Chapter 121

  However, before the Penglai people could react, a huge bird over eight feet long, as big as a grown man, suddenly swooped down from the sky. A foul and pungent smell filled the air, its feathers were fiery red, its eyes were like blood, its claws were like hooks, and its wingspan was over 20 li wide. It flew low over the ground, stirring up large clouds of dust and hard mud, and its sharp beak darted towards the man like a knife.

  Qing Xia was shocked and pale, he snatched a bow and arrow from one of the Pengcai disciples, pulled out a dagger from his cup, drew his bow and shot the dagger with lightning speed, the momentum was astonishing, and fiercely stabbed towards the giant bird's abdomen.

  But all that was heard was a "ding" sound, and the dagger seemed to have been shot onto a cast iron plate, making a dull thud, splitting into two halves, and falling down from above.

  Yuanyu Qing's expression turned solemn and he said in a deep voice, "This is the Red Bird King, one of the top ten fierce birds in the valley. We can't defeat it by force. Use the Thunderwood Bullet to attack!"

  A group of robust young men from Penglai immediately surrounded the front, two by two, carrying a relatively delicate tool. In an instant, only the sound of "whooshing" was heard, and one by one, fist-sized bullets flew towards the giant bird. The big bird was originally made of steel, but it seemed to have suffered from the seemingly inconspicuous thunderwood bullet, and suddenly forgot to attack the men on the cliff, letting out a sharp cry, flapping its wings wildly in an attempt to shake off the bullets. However, the bullets had tiny reverse thorns, which also had curved hooks, and once they came into contact with the feathers, they stuck tightly and couldn't be shaken off.

  Yuanyu Qing saw the opportunity was ripe, and with a flick of his wrist, he sent a packet of green powder flying into the air. The wind blew it away, and in an instant, all traces were gone, as if it had turned to vapor.

  The Red Bird King was shocked, his eyes were like blood, and he flapped his wings in a panic. However, only a series of dull explosions suddenly rang out, the strong smell of sulfur spread throughout the sky, and countless bloody holes opened on the Firebird King's body, the stench suddenly pierced the nose. The man on the cliff saw an opportunity, turned around abruptly, and swung the curved knife in his mouth fiercely, cutting it onto the Red Bird's neck. A blood line suddenly shot up to the sky, the bird group screamed loudly, only to see the Firebird's head fall off, its headless body spinning wildly in mid-air, flying frantically, and it took a long time before it finally fell down.

  A hundred winds stirred, the bird flock was sorrowful. This group of giant birds was extremely powerful. When they encountered this great defeat, not only did they not flee in a hurry, but instead they broke their cauldrons and sank their boats, wailing and fighting fiercely, flapping their wings in unison, surrounding the men on the cliff wall. The people below were greatly shocked, as the birds and men were too close together, making it impossible to use the thunderwood arrows, so they could only bend their bows and shoot arrows randomly.

  Qing Xia was shocked and jumped off the elephant's back, drew a war knife, and was about to climb up. Zhuo Yuan Qing hurriedly stopped her, glanced at the people around him, and they quickly grabbed Teng Suo and climbed up swiftly.

  These Penglai people, although timid and cowardly, have been fighting against various birds and beasts in the valley for many years. They are quite agile and nimble, but they are far away from that man and cannot reach him at this time. Just as the bird group has surrounded the man, a clear and piercing bamboo flute sound suddenly rises, sharp and high-pitched, ear-piercingly loud, only ringing for a few times, already making people dizzy and nauseous, hands and feet numb, scalp tingling, chest and abdomen churning with nausea.

  Yuanyu's eyebrows were tightly furrowed as he shouted loudly: "Evil Gu Dragon Smoke, Yun Sen Qi Shu, everyone quickly cover their ears and stop listening!"

