rin’s sleep breaks only a couple of hours later, yet his mind feels completely refreshed, as if those brief monts of rest were enough to restore what years of wakefulness had accumulated.
For years, he had not truly slept, not because he could not, but because there had never been a need, as cultivation and constant awareness had replaced rest entirely.
The few hours he spent with Diexin do not exhaust him in the slightest, because his body is already capable of enduring life-and-death battles that last for days without feeling fatigue.
Even so, that ti serves another purpose.
It allows him to release the accumulated yang energy within his body, which has been steadily increasing ever since he began transforming his body into that of a dragon.
He recalls what he has heard before—
That dragons are creatures of overwhelming vitality, beings driven by instinct and dominance, and that during their peak states, they seek to mate without restraint.
That is why countless sub-dragon races exist in the world—Draconic Ants, Fish Dragons, and many other strange bloodlines born from such origins.
Back then, it was only knowledge.
Now—
He begins to feel it.
A faint, growing impulse within his body.
A question arises in his mind.
“What will happen… when my transformation is complete?”
His thoughts drift as his hand moves unconsciously, resting lightly against Diexin’s arm as she lies within his embrace.
At his touch, she lets out a faint, almost imperceptible groan, her body shifting slightly in her sleep.
For him, it was nothing more than a brief release of energy.
For her—
It was as if she had endured a prolonged battle that drained her completely.
rin’s gaze lowers slightly.
He notices the faint bruising along her arm.
Even now, it is already healing at a visible pace.
Within an hour, it will likely disappear entirely.
Still, his thoughts deepen.
“Diexin… will not be able to handle when I fully beco a dragon.”
His expression remains calm, but the conclusion is clear.
“She needs to cultivate a body-refining technique.”
“Otherwise… I may injure her unintentionally.”
It is not sothing he takes lightly.
Because among all things, control over his emotions weakens only in those monts.
He considers further.
“It would be better… if she cultivates a Dragon Transformation technique as well.”
This is not rely for physical compatibility.
His thoughts move beyond that.
With his support, and with the talent Diexin has already shown, her chances of stepping into the Saint Stage are extrely high.
And beyond the Saint Stage—
Cultivation changes.
It becos a matter of faith.
If he establishes a path—
A system.
A foundation based on humanoid-dragon cultivation—
Then every cultivator who follows that path and ascends further will contribute a portion of their faith back to him.
A cycle.
A network.
A growing structure of belief.
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From one path—
Countless branches will erge.
More people will be drawn to cultivate the Humanoid Dragon Dao.
And in turn—
That faith will nourish him.
Accelerate him.
Help mature his Virtual Dragon Fruit.
rin’s gaze remains steady as these thoughts settle into place, no longer scattered ideas but the outline of a future path.
A path that extends far beyond the present.
rin’s thoughts continue to deepen as he recalls Chu Feng and Shi Yang, rembering that he had already given them the Dragon Transformation technique as repaynt for protecting his son.
At that ti, it was simply an exchange of favours, but now he sees a far greater aning behind that decision, as if he had unknowingly placed the first pieces of a much larger design.
He has repaid their debt, yet at the sa ti, he has planted the foundation for the future.
When they eventually step into the Saint Stage, they will naturally beco part of his pantheon, and with the right guidance, they will not refuse.
He can provide them with more advanced chapters of cultivation, offer them a share of faith, and help them establish their own positions within the system he is envisioning.
In ti, they will beco his generals, expanding influence across regions and worlds, gathering faith and strengthening their own paths while contributing back to him.
Every strand of faith they accumulate will still flow partially to him, as the originator of the path and the foundation of the pantheon itself.
In this way, rin does not need to personally conquer lands or spread belief across distant realms.
He only needs to remain at the centre, cultivating, observing, and intervening only when necessary.
The structure forms clearly in his mind.
A self-sustaining system.
A growing network of power.
With that decision made, he does not delay.
His energy moves subtly, extending into Diexin’s body, not in a forceful way, but with careful precision and control.
He perceives the composition of her power—Ice, Wood, and Poison—three distinct elents intertwined yet not fully harmonised.
Using this foundation, he begins to construct a tailored Dragon Body technique suited specifically for her, one that can stabilise her body, enhance her endurance, and allow her to evolve alongside his path.
Ti passes quietly.
Hours slip by unnoticed.
