DADH Chapter 62

“Only I can.”

The man’s eyes carried a subtle air of pride, barely perceptible but precisely caught by Jing Nian.

Jing Nian widened his eyes, somewhat disbelieving.

After all, when Huo Yi had mentioned that he could cultivate without relying on the power of belief, he had only said it made him cultivate faster compared to other gods without belief.

Jing Nian had instinctively assumed that there were many gods who could cultivate without the need for belief.

So, he glanced at the man who maintained his usual calm and composed expression and couldn’t help but mutter to himself, wondering if this guy was playing it cool so low-key.

But he couldn’t resist confirming through a message in their private chat: “So, you’re saying you’re the only one in the entire divine realm who can cultivate without the power of belief?”

The beautiful blue eyes of the youth sparkled with suspicion like a curious little kitten just discovering a new world. Huo Yi’s heart softened at the sight and he smiled faintly, replying to Jing Nian’s message: “Yes, but don’t worry.”

I pose no danger to the Interstellar World. — He didn’t say this, but Jing Nian understood it from his gaze.

Jing Nian repeatedly glanced at Huo Yi and the action of opening the in-game panel. It wasn’t hard for his brothers to guess that the two were having a private conversation.

Thinking back to what Huo Yi had said when he suddenly interjected earlier, Jing’s eldest brother’s sharp eyes narrowed slightly, “You’re from the Interstellar World, right? Then who are you, and where are you from?”

Jing Chen’s gaze on Huo Yi was filled with scrutiny and suspicion. After all, if it weren’t for Jing Xing mentioning seeing Huo Yi in the Interstellar World, he might have initially assumed that this person was just a friend of Jing Nian’s in the game world, an NPC. However, Jing Xing’s words and seeing that the man had a game interface changed his perspective.

Until a moment ago, the man suddenly spoke, saying “You Interstellar World people don’t believe in gods…”

Jing Chen stepped forward, growing more curious, and stood between Jing Xiao Nian and Huo Yi. He locked his sharp gaze onto Huo Yi’s deep, dark eyes.

Jing Nian: “…” Oops, how do I handle this?

Jing Nian’s eyes moved, wanting to help cover for Huo Yi. But he saw that Huo Yi didn’t try to conceal anything. Instead, he openly admitted that he wasn’t from the Interstellar World.

Jing Nian’s mouth, which had been about to speak, silently closed. He looked at his older brother and then at the candid Huo Yi, ultimately choosing to stay silent.

“Very well, care to explain?” Jing Chen said this, but the wariness in his eyes had diminished considerably.

He didn’t jump to conclusions about Huo Yi being related to the divine realm. Instead, he thought back to Huo Yi visiting his little brother and the realization that if Jing Nian could enter the game world, people from the game world could enter the Interstellar World as well.

“I ended up in the Interstellar World by accident.”

“And what about my little brother?”

Jing Nian suddenly looked up, bewildered. Wasn’t his brother doubting Huo Yi earlier? What did his brother mean by this question?

His brother was focusing intently on Huo Yi, not paying him any attention. Jing Nian glanced at Huo Yi and saw that Huo Yi, despite his brother’s probing, didn’t seem pressured at all. Their eyes met briefly, and then Huo Yi calmly said, “It’s a mutual assistance relationship.”

Jing Chen nodded reluctantly, choosing to believe Huo Yi’s words. Mainly because Huo Yi seemed open and honest under his scrutiny, and secondly because if Huo Yi wasn’t from the Interstellar World, even if he had intentions towards his brother, he wouldn’t pose any threat once the merged worlds separated.

He lowered his gaze to his bewildered younger brother, who seemed completely oblivious to the situation, which further reassured Jing Chen.

—

On the other side, the restless crowd gathered in the meeting hall had grown impatient waiting for the Dragon Clan. They were becoming increasingly irritable.

Of course…

This was the territory of the Dragon Clan, and they only dared to mess with themselves and each other.

When Jing Nian and the group, along with the dragons, entered the meeting hall, all eyes turned towards them like they had just seen a savior. Their gazes were fixed on Jing Nian, his three brothers, and Huo Yi.

