Within Xia Wang City, the first to be enraged was Yinzi. As a dragon itself, it instinctively understood the motives behind the actions of the other dragons. However, understanding did not mean acceptance. Yinzi had grown up here, forming bonds with the people of the city, and found comfort in Shu Bao’s reassuring pats on its head.
Even though the inherited memories told Yinzi that its true birthplace was a distant and mysterious Dragon Valley, that place was not a part of its personal memories.
Yinzi had always been impulsive by nature, and being still immature, its thoughts were simple. Driven by fury, it beat its wings and burst out of Xia Wang City’s protective barrier, charging head-on at one of the massive magical dragons flying toward the city.
A collective gasp rose from the city as Yinzi’s target was obviously much larger than itself. By all appearances, Yinzi had little chance of success.
Just as the residents began to fear the worst for their city’s dragon, a familiar beam of light shot out, swiftly reaching Yinzi and the colossal magical dragon.
The crowd turned to see Shu Bao retracting one of its mechanical devices. Spirits lifted among the Xia Wang citizens—of course! They had divine tools on their side. Why had they forgotten them at such a critical moment?
Bathed in the white glow, the magical dragon let out a thunderous roar before colliding fiercely with Yinzi, who had rushed in at full speed. To everyone’s astonishment, the much larger dragon was knocked back by Yinzi’s impact.
Cheers erupted across Xia Wang City as the residents, feeling a surge of vindication, loudly chanted Yinzi’s name.
Shrouded in the faint white light of the divine energy, Yinzi appeared even more resplendent. With its natural silver sheen enhanced, the dragon seemed like a celestial being descending from the heavens—majestic, sacred, and untouchable.
Unlike the city’s residents, the dragons circling above were visibly stunned. Despite its appearance, Yinzi was still an adolescent, yet it had just sent a fully grown magical dragon flying with sheer force!
The knocked-back dragon roared in anger, quickly regaining its posture and issuing another series of challenging cries, clearly prepared for a rematch.
Yinzi, undaunted, hovered in mid-air, exuding defiance. Meanwhile, the other dragons observed cautiously, closely evaluating Yinzi’s growth and strength.
Shu Bao retrieved the energy converter again. The previous impact had nearly drained the converted energy, and any further action would require a new conversion process. However, the device’s cooldown period was lengthy and it was clear there wasn’t enough time.
On the battlefield, Yinzi was already grappling with the larger dragon once more. This time, Yinzi’s immaturity began to show—it was gradually losing ground. Although the larger dragon had been weakened by energy absorption, the gap between an adolescent and an adult dragon was not something easily bridged.
The residents of Xia Wang City watched in terror. Every collision between the massive dragons sent waves of energy rippling through the ground like earthquakes. Thankfully, their deity was still maintaining the protective barrier.
Wait—what? Why was there a mouse in mid-air? And why did that mouse look so familiar?
Those too stunned to process what they were seeing quickly glanced at the spot where their deity had previously been. But that position was now occupied by two high priests. This meant that the mouse flying straight toward the entangled dragons could only be… their deity!
Newer residents were utterly overwhelmed. The deity of Xia Wang City had already shocked them enough times today and now it was challenging their expectations yet again.
But seriously, what could a flying mouse possibly do on a battlefield dominated by colossal dragons?
As questions lingered in the air, the fluffy little creature hovering midair suddenly radiated a brilliant light. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a man clothed in flowing, ethereal robes. The man stood with his back to the crowd, his face hidden for the moment, yet even from behind, his bearing was strikingly elegant and extraordinary.
Many people instinctively rubbed their eyes, doubting what they had just seen. A mouse had turned into a human—and not just any human, but one whose beauty seemed to challenge the limits of their imagination.
Newer residents stared in astonishment, then turned to the Xia Wang locals, only to find them looking completely unfazed, as though this transformation were perfectly normal. They immediately realized this wasn’t the first time it had happened; their shock was misplaced.
While the people remained stunned, the faint figure in pale robes lightly landed on Yinzi’s head as effortlessly as a falling leaf.
Yinzi roared twice as if to insist that it could handle the situation on its own. Shu Bao gently reassured it, “I know you can, but I’m here to add a finishing touch.”
Yinzi accepted the reasoning and shifted its focus back to the battlefield.
The surrounding magical dragons observed the scene but made no move to attack. Proud as they were, dragons disdained ganging up on an opponent. Besides, they were curious—what kind of power could a mere mouse possibly possess?
Once settled, Shu Bao retrieved an artifact he hadn’t used in ages: a spiritual sword. The blade’s silvery light gleamed sharply across the night sky, showcasing its lethal edge.
As both sides braced themselves, the battle resumed with rapid, forceful clashes. When Yinzi collided with the other dragon, Shu Bao leaped at the precise moment of impact, avoiding the tremendous force of the collision. With graceful agility, he soared into the air, aiming his sword directly at the dragon’s eyes.
The massive dragon’s body was armored with impenetrable scales, but its eyes remained a vulnerable weak point. Instinctively, it dodged and flapped its wings in retaliation, attempting to strike Shu Bao. Yet, despite lacking wings, Shu Bao moved with remarkable ease, as if carried by the breeze, deftly avoiding the attacks.
