Chapter 53: Returning to the Dragon God Empire
Chapter 53: Returning to the Dragon God Empire
“Father Emperor, no problem. I will do my best to complete the mission. Do you know roughly where it is?”
The Beastmen King smiled and said, “Child, remember this: even if the mission can’t be completed, it doesn’t matter. You must return safely. The Beastmen race cannot be without you. Do you understand? According to the agents, this Five-Colored Radiance appeared near the Dragon God Empire’s imperial capital, at a place called White Smoke Mountain.”
“White Smoke Mountain?” That name sounded so familiar. A flash of insight struck me—wasn’t that the place where I first went into closed cultivation, broke through the third level of the Heavenly Demon Art, and reached the Two-Winged Fallen Angel realm? It was also the location Teacher Zhuang told me about. “Alright, don’t worry. When should I leave?”
The Beastmen King turned serious. “As soon as possible. Do you need anyone to assist you?”
I shook my head. “I’ll go alone. Father Emperor, while I’m gone, please keep an eye on my home. Is that alright?”
The Beastmen King smiled and nodded. “I know Lei Hu went to your place to make trouble last time, but I had to give your father face, so I couldn’t interfere. Don’t worry and go handle your business—your home is covered with me. You don’t need your two sworn elder brothers to go with you? They’re strong support.”
I shook my head. “No need. They’re in closed cultivation right now. I don’t want to affect them. And their appearance isn’t suitable for carrying out a mission with me.” If I were only going to the Dragon God Empire to wander around, bringing them along would be fine, but I had too many things to do. With Jin and Yin’s temperament, who knew what kind of trouble they would stir up. It was better to leave them at home cultivating.
“Alright, then. When are you planning to leave?”
I thought for a moment and said, “Tomorrow morning. I’ll leave at dawn. I’ll go back now to pack. Do you have any other instructions?”
The Beastmen King nodded in satisfaction. “Only one: you must pay attention to safety and come back to me safely. My Beastmen army of a million still needs you to command it. Before you leave, go to the finance minister and draw whatever money you need. Prepare more. Sometimes, if money can solve it, don’t use force. The Dragon God Empire is their territory, after all. Be careful in everything. Father Emperor will wait for your good news.”
“Yes, Father Emperor. Then I’ll take my leave.”
“Mm. When you leave tomorrow, there’s no need to come over. Ah, right—this is for you.” The Beastmen King picked up a small item wrapped in brocade from his desk and handed it to me.
I took it and asked in surprise, “What is this? I can’t accept it.”
The Beastmen King said, “You’re the commander-in-chief, and you don’t even want your own seal anymore?”
I opened the brocade. Inside was a seal carved from jade. A cute little lion was carved on it, and below were four characters—Commander-in-Chief Seal. The entire seal was carved from a single piece of jade, seamless and whole, and it seemed there was a faint white glow slowly circulating across it. Since it was my own thing, I stopped refusing, tucked it into my clothes, and said, “This son takes his leave.”
The Beastmen King said, “If necessary, as long as you present that seal, the Beastmen army can be dispatched at your command.”
When I returned to the prince’s mansion, I went straight to find Mother. Mother was practicing magic together with Bai Jian.
“Mom, I’m back.”
Mother stopped practicing and asked, “What did the Beastmen King want with you?”
“Mom, I might not be able to stay by your side for a while again. This time I’m going to the Dragon God Empire to complete a mission. I’ll probably be gone longer.”
Mother frowned. “You’re going to the Dragon God Empire? What for?”
I smiled slightly. “Don’t worry. I absolutely won’t do anything that harms the Dragon God Empire. I’m only going because something strange appeared within Dragon God Empire territory, and the Beastmen King wants me to investigate. Who told me to have a human face. And I also have some things I need to settle. Mom, rest well at home. When I come back, I’ll try again to ask the Beastmen King for permission to leave. Alright?”
Hearing that I wasn’t going to the Dragon God Empire to sabotage it, Mother clearly relaxed. After all, that was her homeland. “Are you going alone?”
