Chapter 8

The master of the Li family and the lady in charge of the household left, leaving only Li Yunzi, Luo Xiao, and Zhu Minglang in the pear wood-decorated grand hall.

Luo Xiao waited for a while after the master of the Li family left before slowly getting up.

He took a few steps forward, approaching Li Yunzi.

"Miss Yunzi, I have failed in my duties, causing you to suffer... Miss Yunzi, don't worry about what others think. After you return to the Li family, I will work even harder to become a pillar of the family. At that time, I will do everything in my power to have your father betroth you to me. I... I, Luo Xiao, truly have sincere feelings for Miss Yunzi. I... I know it's a bit abrupt and presumptuous to say this now, but I will prove my sincerity through my actions. Miss Yunzi, please give me some time," Luo Xiao said, somewhat stammering and nervous.

Zhu Minglang stood to the side, his mouth wide open.

Am I really that transparent!!

Regardless of how psychologically twisted this Luo Xiao might be, he seemed to genuinely care for Li Yunzi. Moreover, he chose the most appropriate moment to confess, sincerely showing that he was a man who did not care about Li Yunzi's past.

Li Yunzi did not respond, and her emotions were unreadable.

"Miss Yunzi, you don't need to rush to answer. Just understand that Luo Xiao is loyal and devoted. Miss Yunzi must be tired. Zhu Minglang, have the servants take Miss back to rest. I will go to the master to receive my orders," Luo Xiao said.

Luo Xiao understood that Li Yunzi had not yet come out of her shadow and needed time.

"Alright, I wish Mr. Luo a bright future," Zhu Minglang said insincerely.

Luo Xiao nodded in satisfaction, feeling that Zhu Minglang was a sensible junior.

Finally, with some reluctance, he moved his gaze from Li Yunzi and strode toward the master's palace. From this moment on, he, Luo Xiao, would truly embark on the path to success!

Power, wealth, and women, he would have them all!!

"Chirei, do you remember those people who used to bully us? Haha, they would never have thought we would return as a gold dragon and a dragon master!" Luo Xiao smiled, unable to resist touching the red carnelian ring on his finger.

The ring had a peculiar luster, and within it, a dragon's shadow slowly appeared.

In Wutu, it was wise not to act impulsively!

He would only gain more, and Li Yunzi would ultimately be his!

After such an incident, few people of noble status would be willing to marry her. This way, as long as he performed well under the master of the Li family, it was not impossible for the master to betroth Li Yunzi to him!

After all, Luo Xiao was once just a lowly servant in the Li family, with a status so humble!

Now, everything was different!

...

In the pear wood grand hall,

Zhu Minglang walked to the main seat, picked up the handkerchief left by the lady in charge, and handed it to Li Yunzi.

"It's still bleeding. By the way, was that man your father?" Zhu Minglang asked.

Li Yunzi did not wipe her wound. Instead, a tear slowly slid down her cheek, unnoticed by Zhu Minglang.

Li Yunzi had not expected that after enduring so much, she still could not wait for everyone to leave.

Why did she feel less guarded around this man?

Beside her, Zhu Minglang was at a loss for how to comfort her.

If she had burst into tears, it would have been easier, but she only shed a single tear, without pain or sorrow, showing a resilience that was almost admirable.

However, this resilience made her even more heart-wrenching to see.

She was a victim, yet she was seen as a sinner by others. After finally returning home, she received only insults.

It seemed that if blood ties could be severed, the master of the Li family would do so without hesitation.

Was this the place she had traveled so far to return to?

"I'll help you back to rest. Don't think too much about it," Zhu Minglang maintained his politeness, supporting Li Yunzi as they walked out of the grand hall.

"This way."

"Oh."

...

When they reached Li Yunzi's courtyard, Zhu Minglang was indeed turned away.

Zhu Minglang understood; after all, his comfort was of no use, and he was the one who had caused her pain.

In a world where status and hierarchy were so rigid, it wouldn't be surprising if Li Yunzi killed him to vent her anger.

But where should he go now?

He had been inexplicably brought to Zulong City...

No status, no land, no residence, no wealth. He couldn't beg on the streets again, could he?

Wait, why did he say "again"?

He had never begged before!

Li Yunzi had not blamed him, but she probably didn't want to see him again.

In fact, by bringing him to Zulong City, Li Yunzi had saved his life. At the time, Luo Xiao had planned to destroy Xiaotang Town as well.

Since he was here, he might as well settle down and find a place to earn a living, preferably somewhere he could plant mulberry trees. Little Bai Qi, the glutton, would probably wake up hungry and cause a fuss.

