After Death, I Became My Shijie’s Palm-Sized Birdie – Chapter 63
by Little PandaGoing Together
Kidnapping the Little Highness, with a free Immortal Venerable thrown in
“May I ask what brings all of you to Wenshen Sect?” Yun Heng sat upright in the master’s seat. When the Immortal Venerable was being perfectly serious, she was highly deceptive—it was as if she truly didn’t know what the demon kings had come for. Her cold, clear eyes were like the purest snow on Yunwu Mountain. They said the eyes were the windows to the soul; the demon kings looked at her and instinctively felt that this Immortal Venerable’s thoughts were equally pure and flawless.
If the Little Phoenix hadn’t been at her side, the demon kings might actually have believed she knew nothing.
“The Immortal Venerable abducted our Feather Tribe’s greatest treasure, and yet you ask what brings us here?” Bifang King fanned herself gently, a flash of sharpness glinting in her seemingly tender gaze.
With Bifang King broaching the topic, the other demon kings chimed in one after another. “Immortal Venerable, we’re grateful for your grace in caring for the Little Highness. The Feather Tribe will surely repay you handsomely in the future, but right now we must bring the Little Highness back to Risun Palace.”
The demon kings stared intently at Yun Heng, awaiting her reply.
“Um…” The atmosphere inside the Discussion Hall had grown tense, and Wen Qiwu wanted to help her shijie explain.
But Yun Heng gently pressed down on her hand and spoke herself. “The Phoenix Lord entrusted Qiwu to me in her tomb. I will naturally take good care of her. There’s no need for the kings to worry.”
The demon kings had anticipated all manner of excuses from this Immortal Venerable, but they hadn’t expected her to invoke the Phoenix Lord the moment she opened her mouth. Even the most eloquent among them was struck dumb—how could Her Majesty have entrusted the Little Highness to this human?
The only one among the demon kings who hadn’t spoken a word, Qingluan King, sighed inwardly. She had maintained her silence partly because she owed this Immortal Venerable a life-saving debt, and partly because she had heard the Phoenix Lord’s dying entrustment with her own ears.
With the Phoenix Lord’s final words, this Immortal Venerable was even less likely to let go.
Her Majesty had her own considerations. Qingluan King believed Her Majesty’s choice was what was best for the Little Highness.
【Qingluan King, did Her Majesty truly say those words before?】 Bifang King’s voice surfaced in Qingluan King’s mind. At the time, Qingluan King had been closest to the Phoenix Lord. Bifang King figured that since she was being so quiet, perhaps she knew some inside information.
Qingluan King relayed the fragments of conversation she had heard to Bifang King, along with some rumors about the Immortal Venerable. They wanted to fight the Immortal Venerable for the Little Phoenix? Unless they all jumped an entire major realm to reach the True Immortal Realm right now, they absolutely couldn’t win.
Bifang King’s eyes shifted as though something had occurred to her, and a knowing smile spread across her features.
“This… this was Her Majesty’s dying wish?” The other demon kings exchanged glances. Though they dearly wanted to sneak the Little Phoenix back home, they couldn’t defy Her Majesty’s final decree. What were they supposed to do now?
Bifang King fanned herself gently. “Immortal Venerable, it isn’t that we insist on taking the Little Highness away. May I ask—have you seen the Little Highness’s true form? Compared to other young phoenixes of the same age, our Little Highness is a bit on the small and thin side.”
It wasn’t as though any of them had seen another young phoenix anyway—whether she was thin or plump was entirely Bifang King’s word, wasn’t it?
The Immortal Venerable, whose expression had seemed devoid of joy or sorrow, finally looked at her. Ripples stirred in the depths of Yun Heng’s calm eyes. Only when Wen Qiwu quietly squeezed her hand did the taut string in Yun Heng’s heart ease slightly.
Yun Heng asked Bifang King to elaborate. Seeing the fish had taken the bait, Bifang King concealed the smile at the corner of her lips behind her fan. “The Little Highness is still young. A phoenix at this age needs the care of an old wutong1 tree. The Little Highness hatched outside and hasn’t been back all these years, so naturally her growth has been much slower.”
