Day: July 3, 2024

Chapter 12 – Angry and Tied Up

Chapter 12: Angry and Tied Up

 

Boom—

 

A thunderclap strikes, pouring heavy rain outside the coffee shop. The fine rain weaves a web on the glass display window, dripping into the accumulated water on the ground.

 

There are few pedestrians on the road, and only one customer in the coffee shop. Su Muluo sits at the bar, and with a glance, he can see the woman with long black hair and a gloomy face sitting in the corner, silently drinking her coffee.

 

As the rain intensifies, Su Muluo lightly taps a coffee cup overturned on the bar, ready to wait for the woman to finish her coffee so he can close the shop and go home.

 

“Ao.”

 

He taps the coffee cup several times, and suddenly it lifts up, revealing the head of a small black dragon crawling out from underneath.

 

Su Muluo stares at the Little Black Dragon for a few seconds, then stuffs it back in.

 

The Little Black Dragon: “…”

 

He sulkily lies flat at the bottom of the coffee cup, wagging its tail.

 

But the next moment, the coffee cup over its head was taken away. Su Muluo tapped its head lightly and said, “Next time, no biting me, no taking advantage of me.”

 

The small black dragon brightened its eyes and “Ao”ed, rubbing its head against Su Muluo’s fingertip, looking very obedient on the surface.

 

Actually, it would dare next time.

 

Su Muluo probably guessed what this dragon was thinking. His eyebrows raised slightly, and he reached out to pinch its tail tip.

 

The small black dragon immediately hugged its own tail.

 

Boom!

 

Another thunderbolt struck, and the rain intensified. The woman in the corner of the coffee shop also set down her cup at this moment and stood up.

 

Seeing her prepare to leave in the pouring rain, Su Muluo asked, “Need an umbrella?”

 

The woman paused at his words, turned her head to glance at him without any expression on her face, and replied, “No need.”

 

Then, without looking back, she walked into the pouring rain outside the shop. The figure in a white dress quickly blurred by the rain.

 

After the woman left, Su Muluo scratched under the small black dragon’s chin and asked, “Ready to go back?”

 

The small black dragon hummed comfortably and nestled into Su Muluo’s palm.

 

Su Muluo chuckled softly, cupping the little dragon in his hand, stood up, and closed the coffee shop door.

 

Huang Gaigai felt like he had really hit rock bottom today.

 

He had to catch an early flight this morning, but mistakenly set his alarm an hour late. He finally rushed out, hailed a taxi on the street, but due to the torrential rain, the taxi got stuck in traffic two kilometers away from the airport—staring at the endless line of cars ahead and realizing how little time was left for his flight, Huang Gaigai gritted his teeth and got out of the car, planning to run there alone with his luggage.

 

Fortunately, the airport was very close, just two kilometers away. Normally, he could get there in half an hour walking briskly. Unfortunately, today it was raining heavily. Huang Gaigai dragged his suitcase with one hand and held an umbrella with the other, walking alone in the midst of the storm. He felt like crying but had no tears.

 

If only he had postponed it one more day with his dad, things wouldn’t have been so rushed. He didn’t even have time to thank Muluo…

 

The wind blew Huang Gaigai’s hair. Since the last time he drank the specially brewed coffee Muluo made for him, he was amazed to find that overnight he had grown a lot more hair, and even his complexion had improved a lot. He had wanted to personally thank Su Muluo, but his parents urged him to return early, leaving him in a rush. He didn’t have time to find Su Muluo and could only thank him by text.

 

He wondered if Muluo minded, and Qiansui, he wondered how it was doing over there…

 

Lost in thought, Huang Gaigai didn’t notice a step beneath his feet. In a moment of carelessness, he stepped into empty space and fell down with his luggage.

 

Bang!

 

“Ah!”

 

The suitcase tumbled, the umbrella blown away by the wind, and Huang Gaigai fell into a puddle, soaking his clothes in icy rainwater.

 

This is terrible!

 

He grimaced and tried to get up from the ground. It was then that he saw someone in front of him.

 

It was a woman with long black hair, wearing a white dress, holding a bright red umbrella, standing in front of him with her back turned.

 

Huang Gaigai was slightly stunned. In that moment, the sounds of cars and rain seemed to fade away, leaving the world strangely quiet, and he hadn’t noticed.

