Chapter 521: Dragon Vein Dog-man (Part 2)

Chapter 521: Chapter 338: Dragon Vein Dog-man (Part 2)

This was Giant Dragon Blood—one of the highest-grade Magic Materials in the Magic Realm.

Legends about it were countless. Whether bathing in it or using it to create Magic Potions, Dragon Blood was said to grant unimaginable Power. Every story ultimately proclaimed its immense potency and value.

Since ancient times, the Kobolds had proclaimed they possessed faint traces of Dragon Blood, making them one of the Dragon Descendants. From their vast numbers, a lucky few would occasionally be born as Dragon Vein Dog-men—natural Kobold Mages with an innate command of Magic.

As a Kobold, the moment Old Neil saw the bottle of liquid in the Lord’s hand, he knew instinctively what it was: Dragon Blood!

According to Kobold legend, by bathing in Dragon Blood, they could easily become Dragon Vein Dog-men and command powerful Magic. Most importantly, their lifespans could extend to nearly two hundred years!

“I am willing! I am willing!” he cried in ecstasy.

“I, Neil, swear that I will serve you for all eternity, until my flesh is scorched to ash by the blazing sun and my soul descends into the Bottomless Abyss!”

He recited the oath with surprising alacrity, a spark of vitality returning to him, chasing away his previous deathly pallor.

“Mier, go find a wooden basin. Remember to fill it halfway with water,” the Lord ordered with a snap of his fingers.

He himself didn’t know how to use the Dragon Blood, but someone else did!

When it came to understanding Giant Dragons, no one knew them better than dragons themselves. Excluding Sophia, the young dragon who knew nothing, High Cliff Castle just so happened to house an old dragon who had lived for countless years.

Under blatant threats and forced into a difficult position, the Red Dragon Soul, Digen, had spilled everything he knew.

After hearing the explanation, the Lord was thoroughly shocked. ‘As expected of a Red Dragon, leader of the five Evil Dragons,’ he could only marvel.

Digen had often used Dragon Blood to strengthen his own vassals—not his own blood, of course, but that of other dragons. His methods were simple and effective.

Mier quickly returned with the wooden basin, filled halfway with clean water.

Levi placed the wooden basin in the middle of the room, uncapped the bottle, and dripped a few drops of Dragon Blood into the water. As if by contagion, the entire basin of clear water instantly turned a brilliant silver, and the once-cool liquid began to boil.

Sophia was still just a young dragon, but even her blood was far too potent for an old Kobold to handle directly. It needed to be diluted so Old Neil could absorb it slowly.

Digen’s methods were crude. He had explained that he used to simply tear other dragons out of the sky and douse his vassals in their blood. Those who survived the ordeal would naturally gain a Dragon Vein and Power. Those who didn’t, died.

A perfect embodiment of survival of the fittest.

Old Neil was just a frail old Kobold. Mier was able to lift him into the basin single-handedly.

“AHHH!”

The moment he entered the water, he began to scream in agony.

Levi’s brow furrowed. ‘Is this method wrong?’ he wondered. But then he saw the old Kobold gritting his teeth, enduring the pain, and noticed the silvery water in the basin was gradually losing its color. He knew it was working.

Digen had said that bathing directly in the blood was the least efficient method, and it was also very time-consuming. But there was no alternative.

High Cliff Castle was a rural fiefdom; they didn’t have access to such advanced Secret Techniques.

Now that the process was underway, there was no need for him to remain. With a wave of his hand, he instructed, “Mier, you stay and keep watch. If the water turns clear again, add a few more drops. Continue until Old Neil has fully awakened his Dragon Vein.”

He couldn’t entrust this task to anyone else. After all, this was not just about Old Neil; it was about whether the Barbarians could unlock the Tier Seven promotion path: Dragon Vein Berserker.

…

Night descended. As darkness consumed the last wisp of twilight, the entire Wilderness fell silent, like a Giant Beast crouching in the shadows.

The radiant moon gradually rose, hanging in the sky like a great, silvery lantern. It cast its light upon the snow-covered landscape, making the world seem all the more dreamlike and fantastical.

