Don’t Discriminate Against Species

"His wounds are in a very bad state, I'll go out and prescribe medicine," Zhu Yue did a cursory inspection of Zhuang Qing. "His old injuries have not healed, which affected his heart meridians. The dragon race has to undergo two major rounds of evolution at the age of five hundred and one thousand. Although he forcibly withstood them, the internal injuries haven't been patched up."

Put unpleasantly, he had exceptional innate talent but suffered from malnutrition. If the golden dragon clan hadn't declined, this golden dragon's cultivation could be a level higher.

"Take good care of him," Zhu Yue stood up and walked out of the inner palace.

"Fu Li?" Zhuang Qing sat up on the bed after Zhu Yue left. "What's wrong?"

He had realized that there was something amiss with Fu Li's mood. After Zhu Yue's appearance, Fu Li's performance had been a bit strange. Not only was he absent-minded, he seemed to also be escaping from something.

"Nothing much," Fu Li shook his head. He pulled the quilt covering Zhuang Qing upwards. "Your injuries are severe, make sure to rest."

"What gave you such great confidence in your ability to lie?" Zhuang Qing coughed twice, turning his back to Fu Li. "It's fine even if you're unwilling to say it, just treat me as a meddlesome person. But some things should not be suppressed in the heart; you've just broken through and your mental state should not be unduly affected."

Looking at the back of Zhuang Qing's head, Fu Li suddenly yearned to tell him everything. Perhaps not seeing the other party's face made him much more at ease.

"The moment I knew Sister Pheasant hadn't died, I was happy," Fu Li looked down at his fair and clear palms. "I've dreamed of them countless times over the past two thousand years. Of them standing on Reflecting Mist Mountain, telling me that they were actually just teasing me, and that they didn't die. But when I woke up, I would only see a shabby cave and a land of weeds beyond the cave. I woke up time after time and fell into a deep sleep time after time. Till three years ago when a few humans who had lost their way woke me up for real."

"They wore strange clothes and carried strange bags. In the end, they were rescued by a metal box that could fly yet had no spiritual qi," Fu Li recalled the incident that had occurred three years ago when he just woke up. "The sun on that day was very warm and I suddenly thought of going down the mountain."

"The human world had already changed. They no longer believed in gods and ghosts, and no longer wandered about in desperation. I thought of the words my pet once told me."

"What did he say?" Zhuang Qing stared at the decorative dragon on the curtains, resisting the urge to look back.

"He said that if the common people can live in peace, work happily, and eat and drink to their fill, then the world would definitely be a beautiful one," Fu Li recalled his human pet's gentle voice, as well as the eyes that overflowed with anticipation. "His desire was realized after two thousand years, so I wanted to come out and take a look on his behalf, and then steadily experience the life of a human to help him realize his incomplete wish."

"You liked that person very much?"

"You mean my pet?" Fu Li nodded. "He was a very interesting human. He was erudite, multi-talented, and told me many interesting stories. It's just that his life wasn't very good. I only raised him for a few years before he passed away from illness. Maybe I'm not suited to raising pets, which was why he died. I've never raised another pet after that."

His words contained regret, dejection, and even reminiscence. But there was no obvious sorrow.

For that human, Fu Li had been willing to leave his cave and make contact with the human world. But when he mentioned this human, there was little sorrow to be seen. Zhuang Qing could not understand Fu Li's feelings. He didn't interrupt Fu Li, wanting to know more.

"I was pampered by the elders on Reflecting Mist Mountain from young. They gave me all that they had," Fu Li's fair fingertips trembled slightly. "From young, they taught me that there were things I could and couldn't do as a yao. If I were to create trouble after leaving the mountain, they could take responsibility for me. But there was one thing I definitely couldn't do."

"If I were to feed on those with intelligence, I would be expelled from Reflecting Mist Mountain, never to be acknowledged again," Fu Li's voice shook. "I…"

Ate dragon flesh.

"I hoped for them all to be alive and well. I hoped to be reunited with them, yet feared reuniting with them," Fu Li subconsciously stroked the quilt made of Jiaoren yarn. "How can I let them know that the rabbit yao they raised like a treasure is actually a yao beast of unknown identity who has designs on dragon flesh?"

