After parting ways with Jiang Luo at Jade Spring Lake, Yang Yao went directly to Xi Ranchen’s residence.
The moment she landed in the courtyard, Yang Yao saw her Master sitting in a small pavilion, one hand holding a teacup while her gaze remained fixed on the spread-out blueprints on the stone table.
The blueprints still bore traces of various spiritual energies—these were the results of the discussions among those old fogies.
Hearing the sound, Xi Ranchen only glanced at Yang Yao from the corner of her eye without making any further move.
“Master, I’ve returned.”
Yang Yao bowed in greeting.
“Hm.”
Xi Ranchen responded indifferently, still continuing to study the blueprints on the stone table, sharp light churning in her eyes as if deep in thought.
Yang Yao understood and said nothing more, simply standing in place, waiting for Xi Ranchen to speak further.
After quite a while, Xi Ranchen finally moved her gaze away from the stone table at a leisurely pace.
She took a light sip of tea—the liquid had long gone cold, carrying no tea fragrance, only bitterness lingering.
Xi Ranchen shook her head to herself, set down the cup in her hand, and only then did her gaze slowly fall upon Yang Yao standing there.
“Speak then. What exactly is this so-called trump card of yours?”
Last time, she had gone out without permission and ended up returning severely injured. Considering Yang Yao’s wounds, she could let it slide.
But what about this time?
Once, twice—even if she favored Yang Yao, Xi Ranchen felt she was losing her sense of propriety.
Yang Yao understood. Xi Ranchen hadn’t been ignoring her just now—she had done so deliberately, which in strict terms counted as a minor punishment with a stern warning.
But if she couldn’t explain the trump card she’d used during her battle with You Meng’er, things wouldn’t end with just this.
“Master, look at this.”
Yang Yao raised her hand, and a crimson light appeared in her palm. The light radiated waves of heat, rippling outward like water, carrying with it the power of some ancient law.
Even someone as powerful as Xi Ranchen widened her eyes in astonishment the moment she saw it.
“A true phoenix’s aura?”
After the surprise passed, Xi Ranchen’s expression immediately turned somber. Last time Yang Yao went out without permission, she hadn’t carefully asked where she’d gone—now she seemed to know exactly where Yang Yao had been.
“This is a Phoenix Nirvana Feather.”
Yang Yao explained. “I’ve already completed the initial refinement. Back then, I intended to use You Meng’er’s life-threatening strike to trigger its power.”
The feather left behind when a true phoenix bathes in flames during nirvana—even just this single one carried the power of facing death to live again from the true phoenix’s rebirth.
But a Nirvana Feather separated from its master could only be actively activated by someone with power comparable to a true phoenix. Otherwise, for this feather’s power to awaken, the prerequisite was being in a death-defying situation.
Xi Ranchen casually flicked her finger, and the Nirvana Feather drifted toward her, landing on her fingertip.
Feeling the power contained within the feather, even she was in awe.
If all the power of this single Nirvana Feather were fully unleashed, let alone You Meng’er being at the Heavenly Firmament Realm peak—even someone at the Orifice Entering Realm would suffer severe injuries.
Xi Ranchen couldn’t help but let out a sighing laugh. She’d guessed right after all—her beloved disciple was never one to suffer losses without reason.
Knowing she couldn’t win yet still fighting to the death—Yang Yao must have long abandoned such naive thinking.
She truly intended to bite back at You Meng’er in that moment.
“You really do have some ideas.”
Xi Ranchen praised mildly. “Back then, pushing that boy up there really was me being overthoughtful.”
“No, it was this disciple who took the risk and caused Master to worry.”
Yang Yao was well aware that if Xi Ranchen hadn’t truly been worried about her, Xu Lin would never have entered the scene.
Xi Ranchen snorted coldly. “So you know you took a risk? This feather of yours—if I’m not mistaken, you got it from the Luo Xu Mountains?”
“…”
Yang Yao said nothing, merely lowering her head.
The Nirvana Feather sounded extraordinary, but it was merely a remnant from the outer area, utterly insignificant compared to things at deeper levels.
Yang Yao had initially thought she could rely on her past-life memories to snatch the fortuitous encounter first, but she later discovered she’d been overthinking it.
The things inside had never been taken by anyone because the time wasn’t right yet—outsiders couldn’t enter.
Seeing her like this, Xi Ranchen didn’t want to say much more. She waved the Nirvana Feather back to Yang Yao, then said, “Come up here. Take a look at this.”
Hearing this, Yang Yao composed herself and slowly walked up.
When she looked at the blueprints on the stone table, she wasn’t particularly surprised, but she still waited for Xi Ranchen to continue.
“Not long ago, the spiritual energy in the Luo Xu Mountains leaked outward, and the energy patterns shifted.”
Xi Ranchen looked back at the spiritual energy markings above. “According to legend, there’s an Ancient Demon Court site there. From the looks of it, something extraordinary is about to emerge. Not only are the Demon Sects paying attention this time, but those Righteous Path Sects are also stirring restlessly.”
“However, us old fogies above the Life and Death Realm have already consolidated our own laws and are easily rejected by it, so we cannot enter.”
Yang Yao nodded, her expression solemn, looking like she was listening attentively.
How could she not know about this? In her previous life, it was at the Ancient Demon Court site where that person, with Xu Lin’s help, obtained the secret art that made her peers unable to match her.
“That place is a den of mixed characters right now, yet you dare to go alone.”
Xi Ranchen sneered, laughing at Yang Yao for not knowing her limits.
Even they, the old fogies, needed to discuss strategy and plans, yet Yang Yao dared to go by herself.
Never mind that the Righteous Path Sects hadn’t made a move yet—but those rogue cultivators and villains were another story. Those people were completely reckless, unbound by any sect’s rules.
Yang Yao’s previous injuries were most likely related to those people.
“To still come back with gains, I can only say you’re incredibly lucky. And to even hide it from me—your wings have grown quite strong.”
Yang Yao had probably been attacked and severely injured because she’d obtained the Nirvana Feather, yet she’d never told her about it.
She’d even secretly refined it after returning, as if specifically to catch those Saints and Saintesses off guard.
Xi Ranchen didn’t know whether to admire Yang Yao or say she was hiding things too deeply.
“This disciple wouldn’t dare. At the time, it was only initial refinement, and I didn’t want to overly trouble Master.”
Yang Yao remained respectful, not daring to slack off in the slightest.
“Forget it. What’s past is past.”
Xi Ranchen knew arguing further was pointless and couldn’t be bothered to pursue it. “This time, we old fogies discussed it and unanimously agreed to let you younger generation disciples head there along with sect disciples. On one hand, it’s for training; on the other, it ensures mutual safety.”
That Grand Tournament really did let these young ones understand each other’s strength.
After a pause, Xi Ranchen suddenly shifted the topic. “Bring that boy along too.”
Hearing this, Yang Yao’s expression shifted slightly but immediately regained control.
“Master, what do you mean by this?”
If Xu Lin were to go to the Luo Xu Mountains again, even though he was already under the Sunset Sect’s control, Yang Yao still worried there might be variables.
“Those eyes of his might prove very useful.”
Noticing Yang Yao’s subtle expression change, Xi Ranchen continued, “No need to worry about that boy pulling any tricks. Even there, my restrictions on him still hold.”
The Spirit Void True Eyes could see things ordinary people couldn’t. As long as she made good use of that guy, Xi Ranchen felt they might find something more special more easily than others.