  Below the cliff, everyone heard the words and hurriedly covered their ears. Qing Xia looked up and saw that the group of big birds suddenly seemed to be possessed by a demon, flapping their wings and attacking each other fiercely, actually starting to kill each other. Feathers filled the sky, and foul blood flowed everywhere, splashing and flying about. A girl in green clothes sat on top of a snow-white eagle, with round face and red lips, white teeth, and a green gauze wrapped around her head, with small braids hanging down from under it, adorned with green bells. She held a green bamboo flute to her mouth, blowing it with a delicate expression that seemed both charming and eerily cold. As the giant birds were almost done killing each other, the girl's snow-white hand reached into her clothes, grabbed a handful of colorful smoke, and scattered it away. In an instant, the flying birds in the sky suddenly let out sharp cries, but before long, they turned into a ball of blood water, dripping down with a plop.

  The crowd was stunned, no one knew where the girl came from. But she didn't care about the people below, just a triumphant smile, and mocked the man in green clothes in mid-air: "Yang Mu Tou, you said you didn't need my help, did you? Now I've helped, what can you do to me?"

  The man was silent, holding the hook lock in his hand, and swiftly descended. Without those beasts disturbing him by his side, the man's movements were like a giant ape, and he landed on the ground in an instant.

  It wasn't until then that the people of Penglai had time to carefully take in the man's appearance.

  He was clad in a suit of green, his eyebrows and eyes were sharp, his gaze was piercing, but his face was weathered, yet he had an air of strength and bravery. He held a long rope in his hand, wore a silver spear at his waist, and had a knife sheath on his arm, with a shining gemstone sword in his hand. Standing before the crowd, his eyes were fixed intently on Qing Xia, who was standing among the people, his mouth curled up slightly, as if he had let out a long sigh, and smiled faintly.

  "Yang Ge!" Qing Xia suddenly stepped forward two steps, grasping Yang Feng's hand in a fluster, her eyes reddening with excitement. It had been three years since they parted ways that day, and she had spent every day in fear and anxiety, filled with guilt and unease. She never thought that today, in this dark place, they would meet again, and for a moment, a thousand words were stuck in her throat, unable to be expressed, so excited that she couldn't contain herself.

  "Magistrate Yang!" Lin Mubai suddenly shouted loudly, trying to learn from Qing Xia's example and jump down from the elephant's back, but almost fell head over heels on the ground. He was helped up by Zhu Yuanqing and hastily ran forward, excitedly exclaiming: "How did Magistrate Yang end up here? It's truly a small world!"

  Yu Qing saw the expression on Qing Xia's face and knew that the person who came was not a simple identity. He now privately recognized Qing Xia as the master, followed closely, and hurriedly stepped forward with ears open and eyes bright, saying loudly: "I just wondered who the hero of the lone fight against the Red Bird King was, it turned out to be Miss Zhuang's friend, no wonder."

  Yang Feng smiled and greeted everyone, then turned to Qing Xia and said with a smile: "Xiao Xia, now that I know you're okay, I can rest assured."

  "How did you find your way here? I've been waiting for you in Hakone for two years?"

  Qing Xia's emotions were stirred, and he hastily spoke. Yang Feng was about to respond when a sharp, long whistle suddenly rang out, causing everyone to turn their heads. They saw that the massive white eagle had landed on the ground, and the girl in green clothes jumped down from its back, patting the eagle's head. The eagle seemed to have a spiritual nature, letting out a whistling sound as it soared into the sky, circling for a while before disappearing from sight. Seeing everyone staring at her in astonishment, the girl didn't seem to mind, but instead looked Qing Xia up and down with her eyes, then turned to Yang Feng and said: "You risked your life to come here just for this little girl? I thought she was some kind of extraordinary beauty, but it turns out she's nothing special."

  With that said, he let out a cold snort and displayed an extremely disdainful expression.

  Qing Xia was taken aback, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, and she asked Yang Feng: "Who is she?"

  Yang Feng's face fell, and he frowned, saying: "Just an ordinary friend."

  "What's with the ordinary friend?" The girl in green clothes suddenly said in a soft and charming voice, turning her body around, raising her eyebrows, and calling out in a spoiled tone: "Yang Mu Tou, how can you be so heartless and ungrateful? For three years, I've been by your side every day, serving you tea and water, my body has long been given to you. Now that you've seen the one you love, do you want to cut ties with me and clear our relationship? Let me tell you, don't even think about it!"

