Day: July 1, 2024

Chapter 11 – Scar

July 1, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Chapter 11: Scar

 

The little phoenix stopped in the high position of the living room, tidying its feathers a bit, looking down at the black dragon below with a mixture of aloofness and pride.

 

Its feathers were pure white, as if sculpted from jade and frost, emitting a beautiful pale luster. Beneath those feathers trailed long and graceful tail feathers, shimmering with faint golden light like scattered stars in the Milky Way.

 

In addition, its eyes were also stunning, like rubies immersed in cold spring snow, reflecting a beautiful and pure brilliance without any impurities.

 

This wasn’t the true form of the phoenix but a shrunken version. After all, the phoenix had long since grown to adulthood; its true form was too large to fit in this living room.

 

However, even in its reduced size, the phoenix’s beauty remained undiminished. The dark golden eyes of the black dragon narrowed slightly, flicking its tail. Suddenly, it wanted to lure its Pheonix down, wrap it in its arms, and stroke its feathers.

 

The phoenix didn’t allow it to stroke its feathers. It immediately flew a bit higher, landing lightly on the highest cabinet, and turned its head away, ignoring it.

 

The black dragon: “…”

 

It silently turned back into a small black dragon, “roaring” at the phoenix.

 

Only then did Su Muluo shift his gaze back to it, staring at the other for a few seconds, ensuring the dragon wouldn’t take advantage of him again like earlier, before it slowly flew down and returned to its human form.

 

“Chirp.”

 

Just as Su Muluo sat down on the sofa, the sticky little black dragon looped around his wrist, nuzzling against him.

 

Su Muluo remained unmoved, “Acting cute won’t work on me. You took advantage of me earlier.”

 

Little Black Dragon blinked its round, shiny golden eyes innocently, as if it had no idea what he was talking about.

 

Su Muluo clicked his tongue, “Tsk.”

 

“Not even transformed into a human yet, already taking advantage and playing innocent. Once it really becomes human, it will probably be even worse!”

 

Clearly not a serious dragon, once it transforms, he’ll send it straight to sleep on the couch!

 

With this thought, Su Muluo rubbed the top of Little Black Dragon’s head.

 

The dragon lowered its head, obediently allowing the phoenix to rub against it. Su Muluo looked at its small dragon body and seemed to remember something, saying, “Change back to how you were earlier, let me see.”

 

The Little Black Dragon lifted its head and looked at him, “Huh?”

 

Su Muluo warned, “No taking advantage of me!”

 

The Little Black Dragon silently changed back to its previous size, to avoid squishing its phoenix, awkwardly positioning its dragon body outside the couch.

 

Su Muluo stared at the dragon body for a few seconds, finding nothing unusual, then asked, “Can you show me your belly?”

 

The black dragon rolled over and exposed its belly.

 

The belly was one of the softest parts for many demonic creatures and rarely shown. Although the enlarged black dragon’s belly was not as soft as the smaller one’s, it was covered in tough scales. However, this roll revealed a scale under its neck.

 

The scale was the most crucial part of a dragon, also its weakness. Legend has it that the dragon’s scale cannot be touched; touching it means death. But now, the black dragon showed its scale to Su Muluo without any guard.

 

A hint of a smile appeared in Su Muluo’s eyes. He gently stroked along the dragon’s belly and found a slightly raised scar in the middle.

 

The black dragon had only grown large in front of him a few times before, most of which ended up with it sticking to him, distracting his attention, and not paying attention to its belly. Just now, when it bathed, although the black dragon had grown a bit larger, its size hadn’t reached that of the bathtub, so this scar wasn’t very noticeable—until Su Muluo changed back to the little phoenix and flew halfway through the air, the black dragon’s current largest size, and found this wound.

 

This wound was not new and had long since healed, but it still left a scar that was a meter long, indicating how severe the wound was, if it were a little deeper, or perhaps fatal.

 

Su Muluo’s smile faded, his expression gradually darkening. Little Black Dragon had only recently hatched, and this scar was clearly akin to a birthmark—yet why did his dragon bear such a mark from birth?

 

Who had harmed his dragon? When did it happen? Why did neither of them remember?

 

Sensing his phoenix’s uneasy mood, the black dragon wrapped its tail around his waist, affectionately nuzzling him.

 

Su Muluo lowered his head to meet its gaze, “Do you know how this scar came about?”

 

The black dragon shook its head.

 

Su Muluo knew his dragon wouldn’t lie to him. After a few silent moments, he murmured, “It must have hurt a lot, didn’t it?”

 

This wound pierced through the dragon’s tough scales, tearing flesh and blood. Su Muluo felt a twinge of fear at the thought that if the attacker had struck harder, he might have lost his dragon.

 

But who was the attacker?

 

Frowning deeply, Su Muluo knew he had spent thousands of years in the egg, but those memories had long since blurred. He only remembered the dragon egg beside him when he first hatched, but why it was there and how it got there were mysteries to him.

 

Now, with both dragon and phoenix races wiped out, only he and the Little Black Dragon remained. Had there been any thrilling events before his birth that had been forgotten with his hatching?

 

The more Su Muluo thought about it, the more unsettled he felt. The black dragon sensed his distress; its dark golden eyes narrowed slightly as it gently nuzzled his shoulder, emitting a low dragon hum.

