“A Guardian Dragon? Now that’s a cushy job!” Su Luo remarked while sipping his tea.
“Young Master Su, tell us then—how does one become a Guardian Dragon?” Under Leng Jing’s silent instruction, the white marten served tea and water with fawning attentiveness.
Both Leng Jing and Leng Qingqing pricked up their ears to listen.
Su Luo explained, “Generally, the position of Guardian Dragon is taken by mixed-blood dragons who have strayed into the mortal realm. Once they become a Guardian Dragon, they are honored as a branch of the imperial family and enjoy all the wealth and splendor the human world has to offer. Thus, most mixed-blood dragons rely on this for a living. Competition for these spots is quite fierce. To regulate the lower realms, the Heavenly Emperor once issued a decree standardizing the appointment and removal of Guardian Dragons; it requires various contracts and rituals performed with a mortal sovereign to be official. However, in recent years, the moral order of the Heavens has collapsed, and management of the Dragon Clan has grown lax, leading to an increase in the number of mixed-blood dragons. It’s very difficult to secure a position. Leng Jing, you are a Primordial Divine Dragon; being a mere Guardian Dragon in the mortal realm is beneath your talents. You should be aiming for something like the title of Celestial Dragon Emperor in the future... Uh, but if you insist on doing this, you actually won't be able to compete with those mixed-blood dragons. Most of them have deep bonds with their emperors, and few sovereigns are willing to forge a new contract with someone else. Besides, mortal emperors can’t tell the difference between a pure-blooded dragon and a mixed one, or who has higher cultivation.”
“Is there any way to forge a contract now?” Leng Qingqing asked on behalf of his son.
“You just need to find an emperor willing to contract with you.” Su Luo sighed. “Fine, I’ll give you a few leads. Currently, most mortal emperors have already contracted with local divine beasts and won't easily go back on their word. Unless a country’s guardian beast is on the verge of death and they need a new protector. Such instances are rare, but as far as I know, the Guardian Dragon of the northern Kingdom of Bailu is nearing the end of its lifespan. You could go and investigate. Just remember to come back and solve our problem once the contract is signed.”
“Fine.” The little snake stood up and said to Leng Qingqing, “I’m going to the North. You and Su Luo wait here for a couple of days.”
“Will you be alright going alone, Xiao Jing? Do you want Daddy to go with you?” Leng Qingqing asked.
“No need. I’ll return often.” Leng Jing packed a bundle of fresh clothes and slung it over his back. “Once I become the Guardian Dragon, I will bring you all to the North.”
Leng Jing’s goal was simple: to find a respectable place to settle in the mortal realm. Although being the Martial Arts Alliance Leader was a good position, people would surely become suspicious if he remained unaged after two or three hundred years. Becoming a legitimate Guardian Dragon was different; not only would he be revered by the masses, but he would also have a stable residence and receive the courtesies of the imperial family. It was a dream job one couldn't find even if they searched with a lantern.
However, many divine beasts clearly shared Leng Jing’s thoughts. Those mixed-blood dragons and phoenixes who were ineligible for the Heavens but possessed noble bloodlines were all eyeing this choice position with greed!
When Leng Jing arrived in the skies above the Kingdom of Bailu, he saw a chaotic mix of draconic aura. Various dragons had already converged here. Although they followed the principle of keeping their existence secret from commoners, many dragon spirits were still high-profile and showy, appearing in the clouds from time to time, causing a period of panic among the people of Bailu.
In the very cloud where Leng Jing took shelter, two green dragons were bickering and biting each other over the order in which they would meet the Emperor. These days, it wasn't easy even for divine beasts to find a decent job.
With the divine beasts acting so humble, the mortal sovereign’s attitude had become correspondingly haughty.
The ruler of Bailu had always been an Empress. The current Empress, having learned from her astrologers that the Guardian Dragon was fading, prepared to hold a Spirit Summoning Assembly to call upon the world's divine beasts and select one to protect the nation. The summoning ritual was to be held at noon that day on the Sacrificial Altar.
Women, after all, tend to be much more romantic and meticulous in their thinking than men. While Leng Jing and the other dragons were rubbing their paws in the clouds, preparing to showcase their talents before the Empress, she issued her first edict: Any dragon of mixed colors shall not be accepted. In other words, any dragon with variegated or impure scales was filtered out at the very first hurdle.
Because the Heavenly Laws granted mortal sovereigns many prerogatives, dragons in the human world could not defy an emperor. Thus, many mixed-colored dragons dejectedly hung their heads and departed.
For the first time, Leng Jing looked back carefully at his own scales to see if there were any other colors mixed in. Fortunately, he was a dragon of pure, flawless white.
After the first round, fewer than twenty dragons remained. The Empress then issued a second edict inviting the dragons to descend. For a moment, the winds and clouds shifted as many majestic dragons descended onto the vast sacrificial plaza. Many people fainted from the shock of this spectacular sight. Even more knelt to worship the Empress, praising her power for moving the heavens and earth to the point that even Dragon Gods were at her beck and call. The young Empress smiled slightly and, from her jade throne on the high platform, issued the second edict: Any dragon with incomplete horns, dull scales, or clouded eyes—those of poor appearance—shall not be accepted.
She pointed her finger, and several old dragons were disqualified on the spot, returning home in tears.
Leng Jing, the white dragon, lay prostrate on the polished stone floor. Watching the dragons beside him fail one by one, some began to grumble in dissatisfaction, “Is this a selection for a divine beast or a beauty pageant? Mortal emperors are getting too arrogant! What do they take us for!”
