“Ahem... this child is a bit of a special case. She originally belonged to Cantia’s Blue Dragon clan, being a direct descendant, but her mana underwent a mutation during her growth. It became similar to my own attribute, which is why I’ve taken over her training recently,” the Rift Dragon King explained.
“Space-type? That’s truly rare. Another mana mutation? Is it similar to Maela’s?” Starlight rubbed his chin, speaking thoughtfully.
At that moment, Little Gold leaned in with a mysterious air. “The old fatty isn’t telling the whole truth. Xi Xi isn’t just a Space-type—she also has an affinity for the time element!”
“What?!”
Little Gold’s words nearly made everyone’s jaws drop.
Being a Space-type was already incredibly rare, but adding a potential Time-type affinity on top of that was terrifying.
Moreover, as long as a dragon was given enough time to grow, reaching the Saint Rank was practically guaranteed.
Once Xi Xi elevated both Time and Space to the Saint Rank, she would essentially be a fusion of the two Archmages, Mowei and Eventador. She would be a top-tier powerhouse on the entire continent.
The scene suddenly fell into an eerie silence. Everyone realized that the young drake fluttering her wings before them would likely grow into one of the most fearsome existences in the world.
However, Xi Xi was still far from that stage. It was too early to worry about such things.
For now, Xi Xi’s mission was simply to transport Starlight and the others to Lionheart City, serving as an opportunity for her to broaden her horizons.
Yserazor didn’t linger on formalities. He turned to Xi Xi and said, “Then it is settled. You’ve never been outside Dragon Valley, so remember to listen to their advice this time. Come back as soon as the business is finished.”
Xi Xi nodded obediently at the Rift Dragon King’s instructions.
“Alright, let’s get ready to head out!” Starlight clapped his hands and was the first to hop onto Xi Xi’s smooth dragon back. The scales beneath his feet felt cool to the touch but carried a strange vitality, seemingly vibrating slightly.
Seeing this, Moen and the other two followed suit. Although she was still far from the size of an adult dragon, there was more than enough room for a few people to sit.
As the last passenger settled in, Xi Xi once again spread her radiant wings.
In the instant before takeoff, she suddenly turned her head toward Little Gold, who was seeing them off, and gave a playful wink. “Wait for me to come back! I’ll show you the gifts I bring from the human cities!”
Before the little Dragon King could respond, a streak of silver light soared into the sky, leaving a brilliant trail across the blue firmament.
...
Thanks to Xi Xi’s astonishing speed, the group crossed the vast distance from Dragon Valley to Cinder City in just half a day.
The silver dragon circled gracefully above the city, her scales reflecting the sunlight and scattering diamond-like glints through the clouds.
To avoid causing a panic among the dwarves, Starlight didn’t have Xi Xi land directly inside Cinder City. Instead, he had Moen summon a mountain sparrow to deliver a message to Maela and the others.
Before long, Starlight saw an excited Maela rushing out from the city gates.
“You guys finally made it! I’ve been waiting so long I’m about to sprout mushrooms!”
“Well, we made it on time, didn’t we?” Starlight laughed as he leapt down from the dragon’s back and waved to her. “Where’s Stark? Don’t tell me he’s buried in his lab again?”
“Don’t even get me started! That guy told me he’s reached some kind of breakthrough and it’s a critical moment, so he’s not coming with us for now. He’ll head to Lionheart City on his own once he’s done.” At the mention of Stark, Maela stomped her foot in frustration, though she was helpless to change it.
“I see. So, how are our weapons coming along?” Po Kong asked curiously.
“The weapons for you two are almost finished. They’ll probably take another week or two. I left a message for the Nerd to bring them along when he’s finished, so don’t worry,” Maela said, patting her chest.
She then turned to Starlight and continued, “As for your weapon, it won’t be ready that quickly. A dragon crystal of that size can only be carved slowly. Plus, the Nerd added a lot of his own designs that differ from traditional craftsmanship, so it’ll be at least six months before it’s in your hands.”
