Chapter 10

Chapter 10

At this moment, in the eastern elm grove of Chaisang, Luo Qingci was sitting cross-legged on a rock several feet away from the cliff.

She still wore that slightly comical mask, her eyes half-closed.

Initially, she thought that after being used to the flashy and restless world, she would go mad coming here, but unexpectedly, she adapted quite well to the state of quiet cultivation.

The surrounding spiritual energy was faint but continuous, and Luo Qingci could sense it clearly without even opening her eyes.

This kind of metaphysics, she had already accepted.

In the next moment, a large fish suddenly leaped out from the bottom of the cliff and landed with a plop in front of Luo Qingci.

The fish's mouth opened and closed, and its tail flapped a few times.

Water droplets splattered everywhere.

Luo Qingci had already raised her wide sleeve to shield her eyes before the fish landed, then slowly opened her eyes and looked at the energetic dragonet, saying leisurely, "I've told you many times, you can't just throw fish around. This is meant to be eaten, and the ground is dirty. Besides, the water splashing on me is not good."

The dragonet was unfazed, "It's going to be washed anyway, and as for the water, it never lands on you. Luo Qingci, look at the fish I caught."

Luo Qingci looked at the colorful fish on the ground, its tail resembling a skirt, its scales patterned like feathers, and suddenly remembered that it was the phoenix-tailed fish she had told the dragonet about.

The dragonet had just hatched, and all its knowledge came from prenatal education in the egg, so there were many things it didn't understand yet.

Luo Qingci, as an outsider, was also brimming with curiosity about this world, so in her spare time, she would tell the dragonet about things she remembered from her own world.

The phoenix-tailed fish, with its five-colored feathered scales, four fins, and a tail resembling a flowing skirt, swims like a phoenix.

Its flesh is tender and delicious, born with a spiritual body, making it a rare treasure seldom seen by the world.

This was what Luo Qingci had told her, and now it looked exactly as described.

"You actually found it? How long were you in the water?" Luo Qingci was somewhat surprised.

"Not long, just an hour, and I chased it for half an hour."

The dragonet landed to the side, head held high, speaking nonchalantly, but its eyes kept glancing at Luo Qingci, clearly waiting for her next words.

Luo Qingci didn't hold back, the corners of her mouth lifting as she gave the dragonet a thumbs-up, "Our little dragonet is amazing. Such a rare fish—I just described it to you, and you found it. It's so fast, yet you caught up with it. Truly impressive."

Swimming like a phoenix refers not only to its posture but also its speed. The reason it's rare is because in terms of escaping, only a Golden Core realm cultivator could match it.

The dragonet was only at the Foundation Establishment realm when born, yet it managed to catch it, which was almost a miracle. It shook its mane, with an expression that said it was no big deal, making Luo Qingci purse her lips in a smile.

But then, the dragonet was dissatisfied, "I told you, I'm not called little dragonet, I have a name, it's Ruan Li."

Hearing the name Ruan Li, Luo Qingci paused, then shook her head, "Little dragonet is a nickname, Ruan Li is your formal name—it doesn't interfere."

"Hmph," the dragonet snorted in anger, "Then what's your nickname?"

Thwack, someone flicked its forehead.

"Don't be rude. I'm older than you; you should call me sister. What nickname?"

The dragonet let out a whimper, rolling around on Luo Qingci and wrinkling her purple robe.

Luo Qingci just laughed, occasionally brushing away its little paws as they grabbed at her. So adorable.

After the fish was cooked, the two of them, one human and one dragon, ate at the stone table that Luo Qingci had painstakingly created.

The stone table was hideously ugly, neither square nor round, and full of bumps and dents. Luo Qingci couldn't be bothered to fix it and just settled for it.

The phoenix-tailed fish tasted excellent, with no hint of fishiness. The dragonet had also found many spirit fruits for seasoning, as well as mineral salt, making the dish quite impressive.

