Chapter 29: Young Master—This is His Only Grandson!

Xiang Lun was speechless for a moment. He even began to suspect that he was hallucinating.

He stared blankly at the little dragon hatchling. Suddenly, he pressed a hand to his chest and lowered his head to steady his breathing.

Ming Shuang tensed up at once. He hurried forward alongside the snow fox.

“Whimper?” The snow fox tilted its head in concern. The Little Dragon hatchling looked back and forth, somewhat at a loss.

Xiang Lun gradually regained his composure. He gazed at Ming Shuang, who had drawn near, and forced out the words, “You… you’re…”

His voice trembled. He simply couldn’t stay calm. Tentatively, he reached out toward Ming Shuang, as if desperate to confirm that everything before him was real.

The Little Dragon hatchling crouched on the grass. He eyed Xiang Lun’s slowly approaching hand, hesitated for a moment, then leaned in proactively to sniff it.

Ming Shuang had hidden in the distance for so long. Now, he felt a spark of joy and excitement.

The human before him was his grandfather.

He had a grandfather after all!

The Little Dragon hatchling tilted his head and rubbed his cheek against Xiang Lun’s palm. All the while, he secretly observed the man.

Would Grandpa be happy to see him?

They had never spent time together. Until now, neither had even known the other existed. Ming Shuang wasn’t sure if Xiang Lun would like him.

The instant Xiang Lun felt the soft scales on the little dragon hatchling’s cheek, his hand trembled. Tears nearly spilled from his eyes.

His own eyes grew damp. He struggled to rein in his emotions, afraid of startling Ming Shuang. In a low voice, he murmured, “G-Good… good…”

Ming Shuang watched Xiang Lun’s reaction and decided it must mean he was happy.

“Awoo!” The Little Dragon hatchling’s tail tip wagged. He scooted even closer, resting a paw on Xiang Lun’s arm. He continued sniffing the man’s scent and even rubbed against the shawl draped over his shoulder.

Xiang Lun watched Ming Shuang’s actions. His gaze softened with exquisite care as he reached out to gently stroke the little dragon hatchling’s horn.

Ming Shuang obediently nuzzled into his palm. His storage bracelet on his right paw flashed, and out came a pendant.

He popped open the pendant and pushed it toward Xiang Lun, his eyes full of eager hope.

Xiang Lun picked up the pendant. When he saw the portrait inside, he let out a sigh. “Yes, that’s…”

He glanced at the snow fox nearby and at Xuzhi, who stood silently to the side. “And you two…”

Xuzhi’s lips twitched. He spoke up. “His name is Ming Shuang.”

The Little Dragon hatchling chirped in response. “Mm!”

“Ming Shuang, Ming Shuang…” Xiang Lun murmured the name softly. “What a fine name.”

Xuzhi went on. “After we arrived here, we found the pendant and some other items. It was pure coincidence. Then your magical beast approached on its own, so we guessed that Ming Shuang was connected to you…”

Xiang Lun frowned as he listened. The meaning was clear: Ming Shuang hadn’t carried the pendant with him all along.

Their meeting was also a fluke. Ming Shuang hadn’t come looking for him on purpose.

All these years, he had been completely unaware of Ming Shuang’s existence. The Little Dragon hatchling looked so young. When had he even been born? And who exactly was Xuzhi?

In that moment, Xiang Lun was beset by questions.

But one thing he knew for certain: Ming Shuang was the child of Ming Xue and Xiang Yuan.

“That’s right,” Xiang Lun nodded. “Xiang Yuan is my only son—the man in the portrait. The other is his wife, Ming Xue. She’s from the Dragon Clan, a silver frost dragon no less.”

At the words “silver frost dragon,” Ming Shuang’s eyes widened slightly.

Xiang Lun gazed at the little dragon hatchling, his tone growing even gentler. “Silver frost dragons are an ice-element race, exceedingly rare. And with your unique eye color… there’s no mistaking it.”

