Witch God Abyss (Lily) - Chapter 3

Wen Li observed the chaotic fight among the three girls.

Li Mushang seemed to be watching from below without acting, but she occasionally struck from the shadows.

When Shen Yuan was at a disadvantage, she helped Shen Yuan.

When Fu Fengli suffered a loss, she ambushed Shen Yuan, balancing the entire battle.

Wen Li watched and couldn’t tell who Li Mushang was helping, so he simply stopped looking.

Wen Li bowed and asked, “How will Your Majesty decide on the crown princess?”

“I asked them a question. Whoever answers best will be named crown princess.”

“Just one question?”

“Yes, seven days from now, they’ll enter the palace, study under the Grand Tutor for a year, then answer. Now, tell them to stop fighting and return to their residences with the princesses. My eyes are dizzy from watching. Court dismissed!”

Long Qianshan finished, waved his hand, and the guards and palace servants escorted Emperor Shuo Xuan away.

Wen Li bowed.

Wen Li shouted, “Stop fighting. Come down.”

Fu Fengli was visibly exhausted, but seeing her white phoenix on the ground, she attacked Shen Yuan again.

Seeing they didn’t listen, Wen Li acted.

Blue mist formed ropes, binding Fu Fengli and Shen Yuan from the air.

Li Mushang stopped, knelt, and bowed.

The falcon in the air screeched and flew off.

Fu Fengli, bound and unable to move, still cursed, “Since I was three, I trained with my white phoenix. I’ll definitely avenge her!”

Shen Yuan retorted, “Are you bullying me for being young and ignorant? Who doesn’t know phoenixes, phoenix-like birds, luan birds, and double-eyed birds can be reborn in fire? She can revive, so how can you say she’s dead?”

Fu Fengli had only heard from her master that phoenixes could be reborn but had never seen it. In her earlier panic, she threatened Shen Yuan.

Though exposed, she still said, “That’s just a legend. Have you seen it? Who knows if the reborn phoenix is still my original white phoenix?!”

Wen Li scolded, “Stop arguing.”

Fu Fengli opened her mouth to retort but found herself silenced, only able to glare angrily at Shen Yuan.

Seeing this, Shen Yuan, afraid of being punished, pressed her lips shut, signaling she’d say no more.

Wen Li walked to the white phoenix, extended his hand, and an array formed beneath it.

A red flame shot into the sky.

The flames gradually weakened.

When they extinguished, a pink fledgling appeared, featherless.

The array shifted.

The fledgling stood, white feathers growing layer by layer, covering its body, though it didn’t grow much larger.

Wen Li stopped the array.

“For now, I’ve restored her to this state. More, and I fear she couldn’t handle it.”

Wen Li crouched, extended his hand, and the phoenix perched on it.

“The phoenix is a benevolent bird, adept at long-distance flight and carrying weight. Its tears heal wounds, and its feathers, used in medicine, detoxify. Choosing her as a mount for training was correct. But she’s not skilled in combat. Against a strong enemy or an attack-type mount, she’s at a disadvantage.”

Wen Li walked to Fu Fengli, placed the phoenix on her shoulder.

“Take her to Jingtan. With her magic, I think one hundred eighty days should restore the white phoenix fully. Phoenixes reborn in fire retain their memories. Don’t worry.”

In the hall, the three princesses emerged.

Wen Li said, “Return to your residences.”

Guards, palace servants, and maids escorted them out.

Zhongdu Hengjing, east side, Prince Duan’s Mansion.

Zhao Beijin followed her mother, Duan Zeyu, to the study.

Fu Fengli rushed to the back courtyard to find her master, Jingtan.

Jingtan, the Reclusive One, dressed in white, was meditating in her room.

Hearing Fu Fengli rush in, she frowned.

“Why so frantic? Can’t you be more composed?”

Fu Fengli knelt before her master, pointed to her mouth, then to the white phoenix on her shoulder.

