The screech of brakes echoed as a car came to a halt, and three people stepped out. Leading the group was a woman, standing around 1.7 meters tall. She wore a women's business suit that, while lacking any visible brand markings, instantly gave off an air of luxury to those who knew their fashion.
Accompanying her were two women. One, a foreigner in her thirties, sported sunglasses and a sharp, professional demeanour. Her gaze, hidden behind the tinted lenses, constantly scanned the bustling surroundings. The other woman, dressed in a similar office outfit, carried two handbags. Her delicate features were framed by glasses, and she walked briskly to keep up with the lead woman.
"Do I have any more engagements tonight?" the woman in front asked as they strode forward.
"Most of today's tasks have been completed," her assistant replied, flipping through a schedule. "But this evening, President Liu from Sheng Shi has invited you to dinner. He likely wants to discuss the Xifang construction project. Also, your mother left a message reminding you that the day after tomorrow marks your father's death anniversary. She wants to know when you'll be back."
Hearing this, the woman's steps faltered momentarily before she quickened her pace again.
"Tell Liu Zhengri I don't have time for dinner. I'll give him fifteen minutes to convince me. If he can't, he can forget about the Xifang project. As for my mother, let her know I'll make time the day after tomorrow. But I need to coordinate with Jiang Hai first," she said coldly, glancing at her assistant.
This woman was none other than Qi Li — Jiang Hai's wife in name, a renowned young entrepreneur in the country.
Young, beautiful, and capable, Qi Li was a rising star in the business world. Since taking over her family's company a year ago, she had silenced doubters by stabilizing the once-turbulent business within three months. Over the next nine months, she corrected a third of the company's previous issues, forcing the board to hold their tongues.
After all, to these seasoned businesspeople, profit was king. If the daughter of an old friend could keep making money for them, there was no need to push for a leadership change. As a result, the company had settled into a period of stability.
"Understood," her assistant replied. However, a flicker of disdain and hesitation crossed the assistant's eyes at the mention of Jiang Hai's name.
In her mind, Qi Li was a goddess, someone far above a man like Jiang Hai. She couldn't understand why someone as accomplished as Qi Li had married him.
The assistant had always looked down on Jiang Hai, even to the extent that she had withheld his call to Qi Li the day before.
"President Qi!" Just as Qi Li and her entourage entered the building, a receptionist stood up and called out to her.
Hearing the voice, Qi Li paused, a trace of curiosity flashing across her face as she glanced at the girl.
"A man named Jiang Hai called yesterday, claiming to be your..." The receptionist hesitated, unsure if she should share this. Normally, such messages wouldn't be passed directly to the boss, but if something serious happened, it would fall on them to take responsibility.
"My husband? Go on," Qi Li replied nonchalantly.
"Yes... He mentioned that he needed to speak with you urgently but couldn't reach you. He also said he left something at your house, and you could check it when you have time," the receptionist said softly, her tone cautious.
"I see." Qi Li frowned slightly at the mention of Jiang Hai, then continued walking toward the elevator.
As they stepped into the elevator, she turned toward her assistant.
"Did Jiang Hai call me?" Qi Li asked coolly.
"Yes. He said he needed to leave for a while but didn't explain why. He just hoped you could call him back when you had time," the assistant replied nervously, sensing Qi Li's dissatisfaction.
"This is the first and last time," Qi Li said, her voice icy. "As my assistant, you are not allowed to let personal feelings interfere with work. No matter what you think of Jiang Hai, he is my husband — recognized by law. He is not someone you can disregard. Understand?"
The cold tone made the assistant shiver.
"Understood," she responded quickly.
Qi Li said no more. When the elevator doors opened, she walked out immediately and headed to her office.
After taking a sip of coffee from her secretary, Qi Li retrieved her phone from her bag. She hesitated for a moment before dialling a familiar number. Since their marriage, Jiang Hai had only called her four times. This was the fifth. She had no idea what he wanted this time.
"Sorry, the number you have dialled is currently unavailable. Please try again later," a mechanical voice informed her, causing her frown to deepen.
"Where did this guy go?" she muttered, staring at the number on her screen.
Meanwhile, in a remote part of Blue Ocean Province, Jiang Hai sneezed loudly.
"Damn it! Even with this superhuman body, I'm reaching my limit. This is no joke!" he grumbled, rubbing his nose in irritation.
Looking ahead, he saw that his destination wasn't far off. Tightening his coat and adjusting his backpack, he muttered, "Let's hope that dead dragon's memory isn't wrong."
It had been ten days since Jiang Hai killed that fish, and during that time, he had discovered the true nature of his prize — a Dragon Pearl.
Of course, it wasn't the type of Dragon Ball that granted wishes when collected. This was a real Dragon Pearl, containing the essence of a dragon.
And it wasn't just any dragon — it belonged to the legendary Ancestral Dragon, one of the most powerful beings in mythological times.
According to ancient tales, after Pangu split the heavens from the earth, three dominant species arose: the Phoenix in the skies, the Dragon in the seas, and the Qulin on land. These three races battled endlessly for control of the world's resources, leading to the Dragon-Phoenix-Qulin War, also known as the Great Calamity of the Dragon and Han Eras.
During this conflict, the Ancestral Dragon was ultimately defeated and suppressed by Yuan Shi Tianzhu(Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning), trapped beneath Mount Kunlun until its death.
When the prehistoric realm shattered, fragments of that world became what we now know as the Four Great Continents of Earthly Immortals.
However, some pieces were lost to the void, including the Ancestral Dragon's lair, which eventually ended up beneath Earth's Kunlun Mountains.
On Earth, devoid of spiritual energy, the Dragon Pearl gradually shrank until it was small enough to be carried away by an underground stream. After a long journey, it was swallowed by a fish — the very fish Jiang Hai caught and killed.
The Dragon Pearl he now possessed had once belonged to the mighty Ancestral Dragon, though its power had diminished significantly.
In a world with spiritual energy, the Dragon Pearl could have made Jiang Hai a legend. But on Earth, it was little more than a powerful amplifier for his physical abilities.
The moment he absorbed the Dragon Pearl, a tattoo of a serpent appeared on his body. Though lacking scales, the image represented a dragon in its earliest form.
According to the memories the pearl had imparted, the tattoo would evolve as Jiang Hai absorbed the life energy of the earth, trees, oceans, and living creatures. The more life force he absorbed, the faster the tattoo would grow.
As the tattoo developed, so would his abilities.
Currently, the tattoo granted him peak human physicality. His muscles were dense with strength, and his physique had transformed into that of a seasoned athlete. He could bench press 220 kilograms, sprint 100 meters in just over nine seconds, and sustain high speeds for hours without breaking a sweat.
But that was just the beginning.
The most astonishing change was his newfound aquatic abilities. He could now breathe underwater, withstand extreme water pressure, and swim as fast as he ran on land.
And then there was the third power — the most miraculous of them all.
As a dragon, every part of his body was valuable. His sweat, saliva, and even waste had properties that accelerated the growth of plants and animals. However, his blood was the most potent.
He once tested it by dripping a single drop of his blood onto a flower seed. Overnight, the seed sprouted into a fully grown, vibrantly colored flower.
But this power came with a cost.
Each drop of blood used caused three scales on his tattoo to vanish. Regenerating one scale required absorbing life force for five days.
Still, the possibilities excited him.
If this was just the beginning, what would happen when he evolved further?