The patriarch of the Xiao clan, who had been laughing heartily, grew quieter and quieter until his laughter dwindled into a dry chuckle.
The Blackfeather Venerable rested a claw on Patriarch Xiao's shoulder, his eyes as cold as if he were staring at a corpse.
"P-Patriarch... There are outsiders here. Don't let them see you make a fool of yourself."
Patriarch Xiao tried to use Lu Yang and the others as a shield.
The Blackfeather Venerable, who usually cared about appearances, could no longer be bothered with that. He grabbed Patriarch Xiao by the neck.
Lu Yang was quick to learn. Patriarch Xiao's story had given him plenty of inspiration, so he'd brought out a recording orb early, hoping to capture the final moments of Patriarch Xiao's life.
Unfortunately, the Blackfeather Venerable didn't give him the chance. He simply dragged Patriarch Xiao up to a higher level of the nest.
Before long, a shrill bird cry rang out above the Kunpeng clan. Every clan member stopped what they were doing and looked up in confusion, wondering where the cry had come from.
Suddenly, the cry cut off.
Patriarch Xiao had died pursuing the desires of his heart. It was a fitting end.
"Cough, cough. The patriarch really hit hard. He knocked me out cold at the end." A short while after the shrill cry vanished, Patriarch Xiao staggered back, his face swollen and bruised, a golden feather stuck in his head.
"I wonder how long I was out."
"Are you all right, Patriarch Xiao? The Blackfeather Venerable hit you too hard." Out of politeness, Meng Jingzhou asked a question he already knew the answer to.
"If I'm still alive, I'm fine. I was unlucky this time—the patriarch caught me bringing up his past. So many people in the clan know