  After that, the girl rushed to the front of the two men, grabbed Yang Feng's arm and said to Qing Xia: "Little girl, you followed a man down here, now there is another man who wants to die for you upstairs. Now you have so many men around you again, don't think about stealing from me! Otherwise, I, the fairy, will use my magic to poison all these men one by one, hang them on the cliff and feed them to the eagles, making you a widow!"

  "Ah! I know who you are!" Lin Mubai suddenly shouted loudly from behind the crowd: "You're Qī Shù Yāo Nǚ, the Seventh Tree Demoness of Yun Sen's Seven Trees, and Liè Yún Jì, the Lord of Báluò City!"

  Everyone heard the words and had no reaction, looking around in a daze. Only Qing Xia's heart skipped a beat, looking at Yang Feng with suspicion, thinking to herself that he actually provoked this demon girl, now seeing her true face, it seems that the rumors outside are not false after all.

  Yun Sen Qi Shu is located on a flat hill in the Yun Sen Mountain area, with only seven trees, but they are intertwined, their roots and vines spreading all over the mountain, forming a large tropical rainforest. It has always been infested with poisonous insects and ferocious beasts, and it is impossible for people to enter or exit, making it one of the most dangerous places on the main road, also known as Qi Shu, also known as Ba Lou City. Seven years ago, a group of horse bandits from Hei Ling were forced to retreat into Yun Sen Qi Shu under the joint siege of Xi Chuan and Nan Chu, but the soldiers and horses of the two countries followed them in, only to never come out again.

  At that time, Chu Li had just returned to the country. The emperor was in a state of confusion and disorder. The Western Emperor was cruel and issued an order at the same time, sending the elite troops of the state to Yun Sen, pulling out the roots of the seven trees.

  Two countries each sent 5,000 elite soldiers to enter the Cloud Forest of Seven Trees and lost contact. Two days later, they were collectively thrown dead in the Shuiyuan area in front of the Continental Merchant City, causing the largest bloodbath on the continent. Unexpectedly, before the two countries could set up their next attack, a girl over ten years old suddenly walked out of the Cloud Forest of Seven Trees, wearing a green dress and having braids with bells on her head. She led a large number of monsters and snakes from the seven trees towards the Merchant City, killing everything in their path. The villages were slaughtered, the towns were destroyed, and the sound of mourning filled the air.

  Finally, it was the beast-taming expert from the Nanjiang White Wolf Tribe who stepped forward and put an end to this disaster. And thus, the name of Qishu Yaonü Lieyunji became renowned throughout the land.

  But since then, Lie Yunji has disappeared without a trace. Even later, when brave adventurers secretly entered the Seven Trees, they couldn't find any sign of her. Unexpectedly, today in this secluded valley that has been closed off for thousands of years, I saw the true face of this demoness.

  Lingyun Ji smiled and said: "Good kid, didn't expect anyone to still remember the young lady's name, should be well rewarded." After speaking, she reached into her waist pocket and grabbed something, throwing it at Lin Mubai.

  Only to see a group of green and green things rushing over, thinking of the fame of this demon girl, Lin Mubai suddenly shouted loudly, covering his head and running away. Qing Xia's eyebrows were raised, and the dagger in her hand flew out instantly, snowflakes danced wildly, flying up and down, and in a few strokes, she knocked that unidentifiable object to the ground. The crowd looked at it with sunken eyes, only to see a group of green and green insects, most of which had been chopped up by Qing Xia, their intestines flowing out, green juice splashing everywhere, stuck together in a mess, looking at it made one feel nauseous, extremely disgusting.

  Liu Yun furrowed her brow, suddenly grasping Yang Fen's arm tightly and cried out in a tender voice: "Ahh, Yang Mutt, your old flame is bullying me, won't you avenge me?"

  Yang Feng's eyebrows were tightly locked, and he pushed away Lie Yunji's hand with a loud voice: "Lie Guniang, please restrain yourself."

