Tree Demon - Part 3

Huh?!

Hands?!

When I realized that what was before my eyes were not my slender and beautiful branches but two flesh and blood human hands, my mind was in total chaos.

Looking down again, fair and clear skin, full breasts, slender limbs, and the graceful curves unique to women extended everywhere on my body; slightly curled and thick dark green long hair, scattered and messily trailing on the ground.

Good heavens! I've cultivated a human form?

Impossible! It must be a hallucination produced at the brink of death!

Suddenly standing up, I looked around in bewilderment, trying to find a reason to convince myself that everything I saw was just an illusion.

The moonlight was clear and bright, the mountain breeze rustled, everything was the same as before.

It's still the Fulong Mountain I'm so familiar with, nothing at all different.

"This mountain is quite spiritual, and I intend to stay here for a long time to practice."

The voice behind me was as calm as ever, but to me, it was like a sudden thunderclap.

When I turned around, I was blinded by a light green — a beautiful green muslin robe dropped from the sky, gently wrapping around my naked body.

"I've granted you human form, firstly because I can't bear to see more of those wronged souls, and secondly because I don't want you to have an ill-fated end. From now on, you will stay with me as a maid." His smile remained unchanged from beginning to end.

He was right in front of me, less than a step away, the hair on my forehead lightly brushed by his breath.

In shock, I looked up at him, who was a head taller than me, opening my mouth like a mute, yet unable to utter a single word.

"Mortals will no longer be able to see your real body, and there will no longer be a sacred tree on Fulong Mountain to protect the common people. From now on, every year on this day, you must return to your real body, and only after twelve hours can you leave. Bear in mind!" Turning around, he looked at my "real body"— a tree that no longer had anything special, solemnly warning me.

I believed him; I wasn't in a fantasyland.

"Who... are you?" I finally asked, my first words in my new identity.

"Do you have a name?" He asked me instead without answering.

A name? I shook my head. That was something I never needed.

"You don't?!" His eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if pondering.

Soon, he relaxed his brows and looked at me intently. "Then I'll call you Shaluo from now on."

Shaluo... Shaluo…

I repeated this word in my mind. Why would he call me this name?! It sounds really strange.

But I liked it.

He fulfilled my dream and gave me a name.

Overnight, I unexpectedly gained such a great miracle.

"Who are you?" Before I could contain my excitement, I asked again.

"Zimiao, Water Lord of the Four Directions, serving the Emperor of Heaven."

Water Lord of the Four Directions? What kind of immortal was he? A common minor deity or someone of high authority? Unfortunately, I knew very little about the heavenly realm. His straightforward answer only added to my questions.

"Haha, don't stand there dazed. Come with me. Practice with me from now on, and achieve enlightenment as soon as possible, striving to get your name in the Heavenly Record of Immortals. Don't waste your spiritual energy." He affectionately patted my head like an elder, then started walking towards the other end of the mountain top.

Practice? Record of Immortals?

I couldn't fully understand his meaning, but one thing was clear—he was good to me.

So, I carefully lifted my feet and took the first steps I had longed for day and night, and left with him filled with joy and anticipation.

From then on, Fulong Mountain lost a tree demon that bewitched people and gained a genuine deity, along with an ignorant little maid by his side.

In the short and silent summer night, the inscrutable thing called fate was already changing quietly…

"One, two, three... nineteen, twenty... thirty."

I squatted outside the cave, earnestly counting the neat scratches on the rock wall.

Beneath the scratches, a plant about a foot tall with seven leaves and a branch, translucent and lush green, grew comfortably among the rugged rocks.

He said this flower is called "Colorless;" it blooms once a year for just a day, and then loses one petal every sixty days. The cycle repeats. It was a little thing he obtained from the Baihua Fairy on Bomingyan^[1]. That night, he planted the flower seed, instructing me that when the flower bloomed, I must return to my real body without fail.

So, this flower was planted for me. I felt inexplicably happy.

Also because of "Colorless," I had an accurate concept of time. Each time the flower bloomed, I marked a line on the rock wall. Month by month, year by year, before I knew it, there were already thirty lines on it.

During these thirty years, I lived a happy life.

As for him, my nominal master, he mostly stayed on Fulong Mountain, leaving only three times.

Each time he left, it was on days of heavy rain and flash floods wrecking havoc. I hid in the cave, watching him depart through the dense rain. In the time we spent together, I gradually learned that the "Water Lord of the Four Directions" was the Water God in the heavenly realm, in charge of all the bodies of water in the world. Choosing such days to leave must be because duty called.

However, this third departure was an exception.

It was early autumn at the time, with golden and green landscapes covering the mountains. The sunshine was warm, the mountain breeze gentle, the sky and earth bright and clean.

He didn't ride the clouds, only took my hand, step by step descending Fulong Mountain, arriving at a nearby small town. Marvelous architecture, noisy markets, bustling crowds of people suddenly unfolded before my eyes, attacking my almost degraded vision.

So the human world is this colorful!

Breaking free from his hand, I excitedly wandered between the various stalls and shops along the road, touching this, poking that. By the time I tread most of the city, only a touch of pink remained on the horizon.

He stopped me and took me into a small building with a plaque outside the city.

---

[1] 百花: all kinds of flowers; 仙子: fairy (generally a female immortal); 薄命: born under an unlucky star; born unlucky (usually of women); ill-fated; 岩: cliff/rock. So Flower Fairy on Ill-fated Rock.

Previous ┃ TOC ┃ Next

Tree Demon - Part 2

Because he was an immortal, it was his natural duty to always show compassion for the common people. However, magical creatures have never been included in "common people," a rule set by the righteous way of the heavenly realm for tens of thousands of years.

I regretted my "liking" for him just now, wondering how he would treat a "naughty and unruly" tree demon next, ruining my shallow cultivation, or immediately administering justice on the spot?!

After all, as long as he was willing, he could destroy me as easily as blowing off dust and even gain a reputation for eliminating demons for the people.

What will be the consequences of me meeting him today?

"I'm here and I can't let you do as you please."

His casual remark made my heart cold.

