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It was suicide what Shang Qinghua was doing. Sneaking into the underwater den of a dragon was one thing. But planning to steal it’s Pearl? Another entirely. Arguably it was one of the stupidest plans Shang Qinghua has ever come up with. But he was desperate! Shang Qinghua has made some enemies and needless to say, they’d much rather see him dead than alive and squirming for survival.
As a fox demon with only two tails, Shang Qinghua wasn’t where he’d like to be in terms of strength. But finding a safe place to sit and cultivate more tails was hard! It’d already taken Shang Qinghua too long to just grow a second tail. And with the way things were going, he didn’t have time to try cultivating more! Hence what led to Shang Qinghua forming this stupid plan.
For what he lacked in power, Shang Qinghua made up for in information gathering and stealth. It’s through his connections that Shang Qinghua learned the location of several dragons. The only close one, however, was all the way in the Northern mountains. But Shang Qinghua couldn’t afford to be picky since he was practically running for his life. So with his enemies hot on his tail, Shang Qinghua fled North.
The reason Shang Qinghua was aiming to steal the dragon’s Pearl was simple. A dragon’s Pearl was said to contain a sea’s worth of spiritual energy. An accumulation of both the dragon’s and the energy of the world around it. The thing would be like a battery to Shang Qinghua. If he could obtain it and swallow it, forget just sprouting 9 tails; Shang Qinghua could ascend into a God! Power and immortality could be his!
If he had power, people would avoid him! And if he had immortality, he didn’t have to fear dying! It was honestly such a perfect plan. The only thing stopping just anyone from executing it was because to try and steal a dragon’s Pearl was like a death sentence. They were such precious items that it was near impossible to find a dragon willingly separating from their Pearl. Shang Qinghua’s risky plan was to hide and wait for the dragon to sleep. If Shang Qinghua swallowed the Pearl before the dragon woke, then there wasn’t really anything it could do, right? He just had to hope.
The Northern mountains were tough to traverse even in the summer. They were perpetually covered in a thick layer of snow and the air always carried a harsh and unforgiving chill. Shang Qinghua shuddered, wrapping his cloak around himself tighter and burying his face into the fur lining the hood. His tails were tucked around his waist and his ears were pressed firm against his head. But even with nearly every inch of his body covered, Shang Qinghua was still a shaking mess.
Holding his hands up near his face, Shang Qinghua breathed out a small flame of fox fire. It heated his breath, casting a layer of warmth over him. Although the momentary reprieve was snatched away all too soon by the next swift breeze that rolled over him.
“D-damn.” Shang Qinghua hissed between chattering teeth.
Shang Qinghua was near the summit where the air was thinnest and the snow most pure. He could practically taste the clean qi rising from every little thing. It all had the same gentle yet oppressive feel to it. Like piles of snow weighing someone down. Heavy, cold, but soft as it brushed against his senses. The ground before him was covered in a layer of snow that went up to his knees. The dotting of trees around him were slouched, the weight of the thick powder coating them causing their bow to bend. Yet they did not break. And hanging from the willowy branches were vines frozen over, creating curtains of shiny ice that clinked like windchimes when the breeze blew through them. Everything was so undisturbed. Shang Qinghua could not catch sight of any stray wildlife, not even birds. Only he was the lone sign of life trudging through the snow and ruining the picturesque image.
He exhaled softly, blowing out another puff of small fire. Shang Qinghua was trying to conserve his energy so he couldn’t make bigger, long-lasting flames. He also didn’t want to do something that’d alert the dragon or his pursuers to his presence. So he’d have to make do with little bursts of qi.
The trees eventually gave way to a snowy embankment that sloped downwards. At the bottom was a large lake covered in a thick layer of ice. Atop the ice was crystalline lotus’, their petals a translucent bluish purple. From what he could see at this distance, they appeared as if they were made from ice. The stems and lily pads went straight through the frozen barrier, disappearing beneath the water below. Shang Qinghua had never seen such plants before. His natural curiosity urged him to investigate the strange phenomenon while his more logical side forced him to stay in place.
Shang Qinghua could see no sign of the dragon, but he knew it had to be somewhere around here. The best Shang Qinghua could do was make a temporary shelter and wait. He dropped to all fours beside a tree and began to dig in the snow. With a mixture of fox fire to melt some patches, furious patting to build a structure, and the liquid slush used as a kind of binding agent, Shang Qinghua made a small dome-like structure. It blended in perfectly with the snow around him and the top was only a foot off the ground, the rest hidden beneath the fallen snow. With a snap of his fingers Shang Qinghua cast a minor illusion to obscure the entrance.
