"There are still many good Liches in this world, after all."
Night fell, the galaxy was dim, and Garros shook his towering dragon head, feeling moved in his heart.
Seizing the phylactery was his primary goal, and that generous blessing from the Lich before it died was a completely unexpected surprise.
He was almost certain that if he reached Rank 18 before falling into slumber, this Necromancer Lich would definitely have a prominent place in his record of achievements.
"I really hope there are a few more such good Liches in the Serel Wilderness, or... it wouldn't be bad if a few more sufficiently powerful Serpent Dragons came along."
He pondered to himself, a look of anticipation flashing in his dragon eyes.
"My Lord, there should still be a considerable number of undead creatures remaining in the depths of the underground cavern where the Lich resided."
Charles spoke up at the right moment, reminding him: "Now that the Lich is completely dead, those undead have lost their unified control. Given the presence of high-Rank undead among them, in time, it is highly likely that a new Undead Lord will spontaneously emerge, becoming a potential hidden danger."
He asked, "Do you need me to lead a team to clean them out completely?"
This was the nature of undead creatures; although the old lord had perished, a considerable number of undead remained in the lair, and as such, the chaotic negative energy and residual instincts would spontaneously give birth to a new ruler.
The Red-Iron Dragon pondered for a few seconds and shook his massive head slightly.
"I have my own arrangements for this matter."
The Lich's old lair had been operated for hundreds of years, so the negative energy inside must be dense and pure; it would be a pity to destroy it through violent cleaning.
In Garros's view, it was a ready-made, excellent research site.
It could be used perfectly for various experiments regarding the Dragon-Forged Transformation Ritual.
As for those remaining undead, he had already thought of a place for them—it would be most appropriate to hand them over to Black Dragon Serafina to manage.
Black Dragons naturally loved dark and damp environments, and since Serafina herself had taken up the class of Necromancer, that underground cavern was simply a perfect lair and laboratory for her.
If managed properly, it could have good development, and perhaps in the near future, the Molten Iron Tribe could add an Undead Legion that could constantly regenerate and fear no consumption.
Since Garros had made his decision, the Lord of Flowers said no more.
"Things here have come to an end for now; let's go back."
Garros stretched his body, feeling the constant weakness, stinging pain, and subtle tingling sensation coming from within his body.
This was a strange reaction resulting from the Lich's curse continuing to take effect and his own adaptability interacting and intertwining.
He was impatient and wanted to go back immediately to drink a barrel of black oil, and then throw himself into a new round of training while in this peculiar negative state.
The next moment, the Red-Iron Dragon suddenly spread his wings that blocked the sky, his massive body rose from the ground like a meteor tearing through the night, streaking across the sky at an astonishing speed, and disappeared into the distant horizon in an instant, leaving behind only a whistling sound that gradually dissipated.
Charles looked up at the direction the dragon had departed, a trace of envy inevitably appearing in his eyes.
His speed was fast, but compared to the Red-Iron Dragon's unparalleled flight ability, there was still a world of difference.
Unless humans used special items or mastered certain corresponding skills, it was difficult to truly set foot in the sky.
Only by stepping into the Legendary realm and relying on the power of an expanded Domain could one realize the dream of soaring freely.
But even so, if one encountered a Legendary creature that was born to dominate the sky, one would still be at an Innate disadvantage in aerial combat.
"Legendary... it seems very close to me, but in reality, there is still a long distance. I wonder how long it will take for me to reach the Peak of Rank 20 and then break through that chasm."
Charles looked at the empty night sky and whispered softly.
There was never a lack of Geniuses in this world; or rather, any human whose Life Level could reach Rank 15 or above was undoubtedly talented and a leader among their own kind.
Relying solely on hard work, even breaking through Rank 10 was as difficult as ascending to heaven, and one might not even be able to perceive the true existence of Demonic Energy.
Charles had always been very clear that his own natural talent was very outstanding.
But even so, wanting to break through to Legendary was by no means an easy task.
