Chapter 347: The Trash-Talking Gold Dragon

Aside from the demons that fled, hid, or launched desperate counterattacks, a tiny fraction attempted to single-handedly resist the descending rain of fire.

Standing on the open ground of Ten Thousand Blades Fortress, completely exposed to the fiery downpour, these demons looked like rabid beasts. With twisted expressions and bloodshot eyes, they shot magic orbs into the sky to intercept the falling fire.

They were insane!

The White Dragon Lord shook his head. This was just how demons were. When severely provoked, blood rushed to their heads and impulse easily overpowered reason. It allowed them to briefly trade sanity for abnormal combat strength—a trait that could turn the tide of battle if both sides were evenly matched.

In this situation, however, even double their usual strength could not possibly resist a large-scale strategic spell.

Without exception, the city's demons were quickly wiped out by the bombardment. Only the stronghold at the very core of Ten Thousand Blades Fortress still stood tall.

The rain of magical fire struck the Magic Barrier, its explosions booming like thunder.

The fiery downpour ignited the sky. Even the wind blowing from the battlefield was scorching hot, filling the air with the stench of charred earth. Hidden high above, the White Dragon Lord cast an air purification spell on himself.

The White Dragon Lord's gaze deepened as he watched the outer city of Ten Thousand Blades Fortress be nearly leveled to the ground. He was beginning to understand Master Owen's intentions.

On one hand, flattening the complex layout of the outer city would make the upcoming siege easier. On the other, it reduced the appeal of Ten Thousand Blades Fortress to wild demons.

No one wanted to live in ruins, and demons were no different. By destroying the housing, they ensured that any wild demon powerhouse with the standing to choose their city would absolutely refuse to stay here.

Down on the ground, the frenzied survivors clashed with the army of Blackrock Fortress. Morale was high; the soldiers showed no fear as they butchered their way into the demon horde. Demon corpses littered the wasteland, piling several meters high in the most intense combat zones.

After a fierce battle, the remaining demons were either dead or fleeing. Meanwhile, the red magic cloud in the sky continued to pour out its energy, spitting barrage after barrage of projectiles.

The magic cloud's bombardment lasted for nearly half an hour before it finally exhausted its energy and dissipated, allowing the brilliance of the three suns to grace the land once more.

By now, not a single ruined wall in the outer city of Ten Thousand Blades Fortress stood taller than a meter. The central fortress towered alone over the blasted land.

On the ground, the army had long since reorganized its formation and was advancing once again. The soldiers marched in neat ranks toward the collapsed City Wall.

The outer City Wall of Ten Thousand Blades Fortress no longer resembled a wall, reduced instead to a slightly elevated ring of dirt mounds. Demon flesh and blood mixed with the soil, dyeing the earth a clotted dark red.

Stepping over the loose mounds that reeked heavily of blood, the forces of Blackrock Fortress marched into the demon city—crossing into the inner limits of Ten Thousand Blades Fortress with the posture of victors.

After the prolonged bombardment, the soil within Ten Thousand Blades Fortress had become loose and soft, taking the soldiers' footprints with every step. Master Owen, who had been positioned in the middle of the army, flew into the sky. At the same time, he communicated with the invisible White Dragon Lord via magic.

"Amos, there is a massive protective Array inside Ten Thousand Blades Fortress. Even if I sacrificed this entire army, we might not take it down. Our only chance is to lure Durio out of the city for a decisive battle. Stay hidden, and I will do my best to create an opening for you."

"Remember! We only get one chance! Once she escapes back inside and refuses to come out, we will have absolutely no way to deal with her unless all three of us are prepared to perish."

The White Dragon Lord indicated his understanding. To avoid being detected by perceptive demons in the city, he soared several thousand meters into the sky. The massive Ten Thousand Blades Fortress shrank to the size of a flowerbed from this height, but with the aid of magic, the White Dragon Lord could still clearly observe the battlefield below.