Starlight could only shrug helplessly. He didn’t mind much; he had fought his way through this entire journey empty-handed, and suddenly being given a weapon might actually feel a bit unnatural.
“In that case...” Starlight looked toward the distant silhouettes of the mountains and then at Xi Xi, who was curiously eyeing Cinder City. “Let’s head straight for Lionheart City. Xi Xi, can you take us one more stretch?”
“Of course! You’d better hold on tight—I plan to go even faster this time!” Xi Xi’s eyes lit up, and she puffed out her chest proudly.
Hearing this, Po Kong hurriedly said, “Slow down! We’re not in that much of a hurry. If you go any faster, I’m afraid I’ll vomit on your back!”
“...Wait! Don’t you dare vomit! Fine, I’ll go slower, okay?”
Once the five passengers were settled on her back, Xi Xi transformed into a streak of silver light once more, shooting straight into the clouds.
The journey that followed was like a dreamlike pilgrimage.
At times, Xi Xi glided close to the sea of clouds, letting everyone feel the cotton-like mist brush against their faces; at other times, she dove through canyons, startling flocks of birds into the air.
By the time dusk arrived the following day, the silhouette of the human capital finally appeared on the horizon. Xi Xi slowed down, and everyone finally got a clear view of the scenery below.
From this height, Lionheart City looked like a golden badge pinned to the earth—towering white walls surrounded sprawling districts, and the roofs of various tall buildings shimmered with a pale golden glow under the setting sun.
“Wow! That’s Lionheart City? It’s way more spectacular than Cinder City!” Maela lay on the dragon’s back, her eyes sparkling.
“Yeah, it’s impressive, isn’t it? Though you get tired of it after seeing it too much,” Po Kong chimed in, pointing at the various colored bands of magic light floating over the city. “Look, it seems we’ve arrived just in time for the pre-festival celebrations. Those nobles love putting on these kinds of shows!”
Just then, Xi Xi suddenly let out a low cry and turned her head to the side.
Following her gaze, the group saw a squad of patrol knights riding gryphons flying toward them. The knight in the lead was holding up a warning rune that glowed with a red light.
Clearly, this unfamiliar silver dragon had caught the attention of the capital’s guards.
Seeing Xi Xi tense up, the silver light rippling between her scales flickering unevenly, Moen quickly stroked the side of her neck. “Don’t be afraid. It’s just the capital’s Gryphon Patrol. We’ll handle the talking.”
Soon, a knight wielding a weapon broke off from the formation and guided his gryphon to a stop about ten meters away.
“Honored guests, please present your identification,” the knight said, lifting his visor to reveal a young and resolute face. “Unregistered flying mounts are prohibited from passing over the capital. Please have your... er...”
His gaze lingered on Xi Xi’s elegant dragon form for a moment, and his tone became less certain. “Please have your noble dragon companion land outside the city.”
As an elite of the capital’s patrol, he had developed a keen eye for people and things. Anyone who could ride a dragon was certainly no ordinary person, but these faces didn’t match any of the big shots in the capital.
While the knight was secretly on guard, Po Kong suddenly leaned out from the dragon’s back and shouted in surprise, “Wait... isn’t that Quick? My god, it’s only been a few years and you’ve already made it to Gryphon Patrol Captain?”
At the sound of that voice, the young knight’s entire body jolted, and he looked up in disbelief.
When he saw Po Kong’s face, his stern expression instantly crumbled. “Young Master Po Kong? Is it really you, Young Master Po Kong?! You’ve finally returned! Come, come! Follow me down!”
Without waiting for a response, Quick turned and signaled an emergency landing gesture to the patrol squad, then impatiently urged his gryphon to dive toward the ground.
“Tsk, tsk. ‘Young Master Po Kong,’ is it?” Xia Duo narrowed her eyes, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. “It seems someone’s status in the capital is even bigger than I thought.”
“Don’t tease me, Little Shadow. But he really is an old acquaintance. It’ll be fine to follow him down. Let’s go!” Po Kong gave a cheeky grin and said casually.
Rate on N.U.
