Under the gaze of everyone present, the monster egg slowly cracked open. As the shell fell away piece by piece, a silver-white creature emerged.
She opened her eyes slowly. Then, under their watch, she opened her mouth and began to eat the surrounding eggshells, one fragment at a time. With every piece she consumed, her body grew larger. When the last shard was gone, she spread the wings on her back.
"Roar!"
After a single thunderous cry, she launched herself from the cave entrance and shot into the sky, transforming into a crimson streak of light that tore across the heavens.
"What kind of monster is this? She's so fast—and her aura feels even stronger than mine. Her speed is several times greater. Could she be an Eighth-Tier Magical Beast?" Xiao Yi Xian's voice was laced with astonishment as she watched the creature race through the air, sonic booms exploding in her wake.
"Yes." Xiao Tian felt the unmistakable aura of an Eighth-Tier beast radiating from her. He hadn't expected the monster egg to deliver such an enormous surprise. It certainly hadn't been a waste of effort to place it in the Heavenly Beast Mountain, where the energy was densest.
The mysterious creature seemed to have had her fill of flight. She swooped back toward Xiao Tian at blinding speed and halted directly in front of him, the wind of her arrival whipping his hair and robes.
Xiao Tian studied her carefully as she, in turn, studied him and the women with open curiosity. She stood as tall as a person, her massive body covered entirely in streamlined, silver-white scales. Her limbs were powerful, her claws sharp. Her head resembled an eagle's beak but wasn't quite identical, and her sharp blue eyes gleamed with intelligence. Five dragon horns curved backward from the edges of her head.
But the most peculiar feature of all was her wings. They weren't feathered or membranous like those of ordinary magical beasts. Instead, a thick arm connected to three hollow wing bones—the whole structure looking like a fusion of cannon and sword, the edges distinct and wickedly sharp.
Xiao Jian recognized the creature before him in an instant.
"Heavenly Thunder Dragon!"
His mouth slowly curved upward, very nearly reaching the degree of a crooked-mouthed Dragon King. If one were to ask what constituted a man's ultimate romance, beyond heavy weapons, the answer was, of course, mechs and dragons. And the Heavenly Thunder Dragon before him combined all three of those elements. She possessed the graceful lines and texture of a mech, the powerful and majestic form of a dragon, and wings that resembled twin laser cannons. How could such a handsome mount not make his heart race?
"What? A Heavenly Thunder Dragon? Little Brother Xiao Tian, are you saying this creature is a dragon?" Ya Fei asked, her voice full of wonder. Dragons were exceedingly rare on the Dou Qi Continent, and when Xiao Tian told stories, he occasionally educated them about the continent's magical beasts and major powers. The Void Ancient Dragon was always the representative dragon force he spoke of.
"That's right."
Xiao Tian stepped toward the Heavenly Thunder Dragon and reached out to stroke her head. The touch was cold at first, followed by the feel of scales as hard as steel. The dragon sensed the deep bond between them and affectionately rubbed her head against his hand.
"Little one, eat this." He produced a medicinal pill specially prepared for demonic beasts—one he had prepared well in advance. The Heavenly Thunder Dragon didn't hesitate. She opened her mouth and took the pill directly from his palm.
"Chirp!"
Feeling the powerful energy contained within, she let out a joyful cry and leaped with excitement. Her body rapidly shrank, and the wings on her back spewed crimson dragon energy as she circled Xiao Tian at breakneck speed, letting out soft, happy chirps.
At that moment, a stream of information surfaced in Xiao Tian's mind.
*Pet: Heavenly Thunder Dragon.*
*Gender: Female.*
*Realm: Early Eighth-Tier Magical Beast. Current combat power comparable to a Three-Star Dou Zun.*
*Skills: Dragon Roar, Double Bite, Dragon Energy Spray, Dragon Energy Air Burst, Comet, Gun Wing.*
The information was clear and concise. Xiao Tian couldn't help but laugh when he saw the skill column.
*Comet… no. Cute Star Flying Crash. Definitely.*
"Little one, pull back your dragon energy. You're about to set my home on fire." Xiao Tian's voice was helpless as he watched the burning dragon energy drifting down from the Heavenly Thunder Dragon's rapid circuits.
"Master, I didn't mean to." The dragon halted and spoke in a wounded tone. Her voice was clear and bright, carrying a trace of childishness.
Xiao Tian stroked her head and smiled. "I wasn't scolding you. But you need to be careful. This is our home. It cannot be damaged."
"I understand, Master. I'll protect our home well from now on." The dragon nodded heavily. The women all watched with deep curiosity, but none interrupted. They let the two bond first.
"Do you have a name?" Xiao Tian asked. He couldn't just keep calling her Heavenly Thunder Dragon—that was her species, not a personal name.
The dragon shook her head. "Please, Master, bestow one upon me."
Xiao Tian glanced at the women and motioned for them to come closer. He was terrible at naming things. He wouldn't even try. He briefly introduced them to the dragon, and they immediately began racking their brains for names. Suggestions like "Xiao Long" and "Xiao Long Hong" were tossed out. One particularly absurd suggestion was "Xiao Long Xia"—which Xiao Tian heard and immediately thought of crayfish paired with beer.
"How about Xiao Huiying? 'Hui' comes from the Heavenly Thunder Dragon's character for radiance, and 'Ying' describes her speed—so fast others can't even glimpse her shadow." Yun Yun, one of the more cultured among them, offered softly.
Everyone considered it and unanimously agreed. Mainly because none of them could think of anything better. The dragon herself let out several excited chirps at the name. To her, any name was fine.
Once the women had grown familiar with the Heavenly Thunder Dragon and learned she was female, they began touching her here and patting her there. The dragon shot Xiao Tian a pitiful look, as if asking, *Master, why are they acting like ruffians?*
But after the women paid the price of their red lips to procure the same medicinal pills Xiao Tian had fed her earlier, the atmosphere shifted entirely. Under the allure of their treats, the dragon transformed from wronged to eagerly cooperative—acting more like a pet cat than an actual pet cat.
Xiao Tian didn't interrupt their fun. He walked out of the Eternal Dream Palace to deal with the aftermath of the dragon's birth. When he returned, the women were gone. He extended his senses and found them all experiencing the Heavenly Thunder Dragon's high-speed flight, clearly having the time of their lives.
After circling the entire Heaven Punishing Divine Realm several times, the dragon returned to the Eternal Dream Palace with a piercing sonic boom and stopped before Xiao Tian. The women, all smiles, hopped off her back. Ya Fei came to Xiao Tian's side and spoke in a mysterious tone.
"Little Brother Xiao Tian, I have a surprise for you. I think you'll really like it."
"Oh? What surprise? Are you pregnant again?" He wrapped his arm around her waist, settled her onto his lap, and laughed, stroking her black stockings.
"Go away! You wish!" Ya Fei rolled her beautiful eyes at him. The others burst into laughter at his words. During the commotion, more than one of them touched her own belly, a wolfish glint flickering in her eyes.
"Hui Ying, come here."