Chapter 71: Negotiations with the Temple of Jin Hui

When Aikuilong's massive and elegant bronze-colored body passed through the city barrier—which was unique to the Astral Plane and resembled flowing aurora—a melodious chime immediately rang out over the entrance plaza. This was a gesture of welcome and respect. He retracted his dragon wings, which were large enough to cover a small patch of sky, and landed slowly on the vast dragon plaza paved with white stone.

Several human guards clad in bright silver armor trotted forward, their movements respectful and well-trained. The captain leading them struck his right fist against his left chest, performing a standard salute of the Temple of Jin Hui, and said in a clear voice, "Greetings to you, great bronze dragon. Motavia welcomes your arrival. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Thank you for your hospitality, friend from the Bailong Sect. If you could tell me the location of your city lord, I would be most grateful for your assistance!"

"My lord, if you wish to see the city lord, you need to register on this, stating your identity and the purpose of your visit. We will convey your request to the city lord." Having said this, the captain handed over a quill and a brand-new piece of parchment.

Perhaps because the city lord was human, the size of the paper forced Aikuilong to shift into his dragon-man form to write. After handing the parchment to the captain, less than five minutes later, a young man who appeared to be a clerk hurried over and said respectfully to the dragon-man form of Aikuilong: "The city lord has been waiting for a long time. Please follow me."

"I have troubled you to lead the way." Aikuilong nodded slightly, his low voice carrying the unique resonance of a bronze dragon, like waves crashing against a reef.

Following the guard, Aikuilong stepped onto the main thoroughfare of Motavia. This city was different from many mortal cities he had visited. The buildings mostly utilized white stone and shiny metal, with smooth, towering lines, and the roofs were often elegant arches or directly imitated the spread of dragon wings.

The streets were exceptionally wide, enough for several adult dragons to walk side by side. Traditional shops were rarely seen on either side; instead, there were workshops, exchanges, and tranquil courtyards. The city's residents were primarily human, and they seemed long accustomed to dragons, showing no signs of panic.

At the center of the city stood the most magnificent building, which was where the city lord's office was located. It did not resemble a traditional castle, but rather a combination of a giant nest and a temple built against a mountain. The entrance was a massive archway shaped like a pair of folded dragon wings, and the doors were carved with an epic scroll depicting metal dragons coexisting harmoniously with various races.

Entering the hall, the interior space was extremely open, with a high dome overhead. Light filtered through colorful stained-glass windows, casting mottled colors onto the floor. There were numerous human and dragon-kin staff members here; they spoke in low voices, processed documents, or guided visitors. The air was filled with the scent of ink, parchment, and a faint, lingering incense.

The guiding clerk stopped in front of a massive door inlaid with mithril and sapphires. "The city lord is inside, Lord Aikuilong. Please enter."

As soon as the words fell, the door slid inward silently. Aikuilong nodded slightly and walked into the city lord's office.

The interior of the room was more spacious than it appeared from the outside, utilizing some form of spatial expansion spell. On one side was a massive floor-to-ceiling window, outside of which lay the boundless, starlit void of the Astral Plane. On the other side were giant bookshelves reaching the ceiling, packed with scrolls and books. In the center of the room lay a thick carpet embroidered with a pattern of a golden dragon soaring.

"A warm welcome, Lord Aikuilong." The golden dragon-kin city lord's voice was mellow and full of power. "Was your journey through the Astral Plane smooth? I hope our small city can make you feel at home."

"It feels good. This city has made me feel a long-lost sense of friendliness."

"Then, for what purpose have you come, my lord? We have various magical items and magical materials for sale here, and of course, certain ingredients that I think you might be interested in."

"I have come to discuss a transaction with you. I have my eye on a plane polluted by necromancy. I intend to buy it to clean it up, but I do not have enough money, and I hope you can provide financial assistance."

"That is possible, but we need to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the plane you wish to purchase to determine whether we should lend you such a large sum. Can you tell me the details?"

"The detailed information about this plane is all here. You can take your time to look at it." Aikuilong said while handing over a scroll.

"Oh, so it is this plane. Then the interest you will have to repay will have to double."

"Is there a problem with the plane?"

"No, but the dragon purchasing it has one. If I recall correctly, the only one interested recently is that black dragon mage named Sakavi. He recently attacked our Bailong Sect—although it was those lunatics from the Heimugong Society, they are part of the same organization after all."

"Then if I want to purchase it, what price can you offer?"

