The Dragon of the Fallen Demon Master Sister in a Book - Chapter 2

Feng Qingzhuo’s eyes snapped open as cold sweat dripped unexpectedly from her forehead, trickling down her hair. Her breathing grew heavy, her heart pounding wildly. The sudden turn of events left her no time to react—her body moved uncontrollably toward the dragon egg.

The egg rested atop a pile of gold coins and treasures, encircled by crimson flames. Though the tastes and cultivation methods of dragons differed from humans, Feng Qingzhuo couldn’t help but ponder the reasoning behind placing a dragon egg on a nest built entirely of gold.

At first, no one noticed the child.

But as Feng Qingzhuo, with unwavering determination, walked toward the dragon egg through the flames in her human form, more and more people and dragons turned their attention to her.

Step by step, she advanced slowly. Her cultivation was still weak, barely at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, forcing her to pause and rest every few steps.

Yet, her gaze remained resolute, unyielding. She resembled a devout pilgrim paying homage to her deity, her dark pupils reflecting the flickering flames before her.

“Whose child is this? Someone stop her! The flames around the young prince are celestial fire—no mortal can withstand such heat!” The Dragon High Priest shouted in alarm.

Cultivators like Bai Wugui froze momentarily before turning to see Feng Qingzhuo, as if entranced, walking toward the egg amidst the inferno.

A girl beside Feng Qingzhuo instinctively reached out to grab her, but her hand closed on empty air.

No one stopped her.

They could only watch, dumbstruck, as she strode into the flames.

Just as the Dragon High Priest shut his eyes, unable to bear the sight of a child being consumed by fire, he saw Feng Qingzhuo raise her arm, shielding herself from the flames as she climbed the hill of gold coins. The celestial fire did not harm her in the slightest.

Feng Qingzhuo lifted the dragon egg from the golden mound.

Cradling the pitch-black egg in her arms, she looked up at the Dragon Queen and offered a genuine smile.

“This… this child…” The Dragon High Priest was stunned, his finger trembling as he pointed at her, too shocked to speak.

“Qingzhuo!” Bai Wugui frowned, his voice low and sharp as he called for her to return.

But then, something extraordinary happened—the dragon egg in Feng Qingzhuo’s arms began to tremble, gently, rhythmically, like a puppy wagging its tail. Was it… trying to show affection?

The Dragon Queen sensed the egg’s intent and sighed inwardly, though her expression remained impassive. With a cold tone, she addressed the gathered crowd:

“If Chris has taken a liking to Immortal Feng, then your sect shall take her in and raise her. As for our collaboration with your sect… we will consider it.”

Noticing Bai Wugui’s subtle change in expression, the Dragon Queen added, “Rest assured, Master Bai, the Dragon Valley will not be stingy with the rearing expenses.”

“Your Majesty, isn’t giving away the dragon egg like this a bit… too casual?” The Dragon High Priest couldn’t help but speak up. “Moreover, the young prince is still…”

Before he could finish his sentence, the Dragon Queen snorted, slamming the table. Flames flickered from her nostrils as sudden pressure made Bai Wugui—a cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage—pale. He stiffened his back with effort to avoid showing any disgrace.

The Dragon Queen said coldly, “The might of dragons is witnessed by heaven and earth. Besides, they came seeking cooperation and protection. As their partners, those two-legged creatures wouldn’t dare harm our hatchling. So, what if we let them raise the egg for a while?”

“Moreover, our dragonkind has always valued freedom and respected individual will. As Chris’s mother, I can sense her true desires. If she wishes to experience the human world, then let her go.”

“But…” The Dragon High Priest tried to interject, only to be cut off again.

“If she can’t endure even this hardship, how will she lead our kind in the future? How will she guide dragonkind to new heights? Besides, we revere only the strong. No dragon would willingly bow to an unborn hatchling as their ruler.”

The High Priest gazed at the egg, murmuring tenderly,

“Ah… What’s so great about those two-legged creatures’ wretched place? Their tiny huts can’t even accommodate a dragon stretching its limbs. Will the young prince suffer there? Will she adapt to that environment?”

With another long sigh, his heart swelled with worry. Never in the history of Dragon Valley had a hatchling been entrusted to humans. Yet…

He glanced at the Dragon Queen. Seeing her resolute expression, he knew there was no turning back.