"When I think about how I could be hated by them in the future, I would rather they live on well and never find me. And that the me in their hearts will forever be that easily satisfied rabbit who could make them happy just from breaking a tree with a kick."

The closer to home, the greater the apprehension. Any place with old friends was home.

"I said your brain is no good, and you still refuse to admit to it." Zhuang Qing turned around and sat up, asking Fu Li, "When did you eat dragon flesh?"

"That azure dragon…"

"Back in those years when I fought with the white dragon clan, I also bit them. Does that count as eating dragons? There's no such thing as elegance in a fight. If you can vent anger by taking a bite, then of course you should. Isn't that very normal?" Zhuang Qing said seriously. "Qing Yan is also still alive and well, how is what you did considered violating a rule?"

Fu Li blinked, his eyes on Zhuang Qing. He couldn't quite react.

"If you really like eating dragon flesh, why haven't you gobbled me up when interacting with me in private?" Zhuang Qing coughed a few times. He rapped Fu Li on the head with resentment. "In my eyes, you haven't seen your elders for a very long time and now want to act like a spoiled child. Consider your age, you're already more than four thousand years old. Is it appropriate for you to act like a little kid?"

"I…"

Fu Li hadn't finished his statement when he saw Zhuang Qing spit out a mouth of fresh blood. He was so frightened that he didn't dare to utter the rest of the statement, instead hurriedly transmitting spiritual energy into his body.

Strange. The meridians in his body had already been opened, so why was he still spitting out blood? Was his cultivation not high enough, preventing him from identifying the issue? Fu Li circulated his qi around Zhuang Qing's body once. Not feeling very reassured, he then stuffed a few medicinal pills into Zhuang Qing's mouth.

"What did you give me to eat?"

“Nothing much, just some ordinary Everlasting Pills.”

Zhuang Qing choked. One Everlasting Pill cost five million, and he now had five of them in his mouth&#k2026;

Twenty-five million.

This time, not only did Zhuang Qing’s chest feel stuffy, his heart also started aching.

Fu Li saw Zhuang Qing's complexion turn even paler after eating the medicinal pills. Lowering his head, he sniffed the medicine bottle. This was the correct smell, the medicine wasn't spoilt.

Zhu Yue pushed open the door and came in, handing a bowl emitting steam to Zhuang Qing. “This medicine will nourish your meridians. Drink it first, I’ll prescribe the subsequent medicine later.”

"Sister, what did you put inside? Why is the smell so nauseating?" Upon seeing Zhu Yue enter, a smile automatically plastered itself on Fu Li's face.

"Nothing much, I just used chalcedony for the water, and Taisui and Jianmu leaves as the main medicine. He won't die from drinking it," Zhu Yue pulled on Fu Li's ears. "Which of all those medicinal pills you have weren't prescribed by me? And you're still suspecting my medical expertise?"

Only then did Fu Li nod, reassured. He told Zhuang Qing, "Drink, there won't be a problem."

Chalcedony.

Taisui.

Jianmu.

Zhuang Qing looked up. Fu Li and Zhu Yue were beaming at him, as if the bowl of medicine in his hands couldn't be more ordinary.

But which of these three things were ordinary? Chalcedony and Taisui weren't as bad, perhaps one or two of them could be found if one put in all their effort. Jianmu had long gone extinct, so where had these Jianmu leaves come from?

Compared to this bowl of medicine, those five Everlasting Pills were insignificant. Zhuang Qing finally understood where Fu Li's wasteful habits had come from. It turned out that it was a case of 'the junior imitating their seniors' vices'.

"What's wrong? Scared of the bitterness?" Fu Li took out two Zhuyu fruits from his Qiankun pouch. "Eat these after drinking the medicine."

Zhu Yue stole a glance at Zhuang Qing. Was this for real? When he was protecting Little Li, he didn't show the slightest bit of fear even when his entire body was covered in wounds. But he was actually scared of drinking medicine?

Zhuang Qing very much wanted to explain that he wasn't scared of the bitterness. But when he saw Zhu Yue and Fu Li's expressions, he suddenly felt that his value system might differ a little from theirs.

