The entire front hall of the courtyard was completely enveloped in light magic.
The moment the dragon breath appeared, the pendant around Ming Shuang’s neck activated. The fluffy plushies scrambled out of the magic formation one after another.
With frost clearing the path ahead, they let out a few “awoos!” and charged straight toward Bai Telie.
Seeing these magical beasts, Bai Telie wasn’t overly surprised. He knew Xiang Lun must have held some things back.
But as a top-tier mage, since he had dared to come here alone, he wasn’t afraid of running into any accidents.
Moreover, he figured Xiang Lun wouldn’t dare tell too many people about Ming Shuang’s existence.
That meant the protection around Ming Shuang was limited.
Bai Telie raised a hand, and the light in the front hall grew even brighter until it completely obscured their vision.
These light magic elements were pure and dense, like thick fog or solid iron. Once attacked, they could rapidly heal themselves, breaking down into even more elements.
Ming Shuang’s view turned into a blinding white haze. He sensed Bai Telie escaping from the frost magic formation and tried to track his position through his perception.
But the fluffy plushies weren’t as sharp. Unable to spot their attack target, they could only dart around chaotically.
Xiang Lun and the snow fox were forced out of the front hall. Tomato tried using an earth array from outside but couldn’t pull Bai Telie out.
Coal Ball attempted to unleash a burst of fire, but the flames were swallowed by the light magic in an instant.
Inside the hall, Xuzhi grabbed one of the fluffy plushies and had it stay by Ming Shuang’s side to protect him. He swung his wind blades to clear away the obstruction of the light magic.
He was the least affected by the suppression of the light magic and smoothly located Bai Telie’s figure.
A barrage of wind blades erupted in an instant, along with a small-scale thunder array unleashed at the same time. Bai Telie couldn’t dodge in time, and his right shoulder and arm were injured.
He was startled at heart and finally began to seriously size up Xuzhi.
Xuzhi’s eyes were as deep as ink, his killing intent and fury on full display without any concealment.
Bai Telie dodged again, a bloody gash opening on the side of his face. However, the healing from the light magic was too fast; the wounds he had suffered earlier had already mended.
He retreated rapidly, vanishing once more into the radiance.
For the moment, under the shroud of the massive light magic, the two sides were locked in a stalemate.
Bai Telie couldn’t get close to Ming Shuang. While dodging the fluffy plushies and Xuzhi, he healed himself. Xiang Lun outside couldn’t drag him out of the front hall, but Bai Telie couldn’t leave either.
But he knew dragging this out like this was pointless.
“Dean Xiang,” Bai Telie’s voice drifted like smoke and mist, impossible to pinpoint, “why don’t I head back first tonight? You can take some time to think it over.”
Xiang Lun suppressed his rage. “Think my ass! If you want to get ideas about my precious grandson, you’ll have to step over my dead body!”
Bai Telie sighed. “But aside from me, who else can treat your precious grandson?”
Before Xiang Lun could respond, he continued, “The contract is just borrowing magic. Why would I treat your precious grandson like an ordinary magical beast?”
His light magic had already reached the top tier, making him an object of universal admiration. But who would ever complain about having too much power?
Moreover, Ming Shuang was from the Dragon Clan… and quite possibly the last dragon on Cangyuan Continent.
If he could successfully form a contract with the Dragon Clan and gain the chance to cultivate ice magic, he would become the one and only Dragon Master, bearing the two most unique innate talents of light and ice systems…
He was only a little over a hundred years old and could live at least another two centuries. The fame and glory that awaited him were beyond measure.
“Calm down a bit, Dean. Your health is important,” Bai Telie said softly. “If you don’t agree, I’ll just leave.”
Xiang Lun snorted coldly. “You’re far too confident. Do you think you can come and go from this place as you please?”
Bai Telie fell silent for a moment before sighing again. “I’m sincerely hoping you’ll think it over properly. The Dragon Clan has vanished without a trace these days. I’m afraid…”
Before he could finish, another voice cut in. “Vanished without a trace?”
Bai Telie’s brows furrowed. His gaze pierced through the light magic, spotting three figures standing at the courtyard gate.
