The Real and Fake Golden Dragon King

Night fell.

Gu Yue left the Spirit Transmission Pagoda and returned to a quiet house not far away.

The moment the door closed, the clamor of the outside world was shut out, leaving the room in complete silence.

Gu Yue stood in the living room for a moment, her expression thoughtful. Finally, she walked into the bedroom in silence and sat down before the vanity.

The mirror reflected a delicate, flawless face with picturesque features, carrying a composure in her coldness that did not belong to her age.

"Truly... inexplicable."

Gu Yue frowned slightly and spoke in a low voice.

Something was wrong with her senses, and it was a major problem.

As the Silver Dragon King, she should have known the aura of the Golden Dragon King like the back of her hand.

After the Dragon God split, the Golden Dragon King inherited the Dragon God's powerful physique and strength, while the Silver Dragon King inherited the Dragon God's elemental control and wisdom.

This perception, rooted in her bloodline, had never once failed her.

Yet today, two sources had appeared in her perception.

Two auras of the Golden Dragon King existed in this world simultaneously.

One faint aura of the Golden Dragon King was located in the direction of the distant East Sea, flickering in and out of existence, vague and unclear.

The other was close at hand, right inside the Spirit Transmission Pagoda.

"Fang Lin..."

Gu Yue whispered to herself.

She recalled the moment she reached out to touch Fang Lin today; the Silver Dragon King bloodline within her had suddenly surged.

That resonance had come so unexpectedly that it had almost caused her to lose her composure.

This feeling could not deceive her.

Who else could it be but the Golden Dragon King, who inherited the Dragon God's physique and strength?

Golden Dragon King: "Oh no, brothers, there's a bull!"

"Could it be... that the Golden Dragon King escaped from the God Realm?" Gu Yue speculated, her fingertips tapping rhythmically against the vanity tabletop, producing a steady sound.

"But why are there two?"

This was what puzzled her the most.

If the Golden Dragon King had truly escaped from the God Realm, there should only be one original body.

The Golden Dragon King was a part of the Dragon God, a unique existence; it was impossible for it to split into another version of itself out of thin air.

The simultaneous appearance of two Golden Dragon King auras simply made no sense.

Unless one of them was fake.

But who could impersonate the aura of the Golden Dragon King?

That primordial power, stemming from the bloodline, was something no disguise could replicate.

Just as no one could impersonate her Silver Dragon King aura, the aura of the Golden Dragon King was equally unique.

"Unless... the other party is also the true Golden Dragon King." Gu Yue's gaze narrowed slightly.

But how could two Golden Dragon Kings exist in this world at the same time?

The appearance of these two auras had completely disrupted her original plans.

Gu Yue closed her eyes, her thoughts surging like a tide.

Back then, she had split herself into two, becoming two independent individuals.

One was herself, Gu Yue, lurking in the Spirit Transmission Pagoda.

The other was Na'er, whom she had separated and integrated into human society, lurking in Shrek Academy.

However, plans could not keep up with changes.

Na'er had gone missing unexpectedly, and despite her extensive search, she had yet to be found.

What Gu Yue had not expected was that upon arriving at the Spirit Transmission Pagoda today, she had discovered Na'er.

A complex look flashed in her eyes.

Finding Na'er should have been a good thing, but Fang Lin's appearance had made everything confusing and obscure.

Why did Fang Lin possess the aura of the Golden Dragon King?

What was his relationship with Na'er?

Why did Na'er call him "Brother"?

Did Na'er know Fang Lin's identity? Or was all of this just a coincidence?

A myriad of questions swirled in Gu Yue's heart, like a tangled knot that grew messier and tighter the more she tried to unravel it.

She raised a hand to press against her brow, attempting to calm herself down.

The night deepened outside the window, moonlight spilling through the gaps in the curtains to cast a cold, silvery-white glow upon the floor.

In the distance, the silhouette of the Spirit Transmission Pagoda loomed in the darkness, ablaze with lights.

Gu Yue gazed toward the Spirit Transmission Pagoda, her eyes lingering there for a long time.

"Di Tian..."

She suddenly spoke, calling out her subordinate's name.

From the shadows, a burly middle-aged man dressed in a long black robe slowly stepped out.

Di Tian knelt on one knee, bowing his head respectfully. "My Lord."

Gu Yue did not turn back, still looking out the window as the moonlight outlined her cold, delicate profile.

"Do you think... of the two auras of the Golden Dragon King, which is real and which is fake?"

"This..."

Di Tian pondered for a moment, countless thoughts racing through his mind.

Finally, he spoke: "My Lord, the Golden Dragon King... which is real or fake is not important. What matters is that both of them are the Golden Dragon King."

"I see."

Gu Yue nodded slightly, lost in thought.

She understood what Di Tian meant.

Truth and falsehood were irrelevant; what mattered was that the existence of these two Golden Dragon Kings were both unique variables in this world.

Whoever could be used by her—that was what truly mattered.

Gu Yue pulled back her thoughts and looked at herself in the mirror once more.

If Na'er can stay by his side, why can't I? she wondered.

Gu Yue suddenly asked, "Di Tian, do you think I am beautiful?"

The air fell abruptly silent.

Di Tian's brain instantly crashed. My Lord... what does this mean? Beautiful or not beautiful?

He couldn't say she wasn't beautiful; that would be a crime against his sovereign. But to say she was beautiful—wouldn't that be suspicious of offending her?

If he answered poorly and she grew angry, sending a Silver Dragon Claw his way, where would he go to plead his case?

Beads of cold sweat rolled down Di Tian's forehead. He suddenly realized this was clearly a death trap.

Answering was death, not answering was death, and not saying anything at all was even worse.

He was caught in a dilemma, trapped between a rock and a hard place.

"I mean, in terms of my current appearance, do I count as beautiful among humans?"

Seeing Di Tian frozen there, Gu Yue added calmly.

"Oh!"

Di Tian breathed a secret sigh of relief; so that was what she meant. But upon second thought, this question was just as difficult to answer.

He replied honestly, "Based on my understanding of humans... My Lord's appearance is not considered outstanding."

After saying this, Di Tian felt his back was completely soaked.

The cold sweat on his forehead slid down his cheeks, but he didn't even dare to wipe it away.

"I see..."

Hearing this, Gu Yue nodded thoughtfully.

She paused, then asked again, "Then, Di Tian... who is more beautiful, Na'er or I?"

The air fell abruptly silent once more.

This time, even the wind outside the window seemed to stop.

Di Tian's brain crashed again, and this time, even more thoroughly than before.

Could he really judge his two masters?

Although Na'er was an independent individual separated from Gu Yue, possessing her own personality and consciousness, she was, at the end of the day, still his master.

As a mere subordinate, what right did he have to judge which of his two masters was more beautiful?

If Master Na'er found out later and sent a Silver Dragon Spear his way, where would he go to plead his case?

He was truly caught between a wolf and a tiger.

With the Silver Dragon Claw on the left and the Silver Dragon Spear on the right, Di Tian was nothing but the meat caught in the middle.

"Di Tian?"

Gu Yue's tone deepened slightly, carrying a hint of effortless, imposing pressure.

Di Tian gritted his teeth and took the plunge.

"From a human perspective... Master Na'er's appearance is superior."

He weighed his words carefully, each syllable spoken with extreme caution, as if walking on the edge of a blade.

Di Tian was truly afraid that if he answered poorly, he would be swatted away by a Silver Dragon Claw.

"I suppose so."

Gu Yue nodded, her expression calm, revealing neither joy nor anger.