Chapter 75
In the hotel room, Qing Luan sneezed heavily.
Startled, Suzaku, perched on his shoulder, froze.
Suzaku stretched its tiny head to nuzzle his cheek. “What’s wrong with you?”
Could he be sick?
But divine beasts like them rarely fell ill. If they did, it meant something was seriously wrong with their bodies, not easily fixable, and quite troublesome.
No wonder Suzaku was anxious.
Qing Luan looked puzzled. “…No, I’m fine.”
Probably just an accident.
However, before he could finish speaking, he sneezed again.
Instant karma!
Suzaku: “…”
Nervously, it shed a feather!
The feather floated lazily, spiraling down to Qing Luan’s fingertip.
He caught it and tucked it into his pocket, a faint look of confusion in his eyes. “Really, there’s nothing wrong.”
He didn’t know why he kept sneezing, but physically, he felt fine.
Come to think of it, the divine beasts at the Judgment Office had been having frequent accidents lately. Qing Luan had been exceptionally lucky — no major incidents or injuries so far.
Suddenly, a common saying popped into Qing Luan’s mind.
“Sneezing for no reason — could someone be talking badly about me behind my back?”
But the next second, he realized he might be overthinking.
The idea that sneezing resulted from someone badmouthing you was mostly coincidence or self-imagination. However, a small portion of it was related to the energy of resentment.
When someone harbored intense resentment toward another, it could generate a force that affected the health of the resented person. It was a basic form of curse.
But this kind of thing couldn’t possibly happen to him.
The premise for a curse was that the person casting it had far greater strength than the target. And among all beings, only… Phoenix could surpass him significantly.
Impossible.
Qing Luan dismissed the absurd thought from his mind and returned to the main topic. “Phoenix isn’t here.”
A few hours ago, he’d sensed the phoenix’s aura and hurried over, even forgetting to leave Suzaku behind.
However, the aura was faint. By the time he found this small inn, Phoenix had already left, leaving only the lingering scent of its presence.
Notably, within that aura, there was a trace of a human scent.
Intertwined tightly, it indicated long-term companionship.
Qing Luan found it strange. He’d assumed the aloof Phoenix would leave alone.
Now, in this situation… Is it really carrying a human?
Even Suzaku noticed this issue: “The day Phoenix disappeared, there were indeed two humans.”
One of them was even stood up by him, feeling guilty.
Originally, Suzaku felt quite embarrassed. As a bird with clear grudges, it never broke its promises. Its reputation among mythical creatures was excellent. So when it stood up Meng Qingzhi, it was initially quite uneasy.
However, later on, Suzaku realized that this person named Meng Qingzhi seemed to have character issues. He nearly caused havoc in the mortal realm.
If the fully possessed Xuanwu were to emerge, all of them, the mythical creatures, would be implicated. Chaos would ensue, and the days of mythical creatures would become even more challenging.
Not to mention, the workload at the Judgment Office would undoubtedly skyrocket, and Qing Luan would be even busier, with less time to spare for him.
Although Suzaku didn’t care much about human life, when it came to his own interests, he remained vigilant.
Thinking about it this way, he didn’t feel so guilty anymore.
The valuable gifts he had given Meng Qingzhi were already sufficient.
Speaking of which… Without the divine artifacts he had gifted him, breaking the illusion array would have been challenging for Meng Qingzhi, given his abilities.
The realization made Suzaku feel a bit uneasy.
In a way, he was indirectly responsible for shattering the illusion array and Phoenix’s disappearance.
And Qing Luan, well-known to all, valued Phoenix the most.
If Qing Luan found out about this and its connection to him…
Suzaku: …
Suzaku: …
Life was tough; the little bird felt self-conscious.
Sigh, perhaps he needed to change his habit of being overly generous everywhere.
For a moment, Suzaku fell silent. Without giving Qing Luan a chance to speak, he hurriedly urged, “I can still smell a faint scent. They shouldn’t have gone far. Let’s hurry and catch up!” His words stumbled.
Qing Luan also thought the same, but he found it odd, “What’s wrong with you? Is your throat uncomfortable?”
