Chapter 77: Amutate

The interior of the carriage was spacious and comfortable, likely designed to accommodate the large frames of Demon Humans. Even someone as tall as Xiong Batian wouldn’t feel cramped inside.

Hong Ren and Lvqi sat opposite Zhai Guangyi, while Zhai Guangyi and his two companions sat together, creating a somewhat tense silence.

Hong Ren’s gaze remained fixed on Xiong Batian, observing her every move. He was well aware of the formidable power of a Demigod Demon Human. Though her physique wasn’t particularly massive, her strength was astonishing, capable of destroying anything in her path.

Yet, this very power was also the source of Hong Ren’s vigilance. He couldn’t fully trust Xiong Batian’s intentions, so he maintained a constant state of alertness toward her. This, in turn, made the atmosphere rather awkward.

Zhai Guangyi had thought that soon enough, he and Hong Ren would become colleagues. However, in such an environment, getting along wasn’t as easy as he had imagined.

Still, this could be considered a transaction with them. Only by rescuing the Forest Elves through their help would he officially join their ranks. Their wariness toward Xiong Batian was reasonable, and he, too, remained vigilant of their every move.

The carriage moved swiftly, with the scenery outside the window receding rapidly. The endless grasslands stretched out as far as the eye could see. Two Warhorse Goblins, possessing remarkable speed and strength, galloped tirelessly. Zhai Guangyi began to wonder whether Storm Demon Wolves could also serve as means of transportation.

Although their speed and strength were impressive, their endurance couldn’t match that of horses. To establish a connection between the Forest and Human towns, a reliable transportation system was essential for urban development. Relying solely on physical means was clearly inefficient.

Amid the silence inside the carriage, a piercing shriek rang out without warning, and the glass window beside them shattered instantly.

The carriage tumbled violently in the midst of the shrieking, completely losing its balance. Zhai Guangyi gripped his staff tightly, channeling Magic Power to levitate himself in the air, avoiding the impact of the carriage’s rolling.

He tried to reach Xiong Da with the tip of his staff, but the rolling was too fast—Xiong Da had already spun to the other side. Fortunately, Xiong Batian swiftly extended her arm and grabbed Xiong Da, shielding him from harm.

“That hurts!” Xiong Da clutched his head, grumbling with a displeased expression.

Lvqi and Hong Ren had already leaped out of the carriage through the window, quickly finding stable footing. Zhai Guangyi and Xiong Batian followed closely behind, leaving the carriage as well.

The sight before them left them stunned. The carriage had been flung dozens of meters away, and the two Warhorse Goblins had been smashed to pieces.

A deep crimson trail stretched vertically across the ground for dozens of meters, with blood continuously flowing and chunks of flesh scattered everywhere. The carriage was splattered with copious amounts of blood and debris, filling the air with a pungent, foul odor.

Hong Ren and Lvqi immediately surveyed their surroundings, their expressions growing grave. This sudden attack had put them on high alert, making them realize that the threat they faced might be greater than they had anticipated.

Zhai Guangyi rubbed his forehead, trying to gather his thoughts. He scanned the surrounding grasslands, where in the distance, faint shadows could be seen rapidly approaching. These shadows were massive, fierce, and imposing—the very culprits behind the attack on the carriage.

It was a black Giant Dragon, whose massive wings stirred up violent winds with every flap. Zhai Guangyi tightly gripped his staff, continuously increasing the Magic Power supply to his Flight Spell to resist the powerful air currents generated by the dragon’s wings. He vividly remembered his last experience, when he was nearly swept away by the gusts. This time, he was determined not to repeat the same mistake.

The dragon held its head high, its gaze sharp and piercing, as if fully aware of its own majesty and power. It opened its enormous maw and let out a deafening roar. The sound waves sent surrounding loose stones flying into the air, and the ground began to tremble.

Zhai Guangyi instinctively performed an Appraisal.

Race: Black Jade Saint Dragon (Amutate)

Level: 79

Life Value: 50,000

Magic Power: 30,000

Strength: 15,000

Defense: 6,000

Speed: 5,000

Blessed One: Dragon God Radon

So it’s a real dragon, and the Dragonkin’s attributes are distributed incredibly well. It seems there isn’t a single weak point. Compared to the Wyvern-kin Radon, Zhai Guangyi began to doubt internally: are they even remotely related to the Dragonkin? The gap is just too vast.

Moreover, the Blessed One’s name actually bears the title of Dragon God, which is different from ordinary Blessing Targets. Even Demon King Mephistopheles’s prefix doesn’t carry the title of Demon God. This Dragon God named Radon is definitely not simple.

The black Giant Dragon, Amutate, did not immediately launch an attack. Instead, it slowly descended, its massive form landing on the ground. Zhai Guangyi clearly felt the earth itself seemed to tremble.

“More little rats from Mephistopheles’s house. What exactly are you doing here this time?”

The Giant Dragon began to shrink. Amidst spreading smoke, it transformed into a tall man dressed in a black tailcoat. A black dragon pattern swirled around the man’s eye sockets, appearing both mysterious and eerie.

Lvqi and Hong Ren did not answer him. Instead, Hong Ren directly drew his longsword, its black-red blade revealing a hint of Berserk energy.

“Or have you already obtained what you wanted?”

Amutate’s gaze shifted to Zhai Guangyi and the other two. It quickly moved past Xiong Da, glanced twice at Xiong Batian, and Amutate’s expression seemed somewhat surprised. When he saw Zhai Guangyi, he showed a flicker of confusion, followed by an even more astonished expression.

“A living Primordial Spirit? So that kid set his sights on the Elven Divine Tree. No wonder.”

Amutate’s words caught Zhai Guangyi’s attention.

So, the Demon King indeed wants me to approach the Elven Divine Tree? At the very least, it’s not simply because I’m rare. But isn’t approaching the Elven Divine Tree a guaranteed death sentence? Zhai Guangyi had heard from Feicui how the Primordial Spirits went extinct. Things really aren’t as simple as they seemed.

“Hong Ren, you two go ahead. I’ll hold it off.”

Lvqi raised his hand and snapped his fingers once more. Numerous Magic Circles continuously emerged from the ground, summoning various Demon Goblins, Giant Goblins, and Berserker Goblins. The Goblin army that had originally surrounded the Forest now silently appeared on this grassland.

“You’ve been running all this way. What are you being so arrogant about now that you’re out of the Forest?”

Hong Ren swung his sword down, a massive Sword Qi materializing directly before Amutate. However, Amutate did not dodge; instead, a defensive barrier appeared in front of him. Zhai Guangyi saw him holding a compass-like object resembling the Jade Dragon Magic Array—a Gold Grade defensive tool.

The Sword Qi struck the shield, its powerful impact instantly flattening the grasslands on either side, leaving two hundred-meter-long sword scars brutally etched into the earth.

“Primordial Spirit over there, if you say but a word, I can take you away from them. There is no need to approach the Elven Divine Tree, or you will surely die.”

Amutate stood calmly in place, unafraid of the Goblin army before him or Hong Ren’s Sword Qi. His utterly confident demeanor seemed to confirm the truth of his words.