Little Phoenix Is Not An Immortal Chapter 16
Translated by Luen Translations
Edited by Siren and Birdie
Chapter 16: Angel Wings (2)
For the past two days, the weather was strangely good. The warm sun shone high in the sky with the wind blowing. Yu Mo Heavenly Temple’s scenery was picturesque. Unfortunately, someone’s mood wouldn’t brighten up no matter what.
Looking at the closed door and the miserable owner of the room standing outside, for the first time in his life, Zhao Huajun wasn’t very sincere as he raised the corners of his mouth. Pushing the door and entering the room, he gave the surroundings a look and sure enough, he found Tian Zhen holed up in the corner, wiping her tears.
Even he himself didn’t know how to explain the emergence of this sort of mishap. Zhao Huajun understood that this woman had received a shock. Lightly coughing, he pulled her up from the floor and drew her into his arms. “Are you planning to hide here and never go out from now on?”
Having received healing in the leader’s embrace, Tian Zhen felt a bit better.
Zhao Huajun had also regarded her as a bird when he took her into his arms and so he quickly let go,“Come, follow me back to the palace hall.”
To Tian Zhen at that moment, that embrace was exceedingly warm. That hand pulled her the entire trip. It wasn’t too loose nor too tight. It wasn’t until they had entered through the doors of the rear palace hall that it let go.
“This form isn’t considered too ugly.” Zhao Huajun patted her phoenix wings.
Tian Zhen turned her face to look. Silence.
The pair of wings really wasn’t appealing in her eyes. Flapping plumage of gray. Originally, she had wanted to use “Symbol of an Angel” to console herself, but no matter how she looked at it, what popped up in her mind was still “Birdman.”
Zhao Huajun placated her as much as he could. “This pair of divine wings is bestowed by Heaven and is quite rare. As long as you learn how to use it, you’ll surely discover its benefits.”
‘Benefits?’ Tian Zhen commanded her wings to flap.
In the blink of an eye, a gale rose within the palace hall. The books were swept down from their stands, the chairs were overturned with a “bang”, the paper atop the table swirled in the air like snowflakes, the entire main hall groaned and looked like it was about to fall apart.
“Go outside to test it again,” Zhao Huajun promptly stopped the wings and pulled her to one side of the table with a tolerating smile, “First, eat your fill.”
Excited by this result, Tian Zhen discontentedly sat down.
‘Alright, I admit that it has a benefit. On hot days it can be a powerful electric fan.’
The dead pellet that the nameless saint had left behind having used this kind of method to exhibit its effect, in contrast, the misgivings within Zhao Huajun’s heart further increased. This was because he had discovered that aside from cultivating into human form, there weren't any clear signs of change in all aspects of Tian Zhen’s body. Furthermore, her physique was of the god race’s worst class. The advancement of her cultivation was unusually slow. Of course, he still strictly supervised and urged Tian Zhen’s cultivation and hoped for a miracle to occur.
Having taken this pair of big, gray wings and danced naked in front of the leader, to say that she didn’t mind it would definitely be lying. Adding on the provocation from the birdman appearance, how could Tian Zhen have the mind to think about learning magic? She often sat dejectedly at the edge of the pond and received even more derisive or sympathetic looks.
There wasn’t anything odd with the leader’s behavior back then. Tian Zhen definitely wouldn’t commend his ability to stay focused as merely good. This was because at that time, what he had paid attention to definitely wasn’t the naked woman.
The reflection in the water clearly told everyone that no matter where, these wings would forever be the most brilliant and dazzling. Using a more elegant way to say it, the wings were student Tian Zhen’s public image. Student Tian Zhen had already reached the highest state of unity between person and wings.
Tian Zhen was still mournful. Zhao Huajun’s reproachful voice came from behind, “Little phoenix is being lazy!”
“King.” Tian Zhen got up and stood straight, adjusting her facial expression.
Zhao Huajun automatically held her hands.
The temperature of her hands traveling to her face, Tian Zhen coughed twice. Leader’s thinking is quite open-minded. If it weren’t for the fact that I had personally seen you reject a beauty from accompanying you to bathe back then, I’d definitely think that you’re exploiting your position to conveniently eat your subordinate’s tofu*.
(T/N: it means to take advantage of)
The long eyebrows slightly wrinkled and then rapidly smoothed out. Zhao Huajun let go of her. “How are your magic studies going?”
Raising this subject, Tian Zhen’s line of sight swiftly shifted around and she coughed twice again.
Zhao Huajun couldn’t help smiling and chided,“Appearances are external while cultivation is internal. It’s easy if you want a good appearance. Just transform. If you want to succeed in cultivation, however, it’s much more difficult. You obtained your neidan gratuitously. This is such a good opportunity, so how can you undervalue yourself because of such an insignificant thing like appearance?”
Tian Zhen gave an “oh” sound.
Seeing that she seemed unconvinced, Zhao Huajun said, “What, is there anything else you want to say?”
Tian Zhen replied, “It’s easy for King to say so, but who in this world doesn’t love beauty?”
