Danzhu had given the matter considerable thought before choosing Zilang as the object of his jealousy.
First, every little spirit beast in Bihua Lingjun’s residence was so sweet and lovely. As a great immortal who cherished his juniors and was tender toward anything beautiful, Danzhu could feel nothing but affection for them. He simply could not bring himself to be jealous. Take the little leopard he and Bihua had once petted together. Ever since that day, it had often pestered Danzhu, climbing over him to rub its head against his hands and face, or tumbling about on his lap with a strand of his hair between its teeth. He adored it. Whenever he stroked it fondly, he wondered what a pretty, charming young man it might become when it could eventually assume human form.
Second, Bihua Lingjun had truly been showing Zilang a great deal of care lately. Whenever Danzhu chatted with Baihua, Bihua would slip away, and when Danzhu sensed where he had gone, he was usually tending to Zilang.
Ever since arriving, Zilang had huddled in the corner. The other spirit beasts had approached to make friends, but each was so beautiful that it only made Zilang more conscious of its own ugliness. It feared that even when they seemed friendly, they were secretly laughing at it. So it said nothing and shrank further into itself. Bihua had no choice but to treat it gently, little by little, hoping it would eventually grow more lively. With its spiritual aptitude, it should already have been able to speak, yet since arriving it had not so much as made a peep.
Often Danzhu would glance sideways and see Bihua cradling the ugly little linlang beast, stroking it and speaking soothingly to it. Finally, one day, Zilang gave a little “mm” while curled on Bihua’s lap, and Bihua smiled as brightly as a spring blossom. He had scarcely looked happier than that back when Danzhu himself was about to emerge from the egg.
It only made one little sound. Was there really any need to be so delighted? Why make such a fuss over an ugly little beast? One day when Bihua was absent, Danzhu strolled into the courtyard and crooked a finger at Zilang. “Come here.” Zilang cowered in the grass, then tremblingly edged up to his feet. There now. That’s all it takes. So much simpler. Qingxi really doesn’t know how to raise them.
Looking down at the ugly little creature, which shook so violently that it seemed to be sifting grain, Danzhu said, “Come, say something for me. Tell me, do you know what your name is now?”
Zilang’s protruding teeth knocked together, but it managed to force out, “R-r-reporting to Y-Your Majesty… I’m c-called… Zi-Zilang…” Its voice was tiny, but it had spoken. See? It could talk after all. Danzhu smiled in satisfaction. He was about to ask it to say the name a little louder, since he had not heard clearly, when the linlang beast at his feet rolled its eyes back and fainted stiff as a board.
Just then Bihua Lingjun came by. He hurried over and swept the beast into his arms. Danzhu said, “Hasn’t it lived in the Dragon Palace, and then spent several days at the Supreme Lord Lao’s residence? Why did it faint after only a moment in front of me? Ah, perhaps I ought to restrain my immortal aura even more around these little spirit beasts in future.”
Bihua answered calmly, “Your Majesty’s immortal aura is no ordinary thing. Such a small spirit beast probably cannot endure it. It may be unable to behave properly in Your Majesty’s presence. Receiving Your Majesty’s instruction would be an extraordinary blessing, but it may not yet be worthy of such honor. It would therefore be best to leave its upbringing to this humble immortal rather than trouble Your Majesty.”
The words were impeccably proper, but Danzhu could tell they were official courtesies. Bihua kept calling him “Your Majesty,” forgetting his earlier promise to call him Danzhu. Zilang was the first spirit beast Bihua had actually forbidden Danzhu to touch. Even as he spoke, Bihua continued to soothe the beast in his arms with immortal energy. Zilang awoke and immediately began chattering its teeth again, desperately burrowing deeper into his embrace.
Bihua shifted his arm and held Zilang a little more tightly.
Danzhu narrowed his eyes. Magnanimously, he said nothing and pretended that nothing had happened.
