CHAPTER 233: MY PET IS A DRAGON [2]

Long Anming, in her human form, was breathtaking, even more beautiful than before.

Her snow-white hair cascaded like silk down her back, her horns form a glowing crown.

Her golden eyes still carried the pride and fury of a dragon goddess. The remnants of divine and abyssal aura wrapped around her like twin halos, beautiful and terrifying in equal measure.

But Yu Xuan’s expression darkened.

"Hey," he said, his voice heavy, almost dangerous.

Long Anming stiffened.

His gaze bore into her with a ferocity that made her breath hitch, as if she had killed his Ancestors.

She could feel that she had benefited from whatever he’d done to her, yet defiance still burned in her chest.

And, she was he one being wronged here. Sympathise with her.

Then, without warning, an icy dread crawled up her spine — an instinctive fear that disobeying him would bring consequences beyond her comprehension.

"Change into your dragon form," Yu Xuan commanded.

Long Anming snorted, her pride warring against the strange compulsion pressing upon her. Her golden eyes glared defiantly, but her body betrayed her will.

A strange sound, escaped her lips as her human form blurred, giving way to a torrent of golden light and shadow.

Her body expanded and coiled.

When the transformation ended, she had taken her true form once more — a magnificent dragon, smaller than before, but infinitely more refined.

Her scales gleamed with a deeper, richer black that drank in the light, while the once-white fur along her body now shimmered with a soft golden hue, glowing like sunlight on obsidian.

Yu Xuan’s eyes widened slightly. Despite the reduction in size, her presence had only grown more divine.

A low groan of admiration escaped him.

"She’s... even more perfect now," he muttered in awe.

Without hesitation, Yu Xuan leapt lightly onto her back, his hand brushing against the gleaming fur.

"Hahahahahaha!"

His laughter echoed through the dark dome — wild, unrestrained, almost euphoric.

To Long Anming, it was unbearable. His laughter poured into her ears like oil over open flame, stoking the inferno of her humiliation and rage.

If fury could melt stars, Yu Xuan would have been reduced to ash where he stood.

Yet bound by the strange link his blood had created, all she could do was seethe, her massive body trembling with barely contained wrath.

"I don’t even know your name," Yu Xuan said lazily, still seated atop her back, his tone laced with amusement.

"Should I call you Little Black? No, Little White maybe... or hmm... Little Gold sounds cute too."

Each word was a dagger to her pride, but despite every fiber of her being screaming to throw him off, she could do nothing, her soul trembled under his command.

And somewhere deep within, she vowed—

One day, human... I will make you kneel and beg for mercy.

***

Outside the black dome, small knots of disciples clustered together, each group eyeing the others with equal parts of suspicion.

Luo Xianyin — the zither wielder, had gathered a handful Yu Xuan had spared. They huddled close, faces tight with adrenaline.

"That’s definitely the Demon," Xie Cangye spat, jaw clenched. The boy still looked raw from their last clash; Yu Xuan had crushed his spirit, his spirit arts too failed to harm, Yu Xuan who called it cheap parlour tricks.

Tang Qinghe’s eyes flashed venom.

"I’ll carve that bastard apart slowly," she hissed. Her pride had been stung — poisons and formations that worked on others had barely made him move.

"Do you think the others will move against him?" Yan Xuhuo asked, flames licking the tips of his hair and fingernails.

He’d been humiliated when Yu Xuan casually overpowered his flames with some Heavenly Flame, which had scared him shitless.

"Make a plan," Xu Zhentang said, thunder in his gaze.

He’d sought a straight duel with Yu Xuan and lost; his only wish now was another shot at the man who’d bested him. He knew his victory alone, was not certain so he joined this group.

"We should neutralize the Martial Heaven Peak squads first," Luo Xianyin proposed, practical and cold.

"They’re the immediate threat."

"What about Kong Xuanyi?" Tang Qinghe asked, anxiety threaded through the question.

Luo Xianyin’s eyes flicked toward Yan Xuhuo.

"Can’t you speak to him? He’s from your peak, isn’t he?"

Yan Xuhuo grinned a hollow, embarrassed grin.

"He refused us before. Even if he’s from my peak, he gave up the offer. Let it be."

Kong Xuanyi had followed them from a distance — neither friend nor foe for now — choosing silence over alliance.

