"Demonic Qi? Pingdong Dao?"
Si Lingxi shook her head, "Even if they are disciples and followers of the Heartless True Desire Demon Ancestor, thereâs nothing to worry about. That old fiend has already been killed by me in the Northern Domain."
Song Kaichuan was incredibly surprised upon hearing this, even Wansong Daoist was astonished and said, "The Palace Master has already killed that old fiend?"
Si Lingxi nodded, "True Spirit extinguished, desires worn away, returned to the Demon Realm."
"Palace Master is formidable, of immeasurable merit." Wansong Daoist nodded and smiled.
"That old fiend has stirred up quite a few incidents in the past few decades. Although he himself doesnât appear, his subordinates often show up in the Southern Border, Central Plains, and Northern Domain. Even I have heard of them. I didnât expect the Palace Master to silently and quietly take him down." Song Kaichuan said in surprise.
"Not exactly silently and quietly." Si Lingxi shook her head and said, "Destroyed a tribe of snakes in passing."
Song Kaichuan blinked, while Wansong Daoist couldnât help but say, "Looks like the Palace Master gained quite a harvest."
Lu Zheng: ???
Si Lingxiâs jade-like face twitched, and she explained, "This time, I didnât catch many snakes to eat."
"Understood." Wansong Daoist said, "Given the collusion with Upper Realm demons, itâs reasonable for Palace Master to take some tender meat."
Si Lingxi, "..."
Si Lingxi felt wronged because her crossing between realms secret had been accidentally discovered by the Heartless True Desire Demon Ancestor, she rare had no mood for snacks and didnât take any Double Star Snake as food.
Unexpectedly, Wansong Daoist didnât believe her!
Si Lingxi irritably lowered her head and took a sip of seafood porridge; indeed, the porridge mixed with Sea Snake Powder tasted quite good.
Si Lingxi calmed her mood and was too lazy to explain further, let them think what they will.
Lu Zheng was also drinking porridge, but Liu Qingyan worriedly asked Song Kaichuan, "I wonder where senior sensed the demonic aura in Pingdong Dao?"
Compared to Si Lingxi and Lu Zheng, Si Lingxi is the Master of Southern Border Phoenix Mountain, Lu Zheng is an Otherworld traveler, Liu Qingyan, although having Celestial Fox bloodline, grew up in Great Jing and is more concern about the safety of the Central Plains... not to mention...
"Where in Pingdong Dao?"
Song Kaichuan thought for a moment and said hesitantly, "I didnât really notice, I just calculated based on distance and location, didnât go up there.
It should be... not in Lianzhouâs realm, but in Yuezhouâs realm."
Liu Qingyan looked at Lu Zheng, and Lu Zheng knowingly nodded, Du Yueyaoâs hometown is in Yuezhou, Pingdong Dao.
If they didnât know about this, fine, but now that they do...
"When we go home, Iâll go tell Lord Chu in Yizhou." Lu Zheng said.
What? Act myself?
Donât joke, I donât know even the exact location yet, and even if I find it, what if the opponent is an unknown but powerful newly descended demon?
And besides, if I handle everything myself, whatâs the Court for?
So Lu Zheng decisively got the Court involved, leaving the troublesome matters for them to handle, as for whether thereâll be a chance to lend a hand later on...
Not important!
Anyway, after the battle in the Northern Domain, Lu Zhengâs Mind Jade Seal remains full.
Putting these matters aside, they continued dining and chatting until the moon was high in the sky, before each returned to their chambers to rest.
...
After staying at Wansong Mountain for two days, they returned to Phoenix Mountain.
Returning to Phoenix Mountain was akin to coming home, and Phoenix Mountain was bustling, lively, much more joyous than the atmosphere at Wansong Mountain.
"Greetings, Palace Master!"
Apart from Red Crane, Bai Yuan, Xuan Mei, and Bi Hu, this time there was an additional stunning woman wearing a Brilliant Blue Illusion Feather Cloud Skirt.
The woman had a tall figure, red lips, phoenix-like eyes, a slender neck, and a refined look, appearing colder and more arrogant than Si Lingxi.
After greeting Si Lingxi, her blue-shadowed eyes flickered instantly, gazing at Lu Zheng with bright curiosity and... questioning.
"Finished your retreat?"
"Returning to Palace Master, Iâve finished, but didnât assist with the demon matter, Kong Lan is guilty." The stunning woman bowed.
"Guiltless, you couldnât help either."
Si Lingxi waved her hand and then introduced to Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan, "This is Kong Lan, Master of Peacock Ridge on Phoenix Mountain."
Then she looked at Kong Lan and said, "Lu Lang is my husband, Qingyan is my sister, meeting them is like meeting me."
Kong Lanâs eyes gleamed as she bowed, "Kong Lan greets Young Master Lu, greets Miss Liu!"
"Greetings, Miss Kong." Lu Zheng nodded and said.
"Palace Master, lunch is ready," Red Crane stepped forward and said respectfully.
"Good." Si Lingxi looked at Kong Lan, "Kong Lan, join us too. I see your retreat hasnât made much progress, have you encountered a barrier?"
"Indeed." Kong Lan nodded, "I was about to seek Palace Masterâs advice."
Although saying that, Kong Lan didnât seem bothered by this barrier in her manner.
At her level of cultivation, encountering barriers and the Dao Practice not progressing is normal, you can only accumulate your foundation.
Donât mention her, even someone like Si Lingxi is the same, relying on the accumulation of foundation for a breakthrough, or insight and a flash of inspiration during continuous cultivation, or a great masterâs guidance far exceeding oneself.
Kong Lan has extraordinary talent, often receiving Si Lingxiâs guidance in the past, now reaching her limits, she didnât believe Si Lingxi could casually make her progress rapidly, but was certainly confident Si Lingxi could help avoid detours, hence Kong Lan was still hopeful.
Then they moved to the side hall, Si Lingxi, Lu Zheng, and Liu Qingyan sitting at the main seats, each with a table set with various meat and vegetarian dishes, along with wine and fruit.
Kong Lan sat below, with identical food as at the main seat.
They started eating, with Red Crane and the other three women serving wine behind Si Lingxi and the other two. Kong Lan had a bite and couldnât help asking, "Palace Master killed the Heartless True Desire Demon Ancestor?"
Si Lingxi nodded, "Killed."
"How do I compare to that Demon Ancestor?" Kong Lan asked.
Si Lingxi pondered, "About equal, if you can overcome this barrier and accumulate further, you might have a seventy percent chance, but still canât kill him."
Kong Lan is one of the top Great Demons under Phoenix Mountain; purely in terms of power, she is comparable to the True Spirit-descended Heartless True Desire Demon Ancestor.
Frightening!
No wonder Si Lingxi views her highly and includes her at the table.
"I need advice from Palace Master." Kong Lan said.
"Go ahead then," Si Lingxi said calmly.
"Now? Here?" Kong Lan blinked her beautiful eyes, momentarily stunned.
Shouldnât this be discussed in a quiet room after the meal?
Si Lingxi lifted her eyes, and Kong Lanâs heart skipped a beat; she quickly bowed and then explained the two barriers she encountered in her cultivation.
Si Lingxi nodded calmly, then continued to eat with Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan while explaining with profound words targeting the core issues of Kong Lanâs cultivation.
Throughout this meal, Si Lingxi ate casually, Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan ate comfortably, but Kong Lan, after a bite, didnât move her chopsticks again.