LPLFDA Chapter 113

“Did Godfather fall into this water?”

Feng Yuan had never seen the sea, let alone been to the coast.

This was his first time at the seaside.

Qin Xun held Feng Yuan and spoke softly to him: “The adults will find your godfather, Yuan Yuan. Let’s not disturb them.”

Feng Yuan’s little face looked dazed. He still hadn’t quite processed what was happening.

Qin Xun carried him to the side so he wouldn’t interfere with the adults’ rescue efforts.

Phoenixes belong to the element of fire, so even in their true forms, they couldn’t directly enter such a vast sea.

Li Sheng had called for professional rescue boats and was discussing the rescue operations with them.

Feng Qi carefully sniffed the scent of the seawater, trying to detect if there were any sea demons nearby.

If there were sea demons, he could ask for their help.

But the seawater masked all traces of scent.

Feng Qi tried to discern something for a long time, but it was difficult to identify anything unusual in the sea.

As a phoenix who soared through the skies, he was powerless against the unfathomable depths of the sea.

Feng Yuan watched the adults’ rescue efforts.

He saw more and more boats arriving and witnessed many rescue personnel shaking their heads at his two dads.

His dads were hoping to retrieve a living Yu Yi.

But that seemed almost impossible.

In one area of the water, they found Yu Yi’s shoes.

His shoes had come off in the sea, but his body was nowhere to be found.

In such circumstances, the chances of survival were slim to none.

The adults were all busy. Feng Yuan and Qin Xun were repeatedly instructed to stay put, not to enter the water, and not to run around.

They had already passed through villages with modern civilization.

Following the direction of the sea current, they had arrived at a desolate and primitive area.

Li Sheng had hired a local guide from the nearest region, who warned that this area was extremely dangerous.

It was close to the sea and had many uninhabited islands. Some of these islands were rumored to be inhabited by cannibals.

An adventure vlogger had once come here, hoping to uncover the mysteries of the cannibals.

He arrived with friends but returned alone.

After returning, the vlogger recorded a video with eyes full of lingering fear.

He never disclosed what had happened to his friends.

He only said that his journey among the cannibals was terrifying.

He never wanted to recall it again.

The specific video of that journey was never released.

Apart from the rumored cannibals, these islands were also said to be home to other tribes.

The further they went, the more remote and desolate the area became.

Even with modern tools, it was challenging to navigate. For the people living on these islands, without such tools, it would be nearly impossible to leave.

“Yuan Yuan, are you tired?”

They had been searching for two days straight. Feng Yuan had been walking alongside the adults the entire time.

Although the adults often carried him, he insisted on walking on his own when the path became difficult.

The group was now camped in a place so remote it didn’t even have a name.

The further Li Sheng ventured into this area, the more unsettled he became.

Evening.

The group lit a fire to cook dinner. Feng Yuan and Qin Xun were squatting in the sand nearby, engrossed in some activity.

Feng Qi and Li Sheng sat close together.

Li Sheng draped his jacket over Feng Qi’s shoulders: “Are you cold? I’ll go get you another piece of clothing.”

“No need. I’m fine for now.”

Feng Qi held him back.

Hand in hand, Feng Qi rested his head on Li Sheng’s shoulder and asked, “Is something on your mind?”

Feng Qi always felt that Li Sheng’s grim expression wasn’t just because of Yu Yi.

“My older brother… his last known whereabouts were also at sea.”

The sea was vast.

Throughout history, no one had ever truly conquered the sea.

The Li family had exhausted all their efforts, yet they still hadn’t found him.

Feng Qi comfortingly patted the back of his hand.

“Li Sheng, whether it’s Yu Yi or your brother, I believe we can find them.”

“I’ll search with you.”

“Mm.”

The two adults leaned against each other as they spoke.

Squatting on the beach, Feng Yuan was currently writing in the sand.

The characters he wrote were taught to him by Qin Xun.

“Godfather, please come back soon. Yuan Yuan misses you.”

Not only did the little guy write on the beach, but he also secretly transformed back into his original form and plucked out one of his own fluffy feathers.

He put the note he wrote for his godfather, along with his feather, into a bottle and threw it into the sea.

Qin Xun asked him why he threw his feather in.

The little guy answered honestly, “I hope it can protect Godfather.”

Qin Xun replied, “Alright.”

He patted the child’s head and went along with it. “You will definitely be able to protect him.”

The two little ones were doing their best to help.

