OLTFMD | Chapter 19

Chapter 19

◎This bird’s suspicion problem seems to be a terminal illness.◎

Having agreed to be the stupid bird’s short-term dedicated translator, Shen Ji did not waste any time. He sat down and immediately began transcribing the first jade slip.

During this time, the man in golden armor also did not leave.

After receiving Xie Fu’s signal, he returned to the table from the side and continued reporting the interrupted matter.

“This time, a total of one hundred and seventy-six demon realm spies were captured. They have now all been locked in Flowfire Prison and are being interrogated.”

Xie Fu did not seem to care about this matter as much as he did about the Snow Realm seal. “With such numbers, how did they move in and out of the Three Spirit Realm?”

Perhaps because their impression of mortals as weak was deeply ingrained, the two of them did not deliberately avoid Shen Ji while speaking.

The System explained Xie Fu’s question to him: “Normally, the passageways among the four realms can only allow their own people to enter and leave under certain conditions. Last time, when they hunted down the great villain and gathered in a crowd to descend to the mortal realm, they had to pay a price. Outsiders can leave, but not enter. For a situation like the immortal realm banquet a month from now, someone specially assigned will go to the immortal realm passageway to temporarily loosen the restrictions, and only those holding special invitations can enter. Back when host you were smuggled into the Demon Realm, they used a similar method. Of course, now that the immortal realm has had its seal shattered by the great villain, almost everyone can enter.”

The man in golden armor said, “Reporting to Your Majesty, this subordinate found this item on the spy.”

After he finished speaking, he held up a snow-white pill with both hands and bowed as he offered it.

Shen Ji also glanced at it.

The System promptly identified it for him: “This kind of pill is refined in the demon realm from seal power extracted from the seal. With it, one can deceive the seal and freely enter and leave the four great passageways. However, extracting seal power is extremely difficult. On average, making one pill requires the cost of at least ten lives. Among the four realms, only the demon realm does this.”

Xie Fu had already lifted a hand to draw the pill into his palm.

The pill, no bigger than a knuckle, silently melted into dust within the phoenix emperor’s silver flames that could burn away all things, leaving only a thread of snow-white seal power drifting through the firelight.

The man in golden armor’s voice still had no inflection. “This subordinate speculates that the evil demon’s ability to enter the demon and mortal passageway is related to this item.”

Xie Fu lowered his gaze to look at the seal power struggling to escape his palm, and the darkness in his eyes deepened.

The System said again, “Host, look, the great villain must be thinking about how to do bad things!”

Shen Ji knew what it was referring to.

Although this segment of the plot was not explicitly written in the book, the later chapters described it very clearly.

After the immortal realm seal was shattered, the male lead Xuan Chen, as the son of the immortal emperor, was ordered to investigate the cause and sequence of events. He captured quite a few demon realm spies in the immortal realm.

Just as the emperor’s celebratory banquet was taking place, Xie Fu met the immortal emperor in the immortal realm and stated that the Demon Realm had also captured several spies, and that he had discovered a way for the demon realm to move freely in and out of the other three realms, proving that the demon realm had long been stirring up chaos in the three realms. He successfully used the demon realm’s wolfish ambitions to shift the blame away, playing a very beautiful diversionary move and perfectly hiding his own suspicion.

Because the demon realm was indeed secretly developing its forces in the three realms, trying bit by bit to seize territory from them, the blame Xie Fu had pinned on it, ninety percent true and ten percent false, was something they simply could not defend against, and it made the immortal emperor believe it completely.

This also directly caused Xuan Chen to set the demon realm as his primary target in the early stage. Not only did he exhaust himself helping Xie Fu resolve this trouble, which was causing a scene on his own turf, he also helped Xie Fu thoroughly study the demon realm’s seal, laying a solid foundation for Xie Fu’s final step of shattering the demon realm seal.

It could be said that from this step onward, the balance between Xuan Chen and Xie Fu began shifting in this give-and-take manner.

The System said, “Host, when we go to the immortal realm later, you must find a way to change the direction of this matter!”

Shen Ji said, “You have to walk the road one step at a time. We haven’t even left the Demon Realm yet, so don’t start imagining the future.”

