Chapter 71: Side Story Five
——Thousands of years ago, in the Phoenix Territory.
Inside an exquisite small building, Su Muluo, the patriarch of the Phoenix clan, was leaning over a table. In front of him was a small white porcelain basin containing clear water, a few water plants, several pebbles, and a small black dragon.
The little black dragon leisurely swam around in the water, occasionally blowing small bubbles towards Su Muluo.
Su Muluo smirked slightly and extended his slender fingers into the water—immediately, the small black dragon grabbed onto his fingers with its claws tightly, refusing to let go.
“Chief.”
As Su Muluo and the dragon played together, a figure entered the small building—it was Shuangli.
For some reason, his green clothes were stained with mud spots, and he was holding a small basin in his hands, seemingly containing something.
Su Muluo said, “Where have you been? Your clothes are dirty like this; Yingshu will scold you again later.”
Shuangli retorted stubbornly, “I’m not afraid of her. Just a little maid, what’s there to fear?” He walked to the table and placed the small basin next to the white porcelain basin with the black dragon, saying, “Chief, look at this, it’s a gift for the little loach.”
Upon hearing the words “little loach,” the small black dragon immediately lifted its head and spat a small fireball towards Shuangli.
Startled, Shuangli quickly dodged aside, exclaiming, “What are you doing! The Chief calls you that too, why don’t you scold him!”
The black dragon snorted a few times, ignored Shuangli with a flick of its tail, and continued to cling affectionately to Su Muluo’s finger, rubbing its head against him.
Su Muluo watched the little dragon acting coquettishly towards him, a smile playing on his lips. He patted its head and then glanced at the small basin Shuangli had brought—
Inside the palm-sized basin were several snake-like creatures that were as ugly as sin.
Su Muluo said, “…What are these? They’re quite ugly.”
Shuangli grinned, “These are loaches I dug up for the little loach. It’s usually all alone, so these loaches can keep it company.”
The small black dragon: “???”
Before Su Muluo could react, it let out an angry “roar” and spat another small fireball at Shuangli.
Having anticipated this, Shuangli dodged quickly. Su Muluo looked at the squirming loaches and remarked, “They’re quite sticky and not very attractive…”
He glanced at the small black dragon again and said, “But they do resemble you a bit.”
The black dragon: “…………”
It immediately exploded in anger, wriggling frantically in Su Muluo’s palm and stirring up the water in the basin.
Su Muluo chuckled and comforted the dragon, patting it skillfully, “Alright, alright, you don’t look like them at all. You’re much better looking.” Then he added, “Be careful not to tie yourself into knots like last time.”
“Roar!”
The black dragon, still huffy, allowed Su Muluo to pat it several times before finally burrowing into his sleeve, ignoring everyone else.
Shuangli laughed heartily, “So, Chief, are we keeping these little loaches?”
Before he finished speaking, a small head poked out from Su Muluo’s sleeve: “Roar!”
No!
They’re not allowed here!
Su Muluo pinched the soft horn on the dragon’s head and smiled, “You should raise them yourself. They’re too ugly, I don’t want to keep them.”
Shuangli nodded, “Oh,” and lifted the small basin, saying, “Perfect, they can be an extra meal tonight.”
Only after he left did the small black dragon emerge from Su Muluo’s sleeve, snorting angrily as it coiled around his Phoenix wrist, swishing its tail.
Su Muluo watched the adorable dragon, speaking gently, “By the way, when are you going to transform?”
He had raised this small black dragon for several years. Despite the fact that it had already gained intelligence, it still hadn’t transformed.
Upon hearing this, the little black dragon tilted its head for a moment and then let out a soft sound.
“I don’t know either.”
Su Muluo squeezed the little dragon again, seeing that it was getting late, he got up and took it back to his bedroom.
When he first raised this little dragon, he tried putting it in a water tank and also on a soft blanket—however, every time he went to sleep, the little black dragon would crawl into his bed and stick to him, wanting to sleep together.
At first, Su Muluo was afraid he might accidentally crush the dragon while sleeping. Later, he found that the scales of the little black dragon were tough and couldn’t be easily crushed, so he let it be.
During rest time, Su Muluo lay in bed and placed the little black dragon beside his pillow, patting its head and saying, “See you tomorrow.”
The little black dragon replied with a soft sound.
He hugged his phoenix tightly.
Su Muluo smiled, raised his hand, and extinguished the candlelight.
It was supposed to be an ordinary night. The next morning, the little black dragon should have been by his pillow when Su Muluo woke up… However, when Su Muluo actually woke up, something was wrong.
There was an extra weight in his arms.
At the same time, the little black dragon by the pillow was gone.
“…”
Su Muluo seemed to realize something, slowly lowered his head, and saw a person lying in his arms.
It was a black-haired youth, gripping Su Muluo’s clothes and sleeping soundly, clinging to him.
