide on a plan."
Ye Lingyue and the others searched thoroughly before finding Captain An, unconscious at the foot of the mountain outside Shou Village.
After some simple treatment, Captain An’s life was not in danger. However, his right hand, damaged due to greed when he touched the Water Bright Stone, had become completely necrotic. To save his life, his hand had to be amputated.
Upon waking and realizing his hand was gone, Captain An roared and cursed.
After being severely beaten by Bo Qing and Qin Xiaochuan, he quieted down somewhat.
"An, I’m not as cultured as Ling Yue. Let me tell you, it’s best you explain everything you saw and heard last night carefully. If you miss a single word, I guarantee what you’ll face next will be a hundred times more painful than losing your hand."
Bo Qing smirked wickedly.
He was inherently a Demon, docile around Ye Lingyue, but showed his bloodthirsty and brutal side in front of outsiders.
Captain An was frightened into silence.
He recounted in detail the encounter with the Array Master last night, but like Little Wuya, he hadn’t seen the Array Master’s true face.
At the end, Captain An recalled something else and added:
"Actually, I discovered one thing. The Array Master fled toward Jiunie Mountain, and judging by the route, he seems familiar with the area."
While escaping, he vaguely remembered something flying over his head before he lost consciousness.
The Tian Jun Representative Team had been stationed longer in Fang Ah County than the Huangquan Team. Due to collecting grain taxes in various locations, they were quite familiar with nearby villages.
"Jiunie Mountain?"
Bo Qing and Qin Xiaochuan noted the name.
After questioning, they shared Captain An’s discovery with Ye Lingyue.
Ye Lingyue opened a map and indeed found a stretch of mountains to the west.
The mountain was named Jiunie Mountain.
"Little Wuya also saw the mysterious Array Master escaping westward last night. Could it be that the Array Master’s base is within Jiunie Mountain?"
Ye Lingyue pointed at the map.
Consequently, Ye Lingyue brought in the village chiefs from several villages to inquire about the origins of these mountains.
When asked about Jiunie Mountain, the village chiefs all showed concern.
"Captain Ye, to be honest, we don’t know much about the origins of Jiunie Mountain. There’s an old legend saying that Jiunie Mountain is guarded by a Divine Beast. It’s said to be a member of the Phoenix Clan, which mortals cannot enter; otherwise, they may be punished by Heavenly Fire. Villagers in the past would get lost at the foot of the mountain. So, none of the village residents know who really inhabits Jiunie Mountain."
The village chief of Shou Village explained candidly, with other village chiefs nodding in agreement.
In Fang Ah County, Jiunie Mountain is considered a Divine Mountain.
As for whether Divine Phoenix resides in Jiunie Mountain, no one knows, and no one has seen it firsthand.
"What? You’re saying the Phoenix lives in Jiunie Mountain?"
At this moment, Little Wuya came in holding Little Zhiyo.
Upon hearing about the Phoenix, her face turned pale, and she became tense.
Ye Lingyue, next to her, was equally surprised. Could it be that the Phoenix Clan truly resides within Jiunie Mountain?
Little Wuya was the offspring of the Ice Phoenix and Fire Phoenix.
Years ago, this Phoenix Couple passed through Yunmeng Swamp and laid several eggs there.
Little Wuya was the last to hatch. Due to being poisoned by a venomous python, both the Ice Phoenix and Fire Phoenix thought this offspring couldn’t be saved.
In desperation, they left the egg behind, entrusting Ye Lingyue with its care.
Over the years, Ye Lingyue treated Little Wuya like a sister.
After Little Wuya transformed into human form, Ye Lingyue informed her of her own origins.
At that time, Ye Lingyue promised that whenever possible, she’d help Little Wuya find her family, so they could reunite.
But as years passed, Little Wuya had become an Illusion Phoenix, yet there was still no news of the Phoenix Clan.
Neither Ye Lingyue nor Little Wuya expected that after years, they’d hear of the Phoenix Clan again in Fang Ah County on the Ancient Nine Provinces Continent.
Little Wuya least expected that the one she fought last night, who humiliated her and nearly killed her, might very well be the descendant of the Phoenix.