Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

The scholar pulled the bewildered Lyle back to reality. "Gestain, we have other plans for your future. Lyle is not your owner."

“Your will.” Giscard d'Estaing stopped his self-promotion.

After all the gems were allocated, the scholars and dragons told Lyle and Rockbiter about Kroxis's dragon-making plan.

"Using the Manu people's crystals to revive a dragon... this sounds a bit like a spirit summoning ritual, very similar to the dragon master's plan, and even... more reasonable..."

The dragon reiterated the superiority and uniqueness of its plan.

"Nonsense my foot! That half-baked dragon priest who practiced necromancy only managed to develop a superficial understanding through closed-door experimentation. I'm certain he could never resurrect a dragon. The branches of necromancy are divided into bones, flesh, and soul, not just words we can write down with a quill pen. These three elements are the cornerstones of life."

"But their jeweled dragon also came to life... without a single piece of flesh..."

"This..." Even the dragon couldn't explain the principle behind the existence of that gem-assembled dragon. He initially thought it was just a puppet controlled by Krossis, but the gem dragon's ability to create corrosive bite marks meant that, according to the mystical definition, the gem dragon was indeed a spirit-conjured creation. Could it be... a new school of spirit manipulation, gem spirit manipulation?

The scholar interrupted the psychic master and apprentice's wild ideas. Their thinking had gotten stuck in a rut, and they were using facts to deduce theory. Generally speaking, this wouldn't cause any major problems. But psychic studies are not a theoretical discipline, and Lyle is a distorting reality god. Who knows what kind of trouble they might cause by going astray?

“Your theory is not wrong, but the dragon Kolanak is special.”

"Koranak is the eldest son of the dragon, the first offspring of the dragon father Yerutal."

Chapter 556 The Thief Lyle

The eldest son of the dragon, the first offspring of the dragon father Yemotar, well... it doesn't seem like such a big deal.

The scholar understood Lyle's meaning, and the magic model wove in his hands. The dragon priest gradually revealed the secrets of the dragons. "The dragon father, Yemotar, is the origin of the dragons; all dragons are his descendants. But there is a difference between ordinary dragons and the direct bloodline of the dragon father. And this difference is enough to divide the dragon king and the dragons into two species."

"Dragons are winged, magical reptiles. But when the dragon father Yemotar was born into this world, he was not a dragon. He could not fly and crawled on the earth with four arms and two legs. He was called the Devourer and was the mortal enemy of the Sleepers."

Everything originates from an evil god, and dragons are no exception. The Dragon King, the founder of the dragon race, the Dragon Father Yemotar, was once an ancient evil god. Lyle's body trembled; the ominous will stirred within his mind—hunger and hostility.

A deep voice echoed through the cave, and even the breathing of the Gem Sage Destan was no longer loud. All eyes were on the scholar, listening to the ancient stories he told.

"The Devourer and the Sleeper fought for countless ages, their shared origins rendering them incapable of defeating each other, leaving the world in chaos, tossed about by raging waves and flames. Until one day, Yemotar changed himself. Wings sprouted from his arms, his body became covered in scales, long and resilient, and he let out a deafening roar. He transformed himself into the form of his former nemesis, the nemesis of the evil gods, a dragon. His eternally burning dragon soul was unaffected by whispers, his thick scales resisted corrosion, and he possessed magic—dragon language magic that could suppress the power of evil gods. The dragon father Yemotar abandoned his past identity and banished the Sleepers to the seabed. After that, he ushered in the Age of Dragons."

"Yemortar's transformation is irreversible, but the connection to the past is like a leech in his blood. Yemortar's direct descendants can change themselves according to their instincts, and the dragon Kolanak, as the eldest son of dragons, also has this power. After becoming the guardian of the Manu, he transformed himself into a jeweled dragon."

“Koranak is special; his primogeniture qualifies him to inherit the Dragonfather’s position. The Dragon Priest Council, including myself, decided to exploit this to steal the Age of Dragons. That is our plan.”

"The age of the Dragon Priests demands a Supreme Dragon Priest and a Supreme Dragon. The selection of the Dragon Priest will be contested by force, and for the Supreme Dragon, there is only one candidate: Kolanak. His destiny has already been written; he is a rebellious prince, the chosen one to end the Dragon Father's tyrannical rule. Morokui foretold this future. We firmly believe this as well. The Dragon Father, possessing the Crown of the Age, is too powerful; the eldest son of the dragons cannot contend with him. But we can exploit the rules of primogeniture. By forging a new dragon crown and stealing the Crown of the Age, the newborn Dragon King Kolanak will surely usher in a new era..."

