Beast Taming: the More the Better Chapter 909 - 384: Candle Dragon! A Time Series Dragon Species? (Part 2)

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Previously on Beast Taming: the More the Better...
The Qintian Monitor faces severe personnel shortages and dangerous secret realms, with increasing casualties. Director Huang Tianbing considers approaching the Mechanics Association for help, but Deputy Director Lin suggests recalling an unofficial member from Yanxun Island, a powerful beastmaster named Su Ping, though Huang Tianbing believes Su Ping is beyond his command.
Vehicles and figures passed by in a continuous stream. Yet, this particular block was so silent, one could hear a pin drop. It felt like a passage leading to the unknown. However, Su Ping knew that just before setting foot on this path, he had clearly observed figures of people walking on it from his original vantage point. It appeared to be the most ordinary street. But once stepped upon, everything transforms. Even more peculiar was that besides him and Zhu Hong, the passing pedestrians who noticed their strangeness did not seem inclined to enter this street. This street seemed to exist in a space between reality and illusion. Between being and non-being. “Is this Dragon City?” Su Ping whispered to himself. Zhu Hong offered a slight smile. “Not yet, proceed further in, and you will know.” At the road's end stood a railing, exuding an air of ceremony. It seemed to mark the boundary that definitively separated reality from illusion, while also perfectly merging the Imperial Capital and Dragon City. Su Ping nodded and, without further words, kept close behind Zhu Hong. With each step he took, the phantom images behind him gradually dissolved into the mist. Strangely, though, when he carefully glanced back, they were still clearly visible. Finally, they reached the dividing railing. The Dragon Emblem on his chest pulsed with a faint dragon's chant, and the railing slowly ascended. The two stepped through. “Su Ping, welcome to Dragon City!” Zhu Hong announced with a smile, but Su Ping’s gaze had already swept past him, taking in the vast world beyond. This was indeed a city. However, it was not a city in the conventional understanding of the term. This was because everything within it defied the realities and rules of the real world! It was highly abstract. For instance, a colossal pavilion floated in the sky not far ahead. And Su Ping distinctly recalled the street behind him when he arrived, but upon instinctively turning back, that street was gone, replaced by an enormous river. The water flowed right before him, just a short distance away. Yet, the river's currents seemed to emerge from the ground beneath his feet as if from nowhere. Without any riverbanks, it flowed nowhere else, rushing solely in one direction. It seemed confined, unable to reach any place other than its own course. How strange! Su Ping, let alone having been here, had never even conceived of such a bizarre locale in his dreams. “Is this a Secret Realm?” Su Ping stepped onto the ground, belatedly asking in surprise. Zhu Hong’s smile widened slightly, and just as he was about to speak, a voice answered Su Ping’s ear even faster: “No, this is an entirely new world!” Initially, the voice sounded somewhat aged, but after the first word, the subsequent words were spoken with a blend of male and female, young and old tones. It was difficult to fathom such a voice originating from a living being. Nor did it seem to be synthesized by AI or machinery. Yet, that was precisely the case. Su Ping turned his head in confusion, and the sight made his skin crawl. What kind of creature was this? It possessed a dark red mane, one black and one white deer-like horn, corresponding black and white eyes that were completely different, and a face bearing resemblance to many of the Dragon Clan, yet distinctly unique upon closer examination. A small Fire Sprout flickered on its head, between the dragon horns. Still, the face held a semblance of humanity. The body was equally peculiar; Su Ping clearly observed that beneath this head was a human torso clad in traditional attire, complete with limbs. But extending beyond this human form, he again saw an odd, Divine Dragon-like body, also attached to the head that was half human, half dragon. What in the world was this? If not for Su Ping’s considerable capacity for acceptance, and the recent strengthening of his endurance by the Celestial Tomb Mark, he felt his sanity might have plummeted at that very instant. A head that was neither human nor dragon. Yet seemingly possessing both a human and a dragon-like body. Was this a Dragon Clan from Dragon City? What kind of Dragon Clan looked like this? Su Ping pursed his lips and glanced at Zhu Hong beside him. However, Zhu Hong’s smile remained unchanged; upon hearing Su Ping’s question, he nodded. “This is indeed a very unique Secret Realm; at least, I have never encountered any Secret Realm comparable to Dragon City.” Su Ping blinked, looking strangely at Zhu Hong, then again strangely at the peculiar Old Dragon nearby. Master Zhu, though not young, surely he shouldn't miss something so obvious, right? Moreover, if he hadn't heard it, why would he wait until the Old Dragon finished speaking before responding? Shouldn't he have spoken immediately? Therefore, Su Ping tentatively looked at Zhu Hong. “Master Zhu, can you not see or hear anything?”

Zhu Hong regarded him with a look of puzzlement:

"What nonsense are you spouting, child? Very well, with the Dragon Emblem in your possession, you gain unrestricted access to Dragon City. You may take your time to peruse its structure and design later, but shouldn't we convene with the Holy Dragon first?"

"However..."