Mortal To Immortal (Book 1)
MTI 007 - Two Spirit Beasts

"Uncle, how can this snake talk?!" Yao Han was shocked to hear the voice of the adult man from the snake. He was not even aware of the jade snake and the red bird was emitting Qi.

"The story is just as absurd as your story. Outline, these two were previously human, but after being struck by the golden lightning, their forms became as you can see. They were not ordinary animals, but spirit beasts," Feng Xian explained.

"Gold driver? Man becomes a spirit animal? Is it possible that these people are cursed by the heavens?" Yao Han asked innocently, who avenged Feng Xian's loud laughter.

"Maybe," Feng Xian said lightly.

Yao Han watched the two spirit beasts more thoroughly. Both have a body size that is not too big. The jade snake had a body length of about one meter, around its eyes was a purple-colored complexion, and above its head were two small horns.

While in the red bird, its beak is golden, its red feathers are unlike the red feathers in any other bird that Yao Han knows. Its long tail which only amounted to five strands made it look unique.

In short, Yao Han had never known of these two types of animals.

"Uncle Feng, I know a little about demons, but not with spirit beasts, what difference does it make?"

"It will take a lot of energy to explain that, just ask them both. I want to continue painting."

Feng Xian no longer cared about Yao Han and focused on his painting activities.

'Just say Uncle won't explain, ' Yao Han grumbled inwardly. He looked at the red bird and the jade snake a little awkwardly, confusedly starting the conversation.

"Ask what confuses you, young man," said the jade snake.

"Hm, said your Uncle Feng this is human, what is your name?"

"really so. My name is She Yutian, nice to meet you, young man." The jade snake introduced itself.

Yao Han turned to the red bird, "My name is Hong Meirong. It may be our destiny to be met like this. By the way, we don't know your name yet..."

Yao Han stared for a moment at the sound of the red bird, like the sound of a mature woman, melodious and pampering the ears.

"Ehem, my name is Yao Han."

"Greetings, Yao Han. Can I call you Han'er?

"By, greetings know also."

"You can call me Aunt Hong, and this ugly snake is Uncle She. For all you know, we're at least five hundred years old."

"Five hundred years?! That old-fashioned?! Impossible-!"

"Why impossible? We used to be cultivators with a high level of practice. It is only natural to be able to live that long. However, since we were 'born' into spirit beasts, our age is now about fifteen years old. This Senior Feng that you call Uncle Feng is even five hundred older than our real age."

"That's a thousand years?!" Yao Han let out a stifled scream, looking at Feng Xian with a different look. In his hometown even the oldest human was not a hundred and fifty years old, "I should have called Uncle Feng an ancestor..."

Meirong and Yutian refrained from laughing, while Feng Xian clucked in annoyance.

"I am almost a thousand years old, but not that old until called an ancestor," grumbled Feng Xian slightly glancing at Yao Han.

"Hm, true as well, Uncle Feng looks very young to a thousand year old person." Yao Han stroked his chin, "How can I reach the age of as old as Uncle Feng?"

Yao Han nodded slowly, not wanting to disturb Feng Xian's painting activities any further.

"Well, Uncle She, Auntie Hong. I wonder what kind of spirit animal you are..." Yao Han was trying to get used to calling these two spirit beasts in front of him as Uncle and Aunt.

"You'd better know first about the difference between a demon and a spirit animal."

"Well, I'm ready to listen." Yao Han smiled widely and put on a fine ear.

***

In the world of cultivators, there were two types of animals that were able to absorb and store Qi into the body like human cultivators, namely demons and spirit beasts.

A demon is a ferocious animal that is able to absorb Qi from nature or from the results of eating other creatures that contain Qi. The form of a demon is a wild animal with a shape that tends to be strange, savage, live in the wild, and hate humans. Within the demon body were red round crystals called stealth gems.

Spirit animals tend to be friendlier and prefer their same-sex lives. It has spirit roots, so it is more skilled at absorbing Qi than demons and has the ability to use magic like human cultivators.

Spirit beasts were more intelligent than demons who relied more on his savage instincts. Depending on the type, both demons and spirit beasts could reach a certain level of cultivation practice. At the same level of practice, these two types of spirit beasts were stronger than human cultivators.

"My current form is the Jade Sky Ruler Snake, while this ugly red bird is the Phoenix, the eternal fire bird." Yutian got a punch from Hong Meirong using one of his wings.

Yao Han's mouth was rounded, "Phoenix? The immortal bird in that legend?" Yao Han then recalled the legendary books he had read that explained about the Phoenix. After seeing it firsthand the red bird that was the incarnation of Hong Meirong was more beautiful than the one described in the book.

"Wait until you see my human form, you will surely be amazed and stunned by my good looks." Yutian laughed loosely and only stopped because Meirong hit his head again.

Yao Han scratched at the awkward cheek, "Attracted by the other man's good looks sounds strange, Uncle She."

Yao Han's speech was plainly greeted by Meirong's sweet satisfied laughter, while Yutian mumbled softly. Feng Xian, who was beside them, silently grinned as if mocking Yutian.

In general, both spirit and demon animals are able to change their form and have human-like intelligence when they reach a certain level of practice.

In the human form, spirit animals have the appearance of ordinary humans in general so it is difficult to distinguish. A demon capable of transforming into a human would show one part of their original body, such as a horn or tail.

Yao Han nodded slowly, trying to recall, digest, and understand the new information he had obtained. Regarding the level of practice, Yao Han still did not understand too much because he was still only a part of the cultivator world.

"Well, you've come to your senses from your long sleep, what's your next plan? You want to go home?" feng Xian asked to distract from the painting.

Yao Han then recalled Bai Tian's message, "Uncle, if you don't mind, can I stay here for a while? At least until I'm strong enough to go home and protect myself with my own power."

Note:

There are two changes in the name of the character, namely Hong Mingzhu to Hong Meirong and She Yanyu to She Yutian.

Hong (red) Meirong (beautifully beautiful face) I think is more suitable than Hong Mingzhu (bright pearls sparkling). Currently he was an Immortal Flame Bird, a Phoenix (Eternal Flame Bird, Phoenix).

She Yutian, She means snake, Yu means jade, and Tian means sky. The other form was the Jade Sky Sovereign Snake ( Jade Heaven Sovereign Snake).