"Mom, look! I brought a big sister home!"
Lu Shi dragged Bai Lu, pitter-pattering up to Caelus, who was sipping tea.
Caelus: …Good girl!
Just like your old mom used to—every day I'd coax Bai Lu out to play.
Looks like my cabbage has learned to nudge other cabbages too.
Caelus nodded, pleased.
"Lu Shi, is this your new friend?"
"Mm-hm!" Lu Shi bobbed her head hard, pride shining on her little face. "Her name's Bai Lu! She's got horns and a Tail too! But a nasty thing locked her Tail before—I smashed it off for her!"
Under Caelus's gaze, Bai Lu shrank slightly behind Lu Shi, though curiosity flickered in her eyes as she secretly studied the man Lu Shi called "Mom."
"Aren't you… a man?"
"Truth is, Lu Shi has two dads; I figured she deserved a complete childhood, so she can call me whatever. One day she might decide to call me Dad."
Bai Lu: (mental storm in progress)
Two dads? Then where's Mom? Is this person Dad or Mom?
Anyway… Lu Shi broke that hateful lock—she's a good person! And her "Mom" doesn't look evil either, even if that smile's hard to read.
"Good. No injuries." Caelus glanced at Bai Lu's Tail and nodded casually. "That thing was redundant; cleaner without it. From now on, swish your Tail however you like."
Wrong.
Bai Lu sensed it instantly.
"You know me."
It wasn't a question; it was a statement.
"Eh? Mom, you know Bai Lu?"
Caelus: …How did you see through me the moment we met?
"The Dragonian Apothecary of Luofu—of course I know her."
"No, you definitely know me, and from the look on your face, not just casually—you're super familiar!"
Kept under watch all her life, Bai Lu had learned to read people long ago.
Meeting those clear, stubborn eyes, he knew he couldn't bluff.
"Sort of." He finally gave a vague answer, neither admitting nor denying. "Long, long ago we might have crossed paths a few times."
"No way, way more than a few! You know other things too! Your attitude screams you're super, super familiar!"
Apparently irked by the evasiveness, Bai Lu glared at Caelus.
Tch.
"Hey, kids shouldn't ask so many questions." He tried to brush it off.
"I'm not a child!" Bai Lu puffed her cheeks, angrier. "You know! You know why I was locked up! You know why the Dragon Masters keeps watching me!"
Seeing Bai Lu suddenly agitated, Lu Shi tugged Caelus's sleeve, at a loss: "Mom… Big Sis Bai Lu looks like she's gonna cry…"
"I'm not crying…"
Bai Lu's little lips jutted high.
"But Big Sis Bai Lu did cry just now and even hugged me."
"I-I was… there was dust in my eye, that's all!"
"Fine, I admit it." Caelus sounded resigned. "I do know more than just 'crossing paths.'"
Bai Lu's eyes lit up; she stared hard, afraid to miss a single word.
"But I can't tell you yet." Caelus popped a candy into his mouth. "Because I mustn't, therefore I can't—simply can't."
Seeing Bai Lu deflate, he shifted tack: "Still, there is something I can say."
"What?"
"Without the chimu binding lock, from today on you can grow normally."
"That's your big revelation…?!"
Bai Lu puffed in complaint, lowered her head, long lashes hiding her feelings. She stared at her shoe-tips, went quiet, then pouted again.
Well… she really was happy to hear it. Growing tall was something worth celebrating.
"chimu binding lock… not the chimu longevity lock…?"
Though she'd half guessed, hearing the truth laid bare still flooded her with the ache of long deception.
"Of course it's the binding lock." Caelus drawled, pulling out what looked like a tape-measure with messy markings and waving it before her. "Thought you were just short? That thing was the culprit. Come on, stop sulking; let me measure how tall you'll get."
He crouched, laid the future-height ruler against Bai Lu.
"You've got the makings of a long-legged queen!"
The sudden stunt froze Bai Lu, grief cut short.
The ruler's markings glowed cryptically, hovering above her head and projecting a faint silhouette of a teenage girl—especially those long legs.
A fizzy mix of wonder and hope bubbled inside Bai Lu.
