Qin Yan laid on the bed in Song Heqing’s room, but was still reeling from the shock this book brought him. It’s such a FAT book. All about plant-beasts? Is it like horoscopes, accurate in a general sense?

When they reached Song Heqing’s abode, Qin Yan was placed on the bed. It really had been a long two days, Song Heqing thought.

"Let's look at this book," said Qin Yan.

"..." Song Heqing was temporarily stunned. “You said you were tired and it’s late at night, really not sleeping? That scum definitely can’t bother you again.”

Qin Yan firmed his adorable expression. “The book.”

“…Qin Yan, maybe-”

“Why are you treating me like I’m five…just because I look five? I told you I lived a life before being an eggplant. I’m actually forty something, don’t try and coax me to sleep.”

“F-forty…”

Song Heqing looked at small Qin Yan in a new light. Their age gap was actually so large...Song Heqing didn't think to ask if he'd had a family...or someone he liked in his previous life. His curiosity skyrocketed, but he collected himself, nevertheless a bit in disbelief.

“...so back then, a forty something was tickling me every day?”

Qin Yan furrowed his brow, but was actually quite embarrassed. 

“I…I was barely thirty at the time. And what else was I supposed to do when I was a plant? It seemed friendly. I couldn’t think of anything else…”

Song Heqing just stared at him a moment, then went to get the book. Social interactions are not everyone’s forte…he was concerned that Qin Yan refused to sleep after obviously being so tired and grumpy, but Song Heqing wasn’t the sort to force things. He laid ‘Plant-Beast Life History and Encyclopedia; A Complete Literature, 7^th edition’ beside Qin Yan, clearly hoping it would cause him to fall asleep at some point. 

The monstrous text was 5300 pages, and in what Qin Yan would interpret as 10 point font, single-spaced, 0.5 inch margins. The first five sections dealt with general care and growth, types of plant families, and some historical records of renowned plant-beasts. The last sections were a compiled encyclopedia of plants. It surely took generations of adventurers, cultivators, and botanists to gather such a plethora of information.

Song Heqing flipped to the introduction.

‘Over millennia, plant-beasts have remained a widely unrecognized subgroup of cultivator and beast contracts. The most renowned includes Gold Ginseng¹ Ginseng is over harvested to the point that species are endangered in many regions!, who healed thousands of starving citizens after the drought of in year 3121, and Red Peony², a phantom Qi user who assassinated the Leader of the Jun clan.

One will find that plant-beasts have many similarities with other animal-beast species, and yet possess traits unique to the plant-beast category alone. For one, plant-beasts are especially sensitive towards environmental changes. They will flourish under the right conditions but decline in health if far removed from their usual growing standards. Due to this, popular opinion regards plant-beasts as an inferior contractual beast choice, but the specializations within the plant realm falsifies this…’

Qin Yan cocked an eyebrow. Is this book…really going to say what ‘conditions’ he survives best in? He almost fell asleep as Song Heqing read another thirty pages of introduction. The next section was on general care.

‘Of all plant-beasts documented, suitable conditions for cultivation and health match those of the plant species. To say, if the plant-beast is a safflower³ that needs sunlight from morning to noon, then the safflower plant-beast will have similar needs. Too much or too little can irritate or weaken a plant beast. If it is the sort of plant that is intolerant to cold, the plant-beast, too, shall not flourish in a cold alpine environment…’

Song Heqing began to read with even more intensity.

‘…this is of particular importance in the early life stages of a plant-beasts, with little for previous years of cultivation. These will be susceptible to illness if not in the right conditions, and if are subjected to sudden change in environment, this can often cause stress. Symptoms will include change in coloration, lack of growth, lethargy, an anxious heart, and a number of other afflictions…’

“Qin Yan,” Song Heqing was now extremely concerned, “you should sleep now.” 

“Turn the page.”

Song Heqing had a conflicted expression, sighed and turned the page. The next section was ‘Plant-beast Behavior and Interaction Methods’.

‘…Plant-beasts carry instinctive personalities tied to their plant traits…’

Qin Yan was increasingly skeptical. 

‘Of greatest importance is that if a plant-beast does not understand or misunderstands a command, it must not be blamed unless the circumstances allow clear fault. Plant-beasts, by nature, do not experience the same happiness, sadness, and anger that other human beings experience, and therefore-’

“That’s not true.” Qin Yan was offended. Humans always think they’re more extraordinary compared to everything else…(thinks he who used to be a human).

