Feng Fei stepped out of the Zuifeng Pavilion, glanced back to catch a trace, chuckled softly, picked up his vegetable basket, and hurried towards his residence.
"Yuanjue, Yuanjue!" Fengfei shouted as soon as he stepped into the courtyard.
Turning past the screen wall, the first thing Feng Fei saw was the person who had been following her! Feng Fei was so startled that she almost dropped the vegetable basket she was holding.
The situation was as follows: a man in black stood behind Yuan Jue, while the person who had followed Feng Fei stood behind another man in white. Behind this man stood five men, all dressed identically to the one who had followed Feng Fei. The two groups were now facing off. Feng Fei's arrival clearly disrupted this standoff.
The white-robed man's gaze swept over Feng Fei, and Feng Fei immediately felt the hairs on her body stand on end. Feng Fei carefully took two steps back and cautiously walked towards Yuan Jue from the side. Of all the people before her, only Yuan Jue was truly reliable.
In fact, Feng Fei wanted to turn around and run away, but she was clearly locked in by the aura and could not do such a thing.
Feng Fei, secretly cursing his bad luck, was extremely cautious. Fortunately, he was still wearing his close-fitting clothes today, and the snake bone whip that Feng Jiu had made was hanging from his waist. Feng Fei put the vegetable basket containing food on the ground, and touched the whip at his waist to check for any signs of trouble. He immediately felt much more at ease.
"Heh, so you're Feng Fei?" The man in white looked at Feng Fei, his originally serious expression suddenly relaxing. He asked this question casually, as if he were catching up with an old friend.
Feng Fei didn't answer immediately. Instead, he glanced cautiously at Yuan Jue. Seeing that Yuan Jue didn't react in any particular way, he nodded and said, "Yes, I am Feng Fei. What can I do for you?"
"I wouldn't presume to offer guidance, but I didn't expect you to be so different from the rumors. Wasn't the fallen empress of the Vermilion Bird Kingdom only twelve years old? You look like you're fifteen or sixteen. I'm just a little puzzled." The man in white touched the ring on his right thumb and spoke with a faint smile.
Feng Fei shrugged, appearing relaxed, but only Yuan Jue, who knew Feng Fei well, knew that Feng Fei was fully prepared for battle. "I don't know why I look like this either, I just took a nap. You can ask Yuan Jue if you don't believe me, you and him should know each other." As he said the last sentence, Feng Fei also looked at Yuan Jue.
Yuan Jue also looked at Feng Fei, his eyes flashing with an expression Feng Fei couldn't understand. In the end, seemingly unable to withstand Feng Fei's intense gaze, Yuan Jue slowly lowered his head. He didn't see the disappointment in Feng Fei's eyes the moment he lowered his head.
The man in white did not interrupt Feng Fei and Yuan Jue's "interaction," only a faint smile on his lips.
"You are not welcome here! Please leave!" Feng Fei seemed to be angered by Yuan Jue's bowing. His voice suddenly rose, and he drew the whip from his waist, cracking it in the air and pointing it directly at the man in white.
The situation immediately became tense. The five men behind the white-robed man suddenly jumped out, each poised to attack. Feng Fei was also nervous, secretly annoyed by her impulsiveness. She didn't know why she reacted that way, but clearly now was not the time for regret; facing the challenge head-on was the only way forward.
Thinking of this, Feng Fei straightened his back, gripped the snake bone whip even tighter, and his eyes were filled with determination.
The man in white suddenly laughed, waved his hand to dismiss the five people guarding him, and slowly came out. Only then did Feng Fei realize that the man in white was sitting in a wheelchair.
"Why are you so nervous? I've just come to see my old friend Yuan Jue." The man in white pushed the wheelchair slowly toward Feng Fei.
Feng Fei involuntarily took a few steps back until he touched the stone table before stopping.
The man in white did not advance further as Feng Fei retreated.
The man in white chuckled softly, tilting his head to look at Yuan Jue and said, "Old friend, let's end our reminiscing here for today. Next time you come, please don't be like today, with not even a decent drink or tea to entertain us."