After that, Zilang clung even more closely to Bihua. When Bihua was absent, it continued to crouch in the corner, but whenever he appeared it cautiously approached him. If Danzhu happened to be nearby, it approached him with remarkable speed.
So when Danzhu was choosing an object of jealousy, one look toward the corner of the courtyard settled the question. Bihua protected that little creature so fiercely, and the creature feared Danzhu’s august presence so much that Bihua had even spoken to him in a not-quite-gentle, not-quite-harsh way on its behalf. Naturally, being as generous as he was, Danzhu had taken none of it to heart. But under the circumstances, surely it would be perfectly reasonable to use Zilang as his object of jealousy. It was only natural.
Having made his decision, Danzhu acted at once. A little jealousy lent spice to affection, and there was no point in wasting time.
On a day when Bihua was holding Zilang again, Danzhu strolled over and gazed deeply into Bihua’s eyes without saying a word. Zilang immediately buried its head as far as possible in Bihua’s chest. Bihua stood up. Danzhu sighed at length and said, “Qingxi, you have enough time to spend every day with that creature, but none to sit and chat with me?”
Bihua said, “Did no one come to pay their respects today? Has Heavenly Lord Huaguang not visited? If Your Majesty is lonely and wishes for someone’s company, I’ll send for whomever you like at once.”
Danzhu was delighted to hear Huaguang mentioned. Sure enough, Qingxi is still jealous over Baihua. He immediately gazed at Bihua with deep affection. “Baihua belongs to the past. Qingxi, who could possibly keep me company now as well as you? Yet lately you spend far more hours with that little beast than with me.”
The words came entirely naturally to Danzhu. He meant every one of them.
The hair on Bihua’s body stood on end. With a strained smile he said, “That is an oversight on my part. But if you include the hours we spend sleeping, you’re with me much longer than I spend tending Zilang. Perhaps you forgot to count the nights.”
Danzhu decided he had accomplished his purpose in this first display of jealousy. Continuing to compete with an ugly little beast would be beneath his dignity, and the poor thing was trembling so pitifully. He said nothing more, nodded, and strolled away.
Another time, Danzhu waited until Bihua was absent before summoning the linlang beast to him again. There was a higher level of jealousy beyond mere words: one could take action to remove the irritating rival altogether.
Danzhu asked kindly, “You’re still a young beast, but you can already speak the human tongue. You must have excellent immortal roots. Do you know how much longer it will be before you can take human form?”
Zilang flattened itself against the grass and stammered, “D-don’t… know…”
“Oh? Once you can become human, you won’t need to remain in this residence. I’ll consider arranging a fine new home for you, perhaps under the Jade Emperor or one of the other immortals, great or small. Wherever you wish to go, I’ll settle it for you. Of course, you may not have any plans of your own. Perhaps I should find you a suitable place first. Hmm, I could give you some of my power so that you can take human form.”
Danzhu raised a hand and set it on Zilang’s head. Dazzling immortal light immediately poured from the creature’s entire body, and within the radiant sphere the ugly linlang beast gradually transformed into a young man.
Perhaps Zilang was considered rather attractive by the standards of its species, because in human form it was not ugly at all. It looked quite refined and handsome, dressed in pale violet robes. Its face was a little white, and it was still huddled with its arms around its knees, but it was much more pleasing to the eye than its ungainly beast form.
Danzhu smiled in satisfaction, and his voice grew a touch gentler still. “You’ve taken human form now. Tell me, what is it that you want?”
At precisely that moment, Bihua Lingjun returned to the residence and entered the courtyard. The human-shaped Zilang, Danzhu’s smiling face, and his question all met Bihua’s eyes and ears at once.
Danzhu caught sight of Bihua stopping short. He’s seen me pressuring Zilang. Qingxi ought to understand that I’ve acted this way because I’m jealous over Zilang.
Taking in the scene before him, Bihua Lingjun found a mortal saying floating quite naturally into his mind.
That old phoenix Danzhu really doesn’t spare anyone, from eight years old to eighty.