Yan Si, Wu Shao, and Xing Huai—the three dragons—had arrived together. They had knocked out the beast tamers guarding the perimeter and barged right in.
Xiang Lun was utterly shocked. “You… you all…”
Bai Telie realized these three weren’t with Xiang Lun. He barely dodged another attack from Xuzhi and took the chance to ask, “Who are you people?”
The three dragons ignored him completely. Yan Si stared intently into the front hall. “The dragon breath is inside.”
The next second, Wu Shao made his move.
A sudden night wind stirred, dense dark magic whipping up gray mist from underground and surging toward the vast white expanse of light in the front hall.
Countless undead fragments eagerly opened their mouths, tearing and devouring the light magic.
Then came a soft “buzz,” and a massive alchemy array descended from midair.
Bai Telie was crushed until he could hardly breathe. His light magic rapidly depleted, and right then, he was struck by Xuzhi’s wind blades again.
But the wind blades weren’t fatal—almost as if Xuzhi deliberately didn’t want him dying so soon.
In the blink of an eye, visibility returned to the front hall.
The three dragons finally saw the scene inside. Aside from Bai Telie and Xuzhi, there was a large group of fluffy plushies huddled in the inner corner.
They clustered together protectively, encircling the little dragon hatchling in the center.
The Little Dragon hatchling was covered in silvery white. He lay on the back of one fluffy plushie, his eyes filled with wariness and vigilance, along with a touch of bewilderment as he peered outward.
At this sight, the three dragons were so shocked that they stood frozen in place.
Xiang Lun was the first to react. He finally dragged Bai Telie out of the hall, Xuzhi included.
With another wave of his hand, pale purple mist shrouded the front hall once more, blocking the view and standing between the three dragons and the interior.
Now, inside the hall, only Ming Shuang and the fluffy plushies remained, along with the two magical beasts Tomato and Coal Ball.
The snow fox moved next, pinning down the injured Bai Telie from the alchemy array.
Xuzhi approached as well, standing guard nearby. His dark eyes fixed on Bai Telie.
The three dragons snapped out of it. Yan Si, slightly more composed, said, “Dean Xiang, care to explain?”
Wu Shao trembled with excitement. “Get out of my way!”
Xiang Lun closed his eyes briefly. “Fine, I’ll explain first…”
“So it was you pulling the strings!” Wu Shao jabbed an accusing finger at Xiang Lun, seething with anger. “Tell me! When did you sneak into our clan and steal the young dragon!”
If Yan Si hadn’t held him back, he would have charged forward and attacked already.
Hearing this, Bai Telie abruptly opened his eyes wide.
“Your clan… young dragon?” he murmured, his expression one of disbelief. “You’re…”
“That’s right,” Yan Si said coldly. “We’re the Dragon Clan you claimed vanished without a trace. What of it? Looking for us about something?”
With that, he used alchemy to wipe away the three dragons’ disguises, revealing their three pairs of golden pupils.
Bai Telie’s face drained of color. His lips trembled, but no words came out.
Meanwhile, Wu Shao had already started arguing with Xiang Lun.
“Don’t talk nonsense!” Xiang Lun glared at Wu Shao. “I should be asking you—when did you barge into the Academy without permission?”
He remembered Wu Shao and Xing Huai as the two dragons from Netherworld Mountain.
Wu Shao sneered. “Nonsense? Then how is our clan’s young dragon here with you!”
“What do you mean your clan’s young dragon?” Xiang Lun enunciated each word. “This is the child of Xiang Yuan and Ming Xue—my precious grandson!”
His words hung in the air, plunging the courtyard inside and out into brief silence.
Xing Huai reacted swiftly. “Yesterday…”
No wonder they had found him familiar… And Xuzhi was here, but not the other youth who had been traveling with him.
Yan Si’s brows furrowed slightly, as if recalling something.
Wu Shao was utterly stunned. “How could that be…”
Just then, there was movement from within the purple mist.
Ming Shuang couldn’t hold back any longer. He walked out on his own.
