For a period of time afterwards, Ao Bai stayed in the Eighteenth Hall.
She waited for Jiang Lin to finish his work and return to the Dragon Palace with Xiao Long Bao.
At the same time, she observed Xiao Long Bao's daily life in the underworld.
Seeing that Xiao Long Bao handed over all the rewards from his missions to Jiang Lin, she couldn't help but ask in private, "Don't you keep any pocket money for yourself?"
Even a working person gets a salary, right?
What if she wanted to buy something for herself?
Qi Cai Dan gave her a sideways glance, "It's none of your business. I'm happy to give it all to my master."
Ao Bai: "..."
The next day, seeing Qi Cai Dan carrying a small backpack and flying out of the Eighteenth Hall with the Machine Balls, Ao Bai followed them all the way to the underworld's educational district.
She curiously asked, "Do you have missions here too?"
Machine Ball: "Yes, we have to attend classes and do homework every day."
"You can still go to school?!" Ao Bai's eyes widened in surprise.
Qi Cai Dan rolled its eyes, "What else would we do at school if not attend classes?"
Too lazy to pay attention to her, it said, "Machine Ball, let's go in, ignore her."
"Okay, senior!"
Then,
The dragon and the ball flew into the campus without looking back, not even bothering to give her a glance.
Ao Bai: "..."
Well, no matter what she said, Xiao Long Bao would retort.
It seemed it was still angry.
However, Ao Bai recalled what had happened since she met Xiao Long Bao and didn't feel she had done anything wrong.
She had always been on Xiao Long Bao's side...
Standing outside the campus, watching Xiao Long Bao diligently studying inside, Ao Bai sighed inwardly. It seemed getting along with Xiao Long Bao was also a skill.
In the Dragon Palace, among all the dragon princes, she was the youngest.
Her older brothers and sisters were either fierce, gentle, or always away.
There was never a time when she could be of help.
As for what the teachers taught, it was mostly courses to enrich herself.
For example, broadening her knowledge, the strengths and weaknesses of various races.
For example, how to react when encountering a strong individual while alone.
And then... some practical courses for training abilities.
She really had no experience in coaxing dragon babies.
Before leaving,
Grandpa Dragon King said that she and Long Bao were of similar age and should be able to communicate well.
She had also thought so at the time.
And was happy for quite a while.
"Alas..."
...
After a few days, Ao Bai figured out the daily routine of Qi Cai Dan and the others.
In the morning, they went to the ordinary teaching area to learn knowledge, and in the afternoon, they went to the combat area to study.
Then they would come back to do homework and tell Jiang Lin what they learned that day.
When they had time, they would go out to do missions.
The first thing they did after each mission was to place all the mission rewards on the desk in front of Jiang Lin.
Then they happily watched Jiang Lin put them away, as if presenting a treasure.
But when facing Ao Bai, they immediately put on a different face.
Ao Bai was amused and exasperated by this.
Since she discovered that anything she said would be retorted, she rarely spoke.
Even so, Qi Cai Dan would still complain that she was blocking the way.
In contrast, Jiang Lin,
He continued to be busy with his own affairs, only commenting on Qi Cai Dan's homework when he had time.
Qi Cai Dan would appear very happy.
Ao Bai could see that while Qi Cai Dan was genuinely happy, there was also an element of deliberate performance for her.
...
In these past few days,
Besides attending school and doing missions, Qi Cai Dan would run to Jiang Lin's side whenever it had free time.
Although it had always liked to be close to Jiang Lin, it had never been so constant.
Before Ao Bai could get impatient, Jiang Lin couldn't stand it anymore.
One day,
Seeing Qi Cai Dan following him even when he was going to submit documents, Jiang Lin stopped.
"Are you bored?"
He looked at Qi Cai Dan behind him with a cold face and said, "You've only been studying and improving for a few days, and you're already getting arrogant again?"
Qi Cai Dan froze, its front paws feeling awkward, "Master, I wasn't trying to be arrogant..."
It just wanted to annoy that little white dragon.
"Then let me ask you, have you made any progress recently?"
Jiang Lin asked, "Are the missions you're taking truly suitable for you, or are you doing them to show off to others?"
"Will your strength increase out of thin air just because others see it?"
"..."
Qi Cai Dan opened its mouth, but couldn't say anything.
It lowered its head, looking dejected.
It felt as if a basin of cold water had been poured over it, making it feel chilled.
Jiang Lin glanced at it,
Leaving behind a sentence, he left directly.
"If you still remember your direction of effort, go and complete mission number 135 in Area [Bing] of the Mission Center."
"...Yes, Master."
Qi Cai Dan agreed, looking at the ground.
After Jiang Lin was far away, it slumped its body and flew towards the mission center.
Unhappy, very sad.
Very strange.
Even when it was beaten and pinned to the ground by its master last time, it didn't feel this sad.
Why?
Qi Cai Dan glanced at the little white dragon not far away, who seemed to want to rush over but held back, looking worried.
Perhaps it was because its master was right.
It had indeed accepted missions carelessly.
Perhaps because...
Although it didn't say it out loud, it also had expectations for the dragons, for these 'own people'.
How proud it was when it first hatched, how arrogant it was, and how proud it was to be a dragon.
Perhaps because...
It could feel that the little white dragon's protection was not malicious.
But it disliked the little white dragon's view of its master.
It could also infer from the little white dragon's various reactions that the dragons were resistant to its current identity.
In the underworld and the Dragon Palace, it had to make a choice.
And upon arriving at the Dragon Palace,
There would inevitably be irreconcilable conflicts between the dragons and its master.
"Ahhh, so annoying!"
Qi Cai Dan raised its claws and held its head, feeling frustrated.
"I'm just a dragon baby—!"
...
...
"Senior, you're saying this mission was assigned to you by Master?"
Inside the Eighteenth Hall.
After reading the content of the mission Qi Cai Dan had accepted, Xu Nan couldn't help but confirm again.
"Yes."
Qi Cai Dan replied weakly, "He probably wants me to challenge a new difficulty."
"..."
Xu Nan looked at the mission order in his hand and thought that this was probably an increase of two difficulty levels.
Even though Qi Cai Dan had hatched, and even though his cultivation had achieved some minor success, with their current abilities, it would be very difficult for the three of them to complete this mission.
There might even be casualties.
"Why did Captain Jiang Lin suddenly assign you such a mission?"
Xu Nan was baffled.
Qi Cai Dan lay on the recliner, "...Perhaps because I angered Master. I've been slacking off recently."
Machine Ball leaned forward, scratching its head, and asked blankly, "Slacking off?"
Qi Cai Dan: "Yes, slacking off."
Just because of this?
Listening to their conversation, Xu Nan frowned.
In his impression, Captain Jiang was not someone who would act so impulsively.
Even if he was angry, he wouldn't assign such a difficult mission.
And...
Area Bing, number 135...
These clear numbers indicated that he had checked beforehand.
Rather than deciding on a whim.
"Senior, if only the three of us go..." with our current strength, it would be very dangerous.
Xu Nan's words were cut short when he suddenly saw a flash of white.
He turned his head and saw the little white dragon returning from outside the Eighteenth Hall.
Wait,
What if the little white dragon was added?!
...