Li Qingyue, now 15 years old, Stood in front of a table.
His silver eyes, still as striking as ever, were filled with innocence and a hint of liveliness.
In the heart of the Feng Clan's estate was a well-equipped laboratory, where the young prodigy often conducted his experiments. Today, Qingyue had a particularly ambitious idea: to see if he could infuse a weapon with the consciousness of an evil ghost. The concept was as dangerous as it was intriguing, and Qingyue's excitement overrode any caution.
"Let's see," Qingyue muttered to himself, his fingers deftly handling various components. "If I can stabilize the spirit's energy and merge it with this blade, it might just work."
The laboratory was filled with an array of tools, mystical artifacts, and ancient tomes. Qingyue had gathered everything he needed, including a particularly malevolent ghost's spirit, which he had carefully contained in a shimmering crystal.
"This will be amazing," Qingyue whispered, his heart pounding with anticipation. "A weapon with its own mind..."
He placed the crystal containing the ghost's spirit on the workbench and began the delicate process of infusing it with the blade. As he chanted incantations and manipulated the energies, he felt a surge of power course through his veins. The blade started to glow with an eerie light, and the air in the laboratory grew thick with tension.
Just as Qingyue was about to complete the final step, the ghost's spirit began to resist. The containment crystal shattered, and the spirit lashed out, its energy clashing violently with Qingyue's own.
"Uh-oh," Qingyue said, realizing the danger too late. "This is bad..."
A blinding explosion rocked the laboratory, sending shards of crystal and fragments of the blade flying in all directions. Qingyue was thrown backward, crashing into a shelf of alchemical ingredients. The room was filled with smoke and the acrid smell of burning materials.
Li Qingyun, who was in the main hall of the Ice Phoenix Clan's estate, felt the tremor and heard the deafening blast. His heart leaped into his throat as he recognized the direction of the explosion.
"Qingyue!" he shouted, sprinting towards the laboratory.
Bursting through the door, Qingyun was met with a scene of utter devastation. The laboratory was in ruins, with debris scattered everywhere. Amid the wreckage, he spotted his younger brother, dazed but seemingly unharmed, struggling to get up.
"Qingyue!" Qingyun rushed over and helped him to his feet. "Are you alright? What happened?"
Qingyue coughed, waving away the smoke. "I'm okay, Gege. Just a little experiment that went... slightly wrong."
"Slightly wrong?" Qingyun echoed incredulously. "You nearly blew up the entire lab!"
Qingyue gave a sheepish grin. "Yeah, I guess I underestimated the ghost's resistance."
Qingyun's worry turned to exasperation. "You're lucky you weren't seriously hurt. This is exactly why Father and Mother warned you to be careful with these kinds of experiments."
Qingyue's playful demeanor didn't waver. "But Gege, if we never take risks, how will we ever make breakthroughs?"
"Risks are one thing, Qingyue. Recklessness is another." Qingyun's tone softened as he looked at his younger brother. "I can't let you go back into the laboratory until Father and Mother return. It's too dangerous."
Qingyue's face fell. "But Gege, I'm fine! I can handle it. Just give me another chance."
"No, Qingyue," Qingyun said firmly. "This isn't up for debate. You're banned from the lab until Father and Mother are back and can decide what to do."
Qingyun's worry turned to exasperation. "You're lucky you weren't seriously hurt. This is exactly why Father and Mother warned you to be careful with these kinds of experiments."
Qingyue's playful demeanor didn't waver. "But Gege, if we never take risks, how will we ever make breakthroughs?"
"Risks are one thing, Qingyue. Recklessness is another." Qingyun's tone softened as he looked at his younger brother. "I can't let you go back into the laboratory until Father and Mother return. It's too dangerous."
Qingyue's face fell. "But Gege, I'm fine! I can handle it. Just give me another chance."
"No, Qingyue," Qingyun said firmly. "This isn't up for debate. You're banned from the lab until Father and Mother are back and can decide what to do."
Qingyue sighed, knowing he couldn't argue his way out of this one. "Alright, Gege. I understand."
Despite his disappointment, Qingyue couldn't help but admire Qingyun's protective nature. Even in moments of reprimand, his older brother's concern was always rooted in love.
In the days that followed, Qingyue tried to occupy himself with other activities, but his mind kept drifting back to his unfinished experiment. He would often sneak glances at the closed laboratory door, yearning to continue his work.
One afternoon, while Qingyue was practicing his ice phoenix techniques in the courtyard, Qingyun approached him. "Hey, Xiaomei, I have something to cheer you up."
Qingyue perked up. "What is it, Gege?"
Qingyun produced a small, intricately carved wooden box. "Open it."
Inside the box was a set of beautifully crafted figurines, each one representing a different mythical creature. Qingyue's eyes lit up with excitement. "These are amazing, Gege! Did you make them?"
Qingyun nodded. "I thought they might keep you entertained while you're banned from the lab. You can practice your control and animation skills with them."
Qingyue beamed. "Thank you, Gege! This is perfect."
He waited for days so that his parents can give him permission.
Finally, the day came when Li Tianfeng and Feng Yuhua returned to the estate. Qingyue eagerly awaited their arrival, hoping to convince them to lift his laboratory ban.
As his parents entered the grand hall, Qingyue rushed forward to greet them. "Father, Mother, welcome back!"
Tianfeng smiled warmly, embracing his youngest son. "It's good to be back, Qingyue. How have you been?"
Qingyue glanced at Qingyun, who nodded encouragingly. "I've been good, Father. There's something I need to talk to you about."
Yuhua raised an eyebrow, sensing the seriousness in her son's tone. "What is it, Qingyue?"
Taking a deep breath, Qingyue recounted the incident in the laboratory. He explained his experiment, the explosion, and Qingyun's decision to ban him from the lab.
"I know it was dangerous," Qingyue admitted. "But I've learned a lot since then. Gege has been helping me practice my control, and I'm more careful now. Please, Father, Mother, can I go back to the lab?"
Tianfeng and Yuhua exchanged thoughtful glances. Finally, Tianfeng spoke. "Qingyue, we appreciate your honesty and your willingness to learn from your mistakes. However, the lab is not a place for reckless experiments."
Yuhua nodded in agreement. "We want to see you succeed, but safety must always come first. We'll allow you back into the lab, but only under supervision."
Qingyue's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, Father! Thank you, Mother! I promise I'll be careful."
Qingyun smiled, relieved that his brother had handled the situation maturely. "Looks like you're back in business, Xiaomei. Just remember, no more explosions, okay?"
Qingyue laughed, his heart brimming with happiness. "I promise, Gege. No more explosions."