  "What's with the 'be careful'?" Lie Yun's hair was tied up in a fierce knot, her eyes wide and glaring as she pouted and said: "When you were little and running around naked all day, staring at me for care, you didn't tell me to be careful! Now that your wings are hard, you don't need me anymore, do you want to kick me out? Not even a door, humph!"

  She turned around and walked towards the valley, Zhu Yuanqing saw this evil star walking into the valley with a big stride, and was suddenly frightened out of her wits. She hastily rushed forward, blocking Liè Yúnjiǎo's path, forcing a smile to ask: "I don't know where Miss Lie is going now?"

  Her dark cloud-like eyebrows rose, and she said in an angry voice: "I'm not in a good mood now, I want to kill someone. Considering you look quite decent, I'll give you a heads up - it's best if you roll far away from here. Otherwise, don't blame the wasp in my hand for having no eyes!"

  Yu Qing was taken aback, and let the domineering girl walk past her own side. When she reacted, she had already walked far away with extremely fast footsteps. Hurriedly shouting out in alarm, she followed up front, seemingly truly afraid that she would treat the innocent Penglai citizens like she did Hong Niao.

  Qing Xia turned his head and looked at Yang Feng, remembering the words of that girl, and said worriedly: "Yang brother, what exactly happened to you over these few years?"

  Yang Feng smiled faintly and patted Qing Xia's shoulder, saying with a smile: "Let's walk and talk."

  Lin Mu Bai saw them walking into the valley, and hurriedly followed behind. Under the majestic Tianyi Gorge, only a bloody and blurry bird carcass and disgusting squirming wasps were left.

  In Qing Xia's room, beside an eight immortals table, sat three men and one woman. Qing Xia's eyes nervously shifted between the three faces, only to see Chu Li still wearing a white cotton robe, lazily leaning against the wall behind him, his eyes playfully gazing at Yang Feng, with a hint of hostility in his expression.

  Yang Feng was as still as a mountain, his face as calm as water, seemingly oblivious to Chu Li's presence, like an old monk in meditation without the slightest reaction.

  It was Lin Mubai, who, like a madman, didn't notice any sword or knife light, and still indulged in the joy of reuniting with old friends, his eyes almost shining with delight, his mouth curled up in a happy smile that couldn't be closed.

  Alas, Qing Xia let out a sigh and said it wasn't like that. She wouldn't have told this bookworm that Chu Li was still in the valley either. Lin Mu Bai was an honest person who wouldn't lie, but if he accidentally slipped up, the situation would become terrible. However, the relationship between Yang Feng and Chu Li was unpredictable, so they really needed someone to ease the atmosphere. In the end, they had no choice but to bring him along as well.

  "In other words, you didn't originally ask someone to come to Baiguan County to find me and tell me to wait for you at the county seat, did you?"

  Yang Feng nodded and said in a low voice: "Yes, after parting with you, I was hunted down by the people of Wusumier's tribe. Later, I encountered the snake people of Nanjiang, was poisoned severely, but fortunately met Lieyunji who entered Nanjiang to collect medicine and was saved by her. My poisoning was too severe, and it wasn't until three months ago that I more or less recovered. When I rushed back to Baimeng, you were no longer there. I inquired about your news everywhere, and half a month ago, I heard about the Battle of Bailu Yuan, the earth cracking open, so I hurried over here, met Qin Guo Xuanwang on the way, asked clearly, and then came down to look for you."

  What he said was understated, but just hearing that his injuries would take more than two years to recover from made it clear how perilous the battle had been. Qing Xia's brow furrowed in concern, thinking to herself that if that was the case, then who could have come to report the news? After a moment's thought, she suddenly had an answer. Those three days when Xuan Da Lie had excused himself to go hunting in the mountains and hadn't returned home, he must have been trying not to leave her side, so he had lied about it. Thinking of this, her eyes reddened slightly as she reached across the table to grasp Yang Feng's hand, saying in a low voice: "Yang Da Ge, great kindnesses need not be spoken of, but I will never be able to repay your kindness for my entire life."

