Extra Chapter 2

Two years later, the triplets returned one by one from their journeys to various realms.

Wu Qingluan noticed that all three children had undergone significant transformations.

Although they returned without mentioning the details of their experiences, they had an unspoken understanding, and Wu Qingluan wisely refrained from prying. It was clear that only through profound changes could they have reshaped their personalities. Without Yu Xuanwei’s reminder, Wu Qingluan also knew that during their experiences, the children must have endured both mental and physical torments.

The most significant change was in the youngest son. Aside from becoming much more reserved and less indulgent in pampering, he had also adopted a vegetarian diet. But the most surprising change was that he had brought someone back with him!

Dragged forcibly into the mortal realm by him was none other than the Messenger of the Endless Realm. The true form of this messenger was likely an icy entity; wherever he went, frost would form, emitting an intense chill. Not only did he exude a palpable resentment and gloom, but he also brought an aura of coldness with him.

Wu Qingluan had her suspicions for a moment. She wondered if this was a malevolent spirit that the youngest son had captured in another world, intending for Yu Xuanwei to perform a spiritual purification.

The fact that the youngest son and the messenger, who always enveloped himself in a black cloak, lived together gave Wu Qingluan pause. However, seeing that Yu Xuanwei didn’t intervene, she decided not to press the matter further.

In contrast to the youngest son, the conditions of her eldest and second son worried Wu Qingluan more.

When the eldest had departed, he had left with his beloved pet Feng. However, upon his return, he was alone, and there was no mention of Feng’s fate. Whether Feng was trapped somewhere, had met its demise, or had bid farewell to the eldest and embarked on a new life, the eldest didn’t say a word. He had grown colder in temperament compared to before and was more diligent in practicing magic. It seemed like he was holding onto something, determined to surpass a certain opponent.

One night, Wu Qingluan heard a “thud” coming from the living room and immediately woke up.

Yu Xuanwei wasn’t at home, and although the three children had their own magical abilities, in their mother’s eyes, they were still her children who needed protection. Wu Qingluan hurriedly got up to investigate.

Their home was no longer as peaceful as it used to be, with frequent visits from supernatural beings. She feared that her children might attract demons with malicious intent.

Wu Qingluan turned on the living room lights and found her eldest son lying on the floor next to a shattered bottle.

This child had actually been drinking, and he had gotten drunk!

Wu Qingluan rushed over to help him up. “Xiaolang, wake up, Xiaolang!”

Her eldest Son was shaken awake and, upon seeing Wu Qingluan, burst into tears. “Mom…”

Wu Qingluan hugged the eldest sibling, feeling heartbroken. It seemed that he had reached a breaking point and needed to let it all out.

“Sweetie, is there anything you want to tell Mom? Mom is here to listen. If you don’t want to talk, Mom can sit with you for a while, okay?”

The eldest Son managed to regain his composure after a brief emotional outburst. He sat silently on the floor for a while before finally speaking, “Mom, Feng didn’t want me anymore. It has found another owner. It’s because I wasn’t strong enough that it left me.”

As it turned out, when the eldest son ventured into the Divine Realm, he had been directly transported to the Huangdao Twelve Palaces, a place specifically designed to select the most powerful War Gods.

These twelve palaces were presided over by the twelve strongest War Gods of the present, each representing a different constellation. These divine beings still remembered the humiliation they had suffered at the hands of Yu Xuanwei, and when they saw that his beloved son had come this time, they all enthusiastically beat up his eldest son.

Despite his innate divine power, fighting wasn’t just about physical strength; it also required spells and mental agility. The eldest son barely managed to defeat the first palace before collapsing on the stairs leading to the second palace.

When the heavily wounded eldest son was on the brink of being dried out by the scorching sun, Feng suddenly transformed into a human, a graceful and ethereal young man.

Feng summoned the wind and carried the much larger eldest son into a cave.

The eldest son was amazed to see that Feng could take on human form. What followed was Wind Treasure’s meticulous care and attention, leaving the eldest son deeply moved.

Every day, Feng would venture out to collect sweet spring water, gather the freshest fruits, and expend magical energy to refine elixirs for the eldest son. He would apply and change the eldest son’s dressings, tending to his wounds with utmost care.

As the days went by, an unfamiliar feeling blossomed in the eldest son’s heart.

One day, a heavy rainstorm descended from the Divine Realm, accompanied by strong winds, lightning, and thunder, shrouding the entire sky in darkness.

The storms in the Divine Realm were unlike those in the mortal world; they carried magical power, and anyone, divine beings, spirits, or mortals exposed to them would be harmed.

Early that morning, Feng had gone out in search of medicinal herbs. As the storm grew worse, with no sign of  Feng’s return, the eldest son’s anxiety deepened.

Desperately waiting for Feng’s return, the eldest son couldn’t sit still any longer as the storm raged on. He decided to fly out of the cave to search for Feng.

He searched and searched until, finally, amidst the curtain of rain, he spotted a small, white figure struggling against the powerful winds—it was Feng.

The winds in the Divine Realm were incredibly strong. For every two or three steps Feng took forward, he was pushed back one or two steps. The return journey was indeed fraught with difficulties.

“Feng!” the eldest son called out. “Wait for me, don’t waste your strength.”

The eldest son flew towards Feng with all his might. Just then, a bolt of lightning as thick as a bowl suddenly descended, heading straight for the eldest son.