The scholar's words seemed to contain boundless aspirations, but the deep underground cave and his dejected posture revealed the dragon priest's sorrow.

"Then Merok Raymond appeared, he killed the Dragonfather, shattered the age of dragons, and shattered our invincible arrogance."

"All strategies seem utterly ridiculous in the face of the Holy Light."

Lyle recalled Mr. Raymond's appearance, who had declared matter-of-factly, "I am destiny." Perhaps only a monster like the Crusader King could speak so matter-of-factly, because he truly shattered destiny, and shattered the destiny of an entire era.

As a result, Mr. Raymond became a lich. What exactly happened back then?

No longer dwelling on Raymond's combat strength, the most important thing now is to resolve the survival problem of the Manu tribe and solve the root cause of their problem: the mad dragon priest Kroxis.

"As a participant in the original plan, Krossis also knew the purpose of the Dragon Crown. However, instead of gathering the power of multiple dragon priests like we did, he sacrificed his own race, three gem sages, and countless people. He has gone completely mad and gone to the opposite extreme from us."

The scholar's indifferent declaration echoed among the Manu tribe. Destan wanted to say something, but ultimately replaced his words with a shimmering light.

"As a representative of the council, I, Morokui, have decided to reclaim the dragon soul and the remains of the dragon Kolanak, for the dragon priest who has abandoned his duties."

"The dragon and I will be the main force in annihilating Krosis, but first we need to lure Krosis out of Ashplink, a place blessed by the dragon, where Krosis's power will be greatly enhanced. It would be unwise to fight on the enemy's home turf."

Destan's light flashed again. "I understand. I need to be the bait. All that's left of Krossis's Gem Dragon Crown is my crystal..." The only thing Krossis is interested in now is the Gem Sage's crystal, the last piece of his plan.

“No, we cannot afford to lose you. If the Dragon Crown is completed, we cannot even imagine what power Kolanak, as the eldest son, will gain.” The scholar refused to use Destan as bait. He took out some scrolls from his spatial pocket. Some of these scrolls were so ancient that they were covered in mold and had to be frozen to keep them intact. The information recorded on them was probably ancient knowledge such as legends.

Perhaps the scholar had found a substitute for the bait, Lyle thought. Mr. Zhiyan stood beside him, the two somewhat weak young men idly passing the time. Mr. Zhiyan had just been about to use archaeological identification on a gemstone manu beside him, but this act, which was tantamount to sexual harassment for the manu, was politely declined.

I really hope the scholar can find a solution soon. Lyle is worried that Mr. Zhiyan will lower the Manu clan's favorability to a negative number in the process.

Just as Lyle had hoped, the scholar put away the scroll, turned around confidently, and faced Lyle.

A chill crept up Lyle’s spine.

"Teacher...?"

"Lyle, you are the solution."

I'm facing the carcass of a gem-encrusted dragon and a mad dragon priest?!

"But teacher, I don't have anything on me that could attract the dragon priest, could it be that the power of the evil god also has an effect on the construction of the dragon crown?"

“It’s useless.” Before Lyle could even rejoice, the scholar continued, “The fragments of the Gem Dragon Crown are indeed something Klossis cares about, but these fragments aren’t just the one belonging to Destain…”

"You mean..."

"Lyle, infiltrate Ashplink and steal the jeweled dragon crown from Kroos. The larva of the evil god, as a worm-like shadow creature, can evade any detection spells."

"You are the only choice."

"My students."

Chapter 557 Inducement

The scholar had called out to Lyle many times in his remarkably calm voice, but this time Lyle felt he was unworthy of it. He even took out his Holy Light Wand from his backpack and, under the glow of its built-in illumination spell, carefully examined the scholar's mask.

It was no joke; the scholars did not engage in the kind of "elderly humor" that Lyle had envisioned.

"Scholar teacher, Krossis is a dragon priest, just like you. Do you think I can infiltrate your mage tower?"

"The City of Wanderings is my mage tower, Lyle, it's semi-open. And I believe in your potential. Krossis isn't that powerful, and his magical expertise isn't as good as mine. Besides, he's gone mad now. Calmness is a prerequisite for a mage to unleash their full power..." The scholar's calm voice lessened Lyle's frustration a bit, and with the scholar's analysis, a possibility began to emerge in his mind.

"Scholar teacher, is Klose really that weak? What's his strength like? Is he a five-lock or a six-lock?"

Moroki fell silent; the cold expression carved on the dragon priest mask was quite fitting for the moment.

