Chapter 35
Chapter 35: Hatchling Dragon Molt
Li Chao Ge watched Shao Heng’s silence stretch on and, with a small helpless breath, kept talking.
“This first-class task is related to a True Dragon hatchling.”
Shao Heng’s expression shifted. For an instant, pure shock flashed across her face.
True Dragons were the uncrowned kings of the Demon Clan—ancient beings that had existed long before the Human Clan rose to prominence. People also called them heavenly demons.
A True Dragon’s body was one of the perfect Dao forms nurtured by the laws of heaven and earth, filled with mysteries no ordinary creature could touch. You only had to look at the Demon Clan to see the Dragon Clan’s terrifying heritage: countless demon beasts spent their entire lives chasing the dream of transforming into dragons.
Shao Heng said bluntly, “How is that possible? I just came back from the Law Enforcement Pavilion. I didn’t see any mission like that.”
“And a True Dragon hatchling—do you really think that’s something we can even get close to?”
Heavenly demons were born arrogant and unyielding. Their bloodline was an innate gift, an innate weapon—no weaker than any top heavenly prodigy of the Human Clan.
Even if there truly were a chance to tame a hatchling, news like that would never reach outer sect disciples. High-realm cultivators would have moved long before it got anywhere near them. Even Golden Core Stage and Nascent Soul Stage cultivators would fight until their heads bled over a sliver of such an opportunity.
Facing Shao Heng’s doubt, Li Chao Ge didn’t panic. She only steadied her tone, as if she’d expected this reaction.
“This mission was intercepted before it could be posted publicly,” she said. “One of Qinghe Madam Li’s cousins got hold of it first. That doesn’t mean we’re going to ‘capture’ a True Dragon hatchling.”
She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice.
“On Dan Yang Mountain, three days ago, there were reports that a True Dragon appeared. A hatchling broke its shell, and colored clouds filled the sky.”
Shao Heng’s gaze sharpened.
Li Chao Ge continued, “The mission objective is to obtain Companion Dragon Grass. Companion Dragon Grass is a spirit herb born after being tainted by True Dragon aura.”
“And according to Madam Li’s private texts, when a young dragon is about to hatch, the adult True Dragon will nourish the egg with its own power. That process leaves something behind—a Hatchling Dragon Molt. Inside the shattered shell, there will be a treasure liquid called Spirit Dragon Liquid.”
She spoke the name carefully, like she was placing it into Shao Heng’s hands.
“Within seven days, it won’t dissipate. If a Human Clan cultivator obtains it and drinks it, it can temper the bones and strengthen the body. It’s an obscure secret. Very few people in the world know it.”
Shao Heng stayed silent, studying Li Chao Ge’s face. There was no flicker of guilt, no telltale strain. If this was a lie, it was a lie told too smoothly.
Li Chao Ge’s voice softened, turning almost earnest.
“Junior Sister Shao Heng, my foundation aptitude is Fire Sparrow Flying Feather. It’s already supreme-grade among lower-grade talents.”
She held Shao Heng’s gaze as she spoke, not hiding the hunger there.
“If I can get help from this treasure and raise my bone potential, I’ll have a ten percent chance of advancing to a mid-grade aptitude—Crimson Luan Ascending Cloudglow.”
Shao Heng’s eyes didn’t change. Li Chao Ge pushed on anyway, as if afraid to stop.
“And only people with top aptitudes like ours have a chance at that kind of transformation. For most others, Spirit Dragon Liquid would only strengthen qi and blood. It wouldn’t bring the leap in quality that it could for us.”
“If we reach mid-grade aptitude, then even without entering the disciple tournament, we could still enter the inner sect smoothly.”
Li Chao Ge’s fingers tightened on the edge of her sleeve.
“And raising your aptitude benefits your Dao path for life. I hope you’ll think carefully.”
Her sincerity was almost too bright—ambition laid bare, longing undisguised.
Shao Heng gave a quiet little laugh. “Ten percent?”
She sounded neither impressed nor offended—only amused, like she’d just heard a gambler quote odds before tossing dice.
“What a lucky break. But what do you want me to do?”
She was sprawled on her big, soft cushion, sitting sideways without the slightest sense of decorum. The casual slouch made her look younger than she was, like a girl who didn’t understand how serious the world was.
Or like a girl who understood it perfectly and didn’t care.
Li Chao Ge’s heart sank anyway. She turned her thoughts over and over until her shoulders finally loosened, the fight draining out of her.
She dragged a wooden chair over as if she belonged in the room, sat down, and rubbed at her temples.
