Chapter 43

Ming Shuang had no idea how Xuzhi had acquired light magic, nor did he dwell on it.

He despised that mage from the previous night and instinctively trusted Xuzhi, so he never connected the dots to any anomalies in Xuzhi’s condition.

He did know that Xuzhi had gained 7th Tier earth magic upon leaving the peak of Netherworld Mountain, only for Xuzhi to suddenly fall unconscious the next day.

Ming Shuang anxiously scrutinized Xuzhi, then touched the side of his face and neck, as well as the palm of his other hand. He was just short of lifting Xuzhi’s clothes.

“It’s fine,” Xuzhi said softly. “I’m really okay.”

The magic within the ice ball seemed to have a suppressive effect that also cleared his mind, and combined with the restorative healing of the light magic, it had allowed him to recover to a semblance of normalcy.

Ming Shuang finally relaxed completely. He reached out and hugged Xuzhi. “You scared me to death… I’m just glad you’re alright.”

Xuzhi toyed with the ice ball in his hand and leaned down slightly to plant a kiss on Ming Shuang’s nose.

This intimate gesture reminded Ming Shuang of the mental link from the night before.

Toward the end, his consciousness had grown hazy, but his memories were crystal clear. Xuzhi had kissed him at least five or six times…

Did partners have to kiss this much every day?

After agreeing to shift from master to partner, Ming Shuang hadn’t had a chance to ask Xuzhi about it or even check a book on how partners were supposed to act.

He only knew that partners were mutual. Since Xuzhi was his partner, he was naturally Xuzhi’s partner as well.

Ming Shuang pondered it for a moment, then, following his habitual sense of reciprocity, leaned in to kiss Xuzhi’s nose in return.

But Xuzhi straightened up at that exact moment, so the kiss landed a little lower—right on his lips.

The sudden contact stunned them both.

It had been an accidental slip on Ming Shuang’s part, leaving him inexplicably flustered, while Xuzhi’s throat bobbed. He hadn’t expected Ming Shuang to be so bold.

The atmosphere froze for a moment until the snow fox outside began scratching at the door, urging them to hurry. “Woo woo!”

Inside the room, Xuzhi straightened Ming Shuang’s sleeve one last time. “Let’s go.”

Xiang Lun and the three dragons had been waiting in the front hall for quite a while when Ming Shuang finally appeared.

Xing Huai was the first to greet him enthusiastically. “Little Shuang!”

Xiang Lun rose promptly and stepped forward, asking in a gentle voice how he’d slept before guiding Ming Shuang to a seat.

A dining table stood in the front hall, laden with a lavish breakfast. The three dragons sat opposite them.

With the demeanor of an elder, Xiang Lun introduced them to Ming Shuang, explaining their names and the branches they belonged to.

Ming Shuang already knew that Yan Si was a crimson flame dragon. Wu Shao was a shadow dragon, while Xing Huai was a spiral leaf dragon.

Wu Shao’s magical talent was particularly unique, allowing him to practice necromancy, which made him ideal for tracking and reconnaissance.

Ming Shuang felt terribly nervous as he greeted them.

Yan Si and Wu Shao both appeared to be in their thirties, though they were actually over one hundred and seventy years old. Ming Shuang addressed them as “Uncle.”

Xing Huai, at one hundred and forty, placed greater emphasis on her appearance and looked much younger.

Ming Shuang considered calling her “sister,” but since Xing Huai had said he would be the big brother to her dragon egg, it didn’t feel quite right.

Seeing his hesitation, Xing Huai smiled warmly. “You can just call me Little Aunt.”

Ming Shuang nodded obediently. “Little Aunt.”

The three dragons were sizing up Ming Shuang as well. He hadn’t taken any magic potion after shapeshifting that morning, so his silver hair and heterochromatic eyes were fully on display.

Even though they weren’t complete golden pupils, any of their kin who saw him would surely speculate about his identity.

Ming Shuang’s features bore a strong resemblance to his mother’s, especially with the silver hair.

The more Xing Huai looked at the boy, the more she liked him. She volunteered, “Your mother was the one who taught me astrology, you know.”

Ming Shuang’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

It didn’t stop there. Yan Si had also been a student at Lobe Academy once, and though Wu Shao hadn’t grown particularly close to Ming Xue later on, he had called her “sister” back in the day.

Ming Shuang hadn’t realized that all three of these kin before him had ties to his mother, each in their own way.

Wu Shao wasn’t fond of human food. He took one sip of porridge and set it down. “Your mother was quite famous in the clan. There are scarcely any on the entire continent who have mastered astrology to its pinnacle.”

