Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

"The offerings we present to you are the freshest food we have just hunted. Your battle markings have been of great help to us; this is a return gift to our elder." The tribal leader showed respect to a shaman of dubious origin, and this resolve caused the warriors behind him to bow and kneel in worship, just like their leader.

Omro didn't care about the respect these people showed him; he had other problems at the moment.

Who are you?

Perhaps intentionally, but Okangas did not formally meet with this shaman who lived on the fringes of the tribe. All communication was conducted through Ma'en.

“I am Okangas, the elder and leader of this tribe. On behalf of the warriors, I thank you for your grace.” This was to set the stage for what was to come; the shaman's power had become the barbarian's lifeline, and Okangas longed for him to grant him even more power, beyond the power of the battle runes.

This response was within the shaman's expectations; he had discerned Okangas's identity. Most barbarian elders, upon receiving respect from their tribal leader, would respond in some way—a sign of respect for power and tradition. But Omro was no ordinary barbarian.

His gaze lingered on the kneeling tribal chief, and he raised his cane to tap the bone mask on Okangas's face.

"What is this?" Just like an outdated elder chatting with a young person, Omro casually made a provocative and insulting gesture towards the tribe's first warrior.

Okangas raised his hand to stop the warriors behind him, his tone unchanged, "It is the skull of the giant deer, Elder."

"I know, I'm asking why you're wearing it?"

“My father once told me that we draw strength from living things, and I long for the wisdom that is buried deep in nature, like the wisdom of an elder.”

Omro glanced at him, and the somewhat sycophantic leader felt a terrifying gaze in that instant. Those eyes, hidden in the shadow of the hood, were bright and sharp.

Had he said something wrong? Okangas became even more humble, but the moment the shaman scanned him, his body trembled slightly—a biological instinct born of being targeted by a predator. The frail shaman unleashed a terrifyingly heavy killing intent and madness.

"Say it again, what do you want?"

The shaman reverted to his nonchalant old man persona, using the end of his staff to probe the edge of the hole in the wolf's skull.

“Power, we need absolute power! Power that will allow us to survive in Sahazam! Food or souls, as long as my people can live, my warriors and I will sacrifice them.”

“Oh, not entirely beyond redemption,” the shaman’s monotone tone seemed to change slightly. “You seek power? Then I will give you the ultimate power.”

Omro stretched out his hand, his thin, desiccated palm pressed against Okangas's bone mask, perhaps to perform some mysterious ritual.

Just as the leader closed his eyes to receive the gift, a sense of oppression was transmitted through his skull to Okangas's face.

Click, click, click...

"You old bastard!!!" The warrior's angry roar came from behind Okangas, his vision cleared, and the peeling fragments slid down his face.

His own mask shattered, crushed by the shaman with a single hand—something even he couldn't have done.

This shaman possesses unimaginable physical strength; it's incredible.

“I’ve said it many times, I don’t know voodoo, and I’m not a shaman. But I can still give you power, or more precisely, help you regain your lost power.”

"The Black Dragon Clan, the faces of the ancient human leaders are very noble. Don't wear just any rubbish on your face. Only the prey that is truly worthy of praise can become our ornaments."

"Wisdom? Ha, all you need is power, ultimate power."

Beside Omhide, the warrior's fury unleashed a storm of rage in Sahazane, causing predators that had been lurking in the jungle to flee under its oppressive force.

“Sahazam is our home, the testing ground I left for you. Take back what you’ve lost; those prey have been rampant on this land for too long.”

The Black Dragon Priest's speech did not receive much approval, as the entire Lost Familia was overwhelmed by the Dragon Priest's godlike aura, and could only barely raise one head to look at the tiny figure and the terrifying behemoth grinning behind him.

"Alright, in order to help you regain your lost glorious past, I have brought our master back from the past."

"Come and meet your comrade-in-arms, your god, the black dragon, Alcalon."