He lowered his head silently and drank up all the medicine. Before he could bite into the Zhuyu fruits, he felt the entire world spin. His consciousness gradually blurred.

He was plotted against?!

He opened his eyes with a supreme effort, wanting to draw his sword. But then, he saw Fu Li's smiling face. His hand paused. Immediately after which, his eyes shut and he passed out.

"This dragon is a bit special, he was actually able to put up a struggle for a while after drinking the entire bowl of medicine, and only fainted after that," Zhu Yue stepped forward and took a few careful looks at him. "Unlike you when you were young. You would collapse on the ground in sleep before even finishing a bowl of medicine."

"He suffered a lot when he was young," Fu Li picked up the medicine bowl that had fallen at the side. He adjusted Zhuang Qing till he was in a comfortable sleeping position, and then pulled the quilt over him. "So his willpower is very strong."

The palace sank into silence. Zhu Yue stared at Fu Li for a while before sighing. "Let him sleep for a while, let's go out and talk."

Fu Li clenched his fists. He nodded without meeting Zhu Yue's eyes.

The two people walked out through the palace door and sat beside the stones of the Eight Immortals. Zhu Yue took out a few pastries, fruits, and so on from her Qiankun pouch; they were all things he had liked to eat in the past. Looking at the food displayed on the table, the tips of Fu Li's fingers trembled lightly.

"We haven't met for so many years, I'm not sure if you still like these," Zhu Yue was very beautiful when she smiled. Much better looking than all those so-called snake and fox yao.

"I like them," Fu Li took a pastry from the plate and stuffed it into his mouth. "I've always liked them."

"That's good," Zhu Yue took out a bottle of spiritual essence. "Eat slowly, don't choke."

Fu Li remembered how the yao cultivators on Reflecting Mist Mountain had been most fond of feeding him spiritual essence in the past. They would feed him during mealtimes, when he was playing, and even when he learnt a skill. Only after Reflecting Mist Mountain was destroyed did he change his habit of drinking spiritual essence.

He drank a mouth of spiritual essence before lowering his head and smiling. "It's not as tasty as the past."

"That can't be helped. The spiritual qi isn't as pure now, so the spiritual essence can't compare either," Zhu Yue watched Fu Li cleanly polish off the entire bottle despite saying that it wasn't as nice as the past. The smile on her face brightened even further.

"I'm very happy that you made a new friend," Zhu Yue stroked Fu Li's head. "Our Little Li has finally grown up."

The rims of Fu Li's eyes were slightly red. He turned his head to the side in embarrassment. "I thought all of you had…"

"I'm sorry, we thought that we could accompany you as you grew up, and watch you become an outstanding and great yao. However, Heaven's Will cannot be changed easily, and obtaining a sliver of a chance is already the result of many years of conspiracy." Zhu Yue wanted to say something but hesitated. "But our Little Li is already very impressive. Even in our absence, he was still able to become this outstanding."

"They're all still alive, right?" Fu Li couldn't be bothered about the slightly miserable expression on his face. "Right?"

"Little Li…" Helplessness colored Zhu Yue's expression. "I'm not sure."

Fu Li's shoulders drooped in disappointment. After which, he very quickly looked at Zhu Yue with luminous eyes. "They're definitely still around. When I rushed over that year, I didn't see all of you… The other yao cultivators all said you were buried in the bellies of the azure dragons, but the azure dragon clan has such low cultivation and can't even beat me, so how could they be your opponents?"

"I don't know what happened that year, but I'm very happy today," Fu Li rubbed his eyes and revealed a dazzling smile. "All of you are still alive. That really is great."

"Little Li…" There were tears in Zhu Yue's smile. Getting up, she pulled the child she had watched grow up into her arms.

The precious, innocent-as-white paper child that they had doted on had grown up somewhere away from their sight. He had learnt how to think, how to be suspicious, and how to control his emotions. He had truly grown up.

This was clearly a matter to rejoice over, yet she felt so upset she wanted to cry. If she could, she would rather have doted on him for an entire lifetime. He wouldn't need to face slaughter or the complexities of the outside world. All he needed to do was live happily and simple-mindedly. They could give him the best magic weapons, the most delicious spiritual items, the most precious treasures. They could give him all that was best.