"R-really that tall?"
"Theoretically, no problem—just eat well and sleep early from now on."
Watching the two little ones sitting side-by-side, swinging their legs and puffing candy, Caelus curved a smile.
Clearly, the Vidyadhara higher-ups of Luofu couldn't sit still.
That aura of immortality made them wonder if a chunk of the Dragon Ancestor had appeared on Luofu.
"Mr. Caelus, the 'guests' have arrived."
Jing Yuan strolled in, sounding resigned yet obviously eager for the show.
"Please, for my sake… try not to throw punches."
"General!"
Bai Lu's eyes widened.
General Jing Yuan!
A familiar face who often dropped by for check-ups.
But at Jing Yuan's words the color drained from Bai Lu's face; she instinctively clutched Lu Shi's hand.
A clutter of hurried steps—several pointy-eared Vidyadhara in ornate robes bustled in, dignity and etiquette forgotten.
"General Jing Yuan," the lead Vidyadhara said sternly, "why were we not informed of her appearance?"
Such pure permanence … in a mere child!
The burning stares made Lu Shi squirm; she shrank toward Bai Lu, tiny hand gripping Caelus's sleeve.
Caelus rose unhurriedly, blocking the two girls from those over-eager eyes. His face was calm, gaze sweeping the elders.
"Gentlemen, seen enough?" His voice wasn't loud yet carried a force that stilled the agitated elders at once. "You're scaring the kids."
"Return to the clan? Take up the mantle?" Caelus sneered. "My little girl just learned to carry a soy-sauce bottle, and you want to make her a Dragon Lord? Did anyone ask her parents?"
"This is the favor of the Dragon Ancestor, Heaven's decree! Returning to the clan and inheriting the Dragon Lord seat of Luofu is her duty!"
"Duty?" Caelus looked as if he'd heard the grandest joke. Arms folded, chin lifted, the contempt in his eyes nearly solidified into something he could hurl. "My daughter's duty is to eat well, sleep well, play well, and grow up happy and healthy. As for your clan's lousy affairs—what do they have to do with her?"
"You—!" a hot-tempered elder roared. "This is Vidyadhara business! An outsider has no say! The child's power stems from Immortality; returning for instruction is only right!"
"Instruction? This is my own flesh and blood—what exactly are you people planning?" Caelus's eyes flashed. "Are there child-snatchers on Luofu?"
"You…"
The Vidyadhara elders and Dragon Masterss, freshly branded as kidnappers, were about to explode—then froze as the implication sank in.
"What… did you just say?"
The elder's voice cracked; his sharp eyes pinned Caelus as though to peel back every layer. The others exchanged stunned glances.
"This child… is your biological daughter?"
An outsider—someone who looked nothing like a dragon-scion—had fathered a child of such pure Immortal blood?
Caelus squirmed under their stare and rolled his eyes. "What, I look infertile to you? Or do the Vidyadhara forbid marrying out—do kids born to outsiders not count?"
"N-no, not at all!" the elder denied hastily, shock still etched on his face. "It's simply… unheard-of!"
"Now you've heard." Caelus hoisted Lu Shi onto his hip; the little girl wrapped her arms around his neck, peering with golden eyes at the strangers. "My daughter, my blood. Problem? Don't the eyes look like mine?"
They did—exactly like his.
But still—
"Is this true?"
Dragon Masterss and elders broke into cold sweat.
"W-we'll need a blood verification…"
When the results came out, the slip of paper was passed around like a sacred relic.
A miracle—plain and simple!
"Oh my, look at this… goodness!"
"A misunderstanding—heavens, what a misunderstanding!"
Good grief!
The ancestral temple had been flooded, and family failed to recognize family.
To sire such a pure dragon-scion naturally—unthinkable!
Even high-tech methods would have been bragged about—at least you could praise science and progress.
If tech could produce a scion stronger than a Dragon Lord, why beg for Abundance?
Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, o' Apothecary of Abundance—please stop calling. We're afraid this gentleman might get the wrong idea.