As I expected, demons have no right to refute immortals. Once they offend the other party, only their own lives will be at stake.

The "Sacred Tree" on Mount Fulong's summit was about to cease to exist.

In an instant, I went from being the one who killed to being killed. The change of roles was so rapid that it was beyond all my imagination. Phrases like "a murderer must pay with his life^[1]", "what goes around comes around," and so on that I heard from humans were now gloatingly jumping into my heart.

Although I was dissatisfied with my life, I still cherished my life. Being able to see, hear, and breathe is better than to be ignorant and silent in the dark.

I was not "naughty and unruly" enough to scoff at death, so I was genuinely afraid, mixed with resentment towards him.

"Don't let me die in too much pain, merciful immortal."

They were angry words but also the truth, my first and last words to him.

I was afraid, but I will never bow down in supplication.

There was an unfathomable smile in his eyes.

Clear and agile water ripples spiraled out from his slender fingers, with shimmering scales of light twinkling within. Circles upon circles, layers upon layers, elegantly and slowly converged into his palm, blossoming into a colorless lotus.

There was a lotus pond on the mountainside, adorned with verdant green and vibrant red in the flowering season. However, not a single of those flowers could compare to the one in his hand.

People reflect flowers, and flowers reflect people^[2].

Despite being in such dire straits, I still had to admit that this was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen in my life.

Immortals are immortals; even their lethal weapons must be perfect.

No wonder humans worship them, and no wonder so many dream of becoming one of them.

"Go."

He opened his hand, his lips moving slightly.

The most beautiful lotus flower in the world spun around and flew towards me.

He finally made his move.

I knew I couldn't escape, so I steeled myself and stared directly at the "flower" now hovering above my head, waiting for the end of my life.

Unintelligible incantations passed from his mouth to my ears over and over again, confusing my mind.

The lotus flower suddenly stopped spinning, emitting several thin and transparent white lights before descending straight down, plunging into my body.

I felt "cold" for the first time.

A power beyond my control spread from the roots beneath the soil throughout my body, wave after wave of increasing strength, as if it was trying to strip my primordial soul from my real body.

Despite the absence of wind, every branch and leaf trembled, making a rustling sound.

My vision seemed to be veiled with water, becoming increasingly blurred.

Is this a symptom before a demon's death?!

It should be. Thankfully, it's not as painful as I imagined.

Moonlight scattered on the ground, illuminating flowers, plants, and strange rocks, along with the white-clad immortal smiling before me was the last sight I saw in this world.

Amidst the chaos, I couldn't distinguish between life and death.

It felt like I had a dream, dreaming that I had transformed into a human form, laughing and jumping, excitedly running on the ground that was hard on my feet...

Something was pressing against my whole body causing pain!

Huh?! That's not right.

How could a tree demon feel "pressed against"?!

My consciousness, which had drifted far beyond the clouds in the sky, gradually gathered together again, urging me bit by bit to open my eyes—

Since I could remember, I had never seen the soil beneath my feet from such a close angle.

Yellowish sand holding various sizes of blackish stones filled my eyes; every inch of my skin truly felt the roughness and warmth coming from the earth.

What a peculiar sensation, one I had never experienced before.

However, the moment of curiosity and excitement was instantly replaced by incomparable surprise.

Pushing myself up, I sat upright.

A few pebbles pressed under my palm hurt me.

Quickly retracting my hand, I gently rubbed it.

---

[1] This is part of the saying "A murderer must pay with his life as a debtor pays with money."

[2] 人映花，花映人. I thought it was a line from a poem, but it's a poetic expression that conveys the mutual reflection and interaction between people and flowers. Something like "human emotions or characteristics are reflected in flowers, and conversely, the beauty or essence of flowers is mirrored in humans."

Previous ┃ TOC ┃ Next

Prequel: Tree Demon - Part 1

I am a demon, born on the peak of Mount Fulong in December when the world is covered with snow.

I don't remember which year it was, seven hundred years ago?! A thousand years ago?! Perhaps even earlier.

Before I took on a human form, every winter and summer, there were always human beings of various ages and backgrounds, with their own thoughts, either traveling alone or with their families, dauntlessly climbing up day and night to the summit of Mount Fulong where it meets the sky.

My eyes were filled with the sweat of their devoutness; my ears were filled with their screams of falling off the cliff.

Standing tall at the peak, looking down at the lucky ones crawling at my feet, I had no qualms about accepting their worship, allowing them to hang strands of colorful brocade threads on my body with trembling hands.

There were as many threads as there were wishes.

These people, who regarded me as a god, stubbornly believed that I could grant them all the blessings they desired. For thousands of years, they didn't care that this was a mountain without a path, disregarded the piles of bones in the ravine at the foot of the mountain, ignored the poisonous berries covering the cliffs, and were willing to sacrifice their lives to show their boundless devotion - devotion to me.

However, I am not a god, and was unable to fulfill any of their wishes.

The seven-colored halo on my body was just to attract ignorant birds and small animals to feed me in the darkness of night, nothing more. But it was wrongly regarded as a miracle of the Buddha's Light that brings blessings to humankind.

What a misunderstanding! Indeed a sin.

However, it was not my fault, but humans' bad habit of wishful thinking and hearing what they want to hear.

So, I didn't bother clarifying. As a demon being worshiped like a god, I didn't reject this feeling; in fact, I kind of liked it. Besides, observing wholly different faces and listening to all sorts of strange prayers of those living humans was much more conducive to passing my boring time than facing the inert and silent rocks, flowers and plants all day long.

Yes, my time was boring, my life was lonely. The peak of Mount Fulong was my entire world; apart from this spot, I couldn't go anywhere else. I'd been watching the same scenery day in and day out for hundreds of years, seeing the sun rise and set, the wind blowing and stopping, the flowers blooming and withering, with each day indistinguishable from the next.

Every time I watched satisfied humans leave, I always fantasized that I could leave with brisk steps like them one day.

The world below the mountain was what I had always longed for.

However, I could not leave here, not even a step.

Because I am a tree demon.

My life was a great tangled root system under the hard soil and stones, expanding and thriving well day after day, year after year. I knew very well in my heart that without the soil, a tree will only have one end.

