Dragon Tamer

Editor: Exodus Tales

…

Li Imperial Palace

In a slender, soft scale armor robe with hair hanging down the shoulders and an incredibly pale complexion, Luo Xiao stood on the bridge between the imperial residences and the military academy, his gaze involuntarily drawn to the tiered towers and the winding gardens hidden away…

He had grown accustomed to standing here, even back when he was a servant. From behind those terraces, he could barely catch a glimpse of the autumn Nanzhu forest and the eaves of an exquisite light silver house.

He had thought that by becoming one of the leaders of the Li Family’s Hundred Armies, he would have the chance to get closer to Li Yunzi. But in fact, since the day he revealed his feelings, Luo Xiao hadn’t seen Li Yunzi at all.

“Commander Luo, we all know your thoughts, it’s not that we are unwilling to give you a chance to visit, only that Yunzi has been placed under house arrest by her father. It’s related to the face of our Li Family. The master does not wish to hear anyone in the city-state discussing that disgraceful matter,” said Kong Tong, the lady in charge.

“I have a modest suggestion. If the Family Head could arrange Young Miss Li Yunzi’s marriage, and spend some silver taels to get those busybodies in the alleys to say it was people from other city-states spreading the rumor on purpose to slander the Li Family and Young Miss Li Yunzi, whether people believe it or not, this matter will soon subside,” Luo Xiao respectfully said to Lady Kong Tong.

Kong Tong looked at Luo Xiao, who bowed his head in salute, a smile appearing on her cheeks. “It’s a good method. I will have the master consider Yunzi’s marriage soon.”

“Thank you, madam!” Luo Xiao, both surprised and delighted, knew that if Kong Tong had agreed, the odds of it happening were very high!

“This is your appointment order. The master has instructed me to pass this to you. The Nine Cities of Wu Tu have united and started a rebellion, coveting our Dongxu Fortress City. The city-state’s army has already moved out. You should set off tomorrow. Since the Wutu Rebels think that the heavens are unfair for giving them such barren land, we’ll let them understand who their true heavens are!!” Kong Tong handed Luo Xiao the order.

Luo Xiao respectfully received it with both hands, quite eager to undertake this task, as he already harbored some resentment towards the Wutu outcasts.

Dealing with rebels, slaughter was the most direct and effective method. Moreover, the fear of killing would quickly spread throughout Wutu, and the people of other cities there would live in fear of this shadow for a long time, not daring to act rashly!

“Unlike the minor merits you’ve achieved before, completing this appointment will greatly increase your fame in the city-state,” Kong Tong added.

“Luo Xiao will not disappoint the lady or the Family Head!” Luo Xiao stated.

“Oh, I wanted to ask you something…” Kong Tong suddenly remembered something.

Luo Xiao stopped in his tracks, turned around, and once again waited for Kong Tong’s inquiry with a bow.

“That man who returned with you, do you recognize him?” Kong Tong seemed to change her mind.

Luo Xiao frowned, puzzled. “Zhu Minglang, isn’t he a member of our clan?”

“We don’t have his name in the family records. Who told you he is our clansman?” Kong Tong inquired.

“Young Miss Yunzi,” Luo Xiao’s eyes were shifting, obviously considering this question very seriously.

“Alright, you head to Dongxu City first, we’ll talk about this little matter when you return, and I will also clarify his identity. Since Yunzi was framed, it’s inevitable that some villains are close to her,” Kong Tong said.

Luo Xiao saluted once again, his expression turning more solemn as he turned to leave.

If Zhu Minglang wasn’t a member of the Li Family, why would Li Yunzi lie?

…

…

Dragon Taming Academy

Inside the house, to Zhu Minglang’s great delight, Little White finally broke out of the cocoon!

He carefully lifted the drowsy Little White from his Spirit Realm, eager to see its juvenile form.

“Strange, isn’t it an Azure Dragon?” Zhu Minglang looked at Little White, quite astonished!

Even after its transformation, Little White wasn’t the same as before!

Previously, Bai Qi was a pure-blooded Ice Cyan Dragon, with sturdy frosty scales, a slender body, and long tail, similar to a Waterfall Flood Dragon, without wings.

But now, Bai Qi had a pair of large wings.

He remembered that while in the Ice Pupa, it indeed had a pair of wings as light and thin as those of a butterfly. Now those wings had developed into more powerful ones, covered with intricately delicate Ice Velvet Feathers.

Moreover, its wing bones were composed of several segments, more flexible than human fingers, which seemed to allow its wings to fold back like a butterfly’s, displaying the beauty of its plumage. It could also powerfully flap its wings to execute astonishing flight maneuvers with ease in the air, attacking and dodging freely, or fold them softly, making it seem like a harmless and elegant little swan.

Of course, it retained some of its Azure Dragon physique, with a neck, chest, rump, and tail as elegantly long as a snake’s, with limbs like a cat’s and claws.

