V01-S14-C01
Chapter One – Dragon Egg
This was the first “village” Aofeng saw since coming into the forest, and her first time seeing so many living people.
A tall fence twice the height of a person made up the perimeter of the city with sharpened tops. They could be used to defend against the attacks of magic beasts. Only the heavens knew if they could stop the sacred beast that wandered by. However, adventurer camps did not move. Even if there were no experts, some of the explorers and mercenaries inside would do their best to protect the camp.
The mercenaries and adventurers inside the camp were mostly second-rank professionals or higher. There were many high star-level swordsmen and high sword-level magisters. Aofeng even saw some third-rank professionals with the badges of spirit magisters and sacred swordsmen. She didn’t see any fourth-rank celestial magisters or sword masters. Some people were cleaning their weapons, some lazily leaning against the tents as they bathed in the sun. More people were holding things in their hands as they bartered. Other people were in the middle of arguments, fighting with flushed faces.
Aofeng and Lei Yufeng walked side by side as they strode through the wooden gates without glancing sideways, all the way until they reached the center of the camp.
A handsome man dressed in tight black clothing and as nimble as a panther, a handsome youth wearing an exquisite black robe as cold and elegant as a black swan. When these two people appeared, people couldn’t help but notice them. Also, Lei Yufeng was famous in the depths of the Forest of Neversetting Sun. Almost all the people in the adventurer base recognized him.
“His Excellency, Lei Yufeng of the Forest! It’s really him. Doesn’t he usually not appear nearby at this time of year?”
“Has he come for that matter?”
“I hadn’t thought that even His Excellency Lei Yufeng would come upon hearing the news. The news spread really quickly.”
Aofeng and Lei Yufeng’s eyes were keen. They heard the surrounding discussions and exchanged a look. Both of them were curious about the “matter” these people were discussion. However, even though these people were chatty but didn’t speak clearly of the matter. They itched with curiosity.
As Lei Yufeng walked, he pointed around and introduced, “This is the adventurer base. The adventurer squads in the forest will gather here and conduct transactions. That empty “street” up ahead is the place used specifically for transactions. Didn’t you want to buy food? Many of the speciality products in the forest are delicious. Some which are rare can be bought on the booths of the Leysin Caravan. They also have pastry chefs that will make them on site. What they sell is fresh bread and cheese which has just been made.”
“They take chefs here? Aren’t they afraid that accidents will happen?’ Aofeng asked curiously.
“Of course there will be accidents. Each year, a few of the chefs that come will die. But even so, people still come to do business as the profits are great. A normal bread will only need a few copper coins in Karroll but here, they will sell for the high price of ten obsidian. Slightly better-quality b.u.t.ter bread will be four or five hundred obsidian.”
“Uh … …” The price gave Aofeng a fright.
In Neversetting Sun City, everyone thought that she, a master beast tamer, would have money. No one had mentioned this. Even Castellan Luo Li had just given her an Inexhaustible Life Ring, and not any money. All together, she only had about four thousand obsidian. What could four thousand obsidian buy here?
Aofeng was slightly downhearted. She had never thought that she was so poor to the point all of her money could only buy a dozen b.u.t.ter breads. A regent beast tamer falling to such a level was definitely unprecedented in both past and future.
“Let’s go, we will go buy a few thousand loaves of bread, and not come to this adventurer base in the short time. I have a spatial ring that holds ice. Later, we will go to the Leysin Caravan, and you can buy one as well. That only costs one million obsidian, not too expensive.” Lei Yufeng was extremely generous, speaking of several million just to start without even any feeling.
In the dangerous lands on the continent, celestial magister with status never lacked money to spend. Their degree of luxuriousness was astounding.
“How much money do you have?” Aofeng asked suspiciously.
Lei Yufeng answered casually, “Oh, not much, a few billion obsidian, I’ve acc.u.mulated this over a few years.”
Aofeng choked on her spit. She started to regret this. If she had known before, she would have stolen this person’s spatial ring. He had been fooling her when he said he “didn’t have much wealth!”
The duo already reached the area in front of the Leysin Caravan. The ground was filled with all kinds of merchandise, valuable magic crystals, sharp animal claws, tails, horns, the roots of all kinds of plants, fruits that could increase strength, and fragrant roast meat, bread, and desserts. Aofeng’s eyes were dazzled.
“Hm? Your Excellency Lei Yufeng, what brought you here today.” a seductive voice sounded. Aofeng looked forward and saw a beautiful and mature woman dressed in “cooling” clothing come out of the tent at the center of the caravan. Her red lips were slightly pursed, her large eyes flashing with light. At a glance, she appeared as a clever person.
Your Excellency, that was an appellation which only belonged to those fourth-rank and above. People would call celestial magisters, sword masters and stronger people as “Your Excellency x.x.x.” This was a sign of status.