Talent, luck, hard work... none could be dispensed with.
Humans were not Dragons that grew stronger as they aged; if one failed to complete the Breakthrough while in the prime of their physical state, as time went by and life decayed, the hope thereafter would only become increasingly slim.
"The current Serel Wilderness is chaotic enough; there is never a lack of battles, and countless opportunities are hidden here."
"Here, I might be able to touch the threshold of Legendary faster than if I stayed in the Land of Order."
Charles collected his thoughts, suppressed his distractions, and then took a step, his figure like a gust of wind, rushing towards Ximu Territory.
A few days later, on a sunny morning with a gentle breeze.
The main Vassal Legion of the Molten Iron Tribe finally arrived in a grand manner at the outskirts of Ximu Territory.
Looking at it, it was a torrent of warriors with vast numbers and diverse races.
The basic formation was composed of a large number of Kobolds, Gnolls, and Lizardfolk; there was a relatively smaller, but individually imposing, group of Werewolves, Ogres, and Centaur Warriors, as well as Alchemy Golems that walked with heavy steps and shimmered with a metallic luster; there were also many Advanced Vassal leaders who just stood there exuding powerful auras, scanning their surroundings with sharp gazes.
...
This large-scale legion set up camp in a vast area pre-cleared on the outskirts. Shortly after, many residents of Ximu Territory who had heard the news and came to watch felt unprecedented shock and disbelief, unable to help but crowd forward, pointing from afar and whispering.
Before this, they thought the guard force permanently stationed in Ximu Territory was already strong enough to ensure the safety of the territory.
It was not until they saw with their own eyes this newly arrived legion that came from The Borderlands that they suddenly realized that the Molten Iron Tribe had only truly revealed its sharp fangs to the outside world at this moment.
The previous state was nothing more than a beast feigning sleep while lurking.
In terms of the scale of the legion stationed here, logistics support, reserves of alchemical weapons, and the average Rank of the soldiers, the Molten Iron Tribe's comprehensive military strength might still have a slight gap compared to those long-established human Duchies, but it was already sufficient to confront some stronger Duchies head-on and fight a few brutal, hard-fought wars.
Considering that almost all the elite main forces of the human Duchies were currently tied up on the southern front, fighting intensely, with only partial garrison troops left in the Serel Wilderness.
If a war were to break out with a Duchy in the wilderness at such a time, the Molten Iron Tribe would be almost invincible.
Even when facing the strongholds set up in the wilderness by those powerful kingdoms, if one did not count the crazy retaliation and liquidation that would follow, the Molten Iron Tribe would have the confidence to challenge them head-on.
Back to the main topic.
Apart from those dazzling and varied alien creatures, what shocked and even suffocated the residents of Ximu Territory the most were the few Dragons soaring and circling at low altitude above the legion.
They possessed completely different colors and body sizes, and the shadows cast by their dragon wings seemed to be able to obscure the rising morning sun.
They soared across the sky at the same time, making powerful and rare Dragons seem like some common creature at this moment!
"Roar — —!!"
Red Dragon Cahill roared excitedly to the sky, venting the joy and restlessness in her heart to her heart's content.
She opened her giant mouth, revealing fangs as sharp as daggers, and roared lowly to her companion beside her: "I now wish more than anything that some blind fool would take the initiative to come knocking; my claws are longing to bathe in blood, and my Dragon Breath is longing to scorch enemies."
Beside her, Blue Dragon Heriam flapped his wings, which had natural lightning-like patterns.
"There will be no shortage of such opportunities in the future."
His voice was calm, but the faint electric arcs that occasionally jumped around him exposed his equally excited heart: "The tribe has made such a big move this time, moving its main force to the wilderness; it is bound to do something earth-shattering here."
These Young Dragons of the Molten Iron Tribe had all joined successively after the tribe unified The Borderlands.
Compared to their leader, Garros, they had experienced much less real war, spending most of their time receiving training and tempering from Mature Adult Dragons.