Jingtan extended her right index finger from Fu Fengli’s mouth to her throat.

“So it was at the assembly. That cunning Wen Li!”

“Master, that wild girl Shen Yuan, of unknown origin, summoned a falcon and injured my white phoenix!” Fu Fengli, able to speak, immediately complained.

“Lower your voice!” Jingtan took the white phoenix and placed it in an array nearby.

“She’s just some wild girl from who-knows-where, parents unknown. How can she compare to our Zhongdu’s prestigious sects?”

“You dare say that? Didn’t you lose today?”

“She ambushed my white phoenix!”

“Since it was an open competition, how was it an ambush?”

“Master, she cheated. That falcon wasn’t a divine or demonic beast, not her mount. I heard from my Senior Brother that Divine Sect disciples don’t choose mounts, so I was careless and summoned the white phoenix.”

“Go see Princess Jin first. She enters the palace in seven days. After she does, I’ll punish you.”

“But, Master…”

“Go.”

“Oh…”

Zhongdu Hengjing, west side, Princess Demao’s Mansion, Zhou Yizhi’s room.

Shen Yuan looked at the scroll on the small table, the question Zhou Yizhi brought from the palace.

“Sister Yuan, I don’t want to enter the palace. I don’t want to be crown princess. I don’t want the empire.”

Shen Yuan looked out the window.

“Sigh, I don’t like Zhongdu either. It’s restrictive. Wubei was better, so free.”

“Can we find a way to run away?”

Zhou Yizhi held Shen Yuan’s hand, whining.

“There are plenty of ways.”

Shen Yuan actually considered it, then said, “But Princess, if Lady Huiyi finds out… she’d skin you alive.”

…

Outside, two maids pushed the door open, and an old woman’s voice said, “Where are you planning to run?” It was Zhou Yizhi’s grandmother, named Huiyi.

Zhou Yizhi immediately knelt. “Grandmother, we weren’t planning to go anywhere.”

Shen Yuan bowed. “Lady Huiyi.”

“You, leave,” Lady Huiyi said.

“Yes.”

Shen Yuan lowered her head and backed out of the room.

Huiyi waited until Shen Yuan left, had the maids close the door, then sat.

With a wave, a young maid brought a lacquered tray with a medicine bowl and walked to Zhou Yizhi.

Huiyi said coldly, “Your medicine for today.”

Zhou Yizhi stood, took the bowl, and drank obediently.

Huiyi, still cold, continued, “I’ve requested His Majesty’s permission for you to bring two personal maids into the palace. Banzhi and Linhua are already listed as palace maids. I’ll send someone to deliver your medicine on time. Take it as scheduled.”

“Yes.”

“If I find out you secretly stop taking it…”

Zhou Yizhi knelt immediately.

“Yizhi wouldn’t dare.”

“Good. These days, don’t play wildly with Shen Yuan. Memorize palace etiquette and the relationships of the noble families. I’ll check daily. Don’t embarrass me in the palace.”

“Yes.”

Huiyi’s expression softened.

“When you’re sixteen, your condition will stabilize, and you won’t need the medicine. Bear with it for now.”

“Yes.”

Shen Yuan didn’t leave after exiting. Instead, she climbed onto the roof.

Zhou Yizhi took medicine daily. It wasn’t a secret, but no one knew what it was.

Shen Yuan had once asked her master, Wen Li, “Yizhi seems fine. Why does she take medicine?”

Wen Li said, “I checked Princess Zhou’s pulse. There’s nothing unusual. Her pulse is steady, her qi and bl00d robust. It’s probably just a mild tonic to strengthen her foundation.”

Shen Yuan thought, “True, what grandmother would harm her own granddaughter?”

On the roof, Shen Yuan suddenly sensed something off behind her. Without thinking, she turned and unleashed dozens of ice blades.

The blades vanished in midair.

As Shen Yuan prepared to attack again, she heard, “Such a rude little girl. Is this how your master Wen Li taught you?”

