After Losing My Memory, I Became My Rival's Palm-Sized Chirper - Chapter 6

Chapter 06: Staying in Yujing

Qi Jia was still trying to glean more information from their conversation.

The dragon before him was the Heavenly Emperor, the strongest being in the Four Realms. During their time together, aside from the magnificent robes that constantly signaled his status, the faint, cold spiritual aura emanating from him also served as a persistent reminder to the little bird.

How had his past self, meeting such a person, ever become involved with the Heavenly Emperor?

Qi Jia hoped to deduce his general identity from small clues.

Unfortunately, His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor was likely indeed a solemn and cold man of few words; his answers were always remarkably concise.

Yu Baixi simply said, “When I went to the mortal realm for training in my youth, you happened to be there as well.”

“Mm-hm… and then?” The chubby little bird waited for more for a long time. “That’s it?”

Yu Baixi said, “Yes, that’s all.”

Qi Jia: “…”

The little bird gave another “coo” and tilted its head. Well, that was useless. Anyone can go to the mortal realm; a chance encounter meant nothing special.

Qi Jia continued to press: “What about the second time we met? Are you sure we aren’t close?”

Yu Baixi: “That makes two additional questions.”

Qi Jia: “…”

Yu Baixi stood up. “First, let me check your pulse.”

The little bird’s feet twitched upon hearing this. “You know medicine?”

“I do not.” His Majesty’s expression was candid. “But I can generally diagnose your condition.”

Fine then.”

There were no specialized doctors on Mount Budu, but the Ancestor and Qi Shaoxu could both check his injuries by feeling his pulse and probing his spiritual aura.

Qi Jia surmised that Yu Baixi probably wanted to see if he was actually pregnant. Regarding this, he didn’t mind.

At that moment, the round bird had settled back onto the opposite chair, lazily extending a wing while muttering, “But if you want to find out if I’m pregnant, you’ll probably need to find a highly skilled medical officer. Qi Shaoxu said it’s too early to tell right now…”

“It is true that nothing can be diagnosed if it is too early.”

Yu Baixi’s deep voice approached, accompanied by the faint rustle of fabric. The Heavenly Emperor had already risen and come to the side of the little bird.

The reality was that Qi Jia’s avian body was far too small, not even the size of Yu Baixi’s palm.

To check his pulse, even the noble Heavenly Emperor had to move himself; otherwise, he truly wouldn’t be able to reach the bird’s wing.

In any case, the lazy little bird wasn’t going to move an inch on its own.

Lifting its wing was already giving the Heavenly Emperor a lot of face.

And it seemed the legendary, dignified, and cold Heavenly Emperor didn’t mind getting up and approaching personally.

Placing a warm yet cool fingertip on the small wing the bird had cooperatively extended, Yu Baixi continued, “You are male. Even if you were pregnant, you could only conceive an offspring through your spiritual veins. That takes much longer than a common live birth, usually requiring many years… accordingly, to confirm a pregnancy in the early stages also requires waiting a very long time.”

Hearing Yu Baixi’s explanation, Qi Jia nodded slightly—this was likely what Qi Shaoxu meant as well.

However, no creature had ever been conceived via spiritual veins on Mount Budu. Qi Shaoxu was young and didn’t know much; what the Heavenly Emperor said was far more detailed than what Senior Brother Qi knew.

“However, even if it cannot be confirmed, it is impossible for you to be pregnant,” Yu Baixi’s voice rang out steadily again.

Qi Jia: “?”

“There is no spiritual breath of another on your body, only mine. And if it were mine…” Yu Baixi’s voice paused slightly as he withdrew his hand.

He slowly straightened his waist and looked down at the chubby bird opposite him. After a long silence, he said flatly, “Then you would have been pregnant for at least… several thousand years.”

Qi Jia’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

Yu Baixi: “Even for beings conceived through spiritual veins, no one needs to carry for that long.”

Qi Jia: “No, the point is, didn’t we just meet recently???”

Yu Baixi slowly shook his head. “We have not met for a long time.”

Perhaps sensing the bird would press further, he added, “A very long time.”

Qi Jia: “…”

After a moment of silence, Qi Jia declared, “That’s impossible.”

