Semuanya terjadi terlalu cepat. Meng Hao ternganga keheranan. Sebelum ia sempat bereaksi, ia melihat berkas cahaya warna-warni melesat di udara dengan kecepatan tinggi. Bentuknya seperti bintang jatuh saat meluncur menuju Merak Merah yang cantik dan angkuh.
Di dalam cahaya warna-warni itu tak lain adalah burung beo, melesat seperti tombak, kepala terangkat. Paruhnya yang tajam dan melengkung memancarkan kilau dingin, sementara tubuhnya mengencang hingga menyerupai mata tombak.
Meng Hao tidak yakin apakah ia salah lihat, tetapi mata burung itu tampak berkilat kegirangan, juga tekad dan nafsu....
Gerakannya luar biasa cepat. Dalam satu tarikan napas ia masih cukup jauh dari merak. Tarikan napas berikutnya, ia sudah menempel.
Seluruh bulu Merak Merah berdiri. Burung itu menoleh dengan anggun, memancarkan wibawa phoenix yang kuat, seolah memperingatkan siapa pun agar tidak memasuki wilayahnya. Mata Meng Hao membelalak, pikirannya berputar. Tiba-tiba ia punya firasat buruk tentang apa yang sedang terjadi. Ia menyaksikan berkas cahaya warna-warni itu—burung beo—menyerbu langsung ke arah bagian belakang merak....
Aaiiieee!
Pekik menyayat yang hebat bergema dari merak yang tadinya anggun dan indah. Suaranya menyedihkan, sementara rasa nyeri yang tak terlukiskan menjalari tubuhnya.
Seluruh bulunya berdiri, raut wajahnya berubah kacau. Ia tak lagi elok; keindahannya berubah menjadi penderitaan. Tubuhnya bergetar hebat, pekiknya memenuhi Kota Dongluo, yang tentu saja menarik perhatian banyak Kultivator. Semua mengangkat kepala karena takjub.
Yang mereka lihat adalah merak yang biasanya begitu anggun dan tinggi hati, kini bergetar hebat dan menjerit menyedihkan. Ia terbang tak karuan di udara, mengepakkan sayap, seolah berusaha mengusir sesuatu dari tubuhnya.
Usahanya sia-sia. Sambil menjerit, matanya memerah, dan Laut Api bergelora muncul di sekelilingnya. Di dalam api itu, merak terus menjerit hebat. Bulunya merinding sampai-sampai ia tampak bisa meledak karena kegilaan.
Semua Kultivator di kota menatap dengan mulut ternganga, tak paham apa yang sebenarnya terjadi pada merak itu. Namun, mereka semua bisa merasakan bahwa merak itu sedang menanggung rasa sakit yang tak terlukiskan.
Saat itulah anggota Klan Kultivator Kota Dongluo muncul. Wajah mereka cemas saat terbang ke arah merak. Salah seorang dari mereka adalah perempuan muda berbaju panjang hijau zamrud. Wajahnya cantik dan memikat, tetapi matanya yang seperti mata phoenix penuh kekhawatiran dan kebingungan saat mendekati merak.
“Merak Merah, ada apa...?” katanya. Suaranya merdu, seperti kicau burung.
Begitu para Kultivator di kota melihatnya, mereka mulai berbisik-bisik.
“Itu Dewi Dongluo Ling dari Klan Dongluo....”
“Itu dia, salah satu dari tiga Kultivator perempuan tercantik di Tanah Hitam, Dongluo Ling!”
Saat itu Meng Hao sudah menundukkan kepala dan bergegas masuk ke kota, kulit kepalanya perlahan mati rasa. Ia menyatu dengan kerumunan, wajahnya pucat, menatap api di langit. Jeritan menyedihkan merak itu terus bergema.
“Burung beo sialan!” pikir Meng Hao sambil menggertakkan gigi. Namun, tak ada yang bisa ia lakukan. Seharusnya ia memperhitungkan kesenangan burung beo itu. Dulu, saat masih terkurung di cermin tembaga, Meng Hao harus memancingnya sendiri untuk melakukan hal semacam ini. Sekarang, setelah bebas, burung itu tidak bisa menahan diri saat melihat merak cantik berbulu indah.
“Aku tidak boleh sampai orang tahu aku yang membawanya ke sini....” pikirnya sambil mengerutkan kening. Di atas, merak itu menjerit lagi. Sekarang semua orang bisa melihat berkas cahaya warna-warni melesat di udara dekat bagian belakang merak. Sebelum ada yang sempat melihat jelas isinya, berkas itu mengumpulkan momentum lalu melesat kembali ke arah merak.
