I Heard... I’m Feng Xiao?
In the end, Feng Qi did not truly behave like a beast.
Ji Chaoyun had only just finished forming his core. Even with their spiritual power sealed, Feng Qi did not dare torment him too recklessly again.
They could not spirit cultivate, but there was no harm in being intimate.
Feng Qi pinned him against the head of the bed and carefully soothed him, meticulously tending to him inside and out until Ji Chaoyun was both delighted and frightened. Under such coercion, Ji Chaoyun recounted everything Feng Qi had yet to remember, leaving out no detail, and only then did he finally escape further torment.
The two of them fooled around until nearly dawn. Feng Qi was thoroughly satisfied and busied himself cleaning up the aftermath. Ji Chaoyun lay sprawled on the soft bed with only his eyes peeking out, staring aggrievedly at the figure not far away.
Only now did he learn that aside from spirit cultivation, there were other such terrifying methods.
...This man was far too wicked.
No, wait. Feng Qi was clearly the one who had forgotten the past, so how had Ji Chaoyun ended up being the one interrogated and bullied?
Ji Chaoyun suddenly realized that he had been tricked by this man yet again. Fuming, he rolled over to face the wall.
When Feng Qi finished tidying the room and returned to the bedside, all he saw was a lump beneath the quilt, sulking over who knew what.
Feng Qi hooked a finger around a strand of hair left outside the quilt, his eyes brimming with laughter. “Won’t you suffocate like that?”
“...” Without a word, Ji Chaoyun scooted farther inward and pulled the covers up, curling himself even tighter until he did not leave so much as a single strand of hair exposed.
Feng Qi took the opportunity to lie down and gathered him into his arms, quilt and all. “Little dragon?”
Ji Chaoyun still ignored him.
“All right, you really will suffocate in there.” Feng Qi peeled him out of the quilt and pinned him firmly beneath himself, bringing his nose close to gently nuzzle Ji Chaoyun’s cheek. “Little dragon, I was wrong.”
His voice was deliberately low and deep, slipping straight into Ji Chaoyun’s ears and making his heart itch.
Most of Ji Chaoyun’s anger instantly vanished without a shred of dignity.
His expression had only just softened when Feng Qi continued, “But you were clearly enjoying yourself just now too. You held me so tightly. You can’t put your clothes back on and refuse to acknowledge me afterward...”
A faint gust brushed past Feng Qi’s ear. He swiftly leaned back and caught the fist Ji Chaoyun had swung at him with perfect accuracy.
He caught Ji Chaoyun by the wrist and pinned his hand against the pillow, then tilted his head and smiled at him. “After being kicked out of bed by you so many times, I’d be a fool not to be on guard.”
Ji Chaoyun’s ears were bright red. He struggled hard, only to discover in despair that even after regaining his Dragon Pearl, his cultivation still could not match Feng Qi’s.
Before Feng Qi had entered seclusion, the two of them might still have been evenly matched.
That period of seclusion, however, had allowed Feng Qi to release part of the seal on his divine power. His cultivation could no longer be compared to what it had once been. Ji Chaoyun was no match for him now.
If he had known earlier...
“What are you thinking about?” Feng Qi noticed him drifting off and asked quietly.
Ji Chaoyun muttered, “I’m wondering when I’ll finally be able to beat you.”
“Want to try now?” Something stirred in Feng Qi’s eyes as he smiled. “I’ll give you the advantage of one hand. Want to have a go?”
Ji Chaoyun’s eyes immediately brightened. The instant Feng Qi released him, he abruptly sprang up and struck a palm straight toward Feng Qi’s face. Feng Qi twisted aside and nearly tripped over the quilt by his feet.
Ji Chaoyun gave him no chance to catch his breath and immediately followed with a second palm strike.
The two rapidly exchanged several moves atop the bed before Ji Chaoyun’s movements suddenly faltered.
Feng Qi asked, “What’s wrong?”
Ji Chaoyun rubbed his abdomen. A faint, distending ache came from within, making him frown in discomfort. “It hurts a little...”
“Then lie down. Stop fooling around.” Feng Qi hurriedly helped him lie back down and placed his palm over Ji Chaoyun’s hand. “Does it hurt badly? Should I call an immortal physician to examine you?”
“No need. Perhaps the Dragon Pearl simply hasn’t stabilized yet.” Ji Chaoyun shook his head, then hesitantly muttered, “But this isn’t where my core is...”
Feng Qi rubbed the aching spot for him and said worriedly, “I shouldn’t have fooled around with you. This is the second time you’ve formed a core, and your situation is different from that of mortal cultivators. No one knows how long it will take to stabilize. Don’t use your cultivation these next few days, lest you feel unwell again.”
“...I know.”
Seeing how dejected he looked, Feng Qi smiled. “You can’t beat me now, but you still have a chance. Once your Dragon Pearl stabilizes, you can slowly cultivate again. A few days won’t make a difference.”
Ji Chaoyun asked quietly, “Do you truly have no intention of finding a way to restore your divine power?”
