Zither Emperor Volume 5 Chapter 29.4

Chapter 29 – A Startling Hunt (IV)
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Xiang Luan doubtfully questioned, “But a dragon’s aura is very sensitive, especially a Genuine Gigantic Dragon. Don’t tell me it made a mistake in differentiating gender? Sura, don’t tell me you also dual-cultivate magic and martial arts? How else would you summon it?”
Sura shook his head and said, “No, I don’t cultivate both magic and martial arts. Yin Bi darling, you haven’t exercised for a long time, sleeping so much isn’t good for your body. If you continue like this, you won’t be a Silver Dragon; you’ll be a silver hog!”
Hearing Sura speak the two words, ‘silver hog,’ Xiang Luan and Hai Yang couldn’t help but giggle. Sura then suddenly realized what ‘silver hog’ was a homonym for and immediately looked at Ye Yin Zhu with embarrassment. Yin Zhu could also only helplessly stare back at him. When the two of them exchanged glances, Sura’s previously murderous and icy gaze quietly warmed up.
As it turns out, after Little Yin Bi’s hatching, Ye Yin Zhu and Sura encountered a lot of problems. Firstly, its maturation required an enormous intake of energy. Secondly, how it followed Sura around was the greatest challenge. After all, its small body couldn’t fly, and Sura didn’t feel safe allowing it to roam outside. With no other choice, the two of them could only raise it in their dormitory. The question still remained, though, of how to deal with this small guy’s tremendous food consumption.
In merely a day, it furtively ate all of Sura and Ye Yin Zhu’s food. Not only that, but it overtly occupied the entirety of Sura’s bed. As a result, Ye Yin Zhu wanted to have Sura temporarily sleep in the same bed as him, but Sura wouldn’t agree. After an awkward moment, they suddenly recalled Anya’s other gift when she presented them with Little Yin Bi—those secretive reverse scales. It turned out that those reverse scales were not only mementos of Little Yin Bi’s parents, but were also reservoirs for the majority of its parents’ energy, which had been funneled into the scales before their deaths.
A Silver Dragon was a magical dragon. Ye Yin Zhu discovered a great deal of magical elements within the reverse scales, so they had tried to draw out those magical elements. Prior to leaving the Milan Institution for Magic and Martial Arts, they had succeeded. Unfortunately, only Yin Bi could absorb that tremendous amount of magical elements. Not only could it absorb the magical elements, but Yin Bi could merge with the reverse scales and still allow Sura to maintain a spiritual connection with it. Thus, their problem was easily solved. Not only did they no longer need to worry about feeding Little Yin Bi, they could also carry it around.
Ye Yin Zhu faced Xiang Luan and Hai Yang, explaining, “Sura has a Silver Dragon item that I request you two to keep confidentiality about on his behalf, okay?”
Hai Yang nodded while Xiang Luan enviously said, “You guys are really amazing students. Only a few people can possess a Gigantic Dragon, but Sura even possesses a noble Silver Dragon. Sura, you must tell me: how did you come across a Silver Dragon?”
Sura looked at Ye Yin Zhu and said, “A gift from a friend.”
“Oh! A gift from a friend? What friend is so generous? If a friend gave me a Silver Dragon, I can’t say for sure whether or not I wouldn’t marry him in exchange.” Xiang Luan’s eyes hadn’t left Yin Bi’s short and stout body the entire time. She was extremely fond of Yin Bi’s adorableness and grandeur. Carefully walking up to Yin Bi, she crouched and lightly caressed its head.
A beautiful woman’s destructive power was indeed strong. Not only did this little guy Yin Bi not resist, it even released its front claws from Sura’s leg, seemingly enjoying Xiang Luan’s caresses. It leaned into her hands, allowing Xiang Luan to cup its body within her hands and hold it close to her chest, and it brazenly gorged itself on her tofu. The playful Xiang Luan couldn’t help but issue a laugh like silver bells.
Sura darkly scolded the little pervert, saying to Xiang Luan, “But you are too late. If you were a few days earlier, that guy might’ve given the Silver Dragon to you.”
