Don’t Discriminate Against Species

Zhu Yue didn't dare to voice the subsequent words, and even more so did she not dare to let Fu Li hear it. Fu Li had been by their side since birth and was the child they had personally brought up. From young, he had been taught to adore this world and to respect Heaven and Earth; his personality could not be any kinder.

Divinations of his fate had stated that his birth was in keeping with heavenly law, his eventual death would take place amidst a chaotic world, and that he was destined to be lonely and grim all his life. As the Vermilion Bird, one of the divine beasts of the four directions of Heaven and Earth, Zhu Yue was unable to sincerely proclaim this divination as entirely false, no matter how much she wanted to. But she could not accept it. Fu Li had been raised so well by them and was so obedient, how could he become a fiend that would thrust the world into chaos? Was heavenly law seriously that blind?

"Sister Zhu Yue?" Standing along the corridor, Fu Li stared blankly at Zhu Yue, whose sword was pointing at Kang Gu. The King and Sister Zhu Yue hadn't met for two thousand years but fought upon meeting, how contradictory was that?

Seeing that Fu Li had come down, Zhu Yue kept her sword. With a wave of her sleeves, everything in the house returned to its original state. "Nothing, I was playing around with this old pig to see if his cultivation had dropped during these few years."

"Oh," A smile stretched across Fu Li's face. "Did you come to participate in mine and Zhuang little dragon's Dao Bonding Ceremony after receiving news from the King?" Fu Li quickly made his way downstairs, happiness palpable on his face.

Zhuang Qing followed behind him, silently watching Zhu Yue. Fu Li was close to these elders and doubting what they said was a difficult matter for him, which was why he couldn't tell that the atmosphere between Zhu Yue and Kang Gu wasn't very normal. But Zhuang Qing had lived alone for 1900 years and was more sensitive to emotions than Fu Li. He feared that the great yao Zhu Yue had not come to participate in his and Fu Li's Dao Bonding Ceremony.

"I'm not…" Zhu Yue suddenly stopped speaking midway through her statement as she stared at Fu Li, who had already come near. How did that golden glow of virtue and purple qi on him come about? Her fingers curled up in divination, her expression seemingly delighted yet sorrowful. A long while later, she turned to look at Zhuang Qing, who was standing on the last step of the staircase. The last time she saw Zhuang Qing at the golden dragon palace, the purple qi and golden glow of virtue on him hadn't been this thick. Now that she was seeing him again, he was much stronger than before, and his entire person seemed to give off the nine words 'anyone who touches me will be out of luck'.

"Yup, I rushed over from the sea after receiving Kang Gu's message," Zhu Yue smiled as she corrected her tone. "You will be a yao with a family in the future, you must cultivate well and not slack off like in the past."

Fu Li scratched his head smilingly. Zhu Yue took out gifts from her Qiankun pouch and stuffed them into the arms of the two juniors before heading to the other rooms in search of the Xing Xing and Baize. The Xing Xing and Baize had steady personalities, and were not too surprised upon seeing Zhu Yue. Only after erecting a soundproofing barrier in the room did the Baize say, "Finally willing to come back after spending enough time at sea?"

"Was it the two of you who came up with the idea of Little Li and Zhuang Qing becoming Dao Companions?" Zhu Yue sat on the windowsill, watching Zhuang Qing and Fu Li crouch and plant flowers in the tiny flower garden. "It was truly beyond my expectations that Little Li's chance at survival would be right under our noses."

"The two little juniors already had feelings for each other, we didn't come up with any idea," The Baize's gaze followed Zhu Yue's line of sight. Fu Li had just picked a flower and was placing it on Zhuang Qing's head while Zhuang Qing directed a helpless yet indulging gaze at him. Their relationship couldn't be any better.

"It's pretty good like this. The person he likes is a good match for his fate, there's no need to make a choice that compromises his fate for the sake of survival," Zhu Yue smiled. She rested a hand on her knee and leaned against the wall, retracting her gaze. "When I met Zhuang Qing the other time, his natal chart didn't seem as good as it is now."

"He's now the Dragon Emperor of the aquatic races, naturally he's different from the past," The Baize pushed his glasses up. "Water is of utmost importance to all living creatures. Now that he controls all aquatic races, his fate will naturally differ from the past."

"He really encountered all the good things," Zhu Yue's tone was complex. "There is a phrase in the human world - 'every generation supersedes the previous, engulfing the previous generation'. Us earlier generations can't compare to this junior."