  Yang Feng smiled faintly and shook his head, saying: "A drop of water in need is repaid with a gushing spring, we can be considered to have fate."

  Qing Xia's heart was moved, and he said in a low voice: "Actually, I've long considered you as my own elder brother."

  Yang Feng was slightly stunned, a hint of sharpness flashing in his eyes, and after a moment he smiled and said: "Me too."

  "Hmph!" A disdainful snort suddenly came from the side, Qing Xia turned her head and saw Chu Li's mocking face with a slight curl of his lips. She couldn't help but get angry and shouted loudly: "If it weren't for you, how would we have to suffer so much?"

  Chu Li heard this and suddenly became furious, saying in a low voice: "Don't spout nonsense! It's not like I sent someone to chase and kill you. Hmph, if it were really my people, do you think you'd still be sitting here unscathed? You wouldn't even last two years, let alone twenty!"

  "You!" Qing Xia was furious and suddenly stood up.

  "Hey, calm down! Calm down!" Lin Mubai hastily stood up and blocked the two people in between, carefully saying: "Now everyone is on the same boat, we should work together to overcome difficulties, absolutely cannot have internal conflicts."

  Qing Xia glared at Chu Li fiercely, seeing his nonchalant appearance made her want to rush up and fight him.

  Chu Li saw Qing Xia get angry, and his mood slightly improved. In fact, he was cold and distant earlier because Qing Xia hadn't paid attention to him for a long time. Now that they had argued, he suddenly felt a strange sense of being valued again. He turned around and said to Qing Xia, "Hey! I'm starving, go get something to eat."

  "Eat? Eat your big head ghost!" Qing Xia angrily grabbed the teacup on the table and threw it at Chu Li's head.

  Chu Li is a formidable figure, having spent the most time with Qing Xia. He has been through countless battles and before he even finishes speaking, he assumes a defensive stance. With a flick of his wrist, he deflects the incoming tea cup, which suddenly gains eyes and hits Lin Mu Bai's occipital bone with a dull thud. Lin Mu Bai immediately lets out a loud, pig-like screech.

  "Yang, let's go outside."

  Qing Xia glared at Chu Li fiercely, then pulled Yang Feng and walked out of the room. Just as they were about to turn a corner, Qing Xia suddenly stopped in her tracks, furrowed her brow slightly, and said in a low voice: "Yang Da Ge, I have something to ask you."

  Yang Feng nodded and said: "You want to ask me about Xuan Wang's situation, right?"

  Qing Xia was taken aback, and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Yang Feng smiled faintly and said: "Your affairs have spread throughout the streets and alleys, and I've also heard some rumors. You two fell into the abyss these days, and King Xuan has been searching for talented individuals across the continent, even inviting Lie Yunji. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known about your news so quickly. However, this abyss is thousands of feet deep, with dense toxic fumes above, which would be fatal to ordinary people if inhaled. Previously, I was poisoned by over a hundred types of snake venom, but under Lie Yunji's treatment, using poison to counteract poison, my body has become a poisonous container. With Lie Yunji watching over me from the side, that's why I could come down here without any harm. If it were someone else, they might have already died without leaving a complete corpse."

  The thousands of feet of the precipice, extremely dangerous, looking at Yang Feng's determined face, Qing Xia's heart was deeply moved. Only to hear Yang Feng continue: "Three days ago, I came to Bailu Yuan at night and happened to encounter the Qin army's large camp on the edge of the precipice. I met King Xuan of Qin there. He looked withered and pale, his body weak and frail, and the Qin imperial family had sent more than a dozen southern doctors to come to Bailu Yuan to diagnose his illness, which barely saved him from disaster. The Western Chuan hunting meeting has ended, and Eastern Qi has returned, leaving only the armies of Qin and Chu still lingering here. King Xuan issued thirteen golden plaques summoning the king, all of which were rejected. It is said that there are many rumors in the court, and various rumors have arisen. The northern border of Qin was attacked by the Xiongnu again because it did not have the protection of the Flame Character Camp, and the Earth Character Camp was refused. It is said that there are many rumors in the court, and various rumors have arisen. Many border towns in the north of Qin were looted, and it's unbearable to talk about. Western Chuan also drove away the Qin army on the grounds that the hunting meeting had ended, and it seemed that they would soon be at war. Under tremendous pressure, King Xuan was trapped in Bailu Yuan, occupying Bailu Fortress, with a worrying future ahead."

