The gloom hanging over the Azure Dragon vanished completely, replaced by warmth and enthusiasm.
After all, the defining traits of the Wood element were growth, healing, and flourishing life.
It was the Forest Divine Dragon of the Wood element by nature—kind, patient, and gentle, a symbol of order and benevolence.
Its earlier suspicion, intimidation, and fury had only been the result of "evil" touching a dragon's reverse scale, bringing out the more draconic side of its nature.
Now that it had cast aside its inner demons, it warmly invited Jiang Xing and all the Pet Beasts to enjoy the feast together. It even had Jiang Xing call Xiao Xian out as well—
Since Jiang Xing had confirmed that Fairy was an Attribute, he had most likely already developed a Fairy-type Pet Beast.
After thinking it through, the Azure Dragon realized that the fairy scent lingering on Jiang Xing probably meant he had already formed a contract with a Fairy-type Pet Beast.
However, it had already decided to understand and master Fairy power itself, so it no longer minded such things.
Quite the opposite.
The Azure Dragon believed that only by overcoming its instinctive rejection of the power and truly understanding it could it hope to master Fairy power and become a "Wood Fairy Dragon."
Of course, this was an exploration of Mythical authority.
There was no need to discuss such matters with Jiang Xing.
Instead, it focused on the banquet, chatting happily with the Auspicious Cloud Qilin, the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling, and the other Pet Beasts.
Bathed in endless praise and admiration, it soon became so exhilarated that it soared into the sky, revealing its colossal true form that blotted out the heavens.
Clouds gathered.
Rain fell.
Thunder roared.
It displayed power worthy of a myth.
Wood and Dragon merely represented the authority that formed the foundation of its existence.
Even ordinary Pet Beasts could learn and use moves outside their own Attributes.
How could a legendary Mythical Pet Beast be incapable of such a thing?
Not only could it do so, it could even fuse its own authority into moves of other Attributes.
For example, the flourishing rain it summoned did not bring moisture and dampness.
Instead, it carried vigorous Wood-element power, causing the forests throughout the Secret Realm to grow even more lush and vibrant.
Likewise, its Wood Thunder of Spring was not a symbol of destruction and ruin.
As thunder rolled across the sky, ancient trees struck by the emerald lightning did not die.
Instead, they shed their charred outer bark, revealed fresh buds beneath, and regained new life.
The multi-Attribute combination moves that Beast Tamers spent countless years developing were effortless tricks in the Azure Dragon's hands.
The sight left the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling and the others staring with shining eyes.
Even Jiang Xing was amazed, countless thoughts flashing through his mind—
To a Mythical Pet Beast, an Attribute represented a fundamental authority of existence.
It symbolized growth.
It symbolized power.
But what about ordinary Pet Beasts?
If they could delve deeper into the power of Attributes, it would undoubtedly provide tremendous benefits to their evolution.
After all, things like the mind and will belonged to the realm of spirit.
Yet during a Pet Beast's evolution, the powers of the material realm—Attributes, moves, Energy Stones, and similar factors—were equally crucial.
If one focused only on the mind and consciousness while neglecting the foundations of reality...
Situations like the Honey Attendant and the Little Healing Fairy would arise.
Their Friendship had already met the requirements for evolution, yet the weakness of their Bug-type foundation prevented them from displaying the corresponding evolutionary forms.
Only when every aspect—the mind, the body, and everything else—was complete and without flaw...
Could a Pet Beast truly bloom with all of its potential and display its ultimate evolutionary form.
This visit to the Azure Dragon had never been about helping it discover Fairy power.
Nor had it been about obtaining its blessing.
It was to help the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling find its ambition—and to seek inspiration for its evolution path.
And now, naturally, his thoughts returned to the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling—
How exactly should he raise it?
Should he follow the Azure Dragon's example, master Fairy power, and become a Fairy Dragon?
It was certainly a viable idea.
Yet Jiang Xing frowned slightly, feeling that something about it wasn't quite right.
As he pondered, his gaze drifted toward the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling.
When he saw it standing with its head held high, staring fervently at the sky...
A scene suddenly flashed through Jiang Xing's mind.
The pond outside the university laboratory building.
A little koi lifting its head, gazing at the figure soaring through the clouds in a video, voicing its very first—and most sincere—wish.
"Ying!" (Dragon!)
That's right.
After overcoming countless hardships and leaping through the Dragon Gate, the little koi had done it all for one reason—
To become a Dragon.
That was the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling's true desire, buried deep within its heart.
As for Fairy power, natural enemies, and the like...
Those things certainly existed.
They were enough to make even the Azure Dragon wary, and could potentially play a decisive role in a divine war.
But the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling's world wasn't that vast.
It couldn't see those things.
Nor did it care about them.
From beginning to end, it had always been that tiny fish king in the pond, dreaming of becoming a dragon—
A pure dragon.
The ultimate dragon.
That powerful emotion and aspiration flowed continuously through their contract and into Jiang Xing's heart.
At that moment, he felt enlightened.
'Mastering Fairy power and becoming a Fairy Dragon is indeed a good choice.'
'For the Azure Dragon, it could eliminate its fatal weakness and grant it a new authority.'
'Even if it gained a Poison weakness in return, that's still better than being completely immune to nothing.'
'But for the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling, it isn't the perfect choice.'
'It doesn't long for Fairy power.'
'It only wants to become the ultimate dragon.'
'And Fairy power suppresses Dragon power. If the two Attributes coexist, Fairy would inevitably become dominant, with Dragon playing a supporting role...'
'If I turn it into a Fairy Dragon, I'd be disrupting its state of mind and staining its dream with other colors.'
If the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling dreamed of becoming a dragon—
Then let it become a true dragon in the purest sense.
As for Attribute counters and Fairy-type nemeses...
So what?
The Rainbow Dragon Hatchling wasn't Dragon Uncle, a lonely old dragon living by himself in a Secret Realm, with only the Auspicious Cloud Qilin occasionally dropping by to visit and worrying about running into hostile Fairies...
It had Jiang Xing.
It had Inky.
It had Xiao Xian.
It had the Giant Magnet Entity.
And in the future, it would have even more companions.
It wasn't a dragon standing alone.
Even if it encountered a natural enemy, it could always call its brothers and sisters and jump them together.
It didn't need to be omniscient or omnipotent.
As long as it became the ultimate dragon, that would be enough.
Once Jiang Xing understood this, the direction of the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling's evolution became clear in his mind—
He had previously considered experimenting with various approaches, trying to alter its Attribute combination, transforming the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling into other types of true dragons, or perhaps adding a new superior Attribute.
Now, those ideas seemed far too cluttered.
All he needed to do was focus on the Dragon Attribute, further strengthen the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling's draconic power, and guide it toward the path of the Ultimate Dragon...
As for its other Attributes, they were merely scenery along the road of evolution and didn't deserve too much attention.
Just like its Light Attribute.
Whatever happened naturally would be fine.
As for what an Ultimate Dragon should look like...
The first candidate to eliminate was Dragon Uncle.
Dragon Uncle was undoubtedly powerful—a high-tier Mythical being, one of the strongest among the strongest.
But it had already decided to betray the dr... no, infiltrate the enemy from within.
Even if it succeeded and transformed from the Dragon God into the God of Dragons, increasing rather than decreasing its status...
It would no longer be pure enough.
Not the kind of role model a child should follow.
After some thought, Jiang Xing concluded that the answer should still be found in mythology—
Specifically, in Chinese mythology's most ancient dragon, the mightiest dragon, the progenitor of all dragons:
Yinglong.
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