Don't Discriminate Against Species

Chapter 133 - He’s Back

In Fu Li’s eyes, the hatred-filled world was black and red, containing an unbearable repulsiveness that tainted virtually all aspects of it. His people – countless yao clans – were struggling in this repulsiveness. Just like ants washed away by a flood, they drifted along the currents of fate, only for their corpses to eventually rest at the bottom of the sea.

“Fu Li!”

“Fu Li!”

Fu Li retracted the foot that had stepped into the heart of the formation, turning to look at the man sprinting towards him. In this red and black world, this man actually gave off a golden glow. The light was not striking in the overwhelming black and red, but it gripped all of Fu Li’s attention. He raised a hand, looking at his fair palm, and then spread out his five fingers. With just a smidgen of force, this little dragon that radiated golden light would vanish before him.

But for some reason unknown to him, his body seemed to have lost its usual awareness. His meridians were in chaos, and his mind violently resisted the order.

Furrowing his brows, he placed the hand behind his back, allowing the man that morphed from dragon to grab the other hand. His body possessed a powerful ability to corrode. The instant the man came into contact with him, he smelled the scent of burning flesh. What stupefied him was that even then, the man still didn’t let go.

His brows furrowed even further, and he subconsciously controlled his innate ability, withdrawing his innate corrosion. “What do you want?”

“Fu Li, you said you wanted to go to university and become a civil servant. And... you promised the past me that you would take a good look at this world on my behalf. Have you forgotten all of that?” Zhuang Qing felt Fu Li withdrawing his corrosion ability and joy reverberated in his heart. Even under the influence of the summoning formation, Fu Li still couldn’t bear to hurt him.

“Civil servant?” There was a clear understanding of civil servants in Fu Li’s mind. He sneered, “It’s nothing more than the job of lowly humans, why would I want to become one?” He kicked Zhuang Qing aside, towering over him. “Little dragon, retreat to one side, otherwise I’ll kill you.”

“If I had to let you walk into this formation, I’d rather let you kill me,” Zhuang Qing stretched out a hand, and the sword he had tossed to a corner flew into his grip. “Fu Li, you told me humans are very interesting, and that they had strong creativity and many interesting personalities. Did you forget all that too?”

“But humans also have many hateful characteristics – greed, selfishness, jealousy...” Fu Li laughed bitterly. “The water was polluted by them, the trees were cut down by them, and even the sea that is home to you aquatic races have been sullied by all sorts of secretions. Wouldn’t it be better for such disgusting creatures to vanish from this world?”

The thundering clouds in the skies roiled. The entire sky was illuminated from the glow of lightning, but when lightning disappeared, the sky was only an expanse of black, just like an enormous black hole that would never see sunlight, moonlight, or starlight.

Zhuang Qing looked up at the sky. That area was especially still, so still that it made him uneasy. What was brewing there? Was it tribulation clouds of unrivaled strength? Or heavenly law’s dissatisfaction towards a certain race?

“You draw your sword because you want to kill me?” Fu Li’s laughter was filled with ridicule for Zhuang Qing. He was laughing at Zhuang Qing’s wild imagination and also mocking the gutlessness of the other yao cultivators.

He raised his chin. His loathing for the yao cultivators present was palpable in every motion and gaze.

“Baize, Kunpeng, Yazi, Gong Fu...” He glanced from the corner of his eyes at the other yao cultivators from the management bureau, too lazy to even call out their names. “Are you afraid of me? Or deep down in your heart, are you also looking forward to me destroying this human world so that my yao race can recover its glory?”

The Baize took a few steps forward, his gaze fixed on this unfamiliar Fu Li. He closed his years. The year the Xing Xing and Dangkang brought Fu Li back, he had disapproved of raising a fiend with an unknown nature. But before he had even voiced his objections, he met Fu Li’s black and limpid eyes.

Fu Li couldn’t be tinier back then. White fur covered a body that wasn’t even as large as a mouse. When those black, watery eyes stared at him, he had the misperception that even the sound of his breathing was too loud.

Many fiends were small and weak during their infant period. A proportion of them would have incomparably ugly appearances and sharp needles all over their bodies to enable their survival, while others would appear especially cute or good-looking to muddle the minds of other creatures.

