Our Children Could Never Be Ordinary
All the demonic creatures in the immortal residence were completely dispersed. Yet the little hero who had contributed the most had cried so hard that she could not stop. Now everyone surrounded her, taking turns trying to coax her, but nothing could calm her down.
The little dragon cub sobbed until she could barely catch her breath, clinging tightly to Ji Chaoyun’s neck. “Wuwuwu... so, so scary...”
Ji Chaoyun gently patted her back again and again, soothing her. “Don’t be afraid. It’s all right now.”
Sniffling between sobs, the little dragon asked, “...Did Papa and Father chase the bad people away?”
Feng Qi, whose fight had only been halfway finished, and Ji Chaoyun, who had done absolutely nothing: “...”
“Yes. The bad people have already been chased away.” Feng Qi took his little daughter from Ji Chaoyun and wiped the tears from her face with his sleeve. “No more crying. What if you attract the bad people back again?”
The little dragon cub hurriedly covered her mouth and sniffled softly. “I-I won’t cry anymore.”
Once the little dragon gradually calmed down, Feng Ji asked, “What do you plan to do about the Demon Realm?”
Feng Qi considered for a moment before answering, “The teleportation array to Hongmeng Academy has already been opened. We’ll first send everyone back to the academy. As for Uncle and Elder Brother, I’ll have to trouble the two of you to gather the allied forces at the Immortal Residence as quickly as possible for a discussion. The matter of the Demon Realm cannot be delayed.”
Tianshu said, “Very well. We’ll see to it at once.”
“Thank you both.”
Everyone soon dispersed, and the courtyard returned to its usual quiet.
Feng Qi carried the little dragon cub while Ji Chaoyun held the little phoenix cub’s hand, and the four of them went inside together.
Ji Chaoyun took a cloth, soaked it in warm water, and gently wiped the little dragon’s face. The dragon cub had exhausted herself crying. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she soon became too sleepy to keep them open.
Feng Qi placed the little dragon on the bed, then turned to the phoenix cub. “Your papas have something to discuss. Phoenix Cub, can you take good care of your sister?”
The phoenix cub nodded. “Mm.”
The phoenix cub climbed onto the bed and wrapped his little arms around his elder sister.
The dragon cub nestled into his embrace, just as she had inside the egg, and soon fell asleep with her head pressed against her younger brother’s.
“Let’s speak outside.”
Feng Qi took Ji Chaoyun by the hand and led him into the outer room.
“Our two little ones are quite formidable. Judging by the power Dragon Cub displayed just now, even I would have had considerable difficulty dealing with it.” As Feng Qi spoke, he picked up the teapot from the table and poured two cups of tea.
Ji Chaoyun said softly, “It seems the power she usually displays is only the tip of the iceberg.”
Feng Qi nodded. “These two children possess the exceedingly rare constitution of being half god and half immortal. The power within them is unfathomable. They simply cannot control it yet because they are so young. Still, tonight she destroyed every demonic creature without harming anyone else. Clearly, she is not completely incapable of controlling it. She may simply be too young to understand what that power is.”
“I suspect the spiritual power within Phoenix Cub is not as simple as it usually appears either.” Whenever Feng Qi spoke about these things, delight filled his expression. He turned and noticed Ji Chaoyun’s face, then paused. “Our children have limitless prospects ahead of them. Why do you look so unhappy?”
“I can’t be happy about it.” Ji Chaoyun lowered his eyes to the floor, his voice muffled. “Compared to all that, I would rather they be ordinary people. At least then they wouldn’t have to carry so many burdens on their shoulders like you do.”
Feng Qi’s expression briefly stiffened. He turned back and continued pouring tea. “Speaking of that, I knew that bastard Yan Huaqing could never remain quiet for long. He even ruined a perfectly good full-month banquet. Once I see him, I’ll certainly make him repay me for th—”
Before he finished speaking, Ji Chaoyun suddenly stepped forward and embraced him from behind.
The arms around Feng Qi’s waist trembled faintly. Feng Qi raised a hand and placed it over Ji Chaoyun’s. “What’s wrong? I just finished coaxing our daughter. Do I need to coax you too?”
Ji Chaoyun tightened his arms and held him even harder.
Feng Qi said, “Little dragon, you...”
