Wake Up, You Don't Have a Falcon

By the time everyone reacted, the Sword Terrace was already wreathed in wisps of blue smoke, thick with the acrid stench of scorched feathers mingled with a mouth-watering, indescribably savory aroma of roasted meat.

Zhang Pingzhi turned his head to look, and was instantly stunned.

The two giant falcons that had just been perched on the slanted pine at the cliff's edge...

One had vanished without a trace.

The other was reduced to nothing but a pile of feathers on the ground!

Where is my falcon?

Who killed my falcon?

His gaze shifted horizontally.

Not far from the slanted pine.

A sharpened long bamboo pole skewered the plucked and gutted falcon, resting on a makeshift grill constructed from bamboo stalks and iron swords.

The bare falcon carcass was generously sprinkled with Salt-Beard Grass, Wild Mountain Pepper, and Cumin Fruit.

Beneath the bamboo rack, green bamboo branches and leaves crackled as they burned with a bright flame.

Infused with the Green Leaf Spirit Fire and hundreds of seasoning fruits, a fragrance that struck straight to the spirit and spleen erupted like a volcanic explosion, wafting from the falcon.

The mountain breeze blew gently, carrying the heaven-defying aroma across the entire Floating Mountain.

The scent seeped into everyone's spirit and spleen, instantly diffusing into every cell of their bodies.

Skin, hair, internal organs, meridians, bones—every single cell in their bodies trembled in unison, as if letting out a joyful howl.

So much so that Zhang Pingzhi nearly lost himself, sinking into the fragrance of the roasted falcon.

So fragrant...

Wait!

"My falcon—"

He suddenly shrieked in alarm.

Zhang Pingzhi's howl jolted everyone awake, and they all looked toward Lu Ya and his two companions.

Beside the massive grill, Muyu Feifei was grinning as she added firewood and blew on the flames, accidentally letting out a burst of fire that singed the bangs on their foreheads.

Lu Ya, meanwhile, was turning the falcon carcass evenly, his movements simple and his eyes warm.

What the hell is this heartwarming atmosphere?

From the moment Zhang Pingzhi and his companion stepped onto the Sword Terrace until now, not even a quarter of an hour had passed.

Lu Ya was roasting the falcon only seven or eight yards away from the nearest person, Tahongzi.

In such a short time.

At such close range.

How did the three of them manage to kill, pluck, gut, build a rack, start a fire, and roast the falcon right under everyone's noses?

It was rumored that Liu Xuanye of the Bamboo Spring Sect excelled in the Three Thousand Sword Formations, capable of killing invisibly; Ning Zhongzi was skilled in refining black medicines, capable of poisoning high-level spirit beasts... Could it be that the three of them had the assistance of Liu Xuanye's sword shadows and Ning Zhongzi's black medicines?

Tahongzi fell into deep thought, looking up at a certain area of the sky.

Zhang Pingzhi's mind went blank, unable to believe the reality before his eyes.

An Immortal Realm commoner was actually roasting an Immortal Court spirit beast in full view of everyone?

Never mind how you managed it, I only ask: what gave you the gall to do it?

Openly making an enemy of the Immortal Court?

Beyond shocked, Zhang Pingzhi was trembling with rage, gritting his teeth as he spat out each word—

"You actually roasted my falcon?"

Lu Ya focused on the roasting, not even glancing at Zhang Pingzhi, merely saying offhandedly.

"Wake up, you don't have a falcon."

I don't have a falcon?

As a man castrated, Zhang Pingzhi was extremely sensitive and fragile regarding topics concerning his lower half.

At this moment, unintentionally touched on his reverse scale by Lu Ya, his forehead was covered in black lines, his face as cold as frost.

His already slightly crooked nose bridge appeared even more distorted, and his long, sharp fingers trembled slightly.

"Such immense audacity!"

"Slaughtering an Immortal Court spirit beast—for this alone, there will be no place for your Bamboo Spring Sect in the Immortal Realm."

"Liu Xuanye, Ning Zhongzi, and you three rebels—everyone is going to die!"

His tone sounded calm and restrained, yet he was on the verge of madness.

However, just as his voice fell—

A gust of wind rose, the bamboo forest behind him swayed like surging waves, echoing his words in unison.

It was not the echo of these few sentences, but the reverberation of the words spoken moments before...

[You know it's been since the founding of the sect? How many years has it been? The times have changed. Regardless of which of you killed Yunzhongzi, to claim the Immortal Court bounty, you must surrender the spoils.]