Yuan Jue's hands were clenched tightly, and the bulging veins showed that he was not as indifferent as he appeared on the surface.
Just as the man in white and his men were about to cross the screen wall, Yuan Jue let out a deep breath, stared at the man's back, and slowly uttered four words: "Take care, don't bother seeing me off."
The man in black behind Yuan Jue felt a chill run down his spine. His master's words seemed unremarkable, but anyone familiar with the situation would know that his master was truly enraged. The man in black shuddered; one was his master, the other the Pavilion Master—he didn't know who would win.
"Yu Jin, why did he find this place!" Yuan Jue suddenly pointed his finger at the black-clad man who had been standing silently behind him.
Yu Jin trembled and knelt down before Yuan Jue with lightning speed, his voice filled with fear: "My lord, it's all my fault, that day..."
"Alright, I don't want to hear anymore." Yuan Jue stopped Yu Jin. Yu Jin's body trembled even more violently, fearing that he would not be well for some time to come! Moreover, he would be severely punished by his master.
Feng Fei's body went limp the moment the man in white left, and she had to lean on the stone table to keep herself from collapsing in front of Yuan Jue and Yu Jin. It took her a while to catch her breath. Feng Fei glanced at Yuan Jue with a complicated expression, but said nothing. She put away her whip and walked into her room.
She felt emotionally exhausted. But she didn't know why. She needed to sort things out.
Yuan Jue looked at Feng Fei's somewhat desolate back, opened his mouth, but in the end he didn't say anything and sighed dejectedly.
The moon quietly climbed onto the treetops. Feng Fei, who had no intention of cultivating tonight, lay in bed, looking at the ceiling, his thoughts wandering off somewhere.
Yuan Jue was sitting in his room, with Yu Jin, dressed in a black outfit, standing beside him.
"Tap tap tap," Yuan Jue tapped the table intermittently, but each tap landed heavily on Yu Jin's heart, making him even more tense.
"See? What exactly does the Pavilion Master want to do?" Yuan Jue finally let Yu Jin go, his eyes turning towards Feng Fei's room, his gaze deep and terrifying.
Yu Jin relaxed and stood next to Yuan Jue with his head bowed, saying, "Sect Master, he... just wants to force the Master to go back."
"Heh, forcing me to go back?" A bitter smile appeared on Yuan Jue's lips. He was inferior in strength and was being forced into this situation. Yuan Jue clenched his fists and looked directly into Yu Jin's eyes: "You want me to go back? Then I'll go back."
Yu Jin's body first slid forward, then suddenly tightened, as if the master's dissatisfaction with the pavilion master had reached its peak.
"Go and make the arrangements, and prepare plenty of things." Yuan Jue slowly stood up, walked to the window, gently pushed it open, and looked up at the bright moon. Tomorrow was the fifteenth, the day of the full moon, but it was also the day he would leave her.
"Don't disturb her, arrange things carefully. Make sure everything I asked you to prepare is ready."
Yu Jin knew who Yuan Jue meant by "she" and nodded silently. It turned out his master had no weaknesses, which was why the Pavilion Master had always pressured him, never succeeding. But in the last six months, this "she" had given his master a weakness. He didn't know whether to be happy or worried. He was happy that his master had finally shown "humanity," but worried that his master could be easily threatened, like today, yet powerless to retaliate.
However, he believed that his lord was not the kind of person who would easily admit defeat or back down, and that today's events would only further provoke his lord to retaliate. Yu Jinxin had already begun to mourn for the Pavilion Master. Those who were targeted by their lords never had a good ending. He hoped that his lord would consider their past relationship and be lenient with the Pavilion Master.
"Tomorrow, I shall prepare to depart..." Yuan Jue sighed softly, his gaze towards the bright moon above becoming even more distant and profound.
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Chapter 29 The Empty Courtyard
Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Empty Courtyard
As dawn broke, besides Yuan Jue, Feng Fei was also unable to sleep all night.
Feng Fei looked up and saw a sliver of light slowly illuminating the room through the paper window. He stood there in a daze for a moment, then slowly sat up from the bed, dressed, grabbed the snake-bone whip, and headed towards the courtyard.
