Chapter 138: Extra: Worth It

When the White Tiger left the frosty world, virtually all his spiritual qi had been exhausted. Divination and flight was completely beyond him, and even if he were to forcibly fly a distance, he would likely be discovered by humans and cause a panic. Moreover, he had to preserve sufficient spiritual qi to maintain his human form. 

He traveled across an icy mountain for more than ten days before finally coming across a mountaineering team. Noticing his thin clothes, the mountaineering team even thought that he was hallucinating from being at death’s door. Thus, they hurriedly dragged him over and commenced a series of emergency rescue actions.

White Tiger: …

“Brother, are you all right?”

“Team doctor, quickly come and take a look.”

“His pupils are in a normal state and his breathing is smooth, he’s already out of danger.”

After drinking some water and eating a nutritious meal, the White Tiger accompanied them up the mountain and even rescued two humans who almost fell off the mountain. Afterwards, he watched these humans stick a red-colored flag on the mountain, make strange expressions at a tiny black box, and even talk to themselves. He found these humans a bit strange.

That wasn’t the end of it. These humans even enthusiastically called him over to stand with them in front of the black box, rambling on about how grateful they were for his help, how this was their team’s glory, and so on.

Just climbing a mountain could induce a sense of glory – humans really were mystical creatures.

While making his way down the mountain, the White Tiger caught sight of a few frozen human corpses. The humans going down the mountain would silently salute them before continuing on their way down.

“Many people have attempted to conquer this tall mountain these years. During that process, there would be people who died.” The leader told the White Tiger. “They are all heroes.”

The White Tiger looked at the leader’s solemn, saint-like expression and couldn’t help thinking that life in the human world should be pretty good for people to be pursuing such a form of subjugation. The clothes these mountaineers wore were also different from those thousands of years back. And those small shining boxes clearly had no spiritual qi yet could retain human images. 

“I won’t be mountaineering anymore after going back. It’s fortunate that you joined, otherwise we wouldn’t have successfully made it up the mountain,” The leader heaved out white puffs of air as he spoke, his face a deep red from the cold. “But I don’t have any regrets.”

He looked back at the majestic, large mountain behind him and revealed a gratified yet reverent smile.

The White Tiger was silent. When they were close to the foot of the mountain, the mountaineers went crazy with joy. Pretty much every person turned into a chatterbox, unlike how they had stayed silent while climbing the mountain to preserve their strength. They talked about their relatives, their lovers, their dreams, and their futures with absolutely no restraint.

“Old White, what about you?” The leader asked. “After going down the mountain, will your family members blame you for coming to such a dangerous place?”

The White Tiger stared blankly, and then slowly shook his head.

His absent-minded expression led the leader to believe that he had said something inappropriate. Embarrassed, the leader stopped this line of questioning.

Just before they parted, the mountaineering team gave the White Tiger a wad of cash as thanks for his lifesaving grace. If not for the fact that they had too little cash on them as well as the White Tiger’s lack of a phone, their gratitude cash would probably have been even larger.

The leader specially gave his name card to the White Tiger, so that he could find him whenever he faced difficulties in the future. After parting with these humans, the White Tiger casually stuffed the name card into his pocket.

He walked for a very long time without food or drink. Just as he was about to reach the capital, the identification-less him was reported by a good-hearted yao and he was ‘invited’ by the cultivators guarding the local area into their office for an investigation.

“Two thousand years.”

The two human cultivators responsible for registration interviews were utterly amazed upon hearing this. They took out a registration form for special yao cultivators from a drawer. “Mr Bai, there is a strict cultivators’ management system in place in the current human world. Any yao cultivator who wants to live in the human world has to register at the Yao Union and obtain an identification card. Only with an identification card can you travel in the human world. Otherwise, you’ll be restricted and when that time comes, not only will you be inconvenienced, the management bureau will also be in a difficult position.”

The White Tiger was a little doubtful of these two human cultivators’ words. Could yao cultivators go to the human world as and when they liked?

“Mr Bai, what are your strong points? We can give you a temporary identification card and recommend you jobs so you can officially start working after registering at the capital’s Yao Union.”

White Tiger: …

He, a dignified divine creature of Heaven and Earth, still needed to work?!

“If you possess gold, silver, jade artifacts, or other such items, please do not take them out rashly. Such things are not in circulation in the current human world.”

“My strength is on the high side and I’m proficient at refining. I know a bit of talisman-drawing and pill-concoction as well,” The White Tiger wanted to say that he was the best at protecting Heaven and Earth, but the current state of affairs in the human world was unknown and his spiritual qi was depleted, so he dared not reveal his identity.