[Regulations are made by men; special cases call for special exceptions. While the bounty for Yunzhongzi isn't high, the Immortal Court will issue you a certificate, which would be of great benefit to your sect's reputation.]

[You wouldn't want Sect Master Liu to be investigated, would you?]

His words had long since been replicated throughout the bamboo forest by Lu Ya using an echo restriction...

Zhang Pingzhi's tone choked.

"You—"

Lu Ya leisurely turned the roasted falcon, saying meaningfully:

"If I were to send this recording to your superiors and claim you tried to embezzle the spoils of my Bamboo Spring Sect, not only would your falcon be gone, but your position would be as well."

Instantly regaining his composure, a flicker of killing intent flashed deep within Zhang Pingzhi's cold, gloomy eyes.

An Immortal Court deacon could not kill at will, but if the evidence was ironclad, they could execute first and report later.

"You dare slander an Immortal Court deacon?"

Before Lu Ya could react, his narrow eyes narrowed.

A silent, colorless blade of qi slashed directly toward Lu Ya, capable of killing without a trace.

This brat must die!

Lu Ya continued to roast the falcon.

Muyu Feifei gathered firewood to feed the flames; even as the tiger fur on her forehead was singed, she remained tireless. One branch, one leaf—together they gathered wood to make the fire burn high, completely unconcerned with anything else.

Ning Zhongzi noticed the blade of qi and looked at Zhang Pingzhi, shaking her head in silence, as if looking at a dead man.

Zhang Pingzhi kept a straight face, remaining calm and collected.

The silent blade of qi slashed straight at Lu Ya, determined to make him drop dead in an instant.

Just then, a vast spiritual pressure of the Immortal Sect realm descended from the sky!

Like Mount Tai pressing down or ten thousand swords hanging inverted, it instantly shattered the invisible blade of qi Zhang Pingzhi had unleashed.

The biting spiritual pressure of the Immortal Sect realm continued to sink, crashing down upon Zhang Pingzhi, forcing him to one knee. No matter how his internal spiritual power resisted, it could not stop it.

Who is it?

Seeing this, Tahongzi instinctively drew her sword, but before it could leave its sheath, she was likewise forced to one knee by the spiritual pressure.

The two knelt in humiliation, their eyes splitting with rage, their seas of qi roiling. They exerted every ounce of strength just to barely lift their heads and look toward the sky.

An Immortal Sect master?

How could the Bamboo Spring Sect have an Immortal Sect master?

It wasn't the man before them!

Who on earth was it?

Zhang Pingzhi and Tahongzi were both young talents from high-level immortal domains. At less than two thousand years of age, they already possessed the cultivation of nine-star Immortal Masters.

At such an age and cultivation level, they were considered generational prodigies in a remote place like the East Floating Immortal District, but in high-level immortal domains, they were merely unremarkable.

As Immortal Court deacons, the two had voluntarily applied to intern in the remote Colored Cloud Immortal Domain, thinking themselves young and high-ranking, far from the reach of the Emperor, intending to loot as much as they could to reach the Immortal Sect realm before returning to the Immortal Academy to gain priority for elite training.

Before today, the two had triumphed over every obstacle, and even Immortal Sect masters of some sects would show them respect.

Yet, upon arriving at the tiny Bamboo Spring Sect...

The falcon was roasted.

The people were kneeling.

They had even been recorded providing evidence of their illicit coercion.

Who on earth was it!

Zhang Pingzhi's eyes split with rage as he strained his neck, forcing his head up.

"Since you openly oppose the Immortal Court, senior, why not reveal yourself and speak?"

"Oppose the Immortal Court?"

A solemn voice drifted slowly from the depths of the bamboo forest.

It was Liu Xuanye!

Lu Ya continued to roast the bird as if no one else were present, thinking to himself that his wife was truly merciful.

Zhang Pingzhi and Tahongzi knelt in humiliation, their faces filled with bewilderment.

Wasn't Liu Xuanye a nine-star Immortal Master?

Wasn't it said that due to her witch constitution, she hadn't been able to advance to the Immortal Sect realm for a thousand years?

It was rumored that when she promoted to Immortal Master back then, she nearly destroyed the Bamboo Spring Sect!

Why had she advanced to the Immortal Sect realm without a sound?

Only then did the two realize why someone as steady as Yunzhongzi would capsize at the Bamboo Spring Sect.

This woman had been playing the pig to eat the tiger all along!