To live, I could not have freedom.

Such is the fate of being a tree demon, which is both a bit absurd and cruel.

However, I had gradually grown accustomed to these motionless days. Compared to those silent counterparts in inconspicuous corners who eventually vanish in obscurity, I might consider myself lucky. Because I bore the halo of "god," thanks to which I could still have some sham happiness and some unrealistic fantasies.

That's something to be grateful for, right?!

Actually, there is a way to change this fate. As long as I cultivated into a human form, I could break free from my real body and have the freedom to move. I knew about this method very, very early on. However, for me, this "way" was equivalent to a fantasy. With my shallow cultivation, I was afraid I would turn into a handful of dust before I achieved human form, both my body and soul disappearing entirely. Living things do not last forever, and magical beings are no exception. Whether it's a thousand years or ten thousand years, they will die one day; just like the truth of human beings from birth to death. The only difference is one is short and the other is long, that's all.

No one is immortal, be they humans or supernatural beings.

A tree demon, but yearning for freedom.

In those stagnant and desolate days, fantasy and despair coexisted.

However, just when I resigned myself to grow old and die on Mount Fulong, my life of deceiving myself and others came to an end without any warning on a scorching summer night…

He had just rescued a mother and her child who slipped from the cliff. The survivors were sitting by the mountainside, still trembling from their narrow escape. Yet, they didn't utter a word of thanks to their rescuer, not out of fear-induced forgetfulness, but because they didn't know whom to thank.

He deliberately concealed himself so that mortals could not see him.

But I could, crystal clear.

He leaned against me, basking in the clear moonlight, patiently waiting for this group of worshippers to leave.

Besides those humans and prey, no one had ever been so close to me. I never appreciated the humility of humans begging or the panic of prey being caught. But I liked him. Liked his extraordinary but non-intimidating aura, which was cold and profound yet with a soft warmth...

"It can't be like this from now on."

When everyone finally dispersed, he spoke to me for the first time, calm and composed, neither smiling nor angry.

Though I lived in solitude, I was not stupid; his veiled reproach and warning displeased me.

The seven-colored radiance burst layer by layer from my body, illuminating half of the mountain with a dazzling display of light. I moved with the wind, swaying gracefully as if dancing, and attracting more attention than ever before.

I did it on purpose.

An unknown white bird fell into my trap without any precautions, perching among the beautiful and translucent branches and leaves, singing softly.

Silent and stealthy, I moved one of the thousands of branches closer to today's prey.

The bird was too absorbed in its own enchanting song to detect the slightest scent of death.

With a slight lift, I swiftly caught its fragile neck. With a little more force, this little thing would bid farewell to its proud song forever.

The prey flapped its wings, and a few white feathers floated lightly and scattered among the branches.

Actually I was not at all hungry at the time. I just wanted to tell the person in front of me that if they hadn't ignorantly coveted my charm, they wouldn't have lost their lives. I have never forced anyone, whether human, bird or animal. Everything, all of it, was done by them willingly; how could anyone blame me?

But he put a stop to my silent rebuttal.

A drop of clear water sprang from his fingers and impartially hit the "hand" that had seized the bird's life.

A tingling sensation spread through every leaf vein of my body.

I had no choice but to loosen my "hand."

The bird fluttered away into the sky, becoming the first prey lucky enough to escape alive.

"Naughty and unruly little demon," he withdrew his gaze from where the bird had flown and walked slowly towards me. The night wind stirred his moon-white robe, and the satin ribbon hanging from his waist danced in the breeze, brushing against my face, causing an unexpected itch.

"The wronged souls are endless. It's only a matter of time before one sues you and you're caught by the Underworld."

Brushing aside a strand of long dark hair blown into his eyes, he "reminded" me.

Catch me? Does he really think I'm ignorant and inexperienced?!

Over the years, I've heard countless laments. I know full well that the souls of those who died unjustly in the world are hundreds of times more than those "wronged souls" buried on Mount Fulong. How many can the Underworld really care about?!

I need food, and I also need the worship of humans.

Without food, my stomach is empty; without worship, my heart is empty.

How can a carefree immortal like him who could come and go as he pleases understand the thoughts of a tree demon?

Yes, he was an immortal, untouched by the world, high and mighty.

From the moment he approached, I knew his unique identity.

Previous ┃ TOC ┃ Next

Dragon & Tree - End

On the day of the wedding, the sun was shining brightly, and even the morning bird songs were filled with joy. However, the guys who were excitedly planning to play pranks in the bridal chamber encountered a serious problem — the groom was missing, and so was the bride.

On the table by the window in the hall, where I sit most often, there were two cups of Fleeting Life tea, still warm. There was a piece of paper under the cups, which read as follows:

Skipping the wedding and going straight to the honeymoon. Keep an eye on Unceasing, and be careful with the fire and candles. Do not disturb!

Signed: Dragon & Tree

The premeditated gossip dreams of the demons were ruthlessly shattered by us... Amen.

Now, let's move away from these sorrowful faces harboring ulterior motives.

In the desert of Egypt, Ao Chi led me, and I led a silly camel, walking leisurely under a setting sun.

Smooth golden yellow sand dunes with ups and downs stretched long and unbroken in our view, creating the most breathtaking scene with the simplest color blocks.

As we continued walking, I suddenly acted coquettish: "I can't walk anymore! Carry me..."

"You're sick! There's a camel right next to you, but you want me to carry you?" He glared at me.

"Is the camel my husband or are you my husband?" I raised my voice.

"I am... ahem... alright." He bent down, pointing to his back, "Come up."

I jumped on him gleefully, my laughter exceptionally joyful.

"I have a question for you. When you became Fatty and Skinny, you were a great cook. Could it be that..."

"To be honest, your husband here is good in social situations, adept in the kitchen, skilled in fixing computers, and can beat up hoodlums!^[1] You just never bothered to seriously understand me before, always playing rebellious and fighting with me! Humph!"

"I understand now... er... then from today, I'll delegate all the cooking authority to you!"

"Save it! Let's take turns, so it's fair!"