Luo Qingci hadn't expected that a dragonet only a few months old could make grilled fish far better than she could.

She finished the last bite with satisfaction, lazily leaning back, and sighed, "You've spoiled my taste buds. What am I going to do in the future? I never would have thought that my cooking skills would be surpassed by a four-month-old dragonet. Your talent is truly well-rounded."

"If it's too much trouble, I'll just keep cooking for you. When I grow up and can transform into a human form, you can teach me whatever you want to eat, and I'll make it for you."

Because of her dragon form, she wasn't very good at doing delicate tasks now, but once she becomes an adult, she can do everything properly.

Luo Qingci was initially relaxed and at ease, but after hearing the dragonet's words, she froze. Then, the light in her eyes dimmed.

She felt a heaviness in her chest. What future? She, who knew what was coming, couldn't even control it.

The dragonet hadn't noticed her shift in mood. After cleaning the table, she comfortably nestled against Luo Qingci and asked curiously, "What did you mean by 'well-rounded'?"

She always found Luo Qingci's words odd and hard to understand.

Luo Qingci suppressed her emotions and explained the meaning of 'well-rounded' to the dragonet.

"I see, it means being great at everything. But what's a hexagon?"

Luo Qingci: ...

"Then why not use a heptagon or an octagon..."

"And why do you always wear such an ugly mask? Can't you let me see you? Or are you so hideous that you can't be seen?"

Luo Qingci was speechless. Could it be uglier than when you were just an egg?

"I'm not afraid of ugliness. Can't you show me? And who made this mask for you? Can't they make something nicer?"

Luo Qingci thought she was talkative, but this dragonet was even worse.

"Alright, no talking during meals or before bed. Why do you have so many questions? Are you the '100,000 Whys'?"

"But we've already finished eating, and you talk a lot during meals. Why didn't you say 'no talking during meals or before bed' then?" The dragonet was too clever to be fooled.

"And what's '100,000 Whys'?"

Luo Qingci: ...

She once again felt the difficulty of raising a child, whether it was a human child or a dragonet, it was all the same.

At night, Luo Qingci couldn't calm her mind because of the dragonet's talk of the future.

Half a year had passed in the blink of an eye, and the barrier she left at the Dark Pool was already stirring. It seemed someone in the sect wanted her to leave.

She needed to prepare to leave.

But what about the dragonet?

She couldn't take her back to the Celestial Calculus Sect, and leaving her here was also worrisome. It was another big problem.

The dragonet was very diligent. Her only pastime was playing with her inner core, and the rest of the time she spent learning the spells Luo Qingci taught her.

Luo Qingci noticed that she had a fondness for round, shiny beads.

Watching the dragonet, who had just finished her meal, nestle in her arms and play with the beads, Luo Qingci felt both tender and protective.

If she returned to the Celestial Calculus Sect, visiting here wouldn't be as convenient, and leaving the dragonet alone, even in safety, would leave her lonely.

This female lead is still just a youngling.

Luo Qingci's mind was a whirlwind of emotions. She hadn't even realized that among the many reasons she worried about the dragonet, it was only at the end that she remembered the dragonet was the female lead.

She hesitated, unsure how to bring it up with the dragonet.

However, by evening, she realized there was no other option.

She received a reminder of an important plot point from the book: the female lead's growth arc must follow its destined path.

That meant awaiting enrollment in the Celestial Calculus Sect in human form.

Following Luo Qingci would naturally disrupt the plot, and according to the book's setting, the female lead had to return to her uncle's side and meet the SML.

Seven days later, east of Fufeng, the female lead rejoins the main plot.

Looking at the concise words above, Luo Qingci's heart tightened, and she couldn't help but glance at the dragonet by her side.

Over these months, she had almost forgotten her original purpose and that this dragonet was the female lead.

The few words of the prompt should be the plot that was briefly mentioned in the book.

She had taken the dragon egg out, already interfering with the plot development, and now she had to restore the plot, sending the female lead back to her uncle.

