Spellcasting Gods

Since it is a religion and belief, it naturally contains a lot of useless things. Trying to distinguish which parts truly resonate with energy and which are just embellishments is harder than climbing to heaven.

After all, Zhang Cheng's initial contact with mysterious powers began in Dalaran, and Dalaran has always been committed to building a complete system in terms of its attitude towards magic, creating stronger, newer, and more powerful spells through the combination of theory and practice, which is almost the same as the attitude of Earthlings in exploring science.

Therefore, in his eyes, magic should be a rigorous discipline, not a power that can be obtained by begging for divine favor.

That is why he could not understand the thoughts and mentality of the Children of the Forest, nor could he decipher the long passages of misleading text and pictures.

Fortunately, the Children of the Forest are not completely extinct yet. According to the plot, Bran Stark will encounter the last few survivors, and theoretically he still has a chance to gain the knowledge and magical power of the Children of the Forest.

In order not to miss these important moments, he spared no expense in hiring a large number of spies to continuously send messages to Liangshui City.

After Robb Stark, the last man to instigate rebellion, died at the Red Wedding, a raven slowly descended onto the top floor of the castle.

Maester Enigma, in charge of managing communications, quickly took the note hanging from the raven's leg, glanced at it, and hurried to Zhang Cheng's room. He reported in a low voice, "My lord, important news from the other side of the sea. Daenerys Targaryen, whom you are concerned about, recently conquered Astabo and acquired a large army of Unsullied..."

Chapter 0146 Meeting

"Oh? This stupid woman finally did something as naive as abolishing slavery outright?" With a mocking laugh, Zhang Cheng pushed open the door and walked out of the room.

“Yes, my lord, she not only abolished slavery in Astapor, but also demanded that all the city-states surrounding Slave Bay abolish slavery as well, or she would resort to force. Currently, both Yunkai and Meereen are on high alert, and I think it won’t be long before war breaks out in full force,” Maester Inigo replied with a wry smile.

As a scholar, his duty was to serve the castle, not a particular family. So when the Florent family was wiped out, he naturally turned to serve the new master of Brightwater.

However, people are emotional beings, and this scholar clearly sympathized with the Florent family's plight, to the point that for a long time he regarded Zhang Cheng as a fierce and cruel lord.

However, as they spent more time together, he discovered that this somewhat mysterious young man was not quite what he had imagined. Although he had been eliminating the rebellious noble forces within his territory, he had not done anything to the ordinary people, at least ignoring the disgruntled farmers.

Don't think this is normal. On the contrary, most feudal lords could not tolerate the offense of commoners. Once they found that any peasant in their territory dared to criticize them, they would immediately demand that the peasant be shown the truth.

Of course, he didn't know that the reason Zhang Cheng didn't deal with those grumbling farmers wasn't out of mercy, but because he didn't care.

After all, no matter how dissatisfied the peasants were with the lord, they dared not take any substantial action to resist. They paid the taxes they were required to pay and performed the labor they were required to perform. Their mere verbal venting was no different from that of the "trolls" on the Internet in the information age. They were giants in words but dwarfs in deeds, posing no threat to the rule at all.

Taking the slip of paper from the maester, Zhang Cheng quickly glanced at its contents, then muttered to himself in a voice only he could hear, "Perhaps... I should take this opportunity to meet with Daenerys Targaryen..."

Without a doubt, the process of conquering Slaver's Bay can be described as the growth story of "Mother of Dragons" from a political idiot to a barely competent ruler.

Currently, she has not yet experienced various forms of betrayal; she is a naive young woman with strong idealistic traits, making her most vulnerable to deception and manipulation.

"My lord, shall I prepare a ship for you?" Scholar Inigo, clearly sensing something, cautiously inquired.

“A boat? Heh, no, I have a better way to travel. Alright, go ahead and get busy…” Zhang Cheng smiled meaningfully, turned and disappeared at the end of the narrow corridor.

After dark, a huge black shadow rose into the air from the cave behind Brightwater City and flew towards the sea.

As it swept over the farm, many horses, cattle, sheep and other livestock cried out in alarm, and some even ran around in panic, causing quite a bit of trouble.

But all of this was no longer relevant to Zhang Cheng. He had already mounted Kuro Kerba and was soaring through the boundless sky, facing the slightly salty sea breeze.

At the speed of a dragon's flight, it would take him at most three to four hours to reach Slaver's Bay, meet the legendary "Mother of Dragons," and obtain the information he desired.

The only regret was that riding on the dragon's back was not as comfortable as he had imagined. In particular, the wind carried away a lot of heat from his body, and Zhang Cheng's face turned blue from the cold in just a short while. Even though he was wearing a thick coat, he still couldn't keep up with the cold.

In order to avoid freezing to death on the journey, he had to lower his altitude and continue moving forward while dodging ships that could appear at any time on the sea.

As the sun was about to rise, we finally saw land slowly emerging where the sea met the sky.

"Damn it! We've finally arrived! I swear I'll never ride a dragon on a long journey again!" Zhang Cheng complained through gritted teeth as he directed the dragon to fly towards Astapor.