He proceeded cautiously, wanting to sneak a quiet peek at the situation outside.
When the light magic had dispersed earlier, Ming Shuang had caught sight of Yan Si and two unfamiliar faces.
Then Xiang Lun had sealed off the front hall with space magic. He’d been nervous for a while, but his curiosity got the better of him.
So… there was more than one of his kin at the Academy?
The Little Dragon hatchling tiptoed forward, poking half his head out from the purple mist.
Upon clearly seeing those blue-gold heterochromia eyes, the three dragons each reacted differently.
Yan Si’s brows knitted tightly. Xing Huai became the calmest of them. Wu Shao muttered to himself, “It really is…”
A mixed-blood dragon.
This was completely beyond their expectations.
But yesterday, he had seen Ming Shuang in his shapeshifted form. Why did he look so young now?
Having glimpsed the outside and locked eyes with the three dragons, the little dragon hatchling quickly ducked back in, seemingly a bit afraid.
Wu Shao took half a step forward, his tone unconsciously softening. “D-don’t be scared…”
Ming Shuang inside the purple mist was very tense. Now he couldn’t hide anymore.
But these three kin had seen his eye color, and they didn’t seem disgusted or repulsed.
The Little Dragon hatchling paced back and forth in place. His swinging tail parted the purple mist slightly, revealing a faint silhouette.
Xing Huai couldn’t hold back any longer and stepped closer.
Xiang Lun was still blocking the way. As he hesitated, Xuzhi stepped forward.
“Dean Xiang,” Xuzhi said with downcast eyes, “let them go in.”
All three Dragon Clan members were here. If they wanted to take Ming Shuang, it would be effortless. Xiang Lun couldn’t stop them.
They were only holding back because they didn’t want to frighten the “young dragon.”
Xiang Lun’s heart was in turmoil. He was furious at what Bai Telie had done and deeply blamed himself.
If he hadn’t brought Bai Telie inside… He now truly realized that with just himself and this Academy, he probably couldn’t protect Ming Shuang after all.
In the end, Xiang Lun sighed and stepped aside a few paces, though he didn’t dispel the purple mist.
If the three dragons wanted to see Ming Shuang, he would have to come out on his own.
At that moment, Xiang Lun turned his head and discovered that Bai Telie had collapsed on the ground, his breath gone.
The snow fox seemed startled, crouching low and glaring at Xuzhi with a low growl rumbling from its throat.
Xiang Lun was utterly stunned. “…You killed him?”
Bai Telie was a top-tier light mage, and Xiang Lun had been mulling over whether to force him into treating Ming Shuang somehow.
But now, he was dead…
“Dean Xiang,” Xuzhi said softly, “there’s no need to worry.”
He raised his right hand slightly, and a faint white glow blossomed in his palm.
It was none other than Bai Telie’s light magic.
In that instant, a chill ran down Xiang Lun’s spine.
He stared fixedly at Xuzhi, words failing him.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the three dragons stood guard before the purple mist.
The purple mist was Xiang Lun’s space magic. It could have been forcibly dispelled if they wished, but none of the three made a move.
Wu Shao plopped down onto the ground right there and cleared his throat. “Don’t be scared. We’re your kin. Yesterday…”
He had just started to mention spotting Ming Shuang while tailing them the day before when Xing Huai gave him a pat. He snapped to attention and clamped his mouth shut at once.
Yan Si pondered thoughtfully. Recalling his earlier conversation with Xiang Lun, he quickly pieced a few things together.
He spoke up. “During my lecture this afternoon… did I see you there?”
On the opposite side of the purple mist, the little dragon hatchling squatted down, his tail flicking restlessly.
Xing Huai thought for a moment, then pulled a dragon egg from her storage bracelet. “Look! What’s this?”
Yan Si: “?”
Wu Shao: “…”
But compared to the others, her approach was clearly far more effective.
Through the purple mist, Ming Shuang caught sight of the green-shell dragon egg in Xing Huai’s hand.
The Little Dragon hatchling’s eyes went wide. He let out an involuntary “mm” and stepped forward with a claw.
~~~
