Chapter Thirty-Two: The Art of Transformation

Feng Jiu did not sleep at all that night.

“Girlfriend? Lover, beloved…” He turned over and over again, thinking about Feng Ke’er’s words, his mouth full of bitterness, while Xiaoxi’s graceful figure drifted before his eyes.

All along, he had always known—she was the one on his mind, but not his lover.

From childhood to now, the person she liked had always been Taiyi.

But Feng Jiu was unwilling to accept this.

So, that time, when she broke through to the Ascension Stage and entered the Tribulation Stage, she took on a customary task and descended to the mortal world to undergo her trial.

The night before she left for the lower world, he finally summoned the courage to confess to her, hoping for a fair chance to compete.

However, she had always been the type to act decisively, never dragging things out.

She told him frankly that there was already someone she liked: “Brother Jiu, I like you too. In my heart, you will always be my most respected, most cherished Brother Jiu.”

Feng Jiu loved her so much that he couldn’t bear to see her frown, let alone force her into a difficult position. Thus, he chose to step back and fulfill her wishes, though it pained him.

Yet as for that Taiyi, while gifted in cultivation, he was hopelessly dense in affairs of the heart—like a lantern with a hide so thick that not a speck of light could shine through—bringing disappointment to the point of despair.

Memories surged vividly before him, and Feng Jiu looked skyward and sighed deeply: Xiaoxi, where are you?

If he could find Xiaoxi, whether or not she regretted her earlier choice, he would never let her go to Taiyi again. That fellow was no worthy lover, unfit for her love.

From now on, it would be his turn to protect Xiaoxi.

“Hey, good morning!”

A strange male voice rang out behind him, startling Feng Jiu so much he nearly fell from the low tree branch—he’d always been supremely alert, so how could he have been so careless as to let someone approach without noticing?

He turned around, and the shock doubled—steadying himself with one wing against the branch, he pointed with the other, uncharacteristically flustered, stammering, “You, you…”

The newcomer’s brows, features, and bearing were identical to Feng Ke’er’s, down to the same round bun hairstyle with a thick fringe like a pot lid, the blue short robe, and the strips of blue cloth wrapped around wrists and calves. Even the eyebrows and eyes seemed cast from the same mold. But he could tell at a glance: though slender as a willow, this was unmistakably a young man—a youth almost as tall and identically featured as Feng Ke’er!

Was the brat a boy in disguise all along? Impossible! He’d lived over a hundred thousand years—how could he not distinguish between male and female?

Could it be basic shapeshifting? Equally impossible! This brat was only at the early stage of Qi Refinement.

Even Feng Jiu, seasoned and worldly as he was, found himself baffled.

The newcomer laughed heartily, spreading his arms and spinning in place, his pride evident. “Featherbrain, well? Bet you didn’t recognize me!”

That tone and manner—who else could it be but that brat? But how had she changed into this?

Suppressing his curiosity, Feng Jiu responded lazily with a snort through his nose, feigning indifference.

Though he hadn’t spent much time with Feng Ke’er, he’d picked up on some of her quirks. Outwardly docile, she was actually restless by nature, and sneaking about in fine clothes was hardly her style.

Judging by the current situation, she must’ve stumbled upon some great opportunity last night and had come at first light to show off. But if he pressed her for details, she’d only tease him and keep him guessing. If he acted uninterested, perhaps she’d be the one to spill the secret.

Sure enough, Feng Ke’er approached with an exaggeratedly mysterious smile, saying, “Featherbrain, do you know what I discovered last night?”

Feng Jiu chuckled to himself and decided to keep up the act, turning his head away impatiently, though inwardly he was filled with anticipation. The Feng family was once a mighty clan at the pinnacle of the divine realm, producing several Golden Immortals. They must have many profound secret arts, though their inheritance was shrouded in mystery, unknown to outsiders.

He was truly curious how Feng Ke’er had accessed her family’s heritage, for he’d spent the entire night on the treetop and had detected nothing unusual.

Showing off is always hardest when faced with a disinterested audience. Feng Ke’er pursed her lips, on the verge of leaving, but then recalled that her book mentioned the Phoenix Clan excelled at concealment, with shapeshifting being the highest form. Perhaps this ancient fledgling, with over a hundred thousand years of experience, could teach her how to alter her appearance and figure.

With that, her smile blossomed like a flower, and she presented the explanation she’d prepared: “Featherbrain, last night I discovered a secret about the Breath Concealing Talisman.”

It was as if someone had scratched an itch right at his heart. Feng Jiu turned back, eyes half-closed, replying languidly, “Oh? What secret could there be about the Breath Concealing Talisman that I don’t know? Go on, let’s hear it.”

At his words, Feng Ke’er’s heart skipped a beat: the Breath Concealing Talisman was crafted by their clan’s Phoenix Lord—could she really fool him?

In truth, she wasn’t lying, not entirely. She was simply telling half the secret.

