Even War Is Not As Hard As Tonight

Evan Xiao remembered that once, when he went to find Grace, she was indeed telling Ray a rather scandalous story.

So he nodded and said, "Let Father tell you about the great war between House Drake and the Qilin Clan from ten thousand years ago!"

"What's the Qilin Clan?"

"They're just like the Drake Clan, also part of the Divine Race," Evan explained. "The Qilin Clan are masters of fire, fierce and brave in battle."

"What do they look like?"

"Tomorrow, Father will draw you a picture."

"Okay!" Ray said. "Then hurry up, Father! How did the battle go between House Drake and the Qilin Clan ten thousand years ago?"

"The Qilin Clan refused to bow to House Drake and started a war. The Qilin God Emperor, Sang Mo, fought your grandfather for three whole months—the heavens changed color, the sun and moon reversed," Evan said. "In the end, your grandfather won and slew Sang Mo."

"Oh? What happened after that?"

"Later, Sang Mo's son, Sang Yuan, became God Emperor. For the past ten thousand years, he's kept a low profile and stayed out of the spotlight."

"Oh... and then?"

"That's all there is," Evan said.

"Huh? Father, your story is way too short! Tell me a longer one!"

Evan had no choice but to tell him another story.

He told the tale of the ancient Drake Clan battling Fiends and protecting the Spirit Trees: "In ancient times, Fiends invaded. They devoured the First Spirit Tree, trying to wipe out all life in our world and take over the Ten Wilds Continent."

"And then?" The little guy's eyes sparkled.

"Then, the Elder Spirit Tree—the very first Spirit Tree in existence—gathered the Drake Clan, Phoenix Clan, and Qilin Clan to fight the Fiends. In the end, the Three Great Houses gained the status of Divine Race, and our Drake Clan became the leader of them all thanks to our glorious victories."

"Mother told me that on the Ten Wilds Continent, four wilds belong to humans, three to beasts, two to Nightspawn, and one to immortals," Ray said. "So the Nightspawn are Fiends?"

"They're living beings corrupted by Fiends," Evan explained. "When Fiends invade, their evil can infect all kinds of creatures, turning them into Nightspawn."

"Are they really evil?"

"It's just... the way they cultivate is different, that's all. Among humans, there are good people and bad people. Among the Nightspawn, there are good and bad, too. The Elder Spirit Tree treats all beings equally. Now that the Fiends are gone, it used its power to drive the corrupted ones to the Blighted Wilds, but didn't wipe them out completely..."

That story was definitely not short.

After finishing, Evan glanced at little Ray. He showed no sign of sleepiness—if anything, his eyes were even brighter, full of endless imagination...

"Go to sleep!" Evan reached out and patted his head.

Ray rolled his eyes at Evan and said, "I want Mother."

"Then Father will take you to your Mother?"

"I want Father, too."

Evan said, "...Be good and go to sleep."

Ray looked at him with pleading eyes: "Father, call Mother here. Let's all sleep together..."

"Close your eyes and sleep!" This time, Evan sounded a bit stern.

Ray's eyes instantly filled with tears, and he started crying: "Wah! Wah! I don't want to! I don't want to! I want Mother! I want Father, too! Other kids have both parents—why do I only get one? I don't want this, I want Mother and Father..."

The little dragon started rolling around on the bed, crying and making a scene.

Evan felt that even fighting a war wasn't as hard as tonight.

He stared at Ray, who was rolling and throwing a tantrum, for a long moment, his expression growing more and more defeated. "Wait here," he said.

Then, he vanished in an instant.

When he reappeared, he was tugging Grace by the arm.