Chapter 73
In the end, Dragon Lie decided to stay. I’m not sure what he said to Dragon Chi, but it seemed to calm his anger. For now, he remains on the island.
Shen Qi had been pondering how to accommodate Dragon Lie. After all, there was only one bedroom. Suddenly, Dragon Lie gestured toward the air, creating a rift from which he pulled out a magnificent golden carriage.
The term “carriage” is used loosely here; there were no horses, only the vehicle itself. The carriage spanned about fifty square meters, its interior hidden from view. But its exterior — oh, it was resplendent! Crafted entirely from pure gold, it sparkled with an array of gemstones, forming intricate patterns. At the top, four red dragons were intricately carved, each more imposing than the last. Although he couldn’t discern the sculpting technique, it was undoubtedly extraordinary.
Dragon Lie dragged the carriage to the cave entrance and rapped on its side. His smile was elegant, but his eyes gleamed with pride. “This was specially crafted by the most skilled magicians among humans. Inside, you’ll find everything you need, Ah Qi. No need to worry.”
Defeat.
Dragon Chi’s head felt like it had been struck by two words: “golden carriage.” He had gold coins, but no golden carriage!
Initially admiring the carriage, Shen Qi noticed Dragon Chi’s expression and chuckled. Leaning closer, he whispered, “Did you forget? I told you — I don’t like gold.”
Dragon Chi’s spirits revived instantly. However, when he saw Dragon Lie pull out a bunch of pure gold roses from the rift, his mood plummeted further.
A golden rose — something he also didn’t possess.
Dragon Lie held the dazzling golden rose before Shen Qi. “I’ve thought it over. Those red roses are too commonplace. Only this golden rose is truly beautiful, worthy of you. It will never wither, symbolizing my sincere feelings for you…”
“Lie!” Dragon Chi exclaimed in frustration, pulling Shen Qi into his embrace. “I take it back! You’re not allowed to stay in my territory. Pack your things and leave. Otherwise, otherwise…” He steeled himself. “I’ll challenge you to a duel!”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” Dragon Lie shook his head, sighing. “My dear brother, I’ve told you before: be gentle and considerate with beautiful people. Your temper needs adjusting. You’ve spent three hundred years in the deep sea, unaware that Dragon Valley’s rules have long evolved. Although we’re dragons, we must keep up with the times. It’s not all about brute force. Nowadays, love is about freedom. Pursue whomever you like. It’s not about fists, mutual affection matters most.”
Shen Qi raised an eyebrow, surprised by the dragon clan’s open-mindedness.
Seeing his confusion, Dragon Lie explained, “Humans are advancing, and we dragons can’t remain oblivious. It’s no longer the brutal past of blood and survival. Many dragons have infiltrated human societies. Humans enjoy freedom in love, and we dragons shouldn’t lag behind.”
True, Shen Qi reflected. Dragon Chi’s three-hundred-year seclusion in the sea spanned an entire era. He had read about this continent’s history — the world three centuries ago was far harsher. Today’s bountiful fields, systematic magic, and alchemy were all built upon the bones of predecessors. At least now, farmers could eat their fill from their toil, whereas three hundred years ago, daily labor might not guarantee survival.
Dragon Chi’s expression fell, but he wasn’t one to give up easily. He opened a rift in his own space, rummaging half his body inside until he found something he deemed suitable. Dragging it out, he cradled it before Shen Qi.
“This is for you!”
Pausing, he imitated Dragon Lie’s demeanor, stumbling over his words: “Such a beautiful item… only, only someone as beautiful as you deserves it, Ah Qi…”
Shen Qi chuckled, examining the vivid red pendant. It resembled a water droplet, its material elusive. Yet it was undeniably exquisite, and of course, the chain was made of gold.
“Thank you, I really like it,” Shen Qi said.
Indeed, he was quite fond of the pendant. He couldn’t help but touch his forehead, brushing aside the stray hair. There, a blood-red mark in the shape of a water droplet rested — a blood pact. His hair had been growing continuously; he hadn’t cut it, and now his bangs covered not only his eyebrows but also this mark.