“How can there be humans here?” Demon King Shura, who was casually sitting on a stone chair, frowned and looked displeased as he observed the group walking among the dragons.

Then, he noticed their faces and his swinging leg came to a halt. His crimson eyes emitted a stunning brilliance.

Demon King Shura’s handsome face, adorned with demonic patterns, had a hint of ferocity. He licked his lips with a sinister air and scanned everyone with his eyes before fixing his gaze on Jing Nian’s face. Despite knowing it wasn’t the right time, he couldn’t help but show a glint of interest.

The Demon clan was also a combat-oriented race. But compared to the Dragon Clan, they were more infamous in certain aspects because most of their battles were fought over the theft of beautiful individuals.

The several humans who had entered were all clearly above Demon King Shura’s aesthetic standards, especially the shrunken Jing Nian.

Due to his chronic frailty, his appearance and aura carried a sense of fragility like delicate glass. When he became smaller, the young man appeared even more exquisite, and his charm multiplied.

Demon King Shura noticed the two horns on Jing Nian’s head, and his eyes became visibly brighter. Since demons also had horns, even though he had no inhibitions, he still had a preference for those who resembled his own race.

Such an overtly predatory gaze was hard to ignore. Jing Nian frowned when he locked eyes with that intense, invasive stare. But before he could react, a dark shadow blocked his view.

Immediately, Demon King Shura’s gaze provoked all the great dragons present, as well as Jing Nian’s three brothers and a man who had always had a deep, cold look.

Demon King Shura hadn’t even spoken the provocative words yet when he suddenly found himself unable to move. Countless terrifying pressures rushed towards him, and the Demon King was almost thrown off his stone chair.

“Shura!” The most fiery of the fire dragons, General Chi Yan, threw a fireball at him with fiery eyes.

With agile grace, Demon King Shura evaded on his stone chair and then landed steadily. He resumed his previous posture and addressed the dragons, but he raised an eyebrow as he looked toward Jing Nian, “We have a new little friend in the meeting. Shouldn’t we introduce them?”

He emphasized the word “little,” making his interest in Jing Nian unmistakable.

Before the dragons could respond, they only heard a faint “crack” sound.

Before the Demon King could check the source of the sound under him, there was a loud bang. The stone chair beneath his buttocks exploded.

For some reason, despite his clear physical advantage and usual agility, the Demon King, this time, did not react. He not only fell flat on the ground but his face was also scratched by debris.

Jing Nian subconsciously looked at Huo Yi and coincidentally met the man’s expectant gaze.

Judgment made, it was Huo Yi’s doing.

Realizing this, Jing Nian quickly averted his gaze, looking back at the disheveled tall Demon King, but his mind was filled with the gaze he had met just now.

For some reason, he felt a sweet mushroom cloud budding in his heart, then softening into an exceptionally sweet drizzle.

Oh, his face felt a bit warm.

Noticing Jing Nian’s blushing face, the great dragons, as well as his brothers, were all infuriated!

Even their dwarf friend behind them was red-faced with anger.

That damn perverted Demon!

So, the second Grand Defense Meeting of the Grans Continent began with the Demon King getting beaten up.

Fifteen minutes later, the Demon King, bruised and battered, sat in a makeshift ‘chair’ made of rubble, participating in the recollection.

Yes, the old lecher wasn’t worthy of sitting in the Dragon clan’s chairs.

They watched as the Dragon clan respectfully escorted Jing Nian and the little dragon cub to the highest and most prominent seat at the council table.

The big shots around the table were somewhat surprised at first.

But after a moment, they accepted this fact because the horn on Jing Nian’s head was identical to the little dragon cub’s, combined with the dragons’ attitudes; there was nothing left to be unclear about.

No wonder the Dragon clan kept one of the Dragon Lords hidden away.

So, it turns out that the dragons can transform into human forms!

At the table, the big shots observed Jing Nian, speculating in their minds. Finally, everyone concluded that there must be some secret method that changed his body, made him stronger, or something like that…

If it weren’t for the fate of the continent hanging in the balance right now, various clans might have had different intentions.

