“Xiao Hui, I’ve come. Like we promised.”

A voice?

Who is it?

No, I recognize it. It’s—

Hui reached out, and his hand hit a wall. He pressed against it, confused. A wall?

That’s right, I was trapped.

Even as he thought that, the wall cracked.

Hui froze. Er, I didn’t mean to break it. I can’t afford the fee, so can we just forget this happened?

No, no, wait. I’m trapped. I shouldn’t be apologizing for breaking the wall. Break free!

He pushed again. With a crack, a sliver of light shot through the wall. With one last, great push, Hui fell forward, the wall cracking all around him.

He rolled out into a forest, rolling over soft pine needles and landing on his back. He stared up at the sky. Red feathers drifted down from overhead, like autumn leaves.

Long white hair drooped down toward him. A childish face tilted down at him.

“Zhubi?” Hui asked, almost moved to tears. I wasn’t sure how it would go, turning back time without me in it. Technically speaking, I only waited for the Immortal Realm to turn back, but I don’t know what, exactly, that does. He remembers me? And more importantly, he hasn’t become a Dragon-Turtle and abandoned his snake form yet!

Zhubi crouched and batted at Hui’s face with his palm.

Hui pushed him away. “Er, excuse me, Elder Brother…”

“Step back. The Vermillion Bird has only been born. Let it breathe.”

Tian Chen appeared, holding a very young Tian Lan in his arms. The little girl yawned and put her head against her father’s shoulder.

Hui rolled over, then sat up, looking around. Vermillion Bird? Where? That would be an auspicious event indeed. Oh, that explains those red feathers!

Tian Chen bowed his head, pushing Zhubi to do the same. “Greetings, Vermillion Bird.”

Hui blinked up at him, then turned and looked over his shoulder. A cracked-open gold egg sat behind him. He looked back at Tian Chen, then pointed at himself. “Me?”

As he pointed at himself, he caught sight of his arm and stared. Red feathers clung to his hands and dripped off his bare arms. They formed a kind of cloak that draped over an unusually small body, leaving him semi-clothed.

Hui pursed his lips. Of all the things I expected to happen when I woke up, this wasn’t even on the list. How did I end up as the Vermillion Bird?

“Indeed. Truly, from birth, your knowledge is already impressive, to know speech.”

Or… wait. Come to think of it, I’ve always had birds at my side. And recently, relatively speaking, I absorbed phoenixes, which are very close to Vermillion Birds indeed. In destroying myself and that white realm, I broke myself down to the fundamental… no, conceptual level. At that point, I wasn’t Xiao Hui any more, nor a phoenix, nor anything. Could it be? Did everything that I was get mixed up together and spat back out as this… that is, me as the Vermillion Bird?

He looked over at Zhubi, disregarding Tian Chen for a moment. “Zhubi, that’s you, right? You know me, right?”

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Zhubi patted Hui’s head and nodded. He raised a finger to his lips. Patting his clothes, he reached out and touched Hui’s feathers.

Hui tilted his head. A second later, realization struck him. Oh! That’s right. Zhubi is always wearing clothes in human form, even though he’s wearing nothing as a snake. That means he transforms his scales into clothes, right? It’s not unlike when I’m a lotus and I grow myself clothes.

Closing his eyes, he focused. The red feathers blurred, and a moment later, he wore red and blue robes not unlike his usual clothes, with the exception of the red mixing with the blue. I don’t know how to fix the being-small part, but that’s for later.

He nodded up at Tian Chen. “Thank you, Senior. Small bug… er, bird, can handle it from here.”

“Come with me. I need to show you to your palace,” Tian Chen insisted.

“No, no. I know where it is,” Hui said.

The dragon frowned. “You do?”

“Ah, well, that is, I can sense it,” Hui mumbled quickly. He waved his hand. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I’ll take it from here.”

Tian Chen nodded. He turned, swapping Tian Lan to his other hand. “Zhubi.”

“Zhubi, stay with me,” Hui whispered.