It was already the height of summer, and even in the dimly lit morning, there was still a sultry heat that made people feel restless.
Feng Fei couldn't shake off the restlessness in her heart. She drew her whip and swung it a few times, but it didn't feel right. She was genuinely confused about what was going on. Was she worried that Yuan Jue was hiding something from her? But everyone has their own secrets, right? Wasn't she keeping the secret of how she came to this world from the outside? Or was she resentful that Yuan Jue had betrayed her kindness? She rushed back only to find the person who might have been hostile to her in her place, but this person didn't seem to get along well with Yuan Jue. So what was bothering her about?
Feng Fei was truly confused; his mind was becoming increasingly chaotic, and he had even lost a significant portion of the whip techniques he had previously mastered.
When Yuan Jue stepped out of his room, he saw Feng Fei absentmindedly waving her whip, occasionally lashing herself with it. She merely frowned unconsciously and continued waving.
An inexplicable fire ignited in Yuan Jue's heart. He lunged forward, snatched the whip from Feng Fei's hand, and angrily shouted, "Feng Fei! What are you doing! If you don't want to practice the whip technique I gave you, you don't have to! What are you doing making this scene!"
Feng Fei raised her head blankly, her thoughts still swirling in her own jumbled thoughts. Her eyes were filled with confusion, which made Yuan Jue's heart tighten. His words softened considerably: "Xiao Fei, your mind isn't on the whip technique right now. Go for a walk!"
Feng Fei took the whip from Yuan Jue and nodded obediently when he heard his words. He then tucked the whip into his waistband and walked outside.
Yuan Jue watched Feng Fei's retreating figure, his eyes blazing with fury. "Sect Master, hmph."
Feng Fei wandered aimlessly through the streets, only slowly regaining her senses after a long while. Standing still in the crowd, watching the carriages and horses flowing like white dragons, she suddenly felt an intense, irreconcilable sense of alienation. She suddenly felt that her existence in this world was superfluous. Perhaps she had come here only to help her predecessor reclaim the Vermilion Bird Kingdom, but what did that truly have to do with her?
Feng Fei suddenly longed to leave this world; she missed China. Even there, without family or a lover, she had many close friends, a well-paying job, and a heart set on living life to the fullest. She had always felt that even though she was approaching thirty, she didn't have the mindset of someone in their thirties; she always maintained a young and vibrant spirit. But now, in this strange world where she knew no one, her heart had aged, and wrinkles had suddenly appeared on its surface.
Feng Fei sighed dejectedly, trying to compose his broken and dejected heart. He was truly defeated by himself. He, who never had many thoughts, was completely defenseless when he suddenly erupted.
Summer in the Vermilion Bird Kingdom is always more intense than in the other four kingdoms. Even though it's not yet noon, the scorching sun is already overhead, and even the vendors who set up stalls on the street to hawk their wares have no energy and hang their heads.
Feng Fei was also listless, but she rarely went out. Including yesterday and today, she had only seriously gone out three times. Feng Fei touched her purse. Fortunately, she had vaguely remembered bringing some silver with her. Otherwise, it would be too pitiful to wander the streets empty-handed, with things to see but nothing to buy.
As she strolled around, Feng Fei, who had initially been listless, gradually regained her spirits. As the saying goes, women are born to shop, and Feng Fei perfectly embodied this. Look at her now—she was nowhere near as listless as before; she was already squeezed into a powder shop, haggling with the shopkeeper. A little while later, she disappeared into a clothing shop, picking out many garments. Most of the clothes in this shop were light red or pale yellow, and after thinking for a moment, Feng Fei chose two pieces of each color, also buying two outfits for Yuan Jue as well.
Carrying large and small bags, Feng Fei checked the time and realized it was noon. She headed towards the wonton stall where she and Yuan Jue had eaten when they first arrived in Qingfeng Town. She suddenly had a strong craving for wontons.
……
In the courtyard, Yu Jin, dressed in black, stood behind Yuan Jue, while a large pile of strange and unusual things were placed in front of Yuan Jue.
