Chapter 619: Goading the Bird

Chapter 619: Chapter 619: Goading the Bird

Shen Ningning looked at it, confused. "A lot like me? What does that mean? Are you talking about appearances?"

’Could it be that Mother fed it before?’

Hei Diao snorted. "Not appearances, but ability. You were able to find me because you’re good at communicating with animals. The food you people give has special abilities. I learned to speak human language precisely because I ate what *he* gave me."

Shen Ningning and Mo Lingwei were both stunned.

’There’s a second person here with the same ability as Shen Ningning?’

"Who is he? What’s his name? Where is he?" Shen Ningning fired off a series of questions, but Hei Diao was unwilling to say more.

It folded its wings. "I can’t help you. Tianshan Mountain is crawling with guards armed with crossbows right now. You’d better find someone more capable. And stop bothering my second aunt."

As it spoke, it glanced toward the window. From the looks of it, it was preparing to fly away.

Shen Ningning said hurriedly, "With your skills, taking me to Tianshan Mountain would be effortless for you."

Hei Diao raised its head proudly. "I will never help a human!"

"Are you scared?" Mo Lingwei suddenly asked.

Hei Diao hopped twice in anger. Its massive, dark silhouette spread its wings, filled with fury.

"Ridiculous! I, this king, would be scared? Among all the birds, you won’t find an opponent more formidable than this king. Even humans often become souls under my talons. I can come and go as I please. For instance, I got into your little Ren Mansion just fine, didn’t I?"

Mo Lingwei crossed his arms, his gaze cold. "You’ve said so much, but you still can’t help her, can you? I think you’re scared. The person you mentioned, the one who raised you—he won’t allow you to help us, right?"

"He did not raise me!" Hei Diao was completely enraged now, swooping down with a flurry of its wings.

Shen Ningning jumped in fright, afraid it would hurt Mo Lingwei. She was about to step between them, but Mo Lingwei unexpectedly pulled her behind him.

He tapped her palm. This was a silent understanding between them.

He was telling her that he was provoking Hei Diao on purpose.

Shen Ningning bit her lower lip and listened to them speak quietly.

Hei Diao, like a small mountain, paced back and forth in front of Mo Lingwei.

"You have an arrogant tone. You’re also the first person who’s dared to speak to this king like that. Don’t think that just because you’re the Crown Prince of Cangyun Country, this king wouldn’t dare to eat you. Even if the Emperor himself came, if he angered this king, I’d eat him all the same!"

Mo Lingwei wasn’t the least bit afraid. He didn’t even back down.

His cool eyes just stared at the pacing Hei Diao, and then he coldly stated what he believed to be a fact.

"You are scared. You’re unwilling to help because you’re afraid of angering your former master."

"Bullshit!" Hei Diao spread its wings and shrieked at Mo Lingwei.

Its voice was so loud that Shen Ningning was afraid it would attract the maids resting in the side courtyard.

In its anger, Hei Diao blurted out, "That guy is so old now he can barely walk! Me, afraid of him? Hah! Ridiculous! Back then, for his own goals, he didn’t hesitate to use me as a trap, injuring my left talon in an explosion. If he appeared before this king now, I would peck his heart to shreds!"

Mo Lingwei said coldly, "You are scared. You’re just saying all this to cover up the truth."

"I’m not scared!"

"If you’re not scared, then help us. After it’s done, I am the Crown Prince. I will help you get this revenge."

"Deal!" Hei Diao flapped its wings angrily. "I’ll prove to you with my strength that I’m not afraid of him at all!"

At this moment, Shen Ningning peeked out from behind Mo Lingwei, blinking her bright, round eyes. "You agreed?"

Only then did Hei Diao react. "Agreed to what? Oh, damn it..."

It looked at Mo Lingwei, realizing it had fallen into a trap.

"Cunning human! A goading tactic!"

"It is a goading tactic," Mo Lingwei said quite calmly, enduring Hei Diao’s roar. "Then again, you can’t really call it a ’tactic’ against you. You are, after all, just an eagle."

Hei Diao angrily cursed at him, "This king has already agreed to your request! You are not allowed to speak to this king in that contemptuous tone anymore!"

