Don’t Discriminate Against Species

What did it feel like before birth?

Warm? Safe? Disconcerting?

Zhuang Qing couldn't open his eyes. He felt like an unborn fetus, cocooned in warmth. Someone was singing an incomprehensible folk song in the distance, the tune strange yet familiar.

"The universe contains all that is living. The skies are vast, the earth is boundless. Likewise, all that is living is immense. The universe was a formless mass at first; the skies became the skies, the earth became the earth, and everything came to life."

"Heavenly law is ruthless, but also sentimental. All life forms have an opportunity to live; the dead are also alive, and the living are also dead."

"There is no eternal life in the world, but there is eternity..."

Zhuang Qing opened his eyes and found his soul standing on a dark red river. Stunning red flowers bloomed aplenty along both sides of the river. He was standing on a black sailboat. The ferryman was wearing a conical bamboo man and was clothed in a black-azure robe, the empty edges of his robe fluttering in the air.

"Where are you bringing me?" Zhuang Qing lowered his head and saw that he was wearing a brocade gown embroidered with gorgeous dark patterns.

"Naturally, I'm sending you to the place you should be at," The ferryman didn't even turn his head. "Young Master has altered the fiend's fate of turning into the scourge of the world. Young Master possesses countless virtue and will be a monarch in your next life, certain to leave your name in the annals."

Zhuang Qing realized then that he was dreaming.

Cultivators didn't dream easily, but if they did, then it served as an omen.

The ferryman once again launched into song, singing the same strange tune. Zhuang Qing stood at the edge of the boat and watched the scenery on both sides of the river slowly go past. He saw his reflection on the river. This was not his face.

Or rather, this was not how he looked.

The reflection on the river was blurry, and he couldn't make out his appearance very clearly, but Zhuang Qing could tell with one glance that he did not have such a stature, nor would he wear clothes for the dead.

A white jade band with a flying dragon. A black robe with golden patterns. The style of this attire was, however, that of people who had passed on.

"This is the Wangchuan River?"

He felt something itchy on his cheek. He wiped a hand against it, and a dark red bloody blotch appeared on his palm.

"Young Master has extraordinary knowledge…" The ferryman turned to look at him. An odd look took shape on his aged face. Soon after, he stopped rowing. "Young Master has come to the wrong place."

Zhuang Qing looked at him silently.

It was said that the underworld ferrymen were the ones who transported newly deceased ghosts across the Wangchuan River, from the hands of the yinchai to the Eighteenth Yama Palace to have their fates told by the Judges of the underworld.

Zhuang Qing recalled that the underworld had already modernized its management practices for a very long time. A tall bridge had been erected over the Wangchuan River, along with regular bus services. The ferrymen had long lost their jobs; some had started cruise businesses, and he had heard that they were getting by quite well.

"I'll send you back," The ferryman bowed deeply to Zhuang Qing before turning the boat back.

Water gurgled. There was a gentle breeze. If not for the strange color of the riverwater, one would very easily think about the beautiful and peaceful Jiangnan Three Moons. The ferryman once again sang that strange tune. Zhuang Qing closed his eyes, latched onto the peculiarities in the air, and struggled free of the dreamscape.

When he next opened his eyes, what he saw was the pretty patterns on the bed pillars. Zhuang Qing discovered that the Dragon Pearl within his body had increased in strength by quite a bit, and his old ailments had all vanished. His entire body was in an unparalleled state of relaxation.

"You're awake?"

Zhuang Qing turned around and saw Fu Li seated by the bed. His smiling eyes were exceedingly good-looking.

"How long did I sleep?" Zhuang Qing sat up on the bed. Strength seemed to be coursing throughout his entire body and his cultivation had also advanced significantly.

"Not long, just one night," Fu Li took out a jade bottle. "Ah, open your mouth."

Was he coaxing a child? Zhuang Qing stared at Fu Li for two seconds before opening his mouth in resignation.