"Where's the storage ring I asked you to find?" Yuan Jue's gaze swept over the many items before he gently sat down on the stone bench beside him.
Yu Jin quickly pulled a small cloth bag from his pocket. Yuan Jue took it, opened it, glanced at it, and nodded in satisfaction. With a wave of his left hand, everything on the stone table disappeared.
Actually, it didn't disappear; rather, it was stored in Yuanjue's storage ring.
Storage rings are extremely rare items across the Four Continents; although not uncommon, they are still exceptionally valuable. Yuan Jue, due to the awakening of his bloodline, finds the storage ring rather useless, given its inherent functions.
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Although Feng Fei possessed a storage ring, it was located in the area where Feng Yi and the others lived, preventing her from using it at will. The small sword she had previously retrieved was actually concealed within her sleeve. While it appeared to be taken from a storage ring, Feng Fei did not actually possess such a thing.
Yuan Jue had prepared a lot for Feng Fei: several sets of men's clothing that might be needed, and several sets of night clothes. In the Vermilion Bird Kingdom, where bright-colored fabrics were the main color, finding even a slightly dark-colored garment was extremely difficult. Then there was some silver—not the kind of silver for which he had previously written an IOU to Feng Fei; consider it a loan to her free of charge! Yuan Jue mentally put "free of charge" in quotation marks. There were also some medicines that might be needed, and so on.
The most crucial thing was the disguise. After that night of marrow cleansing and meridian tempering, Feng Fei had already become incredibly alluring. Although he was quite satisfied with Feng Fei's often slow-to-realize nature, he was still worried that someone with ulterior motives might see her and keep it to themselves, needlessly causing trouble. If possible, it would be best to nip any potential problems in the bud.
Thinking this, Yuan Jue turned to Yu Jin and said, "Go and give this storage ring to Feng Fei. After you give it to her, go find me outside the town. I won't go see her."
Yu Jin responded and left. Yuan Jue looked up at the sky, his gaze distant, but a half-smile played on his lips.
As Feng Fei was enjoying her wontons at a street stall, a dark figure suddenly blocked the light from her head. Feng Fei looked up in surprise, and to her astonishment, she saw Yu Jin dressed in a black outfit. Yu Jin brazenly appeared before everyone in black, seemingly unconcerned about the stares and whispers, which Feng Fei found rather unbearable.
Feng Fei lowered his voice and asked, "Why are you here? Where is Yuan Jue?" He then looked behind Yu Jin, but did not see that familiar light red color.
A stiff smile appeared on Yu Jin's face, but it quickly vanished. Yu Jin touched his face, thinking to himself that he was still not suited to the word "smile." "My lord asked me to give this to you." Yu Jin handed an inconspicuous little cloth bag to Feng Fei, without explaining anything further, and turned to leave.
Filled with doubt, Feng Fei looked at Yu Jin, who was walking hurriedly, and was about to open the cloth bag when he suddenly remembered something. He scooped up his things and was about to chase after Yu Jin. However, Yu Jin was extremely fast and disappeared in no time. Feng Fei stomped his foot angrily, turned around, and ran back to the courtyard where he lived.
As soon as he entered, Feng Fei called out, "Yuan Jue! Yuan Jue!"
But no one in the yard responded.
Feng Fei's heart skipped a beat. She abruptly threw the things she had bought on the ground and ran towards Yuan Jue's room. Everything in Yuan Jue's room was neat and tidy, as if it were waiting for its owner to return and rest. However, Feng Fei keenly sensed that the room lacked human warmth.
He left. Without saying goodbye.
Feng Fei felt weak for a moment and barely managed to stand by leaning against the door.
Her heart was filled with bitterness, and Feng Fei couldn't quite understand what this feeling was. She touched her chest; even back in China, when she knew that person was getting married, she had never felt this way.
Feng Fei turned around and looked at the suddenly empty courtyard. Feng Fei's heart also seemed to feel empty.
"I also bought you clothes, but I haven't given them to you yet..."
Chapter 30 Encountering an Injured Child