Chapter 46, the Sinful Dragon
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In the quiet underground city, an already sparsely populated place seemed even more silent in the depth of night.
Drip. Drip. Amid the sound of water dripping from the stalactites on the cave ceiling, there was indeed a new sound—the sound of footsteps.
As the sound drew closer, the owner of the footsteps revealed herself.
Dressed in a gorgeous nun's habit, with grayish-white hair, it was Jiang Cheng.
"This should be about right,"
Jiang Cheng frowned slightly and snapped her fingers.
Whoosh! In the next moment, she transformed again into that expressionless, white-haired, green-eyed elf.
She strolled forward, her face impassive, while countless brilliant magical lights flickered around her, shredding all the corrupted monsters that drew near.
As she went deeper, corrupted monsters became less and less common.
On the contrary, not only were corrupted monsters rare, but even the usual black sludge found in the corrupted zone was gradually diminishing.
With the air growing more scorching and the temperature climbing, Jiang Cheng knew she was close to her destination.
The area around the underground city had already shrunk from the once vast urban environment.
After Jiang Cheng stepped through a massive city gate up ahead, she completely entered a vast cavern.
By the entrance of the cavern, several charred, twisted skeletons lay scattered.
Suddenly, a scorching pillar of fire erupted from deep within the cavern.
The fire pillar struck before Jiang Cheng, her body shimmering with dazzling magical light; in an instant, the flames dissipated completely.
Jiang Cheng continued forward. Pillars of fire occasionally roared from the depths of the cavern, but they were powerless against her.
"Click, click," accompanied by the ongoing sound of Jiang Cheng's footsteps, and finally, as she took the last step, her view abruptly opened up.
Walking out of the cavern, she saw an enormous hollow space before her.
The air was dry and parched; the earth and rocks cracked and split into jagged pieces.
In the middle of the space, a gigantic magic array flickered.
From time to time, the array glowed faintly, magic coursing through it and becoming the only source of light in the cave.
At the center of the array stood a massive silhouette on all fours.
A ferocious head, crimson skin, huge wings—a dragon.
"How did a little bug sneak in here?"
With a deep voice, golden vertical pupils opened. The dragon looked at Jiang Cheng.
"Oh, it's you," a nostalgic hint flashed in the dragon's eyes.
"It's already been three years? That's fast, just another nap gone by."
"That's right,"
Jiang Cheng replied coolly. "Dragon, I'm here to fulfill our agreement."
"Let me think... What was the contract again..." the dragon mused.
"As you can see, thousands of years ago I went mad and ate both the hero and the Demon King, then got beaten silly by all the gods together. My memory's been poor since then."
"Indeed,"
Jiang Cheng said flatly. "This is the eighth time you've told me your story."
She paused before adding, "Even though we've only met twice."
"We've only met twice?" the sinful dragon said, a bit surprised. "I thought... I thought we were already friends."
"Annoying,"
Jiang Cheng couldn't be bothered to say more, her assessment calm.
"All right, all right," the sinful dragon shook its ferocious head, "you're as quiet as ever."
"I think I remember the content of our agreement now. In any case, you'll help me break this seal, right?"
"And then?"
Jiang Cheng looked calmly at the sinful dragon.
"Oh, fine. Also, I have to launch a full-force attack, for the person you designate, against her enemy, and then I can leave?"
"Mm."
Jiang Cheng nodded.
"Haaa, listen here," the sinful dragon said in a seasoned tone, "when I'm involved, there's never a need for a full-force blow."
"Back in my day, oh, you have no idea—the hero and the Demon King, they were fearsome."
"I just went up and took a bite. All the gods panicked. The sky was dark..."
"Ninth time,"
Jiang Cheng interrupted the sinful dragon blandly. "Stop telling it."
"All right, all right," the sinful dragon was a bit helpless, "getting old, I really can't remember these things..."
"You know, back then, all the gods—joined forces and pummeled my head—"
"Tenth time..."
Jiang Cheng sighed in some exasperation.
"All right, all right. In any case, that's the agreement. I have no objections."
'Good',
Jiang Cheng nodded. "Then let's sign."
The sinful dragon nodded and said no more.
One person and one dragon faced each other, simultaneously chanting in ancient Elvish and Dragon-tongue.
These were the magical languages of their respective races, praying to the will of the world, requesting it to witness their vow.
With an ancient and mysterious aura swirling about, both Jiang Cheng and the sinful dragon understood that the preparations for the oath were complete.
The next moment, both spoke at the same time.
"Three days from now, I will break the seal of the magic array that binds it and set it free,"
Jiang Cheng declared.
"And I will, for the one she designates, attack her enemies with all my might and must not expose her presence," said the sinful dragon.
"If we break this oath," both said in unison, "we shall die forsaken by all."
As the oath ended, the mysterious, ancient atmosphere vanished, and everything returned to normal.
"So, who's the person you designate?" the sinful dragon asked curiously, widening his golden slit eyes.
"She looks like this,"
Jiang Cheng said, shifting at random into her true form.
The sinful dragon showed no surprise; after all, for a great mage like Jiang Cheng, changing appearance was nothing.
Jiang Cheng could even find a way to directly break through the gods' sealing magic array.
"This... So this is what she looks like," the sinful dragon mused. "She really doesn't look ordinary."
"Mm, she's a Saintess,"
Jiang Cheng returned to her elf form and said coolly.
"Saintess, huh..." the sinful dragon responded with interest. "Eh, then she must be close with the hero!"
"Back in my day, I gulped down that hero in one bite. Has to be said, tasted exceptional."
"Speaking of, I wonder how this generation's hero tastes," the sinful dragon mused.
"Since your person's a Saintess, can you lure him over for me to have a bite?"
"Scram,"
Jiang Cheng's expression grew cold.
"Don't be so fierce. He's not your anything, right? Or is it that you like him?" the sinful dragon teased.
"He's my disciple,"
Jiang Cheng replied simply.
"Oh, so he's the disciple you're always mentioning, this and that about him,"
The sinful dragon nodded knowingly.
"Doesn't seem much different from liking him."
"There's a big difference,"
Jiang Cheng said impatiently.
"I'm a dragon, not some anthropoid; I don't get these things. But I think you like him."
"Scram,"
Jiang Cheng couldn't be bothered to say more. She tossed out a curt word and turned to leave the cave.
Haaa. When she got home, she still had to cook for Lyle. Hmph, really, she wondered how such a hero could survive without her.
So all she was doing was tormenting his spirit a little—how kind of her.