“When the new disciples finished the course at the Wondrous Dharma Tower, you fought six at once and even earned Elder Zhao’s favor. Most of this batch has heard about it.”
Her hand paused.
“Especially people like us from cultivation families—people who delayed joining the sect just to charge into the inner sect.”
Li Chao Ge didn’t bother dressing it up. “In short, the Li Family wants to win you over. Build a bond.”
If Shao Heng never amounted to anything later, Qinghe Madam Li wouldn’t truly lose much. Spirit Dragon Liquid only had a narrow window of effectiveness, and it didn’t work equally on everyone.
Li Chao Ge exhaled through her nose, then added more quietly, “And personally, I also want you not to strike at me first during the tournament. That way I have one less rival to worry about.”
There was a flicker of guilt in her eyes.
After all, she had exaggerated the odds just now. Not by a lot—but enough.
She wanted an inner sect slot too badly to be careless.
They were all in early First Realm. If everyone poured the hundred-plus spirit stones the sect issued into cultivation, it would be hard for anyone to gain an overwhelming advantage by realm alone before the tournament. That meant techniques and combat instincts mattered even more, and many had already marked Shao Heng as a dangerous opponent.
Shao Heng understood the tournament format. When the time came, inner sect elders would be watching.
If you deliberately helped someone, the elders would see it—and it would stain you. And when everyone was lower-grade, who would willingly sacrifice themselves just to lift someone else up?
That was why past disciple tournaments rarely formed true factions. Everyone relied on their own strength.
But “not striking first” didn’t count as helping. There were ten inner sect slots. Avoiding a single conflict could be shrugged off as choice, not collusion.
Shao Heng’s gaze remained steady. “So you’re the one carrying out this first-class mission?”
“Yes.” Li Chao Ge straightened without meaning to, confidence returning like a familiar cloak. “My clan has already investigated. We’re eighty percent sure we can find Spirit Dragon Liquid.”
Shao Heng’s eyes narrowed slightly, not at the treasure—at something else.
“How many contribution points is a first-class mission worth?”
Li Chao Ge blinked, then caught the meaning immediately. “It’s a collection mission, so the reward is lower than most first-class missions. But the hatch site is hard to track down. It’s sixty points.”
“Mm.” Shao Heng tilted her head, weighing it. “Sixty points is about two or three days of missions for me. That’s not a loss.”
And since she’d come from the Mortal Realm, she’d only ever seen True Dragons on embroidered robes and carved totems. A creature from myth carried an irresistible pull. Anything connected to it made her want to see the truth with her own eyes.
“All right,” she said at last. “Add the sixty points. During the tournament, you won’t strike at me first, and I won’t strike at you first.”
She sat up properly and nodded, businesslike now.
Li Chao Ge’s eyes lit so fast it was almost comical. She reached into her storage ring and took out a wooden token.
“Take the mission token. Register it at the Law Enforcement Pavilion.”
Then she produced a parchment scroll and a contract spell. Using her spiritual power as ink, she wrote cleanly, quickly, terms laid out with practiced precision. When she finished signing her name, she tipped her chin at Shao Heng, making the expectation obvious.
Shao Heng took the contract, read it once, then read it again. It was straightforward, organized, and free of traps.
With the contract spell as proof and sect rules sitting over everything, it was unlikely a stranger who’d only just met her could arrange a perfect scam—especially one that required the Law Enforcement Pavilion to be involved.
Shao Heng signed her name.
In the next instant, blood-flame licked up the parchment, burning it to ash. The contract took effect.
Li Chao Ge rolled open a parchment map and spread it across the low table, pointing at three red marks.
“Our Li Family found traces of a True Dragon at these three locations on Dan Yang Mountain. At the time, the dragon aura was still strong. We suspected the True Dragon might still be nearby, so we didn’t dare barge in and offend it. We brought the news back instead.”
She tapped the marks again, faster now.
“But the hatchling omen has already appeared. The True Dragon will likely leave with its young. We need to move now and find Spirit Dragon Liquid before it disperses.”
Shao Heng rose to her feet. “Give me a little time. I still need to go back to the Law Enforcement Pavilion.”
She had four missions already. She’d need to cancel one to avoid missing deadlines—and she had to register this first-class mission.
Li Chao Ge nodded immediately. “Then we meet at the mountain gate at You Hour.”
“All right.”
Li Chao Ge stood as well, smiling so brightly her eyes curved like crescents.
“I’m looking forward to working with you, Junior Sister Shao Heng. I want to see your techniques for myself.”