The next day
The water in the bathtub had long since gone cold. Tuoba Xuan couldn't help shivering and hurried out of the tub.
After tidying himself up, Tuoba Xuan put the invitation letter into the Green Wood Ring and left the hotel.
The mornings in Skywater City were bitterly cold. Tuoba Xuan bought two thick fur coats and some supplies, then headed for the city gate.
The gates had just opened, and plenty of people were coming and going.
The inspections at the gates were extremely strict, which left Tuoba Xuan puzzled. After all, there wasn't even a war going on.
But Tuoba Xuan was a law-abiding young man, so he still managed to leave Skywater City without trouble.
The outskirts of the Far North Lands.
"Little Dragon, which way did you say Dragon Valley was?"
Tuoba Xuan's lips had turned purple, and he couldn't stop shivering.
At some point, Little Mountain Dragon King had poked its head out. It curiously surveyed its surroundings, carefully sensing the direction of 'home.'
"Straight north. We're almost there. Don't worry, there's nothing dangerous near Dragon Valley. Just keep going."
"Mm." Tuoba Xuan replied, trudging slowly north through the thick snow.
Just as Little Mountain Dragon King had said, Dragon Valley was indeed close, and there was nothing dangerous or obstructing their way.
At last, Tuoba Xuan reached a vast, snow-covered plain.
The world was utterly silent. Only the howling snowstorm by his ears reminded Tuoba Xuan that he was still alive.
"This is it?"
Tuoba Xuan raised an eyebrow as he gazed across the seemingly endless layers of snow.
"This is it!"
Perhaps because it was home, Little Mountain Dragon King grew excited.
"Watch this!"
The wisp of Little Mountain Dragon King's remnant soul began spinning, and a faint yellow energy radiated from its body.
"I thought we'd have to say 'Open sesame.'"
Tuoba Xuan jogged in circles, warming himself up as he went.
To be fair, Little Mountain Dragon King didn't seem composed in the least. It was more like an energetic child.
As Little Mountain Dragon King spun faster and faster, a strange, multicolored halo began to appear across the entire snowy plain.
At last, as Little Mountain Dragon King ran out of strength, the scenery around them gradually blurred.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
A series of thunderous crashes came from the center of the plain.
A strange spatial entrance, resembling a rift in the void, slowly appeared.
"So this is Dragon Valley?"
Tuoba Xuan's eyes narrowed. After five whole years of stagnation, was everything finally about to change?
Golden light burst from Little Mountain Dragon King's eyes as it danced around the entrance.
"Come on in! We're finally home!"
Tuoba Xuan walked up to the entrance, his body tense with excitement. He curiously reached out to touch it, only to find that there was nothing there.
Tuoba Xuan didn't hesitate any longer and stepped into the strange space.
In an instant, the scene before his eyes began to spin. It was as if he were floating in the starry sky, an utterly fantastical sensation.
The scenery changed rapidly. The world was no longer an illusion, but utterly real.
Tuoba Xuan's body dropped heavily. He had truly arrived in Dragon Valley, and landed on something hard as a rock.
Rubbing his aching backside, Tuoba Xuan curiously looked beneath him.
In that instant, he sucked in a sharp breath.
He was sitting on a dragon's rib!
Realizing that he had truly arrived in Dragon Valley, Tuoba Xuan's thoughts began to race.
He curiously surveyed his surroundings. It was just like the scene in his dreams: the valley was strewn with bones, and countless remnant souls were watching him curiously.
Like a wanderer finally returned home, Little Mountain Dragon King's remnant soul flew toward the depths of the valley, tears of joy in its eyes.
As it flew, it beckoned for Tuoba Xuan to follow.
Tuoba Xuan could only rub his forehead helplessly and follow the Mountain Dragon King's remnant soul step by step.
"I'm finally home!"
Little Mountain Dragon King's remnant soul shouted excitedly, then turned into a streak of yellow light and vanished.
"Hey!" Tuoba Xuan's vision went dark. With Little Mountain Dragon King gone, he had no idea who he was supposed to look for.
As Little Mountain Dragon King disappeared, the mountain in the distance began to move, heavy and immense.
It was a dragon without end in sight—a real dragon!