"Mr. Caelus, might we ask… who is your esteemed wife?" an elder ventured cautiously; they burned to know which Vidyadhara woman had the fortune to wed such a man.
The sudden fawning made Caelus's skin crawl. He leaned back in disgust. "None of your business. Census time?"
"No, no!" The elder waved his hands, smile even broader. "This is an unprecedented blessing! The Dragon Ancestor has graced us with pure blood—an omen of thriving fortune! You and the Vidyadhara are deeply connected!"
Eyes blazing, he studied Caelus as though appraising a rare treasure. Anyone who could father Dragon-Lord-level blood couldn't be ordinary—if only he could be persuaded to "spread more branches"… "Stop right there. Don't look at me like that—it's disgusting. My daughter and I are just tourists doing a bit of business; we're not interested in your clan affairs."
"What a coincidence—our Vidyadhara have our own ark, the Fanghu Luofu. You are family! Any need, and we shall assist with all our might!"
Caelus, now thoroughly creeped out, clutched Lu Shi and Bai Lou and took another step back, revulsion plain on his face.
Jing Yuan stood nearby, smiling while his soul had wandered off ages ago—mainly from stifling laughter.
"Esteemed elders, Mr. Caelus is a guest of Luofu and an important partner of the Luofu-Xianzhou alliance. Regarding… ahem, this bloodline matter, perhaps we should deliberate carefully rather than rush."
He stressed "deliberate carefully" and "partner," reminding the star-struck elders to mind their manners.
Yet one elder, either missing or ignoring the cue, stared at Caelus with the excitement of a new continent: "Sir, do you… happen to have other children? Or perhaps for the continuation of the Vidyadhara line—"
"Aren't you Vidyadhara strictly monogamous?"
"Nonsense! Such backward customs!" the elder refuted righteously, as if grievously slandered. "We Vidyadhara are open-minded, advocates of free love! Any union that yields outstanding offspring is blessed by the Dragon Ancestor!"
The others chimed in:
"Exactly! Bloodline prosperity is paramount!"
"How can rigid dogma shackle life?"
Caelus: …Yeah, right. If I hadn't seen you slap chains on Bai Lou, I might've bought that.
"In the end, what makes you think my daughter could ever rule Luofu as Dragon Lord?"
"You misunderstand—judging by Immortal purity, she could not only become Imbibitor Lunae but even the Lord of Frozen Abyss! Such a scion stands above tens of thousands within the Vidyadhara!"
Above tens of thousands… Caelus and Lu Shi instinctively frowned.
They hated the phrase.
"And more importantly… she already knows Imbibitor Lunae's Azure Dragon Cleansing the World!"
"Oh? Knowing Azure Dragon Cleansing the World qualifies one to be Dragon Lord?"
Jing Yuan's smile vanished; his brows knit.
A bad premonition struck.
"Then watch closely."
Caelus stretched out his hand, imitating Dan Heng from memory.
"Cave of the Moons Siphon."
The Dragon Masterss and elders were blasted as if by lightning.
Jing Yuan's eyes bulged as he prepared to intervene.
"Azure Dragon Cleansing the World!"
Caelus—damn you, living ancestor!
What do you think you're doing!
But Jing Yuan's move came too late. As the words fell, the same vision replayed above the Sea of Imbibing: the entire sea once more transformed into a soaring azure dragon, its roar shaking the heavens.
The dragon's roar gradually faded, and the mist lingered.
Of course, Caelus didn't know Azure Dragon Cleansing the World, so how did he do it?
It was simple: just rewind and replay time within that area of the Sea of Imbibing.
But the Elders and Dragon Masterss couldn't see the problem.
"Arrogant at first and humble later; it's quite laughable when you think about it."
Caelus whispered in a voice only Jing Yuan could hear.
"Mr. Caelus, I've wanted to ask for a while... are you a person of the Xianzhou? Or rather, have you lived on the Xianzhou before?" Jing Yuan smiled helplessly.
The Dragon Masterss and Elders gathered around Caelus.
"Sigh, seeing how miserable you all look just to continue your species..."
Caelus shook his head.