But... Luo Qingci's eyelids drooped as she looked at the sleeping dragonet, her heart in turmoil.

Initially, her mindset was to treat this world as virtual, seeing the inhabitants as mere NPCs.

But rationality precedes emotion, yet is constrained by emotion. She wasn't the original Luo Qingci, just an ordinary person, unable to remain detached.

In her heart, she had even thought that raising the dragonet like this was rather pleasant.

But, this is a book, and the female lead is not a pet; her path is fated to be fraught with challenges.

Here, everyone's ending and experiences are fated. At most, she can comply with the requirements to correct part of the plot, but she can't alter the course of fate.

She dared not tamper with the fated events on her own; once the original book's plot was lost, her only reliance would be gone.

The next day, as soon as the dragonet woke up, she saw Luo Qingci wide awake and staring at her.

She stretched, lifted her paw, and pressed against Luo Qingci. "Chi Qing, what are we learning today?"

Her water control technique was quite proficient.

Just as she finished speaking, her little paw was flicked, and then her body was flung uncontrollably, wrapped in a ball of spiritual energy, unable to break free.

"Where are you stepping?" A lazy voice tinged with dissatisfaction came from Luo Qingci's mouth, her masked eyes looking at her with a hint of amusement.

The dragonet's eyes rolled, and she pinched her paw. "I wasn't stepping anywhere."

Luo Qingci clenched her five fingers, and the dragonet was pulled over.

She flicked the dragonet's forehead, exasperated. "Good thing you're a girl and still a youngling, otherwise... I'd cut off your claws."

The dragonet cowered slightly, "You're so fierce."

"Am I fierce? I’ve just been too lenient with you," Luo Qingci rolled her eyes, gazing out at the endless expanse of water, feeling a deep sense of sadness.

"What will you do when you encounter truly dangerous people?" she murmured, somewhat distracted.

"If I meet truly dangerous people, I'll be fierce too," the dragonet quickly responded. She harbored no goodwill towards humans, only resentment.

Except for Chi Qing.

Luo Qingci looked at her, "That's right. But some people are great at pretending; they’re fierce deep down but act harmless. By the time you realize how dangerous they are, you’re often already hurt."

The dragonet was puzzled, "Isn’t it possible to tell?"

"You can, but it’s often really hard."

"Will Chi Qing teach me? You said the Wind Control Art is hard, but you taught me, and I learned it quickly," the dragonet, still innocent and naive, believed that if something was difficult, you just had to learn it.

Luo Qingci looked at her, managing a weak smile, "Yes."

At least she could tell who was bad and who was good, and could always remind her in the future.

"Do you want to go out and explore?" Luo Qingci suddenly said, looking up at the distant horizon.

The dragonet looked surprised, "Am I allowed to go out?"

From Luo Qingci, she had learned much about the Dragon Clan’s current struggles. Luo Qingci had stayed with her all this time, never going out. She thought she couldn't be seen by others.

"The place we’re going is safe, as long as you stay hidden and aren’t spotted," Luo Qingci's voice was soft, not as excited as the dragonet.

"When are we going, now?" The dragonet, immersed in excitement, didn't notice Luo Qingci's unease.

"In seven days. I have some things to prepare," Luo Qingci looked at the dragonet. She remembered that the reason the female lead could enter the Celestial Calculus Sect in human form was because of a pill that could mask the dragon's aura.

As long as the female lead didn't actively reveal herself or come into contact with Dragon-Subduing Wood, unless a Mahayana cultivator actively searched for her spirit, she wouldn't be exposed.

Time was limited, and the materials were precious. Luo Qingci naturally couldn't make it for her, but she could leave her the formula.

In her memory, the female lead initially hid her identity to seek revenge. But the person who gave her the pill didn't mention its harmful effects on dragons, which planted hidden dangers in the female lead's body, causing her great suffering and frequent incidents with each level of advancement.

Think of it as making it up to her.