When they grew into Young Dragons and longed to prove themselves, the tribe was in a strategic dormancy period, giving them few opportunities to show their skills.
And now, the tribe was about to begin its path of expansion.
At the same time, their claws and fangs had shed their immaturity and become incomparably sharp; their dragon scales had been tempered and become hard and heavy; they longed for a true war of iron and blood, longing to complete further tempering amidst flames and slaughter.
Not long after.
The massive Vassal Legion had basically finished establishing their camp at the pre-designated site on the outskirts of Ximu Territory.
After a brief rest, they would be dispatched to various surrounding outposts and strongholds; some would remain in Ximu Territory as guards, while others would continue to train in the outer camp, ready at any moment to throw themselves into the coming battle.
Three Young Dragons circled at low altitude for a moment.
After showing off their strength and satisfying their vanity, they landed one after another in the central plaza of Ximu Territory.
They raised their long, slender necks and puffed out their broad chests, unreservedly enjoying the gazes of the gathered territory residents, which were mixed with awe, curiosity, and even fear.
This feeling of being the center of attention, of being looked up to by the weak, made these naturally proud Chromatic Dragons feel incredibly satisfied.
Just then.
The dragons seemed to sense something at the same time; their massive dragon pupils suddenly constricted, and they all stared in unison at a seemingly empty area in front of them.
Under their gaze, the air there rippled slightly like water waves.
A tall, slender human figure, dressed in attire similar to an adventurer's, strolled out elegantly from within.
"Good day, noble dragons."
The Lord of Flowers wore a smile on his handsome face as he greeted the massive beasts before him.
After seeing his face clearly, the slightly tense postures of the dragons relaxed, returning to normal. They cast their gazes toward him and nodded slightly, acknowledging him.
They knew this human lord.
Chromatic Dragons generally looked down upon the small, short-lived humans, but they also respected true powerhouses—especially humans like Charles, who were strong and, within the entire Molten Iron Tribe, were second only to the leader Garros.
"Hey! Charles! It's been a while!"
Green Dragon Ludwig spoke first.
He leaned his flexible, long neck closer, carefully examining the human lord, and said with a familiar tone: "You look more mature and steady than you did in The Borderlands. Hmm... I like the stubble you've grown on your chin; it has character."
Upon hearing this, Charles subconsciously raised his hand to stroke the carefully trimmed stubble on his chin.
He smiled, his gaze sweeping over the Green Dragon's increasingly massive body, and replied: "Ludwig, the same goes for you. Your growth rate is astonishing; your physique is much more robust, and the color of your scales is even more vivid and emerald, looking quite dazzling in the sunlight."
The interaction between the two seemed quite natural and familiar.
Before Charles was officially appointed by Garros as the lord of Ximu Territory, Green Dragon Ludwig was responsible for managing this area.
After Charles took office, the two had spent some time conducting the handover and transition of affairs.
During this period, one was a hero who had spent years adventuring and was adept at dealing with various races, and the other was a Green Dragon, who was relatively the best among the Chromatic Dragons at communication and coordination; thus, they got along quite well and established a certain friendship.
The Green Dragon was in a very good mood.
He stepped forward, even extending the tip of his flexible, long tail to rest it lightly on Charles's shoulder in a rather overly familiar manner, and said with a grin: "Since we're old friends, and it's a rare reunion, aren't you going to show some appreciation?"
"For instance... give me a few shiny, cute Magic Gems as a welcome gift? Or, at the very least, treat me to the best tavern here so I can enjoy a feast of fine wine and food to my heart's content."
"No Magic Gems."
Charles smiled and patted the dragon tail resting on his shoulder, his tone relaxed: "However, the best wine and the most sumptuous food in Ximu Territory are definitely available in abundance. But before that, I have one other small matter."
His gaze swept over the few Young Dragons and finally settled on Red Dragon Cahill.
"Human, what are you looking at?"
Red Dragon Cahill immediately sensed his gaze.