The Baize had a very clear understanding of this. But when he looked upon the feeble and helpless Fu Li, his thoughts at that time were to first observe and then sort him out if he did anything wrong. And then, more than four thousand years went by. During this period, he had concocted medicinal pills for the yao child, told him stories, dressed him, fed him, and taught him how to draw talismans. Even when the child was stirring up a ruckus and being disobedient, all he did was pick him up by the ears and give him a scare. He had never even raised a hand against him once.

To be looked at with such a gaze by the child he had personally brought up, the Baize felt an ice-cold wind scrape past what felt like his empty valley of a heart. His heart felt so cold that it hurt.

“All living things in the world have their own laws of prosperity and decay. Even if you kill off all humans, there will be other creatures that take their place,” The Baize walked very slowly, taking every step with the utmost stability. “There will be a day when humans get their just deserts for polluting the environment and wasting Heaven and Earth’s natural resources. Their fate will change, but their punishment shouldn’t be up to you. It is Heaven and Earth who makes the decision.”

Compared to the races who had also once prospered, the humans were probably the species who had risen the fastest. But given their ways of living, they would probably also be the fastest species to go extinct.

“The yao race is weak. The whole world has entered a era without magic not because of the humans, but because the yao race employed their power without restraint, overturning mountains and seas, and wantonly murdering other living creatures,” The Baize pointed at the sky. “There is a limit to everything. The Heavens see everything that all races do. If too many wrongs are committed, their eventual fate can only be Heaven’s Wrath.”

“The yao race has already done wrong, don’t tell me you want to repeat the same mistakes?” The Baize came to a halt below the steps and looked up at Fu Li, who was standing on the steps. “It’s all right if you’re unresigned, it’s also fine if you’re angry, but you should let go of the yao race. Time will never turn back, and the yao race will also not recover its past splendor because of slaughter. As long as you’re alive and living well, there is hope. If you insist on going against heavenly law, then only extinction awaits us yao.”

Fu Li gazed at the jet-black sky, smiling coldly. “The strong die, and the weak also die. If those useless yao trash die, then they die. What use is there in living?”

Upon hearing these words, Zhuang Qing stared at Fu Li’s eyes. Red flickered within his black eyes. They were a gorgeous sight, no gem in this world could be more beautiful than them. But they were dead; there was no emotion in them, nor was there him.

“My emperor, you’re right. If incompetent yao cultivators die, then they die. This world has no need for cowardly and incompetent creatures.” Nine monsters crawled out of a crack behind the summoning formation. These monsters resembled both snakes and Jiao. They possessed sharp fangs and their laughter sounded like an infant’s wail. Despite having a cultivation of more than a thousand years, yao like Chu Yu and Ning Xuan were unable to resist the laughter. Covering their ears, they spat out blood.

Gong Fu erected a barrier around them, and only then did their minds feel more at ease. They looked upon the nine monsters who had emerged abruptly with immense discomfort in their hearts. They could be considered well-known figures in the cultivation world, but when they really came into contact with these great yao, they had no way of resisting the other’s laughter, let alone fight it.

The difference in strength was too great. Looking at the ink-black sky, the worry in their hearts deepened.

“Song Yu, what’s this nine-headed monster?” Chu Yu asked Song Yu beside him. As a yao cultivator who had survived the ancient times, Song Yu definitely knew the identity of this monster.

“It doesn’t have nine heads but a single head,” Song Yu’s lips paled with fright. His voice shook as he spoke. “This yao beast is called Jiuying.”

Jiuying had nine heads and cultivated the Dao of both fire and water. Its cultivation was profound and it was adept at scheming. It was a very famous evil beast during ancient times.

Song Yu had just responded when the nine-headed monster walked out. Its nine massive heads scanned every yao cultivator present before it transformed into its human form and walked to Fu Li, kneeling in worship before him. “This subject is Jiuying. This subject greets His Majesty.”

“What are you?” Fu Li lowered his head to look at the man kneeling in front of him. His brows wrinkled slightly.

“This subject is the yao who summoned you, a faithful subject of yours,” Jiuying bowed, acknowledging his allegiance to Fu Li.

