"You don't need to use honorifics when you address me. You can just call me by my name. My name is Ying Li!"

This was a development that Feng Bingwen couldn't understand. He couldn't comprehend what the girl had sensed in him, and why she was being so intimate with him.

"Fellow Daoist Yingli, are you sure you haven't made a mistake?"

Although they asked us to call them by their names directly, I still added "fellow Daoist" as a suffix, which isn't too much to ask.

No, I'm not mistaken.

The girl shook her head firmly; the scent she had just caught was enough to confirm the identity of the person before her. However, seeing the confusion on the face of her fellow human, she felt she should still offer an explanation.

"Come with me."

As she spoke, the young woman turned around on her own, seemingly intending to find a quiet place to have a proper talk with Feng Bingwen. Upon seeing this, Feng Bingwen glanced around at the dragon girls with their inscrutable expressions, thought for a moment, and then followed her.

He could tell which was more important, a group of dragon maidens or a dragon king. Most importantly, the dragon king had no ill intentions towards him and was even very friendly towards him because of his aura.

"Wait a moment!"

This turn of events was unexpected for Xi Qingyu. Seeing this, she prepared to follow, but before she could take a step, a powerful pressure that made her body stiffen fell on her, rendering her unable to move. The next moment, a clear and elegant voice entered her ears.

“This is a conversation between me and my own kind; I don’t want any dragons around.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the terrifying pressure that had been pressing down on him vanished, but Xi Qingyu was not foolish enough to follow him.

Since they've already said not to go, there's no point in making a fool of yourself. Although her father asked her to accompany him, it's not her place to interfere if this reincarnated sage wants to have a private conversation with the Dragon King Yingli.

Just like his sister said, this sage is just a guest of their Dragon Palace, not their private property. He can do whatever he wants.

Meanwhile, Feng Bingwen followed closely behind Yingli Dragon King, his mind churning with thoughts of what this so-called kindred spirit meant. Several guesses surfaced in his mind, but since he didn't know the background of this Dragon King, he had to abandon these guesses.

"Can we talk here?"

Yingli Dragon King, who seemed to be casually strolling around with Feng Bingwen, turned around and pointed to a water pavilion with a stunning view. Although it was just a pavilion, it was decorated with pearls and jade, making it magnificent and fully demonstrating the grandeur of the Dragon Palace.

"I'm fine with either."

Feng Bingwen naturally didn't care. This Dragon King seemed to want to tell him something rather private, but judging from the place she chose, there didn't seem to be anything shameful.

"Let's do it here!"

As she spoke, Yingli Dragon King took the lead and entered the water pavilion. There was also a finely carved jade table in the courtyard. Upon seeing this, Feng Bingwen was not reserved and sat down opposite the Dragon King.

As soon as the two of them sat down, maids from the Dragon Palace brought them spirit wine and fruits, filling the table between them completely, leaving almost no space.

"You may all step back!"

The young girl was very gentle in her demeanor when facing the maids and servants of the Dragon Palace. These well-trained maids naturally remembered the faces of every distinguished guest they were meant to remember. Without saying a word, they gathered up some miscellaneous items and all withdrew.

"Can you let your pet leave as well?"

Despite being a dragon king, he showed none of the majesty one would expect. Instead, he acted as if he were a long-lost friend, asking questions earnestly.

"Suya, Boyao, Changshou, you two go outside and play for a bit!"

Feng Bingwen gave a shout, and immediately, two beautiful and elegant flower spirits crawled out of his collar and left the water pavilion along with Changshou, who had been standing behind Feng Bingwen but had little presence.

As soon as they went out, mermaid maids immediately came to their aid. Although they were of ordinary origin and had little strength, the people they followed were extraordinary, so even in the Dragon Palace, they received excellent treatment.

"Can we talk about it now?"

Sitting in the water pavilion, Feng Bingwen, who had already cooperated with the Dragon King to clear the area, blinked and patiently waited for an explanation.

I am so lonely!

When Yingli Dragon King spoke, Feng Bingwen was shocked.

What does it mean to be lonely?

What are they trying to do?

Feng Bingwen is a respectable man. Even if it were the Dragon King, he wouldn't be incapable of... well, if he really had to use force, he would just offer a token resistance, that would be enough. He shouldn't act innocent after getting the benefit.

"I don't quite understand what you mean, fellow Daoist."

Feng Bingwen didn't think much of it; perhaps his mind was too corrupt.

The Dragon King's so-called loneliness is probably just literal, but that doesn't make sense. Everyone knows that dragons can reproduce. Among all the great races with ancient heritage, the dragon bloodline is the most prosperous and flourishing. The number of Dragon Kings can also be said to be the highest in the world. This is a comparison with the human race.