With the lightning about to strike him directly, Feng summoned an unexpected burst of strength, transforming into a pure white feathered arrow and rushing toward the eldest son. In the nick of time, he intercepted the lightning bolt.

The lightning in the Divine Realm was incredibly powerful, and Feng was left in a state of depletion.

The eldest son held Feng’s  black and stiffened body, unable to hold back his tears. He kissed Feng’s lifeless form, making a solemn vow to save his life at all costs.

Facing the Chief Physician of the Yellow Path Twelve Palaces, the eldest son, fueled by an unwavering determination to save Feng, unleashed an astonishing power. He didn’t allow himself a moment of slackness or hesitation. No matter how many times he was knocked down, he stood up again.

Finally, after a year of relentless effort, he stood before the Chief Physician of the Yellow Path Twelve Palaces. The eldest son had shocked the entire Divine Realm with the speed at which he had progressed.

Without any unnecessary words, the eldest sibling challenged the Chief Physician directly.

With each palace he had conquered on his way to the Chief Physician, he had received gifts from the palace masters—be it magical artifacts, new powers, or blessings. These gifts had greatly contributed to his strength and resilience.

Now, as he stood before the Chief Physician, he was ready for the ultimate showdown.

Standing before the palace leader, who was also the God of Medicine, the eldest didn’t waste any time and challenged him directly.

After defeating each palace, the palace leader had rewarded the eldest with various gifts, including magical artifacts, newfound powers, or blessings.

By now, the palace leader knew he was no match for the battle-hardened eldest. Following his defeat, he adhered to the usual custom of allowing the eldest to make a request, promising to do his utmost to fulfill it.

The eldest presented the carefully preserved essence of Feng, stored within his soul, and made a heartfelt request: he asked the palace leader to save his life.

The palace leader agreed to the eldest’s request and used a piece of the eldest’s own soul, in the form of a tail, as a catalyst to perform the Reincarnation Art, saving Feng.

However, upon being rescued, Feng had completely forgotten the eldest. Due to a fledgling bird’s attachment to its caretaker, Feng now regarded the palace leader as his father, paying no heed to the eldest’s attempts at reconciliation. This left the eldest deeply disheartened.

As time passed, the palace leader grew fond of the dependable eldest. After much contemplation, he decided to reveal the truth to him. The essence of Feng’s soul had dissipated long ago when struck by heavenly lightning. What the eldest had preserved with great care was merely Feng’s body, barely holding onto a flicker of life. Even after being rescued through divine arts, Feng was no longer the same Windy from before.

Upon learning this bitter truth, the eldest was reminded of his father, Yu Xuanwei. He had spent thousands of years searching for his mother, only to reunite with her, finding that she had already forgotten their past, with her heart dwelling solely on his father.

He understood that memories and emotions were complex and could change over time. While he had gone to great lengths to save Feng, it didn’t necessarily mean that the bird would remember or feel the same way about him as it once did.

Although disheartened, the eldest son didn’t blame Feng. Instead, he chose to accept the situation and focus on his own growth and self-improvement. He had come to realize that love and attachment were not always guaranteed to be reciprocated, and sometimes, the most important thing was to let go and move forward.

With this newfound wisdom, he continued his journey in the Divine Realm, determined to become stronger and face new challenges with resilience and courage.

Unable to do anything more, the eldest bid farewell to the palace chief and Windy, concluding his journey, and returned home.

After listening to the eldest’s story, Wu Qingluan sighed and wiped her tear-stained cheeks. “My son, is your affection for Feng similar to what your uncle feels for Uncle Zhong Qi?”

The eldest hesitated for a moment, “I’m not sure, Mom. All I know is that I really, really like him, and I feel really upset when I can’t see him. A few days ago, I went to see him, and he seemed to have taken a liking to another bird. He didn’t pay much attention to me.”

Wu Qingluan also felt uneasy. Maybe what’s happening between the eldest and Feng is normal? Even though Feng has been reborn, he has forgotten the time when he was inseparable from the eldest, and he has found new companionship. Feng that the eldest cherished might have disappeared on that stormy night.

Breakups are hard for adults, let alone a child. Wu Qingluan kissed her son’s forehead and said, “My dear, if it’s hard for you, it’s okay to cry. Are you planning to give up on Feng or…”

“I won’t give up!” the eldest clenched his fist. “I will chase away all those other birds and make him recognize me again!”

Well, it seems like he’s truly his father’s son, just as stubborn. Wu Qingluan contemplated the fatal mistakes that Yu Xuanwei had made in pursuing her. “My son, listen to your mother’s advice: treat Feng like you would anyone else. Do you understand what I mean?”

The eldest clearly didn’t understand, “What do you mean?”

“It means that you should treat the current Feng as a new person and not as a substitute for the past Feng. Do you always bring up how you and Feng used to be as soon as you see him?”

The eldest nodded, “Yes. Is there something wrong with that?”

“Of course, it’s not right. Feng has no concept of the past, so when you keep mentioning how things used to be between you two, it’s like you’re treating him as a stranger’s substitute. It’s no wonder he’s distant from you!”

They were truly father and son, making the same mistakes in love.

The eldest seemed to grasp the idea, “Okay, I’ll try my best, I’ll give it a shot…”

After a long time passed, Wu Qingluan noticed that the eldest was visibly less despondent than before. She knew her words had an effect and silently cheered for her son, “Come on, son, bring our little Feng back home!”