Chapter 486: Eagle Cliff’s Predicament
“I’ll just have to convince Elder Bai. You don’t have to worry about it,” said Advisor Jun, giving A’ze a glare.
The people in the Chaotic Secret Realm had defected to the Divine Envoy. They would be destroyed sooner or later if they did not found a backer.
Since this woman was actually able to sign a Master and Servant Contract with their prince, she definitely was not an ordinary person. It would be better for them to pledge their allegiance to her first. If it did not work out, it would not be too late to break faith.
“As you wish, Elder Bai is your grandfather anyway. He’ll believe anything you say,” A’ze tactfully gave in.
“Don’t you have a Clan Leader in your Eagle Clan?” asked Yun Jiuge, who understood Elder Bai to be their leader based on their words. It was different from her expectations!
“The Clan Leader sacrificed himself in the black rain 20 years ago to protect our clan members. The prince was raised by Elder Bai,” Advisor Jun said sadly.
“I see. Then I’d better pay my respects to Elder Bai,” said Yun Jiuge, who had originally thought she could build a good relationship with the Clan Leader based on A’dai’s identity. Now she had to make some considerations since it had changed to Elder Bai.
If Elder Bai gave her a hard time, then she would leave straightaway.
“Elder Bai also wants to see you and His Highness, the Prince, very much. Please come with me!” Advisor Jun stood up and took a look at A’dai.
“A’dai, let’s go see your Elder Bai,” Yun Jiuge said, patting A’dai on his big head.
A’dai reluctantly got up from the nest. Then he carried Yun Jiuge and Zi Shang on his back and flew toward Eagle Cliff.
Young and old human-bird hybrids stood on Eagle Cliff. They were all incredibly happy to see the return of their prince. They emitted a variety of delighted calls in unison.
A white-haired human-bird hybrid stood in the cave and beckoned to them. That should have been Elder Bai.
He was of a small, thin build and had dark skin. The wrinkles on his face looked like they were etched by a knife. His eyes were exceptionally clear, radiating with the brilliance of wisdom. The wings behind his back had become snow white, like that of an old person’s.
A’dai automatically flew over to that human-bird hybrid, and then craned his head to look at him. His small eyes flashed with a familiar and confused glint.
“Your Highness, I urged you repeatedly not to approach that black vortex at the time. Why did you not listen?” Elder Bai reprimanded A’dai upon seeing him.
“Caw, caw, caw!” A’dai’s fat face showed an angry expression. Next, he jumped onto Elder Bai’s nest, putting on a fearless and defiant air.
“You…” Elder Bai pointed to A’dai’s head in exasperation before he harshly tossed out a remark, “I’ll deal with you later.” With that, he looked at Yun Jiuge.
“Elder Bai, this is Miss Yun and her guard, Brother Ye Zi. Miss Yun has already signed a Master and Servant Contract with His Highness, Prince Ling Fei. She’ll do her best to help us treat His Royal Highness,” said Advisor Jun, whose brief words held a lot of meaning.
Elder Bai immediately understood upon hearing his words. He kindly looked upon Yun Jiuge and said with a smile, “Miss Yun, since you are the master of His Highness, Prince Ling Fei, it is equivalent to you being the Lord of our Eagle Cliff. I hereby welcome you, on behalf of Eagle Cliff.”
“Elder Bai, it’s most kind of you,” Yun Jiuge replied. She did not expect that it was so simple to claim the human-beast hybrids in Eagle Cliff. It felt too easy.
“Miss Yun, now that you’ve accepted the status of the Lord of Eagle Cliff, please get us out of our predicament!” Elder Bai began to speak tearfully about the difficulties of the Eagle Cliff.
In the past 20 years since the black rain, although it was easier for the Eagle Clan to obtain food compared to other clans because of their flying ability, they were a lot more exposed to Death Energy because of how often they flew in the sky.
The lifespans of the Eagle Clan members were getting shorter these few years. Back then they were able to live to 100 years old, but now they could only live into their 80s at the most. Moreover, they continued to decline.
However, the main issue was that the Eagle Clan’s birth rate was getting worse and worse. Even if they were able to give birth, the young were weak and would often not live past 10 years old.
“Lord of Eagle Cliff, please help us figure out a way, or else our Eagle Clan will die out,” begged Elder Bai as he turned to Yun Jiuge expectantly.
“So that’s what it is,” Yun Jiuge muttered. She breathed a sigh of relief after she listened to Elder Bai’s words.
If the Eagle Clan really honored her as their master without reservation, she would be fearful and on the edge.
Now that they beseeched her with a request, she felt more reassured. She said, “First, take me to see the children.”
“Yes, yes, of course,” Elder Bai answered hurriedly, and then personally flew to the front.
“What about His Highness, Prince Ling Fei?” asked A’ze as he looked at A’dai who was squatting in Elder Bai’s nest and beginning to nod off.
“His Highness is robust and strong. He should be fine for a short period of time. Wait until Miss Yun is available before we do anything, lest he wakes up and finds trouble again,” Elder Bai said as he gave A’dai a disinterested glance. He looked fine as long as he was not dead.
A’ze thought about it and could not help but nod.
What Elder Bai said was right. His Highness had always been energetic and exuberant from a young age, getting into countless trouble. It was better to let him be quiet for a period of time!
“Miss Yun, this is our nursery. All the children inside have problems,” Elder Bai said as he brought Yun Jiuge to a big cave at the edge of an overhanging cliff.
She saw seven or eight children between five to six years old lying inside. Each one appeared malnourished and sickly. The feathers in their wings at the back were sparse. They looked like diseased little chicks.
Seeing Yun Jiuge approach, the young chicks glanced at her briefly before their heads drooped down weakly. It was as if they did not even have the strength to speak.
Yun Jiuge walked toward the youngest child.
The child was about four years old, and all skin and bones. His wings were so pitifully small and drooped at the back like they were trimmings. A pair of watery big, blue eyes watched Yun Jiuge. He was extremely cute.
“Good boy, what’s your name?” Yun Jiuge gently asked in a whisper.
“A’shui,” The human-bird hybrid, A’shui, weakly replied.
“A’shui, can you put your hand out for Sister?” Yun Jiuge’s voice became softer.
“Okay,” A’shui obediently extended his own thin arm.
Yun Jiuge began to feel A’shui’s pulse. Next, she carefully observed all the children again and then frowned.
These children did indeed have some Death Energy inside their bodies. But the most critical was the traces of gray energy.
The strange gray energy was terribly similar to what A’dai had in his head. The children’s internal organs were so filled with it that their development was inhibited.
The gray energy spread so uniformly that it should have been congenitally formed.
If it were acquired after birth, it would coalesce in a fixed place like what happened to A’dai.
If they were born with it, then it could only have been brought out of the mother’s womb.
“Miss Yun, what do you think? Can these children still be saved?” Elder Bai asked as he looked at her with his old eyes full of hope.
“These children have some congenital deficiencies, which are most likely problems arising from their mothers’ womb. Where are their parents? I’ve something to ask them,” Yun Jiuge asked, intending to investigate first before mentioning the gray energy to the Eagle Clan members.
“Wait a moment,” Elder Bai turned around and commanded A’ze, “Call A’hui over.”
“Yes,” A’ze replied. He immediately flapped his wings and left the cave to head for the other side of the overhanging cliff.