Chapter 35: Closed Off
The pillow still held some warmth, but Long Ling was nowhere to be seen. At that moment, Su Muluo’s mind was nearly blank.
The despair and pain from the dream were like a cold, sticky snake coiling around him. His heart pounded uncontrollably, almost suffocating him with intense unease.
Where had his dragon gone?
Why wasn’t he by his side?
Su Muluo got up, desperate to find Long Ling. He felt like he was suffocating under the weight of his anxiety and fear.
Just then, the door to the room opened, and Long Ling appeared in the doorway. Seeing that his Phoenix was awake, he was first surprised, then quickly walked over.
“Phoenix, why did you get out of bed without shoes?”
Long Ling took in Su Muluo’s expression and furrowed his brow, realizing that his departure had made his Phoenix anxious.
He was about to soothe him with gentle words and explain where he had been when Su Muluo suddenly embraced him.
Long Ling: “……”
In the chilly night, his Phoenix was only wearing a thin garment, silently burying his soft face into his shoulder, seeking warmth.
This kind of dependence was heart-melting but also felt a bit off. Long Ling’s hand moved to stroke Phoenix’s slender back, noticing that his Phoenix was trembling slightly.
Immediately, Long Ling felt an intense pang of sympathy. He gently patted Su Muluo’s back and whispered softly in his ear, “I didn’t leave. I just went out for a bit, but I’m back now. Don’t be afraid.”
Su Muluo remained silent, keeping his face buried in Long Ling’s shoulder, unmoving. Long Ling’s embrace was wide and strong, and he could feel himself enveloped by his dragon’s presence—a very tangible warmth.
This warmth gradually eased all the restlessness and anxiety in his heart, calming his rapid heartbeat, making him feel like his soul had returned to his body, and he was alive again.
Long Ling stroked Su Muluo’s hair and whispered comforting words. After a while, he felt his Phoenix’s body relax bit by bit, and he sighed in relief.
At the same time, a question arose in his mind.
Why did his Phoenix react so strongly?
The look just now clearly showed he was too scared to speak… but what had happened to make his Phoenix so frightened?
“Phoenix,” Long Ling carried Su Muluo back to bed, pulling the soft blanket over him, “What happened? Did you have a nightmare?”
Su Muluo didn’t speak, just looked up at him with wide eyes.
His dark eyes, like gemstones submerged in cold water, were stunningly beautiful even in the night. But as he quietly looked at his dragon, there was an unspoken sense of grievance.
Long Ling fell silent, feeling that in Phoenix’s eyes, he might seem like a scoundrel who went out to seek pleasure in the dead of night, leaving his beautiful Phoenix at home, completely ignoring him. He felt both heartbroken and guilty, saying, “I won’t leave Phoenix alone again. It was my mistake this time. I promise that Phoenix will see me every time he opens his eyes from now on, okay?”
“…… It’s not your fault,” Su Muluo gently shook his head and said softly, “I just had a nightmare.”
Long Ling had an intuition that the dream wasn’t simple. He gathered Phoenix’s slender fingers in his hand and said gently, “What was the dream about?”
Su Muluo didn’t respond.
He no longer wanted to recall the contents of the nightmare or the heart-wrenching pain of losing the most important person in the dream.
Su Muluo silently snuggled into Long Ling’s chest, thought for a moment, and then transformed back.
A soft little phoenix landed on Long Ling’s chest, silent, trying to burrow into his clothes.
But because the clothes were soft and not easy to penetrate, the little phoenix got stuck halfway through, wriggling… and then stopped moving.
Long Ling: “!”
So cute!
He was overwhelmed by the cuteness!
He gently cupped the little phoenix in his hands.
The little phoenix wasn’t too pleased. Its feathers were messy and even puffed up more. It lowered its head to tidy its beautiful feathers and looked around.
Although it had lost quite a few feathers over the past days, it had also grown many new ones. And perhaps it was Long Ling’s illusion, but those new feathers seemed more beautiful and shinier than the old ones.
The dragon and the phoenix gazed at each other for a few seconds. The little phoenix chirped.
Time to sleep.
Long Ling’s eyes showed a smile. He lay down, gently placed his phoenix on the bed, and transformed back into the black dragon.
Just like before, he wrapped his phoenix in his embrace. The little phoenix curled up on him and slowly fell asleep.
The next morning, Su Muluo opened his eyes.
The hotel room was dim. He was nestled in a man’s chest, the man’s arm dr4p3d around his waist, holding him close.
Su Muluo remained silent, then looked up to meet the man’s dark golden eyes.
Long Ling smiled slightly and said, “Phoenix, good morning.”
“……”
Su Muluo looked down lazily, as if nothing had happened, and continued to doze.
Long Ling was momentarily stunned, then a wave of uncontrollable joy surged in his heart. He rubbed his face against Su Muluo’s, saying in a sticky voice, “Phoenix, aren’t you going to push me away?”
Su Muluo remained silent.
