Thank you, BlueMoon, for the ko-fi~
They toddled on their short little legs, each running to their own fathers.
After reaching his dads, Feng Yuan first reached out with his small hand to feel their chests.
Only after confirming that both dads still had heartbeats did he burst into tears with a loud wail.
“Dads, wake up!”
“Uncle Bai Ze, save my dads! Hurry and save my dads!”
Feng Yuan didn’t throw himself onto his dads to cry.
He scrambled up and went to cling to Bai Ze’s leg instead.
Bai Ze would have come to help even without his pleas.
“Yuan Yuan, don’t be scared. Uncle will check on your dads.”
“Rong Rong, you don’t need to be afraid either. Uncle is a doctor.”
While comforting the two little ones, Bai Ze began examining the condition of the people lying on the ground.
Feng Qi and Li Sheng’s souls were both somewhat unstable.
After checking them, Bai Ze also examined Bo Han.
This examination made Bai Ze breathe a slight sigh of relief.
Although Bo Han appeared more severely injured with his bloody vomit, he was actually the easiest to treat.
While Bai Ze was treating Bo Han’s injuries, Feng Yuan pulled Rong Rong up from where he sat crying on the ground.
To make it easier to see their fathers, both children had transformed back into their juvenile forms after entering.
Feng Yuan raised his chubby little hand to wipe Rong Rong’s tears.
Rong Rong also lifted his small hand to wipe Feng Yuan’s tears in return.
The two tearful children wiped each other’s tears. But as they looked at their still unconscious fathers, they only cried harder.
“Rong Rong, Rong Rong, stop crying. Come here.”
Just as Rong Rong was crying, Bai Ze called him over.
“Lean close to your father’s ear and call for him.”
“Call him several times.”
After giving these instructions to Rong Rong, Feng Yuan heard him and quickly ran back to his own dad’s side.
Pressing close to his dad’s ear, he imitated Rong Rong and began calling for his dad.
“Dad, Yuan Yuan ran away from home. Wake up and scold Yuan Yuan.”
“If you don’t wake up, Yuan Yuan will never go to kindergarten again.”
“Yuan Yuan will also pick fights. Yuan Yuan will be a bad child.”
Feng Yuan sniffled, trying hard to hold back his sobs as he spoke to his dad.
While he was calling out to his dad on this side, Rong Rong on the other side wasn’t as talkative.
Rong Rong spread his small arms to hug his dad, his little face red from crying.
Rong Rong’s physical constitution wasn’t as strong as Feng Yuan’s. When he cried too hard, his small body would tremble uncontrollably, looking as if he might faint at any moment.
Fortunately, just before he fainted, Bo Han finally woke up.
When Bo Han opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was his son’s pitiful little face covered in tears.
He felt dazed for a moment, thinking he might be hallucinating.
“Rong Rong.”
Bo Han murmured his son’s name.
Seeing that his father had woken up, Rong Rong immediately hugged him tighter.
His tear-stained little face buried itself in the crook of his father’s neck.
Feeling his son’s warmth, Bo Han finally realized belatedly that this wasn’t a hallucination.
Coming to his senses, he held Rong Rong close and quickly looked toward Feng Qi.
“Feng Qi!”
He called out to Feng Qi as well.
But Feng Qi and Li Sheng lay quietly on the ground, showing no response at all.
Seeing that Bo Han had woken up but his own dads hadn’t, Feng Yuan’s little face went blank with shock, thinking he hadn’t called out earnestly enough.
Just as he was about to call out again, Bai Ze stopped him.
“Yuan Yuan, there’s no need to keep calling. Your dads won’t wake up from calling.”
Feng Qi and Li Sheng’s situation was completely different from Bo Han’s.
Bai Ze had some theories about Feng Qi’s condition.
But he needed to verify the details with Bo Han.
“Feng Qi and Li Sheng’s spiritual consciousnesses aren’t here. Where did they go?”
“The World of Mountains and Seas.”
After Bo Han uttered these four words, Feng Yuan instinctively shook his little head.
“It’s gone.”
Feng Yuan said, “It collapsed. Dad brought Yuan Yuan out to live here.”
When Feng Yuan came to the human world with his dad, the World of Mountains and Seas had already collapsed.
That place no longer existed.
Feng Yuan felt he couldn’t quite understand Uncle Bo Han’s words.