“`

Its body was not covered with hard scales; instead, its neck boasted a silver-white long fluff resembling tassels, noble in appearance, while the rest of its body was covered with soft, short silver fluff, smooth as silk satin extending all the way to the tail.

Its tail was also somewhat unique, long like a girl’s braid trailing to the ground. It was unclear whether it naturally had such distinctive tail feathers or if it was the frost that had condensed upon its body and spread on its own!

Zhu Minglang carefully observed Little Bai Qi while cautiously feeding it nectar.

Interestingly, when the little Ice Dragon attentively sucked the nectar, its playful, slender white braided tail would slowly curl up, and after a while, it would suddenly drop straight down, motionless for quite some until…

Overall, Bai Qi had lost much of its former martial aura and now appeared more elegant and noble. Every feather, every ice scale, and every inch of its skin radiated a unique beauty.

“What kind of dragon is this, a White Feather Aplysia Dragon? It seems to have the bloodline of a Giant Dragon… Could it be an Ice Morning White Dragon??” Zhu Minglang found himself unable to make an accurate judgment at the moment.

Overall, it resembled an Aplysia, but the Ice Fluff Feathers on its wings also bore a similarity to those of the Ice Frost Dragon among the Giant Dragons. Searching his memory for dragons, only the Ice Morning White Dragon, said to inhabit the endless icy void, came very close!

“Yiyiyiyi~~~”

Little Bai Qi’s cry was somewhat babyish. Whether it was whining because it was still hungry or if that was just its natural vocal tone was unknown.

Zhu Minglang had already prepared plenty of nectar for it.

As the nectar filled with the rich fragrance of flowers was spooned into a small ladle, Little Bai Qi first looked at Zhu Minglang, then at the nectar, with ripples of joy spreading in its small eyes.

“Drink up, grow big and strong,” Zhu Minglang said to Bai Qi.

Bai Qi, smelling the nectar, slowly brought its little head, now growing much fine white down, to the nectar spoon, gently lapping it up like a little kitten.

Finally, it was sated and quenched.

But it seemed to have no desire to return to the Ice Pupa bed in the Spirit Realm.

It slowly crawled into Zhu Minglang’s arms, its long tail wrapping around its body, wings fully folded to cover its curled-up form, before it blissfully nestled into Zhu Minglang’s embrace, docile and lazy.

Soon, the soft breathing of the Ice Morning White Dragon could be heard, sleeping so sweetly. The soft, comfortable short fluff made Zhu Minglang feel as if he were raising a clingy little white cat, rather than a true dragon!

Of course, Zhu Minglang also knew that Little Bai Qi’s emergence from the pupa marked a rebirth, returning it to its juvenile phase.

The growth of most dragons was very slow. Giant dragons lived for thousands of years; they could take the lifespan of two generations of humans to transition from youth to adulthood.

This was when the role of the Dragon Shepherd was most fully realized.

Firstly, the human Spirit Realm was a growth incubator for all dragons that had signed a Spirit Contract, and even if they merely slept in it, their development would be greatly accelerated.

Secondly, this rapid growth within the Spirit Realm did not deplete the dragon’s lifespan.

Feeding them certain specific foods or purchasing some Spirit Fruit could allow even the youngest dragons to quickly pass through their most vulnerable stage within a very short time.

It was not a problem that the Ice Morning White Dragon was still young. A bit more sleep and more nectar would do, for as a true dragon, it would change from day to day, and within a month, it would develop strong combat capabilities!

“Oops, I almost forgot about today’s end-of-month class!” Zhu Minglang’s thoughts had been entirely on Little Bai Qi, nearly causing him to overlook this matter.

The Dragon Taming Academy’s management of students was quite laissez-faire; classes were set up every morning, and it was up to the students to decide whether to attend.

The academy had many facilities and venues that could be used without any charge, and students were free to use them at will.

However, obtaining new Juvenile Spirits from the Reserve Dragonsn Storage Hall or receiving some healing medicine and special feed all required completing tasks assigned by the academy to earn enough academic credits.

In the Dragon Taming Academy, credits were more valuable than gold and silver. Every year, the academy deposited many treasures in the Big Warehouse Pavilion, which could be obtained simply by earning enough credits.

It was rumored that there were dragon eggs inside.

Hatching them would yield True Dragons.

Zhu Minglang had yet to see the legendary Big Warehouse Pavilion, mainly because the little academic credits he had managed to save up were exchanged for money and food. Why salivate over the treasures in the Big Warehouse Pavilion…

The daily morning classes were not free; they cost one academic credit.

But the big class at the end of the month was free, and students of the same class were not allowed to be absent. Otherwise, they would have credits deducted.

At last, it was time to attend class. Zhu Minglang tidied himself up, partly because the content of the end-of-month big class would be richer, and partly because he had yet to meet his classmates from outside his own dormitory, especially the female classmates, anticipating how flamboyant they would be.