"Yes! This is the secret I discovered during the twelve years I was trapped here," Zi Guochang said solemnly.
Zi Linling rubbed her temples, which were starting to ache. "Since that's the case, we can find the origin of space. Why must we snatch the Demon Dragon's inverse scale?"
Zi Guochang smiled bitterly. "The origin of space isn't so easy to find. I've been searching for over ten years and haven't found any clues about it."
Zi Linling's gaze was piercing. "So, you set your sights on the Demon Dragon's inverse scale?"
Zi Guochang said with a touch of shame, "Yes! But I had no choice. For the past twelve years, I've missed your mother and you constantly. Many times, I thought about snatching the Demon Dragon's inverse scale. But I could never bring myself to do it, because dragons have an inverse scale, which is vital to their lives. Unless it sheds naturally during molting, the Demon Dragon will die if its inverse scale is removed. Even a Demon Dragon is a living being. If it died because of me, I would have a guilty conscience. Therefore, I'd rather search aimlessly for the origin of space for twelve years than trouble the Demon Dragon. However, Xiao Yuan's arrival made me unable to suppress my desire to return. Xiao Yuan told me that when I was being chased, your mother was taken away by a black vortex. That black vortex closely resembled the Demon Race's ferry wheel. Xiao Yuan also said that if we didn't hurry back, you would definitely come here. That's why I was forced to seek the Demon Dragon's inverse scale. I can't wait any longer. But I didn't expect you to arrive so quickly and happen to catch us in the process of demanding the inverse scale."
Zi Guochang's words contained too much information for Zi Linling to process all at once. According to Zi Guochang, her mother Yue Wumei was likely in the Demon Race, but Zi Linling had no idea where the Demon Race was, let alone how to get there! Therefore, to go to the Demon Race to find her mother, obtaining the Demon Dragon's inverse scale was the quickest and most effective method.
Thinking this, Zi Linling looked at the Demon Dragon with burning eyes. Her gaze was like a wolf eyeing a readily available piece of meat, causing the Demon Dragon's heart to skip a beat.
"You... you little brat, what... what are you planning to do?" the Demon Dragon asked warily, its eyes filled with seriousness. It found it very strange. It hadn't been this afraid when Zi Guochang and Ye Lingyuan coveted its inverse scale, so why was it so unnerved by Zi Linling, who was weaker than both of them?
Zi Linling took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to snatch the inverse scale, and said leisurely, "Black Mudfish, when do you molt?"
This sudden turn of topic caught the Demon Dragon off guard. "Why are you asking that?" it inquired curiously.
Zi Linling stared at the inverse scale beneath its neck. "I need it! But I don't want to take your life for no reason, so I can only wait for you to shed it yourself." She was incredibly candid and direct, not hiding her intentions at all. Although her hands had been stained with blood, she still acted with a clear conscience. The phrase "clear conscience" was perfectly exemplified by her actions.
The Demon Dragon hadn't expected her to be so straightforward and was momentarily at a loss for words. It knew that when dragons molted, they were at their weakest. If someone with ill intentions were to attack them then, it would be a sure hit.
"Can I trust you?" the Demon Dragon asked, its sharp gaze fixed on Zi Linling, trying to see through her.
Zi Linling nodded. "You can choose not to trust me, but don't you trust him either?" As she spoke, she released Long'er. When Long'er emerged in human form, the Demon Dragon could still sense a familiar aura from him. The Demon Dragon's draconic eyes flashed with cold light, and it looked at Zi Linling, its entire body emanating a chill.
"You've contracted it?!" Its voice was frigid, yet Zi Linling, Ye Lingyuan, Zi Guochang, and Long'er all felt a faint killing intent. Dragons were proud creatures and disliked being contracted by humans. Moreover, dragons were fiercely protective of their own kind and would not tolerate a fellow dragon being contracted by a human. In their eyes, being contracted by a human was an insult to the dragon race, and a human contracting a dragon was a provocation to the entire dragon race.
Zi Linling nodded, her expression open. "Yes!" She wasn't afraid of the Demon Dragon's fury or killing intent, standing there proudly!
"Do you know that your actions are provoking the dragon race?" the Demon Dragon's voice remained cold and angry.
"Provoking the dragon race?" Zi Linling calmly shook her head. "I never intended to provoke the dragon race! As you can see, Long'er is still young, and I have not mistreated him! Furthermore, with me, Long'er is my companion, not my beast pet!"
Long'er quickly chimed in, "That's right! I like my master. The contract between us was signed by my mother before she died, with my master's help."
Hearing Long'er's words, the Demon Dragon's expression softened considerably. "Since that's the case, I won't pursue it further! I only hope you will treat him well."
"Yes! You can rest assured! Since Long'er is mine, I will never allow anyone to bully him!" Zi Linling declared imposingly. She was always fiercely protective of those under her wing. No one under her protection would ever be bullied.
"That's good!" The Demon Dragon nodded. "Seeing how much Long'er trusts you, I will tell you that my molting day is in three days."
"Thank you for your kindness and for your fulfillment!" Zi Linling smiled and said to Zi Guochang and Ye Lingyuan, "Let's go! We'll come back in three days!" She knew that since the Demon Dragon had told her the time of its molt, it had implicitly agreed for her to take the inverse scale then.
Ye Lingyuan nodded and returned to Zi Linling's side. No matter what his Lin'er did or said, he would unconditionally support her. Zi Guochang glanced at the inverse scale on the Demon Dragon's body and reluctantly joined Zi Linling.
Zi Linling waved her hand, and a row of neat porcelain bottles appeared on the ground. "These are some elixirs. You can take them, and your molting will be less painful. Of course, if you suspect they are poisonous, you don't have to eat them."
The Demon Dragon's eyes gleamed. It looked at Long'er, then at Zi Linling, and then, with a gentle suction of its mouth, the porcelain bottles disappeared into its belly. Of course, it wasn't eating them immediately but storing them. Su Dan Novel Network.
"Not bad! You have courage!" Zi Linling praised.
The Demon Dragon said proudly, "This dragon has always had extraordinary courage!"