Spellcasting Gods

After he turned around, he immediately gestured to several old friends who were eagerly waiting, and the latter were overjoyed.

Chapter 0212 Private Talk

A few hours later, in the lobby on the first floor of the Tower of Triumph, Zhang Cheng, in the name of Morroya Hightar, held a grand banquet.

On the surface, he claimed it was to celebrate the rescue of Oldtown from the Iron Islands fleet and to reward the reinforcements who had come from afar, but in reality, it was to divide the spoils and, incidentally, to legally take over the rule from the extinct Hightower family.

Those who received invitations included nobles who had voluntarily come to the city, led by Viscount Valen Bisbury of Beehive, as well as prominent merchants from within the city.

As for the so-called "Seven Gods" church originally supported by the Hightar family, they were left hanging, neither invited nor clear about what had happened, and were left to frantically search for information like headless flies.

They had no idea that they had just narrowly escaped death not long ago.

According to the original plan, Zhang Cheng originally intended to eradicate the church's influence as well, and completely eliminate all the stubborn forces in Liangshui City and the old town area.

However, considering that the Seven Gods belief system does not possess any supernatural power, it is difficult for it to pose a threat to him, who wields powerful magical abilities.

Furthermore, eliminating it suddenly would cause unnecessary turmoil, so he ultimately decided to observe for a while before making a move, since there would be plenty of opportunities to do so later.

As he sat in the main seat, silently observing the reactions of everyone present, Morroia, who was dressed in her finest attire, suddenly leaned closer and pointed at Beth, who was hiding alone in a corner drinking in silence, asking, "Who exactly is that woman? Why did she want to kill me?"

"Her?" Zhang Cheng picked up his glass with interest and took a small sip of the sour wine. He explained meaningfully, "Her name is Beth Taro, the daughter of a merchant from a free city-state. According to her, you publicly executed her father on charges of smuggling and confiscated all his property. So, in order to seek revenge, she has been lurking in the black market of Old Town, actively engaging in various activities detrimental to the Hightoar family."

"A merchant from the Free Cities?" Morroia frowned, deep in thought. After a few seconds, she seemed to realize something, and disbelief flashed in her eyes. "The Vulture—Dalia! I can't believe his daughter is still alive!"

"Oh? You actually remember?" Zhang Cheng looked up in surprise.

Moroya smiled wryly and said, "How could I forget! Vulture was the only one who could provide the Hightoar family with all sorts of strange goods, from dragon eggs and Valyrian steel swords to corpses and slaves. As long as you could afford the price, he could find a way to get them. But the problem was that he was too greedy. In the last transaction, he deliberately switched the eggs, trying to sell me a fake dragon egg. I killed him in a fit of rage, but I didn't find the real dragon egg."

"Greed is one of the deepest desires hidden in everyone's heart, especially for businessmen, whose ultimate goal is to pursue more profit. You should be very clear about this. Because killing in anger is a foolish act, especially killing someone who still has enough value to you." Zhang Cheng smiled and shrugged.

He never shied away from killing, but he would never kill out of anger. Often, he would only seek momentary pleasure, which usually meant paying a high price afterward.

“You’re right! I was incredibly stupid! What’s even more stupid is that I didn’t send anyone to hunt down Dalia’s only daughter.” Morroya touched the bruises on her face and said with self-mockery, full of regret.

Despite the application of anti-swelling ointment and a large amount of face powder, the "madwoman's" face still showed signs of being beaten, especially the handprints on her neck, which were clearly visible, indicating that she had almost been strangled to death.

"Hehe, we are not gods, but mortals. Since we are mortals, it is natural to make mistakes, which is nothing. The problem is that some people learn from their mistakes immediately, while others never do. Now tell me, are you the former or the latter?" After saying that, Zhang Cheng put down his wine glass and looked at the woman sitting next to him with great interest.

It must be said that by Westeros standards, Morroia is an absolute beauty. Although she is thirty-three years old this year, due to the use of certain alchemical drugs, she appears to be at most twenty-seven or twenty-eight. Combined with her mature and intellectual temperament, she gives people a unique kind of excitement.

Morroia wasn't an idiot; she keenly noticed the change in the other person's gaze. She puffed out her full, alluring breasts and chuckled as she retorted, "What, are you suddenly interested in me?"

Zhang Cheng shook his head noncommittally: "Maybe, maybe not, who knows. My desire for the opposite sex isn't as strong as most men's, but my vassals want me to prove myself, at least to confirm to them that the lord they serve likes women."

