Chapter 22: Dragon’s Lust and Total Eruption

Ding Ren acted on impulse in this moment.

In truth, he didn’t quite understand what his feelings were right now; if asked whether he liked Xi Yu, he wouldn’t be able to answer at all.

However, if it was simply about being together with Xi Yu, he found he could do it completely.

In fact, there was an even more urgent desire in his heart.

In this moment, Ding Ren’s hand tightly gripped Xi Yu’s waist, bringing their bodies closer bit by bit.

It wasn’t the first or second time he had held Xi Yu’s waist, but this time felt entirely different; he only felt that Xi Yu’s waist was exceptionally soft and slender.

Xi Yu’s breath brushed against his face, making him feel a bit ticklish.

Not only was his face tickling, but his heart was also beating wildly.

Xi Yu’s hidden anticipation deeply touched his soul; this was also his body’s instinctive response, and perhaps it was also the thing he currently wanted to do most in his heart.

Thus, Ding Ren no longer hesitated.

The two of them pressed incredibly close, nearly kissing each other.

Ding Ren looked at Xi Yu’s face.

Even at such close proximity, Xi Yu’s skin was completely flawless.

His skin was crystal clear and white, as if radiating a faint glow.

It was perfect to a heart-stopping degree.

Ding Ren’s heart suddenly hammered wildly.

He had never thought that someone’s skin alone could fill him with such temptation, making him want to kiss him regardless of everything.

Only, he was accidentally drawn to Xi Yu’s eyes.

This gaze, tinged with panic, also radiated an indescribable charm at this moment, making him want to press his lips down. He didn’t dare look further, but his peripheral vision accidentally caught Xi Yu’s red, full lips.

Ding Ren’s heart skipped a beat.

His reason completely fell into the abyss at this moment.

Ding Ren knew he had truly fallen.

At this moment, he had no other distracting thoughts in his mind; he only wanted to possess the youth before him fiercely. He wanted the boy to bear his mark, to be covered in his scent.

He lowered his head.

Smack.

Xi Yu slapped his hand firmly over Ding Ren’s face, pushing him away from his body.

Ding Ren grabbed his hand.

Xi Yu’s hand rested in his; the fingers were slender, smooth, and warm. They were exceptionally beautiful, making him reluctant to let go. Ding Ren couldn’t help but tighten his grip, wanting to hold Xi Yu’s hand forever and trace every line on it.

Xi Yu wanted to struggle, but he couldn’t break free.

The slap he landed on Ding Ren’s face didn’t even leave a red mark.

Xi Yu grew frantic, believing Ding Ren was planning to force himself on him.

But Ding Ren took a deep breath and finally let go of his hand.

Xi Yu shoved Ding Ren hard and retreated to the side, gasping for breath, his heart in a whirl.

He had never imagined Ding Ren would have feelings for him, yet in that moment, Ding Ren had held him, and if he hadn’t stopped him, the man really would have kissed him.

When exactly had he started having these thoughts toward him? He hadn’t sensed it at all.

Furthermore, for a split second just now, he had actually wanted to yield to his body’s instincts and lose himself.

Ding Ren was undeniably extremely charming.

He was indeed attracted to Ding Ren, but this wasn’t love. His feeling toward Ding Ren was driven more by the instincts of the dragon lust; even though the lust hadn’t erupted at this moment, it was still acting upon his soul.

He was indeed very greedy for it.

But he couldn’t.

If he completely lost control today, he didn’t know how he would face Ding Ren in the future.

He currently didn’t know what Ding Ren actually thought of him.

Did the man truly like him and plan to live with him in the future? Or was he simply driven by physical instincts, or perhaps some negative effect of his B-class breakthrough?

If it was the former, he couldn’t agree under any circumstances.

Even if he liked Ding Ren, he couldn’t agree.

Ultimately, his body was completely influenced by the dragon lust now, which meant every impulse of his wasn’t born of love, but merely simple physical need.

A person like him truly had no right to love.

In a relationship, he couldn’t play the role of a true lover; he could only act as a beast.

And that would be a form of harm to his partner, which was completely contrary to what he wanted.

This would make him feel shame and pain; he knew he could never possess true love in this lifetime.

If Ding Ren simply wanted a one-night stand, or if it truly was a post-breakthrough side effect, he didn’t want things to be like this either.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t know how to interact with Ding Ren in the future.

Once they crossed that line, many things, including their emotions, would spiral out of control.

He didn’t believe that under the influence of the dragon lust, he would always be able to restrain himself when facing Ding Ren in the future.

He cherished his relationship with Ding Ren very much—truly cherished it—and he didn’t want to lose him as a friend.

---

No matter what he thought, reality was cruel.

If Ding Ren persisted, he might not refuse in the end, but he would regret it.

In this moment, Xi Yu felt he was truly shameless.

Clearly he couldn’t do it, yet he still wanted both.

He wanted to have his cake and eat it too, yet knew he simply couldn’t.

So, it was best to just maintain his current relationship with Ding Ren.

He couldn’t take this step.

In truth, having Ding Ren as a friend already made him very satisfied; this was something he had dreamed of in his past life. Since he had obtained it now, he truly couldn’t ask for more.

Ding Ren was truly going mad.

He had thought Xi Yu was simply scared, but he never expected the boy to have so many worries.

Why couldn’t he be a bit more selfish? Why couldn’t he think more for himself? Why did he always consider others first?