He spoke those final words with utter conviction.

He continued stroking the little dragon hatchling’s horn, then added hesitantly, “That said, Ming Xue and Xiang Yuan were together for so long. I had no idea they’d had a child…”

Ming Shuang let out a “Mm,” pushing the pendant with his paw. He gazed up at Xiang Lun with those same hopeful eyes, as if asking where they were now.

But Xiang Lun fell silent, grief shadowing his features.

Ming Shuang blinked in surprise, a bad feeling stirring in his chest.

Xiang Lun seemed reluctant to discuss it just then. Instead, he asked, “How old are you?”

Ming Shuang looked so young, but Xiang Lun had never seen other young dragons. He could only tell that the hatchling’s appearance matched that of a silver frost dragon.

Xuzhi interjected, “He’s an adult.”

Xiang Lun’s brows knitted together. “What?”

“Ming Shuang is a mixed-blood dragon,” Xuzhi said, stepping forward. “Surely you’ve heard. The Dragon Clan has no hybrids.”

He glanced at the little dragon hatchling by Xiang Lun’s side and lowered his voice. “I don’t know the full story of his past, but he’s congenitally frail right now—like he’s under some kind of seal. He can briefly shapeshift after eating a magic stone, but then he suffers mana disorder.”

Xuzhi held nothing back.

Ming Shuang’s heterochromatic eyes were proof enough of his heritage. And not long ago, he’d seen Xiang Lun help the other beast tamers escape. The man didn’t seem malicious.

More importantly, he was Ming Shuang’s grandfather—and a top-tier beast tamer. He surely had the resources to help treat him.

As Xuzhi spoke, Xiang Lun pondered deeply. His frown deepened with every word.

Ming Shuang blinked again. What? He was congenitally frail?

He’d never heard this before. Bewildered, he looked to Xuzhi, then to Xiang Lun.

That couldn’t be right. He felt perfectly fine…

Sure, after waking this time, he’d reverted to his juvenile form, and his strength had taken a major hit. Shapeshifting always left him uncomfortable too.

But back when he’d grown up in the card pool, he’d never had these issues.

The Little Dragon hatchling threw his head back with an “Awoo!” To prove he wasn’t weak at all, he spread his wings and flew two big loops around Xiang Lun and Xuzhi before landing steadily on the grass and sitting up straight.

However, Xiang Lun and Xuzhi didn’t seem to get it. Only the fluffy plushies watching from afar let out little cheers.

The Little Dragon God Lord was amazing!

The snow fox scooted closer too, nuzzling Ming Shuang affectionately.

Ming Shuang wobbled from the nudge and licked its forehead in return.

Xiang Lun watched Ming Shuang, and his furrowed brow gradually relaxed. “So you’re already grown. That’s good…”

No matter the case, Ming Shuang was right here in front of him.

This was his only grandson.

He had lived for over three hundred years. Ever since Xiang Yuan left, he’d been utterly alone—long past tired of it.

He never could have imagined… that he had a grandson.

That was what mattered most. He’d figure out the rest somehow.

Xiang Lun reached out to the little dragon hatchling again. “Ming Shuang, I’m your grandpa.”

Ming Shuang responded with a flying pounce, hugging his arm and rubbing against it happily. His tail tip wagged with delight.

Xiang Lun beamed, his eyes brimming with grandfatherly affection as he gazed at the little dragon hatchling.

He could hardly wait to announce it across the entire continent—especially to those other old codgers at the academy. He had a grandson!

Cherishing him like a treasure, Xiang Lun stroked the little dragon hatchling’s horn once more. He turned to Xuzhi. “Let’s get out of here first.”

The dangers of the Element River still loomed. There was no time for a proper reunion.

Xuzhi agreed. “All right.”

Xiang Lun channeled his magic again. Ming Shuang obediently backed away to avoid disturbing him, then flew back to Xuzhi’s side.