In a dazzling flicker of swordlight, the dragon let out a pained roar. Though the spiritual sword’s edge didn’t cause significant damage, it inflicted sharp, unbearable pain.
Shu Bao glanced at the devices strapped to his wrists and ankles—innovations gifted to him recently by Tesla and T33674. The anti-gravity flight units on his feet allowed him to maneuver effortlessly in the air, while the lightning reservoir on his wrist could channel stored electricity into his weapon and, consequently, into his target.
Although it couldn’t penetrate the dragon’s scales, it was more than capable of giving it an electric shock.
The other dragons instinctively backed away, unsure if it was their imagination, but they seemed to catch a faint whiff of roasted meat.
Shu Bao and Yinzi employed no flashy techniques—only the most effective ones. Yinzi relied on brute-force collisions, while Shu Bao electrocuted the dragon and occasionally jabbed at its eyes with the spiritual sword. From time to time, the high priests and locals on the city wall would launch beams of light to assist.
By the end, Yinzi was chasing the other dragon in circles until it finally let out a low growl of submission. Only then did Yinzi proudly lift its head, flapping its wings triumphantly as it hovered outside Xia Wang City.
The other dragons, witnessing the outcome, seemed to accept the result as well. They flew closer to Yinzi, roaring and exchanging dragon speech.
Yinzi maintained its victorious posture, holding its head high even during their exchange. Shu Bao couldn’t understand the dragon language, but he and Yinzi shared a mental connection. Before long, he grasped the purpose of the dragons’ visit.
As Shu Bao had suspected, the original Dragon Valley was no longer habitable for the dragon race. Coupled with their search for the lost dragon egg, the dragons eventually found their way here.
They had first visited the Empire, encountering both the Nan Ming Corps and Lan Qing. Each time, they had tested the guardians of the dragon eggs, intending to reclaim the young dragons if their guardians proved weak. Judging by their current group, it was clear how those encounters had turned out.
The residents of Xia Wang City stood watching with wide eyes, occasionally bewildered by the bursts of dragon roars they could vaguely hear. Aside from this, they dared not act recklessly.
The battlefield outside the city still needed cleaning, but with the circling dragons lingering in the sky, no one was brave enough to venture out. Endless roaring wasn’t productive. Since it became clear the dragons didn’t intend to attack, Shu Bao extended an invitation for them to enter the city.
Guests should be treated with hospitality, especially since Yinzi had been preparing for the arrival of the dragons for a long time. It was only fitting to give Yinzi the respect he deserved.
Initially, the dragons had intended to leave after completing their evaluation, moving on to assess the next caretaker. However, upon learning that Xia Wang City would return to the real world during the day, their curiosity was piqued, and they decided to stay.
Unexpectedly, after accepting the invitation, the massive dragons began to rapidly shrink. In no time, they transformed into miniature forms, small enough to fit in the palm of a hand. The once ferocious dragons now appeared adorably clumsy.
Shu Bao naturally reverted to his mouse form and, alongside Yinzi, led the dragons to the accommodations prepared for them. On the way, Yinzi eagerly inquired about the method for shapeshifting into a smaller form. The dragon chief proudly explained that this was a newly developed ability and promised to teach Yinzi later.
The lodgings Yinzi had prepared for the dragons were on the tallest building in Xia Wang City. He had designed extra-large balcony nests for them, but these now seemed unnecessary. The miniaturized dragons instead chose one of the bedrooms, where they fluttered curiously, exploring every corner.
Even a simple electric lamp captivated their attention, prompting prolonged observation. When they finally settled down, each found a perch to rest on. One particularly imposing dragon suddenly spoke in human language.
“Thank you for taking care of Yinzi all these years. Although it’s puzzling why he hasn’t reached adulthood yet, at least you’re the second caretaker who’s managed to launch an effective attack against us. You’ve done well.”
At the sound of this voice, Shu Bao’s ears perked up immediately. Faced with a group of dragons, he couldn’t tell one from another, but that voice was unmistakable. It was the same dragon whose stellar performance had fooled him back in the Rift!
“No need for such courtesy, oh Acting King. Yinzi is quite impressive, too,” Shu Bao replied, reciprocating the compliment.
Hearing his name, Yinzi—who was experimenting with shrinking himself on the wide-open balcony—ended up with only his wings reduced. The result was an utterly peculiar-looking dragon.
Shu Bao blinked and added, “And also very humorous.”
The dragons: “…” At least this caretaker had a way with words.
The dragons’ mission wasn’t only to find the young ones but also to search for a new homeland. They had stayed in the Imperial Capital for a while and found its resources to be excellent. However, they still couldn’t fully adapt to the chaotic world, so they decided to explore outside after daybreak.
“By the way, do you know where the other two dragons are? I can sense their general direction. One of them seems to be nearby,” the dragon chief said, looking puzzled. “With all the commotion just now, if that dragon were close, it should’ve already shown up.”
Shu Bao suddenly remembered the most delicate of the young dragons. A few days ago, after getting caught in the rain, it had insisted it was sick. Likely, it was still nestled in its dragon bed, fast asleep.
“Jiao Jiao is probably sleeping. Jiao Jiao is also quite remarkable—especially in maintaining excellent sleep quality,” Shu Bao replied.
The dragons: “…”
