Full-Moon Banquet
The two little cubs soon tired themselves out from playing. They quietly climbed onto the bed, one on either side, each hugging one of Ji Chaoyun’s arms as they fell asleep.
Feng Qi looked at Ji Chaoyun, who had been completely claimed by the children, and grumbled indignantly, “Once their full month passes, I’m making both of them sleep in their own room!”
Ji Chaoyun burst out laughing and replied through voice transmission, “A mother shouldn’t be so petty.”
“...” Feng Qi ground his teeth and reached over to pinch Ji Chaoyun’s cheek. “Say that again?”
Ji Chaoyun turned his head, wanting to dodge, but he was afraid of waking the little ones beside him and did not dare move too much. He hurriedly begged for mercy. “I won’t say it again. Let go of me.”
Feng Qi raised a brow.
Instead of letting go, he leaned closer. His fingertips slid from Ji Chaoyun’s cheek, traced the sensitive skin along his neck, and finally stopped at his collar.
Ji Chaoyun’s breathing instantly grew heavier.
Seeing that those fingers seemed inclined to continue downward, Ji Chaoyun forgot all about voice transmission and hissed in a low voice, “Feng Qi!”
“Shh. Don’t wake the children.” Feng Qi’s voice sounded directly in his mind, his face wearing that familiar, ill-intentioned smile.
His fingertips lingered at the edge of Ji Chaoyun’s collar, suggestively brushing over the small patch of pale skin there. With only a little pressure, he tugged the already loose neckline open farther.
Ji Chaoyun was so nervous that even his fingers began trembling.
“The children are still here. Don’t...” Ji Chaoyun’s voice was weak, even the end of his sentence trembling almost imperceptibly.
Feng Qi looked down at him for a moment before finally laughing softly and pulling his collar back into place.
At the same time, Feng Qi’s teasing voice entered Ji Chaoyun’s ears. “What exactly goes through your head all day? Do you really think I’d do something like that in front of the children?”
Ji Chaoyun’s ears turned scarlet from being toyed with, and he glared furiously at Feng Qi.
Feng Qi paid him no mind. He pulled the quilt over all three of his treasures on the bed, leaned against the bedside, and stretched one arm past the little phoenix to idly stroke Ji Chaoyun’s hair.
“By the way, Uncle asked me today what we plan to do for the children’s full-month celebration. What do you think?”
It had always been customary among the clans of the Immortal Realm to hold a full-month banquet for newborn children.
Ji Chaoyun had already separated himself from Lingyuan Sea, so naturally they would not prepare the celebration according to the customs of the Dragon Clan. As for Fengming Valley, their traditions amounted to little more than inviting guests, worshiping the gods, and performing a long list of ceremonial formalities.
Just thinking about it made Ji Chaoyun’s head hurt. Besides, the phoenix cub was shy around strangers and had never left the Immortal Residence since his birth. If they really brought him somewhere crowded with people, who knew how frightened he would become?
And the god worshiped by the Phoenix Clan...
Seemed to be the very person lying beside him.
Feng Qi understood as soon as he saw Ji Chaoyun’s expression. Smiling, he kissed his forehead and said through voice transmission, “Don’t worry. I already told Uncle that these are troubled times and it isn’t suitable to make a grand affair of it. For the full-month banquet, we’ll simply invite a few close friends and relatives to the residence and celebrate quietly.”
Ji Chaoyun nodded. “Mm.”
And so the matter of the full-month banquet was settled.
Another half month quickly passed, and at last the day of the banquet arrived.
The afternoon sunlight was warm and pleasant. Ji Chaoyun and Feng Qi were in the study when a small figure came running in from the courtyard.
“Papa, Ma...” The little girl’s clear voice abruptly stopped the instant she met Feng Qi’s gaze. She obediently corrected herself. “...Father.”
Feng Qi sighed beneath Ji Chaoyun’s teasing gaze and bent down to pick up his precious daughter. “If you get it wrong again, you won’t be allowed to sleep with us tonight.”
“I know...” The little dragon affectionately rubbed against Feng Qi’s neck, then turned her head and mischievously winked at Ji Chaoyun.
Half a month had passed, and the dragon cub had grown somewhat taller. She looked about two or three years old, though when standing, she still did not reach Feng Qi’s thigh.
The dragon scales on her body had completely faded away, but the pair of dragon horns on her forehead still could not be withdrawn. They stood there prominently, swaying slightly whenever she moved.
“Papa, Father.” Another childish voice sounded as the phoenix cub stepped into the study.
