Chapter 45 – Rebellion

Ever since Little Spirit Bird had voluntarily revealed his name, Yun Xiguang felt that the bond between him and Chi Qiong had grown even closer.

In truth, their interaction hadn’t changed much, but subtle nuances had crept into their daily routine.

For instance, when Yun Xiguang used to groom Little Spirit Bird’s feathers in the morning, the bird would usually remain sound asleep. But after that day, Little Spirit Bird would make an effort to rise each morning, his eyes still heavy with sleep, waiting for Yun Xiguang to begin grooming him. After Yun Xiguang dried his downy feathers, Little Spirit Bird still looked drowsy but refused to go back to sleep, merely staring at Yun Xiguang with wide-open eyes.

At these times, Yun Xiguang didn’t understand what Little Spirit Bird wanted and could only look back at him with a puzzled expression.

When their staring contest reached over five minutes, Chi Qiong would inexplicably grow angry, flapping his wings to smack Yun Xiguang’s mouth before turning over to sleep, maintaining a foul mood for hours.

This phenomenon persisted for a week. Every day, Yun Xiguang would receive a wing-slap on his mouth from Little Spirit Bird. After a week, he finally had an epiphany and intuitively understood what Little Spirit Bird was trying to communicate. During their mutual staring contest, he hesitantly lowered his head and touched his lips to the tip of Little Spirit Bird’s wing.

That entire day, Little Spirit Bird’s mood was exceptionally good, emitting low chirps periodically.

Yun Xiguang found this utterly baffling. He couldn’t comprehend what it meant and even sought out Azure Dragon’s counsel while the latter was asleep.

Azure Dragon, submerged in his fish tank, poked his head out, pondered for a long time, then sighed deeply before saying, “In ancient times, the Phoenix Clan took immense pride in their splendid feathers. Back then, they didn’t compete based on strength but on whose feathers were more vibrant and longer. It’s rumored that the custom among avian spirit beasts of admiring their feathers originated from a certain Phoenix Venerable that existed since the dawn of creation.”

“So, for Chi Qiong, feathers hold significant importance. Having someone kiss the feathers of his kind is considered the highest form of etiquette? Similar to the Golden-Winged Great Peng’s morning and evening greetings?” Yun Xiguang analyzed.

Azure Dragon gave Yun Xiguang a complicated look, then retreated his head back into the water, blowing out a few bubbles. It was unclear whether this was an acknowledgment or denial.

Yun Xiguang took it as confirmation.

From then on, after he finished grooming the feathers every day, he would devoutly kiss the tip of Chi Qiong’s wing, like a hand-kissing gesture in foreign lands.

Indeed, after that, there were no more staring contests.

Chi Qiong was pleased, and truthfully, Yun Xiguang was also quite delighted.

After all, Little Yellow Chick — no, the Phoenix Venerable’s juvenile form — was simply adorable. Yun Xiguang was a fluff enthusiast deep down, and if he had owned cats or dogs, he would have been a devoted pet lover. Seeing a fluffy little yellow chick strut around proudly by his side every day, not giving it a good petting would have been a betrayal of his fluff-loving principles!

But Yun Xiguang was also someone who held great respect for spirit beasts. He wouldn’t do anything Little Spirit Bird disliked, so he had always restrained his inner urges, which had been quite challenging for him.

Now that Little Spirit Bird had given permission, he could indulge his fluff-loving desires a little, a truly mutually beneficial arrangement.

However, Yun Xiguang’s true desires remained unfulfilled. How could a fluff enthusiast settle for merely pecking a wingtip? What Yun Xiguang really wanted to do was to give Little Yellow Chick’s head a thorough kiss until he was dizzy!

Yet, he needed to restrain himself.

So every morning during the wing-kissing ceremony, Yun Xiguang would fantasize about petting fluff and flash a smile as warm as a spring breeze.

Aside from adding the wing-kissing ritual, their interactions during meals had also increased.

Previously, Chi Qiong only ate the food Yun Xiguang prepared and didn’t allow anyone else to eat Yun Xiguang’s cooking, including Yun Xiguang himself.

But now, Chi Qiong started leaving food behind!

He would neatly consume half of the food on his plate and push the remaining half towards Yun Xiguang.

Yun Xiguang interpreted this as the Phoenix Venerable granting him food and happily devoured the leftovers.

But then, Little Spirit Bird became upset again, facing him with his rear end for the entire day.

The next day, Yun Xiguang refrained from eating the food Little Spirit Bird offered, but the bird remained angry, continuing to present his backside.

Yun Xiguang was thoroughly perplexed and once again sought Azure Dragon’s assistance.

This time, Azure Dragon was soaking in a bathtub, transformed into a small snake swimming joyfully in the hot water. Upon seeing Yun Xiguang barge into the bathroom, Azure Dragon popped his head out and said, “Step back half a pace, I’m bathing, you can’t watch.”

Yun Xiguang: “…”

Wasn’t your appearance, whether submerged in a fish tank or a bathtub, essentially the same? Why did he have to step back specifically when you were in the bathtub?!

Despite his inner grumbling, Yun Xiguang respectfully retreated from the bathroom, waiting until Azure Dragon emerged, wrapped in a white towel, to ask his question.

Azure Dragon again gave Yun Xiguang a complex look, sighing even deeper before saying, “Why don’t you try imitating the Phoenix Venerable’s actions and do the same thing to him?”

Yun Xiguang, employing his excellent analytical skills, asked, “Is this part of the equal contract? Where I share my food with you, and you share your food with me, making us sworn brothers bound by life and death?”

“If you say so,” Azure Dragon’s dragon face drooped, looking weary and worn, “I need a dragon scale care spa treatment. It’s late, you should rest.”