“That’s done, now to wait!” In a woosh Shang Qinghua’s form shifted, body condensing and melting downwards. Fur sprouted and his limbs shrunk, body morphing into that of a twin-tailed fox. His chestnut brown fur stood out like an eyesore against the white of the snow. But Shang Qinghua didn’t intend to stay out of his shelter long enough to be noticed. He dived into the small entrance and curled up into a ball. It was freezing for the moment, sure. But pretty soon his body heat would warm up his makeshift den.
In the meantime, Shang Qinghua would wait and observe the lake. At some point he’d started dozing when his den became pleasantly warm. It was just about sunset when the quiet still of the mountain summit changed. There was a rhythmic crackling sound, the lotus’ on the lake shuddering as the ice beneath them began to crack for seemingly no reason. The chunks split, bobbing in the water as they rapidly melted before Shang Qinghua’s eyes. The strange phenomenon was promptly explained when a massive shadow flew over Shang Qinghua’s den, darkening the snow as it descended towards the lake.
A rumbling sound that was felt more than heard filled the air just as the last chunks of ice disappeared. Then, a massive and beautiful serpent was dipping from the air and slamming into the lake. It all happened so fast that Shang Qinghua had barely any time to take in the majesty of the ice dragon before it disappeared beneath the waters. From the swift glance he’d seen, the scales of the beast were a glacial blue with its mane being a sharp white. The sheer length of the thing was enough to stretch from one end of the lake to the other.
Shang Qinghua’s mouth had dropped in awe at the beauty. It wasn’t till his lungs began aching that he realized he’d forgotten to breathe. ‘Shit! That’s the dragon?!’ Shang Qinghua screamed in his head, a new wave of tremors washing over him. He’d figured it would be massive, but this was crazy! He’d never seen a dragon before and knew just from a look he couldn’t take the thing in a fight. He’d die! It was a good thing he fully intended to stealth his way through this mission!
The fox demon spent a while longer watching the lake for any more signs of change. Other than the surface once more beginning to freeze over, the summit was as still as before. Did this mean the dragon was sleeping? There were plenty of questions Shang Qinghua had piled in his little head. And the only way they would be answered was by careful observation. He didn’t have time on his side as, last he checked, he had at least three pursuers scaling the mountain after him. He’d given himself a large enough headstart from hiking without sleep, but who knows how long that’d last?
Shang Qinghua furiously shook his head, casting aside such thoughts for a later date. He couldn’t afford to rush this job. It was quite literally a case of life or death for him! He should instead focus on what he could do at the current time before worrying about future problems. So after forming a bit of a game plan, Shang Qinghua curled up into a tight ball and closed his eyes. If he was going to do this, then he needed sleep.
☆*: ✿:*☆
Shang Qinghua’s eyes snapped open at the abrupt sound of creaking ice. The sun had only just begun to rise, casting the snow in hues of burning gold. He watched as, after the ice splintered and melted, the dragon burst forth and took to the air. Waterdroplets scattered around from the swift movements and yet not a petal was disturbed on those ice lotus’. Its ascent into the air was just as beautiful as it had been the other day. If Shang Qinghua wasn’t planning on stealing it’s Pearl, he would’ve loved to spend his days simply watching it fly through the air.
With it gone from the lake, this would’ve been a perfect time for Shang Qinghua to dive under and search for the cave it called home. Yet he couldn’t risk the dragon returning just as he was poking around! That’d surely get Shang Qinghua killed. So he had to keep waiting and observing. An opening would come only after Shang Qinghua was assured the dragon would be away from its cave for hours at a time.
So Shang Qinghua hunkered down and waited. For the entire morning the dragon had not returned. It was only at dusk that the ice melted and the dragon appeared overhead, disappearing beneath its depths. It seemed that the ice melting was a preface to the dragon emerging and returning to the lake. And after three more days of steady observation, Shang Qinghua concluded that the dragon truly did run on a schedule. This made things far easier for Shang Qinghua.