 

“Ah… thank you.”

 

The red umbrella shielded him from some of the rain. Huang Gaigai stood up slowly, puzzled why the woman had her back turned, but still politely thanked her.

 

The woman stood motionless, neither responding nor leaving.

 

Huang Gaigai became even more puzzled. Looking left and right, unsure if it was his imagination, the sky seemed much darker, and the streets around were empty, even the traffic that was just blocked had disappeared.

 

The heavy rain continued, and within a hundred meters, there were only the two of them.

 

“… “

 

Huang Gaigai felt a chill down his spine, sensing something was wrong. He looked at the woman in front of him, who still had her back turned, and suddenly remembered the horror stories he had heard.

 

“… Thank you, um, you don’t have to hold the umbrella for me anymore…”

 

His facial muscles trembled slightly, forcing a smile, while discreetly taking a step back, wanting to escape from there.

 

Crack.

 

As if bones were being forcibly twisted, the woman with the red umbrella’s head turned ninety degrees to the left.

 

Huang Gaigai: !

 

The sound frightened him, breaking out in a cold sweat. Seeing the woman’s side face after she turned around, he widened his eyes in terror.

 

It was a smooth face, without any features, like a piece of white paper stretched over her neck.

 

In that moment, countless “holy crap” thoughts surged in Huang Gaigai’s mind. Without thinking, he turned and ran.

 

The woman turned back calmly, the red umbrella spinning lightly in the rain. Huang Gaigai, who had just run a few meters, seemed to be held back by an invisible hand around his ankle. His whole body lost balance and fell heavily to the ground again.

 

It’s over! He’s going to die!

 

Huang Gaigai despairingly hugged his head, trying to curl up. He felt a deadly chill slowly climbing up from his ankle, as if his flesh had been cut by a blade, screaming in pain.

 

Meanwhile, he heard a sharp meow.

 

“Meow!”

 

 

Boom!

 

A thunderclap tore through the dark sky, bringing a brief flash of light. A figure shot out like a gust of wind through the raindrops, walking on the surface of the water.

 

It was an orange cat.

 

A chubby one, its whole body tense, like an arrow ready to be released.

 

The rain continued endlessly, wetting the fur of the orange cat, dripping from the tips of its fur, forming a small puddle beneath it.

 

But the color of that puddle wasn’t rainwater; it was a blood-like crimson.

 

Not far away, Huang Gaigai lay in the rain, unconscious. The orange cat stood in front of him, its emerald eyes fixed tightly ahead, staring at the white-clad woman.

 

The red umbrella spun lightly in the rain, and the woman silently took a step towards the orange cat.

 

The orange cat trembled violently, a bit of blood oozing from its mouth. Despite this, it didn’t retreat but hoarsely growled at the woman, issuing a warning.

 

In the air, there seemed to be a mocking laughter from the woman. The next moment, she took another step towards the orange cat.

 

With a “plop,” the orange cat fell into the puddle of its own blood. The bloodstains around its mouth increased, yet it whimpered, trying again and again to stand up.

 

Ignoring it, the woman walked past and approached Huang Gaigai. Amid the orange cat’s mournful cries, she reached out with a pale, tragic hand—

 

Swish!

 

A feather-shaped silver light slashed through the wind and rain, slicing the woman’s arm in midair.

 

There was no blood; the severed hand fell lightly to the ground, the glove-like surface collapsing. The remaining half of the woman’s arm fluttered like a deflated balloon in the wind.

 

The woman turned her head, her featureless face turned aside, seeing a handsome young man holding a transparent umbrella, stepping through the rain curtain towards her.

 

“Do demons attack humans too?” Su Muluo looked at her calmly. “Or are you just trying to lure me out?”

 

 

The woman said nothing, just closed the red umbrella in her hand.

 

The next moment, she tossed the umbrella into the air. Instantly, it spread open, the bright red canopy expanding recklessly like a devouring beast, gaping wide to engulf Su Muluo whole—

 

Of course, that’s impossible.

 

  Su Muluo lightly raised his hand, a silver chain adorned with faint white feathers winding around his fingers. Like a swift wind eagle, it darted out, slicing through the fine web woven by raindrops. The enormous bright red umbrella instantly shattered into pieces, transforming into scattered drops of fresh blood, which soon vanished into the ground.

