Chapter 86

The sunlight was comfortable, and receiving awards was an even more delightful matter.

Especially since he could receive two awards, one being the Spirit Realm Fruit for outstanding students, and the other being the reward given by the academy to mentors.

Zhu Minglang had never seen such a spirit fruit before, and he wondered if even divine beings would benefit from its cultivation-enhancing effects after tasting it.

Having obtained the Spirit Realm Fruit, Zhu Minglang munched on it while humming a tune and headed to the academy to collect the mentor's reward.

"Zhu Minglang, how is it?" A friendly classmate walked up and couldn't help but ask upon seeing Zhu Minglang.

"It's not as sweet as the peaches that the girl by the bridge sells." Zhu Minglang replied casually.

The classmate's face immediately turned dark.

Is the Spirit Realm Fruit about the taste?

Zhu Minglang didn't savor it carefully; he just let the fruit digest slowly in his body. He believed that with his extraordinary talent, anything he ate would have a significant effect, so he didn't go through the ritual of burning incense, washing his hands, and taking a bath before consuming it like other outstanding students did.

When he arrived at the academy, he had only the core of the Spirit Realm Fruit left, which he casually threw away. He noticed that the core, when it fell into the soil, made the soil tremble.

Then, a light blue sprout quickly grew, rapidly absorbing the nutrients from the surrounding soil and developing into a very beautiful spirit sprout!

Zhu Minglang's mouth dropped open. It turned out that the core was also a good thing. Had he been a bit wasteful?

Well, it's already thrown away. Consider it a contribution to the academy's beautiful landscaping. From now on, he could basically say goodbye to his former impoverished self!

Moreover, with three powerful dragons by his side, he could take larger steps when walking.

"Enough credits to feed Big Black Tooth until spring, and the gold and jewels I have can buy expensive Ice Queen Honey, which will make Bai Qi's Ice Dawn technique even stronger. By summer, it will reach adulthood!"

By summer, he would be a true Dragon Shepherd, shining brightly. No one who dared to look down on him like Nan Zhao Bing would dare to do so again. He would definitely stomp on their faces.

What kind of thing is this? When I was at the height of my power, I loved it when people like this put on airs, and I would make them regret it so much that their intestines would turn green!

"The third floor of this treasure vault, you can choose anything, but you cannot take anything from the high shelves," said an old woman guarding the vault.

The old woman was knitting, her eyes vacant, and her attitude was not good.

Zhu Minglang bowed. The more aloof and indifferent the old person, the more likely they were to be a transcendent being. The person who could guard the entire treasure tower was definitely not simple.

The first and second floors were mostly rewards for students, and as long as they had enough credits, they could exchange for them.

Zhu Minglang walked up the stairs and saw many things he wanted, such as a pill that could refine ancient dragon bones, which would be a treasure for Big Black Tooth.

Unfortunately, Zhu Minglang's credits were not enough; he had already exchanged for a season's self-service voucher for the ranch.

On the third floor, Zhu Minglang saw many ancient long tables with wooden boxes and various containers, mostly for storage.

"Exchange the Ghost Spider's magic pearl for an ancient dragon magic pearl; you should get a more matching one. This ancient dragon magic pearl is good, but it's only a thousand years old," Zhu Minglang shook his head and gave up the idea of choosing this ancient dragon magic pearl.

There was a six-hundred-year difference between 1,700 years and 1,100 years, which could buy a nice house within the city walls.

Zhu Minglang continued to look forward, as the best things were usually at the back.

"Stardust Stone?"

"It's also a good thing, can make a Starlight Armor, but the material is so little."

If Bai Qi wore the Starlight Armor, its Azure Dragon Technique would likely leap to a higher level, and even a Dragon Lord would not dare to easily withstand its attack.

The material was too little, and Zhu Minglang's craftsmanship was not yet fully developed, so he probably couldn't forge such a higher-level dragon armor.

"Storm Illusion Feather?"

"This thing seems pretty good. It can be attached to Bai Qi's feathers, allowing it to control storms and significantly enhance its wind control technique!" Zhu Minglang saw something that made his eyes light up.

It was a bundle of unusual feathers.

Seemingly from some ancient holy spirit, its unique feathers could rest on the bodies of most feathered dragon beasts, granting them the ability of wind feathers!

Although Bai Qi would eventually evolve into a Dragon Lord, with this feather attached, it would far surpass other dragon beasts of the same realm in both its techniques and ice control!

This is good!

Wind was probably Bai Qi's weakest ability. With this feather attached, it would be enough to beat higher-level dragon generals.

"Bai Qi... no, no, no, the things here are all good, but you can't take them all, or it will cost lives!" Zhu Minglang finally chose something, but noticed that Little Bai Qi had already raised its tail.

