Yuan Rutang looked back at the execution ground.
People were throwing stones at the execution platform, cursing, eyes red with fury.
His gaze fell on a man in the crowd, two fingers missing, the wounds festering and crawling with maggots. Judging from the shape, he must have bitten them off himself.
Lowering his eyes, Yuan Rutang saw a woman lying on the ground, sobbing. Her legs were ulcerated and shrunken, surrounded by swarms of flies.
Suddenly, a thought came to him. There are so many refugees here… if I save more of them, won’t Heaven grant me endless merit?
His eyelids lifted slightly, and his golden eyes shone. He didn’t need to tell anyone he could heal. As long as he passed by an injured person, a single touch of his power could make the wounds disappear.
Yuan Rutang acted at once. He didn’t choose those with minor injuries but instead sought out people on the brink of death.
An old man leaned weakly against a stone, gasping for breath, his eyelids darkened, moments away from death.
As Yuan Rutang brushed past, the man’s eyes snapped open, color returning to his cheeks.
Yuan Rutang quietly exhaled. He had also saved a mother and child dying of thirst.
Ahead, an old woman searched for wild grass, her frail body trembling as she nearly collapsed. Yuan Rutang blew a gentle stream of dragon breath toward her, and she immediately looked more spirited.
But healing four people had drained much of his spiritual power.
Now his eyelids felt too heavy to lift. He saved two more, then hurried back to his rabbit burrow and fell asleep sprawled across the rabbits.
The rabbits didn’t dare protest. They flattened themselves miserably beneath him.
When Yuan Rutang woke, dawn was breaking. The golden dragon lifted his head sluggishly, extending two claws, yet Heaven had not rewarded him with any merit.
He drooped, scratching his head with the tip of his tail.
There were two possibilities: First, maybe he’d misunderstood, saving people didn’t necessarily guarantee merit.
Second, perhaps Heaven just hadn’t responded yet.
After all, the previous day, he’d saved a mother and son before dawn, but Heaven hadn’t granted him merit until evening.
Over the years, Yuan Rutang had received many rewards from Heaven and learned its patterns:
The smaller the merit, the faster the reward.
The greater the merit, the slower Heaven’s response.
He had saved so many people yesterday, waiting a bit longer was normal.
His tail perked up and wagged as he munched on a peach.
The rabbits beneath him stirred, and he tilted his golden head, pulling a few leaves from his pouch and placing them in front of them, watching until they’d eaten every bite.
He planned to wait for Heaven’s reward before saving more people. But no matter how long he waited, Heaven remained silent.
Feeling disheartened, he buried his head into the rabbits’ fur. He tried to nap again, but the dragon’s keen hearing betrayed him, agonized cries echoed from outside.
“Father, don’t die!”
“Mother, don’t leave me! You promised you’d make me brown-sugar buns in two months…”
Yuan Rutang’s head lifted slightly, golden eyes peeking out.
“Grandmother, don’t go! I still want to sleep in your arms…”
He blinked, chewing his claw, hesitating.
“Father, I study so hard. When I pass the imperial exam, I’ll bring you to the capital, we’ll never go hungry again…”
Yuan Rutang rested his chin on a rabbit’s head, listening as another little girl sobbed hoarsely.
“Mother… Mother… I’ll be good, I won’t make you angry anymore… let’s go back inside the tent… it’s too hot out here…”
Finally, the little golden dragon flew out.
He followed the cries, finding the families in despair. He infused a dying woman’s body with vitality, broke the invisible chains binding a man’s soul, and healed an old man’s shriveled stomach.
He treated six people in a row before exhaustion overtook him again. Just one more nap, he thought.
But new voices reached his ears.
“Erbao, wait here. Mother will get food for you.”
“What are you doing?” the man whispered harshly.
“You take care of the children,” the woman said firmly. “I’ll trade myself for meat.”
“You’re mad!” the man grabbed her arm.
“You want to end up like that Chen woman, selling your life like a pig to the slaughter?”
Yuan Rutang turned back silently, pulled two steamed buns from his pouch, and tossed them into the family’s tent.
A child yelped, then shouted excitedly for his parents. Yuan Rutang exhaled in relief until more cries echoed.
“Go, child.”
“Why can’t we stay together, Father? Mother?”
“Silly girl… with the noble family, you’ll eat and live well…”
“No! I don’t want to leave you!”
“Don’t die! Don’t die! I’ll go with you!”
Yuan Rutang froze, struggling to breathe.
Then came the “caw, caw” above him.
He looked up to see a group of crows perched on a dead tree.
One tilted its head, laughing mockingly, “What are you, huh? Not a snake, not a lizard. Save people? You think you can save them? Caw! Every day more die. Even ten of you couldn’t save them all!”
“Caw, caw, caw!” the others shrieked, flapping toward the corpses and pecking greedily at the rotting flesh.
Those bodies were refugees who hadn’t survived.
Yuan Rutang pressed his lips together and sat down helplessly, golden eyes glistening with tears.
People walked past, oblivious to the small, invisible golden dragon on the ground.
Then, something descended onto his body: a single shard of merit.
It dissolved into light, flowing into him.
Fatigue vanished; clarity returned. His eyes brightened, curving into crescent moons. He soared into the sky, joyfully chasing his tail in dizzying circles.
Looking down at the dying refugees, one bold thought surfaced:
What if… I brought rain to this drought?
A daring idea rose in his chest then, timidly, he tucked his head back in.
✦ ✧ ✦
Vynellia
[Translator]
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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)