The outstretched wings blocked out the sunlight, and the ancient humans in the shadows felt as if their entire bodies were being burned alive. The golden serpent eyes were like leaping flames igniting them. In reality, it was almost true; the power within their ancient bloodline was gradually awakening with the arrival of the black dragon, and the ancient humans were undergoing an awakening of a life form from the abandoned to the strongest creatures at the top of the food chain.

Looking at the warriors before him, their strength surging and their muscles exploding, Alcaron let out a triumphant roar.

"My family."

"Welcome back to the age of mythology."

Chapter 646 Dreams and Nightmares

Dorudo Moonscar was the youngest Archdruid in the Senate. Tall and with a thick, bushy coat of hair, his lion-mane-like locks, meticulously groomed by his lover, created a miniature garden. Frannell, a skillful elf wife, discovered that her husband's hair was more difficult to manage than the wildest snake vine. She began cultivating small blue and green flowers within his hair, and the results were remarkable. The natural energy emanating from the mature druid allowed these adorable little creatures to thrive in Dorudo's hair, and she thoroughly enjoyed sleeping each night beside this refreshing flower field.

Dorudo didn't find anything wrong with these lovely decorations. He doted on Frannell, showering his somewhat mischievous lover with tenderness. This was partly due to his deep understanding of nature, which made him gentle and composed—a weakness, in fact, in the Senate, as a skilled druid wouldn't let nature sway his emotions. On the other hand, Dorudo understood his wife, Frannell's brother, his brother-in-law Hines, a rebellious young man whose choice to become a Witherer and accept exile had broken her heart. Frannell's sorrow was only soothed after the birth of their daughter, Fanila, but the little devil had gone traveling while her parents weren't looking. Although the elven mother didn't show any ill will, Dorudo always softened his demeanor when facing her.

"Alright, don't worry about me, my Dordo. Show some authority as the head of the household. Hines has returned with Lord Irason, and we've received news of Fanila. I won't be disappointed anymore." The elven lady gently kissed Dordo's cheek, placed the Druid's Staff of the Forest in his hand, buried her nose in his hair and breathed softly, then revealed a radiant smile of satisfaction.

For over ten thousand mornings, Frannell's habit of bidding farewell to her husband upon his departure remained unchanged. Frannell squeezed juice from the buds of a dew-kissed flower and used her fingers to smooth the wrinkles between the man's brows.

"Are you still angry about Fanila finding a human partner?"

“No,” Dorodo smiled gently, embracing his wife and pressing their foreheads together, the cool touch traveling through their skin to his brain. “That was just a small episode in Fanila’s life, I don’t mind it much.” At most a hundred years, only a tenth of her life, or even less.

My concern is for Hines. Not wanting to trouble his lover all day, Dorothy said goodbye without explanation and began his workday.

The Dream Forest is jointly managed by the Queen and the Senate. As long-lived elves, the royal family consists of only one member, Queen Tiffany, and the lineage is a single line. The Queen's faction is mostly composed of her followers and their descendants. It is said that the first Queen had endless charm during her lifetime, directly capturing the hearts of most of the elven kingdom's population. The second generation of elves grew up under the boundless adoration of their parents for the Queen.

Irason.

I wonder if the former suitors of the Queen would be so enraged by the foolish state of the Lady of Nature after her death that they would break free from the roots of nature. In my memory, the unreliability of the Dragon Priestess Irason was almost as infamous as her beauty during her lifetime. If it weren't for a few elders identifying her former crush before her death, all the dream elves would have thought that the Queen had been replaced.

The Queen's faction represents the soft roots of the elves, the original and purest love.

The second ruler established the Senate, and the dignified and noble consul, clad in thorns, brought fairness and order to the somewhat bewildered elves. When Irazon sheltered the Withered and chose self-exile, this mysterious woman appeared like a night-blooming cereus, taking over the chaotic Dream Forest with the will of a queen. The Senate began to implement hierarchical systems and divisions of labor in elven society, and under its supervision, the elves developed professions out of personal interest.

