Demanga listened and became as happy as a child. He waved his hand, and ten bottles of glowing holy water appeared. "I can't eat for free. These ten bottles of high-grade holy water will be my meal cost. These religions are all they are, but their ability to create holy water is quite good. Take it for self-defense."
Looking at these ten bottles of high-grade holy water, Li Xi's hidden reluctance was instantly kicked away. What's wrong with lying? If lying can make people believe it's also a skill, with these ten bottles of high-grade holy water, it's just Avril. What's there to fear? As long as it's not selling his body, anything else can be agreed to.
Li Xi pocketed the ten bottles of high-grade holy water with the speed of "covering his ears while stealing a bell." "Master, your meals from now on are on me. I have no other hobbies in this life but cooking."
"Hahaha"
Li Xi left the demiplane with a full harvest. He didn't go home but first went to the general store. He spent dozens of gold coins, bought a space ring full of things, and then knocked on Avril's door next door.
No one knew what Li Xi said or did with Avril. Anyway, when Li Xi left that evening, satisfied, Avril leaned on the door, tired, with a smile radiating from the bottom of her heart.
The next day, Li Xi, as usual, brought Ai Si her lunchbox and told her not to worry about him. He was going out on a mission and would be back in many days.
Ai Si didn't say much. Being constantly on the move was the norm in their line of work. She just took seven bottles of mid-grade holy water from her space ring and handed them to Li Xi, which was more useful than any words of concern.
"What do you want to eat? I'll get it for you on this trip," Li Xi said, grinning and taking advantage of the situation.
Ai Si rolled her eyes. "I want to eat dragon meat. Can you get it for me?"
"A man's word is his bond."
Before going to the mercenary hall, Li Xi handed a hundred lunchboxes to Demanga. A delighted Demanga took out a set of armor made from high-grade monster hides.
Looking at the equipment, worth at least a thousand gold coins, Li Xi became even more cautious about Avril's influence. His hard work was not as effective as one meal she made.
He arrived at the mercenary hall, accepted the D-rank mission posted by Demanga, greeted Xinis, who was also looking for a mission, and quickly rushed out of the city.
Using the Body Flicker technique, he arrived at a secluded spot outside the city, unfolded his evolved dark red dragon wings, and soared into the sky.
...
Kobold Tribe,
The tribal chief, Kalifi, was a half-dragonized kobold with level three strength. His muscles, three times as strong as an ordinary kobold's, were covered with sparse blue dragon scales. The gray skin and blue scales were not jarring; instead, they made him look even more powerful.
Kalifi stood at the highest point of the tribe, gazing worshipfully at the distant high mountain, where the cave of their master, the blue dragon Stark, was located.
Kobolds dreamed of gaining the recognition of dragons, allowing them to stay by the dragons' side. This way, they could evolve through the dragons' aura and become Dragonkin Kobolds.
After all, any intelligent being knew that kobolds had dragon blood flowing in their veins, but it was usually hidden deep within their lineage. No kobold could activate their dragon blood through their own excellent conditions. It could only be activated through the gradual infiltration of dragon aura. Therefore, kobolds yearned for the protection of dragons as much as they yearned for sunlight.
However, on the entire continent, kobold tribes that received dragon protection were rarer than the number of gods. But once a kobold tribe received dragon protection, it would flourish.
Originally, their tribe was a tiny one in the forest, constantly in danger of destruction. Even a monster in a bad mood could destroy their tribe any day. But unexpectedly, the god of kobolds favored them, and a young blue dragon, about to reach adulthood, arrived here.
This young dragon, Stark, had just left his parents and was in a period of not having established his own power. Kalifi, bold and careful, seized the opportunity. With his silver tongue alone, he convinced Stark to settle here and even bestowed upon them the discarded items with dragon aura, which allowed the nearly extinct kobold tribe to come back to life.
Although they had to provide one hundred pounds of food every day, in return, their tribe's strength greatly increased. Kalifi believed that the most correct and glorious thing he had done in his life was to persuade Stark at the risk of his own life. Perhaps this event would be passed down as an epic myth to inspire generations of kobolds.
Looking at the busy tribesmen below, Kalifi believed that within three years, he could become the chief of a medium-sized tribe, and within ten years, he would be the sole major kobold tribe in the vicinity. At that time, it might even be possible for him to establish a kobold empire.
As he was immersed in his dream of establishing an empire, where he could possess all the female kobolds and give birth to offspring with dragon genes, creating a new race, a Dragonkin with dragon wings landed beside Kalifi.
From this Dragonkin, evolved from a human, Kalifi felt a strong dragon aura. Compared to him, his own aura was like a stone in a smelly pit trying to compare itself to a jewel. What Kalifi dared not admit was that the aura of this Dragonkin seemed even stronger than that of the blue dragon Stark.
Based on the identity of being both Dragonkin and fellow creatures, Kalifi felt he should extend the hospitality of a host. He stepped forward and greeted him, "Strange Dragonkin, this is the kobold tribe under the dragon Stark. State your purpose."
Li Xi looked at the terrain and felt that this was the address Demanga had given him. However, he had already searched six similar terrains, and none of them were correct. This was the seventh.
