Chapter 32: A Belated Apology

Feng Yu understood the first part, but some of the terms that followed were unfamiliar to him. "What are seasonings, a stove, and a stone mill?"

"Seasonings are auxiliary items added during cooking to enhance flavor, similar to salt, but with different tastes. A stone mill is a tool used to grind grass seeds or seasonings into powder; I'll teach you how to make one tomorrow. As for a stove, it's to prop up the pot so it's easier to burn wood underneath. Chi'er, take out a pot and let your father see it. Be careful when you bring it out; don't drop it." Qiyue explained each item one by one, signaling Chi'er to bring them out to show Feng Yu.

Looking at the clay pot, Feng Yu noticed that his tribe didn't seem to have utensils of this design; most were jars and jugs. He couldn't help but feel that Qiyue was exceptionally unique, yet he did not wish to press her for answers. He believed that one day, she would tell him herself.

Qiyue, however, no longer felt the need to hide anything from Feng Yu. Living that way was too exhausting, and since they were to be companions for a long time to come, there was no need to make life difficult for herself or let Chi'er suffer. Still, she wouldn't volunteer information unless he asked.

After the two finished dinner and fed Chi'er, Qiyue had the child bring out two animal skins, telling Feng Yu to rest. She, having slept too much during the day, was not yet tired.

She asked Chi'er for some emerald vines to weave, thinking as she worked about what she needed to find tomorrow: green onions, ginger, garlic, peppercorns, star anise, chili peppers, and cumin. She would see what else she could find, perhaps some mushrooms or wood ear fungi. If she could come across a bamboo forest, she would cut some bamboo to keep on hand and dig up some bamboo shoots.

Lost in these wandering thoughts, a vine basket gradually took shape in her hands. Qiyue didn't care for aesthetics as long as it was practical. She secured the rim, added two carrying straps to the sides, and lined it with scraps of hide. She put it on to test it—it was quite good. She hadn't expected to succeed on the first try.

Looking up, she saw Feng Yu lying on the animal skin across the fire, staring straight at her. "Why aren't you sleeping? You've been flying all day; aren't you tired?"

"I'm fine. I just wanted to watch you. Although what happened back then was an accident, I still owe you an apology. I spent so long looking for you because I just wanted to know if you were doing well, and I've been worried all these years. Have you held a grudge against me?" Feng Yu stared into Qiyue's eyes, appearing desperate for an answer.

"I haven't held a grudge. It was indeed an accident. You only owed me an explanation for why you didn't appear when my tribesmen found me. Now that you've explained, I accept it, so you can let that matter go. It’s just that Chi'er was dragged into this, and since neither of us was at fault, Chi'er is truly innocent." Qiyue set the basket aside and picked up the sleeping Chi'er, stroking his back gently.

"Indeed. You left without taking the hundred crystals the Fox Guard of the Luyu tribe was sentenced to pay. Isn't that letting him off too easily?" Feng Yu felt indignant on her behalf.

"I couldn't stay in that tribe for another day. Honestly, I don't care about those things; what use is compensation? If Chi'er couldn't transform, they couldn't make up for the harm done even if they killed themselves. Besides, that Fox Guard likely hasn't slept a peaceful night in three years, and it's unlikely he could produce a hundred crystals all at once." She hoped the lava would be useful for Chi'er; otherwise, she truly didn't know what to do.

"You fainted back then—could it have been because you were pregnant?" Feng Yu asked, trying to steer the conversation away from her painful memories.

"I don't know. I’ve never heard of a female fainting due to pregnancy; at least, not in the Luyu tribe. Does it happen in your tribe?" Qiyue asked.

"Not in ours either. Could it be related to Chi'er's bloodline? What were your father and mother's races?" Feng Yu added a piece of wood to the fire. The nights were chilly this season; if he could hold her in his arms, he wouldn't even need the firewood.

"My father's beast form was a Qilin, and my mother was from the Qingluan tribe." Qiyue settled Chi'er down and lay down herself.

"Your mother belonged to a branch of our Phoenix clan. I heard the elders mention that many years ago, some wind-element Phoenix beastmen left the tribe, dissatisfied with the hereditary succession. They believed leaders and elders should be chosen based on strength rather than the purity of bloodline—that is, the color of the beast form. Leaders seem to have always been chosen by color: purple for the Thunder Phoenix, red for the Fire Phoenix, yellow for the Golden Phoenix, green for the Wind Phoenix, and white for the Ice Phoenix. I don't know why no Thunder Phoenixes have been born for many years, and after the Wind Phoenixes separated, they renamed themselves the Qingluan." Feng Yu recalled the stories the Great Elder told him as a child.

"Actually, the classification of the Phoenix you mentioned is different from what I know. I remember them as the purple Zhuque, the red Zhuque, the yellow Yuanchu, the green Qingluan, and the white Honghu." Qiyue mused on the phoenix classifications from modern legends.

"I've never heard those names, and they aren't in my bloodline heritage. Where did you learn them?" Feng Yu asked, looking at her with curiosity.

"Wait, is your bloodline heritage something you have from birth?" Qiyue asked, as if something had just occurred to her.

"Yes, why? Every beastman has a bloodline heritage from birth." Feng Yu thought this was common knowledge in the Beastman Continent, but Qiyue seemed unaware.

"Chi'er doesn't. I've never heard him mention it. Could it be that his bloodline heritage hasn't awakened yet? If so, we'll just have to wait. Once his heritage awakens, perhaps he can tell us something. Oh, and there's one more thing I need to tell you." Qiyue pointed to the red birthmark on her face.

"Is that from giving birth to Chi'er? It's fine; I don't mind." Feng Yu said, feeling a bit embarrassed. It was as if he had indirectly caused her disfigurement. Would she blame him? Females were always vain about their appearance.

"No, it's fake. I painted it on with the juice of a red-face herb. It will fade in a few days, so I thought I should let you know." Qiyue said nonchalantly.

"Fake? Why would you paint that on?" Feng Yu was confused. Females valued beauty; what was his companion doing?

"Uh, to dissolve my bond with Shi De." Qiyue felt a hint of embarrassment as she said this.

"Did it work? Beastmen are very persistent about oaths. It's not like you can just break them by disfiguring yourself." Feng Yu said skeptically.

"Let's just say I met a freak. He only bonded with me because of my appearance, and it was precisely because of this red mark that he agreed to dissolve the bond." Qiyue yawned, feeling sleepy again.

"Sleep, otherwise you won't have the energy for tomorrow." Feng Yu closed his eyes. He hadn't expected her bonding to be like that. Did this mean there was no affection between them? A faint trace of secret joy rose in Feng Yu's heart.