He clearly perceived that Xi Yu’s heart was actually sad and hurting.

Ding Ren suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest.

He wanted to tell Xi Yu that he truly didn’t need to think so much.

Whether it was love or simply physical need, he was fine with either.

He didn’t care about any of that.

As long as Xi Yu needed it, he was willing to do anything.

He wanted Xi Yu to enjoy everything without reservations, completely resolving the influence of the dragon lust.

But in the end, he couldn’t say the words.

He believed that once he spoke, Xi Yu would not only refuse but might even run away immediately.

Because dammit, this fellow always thought of others first and never of himself.

Letting out a sigh, Ding Ren knew that regardless of the circumstances, he couldn’t force Xi Yu.

After both of them spent a good while calming down, they acted as if nothing had happened just now.

The two of them had a great rapport in this regard.

****

After resting for a moment, Ding Ren’s heart finally calmed.

Only now did he remember the matter of [Heart Eye]; after a moment of hesitation, he decided to tell Xi Yu.

Even if telling him meant Xi Yu might run away from him, he truly didn’t want to deceive him.

Xi Yu’s heart had already endured so much suffering; he didn’t want the boy to have another person beside him who constantly hid secrets from him.

But just as he was about to speak, Xi Yu quickly urged him to return.

“Captain Ding, let’s head back first.”

Right now, Xi Yu only wanted to hurry back, take a bath, have a hearty meal, and then get a good night’s sleep, putting everything else out of his mind.

At least for today, he wanted to completely forget about the damn dragon lust.

He proactively walked to Ding Ren’s side, indicating for the man to carry him and leave quickly.

Instead, Ding Ren suddenly jumped back.

Xi Yu was stunned, completely surprised.

‘Is he angry?’

‘Just because I refused your advances? You’re actually getting angry with me over this? Don’t tell me you plan on making me walk back on my own?’

Ding Ren was caught between tears and laughter; if he hadn’t known what Xi Yu’s heart truly felt, he might have believed the boy’s thoughts.

Sure enough, Xi Yu’s habit of bad-mouth him in his head never stopped.

Of course, he wasn’t angry; he had just realized his physical reaction hadn’t subsided yet.

He hadn’t noticed this issue moments ago, and now it was very awkward.

Ding Ren quickly turned around and walked to the side; he didn’t plan to suppress this reaction by force, preferring to let it subside naturally.

Lest he accidentally stimulate it again on the way back, which would be even more awkward; he didn’t quite trust himself right now.

Xi Yu looked over instinctively, then quickly turned his head away.

In his heart, he found it completely unexpected, suddenly feeling that Ding Ren was just a very normal person.

His current appearance was a far cry from his usual expressionless demeanor, which was quite amusing.

Ding Ren couldn’t help but walk even further away.

‘How do I turn off this Heart Eye ability?’ He truly didn’t want to hear what Xi Yu was saying right now; otherwise, he felt they wouldn’t be able to return today.

Once Ding Ren calmed down and returned to normal, he walked to Xi Yu’s side, preparing to explain the Heart Eye.

But before he could speak, Xi Yu interrupted him. “Let’s go, Captain Ding. We need to get back quickly; I’m both tired and hungry.”

Xi Yu’s stomach indeed began to rumble.

Ding Ren looked at him, suddenly wondering if Xi Yu somehow knew what he was about to say. But he couldn’t be sure; at this moment, Xi Yu’s mind was completely blank.

“Alright, let’s head back first,” Ding Ren said.

He decided to explain it later; if he spoke now, Xi Yu’s mood would surely be ruined. After all, by now, he had heard almost everything he should and shouldn’t have heard, and Xi Yu definitely wouldn’t be able to accept it immediately.

‘Forget it, I’ll wait until we get back, and he’s eaten and slept, and tell him tomorrow.’

With that thought, Ding Ren directly held Xi Yu close and sprinted back toward Xincheng City.

After ascending to B-class, Ding Ren’s overall physical constitution had undergone a qualitative leap.

Both his strength and speed were no longer comparable to his past self.

Initially, he was running along the road while holding Xi Yu, but gradually, the distance of each step grew further and further, until he was practically flying through the air.

The journey that had previously taken an hour was completed in just over ten minutes.

However, Xi Yu was completely unaware of this.

Once his body was pressed tightly against Ding Ren’s, a tingling sensation began to erupt within his body from the point of contact.

Previously, Xi Yu had been able to maintain his composure.

Even after the previous wave of dragon lust subsided, he had been able to adapt quickly.

But today, he found himself unable to hold out.

At the thought that Ding Ren actually had designs on him, he couldn’t help but feel a bit distracted.

‘In any case, the fact that Ding Ren actually has thoughts about me was unexpected. I actually regret refusing him just now. I shouldn’t have thought so much; why couldn’t I have just let myself be muddled for once?’

‘Actually, after being reborn, I should let things go a bit; since I have a second chance at life, I shouldn’t be so plagued by worries. Since it was so hard to live again, why must I make myself so tired?’

‘If Ding Ren wants to next time, I’ll just agree.’

‘A pity. Not only did I refuse him this time, but I even slapped him. He’ll surely learn from his mistake and won’t have such thoughts again.’

‘Ding Ren, why don’t you take the initiative one more time? I’ll definitely agree this time.’

Ding Ren nearly fell from the sky, exerting every ounce of control to stay steady.

The reason he had completed the trip in just ten minutes was because he realized that if they didn’t get back soon, he truly wouldn’t be able to hold out.