Dragon Lie raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised that his younger brother had formed a blood pact with someone. He furrowed his brow.
Completely unaware of his older brother’s thoughts, Dragon Chi beamed upon hearing Shen Qi’s approval. He even provocatively glanced at Dragon Lie.
Dragon Lie’s eye twitched. Suddenly, he felt like he was meddling unnecessarily.
Shen Qi thought that would be the end of it, but two days later, Dragon Lie somehow conjured up a life-sized golden statue. The statue looked exactly like Shen Qi, from its attire to its face. It was almost uncanny.
Leaning against the statue, Dragon Lie grinned like a shameless flirt. When Shen Qi approached, he performed a magical flourish, conjuring a flower. “My dear Ah Qi, I had this specially made for you. Do you like it?”
Shen Qi examined the statue, eyes wide with wonder. It truly resembled him. Although it was entirely made of gold, the skin resembled white jade, while the eyes and hair had a black material. The clothing featured intricate gemstone patterns, identical to the attire of the prince from the St Carlos Empire that Shen Qi had donned before.
Curious, Shen Qi reached out and touched the statue.
Meanwhile, Dragon Chi experienced another internal earthquake.
A golden statue — something he lacked even more!
And this time, it wasn’t all gold; it was adorned with various gemstones. Compared to the red gem he had given, this one was undoubtedly more precious. Seeing Shen Qi’s admiring gaze, Dragon Chi sank into deep frustration.
No, he couldn’t give up. Ah Qi was his, and no one could take him away!
As Shen Qi studied the gemstones on the statue, a loud crash echoed. Dragon Chi transformed into his dragon form, leaving behind a cryptic message: “Be right back.” He soared into the sky, disappearing on the horizon.
Shen Qi blinked.
What just happened?!
Turning to Dragon Lie, he found him doubled over, clutching his stomach, laughing uncontrollably.
________________________
Although Dragon Chi promised to return promptly, when he reappeared, four days had passed. Shen Qi was busy watering his vegetable garden. After all, one couldn’t survive on meat alone. Wild vegetables required effort to find, so she decided to grow her own.
Then, with a thud, something fell from the sky, shaking the ground.
Shen Qi approached the cave entrance and saw a massive object—about five meters tall and ten meters wide—lodged not far away. Upon closer inspection, it was an incredibly beautiful gemstone garden. Almost indistinguishable from reality, it was surrounded by green lattice walls. Inside, a riot of flowers bloomed, accompanied by delicate butterflies and birds. What astonished her most was that these butterflies and birds were animated, fluttering around the blossoms. Even the flowers swayed with the wind.
Dragon Lie exclaimed, “You actually brought back Stanford’s Aerial Garden!”
Shen Qi was equally shocked.
He had come across the term “Aerial Garden” while learning about this world. It was a magnificent wonder of the Stanford Empire, one of the Four Great Nations. It held great historical significance. Some said it was the creation of Emperor Oran VI, who had gathered the most renowned alchemists of the time. Others believed it was a sacred gift from the God of Light.
The Stanford Empire and the Church had even disputed ownership of this object. Eventually, they reached some agreement, and the Aerial Garden remained in the Stanford Empire. It sat atop a high platform in front of the palace square, earning its name as the Aerial Garden.
This thing, for the Stanford Empire, holds a significance roughly equivalent to that of the Statue of Liberty and the Great Wall. And yet, Dragon Chi managed to bring it back here!
Shen Qi: …
Dragon Lie: …
They exchanged a glance.
Both: …
Utterly speechless! Seriously, what kind of mischief is this?!
Following closely behind, Dragon Chi landed, rushing toward Shen Qi with excitement. “Look, look! I asked those humans, and they all said this is the most beautiful thing. I brought it back for you. Isn’t it gorgeous? They mentioned that the flowers inside change with the seasons. Oh, and don’t worry—I paid for it. I exchanged a lot of gold coins…” His face beamed with pride.