“Though she was a bit strict,” Xing Huai added in a quiet voice. “Sigh, it was my own fault for having mediocre talent. Back then, to learn astrology, I even changed my name…”

Yan Si shook his head helplessly. “Healing technique is what you’re best at, but you refused to study it… Ming Xue might seem aloof, but she’s actually the softest-hearted. Otherwise, she never would have taken you under her wing.”

As he spoke, his gaze quietly swept over to where Xuzhi was peeling an egg for Ming Shuang.

Ming Shuang listened to their descriptions, piecing together an image of his mother in his mind alongside what Xiang Lun had shared earlier.

As for his father, the three dragons had never imagined Ming Xue forming a long-term bond with a human, so their impressions of Xiang Yuan weren’t especially deep.

After all, Xiang Yuan was just an ordinary human. Compared to the dragon clan’s lifespan, the gap was simply too vast.

Xiang Lun remained silent at the side, not interrupting Ming Shuang’s conversation with the three dragons, though he hadn’t touched his breakfast at all.

He was observing Xuzhi discreetly as well. Seeing Xuzhi acting as if everything was normal—meek and compliant—it almost made last night’s events seem like an illusion.

Xiang Lun sighed inwardly, hoping Ming Xue’s choice hadn’t been a mistake.

There were too many pressing matters lately for him to delve deeply into Ming Shuang and Xuzhi’s relationship. For now, the two were clearly close, but Ming Shuang had changed how he addressed Xuzhi.

Ming Shuang took a bite of a meatball from his bowl and couldn’t help asking, “Do… do I have other kin besides you three?”

“Of course,” Wu Shao replied. “Beyond us, there are fifty-one dragons on Dragon Island.”

Ming Shuang’s eyes widened slowly. “Is… is Dragon Island far from here?”

“Very far,” Wu Shao answered. “And its location is well-hidden. Outsiders can hardly find it.”

Mindful of Xiang Lun’s presence, Yan Si added quickly, “You’ve only just been reunited with Dean Xiang, and your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. We’ll stay here for now and take you back later.”

Xiang Lun glanced at him before finally picking up his porridge for a sip.

Ming Shuang nodded happily, eager to hear more about Dragon Island and the other dragons, but the three dragons didn’t continue.

He assumed it was because outsiders were present and it wasn’t convenient, so he focused on eating his breakfast.

Wu Shao’s emotions were complicated. He hadn’t told Ming Shuang that there were thirty-five more dragon eggs on Dragon Island, making thirty-six in total including the one Xing Huai had brought.

Compared to other races, dragons had long lifespans but reproduced very slowly, with few eggs laid each year.

Having this many eggs now was the result of accumulating them over the past century.

Ming Shuang was still young. If he learned how precarious the dragon clan’s future was… Better to tell him later.

Moreover, the fifty-one adult dragons possessed formidable combined might. Dragons simply disliked initiating conflicts, so they mostly kept to themselves without strict clan rules. Life on Dragon Island would be no different.

After breakfast, Xuzhi had to head to class first.

Ming Shuang walked him to the courtyard gate. Before leaving, Xiang Lun approached again, saying he needed a private word with Xuzhi.

In the shelter of his sleeve, Xuzhi gave Ming Shuang’s palm a discreet squeeze. “You go back first.”

Ming Shuang murmured his assent and took the opportunity to slip a small ice ball into Xuzhi’s hand before turning away.

When he returned to the corridor, Xing Huai, standing on the steps, asked, “Little Shuang, you’re very close to him, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Ming Shuang said, looking at the three dragons. “He… he raised me.”

The three dragons had already heard about this. Wu Shao lowered his voice and pressed on. “But how did he lose his memory? Did something happen? Where all has he been before…”

Yan Si shot him a warning look, silencing him.

Ming Shuang shook his head. “I don’t know… But my brother from before was amazing. He was always especially good to me.”

He didn’t bring up the card pool or card beasts again, having realized it wasn’t quite the truth.

As for his new relationship with Xuzhi, Xuzhi had called it just a trial phase for now, so there was no need to tell others yet.

Ming Shuang could sense Xiang Lun and the three dragons probing about Xuzhi. He didn’t want his grandfather or kin to dislike Xuzhi, so he kept it under wraps.

At the courtyard gate, Xiang Lun regarded Xuzhi.

He let out a silent sigh, as if conceding, but warned, “Your abilities are unique. I can help conceal them, but if you ever harm Little Shuang…”

“Rest assured,” Xuzhi said frankly. “I have no interest in light magic whatsoever. I only used it for Ming Shuang’s sake.”