“Miss Milin is still so beautiful, my trip here has not been a waste.” Lei Yufeng smiled. Aofeng could see from his mannerisms that his origins were n.o.ble, and he was much better at exchanging courtesies compared to Aofeng.
“Hee hee, Your Excellency hasn’t come to see Milin, you have clearly come for that matter. However, Milin is still very happy to receive Your Excellency’s praise.” Milin’s eyes flashed slyly as though she was speaking casually, but she immediately captured Lei Yufeng and Aofeng’s minds.
Aofeng couldn’t help but thing, this woman was so skilled at understanding people’s expressions.
“Miss Milin, do not skirt around the topic. You know that I will not come to Death Ridge in this while, what is the matter, tell me. I’ll owe you a favor. In the future when your caravan moves through the Forest of Neversetting Sun, I will give some care when I encounter them,” Lei Yufeng shook his head helplessly and said with a smile
Milin’s eyes showed joy. She giggled and said, “Then I will thank the honorable His Excellency Lei Yufeng. The matter is like this.”
“Recently, a group of people accidentally made their way into the giant dragon nest rumored to exist in Death Ridge. They accidentally saw the owner of that giant dragon nest, Candia, who had laid a dragon egg before being attacked by other high ranking magic beasts. Candia who just laid an egg was greatly weakened in strength. While the offender was torn apart, Candia was also seriously wounded. That adventurer fled back to this adventurer base, the nearest to Death Ridge and immediately publicized the news. Milin was right there and heard it clearly. I don’t believe this is untrue. Right now, all of the famed experts in the forest are hurrying over there!”
“Dragon egg?” Aofeng and Lei Yufeng inhaled in shock. They finally understood why there were so many people in this base right now.
This was a true giant dragon egg!
Giant dragons were top magic beasts among high ranking magic beast. Any pure blooded giant dragon was a high star-level divine beast. Some of the hallowed giant dragons that resided in the dangerous places on Luska Continent were powerful super-divine beasts. The Candia giant dragon was a famed seven-star divine beast around Death Ridge. Whoever got the Candia giant dragon’s egg would get a seven-star divine beast early!
Without a regent beast tamer’s a.s.sistance, seven-star divine beasts would only recognize a master in their infant stage. No matter if one raised this divine beast or sold it, this was an insane temptation.
Once the news spread, most likely all of the experts in the forest would rush to gather at Death Ridge. Everyone would be tempted by this dragon egg.
Even Lei Yufeng, a celestial magister who already possessed a divine beast, couldn’t help but breathe faster when he heard this.
“I hadn’t thought I would encounter something so interesting coming here. Let’s go with the flow. The dragon egg is minor, that Candia giant dragon is heavily inured. That is also a target for the experts.” Aofeng’s eyes flashed with light. She wasn’t thinking about the dragon egg, but that Candia giant dragon. A wounded seven-star divine beast, was there a better target than this?
She and other magisters were different. The use of the dragon egg was not as great as the seven-star divine beast. That would be great aid to her. A covenant would help her break through to celestial magister rank.
Lei Yufeng was already slightly tempted. When he heard Aofeng say this, he immediately nodded and said, “Yes, even if we cannot get it, it would be good to have a look. With the two of us together, there are not many in the forest that can capture us. I wanted to go deep into Death Ridge to take a tour a long time ago. However, I am outnumbered, and I have to be careful. Moving together with you, I will be much less worried.”
Milin, who heard this, looked in shock towards Aofeng. From Lei Yufeng’s tone, Milin could hear another meaning. He thought highly of this youth! So high that this youth was spoken of as equal to him! Lei Yufeng was a celestial magister. Someone of same rank as him, didn’t that mean that this extremely young-looking youth had the abilities of a celestial magister?
When she thought of this, Milin showed a friendly smile, “And this young brother is?”
“Uh, my … …” Lei Yufeng was slightly embarra.s.sed by this question. Being defeated by Aofeng and being forced to become a bodyguard was not a glorious matter.
“Brother!”
Aofeng said first in a cold and hard tone, “Yufeng and I met on the roared, we felt familiarity at first sight and have mutual admiration so we paired together.”
“… …” Lei Yufeng looked in shock. When he detected the imperceptible warmth under the cold tone, his heart trembled again.
Normal youth’s were proud and vain. If they defeated a famed person like him, they would announce it everywhere to get famous. But this person left him his reputation, and thought on his behalf. Lei Yufeng wasn’t just a bit moved.
His eyes heating slightly, Lei Yufeng hooked an arm around Aofeng’s shoulders and laughed. That name left his lips naturally, “Aofeng! Good brother!”
The two exchanged a smile. Just as their emotions ran high, a wave of gasps and wails sounded through the air outside the base!
“Ah! Sacred beast, sacred beast attack on the base!”
Translator Ramblings: Just to clarify if it seems strange. Candia is a giant dragon, and both its name and type is Candia as far as I can tell.