Chapter 49

Chapter 49

As Qing Nong's words fell, the room instantly fell into an eerie silence, so much so that even the wind passing through seemed to stagnate for a moment.

Qing Nong looked up from behind the jade slip, sneaking a glance at Huo Wuyan.

But Huo Wuyan was looking down at him from above, looming over him. The candle flame on the desk swayed gently in the evening breeze, the light flickering, casting dark shadows on his face and making his crimson eyes appear even deeper, colder, and more desolate.

Under his cold gaze, Qing Nong couldn't help but shrink his neck. He knew that even if he didn't show it outwardly, Huo Wuyan was a proud dragon who cared about his reputation. He most likely wouldn't be willing to do something like sitting on eggs, and might even get angry in secret, then give him a good beating...

But thinking of those two poor eggs, he was willing to risk it! What's a little beating!

Qing Nong let out a dry chuckle but forced himself to continue, "My Lord, what do you think about this...?"

A heavy silence hung over them, with only his dry laughter echoing in the room. His voice grew fainter. Huo Wuyan just stared at him expressionlessly, his demeanor icy.

Qing Nong felt a chill run down his spine. What he feared most was Huo Wuyan's unreadable and unpredictable nature. Keeping his head down and eyes on the jade slip, he heard the rustle of fabric as Huo Wuyan slowly approached.

Just as he was bracing himself for Huo Wuyan to smash the teacup in his hand onto his head, Huo Wuyan suddenly smirked coldly.

With a faint, grating crack, the white jade teacup in his palm shattered into powder that scattered in the night breeze and vanished.

Qing Nong’s eyes twitched at that cold smile. His skin crawling, he quickly said, "Of course, if you’re not willing, that’s fine too. We can think of another way. Nothing is impossible for a determined person—well, dragon! There are plenty of methods..."

Huo Wuyan shifted his gaze expressionlessly, without a word turning to the window and sitting down on the soft couch. The cool night breeze carried a faint fruity scent past his nose.

The door to the next room was firmly shut.

Huo Wuyan rubbed his forehead. After a moment, his eyes paused. Her window wasn’t fully closed; sheer curtains hung down, and through the hazy moonlight, he could vaguely see the slight rise and fall of a figure on the bed.

Huo Wuyan frowned slightly and sat up a little straighter, his gaze icy as he looked out the window.

Qing Nong put down the wolf-hair brush he was holding and pushed aside the pile of jade slips in front of him. He rubbed his sore wrist and suddenly asked softly, "I think Lu Yuanyin’s health has mostly recovered. What are your plans next?"

They couldn't just stay in this inn forever.

Qing Nong had been reading the jade slips that had been sent over the past few days and realized that the situation was far more troublesome than he had imagined. Right now, the cultivation world looked peaceful on the surface, but beneath that calm lay surging undercurrents. The human race was strong, countless prodigies were emerging, the demon race was plotting and eyeing them greedily, the sea race was in decline, and the Spirit Beast Clan was even more fractured than before.

Hundreds of years ago, because of Huo Wuyan, the long-troubled Spirit Beast Clan had finally found some peace, and those mad dogs had also behaved for a while. But with Huo Wuyan's disappearance and the dragon clan's migration, those mad dogs had started to get restless again, constantly plotting and causing trouble in secret.

Just like the Black Flood Dragon before—a mere mixed-blood serpent that had the audacity to covet the Dragon Fetus and even colluded with those trash from the Chongyao Sect to try to assassinate Huo Wuyan.

Now, instead of rushing to kowtow and apologize, the Flood Dragon clan was secretly plotting revenge for that Black Flood Dragon. When Qing Nong learned of this, he couldn't even muster anger, only a sense of utter absurdity.

Moreover, with the birth of the Dragon Cubs, those elder dragons were rushing to their location. Their excitement wasn't just because no cub had been born in the dragon clan for a long time, but also because these were Huo Wuyan's offspring, carrying the blood of the ancient divine beast Yinglong.

Once these two cubs grew up, the dragon clan's power would only skyrocket, making their position in the cultivation world even more unshakable.

Naturally, there were those who would go to great lengths to crush them in their shells, trying to prevent them from hatching. Now, various forces were lurking in the shadows.

Perhaps Huo Wuyan and the dragon clan had been in seclusion for too long, causing those people's ambitions to swell uncontrollably and give rise to ideas they shouldn't have. Qing Nong chewed on his brush and looked at Huo Wuyan, lowering his voice, "What do you intend to do with those flood dragons?"

Huo Wuyan looked away, indifferently at the fine white powder remaining in his palm. "Let them be," he said casually.

