The Teleportation
Grand Elder Lin, relieved that the immediate Dragon-Human clash hadn't incinerated his temple, hastily activated the teleportation matrix—a swirling circle of etched silver symbols on the floor.
"Hold fast, Host," Lin warned. "The Citadel is in the Western territory, far from here. The transition will be intense."
Aether stood beside Jade, his presence a shield against the matrix's chaotic energy. He didn't offer comfort, only a command: "Do not lose focus of the Eye. You must anchor the transfer."
As the world dissolved into a blinding whirl of silver and amethyst light, Jade gripped the obsidian arm of the Prince's armor. The connection was vital; the overwhelming force of the warp threatened to tear her consciousness apart. For the briefest moment, she felt the raw, cold power of the Dragon lineage flowing through his scales—a pure elemental force that grounded her, paradoxically, more than any human touch ever could.
The Western Citadel
They rematerialized inside the Citadel of Azure Clouds, the ancestral home of the Western Dragon King. It was a sprawling, gravity-defying fortress carved from white marble and built into the side of a massive mountain range. Giant, crystalline lanterns glowed with soft, protective light.
The air here was tense, thick with the anxiety of the court. Dragons in various forms—some partially human, some fully scaled—milled nervously. They were all powerfully built, beautiful, and instantly suspicious of the human girl clinging to their Prince.
Aether pulled Jade away from him immediately, his amethyst eyes issuing a sharp warning. "Remember the pact, Jade.
From this moment, you are nothing more than a newly acquired weapon. A rare Yaoguai tamer brought in by my best general. You are not my confidante. You are not my equal."
"Understood," Jade muttered, subtly wiping the sweat from her palms. The sheer drama of this court was exhausting.
He led her through a labyrinth of marble hallways. Every Dragon they passed either glared at Jade with naked suspicion or averted their eyes as if she were a dangerous pet.
"My first order of business," Aether said, without turning, "is to test your command. If you can tame one of the beasts Seraphina is using against us, the court may grudgingly tolerate your presence."
Testing the Yaoguai
Aether led Jade to a secure, magically reinforced arena. Inside, a hulking creature was chained—a ferocious, multi-limbed entity with thick green scales and teeth like serrated daggers. It roared, spraying acidic venom against the energy barrier.
[Yaoguai Classification: Chiwen (Lesser Flood Beast). Level: 35. Temperament: Highly Aggressive/Corrupted.]
"This creature was captured after destroying three villages. Its loyalty matrix has been severely corrupted by the dark influence Seraphina employs," Aether explained. "The Divine Eye might see the creature's will, but the corruption will fight back. Fail, and it kills you. Succeed, and you give us a crucial tactical advantage."
He didn't sound like he cared about the first outcome.
Jade inhaled slowly, channeling her focus through the Azure Eye. Level 35 was a huge jump from Bao's Level 12.
She saw the Chiwen not as a beast, but as pure, frantic pain—a beautiful creature twisted by external shadow magic. The corruption glowed purple within its green aura, dominating its will.
I cannot fight the corruption, Jade realized. But I can offer the pain an escape.
She projected a single, clean thought into the creature's mind using the Divine Eye: Peace. Obedience brings peace.
The Chiwen thrashed harder, fighting the command. The purple corruption flared violently, screaming resistance. Jade felt the mental strain—it was like trying to stop a tidal wave with a screen door. Blood trickled from her nose.
Aether watched, his arms crossed, impassive.
Desperate, Jade pushed harder, focusing on the purest, most dominant instinct she had gained from the museum: the sudden, overwhelming sense of being pulled to safety.
"YIELD!" she screamed, projecting the single word with every ounce of the Divine Eye's raw authority.
The Chiwen shrieked, a sound of agony and sudden, final submission. The purple corruption receded, leaving the creature exhausted and limp.
[Yaoguai Chiwen (Level 35) has succumbed to Host Authority. Loyalty Matrix: 90% (Dominant).]
Jade stumbled back, dizzy and faint.
A slow ripple of surprise moved through the small group of Dragon soldiers watching from the observation deck. Even Aether's amethyst eyes held a glint of grudging respect.
The Pact is Sealed
Aether dismissed the soldiers and personally helped Jade up, his cold hand resting briefly on her arm. The heat of the conflict, both political and magical, was immediate.
"You are stronger than I calculated, human," Aether admitted, pulling her into a secluded training alcove. "The corruption Seraphina uses is insidious. To break a Level 35 creature's will so quickly..."
"I don't break them," Jade corrected, wiping the blood from her lip. "I compel them. I see their core and replace the fear with my command. It's draining."
Aether leaned against the stone wall, his face dangerously close to hers. "Then we must be efficient. The rules of our forbidden pact are simple, Jade."
Publicly: You are my newest, most valuable acquisition. You obey only my direct orders and are protected by my name. Any perceived closeness will be attributed to training.
Privately: You use the Divine Eye to scout, command our defenses, and help me uncover the source of my father's illness.
The Price: If you are discovered to be anything more than a tool, the punishment from the Dragon Council will be death—swift and agonizing.
He lifted his hand, and a small, delicate flower of shimmering, crystallized water bloomed in his palm—an expression of elemental control and immense power.
"I am the heir to the Western Lineage," Aether finished, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "I have no room for weakness, and certainly none for attachment. Do you understand the severity of this bargain, Jade? One slip, and you become collateral."
Jade met his gaze, refusing to be intimidated. She saw the dragon, but she also saw the desperate prince.
"I understand," she said clearly. "I am here for survival and a ticket home. I won't cause trouble... unless someone tries to kill me first."
The water flower dissolved as Aether retracted his hand. "Good. Then let us begin with the heart of the matter. My father, the King, is dying. And his time is running short."