The phoenix cub was about the same height as his sister. As the two children gradually grew, some similarities had begun to emerge in their features.
Yet no one knew who the phoenix cub had inherited his temperament from. The older he grew, the calmer and steadier he became, bearing a faint resemblance to Feng Xiao of the past.
Feng Qi went over, took the phoenix cub’s hand, and led him toward the table.
The two little ones were not even as tall as the desk when standing. Ji Chaoyun lifted them one by one and placed them on chairs beside himself.
“What’s this?” The dragon cub noticed the sheet of xuan paper lying on the desk.
Two names had been written neatly across it.
Ji Chu.
Feng Ci.
Children in the Immortal Realm traditionally received their formal names upon reaching one month of age.
Ji Chaoyun and Feng Qi had spent the entire past half month deliberating before finally deciding on these two.
The phoenix cub took Feng Qi’s surname, Feng, and the single-character given name Ci, meaning “parting followed by reunion.” The dragon cub took Ji Chaoyun’s surname, Ji, and the given name Chu, representing “remaining together as at the beginning.”
Ji Chaoyun said, “These will be your names from now on. You must remember them.”
The phoenix cub carefully studied his own name for a long while before obediently saying, “I’ll remember it, Papa.”
The dragon cub stood up and reached for the writing brush on Ji Chaoyun’s desk. “I want to try!”
Ji Chaoyun took out two smaller brushes and gave one to each child.
They obediently held the brush shafts and began drawing seriously across the paper.
The two little ones were still far too young to recognize characters. They could only trace the writing Ji Chaoyun had made for them. Their characters came out crooked and twisted, nearly impossible to recognize.
The dragon cub did not care in the slightest how ugly her writing was. Again and again, she traced her own name and her brother’s after Ji Chaoyun’s example, thoroughly enjoying herself.
The phoenix cub, on the other hand, stopped after carefully writing each name once. His brows furrowed as he meticulously compared his own writing to Ji Chaoyun’s, searching for every difference.
Ji Chaoyun did not disturb them. He turned toward Feng Qi and said through voice transmission, “With Dragon Cub’s personality, anyone can tell she takes after you.”
Feng Qi smiled. “Doesn’t Little Phoenix Cub act exactly like you did when you studied?”
Before long, Shuofeng arrived to report that the first group of invited guests had arrived.
Feng Qi went ahead to the front hall to receive them, while Ji Chaoyun remained in the study and continued accompanying the two children as they practiced writing.
It was only when the sun began sinking in the west that Ji Chaoyun finally carried the two little ones to the front hall.
The Immortal Residence had only recently been established, and this was the first time the front hall had ever been used.
Feng Qi had voluntarily taken responsibility for every detail of the full-month banquet, so Ji Chaoyun actually had no idea how the hall had been decorated.
Thus, when he arrived carrying the children, he was nearly blinded by the room full of treasures and precious jade.
Red silk covered the floor. Pearls, gemstones, and jade ornaments decorated every corner. Even a random pearl embedded in the wall was a priceless deep-sea merfolk pearl.
Ji Chaoyun: “...”
He really should never have believed Feng Qi when he said they would “keep everything simple.”
Before Ji Chaoyun could say anything, Feng Qi had already come forward and taken the children from his arms.
There actually were not many guests. Altogether, they filled only three tables, most of them members of the Phoenix Clan, divine soldiers, and former classmates from the academy.
As for the Dragon Clan, Jun Ruzhuo had been badly injured when the dragon cub blasted him with phoenix fire. His hair had yet to grow back, so he regrettably could not attend and merely sent gifts to offer his congratulations.
Feng Qi carried both children over to Immortal Venerable Tianshu.
The two little ones sweetly greeted, “Hello, Granduncle,” and Tianshu accepted one in each arm, his expression growing unusually gentle.
By blood, he should naturally have been more partial to the phoenix cub. Unfortunately, the dragon cub was far too lively and adorable. After only a few visits, she had already learned to call him “Granduncle” over and over until Tianshu was completely wrapped around her little finger.
Tianshu placed the children on his lap and took two pieces of jade from his robes.
“These are Granduncle’s full-month gifts for you.”
The two pieces of jade were semicircular, their cut surfaces perfectly smooth. At a glance, it was obvious that they had once been a single piece split into two.
The jade was clear and translucent. Each half had been threaded onto a slender red cord, and both radiated extremely dense spiritual power.
Ji Chaoyun paused. “This is...”