Qing Nong raised an eyebrow, not understanding what Huo Wuyan meant by that. If it were up to him, he would support killing the most arrogant ones to make an example, to avoid endless trouble in the future.

He rubbed his chin, lost in thought. Just as he was pondering, he heard a faint sound from outside the room. The night breeze swept in, and the red wooden door was slightly ajar. The room was empty; Huo Wuyan was already gone.

Huo Wuyan quietly pushed open the door to find the room shrouded in darkness. A rose-red long dress hung quietly on the screen, and from the inner room came the soft sound of her breathing.

Huo Wuyan stepped forward without a sound, lifting the curtain that hung from the bed. Lu Yuanyin was already fast asleep, half of her body uncovered, her head buried deeply under the pillow, her delicate white feet carelessly sticking out over the edge of the bed.

Two eggs lay scattered beside her.

Huo Wuyan’s lashes lowered, and his gaze lingered on those white feet for a moment.

Her feet were also very beautiful—fair and delicate skin, rounded toes, a small crimson mole on the white instep like a drop of blood on white jade, making one want to hold and play with them.

Huo Wuyan paused, shifting his gaze slightly. He gently picked up the two eggs and placed them by her pillow. They felt light in his hand, almost weightless.

A slight warmth radiated into his palm, and he could sense a very familiar aura within—they carried the same bloodline as his own.

As if sensing his presence, a faint pulse came from inside. A weak spiritual sense cautiously brushed against his palm through the thin shell.

Huo Wuyan felt as if a small paw had lightly scratched his palm, causing a strange ticklish sensation. Startled, he instinctively pulled back his fingers.

The two eggs lay quietly by the bedside again.

For a moment, Huo Wuyan’s thoughts drifted. He suddenly thought of what Qing Nong had just said—that these two eggs were born prematurely and that if the problem wasn't resolved, they could very well become two stunted little dragon babies.

Huo Wuyan frowned, staring fixedly at the two eggs, lost in thought.

Lu Yuanyin, half-asleep, seemed to feel someone staring at her. His gaze was intense, and even in her sleep, she turned restlessly. That presence lingered faintly beside her as if she were being watched by a fierce beast, sending a chill down her spine.

Her long eyelashes fluttered, and Lu Yuanyin woke with a start. She looked warily to her side.

Through the faint moonlight, she saw a figure standing expressionlessly by her bed. Cold moonlight washed over his entire form. His face was hidden in the shadows, gnarled dragon horns casting twisted shadows across his features, and only the red demon mark on his cheek shimmered faintly in the moonlight.

He brought the night chill with him, the hem of his clothes damp. His tall figure almost completely engulfed her, and the strong scent of dragon musk filled the room. Lu Yuanyin paused, immediately recognizing the person before her.

Seeing that familiar figure, Lu Yuanyin finally relaxed. She rubbed her drowsy eyes, pulled the soft quilt around herself, and slowly sat up. In a soft voice, she asked, "Huo Wuyan, are you looking for me...?"

Huo Wuyan’s gaze faltered. He realized that her current state was a bit too intimate. Her thin undershirt hung loosely on her slender shoulders, revealing large patches of fair skin, with hints of soft curves.

Perhaps just waking up, her cheeks were flushed with a deep, heavy blush, and the corners of her eyes and brows seemed smeared with rouge, carrying an unconscious allure.

Huo Wuyan shifted his gaze slightly and said in a low voice, "I’m here to retrieve the dragon pearl."

His voice was inexplicably hoarse.

Lu Yuanyin was stunned. She looked at Huo Wuyan in confusion. "Dragon pearl?"

A moment later, she vaguely remembered that Huo Wuyan had indeed given her a jade pearl before, and it had remained inside her ever since.

She just hadn’t expected it to be the legendary dragon pearl. She had thought it was some kind of artifact he had gotten somewhere. No wonder she had recovered so quickly earlier.

Lu Yuanyin tilted her head, her eyes wide open, her bright eyes fixed on Huo Wuyan. "Then how do I give it back to you...?"

Before she could finish, Huo Wuyan leaned down slightly. His rough hand gripped her delicate chin, and his hot breath spread slowly over the delicate shell of her ear. His intense presence instantly overwhelmed her senses.

"Open your mouth," Huo Wuyan said in a deep voice.

Lu Yuanyin was startled. She seemed to catch a faint smell of wine. "Did you drink...?"

But before she could finish, her white hair brushed lightly across her cheek, bringing a slight ticklish sensation. A red tassel flashed before her eyes, and the scorching heat instantly surrounded her.