 

The deep dragon hum sounded like a man softly comforting, instantly pulling Su Muluo out of his negative emotions. He glanced at his dragon and after a few seconds, gently patted its head, whispering, “It’s alright, maybe I’m just overthinking.”

 

Regardless, Little Black Dragon had just hatched, and any mysteries would have to wait until later to unravel. Moreover, those past events were probably long settled, and trying to trace them now would likely be futile.

 

Unaware that his dragon had silently wrapped around him, happily wagging its tail.

 

This was how dragons treated their beloved treasures: wrapping them in their bodies, keeping them in their arms, and preventing anyone from coveting them.

 

Moreover, its phoenix had a soft, fragrant scent that the black dragon loved all over its body, causing it to want to wrap it in its phoenix every day, unwilling to let go for a second.

 

Su Muluo didn’t realize the black dragon’s hidden possessiveness; he only felt the intense gaze from its dark golden eyes. After a few seconds of eye contact, he gently patted its head and said, “Let go of me.”

 

This time, his actions were gentle, his tone devoid of any heavy meaning. Feeling his phoenix softening, the black dragon didn’t move, even affectionately wrapping around him a bit more.

 

Loving its phoenix, unwilling to let go.

 

Su Muluo: “…”

 

Always pushing the boundaries!

 

Su Muluo stared at the black dragon, feeling that this dragon would not only take advantage but also push boundaries. Once it became human, it would surely do anything!

 

Maybe it would even steal a kiss while he slept!

 

Thinking this, Su Muluo became more determined to send the black dragon to sleep on the couch in the future. But for now, he didn’t push away the dragon.

 

The black dragon happily buried its head in the phoenix’s shoulder, sniffing its favorite scent, and contentedly squinted its eyes.

 

A day later, Su Muluo received a message from Huang Gaigai at the coffee shop.

 

[Damn, your coffee is so amazing! My hair has grown back!!!]

 

[I originally wanted to come and thank you, but these days I’ve been busy packing things up. My dad suddenly ordered me to go back early, so I really don’t have time. All I can do is apologize to you, QAQ].

 

[I’m leaving today. Qiansui, I’ll leave it to you to take care of. I’ll come visit you again when I have time!]

 

　　It’s half past ten in the morning now, the coffee shop just opened, and Qiansui casually strolled out from the staff lounge, preparing to leave.

 

　　Su Muluo calls out to it, saying, “Your master is leaving today.”

 

　　Qiansui lifts its paw slightly, then leaves indifferent.

 

　　After it leaves, the Little Black Dragon pokes its head out from Su Muluo’s pocket. Su Muluo glances at it and presses it back in.

 

　　When he woke up this morning, he found that the small black dragon that was still small before bed had grown bigger again. Moreover, it took advantage of him while he was asleep, entangling him and taking advantage of him all night, which was quite excessive.

 

　　The small black dragon, feeling wronged, was pressed back, but a few seconds later, it hummed and emerged again, using its tail to entwine around Phoenix’s wrist.

 

　　The coffee shop usually doesn’t get busy until the afternoon, so there aren’t many customers in the morning. Su Muluo sits at the bar, browsing his phone with one hand, while the other hand is held by the small black dragon, unwilling to let go.

 

　　The weather today is somewhat gloomy. Just after eleven o’clock, there’s a loud thunderclap, accompanied by heavy rain. Su Muluo looks at the rain outside and feels that there might not be many customers today, so he could go back early.

 

　　It’s early autumn now, and it’s even colder when it rains. He doesn’t like this kind of chilly rainy day and just wants to stay in a comfortable nest and pass the time leisurely.

 

　　The small black dragon is enthusiastically poking at Phoenix’s fingers, rubbing its two little horns against them. Su Muluo touches its head and says, “Let’s go back in a while.”

 

　　The Little Black Dragon: “Ao.”

 

　　Then it nibbles Su Muluo.

 

　　In the morning, Phoenix made honey water for it, with a bit of honey on his fingertips. Although he washed his hands later, there was still a sweet smell that it really liked.

 

　　Su Muluo: “…”

 

　　He looks at the Little Black Dragon in shock and says, “Are you hungry or something?”

 

　　Why else would it bite him?

 

　　Would a dragon eat Phoenix when it’s hungry??

 

　　The Little Black Dragon: “…”

 

　　The bite just now was just a light nibble, not hard at all, but Phoenix obviously misunderstood its intention, even giving it a strange look.

 

　　The Little Black Dragon innocently meets Su Muluo’s gaze and “Ao” to indicate that it’s not hungry.

 

　　Su Muluo is even more puzzled. He can’t understand why the Little Black Dragon would bite him, especially all wet… This dragon was never serious to begin with, and now it seems even more frivolous!

 

　　Thinking of this, Su Muluo pinches the Little Black Dragon’s small horn and says, “Don’t bite me.”

 

　　The Little Black Dragon stares at his fingertip, thinking it’s sweet and liking it.

 

　　——Just then, the door of the coffee shop is pushed open, and a woman walks in.

 

　　She’s the same woman with long black hair and a gloomy face as before. After entering the shop and looking around, seeing no other customers, she walks straight to the bar.

 

　　Su Muluo tucks the Little Black Dragon into his pocket. Before he can withdraw his hand, he feels the little dragon take advantage of the opportunity to lightly bite him again.

 

　　And licked him.