His dads hadn’t gone to the World of Mountains and Seas.
His dads were right in front of him.
Bo Han didn’t rush to explain things to Feng Yuan. First, he told Bai Ze everything that had happened here in detail.
“They wanted to retrieve their past memories, so I asked Chi Shui to help.”
“Chi Shui has a magic mirror that requires a nine-tailed fox’s power to activate. After the mirror is activated, those who’ve lost their memories can place their spiritual consciousness inside to recover all their memories.”
“I don’t know if it’s a problem with the mirror or something else…”
“Soon after their spiritual consciousnesses entered, the magic mirror developed cracks.”
“Chi Shui also went in to investigate the mirror’s problem, while I stayed outside using my power to maintain it.”
“But I didn’t last long before I lost consciousness.”
Bo Han recounted everything that happened before he fell unconscious.
After finishing, he even asked about the current time.
Upon learning the time, his face turned pale.
“The magic mirror has a time limit.”
“If they stay inside too long, they might get lost in there and never return…”
“They need to come back quickly.”
Hearing this, Bai Ze immediately understood the severity of the situation.
Without the slightest hesitation, Bai Ze prepared to send his own spiritual consciousness inside.
But he failed.
“What’s going on?”
Bai Ze asked, “Why can’t I enter this mirror?”
Bo Han wasn’t sure either.
Bai Ze didn’t delay. He immediately called in the other divine beasts from outside the barrier.
Qin Xun came, too.
The other divine beasts also tried. But without exception, they all failed.
While the adults were testing the mirror, Feng Yuan watched from the side for a long time.
His little brain finally figured it out.
“Dad went inside the mirror?”
Feng Yuan asked, “Do we need to find them and bring them out?”
Bai Ze nodded.
Afraid that Feng Yuan would worry, he comforted the child: “Yuan Yuan, don’t worry. We’ll definitely find a way.”
While Bai Ze was still thinking of solutions, Feng Yuan had already lifted his little head and made a decision.
“Let Yuan Yuan go.”
Feng Yuan said with a matter-of-fact expression: “To find Dad, let Yuan Yuan do it.”
There was also Dad inside the mirror.
If the Dad inside the mirror didn’t come out, the Dad outside wouldn’t wake up.
Feng Yuan remembered this clearly.
He said seriously in his childish voice, “Dad listens to Yuan Yuan. Let Yuan Yuan go.”
“Yuan Yuan, don’t be naughty.”
Bai Ze rejected his suggestion without a second thought.
Feng Yuan was so small. They couldn’t possibly let the little guy take such a risk.
Moreover, if none of them could enter the magic mirror, how could Feng Yuan possibly get in?
After the adults dismissed Feng Yuan’s suggestion, they continued researching new methods.
The magic mirror hung in mid-air. The adults’ faces were all grave with concern.
Feng Yuan had Bai Ze hold him while he touched the mirror with his small hand.
Seeing him fiddle with the mirror, Bai Ze reminded him: “Yuan Yuan, don’t break the mirror.”
Feng Yuan nodded.
His chubby little hand touched the mirror. The seemingly smooth surface felt uneven under his touch.
He didn’t know if it was an illusion.
“Uncle Bai Ze, lift Yuan Yuan higher!”
“Why do you need to stand so high? This mirror isn’t for looking at yourself.”
This magic mirror wasn’t an ordinary one meant for reflection.
Bai Ze, holding the chubby little bottom of the child in his arms, wanted to put him down and stop him from touching the mirror.
If this mirror broke, Feng Qi and Li Sheng would be done for.
Just as Bai Ze was about to set the child down, the little guy, unwilling to be put down, stepped on him and suddenly lunged forward.
The little guy still insisted on holding onto the mirror.
Just as he gripped the mirror tightly, his chubby little hand suddenly sank into it.
A powerful suction force not only gripped his chubby hand but also threatened to pull his entire body inside.
Feng Yuan: “!”
Feng Yuan’s eyes suddenly lit up. He kicked his short little legs, almost eagerly leaning into the mirror’s pull.
He wanted to be sucked in.
Meanwhile, Bai Ze, who was still holding his legs, paled drastically.
“Quick! Give me a hand!”
But before he even finished speaking, the other divine beasts had already witnessed the scene.
The divine beasts tried to pull Feng Yuan out together.
However, the power within the mirror was too overwhelming.
