Chapter 54: The Revered Phoenix [1]

Chapter 54: Chapter 54: The Revered Phoenix [1]

Huo Jingchen stepped out of the vehicle and slowly raised his eyes.

The Wei Sect stood before him.

Unlike the modern buildings and towering skyscrapers that dominated most major cities in Country M, the Wei Sect’s residence seemed almost untouched by the passage of time.

A massive vermilion gate stood at the entrance, its wooden pillars darkened slightly by age but still remarkably well maintained. Two stone pillars stood on either side of the gate, carved with intricate cloud patterns that seemed to shift whenever sunlight passed over them.

Above the entrance hung a large wooden plaque.

Four bold strokes of black calligraphy had been written across it.

魏宗——Wei Sect.

The characters possessed a solemnity that made the entire entrance feel heavier than it actually was.

Huo Jingchen’s gaze lingered on the plaque for a moment before moving toward the open gates.

He had been here several times over the years.

The place had changed very little.

That was one of the things he appreciated about the Wei Sect.

The modern world outside could change every few months. Technology advanced, companies rose and fell, cities transformed.

But the Wei Sect remained almost stubbornly unchanged.

Huo Jingchen stepped through the gates.

The moment he entered, the atmosphere seemed to change.

The noise of the city faded behind him.

The faint sounds of traffic were replaced by the rustling of leaves, the occasional ringing of a distant bell and the soft murmur of flowing water.

A stone pathway stretched ahead, winding through the grounds.

Ancient-looking buildings stood on either side of it, their dark tiled roofs curved upward at the edges. Bamboo grew along the walls, its slender leaves swaying gently in the breeze.

Huo Jingchen walked with familiar ease.

He had barely reached the courtyard surrounding one of the inner halls when a young priest hurried toward him.

The young man’s robes were simple and clean, his hair tied neatly beneath a traditional cap.

He stopped several steps away and bowed respectfully.

"Young Master Huo."

Huo Jingchen returned the greeting with a slight nod.

"The Grand Master has been waiting for you."

There was no surprise on Huo Jingchen’s face.

"I expected as much."

The Wei Sect’s Grand Master was not an ordinary person.

His cultivation was deep enough that there were very few things within Country M’s cultivation world that could escape his perception.

If Huo Jingchen had decided to visit the sect before leaving his residence, there was a good chance the Grand Master had already sensed his arrival long before the car entered the mountain road.

The young priest stepped aside.

"Please follow me."

Huo Jingchen followed.

They passed through another courtyard.

At its center stood a magnificent plum blossom tree.

Its branches stretched outward like an enormous canopy, covered with delicate blossoms that swayed whenever the wind passed through them.

A few petals drifted lazily onto the stone path.

Huo Jingchen’s footsteps slowed for half a second.

There was something strangely peaceful about the place.

Perhaps that was why people came here when they had questions they could not answer themselves.

After several minutes, the young priest stopped before a smaller building tucked away behind the flowering tree.

Compared to the larger halls of the Wei Sect, this building was remarkably modest.

There were no elaborate carvings.

No gold decorations.

No imposing statues.

Just dark wooden beams, paper windows and a small stone lantern beside the entrance.

The young priest bowed.

"The Grand Master is inside."

Huo Jingchen nodded.

The young priest turned and left without another word.

Huo Jingchen stood outside for a moment.

Then he removed his shoes.

He stepped onto the polished wooden floor and entered.

The room immediately gave him a sense of tranquility.

It was spacious without being extravagant.

A low wooden table occupied the center of the room, surrounded by several cushions placed neatly on the tatami floor.

A small incense burner rested in one corner, releasing a thin stream of sandalwood smoke that curled slowly toward the ceiling.

Against one wall stood a bookshelf filled with old texts.

Some were neatly arranged.

Others looked so old that Huo Jingchen wondered how they had survived for so many generations.

Near the far wall was a large circular window overlooking the flowering tree outside.

Soft afternoon light filtered through the paper screen, casting pale shadows across the floor.

There was also a faint sound of water somewhere nearby.

Perhaps a small fountain.

Perhaps a stream.

Huo Jingchen could not tell.

At the far end of the room sat the Grand Master of the Wei Sect.

The old man was dressed in simple gray robes.

His long silver hair was tied loosely behind his head.

His face was calm.

Almost unnaturally calm.

And his eyes...

They remained closed.

The Grand Master of the Wei Sect had been blind for decades.

Yet somehow, that blindness had never diminished the strange pressure surrounding him.

Huo Jingchen slowly approached.

