Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

Chapter 576 The Calamity Dragon

The silt flowing down the black giant's body swallowed the dragon bones, and the numerous tentacles swaying along its torso fused the broken bones together. The power of the evil god and the marrow fluid of the dead corroded each other, and the final product poured onto the dragon bones that had been dumped into the swamp. [Lyle] leaned against the massive dragon skeleton, his hands fiddling with it like a broken Rubik's Cube. Fragments of the dragon's skull and his soul were simultaneously tainted by the power of the evil god.

"Lyle! You've broken the rules! You shouldn't have acted so recklessly!" Zhiyan had already rushed into the spreading mud, his legs wading through the black sludge. A restless, burning emotion was eroding his soul as he roared as he advanced toward the kneeling giant.

Faced with such a small point, Lyle whispered without turning his head, but the soul impact that invaded Zhiyan's mind was more like a suppressed roar.

What am I supposed to do, just stand there and watch my teacher's soul vanish into nothingness?! The rules have failed! That's our conclusion!

"Perhaps there are other methods. The power of evil gods is the source of chaos in this world. Believe me, Lyle, I have entered countless ancient tombs and studied the relevant records, which often only contain fragments of knowledge and gruesome and terrifying scenes. Those who seek evil gods never have a good end."

[I am not one who seeks the power of evil gods. I am the evil god, the executioner of the old gods, the master of the future. Since your ancient ways have failed, then let me create the future! My mentor cannot perish; I will keep him alive. If dreams cannot bring him to fruition, then I will bring him to fruition with miracles—mad miracles.]

“As expected, I don’t have the eloquence of Law…” Zhiyan had already waded into the heart of the black mud, the malicious silt covering him completely. He struggled to extend one hand above the water, touching the straight branch pointing to the sky—the leg joint of the Ominous Giant. “If I can’t stop you, then I’ll use the knowledge I possess to bring you some logic that aligns with reality. Perhaps, that miracle will be closer to reality…”

Zhiyan's hand slowly sank into the black mud, and his consciousness was gradually being swallowed up.

A large hand scooped up Zhiyan, who was covered in black mud, and shook him dry in the air like a handkerchief. The malicious erosion disappeared, and Zhiyan felt as if his whole body was about to fall apart. Finally, he was grabbed by a tentacle and faced with Lyle's dull 'face' and two huge 'holes'.

What were you doing just now? Were you looking to die?

"I want to be swallowed by the black mud so that you can accept my knowledge; that's how those ancient inscriptions describe it..."

[Idiot, those are just remnants of my emotions. Getting drowned in this mud will only make you lose yourself.]

"Like...excrement?"

【…】

Seeing that Lyle was about to stuff him back in, Zhiyan quickly begged for mercy, "Alright then, esteemed evil god, my old friend, how should you learn and accept new knowledge? My knowledge of evil gods is still shallow, perhaps you can enlighten me."

I don't need to learn; I am the origin. All knowledge is merely a part of my inner self. I only need to think. By dissecting knowledge along a timeline, I can find the answers.

"Cool! Did I just make a wasted trip?" Zhiyan suddenly felt a little cheated.

You can help me find the right direction; a learned scholar of antiquity can more quickly categorize the knowledge we possess.

"Another dragon bone creation?"

That's right, it's simple, just start over.

Zhiyan quickly realized that the keel structure Lyle described was not simple at all.

"Based on our previous plan, we can choose a cone-shaped structure for this location, or a fan-shaped structure, or a spider web combined with cartilage. These will respectively enhance the dragon bone's attack power, defense, and spellcasting ability... Which one should we choose?"

I want them all.

"Say it again?"

I want it all! I want to create a dragon that surpasses even the Dragon Father, possessing all the advantages of dragons!

"Damn it! We're talking about the spinal joints. How could all three conditions be met at the same time? A dragon's physiological structure and physical composition cannot allow three things to coexist, unless it has three magic cores, three sets of magic circuits that exist simultaneously but are independent of each other. You and I both know that's impossible!"

Three sets of dragon bones...that's impossible. Then let's create a set of deformed dragon bones, transformed by a demon god, allowing this dragon skeleton to switch between different environments as needed, and, if necessary...grow three hearts.

Zhiyan gritted his teeth in pain, "What kind of monster are you trying to create? You don't want to create a giant dragon, do you? You want to create a dragon-shaped bio-armor, or a dragon-shaped evil god!"

"I'm simply returning the dragon to its origins. Remember, Yemortar was an evil god who relinquished certain divine powers. I'll add those back to the Dragon Master. I will surpass the Dragon Father. Don't worry, I will satisfy the Dragon Master. He will be a true, genuine ancient dragon, not some twisted creation."

"I'd rather he woke up to find himself transformed into a monster. If your transformation is successful, then this dragon will be even more monstrous than a monster."

Thank you for your compliment, my friend.