 

　　Su Muluo: “…”

 

　　Su Muluo calmly takes the Little Black Dragon out of his pocket, grabs a coffee cup, and before the little dragon can react, he stuffs it whole into the cup—

 

　　Then with a “clap,” he overturns the cup on the table.

 

　　The Little Black Dragon, trapped in darkness: “…Squeak.”

 

　　Hugging its little tail in grievance.

T/N: Hello hello! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

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How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

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Chapter 31

July 1, 2024 / / 0 Comments

       To say that Zhan Xiusong was a little chubby was somewhat courteous, but calling him a big fat guy would have been a bit unfair to him, as he was, after all, only a sixteen-year-old boy.

       Anyway, he was one centimetre taller than Zhan Weiyang, with a round face and two layers of chins. He wore a pair of framed glasses, which had left marks on both sides of his eyes.

       But if one ignored the extra fat on his face, Zhan Xiusong actually looked pretty handsome, with some similarities in facial features to his relative, Zhan Weiyang. If he could lose weight, he would also be a beautiful boy.

       But Zhan Xiusong obviously didn’t consider these things now. He was more concerned about whether there were meat buns and milk for breakfast. He really liked drinking milk and wished he could drink it like water.

       Zhan Pengcheng and Pei Qing both came down from the second floor. Auntie Luo brought breakfast to the table and called them to come and eat.

       Zhan Xiusong sat down and started to eat the buns in big mouthfuls. When he was satisfied with his meal, he said to Pei Qing, “Qing ge, do you want to go out and have some fun together in the next few days?”

       He liked Pei Qing very much. Everyone in the Zhan family liked Pei Qing very much, especially the boys. They thought Pei Qing, being a student at a prestigious university, was good-looking, capable, and had a great personality. Plus, he came from a good family background, which made them naturally gravitate towards him.

       Before this, except Zhan Weiyang, everyone else was quite close to Pei Qing.

       Since Pei Qing had come over for his internship, he hadn’t had any time to go out and have fun. Now that it was the National Day holiday, it seemed like a good opportunity. So he nodded to Zhan Xiusong and said, “Let’s go.”

       Zhan Xiusong quickly bumped Zhan Weiguang’s arm and said, “Guang ge, let’s go out and play together.”

       Zhan Weiguang asked him, “Where do you want to go?”

       Zhan Xiusong smiled and said, “Let’s just visit some of the tourist spots and find a place to eat lunch. I want to have a hotpot.”

       Zhan Weiguang said, “Okay, we’ll go out after we decide where to go.”

       Pei Qing glanced in the direction of the stairs and was about to speak when Zhan Pengcheng came over and said to Zhan Weiguang, “Take your brother with you.”

       Zhan Weiguang didn’t say anything, and Zhan Xiusong made a face behind Zhan Pengcheng.

       Pei Qing was sitting opposite the dining table, facing the two of them, watching their expressions silently.

       Zhan Weiguang turned around and said to his father, “He can go if he wants to. It’s not like I can force him if he doesn’t want to go.”

       Zhan Pengcheng came over and stood behind Zhan Weiguang, saying, “Why doesn’t he want to go? If you are willing to take him out to play, he will definitely want to go.”

       Zhan Weiguang said, “I’ll ask him later.”

       Zhan Xiusong looked up and asked, “Where is Zhan Weiyang?”

       Zhan Pengcheng said, “It seems he hasn’t gotten up yet.”

       “So lazy?” Zhan Xiusong stood up from his seat, “I’ll go wake him up. If not, how long will he have to wait?”

       Auntie Luo heard the conversation outside in the kitchen, poked her head out to Zhan Xiusong, and shouted, “Have you finished your meal?”

       Zhan Xiusong said, “I’ve finished, I’ve finished, I ate three buns!” As he spoke, he ran to the stairs and strode upstairs.

       Pei Qing held the milk carton in his hand, drank it slowly, put it gently on the table, and then stood up.

       Zhan Weiguang immediately looked at him and asked, “Qing ge, where are you going?”

       Pei Qing said, “Go back to the room. Enjoy your meal.” After that, he also walked towards the stairs.

       Zhan Weiyang was still wrapped in a blanket, deep in dreams. He slept heavily, cycling through several dreams without waking up.

       Until he heard someone shouting, “Zhan Weiyang! Wake up!”

       Right after that, something heavy pressed down on him, almost taking his breath away.

       He could only struggle to wake up in shock and opened his eyes to see Zhan Xiusong climbing up from his bed. It turned out that the thing that pressed heavily on him just now was none other than Zhan Xiusong.

       Zhan Xiusong stood by the bed with his back bent. When he saw Zhan Weiyang wake up, he threw himself on him again and said, “Get up!”

       Zhan Weiyang shouted in panic, “You’re crushing me!”

       Zhan Xiusong knew that he was heavy. He lay on Zhan Weiyang’s waist through a quilt and raised his hand to support his face with a bit of complacency, saying, “Who told you to be lazy?”

       Zhan Weiyang was really about to be out of breath. He said, “I’m dying.”

       Zhan Xiusong then slowly got up from him, knelt on the bed with his legs, raised his hand to push the glasses on his nose, and looked at Zhan Weiyang with drooping eyelids and a smile.

       Zhan Weiyang quickly supported his body with his hands, sat up, and even stepped back a little, with his back against the head of the bed. His hair was messy and sticking up, and there was a faint red on his fair cheeks. He looked at Zhan Xiusong while panting.