Bai Qi was the name of the little ice worm.

Speaking of Little Bai Qi, it had been many days since it had come out to breathe. It was lying in his spiritual domain, preparing to hibernate?

Zhu Minglang closed his eyes gently and checked his spiritual domain.

"Strange, why is there an ice cocoon..."

Looking into his spiritual domain, Zhu Minglang was surprised to find that the little ice worm had somehow wrapped itself in ice silk, forming a large ice cocoon.

Was it about to undergo a transformation?

But it was once a dragon general-level Azure Dragon. He had never heard of creatures of the Azure Dragon lineage having this ability.

The ice cocoon was not yet fully closed, with a hole at the top.

Through this hole, Zhu Minglang saw the inside.

What he saw inside the ice cocoon was breathtaking!

The world inside the cocoon was a masterpiece of nature!

The ice silk that wrapped the outer layer was intricately woven inside, forming a perfect art from scattered to whole, without any sense of chaos.

Scattered throughout the frost nest were ice crystals, shining like rare white diamonds, or like countless white stars in the vast night sky, orderly distributed in this small world, dreamlike and enchanting.

Each tiny frost silk had a long, ancient pattern.

Each tiny ice crystal seemed to contain an incredible universe.

All of this finally gathered around a small holy spirit, which was Little Bai Qi, gradually growing wings and becoming incredibly graceful!

At the core of the cocoon, Little Bai Qi was drowsy, gently stretching its incomplete wings, its beautiful, lively eyes gazing intently at Zhu Minglang who had entered the spiritual domain.

But the little one was too sleepy.

It finally closed its eyes.

For a moment, the frost silk began to dance, and the ice crystals began to shine. As Little Bai Qi fell asleep again, the world inside the ice cocoon began to operate wildly. Something small sprouted through the ice, microscopic ice flowers bloomed, and life-giving snow trees spread their leaves to cover the sky, creating a tiny universe...

It was as if the world had been created, and the ages had passed!

At the same time, the hole was filled with frost silk from the inside out, and the ice cocoon was completely closed.

Zhu Minglang could no longer see anything inside.

The ice cocoon looked ordinary from the outside, but the breathtakingly beautiful world inside lingered in Zhu Minglang's mind!

What was Little Bai Qi, lying like a queen in that icy, beautiful world?

This was probably the fifth year of Zhu Minglang's wandering.

Bai Qi was once an Azure Dragon.

When Zhu Minglang was still a young man, he was already a strong dragon master, admired and adored by people.

But just when Zhu Minglang thought he would have a glorious future, Bai Qi regressed from a proud Azure Dragon to one of the weakest and most insignificant creatures, a little ice worm.

In a single night...

Zhu Minglang still couldn't forget the white frost silk that had wrapped half the city!!

A huge ice cocoon enveloped the Azure Dragon Bai Qi, covering half the city, a vast expanse of pure white like the descent of a snow spirit deity.

This breathtaking scene lasted the entire night.

But in the morning, all the white silk melted, leaving behind the lifeless body of the Azure Dragon, which, along with the frost silk, melted into water in the sunlight. Only a tiny ice worm, a worm with almost no consciousness, slowly crawled out...

Zhu Minglang stood on the cold city wall, looking at the little ice worm that had crawled out of the ice city. How could the young man believe it!

The Azure Dragon had regressed!

The once-promising young man had fallen to the level of a grain of sand, beginning his long journey of wandering.

Over the years, the young man had grown into a young adult, his lofty ambitions worn down to a life of aimless drifting.

He had forgotten how many places he had been to.

But the little ice worm, this old companion, he had always taken care of, becoming a bond, almost like a family member.

For years, Little Bai Qi had remained a little ice worm, without any change.

But this time, it was transforming!!

In that brief glance, Zhu Minglang saw Little Bai Qi's half-transformed form, with thin wings, a graceful silhouette, and a delicate tail...

It seemed to possess the gentle and lively beauty of a butterfly-dragon holy spirit, as well as the form of the original Azure Dragon!

There was no doubt that these were all signs of its impending transformation into a dragon!!

The ice cocoon was its gateway to becoming a dragon.

Breaking out of the cocoon, it would return to its dragon form!!

At this moment, Zhu Minglang's almost dead heart suddenly boiled with excitement!!

The Azure Dragon was returning!!

The recent events, if experienced by anyone with a cold heart, would have sparked a desire. The reason for not acting was simply the lack of a future...

With Bai Qi's return, everything was different!!