"Qin Yang!"

"Uh?"

With a faint smile, Jiang Moana called my name and suddenly asked me a question, "Are you sure a person can change their personality in just a few weeks?"

This was a reminder that she wanted me to realize that change doesn't happen that quickly in a matter of weeks.

A tight feeling gripped my mind, and as the sunlight peeked out from behind the clouds, I saw a glimpse of something in its rays.

Driven by a sense of urgency, I pulled out Xiao Qiong's "Thunderclap," but Jiang Moana surprisingly reached out and closed the distance between us, positioning her waist directly in front of the barrel, so the people in the distance couldn't see the "Thunderclap," conveniently blocking their view as we drew closer.

"Why so tense? Do you really think I have the power to threaten someone like you, half-dragon in body and soul?"

"Why do you bear this mark?" I sensed that Jiang Moana didn't want others to know about it; our conversation was meant only for us, not for anyone else to be involved.

"What exactly comes to your mind when you see this mark?" Jiang Moana brushed aside her hair, revealing the mark clearly on her forehead.

"Soul Snake Princess and Yuanye Qing, you supposedly died in that battle that day."

"Junior brother, do you still need to point your gun at your senior sister like this? Or do you intend to harm this young lady's body?"

I holstered the gun. I remembered clearly what had happened that day. Yuanye Qing was meant to die that day, and Jiang Moana's soul resided within his body. However, I could see clearly that Jiang Moana's original soul was still safe within her body.

"Can you not stand so close?"

"Come on, as the deputy president of the Student Union, who at The Chishin Academy doesn't know you? Just look at the jealousy in Zi Sirou’s eyes. It's a sight to see, lessening every time."

"Do you find this world interesting? That's why you're helping Marutian destroy it."

Jiang Moana sneered, "As the Soul Snake Princess, I find this world repulsive. Even the Demon Dragon and the Holy Dragon dislike my singing. Only he enjoys it, but he's a despicable person."

"Because he abandoned you, right? It was news to me that contracts could be severed."

"If you can make the girls in the Student Union heartbroken to the point of despair, breaking the contract is just a matter of minutes."

"What did Marutian say back then?"

"You don't need to ask about that!"

"Since you have no intention to harm anyone, then please say what you were about to say earlier! Yuanye Qing."

Facing the sea, Jiang Moana asked a question I had been wondering about, "Have you understood the various actions Marutian took regarding you and his true intentions?"

"To destroy this world and rebuild the realm of dragons."

"That is the main goal, but the ultimate purpose is not so straightforward. What I'm telling you now is what I heard from Marutian himself, but so far, I can't distinguish between truth and lies, and that judgement is left to you."

I nodded in understanding, and Jiang Moana continued, "To rebuild the realm of dragons, he needs the 'world power' of the Three Realms. Hence, he could’ve easily retrieved his true dragon bones anytime and started extracting 'world power' to begin rebuilding. You should understand this, but he waited for your emergence and kept giving you opportunities to become a dragon, forcing you to realize he was pushing you to become a dragon completely. Yet, if you were to fully transform into a dragon, your power would rival Marutian himself, in which case, initially, there seems to be no benefit for him. He wouldn't be so foolish — he gave you chances to transform into a dragon out of his own selfishness. The dazzling golden body and the eternally transparent body are entirely different; he is tired of this body, with almost no difference between existing and not existing. In order to regain your golden dragon form, he plans to make you fully transform into a dragon."

"Retrieve?" Those two words in Jiang Moana's speech were the most crucial.

"It is indeed about retrieval. Building a world is a defiance of nature, he needs a sacrifice! You were originally supposed to be a substitute made by Marutian himself, placing you in the sacred object of the Dragon Clan to support the operation of the 'New Dragon Realm'. Your body is the original body of Marutian, while you, Reisgolo, born from a 'time-space dragon' in the long timeline of the 'New Dragon Realm' with an empty dragon shell!"

My mind was torn again, how much I had wanted to know about my past in the 'New Dragon Realm, whether I was born there, how I came into this world, but never did I expect this helpless result, a sacrifice giving birth to me under a twist of fate.

"But... do you have evidence?"

"I mentioned earlier, the authenticity is for you to judge. This is something Marutian may or may not have said, but I don't care whether you believe it or not. The key point lies in the 'sacred object' he cares about, the one thing he's always known to be in your possession. The fact that he hasn't taken it back probably indicates that the timing is not right. This suggests that the sacred object may have other uses, and the purpose of my elaborate explanation from the beginning is simple: I want to partner with that unfaithful person in eternal non-transcendence!"

"What a terrifying woman!"

Moana's gaze was chilling, I felt I shouldn't have said that.