Merak berusaha menghindar, tetapi gagal. Melihat itu, orang-orang hanya bisa menyaksikan dalam diam tertegun.
Berdasarkan apa yang baru saja mereka lihat, mereka kini paham mengapa Merak Merah yang anggun itu mengeluarkan jeritan mengerikan.
Keributan percakapan langsung muncul saat semua orang menyatakan ketidakpercayaan dan keheranan.
“Ini....”
“Benda apa itu? Yang dilakukannya... tak bisa dijelaskan....”
“Cahaya warna-warni itu masuk.... Ya ampun! Benarkah ada benda ajaib yang melakukan hal seperti itu? Apa itu? Terlalu kejam, terlalu jahat, terlalu menembus....”
Meng Hao berdiri di kerumunan, rahangnya terkatup. Wajahnya terasa terbakar, dan ia sangat khawatir orang-orang tahu bahwa cahaya warna-warni itu dibawa ke kota olehnya.
Para Kultivator Klan Dongluo melayang di udara, berusaha mencari cara menolong merak. Wajah Dongluo Ling penuh kecemasan. Namun, pemandangan berkas cahaya itu membuat mereka terbelalak.
Ratapan Merak Merah menyedihkan, matanya penuh rasa malu dan nyeri. Tiba-tiba ia mulai jatuh ke tanah, tubuh bergetar. Para Kultivator Klan Dongluo bergegas maju. Saat mereka mendekat, cahaya warna-warni itu menghilang, hanya menyisakan suara napas terengah-engah yang kelelahan.
Wajah para Kultivator Klan Dongluo sangat buruk. Wajah Dongluo Ling nyaris menyemburkan api. Beberapa saat kemudian, seluruh kota ditutup rapat. Lebih banyak Kultivator Klan Dongluo muncul, meluap-luap dengan niat membunuh yang buas dan amarah saat mulai mencari cahaya warna-warni itu.
Bisa dibayangkan metode kejam apa yang akan mereka pakai untuk menghukum cahaya warna-warni misterius itu jika sampai menemukannya....
Adapun Merak Merah, saat itu ia sedang mendapat perawatan darurat....
Wajah Meng Hao sama buruknya saat ia membubarkan diri bersama kerumunan. Ia tidak yakin ke mana burung beo itu pergi. Jika burung itu tiba-tiba muncul di pundaknya, ia harus segera meninggalkan kota.
Ia tiba-tiba sadar bahwa jeli daging sebenarnya sangat penurut....
Saat malam turun di Kota Dongluo, kabar tentang apa yang baru saja terjadi menyebar di antara para Kultivator. Larut malam itu, murka seluruh Klan Dongluo membara.
Di kediaman Klan Dongluo, Dongluo Ling berdiri dengan mata berkaca-kaca sambil menghibur Merak Merah yang bergetar dan tertidur. Setiap kali merak itu bergetar, matanya berkilat niat membunuh.
“Aku akan menemukan cahaya warna-warni itu,” katanya sambil menggertakkan gigi, “dan setelah kutemukan, akan kucacah menjadi kepingan!”
Sementara itu, Meng Hao duduk bersila di kamarnya di penginapan setempat, wajahnya gelap. Akhirnya ia membuka mata dari meditasi dan menghela napas pelan saat burung beo muncul.
Penampilannya sama seperti biasa, warna-warni, dengan lonceng jeli daging yang masih terpasang di kakinya. Ekspresinya angkuh, dan matanya berkilat puas serta bangga.
“Hei, Tuan Kelima kembali,” katanya sambil berjalan angkuh bolak-balik di atas meja, mengangkat kepala menatap Meng Hao.
“Kau bersenang-senang?” tanya Meng Hao dingin, wajahnya tanpa ekspresi.
“Sangat menyenangkan!!” jawab burung beo itu. Ia menarik napas dalam-dalam, dan keangkuhan di wajahnya lenyap, digantikan oleh tatapan kenangan.
“Aku sudah mencoba banyak burung berwarna tunggal seperti itu,” katanya sambil menghela napas. “Suatu tahun aku bahkan mencoba nenek moyang mereka, phoenix. Namun, merah tua adalah satu-satunya warna yang belum kucoba. Lumayan. Lumayan sekali.”
“Kau tahu berapa banyak masalah yang akan timbul kalau mereka tahu itu ulahmu?” kata Meng Hao.
