Chapter 873: Immortal Pride Once Desolate Now

The song "Phoenix Seeks His Mate" allowed listeners to experience the beauty of melody and the dance of the phoenix. After the flute music ended, a lingering echo seemed to reverberate in everyone's ears. Ji Yuan had already put away his flute, but except for true dragons, ancient jiaos, and seasoned demon birds, all other listeners remained entranced.

After completing the song, Ji Yuan felt incredibly elated. He now held his flute and bowed respectfully to Dan Ye, while the true phoenix form landed on a branch and bowed in return to Ji Yuan.

Dan Ye offered no words of praise, but Ji Yuan understood the feeling of finding a rare kindred spirit.

The phoenix's radiance at that moment was far more dazzling than usual. The entire Wutong tree in the sea was enveloped in a five-colored glow, illuminating the night sky above the sea, and the water below reflected the glow, shimmering with vibrant colors and looking exceptionally beautiful.

It was at this moment that Ji Yuan, holding his flute, bade farewell to Dan Ye, the true phoenix perched on the branch. Maintaining the dream within the book was taxing; while hosting thousands of guests with extraordinary cultivation consumed magical power, the significant drain was on his spirit.

With the conclusion of "Phoenix Seeks His Mate," Ji Yuan felt as tired as if he had just engaged in another magical duel.

No one heard what Ji Yuan and the phoenix said on the branch; perhaps nothing was said at all. Only a few individuals, who had already awakened from the heavenly melody, witnessed this scene.

As Ji Yuan slowly rose and swept his sleeve towards the numerous guests, a hazy light, interwoven with black and white energy, also swept across everyone. The colors of the surrounding scenery began to fade, and the light grew increasingly bright, becoming somewhat dazzling. Some closed their eyes, while those who struggled to keep theirs open could only see black and white energy swirling chaotically.

The next moment, the light gradually receded, and the many guests at the Tongtian River Dragon Palace awakened. Looking around, they saw it was still the palace, still the tables laden with food and wine. The difference was that all the guests wore similar expressions, looking around at their surroundings and at each other; some even retained their expressions of lingering enchantment.

However, it wasn't long before all the guests were fully awake, the time difference being merely a second or two. Looking at the food and wine on the tables, some dishes were still steaming. Whether by sensing with their hearts or by calculating with their fingers, they all realized that only a brief moment had passed.

Those in the side halls were one thing, but most guests in the main hall instinctively looked towards Ji Yuan's seat. They could see that Ji Yuan was still holding the dark purple bamboo flute, and the stack of books was still on the table. All the guests now knew that this stack of books formed a single volume titled *Treatise on Birds*.

"Master Ji, did we truly enter the book? Was that really not a dream?"

Yin Zhaoxian, seated right beside Ji Yuan, was the first to speak, and his words echoed the thoughts of all the guests. Ji Yuan's answer was similar to his previous reply to Yang Hao; he looked around at all the guests, simply smiled, and tucked the flute into his sleeve.

"What is a dream, and what is real?"

It wasn't that Ji Yuan genuinely intended to speak in such ambiguous terms; rather, his own understanding at that moment was precisely that. Especially after seeing Dan Ye, the phoenix, again, the experience within it was difficult to define with a simple 'true' or 'false'.

"Thank you, Master Ji, for allowing me, Yin Zhaoxian, to witness this world within the book!"

Yin Zhaoxian expressed his gratitude and bowed to Ji Yuan. Among the outer guests, many also offered similar respectful gestures.

The old dragon above nodded at Ji Yuan, then transmitted his voice throughout the entire Dragon Palace.

"Let the music and dance resume, and the feast continue. Please enjoy yourselves!"

As the Dragon Lord's voice faded, fish maidens and other aquatic beings entered the main hall and several side halls. Musical instruments played, and dance movements swayed.

However, having just heard "Phoenix Seeks His Mate" and witnessed the phoenix dancing in the sky, the music and dance within the Dragon Palace could hardly draw much attention. No one glanced at the dance floor; instead, many closed their eyes and concentrated, recalling the previous magical duel and music through their inner perception.

Some even more enthusiastic individuals, unable to contain their excitement, firstly did not dare to casually approach Ji Yuan, and secondly, felt it inappropriate to make a loud commotion within the Dragon Palace. So, they simply left the banquet midway and went to the riverside feast outside the Dragon Palace to tell the aquatic beings there what had truly transpired within the Dragon Palace during the brief period after the banquet began.

After that, the news spread that Ji Yuan had led thousands of guests, including true dragons, from within the Dragon Palace on a journey into a world within a book, and that he had even engaged in a magical duel with Lady Ying and played music in harmony with the phoenix there. This caused a sensation throughout the entire riverside feast. Some found it hard to believe, while others were deeply captivated. Countless individuals wondered how magical and wondrous that brief moment, which was an entire night within the book, truly was.

***

Above Dayun Prefecture in Dazhen, Lian Ping'er slowly descended from a high altitude, periodically glancing at a golden compass in her hand, whose needle would occasionally tremble and spin wildly, only pointing in a specific direction now and then.

Logically, after leaving Tongtian River, Lian Ping'er should have fled Dazhen immediately. After all, few would dare to linger in Dazhen after committing an offense, especially under the watchful eyes of a true immortal and more than one true dragon.

