Evil dragon has a warm heart
Chapter 358 - 358 357 A Short Parting is Better Than a New

Chapter 358: Chapter 357: A Short Parting is Better Than a New Marriage Chapter 358: Chapter 357: A Short Parting is Better Than a New Marriage After eating the double-yolked Little Dream Dragon fell into sleep as expected, only able to communicate briefly through the M-shaped mark on the palm of Lord Russell’s left hand.

The following day, Lord Russell, along with Ross the Black Oil Dragon and Unicorn Polly, wandered deep into the Snowfield, then hunted two Snow Demons, obtaining two Ice Essence Pearls, which added to the one already hunted made a total of three.

He had accumulated more than three hundred Ice Pellets as well.

“Being a Flying Dragon Knight really does make money fast,” Lord Russell remarked and then decided to return to his territory.

The supplies he had taken with him were running low.

They sped back and soon arrived at the Greentown Snow Forest; as they passed through the blurry boundary, the protection of the Shadowflame Dragon descended again, and Ross’s weakened power was restored to its original state.

“Roar!”

Ross let out a dragon chant, feeling exhilarated.

It wasn’t just him; Lord Russell felt the same way.

Returning to the protection of the Shadowflame Dragon, and being enveloped again by that warmth, allowed Lord Rusell’s tensed spirits from the past two days to relax once more.

Polly alone was unaffected, for although Phantasm Beasts are also born from the power of the Shadowflame Dragon, unlike two-legged flying dragons that always rely on the power of the Shadowflame Dragon, a grown Phantasm Beast becomes an individual entity.

It would no longer be affected by the power of the Shadowflame Dragon.

“Quack!” Sensing Lord Russell’s arrival, Harpy Dragon Hape from the Greentown Garden Cold Spring Point soared into the sky, flying toward Lord Russell.

“Hape, my good companion,” Lord Russell laughed heartily.

As the saying goes, ‘a short absence quickens love’; although a Phantasm Beast contract isn’t marriage, some principles still apply. Separated from Hape for two days, their affection had deepened, benefiting their spiritual cultivation.

“Quack, quack,” Hape chirped twice and then calmed down, silently following behind Ross in flight.

This scene prompted Lord Russell to reflect on how to interact with phantom beasts: “Every phantom beast has a different personality, like Polly and me, we’re naturally compatible and it didn’t take long to achieve perfect mind-sync.”

But Polly and Hape were different.

“Although Hape is also highly intelligent, it possesses more ‘beast nature,’ so I can’t have it glued to my side all day. It needs proper free-roaming… a balance of relaxation and tension may better suit the cultivation model for Hape and me.”

Each phantom beast has its unique personality.

Thus, every knight in mind-sync training cannot simply copy the experience of others; they must figure it out for themselves.

Even some Phantom Beast Knights, if not compatible, can never achieve perfect mind-sync in their lifetimes.

For example, Lord Russell’s uncle, Uncle Rosen and the Golden Lynx Cob always had a slight separation and could never achieve perfect mind-sync. Naturally, Uncle Rosen remained a first-level Phantom Beast Knight, unable to progress to the second level.

“Quack!”

“Quack!”

“Quack!”

In the woods of the Greentown Garden Cold Spring Point, the Owl-Like Dragons, seeing Hape fly away, called out unwillingly from below.

Some of the Owl-Like Dragons even flew up, trying to follow Hape.

Hape turned his head and “quacked” at the chasing Owl-Like Dragons, stopping them in their tracks.

Feeling Hape’s reluctance, Lord Russell comforted him through their mental link: “Hape, don’t be sad. We’ll come back in a few days. I’ll bring some roasted mouse meat for your little brothers to feast on.”

“Thank you, Lord Russell,” Hape responded in his mind.

“We are companions, partners who accompany each other for life through thick and thin; no need to be so formal,” Lord Russell said with a smile.

Hape did not speak, but his gratitude was even greater.