       Zhan Xiusong asked him, “Do you want to go out with us?”

       Zhan Weiyang asked, “Where?”

       Zhan Xiusong said, “Let’s go out for a walk and find a place to eat at noon.”

       Zhan Weiyang looked outside the door and confirmed that Zhan Pengcheng was not there before he said, “I don’t want to go.” He didn’t want to go out with Zhan Weiguang and Zhan Xiusong.

       “Don’t bother then,” Zhan Xiusong obviously didn’t mean to keep inviting him, so he climbed down from Zhan Weiyang’s bed, tidied his own clothes, and walked out.

       As soon as he walked out of Zhan Weiyang’s room, he saw Pei Qing and shouted, “Qing ge, Zhan Weiyang said he won’t go, let’s get ready to go.”

       Pei Qing walked to the door of Zhan Weiyang’s room and looked inside. He saw Zhan Weiyang sitting on the bed with his eyes wide open, looking a little dazed, so he asked, “You don’t want to go?”

       Zhan Weiyang opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Zhan Xiusong said, “He won’t go. Don’t think much about him; let’s just go.”

       Zhan Weiyang lowered his head in silence. At this time, Zhan Weiguang carried his luggage up to the third floor. When he passed the stairs on the second floor, he saw Pei Qing and the others and said, “You guys go wait for me downstairs first. I’ll pack up my things and come down.”

       Pei Qing nodded.

       Zhan Xiusong had already reached out to pull Pei Qing’s arm, urging him, “Let’s go, let’s go.”

       Pei Qing was not in a hurry to leave, so he asked Zhan Weiyang again, “Does Yangyang want to come along?”

       Zhan Weiyang looked at Zhan Xiusong and shook his head silently. Pei Qing then said, “Alright, then we’ll leave first.”

       After they all left the room, Zhan Weiyang got off the bed, walked to the window in his pyjamas and looked outside. He knew Zhan Weiguang had just gone upstairs, so for a while, they probably wouldn’t be leaving the house. Nevertheless, he stubbornly waited by the window.

       After waiting for almost a quarter of an hour, he saw Pei Qing drive the car to the front of the building. Zhan Weiguang and Zhan Xiusong came out of the house and got into the car one after the other. Zhan Pengcheng also walked to the door to see them off, told Pei Qing to drive carefully, and told Zhan Weiguang to take his brothers to have something delicious for lunch.

       Pei Qing drove away. Zhan Pengcheng stood there and looked for a while, then suddenly raised his head and looked towards the second floor, where he saw Zhan Weiyang standing by the bed.

       It was too late for Zhan Weiyang to hide at this time, so he could only call out, “Dad.”

       Zhan Pengcheng asked him, “Why don’t you go out and play with your brother?”

       Zhan Weiyang said, “I don’t want to go.”

       Zhan Pengcheng put his hands on his waist, looked up and asked, “Why don’t you go?”

       Zhan Weiyang pinched his fingers on the window sill and said, “I just don’t want to go.”

       Zhan Pengcheng sighed and no longer forced him. He only said, “If you’re not going, forget about it. Have you slept enough? If you have, change clothes and come down for breakfast.”

       Zhan Weiyang nodded and said, “Ah.”

       Zhan Weiyang was at home doing nothing all day.

       Zhan Pengcheng went out after receiving a phone call in the morning, leaving only Grandma and Auntie Luo at home. After lunch, Auntie Luo accompanied Grandma for a walk, leaving Zhan Weiyang alone.

       Zhan Weiyang went up to the second floor, squatted on the balcony, wiped the dust accumulated on the flower pot with a rag, then stepped into the flower pot and sat down.

       He sat there for the whole afternoon until he heard that Grandma and Auntie Luo had come back. Then he came out of the flower pot and went downstairs to watch TV with Grandma for a while.

The author has something to say:
Sorry, I still haven’t figured out the rules for joining V. I don’t know when I’ll be able to join V. It’ll probably take at least another two or three days… I’ll let everyone know on Weibo.

Notes:
I have a feeling Yangyang wouldn’t join but… Those brothers of his are… sigh…

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Chapter 160 – Proposal

July 1, 2024 / / 1 Comment

Chapter 160 – Proposal

 

In this book, in black letters on a white background, it was written that the previous Dragon King, Lu Chen, passed away during his six hundredth year, during his third transformation period, for reasons that remain unclear.

 

Unclear?

 

Jian Luo stared at the line in the book, feeling like he could punch a hole through it. “Why is it unclear?”

 

Zhan Wentai said, “The content of the Dragon Clan’s transformations is closely related to the participants themselves. The specifics are not easily ascertainable, and there is no correlation between each dragon.”

 

Jian Luo flipped through two more pages. “Are there no successful cases?”

 

After all, what this book recorded was meager. He needed more information to support himself.

 

The three little dragons sensed their father’s tension and obediently came over, affectionately nuzzling Jian Luo, trying to calm his emotions.

 

Jian Luo took a deep breath, patting the dragon hatchlings’ heads. “It’s okay.”

 

Zhan Wentai said, “Information about transformations is not widely known outside. Specifics are stored in the Dragon Clan’s archive, guarded by specialists. Ordinary people are not allowed entry, not even me.”

 

?

 

How could this be?

