Chapter Fourteen: The Fatal Beauty
“Outrageous!”
“Treason! Drag them out and execute them!”
Had this been on the New Star, had this been in the Phoenix Empire, anyone daring to address her with such frivolous, insolent words toward someone of her status would have been dragged out and beheaded long ago...
Within the Phoenix Empire, the hierarchy was enforced with the utmost rigor.
But alas, now she was on the Old Soil, amidst ruins.
Patience!
Living—there is nothing more important than surviving.
Feigning indignation, Phoenix looked at the old man and spoke up, “I have no intention of interfering in your family affairs. I am simply explaining, from a scientific standpoint, the dangers of early marriage and childbirth... I can show you authoritative reports on this—this is standard practice on the New Star.”
“Of course, this is just my personal suggestion. If you don't wish to accept it, then by all means, ignore what I said...”
“Authoritative report? You mean the so-called experts on your New Star are more ‘authoritative’ than the reality of our lives?” the old man sneered at Phoenix’s reasoning.
“Take a look... Look up at the sky, look around you—what here is remotely similar to your New Star? Life is hard for everyone. Plenty of young, able-bodied men die before they're forty. If we don’t hurry and leave some descendants while we’re still alive... would our Tang family line not end with me? Are you going to bear that responsibility?”
“Old man, aren’t you surnamed Lu? Since when did it become our Tang family?” Tang Fei interjected, picking at the flaw.
In truth, it was a distraction; he didn’t want the old man discussing this topic with Phoenix.
The feeling was a strange one—as if the old man were holding a handful of weeds and asking a golden vase if it could hold them.
It put everyone in an awkward position.
Should they be put in? The status doesn’t match.
Should they not? It might offend someone.
Tang Fei felt deeply embarrassed, with a young man’s pride stinging all the more.
One was a vagabond amid ruins, the other a delicate guest from New Star—how could there truly ever be such an intimate bond between them?
No matter how splendid the wildflowers, they were still just weeds, growing everywhere, cherished by none.
The old man glared at Tang Fei and snapped, “I’m speaking on behalf of your late parents! They entrusted you to me—how can I not worry?”
“Phoenix, what about you? You won’t let him marry An Ning, so are you going to marry him yourself?”
The old man acted as if he hadn’t heard Tang Fei’s objections, stubbornly pressing Phoenix for an answer.
Phoenix realized she could no longer avoid the issue. She glanced at Tang Fei, her long lashes fluttering, then quickly shifted her gaze, looking at the old man with solemn seriousness. “Uncle, Tang Fei is my savior, and someone I must repay one day. I am deeply grateful for everything he’s done for me, for saving my life time and again...”
“But feelings are complicated. We’ve only just met, and under these circumstances... I don’t know what kind of relationship we might have in the future, but if you insist on an answer, then I must say, I truly cannot...”
She gritted her teeth and said harshly, “I cannot agree to be his wife.”
Cutting the knot with a swift blade!
Love is love, and if it’s not, it’s not—such things must not be muddled or deceptive, but handled decisively.
Besides, who marries someone after knowing them for only two days?
If her parents knew about this, they’d be furious enough to want to behead them both.
“You truly refuse?” the old man persisted.
“I refuse.” Phoenix’s tone was unwavering.
“Is there any way you could reconsider?”
“I... I can’t think of any way to make myself accept it.”
“Then let’s leave it.” The old man waved his hand dismissively. “That boy’s not good enough for you anyway. I was just saying—don’t take it to heart.”
“...” Phoenix.
“...” Little Fatty.
“&^%$#@*&%$b” Tang Fei.
The old man paid no mind to their reactions, entirely at peace with himself, living as he pleased.
He grinned slyly at Phoenix and asked, “You just said you’re very grateful to Tang Fei for saving your life—apart from carrying you back here, when else did he save you?”
Phoenix’s heart lurched. As expected, none of these people were easy to deal with.
She looked toward Tang Fei, hoping for a hint as to whether she should let the old man know about that incident.
