After Losing My Memory, I Became My Rival's Palm-Sized Chirper - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Ascending to the Heavens

Qi Jia, who exactly is the scumbag beast that abandoned you? Do you have any clues yet?

When Qi Shaoxu returned from his hunting trip, he found Qi Jia deeply engrossed in the latest “storybooks”—modern web novels—he had managed to acquire.

I’ve basically narrowed it down, Qi Jia replied.

For a small, injured parrot with amnesia and a “chick” on the way, nothing was more important than identifying the culprit. To Qi Jia, the father was either a heartbreaker who practiced “pump and dump” tactics or a complete piece of emotional trash.

The chubby little parrot hovered in the air, his rounded belly protruding noticeably. With a flap of his small wings, the pages of the storybook flipped automatically. According to the plots in these books, it’s definitely one of those two archetypes.

I understand ‘heartbreaker,’ but what do you mean by ’emotional trash’? Qi Shaoxu asked. Having never read a storybook in his life, he couldn’t quite follow Qi Jia’s logic.

The little bird’s voice was clear and crisp. Most likely, he treated me as a ‘stand-in’ for someone else. Then, his ‘White Moonlight’ his true love returned, and I was forced to flee while carrying his secret child.

Qi Shaoxu tilted his canine head in confusion. Sorry, still not getting it.

“Sigh.” Qi Jia patted his round belly with the tip of his wing. Truthfully, he didn’t fully understand it either.

The Mystery of the “Dragon Breath”

The rain had just ceased over Mt. Budu, leaving the mist-shrouded peaks looking like a monochrome ink painting. The only splash of vibrant color was the chubby bird resting on a flat rock.

Three months ago, Qi Jia had woken up in this strange world with no memory, only two certainties: he was a parrot, and there was a strange energy within his belly. Fortunately, he had been rescued by the Ancestor of Mt. Budu, who provided him with a sanctuary.

For a long time, Qi Jia was grateful for that surging energy; it had kept his “bird life” intact while he recovered from his injuries. That was until he realized—thanks to the classes he’d eavesdropped on—that this only happened when spirit beasts were pregnant. In the cultivation world, a partner would inject their spiritual essence into the gestating party’s dantian to protect the offspring.

In summary: He was pregnant, and he had no idea who the father was.

Anyway, let’s not talk about that, Qi Jia muttered as his stomach growled. He looked at the white dog spirit with greedy eyes. Quick! what’s for dinner?

Driven by hunger, the bird transformed into his human form. Qi Shaoxu’s shyness immediately kicked in. While Qi Jia’s bird form was just a cute, round parrot, his human form was breathtaking—tall, slender, and “enchanting.” With upward-tilted phoenix eyes and long black hair draped over a loose red robe, he looked both noble and dangerously relaxed.

He wasn’t wearing shoes, either. His jade-like toes peeked from beneath his robe, causing Qi Shaoxu to bury his head in the dirt to avoid looking.

The Identity of the “Scumbag”

Mt. Budu was isolated from the world by a River of Blood, making news scarce. The Ancestor was a man of few words, usually offering only “I don’t know” or “It’s a secret.” However, when Qi Jia asked about the aura in his belly, the old man finally gave a three-word answer:

It is Dragon Breath.

But what was a “Dragon”? To find out, Qi Jia enlisted the help of the “Mt. Budu Five Mochi”—a group of five chubby, colorful bird spirits who acted as his scouts.

Today, they returned with a dire report. “Qi Jia! If you’re carrying a Dragon cub, you’re in big trouble!” they chirped in unison.

“Why?” Qi Jia asked.

Dragon bloodlines are incredibly rare. In all the four realms, there is only one Dragon left! He is the supreme ruler of the Heavenly Realm—the Heavenly Emperor of Yujing!

The birds huddled together, trembling. “The Emperor is famous for being solitary, wicked, and cold. He is absolutely not to be trifled with! Besides, the Ninth Heaven is too high for us to fly, and the Immortal Realm is strictly forbidden to spirits like us.”

Shattering the Gates

A red fox named Hu Lang, the Second Senior Brother, scoffed as he approached. “Forget it, Qi Jia. Give up. The Emperor probably had a one-night stand, refused to admit it, and beat you until you were nearly dead. Why humiliate yourself by looking for him?”

Qi Jia ignored the pessimism. He stared at the horizon, his eyes fixed on the distant sun. Since the only clue is there, then I must go.

Before anyone could react, the lazy, food-loving bird snapped his wings open. He shot toward the sun like a feathered arrow.

Qi Jia, come back! Qi Shaoxu barked, but the bird had already vanished into the clouds.

“Don’t worry, Senior Brother,” Hu Lang tutted. “He’ll be back. The Heavenly Barrier is something even the Ancestor couldn’t.

CLANG!

A massive, world-shaking vibration echoed from the heavens, sounding like a colossal sword shattering a mountain of glass. The sky erupted in brilliant purple and red light.

The spirits of Mt. Budu watched in stunned silence. Qi Jia hadn’t just flown to the Heavenly Realm—he had violently smashed through the Great Array of the Heavenly Gates.

In the Halls of Yujing

Up in the Ninth Heaven, the palace was buzzing with gossip about the Emperor’s upcoming 13,000th birthday.

The Chief Minister is going to urge His Majesty to take an Empress again,” a maid whispered. “It’s weird that his harem is completely empty after all these years.

Maybe he was injured in the Great War? Perhaps his… ‘foundation’ was damaged?

“So, it’s not that he’s cold, but that he… can’t?”

CLANG!

The gossip was cut short as the very ground of the celestial palace trembled. A frantic guard burst into the Hall of Nine Heavens, interrupting the assembled immortals and the Emperor himself.

Report! Report! Your Majesty! The Heavenly Gate Array, it’s been smashed open by a bird!