“Considerable strength, good human appearance – Affinity Moon Hotel recently wanted to recruit two cultivator security guards and the Fields Real Estate Company is also wanting someone from the cultivation world. Send them his information,” The assistant very quickly finished their discussion and stuffed a temporary identification card, a printed recommendation letter, and a map to the capital’s Yao Union into the White Tiger’s arms. After stamping them, they said, “Mr Bai, your documents have already been settled. Next person.”

The White Tiger gripped the few pieces of paper and couldn’t help but admit that he, one of Heaven and Earth’s four gods, had now been reduced to such a state. There was no other option but to work and earn money in the human world. Holding the map, he traveled across land and water to the capital, making turn after turn, and was nearly knocked down by a vehicle in the human world. Although he didn’t say much, the driver was scared witless. After breaking away with much difficulty from the driver who insisted on sending him to the hospital, he wandered around for several hours before finding the Yao Union under a different name.

When he pushed open the door, the place was deserted, not a single person in sight. A thick layer of gingko leaves were strewn over the floor, rendering the floor an expanse of gold.

“Anyone here?” The White Tiger raised his voice. “The cultivation world’s office at a border town sent me here.” That human cultivator had even lied to him that yao cultivators now led relatively good lives. With the pitiful state things were in, it didn’t seem good in any way.

“Hello, sorry,” A goat yao with inch-length hair raced out, apologizing to the White Tiger repeatedly. “The Yao Union is on holiday today and isn’t handling identification card requests. You may stay the night at our Yao Union’s guesthouse first.”

“Holiday?” The White Tiger looked at the tables set up in the yard. They did appear to be frequently occupied.

“Yes,” The goat yao pointed at a notice pasted behind the door. “The Dragon Emperor of the aquatic races is holding a great feast with guests today, and anyone with some status in the cultivation world will be attending it. I’m an intern who just started working, so I specially stayed behind to get some brownie points.”

“Dragon Emperor?” The White Tiger was caught off guard. For the declining dragon race to birth a Dragon Emperor, and one who was respected by so many people in the cultivation world at that, this individual could be considered someone of outstanding talent among the dragons and an expert in the cultivation world. However, according to their divinations of the cultivation world’s fate in those years, shouldn’t the dragon race gradually vanish and eventually go extinct?

The Baize was also present when they were divining, had he made a mistake?

“It’s so lively, could it be the Dragon Emperor’s wedding?”

“How could it be a wedding? The Dragon Emperor and his Dao Companion are deeply affectionate and already held a Dao Bonding Ceremony a few years ago. On that day, clouds tinged with sunset hues filled the sky, there was endless auspicious qi, and even heavenly law congratulated them.” The goat yao’s eyes shone when talking about the Dragon Emperor and his Dao Companion. “The Dragon Emperor’s Dao Companion is very good. Great yao had constantly been wreaking havoc the past few years, and they were all beaten back by him and the Dragon Emperor.”

The White Tiger, also a great yao: …

“Of course, we only target yao cultivators who are a threat to society. We very much welcome cooperative and peaceful yao like you to build a harmonious society with us.” Seeing that the White Tiger’s expression wasn’t quite right, the goat yao hastily explained the basic regulations of the cultivation world. They were definitely not violence-crazed maniacs who would beat up great yao on sight.

“The ancient great yao Suanyu is a high-ranking employee in the management bureau. Gong Fu daren and Kunpeng daren are also unofficial staff in the management bureau,” The goat yao jabbered on for a good while. Seeing that the other party was still intending to continue, the White Tiger gave a dry cough. “The Dragon Emperor has a brilliant reputation in the cultivation world, so everyone attends the banquets he organizes?”

“Ai,” The goat yao’s urge to chatter was ignited on mention of this topic. Turning, he dragged two stools out of the room and insisted that the White Tiger sit and listen to him. “There is nothing bad about the cultivation world, except that we’re not very cultured as a whole. The Dragon Emperor’s Dao Companion self-studied for quite a few years but just couldn’t pass the exam. Even then, he refused to give up. The entire cultivation world already knows of this matter.”

The White Tiger felt that this world was full of absurdity. A yaoguai who actually liked taking examinations and even failed to pass many times – what kind of yaoguai was this?

“The Dragon Emperor’s Dao Companion performed especially well this year and finally managed to pass the exam. He even received an admission letter to university,” The goat yao shook his head. “Fu Li daojun was ecstatic, and when Fu Li daojun’s happy, the Dragon Emperor naturally becomes happy as well, so he organized a feast in the golden dragon palace. Everyone with some relations to them will attend and offer their congratulations.”

“Which daojun did you say it was?” The White Tiger couldn’t be bothered with how ridiculous the whole matter of a ‘yao cultivator struggling for nearly ten years before finally passing the exam and obtaining the congratulations of human and yao cultivators’ was. Just the name ‘Fu Li’ had caused him to lose his usual judgement.

