Chereads / Threads of Time, Phoenix / Chapter 6 - 6: Minions?

Chapter 6 - 6: Minions?

Li Qingyue was just five years old and he was full of energy. His eyes, made of silver like those of the Ice Phoenix clan, were shining with happiness as he left Feng Clan's grand estate accompanied by his two older brothers Li Qingchen and Li Qingyun. As rare as this outing was, Qingyue could not wait to see what lay outside their house.

"Stay close, Qingyue," Qingchen, now 18, reminded his little brother. His voice carried the authority of an elder sibling but also a hint of affection. "We don't want you wandering off and getting into trouble."

Qingyun, 16, grinned mischievously. "Yeah, unless you want to freeze the whole village by accident," he joked, ruffling Qingyue's hair.

Qingyue giggled, his eyes gleaming. "I won't, Gege. I promise!"

The brothers walked through the bustling streets of the nearby village, where the market was in full swing. The sights and sounds captivated Qingyue, who darted from one stall to another, marveling at the vibrant displays of goods.

"Look at this!" Qingyue exclaimed, pointing to a stall selling brightly colored kites. "Can we get one, Gege?"

Qingchen smiled and nodded. "Of course, Qingyue. Let's pick one out."

As Qingyue carefully selected a kite, something unusual caught Qingchen's eye. Two ghostly figures hovered near the edge of the market, their transparent forms shimmering in the sunlight. They seemed to be causing trouble, frightening the villagers and creating chaos.

"Qingyun, do you see that?" Qingchen whispered, nodding toward the ghosts.

Qingyun's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, I see them. We need to handle this before they cause more trouble."

Qingchen looked down at Qingyue, who was still engrossed in choosing a kite. "Qingyue, stay close to us. We have something to take care of."

Qingyue nodded obediently, clutching his kite as they approached the ghosts. The spectral beings turned toward the brothers, their eyes glowing menacingly.

"You shouldn't be here, This is Feng Clan's territory," Qingchen said firmly, stepping forward. "Leave the villagers alone."

The ghosts hissed, their forms flickering. "And who are you to tell us what to do?"

Before Qingchen could respond, Qingyue stepped forward, his silver eyes blazing with annoyance. "Leave my brothers alone!" he shouted.

He went out with his brother's for the first time without his overprotective father, If this thing cause trouble he won't be able to come out in some time...

One of the ghosts sneered. "A little child thinks he can scare us? How amusing."

Qingyue's expression hardened. He raised his small hands, and a chill filled the air. Suddenly, the temperature dropped, and frost began to form on the ground around him.

"Xiaomei, what are you doing?" Qingchen asked, alarmed.

Qingyue didn't reply. He focused his energy, and with a burst of icy power, he unleashed a wave of cold that enveloped the ghosts. The spectral figures screamed as they were encased in a thick layer of ice, their forms freezing solid.

Qingyun stared in disbelief. "Did... did Qingyue just freeze those ghosts?"

Qingchen shook his head, a mixture of awe and concern on his face. "I think he did."

The frozen ghosts stood motionless, their menacing expressions now locked in icy terror. Qingyue lowered his hands, panting slightly from the effort. He looked up at his brothers, a proud smile on his face.

"I did it, Gege! I froze the ghosts!"

Qingchen knelt down and hugged Qingyue tightly. "You did, Xiaomei. You were amazing."

Qingyun, still in shock, laughed. "Who would've thought our little brother could freeze ghosts? That's incredible, Qingyue!"

The villagers, who had been watching the scene in awe, erupted in cheers and applause. They gathered around the brothers, expressing their gratitude.

"Thank you, young masters! You've saved us from those spirits!"

Qingchen smiled and nodded. "We're just glad we could help."

As the crowd dispersed, Qingyun turned to Qingyue, a mischievous grin on his face. "Hey, Qingyue, since you're so good at freezing things, how about I teach you something else? How to raise minions, perhaps?"

Qingyue's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Minions? Like little helpers?"

Qingyun nodded. "Exactly. Minions can help you with all sorts of things. It's a handy skill to have."

Qingchen raised an eyebrow. "Teaching our little brother how to raise minions, Qingyun? Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Qingyun shrugged. "Why not? He's already shown he's got talent. Besides, it'll be fun!"

Qingyue grabbed his hand, "Brother teach me, Please."

Using the beauty attack on Li Qingyun works wonders.

"Why not, Xiao yue, You just need to make a contract with them. You remember Eldest Uncle Feng? He is the best in formations, I learned this from him." Li Qingyun's tail raised high in the sky.

Qingyue praised his brother and successfully made a contract with the two ghosts in front of him.

On their return to home, their father who learned of the event successfully chased his rebellious second son all around the Feng Manor to beat the brat.

"You let Qingyue make a contract with evil ghosts, Are you sane!!" Li Tianfeng almost wanted to beat the brat out his senses but the brat ran faster then horses.

In the end, Li Qingyue came and made puppy eyes attack to save his brother and stop the tragedy of a father killing his unfilial son.

However, Qingyue's talents flourished under the guidance of his older brothers, and the family couldn't be prouder of their youngest member.

One day, as they were exploring the forest near their home, Qingyue spotted something unusual. "Look, Gege! What's that?" he asked, pointing to a glimmering object in the distance.

Qingchen and Qingyun exchanged curious glances. "Let's go check it out," Qingchen said, leading the way.

They approached the object, discovering it was a beautifully carved ice statue of a phoenix, its wings spread wide in a majestic pose. The statue seemed to emanate a faint, mystical energy.

"This is incredible," Qingyun said, his eyes wide with wonder. "It looks like it was made by an Ice Phoenix."

Qingyue stepped closer, feeling a strange connection to the statue. He reached out to touch it, and as his fingers brushed the ice, the statue began to glow.

"Qingyue, be careful!" Qingchen warned, but it was too late. The statue's glow intensified, enveloping Qingyue in a soft, radiant light.

For a moment, the world around them seemed to fade away, replaced by a vision of a vast, icy realm. Qingyue stood at the center, his silver eyes reflecting the frozen landscape. In the distance, a magnificent Ice Phoenix soared through the sky, its wings shimmering with frost.

The vision faded, and Qingyue found himself back in the forest, his brothers standing by his side, looking worried.

"Qingyue, are you alright?" Qingchen asked, his voice filled with concern.

Qingyue blinked, shaking off the disorientation. "I'm fine, Gege."