Golden Dragon: Six Thousand Years of Empire
Chapter 339 - 217: Revitalization of All Things, Sun’s Blessing_2

Chapter 339: Chapter 217: Revitalization of All Things, Sun’s Blessing_2

Here, nothing exists that could pose a threat to his life. After wandering with extreme caution for half a day, this is what Wayne concluded.

There were vines capable of splitting into clones that could parasitically control biological activities, fruit that could explode like bombs and automatically track enemies, explosive trees, and thorny grass that could fuse with organisms to form a strange symbiotic relationship... Whether they were plants or animals, Wayne was amazed by this Secret Realm jungle, marveling at the wonder of the world, with so many magical creatures and dangerous carnivorous plants.

Wayne, with a sense of curiosity, observed and scrutinized the Secret Realm jungle, which was abruptly interrupted only when the young man walked out of the jungle and into a relatively flat small plain.

Because on this plain, he saw a familiar race. However, this race that was so familiar to many adventurers in the wild jungle had completely changed its appearance in the Half-plane.

If it weren’t for Wayne’s broad knowledge and having seen the high-rank evolutionary form of this species, he might not have dared to confirm, because it was a tribe of Kobolds.

Of course, given the form of the members and leaders of this tribe, calling them Kobolds was neither polite nor accurate; such a mischaracterization could easily cost the ignorant their lives.

In fact, the term Kobold itself is inaccurate, as the worldly notion of Kobolds describes life forms more akin to bipedal walking lizards with thick skins.

A few Kobolds might grow some very shallow scales on their foreheads or chests, granting them higher status within the clan.

This is because Kobolds believe scales are a symbol of their Dragon Vein heritage. Indeed, Kobolds do belong to Dragon Vein creatures, though their blood contains very little Dragon Vein.

Genuinely awakening Dragon Vein in a Kobold is incredibly rare, but once achieved, they can leap forward to at least become the clan leader or priest.

Once a Dragon Vein Kobold emerges, the tribe can expand rapidly, easily surpassing a hundred members, or even a thousand.

Such a sizeable Kobold tribe deters many adventurers. Only the most renowned adventuring teams, after thorough preparation, could attempt to eliminate them.

Wayne had once encountered a Kobold tribe reaching a size of a hundred thousand. Such a size is no longer termed a tribe but rather a Kobold kingdom, and the Kobold King had evolved so far beyond the bounds of the Kobold species.

Its body was tall and robust, covered entirely by bright red Dragon Scales, with a long, thick tail holding immense power, lying on the ground like an Earth Dragon... this is the high-rank form a Kobold attains after multiple evolutions: the Dragon-man.

This is an extremely rare creature in the Material Realm, because for a Kobold to evolve into a Dragon-man requires more than mere effort and will.

Even if a Kobold utilizes every drop of its Dragon Vein, that’s just the start; additional help is needed, akin to the legendary heroes who bathed in True Dragon Blood without being corroded, enduring its poison, and absorbing its legacy to complete the transformation.

This is a one-in-a-billion case, and even Wayne, who boasted a wealth of experience before an ancient dragon, had only ever seen this once.

But now, Wayne saw a Dragon-man tribe, a small tribe of less than a hundred, comprised of Dragon-men with scales in varying hues.

When Wayne discovered this Dragon-man tribe, they too noticed Wayne. Their alertness and perception were incredibly high, reacting to the slightest disturbance.

"Tsk."

Wayne halted his initially curious tracks, observing the reactions of these Dragon-men, it was the first time he had seen so many Dragon-men.

"Human?"

A tall Dragon-man, covered in bright golden scales, stepped forth. Its body was noticeably larger than the other Dragon-men, drawing Wayne’s attention to the broad Dragon Wings on its back, even in a folded state, exuding strength and majesty.

A winged Dragon-man?

This was a form he had never seen before, simply incredible.

"Are you a teacher from the Academy?"

The gazes of the Dragon-men were vigilant, yet equally filled with longing.

"Yes."

Wayne’s expression changed; he hadn’t expected that this identity would prove useful here.

"Are you interested in conducting a trade with us? There might be unexpected gains for both sides."

"What do you want?"

"Weapons, armor, healing potions, no matter how much you have, we need them all."

The voice of the leading Golden Dragon-man was deep, carrying a sense of authority.

"And what do you plan to trade with me in exchange?"

"Naturally, resources unavailable outside. Even if you don’t need them, selling them can easily yield tenfold profits."

"Let’s take a look then."

Though not particularly concerned, Wayne decided to engage with these Dragon-men out of sheer curiosity. As for the weapons and armor they required, he indeed had a considerable cache, having once organized a Knight Order after all.

"We won’t let you down."

The Golden Dragon-man, whose head bore no difference from that of the Dragon Species, bared its fangs. Though it seemed fearsome, Wayne knew it was a sign of good spirits for this kind of creature.

"What is this?"

Among the items retrieved by the Dragon-men for trading, Wayne’s gaze immediately fixed on a crystal, a fist-sized, earth-toned Crystal Core with a strand of golden thread that’s more brilliant than the Sun’s light.

"This is the Sun’s Blessing!"

The Golden Dragon-man responded.

"Sun’s Blessing?"

Wayne couldn’t comprehend.

"For weak creatures from outside, upon consuming this Crystal Core and surviving, they gain the qualification to continue surviving here."

The Golden Dragon-man elaborated further.

"Survive? And one can live here."

Wayne still couldn’t understand, as what the Golden Dragon-man just said went beyond his comprehension and understanding.

The Dragon-man leader, who possessed intelligence not inferior to humans, clearly understood this too.

Thus, he waved his hand slightly, soon driving a group of Kobolds recognizable to ordinary adventurers.

All these Kobolds had awakened the Dragon Vein; outside in the wilderness, they could become leaders ruling over hundreds or thousands of Kobolds effortlessly.

Yet here, these Dragon Vein Kobolds were avoiding eye contact, timid, like a group of animals awaiting slaughter.

Indeed, the Dragon-men did not regard the Kobolds as their kin. They drove them here merely to showcase their goods to outsiders.

"Swallow it!"

The Golden Dragon-man grabbed the Crystal Core with a golden thread and tossed it to a Kobold, commanding indifferently.

The Kobold that received the Crystal Core, stared at the so-called Sun’s Blessing in its hands, filled with dread of death yet also a deep desire, and then opened its mouth wide, swallowing the Crystal Core in one gulp.

Boom~

In the next instant after the Kobold swallowed the Crystal Core, its small, pitiful body, insignificant compared to the Dragon-men’s three to five meter tall frames, suddenly swelled enormously. In the next moment, like a balloon bursting, it exploded with flying flesh and blood.

"You, pick it up and swallow it!"

The Golden Dragon-man showed no expression, accustomed to this scene, merely pointing to the next Kobold. The chosen Kobold, with a numb expression, walked into the remains of its companion and picked up the Crystal Core...