Golden Phoenix

Next, as if afraid Shen Gui would run away, Qingluan directly dragged him into her cave abode and refused to let him leave.

Everything could wait until Nuwa returned.

Shen Gui felt helpless.

Where could he even run to?

He had not noticed it back in Qingluan City, but now that he knew her a little better, why did Qingluan seem a bit childish... ahem, innocent?

Thinking of Qingluan, Shen Gui could not help thinking of Nuwa again.

Nuwa had been just as devastatingly unconventional, and Qingluan was the same. Could it be that Nuwa came with some sort of aura?

Shaking his head, Shen Gui hurriedly threw that suicidal thought out of his mind.

If Nuwa found out about that kind of thought, he would definitely die horribly, right?

However, ever since entering Qingluan's cave abode, Qingluan had begun giving Shen Gui a whole series of lectures.

They were roughly about how cultivating evil arts was wrong and how one had to follow the righteous path.

Qingluan even used herself as an example, saying that when she had just been born, an evil-path cultivator had set his sights on her. After all, every part of the Phoenix Race was a treasure.

At the time, she had only just been born, and the Phoenix Race had already declined. She had hatched from a Qingluan egg left outside, so no clansmen had been there to protect her.

Just as she was about to suffer at his hands, Nuwa happened to come across that evil-path cultivator.

Because that cultivator had practiced some methods that defied heaven and reason, a dignified Grand Unity Golden Immortal had been reduced to ashes by Nuwa.

She had thus remained by Nuwa's side.

"See that? That is the fate of cultivating evil arts!"

Listening to Qingluan say that with a solemn expression, Shen Gui looked utterly helpless.

He now felt like an elementary school student being lectured by a teacher, who told him a story and then said, "Understand? That was a bad person! Children must never learn from bad people!"

Still, faced with Qingluan's gaze, Shen Gui nodded. "I understand, Fellow Daoist Qing Luan!"

For the first time!

Shen Gui sincerely hoped.

Empress Nuwa, please come back soon!

Upon hearing Shen Gui say that, Qingluan could not help revealing an expression of approval.

Seeing this, Shen Gui knew from experience that Qingluan was thinking of another example.

Heavens!

Save this child!

Perhaps the heavens had truly heard Shen Gui's heartfelt plea.

Just as Qingluan was considering what other examples possessed profound educational value, someone really did come to save Shen Gui from his suffering.

However, it was not the Nuwa he had expected.

A woman clad in a luxurious golden gown walked in from outside Qingluan's cave abode.

"Little Sister Qing'er, what are you doing?"

The young woman in the golden dress walked into the cave abode as though she knew the place well. As she greeted Qingluan, she suddenly noticed Shen Gui sitting to one side and gave a soft gasp. "Little Sister Qing'er, who is this?"

Seeing the woman in the golden dress enter, Qingluan hurriedly rose to her feet. "Sister Jin, when did you return?"

As she spoke, Qingluan pointed at Shen Gui. "Sister Jin, this is Shen Gui, the person I brought back before."

After introducing Shen Gui, Qingluan said to him, "Fellow Daoist Shen Gui, this is Sister Golden Phoenix. Like me, she is also Empress Nuwa's mount."

Looking at the young woman in her luxurious golden gown, Shen Gui did not know why, but the words "Little Gold" suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Nuwa truly led people astray.

What part of her is little?

Naturally, Shen Gui kept those words to himself and would never say them aloud.

Giving Golden Phoenix a slight bow, Shen Gui said, "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Golden Phoenix."

Golden Phoenix nodded slightly in return, then looked at Qingluan and asked, "He is the Small Turtle you told me about, the one who was afraid the Empress would settle accounts with him and went into seclusion for several thousand years in one breath?"

Before Qingluan could answer, Shen Gui's face darkened.

What has my reputation become?

Hearing Golden Phoenix ask that, Qingluan guiltily glanced at Shen Gui, only to find him looking right back at her.

With an awkward smile, Qingluan said, "Sister Jin, when have I ever said that?"

Golden Phoenix curled her lips. "Fine, fine, you said nothing. It was all my fault, all right? Still, didn't you say he was at the early Golden Immortal stage? Why is he at the late Golden Immortal stage now?"

Hearing Golden Phoenix ask that, Shen Gui inwardly cried that things were bad.

Sure enough, Qingluan immediately grew angry again. "Sister Jin, you should ask him that yourself. Instead of cultivating properly, he insisted on chasing cultivation speed and practicing some evil art. I was just thinking about how to ask the Empress to check whether there are any hidden dangers for him later."

"An evil art?" Golden Phoenix frowned slightly upon hearing Qingluan's words, and her phoenix eyes turned toward Shen Gui.

"What evil art did you cultivate?"

As Golden Phoenix spoke, Shen Gui felt an indescribable majesty bearing down on him, as though he were facing a queen.

Moreover, only now did Shen Gui faintly sense Golden Phoenix's cultivation.

If his senses were correct, Golden Phoenix was clearly a Grand Unity Golden Immortal.

Though secretly astonished by Golden Phoenix's imposing presence, Shen Gui felt helpless at her question.

How am I supposed to answer that?

Across the nine heavens and ten lands, the eight desolations and six harmonies, I alone reign supreme—the Great Sleep Technique?