Chapter 1449: Little Brocade Dragon and the Guardian Phoenix 02

Human world spiritual energy dwindled, making it unsuitable for monsters to cultivate; thus monsters flocked to Monster Mountain to settle, rarely venturing into the mortal realm.

Yet today, monsterkind has declined greatly, with great monsters and divine beasts growing ever rarer.

The antagonist Changli, a phoenix that fell from the Red Moon Rift thousands of years ago into this world, is also the sole phoenix divine beast remaining after the monster race's decline.

When Changli underwent his first heavenly tribulation while assuming human form on Monster Mountain, the Yellow Immortal Family of Monster Mountain prophesied that he must venture into the mortal realm to find a chance to survive the second tribulation, or else be struck down by heavenly lightning, annihilating body and soul.

Thus Changli entered modern society, spending a century learning various knowledge and experiencing many different lives, changing residence every few decades.

After entering modern civilization, Changli began a new life, this time founding his own Phoenix Feather Jewelry Design Studio.

And so the story begins here.

The protagonist Ningze, after graduating university, started his own business; by chance he became a long‑term partner of the Phoenix Feather Workshop, and thus became friends with Changli.

Only after becoming friends did Changli realize that there actually existed in this world someone so smooth‑sailing, so outrageously lucky.

By comparison, his own past and life were nothing but shit.

Ningze couldn't help but feel strong resentment and envy in comparison, yet on the surface he grew even closer to Changli; anyone in the industry with a bit of connection knew they were friends.

When his jealousy peaked, Ningze picked up a person on a rainy night, clad in white feathered robes, looking aloof and noble, who bore a subtle resemblance to Changli.

This is the protagonist Shouheyi.

Heyi is a crane demon who escaped from Monster Mountain; his tribulation failed due to corrupt thoughts, after which he grew ever more resentful of Monster Mountain, and when he heard Grandpa Leopard speak of the phoenix that had descended to the mortal realm years ago, a scheme formed in his mind.

Heyi always felt he differed from other monsters, for he possessed a trace of phoenix blood and ought to be a white phoenix.

If he obtained Changli's Phoenix Heart Flame, he could awaken that bloodline, even becoming purer; he would no longer be an insignificant crane demon but a noble phoenix.

Heyi noticed Ningze's jealous thoughts and explained Changli's identity to him.

Heyi needed Changli's Heart‑Protecting Ice Flame, while Ningze desired Changli's fortune; their aims coincided.

Heyi cultivated using the Ancient Divine Beast Demon Pill stolen from Monster Mountain's Treasure Pavilion, fell into demonhood, and deliberately used the phoenix's heart‑knot to lure him into the trap.

Again, taking advantage of the moment when Changli had just survived his heavenly tribulation—his weakest point—he struck and shattered Changli's consciousness in one blow.

But a phoenix is after all a divine beast; even stripped of its Heart‑Protecting Ice Flame, it is not something a crane demon can withstand.

Yet after Changli's Nirvana and his revenge, he likewise lost his divine‑beast power, and perished a century later.

【Memory transmission in progress……Transmission successful.】

In the original plot, Jin Chen's identity was merely brushed over in a few strokes.

He is the dragon egg that fell out of the Red Moon Rift together with the phoenix.

A thousand years ago, the phoenix egg and the dragon egg landed together on Monster Mountain; the elders were startled, took them in to raise, and not long afterward Changli assumed human form.

But Jin Chen was nearly a thousand years late.

【The plot has now progressed to Heyi cohabiting with Ningze, preparing to expose Changli's phoenix identity and scheme to seize the Heart‑Protecting Ice Flame.】

And today is also the time for Jin Chen to enter the mortal world.

The elders and Grandpa Leopard believed that since the dragon and phoenix eggs fell together, they could not be separated; now that Jin Chen has finally come of age and assumed human form, he ought to go into the world to seek the phoenix.

Having received the memories, Jin Chen crouched among the flowers, listening to the elders' words of advice, one after another.

Grandpa Leopard stroked his long beard, saying, 'Human society is no match for Monster Mountain; we must never reveal our divine‑beast identities—it's too dangerous.'

Uncle Tiger said, 'Senior Changli will be your guardian from now on; you must obey him. You and he grew up together in the same nest… oh, not a sleeping egg, you should still remember that.'

Aunt Peacock shook her ornamental feathers, warning, 'Never provoke the phoenix to anger; on Monster Mountain no monster can defeat you, this brocade dragon, and Senior Changli's cultivation far surpasses yours.'

Jin Chen covered his ears, not wanting to hear a word, and found them noisy.

It really is noisy! He's just a newly adult dragon who has recently taken human form—what trouble could he possibly cause?

"Roar——"

Jin Chen, furious, breathed fire.

Uncle Tiger, who had almost borne the brunt of the impact, leapt back in fright and reverted to his true form, adding, 'And don't go breathing fire at random, Little Ancestor—your dragon flame is something few monsters can withstand, let alone humans.'

