Finally, the purple light column disappeared, and the giant dragon was reduced to little more than a broken husk. Apart from the radiant dragon pearl, all that remained of the once-mighty creature was its skeleton.
Jiang Hai's heart pounded violently in his chest, the rhythmic thumping echoing in his ears as he took in the scene before him. He was at a complete loss for words.
"Heaven and earth are not benevolent and treat all things as straw dogs. Saints are not benevolent and treat the people as straw dogs. Between heaven and earth, is it like a bellows? It is empty but not bent, and it moves and breathes forth more. Too much talk leads to exhaustion; it is better to keep to the middle."
At that moment, a mysterious voice floated through the air. Then, suddenly, the dark clouds dispersed, and a golden light shone down upon the skeletal remains of the dragon.
As soon as the golden light touched the skeleton, the dragon's body began regenerating at an astonishing speed—flesh, blood, scales, and even its horns reappeared before Jiang Hai's eyes.
What caught Jiang Hai's attention the most was that the dragon's spiral horns had now transformed into deer-like antlers. Though they had only two branches, this change signified a crucial transformation. The dragon had ascended—it was no longer just a dragon; it had become a true Dragon!
At that moment, Jiang Hai's consciousness was drawn into the dragon's body. When he opened his eyes and gazed at the once-turbulent sea, now calm again, a voice resonated in his mind: "Dragon."
Yes, Jiang Hai had ascended to the level of Dragon. He wasn't sure if there was another level beyond this, but he could already feel the immense power coursing through his new form. Not only had his body grown significantly stronger, but he also sensed a new ability awakening within him.
---
Meanwhile, in the corridor of a high-end hotel, the service department manager wore a conflicted expression as he faced a determined woman.
"Miss Walton, this is really difficult for us," he said, his face filled with concern.
"Difficult? I don't care. I know him, and I'm going to see him. Do you think you can stop me? Move aside! I'll take full responsibility for whatever happens." The woman, clearly impatient, pushed past him and strode forward.
The woman was none other than Pra Walton.
Since their last encounter, nearly two months had passed without her seeing Jiang Hai. It wasn't that she hadn't wanted to see him—rather, Jiang Hai had been actively avoiding her. Their last meeting had been... awkward.
Jiang Hai himself had no particular feelings toward Selena Gomez, but Pra Walton certainly had opinions about her. Ever since Selena and Jiang Hai's "accidental" night together, Pra had been determined to punish him.
Of course, she wasn't planning to sabotage him in business—Jiang Hai's premium beef was in such high demand that he could sell to whomever he pleased. Instead, she schemed to undermine him emotionally. Her plan was simple: send women to seduce him, capture the evidence, and then show it to Selena Gomez, hoping to convince her: "See? Jiang Hai is a scumbag. All men are unreliable. It's better for us women to stick together."
But Jiang Hai had seemingly seen through her ploy or was simply too cautious to give her the chance. Since then, he had made sure to avoid any direct encounters with her. Even when she visited his ranch to pick up cattle, her interactions were strictly limited to Robbins-Garcia. Later, when she heard Jiang Hai had been attacked, she called him, but he refused to let her visit.
A few days later, he traveled to Huaxia, and by the time he returned, she was back picking up cattle—but still, she hadn't seen him. This evasion made her seethe with frustration. Now, with this being her last cattle pickup, she knew she wouldn't have another chance anytime soon.
Jiang Hai had sold off all the cattle he planned to, leaving only cows, calves, and a few bulls for breeding. According to Robbins, the next batch of cattle wouldn't arrive until September. By next year, they expected to sell around 15,000 head of cattle, with revenues potentially exceeding two billion yuan. Business was booming, and despite her personal vendetta, Pra Walton wasn't about to let it affect their professional relationship—after all, she was making money too.
However, she had no intention of letting Jiang Hai off the hook so easily. She had been too busy to pursue him recently, but fate seemed to have other plans.
She hadn't originally planned to come to New York. She should have been enjoying a relaxing time at her Atlantic City villa with her friends. However, an issue at a Sam's Club branch in New York required her immediate attention. After handling the problem, she decided she was too tired to drive back and checked into a nearby five-star hotel.
As someone of her status, even for a single night, she required a presidential suite. Unfortunately, the hotel had only one, and it was already occupied—by none other than Jiang Hai.
Ordinarily, hotel policies prevented staff from disclosing guest information. However, while checking availability, Pra Walton happened to glimpse the name on the reservation: Jiang Hai. With her exceptional memory, she immediately recognized his name and his green card identification code.
Upon further inquiry, she learned that Jiang Hai had been staying there for eleven days and had not left his room since the second day. Allegedly, he was focused on writing and had instructed hotel staff not to disturb him.
Hearing this, Pra Walton grew suspicious. Something about the situation felt off, and she was determined to investigate.
The hotel staff hesitated, worried about the guest's privacy. However, after she insisted that she would take full responsibility, they relented. Seizing an access card, she swiftly made her way to Jiang Hai's suite.
As she entered the living room, she noticed something unusual—there was no response from Jiang Hai, despite the noise outside. Hesitating for a moment, she pushed forward, her bodyguards keeping others at bay.
When she reached the bedroom, she quietly opened the door, only to freeze at the sight before her. Jiang Hai lay motionless on the bed, his body flushed red.
Panic surged through her. For a moment, she feared the worst. Just as she was about to retreat, she reconsidered—she needed to be sure.
Moving closer, she carefully examined him. His chest rose and fell steadily. She checked his pulse—it was strong. Lifting his eyelids, she confirmed his pupils weren't dilated. Though she had never formally trained in medicine, she had seen enough to recognize that he wasn't dead—just unconscious.
Then, she noticed something on the bedside table: an opened bottle of sleeping pills. Picking it up, she saw that only a few were missing.
A realization dawned on her—Jiang Hai had likely taken them to sleep deeply.
But in truth, this was Jiang Hai's precautionary measure. He had anticipated someone might intrude and had set the scene accordingly. His "deep sleep" act had indeed served its purpose, as Pra Walton now hesitated.
Still, a devious smile spread across her face as an idea formed in her mind.
"It's truly fate," she murmured, eyeing Jiang Hai's vulnerable state.
Without hesitation, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number. The call was quickly answered.
"Hello? Who's home right now?"
"Barbara and I are here," a female voice replied.
"Perfect. You two, get to New York immediately and come to my hotel room. There's something urgent I need to discuss."
After receiving confirmation, she hung up and glanced at Jiang Hai once more, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Alright, time to clear the room," she announced.
With her plan in place, she stepped out of the bedroom and ordered everyone else to leave. Once the suite was empty, she settled into the living room, idly scrolling through her phone, waiting for her accomplices to arrive.