The Protectorate Supervisor was about to withdraw, and Little Blue Dragon was to leave together with these cultivators from the Hudaosi.
The matter with Longxueteng and the Hei Long Gang had not yet come to a close.
As the key witness, she still needed to stay with the Hudaosi for a while longer.
Once these two affairs were settled, the Hudaosi would send Little Blue Dragon to where she ought to go.
For now, the destination was set as Ascension City.
According to the Hudaosi, they should be able to make it to the Ascension Gathering once everything was taken care of.
By then, Xiaolong could even make an appearance before the elders of the Saint Sect, and perhaps—if she caught their fancy—she might be taken back to the sect as a mascot.
Linglong had no objections to this. She certainly couldn’t take Xiaolong with her, crossing the Northern Mountains all the way to Ascension City.
That would be far too conspicuous.
Other Spirit Masters, even if they had Spirit Beast companions, would have cats or dogs at most.
The more powerful ones might have lions or tigers. Yet here she was, walking around with an actual dragon.
It was simply too attention-grabbing.
She herself had no objections, but Little Blue Dragon certainly did.
Upon learning of her own arrangements, the little creature immediately threw herself onto Linglong, wailing loudly.
Even Hua Jian and Qilai together couldn’t pull the ten-meter-long dragon away.
Was this really a dragon? This was more like a dog!
With one hand grasping Little Blue Dragon’s horn, Hua Jian tugged with all her might while grumbling inwardly.
Maybe it was because she was of the water attribute, but when Little Blue Dragon cried, her tears gushed out like water jets.
Linglong, pressed beneath her body, had her clothes soaked in an instant—much to Hua Jian’s visual delight.
Sigh, Little Dragon Girl actually had quite the figure. She just usually dressed conservatively, so you couldn’t tell.
Now, with Little Blue Dragon clinging to her and sobbing, that maidenly figure was finally revealed.
“She’s so heavy!” Unlike Hua Jian, who was idly gossiping, Shiqi wasn’t distracted at all—she was genuinely trying to pull the dragon off.
But with Xiaolong struggling, she just couldn’t do anything.
It wasn’t like she could just draw her sword, right?
In the end, it was only after Little Blue Dragon had cried herself out that she reluctantly crawled off Linglong, sniffling.
Linglong patiently explained to Little Blue Dragon that this was the safest way.
The three of them, as Spirit Masters, couldn’t protect Little Blue Dragon properly.
What if they encountered someone from the Magic Path along the way with ill intentions and Xiaolong was taken away again?
“You don’t want to be captured by Longxueteng again, do you?” Linglong looked up and made a scary face, frightening the already-traumatized Little Blue Dragon.
“That’s right, and if you stay with us, I might not be able to resist eating you,” Hua Jian fanned the flames from the side.
As she spoke, she summoned her Xiteng and had them cosplay as Longxueteng.
Seeing Hua Jian’s summoned, menacing vines, Xiaolong’s eyes instantly became clear. She suddenly felt that following the Hudaosi wasn’t such a hard thing to accept.
After all that noisy wailing, she finally received a promise from Linglong that she wouldn’t be abandoned, and only then did Xiaolong begrudgingly accept the reality of their temporary parting.
“It’s just two months apart. Why are you acting like we’re parting forever?” Hua Jian really couldn’t understand Xiaolong’s reluctance.
It’s unnecessary! It’s not like they wouldn’t see each other for decades—they’d meet again at Ascension City in just a few months. Was there any need to cry like this?
Xiaolong made two low cries, indicating that the feelings of a dragon were not something she could understand.
Hua Jian didn’t understand what Xiaolong was saying, but guessed she was refuting her, so she turned to Linglong for translation.
But Linglong refused, probably for fear they’d end up arguing again.
Hua Jian was dissatisfied. After leaving Xiaolong’s dwelling, she immediately started teasing Linglong, “Found a new love and forgot the old. Linglong, you’re heartless. Wuwu—”
She covered her face with her sleeve, as if wiping away tears. Someone unfamiliar might really have been fooled by her act.
But this trick no longer worked on Linglong. Facing Hua Jian’s play for sympathy, Linglong replied calmly, “Right back at you. Didn’t you forget me as soon as you had Shiqi?”
Dragged into this for no reason, Shiqi let out a “Ha?”—wait, she and Hua Jian were an item?
“If you two want to quarrel, leave me out of it. I haven’t done anything,” Shiqi drew a big X in front of her chest, declaring herself an innocent bystander.
You two, city girls, might be playing your little games, but this country bumpkin has no idea what you’re talking about.
“Technically, by this point, Shiqi, you should have fallen for me and sworn a lifetime vow together,” Hua Jian lowered her sleeve and tilted her head at Shiqi.
Although Shiqi was still dressed as a boy, after recuperating and being cared for by the Venerable these past days, it was harder and harder for her to conceal her girlish air.
Previously, you’d have to look closely to see Shiqi was a girl. Now, one glance was enough to tell she was a tomboy.
Hearing this, Shiqi blushed furiously. What do you mean, ‘technically’?
How could feelings be a matter of theory?
“Or maybe, you’ve actually fallen for me but just won’t admit it out of stubbornness…”
“I think you’re just way too narcissistic.”
Hua Jian tsked softly. As she thought, those stories were all lies—the protagonist didn’t get people to fall for them everywhere they went.
“It’s understandable for kids to believe those storybooks, but Hua Jian, you’re not a child anymore. How can you still believe that stuff?” Shiqi jabbed.
Of course she’d read those books. She’d fantasized about being the protagonist as a child. But she was grown up now, with no more such expectations.
She was really just curious why Hua Jian could still have such childishness.