"Okay, okay... By the way, let's open a shop in Cairo too. How about selling ice cream?"

"Can you please calm down for a moment? It's our honeymoon period! Once you open a shop, who knows what kind of weirdos you'll meet again."

"Yeah... Oh, by the way, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

"What?"

The afterglow of the sunset illuminated my face. I pressed my warm lips against his hot ears, saying—

"I'm sorry. I love you."

These words had been buried for far too long; I hope they'll always remain within their shelf life.

By the way, that small store called Unceasing has permanently closed down. The lady boss named Shaluo has disappeared without a trace, and rumor has it that she was abducted by a man. Nowadays, Unceasing has become an inn and a gathering place for demons, and even today, passersby occasionally catch a whiff of the sweet aroma coming from inside. Some of its former customers still talk about how delicious the desserts were, how beautiful and quirky the proprietress was, and how foolish and sleazy the two assistants, one fat and one thin, were.

However, what is most talked about is a type of tea in Unceasing. It's very, very bitter, but after the bitterness, it leaves behind a deep and lasting sweetness.

Interesting drink.

That cup of tea has a peculiar name — Fleeting Life.

Without tasting bitterness, how can one know sweetness?

Life itself is a journey of joys and sorrows shared.

The difference is that some people have companions and confidants, while others do not.

Those without love are always lonely even amidst bustling crowds.

Those with love are never lonely even wandering the ends of the earth and braving storms.

I think I don't need to keep running around anymore, because I have found the place where I most want to stop and smile. ^-^

---

[1] Ao Chi says 你老公我，出得厅堂入得厨房，修得电脑打得流氓！The literal translation is: "I, your husband, can step into the hall and enter the kitchen, fix computers, and fight rogues!" This line is humorous, and to understand why, read this Baidu entry, followed by this page.

Translator:

Aww...good for you Shaluo! 

Enjoying the story? Click on a few ads to support me! Easy-peasy. 

Previous ┃ TOC ┃ Next

Dragon & Tree - Part 10

Once life becomes bustling, time flies.

Christmas is here in the blink of an eye.

In the early morning, while I was still fast asleep, I was awakened by a series of knocking sounds.

I walked to the door with disheveled hair and asked, "Who is it?"

"It's me!" Ao Chi's booming voice came from outside the door.

"What's up?" I hate things that disturb me sleeping late.

"Let's get married!"

Uh... What's going on?

I stood at the door with droopy eyelids, drowsily contemplating for a while.

Let's get married...

Let's get married...

Let's get married…

Well, dog my cats! These words were so refreshing that not only did it dispel all drowsiness, but it also came with the added bonus of short circuiting my brain.

Silence prevailed on both sides of the door.

"Give me three reasons," I said after a long time.

"First, nobody wants you except me. Second, nobody wants me except you. Third, I love you." Ao Chi spoke very fast and blurted out without any hesitation.

Oh! These are the most provoking and yet straightforward reasons to propose marriage in history…

I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Tears welled up in my eyes, and the smile on my lips seemed to have a cramp, uncontrollable.

"If you don't open the door, I'm kicking it down!" Ao Chi was impatient.

After taking deep breaths N times, I forcefully opened the door with an unhappy expression.

A burst of cheerful heckling engulfed me, accompanied by lots of streamers falling from the air.

Ao Chi was holding a brocade box in one hand and a ring in the other, while the guys stood behind him wearing Santa hats.

"Here's your green robe," he handed the brocade box to me, "If you think I'll mind because of this, you underestimate me too much. This lord's mind is broader than the universe. On the contrary, I have always been grateful to Zimiao. Without him, I wouldn't have a wife to marry today."

"Did I say I promise to marry you?" This guy is still so self-righteous, still so fond of making decisions for others. So annoying!

He suddenly grabbed my right hand and, without any explanation, slid the diamond ring onto my ring finger.

"If you don't deny it in three seconds, I'll take it as your acceptance. All the people in the room can testify." He solemnly declared to me.

I stood petrified in place…

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

Surprisingly, all I can think now is: why is this guy so... cute?!

Yes, at this moment, nothing else matters. What's important is that we've missed two decades of time, and from now on, I don't want to be separated from this evil dragon. This tree demon wants him by her side for every millennium in the future!

Do I need a reason for this? Yes.

There's only one reason — everyone should honestly face their feelings, including myself.

I finally laughed out loud, stood on tiptoes, and lightly kissed Ao Chi's cheek, saying, "Okay, I accept."

He was first stunned, then breathed a sigh of relief, and gave me a bear hug, his eyes filled with tears of infinite emotion.

No one else's hug is as solid and reliable as his. His heartbeat truly blended into my veins, and I realized that from now on, I'll never be able to cut him out of my life.

Astrologically speaking, Leo and Sagittarius are a perfect match for seven lifetimes. Are we a couple that's a not-too-bad example of that?

Lost in sweet daydreams, his fingers gently lifting my chin interrupted my thoughts.

Our eyes met. I've been gazing into those slender eyes of his for centuries, and yet I don't feel any aesthetic fatigue. The deep affection in his eyes and the silent gaze made me blush decisively.

He smiled the softest smile ever, his lips parting slightly.

My heart pounded. Does the proposal scene have a second season?

However, I quickly realized that he wasn't opening his mouth to do something to me but to turn around and proudly show off to the group of gossip monsters behind him: "See! I bet she’ll agree! The only bag of cod filets is mine! Guys, you bet, you pay!"

A food bag flew gracefully through the air, and he caught it, grinning from ear to ear.

Jiu Jue shrugged, "Fine, the cod filets and the lady boss are all yours!"

The room erupted in joyful cheers again, colorful ribbons flew up, and Cangtong Kai even brought out a vuvuzela, blowing wildly at us.

I'm genuinely worried that Unceasing's roof will collapse due to their excitement.

"Great! Lady Boss Shaluo is finally getting married!"

"The shrew will be washing her hands and making soup^[1] from now on!"

"Do you want to die!"

Chaos ensued inside Unceasing.

Afterwards, these demons spent a week discussing what my wedding with Ao Chi should be like, super enthusiastic and gossipy.