“Apa yang kau takutkan?” katanya, wajahnya penuh keagungan sombong. “Percayalah pada Tuan Kelima, raih kehidupan abadi. Saat Tuan Kelima muncul, siapa yang berani membuat keributan? Kalau mereka berani mengusikku, akan kuhabisi mereka! Akan kuhadapi mereka seperti kuhadapi burung itu. Tentu saja bukan kau. Burung punya kegigihan, manusia juga. Kegigihan, itulah kuncinya. Lihat, aku punya kewajiban membantumu. Ikutlah bersamaku dengan suaramu paling lantang....”
Wajah serius tiba-tiba muncul di lonceng di kaki burung beo. “Kau tidak bermoral! Terlalu bejat! Misi hidupku pasti menginsafkanmu, burung licik!”
Burung beo menatap jeli daging dengan pandangan meremehkan. “Diam, jalang! Pernahkah aku tidak mengajakmu melakukan hal-hal seperti ini? Kau ingat Kera Angkasa tahun itu? Apa aku mengajakmu atau tidak? Phoenix Api? Apa aku mengajakmu atau tidak? Ikan besar berbulu di Laut Bintang, atau harimau di Gunung Kedelapan? Naga Emas agung? Kau lupa semua itu?”
Jeli daging ragu sejenak, lalu menggertakkan gigi dan berkata, “Uh... Kau memaksaku!”
Meng Hao duduk di samping, menyaksikan diam-diam. Awalnya ia berencana mengatakan beberapa hal tentang apa yang terjadi hari ini, tetapi mendengar burung beo menyebutkan “pencapaian-pencapaiannya,” ia tiba-tiba sadar tak ada yang perlu dikatakan. Ia menghela napas, menggelengkan kepala, mengabaikan keduanya, lalu menutup mata dan melanjutkan meditasi.
Sepanjang malam, Klan Dongluo mengerahkan seluruh kekuatan, semua harta karun berharga, dan seluruh Spiritual Sense mereka untuk menyisir setiap sudut kota. Hasilnya nihil. Pencarian terus berlanjut, dan tiga hari perlahan berlalu.
Selama tiga hari itu, Meng Hao keluar dua kali. Setiap kali, burung beo akan bertengger angkuh di pundaknya untuk menemaninya. Beberapa kali mereka bertemu anggota Klan Dongluo. Namun, burung beo yang tak menarik itu tampaknya tidak menimbulkan kecurigaan.
“Jangan khawatir,” kata burung beo. “Aku sudah melakukan hal seperti ini berkali-kali, dan aku tidak pernah tertangkap. Yang tersisa hanyalah legenda Tuan Kelima. Namun, tak ada yang pernah tahu wujud asliku.”
Meng Hao tidak menjawab.
Pada dua kesempatan keluar itu, Meng Hao menanyakan tentang lelang yang akan berlangsung sepuluh hari lagi, dan ia berhasil memastikan bahwa sepuluh Daun Anggrek Roh akan dijual.
Ia juga menanyakan harganya. Tanaman khusus itu muncul di lelang setiap beberapa tahun, dan harganya selalu sedikit di atas sepuluh ribu Batu Spirit.
Meng Hao sendiri tidak punya banyak Batu Spirit, tetapi kantong penyimpanan Ji Hongdong berisi Batu Spirit kelas ultra-tinggi, juga kumpulan Batu Spirit biasa sekitar dua puluh ribu. Itu tidak banyak untuk menggandakan pil obat, tetapi seharusnya cukup untuk membeli Daun Anggrek Roh dan masih menyisakan sedikit.
Pada malam hari keempat, Meng Hao duduk bersila di kamarnya. Tiba-tiba matanya terbuka, dan ia menghela napas. Seperti yang sudah ia duga, masalah datang mencarinya. Ia menengadah ke arah pintu.
Tak butuh waktu lama sebelum pintu itu meledak, hancur berkeping-keping dan berhamburan ke dalam kamar.
Chapter 327: Angry Dongluo Ling! [1]
Everything was happening too quickly. Meng Hao gaped in astonishment. Before he could react, he saw the multicolored streak flying through the air at high speed. It looked like a shooting star as it headed toward the beautiful, proud Scarlet Peacock.
Within the colorful light was none other than the parrot, shooting forward like a spear, head upraised. Its sharp, curved beak emitted a cold glow, as it clenched its body tight into something that looked like a spearhead.
Meng Hao wasn’t sure if he was mistaken or not, but it very much seemed like its eyes were shining with excitement, as well as determination and lasciviousness….
It moved with incredible speed. In one breath it was quite a distance from the peacock. In the next breath, it was upon it.
All of the feathers on the body of the Scarlet Peacock stood on end as it turned its beautiful head, emanating the powerful might of a phoenix, seeming to warn everyone from encroaching upon its space. Meng Hao’s eyes went wide, and his mind began to spin. He suddenly had a very bad feeling about what was happening. He watched the multicolored streak of light that was the parrot as it charged directly toward the peacocks rear end….