"Then I'll tell you. Actually, Lu Shi wasn't born entirely naturally. Since the Permanence... disappeared, the Vidyadhara have gradually declined and lost the ability to grow their population. I know this, so I have a device in my hands that allows even the Vidyadhara to give birth to offspring."
At this point, Caelus paused.
"Understood."
"Impressive, impressive."
"Please, continue."
"However, this device currently has a problem."
Caelus sighed and shook his head.
"After all, our Cosmic Junk Company is a small company. Getting bumped by those giants... So, I've handed this device over to Ms. Herta to have her help with repairs, but there's no definite word yet."
Herta!
"You're even in contact with Ms. Herta?"
"Ms. Herta and I have a relationship more like client and supplier."
Caelus smacked his lips.
Supplying a genius?
"Could it be that this device belongs to Ms. Herta..."
But Caelus didn't answer. The Dragon Masterss and Elders naturally took the hint and filled in the blanks themselves.
Caelus's words were half-true and half-false, his expression a mix of regret and frankness, leaving the Dragon Masterss and Elders with no choice but to believe him. A 'device' that could solve the Vidyadhara's reproduction problem being studied and repaired by Ms. Herta sounded reasonable—even more 'reliable' than if it were in Caelus's hands.
In reality, Caelus had sent that gun to Herta for her to look after.
The flame of hope hadn't been extinguished; it had simply shifted its focus. The Elders exchanged looks, their mental calculators clicking away. Since the device was with Ms. Herta, it became especially important to maintain a good relationship with Mr. Caelus and his daughter, who possessed pure dragon blood.
"I see... Since that genius is presiding over the restoration work, we can rest easy." The leading Elder immediately put on an expression of understanding and support. "Ms. Herta's knowledge is unparalleled; she will surely overcome the difficulties. If there's any need for assistance—whether it's materials, funding, or anything else—please don't hesitate to ask!"
"Exactly! The Fanghu Xianzhou has a rich treasury; there must be something we can help with!"
"You have deep ties with our Vidyadhara race, sir. Please, don't be a stranger!"
Caelus looked at the group of Vidyadhara Elders, whose faces changed faster than flipping pages in a book. He laughed inwardly but only nodded lazily on the surface. "We'll see, we'll see. Once there's news from Herta's side, I'll let you know."
The Elders didn't mind his dismissive attitude.
In fact, it made sense!
"However, Mr. Caelus, could you tell us... who damaged that treasure?"
As soon as this question was asked, the atmosphere in the reception room, which had just relaxed, tightened again.
"Sigh, it's hard for me to say. After all, they occupy the moral high ground, so it's not easy for me to speak up."
Caelus's vague and hesitant posture was like pouring cold water into boiling oil. The Dragon Masterss and Elders began to ponder.
In this galaxy, who could flagrantly use 'righteousness' to suppress others, act so overbearingly, and have the power... The Elders exchanged glances, each seeing the same answer in the other's eyes.
The Corporation!
The Interstellar Peace Corporation!
So that's it! Too much, this is simply too much!
Although Caelus didn't say it, every Dragon Masters and Elder had their own interpretation.
They were all masters of 'understanding,' over-thinkers who saw layers where there were none.
"Rest assured, Mr. Caelus!" The leading Elder spoke excitedly. "This matter concerns the future lifeline of our Vidyadhara race; we will not allow outsiders to destroy it wantonly! The Interstellar Peace Corporation is powerful, but we Vidyadhara are no pushovers either! The Vidyadhara will certainly stand by your side!"
"That's right! You and our Vidyadhara race are now bound together in weal and woe! If the Corporation dares to strike again, we'll make sure they feel the edge of the Dragonkin's blade!"
"Sigh, I never said it was the Interstellar Peace Corporation."
"There's no need for that, sir. We all know. You didn't say it; it has nothing to do with you."
"Yes, yes, we've never liked the Interstellar Peace Corporation anyway..."
"Let the past be the past. The most important thing right now is to fix the device. As for the rest... let's not mention it for now, let's not mention it."
His strategy of retreating to advance only solidified the Elders' suspicions. The looks they gave Caelus, besides the previous warmth, now carried a sense of shared enmity.