"If you knew who he was in his previous life, your mood will probably become even more complex," The Xing Xing sat on the chair in an exceedingly laidback manner. "You've been drifting about the sea for so long partially because you want to help Fu Li find his chance at life, and partially because you may not want to face the Earth. You don't want to acknowledge that this world has already forgotten you, the Vermilion Bird, one of the divine beasts of the four directions. Am I right?"

Zhu Yue stared wordlessly at the hand resting on her knee.

"The new replacing the old and the transformations of the world - these have to be accepted sooner or later," The Xing Xing let out a clear and bright laugh. "Anyone living, whether human or yao, will experience prosperity and decline, ups and downs. You have lived to this great age - if you still can't understand this, then your many years of cultivation have really been for naught."

Zhu Yue sneered. “So what if I understand? So what if I don’t understand? Since that is the inevitable ending, am I not allowed to even be upset?”

“Who said all things are inevitable?” The Xing Xing pointed at Fu Li, who was stooping over and pulling out weeds. “There will always be changes and new endings.”

The corners of Zhu Yue's lips moved, but she ultimately did not refute the Xing Xing's words.

"Little Li and Zhuang Qing's Dao Bonding Ceremony has been arranged on the eighteenth of the next month. It's a day when all five elements are free, and Heaven and Earth are in harmony," Seeing that Zhu Yue didn't wish to talk, the Baize brought up Fu Li's Dao Bonding Ceremony. "We've calculated everything, what do you think about it?"

"Since all you old ones say it's not bad, then there definitely isn't any issue," A smile took shape on Zhu Yue's face, though her face turned somewhat disappointed subsequently. "If Kunlun Mountain were still around, Little Li and Zhuang Qing's Dao Bonding Ceremony could have been held there. That would be most grand."

"In this era, what use is there in making everything so grand?" The Xing Xing fished out fruits from his Qiankun pouch to nibble on. "The two children have a good relationship, that's stronger than anything else."

"You really are open-minded about everything," Zhu Yue jumped down from the windowsill. "Have the invitation cards all been prepared? Old Kang, you have to personally make the auspicious clothes worn on the day of the Dao Bonding Ceremony. We might not be as well-off as we were in the past, but things can't be too unsightly either."

"Relax, I'll personally make the clothes, and you and the Baize can add the talisman patterns to them. As for the fire for refining the clothes, old Fenghuang's true flame will be used. It'll definitely be both pretty and practical, even if we encounter…"

"Shut up!" Zhu Yue said. "If you don't know how to talk, then do less of it."

Kang Gu: …

The flowers in Zhuang Qing's flower garden were all managed by the little yao of the aquatic races when they came by, and Zhuang Qing usually didn't care much for them. Despite Fu Li pulling up all the flowers and scattering what he claimed to be flower seeds he brought from Reflecting Mist Mountain, Zhuang Qing didn't have any objections and even helped Fu Li with the weeding.

"I recall this flower being particularly pretty - it blooms in many different colors. Every time it blooms, the Seven-Colored Deer will be especially ecstatic and eat all the way from the top of the mountain to the foot of the mountain," As Fu Li scattered the seeds, he described to Zhuang Qing the appearance of the flowers when in bloom. "This type of flower is very tiny when it blooms, but when moonlight comes out at night, it emits pretty rays of light that makes for a beautiful sight. However, it doesn't taste very good when eaten, it's a bit on the sour side. Everyone usually eats a lot of meat, so they'll usually use it for brewing soup."

Zhuang Qing: …

So after everything was said and done, the prettiest flower was eventually still taken as food by the yao cultivators of Reflecting Mist Mountain?

"It's a pity that the spiritual qi in the human world is thin. I don't know how long these flowers will take to bloom when planted here," Fu Li stuffed the flower seeds into mud pits, piled mud into the pits, and then ferociously stomped down twice on them with his foot.

Zhuang Qing: With how much force he used to stomp on it, they would probably never bloom.

After completing the planting, Fu Li brought Zhuang Qing to the dimension in the study room. He fished out a clay jar and told Zhuang Qing mysteriously, "Inside this is the Crystal Flower. All its petals are transparent and when it blooms, it's like all the stars in the sky have landed on the ground. It's incredibly beautiful."

"Can it be eaten?" Zhuang Qing, who was already accustomed to Fu Li's logic, took the initiative to pose this question.