 

  The faceless woman staggered back a few steps, turning to flee. But the silver chain was faster, carving a sharp crescent moon arc in the air, accompanied by a clear phoenix cry—the woman’s footsteps abruptly halted.

 

  Her neck was cleanly cut like paper, and her entire body lost support, collapsing limply to the ground.

 

  Yet this time, there was still no blood flowing. At the moment her body touched the ground, it turned into a piece of human skin, lying limp and soon soaked by the rain.

 

  Su Muluo was not surprised by this, nor did he pay any attention to the human skin. He opened his umbrella and walked towards Qiansui.

 

  Qiansui had managed to crawl up from the ground, moving next to Huang Gaigai and covering Huang Gaigai’s hand over his head, huddling under it to avoid the rain.

 

  Su Muluo squatted in front of them, tilting the umbrella halfway over them, asking, “Are you okay?”

 

  ”Not good,” Qiansui spoke human words, his voice youthful, like an eighteen-year-old boy just coming of age. “Why did you take so long?”

 

  Upon hearing this, the little black dragon poked its head out from Su Muluo’s sleeve, its dark golden dragon eyes fixed on Qiansui. Seeing this, Su Muluo quickly stuffed the little black dragon back in, saying to Qiansui, “Sorry, I didn’t expect her to dare attack humans so openly.”

 

  He had considered that the demon might attack him again, but he hadn’t expected her to strike during broad daylight at a human. Her audacity was astonishing, as if she regarded the Bureau of Extraordinary Beings as nonexistent.

 

  Qiansui fell silent, perhaps feeling chilly from the rain, and shrunk further into Huang Gaigai’s clothes. Su Muluo checked Huang Gaigai’s condition and found him only unconscious, which reassured him.

 

  Three minutes later, agents from the Bureau of Extraordinary Beings  arrived. Huang Gaigai and Qiansui were taken away for treatment, and Lui He, who had investigated the incident last time, was still in charge. She glanced at Su Muluo and sighed, “Mr. Su, causing trouble again.”

 

  ”It’s not trouble. She was originally after me this time,” Su Muluo said, “Did you find anything from the skin taken last time?”

 

  Lui He shook her head. “Only the aura of the deceased canine demon was found on the skin. Nothing conclusive. But fortunately, this time we have a new skin, directly related to the attack on you. She shouldn’t escape this time.”

 

  By now, the rain had eased, and the bureau staff had cleaned up the scene. It wasn’t ideal to talk on the roadside, so Lui He invited Su Muluo to continue the discussion back at the bureau to go over more details.

 

  Su Muluo agreed, boarding the bureau’s car with his little black dragon.

 

  To protect privacy, the car was enchanted so conversations in the backseat wouldn’t be heard in the front. Su Muluo sat in the back, watching his little black dragon emerge from his sleeve and chatter away at him.

 

  Although he still couldn’t understand, Su Muluo miraculously grasped what the little black dragon wanted to convey and smiled, saying, “It’s alright, just a trip to the bureau for an investigation. They won’t do anything to me.”

 

  The little black dragon seemed displeased. It didn’t want its phoenix to go to the bureau because it disliked the way people gawked in awe at its phoenix and held some grudges from the last time it was mocked.

 

  He was mocked!

 

  The little black dragon sulkily wrapped around the phoenix’s wrist, tilting its head up, its dark golden eyes fixed unwaveringly on the phoenix.

 

  If only it could quickly transform into a human form.

 

  Not in a dream, but in reality, appearing beside the phoenix in a way that everyone could see, holding its phoenix tightly to let everyone know that the phoenix belonged to only him.

 

  Perhaps because the little black dragon’s gaze was too intense, Su Muluo met its eyes for a few seconds and covered them. “Not letting you see.”

 

  Little black dragon: “?”

 

  It twisted its head to the left, and Su Muluo’s hand followed, twisting to the right—because the little black dragon was so small, it easily blocked its gaze.

 

  Little black dragon: “Aww!”

 

  The little black dragon was furious. It didn’t want Su Muluo to see it sulking, so it kept twisting and turning in Su Muluo’s palm… and accidentally tied itself into a knot.

 

  A knot that couldn’t be undone.

 

  Little black dragon: “…”

 

  Su Muluo: “…heh.”