The reality gnawed at them; most of the people they met were Martial Heaven disciples, and every encounter risked another fight.

Those from other peaks either refused to cooperate or turned openly hostile. The rules were simple and cruel; only one would walk away alive.

Then, together, the groups felt it — the dome shivering.

A tremendous pressure rolled across the plains, a physical weight that made lungs burn and knees tremble. The black dome vibrated, hairline cracks spidering across its surface, and a cold, unanimous dread settled over every chest.

Then—

ROAARRRRRRRR!

A thunderous, ancient roar split the heavens, shaking the illusionary realm. The dome shattered in a cascade of darkness, fragments dissolving into the air like smoke.

And from within, a colossal black dragon ascended into the sky, its scales gleaming like obsidian, its golden fur blazing beneath the nine suns. Its mere presence distorted the air.

Then came the laughter — wild, euphoric, and terrifying.

"Hahahahahaha!"

The sound echoed through the skies, and every disciple’s spine chilled. They looked up and saw him.

Yu Xuan stood atop the dragon’s back, his bloodstained robes fluttering in the wind, surrounded by the golden fur of the beast beneath him. He looked madlyalive, like a god who had defied the heavens and won.

Luo Xianyin’s group could only stare in frozen disbelief.

Yan Xuhuo rubbed his eyes, his voice trembling.

"Uh... am I the only one seeing this? Either I’m in an illusion, or my fire’s fried my brain. I swear I’m seeing something impossible in the sky..."

His nervous laugh died the moment he saw the others’ pale faces and wide eyes.

Everyone: "..."

"Hahaha... there are even people here to welcome me! Seems I’ve gotten quite famous," Yu Xuan said, standing tall atop the furious dragon’s back, his laughter dripping with arrogance.

He patted the dragon’s neck with affection.

"Little Boldy, give them a proper greeting, show them your appreciation!"

The dragon’s golden eyes flared with fury, but her body moved on its own. Bound by Yu Xuan’s will, she obeyed.

Her jaws opened wide—

and a storm of annihilation burst forth.

A deafening boom followed as a beam of her energy tore through the air, turning the plains below into molten ruin.

"F—fuck! Why is a dragon coming out of nowhere?!"

"Form Qi shields!"

"Run!!!"

"You idiot don’t break the formation!!!"

Panic erupted among the disciples below. Those too slow to react were instantly engulfed by the infernal blast, their screams drowned in the roar of destruction.

The smarter ones hastily formed defensive arrays.

Luo Xianyin’s group did the same — Tang Qinghe drew complex formation seals with trembling hands while Luo Xianyin reinforced them with her zither’s resonance, their combined Qi weaving into a shimmering dome of protection.

Yan Xuhuo and the others poured their energy into the barrier, teeth gritted as the blast hammered against them.

The explosion seared the earth black, melting stone and scorching the wind itself.

Those who had tried to flee the attack area were reduced to ashes; the few who survived looked half-dead, trembling and smoking where they stood.

Then, a golden radiance descended from the heavens, calming the raging air.

From above, Fang Wu’s voice resounded, calm yet absolute:

"Congratulations to those who survived. As only a hundred disciples remain now, the second trial shall now begin."

Yu Xuan grinned and tapped the dragon’s back.

"Descend, Little Boldy."

The dragon let out a low growl but obeyed, descending in a swirl of dark clouds.

Yu Xuan leapt lightly from her back, landing with effortless grace. Turning to her, he said with authority,

"You can take your human form now."

The dragon’s body shimmered, folding in upon itself.

Moments later, Long Anming stood before him — her white hair glowing faintly, her golden eyes cold as frost.

She glared at him, her voice sharp as a blade.

"My name is Long Anming!" she snapped, her tone dripping with restrained fury.

Yu Xuan appeared casually beside her, his hand brushing against her hair. A faint smirk tugged at his lips, tinged with mild disappointment.

"They don’t give the same feel... as expected, your dragon form was far superior," he said, his voice calm.

Long Anming’s face flushed, a mix of fury and embarrassment boiling inside her.

She wanted to lash out, to strike or scold him for his audacity, but her body seemed to betray her will, stiff and unwilling to obey the impulse.

With a final, cold glare, she snorted in defiance and silently stepped behind him, her pride bruised but unbroken.