Song Heqing skipped over that section in agreement, but the next one was even worse. Qin Yan squinted his eyes in disbelief. In general, two words struck him. The section title was ‘Pollination and Plant-Beast Mating Behaviors’.

“M-maybe we should skip this too.”

Song Heqing paused, and there was an odd gleam in his eyes. “This could be important.”

Huh?! In what way? Either way, Song Heqing was already reading it.

‘…plant-beasts do not undergo a heat or mating period in the same sense as other species. There is a period of flowering and seed maturity. Some can breed asexually, with self-pollination or clonal reproduction, while others have more subtle methods. Either way, plant-beast mating behavior is complex due to the inherently slow birth-rate of spiritual beasts. For some species such as wisteria, sexual reproduction periods may only occur once every millennium. Typically, the first sign of sexual maturity is the bud, then blossoming…’

“Blossom?” Song Heqing blurted it aloud.

“Impossible.” Qin Yan was horrified as he recalled flowering at Wangzi’s estate. “There are male plants, too!”

‘…the flower of any plant-beast can be considered an area of privacy, by no means should it ever be touched without permission or prior notice⁴. Touching it, to state it plainly, is the same as touching genitalia. This can greatly offend or provoke any plant-beasts. Common methods of pollination for certain species includes bees, wasps, flies, beetles, hummingbirds and butterflies…”

“…this is inappropriate,” Qin Yan said, he rolled over and hunkered down under the blanket. “No…more…”

This was so scandalizing! As though he was going through physical ED class with Song Heqing as his table partner. Wasn’t going through that class once in his life enough?! He’d never been like those guys that talk about how big their d*cks are in the bathroom or the women’s b*obs in a magazine. Even if he did read porn, why should he have to read it with Song Heqing?!

Song Heqing got the idea and skipped the rest of the section, but Qin Yan had a suspicion that he would go back to it later…

But he would never know, and that's because Qin Yan passed out from exhaustion before they finished the next section of the book, softly snoring with his face in the covers. Song Heqing was quick to bring his small body under his arm. Afterwards, as if his fingers were on fire, Song Heqing flipped through the text looking for pages on ‘eggplant’. He must know exactly what amount of sunlight, water, and other things that Qin Yan needed.

Song Heqing found nightshade, and a few pages later was eggplant.

‘Originally a southward grown, mid-tropics species, eggplants have been grown for consumption for centuries. There are a number of sub-species, most of which require warmer temperatures, moderate water, and increased sunlight hours. Cold tolerance is extremely low…’

Song Heqing nestled Qin Yan even closer to his body and covered him with a corner of the blanket.

‘…There has been no historical record of eggplant as a plant-beast, however, it is presumed to be similar to nightshade. The leaves are poisonous if consumed in large quantities. As such, poison is a common skill of eggplant plant-beasts. This can be tied to personality traits. Egg-plant beasts are non-confrontational. They are more likely to poison your tea before directly stating any internal grievances. As with those who are introverted, body language is a more accurate cue into the mind of an eggplant plant-beast…’

Song Heqing thought that these words might have some merit, but skipped to the section on optimal growing conditions.

The next page caused Song Heqing to be slightly alarmed. It was a detailed drawing of eggplant species, fruits, and flowers. These parts of a plant had taken on a new meaning, but at the same time, another part of him could not think of them as more than…an eggplant.

'Eggplants have a variety of species and fruits. There are pure white⁵, purple and white-striped⁶ , the long and slender⁷, a small and squat green⁸ Thai eggplant, Indian cultivar⁹, and globe eggplant¹⁰ common on the other continent. They grow best at a temperature of 70 and 85°F, in full sunlight of at least 6 hours a day, and the soil must be kept moist, but not soggy. They do best in a soil type of sandy-loam. Eggplants are perennials, and can live for years if properly cared for.'

Qin Yan muttered something and Song Heqing quickly closed the book...but it was just Qin Yan rolling over. Flowers and other matters aside...Song Heqing could not rest easy going to the martial arts tournament if Qin Yan didn't regain some of his powers, especially now that he knew some strange evil spirit was out to get him. Why? Because contracted beasts and sword spirits were not allowed at the martial arts tournament! Qin Yan would have to stay at Eagle Sect without him for a week or two. Song Heqing thought that perhaps beforehand he could obtain another powerful wood essence stone to give him...

Firstly, as his Master said, he'll bring Qin Yan to the garden tomorrow to start cultivating back his powers.