Watching the Mountain

Xu Ran didn’t know if letting Little Xiyue go set up the Array was the right decision.

But just as she had said, the Valley Qi Pill was crucial for Yue Qingyu’s breakthrough. And putting aside the kindness Yue Qingyu had shown him...

The simple fact that Little Xiyue was Xiaoque’Er’s daughter meant he had no reason to stop her.

Yue Qingyu’s importance to Xiaoque’Er was self-evident. One could tell just from the fact that she had named Little Xiyue "Ning Xiyue."

Back then, after hearing about the Valley Qi Pill, he had put his own cultivation aside to research Spirit Rice.

Now that it was Little Xiyue’s turn, he naturally had no reason to stop her either.

Besides, when he thought about it, news that the Sect was refining the Valley Qi Pill had spread far and wide. The fact that the Sect was still pressing forward with it meant they were confident of success and wouldn’t allow any mishaps.

’So, I really shouldn’t be too worried.’

But even knowing this, Xu Ran still felt a lingering sense of unease. Perhaps it was because Little Xiyue had been acting so much like a little girl recently.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that she was his own daughter, one who would never grow up, and he just couldn’t stop worrying about her.

However, not long after Little Xiyue left, Ye Shan suddenly sought him out, carrying a Jade Box in his hand.

"What’s this?" Xu Ran asked curiously, looking at the Jade Box Ye Shan handed him.

"An egg," Ye Shan replied flatly.

"An egg? What kind of egg?" Xu Ran was completely baffled, unable to understand why Ye Shan would suddenly give him an egg.

"A Phoenix Egg."

"What?" Xu Ran cried out.

Then, he asked in disbelief, "A Phoenix? You mean *the* Phoenix? The Divine Beast from the legends?"

Ye Shan was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "This is from the Demon Race’s Phoenix Race. It can’t compare to the ones in myths and legends."

Xu Ran nodded in sudden realization, but the shock in his eyes still hadn’t faded. The Phoenix Race of the Demon Race was still one of the most powerful forces in the world, with countless experts in their ranks.

"Senior Brother, how did you get it?"

"I found it," Ye Shan said succinctly.

Xu Ran stared at him in disbelief, took a deep breath, and then asked, "It’s for me?"

Ye Shan nodded. "Not exactly. Just hold onto it for now. Keep it safe."

After saying that, he turned to leave, but suddenly, he looked back at Xu Ran and said, "Junior Brother, if you have time, go check on Junior Sister Qingxue for me."

Xu Ran fell silent for a moment at his words, then nodded. He sighed inwardly. ’If you care about her so much, why did you treat her like that before?’

*

*

*

When Xu Ran saw Ye Qingxue, she was holding an ordinary Tao Scripture and explaining its teachings to Ye Shu.

Ye Shu was always a few beats behind, but her face showed no sign of impatience. Instead, she would silently wait for him to catch up before continuing her explanation.

When she saw Xu Ran approach, she waved him over and asked, "Have you studied these Tao Scriptures?"

Xu Ran looked at the title of the Tao Scripture in her hand and nodded.

Back in the Mortal World, he had read many Tao Scriptures to aid his cultivation. Even after formally starting on his path, he hadn’t stopped. He would still pull them out to read when he had time away from his training.

A Cultivation Technique can make one powerful, but a Tao Scripture can strengthen one’s spirit.

"Perfect. You can explain it to him for me. I’m going to make dinner." Ye Qingxue flicked the Tao Scripture from her hand, and it landed accurately in Xu Ran’s. She then hurried into the house.

Xu Ran stared at her retreating back, his face a mask of shock.

’Cooking?’

’The Pill-Digging Witch?’

’For real?’

He felt as if his entire worldview had been shattered. He walked over to Ye Shu’s side and asked in a low voice, "Does your mother cook for you often?"

Ye Shu nodded.

"How’s her cooking?"

Ye Shu thought about it very seriously for a moment, then said slowly, "Not as good as the cafeteria’s."

Xu Ran’s expression froze when he heard that. He felt that even though Ye Shu wasn’t related to Ye Shan by blood, he had definitely inherited Ye Shan’s emotional intelligence.

Then he recalled what the boy had said outside the Instructor Hall on Qing Xuan Peak: "This child is unwilling to die for Mother."

He thought for a moment and then said, "You should have said, ’This child wants to live.’"

But to his surprise, Ye Shu shook his head and said, "I know, but I couldn’t say that."

Hearing this, Xu Ran was taken aback. "You actually knew? Then why couldn’t you say it?"

"Because that would have put Mother in a difficult position," Ye Shu said with a serious expression. "If I said it my way, everyone would only talk about me, and they wouldn’t gossip about Mother."

Xu Ran stared at Ye Shu in shock, sizing him up. He felt that this boy, who seemed a bit dense, was perhaps not as simple as he had thought.

At the very least, he was very perceptive and gentle at heart.

*

*

*

"Elder Qingxue, may I try some of your cooking?"

Xu Ran couldn’t help but ask as he looked at the dishes on the table.

The food on the table wasn’t extravagant, just some ordinary Spiritual Cuisine.

"If you want to eat, then eat. I’m not stopping you," Ye Qingxue said, waving her hand dismissively.

Hearing this, Xu Ran couldn’t hold back any longer and started to eat.

After the first bite, he savored it carefully. The taste was quite good, more delicious than he had imagined.

’It’s still not as good as my Little Xiyue’s cooking, though,’ he noted to himself.

"Did Senior Brother send you?" Ye Qingxue asked, watching him quietly.

Xu Ran thought for a moment but still answered truthfully, "Yes."

Ye Qingxue nodded lightly. After a moment of silence, she asked, "Do you know what Senior Brother is doing?"

Xu Ran shook his head. "I really don’t know about that."

At that moment, Ye Qingxue said calmly, "I do."

"Hm?" Xu Ran uttered in surprise, looking at her with a start.

Ye Qingxue’s expression was placid and her tone was even as she spoke. "I know basically everything about Senior Brother, including the things he thinks I don’t know. Master told me."

Xu Ran looked at her in surprise, waiting for her to continue.

Ye Qingxue glanced at him, then raised her head to look into the distance and asked, "Do you know who the Sect’s Valley Qi Pill is for?"

"Isn’t it for Senior Sister Yue?" Xu Ran replied subconsciously. Then he froze for a second, his eyes widening as he looked at Ye Qingxue and asked, "Don’t tell me it’s for Senior Brother Ye Shan?"

Ye Qingxue shook her head. "It’s not for Senior Sister Yue, and it’s not for Senior Brother."

"Then who is it for?"

"That I don’t know. I only know that it’s definitely not for Senior Brother or Senior Sister Yue."

Xu Ran was completely bewildered by this. Among those in the Sect who had a hope of breaking through to the Nascent Soul Stage and were qualified to take the Valley Qi Pill, if it wasn’t Yue Qingyu and it wasn’t Ye Shan, he really couldn’t think of who else it could be.

’Could it be that the Sect has another hidden trump card?’

Just as he was wondering, the color of the world suddenly changed. The originally clear, blue sky was dyed a shade of red.

It was an incredibly beautiful red, one that could make anyone who glanced at it become completely captivated, filling their heart with hope and courage.

Suddenly, a majestic, clear, and mysterious cry echoed between heaven and earth.

Looking up, a fiery red figure that seemed to encompass the entire world slowly flew out from the sea of clouds.

Clothed in flaming feathers, its crimson eyes like torches, its phoenix crown towering, its wingspan blotting out the sky.

When he saw that majestic and mysterious figure, Xu Ran was completely stunned.

That was... the Vermilion Bird.