Tang Fei understood her intent, gestured for Little Fatty to close the courtyard gate and stand guard, then finally looked at the old man and said, “We killed a group of Grey Robes.”
“Grey Robes?” The old man’s expression grew grave, and after a moment’s pause, he replied, “If you’ve killed them, so be it. The Flame Shrine is rotten to the core; they’re no different from the predators outside... You must have had no choice.”
“There was also a Black Robe,” Tang Fei added.
A sharp intake of breath.
The old man gasped, shouting, “You killed a Black Robe? Do you know what that means? That’s a senior of the Flame Shrine, a regional chief... You must have killed the Black Robe of the Hengshan Compound? The whole area will suffer for this...”
“Did you clean up after yourselves? If they trace it back here, we’ll be in serious trouble... The Flame Shrine is powerful and arrogant, impossible to reason with... Tell me, just what made you kill a Black Robe...?”
So, Tang Fei explained how, while carrying a rabbit home at the edge of Hengshan, they’d encountered Yan Zhenxin and his men from the Flame Shrine, how Yan had become lustful and ordered them to beat him and Little Fatty, trying to snatch Phoenix away...
When the old man heard this, his gaze turned dark as it swept over Phoenix.
Phoenix’s nerves tightened instantly, like she’d been locked onto by a dangerous beast.
It was strange—she was a cultivator, a master at the Qi Commanding level—how could this wrinkled, scrawny, unremarkable old man exert such pressure on her?
Was this what those ancient texts in the Royal Library called “bowing under another’s eaves”? Because she was on someone else’s turf, even if she was stronger than everyone here, she had to yield to reality and circumstance?
Yes, that must be it!
Tang Fei saw the old man’s look and realized he was contemplating silencing them to eradicate risk.
Killing a Black Robe would have dire, terrifying consequences. He needed to keep the matter within his control.
He and Little Fatty were trustworthy; the only variable was Phoenix.
If she were killed, no one would ever know.
“I killed them,” Tang Fei said aloud.
His words shattered the dead silence.
Phoenix felt her mind and body relax, the oppressive energy binding her vanishing as if it had never been. She exhaled softly, sliding the Phoenix Whip back into its place.
The old man knew Tang Fei was shouldering all responsibility for her sake. He glared at Tang Fei, angrily, “The old saying’s true—women bring disaster... Now what? The deed is done, and you won’t deal with the unstable element...”
Phoenix understood he was still wary of her and hastily vowed, “Sir, Tang Fei wasn’t alone—I took part too... On the road, Tang Fei said we’re truly on the same side now. If they come for us, none of us will survive...”
“So if there’s anything I can do, I’ll cooperate fully. I promise you, no matter the time or circumstance, I will never betray you...”
The old man snorted with derision, “At your age, what do you know about betrayal? Do you think this is a children’s game?”
Seeing Phoenix about to argue, he waved her off. “Enough. What’s done is done. There’s nothing more to say... Still, we must be prepared.”
He sighed deeply. “Prepare for the worst.”
“Understood,” Tang Fei and Little Fatty nodded. They had grown up in this world; at no time could they trust fate with their lives.
Never underestimate others’ intelligence, nor overestimate human nature.
The old man glanced at Phoenix again, baring his teeth, “Women bring trouble... Change your clothes, make yourself look plain... You stand out too much.”
“All right,” Phoenix agreed readily.
She knew his advice was sound. In this harsh world, beauty was a dangerous asset, a target for plunder.
Besides, whether reasonable or not, she had to accept it.
What right did she have to bargain?
The old man looked at Tang Fei, then Phoenix, then pointed at Little Fatty. “Come break rocks with me. There’s work to do.”
“...” Little Fatty.
Tang Fei turned to Phoenix, “Come on, I’ll help you change.”
“Oh,” Phoenix nodded, curious. “You have women’s clothes?”
“...”
——
Hengshan. Eagle’s Beak Cliff.