 

  He couldn’t help but laugh at the little black dragon’s resentful look all the way.


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~

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

 

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

 

Chapter 164 – Wedding Gift

Chapter 164 – Wedding Gift

 

Jian Luo looked at Lu Shifeng in disbelief.

 

On Lu Shifeng’s handsome face, there was a serious and earnest expression, as if they were discussing not the issue of age but rather some profound and mysterious strategic deployment. He stood upright, looking at Jian Luo with an air of righteousness, which for a moment made Jian Luo wonder if he was perhaps being unreasonable.

 

After a pause, Jian Luo chuckled, “Come on, don’t tease me!”

 

Lu Shifeng raised an eyebrow, “I’m serious.”

 

“Human lifespan is just over a hundred years, you could practically be my grandfather,” Jian Luo ruthlessly retorted.

 

Lu Shifeng looked at Jian Luo in silence, seemingly pondering these words, unexpectedly hurt as if Jian Luo’s words had struck a nerve.

 

Jian Luo’s heart skipped a beat, quickly correcting himself, “I didn’t mean it that way…”

 

Lu Shifeng said, “Respect for elders and care for the young.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Since I’m not a child,” Lu Shifeng attempted to reason with him, “you should still respect your grandpa.”

 

 

There was a brief silence in the air.

 

After a moment,

 

Jian Luo heartlessly burst into laughter, laughing mercilessly in front of his grandpa, not giving him any face.

 

Lu Shifeng stared at him intensely.

 

After Jian Luo had enough laughter, he said, “You have a point.”

 

“In that case,” Jian Luo thought of a solution, “we can call each other later, and, oh, you remember to hold the cubs; I’ll miss them if I don’t see the children.”

 

“?”

 

“For the sake of seeing the child?”

 

Seeing that his tone was not right, Jian Luo corrected himself in time, saying, “And to see you.”

 

Only then did Lu Shifeng feel somewhat satisfied. He touched Jian Luo’s head and felt the soft touch of his hair with his rough palm. The fragile and petite human before his eyes seemed as if he might disappear in the blink of an eye. He wanted to keep Jian Luo close, as if he could integrate him into his bones and blood.

 

Muttering, Jian Luo added, “We’ve been together for so long, just a few days apart, don’t be sad, it’ll be over soon.”

 

Lu Shifeng rubbed his head, his voice low, “Want to see more of you.”

 

“It’s not like you won’t see me in the future…”

 

As Jian Luo unconsciously finished his sentence, he remembered Lu Shifeng was going to practice in the illusionary realm, and suddenly felt a pang of sorrow. Just the thought that he might not see Lu Shifeng in the future made his heart ache faintly. His emotions were always written on his face, easily detectable.

 

Lu Shifeng kissed his forehead gently, “What makes you always ready to be a widow?”

 

Jian Luo looked at him in surprise.

 

In Lu Shifeng’s blood-red eyes, there was a hint of teasing smile: “I’m not that weak.”

 

Jian Luo hugged him, his arms around Lu Shifeng’s waist, burying his face against him. He wanted to comfort Lu Shifeng, knowing that sometimes saying nothing was the best approach.

 

 

The next day,

 

Marshal Lu’s plan was like this.

 

Although Jian Luo couldn’t come to see him, he could sneak in to see Jian Luo. The rule was that the dead would die and the living would live; one always had to use their brain a bit. Unfortunately, despite all his calculations, Marshal Lu hadn’t expected that Jian Luo would silently pack up and leave.

 

Secretary Jin stood in front of the desk, conscientiously reporting, “Yesterday afternoon, at 5 o’clock, there was a spaceship ticket to the F Solar System, with a transfer in between. The interstellar railway to the Solar System is still under construction, so judging by the current situation, the transfer should have just taken place.”

 

Lu Shifeng: “…”

 

Secretary Jin comforted him, “Today is the third day. Lolo should be back on the fourth day. Your wedding is in five days, so it shouldn’t be delayed.”

 

Lu Shifeng asked, “Didn’t he use our military ship to come over?”

 

“Just sending it directly would have been better than making his own arrangements,” Lu Shifeng muttered.

 

Secretary Jin had to speak the truth, “Lolo said he was afraid of running into you on the way here, which wouldn’t look good and would break the rules.”