"I'm sorry."

We gave you the most beautiful living environment, but let you face life outside on your own midway through.

"Sister P… Pheasant, can you release me?" Fu Li asked softly. The pheasant released Fu Li and turned to look out the door. She smiled at everyone outside.

Lin Gui, Chu Yu, Chao Yun, and Ning Xuan watched Fu Li embrace a beautiful woman dazedly. Even after a long time, they still didn't come to their senses. The Kunpeng told them just now that the boss was heavily injured, so they had rushed here in a flurry. The boss was nowhere to be seen. Instead, they saw Fu ge and an unfamiliar woman locked in a deeply emotional embrace. Wasn't this a bit inappropriate?

"Fu ge," Chu Yu was the first to react. "Is the boss okay?"

"He took medicine and already went to sleep," Fu Li touched his face. "What are all of you doing standing outside? Come in, all of you."

"May I know who this senior is?" Chu Yu realized that he couldn't make out this woman's cultivation base. On top of that, he couldn't even sense the slightest bit of yao qi from her. But she was standing in the golden dragon palace, so it was impossible for her to not be yao. He bowed respectfully towards her, his expression guarded.

"I am Fu Li's auntie." Seemingly not having made out the thoughts of these juniors, Zhu Yue smiled. "Like Fu Li, you can call me Auntie Zhu Yue."

Chu Yue gazed at this woman who didn't look a day after twenty in her human form, the shock in his heart deepening. Fu ge had cultivated for more than four thousand years. The fact that this woman could be called auntie by Fu ge meant that her cultivation was even more profound and that much scarier.

Fu Li knew that Sister Pheasant wanted to take advantage of these juniors again, but didn't speak since he had no intentions of revealing Zhu Yue's actual form in the presence of his colleagues.

"So Senior is actually Fu ge's elder. Please excuse our lack of manners," Chu yu saw that Fu Li didn't deny it, and thus stepped forward and bowed towards Zhu Yue. "This junior greets Auntie Zhu Yue." He hadn't expected Fu ge to have an auntie; this really did come as a surprise to the yao.

"No need to be excessively courteous," Zhu Yue fished out several tiny bottles from her Qiankun pouch. Come come come, here's a gift."

The four yao gift recipients were stupefied. These were… Everlasting Pills? Was this Auntie Zhu Yue nouveau riche to give each person a bottle of Everlasting Pills at their first meeting?

"They're just toys of little value, please don't look upon them with distaste," Zhu Yue smiled in embarrassment, feeling that offering such things to juniors as gifts was indeed a little unpresentable. But when the incident occurred that year, she hadn't had the time to pack up many valuables before lightning struck her till she was half-dead. So, it was true that she didn't have many good things on her now.

Little value?

Chu Yu thought about the time when Fu Li had nonchalantly taken out a whole bundle of spiritual grass.

Was this to say that Fu ge really was a rich second generation yao?

Perhaps it was because Zhu Yue's manner and style of conduct were extremely similar to Fu Li, but everyone gradually loosened up in front of her despite their burning curiosity about her identity, and told her many things about Fu Li when he was at the management bureau.

Fu Li couldn't stand the flattery in anything and everything they uttered, and simply let Zhu Yue gossip idly with Chu Yu and the other yao while he went in to take care of the unconscious Zhuang Qing.

Upon hearing that everyone was very fond of Fu Li and deeply respected him, the smile on Zhu Yue's face became even more loving. Taking out a bunch of spiritual fruits from her Qiankun pouch, she said in high spirits, "Continue."

Chu Yu looked at the pile of spiritual fruits and swallowed. "Fu ge is also very fond of studying. He's resolved to enter university and become a civil servant."

After clarifying what a civil servant was, Zhu Yue revealed a helpless smile. That child still cherished his old friendships very much. He had even taken that human pet's words to heart.

"Thank you very much for taking care of Fu Li these days. That child has been pampered by us from young, so if there's anything he's not so good at, please excuse him."

"Auntie Zhu Yue, you're too polite. It's Fu ge who has been taking care of us," Chu Yue mentioned how Fu Li had saved him from the clutches of the painted skin ghost. "If not for Fu ge, I wouldn't be standing here today."

