The crowd looked down from the platform, feeling a wave of heat surge up. The originally pitch-black bottom of the valley was illuminated by a burst of flame. By the firelight, they could see people scurrying around in all directions.
The source of the flame was a giant dragon trapped in an interdimensional rift. The dragon was stuck in the rift, with only its head and neck poking through, caught in an uncomfortable state of being unable to move forward or retreat. The nest of dragon eggs lay beside the rift, within the dragon’s attack range.
In the unstable chaotic world, dimensional rifts were not uncommon. These rifts did not necessarily lead to other dimensions; they could also connect to distant parts of the same universe. Due to the vastness of the chaotic world, such distant places were not much different from other dimensions to the people there.
This particular rift, opening on the mountainside and revealing a nest of dragon eggs while trapping an adult dragon, was extremely rare. No wonder so many people couldn’t resist the temptation to come and take the risk.
“Those are people from the Empire and Lan Zhou. It seems arriving early doesn’t solve the problem.”
“That’s an adult lava fire dragon. Even if it’s stuck, it’s not something easily dealt with.”
“This is going to be interesting. Should we go down now?”
Having been tricked all the way here, the members of the Nan Ming Legion couldn’t help but feel a bit schadenfreude seeing the Empire and Lan Zhou’s expedition teams jumping around like grasshoppers.
“Let’s go down and take a look at the situation.” After observing the range of the dragon’s breath, Nan Ming found that there were still some safe zones at the bottom of the valley. He decided to lead the group down to the valley floor.
The crowd moved quickly, continuing their descent. The dragon’s roars and breath had startled the creatures in the ravine, causing them to flee. This actually made it easier for the Nan Ming Legion to move.
They soon reached the bottom of the valley and found that it wasn’t just the Empire and Lan Zhou people there; some fast-moving expedition teams had also arrived. However, the situation was a bit strange. Apart from the Empire and Lan Zhou, the other expedition teams were all blocked outside.
The area was guarded by a large number of the Empire’s beasts and mages. Anyone who approached would be attacked. Clearly, the Empire and Lan Zhou were extremely domineering. After arriving, they had taken control of the valley floor. Even though they hadn’t yet found a way to break through the dragon’s defenses, they wouldn’t allow anyone else to join in.
After understanding the situation, Zhou Yi was somewhat angry. “They don’t even want to give us a sip of soup!”
“Isn’t that the truth? This is too overbearing.”
“Well, they have the strength to do so!”
The people around also complained, but there was nothing they could do. The beasts brought by the Empire not only flew but also had extremely strong attack power. While these beasts might not be able to handle the giant dragon, they could still deal with them.
“This is not a long-term solution. The number of gathered expedition teams will keep increasing, and their deterrent effect will soon wear off.” Fu Qing was not in a hurry; he also wanted to see what methods those overbearing people from the Empire and Lan Zhou would use to deal with the giant dragon. Thinking this, Fu Qing looked at his beautiful companion beside him. “What do you think?”
Shu Bao’s gaze was fixed on the dragon at the dimensional rift on the cliff. He realized that he might have misunderstood the scale of an adult dragon. Even though the dragon only showed its neck and head, its size exceeded Shu Bao’s imagination.
If he had to find a comparison, Shu Bao felt that ten of his teammates would be equivalent to one giant dragon. Compared to the adult dragon not far away, the dragon from the previous Sishe Tribe—no, now the Long Tribe—was simply a newly hatched dragon baby.
As he was marveling at this, he suddenly heard Fu Qing’s question and responded instinctively, “Of course, we’ll grab it!”
Fu Qing: “???”
Nan Ming Legion members: “???” What’s with this sudden change in tone?
Suddenly, the giant dragon, angered again, let out a deafening roar. This time, from the bottom of the valley, the dragon’s roar, which had been echoing overhead for a long time, was even more terrifying. Many people covered their ears and crouched down slightly to reduce the immense pressure brought by the roar.
When the roar finally stopped, everyone focused on the battlefield and noticed that, after a prolonged wheel battle and relentless harassment, the dragon was showing signs of fatigue. However, it still kept a close watch on the surroundings, not allowing anyone to step into the area where the dragon eggs were located.
However, judging by the reactions of the Empire and Lan Zhou teams, it seemed they already had a plan and were not in a rush.
“Are there any magical potions that can affect the giant dragon?” Shu Bao asked Ning Zhi beside him.
Ning Zhi shook her head. “As far as I know, there are none. Dragons have an inherent immunity to magical potions, and they even possess complete magical resistance. Magic attacks on them are greatly weakened in both damage and effect.”
