The Carp Clan was naturally blessed with fertility, capable of bearing many offspring.

Every three years, the Dragon Clan opened the Dragon Gate to select brides from our Carp Clan.

I was chosen by the Dragon Clan's First Prince, Max Best, while my sister married the Third Prince, Martin Best.

My sister, a mere red carp, bore nine children, one of whom was a four-clawed golden dragon.

In contrast, despite being a prized golden koi, I only gave birth to a loach.

Max was furious and skinned our child alive.

My sister, having gained status through her children, became the Dragon Mother.

Driven by jealousy, she took this opportunity to humiliate me to death.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day of the Dragon Gate selection.

Max unhesitatingly pushed me aside and took my sister's hand.

It turned out he had also been reborn.

But he did not know that my loach was actually the progenitor of all dragons.

——

The triannual selection event for dragon brides commenced as scheduled.

Under the envious gazes of everyone, Max stepped through the Dragon Gate and took my hand.

He was the First Prince of the Dragon Clan, a true three-clawed golden dragon.

I was a golden koi, naturally fertile and capable of bearing offspring for all clans.

Everyone believed we were a match made in heaven.

As we wed, the expectation was for three-clawed golden dragons at minimum.

There was even hope for the legendary five-clawed golden dragon, destined to be a dragon king.

"Congratulations to His Majesty! Princess Gloria marrying the First Prince will surely bring forth a new king for the Dragon Clan."

"This union secures the Carp Clan's position as the second family of the East Sea."

Amidst flattery, my father beamed with joy.

Suddenly, Max pushed me away with disdain on his face.

"What natural fertility? The golden koi is nothing but a hollow title."

At that moment, I had just been reborn.

Clearly, he had also returned to life.

In our previous life, he had welcomed me with grandeur and cherished me like a treasure.

I laid countless eggs but ultimately only birthed a black loach.

Max was enraged and scolded me for my lowly status, claiming I tainted his bloodline.

I cried and begged him to exile us from the dragon palace. All I wanted was to survive.

He showed no mercy and skinned our child alive again.

Given another chance, he evidently intended to keep me at arm's length.

Upon hearing this, my father's expression changed drastically.

"Max, why say such things? Gloria is a once-in-a-thousand-years golden koi."

"In this world, no one is more qualified than her to be your consort."

Max snorted coldly and looked at me mockingly.

"The natural fertility of a golden koi is merely a rumor. In reality, it is the most inferior breed."

"In my view, Gloria Yukio deserves to marry only rotten fish and shrimp."

With that, he turned to my sister Sofia Yukio.

In our past life, she married the Third Prince Martin and bore nine children, including a four-clawed golden dragon.

In dragon culture, gold was revered above all. Blue came next, while all others were deemed inferior.

Golden dragons were further classified by claw count: three claws are common; four claws are rare; five claws signify a destined dragon king.

My sister's birthing of a four-clawed golden dragon helped Martin ascend to the throne.

She was crowned as the Dragon Mother and had always harbored hatred towards me, ultimately leading to my demise through various humiliations.

Max witnessed everything yet stood by idly.

In this new life, not only did he not seek revenge for me, his wife. He even aimed to seize his brother's dragon bride first and openly expressed his affection for Sofia.

Max held my sister's hands tightly with an affectionate expression.

"Sofia is truly my destined dragon bride. I will marry no one else in this life."

Sofia did not appear surprised but instead smirked with satisfaction.

She looked down at me haughtily as if she had anticipated my downfall all along.

My intuition told me that Sofia had also been reborn.

She smoothly linked arms with Max and feigned understanding. "Max, Gloria is indeed a golden koi."

"According to Carp Clan records, even if a golden koi mates with an eel or loach, it can still give birth to true dragons. Could it be that you are mistaken?"

The memories of our past life resurfaced in Max's mind as his expression darkened ominously.

He retorted angrily, "There's no mistake. Lowly creatures can only produce lowly offspring!"

Seizing the moment, Sofia suggested, "Why not let Gloria marry a loach and see whether it's our clan's legend that's wrong or if it's you who are mistaken?"

This was her true plan.

After being reborn, she feared I might rise through my child and thus wanted me completely wed to a loach.

Max's expression shifted slightly.

After all, I had once been his dragon bride—having me mate with a loach was hard for him to accept.

However, seeing Sofia's eager demeanor made him nod in agreement eventually.