He stopped before the low table and bowed.

"Grand Master."

The old man did not respond.

Huo Jingchen straightened.

He then lowered himself onto one of the cushions.

He sat quietly.

The Grand Master continued preparing tea.

His movements were slow.

Measured.

Almost ritualistic.

He picked up the teapot.

Poured the hot water.

Waited.

Then poured the tea into another cup.

Every movement was precise.

Huo Jingchen watched silently.

He had seen the Grand Master make tea before.

But somehow, today, the sight seemed different.

The old man could not see.

Yet not a single drop of tea spilled.

Not once did his fingers hesitate.

He seemed to know exactly where everything was.

Huo Jingchen accepted the cup when it was finally placed before him.

"Thank you."

The Grand Master gave no response.

He simply poured another cup for himself.

Only when everything was done did he finally sit back.

Silence settled between them.

Neither man spoke.

Huo Jingchen took the teacup between his fingers.

The warmth seeped into his palm.

He stared at the tea for several seconds.

Then a thought crossed his mind.

How does he do that?

The Grand Master was blind.

Yet he could identify the exact position of the teacup, the teapot and every utensil without hesitation.

Huo Jingchen had always found it strange.

But before he could think any further—

"You’ve met her."

The Grand Master’s voice suddenly broke the silence.

Huo Jingchen’s fingers stopped.

His eyes lifted.

The old man’s head remained slightly lowered.

"Who?"

There was no answer.

Huo Jingchen’s mind immediately began running through the possibilities.

Has he sensed something?

His thoughts instinctively went toward the one person who had occupied far too much of his mind recently.

Xi Yunxui?

The Grand Master slowly lifted his head.

His sightless eyes seemed to look directly at Huo Jingchen.

"You’ve met the revered Phoenix."

Huo Jingchen’s expression changed.

Only slightly.

But for someone as controlled as him, the change was significant.

His fingers tightened around the teacup.

Revered Phoenix?

The words echoed in his mind.

The Golden Phenomenon.

The strange golden light that had appeared in the mountains.

Xi Yunxui’s mysterious presence.

The creature called King C.

And now...

The revered Phoenix?

Huo Jingchen remained silent.

He did not confirm anything.

He did not deny anything.

The Grand Master seemed to understand his silence.

He simply picked up his teacup and took a slow sip.

The room became silent again.

Huo Jingchen stared at him.

Finally, the Grand Master placed the cup down.

Then he stood.

His movements were unhurried.

He walked toward the bookshelf.

Huo Jingchen followed him with his eyes.

The old man ran his fingers across several ancient books before stopping.

He pulled one out.

The book looked ancient.

Its brown cover was faded, its edges worn and slightly torn. Several pages had clearly been repaired over the years, and a thin layer of dust covered the spine.

The Grand Master returned to his seat.

He placed the book on the table.

Then he slowly opened it.

One page.

Then another.

Finally, he stopped.

For several seconds, he simply rested his fingers against the page.

Then he turned the book around.

He pushed it toward Huo Jingchen.

"Look."

Huo Jingchen lowered his gaze.

At first, he saw nothing unusual.

The page contained an ancient illustration.

A magnificent bird was depicted soaring through clouds.

Its feathers were painted in brilliant shades of red and gold.

Flames surrounded its body.

But that was not what caught Huo Jingchen’s attention.

Beneath the illustration were several lines of ancient Chinese text.

Huo Jingchen leaned slightly closer.

His eyes moved across the writing.

The first line immediately made his expression turn solemn.

"When the Golden Light descends upon the mountains..."

His gaze continued downward.

Then his breathing subtly changed.

Because the next line described something that had happened only days ago.

A phenomenon.

A golden radiance.

A dormant spiritual presence awakening.

And finally—

A reference to an existence that had not appeared in the human world for centuries.

Huo Jingchen slowly looked up.

The Grand Master was already watching him.

Or rather...

Despite being blind, he seemed to know exactly where Huo Jingchen was looking.

"Grand Master," Huo Jingchen finally said, his voice lower than before.

The old man remained silent.

Huo Jingchen looked back at the ancient book.

His thoughts were suddenly filled with one person.

Xi Yunxui.

For the first time since entering the Wei Sect, Huo Jingchen felt a strange uneasiness settle in his chest.

Because if the ancient records were telling the truth...

Then the phenomenon in the mountains might not have been an ordinary cultivation anomaly.

And the person he had been unconsciously drawn toward these past few days...

Might be far more extraordinary than he had ever imagined.