The juba stared at the girl with blood-red clothes and hair in fearful recognition. Someone who’d died more than five thousand years ago stood right before its eyes!

“Are, are you human or a ghost?” it ventured in a trembling voice. The terrifying aura it was radiating suddenly contracted and it shrank back to its original size, spikes and dragon head retracting.

“You know me?” Aoxue frowned slightly. She glanced thoughtfully at the juba, who’d now assumed the form of a turtle.

“I….” The juba retracted its head, too scared to speak. It did know Aoxue, but she didn’t recognize him. Long ago, it’d been one of the servants in the North Sea Dragon Palace.

Although the crimson girl before it was only a true immortal, her austere draconic aura was keeping it tightly in check. Moreover,...