Then—
A sudden sound breaks the stillness.
A knock.
Followed by another.
Then, repeated banging on the door.
“Mother… Mother… wake up.”
Biyun’s voice echoes from outside, urgent and full of energy.
rin hears Yueqing’s voice as well, trying to calm the child and stop him from making too much noise.
Diexin stirs.
A soft groan escapes her as she wakes, her eyes slowly opening before settling on rin.
Without speaking, she rises from the bed, using her magic to form simple clothing around her body while her long hair flows freely before being gathered and tied neatly with a subtle motion of energy.
She steps forward.
The next mont, she reaches the door and opens it.
Biyun stands there.
Excited.
Restless.
rin also sits up, his own clothes forming naturally around him through his control of energy.
Biyun enters quickly, but the mont he sees rin, his excitent cools slightly, his expression shifting into sothing more restrained.
“Father.”
rin nods calmly in acknowledgent.
A quiet sigh follows.
He stands.
“I am leaving.”
Without waiting for a response, rin walks past them with calm indifference, his presence lingering only for a mont before he exits the room, leaving behind a quiet stillness that slowly settles in his absence.
Later, Diexin and Yueqing sit together at a stone table within a garden pavilion, where soft light filters through the leaves and the air carries a calm that contrasts sharply with the turbulence of the outside world.
Beyond the pavilion, in the open field, Biyun moves energetically, practising his newly learned sword techniques with excitent, each swing carrying more enthusiasm than precision.
Yueqing watches him for a mont, then turns her attention back to Diexin, her expression turning more serious as she finally voices the question that has been lingering.
“Diexin… what are you going to do about the Shen Family?”
Diexin freezes briefly at the question, her thoughts pausing as mories she once chose to bury begin to surface again.
When she exiled herself to Danue Island, she had already decided to abandon the path of revenge, choosing instead to sever herself from that past entirely.
But now…
She has returned.
And she no longer stands alone.
Behind her stands the entire Duan Family.
Her brows furrow slightly as she looks at Yueqing.
“What happened to the Shen Family after I left?”
Yueqing exhales lightly before answering.
“Only a few mbers of the Shen Family remain now, their strength greatly diminished.”
She pauses, then continues.
“After failing to marry the fifth daughter of Prince Yuan, Shen Ling married your stepmother instead… and through that, he has completely taken control of Yulan City.”
The words strike deeper than expected.
Diexin’s expression shifts.
Shock.
Disbelief.
Silence follows.
When she hears that Shen Ling married her stepmother, her mind montarily blanks, unable to process the absurdity of it.
Before she can respond, both she and Yueqing turn their heads at the sa ti.
They hear voices.
Light footsteps approaching.
Familiar.
From the bamboo grove, two figures erge.
The Seventh Prince.
And Song Xingli.
Seeing Xingli, Diexin lets out a quiet sigh, knowing that their unresolved matter cannot be avoided any longer.
Beside her, Yueqing lowers her voice slightly.
“Diexin… I think Yuanheng still likes you.”
“He still hasn’t married.”
A trace of sadness appears in Diexin’s eyes.
“I shouldn’t have involved him.”
She pauses briefly before adding.
“I should speak with him.”
As they step into view, Yuanheng notices them first, his face lighting up instantly with genuine warmth, while Xingli freezes for a brief mont before regaining composure and walking forward with him.
They enter the pavilion, exchanging greetings, and after a few monts of conversation, Yuanheng and Xingli take their leave together.
As they walk, their conversation continues quietly until they arrive at the courtyard assigned to Xingli.
Yuanheng stops and turns toward her, his expression earnest.
“Sister… I know that because of your mother, you never wanted to beco soone’s wife.”
He shares the sa mother as her, and that past still lingers between them.
He continues, his tone firm yet gentle.
“As your younger brother, I have to say this… the City Lord is not like father.”
“The world is changing, and in this situation, he can keep you safe and help you reach greater heights.”
Xingli exhales softly, her expression conflicted yet understanding.
“I know.”
Yuanheng squeezes her arm lightly, offering silent support before stepping back.
The decision is not his to make.
He has said what he needed to say.
Without lingering further, he turns and leaves quickly, heading toward the Dragon Totem, where he seeks to comprehend its power.
Behind him, Xingli remains standing in the courtyard, alone with her thoughts.
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