Yazi’s features twisted with fury from where he stood beside Gong Fu. “That’s also what he said when he relied on me for help.”

Sure enough, a yaoguai with nine heads was shameless. He had too many faces, so casually throwing them into the trash wasn’t an issue.

“Your subject stole your dragon qi and used it to set up a magic formation,” Gong Fu’s expression was grave. Pity and helplessness filled the gaze he directed at Yazi. “You’d better pray that Fu Li doesn’t really destroy the human world, otherwise...”

Otherwise when heavenly law settled the accounts, there would be no escape for Yazi either.

Yazi’s face darkened. He itched to pummel Jiuying to death, but when he caught sight of Fu Li standing in front of Jiuying, he instantly calmed down.

What question couldn’t be slowly talked over? What use was there in employing force? Even Yazi, who previously held the title of God of War among the yao, also understood what ‘give and take’ meant and to plan before taking action.

“Subject?” Fu Li scoffed. Raising his chin high, he said coldly, “Scram, I don’t want an ugly and furless yao cultivator as my subject.”

Despite the fact that his memories were being suppressed by the hatred that poured in from all directions, his body still remembered his disgust for snake-like creatures.

Jiuying never thought that the yao emperor he had summoned would actually be of such eccentric character. But when he thought about how the yao emperor would soon wreck destruction on the world, he gave a deep, deferential bow and then withdrew to the side.

Fu Li didn’t even spare him a glance as he took a step towards the heart of the formation. Jiuying could barely suppress the smile on his face. At long last... at long last, he could take revenge for the humiliation he had suffered during those years.

Ten thousand years ago, he was wounded by a certain human clan and made to suffer from the Five Elements under the continued suppression of magic devices. He had vowed at that time that should he ever manage to leave, he would massacre all humans, no matter the price, as retribution for the ten thousand years of suffering he had been subjected to.

“Fu Li, you can’t go,” Zhuang Qing pulled on Fu Li’s arm without thinking. The resentment in the formation was increasing in force. Countless anguished howls sounded from within, resonating throughout the mountain.

“Ignorant junior, let go of His Majesty’s hand,” Jiuying hated the meddlesome Zhuang Qing. Turning into his original form, he pounced at Zhuang Qing with his mouth wide open.

“Scram!” Fu Li sent Jiuying flying with a slash of his whip. He didn’t even glance at Jiuying. “I said long ago that furless, ugly creatures should keep their distance from me!”

Chu Yu and Song Yu, who were hiding behind the barrier, simultaneously took several steps back.

“Let go!” Fu Li stared at the hand clasping his wrist, his brows furrowing into a knot. “Do you want to die?”

“If dying can prevent you from entering that place, then I would rather die,” Zhuang Qing’s clothes whipped about from the gusts of resentment. He stepped onto the first row of steps. “Fu Li, come back with me?”

Fu Li’s head hurt a little. He wanted to kill this hindrance of a little dragon, but every time he raised his hand, his body would leave his control. Feeling somewhat vexed, he pushed Zhuang Qing aside and set up a barrier between them before looking at the Baize icily. “What seal did you put on me that made me live like an ignorant larvae? I will definitely settle these accounts with all of you.”

The Baize was silent as he stood there.

Since Fu Li’s awakening, his every word was heartless and ruthless, but not once had he truly intended to kill them.

Didn’t he want to destroy the human world? Why then was he turning a blind eye to the yao cultivators who shared a close relationship with humans? The negative emotions in Heaven, Earth, and the Four Seas could influence Fu Li’s mind, but it couldn’t erase what lay in the depths of his soul.

Half of Fu Li’s body entered the heart of the formation. In a split second, the weather changed abruptly and the entire mountain shook.

“The flow of the ocean’s currents cannot be forecast.”

“There’s interference in the satellite monitoring data, accurate data cannot be obtained.”

“Unable to detect the source of the malfunction.”

“The water levels at the various coastal areas are rising. Please decide if the emergency evacuation measures should be activated.”

“Many land areas are seeing earthquakes lights, water and oil spurting out from the ground, anomalies in groundwater, and so on. The earthquake bureau suspects that these are the indications of an earthquake.”

