After flying out of the forest, Yuan Rutang didn’t go home.
Clutching a cloth bag in his mouth, he soared toward the starry sky, his long golden body vanishing into the dark clouds.
Yuan Rutang was not a dragon who wallowed in self-pity. So what if he was down to nine fish?
He’d heard from the village peddler Zhang that the same goods could fetch wildly different prices depending on where you sold them.
Nine fish… he could just sell them somewhere fish were rare!
The golden pupils of Yuan Rutang gleamed like starlight. Excited, he flicked his tail. He was proud to be a dragon!
He’d also heard that humans often spent months traveling to sell their wares, and that food couldn’t even be transported if it spoiled easily.
Unlike them, he could cross tens of thousands of li in one night and all it cost him was a single sticky rice cake.
Yuan Rutang slowed his flight a little. He opened the cloth bag, hooked out a rice cake with a claw, and gulped it down.
Yuan Rutang: (∩_∩)
He shrank the bag and tucked it under his scales.
Then, in an instant, the two foot long little golden dragon expanded into a mighty creature over ten zhang long.
His majestic dragon head broke through the mist, and his golden scales shimmered with a cold, dangerous light.
Now a five-clawed true dragon, he darted through the black clouds as fast as lightning.
On the ground below, the night owls froze in instinctive terror, then scattered into the darkness.
Thankfully, the danger passed in a blink, and the owls soon returned to their branches, trembling as they stared toward the distant shadow streaking across the sky.
Flying above the dark clouds, Yuan Rutang occasionally brushed against deep violet lightning which he dispersed casually with a flick of his tail.
He peered curiously down at the land below. It was the first time he’d ever flown so far since hatching.
The spiritual energy of the mortal world was terribly thin. When he first broke from his shell, he’d almost suffocated.
As for cultivation, even after exhausting himself, he could barely draw in a breath of spiritual energy from the air.
He had grown up the hard way. Because of this energy shortage, he used to sleep for eleven out of every twelve hours of the day.
Fortunately, five years ago, he discovered that when he sold food to the government, Heaven rewarded him with merit, which then transformed into spiritual energy that entered his body.
That was the only reason he’d managed to grow up at all.
Now, he only needed to sleep six hours a day!
Of course, Heaven also had rules, he couldn’t do bad things. Otherwise, a red-black mist would gather around his body, devouring his accumulated merit.
Only when he’d earned enough new merit to dissolve the mist could he continue absorbing more.
This time, Yuan Rutang dared to travel far because his merit had boosted his strength. He could now sense the aura of any other races within a hundred li.
And thankfully, there were no phoenixes nearby.
He didn’t dare fly too fast , he was afraid of accidentally crossing into a phoenix’s territory but his luck held steady. All along his journey, there wasn’t a single creature stronger than him.
He flew past villages and grasslands. Down below, several young men wrapped in sheepskins were roasting lamb by the fire on a vast plain.
Yuan Rutang swooped lower, sniffing greedily, and swallowed hard.
Roast lamb smelled amazing.
Suddenly, a voice rang out under the moonlight, “Look! A dragon!”
Yuan Rutang: (！！！)
Startled, he bolted like a lightning flash, diving back into the black mist in less than a breath.
Peering through the haze with his golden eyes, he saw the youths below standing up, pointing excitedly at the sky, “There was a dragon! I swear I saw it! It was hiding in the clouds!”
His companions looked up and frowned, “A dragon? Here?”
“I saw it!”
“What did it look like?”
The boy scratched his head. “Uh… it was too far away. It stayed in the clouds the whole time. I just saw something long and… shadowy.”
His friend laughed, “Didn’t Agula lose his kite this evening? Maybe you saw that instead.”
The first boy hesitated. Dragons were sacred to the Great Xuan Dynasty; he wanted to believe, “…No, that was a dragon!”
“Sure,” His friend teased, “Just like how folks in Xuan always see dragons, people in Ling see holy lions, and those in Tianzhu see Buddha’s light.”
The boy: “……”
“Anyway,” the other said, still chuckling, “maybe it was a kite.”
He laughed so hard he nearly cried.
Up in the clouds, golden eyes blinked.
Yuan Rutang sighed in relief, that was close! He’d almost been spotted by humans.
He burrowed deeper into the dark clouds.
His inherited memory warned him that this world followed the law of the jungle, the weak were food for the strong.
If he encountered a threat, he was supposed to destroy it completely.
But he couldn’t. Two years ago, he’d merely stolen a couple of melons, and a layer of red-black mist had appeared around him.
He’d had to work himself half to death, selling extra grain for two whole acres, just to earn enough merit to clear it.
If he ever killed someone, the mist would probably drown him entirely.
Yuan Rutang continued gliding through the dark clouds. Below, rivers grew fewer and fewer. Fish? Not even tadpoles could be seen. Yuan Rutang blinked. There must be a shortage of fish here. My nine fish will definitely sell for a high price!