Last night, in the final lines on the first page of the “Celestial Tome,” she’d found something interesting—Basic Shapeshifting. With it, a man could become a woman, or a woman a man.

They were scrawled, messy lines of small script, but clear enough: The best way to conceal oneself isn’t invisibility, but shapeshifting. However, shapeshifting defies the natural order and consumes much spiritual power. Even basic shapeshifting could only be managed by those at or above the Core Formation Stage. But, with a high-grade Phoenix Clan Breath Concealing Talisman, things were different.

The following commentary explained how to harness the power of a high-grade talisman to perform shapeshifting.

Feng Ke’er had followed the instructions, channeling her spiritual energy as described.

And it had worked. She’d successfully changed into a young man, and with the talisman in place, didn’t need to expend any spiritual power to maintain the transformation.

It was like finding just the pillow you wanted when sleepy—a timely blessing. With so many sharp eyes in the mess hall’s kitchen having seen her as a new female disciple, now, with basic shapeshifting, she could swagger down the mountain as a young man, unimpeded.

Soon, she was unsatisfied—she practiced all night but couldn’t, as the commentary described, freely alter her physique and looks at will.

Stuck with the same face and build, it was still troublesome. After racking her brains, she thought of Feng Jiu.

But she didn’t want him to know about the “Celestial Tome.” To possess a treasure is to court disaster; the tome was her greatest secret and must not be shared.

After much thought, she devised a half-truth: “Featherbrain, did you know? Advanced Breath Concealing Talismans also allow for transformation.”

Transformation, related to the talisman! As the youngest Lord of the Phoenix Clan, Feng Jiu had never heard of this. How he regretted not reading more! He narrowed his eyes, the glint in them fading, and tilted his head to ask, “Oh? And how did you find this out?”

Gifted as he was, Feng Jiu had always been a focus of his clan’s training. With the powerful Phoenix Clan behind him, his cultivation path had been remarkably smooth, which led to his habit of not probing for deeper understanding. After reaching the peak of the eighth stage, he suffered for it—doubts left unresolved over twenty thousand years, unable to break through to the ninth stage. Later, love further distracted him from cultivation. Then, due to his lack of knowledge, he fell for a trap, was severely wounded, and had to be reborn, starting all over again.

The thought of these past events drove him nearly mad.

His words, neither confirming nor denying, made Feng Ke’er wary. She stuck to her story: “The priestess in my clan told me.”

“The priestess? She was here last night?” Feng Jiu pressed.

“No. Before I came to Qingyun Sect, she’d mentioned the Breath Concealing Talisman. But back then I was only at the acquired stage and didn’t understand. Last night, after hearing you talk about the talisman, I remembered her words and suddenly realized their meaning.” She put on an impatient look, her heart guilty as she cried, “Hey, featherbrain, do you know or not?”

The conversation had come full circle. It was obvious she was lying! But since it involved another’s family inheritance, it was against the rules to pry further. Feng Jiu opened his mouth, frustrated, and cursed inwardly: what a glib little thing!

How could he get her to spill more? He habitually bent his head to preen his wing, only to find no feathers, and cleared his throat awkwardly before humming, “Of course I know.”

True or false? Feng Ke’er watched his evasive answer and his guilty look, growing even more suspicious.

“Then, tell me, how can I change my figure and appearance?” she insisted.

Feng Jiu steadied himself and bluffed, “Uh, that involves the Phoenix Clan’s secrets, which can’t be revealed to outsiders. However, if you perform it in front of me, I can give you some pointers.”

He had lingered at the peak of the eighth stage for tens of thousands of years, born and raised in the divine realm, and considered himself widely knowledgeable. Below the Golden Immortal stage, there was no technique he couldn’t see through or explain!

He sounded so confident that it didn’t seem like a lie. Delighted, Feng Ke’er swept her hands before her and called out, “Return!” Instantly, she reverted to her slender, delicate female form.

Next, she closed her eyes, murmured incantations, made a hand sign with her right hand, drew a talisman with her left, then spun in a circle and opened her eyes, shouting, “Transform!”

Feng Jiu then saw a lean, willow-like youth before him.

So that was it. The Breath Concealing Talisman had the power of concealment, and invisibility was merely one form of it. Compared to invisibility, shapeshifting was a higher form of concealment. Advanced talismans were inscrutable and could occasionally develop derivative attributes.

It was as if a bright lamp had suddenly been lit in his heart. He gazed at Feng Ke’er, his eyes growing deep and distant, and immediately entered meditation.

Feng Ke’er waved her five fingers in front of him, but he showed no reaction.

Well, it looked like he was lost in thought!

She shrugged. But people need to eat, after all, so she turned to go down the mountain to hunt for breakfast.

That was when something magical happened.

A new story had been posted for a full month. Well, dear readers, I've been quite diligent, haven't I? So, please—give me some votes, some reviews, and some favorites!

Celestial Tome Chapter 32—Shapeshifting Technique—Complete!