Master Owen flew right up to the Magic Barrier of Ten Thousand Blades Fortress. He gripped a staff as tall as himself, magical runes swimming inside the goose-egg-sized transparent crystal at its tip. His purple-gold Mage robes, embroidered with profound patterns, billowed in the wind, giving him the true bearing of a grandmaster of magic.

"Durio!!!"

The magically amplified shout echoed throughout Ten Thousand Blades Fortress, exploding like a sudden clap of thunder. The Low Tier demons inside couldn't help but cover their ears in agony.

Inside the great hall, the demon lord sitting upon the Throne of Ten Thousand Blades raised her head. Her gaze pierced through layers of walls to fix on the fully armed Master Owen.

Sensing her old rival's overwhelming magical power and battle intent, the Eight-Armed Snake Demon stood up. Swaying her serpentine waist, she headed for the door. Her long, slender snake tail slithered in an 'S' shape across the hall's red carpet, while her eight delicate arms hung casually at her sides, their pitch-black nails as sharp as daggers.

Seeing their lord leave the hall, the Legendary Demons inside hurried to follow.

The demon powerhouses stepped out onto the brown avenues of Ten Thousand Blades Fortress. Along the way, every demon lowered its head in submission, staring at the ground. These Low Tier demons failed to attract the slightest attention from the powerhouses. The Eight-Armed Snake Demon lord proceeded all the way to the City Wall.

Taking the cue, the Spell-Eater Demon, Orduhal, deactivated the red-and-black Magic Barrier. The Eight-Armed Snake Demon lord, Durio, came face to face with Master Owen, the old rival she had fought for nearly two hundred years.

The two High-Tier Legend experts had not yet exchanged blows, but their clash on the mental plane had already begun.

Both stared at each other expressionlessly, their locked gazes practically throwing sparks. The demons on the City Wall and the soldiers outside all felt an immense pressure. Similar to Dragon might, this was the pure mental oppression of a powerhouse.

Neither Master Owen nor Durio was willing to yield. Everyone else breathed carefully, terrified of disturbing the two powerhouses. It was so quiet that a dropped needle could be heard.

Time trickled by...

"Yawn..."

The yawn of the Gold Dragon, Leopold, broke the silence. Also possessing High-Tier Legend strength, the Gold Dragon was immune to their mental pressure and was honestly getting a bit bored.

"If you two keep this up, the sun will be setting soon."

"Ahem."

Master Owen's old face flushed red with embarrassment, though he quickly recovered his composure.

"Ah..."

"Forget it, let me do it. You Mages really aren't suited for taunting the enemy."

Just as Master Owen was wondering what to say, the Gold Dragon flapped his wings and flew up to the front of Ten Thousand Blades Fortress, lining up beside him. He brazenly looked the Eight-Armed Snake Demon on the City Wall up and down with obvious contempt.

"Crawling snake! This Dragon is the newly appointed lord of Blackrock Fortress! Remember my name! I am Leopold Chodmartin!"

With his disdainful tone and arrogant cadence, the Gold Dragon flawlessly displayed the absolute insolence of his kind.

"Your myth as a collector and a head-severer ends today! Your skull will become proof of my mighty power! And your weapons will become the spoils I flaunt!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Leopold unleashed a mouthful of golden Dragon Breath toward the top of the City Wall. Seeing this, the Spell-Eater Demon, Orduhal, hurriedly took action. An ominous black vortex appeared in the path of the Dragon Breath, sucking the gilded, flowing fire into its depths.

The Spell-Eater Demon panted heavily. Even a casual breath from Leopold had consumed a massive amount of his magical power.

After casually spitting to insult his opponent, Leopold raised his head high, literally looking down his snout at the demons on the City Wall.

On the City Wall, Durio gritted her fangs, the veins bulging on her forehead. She was clearly infuriated by Leopold.

"Leopold, this guy..."

Up in the sky, the White Dragon Lord couldn't help but facepalm.

"Beautifully done!"