I nodded. “Big Brother and Second Brother are all in closed cultivation. I don’t want to disturb them, and it isn’t convenient for them to go. With their looks, they couldn’t disguise themselves even if they wanted to. It’s better for me to go alone. Don’t worry—I’ll be careful in everything.”
Mother nodded. “How long will you be gone?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. The destination is far, and the situation over there isn’t clear yet. It will probably take a while. Mom, while I’m gone, you must take care of your health. I already spoke with the Beastmen King—he will assign more people to protect the mansion.”
Mother reminded me, “Go without worry. Don’t worry about home. Go early and come back early. You must pay attention to safety.”
As I agreed with Mother, I looked at Bai Jian beside her. Since learning battle energy and magic with Mother, her complexion looked much better than before, and her small face was rosy. I bowed to her. “Elder Sister Jian’er, while I’m gone, I’ll have to rely on you to take care of Mother. If Big Brother and the others wake up, have them wait at home for me. Tell them I went to carry out a mission.”
Bai Jian nodded and said blandly, “I know. I will take good care of Mother.”
I forced a smile. “Thank you.” Then I turned to Mother. “Mom, I’ll go back to pack first. I’m leaving early tomorrow.”
Mother said in surprise, “So urgent? Fine. Let Jian’er help you pack. You boys are always careless—after you leave, you’ll remember you forgot this and forgot that.”
I glanced at Bai Jian and shook my head. “No need to trouble her. I can do it myself. Every time I go out, I don’t bring much anyway—just two changes of clothes is enough.”
Mother feigned anger. “Xiang’er, are you being disobedient? Listen to me. Jian’er, go help him pack a little. Don’t let him miss anything. Mom will go make something good for you to eat—consider it seeing Xiang’er off.”
Mother had already said that much, so I couldn’t argue anymore. Seeing Bai Jian didn’t look annoyed, I nodded and agreed.
Bai Jian followed behind me into my room. I was never the tidy type. Since I had been cultivating all this time and forbade servants from disturbing me, the room was a mess. I said awkwardly, “Sit. I’ll just pack a few things myself.” I gathered the scattered clothes from the floor into a pile, then casually took a few changes from the cabinet and wrapped them simply in cloth.
Bai Jian came over and said softly, “I’ll help you.”
I shook my head. “No need. Honestly, even if I bring nothing, it doesn’t matter. The more I bring, the more troublesome it is.”
As Bai Jian folded clothes for me, she asked as if casually, “Will this trip be dangerous?”
I laughed at myself. “When has any trip of mine not been dangerous? I’m used to it. It doesn’t matter. But don’t tell Mother. I don’t want her to worry.”
“Mm. Safety matters more. Be careful. About the matter you mentioned last time—how are you planning to handle it?”
I looked at her. There wasn’t the slightest expression on her side profile. I sighed and said, “I’ve already thought it through. I’ll go find the girl I hurt. I don’t know what she’s thinking now, but I’ll do my best to do what I should do.”
Bai Jian stopped what she was doing and looked at me. “Then what about the person you like?”
I said, utterly dispirited, “What else can I do? I can only ask them to forgive me. If they won’t forgive me, then I can only leave. With their qualities, they can definitely find a better place to belong than me. I’m the one who did wrong. I don’t even expect they can forgive me anymore. No matter who it is, this kind of thing is impossible to accept.”
A trace of pity flashed in Bai Jian’s eyes. She said softly, “Actually, with your current achievements, having three wives and four concubines is normal.”
I shook my head. “Originally, I only wanted one lover. But sometimes, that kind of thing isn’t something I can control. To my shame, the people I like are a pair of sisters. Even now, I still don’t know how they plan to accept me. I’ve already gotten somewhat indifferent to these matters. Why are feelings so hard for me?” As I said this, I felt a wave of collapse over my entire body, as if all my strength had drained away. I dropped into the chair, breathing a little fast.
Bai Jian said, “What you should face, you still have to face. Avoiding it isn’t a solution. Maybe things aren’t as bad as you imagine.”