“Let’s return to the Divine Realm.” Ji Chaoyun’s voice was hoarse, the ends of his words trembling. “I’ll go back with you. We can leave tomorrow, or... or we can leave right now. Let’s never concern ourselves with any of this again.”
Feng Qi silently sighed. “Little dragon, calm down first.”
“Then promise me first that you won’t accept his challenge!”
Ji Chaoyun’s voice rose slightly, stirring the two little ones asleep in the inner room. The dragon cub gave a soft “aowu” and burrowed deeper into her younger brother’s arms. The phoenix cub raised his head and looked toward them through the cloud-patterned screen before pressing his sister’s head back into his embrace.
In the outer room, Feng Qi turned around and enclosed Ji Chaoyun’s cold hands within his own.
“I understand what you’re worried about, but didn’t we already agree that we would settle this matter once and for all?” Feng Qi said gently. “Even if Yan Huaqing hadn’t provoked me today, once the full-month banquet was over, I would still have gone to the Demon Realm.”
“B-but...” Ji Chaoyun said, “He sent that letter specifically to you. He must have laid a trap. If you go now, aren’t you walking straight into it?”
“Yan Huaqing is not that difficult to deal with.” Feng Qi said, “He lost to me three hundred years ago. No one understands his movement techniques and methods better than I do. More importantly, I know about his old injury.”
Feng Qi paused, then continued, “His old injury never healed. That’s why I suspect that when he lured Bai Qiuyue to the Demon Realm, breaking the seal was not his only goal. He may also have intended to reclaim the half of his soul inside Bai Qiuyue to heal himself. Bai Qiuyue is dead now. His old injury has no chance of improving, so he will not be my match.”
Ji Chaoyun did not understand. “Then why would he challenge you of his own accord...”
“What makes that man frightening is his plotting and schemes. Truthfully, I cannot guess what he has arranged in secret by inviting me into the Demon Realm.” Feng Qi said, “Still... is he the only one allowed to set traps? Am I not allowed to make preparations of my own?”
Ji Chaoyun asked, “What are you planning?”
Feng Qi did not answer at once.
He pulled Ji Chaoyun down to sit beside him and idly stroked his hair. “I want to use this opportunity to eliminate the threat once and for all.”
The moonlight outside was beautiful. The entire immortal residence was silent. Apart from a few divine soldiers patrolling on guard, not another sound could be heard.
Inside the room, Feng Qi held Ji Chaoyun tightly and spoke to him in a low voice.
Not long afterward, someone lightly knocked on the door. “Divine One, everyone has arrived.”
Feng Qi replied, “All right. I’ll be there.”
Ji Chaoyun was about to stand when Feng Qi suddenly lifted him into his arms and strode toward the inner room.
He placed Ji Chaoyun on the bed, kissed each of the two sleeping little ones on the cheek, then lowered his head and shared a brief but deep kiss with Ji Chaoyun.
Feng Qi raised a hand and extinguished the lamp.
In the darkness, those handsome eyes shone brightly, laughter lingering within them. “It’s almost dawn. Go to sleep. I’ll be back soon.”
He firmly caressed Ji Chaoyun’s cheek one last time, glanced at the two little ones on the bed, then rose and straightened his robes. “There was one thing you said earlier that was wrong. Our children are destined never to be ordinary. I’m afraid that wish of yours was never going to come true.”
Feng Qi turned and left without noticing that Ji Chaoyun’s expression had changed.
On the bed, the two tiny children remained tightly wrapped around one another, sleeping soundly.
Ji Chaoyun gathered them both into his arms and looked down at them. A certain suspicion slowly surfaced in his heart.
☁
The allied forces of the Immortal Realm spent a full three days deliberating at the Immortal Residence. Three days later, according to Yan Huaqing’s challenge, Feng Qi departed for the Demon Realm.
That morning, Feng Qi flew through the air and descended onto Qingqiu Island.
After the battle at Qingqiu, the remaining members of the Heavenly Fox Clan had been relocated elsewhere. The island was now completely deserted and exceptionally quiet.
Unlike the Immortal, Divine, and Mortal Realms, the Demon Realm was another spiritual realm independent of those three. A vast spatial rift connected the two sides. When the demon clan invaded the Immortal Realm, they had forced open that spatial rift and established passages throughout the Immortal Realm.
