Back to Wushan Town

The candles in the main room had burned more than halfway down. Their flickering flames cast the shadows of the window lattice across the blue-brick floor, wavering between light and darkness. Moonlight filtered through the gauze window screen, weaving a hazy silver veil over Hillman's shoulders. He set down his warm teacup, tiny flames reflected in his eyes, and spoke with undisguised anticipation. "Brother, why don't we go back to Wushan Town tomorrow? I'd like to see the clan's new Martial Hall, and the Bluestone Stele at the entrance with our names carved on it."

Hogg's eyes lit up at his words, and the weariness of days spent managing the caravan and clan affairs seemed to vanish. He slapped his thigh, his hearty laughter making the window paper tremble faintly. "Good! Just what I wanted! I'll tell the hands to prepare the carriages right away. We'll leave before dawn tomorrow and reach Wushan Town before noon. Give the clan's elders something to be happy about, too!"

The night passed without incident. The moonlight outside gradually faded, and the eastern sky turned pale.

Early the next morning, in the faint light of dawn, a thin, gauzy mist shrouded Fenlan City's walls. Two carriages rolled over the dew-covered flagstones with a steady rumble and slowly passed through the city gates. Hillman sat in the lead carriage, lifting the curtain to look at the familiar wooded hills outside the city. The wind swept over the treetops, bringing the fresh scent of vegetation, and a smile unconsciously touched his lips.

"Brother, there's no hurry to get to Wushan Town." As the carriage reached the edge of the dense forest outside the city, Hillman suddenly spoke. He turned toward Hogg beside him, a hint of mystery in his eyes. "Let me introduce you to an 'old friend.' Come to think of it, I've owed a great deal to its care these past two years."

Hogg paused in surprise. Before he could ask any questions, Hillman lifted the curtain, jumped down from the carriage, and called into the depths of the forest, "Old friend, I'm back!"

Only a few breaths after his voice fell, a low dragon's cry suddenly sounded from the dense forest. It was unlike a savage beast's roar and instead held a measure of gentleness, yet it still shook the morning dew from the branches and sent birds scattering through the woods on fluttering wings. Then a massive black shape pushed through layer after layer of foliage and slowly emerged. Its dark-gold scales gleamed coldly in the morning light, each one seeming cast from refined iron and reflecting a sharp radiance. The spikes along its back stood like swords, their edges intimidatingly keen. Its blood-red eyes were majestic and piercing, but softened a little when they turned toward Hillman. This was the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon that had been Hillman's constant companion.

Its body was more than a hundred feet long. The moment it appeared, even the surrounding air seemed to freeze as the overwhelming pressure of a high-ranking magical beast swept over them.

Hogg was so startled that he instantly jumped down from the carriage and involuntarily staggered two steps backward. Had he not caught the carriage shaft in time, he would nearly have fallen. His pupils contracted sharply, his heart pounded as though it would burst from his chest, and his throat was too dry to make a sound. In all his travels, the fiercest beasts he had seen were black bears encountered along the caravan routes. Yet the enormous creature before him carried an air of supremacy simply by standing there. Even his breathing grew cautious, lest he disturb this legendary being.

This... this was a dragon?!

A creature said to exist only in ancient books, capable of commanding the elements and destroying heaven and earth, had actually appeared before his eyes! And from Hillman's tone, this enormous dragon was his companion?

Hogg's gaze shifted back and forth between Hillman and the Iron-Armored Dragon. Shock, disbelief, and a trace of undisguisable awe mingled in his eyes, leaving him speechless for a time. He watched the Iron-Armored Dragon obediently lower its head and rub its enormous skull against Hillman's shoulder. That fierce appearance actually held a touch of affection, sending even greater waves of shock through his heart. He suddenly recalled the accounts of Dragonblood Warriors in the Dragonblood Secret Manual treasured by the clan. Those yellowed pages clearly depicted warriors clad in dragon scales fighting alongside dragons. It turned out those legends truly did have a basis.

"Brother, don't be afraid." Hillman patted the Iron-Armored Dragon's neck, feeling the hard scales beneath his palm, then turned to Hogg with a smile. "Its name is Iron Armor. It's a companion I met in Mist Canyon. It's very gentle and won't hurt anyone."

Hogg swallowed and steadied himself before finally daring to move slowly toward the Iron-Armored Dragon, one step at a time. His fingertips trembled slightly, and his steps were hesitant. His gaze fell on the scars of varying depths across its scales as he imagined how Hillman and this enormous dragon had gone from exchanging fists and claws to fighting side by side in the Magical Beast Forest, and how he had earned its trust through repeated brushes with death. An indescribable pride welled up within him, and something seemed to burn in his chest. This was his younger brother, a son of the Baruch Clan!

"Well... well done!" Hogg's voice trembled slightly, but it was full of admiration, and his eyes reddened a little. "A true son of the Baruch Clan!"