 

As expected, as soon as these words fell, Lu Shifeng’s face turned dark. “He said that?”

 

Secretary Jin nodded timidly.

 

Lu Shifeng chuckled in frustration, “Alright, alright.”

 

 

Watching the furious Marshal, Secretary Jin dared not speak further, only silently praying for Jian Luo.

 

On the other side,

 

The first thing Jian Luo did upon arriving on Earth was to inquire about the progress with the research and development team. Over these months, their progress had been rapid, thanks to the technological support from the Dark Star. There were several academicians from research institutes here, all of whom showed great respect to Jian Luo and greeted him politely.

 

They were all Dark Star natives who had come a long way to Earth for research. Jian Luo asked, “Are you adapting well here?”

 

An academian, a girl, who had a male colleague, said happily, “I really like this beautiful planet. The scenery is amazing, the magnetic field and gravity here are very comfortable, and the food is delicious.”

 

Jian Luo laughed.

 

Currently, it was winter on Earth. An elderly Chinese doctor in a thick cotton jacket took a sip of liquor before approaching Jian Luo, saying, “Come over here.”

 

Jian Luo followed him.

 

The elderly doctor opened an information screen displaying floating images of dozens of herbs. He said, “We’ve compared the DNA and medicinal properties of over ten thousand types of vegetation, and consulted the local indigenous people. We found that these herbs are very effective in improving the body’s pheromones. However, the smell of these herbs when cut is too strong for most people to accept.”

 

Jian Luo looked concerned, “How are the medicinal properties?”

 

“We are still testing,” the elderly doctor said, “the two Dark Star individuals, a couple, have been taking them for half a month. Their test results show a significant increase in the female’s fertility signals. If everything goes well, according to the treatment plan, it should return to normal levels within three months.”

 

Jian Luo understood. Currently, there were two main problems: how to make such bitter medicine palatable to most people once it was successful, and how to mass-produce these herbs while ensuring quality and meeting demand.

 

The elderly doctor said, “Chinese herbal medicine should not have anything added to it, as it would affect its efficacy.”

 

Jian Luo smiled, “Hmm, what I’m thinking is that there might be a greater demand for gourmet food trends at that time. I should make arrangements in advance to adjust the production lines in the factories and consider whether to deploy physical gourmet food stores offline.”

 

His words made the elderly doctor look at him differently. Some people were naturally suited for business—they were good at creating opportunities and seizing them. Suddenly, he felt that Jian Luo’s success might have an element of luck, but certainly not entirely. This child had some real ability.

 

The elderly doctor kindly advised him, “Avoid spicy and pungent foods to cater to market demand.”

 

Jian Luo nodded, “I understand.”

 

“As for the mass production of herbs, you don’t need to worry about manpower. When the time comes, let me know how many people you need, and I’ll send some over. The local indigenous people here understand the environment well and should be able to help,” Jian Luo looked around at the surroundings as he thought aloud, “Once the environment here is better purified, I’ll allocate funds to renovate the houses here and build our own skyscr4p3rs.”

 

The elderly doctor sat down in his rocking chair nearby, “With so much money, can you handle it?”

 

Jian Luo smiled, “This is on my shoulders now. Whether I can handle it or not, I have to.”

 

“The profits from the factories are only enough for daily expenses,” Jian Luo sat down as well, sharing his thoughts, “worker wages, maintenance of the village, various household matters—the net daily profit is about 500,000 star coins.”

 

But building a skyscr4p3r would cost tens of millions.

 

He thought of ways to make money every day, but there were always endless uses for money. He finally understood that managing his own life and managing paradise were completely different things.

 

To wear a crown, you must bear its weight. He had no retreat now; he could only grit his teeth and move forward. He knew that besides himself, there was no way out, so he had to keep moving forward.

 

The elderly doctor looked at him meaningfully, “I heard you’re engaged to him. The Dragon Clan’s wealth is beyond our imagination. Have you never thought about it?”

 

Jian Luo said, “What is there to think about? I can earn money on my own.”

 

The elderly doctor looked at him in surprise.

 

Jian Luo sat by his side, realizing that the boy who used to come to him timidly seeking advice and hesitating was no longer there. He had matured a lot and had become a man who could stand on his own. Initially, the elderly doctor had been worried that he might not be able to handle it, but at this moment, he suddenly felt that given time, Jian Luo could become a remarkable person.

