Chapter 69: Fire Curse? Fire Blessing! (Request Subscription)

“Betrayal! Inferior creatures! How dare you betray me!”

The Cliff Serpent let out a piercing roar and spat venom at the old shaman, but the giant wolf phantom enveloping the shaman leapt nimbly aside, narrowly avoiding the venom.

“Mighty dragon, slay this evil serpent for us!”

“You shall gain the friendship of the Howling Clan, their reverence and offerings!”

The old shaman cried out, head tilted upward.

Hearing this, though still unable to determine the strange relationship between the clan and the serpent, Luo Si was certain: the two were not aligned.

That made things easier.

Now the Cliff Serpent was severely wounded, its condition diminished, and except for the Death Curse, it posed little threat.

Luo Si folded his wings, ceased circling high above, and dove straight down amid the tense, fearful gazes of the wolf-men, crashing to the ground with a thunderous impact.

Whoosh!

He opened his mouth and exhaled a thick, smoke-like white gas.

——Hypnotic Dragon Breath!

The Cliff Serpent tried to dodge, but its sluggish movements failed to avoid it.

Yet when the Hypnotic Dragon Breath struck the Cliff Serpent, it had no effect—it did not induce sleep.

The Cliff Serpent possessed extremely high resistance to curses, paralysis, and sleep—higher even than its resistance to fire; Iron Dragon’s Hypnotic Dragon Breath had only marginal effect on it.

“Serpent, submit to me. I offer you a chance to live.”

Since the Hypnotic Dragon Breath failed, Luo Si did not rush to kill. He fixed his gaze on the Cliff Serpent and spoke in a low tone.

Creatures like the Cliff Serpent, brimming with poison and Zidai Death Curse, and inherently vicious and violent, were troublesome enemies—but if tamed as enforcers, they were highly useful.

Moreover, he still did not know how the Death Curse would react to him.

Luo Si did not wish to endure its Death Curse.

If his fire resistance were weakened, though he could eventually rebuild it, it would still waste his time and hinder his growth.

“Submit? Because of you?!”

The Cliff Serpent growled fiercely.

Luo Si was not strong enough to force its submission, and the serpent was consumed by rage, harboring hatred toward Luo Si—it would rather die than let Luo Si escape unscathed.

“Since you refuse to submit, die.”

Luo Si’s gaze turned icy.

He was not a hesitant or indecisive type.

To eliminate this nuisance, paying a price was worthwhile.

The Cliff Serpent dug its claws into the ground, propping up its upper body, its blood-red eyes sweeping over the hateful hybrid dragon before it and the wolf-men standing guard like enemies—its hatred nearly solidified into tangible form.

“Serpents do not fear death!”

Suddenly, black mist surged over its green body, and it shrieked hysterically at Luo Si: “With my life, with my soul, I curse you! Forever and ever, you shall fear flame! Fear burn!”

Before Luo Si could strike.

The Cliff Serpent’s shriek cut off abruptly—it died, collapsing onto the ground.

The black mist on its body grew denser, more solid, and in an instant transformed into a grotesque serpent-dragon emblem, shooting toward Luo Si.

Whoosh!

A gale blew through, knocking the surrounding wolf-men off balance.

Luo Si launched upward at full speed, trying to escape the Cliff Serpent’s Fire Curse through velocity.

The curse emblem moved slowly; the first strike missed Luo Si and dissolved into thin air—but though not directly touched, Luo Si suddenly felt a surge of heat, then a chill.

“Of course, it’s not that easy to evade.”

Luo Si shook his head.

Yet for now, he felt no abnormal reaction from the Fire Curse.

“This curse reduces resistance. Let me test it.”

He lowered his head and exhaled a burst of flame onto his own claw.

A faint burning pain immediately came, making Luo Si frown.

With his combined Red Dragon and Iron Dragon bloodline’s fire resistance, the ordinary flame he’d just breathed should have felt like a breeze—causing no harm whatsoever.

Yet now he felt pain.

As expected, according to his lineage’s knowledge, the Cliff Serpent’s Fire Curse reduced the target’s fire resistance.