He discovered that Xi Yu was the type who was tough on the outside but a coward on the inside.

Simply a cowardly little dragon.

Even as he thought this, Xi Yu was pressed tightly against him.

The words in the boy’s heart kept tugging at his own mind, nearly causing him to lose his focus. On this journey back, Ding Ren truly endured with immense difficulty.

---

Having finally returned to Xincheng City, Ding Ren quickly set Xi Yu down and retreated three paces.

Standing atop the city walls, Zhang Qingyuan and the others, who had been waiting anxiously, were all dumbfounded.

‘What’s going on here?’

Previously, it was Xi Yu who avoided their boss, so why was their boss avoiding Xi Yu now?

They couldn’t understand this world anymore.

Xi Yu couldn’t understand either, only looking at Ding Ren innocently.

Ding Ren could only offer a bitter smile.

The two of them were quickly admitted into the city.

This time, Guan Zhang escorted them in personally.

Looking at Guan Zhang crowding near them, Zhang Qingyuan found him very annoying, wondering if the man had discovered something.

Regardless, since returning from the Star-Dream Jellyfish this morning, the man’s attitude had been a bit off.

Seeing him staying close to Xi Yu now, Zhang Qingyuan was almost certain of his guess; if he hadn’t discovered Xi Yu’s identity, his attitude absolutely wouldn’t have done a complete turnaround.

But after a moment, he let it go; at least now Guan Zhang knew who had resolved Xincheng’s crisis.

Xi Yu’s efforts hadn’t been in vain; thinking of this, Guan Zhang looked much more pleasant to him, and he even shifted slightly to give him room.

Finding an opportunity, Xi Yu called Guan Zhang over privately. He pulled out the human heads he had obtained from the Head-Swapping Ghost from his space; among the six, three belonged to humans.

“Old Zhang, Old Qin…” Guan Zhang’s eyes instantly turned red.

“City Seat Guan, if you recognize them, please help lay them to rest,” Xi Yu sighed.

He had kept these heads intact precisely to see if anyone in Xincheng recognized them, so they could have a proper resting place. As for the heads on the Lamp-Skull Tree, there was nothing he could do; after the tree died, they had directly turned to ash.

“Thank you,” Guan Zhang choked out. Two of them were his comrades, and at least now their remains wouldn’t be lost.

After escorting them all the way to the residential area of the inner city, Guan Zhang finally left with red eyes.

“He knows?” Ding Ren’s tone was certain.

“Mhm,” Xi Yu nodded. “Letting City Seat Guan know my identity will save us a lot of trouble. I believe in his character; he won’t expose my secret.”

Ding Ren nodded calmly.

“Go bathe first.”

The place Guan Zhang had arranged for them was their station within Xincheng’s inner city.

It was a bit far from the city center, relatively quiet, and few people would disturb them. The two of them stayed on the third floor of the same house.

Zhang Qingyuan and the others were very wise and didn’t try to compete over who got to stay in the same house as Xi Yu.

“Mhm.”

Xi Yu nodded; he could finally take a proper bath.

“Do you want me to scrub your back?”

Xi Yu nearly stumbled.

‘Is it me who’s gone mad, or is it Ding Ren? Ding Ren’s core must have been swapped; it’s one thing for him to suddenly show affection, but he’s getting increasingly abnormal.’

“No need, I have hands and can wash myself.”

‘If you really come in, aren’t you afraid I’ll eat you up!’

Xi Yu fled in a panic.

Ding Ren shook his head; Xi Yu only dared to act tough with his words.

---

After bathing, Xi Yu changed into the clothes Zhang Qingyuan had prepared earlier: a simple white t-shirt and loose sweatpants.

Xi Yu emerged, wiping the water droplets from his hair.

His hair wasn’t dry, and droplets of water glistened with a rainbow-like luster as they fell from his ears.

Ding Ren stood with his back turned, suddenly feeling his throat grow dry.

It seemed that after his impulse today, everything about Xi Yu felt different to him.

If this continued, he wouldn’t dare stay in the same room with the boy.

“Go eat first. Zhang Qingyuan and the others have prepared lunch for you; after eating, get some sleep.” Ding Ren didn’t dare look further and quickly led the way.

“Mhm.” Xi Yu didn’t notice Ding Ren’s abnormality; his hair being wet didn’t matter—eating was the priority.

Hanging the towel up casually, he hurried out, truly starving.

“Wow, hotpot!”

Seeing what Zhang Qingyuan and the others had prepared, Xi Yu was genuinely excited.

Steam billowed from the induction cooker, and the table was already piled high with various vegetables.

It felt as if he hadn’t eaten hotpot since transmigrating into the white dragon—no, it felt like he had never eaten it. He only possessed memories from three years prior to becoming the dragon, and during those three years, he had indeed never had hotpot.

Xi Yu was suddenly taken aback; if so, how did he possess memories of hotpot? But he didn’t dwell on it, as he was currently ravenous.

Smelling the aroma of the hotpot, the cravings in his body were completely awakened.

“Spicy broth or clear broth, which do you prefer, Xi Yu?” Zhang Qingyuan smiled.

The oil had been rendered from a bit of fat from the Tusk Donkey; otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to have this spicy hotpot. Very few families could afford oil daily; cooking oil was much more expensive than rice or flour.

Being able to be so lavish now was all thanks to Xi Yu.

