Chapter 460: Chapter 460: Phoenix Perch Pavilion

After walking for a short while, Li Feng finally arrived before a beautifully secluded courtyard.

"This should be the Phoenix Perch Pavilion..." he murmured.

The entrance gates featured exquisite carvings of soaring phoenixes, surrounded by clusters of blooming red plum trees and tall spiritual bamboo that swayed gently in the breeze.

Yet he couldn’t help but find it strange that there wasn’t a single maid or guard in sight.

’Maybe this place isn’t important anymore?’ Li Feng thought, his expression turning slightly serious.

He knew Fen Ziyan’s current situation well.

This isolation was likely a form of silent punishment from the imperial family for her refusal to obey the Emperor’s orders and return.

Li Feng stood before the gates for a moment, adjusting his humble junior expression while his eyes gleamed with mischief and anticipation.

He was already vividly imagining the scene of Fen Ziyan’s proud, beautiful face flashing with shock and panic the moment she saw him standing at her doorstep.

He took a deep breath, composed himself, and stepped forward.

Knock

Knock

Knock

He knocked firmly on the grand gates three times.

"Hmm?"

There was no reply.

He waited a little longer and knocked again, but his brows slowly furrowing.

’Strange... Is she deliberately ignoring me?’

Frowning, Li Feng placed his palm against one of the gates and pushed gently.

With a soft creak, the gates swung open without resistance... they weren’t even locked or sealed by any array.

He stepped inside the Phoenix Perch Pavilion courtyard.

The interior was elegant and refined, with neatly arranged spiritual plants, a small meditation pavilion, and several side rooms.

Yet the whole place felt eerily quiet... almost as if no one had lived here for many months.

"Senior Fen!" Li Feng called out, his voice carrying clearly through the courtyard.

Still no response.

His spiritual sense swept through the buildings, confirming what he already suspected... no one was here.

"There is a formation here, but it isn’t active..." Li Feng murmured, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the surroundings more carefully.

Then he decided to investigate personally.

Moving with cautious but confident steps, he checked every chamber one by one.

Yet no matter how thoroughly he searched, the entire Phoenix Perch Pavilion was empty.

Li Feng finally pushed open the door to the innermost sleeping chamber.

Creak...

And he was dumbfounded by the sight inside.

...There was no one.

’...What the hell?’

Li Feng stepped inside, his expression shifting from playful anticipation to sharp focus.

He walked over to the bedside table and checked the teapot.

Lifting the lid, he touched the inside... and it was completely cold.

Not even a hint of warmth remained.

Even the tea leaves inside had long since dried out.

"Did that eunuch give me the wrong location? Or has Fen Ziyan not been staying here...?" Li Feng murmured, his brows furrowing deeply.

A growing sense of unease settled in his chest.

Something felt wrong.

Gritting his teeth, Li Feng began a serious search of the entire modest yet elegant pavilion.

His powerful spiritual sense swept through the walls, floors, and furniture like a storm.

He flipped through scattered herb notes, opened every drawer and cabinet, and even checked beneath the phoenix-embroidered bed.

In the end... there wasn’t a single trace of recent life.

Only a thin layer of dust had gathered on most surfaces, and the spiritual energy in the air felt stagnant and lifeless.

"Damn that eunuch!"

Li Feng cursed angrily.

He decided to go find that chubby Eunuch Peng and teach him a lesson for scamming him out of a spirit stone... even though he had been the one to give it.

Whether the eunuch had genuinely misunderstood or deliberately misled him, Li Feng didn’t care.

He had wasted precious time here.

With an angry expression, Li Feng turned sharply and left the empty Phoenix Perch Pavilion like a gathering storm.

His powerful spiritual sense spread outward across the palace grounds as he rushed back toward the area where he had met the eunuch, determined to track down the chubby servant.

_

_

_

Behind a small building near the outer servants’ quarters...

"Hmm~ Hmmm~"

Eunuch Peng hummed a cheerful little tune as he stood by a large wooden basin, his plump arms submerged in soapy water.

He vigorously scrubbed a pile of luxurious silk robes, occasionally glancing at the high-grade spirit stone resting nearby on a rock.

"So this... is what being bribed feels like," Eunuch Peng murmured with a wide, satisfied smile. "How fascinating..."

This was the first time in his long life that he had actually received a bribe.

He couldn’t help but feel a surge of delight and satisfaction after experiencing this for the first time.

The plain, monotonous life inside the palace suddenly felt brighter and far less dull.

"Envoy Li Feng sure is a good man~"

Every day he would simply wake up, perform the same endless chores, and go back to sleep.

That had been the dreary existence of a lowly eunuch.

Just then, as he reached out to admire the high-grade spirit stone he planned to keep as a precious souvenir...

"Eh?

The spirit stone was gone.

Before he could react—

"Are you looking for this?"

Li Feng’s cold voice sounded right beside him.

Eunuch Peng nearly jumped out of his skin, his plump body jolting violently.

"E-Envoy Li! Oh, this servant was almost scared to death—"

BAM!

Li Feng slammed his palm onto a nearby massive washing rock.

With a terrifying crack, the huge stone instantly shattered into fine dust that scattered in the wind.

Eunuch Peng’s face turned deathly pale.

His legs gave out, and he dropped to his knees immediately, kowtowing so hard his forehead slammed against the ground.

"T-This servant greets the Honored Envoy! P-Please calm your anger! This servant... this servant has eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai! Whatever this lowly one has done wrong, please enlighten me!"

Li Feng stood over the trembling fat eunuch, holding the sparkling high-grade spirit stone between his fingers.

His expression was ice-cold.

"Eunuch Peng... you really have guts. You actually dared to give false information to an Envoy? Sending me to an abandoned, dusty courtyard that hasn’t been lived in for months? Do you think I’m someone you can toy with?"

Even while maintaining his humble envoy image, Li Feng refused to let anyone mess with him.

Eunuch Peng trembled violently, sweat pouring down his chubby face.

He raised his head slightly, looking genuinely confused and terrified.

"H-Honored Envoy... this servant swears on his life! The location this servant gave you is correct! The Phoenix Perch Pavilion is indeed the official personal residence of Imperial Princess Fen Ziyan. This servant did not lie about that at all!"

Li Feng, who had been about to deliver a painful lesson, stopped his hand mid-air and frowned deeply.

"If that’s true, then why couldn’t I find Princess Fen Ziyan there?" he asked coldly, displeasure clear in his voice.

"That entire pavilion was covered in dust. No one has lived there for a long time."

"Eh? This servant... this servant never said that Princess Fen herself was there..."

Eunuch Peng’s plump body shook as he looked up timidly.

Seeing the confused look on Li Feng’s face, Eunuch Peng hurriedly explained in a trembling voice.

"Actually... Princess Fen herself should still be at the Azure Moon Sect. She hasn’t returned to the capital ever since her title was stripped for disobeying the Emperor’s orders..."

"...What?

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