The Huo Family's Troublesome Maid

Chapter 55: Chapter 55: The Revered Phoenix [2]

Huo Jingchen’s gaze remained fixed on the ancient book.

For several moments, he said nothing.

The words written across the weathered page continued to linger in his mind.

The revered Phoenix.

It was a name he had heard before.

Not in any official record.

Not in any modern cultivation text.

Not even from the elders of the Bureau of Cultivation.

He had heard it from his grandfather.

When he was younger, his grandfather had occasionally told him stories about the ancient cultivation world—stories that Huo Jingchen had once regarded as nothing more than legends passed down through generations.

But one story had always stood out.

The story of the revered Phoenix.

Huo Jingchen slowly raised his eyes toward the Grandmaster.

”Grandmaster,” he finally said, ”who exactly is the revered Phoenix?”

The old man remained silent.

Huo Jingchen continued.

”What kind of mythical beast is it?”

The question left his lips calmly, but his mind was anything but calm.

He remembered his grandfather’s voice from many years ago.

The revered Phoenix is not an ordinary mythical beast.

It is the protector of all mythical beasts.

And their queen.

According to the stories his grandfather had told him, countless mythical beasts had once inhabited the world.

Dragons.

Qilins.

Phoenixes.

White tigers.

Black tortoises.

And countless other creatures whose existence had gradually faded from human knowledge.

Among them, however, the revered Phoenix occupied a position unlike any other.

The Phoenix was said to be the sovereign of the mythical beasts.

The guardian of their ancient bloodlines.

The one who maintained order among them.

There had even been human clans whose sole purpose was to protect the revered Phoenix.

Huo Jingchen’s own family had once been one of those clans.

At least, that was what his grandfather had told him.

But a thousand years ago, the revered Phoenix had mysteriously vanished from the human world.

No one knew where it had gone.

No one knew whether it was alive.

And after centuries of searching without success, the ancient clans protecting it had gradually been relieved of their duty.

The Huo family was one of them.

Those memories resurfaced now with startling clarity.

Huo Jingchen’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Could the golden phenomenon have something to do with that ancient legend?

And if so...

Why had the Grandmaster asked whether he had met the revered Phoenix?

His thoughts instinctively returned to Xi Yunxui.

He immediately suppressed them.

There was no evidence.

He was simply connecting things that might have absolutely nothing to do with one another.

Huo Jingchen looked at the Grandmaster again.

”Is the phenomenon in the mountains related to—”

The Grandmaster slowly closed the ancient book.

Snap.

The sound was quiet.

Yet it immediately stopped Huo Jingchen.

The old man placed his palm gently on the cover.

A faint sigh escaped him.

”The time has not yet come.”

Huo Jingchen’s brows drew together.

”The time?”

The Grandmaster smiled faintly.

”There are some secrets that cannot be revealed simply because someone asks for them.”

His fingers lightly brushed across the worn cover.

”When the time comes for you to know, you will know.”

Huo Jingchen remained silent.

The Grandmaster continued calmly.

”The answers you seek will not need to be forced from another’s mouth. They will come to you themselves.”

There was something strangely certain about his words.

As though the Grandmaster wasn’t merely offering advice.

As though he already knew that the day would come.

Huo Jingchen opened his mouth.

He wanted to ask another question.

Several, in fact.

But he stopped himself.

He knew the Grandmaster.

Once the old man decided that something should not be revealed, no amount of questioning would change his mind.

Even if Huo Jingchen remained here until nightfall, the answer would not come.

So he lowered his gaze slightly.

”Then I’ll wait.”

He paused.

”Thank you for your guidance, Grandmaster.”

A quiet laugh escaped the old man.

”You have always been patient.”

Huo Jingchen stood.

But before he could turn around, the Grandmaster spoke again.

”There is something else.”

Huo Jingchen stopped.

The old man smiled.

”I can perceive the aura surrounding you.”

Huo Jingchen froze.

His expression remained composed, but his eyes changed.

The Grandmaster chuckled softly.

”It is quite remarkable.”

Huo Jingchen instinctively lowered his gaze toward himself.

He could feel nothing unusual.

Yet he trusted the Grandmaster’s perception.

”What aura?”

The Grandmaster didn’t answer directly.

Instead, he simply smiled.

”You will understand eventually.”

Huo Jingchen stared at him for several seconds.

Again.

Another unanswered question.

He let out a quiet breath.

”I see.”

The Grandmaster laughed softly.

