Mistaken Era 89

Chapter 89

Seeing Wei Jie’s relentless flirting, Xiao Xiao pushed him away. “Have you forgotten your current condition? And you still want to fool around?!”

Having lost his heart’s blood, Wei Jie couldn’t afford to lose any more vital essence until he recovered. Teasing the tempting young woman before him was asking for trouble.

Their encounter in the valley was a prime example. He had intended to tease and seduce her, but he ended up consumed by a burning desire he couldn’t satisfy!

The torment of having her so close, yet unattainable… it was unbearable. He wouldn’t put himself through that again until he was fully healed.

So, after a lingering, passionate kiss, they settled down to read, their faces close, their bodies touching.

These ancient texts were collected by the Wei family over generations.

Bound to Qilao Mountain, their fate sealed, they had searched for a way to break free, collecting ancient texts, hoping to find a solution.

Xiao Xiao flipped through the pages, but found no mention of the deity who had opposed the ancient Flame Emperor.

However, on a yellowed page, she spotted a familiar image – a phoenix circling a parasol tree.

Despite the faded ink and aged paper, she recognized it instantly – a black phoenix.

Beneath the illustration, a line of small characters described it: “Fallen Blood Phoenix, not born of heaven and earth, its nature undefined, its alignment unclear, capable of devouring immortal souls, a variable of fate, forbidden from existence!”

The description, like a legend passed down through generations, condemned the black phoenix as a demonic entity, a creature to be eradicated.

Xiao Xiao recalled the mural in the back mountains of Guishi Cliff. During the ancient battle between the two deities, the black phoenix had been used to attack the Flame Emperor, but it had been subdued, its soul sealed in the Valley of Eternity.

If that was true, then this supposedly wicked Fallen Blood Phoenix was just a bird swayed by beauty, its natural instincts forgotten under the spell of a handsome man.

And the little black phoenix she had seen in the Phoenix Sanctuary… it had been innocent, bullied by its own kind. It had been heartbreaking.

They read, enjoying a rare moment of peace.

But unlike Xiao Xiao, who was engrossed in the text, Wei Jie was distracted, his gaze often drifting towards her.

He would occasionally try to untie her collar, wanting to compare the phoenix mark on her neck to the one in the book.

Xiao Xiao, now accustomed to his shamelessness, knew exactly what he was thinking. She chuckled, pinching his nose, then reaching for his collar in retaliation.

The disciple was more generous than the master. His broad chest, well-defined and strong, was nothing to be ashamed of.

He even helped her out, discarding his robe, leaning back against the pillows, one hand propping up his head.

His long, dark hair cascaded over the bedding, his shoulders broad, his chest and abs sculpted, his narrow waist accentuated by his loose robe. His sword-like brows, his mesmerizing purple eyes, his straight nose, his playful smile revealing a hint of his sharp canines… he was a vision of temptation.

The room was dimly lit, the golden sunlight filtering through the window, casting shadows that danced across his body, enhancing his allure.

Xiao Xiao felt her cheeks burning, but she couldn’t tear her gaze away. If the ancient Flame Emperor possessed such charm, it was no wonder the Blood Phoenix had fallen for him, abandoning its true nature…

But she didn’t realize that her own flushed cheeks, her hesitant gaze, her bitten lip… it was even more alluring to Wei Jie than nakedness.

He couldn’t resist any longer. He pulled her close, their lips meeting in a heated kiss.

But as their passion escalated, Wei Jie found himself trapped. Just as his desire peaked, the symptoms of his blood loss surfaced, draining his strength. He collapsed onto the bed.

It was like their encounter in the valley. Whenever his desire flared, his weakness followed.

Xiao Xiao, her breath ragged from his kiss, felt a pang of disappointment.

But seeing his frustrated expression, she couldn’t help but chuckle, offering him a playful reassurance. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. Even when Ling’er kept asking, I never said you were incapable…”

Her well-intentioned words struck a blow to his pride.