She stared blankly at the face that suddenly drew close. His eyelashes drooped, casting a beautiful shadow in his deep eye sockets.

Perhaps sensing her daze, Huo Wuyan applied slight pressure with his fingertips, forcing her crimson lips apart.

His burning lips gently brushed against hers. She could almost feel his long eyelashes lightly brushing across her cheek. Lu Yuanyin then noticed that his eyelashes were also pristine white.

Lu Yuanyin felt as if a warm current was slowly rising from her lower abdomen, surging through the meridians of her entire body. Her cheeks began to burn.

She could feel a dragon pearl slowly leaving her body, with rich spiritual energy radiating.

Her thoughts were chaotic. The room was silent, and she could almost hear the wild beating of two hearts, twining in an ambiguous dance in the night.

He seemed to have just eaten a spirit fruit before coming; his lips still carried a hint of sweet fruity fragrance. Lu Yuanyin subconsciously licked the corner of his lips.

But then she heard a low grunt from the man before her. Before Lu Yuanyin could react, she felt overwhelming force and was pressed onto the soft bed by the man. The light above her suddenly dimmed as a scorching kiss came down.

Lu Yuanyin couldn't withstand such an intense kiss. Her face turned a deep red, and she instinctively tried to pull back, but behind her was only the bed and the wall—there was no escape. The large hand on her waist suddenly tightened, pulling her even closer, as if he wished to meld her into his bones and consume her.

Her delicate fingers helplessly pressed into his solid arm. She could only breathe softly, bearing his scorching kiss.

Just as Lu Yuanyin felt she was about to suffocate, the man pulled back slightly.

Lu Yuanyin breathed in short, rapid gasps. She looked at the man before her with a dazed expression and whispered, "Huo Wuyan, are you drunk?"

Huo Wuyan realized he had lost control just now. He paused, silently stood up, and, feeling the discomfort below, instinctively tugged at his loose robe. His posture was somewhat stiff.

In his ears came Lu Yuanyin's low, rapid panting, and a sweet, faint fragrance lingered around his nostrils.

Huo Wuyan instinctively avoided looking at Lu Yuanyin's expression. He was rarely so flustered.

Huo Wuyan was silent for a moment, then almost stumbled out of the room.

The heavy mahogany door slowly closed, blocking the sight behind.

The night wind came, but it could not cool the restlessness in his body. Huo Wuyan clutched the two eggs in his hand, his breathing still heavy. He casually tugged at his collar.

Huo Wuyan suddenly felt despicable. He had many ways to retrieve the dragon pearl, but at that moment, he used the most contemptible method he had once disdained.

Huo Wuyan's thoughts were in disarray. He felt groggy and disoriented. In recent days, he seemed to have been like this, subtly losing control. He lay silently on the bed.

Those images flooded into his consciousness like tidal waves, constantly reminding him of how absurd this period of time had been.

He gazed blankly at the dark ceiling.

A long moment later, Huo Wuyan lowered his eyes and saw two eggs lying quietly in his palm.

He had no idea when he had taken them out.

These were his and Lu Yuanyin's children.

Huo Wuyan's eyes flickered. He was silent for a moment, then a thick dragon tail crept onto the bed, trying to gently curl the two eggs into its coils.

But he got distracted, and when he looked, the sturdy white jade bed beside him had been deeply gouged by his sharp scales.

Huo Wuyan paused. He looked at the two eggs and frowned slightly.

These two eggs were too fragile; one careless move and he might shatter them.

Huo Wuyan looked at the two eggs. His thick dragon tail impatiently swept across the floor, feeling irritable.

"So troublesome."

After Qing Nong had finished handling the pile of jade slips, he suddenly remembered that he hadn't yet delivered the messages people had entrusted him to pass to Huo Wuyan.

He quickly grabbed a few jade slips beside him and rushed to Huo Wuyan's room. Seeing the door closed and the room pitch black, without much thought, he pushed the door open and ran straight in. "Huo Wuyan, they asked me to tell you..."

Suddenly, Qing Nong paused mid-sentence. He saw a little golden dragon, arm-length, with wings and a round belly, squatting on the bed, extending its short front paws to hold two eggs.

At his arrival, the little golden dragon raised its eyelids, its red vertical pupils staring straight at his direction. With a confused expression, it spoke in human language:

"How to hatch them?"

Qing Nong, "..."

Author's Note:

Here it comes~

The conflicted elder dragon

The dragon's thought process was probably: Hatching eggs is impossible—kiss the wife—since I'm already here, let's hatch an egg to calm down _(:3 」∠)_