"But it is wicked men who come first, giving birth to terrifying women. And you, Qin Yang, must take responsibility for instigating a girl's heart. Since you have already torn your heart into pieces, why not share a bit with her so she may inherit my powers to assist you!"

"Such a rare request, but can you be trusted, senior? I dare not affirm."

"It's up to you. Consider it a small favor from me to express gratitude for her recent care. However, you seem so calm, suggesting there's nothing you can't handle."

I put my arm around Moana and said, "A final wish? It's hard to refuse! Between you and me, we are no longer children. No matter how extraordinary things may be, can we really create significant ripples? As for you, the enchanting Serpent Queen not only failed to seduce the Holy Dragon but also ended up being executed. You shouldn't forget how the Dragon Clan is not easily deceived. Were you genuinely in love with him?"

They say love is blind, Yu Yuanching must have been 'blind' in one eye from the beginning, otherwise all these countless days would've been in vain.

"At this point, there's nothing difficult to admit. I don't have much time left now. Do you have any more questions? I'll answer as best I can, hoping to meet him on the journey to the afterlife soon!"

"That might be a challenge! I was aware that the sacred object is crucial, and being slaughtered by the Phoenix Clan, I suspect you had a hand in it. Just because the Dragon Clan didn't appreciate you doesn't mean the Phoenix Clan didn't as well. Calculate the timing, you were already by his side then."

"I don't understand why the Phoenix Clan would do such a thing. Clearly, they wouldn't exist during the destruction and reconstruction of the world, so it's strange to take an extra step. But Marutian believed that as long as the Phoenix Clan was gone, he could rest easy. I remember him constantly pressing about whether the Phoenix Clan still possessed 'it'."

Marutian's inquiries at the time undoubtedly pertained to whether the sacred object had been used for other purposes. The answer should have been no. If there had been, it would have naturally become a lifesaving talisman. The information Yu Yuanching spoke of regarding the Phoenix Clan aligns with what I knew, albeit reluctantly believed. Unfortunately, Marutian's craftiness is hard to fathom, and there is currently no evidence to confirm whether what Yu Yuanching heard was accurate, or how much of it was true. However, the good news is that the 'sacred object' clearly serves a purpose, aside from being a vessel for sacrifices, it likely has other uses.

"Sister, you speculate that Marutian knew about the sacred object from the beginning but chose not to take it back because he felt the timing wasn't right. It's not something Marutian personally told you."

"No, he didn't mention much about your sacred object, just one sentence that I heard only once—'Better off in its original place.'"

"Original place? The sacred object was originally on the gate! It was something brought down by Niya's father as an archaeologist, failed to research, taken as a souvenir, and later became a family heirloom."

"Taken down? I am truly amazed that such an important thing was taken down so easily."

"The gate can be considered an alternative seal, or missing a piece, which is why thirty years ago Marutian's original form would merge with the dragon soul, as he couldn't suppress it!"

"Alright, you can ponder over your thoughts on your own, my time is up. I hope Qin Yang truly wasn't disturbed by the sacrificial talk, or it's possible that Marutian is the real sacrifice, just pretending otherwise due to dissatisfaction. I'll leave the remaining time to me and this young lady to say goodbye."

I watched Jiang Mengna lightly close her eyes, the faint light yellow snake mark not fading but deepening. This is probably the power left by Yuanyuan Qing, a dim soul of light leaking out of Jiang Mengna's body, like the final burning dust of a shooting star, carried by the wind as if still echoing with the sister's song.

"Moana, Moana? What did Yuanyuan Qing finally say to you?"

Moana's confident aura seemed to diminish slightly in an instant, but it's okay, I believe she can regain it.

"Qin Yang, do you want to know? She said..."

Sometimes things happen unexpectedly. As I was still curious about what she was going to say, Jiang Moana suddenly leaned forward and kissed me! I was actually ambushed like this! Rarely did I feel so joyful, but the other end of the dock was probably very unhappy.

After the sudden strike, I thought it was a passionate kiss after a long separation, but it was a strange mix of tenderness and familiarity, with the deep emotions felt from Moana and contained Magic, a Magic that was very familiar to me, the Magic of the Dragon Soul Contract that I initiated. Now I was in a ritual with Moana.

"Moana, was it that woman who taught you? But you don't know, once the contract is completed, we are bound to each other for life, but I still have an archenemy!"

"Stop it, don't say that again. Last time you said that an ordinary person like me isn't suitable for your world, but with the power of Yuanyuan Qing, let me help you and see your world."

Shortly after, the "Dragon Soul Contract" on her forehead coincided with my contract, shining brightly.

"Qin Yang publicly flirting, asking for trouble!"

"Hey hey, calm down you two!" Forest Lord held tightly onto Purple Si Ruo and Wenxin, in an instant both turned into ice people: "Calm down, I'm an expert."