It was about to use the Heaven Concealment Technique, seemingly disliking Zhu Minglang's hesitant decision and planning to take everything at once.

"Yuuuuu~" Bai Qi called out mournfully, meaning, isn't there no one around?

"Our current realm is far from what it used to be. We can't raid for now. The old lady guarding the door is probably very powerful," Zhu Minglang explained with a bitter smile.

Bai Qi understood a bit, reluctantly lowering its braided tail and looking at the small feather Zhu Minglang had chosen with its bright, clean eyes...

Is this it?

The difference between what he could take and what he imagined was too great, and he couldn't get excited at all.

Zhu Minglang sighed deeply.

It seemed that Little Bai Qi was used to a grand and open life, and it couldn't adapt to a life of following rules and developing stealthily in a short time.

"Don't worry, it won't be long before we return to the peak. If we can find our way back, we might even surprise our old rivals," Zhu Minglang comforted Little Bai Qi.

"Yuuu~" Little Bai Qi flapped its wings, indicating that it was also looking forward to returning to the place it once stayed, but its eyes, when looking at Zhu Minglang, showed a bit of sadness and guilt.

Zhu Minglang picked it up, gently stroking its fluffy little head, and smiled, "It's okay, being a Dragon Shepherd is also good. Look, we have Big Black Tooth and Little Qingzhuo as companions now."

"Think about it, in the past, we were weak and often had to run away when bullied. Now, we are true Dragon Shepherds, and we will have more companions in the future. When we want to cause trouble, we can call them all out and show them what it means to have a large number of dragons."

"Do you remember when we were pursued for a month by a Dragon Shepherd with a Dragon Lord? Do you remember what kind of strong dragon he had?"

"Yuuu~" Little Bai Qi nodded, gradually remembering the past.

"Now you are my Dragon Leader. Your strength is my strength," Zhu Minglang said.

"Yuuu!!" Little Bai Qi seemed to be fired up and told Zhu Minglang that it would definitely work hard to sleep and become stronger!!

"..." Zhu Minglang smiled bitterly.

It seemed that the reborn Little Bai Qi, after regressing, was indeed gifted. Big Black Tooth trained hard every day but couldn't catch up with the Ice Dawn White Dragon, which spent most of its time sleeping.

But it wasn't as simple as it looked. After all, Little Bai Qi had regressed into a small ice worm for many years, surviving like an ant in a world of giant magical dragons. No creature had experienced such a calamity...

Each had its own path of cultivation, including Zhu Minglang himself. From glory to mediocrity, and then rising from mediocrity, the ups and downs of fate, a fierce life needed no more words, just a true saying: strong and arrogant when in power, steady and calm when in adversity!

Summer, not too close, not too far.

Zhu Minglang knew that by summer, he would no longer fear the majority of the strong in this Ancestor Dragon City.

...

After selecting the items he wanted, Zhu Minglang left the treasure tower with reluctance.

In the cold winter, Zhu Minglang didn't run around anymore. He focused on cultivating and training dragons in the academy, making up for the dragon shepherding techniques he had neglected in the past, and looking for ways to evolve Big Black Tooth and Little Qingzhuo.

There were many ways to enhance a dragon's strength, but considering Bai Qi's rapid transformation, Zhu Minglang naturally wouldn't be satisfied with his dragons staying at the level of Dragon Sons or Dragon Generals.

The Dragon Gate is not a divine gate that one can rest easy after crossing.

The first Dragon Gate merely allows ordinary spirits to transcend and become higher beings capable of cultivation and transformation, no longer living like beasts for mere survival, but seeking their own path to rise above all things!

No one knows how many levels the Dragon Gate has or how high it is. Each realm of beings understands that transcending a level means a more magnificent divine mountain and a more majestic Dragon Gate waterfall ahead...

Ordinary spirits have their Dragon Gate.

Cultivating spirits have their Dragon Gate, which is even more elusive and hard to find. Zhu Minglang vaguely remembered that an elder of the Zhu family once told him that after reaching adulthood, dragons must undergo the Dragon Gate trial to transform further.

This trial is not a simple five-thunder strike that one can endure to become a deity.

Was Bai Qi's regression the Dragon Gate trial?

His initial choice was to undergo this trial together with it.

Unfortunately, after searching through the academy's records, he found only mentions of the Dragon Gate but no records of the second Dragon Gate—Dragon Trial.

If he could find the Dragon Trial for Black Tooth and Qingzhuo, they would transform further!

If Bai Qi's regression was indeed the Dragon Trial, and it has already passed, would it face the third Dragon Gate, and what would the third Dragon Gate be?

Or was Bai Qi's regression just a calamity in its life?

It is now stronger than before, transformed into the Ice Dawn White Dragon, for some other reason.

The path of dragon shepherding is indeed a long and arduous journey.

Life will not be boring!