Emergency message after emergency message was transmitted to the headquarters of the major departments. The heads of the various departments looked up at the abnormally dark sky, and had an ominous premonition.

“Any news from the cultivators’ management bureau?”

“All management bureau staff have already set out, but there is still no concrete information.”

“Contact Chief Zhuang.”

“Unable to connect.”

“Activate... the emergency escape systems. Minimize casualties as far as possible.”

In the short span of an hour, the persons-in-charge of the various departments issued countless directives. Yet internally, they felt completely unprepared for what was going to happen. These years, as science and technology developed at increasingly rapid speeds, humans seemed to have become omnipotent. Only when their surroundings turned strange and chaotic did they come to realize how insignificant humans were.

They were not omnipotent, nor were they the rulers of Heaven and Earth.

Netizens were still giddily ridiculing celebrities and television dramas online, and there were even people complaining about the poor weather and whether or not foreign hackers were causing trouble.

An infant was crying at the top of their lungs. A young married couple was arguing over who should wash the dishes. A white-collared worker doing overtime was hesitating over whether or not they ought to order supper at the expense of their weight. After much pondering, they still ordered takeout. When the takeout arrived, a picture of it was posted to their Moments and they proclaimed themselves to be a foodie. After posting the picture, they took two bites, found the food too oily, and then threw the full box of food into the rubbish bin.

Along a street, several men were stuffing themselves at a food stall while blowing their own trumpets. As they bragged about the great business that they would do, they wondered internally how they could escape from paying the bill without coming across too petty. The boss of the food stall was stir-frying heavily-seasoned vegetables with plenty of oil. He used his dust-laden towel to wipe the sweat on his face and then picked up a large plate, dumping all the vegetables in the wok onto the plate. Without any heed for the plating, he turned and shoved the plate into the hands of his plump wife. The wife placed the plate of vegetables onto a customer’s table before wiping her oil-stained hands on her apron.

The people along the noisy street were in high spirits. None of them cared about the stars or moon in the skies. No matter how dark the skies, they could still render the darkness of night as bright as daytime. The little bit of radiance from the stars and moon were dispensable to humans. Only bored people and dating couples would occasionally think of using them as a way to express their moods.

In the originally chaotic and noisy human world, no one sensed just how disorderly the Five Elements were, let alone know what had occurred someplace they couldn’t see.

The spiritual qi and resentment in the heart of the formation was a formidable temptation to Fu Li. In the instant he touched the heart of the formation, boundless power surged into his body, nourishing his every meridian and muscle.

All he needed was to jump in. As long as he jumped into the heart of the formation, he would possess the power accumulated by countless yao cultivators and the power to rule over the world.

“Fu Li!” His arm was once again held back. Except for this arm, his entire person had already entered the heart of the formation. It seemed the chaotic Five Elements and dense resentment was immensely painful to this little dragon with virtue; Fu Li could see the other party’s exposed flesh on his wrist as drop after drop of fresh blood dripped into the heart of the formation.

This dragon was actually capable of breaking the barrier he set up?

“Useless, it’s useless,” Jiuying cackled maniacally as he watched Fu Li enter the heart of the formation. “He is the yao emperor born from the expectations of ten thousand yao. Once the formation is completed, it can’t be stopped.

“Heavenly law!” Jiuying pointed at the Heavens. “Since you’re unjust, I’ll show you the outcome of these humans.”

“Baize daren, what does he mean by that?” Gong Fu’s complexion was exceedingly ugly.

“The Worship of Ten Thousand Yao and the birth of the yao emperor cannot be undone,” The Baize’s complexion wasn’t much better than Gong Fu’s. “Even if Fu Li doesn’t enter the heart of the formation, the formation will still be executed.”

Which was why he didn’t prevent Fu Li from stepping into the heart of the formation, because it would all be futile. Jiuying was too deeply immersed in his madness; he had actually gathered so much resentment from yao cultivators and used the entire land as a formation, violating the natural order of Heaven and Earth.

Gong Fu glanced at the already-withering vegetation around them. “But if the formation isn’t undone, the humans along with the other living creatures will not be able to escape. Is there really no solution?”

