Phoenix Egg

Xiao Yu could not help looking at Xiao Yao, the corners of her lips curving up slightly as she propped up her chin and watched the delicate-looking little boy before her.

"Xiao Yao, how come I never noticed you were so outstanding before? You can cook delicious food, and you tell stories so well too. Even your cousin here feels like she might be starting to like you, little guy."

Upon hearing that, Xun'er hurriedly hugged Xiao Yao's right arm and called out to Xiao Yu, "Brother Xiao Yao is mine. Cousin Xiao Yu, you can't compete with me for him."

Xiao Yao smiled at this and patted Xun'er's head. "Xun'er, Cousin was only joking. Why are you taking it so seriously?"

Xiao Yu could not help laughing at Xun'er's reaction. Shaking her head, she reached out and gently stroked Xun'er's hair. "All right, all right, you two little ones, stop making a fuss. I was only joking. No matter how outstanding Xiao Yao is, he's still my cousin. I simply admire him."

After hearing their teasing, Xun'er's cheeks instantly turned pink, as tender and lovely as peach blossoms.

She covered her face with both hands and said sweetly, "Hmph, Cousin, how can you tease Xun'er like that? Even Brother Xiao Yao is doing it."

"All right, Xun'er. Brother Xiao Yao will play you a tune as an apology, okay?"

With a smile, Xiao Yao took out the Astral Flute from his Storage Ring, recalling the flute melody of Desolate that he had heard back on Blue Star.

Xiao Yao began to play softly. The flute's melody was melodious and pleasant, as though it possessed a kind of magic that left people intoxicated by it.

As Xun'er listened to Xiao Yao's flute, the shyness in her heart gradually faded, replaced by an inexplicable sorrow. Before her eyes seemed to appear the rise of a mighty expert along the boundless road of life.

Xiao Yu also listened quietly to Xiao Yao's flute. Its melody drifted and echoed endlessly, drawing her completely into the scene woven by its beautiful notes.

When the song ended, Xiao Yao slowly lowered the Astral Flute from his lips and saw that they were still deeply immersed in the music, unable to pull themselves free.

He smiled faintly, though a trace of emotion stirred within him. In a deep, rich voice, he said, "Cousin Xiao Yu and Cousin Xiao Mei may have felt that the melody was graceful and winding, but Xun'er and Little Flame, you should have heard that its rhythm described the story of a powerful expert."

Xun'er and Little Flame exchanged smiles. Xun'er said softly, "Brother Xiao Yao, was the tune you played about Little Dot's life from the story you told before?"

Xiao Yan nodded in agreement. "That's right. Brother Yao's flute is truly moving. It reminded me of Shi Hao, who went by the name Desolate, struggling relentlessly through adversity and pressing forward—the peerless expert he became."

After hearing Xun'er and Xiao Yan, Xiao Yu grew curious. She walked over, grabbed Xiao Yao's ear, and gave it a tug as she asked with a smile, "Xiao Yao, have you been secretly telling Xun'er and Xiao Yan stories again? Hurry up and tell me—what story was it? Can you tell it to us too?"

Caught off guard by Xiao Yu's action, Xiao Yao hurriedly put on a pained expression and begged, "Cousin Xiao Yu, pull more gently. It hurts!"

"Sister Xiao Yu, can you let go and stop pulling Brother Xiao Yao's ear? Xun'er knows the story. I can tell it to you."

Seeing Xiao Yao's pained expression, Xun'er hurriedly said this to Xiao Yu.

After hearing Xun'er, Xiao Yu released him. With her hands on her hips, she looked at Xiao Yao's aggrieved face and could not help laughing. "Don't think your little girlfriend pleading for you will get you out of this. Hurry up and explain what good story you told them."

Xiao Yao rubbed his ear and smiled helplessly. "It wasn't anything special, really. It was just the tale of a powerful expert's journey to rise. I won't tell it again; Xun'er can tell the story for me."

Late at night, soft moonlight cast a silvery glow over the branches, leaving scattered shadows beneath them.

Beside the bonfire, they listened to Xun'er's clear voice. Whenever the story reached its climax, Xiao Yao would pick up the Astral Flute and play the melody of Desolate, making them feel even more immersed in the story.