Before he could speak further, the Dragon Queen waved her hand, summoning three treasure chests carried by young dragons.

Three small drakes, each bearing chests several times their size, flapped their wings as they clutched the ancient boxes, flying slowly toward her.

The Dragon Queen gestured downward with two fingers, signaling them to drop the chests.

The drakes hesitated, glancing between the chests and their queen, but ultimately obeyed. With a clatter, the chests hit the ground, raising clouds of dust.

At her slight nod, the drakes perched atop the chests and pried them open with their claws.

Revealed before the crowd were—

Countless jewels and gold coins, the pelt of a Nascent Soul-stage snow wolf, the core of a Soul Transformation-stage bone-devouring bird, a ten-thousand-year-old wild ginseng that had taken human form… If one could imagine it, it was there—a dazzling display of Dragon Valley’s wealth.

The moment the chests opened, Bai Wugui’s pupils flickered with a trace of greed.

No one could resist the treasures of Dragon Valley, and he was no exception. Yet, as the leader of this delegation, he had to maintain the noble demeanor of a righteous sect, one that scorned material wealth.

The Tianxuan Sect was the foremost sect in the world, and as its current leader, Bai Wugui had to maintain his dignified image—even when standing before him wasn’t a group of people, but a gathering of colossal dragons.

“Master Bai.” The Dragon Queen smiled at him, though the warmth didn’t reach her eyes, giving off an unmistakably insincere air.

Dragons were naturally perceptive. Even with Bai Wugui’s flawless control over his expression, she still caught the glint of greed in his gaze. Standing before three treasure chests, she rapped her knuckles against their lids and said,

“Chris may have to be entrusted to your sect for some time.”

Bai Wugui’s lips curved into a polite, measured smile. “The Tianxuan Sect will not disappoint your daughter.”

“Master Bai,” the Dragon Queen replied, her pupils narrowing into slits as faint scales rippled across her skin. “You know that’s not what I want to hear.” Her hand pressed down on one of the chests, and with a forceful shove—bang!—all three slammed shut in one violent motion. The previously harmonious atmosphere instantly turned tense, thick with unspoken threats.

Yet Bai Wugui’s smile never wavered. His lips, red against pale teeth, remained composed, his ink-black hair swaying gently. Without hesitation, he raised three fingers and, before the assembled crowd of humans and dragons alike, swore an oath that the Tianxuan Sect would never harm Chris.

A flash of white light fused into his body—and the Dragon Queen’s expression softened.

It was common knowledge: a man could die, but an oath could never be broken.

The Dragon Queen finally smiled in earnest, lifting a goblet of the fine wine brought by the Tianxuan Sect. “Master Bai,” she said, raising her cup. “A toast.”

She downed it in one swift motion.

Bai Wugui chuckled and followed suit, closing his eyes as he drained his own cup.

Just like that, the tension dissolved into lively chatter.

With a wave of his hand, Bai Wugui claimed the three chests of treasure.

Setting down his cup, he knew the deal was sealed. He bowed deeply, clasping his hands in salute.

The Dragon Queen swirled her wine, silent, but gave him a slight nod—her tacit approval.

Bai Wugui glanced aside and saw his disciple standing motionless, cradling the dragon egg with a dazed expression. Clearing his throat, he prompted,

“Qingzhuo, aren’t you going to accept it?”

Little Feng Qingzhuo blinked, still reeling from the surreal events of the day. Only at his reminder did she snap back to reality, clutching the egg tightly to her chest. She bowed her head and answered the Dragon Queen,

“Yes.”

Hearing her familiar voice, the egg wriggled contentedly in her arms—like a child delighted with a new toy—swaying gently, utterly satisfied.

–

After the Tianxuan Sect had departed, the Dragon King turned to his queen.

“My lady, entrusting Chris to those two-legged creatures… this…”

He rarely questioned her decisions, but this time, unease churned relentlessly in his heart.

“You know full well how cunning and deceitful humans can be, my dear. Have you forgotten that human we encountered two hundred years ago who broke his own oath? That war claimed many lives. Though our Dragon Valley remained neutral, we’re well aware of the stakes. You—”

The Dragon Queen raised her head and met his gaze, responding,

“Husband, surely you haven’t forgotten that since ancient times, every dragon has the right to choose their own Guardian. And that human who resonated with our kind and triggered such phenomena—he is clearly a Guardian.”