Having reached the High-Tier Legendary Level, the Eight-Armed Snake Demon lord's intellect was far superior to that of ordinary people. No matter what method Master Owen used to provoke her out of the city, she would have seen through it.

But Leopold was using an overt tactic: outright insult. Faced with such humiliation, if the Eight-Armed Snake Demon didn't fly into a rage, she wouldn't even deserve to be called a demon!

"You damn yellow-skinned lizard! Let's hope your skills match your mouth!"

The Eight-Armed Snake Demon reached for the six curved blades strapped to her back.

"Master, you must not!"

The Spell-Eater Demon, Orduhal, cried out in alarm. Every gaze on the scene converged on him, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

The enemy had two High-Tier Legends. The Eight-Armed Snake Demon's chances of winning a one-on-two fight were microscopic. If the lord fell, the numerous demons inside Ten Thousand Blades Fortress would also meet a grim fate. Orduhal had no choice but to speak up and stop her impulsive action.

Orduhal leaned in close and whispered to the Eight-Armed Snake Demon.

"Master, Owen will be leaving soon enough. When that time comes, you can lead the army to breach Blackrock City, capture that yellow-skinned lizard alive, and chop off his wings to use him as a mount..."

Though furious on the surface, the Eight-Armed Snake Demon felt a wave of relief internally. She had never actually intended to go out and get herself killed in a one-on-two fight. She had only fired back with harsh words to save face, and the Spell-Eater Demon's dissuasion gave her the perfect out.

"Despicable yellow-skinned lizard! To think you'd dare use such a cheap trick to provoke me. I won't fall for it. Once Owen leaves, I will lead my grand army to shatter your laughable fortress and carve off your flesh, slice by slice!"

"With just you?!"

The Gold Dragon's tone remained as disdainful and arrogant as ever.

"You filthy, ugly little snake! @#¥...&*!"

The Gold Dragon spewed profanities like a torrential river, his words piercing viciously into the Eight-Armed Snake Demon's heart like sharp arrows.

Demons had always believed in solving conflicts with their fists, but right now, her fists weren't harder than her opponent's, and her vocabulary for cursing wasn't nearly as extensive as the Gold Dragon's. Humiliated and enraged, she howled at his insults.

Wielding her six curved blades, the Eight-Armed Snake Demon unleashed a barrage of energy blades. But she was not a demon who specialized in long-range attacks. The Gold Dragon casually neutralized every single strike, even finding the spare time to continue insulting his opponent.

It wasn't just the Eight-Armed Snake Demon; the Legendary Demons on the City Wall were also victims of the Gold Dragon's abuse.

One hot-tempered Legendary Demon on the wall was so furious that smoke practically blew out of his ears. He grabbed the arm of a High-Tier Demon soldier standing nearby and hurled him at the Gold Dragon.

The High-Tier Demon soldier flew through the air, flailing wildly, only for the Gold Dragon to catch him and crush him to death with a single squeeze.

Glancing at the demons on the City Wall, the Gold Dragon realized that if he kept this up, the Eight-Armed Snake Demon might just throw caution to the wind, launch an all-out war, and fight him to the death.

It was time!

"Little crawling snake! Consider yourself lucky! According to our agreement, I can't lay a hand on you today! Sir Owen wants to have a thrilling bout with you before he leaves!"

The Eight-Armed Snake Demon lord's chest heaved violently with anger, yet she still maintained her reason.

"You think I'd believe you?! You damn lizard!!!"

"Hmph! Believe what you want!"

Master Owen immediately understood the Gold Dragon's plan. The Gold Dragon was retreating to advance, paving the way for the White Dragon Lord's sneak attack.

"Sir Leopold, with you here, I'm afraid Durio won't dare come out. My wish..."

Master Owen sounded somewhat conflicted, as if trying to shoo the Gold Dragon away.

"How annoying."

The Gold Dragon's tone was completely impatient.

"Tell you what. I swear in the name of the Dragon God of the North Wind, His Majesty Bahamut, that I will absolutely not interfere in the battle between Sir Owen and the little crawling snake. Otherwise, may the lightning of divine punishment strike me down."

