Imperial Weight Chapter 5
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 5
Where was the little phoenix?
The little phoenix was fighting.
After standing at Xingyi's threshold and finishing the training fruits, he felt hungry again, so he wanted to go out and find some fruit to eat. The honey peaches he'd stored in his storage ring that day had already been eaten as a midnight snack, and the remaining wheat grains—the little phoenix didn't like them, only keeping them as emergency rations.
The little sparrows outside Fuli Palace told him, "It's too cold here, there are no fruits at all. You need to go down to the mountain gate, near Linglong Gate there's a hot spring, warm as spring all year round, with lots of fruits and nectar to eat."
The little phoenix was very happy and flapped his wings to rush over. Halfway there, he flew back to carry the storage ring in his beak, planning to stock up on supplies and pick some fruits to bring back for Xingyi. After flying past Linglong Gate, he indeed found sweet and succulent berries in a grove of blooming flowers.
The storage ring had been strung with thread by someone he knew in the mortal realm, hand-woven and very beautiful, allowing him to hang it around his neck. The little phoenix opened the storage ring and at first, when he saw the plump, firm berries, he would pick them up in his beak and toss them inside. After walking a few steps and encountering the next fruit, his neck would stretch out and he'd forget to pull it back, swallowing it himself with smacking sounds. Then he'd waddle on his little short legs to another spot, tilt his head to pick one up, and unknowingly swallow it down with more smacking sounds.
Half a shichen later, the little phoenix's belly had swelled up, the whole bird quite plump. Having eaten his fill, he spread his little wings and lay down, airing out his two white jade-like little claws. The storage ring slipped down, and the little phoenix's beady eyes rolled around before he remembered that he had originally planned to bring fruits back for Xingyi.
He quickly got up, first doing a little weight-loss exercise routine, then waddled off to pick fruits for Xingyi. The spirits dwelling in this forest told him, "Little fat bird, if you're still not full, there are some fragrant melons growing along the ground by the hot spring, all very large ones, very filling."
So the little phoenix changed locations again, hopping along in little jumps until he bounced over to the hot spring's edge. In the melon patch, he searched with his head down for a long time, tapping here and knocking there, finally finding a melon that hadn't been frozen by the light snow. He put the storage ring aside, then flapped his wings, trying to push the melon over with his claws, but failed. Afterward, he squatted down, gathering all his strength, puffing up even rounder, and rolled forward with all his might, actually managing to move the heavy immortal melon a bit.
A burst of giggling came from overhead. "Hehe, wouldn't have thought you're so small yet still have some strength, actually able to push that melon."
The little phoenix looked up to see a golden-winged bird perched above his head, tilting its head to greet him—who else could it be but the one who'd cheated him out of a million spirit stones with fake talismans that day?
The little phoenix immediately remembered this grievance. With Xingyi not around, he didn't need to pretend he couldn't talk anymore. He widened his eyes and immediately called out, "It's you. The talismans you sold me don't work, they're fake."
The golden-winged bird flapped its wings and flew down, landing and transforming into human form, squatting before him with utmost sincerity, "I never said how long they'd work, did I? This isn't my fault—you didn't ask clearly yourself. What I sell are exactly this kind of talisman, their name is 'Lightning Flash.'"
The little phoenix said, "I don't want this kind, I want a refund."
The golden-winged bird was very straightforward, "Sure, for a refund you need to return the goods, right? Give me back the ten thousand talismans, and I'll refund you."
The little phoenix flapped his wings and hopped over, about to open his storage ring when he froze: those remaining 9,999 talismans had long been reduced to nothingness by Xingyi, not even ashes remained, let alone for a refund. Every grievance has its source, every debt its debtor—he should be demanding this debt from Xingyi, but after careful consideration, he felt that Xingyi probably wouldn't compensate him for these spirit stones.
Seeing him motionless, the golden-winged bird laughed, reached out to pat his head, then stood up—while bending down, he also took away the melon the little phoenix had been pushing for so long. The golden-winged bird said with a smile. "Can't produce them, can you? I heard long ago that there's a little bird who can't transform, desperately trying to climb high branches, attempting to turn human to seduce the Fuli Emperor—what an enormous joke! In the end wasn't he exposed by the Emperor, and all his talismans turned to nothingness? You think your shameful deeds are unknown to others, but the moon and winter wind both can talk, don't think I don't know."
The little phoenix said, "You just went to eavesdrop, don't make it sound so noble. This isn't a shameful deed, I came to find my husband. Now that the talismans are gone, I take back my request for a refund, but you need to put down that melon—I found it first."
The golden-winged bird hugged the melon and laughed contemptuously. "Husband? More like a husband from your dreams! I noticed something was wrong the day you first came to Fuli Mountain. What kind of figure is the Emperor—is he someone you can aspire to? You fat little bird, I—"
Before he finished speaking, an intense burning sensation attacked the top of his head, causing severe pain and a burning feeling. The golden-winged bird jumped in fright from the burn, touched his head and jumped again, then began shouting. "You you you! How can you breathe fire! Aren't you a sparrow!"
The little phoenix hopped a couple times, little wings slightly spread, round head slightly lowered, displaying a ready-for-battle posture with head up and chest out. His short, pointed beak opened and immediately spewed out another flame, burning the golden-winged bird until he howled.
The golden-winged bird was also angered. "You think you're the only one who can use fire? Do you know who I am? Fan Tian Phoenix Ming Zun bore nine sons—apart from those useless ones like the white phoenix and fire phoenix, one is called the golden-winged great roc, who will inherit the position of Golden-Winged Ming King in the future; one is called the peacock, who will inherit the position of Peacock Ming King in the future. Do you know who I am?"
The little phoenix said, "If you're really the golden-winged great roc, you should call me father." He flapped his wings, all his feathers fluffing up, his little beady eyes glaring back without showing any weakness.
