Chapter 386: Farewell, Wooden Ladle.
Before Jié Jié could get a good look, the porcelain bowl that had been suppressing the Male Fire Dragon let out a long roar and soared into the sky, with the Male Fire Dragon it had been restraining following suit.
The Male Fire Dragon was sent flying by the Black Horned Dragon.
Before Jié Jié could make any sound, the Male Fire Dragon, now upright, flapped its wings, turned around, and flew away.
The Black Horned Dragon then burrowed underground, leaving only its tail visible. The ground continued to tremble as if it were not yet satisfied.
The Spiny Dragon’s teeth clenched tightly, emitting an ear-piercing sound from the friction.
Jié Jié was angry!
The Spiny Dragon stretched its body upright, a deep blue glow rapidly expanding across its form before stabilizing on the massive monster’s shell, faintly shimmering.
The weight of the Míng Dēng Lóng’s own body caused its legs to sink into the ground, but Jié Jié paid no heed. His fiery gaze pierced through the surface, locking onto the Black Horned Dragon beneath.
“Grunt!!!”
A powerful blue light surged from his chest and erupted from his mouth, unleashing indiscriminate destruction upon the ground below where the Black Horned Dragon lay.
The ground quaked violently, the light swelling with energy injected underground, like a fountain ready to burst forth.
The expanding light shattered, and the Black Horned Dragon, blasted upward by the energy geyser, let out a wail of pain.
Its pitch-black shell melted and shattered, the Black Horned Dragon collapsing weakly on the broken ground, letting out feeble groans.
His burning rage vented, the Míng Dēng Lóng stood up on its hind legs, lowering its forelimbs to stomp on the Black Horned Dragon’s head.
Energy focused in his limbs, he applied slight force, crushing its skull underfoot.
“Hmph, can’t waste food. You two stay here while I chase after it.”
The two brothers roared their acknowledgment, one standing on the corpse of the Měng Niú Lóng, the other on the Black Horned Dragon’s remains, vigilantly scanning their surroundings.
After his grand display of power, any monster with sense would surely tread carefully around his lingering presence.
Recalling the fleeing figure, Jié Jié noted it was about the same size as Iron Pot and Porcelain Bowl, perhaps even smaller and more slender, poorly nourished compared to his brothers, with a dull shell.
Its only redeeming quality? Speed.
The Míng Dēng Lóng’s faint glow faded as Jié Jié transformed back into a Fire Dragon and ascended into the sky to survey the Gathering Demon Land.
There were plenty of Large Monsters visible in certain areas, their overlapping territories indicated fierce competition among them, marked by continuous roaring.
Territories and food were fiercely contested; killing one Large Monster meant feasting for many, but also attracted scavengers during meals.
In such a competitive environment, every death became a feast, much like what he’d experienced earlier.
Even the Slaying Dragon didn’t leave without a piece of meat, the Swift Dragon tried to scavenge, and even the Fire Dragon wanted a cut.
Through the diverse terrain of the Gathering Demon Land, Jié Jié saw various monsters, prompting him to ponder how this remarkable place came to be.
Flying into the lush forest region, his line of sight pierced through the green canopy.
Luxuriant growth dominated half of the Gathering Demon Land, though it stopped short at some special zones.
For now, he circled within the forest, seeing through the canopy to a severely scarred Black Wolf Bird resting on a rock layer.
Not here.
Rounding this area, he spotted two Thunder Wolf Dragons walking together, with Thunder Light Bugs fluttering around them like lovers.
Not here either.
A red figure caught his eye, but closer inspection revealed it was just an ordinary adult Fire Dragon.
Searching several times, not only was there no sign of the figure he suspected might be his offspring, but neither the Silver Fire Dragon nor the Golden Fire Dragon were seen. Recalling the distribution of monsters in the Gathering Demon Land, they might be in the lower Lava Zone.
After spending a long time circling the upper forest area, Jié Jié descended to a lower level, still without spotting the familiar silhouette.
Could it have flown outside the Gathering Demon Land?
Jié Jié’s expression grew serious; the next lower level carried a heavy miasma scent.
Before he could decide whether to explore elsewhere, a Fire Dragon’s roar sounded from below.
Without hesitation, he flew down further.
This deeper level wasn’t the Valley of Miasma, but it wasn’t far off.
Because the monster at its center brought the miasma up with her.
She differed from the Corpse Suit Dragon in Jié Jié’s memory; instead of the murky miasma of the Valley of Miasma, hers was clear, accompanied by white fungal sacs on her rotting flesh, from which the clear white miasma emanated.
The Mist Corpse Suit Dragon, a subspecies formed through symbiosis with spores, freed from the constraints of miasma environments and spreading miasma to propagate spores.
Perhaps this was also a necessary condition for the Corpse Suit Dragon to reach the Gathering Demon Land.
Facing off against the Mist Corpse Suit Dragon was a Male Fire Dragon feeding on a monster’s corpse.
The Male Fire Dragon looked increasingly familiar, and the reason for their confrontation was clear: the Mist Corpse Suit Dragon retained the Corpse Suit Dragon’s habit of collecting corpses.
The corpse was relatively fresh, clearly intended as food by the Male Fire Dragon.
Jié Jié’s arrival drew the attention of both monsters. The Male Fire Dragon remained wary, its eyes showing a hint of thoughtfulness.
The Mist Corpse Suit Dragon simply stood still, unusually quiet.
But her miasma was far from quiet, the surrounding air thickening with it.
Glancing at the Mist Corpse Suit Dragon, Jié Jié focused intently on the Male Fire Dragon, stepping forward as his body shrank, transforming into the upright Sky Dog Beast.
“Grunt?~”
The Male Fire Dragon’s eyes widened noticeably, its alertness turning into a gentle hum.
Jié Jié appraised Wooden Ladle. Compared to his well-fed brothers, Wooden Ladle was clearly smaller, covered in dirt and scars.
It looked pitiful, but its bright eyes showed vitality, and beneath the grime and scars, new shells gleamed brightly.
“It’s been a long time.”
Jié Jié smiled, stepping beside Wooden Ladle, ignoring the wariness honed from training in the Gathering Demon Land and the estrangement of long separation. Without giving it time to react, his arm swiftly encircled its neck.
Wooden Ladle struggled a bit, but unable to resist his emotions, emitted a gentle hum in return.
Meanwhile, the Mist Corpse Suit Dragon, startled by Jié Jié’s transformation, tilted her head in contemplation.
“I’ll give this one to her. I’ll take you somewhere nice to eat.”
Lifting the less-than-fresh corpse from under Wooden Ladle’s feet, the Male Fire Dragon hopped aside, allowing Jié Jié to toss it away, whereupon the Mist Corpse Suit Dragon, moving with slender limbs, caught it neatly.
Chapter 387
