Chapter 6: Let’s Hatch an Egg Together, Shall We?
With the Harvest Festival approaching and the spirit mushroom about to bloom, coupled with the recent rumors of a phoenix in the city, Luoye City was bustling with excitement.
No one knew who started it, but now everyone was speculating whether there truly was a phoenix outside the city. Mythical beasts were messengers from the heavens, and legend had it that whoever killed or tamed one would become the king of all under heaven, the destined ruler.
Because of this rumor, many people frequently entered the mountains, not only to seize the spirit mushroom but also for the phoenix.
Li Jianyu was even more cautious when he went to see the phoenixes. Dabao carried him from the Misty Forest to the foot of Earth God Mountain. After Li Jianyu, still in his woman’s disguise, landed, he was swatted aside by Dabao’s wing before he could even take a step.
A sharp whistle pierced the air. Li Jianyu dropped to the ground, and as he scrambled back up, he saw three arrows stuck in the spot where he had just been standing.
Li Jianyu’s gaze turned sharp and cold.
What? Had those people already found their way to Earth God Mountain?
Li Jianyu drew the self-defense dagger from his waist. He didn’t know martial arts, but he couldn’t just sit and wait for death.
Dabao, a mythical beast, would certainly not let itself be slaughtered.
Li Jianyu stood in front of Dabao, warily scanning the dense woods around them.
Swoosh—
A fierce wind suddenly swept through the area, and Li Jianyu saw an iron net appear above them. The net fell from the sky, covering everything, clearly intended to capture the phoenix.
Dabao let out a long cry and soared into the air, trying to tear the net apart.
Li Jianyu observed his surroundings, locked onto a direction, and sprinted off, intending to find the people hiding in the bushes controlling the net and take them out one by one.
Clang! Just as Li Jianyu was heading for an ancient tree, a man who had already noticed him and slipped behind him held one end of the iron net in one hand and thrust a longsword at him with the other.
However, before the tip of the sword could reach Li Jianyu, the man let out a muffled grunt and collapsed to the ground.
Li Jianyu stared blankly at Zhao Linxu, who was now mounted on his horse, standing behind the fallen man.
“…Your Majesty?”
Li Jianyu was stunned. Why was Zhao Linxu here?!
Zhao Linxu was also a little surprised that this pockmarked woman he had never seen before recognized him at first glance. A few days ago, when he was traveling incognito, the commoners hadn’t recognized him, but now it seemed everyone knew who he was.
“Stand back.”
Zhao Linxu pulled on his reins and brandished his long whip, his agile figure weaving through the trees.
In the blink of an eye, the men controlling the iron net were all knocked unconscious.
Li Jianyu immediately rushed forward to pull the iron net off Dabao.
“So phoenixes really do exist in this world.” Zhao Linxu looked at the brilliantly glittering phoenix and shook his head.
“Thank you for your help, Your Majesty.”
Zhao Linxu put away his iron whip and leaped off his horse. “We have been riding in this forest for the past few days. The shadow guards reported seeing a phoenix, so We naturally had to come and see.”
“Rest assured, We will not harm the phoenix.”
Li Jianyu raised an eyebrow.
He knew why Zhao Linxu was looking for the phoenixes. The man from that night had a phoenix tattoo, so Zhao Linxu naturally thought he could find clues here.
Seeing Li Jianyu pull the iron net off the phoenix, Zhao Linxu asked curiously, “Why are you so intimate with the phoenix? Are you a sorceress?”
Li Jianyu gave a vague “mm” in response.
“May We touch it?”
Li Jianyu was taken aback. He thought about it and, still feeling a bit distrustful, couldn’t bring himself to refuse the friendly-looking Zhao Linxu. He took Zhao Linxu’s hand and placed it on Dabao’s head.
“The world says that killing a phoenix can unite the Four Continents and make one the king of all under heaven. Does Your Majesty not believe this?”
“If one must rely on killing a mythical beast to become king, then they are not a true king,” Zhao Linxu said with a smile. “A true king commands awe across the Four Continents with their iron cavalry and strength. A king is born to be a king. If you are not, killing a phoenix won’t make you one.”
Li Jianyu was stunned.
At that moment, Zhao Linxu, dressed in his fur cloak and standing leisurely beside the phoenix, radiated an air of nobility.
“Is there only one phoenix?” Before Zhao Linxu could finish his sentence, a cry came from up the mountain, sounding tense and pained.
Li Jianyu was startled.
“Dabao, go quickly!”
Without needing to be told, Dabao immediately spread its wings and shot into the sky.
Dabao could only ever carry Li Jianyu to the foot of the mountain because the trees further up were too tall. The phoenix would have to fly very high to avoid them, which would be very dangerous for Li Jianyu on its back.
