Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 594 - 547: Sands of Time

Kolosis’s Giant Dragon was still alive, which was different from what the scholars had said. Lyle and the Giant Dragon looked at each other, the prophetic surprise not being particularly sweet. Wearing the Dragon Priest mask belonging to Morocoy, it was hard to guess what expression might lie beneath the ancient mask.

"Did you see the shadow of Korlanak? Witness it with your own eyes?"

Manu’s face leaned more toward rock, so their emotional expression wasn’t as rich, but from the tightly sealed lips and overly animated eyes, one could still interpret Marcelo’s sorrow and panic. "The lack of gems has deteriorated the constitution of our people, and some memories have also vanished with the cracks. But the unforgettable pain, like a ferocious scar, remains etched in my memory. That Giant Dragon once brought us glory; Korlanak indeed still lives, it was he who, carrying the madness of Kolosis, poured out agony upon my people."

"If sir has more questions, please come with me to our sanctuary. There are still elders living among our tribe; perhaps they can clear your doubts." Marcelo’s gem-like palms came together, crossed fingers forming a beautiful spherical shape. This gesture meant begging, a deliberate action to convey vulnerability appealing to one’s senses. "My people are facing death at every moment, please forgive my shameless request. We urgently need the gems that you carry. Your generosity could save our lives. And we, who have nothing, can hardly repay you."

"Kolosis is my friend, and he is also one of our Dragon Priests..." The scholar placed a hand over Marcelo’s, "A Dragon Priest should fulfill his duties, and if he fails to do so, as his companion, it is my duty to rectify his actions."

Marcelo’s eyes lit up, he stood tall and proud like a straight cedar, his repeated thanks halted by the scholar’s interjection, a smiling Marcelo then guided everyone towards his tribe.

"Marcelo, these are my companions, Mr. Plague Doctor, Mr. Zhiyan, and Mr. Giant Dragon."

"I will cherish the names of all the honored guests in my heart."

The scholar nodded slightly, pointing his cane towards the man even taller than the Manu, Mr. Giant Dragon.

"Remembering the Giant Dragon is enough."

Marcelo’s finger touched his sharp chin, though confused, he still nodded in silence, casting another glance at the indifferent towering figure.

"It’s alright, Nia, next time we can search the jewelry shops in the City of Wandering with Beatrice. I’ll pick out the largest gem for you." Alianna wasn’t interested in gems, Beatrice knew well how such accessories could enhance one’s appearance, Helena... Helena didn’t need gems.

The current situation of the Manu Clan must be quite dire. It was not just about asking for some flawed gems; this time it might require digging into one’s own pocket to help them. The Dragon Priest Kolosis must be mad, only a madman would let his beautiful, noble kin revert to such a frail state. What did he need so many gems for?

Suddenly floating in his stride, Lyle, who was originally middle of the group, was overtaken by Mr. Zhiyan with an awkward expression. Lyle was relegated to the end of the line, walking with Mr. Giant Dragon. The Giant Dragon looked at his student as if the two were sneaky conspirators whispering secrets.

"Hearing what the Gem Man said, what are your thoughts, my student?"

"I suspect I may have awakened a crow’s mouth like someone, where good predictions fail and bad ones come true. If Marcelo is telling the truth, then we are going to face a mad Dragon Priest and his Giant Dragon. Though it’s a bit unexpected, I believe in the strength of you and the scholar sir..."

"No, Lyle, you should not rely on our strength. If the Giant Dragon is still alive, then you will be the one to face it."

What? Lyle’s first reaction was that he must have heard wrong. What kind of person would say something so chilling, that was a Giant Dragon, after all, a mentor to Dragon Priests, a mythical creature. Although Lyle believed that the Evil God’s stature wasn’t inferior to that of a Giant Dragon, he never felt capable of defeating those large lizards, at least not yet.

"I cannot bear the thought of harming such a perfect creature as the Giant Dragon, and I think the scholar, who once killed Morocoy, would also have misgivings about this option. Then my student, you are our only choice. Lyle, take with you our expectations, and slay the dragon."

"..." Lyle seemed to become a walking corpse, stiffly heading to the execution ground.

"I’m joking." The Giant Dragon said with an indifferent expression, those small eyes staring at Lyle’s face, yet he was disappointed; Lyle didn’t explode in anger or complain because he hadn’t come back to his senses yet. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

His stiff lips, like those of a short-circuited machine, only uttered an "Ah?" between the white gaps of his teeth.

The Giant Dragon realized his rare humor had terrified his student and quickly tried to soothe his emotions.

"Your level is not enough, leave the dangerous creatures like the Giant Dragon to the teacher. Don’t be afraid, I will protect you."

"But... teacher, don’t you love the Giant Dragons? How can you bear to be their enemy?"

"What I love is Giant Dragons with vibrant lives, not puppet corpses controlled by someone else. I am a Spirit Summoning Studies professor, and a cautious research attitude towards skeletons is an essential qualification for us."

That dragon, it’s not alive. An idea smoothly ran through Lyle’s mind.

"Corrosion Spell? Spirit Summoning Studies? That means..."

"The Giant Dragon died, and what rose again is a corpse revived by Spirit Summoning Studies, merely a puppet without spirit. Moreover, it’s the discarded Corrosion Spell. Compared to that antiquated Dragon Priest who has never encountered Liches, at least not modern Spirit Summoning Studies. That is precisely what I excel at. If someone has defiled my dragon, then I will teach him a proper lesson."

Under the chilling aura displayed by the Giant Dragon, Lyle shivered. Getting your dragon back is still up in the air. However, it’s a relief that one hellish task has been reduced.

The deeper they followed Marcelo, the sparser the vegetation around them became, gradually revealing stone platforms with traces of human activities, mostly in ruin, evoking a desolate sense of dilapidation.

It seemed the Manu Clan didn’t have any grand tall structures; they still maintained ancient customs. They are Burrow Creatures who like to dig burrows to construct Underground Palaces, so from the exterior, there are no buildings over five meters tall. When Marcelo informed everyone they had stepped onto the boundary of Ashpurin, Lyle didn’t feel anything substantial. Among the bare mounds sporadically dotted with grass mere centimeters tall, Marcelo unearthed a deep hole amidst the chaotic roots of a dead twisted tree. "This is the entrance to the refuge."

Scholars stood beside the old tree, gazing at the hill not far away, a cliff rising from within the forest. The scholars watched the massive cave in the center of the cliff; the entrance to the Stone Monster district of the City of Wandering was only half its size.

"That is Ashpurin, the Underground Holy City built by the Manu people. I remember they inlaid jewels on the stone walls, numerous Gem Craftsmen refining their gems amidst glittering splendor. Such beauty could only be matched by the radiance of the Arcane Tower."

"Splendor lingers in the past, the current Ashpurin has only a Giant Dragon that takes our lives and a mad leader. Time has changed a lot, Morocoy sir."

The scholar took one last look and stepped into the entrance of the burrow.

"That is why we must conquer time. Dragon Priest, you cannot be outdated."