Chapter 92

......

Saying he was going back to the academy to pack his things, Zhu Minglang found that he actually had nothing to pack...

Da Heiya's meal tickets at the ranch were not many, having eaten through a whole winter and half a spring. Zhu Minglang had thought his credits would be enough to feed it for a longer time, but who knew that the Black Cang Tyrant Dragon was a glutton.

On the bright side, after the food supply improved, Da Heiya grew sawtooth fins on its body. These sawtooth fins were extremely sharp and could easily cut through the scales of large creatures in close combat, causing wounds to worsen continuously.

Zhu Minglang had tested this on a black pig that had killed a young spirit. Once the sawtooth fin inflicted a wound, even a small cut on a finger, the black pig would die within an hour!

It was a very lethal physical weapon, and Da Heiya's fangs also had the ability to worsen wounds.

In the future, if they encountered a tough enemy, they could tear open its wounds first, then slowly wear it down, waiting for the wounds to worsen, which would allow them to complete the hunt very steadily!

The Divine Green Holy Dragon, on the other hand, continued to practice, practicing flying, driving techniques, and strengthening its physique.

Its size was several times larger than Bai Qi, and it could already carry Zhu Minglang and fly freely in the sky above the academy.

Unfortunately, due to its injured body, it had not awakened any new abilities, and its body, which should have been much larger, seemed to have stopped growing to the size of a bird-like dragon...

Its wings were made of tough iron-green feathers, even sturdier than some shields, but its body was somewhat fragile, with poor defensive capabilities and many weak points.

Zhu Minglang was already trying to find ways to compensate for these weaknesses, but due to the limitations of the injured dragon's constitution and the rarity of nanmu, there would be many developmental deficiencies.

There was nothing he could do about it. Zhu Minglang knew that the growth path of the Divine Green Holy Dragon would be more difficult, requiring more effort.

Fortunately, the Divine Green Holy Dragon was very diligent. Having endured hardships, it never slacked off in any training or actual combat, and he believed that one day it would overcome its congenital damage and achieve greatness.

Bai Qi's cultivation was much simpler.

It had already transformed from an ice worm to an Ice Dawn White Dragon, and all it needed to do was grow steadily.

Fortunately, its growth rate was extremely fast, and it might enter adulthood before summer.

Of course, this was also related to the consumption of the Spirit Domain Fruit...

Raising dragons is expensive, and this was no exaggeration. Zhu Minglang had barely saved some gold and silver, thinking that his luxurious spring was about to arrive, but after one season, his savings were almost depleted.

Mainly, the growth resources for Bai Qi were very expensive. The materials needed for the ice dragon lineage, the Star Wind technique, and the Azure Dragon Mystic Art were rare and costly. Zhu Minglang was almost willing to spend a fortune to get the right treasures, and when he finally found a suitable one, he almost spent all his savings!

Now, thinking back, the initial decision to buy it was worth it. With the current situation so severe, the sooner Bai Qi advanced, the better it would be for himself and Li Yunzi. If they relied on time alone, it might take another half a year...

After adulthood, there was another evolution.

It was the complete stage...

But it wouldn't be that easy.

The first three stages—infancy, growth, and adulthood—were natural growth stages for dragon pets. Even without celestial treasures or the assistance of the Spirit Domain, they would change over time.

But the complete stage was a different story. Many living beings might never evolve to this stage even at the end of their lives.

As an injured dragon, the Divine Green Holy Dragon was unlikely to reach this fourth stage.

......

"Zhu Minglang, you're finally moving out, huh? Sigh, our level is just too low. Living with us does lower your status a bit," Chen Bo said, always with a hint of sourness in his voice.

Hong Hao and Li Shaoying saw Zhu Minglang packing his bags and poked their heads out of their rooms.

"Brother Zhu, I have connections in the academy. I can get a large mansion, and we can all live there with our true dragons, continuing to be neighbors," Hong Hao said generously.

"I don't have money," Li Shaoying said with a bitter face.

The Black Dragon, which ate golden toads, was a great tonic for the rich, and the farmers who caught golden toads sold them at very high prices.

Li Shaoying was busy every day and had no time to argue with his classmates. Being a dragon trainer wasn't as prestigious as he had imagined; instead, he felt like a dragon slave.

"No problem, your Black Dragon is fierce like a tiger. Let's take on a mission together, and we'll split the profits fifty-fifty. That way, you'll have rent," Hong Hao said.

"Rent??" Li Shaoying rolled his eyes. Other dragon trainers bought mansions, but why did he have to rent one...

Forget it, forget it. As long as the Black Dragon's food is secure, it's fine for me to be a bit frugal.

"I'm moving to the Li Family Royal Court. The house is good, and you can keep a room for me. I'll pay the rent," Zhu Minglang said.

"What rent? A little money is nothing for me, Hong Hao," Hong Hao said.