That night he only slept the bare minimum, stomach aching with the need for food. He hadn’t planned to sit and watch the dragon for so long, but seeing it fly was just breathtaking. Shang Qinghua found himself longing to just… Continuously catch glimpses of it, however brief. Which led to him running out of dried food by the morning of the third day. And since there was not a single animal on the mountain’s summit, Shang Qinghua couldn’t exactly hunt for food.
When he awoke the next morning, he felt exhausted and his mind was fuzzy. The bright light streaming into the entrance of his den had him squinting his eyes and grumbling in annoyance. Tucking his face under a tail, Shang Qinghua huffed. However when his sleep-addled mind finally connected just how bright out it was, he was sitting up and scrambling out of his den.
“Shit!” Shang Qinghua cursed.
From the position of the sun, it was about midday. He’d slept through the dragon emerging from the water! Shang Qinghua transformed back into his humanoid form before sprinting to the edge of the lake. By now the natural chill of the air had already frozen the surface. He wasn’t sure how deep the ice was, but regardless it still put a damper on his plans. Damn it! Could this just get any worse?
“Look! There he is!”
The yell behind him had Shang Qinghua glancing over his shoulder. He inhaled sharply and decided that yes, it could always get worse. Standing on the edge of the embankment were three demons. Two ox-head looking demons and one bear. They gripped their weapons tighter, glaring at Shang Qinghua before they began rushing down the snowy hill.
Tails puffing in fright, Shang Qinghua let out a startled cry before leaping out onto the ice. He didn’t even think as he moved, slipping and sliding to take himself into the center. Shang Qinghua was lighter than those demons, so if the ice cracked beneath his feet, then it’d surely shatter from their weight! And if that didn’t happen, Shang Qinghua had a backup plan.
By the time he reached the middle of the lake, the other demons were beginning to slide after him. Just like he expected, the ice was too thick to collapse. While it gave no sound of breaking beneath his feet, only under the weight of the three demons did it crackle. Yet it held fast, effectively ruining one of Shang Qinghua’s plans.
“Fine then!”
Shang Qinghua skidded to a stop and spun on his heel. With a deep inhale, Shang Qinghua channeled his qi through his lungs and up his throat. When he blew outwards, flames burst forth before him. They tore through the air, flickering in their bluish gold hue as they brushed the surface of the ice. With a loud hiss, steam instantly rose into the air as the ice melted. The moment he cut off the stream of fox fire, the ice in front of him was now dangerously thin. The three demons had initially tried to pull back their rush forward when Shang Qinghua had blown fire their way. But their momentum carried them directly onto the wide patch Shang Qinghua had weakened.
The ice beneath them cracked as a brief warning before giving way. Before they could even utter sounds of alarm, the three demons were dropping into the freezing depths below. Shang Qinghua stood there, waiting with bated breath for any signs of the demons emerging.
Hesitantly he asked aloud, “Is it over?”
As if to answer that question, the surface of the water sloshed violently as the bear demon burst through. He growled, lips curling back as he flashed his teeth at the fox. With thick claws built for slicing, the demon dug them into the thicker ice and began dragging himself out.
Shang Qinghua didn’t even wait to see if he’d successfully climb out or not. The fox instantly turned tail and ran. The ice beneath his feet creeked and crackled, threatening to give at a moment’s notice. The giant hole made from the three demons had caused fractures to shoot throughout the ice surrounding it, rendering the area structurally dangerous. Behind him he could hear the pounding of footsteps rapidly gaining on him, adding to the ominous cracking. The bear demon was digging his claws into the ice and using that to propel him forward, gaining more ground compared to Shang Qinghua’s slippery boots.
“Eek!” Shang Qinghua cried as suddenly his legs were knocked out from under him. The bear had slammed directly into his legs, taking Shang Qinghua to the ground with a loud smack. His face hit the ice and he could feel his lip catching on his fang, splitting open. The hot flare against his lip and the warm blood spilling from it was paltry compared to the sudden pain in his side. The demon had grabbed a hold of Shang Qinghua and had dug his claws in, ripping through the thick winter cloth and burying straight into his soft skin.
“It’s over, Shang Qinghua.” The demon snarled, his hot breath ghosting over the back of Shang Qinghua’s neck. “I was paid to bring ya back, but they ain’t ever says it gotta be alive.”
Shang Qinghua stiffened before renewing his futile struggles to free himself. “N-now hold on–! Can’t we talk about this?!”
