Reborn, the Celestial Venerable Went Red-Eyed for Me

My brother and I found two little snakes. The black snake had the bearing of a phoenix. The moment she saw my brother, she wrapped herself around his wrist. The little white snake was left alone, barely alive. I felt sorry for her, so I brought her home and cared for her devotedly. The black snake took human form in her first year. She was graceful and breathtakingly beautiful, and she served my brother so well that she sent him to heaven. Meanwhile, I ran around every day just to feed myself and Xiaobai. I was already old enough to marry, but every woman rejected me because I was always carrying a snake around. They all said they’d marry me if I got rid of her. I drove every one of them away. I stroked the snake’s head and comforted her: “Even if you never take human form, I’ll never abandon you.” But then a flash flood struck, and the sickly Xiaobai transformed into a phoenix overnight. I struggled through the flood to grab her tail. But she only carried my brother to safety. So it was my brother she’d noticed first all those years ago. And she had learned to take human form even before the black snake… When I opened my eyes again, I was looking at the sickly Xiaobai in my hands. I tossed her away without a second thought.