Beneath the Red Dragon-Chapter 161 - 69: New Power

The Red Dragon spread its wings, flying over its territory.

After continuous expansion, the Dragon Group Territory has become exceedingly vast, over ten times the size of the original Giant Dragon Race Territory. In particular, the newly subjugated Beloved, the Jackal-Wolf Men, under the leadership of Yougu, are especially aggressive.

Even while accepting tasks of land reclamation and protecting the cultivated fields, they take time to sweep the areas beyond the surrounding territories.

Currently, from the easternmost Golden Coast to the Dragon Nest Mountain Range, the distance is about four hundred miles, and from the Dragon Nest Mountain Range to the westernmost forest Domain of the Giant Dragon Territory, it is approximately twelve hundred miles.

With the Dragon Nest Mountain Range as the center point, the distance to Bay Stream City, which is chosen to build a city close to the southernmost area, is nearly nine hundred miles. This is still within the forest land range under the Giant Dragon's actual control.

Such a territorial area already surpasses many duchies, and even some small kingdoms cannot compare with the expansiveness of the Dragon Group Territory.

As for the vast grasslands, they have not been measured by the Giant Dragons, but the range marked by them is even more expansive than the forests. Due to a severe shortage of manpower, the grasslands have always been left in a free-range state, merely serving as a hunting ground for the Dragon Group and its Beloved.

Even the forests that the Dragon Group pays extra attention to remain mostly unoccupied, desolate, with only a few strong creatures occupying them being subdued or driven away by the Dragon Group.

Karon looked down from the sky over the territory, with the Sub-brain Cluster operating continuously, calculating approximately how much population would be needed to bring the current territory under substantial control.

Currently, the total active population of the Dragon Group Territory, including the Giant Dragon's Beloved, adds up to less than fifty thousand. Scattered throughout the territory, they are like a few basins of water poured into a river, only splashing a few drops.

"It seems that relying on conventional means for the population to grow to an ideal state would take at least ten years," Karon silently contemplated. The population is not only the foundation for controlling the territory but also one of his sources of power.

"Fortunately, the Beloved taken in are exceptionally fertile. Not to mention the Green-skinned Goblins and Kobolds, even the most formidable Centaur, although their fertility rate is slightly lower than humans, they almost indulge in the joy of reproduction every night and day. In a stable environment, newborns will certainly become more and more numerous."

Karon was almost accustomed to multitasking. While the Sub-brain Cluster was contemplating the territory's development, his main consciousness was scanning the forest below, trying to find a prey that met his target.

The Red Dragon's Spiritual Power was now extremely strong, and when his senses were unleashed, he could perceive everything within several miles in intricate detail. If he focused fully on exploring in a specific direction, the distance he could sense would be even further.

A subtle curve appeared on Karon's spike-covered cheek, and the long, fierce white fangs glittered under the moonlight like sharp Long Sabers; he had found a prey, and it was locked in his sight.

Under the bright moonlight, colossal stone steles stood tall within the jungle. Among the hundreds of steles, some had been eroded by wind and rain, while others seemed to be snapped directly in the middle by massive force, leaving behind shards of varying sizes.

However, without exception, strange totems and symbols were carved on these stone steles.

A giant, thick python coiled around at the base of these towering stone steles, its body rubbing continuously against them, seemingly scratching an itch or perhaps shedding its skin.

Each scale on this giant python's tank-like massive body emitted a black light that could even devour the moon's glow falling from the sky.

Beneath this enormous giant python, within the stone stele forest, countless white bones covered the ground. There were all kinds of creatures among them, including some fresh skeletons that bore a remarkable resemblance to the Giant Demons in the forest.

Unlike ordinary snakes, this python, which was over twenty meters long, had not only four especially long fangs but also countless dense sharp teeth.

The python's large head bore a pair of yellow vertical pupils filled with coldness and beastly nature, vigilantly staring at the Red Dragon casting a large shadow from the sky. Its fangs bared, it let out a low, warning hiss.

"Titan Demon Python," Karon's inherited memory contained records of this creature. It was a naturally born Extraordinary Magical Beast, not one that evolved from a common beast to a fierce kind, and then accidentally into a magical beast.

Unlike other magical beasts, every magical beast possesses its unique Magic Ability. However, the Titan Demon Python's entire magic ability only bestowed it with one talent: the ability to devour almost all materials in the world to grow.

This trait somewhat resembles that of Dragons, but Dragons cannot achieve what the Titan Demon Python does—use all material energy to enhance its physical body. This is the growth route of the Titan Demon Python, enabling it to even wrestle in physical strength with some Dragons.

Each Titan Demon Python can grow to a length akin to an Ancient Titan, being an exceptionally favored guard pet and War Beast of the Ancient Titans.

Due to their specialization in physical growth, the Titan Demon Python's scales exhibit excellent Magic Resistance and physical defense capabilities. During numerous wars between Ancient Titans and Dragons, many Titan Demon Pythons were tamed by Titans, coiling around those Ancient Titans and fighting alongside them.