All eyes naturally turned to Ming Lou.
Ming Lou felt a prickle of unease under their gaze. He glanced left and right, then clutched the small box in his arms, asking with a hint of confusion, "Why are you all looking at me like that? Didn't you prepare gifts for Third Senior Brother?"
"No way, hadn't everyone started preparing their gifts long ago?"
"We did prepare gifts, but we encountered a few minor unexpected issues during the preparation process, so we'd like your advice, Ming Lou," Yue Zhiyin said, flashing him a harmless smile and beckoning him over.
Ming Lou walked over, his face full of suspicion.
Qi Yu immediately peered at the box in his arms, using her heavenly dao magic to sneak a look.
Upon clearly seeing what was inside the box, she couldn't help but freeze and blurt out, "Senior Brother Ming Lou, the gift you're giving is... a bird's nest?"
Everyone looked at Ming Lou with puzzled expressions.
"Yes, the gift I'm giving is a bird's nest. Don't let it fool you that it's just in this small box now; once the magic array is removed, it can become quite large," Ming Lou said, spreading his hands and gesturing.
Everyone fell into contemplation.
Seeing their reactions, Ming Lou thought they considered his gift too frivolous and began to explain, "Although this gift might not sound particularly valuable, it's actually quite wonderful. This bird's nest is woven from a hundred herbs. Not only does it have a very fragrant herbal scent, but it can also treat insomnia."
As he spoke, Ming Lou took out the book of a hundred herbs he had hidden and, pointing to the content, said earnestly, word by word.
No one spoke; they continued to ponder deeply.
They had always been preoccupied with how to give gifts that were rare and interesting, seemingly never considering practicality.
But now, a new problem arose: if practicality was to be considered, then what kind of gift would be truly practical?
The bird's nest had already been chosen, leaving few other options.
"I think we should brainstorm separately; perhaps everyone will come up with different ideas," Qi Yu suddenly suggested.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
They looked at each other, their minds filled with the same thought:
They absolutely had to come up with the best strategy first.
They could not let anyone else get ahead.
...
After that, everyone abandoned Ming Lou and split into two groups.
Each person headed to their own room to find something practical and long-used.
Qi Yu and Si Qing entered their respective rooms. One picked up a jade pillow, the other a tea bowl from the table.
After a moment of deep thought, the siblings in their rooms simultaneously put down their items and then, from their storage pouches, each took out an identical set of teaware and walked out of their rooms.
Upon emerging, they looked at each other and then stared at the teaware in their hands, both stunned.
"Why do you have the same thing as me? Go change it," Qi Yu pouted and urged Si Qing.
Si Qing shook the teaware in his hand, telling Qi Yu to change hers.
The siblings, looking at each other, were unwilling to go back and change. In the end, they both reached for their storage pouches, preparing to take out another new set of teaware.
But whether it was a telepathic connection,
They both grabbed the exact same thing.
They tried five times, and each time, the teaware, or even the items, were identical.
Finally, on the sixth attempt, Qi Yu understood and decisively stopped them. She then took out a set of jade porcelain pillows: "Pure gold inlaid jade porcelain pillows, symbolizing dragon and phoenix bringing prosperity, so there are a pair. You take one, I take one. Together, we can gift a set. This way, we don't have to give them separately. What do you think?"
The main reason was that the gifts the siblings took out each time were identical.
It was also troublesome to ask the other to think of a different gift, so this was better. Moreover, it carried a good omen.
Si Qing nodded, having no objections. He then casually picked up one of the gold-inlaid jade porcelain pillows, which depicted a phoenix, and infused it with his spiritual energy.
Powerful dao law energy poured into the jade porcelain pillow, eventually forming a transparent, light-colored magic array.
It was firmly embedded in the center of the jade porcelain pillow.
Qi Yu followed suit.
This was the second gift the siblings were giving to Sui You: a protection array of heavenly dao laws.
This array was not to be carried around but would independently protect the entire Phoenix clan.
No matter which race invaded the Phoenix clan, as long as they were present, this array would not be broken.
This could be directly attributed to the favoritism of the heavenly dao.
However, this favoritism could not be known by too many people, as it would lead to disaster.
Therefore, Qi Yu and Si Qing placed the array on this gold-inlaid jade porcelain pillow. No matter where this pillow was placed, as long as it was within the Phoenix territory, it would ensure the peace of the Phoenix clan.
Qi Yu and Si Qing had only just thought of this method.
Sui You should be able to understand their intentions.
...
After that, the next morning, everyone gathered in the center of the entrance to Mount Changqing.
Including all the new disciples of the Changqing Sect, they all set off for the Phoenix clan to celebrate Sui You's birthday.
As the Phoenix Lord, Sui You had naturally departed the previous evening to return to the Phoenix clan.
As the central figure of this celebration, he had to go back to make various preparations, including grooming.
Ming Lou, cradling the wooden box in his arms, sat on Yue Zhiyin's dragon, constantly urging, "Eldest Senior Brother, hurry up! Ah, you can't fly too fast. You need to be steady and fast at the same time, don't jolt my bird's nest."
At this point, Ming Lou couldn't help but ask Yue Zhiyin, "Eldest Senior Brother, do you think my bird's nest looks good? When weaving it, the vines, leaves, and the ropes used for binding were all twisted from the phoenix tree.
"Aren't phoenixes said to love phoenix trees? This should suit Third Senior Brother's taste."
Yue Zhiyin's face turned dark; he had no desire to answer.
Ming Lou, however, seemed completely oblivious and continued to chatter on his own.
Yue Zhiyin, flying in mid-air, finally couldn't stand it anymore. He couldn't help but turn his head to scare Ming Lou, "You'd better shut your mouth tight and sit on my back quietly, or I'll throw you down."
"It'll be very cruel, very cruel, the kind where you're thrown down from a very, very high altitude."
"And smash your head."
Yue Zhiyin finished his scare and turned his head back, continuing to fly forward.
Ming Lou, sitting on his back, had a look of utter fearlessness. A pair of wings suddenly unfurled from his back, and he snorted arrogantly, "I can fly too, you know! Don't think you're the only one who can fly in the world. I'm just lazy."
Yue Zhiyin: "..."
This made him even more annoyed. Yes, you can fly, so why are you riding on my back?!