“There used to be one,” The Baize coughed a few times, his complexion so pale that it was almost lifeless. “The four divine beasts who guard the four directions of Heaven and Earth. With them around, this sort of situation wouldn’t have happened.”

Gong Fu and Yazi fell silent. Their father was one of the four divine beasts, but he had already faded five thousand years ago, so how was it possible for the four divine beasts to be gathered?

“The Blue Dragon has faded, the whereabouts of the White Tiger and Black Tortoise are unknown, the Vermilion Bird...”

Two bird whistles sounded in the sky all of a sudden. A fiery-red Vermilion Bird and a multi-colored Fenghuang descended from the skies, stunning all the yao cultivators from the management bureau.

T-The Vermilion Bird and Fenghuang, in the flesh?

They grew even more amazed when the Vermilion Bird and Fenghuang turned into their original forms. Weren’t these two Fu ge’s elders? They were actually... the Fenghuang and Vermilion Bird?!

Zhu Yue’s first statement upon turning her human form was, “How is Fu Li?”

The Baize shook his head.

“Where’s the Xing Xing and Old Kang?” The Baize glanced behind them. Given how much they valued Fu Li, Old Kang and the Xing Xing should have already rushed over by now, unable to hold themselves back.

“The water level by the coast has risen, the Xing Xing and Dangkang rushed over with a few yao cultivators.” Staring at the Worship of Ten Thousand yao formation at the mountain, Zhu Yue said coldly, “Who did this?”

Her gaze swept across their surroundings. Discovering Jiuying kneeling outside the formation, she questioned with loathing, “Jiuying?” She raised her sword with the intention of killing him, but was blocked by the Baize. “He is the yao who activated the formation, we can’t touch him.”

To the yao emperor, the yao who summoned him was his faithful servant. Unless the yao emperor himself made a move, the death of this yao by the hands of another yao cultivator would be regarded as a provocation towards him. If not for this, why else would Jiuying still be alive and well now?

But Fu Li had now completely lost his usual sense of reason, how was it possible that he would kill Jiuying?

“Your Majesty, this disgusting dragon has constantly been hindering your great cause, please let this servant eliminate...”

Before Jiuying could finish his statement, a lash of Fu Li’s whip cut off eight of Jiuying’s heads. He said coldly, “I already mentioned twice that ugly yao cultivators should keep their distance from me. If you still can’t get that in your head, then you have no need for your last head.”

Jiuying, who was now left with only one head, took consecutive steps backwards. Turning into his human form, he knelt in a concealed corner, not daring to step into Fu Li’s line of sight. Only now did he truly understand what he had summoned.

At the heart of the formation, Fu Li looked down at Zhuang Qing’s hand. Thick white bones could already be seen, yet he refused to release his grip. The pain in his head grew more and more intense. With just one whip, this dragon would probably lose his hand.

But despite the clear enticement of the power within the formation, he couldn’t bring himself to push the dragon’s hand away. What exactly had his body experienced to have such a senseless emotion?

“Could it be that... you want to jump in with me?’ Fu Li suddenly got closer to Zhuang Qing. His voice was hoarse. “Unfortunately, the golden glow of virtue surrounds your entire body. I’m afraid the yao cultivators below won’t be very welcoming towards you.”

“I smell my scent on you,” He tapped the back of Zhuang Qing’s hand and the palm that was originally only left with bones was restored to its fleshy appearance. Fu Li pushed Zhuang Qing away. “Scram, I won’t kill you.”

“You really can’t recall the past you at all?” Zhuang Qing slowly drew his sword from its sheath. “If I have to let you forget me and let you throw the entire world into chaos, then I might as well kill you now.”

Fu Li watched the hand gripping the sword tremble slightly and let out a light laugh. “You want to kill me?”

Zhuang Qing stared at Fu Li’s eyes. These eyes... were not Fu Li’s eyes. He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. An abrupt laugh let loose from his lips. “I have to protect both the yao and human world and naturally will not permit you to cause trouble. But I am also your lover and naturally will not betray you. I’ll kill you, and then vanish from this world with you, okay?”