 

A figure who could be recorded in the histories of both races and praised by future generations.

 

 

A few days later,

 

Jian Luo returned. When he intended to take a car himself, a military ship from the military landed. Lu Shifeng’s deputy said, “The Marshal asked me to pick you up.”

 

“Thank you,” Jian Luo said.

 

Just by looking at Lu Shifeng’s demeanor, he knew that the somewhat petty man might be angry again. Due to Earth’s lack of signal, many communications couldn’t get through, and he hadn’t made any calls these past few days. He guessed there might be an explosion waiting for him when he returned.

 

Due to the schedule, the military ship landed directly at the military base.

 

When Jian Luo came down from the ship, he immediately saw Lu Shifeng waiting not far away. Leaning against the wall, half of his body obscured in darkness, Lu Shifeng’s stern features and towering figure resembled a lurking beast—dangerous and powerful.

 

Jian Luo considered walking around him.

 

But Lu Shifeng unexpectedly appeared in front of him in a flash. “What, Mr. Jian, been gone a few days and don’t recognize me anymore?”

 

 

Jian Luo nervously replied, “We’re not supposed to meet before the wedding.”

 

“It’s midnight now, it’s already our wedding day,” Lu Shifeng said seriously. “So, it doesn’t count as meeting before the wedding.”

 

Jian Luo found himself unable to argue with that.

 

Feeling a bit weary now, he made his way towards the house, chatting casually with Lu Shifeng along the way. When he entered the room, he was astonished to find it filled with various types of gifts. One of the largest caught his attention. “Who sent this?”

 

“Silver Grey,” Lu Shifeng replied.

 

Silver Grey—the interstellar thief—sent a gift.

 

Jian Luo was curious. “What did he send?”

 

As the question fell, Lu Shifeng looked at him with a subtle expression, even a hint of approval, his lips curling into a smirk. “Why don’t you open it and find out?”

 

Author’s note: Silver Grey: Didn’t expect that, did you?


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 163 – I Am Still a Child

Chapter 163 – I Am Still a Child

 

Jian Luo looked at Lu Shifeng’s face before him. Lu spoke casually, but there was an inexplicable sadness in his words. Below them, three little ones were happily playing, surrounded by a scenery so beautiful it seemed like a fairyland on earth. However, Jian Luo’s mind was filled with Lu Shifeng’s past realms.

 

He had been there.

 

In that dream realm, he had been there.

 

It was a place filled with torrential rain, where trees in the forest blocked out the sky, and the gloomy atmosphere was occasionally pierced by the roars of wild beasts. The landscape was rugged, desolate, and lonely.

 

Jian Luo felt a dryness in his throat. He said, “This isn’t your fault.”

 

Lu Shifeng looked down at him. “Is it?”

 

“Yeah,” Jian Luo nodded gently. “Maybe the God Tree has its own reasons, but you’re not at fault.”

 

Lu Shifeng stood beside him on a nearby rock, watching three little ones playing by the stream not far away. Sitting down with Jian Luo on the rock, under the clear sky and in an atmosphere reminiscent of a fairyland, he lounged lazily and said, “The second time in the Mirror of Transformation was different from the first.”

 

Jian Luo asked, “Oh?”

 

“That time, I returned to an ancient era of great wars. I was a soldier, participating in the legendary battle of Dragon’s glory. The entire legion was nearly wiped out, with wreckage everywhere and vultures circling in the sky.” Lu Shifeng looked at the sky, as if reminiscing. “Enemies were everywhere, and I was the last line of defense.”

 

He had fought fiercely, entering a frenzied state without realizing it.

 

In the illusion, where darkness prevailed, he had grown accustomed to pain, accustomed to killing, accustomed to darkness. Born as a Dragon King, born to sacrifice for his race—it was his mission, his duty.

 

As his last shred of consciousness faded, he had thought—dying like this wouldn’t be so bad.

 

Jian Luo’s voice came from beside him. “You succeeded.”

 

“Yeah,” Lu Shifeng replied.

 

Stepping out of his memories, Lu Shifeng said, “I succeeded.”

 

What sacrifices were necessary to achieve an invincible physique and stature in battle? He didn’t like discussing the past with others. This was the first time he had shared it with someone, and surprisingly, he felt calm.