“Either is fine, I’m not picky,” Xi Yu swallowed hard, looking on expectantly.

‘I’m not even afraid of eating poison.’

“Boss, what’s wrong?” Zhang Qingyuan noticed Ding Ren seemed to choke slightly, which was unusual.

“Nothing,” Ding Ren coughed lightly.

He had to admit, the little white dragon was indeed formidable, and his appetite was excellent.

---

There weren’t many dishes for the hotpot.

The largest portion was naturally the remaining Tusk Donkey meat, followed by various vegetables.

Although grain was scarce, vegetables were mostly accessible. Most households could grow a bit in their own yards now; after the catastrophe, everyone had developed a talent for growing vegetables.

Radishes and lettuce could be bought occasionally if one had the money.

However, various soy products were very rare.

“Come, come, pick up your chopsticks. Xi Yu, you eat first.” Everyone looked at Xi Yu.

Xi Yu was used to their attitude and didn’t act coy, picking up his chopsticks directly.

But halfway through, his chopsticks paused. “I just remembered, I have some things that would go perfectly in the hotpot.”

The next moment, rice cakes made from glutinous rice flour, noodles made from flour, and various dried soy products appeared on the table.

Anything that could be grown on land was a rarity now, and items that underwent secondary processing were even rarer.

The portions Xi Yu produced were generous; these were truly high-quality goods.

Especially the noodles and rice cakes that could serve as staple foods; everyone was stunned.

They felt Xi Yu’s space was like a magical treasure bag containing everything.

“These are spoils obtained from Yao Yanyi; there’s quite a lot, so distribute them to the others later,” Xi Yu smiled.

Although Yao Yanyi was a heinous criminal, food was food; regardless of where he got it, it certainly couldn’t be wasted.

Everyone nodded frantically, swallowing hard.

While not as precious as meat, staple foods like noodles were still a rarity, and the chance to eat their fill was rare.

Naturally, the soy products were the same.

Fang Jianbo soaked some of the noodle sheets, preparing to cook them in a bit.

“Let’s eat.”

Xi Yu swirled a piece of beast meat first; there was plenty of oil, and the spicy seasoning was robust. With one bite, the rich, spicy fragrance filled his mouth.

“Delicious,” Xi Yu was deeply moved; this cozy feeling of sharing a meal was very rare for him.

“If it’s delicious, eat more.”

Seven pairs of chopsticks simultaneously placed meat into Xi Yu’s bowl, filling it instantly; Zhang Qingyuan, Fang Jianbo, and the others looked at each other.

Had the sun risen in the west, or had their boss’s head been kicked by a donkey, for him to proactively serve food to Xi Yu? It was too terrifying.

Ding Ren wasn’t intentionally eavesdropping on their thoughts, but he noted them in his heart.

However, he wanted to turn off the [Heart Eye] ability more and more; it was simply too noisy. Especially Zhang Qingyuan and the others; on the surface they looked solemn, but their bad-mouthing of him in their heads was no less than Xi Yu’s.

To be honest, it was his first time seeing their true colors.

“You guys eat too,” Xi Yu urged.

The group no longer stood on ceremony, devouring the food.

Then, Xi Yu noticed that Ding Ren was the only one eating from the clear broth.

‘Hahaha, who would have thought that the top C-class expert—no, the newly ascended B-class Captain Ding—is actually afraid of spicy food.’

Xi Yu was thoroughly amused.

He very kindly placed a large portion of red-oil meat into Ding Ren’s bowl. “Captain Ding, eat more. Don’t be afraid of the spice.”

“Xi Yu, you should also eat something light occasionally. Eating too much of this heavy spice can easily lead to hemorrhoids,” Ding Ren replied, ladling half a bowl of clear broth meat slices into Xi Yu’s bowl in return.

Zhang Qingyuan and the others nearly choked; their boss was toxic!

Xi Yu accepted it all, not caring about what Ding Ren said. In any case, if anyone got them, it would be Ding Ren, not him.

Ding Ren couldn’t help but want to laugh; the boy was truly sharp-tongued.

Fang Jianbo, Qin Wei, and the others exchanged cautious glances; had their boss’s brain gone wire-crossed?

“Haha,” Ding Ren laughed even more happily.

“Tomorrow, I’m going to conduct special training for Xi Yu. You guys join in as well.”

“…”

Seeing Xi Yu eating happily, Ding Ren’s mood also improved.

He felt Xi Yu’s head didn’t hurt as much now.

It seemed the little white dragon truly was a little glutton.

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but ruffle Xi Yu’s hair again.

However, he was eating a bit distractedly, not even caring that Xi Yu stole his meat several times. He had too many worries in his heart—how to tell Xi Yu about the Heart Eye, and how to help Xi Yu resolve his physical issues; these things weighed on him, preventing him from relaxing.

Xi Yu was currently eating happily and didn’t care about Ding Ren’s actions. He didn’t bother to think about what was wrong with Ding Ren; he was more interested in the special training tomorrow, wondering why the man had suddenly become so proactive.

He didn’t overthink it; in any case, this was a good thing. Regarding training, he was always very enthusiastic.

Zhang Qingyuan and the others’ eyes nearly popped out.

Xi Yu actually allowed Ding Ren to touch him.

What shocked them even more was that Ding Ren not only dared to touch Xi Yu, but proactively did so. This was simply impossible for the past Ding Ren; can someone tell them what on earth happened between those two in the Ghost Domain?