“The Taiqing Spirit-Gathering Jade. There is only one in the entire Immortal Realm.” Tianshu said, “It contains pure qi. Those who wear it will not be harmed by demons or evil beings and need not fear the turbid qi of this world.
I have now divided it into two and placed a spell upon both halves. No matter how far apart the bearers may be, even at opposite ends of the world, each can sense the other’s existence.”
“This is far too precious. I...”
Tianshu smiled. “I originally intended to give it to the winner of this year’s Heavenly Ranking, considering how troubled the times have become. It would have helped them resist the Demon Clan.
You are the winner of this Heavenly Ranking, so this item was meant to belong to you in the first place. I have merely given it to these two little ones instead. I hope you will not be angry with this old man, Chaoyun.”
Ji Chaoyun solemnly bowed to Tianshu. “I would not dare.”
Only then did everyone take their seats and the banquet formally begin.
The two little ones still could not eat much meat or greasy food and were limited mostly to rice porridge and pastries.
However, when Feng Qi finally found a free moment and returned to their table, he saw all three of his treasures sitting side by side, each holding a piece of osmanthus cake and happily nibbling away.
Feng Qi: “...”
“Ji Chaoyun!” Feng Qi lightly ground his teeth. “The little ones can’t eat too many sweets right now. They’ve both already gotten noticeably rounder. Did you forget everything I told you?”
Ji Chaoyun looked to his left, then to his right, and whispered, “I’ve been watching them. They only had one piece each.”
The moment he finished speaking, the phoenix cub swallowed the final bite in his mouth, then reached out in full view of both fathers, grabbed another pastry, and took an enormous bite.
“...”
Feng Qi drew a deep breath and was just about to speak when Shuofeng suddenly rushed in from outside.
“Divine One!” Shuofeng carried a wooden box in his hands, his expression anxious. “This subordinate was just sorting through the congratulatory gifts sent by the clans of the Immortal Realm when I discovered this.”
Feng Qi’s expression immediately changed.
Not only his.
Both the dragon cub and phoenix cub stopped moving at the same time.
The phoenix cub tugged Ji Chaoyun’s robe and whispered, “Papa, that...”
“What is it?” Ji Chaoyun had also noticed Feng Qi’s grim expression, but he could sense absolutely nothing from the wooden box.
The dragon cub hurriedly burrowed into Ji Chaoyun’s arms in fear. “I feel like there’s something really scary inside...”
Feng Qi opened the wooden box.
A single letter lay quietly inside.
The two children curled even more tightly into Ji Chaoyun’s arms. Only then did the others present finally sense the immensely concentrated demonic aura hidden within the box.
Feng Qi unfolded the letter and rapidly scanned its contents. His expression grew darker with every line.
“This came from... the Demon Realm?” Ji Chaoyun asked.
“Yes.” Feng Qi said flatly, “Yan Huaqing is challenging me to a duel. Just the two of us.”
Ji Chaoyun did not understand. “How could he possibly come out? The seal is clearly...”
Feng Qi crushed the letter into a ball. Flames ignited in his palm, setting both the letter and wooden box ablaze.
Within the firelight, Feng Qi narrowed his eyes. “He can’t come out. That’s why he wants me to go in.”
Ji Chaoyun said, “But...”
Before he could finish, both children cried out at once.
“Father!”
The flames in Feng Qi’s hand abruptly turned pitch black.
Dense black mist poured from the fire, and an even stronger demonic aura than before surged outward.
Feng Qi swept his hand through the air, throwing the black flame toward the outside of the hall, but it suddenly scattered halfway there and struck down the two nearest divine soldiers.
“Chaoyun!” Feng Qi said quickly, “Take everyone to the rear courtyard. Stay there and don’t come out yet.”
Ji Chaoyun lifted both children into his arms and hurried through the front hall with the dozen or so guests.
Ordinarily, he would never have left Feng Qi behind alone, but now they had two children with them. He could not allow the children to be placed in danger.
The group had barely crossed the corridor when several streams of black mist came racing after them from every direction and quickly surrounded them.
Those invited to attend the full-month banquet were naturally no ordinary people. Everyone fought while retreating, but the black mist seemed endless and soon filled the entire immortal residence.
Amid the chaos, the guests were gradually separated from one another.
By the time Ji Chaoyun retreated into the courtyard, only two divine soldiers Feng Qi had assigned to protect him remained at his side.
“Something seems wrong.” One divine soldier followed closely beside Ji Chaoyun and said anxiously, “Young Master, this black mist seems to be coming specifically for you.”
