Watching Ji Yin leave, Ji Yanlai felt a sense of anticlimax and, after giving a mere shrug, shifted his gaze to the medicinal jade pendant in his hand, an interested expression on his face. “I never expected to have the luck to encounter this kind of rare occurrence. If father finds out, he’s probably going to regret having put me in charge of the clan so soon. Haha…”
Laughing, Ji Yanlai utilized his lightness skills and disappeared after a couple of flying leaps, leaving no traces behind.
…
Ling Zhang was still in a carry-over of shock when he left the hall. It’d never crossed his mind that Ji Yanlai would actually be so discerning as to find out something about his deepest secret. The Blood of the Phoenix Clan… Maybe this thing was indeed too powerful to deserve to exist in a mortal world. No wonder the imperial household of the Xia had put it under their control. If its existence was brought to light, nobody could imagine what kind of crazy things might happen. Maybe Ji Yanlai knew this as well and was positive that he wouldn’t breathe a word of it to anybody else after coming to realize how serious the consequences could be, which was the very reason why Ji Yanlai had dared to tell him all these things.
With a rapid blur of a figure, Ling Zhang’s vision fleetingly went blurred, and when things came into focus again, Ling Zhaowu had halted before him and grabbed his arm, gazing fixedly at him. “Zhang’er.”
Ling Zhang was stupefied, staring vacantly at Ling Zhaowu. This was the first time that Ling Zhaowu had called him Zhang’er… Ling Zhang’s heart quivered in spite of himself.
“Uncle Ling has just heard something about you from me. I also told him he could call you that,” explained Yuwen Tong, walking over.
Ling Zhang knew what Yuwen Tong meant. There was actually no need for Yuwen Tong to explain it to him. It was undeniable that as he heard Ling Zhaowu call him this, he was really almost reduced to tears.
“Father, I’m back.” Ling Zhang turned aside to hold Ling Zhaowu’s arm. “I’ve finished the talk with him. Now let’s go back.”
Ling Zhaowu immediately clung to his arm, intending to walk towards the outside.
Yuwen Tong cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at Ling Zhang, who lightly shook his head signaling that everything was fine. “I’ll tell you after we get back.”
Ji Yin caught up with Ling Zhang. As Yuwen Tong and Ling Zhaowu were present, he didn’t ask any questions but returned to the courtyard house beside the orchard with them.
Ling Zhang could tell that Ji Yin had something to ask him about and was aware of what it was specifically, so he found an opportunity to have a private talk with him. “Grandfather.”
“Zhang’er, why were you talking in riddles with the Clan Leader back there? Is there something you’re keeping back from me? And did something go wrong with that jade pendant of yours?” inquired Ji Yin, bursting with impatience.
Ling Zhang hurriedly replied, “No. It’s really just that that pendant saved my life twice. It could be said that it helped me survive two disasters at the cost of its own power. I think what the Clan Leader meant was that this pendant had developed its own sentience.”
Ji Yin looked skeptically at him with penetrating eyes. “Really?”
Ling Zhang gave a nod. “I cannot think of any other possibilities other than this. You should have more acquaintance with these things than I do, Grandfather. Before this day, I thought that it was just a common medicinal jade pendant, and I never expected it to have some other secret functions. Grandfather, exactly what did the Clan Leader mean by ‘refining techniques’ and ‘acknowledged me as its master’?”
If truth be told, although Ji Yanlai had dropped a hint of some sort, Ling Zhang indeed knew little about this medicinal jade pendant. Previously, he’d always believed it to be an ordinary medicinal jade pendant, so he indeed hadn’t lied to Ji Yin in this regard.
Ji Yin felt a slight sense of relief and responded, “I’m really not supposed to tell you about this. Even I myself don’t know much detail about the confidential information this matter involves. You’ll find out part of it when you reach the ninth layer.”
In fact, Ling Zhang hadn’t been counting on Ji Yin to give him all the answers. After all, his grandfather was the Prime Elder of the Millennium Pavilion, which meant there were rules he needed to follow.
