CH 116.1

When Qiao Zhiya heard what his father said, he quickly looked up at him.

“Your current appearance isn’t suitable for being exposed to more people directly,” Qiao Yi explained, patting his head. After a pause, he added, “We also need to see Chu Rong’s reaction to your current appearance. It’s more convenient if he comes alone.”

He didn’t specify exactly how it was more convenient, but Qiao Zhiya looked at his own paws and could guess a bit.

His father’s implication was that if Chu Rong couldn’t accept his current appearance and even considered him an alien to be eliminated, then in a three-to-one situation, they would have an easier time resisting and escaping.

His tail and wings drooped down completely. He felt deeply upset, his longing for Chu Rong mixing with his anxiety about his appearance, weighing him down with fear. Rationally, he knew Chu Rong wouldn’t abandon him just because of his appearance — the promises made during their engagement ceremony weren’t fake. But emotionally, he was terrified, even starting to imagine Chu Rong looking at him with disgust.

No, that would be too awful. If that happened, he’d rather Chu Rong never knew about this form of his.

He deceived himself with this thought, flapping his wings as if to hide somewhere Chu Rong couldn’t see, but after two flaps, he stopped and buried his head in his father’s embrace. No, as his partner, Chu Rong had the right to know everything about him. It would be okay. If Chu Rong really… then at least he still had his parents by his side.

Sensing his son’s anxiety, Qiao Yi tightened his embrace. Mi Lai stepped forward, pinching his small wings to comfort him. “Baby, you’re the most beautiful little dragon in the world. Mommy loves you the most.”

Qiao Zhiya flapped his wings in response but still felt downcast.

Mi Lai touched his wings, exchanged a look with her husband, and took out a giant hammer, guarding the side of the command cabin door, her expression tense and her eyebrows raised.

She had heard her husband’s words clearly. If that white-haired ugly thing dared to show any negative emotion towards their baby’s current appearance, for the sake of their baby’s mental health, this white-haired ugly thing, who seemed very powerful in the human world, couldn’t be allowed to stay.

The couple shared a tacit understanding glance. Qiao Yi, holding his son, walked to the control crystal and touched it.

In space, the massive black flagship and the small brown spaceship with vine patterns confronted each other. The black flagship’s hatch opened, and a gray mecha flew out, quickly heading towards the small spaceship. 

Everyone in the flagship’s command room watched the mecha approach the mini flagship without blinking. When they saw the mini spaceship retract its attack and open its hatch to welcome the mech in, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.

At least the Marshal got in – communication was possible.

The mini spaceship was too small for the mecha to fit in, so Chu Rong jumped out of the mecha at the hatch and used his hover equipment to leap inside.

As soon as he entered, the hatch closed behind him, and a gentle male voice sounded: “Come to the control room.”

Chu Rong’s anxious heart paused. He remembered the man who had taken Qiao Zhiya, glanced at his still neatly dressed uniform, and strode towards the control room.

Qiao Zhiya peeked out from his father’s embrace, watching Chu Rong’s rapidly approaching figure on the crystal screen. His heart beat faster as he greedily observed Chu Rong’s current appearance, feeling heartache at his apparent weight loss. At the same time, he was nervous and anxious, his paws clenching together. Hearing the familiar footsteps growing clearer, he panicked and buried his head back into his father’s embrace, his tail shrinking in a self-deceptive attempt to hide himself completely.

Qiao Yi cooperatively raised his arm to cover him with his sleeve, looking towards the entrance of the control room.

Mi Lai stared intently at the door, her grip on her weapon faintly glowing with magic power.

The atmosphere suddenly grew tense. The moment Chu Rong entered the control room, he sensed a certain hostility directed at him. His muscles instinctively tensed, ready for action, and his spiritual power surged, ready to retaliate. However, he retained his rationality, knowing that these must be Qiao’s family members, and he couldn’t make a move. He hurriedly suppressed all his power, relaxed his posture, and looked towards the most prominent figure, Qiao Yi.

Blond hair, pointed ears, the same fair skin as Qiao Zhiya, an exquisitely perfect appearance that didn’t seem real, a strange intricate robe, the hem adorned with beautiful vine patterns… This was the person who had taken Qiao away.

Suppressing his emotions, Chu Rong tried to greet the others politely but couldn’t help looking around the room, searching for that familiar figure.

Mi Lai, standing guard by the door, had been waiting for this moment. She swung her hammer towards him.