Having spoken, the Gold Dragon shot a scornful look at the Eight-Armed Snake Demon on the City Wall.

"You should be relieved now, you crawling snake more cowardly than a guinea fowl!"

The Eight-Armed Snake Demon hesitated. No matter how bold the Gold Dragon was, he wouldn't dare casually joke around with his racial god's name. This divine oath made her believe the vast majority of the Gold Dragon's words.

Boundless battle intent radiated from Master Owen.

"Durio! I've fought you for two hundred years! I am about to leave, so we must settle our score today!"

"Damn lizard, I'll let you live a few days longer!"

Bound by a divine oath, and with Master Owen's impeccable reasoning, the Eight-Armed Snake Demon believed in her heart that Master Owen truly wanted to settle things with her before leaving. Furthermore, she had been so thoroughly enraged by the Gold Dragon that she desperately needed a battle to vent her fury.

"Owen! Your staff will become my most dazzling trophy! I will place it in the most prominent spot in my hall!"

"Hmph! Durio! You said that a long time ago!"

Having said his piece, Master Owen flew toward the flank of Ten Thousand Blades Fortress. Fighting right there would restrict him due to his massive army's presence, and the Eight-Armed Snake Demon similarly had concerns about damaging Ten Thousand Blades Fortress.

The Eight-Armed Snake Demon followed closely behind. The Gold Dragon merely snorted out two jets of contemptuous breath at her and paid her no further mind.

Watching the man and the snake demon leave, and then looking at the malicious Gold Dragon, the Spell-Eater Demon, Orduhal, felt his heart skip a beat.

Lure the tiger away from its mountain!

The Spell-Eater Demon, Orduhal, hurriedly activated the Protective Shield around Ten Thousand Blades Fortress!

The large protective magical Array of Ten Thousand Blades Fortress was always in a state of standby anyway, and it rapidly enveloped the entire city.

The Gold Dragon's eyes lit up. The Spell-Eater Demon's actions had just reminded him: though constrained by the divine oath from interfering in the battle between Master Owen and the Eight-Armed Snake Demon, he could still harass Ten Thousand Blades Fortress itself. This would split the Eight-Armed Snake Demon's attention and cover up their true goal.

The Gold Dragon sent a message to the army commander below, who nodded in understanding.

In the distance, having flown far enough away from Ten Thousand Blades Fortress, Master Owen and the Eight-Armed Snake Demon came to a stop.

Master Owen gripped his staff and stared solemnly at his opponent. The Eight-Armed Snake Demon also drew her six curved blades, an arm-length magic wand, and an emerald-green orb.

The two fully armed combatants faced off in the sky. Having clashed many times over the past two hundred years with mixed results, both possessed a thorough understanding of each other. Being distracted when facing such a powerful enemy was extremely dangerous.

Suddenly, the sound of artillery fire and the roar of a Dragon rang out from the distant Ten Thousand Blades Fortress. The Gold Dragon left behind had launched an attack.

"Hmph! So this is your plan?! You used a despicable scheme to lure me away, and then had the army attack Ten Thousand Blades Fortress?!"

"Don't misunderstand, this is entirely Leopold acting on his own. Besides, do you really think they can take Ten Thousand Blades Fortress?"

The Eight-Armed Snake Demon couldn't deny that. Protected by a large magical Array, Ten Thousand Blades Fortress functioned like a Mage's Magic Tower, granting massive enhancements to the demon defenders. It was absolutely impossible for the Gold Dragon and a single army to quickly breach Ten Thousand Blades Fortress while it was defended by numerous Legendary Demons. This was precisely why the Eight-Armed Snake Demon had dared to leave so confidently.

At almost the exact same moment, both Master Owen and the Eight-Armed Snake Demon made their move.

High up in the distant sky, seeing that the two had started clashing, the White Dragon Lord silently glided toward the battlefield.