He waited until his fingers regained some strength, then pulled her close, his hand gripping her neck, his voice a low growl. “Just wait until I’m healed. Then we’ll see who’s incapable!”

Having made his vow, he watched her flee, laughing, clutching her robes, as Tang Youshu entered with his medicine.

Tang Youshu had actually tried to warn Xiao Xiao earlier, explaining that his master shouldn’t be intimate with women right now, lest he deplete his already weakened essence.

Xiao Xiao, mortified, her cheeks burning, had stopped him mid-sentence, promising to keep her distance from Wei Jie.

Tang Youshu had been embarrassed to bring it up, but he had worked so hard to give his master a second chance. If he died from exhaustion, from excessive indulgence with Xiao Xiao… would he have to start over, rewrite his entire manual?

How would he even record it? “A mighty Demon Lord, felled by… well, you know…” It wasn’t exactly a glorious ending.

Meanwhile, in the courtyard, Princess Yongning and Yu Ling’er were entertaining themselves.

It turned out their host had once been a street performer, his two wooden chests filled with props and tricks.

Princess Yongning, fascinated by such arts, begged him to teach her the secret of sword swallowing.

The homeowner, delighted by the jade bracelets she offered him, took out a spring-loaded sword, demonstrating the trick.

Princess Yongning gasped. “So that’s how they do it! I gave that performer a gold ingot! It’s so simple!”

Yu Ling’er, watching from the sidelines, chuckled. “Not only did you lose a gold ingot, but now you’ve lost your bracelets! It’s all a trick. Want to see a real transformation? Give me your other bracelet, and I’ll teach you how to make a fox appear from this box!”

Princess Yongning, unaware of Yu Ling’er’s true nature, didn’t believe her. She offered a gold lock as collateral, convinced she could see through the trick.

Yu Ling’er, with great ceremony, dragged over an empty chest, performed a fox dance, then jumped inside. She closed the lid, then opened it, then closed it again, repeating the process several times.

And just like that, the gold lock belonged to the little con artist.

Xiao Xiao, amused by their antics, retreated to her room. She read for a while, then settled down to meditate.

She had intended to return the Fox Tribe’s spirit stone to Yu Ling’er, but Tang Youshu had advised against it. Her recent encounter with the demonic bead and the awakening of the phoenix spirit had created an imbalance within her.

The spirit stone helped to stabilize her demonic energy and the phoenix’s power. Until they found a way to remove the bead and the five phoenixes, it was best for her to keep it.

Yu Ling’er agreed. Xiao Xiao was their benefactor. If the stone could protect her, they were happy to lend it to her.

The three distinct energies within Xiao Xiao achieved a delicate balance. As she meditated, she could feel them interacting, clashing, then merging within her core.

Her nascent Golden Core, nourished by these energies, was solidifying, transitioning towards the Nascent Soul stage…

She might not possess Wei Jie’s natural talent, but she had been blessed with extraordinary opportunities.

Achievements that took other cultivators centuries to achieve… she had stumbled upon them, her path paved with serendipity.

As her Golden Core solidified, she felt a surge of energy, a lightness she had never experienced before. It was a taste of the divine, a glimpse of the celestial realm, fueling her desire to ascend.

No wonder so many cultivators, pursuing the path of immortality, abandoned their families, their loved ones, everything they held dear. This transcendence… it was addictive.

How had Wei Jie resisted such temptation, shattering his own divine power core?

Having experienced a taste of ascension, she couldn’t help but admire him. He had turned his back on the divine, both in his past life, as a demon, and now.

She was soon lost in meditation, her mind drifting.

The flow of energy within her sounded like a babbling brook, a rhythmic pulse that resonated with her very being.

A faint red mark appeared on her forehead, resembling two yin-yang fish, their tails nearly touching.

She felt weightless, her spirit ascending, following the stone steps of Guishi Cliff, reaching the main hall.

A man stood beneath a pillar, his body scarred by burns. The scales covering him, blackened by fire, made him appear even more menacing. But the color matched the small, black bird, resembling a crow, perched on his hand.