  Qing Xia stood dazed in the corridor, his pale face growing whiter with each word Yang Feng spoke. In the blink of an eye, he was as white as a sheet of paper, completely bloodless. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he grabbed Yang Feng's body and said in a low voice: "Yang brother, help me, please help me go ask Lie Yunji to take me with her on the flying bird, I really can't wait any longer."

  Yang Feng furrowed his brow and pressed down on Qing Xia's shoulder, shaking his head as he said: "If it were possible, would I have gone to such great lengths to climb down? Lie Yun has an extraordinary innate talent, and has been steeped in the poisonous arts for many years. His body is much lighter than that of a normal person, with hollow bones, and he has also mastered the art of lightening his body. He weighs less than ten kilograms, which is why he can sit on the white eagle's back. People like us, how could we possibly ride on it?"

  Qing Xia felt a pang in her heart as soon as she heard the words, thinking of Qin Zhiyan standing beside the cliff every night, waiting anxiously, his pale face, and her heart was even more like a knife twisting.

  Yang Feng saw her like this and could only comfort her by saying: "Don't worry, there will be a way, just wait patiently."

  Just then, a cold hum suddenly came, and the two turned their heads to look back. They saw Lie Yunyun standing under the doorway with a green shirt on, looking at them with a faint gaze. Suddenly, she said in a low voice: "Little girl is really a sentimental kind of person, leaving emotions everywhere, flirting with flowers and grass, so carefree!"

  She herself was only a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, yet she kept calling others "little girl" as if it were a habit. Qing Xia's face stiffened at her words, but after all, she was Yang Feng's lifesaver, so she didn't want to engage in a war of words with her and turned around to walk towards the courtyard.

  "Xia Xia! Where are you going?"

  Qing Xia turned around, a faint smile spreading across his face, and said softly: "I'll just take a walk, don't worry." Then he disappeared into the courtyard.

  Yang Feng glared at Lie Yunji for a moment, then turned and went back into the house. Lie Yunji's delicate face suddenly turned icy cold, staring in the direction of Qing Xia's departure, she let out a sudden cold snort, her figure swift as the wind, silently following after him.

  The hundred herbs were swaying, all things were tranquil, the green summer was slowly moving, unknowingly it had moved to the direction of Tianyi Gorge. She stood at the foot of the cliff, slowly raised her head, and saw only the majestic cliff wall, which could not be seen in one glance, with five-colored clouds and mist covering the top, a look that revealed its extreme toxicity.

  The sky is vast and high, with no end in sight. Qing Xia's heart couldn't help but feel a sense of powerlessness, and she let out a low sigh. Even if she relied on the wooden bird from Penglai, it would still be impossible to fly that high. And at such a great distance, even if she shouted until her throat was hoarse, he still wouldn't be able to hear her.

  Qin's flame, Qin's flame, I will definitely return to you unharmed, so please take care of your body well and wait for my return.

  At this moment, a melodious flute sound suddenly rose, the voice was gentle and nimble, like the nightingale's evening song. Qing Xia followed the sound and walked for less than an incense stick of time before seeing a purple-clothed girl standing on a rock, her clothes fluttering, long hair flying, bright eyes and white teeth, pleasant to behold. She held a white jade flute in her hand, playing a clear and crisp tune, several tender yellow small birds surrounded her, chirping and calling out, like a fairy, lively and beautiful, with an ethereal aura.

  Qing Xia slightly moved, the girl heard the sound, turned her head to look back, and as soon as she saw Qing Xia, a tender white face suddenly became bright red, and she jumped down from the big rock with her hands and feet in disarray, as if she didn't even know where to put her hands.

