Chapter 40: Alchemical Secret Technique

"Your Highness, the rewards from the academy and the Underage Dragon Management Bureau have all arrived."

"Resembling dragonfolk by seventy to eighty percent in appearance, the petite dog-headed maid chief 'Pestoya' directed several monster attendants to carry the boxes into the dragon nest room, then reported to the black dragon at the center of the nest."

"They are two magic cores of the sixth-rank water-system 'giant-scaled water fiend'."

"One copy of the Steel Enchantment Secret Technique."

"One hundred third-rank magic stones."

"Moreover, Your Highness's food will be supplied without limit with third-rank magic beast flesh, and each month an additional fourth-rank magic beast will be provided."

"Saying this, Pestoya joyfully said, 'Your Highness, congratulations on reaching first place.'"

"After the dog-headed maid Pestoya led the monster attendants away from the dragon nest room, the black dragon in the nest leapt down agilely, landing silently like a great cat before the three boxes."

"The dragon's tail swept out an afterimage, the three boxes were drawn open, revealing their contents."

"Two azure, thumb-sized magic cores, their inner water-element energy slowly flowing, these must be the magic cores of the sixth-rank giant-scaled water fiend."

"Plus the sixth-rank water-arrow giant turtle magic core previously awarded to Lai Ang, Lai Ang now possesses three sixth-rank magic cores."

"They are also water-attribute magic cores of the same attribute, which aid its growth."

""Truly generous, no wonder the young dragons of Dragon Fort fought fiercely for first place, heedless of injury." Lai Ang clicked his tongue in wonder, the joy clearly visible on his black dragon-scaled faceplate."

"It looked toward the other two boxes."

"A yellowed sheet of paper resembling parchment in structure."

"Lai Ang used his mental power to lift the yellowed parchment before his eyes to examine it."

"【Steel Enchantment Secret Technique】"

"【Introduction】: This secret technique is an alchemical secret technique. After learning it, one mixes steel and magic stones in a certain proportion, then, via the Steel Enchantment Secret Technique, smelts the mixture into demonsteel."

"Demonsteel has the following properties: sharp, hard, and lesser anti-magic."

""Alchemical Secret Technique." Lai Ang's dragon eyes narrowed slightly."

"Even within the dragon lineage's inheritance, the Alchemical Secret Technique is a rare inheritance."

"One reason is that the Alchemical Secret Technique is too precious; another is that it is generally harder to learn and master than ordinary spells."

"Added to the condition of being harder to learn and master than spells, most alchemists hoard their knowledge, unwilling to pass on their secret techniques, and may not even fully teach their disciples, causing many powerful alchemical secret techniques to vanish over time, lost and buried in history."

"From the dragon lineage's inheritance, Lai Ang also learned that in this world's ancient era, there existed a brilliantly glorious Alchemical Empire."

"The inheritance records are already extremely vague, but even just these fragmentary details left Lai Ang astonished."

"For example, sentient alchemical creatures."

"This differs from the Dragon Fang Soldiers created by giant dragons, which gain intelligence by using the souls of the powerful as material, making them clever contrivances."

"Whereas alchemists of the ancient era could imbue a lifeless object with intelligence out of thin air."

"This is no different from personally creating a living spirit."

"Moreover, fragmentary records of fearsome alchemical weapons and specially effective alchemical potions are enough to make present-day alchemists feel yearning and fervor."

"Of course, this 'Steel Enchantment Alchemical Secret Technique' is not so exaggerated."

"The demonsteel it produces can only be used to craft some low-grade alchemical weapons and equipment, usable by beings below fourth rank."

""With this alchemical secret technique, I have the full means to forge an elite monster legion equipped with alchemical gear." Lai Ang secretly thought. The academy and bureau also sent a hundred third-rank magic stones, which can be used to forge many third-rank demonsteel alchemical equipments."

"By the way, the dragonfolk relative 'Diwoges' has been at Fish Spirit Marsh for a year and a half; presumably a monster tribe has been established there now?"

"Fish Spirit Marsh"

"If one views this land from above, one can see countless water veins intertwining chaotically, fascinating to behold."

"Swamps, lakes, rivers, highlands, plains, and valleys—all these diverse scenes merge into one, forming Fish Spirit Marsh's extremely complex and variable environment."

"Countless monsters, wild beasts, magic beasts, and living beings exist here."

"Naturally, the most abundant here are water-attribute living beings."

"Wandering fish follow the river, pass through hidden caverns, and suddenly the world transforms—a secluded valley filled with birdsong and floral scent appears before the eyes."

"Whoosh! A wooden spear enters the water, stringing the wandering fish upon the fish spear. The gray-scaled dragonfolk casually tosses the still-flopping fat fish into the fish basket slung behind his back."

"By now, the rear basket holds seven or eight fat fish, each weighing at least eight or nine catties."

""Enough, time to return to the tribe." The gray-scaled dragonfolk turned his head to look at the half-full fish basket, heart full of harvest joy, waded to the shore, then headed north."

"Along the way, the gray-scaled dragonfolk occasionally met companions doing the same work; seeing them finish and head home, they exchanged envious greetings,"

""Bupu, your luck is pretty good today.""

""Haha, I just happened upon a fish nest." The gray-scaled dragonfolk named Bupu chuckled."

"Passing through a forest, the hyenafolk chopping trees saw Bupu carrying the fish basket, his green wolf eyes lit up, he stopped his chopping rhythm and loudly shouted at the not-far-off gray-scaled dragonfolk,"

""Bupu, remember to leave a fat fish for me!""

""Sure, I'll leave the fattest one for you." Bupu laughed heartily."

"As Bupu strode forward, soon a tribal settlement encircled by a wall of five-meter-high wooden stakes came into view in the distance."

"The wooden stakes can defend against some low-grade wild beast attacks."

"Although this valley is secluded, wild beasts occasionally descend from the distant mountain forests."

"Initially, without the wooden stake wall, many monster residents were injured in night raids."

"However, since erecting this tall, sturdy wooden wall, no further nocturnal beast attacks have occurred."

"Bupu narrowed his eyes, carrying the fish basket through the gate into the tribe's interior."

"Rows of three-to-four-meter-high wooden houses were neatly arranged, and the tribe's central road was paved with gravel."

"On the street, large numbers of monsters came and went—black-furred hyenafolk and gray-scaled dragonfolk, these two monster species being the most numerous."

"Furthermore, there were small numbers of swamp snakefolk and dog-headed folk."

"Occasionally one could see a dark, towering figure as tall as a wooden house, like a giant— that was a swamp giant."

""Lord Diwoges has returned! Lord Diwoges has returned!!"

The agile kobold shouted loudly, drawing the gaze of many monster residents, who fixed their eager gazes on the gate.

Not long after entering from the gate, Bapu, who had set up his stall, paid no mind to the fish catch, followed the monster residents over to the side, peering toward the gate, his expression unable to hide his anticipation and excitement.

(End of chapter)