Zhao Huajun had a smile on his face as he nodded. “But there is no limit to beauty. If there is someone beautiful, then there will be someone even more beautiful. Who can be considered as the most beautiful? Beauty is important, but it’s also not the only important thing. Since you can’t be beautiful, you can seek others such as strength, ability, virtue, or wisdom. Although they’re not the same, each one has its benefits that can’t be replaced by beauty.”
‘As expected of a leader, his thinking has depth!’ Tian Zhen repeatedly praised him.
Zhao Huajun was satisfied, “It’s good if you understand. What are you planning on doing?”
Tian Zhen pondered for a moment. She then pointed at her wings and probed, “Is there a way to……turn them white?”
Zhao Huajun was completely silent and said after a long while, “Forget it. You staying idle is dull. For the time being, I’ll dispatch you to take care of a matter. Leave Yu Mo Heavenly Temple and head north. There’s a place called Hu Zhong Tian. There are many vermillion fruits growing outside of Hu Zhong Tian. You’ll go and pick some to take back and then use them to refine medicine.”
With an opportunity to go outside and play, of course Tian Zhen was willing. She agreed and then left.
“Little phoenix,” Zhao Huajun called her to a stop and specially warned, “The terrain of Hu Zhong Tian is dangerous with heavy negative energy. Absolutely do not enter. If you can’t pick them……there won’t be any harm in it.”
Tian Zhen gave a response and then hurriedly left through the doorway of the garden. Unexpectedly, she had just turned past You(游) corridor when she ran into a crowd of people. They were a few maids leading a goddess in walking over here.
That goddess had on purple clothing and was dressed exquisitely. She was smiling as she walked and said, “It’s been a long time since I’ve come to Yu Mo Heavenly Temple. The scenery still hasn’t changed in the least.”
Clearly seeing her facial features, Tian Zhen was shocked. She had originally planned to hide but then thought better of it as she believed that since she had changed into human form, that woman shouldn’t be able to recognize her. Consequently, she lowered her head and retreated to one side of the corridor’s pillar. She retracted her wings and tried as much as possible to turn into a passer-by.
Unfortunately, one of the maids had sharp eyes. She pulled her over and asked, “Little phoenix, have you seen the king?”
Just as expected, two harsh gazes rapidly shot towards her body.
‘You don’t recognize me, you don’t recognize me……’ Tian Zhen calmly answered, “The king is in the rear garden.”
While smiling, she said, “No wonder he wasn’t in the rear palace hall. It turns out that he was in the rear garden. Goddess, please.”
Heng Yue-ji's beautiful eyes flickered and sized up Tian Zhen for a long time. She smiled. “You’re called Little Phoenix?”
This question was very sensitive. Tian Zhen was muddled by the nonreassuring turn of events. She insincerely laughed, wanting to muddle over it, but the maid beside her unexpectedly rushed to answer, “She’s the king’s personal maid. She’s just obtained her human form not too long ago. There was a bit of an……accident.”
Heng Yue-ji suddenly understood. “Just obtained human form?”
Her gentle laughter was meaningful and Tian Zhen’s scalp numbed when she heard it.
“Goddess?” The maid sensed something was amiss and was puzzled.
“It’s nothing. Let’s go.” Heng Yue-ji didn’t look at her again and walked ahead.
Still unwilling to give up, the purple clad woman had followed her leader all the way here. Tian Zhen was acting as if she had obtained an amnesty. She was in the middle of shaking her head when she suddenly saw Heng Yue-ji walking while using her hand to cover her mouth. She didn't know what she had whispered to the personal maid beside her, but that maid then turned her head around and cast a glance at her.
Without a doubt, Heng Yue-ji had already recognized her. Tian Zhen quickly walked through the palace gates as she escaped.
Leaving the Heavenly Palace and going across the Heavenly River took several thousand miles. Throughout the journey, she came across many checkpoints. Fortunately, a pair of wings clearly showed this woman’s origins. Seeing that her identity couldn’t be doubted and that she was under orders from Zhao Huajun to collect medicine, the heavenly soldiers standing guard waved their hands and let her pass. Tian Zhen politely asked about the route and quickly arrived at her destination.
Gliding while descending downwards, Tian Zhen touched her wings and consoled herself. ‘Alright, they’re a bit ugly, but they have strong capabilities. If Heaven’s transportation industry wasn’t so developed, I could consider opening an aviation business. Something with wind power from a windmill to send telegrams and so on would absolutely not be hard to do.’
The so-called Hu Zhong Tian turned out to be a giant hill with a range of several hundreds of miles. There was a mix of trees growing at the top with black pine being the predominant. Looking down from high above, it was like a black painted wine gourd had fallen on to the ground.
The mouth of the gourd was faintly spitting out a band of air. It was multicolored and looked lustrously rich and diverse. It floated upwards and didn’t disperse until it was halfway in the air. The sight was extremely strange yet beautiful.