This prompted Russell to have another insight, “Perhaps, achieving perfect mind synchronization with Hape still requires the help of the Owl-Like Dragons… I should build a cabin here so I can come to Greentown Garden for vacations.”

While vacationing and training, the progress on mental synchronization with Hape would surely be rapid.

He returned to the Wuyao Snake Manor.

Russell stayed at the Cigar Courtyard for two nights before flying south to the Snowfield to start a new round of Snow Demon hunting.

Three days of killing on the Snowfield, then two days of rest back at home, and so the cycle repeated.

By December, the year 5582 of the Dragon Calendar was drawing to a close; Wuyao Snake Manor was already enveloped in the ambiance of the Dragon Birth Festival, and a new ice age officially began as a heavy, quiet snowfall arrived.

“Lord Russell, Sir and Madam invite you to Fluorescent Castle to spend this year’s Dragon Birth Festival with them,” a Messenger Knight rushed to the Cigar Courtyard with the invitation from Baron Romand and his wife, a fixed program each year.

The Dragon Birth Festival in the Shadowflame Duchy was akin to the Spring Festival back on Earth, where Russell was originally from.

Reunion with family was the unchanging theme.

“Alright, you go back and tell my parents that I will head to Fluorescent Castle on the day of the Dragon Birth Festival,” Russell responded.

Then he stretched lazily and stepped onto the garden terrace of the Cigar Courtyard.

Feathers of heavy snow fluttered down.

Perched on its designated climbing frame, Hape remained motionless, allowing the snow to settle on its pristine white feathers—because, with a constant supply of roasted rats provided by Jerry, Hape rarely hunted on its own anymore and spent most of the day daydreaming.

Just simply daydreaming, letting his mind go blank, without any other thoughts.

Not far away was a vast expanse of bamboo forest that had spread from the left, right, and rear, completely surrounding the Cigar Courtyard, leaving only a lawn in the front. Polly was very fond of the bamboo forest and slept daily in different spots within it.

As for Rossay,

he was not in Wuyao Snake Manor but was patrolling his own territory, Blackflame Plains, and would only come when Russell called—being a Bipedal Flying Dragon, he preferred to stay on his own land rather than on Ros the Clay Dragon’s.

Squeaking noises.

Amid the heavy snowfall, several riders slowly approached the Cigar Courtyard; they were Charles and other officials from the manor, coming to report before the festival.

Back in the warm living room, Russell took a seat on the sofa first, then gestured, “Everyone, please sit. No need to be formal.”

“Yes, Sir,” the officials finally sat down.

Since Russell’s promotion to Flying Dragon Knight, his authority had become more imposing, and the manor officials grew increasingly nervous and restrained in his presence.

Looking around at his followers and officials, Russell felt a hint of satisfaction.

Chancellor of Records Charles, Chief of Public Security Eric, and Chancellor Hans formed the three main officials of the territory; Grove and Katie were the two Phantom Beast Knights—Grove was the Guard Knight Commander of the Cigar Courtyard, and Katie was the Territory Patrol Knight Captain.

Catherine, Rudi with the red nose, Ranger Hauls, attendant Knight Tom, Jack, and James, and an unfilled role for follower Grontan Bainroot were also there.

There were actually a few more designated followers, but Russell had not yet accepted them.

For example, Baron Marcus’s son Mask, Lord Sally’s grandson Samel, and Lord Uterras’s nephew Eddock—all inevitable obligations. Regardless, they were trusted choices, as acquaintances were always more reassuring to employ.

Of course, there was also Uncle Rosen’s eldest son, Royer.

Royer was currently abroad, serving as a knight attendant to a lord of the duchy. Once he graduated from his knight attendant duties, he was definitely expected to follow Russell—but it wasn’t guaranteed as following his brother Roland was also a possibility.

“Under the watch of the mighty dragon, this year’s development of our territory has indeed been day and night,” began Charles, the Chancellor of Records, who readily started the status report.