Her short stature and Chu Rong’s focus on Qiao Yi since entering the room meant he hadn’t noticed her. Realizing an attack was coming, his instinct was to raise his hand to counter, but he forcibly restrained himself, straightening his back to take the hit head-on. These were Qiao’s parents – it was only right that they were angry he hadn’t protected Qiao properly.

The giant hammer, full of wind and killing intent, aimed straight at Chu Rong’s face. Qiao Zhiya sensed his mother’s power fluctuations and remembered how she had “accidentally” pressed the spaceship’s attack button earlier. Panicking, he broke free from his father’s embrace and flew out, only to freeze at the sight in front of him. His wings flapped helplessly as he tried to rush forward to stop her, but upon meeting Chu Rong’s sudden gaze, he faltered and retreated back into his father’s arms.

“Whoosh!”

The hammer stopped half a meter from Chu Rong’s face, the turbulence it created rushing at his face. Chu Rong didn’t flinch, his eyes fixed on Qiao Yi’s embrace. Remembering the flash of gold in the magic array before Qiao Zhiya was taken, his heart tightened, and he instinctively took a step forward, putting himself directly in the path of the hammer.

‘Is my baby in love with an idiot?’

Mi Lai frowned, glanced at her son who had retreated into his father’s arms, and reluctantly retracted the hammer. She stood beside her husband, glaring at Chu Rong, ready to attack at any moment.

Only then did Chu Rong notice the person who attacked him — a stocky young woman. But he didn’t have time to dwell on that. His attention was on the glimpse of light blonde hair in Qiao Yi’s arms. His heartbeat quickened as he took a big step forward.

“Stop.”

Qiao Yi, speaking in an awkward lingua franca, blocked him with a surge of power. “Your current state will scare him.”

Chu Rong was forced to stop, his gaze still glued to that reluctant blonde head. His throat felt constricted, and he took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to rush over and grab Qiao. He shifted his gaze to Qiao Yi’s face, meeting his cold, probing eyes. “Uncle… what’s wrong with Qiao?”

He couldn’t help but glance back at the golden hair, his spiritual power eager to reach out.

He knew it was Qiao hiding there. He had made eye contact with that golden little creature. Those green eyes, that gaze — it was undoubtedly Qiao. But why had Qiao changed like this? Why was he hiding?

His mind flashed with images of the experimental subjects self-destructing and the Imperial High Advisor covered in scales. Panicked, he stepped forward again. “Uncle, is Qiao injured?”

Qiao Yi, not fully understanding the lingua franca, only caught the first part of Chu Rong’s question.

His son moved in his arms, seemingly wanting to come out. Qiao Yi observed Chu Rong’s worried expression, seeing no inappropriate reaction to his son’s current appearance. His expression softened slightly. After exchanging a look with his still displeased wife, he relaxed his blockade a bit and gently patted his anxious son, simply replying, “Qiaoqiao has undergone an atavistic regression.” 

‘Atavistic regression?’ 

Chu Rong remembered Qiao Zhiya’s explanation about his small horn and the concept of atavism. Noticing the barrier relax slightly, he immediately stepped forward, focusing on Qiao Yi’s embrace, softly calling out, “Qiao?”

Qiao Zhiya stirred, his anxiety shattered by Chu Rong’s worried and cautious voice. His heart clenched, and he tugged at his father’s clothes, signaling for him to let go. He carefully shifted, poking his head out from his father’s arm to meet Chu Rong’s gaze. Instinctively, he raised his paw to rush over but hesitated, thinking about his current form. He withdrew, lowering his head and replying softly.

Chu Rong held his breath, watching the small golden figure move. The initial unfamiliarity he felt upon seeing the little dragon’s head vanished when he saw the green eyes filled with unease and heard the low, almost whimpering response. He eagerly stepped forward to embrace him but was blocked by Mi Lai’s force.

“Step back! Don’t touch my baby!”

Mi Lai was furious. Whether it was the sharp power and pressure Chu Rong emanated or his undisguised possessiveness and intentions towards her precious son, everything made her feel like her son was about to be taken away.

Perhaps she should just smash this annoying human to death and immediately take her baby back to the Magical Continent!

Her baby deserved a partner as gentle and accepting as Qiao Yi, not this dreadful human who seemed unapproachable in every way!

So annoying, so annoying, so annoying!

Mi Lai’s power surged around her, her emotions even more intense than when she had attacked earlier.

Noticing his wife’s state, Qiao Yi quickly placed a calming hand on her shoulder, silently reassuring her.