And on the very night Feng Yuan threw the bottle, the sea began to churn once more.

The wind howled over the sea’s surface, the sky flashed with lightning and rumbled with thunder, and a torrential downpour pelted down so hard that people couldn’t even open their eyes.

Sleeping in his tent, Feng Yuan was jolted awake by the massive commotion.

The tents they had brought were sturdy.

But in the face of what seemed like a natural disaster, some of the tents had already been blown away.

“Mr. Li, we need to evacuate.”

Someone came to the tent to inform them, “The sea level is rising. At this rate, it’s going to flood this area.”

“Understood.”

Li Sheng responded and quickly got up with Feng Qi.

“Yuan Yuan, change back.”

Li Sheng had his son change back into a little puffball, tucked him inside the front of his shirt, and then picked up Qin Xun.

Feng Qi wanted to share the load, but Li Sheng refused.

The group began to evacuate.

Still a little groggy, the little puffball pressed against his big dad’s chest and peeked his little head out to look.

Li Sheng was wearing a raincoat.

Feng Yuan tried his best to stick his little head out. He had only glanced around for a few moments before his big dad pushed his head back inside.

“Yuan Yuan, don’t look around. Be good.”

With his big dad holding his little head down, Feng Yuan rubbed his eyes with his claw pads after being pushed back in.

Just now, in the storm, he thought he had seen something very familiar.

Something dark.

It looked like Wu Jin!

But it didn’t quite resemble Wu Jin. No, that dark thing was more like a shadow.

Just as Feng Yuan was pondering this, someone in their evacuating group was swept away by the wind.

The storm seemed terrifyingly strong.

The moment the person was lifted, Feng Qi swiftly reached out and grabbed them.

But he could only save one. Soon, more and more people were either swept off their feet or knocked down.

In the face of nature’s fury, human strength was insignificant.

Feng Qi glanced up at the oppressive, dark sky.

The next moment, he decisively left the crowd.

Li Sheng had been keeping an eye on Feng Qi’s movements. He immediately noticed Feng Qi’s disappearance and went after him.

“Feng Qi!” Li Sheng called out.

At the same time, a high-pitched cry pierced through the heavy clouds in the dark sky.

It was a phoenix dispersing the storm.

The little puffball nestled in Li Sheng’s chest sensed his dad’s movements and heard his voice.

He also raised his little head and imitated his dad.

“Chirp!”

His tender, fledgling cry was completely different from the great phoenix’s call.

The great phoenix’s cry could truly dispel the darkness.

Feng Yuan’s chirping, however, wasn’t quite as effective.

Li Sheng didn’t stop his son’s chirping. He was too busy to spare a hand at the moment.

He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but he felt a turbulent wave rushing directly toward him.

Many around him were already struggling to stay on their feet.

Li Sheng had no choice but to hold Qin Xun with one hand while using the other to pull people to safety.

“Uncle Li, put me down. I can walk on my own.”

“No. Hold on tight to me. Don’t let go.”

The adults could barely handle such harsh weather, let alone a child like Qin Xun.

There was no way Li Sheng would put Qin Xun down.

As the phoenix’s cries grew louder, the darkness in the sky gradually began to fade.

But just then, the waves surged wildly, crashing down with overwhelming force.

No one could escape. They could only brace themselves against the onslaught.

Fortunately, they didn’t have to endure it for long. After the phoenix beat its wings and shattered the wave, the sea receded abruptly. Those who had been briefly submerged for a few seconds could finally breathe freely again.

Qin Xun coughed a few times from choking on the water.

Li Sheng patted his back and asked if he was okay.

Qin Xun shook his head. “Uncle Li, I’m fine. Check on Yuan Yuan.”

As soon as he said this, Qin Xun sensed something was wrong.

The little chirping that had been on nonstop seemed to have stopped after the wind and waves subsided.

Qin Xun and Li Sheng called out Feng Yuan’s name at the same time.

Li Sheng set Qin Xun down and took off his raincoat, only to find that the little puffball that had been inside was nowhere to be seen.

“Yuan Yuan!!!”

Li Sheng stared in disbelief at the empty raincoat.

He recalled that, during the submersion, he had felt a slight movement against his chest.

At that moment, Feng Yuan had scratched him lightly with his little claws.

After setting Qin Xun down, Li Sheng didn’t hesitate for a second before rushing toward the receding waves.

Just as he was about to rush into the sea, Feng Qi swooped down and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him back.