"Lord Aikuilong, you must understand that the so-called worship of dragons is something said for the subordinates to hear. The members of our Temple of Jin Hui are primarily composed of frustrated ambitious people, bankrupt merchants, and impoverished artists. We pursue mutual assistance and interest-based relationships."

"If you want the support of fanatical believers, I suggest you look at the Huoxiongdi Society. That place is filled with all sorts of bandits, corrupted nobles, and evil necromancers. While those people are crazy, they might actually be willing to support that black dragon duke of yours."

"Apologies, I do not wish to have any association with them. I feel ashamed of their filthy actions; they are insulting the glory of dragons."

"I think so too, but sometimes they really can be of help. You must know that although we have internal conflicts, we are still one family after all."

"Enough, let the idle talk end here! I need seventy million gold coins. State your offer."

"Repay one hundred million gold coins, which can be paid off over fifty years, plus allowing the Bailong Sect to open a branch in your duke's territory. This condition is already very favorable."

"I have already said, I do not want to have any contact with the Huoxiongdi Society, and Sakavi also has a deep hatred for the Heimugong Society. You are challenging our bottom line; there is absolutely no possibility of us agreeing."

"Do not be so agitated. You must know that we possess the intelligence on the majority of dragons. When you need it, there are some dragons that happen to be able to provide help. Isn't that great?"

"This involves Sakavi's own interests. I cannot make a decision for him. I need to ask for instructions. If I need to mobilize druids from here to help clean up the plane, can you provide assistance?"

"That is a separate price. However, if you wish to find some druids yourself, we can provide a list. Each person only requires a one-thousand gold coin agency fee. I suggest you do this; you must know that the wealth consumed by plane cleanup is more than five times the cost of buying it."

"Fine! I can make the decision on this. When can you arrange this matter?"

"The list is ready. Meeting them will take a few days. We will arrange it. In these few days, you can go check out the market here; perhaps there is something you like."

…………

The Dragon Court Corridor Market is located in the inner city area, consisting of a series of arcades and circular plazas. The pillars and domes of the arcades are cast from platinum stone, carved with epics telling of the dragon race. Soft and bright light spills down from crystal balls embedded in the domes. It is quiet and solemn here, and transactions are conducted in a whisper that is almost ritualistic.

What surprised Aikuilong was that, in addition to precise maps and teleportation coordinates recording known and unknown planes, and books involving lost history, powerful secret arts, and the origins of dragon-tongue magic—which are traditional commodities of Astral cities—there were also all sorts of small gadgets with peculiar functions, such as ink bottles that never run dry, whistles that can imitate any sound, and portable miniature fountains.

In one of the areas, beautiful magical creatures from various planes were displayed, such as starlight jellyfish, song-throat birds, and miniature gem lizards, which could serve as pets or living decorations to adorn a nest. After asking the merchant if there were any special ingredients, Aikuilong was led to the entrance of a small secret chamber. Walking down a slope, a massive underground space revealed itself before his eyes.

Some scantily clad but hollow-eyed elf and human girls and boys were bound by magical collars, standing like vases on pedestals that shimmered with light. They were labeled as "exotic personal servants," but the fear permeating the air and the magical aura of the collars on their necks revealed their essence as slaves.

Deeper inside, some creatures possessing special bloodlines or abilities were imprisoned in sturdy, transparent magical cages. A satyr was curled up in a corner, with a price tag hanging from his hooves: "A dragon-kin warrior." His horns had been polished, and his scales were painted with oil, displayed like an object, with flames of humiliation burning in his eyes.

Transactions were conducted in whispers. The buyers were various creatures with their faces covered, evaluating the "goods'" teeth, muscle lines, and magical potential as if picking livestock. The guards wore inconspicuous uniforms, but their eyes were sharp, and their hands were always pressed on weapons or devices that could trigger alarms.

Seeing that Aikuilong had no intention of purchasing anything, everyone present gradually became vigilant, and the low-voiced bargaining was gradually replaced by silence. Having grown up in the Duke's territory, Aikuilong had never seen such a suffocating place; Sakavi had always insisted on banning any slave pens.

He suppressed the urge to destroy the place, sweeping his gaze—which was almost cold and scrutinizing—over the cages one by one, occasionally stopping to ask about the price of the "goods," just to make himself appear less special and thereby reduce attention. After seeing all the goods, he symbolically bought a human mage apprentice.

When leaving the city, Aikuilong gave this human apprentice some money and told him to leave on his own. The slave pens here were not an isolated case; even the most righteous golden dragons could only selectively ignore such things that were tacitly permitted in most places. ===== CHAPTER 72 =====