Several elders gathered around Jin Chen to soothe him, and only when he finally nodded in agreement did they all let out a sigh of relief.

Aunt Peacock sighed, 'Going through all this has made me feel old again.'

'Eh, which of us isn't an old fogey? We're not divine beasts, born with endless lifespans.' Grandpa Leopard continued stroking his mustache; suddenly he noticed Jin Chen had vanished again, and with a shake he plucked two strands of his white‑gray beard, muttering, 'Where has that ancestor run off to now?'

Just the blink of an eye!

You're a divine beast, amazing—every time you disappear without a trace!

Hurry up, pack up and throw him down the mountain!

Jin Chen snatched the package Aunt Black Snake was preparing to deliver, appeared soundlessly, stuffed it into his bosom, and continued to squat.

"Is this for me?" Jin Chen asked.

"Yes, it's for you." Aunt Black Snake jumped at Jin Chen's sudden appearance, thinking that even on Monster Mountain she could be robbed.

Aunt Black Snake, who oversees Monster Mountain's Treasure Pavilion, had come this time to deliver a gift under Grandpa Leopard's orders.

After recovering from her fright, she explained, 'Human society is not like Monster Mountain; you can't just take and use anything you please. Take these treasures down to a pawn shop and exchange them for silver—you need a lot of silver to survive out there.'

Jin Chen: '……'

What pawn shop, what silver?

Isn't this modern society?

Grandpa Leopard fell silent for a moment, then patted Aunt Black Snake's shoulder, saying, 'When you have free time another day, you should go take a look—we need to keep up with the times.'

【Ah, Host! A treasure brimming with spiritual energy! I'm the auspicious beast—I'll eat it first!】

Ling Gun Gun suddenly exclaimed, jumping excitedly in the consciousness space.

Jin Chen's mouth twitched.

——

Outside the Daoist temple at the foot of Monster Mountain.

Jin Chen walked to the front courtyard, the very place Grandpa Leopard said the phoenix would come to fetch him.

But there are so many tourists! He just didn't see his phoenix,

He couldn't sense his wife's aura, Jin Chen grimaced in dissatisfaction, and simply stood still in place.

The Jin Long that had just taken human form didn't seem to realize, his black robe and tightly bound hair were utterly out of place around here.

The young man was tall and slender, with sword-like brows and starry eyes, handsome beyond mortal; his dark hair, bound high by a jade crown, flowed freely in the breeze, as he leaned against the stone of the Daoist temple with his arms crossed, his aloof, keep-away demeanor exactly like a swordsman in a historical drama.

Tourists came and went, all turning to look, thinking this was a film crew shooting somewhere.

By the time Jin Chen tried to leave, he was already blocked and couldn't move an inch.

Moreover, a bold girl stepped up and bluntly asked for contact information.

What contact information! He's just a newly transformed dragon; he doesn't understand human speech!

Jin Chen constantly kept his persona… uh, dragon persona in mind.

Jin Chen began to consider whether to breathe out a burst of fire, or find someone to fight and then slip away in the chaos.

【Host, think twice!】 Ling Gun Gun let out a belch, terrified and trying to stop him.

Sure enough, the dragon persona affected his mind! The Host became childish!

A black car stopped at the road entrance; the driver turned to the man in the back seat and said respectfully, 'Boss, there are lots of people inside, looks like some celebrity is signing autographs—we can't get in.'

Chang Li opened his eyes, a hint of dark gold flashing in his pupils as he glanced toward the window.

At this moment, the besieged Jin Chen already had faint flames flickering all over his body; Chang Li was a little surprised and hurriedly opened the car door to get out.

Didn't the Leopard Elder say Jin Long liked to be late after taking human form? How did he arrive so quickly today?

"Hey boss…"

The driver peered over, bewildered, and said, 'Could it be that the boss is also chasing stars?'

"Please make way."

His clear, resonant voice seemed to have magic, and the crowd inexplicably made a path; Chang Li could say he entered the innermost part without obstruction.

Jin Chen felt his wife's drawing nearer, his lowered head suddenly lifting as his red eyes fixedly stared ahead.

【Detected villain in this world, triggering Blackening Value; current Blackening Value: 40】

【Mission requirement: clear Blackening Value to change the villain's tragic ending.】

【Triggered side quest: help the villain survive the heavenly tribulation.】

【Detected emotional fluctuations of the villain toward the Host, triggering Heartbeat Value; current Heartbeat Value: 20】

Jin Chen thought this 20 was probably just the initial memory from inside the egg.

Chang Li wore only a simple white shirt, but as he walked over, his divine, awe-inspiring aura and overly exquisite, icy-cold appearance made him stand out in the crowd, with occasional soft exclamations around him.

"My goodness, there are actually two such handsome guys today."

"Could it be that this Daoist temple enshrines the Old Man Moon? Or is it meant for couples?"

"... Could it be that these two handsome guys… uh, seem to have some connection."

The girl who had just asked Jin Chen for contact information stared at this scene with a complex expression.