’This person is so annoying.’

Shen Ningning pulled Mo Lingwei behind her. Now it was her turn to communicate.

The young girl’s smile was gentle and bright. "So, when will you take me to Tianshan Mountain? Is it now?"

"If so, you’ll have to make two trips. I’m going too," Mo Lingwei reminded it.

Hei Diao nearly fell over backward. "Taking one person through the layers of soldiers on Tianshan Mountain, while also dodging flying arrows, is already difficult enough, and you want to go too? I can only take one person."

Mo Lingwei clicked his tongue. "So your abilities aren’t up to snuff."

"Who dares say I’m not up to it! Fine, this king will take both of you to Tianshan Mountain, one after the other. I’ll let you see what the king of the Divine Mountain truly is!"

Shen Ningning could see it now. Having been the Crown Prince for so many years, Mo Lingwei was a master of psychological manipulation.

And Hei Diao, with its immense pride, was being played perfectly by Mo Lingwei.

’Sigh, even though it gained intelligence and can talk, its brain is still the size of a bird’s.’

Hei Diao said coolly, "I need to go back and prepare. I’ll come back in two days to take you."

"What else do you need to prepare?"

"There are many routes up the mountain, but they’re all guarded. No matter where I fly out from, arrows will be shot at me. This king has no desire to die with people like you, so I need to scout the routes in advance to figure out how to fly you safely to the cliffs of Tianshan Mountain."

The Snow Lotus grew on the most treacherous cliffs, impossible to reach by human effort alone. Shen Ningning trusted Hei Diao completely.

She nodded and offered a word of praise. "You are the king of the Divine Mountain. Entrusting this matter to you is definitely the right choice."

Hei Diao huffed. "You, at least, speak much more pleasantly than that scowling brat. Open the window. This king is leaving."

Shen Ningning opened the window for it. Before flying away, Hei Diao glanced back at Shen Ningning. "You really don’t know him?"

This "him," without Shen Ningning even needing to ask, was clearly the former master Hei Diao had mentioned—the one who had helped it learn to speak.

Shen Ningning shook her head. "I really don’t. I thought that in this whole world, only my Spiritual Spring Water could make animals talk, and that only I could understand them. I never expected there to be a second person with such strange abilities. Speaking of which, what’s his name? Can you tell me?"

Hei Diao didn’t answer, merely gazing out into the deep night.

"I’ve forgotten his name, too. But let me give you a piece of advice: he’s a ruthless person. You’d best not get involved with him."

After speaking, Hei Diao spread its wings and, like a fierce gust of wind, flew off with a WHOOSH.

Shen Ningning and Mo Lingwei stood at the window, looking up at the sky. Hei Diao’s silhouette was like a drop of ink against the moonlight, until it vanished from sight.

A Hidden Guard appeared at the window at the right moment. "Your Highness, should we have our men pursue it?"

"No need. You probably couldn’t catch it anyway," Mo Lingwei said, calm and composed. "No one was eavesdropping outside just now, were they?"

The Hidden Guard shook his head. "When we detected Hei Diao entering the room and realized how loud it was, we released knockout incense in the side rooms."

"Good. You may withdraw. For now, there’s no need to track that eagle." After speaking, Mo Lingwei closed the window.

Shen Ningning blinked at him. "No wonder you were so calm and collected. So you knew all along there were Hidden Guards standing watch outside."

She sat on the couch. Seeing this, Mo Lingwei walked over and sat down beside her.

"If I weren’t this thorough in my considerations, how could I even talk about protecting you?" He finished with a smile and said to Shen Ningning, "Shall we go back to sleep?"

The young girl’s bright expression from a moment ago vanished. She pushed him off the bed. "Go sleep on the small bamboo couch by the window!"

With that, she abruptly pulled the bed curtains shut.

No matter what Mo Lingwei said, she blushed and refused. In the end, Mo Lingwei could only scowl, grab a pillow, and go to the bamboo couch.

He had been holding Shen Ningning to sleep for several days without issue, but today, Hei Diao’s arrival had exposed him.

’What terrible timing.’