Xuzhi sat on the edge of the bed, silently lost in thought for a long while.
The room was unlit, with the curtains half-drawn. Outside lay the inn’s backyard vegetable garden, and bright moonlight streamed in through the window.
Beneath the pillow, the little dragon hatchling lay on his back, exposing his soft belly.
The scene from moments ago felt like nothing more than an illusion to Xuzhi.
Yet the faint lingering traces of magic in the air proved otherwise—he hadn’t imagined it.
Xuzhi closed his eyes calmly and took slow, steady breaths.
…A magical beast capable of taking human form?
He had heard tales of certain high-tier magical beasts that, through relentless cultivation and advancement, could shapeshift into humanoid shapes. Some even learned human language and mannerisms.
But Xuzhi had never possessed any innate talent for such matters in the past, so his knowledge was only superficial.
More importantly, the creature that had stayed by his side all this time—the one sleeping soundly right now—was unmistakably a magical beast cub.
Tuji had examined Ming Shuang’s body and never raised any concerns.
And yet, what Xuzhi had glimpsed earlier was a teenage boy.
Roughly the same age as himself, with silver hair and features that hinted at elven blood. Moreover…
Xuzhi opened his eyes and gazed at Ming Shuang beside the pillow.
Moreover, the boy bore a striking resemblance to the figure from his dreams.
The dreams had first begun right after he brought Ming Shuang home.
Xuzhi wasn’t above suspicion, but the notion was too far-fetched, with no solid evidence to back it up.
Besides, he always forgot most of the details upon waking, and nothing unusual ever followed, so he had let it slide.
So what exactly was happening now?
Xuzhi stared at the little dragon hatchling for a good while, then rubbed his brow.
He even entertained an absurd thought: perhaps both he and the cub he’d rescued had been haunted by some strange undead spirit.
After a long hesitation, Xuzhi decided to pretend he had seen nothing—for the time being.
The next dream might provide some answers.
With that, Xuzhi lay down to sleep as usual.
Ming Shuang, nestled beside the pillow, sensed his approach even in slumber. Habitually, he snuggled closer, draping a paw over Xuzhi’s warm neck.
Xuzhi’s body went rigid for a split second. Then he reached out, stroked the little dragon hatchling’s paw, and relaxed.
He closed his eyes, but the image of the silver-haired boy lingered in his mind.
If it truly was a magical beast shapeshifting…
Xuzhi pushed the thought aside, and his breathing soon evened out.
~~~
The next morning, Ming Shuang woke with a yawn.
Drowsily, he propped himself up on the pillow with his paws and habitually checked his status.
His dragon breath was fully replenished. With Tuji’s medicine and several magic stones devoured, his magic power had finally recovered completely.
He remained blissfully unaware of the previous night’s events.
All he remembered was closing his eyes and attempting a mental link with Xuzhi—only to fail. Perhaps Xuzhi had simply gone to bed too late the night before.
Ming Shuang shrugged it off. He would try again tonight.
Lately, though, the mental link had shown no effect outside of dreams. Xuzhi hadn’t even recalled his name.
No matter. These things couldn’t be rushed…
The six magic stones had nudged his magic power cap a bit higher, but true growth was still a distant prospect.
The Little Dragon hatchling yawned once more, gave his wings a shake, and stood tall with renewed vigor. He eagerly anticipated the day’s adventures.
Right then, Xuzhi stood by the bed.
He gazed down quietly and extended his hand.
Ming Shuang launched himself into Xuzhi’s arms with practiced ease and was carried off to wash up.
Coal Ball stirred awake as well and trailed after them, heating the washing water with its help.
Ming Shuang perched obediently on the table, eyes closed and head tilted up. He even extended a paw. Once cleaned, he stayed put, waiting for Xuzhi to take him for breakfast.
Their temporary inn was spacious yet affordable. The ground floor offered a variety of breakfast options for guests.
Coal Ball remained in the room. Xuzhi headed downstairs to the breakfast counter.
As he passed each dish, the little dragon hatchling peeked out from a gap in his coat. Whenever a favored aroma wafted by, he pawed gently at the fabric.
In the end, Ming Shuang selected a steamed ear of corn for Coal Ball as well, and they carried it upstairs.