The System humbly took the lesson. “...Oh.”

On the other side.

Xie Fu had already taken the seal power into his palm. With a flick of his fingers, he summoned a delicate silver phoenix messenger and said, “Yun Lang, come to Shudian Tower at once.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he swept his gaze over the jade slips scattered across the table, then turned to look at Shen Ji. Seeing that the mortal was still focused on copying, the annoyance in his heart accumulated little by little, unnoticed. He closed his eyes for a moment and forcibly suppressed the disordered thoughts that should not have arisen.

Before long, Yun Lang requested entry from outside the door.

The restriction on the door opened.

Yun Lang walked in and, seeing Shen Ji seated at the table by the window, paused in his steps.

Shen Ji looked up at the sound.

Yun Lang looked at him, concern showing on his face. Because it was inconvenient to speak here, he only used his eyes to ask after him.

Shen Ji gave him a light smile and shook his head slightly.

Only then did Yun Lang nod and turn to face Xie Fu. “Your Majesty.”

Xie Fu watched the two of them exchange looks with a cold expression, his tone impossible to read. “What, are you afraid I’ll do him harm?”

Yun Lang froze, then bowed. “Yun Lang would not dare.”

The man in golden armor beside him could not tell what was going on in the room, and also bowed to him. “Your Highness.”

Yun Lang seemed used to this and gave him a slight nod. “Commander is here as well.”

Hearing this title, the System said in sudden realization, “So this is the Phoenix Guard Commander Zhi Chang from the great villain’s Minghuang Palace. No wonder he’s so stupid. His brain was injured when he was young, and he’s missing a bit of common sense. He really doesn’t understand social niceties. It seems he has some relationship with the great villain, and they’ve known each other for a long time. When the great villain became phoenix emperor, he promoted him to commander. He’s quite capable, just a little lacking in how he deals with people. Not as smooth as me.”

Shen Ji said, “Besides being thicker-skinned than him, you have no other strengths.”

The System: “...”

No way.

Even if you’re the host, that’s too much.

After Yun Lang and Zhi Chang exchanged greetings, Yun Lang turned back to Xie Fu. “Your Majesty summoned me in such haste. I wonder what important matter it is?”

Xie Fu got straight to the point. “You should already know about today’s demon realm spies.”

Yun Lang said, “Yes.”

Xie Fu said, “State your view.”

Yun Lang did not hesitate. He had obviously been pondering this matter for a long time: “The demon realm has secretly entered the Three Spirit Realm and dared to reach into the phoenix clan, which shows that their scheme is immense and by no means something that happened in a day or two. I have already sent phoenix guards to investigate this matter thoroughly among the various clans. Results should come soon.”

Xie Fu then said, “Have the dragon and tiger clans shown any unusual movements?”

Yun Lang replied, “The dragon clan guards the desolate abyss of Haoyuan, and no news has come from them. The tiger clan is still in the barren lands of the far north, weak for a long time, and unlikely to amount to much. If the demon realm has an internal accomplice, it may be the black flood dragon, the snake calamity.”

Xie Fu looked at him deeply.

Yun Lang bowed and lowered his head, not looking up.

Xie Fu said, “Of what you just said, have the Golden Pavilion elders interfered?”

Yun Lang pressed his lips together.

He knew that when Xie Fu mentioned the Golden Pavilion at this moment, there would definitely be more to follow.

But since Xie Fu asked, he could not refuse to answer. “They have not.”

Xie Fu lifted his palm.

A golden seal slowly ignited from his palm.

Seeing it, Yun Lang was startled.

Xie Fu said, “I favor Zhi Chang for Wu Xun’s spiritual venerable phoenix seal. What do you think?”

The aura coming from the phoenix seal was warm and familiar. Yun Lang’s hand, still raised in salute, tightened slightly.

He pressed his lips together again and said in a low voice, “Your Majesty, since ancient times the phoenix clan’s Golden Pavilion elders have always been served by red phoenixes. Although the commander’s cultivation is profound, he is ultimately of the colored phoenix line, and it would be difficult to convince everyone.”

Xie Fu said indifferently, “If I appoint him, then he is what everyone wants.”

His words had always been so forceful, as if it were only natural.

