Feng (Chinese: 凤, “Wind”) was a spirit loong who lived in the Age of Desolation. She was the former owner of the Dragon Ball from which Leiting inherited her power. Leiting occasionally experiences flashbacks of Feng’s memories in her dreams or triggered by specific stimuli. Through these memories and Chinese folklore, she gradually pieces together Feng’s story.
Origin
In Leiting’s intuition, Feng was originally an Eastern Loong (scientific name: Loong sinensis sanhai, conservation status: Extinct) that lived on the ancient Sanhai Plain (Chinese: 古三海平原, the Ancient Three China Seas Plain) 12,000 years ago. Her species might have inspired the Loong (龙, Chinese Dragon) totems in Chinese culture. This species went extinct due to its inability to adapt to the sudden temperature drop during the Younger Dryas cool period of the Upper Paleolithic era (Old Stone Age).
Feng was the last Eastern Loong to survive the Upper Paleolithic era. During a harsh winter, she became a spirit animal and initially used her power to create fire. Later, she transformed into a human and was taken in by a tribe called “Nüwa” (Chinese: 女娲). The day she joined the tribe was cold and windy, so they named her Feng (Chinese: 凤, the Phoenix, an interchangeable character to 风, the wind).
Although Qiuye guessed that Feng might be the inspiration of the genesis goddess Nüwa in Chinese folklore who repaired the sky, based on Leiting’s description of Feng’s interests in making pottery and engaging in astronomical observations, Leiting doesn’t think it was likely because Feng did both tasks quite poorly.
Personality
Feng was cheerful, straightforward, and rough, with a keen interest in human affairs and an enthusiastic desire to try everything. However, she struggles with abstract concepts in language and prefers hands-on experience to grasp skills. At times, she displays impatience and anger like a typical animal.
Because Feng had experienced the demise of her pack, Feng was highly sensitive to matters concerning her tribe’s survival.
Specialties
Feng was a keen observer and fast learner, quickly adapting to new situations. The tribe’s elders recognized her potential and dedicated themselves to training her.
Feng had the agile physique of the Loong species, making her the fastest runner in the tribe. She excelled in archery and close-quarters combat, having once subdued large carnivorous animals like a Pixiu (Chinese: 貔貅, ancient north Asian lion) with basic weapons, earning her a reputation as a skilled hunter both near and far.
Feng possessed remarkable spirit power and actively experimented with it, gradually creating “spells” to aid her daily life.
Life
Feng used her powers to help the tribe maintain fires, heal the sick, and sense natural disasters, earning her the status of an “oracle.” She embodied the early symbiotic relationship between humans and spirit animals.
Feng was learning to make pottery, but her skills weren’t very good. She enjoyed creating primitive animal-themed pieces and casting spells to make them “come alive” for pranks.
Feng studied astrology and calendars under the guidance of the tribe’s priests, but she was struggling. Leiting notices that the ancient night sky in Feng’s time looked quite different from the modern one.
Unable to accept her kind’s extinction, Feng continued searching for the remaining Eastern Loongs.
Relationships
After arriving at the Nüwa clan, Feng was arranged to live with a member named Xi (Chinese: 羲, the sun), and the two became like siblings.
Although the spirit power Leiting inherited from Feng’s Dragon Ball was weak, the karma associated with it is exceptionally strong. It seems that all of China owes a significant favor to the former owner of this power. This aligns with Qiuye’s hypothesis that Feng inspired the legend of Nüwa, the goddess who repaired the sky and created humanity. Due to this karma, Leiting’s spirit power easily influences external objects; for instance, many artifacts in museums would “come alive” in her presence.
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