Xiao Xiao realized she had fallen asleep during her meditation, her dream transporting her to Wei Jie’s past life.

This cold, imposing man, covered in black scales… wasn’t he the Demon Lord, emerging from the Phoenix Sanctuary with the little black phoenix?

He seemed to be writing a letter, but dissatisfied with each attempt, he crumpled the pages and tossed them aside.

The fluffy bird, oblivious to his frustration, kept distracting him, pecking at the inkstone, rubbing against his brush.

Exasperated, he summoned a metal cage, intending to lock the little crow – no, the little black phoenix – inside.

But even a disfigured phoenix was still a proud creature. It refused to enter the cage.

The little bird squawked in protest, then, with a burst of speed, burrowed into the man’s hair, seeking refuge.

The man, his face, half-covered in scales, contorted in anger, snarled, “Get in there, or I’ll break your neck!”

But the little bird had moved to the back of his neck, nuzzling against him, its beak gently pecking at his scales, its soft body rubbing against his cheek, completely unafraid of this fearsome man.

At this point in his past life, Demon Lord Wei Jie was already notorious. Even his own disciples avoided his gaze.

But this foolish bird treated him like its mother, showering him with affection, seemingly oblivious to the danger.

The man’s purple eyes narrowed, his patience wearing thin. He pulled the bird out from behind his neck and said, his voice flat, “You don’t want the cage? You want to sleep in my bed? Do you think you’re one of us? Remember, you’re just a bird, a creature…”

The little black phoenix, not understanding his words, simply closed its eyes, nestled in his scaled palm.

It was drawn to the potent demonic energy radiating from him, a feast for a phoenix. It was like a cat surrounded by fish, a dog lying on a bed of bones.

The man, looking down at the sleeping bird, decided against the cage. He summoned a handful of cotton, creating a makeshift nest, and placed it beside him. As the bird’s soft snores filled the air, he resumed writing.

Xiao Xiao, her spirit hovering above, saw the letter clearly. It was a reply to Grandmother Wei. Another letter, from the Wei family, lay on the table.

It seemed to be a reprimand for Wei Jie’s decision to embrace his demonic nature, his defiance of fate.

He finished writing, read the letter, then tore it to shreds, scattering the pieces.

Xiao Xiao’s heart ached for him. He must have been so lonely…

She reached out, wanting to embrace him, but her arms passed through his body.

He stared into the distance, lost in thought.

Suddenly, the bird on the table, having awakened, hopped off the nest and began to gather the torn pieces of the letter, trying to put them back together.

The man, observing the bird’s actions, chuckled, confiding in the creature. “You think I should reply? It’s pointless. I’m a demon now, a disgrace to the Wei family. Grandmother’s letter… it’s just her duty as an elder. Why should I reply and make things difficult for her?”

The little bird, clearly disagreeing, continued its efforts, chirping insistently, as if trying to comfort him.

The man snorted. “You think my grandmother doesn’t hate me?”

The bird nodded, then hopped excitedly, picking up a peanut from a dish on the table and offering it to him.

It was a gesture of affection, a way of saying, “You’re the best person I know. Everyone should like you.”

The man’s lips twitched, amused by the bird’s intelligence. But due to the scales covering his face, even a smile appeared menacing. It vanished as quickly as it appeared.

“You don’t understand,” he said, his voice cold. “Being human is far more complicated than being a bird. It’s not as simple as good and bad.”

The bird tilted its head, disagreeing.

From its perspective, being human seemed simple and enjoyable. No cages, colorful clothes… unlike its own black feathers.

It pecked at the cotton in its nest, adorning itself with white fluff, trying to lighten its appearance.

The man chuckled again, his finger stroking the bird’s soft head. “I was born human, and I don’t find it particularly enjoyable. But you, a mere bird, possess such human-like intelligence… Fate has been unfair, giving you the wrong form. You should have been born human. But since you want to be human, I shall give you a name. With your small eyes and beak… I shall call you Xiao Xiao…”

He picked up a peanut and held it out to the bird. “Xiao Xiao, be good. Open your mouth…”

Xiao Xiao, hearing this, was outraged!