"Mr. Caelus is truly noble and admirable!"
After a few more pleasantries, the Elders reluctantly took their leave.
Jing Yuan looked at Caelus, who was leisurely sitting back and drinking tea, and couldn't help but rub his temples.
"Mr. Caelus, you've really... given me a difficult problem." He smiled bitterly. "After this, the relationship between the Vidyadhara and the Corporation is likely to become even more delicate."
"What does it have to do with me?" Caelus blinked innocently. "I didn't say anything; they guessed it all themselves. Besides, doesn't the General also think that giving the Vidyadhara something to be busy with is better than them staring at the High Elder's business and causing internal strife all day?"
"So... is this child really born this way?"
"Yes, but it's true; she is a newborn Dragonkin."
Forget it, things have come to this; let nature take its course.
"Then, regarding the specific list and prices of those standard equipments, I'll have someone send them to your lodgings later. The details of the ore trade will also be attached."
"Sure, thanks for the trouble, General." Caelus nodded, put down his teacup, stood up, and stretched. "Alright, business is over. Time to take the kids out for a stroll. Lu Shi, Bailu, come on, I'll take you to eat something delicious!"
Bailu blinked.
"Wait!"
"Wait for what?"
"Their brains seem to be fried; they didn't even notice me!"
It seemed the Dragon Masterss and Elders had... forgotten about her?
Bailu blinked.
Huh?
"Isn't that great? Just take this chance to wander around more."
Caelus encouraged her.
"Wander around..."
Bailu was tempted.
The Dragon Masterss and Elders were halfway there when they remembered they hadn't brought Bailu back yet. They hurriedly ran back, only to see Caelus taking the two little dragon girls through the streets to eat and drink.
Hiss.
"Say, does our Luofu now count as having... Dual High Elders? Has there ever been a precedent for this?"
"Why do you care so much? Look at us now, only our ears are still pointed. That girl is a scion of the dragon with even purer blood than Dan Feng. Look at the dragon scales on her hands; even her facial features look like a dragon!"
"Haven't you noticed?"
One of them pointed at the top of Bailu's head.
"Her horns... they've grown longer. Moreover, the feeling of a defective inheritance is gone..."
Could an incomplete inheritance actually be mended?
The trailing Vidyadhara Dragon Masterss and Elders were almost moved to tears.
"No matter what, we must maintain the best possible relationship with him. It would even be good to invite him to help expand our lineage..."
If anyone had questioned Caelus at this moment, the Dragon Masterss and Elders would have hacked them into mincemeat without hesitation.
Actually, not into such large pieces ( )
They would even accept a Frankenstein-style approach. If asked, they'd just say: if you're so capable, try creating a High Elder for us; try unleashing an Azure Dragon Cleansing the World.
As for the matter of the chimu binding lock?
In the face of the greater issue of the Vidyadhara's survival, a broken lock meant nothing.
"Eh!"
One of the Dragon Masterss raised a finger.
"If the daughter born to Mr. Caelus and his wife has such purity, tell me, what if we handed Lady Bailu over to Mr. Caelus..."
"..."
The Elders and Dragon Masterss all fell silent for a moment.
"...That wouldn't be impossible."
"Indeed. She only looks small because of the chimu binding lock; her actual age is sufficient."
"Right, right. Or we could wait a bit longer."
"Wait for what? The sooner the better."
They all understood the underlying meaning.
In their eyes, the Vidyadhara woman who had coupled with Caelus was likely not a High Elder-level scion, because if such a thing had happened, it would be impossible for there to be no rumors at all. However, they had fallen into a logical trap; the person who had a daughter with Caelus was not only a High Elder, but also a man.
The Dragon Masterss' view of Bailu was clearly simple.
She was a valuable "object," not a person.
Bailu felt a bit dizzy from this unprecedented sense of freedom. One of her hands was held by Caelus, while the other tightly gripped her new "younger sister," Lu Shi. There were no maids following her every step, no Dragon Masterss with warning gazes. She could stop at any stall she found interesting as she pleased, watching Lu Shi look up with her small face and say in a crisp voice, "I want to eat this!" Then Caelus would say, "Children shouldn't eat too many snacks," while decisively paying the bill.