Although she knew the human in front of her was powerful, being stared at so directly made her feel an uncontrollable irritation. She snorted two trails of sparks from her nostrils and let out a low growl, baring her teeth.
"Please forgive my presumption."
Charles's smile remained unchanged, and he explained with a sincere tone: "It's just that your body is so strong and agile, and your dragon scales shimmer like an eternal, burning flame, full of power. It made me unable to help but admire you, so I looked a few extra times."
Hearing this unreserved praise, the impatience and anger on Red Dragon Cahill's face indeed dissipated significantly. She tilted her head up slightly, feeling that this human looked much more pleasing to the eye.
She huffed and said with a hint of pride on her dragon face: "You have a good eye. You should know that our leader of The Dragon Flight also has half Red Dragon Bloodline."
After finishing, she asked again: "You said just now that there was another matter? What is it?"
Charles looked at the Red Dragon with burning eyes and said candidly: "I hope to obtain some of your dragon blood from you."
Red Dragons are known among the Chromatic Dragons for their strong desires. Brewing secret wine using fresh Red Dragon blood as the main ingredient can greatly enhance fertility, which would increase the success rate of him conceiving offspring with his snake-person partner.
Cahill was stunned for a moment, seemingly doubting she had heard correctly.
Immediately following that, her huge dragon pupils widened instantly, and what puffed out from her nostrils was no longer sparks, but two streams of scorching smoke!
"Human, you dare to covet my dragon blood?! Absolutely not!!"
Asking for her blood was, in her view, an enormous offense.
However, just as she was about to completely erupt, Charles silently took out a small cloth bag from his storage item.
When he loosened the bag's opening, inside were five or six Magic Gems, each the size of a pigeon egg, perfectly cut, with what seemed like liquid flames flowing inside, shimmering with an alluring red light.
Over these years, he had been stationed in Ximu Territory, handling countless affairs, and had accumulated quite a few precious spoils of war himself.
And according to the contract originally made with Garros, the leader would not interfere with or seize his personal gains.
"These gems are just a deposit."
Charles said: "As long as you are willing to provide dragon blood, we can establish a stable trading relationship. Afterward, there will be even better things as a reward."
The roar that had reached Cahill's throat was choked back.
She had intended to sternly refuse, to make this audacious human immediately put away his gems and give up completely.
But... but...
Her gaze was glued tightly to those beautiful gems, and the words of refusal could not be spoken no matter what.
There was no help for it; the other party was offering simply too much.
She had no reason to refuse.
As for forcibly seizing these gems, not to mention the leader's reaction, she weighed the disparity in their strength and quickly abandoned this unrealistic idea.
"Actually... my dragon blood is also quite good."
Beside them, Green Dragon Ludwig flicked his tail and leaned in, attempting to get a share: "Give these gems to me; I can bleed for you right now. There's plenty to go around."
Charles smiled and politely but firmly declined.
"Thank you for your kindness, Ludwig, but I apologize; what I need is Red Dragon blood."
Red Dragon Cahill watched the Green Dragon's deflated appearance and huffed twice triumphantly. Her thick, long tail flicked gently and unconsciously, kicking up a bit of dust.
"Hmph, human, you certainly have a good eye, knowing that we Red Dragons are the most powerful among the Chromatic Dragons, and our dragon blood is the best."
She tried hard to make her voice sound as arrogant as ever, but her tone had already softened: "Since that's the case, for the sake of the gems, I will make an exception and agree to your request."
A transaction where both parties got what they needed was thus reached.
Whether it was the Red Dragon who had obtained the gems she desired, or the human who was about to obtain the precious dragon blood, both felt quite satisfied.
Charles handed over the bag containing the gems and asked, as if chatting casually: "Speaking of which, I remember there should be a Young Black Dragon in the tribe. Did she not come with you this time?"
Green Dragon Ludwig watched enviously as Cahill took the gems and said: "You mean Serafina?"
"Not long after we entered the territory of the Serel Wilderness, she received a direct order from the leader, so she left the group alone to go and meet with the leader."