Although unsure how dragon scales could be treated with a spa, Yun Xiguang tactfully excused himself.

The next day, following Azure Dragon’s advice, he divided the food on his plate in half. When Chi Qiong offered him food, Yun Xiguang reciprocated by passing over his own plate, allowing them to share each other’s meals.

Chi Qiong seemed pleased with this, no longer presenting his backside and instead proactively thrust his head into Yun Xiguang’s palm, rubbing against his hand like a cat.

Yun Xiguang knew he had gotten it right this time.

It turned out that knowing the complete name came with so many protocols to follow. Yun Xiguang nodded inwardly, realizing there was still much to learn on his path as a Spiritbond Master.

As expected, after the wing-kissing ritual and shared meals, Little Spirit Bird exhibited new behavior.

He began pecking at Yun Xiguang’s hair.

Yun Xiguang’s hair was thick and black, with an impressive hairline. His fluffy high-crown hairstyle not only added a few centimeters to his height visually but also made it perfect for nesting. Chi Qiong had always enjoyed snuggling atop Yun Xiguang’s head to sleep.

Moreover, Yun Xiguang’s hair was incredibly resilient. No matter how haphazardly Chi Qiong ruffled it into a bird’s nest, as soon as Chi Qiong left, his hair would spring back to its original style, never detracting from his good looks due to his hairdo.

Everything seemed harmonious, but suddenly, one day, Chi Qiong became dissatisfied with Yun Xiguang’s hair, constantly pecking at it and often emitting melancholic chirps.

Yun Xiguang was again utterly baffled and ran to consult Azure Dragon.

This time, Azure Dragon was lying in bed wearing a robe, his short dragon claws holding a book titled How Subordinates Should Act When Their Superior Falls in Love.

Azure Dragon’s body was too long for his short dragon claws to lift the book up to his head, but fortunately, his body could bend freely. He curved his head into an unbelievable angle, just enough to read the contents of the book clearly.

“Senior Azure Dragon, I have something to ask!” Yun Xiguang politely knocked on the door.

Azure Dragon’s long mustache twitched as he glanced quickly at the book before confidently saying, “Come in, what is it this time?”

Yun Xiguang tugged at his hair, explaining Chi Qiong’s recent actions and asking, “I think Little Spirit Bird isn’t satisfied with my hair. Could it be because the texture is too hard for nesting? What should I do?”

“This time, you’re correct. He does dislike your hair, but it’s not the texture — it’s the color.” Azure Dragon emphasized, “The Phoenix Clan appreciates splendid feathers!”

Yun Xiguang fully utilized his ability to connect the dots, snapping his fingers and declaring, “I get it! I’ll dye my hair.”

“Don’t choose a color randomly. It’s best to pick a color that the Phoenix Venerable likes.” Azure Dragon advised.

Thus, Yun Xiguang prepared a smartphone for Chi Qiong, letting him scroll through short videos daily using his beak.

A few days later, reviewing the videos on the phone, Yun Xiguang noticed that the algorithm frequently recommended clips featuring birds of red and gold colors, understanding what colors Chi Qiong favored.

He went to a hair salon and requested Mr. Tony to dye his hair a dazzling gold.

Yun Xiguang was naturally handsome, with fair skin, making any hair color suit him. He had always adhered to the law, never straying beyond the bounds of propriety, never experiencing a rebellious phase, nor going through adolescence whims.

Initially, he dyed his hair for Little Spirit Bird’s sake, but upon seeing his reflection in the mirror after the dye job, Yun Xiguang felt a sense of freedom.

It wasn’t that he loved dying his hair; rather, he relished the feeling of doing whatever he wanted.

All along, although Yun Xiguang seemed unconcerned about others’ opinions, in reality, he cared deeply about what the Spiritbond community thought of him. He disciplined himself, reminding himself to walk straight and sit upright, always maintaining decorum, never allowing himself to be ridiculed.

He kept his posture erect, walked steadily, never pigeon-toed or duck-footed, never slouched. Although he had seemingly escaped the Yun family’s control, his demeanor and speech still retained the elegance of a noble family.

Yun Xiguang didn’t detest this lifestyle. He couldn’t afford to let his guard down; one misstep, and the wicked would laugh. He believed that such poise was attractive, imbued with vitality, dignified, and even beneficial to his health. But it wasn’t free.

Now, sporting a golden mane, feeling the surprised gazes around him, Yun Xiguang experienced a belated rebellious phase.

Especially when he saw how much Chi Qiong adored his golden hair, rolling around in it, Yun Xiguang decided to keep the color for a few more days.

And so, he maintained the golden locks until the day of the Grade A Certificate awarding ceremony.

Since this was a cross-grade certification, a significant event in the Spiritbond World, Zhuzhao Academy lacked the authority to issue such high-grade certificates. The Spiritbond Master Association was responsible for issuing them. The reason the Spiritbond Master Association was awarding such high-ranking certificates was due to the submission of documents by the Special Affairs Bureau, proving that Yun Xiguang had achieved a monumental accomplishment that warranted exceptional promotion. Therefore, the Special Affairs Bureau’ leadership was also present.

The downfall of the Yun family was a major event, and everyone wanted to meet Yun Xiguang, the young man who defied fate. On the day of the certificate presentation, numerous prominent figures attended, making the scene grander than their graduation ceremony.

On such an important occasion, Yun Xiguang appeared on stage, his golden hair shimmering brightly under the sunlight.

The President of the Spiritbond Master Association, standing on the stage ready to present Yun Xiguang’s certificate: “…”

Li Zheng, intending to award Yun Xiguang with a Second-Class Meritorious Medal: “…”

Who are you, rebellious teenager?