Aaiiieee!
An intense, miserable screech echoed out from the once graceful and beautiful peacock. The sound was wretched, as an indescribable pain washed over it.
All its feathers stood on end, and its expression was twisted and distorted. It was no longer elegant, and its beauty had now been transformed into suffering. It trembled violently as its scream filled Dongluo City, which of course attracted the attention of large numbers of Cultivators. All of them lifted their heads up in astonishment.
What they saw was the peacock, always so graceful and haughty, now trembling violently and screaming miserably. It was flying haphazardly through the air, beating its wings, as if it was trying to shake something off of its body.
Its efforts were of no avail. As it screamed, its eyes turned red, and a billowing Flame Sea appeared around it. Within the fire, the peacock continued to scream intensely. Its feathers bristled to the point where it looked like it might explode from insanity.
All of the Cultivators in the city were staring with gaping mouths, unsure of what exactly was happening to it. However, they could all sense that the peacock was currently experiencing indescribable pain.
It was at this time that members of Dongluo City’s Cultivator Clan emerged, looking worried as they flew up toward the peacock. One among their number was a young woman wearing a long, emerald green garment. Her features were beautiful and enchanting, but her phoenix-like eyes were filled with worry and confusion as she approached the peacock.
“Scarlet Peacock, what’s wrong…?” she said. Her voice was pleasant, like the song of a lark.
As soon as the Cultivators down in the city saw her, they began to discuss the matter in hushed tones.
“That’s Goddess Dongluo Ling of the Dongluo Clan….” [2. Dongluo Ling’s name is 东洛灵 dōng luò líng - Dongluo is the name of their clan, kind of a made up a name. Ling means spirit]
“That’s none other than one of the three most beautiful female Cultivators in the Black Lands, Dongluo Ling!”
By this time, Meng Hao had ducked his head down and hurried into the city, his scalp slowly growing numb. He blended into the crowd, his face ashen, looking up at the flames in the sky. The miserable shrieks of the peacock continued to ring out.
“Damned parrot!” thought Meng Hao, grinding his teeth. There was nothing he could do about it, though. He should have considered the parrot’s indulgences. Back when it was stuck in the copper mirror, Meng Hao had to take the initiative to provoke something like this. But now that it was free, it couldn’t hold itself back after seeing a pretty, feathered peacock.
“I can’t let people find out that I brought it here….” he thought with a frown. Up above, the peacock let out another shriek. Now, everyone could see a multicolored beam of light whizzing through the air near the peacock’s rear end. Before anyone could see clearly what was inside of it, it built up some momentum and then shot back toward the peacock.
The peacock tried to dodge out of the way, but was unable to. When people saw this, they could only watch on in dumbstruck silence.
Based on what they had just seen, they now understood why the elegant Scarlet Peacock was emitting such blood-curdling screams.
A buzz of conversation immediately rose up as everyone expressed their disbelief and astonishment.
“This is….”
“What is that thing? What it’s doing is… indescribable….”
“That multicolored light is entering…. My god! Is there really a magical item that does something like this? What is it? It’s simply too vicious, too malicious, too penetrating….”
Meng Hao stood in the crowd, his jaw clenched. He felt as if his face were burning, and he was very worried about everyone finding out that the multicolored light had been brought into the city by him.
The Dongluo Clan Cultivators floated in mid-air, trying to figure out how to help the peacock. Dongluo Ling’s face was filled with anxiety. However, the sight of the multicolored light caused them to stare in shock.
The Scarlet Peacock’s wails were pitiful, its eyes filled with humiliation and pain. Suddenly, it began to fall to the ground, body trembling. The Dongluo Clan Cultivators rushed forward in a frenzy. As they neared, the multicolored light disappeared, leaving behind only an exhausted panting sound.
The Dongluo Clan Cultivators’ faces were extremely unsightly. Dongluo Ling’s was virtually bursting with flames. Moments later, the entire city was sealed down tightly. More Dongluo Clan Cultivators appeared, bursting with bestial killing intent and rage as they began to search for the multicolored light.
One could imagine what savage methods they would employ to punish the mysterious multicolored light if they ever found it….
As for the Scarlet Peacock, it was currently being given emergency treatment….
Meng Hao’s face was just as unsightly as he dispersed along with the crowd. He wasn’t sure where the parrot had gone to. If it suddenly appeared on his shoulder, then he would have to leave the city immediately.
He suddenly realized that the meat jelly was actually very well behaved….
