Chapter Eighteen: The Baby Dragon Who Had Lost All Hope for Life

Abao’s face was cold, his dark eyes filled with displeasure. He sat on the grass, a wreath of purple flowers resting atop his black hair. At this moment, his expression was one of utter resignation.

Beside him sat Mendi, calm and composed. Mendi wore a blue flower crown. Their expressions could not have been more different, reflecting the divergence in their thoughts. Abao resisted the wreath, while Mendi seemed to like it to some extent.

They were on the lawn in the garden of the Demon Emperor’s Palace. The culprit behind the wreaths, Bai Nianxuan, sat nearby on the grass, with Bai Yue at her side. Compared to before, Bai Yue’s fair and gentle face was alight with a smile, her black eyes gazing at them tenderly.

Seeing these three little ones together warmed Bai Yue’s heart with a joy she could scarcely describe. Watching their affectionate interactions, her smile grew even brighter. For some reason, she especially enjoyed seeing Abao’s defeated side—it was such a stark contrast to his usual bravado.

“Baby Dragon,” Bai Nianxuan called. She plucked several blades of grass and wove them into a green cord, then ran over to Abao and placed it atop his flower crown.

Abao stared at her in astonishment. Still bewildered, he didn’t quite understand Bai Nianxuan’s intentions. Next, she used the grass cord to secure the wreath firmly to his hair.

Bai Nianxuan’s eyes sparkled. “Now, even if you sleep, it won’t fall off. It’s really secure!”

Abao was so angry he wanted to punch her. “I am the Crown Prince of the Rebellious Demon Dragon Clan, not the ‘Baby Dragon’ you call me!”

“I am a mighty and imposing Rebellious Demon Dragon!” he insisted.

In response, Bai Nianxuan’s tiny hand covered his mouth. She giggled, “But I’m your boss.”

“No matter how noble you are, the fact remains that I’m your boss. Don’t worry, as long as I’m here, nobody can bully you. As for being mighty and imposing—does a Baby Dragon really need that? Not at all!”

Abao was even more infuriated. His blue eyes brimmed with grievance and displeasure. He glanced at Bai Yue, who was stifling her laughter, and felt as if he might shatter apart. Why wasn’t she helping him? Hmph. He was her brother, after all.

To hear Abao’s protest, Bai Nianxuan deliberately released her hand. Abao, now completely exasperated, burst out with a childish voice tinged with anger, “I’m called Abao, don’t call me Baby Dragon.”

“But you can’t beat me,” Bai Nianxuan retorted.

“And you’re still my little brother.”

Abao was rendered speechless by Bai Nianxuan’s logic. He gave up and turned his head away, refusing to acknowledge her.

Bai Nianxuan took his small hand and sat beside him, her voice sweet and gentle. “Baby Dragon, listen to your boss. You’re the most obedient and handsome Rebellious Demon Dragon in all of the Holy Demon Continent.”

Abao dared not speak out, for this girl was a true rascal. He finally understood—hoping a little rascal would be reasonable was simply impossible.

“You…”

“Be good,” Bai Nianxuan soothed, patting his head to calm his ruffled temper. “Call me boss, or else I’ll punch you.”

Seeing her right hand clenched into a fist, Abao swallowed nervously, reluctantly and quietly murmuring, “Boss.”

His voice was so soft that unless one leaned in, it was impossible to hear.

Bai Nianxuan laughed, released him, and relaxed beside Abao. Mendi smiled helplessly; if it would come to this, why resist? He had quickly acquiesced because he’d used his prophetic abilities. He had seen his future self beaten by Bai Nianxuan and forced to call her boss, so he’d chosen to comply rather than suffer.

He wasn’t as tough and resilient as Abao; as a fragile Star Demon, he knew how to bend and adapt.

Bai Nianxuan lay on the grass, gazing up at the purple moon hanging overhead, sighing, “This Heart City is nowhere near as beautiful as the Sanctuary Alliance.”

Even though the Demon Emperor’s Palace in Heart City was grand and vast, covering more area than a city, to Bai Nianxuan, it did not compare to the Sanctuary Alliance. She preferred the golden sunlight world, not the dim realm illuminated by the purple moon, where darkness reigned and not a single ray of sunlight could be found.

To her, Heart City was a place rejected by light, a city saturated entirely with dark spiritual energy.

“Impossible,” Abao’s voice suddenly grew louder. “Heart City is the most prosperous city of the demon race. Its name comes from the Heart of the Demon God, hence ‘Heart City.’ The top five clans and the Demon Emperor’s Palace are all here—how could it be inferior to your human Sanctuary Alliance?”

Ever since he learned Bai Nianxuan was a pure human, Abao had felt uneasy. He disliked humans, and couldn’t stand that this annoying human had climbed atop him and lorded over him.

“That may be true for you demons, but our human cities are filled with light. The sun touches every inch of the continent, sustaining life. Your Heart City, in contrast, is shrouded in darkness, not a single ray of sunlight.” Bai Nianxuan’s tone was calm.

She much preferred the cities of the Sanctuary Alliance. If they had the means to leave Heart City, they would have done so long ago.

“That’s because you don’t know how to appreciate it,” Abao bit his lip. “There are beautiful places in Heart City, but would you dare go?”

“If you’re willing to lead the way, why wouldn’t I dare?” Bai Nianxuan replied, genuinely amused by Abao’s antics. This stubborn child would always submit with just a little pressure, making him so easy to tease. That was precisely why she kept picking on him.

For some reason, she always felt Mendi could anticipate her moves and deliberately avoided her. Compared to Abao, who was soft and never spoke his mind, Mendi, who dodged every issue, was much more difficult to deal with. That’s why Bai Nianxuan prioritized Abao—deal with him first, then handle Mendi. She wanted her little brothers to be completely convinced.

“Of course there are. There’s a garden by the Lunar Demon Palace—have you been?”

“No,” Bai Nianxuan replied casually. “We’ve only been here a day and stayed within the Demon Emperor’s Palace.”

“Then there you have it. The garden near the Lunar Demon Palace is the most beautiful in Heart City—it’s called Moon Pool. It’s not open to the public; it’s the retreat of the Moon Demon God, Agares.”

“With your abilities, you’d never get in.”

Bai Nianxuan stood up, pinching his chubby cheeks. “Whether I go or not doesn’t matter—what matters is your cheeks are soft.”

She could see at a glance Abao was baiting her. Please, she wasn’t a fool and wouldn’t fall for his trap. If he wanted to trick her, his scheming was far too immature.

“Aren’t you curious at all?” Abao glared at her. “Stop pinching my face—a prince’s dignity cannot be touched.”

Her response was relentless kneading.

“Baby Dragon.”

Abao’s mood sank once again. These three words were now his greatest fear. Damn Bai Nianxuan.