It was precisely because of the dragon’s formidable strength that it attracted so much interest. Even the mighty Empire only had one dragon a few hundred years ago. It was thanks to that dragon that the current Mingzhao Empire came into existence.
Unfortunately, the second prince of the Mingzhao Empire, ignorant of the dangers, took the dragon into the Great Chaos Plains, attempted to expand their territory, and then disappeared without a trace.
So when news of the dragon eggs emerged this time, the Empire quickly dispatched its strongest forces, intending to claim the dragon eggs for themselves and recreate the Empire’s former glory.
As Fu Qing had guessed, more and more expedition teams arrived at the bottom of the valley. In terms of numbers, the expedition teams were gradually gaining the upper hand, and it wouldn’t be long before the deterrent effect of the Empire’s beast army would wear off.
The Empire and Lan Zhou teams also seemed to be getting anxious. Their provocations toward the dragon became more frequent, and they even recklessly approached the dimensional rift where the dragon was located, disregarding their own safety.
The giant dragon remained in a state of furious rage. Since it had been discovered by humans, it had not closed its eyes for nearly half a month. Its attacks were still fierce; no one dared to approach when it breathed fire. However, the dragon couldn’t keep breathing fire indefinitely. As soon as its breath ceased, people would swarm around like flies.
The dragon’s tenacity exceeded the Empire and Lan Zhou’s expectations. While their attacks did cause some damage, they were not fatal and only served to further enrage the dragon.
“Are we going to manage this or not? At this rate, the later expedition teams won’t be able to hold back!” The leader of the Empire’s expedition team, frustrated after a long period of ineffective attacks, had a portion of his dazzling golden hair scorched.
“Who knew this dragon could be so resistant, not showing a single flaw!” The leader of the Lan Zhou team was a woman with a seductive figure, dressed in a purple gown. Despite the long battle, she maintained her elegant attire. “This won’t do. We must take a risk! Next time it breathes fire, immediately have your people and beasts move in for the attack!”
“Why should it be my people and beasts? If the losses are too great, I won’t be able to explain it to the king!” The golden-haired You Ji questioned rudely.
“Can you explain to the king if you can’t get the dragon eggs? There are four complete eggs in that nest—two for each of us. If we can successfully hatch them, it would be worth even losing all these people and beasts today. This simple calculation, doesn’t the Empire know how to do it?” The woman, named Zi Yao, spoke with equal firmness.
She then produced a bottle of pure black potion. “The Chaos Elixir is here. Whether you dare to use it is up to you. If those people can’t hold back, if everyone rushes in, then obtaining the dragon eggs will truly be a matter of skill!”
You Ji was very frustrated after being confronted by a woman like this. But seeing the potion, he forced himself to calm down. “Fine, we’ll do it your way.”
Afterward, there was another prolonged period of provocation and attack. The number of expedition teams in the rear continued to increase. Not only was the dragon growing more agitated, but the people from the Empire and Lan Zhou were also becoming anxious, while the expedition teams that could only watch from behind grew increasingly frustrated.
Finally, as the Empire’s people and beasts closed in, the lava fire dragon roared in fury and unleashed another breath of fire.
In an instant, searing flames surged forward. The people and beasts at the forefront were instantly reduced to ashes, unable to evade in time. The extreme heat even made the expedition teams that were still at a distance feel a burning sensation.
Although some people and beasts were lost, You Ji and Zi Yao, who had prepared in advance, managed to lead most of their forces to safety in the dead zones.
When the dragon’s breath dissipated and the temperature began to drop, they quickly launched a counterattack. Waves of attacks followed, with various spells striking the dragon. The people’s footsteps closed in again, and the dragon clearly could not unleash another breath of fire in such a short time.
The members of the expedition teams were also highly tense and even started to stir restlessly. Even though they didn’t know the Empire and Lan Zhou’s plan, they could see that the opponents were preparing to make a desperate gamble. This might very well be their final opportunity.
Everyone was waiting for the right moment.
Although the dragon’s roars and bites were incredibly fierce, they couldn’t achieve the widespread, indiscriminate instant kill that its fire breath could. Gradually, more and more people moved closer to the dragon.
Finally, they reached the nest of dragon eggs. Just as one person was about to touch an egg, the dragon’s eyes turned crimson in an instant. Its furious roar nearly shattered the entire rift, and it began to struggle violently, causing people to doubt whether it would tear through space-time in the next moment.
While the dragon’s attention was drawn to the eggs, Zi Yao had quietly made her way along the cliffside. As the dragon struggled, she threw the black potion into the tiny interdimensional rift torn open by the dragon’s movements!
The distant expedition teams were puzzled by Zi Yao’s actions. Since the potion was ineffective against the dragon, they wondered what she was doing.
