Chapter 51: She’s Done with the Scumbag Ex-husband 11

Chapter 51: Chapter 51: She’s Done with the Scumbag Ex-husband 11

With this in mind, Xu Yang began to formulate a plan.

The rank of the Yellow Phoenix Ji Huadan had given birth to was far too low. It would be difficult to convince anyone with a phoenix of that level.

He was a Red Phoenix. If he and Ji Huadan had a few more children, perhaps they could produce one of a higher rank.

His demands weren’t high—a single Red Phoenix would be enough.

「Songyu Palace」

Ji Xiaosong was playing with Feng Fan Yin when Feng Cangwu returned from Phoenix Splendor Hall.

"Fan Yin’s sudden hatching today felt suspicious, so I went back to investigate. I never expected to find the aura of the Demon Clan."

"The Demon Clan?"

Ji Xiaosong was alarmed. The Phoenix Clan had always defended its territory with utmost vigilance. For over a thousand years, there had been no sign of the Demon Clan’s influence. ’Why would they appear now, of all times, during Feng Fan Yin’s debut banquet?’

"Yes. And considering the first thing Fan Yin did after hatching was peck Ji Huadan, I decided to look into it."

"This is a grave matter. If the Demon Clan has truly infiltrated, they certainly have sinister intentions. Cangwu, if you go, you must be careful!"

Feng Cangwu gently pulled Ji Xiaosong into his embrace and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Song," he said softly, "don’t worry too much. I can protect myself, and I will get to the bottom of this."

The tender atmosphere was broken when Feng Fan Yin suddenly struggled free, flew up, and started pecking vigorously at Feng Cangwu’s face.

Her little, beady eyes were puffed up with indignation, as if someone had stolen her most precious treasure.

"Go on. Our daughter is rushing you."

A helpless but doting smile spread across Feng Cangwu’s face as he looked at Feng Fan Yin.

’His daughter certainly had a temper.’

’But that was a good thing. As his daughter, Feng Cangwu’s daughter, she couldn’t be a spineless weakling.’

With a flash of golden light, Feng Cangwu’s figure vanished.

He reappeared, concealed behind Ji Huadan.

Ji Huadan was sunbathing in the Parasol Tree Forest. One palace servant carefully fanned her while another held pieces of sliced Spirit Fruit to her lips.

In the distance, two other palace servants were digging a pit, though for what purpose was unclear.

Ji Huadan’s eyes were narrowed as she grumbled, "Xu Yang sent more trinkets to curry favor just now. How dull. As if I need any of his little things."

"You’re right, Madam," a palace servant chimed in.

Suddenly, a palace servant approached, walking slowly with their head bowed, not daring to make a single sound.

"Madam, Elder Xu has sent a messenger. He invites you to dine with him at Sunrise Pavilion tonight."

Ji Huadan frowned. "Hmph," she said impatiently, "what sort of trick is he playing now?"

The palace servant beside her quickly tried to placate her. "Perhaps Elder Xu wishes to smooth things over with you, Madam, and offer an apology."

Hearing this, Ji Huadan chuckled, her mood improving slightly.

"Would he be so kind? Still, it won’t hurt to go. I’ll see what he’s got up his sleeve."

Now that Ji Huadan had agreed, the palace servant bowed and took their leave, departing so quickly it was as if another moment in her presence would be fatal.

"Is the pit ready?"

Ji Huadan asked nonchalantly.

The palace servant fanning her suddenly began to tremble like a leaf, her head bowed in silence.

Though her own hand was trembling, the servant feeding her the Spirit Fruit glanced over at the ones digging the pit.

"M-Madam... they’ve finished digging."

"Then bury them."

Feng Cangwu watched from the side, a look of confusion on his face.

’They all possessed cultivation. As members of the Phoenix Clan, they could have dug a pit with a single Spell, yet Ji Huadan insisted the palace servants use hoes.’

’Who, or what, was this pit for?’

Soon, Feng Cangwu found out.

A phoenix was dragged forward, so covered in blood that their features were unrecognizable. Ji Huadan shot them a look of disgust before ordering the palace servants to throw them into the pit.

Feng Cangwu swept his Divine Sense over them and discovered that the blood-soaked phoenix was still breathing.

’Buried alive?’

’What kind of depraved monster would do such a thing?’

Feng Cangwu discreetly formed a hand seal, rescuing the bloodied phoenix. He then cast a Blinding Technique to make Ji Huadan believe they had been buried.

’From what he knew of the Phoenix King and Queen Phoenix, they would never permit Ji Huadan to act so cruelly.’

’Whether one was part of the Royal Family or not, there was no reason to treat an ordinary clan member like this.’

’They weren’t just subjects; they were kin.’

So for Ji Huadan to get away with this, she clearly had a talent for deceiving everyone.

Feng Cangwu wrapped the blood-soaked, featherless phoenix in a Parasol Leaf, infusing her with a bit of Spiritual Power to sustain her.

’There was something wrong with Ji Huadan. This phoenix she’d tried to bury alive could become a key witness.’

Feng Cangwu did not leave. Instead, he began to probe Ji Huadan’s Divine Sense.

But no matter how he searched, he found no trace of Demonic Qi within it.

’Was he wrong?’

After some thought, Feng Cangwu decided to take the injured phoenix to Ji Xiaosong first.

*

When Ji Xiaosong saw the blood-soaked, featherless phoenix Feng Cangwu brought back, her brow furrowed.

"Was this Ji Huadan’s doing?"

"How did you know?"

’Could she tell him it was a memory from her predecessor’s past life?’

’Ji Xiaosong had been wondering how to find some leverage on her, and now it had fallen right into her lap.’

’Her predecessor knew Ji Huadan had done this before, but no one had ever found proof.’

"It was just a guess. But regardless, we must tell Father and Mother about this. For now, though, the most important thing is to get a physician to treat her. We have to ensure her survival before we can handle the rest of this properly."

"You’re right, Song. Saving her comes first."

Ji Xiaosong had a palace servant summon a physician, then went with Feng Cangwu to Phoenix Splendor Hall.

"Father, Mother, Song has an important matter to discuss."

The Phoenix King and Queen Phoenix exchanged a glance. "Come in," said the Phoenix King.

Ji Xiaosong and Feng Cangwu entered the hall and bowed. Then, Ji Xiaosong recounted in detail how Ji Huadan had buried a wounded clan member alive.

"She did what?" The Queen Phoenix’s brow furrowed in shock. "How could Huadan be so audacious!"

She had always found it strange how palace servants would frequently disappear from Ji Huadan’s residence. But Ji Huadan always had an excuse, and the Phoenix King had told her not to meddle, so she never interfered.

Now she realized the horrifying truth: those palace servants hadn’t run away. They had been buried alive.

"Mother, it’s the absolute truth. I was thinking, if Ji Huadan is in the habit of digging pits to bury people alive near her residence, then the palaces she lived in before must also contain skeletal remains. We just need to search her former residences carefully. We might find something."

The Phoenix King’s expression grew darker. He truly hadn’t expected his trust in his niece to have cost so many lives.

’Palace servants are our people, too. They are lives!’

"Very well. We’ll go and see for ourselves."