Hua Jian had just opened her mouth to explain when Linglong stabbed at her weak spot, following up Shiqi’s words.
“It’s because she’s pretty, so she thinks she’s the protagonist.”
“Hey! I’m not that shallow, okay? I’m just making a reasonable guess! Who else runs into so many big events in a few months?” Hua Jian retorted angrily.
“I’ve done so much, what’s wrong with wanting a little reward? In this life, the only things I really love are Spirit Stones and beauties…”
To be able to say such shameless words with a straight face—Shiqi looked at Hua Jian with a mix of admiration and mostly contempt.
“Don’t listen to her, she just talks big. If you really tried something, she’d puff up like a pufferfish and burst at a poke.” This time, Linglong actually spoke in Hua Jian’s defense.
She seriously told Shiqi that Hua Jian’s only real weapon was her tongue. When it came to actual fighting strength, she was utterly lacking.
To put it bluntly, Hua Jian was just a flirt, and she’d only survived this long because Linglong was so tolerant.
If Linglong had been even a little meaner, Hua Jian would probably be stuck in a dark cellar, enduring the merciless love of the Dragon Girl.
She talked like a battle-hardened veteran, but in truth was a pure and innocent chick. Hua Jian was a mass of contradictions.
“I—I just have a sense of shame!” Hua Jian stammered her rebuttal.
But her tone showed Shiqi who’d won this round. Linglong had struck Hua Jian’s fatal point, and she couldn’t get another word out.
Today, it was the Saintess who claimed victory.
As the three chatted idly, the Venerable, missing for some time, reappeared in their sights.
At the sight of the Venerable, Hua Jian dashed over as if to her savior, pleading for comfort with a pitiful look.
The Venerable was a very loving flower.
Seeing Hua Jian rush up for a hug, she stretched out her arms, embracing the half-kneeling Hua Jian and gently stroking her head, murmuring comfort.
As for why Hua Jian came running back for a hug—the Venerable didn’t care.
Children’s play, nothing to take too seriously.
“Venerable, we’ll probably be leaving in two or three days,” as Hua Jian sought solace, Linglong came over and told the Venerable their next plans.
But this time, the Venerable revised Linglong’s plan.
“Stay half a month longer. Hua Jian is not yet skilled enough with her powers, she needs to keep practicing.”
The Venerable explained that it wasn’t about being reluctant to let them go, but that Hua Jian hadn’t mastered her skills yet and needed more training.
She’d crammed some abilities into Hua Jian, but what she could use was only the surface.
The details required slow, careful teaching.
“Eh, I’m not done yet?” Hua Jian, in the Venerable’s arms, lifted her head in surprise—she’d thought she was almost finished.
“Of course. Since you’ll be leaving soon, I won’t let you slack off in training anymore.” The Venerable replied without expression.
Staring at the Venerable’s chilly little face, so like her own, Hua Jian shivered.
Damn, why did she feel her coming days were doomed?
……
Hua Jian’s premonition proved right. The next day, once the Venerable brought her back to the Huahai, her hellish life began.
Originally, her days in the Huahai were spent training a bit in the morning, resting a bit, then a bit in the afternoon, then resting, and cultivating alone in the evening.
Now, all her breaks had been eliminated. She did nothing but train and cultivate, barely having time even for meals.
While Linglong and Shiqi hunted and roasted meat nearby, she could only eat the bland fruits tossed to her by the Venerable.
These fruits were produced by the Venerable’s own White Flower—just one tiny piece could keep her full for a day, but eating them felt like eating nothing at all.
They were so tiny, tasteless, and left the same first impression as the Venerable: pale and faint…
And the training the Venerable arranged made Hua Jian want to cry. She even began to suspect the Venerable had misunderstood something about her.
She, Hua Jian, was just a Spirit Master! Why were all her training opponents Ling Wang Realm Spirit Beasts that had been captured?
How was that fair!
It wasn’t fair at all!
But she didn’t dare protest—she could only persevere in this tragic life.
What made her want to die was that on the fifth day of training, Fenghua Venerable, who had been secretly watching, also appeared and joined in her training.
Who knew how the two Venerables had communicated, but when it came to training Hua Jian, they were of one mind.
So, from then on, Hua Jian’s life was even more miserable—every morning she woke up, it was a new battle with Ling Wang-level Spirit Beasts.
As long as she wasn’t killed, they’d beat her half to death.
Most evenings, there wasn’t a piece of her clothing unscathed, and new wounds had appeared all over her body.
“That rhino’s horn actually pierced my belly! Do you know how terrifying that is? I thought I was going to die right then!”
On the tenth day of training, Hua Jian finally finished ahead of schedule and had a moment to complain to Linglong and Shiqi about her experiences.
As she spoke, she rubbed her belly, looking deeply traumatized.
“If this keeps up, I’ll stop being human altogether.”
The Venerable’s training for Hua Jian was simple: help her break out of human thinking and make full use of the abilities Linglong ought to have.
Most important was getting Hua Jian to understand her own body’s functions.
Many attacks that would be deadly to humans were mere minor injuries to someone whose true form was Linglong.
“I only just found out—turns out, for me, getting my stomach pierced is only a small wound.”
Why had she finished early today?
Because she’d taken a Spirit Beast’s charge head-on, had her belly pierced, and used the opportunity to snare it with her vines, using all her powers to eat it clean.
After defeating the Spirit Beast, Hua Jian felt like she was dying of pain, but the Venerable just came over and said she wasn’t really injured.
How could Hua Jian believe it? She’d seen the beast’s horn go right through her belly! For any other Spirit Master, that was a mortal wound.
She hurt so badly—surely she was gravely injured.