This time, he made no attempt to conceal his whereabouts, openly revealing the existence of the dragon.

The moment Kuro Kerba's massive body passed through the bustling city center, the entire city was plunged into panic.

They had just witnessed Daenerys and her three dragons not long ago, and now suddenly an even bigger and more ferocious dragon had appeared. It would be strange if they could accept it calmly.

Zhang Cheng ignored the ordinary people and headed straight for the tallest building in Astapo.

Just as he was about to get close, three young dragons, each about three meters long, flew out from the balcony and let out piercing cries at their kind, as if issuing some kind of warning signal.

Unfortunately, Kuro Kerba didn't take the three little ones seriously at all. He flapped his strong, thick wings and sent them flying, then landed steadily on the spacious balcony.

"Who are you?!" a petite, beautiful woman with silver hair and purple eyes asked warily.

Perhaps because she had just woken up, she was only wearing a semi-transparent white silk nightgown, revealing her exquisite curves, breasts, and the mysterious area that sparked endless imagination.

"Ah, good morning, Your Excellency Daenerys Targaryen. I've gone through so much trouble to get here to see you. Won't you invite me in for a seat and a hot breakfast?" Zhang Cheng jumped off the dragon's back, grabbed her hand, and gently kissed it.

“Answer my questions! Who are you? And why do you also have a dragon?” Daenerys instinctively pulled her hand back, frowning as she continued to press for answers.

She could hardly believe that someone else in the world, besides herself, had hatched a dragon, and one that was bigger and more dangerous than her three dragons.

“This is a long story, why don’t we go inside and talk it over? Also, you can tell that loyal guard at the door to lay down his weapon. Trust me, if I really wanted to harm you, I would have done it already.” With that, Zhang Cheng glanced at Jorah Mormont hiding in the corner, then went inside and poured himself a glass of wine.

He desperately needed something to drink to warm up his cold body; as for gathering intelligence, he could worry about that later.

And so, under Daenerys's watchful gaze, Zhang Cheng, oblivious to everyone else, downed the entire bottle of wine, glass after glass…

Chapter 0147 Conversation

As the alcohol began to flow through his bloodstream, Zhang Cheng's pale face finally regained a rosy hue, and his body gradually began to warm up.

Although he knew very well that this warmth was just an illusion, a side effect of vasodilation, increased blood circulation, and increased heat consumption, it was still better than before.

Setting down his empty cup and wine bottle, he turned to the maid who had burst in and ordered, "Go, prepare me a bowl of mutton soup and two pieces of bread. If you have any fresh fish, stew one too. Remember, don't add too many spices; I prefer a lighter flavor."

Clearly, the maid was taken aback by this unbridled attitude and quickly turned to her mistress for her opinion.

Before Daenerys could speak, Jorah Mormont stepped forward and whispered to the maid, "Do as he says, Missandei. Also, make the Unsullied leave the door."

"You recognize him?" A strange look flashed in Daenerys's eyes.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Do you recall that a merchant recently mentioned a powerful knight who has appeared in the Seven Kingdoms?” Jorah Mormont asked in a low voice.

Daenerys thought for a few seconds, then immediately nodded: "I remember! That knight's name was Mason Aspen, right? Could he be...?"

“That’s right! My Queen! Standing before you is Mason Aspen, also known as the Invincible Mason. And according to the latest news, he seems to have cast a powerful spell during the Battle of Blackwater, destroying Stannis’s prized cavalry.” Jorah Mormont selectively recounted the information he had just received from Varys.

He wasn't quite sure why this guy, marked as "extremely dangerous" by the "Eight-Clawed Spider," was in Astapor, riding a huge dragon.

"You're the legendary Mason?!" Daenerys raised an eyebrow, a curious expression on her face.

"Legendary? Hahahaha!" Perhaps influenced by the alcohol, Zhang Cheng suddenly burst into laughter, shaking his head as he laughed. "Sorry, I never expected to become a legendary figure. After all, I'm not even thirty years old yet, and according to the normal lifespan of humans, I should still be considered young. So please just call me Mason, and don't add any modifiers or adjectives, or I'll find it very funny."

“Very well, Ser Mason. Can you answer my question from before, why do you also have a dragon? Could it be…” Daenerys paused slightly at this point, the implication being clear.

Because Valyria has been destroyed for so long, people have long forgotten that thousands of dragons were once tamed there, so the first thing that comes to mind when dragon taming is the Targaryen family.

Clearly, she regarded Zhang Cheng as a member of the Targaryen family, or as having some Targaryen blood flowing through her veins.

After all, since becoming the masters of Westeros, the Targaryen family has engaged in marriage alliances with many other families in order to maintain the stability of their rule, and there are even a large number of bastard children. So it is not surprising that one of them occasionally appears.

Zhang Cheng knew exactly what the other person was thinking, and quickly waved his hand: "No, please don't misunderstand. I have no blood relation with you, nor do I have your ability to be indestructible. Strictly speaking, I'm just an ordinary person, an ordinary person who I don't know if I'm lucky or unlucky."

