Sui Sui slowly opened his eyes and found himself staring at a familiar ceiling. His breath hitched, and his body stiffened.
Wait… this place…
Startled, he pushed himself upright in a hurry, his gaze darting around. It was a plain, single-unit room. In the corner where he sat was a narrow bed, with a small TV at the foot. Beside it was a desk, its surface buried under stacks of accountancy books—the same books from his community college days.
Heart pounding, Sui Sui swung his legs off the bed and stood up, his steps unsteady as he took in every detail. From the resumes carelessly scattered on the desk to the half-eaten pack of noodles he hadn't finished that night… everything was exactly the same as he remembered—before the fire.
His brows furrowed deeply. Confusion twisted in his chest like a knot. He clearly remembered it all: the fire in his apartment, the way he had died, his rebirth as a disciple of the He Huan Sect, meeting Yizhou, the attack from that demonic cultivator, and… his second death.
He remembered every single detail, so why… Why was he back in his old apartment?
His chest tightened, unease twisting through him. Could it be that everything: the fire, his rebirth, the He Huan Sect, even meeting Yizhou—was just a dream?
No. He shook his head sharply, lips pressed into a thin line. It had been far too vivid, too real, for him to dismiss like that.
Sui Sui walked toward the door, wanting to confirm something. He gripped the knob and twisted, but just as he expected it didn't budge. His lips pressed into a thin line. He tried again, pulling harder this time, but the stubborn door refused to open.
Next, Sui Sui turned to the window instead. He leaned closer, pressing a hand against the glass as he peered outside. But… there was nothing. No buildings, no sky, not even darkness—just emptiness stretching endlessly.
His suspicions were right. This wasn't his real apartment at all.
And just as that thought settled in—
"Ehem."
A sudden voice echoed in the room.
Sui Sui spun around, eyes darting across the room in search of the voice. But no matter how hard he looked, there wasn't a single person in sight. His brows furrowed tightly. Impossible… I definitely heard something.
"I'm here, you brat."
Sui Sui stiffened, his gaze snapping toward the bed. There, right in the middle of his crumpled blankets, stood a tiny bird. Its feathers shimmered in a fiery gradient of red and orange, and at first glance it looked suspiciously like… a chicken. Except, of course, for its striking blue eyes that gleamed with an oddly intelligent light.
"You, you—yes, I'm talking to you, brat. Hurry up and come closer! Let this ancestor have a good look at you!" the little bird puffed out its chest, its voice full of arrogant pride.
Sui Sui hesitated, lips twitching, but eventually took a few careful steps closer, crouching slightly to get a better look. "A… chicken?" he whispered under his breath, uncertain.
This comment did not escape the bird's sharp ears. The little bird's feathers practically bristled in rage, its wings flapping wildly as it screeched, "Chicken?! How dare you call this mighty one a chicken! You—! You insolent brat!"
It launched into a furious rant, words tumbling out endlessly with its annoying high-pitched voice, each one louder than the last. The longer it went on, the more Sui Sui's head throbbed, his expression twisting as if enduring torture
Finally, unable to take the noise any longer, he quickly raised his hands in surrender. "I'm sorry, senior! Forgive my words, I was wrong!"
Hearing his apology, the "chicken" finally huffed and settled down, though its feathers still puffed out indignantly. "Hmph. I'll forgive you—for now."
Sui Sui let out a quiet sigh of relief, his shoulders relaxing a little. He clasped his hands respectfully and bowed his head. "Many thanks, senior, for your understanding." Then, with a cautious tone, he added, "Not to be rude… but may I ask what the senior's esteemed name is?"
The little bird tilted its head, blue eyes narrowing in disdain. Its wings gave a sharp flap as it clicked its beak. "Tsk. You can't even recognize this ancestor?"
"This ancestor is called Feng Minglan, the first grandmaster of Yan Yu Valley!" the fiery little bird declared proudly, puffing out his chest as if the whole world should tremble at the name. He waited expectantly, clearly anticipating a gasp of awe.
But none came.
After a long, awkward silence, Feng Minglan peeked open one eye—only to see Sui Sui staring at him with a thoroughly confused expression.