Their boss seemed to be growing increasingly unfamiliar.

They were dying of curiosity.

And the main point was—they wanted to touch Xi Yu too.

They just didn’t dare.

“Xi Yu, how old are you?”

Watching Xi Yu eat happily, Fang Jianbo also felt very happy. But looking at Xi Yu’s face, he couldn’t help but be curious about his age. He looked so young, appearing even younger than him. He had always been the youngest in the team, and he wanted a younger brother too.

“Asking a dragon’s age is very impolite,” Xi Yu took a sip of water, looking at him with a smile.

Fang Jianbo immediately lowered his head.

“But saying I’m eighteen is also fine,” Xi Yu said without a blush; his current human body was indeed eighteen.

“So young!” Fang Jianbo was ecstatic; in any case, he had decided Xi Yu was younger than him, and he could act as an older brother in the future. As for whether Xi Yu thought so, he didn’t care; he would just dote on him like a younger brother.

---

After eating, Xi Yu went straight to sleep.

He didn’t need to digest; the moment he lay on the bed, he drifted into dreamland. This was essentially the first time since his rebirth that he had slept in a true sense.

He slept from the afternoon through the night without waking, having no intention of eating dinner. This time, he planned to completely relax, as he didn’t intend to waste time in the future.

This time, Xi Yu slept exceptionally peacefully; because Ding Ren was beside him, he didn’t have to worry about anyone ambushing him or any other accidents occurring.

This made him feel that returning to the Middle Continent was truly great.

Zhang Qingyuan was a bit worried about Xi Yu starving and wanted to wake him up for dinner, but was stopped by Ding Ren.

“Let him sleep. Let today be his last chance to relax.”

Xi Yu had finally been able to relax and sleep after two lifetimes, so Ding Ren naturally couldn’t bear to disrupt it. After tomorrow, even if Xi Yu wanted to sleep, there would be no chance. He had even decided to delay explaining the Heart Eye, simply not wanting to ruin Xi Yu’s rare relaxed mood.

‘Has the boss’s brain really been kicked by a donkey?’

Zhang Qingyuan felt he was going mad; he had actually seen a gentle expression on Ding Ren’s face.

It was truly a ghost of a sight—was this still their boss?

“You guys get a good night’s sleep as well,” Ding Ren suddenly said coldly. “Cherish this final opportunity.”

Zhang Qingyuan fled immediately.

Ding Ren truly doubted the Heart Eye ability now; as powerful as it was, the negative effects were too strong.

****

When Xi Yu opened his eyes, he felt exceptionally satisfied.

A satisfying sleep truly made one content; upon waking, he actually stretched, a movement he hadn’t done in ages.

“Captain Ding?”

The moment he opened his eyes, he was startled; Ding Ren was sitting right next to him, and there was no telling when he had arrived.

“You’re awake,” Ding Ren took a breath, then looked at Xi Yu seriously; he had held it in all night and could finally confess the Heart Eye. “I have something to tell you.”

“Morning, Captain Ding. If it’s not urgent, let’s talk later; I’ll eat first. We should start the special training in a bit, I’m quite eager,” Xi Yu interrupted Ding Ren’s attempt to speak and ran out excitedly.

Ding Ren could only watch Xi Yu’s figure vanish before him. He couldn’t help but pause; it seemed that twice now, Xi Yu hadn’t given him the chance to speak—could the boy really know something?

He felt a bit of a headache, unsure if Xi Yu was doing it on purpose or by accident.

However, seeing how enthusiastic Xi Yu was about the special training, he ultimately suppressed the urge to explain the Heart Eye once more.

Xi Yu was now truly filled with anticipation for the special training.

After washing up, he ate breakfast directly; Ding Ren had actually prepared it long ago, and it was still warm. It wasn’t even five in the morning yet, and he had no idea when Ding Ren had gotten up, let alone that the man could cook.

With congee paired with beast meat, Xi Yu ate until he was seventy percent full.

He checked his Fate.

Mutation (Substandard): 76 (81)
Soul Transformation (Substandard): 82 (100)

His mutation value had increased by one point compared to yesterday, while his soul transformation remained unchanged. Since eating the beast meat, even without training, his strength was increasing rapidly. Looking at this, even without special training, he would soon ascend to F-class.

“Captain Ding.”

After eating, Xi Yu went downstairs and found Ding Ren.

“Let’s start with basic exercises,” Ding Ren said, no longer dwelling on his worries and focusing on arranging Xi Yu’s training. “We’ll warm up first with push-ups—five hundred to start.”

Since he was conducting special training, it was naturally no joking matter.

Xi Yu didn’t waste words either and began immediately; five hundred push-ups were no difficult task for him.

As he did them, he was able to multi-task.

‘Now Ding Ren is actually getting strict, and I like him this way. The stricter he is, the better, so I can make rapid progress.’

Ding Ren let out a sigh; he preferred Xi Yu to bad-mouth him, as he truly couldn’t handle the praise.

As he did the push-ups, Xi Yu stole a glance at Ding Ren and instantly felt the man was truly a monster.

His body was currently enveloped in a dense concentration of Mutation Particles.

Ding Ren was actually able to maintain his meditation state simultaneously, and the rate at which he absorbed the particles was staggering—several times greater than when he was C-class. Currently, sharing his light, Xi Yu felt that even his basic exercises yielded greater progress than before.

This made him increasingly content.