But for now, facing the Dragon clan’s gaze that seemed to say, ‘Stay out of my business,’ everyone fell silent.

There was no choice; they had to rely on the Dragon clan now. They couldn’t afford to anger them.

The first to step forward to ease the tension was the great mage, Yorksha. He stood up.

“Ahem, regarding the betrayal of the Light Temple to the continent, I believe Lord Usser has the most authority to speak on this matter.”

Yorksha spoke and looked towards Usser, the Undead Great Necromancer, who had moved one seat forward to the left because of the Light Temple’s absence.

This time, Usser, the Great Necromancer, did not appear in the form of a skeleton. His body, covered in a dried, blackish skin, hid beneath a pitch-black cloak. His two eyes still lacked eyeballs, and his mouth had no teeth, looking as withered as a dead chrysanthemum.

Jing Nian was startled by the image that had suddenly popped into his mind and quickly averted his gaze.

However, the little dragon cub, who was worried at the start of the meeting that he wouldn’t understand, insisted on establishing a mental connection.

Then, he heard the cute voice of the little dragon cub.

“What is a chrysanthemum?”

Confronting the pure and innocent eyes of the little dragon cub, Jing Nian discreetly covered his reddening ears.

“It’s a type of flower.”

Usser slowly stood up, moving as if his body had stiffened like a mummy. His voice, more eerie than before, carried a suppressed dark aura throughout.

“As for the Light Temple’s actions, I must express my deep regret.”

He paused skillfully, savoring the anger directed at the Light Temple from the various clans in attendance. Only then did he continue.

“First and foremost, I must assure you all that our Undead Temple could never commit such a shameless, unscrupulous act of treason.”

The various clans: “…” Given the precedent set by the Light Temple, they were not entirely trusting of the Undead Temple.

Because of the events in the Divine Realm, Hesse used certain means to make sure that all the clans were aware.

Of course, many of the races outside of the Dragon clan placed a greater emphasis on written records and traditions, and their racial histories more or less contained references to the existence of gods.

In fact, many races’ ancestors were the gods they worshipped.

As a result, the Light Temple, which was easiest to communicate with the Divine Realm, became a target, and the fact that the Light Temple had suddenly turned against them was seen as the will of the Light God.

Similarly, the arrival of the Dark God in the Divine Realm made it less trustworthy.

Usser had long noticed this situation and was not flustered. He directly offered the Undead Temple’s sole treasure used to communicate with the Undead God.

This was the means to communicate with the true Dark God, not the artifact that had previously been used to bring forth a “pseudo-god” cloaked in darkness.

This silenced the various clans.

The treasure was handed over to the Dragon clan for safekeeping, which meant that the Undead Temple would lose contact with the Dark God.

Finally, the various clans were reluctantly convinced.

The focus of the meeting returned to how to deal with the Light Temple.

Evidently, compared to the impending invaders, the Light Temple, which had betrayed the continent, was the top enemy.

Because what’s most terrifying isn’t the enemy’s strength, but the enemy’s understanding of you.

—

On the other side, players who were unaware of the truth, after taunting the Dragon Slayer Studios with a feigned move, discovered that the game world had changed again.

The Light God servants, formerly aloof and disdainful of players, inexplicably became friendly and even started inviting them to join the Light Temple.

Suddenly, a group of players, out of curiosity, chose to join the Light Temple.

And after joining the Bright Temple, players found that the Bright Temple had started assigning them quests!

Could it be a hidden storyline?

So, more people began to join the Light Temple.

Some clever individuals who were quick on the uptake began to choose other factions, but to their surprise, all the local factions outside the Light Temple still treated them with disdain!

What’s going on?

Soon, the regulars in the trending searches saw the Dragon Slayer once again topping the charts.

In response, everyone at the studio started breaking into a cold sweat!

Because the game’s development had completely deviated from what they had designed.

If initially, the NPCs had their “thinking,” it could be attributed to the realistic character design. However, from experiencing servers shutting down for no reason to now, even the task assignments were no longer under their control!

Evidently, it wasn’t the result of the ecological simulation system!

It was horrifying to consider that if it wasn’t their program assigning tasks, then who was issuing them?!

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