Su Cheng looked up in shock.
A massive, black-and-red, wet, and cold tongue, edged with fine barbs that gave it a jagged appearance, gently swept across her flushed cheeks.
It felt incredibly soft, like the brush of goose down soaked in ice water.
Soon, she felt those tiny, resilient, raised barbs.
They didn't scratch her skin; instead, they carried a sandpapery texture, slowly scraping over her cheekbones and rubbing all the way down to her jaw.
A chill spread across her face, mixed with a strange yet familiar aura of power.
He seemed to be observing, or perhaps confirming something.
Su Cheng stiffened slightly. Her waist, wrapped in the dragon's tail, tensed, and her blood surged wildly through her body as if responding to that familiar aura.
Whether it was the battle aura deeply integrated with her body or the power she had acquired earlier in the Gate of Trials—
Or the longing accumulated across alien times and spaces.
They all mingled together, converging into a craving ignited by this contact.
That sense of fulfillment, akin to coming home, made her heart race wildly.
Su Cheng raised her hand and gently stroked the dragon's lower jaw.
Though the difference in their sizes was vast and she could only touch a small patch of scales, her fingertips still traced a surface that was cold and hard.
The black dragon before her offered no further reaction. He merely watched her in silence, perhaps trying to decipher her action, or perhaps still in a state of confusion.
Su Cheng felt that he actually seemed quite calm.
Perhaps because of this realization, a surge of impulse and courage rose within her. She pulled back slightly from the dragon's tail, which was gradually loosening around her waist.
Breathing in the pungent, choking air, she embraced his jaw.
And then, she kissed it.
It was like a butterfly kissing a colossal flower. Her lips pressed against the black scales she had just caressed.
Even though she was infinitely smaller than him, her movement was still incredibly cautious, as if she were afraid of breaking him.
Time seemed to freeze.
That kiss, as light as a dewdrop, stirred ripples that felt capable of shaking ancient mountains.
She saw those blade-like vertical pupils suddenly contract. From his golden eyes, blooming with molten patterns, burst an emotion—
Like shock, like bewilderment, and a daze that transcended the bounds of comprehension.
Like a stone smashing into a sheet of ice, fracturing it into millions of cracks, a storm seemed to brew deep within his pupils.
The loosely curled tip of his tail tightened abruptly, as if he wanted to make sense of it all, or perhaps feared she would suddenly vanish.
The black dragon lowered his head and drew closer, his maw parting slightly.
For the dragon race, this gesture held many meanings. It could be the prelude to a furious breath attack, preparation for a meal, or, of course, an attempt to speak.
Su Cheng felt the connection buried deep within her humming, seemingly delighting in this contact.
The next second, a sudden mutation occurred!
The emotion in the black dragon's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by what looked like countless thunderbolts exploding in a sea of gold.
From the gaps in his obsidian-like scales, pitch-black flames erupted violently. His entire body began to burn without any warning.
Those out-of-control flames rolled and swelled along his body—
He let out a frenzied roar and outright flung the person in front of him away.
Su Cheng habitually folded space, landing swiftly through the displacement, and then looked at the black dragon who had inexplicably spiraled into a rage.
He looked as if he were trying to break free from some invisible shackle. Chaos and madness surged in his golden eyes, as though he had completely lost his mind.
They didn't look like the eyes of a living creature, but rather like the core of a star about to go supernova, burning in an abyss of agony.
That was also one of the physical manifestations of chaos. As the ancient dragon ancestor who symbolized this power, it was a part of his very existence.
Or rather, he was never meant to possess true, complete sanity in the first place.
Su Cheng knew this as well.
Before confirming his identity, she had felt this was normal; the other ancient dragon kings all had similar traits.
However—
Now, she inevitably felt a pang of discomfort.
The black dragon spread his wings, blotting out the sky. The entire canyon turned into a living hell amidst the frantic energy fluctuations.
