Every life was a miracle.
Life might be long and ancient or fleeting and brief, brilliant or obscure. Every creature was playing out a story of its own.
The turtle-shaped island's ridges rose and fell in winding waves. Flying apes howled in dense forests amid lakes and cliffs, stretching vast for hundreds upon hundreds of miles. Bai Yujun marveled at how many years it must have lain in the water to become like this; it was difficult to imagine.
Lying still for too long would grow grass. Evolving an ecosystem on its own required even more years.
Suddenly, someone beside her spoke...
"Caw caw caw, don't you think that fellow has an enormous body?"
"Who?"
Bai Yujun sprang away, paper umbrella raised defensively. Once she saw who had spoken, however, she was no longer surprised.
About as tall as a person, a gray-feathered monstrous bird stood atop a blue-gray boulder nearby. It had a bird's body and a human face, its sidelong eyes darting uncertainly. Its nose bridge was fleshless, while its hooked nose tip seemed carved; its brow space was narrow, its philtrum short, and its brows were messy, their ends sharp as arrows.
With Bai Yujun's innate ability to read destinies, one glance told her this was not someone easy to deal with.
The crafty beast gave a strange, giggling laugh.
"Little girl, don't be so loud. Be careful not to wake those terrifying monsters. Every time they wake, they get hungry. It would be bad if they ate you. Heh heh~"
"Get lost! They wouldn't wake even if thunder struck."
Bai Yujun looked around, considering whether she should beat up the bird.
Sensing danger, the strange bird hastily spread its wings and flew away. It was clearly the sort good at bewitching others, a pathetic bird that