Yao Grove Bird Gathering, Nobility Among Demon Spirits

Hundred Yao Forest was a distinguished name in White Mountain Commandery's demon-spirit world, home to the Vermilion Bird Clan.

These Vermilion Birds were not the divine Vermilion Bird, but a kind of sparrow with scarlet plumage. According to their own account, their ancestors truly possessed the divine Vermilion Bird's bloodline, and they had always styled themselves its descendants.

Ao Ding cast illusions on himself and the scholar He Xiao, disguising them as spirits as they followed the flood-dragon maiden to Hundred Yao Forest.

The demon forest was lush, its yin energy rising and falling.

After the three passed through a dense stretch of woodland, a doorway stood before them, golden light flowing across it.

They pushed open the door and entered, and their view suddenly opened up onto a white jade disc more than ten zhang across. Birdsong rang endlessly around them, countless birds darting to and fro. Looking around, they saw innumerable nests piled into walls around the central white jade disc.

An oriole flew up to the flood-dragon maiden.

"Welcome, Dragon Lady of Peach Blossom Creek."

The oriole led the three to seats near the place of honor on the disc.

"This Dharma Realm really is quite impressive." Ao Ding looked around at the countless birds traveling between the nests. Secretly activating his left eye, he saw countless strands of Demon Qi and spiritual light interwoven into a vast, nest-shaped domain.

The flood-dragon maiden thought nothing of it. "Isn't it perfectly normal for cultivators to establish Dharma Realms?"

"Does Peach Blossom Creek have one too?"

That single question silenced her.

She had been born underwater. Though she had become mistress of a waterway while still young, what did she know of proper immortal arts? How could she establish a Spirit-Realm Dharma Realm of her own?

Even now, feeling her way along, she had only built half a water palace.

Though outsiders considered the flood-dragon maiden a noble breed among demon spirits, her inheritance was nowhere near as complete as those of the Vermilion Birds, Tu Foxes, or Flying Tigers.

When Tu Qing'er asked for her help this time, she had later been moved by He Xiao's talent, but initially it had been because of a condition Tu Qing'er offered.

-She would exchange the immortal abode of an accomplished cultivator in White Mountain Commandery for the flood-dragon maiden's help.

Once the little demon guiding them had left and the three were seated, the flood-dragon maiden told Ao Ding and He Xiao quietly, "Later, at the Great Banquet of a Hundred Birds, the Vermilion Bird Immortals will lead the birds in a dance. We guests all sit around the edge of the disc, arranged on either side of the place of honor according to our standing."

Ao Ding saw that the flood-dragon maiden's seat was very close to the place of honor, making her one of the eight honored guests.

"Once everyone's attention is on the birds singing and dancing, He Xiao, take the opportunity to find Tu Qing'er and have a proper talk. If you want this to succeed, you two must work together with all your strength, your hearts in accord."

He Xiao agreed repeatedly.

Before long, a little red bird appeared on the white jade disc.

Its spiritual light was like crimson flame. The moment it appeared on the white jade disc, countless seal-script characters lit up on the walls of nests, illuminating the entire nest in a brilliant glow.

"A Vermilion Bird Spirit Seed... it really does have something of the bearing of essence of Li Fire." Ao Ding had read about it in books.

According to human records, this clan had originated from a drop of the divine Vermilion Bird's blood. It seemed that during the immortal sects' first tribulation, the divine Vermilion Bird had lost feathers and suffered injuries, scattering blood over the earth and giving rise to many birds. Other divine birds, such as the Phoenix, Golden Crow, and Azure Luan, had suffered similar fates. Legend held that the Peacock, Roc, Azure Falcon, Swan, Dark Crow, and their like had formed from the blood of those divine birds. Even demihuman races such as the Feathered People and Li Fire People were said to have come from them.

After another while, He Xiao was growing impatient with the wait when the guests suddenly lowered their voices, and the atmosphere grew subdued.

Three beauties with human torsos and snake tails slithered forward, bearing gifts and smiling at the assembled guests.