Feng Qi lay beside him, one hand gently rubbing Ji Chaoyun’s abdomen while the other drew him into his arms. “Do you want me to restore it?”
“...”
“Restore my divine power, recover my memories, perhaps even return to the Divine Realm. Little dragon, do you truly want that?”
Ji Chaoyun lowered his eyes. “Why are you asking me that?”
Ji Chaoyun said, “You were originally a heavenly god who descended to the mortal world. Your power, status, and memories are all things that rightfully belong to you. I didn’t want you to remember before because I feared it would put you in danger. Now that matters have come this far, of course I hope you can become whole again.”
Feng Qi said, “But I only want to stay like this with you.”
Ji Chaoyun froze.
Feng Qi smiled faintly. “Ever since I witnessed Feng Xiao’s birth that day, I’ve gradually come to understand why he made the choice he did. He was born amid calamity, then taken away by the heavenly gods. Over these tens of millions of years, he must have endured countless tribulations and witnessed countless scenes of living beings plunged into misery. That compassion was carved into his very bones and marrow. That was why he could sacrifice himself for this world.”
“...But I’m different, little dragon.”
Feng Qi said, “I don’t have his vast perspective. I can’t hold all living beings beneath heaven in my heart and cast life and death aside. The person I am now would rather guard my own small corner of the world and protect the people I cherish.”
Feng Qi lowered his head to look at Ji Chaoyun and said earnestly, “So if you don’t want it, I’ll stay here forever. As for everything else... there’s no harm in forgetting about it.”
Ji Chaoyun was silent for a long while before turning his head and burying himself in Feng Qi’s embrace. “I also want... to stay like this with you.”
The Feng Qi of today was a prince of the Phoenix Clan and his senior brother at the academy. There was no vast gulf separating them.
But if he recovered his divine power, he would become an ancient heavenly god, revered by countless people and burdened with the mission of saving the world.
That would be the existence Ji Chaoyun could never catch up to even if he spent his entire life pursuing it.
“...But we can’t do that.” Ji Chaoyun’s voice was very soft. “I don’t want to become your burden or your fetter. Have you forgotten why I came to Hongmeng Academy in the first place?”
“Chaoyun...”
He raised his head and said solemnly to Feng Qi, “I don’t want to remain where I am as I did in the past, waiting for you to care for me and protect me. I want to stand beside you and face everything that is coming together. No matter how many hardships and dangers await us in the future, I want to live and die together with you.”
Feng Qi’s heart stirred. He lowered his head and kissed Ji Chaoyun deeply, then smiled. “So in the end, I was the one whose sights were set too low?”
“If your sights were truly set so low, you wouldn’t have been searching everywhere for a way to restore your divine power.” Ji Chaoyun pointed toward the desk not far away, where several open books and scriptures lay scattered. “I’m usually the one who uses your desk. When did all these books appear? How did I not know?”
Feng Qi suddenly realized his mistake. “I was too busy brewing medicine for you and forgot to put them away. A miscalculation.”
“You never remember to put away the books you read. I’m used to it.” Ji Chaoyun muttered, then asked, “So, did you truly find a way to restore your divine power?”
Feng Qi did not answer immediately.
His expression seemed somewhat hesitant. After pondering for a moment, he finally said, “There is one method, but I’m not certain about it yet. I need to ask someone.”
“Who?”
“The greatest authority in this academy. Who else could it be?”
“Immortal Venerable Tianshu?” Ji Chaoyun propped himself up. “Then shouldn’t we hurry over there? If we delay any longer—”
“Lie down properly.” Feng Qi pressed him back into his arms, leaving no room for argument. “It isn’t even dawn yet, and curfew hasn’t ended. Aren’t you afraid Uncle will lose his temper if you go now?”
Ji Chaoyun, who had become black from staying too close to ink and completely forgotten that Hongmeng Academy even had a curfew: “...”
Feng Qi laughed and held him tighter. “There’s no hurry. We’ll go tomorrow. How is it? Does it still hurt?”
The pain in Ji Chaoyun’s abdomen had never been severe to begin with, and after lying down for a while, it had quickly faded. He was just about to shake his head when he stopped himself, took Feng Qi’s hand, and whispered, “It hurts. Rub it some more.”
His eyes were sincere and bright as he blinked innocently, silently revealing three unmistakable words.
He was acting spoiled.
Feng Qi saw through his little scheme at once but did not expose him. He simply placed his hand over Ji Chaoyun’s abdomen as asked.
Ji Chaoyun wore only a thin inner robe, and he quickly felt the warmth of Feng Qi’s palm seep through. As though afraid of hurting him, the pressure against his abdomen was gentle, the caresses slow and tender. Before long, Ji Chaoyun was drowsy beneath his touch.
Ji Chaoyun yawned and shifted in Feng Qi’s arms until he found a comfortable position. Sleepiness soon washed over him. “Remember to wake me early tomorrow morning. Don’t let us miss anything important.”
“I know. Sleep.”