I smiled bitterly. “I can’t think in a good direction at all. Who would want their man to be someone worse than a beast? And right now I feel like I’m in the ‘worse than a beast’ category. Otherwise I wouldn’t have done that. I don’t ask for their forgiveness. I only hope they can live a bit better in the future. That will be enough for me. There’s nothing else to pack. Go help Mother—she isn’t young anymore. Cooking alone will be tiring. I want to be alone for a while.”
Bai Jian tied the bundle closed. “Then I’ll go out first.”
I nodded and watched Bai Jian leave. A nameless irritability rose in me. Right now I truly wanted to find a place to vent the pain inside me, but I didn’t know how to vent it. My chest felt so blocked it was like I couldn’t breathe. I truly loved Zi Xue and Zi Yan, but I also understood that they would never forgive me so easily.
…………
At dawn, I carried my bundle and quietly set out alone. When I left, I didn’t alert anyone. I didn’t want Mother to go through the pain of parting again. That was a scene I didn’t want to see. Without the Black Dragon, I could only travel on foot. I understood clearly that the Beastmen King didn’t have much hope for my action this time—after all, that was Dragon God Empire territory.
I myself didn’t treat this as a mission either. For me, it was only a chance to clear my head. Quietly, I left, carrying a heart full of exhaustion.
I decided to go find Zi Yan and Zi Xue first and explain everything clearly, and only then go look for that so-called Five-Colored Radiance. Otherwise, I simply wouldn’t have the mood to do anything. After leaving the imperial capital, I followed the road I already knew and headed toward the Dragon God Empire. Because my human face had gained some fame among the Beastmen, I once again put on a bamboo hat.
On both sides of the official road, there were lush green plants everywhere. It looked like a harvest was coming. Seeing this, I felt a bit better—after all, this had been my idea.
Unlike the last time I went to the Dragon God Empire, I didn’t encounter a single bandit group along the way. All the Beastmen seemed to have turned over a new leaf. It seemed the Beastmen King’s orders truly carried weight. I believed that a Beastmen Kingdom without bandits would definitely flourish.
Stru Fortress lay there like a coiled divine dragon, silent and still. The smoke of war that had once filled the air before the fortress was gone, replaced by a stretch of quiet. The ground for more than ten kilometers in front of the fortress was barren, probably due to years upon years of war. I was back again—how was I supposed to enter the fortress this time?
Maybe Li Wa was stationed here with his father guarding the fortress. His beloved Zi Yan had become the woman I loved. I couldn’t casually reveal my identity. After all, in the Dragon God Empire I was still a Tianshou Academy student, even if my enrollment was probably already revoked.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, I decided to sneak into Stru Fortress. After a long wait, night finally fell. I sat cross-legged on the ground and drove my dark magic power, pushing my six senses to their limit as I listened to the surroundings. After confirming there were no living things nearby, I stood up.
I took off my bundle, stuffed my outer shirt inside it, and removed it from my body. My method of sneaking in was simple: use a Fallen Angel’s wings to fly in. Although I could already fly using wind-element magic, it consumed too much magic power. I couldn’t guarantee my energy would hold out until I reached safe territory. Besides, Dragon Knights patrolled the skies above Stru Fortress. To avoid them, I needed speed greater than theirs—something wind-element magic couldn’t do. So I chose to transform. This was also my first transformation attempt after cultivating the Heavenly Demon Art to the seventh level.
I focused my mind and chanted, “Darkness gathers the soul; only in falling can one be free. Awaken—the endless magic power sleeping in my blood.”
After the incantation ended, I felt the blood in my body boil rapidly. A point of chill came from between my brows, and with a boom my mind seemed to explode. The world around me felt different. Countless dark elements that seemed almost visible crazily gathered toward me and entered my body through my pores, continuously merging into the dark magic power that was running at high speed inside me. A completely new sensation rushed at me.
My forehead suddenly went cold. I instinctively threw my head back. That chill ran from head to toe. My hair began to change color. My dark magic power, from over-absorbing and compressing, had already formed into a liquid state inside me. Countless winding rivers flowed through my meridians.
Suddenly, a violent tearing sensation came from my back. My bones crackled all over, far more painful than the first time I transformed into a Two-Winged Fallen Angel. It felt like my entire body was being ripped apart by powerful dark magic power. A massive purple six-pointed star appeared silently beneath my feet. I couldn’t hold back a long howl—“Ah—!”