Time flew by quickly like a river.

The wedding is tomorrow.

By evening, Unceasing had been decorated by them into a pink world, with arrow-through-the-heart patterns everywhere, and I mean everywhere!

After dinner, our "helpers" sat by the fireplace chatting. They whispered to each other and laughed evilly from time to time while watching Ao Chi and me.

After a while, Jiu Jue took two pieces of paper and stuffed one to each of us, saying, "Everyone wants to know one thing. Considering that Lady Boss is the greatest woman we have ever encountered in our lives, her lifelong happiness is our greatest concern. So, to verify if you two are a match made in heaven, please write down the words you most want to say to each other on the paper. As long as you have even one word in common, we'll agree to your marriage. If..."

"Get lost! Even if not a single word matches, see if you're able to steal my bride!" Ao Chi glared fiercely at Jiu Jue.

"Hurry up and write! No refusals allowed!"

These mischievous and bored things.

Fine, let's write.

What do I most want to say?

After some thought, I picked up a pen and wrote a word, then handed the paper to Jiu Jue.

Ao Chi impatiently scribbled something and tossed the paper to Jiu Jue.

Looking at what we wrote, Jiu Jue burst into loud laughter and nodded repeatedly, "Tsk tsk, as expected, the husband and wife are of the same mind!"

As everyone gathered to look, the content on the two pieces of paper was exactly the same, both with the word—

Peerless.

---

[1] wash hands and make soup: It's from the poem "Newlywed Wife" by Wang Jian, a famous poet of the Tang Dynasty. In ancient times, it was customary for the bride to go to the kitchen to prepare dishes on the third day of her marriage, symbolizing that the new daughter-in-law will take care of her parents-in-law in the future, and it was also a test on her ability to handle housework. In modern times, it is used to express love, implying that you're willing to take care of your partner.

Previous ┃ TOC ┃ Next

Dragon & Tree - Part 9

It seems like Christmas is approaching. Snowflakes are drifting outside the window, and when I leaned out for a closer look, the world outside was so beautiful. Although it's still the same small and quiet street with people hurrying by.

Ao Chi fell asleep contentedly, his snores loud enough to wake the dead.

I tucked him in and walked quietly towards the door.

"Hey..."

I heard Ao Chi suddenly say behind me; he was clearly talking in his sleep.

I stopped in my tracks.

"The best is actually always by your side, but you don't see it."

This mindless sleep talk... I laughed.

Idiot, I've seen it a long time ago — that's what I said in my heart.

Anyway, as soon as I stepped out of the room, I saw three large furballs wrestling with each other, fighting over a bag of cod filets. A round, dumpling-like ginkgo nut was bouncing around beside them, watching the fun.

White, Cangtong Kai; black, Xuan; gold, Kevin…

During this time, I've basically become accustomed to this kind of scene.

All of them have recovered from their injuries, but they need to recultivate for some time before they can return to their human forms, so they're all simply staying in the store for now and refusing to leave. Kevin is the most unfortunate one because, in his current state, he's smaller than the two cat demons and will take at least a year and a half to fully recover.

He is the one who deserves all of our gratitude the most.

Even I didn't know that the ancestors of the Golden Lions were all beings that lived on the Sun, veritable Children of the Sun. Even after their descendants moved to Earth, they still retained the ability to summon sunlight.

Kevin exhausted himself half to death, and Ah-Liao used the innate vitality of ginkgo nuts to protect him the entire time as he broke through the layer upon layer of obstacles in the Shadow Land, and attracted the life-saving sunlight. This completely shattered Ao Shuo's "ideal" and turned his Shadow Land into a burst bubble.

I still remember Ao Shuo's desperate howl at the moment when that hellhole disappeared, and I also seem to have heard Mu crying...

Sunshine, something so ordinary in daily life, saved us at that time. No, it saved the whole world.

As people and demons living in this world, we really should cherish this most beautiful light and not let it disappear ever again because of any human-made mistakes.

Those three guys are having a great time fighting, and their presence makes me feel like Unceasing is a zoo.

However, it's good to be lively and bustling.

Walking to the backyard, Gu Wuming, with a shovel in his hand, is arguing with a newly planted locust tree. Jiu Jie is sitting on a chair beside them, and instead of intervening, he is happily listening while drinking red wine. He's also holding a gossip magazine, and Ku Yue is perched on the magazine, reading it attentively.

"Let me go! I'm not staying here! You ba*tards!" The voice of the locust tree sounds like an angry girl.

You're not seeing things, that locust tree is Mu.

When the Shadow Land collapsed, Ao Shuo, along with his "ideal" that he failed to achieve, were burned into a few wisps of black smoke by the incoming sunlight. He was a ghost in the first place, averse to sunlight. Even after becoming the god Anubis, the power of this exiled death god itself could only see the night, never daring to confront the Sun. What the Shadow Land itself feared the most was also the Sun. The road that Ao Shuo embarked on was quite literally "to wither in the light of day^[1]."

If a person's ideal turns into a distorted obsession, it's a very frightful thing.

And when someone always wants to focus their gaze on the so-called highest and farthest, they end up unable to see even the closest things.

If Ao Shuo could see it, his ending wouldn't be like this.

If this world was truly garbage to him, then what of Ao Chi's brotherly affection and Mu's unwavering devotion to him?

What can a person who can't even see the precious things around them see of their distant "ideal"?

Regarding Ao Shuo, I can only say that he was a tragic madman.

But what's even more tragic is that someone still can't forget this madman.

Mu, who did countless things for him, committed countless mistakes on his behalf, and even willingly sacrificed her own spirit to support his Shadow Land, still cannot accept the fact that Ao Shuo has disappeared. She still blames me for everything.

After the Shadow Land faded away, I found her barely alive at the foot of Mount Fulong. Too much of her spirit had been absorbed; not to mention maintaining her human form, even staying alive was difficult.

I sealed her into her real body. Only this way could she have a chance at life. If she cultivates quietly for a few hundred years, she should be able to return to the beautiful girl she was before.

She curses me all the time. I let her vent.

However, I asked Gu Wuming to move her real body from Mount Fulong to Unceasing's backyard.

