The Black Jiao Tribe was built deep beneath the sea, on the edge of an abyss.
Although the tribe lay on the ocean floor, a special barrier kept the seawater out. This allowed the beastmen to freely choose whether to take human or beast form, and the females were unaffected as well.
After entering the Black Jiao Tribe, Yunyang had Pei Wenye put her down.
She held onto Pei Wenye and carefully tested the sandy, gravel-covered ground with both feet. Only after making sure she would not sink did she relax and let go.
At that moment, Pei Wenye caught her hand. His cool fingertips slipped between hers, and then he interlaced their fingers, holding her hand tightly.
Yunyang did not resist.
The Black Jiao beastmen following behind to escort them, however, saw this scene and grew green with envy.
Lady Yunyang was so kind to her beast-husband.
If only they could become one of Lady Yunyang’s beast-husbands too.
But both Lady Yunyang’s beast-husband and her companions were so outstanding. Their abilities were not powerful enough, and they were nowhere near as handsome as her beast-husband. They simply were not worthy of Lady Yunyang.
The Black Jiao beastmen had a good sense of self-awareness, so they could only express their regret silently in their hearts.
Pei Wenye did not care what these distant clansmen thought. He stayed by Yunyang’s side without leaving her for even a moment.
With him around, no male would ever get the chance to approach his female alone!
The two walked in the middle of the group, with several Black Jiao beastmen leading the way.
Under their guidance, Yunyang and Pei Wenye soon arrived at the residence in the very center of the Black Jiao Tribe.
Whether in the Snow Owl Tribe or the Black Jiao Tribe, the Saintess’s residence was always located in the very center of the tribe. No matter which direction an enemy invaded from, they would not be able to find the Saintess immediately.
The Black Jiao beastmen leading the way stopped outside the door and politely knocked.
“Saintess, an outsider female wishes to see you.”
The Saintess of the Black Jiao Tribe had only just woken up. She had not wanted to meet any outsiders, but upon hearing that it was a female who wished to see her, she forced herself to gather her spirits and went to open the door.
Before the door opened, the Black Jiao beastmen quickly straightened their clothes.
They absolutely could not be disrespectful in front of the Saintess.
To show her equal courtesy, Yunyang also smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothes.
When the door opened, the Black Jiao beastmen bowed in unison.
“Saintess.”
Xie Wenna ignored them and instead fixed her gaze on Yunyang. Her eyes, lined with fine wrinkles, narrowed slightly.
After sensing the spiritual power within Yunyang—power even greater than her own—Xie Wenna lowered her head.
“Greetings, esteemed Lady.”
“Xie Wenna awaits your commands.”
Beastmen revered strength. Whether male or female, they all respected those of their own sex who were stronger than themselves.
“There’s no need to be so formal, Saintess. You can just call me Yunyang.” Yunyang gave her a polite smile. “I came to ask you about a few things. Would you be willing to speak with me in private?”
Xie Wenna raised her head and stepped aside.
“Of course. If Lady Yunyang does not mind, we can speak in my residence.”
Yunyang certainly did not mind.
She even took the time to ask whether Xie Wenna objected before bringing Pei Wenye inside with her.
The door closed once more.
Xie Wenna led Yunyang to the area where she usually performed purification rituals. She invited Yunyang to sit in her usual place while taking a lower seat herself.
Yunyang did not care about such details. Besides, as an SS-rank female, she was fully entitled to receive this treatment.
Once seated, Xie Wenna wore an expression that indicated she was ready to listen.
Yunyang did not beat around the bush.
“Saintess, Lady Willow recommended that I come to see you.”
Willow Ash, the Saintess of the Snow Owl Tribe.
Xie Wenna was naturally familiar with the name.
Willow was the most senior Saintess among all the tribes. If she had recommended this lady to come to the Black Jiao Tribe, it certainly was not for some trivial matter.
With that thought, Xie Wenna discreetly sized Yunyang up.
Her gaze paused when it reached the white belt around Yunyang’s waist. Then she noticed the lightbrain that Yunyang had “accidentally” allowed to show.
Could this be… a lightbrain like the one left behind by the ancestors?
No. Compared to the one left behind by their ancestors, this lady’s lightbrain was clearly more advanced.
Excitement colored Xie Wenna’s eyes.
Yunyang did not bring up the most important matter first. Instead, she nudged Pei Wenye, who was standing beside her.
“Saintess, he is my beast-husband, and he is a Black Jiao.”
“When he first awakened his ability, he had already partially transformed into a dragon. But seven or eight years have passed, and he still hasn’t been able to complete the transformation. Do you have any suggestions?”
Even if they knew which direction the Federation lay in, without a spatial ability user, they might not be able to return to the Federation.
So Pei Wenye still had to complete his dragon transformation first.
“You mean he had already partially transformed into a dragon when he reached adulthood?” Xie Wenna looked at Pei Wenye in astonishment.
Yunyang and Pei Wenye nodded at the same time.
Xie Wenna pressed her lips together.
She was familiar with every beastman in the tribe, and she was certain that Lady Yunyang’s beast-husband had not been one of their tribe’s beastmen in the past.
No one in the tribe had ever partially transformed into a dragon immediately upon reaching adulthood. Even their ancestors had not possessed such talent.
Lady Yunyang’s beast-husband was probably a clansman who had become separated from the tribe, or perhaps…
he had come from another star region.
Xie Wenna did not voice her speculation. Instead, she reminded Yunyang, “There are records concerning this in the tribe, but transforming into a dragon is no simple matter.”
“You should have seen the abyss behind the tribe when you arrived. A Jiao must shed its scales, sever its bones and sinews, and enter the abyss. Then it must emerge from the abyss in a broken body. Only after being reborn through this process can it be considered a true dragon.”
“The process is extremely dangerous. Failure means certain death. One of my former beast-husbands lost his life after failing to transform into a dragon.”
Even though the person before her was not a member of the tribe, Xie Wenna held nothing back.
Even if a Jiao knew how to transform into a dragon, only one in ten million could truly succeed.
Yunyang froze after hearing this.
Before, she had only thought that since Pei Wenye had managed to partially transform into a dragon when he had just reached adulthood, the complete transformation could not be too dangerous.
But it was actually this difficult?
Yunyang suddenly hesitated.
She could not say that she was deeply, deeply in love with her beast-husband, but she still could not bring herself to watch him risk his life like this.
She could only press further.
“Saintess, do you know who among the tribes in these star regions possesses a spatial ability?”
At the mention of “spatial ability,” Xie Wenna seemed to understand something.
She shook her head.
“Spatial abilities are extremely special. Only beastmen with dragon blood have even a one-in-ten-thousand chance of awakening one.”
“I do know of several tribes that are closely related to the dragons, but none of them have ever produced a spatial ability user.”
The dragons were one of the oldest beastman races in the Federation.
Because they had gone extinct too early, the Federation had almost no records related to them.
All Yunyang knew was that the first person to rule the Federation had apparently been a golden dragon.
If only those with dragon blood could awaken spatial abilities, then it explained why every successive ruler of the Federation had been a spatial ability user.
But that also proved that, aside from having Pei Wenye transform into a dragon, there was no other way.