The demon ripped out his claws before grabbing the back of Shang Qinghua’s head and slamming it into the ice. “There ain’t nuthin’ to talk about! Just sit nice and pretty-like, I’ll make it quick. Just for you.”
As the bear demon raised his other hand to deliver a killing slice to Shang Qinghua’s throat, a deep roar resonated throughout the air. The sound was so deep and all-encompassing that Shang Qinghua could feel it vibrating along his bones. Together he and the bear demon snapped their heads up and saw floating above the lake was the dragon. Its body twisted in the air as it glared towards the two, steam puffing out from its flared nostrils. Shaking its massive head, the dragon swiftly flew straight towards them, mouth opening wide.
Shang Qinghua acted quickly, twisting despite the pain in his side and swiping his smaller claws across the demon’s face. The bear reared back with a yelp, giving Shang Qinghua enough time to scramble out from under him. Just in time too. Shang Qinghua felt the impact of the dragon hitting the ice, the demon’s blood curdling scream as giant teeth snapped around him. A spiderweb of cracks burst outwards around Shang Qinghua, encompassing the entire lake all the way to the shore.
The shockwave from the point of impact had ice flying up around Shang Qinghua, the piece he was on faring no better. He landed on another chunk, choking as he hit his side. Blinking spots from his vision, Shang Qinghua noticed large ice pieces flying straight for him. “N-no!” He cried out, scrambling away from the danger zone. Water splashed up between the cracks in front of him, forcing him to skid to a stop. He tried to change angles, heading left instead. Yet more water was splashed up, separating the ice chunk he was on from that side as well. The force of it had the icy platform tipping upwards, knocking Shang Qinghua off his feet.
As he recovered, the fox pushed himself up on his hands and knees, looking around with wild eyes. Beneath the waves of blackened water, Shang Qinghua could see scales flashing before more water surged upwards. The chunks of ice behind him were promptly swept backwards, separating Shang Qinghua’s ice platform even further.
‘It’s cutting off my escape routes.’ Shang Qinghua thought with dawning horror.
The waters beneath rocked him angrily, chilling water splashing up on either side with each rise of the waves. In order to avoid being sprayed, Shang Qinghua stuck to the middle of the platform. He hugged his puffed tails, shaking like a leaf. Before his eyes the dragon’s head emerged from the water, rising higher and higher till a shadow descended over the terrified fox. This close Shang Qinghua could now see the dragon clearly. And just like he’d thought before, it was beautiful. Even if those sharp blue eyes were looking at him as if he was a worthless speck.
Shang Qinghua cleared his throat, “O-oh great dragon, thank you for saving me!” He squeaked out. Even if the dragon had meant to take Shang Qinghua out as well with that one attack, there was no denying the fox had been saved thanks to it.
“Why are you here?”
Though the dragon’s mouth did not move, the deep booming voice echoed in Shang Qinghua’s ears. Ah, it was male.
“Um,” Shang Qinghua fidgeted, scrambling for a reason that wasn’t his actual one, “Y-you see…”
☆*: ✿:*☆
Mobei-Jun was no fool. He was well aware of why this fox was here. How could he not be? He’d heard it from the fox’s own mouth. Mobei-Jun has lived alone on this mountain top for as long as he could remember. Anything that had lived here fled the moment Mobei-Jun decided to make this lake his home. Since then nothing dared set foot in Mobei-Jun’s domain.
So the moment foreign qi had brushed against Mobei-Jun’s, he’d known. Yet he didn’t bother to return to his lake right away. Come sunset, whatever foolish creature thought to stay on his summit would realize it was claimed by a dragon. They would be gone by morning.
That was what Mobei-Jun had assumed would happen. But he could still sense whatever it was outside of his cave. Perhaps it had been asleep when Mobei-Jun returned? Hard to believe since when Mobei-Jun destroyed his ice, it was always quite loud. Regardless, surely it would be gone by the time he returned. But again, it was not.
After two days Mobei-Jun could say he was mildly curious. So he deviated from his usual daily routine. Instead, after he’d flown out of the lake and a bit off the mountain top, Mobei-Jun had transformed and walked the short distance back up. He kept to the outskirts at first, sniffing the air for the scent of the intruder. They smelled like ink and smoky fur, reminiscent of a fire.
