Chapter 38: A Fellow Clansman – Crimson Flame Dragon

Perhaps because the child resembled Ming Xue, Wu Shao studied Ming Shuang and felt an increasing fondness for him.

He felt a pang of sorrow too. Ever since dragon eggs had stopped hatching, the clan lacked not only young hatchlings but even slightly grown juveniles or newly adult dragons. All that remained were ancient, hoary behemoths.

If that child truly belonged to the Dragon Clan and was still growing, his true form would be far smaller than those giants—livelier, more playful, brimming with curiosity about the world.

The summoned Undead Fragments were quickly depleted. Wu Shao watched Ming Shuang’s retreating figure from afar and let out an inexplicable sigh.

Xing Huai beside him fell silent as well, staring at Ming Shuang in a daze.

Their gazes must have been too intent, for Xuzhi keenly glanced their way.

The two dragons reacted swiftly, melting into the crowd.

Ming Shuang turned his head too, but his attention was caught by the snacks on a nearby stall.

He tugged Xuzhi over and bought a small box of fried sugar cakes before wandering to other spots.

Compared to White Cloud City, Central City buzzed with even greater energy. It even permitted medium-sized magical beasts within its walls, with wide lanes along the streets reserved for them to travel unimpeded.

A patrol squad composed entirely of identical flying magic beasts drifted slowly overhead at low altitude.

Ming Shuang shopped and snacked his way along, enchanted by every novelty: folding hand fans, sun hats, carved mineral crystals. He wanted it all.

He bought plenty of treats too—taking just a bite from some before handing the rest to Xuzhi or Tomato at his side.

Beyond the roadside stalls, shops abounded. Ming Shuang ducked into a clothing store and tried on several outfits.

He shopped not just for himself but insisted on buying for Xuzhi too. Unfortunately, Xuzhi balked at Ming Shuang’s flashy picks; he preferred simple, unadorned styles. Besides, academy classes required the uniform anyway.

Ming Shuang favored vibrant hues and intricate, elegant designs that set off his striking features, evoking the pampered young heir of some noble house.

In the end, after Ming Shuang’s relentless cajoling, they bought two outfits for Xuzhi.

“Master,” Ming Shuang whispered now that the fitting room stood empty, “I want to spend money on you.”

He clasped Xuzhi’s hand. “You’ve always been the one footing the bill for me… I know how grueling those tasks are for you. You won’t have to do them anymore.”

Not to mention the magic potions for his illnesses, which drained a small fortune daily.

Ming Shuang knew Xuzhi would never accept the gold coins from the chest outright.

Xuzhi murmured his assent. The fitting room door was shut tight, with Ivan waiting outside.

He lifted Ming Shuang’s hand and pressed a kiss to its tip.

The gesture flowed with effortless grace, yet it was their first. Ming Shuang froze, dazed, his fingertip curling instinctively.

Xuzhi noted the reaction and kissed it once more.

In his bewilderment, Ming Shuang’s pulse quickened. This, he realized, was the sort of intimacy mates shared.

Far from repelled, he clung to Xuzhi and nuzzled against him.

Only after Xuzhi had smoothed Ming Shuang’s outer robe and tidied his hair did they emerge from the fitting room.

Before departing the shop, Ming Shuang bought four outfits for himself. Had he not feared drawing eyes, he might have cleared the shelves of every piece that fit.

Across the street, the two dragons observed from the shadows.

Ming Shuang spent the afternoon’s remaining hours exploring elsewhere, his energy unflagging.

When they paused to rest in a nearby park amid thinning crowds, the moment seemed ripe for the dragons to strike.

Yet they merely watched from afar as Ming Shuang nibbled his snacks, neither stirring.

Late afternoon brought Xiang Lun’s arranged magic beast carriage, which whisked Ming Shuang and Xuzhi away.

The two dragons trailed silently behind, observing until Ming Shuang returned safely to the academy.

Wu Shao shattered the quiet first. “What exactly are we doing here?”

Xing Huai, munching one of Ming Shuang’s purchased fried sugar cakes, mumbled around a mouthful, “Never mind. Next time.”

Some intangible reason held them back—neither could act.

As the carriage rolled into the Instructor Residential District, Wu Shao grumbled in frustration. “Next time, when the other one’s alone.”

Separating them for capture would be safer; snatching both risked mishaps.

The two dragons slipped away discreetly, retreating once more to conceal themselves in the Beast-Taming Forest.

Meanwhile, Ming Shuang returned to the courtyard, where Xiang Lun awaited him.

True to his earlier promise, Xiang Lun presented a storage pendant—one spacious enough to shelter the fluffy plushies.

Ming Shuang peered inside curiously. A modest grassy expanse unfolded within, dotted with trees and bordered by a trickling stream.

The space was compact but ample for the fluffy plushies; even Coal Ball could dwell there comfortably.

Like his storage bracelet, the pendant’s cord would shorten automatically upon his reversion to juvenile form.

“One magic stone powers this storage space for half a month of routine use,” Xiang Lun explained. “Still, release the guardian beasts every two or three days.”

This allowed Ming Shuang to carry them everywhere.

A magic formation served as the “door,” which he could activate himself.

Ming Shuang beamed. “Thank you, Grandpa!”

He donned the pendant at once and urged the fluffy plushies to test it.

One by one, all twenty-five leaped through the magic formation and vanished.

Ming Shuang glimpsed the interior: the fluffy plushies poked about with evident delight, several tumbling gleefully across the grass.

They hopped back out before the formation sealed, dashing to rooms and yard alike to haul in unfinished morsels and secreted toys for their new abode.

Tomato and Coal Ball inspected it too. The pair of magical beasts stood transfixed before the formation, exchanging bewildered glances.