"Zhuang little dragon, how can you be like this? Don't just think of eating every single thing," Fu Li took out a golden staff from his Qiankun pouch, poked a hole in the ground, and threw in a single flower seed. "Although this flower isn't edible, a transparent crystal will be formed when it withers. This kind of crystal is a very good ornament - it doesn't melt upon contact with water and won't crack upon contact with fire. Aren't you fond of shiny things? After these flowers become fruits, I'll make a bonsai out of them for you."

"These external objects aren't important to me," Zhuang Qing said with a straight face. Taking the golden staff from Fu Li, he helped him to poke holes. "You don't have to make things hard for yourself over such things."

"You're already my dragon, how can I not know your interests?" Fu Li's face drifted over and he pecked the corner of Zhuang Qing's mouth. "You're a dragon after all, there's nothing embarrassing about liking these shiny things. Be good, Fu ge will pamper you."

Hearing these words, Zhuang Qing was happy but also found it ridiculous. Tugging Fu Li over, he kissed him hard on the face twice before saying in a huff, "Then you must pamper me well tonight."

"Zhuang little dragon, you're becoming more and more naughty now. Can't you think of anything else other than mating?" Fu Li's tone of voice was resentful, but his eyes glittered with a light that shone even brighter than the Crystal Flower seeds in his hands.

"En, I'm only naughty with you," Zhuang Qing laughed into his ears, the sound of his laughter numbing Fu Li's entire body. He pushed Zhuang Qing away. "Do your work well, don't slack off."

After the sparkling, translucent Crystal Flower seeds were placed in the earth, covered with soil, and watered with spiritual spring water, perhaps many, many Crystal Flowers would bloom in the following year, turning the entire dimension into an expanse of beauty.

Zhuang Qing looked at Fu Li, who was diligently counting the seeds, calculating the number that would survive and what bonsai would be suitable. The corners of his mouth curved. This dimension was truly warm, even his heart had also warmed.

"The quality of the earth on this side is suitable for planting flowers of the peony or Chinese rose variety," After planting all the Crystal Flower seeds, Zhuang Qing pointed at a plot of land at the side a short distance away. "The colors won't look too monotonous that way."

"Peony?" Fu Li raised a brow. He side-eyed Zhuang Qing with just a bit of displeasure.

Zhuang Qing was baffled by Fu Li's gaze, though he still nodded. "If you dislike peonies, then that seven-colored flower you previously planted is also very suitable."

"The seven-colored flower it is then," Fu Li started scattering seven-colored flower seeds outwards.

"You're not planting peonies?"

"I don't like peonies," Fu Li stamped down vigorously on the mud. "They're ugly."

Zhuang Qing was silent for two seconds before nodding. "Peonies are indeed a little gaudy, it's normal for you not to like them."

Fu Li snorted lightly and accidentally tossed a few extra seeds into the pits.

Zhuang Qing: …

What was going on?

After the two of them celebrated love on the bed that night, Zhuang Qing, who was still in the dark about the truth, very resolutely expressed his stance, declaring that he and Fu Li shared identical interests and a sense of aesthetics. Therefore, their lives together would definitely be very harmonious in the future.

Fu Li turned over. "Oh."

Zhuang Qing: …

He finally understood what it was like to be at a loss as to what to do when his lover suddenly became angry. Pulling the other person under his blanket, he hardened his heart and gritted his teeth, calling out forms of address that made him somewhat shy, "Don't you always say you're my brother, why are you unhappy out of nowhere now? It's still not okay if I call you brother? Brother Fu? Big brother Fu? Bro Fu?"

Fu Li turned around, meeting Zhuang Qing's gaze. He asked softly, "Am I that sort of narrow-minded person?"

"You're not, I was overthinking," Borrowing the moonlight that shone through the windows, Zhuang Qing stared at Fu Li's eyes that were curved in laughter. "Our Fu ge is the most imposing, en?"

"That's still acceptable," Fu Li pinched Zhuang Qing's waist. "Sleep. It's a holiday tomorrow, do you want to go to the sea?"

Zhuang Qing kissed the corner of Fu Li's mouth. "Can you accompany me there tomorrow? I'll treat you to crispy mala lobster on the way back."

"And fish."

"Okay, and fish."

Zhuang Qing was half-asleep in the middle of the night when he felt a light peck land on his lips.

"I was messing around with you, you silly youngster. Any random look I give you can scare you silly, aren't you a fool?"

He subconsciously hugged the person in his embrace tighter. It was all warm and soft, extremely comfortable.

As if he were a wandering traveler in the chilly night finally finding a warmth that belonged solely to him.