Hui looked around, lost in the massive azure palace. Er… I need to get to Zhubi, but where on earth is Zhubi? I’ve been in this palace for all of a minute! Should I know how to navigate it?

Now that we’ve reached this point… there’s only one thing I can do!

He cleared his throat. “Zhubi!”

A few servants hurried by. One of them looked at him and scoffed. Under her breath, just loud enough for him to hear, she murmured, “New Immortals, thinking they deserve an audience with Lord Azure Dragon.”

Hui stiffened. I don’t think I deserve anything! I don’t think I deserve anything at all, Elder Sister! Don’t accuse me of thinking I deserve things. Of everything, I deserve that the least of all!

Protesting only in his heart, he laughed and smiled, bobbing a short bow as they hurried away. The servant scoffed again.

I could have asked them where Zhubi is… but no, there’s no way they’d tell me. “Zhubi! Zhubi, where are you?”

A door slid open beside him. Zhubi stumbled out and ran into Hui’s arms. His long hair twisted up into a dozen buns, combs, and fans, done up in a ludicrous style. He gave Hui a betrayed look.

“Er… what happened?” Hui asked, lost. Did he get attacked by a mad hairstylist?

“Eh? Zhubi, come back!” Tian Lan ran out of the room, a brush in one hand and a dozen more ornaments in the other. “I wasn’t done making you pretty yet!”

Hui chuckled. “Were you two playing dress-up?”

Zhubi hissed. He jabbed a hand at Tian Lan and grimaced, shaking his head hard.

“Tian Lan was making you play dress-up?” He laughed a little, despite himself. Running his hand over Zhubi’s hair, he freed the ornaments with a bit of qi, gathered them up in his palm, and handed them over to Tian Lan. “Tian Lan, he’s done playing dress-up for now. Here, take these back.”

Pouting, she took the ornaments back from Hui, holding them scooped to her chest in a big pile. “No! He has to come back and play! I said so!”

What a little tyrant. Like father, like daughter. Hui patted her head with a smile. “Zhubi has to come with me now, okay? Maybe another day.”

“I want to play right now!” Tian Lan said, shaking her head.

“Patience is a valuable skill for a cultivator to learn,” Hui said, nodding sagely. He walked off.

Tian Lan started bawling. Servants rushed to her side, quickly soothing her and casting vicious looks at Hui’s back. Hui scurried away even faster, his neck prickling from their death glares. I didn’t do anything! She just started crying. I didn’t touch her! I barely even said anything!

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Zhubi looked over Hui’s shoulder and stuck his tongue out, mocking Tian Lan. She cried even louder.

“Zhubi, come on. Act a little mature,” Hui muttered. He leaped into the air and flew off at top speed. I need to get out of here. The tyrant CEO types only tolerate so much of their loved ones crying, even if they have absolutely no reason to attack me or blame me for what happened!

Outside of the palace, he looked around. His eyes landed on the black palace, and he hesitated, then shook his head. I need to be gentle about this. Flying to a big, empty palace and saying ‘this is all yours now’ is probably not the way to go about this. Let’s go somewhere happy. Have a good time first. What does Zhubi like? He always gobbles things up… oh! That’s something we can do.

Hui looked at Zhubi. “Are you hungry? Want to go find out what kind of tasty snacks the Immortal Realm has?”

Zhubi blinked at Hui. He tilted his head and furrowed his brows.

“It isn’t that strange. Sometimes I feel like doing fun things,” Hui said, nodding.

Zhubi shook his head. He glanced up at the city, then back down at the Azure Palace, and rested his head against Hui’s shoulder. He shrugged.

“You don’t care? Are you sure?”

Zhubi grabbed Hui’s robes and held on tight. He hid his face and shook his head again, harder this time.

“What is it?” Hui asked, tilting his head.

Zhubi peeked up at him and shook his head again.

They say animals can sense more than you realize. Is this… part of that? Did he pick up that something’s wrong?

I guess I don’t usually offer him snacks. Or treats, or fun, or…

Hui put a hand on his chin. “Am I a bad pet-owner?”

Zhubi shook his head emphatically.

Hui looked at him. “I’m not abandoning you.”

At that, Zhubi paused. He tilted his head.

“No, really. I’m not. Why would I?”

Zhubi frowned, then gestured at the quickly-approaching city and mimed eating, then shrugged.

Hui sighed. “I know I don’t usually buy you snacks. Maybe I’m just in a good mood.”

Looking up at him, Zhubi shook his head.

They touched down in the city. Zhubi climbed down and immediately grabbed on to Hui’s hand.

“So… what do you want to eat?” Hui asked.

Zhubi stopped dead. Hui looked back. Big eyes gazed up at him expectantly.

Hui took a deep breath. I guess I can’t put it off any longer. Looking around, he found a quiet space off an alley and sat against the floor, gesturing for Zhubi to sit beside him.

Zhubi sat down, folding his legs neatly and piling his hair in his lap. He tilted his head at Hui.

“Zhubi… you… you aren’t a dragon.”

Zhubi’s hands tensed on his robes. He ducked his head.

Hui cleared his throat. “Er, probably. That is… we think.”

Squinting, Zhubi looked up at him.

“Maybe I should start from the top?” Hui said.

Zhubi nodded, pointing at Hui.

Hui nodded. He put his hands on his knees. “So. Zhubi. Er. I, uh… ahem.” Just think of it like talking to anyone else! “That is, this small cultivator, I… Tian Chen mentioned that you… probably aren’t a dragon.”

Zhubi frowned. He shook his head and gestured.

“I know, I know, Elder Brother, but according to Tian Chen, dragons can only be blue, red, or yellow. You… well, you’re none of those colors.”

Zhubi looked at Hui. He tensed again.

“You’ve been burning up, haven’t you? You haven’t felt right. You’re… are you rejecting your true self? Is there something you’re running away from?” Hui probed Zhubi.

Zhubi shrugged, staring at the floor.

“But! But—that’s okay. You still have time to accept yourself! Actually, you’re something equally powerful to a dragon. Maybe—maybe even stronger. I think you’re the only one, so that’s… that’s good! It’s incredibly good.” Hui nodded reassuringly.

Tears welled up in Zhubi’s eyes. He shook his head, still looking at the ground.

“No, no. It’s good, I promise it’s good. You—you’re a dragon-turtle! Probably.” Hui smiled.

Zhubi burst out bawling.

Hui awkwardly patted Zhubi’s back. I’m not very good at this. Seeking advice, anyone!