"The Darkwater Snake Clan is also among the eight honored guests." The flood-dragon maiden's manner was cool.

She had had quite a few clashes with those wanton snakes.

Not only had they tried to invade Peach Blossom Creek, they had even dared to seduce men she had set her sights on. Though she had swallowed those wanton snakes afterward, an enduring feud had been forged between the two sides.

The three snake women noticed her unfriendly gaze and glared back.

What was there to fear!

They had backing now!

A True Disciple of the Six Sects had come to White Mountain Commandery.

We're not afraid of you, you savage flood dragon!

But-what were those two spirits beside her?

Though Ao Ding had used illusions to simulate Demon Qi, he had not decided what origins to give the two of them, so he had simply obscured their roots with a spell. Many demon spirits disliked letting others see through their origins anyway, so it was hardly unusual.

The snake women studied them for a while, but could not discern their backgrounds. They simply treated them as the flood-dragon maiden's companions and glared at them too.

He Xiao had no interest in paying them any attention, while Ao Ding looked over with a smile.

With his left eye active, his gaze swept across the snake women, making them feel as though they were plummeting into an abyss ten thousand zhang deep. The three women hastily lowered their heads in fright and became exceedingly docile.

Seeing Ao Ding frighten the snake women, the flood-dragon maiden's mood immediately improved somewhat. "Apart from these snake women, the Tu Household, the Mountain Lord, the Turtle Elder, the Azure Ape Ancestor... all count as high-ranking spirits. There used to be a colony of Ant Demons here too. But something happened some years ago, and those ant spirits from elsewhere moved away again."

He Xiao asked instinctively, "Fox Immortals are high-ranking spirits?"

The flood-dragon maiden said nothing, merely staring at the two with an odd look.

Ao Ding thought it over, then smiled awkwardly and gave He Xiao a gentle nudge, telling him not to speak for now.

In the Central Wasteland, where the immortal path flourished, wasn't the status of spirits tied to cultivators of the immortal sects?

Those cultivators preferred snake spirits and fox demons, so naturally their standing rose.

Surely no one would amuse themselves with spirits like Qingji?

As the thought turned in his mind, Ao Ding could not help grumbling at his fellow cultivators. Can't you just cultivate properly? Must you spend all day indulging in these exotic diversions? I strongly suspect Purple Sun True Lord laid down the rule that "humans and demons cannot beget aberrant offspring" because you lot were far too adventurous.

At the Seven Spirits Sect, the outer court was a place of "mortal world tempering," while among the Six Sects of the Central Wasteland, the cultivation world itself was like one vast place of "mortal world tempering."

Some guarded their hearts in tranquility, attaining pure yang and ascending as immortals. Some roamed free and unfettered, sharing in the pleasures of the mortal world. Some sank into the mortal dust, obscuring their hearts' pursuit of the Dao.

The choice rested entirely with oneself.

But whether one could realize the Dao depended on the accumulation of cultivation along the way.

Only the drinker knew whether the water was warm or cold; others could not help in the slightest.

Whether one had been diligent or idle was likewise known only to oneself.

After another while, several lavishly dressed Fox Immortals arrived in a cluster.

He Xiao grew visibly excited at the sight of them.

The flood-dragon maiden said quietly, "Say you're drunk and go to the back to rest, admire the flowers, and sober up. I've arranged it with Tu Qing'er. She'll head over shortly too."

Just then, Tu Qing'er's gaze happened to fall on the flood-dragon maiden and the two "spirits" beside her.

With her intelligence, she naturally understood that her beloved was among them. Indeed, relying on that intuition, she could even guess whether her beloved sat on the left or the right.

"Thank you." He Xiao quickly rose, glanced toward Tu Qing'er, then turned and left.

Tu Qing'er's heart tightened. She instinctively tried to follow, but her elder sister caught her by the hand.

"What is it, little sister?"

"Nothing." Tu Qing'er collected herself and lowered her eyes, following her sister toward the honored seats for their party of demons.

