Chapter 103 A New Beginning
"Fenghai County".
Chishong's not-so-loud voice echoed in Xie Baoqiong's ears:
"Everything you're looking for will be there..."
Fenghai County is a coastal town located in the southeastern part of Dasheng, adjacent to the most expansive sea on this continent.
The abundant catch and relatively warm temperatures make it a stopover for some migratory birds.
After bidding farewell to Xin Xuan, Xie Baoqiong and Qi Gui discussed their plans and set off together once again.
The long sword sliced through the clouds, carrying the two away. The white aura in the sky was soon obscured by the flowing clouds.
Xin Xuan, leaning back against the branch, gazed at the erased traces. A deep line appeared on Yi's androgynous face. He frowned, his unease lingering. He couldn't be sure if delivering the answer to the child ahead of time would cause any unforeseen complications...
The drifting clouds obscured the sunlight, and the bright sky gradually darkened. The autumn wind rustled through the branches, and the crimson figure on the emerald green branches transformed into a bird more beautiful and captivating than its own face, disappearing into the forest.
I just pray that everything will end smoothly...
—
After traveling day and night for two days and nights, Xie Baoqiong finally caught sight of the town at dawn, standing far away in the hazy sky.
The damp, salty smell first entered my nostrils on the wind, followed by the sound of the wind crashing against the waves.
A huge sun rose from the darkness, its orange-yellow color spilling onto the sea and reflected in my pupils.
As the sun rose, warm light enveloped the human and bird above, bathing the two demons in a golden glow.
Qi Gui transformed into his true form, stepping on the front of the long sword. The sea breeze was mostly blocked by his spiritual power. He spread his wings, which had not yet completely lost their downy feathers. The wind swept across his wings, causing the gray downy feathers to sway and flutter, while more snow-white feathers fluttered in the wind.
An airflow swept over his wings, causing him to flap them out of habit. The moment his webbed feet left the blade, he snapped back to his senses, stopped flapping, and landed back where he started.
He was originally a bird capable of soaring through the sky.
"Want to try flying here?"
Xie Baoqiong, standing behind, noticed the tiny movements of the young snow geese, her voice carried by the sea breeze into every feather of Qi Gui.
Snow-white wings dotted with gray skimmed across the translucent, milky-white clouds, a soft, shy voice uttering:
"But my feathers haven't grown in yet."
"It's okay, I'll catch you."
Every word took root in Xueyan's small body, like a feather piercing through a quill, tickling his heart.
The warm sunlight shone on Qi Gui, giving him a sliver of courage to try.
The gentle sun rose higher and higher along with the white birds.
Seagulls glided near the two of them as they foraged for food. Occasionally, a bolder one would open its beak wide, trying to feast on a lone gosling, but without exception, it would be swatted away by Xie Baoqiong, who emerged from behind the clouds, with her spiritual power. Then, Xie Baoqiong would bind the gosling's ankle with a long line of spiritual power, keeping it at a distance from the gosling.
Flocks of equally white birds took flight, carried high by the sea breeze.
When the smallest, white-gray fledgling suddenly plummeted, the flock panicked and began to fall one after another.
Xie Baoqiong released the spiritual energy binding her hands, and the falling flock of birds used the sea breeze to stabilize themselves. The moment they gained their freedom, they immediately scattered and fled, cursing and swearing.
Xie Baoqiong maneuvered her long sword at incredible speed, flying vertically downwards, piercing through the clouds, gliding past the shimmering water, the splashing waves creating a white blur in the air.
He caught the falling snow goose.
The fluffy white bird nestled in my palm felt the howling sea breeze replaced by warmth and softness. It trembled, opened its large, dark eyes, looked around, and when its gaze landed on a familiar face, let out a short cry:
"Chirp".
I caught you.
The longsword slowed its flight, skimming the calm sea surface as it flew forward.
A white bird perched on Xie Baoqiong's shoulder, its ruffled feathers occasionally brushing against the boy's cheek.
"Arjun, am I stupid? I only flew such a short distance and then fell down."
"You flew much better than last time; back then, you couldn't even fly steadily."
A feather brushed against her cheek, bringing a ticklish sensation. Xie Baoqiong stretched out a finger and pressed down on Xueyan's swaying head, her tone natural:
"Besides, you haven't finished molting yet. You'll definitely be able to fly just as well as those adult birds in the future."
"Hmm." Qi Gui responded to his voice, lifting his head from where it had been pressed down. His dark eyes reflected the seabirds circling above, hunting for food. Streaks of white flashed across his eyes, and these traces etched a sense of worry into his tiny eyes.
"Ah-Qiong, do you think Mother won't like me because I'm so frail?"
As the sunlight gradually rose higher, it dispelled the hazy, misty atmosphere of the seaside town, making its outline clearer, but it could not penetrate the gloom in Qi Gui's heart.
Feeling apprehensive as he approached his hometown, and with his mother whom he had never met before, Qi Gui couldn't help but wonder if the feelings he had never experienced before could ever come to him.
He was actually quite content with what he had: he could eat delicious food, he had the power to protect himself, no one could hurt him anymore, and moreover... he had made friends he had never had before. He already had so much.