"Klosis is a rather weak dragon priest, but he is also a qualified dragon priest. Even when he went mad, his strength reached the seventh level. King Manu... he is very weak, if we take me and the dragons as a reference."

That's seven locks! Even if I possess the power of an evil god and embark on the path of the unconventional, I still can't defeat it. Moreover, the Dragon Priest can suppress evil gods. This is definitely not an existence that Lyle can face. This is more like a challenge, a deadly trial.

"This is a trial." The scholar seemed to read Lyle's mind, speaking his thoughts aloud. He looked up and met the dragon's gaze, both turning their attention to Lyle. "I've spoken with the dragon. With your current knowledge and magical skills, Chromis is no match for you. The dragon and I are the main force in this battle, but we also share a common identity: we are both your teachers. Therefore, we've decided to let you challenge your limits. We always welcome our students' progress, but if you can't do it… don't worry, child. We will revive you, in the form of a lich."

Lyle was on the verge of collapse, but his most trusted mentors were encouraging him, especially Mr. Dragon. "Remember our joke about who would take down the dragon? My dear apprentice, when a joke you thought was false becomes true, it becomes a joke too."

"We're doing this for your own good," the scholar added earnestly. Lyle had forgotten that these seemingly composed professors were quite strict in their teaching, especially with their students.

This was an extracurricular activity, and in terms of its level of danger, it was in line with Andrei's style.

Since the trial was inescapable, Lyle had no choice but to give it his all. He first sought help from the gem sage Destan, who drew a rough map of Ashprink based on his memories. The underground city was the dwelling place of the Manu people and also the lair of the dragon Kolanak. Therefore, the only place that could accommodate the gem dragon was its lair. Where the gem dragon was, the forged dragon crown would also be there, and the dragon priest would also be there. Destan understood the danger of Lyle's infiltration, and in describing Ashprink, he even meticulously recorded the murals left by the Manu jewelers on the walls.

"The dragon Kolanak is a wise and compassionate dragon, and his lair is inscribed with a great deal of dragon language. That is what makes him special; he records the history of our Manu people's existence." That's quite unusual, really. What normal dragon keeps a diary?

Dragon language? History? Lyle paused, turning his head to look at the archaeologist squatting on the ground digging. Mr. Zhiyan's senses were quite sharp; he visibly trembled in Lyle's sight, then abruptly stood up, his exquisitely beautiful face resembling that of a dying man, the defiant look in his eyes meeting the eeriness in Lyle's.

"Mr. Zhiyan, my old friend."

“I don’t know you well, so please have some self-respect, Plague Doctor. Don’t even think about going to your death with me. I may not be afraid of death, but I am afraid of pain, and I hate pointless sacrifices.”

"Mr. Zhiyan, how can someone as learned as you have such a narrow perspective? Haven't you seen through my true intentions yet?"

"If you mean the purpose of making me sacrifice myself to the dragon to buy time during the theft, then I see."

Lyle showed no sign of panic at being exposed; instead, he looked at Mr. Zhiyan with a playful, slightly disdainful expression, like a cunning conman eyeing his prey. Lyle narrowed his eyes, forcing back the malice swirling within them. He didn't need any ominous signs to deal with Zhiyan.

“You’ve missed a golden opportunity, Mr. Zhiyan. Don’t you understand what Ashprinkley has?”

Zhiyan originally intended to mock Lyle's clumsy tricks, but faced with the mocking look in those eyes, his retort turned into a step towards the trap.

What is it?

"Ashplink is a colossal tomb, a magnificent tomb containing the remains of dragons and dragon priests, though... and they can still move. Just imagine how much ancient knowledge those rocks might hold, you heard it too, didn't you? The secrets written in dragon language, how tempting that knowledge would be? What archaeologist would miss such a wonder?"

Ashplink is a dead city, but its inhabitants are still alive, making it far from a tomb. However, Lyle had already exploited Mr. Zhiyan's weakness: his fascination with the word "tomb." And that knowledge was indeed true, capable of surprising Mr. Zhiyan. Avoiding the main issue—that's the art of persuasion.

"Perhaps Ashplink is a dragon priest's tomb, as you say, and perhaps the knowledge there is tempting enough. But the dragon is still alive, and the dragon priest is still alive. I was once forced to 'calm down' by a dragon priest, so my overly cold mind tells me that if I agree to your request, my bones may have to suffer again."

