Chapter 82: Unexpected Guests at Lanyue Small Abode

On the rear mountain of the Qingyun Sect stood the Lanyue Small Abode.

This was once the secluded residence of a Grand Elder who sought enlightenment. The spiritual energy here was so dense it seemed one could wring water from the air, each breath carrying the sweet fragrance of flora.

After that elder ascended, the abode was sealed, becoming a forbidden area within a forbidden area.

Now, however, it had a new occupant. Or rather, a new ‘infirmary’.

Bai Zhileng was quite pleased with this location.

It was tranquil, elegant, and brimming with spiritual energy. Most importantly, it was far enough from the chaotic bustle of the Qingyun Sect’s inhabitants, especially from Gu Chang’an, who exuded the aura of a ‘rightful queen’.

Within the warm pavilion, premium calming incense silently burned.

It blended seamlessly with the faint medicinal aroma permeating the air, creating a serene atmosphere that could soothe even the divine soul.

Shen Zhaoqing lay quietly on the soft jade bed, covered by a cloud-silk brocade quilt specially made by Penglai Immortal Palace. Her breathing was steady and deep, and her sleeping face was as tranquil as an infant’s, ignorant of the world.

This picture would have been one of perfect serenity, were it not for the neatly arranged row of medicine bottles on her bedside table, and the faint ‘Soul-Stabilizing Thread’ woven from Bai Zhileng’s own spiritual power, barely visible on Shen Zhaoqing’s wrist.

Bai Zhileng sat by the bed, meticulously recording something on a warm jade slip.

“At three quarters past noon, divine soul fluctuations are stable. Pulse has transitioned from a ‘tangled mess’ to a ‘fine stream’, with no abnormal spiritual energy overflow on the body surface. The first stage cycle of the Nine-Revolving Life-Extending Needles is stable. The second stage medicinal bath can commence tomorrow for foundational strengthening…”

She wrote with great focus, her handwriting delicate and her notes clear and organized.

Upon finishing, Bai Zhileng put away the jade slip. She then naturally reached out to check the temperature of Shen Zhaoqing’s forehead, gently tucking a strand of dark hair that had fallen onto her cheek behind her ear.

The movement was so practiced, as if she had performed it thousands of times.

Just then, a heart-wrenching sense of oppression, utterly without warning, emanated from down the mountain.

It was an overbearing, blood-tinged madness, as if a slumbering ancient beast had opened its eyes from thousands of miles away, casting a cold gaze.

The two Qingyun Sect inner disciples guarding outside the Lanyue Small Abode instantly turned pale, their sheathed swords humming terrifyingly.

“Wh-who dares to trespass into the forbidden grounds of my Qingyun Sect!” one disciple stammered, his voice filled with feigned bravado.

Before his words even faded, a deep crimson streak of light ignored the Qingyun Sect’s mountain-protecting array, shooting directly towards the Lanyue Small Abode.

Where the streak passed, the air seemed to ignite, emitting sizzling sounds. Flowers and plants along its path withered instantly, as if all their vitality had been drained in a single moment.

The guarding disciples were scared witless, scrambling to set up a defensive array, only to find their legs as soft as noodles, refusing to obey.

Just as the red light was about to strike the abode’s main door, a soft white glow emerged from within, precisely blocking the crimson light.

Ding—

With a soft chime, the overwhelmingly potent red light was gently cradled by the white glow, slowly coming to a halt in mid-air.

The red light dissipated, revealing its true form.

It was an incense burner carved entirely from deep crimson crystal, with an ancient design. Its surface was engraved with countless blooming and wilting roses, each petal seemingly molded from congealed blood, exuding an eerie and tragic beauty.

A piece of black silk was tied to the handle of the incense burner.

The door of the Lanyue Small Abode silently opened.

Bai Zhileng, still clad in white, her eternal smile gracing her lips, stepped out.

Her gaze lingered on the black silk for a moment, then she addressed the two paralyzed Qingyun Sect disciples on the ground: “It’s nothing, merely a congratulatory gift from an old acquaintance. Thank you, senior brothers. I’ll handle things here.”

The two disciples, as if granted a great amnesty, scrambled away.

Bai Zhileng then extended her slender jade hand, gently cradling the ominous black burner in her palm.

The black burner was icy to the touch, yet it carried a searing heat that scorched the divine soul. These two contradictory sensations intertwined, a hallmark feature of the Myriad Flower Blood Palace’s demonic cultivation methods.

She untied the black silk and unfurled it.

There was no signature, only a single line of bold, vigorous, blood-red calligraphy that seemed to pierce through the silk.

“This object can burn away all the hypocritical floral fragrances of the world.”

Tsk.

Bai Zhileng clicked her tongue softly in her mind.

‘What an overbearing, direct, and impolite opening remark,’ she thought. ‘Hypocritical floral fragrances? Isn’t that just a veiled insult, directly cursing me?’

‘This rumored Lord of the Myriad Flower Blood Palace, who achieves Dao through slaughter and is notoriously temperamental, is indeed a volatile madwoman.’

‘However, to accurately send something here from countless miles away, and to perceive my presence with demonic intent… it seems the ‘Soul-Stabilizing Thread’ I left on this ‘patient’ has been detected by them.’

‘The declaration of ownership is practically overflowing.’

Bai Zhileng held the black burner, examining it meticulously, even bringing it to her nose for a delicate sniff.

“Hmm, a body of ten-thousand-year-old blood coral, tempered for a century with the sword intent of the Abyssal Slaughter Sword, and then nurtured with the Demonic Venerable’s own heart’s blood… Tsk tsk, it really is her. No wonder even the tone is full of a professional’s appreciation.”

“It’s a pity to use it merely as an incense burner. However, it’s not bad for warming my patient’s room.”

With these words, she carried this demonic treasure, capable of stirring up a storm of blood and gore in the cultivation world, and turned back into the warm pavilion.

She then casually placed the blood coral incense burner on the rosewood side table, specifically designated for flower vases, beside the bed.

Its position directly faced Shen Zhaoqing’s sleeping face.

However, no sooner had she placed the incense burner than another disturbance occurred outside the room.

This time, it was a crisp, melodious bird cry, accompanied by a vibrant and potent wave of demonic energy that swept over them.

A seven-colored rainbow glow circled above the Lanyue Small Abode once, finally transforming into a magnificent spirit bird with a wingspan of over ten feet, gracefully landing on the abode’s eaves.

The spirit bird was covered in iridescent feathers that shimmered in the sunlight, radiating extraordinary majesty. In its talons, it clutched a box made of golden nanmu wood, and a rolled-up, dirty animal hide.

Bai Zhileng’s eyebrow twitched imperceptibly.

‘Oh?’

‘What day is it today? Are rivals coming in groups to offer warmth?’

‘One after another, did they plan this?’

She stepped out of the room once more, looking up at the seven-colored spirit bird on the eaves, which was tilting its head, observing her with intelligent amber eyes.

“You must be Princess Yuange’s messenger, aren’t you?” Bai Zhileng spoke, her voice carrying a gentle power that could draw all things near.

The seven-colored spirit bird seemed to pause, clearly not expecting this human woman to possess not a single aura it disliked. After a moment of hesitation, it released its talons, gently dropping the wooden box and the rolled animal hide.

Bai Zhileng reached out and caught them steadily.