To avoid damaging the roots of this stubborn locust tree, Gu Wuming carefully dug with a shovel for an entire day.

"Shaluo, you're still so hypocritical! I am the one who wants to take your life, yet you want to save me! Let me out! Even if my soul scatters, I don't care! I hate being alive! I hate living so lonely!"

The branches and leaves of the locust tree trembled violently, and every falling leaf is Mu's despair.

"You don't really understand the definition of loneliness." I smiled as I stood in front of her, lifting a water kettle to water her. The water in the kettle isn't ordinary tap water; it's spirit dew collected by Ku Yue for me, "Bringing you to my side indeed stems from selfish thoughts, because occasionally, I want to talk to someone about my past - those feelings of loneliness, despair, and my mood when the most important person left. You know, I'm quite chatty, and these guys around me may not be willing to listen to me prattle. So, I will tell you my stories from time to time. Anyway, you have no hands or feet, and you can't run away, hahaha."

"Once I regain my freedom, I'll still kill you!" Mu's anger remained unabated.

"Then you better recuperate properly. Otherwise, you still won't win against me." I made a funny face at her and added, "Just be yourself. True love isn't about subverting yourself to the other person; it's about seeing the most genuine aspects of each other in each other's eyes."

Mu fell silent for a while, snorted, and stopped paying attention to me.

This girl's quite similar to me.

I wonder if a hundred years will be enough for me to "guide her onto the right path"?

Given that we're both from the same race and fellow villagers, it's worth a shot.

And it's quite amusing having a tree in the backyard that curses at people.

This result is the best.

I smile to myself.

---

[1] 見光死: to wither in the light of day. Figuratively, the bubble bursts as the reality becomes apparent; slang(of an online relationship): "to be killed by the cold, harsh light of reality when the two meet in real life."

Previous ┃ TOC ┃ Next

Dragon & Tree - Part 8

"Open your mouth!"

I held up the spoon filled with medicine.

Ao Chi arrogantly turned his face away: "I won't eat!"

"Alright." I put down the bowl and took a glass of vanilla milkshake from the table, "How about this?"

If it weren't for the bandages all over his body, this man, who looked more like a mummy, would have definitely jumped out of bed. He has the craziest obsession with my homemade secret recipe vanilla milkshake.

"I want it!" His eyes gleamed with a wolf-like green light.

"Then open your mouth!" I put down the milkshake and picked up the bowl of food, "Take the medicine first, then you can have the dessert. No discussion, no negotiation."

He glared at me resentfully, reluctantly opening his mouth.

A glass of vanilla milkshake was enough to make this willful and unruly evil dragon obedient — the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, this saying is true!

There was a long-lost sweet aroma wafting inside Unceasing again. The large pot of eight-treasures glutinous rice porridge^[1] simmering in the kitchen was bubbling and rolling. Now there were no more "Fatty" and "Skinny" for me to boss around. So since we returned to Unceasing, I cook all the food myself.

To be honest, I'm not used to being without those two helpers.

"Come on, give me the milkshake, hurry!" Ao Chi obediently finished his medicine and urged me impatiently.

"You're in good spirits today." I scooped up a spoonful of milkshake but didn't rush to feed him, "That means you can answer my questions now."

"I've said everything that needs to be said. What else do you want to know, woman?" Ao Chi's eyes remained fixed on my hand, "Feed me quickly!"

"First question, why did you leave without a word twenty years ago?" I lifted the scoop in my hand and deliberately waved it in front of him, just not giving it to him, "You can have a spoonful after answering."

"You vicious woman!" He was like a monkey with ADHD, wriggling on the bed angrily, "Even the Keeper of the Axis of Time has a shelf life and needs to be replaced. I'm the old man's legitimate grandson. He entrusted someone to find me and hoped to pass on this heavy responsibility to me. Moreover, he personally told me that Ao Shuo has returned, with a completely different identity and power. This guy had already declared that he'd returned and vowed to obtain the Dragon Heart Key. The old man said he consulted the clan's high priest through divination, and Ao Shuo's return would be a disaster for the entire East China Sea and even the whole world. The divination results showed that only I can deal with it. The priest also said something like 'twenty years in seclusion, wrath turns into beauty. But when the dark clouds burn, a friend arrives with the blazing sun.' I didn't understand what it meant, but in short, I was asked to take over the duty as the new Keeper, hide from the world for twenty years, and never cross paths with Ao Shuo. Only then can the disaster be reversed. Although I find that long-winded old man annoying, I know what that crow's mouth of a high priest says usually comes true. Besides, I've never really contributed to the East China Sea Dragon Clan even though I grew up there. So I thought, this time, let's make up for it all at once. I promised the old man, which meant I couldn't appear as Ao Chi for the next twenty years. So..."

"So you intentionally lost my green robe and said such outrageous things to me, knowing it would trigger my temper and I would definitely drive you away, which is perfect for you to justifiably disappear without raising my suspicion! What a great plan! Ao Chi, when did your acting skills become so good?" I took over the conversation, angrily taking the spoon back from under his nose and stuffing it into my own mouth, using exaggerated eating style to cover up the fact that I wanted to cry.

Just because of a dragon heart key and a madman's return, the two of us were separated for twenty years.

"You actually stole the patient's milkshake! A woman's heart is the cruelest! The cruelest..." He was furious, but when he saw my eyes suddenly turn red, he stared blankly, remained silent for a long time, then said, "Actually... I have been uneasy ever since I agreed to be the Keeper. I was afraid that I would never be able to return to your side as Ao Chi. If I really couldn't come back, I hoped you would hate me to death. I know you're always quick to forget people you despise."

I rudely shoved a spoonful of milkshake into his mouth, while on the other side, I remained silent with red eyes.

He smacked his lips in satisfaction, returning to his usual rogue demeanor, chuckling joyfully, "Oh, did I move you? I can't believe I moved you to tears! I also think I'm quite great!"

"Second question, why did you later become a fat and thin duo to lie low by my side? And even pretended to be so damned vulgar so seamlessly?" I cast a sidelong glance at him and asked again.