He affectionately pinched Sofia's nose playfully.

"Fine! I will decide. Let Gloria marry a loach and use facts to debunk the rumor of the golden koi's natural fertility!"

Max truly intended for me to mate with a loach.

My father and the clan elders immediately stood up, their faces displeased.

If it weren't for Max's status as the First Prince of the Dragon Clan, we might have already resorted to violence.

After all, I was a once-in-a-millennium golden koi, symbolizing the fortune of the Carp Clan.

My father restrained his emotions and lowered his voice.

"First Prince, Sofia is also a suitable match."

"You have already formed a bond with Sofia. Let our clan decide Gloria's marriage."

Max snorted lightly, exuding his dragon might.

Except for my father and the Grand Elder, the other clan members prostrated themselves.

He looked down at my father and said, "Dave Yukio, are you willing to defy my wishes for a lowly fish?"

My father hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back.

The Carp Clan is no match for the Dragon Clan. I cannot let my people suffer because of me.

I quickly glanced at the Third Prince, Martin, standing nearby.

In my memories, he was a deeply affectionate person who had always obeyed my sister in our past life.

If he could choose me, I was confident I could give birth to a golden dragon and redeem myself.

Although I had only birthed a loach in my previous life, I felt a connection with it. I sensed a dragon soul within him.

Unfortunately, Max completely mistrusted me. No matter how much I pleaded, he refused to wait for our child to grow a little longer.

The Third Prince seemed to understand my intentions and nodded at me.

He raised his hand and pointed at me, saying, "Gloria will come with me."

My father sighed in relief. With the Third Prince's intervention, Max and my sister no longer pressed me further.

We left the Carp Clan together. Along the way, Max and my sister flirted with each other sweetly.

Outside the Dragon Palace, there were ten miles of red bridal decorations.

Sofia wore a phoenix crown and colorful robes adorned with jewels as she was carried into the palace on an eight-litter sedan chair.

In my previous life, I also married Max but did not have such an extravagant ceremony.

I couldn't tell if he intended to embarrass me or if he genuinely believed my sister could bear him a four-clawed golden dragon.

Compared to my sister being treated like a queen, I didn't even have a wedding procession.

The Third Prince Martin did not accompany me either. He merely sent two maidservants to take me to his chambers.

I felt no disappointment.

In my past life, I had already seen the coldness of human relationships. This was a world rigidly divided by status.

In this life, I only wanted to redeem myself and avenge my child.

I resided alone in the deep palace, contemplating how to persuade Martin.

I planned to tell him that I might give birth to a loach.

I needed to earn his trust and ask him to give our child some time to see if it could transform into a dragon.

Late at night, Martin returned, reeking of alcohol as he approached me.

I mustered my courage and said, "Third Prince, thank you for helping me out."

Just as I was about to express my thoughts and be honest with him, he suddenly burst into laughter.

"Gloria, you can't be naive enough to think I'm going to marry you, can you?"

As he spoke, he looked me up and down with disdain in his eyes.

"You are a lowly creature that can only give birth to loaches. Do you think you can catch my eye?"

"I will never touch you, filthy carp."

A shiver ran through me as humiliation enveloped my entire being.

The Third Prince had also been reborn.

He leaned closer to me and lifted my chin with his hand.

"Do you want to know why I brought you back to the Dragon Palace?"

"Because Sofia hates you. She wants you to mate with a loach."

"In the Carp Clan, the Carp King will protect you, but in the Dragon Palace, you are merely a plaything for others!"

A strong sense of crisis lingered around me.

The dragon brothers, Max and Martin, cared only for their sister who could give birth to a four-clawed golden dragon.

From the very beginning, they had been acting, trying to lure me to the Dragon Palace.

All to satisfy Sofia's pleasure in humiliating me.

At that moment, Max walked in, holding Sofia.

Martin quickly approached them.

He flattered, "I can wait."

"If you two fail to give birth to a four-clawed golden dragon, I hope you can give me a chance."

Max, having snatched the dragon bride that rightfully belonged to his brother, nodded reluctantly.

Sofia pointed at me and laughed heartily, "My dear sister, you are truly foolishly adorable, so lowly yet unaware."

"Just wait to give birth to another loach and become a huge joke."

With red eyes, I remained silent.

I couldn't provoke them. I had to find a way to escape.

But Max gave me no chance. He raised his hand and bound me with dragon might.

