Chapter 20: The Lava Bath

“No, there isn’t.” Once a phoenix tribe beast perishes, it’s final; there’s no tale of their fire essence lingering behind.

“Then is there any underground fire near your tribe?” Qiyue thought relying on some external force was the only option.

“No. Do you mean subterranean lava?” Feng Yu asked uncertainly.

“Yes, exactly that,” Qiyue confirmed.

“There’s none near our tribe, but if you head west from here, passing through the Moqi tribe, and fly another month westward, there’s an underground fire vein beneath which lies scorching lava. What do you intend to do?” Feng Yu looked at the female curiously.

“If Chier is the Vermilion Bird, then it wouldn’t fear lava. I want to use the magma to replenish its fire power. Maybe there’s a glimmer of hope,” Qiyue shared her speculation.

Qiyue’s words startled Feng Yu; this female was audacious indeed. “Aren’t you worried about any danger to Chier?”

“Are you foolish? How could I let Chier be in danger? I’ll have him approach the lava gradually—what harm could there be? Your tribe is called the Fengyan tribe, ‘Great Yan Forty-Nine’—do you think Chier needs to soak in the magma for forty-nine days?” Qiyue guessed.

[I’m not afraid, Mother. No matter how long it takes, I want to try.] Chier called out in the palm of his father.

Feng Yu stared at the female before him. She dared to imagine soaking in magma for forty-nine days—that was unimaginable. He himself wouldn’t dare try it, yet she was willing to let her son go through it, even jokingly calling it a “magma bath.” Over the past ten or so days of nightly talks between father and son, Feng Yu had developed a deep paternal affection for Chier, though the boy might not feel the same. Every day, listening to Chier talk about what his mother had done and thought, Feng Yu grew increasingly eager to find them both. Previously, he had searched for over a year out of duty, but in recent days, his desire to connect with this female grew stronger.

Such a special female—this time, no matter what, he wouldn’t let her go, even if it meant leaving his tribe.

“When do you plan to leave?” Feng Yu asked.

“As soon as possible. By the way, how old were you when you first transformed?” Qiyue asked, curious, hoping not to delay Chier.

“I only transformed at one month old after hatching. The earlier a beast can transform, the stronger their power,” Chier said, clearly feeling delayed, though neither of them was at fault.

“Then let’s set off quickly. I’ll pack up our things right away,” Qiyue stood up, ready to gather her belongings.

“Qiyue, wait. Remember I said earlier I can’t take you on the road unless we hold the bonding ceremony soon? Only then can I carry you,” Feng Yu reminded her.

“Can’t we go without bonding?” Qiyue hesitated.

“If not bonded, you’d have to find another beast companion to accompany you. Even the winged beasts in your tribe can’t match my flight speed, and I want us as a family to stay together. I don’t want anyone else involved,” Feng Yu spoke frankly, sharing his thoughts.

“But honestly, I don’t know you, and you don’t know me. Chier was just an accident. There’s no affection between us, and I don’t have confidence in such a bond,” Qiyue said, lacking the mood for romance.

“Then let’s bond first, take Chier to find the fire vein, and slowly build feelings. If in the end you really can’t accept me, we can break the contract. How about that?” Feng Yu proposed, thinking to secure Qiyue first and then take things slowly. Once he set his mind on something, he wouldn’t let go.

“Let me think it over,” Qiyue said, then asked, “Have you bonded before?”

“Yes,” Feng Yu didn’t hesitate to admit.

“Ah?” Qiyue was surprised by his straightforwardness.

“But it was dissolved,” Feng Yu smiled at her expression.

“Was it because of me?” Qiyue asked uncertainly.

“No. Three years ago, when I met you, the reason I left the tribe was that my former partner Feng Zhu and I were at odds. We had been bonded for ten years but never had children. She suspected there was something wrong with me. Frustrated, I left the tribe to travel and clear my mind. Then your accident happened, but I didn’t dwell on it; I just wanted to return quickly to resolve tribal matters and check on you. But when I flew back that night, I found my younger brother Feng Han sleeping in my house. Angry, I set the house on fire, forcing them both out naked. The whole tribe saw it, so we dissolved the bond. Feng Han later, under pressure, bonded with Feng Zhu, and they now have a one-year-old ice phoenix cub.” Feng Yu didn’t want Qiyue to misunderstand anything, so he openly shared the past without shame or loss of dignity. After all, Qiyue was to become his partner, and she had the right to know.

“I see. If I bond with you, will your tribe allow it?” Qiyue raised a more practical concern; not all tribes shared the same traditions.

“They won’t, but I want to bond with you. We can live in other tribes later.” No matter what, he was determined to marry Qiyue, especially since she bore his son.

“Not allowed because…” Qiyue wanted to know more about their tribe’s situation, wondering if her suspicions were right.

“Our tribe is a single-species tribe, very focused on bloodline purity, so we don’t intermarry with outsiders. Because of this, over the years, our females have found it increasingly difficult to conceive.” Listening to Feng Yu, Qiyue thought this might be a result of inbreeding.

“Would your mother agree? How would the others in the tribe feel?” Qiyue worried about Feng Yu’s situation.

“My mother passed away when I was young. Before I came here, I told Father Beast that if I found a female I liked, I wouldn’t return to the tribe. I would bring my partner back someday to visit. As for the tribe, I don’t care what they think. If they say no, does that mean I can’t live my life?” Feng Yu truly didn’t mind. Moreover, he had no offspring these years and hadn’t sought another female after dissolving the bond. The elders had their reservations, but he paid them no mind.

“How about we settle here?” Feng Yu asked.

“I don’t want to. This place isn’t good. Let’s wait until Chier’s issue is resolved, then visit other tribes. If we find a place we like, we’ll decide. If not, we can find a scenic spot ourselves to settle down.” Qiyue would never choose this tribe’s land.

“Your surname is Qi, so your father beast must be from the Moqi tribe, right?” Feng Yu asked.

“Yes. Like your Fengyan tribe, the Moqi tribe doesn’t allow intermarriage. My mother was from the Qingluan tribe. As for why they settled in the Luyu tribe, I think it’s because this is the only relatively large mixed tribe nearby.” Qiyue thought fondly of her father beast and mother’s love, filled with nostalgia.