“Risun Palace is filled with wutong immortal trees and is the most suitable place for a phoenix to live. Why not let the Little Highness return to Risun Palace to stay for a while? If the Immortal Venerable is uneasy, you could accompany our Little Highness and live there together. We’re grateful for your care of the Little Highness all these years—the Feather Tribe would be most welcoming to you.”
Qingluan King glanced at Bifang King sitting beside her. Would she welcome Immortal Venerable Yun Heng? Presumably not. None of the demon kings present were likely to welcome her. So Bifang King’s purpose in inviting her was absolutely not that simple. She guessed… this cunning bird wanted to bring the Immortal Venerable over as a weapon to intimidate the demon masses.
Risun Palace was where the Demon Emperor resided. Ten thousand years later, the former Demon Emperor’s deterrent had gradually faded, and the demon kings who had grown in power eyed Risun Palace covetously. There was no wall in the world that didn’t leak wind—if they brought the Little Highness back, sooner or later those demons would find out. Phoenix blood was a great tonic to those creatures, and no one could guarantee they wouldn’t attack the Feather Tribe. Though the Feather Tribe’s strength was not weak, they couldn’t guarantee they’d remain invincible if other clans joined forces against them.
Therefore, the Feather Tribe needed a sufficiently powerful ally. One couldn’t be found within the Demon Race, so they could only look to the Human Race. After considering all options, they’d find no one more suitable than Yun Heng.
It was just unclear whether Immortal Venerable Yun Heng would be willing to accompany the Little Highness to the Demon Race’s territory. Qingluan King looked at Yun Heng. For now, she couldn’t read this Immortal Venerable’s thoughts from her expression.
As for what Yun Heng was thinking…
She discreetly felt her shimei’s hand, then squeezed her shimei’s wrist. Her expression gradually changed. Her shimei had indeed grown considerably thinner. Could it truly be because she hadn’t been raised near wutong trees after hatching?
Yun Heng felt a twinge of self-reproach. How could she have forgotten about the wutong trees? She should have dug up a few and planted them to see if they’d survive.
As long as it was for Wen Qiwu’s good, Yun Heng was perfectly willing to live anywhere. As for Wenshen Sect’s affairs, she could just hand them over to someone else. Back when Yun Heng had felt she couldn’t endure any longer, she had already chosen a successor. It would be perfect timing for them to gain some experience while she was away.
“Ah Que, would you like to go live at Risun Palace for a while?” Yun Heng asked softly.
Though she had lowered her voice, not a single demon king present was below the Golden Immortal Realm. They all heard Yun Heng’s words and perked up their ears waiting for Wen Qiwu’s reply.
The demon kings’ expressions were overly eager—as though if she refused them, they’d instantly turn into crestfallen birds with drooping heads. Wen Qiwu’s lips curved slightly.
“That’s where Mother lived… if there’s a chance, I’d like to see it,” Wen Qiwu said to Yun Heng.
The birds immediately perked up—the Little Highness was willing to go back!
“Then Shijie will accompany you.” Her shimei going there was essentially entering a bird’s nest—Yun Heng absolutely had to go with her.
“Alright, but we have to wait until Shijie’s health improves a bit before we set off.” But during this time, Shijie had to stay put on Yunwu Mountain and recover—she wasn’t allowed to go anywhere!
With the previous incident as a cautionary tale, Wen Qiwu felt it was safest to keep Shijie by her side, lest Shijie bring her some unexpected “surprises.”
Wen Qiwu’s voice carried a hint of sternness. Yun Heng immediately promised that she would actively undergo treatment and strive to recover as soon as possible.
She also wanted to recover quickly. That way she could sooner ask her shimei for a formal title. Just thinking about it made Yun Heng’s heart beat a little faster.
Qingluan King glanced at the bird fanning herself beside her, a hint of admiration showing in her expression. Not only had she coaxed the Little Highness into going back, she’d also brought back a True Immortal Realm human to protect the Little Highness in the bargain. What a cunning bird. Once they returned, she’d tell the children in her clan to stay away from Bifang!
Yun Heng gently rubbed her shimei’s palm, then produced a piece of candy and placed it in her hand before asking unhurriedly, “Risun Palace is the Phoenix Lord’s residence, but it’s also the Demon Emperor’s palace. If Ah Que were to live there…”
She suspected these birds wanted to push Ah Que onto that throne.