Yet only he had the capital to be so overbearing, and no one dared to object.

Yun Lang knew the matter was already settled, and yielded once more. “Your Majesty speaks truly.”

Xie Fu said, “Discuss this matter with Su Xi. Transfer the position as soon as possible, so the Golden Pavilion can share the burden for the phoenix clan as soon as possible. There’s no need to talk every day about bloodlines and act as if you stand above others.”

Yun Lang had no good way to refute that, and could only answer softly, yes.

“Withdraw.”

The System watched from the side with relish, and after watching, even offered a few comments: “The great villain did well, that’s exactly how you deal with this kind of heartless phoenix, with a ruthless phoenix!”

Only then did it remember something. “That’s not right. According to the records, this matter was directly ordered by the great villain with iron-fisted authority. It didn’t go through Yun Lang’s line at all. Why has it changed again?”

Could it be because Yun Lang returned ahead of schedule?

But for something the great villain only needed one sentence to handle, he insisted on having Yun Lang discuss it. Wasn’t that just wasting time for no reason?

The great villain clearly said he wanted to act quickly.

Shen Ji was looking at Yun Lang as he withdrew on command.

Yun Lang gave him a gentle smile, as if to reassure him not to worry.

“Li Chenyin.”

Shen Ji withdrew his gaze and looked at Xie Fu.

Xie Fu said coldly, “If you have no heart for transcribing, then there is no need to remain here for long.”

Hearing this, Zhi Chang held the golden sword slanted in front of him. He had the air of someone who, at Xie Fu’s slightest command, would make the mortal fall dead on the spot.

“Your Majesty’s instruction is entirely correct.” Shen Ji replied politely, then said, “Then should I go back and copy?”

Xie Fu’s expression turned slightly cold.

Zhi Chang said, “Your Majesty’s phoenix decree comes first. It cannot be disobeyed.”

His morning-glow-colored pupils stared straight at Shen Ji as he drew his sword and pointed it at Shen Ji’s throat.

Shen Ji glanced at him, then turned back toward Xie Fu.

The coldness in Xie Fu’s voice had not yet faded. “Zhi Chang, stand down.”

Zhi Chang sheathed his sword and turned around. “Yes.”

The System comforted Shen Ji in his mind: “Host, don’t argue with a person like Zhi Chang. He’s just like that. He doesn’t understand what people say. He really is quite infuriating, and he does deserve a beating.”

Shen Ji watched Zhi Chang’s sword-like, rigid figure stride away.

In the book’s ending, this phoenix guard, who was especially loyal to Xie Fu, died in battle for Xie Fu.

However, even Zhi Chang never understood Xie Fu’s true plan.

Xie Fu’s personality determined that he would not easily trust anyone. Throughout the entire book, there was not a single person with whom he could truly confide.

The System reminded him softly, “Host, hurry and copy. The great villain is watching you...”

Shen Ji remained expressionless and continued using spiritual power to transcribe the ancient text.

The room instantly fell silent.

No one knew how much time had passed. Shen Ji calmly finished transcribing one jade slip and looked at the square box in front of him, as large as a washbasin.

At the current rate, the jade slips inside were three days and nights of nonstop work.

The System asked, “Host, aren’t you afraid that after you finish copying, the great villain won’t keep his word?”

Shen Ji said, “I haven’t offended him now. He has no need to be dishonest with me.”

Even if he had offended Xie Fu before, Xie Fu had still fulfilled every promise he had made.

A scroll from the immortal realm was not something desirable to Xie Fu. Keeping him here was probably only for these ancient seal texts.

After all, shattering the seal was Xie Fu’s top priority.

If he wanted to get away as soon as possible, he had to speed up again.

—

Beside him, after a long period of quiet, the aura of a second person appeared. Xie Fu closed his eyes for a long time, then set down the bamboo slip in his hand.

The mortal’s steady breathing was not annoying. On the contrary, it repeatedly reminded him of that simple wooden hut in the Snow Realm, and of the cold mountain caves he had changed locations to more than once.

He looked at Li Chenyin.

The side profile of the other man, when focused, was not soft. Compared with the mildness of his front-facing appearance, it carried a bit more solemnity. Yet it gradually overlapped somewhat with the face in his memory.