Suzaku, without a hint of breathlessness, replied, “No, it’s not like that. Let’s not dwell on it. We need to find Phoenix quickly; I’m worried about him!”
He even flapped his tiny wings vigorously, trying to convey his inner impatience.
Qing Luan: …?
Things were getting even stranger.
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Meanwhile, Phoenix, who the two subordinates were looking for, stood expressionless in the cold night on the outskirts.
Just a few steps away from him, Su Zui: “…”
After a suffocating silence and brief exchange, he finally realized that he had been mistaken about Boss’s identity all along.
The atmosphere fell silent again. The man, mistaken for someone else, didn’t want to speak, and Su Zui felt mildly embarrassed.
Choking back his emotions, Su Zui blurted out, “Ah, darn system.”
Heaven forbid, not even a hint about the character’s identity!
System 555 wails in impotence, “Wuwuwuwu—”
Well, it’s the main system’s setting. What can it do, quack?
A cold breeze sweeps by, carrying a refreshing chill. Su Zui’s mind, previously occupied by embarrassment, calms down slightly.
He gazes at the man whose brows and eyes appear particularly stern in the moonlight, feeling puzzled.
Since it’s not Qing Luan, then… who is it?
Several names flash through his mind, only to be dismissed one by one.
A bird-like divine beast, even more powerful than Qing Luan and holding a respectable position in the Judgment Office — there aren’t many that fit these criteria.
Suddenly, he notices the Phoenix Spirit Jade in his hand, glowing faintly under the moonlight.
In that split second, he seems to grasp something unbelievable and stammers, “…Phoenix?”
The person across from him remains silent, but the corner of his lips visibly twitches, and the melancholy in his eyes lessens ever so slightly.
Su Zui is shocked. Could it really be?
When he utters those two words, even he hesitates.
Su Zui hadn’t actually considered this.
After all, in the original book, when Phoenix appeared, it was already classified as a dead character. Its true form had been consumed by malevolence, leaving behind only a tainted appearance, devoid of anything else.
Perhaps because of this, Su Zui hadn’t initially associated the Boss’s identity with the Phoenix.
After all, according to common sense, the dead couldn’t be bosses, especially considering how little screen time Phoenix had. Its role was merely to highlight Qing Luan’s stubbornness, not much better than Su Zui, the cannon fodder.
System 555 finishes its crying fit and dutifully analyzes for Su Zui, “It’s likely that after your arrival, the plot deviated. Phoenix wasn’t consumed by malevolence as in the original book. Because the opponent’s abilities and identity align, the system determined him as the Boss.”
Su Zui mutters, “Fine then.” You’re the system, you have the final say.
He recalls the scene when he picked up the bird egg in the small grove and got mistaken for it.
It must have been from that moment that the plot diverged from the original.
The original book didn’t provide detailed descriptions of Phoenix, nor did it specify the date of its demise. So, Su Zui guessed twice— once for Suzaku and once for Qing Luan—but neither hit the mark. Who would’ve thought that the one influenced by his butterfly wings would turn out to be Phoenix?
Under the man’s resentful gaze, Su Zui has a fleeting impression that he’s a scumbag.
Collecting himself, Su Zui explains, “Hold on, don’t overthink it. I don’t know Qing Luan. It’s just a rumor that Phoenix is in seclusion, and Qing Luan is the one in charge at the Judgment Office. That’s why… I made the mistake.”
That statement does indeed make sense.
Phoenix considers it for a moment and reluctantly accepts this explanation.
After all… he knows his own subordinate well enough to suspect any shenanigans.
Phoenix: “Hmm.”
With that single sound, he plunges back into deep silence.
His brows furrow, and his eyes appear even more intense in the moonlight. To an outsider, he might seem in a bad mood.
Su Zui watches him, also remaining silent.
Between the two, tranquility settles once more.
Two grown men gaze at each other under the moonlight — a scene that should be awkward. Yet, for some reason, Su Zui suddenly feels like laughing.
That familiar scent of hidden depth…
Even if centuries pass, he’d recognize it anywhere.
Taking a few steps toward the man, Su Zui feels the night breeze soften, no longer as cold.
The delicate fragrance of blossoms emanates from the human before him, as if enticing someone to pluck them.