Long Ling’s long fingers buried themselves in Su Muluo’s hair, his voice deep and laced with amusement, “From now on, I’ll hug Phoenix to sleep every night. Phoenix isn’t allowed to refuse.”
Su Muluo still didn’t say anything.
Long Ling was almost overwhelmed with happiness, even wanting to spin around while holding his Phoenix. But seeing that Phoenix was still sleepy, he gently stroked his back and asked, “Phoenix, what did you dream about last night? Can you tell me?”
Su Muluo slowly lifted his gaze to glance at him, then buried his head again.
What he had dreamed about last night… was his dragon, covered in blood, lying in his arms with an uncertain fate.
The dream had been so vivid, it felt as though it had actually happened. Even now, remembering it left him with lingering fear.
Had he really lost, or nearly lost, his dragon thousands of years ago?
Was the wound on his dragon’s abdomen left from then?
Su Muluo remained silent, but his heart was tightly constricted, filled with a tearing pain.
He remembered there was a strange man beside him at that time. He didn’t know who that man was, but instinctively, he felt disgust.
Did that man hurt his dragon? Why hadn’t he been able to stop it or protect his dragon back then?
…He was truly useless.
The room was quiet. Long Ling looked down and saw his Phoenix silently clenching his fingers, the tips whitening from the force.
His gaze darkened slightly as he held Su Muluo’s hand, his knuckles pressing firmly against those slender fingers, their hands locked together.
“Alright, I won’t ask anymore,” Long Ling said softly, “Don’t think about it anymore. It’s all in the past. There’s no need for us to dwell on it.”
“I won’t leave Phoenix again, not even for a step. So just focus on me.”
Su Muluo looked up at those dark golden eyes filled with gentle affection, remained silent for a while, and softly murmured, “Mm.”
As long as his dragon was still by his side now, that was enough.
Phoenix nestled deeper into the warmth of the man’s embrace, thinking.
He would never let his dragon get hurt like that again.
……
Lin Chengcheng noticed that something seemed off about his boss and his boyfriend today.
Although they were still walking together as usual and there was no particularly unusual behavior between them… something just seemed wrong.
Lin Chengcheng was walking through the forest with a black cat, pondering this, and covertly observing the couple ahead.
He knew his boss’s boyfriend was particularly fond of clinging to his boss, never leaving his side, and his boss enjoyed the clinginess. Their relationship had always been very close.
But now, watching them still inseparable, he felt their aura seemed to have changed somehow… it seemed more subtle, more ambiguous?
It was as if nothing had changed, but everything had… making people blush just by looking.
“What’s going on?” Lin Chengcheng couldn’t help but ask the black cat, “Elder, do you know what’s up with them?”
Feng Xuan shook his head and chuckled, “Young master is still too young. You’ll understand when you grow up.”
Lin Chengcheng: “……”
That was essentially saying nothing.
Meanwhile, Su Muluo overheard Lin Chengcheng and Feng Xuan’s conversation but didn’t point it out. Instead, he glanced at Long Ling beside him.
Long Ling immediately looked hopeful and said, “Does Phoenix want a hug?”
Su Muluo replied, “I don’t need a hug from you.”
Long Ling responded with a simple “oh,” reached out to take his hand, and Su Muluo didn’t pull away, allowing him to hold it.
Long Ling then smiled with pleasure, thinking how adorable his Phoenix was today.
The fact that Phoenix allowed him to hold him while sleeping, let him change his clothes in the morning, and accepted all his affectionate gestures without refusal, made him happy.
He really liked Phoenix.
However, amid his joy, he also wondered about the dream Su Muluo had last night. His Phoenix had had fragmented dreams about the past before, and last night was probably similar.
But this time, it was likely not a good dream.
Long Ling held his Phoenix’s hand, watching his beautiful profile, lost in thought.
After a while, he would still need to ask Fenghuang about it… However, it seemed that Fenghuang hadn’t inquired about why he went out last night.
Although he wanted to give Fenghuang a surprise, if Fenghuang asked later, it was better to tell him the truth.
Half an hour later, a small house appeared among the layers of dense forest. As they rounded the house, a sprawling settlement of the Bird clan came into view.
Feng Xuan said, “We’ve arrived.”
This morning, guided by Feng Xuan, they had taken a flight to another city, transferred to a bus, and then walked for several hours through the mountains, finally arriving at the Bird clan’s territory.
The area was nestled deep in the mountains and forests, where the Bird clan had lived for a thousand years. Most of the houses were built with wood, intertwined with vines and covered by leaves, creating a simple yet warm and inviting scene.
Feng Xuan’s message had been delivered earlier, and some members of the Bird clan were already waiting at the entrance.
They first bowed respectfully to Lin Chengcheng and then turned to Su Muluo. When their gazes landed on his face, there was a clear expression of awe in their eyes.
Long Ling narrowed his eyes slightly, and the Bird clan members immediately felt a surge of fear. They quickly composed themselves and, with even greater respect, said, “Thank you, sirs, for returning our young master and elder. However, it is inconvenient to speak here. Please follow us.”