Sensing the joy radiating from Xi Yu, the corner of Ding Ren’s mouth curved slightly.

He had already formulated a complete training regimen for Xi Yu.

Xi Yu’s constitution was unique, completely unafraid of overexertion, which allowed him to boldly set training that exceeded limits. He knew this would be very hard on Xi Yu, but it was better than the torment of the instincts. He couldn’t afford to be soft-hearted; only by suffering more now would the boy be safer.

The first step was to warm up.

Then, Hell Mode began.

****

Zhang Qingyuan and the others arrived leisurely. Yesterday, Ding Ren had told them to join the special training, but to be honest, they felt it was unreal.

Ding Ren had never managed them, and leading them in training was unprecedented, so they had thought he was joking. But since he had spoken, they didn’t dare not show up.

Initially, they thought they were arriving early; dawn hadn’t even broken yet, and it was just past six. But upon arrival, they were dumbfounded.

Xi Yu was already training, currently running while dragging a stone disc weighing at least four or five hundred pounds.

Large drops of sweat dripped from his forehead, and his clothes were completely soaked.

Ding Ren had actually subjected Xi Yu to such harsh training; the group immediately felt Ding Ren must be mad. How could their boss lay hands on a divine dragon!

They were instantly filled with righteous indignation, feeling their boss had gone too far.

They had to stop this insane behavior.

“You’re late by a total of one hour, thirty minutes, and sixty-seven seconds,” Ding Ren said coldly; he wasn’t gentle with them at all. “One push-up per second; I’ll give you ten minutes to complete it. If you can’t finish, I’ll help you personally.”

Instantly, Zhang Qingyuan and the others fell silent, saying nothing more as they began their push-ups.

Soon, the six of them were exhausted to the point of collapse, but compared to Xi Yu’s training volume, they felt a sudden sense of shame. While they were doing push-ups, Xi Yu had already completed all the basic training Ding Ren had set for him. Throughout the entire process, he hadn’t complained once.

This made Zhang Qingyuan and the others feel deeply ashamed, so no matter how tired they were, they gritted their teeth and continued to endure.

“Next, I’ll attack with strength slightly exceeding your current level; you must do your best to dodge,” Ding Ren said seriously to Xi Yu. “The same speed, the same force, one cycle every three minutes. I’ll give you a day; if you still can’t dodge my attacks by the end of the day, you must accept punishment.”

“Alright,” Xi Yu nodded firmly.

“The same goes for you guys; work hard. If you can’t complete it today, none of you will escape,” Ding Ren’s voice was very cold.

He was already B-class, while his team members were only D-class.

Although his luck had been good, it was mostly because these fellows had slackened. He had to subject them to devilish training; as their captain, he had to be responsible for them.

“Yes!”

A chorus of wails echoed in the hearts of Zhang Qingyuan and the others.

“Then let’s begin.”

With that, Ding Ren launched his attack.

Whack.

Xi Yu was struck on the arm, feeling a sharp pain.

‘So ruthless, wonderful! Regardless of what Ding Ren’s current motive is, this proves his training of me is real and not a joke.’

The current Ding Ren was the polar opposition of his usual self; when strict, he was truly terrifying. Yet Xi Yu felt not fear, but joy; at this moment, his favorability toward Ding Ren surged.

He wanted Ding Ren to be as ruthless to him as possible.

Only then would his training be effective.

Little did he know that as he thought this, Ding Ren’s expression shifted several times, and he nearly threw the rod away. Ding Ren truly felt Xi Yu was toxic; who else praised the person hitting them more the harder they were hit?

Whack, whack, whack.

The first three-minute cycle ended; Xi Yu felt pain in every part of his body, having been hit a total of sixty-six times.

Ding Ren wasn’t intentionally tormenting him; the force he used was indeed only slightly stronger than Xi Yu’s current limit.

As long as his strength increased, he would have a chance to dodge.

Zhang Qingyuan and the others felt numb; Ding Ren was truly hitting him, actually laying hands on him.

If they could beat him, they would have rebelled by now.

It was too heart-wrenching; how could their boss bully the little white dragon like this? It was too inhumane.

Xi Yu was too pitiable.

No, they had to cultivate desperately to rescue Xi Yu from Ding Ren’s hands.

The six of them, who had felt sore and tired moments ago, were instantly filled with motivation to train.

And then.

“Ahhh!”

When it was their turn, cries of agony erupted. Ding Ren was harsh on Xi Yu, but naturally even harsher on them.

He couldn’t let Xi Yu suffer alone; they had to share the “blessings.”

“Do you want to rest?”

After letting Xi Yu absorb the lesson, Ding Ren asked.

“No need.”

Xi Yu felt very excited; this kind of training was exactly what he wanted.

Yesterday’s sparring with Ding Ren could truly only be described as playing house.

During the second three-minute cycle, Xi Yu was hit fifty-six times.

An hour later, Xi Yu began his sixteenth cycle.

And this time, he was only hit seventeen times.

Ding Ren nodded silently in his heart; Xi Yu was progressing very fast. Although his constitution wasn’t particularly strong, his desperate effort compensated for this flaw.

He didn’t soften his heart; since he had spoken, he would follow through.

He truly wanted Xi Yu to make progress.

Although he knew the difficulty of Xi Yu’s ultimate goal was immense, if he could break through his limits, his progress would surely be astounding. And Xi Yu’s goal wasn’t simply to grow stronger; he had to ensure he could ultimately survive without his soul being devoured by the white dragon one day.