 

Jian Luo turned to look at him, a trace of heartache on his face. “Do all Dragons have to go through this?”

 

Lu Shifeng said, “I don’t know.”

 

“Everyone’s transformation is different,” Lu Shifeng looked down at the three little ones not far away. “They will also experience their own swamps.”

 

Jian Luo couldn’t help but furrow his brow, feeling worried.

 

Meanwhile, the three little ones had no idea what would happen next. The illusion here was so real; the clear stream even contained live fish. Long Aotian had always enjoyed this kind of physical activity since he was young. After catching one fish and giving it to his younger sister, he failed to catch any more. Long Ao Tian was looking disdainfully at the rain, and Long Ao Tian was chasing it away. Finally, the two fell into the river together and lost their fish.

 

Jian Luo laughed straight at it. “Should we give them their grown-up, official names?”

 

Lu Shifeng said, “It’s already planned.”

 

?

 

First shocked, then accepted, they had already discussed it before. He took the children’s nicknames, and Lu Shifeng didn’t interfere, and the Dragon Family took it.

 

He still curiously asked, “What are their names?”

 

Lu Shifeng replied, “Lu Chengyin, Lu Chengyu, Lu Chengqi.”

 

Jian Luo was shocked. He knew “yin” meant descendant, “cheng” meant connection or continuation. The name for the eldest probably carried some blessings from the Dragon Clan and the Dark Star. “Yu” meant brightness and light, quite a significant character. As for “qi,” it suited girls well, describing beauty and inheriting goodness.

 

Jian Luo sighed, “It took quite some thought.”

 

Lu Shifeng said, “It was only recently decided. The Dragon Clan formalizes their names after their first adult transformation. We don’t need to tell them yet.”

 

Jian Luo nodded, “Alright.”

 

They rested for a while, and nearby, the dragon cubs tired themselves out from their play. Jian Luo went over and lifted them up to see the God Tree. This place was sacred to the Dragon Clan, beyond the farthest river boundary lay the unified sacred land of the Dragon Clan. Towering above all was the immense green God Tree, majestic and imposing.

 

The three cubs widened their eyes upon seeing the God Tree for the first time.

 

Lu Shifeng stopped under the tree and said to them, “Kneel and pay respects to the Mother Tree ahead.”

 

In the Dragon Clan, receiving the Mother Tree’s inheritance and favor was extremely important. The cubs had been instructed before coming to kneel before the Mother Tree, but now they seemed a bit fearful. Jian Luo gently patted their heads one by one and reassured them, “Go on, it’s alright. The Mother Tree is our protector; it loves you.”

 

The cubs seemed to understand vaguely, and awkwardly moved their legs towards the towering tree.

 

Jian Luo watched as they knelt not far away, and a gust of wind blew through. The branches of the God Tree swayed, and a green vine slowly descended from the tree. Around it, several small green orbs gently swayed in the air, softly dancing around the cubs.

 

The green vine approached the children and tenderly stroked each of their heads, much like a gentle elder would with obedient descendants.

 

Lu Shifeng remarked, “The Mother Tree really likes them.”

 

Jian Luo breathed a sigh of relief, “That’s good then.”

 

“Are the vines of the Mother Tree its hands?” Jian Luo asked softly.

 

Lu Shifeng didn’t confirm or deny, simply saying, “They symbolize a spiritual entity. Its vines and branches are imbued with powerful spiritual energy, untouchable and inviolable…”

 

As he spoke, he noticed Jian Luo’s expression seemed somewhat uneasy.

 

Raising an eyebrow, Lu Shifeng asked, “What is it?”

 

“Well…” Jian Luo hesitated, pointing not far away, “What if they pluck them?”

 

Lu Shifeng turned to look and saw Long Aotian curiously pulling on the vine on his own head. A leaf happened to brush against his nose, causing a slight itch. The young dragon casually plucked the leaf and earnestly examined it in his hand.

 

Jian Luo was exasperated and whispered, “Don’t pluck the leaves!”

 

Long Aotian innocently looked back at his father, while even the Mother Tree above seemed momentarily surprised. It had not encountered such a mischievous young dragon in a long time; the replicas of Dark Stars born after were always mature, with no young dragons misbehaving and being affectionate with it.