For himself, he chose fried meatballs—but Xuzhi limited him to two, along with a bowl of sliced meat porridge.
Back in the room, Xuzhi sat at the table and fed the little dragon hatchling his meal as always.
Ming Shuang snapped up the first meatball whole. He nibbled only half of the second, intending to leave the rest for Xuzhi.
Xuzhi always reserved the finest foods for him each day, contenting himself with scraps or leftovers. He never fussed over sharing utensils with the little dragon hatchling—he simply wasn’t that sort.
Ming Shuang cared even less. After all, he and his master were the closest of companions.
Xuzhi eyed the remaining half meatball with a moment’s hesitation.
In the end, though, he ate it and continued spooning porridge to Ming Shuang.
Coal Ball crunched away at its corn in the corner. After a few licks of porridge, Ming Shuang looked up—right into Xuzhi’s eyes.
For no clear reason, Ming Shuang sensed something off about Xuzhi this morning. He was unusually quiet.
Xuzhi wasn’t much of a talker at the best of times, but he usually asked during feedings whether the food tasted good or if Ming Shuang liked it.
Or he would mention their plans for the outing ahead.
Ming Shuang wondered: Had his master slept poorly last night?
Or was it something else? Perhaps all the money Xuzhi had spent on him lately?
These past two days in their new surroundings had gone smoothly. Xuzhi gathered materials by his usual methods and sold them for coin.
But Ming Shuang couldn’t help noticing how the money pouch would swell, only to deflate just as quickly.
A twinge of guilt stirred in him. Truly unpalatable food was impossible to stomach, though.
If only he could enjoy plain vegetables like Coal Ball…
Ming Shuang pondered for a moment, then gazed up at Xuzhi and nuzzled his hand affectionately.
Xuzhi, deep in his own thoughts, softened his expression. He reached out and stroked the little dragon hatchling’s cheek.
~~~
After breakfast, Xuzhi set out for the Mercenary Hall at the town center to register as a bounty hunter.
To register as a beast tamer meant displaying his magical beast to the staff.
Ming Shuang’s magic was unique, and he had drawn unwanted attention from the Miasma-Clearing Team’s beast tamer before. For safety’s sake, Xuzhi had no intention of listing him.
That left Coal Ball.
As long as no one noticed the mismatch in magic types, all would be well.
Xuzhi knew Coal Ball was clever enough to understand human speech, so he explained the situation simply.
Coal Ball considered it for a moment, then nodded. “Woo.”
Very well. After all, Xuzhi was doing this to earn money—for better things for the little dragon.
And back then, originally…
Coal Ball sized up Xuzhi a few times, then obediently followed him downstairs.
Ming Shuang tucked into the coat as usual. Xuzhi had fashioned a separate fabric pouch from a half-piece of cloth, slung at his side and concealed beneath the coat.
The Little Dragon hatchling settled comfortably into the soft pouch, batting playfully at the button before his eyes.
They soon arrived at the Mercenary Hall.
The lobby bustled with people coming and going, including several half-elf, half-dwarf hybrids.
One wall brimmed with commission postings; the opposite displayed bounty hunter profiles, complete with availability status.
This wasn’t a formal guildhall, and being in a small town, Xuzhi supplied a false name for registration.
The counter staff inquired, “What element of magic do you wield?”
Xuzhi replied, “Fire element.”
On cue, Coal Ball hopped onto a nearby step and stiffly put itself on display.
No beasts as perceptive as a Golden Crow were present. With its aura deliberately suppressed and its small frame, its true power went undetected.
The staff asked next, “What tier is it?”
Xuzhi paused briefly. “3rd Tier.”
Registration was complete.
The staff handed him a wooden badge and instructed him to drip blood onto it.
Lacking tier verification, some exaggerated their strength. The staff added a gentle reminder: “When accepting commissions, always check the requirements carefully. Five or more failures will result in expulsion.”
Failed missions meant no pay—and possibly compensation owed.
Magic array runes adorned the wooden badge. Xuzhi pricked his fingertip, watched the blood absorb into the wood, and said, “Thank you.”
He then approached the commission wall.
Local beast tamers were mostly Tier 1, sticking to simple jobs. Demanding ones lingered unclaimed for ages.
Xuzhi browsed quickly and spotted an unusual posting.