They dragged me to a well deep within the Dragon Palace.

Max pressed me against the well's mouth and sneered, "Gloria, don't you love giving birth to loaches?"

"This well is home to an ancient loach spirit. I want to see what lowly species you will give birth to after coupling with him."

Martin chimed in, "I heard this loach spirit is fierce and murderous. Gloria, you better seduce him well, or you might get eaten right away."

Looking at these two dragon princes, I did not beg for mercy.

Though of noble status, their hearts were so vile.

Even if I truly had to mate with a loach, I didn't want my child to share any bloodline with them.

Before they could push me in, I jumped into the deep well voluntarily.

Sofia's triumphant voice rang in my ears.

"My dear sister, you must survive."

"I'm waiting for your loach baby to be a toy for my golden dragon baby."

My body fell rapidly, soon plunging into the icy water of the well.

When I woke up, I found myself at the dark bottom of the well.

I did not see the fierce loach spirit they spoke of. Instead, I saw a young man lying not far away.

He was sprawled on the ground, his body bound by nine iron chains.

Seeing those chains covered in runes left me stunned.

He was clearly just a loach spirit.

How could he be bound by dragon locks that even the current Dragon King would find difficult to bear?

I cautiously approached him and paused by his side.

He was heavily injured, his body marred and bruised.

Just as he seemed unconscious, he suddenly opened his eyes—his gaze was exceptionally clear.

With all his strength, he pushed me away from him.

Before losing consciousness again, he said, "Don't come near me. I'm toxic."

Such a simple action made me feel warmth I had never experienced in the Dragon Palace.

He didn't seem as fierce as Martin described. He looked more like an innocent boy harmless to humans and animals alike.

I decided to save him.

Even if he truly was toxic, I wasn't afraid. I had already died once.

For several days, I used the Koi Spirit Pearl every day to help him clean his wounds.

He was indeed gravely injured. Even after waking from pain several times, he remained disoriented.

Each time he woke up, he instinctively pushed me away and told me to keep my distance because he was toxic.

I persisted in caring for him, watching as his wounds scabbed over and he gradually healed day by day.

At first, he resisted me. Despite having an innocent face, he pretended to be indifferent and aloof.

As we spent more time together, he accepted me.

He told me his name was Herman—a name as warm as himself.

He would tell me where there were spiritual herbs at the bottom of the well and where there were celestial flowers.

Whenever I joyfully brought them back after picking them, he would quietly watch with a serene smile on his face.

I never asked him if he was a loach spirit. He also tacitly never asked why I ended up at the bottom of the well.

However, this tranquility was soon shattered.

Occasionally someone would throw aphrodisiac potions down from the well's mouth. It must have been arranged by Sofia.

She wouldn't allow her plan any mistakes. She had to see me give birth to a loach.

The effects of the drugs became increasingly potent, yet the boy never touched me once.

Eventually, unable to withstand the effects of the intoxicating potion, I lost control.

My face flushed red. My body felt hot as I took the initiative to embrace Herman.

He became shy and dared not look into my eyes.

Blocking me with his body, he whispered, "Gloria, you are a noble golden koi while I am just a loach. I cannot touch you."

I kissed his neck and replied dreamily, "There is no distinction between high and low. I once gave birth to a loach. He is my child."

He smiled—a pure smile that was so innocent.

He leaned forward into my kiss and held me tightly in his arms.

Gently he said, "Gloria, I'm going to reveal my true form now. Don't be afraid."

As soon as he said this, his body began to change—scales sprouted from him and powerful tail fins emerged.

Staring at his true form left me stunned.

This was not what I imagined a loach would look like at all.

He stood tall like a mountain covered in seven-colored scales.

His pressure far surpassed Max's. He might even be above the Dragon King himself!

Suddenly I recalled something from our family tree. "The footless dragon opens its eyes for day and closes them for night. This is Candling Dragon—the deity."

So Herman wasn't just a loach spirit at all!

He wasn't even merely a dragon anymore.

He was a god!

After transforming back into his true form, there was a burning intensity in his eyes.

With one swift motion, he stripped away my clothes and held my earlobe gently saying, "Gloria, what you give birth to is not just a loach. Those lowly dragons are blind."

"Gloria, I'm coming now. I will let you have that child again."

I tried to understand what he meant but soon lost myself under his assault because he was simply too powerful.