The howls of grief under the formation were becoming fiercer, as if they would break through the heart of the formation in a flash and arrive in this world.

This dragon was clearly smiling, but Fu Li’s heart told him that he wasn’t lying.

“The celebratory hall in the flying palace is already ready, and the whole of the cultivation world knows we will soon hold our Dao Bonding Ceremony. Our celebratory clothes are the grandest and most beautiful in the entire cultivation world.” The smile on Zhuang Qing’s face dimmed. “But if you don’t want all these, then I won’t want them as well!”

“Fu Li, I don’t fear death.”

Dao Bonding Ceremony, celebratory clothes...

Fu Li looked down at the departed spirits and souls of the dead that were crawling out of the heart of the formation. A foot stomped down on a departed spirit and with a miserable screech, the departed spirit morphed into ash.

He clearly ought to release the departed spirits of the yao cultivators, yet his first reaction was to destroy them.

Fu Li studied his disobedient foot. When he raised his head, a few drops of a fishy and hot substance landed on the mark on his forehead.

It was... this dragon’s heart’s blood.

Pain. There was unending pain. Every breath put him in unbearable pain. His blood-red eyes widened. This dragon actually schemed against him. Things shouldn’t have turned out this way...

But what should it have turned out to be? Why did he feel like this dragon wasn’t a threat to him at all?

The Vermilion Bird guarded the southern area of Heaven and Earth. Her appearance suppressed a proportion of the formation’s power. It was also at this moment that Zhuang Qing seized the opportunity to rouse Fu Li.

He wasn’t only the Aquatic Emperor and the dragon of national fate, but also the dragon who had inherited the Blue Dragon’s legacy. He was equivalent to the new generation’s divine beast of the east. It was only that Heaven and Earth no longer needed divine beasts, so practically no yao cultivator had taken note of this.

Heart’s blood was a yao cultivator’s most precious blood essence. If Fu Li still couldn’t be roused, then he... would accompany Fu Li and jump into the heart of the formation.

“This is... Father’s power,” Yazi suddenly turned and looked at Zhuang Qing. “Why does he possess Father’s power?!”

Gong Fu also hadn’t expected Zhuang Qing to possess his father’s inheritance. He turned towards Feng Ruizhong. “You gave Father’s inheritance to Zhuang Qing?!”

Feng Ruizhong: ...

This matter had really been an accident, but who would believe him even if he said it?

“Look at what’s happening, you’re still so concerned about the inheritance?!” Hundun, who had restrained himself for a very long time, reached the end of his patience. “All you auspicious beasts are just so sentimental. Think about the past reasons and future causes when doing things, who says the four divine beasts have to be gathered for the formation to be suppressed?! As long as the yao emperor...”

“Shut up!” Feng Ruizhong shot an icy glare at Hundun, his gaze as sharp as a sword.

Hundun had an innate fear towards the Fenghuang, so with this one glare from Feng Ruizhong, he didn’t dare to voice the remaining words.

Song Yu glanced at Feng Ruizhong and then looked at Hundun. A vague guess took shape in his heart and he stole a glance in Fu Li’s direction. Lowering his head, he kept silent.

Zhu Yue was pumping spiritual energy into Heaven and Earth nonstop, but her divine powers were primarily used for protecting the south, so although the Five Elements in the south were gradually restored to normal, the other three directions showed no sign of improvement.

When midnight came, the human world would welcome the dark and chaotic days of torrential floods and consecutive earthquakes, when sand would fly and stones would roll.

At the various important bureaus, all the staff were keeping vigil in their meeting rooms. The phone operators made call after call unceasingly, without even the time to take a sip of water.

“Any news from the management bureau?”

“The management bureau issued a high-danger warning. After the appearance of strange beasts caught on surveillance at the coasts, the water levels stopped rising continuously.”

At this moment, the sect leader and elders of the Fields Sect bumped into the Qing Xiao Sect as they were flying through the sky. The two sects met the other’s gaze and continued on their way without enquiring about their destination. Soon after, halfway through their flight, they once again encountered human and yao cultivators rushing from all directions.

Whether a nation flourished or decayed was the responsibility of the common people. Moreover, this matter concerned the survival or death of the human world. If they did not step up, who else would prevent the disaster from occurring?

