The Glory After Rebirth

552 - 554

C552 Spin-Off: A Journey to the South Ocean (10) - Bizarre Snakes and Dead Bodies

The path leading down to the bottom of the valley was rough. Around the edge of the valley floor was a dried-up river bed, which indicated that there used to be a river flowing around the valley floor.

After traveling across the dried-up river bed and through the area strewn with twisty boulders, they reached a large wood consisting of thick-trunked, deep-rooted, withered trees, all of which had long since died, but the trunks of which were still tenaciously erect.

"They look like phoenix trees, don't they?" Yuwen Jin walked up to a trunk, scrutinized it and then cut off a branch with his sword. "Eek? This is weird. It seems I'm mistaken."

"These are indeed phoenix trees, but they're slightly different from the ones we normally see in our country," said Ji Yanlai, a thoughtful look on his face.

On hearing the words "phoenix trees", Ling Zhang recalled that giant phoenix tree he and Yuwen Tong had seen on the lake island in the Millennium Pavilion in Sanguan Mountains. He had never seen a phoenix tree as impressive as that one ever since.

And now, standing in front of a large wood full of scorched phoenix trees, Ling Zhang was somewhat confused as he heard those words of Ji Yanlai's. "You mean there are different species of phoenix trees?"

Ji Yanlai inclined his head and opened his mouth to speak but, having misgivings about explaining the matter in the presence of outsiders, closed it again.

Ling Zhang was astonished as he noticed it. Even this was supposed to be kept a secret?

"Let's keep moving, and do not drop your guard," said Yuwen Tong.

They resumed the trip into the valley. When no one was watching, Ji Yanlai said to Ling Zhang, "These phoenix trees are of the same species as the one in Sanguan Mountains, the kind that, as rumor has it, phoenixes are attracted to."

Amazed, Ling Zhang looked at the large area of phoenix trees and asked, "Was there a particular reason why people planted so many of them in this place?"

In fact what Ling Zhang wanted to ask was whether or not this had anything to do with the Millennium Pavilion or the Ji family.

Ji Yanlai, who knew what he meant, shook his head and replied, "I don't know that either, but I think there wasn't. At least I've never heard of a place like this before."

Ling Zhang, face thoughtful, looked at Yuwen Tong, who said in a low voice, "I believe we'll find some clues in the city."

Though Ji Yanlai said that he had never heard of it before, both Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong felt that there was a high chance this place had something to do with the Ji family – or with the Blood of the Phoenix Clan coursing through their veins, to be precise, because why else would Ji Yanlai's father come to a place with so many phoenix trees and refuse to leave after having lingered here for such a long time?

They began trudging through the wood, Yuwen Jin vigilantly looking around, his hand on the hilt of his saber.

The wood was very quiet, but though the path was rough, they had not encountered any danger so far.

...

"Watch out!" There was a sudden commotion at the front.

It turned out that a snake came out of nowhere launching itself at Yuwen Jin. A guard of the Millennium Pavilion, walking side by side with Yuwen Jin, quickly pulled him aside and cut off the head of the snake with his sword, saving Yuwen Jin from the fate of being bitten.