“Then what are we waiting for! Let’s go upstairs to the bedroom! I’d also like to have a ‘deep’ conversation with you alone.” Moroya deliberately emphasized the word “deep,” her tone full of provocation.

"Are you sure? You know I'm the enemy who killed all your relatives, including your father, and you're still willing to have an 'in-depth' conversation with me?" Zhang Cheng probed meaningfully.

“Why not? I’m just a woman, powerless to fight against a spellcaster as strong as you. All I can do is try my best to survive.” Moroya’s face showed neither sadness nor hatred, as if everything she did was perfectly natural to her.

Zhang Cheng had read part of the history of the Seven Kingdoms and knew that when many noble families faced annihilation, the surviving women usually did not choose to fight to the death or seek revenge. Instead, they would marry their enemies and bear them children, thus ensuring the continuation of the family bloodline.

Although as an outsider he found it hard to understand this kind of tacit defection, he finally nodded reluctantly: "Alright, I'm starting to believe in your sincerity now. But before you go upstairs, please tell me what exactly the powder you used was? Why does the armor that comes into contact with it rust, and the cloth become hard and brittle?"

"The Dust of Decay, a treasure I created after numerous attempts using a recipe I obtained from an alchemy book. Of course, what I made is merely a preliminary version; according to the book, its true power is enough to instantly wither and rot a person. If you wish, I can write down the ingredients and the process at any time." Moroya made no attempt to hide anything, giving her answer frankly.

"Rotten Dust? That sounds interesting. I'll try it myself later. Oh, I almost forgot, you just mentioned that Beth's father switched a dragon egg, which means there's a real dragon egg buried somewhere in Old Town, right?" As he spoke, Zhang Cheng glanced at the corner.

Unaware of the danger, Beth continued to chug down glass after glass, completely oblivious to the impending peril.

Moroya curled the corners of her lips into a half-smile and replied, "That's right! I think that before Vulture died, he probably told his only daughter where he was hiding. You can start your investigation from there..."

Chapter 0213 The Rules I Set for Myself

Late at night, the banquet in the hall was drawing to a close. The wealthy merchants, having received the answers and promises they wanted, rose to take their leave and returned to their lodgings under the escort of soldiers.

For them, it doesn't matter who becomes the ruler of the old town; what matters is whether their own interests can be protected.

Clearly, Zhang Cheng, from a mercantilist society dominated by financial capital, was well aware of what merchants desired. He not only guaranteed the continued opening of ports and markets but also promised to reduce taxes for a period of time to compensate for the goods lost in this plunder.

Merchants are the second most powerful group in the city, after nobles. They are not only very wealthy, but also employ a large number of mercenaries, guards, and thugs. If he can gain their support, the first port of Westeros will be restored to order and vitality in a very short time. At the same time, he can also focus on studying Valyrian blood and fire magic and the Forest Child, Deadwood, who is being secretly imprisoned.

Of course, before that, he had to prove to the mercenaries he had sworn allegiance to that he liked women...

“Count, Miss Morroia has already returned to her bedroom, and I’ve also sent the drunken Miss Beth inside. I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful night tonight,” Blanco said with a playful grin.

"You guys really put your hearts into this." Zhang Cheng glanced at the vassal who still refused to leave the living room and rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Hahahaha! My lord, it is you who have given us mercenaries who live on the edge of death wealth, status, and power, so we are willing to be loyal to you and your descendants forever. For the future of the Asspring family, please try to have more children, even if they are illegitimate." Blanco laughed as he dragged his lord into the bedroom and slammed the door shut.

Hearing the vulgar laughter coming from outside the door, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but shake his head with a smile. He turned around and looked at Moroya, who was sitting upright on the edge of the bed, and Beth, who was lying next to her completely drunk. He casually placed the Demon Sword Soulbinder on the weapon rack at the entrance, and then asked in a meaningful tone, "My dear Moroya, are you ready?"

Without hesitation, the latter untied the ribbon, letting her shirt slip off her shoulders, revealing a large expanse of alluring, snow-white skin, and replied with a smile, "Yes, you're ready. You can start enjoying the fruits of your victory now."

“Very good! But before that, I have something to show you.” With that, Zhang Cheng took out the pocket watch he had prepared long ago and handed it to him.

moment!

A dazzling light shone into Morroia's eyes, catching her completely off guard. Her pupils quickly became dilated.

