"Goose?"
The Tianxuan Goose gulped down the thing that had been fed to it.
Startled, it suspected that the other party had given it poison.
The Tianxuan Goose desperately tried to spit it out, but no matter what, it couldn't. The thing melted as soon as it entered its mouth, dissolving like water into its bloodstream.
The Tianxuan Goose felt a fiery sensation all over its body, as if it were about to become a roast goose.
Then, it felt as if something inside its body was about to leave.
Xiao Bai covered its head with its wings and rolled on the ground frantically, as if something was trying to burst out of its skull.
Seeing Xiao Bai in such pain, Xu Ming instinctively stepped forward. However, just as he took a step, Bi Fang spat out a flame, forming a fiery barrier around Xu Ming.
"Do not interfere with our Princess," Bi Fang said coldly, though his expression was extremely tense.
Watching the big white goose suffer so intensely, the black dog grew anxious and glanced uneasily at Bi Fang. "The Princess won't be in danger, right? Is that thing really this painful? Are we sure what the Prime Minister gave us is safe? If anything happens to the Princess, we'll be guilty for all eternity!"
"Shut up! Don't jinx it!"
Bi Fang kicked the black dog and kept his eyes fixed on the Tianxuan Goose, not daring to look away for even a second.
"Don't worry, it should be fine. That old turtle wouldn't dare harm the Princess. After all, the Princess is..."
Bi Fang muttered to herself, more like self-reassurance, but halfway through, she stopped speaking and tightly pressed her lips together, anxiously watching the white goose.
Though her words tried to sound confident, Bi Fang was deeply worried.
What if that old turtle had truly gone mad? What if it intended to eliminate the last royal bloodline of the Wanxiang Kingdom and pledge allegiance to another power?
It wasn't impossible.
Fortunately, after ten breaths, the white goose's cries began to subside.
Not because it had no strength left to cry, but because the pain it endured was visibly lessening.
The big white goose lay on the ground, its mind flooded with strange images.
The royal palace engulfed in flames.
Her mother holding her and fleeing.
Imperial guards falling one after another before her eyes.
"Live well, my daughter..."
"Mother..."
A woman dressed in imperial robes gently stroked the young girl's face. Her delicate, white fingers pressed lightly against the girl's forehead.
The young girl's body shrank rapidly, eventually losing her human form entirely.
"I... I am..."
Xiao Bai opened her eyes.
Her body grew larger, her feathers lengthened, and her tail fanned out like an empress's trailing gown.
Honghu.
Two words suddenly popped into Xu Ming's mind.
Among phoenixes, there were five distinct types.
As the saying goes: "Of phoenixes, there are five kinds. The red is the Feng, the blue is the Luan, the yellow is the Yuan Chu, the white is the Honghu, and the purple is the Yuezhu."
The blue phoenix is called He, the red phoenix is called Chun, the yellow phoenix is called Yan, the white phoenix is called Su, and the purple phoenix is called Zhuo.
All five phoenixes are divine beasts, equal in stature.
Xu Ming had seen depictions of the five phoenixes in this world. Their forms were similar, differing only in color.
This form… how could she still be the Tianxuan Goose? This is clearly the White Phoenix—Honghu.
Seeing their Princess gradually regain her former appearance, Bi Fang let out a sigh of relief, his eyes full of joy.
"Min!"
Xiao Bai stood up, and with a resonant cry, her phoenix song echoed through the skies. In the mountains and forests, white birds scattered and flew low, bowing their heads in submission.
"Your servant greets the Princess."
Bi Fang and the black dog stepped forward again, kneeling on one knee before Xiao Bai.
As past and present memories began to merge, Xiao Bai still felt her mind was slightly hazy, but it was becoming clearer by the moment.
"My name isn't Xiao Bai. My name is Bai Li Bing," she said, lowering her head, her voice now human.
This was the first time Xu Ming had ever heard Xiao Bai speak, and her voice was mesmerizing—ethereal, with a distant coolness that made her seem unapproachable.
Hearing the Princess state her true name, Bi Fang knew she had fully returned.
"We have searched for the Princess for ten long years. To find you today is the greatest fortune for our Wanxiang Kingdom," the black dog quickly said, flattering her. "Once we knock out these two humans, we'll escort the Princess back to the Wanxiang Kingdom."
"How is my mother?" Bai Li Bing asked, her eyes filled with worry.
"Princess," Bi Fang answered respectfully, "the Empress is still missing. We continue to search for her. For now, the Prime Minister has stabilized the court, awaiting your return."