After round after round of selection, only two of the most beautiful and majestic dragons remained: Leng Jing the white dragon, and a green dragon named Lei Yan.
The Empress looked at the two dragons. Without a doubt, the white dragon was more radiant, but what was the matter with its horns?
“Hey, you, white dragon. Were your horns sawn off by someone? A disabled dragon dares to come and take on such a heavy responsibility for my country?” the Empress sneered.
“Your Majesty, that white dragon is a young dragon less than a hundred years old. Its horns haven't fully grown yet, which is why it looks different from the others,” a young woman beside her said respectfully. “However, this white dragon’s abilities are extraordinary. I have personally witnessed its power; it is indeed capable of holding the position of Guardian Divine Beast.”
Leng Jing looked up and saw that the girl was Mei Xin, whom he had met back in Qingzhou. It turned out she was from the Kingdom of Bailu.
“Heh, interesting.” The beautiful but overbearing Empress stood up and said, “Fine, both of you shall stay as attendants to our nation’s Guardian Prince.”
Leng Jing and the green dragon looked at each other. It turned out this country wasn't recruiting a Guardian Divine Beast, but rather an ☆attendant☆ for the Guardian Divine Beast.
The green dragon finally couldn't stand the mockery and left in a fit of rage. Only Leng Jing remained to sign the contract.
It turned out that the Guardian Dragon of Bailu was also of the white dragon lineage. Although the white dragon clan (normal white dragons, not including the little snake) was rare and gifted, their constitutions were very weak. After unleashing great power, they would suffer severe backlash. Consequently, the Guardian Prince’s health had always been poor. The Empress had been taught and raised by the Guardian Prince since childhood; her bond with him was as deep as the sea, and she naturally couldn't bear to let him risk his life for the country anymore. Thus, she had opened the Heavenly Seal and performed the Dragon Summoning Technique, but she hadn't expected to attract so many freeloaders.
Those dragons who had come to mess around had left a terrible impression on the Empress, so she wasn't very pleasant toward Leng Jing either. Hearing from Mei Xin that Leng Jing was a young dragon, she had assumed his human form would be that of a child. To her surprise, when it came time to sign the contract, she discovered that Leng Jing was an incomparably handsome young man. The Guardian Prince was already a rare beauty in the world, but Leng Jing’s appearance and aura surpassed even his, and his manner of speech did not seem like that of a spirit who had spent ages cultivating in the wilderness.
Once a blood covenant was made with the ruler of Bailu, one had to follow the contract's stipulations and remain loyal to the country for life, or else face the punishment of the Thunder of Heaven's Punishment. This was a prerogative granted by the Heavens to the sovereigns of the seven great mortal nations.
The contract also stipulated that as a Dragon God, Leng Jing should receive the highest courtesies from the sovereign. Thus, Leng Jing collected a set of magnificent "work clothes" from the imperial treasury and ate a very sumptuous "work meal," even packing the leftovers. It was the first time an official organization had treated the little snake to a meal, and he felt this was a very high level of courtesy. His residence wouldn't be finalized for three days, so Leng Jing went home first.
The third clause of the contract stated that the Dragon God must be available on call. As long as the ruler of Bailu drew the Divine Sword to summon him, the Dragon God had to arrive instantly. This was also a key metric by which the Empress evaluated Leng Jing. During the test, the way Leng Jing appeared instantaneously was something the Empress wasn't used to; it was honestly a bit too fast.
In short, everything was settled by dusk. The little snake returned home with his packed food. Leng Qingqing and the white marten held a victory banquet to celebrate the little snake finding another job. Su Luo had wanted to join, but as a spiritual entity, he couldn't stay out for too long, so he had returned first.
The next day, Leng Qingqing prepared a lunch box for Leng Jing, and Leng Jing took it with him to start his duties in Bailu. In the little snake’s understanding, he would surely just be sitting around with nothing to do on the first day, so he brought along some idle books and the *Jianghu Express* to pass the time.
Arriving at the Office of Affairs in the Bailu Palace, Leng Jing found a chair and waited for his tasks to be assigned.
But before he had even turned two pages of his book, a palace maid stood before him and asked, “Are you Prince Jing? Her Majesty summons you to the hall for your investiture. Please change your clothes immediately.”
Leng Jing looked up, shook his head, and continued reading.
The maid gave an "oh" and left.
After more than an hour, the spiritual bell on Leng Jing’s hand, which signaled the Empress’s summons, suddenly began to ring. This was the sign that the Empress was calling the Dragon God. Thus, the professional little snake acted swiftly—
In almost half the time it takes to blink, all the civil and military officials standing in the Great Hall felt a sense of vertigo. It was the kind of startling abruptness you feel when you turn around and find someone standing right behind you. The white dragon appeared with such thunderous, efficient speed. Note: a very majestic white dragon "suddenly" appeared beside these people. Several elder statesmen couldn't handle the shock and fainted on the spot.
“You idiot! I sent for you to receive your title! What were you doing?! I sent people to call you several times and you didn't come! You forced me to use the Dragon-Summoning Sword!!” The Empress pointed the divine sword angrily at the bewildered little snake.
The little snake transformed into his human form and said calmly, “When Your Majesty selected us, you clearly stated you were recruiting attendants. Naturally, I was observing my duties in the place where an attendant should be.”
The Empress huffed and sheathed her sword. She said, “I do not mistreat the capable. Since you have forged a contract with my nation, it is only right that I treat you with courtesy and respect. White Dragon Leng Jing, step forward to receive your title! I dub you the Guardian Dragon, Prince Jing. I bestow upon you the Prince Jing Manor, and you shall enjoy the offerings of our nation for a thousand years!”
***
