Chapter 157 True Dragon: Reunion after a long separation [VIP]

"so--"

Xiao Yun lowered his head and looked at Yaris intently: "Are we still in absolute control?"

"Yes."

Yaris's voice was weak, but his words were crystal clear: "As long as he hasn't become a god, to the gods living in higher dimensions, he is an extremely insignificant existence that can be destroyed with just a single hand."

"...What exactly is God...?"

Xiao Yun couldn't help but ask.

"Which kind of God are you asking about?"

Yaris blinked.

"The stories about the gods and gods we know—including Shem and Ya—are mostly outright lies... They live in higher dimensions beyond our reach, firmly occupying the public's worship, but have almost never had a positive impact on human history..."

"If God is a complete lie, why bother—"

"Because the masses need gods, and rulers also need gods—until a tool more effective than gods is found to unite and govern the people, gods and religions centered around gods are indispensable to this world."

Yaris said slowly.

"So the tower is straight..."

"Well, the gods designed the Ziggurat for exactly what you imagined... However, even the gods can't guarantee that their designs will function exactly as they envisioned once they're put into use... This is true of the Ziggurat, the Twin Gods faith, the Holy Family, and the High Priest system..."

"So they are not true gods, at least not the omniscient and omnipotent gods that people imagine."

"Yes, to us living in this world, the gods are high above, unreachable. But even the gods are controlled and influenced by a higher-dimensional force called the Golden Rule, which maintains and coordinates the operation of the universe. There must be a higher-level force above the Golden Rule, but that is too far away for us..."

"Since it's too far away, don't think about it actively."

Xiao Yun hugged Yaris and transferred the "Tower Master" to him.

"This guy kept chattering and making noise all the way, and it didn't stop until you woke up."

[Do you want him to strangle me to death? Even though he doesn't have the strength to strangle me now!]

The "Tower Master" glared at Xiao Yun in dissatisfaction.

Yaris also heard the "Tower Master's" complaint and stretched out his weak fingers to touch its little head.

"You look so petite."

I only look small for now. Once I absorb enough death, darkness, and distortion, I can fill the entire Lake Oro in no time. No, the creature beneath Lake Oro is waking up. If I press directly on it, it will fight me.

"That guy? The golden dragon sleeping beneath the Grand Palace?"

Xiao Yun asked with interest.

The Tower Master nodded.

This palace is filled with the so-called "Dragon Tooth Soldiers" who betrayed their humanity and accepted the transformation of the Dark Mage, as well as the vengeful spirits of young men and women brutally killed by "them" through various evil means. It should have been a darker and more distorted place than the Palace of Light and the Tower of Sin. However, because that creature has been sleeping beneath the palace for a long time, all the resentment and darkness have been absorbed by it.

"You mean—if the Golden Dragon wakes up and stops absorbing the dark distortions He has created over the years, the Grand Palace in the Imperial Capital will quickly degenerate into a demonic realm even darker and more terrifying than the Palace of Light?"

[That’s right!]

The "Tower Master" raised his head proudly.

He was a foolish fellow. He only knew that building the palace above the Golden Dragon's sleeping place would allow him to continuously absorb the Golden Dragon's power and use the Golden Dragon's light attributes to dissolve the various dark distortions caused by his black magic blood sacrifice experiments. He didn't know that the Golden Dragon's eyes were actually black.

"Although you are black, your eyes are golden."

Yes! That's it!

The "Tower Master" became more and more proud and complacent.

[That guy is my twin, hatched from the same dragon egg. My body is black and my eyes are golden, while its body is golden and its eyes are black.]

"Why haven't I heard you mention this before?"

Xiao Yun frowned.

【because……】

The "Tower Master" secretly glanced at Yaris and muttered softly.

I was sealed in the Tower of Sin for far too long, and lost many memories... It wasn't until I set foot on this island and felt its pulse that I remembered all this...

[Same here...I only recently realized that I'm not alone...]

The mysterious and serious voice that had previously instructed Xiao Yun to awaken Yaris sounded in their minds.

[I lost a lot of memories... For a long time, I even forgot what I was... I lived and slept instinctively... Until he appeared, I finally regained a trace of self-awareness in my slumber... Then you came...]

"sorry,

Xiao Yun spoke gently.

I don’t know what happened between us in the past, but you must have experienced a lot of terrible things…”

【Thanks……】

Then, a finger came out and carefully hooked Xiao Yun's little finger.