Seeing this, Zhang Cheng slightly curled the corners of his mouth and whispered in her ear, "From now on, Beth is me. You go and kiss her, caress her, do whatever you want to do..."

Under the influence of the hypnotic pocket watch, Moroya's originally empty eyes were quickly filled with the fire of desire. She turned around and gently stroked Beth's cheek, her breathing becoming more and more rapid. Finally, she couldn't help but pounce on her and kiss her soft lips wildly.

In less than a few minutes, the two women reenacted a scene remarkably similar to that of a few hours earlier. The only difference was that this time, instead of trying to kill each other, they craved more pleasure from one another.

Because one of them was hypnotized and the other was drunk, they didn't care about anything, and soon their heavy breathing and groans came out from under the door.

Upon hearing this, the guys hiding outside all grinned with satisfaction, put their arms around each other's shoulders, and disappeared at the end of the corridor, intending to go out and find a woman to vent their frustrations.

After confirming that everyone outside had left, Zhang Cheng breathed a slight sigh of relief. Just as he was about to do some research to pass the long night, he suddenly heard the deep, hoarse voice of the Demon Sword in his ear: "Master, I don't understand, why don't you go and enjoy the afterglow of physical pleasure?"

"Hmph! Why should I be controlled by such base desires?" Zhang Cheng retorted without turning his head.

After several limited exchanges, he had a pretty good understanding of the Soul Reaper's character; that was to lure the holder into eternal damnation.

"Low-class? No, desire originates from the most fundamental aspect of the human soul. It can be power, pleasure, or the driving force of civilization's development. You should not suppress your desires at all; instead, you should embrace them. Only by releasing your instincts and nature can you understand your true self and gain greater power," the Demon Sword retorted earnestly.

"I don't deny that what you said makes sense, but please remember that everyone chooses a different path, so the difficulties they face are also different."

First of all, I don't know how strong my will is, or whether it can withstand the power of emotions.

You must understand, there's a saying in my hometown: "Humans aren't plants, how can they be without feelings?" It means that even the most cold-hearted and ruthless person will still have one or two relatives or friends who care about them.

Imagine if one day the enemy used this weakness against me. Should I abandon those I care about and let pain and guilt accompany me for the rest of my life, or should I sacrifice my life for my family and friends like the heroes in tragic stories?

No, I won't choose any of them!

My choice is to keep my distance and not cross the line into ordinary friendship with anyone. That way, even if someone uses it to threaten me, I won't be really sad or upset.

Secondly, you might see the relationship between a man and a woman as a trivial matter, a mere act of human reproduction and entertainment. However, you may not realize that physical intimacy often extends to the emotional level, giving rise to a subconscious mutual trust and dependence. For me, this trust and dependence is fatal; it cloudes my judgment, so I must avoid it as much as possible.

Finally, and most importantly, I am destined to be a passerby, a traveler traversing different worlds. If I develop too much attachment to any one place, how long do you think I can survive in this dangerous game?

Zhang Cheng crossed his hands and rested his chin on them, making no attempt to hide the rules he had set for himself, or rather, his style of doing things.

He looked into the eyes of the two naked women on the bed, and there was not a trace of lust in them; his calmness was chilling.

The demonic sword remained silent for a full five minutes before finally speaking in a completely emotionless tone: "You have chosen an incredibly difficult path for yourself. I have followed countless masters, and none of them have ever succeeded. Perhaps this is precisely what led to their deaths. I think this time, you can bring me a surprise..."

Chapter 0214 Shocking Change

While Zhang Cheng was bringing Oldtown under his control and continuing to delve into the complex and ever-changing magical knowledge of this world, Daenerys Targaryen, who had just conquered Meereen, was staring in disbelief at the man who had suddenly barged into her bedroom.

The reason is simple: the other party not only has hair and eyes that are extremely similar to, or rather, exactly the same as, those of the Targaryen family, but also easily tamed three irritable and easily angered young dragons.

Even she herself couldn't completely control Rhaegal, Viserion, and Drogon's obedience, yet the man before her had dragons groveling at her feet, like little dogs fawning over their master...

"Who are you?" After a long silence, Daenerys finally couldn't help but ask tentatively.

"Heh, good evening, the last of the Targaryen bloodline. You are far more beautiful than the rumors suggest. My name is Eric, a lowly servant of my great master. Hundreds of years ago, your ancestor made a pact with my master, and now I demand that you fulfill the last clause of that pact: hand over your Unsullied army and three dragons." The man made no attempt to conceal his intentions, stating them frankly.

