He was imprisoned in Nibelungen for a thousand years, only to find out upon his release that he was

Tiamat is gone.

In the instant of success, her soul seemed to disappear into some hidden corner, vanishing in a flash.

At the same time, Lu Ming felt as if something had been added to his body, giving him a sense of fullness.

It's not the feeling of fullness from eating, but more like... the feeling of fullness from finally putting things in and filling an empty container.

Thinking about it carefully, it's a bit like Lu Ming stuffed his own personality into another doll's body.

The difference is that Lu Ming's own personality is perfectly compatible with the specially customized doll body.

No matter how much you stuff it in, or force it in, it's fine.

But Tiamat is different; no matter what, she and Lu Ming are two different individuals.

Whether it can fit depends on the wavelength of the soul...

In other words, whether the size is suitable.

This is also the reason why Lu Ming needed to conduct repeated experiments.

Fortunately, the first phase of the process has been a complete success so far.

The second stage involves figuring out how to summon Tiamat, whether she needs to regain her power, and how to do so quickly.

Tiamat?

Lu Ming called out a few times.

No response.

You can't wake them up just by shouting.

"Perhaps, we also need to add some bloodline stimulation?"

Thinking of this, he acted immediately. Black energy burst forth from Lu Ming's body once more, with jagged spikes and steel dragon scales sprouting everywhere.

Tiamat, can you feel it?

Upon closer examination of my body, I noticed a slightly unusual fluctuation, like the sound of something inside a container shaking.

But there was still no response.

Lu Ming paced back and forth.

He then went through another period of deep thought.

"It seems that having a host in my body is not without its side effects."

"Clearly, Tiamat needs some time to adapt to this state and recover slowly."

“But we don’t have time to delay now. We must find a way to give Tiamat something that is particularly suitable for her and will help her recover quickly.”

"Wait, could the black tide that gave birth to Tiamat's enormous dragon body be considered a substance that aids in her recovery?"

"Theoretically speaking... that thing, as the environment in which the king of the sea and water nurtures the huge dragon body, is centered on the dragon and has a very wide radiation range. It is rich in countless dragon factors, and with the added power of the water element, it can nurture a massive number of life forms."

"This is literally the Sea of ​​Life. No wonder Odin and his allies had to use the Covenant to bring down a dragon scourge upon the entire city."

"Since it helps nurture the dragon's body, there's no reason why it can't awaken the Tiamat soul here."

Then the problem is coming.

Tiamat is currently inside Lu Ming's body, and she needs to come into contact with the Sea of ​​Life to awaken. However, her prerequisite for coming into contact with the Sea of ​​Life is that she can awaken from Lu Ming's body.

If Tiamat can wake up, what's the point of her going to the Sea of ​​Life?

The problem has become a vicious cycle.

It seems there's only one answer left.

Lu Ming intervened, allowing Tiamat to access the Sea of ​​Life.

"I'll drink it."

......

"My lord, are you... really going to drink this?"

"Drink it. Why won't you drink it?"

On the parapet in the east of the city, the militiamen beside him stared at Lu Ming with expressions of awe.

In the past, upon seeing this face, these militiamen, especially the fanatical religious members, would rush forward, cheering and making the scene incredibly lively.

After all, it was Lu Ming who saved most of them on the battlefield in this city.

Moreover, a significant number of people genuinely experienced a unique sense of redemption—a strange feeling of being pulled back from the brink of death to the world of the living.

This indescribable sense of salvation is the root cause of a significant portion of the fanatical 'Son of God' faction' among the general public.

Lu Ming calmly took the container from the soldier; it was a large pot full of bubbling black muddy water.

The reason there were so many was because the soldiers, following Lu Ming's instructions, tied the containers with hooks and ropes, threw them into the muddy waters outside the city, and then pulled them back.

"..."

Lu Ming stared intently at the bubbling mud, gazing at it as if he were gazing at the origin of life, at a large, amorphous, glossy, wriggling life form, at countless churning, highly corrosive life factors.

This is the truth about the Sea of ​​Life.

It is also a key element used to enhance Tiamat's power.

"Let's do it!"

Lu Ming opened his mouth and drank the entire teapot of "Sea of ​​Life" in one gulp!

"My lord... are you alright? Can you feel anything?"

"Yes, absolutely!"

Lu Ming's lips twitched, and a few drops of cold sweat quietly trickled down his forehead.

He first felt as if his stomach and intestines were about to explode, then his internal organs seemed to be acting up and throwing a tantrum, and then it felt as if countless ants were crawling all over his blood vessels and nerves.

But... is that all?