Shu Bao immediately realized something. “The potion is ineffective against the dragon…”
“But it’s effective against other beasts,” Fu Qing quickly completed Shu Bao’s thought. They exchanged a knowing glance, understanding that they had both figured out the reason.
Just because the Empire and Lan Zhou couldn’t deal with the dragon didn’t mean that the magical beasts from other dimensions couldn’t. The potion thrown into the interdimensional rift was not meant to attack the dragon but to attract a large number of other beasts!
In a space-time that could produce such a dragon, formidable magical beasts were certainly not lacking. There were always creatures that even the dragon couldn’t handle. Surrounded and outnumbered, even the dragon would find it hard to defend against all threats. As long as there were vulnerabilities, there would be an opportunity.
Indeed, soon the dragon used its roar to blow away the nearby people, but the next moment, it let out a pained cry. It instinctively retracted its body, clearly feeling an attack from another dimension. However, being trapped, it couldn’t retract its neck and head.
“Brothers! The dragon eggs are right there! We can’t let the Empire and Lan Zhou take them all!” The restless expedition teams could no longer hold back. Someone shouted loudly, and there was an immediate response from the crowd.
“That’s right! Let’s go! Whoever can get the dragon eggs, it’s all up to skill!”
“Charge! Get the dragon eggs, and you’ll be set for life! No worries about food or survival!”
“To hell with the Empire and Lan Zhou! Grab the dragon eggs! Charge!”
Upon hearing this, Fu Qing and the members of the Nan Ming Legion all turned to look at Shu Bao.
Shu Bao spread his hands innocently. “I didn’t say that! I’m not that crude.”
Everyone else: “…” They seriously suspected that the shout came from someone who learned from him.
The entire rift area erupted into chaos, with shouts, dragon roars, and the intimidating sounds of the beast army creating a cacophony.
A massive burst of magic exploded instantly, with magical runes of various colors flashing continuously. The expedition teams clashed head-on with the beast army and the people from the Empire and Lan Zhou.
You Ji and Zi Yao also looked grim. They hadn’t anticipated that the dragon would be so tenacious, holding out until so many expedition teams arrived at the valley floor! At this point, they could only hope that the beast army could hold off the attacks from the expedition teams. As long as the dragon was heavily wounded and unable to attack, they could take all the dragon eggs and then leave on the fastest-flying beasts. No matter how angry the expedition teams were, it would be of no use.
However, things did not go as hoped. The dragon’s resilience and its intense desire to protect the dragon eggs kept it stubbornly standing, even becoming more frenzied as it sensed the impending death. This made it impossible for You Ji and Zi Yao to get close.
After more than twenty minutes of stalemate, a breach opened in the beast army’s defenses, followed by a second and a third.
A large number of adventurers surged in. Faced with such a tremendous temptation, they disregarded the Empire and Lan Zhou’s threats and warnings, swarming toward the dragon.
The Nan Ming Legion was also among them, but they remained at the back of the group.
“Fighting a cornered beast is extremely dangerous; find a good angle,” Fu Qing, Shu Bao, and Nan Ming all agreed. None of them thought it was a good opportunity to rush in at this moment.
And indeed, as such a vast number of people rushed forward, the dragon, though on the brink of death and still fiercely defending the eggs, was overwhelmed from all sides. Driven to the brink of extinction, the dragon expended all its remaining energy and unleashed its most terrifying breath of fire.
The air on the valley floor seemed to be boiling and distorting from the intense heat, with the surrounding environment appearing as if it were about to melt. Most of the people were instantaneously vaporized without even a scream, leaving no trace behind.
The dragon’s breath, infused with endless rage and despair, came like an avalanche, devastating everything in its path. The area covered by the dragon’s breath was barren, with not a single blade of grass surviving.
Those at the back still had a slim chance of escaping, while those at the front were completely annihilated.
Shu Bao was shocked by the instantaneous devastation. The dragon’s terrifying breath had turned the previously noisy valley floor into a dead silence in an instant. The rocks at the valley bottom were glowing red from the intense heat, illuminating the surroundings.
After a long while, people began to emerge from the dead zones. The dragon was on the brink of death, but those who survived had become even more cautious.
However, there were always those willing to take risks, especially those who had paid a heavy price like the Empire and Lan Zhou. You Ji and Zi Yao, both of whom were skilled and shrewd, realized the danger as the swarm of adventurers rushed in and managed to avoid the dragon’s breath attack.
At this point, the surviving forces on the valley floor were few. After the dragon’s breath, only a small fraction of the adventurers remained. Consequently, the ownership of the dragon eggs had become extremely delicate.
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