The morning sun rose quietly, gilding the small home with a pale golden light. On the wooden table lay a folded letter, weighed down by something shimmering faintly under the beam of sunlight—a scale. Not an ordinary one, but a dragon scale forged from extraordinary material. Its luster seemed to pulse gently, as though whispering of the one who had left it behind.
"Brother, Uncle, Aunt, Wulin…"
The words on the letter were penned carefully, with strokes that carried both tenderness and distance:
"By the time you see this letter, I'll already be far away. These past three years with you have been the happiest time I can remember. Living together, being part of your lives—those were days I'll never forget.
But my family has found me…
They helped me recover my memories. Now I know who I truly am, and what I must return to…"
A heavy silence filled the room. Tang Ziran and his wife stared at the letter, anguish flickering in their eyes. Tang Wulin held his breath, his lips trembling.
"Na'er…" Tang Wulin whispered, barely audible.
"She's gone…"
The words fell like a leaden weight into the hearts of everyone present.
Tang Luochuan stood near the table, his gaze fixed tightly on the silver-white scale. He reached out and held it in his palm, the smooth surface cool against his skin. The sensation carried more than touch; it was a connection, faint but undeniable, something beyond the ordinary.
Although they hadn't been truly bound as siblings by blood, living together for three years had tied them all into a family. The absence she left behind carved painfully through the room.
"Yes…" Tang Ziran finally exhaled, her voice edged with resignation. "I was prepared to set out for Donghai City this morning. I didn't expect Na'er's family to come for her so soon."
Then, almost as if consoling herself, she added, "In a way, it's fortunate we didn't leave yesterday."
Tang Wulin looked up blankly.
Tang Ziran explained softly, "If she had gone with us, her family may never have found her again. At least this way, Na'er has returned to where she belongs, and she's regained her memories. That's the best thing for her, isn't it?"
Her husband nodded. "Compared to keeping her here with us, it's more important that she finds her family and knows who she truly is."
But then, both parents turned their eyes to Tang Luochuan. He had been the one to find Na'er all those years ago, the one who brought her into their home. He remained silent now, clutching the dragon scale as though afraid it, too, might vanish if he released it.
"Luochuan." Tang Ziran's voice trembled with gentle concern. "Don't be too sad. Na'er is with her family now. She'll be cared for, she'll be safe… And I believe, one day, you'll meet again."
Tang Luochuan finally lifted his face, his expression complicated but composed.
"I know, Dad."
His fingers tightened around the dragon scale. The faint resonant hum it gave off seemed to thread into his very soul, etching a bond that distance could not sever.
"I will definitely see her again."
A wistful smile curved his lips as he lowered his gaze. Quietly, he murmured to himself, "A few years from now… we'll both be stronger. You'll be even more extraordinary, Na'er. When we meet again, neither of us will be who we were."
In his mind's eye, he envisioned her future—a dignified Silver Dragon Girl, fierce and radiant, possibly his equal… perhaps even his rival. A part of him yearned for that meeting.
"I'll wait until then."
Shaking off the ache in his chest, he straightened. "Dad, Mom… it's time. Let's set out. Donghai City is waiting."
Tang Ziran sighed. "Yes… let's get ready."
Though Na'er's departure weighed heavily upon them, life moved forward. They had their own journey to undertake.
Meanwhile, miles away, Na'er turned back one last time. The home she had lived in for three fleeting years appeared small yet unbearably warm in her eyes. Tears threatened, and her voice caught in her throat.
"Why, Gu Yue? Why can't I stay with my brother?"
Her words carried raw sorrow. No matter how she tried to convince herself, the separation wrenched her heart. Could she truly bear to leave Tang Luochuan, who had been so protective, so patient, during every simple day they had shared?
Beside her, a girl of similar age walked in silence. Though her face wasn't breathtakingly beautiful, it carried an aura that set her apart—serene, self-possessed, with an undercurrent of pride.
That was Gu Yue.
She was Na'er's other half.
Nine years ago, when the Silver Dragon King awakened, she had split into two human forms. Na'er embodied one-third, Gu Yue the other two-thirds. In essence, Gu Yue was the elder sister, the majority of their shared existence.
Three years ago, they had parted ways. One half—Na'er—yearned to understand human emotions, lingering among mortals to learn. The other—Gu Yue—wandered the continent, searching for a future path for soul beasts.
Now, standing face-to-face once more, their paths collided.
"Stay with him?" Gu Yue said coolly, her voice steady like an elder advising a younger sibling. "Do you really think you can always remain by his side? Without a martial soul awakened? What then—just play the role of a sweet little sister at his side forever? Na'er… is that really what you want?"
Na'er bit her lip, unable to answer.
Gu Yue pressed on. "The Silver Dragon Spear is your martial spirit. It's no less divine than his Golden Dragon Spear. If you go to Shrek Academy, the greatest human institution, you will grow incomparably stronger. Far stronger than you ever could staying quietly by his side. Think, Na'er."
Na'er's heart trembled. She looked down at her clenched fists. Deep inside, she knew Gu Yue was right. Tang Luochuan was talented, extraordinary even—but she herself had wasted years. Her potential remained dormant. Only at a place like Shrek Academy could she hope to catch up, to one day stand beside him as an equal.
Slowly, she drew in a deep breath. "I understand, Gu Yue."
Determination eased across her features, though sorrow lingered beneath. "Next time I see him, I'll make sure he won't even recognize how much I've changed."
Gu Yue gave her a sidelong glance. "Then it's settled. Detian will escort you away. With his concealment, not even the Sea God Pavilion Master will sense your trail."
At the mention of his name, the tall figure of Di Tian stepped forward. His golden eyes, fierce and regal, scanned the distant direction of Tang Luochuan's home.
"Yes, my Lord," he replied gravely.
Even he, the Beast God, could sense lingering traces in Na'er's heart—an inexplicable attachment to that human boy.
Gu Yue, however, regarded it all coldly. Her voice was tinged with disdain. "Na'er… how ridiculous. To think the Silver Dragon King could be shaken by one insignificant human. What does he have that's worth your obsession?"
Yet despite her sharp words, something inside her faltered. For nine long years, her travels had taught her one undeniable truth: humans were advancing. Soul beasts, bound by nature, were falling behind. They could not wield technology, nor engineer machines of war. Mechas and battle armor—these were the powers ruling the world now.
If the soul beast race were to seize back the initiative, they would need a vessel among humans, a force to leverage.
That was why she had resolved to align with the Spirit Pagoda—an organization founded ten millennia earlier by Huo Yuhao to aid soul beasts. Though its purpose had withered and corruption seeped through it now, it remained the most viable foothold.
Yet the plan she had once envisioned—merging back with Na'er and joining the Spirit Pagoda together—had been shattered. Na'er's refusal to let go of her mortal affections baffled her.
"Foolish," Gu Yue muttered inwardly, though a flicker of unease lingered. Could one human boy truly hold such influence over us?
She would find out for herself.
"Let's go, Bear-kun," she called to the black-clad figure nearby, her eyes narrowing with icy resolve. "He's heading to Donghai City. We'll go, too."
Without a trace of emotion, her steps fell forward, purposeful and unyielding.
She would uncover who Tang Luochuan was, and whether this boy was truly worthy of leaving such a mark on the Silver Dragon King.
"…Yes, my Lord."
The shadowed figure trailed behind her.
And so, as two paths diverged back in their simple home, destiny quietly guided all of them—toward Donghai City, and toward an inevitable reunion.
--
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