”You don’t.”

For the first time, a faint trace of helplessness appeared on Huo Jingchen’s normally composed face.

The old man was clearly enjoying himself.

Huo Jingchen gave a small shake of his head.

”I’ll take my leave.”

”Go.”

Huo Jingchen bowed respectfully.

Then he turned and left the room.

---

The moment he stepped outside, the cool mountain breeze brushed against his face.

He paused briefly beneath the blooming plum tree.

The branches swayed above him.

A few petals drifted down.

Huo Jingchen watched one land on his shoulder.

He brushed it away.

His thoughts were still occupied by the Grandmaster’s words.

The revered Phoenix.

Your aura.

The time has not yet come.

None of it made sense.

And Huo Jingchen disliked things that didn’t make sense.

He preferred facts.

Evidence.

Logical conclusions.

Not ancient prophecies and mysterious statements.

Yet somehow, ever since Xi Yunxui had entered his life, his carefully ordered world seemed to have developed one inexplicable disturbance after another.

Huo Jingchen exhaled quietly.

Perhaps he really had been overthinking things.

He walked toward the gate.

---

By the time Huo Jingchen entered the car, he had already pushed the matter to the back of his mind.

There were more immediate things demanding his attention.

The moment the door closed, his phone rang.

Huo Jingchen glanced at the screen.

It was Zhou Rui.

He answered.

”Speak.”

”President, the project in the eastern district has encountered an unexpected problem. The team has been waiting for your decision.”

Huo Jingchen leaned back against the seat.

”What kind of problem?”

Zhou Rui quickly explained the situation.

Huo Jingchen listened without interrupting.

After a moment, he said, ”I’ll handle it when I arrive.”

”Understood.”

Huo Jingchen was about to end the call.

Then his gaze suddenly shifted toward the window.

A thought came to him.

”Zhou Rui.”

”Yes, President?”

”Do you know where I can buy a backpack?”

Silence.

Complete silence.

Huo Jingchen frowned.

”Zhou Rui?”

”I’m here, President.”

”Then why aren’t you answering?”

Zhou Rui hesitated.

”President... did you say a backpack?”

Huo Jingchen’s eyebrow twitched.

”Yes.”

”A... backpack?”

Huo Jingchen’s patience thinned.

”Yes. A backpack.”

”Oh.”

Zhou Rui’s voice became strangely cautious.

”I just wasn’t expecting you to ask about one.”

Huo Jingchen narrowed his eyes.

”Do you know where I can buy one or not?”

”Yes, President. One of our malls has several stores that sell them. There should be plenty of choices.”

”Good.”

Huo Jingchen paused.

”Send me the details.”

”Yes, President.”

The call ended.

Huo Jingchen lowered his phone.

His expression became thoughtful.

He had never actually told Xi Yunxui that he intended to buy her another backpack.

But he remembered the old one she had been carrying.

It was worn.

Far too worn.

He had noticed it the moment she arrived at the villa.

At the time, he had made a mental note to replace it.

Then everything that happened afterward had distracted him.

Now that he thought about it, buying one shouldn’t be difficult.

Besides...

He had been avoiding Xi Yunxui.

For several days.

At first, he had told himself that he needed time to understand his strange feelings.

But the more he avoided her, the more he thought about her.

He remembered her greeting him that morning.

Good morning, Young Master.

And how he had walked past her without responding.

He hadn’t intended to.

He had simply...

Panicked.

He had been afraid that if he opened his mouth, something strange would come out.

Now he regretted it.

Huo Jingchen rubbed his temple.

”This is becoming ridiculous.”

He had never behaved like this before.

He was Huo Jingchen.

The eldest young master of the Huo family.

The president of Huo Corporation.

The leader of the Bureau of Cultivation.

He was decisive, disciplined and accustomed to keeping his emotions under control.

Yet somehow, one young maid had managed to disrupt his composure without even trying.

His gaze drifted toward the passing scenery.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

Perhaps the backpack would be a good excuse.

He could give it to her.

And perhaps...

He could apologize for ignoring her.

Huo Jingchen leaned back.

His expression softened.

He didn’t know exactly what was happening to him.

He still wasn’t ready to give the feeling a name.

But he knew one thing.

He wanted to see Xi Yunxui.

And perhaps, after several days of unnecessary distance, it was time he stopped running away from that fact.

~~~~~

A/N: I can’t wait for Xi Yunxui and Huo Jingchen to reconcile!

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