This… resembled the little dragon’s old card pool.

Ming Shuang seemed to sense it as well. He toyed with the pendant and asked Xiang Lun, “Grandpa, can I go inside too?”

“This one’s tailored for guardian beasts,” Xiang Lun replied gently. “Hosting the bearer as well demands far more intricate alchemy.”

Ming Shuang nodded, pensive.

Xiang Lun then produced a bespoke academy uniform. “Dean Herl has everything set. Tomorrow at three in the afternoon, your Dragon Clan kin will lecture in the Water-Metal Hall.”

Ming Shuang’s eyes sparkled. He clutched the uniform tightly, nerves fluttering.

At last, a meeting with a clansman… What might this one be like?

After a few more admonitions, Xiang Lun addressed Xuzhi. “Tomorrow, go with Little Shuang. I’ve reserved seats ahead.”

He knew Xuzhi had chosen alchemy as an elective.

“Alright,” Xuzhi replied.

Xiang Lun joined Ming Shuang for dinner afterward, listening to his excited recounting of the day’s escapades.

The snow fox curled in Ming Shuang’s lap, attending quietly and occasionally nuzzling his sleeve.

~~~

The next day, Xuzhi rose early for his formal instructor check-in.

The Little Dragon hatchling yawned his way out of bed too, watching wistfully after breakfast as Xuzhi departed.

Post-dinner the night before, Ming Shuang had shifted back to juvenile form and bedded down with Xuzhi.

Their evolving bond changed little in that state.

Xuzhi gone, Ming Shuang fiddled with his pendant and retreated for more sleep.

Xuzhi’s first-day enrollment involved every class; he returned to the courtyard only at noon.

By half-past two in the afternoon, Ming Shuang swallowed a magic stone to shapeshift, downed a magic potion, and donned his uniform with eager anticipation before heading to the lecture district.

Before they set out, Xuzhi cautioned him. “Don’t reveal your identity to that Dragon Clan member yet.”

Dragons had vanished for a century before resurfacing, and Ming Shuang’s circumstances were exceptional.

A mixed-blood dragon, he bore the scars of murky past events—best to tread warily.

Were it not for Ming Shuang’s joy, Xuzhi might have sided with Xiang Lun in discouraging the encounter.

Ming Shuang nodded meekly. “I know.”

With Ivan still tidying inside, Xuzhi drew Ming Shuang into an embrace.

He leaned down experimentally. When Ming Shuang didn’t pull away, Xuzhi brushed a kiss across his forehead.

The fleeting warmth faded, leaving Ming Shuang gazing at Xuzhi in a stupor.

Xuzhi had kissed his brow before sleep the prior night, but juvenile then—shapeshifted now, the sensation differed profoundly…

Ming Shuang lingered on it before, in human guise, surging forward to smooch Xuzhi’s cheek.

Clumsy and forceful, the peck nearly jolted Xuzhi backward.

Xuzhi’s breath caught, stunned by the initiative, and he crushed Ming Shuang closer on reflex.

Tomato, watching from behind, had enough. It prodded Xuzhi’s back with a wing, urging restraint.

Footsteps approached just then. Xuzhi released Ming Shuang as Ivan emerged.

None the wiser, Ivan said, “Ready? Let’s head out.”

Ming Shuang dipped his head with a soft “Mm,” his heart pounding wildly—as if they’d been caught at mischief.

He and Xuzhi’s budding romance remained a secret from Xiang Lun and Ivan…

Ming Shuang licked his lips covertly and trailed after Ivan.

At three o’clock sharp, they reached the Water-Metal Hall.

Word of the visiting instructor’s lecture had circulated that morning. Young, enigmatic, with alchemy prowess rivaling Dean Herl’s, the allure drew hordes of students.

The lecture hall’s seats filled within half an hour, packed mostly with alchemy enthusiasts.

Xiang Lun had placed Ming Shuang and Xuzhi toward the rear—discreet yet elevated for an unobstructed podium view.

As the hall doors parted, Ming Shuang filed in with the throng and claimed their spots.

Xuzhi sat beside him, with many other students on either side.

It was unprecedented for a special guest lecturer to hold a solo class like this.

The students buzzed with excitement and curiosity, constantly craning their necks toward the door while whispering among themselves.

A nearby classmate, noticing that Ming Shuang and Xuzhi looked unfamiliar, struck up a conversation in a friendly manner. “Hey? Which year are you guys in?”

Ming Shuang gave a vague reply. “New arrivals…”

He was utterly distracted, far more excited and nervous than the others.

At last, a figure stepped through the front doors and approached the podium.

The vast Lecture Hall fell instantly silent.

Yan Si wore the long robe of an alchemist. His gaze swept indifferently over the crowd.

He appeared to be in his thirties, his disguised black hair and eyes giving him the look of an ordinary human. His face was stern and humorless, exuding an aura of unyielding severity that demanded respect.

Ming Shuang’s eyes widened slightly as he carefully took in the sight.

This was his kin—a Crimson Flame Dragon, according to Xiang Lun.

Dragons had long lifespans; no one knew exactly how old he was. He was surely much older than Ming Shuang himself, perhaps even of a grandfatherly generation like Xiang Lun.

Yan Si was accompanied by an assistant, who handled the introductions—though they were all fabrications cooked up by Herl.

Once the assistant finished, Yan Si spoke in a cold tone. “Then let’s begin.”

As he raised his gaze, his eyes seemed to linger for a moment on Ming Shuang’s position.

Ming Shuang instinctively ducked his head, clutching Xuzhi’s hand tightly under the desk in his nervousness.

His kin looked utterly icy… not someone to be trifled with.

~~~