“Feng Qi, Yuan Yuan was swept away!”

Li Sheng’s eyes were bloodshot. His face no longer showed any of its usual composure.

He tried to struggle free from Feng Qi, wanting to rush into the sea.

But Feng Qi held him back.

Holding him in his beak, Feng Qi flew low over the water, searching for something.

Soon, Feng Qi’s claws snatched something from the sea.

Then, he returned to the shore and put Li Sheng down.

Transforming back into human form, Feng Qi held a scale in his hand.

“Yuan Yuan wasn’t swept away. He swam away on his own.”

Although Feng Qi had been busy in the sky, he had also been watching what was happening below.

Naturally, his main focus was his own child.

So, he had witnessed his son flapping his little wings and swimming away with a swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.

The little guy swam off without even looking back.

As he swam, he suddenly dove deep, making Feng Qi’s heart leap into his throat.

But Feng Qi also noticed that his son was chasing after something as he swam so determinedly.

For him to chase after it so boldly and confidently, it must have been something familiar to him.

Feng Qi immediately had a guess in mind.

That was why he searched the seawater to see what his son had chased after.

He retrieved a scale.

The scale was black.

“Is this Wu Jin’s scale?” Li Sheng looked at the scale in Feng Qi’s hand and asked, “Is Wu Jin here?”

If Wu Jin was here, if it was Wu Jin who had led his son away just now…

Li Sheng’s suffocating heart finally eased slightly, allowing him to breathe again.

But the next moment, Feng Qi shook his head at him.

“This scale is the same color as Wu Jin’s. Yuan Yuan probably mistook it for Wu Jin.”

The scent of the seawater was too strong, so Feng Yuan hadn’t been able to smell the difference.

That’s why the little puffball had eagerly followed.

“This is a dragon scale.”

“There’s a black dragon in this sea.”

After reaching this conclusion, Feng Qi was no longer panicked.

If their little puffball encountered any other ferocious beast, he’d probably be swallowed in one gulp.

But if it was a dragon, the little guy would definitely be safe.

The relationship between dragons and phoenixes was good.

The two races shared a natural affinity for each other.

Moreover, the dragon clan was famous for doting on cubs. They loved raising them.

Feng Qi now had only one worry—

“I hope there’s only that one unfamiliar black dragon in this sea.”

If this sea was home to an entire dragon clan…

Feng Qi paused before saying, “If there are too many dragons, they might not give Yuan Yuan back to us.”

Li Sheng: “???”

Li Sheng: “Don’t they have their own cubs?”

Was there something wrong with these dragons?

Coming out of nowhere to snatch his cub.

Feng Yuan, who had always been the little bait to lure beasts, swam for a long time with a swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, only to realize that he was the one who had been lured.

The giant black dragon he had been following wasn’t Wu Jin at all!

“Chirp!”

As the little one swam along, his small body was enveloped in a transparent glow.

He could breathe freely underwater and even chirp aloud.

His chirps now were full of displeasure.

“Chirp!”

You tricked Yuan Yuan!

“Chirp chirp!”

You’re a bad dragon!

The little guy’s accusing chirps fell on the black dragon’s ears, but the dragon showed no trace of anger.

Instead, he moved closer and gave Feng Yuan a lick.

Feng Yuan was licked so hard he flopped over with a splat.

Seeing him fall, the black dragon guiltily nudged him with its head, trying to get him to stand up.

Feng Yuan: “…”

Feng Yuan grew even angrier.

Fuming, he scrambled to his feet and turned to leave.

But when the black dragon saw that he was about to go, it directly scooped him up in its mouth and continued swimming through the sea.

Feng Yuan: “Chirp, chirp chirp!”

Put me down! I want to find my dads!

Ignoring the little puffball’s protests, the black dragon swam on and on. After an unknown length of time, he finally stopped.

Feng Yuan, still held in the dragon’s mouth, looked at the place he’d been brought to, his little black bean eyes wide with shock.

In front of him lay a vast complex of structures.

There were houses and roads.

And lots of dragons!

He had been carried by the black dragon into a dragon’s den!

“Roar.”

Bai Chen, you’re back.

“Roar roar.”

What’s that in your mouth?

The dragons that had been swimming nearby immediately approached upon seeing the black dragon return.

They didn’t come over to welcome Bai Chen.

They had spotted the little puffball in his mouth.