Just as Feng Yuan was about to be pulled inside, Qiong Qi, who had rushed over, placed a mark of Qiong Qi on him.
This mark meant the child was under Qiong Qi’s protection.
The next second.
Feng Yuan, now marked, vanished before the mirror.
Qiong Qi watched him disappear and prepared to leave.
Bai Ze grabbed him.
“Wait! Will the mark you just placed on Yuan Yuan work? Will it protect him? Will he be in danger inside the mirror?”
Bai Ze fired off several questions in one breath.
Qiong Qi replied coldly, “What does his safety have to do with me?”
“I only placed the mark by accident.”
Qiong Qi refused to admit that the mark he placed would protect Feng Yuan.
He absolutely did not want to receive a second commendation banner!
Seeing Qiong Qi’s reluctance to cooperate, Bai Ze pulled him aside.
After some discussion, Bai Ze returned a while later, looking much more relaxed.
Upon his return, he explained to everyone, “Yuan Yuan was pulled into the mirror because Feng Qi is inside.”
“He shares a blood connection with Feng Qi. The power of Feng Qi or Li Sheng within the mirror must be very strong, which is why Yuan Yuan was drawn in.”
“Let’s wait for now.”
“Once Yuan Yuan enters and finds his dad, as long as he helps his dad remember the world outside the mirror, they should all be able to come out.”
“If they can’t get out on their own, we still have another method from the outside.”
“We need to find something that counters the magic mirror.”
“If there’s an object or person that can suppress it, we can use it to force the mirror to release Yuan Yuan, Feng Qi, and the others.”
Bai Ze’s explanation not only assured everyone that Feng Yuan would be relatively safe but also proposed a new solution.
Everyone felt a renewed sense of hope.
What counters magic is naturally divinity.
Anything with divine power could be useful.
The divine beasts outside began working again.
Meanwhile, inside the mirror.
After entering, Feng Yuan found himself in a place filled with the songs of birds and the fragrance of flowers.
He stood in place, feeling his mood unconsciously lighten a great deal.
The air here was especially fresh.
Feng Yuan indulged in the moment for a while before remembering his dads.
The moment he thought of his dad and big dad, the little guy snapped back to reality.
He shook his head vigorously, feeling that his previous state of mind had been off.
Dad and big dad wasn’t out of danger yet.
There was no way he could relax!
Feng Yuan didn’t doubt his love for his dads in the slightest.
If his love for his dads weren’t the issue, then the problem must lie with the environment here.
To stay alert at all times, Feng Yuan decisively took off his backpack and unzipped it.
His little dinosaur backpack was something he always carried with him.
Inside the little dinosaur backpack was a ballpoint pen.
Feng Yuan took out a red ballpoint pen and clumsily wrote three characters on the back of his hand and his wrist—
“Find Dad.”
He happened to know how to write these characters.
It’s just that his “find” was missing a dot, and the characters for “dad” weren’t written quite correctly.
But he was still quite satisfied with his effort.
After writing these three characters, Feng Yuan’s little mind felt much clearer.
Sniffing the air, he set off to find his dad.
As he searched, he also called out.
He didn’t shout “Dad”, but instead called out “Feng Qi”.
He was afraid that if he shouted “Dad”, others wouldn’t know who his dad was.
So, in his clear, childish voice, he called out for Feng Qi.
Along the way, Feng Yuan encountered some unfamiliar beasts and people.
They all knew who Feng Qi was.
But they didn’t recognize Feng Yuan.
One by one, they stopped and asked him, “Are you looking for Feng Qi? What do you want with him?”
When questioned, Feng Yuan politely replied, “Feng Qi is my dad, so I need to find him. All children need to find their dads.”
To prove his identity, Feng Yuan even transformed back into his original form.
His true form was a genuine, chubby little phoenix.
“Ah, you really are a little phoenix,”
Those who spoke with him were astonished. “When did Feng Qi have a little phoenix? We had no idea.”
Feng Yuan: “Chirp, chirp chirp, chirp chirp.”
I am his little phoenix. If you see my dad, please tell him that Yuan Yuan is looking for him.
After chirping for a bit, Feng Yuan trotted off on his little claws.
He continued walking and chirping.
Every beast and person who passed by heard his chirps.
His chirps were calling for Feng Qi.
Feng Yuan chirped for a long time.
When he grew tired, he found a spot to rest, covering his head with his little wings for a short break.