But that overlap in one instant seemed, in the next, to be nothing more than an illusion impossible to distinguish from reality.

Xie Fu’s breathing faltered slightly.

A bloodstained color flooded the depths of his eyes.

His fingers moved slightly, and the cold fabric seemed to still carry an unerasable sensation.

That was the source he still did not believe to this day.

To have escaped Qishan in a mortal body, using so many strange methods in the Snow Realm seal.

How could such a person have left only a smear of filthy blood, then vanished without a trace.

Shen Ji was certainly still alive.

If he was alive, he would definitely leave clues behind.

This Li Chenyin had repeatedly displayed a posture similar to Shen Ji’s. Could all of that be mere coincidence?

“Shen Ji.”

Xie Fu looked at Li Chenyin.

But when the mortal heard this name, his expression did not change in the slightest. Only then did he turn his face over, looking confused.

“Your Majesty?”

The stabbing pain that spread through his heart rolled over once again, and Xie Fu ignored it once more.

He only stared at the mortal’s brows and eyes, without the slightest wavering. “Have you ever heard of this person’s name?”

The mortal seemed to think for a moment, then replied, “I haven’t heard it.”

The hall was silent.

Suddenly, Xie Fu rose into the air.

He did not look at Shen Ji again, and directly turned into a stream of light and left, leaving behind one sentence:

“Go back to Yujin Palace on your own. The transcribing is not finished yet, so you do not need to come again.”

As soon as these words fell, Shen Ji stopped moving.

The System drew in a breath in his mind. “That scared me to death just now! Host, you didn’t even see it, the great villain really kept staring at you the whole time, his expression was so frightening. I thought he’d seen through the disguise, so I hurried to remind you to get ready!”

Shen Ji was also very surprised.

He had not expected Xie Fu to directly voice his suspicion.

In order to completely sever any connection to “Shen Ji,” he had changed the way he walked, sat, and stood, and even the way he used spiritual power. Even if someone was very familiar with him, after he had disguised himself from head to toe, there would have been no way to see through his identity.

But Xie Fu using this name to probe him meant that at the very least, he had begun to suspect him.

Was it merely because of excessive suspicion?

Or had Xie Fu really discovered something?

However, for Xie Fu to leave after only one probing line also meant that his suspicion was not deep. Otherwise, he would not have let him go right under his nose.

He only hoped that after this, the suspicion Xie Fu had toward him could remain for a while longer.

Shen Ji’s thoughts shifted slightly, but his face showed nothing.

He closed the gold box, took it with him, and left Shudian Tower.

By the time he returned to Yujin Palace, Yun Lang had also just flown back.

“Sir?”

Shen Ji said, “Don’t call me sir anymore. Just call me by my name.”

Yun Lang smiled warmly. “Chenyin, His Majesty let you come back. Has he already given you the scroll?”

Shen Ji gestured to the gold box supported by his left arm. “This is the first batch.”

Only then did Yun Lang notice it, and he gave a bitter smile. “These past days have been full of miscellaneous matters, and I was actually muddled.”

Shen Ji understood his muddle very well.

First there was the mess left by the Red Phoenix spiritual venerable that needed dealing with. Today they had also captured many spies that needed interrogation. On top of that, Xie Fu had asked him to go and negotiate with the Golden Pavilion, paving the way for Zhi Chang to take the elder position. Every one of these things was troublesome.

“I came back to take the Red Phoenix spiritual seal. I’ll leave at once.”

Yun Lang then said, “Since His Majesty has released you from Shudian Tower, you should stay in Yujin Palace and transcribe in peace. If you encounter any difficulty, remember to send word to me.”

Shen Ji glanced over his slightly tired expression. “Don’t worry about me, make sure you rest.”

This Highness had taken time out of his busy schedule to come over and exchange a few pleasantries. No matter what, he deserved some care.

Yun Lang was slightly stunned, then smiled again. “Thank you for your concern. I will.”

Shen Ji took two pieces of mint candy from the storage and tossed them to him. “They refresh the mind. If you’re tired, you can eat one.”

Yun Lang caught them rather flusteredly.

But the thing in his hand was something he had never seen before, and it really was a little unfamiliar.

