Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Grand Assembly of Ten Thousand Birds Bowing to the Phoenix

"Taking your head is as easy for me as reaching into my pocket," Zhao Mian declared, gray light swirling in his eyes, his killing intent as sharp and cold as a drawn blade.

Nan Luo narrowed his eyes, his tone subdued. "Then try and see if you can."

A fierce gleam flashed in Zhao Mian’s gaze. Suddenly, Kuafu barked at him, "Enough! Do not say another word. Your resentment towards him is simply because of the ancestral blood of the Wu that you covet. Why must you force guilt upon him? If not for your incitement and distortion, Xing Tian would never have fought him."

"Kuafu, what are you saying? How dare you? Fine, very well! For the sake of an outsider, you treat your own tribesman like this… Who do you think you are? Do you imagine that being the first great Wu of the tribe gives you the right to command me? If not for him, would I be as I am now?" Zhao Mian’s voice was furious, his face twisted with rage, as if he might bite through flesh and bone. "One day, I will reclaim the half-drop of my blood that he carries." He shot Nan Luo a venomous glare, then turned and strode away, his gray robe and hair trailing a sinister shade beneath the sunset.

A sudden urge welled up in Nan Luo’s heart, a desire to kill Zhao Mian then and there. But in his moment of hesitation, Zhao Mian was already gone.

Kuafu watched Zhao Mian’s receding figure, a thoughtful look on his face. When he turned and saw the question in Nan Luo’s eyes, he chuckled and said, "Pay him no mind. He hails from the Zhu Rong Hall. When it came time for him to ascend as a great Wu, the ancestral Wu of Zhu Rong gave you half a drop of their essence blood, so he was denied the complete inheritance. That’s why he bears you such a grudge."

Nan Luo frowned in puzzlement and couldn’t help but ask, "I’ve heard there are twelve ancestral Wu in your tribe. Couldn’t another ancestral Wu have helped him ascend? And couldn’t Zhu Rong have given him the inheritance after recovering their blood?"

Kuafu regarded Nan Luo with the air of a patient elder, a gentle laugh in his voice. "You do not understand our tribe. Though there are twelve ancestral Wu, it’s not as simple as you think. Otherwise, why have the three of us searched for the ancestral Wu Xuan Ming for so long? As for waiting for Zhu Rong to recover, you must know that a single drop of an ancestral Wu’s blood takes a hundred years to cultivate. Zhu Rong gave you half a drop, so Zhao Mian only received half a drop at his inheritance, and missed out on the two most crucial divine powers: Manifesting the World and Devouring the Cosmos."

Suddenly, Nan Luo understood why Zhao Mian harbored such deep hatred for him. For a moment, he wondered what he would do if he had suffered the same fate as Zhao Mian—would he not also resent another?

His gaze fell to Xing Tian, who lay on the ground, eyes wide even in defeat. As if reading his thoughts, Kuafu said, "You must be wondering why Xing Tian accused you of betraying your benefactor and forgetting your roots."

Nan Luo looked at Kuafu, suddenly reminded of his childhood, when he’d look up at the chief priest and elders. Kuafu’s eyes were the same—calm, penetrating, wise, but never oppressive.

"Ha, I’d wager Zhao Mian told Xing Tian about your history with Crown Prince Kong Xuan, and that’s what angered him," Kuafu remarked gently, glancing down the path Zhao Mian had taken.

"But there’s nothing about my connection with Prince Kong Xuan that can’t be spoken openly. How did I become a traitor in his telling?" Nan Luo asked.

"With Zhao Mian’s nature and cunning, he needed only to gloss over some details and highlight others for Xing Tian to misunderstand. When I saw Xing Tian attack so suddenly, I guessed Zhao Mian must have said something. It was only after watching Zhao Mian’s reaction just now that I was certain."

Since his capture and exile over twenty years ago, Nan Luo had met countless people, but none as familiar and comforting as Kuafu. In his words and gestures, Nan Luo found the wisdom and warmth of the priests and elders he once knew.

"Since leaving the Undying Palace, I have heard nothing of it. What became of the Phoenix Assembly in the end?" Nan Luo asked, somewhat embarrassed. As a palace acolyte, he’d left at a critical moment, which was hard to justify, even if it was at Kong Xuan’s behest—others would not see it that way.

Kuafu gazed at the sky, his expression distant. "The assembly was held as planned, but there was no Phoenix preaching. Instead, it was Crown Prince Kong Xuan of the Peacock Hall who swept all before him."

"How… how could that be? Why would Prince Kong Xuan act so?" Nan Luo was shocked, unable to believe it. In his mind, all those attending the assembly were kin. Even if blood was shed, it should not have been a massacre.

"It was indeed strange. I heard that, for the first time, the Dragon Palace and Qilin Cliff both sent princes. The gathering was larger than ever before," Kuafu explained.

"And then what happened? How did it become a slaughter? Prince Kong Xuan would never…" Nan Luo faltered, uncertain. If it were someone else, they might be restrained by the consequences, but Kong Xuan, even if he foresaw the outcome, would likely not care.

"I was not there that day, but I heard that the assembly descended into chaos as the demon kings quarreled. Kong Xuan, enraged, struck down several demon kings with a wave of his hand. Rather than quelling the chaos, this only made things worse. In the end, Kong Xuan, in his fury, suppressed most of the demon kings beneath the Undying Palace—including the princes of both the Dragon Palace and Qilin Cliff. I do not know the exact details, but that day I saw a blaze of five-colored light soaring into the sky." Kuafu’s tone was full of emotion.

He looked at the distant Nan Luo and smiled. "I suppose you left before the assembly at Kong Xuan’s behest. Perhaps he sensed something, but if that’s so, he should not have acted as he did. Then again, that is his nature. Years ago, the Phoenix fought all comers with pride. For Kong Xuan, known as the Son of the Phoenix, to act with such arrogance is no surprise—especially now that he has mastered the innate Five Elements Dao. There are few left in this world whom he would regard as equals."

Nan Luo could hardly imagine one man suppressing so many. He guessed Kong Xuan must have drawn on the spiritual veins beneath the mountain, but the consequences of his actions would be grave, especially with the princes of the Dragon Palace and Qilin Cliff involved. He could not know what had driven Kong Xuan to such fury, but he was certain he himself would never have acted so. Yet Kong Xuan was not Nan Luo. Proud and peerless, Kong Xuan simply did as he pleased.

Nan Luo snapped out of his reverie. "And afterward? The Dragon Palace and Qilin Cliff…?"

"I hear the Dragon King has gone into seclusion. As for Qilin Cliff, few know the truth, and fewer still can reach it, so their stance remains a mystery. For now, both princes remain suppressed beneath Phoenix Mountain and the Undying Palace."

Hearing this, Nan Luo was suddenly wracked with regret for having left, but even if he had stayed, what could he have done? With his current power, he could not hope to help. Perhaps he could have tried to dissuade Kong Xuan, but would Kong Xuan have listened? Nan Luo could not be sure.

"In truth, you need not worry. Some things are beyond our power to change—such is fate. Do not blame Xing Tian, either. In his eyes, by receiving half a drop of Zhu Rong’s blood, you are half Wu at least. That’s why your departure from the Undying Palace angered him; it’s his nature to be straightforward and ruthless. When he sees injustice, he acts, even to kill. I will explain everything to him. You are half of our tribe now—if ever you need anything, come find me at the Houtu Clan at the foot of Mount Buzhou."

With that, Kuafu hefted Xing Tian and vanished into the mountains after only a few steps. Nan Luo stood lost in thought, gazing up at the vast blue sky, yet feeling as though a great weight pressed upon him, as if a storm was about to break.