"Fairy Hongfu, this is a little trinket we happened to acquire. Thinking it somewhat interesting, we specially came to present it for your appreciation."
Two young men, faces wearing obsequious smiles, respectfully offered up a small wooden box.
A maidservant took the box and walked back, delivering it to the woman in red.
Hongfu sat in her chair and glanced at the small wooden box.
The maidservant understood her meaning and opened the box. Inside was a chubby little wooden chick.
Hongfu asked, "What is this?"
The two men stepped forward to demonstrate. One of them fed a strand of hair to the chick and spoke a sentence. Despite its plump build, the wooden chick fluttered its wings and flew to the other man, faithfully relaying the message it had received word for word.
A maidservant remarked, "Isn't this just like a message talisman? What's so special about it?"
The slightly taller man said, "You are mistaken, miss. Message talismans require both parties to carry matching talisman paper to communicate. But this wooden chick, with just a strand of someone's hair, can locate that person within a hundred-mile radius and then deliver the message."
The slightly shorter man added, "So, this wooden chick not only transmits messages but can also track people."
The two maidservants exchanged glances, beginning to vaguely grasp the value of this little object.
Hongfu also grew somewhat interested. She extended her hand, and the wooden chick flew onto her palm. She asked, "What is this thing called?"
One man replied, "This object is named the Seeking Caller Chick."
Hongfu said, "The name is rather fitting."
Though she wore a veil, concealing her features, Fairy Hongfu's skin was like ice and jade. A section of her fair wrist, flawless and unblemished, lightly emerged from her wide sleeve. Her eyes, visible above the veil, shimmered with a light like autumn waters when her gaze shifted. When her long lashes trembled slightly, they carried an air of ethereal detachment from the mortal world.
Others who saw her felt that even without seeing her full appearance, this glimpse of her immortal grace was enough to captivate the three realms.
The two men couldn't help but let their minds wander. But when Hongfu's gaze swept over them, their spirits jolted, and they hurriedly lowered their heads, not daring to look further.
Hongfu, relatively pleased with the gift, had a maidservant put away the Seeking Caller Chick. She asked lazily, "Speak, then. What is your request?"
The two men hastily said:
"We are of lowly status and dare not presume to ask anything of the Fairy."
"It's just that we are no longer young, and our cultivation has stagnated due to lacking a sect."
"We heard that the Blazing Flame Peak is soon accepting disciples, but without a recommendation, we don't even have the qualification to ascend the peak."
Together, they wore expressions of difficulty, looking pitifully at the immortal before them.
Hongfu laughed softly. "Ascending Blazing Flame Peak is not difficult. But whether you will be chosen... that can only depend on your fortune."
A maidservant took out two rings and placed them in the men's hands. These served as tokens to ascend Blazing Flame Peak.
Overjoyed, the men held the tokens in their hands, thanking her profusely. Not daring to overstay their welcome or disturb the unpredictable Fairy Hongfu, after a thousand expressions of gratitude they hurried to leave. On their way out, they nearly bumped into a young Taoist priest.
Hongfu was temporarily staying at an inn, which was no secret. Many minor cultivators sought to curry favor for a benefit or two. However, this Taoist priest was different.
"Disciple Yue Qingfeng of Mount Chongyang, pays his respects to Aunt-Master Hongfu."
Blazing Flame Peak and Mount Chongyang had long maintained friendly relations. As Hongfu was of the same generation as Yue Qingfeng's master, it was appropriate for him to address her as Aunt-Master.
Yue Qingfeng bowed his head and said, "My master heard that Aunt-Master Hongfu has come to apprehend Elder Longsword. He specially ordered this disciple to come and assist. Years ago, in the Void Secret Realm, Elder Longsword killed my Third Uncle-Master and Fifth Uncle-Master. The enmity between Mount Chongyang and him is irreconcilable; we are determined to use his blood to honor the departed of our mountain."
