Chapter 2

Oscar turned his sharp gaze to Ramiro, who stood thin and frail, his eyes filled with scorn. "Ramiro, don’t think that marrying a five-tailed spirit fox will win Father’s favor and make you the heir to the Dragon Clan," Oscar sneered. "The day she gives birth to your lowly dragon offspring will be the day you meet your end." With those words, Oscar wrapped his arm around Katrina and strode arrogantly away. I glanced cautiously at Ramiro, who stood before me, his expression cold and unreadable. I said tentatively, "Prince Ramiro, though I am a five-tailed spirit fox, if I fail to bear you a noble dragon heir, Prince Oscar will undoubtedly become the Dragon Clan’s successor, and you will be cast out of the palace. If you were to annul the engagement with the Dragon King now, perhaps there’s still a chance to turn things around." In my previous life, I knew little about Ramiro’s nature. This time, I wouldn’t rush into bearing his child without first understanding the man he truly was. I had expected Ramiro to treat me with disdain after Oscar’s provocation. To my surprise, he laughed softly at my words. "My health has always been frail. If you fail to bear a noble dragon heir in a month’s time, it would hardly be your fault," he said. "Besides, for an unremarkable prince like me to win the favor of a five-tailed fox, I’m already overreaching." As he finished speaking, his pale lips curved into a faint smile, and he extended his slender hand toward me, as if to take mine. In that moment, he bore an uncanny resemblance to a seductive, alluring fox. Blushing slightly, I averted my gaze and placed my hand in his cool hand. That day marked the beginning of our journey to conceive a dragon heir. The spirit fox clan was unlike any other. With the nourishment of rare celestial herbs and abundant spiritual energy, we could bear children in just one month. As Ramiro prepared to take me to the Harmony Valley for cultivation, Oscar and Katrina intercepted us. "The Harmony Valley is rich in spiritual energy and has nurtured countless spirit beasts since ancient times. It’s Father’s most cherished sanctuary," Oscar declared. "Ramiro, your mother was nothing but a lowly spirit snake. How dare someone of your wretched bloodline set foot in such a sacred place?" Ramiro, usually indifferent to conflict, tensed the moment Oscar insulted his mother. Without hesitation, he transformed into his true form—a white dragon—and squared off against Oscar. Oscar, unafraid, also revealed his true form, and the two clashed in a fierce battle. They fought for hundreds of rounds, neither gaining the upper hand. Meanwhile, Katrina suddenly gathered spiritual energy in her palm and lunged toward me. "Nevaeh," she snarled, "you won’t have the Harmony Valley today. Prince Oscar said that if we cultivated here, I’d surely bear him a noble golden dragon and become the esteemed empress of the palace. You, with your five tails and innate talent, have always overshadowed me. Today, I’ll settle the score!" Her eyes turned a menacing crimson as she lashed out with her three massive tails, aiming them directly at me. But I wasn’t foolish. In an instant, I concentrated the power of my five tails into a single force and struck Katrina’s abdomen with all my might. Overwhelmed, Katrina crumpled to the ground, coughing up blood. At the same time, Oscar, who had been so arrogant moments before, was knocked down by Ramiro’s dragon tail. Just as victory seemed within grasp, the Dragon King appeared unexpectedly. With his scepter, he conjured a radiant orb of white light and struck Ramiro from behind while he was off guard. Ramiro collapsed, his already pale face now ghostly, as if he were a lifeless rag doll. "Father!" Oscar cried, disregarding his own injuries. Crawling to the Dragon King’s feet, he pleaded, "Father, Ramiro comes from lowly origins and now dares to harm me to claim the Harmony Valley for himself. I beg you to deliver justice!" At Oscar’s words, the Dragon King’s expression darkened with disgust as he looked at Ramiro. "Ramiro," the Dragon King said coldly, "Oscar is your elder brother. For you to injure your kin over a mere training ground—such insolence! You are every bit as vile as your spirit snake mother."