Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 618 - 571: Cataclysmic Giant Dragon (Zao Gao’s Task 5/6)

Chapter 618: Chapter 571: Cataclysmic Giant Dragon (Zao Gao’s Task 5/6)

The black giant’s body was covered in silt that devoured the Dragon Bone, and its trunk waved numerous tentacles that merged those broken pieces. The Power of the Evil God and the Death Bone Marrow Fluid eroded each other, and the final product was poured onto the Dragon Bone, which had fallen into the mire. Lyle leaned against the massive Dragon Corpse, his hands moving as if manipulating a shattered Rubik’s cube, with both the fragments of the Giant Dragon’s skull and his soul steeped in the Power of the Evil God.

"Lyle, you’ve broken the rules! You shouldn’t act so recklessly!" Zhiyan had already rushed into the spreading silt, his legs wading through the black muck, a sense of irritation burning within him as if on fire, encroaching upon his spirit as he roared towards the kneeling giant.

In the face of such a petty point, Lyle didn’t even turn his head to whisper, but the soul assault that invaded Zhiyan’s mind was more like a suppressed roar.

What am I supposed to do, stand there and watch my teacher’s soul turn to dust and smoke? The rules have failed! That is our conclusion!

"Perhaps there are other ways. The Power of the Evil God is the source of chaos in this world. Believe me, Lyle, I have entered countless ancient tombs, studied related records, and they are often but fragments of knowledge and horrific scenes. Those who seek the Evil God, their end is never good."

I’m not someone seeking the Power of the Evil God. I am the Evil God, the executioner of old gods, the lord of the future. Since your ancients have already failed, let me create the future! My mentor must not fall here, I will keep him alive, and if dreams cannot fulfill him, then I will use miracles, insane miracles.

"Indeed, I lack the eloquence of the law..." Zhiyan had already waded into the heart of the black mud; malevolent silt covered him completely, and he stretched out a hand with difficulty, breaching the surface, touching the straight limb reaching skyward, a joint in the leg of the Ominous giant. "If I can’t stop you, then I will use my knowledge to bring you some reality-based logic. Perhaps, that miracle will also come closer to reality..."

Zhiyan’s hand slowly sank back into the black mud, his consciousness being gradually devoured.

A large hand plucked Zhiyan out of the black mud, flicking him dry in the air like a handkerchief. The malicious erosion disappeared, and Zhiyan felt himself falling apart, eventually being held in a tentacle’s grasp, facing Lyle’s lightless ’face’ and two huge ’voids’.

What were you doing just now, looking to die?

"I hoped the black mud would consume me, so you could take in my knowledge," he said, recalling the ancient inscriptions that described such a method.

Idiot, that’s just the emotional residue leaking out of me. If the black mud swallows you, you’ll only lose yourself.

"Like... excrement?"

...

Seeing that Lyle was about to stuff him back, Zhiyan quickly pleaded, "Okay then, noble Evil God, my old friend, how then should you learn to accept new knowledge? My study of the Evil God’s knowledge is still shallow; perhaps you could enlighten me."

I don’t need to learn, for I am the origin. All knowledge is just a part of me. I just need to think. By detangling knowledge along the timeline, I can find the answers.

"Cool! So was my journey here in vain?" Zhiyan suddenly felt a little worthless.

You can help guide me. A learned ancient scholar can divide the knowledge we seek more swiftly.

"Another Dragon Bone creation?"

Exactly. It’s simple, just starting over.

Zhiyan quickly realized that what Lyle called the Dragon Bone structure was anything but simple.

"Given our previous design, we could choose a spike shape, of course, or a fan shield shape, and a web pattern compatible with cartilage. Each one could enhance the attack power, defense, and casting ability of the Dragon Bone... which one shall we pick?"

I want them all.

"Could you repeat that?"

I want them all. I intend to create a Giant Dragon beyond the father of dragons. I want every advantage of all the Dragons!

"Damn! We’re talking about the spinal joint here; how is it possible to satisfy all three at once? A Giant Dragon’s physiological structure and body composition cannot contain three different types simultaneously unless it has three Magic Cores, with three separate yet interdependent Mana Circuits. You and I both know that’s impossible!"

