Chapter 35: Becoming a Dragon

**Chapter 34: Bloodbath at the Deep Pool**

The sky stretched endless and clear. The vast expanse of the Li Chuan Plain lay before them, its silver ribbon of river faintly shimmering in the distance.

Ice-Heart White Dragon wasn’t quite as massive as an Eaglebeast Dragon—carrying two people strained even its powerful frame. Still, it flew at breakneck speed, not through brute strength, but through flawless mastery of wind magic.

Duan Lan hadn’t shaken off the shadow of Ke Bei’s death. Her eyes were hollow, distant, as if she’d already left this world behind.

“We’re almost there,” Zhu Minglang said, pointing down.

Three rivers converged ahead, weaving through the plain like veins of liquid light. That meant they were close to the ancestral city of the Ancestral Dragon Confederacy.

Once inside the Dragon Taming Academy grounds, even Luo Xiao Ruo—the arrogant bastard—would be walking into his own grave.

“Yooouuuu…”

Ice-Heart White Dragon let out a sharp, warning cry.

Zhu Minglang’s brow snapped tight. He turned—behind them, the sky burned crimson. High above, a blazing inferno tore across the heavens, racing toward them with terrifying speed.

Heat slammed into their faces like a furnace blast. The specter of Luo Xiao and his Goldenfire Dragon had finally caught up.

“Almost there,” Zhu Minglang muttered, spotting the distant stretch of sapphire lake—home of the Dragon Taming Academy.

But even at White Qǐ’s top speed, the Goldenfire Dragon would intercept them mid-flight.

“Roarrrr!!!”

A thunderous roar split the air. A swirling vortex of water erupted from the sky—then, from within it, emerged a serpent-like dragon with shimmering cobalt scales. It surged forward, riding waves like a storm-born warship, barreling straight into the oncoming Goldenfire Dragon.

“Thousand Scales!” Duan Lan didn’t summon it. This was the dragon’s choice—its own decision to break free from the spirit realm.

Forcing a dragon out of its spiritual domain came at a cost—soul wounds, lasting pain. But this Azure River Dragon wouldn’t let its master die beneath the claws of fire.

It needed time. Just seconds. For Zhu Minglang. For Duan Lan.

“Get it back!” Zhu Minglang shouted urgently.

White Qǐ was gathering wind energy—pushing himself to the absolute limit. If he could reach the academy before the fire dragon struck… maybe.

But the odds were slim.

White Qǐ was exhausted. No strength left. No combat power. He couldn’t help the Azure River Dragon.

And alone against the Goldenfire Dragon? The outcome would be no better than the Eaglebeast Dragon’s fate.

“Return!” Duan Lan opened the summoning sigil again, desperate to pull her dragon back.

But it was too late.

The Goldenfire Dragon arrived.

Luo Xiao saw the blue sigil instantly—and ordered his beast to crash into it.

“Teacher Duan Lan! Watch out—he’ll attack the sigil!” Zhu Minglang cried.

The Azure River Dragon didn’t retreat. Duan Lan didn’t close the sigil.

Then—*crack*—the Goldenfire Dragon slammed into the sigil like a meteor hitting glass. The image shattered midair, dissolving into dust.

“Spit—!”

Blood sprayed from Duan Lan’s mouth. Her soul trembled violently. She went limp, nearly slipping off the dragon’s back.

Zhu Minglang lunged, catching her just in time. Her robes soaked red. Her breath shallow. And then he looked—down at the Azure River Dragon, still locked in battle with the fire beast, refusing to yield.

It had been right.

At White Qǐ’s maximum speed, they never would’ve made it.

But why? Why did they do this?

One fought for a chance to live—refusing to close the sigil, knowing it would shatter her soul. The other abandoned its sanctuary, leaving the safety of the spirit realm, offering its body as a shield.

Why?

“Yooouuuu…”

Ice-Heart White Dragon didn’t pause. It kept flying—wings aching, trembling, barely able to beat the air. Now it glided, relying only on wind currents.

Every dragon had its will. Even if Zhu Minglang wanted to fight, it wouldn’t listen.

All White Qǐ cared about was one thing: *survival.*

Its gaze—icy, pure, unyielding—flickered back toward the Goldenfire Dragon.

It memorized every scar, every flicker of flame. Every detail.

Give it time. Give it space. It would tear that arrogant fire beast apart.

So too did Zhu Minglang’s heart burn with fury.

He hadn’t felt such hatred in years.

This debt? He’d repay it tenfold.

***

Sky ablaze with fire. Azure River Dragon’s cobalt scales peeled away in bloody flakes. Its body was torn, bleeding, yet still full of magic. But magic wasn’t enough against the golden beast.

“Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT!!” Luo Xiao screamed, furious. The dragon had delayed him—now the Ice-Heart White Dragon was nearly at the academy gates.

“Drop it. Chase!” he roared.

The Goldenfire Dragon had been about to swallow the Azure River Dragon whole—but obeyed. With a brutal toss, it hurled the wounded serpent into the earth below.

Flames roared. Wings flared. The fire dragon shot forward, chasing after the fleeing white dragon.

The Azure River Dragon plummeted faster and faster.

If it hit flat ground, it would be splattered into pulp.

But fate had another twist.

Below it—Li Chuan Great River. The dragon crashed into the churning waters, blood spreading like ink across the surface. A crimson tide.

Moments later, it floated back up—belly exposed, lifeless, drifting downstream like a corpse carried by the current. Where it would end, no one knew.

***

Fengdi Town, bridgehead market. Vendors laughed and waved goodbye, shouldering their bamboo poles to head home for dinner.

Fang Nianan, the peach seller, slung her basket over her shoulder—but instead of peaches, it held stinking silkworms. She scowled, dragging herself toward the lakeside.

She still didn’t understand why selling goods suddenly made her a “guardian teacher.” Why’d they dump a huge, ugly, black crocodile spirit on her? Not even the guardian fee helped!

At the lake, she fed the giant croc. Then, bored and restless, an idea struck.

“You go catch me a few big white fish,” she said to the black crocodile under the water. “I’ll cook you a skin-whitening soup. That’s your payment today.”

The crocodile had been cooped up for too long. Zhu Minglang had strictly limited its range. But now? A trip to the waterfall pool? That counted as “outdoor activity,” right?

Following Fang Nianan through town, the crocodile moved along narrow paths. People passed by—some glanced, some smirked, but most just stepped aside. In Fengdi Town, seeing someone leading a crocodile wasn’t unusual. They’d seen worse.

They reached the base of the waterfall pool.

Fang Nianan rolled up her sleeves, waving her hands wildly.

“Stupid! You’re so dumb! Are you part pig? Why’d you stop halfway?!”

Just as she was about to jump in herself, a massive shape burst from the torrent above—a monstrous, ancient-looking serpent crashing into the pool like a fallen god.

The water exploded. Blood flooded the surface.

Fang Nianan shrieked, stumbled backward—plunging into the lake.

But the water was shallow. She scrambled up, gasping, staring at the creature now lying motionless in the rapids.

It was a dragon.

A *real* dragon.

How? Why? And… was it dead?

It floated, battered by the current, utterly still.

“Ohhh… ohhh… ohhh…” The black crocodile barked, darting toward the corpse.

“You know it?” Fang Nianan asked, stunned.

The lake was huge. The scent of true dragon blood spread fast. Soon, creatures began rising from the depths—fish, eels, even those that nested behind the falls. All drawn by the smell.

Fang Nianan watched in horror as more and more heads broke the surface—snakes, frogs, crabs, all drawn by the feast.

Where had all these monsters come from?

Was it because of the dragon’s corpse? Were they coming to eat it?

Sure enough, the swarm gathered around the azure dragon. With so many, it wouldn’t take long before nothing remained but bones.

“Woooooo—!”
“Woooooo—!”

The black crocodile stood guard. It wouldn’t move. It growled at the approaching horde.

“Black Tooth! What are you doing? They’re going to eat it!” Fang Nianan yelled.

The crocodile roared again—eyes locked on the pack. One snake demon bared its fangs, lunging.

Without hesitation, Black Tooth charged. A lightning strike. It seized the thick serpent in its jaws and ripped it in half—right before everyone’s eyes.

The smaller demons flinched back. But more came. From every direction. The circle tightened. Eyes gleamed with hunger.

Fang Nianan had no idea what her crocodile was thinking.

With its power, even a near-dragon crocodile should get a fair share. Unless it wanted the whole thing—why would it provoke the entire lake?

Why risk everything?

“WOOOOO—!”

The crocodile roared again—but this time, drowned out by the chorus of snarls.

All the little beasts pounced. Like a feast laid out before them.

Black Tooth didn’t flee. It met them in the water—teeth bared, claws slashing. Blood painted the pool red.

“Okay, okay—I’m getting help. Hold on, big guy. You’re not eating it. You’re protecting it.”

Fang Nianan ran—soaked, shaking, heart pounding—toward the Dragon Taming Academy.

The usual quiet deep pool was gone. Now, the small demons were wild, fierce. Even a two-hundred-year-old暴catfish corpse was worth fighting over. A real dragon? That was a banquet.

And the crocodile? It stood between life and death—defending a stranger’s corpse.

Not for food. Not for glory.

For something deeper.

Something like loyalty.