At first, she was a little worried, but gradually, holding Caelus's and Lu Shi's hands, her heart slowly relaxed. She didn't have to worry about being caught and taken back by anyone; this was what Caelus and Lu Shi had told her repeatedly.
This feeling... was wonderful.
"Speaking of which, what kind of... company does your family have? You must be like a young miss, right?"
"Huh? Not at all. Everyone where we live has to work. But Mama is super amazing; he basically has to do every job!" Lu Shi answered while eating a sugar painting. "Papa is also super amazing; he directs the work and also does it himself, and he works really fast."
"Eh... shouldn't bosses and powerful people just sit and watch their subordinates work?"
"No, no. Everyone has their own things to do. How could they just watch?"
"Is that so?"
Bailu seemed to find it a bit difficult to understand.
"Is the outside world really like that? But isn't it best for everyone to stick to their own duties..."
"Because there's a reliable logistician managing things, I don't have to worry about chaos."
Caelus said with a twitch of his lips.
scrap iron!
My scrap iron... although scrap iron is now truly shattered into dust, it is now distributed across dozens of planets. Therefore, it can be concluded: the smaller scrap iron is, the bigger scrap iron becomes.
scrap iron has now changed its name to Omikron.
Sigh, but Caelus still preferred to call it scrap iron.
Bailu took a bite of the Jade Fruit Bird skewer Caelus had just bought, her eyes narrowing happily. Whatever, at least she wasn't locked up in a stuffy place now, didn't have to listen to the Dragon Masterss' incessant rules, and could eat so much delicious food. That was enough!
As the sky grew dark, the lanterns were lit. The Luofu's night was just as lively, with various lanterns illuminating the streets like daylight. Estimating the time was about right, Caelus led the two little ones, who still wanted more, back.
"Are we going out to play again tomorrow?" Bailu looked up at Caelus expectantly, her tone full of hope.
"We'll see. If you two go to sleep obediently tonight and don't make a fuss, I'll take you out for another stroll tomorrow."
"I'll definitely be good!" Bailu promised immediately.
"Lady Bailu, please return with me to rest."
Seeing the maid, Bailu instinctively took a step back.
"Please do not worry, Lady Bailu... for now, you may travel with this Lord Caelus. No one will stop you," the maid said, hurriedly waving her hands.
After exchanging a few looks with Caelus, Bailu nodded somewhat reluctantly... "Lady Bailu."
"..."
As usual, although they addressed her as 'Lady,' the Dragon Masterss and Elders showed no real respect.
Bailu walked before the Dragon Masterss, prepared to receive various lectures, but today the Dragon Masterss seemed exceptionally polite. Not only did they not ask about her Tail, but they also asked how she was feeling and if she could use the power of the High Elder.
"Not the ability to heal, but... the power of destruction."
The power of destruction... "I... I don't know," she answered softly, with a hint of uncertainty. "Before... I couldn't use it."
"Please feel carefully, has the inheritance become more complete?"
Bailu closed her eyes as told, carefully sensing the power flowing within her body. That High Elder inheritance, which once felt as if it had been forcefully severed and could only exert half its power, was still not completely unobstructed now, but it was clearly much better than before.
She opened her eyes and, under the expectant gazes of the Dragon Masterss, nodded gently: "It seems... to be a bit smoother."
She wasn't lying, but she also left some room. She didn't want the Dragon Masterss to think she had completely "recovered," or she might lose this bit of freedom she had just gained.
Even so, the Dragon Masterss were already beaming with joy.
They stopped questioning Bailu for more details and even hinted that she didn't need to rush back to the residence while traveling with Caelus, and could walk around outside more. This unprecedentedly tolerant attitude left Bailu both confused and secretly relieved.
Walking out of the Dragon Masterss' council hall, Bailu took a deep breath, feeling her chest filled with an unprecedented lightness.
Back at her quarters, Bailu sat on the edge of the bed, her heart thumping like a little rabbit, feeling so light it almost seemed surreal.
Tomorrow, we can go out and play together again!