Three sets of Dragon Bone... indeed impossible. Then, create a set of Dragon Bone transformed by the Power of the Evil God, allowing this Dragon Corpse to switch back and forth according to the environment it needs, and when necessary... grow three hearts.

Zhiyan gritted his teeth in agony, "What kind of monster are you trying to create? You’re not aiming to create a Giant Dragon, but rather a dragon-shaped creature armor, or perhaps a dragon-shaped Evil God!"

"I merely seek to return the Giant Dragon to its origins. Remember, Yemotar himself was an Evil God. He renounced certain powers of the Evil God, so I will bestow them upon the Dragon Scholar. I intend to surpass the father of dragons. Don’t worry, I will satisfy the Dragon Scholar. He will be an authentic, ancient dragon rather than some twisted creation."

"I’d rather he wakes up to find himself turned into a monster. If your transformation succeeds, this Giant Dragon will be more monstrous than any monster."

"Thank you for the compliment, my friend."

"Then may I carve some words onto his tail vertebra, something like ’Crafted by Lyle, with friendly sponsorship from Zhiyan’, engraved onto the dragon bone... Think about it, once the Giant Dragon resurrects, those carvings will also become immortal under his talents."

"If you wish, I will inscribe that phrase about you, so the future’s most terrifying Giant Dragon will bear an undying hatred towards you."

"Hahahaha, I was just joking, trying to lighten the mood, your black aura is making it hard for me to breathe."

"A breath of fear, that is indeed what I emanate, I am sorry, Zhiyan. Just like breathing, oh, Zhiyan, you actually don’t need to breathe."

"I know, I was just saying." No, he had most certainly forgotten that he was a Lich.

The Dragon Bone forging proceeded tensely yet orderly. Throughout the process, the soul of the Giant Dragon remained submerged in the Power of the Evil God—an Ominous influence, a poison to life, yet also its nourishment. Concerned about this erosion, Lyle could only pray that the Master of Bones possessed good self-control. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

A brand-new skull was crafted by Lyle, grown anomalously from the bones of the Giant Dragon turned Lich but the similarity in appearance to the Firstborn of the Dragon was undeniable. However, this was uniquely the Giant Dragon’s, a miracle born from the Power of the Evil God.

Firstborn of the Dragon, I’ve molded a new father for you. Lyle maliciously thought to himself.

"No, you said it out loud, I heard you."

Lyle emitted a sinister laugh as he placed the skull atop the new Dragon Corpse, a creation of the Evil God. The Dragon Corpse’s body was even larger than that of the Firstborn of the Dragon, reaching a staggering sixty meters in length. Next to it, the Ominous figure appeared as a mere child. The ferocious skeleton brimmed with the destructive force of the Giant Dragon and the obscure aura of the Evil God, making it hard to say which influence dominated.

"The final step."

The Ominous Giant Dragon churned the black mire that had grown to the size of a lake, raising a massive tidal wave to completely envelop the Black Dragon.

The vast Dragon Bone curled up into a spherical shape, the black mud thickening, finally forming a massive pitch-black Dragon Egg.

Zhiyan looked on numbly at the immense creation before him, suddenly realizing that his body was swaying—the Ominous giant had collapsed.

Amidst the dissipating tendrils, he found Lyle, who had collapsed and fallen unconscious. Just as Zhiyan planned to touch him, "Lyle" awakened on his own, opening his all-black eyes to gaze at the giant egg.

"Lyle, do you think we succeeded?"

"The results will be revealed soon. When the eggshell breaks, something new will emerge. I suspended the Giant Dragon’s soul with the power of fear, I’m not certain he will be able to maintain his self. If he can, the Dragon Scholar we know will come back."

"And if he can’t?"

Lyle narrowed his eyes, a mischievous smile on his face.

"Then you should congratulate me. Congratulations ’me’, on having split yet another part of myself off. Congratulations to the world, for there will be another incarnation of the Evil God."

Crack.

The Dragon Egg peeled open faster than Zhiyan had imagined, and what emerged was not a new and vibrant life, but a massive Dragon Corpse that blotted out the skies. It let out a roar that made heaven and earth tremble. Its enormous dragon wings spread behind, the storm carrying its roar throughout the entire world.

"I am the Giant Dragon!!!"