Zhubi looked at Tian Chen, then at Hui. He stepped closer to Hui and hissed at the dragon.

“You’ll protect him? As you wish.” Tian Chen flew off, taking Tian Lan with him.

For a few moments, Hui sat there, catching his breath. He nodded at Zhubi. “How much has changed?”

Zhubi tilted his head.

“Ah, that’s right. This would be the only… yes.” Hui took a deep breath. He pushed himself to his feet, only for his knees to wobble and almost give out under him.

Startled, Zhubi jumped forward and caught him. Hui grabbed on, as shocked as Zhubi. Why am I so weak? Am I really a newborn, physically? Troublesome, how troublesome. Not that I was ever a hand-to-hand fighter or anything ludicrous like that, but it’ll make things annoying.

I wonder if that grow-up technique of mine using phoenix fire would work?

Come to think of it, do I still have phoenix fire? I didn’t in that secret realm. I’m out now, but do I still have it?

Fire sparked to life in his heart. He blinked. Huh. Alright, then. Here goes.

Using his old grow-up technique, he quickly assumed his adult body once more. He offered his hand to Zhubi. “Let’s go. I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me.”

Zhubi nodded. He transformed into a snake and whipped up Hui’s arm, settling around his neck again, the same white snake as he’d ever been.

Hui let out a breath. Zhubi’s back. It’s not too late.

And yet, the tiny white body burned against his flesh, feverishly hot.

It’s as Master said. Going against the world has a price. There’s no denying that. For me, for Zhubi, for anyone. If I’m going to do this… I have to figure out how to pay that price. Somehow. Because I won’t let anyone suffer for their decisions. A small bug like me can bear all the suffering myself.

He jumped into the air. Flying off, he made a beeline for Heart Lotus City. Li Xiang. I need to find her. Quickly, quickly. Before she makes a decision she’ll regret!

Ah! And Ying Lin! Maybe I’ll be fast enough to save her? Maybe she won’t be statuified yet!

He burst off, moving at top speed. Illusory red wings appeared behind him and flapped, propelling him forward faster than before. He glanced at the palm of his hand, turning over the small jade tile, then slid it into his robes, hiding it away.

Behind him, a shadow peeled out of the trees and followed him.

In no time, Heart Lotus City loomed. Hui flew down toward Li Xiang’s small, empty house, only to divert at the last second. Flying over the city’s center, he caught sight of a gold statue, its pose the same as before.

He pressed his lips together. Still too late.

That’s fine. I can figure out a way to break that curse later. For now, let’s focus on gathering Li Xiang.

Landing in the street, he hurried toward Li Xiang’s house. “Li Xiang!” he called, pulling open the curtain.

As prim as ever, Li Xiang sat there, her sword across her lap. She looked up as he called her name. “Weiheng Hui.”

Hui hurried to her side. “Li Xiang, you’re still you! Thank goodness.”

She cast her eyes aside. “You know that isn’t true.”

“I don’t care if it isn’t absolute truth. I’m happy to see you,” Hui returned.

“You never cared much for the truth, did you?” Her eyes pierced right through him.

Hui backed up a step. Eh? What’s happening? This… it isn’t supposed to go this way. I’m supposed to fix it. It’s all supposed to go right. “Li Xiang…?”

“You know what I am. You’ve known for a long time,” she said, standing. She lifted the sword.

“I do, but Li Xiang, I don’t care. This is as much you as the sword is. You can be both. Your truth is—”

“This is not truth. I refuse to be a lie.” Grasping the hilt, she pointed the sword at him.

Hui stumbled back. “Li Xiang! Be reasonable. Do you really want to be a sword? Do you really want to throw away your opportunity to be human?”

“It would be nice to be human, if such is my luck when I enter the cycle of reincarnation. But for now, I cannot bear to be a lie.” Raising the sword, she stepped toward him.

“What lie? There’s no lie. You are Li Xiang. The whole world acknowledges it. What more do you need?” Hui asked, desperate, lost.

“Truth.” She swung her sword.