Hillman smiled and murmured a few more words to the Iron-Armored Dragon, seemingly giving it some instructions. It rumbled softly in acknowledgment. Only then did the two men return to the carriage. The Iron-Armored Dragon followed leisurely behind, its enormous body concealed along the forest's edge, keeping neither too close nor too far away, like a faithful guardian deity.

The carriages jolted along the road and finally reached Wushan Town around noon.

The town's flagstone streets were clean and tidy, the houses neatly arranged on either side. The Bluestone Stele at the entrance stood in plain view, its inscriptions clearly visible, the name "Hillman" shining in the sunlight. When the clan members saw Hogg return with Hillman, they immediately erupted into excitement. Young and old crowded around, inquiries about their well-being rising one after another. Some offered freshly picked wild fruit, while others brought warm tea. It was a lively scene. Hillman smiled as he greeted his clansmen, warmth filling his heart at the sight of those familiar faces.

He followed Hogg through the newly renovated ancestral residence, its blue bricks and dark tiles looking considerably grander than before. He visited the clan's Martial Hall, where a dozen youths were practicing punches with vigorous force, and spent a long time chatting with the town's elders, listening to them describe the changes over the past two years. Only when the sun sank westward and the crowd gradually dispersed did he find a quiet opportunity to bring Hogg to the foot of the Wu Mountain Mountain Range.

The Iron-Armored Dragon was already waiting there. Seeing them approach, it obediently lowered its enormous body, its tail brushing gently over the ground and stirring a light breeze. Hillman took a sealed jade box from his traveling bag and opened the lid. Inside lay several herbs with deep-blue leaves and a faint fluorescent glow along their veins: Blue Heart Grass picked from the depths of Mist Canyon. As soon as the herbs were taken out, a crisp, cool fragrance spread through the surrounding air.

The evening breeze swept through the wooded hills, carrying the fresh scent of vegetation. Hillman looked at Hogg, his gaze solemn and his voice lowered almost to a whisper. "Brother, besides visiting the clan, I came back this time to discuss something with you. It concerns the rise or fall of our Baruch Clan."

Seeing his serious expression, Hogg also put away his smile, straightened his back, and listened attentively.

"You must have read the clan's Dragonblood Secret Manual. Our Baruch Clan descended from Dragonblood Warriors, but as the years passed, our bloodline grew increasingly diluted, and we gradually lost the ability to undergo Dragon Transformation." Hillman's voice was solemn and firm, each word sinking into Hogg's heart. "Iron Armor's blood contains exceptionally pure draconic power. Combined with this Blue Heart Grass brought back from Mist Canyon, it can be refined into a medicinal liquid that awakens the bloodline."

Hogg's breath abruptly caught, and his pupils dilated. He suddenly raised his head to look at Hillman, his eyes full of disbelief. His lips moved, but no sound emerged.

"This medicinal liquid can awaken our clan's dormant dragon blood and allow someone to undergo Dragon Transformation." Hillman spoke each word with resounding conviction as he held the jade box out before Hogg. "After the transformation, blue-gold dragon scales will cover the body, horns will grow from the forehead, and a tail will emerge behind. The body will grow to more than two and a half meters tall, and both hands will become dragon claws. Strength and defense will break through the body's limitations, Battle Qi will rise dramatically in level, and you'll even gain the ability to heal wounds rapidly. Your combat power will be enough to tear high-ranking magical beasts apart!"

He paused, his gaze settling on Hogg's face as his tone softened. "Brother, your bloodline is the most concentrated in the clan. If you're the first to try refining the medicinal liquid, your chances of awakening the dragon blood will also be the greatest."

"I... I can undergo Dragon Transformation?" Hogg finally found his voice, though it was terribly hoarse with excitement. All the blood in his body seemed to boil at that moment. The accounts in the Dragonblood Secret Manual flashed through his mind, along with the glory of the Dragonblood Warriors, the expectant eyes of his clansmen, and the days and nights he had spent traveling for the clan over the years. He had always thought the Baruch Clan's glory belonged to the past. Never had he imagined that, within his lifetime, he would have the chance to awaken that dormant power with his own hands!

After the shock came indescribable elation, along with a trace of apprehension. He feared his abilities would fall short, that he would disappoint Hillman's expectations and fail the clan's legacy. Yet stronger still was his blazing fighting spirit. Looking into Hillman's resolute eyes, then at the Iron-Armored Dragon lying nearby, he felt his blood surge with fervor as bold ambition rose in his chest.

He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles whitening with the force. A determined light shone in his eyes as he nodded firmly, his voice hoarse but ringing with strength. "All right! For the clan, for the glory of Baruch, I'll give it everything!"

The last rays of the setting sun fell over the two men and the beast, stretching their shadows far into the distance. Deep within the Wu Mountain Mountain Range, a storm seemed to be brewing, one powerful enough to change the Baruch Clan's fate.