“Not me.” Ji Chaoyun’s expression was cold as water. “They want the children.”
The dragon cub buried her head in Ji Chaoyun’s chest. “Papa, I’m scared...”
The phoenix cub said nothing, but he clutched Ji Chaoyun’s clothes tightly, tears gathering in his eyes.
Ji Chaoyun tightened his arms around both little ones, looked up at the black mist filling the sky, and said softly, “Don’t be afraid. Papa will protect you.”
“Young Master, get inside. We’ll hold them off!” One divine soldier drew his blade and cut the nearest mass of black mist in two as he shouted.
However, the mist only paused for a moment.
It quickly divided into two separate streams and surrounded the pair again.
Two slender arms seemed to extend from within the darkness, wrapping tightly around the divine soldiers’ throats and effortlessly lifting them from the ground.
“Waaah!”
The dragon cub finally broke down in fear, wrapping both arms around Ji Chaoyun’s neck and bursting into tears.
“S-Sister…” The phoenix cub had been frightened as well, but seeing his sister cry so miserably, he forcibly held back his own tears. “Don’t cry...”
“Dragon Cub, don’t be afraid. You...”
Ji Chaoyun was just about to comfort her when an enormous surge of spiritual power suddenly erupted from the dragon cub’s body.
The spiritual wave tore wildly through the air, forming a violent vortex of power that instantly shredded several masses of black mist in the courtyard.
“...”
Ji Chaoyun and the phoenix cub looked at each other.
In those clear, pale eyes, Ji Chaoyun saw his own equally bewildered expression reflected back at him.
The phoenix cub uncertainly asked, “...Papa, should we let Sister keep crying?”
Ji Chaoyun answered in a daze, “Cry... I suppose?”
A moment later, accompanied by sobs so loud they seemed capable of shaking the entire Immortal Residence, every trace of black mist rampaging through the estate was completely obliterated, not a wisp remained.
☁︎₊˚⊹ The Author’s Jade-Slip Aside ⊹˚₊☁︎
Dragon Cub: ???
————
The children’s names have finally been decided! Thank you to little angel Honghong’er for suggesting them. I really love the meaning, hahaha.
There were so many wonderful names suggested in the comments too. Thank you so much, everyone. I actually really wanted to use Feng Qi [凤栖, a different Qi], which received the most nominations, but it sounds the same as his mother’s crossed out father’s name, so I had no choice but to reluctantly give it up, orz.
✧ The Cubs’ Names ✧
季初: Ji Chu (Jì Chū)
初 (chū) means beginning, first, initial. The text says his name is taken from 相守如初, literally carrying the sense of “remaining by each other’s side as they did at the beginning.” It has a really sweet implication of affection and devotion remaining unchanged with time.
凤辞: Feng Ci (Fèng Cí)
辞 (cí) can mean to part, bid farewell, take leave. Here the author explicitly connects it to 辞别重逢, giving the name the sense of “parting and reunion.”
I LOVE that the twins’ names quietly echo their parents’ story :3
Ji Chu: remaining together as at the beginning.
Feng Ci: parting, then meeting again.
🐉🐦 Which Little One Blessed You Today? 🐦🐉
The usual reader extra has been temporarily taken over by two very small immortals.
Answer six questions and find out which little one has decided to bless you today. ♡
Something terrifying suddenly appears in front of you. Your first response?
Someone you love is upset. What are you doing?
You accidentally discover that you are ridiculously powerful.
Choose your preferred method of protecting the family.
Your sibling has gotten themselves into trouble. Again.
Papa says everything is safe now and you can stop panicking.
Blessed by: Dragon Cub
Special Skill:
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Effect:
All nearby threats are immediately obliterated.
Side Effect:
Everyone’s ears may also be obliterated.
Blessed by: Phoenix Cub
Special Skill:
Quiet Observation
Effect:
+100 awareness whenever everyone else is panicking.
Passive Ability:
Protect Sister. Ask questions later.
Blessed by:
Dragon Cub and Phoenix Cub
Special Skill:
Chaos + Common Sense
Effect:
You possess Dragon Cub’s unstoppable energy
and Phoenix Cub’s ability to actually think.
Rare Passive:
Cause the problem. Assess the problem. Solve the problem.
🎴 Catto's Daily Companion Pull
The ACWTE deck has decided you need supervision. Tap the top card and discover which companion the Heavenly Dao has assigned to you today. ♡
No money. No accounts. No actual gambling. Just one suspiciously random companion living in your browser for the day.
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