"It's a phoenix!" The Imperial Guards couldn't help but shout when they saw the large fire phoenix.
"What a huge fire phoenix!"
"Is it the legendary Vermilion Bird?"
"It's so beautiful! It's the biggest and most beautiful bird I've ever seen in my life!"
"What bird? That's the Vermilion Bird! The Vermilion Bird is on the same level as the Black Tortoise in our Eastern Chu Kingdom!"
Pei Luo and You Yi were stunned when they saw the giant fire phoenix.
The two exchanged a glance. Wasn't this the Vermilion Bird divine beast that had taken away the girl's mother back then?
Xuan Yuanzhi and the hundred Imperial Guards, who had been trapped in the bamboo forest for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, finally escaped. However, as soon as they came out, they were all attracted by the huge fire phoenix.
"My God, what is that?!"
"It's a fire phoenix, and it's huge!"
"Isn't the Vermilion Bird mythical beast only found in Western Liang? How could we in Eastern Chu have it?"
"Do you guys remember the rumors that a fire phoenix appeared on the outskirts of Kyoto? I didn't expect it to be true!"
"Yes, some people said it was just a paper kite at first, but now it seems to be the real Vermilion Bird divine beast, not a paper kite at all!"
"But how come the Vermilion Bird divine beast is in our Eastern Chu?"
For a moment, everyone in the valley was attracted by the suddenly appearing fire phoenix, and the Imperial Guards forgot to chase after Pei Luo and his group.
Xuan Yuanzhi and Xuan Yuanyu were both looking up at the sky, completely forgetting about Su Xuening.
Even Pei Luo and You Yi forgot about escaping; everyone's eyes were on the fire phoenix in mid-air.
At the same time, Su Xuening and her two companions, who were hiding in the bamboo forest and worried about Pei Luo and the others, also heard the cry of the phoenix.
"Sister, listen!" Upon hearing that familiar, clear cry, Su Yun'an jumped up excitedly: "It's the voice of that fire phoenix! Is Mother back?"
Su Xuening was also pleasantly surprised, as she recognized the cry as that of a fire phoenix.
But thinking about their current situation, she couldn't help but frown again.
Xuanyuan Yu and Xuanyuan Zhi are chasing them now, and they are still in danger. If their mother comes back now, it might implicate her.
But Su Yun'an didn't think that much about it and excitedly ran out.
Seeing this, Su Xuening immediately followed her out.
Fearing she would get too agitated, Bai quickly helped her out.
When the three arrived at the bamboo forest, they indeed saw a fire phoenix in mid-air.
"Sister, it really is Mother!" Upon seeing the Fire Phoenix, Su Yun'an jumped three feet high with excitement, wishing she could fly to the sky immediately to reunite with her mother.
Su Xuening was both surprised and delighted.
She didn't expect her mother to return so soon, and she was worried that their situation would implicate her mother.
The fire phoenix in mid-air seemed to have sensed the two of them and immediately swooped down towards them.
In the blink of an eye, the fire phoenix flew into the bamboo forest.
In the valley outside, everyone saw that the Fire Phoenix seemed to have landed and was gradually regaining its senses.
"Where did the fire phoenix go?"
"It looks like it landed nearby!"
"Is it the real Vermilion Bird divine beast? Or some kind of firebird that resembles the Vermilion Bird?"
"It must be the Vermilion Bird divine beast, otherwise have you ever seen a firebird that big?"
Xuanyuan Yu also came to his senses, but he didn't care about the fire phoenix or the Vermilion Bird divine beast, nor did he care where it had landed. All he cared about was Su Xuening's whereabouts: "What are you all standing there for? Catch them for me! Don't let them get away!"
Startled by Xuan Yuan Yu's roar, the Imperial Guards finally snapped out of their daze and charged toward Pei Luo and the others!
Pei Luo and the others finally came to their senses and tried to run again, but it was too late, and they were surrounded by the Imperial Guards once more.
Since they couldn't escape, Pei Luo and his men didn't hold back and once again engaged the Imperial Guards in battle.
Xuan Yuanzhi recognized Pei Luo, but didn't see Su Xuening, so he ordered the Imperial Guards behind him, "Go and help."
"Yes." Upon hearing the order, the hundred Imperial Guards stepped forward and joined the battle.
Xuan Yuanzhi approached Xuan Yuanyu and asked in a cold voice, "Where is Su Xuening?"
Seeing that Xuan Yuanzhi still had the nerve to ask him, Xuan Yuanyu instantly flew into a rage: "Why did you take Su Xuening away without permission? Do you know how much of a loss it would be for us if Su Xuening ran away?"
Su Xuening was their tool to control Xuan Yuanzhan. They had already let Bai Shi escape, and if Su Xuening escaped now, what would they use to control Xuan Yuanzhan?
Xuan Yuanzhi knew he was in the wrong. Originally, he wanted to secretly bring Su Xuening out so that he could get the real military seal of the Su family army before Xuan Yuanyu.
But who could have imagined that Su Xuening was so cunning? He fell for Su Xuening's trick!
“Su Xuening tricked me into coming to this valley, and then set up a formation in the bamboo forest in front of us, trapping us inside. I just escaped.”
Xuanyuan Yu sneered disdainfully, "If you hadn't had designs on the Su family army's military seal, how could you have been deceived by Su Xuening!"
Xuan Yuan Yu's direct and hurtful words enraged Xuan Yuan Zhi: "I had the idea of taking the Su family army's military seal? You didn't? I was just one step ahead of you. Even if you had brought Su Xue Ning out, the result would have been the same!"
Su Xuening originally intended to deceive him, but because he found her before her, he became the one trapped in the bamboo forest!
Xuanyuan Yu sneered, "So what if I make a move? The Su family army has always belonged to our family!"
"Yours?" Xuan Yuanzhi scoffed as if he had heard a big joke. "Even your mother wouldn't dare say that, would she? What makes you think you can? If you were truly capable, you could control the Su family army even without the real Su family army seal. Unfortunately, you don't!"
If they could control the Su family army, they would have done so long ago. If the Su family army supported Xuan Yuan Yu, he wouldn't even need to fight for it!
Xuan Yuanzhi's sarcastic remarks made Xuan Yuanyu narrow his eyes coldly: "The Su family army will be mine sooner or later, don't even think about it!"
But Xuan Yuanzhi wasn't buying it at all: "What's the use of saying all this now? It's still uncertain who will win or lose!"
The two went back and forth, neither giving an inch!
Ahead, Pei Luo, You Yi, and Dao Yi were still trapped among the Imperial Guards.
In the bamboo forest, Su Yun'an and Su Xuening were stunned when they saw the person on the back of the fire phoenix.
"Jinzhu?" Su Xuening exclaimed in disbelief.
Yes, it wasn't Mu Junyu who came, but Jin Zhu.
Seeing that it was Jinzhu, not Mu Junyu, who had returned, Su Yun'an's disappointment was written all over her face.
It's like a little person who was just jumping around and full of energy suddenly wilted.
"Miss!" Jinzhu jumped off the back of the fire phoenix and knelt down in front of Su Xuening with a thud: "This servant has finally seen Miss again."
Jinzhu looked at Su Xuening's protruding belly and exclaimed in surprise, "Miss, you're pregnant?"
Su Xuening quickly helped Jinzhu up: "Why did you suddenly come back? Did Mother send you back?"
Jinzhu nodded: "Yes, it was the Empress... it was Madam who sent me back to fetch you and the young master."
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