The medicinal pill dissolved immediately upon entering his mouth, and Zhuang Qing felt a burst of spiritual qi through all his limbs and meridians. Every pore felt exceedingly relaxed. "What was that?"

"Good stuff I got from Sister Zhu Yue," Fu Li took out a set of clothes from his Qiankun pouch for Zhuang Qing. "In the entire Reflecting Mist Mountain, Sister Zhu Yue is the best at concocting medicine. Any type of medicine taken from her is definitely good stuff."

"You know how to concoct medicine too?" Zhuang Qing tapped the clothes in Fu Li's hands and they automatically appeared on his body.

"I was fond of lazing around at that time and I didn't have the patience to learn. I couldn't sit still in front of the pill-refining furnace, so I have little personal experience with concocting pills, although I know the steps for pill-concoction," Fu Li glanced at Zhuang Qing's clothes. He was very satisfied with his vision. As expected, Zhuang little dragon looked good in this set.

Recalling Zhu Yue's dubious identity as well as her formidable powers, Zhuang Qing could practically envisage the leisurely days Fu Li had had from young. Anything he wanted would be delivered to his hands with just a word, and he would naturally have a huge group of yao coaxing him if he was even a teeny bit unhappy.

He was the yao world's little princess.

"An expert in theory, but an amateur in practice?" Zhuang Qing raised a brow.

"That's not right either. I was just a little bit more playful, that's all," Fu Li used his hands to show a small distance, making a supreme effort to preserve his dignity as a senior.

Zhuang Qing was about to reply when he heard the sound of footsteps outside. The smiling expression on his face vanished, and he glanced in the direction of the door.

"You're awake?" Zhu Yue pushed open the door and came in. Seeing the clothes Zhuang Qing was wearing, she smiled. "No wonder Little Li left the sea in a rush this morning, so it was to buy this set of clothes."

"Many thanks for saving me, Senior," Zhuang Qing stepped forward and bowed deeply to Zhu Yue with respect.

"No need to stand on ceremony," Zhu Yue evaded half the bow, extending a hand as if to support him. "Little Li was the child I watched grow up, and you were injured to this extent for the sake of saving him. If there is any thanks to be said, it should be coming from me."

"Senior has misunderstood," Zhuang Qing took a step back and bowed fully with his hands held in front. He still completed this bow. "It is my personal desire to share in trials and hardships with a colleague. This was done for my own sake, so there is no need for anyone to thank me. The fact that Senior rescued this junior and even healed this junior's old ailments is a favor that this junior owes to Senior."

Zhu Yue stared blankly for a moment before understanding what Zhuang Qing meant. He had saved Fu Li out of his own free will, so thanking him was a form of blasphemy towards his kind intentions. However, she did him a good turn by saving him. Therefore, he had to thank her.

This realization did not anger Zhu Yue but delighted her. She rejoiced that Fu Li had found such a good friend.

"In my heart, Little Li is my child. Since you and Little Li are good friends, then you are tantamount to a son of mine. Saving one's son is only right and proper, what need is there for thanks?" The smile on Zhu Yue's face became even gentler. "Isn't that right?"

"Sister Zhu Yue…"

"Little Fu Li, I've told you many times that you must call me auntie!"

"No, King Ganglie said that pretty girls should be called sister and not auntie," Fu Li shook his head persistently. "The King is the master of the mountain, so we have to listen to him."

That stupid pig doesn't know how to teach anything good, Zhu Yue cursed inwardly. Raising her head, she smiled at Fu Li. "Since you know how to coax girls so well, you can now find a female yao you like?"

Zhuang Qing's gaze lingered on Fu Li. He remained silent.

Fu Li shook his head blankly. "Why do I have to find a female yao I like?"

"Ai," Zhu Yue shook her head. "Still too young to understand all these. You'll understand when you're older."

"Auntie Zhu Yue, this junior has a residence in the human world. You and Fu Li haven't seen each other for many years, why not first go to this junior's place and have a good chat with Fu Li about the past?" Zhuang Qing didn't let the talk of finding a female yao continue and instead invited Zhu Yue to his house as a guest.