“F-Fu Li daojun,” The goat yao looked at the White Tiger’s joyful yet doubtful expression, and had a vague premonition in his heart. This individual… couldn’t be Fu Li daojun’s elder, right?

Those elders in Fu Li’s family…

The goat yao’s entire body shivered. They were all famous divine beasts during the ancient era, even Fu Li daojun himself was the auspicious beast Hou. When he next looked at the White Tiger, the goat yao’s gaze brimmed with reverence.

But the White Tiger was no longer in the mood to pay any heed to him. Letting loose a long roar at the sky, he morphed into a white tiger and leaped into the layers of clouds.

“Senior, wait, casual flight isn’t allowed in the human world, at least put up an invisible barrier!” The goat yao hurriedly fished out his magic weapon upon seeing the White Tiger’s hasty departure and went in pursuit of him.

Many guests roamed about the golden flying palace in the East Sea. An extremely vivid banner hung on the grand palace doors. With red as the base color, the words ‘Fervent Congratulations to Fu Li daojun for Entering the Domestic A List Undergraduate Course’ were written on it in gold. The banner swayed in the golden palace with an abundance of festivity.

“Congratulations, congratulations. Our cultivation world finally has one more great talent.”

“Truly worthy of Fu Li daojun. It’s only been a short ten years since he came to the human world and he’s already managed to get into university.” The yao cultivator who spoke had been in the human world for almost one hundred years and took the exam for twenty consecutive years without receiving an admission letter to university.

Fu Li’s admission letter was placed in a glass bottle in the main hall. In order to prevent the loss of the admission letter by theft, the elders even erected countless barriers around it. Even if a bolt of heavenly lightning came slamming down, the admission letter would probably make it out unscathed.

The yao cultivators surrounded the admission letter and circled it. The envy they revealed pleased Zhuang Qing very much. With a wave of his hands, firecrackers sounded outside the palace. Timid yao cultivators covered their ears as they secretly peeked out. There was so much noise and excitement that it almost seemed like the new year.

Zhuang Qing had just finished dealing with a mass of cultivators who came to offer their congratulations and was about to turn back to look for Fu Li when he felt a weight land on his back. Something had jumped onto his shoulders.

Seeing this scene, the other cultivators exchanged looks. Fu Li daojun was once again bullying the Dragon Emperor.

Zhuang Qing took Fu Li in his original form into his arms. “You’re slacking again.”

Fu Li transmitted his voice, “Too many people, greeting them all is a bother.”

Zhuang Qing laughed lightly. Stroking his fur, he continued greeting the guests.

The guests discovered that for the entire afternoon, Zhuang Qing continued to carry Fu Li daojun’s original form and even occasionally fed him food and drink, looking entirely like he was raising a son.

The aloof male god Lord Zhuang Qing was made inelegant in the face of love.

But there was good in inelegance as well. Whether one was human or yao, living a bit more inelegant and being a bit more in touch with the common people would give their life color. If it were a hundred years ago, who would believe that Zhuang Qing, who had been the top scorer in the imperial examination and a major official in the imperial court, would host a huge feast where the sound of drums went up to the skies and firecrackers rang out continuously, all because his Dao Companion got into university?

“Is this a bit too flamboyant?” Fu Li looked at the guests that came and went. Despite his happiness, he felt a little embarrassed.

“No, not at all,” Zhuang Qing rubbed the soft flesh on his chin. “After you graduate, you’ll be one of the rare few talented students in our cultivation world. And you’ve also contributed immensely to the human world. Passing is a given when you take the civil servant examination after graduation.”

Fantasizing about the days after he passed the civil servant examination, Fu Li smiled till his eyes curved into crescents.

“When you become a civil servant, let’s hold another one,” Zhuang Qing’s gaze swept across the guests. “Let’s hold a flowing water banquet for three days.”

He didn’t understand in the past why some people liked to flaunt their wealth, their children, and their spouses, but he now understood the delight that lay in such things.

Was there anything more interesting in this world than that?

“En!” Fu Li nodded. Raising his head, he kissed Zhuang Qing on the face. Zhuang Qing lowered his head, gazing at Fu Li’s smile. Beside them, firecrackers sputtered and guests laughed cheerfully. There was no worry, only happiness.

Outside the golden dragon palace, a white tiger and a snake-like tortoise bumped into each other head-on.

“It’s you?!”

They stared at each other dazedly. Stepping through the barrier together, they saw the beautiful, lively scene behind the barrier.

Two thousand years of twists and turns finally culminated in this breathtaking era.

Despite the ups and downs, when the final meeting took place, it was worth it.

Ilyz: We’ve reached the end of DDAS! There is so much I like about this story – the comedy, the touching moments, the lively side characters, the deep and everlasting bond between FL and ZQ. Thank you for following me to the end of this journey and I hope you enjoyed it~ See you around!