“Jared, you absolute jerk! You promised to be my man, and now here you are, fooling around with another woman!” The sharp, accusatory voice of Catalina rang in Jared’s ears, startling him. “I can’t believe this! I was punished by my father, and spent ten years in isolation because of you. You’ve truly broken my heart!”
Jared jolted at the sound, his body stiffening in shock. Hastily, he pushed Judith away and bolted toward the door. “Ms. Judith,” he stammered, struggling to regain his composure, “I can’t… I really can’t. Please don’t misunderstand. Saving you was never about taking advantage of you.”
His voice softened as he continued, “You should rest now. I need to find a place to recover my spiritual energy. Helping you refine the pill took a lot out of me.”
Before Judith could respond, Jared disappeared in a flash, leaving her staring at the empty room, dumbfounded.
She stood frozen for a moment, her mind racing. How could Jared resist her so completely?
Was I not attractive enough? Is there something wrong with my appearance? My figure?
Judith couldn’t make sense of it. Despite her efforts, Jared had left, his embarrassment plain to see. Her bold approach, instead of bringing them closer, only made her feel humiliated.
Meanwhile, Jared fled to a forest miles away from Castenada Town. His heart was still pounding, and he let out a shaky sigh of relief.
I can’t stay there anymore. Judith might devour me alive if I do!
Suddenly, he addressed the voice that had interrupted him. “Ms. Lantz, what happened to you? Why were you locked away for self- reflection?”
He couldn’t fathom what could have led to Catalina’s punishment.
Catalina’s voice answered, laced with bitterness. “Don’t worry about it. Even if I told you, it wouldn’t change anything. Just stop fooling around with other women, Jared. Ten years will pass quickly. Once it does, I’ll come find you.”
Catalina didn’t respond directly. After all, there was no way Jared could come to the Twilight Imperial City.
“Ten years? I-”
Jared wanted to say more, but Catalina’s presence faded, leaving him alone in the forest.
He leaned against a tree, his thoughts wandering. For a cultivator, a decade wasn’t much, but the uncertainty weighed on him. He couldn’t imagine where he’d be by then.
What if… by then, my life is completely different? What if I have wives, children… maybe even grandchildren? If Catalina finds me, she might have to settle being my mistress.
Jared shook his head. Yet, without meaning to, his mind drifted to memories of the women in his life.
“Josephine… where are you now?” he whispered. “Cecilia, Melanie, Hailey, Astrid, and Evangeline… Are you guys doing okay? When will I be able to see you again?”
He sighed deeply, recalling the happier days spent with them.
“I need to focus,” Jared muttered, shaking off the nostalgia. “No more distractions. It’s time to cultivate.”
He took out the spirit bottle and summoned the blood of the water dragon within. A single droplet hovered in the air, shimmering with spiritual energy.
A faint outline of a dragon emerged from the droplet, circling it with a commanding presence. Though it was only a trace of the water dragon’s blood, its aura was powerful and noble.
Jared ignited his internal flame, and the water dragon’s blood began to transform. As the flames enveloped it, the droplet evaporated into a mist, gradually taking on the form of a water dragon.
This flood dragon hadn’t fully transformed yet. It was not yet a true dragon, but it was on its way.
Jared stared at the water dragon’s aura that had taken shape before him. For a moment, he hesitated, unable to bring himself to absorb the energy for his own cultivation.
Though this water dragon was far inferior to his Golden Dragon’s True Form, it still carried significance. Transforming into a water dragon was no small feat; it required unyielding effort and tireless cultivation.
Now, this creature had reached a new stage, bearing the bloodline of Draconians.
As Jared remained deep in thought, unsure of what to do, a sudden streak of red light pierced through the scene. In an instant, the dragon dissolved into the mist.
Startled, Jared snapped his gaze toward the source. The red light, he realized, emanated from Cyanna’s draconic essence. It had drawn in the entire aura created by the water dragon’s. blood, leaving nothing behind.