 

“Hm?” Long Aotian looked puzzled, holding the leaf.

 

The Mother Tree gently touched him with the vine, conveying a soothing force that felt warm and comforting.

 

Long Aotian found it pleasant, squinting his eyes and even purring softly in his throat. He nuzzled against the vine with his head, seeming to greet it with his small claws. He even curiously thought about taking a bite to taste what it was, sniffed it, found it not tasty, and disdainfully let go.

 

The Mother Tree: “…”

 

Jian Luo, not far away, had given up.

 

However, unexpectedly, the Mother Tree did not get angry. Instead, several more vines descended from the tree, each bearing golden fruits. The vines handed one to each of the three little cubs, then slowly descended towards Jian Luo and Lu Shifeng, giving each of them a fruit.

 

Jian Luo instinctively said, “Thank you…”

 

The vine of the Mother Tree shook as if laughing. Its tender green sprout patted Jian Luo’s head before retracting.

 

Lu Shifeng collected the fruit, “It seems the Mother Tree is very happy today.”

 

Jian Luo nodded with relief.

 

When the three cubs grew tired of playing with the Mother Tree, Lu Shifeng carried them back. On the way to Dragon Valley, Jian Luo remarked, “The Mother Tree is really tolerant towards the children.”

 

Lu Shifeng lightly said, “It depends on the person.”

 

?

 

Jian Luo looked back at him.

 

Lu Shifeng landed on the ground, sending the children back to the nursery before saying, “Except for these two times, the Mother Tree has never responded to me.”

 

Jian Luo widened his eyes, “How could…”

 

“It likes children full of light and hope,” Lu Shifeng said, “I obviously don’t fit that description.”

 

!!

 

Jian Luo processed this for a moment, then retorted with a hint of disbelief, “How can it be biased like that? It’s not like you want it that way.”

 

Lu Shifeng looked at him silently, his red eyes seeming to hold a deep and intense storm, ready to engulf anyone at any moment.

 

Jian Luo felt his heart race under his gaze, stuttering, “What’s wrong?”

 

Lu Shifeng lowered his eyes, then led Jian Luo out of the room. Only then did he smile faintly, looking calmly at him, “You, criticizing the Mother Tree in front of the Dragon King?”

 

Jian Luo realized belatedly, feeling a bit guilty, “You, you shouldn’t take it seriously, I was just…”

 

He hadn’t finished speaking when Lu Shifeng bent down and lightly kissed his forehead. The tall, handsome man bowed before him, his blood-red eyes carrying a charming smile as he said, “Thank you, Madam.”

 

His deep, husky voice landed on Jian Luo’s heart as if tickling it.

 

They were very close, feeling each other’s breaths intertwining, lingering, their uncontrollable heartbeats quickening in an inexplicable tenderness.

 

Lu Shifeng intended to kiss Jian Luo’s lips next, but his attempt was blocked by Jian Luo’s slender hand.

 

Jian Luo’s cheeks flushed slightly as he said, “I, I just remembered something.”

 

Lu Shifeng suppressed his impatience, wanting to hear Jian Luo finish speaking so he could gain some advantages, but instead heard his blushing young wife say, “Our wedding is scheduled for a week from now. Starting tomorrow, I will move back to Paradise to live. We have a tradition: the seven days before the wedding are spent apart and we cannot see each other.”

 

?

 

Lu Shifeng raised an eyebrow, “Seven days?”

 

Jian Luo leaned back a bit and nodded gently, “Yes, no seeing each other. You’ll come to fetch me on the wedding day, and then we can meet.”

 

Lu Shifeng commented, “In today’s open society, shouldn’t those ancient customs of yours be changed?”

 

“No.” Jian Luo shook his head. “These are our ancestors’ customs. We can’t forget our roots or change them casually. Besides, it’s just seven days. When you were away on business, I waited for you for a long time too. You’re a mature dragon now, not like the little cubs who need care.”

 

Lu Shifeng asked, “Do you know the average lifespan of dragons?”

 

Jian Luo admitted he did not.

 

“For ordinary dragons, it’s about 2,000 to 3,000 years. If we consider that…”

 

Lu Shifeng quietly looked at Jian Luo.

 

Jian Luo asked, “Consider what?”

 

“I’m still young,” Lu Shifeng said seriously.


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

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If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

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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

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