"Then can I carve words on his tailbone, like 'Made with Lyle's full effort, sponsored by Zhiyan's friendship,' and carve them on the dragon bone... Just think, when the dragon is revived, those carvings will be immortal under his talent."

[If you wish, I will leave behind that line about you, so that the hatred of the most terrifying dragon of the future will never die.]

"Hahaha, I was just joking to ease the tension. The dark aura emanating from you is making it hard for me to breathe."

[The aura of fear—that was something I unconsciously emitted. I'm sorry, Zhiyan. Just like breathing. By the way, Zhiyan, you don't actually need to breathe.]

"I know, I was just describing it." No, he had completely forgotten that he was a lich.

The dragon bone forging proceeded in a tense but orderly manner. During this time, the dragon's soul was constantly immersed in the ominous evil god's power, which was both a poison and nourishment for life. Lyle was also a little worried about this kind of erosion and could only pray that the White Bone Master had a good ability to manage himself.

A brand new head was sculpted by Lyle, the new dragon bone entirely forged from the heretical growth of the dragon's lich bones, yet the similar information still made him bear a striking resemblance to the dragon's firstborn. But this was a miracle created by the dragon himself, aided by the power of an evil god.

"Eldest son of the dragon, I've created a new father for you." Lyle thought to himself with malice.

"No, say it out loud, I heard you."

Lyle let out an eerie laugh, placing the skull upon the new dragon skeleton—a creation of the evil god. The skeleton's body was even larger than that of the firstborn dragon, reaching an astonishing sixty meters in length; the ominous creature's form appeared like a child before it. The grotesque skeleton was imbued with the destructive power of a dragon and the veiled aura of an evil god, making it difficult to discern which side it leaned towards.

[The final step.]

The ominous dragon stirred up the black mud that had already become the size of a lake, splashing up a huge wave that completely enveloped the black dragon.

The enormous dragon skeleton curled up, turning into a sphere, and the black silt eventually transformed into a huge, pitch-black dragon egg.

Zhiyan stared blankly at the towering creation before him, when suddenly he found his body tilting to one side as the Ominous Giant collapsed.

He found Lyle in the dissipating pile of tentacles; he had fallen into a coma from exhaustion. Just as Zhiyan was about to touch him, Lyle woke up on his own, opening his completely black eyes and staring at the giant egg.

"Lyle, do you think we succeeded?"

"The results will be in soon. When the eggshell breaks, something new will emerge. I used the power of fear to hold the dragon's soul captive; I'm not sure if he can maintain his sense of self. If he can, our familiar dragon mentor will return."

"What if he can't?"

Lyle narrowed his eyes, a wicked smile on his face.

"Then you should congratulate me. Congratulate 'me' for splitting myself off again, and congratulate the world for having another incarnation of an evil god."

Click.

The dragon egg peeled away faster than Zhiyan had imagined. What emerged from the egg was not a new, vibrant life, but a colossal dragon skeleton that blotted out the sky. It roared to the heavens, and the world trembled. Its enormous wings spread behind it, and the storm carried its roar throughout the entire world.

"I am the dragon!!!"

Chapter 577 The Academy Dragon

It felt like being in a blizzard, with solid ice beneath him. The icy wind robbed his skin of moisture, and a dragging sensation seemed to stretch and tear his body apart. The air bombarded his eardrums like cannonballs, and Lyle couldn't hear himself swallowing.

Lyle opened his eyes, feeling as if his body was about to explode, a nightmarish sensation.

The billowing robes slapped his cheeks like handshakes, but Lyle ignored the stinging pain and the coldness in his body, staring blankly at the scene before him.

The sun was to his left, its blinding light like a warm cloth covering his skin, obscuring his vision. Clouds hung below, and his left leg, protruding from between his bones, swung high in the air, his bare ankle already cold and numb. Lyle raised his head, looking up from the cradle of interlocking dragon claws. The enormous bone dragon was a toppled mountain, and Lyle could see through the gaps in its bones the dragon's wings and the sky, filtered through an underworld lens by the magic of death.

He was being held in the hand of a bone dragon, flying at high speed above the clouds at the same level as the sun.

Tentacles burst forth from the shadows, pinning the swaying Lyle to the knuckles of the dragon's claws.

The sticky discomfort made the dragon move its joints, and the leader's head bent, with a blazing soul flame burning within its massive skull. Even in the cold, oxygen-depleted high altitude, those two flames continued to burn fiercely.

A rough, deep voice rang out from the raging wind.

“I knew it, a breeze would wake you up faster. Combined with the biting cold and oxygen-deprived environment, the effect would be even better.” The teasing voice shortened the distance between Lyle and the unfamiliar bone dragon, and the familiar tone made Lyle’s impression of the bone dragon overlap with his memories.

"Teacher Giant Dragon?"