  Qing Xia was taken aback, feeling that the girl looked very familiar. When he saw her blush, he suddenly remembered that she was the Penglai disciple who had demonstrated the three-inch light yesterday, and she was Zhuo Yuanqing's younger sister, named Zhuo Xiaodie.

  "Excuse me, sorry to disturb you."

  Qing Xia nodded politely and walked over slowly.

  Xiao Die suddenly became flustered and hastily put the flute behind her back, her face flushing as she whispered: "N-no, it's me who disturbed Miss Zhuang."

  Qing Xia had a good impression of this little girl and smiled: "You can just call me Qing Xia, you continue to blow, I like listening very much."

  Yesterday at the Ministry of Works meeting, Zhuo Xiaodie was also present. Having seen Qingxia's elegant and deadly finger movements before, I had been somewhat intimidated by her since our last encounter. But now, seeing her in a white dress as snowy as her face, with a beautiful complexion, she looked completely different from what I had seen before, and I couldn't help but relax. As Hengdi was about to play the flute, he saw Qingxia looking up at the sky with a dazed expression, and couldn't help but ask in a low voice: "Zhuang young lady, are you troubled?"

  Qing Xia turned around and saw Zhu Xiao Die's delicate face and clear eyes, feeling a sense of fondness. He smiled and said, "In this world, who doesn't have worries?"

  Xiao Die was taken aback for a moment, thought for a while, nodded and said: "Miss is right, Xiao Huang has been ill these past few days, I'm also very sad."

  Qing Xia furrowed her brow and asked in confusion: "Who is Xiao Huang?"

  "It's Xiaoying's child." Zhuo Xiang suddenly said with a smile, pointing at the yellow bird in mid-air and continued with a chuckle: "But I gave it some medicine, so it should be fine in a few days."

  Qing Xia saw her innocence and playfulness, smiled lightly, reached out to pat her head, and chuckled like an elder: "You're really just a kid."

  Xiao Die didn't seem to be angry at all. Looking at Qing Xia who kept looking up, she asked again: "Zhuang young lady, are you homesick?"

  "En," Qing Xia nodded slightly and said casually: "I really want to go back."

  Xiao Die's eyes widened in confusion and she said: "Brother, aren't they clearing the mud and sand at the entrance of the cave? It should be within these few days."

  "I know," the pale woman whispered softly, "but I want to go back now."

  "Oh!" Wished Xiao Die suddenly enlightened: "I know, it's because there are people waiting for you upstairs, and you're afraid they'll worry about you, right?"

  Qing Xia nodded and said softly: "En."

  "That's easy." Zhu Xiao Die smiled and said: "Miss, write a letter, I'll let Xiaoying deliver it for you."

  Qing Xia heard this and was suddenly shocked, turning her head around abruptly, grabbing Zhu Xiao Die's hand tightly, and said in a low voice: "Really, really can it be?" For a moment, she was so excited that even her voice trembled slightly.

  "Of course." Zhuo Xiao Die smiled and took out the paper and pen she always carried with her from her bosom, handing them to Qing Xia. "I try all sorts of herbal foods every day, so I always carry paper and pen with me, no need to go back and get them. You can write now, and I'll have Xiao Ying deliver it upstairs. Xiao Ying has wings, among all my friends, only she can often see the outside world, and will always bring back some outside herbs for me."

  I'm fine, I'll be back within ten days for sure. You take care of your body and don't overwork yourself, wait for me.

  It took only a few words, but it took more than half an hour to finish writing the envelope and hand it over to Zhu Xiaodie. Qing Xia's eyes were almost red with excitement.

  Little Butterfly summoned a small bird, tied a note to its leg and whispered: "Little Sakura, fly up there, deliver this letter to the soldier, don't come back until you get a long reply, got it?"

  The little bird nodded its small head, flapped its wings very cleverly and flew up into the high sky, carrying Qing Xia and Zhu Xiao Die's sincere gaze.

