Chapter 3

Aishe's POV

Under Valen's bewildered gaze, I reached out and unbuttoned my own dress. The thin fabric slid off my shoulders, and I stood unclothed before him without hesitation.

"Wait! Aishe, what are you doing?!"

In a panic, Valen caught my wrists and turned his face away, his breathing suddenly heavy.

I leaned down, pressing my hands over his cold ones, and whispered in his ear, "This is the only way to cure you completely. Trust me. It won't harm my life—it will only merge us as one."

Seeing the fierce determination in my eyes, the panic in Valen's eyes dissolved into burning desire. He stopped resisting, pulling me tightly into his embrace.

That night, scorching dragon blood circulated between us, triggering waves of breath-stealing heat and pleasure.

Over the next month, I used this special method every night to nourish Valen's body and soul.

Though he felt tired after every session, the changes were visible to the naked eye. A month later, the decay that had haunted him for years was completely gone. His thin chest grew broad and muscular, and his deep-green scales shimmered with a brilliant golden luster, radiating an overwhelming, powerful pressure.

When the doctor returned to check his pulse, he froze in sheer terror.

"Heavens! How is this possible?!" The doctor trembled, falling to his knees before me, eyes wide. "Lord Valen isn't just cured—his body is stronger than in his peak years! Lady Aishe, you are a deity! Please, accept me as your student!"

Valen’s face darkened instantly. He grabbed the doctor by the back of his neck, lifting him up like a dead dog.

"Get out!" Valen's voice was dangerously cold. "If you ever peek at my wife's healing secrets again, I'll skin you alive!"

"I wouldn't dare! I'm leaving right now!" The doctor nearly wet his pants and scrambled out of the room.

I looked at Valen and teased, "He's just an old man. What are you getting jealous over?"

Valen wrapped his arms around me from behind, burying his face in my neck, his voice low and raspy. "Your body belongs only to me."

Meanwhile, grand celebrations outside shattered the quiet.

Today was not only Flark and Bryn’s wedding day, but also Flark’s 300th birthday.

For this day, Flark had bragged for half a month, boldly declaring to the entire city that he would break his limits on this blessed day and transform from a snake into a dragon-beast.

The entire clan gathered, and King Kaelthyr waited in anticipation.

During the wedding ceremony, purple clouds suddenly flooded the sky, creating a terrifying momentum.

Gorath shouted in excitement, "Purple clouds from the heavens! This is a supreme omen! Prince Flark truly is a born dragon!"

Hearing this, Flark's face twitched with intense joy. Dressed in opulent robes, he looked down arrogantly at the crowd. "Do you see? I am the child of destiny!"

Valen and I stood at the edge of the crowd, watching this jumping clown coldly.

However, time ticked away.

The crowd waited from morning till night, and from night till the next morning. Two full days and nights passed. The purple clouds gradually faded, yet Flark, standing in the center of the altar, did nothing except sweat profusely and turn red in the face. His body didn't change at all!

He was still a low-grade snake!

"Nonsense! A complete waste of my time!" Kaelthyr’s face turned black. Disappointment filled his eyes as he flicked his sleeves and stormed off.

"Father! Don't go! Give me one more chance!" Flark panicked completely, dropping to his knees with a pale face, his voice trembling.

The clan members below began whispering, their eyes filled with mockery and disdain.

Just as the atmosphere hit rock bottom, Bryn suddenly let out a painful scream, clutching her belly as she collapsed onto the floor. "Ah! It hurts! Flark... I'm giving birth!"

The scene instantly fell into chaos. Maids rushed to carry Bryn into a makeshift tent.

Not long after, a sharp scream echoed from inside.

The midwife ran out carrying a large bundle, trembling as she shouted, "It's born! It's born! It's... an egg!"

Everyone looked closely. It wasn't the soft-shelled egg typical of the snake clan, but a golden egg covered in intricate dragon patterns!

Priest Gorath rushed forward to examine it, then let out a hysterical shout of joy: "Heavens! This is a pure-blood Dragon Egg! The purple clouds weren't for Prince Flark—they were to celebrate the birth of this true dragon!"

King Kaelthyr, who had just left, sprinted back upon hearing the news.

Looking at the golden egg exuding powerful dragon pressure, Kaelthyr was overjoyed. On the spot, he made a grand promise: "Good! Excellent! As long as this egg hatches a true dragon, Flark, you will be the sole heir of the Serennis Clan!"

In an instant, Flark and Bryn flipped the script, transforming from laughingstocks back into the most honored figures in the clan.

Flark stood tall again, holding Bryn as he glared at me maliciously. "Aishe, my son is a true dragon! The day he hatches will be the end of you and Valen!"

I wrapped my arm around Valen's, a playful smile curling on my lips. "Then I truly look forward to that day."

A month later, the dragon egg reached its hatching day.

At the central altar, tens of thousands of clan members gathered, holding their breath for the arrival of the true dragon.

With a crisp crack, a fissure opened on the golden egg shell.

Fris—the cruel, cold-blooded son from my past life—slowly crawled out of the shell.

Having retained his past memories, Fris instantly spotted Flark and Bryn standing before him. He excitedly slithered up and called out, "Father! Mother! I've finally been born!"

However, before Flark could praise him, Fris sensed that the atmosphere around him was horribly wrong.

He turned around and noticed that the thousands of clan members below weren't bowing in worship. Instead, they were wide-eyed, covering their mouths, their faces twisted in bizarre, mocking sneers.

"Insolent! How dare you lowborn snakes look at me like that?!"

Fris flew into a rage, raising his head and roaring, "I am a true dragon! Kneel before me and feel the dragon's might!"

He unleashed his full power, attempting to crush the crowd with dragon pressure.

Yet the expected worship never came.

The very next second—

"Pahahahaha!"

"Gods above, I'm dying of laughter! That's a true dragon?!"

"That looks like a disgusting worm!"

A tide of laughter erupted like a tidal wave, turning the solemn altar into a sea of mockery.

Kaelthyr's face turned black as a pot. "Humiliating!" he barked, turning around and walking away in absolute rage.

"Why are you laughing?! What are you laughing at?!" Fris was confused and furious. He pulled on Flark's robe. "Father! Why are they laughing at me? Am I not a noble true dragon?!"

At that moment, Flark finally snapped back from extreme shock and despair.

Looking at the creature before him, Flark trembled with rage, his eyes almost popping out of his sockets!

"Get away from me! You filthy monstrosity!"

Flark roared crazily and kicked Fris hard right in the chest!

Fris was sent flying, crashing heavily near the water pool like a sack of trash.

Wracked with pain, Fris struggled to crawl up. He subconsciously looked down into the clear water.

Reflected in the water was not a majestic golden dragon with horns and shining scales.

It was a dark gray, wrinkled, slimy, utterly hideous creature that could only crawl in mud—a Burrowing Worm!