Therefore, his standards had to be this high.

****

At lunchtime, Xi Yu was finally able to rest for a bit.

He checked his mutation progress—it was already at 77. Even his soul transformation had increased slightly; the effect was very obvious.

This filled him with even more motivation.

During the meal, Xi Yu mentioned the large quantity of supplies in his space again, wanting to hand them directly to Guan Zhang for distribution.

“It’s best not to tell him about these supplies for now; this is no small matter. Moreover, Xincheng City isn’t facing a supply shortage right now; producing these supplies might actually lead to good intentions causing bad results. I think you should keep them with you; in the future, if a special situation arises, they might save lives. Otherwise, the origin of these supplies alone would be difficult to explain.”

Ding Ren analyzed the situation for him.

“Of course, if carrying these supplies is troublesome for you, then forget it.”

“It’s not troublesome; it has no effect on me,” Xi Yu followed his advice, feeling Ding Ren’s words made sense. “I’ll do as you say.”

“Alright.”

Ding Ren nodded, his heart quite happy.

“When will the First Realm Guard arrive?”

He wanted to hand over the anti-gravity technology as soon as possible, so they could begin researching it and construct the levitating battleships early.

Furthermore, the [Divine Arena] had to be prepared for early. Of course, his most important current task was the matter of the pure meat; he wanted to popularize it throughout the nation early.

Ding Ren couldn’t help but ruffle Xi Yu’s hair again.

This little white dragon always had endless worries.

****

After lunch, Xi Yu continued his training.

However, by the afternoon, his progress was no longer as fast.

Although he made slight progress each time, the further he went, the more difficult it became to dodge even a single attack. To the point where during each subsequent cycle, Xi Yu could at most reduce the number of hits by one.

This continued until seven in the evening.

Xi Yu finally hit a wall; no matter how hard he tried, he was always hit three times within the three-minute limit.

It seemed this was his physical limit.

Xi Yu gritted his teeth.

His past heights far exceeded the current Ding Ren; in terms of experience and technique, he wasn’t lacking. However, his current body indeed had its limits, and no matter how fast he progressed, his physical foundation remained.

He knew clearly that the limit Ding Ren had set for him wasn’t impossible to achieve.

And once he broke through, it would be a qualitative leap for his current body.

So, he didn’t want to give up.

Since Ding Ren had set this goal and had stayed with him until now, it meant the man believed he could achieve it.

“What? Do you want to give up?” Ding Ren looked at him calmly.

Xi Yu checked his Fate.

Mutation (Substandard): 78 (81)
Soul Transformation (Substandard): 83 (100)

His mutation progress had increased by another point in the afternoon; at this rate, he might break through to F-class by the day after tomorrow.

Naturally he didn’t want to give up, so Xi Yu said nothing more and continued to push himself.

On the other side, Zhang Qingyuan and the others began to receive their punishment.

Ding Ren produced a rod and struck their backsides. For every hit they had taken earlier, they received a strike; Zhang Qingyuan and the others felt both ashamed and embarrassed.

Fortunately, only they were present; otherwise, they would have no face left to see anyone in the future.

What shamed them most was that they performed far worse than Xi Yu.

Xi Yu’s state was growing increasingly better, while theirs was growing increasingly worse. Although Xi Yu’s constitution was monstrous, his drive was indeed far greater than theirs. However, they truly couldn’t hold out any longer; continuing by force would only injure their bodies.

Xi Yu watched Zhang Qingyuan and the others being punished, feeling no schadenfreude at all; at the thought that he might be punished in a bit as well, he was instantly filled with motivation.

Who would have thought the punishment would be a spanking?

He didn’t want to be spanked; it was too embarrassing for a dragon.

Xi Yu took a breath and said nothing, lunging toward Ding Ren again once the man set down the rod.

Finally, at midnight, a new day arrived.

Ding Ren had stayed with Xi Yu until this hour, and now only the two of them remained.

“Not bad; your limit has increased by another point.”

“But I still didn’t complete it,” Xi Yu sighed.

He wasn’t dejected; such useless emotions were rare for him. He had worked very hard, but was still a bit short. He had reduced the hits by another one, but in the end, he hadn’t broken through his limit to complete the challenge.

“I accept the punishment.”

Xi Yu closed his eyes, forcing himself to remain calm.

Ding Ren didn’t waste words either, landing two light taps with the rod.

“Go back, bathe, and sleep. We’ll continue tomorrow.”

Watching Ding Ren return to the house first, Xi Yu’s face was filled with displeasure.

Ding Ren’s two taps carried no force at all, completely symbolic. Yet because of this, he felt uncomfortable.

‘What on earth does Ding Ren mean? Why the special treatment?’

---

After bathing, the more Xi Yu thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt.

He felt Ding Ren was treating him differently.

Although being spanked was indeed embarrassing, treating the punishment as a mere show meant he wouldn’t remember the shame, so how could he progress?

This was not only unfair, but felt like an insult.

If Ding Ren acted like this every time, how could he devote himself to his training?

Xi Yu emerged from the bath and saw Ding Ren, who had finished bathing before him, sitting in the hall. Ignoring him, Xi Yu turned to return to his own room.

He didn’t want to speak to Ding Ren right now.

Ding Ren couldn’t help but sigh in his heart; he hadn’t expected Xi Yu to care so much about being hit.