"Yes, my student, you have succeeded. As a reward for your excellent performance in the Bone Spirit Conjuring graduation exam, I am sharing with you the view above the clouds, a sight only dragons can experience. Ah, as I predicted, flying is truly a joyful sport!" With a powerful flap of its outstretched bone wings, the massive dragon skeleton charged forward at an even more deadly speed. The dragon skeleton's spine deformed rapidly like piano keys, and its more compact, streamlined body instantly mastered a new speed.

The dragon couldn't help but roar and cheer, "I love my body!!!"

Lyle trembled all over and tightened his tentacles even more in the gale.

"Can I not take this reward? I was such a fool to pursue perfection back then..." Lyle's whisper was mercilessly interrupted by the raging wind. To save his life, Lyle had no choice but to shout at the top of his lungs, making his own voice while coordinating with Nia's Soul Scream.

"Teacher!!! Where are we going!!!"

“Where to? Of course, back to Andre College, so that my colleagues and students can admire your masterpiece, the most beautiful creation of this era, my body.”

I can understand Mr. Dragon's feelings, but...

"Why didn't we use the portal?!"

“That’s for you,” the bone dragon said, lightly tapping Lyle’s forehead with its index finger, even though Lyle felt like he had just been hit by a battering ram. “Aren’t you dizzy from teleportation portals just like me? Now that I have a new ability, how could I let my proudest student suffer?”

Lyle stared coldly at the dragon skeleton with its jaws agape; it must be laughing. What "for the students"? It was clearly for pleasure, for the exhilarating feeling of flight. Lyle had thought portal sickness would be his worst experience, but now the dragon had given him a new fear: altitude sickness. At this point, Lyle could only pray that this painful journey would end soon.

Lyle was certain that the thought of ending the feeling of weightlessness hadn't left his mind the moment it occurred.

Suddenly, the flying bone dragon stopped accelerating like a supersonic fighter jet whose engine had stalled, as the divine power of the earth captured the giant bird.

Feeling his body, internal organs, and blood begin to float upwards, Lyle grabbed the dragon's thumb and shook it desperately before the acceleration of gravity allowed him to get used to the inertia, or rather, he shook his own body desperately.

"Teacher!!! Teacher!!! Fly away!!! We're falling!!!"

The dragon laughed heartily and pulled the impatient, mouse-like student into its arms.

"Yes, we are falling because we have arrived, we have arrived above Andrei..."

Death fell from the sky, a meteorite strike—the skill he had once jokingly made up was now something he was fortunate enough to witness, as part of the skill's release.

"Aaaaaaaaaa!!!"

Hahahahahaha!!!

Screams and celebratory sounds intertwined, becoming the most comical sonata as the master and apprentice fell.

The wind was like the most ruthless bathhouse attendant, letting every inch of Lyle's skin move freely, even Nia's defenses couldn't stop it. Just as Mr. Dragon had said, Andrei's ancient castle came into view, layer upon layer of magical restrictions enveloping the entire castle, like a cute and exquisite snow globe, even though it contained the most insane and corrupt power and a horrific explosion.

"Dragon Mentor, we will soon encounter Andrei's defensive barrier. I hope you have notified the relevant personnel in advance and obtained permission to pass through the barrier..."

"Don't worry, dear student, I have a pass."

"That's great news."

"My passport is the powerful body you gave me, combined with my immortality; I am the key to unlocking everything!!!"

"Depend on!!!"

Lyle could easily see Andrei's outermost defensive layer, which consisted of scattered spacetime rifts in the air, like torn maps. These rifts would block most attacks, and the inherent danger of spacetime magic made them both the sharpest spears and the strongest shields.

Lyle could no longer see what came after that. The dragon began to coil its body, placing Lyle on its belly. Its entire body transformed, its folded wings resembling fish fins, and its entire dragon skeleton, like the Sword of Damocles falling from the sky, slammed violently into Andrei's defensive barrier.

Lyle was protected inside the dragon bones, on the inner side of the magic barrier. The layers of defense that had been pierced by the bone dragon burst forth with dazzling flames, and colorful fireworks lit up the entire Andrei the moment the barrier shattered.

The burning dragon skeleton shattered one corner of Andrei's tower like a meteorite, and with a terrifying shockwave, it shattered the garden lawn of Andrei Castle before landing safely.

Mr. Faceless was doing his job as a teleportation mage as usual. However, due to the intense dissatisfaction caused by the endless overtime, the once dedicated Mr. Faceless began to slack off and was absent-mindedly slacking off.

A deafening roar interrupted his astral projection, leaving him stunned as a meteorite spectacle suddenly appeared before him. Suddenly, a large group of non-lich beings materialized before him. The dragon had shattered Andrei's spacetime barrier and disrupted the nodes of various portals. Mr. Faceless suddenly had a mountain of work to do; a whole host of poor souls who had been mistakenly teleported were now waiting for the lich teleportation mages to send them home, before the Andrei lich could even take an interest in these uninvited guests.