Chapter 60: The Dragon-Eating Serpent (Seeking Follow-Reads, Seeking Monthly Votes, Today's PK Promotion)

Caravans passing through the Saier Wilderness mainly gather resources such as minerals, body parts of fierce beasts and demonic creatures, magical potions, and spiritual herbs, transporting them to the Lotharn Federation in the south to sell for profit.

The scale and quality of these caravans vary greatly.

Some are exceptionally massive, so formidable that even adult dragons dare not scheme against them.

But there are also groups that, driven by luck and the hope of sudden wealth, venture here to trade despite lacking sufficient protective forces.

Small-scale caravans with inadequate guards.

Once discovered by evil creatures rooted in the wilderness, they are like delicious dishes delivered to one's doorstep, foolish not to eat.

Every year, the number of small caravans disappearing in the Saier Wilderness is too great to count.

Yet merchants, as long as they perceive sufficient profit, will flock like ducks to water; no risk, however great, can halt their steps or curb their greed.

Thinking carefully.

This seems no different from the base nature ingrained in dragonkind's inheritance.

"The Trail of a Thousand Snakes is interconnected in all directions, a vast network of roads; a branch line exists here, and if I encounter a suitable small caravan, I may have a chance to plunder it."

"If I am to rob a caravan, I had best not reveal myself personally; otherwise, my whereabouts will be leaked, inviting adventurers to hunt me down or even armies to besiege and suppress me."

"The number of ferocious bears under my command is too small, and their intelligence is limited, making it difficult for them to execute complex orders."

"I need some vassals who are truly intelligent beings."

Before I can overthrow the entire world with the power of a single dragon, vassals are still necessary.

Or rather, all evil dragons require vassals.

Evil dragons are not metallic dragons; when facing threats and challenges, they cannot call upon friends and companions to summon dragon allies for aid. Evil dragons often act alone; without a legion of vassals, they are prone to being hunted down and slaughtered.

"I am not an evil dragon, yet prejudice in the human heart is a massive mountain; they always treat me as an evil dragon upon first sight, shouting to strike and kill. Since it is so, I must also make preparations for this and strengthen my foundation."

Garos calculated in his heart.

After observing the territory of the Gray-Maned Wolfmen for some time longer.

He did not act rashly but prepared to depart.

There were other places waiting for him to explore, especially the branch roads of the Trail of a Thousand Snakes; he was very interested in passing caravans.

But just at this moment.

Garos keenly noticed an older wolfman, its fur already turning gray-white, emerge from a tent-like structure situated in the center of the territory.

Around its neck hung a necklace made from the bones of some unknown beast, and it leaned on an oak staff that was glossy with oil and showed signs of age.

It was precisely the Shaman of the wolfman tribe.

After emerging, it immediately summoned over a dozen strong adult wolfmen to carry several live prey, bound limb by limb and sized like oxen or horses, heading toward the dark cliff face opposite the moon.

Seeing this.

Garos did not rush to leave but remained hidden high in the sky, intending to see what the wolfman Shaman was doing.

The Shaman, accompanied by the adult wolfmen, soon arrived at the base of the cliff.

Boom! The adult wolfmen, somewhat nervous, placed the prey on the ground, accidentally emitting a dull thud that drew the Shaman's displeased gaze.

But the Shaman also understood the adult wolfmen's fear.

It waved its clawed hand, dismissing the adult wolfmen, then took a deep breath itself to face alone the terrifying neighbor residing on the valley's side wall.

Taking out a bone whistle.

The Shaman gathered its breath and blew, producing a distant, resonant sound.

Crack, crack, crack... The cliff face transmitted slight tremors, and gravel fell rustling like fine rain.

Immediately following.

A huge, serpentine monster over ten meters long emerged from a lightless cave in the shadowed cliff.

It was a massive giant serpent, its body covered in a layer of green scales, its eyes blood-red, its tail forked into three prongs, and a pair of sharp claws located at the front of its body.

It wound its way down the steep cliff face.

Its sole pair of claws dug into the rock, shattering the hard stone as if it were tofu.

In the blink of an eye, it reached the old wolfman Shaman, opened its bloody maw, bit down on one of the fresh live creatures brought by the adult wolfmen, and began to feed.

It did not rush to kill the prey outright; instead, its eyes revealed a hint of pleasure as it savored the prey's wails and struggles, tearing bit by bit at the prey's skin, flesh, and bones, slowly shredding and consuming it.

The entire process was bloody and cruel.

Even the bloodthirsty wolfmen could not help but tremble, daring not to cast their eyes this way, while the wolf cubs buried their heads directly in their parents' fur, shivering like quails.

The entire Gray-Maned Wolfman tribe seemed to greatly fear this fierce beast.

After completing its meal in a manner akin to torture and abuse.

The fierce beast ignored the old wolfman before it and turned to return.

It did not crawl back up the cliff; its wingless body directly coiled and soared through the air, flying back into the cliff cave.

"Cliff Serpent-Dragon?!"

Looking at this fierce beast, Garos felt a chill in his heart.

Almost the moment he saw it, a flood of warning information surged forth from his inheritance.

This fierce beast was named the Cliff Serpent-Dragon.

Cliff Serpent-Dragon, Heavenly Pool Serpent-Dragon, Stone Mound Serpent-Dragon, Rock Mountain Serpent-Dragon, Cold Forest Serpent-Dragon—Serpent-Dragons, lesser dragons.

Although wingless and possessing only one pair of claws, there was no doubt that this Cliff Serpent-Dragon was likewise a member of dragonkind.

And among dragonkind.

In terms of evil and ferocity, even the notoriously infamous Five-Colored Dragons must look up to the Serpent-Dragons.

Serpent-Dragons are a primitive and savage type of dragon; though possessed of intelligence, their mode of thinking is closer to that of beasts than even White Dragons, and they are extremely cruel. They will stop at nothing to inflict greater pain and torment upon their enemies rather than simply killing them; they equally hate and detest all life, including their own dragon kin.

Moreover, they eat dragons.

Fellow dragonkind also reside on the Serpent-Dragon's menu.

They could even be said to be dragons that are obsessed with eating dragons, favoring draconic flesh and blood, enjoying the torture and slaughter of their own kind—truly utterly evil dragons.

Precisely because of this.

Although Serpent-Dragons possess the bloodline and power of True Dragons, they are widely not recognized by dragons.

What is more troublesome is that their sharp claws and fangs carry deadly poison, and their souls bear curses.

For instance, if a Fire-attribute Cliff Serpent-Dragon is killed, it will unleash a curse with its life; if one's curse resistance is insufficient to exempt oneself, one will suffer an infinite-duration weakening of fire resistance.

"Its body length is about ten meters; it should be a juvenile or adolescent-level Serpent-Dragon."

"Cliff Serpent-Dragons hold a low rank among Serpent-Dragons; its life level is estimated to be much the same as mine, but the Serpent-Dragon's curse is too troublesome. If I confront it, I will only tire myself out for no gain."

Garos hovered high in the sky, trying not to attract the Cliff Serpent-Dragon's attention.

The Cliff Serpent-Dragon drifted leisurely to the cave entrance and, starting from its head, gradually wriggled inside.

But just as its tail was about to enter the cave, it suddenly stopped.

Its forked tail flicked a few times, and the Cliff Serpent-Dragon wriggled back out of the cave, its nose constantly sniffing the air.

Because they treat dragons as food, Serpent-Dragons are extremely sensitive to the scent of dragons; the Cliff Serpent-Dragon vaguely smelled the scent of another dragon, which made it feel hungry, its appetite soaring, its spirit exhilarated.

(End of this chapter)