So now, Li Jianyu could only run up on foot.
“If you trust Us, We can take you up on horseback.”
Li Jianyu looked at Zhao Linxu and finally nodded.
Zhao Linxu pulled Li Jianyu onto his horse, then spurred Yuefeng forward. A flurry of fallen leaves swirled in their wake.
When they reached a large cave halfway up the mountain, Li Jianyu dismounted and rushed inside.
Dabao was gently preening Erbao’s feathers, the male and female phoenixes nestled together. Xiaobao was circling a white egg, seemingly at a loss.
An egg…?!
Li Jianyu picked up the egg and examined it carefully. The white egg, larger than his head, had a hard, rough shell covered in golden scales.
Looking at Erbao curled up to the side, Li Jianyu was filled with a mix of joy and surprise.
“It gave birth?”
Erbao let out a soft cry.
However, perhaps because Erbao was sick, the egg was ice-cold.
This was not a good sign.
“Does any of you know how to incubate an egg?”
The three phoenixes looked at Li Jianyu and blinked.
Incubate?
Li Jianyu felt a headache coming on. Don’t tell him phoenixes just laid an egg and let it grow on its own? But the egg was so cold now, it couldn’t be good to just leave it, right?
Hmm…
Li Jianyu stood up and left the cave.
Zhao Linxu didn’t want to enter and disturb the phoenixes, so he just leaned against the cave entrance, watching from a distance.
“Where are you going?”
“To find dry grass and firewood to start a fire.”
Zhao Linxu asked curiously, “To keep warm?”
“To roast the egg.”
“…?”
Worried that something might happen, Li Jianyu wanted to deal with the phoenix egg quickly and didn’t go too far. But it had rained heavily the day before, and he couldn’t find much dry fuel.
With Zhao Linxu’s help, they finally managed to pile up a small stack of wood and dry grass. Li Jianyu thought for a moment, then took a stack of paper from his bag. He had originally planned to submit his manuscript after seeing the phoenixes; there should be some blank paper in it.
Then, Li Jianyu called Xiaobao over to stand beside him.
“Remember, you’re breathing on the fuel. Don’t breathe fire on me.”
Xiaobao lowered its head and aimed its beak at the fuel.
Li Jianyu reiterated, “I worked hard to find this. Don’t you dare burn it all to ashes. If you burn down the whole cave like last time, I’ll spank your butt.”
Zhao Linxu: “…”
“Awooo.”
Xiaobao shrank back aggrievedly and carefully blew on the fuel.
With a faint sizzling sound, a small flame rose from the fuel, which then grew into a proper fire.
Li Jianyu patted Xiaobao’s head, then used the remaining branches to make a rack and placed the egg directly over the fire, literally roasting it.
Zhao Linxu: “…”
Zhao Linxu asked seriously, “…Are you hungry?”
What are you talking about.
Li Jianyu rolled his eyes internally. “Phoenixes are not afraid of fire. No matter how big the fire is, it makes no difference to them. But they are afraid of the cold.”
“The temperature of this egg isn’t right. It’s like winter snow. I’m worried the little phoenix won’t be able to hatch successfully…” Li Jianyu frowned slightly.
Zhao Linxu smiled. “It will be fine. The life force of mythical beasts is very tenacious. Otherwise, why would they be called mythical beasts?”
“Mm.”
Li Jianyu sat by the fire, leaning against Xiaobao to rest and watch over the phoenix egg. He had always been a sleepyhead, a bad habit he couldn’t shake before or after transmigrating. Erbao was also asleep, nestled in Dabao’s embrace. Dabao, however, was wide awake, keeping a close eye on Zhao Linxu and their surroundings.
Zhao Linxu looked at Li Jianyu, silently crept closer, and stealthily took the manuscript resting on his lap.
He had been extremely curious about what it was since he first saw it.
A quick glance seemed to confirm it was a manuscript. Could it be that this woman could not only command phoenixes but also write books?
He took the manuscript and saw several large characters on the cover:
Little Tadpole Looks for His Mommy: The Toad Lord’s Nation-Toppling Runaway Wife
“…”
What is this…
Zhao Linxu vaguely recalled the various popular storybooks Zhao Jiangxue used to read. Although they were vulgar, they were indeed entertaining.
So, Zhao Linxu opened it and began to read seriously.
The Toad Lord, unable to find the mysterious man from that night, was extremely anxious. In a fit of rage, he decided to summon all the young men in the kingdom to the palace to pa pa pa.
The Toad Lord shook the thick chest hair on his front and said heroically, “Hah, I refuse to believe I can’t pa my way to that little demon from that night!”