Hongfu looked the young Taoist up and down. "Young as you are, your cultivation is quite commendable, outstanding among your generation. Mount Chongyang sending you shows consideration. Follow me these next few days. Once we find Old Man Longsword, I'll let you take his head back to report your mission."
Yue Qingfeng cupped his hands in thanks and added, "Aunt-Master, this disciple has discovered someone using humans to refine demonic beasts. There may be a demonic cultivator in this town."
Hongfu propped her head on one hand, closed her eyes as if dozing, and said dismissively, "A mere demonic cultivator, hiding head and tail, nothing but a clownish troublemaker. Not worth fearing."
Hearing this, Yue Qingfeng said no more and withdrew from the room along with the two maidservants.
Hongfu closed her eyes, her mind emptying, yet she couldn't help but recall that day two hundred years ago.
The Void Secret Realm only opened after accumulating sufficient heavenly and earthly opportunities. It contained countless rare treasures. Even the most ordinary plant or flower obtained from within could be refined into a life-extending elixir.
Thus, the opening of the Void Secret Realm also signaled the start of a slaughtering ground.
Hongfu, being one of the few powerful figures, naturally became the target of attacks by those still alive. Her power was transcendent; she held them in little regard. She fought her way deep into the secret realm. Seeing a protective formation activated inside a cave there, she surmised it must contain a peerless treasure.
It was then that her own uncle-master, Elder Longsword, appeared.
Hongfu had not anticipated Elder Longsword's sneak attack. Severely wounded and about to fall off a cliff, it was a man in blue who timely grabbed her hand and saved her life.
Proud and aloof, looking down on all, when had Hongfu ever needed saving by others?
She only remembered the man's face as utterly ordinary, completely unmemorable. Yet when he pulled her close, a breeze blew, and she met his pair of dark eyes.
Strangely, it was precisely because of that one glance that she inexplicably remembered him.
Together, they fought Old Man Longsword until he fled on his sword. Hongfu, gravely injured, was about to collapse when the man supported her once more.
This man was different from others. Hongfu sensed no desire for her in him. He was not one of her admirers, which instead made her feel subtly unsettled.
"What is your name? You helped me. Whether it's magical treasures, secret manuals, or divine pills and miraculous medicines, I can offer them as thanks."
The man said nothing.
Hongfu felt a flicker of anger.
But in the blink of an eye, the man grabbed her arm and threw her into the protective formation.
Before Hongfu could react, the man, using her as a meat shield against the formation's attacks, slipped into the cave like a wisp of smoke.
That day, Hongfu was covered in wounds and had to rely on a secret art, sacrificing a century of cultivation, to preserve her life.
Hongfu's hand clenched tighter and tighter. Finally, she opened her blood-red eyes, shattered the fine wooden table, a fierce aura appearing between her brows. She gritted her teeth.
"No matter the ends of the earth, I will definitely kill you!"
A young man's sudden cough broke the quiet atmosphere.
Murǎn was squatting in the courtyard, idly teasing a little crucian carp in a water vat with a picked-up twig. Hearing the noise, she turned her head. "Jinzhi, are you sick?"
Cangshu Bai finished hanging the clean clothes. "I'm fine."
Mu Ran had already darted over, standing on tiptoe to feel his forehead. Not detecting any fever, she quickly took out a handkerchief, dried Cang Shubai's still-damp hands, and muttered with her head lowered.
"These next few days, you shouldn't be working in the water. I'll handle the household chores."
"These next few days, you shouldn't be in the water either."
"Why can't I be in the water?"
Cang Shubai said, "It's almost time for your monthly cycle."
Mu Ran was taken aback. "Is it that soon already? I'd completely forgotten."
Cang Shubai tapped her forehead with his finger. "No cold drinks these days, so you won't be crying out in pain again when it comes."
Mu Ran gave an "Oh," feeling a bit embarrassed.
It seemed he understood the rhythms of her body far better than she did herself.