As they walked, Lin Chengcheng couldn’t help but look around in awe. This was his first time at the Bird clan’s place, and he found everything to be novel. However, he was also worried if there were any people from the Grand Elder’s faction here, so he voiced his concern.
Feng Xuan reassured him, “Don’t worry. The Bird clan has now split into two factions. The Grand Elder’s faction is several kilometers to the east, and we have several high-grade magical barriers here. Even the Grand Elder would find it difficult to get through.”
He paused and added, “The people here have come because of your father and are willing to follow you.”
Lin Chengcheng was taken aback. He hadn’t fully realized the responsibility of being the tribe leader until he heard Feng Xuan’s words. A profound feeling welled up inside him.
The Bird clan’s territory was built around Lin Chengcheng. At first glance, the entrance resembled a small village, but as one walked inside, it became clear that the full scope was impossible to grasp.
After walking a bit longer, they finally reached their destination—the highest area of the Bird clan’s buildings.
“Please wait here for a moment, sirs, and young master,” Feng Xuan said. “I need to return to my body. It might take some time.”
Su Muluo didn’t respond, but Long Ling said, “That’s fine.”
Soon, Bird clan members took Feng Xuan, who was in black cat form, away and invited Su Muluo and the others to sit, serving them with a variety of exquisite tea and snacks.
Although Lin Chengcheng had already had breakfast, the aroma of the snacks made him hungry again. He took a bite and his eyes lit up, “Delicious!”
Long Ling picked a piece of pastry and offered it to Phoenix’s mouth, “Do you want some, Phoenix?”
To avoid Lin Chengcheng hearing the word “Phoenix,” the question was asked in a lowered voice. However, even though it was addressed to Su Muluo, he seemed not to have heard it. He kept his head down and remained silent.
Long Ling frowned. He had noticed something odd about his Phoenix after entering the Bird clan’s territory.
Could it be that the Bird clan members had done something to his Phoenix?
“What’s wrong?” Long Ling asked, holding Su Muluo’s shoulder. “Phoenix, open your eyes and look at me.”
“…” Su Muluo reluctantly lifted his eyelids and mumbled, “A little sleepy…”
Long Ling’s eyes grew cold, and he immediately turned his gaze to the Bird clan members waiting nearby. His icy stare made them, who had only minor demon powers, collapse to the ground, trembling uncontrollably with fear.
Lin Chengcheng, who was chewing on a piece of pastry, froze in place. Although he wasn’t directly affected, he could sense a heavy, oppressive force in the air, leaving him momentarily immobilized and struggling to breathe.
At this moment, Su Muluo grasped Long Ling’s sleeve and weakly said, “It’s not their fault… Don’t scare them.”
He had only started feeling sleepy after arriving at the Bird clan’s territory, but it wasn’t because the people here had done something to him—it was an issue with himself.
Something here seemed to be affecting him… Could it be that Phoenix relic?
Su Muluo wanted to understand it all, but his mind was foggy, unable to think clearly. Leaning on Long Ling, he mustered his remaining consciousness and said, “I’m going to sleep… Don’t blame them.”
Long Ling fell silent, holding his Phoenix close, suppressing his demonic aura, and instructed the Bird clan members, “Prepare a room for us. No one is allowed to disturb us until we come out.”
Those few people of the bird clan nodded repeatedly as if they had narrowly escaped death. Moments later, Long Ling carried his phoenix and entered a gorgeously decorated room.
At this moment, there were only the two of them in the room. Long Ling gently placed Su Muluo on the bed, and as soon as he released his hand, a feather fell from his palm.
“…”
Silently, he picked up the feather and held Su Muluo’s hand, wanting to stay by his side. In his sleep, Su Muluo also held onto his arm and gently rubbed against it.
Then a few more feathers fell.
Long Ling paused his motion of stroking Su Muluo’s hair, shocked as he watched several feathers fall onto the bed. Soon, a few more followed.
—Su Muluo had only been asleep for a short while, waking up again after just a few hours.
He opened his eyes, still feeling drowsy, his mind a bit foggy… Then he saw countless feathers under him, while Long Ling silently tidied up beside him, trying to arrange them neatly.
As he arranged them, he even started playing a stacking game.
Su Muluo: “…”
Su Muluo quietly watched his dragon, and when Long Ling met his gaze, he felt a pang in his heart, immediately putting down the feathers and raising his hands innocently, saying, “It wasn’t me.”
Su Muluo remained silent.
“Really,” Long Ling emphasized, “these are all from the phoenix while it was sleeping. I didn’t touch any of them.”
After saying this, he saw his phoenix looking increasingly resentful. He thought for a moment and added consolingly, “But don’t worry, Phoenix, it’s not that many. I counted, only seventeen.”
Before he finished speaking, he watched helplessly as another feather fell from his phoenix.
“Ah, now it’s eighteen.”
Su Muluo: “…………”
Without a word, he pulled the blanket over his head, effectively shutting himself in.
Straight into self-isolation.
T/N: Hello hello! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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