Seeing it for the first time, Tian Zhen was amazed. She flew farther and gazed towards the interior, but only saw that there seemed to be a flickering flame amongst them that was half bright and half dark. The landscape was boundless. The tranquil trees, the streams, the flowers and plants, and the distant mountain ranges moving up and down……it was a majestic and enchanting scenery.
‘The name Hu Zhong Tian was given because of this meaning right?’
Tian Zhen inwardly speculated and at the same time, she felt a bit dizzy.
How could she know that this Hu Zhong Tian was an extremely murderous place? The weathering soil led to the rise of negative energy which would accumulate to a point before erupting. It happens once every year and lasts for as long as ten days. During this period of time, the source would send out a demonic air outwards, which would form that multicolored band of air. By coincidence, she happened to encounter it this time around. Even though she was stationed far away, it was hard to avoid receiving a slight impact.
Instincts sensing danger, Tian Zhen had also guessed that the air had poison. Recalling Zhao Huajun’s warning, she immediately retreated by several hundreds of meters.
Being nourished by the land’s energy, countless rarely seen vegetation grew on the surface of this region. The vermillion fruit was the God Realm’s common commodity. It could be used as food and medicine. It had a calming effect, a sweet taste, and was a useful essence that was beneficial to the body’s channels. Within an hour, Tian Zhen had picked a lot and, seeing that it was still early, she simply sat on the ground and ate one after the other.
She was eating with rapt attention when she suddenly heard the quiet sound of the wind. A cold light flashed from the ground.
Gaining a god’s body not only made you smarter, but your movements would also become a lot more vigorously athletic. Tian Zhen subconsciously threw away the fruit. She rolled aside and waited for the huge noise to pass. When she turned her head to look, the ground where she was originally sitting had two three meter long additional cracks. If it weren't for her quick dodging, this cut was bound to have chopped down on her body.
Tian Zhen was aghast. “Who……are you?”
The person who had appeared had the appearance of an imperial bodyguard. His strike had missed and yet he didn’t reply. He grasped his sword, wanting to chop down again. Unfortunately, this time around, he still hadn’t had the time to make his move when someone behind him gave a long “en” sound.
A deep and low voice. There was arrogance. There was displeasure.
Hearing this voice, Tian Zhen’s heart jumped followed by both legs starting to tremble. She knew that she definitely couldn’t escape now unless she wanted to become cannon fodder faster.
The imperial bodyguard was also subdued by that aura and expressionlessly turned his hand around to look.
A strong wind attacked his face. Rays of light flickered from the mouth of the gourd and when they stopped, a tall and imposing figure appeared.
Long hair was loosely draped, adorned with a golden forehead ornament, a pair of long and narrow phoenix eyes emitted a dangerous glint, and a gentle and beautiful face that was completely darkened. Shockingly, it was the Heavenly Devil Emperor.
(T/N: heavenly cause he’s from heaven)
Originally, although the negative air released by Hu Zhong Tian was dreadful, it was nevertheless beneficial for demon cultivation. Unfortunately, it was just too powerful, so no one from the six realms dared to come near it, never mind using it for themselves. Only the Devil Emperor who was the reincarnation of the God of Death from the distant past didn’t fear this destructive power. Every year, during the time when the soil would erupt, he would always come here to draw the negative energy into the Devil Realm to help his subordinates cultivate.
That imperial bodyguard seemed to have just gained the post and hadn’t seen him before. He recklessly opened his mouth and asked, “Who are you?”
‘Brother, you’re really blessed.’ Tian Zhen looked at him like she was looking at an alien. With the Death God in front of you, being ignorant is a benefit. At the very least, you can skip past the “being scared” step.
“Ignorant moon race,” The Devil God placed his hands behind his back, “I’ll give you a chance. Carry out an order for me.”
‘Moon race? A member of the moon race wants to kill me?’ Tian Zhen was suspicious. Simultaneously, her worried heart gradually calmed down. The Devil God was in a rare good mood and wasn’t urging to create cannon fodder.
Unfortunately, that imperial bodyguard still hadn’t guessed his identity. He brandished the sword in his hand and loftily said, “Ignorant buffoon! The military of the moon race is appointed by Heaven, What is there to fear from you, a trifling demon? No need to be so talkative!”
‘Wow’ Tian Zhen gazed at him almost reverently. ‘Brother has backbone!’
The Devil God was indignant. His phoenix eyes narrowed and a strong killing intent swept past.
Within the smothered noise, something flew away from the imperial bodyguard in front.
He had a backbone……and had his head exploded! Tian Zhen opened one eye and looked at that headless corpse while trembling in fear. There was still that red liquid incessantly squirting out.
When his line of sight shifted to her body, the killing intent didn’t lessen.
‘Lord Devil God doesn’t like those with backbone!’ Tian Zhen’s knees softened and she immediately kneeled down.
“You, also want to infuriate me,” The Devil God’s voice slowly rang out, “Bird Woman?”
Tian Zhen’s tears flowed.
‘Bird Woman!, Bird Woman…, Bird Woman, Bird Woman……’