“The Demon Emperor’s throne should belong to the Little Highness in the first place!” the birds stated without the slightest reservation. “All these years the imperial throne of Shiling Domain has sat empty precisely because no demon could command universal submission. The Little Highness’s status is exalted, and her future cultivation will be True Immortal Realm at minimum. Is there any demon more suited to inherit the throne?”
Their phoenix ought to sit on that throne.
“It’s just that the Little Highness is still young. Even if we were to announce it publicly, we should at least wait until she has cultivated to the Golden Immortal Realm to be safe.” Qingluan King was somewhat more level-headed than those boisterous birds.
In truth, announcing it even at the Golden Immortal Realm wouldn’t be safe enough. It would be best to wait until the Little Highness reached the True Immortal Realm before appearing before the other demon races. The Demon Race revered the strong above all—once the Little Highness’s power was sufficient to crush those demons, those creatures would naturally have no choice but to bow and submit.
Wen Qiwu frowned slightly. She wasn’t particularly interested in that troublesome position.
The birds keenly detected the shift in her mood, and their excitement gradually subsided.
“If the Little Highness doesn’t want this position… then we’ll just claim Risun Palace. That place was built by Her Majesty in the first place—it’s only right and natural for you to inherit it.” The birds were exceptionally indulgent of the Little Phoenix. If she didn’t like it, the Demon Emperor’s throne wasn’t worth all that much.
Only… if the one who ascended the throne was that demon king, then as the former Demon Emperor’s retainers, the Feather Tribe’s situation would likely become even more difficult.
“Qingluan King, do you have some concern?” Wen Qiwu looked at Qingluan King, whose expression seemed conflicted.
“Not at all!” Qingluan King offered Wen Qiwu a gentle smile. The Little Highness was even gentler than Her Majesty. With a temperament like that, she’d probably be pestered by the Feather Tribe’s children every day.
Wen Qiwu didn’t believe her. Qingluan King definitely had something on her mind. She had experienced the birds’ partiality toward her firsthand and understood they probably didn’t want to put her in a difficult position.
So she played the emotional card. Qingluan King had been with Mother the longest, so Wen Qiwu showed her the same care she would an elder. Qingluan King’s eyes welled with tears, making the other birds a little jealous. Her psychological defenses crumbled one after another under the Little Highness’s concern. Finally, under Wen Qiwu’s pressing questions, she revealed the Feather Tribe’s somewhat awkward predicament.
The demon king at Golden Immortal Great Perfection who was most likely to claim the throne was at odds with the Feather Tribe. His temperament was tyrannical. Once he ascended, barring any surprises, he would target the former Demon Emperor’s retainers. This was retaliation, but also a deterrent—making an example of them to warn the others, precisely to keep the other clans too afraid to make any rash moves.
“So it’s that one…” Wen Qiwu had heard of him.
She hadn’t expected the Feather Tribe to face such trouble. Just as the birds favored the phoenix, the phoenix also had an instinct to protect the Feather Tribe. Wen Qiwu’s expression darkened. If that was the case, then not only would she claim that position—she would make that demon king who coveted the Feather Tribe into a tool for the Feather Tribe to intimidate the demon masses.
After coming back to her senses, Wen Qiwu suddenly noticed that her shijie, who had just been at odds with the demon kings, was now actively striking up conversation with them. The demon kings’ expressions weren’t as unpleasant as before. They even looked somewhat eager. The topic that could make them get along was naturally herself.
“Since it belongs to Ah Que, there’s naturally no reason to hand it over willingly. Anyone who opposes it can be sent to reincarnation.” Yun Heng had no interest in the Demon Emperor’s throne—but if it was her shimei’s, then no other riffraff demon had any right to sit on it.
Though the demon kings didn’t like this human who had abducted their Little Highness, Yun Heng’s words struck a chord of satisfaction in them. The birds wanted to give their Little Phoenix the best of everything, but were limited by their power. Even if they managed to put the Little Phoenix on the throne, it would likely attract all manner of danger. Under these circumstances, allying with this human was acceptable. It would be even better if this human could just let go of the Little Highness’s hand. Was a phoenix’s noble wing something to be casually touched?!
Noticing a demon king’s resentful gaze fixed on her hand, Yun Heng’s lips curved into a smirk. Not only had she touched her—she had kissed and embraced her too. And in the future, she would ask their Little Highness for a formal title.
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