Shen Yuan didn’t recognize the voice.

The other party didn’t reveal themselves or attack.

Shen Yuan, undaunted, said sharply, “You sneak onto roofs instead of using the gate. What’s your intent?”

A woman in white landed lightly before Shen Yuan, sizing her up.

“Quick reflexes, though.”

“Who are you?”

Shen Yuan held a spell gesture, ready to defend.

From the courtyard, Wen Li said, “Jingtan, why tease a young girl?”

Jingtan tapped her foot and landed in the courtyard.

“My white phoenix suffered for nothing. I waited at the prince’s mansion for the National Master to apologize, but since you didn’t come, I had to visit myself.”

“Visiting by climbing roofs isn’t proper, is it?”

“As a sect leader who rides the wind, I naturally land on roofs. Should I ride a horse or sedan like a common mortal?”

Shen Yuan, hearing this, felt inexplicably annoyed, cursing inwardly, “This old hag is mocking me and Master for riding horses into the city!”

Wen Li seemed unfazed, his expression calm, gesturing to the side.

“Jingtan, the Reclusive One, this way, please.”

Shen Yuan made a face at Jingtan’s back.

“Hmph, so much for Zhongdu’s prestigious sects. Just here to spy. If you can come, so can I.”

With that, Shen Yuan leapt across rooftops toward Prince Duan’s Mansion.

…

After leaving Jingtan’s room, Fu Fengli waited in the small courtyard where she and Princess Jin trained.

After a while, Zhao Beijin emerged from the study, still in her red court robe from the palace.

“Princess Jin,” Fu Fengli bowed.

“I heard about your white phoenix’s injury. What did Jingtan, the Reclusive One, say?”

“Master said it’ll take one hundred and eighty days to recover.”

“This Shen Yuan is too arrogant!” Zhao Beijin said, pulling an arrow from the quiver on the weapon rack. The arrow shaft had a vermilion spell, with words below: “This arrow, once shot, never misses, above or below.”

Zhao Beijin took a bow, nocked the arrow, drew it fully, and shot into the sky.

Shen Yuan, landing on a nearby roof, heard Zhao Beijin call her “arrogant.”

Thinking she’d been spotted, she nearly attacked.

But the arrow, just released, vanished.

In a snap, it pierced a pigeon and fell at Zhao Beijin’s feet.

She picked up the pigeon, tossed it aside, and said, “Next time, I’ll avenge your white phoenix.” She handed the arrow to a servant. “Clean the bl00d. Put it back in the quiver.”

“Yes.”

Fu Fengli praised, “Princess Jin’s spell mastery surpasses mine now.”

Zhao Beijin, sixteen and slightly taller, looked at Fu Fengli.

“Don’t belittle yourself. This spell doesn’t require core formation, so I only know the ‘Arrow Never Misses’ move.”

“But even with this move, I can’t hit a target without seeing it.”

“You only need to have seen the target in your mind. It doesn’t need to be in your sight when you shoot.”

“Thank you, Princess, for the guidance.”

“Fengli,” Zhao Beijin held Fu Fengli’s shoulders, saying earnestly, “Though I’m from the previous emperor’s concubine line, with no legitimate heirs, our family is the true line. I’ll enter the palace for a year and can’t take you. This year, train hard and help me reclaim the empire.”

“Princess Jin, don’t worry. I’ll definitely surpass that wild girl Shen Yuan.”

“Come, let’s talk in the study.”

Shen Yuan, lying on the roof, thought Zhao Beijin was too ruthless but wished her delicate Zhou Yizhi had a third of her boldness.

As the two left the courtyard, Shen Yuan landed lightly, stole an arrow with a spell from the quiver, and ran back.

She’d never heard of the “Arrow Never Misses” move and needed to ask her master.

Shen Yuan leapt across rooftops back to the princess’s mansion.

Her master’s room was empty, so she squatted on his roof to wait.

The falcon swooped from somewhere, its piercing cry breaking through the clouds.