How could I possibly carry your breath—a foreign dragon’s breath—for thousands of years! Didn’t you say our relationship wasn’t great?”

Qi Jia’s tone was full of suspicion and a firm belief in his own character.

Hearing this, Yu Baixi’s eyelashes flickered slightly.

Qi Jia had already let out a cold laugh. “It’s easy for Your Majesty to shirk responsibility, but if it wasn’t from mating, how did your dragon breath end up in my dantian?”

.The situation is complicated.” Yu Baixi’s eyelid twitched again. Every time he heard the other speak so naturally of “mating,” he couldn’t help but react.

But he also realized that mere verbal arguments would hardly convince the other.

In fact, there were many things that Yu Baixi himself had not yet figured out.

“Why don’t you stay here for now? I will assist you in recovering your memory and spiritual power,” Yu Baixi suggested.

Not only were his words uncharacteristically numerous, but his tone had shifted into a soothing proposal.

“Stay here?” On the chair, the little bird’s eyes darted around, feeling that the other had finally said something reasonable.

He had originally come to hold the other responsible, so staying here directly was certainly the most convenient.

Moreover, there was plenty of spiritual food here—far more than on Mount Budu—which was indeed beneficial for recovering his strength.

It wasn’t that Qi Jia disliked Mount Budu. In fact, he quite liked the life there and the spirits on the mountain.

But it was for that very reason that he felt leaving was better—ever since the Ancestor brought him back three months ago, he had consumed many of the Ancestor’s pills.

Resources on Mount Budu were always scarce; everything was limited.

Though it was rarely mentioned on the mountain, Qi Jia knew this.

So ever since he regained a bit of strength, Qi Jia had forced himself every day to follow Qi Shaoxu to pick fruit and hunt.

Even though ordinary food with little spiritual energy was truly just a drop in the bucket for him, the bird still relied on consuming large amounts of food to heal himself, determined not to touch the resources provided by the Ancestor anymore.

“Let me ask you another question. Do you know if I have any other relatives in this world?”

Qi Jia asked this question very casually.

But it made the Heavenly Emperor freeze again.

It was unclear if he didn’t know the answer and was thinking hard, or if there was some other reason. After a full few seconds, this noble Majesty—whose appearance and temperament seemed completely at odds with the title “Evil Heavenly Emperor”—slowly spoke:

“No more.”

His misty-blue eyes were deep and cold. Yu Baixi maintained a calm tone: “You once said… in this world, you no longer had any kin to miss.”

Qi Jia: “Oh.”

The little bird responded, showing no particular reaction. Or rather, he felt this answer wasn’t abrupt; it matched his own guesses.

He had no relatives, so no one came looking for him when he lost his memory.

He couldn’t find any clues either.

But the bird didn’t feel pitiful because of this, for he had no concept of relatives in his heart, nor any attachment.

It felt as though from the moment he woke up, he had a sense of being completely unburdened.

If Qi Shaoxu hadn’t discussed the topic with him before, Qi Jia wouldn’t even have thought to look for his family.

Clearly, he truly had no hangups in this regard.

No ties meant freedom.

In that case, Qi Jia didn’t care where he stayed.

The priority, besides healing, was to hold this big jerk dragon accountable—without concrete evidence, Qi Jia only trusted himself. He didn’t believe the nonsense about them not being close.

If they really weren’t close, why would the other keep him here and help him?

Moreover, without him even mentioning it, the other knew he came from Mount Budu… Saying they hadn’t met in thousands of years might fool a ghost, but it wouldn’t fool a bird!

Thinking this, he was even more determined to stay in the Heavenly Realm!

While Qi Jia was secretly plotting, he didn’t notice a flash of something strange in the Heavenly Emperor’s expression right after answering the question about his relatives.

It was a look similar to compassion, something that should never appear in the eyes of the “Evil Heavenly Emperor.”

But it did indeed only last for a split second.

Yu Baixi had already returned to normal.

And having made up his mind, the little bird shifted his position, returning to a comfortable reclined pose.

“I can stay, but you have to provide the food.”

“Very well.” Yu Baixi agreed without hesitation and added a condition of his own: “I will assist in your healing, but while you are in the Heavenly Realm, do not let anyone other than myself touch your pulse.”