I feel good now and I think I will be able to recover soon.

[From now on, you are not allowed to actively absorb the darkness and distortion of this palace. Leave it all to me!

The Tower Master said suddenly.

[Of course no problem~ dear brother~]

The golden light released Xiao Yun's little finger, playfully scratched the "Tower Master's" tail, and then dissipated like a stream of light.

[——Dear… Hello!]

The "Tower Master" came to his senses and his scales exploded instantly.

…

…

After feeding Yaris liquid food and making sure he was asleep, Xiao Yun left the dimly lit bedroom and walked into the living room.

The reception room was already full of people.

Seeing Xiao Yun again, Samit and Lily knelt down excitedly on the spot: "Your Majesty! We, we really..."

"It's okay, it's not your fault."

Xiao Yun said gently, his eyes falling on Lily's belly: "Are you pregnant?"

"Yes."

Lily smiled shyly. "After leaving the team, we...we didn't know how long this luck would last, but we were determined to be together forever...and in the end..."

"I'm a useless piece of shit!"

Samit said regretfully.

"Not only did I fail to protect my wife and children! I also—"

"You are ordinary people who have been unfortunately caught up in a war that is completely beyond your imagination and ability. There is no need to be hard on yourselves."

Then, Xiao Yun extended his hand to Luke, who was uneasy because he knew his true identity. "Luke, come here, come closer, come to me."

“Yes, yes.”

Luke timidly walked up to Xiao Yun: "Master, I, I..."

"Luke, I'm the one who should say sorry."

Xiao Yun put his arm around Luke's shoulders and gently told the boy, "I've concealed my true identity from you, forcing you to face a dangerous battle with me that's beyond your common sense and imagination. This is a real battle. The most intense gang conflict in North City's history is nothing but child's play in front of it."

"I'm not afraid of death!"

Luke pursed his lips and whispered, "I'm afraid I'll behave like a woman or a child in battle, weak and incompetent, and become a burden to my master."

"I believe in your ability. You won't be a burden to me."

"My ability..."

"Yes, you are a very capable person... As an orphan, you not only managed to survive in the chaotic North City, but you also protected dozens of children weaker than you and brought them along. Your organizational and leadership skills are truly remarkable."

"Owner……"

"I believe you will not be a burden to me, and you can survive to the end..."

"Uh-huh……"

Luke bit his lip, trying to hold back his tears.

"In short, you all need to stay calm these few days, eat, drink, and rest normally, keep your body in top condition, and strive to survive this war that doesn't belong to you..."

"Yes, we want to live... live for a long, long time..."

Luke clenched his fists.

Although he was still a child, he had already learned to pick up a sword and fight desperately to protect himself and the people he loved.

Seeing that Luke, a frail child, was a thousand times more responsible than himself, Samit immediately mustered up his courage again and stood before Xiao Yun: "Your Majesty, I want to join the battle too!"

"Your mission is to protect your wife and not become a burden to us."

Xiao Yun said bluntly.

Samit hung his head in shame.

…

After some simple arrangements, everyone left the reception room one after another.

Luke didn't leave.

He lowered his head and hesitated for a long time: "Master, I, I will not become a burden to you in the next battle?"

"I have confidence in you."

Xiao Yun patted Luke's shoulder.

"But--"

"I've made up my mind."

"Then...then...can I...uh, uh..."

Luke lowered his head and stammered.

"What's the matter?"

Xiao Yun looked at Luke in confusion: "What exactly do you want to say?"

"I, I, I want to see him... that person... I, I..."

Luke blushed and stammered.

"You want to see Yaris?"

"Yes! I'm very curious about him! I want to know what kind of person he is!"

Luke said excitedly: "Including the master, everyone who has seen him says he is beautiful. I wonder if he is really that beautiful... I also want to know why he is the only one who is special in the master's heart..."

"He just returned from the Palace of the Dead and is extremely weak. Any wind or sunlight could cause him unimaginable harm. Wait a few days—when his condition improves a little, I will take you to see him. In fact, he also wants to see you."

"...He... Lord Yaris is interested in me?"

Luke was surprised and delighted, and couldn't help but feel secretly satisfied.

"After listening to my story, he thought you were a special child."

Xiao Yun told Luke with a smile.

…

…

The eight iron chain bridges connecting the water palace and the lakeshore rose one after another. More and more fully armed ships gathered around the island in the middle of the lake. The ostentatious power of the black magic made the sky, which was already affected by the barrier and appeared to be a strange deep blue and purple, appear to have rich colors, like a scroll of hell.

