Chu Ge was not particularly surprised.
The Azure Dragon bore no hatred toward him; it kept its resentment buried in its heart, directed at the people who had screwed it over. Chu Ge already considered that an incredible stroke of luck. The other sacred beasts had each been through different experiences, and all had suffered terribly. The Black Tortoise, for instance, had even had its feet cut off. It would be perfectly normal for it to resent the Heavenly Dao.
This was a problem he had to solve himself, a responsibility he had to shoulder. He could not simply say it was not his fault and pretend nothing had happened. If you had a child, you had to raise it, too. If your child was bullied, you had to stand up for it yourself. In essence, this was not all that different...
And it seemed he would have to shoulder that responsibility in the Mortal World.
Chu Ge thought distractedly for a while, then suddenly said, "Qian Lie."
Yan Qianlie froze for a moment. Instead of calling him Qian Qian or Little Flame, this fellow had suddenly addressed him seriously by name. It actually felt a little unfamiliar.
Yet somehow, he did not feel like making a sarcastic remark. Chu Ge's rare solemnity made him feel solemn as well, and he answered instinctively, "Here."
Chu Ge said, "About the Vermilion Bird, you'd best check the ancient records again for any further details. This is very important... Of course, if there really aren't any, don't force it. Just do your best. Qiu Qiu and I are about to head out to sea. You're the person I trust most here in Shenzhou. Help me keep a closer eye on things, and message me directly if anything changes. Nothing else can be allowed