 

Jian Luo’s heart sank. After a stunned silence, he finally said, “Okay.”

 

Seeing Jian Luo looking somewhat hurt, Zhan Wentai spoke, “If you want to know, those close to you might have the best answers.”

 

Jian Luo smiled faintly. “He never told me.”

 

“But he didn’t forbid you from asking,” Zhan Wentai remained calm and composed. “The decision is yours.”

 

“…Okay.”

 

After checking their homework, the dragon hatchlings were free to roam. They were particularly excited today, possibly because they were happy to see Jian Luo, chattering incessantly about whether the teacher had praised them, or which question they couldn’t solve today.

 

By the time Lu Shifeng arrived in the evening, all three were tired, curled up in balls on the bed. Dragon hatchlings curled up when sleeping, their small claws holding their tails, sleeping in a docile manner.

 

“Drip”

 

The door outside opened.

 

Lu Shifeng walked in and immediately frowned upon seeing the three hatchlings. “Why did you bring them here?”

 

Jian Luo replied, “It’s been days since they saw you. They missed you, so I brought them over to see you.”

 

Lu Shifeng had initially wanted to scold the children for being reckless and thoughtless, but seeing Jian Luo protectively explaining softened him. He walked over and sat on the sofa. “How was your run to the cold spring today?”

 

“Not bad,” Jian Luo replied.

 

There was food on the table, simple dishes made by Jian Luo himself. He had been avoiding greasy food lately, and inadvertently, Lu Shifeng had also refrained from it.

 

Lu Shifeng picked up a pastry. “I heard you went for a blood test.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

Jian Luo hesitated before saying, “Yes, I did.”

 

Lu Shifeng lifted his eyelids slightly, observing Jian Luo’s somewhat pale face. He frowned and Jian Luo took the initiative to walk over and stop behind him. His hands skillfully massaged Lu Shifeng’s shoulders. The Marshal worked hard during weekdays, so when he had free time, Jian Luo liked to help him relax.

 

Lu Shifeng reached out and held Jian Luo’s hand, his rough fingertips clasping Jian Luo’s delicate wrist. “Don’t move.”

 

Jian Luo’s movements froze.

 

Lu Shifeng said, “Come here, take a break.”

 

Jian Luo laughed wryly. “I’m not that fragile. I’ve only been to the hospital for a few days and slept most of the time. Today, I just went for a blood test.”

 

Lu Shifeng asked him to sit beside him. He just held Jian Luo’s hand and lowered his handsome face, quietly watching him for a long time before whispering, “You’ve been through a lot.”

 

Jian Luo asked, “Huh?”

 

“For the research on Dark Stars.” Lu Shifeng stroked the bruise left on Jian Luo’s arm after the blood draw. “Does it still hurt?”

 

He knew Jian Luo was afraid of pain.

 

During pregnancy check-ups, every time the doctor drew blood, Jian Luo found it much more painful than others.

 

Jian Luo felt a tingling sensation in his arm. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

 

He looked at Lu Shifeng. At this moment, the Marshal appeared unusually gentle and harmless, almost for an instant merging with the shadow of the little dragon, except one was a meek little dragon and the other a meek great dragon.

 

Jian Luo asked casually, “How much longer until their transformation?”

 

Lu Shifeng paused before replying, “Less than three months until the Transformation Realm. They’ll be ready by then. I’ll train them over the next two months, so don’t worry, there won’t be any major issues.”

 

“Is the first transformation dangerous?”

 

“Not for them.”

 

“Really?” Jian Luo gathered courage. “Then was your first time without danger?”

 

He didn’t know that before this, no one knew what Lu Shifeng had experienced during his first transformation. People only knew that the formidable Marshal had failed during his first transformation and rose from the flames during the second.

 

It was widely known that a dragon’s first transformation might fail, which seemed incredible.

 

Lu Shifeng suspiciously paused, his voice quiet. “It’s not a good thing. You don’t want to know.”

 

Jian Luo choked up.

 

He had many questions to ask, but for a moment, he saw melancholy flicker across Lu Shifeng’s face. Though fleeting, Jian Luo caught it—a wave of emotion that unexpectedly touched his heart.

 

Quickly, Jian Luo said, “I’ve made rice porridge. Would you like some?”

 

Lu Shifeng just silently watched him. His deep, dark eyes seemed to see through Jian Luo’s thoughts, making everything laid bare under his gaze, with nothing left to hide.

 

Under such scrutiny, Jian Luo looked away.

 

Finally, Lu Shifeng spoke, “You know now.”

 

Jian Luo nodded slightly. He felt there was no need to hide anymore. “Yes, I know.”

 

Seeing the stubborn figure of the young man sitting next to him on the sofa, Lu Shifeng rubbed his head and asked, “What’s wrong?”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

“It’s too early. Knowing so early, how long would you worry?” Lu Shifeng’s voice was deep but magnetic. “You think too much; earlier disclosure wouldn’t help.”

 

Jian Luo glared at him. “Not telling me makes me worry even more!”

 

Seeing Jian Luo bristling like a little hedgehog, Lu Shifeng smirked. “Alright, I won’t do it next time.”

 

Next time, there would be a next time.

 

Jian Luo’s nose tingled. “Do you have to go? Can’t you stay?”

 

Seeing him pout, Lu Shifeng spoke gently, “When you gain something, you also have to pay a price. Everyone’s the same; there are no exceptions.”

