Golden Dragon: Six Thousand Years of Empire
Chapter 76 Natural Fruit

Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Natural Fruit

"The fifth fruit!"

Noah gazed intently at the vibrant green fruit pulsating with life. Even though the fruit was still in the process of maturing, the Golden Dragon felt an irresistible urge to devour it.

The life essence contained within it was so rich. However, Noah restrained this impulsive desire well and patiently waited for the fruit to ripen.

As for the reason for the fruit’s development, Noah’s gaze turned to the roots of the Golden Tree, where undead beings were being crushed by the giants.

Previously, creatures slain by the Cloud Giants under Noah’s command would release a wisp of blood energy upon death, which the Golden Tree would absorb, condensing into the Blood Origin Fruit.

But now, as the undead perished with no blood energy, their bodies turned into a gray-black mist and scattered. Yet, from somewhere unknown, green energy converged to form the fifth fruit Noah saw.

Noah vaguely perceived the source of this green energy; the Undead Clan were neither living creatures nor truly dead. They existed between life and death, defying the laws of nature.

By purging the Undead Clan on a large scale, one naturally earns the favor and rewards of certain wills. Normally, this favor is not overt, but the Golden Tree can extract it.

"I must issue an order to motivate these giants."

In the many visions reflected by the Golden Tree, although there were scenes of Cloud Giants suppressing the undead, it was evident that a significant number of Cloud Giants approached this task with a rather casual and lazy attitude, simply going through the motions.

After all, the greatest threat of the Undead Army had been completely eliminated. The remaining Undead Species, though still numerous, were mostly intelligent high-ranking undead. Still, most undead roamed within certain areas, and even fought amongst themselves.

Thus, the giants appeared unenthusiastic about clearing out the undead. Additionally, part of the reason was that as giants living on high mountains, their colossal sizes made forays into the narrow and cramped dark regions very uncomfortable.

However, Noah had already sensed the benefits brought by the extermination of the undead. Although he hadn’t personally slain even the lowest skeleton soldier, those giants were dispatched by him, so there was no difference.

Therefore, upon awakening, Noah issued a clear directive to the giants, that once the undead threat was removed, they could be rotated back in batches to reunite with their families.

Cloud Giants were intelligent giants with strong emotions and a heavy sense of family responsibility. Mere urgings would yield the same idle results, but the temptation of returning home placed before them would surely serve as positive guidance.

The reason Noah gave this order was mainly because it wouldn’t harm the giants. Not only were there giants, but also many reinforcements of Paladins and various Knight Orders coming in abundance.

In such methodically organized clearing campaigns, for them to still incur casualties at the level of Cloud Giants would indeed be a joke, and it would be disgraceful for the face of his adoptive parents.

However, that being said, compared to the initial outbreak of the undead disaster, when his adoptive father, Casius, swiftly slew the Ancient Black Dragon with Titan’s Power, the campaign against the remaining undead lasted for a full three years.

This was even with the cooperation and assistance of the underground races. After all, the conflict between the undead and the living is irreconcilable, and the space available for survival and reproduction underground is limited.

It wasn’t until no high-ranking undead could be found in the explorative areas deep underground that this Undead Calamity was declared to be resolved.

On the same day the undead calamity was resolved, the threat from the underground races was also declared terminated. Over ten underground clan leaders voluntarily disarmed and entered the fortress, swearing allegiance to the Augustus family and agreeing to provide regular tribute.

The Great Duke of Augustus, the Holy Dragon Slayer Casius, accepted the submission of the many clans from the Dark Territory, distributing the lands that had previously been ravaged by the undead back to them, reallocating their clan territories for reproduction.

This was a historic moment for the Augustus family and even for the Aristoria United Kingdom. As short-lived species proliferating on the surface, making the fierce underground species voluntarily submit was exceedingly rare.

In confronting the plunder and invasion from the Dark Territory, there were quite a few countries and even independent aristocratic Great Lords that successfully suppressed and even retaliated.

But cases where the underground races lost their will to attack and voluntarily submitted were so rare that they could be counted on one hand, even in the history books of the Longevity Species.

"Will those old fools die if they don’t boast? Submitting to the Augustus family, really pasting gold on their faces, how much does it actually have to do with humans?"

The Golden Dragon, full of disdain, tossed aside the front-line report, which was lavishly singing praises and merits.

He believed those underground clans that came forward to surrender were genuinely submitting, mainly because his adoptive father had already demonstrated an invincible stance capable of crushing the Ancient Black Dragon.

Submitting to power—that was very normal, after all, survival and reproduction had to be considered. But Noah was more convinced those underground clans submitted not only to his adoptive father’s might but also to the Titan’s demeanor exhibited by his adoptive father.

That’s the supreme ancient lineage; surrendering to such bloodlines held no humiliation. In other words, these underground clans were submitting to his adoptive father personally, not to the Augustus family.

In a somewhat impolite remark, if his adoptive father had pure human blood, even with legendary power, these underground clans might have stoically mustered all possible military force to fight the Augustus family to the end, instead of surrendering so simply as they did.

"This is also a hidden risk!"

After criticizing the members of the Augustus family who compiled the report, Noah couldn’t help but ponder potential threats and hidden risks. His adoptive father earned the submission of these underground clans through personal force and the nobility of his lineage.

But what if his adoptive father wasn’t around? Not speaking of falling, but merely leaving? Would these underground clans remain obedient and continue to submit?

The answer is clear; chaos would certainly return by then!

"Tch, what am I worrying about? If worse comes to worst, I’ll just defeat them again later. Why think so much now!"

Noah quickly worked everything out in his mind and felt enlightened.

For humans, a short-lived species, once tempered with Radiant Light Power to have a Golden Body, they could live for a hundred and eighty years. Reaching the Extreme Intent Realm affords three hundred years, and advancing to Legend would at least double it, and this isn’t even counting special bloodline enhancements.

Even with a rough estimate, Noah believed that his adoptive father, with the Titan bloodline, would naturally have a lifespan not lesser than True Dragon Species, maybe even more.

Therefore, given the current situation, the concerns seemed unnecessary.