She left her words hanging, but the Dragon King understood her meaning. He sighed, “Do you truly believe that child is worthy of being Chris’s Guardian?”

The Dragon Queen shook her head, smiling without answering. She shrugged lightly and said, “Perhaps?”

“But… the legend of Guardians is just that—a legend,” the Dragon King fretted.

“My dear, sometimes you worry too much,” the Dragon Queen said, placing her hand over his and giving it a gentle pat. She murmured,

“As those two-legged creatures say, ‘Children will find their own path.'”

–

After returning to the sect, Bai Wugui repeatedly instructed Feng Qingzhuo to take good care of the dragon egg and to notify him immediately if anything happened. With that, he departed.

Left alone with the pitch-black dragon egg in her arms, Feng Qingzhuo stood before a small cottage, staring blankly at it.

Since the egg had chosen Feng Qingzhuo—and among all those present, only she had been able to elicit a reaction from it—the responsibility of caring for the egg naturally fell to her, even though she herself was barely a child of eleven or twelve.

The Misty Peak, where Feng Qingzhuo resided, was perpetually blanketed in snow. As an ice-attributed single spiritual root, this environment was like home to her, making cultivation effortless. But for the dragon egg in her hands, it was nothing short of a disaster.

Feng Qingzhuo recalled the Dragon Priestess’s words in the Dragon Valley—this egg was fire-attributed. To ensure its successful hatching, it needed a warm and comfortable environment.

After all…

She could endure the cold, but the egg couldn’t.

Clutching the egg tighter against her chest, Feng Qingzhuo stepped into the cottage, braving the wind and snow.

“Should I put you here?” Feng Qingzhuo circled her small cottage but couldn’t find a suitable spot for incubation. Her room was simple—not because the sect treated her poorly, but because all disciples were assigned identical quarters. And as an ice-attributed single spiritual root, she was naturally placed on the perpetually snow-covered Misty Peak.

Her master had entrusted her with the egg upon their return, so Chris had no choice but to bring it back and raise it herself.

As Bai Wugui’s first personal disciple and the sect’s senior sister, Feng Qingzhuo was revered by others. Her daily life revolved around cultivation, and few ever entered her room.

With the heavy snowfall lately, Feng Qingzhuo worried the egg might get too cold. Now that she had brought it home, she was determined to take responsibility for it.

Feng Qingzhuo’s room had only one color scheme, making it feel somewhat lifeless. The most vibrant thing in the room was probably the branch of wintersweet she had picked at the doorstep a few days ago.

The branch still bore small buds, with pale yellow flowers and slightly darker buds emitting a rich, pleasant fragrance. This small sprig of wintersweet unexpectedly breathed some life into the otherwise plain wooden room.

Feng Qingzhuo’s gaze settled on her bed. After a quick glance around, she decided that was probably the best place for the dragon egg in her hands.

In a few quick steps, she climbed onto the bed, cradling the egg in her arms before tucking herself under the blankets, using her body heat to keep the egg warm—she couldn’t risk letting it get cold.

If the egg were damaged, she could never afford to compensate for it. Though she was a direct disciple, she was acutely aware of her status. Unlike those from wealthy cultivation families with abundant resources and powerful backers, Feng Qingzhuo had no background to speak of.

Three years ago, she had even been a beggar, forced to roam the streets for scraps. If her sect ever held an award for the lowest-born disciple, she would undoubtedly win. Her master had only taken her in as a direct disciple because her rare ice-type single spiritual root made her suitable for inheriting his Path of Heartlessness.

At eleven or twelve years old, Feng Qingzhuo used her small hands to carefully trace the patterns on the egg. Though its surface was somewhat uneven, the texture was surprisingly pleasant. Gently, she whispered to the egg,

“Was it you calling out to me earlier? My name is Feng Qingzhuo. Let’s get along from now on.”

Her voice was clear and soft, with the delicate, melodious lilt characteristic of the Jiangnan region. Inside the egg, Chris—who had been from the northwest in her past life—found the sound enchanting. Accustomed to harsher tones, she was immediately charmed by the girl’s voice, made even sweeter by her own bias.

The sound stirred something in the little dragon within the shell. Hearing it, Chris mustered her strength and rammed her head forward, cracking the egg open with a sharp snap. She pushed harder against the fissure until, with another crack, the shell split further, and her head emerged.

