Chapter 544: Favor for the Phoenix’s Family (part 1)

The forbidden region’s silence turned into something very gruish with the arrival of the Singing. The lyrical voice brought sinister coldness that froze the grass, turning each blade into an icy thorn, and each tree into a statue. It seemed like it was part of the night, so instead of breaking the deep stillness, it actually made everything more still.

Xu Qing stood in place listening, his heart racing as he thought back to what happened seven years ago. This was his second time hearing the Singing. [1]

To the scavengers, the Singing in the forbidden region was something terrifying; generally speaking, anyone who heard it ended up dead.

But something different happened back when Xu Qing heard it. He’d had no means to protect himself back then. All he could do was wait for death as the Singing froze everything around him.

As for right now, though he wasn’t actually standing on the soil of Sea-Sealing County, he could still feel the county’s destiny aura. With the blessing of that destiny aura, he didn’t need to fear anything but the most horrifying grues. And that wasn’t even to mention the fact that he had backup in the form of a dreadnaught and Qingqin.

Therefore, Xu Qing felt no fear when he heard the Singing. Instead, his eyes shone with anticipation as the footsteps approached. He was waiting. Waiting for that figure to appear.

His shadow had spread out 300 meters in all directions, creating something like a special forbidden region around him. Within that area, all the grass had eyes on it, and the trees had become coffins. All of the countless eyes were open, and they joined Xu Qing in looking around. The shadow’s gruish aura spread out, and it was filled with brutality, hunger, and also fear.

If one could look down at the forbidden region from a very high vantage point, it would be covered with fog, with the exception of the 300 meters surrounding Xu Qing, which was absolutely clear.

The Singing grew clearer. The footsteps drew closer.

Upon reaching the 300-meter border, the Singing persisted, but the footsteps stopped. Just beyond that border, where the fog started, it was possible to see a pair of straw sandals, crimson as if stained with blood.

Xu Qing did not remember seeing these sandals before. Above the sandals in the swirling mist was a figure that was similarly unfamiliar. It looked like a young woman, clad in a voluminous black robe that stretched behind her into the forbidden region. Her arrival caused the grass in the area to bend in her direction, and the trees bowed in worship.

Mutagen roiled off of her, infusing the fog and causing it to ripple. Her eyes were especially unique. One was red. The other was white. The red eye contained innumerable deceased souls, while the white one had endless skeletons. The eyes took in both Xu Qing and his shadow.

“Food!” she said in a raspy voice that emanated, not just from her mouth, but from the fog, the plants, and the entire forbidden region.

Within the 300-meter area, the shadow’s eyes glowed with mysterious light as they locked onto the woman. At the same time, they flickered with even greater fear.

“The lady of... forbidden region....”

the shadow said, projecting fluctuations directly into Xu Qing’s mind.

Xu Qing simply stood there, his eyes cold. Meanwhile, the black-robed woman was just about to step into the 300-meter area when she stopped and looked up into the sky.

A moment later, she spoke again. “Leave!”

This time, the voice thrummed with a power of expulsion and rejection, and it rose up from the entire forbidden region as well.

Xu Qing’s expression was the same as ever. Clasping hands to the lady of the forbidden region, he said, “Sorry to disturb you.”

The fog gathered around the woman, and the power of expulsion grew more intense. Within it was a faint sense of malice, as if it were looking for an opportunity. However, the pressure weighing down from above, struck fear into her heart, and thus, the malicious intentions did not turn into malicious actions.

As the lady of the forbidden region faded from view, Xu Qing politely said, “Did you forget something, ma’am?”

The figure in the fog was apparently pretending not to hear him.

Looking like the perfect image of courtesy, Xu Qing continued, “When you hear the Singing a second time, this forbidden region gives you a gift. You’re supposed to be able to see the person you most want to see. This is my second time hearing the Singing.”

The figure in the mist looked coldly at Xu Qing, but didn’t respond. It turned and began to move in the opposite direction, disappearing into the fog. The frigid yin aura in the area grew more intense, and the sound of the song drifted about, giving further weight to the force of expulsion.

Xu Qing’s expression turned grim, and his eyes even colder. Abandoning his previous polite attitude, he said, “Dreadnaught!”

The moment the words left his mouth, the 3,000-meter dreadnaught descended, emanating a terrifying pressure. At the same time, Daoist Sima and the thousand swordsages all unleashed their auras, lending further weight to the pressure on the forbidden region.

The forbidden region trembled, and the fog seethed. The woman that had been in the middle of leaving stopped in place, turned, and then thrummed with very dangerous fluctuations as she looked at Xu Qing with a vicious expression.

“There’s nothing unreasonable about my request,” Xu Qing said. “Senior Qingqin.”

A caw erupted in the dome of heaven that could shred metal, as if Qingqin had been waiting for a long time for Xu Qing to call him into action. He seemed excited, and it brought a stiff breeze that was like a huge hand shoving down onto the forbidden region.

Then Qingqin himself appeared. The ground quaked, and the fog rippled violently.