Mobei-Jun spotted the den after a hard minute of silent looking. He had to admit it was wisely crafted. Had he just given it a passive glance, he probably wouldn’t have noticed. So he waited for whatever creature was inside to come out. Mobei-Jun had to admit, he hadn’t expected a fox demon. It was puny compared to Mobei-Jun. In either form, it seemed. For when the fox sat on the ground and transformed back into a more human appearance, Mobei-Jun could tell his own human form would still tower over the little thing.
The fox gave no signs he sensed Mobei-Jun. That was a given considering Mobei-Jun’s energy was soaked into every pore of this summit. They carried Mobei-Jun’s qi through every leaf, every branch, and every flake of snow. It was probably because Mobei-Jun was so hidden that the fox appeared more at ease. Enough so he’d even begun talking to himself.
He sat there chewing on a piece of dried meat, wistfully talking about how pretty the dragon was. He then went on to bemoan how he wished he didn’t have to steal Mobei-Jun’s Pearl, that maybe he could find a different plan. That led to him scolding himself and slapping his cheeks, reaffirming he didn’t have the luxury of such a thing.
It was pitiful to watch.
So much so that Mobei-Jun turned around and walked back down the mountain. He felt conflicted. It was only about the fox wanting his Pearl though. It had nothing to do with this being the first time he’d heard someone call him ‘pretty’.
Mobei-Jun had ultimately decided to leave the fox be. He knew if it truly tried to take his Pearl, then it would most likely die before even reaching halfway. A tragedy, but not Mobei-Jun’s problem. Though when even more intruders breached the line of trees into his territory, it thus became his problem. And he wasn’t pleased in the slightest. By the time he returned, the little fox had cleverly used the lake to his advantage. All that was left was to take care of the remaining pest.
That was what led Mobei-Jun to this point. Staring down at the quivering fox and silently debating what he should do. “Do not think to lie. I will know.”
Visibly flinching, the fox’s ears quivered where they were pressed against his head. He looked down, sucking on his bloodstained lip. “Ah… Well… You see…” Pausing over and over, the fox glanced up and squeaked when he saw how Mobei-Jun’s eyes narrowed impatiently. Once more ducking his head, he rushed out a quick explanation. “I was trying to steal your Pearl so I could swallow it and get strong enough people would leave me alone!!”
Silence settled as the last echo of the fox’s shout rang throughout the summit. Mobei-Jun hummed, whiskers slowly moving along the surface of the water and calming the raging waves. “I see.”
Mobei-Jun was not surprised. He had heard this already. That still did not help him decide what to do with the little fox. Tilting his head, Mobei-Jun raised a paw to tap the tip of his talon against the ice keeping the fox afloat. The fox tracked the movement with wide, terrified eyes. His breath was coming in rapid exhales, puffs of smoke dispersing in rapid succession.
“This King is aware of your goals. For answering truthfully, this King is willing to spare your life.”
The fox’s breath stuttered and he willingly flung himself into a bow, pressing his forehead against the ice. “T–thank you, my King! Such a magnanimous King! Truly–!”
“Quiet, fox.” Mobei-Jun slowly exhaled, a flood of steam surrounding the two as his form began to shrink. Quite soon standing on the surface of the calm waters was Mobei-Jun in his humanoid appearance.
His hair was still a stark white while his body carried a blue tinge, shiny scales dotting along his body like a scattering of freckles. Wicked claws tipped each of his fingers while a thick tail protruded from the base of his spine. Emerging from his skull were his antlers, the dark oak-like colour tipped in white like snow covered trees. Swaths of blue silken robes draped over one shoulder and tied around his pelvis, hiding his modesty though just barely. Decorating every inch of him was some form of silver jewelry, bangles and baubles clinking as he moved. Such a look would appear gaudy on anyone else. But with the icy beauty that was this dragon, he looked entirely like the King he claimed to be.
“What is your name?”
The fox blinked, mouth working but no words spilling forth. He seemed to have forgotten to speak, mind drawing a blank as he stared at Mobei-Jun. Only when the dragon frowned and quirked a brow did the fox snap from his stupor.
“S-Shang Qinghua, my King!” He exclaimed, bowing his head once again.
“Mmm,” Mobei-Jun turned to look over his lake. Some of the flowers and lily pads closer to them and the center had been crushed. Only those further away had remained unscathed. “The demons whom you fed to the lake, who were they?”
Shang Qinghua visibly grimaced. His face was so expressive compared to Mobei-Jun’s. It was almost fascinating watching the way the fox telegraphed everything. “They’re… People that would rather see me as a skinned rug than alive.”