He slowed his flight. On the horizon, a crimson-gold light broke through the gloom, staining the clouds a warm orange. Dawn was coming.
Yuan Rutang reduced his speed again, scanning the land below with his sharp, terrifying vision, looking for humans, buyers.
But all he saw was brown and gray. No green. No blue.
Yuan Rutang: “Eh?”
He frowned, shrinking back down to his smaller form. His golden dragon head poked through the clouds as he looked down.
The riverbeds were dry, the earth cracked, the crops withered. The trees stood bare, nothing but dead branches. Realization dawned, dimming his once-bright eyes.
There’s no water here?
Dragons loved water but here, he couldn’t find a single drop. He touched the scales over his chest, feeling the little cloth bag hidden beneath, the one carrying his fish.
By all logic, fish should fetch a high price here. But… somehow, he wasn’t happy.
His golden eyes searched the wasteland until he found a dead forest with leafless trees. He descended and landed within it.
In a blink, the little golden dragon’s form shimmered and transformed into that of a tall youth.
By instinct, Yuan Rutang wanted to find some leaves to make himself clothes. But then he realized, everything here was dead. No leaves anywhere.
He frowned, raised two fingers, and brushed the ground lightly
A few breaths later, a peach tree burst forth, lush and green, heavy with huge peaches the size of bowls, their skin nearly splitting with juice.
Yuan Rutang relaxed, plucked a handful of leaves, and used a spell to weave them into two skirts, one around his chest and one around his waist.
Then he cast an illusion spell, turning the leaf skirts into ordinary clothing. As long as no one touched him, they’d never know he was wearing leaves.
Still… something felt off. He raised a hand, and a tall mirror of rippling water appeared before him, hovering in the air.
Cool water flowed like glass as he studied his reflection.
Finally, he saw what was wrong.
The mirror showed a young man dressed in dull brown linen, with long, ink-black hair cascading down his back. His skin was pale as snow, his features fine and bright, and his golden eyes sparkled like stars.
He looked soft and youthful, a face that seemed to spring back if you poked it. But…
Normal humans didn’t have horns. Nor did they have a tail.
A pair of golden dragon horns curved elegantly from his head, and a golden tail swayed lazily behind him.
Then
“Keh keh keh…”
A sharp, mocking laugh echoed from above.
Yuan Rutang looked up. Perched on the peach tree he’d just grown was a monkey.
No idea where it came from, it sat there smugly, munching on a peach, pointing at Yuan Rutang’s tail and laughing its head off.
Yuan Rutang: (▼へ▼メ)
With one flick of his golden tail, he sent the monkey flying ten feet away.
✦ ✧ ✦
Vynellia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The translator has entered their coffee-deprived final form. (╥﹏╥)
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · Little DragonChapter 2 · Selling FishChapter 3 · DraughtChapter 4 · Giving LifeChapter 5 · MeritsChapter 6 · Dragon can summon Rain?!Chapter 7 · Wicked Dragon?Chapter 8 · Dragon likes sweetChapter 9 · Dragon WineChapter 10 · Snow Mountain ElixirChapter 11 · The official forced the dragon to rebelChapter 12 · Ministers kneel down and confess their sinsChapter 13 · Court struggle, faith is the dragonChapter 14 · Why do others have auspicious signs, but I don’t?Chapter 15 · Corrupt officialsChapter 16 · The dark side of officialdomChapter 17 Part 1 · Transforming into a golden dragon in full view of all!Chapter 17 Part 2 · Transforming into a golden dragon in full view of all!Chapter 18 · Wrath of the True DragonChapter 19 · Give him a ninth-rank official position!Chapter 20 · The days of being loved by Longlong have begunChapter 21 · Pamper the little dragon, finally full!Chapter 22 · It’s perfectly normal for humans to like dragonsChapter 23 · Avenge Longlong against corrupt officialsChapter 24 · Is being an official like the Dragon King difficult?Chapter 25 · Dragon-shaped woodChapter 26 · Emperor felt the vibrancy of lifeChapter 27 · Do you like the obedient and affectionate little dragon?Chapter 28 · Your Majesty’s PastChapter 29 · A ray of light in a noisy worldChapter 30 · Let’s give the dragon a lake!Chapter 31 · Dragon, don’t run aroundChapter 32 · YaunBaoChapter 33 · Recruiting soldiers and buying horsesChapter 34 · Expand Dragon armyChapter 35 · Longlong is in a dilemmaChapter 36 · Being a king is difficultChapter 37 · Attended the morning court session.Chapter 38 · Secretly feeding the dragonChapter 39 · The restless little golden dragonChapter 40 · Your Majesty foreshadowed thisChapter 41 · Fostering teacher student bondsChapter 42 · Now that the dragon has an official positionChapter 43 · If a dragon wants to become an official, why not touch it?Chapter 44 · Longlong enters officialdomChapter 45 · The Emperor’s disciple?Chapter 46 · Long day’s laborChapter 47 · Being a dragon is comfortableChapter 48 · Thank you, YuanbaoChapter 49 · Very sleepyChapter 50 · The Dragon Who Saves the WorldChapter 51 · Strange storiesChapter 52 · Dragon God saying it wanted to eat peach crystal cakesChapter 53 · The tree is aliveChapter 54 · We can just hold a family feastChapter 55 · What kind of worship?Chapter 56 · Don’t be naughtyChapter 57 · Why does Teacher always avoid my human formChapter 58 · I will be an indifferent learning machineChapter 59 · Jinlong made a fortuneChapter 60 · Ten thousand taelsChapter 61 · FamilyChapter 62 · Will you accompany the dragon?Chapter 63 · What did you hunt, sir?Chapter 64 · From fifth rank to proper fourth rankChapter 65 · Orange PeelChapter 66 · Great Xuan may have enough to eatChapter 67 · Poisoned GrainsChapter 68 · The balance of the mortal world is about to changeChapter 69 · Teacher’s lap truly was very comfortable.Chapter 70 · Caught the little dragonChapter 71 · Only he alone could see that golden lightChapter 72 · Great King must not declineChapter 73 · The top scholarChapter 74 · I do not like other defying meChapter 75 · Great Xuan truly has quite a number of martial expertsChapter 76 · What was there to fear?Chapter 77 · Then Teacher can raise the dragonChapter 78 · Little Dragon Steals Peaches.Chapter 79 · Resentment and Poison.Chapter 80 · Male PartnerChapter 81 · How about choosing a human?Chapter 82 · Young Lord Zhen has a friendChapter 83 · Morning DewChapter 84 · Earth DragonsChapter 85 · Greetings, Your MajestyChapter 86 · Then what am I allowed to do?Chapter 87 · What exactly Happened?Chapter 88 · Praise The golden Dragon!Chapter 89 · ComplexionChapter 90 · Gift is almost readyChapter 91 · Surely Sir would no longer refuse himChapter 92 · Seven YearsChapter 93 · She is really just a childChapter 94 · Good YuanbaoChapter 95 · Ten Thousand year old JadeChapter 96 · They were overwhelmed with griefChapter 97 · Villain: So what if I use magic?Chapter 98 · The Dragon Clan MeetingChapter 99 · The Big reveal!Chapter 100 · The prototype of His MajestyChapter 101 · Autumn HuntChapter 102 · This painting was created by the Emperor’s consortChapter 103 · They gave themselves away and caught the plush rabbit doctor.Chapter 104 · The Rabbit gangChapter 105 · The scars on the fox spirit’s handsChapter 106 · Wang JinzhongChapter 107 · I don’t believe the White Tiger doesn’t protect its foodChapter 108 · Karmic SinChapter 109 · Yuanbao, would you take me a thousand li away?Chapter 110 · Pear FrostChapter 111 · If Yuanbao ever loses sight of the road ahead, then come find meChapter 112 · Let’s take a step at a time..Chapter 113 · The imperial marriage was announced to the public.Chapter 114 · The army, navy, and air force are preparing to attack the Yujing River.Chapter 115 · The attack on Yujing River-humans should not spread rumors!Chapter 116 · King Golden Dragon ascends the throneChapter 117 · Sir, would you like a bowl of dragon soup?Chapter 118 · Wedding celebrationChapter 119 · Establish the Demon RealmChapter 120 · Lord of the Demon RealmChapter 121 · Flourishing and decliningChapter 122 · The Ling Dynasty was defeated, and father and son fought amongst themselvesChapter 123 · The gentleman’s is dragon-themedChapter 124 · People from HeavenChapter 125 · The truth behind the White TigerChapter 126 · Azure Dragon, WarChapter 127 · A great war is about to break outChapter 128 · Victory in the great battleChapter 129 · Side Story (1)Chapter 130 · Side Story (2)Chapter 131 · Side Story (3)Chapter 132 · Side Story (4)Chapter 133 · Side Story (4)Chapter 134 · Side Story (5)Chapter 135 · Side Story (6)Chapter 136 · Side story (7)Chapter 137 · Side Story (8)Chapter 138 · Side Story (9)Chapter 139 · Side Story (10)Chapter 140 · Side Story (11)Chapter 141 · Side Story (12)Chapter 142 · Side Story (13)Chapter 143 · Side Story (14)Chapter 144 · Side Story (15)Chapter 145 · Side Story (16)Chapter 146 · Side Story (17)Chapter 147 · Side Story (18)Chapter 148 · Side Story (19)Chapter 149 · Side Story (20)Chapter 150 · Side Story (21)Chapter 151 · Side Story (22)