  Majestically in the mid-air, a snow-white eagle was hovering between the clouds when it suddenly spotted a tender yellow little bird and darted towards it with lightning speed, grasping it in its beak. A maiden in green attire stood on the other side of Penglai Valley, patted the eagle's head, and pulled off the paper strip from the struggling little bird's leg. With an eyebrow raised and a glint in her eye, she returned to her chamber, only to reappear at the window momentarily, releasing the little bird into flight.

  In the Flame Character Camp, where the flag was raised and the banner was unfolded, in the middle of the green leather tent, the southern border witch doctors were gathered together whispering to each other. Qin Zhiyan's face remained calm as he flipped through the letter from Xianyang, his good-looking eyebrows gradually furrowing together.

  Below, was a high-ranking general of the Flame Army, everyone silently looked at their commander, not saying a word, and all their trust and expectations were quietly conveyed to that frail and sickly person.

  At this moment, a sudden urgent footsteps sounded outside the tent. Qin Zhiyan raised his eyebrows and lifted his head to see a lightly armored scout kneeling at the door, saying loudly: "Your Highness, a small bird flew up from the valley with a letter tied to its foot, addressed to you."

  With a thud, Qin Zhiyan's brush fell from his hand onto the table, and his eyes suddenly released a brilliant light. For three days, he had been unable to sleep, feeling like an eternity was passing, all in anticipation of this sudden miracle. Qin Zhiyan almost stumbled as he stood up, rushing to the front of the scout, personally taking over the small yellow bird, on whose leg a white paper was attached, with his name written in ugly brushstrokes that were unmistakably Qing Xia's handwriting.

  A huge joy and excitement swept over him like a tidal wave, he almost trembled as he unfolded the paper, and read on with a heart full of delight.

  The surroundings were quiet, and a pin could be heard falling. Those reckless men seemed to know the significance of this thin piece of paper to their commander, and the three-day wait finally had results. Everyone's face was joyful, quietly waiting for the good news that would come.

  Then, after a long time, there was still not a single movement. The crowd looked at Qin Zhiyan in confusion, but suddenly found that the war god of the Great Qin had a pale face like snow, and his eyes were also full of painful colors.

  "Your Highness!" An old shaman looked on in dismay, just as he was about to speak up and ask a question, when suddenly Qin Zhiyan's body shook violently, and a mouthful of blood spurted out, splattering all over the small yellow bird.

  "Your Highness!" The crowd of soldiers rushed forward, holding down Qin Zhiyan's falling body. The southern border shaman came up and took a look, his face suddenly changed greatly, and he shouted loudly: "No! Set up camp immediately, go to Huaxian City to find the Great Elder, maybe there is still a glimmer of hope!"

  In the midst of chaos, a small bird covered in blood let out a shrill cry and flew out of the large tent. It circled around in mid-air for several rounds before suddenly seeing a general emerge with his bow drawn and an arrow ready to shoot at it. The bird was startled and instantly fled wildly like an arrow shot from a bow, flying towards the depths of the valley.

  In the cold and biting wind, a white sheet of paper was trampled by countless large feet, with twisted characters written on it, which read: "Sharing life and death, accompanying each other through thick and thin, turning around in front of flowers and under the moon, ear to ear and shoulder to shoulder. Alas! Your heart is as strong as a boulder, my intention is as delicate as willow silk. Willow silk can be broken in cold winter, but even a boulder may change its position."

  In the bleak cold wind, a massive snowstorm swept through in an instant, and before long, it would heavily cover that flying kite paper under the thick layer of snow.

  From noon till dusk, Qing Xia and Zhu Xiao Die had been waiting eagerly for Xiao Ying's return. As the sky darkened, Qing Xia's heart grew colder inch by inch, while Zhu Xiao Die anxiously sweated and kept speaking kind words to the little bird.

  Just as the two were almost completely disappointed, a sharp and panicked cry suddenly rang out, and the two spirits were greatly lifted. They hastily raised their heads, and Xiao Die blew a whistle to summon the bird, which dove into her arms, covered in blood from head to toe. Amidst the strong smell of blood, a faint scent of high-quality Sichuan peppercorns wafted out.

  Qing Xia stood there in a daze, her entire body's blood turning icy cold at once.