“If the yao emperor is willing to suppress the formation, this calamity can be avoided,” The Baize’s voice shook. “Once the yao emperor turns his back on his people, it will backfire against him. Eventually... his body will die and his Dao will dissipate.”

“Baize!” Feng Ruizhong raised his voice. “Are you crazy?!”

The Baize laughed bitterly. He transformed into his original form, the warm white light that emanated from his body dispersing the surrounding resentment.

As an auspicious beast, he was born to disperse evil and protect Heaven and Earth’s people. Even if he was forgotten by the humans, he couldn’t forget his duty.

Auspicious light illuminated the plants, flowers, and animals before eventually shining onto Fu Li.

“What name did you give me?”

“Fu Li.”

“What does Fu Li mean?”

“Fu – a symbol of the auspicious...”

Fu Li suddenly opened his eyes amidst the pain. Seeing Zhuang Qing, who was bleeding at the chest, he flashed a grin. Fishing out a Replenishing Qi pill from his Qiankun pouch, he shoved it into Zhuang Qing’s mouth. “Don’t recklessly bleed.”

“Fu Li, you’re awake?” Zhuang Qing couldn’t be bothered about the Replenishing Qi pill in his mouth and swallowed it without even chewing. He made to leave the formation, pulling Fu Li by the hand. “Quick, come out.”

Fu Li didn’t move. Pulling Zhuang Qing back, he kissed him on the face. Zhuang Qing was dumbfounded by his sudden action, his handsome face appearing somewhat foolish.

“The Hou is even more mighty and majestic than what I had imagined, I’m very satisfied,” Fu Li beamed as he patted Zhuang Qing’s chest. “Do you know why my surname is Fu?”

“Because Fu is a symbol of the auspicious,” Fu Li cocked his head smilingly as he looked towards the Baize, Zhu Yue, Feng Ruizhong, and everyone else behind Zhuang Qing. “There are no fiends on our Reflecting Mist Mountain, only auspicious beasts.”

He clapped a palm against Zhuang Qing’s chest. This palm of his was exceedingly heavy, and it sent Zhuang Qing’s entire body slamming into the Baize. The auspicious light emanating from the Baize came to an abrupt stop. Zhuang Qing climbed up frantically and saw Fu Li roaring in the heart of the formation in his original form.

Snow-white fur, golden eyes, and a tail that swayed slightly in the breeze.

On this night, many people heard a roar. Some said it was a dragon, some said it was a tiger, and others said it was a lion.

However, all these discussions were very quickly forgotten by the netizens. Because they were busy caring about new events, too busy keeping tabs on new celebrities, and too busy to think too much.

But that morning when the curtains were pulled open, a dazzlingly golden sun greeted them. Feeling like the sun was particularly piercing, they pulled the curtains back with some resentment.

Some switched on the television and found that the morning news had suddenly started emphasizing the importance of protecting the environment, developing energy sources in a controlled manner, and that the various countries had convened a meeting on environmental protection on some date and location. However, everyone had listened to too many of such slogans, and practically no one took it seriously.

Only after policy after policy was carried out and the air quality became better and better did everyone realize that environmental protection was not just a slogan.

There were many things humans were not aware of. They were constantly busy and constantly running here and there, making a huge fuss for every minor thing.

They didn’t know that a certain mountain that went missing two thousand years ago had been returned by a certain mysterious creature.

They didn’t know that a very important ceremony was cancelled on the eighteenth of a certain month.

They also didn’t know that the dimensions spoken of in novels truly existed.

The flowers in Zhuang Qing’s villa had blossomed. Every color under the sun, they made for a beautiful sight. He sat on the steps, watching the flowers that had bloomed in the snow, allowing the frost and snow to pile on his head.

Half the night went by, and an extra snowman appeared before him. The snowman was a little on the plump side and lay sprawled on the ground, resembling both a rabbit and a dog.

Zhuang Qing sat there for an entire night, guarding this lump of snow that looked both like a dog and rabbit. The Nian didn’t appear this lunar new year. His gaze on the gate of the villa was exceedingly calm.

