Hu Yijun was stunned. He had never heard of anyone being allowed to enter Phoenix Mountain before the official start of Si Lingxi’s centennial birthday banquet.
Of course, Lu Zheng had no idea about this.
“Does Palace Master Si know we have arrived?”
The woman in red on the left nodded. “The Palace Master sensed the Phoenix Wutong Jade Leaf and knew Young Master Lu was nearby, so she specially sent us to welcome you.”
The woman in white on the right curtseyed to Liu Qingyan and Shen Ying. “Greetings, Fairy Liu. Greetings, Fairy Shen.”
Liu Qingyan and Shen Ying hurriedly returned the courtesy. “How should we address you two ladies?”
The woman in red was named Hong Lu, the one in white Bai Yuan. Both were maids serving under Si Lingxi.
“Please, everyone.” Bai Yuan smiled warmly and gestured invitingly.
Lu Zheng was not truly foolish, so he asked, “May Brother Hu come up the mountain with us?”
“Tiger King Hu has also come specially to Phoenix Mountain, so of course he may.” Bai Yuan smiled. “The Palace Master has already ordered rooms prepared for you all.”
“Then many thanks.” Lu Zheng cupped his hands in gratitude, then glanced at the freshly grilled meat. “It seems we cannot eat this meal after all. We shall drink our fill when we come down the mountain.”
“No hurry, no hurry.”
“Quite right, quite right.”
Hu Dalu and the other demon general, one shaking his head, one nodding, both meant the same thing. Going up the mountain was naturally the priority.
“This way, please.”
Hong Lu and Bai Yuan led the way. Lu Zheng, Hu Yijun, and the rest followed behind. They turned into streams of light and flew straight towards Phoenix Mountain.
Along the journey, Hu Yijun felt countless surprised or shocked gazes from afar, many from familiar faces. For once, he experienced a rare sense of satisfaction, almost as if he were overwhelmed by unexpected favour.
Three hundred li passed in an instant. Phoenix Mountain was now right before them.
Amid the continuous ranges, a crimson forest stretched for a hundred li, covering an entire mountain chain. At its centre stood a peak taller than all the rest, majestic and imposing, blanketed in red leaves that resembled a fire phoenix poised to take flight.
The two women did not land at the mountain gate to walk up. Instead, they flew everyone directly into the airspace above Phoenix Mountain and headed towards the main hall. On the way, Lu Zheng looked around and spotted many demons living in the vicinity. Their cultivation varied, but most were indeed avian spirits.
He also saw numerous mortal villages, and in a few small plains, mortal cities. Though filled with exotic charm, their prosperity in places even surpassed the lands under Dingfeng Mountain, which lay closer to the Great Jing.
Soon, the group flew straight over the Phoenix Mountain gate and descended at the summit hall. There, Si Lingxi stood quietly at the entrance, waiting for them.
“Palace Master Si.” Lu Zheng landed hand in hand with the two women and cupped his hands in salute.
“Greetings, Palace Master Si.” Hu Yijun, leading Hu Zhou and Gao Junyu, also paid respects.
“Greetings, Tiger King.” Si Lingxi gave Hu Yijun a faint nod, then smiled at the three. “Come inside and talk.”
They entered the hall and took their seats. Maids served tea.
Lu Zheng took a sip. A surge of spiritual energy instantly entered his stomach, circulated once, then rushed straight to the crown of his head and into his divine soul. His mind cleared, his spirit lifted, and both his dantian and sea of consciousness gained a subtle boost.
Just one sip was worth several months of bitter cultivation for an ordinary practitioner.
“Good tea.” Lu Zheng smacked his lips. He felt this tea surpassed even the Qingqi Spiritual Tea that Yi Qingtian had given him.
“Have the three Tu sisters already returned?” Si Lingxi asked.
“They have.” Lu Zheng nodded. “Though next New Year they will not need to spend it at home.”
He recalled that, when spending this New Year at the East Sea Dragon Palace, he had promised Ao Qian he would visit her whenever he was free. Yet somehow it was already October, and he still had not found the time.
Perhaps after next New Year he could make a detour to the East Sea.
While Lu Zheng’s thoughts wandered, Si Lingxi spoke a few words with Liu Qingyan and Shen Ying and learned they had faced another Ghost Head Infant incident in the past two months.
“The Xuanyin Mountain lineage grows ever more depraved. How majestic Lord Xuanyin God was in his day…” Si Lingxi shook her head. “Never mind. Let us not speak of it. Since you have come to Phoenix Mountain, there is no rush to leave. You are heading to the North Domain only around New Year anyway.”
She smiled. “Within several thousand li under Phoenix Mountain’s rule, there are still some remarkable sights.”
Liu Qingyan and Shen Ying both looked towards Lu Zheng. He naturally agreed. “Then we shall impose upon your hospitality.”
Si Lingxi nodded. “First let Hong Lu and Bai Yuan take you to your guest rooms to settle in. This evening I will join you for dinner.”
…
Around the middle of the Xu hour, Lu Zheng and his two companions were admiring the exotic-style rooms and decorations on Phoenix Mountain when Si Lingxi arrived in person. Behind her followed four maids, their faces brimming with curiosity.
Hong Lu, Bai Yuan, Bi Hu, Xuan Miao.
Since Si Lingxi herself wore red, Hong Lu, dressed in an identical crimson cloud-patterned misty phoenix-tail skirt, was clearly the chief of the four maids. Even her expression and manner showed she was striving to imitate her mistress.
Though Hong Lu worked hard to maintain composure, her eyes, like those of the other three, were filled with curiosity as they looked at Lu Zheng’s group. They could not understand why Si Lingxi treated these three so differently.
Each of the four maids carried a tray bearing small dishes, fruits, and clear wine. At a wave from Si Lingxi, they set everything on the stone table outside the small courtyard of the guest quarters.
Si Lingxi smiled. “I do not have a master chef like Lu Zheng here. I merely had the kitchen prepare a few simple dishes. Fortunately, the ingredients are decent and presentable.”
Lu Zheng glanced at the stone table. The ingredients were far beyond decent. They were extraordinary. Faint spiritual energy lingered and swirled around the dishes and fruits, never dispersing. Everything was spiritual produce.
Was this the everyday fare of a top-tier expert?
Lu Zheng and the two women sat down. Si Lingxi took the seat opposite Lu Zheng. The four of them picked up their chopsticks, ate, raised their cups, and chatted idly. It felt exactly as it had on Wansong Mountain or in Tonglin County, with no trace of awkwardness.
The four maids stood in a neat row behind Si Lingxi. Curiosity was practically spilling from their eyes. When had they ever seen anyone interact with Si Lingxi in such a way?
…
Lu Zheng and his companions were simply fortunate.
Si Lingxi was powerful, but Wansong Daoist was no weakling either. The two had always treated each other as equals. Lu Zheng had helped Wansong Daoist solve Chisongzi’s chess puzzle, so the two had become friends through chess. Though they used senior and junior titles, in spirit they were equals.
Moreover, Lu Zheng was a young man raised in a socialist society. He had not yet been battered by the world. He felt reverence, of course, but not the sense of being lesser. Thus he carried over his attitude towards Wansong Daoist to his dealings with Si Lingxi.
And back then on Wansong Mountain, Si Lingxi herself had not adopted a superior air. By happy chance, the few of them had simply begun to interact as equals.
This manner of exchange, in fact, made Si Lingxi feel extremely comfortable.