Location: North of White Cloud City, Netherworld Mountain.
Requirements: 3rd Tier or higher beast tamers, no limit on numbers; 4th Tier or higher beast tamers, no limit on numbers.
Commission: Assist employer in entering Netherworld Mountain. Details to be discussed in person.
Reward: Negotiable.
Just then, a short bounty hunter nearby noticed Xuzhi’s interest and struck up a conversation.
“I overheard—you’re a 3rd Tier beast tamer, right?” The man was friendly and outgoing. “Interested? Tasks like this don’t come around often.”
The unlimited slots for beast tamers implied significant danger at the site.
Xuzhi glanced at the wooden badge dangling from the short man’s belt. It too read 3rd Tier.
He asked, “What’s Netherworld Mountain?”
“You don’t know?” The man looked astonished. “Word’s been spreading everywhere lately. They’ve found a Dragon Clan ruin in Netherworld Mountain—supposedly packed with treasure.”
Inside the coat, Ming Shuang’s head snapped up.
What…
Dragon Clan? Ruin? Treasure?
Coal Ball, disliking the crowd, had slipped outside to wait and missed the exchange.
Ming Shuang was dumbfounded. He had grown up in the Card Pool—where would ruins or treasure even come from?
At the commission wall, Xuzhi’s brow furrowed faintly.
Dragon Clan…
This was a somewhat unfamiliar and distant name, one that existed almost solely in legends.
“Even if we’re not hunting for treasure, there must be plenty of goodies in those ruins.”
The short man spoke with a note of longing, then shifted gears. “But it’s dangerous inside too. I hear the Dragon Clan’s old guardian beasts are still there—high-tier magical beasts that are no joke.”
Xuzhi listened quietly to the end and said, “Thanks.”
He didn’t pursue the topic, turning his gaze to select another commission before striding out of the Mercenary Hall.
On the way back, the little dragon hatchling in his arms grew restless, flipping over every so often.
Ming Shuang was now intensely curious about what the Dragon Clan Ruins and their treasure really were.
Whose ruins were they… Was there really treasure?
And what about those guardian beasts…
He couldn’t puzzle it out right then. Xuzhi had clearly told him before that he was the last dragon in the world, with no kin left.
Could it be something Xuzhi had set aside for himself before losing his memory?
And even if it wasn’t Xuzhi’s doing, since it was called the Dragon Clan’s treasure, it belonged to him by right!
Ming Shuang grew more excited by the moment, wishing night would fall right away so he could ask Xuzhi about it in his dreams.
Or maybe find some way to convince him to take him there.
The Little Dragon hatchling wriggled restlessly in the cloth pouch, prompting Xuzhi to hurry into a secluded corner and pull open his coat.
He asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
The Little Dragon hatchling’s eyes sparkled brightly as he clutched Xuzhi’s hand, making soft “awoo awoo” sounds.
Xuzhi gave one of the little dragon hatchling’s paws a gentle pinch and refastened his coat.
Coal Ball trailed slowly behind them as they headed off to complete the commission.
~~~
That afternoon, Xuzhi finished the commission without a hitch and stopped by the Mercenary Hall again to collect his first payout.
That evening, Ming Shuang savored a pot of fresh fish soup. The meat had been carefully deboned as always—tender and fragrant, with a broth that was just as delicious.
Coal Ball hadn’t lent a hand during the day, but in honor of passing registration, it received two sweet corn treats.
When bedtime rolled around, the little dragon hatchling settled in early, curling up snugly in the crook of Xuzhi’s neck.
Xuzhi doused the lights with a spell and, after a long while, finally closed his eyes.
The window wasn’t fully shut, allowing a faint cool breeze to drift in and set the curtains swaying gently.
The room fell into pitch blackness and utter silence.
As expected, a new dream soon descended.
And perhaps because it now linked to reality, the dream had finally sharpened into vivid clarity.
Xuzhi sat on a patch of grass beneath bright, sunny skies.
The silver-haired youth flung himself into Xuzhi’s arms with practiced ease, gazing up with a pair of striking blue-gold heterochromia eyes.
Ming Shuang wrapped his arms around Xuzhi’s waist. “Master!”
Xuzhi’s throat bobbed. After a moment of silence, he replied, “Mm.”
