Wanting to break the heavy silence, Sui Sui cleared his throat and asked carefully, "Senior, if you don't mind… could you please elaborate more about what you said regarding this junior's body?"
The little bird seemed just as eager to escape the awkwardness. He straightened his feathers, coughed twice, and said in a proud tone, "Ahem. Yes, well, when my soul entered your body's dantian, I could sense it clearly—you have the Phoenix Natal Fire within you."
Sui Sui's eyes widened slightly, but before he could say anything, the bird continued, his tone turning more thoughtful. "However, it's very faint. There seems to be a seal blocking your natal fire, making it difficult to detect. If I hadn't accidentally entered your Sea of Consciousness and noticed a crack in the seal, even I wouldn't have sensed it."
The bird tilted his head, blue eyes narrowing. "The little bird tilted his head, his sharp blue eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Most likely, the seal was placed by a high-level cultivator. In my opinion, you should probably keep this identity a secret. I don't know who did it, but I can tell you—it wasn't done out of malice."
He gave a small, deliberate puff of feathers, as if to emphasize his point. "Also, although I can't undo the seal, it shouldn't cause you any problems."
Sui Sui's eyes blinked, puzzled , and the bird continued, his voice calm but confident. "I checked it carefully. The seal doesn't stop you from using your Natal Fire. It simply blocks the aura, so others won't be able to detect that it's Phoenix fire."
The little bird leaned forward, scrutinizing Sui Sui carefully. "Do you really not know anything about this? Not even the slightest clue?"
Sui Sui shook his head firmly, his lips tugging into a wry smile. "This junior… is learning about it for the first time now."
Sui Sui was honestly stunned. This was completely new information to him. In his past life, he had been nothing more than an ordinary person, so he naturally assumed that even in this life, he would remain the same. After all, everything about him matched perfectly—from his name to his face, even the little mole under his right eye and left ear. Nothing was missing. The only difference was that he had cultivation power now.
So, for the longest time, he had treated this body as his own. He'd lived in it since the moment he was born, after all. But now—now he was being told something about this body's true identity that he himself had never known.
A troubling thought suddenly crossed his mind: Wait? Is this really my body? Or did I somehow steal it from another person?
The idea made his chest tighten, and he could only hope that wasn't the case.
For now, he didn't dwell too much on that thought. His heart raced, a mix of nervousness and mild skepticism swirling inside him. But above all, excitement bubbled in his chest, threatening to spill over. His lips curved into a small, involuntary smile, and his eyes sparkled with a thrill he could hardly contain.
Who wouldn't be happy to suddenly discover they had a mysterious and powerful origin? This was practically every man's dream!
And as if that wasn't enough, another thought struck him. If I really do have Phoenix blood… doesn't that mean I could probably learn alchemy?
Sui Sui had always wanted to try his hand at alchemy, but he never dared to, because without a fire spiritual root, it would've been nothing more than a wasted effort—or so he had believed. But now… things were different.
According to countless ancient texts, the Phoenix clan was famed in the upper realms as the clan most suitable for being an Alchemist since they all had their innate soul fire to concoct the pills. If he really carried Phoenix blood, then perhaps… Perhaps he could walk that same path.
Just imagining the possibilities was enough to make Sui Sui's fingers twitch with anticipation, as though he already wanted to try brewing pills right this moment.
However, a sudden thought entered his mind again, something important he had missed:
"Anyway, Senior, may I ask another question?" Sui Sui tilted his head slightly, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
The little bird fluffed its feathers, looking pleased with itself. "Very well. This Ancestor will allow you."
Sui Sui pressed his lips together, then asked bluntly, "That… if this is my sea of consciousness…what exactly are you doing here?
At that question, the bird froze. His blue eyes flickered as if weighing his words, and for once, he didn't respond immediately. He tapped his tiny claw against the blanket, feathers ruffling as though in deep thought.
Finally, he coughed twice and straightened up proudly. "Ehem. Boy… how about making a deal with me?"
Sui Sui blinked, caught off guard. "A… deal?" He leaned in slightly, brows furrowed in confusion. "What kind of deal?"
"Yes, hehe… as you can see, my current self is left with just this tiny wisp of soul," the bird admitted, his voice turning a little sheepish. His blue eyes flickered, and his wings twitched as if embarrassed to say it aloud. "I need a temporary place to stay so I can nourish myself."
But almost immediately, his tone shifted back to arrogance. "Of course, you know us phoenix. Even if our body is destroyed, as long as even a single wisp of soul remains, we can enter a new phase of rebirth."
Sui Sui's eyes widened slightly. "Then… does senior mean you wish to stay within my Sea of Consciousness to recover?"
"You're quick-witted! Exactly." The bird flapped his wings proudly. "A phoenix can enter a rebirth phase much more smoothly when another phoenix's fire is nearby to nourish them. As the saying goes, "we phoenix rise from the ashes."
His feathers glowed faintly as he went on, "You don't need to do anything. Just letting my soul meditate beside your natal fire will be enough to help me recover. And with that seal in your body, my soul will be even harder to detect. This place suits me perfectly."
Sui Sui tapped his chin thoughtfully, then asked, "Then… what does this junior get in return?"
The little bird puffed out his chest, looking smug. "Don't worry, I won't treat you poorly. After all, I'm still a high-level cultivator. Just tell me what you want, and I'll see if I can grant it."
Hearing this was exactly what Sui Sui wanted, with his heart skipped with excitement, his eyes lit up, and he blurted out, "Then this junior has one request. I want to learn alchemy. Can you teach me?"
The phoenix froze, then let out a booming laugh, his feathers shaking. "Ho ho! You boy, you really have good eyes! In the entire Upper Realm, if I am the second, no one dares claim to be the first in alchemy."
His sharp gaze softened in approval. "Is that truly all you want?"
"Yes," Sui Sui replied without hesitation, his voice firm. "This is the only thing I want."
"Good. Good!" The bird hopped excitedly into the air, doing a little spin before landing right on top of Sui Sui's head, claws gripping his hair lightly. His blue eyes sparkled with solemn pride.
"I, Feng Minglan, make an oath to the Heavens!" he declared, his voice echoing as though the heaven itself bore witness. "I vow to take this boy, Sui Sui, as my disciple and teach him everything I know about alchemy. If I fail to comply, may my soul disintegrate, never to be reborn!"
A faint tremor rippled through the room as the oath was sealed, a binding promise that neither of them could break.
—---
Footnotes:
Dantian — The energy center within a cultivator's body, usually located in the lower abdomen. It is where spiritual energy (Qi) is stored, refined, and circulated.
Heavenly Oath — A vow made through the heavens. If someone breaks it, the Heavenly Dao brings severe consequences.