The lady of the forbidden region looked around with her eyes flashing. Her malice soared, and at the same time, shrill zither music echoed out from the depths of the forbidden region. The song of the zither filled the entire forbidden region, causing everything to vibrate. Zombies emerged from the trees, and vicious souls burrowed out from the plants and vegetation.

All of them pulsed with killing intent aimed at Xu Qing. It was as if everything was transforming dramatically thanks to the zither music. It was as if the forbidden region had been previously covered by a veil, but now that veil was being pulled back to reveal the true features of the place. Many of the plants here were actually made from evil souls. And many of the trees were actually piles of corpses. There were also ordinary plants and trees. But they only took up about forty percent of the place. Sixty percent of the forbidden region abounded with zombies, which were all of the countless living beings that had died in this place over the years.

Up above, Daoist Sima stepped out onto the deck of the dreadnaught and looked down at the lady of the forbidden region. “This forbidden region isn’t very formidable. It’s only about half mutated. Once it’s fully mutated, it will become a peak forbidden region, at which point not even I could suppress it. I would need more power. But right now, we could attempt to seal it.”

Daoist Sima’s words caused the zither music to grow even more piercing. At the same time, the surrounding zombies howled ferociously.

The shadow, meanwhile, looked at Xu Qing, pulsing with fluctuations of longing.

Xu Qing ignored those things. After clasping hands to Daoist Sima, he turned to the lady.

“Please allow me to see the person I wish to see. That is the rule which governs this forbidden region.”

As the zither music resounded, the lady of the forbidden region coldly said, “The honor of this forbidden region is inviolable!”

She lifted her hands, and the entire forbidden region woke. The forces of rejection and expulsion erupted. It looked like a war was about to break out

Face completely expressionless, Xu Qing lifted his hand and pointed toward the sky.

“Taboo treasure!”

***

Far away in the county capital, the taboo treasure thrummed, and golden light shot through the sky in the direction of South Phoenix.

Marquis Yao, who was currently in the Governor’s Mansion working on official business, noticed what was happening. Looking up, he smiled, then went back to work.

***

Golden light appeared in the sky above the continent of South Phoenix, specifically, over the forbidden region by the scavengers. It turned into a golden net that weighed down with terrifying pressure.

The zither music stopped. Yet again, the lady of the forbidden region looked up, and this time, her expression flickered slightly. As she glared at the golden net, ripples spread out in the surrounding fog. The zombies and evil souls stopped moving. A moment later, the lady of the forbidden region looked away. She waved her hand. And then, a stream of red mist emerged from her and converged off to the side.

That mist was formed from her essence; once it left her, she became a bit more difficult to see.

The mist converged slowly, almost begrudgingly. Eventually, it became a pair of shoes.

They were the same shoes Sergeant Thunder had been wearing when he died.

Xu Qing’s heart pounded as the mist pulsated, gradually turning into the image of Sergeant Thunder, who stood there looking at Xu Qing. His gaze was one of mixed relief and sorrow.

Xu Qing’s eyes were already slightly bloodshot.

“Sergeant Thunder....”

Sergeant Thunder smiled and nodded in Xu Qing’s direction. Then, after looking around, he sighed, turned, and turned back into a mist that gradually dissipated into nothing.

The shoes walked away and disappeared.

Xu Qing didn’t say anything. He was thinking about something Sergeant Thunder had said once.

“Don’t wait around this place. I saw the one I wanted to see, but now I feel empty....”

“Do I feel empty?” Xu Qing murmured as he looked at the fog. He was still waiting to see if any other figures would appear.

Now that he had heard the Singing twice, he was hoping to see other people. For instance, Grandmaster Bai, Master Sixth, and especially his father and mother. However... as time passed, and Xu Qing waited, no more shoes appeared. Looking very lonely, and feeling very bleak, he looked at the lady of the forbidden region.

“Senior, is there any chance I could see some other people?”

The lady glared back at him. Qingqin let loose a cry. The dreadnaught pulsed. The taboo treasure net glittered. The lady said nothing.

Eventually, Master Sixth appeared in the fog. He seemed confused, then looked thoughtful. Finally, he noticed Xu Qing. He smiled. Heart full of grief, Xu Qing clasped hands and bowed very deeply. Master Sixth smiled and returned the bow. Then he faded away into the fog.

The fog began to retreat.

“Senior, is there any possibility I could see Grandmaster Bai and my parents? I’d be happy to pay for it.” Xu Qing spoke with complete politeness.

However, the lady of the forbidden region ignored his courtesy. The zither music grew harsher, and the expression on the lady’s face turned even icier.

Voice cold, she said, “Flame Phoenix has ordered that the forbidden regions in South Phoenix may not expand outward. However, any who encroach on the forbidden regions here will be crushed by Forbidden by the Phoenix!”

The surrounded zombies all howled in unison. The taboo treasure net, Qingqin, and Daoist Sima all erupted with even greater pressure. However, in response, the brutal will of the forbidden region did the same. Forbidden regions could be suppressed or sealed. But their honor could not be infringed upon.

Then Qingqin glowed with magenta light, and his center head flashed a look of arrogance and disdain. A red feather appeared in its mouth.

1. Xu Qing originally heard the Singing in

chapter 16

. ?