He lowered his voice even further. “That black-haired dragon clan member is proficient in necromancy. If he’s willing to assist, he could extract Bai Telie’s undead essence, which would make it easier to guide me.”

Xuzhi had even thought of that. Xiang Lun fell silent for a moment. “Alright. I’ll handle it.”

~~~

Xiang Lun spent the rest of the morning in the courtyard with Ming Shuang.

The three dragons were there too, chatting with him about events from a hundred years ago when the dragon clan still roamed the continent, as well as snippets of Ming Xue and Xiang Yuan’s past.

Finally, each of the three dragons presented him with a meeting gift.

Yan Si and Wu Shao were straightforward, handing over nearly all the gold coins they carried.

Xing Huai’s storage bracelet held an even greater collection of treasures, and she pulled out plenty.

She rummaged through the bracelet, first placing the dragon egg in Ming Shuang’s arms, then pulling out item after item.

“These are deep sea night pearls—only fifteen of them. This is a crown inlaid with over thirty kinds of gems. It’s not practical for everyday wear, but it’s gorgeous,” Xing Huai said enthusiastically. “And this—I’ve treasured this fish bone crystal for ages.”

Ming Shuang loved these beautiful treasures too and couldn’t resist reaching out to touch the gleaming fish bone crystal. “But these are far too valuable…”

He couldn’t refuse, though. The three dragons insisted he accept them.

In the end, Ming Shuang only returned the extravagant crown. He stored the rest of the gold coins in the storage bracelet.

Now, he was truly wealthy…

Ming Shuang cradled the green-shell dragon egg, his heart quietly brimming with joy. He could hardly wait to share the news with Xuzhi.

After arriving at the academy, Xiang Lun had given him and Xuzhi each a communication device. But Xuzhi was probably busy at the moment, so Ming Shuang held back from disturbing him.

Holding the dragon egg close now, he could sense the changes within.

Unlike the night before, the suppressive aura inside the egg had vanished. It was slowly recovering.

Ming Shuang handed the dragon egg back to Xing Huai, unable to resist asking, “Little Aunt, when will the dragon egg hatch?”

Xing Huai paused for a moment, then smiled. “I’m not sure either.”

~~~

Before noon, Xuzhi returned to the courtyard.

He had spent the entire morning with barely a moment to breathe—completing assignments from three instructors, borrowing books on other magics from the Scripture Pavilion, and getting a basic grasp of light magic in case Bai Telie’s undead proved uncooperative.

Fortunately, light magic was made for healing, and with Xuzhi’s top-tier innate talent, the basic healing techniques were no challenge.

By the time he got back, Ming Shuang had just finished shapeshifting, reverting to his little dragon hatchling form.

The three dragons took to him even more, personally feeding him snacks right up to his mouth. Ming Shuang, though, felt a little embarrassed by the attention.

The Little Dragon hatchling perched on the wooden table in the courtyard, straining to keep his back straight while holding a serious expression to seem more age-appropriate.

The fluffy plushies had been let out too. One hopped onto the table and nuzzled in to lick Ming Shuang’s cheek, nearly toppling him before Yan Si shooed it away.

Spotting Xuzhi, the little dragon hatchling darted through the air and flung himself straight into his arms.

Xuzhi caught Ming Shuang securely and stroked his dragon horn. “How was your morning?”

Bursting with excitement, Ming Shuang wagged the tip of his tail, letting out a string of eager “aowoo aowoo”s. He quietly opened his storage bracelet for Xuzhi to peek inside.

A smile tugged at Xuzhi’s lips as he pinched one of Ming Shuang’s paws. “Put it away yourself.”

The three dragons watched their exchange in silence. Perhaps because their apparent ages were similar, Ming Shuang remained especially close to Xuzhi.

The thought made Wu Shao frown in concern.

There were no young dragons left in the clan… What if Ming Shuang didn’t want to go to Dragon Island?

As lunchtime neared, Xiang Lun slipped away briefly to hand Xuzhi a black magic stone.

“It’s in here,” he murmured. “Wu Shao says the undead can last three months. The rest is up to you.”

Bai Telie’s corpse hadn’t been destroyed yet, and Wu Shao had been all too happy to assist, wrapping things up swiftly.

Xuzhi accepted the magic stone and sent his consciousness into it.