“I’m leaving.”

He looked at Shen Ji.

The other party merely waved a hand casually, already turning away with the gold box tucked under one arm.

“Remember, the plastic wrap outside has to be torn open. You can’t eat it.”

Yun Lang looked at his tall, upright back, then at the two pieces of mint candy lying in his palm, and gave a soft laugh, saying warmly, “All right, I remember.”

Shen Ji was already stepping over the threshold and heading toward the sleeping quarters.

The System finally could not help but complain, “Host, you’re really so stingy. You said you were going to give flowers, but you didn’t. You only gave him two pieces of mint candy! At least give a little more! Yun Lang’s favorability was hard enough to raise already, why do you keep giving him such worthless things? If this goes on, our mission is going to fail!”

As it spoke, it opened the panel and tried to show the host Yun Lang’s stubbornly unchanged eight points of favorability again.

The result was—

“Huh?”

The System was stunned.

It pulled the panel to the largest size, carefully looking at this line of text from top to bottom and then bottom to top.

Yun Lang favorability: 9

It increased by one?

The System was baffled.

“Huh???”

Seeing this number, Shen Ji also slightly raised his brows.

The System quickly composed itself and solemnly suggested, “Host, I’m begging you, from now on, please give Yun Lang more of those free things!”

This phoenix was not heartless.

His heart simply wasn’t worth much!

Shen Ji did not comment on this.

He walked into the study in the sleeping quarters and continued transcribing the ancient texts for Xie Fu.

—

The expected three days passed, and the ancient texts were all sorted out.

Shen Ji packed the two sets of jade slips into separate boxes, and when he went out, he ran into Yun Lang standing right at the door.

“So coincidental.”

Yun Lang smiled and said, “It’s not a coincidence. I saw you come out and thought you were going to His Majesty’s place, so I specially waited here.”

Shen Ji said, “Why?”

Yun Lang said, “His Majesty is not in Shudian Tower today. Come with me.”

Seeing Shen Ji agree, he reached out and took Shen Ji by the left arm. The two of them rose together, flying over the Golden Pavilion and toward Minghuang Palace.

Still in midair, Shen Ji had already seen the golden figure on the ground.

The stupid bird’s aesthetic sense was always so eye-catching. Even among a mass of colorful phoenix wings, it stood out vividly.

Yun Lang passed through the passage opened for him by the red phoenixes in the air and landed side by side with Shen Ji.

Zhi Chang and Su Xi stood to Xie Fu’s left and right behind him. Seeing him, both of them bowed.

“Your Highness.”

The other three elders stood to the side. After bowing together with the great elder, one of them frowned and looked Shen Ji up and down.

“Your Highness, how can this important place of Minghuang Palace be entered by a mere mortal?”

Yun Lang said, “Chenyin is bearing His Majesty’s phoenix decree and transcribing ancient texts. If Venerable has any objection, there will be an explanation before His Majesty.”

Chenyin?

Xie Fu, on the platform, slightly moved his silver eyes.

Seeing the two of them arriving side by side with sleeves brushing, he did not change expression. Below the platform, a figure suddenly let out a miserable cry and collapsed to the ground.

The questioning elder’s face twitched.

In truth, after hearing Yun Lang’s words, his expression had already become awkward. Seeing this, he hurriedly said, “Your Highness is speaking too seriously. How would I dare have any objection to His Majesty’s phoenix decree!”

Yun Lang then subconsciously raised a hand to shield Shen Ji behind him, and frowned. “Why does Minghuang Palace have evil demon aura?”

Su Xi also looked at Shen Ji behind him, then explained, “Your Highness does not know. This demon is a member of Minghuang Palace’s guards, and was just captured personally by His Majesty.”

Yun Lang was about to ask more, when Xie Fu’s deep and cold command suddenly came from the platform.

“Li Chenyin, come forward.”

The moment he spoke, the entire platform fell silent.

Under the gaze of countless eyes, both obvious and hidden, Shen Ji inwardly sighed.

He could only come out from behind Yun Lang and, as instructed, step up the stairs.

This bird’s suspicion problem really does seem like a terminal illness.

How come every time they meet, some new trouble appears.