Chapter 43 Part 1

Senior Brother Fang walked slowly.

There was some distance from the Cold Pool back to the waterside pavilion. As the supervisor of Flowing Firefly Island, if he rushed to meet a Foundation Establishment Stage Menial Disciple, it would only make him seem guilty.

Thus, Senior Brother Fang deliberately took a detour to a grove of spirit trees first, where he fed a flock of Night Birds. Then he went to another rock cave and delivered some blood food to the Demonic Snake coiled there. He intentionally delayed for nearly a full day before finally returning to the waterside pavilion.

But before he even got close, he could already see from afar, along the small path through the woods, a black-clothed youth leaning casually against the railing at the edge of the pavilion.

The youth had delicate features, with pitch-black long hair cascading like a waterfall. Strands from his temples wrapped around to the back of his head, while a few locks fell across his chest, shimmering with iridescent light like crane feathers, drawing the eye.

Senior Brother Fang’s gaze locked on immediately.

He had a natural love for birds. His entry into cultivation had begun when he stumbled upon a nest of Red-beaked Sparrow demon fledglings whose parents had been eaten by a hawk. With no one to care for them, Senior Brother Fang took the little sparrows home and nurtured them meticulously. By a stroke of luck, he had embarked on the path of cultivation.

At that moment, seeing the youth by the waterside pavilion, he felt as if he were looking at a young crane preening its plumes—elegant, vibrant, and pure. Senior Brother Fang’s heart immediately warmed.

He quickened his pace, skirted around a shrub, and drew closer for a better look.

Incredibly, several dense rows of Red-beaked Sparrows perched on the railing beside the youth—weren’t those his tamed sparrows?

Senior Brother Fang’s heart burst with joy. Where had this Junior Brother come from? For his sparrows to like and flock to him so much, he must also be a bird lover—perhaps even carrying an Avian Demon Bloodline. They could exchange notes!

Senior Brother Fang bounded up to the waterside pavilion in two strides instead of three and arrived before Xie Linlang.

The youth seemed to notice him and turned his head. His pitch-black eyes were as pure and profound as a crane’s, with a vermilion dot at his brow like a brilliant crown. Senior Brother Fang dazedly imagined a black crane tilting its head to scrutinize him.

“You… you’re the new initiate disciple? I haven’t seen you before.”

Senior Brother Fang plopped down on one side in a daze. “Is this your first time on Flowing Firefly Island? I’m Fang Cui. If you need anything, just tell me—I’ll help you out.”

Xie Linlang: “…”

He quickly glanced at the Red-beaked Sparrows on the railing. What could he say? Though the sparrows had already spilled the beans, revealing that their master was a bird lover who couldn’t walk past a bird without stopping…

But facing Senior Brother Fang in person, Xie Linlang still found it somewhat unbelievable. The disciples of Silent Night Palace each had their own peculiarities and splendors.

Xie Linlang rolled his eyes thoughtfully and smiled lightly. “My name is Xie Yu. Senior Brother Zheng assigned me here to help. I know nothing—please give me some pointers, Senior.”

“What Senior? Just call me Senior Brother.”

Senior Brother Fang said enthusiastically, “Assigned by Senior Brother Zheng… Uh, oh, it’s you!”

The enthusiasm on Senior Brother Fang’s face stiffened slightly, but it quickly returned to normal. He grinned and said, “I got the message about a new Menial Disciple coming. I see you have cultivation—were you a Loose Cultivator before?”

Xie Linlang: “I previously joined Sunset Death Gate.”

Senior Brother Fang: “What are you good at?”

Xie Linlang: “Pill Refining.”

Senior Brother Fang: “Pill Refining is great! I see you’re a heaven-sent genius with exceptional talent. Rather than waste time on Flowing Firefly Island, why not help out in the Pill Room? I heard a rumor that the Palace Lord intends to send skilled pill refiners from the palace to the True Realm for a grand assembly. Interested?”

Xie Linlang stared fixedly at Senior Brother Fang, leaving him puzzled. Only after a long moment did Xie Linlang look away, his tone mild. “Thank you for the information, Senior. I’m very interested. But I just joined the sect. To stand out in the palace, I’ll need to refine some special pills, which will require a lot of materials.”

Flowing Firefly Island was precisely the source of materials for Silent Night Palace’s Pill Room, so Xie Linlang’s words made sense.

Senior Brother Fang’s expression turned troubled upon hearing this. “Well…”

Xie Linlang’s eyes flickered as he asked tentatively, “Not possible?”

Senior Brother Fang seemed to envision a little bird timidly lifting its gaze to him. He immediately patted his chest. “No problem at all.”

After the words left his mouth, regret stirred in his heart, but he quickly added, “They’re fighting over spots in the Pill Room. If you go late, you might miss out. The Tide Gulls on the eastern rock wall of the island are about to leave, leaving behind many Rock Nests. You can harvest Ice Crystal Silk from them—top material for pills or armor. Collect the Rock Nests and head straight to the Pill Room.”

Xie Linlang smiled faintly. “Thank you, Senior Fang.”

He opened his palm, and a Red-beaked Sparrow landed in it. “I don’t know the way. Could this sparrow guide me?”

Senior Brother Fang nodded eagerly. “Of course.”

Xie Linlang bowed and departed lightly, like a crane soaring through clouds. Senior Brother Fang watched his receding figure, unable to snap out of it for a long time.

“…Sigh. Senior Brother Zheng truly lives up to being the spirit of Silent Night Palace’s main gate. He specifically sent such a Menial Disciple. It seems Shizun’s plan is bound to fail.”

Senior Brother Fang sighed. Deeply indebted to his master, he couldn’t back out now.

As for his sparrows… perhaps entrust them to Xie Yu. After all, Xie Yu came from Sunset Death Gate—not a True Transmission Disciple—so he wasn’t bound by Merit Voucher restrictions.

Night passed. Senior Brother Fang used various methods to dismiss all the Menial Disciples helping on Flowing Firefly Island. Aside from Shizun and another Senior Brother’s disciples, Xie Linlang was the only outsider left on the entire island.

Senior Brother Fang grew anxious. He had already fed Illusion Pills to the island’s Avian Demon-type demon beasts. They would fall into illusions—neither causing trouble nor drawing attention.

But Xie Yu was still on the island. Hadn’t he finished harvesting the Tide Gulls’ Rock Nests yet?