Ye Tiancheng did not know how long he had been asleep. He regained consciousness in a state of chaos and then realized he was trapped in a dream. The events that transpired before he fell unconscious replayed themselves endlessly in his dream.
Even now, Ye Tiancheng couldn't understand why this had happened.
What puzzled Ye Tiancheng the most was that although the Fatty's state had been abnormal before, Ye Tiancheng had privately confirmed through various means that the Fatty was the real Fatty, not impersonated by anything.
Yet, the Fatty had stabbed him.
The Fatty had said he owed him, so he was collecting some interest first.
Ye Tiancheng couldn't understand. Although he always felt guilty towards the Fatty and didn't want the Fatty to get involved in trouble for him, he admitted that he did owe the Fatty. However, they were also good brothers. Did their mutual debts warrant the Fatty stabbing him?
He couldn't figure it out, and thus couldn't break free from the dream.
Ye Tiancheng knew he was dreaming but couldn't wake up.
However, Ye Tiancheng was determined. He desperately wished to recover because he remembered that the little fox, Nie Chongyang, and Liang Ping had fallen into the lake with him. Ye Tiancheng worried they might be in danger.
The more anxious he became, the less he could wake up.
Finally, Ye Tiancheng managed to calm himself down and forced his eyes open. After finally breaking free from the dream, he found himself lying in a luxurious room. The room was adorned with inlaid jewels and precious stones, a spectacle of opulence.
The room was a bit cold. He was covered with a soft, smooth silk quilt, and beneath him was a hard bed that felt like stone.
Before he could take in more, Ye Tiancheng heard someone nearby speak, "You're awake?"
The maiden's voice was clear and melodious, so pleasant that it instantly soothed the soul.
Ye Tiancheng turned his head and saw an unfamiliar maiden in a red dress, more beautiful than any flower. The scales on her face indicated she was not human. Her presence here made him wonder if she had saved him.
Since he had woken up safely and she was by his side, Ye Tiancheng made a silent deduction.
Ye Tiancheng tried to sit up, but to his surprise, a sharp pain shot through his chest as he moved.
Seeing his action, the maiden quickly stopped him, "Hey, hey! Don't move around! Your wound hasn't healed yet. It needs a little more time. If you move and tear the wound, it will take even longer to recover!"
Ye Tiancheng settled down.
He lay flat on the bed and also noticed that he was lying on a jade bed, which surprised him.
However, he still needed to focus his attention on the maiden who had seemingly saved him. Ye Tiancheng looked at the maiden and asked, "Did you save me?"
"Yes, do you see anyone else here? Of course, I saved you!" the maiden said proudly, hands on her hips. "If I hadn't found you in time, you would have been dead long ago. You were stabbed by your companion, and he seemed to have other accomplices hiding in the dark, also intending to harm you. If it weren't for me, your other companions would likely have met the same fate!"
Hearing the maiden mention the little fox and the others, Ye Tiancheng's spirits lifted, and he quickly asked, "Then, where are my other companions? Where are they now?"
The maiden tilted her head and thought for a moment.
"Wait a moment, let me find them. You were too badly injured, your heart was pierced. The situation was critical, so I just ensured they wouldn't drown or be harmed by external forces after they fell. I temporarily didn't pay attention to them, but they are definitely still in the water."
Then, Ye Tiancheng watched as the maiden sat still for a while before saying, "Your companions are approaching my palace and will arrive soon. I'll let them know to come directly to you. Don't worry."
After confirming that the little fox and the others were safe, Ye Tiancheng felt a little more at ease.
He then thanked the maiden, "Thank you for saving me. If there's an opportunity in the future, I will definitely repay you."
"My surname is Ye, and my given name is Ye Tiancheng. What should I call my benefactor?"
The maiden waved her hand and replied, "No need for thanks, it was just a small effort. Since you've arrived on my territory, you're all under my care. I'm Long Miaomiao, you can call me whatever you like."
"...Miaomiao?" Ye Tiancheng paused strangely.
He remembered the little girl he had saved in the village earlier and suddenly thought how coincidental this was.
Why did the maiden before him also have the name Miaomiao?
And her surname was Long. Could it be...
Long Miaomiao, however, thought Ye Tiancheng was addressing her and said, "You can call me Miaomiao if you wish."
Ye Tiancheng felt it was a bit disrespectful to call his benefactor by such a name, but since Long Miaomiao had said so herself, he didn't feel he could say anything more. Therefore, he didn't press the matter, implicitly accepting the name.
However, he still couldn't help but ask about something that was of great concern to him.
"Your name is Long Miaomiao, and you live in this place... You said this is your territory and you are in charge. Could it be that you are the legendary Dragon God of this place?"
When Long Miaomiao heard Ye Tiancheng say this, she smiled, "So you know about me? That makes things easier, I don't have to explain so much to you."
Ye Tiancheng was momentarily silenced.
Long Miaomiao had undoubtedly confirmed his guess.
So, there really was a Dragon God here? There really were dragons?... No, no, Long Miaomiao hadn't said she was a dragon yet, and he hadn't asked. He couldn't be completely sure for now. However, the existence of a Dragon God was undeniable.
And the Dragon God turned out to be such a young maiden.
Ye Tiancheng didn't have any objections to a female Dragon God. It was just that he thought of the big black snake outside who had impersonated the Dragon God, the statue the big black snake had made for him, that half-human, half-snake, muscular male physique.
The genders were different, so how could that guy impersonate the Dragon God?
Even so, some villagers believed him?
However, considering that the village records didn't seem to mention whether the Dragon God was male or female, Ye Tiancheng thought, perhaps even the people in this village didn't know if the Dragon God was male or female?
These events, one after another, almost shattered Ye Tiancheng's worldview.
Ye Tiancheng tentatively asked Long Miaomiao. He wasn't in a hurry to confirm if Long Miaomiao was a dragon, but rather about something else. He asked Long Miaomiao, "I didn't expect you to be the Dragon God. Do you know that there's a big black snake in the village outside impersonating you and deceiving and harming people?"
Long Miaomiao's eyes widened, and she looked at Ye Tiancheng with disbelief, "What are you saying? What is going on?"
It seemed she knew nothing. Then, who was the Dragon God who helped Nie Chongyang and the others evacuate the villagers and issued divine decrees to them?
Seeing Long Miaomiao ask, Ye Tiancheng decided to tell her everything that had happened outside. Speaking of which, seeing the situation develop in an unpredictable direction, Ye Tiancheng couldn't help but become curious about how all of this had come to be.
What was the so-called Dragon God? And how many Dragon Gods were there in this village?