Four wings, larger than before, gradually pushed out from my body. Even more dark elements continuously gathered into me from those brand-new black wings, flooding my body. Thick black fog wrapped around me, then gradually merged into me. It was a strange feeling, as if I had become another person—an incomparably powerful demon god.
At last, everything gradually calmed down. The black fog vanished. My bronze skin turned extremely pale, and a faint halo flowed beneath it. If not for my black hair, eyes, and wings, I might have thought I had become a jade statue carved from fine stone. I knew I had successfully transformed into a Four-Winged Fallen Angel.
In that instant, the world became clear. I could easily see and hear faraway places.
…………
Inside Stru Fortress’s marshal’s residence, Li Wo, who had been looking at a map, suddenly jolted. A chill spread through his body in an instant. He muttered alertly, “Such strong dark aura—could the demon race be launching a sneak attack?”
At that thought, cold sweat broke out on him. He roared, “Guards!”
“Marshal, what are your orders?”
“Immediately summon all Dragon Knights to patrol outside the fortress. See if there are any abnormal circumstances.”
“Yes, Marshal.”
After the guard withdrew, Li Wo sighed. “I hope I’m just being overly sensitive. It’s only been peaceful for a few days—I don’t want to fight again.”
A moment later, a clear voice sounded. “Father Marshal, what happened? You’re gathering everyone.”
The handsome Li Wa, dressed in silver armor, walked in.
Li Wo looked at his capable son and showed a trace of a smile. “Just now I suddenly sensed a strong dark aura, so I had you all go patrol and see if there’s anything abnormal.”
Li Wa smiled. “Father, aren’t you being too cautious? The demon race just finished fighting with the Beastmen a few days ago. Where would they have the spare strength to attack us?”
Li Wo’s expression turned stern. “Better safe than sorry. If I tell you to go, then go. Why so much nonsense? You need to learn. As a commander, strategy and tactics are important, but caution is also an indispensable trait. Understand?”
Li Wa put away his smile and answered seriously, “Yes, Father Marshal. I’ll go right away.”
“Mm. Be careful. If anything is abnormal, report back to the fortress immediately with a signal.”
“Understood.”
…………
After transforming, my six senses increased greatly. Within a hundred meters, every fine detail was distinct. With every casual movement, a current of dark energy flowed along with it, and the liquid dark magic power inside me actively surged in response to my every motion.
I drew my new wings closer. The beautiful black feathers were larger than before and even glossier. With a light flick, they gave off a ringing sound. A satisfied smile appeared on my face. With a pull of my hand, I drew Mo Ming and my bundle into my grasp. With a thought, my body floated into the air. With my current strength, even if Li Wo came personally, without the aid of a divine dragon he might not be my match.
I lightly beat my wings and rose straight into the sky. Just then, I saw dozens of streaks of light shooting out from Stru Fortress. When I focused my eyes, they were dozens of Dragon Knights riding divine dragons of various colors.
Why did so many Dragon Knights come out at once? Were they all patrolling?
The group of Dragon Knights paused in the air, then scattered in an instant, slowly moving outward in a search pattern. My heart sank. Even with the cover of night, if they searched like this, it would be hard not to be discovered. Besides, divine dragons were extremely sensitive to dark aura.
What bad luck. Was I supposed to force my way through? Forget it. Although I, as a Four-Winged Fallen Angel, didn’t fear them, they had the advantage in numbers. It was better not to invite trouble. With that thought, I drifted backward, moving along with their search, always keeping a distance they couldn’t detect. I wanted to see how long this search would last.
Right now I wasn’t worried at all about my dark magic power running out. The dark elements I continuously absorbed were more than what I consumed. It was enough to support long-term flight. That was good—no need to walk in the future. Flying like this was much faster than riding the Black Dragon.
The Dragon Knights’ patrol lasted a full hour, covering the area within thirty li in front of Stru Fortress. Truly thorough. Were they going to do this kind of carpet search every day? Wouldn’t that be exhausting?