But Lian Ping'er was bold, and also had an unfinished task entrusted to her, so she did not leave. Instead of leaving, she ventured deeper into Dazhen's interior, traveling across half of Dazhen to reach Dayun Prefecture in Tong Province.

But upon arriving here, the golden compass in Lian Ping'er's hand became increasingly erratic, its needle constantly spinning in circles. Sometimes it would stop, but before a delighted Lian Ping'er could quickly orient herself and fly, it would immediately change direction again.

"Ugh, where is it? This is so annoying!"

Lian Ping'er simply put away the golden compass, as it seemed useless for now anyway. She decided to rely on her own thoughts and instincts to search. Her first destination was Dayun Prefecture City, the busiest part of Dayun Prefecture.

It was still night. Apart from the streetlights and lanterns outside some wealthy households, only a few places in Dayun Prefecture City, such as casinos and brothels, were still lively.

Lian Ping'er instinctively landed on a street in the city. Looking to one side, there was a high-class restaurant. Looking a little further on the other side, two brothels stood intermittently; girls were still standing at their doorways in the biting wind, soliciting customers. Whenever a man passed by, the madam inside would urge them to wave and beckon.

Not long after Lian Ping'er landed, three drunken men stumbled out of the nearby restaurant, walking crookedly. They had only walked a few steps when they saw Lian Ping'er standing alone on the empty street.

"Uh, look, isn't there a girl over there? Am I seeing things?"

"You're not, *hic*, not seeing things, it's a girl."

"Hehehe, brothers, this girl has such a curvy figure, and she's dressed so lightly, hey, *hic*... she must be a brothel girl. I say let's not go home tonight, hehe..."

"Hehehe, suits me perfectly!" "Excellent, excellent!"

Originally, the brothels were a bit far, and quite expensive, so the three might have just gone home. But now that they saw a woman like Lian Ping'er right outside the restaurant, dressed in thin, form-fitting clothes, their lustful thoughts instantly arose.

"Hehehe, miss, which establishment do you represent? The cold wind is biting; how about we three brothers warm you up?"

"Yes, yes, hahaha..."

The three men staggered, spurred by the alcohol, somewhat impatiently walking towards Lian Ping'er. The latter merely glanced at them with a smile.

"Am I very beautiful?"

"Beautiful, beautiful!" "Of course, you're beautiful!"

The three drunkards laughed as they got close to Lian Ping'er. The first one was about to embrace her, but upon looking up, he saw the woman before him instantly transform into a terrifying corpse covered in maggots and flies.

"Do I look good?"

"Ahhh! Ghost!" "Mama! A ghost!"

"Run, run! We've seen a ghost, a ghost!"

Goosebumps shot up on the three men, sobered by more than half, as they ran back to the restaurant, frantically telling the people inside that there was a ghost outside. A restaurant waiter poked his head out to look, but saw only a woman walking a short distance away on the street, who looked nothing like a ghost.

Lian Ping'er glanced towards the restaurant, then walked with a smile in the other direction down the street. That area appeared empty now, but after daybreak, it would become one of Dayun Prefecture City's busiest markets.

Approximately four hours later, a streak of golden-yellow dawn clouds appeared on the horizon. Soon the morning sun pierced through the darkness, bringing light to Dayun Prefecture City.

Although the sky was still dim at this time, early risers were already beginning to appear on the streets, especially those who needed to start work early.

Following her instincts, Lian Ping'er remained standing at a street corner. Only now she wore a white fur cape over her shoulders; though still thinly dressed underneath, it was at least not as conspicuous.

At that very moment, a slightly hunched figure slowly approached, carrying a carrying pole with two wooden boxes suspended from it.

Finding a suitable empty spot, the old man put down his carrying pole and wooden boxes. He put the two boxes together to form a table, then opened a drawer inside, taking out a folding stool and some cloth banners. The text on the banners roughly stated that he offered services for writing, such as couplets for spring festivals and auspicious 'fu' characters.

Given that many people were illiterate, the old man, after sitting down, rubbed his hands and called out to the still-sparse street:

"Letters written, Spring Festival couplets, and 'fu' characters! Reasonable prices... *cough cough*..."

Lian Ping'er stared blankly in the direction of the old man. She had imagined countless possibilities, but never anticipated what she was seeing now. Some of the mockery she had felt dissipated.

Lian Ping'er took a step and slowly walked to the old man's stall. The latter slowly raised his head, looking at the well-dressed woman. With a humble and respectful smile on his face, he dared not look directly at her face, standing up and bowing slightly to her.

"Young lady, do you wish for something to be written? This old man... I write quite well!"

Lian Ping'er had been somewhat lost in thought, only slowly coming back to herself upon hearing the old man's words. Whether it was his qi manifestation or his spiritual soul, or his frail and aged physical body, and his withered meridians, all were so natural, as if a normal person slowly aged; everything proved one thing.

"Min Xian, have you truly become a mortal!?"

The old man's heart trembled, and he looked up at the woman.

"You, who are you?"

PS: Today, my family went out for my child's birthday. It took longer than expected and I'm a bit tired. I'll take it easy tonight and write more tomorrow, _!