1273 Yuan's Return
Xi Meili landed before the red egg, but she didn't dare to touch it.
"Is this really Feng Yuxiang? How did something like this happen? Is she okay?" she looked at Dong Ye for more answers.
Dong Ye nodded and responded, "She's fine. She's currently in a state of recovery that occurs when a phoenix is on the verge of death— it's their final line of defense."
"While in this state, she will be protected by that shell until she fully recovers. With that being said, this isn't something just any ordinary phoenix can do. Only those with the powerful bloodlines would be able to do something like this— mostly those related to royalty."
"How long will it take for her to recover?" Xi Meili then asked.
"Unfortunately, it's hard to say. Some phoenixes may take months to recover while others take years. And since her bloodline was cursed, it might take longer than usual. I wouldn't be surprised if it takes several decades for her to emerge from that shell."
"No way…" Xi Meili was speechless.
She could've never expected something like this to happen right when Yuan left.
"How should I explain this to Yuan when he returns?" she sighed.
"Just tell him the truth. You're not at fault here— neither of you are, so he won't blame you for it."
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"I know, but it still sucks to be the bearer of bad news."
After a moment of silence, Xi Meili asked, "So, what should we do with this egg— her shell?"
"Take it with you and keep it safe."
Xi Meili looked at the egg with a look of hesitation on her face. After all, it could be extremely fragile, and she did not want to cause any harm to it.
Dong Ye smiled when he saw her expression, and he said, "Don't worry, the shell isn't so fragile that it would crack easily. In fact, it won't leave a scratch even if you were to attack it with your full strength. It isn't their final line of defense for nothing."
"If you say so…" Xi Meili felt much better after hearing Dong Ye's words, but she still handled it with extreme care when she picked it up, treating it as though it was a golden egg.
"I'll take you back to the cabin, where you can recover your own strength until my lord returns." Dong Ye said to her a moment later.
Xi Meili nodded, and they disappeared into thin air shortly after.
Meanwhile, the city was in full panic after what had transpired. A good portion of the city had been destroyed by the event, and hundreds of people had perished.
Tian Suyin and Tian Xianzu stood outside their home, looking at the destruction before them.
"Heavens... If the fight had been just one block closer, our residence would've been destroyed too." Tian Suyin muttered in a dazed voice.
"Just what in heaven's name happened out there?" Tian Xianzu sighed.
Back at the cabin, Xi Meili asked Dong Ye, "Can you tell me a little more about the Immortal Clans? Just who are they?"
"There's really not much to say about them. They are just a bunch of arrogant beasts running around with the Immortal Monarch's name behind their backs because their ancestors served him."
"In terms of influence, they are up there with the Four Ancient Families and the royal families. Of course, they are also quite powerful, especially the Heavenly White Tiger Clan. Their greatest strength is… well, their strength, rivaling even dragons."
"So their ancestors served Yuan?" Xi Meili asked for clarification.
"Indeed. The ancestor of the Heavenly White Tiger was one of the nine Supreme Beings that followed the Immortal Monarch. He was a very loyal fellow who would put the Immortal Monarch before anything in his life. If the Immortal Monarch told him to jump off a bridge, he'd do it without hesitation. Some would even call it an obsession."
"Seriously…? If that's true, his descendants must have fallen quite hard…" Xi Meili shook her head as she recalled Bai Xutao's personality.
"The Immortal Clans used to be entirely different— beasts with actual pride for their legacy. Nowadays, however, they are just a bunch of selfish bastards who abuse the Immortal Monarch's name for their own profits, and they get worse with each generation."
"Yuan won't be happy to hear this…" Xi Meili sighed.
"The lord will probably be pissed, especially after he fully recovers his memories." Dong Ye closed his eyes and recalled the Immortal Monarch's relationship with his followers and sighed inwardly.
"Anyways, it's about time for me to leave again. I will return when the lord returns." Dong Ye suddenly said.
"Okay. Once again, thank you for saving us." Xi Meili nodded.
After Dong Ye left the cabin, Xi Meili placed Feng Yuxiang on the bed and wrapped the blankets around her like some kind of nest. Then, she sat on the wooden floor and began cultivating to recover her own injuries.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmA week passes in the blink of an eye.
During this time, Xi Meili did not stop her cultivation even for a second, and Feng Yuxiang remained unmoving on the bed.
The city, which had been ravaged by Bai Xutao, had now been cleaned up and was in the process of restoration.
On Earth, Yuan would spend most of his time in the bedroom with Meixiu and Chu Liuxiang, only leaving from time to time to spar with Li Jinxi. As for the other members of the faction, they were busy with their own things in Cultivation Online.
Another week passed with little change in everyone's routine. During this time, Yuan managed to contact Bai Lihua to thank her for the information regarding the Ten Great Families. He wanted to speak with Yu Rou, but she was busy inside Cultivation Online and wouldn't come out anytime soon.
"I will let Yu Rou know that you tried to contact her later. Do you want to set up a meeting for when she returns?" Bai Lihua asked him.
"No, it's fine. I will be returning to Cultivation Online soon, and I don't know when I will return this time."
"I see… Then if there's any message you want me to pass to her, just let me know."
Yuan nodded, "Then can you tell her…"
"I understand. I'll let her know."
"Thank you again."
After his conversation with Bai Lihua ended, Yuan notified Meixiu and the others that he would be returning to Cultivation Online that day.
"Then I'll meet you guys at Cultivators' Haven in a bit,"Yuan said to them.
Meixiu, Chu Liuxiang, and Li Jinxi nodded in acknowledgment before they returned to their rooms.