"Little sister, I don't mean to scold you. Though that Mountain Lord is no ideal match, he is still the best husband Father could find for you." Fox Eighth Lady sighed softly. "Marrying a Mountain Lord with a promising future as his nineteenth concubine would still be better than living with a Vine Spirit, like your sister, wouldn't it? Whipped and entangled all day, urged to produce demon offspring-where's any freedom or happiness in that?"

Just then, several demons came over to greet them. Fox Eighth Lady assumed a charming pose and returned their greetings with a beaming smile.

The Fox Immortals were among the races in the demon-spirit world most skilled at promoting themselves.

Only through constant promotion and accumulation had they attained their present reputation. Even the Tu Household's frequent practice of giving daughters to outstanding figures of other demon races was intended to strengthen the fox race's influence.

Tu Qing'er remained silent, merely calculating the timing to herself.

Elsewhere, the flood-dragon maiden spoke quietly to Ao Ding.

"Having them elope would be a last resort, because Tu Qing'er doesn't want to leave. She has a conscience. She knows the Tu Household has cared for her since childhood, and that she has a duty to help the fox race grow stronger. Marrying a human top scholar was the solution she came up with. Originally, there was nothing wrong with that plan. Without this business with the Mountain Lord, the old fox of the Tu Household might well have let her have her way. But the situation is different now. I hear Liyun is suffering a great drought and famine. The fox race's influence has been affected, and the Tu Household has taken something of a blow too. Befriending the Tiger Clan through marriage is their response in the north."

A great drought in the south?

Ao Ding recalled what that True Disciple of the Six Sects had said earlier.

Was the drought in southern Liyun truly that severe?

Before long, under Ao Ding and the flood-dragon maiden's watchful eyes, Tu Qing'er found an excuse to leave.

She had barely left when a burly man came striding in with a tiger's gait.

With a tiger's head and a human body, his great bell-like eyes shone brightly, frightening quite a few demon spirits into kneeling in greeting.

"Look, the man himself is here. What do you think?"

Ao Ding silently sensed the Mountain Lord's magical power and nodded lightly. "Not bad, but you and I can handle him."

"You and I?"

The flood-dragon maiden thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "Wen Dan."

"Hmm?"

"My name. A flood-dragon maiden like me can't compare with true dragons, who are born with true names and ancestral surnames. I chose the name Wen Dan myself. Warm, still, harmonious, and gentle; tranquil without limit-that is my understanding of water."

"A fine name. The meaning is good too." Ao Ding leisurely finished his peach juice and said slowly, "Ao Ding, an ordinary cultivator, currently without sect or school."

Watching the Mountain Lord, Ao Ding's left eye and its three pupils swiftly analyzed the tiger demon.

"Bloody baleful energy coils around him. Clearly, he's killed quite a few living beings. Strangely, though, beneath that ferocity, a wisp of pure qi circulates. Could this be an inheritance of the Flying Heaven Jade Tiger lineage?"

According to Sun Chen, the Flying Heaven Jade Tiger had formed from essence of the Azure Firmament and had been among the immortal sects' earliest demon immortals. Later, he had also become one of the great venerables of the Demon Court.

"His ancestor once listened to teachings before a True Lord of the immortal sects, so naturally he has some affinity for the Dao, with azure-firmament True Qi to protect him. How about offering him something? You're a cultivator, so you should have quite a few wondrous Daoist arts and formulas, right? Could you give him some?"

"I could, but I'm afraid..." Inspiration suddenly struck Ao Ding, and a plan formed in his mind.

He beckoned to the flood-dragon maiden. Once she leaned close, he whispered into her ear...

"This-you want He Xiao to step forward? Do you think he'd dare face a mountain tiger?"

"Ha-we're helping him, not taking his place. Assisting from the sidelines is our contribution. If he won't rise to the occasion himself, and he and the fox maiden aren't truly in love, why should we help him? Better that than having a quarrel between the lovers later become the fault of those of us who helped."

The flood-dragon maiden considered it. That did indeed make sense.

She nodded lightly.

"All right. Once he comes back, we'll begin the plan. If we can persuade this tiger spirit to back down, the rest will be easy to arrange."