Could he get more? This question has been popping up in his mind ever since Xie Baoqiong came into his life.
The sound of the sea flowing quietly echoed in my ears, only to be drowned out by a closer sound:
"When you meet her, ask her. If she doesn't like you, then come with me."
His vocal cords vibrated almost against Qi Gui's heart as he curled up and buried himself in the boy's neck.
"You should go out more and meet more people. There are so many people in the world, there's bound to be someone who likes birds. My dad also likes stones." Although he only likes his kind of stones.
Xie Baoqiong manipulated his long sword to pierce the sea, a gentle breeze ruffling his hair and swirling around the white mound around his neck.
The waves crashed against the rocks, the sound of which made a small bird, huddled in a ball, peek out half its head, revealing its slightly damp feathers. Water droplets splashed onto its body, masking the salty taste.
The long sword finally stopped on a beach, where the earthy sand shimmered golden under the blazing sun.
On a sunny day, the seawater is exceptionally blue, blending seamlessly with the gold and dotted with white foam.
Xie Baoqiong sheathed his long sword, jumped onto the sand, and the novel sensation of stepping on it made him stop in his tracks. After savoring the experience for a moment, his eyes lit up, and he couldn't wait to share:
"Qi Gui, come down quickly, the soil here feels so special when you step on it!"
The white tuft of birds around its neck glided to the ground, and the moment its webbed feet touched the sand, its beady eyes widened to their maximum.
The two cubs, who had never been to the seaside before, immediately put aside all their other concerns and emotions.
Xie Baoqiong kicked off his shoes and ran barefoot towards the beach. The cool seawater, not yet penetrated by the sun, washed over his calves. The wet sand under his feet was no longer loose, and with the help of the waves, it slid into the gaps between his toes, a completely different sensation from dry sand.
He bent down, seawater slipping through his fingers, and caught a flock of birds being swept away by the waves, their crimson webbed feet still paddling as they left the water:
"Ah-Jung, the water here is different from the water in the pond; it sloshes."
Xie Baoqiong waited for the waves to recede before putting the bird ball back into the water: "Be careful..."
Before he could finish speaking, Qi Gui suddenly dove into the water, leaving his tail feathers sticking up on the surface.
"Let's go back!"
[I'm fine, Arjun.]
The voice rang out directly in his mind, and in no time, Qi Gui's head resurfaced from the sea, with a lively sea fish in his red beak.
[Arjun, we can eat fish now.]
...
—
In the distant capital, Xie Zhuo, who had just finished court, received news that Xie Baoqiong had left Sishui Mountain and disappeared without a trace.
He hadn't had time to change out of his crimson official robes as he walked, instructing the messenger on the next steps.
"Let's search discreetly first..."
The garden, which had been damaged and then tidied up not long ago, looked deserted, with many branches broken off from the manual pruning.
The broken part could not be repaired and still stood there awkwardly. The manager once asked Xie Zhuo if he wanted to renovate the garden and change the vegetation and landscape.
Xie Zhuo rejected the idea, as he remembered finding a special "stone" in the rockery in the garden. If the garden were renovated now, Xiao Bao might not be used to it when he came back.
He waved away the people following him and slowed his pace.
Unconsciously, my footsteps circled back to the artificial rockery.
Separation was commonplace for Xie Zhuo. In the officialdom, people came and went; those who spoke well today might be demoted or exiled tomorrow, let alone the more profound farewell forever. He had experienced it all before, and he had tasted all the sorrows of parting. How could he possibly feel this way again...?
Xie Zhuo stared at the precious artificial rock in front of him, but his mind was filled with an ordinary blue stone.
We've only been apart for a short time, how can the longing be so unbearable...?
The soft footsteps dispelled Xie Zhuo's overflowing emotions. He turned around and saw a familiar face reflected in his eyes.
That incredibly similar face, almost indistinguishable from the real one, appeared before him.
The boy stood under the eaves, at the spot where he had first discovered the bluestone, gazing at it from afar.
Xie Zhuo had completely suppressed his emotions, not revealing a trace of them. His calm eyes were like a tranquil lake, reflecting his face, but only as a reflection.
The plants in the garden stopped swaying, and the boy under the eaves hid in the shadows, his hands clenched tightly as he leaned on the railing.
A few meters was nothing to Shuangmu; as a cultivator, he could clearly capture any subtle changes in Xie Zhuo's expression.
That look again!
It was that same look that he found so incredibly annoying again!
Frustration and desire intertwined, controlling his actions. For the first time, he did not pretend to be obedient in front of Xie Zhuo.
With a push of her palms, she nimbly flipped over the railing and flashed in front of Xie Zhuo.
At the same time, Shuangmu's attention was closely focused on Xie Zhuo, not missing any of Xie Zhuo's fluctuations.
The young man's hair and robe were lifted by the airflow he created. His eyelashes fluttered slightly, and his hair and robe slowly fell back to their original state, just like the calm and composed face of the young man.
They showed no emotion towards his actions, not even a shred of attention, as if he were nothing more than a roadside stone.
No, if he were really a stone, he might evoke some pity.
Just like... just like another stone in the mansion...
"What's up?"
Look, they're even stingy with his name.
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