Giving the bird a name was fine, but out of all the possible names, why hers?!

She wanted to protest, but a sharp pain shot through her arm, as if someone was pulling her.

And a voice, louder than a crow’s caw, kept calling her name. “Xiao Xiao, Xiao Xiao…”

She opened her eyes and found the man from her dream, his face now smooth and incredibly handsome, kneeling before her, shaking her arm.

Wei Jie had seen her meditating and hadn’t wanted to disturb her. But then he heard her snoring. She had fallen asleep again.

Falling asleep mid-cultivation… it was one of Sect Master Cui’s unique skills.

He was used to it. “You’ve been meditating for a long time,” he said. “Are you hungry?”

Xiao Xiao, still groggy, mumbled, “Hungry for what?”

He offered her a bowl of roasted peanuts. “Dinner will be ready soon. If you’re hungry, have some peanuts.”

She stared at the peanuts, then shouted, “No!”

Wei Jie blinked, surprised. She usually loved peanuts. He had even asked the homeowner’s wife to roast them for her.

Xiao Xiao, realizing she was still caught in the remnants of her dream, stretched and grabbed a handful of peanuts, recounting her dream.

Wei Jie raised an eyebrow. He had heard her mention the black phoenix he had taken from the Valley of Eternity in their past life.

But he couldn’t imagine himself, consumed by demonic energy, keeping a creature that fed on demons as a pet.

The black phoenix was an anomaly, shunned by deities, its origins a mystery, unlike the other five phoenixes. No one knew how it came into being.

And in this life, the phoenix nest was empty. The black phoenix was nowhere to be found. Except for that tuft of black feathers in the Phoenix Sanctuary, there was no trace of its existence.

But according to Tang Youshu, the little black phoenix had intervened, preventing Wei Jie from killing his grandmother, but had been fatally wounded. Its fate remained unknown.

Xiao Xiao, remembering the bird’s cuteness, the affection the black-scaled man had shown it, sighed.

If he ever discovered he had accidentally killed his beloved pet… he must have been devastated.

She felt a pang of sympathy for the Wei Jie of their past life. Abandoned by his parents, ostracized by his family, finding solace in raising a silly bird, only to lose it…

She hugged him, her voice soft. “When we have time, I’ll buy you a parrot, okay?”

Wei Jie chuckled, confused by her sudden change of topic. He had a master to take care of now, her needs and desires his priority. He didn’t have time for birds.

If she wanted to raise something, she could always give him a child.

They joined the others for dinner.

They were waiting out the three-day period after the red moon. A few more hours, and they would be in the clear.

Then they could escort Princess Yongning back to the city, expose the fake Prince Changshan with the help of the Crown Prince’s spies, and free her from that dreadful marriage.

As they waited, Princess Yongning pestered Yu Ling’er, wanting to learn the secret of her transformation trick.

Yu Ling’er, of course, refused, teasing the princess. Suddenly, she shrieked, “Princess, your hair’s on fire!”

Everyone looked up – and it was true! A lock of Princess Yongning’s hair was burning with a strange, purplish flame.

But the princess, who had been laughing just moments ago, sat there, motionless, as the flames licked at her hair.

Tang Youshu recognized the signs. Someone was using a strand of her hair to control her remotely!

The moment the flames died out, she shot up, lunging towards the window behind her.

Xiao Xiao leaped forward, blocking her path. “Princess, where are you going?”

“Don’t stop her!” Tang Youshu warned. “She’s under someone’s control! It’s a trap!”

As if to confirm his words, Princess Yongning lashed out, her palm striking towards Xiao Xiao’s head.

She was skilled in martial arts, having studied various techniques, her movements swift and precise.

Xiao Xiao dodged, and the princess, leaping through the window, fled.

She was incredibly fast. The four of them, vaulting over the wall, gave chase.

But even under the influence of the puppet technique, she was too fast for them.