Lu Ming stood there for a minute and started to feel more comfortable.

This level of discomfort is at best a super-upgraded, deluxe version of a stomachache.

It's even worse than when Lu Ming previously devoured a large number of dragons and absorbed the poisonous blood of the bloodline-polluted masses; the price he paid back then was much higher.

However, the next second, Lu Ming felt his heart pounding wildly, and an extremely strong sense of crisis surged from his body!

This proves that the real backlash hadn't even started yet; it was just a prelude.

Now, the pain has increased tenfold, even twentyfold. From the skin to the muscles, from the nerves to the bone marrow, almost every part is sending out excruciating pain signals—it's like being devoured by a thousand ants! The world is spinning!

At the same time, countless whispers and roars echoed in my ears, and bizarre scenes such as dragons flying in the sky and great floods engulfing the world began to appear in my field of vision.

This level of bodily feedback tells me that these muddy substances are extremely corrosive, far more so than those dragon species!

Five more minutes passed.

The pain seems to have lessened.

My body felt lighter.

Lu Ming wiped the blood from his nostrils, stood calmly, and began to carefully sense the blood again.

He found that after drinking this substance, his vitality seemed to have increased significantly.

Exercise or jumping becomes effortless, heart rate increases significantly, energy levels soar, and it feels like there's inexhaustible strength throughout the body...

The prerequisite is that the person drinking it can withstand the backlash from the dragon blood factor in the early stages.

It works well as an energy drink before exercise.

Once we've resolved the issue of the giant dragon body, we'll let Ti's mom try feeding herself this regularly.

Lu Ming savored the taste from before and began to daydream.

After all, I'm just a baby a few hundred months old. What's wrong with needing my mother to feed me?

“…Hmm?” Tiamat’s voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

Haha, I was just kidding.

"Lu Ming? I am now... "

Tiamat's voice sounded a little dazed, as if she had just woken up.

"Tiamat, you're awake?" Lu Ming said in his mind. "Congratulations, you have broken free from the contract and regained your freedom."

After he finished speaking, he scratched his head.

That's what they say, but the price is being forcibly bound to him, so it's hard to describe how free it is.

"Hmm... thank you, child!"

Tiamat seemed to brighten up, making a whooshing sound as if she wanted to stand up and give the child a loving hug.

However, she forgot that she was still inside Lu Ming's body.

Hmm, what a forgetful mother.

"I'll try, I should be able to get you out."

Following the previous procedure, Lu Ming activated the bloodline power belonging to the dragon category.

Almost instantly, Tiamat's figure reappeared before his eyes.

Her petite figure moved nimbly, the winding curves resembling a pair of comfortable steering wheels, and she wore a form-fitting dress smoother and more luxurious than silk...

Wait, how did it turn into a girlish form that's almost like a loli?

"Aww! Lu Ming, you finally let me out. I was so bored in there, it was so dark inside. I was going to suffocate."

Tiamat pounced and immediately grabbed Lu Ming's arm tightly.

Well, not only is she slim, but her personality... has also become more lively and active.

It is said that dragons develop a new personality each time they are conceived and reborn, until they gradually mature and finally reclaim their true selves.

Just like Norton, the King of Bronze and Fire, whose original form is a serious and upright guy, but his reincarnation, Old Tang, is a complete scoundrel and goofball.

Tiamat...should be at this stage now?

Lu Ming thought to himself.

Will things return to normal in the future?

"Lu Ming, what are you thinking about? What's bothering you? If you're having any troubles, you can ask Mom to help you. Mom is very good at taking care of people."

Tiamat is very clingy. Despite having an innocent girl's personality, she seems to follow her inner inertia and act like a mother who takes care of others, yet her behavior is not as reserved as that of an adult.

"Uh......"

Lu Mingxin said, "With you holding my arm so tightly right now, it's easy for me to attract attention."

This is what's bothering me.

This young mother, do you even know what it means to take care of someone?!

"Master Lu Ming!"

Francesca's voice came from the other side of the parapet.

"Francesca?"

Lu Ming glanced over there, then looked at Tiamat, who was still clutching his sleeve.

There's no other way, so how about we just leave it like this?

Anyway, Francesca... isn't exactly an outsider.

"Master Lu Ming! He actually came to the city wall in person?"

"Yes, yes! It's all thanks to this little mother."

Lu Ming muttered to himself, tapping Tiamat's forehead with his finger, but she quickly dodged away. The girl smiled, like a pure, unopened flower bud.

"?"

Francesca merely glanced at the direction Lu Ming was pointing to with a puzzled look.

Her gaze swept over that area.