Zhu Minglang had given him a soul pearl, and without that soul pearl, Hong Hao's Great Wolf Spirit might not have transformed into a dragon so steadily. Hong Hao would never forget this favor.

"Hong Hao, didn't you hear the key point in what Zhu Minglang said?" Chen Bo said softly.

"What key point?" Hong Hao asked, puzzled.

"He said he's moving to the Li Family Royal Court, where Lady Li Yunzi lives..." Chen Bo muttered.

Hong Hao's mouth dropped open, and his jaw wouldn't close.

"Just to guard the house... Anyway, take care, everyone. If nothing goes wrong, I'll be back. My wife often goes to war and stays away for months. I can come back to continue studying and training dragons with you all," Zhu Minglang said with a smile. Although the academy's atmosphere was indeed comfortable and relaxing, and he was a bit reluctant to leave, this time it was about Li Yunzi's safety, and he couldn't shirk his duty!

"Zhu Minglang, my mother also said I have a weak stomach and can't eat too hard food. Since we're classmates, can you teach me how to enjoy such a luxurious life?" Chen Bo asked softly.

Zhu Minglang was too lazy to deal with this thousand-year-old lemon, said goodbye to everyone, and headed into the city.

......

Leaving the academy, passing by White Rock Bridge, Zhu Minglang wanted to say goodbye to the peach girl, but unfortunately, he didn't see her today. Her peach stand had been taken over by a pine nut vendor.

"Where's Nian Nian?" Zhu Minglang asked the pine nut vendor.

"Her family wants her to get married. Some nobleman who frequents the pleasure boats likes her. But this girl is ungrateful and said she doesn't like such a scoundrel, so she ran away to the city. No one knows where she is... If my daughter had such a fate, I would tie her to the noble's house, even as a concubine, it's better than this hard life!" The pine nut vendor shook his head and sighed.

Zhu Minglang frowned.

How could such a big event happen without her telling him?

Many of the ingredients for his three dragons were sourced by her. Despite her sharp tongue, she was very reliable.

How could a girl like her handle such a situation? She should have sought help from a prestigious dragon trainer like him. She didn't consider him a friend.

......

Entering the city, Zhu Minglang thought for a moment and decided to look for this girl, Nian Nian, fearing she might be bullied.

He walked to the River of Lights Street, remembering that she had told him more than once that she loved the River Lantern Festival in mid-spring, which was more serene and beautiful than the New Year's celebrations.

So Zhu Minglang thought she would definitely be there.

The street was crowded, and even the damp rain didn't stop the women of the Ancestral Dragon City from wearing elegant dresses and enjoying the romantic river lanterns.

Holding an umbrella, Zhu Minglang searched for the runaway girl among the crowd.

"Go away, a poor girl like you shouldn't taint this scene. Tonight, the Southern Family's young lady will be viewing the river lanterns, and we are clearing the street. We won't let a stinky little girl like you in," a street guard at the entrance said rudely.

Zhu Minglang searched inside, thinking she might be enjoying herself, but he found out that the girl had been stopped at the entrance.

Fang Nian Nian was furious and embarrassed. As a resident of Fengdi Town, she had the right to enter most places in the Ancestral Dragon City, but in her haste to run away, she hadn't brought any change of clothes and had little money...

Zhu Minglang walked over and stopped the rude street guard.

Seeing Zhu Minglang's emblem from the Dragon Trainer Academy, the street guard quickly bowed and dared not shout at her anymore.

"Come on, I'll take you to buy some clothes and wash up at a nearby inn. If you want to enjoy the festival, you should do it in style, as you said," Zhu Minglang said, smiling as if he had found a stray kitten.

"Hmph, I was just in a hurry and didn't have time to change!" Fang Nian Nian said,不服气 (unwilling to admit).

"Alright, don't be stubborn. I heard about your situation from others," Zhu Minglang said.

She was almost a beggar, but Fang Nian Nian was still holding her temper.

After buying clothes and washing up, although there wasn't time for a fancy hairstyle, Fang Nian Nian's face was already filled with joy and excitement.

She entered the River Lantern Street again. The street guard didn't recognize her but recognized Zhu Minglang and bowed to him again.

"Snob, hmpf!" Fang Nian Nian couldn't help but retort.

The street guard was taken aback, realizing that the lively and bright girl in front of him was the poor girl from earlier. He awkwardly smiled and didn't dare to get angry.

"I'm going to the Li Family Royal Court. They will probably assign me a maid, but I don't like dealing with strangers, and they might not find the right ingredients for my dragons... If you don't want to go home, you can come and be my little dragon manager," Zhu Minglang asked.

The maids assigned by the Li Family Royal Court were likely to be spies.

Li Yunzi herself only had one maid, Shuang'er, in her courtyard, and no one else. It wouldn't be appropriate for Zhu Minglang to ask Li Yunzi to arrange it.