Bai Chen gently spat out the little puffball and placed it in front of him.

Even his roar sounded softer, almost affectionate.

“Roar.”

This is my cub.

The red and silver dragons that had come over: “???”

The two dragons exchanged glances, then shook their heads in unison, refusing to believe it.

The little puffball, now placed on the ground, could understand the dragons’ roars.

When he heard the unfamiliar black dragon claim he was its cub, the little guy nearly fainted from anger.

Thankfully, the two dragons didn’t believe it!

Just as Feng Yuan was chirping away, wanting to complain to these two dragons and tell them he wasn’t a dragon cub but a phoenix cub, he heard the two dragons roar in unison—

“This is our baby!”

Bai Chen: “!”

Bai Chen instantly flew into a rage.

The chirping puffball abruptly fell silent.

He stared blankly at the three dragons with a dazed expression.

All three dragons were roaring, each insisting the cub was theirs. Their roars escalated into a full-blown fight.

Standing in place, the little puffball watched as the three dragons brawled over custody of him, his whole tiny self thrown into utter confusion.

He looked down and kicked his little claws, then flapped his little wings.

In what way did he look like a dragon cub!

Filled with doubt about his own appearance, the little puffball stood there for a few more seconds before quietly slipping away.

He scurried as fast as his little claws could carry him toward the cluster of buildings ahead.

There seemed to be plenty of hiding spots there.

Feng Yuan scurried away with a swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.

It took quite a while before the three fighting dragons noticed he was gone.

The strange black dragon who had brought the cub back had eyes burning red with fury.

“It’s all your fault! My baby is missing!”

“Once I find my baby, I’ll settle the score with you!”

“Hmph, that’s not your baby. It’s mine.”

“Stop arguing. Whoever finds him gets to keep him.”

The red dragon spoke and was the first to rush off in search of the hatchling.

Their dragon clan had lived here for countless years.

And in the last thousand years, not a single cub had been born.

The dragons couldn’t figure out why they couldn’t produce offspring.

In any case, they were now absolutely desperate for a baby.

Feng Yuan, this plump little cub, perfectly matched their aesthetic preferences.

The three dragons searched for the cub, rummaging around everywhere in the sea.

They had initially intended to keep the matter quiet.

But the silver dragon, a big-mouthed dragon who couldn’t keep a secret, let slip about the cub while searching.

And just like that, more and more dragons joined the search.

Bai Chen was seething with rage.

He furiously drove the others away: “That’s my baby! The one I brought back! All of you, get lost!”

Some of the dragons he shooed away were more restrained and offered excuses: “Who said I’m looking for a cub? I’m just taking a walk. Look, this patch of turf is so lovely. Let me admire it.”

The dragon, who claimed to be taking a walk, then cleanly and efficiently ripped up the entire patch of turf with its claws.

After finding nothing underneath, the strolling dragon went to other places.

One moment it was picking at rocks, the next it was shaking seaweed. It didn’t look like it was taking a walk at all!

And those with tempers as fiery as the black dragon’s simply roared back when driven away.

What do you mean, the baby you brought back?

That’s clearly my long-lost baby!

Soon, the entire dragon clan was searching for the cub. Feng Yuan darted around, hiding here and there, until he finally found a place where no dragons seemed to come.

This building looked the most magnificent.

Feng Yuan liked shiny things. He tiptoed inside, full of admiration for everything within the building.

“Wow.”

So pretty!

The entire interior was adorned with gemstones. Every decoration made Feng Yuan stare without blinking.

On a jade table, there were even plump cuts of meat and fruits laid out.

After fussing about in the sea for half the day, Feng Yuan’s tummy was already hungry.

He hopped up and devoured every last bit of food on the table.

After eating, his little head began to nod. He was a little sleepy.

Coincidentally, there was a beautiful, large seashell nearby.

The inside of the large seashell was filled with jewels.

Feng Yuan jumped into the pile of jewels, curled up into a little puffball, and fell asleep.

He was utterly exhausted, so he fell asleep quickly.

Before long.

The soft, even breathing of the little cub could be heard from within the large seashell.

The little cub slept soundly, completely oblivious to the dragons searching for him.

And just then, those dragons arrived.

“Roar.”

Only the clan leader’s nest is left to search.

“Roar?”

Could the little cub be in there?

“Roar.”

I don’t dare to search the clan leader’s nest. You guys go in.

“Roar!”

If you don’t dare to go in, do you think we do?!

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