Seeing this, Xuzhi’s expression softened. Without shying from Xiang Lun’s gaze, he scooped the little dragon hatchling into his arms.

Xiang Lun watched from the corner of his eye as he worked. He hadn’t had a chance to ask more questions yet, but his curiosity about Xuzhi’s identity only grew.

Ming Shuang seemed very close to this man.

Tomato suddenly let out a “Cheep!” Its wings fluttered excitedly.

It had somehow reached a patch of grass off to the side, where a pile of items lay—the things those other beast tamers had left behind.

Ming Shuang grew curious too and flew over to inspect them.

Xiang Lun said mildly, “See if there’s anything you like. Though these are all mediocre at best. Once Grandpa takes you home, we can pick out something better.”

Ming Shuang pawed through them idly, then glanced at Xuzhi. With a decisive sweep, he stuffed the whole pile into his storage bracelet.

They were treasures from the Dragon Clan Ruins, after all. If Xiang Lun didn’t want them, they were his.

At that moment, the fluffy plushies approached as a group.

They seemed to sense that Ming Shuang was leaving. Crestfallen and reluctant, they clustered around the little dragon hatchling.

Ming Shuang hated to part with them too. He wanted to give each one a lick, but they mobbed him so tightly he could barely move.

Xiang Lun took a closer look. “Are these the guardian beasts? We should take them with us.”

The Little Dragon hatchling perked up at once. “Awoo?”

Really?

The snow fox counted the number of fluffy plushies and hurriedly widened the new passage.

A few minutes later, the space magic fully formed.

Ming Shuang led the fluffy plushies in first, followed by Xuzhi and Tomato, along with Coal Ball, who had tucked itself away in a backpack to suppress its aura.

Xiang Lun and the snow fox brought up the rear. The passage sealed shut behind them, teleporting them instantly to safety far away.

Meanwhile, Ivan waited anxiously outside.

The students who’d been sent out, along with the other beast tamers, had already fled the mountaintop at once.

White Cloud City’s Miasma-Clearing Team waited nearby, ready to drive off the surrounding magical beasts and seal off the area.

But Xiang Lun still hadn’t emerged. Moments ago, he’d sent Ivan a message insisting that he make sure no outsiders were around.

A little while later, the air ahead finally rippled.

Ivan hurried forward in delight to greet them. But from the opening space magic emerged… a pile of fluffy plushies.

He froze for a second. Then he spotted Xiang Lun and Xuzhi behind them.

And… the little dragon hatchling perched on the back of one of the fluffy plushies.

Ivan had been at Xiang Lun’s side for years and was utterly trustworthy. But he was young and had never laid eyes on a dragon.

Once he made out the little dragon hatchling’s blue-gold heterochromia eyes, he went rigid. “D-Dean, this magical beast…”

“What magical beast?” Xiang Lun shot him a glare and lowered his voice. “This is my grandson Ming Shuang. Call him Young Master.”

Ivan’s mind reeled from the flood of information. He sucked in a sharp breath.

Unable to think straight, he stammered, “Y-Young… Young Master…”

Xiang Lun nodded in satisfaction at his reaction and clapped him on the shoulder. “Where’s the Miasma-Clearing Team? Let’s head down the mountain and lie low for a bit.”

Those close to him could sense Ming Shuang’s presence, but outsiders could not.

This was especially true since Ming Shuang belonged to the Dragon Clan—and not just any dragon, but a mixed-blood one.

The Dragon Clan had long since vanished without a trace, but those two dragons from before…

Xiang Lun frowned, holding back from bringing it up for the time being.

Ivan blankly pointed in a direction. “Over there…”

Xiang Lun glanced that way, about to turn and head in the opposite direction, when a sudden disturbance stirred behind him.

The flowing bands of the Element River froze for an instant. In a corner invisible to the naked eye, a wisp of miasma fog rapidly spread toward Xuzhi’s side.

~~~