“Leaving aside the matter of this pendant, what was that charades-like conversation between you and the Clan Leader about? Was there some kind of dangerous situation that you’ve been through and are keeping back from me?” continued Ji Yin.
Feeling that Ji Yin definitely wouldn’t let this go if he didn’t give him anything, Ling Zhang thought for a moment and said, “Maybe it has something to do with my memories. I told you this before, Grandfather – I almost forgot all the martial formations my mother taught me when I was young, but over half a year ago, I suddenly recalled all of them down to the last detail. At that time I almost passed out – I mean the day when Jia Yuanling used knockout powder on me. I used that medicinal jade pendant to counteract its effects. If I’ve ever been through anything special, it would be that incident when I utilized my medicinal jade pendant.”
A slight frown creased Ji Yin’s forehead. He had an intuition that it was not about this matter, but this matter was indeed also very strange. Ling Zhang had been still a little boy when the knowledge of those martial formations had been imparted to him. Children forget things very easily, and there hadn’t been anybody who could help young Ling Zhang brush it up. How had he come to instantly recollect all of it? To make it even more confusing, that had happened right after Ling Zhang used the medicinal jade pendant to counteract the effects of the knockout powder.
“That was the only thing that happened to me and could be regarded as rather strange. If there’s a second one, it would be the Force of Blood in me, which even you and the Clan Leader couldn’t explain, not to mention I,” added Ling Zhang quickly.
Ji Yin ruminated over it for a while and then said, “Go to Mr. Mu and have him check on you. I’ll talk to the Clan Leader and ask him to examine you again.”
“Grandfather, nei–neither of these two are bad things for me, so I actually think it’s not necessary to get to the bottom of either of them. I mean, they’re related to the Blood of the Phoenix Clan coursing in me anyway, and that medicinal jade pendant was made by the former Clan Leader himself. Maybe it has some hidden functions from the very beginning. Didn’t you say that the former Clan Leader has been missing for a very long time? Where are we supposed to go to find him?”
Ji Yin pondered for another few moments and then replied, “I’ll try to figure out a way to ascertain the whereabouts of the former Clan Leader. No matter what, I just want you to stay safe.”
After hearing this, Ling Zhang felt that by not telling his grandfather the truth, he was acting like a piece of shit, but at the same time he also feared that Ji Yin would really manage to seek out the former Clan Leader who might uncover his secret as well, given that even Ji Yanlai had discovered it, and if that happened, it wouldn’t be long before a lot of others came to know about it.
He could only hope that the former Clan Leader wouldn’t be located too soon.
After Ling Zhang’s talk with Ji Yin came to an end, Ling Zhaowu attached himself to Ling Zhang for the rest of the day. He found that Ling Zhaowu, like Mr. Mu had said, had indeed become particularly clinging, as though he were really a child. Fortunately, Ling Zhaowu still had to drink decoction on a daily basis and sleep for some time to rest his mind after that, which allowed Ling Zhang opportunity to talk with Yuwen Tong in private.
Ling Zhang told Yuwen Tong about that medicinal jade pendant but kept back the part where Ji Yanlai might have discovered the secret about his rebirth.
“This is quite puzzling. I mean, that pendant seems to be nothing more than a piece of jade ware. I know it’s rare, but I couldn’t find anything else whatsoever that might make it special. Are we really missing something, by any chance?”
Yuwen Tong, who was gifted with an extraordinarily retentive memory and had also once scrutinized that pendant, did some recalling and then shook his head. “I didn’t notice anything special about it either. If the pendant does have something special, it would mean that we’re simply not discerning enough to see through it. Given that the Millennium Pavilion has so many unique kung fu skills, I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some kind of ingenious, hidden design in that pendant.”
Ling Zhang nodded. “You’ve got a point. Now the pendant has been taken by Ji Yanlai. He’ll return it to me on the day we leave. We should carefully check it again after getting it back.”