…
…
Zhao Linxu closed the book with a blank expression.
What kind of grudge is this?
Zhao Linxu calmed himself, but after a moment, he couldn’t resist opening it again to continue reading.
A month later, the Toad Lord had finally finished pa-pa-pa-ing with all the young men, and the country unexpectedly suffered a toad disaster. Too many little toads were born, evolving into a catastrophe like a plague of locusts.
Slap!
Zhao Linxu neatly closed the book and put it back where he found it.
+++!
He wasn’t going to read anymore. If he kept reading, Zhao Linxu was worried he’d become stupid.
Stupid from anger.
After waiting a little longer, the egg on the rack began to vibrate.
Faint “crack, crack” sounds could be heard. Zhao Linxu immediately patted Li Jianyu’s shoulder.
“The egg… is it about to hatch?”
Li Jianyu nervously leaned in for a closer look and saw several cracks on the rough surface.
The three phoenixes also came over curiously. The egg had returned to its proper temperature. Erbao then picked the egg up in its beak, took it back to its embrace, and settled it underneath its body.
“It seems to be fine now.” Li Jianyu breathed a sigh of relief.
These three little rascals always threw their problems at him whenever they got into trouble. Now that Erbao had taken the egg back itself, it probably meant there was no issue.
Li Jianyu felt a surge of excitement and happiness in his heart.
The fourth phoenix was about to enter the world. What should he or she be named? He wondered if it would be as beautiful as its parents.
“Let’s go down the mountain.” Li Jianyu extinguished the fire and left with Zhao Linxu, in a good mood.
Yuefeng carried them both down the mountain. When Zhao Linxu saw Li Jianyu dismount, he asked, “Where do you live?”
“In the mountains,” Li Jianyu lied.
“Which mountain? We have heard that there are people who practice sorcery living nearby. Do you live there?”
“No.”
Seeing that the woman before him seemed unwilling to disclose her location, Zhao Linxu didn’t press the matter. He shrugged and said, “Then be careful on your own.”
With that, Yuefeng rode off like the wind.
After returning to Luoye Garden, Zhao Linxu saw Zhao Jiangxue squatting in the courtyard, feeding a rabbit. The little rabbit was white and plump, and though still young, it was very cute.
“Where did the rabbit come from?”
Zhao Jiangxue glanced at Zhao Linxu and said reluctantly, “Chen Zhishu caught a litter of rabbits in the forest a few days ago. He said he was going to bring them back as a gift for Advisor Meng. I begged him for one.”
Zhao Jiangxue was pouting.
Although her imperial brother had finally relented on her marriage to that whatever-his-name-was Prince Anding, she still couldn’t forgive him!
Zhao Linxu raised an eyebrow.
“This little brat’s attitude is quite arrogant, eh? Feeling capable now?”
Zhao Jiangxue let the rabbit go and sat down at the stone table, pouring herself some tea. “Brother is the one with the great capability, casually arranging his little sister’s entire life.”
Zhao Linxu rubbed his temples. Marrying Zhao Jiangxue to Prince Anding was for her own good, but she refused no matter what.
“Let’s not talk about that for now. Have you ever read…” Zhao Linxu cleared his throat and, filled with a sense of shame, uttered the book’s title.
Pfft—
The tea in Zhao Jiangxue’s mouth sprayed out.
The Toad Lord’s Nation-Toppling Runaway Wife?
Staring in disbelief at her tall, mighty, eight-pack-ab-having brother, Zhao Jiangxue’s eyes widened. “Imperial Brother, you read it?”
“Mm.”
“…”
Zhao Linxu said with a straight face, “We want to know who the author of this book is.”
Zhao Jiangxue took a few breaths to compose herself before exclaiming, “Dragon Gate Leaping Carp, of course! Since Imperial Brother is reading storybooks now, how can you not even know of Mister Carp! He’s a great literary talent, a legend in the world of storybooks!”
Zhao Linxu was stunned.
Dragon Gate Leaping Carp?
“She… is very famous?”
“Of course!”
Zhao Linxu pondered for a moment, then returned to his room without another word.
Zhao Jiangxue looked at Zhao Linxu in confusion.
What evil had possessed him?
Back in his study, Zhao Linxu took an exquisite brocade box down from a cabinet. However, inside the luxurious box was a tattered, yellowed scroll.
Zhao Linxu sighed softly.
The book in the box looked many years old, but it had been well-preserved by its owner.
Zhao Linxu carefully took out the book. On the cover were two simple, elegantly written characters, like a dragon and phoenix dancing: 《天下》 (Under Heaven). And the author was precisely: Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate.
