That white crane was a spirit bird.
A small jade talisman hung around its neck. It had clearly come to deliver a message.
If such a spirit bird lived long enough, its intelligence would likely approach that of a human. Wang Jixuan did not dare let it get too close to his base, so he took Amina and went out to meet it.
"Remember, your name is Qing Yue. We're martial brother and sister..."
Wang Jixuan reminded her while riding the clouds, then added at the end:
"The childhood-sweethearts kind."
Amina burst out laughing, and something of Number Five's emotions seemed to show between her brows.
When she maintained her true form, she no longer suppressed and restrained her emotions. She had gradually begun to express them.
A crane's cry sounded from ahead.
The white crane spread its wings and came to a sharp stop in midair, hovering at a distance. It gave Wang Jixuan a Daoist salute with its wings, then spoke in human words:
"My master is hosting a banquet today and has specially invited Fellow Daoist Qin to attend.
"This is the invitation."
The white crane pushed over the jade talisman hanging from its neck.
Wang Jixuan accepted it with a smile and asked, "May I ask who your master is?"
"That Portly Immortal," the white crane said with a chuckle. "This jade talisman can take you there. I'll be going ahead first—I still need to help my master arrange the food and wine."
With that, the white crane spread its wings, circled once, and flew back the way it had come.
Wang Jixuan and Amina exchanged glances. Neither showed any reaction as they used the jade talisman to discuss matters through voice transmission.
There was not much to discuss, really.
Amina would use her injuries as