"You—! Don't tell me you don't even recognize my name?" the bird squawked in disbelief.
Sui Sui gave an awkward little smile, scratching his cheek in embarrassment. His lips curved stiffly as if to say: I'm sorry, should I know you?
The bird flapped his wings in agitation, utterly scandalized. "At the very least, you should know Yan Yu Valley, right? The best medical valley in the world!"
Once again, Sui Sui scratched his cheek, clearly expressing his confusion:
"This junior… is not familiar with anything senior mentioned," Sui Sui admitted honestly, lowering his head slightly in apology.
Feng Minglan froze. Then, with a dramatic cry, "How can this be?! Where do you live, brat? Under a rock? How could you not know such trivial things?"
Sui Sui coughed lightly, trying to ease the situation. "Uhh… Sui Sui lives in Xing Hui Middle Realm."
"Ohhh." Feng Minglan's tone instantly changed, his feathers smoothing as realization dawned. "A middle realm. No wonder you're so ignorant." He nodded sagely, as if the mystery of the universe had just been solved. "For a moment there, I almost doubted my own popularity."
Following this, the phoenix launched into an endless stream of self-praise, boasting about his greatness, how countless people in the upper realm scrambled for his favor, and how his name echoed across the heavens.
He boasted and boasted, going on and on until Sui Sui's head started spinning. Each time he tried to butt in, the bird's voice only grew louder. Finally, Sui Sui managed to squeeze in a question: "By the way, does the senior know where this place is? Am I… dead?" His tone carried genuine confusion.
"Dead? How could you die from burning?" the bird scoffed, bursting into laughter as if Sui Sui had just told the funniest joke in the world. "Didn't your parents ever teach you that phoenixes are immune to fire? Relax, brat—you're definitely still alive."
Then, in a more matter-of-fact tone, it continued, "By the way, this place is your spiritual world. It usually takes the form of the place you're most familiar with. Your body is still repairing itself from the injuries you suffered, so your consciousness is being sheltered here for now. Don't worry, you'll be fine in a few days."
"Eh?--- Senior, could you repeat what you just said?" Sui Sui blinked, confused.
"I said this place is your spiritual—" the bird began again, only to be interrupted.
"No, not that part," Sui Sui cut in quickly. "The part where you said we can't be burned by fire."
"Ah. Yes, that's right." The little bird puffed up its chest, looking especially pleased with itself. "We phoenixes are immune to practically every flame in the world! The only thing that could possibly burn us is the Heavenly Flame, but it's so rare that there's no need to worry about it."
Sui Sui's eyes twitched. "…Senior, when you say we, do you mean you and me?"
"Of course! Who else? Don't tell me the heat fried your brain?" the bird scoffed.
"Senior," Sui Sui said carefully, "I think you've got the wrong person. I'm not a phoenix at all."
"How could that be possible? Don't spout nonsense! I wouldn't get something like this wrong" The bird stomped his tiny claws against the blanket, glaring indignantly. "When my flame entered your body, I clearly saw a phoenix's natal fire within you. Plus the fact that you didn't burn to ashes is proof enough!"
He tilted his head, eyes narrowing. "Didn't your parents ever teach you this? Just who are your parents, and why are they so irresponsible?"
At that, Sui Sui suddenly fell silent. His lips pressed into a thin line before he finally answered, voice low and awkward. "Actually …This junior is an orphan. I don't have parents."
For once, the little bird finally stopped talking. His beak opened slightly, but no words came out.
Sui Sui: …
Little Bird: …
—----
Footnotes:
Spiritual World — The inner world of every cultivator, also called the Sea of Consciousness. It's the spiritual domain where their thoughts and soul exist.
Yán Yǔ Gǔ (Flamefeather Valley) — A place where the greatest alchemists gather. It's similar to a sect, but works more like a vast healing ground or hospital.
Phoenix's Natal Fire — The sacred flame every Phoenix is born with. It's one of the strongest fires in the world, second only to the Heavenly Flames, which come from the punishment of the Heavenly Dao.