Chap 15 - Greetings, Old Friend

Xia Wei couldn't endure the situation any longer, his mind racing with frustration. Yet, amidst the heated arguments and the prolonged decision-making process of the people around him, he found a momentary respite for his weary body.

His drooping eyelids fought to remain open, struggling against the overwhelming urge to surrender to sleep.

Alas, his efforts were in vain, and before he realized it, darkness enveloped his consciousness, pulling him into its depths.

As he delved deeper into this unknown abyss, he suddenly found himself standing in a peculiar room, bathed in a solitary beam of light descending from above.

The chamber stretched endlessly, devoid of walls or a ceiling, resembling a blank void. Xia Wei's gaze roamed the surroundings, but the impenetrable darkness thwarted his attempts to perceive anything beyond its ebony veil.

Only the pale glow of the light revealed the existence of a gray floor beneath his feet.

"Why does this place seem hauntingly familiar?" Xia Wei mused, his words dissipating into the obscurity.

Straining his vision, he strained to catch a glimpse of his surroundings, but the only response was an unyielding blackness.

Though no wind caressed his skin, a chilling coldness seeped into his bones.

Devoid of any Qi, his body brimmed with a newfound vitality and vigor. He felt as if he could shatter the very floor beneath him with a single mighty punch.

But what struck him most was the absence of the transparent screen or the system, despite his repeated attempts to summon it.

"So, are you here merely to observe me, or is there something more?" Xia Wei's voice echoed ambiguously, unable to discern the nature of his form or how he could speak.

However, he knew with certainty that this realm was intricately linked to his soul.

As his words hung in the air, the darkness contorted and solidified, gradually taking shape as a colossal, serpentine body.

Each breath it exhaled birthed magenta flames and sparking embers. Approaching Xia Wei's light, the immense form materialized into an enormous black dragon, its eyes fixed intently upon him.

The dragon growled and hissed, its fiery breath seething through its nostrils. Two towering horns adorned its head, eclipsing even the radiant light.

Its obsidian scales bore intricate runes, emitting a violet glow, while its four mighty limbs reverberated with every stomp upon the ashen floor.

"It has been far too long since our paths intertwined," a multitude of luminous orbs materialized from the radiant beam above, gradually constructing Xia Wei's form before the gaping maw of the black dragon.

He stretched his arms wide, a wide grin adorning his face, his eyes narrowing in a playful manner as he met the dragon's fierce gaze.

A crackling sound, reminiscent of scales being scraped off a fish, reverberated through the expanse.

The pale hue of Xia Wei's skin began to dry and transform, morphing into gleaming white scales that covered half of his body, now gleaming in stark contrast to the black dragon.

His countenance took on the appearance of a Dragonoid, a melding of human and dragon.

"As you can see, you are no longer the sole inhabitant of my being," he proclaimed, and in response, the black dragon snorted disdainfully.

A stream of white vapor escaped its maw, enveloping the other half of Xia Wei's body, causing his flesh to undergo a metamorphosis. It transmuted into obsidian scales, adorned with ancient runes akin to those of the black dragon.

Half of his once-human face now bore the mark of the black dragon, its dark magenta eye narrowing as it met the dragon's unflinching gaze. His appearance had become that of a Dragonoid, a fusion of two distinct beings.

"Ah, indeed. You still dwell within me, but unlike you, the other dragon has yet to awaken fully. In fact, it is but a mere hatchling," he declared, his voice unfamiliar to his own ears.

It possessed a dry, raspy quality, as though an unspoken burden weighed heavily upon his throat.

"ERR..." The black dragon regarded Xia Wei with a momentary pause, emanating a growl that conveyed its discomfort.

Its immense slit eyes fixated on the half of Xia Wei's body covered in white scales, prompting it to open its jaws and extend its massive tongue to lick him.

A viscous substance enveloped Xia Wei, drenching his entire form and causing the white scales to ignite, emitting the same vibrant magenta hue as the dragon's eyes.

Sensing something amiss, Xia Wei's consciousness abruptly faded, plunging him back into the realm of reality.

...

"Young master?" a voice echoed within Xia Wei's mind, rousing him from his deep slumber. As his slitted eyes fluttered open, a trace of lingering purple tint remained, eliciting surprise from the speaker.

"Huh? Old Ping?" Xia Wei uttered, his confusion evident. His brows furrowed upon taking in the disarray that had befallen the previously pristine hall.

The bamboo roof lay torn asunder, bearing the scars of a recent battle. The people present wore tattered garments, their bodies adorned with numerous scratches and bruises.

Yet, what unsettled Xia Wei the most was the gaze of those around him. Once filled with reverence and a hint of fear, their eyes now trembled with terror, their bodies prostrated upon the ground as if in the presence of a monstrous entity.

"What has transpired?" Xia Wei inquired, shifting his gaze towards his guardian, who appeared troubled. His narrowed eyes discerned that Old Ping seemed to deliberately evade him, concealing whatever weighed heavily on his mind.

"Just tell me," Xia Wei pressed on, realizing that his throat felt parched. His voice emerged hoarse and animalistic, echoing with a growl.

Sh*t, he cursed inwardly, and proceeded to inspect his own skin. Memories of his transformation into a Dragonoid in that strange dimension flickered within his mind.

To his dismay, his once-pale human skin had vanished entirely, replaced by a peculiar metallic-looking white scales, confirming his suspicions.

"I apologize, everyone. It seems that my power spiraled out of control," Xia Wei offered an innocent smile, as the white scales gradually transformed back into human skin.

Witnessing this astonishing sight, the onlookers trembled and instinctively recoiled. "In that case, I shall take my leave."

As Xia Wei prepared to depart, he approached his guardian, leaning in to whisper into his ear. "Tend to the aftermath and administer them a pill. They may still prove useful to us," his voice turned cold, causing Old Ping to shudder upon hearing the words.

Old Ping nodded with a grave expression, then proceeded to confer with the Patriarch and the rest of the elders.

However, before doing so, he cast a worried and uneasy glance towards his young master, who strode toward the exit with an air of solemnity.