“And will more come?”
“Probably. These were only goons, so I imagine they’ll hire more people to come after me.”
Mobei-Jun hummed in contemplation at that. He crossed his arms over his chest, turning his gaze back to Shang Qinghua. “And that is why you required my Pearl.” Shang Qinghua’s nod prompted Mobei-Jun to continue, “What was your plan then? You have been observing my movements, correct?”
Shang Qinghua once more flinched. He hugged his tails tighter, the fluffy appendages drawing Mobei-Jun’s gaze. “I was going to wait till you left, then swim in the lake and find your cave. I figured I could hide in there and swallow your Pearl while you were asleep.”
“And what if I did not sleep in a cave?”
It was amusing the way the fox’s eyes widened as if he hadn’t thought of that. He seems to have planned thoroughly for things, but the most simplistic of possibilities put a wrench into everything he’d laid out.
The corner of Mobei-Jun’s mouth quirked in a small smirk, “Regardless, it is a good thing you waited so long. Otherwise you would not have learned this King’s warning.” He flicked his head towards the waters, “My Pearl lies at the bottom of the lake. Deep enough you could not reach and still carry breath. The closer you get, the colder the water becomes. My Pearl has infused the water with my qi. Everything on this summit that draws nutrients from this lake is thus grown from my own energy. It is all bound to me, everything on this summit.”
Shang Qinghua’s shoulders slumped as this information washed over him. “You knew I was here from the very beginning.”
Clever. It seems this fox was somewhat smart after all. “Mm.”
“And… You let me stay despite knowing I was here?”
Mobei-Jun shrugged. He did not need to explain his reasoning to this fox. Letting his sharp gaze travel over Shang Qinghua, Mobei-Jun finally seemed to settle on something when his gaze landed back on Shang Qinghua’s fluffy tails.
“Fox, transform.” Mobei-Jun ordered, gesturing with his chin towards Shang Qinghua.
Crinkling his brows, Shang Qinghua squinted at Mobei-Jun. He seemed to debate with himself for a moment over what the dragon meant by ‘transform’. As a fox demon, transformations were child’s play. He could be anything. Yet Mobei-Jun hadn’t clarified. Was there a specific form he wanted Shang Qinghua to take on? If so, then what? Mobei-Jun gave no signs of elaborating further so Shang Qinghua was left on his own.
“O-ok…”
Slowly his appearance melted downwards, fur sprouting and covering the little body. When Shang Qinghua sat before Mobei-Jun in his fox form, tails curled around his shaking body, Mobei-Jun nodded in satisfaction. He stepped off the water and onto the ice platform, walking to Shang Qinghua. The fox looked absolutely terrified, yelping as he was picked up by his scruff and held before Mobei-Jun.
The dragon stared into Shang Qinghua’s eyes before looking at the wound on his side still oozing blood. Slowly Mobei-Jun’s qi trickled into Shang Qinghua. His energy was like a cool refreshing spring, traveling along the fox’s meridians and washing away the burning pain. Gradually the bleeding began to stop, Shang Qinghua’s injury repairing itself at a sluggish pace.
“This Kind has decided. In exchange for his protection, Shang Qinghua will serve this King for the rest of his life.”
The fur in Mobei-Jun’s hand was soft. Warm. He’d never been able to get close to animals as small as Shang Qinghua. Most fled from him even as a child. Yet he’d always been fascinated by the soft fur they carried. Much different from the scales he was familiar with. Of course he could always hunt small animals if he wanted to feel their fur, but that didn’t satisfy what he wanted. He wanted to feel the life still beneath the skin. The blood pumping away and keeping the body warm. And with Shang Qinghua at his side, Mobei-Jun could get his fill.
Pleased, he raised Shang Qinghua higher so they were eye-level, “What say you, Shang Qinghua?”
What other option was there for Shang Qinghua to say? This was the best possibility to happen! He may not have gotten the Pearl like he wanted, but he got something even better. And perhaps at Mobei-Jun’s side, Shang Qinghua could maybe feel safe enough to start cultivating his remaining tails.
So with wide eyes and his two tails wagging excitedly, Shang Qinghua yipped, “I will serve my King!! For the rest of my life and beyond!”
Mobei-Jun’s next smirk was more noticeable this time and instantly captivated Shang Qinghua. “Good. Remember your vow, this King will hold you to it.”
The End