Daenerys clearly didn't believe this explanation, and turned to glance at Kuro Kerba, who was quietly lying on the balcony, and asked, "Then how did you tame a dragon?"

As the "Mother of Dragons," she knew all too well how wild dragons were, and even she couldn't keep any of Rhaegal, Viserion, or Drogon quiet.

"Hehe, before I satisfy your curiosity, could you satisfy mine in exchange?" Zhang Cheng smiled and winked, taking the initiative in the conversation.

You should know that he flew across the ocean overnight not to admire the other person's beauty and figure, but to obtain some interesting information.

“Sure! Please ask!” Daenerys agreed without hesitation.

"First, I'd like to know the specifics of the Valyrian catastrophe. As one of the very few Targaryen families to have survived the disaster, surely you have some written records? Second, I'd like to know how you survived the fire. If it's convenient, could you give me a little of your blood? Finally, and most importantly, when you were hatching the dragon eggs, did you sense anything incredible?"

Zhang Cheng made no attempt to conceal his intentions, raising three of the most pressing mysteries he wanted to solve in one go.

In particular, the Valyrian catastrophe was definitely not a natural disaster, such as an earthquake, tsunami, or volcanic eruption, but the result of a mysterious energy going out of control. Otherwise, even the dragons would not have been able to escape.

He even thought the disaster might have been caused by an energy explosion triggered by a part of a red comet falling down.

This means that somewhere in the ruins, there exists a crystal of pure energy, a treasure that is both dangerous and extremely valuable.

If Zhang Cheng can obtain it, he can create another energy source and won't have to worry about his knowledge and research achievements in this world going to waste after returning.

"The Valyrian catastrophe?" Daenerys gasped in surprise, then after a long pause, said uncertainly, "I think I've heard people mention it before. It's said that mountains within a five-hundred-mile radius erupted simultaneously, showering the sky with countless amounts of ash, smoke, and flames. Even dragons couldn't escape that catastrophe. Why are you asking about this?"

"Be more specific! What you've described is just the version that ordinary people hear. I need to hear the version unique to the Targaryen family," Zhang Cheng urged impatiently.

Daenerys shrugged helplessly. "I'm sorry, I've been on the run since birth and have never read any literature on this subject. But I can tell you where you can find them."

"Where?" Zhang Cheng's eyes immediately lit up.

“Dragonstone! Everything about the Targaryen family history is kept in the rotunda on the top floor of the Stone Drum Tower. If Stannis hadn't thrown them away, you should be able to find them easily,” Daenerys answered directly.

"I see..." Zhang Cheng nodded thoughtfully.

Although Dragonstone is a barren and desolate place, it was the first place where House Targaryen landed in Westeros, and every heir to the throne was later made Prince of Dragonstone, which shows the importance of this small island.

Chapter 0148 The Secrets of House Targaryen

After obtaining clues about the Valyrian catastrophe, Zhang Cheng's gaze lingered on Daenerys's nearly naked body. A full minute passed before he suddenly reached out and gently touched her forehead.

moment!

A faint red glow emerged from the spot touched between the fingers!

Although it wasn't particularly dazzling, everyone in the room was still startled.

"Damn it! What did you do to Her Majesty the Queen?"

Jorah Mormont was so nervous that he drew his sword, his face filled with anger and vigilance, as if Zhang Cheng had committed some unforgivable crime.

In contrast, Daenerys was much calmer and asked with great curiosity, "What did you just do to me?"

“It’s nothing, just a small test to see what the truth is about your so-called indestructible spirit.” Zhang Cheng explained as he pushed Jorah Mormont, who was holding a sword, aside, took out a small amount of gray powder from his pocket, and sprinkled it in a circular motion.

In just a few seconds, he drew a circle under the opponent's feet.

Just when everyone was wondering what the meaning of these strange actions was, the gray powder suddenly seemed to be manipulated by some mysterious force to start spinning, and it spun faster and faster and the range of the spinning became smaller and smaller.

Just as it was about to touch Daenerys's fair skin, the vanished red light reappeared, and even blurry blue lines appeared on the surface of her fair skin.

Most people might not understand what these strange phenomena mean, but Zhang Cheng, who had systematically studied the principles of arcane magic, knew that the red light meant fire resistance and the cyan patterns meant magical constitution.

In other words, the Targaryen family is no longer human in the ordinary sense. They are either magically modified or have mutated under specific circumstances. In any case, their descendants have a high chance of acquiring talents that ordinary people do not possess.

Among them, fire resistance reaching a certain level is the legendary ability to remain unburnt by fire, while magical physique can gain the favor of magical creatures like dragons.

Of course, the prerequisite for the awakening of these two talents is that the world is filled with enough mysterious energy. If the concentration is too low, the newborn baby will not be able to absorb enough energy and will naturally be unable to show his talent.

Having figured this out, Zhang Cheng took out another glass test tube and said in a slightly negotiating tone, "If you don't mind, could you give me a little of your blood? Rest assured, I swear I will never use it to cast any evil spells or curses, just for some interesting research. In return, I will join your side when you land in Westeros."