His enthusiastic and hospitable attitude was completely inconsistent with his usual aloofness.

No matter how awkward and cold Zhuang little dragon was usually, he was still a good child who respected seniors on the inside, thought Fu Li.

"No need," Zhu Yue smiled. "I still have some matters to attend to, so I won't be going with you to the human world."

"Sister Zhu Yue!" Fu Li was a bit anxious and also very confused. "Why don't you want to live with me?" Just like they had two thousand years ago. Was that not nice?

"I haven't settled some things, I'll come find you when I'm free," Zhu Yue helped Fu Li tidy his clothes. "You're already so big, don't tell me you still need auntie to be by your side all the time. Aren't you afraid that your friends will laugh at you?"

"Zhuang little dragon won't be that senseless," Fu Li subconsciously converted 'friends' to 'Zhuang Qing'. "Sister Zhu Yue, leave with us? Let's leave together."

"You're already more than 4200 years old, why are you still so much like a child?" Zhu Yue smiled and rapped Fu Li's head. "I still remember the moment Stupid Pig and White Ape brought you back 4200 years ago. I stretched out my hands, wanting to carry you. In the end, you cried till the sky changed shades and the day lost its light. In a blink of an eye, you grew so big and even made a pretty good friend."

The hand on Fu Li's head didn't have much force. It was gentle and warm, just like her love for Fu Li.

"Be good. Wait for auntie to finish her business before finding you," Seeing that Fu Li didn't seem very happy, Zhu Yue fished out a large pile of things from her Qiankun pouch and poured them into Fu Li's Qiankun pouch. "Use voice transmission to contact auntie if there's anything, don't let yourself be wronged. Take all these snacks to eat, auntie has more here once you're done."

"Sister Zhu Yue, I'm not a little kid anymore," Fu Li touched the spiritual fruits in his Qiankun pouch, thinking about how the mountain's elders loved to shove things at him during his childhood when they had to leave the mountain and couldn't bring him along.

He hadn't expected them to still only have this one move after so many years had gone by.

"If you're not a little kid, then you have to learn how to live independently away from your parents," Zhu Yue tapped Fu Li's forehead. "Don't worry, as long as you need me, you'll definitely be able to find me."

They had parted for two thousand years. Although Fu Li intentionally played down this matter, Zhu Yue knew very well in her heart that Fu Li had not wanted to separate from her.

If she could, she would want to personally raise this child forever as well, pampering him and protecting him just like the past.

But she couldn't.

That year, they had peered into a sliver of Heaven's Will and survived with much difficulty. They had wanted to live on for a very long time, wanted to accompany Fu Li for a bit more.

Fu Li knew that no one would be able to change Sister Pheasant's mind once she set her heart on something. He forced out a smile and took a lot of snacks he had prepared for the Kunpeng and Gong Fu from his Qiankun pouch, stuffing all of them into Zhu Yue's hands.

"These are snacks from the human world, some of them taste quite good. Although they don't contain spiritual qi, eating them to pass the time isn't a bad thing." Fu Li whispered into Zhu Yue's ear, "There are two bags of Zhuyu fruits in there. During the ancient times, only the Fenghuang could eat them. Take it and eat them, I'll pluck more for you when I go back."

The Fenghuang were birds, and Sister Pheasant was also a bird. Things that a Fenghuang liked to eat would definitely be of benefit to a pheasant. If he had known earlier that he would be reunited with Sister Pheasant, he would have plucked a few more.

"Zhuyu fruit?" The smile on Zhu Yue's face froze before very quickly reverting back to normal. "That's good stuff."

Zhuang Qing, who was standing behind Fu Li, glanced a few times at Zhu Yue. Zhu Yue raised her head, meeting his beautiful eyes.

Zhuang Qing smiled faintly at Zhu Yue. In that instant, his handsome looks were beyond good-looking, as if snow had faded away and spring had come.