And just as he was resting, rumors about him began to spread like wildfire.
“Have you heard? The phoenix has a child! His little one has come looking for him!”
“Shocking! That invincible phoenix actually had a child! And the little one is so chubby and small!”
“Oh no! If the phoenix has a child, does that mean we no longer have a chance?”
“Wah, my heart is broken. I wanted to have a little one with the phoenix, too.”
“Am I the only one wondering who managed to win over the phoenix?”
A crowd of gossipy divine beasts, along with gods who pretended not to be interested but were secretly eavesdropping, were all focused on Feng Qi’s affairs.
Just as the gods were listening in, they suddenly heard the latest news being passed around by the beasts.
“The little phoenix has woken up! The moment he woke up, he started chirping again.”
“The direction he’s heading in now… It’s toward the Demon Realm!”
In ancient times, the sites where several great battles had taken place became infested with so many demons that they came to be known as the Demon Realm.
And now, Feng Yuan, taking small steps with his little claws, was drawing closer and closer to the Demon Realm.
Upon hearing that the little phoenix was nearing the Demon Realm, the divine beasts and gods grew restless.
They all rushed over.
Since the phoenix’s trail was difficult to track, they still had no idea where Feng Qi was.
But regardless of his location, the little phoenix was in some danger. They couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.
Shao Hao, who had just overheard some gossip, was the fastest to arrive.
He practically teleported right in front of the little phoenix.
“I know Feng Qi,” he said.
The other divine beasts and gods hadn’t arrived yet. Shao Hao stood before the little phoenix, looking down at the chubby little ball.
“Would you like to come with me? I can take care of you for now,” he offered.
Feng Yuan: “…”
Feng Yuan tilted his little head up and looked at the unfamiliar man.
He chirped a thank you.
Then, with another chirp, he declined.
He had two dads. After finding his dad here, he still needed to go into the Demon Realm to look for his big dad.
Rong Rong’s big dad was a demon.
Rong Rong’s big dad had said that Yuan Yuan’s big dad was also a demon.
Feng Yuan had eavesdropped and learned this long ago.
Whether they were gods or demons, Feng Yuan didn’t care.
All he cared about was whether he could stay with his two dads forever.
“Searching like this will be very difficult,” Shao Hao spoke again. He was tall. Looking down at the little puffball was straining his neck.
So, he bent down, scooped up the little ball from the ground, and held him in his hands.
The little ball felt heavy in his palms.
It was Shao Hao’s first time seeing such a plump little fledgling.
A faint glow emanated from his fingertips.
The light merged into the little ball’s body. Shao Hao smiled gently. “This is my blessing for you.”
“May you be safe and prosperous.”
Shao Hao’s kindness warmed Feng Yuan’s heart.
Feng Yuan tilted his little head and used his tender beak to preen his feathers. After just one pass, several feathers came loose.
“Chirp, chirp.”
He offered his feathers to Shao Hao. “Chirp.”
Yuan Yuan’s feathers are pretty nice, too.
Feng Yuan didn’t know Shao Hao, let alone his status.
He was simply reciprocating, returning the kindness of Shao Hao’s blessing.
After the two—one big, one small—chatted for a while, Feng Yuan, now marked by Qiong Qi and blessed by Shao Hao, set off alone once again. He was a solitary little fledgling on his journey.
Not long after Shao Hao left, Zhu Que intercepted him once more.
“Little phoenix, come with Auntie.”
Zhu Que also picked up the little phoenix. After lifting him, she raised an eyebrow and asked outright, “How did you get so chubby?”
Phoenixes were usually known for their grace and lightness.
Even if phoenix fledglings were a bit plump, it was rare to see one as round as a ball.
The little chubby ball, accused of being fat by Auntie Zhu Que, chirped in a muffled voice to defend himself.
“Yuan Yuan isn’t very fat.”
“Yuan Yuan just has a lot of feathers.”
He wanted to say that it was his abundant feathers that made him look plump.
But Zhu Que burst out laughing.
She didn’t call the little one fat again, but her laughter was enough to break Feng Yuan’s heart.
Like Shao Hao, Zhu Que also wanted to take Feng Yuan home and raise him.
But Feng Yuan refused.
Zhu Que couldn’t persuade him. So in the end, she had to let him go.
However, before sending him off, she gave him a spark of her own flame.
Like the phoenix, Zhu Que could also breathe fire.