One day, Xiao Yao was refining pills in the courtyard as usual when Xiao Yan rushed over in a panic. "Brother Yao, you have to help me with this."

Seeing Xiao Yan's anxious appearance, Xiao Yao secretly thought, Could his Dou Qi be regressing? He quickly helped Xiao Yan up and comforted him. "Xiao Yan, what's wrong? Why do you look like someone died? What happened?"

Only then did Xiao Yan slowly sit down on a chair and say to Xiao Yao, "Brother Yao, over the past half month, my Dou Qi has gradually regressed. I've fallen from a Battle Master to a Two-Star Dou Zhe. Every bit of Dou Qi I absorb into my body disappears completely without exception."

Xiao Yao fell silent for a moment after hearing this. "Sit still first. I'll examine your body in a moment."

Xiao Yao then summoned his Soul Force and spread it over Xiao Yan's entire body. Seeing Xiao Yao's tightly furrowed brows, Xiao Yan immediately felt that something was wrong. His expression turned even graver as he cautiously asked, "Brother Yao, what's the result?"

After pondering for a moment, Xiao Yao looked at Xiao Yan's troubled expression and said helplessly, "I examined your body with Soul Force, but I didn't find anything wrong. Perhaps you should ask Father for help and have some physicians examine you, to see whether some other cause is responsible."

A glimmer of hope flashed through Xiao Yan's eyes after hearing that. He nodded in agreement, then immediately set off for the main hall to find his father.

Watching Xiao Yan's departing back, Xiao Yao muttered inwardly, Little Flame, this is the most crucial experience on your path to becoming the Flame Emperor. Don't blame Brother Yao for not helping you. At most, I'll let you recover your strength nearly a year sooner and make you endure two years of Dou Qi Regression.

"Ding! A famous scene has been triggered: 'Dou Qi Regression.' The host is rewarded with one Phoenix Egg. The reward has been distributed to the System Space."

Xiao Yao took the Phoenix Egg from the System Space. Looking at the egg, red as blood and warm as jade, he could not help feeling a surge of warmth in his heart.

The Phoenix Egg trembled slightly in his hand, as if it sensed his intentions, emitting a faintly warm aura.

Xiao Yao gently stroked the eggshell, feeling the mysterious ancient power within.

Unsure how to hatch the egg, Xiao Yao called out to the Achievement System, "System, how do I hatch it?"

"Host, you need to inject fire-attributed Dou Qi into this Phoenix Egg. Heavenly Flame energy will work as well.

Once it absorbs enough energy, it can hatch successfully. Upon birth, it will identify whoever supplied it with energy as its master based on that person's aura.

It must grow by relying on fire-attributed substances. An adult Phoenix can reach the level of a Dou Saint, or even a Dou Emperor. Host, please raise it well."

After hearing the system's words, Xiao Yao injected his own fire-attributed Dou Qi into the Phoenix Egg in his hand. At once, the egg emitted a dazzling radiance, and a powerful aura spread from within.

As time passed, the Phoenix Egg's glow gradually softened. Xiao Yao released his hand and looked at the Phoenix Egg, which had already absorbed his fire-attributed Dou Qi.

At that moment, invisible flames appeared in Xiao Yao's right hand. Remembering that the system had said the egg could absorb Heavenly Flames, he decided to try. When he brought the Heavenly Flames close to the Phoenix Egg, they were absorbed into it before they could even touch its shell.

Seeing the Phoenix Egg swiftly absorb the Heavenly Flame energy, Xiao Yao could not help feeling surprised.

He had not expected this Phoenix Egg to possess such a powerful ability to absorb Heavenly Flames.

He carefully observed the changes in the Phoenix Egg. The light on its surface became even more brilliant, and a powerful aura radiated from it, as though something within was growing rapidly.

At that moment, a faint mark of invisible Heavenly Flames appeared on the surface of the Phoenix Egg.

Xiao Yao knew that this was a change caused by the Phoenix Egg absorbing the Heavenly Flame energy.

He felt that the connection between himself and the Phoenix Egg seemed to have grown even closer.