 

Jian Luo asked the question he most wanted to ask, “What if you lose your wings?”

 

“Maybe I’ll lose them. Maybe I won’t be able to come out. Anything’s possible.”

 

Jian Luo stood up in surprise to speak, but the movement seemed to disturb the dragon cubs on the bed. The little dragons hummed sleepily, seemingly unhappy about their sleep being disturbed. Jian Luo covered his mouth, sat down quietly again.

 

Lu Shifeng held his hand, gesturing him to sit. He said, “Don’t think so much. I’m not afraid; what are you afraid of?”

 

Jian Luo’s hands and feet were cold.

 

Lu Shifeng sat on the bed, holding him close, whispering, “Luo Luo.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Would you marry me?” Lu Shifeng’s voice echoed above his head. The lights in the room went out. Jian Luo couldn’t see his face, only hearing him say, “Under the Second Marriage Law, we’ll use my blood in a ceremony at the Sacred Tree. I’ll marry you properly. Over these years, I’ve saved some money; it should be enough for you to live on, for you to do whatever you want, whether it’s eating, drinking, having fun, or building Earth, anything you wish to do.”

 

Jian Luo widened his eyes, his heart tightening. He could hardly believe what he was hearing.

 

Building Earth.

 

Jian Luo’s hands curled unconsciously. Why did Lu Shifeng say this? Did he know about this long ago, wanting him to build Earth, in case he couldn’t return, providing a place for himself to live?

 

Suddenly, Jian Luo felt he might have never truly understood this man before.

 

Lu Shifeng’s voice came low, “Don’t worry about those three. The Dragon Clan isn’t strict with the next Dragon King.”

 

Jian Luo listened quietly before asking, “Why?”

 

Lu Shifeng hesitated.

 

Jian Luo said, “Do you want to marry me to secure my inheritance or because you love me?”

 

There was a moment of silence in the air.

 

After a while, Lu Shifeng lowered his voice, “You’re too fragile. I’m afraid you’ll be bullied. The Dark Star has strong constraints on marriage protection laws; no one will dare to trouble you.”

 

Jian Luo pursed his lips, still wanting to pick a fight, “What about taking care of your brother…”

 

Lu Shifeng kissed him before he could finish his sentence. The Marshal’s actions were gentle yet lingering, successfully silencing him. After the kiss, Lu Shifeng’s voice was husky, “I don’t kiss the silver-haired, alright?”

 

Jian Luo was taken aback, then burst into laughter.

 

Lu Shifeng held him, their position so intimate it seemed he wanted to merge Jian Luo into his very being. He said, “Be good, listen.”

 

Jian Luo sniffed and said, “No.”

 

He couldn’t stand Lu Shifeng’s way of leaving these parting words. “If you go, what am I supposed to do? If I die later, what will happen to the children? You must live well. I don’t want to talk about such gloomy things.”

 

Lu Shifeng patted Jian Luo’s head, remained silent for a while, then sighed. “Go to sleep.”

 

Jian Luo nestled into his arms, saying nothing.

 

—

 

The next day,

 

Early in the morning, he finished his run at the cold spring, then took the cubs back to the Dragon Clan for their studies. He also went to find Secretary Jin and asked, “Where is the archive? Can I go take a look?”

 

Secretary Jin didn’t expect him to ask this. “It’s above the Sky City, but you need permission to enter.”

 

Jian Luo asked, “What level of permission?”

 

“You need the highest level. Usually, only those with a black card or higher can enter,” Secretary Jin replied.

 

Jian Luo remembered the black card Lu Shifeng had given him when he was pregnant. He quickly took it out from his storage space and asked, “Is this it?”

 

A black card appeared at his fingertips. Secretary Jin stared wide-eyed and slowly gave him a thumbs up.

 

Jian Luo smiled. “Let’s go.”

 

The archive was heavily guarded. After swiping his card to enter, Jian Luo followed the instructions of the intelligent brain to find some documents. There were quite a few, requiring careful selection and a slow read.

 

He hadn’t found any information on the Transformation Realm yet. As he flipped through, he suddenly came across a page of rumors. It recorded a passage: “There are two methods for intermarriage between the Dragon Clan and other races. With the Dragon Blood as sacrifice at the Sacred Tree, both parties can share their lifespan. If sacrificed unilaterally, the sacrificer’s demise doesn’t affect the other.”

 

Jian Luo’s hand trembled, and he continued reading.

 

The second page recorded: “The second method involves the partner sacrificing their blood, similarly allowing them to share the other’s lifespan. If one party dies unilaterally, the living partner can share the other’s lifespan, but the lifespan of the partner who sacrificed their blood is halved.”

 

!!

 

Jian Luo widened his eyes, his heart beating faster.

 

Could he interpret this clause like this: if he used Lu Shifeng’s blood in the ceremony, he could share Lu Shifeng’s lifespan, and even after Lu Shifeng’s death, his own longevity would remain unaffected? But if he used his own blood, he could still share Lu Shifeng’s lifespan, but if Lu Shifeng died, he could save him once with his own life, at the cost of halving his own lifespan.

 

Humans could live up to 100 years at most. He was currently 22 years old, so even if he calculated generously, he had only about 78 years left. Halved, that would be 39 years. Did that mean they might only have 39 years left together?

