You Shou Yan: A Softly Sung Song of Farewell

(A lighthearted, sweet Beastbound fanfic. The protagonist has no romantic pairing. There is a main plot, but the story leans toward everyday life and takes its time.) The Deerfolk Inn is a home for the Four-Apart Beast, whose calling is to help divine beasts scattered throughout the mortal world. A thousand years have passed since the Cataclysm of the Investiture of the Gods, and everything seems to have returned to normal. Yet on this very day, the Deerfolk Inn receives another strange visitor seeking help. … Hudou: “What's this? Let me have a bite.” Tuye: “Hudou, why is smoke coming out of your mouth?” The Four-Apart Beast: “What did you just inhale... That's freaking gas!” Hetaoren: “The inn's about to get blown sky-high, meep!” … Hudou: “Good morning, Little Sparrow!” Little Sparrow: “Don't come near me! If you set my wife on fire, I'll never forgive you!” … Doctor Hua: “So he's an illiterate puppy? I'm sorry, kid, but medicine isn't for you…” Hudou: “Waaah!” … In this world are precious beasts, some soaring through the skies, others dwelling in the parasol tree. Only Hudou drifts in the dust-filled lair. His fluffy coat seems to have been dipped in ink, yet he shines like a hidden star-lamp. Autumn light fills his eyes, reflecting clouds and moonlight across the seas; his paws tread through frost and dew, exploring the rivers of the land. With Hetaoren, he chases cunning pheasants; with Fu Zai, he gathers fine rice. As dusk settles, he leans by the window, alone with his thoughts. He longs for his mother in the distant mountains, and remembers his old home in Jinsha. Fate is fickle, and he was born into misfortune. Defying fate, he lent his aid, inheriting the ancient world's charge to bear the distant flame. A humble wild god, he carries a shepherd's purpose and guides the new tide. An old deity suddenly crosses his path, and a legacy brings them together. With the spring breeze at his side, what need has he for heavenly ordination or sacred charts? Let the red flames burn away, and restore the world's clear and wondrous state. Volume One is everyday life; the main plot begins in Volume Two.