He had a cute and soft little face, with two small horns on top… He looked somewhat familiar.
Su Muluo: “…………”
The clan leader’s pet mud loach finally took human form after many years, stunning all the phoenix tribe members.
They all came to the clan leader’s small building to see the youth hiding behind the clan leader. Some pinched his cheeks, others touched the small horns on his head, marveling at him.
The youth was named “Long Ling” by Su Muluo, and he tightly held Su Muluo’s hand while being surrounded by the phoenix tribe members, his face tense—not because he was unhappy, but because he was nervous.
“Oh my goodness,” Frost Moss exclaimed with joy, “Yesterday he was just a little loach, and today he looks like this—can the little guy speak?”
Little Long Ling glared at him.
Frost Moss: “Whoa! Why are you glaring at me!”
“It’s because you used to bully him every day,” Red-clothed Ying Shu pushed him aside, took out a soft ruler, and smilingly measured Little Long Ling, “Come on, let sister measure you and make a few sets of new clothes for you.”
Su Muluo’s small building was lively all day. By nightfall, the phoenix tribe members gradually returned home.
Su Muluo held Little Long Ling’s hand, occasionally looking down at the youth, and led him to another bedroom in the small building.
“You’ll sleep here from now on,” Su Muluo said, “If you’re afraid of the dark, we can leave the candle unlit.”
Little Long Ling: “……”
Upon hearing this, Little Long Ling looked up, his dark golden eyes staring at Su Muluo without blinking.
Feeling the softness of the dragon he had raised, Su Muluo smiled and said, “What’s wrong?”
Softly, Little Long Ling asked, “I want to sleep with the phoenix.”
Su Muluo hesitated briefly before saying, “But now that you’ve become human, you have to sleep on your own.”
“Why do I have to sleep on my own just because I’ve become human?” Little Long Ling said unhappily, “I used to sleep with the phoenix before.”
Before Su Muluo could respond, Little Long Ling pounced on him and hugged his waist —
And then he looked up at him, his eyes pleading.
Not a word spoken.
But particularly cute.
Su Muluo: “……”
Su Muluo softened suddenly and smiled, “Alright, just for tonight. Tomorrow, you’ll have to sleep on your own.”
Little Long Ling nodded, burying his face into Su Muluo’s embrace and nuzzling against him.
The phoenix had a fragrant scent.
He thought to himself.
He wanted to hold onto the phoenix forever, never letting go again.
With this thought in mind, Little Long Ling grabbed onto Su Muluo’s clothes like a clingy little tail, sticking close to him as they walked into the bedroom.
—
Several years later.
The phoenix clan had long been extinct, and the once prosperous realm was now desolate. Su Muluo leaned against the window of a small building, eyes lowered in contemplation.
His hair fell gently on his face—after years of careful nurturing by Longling, the once rough white hair had regained its luster, shimmering like silver, imbued with the soft glow of the moon.
Longling approached silently, draping a coat over his phoenix, saying, “Phoenix, it’s chilly by the window. Let’s go inside.”
Su Muluo looked at him, nodded, and took Longling’s hand, returning with him indoors.
Sitting by the bedside, Longling gently warmed the slightly cold fingers of his phoenix in his palms, saying, “Everything is ready. Whenever the phoenix wishes, we can slip into slumber.”
Su Muluo remained silent, lifting his gaze to look at his dragon without blinking.
Longling knew what he was thinking and smiled, saying, “It’s alright. Even if we sleep, I will still be beside the phoenix—after many years, whether I or the phoenix breaks free first, we will see each other.”
“But by then, both of us will have lost our memories,” Su Muluo said softly, “Even if we can see each other, we might not recognize who we are.”
Longling replied, “That won’t happen. Even if we forget, the phoenix will surely know I am your dragon, and I will know you are my phoenix.”
Finishing his words, he gently touched Su Muluo’s forehead, his voice low and tender, “Our souls have long been intertwined, inseparable. So no matter how many years pass, our love will not fade, and we will recognize each other at a glance.”
—
Su Muluo listened to his dragon’s gentle reassurance, watching those dark golden eyes full of affection. His initially restless heart was slowly calmed, and he leaned closer to Longling, nuzzling against him.
“You’re right,” he replied, holding Longling’s hand and smiling softly, “After we wake from our slumber, we will definitely still be together.”
A gentle breeze brushed through the small building as Su Muluo rested in Longling’s embrace, imprinting the image of his dragon slowly in his heart… He closed his eyes slowly.
In the long slumber that followed, spanning thousands of years, as long as his dragon was by his side, he could endure.
And after a thousand years… when one of them opened their eyes, the long separation would come to an end, welcoming a new reunion.
—
Separation was only temporary; they would always be together, until forever.
T/N: Alright! Here’s the official end! Thank you, thank you. Time to pack up now~ Nothing else to see here! Thanks for following me on this journey and see you on the next one!
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If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
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What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
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