However, even though the world outside the lake island had long been shrouded in dark clouds, the sky above Rosa Marie Palace was still dazzlingly bright. Incredible golden sunlight enveloped the entire palace, and even the waters around Rosa Marie Palace sparkled as if dissolved in brilliant flames.

"Is it your power that supports this palace?"

Xiao Yun stood on the marble balcony overlooking the water and asked Huang Jinlong.

【You woke me up.】

The golden dragon answered modestly, and the thin golden threads like tentacles curled around Xiao Yun's fingers like a kitten, fawning on him.

"Your head is under the island in the middle of the lake, and your body—"

[A long, long time ago, I fell from a great height and created a hole in the earth. This hole was the prototype of Lake Oro...]

"Then your body is not——"

Xiao Yun recalled the enormous size of the "Tower Master" that could circle the outer perimeter of the Bright Imperial Palace when fully expanded. He then glanced at the vast expanse of water surrounding him and said with emotion, "Brother is indeed a brother."

[Nonsense! Our bodies are about the same size! It's just that it fell from a great height, and the hole created was compounded by the impact of gravity! So it seems to be a size larger than mine!]

The "Tower Master" straightened his body and argued.

[Brother, you are still so competitive.]

The golden thread of the golden dragon split into two parts, teasing the unconvinced "Tower Master".

The "Tower Master" was once again furious.

[When I find my second eye, grow limbs, horns, and mane... I will pluck out all your mane and strip off your scales!]

[Brother, what did you say? Your eyes, limbs, horns, and mane...]

The Golden Dragon's voice was filled with shock.

"Yes, after you fell from a great height and fell asleep, my eyes were gouged out, my limbs were chopped off, my horns were cut off, my mane was plucked out... and I was sealed in a high tower... Even though I've managed to escape now and even found one of my eyes, I still look like a strange snake..."

【Then...then He...】

【Um. 】

The Tower Master said sullenly.

"What are you discussing?"

Xiao Yun asked.

His intuition told him that what they were discussing involved an ancient and terrifying secret, and that this secret was related to Yaris.

"...Who is 'He'? Is he the one related to Yaris?"

Uh, uh…

The Tower Master stuttered.

"Can't you tell me?"

Xiao Yun narrowed his eyes.

【Now is not the time to discuss these things.】

Huang Jinlong's attitude was extremely ambiguous.

"So, who is 'He'?"

[Yes, yes... He is a part of Ya... As for the specific situation, we will discuss it after we successfully escape... In short, the affairs of the gods are very complicated, and Yaris's situation is even more complicated...]

"All right."

Xiao Yun admitted that escaping from the predicament was the top priority.

…

…

Xiao Yun took Luke into Yaris's bedroom.

The dim light made Luke, who was used to bright lights, feel extremely uncomfortable, but soon his attention was caught by the transparent and slender figure like an elf sitting beside the bed.

“…”

Luke looked at Yaris blankly, his eyes gradually filled with tears, his mouth opened unconsciously, and he almost screamed.

"What's the matter?"

The elf with thick black hair opened his pale lips and uttered a hoarse, weak voice. His voice was completely inconsistent with his beautiful face, but it subtly matched Luke's feelings at the moment. Compared to humans living in the real world, the man before him was more like a wonderful butterfly with transparent wings, or an enchanting dark flower blooming in a dark swamp.

The mystery and otherworldliness he exuded was so strong that Luke had no idea how to express it. He could only stare blankly at the man with wide eyes - he didn't even dare to blink, afraid that the man in front of him would suddenly disappear the moment he blinked.

"Why do you keep staring at my face?"

Yaris smiled in confusion, "Because my face is different from what you imagined, Luke?"

"I……"

"Your appearance is quite consistent with my expectations. Young, beautiful, with a sharp gaze, burning with ambition... You're a little thin, but considering you're only fifteen, still a child, and growing up in a place like North City... With adequate nutrition and professional training, you should grow taller and stronger quickly..."

Yaris's vocal cords have not yet recovered from death, so his voice is not only hoarse and weak, but also speaks slowly.

Luke showed no impatience.

Perhaps it was the fact that flowers could speak like humans that was shocking enough, or perhaps it was because although Yaris's voice was hoarse, weak, and slow, it always remained elegant and smooth, and did not make people feel bored or uncomfortable.