Shen Qi, observing Dragon Chi’s triumphant expression, felt a mix of helplessness and gratitude. “Thank you. It truly is beautiful, and I like it. However…” He glanced at Dragon Lie, who had already returned to his usual state, curiously exploring the garden. “Aren’t you concerned that during your absence, I might have developed feelings for Dragon Lie and accepted his pursuit?”
Huh?
(⊙v⊙)!!
Clearly caught off guard, Dragon Chi’s shock turned into realization. He glared at Dragon Lie. “This is too much! You’re so cunning!” Dragon Lie was indeed up to no good!
Shen Qi: …
Dragon Lie: …
________________________
Despite the commotion, in the days that followed, Dragon Lie earnestly began educating Dragon Chi, imparting the three hundred years he had missed. As for how much Dragon Chi understood, only he knew.
Shen Qi had always hoped Dragon Chi would mature quickly and even considered taking him to the human world for firsthand experiences. Although he hadn’t quite mastered proper behavior, he’d absorbed a wealth of unconventional knowledge. Shen Qi wondered how Dragon Lie had explained it to him. In just half a month, Dragon Chi had clearly made progress.
While not entirely mature, he had broadened his understanding. His thought process shifted from a dragon’s perspective to a human one, no longer rigidly adhering to the dragon’s viewpoint.
Shen Qi felt both reassured and nostalgic. Sometimes, he missed the simplicity of their earlier interactions. Humans, well, they couldn’t escape their greed.
However, Dragon Chi’s fundamental nature hadn’t changed much. Especially during their intimate moments at night, he’d roll around, act cute, and seek Shen Qi’s affection. He knew Shen Qi liked it, and he shamelessly indulged in it.
Even worse, he’d learned to do this not only at night but also early in the morning while Shen Qi prepared breakfast. The carriage was conveniently close to the kitchen, separated by transparent glass. Shen Qi would bite his lip in frustration.
From the outset, things spiraled out of control. Shen Qi enjoyed it too, and while they both indulged, he strictly forbade any public displays. If he sensed any hint of it, he’d intervene.
When Dragon Lie left, his lingering gaze spoke volumes.
Fortunately, Shen Qi’s experiences across various worlds had thickened his skin. He wasn’t shy, and Dragon Chi was even more straightforward. Neither felt embarrassed. If Dragon Lie hadn’t taught him human etiquette, Dragon Chi would have seen no issue with mating in front of others. After all, he’d witnessed plenty of dragon pairings before, and no dragon ever considered it taboo. Three hundred years had indeed wrought significant changes in their dragon society — no wonder Dragon Chi had reacted that way when he visited Xiao Xue.
In that sense, Shen Qi and Dragon Chi were truly a perfect match.
Dragon Lie’s influence extended beyond these antics. Perhaps the frequent “confessions” from Dragon Lie had sparked a sense of crisis, prompting him to learn about pursuit.
Every morning, Shen Qi woke up to find a flower by her bedside — sometimes a rose, other times a lily, occasionally an unidentifiable bloom. Initially surprised, she thought Dragon Lie had placed them there.
Dragon Chi’s face darkened. He pounced, pinning Shen Qi down, demonstrating that he was the one behind the flowers. Unfortunately, the poor blossoms never fully bloomed; they were crushed before their time.
Stimulated by Dragon Chi’s antics, Dragon Lie discovered a new hobby: presenting Shen Qi with a fresh flower every morning.
As a result, Shen Qi sampled every flower on the island.
As for the aerial garden, Shen Qi had considered asking Dragon Chi to return it. However, he refused, and Dragon Chi insisted that once something was in their possession, they shouldn’t easily let go. He vowed to handle it.
So this once-celebrated spectacle remained on the island, now a private possession of one human and one dragon. They even engaged in absurdities by the flowerbed, and returning it was out of the question.
As for the reaction of the King and people of the Stanford Empire…
Shen Qi: I’m just as baffled
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