As night fell upon Dongluo City, word of what had just happened spread through the various Cultivators. Late that night, the wrath of the entire Dongluo Clan was burning.
In the Dongluo Clan’s manor house, Dongluo Ling stood there with tears in her eyes as she comforted the trembling, sleeping Scarlet Peacock. Every time it trembled, her eyes would flash with killing intent.
“I’m going to find that multicolored light,” she said, gnashing her teeth, “and when I do, I’ll hack it into pieces!”
Meanwhile, Meng Hao sat cross-legged in his room in a local inn, his face dark. Finally, he opened his eyes from meditation and let out a soft sigh as the parrot appeared.
It looked the same as ever, multicolored, with the meat jelly bell still attached to its foot. Its expression was one of arrogance, and its eyes flickered with contentment and complacency.
“Heyyy, Lord Fifth is back,” it said, strutting back and forth on the table, lifting its head up to stare at Meng Hao.
“Did you have fun?” asked Meng Hao coolly, his facing expressionless.
“Lots of fun!!” replied the parrot. It took a deep breath, and the haughtiness in its face disappeared, to be replaced by a look of reminiscence.
“I’ve tried out many different purely colored birds such as that,” it said with a sigh. “One year I even tried out their ancestor, the phoenix. However, scarlet is the only color I haven’t tried. Not bad. Really not bad.”
“Do you know how much difficulty it’s going to cause if they found out it was you?” said Meng Hao.
“What are you scared of?” it said, its face filled with conceited grandeur. “Have faith in the Lord Fifth, gain eternal life. When Lord Fifth appears, who dares to cause strife? If they dare to mess with me, I’ll screw ‘em to death! I’ll deal with them like I dealt with that bird. I’m not talking about you, of course. Birds have their tenacity, and so do people. Tenacity, that’s the key. Look, I have a duty to help you out. Join me in your loudest voice….”
A solemn-looking face suddenly appeared on the bell on the parrot’s foot. “You’re immoral! Simply too wicked! My life’s mission is definitely to convert you, you sinister bird!”
The parrot looked down at the meat jelly with a look of disdain. “Shut up, b*tch! Did I ever not take you with me to do these kinds of things? Do you remember the Space Ape from that year? Did I take you with me, or not? How about the Flame Phoenix? Did I take you with me, or not? What about that big hairy fish in the Star Sea, or that tiger in the Eighth Mountain? What about the great Golden Dragon? Did you forget about that?”
The meat jelly hesitated for a moment, then gritted its teeth and said, “Uhh… You forced me!”
Meng Hao sat off to the side, watching on silently. Originally he had planned to say a few things about what had happened today, but hearing the parrot list off its “achievements,” he suddenly realized he didn’t have anything to say. He sighed, shaking his head and ignoring the two, instead closing his eyes and continuing to meditate.
As the night went on, the Dongluo Clan used all its power, all their precious treasures, all their Divine Sense, to search every corner of the city. It was all to no avail. As the search continued, three days slowly passed.
During the three days, Meng Hao went out twice. Each time, the parrot would perch pompously on his shoulder to accompany him. On a few occasions, they encountered members of the Dongluo Clan. However, the uncomely parrot didn’t seem to attract any suspicions.
“Don’t worry,” said the parrot. “I’ve done things like this before on many occasions, and I’ve never gotten caught. The only things left behind are legends of Lord Fifth. However, no one ever knows my true appearance.”
Meng Hao didn’t respond.
On the two occasions he went out, Meng Hao made inquiries about the auction which was to take place in ten days, and was able to confirm that ten Spirit Orchid Leaves would be up for sale.
He also made some inquiries about the price. This particular plant would appear in the auction every few years, and the price was always a bit over ten thousand spirit stones.
Meng Hao personally didn’t have many Spirit Stones, but Ji Hongdong’s bag of holding had ultra high-grade Spirit Stones, as well as a collection of regular Spirit Stones to the number of about twenty thousand. It wasn’t much when it came to duplicating medicinal pills, but it should be enough to purchase the Spirit Orchid Leaf and still have some left over.
On evening of the fourth day, Meng Hao sat cross-legged in his room. Suddenly, his eyes opened, and he let out a sigh. As he had anticipated, trouble had come looking for him. He looked up at the door.
It didn’t take long before it exploded, shattered to pieces that showered into the room.
This chapter was sponsored by Vang Xiong, Steeve Mamavi, and Hioe Budiman
I'm pretty sure this is a reference to Angry BirdsDongluo Ling’s name is 东洛灵 dōng luò líng - Dongluo is the name of their clan, kind of a made up a name. Ling means spirit
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