This was Mountain Dragon King, the true remnant soul of Mountain Dragon King.
Its enormous body was like an iron city.
How was that a mountain? It was Mount Everest!
The dragon's body was so huge that it wouldn't even fit within Tuoba Xuan's field of vision.
Tuoba Xuan couldn't help swallowing, his body tensing instinctively.
To be fair, Tuoba Xuan was so tiny that Mountain Dragon King had to lower its head until it was level with him just to get a good look.
"Lao Ji, he's the one who helped me. Hurry up and thank him."
Little Mountain Dragon King suddenly popped out and pointed at Tuoba Xuan as it called out.
Mountain Dragon King tilted its head. It could tell that Tuoba Xuan was weak—weaker even than a bug in Dragon Valley.
"I am the Dragon Sovereign of the Four Seas, Mountain Dragon King!"
A deep, ancient voice rang out, carrying a hint of weariness and relief.
"Thank you. My remnant soul was about to fade away from this world after running out of energy. You nourished it with your Soul Power and protected it as it recovered."
Tuoba Xuan couldn't help glancing at the fidgety Little Mountain Dragon King. The little dragon sure cared about saving face.
Mountain Dragon King moved its forepaw in front of Tuoba Xuan, bringing with it a thunderous crash.
"Is it trying to shake my hand?" Tuoba Xuan's mouth twitched. Mountain Dragon King's claws were more than ten times bigger than he was.
Mountain Dragon King noticed Tuoba Xuan's predicament. Its body shifted, gradually transforming into a yellow humanoid silhouette.
Tuoba Xuan couldn't make out the silhouette's features. He could only sense its immense power.
"Thank you. From this day on, you are a friend of our Dragon Clan."
Mountain Dragon King's voice sounded ethereal, impossible to place.
"I'm glad to meet you, too."
Tuoba Xuan stared intently at Mountain Dragon King.
Under Tuoba Xuan's gaze, Mountain Dragon King seemed a little embarrassed. "Now that I'm home, I'll return your Soul Power first."
As soon as Mountain Dragon King finished speaking, Little Mountain Dragon King merged into its true form.
A faint ripple of Soul Power began to flow.
Level 5, level 6... level 10.
Tuoba Xuan stared at his hands in astonishment. His Soul Power, which had been stuck for so long, had begun to surge wildly.
But it wasn't over. Tuoba Xuan felt his meridians beginning to flow. His Soul Power was definitely higher than level 10 now; he simply couldn't sense it because he didn't have a Soul Ring.
Mountain Dragon King spoke again. "Next, I'll truly repay you."
Suddenly, the entire Dragon Valley seemed to collapse, and countless dragon souls let out earth-shaking roars in unison.
"Is this... them thanking me?" Tuoba Xuan watched the dragon souls in wonder.
"Yes. You are my friend, and you are our friend as well."
Mountain Dragon King reached out and clasped Tuoba Xuan's hand tightly.
"Now, let's truly restore your strength."
Mountain Dragon King spoke abruptly, and a dense, earthy-yellow radiance enveloped Tuoba Xuan.
"This is our Dragon Clan's gift. But you must persevere on your own. The longer you hold out, the greater your gains will be."
Wrapped in the radiance, Tuoba Xuan's Martial Soul emerged from behind him, and its once-stubby limbs began to change.
The Pig that had been his Martial Soul began to grow golden dragon wings. Two savage dragon horns burst from its head, and layers of thick dragon scales covered its body, their patterns mysterious and intricate.
At last, the Pig let out a soul-shaking dragon's roar, as if an ancient dragon that had slept for ages had awakened.
Tuoba Xuan's meridians began to expand, like countless broad rivers.
As myriad streams flowed into the sea, Tuoba Xuan's muscles grew firm and dense, like molten steel.
Tuoba Xuan had changed completely. He was no longer as weak as before, but radiated an overbearing power from head to toe.
The awakened dragon made the entire world tremble.
"Hahahahahahaha!"
Tuoba Xuan laughed freely.
"From this day on, I, Tuoba Xuan, will no longer be shackled by this world!"
"From now on, I'll be a mighty man who holds up the sky and stands firm on the earth!"