Chapter 23: Unexpected Joy

"Alchemy?"

Samantha spat a wisp of disdainful sparks from her nostrils.

"Isn't that just a weak trick of fiddling with bottles and jars? A true Red Dragon should conquer the world with claws and flame."

It said.

Among all dragonkind, Red Dragons are nearly the most power-worshipping, proud of their bloodline and status, and most fond of defeating opponents with innate attacks like dragon claws, fangs, and breath.

Hearing Garos suggest she learn alchemy,

Samantha's scoff was a normal reaction.

Because learning such things requires personal interest most of all; coercion does not work. Garos smiled faintly and guided her gently, saying, "Do you know how many gold coins an alchemist in the Lothran Federation can earn in a year?"

As he spoke, he pawed at the alchemy engine.

The metallic clanging sounded like gold coins colliding.

Samantha's pupils widened slightly, interest sparked, and she asked, "How many?"

Garos spoke with grave seriousness: "Even the worst alchemist can earn enough to pile into a small mountain."

Upon hearing this, Samantha's tail swayed involuntarily; she was clearly moved.

"Really? You aren't tricking me, are you?"

It said.

Garos nodded, his tone solemn.

"Alchemists can even mint their own gold coins. As long as you study diligently and your alchemical attainment becomes deep enough, you will be so wealthy you could buy an empire. You could hire thousands of adult great dragons like the Iron Dragon Mother to serve you at once, making them praise your greatness day and night."

"Besides wealth, alchemy can also make you stronger. Do not forget the Giant Arm Miner that made you flee in disgrace. Once you master alchemy and continuously strengthen and temper your own claws, fangs, and scales with it, I believe that with your talent, one day you will surely be able to tear the Holy Flame Arbiter apart with your bare hands, making countless evil dragons cheer for you, worshipping and prostrating at your feet."

The scene described in these words

struck directly at Samantha's pleasure point.

Just imagining it made Samantha's heart race, sending a sensation like electric shock from her head to the tip of her tail.

Her chest heaved, her breathing grew rapid, and longing gleamed in her eyes.

But she still had reservations, hesitating and saying with a troubled tone, "But learning magic sounds so troublesome."

Red Dragons are not unintelligent; as top-tier monsters, their talent and comprehension in magic surpass most spellcasters. They are simply lazy and dislike exerting their brains.

As a standard pure-blood Red Dragon,

Samantha also disliked thinking and learning.

Garos asked leisurely, "Do you think learning knowledge is more troublesome, or being hunted by inferior creatures using alchemical tools?"

His question hit the nail on the head, silencing Samantha.

Being chased by weak, inferior creatures like goblins was, in Samantha's view, a huge humiliation.

"Only through a thousand temperings can an unbreakable scale armor be forged."

"Samantha, if you lack the resolve to face trouble, even torment, then stop dreaming of standing at the peak of all things and ruling the world, for it is destined never to be realized."

Garos ended with the goading method Red Dragons respond to best.

As expected, after hearing Garos's words, the hesitation and reservations on Samantha's face vanished instantly, replaced by a streak of determination and ambition.

"Garos, my dear brother."

"I will show you that I, Samantha, also have my own resolve!"

She spoke with a ringing, resounding tone: "I will start researching alchemy right now!"

After speaking, Samantha leaned against a towering hemlock and settled in the shadows.

She closed her eyes slightly but did not sleep; instead, she focused her mind, delving deep into the alchemy knowledge within the Dragon Inheritance, and began to learn spontaneously.

This was a dull and boring process.

Very few dragons dig into and learn the knowledge within the Dragon Inheritance during their hatchling stage on their own.

In fact, with the Dragon Inheritance as such a treasure trove, even the weakest White Dragon among dragons, if willing to discard arrogance and laziness and devote itself wholeheartedly and tirelessly to studying the various magical knowledge within, could achieve something.

If Samantha could persist,

although she still could not compare to Garos, surpassing ordinary Red Dragons in growth speed was a foregone conclusion.

Meanwhile,

Garos placed the alchemy engine into a rock depression, preparing to begin his daily training. Just as he raised his claw, he noticed some black, viscous liquid clinging to his dragon claw.

"What is this?"

At first, he did not know what it was.

But in the instant curiosity arose in his heart, the Dragon Inheritance was triggered naturally, and corresponding information floated up in his mind.

It must be said that although the Dragon Inheritance caused dragons to inherit inferior traits like arrogance and conceit generation after generation, its existence is also one of the important reasons dragons can serve as top-tier creatures.

The inheritance content is vast and boundless, like a library that has accumulated knowledge and information over thousands of years.

Whenever needed, it can always respond in time.

"Black oil flowing from the alchemy engine."

Garos sniffed lightly with his nose, detecting a pungent smell from it, like the motor oil in his memory, but with a strong, spicy kick.

"Black oil, a type of basic energy source richly stored on the Bernardo Planet, formed by the long-term sedimentation of monster bodies. Hmm, a bit like an upgraded version of petroleum."

Garos pondered thoughtfully.

"It should contain quite a bit of energy."

"The inheritance says it is not food, but it feels very attractive."

After a moment of thought,

Garos raised his oil-stained claw to his mouth and lightly licked a bit with his tongue.

It was like licking a mouthful of mustard.

The pungent sensation shot straight into his nostrils.

As Garos swallowed it, he felt a small flame ignite within his belly; the entire dragon immediately perked up, threw back his head, opened his mouth, and involuntarily spat out a pillar of fire.

"Enough, that's powerful!"

Staring at the black oil staining his claws, Garos wore an expression of delighted surprise.

The energy contained within this stuff was comparable to the flesh of high-level demons he had eaten before.

His adaptive evolution did not come from nothing; this process required a great deal of energy replenishment.

Garos still remembered the first time he underwent adaptive evolution.

Because he had not replenished enough energy, the evolution did occur, but it relied entirely on the energy within his own body; for the next several months, the whole dragon remained so emaciated he looked like skin and bones, as if a succubus had drained him completely.

Afterwards, he ate like a starving ghost, only gradually recovering.

Originally, Garos had been somewhat worried for the future.

When he became stronger and evolution required vast amounts of energy, relying solely on hunting ferocious beasts and demons, he wouldn't know how many he would need to eat at once to accumulate enough, and the process would be extremely troublesome.

This accidental discovery now showed him his best source of energy.

(End of this chapter)