In the center of High Cliff Castle’s square, beneath a colossal, unnamed tree that Buji had magically nurtured to a size requiring three people to encircle, a dozen thick logs were stacked into a towering bonfire. The sharp CRACKLE of the wood sounded like a prelude to the deep night, and the flames, dancing with the wind, resembled a troupe of fire sprites performing in unison.

Long tables nearly filled the entire square, laden with oak goblets brimming with crimson wine. Whole cattle and sheep turned on roasting spits, their fat sizzling and dripping into the blazing inferno below.

A dozen bare-chested young Feder Blacksmiths carried their forges into an open space. They scooped ladles of crimson-hot molten iron, flung it high into the air, and with muscular arms gripping heavy paddles, struck the falling metal with tremendous force.

BANG! The impact sounded like a sudden crack of thunder in the night sky.

In that instant, a billion sparks burst forth like a volcanic eruption. A torrent of interwoven gold and red light shot toward the heavens before cascading down like a meteor shower, weaving a brilliant web of fire against the dark curtain of night.

The shower of fire rustled down like a waterfall, splashing into fine golden motes upon hitting the ground, like a carpet of Fireflies.

The night was dark, with no conventional fireworks, yet a brilliant river of stars had just exploded between heaven and earth.

A wave of heat, carrying the coppery tang of iron, washed over the crowd. The people of High Cliff Castle, who had never witnessed such a spectacle, found their gazes completely captivated by the searing, magnificent beauty.

The firelight reflected the crowd’s awe and excitement. For a moment, the world was nothing but a churning sea of gold and red.

“How magnificent! I never saw a sight like this, not even in Bailiu City.” Knight Si Kai’s face was filled with shock, his eyes radiating an unparalleled admiration for a certain someone.

He had heard that this performance was the brainchild of the Lord of High Cliff Castle.

“I never thought this oaf of a Lord could come up with something so beautiful,” Miriel said calmly, but anyone could hear the biting sourness in her tone, as if she’d just eaten a two-pound lemon.

As a Half-Elf, she had inherited not only the beauty of the Elves but also their discerning eye. Even so, she could find no flaw in the display.

And since this “certain someone” had designed it specifically for his new bride, it was no wonder Miriel was jealous.

Amidst the intermingling of molten iron and sweat, sparks flew, and the strong, metallic scent filled the air.

The people of High Cliff Castle surrounded the bonfire, dancing in a joyous, chaotic frenzy under the light of the “iron flowers.”

“Come on, Gus! Another round! We may have tied in the duel, but I’ll be damned if I don’t drink you under the table!”

“Beautiful maidens! Who will grant an old man a dance?”

“Hah, look at these youngsters. Let’s you and I just sip our drinks. We’re getting old. Back in my day, I’d have drunk every last one of them under the table.”

“Nanny Norma, this bear paw is yummy!”

…

Zamanzi had sought out Centaur Gus, determined to best him in a drinking contest and staggering drunkenly but refusing to give up. Old Sam had plucked a bright red flower from somewhere and stuck it behind his ear, looking so ridiculously flamboyant that the young maidens shied away and hid behind their fathers.

Orak and Leiden sipped their wine at their own pace, smiling as they watched the crowd of burly men, arms slung over each other’s shoulders, engaged in a boisterous drinking competition.

Ashiru ignored everything else, her eyes fixed on the magnificent feast before her as she ate with abandon. She had never tasted anything so delicious; back in the Royal Palace, her meals had consisted of nothing but black bread and yams.

The scene was incredibly lively, with genuine smiles on everyone’s faces. Only two people had not joined the celebration.

Bathed in the silvery moonlight, the Lord stood on a rooftop, holding Baisitina in his arms. They faced the gentle night breeze, watching the iron flowers glitter and fade below.

“Darling, aren’t you going to drink with them?” Although it wasn’t the first time she had called him that, Tina still couldn’t hide her shyness.

“Tonight belongs to just the two of us.” Levi looked down at the girl burying her face in his chest and let out a hearty laugh. “Hahaha, not even the gods themselves could take it from us!”

With that, he swept Tina up into his arms, leaped down from the roof, and strode purposefully toward their newly decorated bedroom.

Tina knew what was coming next—the Nanny Feders had told her a thousand times over—and her face turned as red as a ripe apple.

As the Lord bolted the door, shutting out the rest of the world, the lights went out. What followed was a scene that only poetry could describe.