“Boss,” Chu Yu and the other staff members stood outside the gate, waving at him. They were carrying things in all manner of sizes. “Happy new year!”

Zhuang Qing stood up, and only then realized the heavy cloak of snow on his shoulders. He dusted off the ice and snow, and opened the yard gate to let them in.

“Boss, we came to give you things on the first day of the lunar new year, so you’ll definitely make a fortune this year and encounter all sorts of good things,” Carrying items of all sizes, he headed towards the villa. When he saw the deep footprints at the door and the lifelike snow sculpture in front of the footprints, he came to a halt.

The staff following behind him had also seen this snowman. They couldn’t utter a single word, just like ducks with their necks strangled.

“What are you doing standing here? Go in,” Zhuang Qing said expressionlessly. “All of you are listless during work but become lively the minute it’s the holidays. If you can be this energetic during work, then our management bureau won’t have to recruit new staff every few years.”

The first to return to his senses, Chu Yu squeezed through the gate, all smiles. The rest followed along in banter as they walked through the villa’s gate. However, everyone cautiously avoided the snow sculpture, not daring to even take an additional glance at it.

The snow still hadn’t stopped at noon. Xu Yuan and Chu Yu finished cooking and was about to call Zhuang Qing to eat when they saw him standing by the window, silently looking at the gate.

Xu Yuan’s footsteps stilled. She couldn’t bring herself to open her mouth. She peeked outside the windows. Half the snow sculpture’s body was buried in the snow, half its head still vaguely visible. But it already didn’t seem like...

Didn’t seem like Fu ge’s original form.

In the East Sea, the Kunpeng was leisurely catching fish to eat. He was in quite a good mood. The humans seemed to have turned over a new leaf during the past few years and had started to vigorously control the levels of water pollution. Because of this, the fish in the sea had become much tastier as well.

When he swam past the azure dragon palace and saw those little dragon children shivering in fear, the Kunpeng’s mood brightened even further. But before he made it very far, he heard a faint, familiar voice.

He broke through the surface of the water and smelled thick spiritual qi. The Baize and Dangkang were fishing at sea.

“Fishing during winter – you must be insane!” The Kunpeng swished his tail and dove head-first back into the water.

At a bustling street, people out for recreation could be seen everywhere.

A young man and a woman with long hair trailing over her shoulders met along the street.

“Chu Yi, long time no see.”

“Long time no see, the spiritual qi in the human world seems particularly abundant this year, so I woke up.”

“That’s great.”

“Yup,” Chu Yu’s smile was happy and warm. “Why are you here alone?”

“I went out on a long trip and just came back. I saw you, so I came over to say hi.”

“So that’s the case, happy new year.”

“Happy new year. Thank you for the Spring Jade you gave me, it was a great help.”

“Really?” Chu Yu smiled in jubilation.

“Really,” The young man’s lips curved into a smile, his eyes like crescent moons. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Quickly head home, your loved ones must be waiting for you.”

“Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

The young man came to a stop outside the gate of the villa that was adorned with decorative flower patterns. Gazing at the familiar decorative flowers, the young man smiled.

“Mr Fu, you’re back?” A security guard passed by and saw the man, his face revealing a subtle amazement. Smiling, he greeted the man. For the two years Mr Fu hadn’t been home, Mr Zhuang also hadn’t been fond of going out.

“Yup, I’m back.”

The young man flashed a smile at the security guard before pressing the doorbell.

The snow sculpture at the gate had already been completely buried by the snow. Hearing the sound of the doorbell, Zhuang Qing glanced at his colleagues who were seated at the dining table eating and drinking. Pulling open the door, he headed out.

As he was going down the steps, he glanced down at his feet and crouched down, digging out the snow sculpture buried in snow. But even then, the snow sculpture that had fused with snow no longer seemed like him.

Zhuang Qing cradled the snow sculpture in his palms, removing the excess ice and snow on its head bit by bit. He turned towards the yard gate.

Outside the iron gate decorated with flowers, the young man met his gaze with a smile as bright and warm as the rising sun.

Ilyz: Translated this chapter with my tears 😭 This is the end of the main text and the remaining five extras will be posted in a few hours! Any questions you have will probably be answered in the extras.