After so long in darkness, Chris’s eyes struggled to adjust. She blinked groggily, her deep red draconic pupils peering curiously at her surroundings.

Finally out! Chris rejoiced inwardly—only to be promptly scooped up by a pair of small hands. The child before her had the purest black eyes Chris had ever seen, and in their reflection, she caught her own form: a small black dragon with crimson eyes.

Fresh from the shell and eager to speak after so long, Chris had countless words she wanted to say. But…

The child holding her stared with open curiosity, and Chris, cradled in those tiny hands, studied her in return.

She was just a kid—Chris guessed she couldn’t be older than eleven or twelve.

The child was fair-skinned, with strikingly beautiful pure black eyes. She wore a plain white training outfit made of rough fabric that scratched the skin. A green satin ribbon cinched her waist. Though only eleven or twelve years old with a somewhat childish appearance, Chris could still detect a hint of allure between her brows.

The word “allure” seemed out of place when describing an ice-spirited girl cultivating the Path of Emotionlessness, but Chris stubbornly believed this description to be perfect and beyond reproach.

Feng Qingzhuo carefully lifted the little dragon from its eggshell, clumsily removing the shell fragments from its head with her small hands. Worried the dragon might feel cold, she wrapped Chris in her own quilt. Though usually averse to heat, she specially lit an orange-yellow fire in the room for the black dragon. As the flames danced in the wind, Chris’s eyes remained fixed solely on Feng Qingzhuo.

Chris remembered learning in school that many creatures imprint on the first being they see after birth as their parent. She wasn’t sure if this applied to her current situation, but as her round, deep red dragon eyes gazed at the child before her, she indeed felt an inexplicable bl00d connection. Never did she imagine that after traversing time and space to be reborn, she would encounter someone so remarkably similar to herself.

No sooner had Chris hatched from the egg than her stomach growled loudly. Embarrassed, she covered her belly with her tiny claws, but a baby dragon couldn’t withstand hunger. Eventually, she opened her mouth and pointed inside with her claw, trying to convey her hunger to Feng Qingzhuo.

Feng Qingzhuo immediately understood, but faced a serious problem—it was the dead of night in the middle of a snowstorm. Where could she possibly find food for this little dragon? Her master hadn’t mentioned what Western dragons should eat!

Crawling out from under the quilt, Chris—being a black dragon—naturally could breathe fire and wasn’t afraid of cold, but hunger was another matter. Her neatly arranged black scales could protect her from the harsh cold of Misty Peak, but they certainly couldn’t be eaten!

Dramatically flopping onto her back and rolling her eyes, Chris pretended to be on the verge of death, sending Feng Qingzhuo into a panic.

The eleven- or twelve-year-old girl had never kept pets before, but during their brief time together, she had already come to regard the little dragon as her friend. The genuine emotion in their exchanged glances couldn’t be faked—she truly accepted Chris as her companion. More pragmatically, if this little dragon died here, Feng Qingzhuo’s own life would likely be over too!

Feng Qingzhuo racked her brains for solutions, but what knowledge could a girl who’d spent her first decade wandering the streets possibly possess? After much fruitless thinking, a chance glance showed Chris digging at the eggshell with her claws. Suddenly enlightened, Feng Qingzhuo’s eyes cleared with understanding.

During her vagrant days, she’d once passed by a tavern—a place for gathering information, where the storyteller’s tales were particularly vivid. She recalled one story mentioning how some legendary creatures consumed their own eggshells as their first meal, as the shells were nutrient-rich and practically priceless.

Feng Qingzhuo eagerly presented the shell he had just taken from the little dragon’s head to Chris’s mouth. Chris’s crimson dragon eyes stared at Feng Qingzhuo, filled with scrutiny and curiosity.

Chris first sniffed the eggshell. Though it smelled delicious, she had been human in her past life—how could a person eat their own eggshell?!

The more Chris thought about it, the more wrong it felt. Despite the enticing aroma, she refused to eat it.

This concerned her human dignity!

Feng Qingzhuo was nearly driven to tears by the little dragon’s antics. Seeing her turn away with a picky expression, he gritted his teeth, guessing that the newborn dragon simply didn’t understand eggshells were edible. Determined, he broke off a piece and was about to put it in his own mouth.