Watching the Dragon Knights gradually withdraw, I quietly followed behind them. Only after they all entered the fortress did I slowly approach. I flew as high as possible. The air at high altitude was thin and bitterly cold, but it had almost no effect on me. I carefully wrapped my body in black fog and drifted past. I didn’t dare enter the city. Instead, I directly crossed over Stru Fortress.
The night air was cool like water, making my mind feel unusually alert. Under the cover of night, I drove my body and flew toward Dragon City. Forests and villages below retreated rapidly. I felt myself in an unprecedented state of power. I knew I had taken another great step toward the goal of becoming an unrivaled expert.
Yet this powerful strength came from despicable rape.
Like this, I rested during the day and flew at night in transformed form. In only five days, I reached Dragon City. The closer I got, the heavier my mood became, because I was about to face the people I least wanted to face—my beloved Zi sisters.
When I entered Dragon City, everything was the same as before. The streets were still bustling. Dragon God Empire prosperity was something the demon race and Beastmen race simply couldn’t compare to. I had to admit that. But I had no mood to appreciate any of it.
I found an inn and stayed there first. I shut myself in my room in silence, thinking over what I would say to Zi Xue and Zi Yan. Three days passed like that, but I still couldn’t think of a flawless solution. For this kind of matter, no explanation would ever be enough.
Fine. I clenched my teeth and decided that tonight I would sneak into the duke’s residence. What had to come would come. The longer I dragged it out, the weaker my resolve to confess would become. My beloved—how would you treat me?
Night again. The moon in the sky was half bright and half dim. I put on a set of night clothes, tied Mo Ming to my back, and quietly left the inn. Familiar with the way, I reached the duke’s residence. I felt my heartbeat accelerate without stopping. My beloved were only a wall away from me.
I accelerated the circulation of my dark magic power and kept myself in peak condition. With a push off the ground, I leapt onto the courtyard wall. The duke’s residence was still tightly guarded, but it was useless against me. I moved carefully, first arriving at Zi Yan’s room.
Seeing the elegant furnishings by the door, a deep tenderness rose in my heart.
Zi Yan’s room was dark. Could she really have gone to sleep so early? I looked around and saw no one. I drifted down into the courtyard without making a sound and walked to Zi Yan’s door. To my surprise, her door was locked. Even if she wasn’t in the room, it shouldn’t have been locked. This was her own home. There was no need.
With uneasy feelings, I circled to Zi Xue’s residence not far away. It was the same—the door was locked as well.
Had they moved? That didn’t make sense. A duke didn’t just relocate casually. Besides, there were so many guards in the residence. Only a duke would have defenses like this.
Where had the sisters gone?
Now I wasn’t afraid to see them anymore. What filled me more was burning longing. Driven by that intense longing, I went to the duke’s roof. The defense here was even tighter. I couldn’t drop into the courtyard and could only lie quietly on the rooftop.
I carefully lifted a glazed tile. A beam of light immediately spilled through the gap. I peered down. The duke was sitting there leisurely drinking tea, with the duchess seated beside him.
I gathered my hearing and listened.
The duchess said, “My lord, you seem to be in a good mood today.”
The duke nodded. “Yes. The realm has been peaceful lately, so of course I’m in a good mood. Our agents reported that the demon race and Beastmen race really did clash, and both sides suffered considerable losses. Now we can have more peaceful days. In my view, there won’t be any major war within five years. Of course I’m happy. Even His Majesty has been in a better mood lately.”
The duchess clearly had no interest in those matters. She didn’t ask why they didn’t seize the chance to attack the demon and Beastmen races. She only said, “That’s good. I’m most afraid of war. Last time, when our eldest daughter went to the battlefield, it scared me to death. Thankfully she came back safely. I only have these daughters—if anything happened to them, I…”
The duke frowned. “Don’t say such unlucky things.”
The duchess quickly stopped. It seemed she still respected her husband greatly. I watched the duke carefully, and a strange feeling rose in me. This Lin Feng, whom Mother longed for—what had he been like when he was young?
The duchess said, “My lord, can you promise me that you won’t let the girls participate in war anymore? I’m really afraid.”