The question was, why would Liu Xuanye dare to lay a hand on an Immortal Court deacon for the sake of a mere nominal partner?

Zhang Pingzhi gritted his teeth and laughed:

"To strike an Immortal Court deacon for the sake of a man, Sect Master Liu is truly a woman of passion."

"Is the future of the Bamboo Spring Sect worth less to you than a mortal?"

"Or is it that you intend to abandon the sect?"

From deep within the bamboo forest, a voice rang out like a hanging moon—

"I am protecting you."

Zhang Pingzhi:

"???"

"If I let you two continue to act recklessly, it will cost you your lives. Since you have arrived, show yourself and speak, Deacon Black Stone."

Liu Xuanye had long since discovered Black Stone hiding his presence in the air. Now, her voice rang out like a hanging moon, striking directly at the high sky.

Ning Zhongzi was slightly startled and looked up at the sky.

This old fox...

The gloomy silhouette of a giant eagle-like creature slowly manifested above the Bamboo Spring Sect.

The sky gradually darkened.

An Immortal Sect realm spiritual pressure, even more formidable than Liu Xuanye's, descended abruptly onto the Sword Terrace. It instantly liberated Zhang Pingzhi and Tahongzi, who were kneeling on one knee, before retracting in a flash.

It began with the majesty of the Immortal Court.

It ended with the courtesy of a guest.

He did not rely on his cultivation being superior to Liu Xuanye's to forcibly stand up for Zhang Pingzhi and the other.

Lu Ya had long since discovered the presence of this Black Deacon. Seeing that he was much more sensible than Zhang Pingzhi, he looked up.

A figure stood atop the giant eagle's head.

Six-star Immortal Sect cultivation!

To avoid being harmed by Liu Xuanye, this person wore a thick black mask, wrapping himself up like a mummy.

Furthermore, he had no intention of landing on the Sword Terrace.

A dry, stagnant voice fell from the sky.

"You two have disappointed me greatly. Why haven't you thanked her for showing mercy?"

Zhang Pingzhi and Tahongzi did not quite understand Black Stone's logic and felt deeply humiliated, but since Senior Black Stone had spoken, they could not act out and had to grit their teeth to offer their thanks.

"Many thanks, Sect Master Liu."

"Thank you."

Black Stone stood on the eagle's head with his hands behind his back and bowed toward the west of the Bamboo Spring Sect:

"Congratulations to Sect Master Liu for advancing to the Immortal Sect realm."

His words sounded calm.

Yet, they were laced with shock.

"Since you don't even dare to set foot on the ground, I assume you won't be staying long?"

The female voice from deep within the bamboo forest was solemn and languid, no different from before.

Deacon Black Stone could be considered an old acquaintance of the Bamboo Spring Sect; they were neither enemies nor friends, though he liked to skim some profit while carrying out his orders.

Seeing that Liu Xuanye had advanced to the Immortal Sect realm, his attitude was noticeably more respectful.

"I will take the ashes of the Black Lotus members back to East Floating City for verification. If there are no issues, I will notify you to collect the bounty."

"Many thanks."

As for the procedures for Lu Ya to join the ranks of the Immortals...

Black Stone seemed to still hold a personal opinion.

Even if Zhang Pingzhi and the other were at fault first, Lu Ya's unauthorized killing and roasting of an Immortal Court Hunting Falcon was a severe matter that damaged the majesty of the Immortal Court, yet he seemed completely indifferent to it.

Black Stone felt something was highly unusual and asked tentatively:

"Young man, are you aware that what you roasted was a spirit beast of the Immortal Court?"

This voice carried no spiritual pressure, yet it was imposing without anger, chilling to the bone.

Liu Xuanye remained calm and composed.

Ning Zhongzi's expression was grave.

Muyu Feifei was so frightened she dared not add any more firewood.

Zhang Pingzhi and Tahongzi stood straight, their bodies radiating an awe-inspiring immortal aura.

Lu Ya roasted his bird while asking curiously:

"Is there a difference?"

His tone held only the curiosity and fastidiousness of a gourmet, devoid of any other emotion.

Sword Terrace fell deathly silent.

The atmosphere suddenly grew tense.

Black Stone remained silent, his internal sea of qi churning.

After a long while, he suppressed his qi and said coldly:

"The Immortal Realm is vast; you should go out and see more of it."

"Are you sure you want me to... see more?"

Lu Ya looked up leisurely, his gaze shifting to Eagle Eye.

A terrified screech tore through the sky!