If not for the training, he truly couldn’t bear to hit Xi Yu. He had spared the little white dragon, yet the boy didn’t appreciate it at all.

‘Forget it, I’ll give him his hits, otherwise it’ll be troublesome if he ignores me.’

‘After hitting him, I’ll tell him about the Heart Eye immediately; I don’t want to delay for another minute.’

Ding Ren stood up, strode over, and scooped Xi Yu up, then delivered two firm slaps to his backside.

“Are you satisfied now?” Ding Ren looked at Xi Yu helplessly.

****

Xi Yu’s mind went blank.

He completely hadn’t expected Ding Ren to suddenly pick him up and hit his backside; he hadn’t reacted at all.

But the next second, he truly went wild.

When Ding Ren’s hand struck his backside, his hand seemed to possess magic.

In an instant, a powerful current seemed to erupt within his body from the point of contact. Before he could stop it, Ding Ren’s second slap landed, and his entire body was completely sensitized.

‘Ding Ren, you bastard, you slapped my dragon lust out!’

Xi Yu wanted to cry; why were you so obedient? He had only complained a bit, and you actually hit him.

But what made him collapse most was—it was just two slaps! Why was the dragon lust reaction so intense, ignited in an instant?

Could this dragon lust have a bit of backbone? But it was too late now.

“Captain Ding, take me out of the city quickly.”

Xi Yu couldn’t be bothered to complain; resolving the lust was the priority now. The lust was so sudden and followed no pattern; he couldn’t prepare even if he wanted to. The only thing he could do was try to endure it quietly.

Ding Ren said nothing, lifting him up immediately and sprinting out of the city.

The city walls were high, but they didn’t block him in the slightest.

The guards only felt a gust of wind flash by, and then a dark shadow vanished into the night.

“Go to the Ghost Domain core!”

Xi Yu forced down the intense desire surging within his body.

He hadn’t destroyed the core chamber; it would allow him to hide.

Ding Ren truly pushed himself to the limit this time, taking even less time than before to bring Xi Yu into the massive subterranean space.

“Leave quickly!”

The moment they landed, Xi Yu pushed Ding Ren with all his might.

At this moment, Ding Ren once again emitted an astounding temptation, his charm blooming like a flower. It grew increasingly rich, increasingly lethal.

He could only hold out for a few more minutes.

His mind was beginning to grow hazy, and Ding Ren’s body seemed to blur. He could faintly see only a glob of light—a glob radiating endless temptation. At this moment, he could only perceive the boundless sweet scent emanating from the man’s body.

Xi Yu was going mad; this wave of dragon lust was far more intense than any previous eruption.

“Leave quickly! I can’t hold out!” he snarled.

If the man didn’t leave, he would surely injure him during the transformation.

Ding Ren naturally wouldn’t leave; he was also frantic with anxiety. He hadn’t expected this to happen; if he had known, he never would have hit him, even if Xi Yu complained. But it was too late.

He didn’t speak, only grabbing Xi Yu’s arm tightly.

Ding Ren knew that if he left, Xi Yu would surely injure himself again. The boy would treat himself as cruelly as he did last time, and then endure that boundless pain alone.

And he absolutely did not want Xi Yu to suffer that horrific torment again.

He knew he had to do something now; he couldn’t let Xi Yu flee from him. “Xi Yu, I’m here. Don’t be afraid. Don’t think so much—yield to your heart, don’t let yourself suffer like this anymore.”

But Xi Yu only struggled to break free.

Ding Ren gritted his teeth and blurted out, “Xi Yu, I want you. Don’t resist, okay?”

In an instant, those words seemed to drift from the heavens, falling into Xi Yu’s heart like a deity’s curse, echoing in his soul, his mind, and his body.

And every inch of his body, every piece of his soul, proactively responded to this craving.

Xi Yu felt he was truly about to lose control; he was on the verge of completely unleashing his wild nature. Yet Ding Ren’s words had nearly dismantled his resistance with ease; he felt he was on the brink of losing himself.

But he couldn’t, he couldn’t do this.

“Go, go, go!”

Xi Yu pushed with all his might, having forgotten why he had to drive Ding Ren away, only knowing it was important; he absolutely could not let Ding Ren stay here.

“Xi Yu, don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid, follow your feelings. I’m right here now. Don’t think so much, I’ll be with you, don’t be afraid,” Ding Ren repeated over and over.

“No! Leave!”

Xi Yu shook his head, his mind growing increasingly chaotic.

He wanted to leave this place; since Ding Ren wouldn’t leave, he would leave himself.

BOOM!

Boundless dragon aura churned within the subterranean space, and Xi Yu finally swept Ding Ren away. But a final sliver of reason remained in his soul, wanting to fly away, to stay further away from Ding Ren.

Ding Ren’s mouth seeped blood. He was frantic, not caring to stand up; he couldn’t let Xi Yu escape, absolutely couldn’t let him hurt himself again.

He roared, “Xi Yu, what exactly are you afraid of? What are you so worried about? Or are you, a divine dragon, actually a coward? Are you useless? Are you afraid that a mere human like me will take your life?!”

BOOM!

The winds shifted, and thunder clapped.

The white dragon’s movements came to an abrupt halt, his gaze locking onto Ding Ren. The eyes that had been gradually turning crazed went completely red.

Suddenly, the white dragon flew toward Ding Ren.

His body grew smaller as he flew, eventually shrinking to human size, wrapping tightly around Ding Ren.

---