Chapter 533: Visiting Dulongcheng

"The Imperial Father has not left the Tianting for a long time, but he made a trip to Lustria the other day and praised you highly upon his return!"

"Even the Dragon Emperor cannot ignore the awakening of Lord Kroak."

Zhaoming was fond of drinking but had a mediocre tolerance; before long, he was flushed and pointing at Sinuoli to reveal a secret. There was not much information about the Old Ones in Miaoying's memories, but the Dragon Emperor and his wife had certainly had contact and exchanges with them.

"Why? Why do they all think you can do it? When Ninth Sister went, went to your place, they actually said there was no need, no need to worry!"

Some words filled with jealousy spilled out along with more liquor. Zhaoming was not well-liked at home, a fact even the mortals of Zhendan had heard rumors of. The dragons suspected that the Warpstone Desert and the Great Maw had affected his mind; only the Moon Empress firmly supported her youngest son.

"Winning, having to keep winning, it's very tiring."

Sinuoli sighed. How could he not envy Zhaoming? Parents with the combat power of true gods, four demigod siblings, two whole provinces to his name, a hundred thousand elite troops, and a thousand generals—these were no imaginary numbers! If he were given this hand, he would be bold enough to plan an invasion of the Warp.

"You don't know, when Shenzhu came to Shangyang, they, they were all afraid! Afraid that I would lead her astray!" Zhaoming soon collapsed. Sinuoli and Agelimu were left in low spirits, and the demigods had to confirm the details of the alliance the next day.

Through the Ogre tribes they controlled, the Dwarfs and Zhendan each maintained half of the Changya Zhilu, using the Geleisu Juting east of Black Tooth Town as the boundary. They provided full guarantees for the first year of the trade route's operation, with the guarantee decreasing year by year thereafter.

Regarding taxes, Slayer Keep and Shangyang would collect them as distribution hubs before splitting the profits equally. However, based on Zhendan's insistence, slight adjustments would be made if losses occurred within either side's area of responsibility.

"In my view, beyond trade, we might exchange methods regarding Runes, forging, and even the administration of territories."

The Iron Dragon stated his predicament: Weixi Liesheng was the most barren, and many places were unsuitable for Human habitation, which led to a large exodus of the population. He could only manage the native alien races by a mix of persuasion and force.

At the same time, he was confident in his strength as a Dragon God. Combined with the agate raven spies from the Moon Empress, the Eighth Lord could control all manner of heroes—whoever harbored thoughts of insubordination would be crushed instantly and replaced by another under cultivation.

"I agree; your alchemy and casting techniques are also one of a kind. Also, I heard you made yourself a set of armor; my eyes were clumsy last time and I didn't even notice."

The Eighth Lord was only a low-level demigod in terms of divine power. The armor covering his chest and vital organs, which he had custom-made for his dragon form to act independently, along with the Shajin Zhatao, greatly enhanced his melee capabilities, barely enough to put his father and siblings at ease.

"Very good!"

Just as Sinuoli thought, managing Weixi Liesheng was Zhaoming's primary duty; pouring too much energy and military force into the Changya Zhilu was inappropriate. Once matters here were settled, Zhaoming hurriedly led his troops back.

Sinuoli spent some time guiding Ahetanmu to improve his management skills and, relying on his own divine perception, rooted out many devout followers of the Great Maw hidden within the Windwalker tribe.

After witnessing the Dwarfs' methods, Zhaoming also decided to suppress the authority of the Butchers within the Goldtooth Tribe. Pushed to the opposite side of the spellcasters, the lord could only rely more on the support of his suzerain.

On the return journey, the demigods met with Astragoth Ironhand, and a brief talk led to a three-point agreement. Although he still refused to submit directly, he understood his position and abandoned any unrealistic fantasies.

After arriving at Slayer Keep, Sinuoli was invited to head north to inspect Qianzhushiting and Desolate Keep, two small outposts with only a few thousand people each. Afterward, he came to Bingfeng Haian; every large-scale Chaos invasion had occurred after this long, narrow bay froze solid.

Ships could not carry monsters and the immensely powerful Hellcannons. It was not that the Kislevites had not tried to destroy the ice to strike them mid-crossing, but abandoning sturdy fortresses for field battles was a faster path to death.

Traveling west along Hanlin Tan, passing Beier-Suolin Yingdi, and trekking through dense coniferous forests and paths hidden under snow, Sinuoli finally ventured deep into the Giant Country Mountains.

"You, sigh, you've lost so much weight! I remember when you were little..."

"Yes, I have come! Has anyone dared to be disrespectful to you all these years? Hitting them with the Storm Hammer is too lenient; they must be turned into golden statues for eternal punishment!"

Sister Nina and brother-in-law Suojiade met him at the controlled border of Dulongcheng. Clasping hands, the siblings both realized that the other had lost a bit of weight, which was extremely rare for Dwarfs. Leaving her homeland to marry into a place that existed only in legends was a great sacrifice for this noblewoman.

"Everything in Ka la ke de la ke is very good, it's just a bit different from Karaz-a-Karak! I brought many things from the Old World, and they have had many positive effects here."

Listening as they walked, Sinuoli saw a waterfall that looked like the Milky Way falling from the sky. Climbing up through a secret passage, he found a magnificent fortress of wood and stone standing on a platform in the mountain col.

The risks of excessive excavation downward into the permafrost were not small, so the cities of the Norscan Dwarfs occupied a larger proportion on the surface. The Northern Four Cities all ensured their own safety through excellent site selection, then maintained contact with the outside world through temporary trading posts.

"Your arrival allows the grace of the Ancestor Gods to shine once again upon the Giant Country Mountains!"

High King Keluomu led the entire Norsca Council to wait early in the square before the main gate. With Sinuoli's rise and the awakening of the Ancestor Gods, no elder questioned his resolution to return to the embrace of the Mountain Kingdom, and the marriage alliance had pushed the prestige of his Clan to its peak.

Sinuoli would not miss such a good opportunity. He presided over the highest-standard "Revival Ritual" to simultaneously worship the Ancestral Eight Gods—this was his original creation; after all, the liturgy for the God of Armaments, Kelage, was also edited by this leading disciple.

After the eight gods all manifested divine miracles, Sinuoli displayed his two great Authorities: Wealth and Oath. His words carried the weight of law, accompanied by a sky full of golden rain. The clansmen of Dulongcheng roared until their throats were hoarse and drank their fill of fine wine.

"You really cannot..."

"Eh~ I know my own physical state."

In the living quarters, Sinuoli held Keluomu's body, his brow locked in a frown. Suojiade had invited him to treat his father's injuries, but who would have thought that the High King, who looked heroic and extraordinary on the outside, was actually riddled with chronic illnesses, with various forms of Chaos corruption entangled in a way that left him at a loss for where to start.

"The most threatening thing about the Norscan barbarians is the uncertainty brought by the Chaos Evil Gods. A non-threatening minor leader can mutate into a Chaos Spawn at any time. If any tribal leader receives Their gaze, they might even be able to trade a few blows with you."

Keluomu, nicknamed the Scarlet High King, was a truly tough hand among the peak of mortals when equipped with his heirloom gear. But his geographical location meant the frequency with which he encountered opponents above his level far exceeded that of Grimm Ironfist.

"Polishing the body to the limit, five hundred years is the baseline, but a Norscan champion is lucky to live to three hundred. This fate depends on you to end it!"

(End of Chapter)