Trapped within was a wisp of gray undead, curled into a tight ball. Sensing Xuzhi’s presence, it trembled in terror.

~~~

In the afternoon, Ming Shuang wanted to shapeshift again to attend Yan Si’s class.

“You’ve already shapeshifted once today,” Yan Si said. “We can push the lecture back to tomorrow.”

Ming Shuang glanced quickly at Xiang Lun, who nodded. “I’ll send someone to let them know.”

Delighted, the little dragon hatchling chirped, “Mm!”

Xuzhi had no classes that afternoon either. He stayed in his room with a book but occasionally drifted off, gazing at the soft white glow in his palm.

Before nightfall, Xuzhi suggested giving Ming Shuang a healing session.

Xiang Lun blinked in surprise. “Already?”

Xuzhi had only received the undead-confining magic stone at noon, and now he already had progress to show.

“Ming Shuang’s constitution is fragile,” Xuzhi explained. “Daily healing techniques will help nourish him. It’s not difficult.”

The Little Dragon hatchling, who had been playing in the courtyard, was called back inside and settled into Xuzhi’s lap.

A gentle light bloomed from Xuzhi’s palm, enveloping the little dragon hatchling entirely. It mended the magic power and magic veins strained by the shapeshifting.

Ming Shuang felt so blissfully comfortable that he nearly lolled his head back and flopped over. But with his three clansmen watching, he sat up straight on instinct.

Eyes closed, the little dragon hatchling hummed softly, his tail tip swaying.

At the sight, Xiang Lun finally relaxed completely.

Time flew by to the afternoon of the next day. Xuzhi gave Ming Shuang another healing treatment, then fed him a magic stone for shapeshifting.

Yan Si had already headed to the lecture hall to prepare. Wu Shao eyed Ming Shuang—now with his black hair and black eyes—and muttered, “Never thought Yan Si would lecture. If the little dragon wants to learn, I could teach him necromancy.”

“Necromancy hardly suits ice magic,” Xing Huai said, cradling the dragon egg once more. “I’d be better off teaching him astrology.”

“You?” Wu Shao shot her a look. “Yeah, right.”

Xing Huai grew serious. “What would you know? Poor talent doesn’t mean I can’t teach.”

The two dragons kept bantering as Ming Shuang slipped out of the courtyard. He turned back to wave at them, then tugged Xuzhi along.

They took seats in the front row of the lecture hall this time.

Right on schedule, Yan Si entered through the main doors and immediately spotted Ming Shuang.

He betrayed no reaction, though his gaze lingered a beat longer.

Ming Shuang met his eyes, bubbling with excitement and joy—a far cry from his mood during the previous class.

Yan Si seemed less aloof than before, his tone gentler. Even the other students picked up on it.

When the lecture wrapped up, the student to Ming Shuang’s left—whose notes spanned four full pages—sighed wistfully. “If only this instructor stayed at the academy forever… I’d beg him to take me as a disciple!”

Ming Shuang felt a strange twinge, mingled with immense pride.

Such a brilliant instructor was his clansman.

Yesterday, he had really wanted to see his three clansmen’s true forms, but the academy wasn’t the place for it. He let the idea go.

Yan Si had departed ahead of them. Ming Shuang trailed Xuzhi out of the lecture hall, ready to head back.

“Want to wander somewhere else?” Xuzhi asked. “The city, maybe? I’ve got time this afternoon.”

Ming Shuang considered it. “Let’s head to the courtyard first…”

Suddenly, a deep, resonant bell tolled across the academy’s skies.

Ming Shuang looked up in bewilderment. The students around him froze in shock and panic.

Ivan jumped too, hurrying to explain. “That’s the academy alarm. The number of tolls shows the threat level.”

“Dong—”

“Dong—”

It rang three times: a level three alert.

Ivan’s expression shifted. He whipped out his communication device to contact Xiang Lun.

“Level three… It’s level three!”

Ming Shuang overheard someone nearby whisper in fear, “A magical beast possessed by miasma fog?”

“No way!” their friend shot back. “The academy’s barrier beast hit top tier ages ago. Nothing’s gone wrong in years!”

Spots like the academy—packed with people and magical beasts alike—demanded ironclad defenses against miasma fog incursions.

The academy’s dedicated barrier beast was over a century old, safeguarding the grounds for seventy years. How could anything happen now…

But the two students soon grasped the grim truth.

A genuine level three alarm meant the miasma-possessed entity was the barrier beast itself.

Ming Shuang followed their stares toward the Beast-Taming Forest.

A layer of blue light shimmered along the horizon there, its edges undulating like waves on the sea, a small vortex swirling at the center.

The light pulsed erratically, a sign of dire instability at its source.

Ming Shuang’s pupils shrank.

He knew that blue light all too well. Back in the card pool, it had swaddled him like a cradle, soothing him to sleep.

Tomato at his back recognized it instantly too, crying out in urgency: “Chirp!”

Ming Shuang clutched Xuzhi’s hand, murmuring blankly, “It’s Taro Ball…”

~~~