Qingqiu was one of them.
As for why Feng Qi had come here, that was naturally Yan Huaqing’s demand as well.
Feng Qi walked slowly across the deserted island and soon arrived before a boundary stele. It stood beside the sea, more than half of its lower portion buried beneath sand, and the characters once carved upon it had long since become impossible to discern.
Feng Qi raised a hand and lightly brushed the surface of the stele. A faint golden light sank into it and disappeared without a trace.
He then stepped beyond the boundary stele.
The light around him folded upon itself and abruptly darkened.
When Feng Qi opened his eyes again, only chaotic darkness lay before him.
He instinctively turned his head. Through the gate of light behind him, he could still see Qingqiu’s boundless coastline and the warm, brilliant sunlight beyond.
A deep-blue band of light stretched through the air from the gate, extending far into the endless darkness ahead.
This was the passage the Demon Realm had once constructed within the spatial rift.
Feng Qi silently sighed.
A voice suddenly sounded behind him. “Unless you enter this place, you can never truly understand how beautiful the outside world is, can you?”
Feng Qi abruptly turned around. “Yan Huaqing?”
Only an indistinct, ethereal projection stood before him.
Yan Huaqing’s shadowy figure stood quietly not far away, yet his gaze passed beyond Feng Qi toward the world outside. “Three hundred years. Day after day, I have stood here looking at the sunlight, the shore, the crowds of people beyond. I desperately wanted to go out and feel it for myself, yet this gate is simply too difficult to break. I have spent so much effort and still failed to obtain what I wanted.”
Feng Qi said coolly, “Had you known it would come to this, why act as you did in the first place?”
“Would it have made any difference?” Yan Huaqing laughed. “Had we never invaded the Immortal Realm, would we not still be trapped within this endless darkness? What is wrong with wanting to leave?”
“Hopelessly obstinate.” Feng Qi said, “Wasn’t this supposed to be a duel? Where are you? Why won’t you show your true body before me?”
Yan Huaqing turned and stepped onto the deep blue path of light. “Come with me. I’m not far ahead. Rest assured, I brought no guards either. A duel between the two of us within the spatial rift separating the realms should count as fair, shouldn’t it?”
After saying this, he continued walking forward on his own.
Strangely enough, Yan Huaqing had sent a letter challenging Feng Qi during the full-month banquet and had even released demonic creatures to provoke him. This battle would undoubtedly determine life or death.
Yet neither man carried even a trace of killing intent. The atmosphere was so relaxed that it was almost frightening.
Not a sound could be heard within the vast spatial rift. The projection concentrated on leading the way and said nothing more.
Feng Qi followed behind him, casually sweeping his gaze over the surroundings as he asked as though in passing, “I’m curious. Why did you challenge me?”
Yan Huaqing smiled. “I’m equally curious. Why did you accept?”
“If I refused, was I supposed to let you keep sending demonic creatures into my home every few days?” Feng Qi said. “I wouldn’t care for myself, but frightening my children would be troublesome.”
Yan Huaqing’s expression darkened slightly. He asked, “I heard that little dragon bore you a son and a daughter. Aren’t you afraid you may not return from this journey, leaving them alone in this world?”
“I am. That’s why I have to return.” A faint smile entered Feng Qi’s eyes as he said softly, “You’re different. Someone like you has no attachments in his heart, so naturally you would never fear such things.”
Yan Huaqing’s steps abruptly stopped.
The smile in Feng Qi’s eyes deepened. “What? Was I wrong?”
“No.”
Yan Huaqing’s voice suddenly came from somewhere farther away.
The projection before Feng Qi dissolved into drifting sand and vanished. Feng Qi raised his eyes and saw a figure in red slowly approaching him.
After three hundred years apart, Feng Qi finally stood before the true body of the Venerable of the Demon Realm once more.
Yan Huaqing wore his customary smile, his posture calm and unhurried. “We meet again, Divine Lord Feng Xiao.”
☁︎₊˚⊹ The Author’s Jade-Slip Aside ⊹˚₊☁︎
We’re in the final stretch now. If this part goes smoothly, I’ll finish this section with one huge update tomorrow. If it doesn’t go smoothly, then two chapters. Or three, orz.
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