Praising their family's child was the best way of currying favor with an elder, particularly if the elder cherished the child. This was the conclusion Chu Yu had arrived at after summing up his experiences in the human world.

"It's about time to boil the next round of medicine," Zhu Yue glanced at the sky. "You can go in and visit the wounded person, but don't disturb him. That child's injuries are on the severe side and he needs a good sleep."

That child… referred to the boss?

The thoughts and feelings of Chu Yu and the rest were in disarray.

"May I know if there is anything we can help with?" Chu Yu stood up as well. They hadn't had the opportunity to see the boss all this time and had long been stricken with worry. It was just that they had to give Zhu Yue face, so it wasn't good to ask directly. It wouldn't be pretty if they gave the other party the impression that they didn't trust her.

"No need," Zhu Yue replied casually. "I don't have need for help at the time being since it's just curing this minor ailment."

Chu Yu tactfully didn't follow after her. The four yao glanced at one another and then made their way towards the room Zhuang Qing was in.

It was also their first time in the golden dragon palace. Back in those years when Chu Yu had been working by Zhuang Qing's side, he had once asked about the dragon palace out of curiosity. But the boss' expression turned very ugly upon hearing the words 'dragon palace', so he never again mentioned it after that.

When the Kunpeng and Gong Fu came over today and told them that the boss might have brought Fu Li to the golden dragon palace to nurse his wounds, they were all caught by surprise and even suspected the Kunpeng of lying to them. But when they arrived outside the golden dragon palace and smoothly passed through the barrier, they knew that the Kunpeng hadn't lied.

The golden dragon palace was even more lavish and refined than what they had imagined. Just looking at a single corner of the palace was enough for them to imagine how grand the golden dragon clan had been in those years.

Entering the inner palace, they caught sight of Zhuang Qing, who was peacefully sleeping on the bed, as well as Fu Li, who was sitting quietly at the side. For some reason, they felt that their entrance had disrupted a beautiful scene, making them seem somewhat repulsive.

"You came?" Fu Li noticed them. "Take a seat."

Seeing that the quilt was tightly wrapped around Zhuang Qing and that his complexion could still be termed good, Chu Yu asked in a low voice, "How are the boss' injuries?"

"No major issues after taking medication. We're planning to heal his old ailments now," Fu Li's eyelids drooped. "If not for me, he wouldn't have been injured either. I owe him…"

"Fu ge, these words shouldn't be said by me, but I feel that the boss probably wouldn't want to hear you say such things given his personality," Chu Yu stated. "You and the boss are colleagues who live and die together on the battlefield. Isn't it only right and proper for there to be mutual aid? What's more, you've also protected the boss during critical moments, so what is there to owe or not owe? Won't that just harm your relationship?"

Fu Li smiled, seemingly accepting Chu Yu's words.

Not long later, Zhu Yue carried freshly boiled medicine in. "Little Li, wake the little dragon."

Fu Li reached out a hand and tapped Zhuang Qing a few times. Zhuang Qing started to gradually regain consciousness.

Zhuang Qing hated the feeling of losing control over his body. During those years, he had a so-called good friend who poisoned his food for the sake of personal benefit. If he hadn't forcibly held on and escaped at that time, he would have long lost his life.

Fu Li's bright eyes were the first thing he saw upon opening his eyes.

"How do you feel?"

Only then did Zhuang Qing discover that his body seemed to have lightened quite a bit. The previous bone-piercing pain in his lower back was also gone. "I feel much better, thank you."

"Since the medicine has a healing effect, then drink this bowl of soup too," Fu Li helped him up into a sitting position and held the bowl to his mouth. "After drinking this medicine, you'll sleep for two hours. Don't worry, I'll be by your side guarding you."

Zhuang Qing looked at the bowl of soup. Gripping Fu Li's hand, he pulled the bowl closer before lowering his head and drinking the medicine that would make him lose consciousness.

As he sank into unconsciousness, a scene from more than a thousand years ago surfaced in his mind.

"Zhuang Qing, I have a sinister mind, but what about you?"

"You've never even trusted anyone in this lifetime, nor do you dare to trust anyone. If I am vile and despicable, then you are tragic and pitiful."