Druids, who are well-versed in nature, are respected government officials among the dream elves. Their role is far more important than that of warriors and hunters. Due to their diverse abilities, druids can handle any job in the elven kingdom. The Senate is composed entirely of archdruids, and Dordo is the youngest archdruid.

His job was education, to cultivate more druids.

Although a simple educational structure already existed, professional development still relied on talent, and these druids preferred a mentor-disciple teaching method. Dordo first went to the Senate to report on the day's curriculum, gather his students, and perhaps select some promising young talents from among the junior teachers.

Dorodo is a gentle and approachable person. He is the youngest among the apprentices and is very popular with young people.

Even such approachable teachers can encounter a few troublemakers.

Dorodo subconsciously thought of the little girl from a few weeks ago. Her indifferent attitude towards her surroundings left a deep impression on Dorodo, but what really etched the memory into Dorodo's mind were the other two people following behind the little girl.

Ira Songn and Susanna.

Former Queen and Consul.

Dorodo was a little terrified at the time, instinctively thinking that the little girl was either the next queen or the illegitimate daughter of the two of them. It turned out that the reality was even more outrageous than he had imagined.

She is the daughter of the Dragon King, the guardian dragon of the Dream Elves, the Emerald Dragon Claudia.

Suppressing a tremor in his heart, Dorudo taught Claudia the basics of druidry one-on-one. She graduated quickly, mastering even the most obscure spells in an afternoon. The basic instruction ended swiftly, leaving Dorudo bewildered. Claudia seemed completely uninvolved throughout, perhaps because the lessons were too easy and stressful. This ignited Dorudo's desire to teach, or rather, his appreciation for talent. He began a near-cramming approach, imparting all the knowledge he had prepared for her, from beginner to advanced apprenticeships.

Claudia's education had brought her to the point where she was just one step away from becoming an Archdruid, when Susanna interrupted her.

"That's enough, Dorudo Moonscar. If we continue, Claudia will adopt your way of thinking, which will be detrimental to the Druid classification."

The afternoon's lectures left Duoluduo somewhat tired, but also satisfied. However, his sense of responsibility as an educator still prompted him to raise questions.

"May I ask which elder you intend to recommend Claudia to? She has great talent and would be excellent on any druidic path."

Susanna laughed, a rare occurrence for her.

“I recommended her to myself; my goddaughter will become a dream druid.”

"Dream Druid... that's definitely the best choice."

The Dream Elves live in another world, the Dream Realm. This is a sanctuary shared by all living beings, and a paradise for the Dream Elves. All of them possess the ability to remain awake in their dreams, which means they have twice as much time as any other race that needs sleep, allowing them to truly cultivate in their dreams and become stronger even while sleeping.

The people who maintain and cleanse dreams are the Dream Druids, the noblest among the many Druid professions, because Dream Druids protect everyone's mind and clear nightmares from their dreams.

Dreams are not safe. Negative energy born from the unrestrained mind during sleep, when nurtured by distorted forces, can produce nightmares—a terrifying, intangible force that can corrupt the soul.

Yes, the nightmare comes from an evil god.

Deep within the Emerald Dream lies the maddening thoughts of the sleeping Triton.

The only nightmare that had stepped into reality smiled and spoke lightly.

"A dragon, of course, has to fight an evil god."

Chapter 647 Dream Forest License GET

Slender fingers traced the engravings on the stone slab, and the swaying shadows of the trees danced across the words. Growing roots climbed from the soil onto the stone, bypassing the words to bloom into tiny white flowers at the height where the fingers touched. The blossoming flowers brought a smile to the woman's face; she turned and gently patted the cradle-like branch she sat on, speaking to the trees behind her.

Only from a distance can one fully observe the strange ancient tree. Its roots do not penetrate deep into the soil; the tips of its roots are teardrop-shaped, numerous and clustered into two enormous root clumps, supporting the tall tree. Forked roots connect to thick branches with pale green bark; two main branches are extremely slender, extending like vines to the ground, one of which supports a spirit. At the crown, several distinctly textured, caterpillar-like protrusions form a blurry human face.