"Is that so? If you already knew Priscilla was in the Dragon Priest's tomb, wouldn't you have avoided the visit? Are all the truly interesting tombs unclaimed? You and I both understand the risks, but both the Scholar and the Dragon need to prepare the venue. Mr. Zhiyan, am I the only helper you can recruit? Mr. Zhiyan, yet another exciting 'visit'..."

“You’re right, I’ll join!” Lyle could see the stars shining in Mr. Zhiyan’s eyes. His desire was as weak as his power; a few inflammatory words could change Zhiyan’s choice. In fact, this was exactly the choice that Zhiyan subconsciously desired. He was a typical Andrei lich, with an intense thirst for knowledge and a disregard for death, perhaps even with some of the suicidal impulses of the literary society.

Lyle smiled contentedly. I didn't twist the rock; I helped him find his true self.

Lyle needed Zhiyan's appraisal skills and knowledge, but he still secretly kept the cannon fodder plan to himself.

Mr. Zhiyan (the tool) joins the thieves' squad.

Chapter 558 Crystal Dragon's Nest

Feeling slightly unaccustomed to the renewed sunlight, Lyle and the others arrived at a flat area a hundred meters away from the underground shelter. Here, the remains of broken wood from the dragon's destruction were preserved. A gap was torn in the swirling mist, and the sparse setting sun pierced Lyle's eyes, its ruby-like afterglow staining the tree remains with blood.

Magic, like frost and mist, began to spread from the scholar's feet. The magical tide was compressed into needle-like threads, stretching into rain and seeping into everything around him. It appeared to be just a flash of silver light, imperceptible, but in reality, the land had changed hands, becoming part of the scholar's magic circle. World construction, the scholar's six-lock ability. As one of the builders of the magic network, as long as he stood on the ground, the scholar could assimilate his surroundings into his own, controlling them as if they were his own limbs. It was essentially like carrying a mage tower with him, although the Wandering City did indeed once possess the strategic ability to launch our base to smash through the enemy's main camp.

The scholar was expanding his magic circle. He looked at Lyle, his staff pointing to the patch of surviving grass not far away. "We'll set a trap here, Lyle. You just need to get Krossis and his dragon across that patch of grass, and your task will be complete." Lyle stared at the huge cave that served as the entrance to Ashplink, about a kilometer or two away. There weren't many obstacles, and with Nia's straight-line dash, it seemed quite simple.

If there isn't a raging dragon following behind.

Zhiyan squatted a short distance away, scooping up a handful of soil and stones from the ground. Runes glowed in his palm, and the fragile soil, deciphered, scattered from his fingertips. He clapped his hands, shaking off the last bit of dust.

"No problem, dragon. The soil here is quite compact, and even extensive desertification won't affect the overall soil and rock structure. Besides, there are no small animals here."

Mr. Dragon held an incredibly long white bone bar, which, even in the hands of the enormous dragon, appeared ridiculously long. It resembled a balancing bar, but in reality, it was Mr. Dragon's tool for measuring the land.

Upon receiving Zhiyan's reply, the giant dragon nodded.

"Then my site is fine too. The scholars can help me stabilize the soil structure, so it shouldn't cause too much damage."

The dragon, having retrieved its tools, walked over to Lyle and gently patted him on the shoulder.

"Go for it, my student. I'll beat him up for you, so come back with all your might."

Lyle nodded and walked slowly into Ashplink in the afterglow of the setting sun, together with Mr. Zhiyan.

Instead of taking the main road, the two used Nia's shapeshifting ability to stealthily move behind the shadows and cover of the sloping mountainsides. The deepening darkness provided Nia with perfect camouflage; it was said that Krossis usually hunted for gems at night, and Lyle didn't want to be caught red-handed by a dragon priest. Although Destan revealed that Krossis's hunts were gradually decreasing due to the scarcity of gems, the broken redwoods and the shattered ground were all traces left by Krossis in their search for the final fragment of the Dragon Crown, the Gem Sage Destan.

Lyle and Rocksteady gradually reached the edge of Ashplink's cave, where a ring of runes written in Manu script was emitting a faint glow. Lyle had already withdrawn Rocksteady's flesh-and-blood disguise halfway through, as Rocksteady couldn't control his increasingly excited heartbeat. Nia had to extend a tentacle to hold Rocksteady by the spine to prevent him from getting lost in his study of the runes.

"Wake up, Zhiyan! There's even more precious knowledge inside!" This was the loudest warning Lyle could muster after lowering his voice. Tonight, the mad dragon priest hadn't gone on a gem hunt, which meant Lyle and Zhiyan could infiltrate safely, and also meant that the Dragon Crown was definitely under the dragon priest's guard.