“? Why?” Qi Jia flicked the crest on his head—a reaction of a gossip-lover discovering something juicy. His first thought was: Does the Heavenly Emperor not trust the medical officers of the Heavenly Realm?

However, the Heavenly Emperor never seemed to offer explanations. Yu Baixi simply looked at him with pale eyes, his attitude exceptionally firm: “That is my only request.”

Qi Jia: “…”

Fine. He didn’t even trust the Heavenly Emperor here, let alone random strangers. Running around asking people to check his pulse? He wasn’t that crazy.

Qi Jia: “I’m a bird who likes peace and quiet. Don’t disturb me unless it’s important.”

If the Emperor could make requests, so could he: “Also, I’m pregnant, I need to look after the baby…”

.You are not pregnant.”

He had no objections to other things, but regarding the topic of pregnancy, Yu Baixi corrected him every time.

But Qi Jia disagreed: “I definitely am. Don’t you think I’m rounder than average birds?”

While asking, the little bird puffed out its tiny belly.

Beneath the thick down, that little belly was indeed puffed out roundly. Qi Jia had seen parrots of a similar breed on the mountain; they weren’t nearly as plump as him.

However, the Heavenly Emperor didn’t even look at him—from the moment Qi Jia sprawled back out, Yu Baixi’s gaze had fallen elsewhere. Only after a moment of silence did he say: “…That is from eating.”

Qi Jia: “…”

The Heavenly Emperor’s tone was certain and articulate: “To absorb spiritual energy, you used to eat far too much.”

Qi Jia: “…………”

This… what kind of… how did the stories put it… oh right, what kind of “straight man” is this!

A total jerk dragon! Hmph!

How did his pre-amnesia self ever fall for this person!!

Qi Jia was so annoyed he didn’t even plan to be lazy anymore. He flapped his little wings and took flight, thinking he’d at least land on the other’s shoulder and give him a kick.

But as soon as he was airborne and tilted his head, he saw blood seeping from inside the Heavenly Emperor’s collar.

The white bandages were stained with mottled blood; from the bright red color, it looked like it had just started seeping.

“You… neck… blood.” Qi Jia froze, pointing a wing at Yu Baixi’s neck.

This made it hard for the little bird to follow through with his kick.

The problem he was considering now changed to—Holy bird, is this Heavenly Emperor so fragile? He better not collapse right after I found a meal ticket!

Being reminded, Yu Baixi didn’t show much of a reaction. He remained sitting upright, pressed two fingers together, and pointed upward, crudely stopping the bleeding.

Afterward, with a flip of his palm, the blood-stained bandage vanished instantly, replaced by a clean strip of cloth.

The movements were seamless; it was clear His Majesty had done this more than once.

Qi Jia was stunned: “You… that injury is pretty serious?”

It is manageable.”

“Is it a wound left over from that great war ten thousand years ago?” Qi Jia remembered the rumors he’d heard and asked directly.

Shuoling Immortal, who was returning with a plate of Orchid Crisps, happened to hear their conversation and nearly tripped in shock!

His Majesty had indeed suffered a massive blow during that war, and it had not healed to this day.

But few in the Heavenly Realm ever mentioned it anymore.

Because the creatures of the Four Realms didn’t need to know;

Because compared to a Heavenly Emperor who was war-torn for the sake of ending conflict, the current Heavenly Realm needed a Majesty who was still powerful, still the top combatant, and even invincible.

Furthermore, His Majesty had always preferred to be solitary. He rarely showed his pain to others and forbade the immortals from mentioning it.

So over ten thousand years, His Majesty’s specific injuries and the great war itself had become taboo topics—at least, no one would mention them so blatantly in front of the Heavenly Emperor.

This newly arrived Highness…

Shuoling paused, suddenly wondering if she should pretend she wasn’t there.

But she didn’t expect that the Heavenly Emperor—who no one ever knew what he was thinking and who was always awe-inspiring—did not offer any reprimand upon being questioned. Instead, surprisingly, he answered the question in a very calm tone—

“Yes.”

When His Majesty answered, he even gave a slight nod.

Shuoling: …?!