"That's two questions, so exchange two spoons of milkshake." He licked his lips and answered, "For the first nineteen years, I pretty much stayed in the barrier of the Axis of Time. I was bored to death. But I came to see you every year, sometimes as a mosquito, sometimes as a bunch of sunflowers, oh, I even turned into a mouse once. However, I know your sense of smell is keen, so I never dared to stay too long for fear that you would find out. Frankly speaking, during this time, you've been doing well, perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. I can finally say that my teachings weren't in vain."

"Wait a minute!" My eyes widened and I suddenly interrupted him, "Have you ever turned into a bottle of shower gel or something? Tell me!"

"Tch! Even if it's a demoness with a hundred times better figure than yours, I'm not interested in watching." He rolled his eyes.

"Then why the hell did you come back? You might as well go die in that Axis of Time of yours, and leave me in peace!" I wanted to splash the milkshake on his ugly mug so badly!

"Because I missed you."

He suddenly blurted out this sentence, such a bland and cheesy line, something that neither of us could ever say before, not even if beaten to death.

I stared stupidly, my face turning red.

"Even though you hardly have any strong points," he added at the right moment, "I still like you quarreling with me, like seeing you stomp your feet in anger because of me, and I like that you're bold and brave. You look cold-blooded and emotionless, but in reality, you're as soft-hearted as cotton candy. In short, if you're not by my side, my life will be a lot less fun. Anyway, there was only one year left until the end of the twenty years, so I split my spirit into two and hid it in two earthworm monsters, transforming into Fatty and Skinny. In this way, not only could I annoy you all day long, but I could also lead a completely different and relaxed life in another identity. How amusing! You know that earthworm monsters are also called earth dragons. They are born beneath the earth, absorbing countless essences of the earth throughout their lives. Their demon aura is so strong that they can be called the best of all demons. Their demon aura was enough to completely conceal the scents of my two halves, preventing anyone from finding out. As long as I don't reveal my identity, I'm not breaking any promises. If Mu hadn't made a genuine move to kill you, I could have continued being the fat and thin duo, living carefreely." He spoke with a face full of nostalgia, then shouted, "Hey, milkshake!"

"Eat, eat, I'll stuff you to death!" I scooped two large spoonfuls and shoved it into his mouth, "You ba*tard, you clearly saw everything. When Mu stole my body and took away my real body, you went so far as to pretend not to know anything? You looked on as I coped with poverty over at Musheng, making money through tarot readings to eke out a living, while you continued to live carefreely. When I only had half a life left, that's when you finally decided to show up?"

"Don't wrongly accuse me. The amulet I left you saved you twice! Do you know what the golden dragon inside it is? It represents a hundred years of my cultivation! It's just for your emergency use! There's also the puppet Zhang Daxia. If I hadn't paid him to be ordered around by you, you wouldn't even earn enough money to buy instant noodles!" Ao Chi discontentedly explained, then sighed, "But I admit, I had the intention to avoid. If I could, I would never want to confront Ao Shuo. I can never forget the scene of him dying under my blade that year. As long as I refuse to appear, we won't clash again." He gave a rare bitter smile, "But I quickly realized that this mindset is really damning. There are some people you can't avoid no matter what. If you don't dare to face it now, you'll have to face it eventually. He used you as bait and trapped you in a desperate situation just to force me to show up. If something had really happened to you, I would probably feel guilty for my shameful avoidance for the rest of my life. Thankfully, you're lucky!"

What he really thinks is exactly as I guessed.

I just don't know whose heart it is, as soft as cotton candy! Hmph!

"I don't have any further questions."

I realized that the answers I wanted to know didn't actually need to be answered by him at all. Because I understand his thoughts.

Just… When did this phenomenon start?!

"Ahhh!" He exaggeratedly opened his mouth wide, eyes glancing at the remaining milkshake.

What a child.

To my surprise, from this overage child, my thoughts went to the stubborn, unruly, and full of himself East China Sea evil dragon, who declared that he would take me out even if he died carrying me as he soared and clawed through the sky.

How can this weirdo with a split personality combine all the impossible-to-coexist things in the world into one so perfectly?

I smiled helplessly and gently fed him his favorite food, spoonful by spoonful.

It has been more than a month since that life-and-death ordeal. Ao Chi is alive, I am alive, and those guys are all alive. Although we all got injured, Ao Chi was the most seriously injured, and he'll have to be a mummy for at least another half month. During this time, my Unceasing has become a temporary ward, and I'm doing multiple jobs at once. I'm a nurse, a cook learning how to prepare various desserts and dishes, and a caretaker who looks after him in a fluster every day. The busier I am, the happier he is. The truth is that as long as it is something I make with my own hands, no matter what it is or how it tastes, he enjoys it.

---

[1] Medicinal cuisine made from ingredients like rice, barley, dates, etc. that's easy to digest.

Previous ┃ TOC ┃ Next

Dragon & Tree - Part 7

"Kevin? Ah-Liao?"

All of us were dazzled by the brilliant golden light of this golden lion-man.

"Sorry we're a bit late, as we live quite far away. We hadn't even reached the wedding venue yet when we found that the world had changed. I didn't expect someone would actually create a Shadow Land and bring disaster to all the demons in the world," Kevin's lion face was very unhappy. Then he sighed in relief and said to me, "But fortunately we Golden Lions are famous for our speed; otherwise, we surely wouldn't have caught up with you."

"You guys..."

Kevin winked at me, "Weibu is doing well now. I owe you a favor."

"I don't want you to return my favor. You've already paid me." I don't know what he's up to, but I'm afraid he'll become another disobedient Ao Chi. Anyway, I don't want anything to happen to any of these guys around me. But I wondered why Kevin seemed to be completely unaffected by the power of the Shadow Land; he's clearly a demon too.

The smart Ah-Liao saw the concern and confusion in my eyes, pointed to herself, and said, "This dragon is not the only non-demon here, I'm not one either. The biggest skill of us Ginkgo nuts is to go against death. Although my cultivation is not very high, my power can at least protect this lion for forty-eight hours." Saying this, she pursed her lips and smiled, "They can create a Shadow Land, and we can try… to create a Sunshine Land..."