"If I were the old me, seeing a young man like you with such potential, I would definitely keep you by my side, assign someone to teach you carefully, and provide you with sufficient support when you officially spread your wings and fly, just like I did with Alfonso... Well, like Alfonso, I also see a crown on your head. Of course, it could also be a royal crown... What a pity... It's all such a pity..."

Yaris sighed, his throat aching from talking so much in one breath.

Xiao Yun then sat next to Yaris with a glass of water.

"Your vocal cords need some water."

"Um."

Yaris lowered his head, bit the straw, and drank the water slowly.

Xiao Yun reached out and gently patted his back, saying soothingly, "Regarding Luke's future, I've already reached an agreement with Alans. He will protect him and provide him with an education on our behalf. He will also support him as much as possible in the future and help him realize his ambitions and dreams..."

"The reason I asked him to participate in this operation was, on the one hand, because I wanted to see how much potential he had, and on the other hand, because I wanted to help him quickly master what was truly important to him through this actual combat."

"Will he be in danger?"

Yaris looked up, his bright eyes flashing with strange suspicion.

"Danger is inevitable, but—as you told me before, the fate of the country and the people is more important than personal emotional needs. Since he has been chosen by fate, he must learn to face death from now on."

[Alans will send people to protect him and do everything possible to prevent him from suffering a true death.]

You really do love him.

Yaris's answer was a bit sarcastic.

Xiao Yun had a premonition of this - the left hand that was patting his back slowly slid down and held Yaris's hand.

I may have fallen in love with him without realizing it, but the love I give him is completely different from the love I give you. He's my adopted puppy, and I'm responsible for him: protecting him, nurturing him, and raising him to maturity. And you—from beginning to end, you're my only one, my forever, the other half of my soul I can't lose.

【certainly. 】

After drinking the water, Yaris said to Luke in a hoarse voice as gently and sweetly as possible: "It is incredible that fate has brought us together here."

"Yes, Lord Yaris, it is incredible..."

Luke looked at Yaris nervously. As a child who grew up in the North City, he was always proud of himself for being smarter, more cunning, stronger and more masculine than his peers. But at this moment, just standing across from Yaris, he felt a strong sense of unease and shame in his chest.

He didn't even dare to breathe hard, for fear that the strong airflow would break the butterfly's beautiful and fragile wings.

"Don't always stand, please sit down..."

Yaris said softly.

“Yes, yes…”

Luke spoke tremblingly, and sat down on the nearest chair with the most careful posture he could think of, but he still felt that he was a being more brutal and extremely discordant than the savages.

"What's the matter?"

Yaris smiled.

“U-Um…”

Luke swallowed, his face burning.

"Did I make you feel uncomfortable?"

“No, no, I… I…”

Luke nearly collapsed.

"Are you scared?"

Yaris chuckled softly and said, "Or do I remind you of someone very important to you?"

“Yes, yes…”

Luke shed tears.

He finally understood why he felt so nervous and scared in front of Yaris.

It's not just because Yaris is as beautiful and elegant as a flower and as fragile as a butterfly, nor is it just because Yaris exudes the luxury, refinement, and fragility that poor children fear the most, but because -

"I am still convinced that the Master is the most beautiful person in the world, because, because Lord Yaris is made of a completely different material. When I first saw Lord Yaris, my heart almost stopped... Lord Yaris reminded me of my mother - I'm not saying that Lord Yaris looks like my mother. In fact, I have long forgotten what my mother looked like, but, but... I remember the moment she was about to die..."

Luke stammered, covering his face and making choking sounds.

"She, she, she died of starvation. Her body was already dried up when she died, but she suddenly became extremely beautiful, as if possessed by some substance. She was both beautiful and terrifying, full of demonic aura... And then... in my eyes, Lord Yaris was made entirely of this substance."

"That substance you see is death."

Yaris told Luke softly, "I just came back from the other side of death. I smell like death."

You're jealous again.

Xiao Yun held Yaris's hand helplessly. He saw a deep-seated sarcasm flashing in Yaris's black eyes that only those who knew him best could perceive.

I'm not jealous.

【I see your eyes gleaming with mockery.】

That wasn't mockery, it was envy. I envied his cheeks for shining with the light of life I longed for most. He had an infinite future, he could do whatever he wanted, and yet I was so helpless, he could easily defeat me with just one finger.

Yaris smiled gently, his eyes swept over Luke again, and his hoarse voice uttered a sweet dark temptation: "Luke, do you want to be the Emperor of the East?"