The duke was clearly a bit impatient and nodded. “I understand.”
The duchess said, “Zi Yan is already twenty, and Zi Xue is nearly eighteen. Shouldn’t you find them a marriage? If a girl gets too old, it’s hard to marry.”
The duke glanced at the duchess and sneered. “My daughters would be unable to marry? Setting aside our illustrious family, their beauty alone has long made them the objects pursued by all the young nobles in the capital. It’s only that they themselves don’t want to. What’s there to worry about?”
Hearing him say that, I let out a breath. It seemed Zi Xue and Zi Yan truly had been waiting for me.
The duchess sighed. “Ever since Zi Yan came back last time and said Lei Xiang’s whereabouts were unknown, that girl Zi Xue has been absentminded. I’m afraid she won’t accept anyone else in the future. And Zi Yan worries me even more. That child Li Wa is clearly outstanding, but she just doesn’t like him. Especially since she came back from the front lines, Li Wa has looked for her twice. Each time she stubbornly sent him away. I really don’t know what kind of person she wants to find.”
The duke said, “That child Lei Xiang was indeed good. No wonder Zi Xue is like this. If he really died on the battlefield like that, it would be a pity. But from my observation, that child didn’t have the physiognomy of early death. Why is there still no news after so long? The people I sent to find him never found him. Could he really be finished like this? A Xue’s heart is too heavy. Several times I saw her spacing out alone. What makes me most puzzled is that sometimes her elder sister even spaces out with her. Originally, I didn’t want to let them go out this time, but considering letting Zi Xue relax, I agreed to their request.”
The duchess complained, “You decided too hastily. People say when fists fly, no one ends up safe. What if they get injured?”
The duke said irritably, “They’re not children anymore. They can take care of themselves. Besides, I asked their Vice Principal to look after them. What danger could there be? Such a woman’s view.”
So Zi Xue and Zi Yan went out. And he asked the Vice Principal—that meant they went with academy people. What were they going to do?
The duke continued, as if he knew what I wanted to hear. “Isn’t it just going to Xi Lun City to participate in that so-called Four Great Academies friendship exchange? What’s dangerous about it? Zi Xue only handles healing. Even though Zi Yan participates in the exchange, our good daughter’s light-element magic is very powerful now. Besides, she’s so beautiful—who would have the heart to hurt her? Don’t worry blindly. It’s late. Rest.” After saying that, he put down his teacup and went into the inner room.
The duchess sighed, stood, and followed him in.
They went to an exchange between academies. I remembered Teacher Zhuang once seemed to mention that the Four Great Academies held a martial exchange once in a while. Since they went, I would go too. Where was Xi Lun City? I would have to ask around.
Once I learned Zi Yan and Zi Xue’s whereabouts, my mood immediately relaxed. My right foot moved unconsciously, and the roof tiles gave a soft crack.
I jolted, quickly pressed my body down, and didn’t dare move.
After a while, it seemed no one noticed the faint sound. Only then did I let out a breath. Just as I was about to leave, a light breeze passed, and someone appeared in front of me.
The duke had been preparing to return to bed when he heard movement on the roof. Confident in his own skill, he quietly came out, leapt up onto the roof, and caught me on the spot.
Since I wasn’t wearing a face covering, he recognized me immediately. The duke said in surprise, “It’s you?”
I looked at him awkwardly and nodded. “It’s me. Greetings, Duke.”
The guards below already noticed something. A guard shouted, “My lord, what is it?”
The duke said in a low voice, “Nothing. Return to your posts.” After dismissing his subordinates, he frowned. “Where have you been all this time? And at this hour, sneaking into my residence—what are you doing?”
My heart stirred. I said, “I came to find you. This isn’t a place to talk. You see…”
The duke, relying on his skill being stronger than mine, sized me up and nodded. “Come with me.”
I followed him down from the roof. He took me to the same study as last time, closed the door behind him, lit two oil lamps, adjusted the light to be gentle, and said with his back to me, “Speak.”
I said straightforwardly, “Duke, I just returned from the Beastmen Kingdom.”
The duke whirled around. “The Beastmen Kingdom? What did you go there for?”