"Aite, you're blocking my view." There was no complaint in the girl's voice; the little flower that the tree-man had created seemed to have served its original purpose.

The old, slow voice seemed to come from inside the trees, or perhaps from the entire forest.

"You haven't smiled in a long time since you came back. The few times you did smile were like dead skin hanging on a diseased branch, Ms. Nature."

The woman puffed out her cheeks, broke off a small twig from the treant's arm, and casually poked it at the stone slab. The damage, barely noticeable to Aite, was negligible. It regained its composure, for it knew all too well that this woman would soon pour out her pent-up frustrations like beans spilling from a well; the former elven queen's heart was too full of worries.

"It's because everyone's relationship isn't good. The divide between the Withered and the residents hasn't been bridged. The Queen's Guard and the Senate don't get along, and they're subtly excluding Claudia. They're all one family, so why are they divided into several parts?"

Because of the fragile bonds maintained by your existence, it's reasonable for the Dream Elf society to be divided into several parts, isn't it? Aite pondered with the wisdom bestowed upon her by longevity. Dividing into factions to solidify the kingdom's rule—that woman's approach was indeed more ingenious than the Queen's.

"Because we are all 'humans,' and people's likes and dislikes are all different. Even the forest spirits, including myself, are not united as one; we just happen to all love you as the Lady of Nature."

Irason had a bit of a headache, so he simply lay down in the palm of the ancient tree and looked up at the pure sky above the Dream Forest.

"The sky in my hometown is indeed beautiful. The sky in the City of Wandering is like a chaotic nightmare. I wonder if Hines and the others will get used to coming home."

“Lost children will always find their way home. They will find a sense of belonging here. Didn’t that adult already take care of it?”

"Susanna's approach? Keeping both sides too busy to cause trouble with excessive workloads isn't a good method, is it? I'd feel guilty if Hines died from overwork. Isn't there any activity that everyone can enjoy so that they can work together harmoniously? Putting aside prejudices and getting along amicably is something we can only dream of..." Ira Songn lay dejectedly on her side, turning over like a salted fish.

"You've already arranged for them to meet in dreams?"

“Hmm…” Irason’s face turned ashen with disappointment. “Kylo Shirou, captain of the Queen’s Eye; Charis Nightingale, war druid of the Senate; and Hines Morrowind, druid of the Wither. I arranged for them to meet several times in the dream, and then they started fighting, beheading each other more than ten times, and now it has escalated into a factional war. I was hoping to use the dream to resolve their conflicts, but instead, the hatred has deepened. If it weren’t for Susanna’s intervention, the real world would have been ravaged by civil war several times over. It would be terrible if it really became reality.”

Aite looked at the former queen in his hand, who was in a state of self-doubt and depression, and realized that this topic could not be continued, otherwise Irason's crying would attract the most terrifying consul.

"Ah...ha...so you've been staring at what's written on this stone tablet for an hour now."

“This?” Irason patted the tall stone slab. “This is Immelt’s letter of repentance. It is a letter of self-criticism written in dragon language by Claudia’s sister, the red dragon. It recounts what she saw and heard in the dwarven kingdom of Mackenbert and the wrong things she did.”

“What does this symbol mean? It looks like a bipedal spruce tree man,” Aite said, pointing to the most frequently appearing symbol on the stone tablet.

"Ah, that's a combination of the dragon words for 'bullying' and 'stealing,' meaning 'bully.' For the five dragons, this symbol specifically refers to Lyle, the new Dragon King Priest, a rather interesting child."

"...I think I know a little about him now." The treant Aite had a deep impression of Lyle, whom he had never met before. "So what did he do that is being mentioned so often?"

"Hmm... Temptation drove the fire elementals and dwarves to conquer the elemental plane, nearly overturning it, and then they pinned all the blame on the red dragon... That's what they said."