Bai Li Bing's gaze hardened as she fell into deep thought.
"Why were you so intent on killing him?" After a while, Bai Li Bing raised her head and asked.
The black dog replied, "Princess, our Wanxiang Kingdom is preparing for a grand sacrificial ceremony. It requires certain rare constitutions, one of which is the Eternal Spiritual Root. Based on my judgment, this man likely possesses the Eternal Spiritual Root.
"As for that little girl, she carries both human and magical beast scents. I was curious and planned to take her back to Wanxiang Kingdom to investigate further."
Bai Li Bing's voice turned cold. "You may not harm this man, nor may you touch that little girl."
The black dog's tone grew anxious. "But Princess, the Eternal Spiritual Root is incredibly rare. If we let it slip away—"
"I told you not to touch them. Did you not hear me?" Bai Li Bing's tone carried reprimand, and the bloodline pressure emanating from her bore down heavily on the black dog.
Even though Bai Li Bing's cultivation was far below the black dog's, the suppression from her bloodline caused cold sweat to form on his brow.
"Understood, Your Highness," the black dog finally relented, obeying Bai Li Bing's command.
Although the sacrificial ceremony was of great importance, nothing was more crucial than the Princess herself. She was the only remaining royal of Wan Xiang Kingdom.
Bai Li Bing's cold gaze moved away from the black dog.
A cool breeze swept through the air, and snow-white feathers drifted down from above.
Bai Li Bing transformed into her human form.
The snowy-white phoenix feathers turned into a pure white, phoenix-feathered strapless gown with a flowing skirt that trailed the ground. Her fair shoulders were exposed, resembling a bride in an immaculate wedding dress.
A cascade of white hair flowed down her shoulders, ending just above her slender waist.
Bai Li Bing turned, her almond-shaped eyes meeting Xu Ming's gaze.
Looking into her eyes, Xu Ming felt a sense of familiarity but also an unfamiliar, distant coldness.
Contrary to Xu Ming's earlier assumptions, Xiao Bai's human form wasn't a hulking figure. She was incredibly graceful, her curves soft and elegant, like snow melting into water.
Beneath her white lashes, her blue pupils and delicate, upturned nose exuded an exotic charm.
"Thank you for taking care of me all these years," Bai Li Bing said softly, her voice directed at Xu Ming.
Xu Ming stared directly into the young woman's eyes. "Are you still that silly goose?"
Hearing Xu Ming call her silly, Bai Li Bing's small hands clenched tightly, her brows twitching in annoyance.
But unlike before, when she would immediately lash out and hit Xu Ming whenever she felt displeased, Bai Li Bing now carried herself with the dignity befitting the eldest princess of Wan Xiang Kingdom. "Remember this—I am Bai Li Bing, the Eldest Princess of Wan Xiang Kingdom, and a sworn enemy of your human race."
"Oh, and…" Bai Li Bing smiled faintly, placing her hands gracefully in front of her. "Didn't you always hope I'd take on a human form? Now that I have, what do you think?"
Xu Ming shook his head with a small smile. "Honestly, I preferred the big white goose you were before."
Xu Ming wasn't trying to flatter her—he was simply telling the truth.
Even though Bai Li Bing's bloodline was far more noble, being a Honghu—the White Phoenix—and even though her human form was that of a poised, elegant young woman, no less stunning than Qin Qingwan in both figure and appearance, Xu Ming still wished she could be the Tianxuan Goose she used to be.
In fact, Xu Ming would've been happier if her human form had turned out to be an ordinary-looking, hulking warrior.
"You're hopeless," Bai Li Bing said coldly, glaring at Xu Ming. "When you return to Wudu, tell Madam that Xiao Bai… won't be coming back."
With that, Bai Li Bing turned to the black dog. "Let's go. Back to Wan Xiang Kingdom."
"As you command, Your Highness."
The black dog took out a Void-breaking Stone and opened a distorted void gate, the passage behind it leading directly to the Wan Xiang Kingdom's royal capital.
The black dog couldn't help but glance longingly at Xu Ming one last time, but a wing slap from Bi Fang sent his head spinning, and he reluctantly followed behind Bai Li Bing.
"Do you want to remain Xiao Bai, or do you prefer being Bai Li Bing?"
Just as Bai Li Bing was about to step into the void gate, Xu Ming asked.