Xiang Luan raised her head to look at Sura, her eyes displaying a hopeful light. “Can you introduce me to this generous friend of yours?”
Sura indifferently said, “There’s no need for any introductions. You already know him. Far from being as distant as the ends of the earth, he’s right under your nose. Isn’t he?” Saying this, he pointed at Ye Yin Zhu.
“Your gift?” Not only did this startle Xiang Luan, even Hai Yang directed a look of surprise at Ye Yin Zhu.
Ye Yin Zhu somewhat embarrassedly scratched his head and said, “I happened to obtain a Silver Dragon egg by chance. I had no use for it, so I gave it to Sura.”
“How come I don’t have such good luck? Yin Zhu, I’m jealous.”
Ye Yin Zhu really couldn’t bear Xiang Luan’s bitter gaze and hastily said, “Next time it happens, I’ll give it to you, okay?”
Xiang Luan smiled. “Since you have said this, don’t go back on your promise. If you also give me a Silver Dragon, I might really marry you!”
“This…” A burning sensation arose throughout his entire body.
“What? You think I’m not fit to marry you?” Xiang Luan stood up, looking dissatisfied at Ye Yin Zhu.
“No, no!” Ye Yin Zhu hurriedly shook his head.
Xiang Luan suddenly laughed. “You little idiot, look at you! You’re blushing red all over. You don’t need to be so nervous; I was just messing around with you.”
Ye Yin Zhu loosened at this explanation. He realized that warding off Xiang Luan was even harder than facing Nesta’s Blood Soul Spear or Ma Liang’s painting brush.
Xiang Luan apparently had no intention of letting him off. She walked over to Yin Zhu’s side and whispered, “Of course, you also might have a chance after all. I vowed as a child to marry a hero when I grow up, a genuine hero. If you can truly become the strongest on the continent, one day, maybe… I truly will marry you!”
“Yin Bi, let’s go.” Sura truly did look as if he was leaving, and he also refused to acknowledge Ye Yin Zhu. He ascended the mountain peak again with Yin Bi. Little Yin Bi passed the time within the reverse scales, absorbing energy. Its body had already grown significantly. Although it still couldn’t fly, it could soar and leap with no issue. It jumped onto Sura’s shoulder, flapping its wings to lighten its weight and allow Sura to speedily forge onward.
“Seniors, we should go too.” One of Ye Yin Zhu’s hand took Xiang Luan’s hand, while his other hand was still tightly clenched by Hai Yang’s small one as she hadn’t released her grip on his. He circulated his dou qi, and his body started soaring up into the air and chasing after Sura and Yin Bi as they climbed up the mountain.
Within the mountain forest, the beasts seemed to be ignoring them, solely preoccupied with desperately scattering in all directions of the mountain. They increasingly approached the summit when suddenly, an ice-cold stream of energy struck like the wind. It strongly reeked of blood, causing them to tremble with fear. Xiang Luan and Hai Yang subconsciously gripped Ye Yin Zhu’s hand even tighter. In Ye Yin Zhu’s heart, the uneasiness became even clearer.
Very quickly they reached the mountain’s peak. Sura was already there, his body hidden behind a large tree as he looked down the other side of the mountain. At this moment, his gaze was brimming with terror. Following Sura’s gaze, Ye Yin Zhu saw an unforgettable scene that would stay with him for the rest of his life.
A hundred tall creatures rapidly approached the mountain, their heights exceeding two and a half meters. Their entire bodies were covered with ash-gray hair. They had four extremely thick and solid limbs and faces nearly identical to humans—only more fierce-looking and malicious. The majority of their bodies were drenched in blood. As they rapidly moved towards the mountain, they excitedly slaughtered wild animals. Their killing method was incomparable to Sura’s in terms of bloodiness. They were unexpectedly using their thick arms to tear the beasts into two. This was also why the odor of blood was so rich.
Sura whispered, “They are of the beastmen species, Apemen.”