Feng Yuan accepted Aunt Zhu Que’s flame and continued on his way, dragging his little backpack behind him.
After Zhu Que, Xuan Wu, Qing Niao, Gu, Ying Zhao…
They all came to see Feng Yuan, one by one.
Feng Yuan had lived with his dad in a small house in the World of Mountains and Seas before. But he had never seen so many uncles and aunties.
Looking at them, he finally understood—
This was the World of Mountains and Seas from a very, very long time ago.
At this time, none of them had died yet.
His dad had traveled back to this distant past through the mirror.
After piecing together the timeline and carrying the many gifts from his uncles and aunties, Feng Yuan finally arrived at the intersection of the Demon Realm and the Divine Realm.
The Demon Realm was a dangerous place.
Feng Yuan knew this well.
He steeled himself, then bravely took a step forward with his little claws.
But within minutes of setting foot in the Demon Realm, he was already being watched.
Some demons wanted to eat him.
In this place, there were demons who wouldn’t hesitate to devour even their own kind.
Demons only sought power.
To grow stronger, some would not hesitate to prey on their own.
If they were willing to eat their own kind, a plump little phoenix like Feng Yuan was an even more tempting target.
To them, Feng Yuan was nothing more than a delicious, meaty snack.
But although they wanted to eat this little treat, they found themselves unable to take a bite.
Some newly born demons, still unclear in mind, caught the scent of Qiong Qi on Feng Yuan and instinctively retreated.
Yet there were others who refused to give up. They still wanted to devour the chubby little phoenix.
But the protections surrounding the little phoenix were too many, making it impossible for them to feast.
For demons, being able to look but not eat was pure agony.
More and more demons grew increasingly agitated and enraged by the little phoenix’s presence.
Their roars were terrifying.
Feng Yuan’s little ears hurt from the noise.
The little one chirped again, “Chirp, chirp, chirp!”
He didn’t mention Feng Qi’s name in the Demon Realm. Instead, he called for Chi Shui and his big dad.
Chi Shui only ever referred to his big dad as “Sheng”, so Feng Yuan chirped “Sheng” again and again.
Chi Shui had said that his big dad was the most powerful demon in the realm.
But strangely, no matter how much Feng Yuan chirped “Sheng”, no one responded.
When he called for Chi Shui, the demons did react.
They reacted. But they didn’t point him in the right direction, nor did they tell him where Chi Shui was.
Despite hitting dead ends at every turn in the Demon Realm, Feng Yuan wasn’t the least bit discouraged.
He wasn’t relying entirely on himself to find his big dad, anyway.
He was still waiting for his dad to come find him!
Right now, his two dads might not even have conceived him yet.
But after all his chirping and claiming to be their child, even if they didn’t believe him, they would surely come to see him.
So, all he had to do was wait patiently.
The clever little phoenix waited for his dad to find him.
At that very moment—
Feng Qi had indeed learned of his existence.
“Yuan Yuan… You’re saying there’s a little phoenix named Yuan Yuan who claims to be my child?”
On Mount Wu Wang, where no one had been able to find the phoenix, he was currently resting.
Before him stood a young man dressed in black, with jet-black hair and strikingly handsome features.
The young man was relaying news about the little phoenix named Yuan Yuan.
“Shao Hao and the others… they all seem to like him very much.”
“They’ve all given him gifts.”
After the young man finished speaking, the phoenix, reclining lazily on the couch, lifted his eyelids slightly and glanced at him.
“Xiao Sheng, are you jealous?”
The phoenix sat up lazily, crooking a finger. The young man immediately leaned in closer.
He smiled, his long, elegant fingers tracing a path down the young man’s cheek before finally coming to rest at the base of his neck.
“Whether he is my fledgling or not, he is still a young phoenix.”
“Isn’t it only natural for a young phoenix to be adored?”
Phoenixes are divine beasts of heaven and earth, creatures of auspicious blessings.
Yet the youth standing before him was the complete opposite of such benevolence.
This was an unmistakable, true demon.
From the very moment this demon came into existence, he had sensed its extraordinary nature.
If left to grow unchecked, the day would inevitably come when this demon would become overwhelmingly powerful and uncontrollable.
Thus, Feng Qi took him away long ago.
He had watched this demon gradually grow from a boyish form into the appearance of a young man.
And he was the one destined to kill him.
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152