Chapter 156: The Dragon Dissolving in the Aurora

Ah, we're finally back. Emerging from her own thoughts, the first thing that reached her ears was Wen Hui's heavy sigh of relief. Accompanied by fluttering leaves, Wen Hui flopped heavily onto the bed of clover.

Yeah, we're finally back. This trial was unexpectedly perilous, and it left us with quite a few lingering mysteries, too. Instead of lying down like Wen Hui or rising from the soft grass, Zhuang Xiaoyuan reached for the backpack at her side, fished out a pack of compressed meat jerky, tore open the packaging, and took a bite.

In truth, her stomach did not feel hungry at all. Only a few hours had passed since their escape from the abandoned vehicle, but the sheer pressure and various questions accumulated during the trial had simply made Zhuang Xiaoyuan want something to occupy her mouth.

That thing... to think I would turn out like that. If it weren't for Xiaoyuan, I might have ended up just like her. At the memory of the other self that had confronted her earlier, a complex light flashed through Wen Hui's eyes. Although she always acted cheerful, how could anyone living as a human in this world harbor absolutely no negative emotions deep within their heart?

Oh? Are you praising me, or thanking me? Zhuang Xiaoyuan dug deep into her memory, searching for anything related to the other version of herself—the one the dark copy had mentioned—and the so-called awakening, but she found not the slightest trace of relevant knowledge. Hearing Wen Hui's rare expression of sincere sentiment, the corners of Zhuang Xiaoyuan's lips curved into a smile. The irritation born from endless doubts vanished in an instant, leaving only a gentle warmth in her chest.

Who, who is praising you? Don't get the wrong idea! I was praising myself! As expected of me, even a fake is just as amazing as I am. Catching Zhuang Xiaoyuan's teasing expression, Wen Hui realized she had inadvertently let slip something she shouldn't have, and immediately flushed crimson as she issued a denial.

Alright, alright, let's just pretend you were praising yourself. Want some? Amusement dancing in her eyes at Wen Hui's flustered annoyance, Zhuang Xiaoyuan held out a package of jerky. It probably won't take us much longer to reach the Central City, so there's no need to deliberately ration these provisions. Eat some if you'd like—though it's best not to eat too much, of course. Save some room for a grand feast once we get to the Central City.

Hmph. With a soft sniff, Wen Hui turned her head away, snatched the jerky right out of Zhuang Xiaoyuan's hand, and bit into it fiercely as if venting her frustration. When we get there, we are definitely making the poker-faced cat treat us. We'll eat her out of house and home!

You should probably say that to her face. Glancing up at the black bone dragon still circling relentlessly overhead, Zhuang Xiaoyuan lowered her gaze back to the jerky in her hand. She wondered how long it would take for Xiao Miao to find them.

Zhuang Xiaoyuan held absolute faith in Chu Miaomiao's abilities; finding the hidden location where she and Wen Hui were resting was merely a matter of time. The real issue was the black bone dragon hovering above. As time ticked away, Zhuang Xiaoyuan could clearly see that the dark armor covering the creature was growing brighter and thicker. That previous transformation hadn't been a sudden outburst triggered by external stimulation, but rather the result of accidentally reaching the threshold for a tier advancement. Thinking along those lines, she really was quite unlucky.

Time slipped away rapidly in a state of waiting. When their divine power cultivation session concluded, the two of them—who had pitched their tents and fallen fast asleep—were jolted awake by the dragon's piercing roar. The dark firmament was just beginning to bloom with the earliest traces of dawn, yet an extraordinary radiance blazed directly above their heads.

As the two girls scrambled out of their tents, the dazzling sight that greeted them was a brilliant aurora blooming across the sky. Caught within this enduring display of light, the impervious black-armored bone dragon was rapidly dissolving. First went the outer layer of dark iron armor, followed by the hard white bones encased within. No matter how frantically the creature threshed, it could not break free from the aurora's binding grip.

The dragon's once-formless and potent black-powder breath flared wildly in all directions, yet failed to pierce the barrier of light. At last, the mighty bone dragon emitted a despairing roar and melted completely into the breathtaking, unforgettable aurora. With the destruction of the bone dragon, the aurora rapidly receded, leaving the surroundings cloaked once more in twilight. At the very center of where the light had been, a middle-aged man stood quietly suspended in mid-air—doubtless the master who had unleashed that magnificent display.

As if sensing their gaze, the master of the aurora lowered his head to look down. Although the distance was somewhat vast, Zhuang Xiaoyuan clearly recognized his somewhat familiar features, as well as the slight frown that furrowed his brow the moment he looked down.

It appeared that he, too, was unable to see through this concealed forest. Even so, he must have detected the anomalies within this region. After sweeping his gaze across the surroundings and nodding toward the spot where Zhuang Xiaoyuan and Wen Hui stood, the man descended toward the northeastern edge of the forest. Despite not laying eyes upon them directly beforehand, he had pinpointed their location—what remarkably sharp senses.

Xiao Hui, let's head out. The threatening bone dragon had been eliminated, and this aurora manipulator who had destroyed it was surely the reinforcement Chu Miaomiao had brought along. Although she lacked absolute certainty, seeing that familiar face filled Zhuang Xiaoyuan with a quiet confidence; even if he hadn't been sent by Chu Miaomiao, this person meant them no harm.

Right. We can finally leave in peace.

The two made swift preparations, gathering their necessities and hoisting their respective backpacks. Led by Zhuang Xiaoyuan, they walked out of the forest. The direction they took led straight toward the northeast where the aurora master had descended. Though they hadn't crossed paths face-to-face, Zhuang Xiaoyuan could tell from the man's earlier gestures that he was signaling that support awaited them in this direction.

Xiaoyuan! Just as they stepped out of the hidden woods, a petite figure suddenly collided with Zhuang Xiaoyuan's embrace. Though Zhuang Xiaoyuan herself possessed a rather slender and compact build compared to her peers, she was considerably larger than the person now clinging to her. Merely judging by her stature, one might easily mistake this girl for an elementary school student. The one who had just thrown herself into Zhuang Xiaoyuan's arms was none other than Chu Miaomiao, who had parted ways with them during the trial.

Despite executing such an intimate gesture, Chu Miaomiao wore her customary placid expression. The only visible change lay within her eyes, which overflowed with a profound warmth.

Ah, poker-faced cat! You really only have eyes for Xiaoyuan, don't you? I'm right here too, me too! Yanks Chu Miaomiao away from Zhuang Xiaoyuan's embrace with a swift motion, Wen Hui thrust her hands onto her hips, wearing an expression that clearly said *you don't see anyone else here*, and interposed herself directly between Chu Miaomiao and Zhuang Xiaoyuan.

Idiot Hui, a good dog doesn't block the path. Have you lost even the most basic instincts of a canine? How disobedient. Having finally tasted the comfort of Zhuang Xiaoyuan's embrace, Chu Miaomiao was deeply displeased at being forcefully dragged away by Wen Hui. Her diminutive stature radiated an intensity that refused to yield to Wen Hui in the slightest as she widened her eyes and glared back.

Heh, a wild cat with no manners whatsoever—what right do you have to lecture me? Widening her own eyes to glare right into Chu Miaomiao's, Wen Hui shot back without a moment's hesitation. Far from their playful banter with Zhuang Xiaoyuan, the interactions between Wen Hui and Chu Miaomiao were a genuine clash of oil and water, destined to never mix. (To be continued...)