Ever since the two began spirit cultivating, Ji Chaoyun had visibly been waking later each day. Feng Qi was also more than happy to linger in bed with him for a while longer, freely indulging Ji Chaoyun’s habit of sleeping late. Sometimes, he even let Ji Chaoyun sleep straight through until the afternoon.
The next day, when Ji Chaoyun awoke, the sun was already three poles high.
By the time the two had washed, dressed, and arrived at the Hall of Inquiry on the main peak, noon had already passed.
Immortal Tianshu was receiving guests inside the Hall of Inquiry. The two had originally intended to wait outside, but after a disciple went in to announce their arrival, he returned to say that Immortal Venerable Tianshu had invited Feng Qi and Ji Chaoyun inside.
The two entered the Hall of Inquiry. Sure enough, Immortal Tianshu was not alone.
Fox Clan Leader Bai Qiuyue and Phoenix Lord Feng Ji sat on opposite sides of the hall. All three wore somewhat grave expressions, as though they had been discussing something serious.
Feng Qi and Ji Chaoyun exchanged a silent glance, then greeted those seated before them.
Feng Qi said, “I didn’t know Elder Brother had come to the academy. If you have matters to discuss, Chaoyun and I can withdraw for now.”
“No need.” Feng Ji’s voice was as calm and even as ever. “This concerns the Demon Realm. You may listen.”
Ji Chaoyun frowned slightly. “Is it about the seal over the Demon Clan?”
“That’s right.” Bai Qiuyue sighed heavily. “Recently, cracks in the seal have been appearing with increasing speed. Several of the great clans of the Immortal Realm have joined forces to mend them, but with little effect.”
Feng Qi asked, “Do you have a plan?”
“The cracks in the seal are merely a warning. Our priority now is to hasten the formation of the Immortal Realm alliance and make preparations in advance.” Bai Qiuyue propped his chin on one hand and sighed. “I fear a great war will be unavoidable.”
Feng Ji looked toward Ji Chaoyun. “To avoid unnecessary complications, the news has currently only been passed among the upper ranks of several clans. Clan Leader Bai and I will relay it to the others as soon as possible so the alliance can be formed. Chaoyun, are you willing to assist us?”
“Me?” Ji Chaoyun was suddenly called upon and looked somewhat at a loss. “But I don’t...”
Bai Qiuyue smiled. “At a time like this, surely you can stop quarreling with your own clan, Crown Prince of the Dragon King.”
Ji Chaoyun’s expression froze.
It had been... a very, very long time since anyone had called him that.
Feng Qi quietly tugged at his hand and asked, “You want Chaoyun to persuade the Dragon Clan to join?”
“Yes.” Feng Ji said, “Lingyuan Sea is powerful. If it joins the alliance, it will be like adding wings to a tiger. The Dragon King of Lingyuan Sea has been imprisoned. Chaoyun is his only descendant in this world and the only person who can lead the Dragon Clan now.”
“But he...”
“I agree.” Ji Chaoyun lowered his eyes and said quietly, “I will send word to Ah-Zhuo. If everyone here still trusts the Dragon Clan, Lingyuan Sea will place itself entirely at the alliance’s disposal.”
“Straightforward.” Bai Qiuyue clapped his hands and smiled. “I knew I hadn’t misjudged you, little dragon. I’ll leave Lingyuan Sea to you. All right, now that the most troublesome matter has been settled, I should return to practicing my swordsmanship.”
He stood and swept Ji Chaoyun with a meaningful glance. “If I don’t cultivate properly, I’m afraid I won’t even be able to keep second place this year.”
Ji Chaoyun ignored the teasing implication in his words and asked instead, “The Demon Realm is watching us closely, and war could break out at any moment. Is the academy still going to hold the Heavenly Ranking Tournament?”
“Naturally.” Immortal Tianshu sat at the front of the hall and said leisurely, “The more precarious the situation, the less we can afford to lose our composure. Wouldn’t that simply play into the Demon Clan’s scheme?”
“Immortal Tianshu is quite right.” Bai Qiuyue smiled and bowed toward Tianshu. “This disciple will take his leave.”
Tianshu said, “Go.”
Bai Qiuyue left the Hall of Inquiry. Feng Ji also rose and said, “Uncle, there are still matters awaiting me within the clan, so I won’t stay any longer either.”
Tianshu was just about to nod when Feng Qi suddenly said, “Elder Brother, wait. Since you’re already here, there happens to be something I’d like to discuss with you and Uncle.”
Tianshu looked at Ji Chaoyun, then at Feng Qi. His gaze settled on their clasped hands, and he more or less understood.
The heavy atmosphere within the hall had already eased. He nodded and said calmly, “If you have something to say, say it.”
Feng Qi smiled. “It isn’t anything particularly important. I merely learned something recently and wanted to confirm it with Uncle and Elder Brother.”
Feng Ji sat back down and lifted his tea to take a sip. “What is it?”
“I heard... I’m Feng Xiao?”
“Pfft!”
Feng Ji suddenly choked on his tea. At the front of the hall, Tianshu’s hand jerked, sending his teacup tumbling to the floor as scalding tea spilled everywhere.
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