T/N: Hope you’re having a good day! Drink water and make sure to sleep early! (>w<)/

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

and many, many more!

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 159 – Illusion

July 1, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Chapter 159 – Illusion

 

When Jian Luo heard Little Zai Zai speak like that, his heart tightened suddenly.

 

“Don’t talk nonsense!” Jian Luo blurted out, then realizing he might have been too agitated, he softened his tone, “Baby, Dragon Scale is very important. You need to protect yourself and not let others know about it casually, okay?”

 

He was truly worried that his child might be deceived in the future.

 

His little sister tilted her head after hearing this, saying, “Daddy isn’t just anyone.”

 

“…Ah, this.”

 

Jian Luo smiled wryly, “It’s okay, Daddy doesn’t need Dragon Scale anymore, the illness is already cured.”

 

Long Ao Tian climbed onto Su Liang’s body to rub against his wristband. It had grown to the size of a basketball, quite heavy; sometimes Su Liang couldn’t support it.

 

Jian Luo knew she wanted to see him. His heart softened completely, “Daddy will have Grandma bring you over.”

 

Long Ao Tian’s tail wagged happily upon hearing this, its red eyes filled with joy, chirping incessantly as if eager to fly to Jian Luo’s side.

 

But Jian Luo added, “But today is not a rest day. Go back for dinner first, then attend classes. Come over in the evening, okay?”

 

The three little ones couldn’t hide their disappointment, but they knew they had to behave at this moment, or Grandma might not take them.

 

Su Liang put down Long Ao Tian and patted its head, “Let’s go, time for dinner.”

 

Long Ao Tian comfortably leaned its head, rubbing its small dragon horn against Su Liang’s palm, purring contentedly, its adorable demeanor melting hearts.

 

Though mischievous at times, and occasionally noisy, sometimes they were surprisingly well-behaved.

 

—

 

After ending the communication, Jian Luo went to soak in the cold spring.

 

The hospital’s cold spring wasn’t actually cold in temperature, but its water had a chilling effect, which Jian Luo didn’t fully understand. Finally, a doctor explained, “This is the Fountain of Life of the Jade Rabbit clan. It has medicinal properties.”

 

Jian Luo asked, “Since it belongs to them, can we also use it?”

 

“Every race has a duty to contribute to the Dark Star,” the doctor smiled, “Sacrifices made when necessary are meaningful.”

 

Jian Luo realized that the people of Dark Star never explicitly mentioned unity, but each person, each race contributed to the world. The brave defended the country, the skilled in business filled the treasury, the intelligent established research institutes. From nobles to the smallest and seemingly insignificant groups, they used their strengths to build a vast empire that stood unshakable at its peak.

 

Suddenly, he understood why humans were ostracized.

 

Because Dark Star appeared indifferent, yet acted like fair judges. Everything was mutual—you plant vegetables for us, we provide you with a home. If you give us more, we’ll give you more. We never reject you coming, but you’ve been standing still.

 

The doctor assured him, “Don’t worry, this is just a small part of the Spirit Spring. The Jade Rabbit clan’s Spirit Spring is vast, and this small part is cut out for the nobles’ use.”

 

“I see, thank you.”

 

“You’re welcome.”

 

They went inside, and Jian Luo began soaking in the spring. During this free time, he began his official duties. The factory in Paradise mainly produced fast food, and the assembly line had already started operating. Chief Wang messaged him whenever Jian Luo had spare time, urging him to rest assured and recuperate, as everything was under control here.

 

Jian Luo hadn’t had time these past few days, so he took the opportunity to review product quality inspection reports. Items like potato chips needed proper sealing; once air leaked in, they wouldn’t taste good. Hygiene in food production was also crucial, so he had purchased disinfection and protective equipment at a high price, which was now being utilized.

 

Even so, Jian Luo still reminded Director Wang, “Pay attention to hygiene every day. Our first batch of products will undergo quality inspection. Mr. Nie will handle logistics, but he’s very strict about product quality. It’s the first time humans are doing business, and many are watching. We can’t afford any mistakes.”

 

Director Wang reassured him, “Don’t worry, I understand.”

 

“Okay,” Jian Luo added, “There’s also a system of rewards and penalties. If any employees violate rules, they should be dismissed without leniency just because they’re from the same village. This is a workplace, not a charity.”

 

Some harsh truths needed to be stated upfront, though unpleasant.

 

Director Wang said, “Rest assured, at my age, I know these things.”

 

With that settled, Jian Luo ended the communication. There was more to do; he needed to check on the situation back on Earth. The connection was slow, and he waited for a while after switching over.

 

“…Drip.”

 

The scene shifted to Jian Sheng’s face.

 

Jian Sheng looked much darker now, currently in a field, extremely excited as he spoke to Jian Luo, “Brother, Earth is so beautiful!”

 

Seeing his excitement, Jian Luo smiled, “How beautiful is it?”

 

“Even more beautiful than I imagined.” Jian Sheng gestured, “Its surface is blue and white, resembling the clouds in our sky. There are towering mountains, it’s spring here, and there are butterflies.”

 

Dark Star only had Sky Cities, not very tall mountains, and the sky was dark red. There were endless greenery in spring, but no colorful butterflies like on Earth.

 

Jian Luo remarked, “It’ll be even more beautiful in winter.”

 

Jian Sheng was visibly excited.

 

“How are the research results over there?” Jian Luo asked, “Is Professor’s health okay?”

