Chapter 17 — Preconceived Notions Deserve the Death Penalty!
Tang Wulin and Jiang Chen spoke for a long while—well, more like Tang Wulin asked endless questions and Jiang Chen indulged him with patient answers.
All the while, Jiang Chen kept feeding pieces of cake to the half–Silver Dragon King sitting beside him. Her cheeks puffed full as she stuffed bite after bite of sweetness, glaring resentfully at the man who was hand-feeding her and yet unable to refuse.
Jiang Chen smiled. "Of course, if you join the Spirit Transmission Tower, you'd have a good chance to visit the headquarters. I could even take you there myself. You'd be able to see Na'er again."
"I…" Tang Wulin hesitated. He wanted to agree. He'd asked his parents and teacher about the Tower—it was one of the strongest organizations on the whole continent.
Joining the Tower had nothing but benefits. Then why did he feel such rejection in his gut?
Even the thought of it made every cell in his body recoil.
He didn't understand.
Ever since contracting that eight-hundred-year dragon-type spirit, his fame at Red Mountain Academy had spread far and wide, and he'd been promoted to a second-rank blacksmith ahead of schedule.
When Mu Chen, a Seven-Star Saint Smith, learned that his future apprentice had nearly gone to draw lots for a random spirit because his teacher Mang Tian couldn't afford a better one, he'd scolded Mang Tian for being irresponsible.
"Letting your disciple risk drawing a defective spirit? Do you want to ruin his future?"
So Mu Chen had directly taken Wulin as his student. If you can't afford to raise him, I can!
Now, with both an eight-hundred-year soul spirit and a new master in a Saint Smith, Tang Wulin's life had changed completely.
He drew a deep breath. "Even if I can't join the Spirit Transmission Tower, I'll find Na'er eventually. For now though… I'll have to rely on you to look after her. I'll remember this favor."
Jiang Chen glanced toward Mu Xi. She smiled sweetly—and then stomped on Wulin's foot.
"Favor? That's my father's favor, not yours!"
After chatting a while longer, Tang Wulin and Mu Xi excused themselves.
He had a lot of work ahead; even if his Blue Silver Grass martial soul labeled him as weak, he'd forge his own path to strength, one strike at a time.
"Come out," Jiang Chen said amusedly once they were gone. "They've left."
The small half–Silver Dragon King poked her head out from under the table, both tiny hands covering her mouth as she stood and puffed out her cheeks.
"Uuuh—too much! I can't eat another bite!"
Grabbing a drink, she downed it all in one gulp, forcing the mountain of food down.
"You treat me like a pig!" she snapped bitterly.
Jiang Chen chuckled. "You met him, didn't you? I wasn't stopping you. He's a student of a Saint Smith now—he'll have no trouble repaying debts."
Na'er glanced at the departing Tang Wulin holding Mu Xi's hand, then turned away with a small shake of her head. "No… I won't cause more trouble. Besides—" She shot him a look. "Would you even let me go?"
"Come and go as you please," Jiang Chen replied with a grin. "I never restricted your freedom of dragonhood."
He picked up another half-eaten cake and held it to her lips.
"I don't want it!" Na'er turned away sharply, her cute face creased in irritation.
"Wasting food is shameful," Jiang Chen said matter-of-factly.
"You're the one wasting it! I'm full!"
Before she could escape, he lifted her onto his lap like a child, pulled out his phone, and casually opened Tang Wulin's chat window.
Suppress All in This Life: "Na'er's being a bit disobedient."
Tang Wulin: "?"
Na'er immediately snatched the phone from him, purple eyes flashing in fury.
"Eat," Jiang Chen said calmly.
"I—will—eat," she hissed through clenched teeth and grudgingly took small bites, glaring at him as if every chew was biting him instead.
Damn perverted, sadistic, lolicon freak, she thought furiously.
Na'er kept a diary—its first half filled with entries from her three years living with Tang Wulin's family, written carefully day after day.
But the newest page began from the moment she'd arrived at Jiang Chen's house:
"[Date]—Warmed the bed. Minus 10,000."
"[Date]—Warmed the bed. Minus 10,000."
And so on, filling barely a page.
Jiang Chen peeked over her shoulder one day and couldn't help wincing.
"Hey, that's a bit harsh, isn't it? Have I treated you so poorly? Clothes uncomfortable? Cakes not sweet enough?"
Sitting primly at her desk, Na'er put down her pen and turned her blank little face toward him.
"Do you mean the part where 'Brother' hugs me while we sleep, touches me inappropriately, or maybe when he accidentally walks in while I'm changing?"
Na'er's tone was sweet, smile faint. "Brother isn't afraid of prison?"
Jiang Chen stiffened. "What nonsense! Who told you to write such lies? We're—purely innocent! Don't go ruining my reputation!"
But guilt flickered across his face. When had he started acting like such a… creep?
He hadn't meant for it to turn this way.
At first, his plan had been simple: to awaken her sense of self—to make the half–Silver Dragon King understand individuality and reject fusion with Gu Yue.
Yet now every "Brother" from her lips carried the weight of disgust.
Her gaze held contempt, like he was some filthy degenerate beyond saving.
How had it gotten this bad?
Her impression of him was deteriorating more every day.
Still, Na'er's focus wasn't on him—for once, she'd finally found some peace. Fresh out of the bath, she moved quickly, cherishing every second of privacy while he was busy helping the girl downstairs.
Since arriving, she hadn't dared to bathe much at all, terrified he might barge in.
And right as she started to feel safe, the doorknob turned.
Na'er froze.
"Jiang Chen!!!"
"I'll call the police!"
"Oh?" his voice came lazily through the door. "Our Huo Clan has quite the influence in the Federation. You want to press charges? Just tell me what for."
Who dares accuse this official in his own court?
Before she could react, the door opened—and there he was. Completely undeterred and completely unclothed.
Na'er sunk lower into the tub, only her head and neck above water. The washcloth in her hands pressed to her chest like a makeshift noose.
Her violet eyes flared crimson. "Take one step closer, and I'll end it right here!"
But Jiang Chen didn't seem fazed. He climbed into the tub, turning his back to her and leaning comfortably on the edge.
"Help me scrub my back. I'll knock ten thousand off your debt."
Na'er blinked, trembling with rage and humiliation, before slapping her tiny fists against his back.
The hits were so weak he barely felt them.
She glared at him, tears burning her eyes, fantasizing about stabbing him right then—ending them both so neither owed anything anymore.
At least then he wouldn't bother Tang Wulin.
Red-eyed, she obediently scrubbed his back, her mind elsewhere entirely.
If asked whether she regretted her bargain—she didn't.
For any soul master, a good soul spirit was worth everything. She, with no awakened martial soul, had made her choice.
Worth it.
Then Jiang Chen turned his head slightly. "Now it's my turn, Na'er. Lie down and relax."
"Don't you dare!" she gasped. "I don't need you to!"
(END CHAPTER)
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