The young woman paused briefly before stepping forward. Her jade-like legs disappeared into the gate, and as it began to close, a cool, distant voice drifted back to him.
"Bai Li Bing is Bai Li Bing."
The girl's ethereal voice lingered in the air as the void gate vanished, leaving everything calm once more, as if nothing had ever happened.
"Cough… cough…"
Xu Ming, who had been holding it in all this time, finally coughed up several mouthfuls of blood.
Utterly drained, Xu Ming slumped to the ground, his face pale.
He had survived.
But Xiao Bai had turned out to be the princess of Wan Xiang Kingdom?
"Wan Xiang Kingdom…" Xu Ming muttered the words softly, as if trying to process their weight.
"Awoo…"
While Xu Ming was lost in thought, the little girl who had been standing beside him suddenly scrambled toward the direction of the Heart of the Lava Cave, stumbling as she went.
Forcing himself to endure the excruciating pain, Xu Ming stood up, walked over, and picked her up. He dusted off the dirt from her clothes, then tucked the girl under his arm and flew toward the Heart of the Lava Cave.
The protective array around the mountain had already been destroyed, making it easy for Xu Ming to find the cave.
However, the Heart of the Lava Cave was in ruins, the entire cavern having collapsed.
"Awoo… awoo…"
The little girl wriggled out of Xu Ming's arms and began digging at the rubble with her bare hands. Even when her fingers were scraped raw and blood mixed with the dirt and stones, she didn't stop.
Xu Ming didn't stop her. Instead, he handed her a peachwood sword. "Use this," he said. The peachwood was harder than stone.
Then, Xu Ming picked up a flat rock and started helping her dig.
Neither of them knew how long they had been digging.
Xu Ming knew deep down they wouldn't find anything.
Her mother and that cultivator were gone—completely obliterated, body and soul. Nothing remained.
After digging for what seemed like an eternity, the little girl's movements grew slower and slower, her sweat dripping continuously from her forehead.
Eventually, she unearthed a massive black stone.
With the peachwood sword Xu Ming had given her, she kept striking it repeatedly. However, even though the sword was made from extraordinary material, it only managed to leave faint marks on the stone's surface.
Frustrated, the little girl tossed the sword aside and snatched the stone Xu Ming was holding, pounding it against the black stone with all her might.
"Awoo… Awoo… Awoo…"
When the stone in her hand finally shattered into pieces, its fragments mixed with her blood, the little girl collapsed into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.
Deep down, she knew her mother and Qi Hui were gone, yet she couldn't bring herself to accept it.
Xu Ming didn't understand why the girl was so attached to that Black Divine Cult cultivator, to the point of seeing him as a family figure. That same cultivator was responsible for the death of her father!
Even so, Xu Ming refrained from telling her the truth now. He knew that if she learned the reality of it all, she would break down even further.
When her cries grew hoarse and she no longer had the strength to wail, slumping weakly against the stone, Xu Ming finally stepped forward and crouched down in front of her.
The little girl, her eyes swollen and red from crying, looked at Xu Ming while sniffing back tears.
Xu Ming met her gaze directly. "I owe your mother a debt. She entrusted you to me, asking me to take care of you. I'll do just that."
He extended his hand to the little girl. "If you're willing to trust me."
The girl glanced at his outstretched hand, then lifted her gaze back to meet his eyes. She didn't say a word, didn't make a sound.
She just stared at him, unwavering.
Xu Ming held her gaze, his eyes just as steady and patient.
"Live… on…" the girl finally managed to utter, her voice trembling and fragmented.
Xu Ming was momentarily stunned, but once he understood her meaning, he nodded with a gentle smile. "Yes. Live on. Together, we'll keep living."
The girl swallowed nervously, her small hand tentatively reaching toward Xu Ming's fingers. But just as her fingers were about to touch his, she recoiled as if shocked, pulling her hand back.
It was as if she were transported back to the day she first met her mother, the hesitation and fear mirrored in her current actions.
And just as Zhao Qiongman had patiently waited for her back then, Xu Ming now waited quietly, letting the little girl take her time to reach out.
Finally, she placed her small hand into Xu Ming's palm. Looking up at him with nervous eyes, she waited.
Xu Ming closed his hand gently around hers. "My name is Xu Ming. What's yours? Can you tell me?"
"Shen… Shen…" The girl struggled to speak, articulating each syllable with great effort.
Xu Ming tilted his head slightly. "Hmm?"
"Shen… Sheng…" she repeated haltingly.
"My… name…"
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