Unaware of anything unusual, Qi Jia tilted his head: “It’s been this long and it’s still like this? …It won’t heal?”

“It will.” Yu Baixi’s voice remained faint.

His tone, however, sounded as if he were reassuring the other.

Shuoling: !!!

Compared to accidentally witnessing someone ask about His Majesty’s taboo topic, His Majesty’s patient response was clearly even more shocking.

Her hands remained steady on the tray, but she wanted nothing more than to take a step back and check if this was still His Majesty’s inner palace, and if the person speaking was truly that cold and taciturn Heavenly Emperor!

And she wasn’t sure if it was an illusion, but Shuoling felt that the conversation between His Majesty and His Highness… was like that of two old friends.

Just as Shuoling hesitated at the door, His Majesty’s voice rang out again: “Come in.”

Cold, majestic.

This call was clearly directed at her.

Not surprised that His Majesty had sensed her long ago, Shuoling hurried to open the door and walked in with the tray.

“I saw that Your Highness enjoyed the spiritual cakes earlier, and as these Orchid Crisps just came out of the oven, I rushed to bring some for Your Highness to taste.”

Shuoling Immortal was all smiles, pretending she knew nothing.

Qi Jia immediately welcomed the enthusiastic and diligent Immortal sister and flew directly to greet the plate of little spiritual cakes.

To the side, the Heavenly Emperor spoke: “I shall leave for a while. Shuoling, take care of him.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Qi Jia was originally captivated by the fragrant Orchid Crisps, but upon hearing Yu Baixi say he was leaving, he turned around alertly.

But he quickly realized he might be overthinking—the Heavenly Emperor’s physical body remained sitting there. In fact, some consciousness must have remained in the body; the sitting figure could blink, its back was straight as a bell, and its posture was so perfect one couldn’t find a flaw. It could even occasionally raise a hand to drink tea.

…This technique seemed quite impressive.

“His Majesty has likely gone to handle some official business,” Shuoling Immortal whispered beside the chubby bird. “His Majesty left his physical body behind; he likely couldn’t bear to leave Your Highness. It shows he cares for Your Highness deeply.”

Qi Jia blinked: “Can he hear us speaking right now?”

“This… I am not quite sure. This ‘One Soul, Two Bodies’ technique requires extreme control over spiritual energy; no one in the Heavenly Realm can use it except His Majesty.”

Shuoling smiled. “Usually, His Majesty has few matters and speaks even less, so we immortals rarely serve him closely. Therefore…”

“Oh.” Qi Jia nodded in understanding—it seemed this Majesty truly was used to being alone, so much so that even his close attendants didn’t know the specifics of his spells.

But Qi Jia’s focus was…

As he thought, his intuition told him this One Soul, Two Bodies technique was very powerful!

Mount Budu.

Five round Long-tailed Tits were huddling closely on a branch, urgently discussing how Qi Jia was doing and what they should do.

“That’s the Evil Heavenly Emperor! I heard he is incredibly cruel and disregards all family ties!”

“Need you even say it? How many people has he killed in these ten thousand years? Does Qi Jia know this? Will he be killed too?”

“He won’t. Jia-jia is so strong. None of us expected he could break through the Heavenly Realm’s barrier…”

Qi Shaoxu lay in the grass, covering his dog head with his paws, howling: “The Ancestor already knows about this, worrying is useless… At least stay quiet for a moment! My head is spinning!”

The five chubby birds went quiet for a second.

The next moment, they all started chirping at once again:

“But the reason he’s called the Evil Heavenly Emperor is that he is too eccentric, sinister, and brutal! Anyone with any ability in the Demon, Monster, or Mortal realms has been killed by him!”

“I heard he even killed the previous Heavenly Emperor with his own hands! …If he could even lay hands on his own father, will Qi Jia really not be silenced…”

The hillside was incredibly noisy. A tall white figure swept past them silently, without a moment’s pause, flying toward the highest point of Mount Budu.

In front of the cave at the mountaintop, the Heavenly Emperor, dressed in silver-patterned white robes with a long sword hanging at his waist, stood tall and upright. His expression was indifferent, devoid of sorrow or joy.

“Junior Yu Baixi pays respects to the Senior.”