The mountain walls on both sides collapsed and shattered in an instant, like sandcastles blown away by the wind. Massive boulders tumbled and flew like a torrential rainstorm. The ground tore apart, with countless fissures crisscrossing and spreading as blackish-red magma spewed forth.
"...So, this probably isn't the touching reunion you were expecting."
A voice pierced through her consciousness, echoing in her mind.
"If this is his true core, the real him, and not the image you are familiar with."
"?"
Su Cheng couldn't help but be shocked.
Expecting?
Was there actually someone else in this world who knew she had time-traveled from the future?
Her thoughts were in turmoil for a moment.
A pitch-black fireball as large as a meteor hurtled toward her, trailing light like the fiery tail of a shooting star. Carried by a torrent of dragon breath, it cascaded in all directions.
It wasn't just a physical attack visible to the naked eye; it was destruction on the level of fundamental rules. The entire space twisted, devoured, and collapsed because of it.
The entire canyon plunged into absolute darkness, the last rays of light dying out within the black flames.
"...Yes," she said softly. "It is indeed different, but it doesn't really matter."
A shadow falling like a collapsing mountain covered her, and the black flames, radiating an eerie heat, drew ever closer.
"...He has seen all sorts of versions of me, and he accepted them all. Why shouldn't I?"
Of course, having said that, she didn't want to gamble on whether she would survive.
So, she teleported away and ran.
At the very last moment, Su Cheng tried to get a clear look at him. However, all that met her eyes were endless flames and smoke. Dismal gray haze was everywhere, and the collapsed canyon obscured the sky.
"..."
Su Cheng had originally intended to return to Thetia, but perhaps because the magic required to cross planes was too demanding, and her condition while casting wasn't optimal.
Thus, she found herself standing in a crowded, narrow street alley. The surrounding voices were deafening, with people chattering away in thick, unfamiliar accents.
It was clearly an unfamiliar place.
She took a deep breath and tapped her head, trying to communicate with the voice from before.
However, no one answered her.
Fine.
Regardless of who it was, or whether it was the voice she heard after killing Lin Yun—
"You know," she said in annoyance, "I did run away, but that doesn't mean I don't accept him. It's not like I have to die there to prove it, right? If he needs help, I'll be there anytime, even if he only finds my scent familiar and has no idea who the hell I am."
The roaring noise in the surrounding streets drowned out her strange soliloquy.
Su Cheng caught a whiff of a strong, almost tangible, rich aroma of alcohol. It washed over her like a warm tide, cleansing the lingering burnt smell from her lungs.
Pushing her way through the crowd to the main road, she found the nearby pedestrians singing off-key ballads. Dressed in brightly colored clothes, they wandered and danced drunkenly through the streets and alleys.
Almost everyone was holding a cup or a bottle, taking a hearty swig every now and then. Many had no alcohol left in their hands, yet they still mimed the motion of drinking.
The tavern by the street had its doors wide open, packed with people inside. The noise was loud enough to almost blow off the roof, and the air was filled with the smell of fermented grapes, along with the aromas of various fruit nectars and roasting meat fat.
"Hey, pretty lady—"
Someone shoved a bottle of wine into her arms and disappeared into the crowd before she could even speak.
She stood silently at the entrance of a quiet pastry shop. The owner was sitting under the eaves enjoying the cool breeze, looking at the reveling crowd on the street with a face full of envy.
Su Cheng twisted open her bottle. "Hello, why aren't you drinking?"
"I've been drinking magic potions lately," the owner squinted at her. "The apothecary told me not to drink too much. I already had a barrel this morning, and now I'm feeling a bit dizzy."
Su Cheng: "......"
Su Cheng: "Sorry, I think I just woke up from a nap. What city and street am I on?"
The owner's expression did not change at all, looking at her with the eyes of someone looking at a drunkard. "This is Valensell, Ebony Street—"
Valensell!
Su Cheng knew this place. It was the Gilded City of the Finlay Kingdom, which, due to its exceptionally favorable climate and soil, produced an abundance of high-quality brewing ingredients.