Yuwen Tong raised his hand to smooth a tousled strand of Ling Zhang’s sideburn and said, “Just let nature take its course. You’ll be able to find out when you reach the ninth layer anyway.”
Ling Zhang, casually stuffing a few strands of his hair into his bun, which had snagged on some twigs and come loose when he’d been strolling with Ling Zhaowu a while ago, said, “Speaking of which, Ji Yanlai told me that my constitution is very suitable for this cultivation method of internal energy, that I might make the second person ever to reach the highest layer of it. He said whenever I have any questions, I’m welcome to go and ask him. I don’t quite believe him. I think he overestimates me.”
Yuwen Tong was happy to hear this. The more powerful Ling Zhang got, the better able he would be to protect himself.
“This is a good thing, but you must never tell anybody else. You don’t want it to come to the knowledge of any troublemakers.”
Ling Zhang said, “I understand. You may rest assured that I won’t.”
…
Thus, Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong stayed in this uneventful place, spending all their time taking care of Ling Zhaowu, waiting for Ji Yanlai to give them the miracle drug.
The agreed time was ten days away. In the knowledge that it was no good willing time to go faster, Ling Zhang had no choice but to show more patience.
This place was located in the depths of the Sanguan Mountains. What with those natural barriers and the many defensive formations outside, it was impossible for Yuwen Tong’s men to send any messages in. Their only source of information was Ji Yin, but Ji Yin was not the one responsible for keeping in contact with the outer branches and had to ask someone else.
After a few days, Ling Zhang felt that he was bothering his grandfather too often and stopped.
During the past couple of days, Ji Yanlai had brought Cong to visit him several times. They had always dressed very simply, and their request had been very simple, too – roast pheasants made by Yuwen Tong. To this end, every time they had specially brought their own pheasants which were prepped in advance and were all very fat.
Yuwen Tong, who was a good-tempered man, had granted their request every time. Of course, Ling Zhang had joined them every time as well.
Ling Zhaowu was at Ling Zhang’s heels like a shadow every day and naturally had never missed any of the barbecues. He’d always crouched beside the grill with Cong, staring unblinkingly at the roasting pheasants, swallowing. If it weren’t for the fact that his height and looks were unmistakably suggesting he was an adult, people would easily take him for a child of the same age as Cong’s.
Every time, Mr. Mu had exhorted, “Eat the meat only. Don’t eat any skin, and don’t overeat.”
He’d been afraid that Ling Zhaowu might ingest too much fat and jeopardize his health.
The most tasty part of a roast pheasant was its skin. Every time, Ling Zhaowu’s eyes had seemed to bore into the pheasant skin, watching Ling Zhang remove all the skin, the look in them so aggrieved as though he were being bullied.
There had been several occasions when Ling Zhang almost succumbed to the expression in Ling Zhaowu’s eyes but eventually refrained from giving him what he wanted. “Father, be good.”
Every time he’d said this, Ling Zhang had felt as though he were the father and Ling Zhaowu were the son.
“Soon the agreed date will come. Uncle Ling will recover. I believe Brother Ji will keep his promise,” Yuwen Tong consoled him, looking at Ji Yanlai.
Ji Yanlai, in a casual sitting position, bit off a chunk of roast pheasant and started chewing at it. “You really don’t have to remind me of it so often. I never go back on my word. The drug will be delivered to you as soon as it’s ready.”
After saying this, he flicked a glance at Ling Zhaowu and asked, “How’s he doing? Has he been on the mend during the past few days?”
Yuwen Tong replied, “Mr. Mu said that he’s having more moments of clarity than before, and he’s exceptionally placid whenever Brother Zhang is keeping him company.”
On one occasion, Ling Zhaowu had woken up in the middle of the night, and maybe because he’d recalled something, he’d kept calling “My son!” but couldn’t open his eyes. It was only when Mr. Mu had performed acupuncture on him that he’d calmed down.
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