Luo Si thought for a moment, then continued exhaling flame onto his claw.

The burning pain persisted, but rapidly faded, returning to normal.

“Huh? Resistance recovered so quickly?”

Luo Si was surprised.

But upon reflection, it made sense.

His resistance had been forged and evolved; though weakened by the curse, his foundational strength remained, allowing him to adapt and recover with exceptional efficiency—nothing like the difficulty of initial development.

“The Cliff Serpent’s Death Curse isn’t strong enough.”

Suddenly,

His claw began to ache again.

The curse was lowering his fire resistance once more.

“Excellent! Not a one-time, irreversible reduction—but a continuous curse.”

Feeling the pain, sensing the curse’s effect, Luo Si did not panic—he rejoiced, his spirits lifting instantly.

Continuous damage most effectively stimulated Luo Si’s adaptation and evolution.

Knowing his own talents, Luo Si foresaw: his fire resistance would steadily rise through the constant back-and-forth of weakening and recovery.

Fire Curse?

No!

To Luo Si, this was equivalent to a Fire Blessing.

Had the Cliff Serpent known this, it would never have killed itself so cleanly—or bestowed the curse upon Luo Si.

“Serpent. Serpent.”

“Are there other Cliff Serpents in the Sel Wilds?”

“If I kill off all the major serpent-dragon species, I can elevate every aspect of my resistance by a stage.”

Luo Si licked his jaw, thinking.

The Cliff Serpent’s venomous nature had long unnerved many dragonkind—including Luo Si—but from this moment on, everything had changed.

Immediately, he calmed his emotions and descended in a circle to Moon Valley.

The old shaman hurried forward and spoke to Luo Si with respect:

“Noble and mighty dragon, thank you for slaying the evil serpent on behalf of the Howling Clan.”

“Whatever you desire, if the Howling Clan possesses it, we shall offer it to you as gratitude.”

Luo Si studied the old shaman, then scanned the surrounding gray-maned wolf-men, and slowly said: “I demand the allegiance of the Howling Clan. You will serve me.”

Hearing this, the old shaman’s expression changed.

They had already suffered the consequences of serving the Cliff Serpent.

Now a stronger dragon demanded loyalty, yet its nature was unknown—what if it was even more cruel than the serpent? Would they not be trading one predator for another?

As if sensing the wolf-men’s doubts,

Luo Si added: “I am not a cruel dragon. Had I been, this place would already be a sea of fire.”

“Become my vassals, and you become my wealth. I do not destroy my own wealth without cause. On the contrary, serve me, and you shall enjoy my protection, securing a longer, brighter future.”

“I give you ten days to decide.”

“If you refuse to submit, I will not force you. I respect your choice—and mourn the loss you will suffer.”

With that, he seized the Cliff Serpent’s corpse in his claws and rose into the air.

As Luo Si had said, if the wolf clan refused, he would not force them.

But he would destroy them.

A sentient tribe active along the Thousand Serpents’ Trace side-path—even if unaware of his exact location—might still spread word of him, inviting unnecessary trouble.

Therefore,

If they proved unwise,

For his own safety, Luo Si would choose to eradicate them utterly.

His amiable demeanor was meant to keep them calm, to ensure they remained quietly in Moon Valley—so he could capture them all at once. Ten days would be enough for his wounds to fully heal.

Only when his figure vanished completely into the night sky did the wolf-men finally relax.

“Elder, this dragon seems quite reasonable.”

“Do you think he’s a wicked dragon?”

The young chieftain stepped beside the old shaman and asked quietly.

The old shaman gazed at the direction Luo Si had departed and said softly: “His appearance resembles a vicious dragon, but time has taught me one truth—never judge by appearances. This holds true for dragons as well.”

“His speech, words, and conduct differ from what I know of wicked dragons.”

“Perhaps… he is a dragon worth following.”

In the wilds, serving a great dragon is, for many species, actually a blessing.

“Now, summon the clan’s most respected members. We must decide: to serve, or to refuse.”

Because it concerned the future development of the clan, the Xiao Yue Clan immediately convened a meeting, led by the Old Shaman and the Chief, to decide their path forward.

(End of Chapter)