With that, Ah-Liao shrank her body and turned into a round ginkgo nut, jumped up from Kevin's back and fell into his mouth.

"Ah-Liao, are you crazy?" I was shocked.

"I'm not going to eat her; this is the only way to give full play to the advantages of our cooperation." Kevin carefully held the gingko nut in his mouth, took a deep breath, and fiercely clawed forward. In just two or three moves, he surpassed Ao Chi and dashed forward, radiating a brilliant light from head to toe. I watched in a daze as he advanced bravely, appearing as if another sun had begun burning in the darkness.

At that moment, the unrestrained energy all around us suddenly boiled up like boiling water, and a massive tremor almost knocked us off the sky.

"My dear brother has always been a hero. Since that's the case, why do you all insist on destroying his virtue? You self-righteous big demons, even if you don't want to contribute any power to my kingdom, at least you should be obedient spectators."

I saw Ao Shuo's faces, countless of them tightly packed together like a gigantic, endless and impregnable fortress wall, suddenly appearing around us. Each face had the same expression, spoke the same seemingly considerate words, and looked incomparably horrific. They pressed towards us from left, right, up, down; any angle I looked. The current situation made us feel like we were trapped in a sealed space, with the walls closing in from all sides. If we cannot escape, we will become mincemeat.

Kevin, who was running, had to brake abruptly as the closing walls blocked his path.

"Get out of the way!" Ao Chi caught up, spewing out raging flames from his mouth, which made the man-faced wall scream incessantly as it burned. Ao Chi swung his tail fiercely, delivering a heavy blow to the burning area, causing cracks to appear, and with another strike, a wide hole opened up.

"Ao Shuo! You keep on saying that you don't have the heart to fight me, yet you've gone through such lengths. You regard Shaluo and Jiu Jue as your insurance, using the safety of others to force me into taking my own life. For twenty years, the one who dare not have a head-on confrontation with me is you! You are nothing but a coward who is afraid of losing!" Ao Chi cursed loudly, drawing the attention of the man-faced wall to himself.

Kevin lowered his head and broke out through the hole.

However, countless white threads sticky like spider silk furiously burst out from the edges of the hole, like the gray hair of despair on a resentful woman's head. They continuously expanded, growing, half turning back to wrap around Ao Chi's neck and half chasing after Kevin.

"Get back here!"

I don't know where the brute strength came from, but I leaped from Ao Chi's back, stepping on his head as I jumped out. I grabbed the mass of white hair chasing Kevin and forcefully pulled it back.

One surged forward and the other pulled backward. In this confrontation, those steel-wire tough white hair cut deeply into my flesh.

I didn't feel the pain because my attention was not on myself but on others.

I tenaciously dragged the white hair in my arms and refused to let go. Yes, I am a tree demon who has cultivated for thousands of years. My life experience is unparalleled in the world. Even if I am barely hanging on now, I am still the valiant and fierce Shaluo, the lady boss without equal. What can mere white hair do to me!

This psychological suggestion worked. With tightly closed eyes and clenched teeth, I persisted and persisted. I won't let you hurt any of my friends!

With a few ripping sounds, I heard the hair breaking.

Cangtong Kai and Xuan were behind me, tearing and biting at the white hair. Their nails broke and blood appeared, and tiny pieces of flesh were cut off their tongues, but they didn't care, only earnestly working together with me.

Blocking the entrance of the hole with his body, Ao Chi prevented more white hair from coming out to cause trouble. His situation was worse than mine. His whole body was covered with slithering white vipers, each one so angry that they wanted to bite off a piece of flesh from him.

I saw Jiu Jue by his side, his face still pale, his body still leaking those halos, but the sword in his hand gleamed like a rainbow, cutting countless white hairs into ashes. On the side, Gu Wuming had a broken arm but that didn't stop him from fighting the white hair with just one hand.

There was also Ku Yue. Although a demon, after losing his human form, he was not much different from an ordinary butterfly. He was so puny that a gust of wind could easily blow him away, yet he kept flapping his thin wings and using his delicate tentacles to grab a strand of white hair charging towards Ao Chi's eyes and ruthlessly snapping it.

The fact is each one of us should have fallen long ago, but each of us refused, even though we had reached the limits of our bodies.

Perhaps in the eyes of someone like Ao Shuo, giving up and persisting would yield the same result. However, I still chose the latter. Even if I lose, even if I die, I would do so with my head held high.

I believe that there are actually many people in this world who are very similar to us, holding onto their own persistence and courage, refusing to compromise or fall.

Mo Bai is like this, Liang Yudong is like this, Baili Weibu is like this, Li Huai is like this, Su Qiuchi is like this, and so are many, many other individuals who have appeared in my life.

Whether they are demons or humans, it is precisely because there are still many "Mo Bais," many "Baili Weibus," and many of "us" in this world that I have the confidence to point at Ao Shuo's nose and say he is wrong and that this world still has its worth and the hope for change.

We have all experienced disappointment, we have all been hurt, but such is life, perfection is just a fairy tale. However, everyone has the opportunity not to leave regrets for themselves.

As long as you live earnestly and fight hard for the important people in your life, this in itself is a kind of perfection.

I had truly exhausted my strength.

There were more and more white hair, with one strand viciously winding around my neck.

I'm not afraid of dying; I just hope that before I die, I can finally say the words in my heart to a certain person.

These white hairs were really cruel… They strangled my neck to the point of breaking. My vision became blurry, and in my ears, I sometimes heard the voices of Cangtong Kai and Xuan, sometimes the maniacal laughter of Ao Shuo, and sometimes Ao Chi shouting my name...

There was a rumbling sound in the distance; it was not thunder but a long-lost lion's roar, a force that pierced through heaven and earth.

My eyes crossed over the darkness, and I saw a beam of sunlight. Just like what I saw when I opened my eyes for the first time following my birth on Mount Fulong. Golden light swirling and passing through the layers of clouds, casting onto my body; the snowstorm had just subsided, and all around me, there was only warmth, warmth, warmth…

Previous ┃ TOC ┃ Next