It goes without saying that he was Eric, who explored the ruins of Valyria with Zhang Cheng but betrayed him at a crucial moment and was almost killed.

Having undergone the transformation by accepting the blood of a dragon, he has almost transcended the realm of humanity. Although he appears normal on the surface, closer inspection reveals that beneath his fair skin lies a dense layer of scale-like structures, capable of transforming into a half-dragon, half-human monster at any time by activating the magical power hidden within his bloodline.

In some ways, he was almost no different from those Valyrians who had undergone the same physical modifications back then, so taming a newborn dragon was easier than eating or drinking.

"A contract? What contract? I've never heard of it before. Who is your master?" Daenerys frowned and questioned her sternly.

Eric shrugged nonchalantly. "Sorry, you're not qualified to know your master's name. As for the contents of the contract, your father probably hasn't had a chance to tell you yet. The last of the Targaryen bloodline, tell me your choice: will you be my enemy, or my ally?"

As a princess of a fallen kingdom who had suffered a childhood of bullying, Daenerys undoubtedly loathed this aggressive attitude. Therefore, she refused without hesitation, saying, "I'm sorry, I've never heard of any contract, and I don't like your attitude, so please leave immediately, or I'll call the guards."

“Foolish and willful! But it’s alright, I’ll train you slowly after I’ve completed my master’s task. I’m sure the process will be very enjoyable. But for now, I suggest you don’t make a fuss, or I guarantee that whoever walks in from outside will be engulfed by the scorching dragon flames.” Eric pursed his lips and cast his gaze at the alluring body beneath the other’s semi-transparent silk nightgown.

Since obtaining the powerful energy of the dragon's blood, he could feel his desires rising in certain areas. If he weren't afraid of delaying the task assigned by Kronada, he might have pounced on her immediately and enjoyed the renowned "Mother of Dragons."

"Drogon! Dragonfire!" Daenerys, keenly aware of this blatant spying, was enraged and gave her dragon the order to attack.

Interestingly, Drogon, quite unusually, did not take any action. Instead, he lay on the ground and let out mournful whimpers, as if he were struggling against some invisible constraint.

At the same time, Rego and Viserion also began shaking their heads frantically for no apparent reason, appearing to be in great pain.

Upon seeing this, Daenerys rushed forward and shouted, "Damn it! What have you done to my children?!"

"No, I did nothing. They simply couldn't resist the power bestowed upon me by the Great Master, the true bloodline of a dragon!" With that, Eric spread his arms, releasing an aura that was beyond words. In the next few seconds, his body was covered with a layer of bright red scales.

Curved horns grew from his head, his hands turned into sharp claws, and even a thick, long tail grew from his rear end. Most importantly, his originally pale purple eyes turned into vertical pupils like those of a wild beast.

"A monster?!" Daenerys was startled by the sudden change and quickly stood up, trying to run out the door.

Before I could run more than a few steps, I felt my neck being gripped by powerful claws, and then my feet were slowly lifted off the ground as I was forcibly lifted up.

"Hahahaha! Monster? Take a good look! This is the true state of a Dragon King! From this moment on, your army, your dragons, and even you yourself, all belong to me." Eric let out a wild and unrestrained laugh.

But before he could even celebrate for a few minutes, the door was suddenly kicked open with a bang, and seven or eight Unsullied men wielding spears rushed in. The leader noticed that Daenerys was having difficulty breathing and immediately roared in fury, "Damn it! Release the Queen!"

Eric glanced at them disdainfully, then sneered, "Hmph! You overconfident fools! Kill them!"

At a command, the three young dragons, which had been struggling, quickly rose from the ground, opened their mouths and spewed out scorching flames. Their eyes were no longer filled with emotion, but with unparalleled indifference.

The completely unsuspecting Unsullied were instantly engulfed, screaming as they turned into charred black corpses.

Smelling the strong, burnt smell in the air, Jorah Mormont, who was hiding by the door, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Taking advantage of the moment when the enemy's vision was blocked by the black smoke, he suddenly rushed in and slashed down hard at one of the thick, powerful arms.

puff!

"Ahhhhhhh! How dare you hurt me!" Eric released his grip and tried to grab the sword that had slashed him.

Without a word, Daenerys, now free, turned and ran towards the gate.