Do you know how I was born?

The ethereal voice echoed in the water garden, which had been completely sealed off at some point.

Feng Bingwen, feeling completely isolated from the outside world in the pavilion he was in, remained calm. He still sensed no malice; the Dragon King before him seemed genuinely just wanting to confide in him. In that case, he wouldn't mind being a good listener.

But what kind of question is this?

How else could a dragon be born? Of course, it's two dragons, one male and one female, who study the principles of Yin and Yang, deduce the laws of creation, and then a dragon egg is successfully conceived.

However, he absolutely could not say that, as it would offend the Dragon King. Feng Bingwen was not that stupid, so he chose to play dumb.

"I don't know."

"I have no father or mother; I was conceived from a spiritual stone."

As expected, when Feng Bingwen said he didn't know, the Dragon King who asked the question explained it himself, but his calm tone contained explosive news that shocked Feng Bingwen once again.

What did I hear?

A stunningly beautiful dragon king, as if a fairy had descended to earth, calmly told him that she had sprung out of a crack in a rock.

What's this?

Is there something wrong?

Why didn't a golden-haired monkey spring out of the crack in the rock? Instead, it was a stunningly beautiful young dragon queen. Something's not right.

"How is that possible?"

At this moment, Feng Bingwen could not remain calm and blurted out.

Don't you believe me?

Seeing that Feng Bingwen seemed to be questioning him, Yingli Dragon King frowned slightly.

"It's not that I don't believe it, it's just that it seems absurd. The legends I've heard before have become reality, but the changes are a bit too drastic."

Feng Bingwen raised his hand and rubbed his temples.

Stay calm!

Nothing to be surprised about!

There are immortals and Buddhas in this world. What's so special about someone who pops out of a stone? The divine beings he had met before came out of gourds.

Basic operations.

"Have you ever seen anyone like me?"

Yingli Dragon King seemed to have grasped the unspoken meaning in Feng Bingwen's words and became somewhat agitated.

"I've never seen it, but I've heard of it."

This was the only answer Feng Bingwen could give.

"I see!"

The girl sighed, and her dreamy eyes, which seemed to contain a galaxy, dimmed at a visible speed, making one feel inexplicably sorry for her.

Have you heard of any other similar stories?

The girl quickly perked up and asked Feng Bingwen for details.

"No."

Feng Bingwen quickly shook his head.

"I only know of a legend about someone who sprang from a stone. You are the second one I know of, and you even witnessed it with your own eyes. I can't verify whether the first one is true."

"I see."

This time, Yingli Dragon King's expression remained unchanged, as if he had already accepted reality.

“Fellow Daoist, if that’s the case, then your origins belong to the category of innate beings.”

At this moment, Feng Bingwen's mind suddenly became clear. No wonder people sniffed his scent and said they were the same kind of people, and that he was very lonely. As a born being, without father or mother, how could he not be lonely?

Now, so much time has passed since the beginning of time. The earliest innate beings have either died, been injured, or fallen into slumber, and have basically disappeared, leaving only a few legends behind.

"right."

Yingli Dragon King, who had unwittingly revealed his true identity, nodded.

"That fellow Daoist..."

Feng Bingwen hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back. At this moment, many questions arose in his mind, which he wanted to ask but was unsure if he could. If he accidentally offended the Dragon King, who knew what the consequences would be?

“When I was born, I was a true dragon. Therefore, I am different from all the other dragon kings. They all went through arduous tribulations to cultivate the body of a true dragon. I cannot understand the suffering they endured, so…”

"Those acquired Dragon Kings rejected and suppressed you out of jealousy?"

Feng Bingwen admitted that his thoughts were somewhat dark, but this innate being said that she was lonely first, which clearly meant that she couldn't even find anyone to talk to on a daily basis.

"No, they were very good to me. When I was first born, I was confused and ignorant. It was an old dragon king who guided me in my cultivation and taught me supernatural powers and techniques. Moreover, at that time, I learned everything very quickly. I could learn it as soon as I saw it and understand it immediately."

"Isn't this great?"

Feng Bingwen didn't understand. As far as he knew, this world had neither a Heavenly Court nor an Underworld. Without these institutions to manage gods and immortals, possessing the template of innate beings meant he was practically a chosen one of destiny. What more could he ask for?

"But I learned too fast. The old Dragon King taught me for three years, and then sent me on a journey, saying that there was nothing more to teach me and that he was going into seclusion for a thousand years."

"..."

Feng Bingwen fell silent; he had nothing to say.

His earlier guess was indeed correct. The loneliness she spoke of was completely different from the loneliness he understood. Her loneliness was the loneliness of a genius, because she couldn't find a single being in the world who could be on the same level as her, which was why she was lonely.