The golden-winged bird nearly fainted from anger. "You're even cursing at people! There's no one like you in the Heavenly Court!"
The little phoenix was fat but nimble, and most importantly, small. After the golden-winged bird transformed into human form, he was burned and howling, unable to catch him no matter what, nearly dropping the melon in his hands. In his desperation, he transformed back into golden-winged bird form and began fighting back and forth with the little phoenix. The golden-winged bird had a graceful form, extending two or three chi in length, seven or eight times larger than the little phoenix, yet even so, he still couldn't beat the little phoenix.
Short and mighty—this probably described little fat birds like the little phoenix. He shuttled left and right in a round ball, scratching here with a claw, pecking there, nearly plucking the golden-winged bird bald. The little phoenix had just eaten his fill of fruits and done his exercise routine, so his spirits were high and he didn't fall behind in the fight at all. The two birds fought from dusk until the moon rose, nearly burning away the entire spring pool, until neither could breathe fire anymore. When they rolled to the snowy ground in the west, the golden-winged bird shouted hoarsely, "No more, no more! I admit defeat, I apologize!"
The little phoenix, panting, drilled out from under his wing feathers and pressed the golden-winged bird's head into the snow with one claw, expressing final victory. Then he flipped over on his rear and rolled in the snow, beginning to rest peacefully.
The golden-winged bird started crying. "I'm bald now, you have to take responsibility. Who's like you, so small yet so good at fighting. Wasn't what I said true? Even if the Emperor keeps you as a pet, he won't care much about you. Look, you've been out so long—will he come looking for you?"
Snow began to fall. The little phoenix aired his two claws and used his little wings to gather the snow beside him, burying himself to cool down. All his feathers were messy, those short downy ones tangled together, too lazy to groom.
The little phoenix said, "He will."
Then said nothing more.
Actually, when he said Xingyi would come find him, he wasn't certain in his heart either. Just like when he said the mortal realm was good, he also wasn't quite certain—it was just that he had met his husband there.
The little phoenix lay in the snow, looking up at the moon in the sky, big and round. The moon he saw in the mortal realm was usually pale yellow, like candlelight through a paper lantern. The Heavenly Court's moon was silver, clean and pure without a trace of dust, a large expanse of silver radiance pouring down clearly, seeming a bit cold.
The little phoenix shivered, then jumped up, shook off the snow on his body, and crouched in the snow.
The golden-winged bird was still crying. The little phoenix didn't plan to pay him any attention.
He stretched his neck to go find his melon and storage ring. He'd barely taken a few steps when a slender hand picked him back up—along with it came the warmth emanating from the person, like a spring breeze passing by.
Xingyi weighed the little fat bird in his hand and looked down at him. "Are you planning to turn yourself into frozen bird meat to give me to eat?"
The little phoenix was stunned.
The little phoenix hurried to turn around, but his claws were frozen stiff, walking somewhat unsteadily on Xingyi's soft palm. So Xingyi cupped him with both hands, quietly warming this icy little thing in his palms.
Xingyi looked at the scorched spring pool and vegetation in the distance, then at the golden-winged bird lying in the messy snow. "What happened here?"
The golden-winged bird crawled up from the snow and said with a mournful face, giving a full account. "This bird bought ten thousand spirit talismans from me. I did intend to cheat his money, but I swear, this was my first time cheating anyone. I sold him the lowest grade of talismans, but this little bird is too fierce—he can breathe fire, and it hurts when he fights. No wonder he eats so much, with such great strength. He even plucked my feathers—waaah, I'll refund the money, can't I? It's just a million spirit stones—wuuuuuh—"
The golden-winged bird continued whimpering to himself, but Xingyi stopped listening. He lowered his head and asked, "Is this true?"
The little phoenix looked at him and nodded.
Actually, the part where the golden-winged bird mocked him, Xingyi didn't know about yet. But the little phoenix decided to keep his beak shut.
Xingyi asked again, "Because of this, you beat him into this state?"
The little phoenix paused again, this time for a bit longer. He nodded again, obediently crouching in his palm, but still with a righteous and confident appearance.
Xingyi said, "Good, well done. I have never been defeated on the battlefield. The bird I raise won't lose to anyone outside either."
The little phoenix was stunned.
The golden-winged bird was also shocked by this unreasonable protectiveness. He was stunned for a moment, then immediately started crying again. "I'm going back to tell Phoenix Ming Zun and ask him to judge this for me! Emperor, you've been bewitched by this little imp!"
Xingyi stroked the little phoenix's head, merely glanced at the golden-winged bird once, and frightened him back into silence.
After being warmed for a while, the little phoenix was also warmed through. He nestled against Xingyi's fingertips, taking the opportunity to nuzzle a few more times, chirping twice.
Xingyi hadn't brought an umbrella when he came out, and snow had already accumulated on his shoulders. He lowered his head and asked, "Shall we go back, little phoenix?"
This was the first time he'd called him that so formally now, even if it was still just as a little pet. The little phoenix was a bit happy and forgot all his previous unhappiness. He flew to his shoulder to perch, then used his little wings to brush away the snow from his shoulders, very seriously.
Xingyi raised his hand to draw out a thread of silver light, then made it solid, conjuring an umbrella painted with vast mountain ranges. He reached out to lift the little phoenix down, as usual gently holding him in his palm, warming him with his palm.
The little phoenix's pair of beady eyes looked at him bright and shining. The perfectly round little fat ball fit perfectly in his palm, a little bit heavy, but more soft and warm. That mischievous look came again, innocent yet sweet, making one want to knead him hard.
Xingyi remembered what the golden-winged bird had just said, and a trace of amusement appeared in his eyes.
He called to him again:
"Little imp."