 

Jian Sheng obediently replied, “He’s doing well. As soon as the professor returned, he went everywhere, climbed a mountain every day, and collected a warehouse full of herbs with us.”

 

Frowning, Jian Luo asked, “Is his body able to handle it? Did you encounter any wild beasts on the mountain?”

 

Jian Sheng explained that they were accompanied by a leader and the leader’s wife, Aya, and that while collecting herbs, the professor also aimed to gather wild fruits. He also mentioned that their research base was established.

 

Finally, Jian Sheng added, “Oh, Brother, Professor mentioned he needs your blood for DNA comparison and sampling. Is that okay?”

 

“It’s fine,” Jian Luo replied.

 

Jian Sheng seemed concerned, “Mom said you had a fever. If you’re not feeling well, please rest. We’ll be fine here.”

 

“It’s okay,” Jian Luo assured him, “I’m already fine.”

 

This reassured Jian Sheng.

 

They chatted a bit more before ending the call. Jian Luo finished soaking in the cold spring and prepared to leave. As he stepped out, he saw a doctor outside and said, “I need to draw blood. Could you lead the way?”

 

The doctor asked, “Why?”

 

Jian Luo explained, “The research base needs it.”

 

The doctor nodded, and they went to draw blood. On the way back, Jian Luo received a call from Su Liang, who said, “The little ones are in the room. I’ll bring them to see you.”

 

“Okay.”

 

He quickly returned to his room, went to the mirror to tidy up his appearance, afraid his complexion might not look good. Indeed, he seemed a bit thinner and paler, perhaps due to the blood draw, looking somewhat weary.

 

“Squeak.”

 

The door outside opened.

 

As Jian Luo turned around, he saw three dragon cubs running towards him, especially excited, as if they hadn’t seen him in a long time, chirping and rubbing against him non-stop.

 

The impact nearly pushed Jian Luo back a few steps, almost knocking over a nearby shelf.

 

Su Liang hurried over and quickly held the black cub, saying, “Baby, come down quickly.”

 

Realizing what happened belatedly, the cub’s eyes quickly showed a hint of self-blame, letting out a mournful whimper.

 

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Jian Luo hurriedly reassured, “Daddy’s fine.”

 

His sister and younger brother crouched beside Jian Luo’s footsteps, having learned from their older brother’s example not to act recklessly.

 

Jian Luo crouched down and stroked their little heads, “Good, did you bring your homework? Write it here. Daddy will make delicious food for you.”

 

There was a small kitchen in the hospital, and as parents, they always wanted to take good care of their children, without exception. Jian Luo thought the cubs would be very happy, but they weren’t.

 

Long Ao Tian shook its head and jumped onto the bed, gesturing for a while.

 

Jian Luo was puzzled, but then heard his sister softly say, “Dad, go rest.”

 

Long Ao Tian eagerly nodded in agreement, then pointed at the bed, rolling around on it in a classic sleeping pose. Jian Luo couldn’t help but laugh at its comical posture, his eyes reddening as he did.

 

…

 

In the evening, the children did their homework in front of him.

 

Sometimes, Chief Zhan Wen would inspect their homework. Tonight happened to be the routine inspection. Checking through his information bracelet, Zhan Wen said, “This question is wrong.”

 

The dragon cubs were obedient and well-trained.

 

Turning to Jian Luo, Zhan Wen asked, “Didn’t you check it already?”

 

Jian Luo was inexplicably troubled, “Which question?”

 

“The Dragon Clan’s Mirror Retreat period is once every three hundred years,” Zhan Wen explained. “Entering from Dragon Valley, the retreat period is one year. During this time, they must undergo the Dragon God’s test, undergo a baptism by fire, and only successful dragons can emerge. If they fail, they’ll be punished by the Dragon God, losing their wings.”

 

Jian Luo had just realized he hadn’t paid much attention to this question: “Once every three hundred years?”

 

Zhan Wentai looked at Jian Luo with a probing gaze and said, “Has Lu Shifeng not told you? Your family’s three, plus there’s about half a year left before they enter the Dragon Valley for the Mirror Transformation. If successful, they can transform into humanoid forms with dragon bodies and wings. If unsuccessful, they won’t fly.”

 

In an instant, Jian Luo thought of his own dream where Lu Shifeng couldn’t fly…

 

Could it be that Lu Shifeng didn’t pass back then?!

 

Jian Luo’s expression changed rapidly. Zhan Wentai continued, “Also, since we’re on this topic, I should remind you: do you know how old Lu Shifeng is?”

 

Jian Luo replied, “Over five hundred years.”

 

“More precisely, he’s five hundred and ninety-nine years old,” Zhan Wentai set down the documents in his hand. “In less than a month, he’ll enter the Dragon Valley for transformation for the third time. Based on inference, this attempt will be more challenging than the previous two.”

 

“How challenging? Is it dangerous?”

 

“How do you think the former Dragon King died?” Zhan Wentai glanced dispassionately at him. “Didn’t you read the history books?”

 

The history books of the little dragons were nearby. Jian Luo quickly jumped off the bed to find the index, flipped to the page on transformation, and found the passage he wanted to read. For a moment, when he saw those lines, his mind buzzed.

T/N: Hope you’re having a good day! Drink water and make sure to sleep early! (>w<)/

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

and many, many more!

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

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