Suddenly, Phoenix recalls a flower that only bloomed when the moon reached its zenith — an exquisite, otherworldly bloom.
Crystal-clear and ethereal.
This flower had an incredibly brief lifespan, lasting only a moment. If not plucked during its bloom, it would wither rapidly.
Exquisite and scarce, it was both beautiful and precious.
Back when spirit beasts and mythical creatures thrived, their courtship rituals were abundant.
Thus, a trend emerged: many spirit beasts and mythical creatures fought fiercely, even shedding blood, just to pluck one of these flowers and present it to their desired mate.
In the memories passed down to him, he saw ancestors carrying such a flower, placing it delicately before their partners. Their elegant tail feathers flared passionately, like flames.
________________________
Somehow, at this moment, the Phoenix recalls that memory.
Once dull and unremarkable, it now appears filtered through a different lens.
A sudden impulse surges within him—to pluck a flower that only blooms under moonlight and extend his most resplendent tail feathers in courtship to the young man before him.
Just as countless ancestors had done.
However, he quickly remembers that with waning spiritual energy, many species had gone extinct —including this mysterious flower.
Su Zui had already walked up to him.
Phoenix was quite tall, standing at a solid one meter ninety in his humanoid form. Su Zui, on the other hand, had just reached adulthood and stood at a modest one meter seventy-something. To meet the man’s gaze, he had to tilt his head upward.
Since he had confirmed the man’s identity, Su Zui saw no need to be coy.
However, before proceeding, he needed clarification on one matter.
He raised his hand, revealing a pristine white jade in his palm.
The lifelike image of a pure white phoenix seemed almost ready to come alive in the moonlight.
Su Zui studied the jade for a moment, his emotions complex.
This piece of jade could shatter and repair itself, growing even stronger in the process. It could even absorb malevolent energy… It was all so obvious, yet Su Zui hadn’t considered any other implications. He blamed his rigid mindset.
Then, a thought occurred to him. He rubbed the surface of the jade with his fingertip. “Is there a fragment of your soul within this jade?”
Although phrased as a question, his tone bordered on a statement.
Upon hearing Su Zui’s matter-of-fact inquiry, Phoenix, who had been lost in his own thoughts, suddenly snapped back to reality in the chilly breeze.
Simultaneously shy and slightly anxious, he realized.
He knew.
He knew that he had secretly placed a strand of his soul near Su Zui.
Would this be perceived as an intrusion?
Given Phoenix’s proud temperament, if someone had dared to do this without his knowledge, he would have left them severely injured.
However, at this moment, the Phoenix remained blissfully unaware of a phenomenon known as the “love filter.”
Observing the sudden blush coloring Phoenix’s ears, Su Zui, now wearing his own love-tinted glasses, didn’t feel anger. Instead, he found the situation… rather endearing.
How cute, to become so shy over something like this.
In a previous world, after several years of dating, the highly adaptable Mr. Fu quickly transformed into an experienced “old driver” (a slang term for someone experienced in romantic matters). It had been a long time since he had seen someone blush at a single sentence.
Su Zui stared at the faintly reddened earlobe of Phoenix, his eyes brightening with a subtle smile. Since Phoenix had hidden a trace of its soul in this spiritual jade, every time he touched the jade, wasn’t he essentially getting handsy with him?
Thinking back to the recent past when he absentmindedly played with the jade, Su Zui: “…”
Despite their advanced age, this kind of playfulness was undeniably exciting.
The fact that Phoenix had endured until now was quite… charming!
Su Zui, under the influence of a filter as thick as several hundred meters, confidently concluded, “Rest assured, I’ll take responsibility for you.”
Having already touched it, he wasn’t the type to shirk responsibility.
Phoenix, who had initially expected a death sentence: …???
Phoenix: !!!
Meanwhile, in their hearts, both the exclamation marks and Suzaku, who had already found the place, were equally surprised.
Suzaku stood there in shock.
Suzaku pretended to remain calm.
Suzaku turned and left.
Pretending not to have heard anything that required silencing the bird!
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Author’s note:
Suzaku: Ah, I didn’t expect the boss to have this kind of kink…
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