A dying lamp illuminated the dark snow.
Beyond the North Heavenly Gate, the Ice Sealed Giant Dragon kept silent watch, guarding the northern reaches of heaven.
As she slept, candlelight illuminated the long years. Bai Yujun rarely had such peace and leisure. Once one grew accustomed to solitude, one discovered that one was the whole world. It was rather nice. She could somewhat understand how Old Black Tortoise found joy in it.
The faint golden light could only illuminate the dragon's head.
Ice covered her dragon horns, making them appear even more crystalline. From different angles, the dragon scales reflected the faint light differently. Her hooked dragon claws were sharp and chilling.
Bai Yujun sensed something and opened her eyes.
In the dark, freezing winds beyond the North Heavenly Gate stood a figure both familiar and unfamiliar.
Crack, crack~!
Solid ice shattered and fell away.
The candle flame swayed as the enormous, ferocious dragon head lowered, wanting to see her through the retrospective image...
She still wore that familiar and noble imperial palace dress. Her dragon horns were larger, her gaze filled with motherly love, her face haggard yet relieved. Across tens of thousands of years, their gazes met. Bitterness, helplessness, happiness—after guarding the North Heavenly Gate for so many years, Bai Yujun wanted to voice her grievances for the first time.
Solid ice cracked and fell away with a clatter as the divine dragon lowered her body.
The Imperial Palace Dress Woman raised her hand.
Bai Yujun turned her head sideways, tilted it, and lowered herself. Closing her eyes, she brought her massive dragon head near that palm, seeking comfort and solace beyond reach, feeling distant warmth within that cold, dark world...
The palm gently stroked her, as though caressing diamond-shaped dragon scales. The retrospective image was unstable, flickering