Their grapes were plump and juicy, their grains round and full. The city and its outskirts were dotted with workshops and wine cellars of all sizes. The lord of this land was hereditarily succeeded by the heirs of the Bracade family, whose family crest featured a wine jug and oak leaves.
However—
Thousands of years later, this family seemed to have perished. It was just that they were very famous, and in the future, some auction houses would still feature aged wines left behind by their family.
Or some master brewers would promote themselves by claiming to have received the technological inheritance of this family.
Su Cheng had read about this in books, so she understood now that it was probably the Fine Wine Festival in Valensell.
During these few days, taverns would provide lavish wine banquets for free. Cheap ale was supplied in unlimited quantities, and expensive liquors that usually cost a fortune were now discounted by more than seventy percent.
"What kind of material are you wearing?"
The owner leaned in slightly to examine her, but perhaps his eyesight was poor, so he could not figure it out.
"It looks nice. Maybe you should try your luck in the Upper City; they might just let you in..."
Su Cheng walked down the noisy long street. From time to time, she could see giant wine barrels placed by the walls, with people using various containers to catch the wine, or even scooping it up with their bare hands.
She drank some wine, but did not think it tasted that great, perhaps because she was in a bad mood.
Or perhaps because it was not sweet enough.
Su Cheng looked up, her gaze piercing through the reveling crowd toward the Upper City situated on the high ground, where elegant music faintly drifted from the large manors.
She passed through the seething, boisterous crowd and alleys reeking of alcohol and vomit. The surroundings gradually became cleaner, and patrolling city guards began to appear.
Su Cheng's clothes were a bit messy and still bore some scratch marks, but she did not conceal her battle aura, so the soldiers all bowed their heads respectfully.
The buildings on both sides grew increasingly exquisite and grand. She continued upward until she could no longer see guards dressed as knights, but instead encountered attendants wearing silk robes.
They were clearly well-trained as well, bowing to her without hesitation and inviting her inside.
Su Cheng walked into a brilliantly lit, resplendent hall, immediately catching the scent of various rare and fine wines.
The beautifully arranged long tables were covered with food, mountains of magical beast meat, and uniquely shaped desserts. Many people were gathered around the tables drinking, though they all seemed much more restrained.
They were somewhat tipsy, but most were not completely drunk, and occasionally someone would raise a glass in greeting to her.
A waiter walked over holding a silver tray filled with goblets, the colorful wine inside shimmering and bubbling.
Su Cheng casually picked up a glass of white wine that smelled sweeter, found a seat by the table, and leaned against a stone pillar carved with grapevines to start drinking heavily.
With her constitution, it was difficult for her to truly be paralyzed or affected by alcohol. Yet, for some unknown reason, after emptying a few wine jugs, everything around her actually began to blur.
The glamorous hall filled with elegantly dressed guests, the lingering and melodious music, and the shadows of clinking glasses—everything seemed to be separated by a transparent film.
Those seemingly refined upper-class individuals appeared to have fallen into a drunken stupor as well. Many were shouting loudly about something, and some even tore at their own clothes.
Her consciousness began to drift. Amidst the sweet fragrance of honey and dried apricots, she heard their singing.
"Praise the Lord of the Wine Spring dancing upon the grapevines..."
"You give the cowardly the courage to look directly at the throne, and allow fools to catch a glimpse of the fragments of truth..."
She saw the air fluctuating, the light from the crystal chandeliers flowing into twisted patterns. The sound of the harp became distant and melodious, as ethereal as a heavenly chorus.
"Let us drink deeply of the colorful waves you have gifted us—"
"It is the sweet nectar boiling in the veins of the earth, the millions of midsummers slumbering within the oak..."
All the wine aromas suddenly grew rich and intense, as if their very essence had been extracted amidst the delirium.
A powerful and pure aura of joy, one that transcended mortal comprehension and originated from the primal instincts of life, swept through the entire hall like a hurricane.