A crowd of Grey Robes gathered beneath the trees, encircling the Flame Guard at the center—the soldiers in matching uniforms with the flame emblem upon their chests. The Flame Guard was the official corps of the Flame Shrine, tasked with upholding the god’s authority, keeping order in their domain, and protecting dignitaries.
At the heart of the assembly stood an old man in white robes. Short of stature, with a snowy beard, he looked kindly and benevolent.
Yet only a handful knew that this man, named Bian Feng, bore a fearsome moniker: the Roastmaster.
He liked to string people up and burn them alive, waiting until the scent of roasting flesh filled the air...
He called it “punishment on behalf of the Flame God.”
Juvenile and cruel.
It was said that because of his outstanding performance in rooting out heretics, and his slogan-shouting zeal, he’d earned the trust of several higher-ups.
The white robe marked him as a mid-to-high-level official of the Flame Shrine, overseeing an entire region. Above him were only the more exalted Red Robes and Gold Robes—the latter reserved for each generation’s Flame God alone.
At his feet lay the dead body of Yan Zhenxin.
Yan Zhenxin was his son—his only son.
He’d placed his son in the Hengshan Compound to toughen him up, so that after a few years, he could inherit his post. He’d already arranged with the upper council that once the Lingyang District was stabilized, he would go to headquarters to serve as a Red Robe.
Yet now his son was dead—and in such an ignominious fashion.
His hopes, his future, all ended here.
“Sir, we’ve checked thoroughly—no signs of a struggle on the deceased, and the fatal wound is on the crown of the head...” the coroner from within the Shrine reported softly.
The old man’s face was dark, saying nothing.
A soldier reported that all the bodies in the area had been checked—there were no survivors.
“Chen Hu!” Bian Feng barked.
“Divine Envoy!” A burly man strode over and bowed deeply to the old man in white.
Bian Feng glared at him, his voice hoarse, “I assigned you here as adjutant to protect your Divine Envoy... Is this your idea of protection?”
Thud!
Chen Hu dropped to his knees, knocking his head on the ground. “Sir, when the Divine Envoy wanted to go out, I offered to accompany him... but he refused, saying there was work to do in the shrine...”
Bian Feng knew Chen Hu spoke the truth. He knew his son well—he’d never wanted to bother with such chores. Bian Feng had chosen Chen Hu as his son’s adjutant because he was loyal, reliable, and Bian Feng’s own protégé.
Despite his rough appearance, Chen Hu was meticulous and skilled at administration...
It was hard to blame him for this.
“Get up and speak,” Bian Feng said.
Chen Hu lifted his head to meet Bian Feng’s gaze. “Sir, I am at fault. Let me remain kneeling, it eases my heart.”
Whether it eased Chen Hu’s heart or not, it certainly eased Bian Feng’s a little.
Looking down at Chen Hu, he asked, “You’ve been in Hengshan Compound for three years; you must know the area fairly well... Who do you think did this?”
Chen Hu shook his head. “Sir, I do not know.”
“You don’t know?” Bian Feng was clearly dissatisfied.
“Sir, I truly cannot guess. The ordinary people here dare not provoke our Shrine... As for the predators, they would not risk killing a Black Robe. Don’t they know the consequences? Don’t they fear our retribution?”
Bian Feng kicked Chen Hu to the ground and roared, “So many brothers die before you, and all you can say is ‘they wouldn’t’—do you think they committed suicide?”
“Sir, I didn’t mean that...” Chen Hu got up and tried to explain, “I simply find it suspicious... By rights, no one here would dare challenge the Shrine, much less kill a Black Robe... Whoever did this, we’ll investigate thoroughly, and deliver a satisfactory answer.”
“A satisfactory answer? Will killing them all satisfy me?” Bian Feng spat with hatred.
At that moment, a Grey Robe searching the scene suddenly called out from the undergrowth, “I’ve found it... I’ve found evidence...”
He held up a skull-shaped lighter.