Realizing its magical properties they placed the Pearl into their collection of gold coins. After the Pearl had done its magic they were rich, but being humble people they shared their riches with their neighbors. However, people in the village became jealous and told the farmer and his mother that the Pearl must be shared. Xiao became angry and in defiance ate the Pearl, but no sooner had he done so than he was engulfed by a terrible thirst. At first he drank the village well dry, then he drank the river dry and as he did so his body transformed into a dragon. Now everyone knew what this Pearl was - it was the Pearl of the River Dragon, the dragon's most coveted and beloved treasure. After Xiao Sheng had completely transformed into a dragon, he brought the rain and carved the river, his way of saying thank you and farewell to his terrestrial life.

Another Chinese tale tells the story of the Buddhist god Ti-Tsang-Wang: god of mercy. Ti-Tsang-Wang was once a Hindu priest, but converted to Buddhism eventually becoming a Buddha with special authorities over the souls of the dead. Legend says that when a soul had the misfortune to spend the afterlife lost and wandering the caverns of hell, its luck would change if it happened on Ti-Tsang-Wang whose path in hell was illuminated by the light of a shining Pearl. Guided by the Pearl, Ti-Tsang Wang would do all he could to help lost souls escape hell, even putting an end to the soul’s eternal cycle of death and rebirth.