Chapter 125: Leaving Yinbu

After that day's council, the two great nobles both left the capital and returned to their own fiefs, clearly fearing that the king's faction would act against them in the capital.

Naimi Xisi also returned to Degun City and discussed the next steps with his Dependents.

Half‑elf Luosi Lien thought they should keep siding with Prince Lei En's faction, after all the Knowledge Church's interference had already offended the king's faction.

Naimi Xisi agreed with his view.

However, he did not intend to stay here any longer.

His Dependents only needed to manage Degun City for now; if the Church of Lies truly withdrew from the Yinbu Tu Kingdom, the Dawn Church and the Knowledge Church would naturally return to Yinbu Tu.

At that point, with the support of the two great churches, Prince Lei En could rebel openly and legitimately.

If the Church of Lies does not withdraw

then Prince Lei En's faction will likely be doomed.

Naimi Xisi is here to chase autumn winds, not to join their rebellion; if Prince Lei En and the others really succeed, under the Knowledge Church's influence they must receive every promised benefit without omission.

Then why should he stay and take risks?

Naimi Xisi always feels that the waters behind the royal family run deep; perhaps because his perception is growing, his intuition tells him the secrets behind the throne are far more than just the Church of Lies.

The coming situation may drag on for years.

So he decided to temporarily set aside Yinbu Tu, expand his wealth, strengthen his power, and gather more knowledge; he has a better option.

That is the first great expedition that will begin in half a year!

"After I leave, the affairs of the Yinbu Tu Kingdom are entirely up to you, Luosi Lien," Naimi Xisi announced within Rosa Castle.

By now the Black Dragon Sgena had grown into a young dragon, and with the addition of the powerful 13th‑level Red Robe Mage Shi Naide, Luosi Lien was no longer the front‑line powerhouse among Naimi Xisi's forces.

Yet compared with raw strength, Luosi Lien's political sense is what Naimi Xisi values more.

He does not plan to take anyone away; the remaining Dependents will consolidate their power in the Yinbu Tu Kingdom, because in his view the investment in Yinbu Tu remains highly successful. If Prince Lei En's faction truly rebels successfully and his Dependents in Yinbu Tu are wiped out in the war for being too weak, that would be absurd.

"Master, please be careful in all matters."

On the day he departed, his Dependents said so, watching the silver giant dragon revert to its true form, soaring across the sky, far from the land that had once nurtured him.

——

One month later, central Frelen, Enuoak Great Desert.

The scorching sun baked the earth, the extreme heat drained the last moisture from every living being, and only cold‑blooded creatures like lizards lay on the scorching sand, storing enough heat for the night's cooling.

Zhashi Dawa pressed his cracked lips together, lay motionless on the sand, staring straight at the lizard before him.

One second, two seconds, three seconds.

Zhashi Dawa seemed oblivious to the blazing light; his dark skin had become accustomed to the temperature, his mind focused solely on the tasty lizard.

Suddenly, he lunged forward, his body snapping forward, both hands locking onto the lizard.

But his movement had already startled the alert lizard, which simply burrowed into the sand, and the man missed.

Zhashi Dawa frantically dug at the sand like a madman, but the agile desert lizard had already fled deep within.

He threw up a handful of sand in frustration, cursed angrily, then collapsed, exhausted, onto the ground.

Zhashi Dawa had not drunk water for two days.

As a desert guide, he had been hired by a caravan that set out from the Komanso Kingdom to cross the entire desert and reach the western coast. Yet the party was ambushed midway.

It was not the Esabi Lizardfolk, nor the vile Santi Er Fortress bandits, nor any Monster.

They unfortunately ran into a Blue Dragon.

The Blue Dragon swooped across the sky, continuously spewing thunderbolts like divine punishment; Zhashi Dawa luckily hid in the sand and escaped, but sadly discovered that all the caravan's cargo had been looted, and everyone except him had turned to charcoal.

He had no supplies and survived alone in the desert for two days.

Hunger and thirst tormented him like torture, and that fleeing lizard became the final straw that broke him.

Zhashi Dawa lay on the sand, motionless, waiting for death to take him.

Yet, like the mischievous Goddess of Misfortune that arrives uninvited, the Goddess of Luck also enjoys playing tricks.

When he was about to give up all hope, the sand beside him suddenly surged, as if a massive monster was rising from within.

Zhashi Dawa's expression remained blank, his eyes like a pool of dead water.

Sand worm? Or what? Whatever it is, just swallow me whole.

!

A colossal beast rose from the desert, its golden‑like scales tinged with a faint red glow, massive wings displaying its master's stature.

An adult Bronze Dragon.

"Ah, let me see, what is this? A human about to die of thirst."

"That won't do; I can't let you die of thirst, it's too heartbreaking."

"Let me save you, okay? But in return, you must chat with me for a while, just a bit."

A deep male voice emerged from the Bronze Dragon's throat; he rattled on, offering no actual water, but stared at Zhashi Dawa with shining eyes, hopeful.

Zhashi Dawa's despair turned to hope; he nodded vigorously, trying to agree, but found his parched throat could not utter a word, only gesturing weakly.

"Ah, that's great, I'll give you water now. Listen, this treasure I got from a human—yes, a human just like you. Isn't that a coincidence? Humans are such wonderful things, everywhere."

The Bronze Dragon kept talking endlessly while pulling out a water‑flask‑shaped Magic Item.

The small flask was attached to a strap, hanging from the dragon's massive fingertip; an invisible force unscrewed the flask's mouth, and clear water poured out instantly.

Zhashi Dawa gaped his mouth, gulping the water madly, even choking on it without caring, until he coughed.

The water seemed endless, streaming continuously from the flask, drenching Zhashi Dawa's entire body.

"Look, the water here never runs out—curious, isn't it? Hehe, actually this thing is called the 'Endless Water Flask'; it contains a portal linked to the water‑element plane, so if you keep drinking you'll never finish! But drinking too much isn't good for the body."

The incessant chatter echoed through the desert; around them was already empty, all animals having fled.

They all know there's a dragon here so annoyed it could die of boredom; if you don't leave by afternoon, you'll get it.

The Yinbu Tu Kingdom's storyline is temporarily offline; the continuation will return later. You can tell, the vampire plot hasn't been revealed yet.

The reason it's arranged for later is also because of this; the royal family is not simple, Xiao Nai still has a long way to go.

Once the power gem awakens, he should come back and beat them up.

Suddenly I wish my protagonist were a Bronze Dragon, then my word count would be too simple.

(End of chapter)