Looking at the kobold, who had only level three strength but several scales on his body, Li Xi felt he had struck gold. Only kobolds who had been in contact with dragons for a long time could evolve scales. There must be a dragon nearby.
"Hello, I am a traveling Dragonkin, dreaming of exploring the entire continent. I felt a dragon's aura here. May I ask if there is a dragon here?"
Kalifi puffed out his chest, letting the blue dragon scales on his chest glint in the sunlight. "Indeed, this is the territory of the great blue dragon Stark."
"Oh, I didn't expect it to be the great Stark. Stark's fame is known even thousands of miles away. If you can help me meet the great Stark, I will give you ten level three magic crystals I have with me."
Li Xi displayed an expression of admiration. Kalifi was very familiar with this expression. When he was a child and heard the elders recount the tribe's glorious victories, such as defeating demons and driving away behemoths, he had the same expression. Sudan Novel Network.
Magic crystals were not of much use to Li Xi, except for selling them for money or submitting them for missions. But for normal people, it was different.
Magic crystals could be used for cultivation, providing energy, restoring mana, and even for some mages, magic crystals were natural materials for inscribing spells. Even more powerful mages could imbue magic into magic crystals and release them at critical moments.
Kalifi's kobold tribe did not acquire a single level three magic crystal in a year. Now, hearing that he only needed to lead the Dragonkin to Stark for a meeting and receive a reward of ten level three magic crystals, his small brain capacity completely short-circuited.
He didn't think of anything else and invited Li Xi towards the nearby cave with the grandeur of hosting his ancestor.
As they reached the cave entrance, Kalifi said to Li Xi, "Dear Dragonkin, please tell me your name, and the name of the dragon who evolved you."
Li Xi clasped his hands behind his back, tilted his head up to the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, his gaze deep, and slowly uttered the words with solemnity, "My name is Li Xi, and the dragon who evolved me is Deathwing, the World Ender, Lord Neltharion."
Li Xi didn't care if Deathwing existed in this world or not. Anyway, seeing the kobold's nervous, drooling appearance, he knew this title had intimidated him.
Kalifi felt as if a kangaroo had been stuffed into his chest, his heart pounding. With a title like "World Ender," this dragon must be an existence beyond compare.
Looking at Li Xi, covered in dragon scales, he realized that it would take him eighty to a hundred years to evolve into a fully scaled state, and even then, he couldn't even think about it. His gaze instantly changed from equality to adoration. He had to establish a good relationship with such an important figure. "So you are Lord Neltharion's Dragonkin. I will go and report to Lord Stark immediately."
Kalifi excitedly ran into the cave and emerged a moment later, beaming. "Lord Stark invites you in. I will return to the tribe to prepare a good meal for you."
Kalifi had no idea what the person he wanted to curry favor with was about to do. To please Li Xi, he didn't even mention the ten level three magic crystals they had agreed upon. His mind was entirely focused on getting Li Xi to leave something behind before he departed to promote their evolution. If possible, Kalifi would have even offered his ten wives.
Li Xi had originally intended to leave the ten magic crystals with the kobold for safekeeping. But seeing Kalifi's cheerful pace, he thought, well, that's one less hassle.
Li Xi hadn't expected the mission to be so easy. He had initially thought he would have to go through many trials and tribulations to meet this dragon. Looking at the retreating figure of Kalifi, who was happily running to prepare food for him, he could only say "I'm sorry."
Li Xi stepped into the cave. The huge cave could easily accommodate a truck. After a few steps, he saw a dragon about ten meters long, covered in blue scales, resting on the ground.
The dragons in this world looked like Western dragons on Earth – essentially large lizards with wings.
Li Xi took a brief look and discerned the blue dragon's strength. He was likely in his youth, with strength below level five, not even as strong as the horned demon he had encountered earlier. If this blue dragon were given a few more decades, he could grow to adulthood while sleeping, and his strength at adulthood would be comparable to that of a horned demon.
"Strange Dragonkin, what brings you to me?"
Stark felt a sense of danger from this Dragonkin. The dark red dragon scales and wings indicated that this Dragonkin possessed the realm of an adult dragon. Although realm did not represent strength, it still made the underage Stark slightly worried. Moreover, he faintly heard the roars of countless demons emanating from this Dragonkin.
Li Xi waved his hand, and a lunchbox larger than a coffin appeared on the ground.
"I am a traveler who enjoys exploring the continent. I have come to the Worry-Free Forest this time simply to find a rare flower. I happened to hear of Lord Stark's reputation. Perhaps it is by the grace of the Dragon God that I have encountered you."
Then he opened the giant lunchbox, and an enticing aroma wafted out.
Li Xi pointed at the lunchbox and said to Stark, who was already drooling like thunder, his eyes fixed on the lunchbox and unable to move an inch, "It's our first meeting, and I haven't prepared a better gift. Please accept it."
Stark, smelling the aroma, let out fist-sized streams of saliva like flowing water. But despite the reluctance evident in his eyes, Stark resolutely shook his huge head, "Thank you for your kindness, I'm not hungry."