Chapter 1000: Iridescent Dragon Knight Corps

One hundred Thundercast Celestial Soldiers emerged from the wormhole and formed a line before them.

Each of them wore golden armor, a mask on their face, bore a lightning war hammer, had a Bolt Gun slung at the waist, a silver‑blue cloak on their back, and gold insignia of the Augustus family etched on their chest and shoulder plates; they moved in silence, as if molded from a single mold.

Asina had seen Thundercast Celestial Soldiers before, but this was the first time she examined them closely.

She felt a tremendous power.

If it had been a few hours earlier, before she had been promoted to Titan Elder, her strength would have been only slightly greater than these Thundercast Celestial Soldiers; a swarm of three or four would have guaranteed her death.

Even though her power has surged now, she dares not claim she could defeat a hundred Thundercast Celestial Soldiers.

Even escaping would be difficult.

And there are over ten thousand such Thundercast Celestial Soldiers… just thinking of it makes Asina feel suffocated; the joy of becoming a Titan Elder is instantly diluted, replaced by a sense of helplessness as the gap between her and Lei En widens.

"These one hundred Thundercast Celestial Soldiers will follow you from now on," Lei En said.

Unexpectedly, Asina was not very pleased.

She surveyed the Thundercast Celestial Soldiers for a while, then shook her head: "They are all your avatars, it's unsuitable for them to follow me. Moreover, I'm in Albert Bay; it's inconvenient to bring so many. The 'Thunder' mercenary corps would suddenly gain hundreds of legendary transcendants, which would surely cause a lot of unnecessary trouble."

The Thunder Mercenary Corps that Asina and two teammates founded has only a little over twenty members.

Lei En was surprised, "Asina, you really don't want them?"

"No," the female giant shook her head firmly. "I've thought it through; unless they are my own avatars, they're truly of no use to me."

"The Thundercast Celestial Soldiers can disguise themselves as giants."

While persuading her, Lei En activated the 'Titan Divine Power' in all one hundred Thundercast Celestial Soldiers; their bodies swelled rapidly, becoming a hundred giants over ten meters tall, surrounded by arcs of lightning and exuding a ferocious thunderous aura.

If they shed their golden armor and equip weapons forged by giants, they become a true Titan Legion.

"You could bring them back to the Storm Plane, repel the invaders, and reclaim the lands belonging to giants," Lei En suggested.

Asina was instantly unsettled.

Recapturing the Storm Plane and several other sanctuaries is a dream long cherished by Elder Suolimu and the entire Storm Giant clan.

After thinking, she gave a sly smile, "Lei En, you and the elder have sworn to help the Storm Giants retake the whole plane; you can't just dismiss me with a hundred Thundercast Celestial Soldiers. When the time comes, I'll definitely join the battle—one hundred is not enough."

Lei En could only sigh, "This is private armament I'm giving you, a compensation, unrelated to my pact with the elder."

"I don't want it; dragging a hundred people everywhere is too troublesome."

Asina had clearly made up her mind, "When the need arises, I'll borrow Thundercast Celestial Soldiers from you, Lei En—you must not refuse."

Lei En instantly understood.

The female giant found a hundred Thundercast Celestial Soldiers too few— even a thousand would not satisfy her; she wants the entire Thundercast Celestial Soldier legion.

This way she saves both effort and resources, borrowing at will.

"Fine, just say the word," Lei En agreed to Asina's request. The female giant is not someone who lacks discretion; she rarely gets a chance to borrow Thundercast Celestial Soldiers, only for the war on the Storm Plane, when she will give her all.

Asina nodded delightedly.

At that moment, the Thundercast Celestial Soldiers shrank to human size; she stepped forward, circled twice, and asked curiously, "Lei En, can they remove their masks?"

"Of course."

The hundred Thundercast Celestial Soldiers all took off their golden masks, revealing their faces.

Asina's gaze swept over them and she found each appearance different—some handsome, some ordinary, almost none alike, and all far from Lei En's looks. Even their ages varied: some looked barely in their twenties, others were middle‑aged, each bearing a distinct demeanor.

"I thought they all looked like you," the female giant said, surprised.

"Then it would be too easy to expose," Lei En laughed. "If a mask cracks or falls off, people could instantly guess they're avatars."

As they spoke, the muscles on the faces of the hundred Thundercast Celestial Soldiers rippled, and in an instant they looked exactly like Lei En, like his twins. The soldiers possess steel bodies and animated metal, allowing flawless physical disguise; no spell can see through it.

Asina stared at the hundred Lei Ens, feeling uneasy, her face inexplicably flushing.

"Hahaha…"

Lei En guessed the female giant's thoughts and let out a mischievous grin.

"You'd better change them back," Asina said, barely able to endure, her beautiful eyes flashing at him; she instinctively stepped back a few paces, distancing herself from the Thundercast Celestial Soldiers.

Lei En stopped teasing her and had the Thundercast Celestial Soldiers alter their appearances.

As they talked, Ao Xiliya created several Iridescent Dragon clones, all adolescent dragons transformed into humanoid forms standing nearby. Lei En looked at the dozen Iridescent Dragons and suddenly laughed, "Ao Xiliya, let's form a Dragon Knight Corps together!"

Although he already commands the Limit Brigade, Dark Angels, the Holy Spear Knight Corps, and the Duke's Guard, the doctrines of those corps differ entirely from Ai Lun E Si's Transcendent Army.

Nevertheless, a Dragon Knight Corps remains highly appealing.

It's still a legendary dragon breed!

The combination of Thundercast Celestial Soldiers and Iridescent Dragons makes each combat unit a perfect troop: melee, magic, defense, speed, attack range, teleport mobility, magical resistance—none lacking. Whether in aerial combat, ground battles, or even sea or underwater, their combat effectiveness remains unchanged.

In Ai Lun E Si's history, there have been several dragon corps, most born in the Second Epoch; those dragon‑led armies have long vanished into the annals of history.

But there is only one Dragon Knight Corps: the 'Dragon Taming Corps' of the Elf Empire in the Third Epoch.

This Dragon Knight Corps has been passed down to the present.

Although its overall strength is far below its peak, even today the high‑elf dragon tamers and their giant dragon mounts remain Aoroan's most powerful legion.

The Dragon Taming Corps is also one of the most renowned legions in the history of intelligent civilizations; when Aoroan's elves split into ten kingdoms in the New Epoch, one kingdom was founded by the Taming Corps, which has produced several Phoenix Kings.

All members of the Taming Corps are dragon knights, riding primarily colored dragons.

Green dragons, black dragons, blue dragons, white dragons, and red dragons.

Red dragons make up more than half.

How can ordinary colored dragons' talents compare to Iridescent Dragons? At the same age, a common dragon species is two tiers weaker than a legendary one!

The Iridescent Dragon Knight Corps—just the concept alone is enough to astonish.

Ao Xiliya‑focused clone remained silent, and a nearby Iridescent Dragon clone replied, "You gave me the Core of the Mastermind and the Creation Technique to build a Dragon Knight Corps?"

"Of course not," Lei En denied outright. "It's just a temporary idea; if you're unwilling, that's fine."

He wasn't lying; he's simply interested in a Dragon Knight Corps, but it isn't indispensable.

"I'm willing."

Ao Xi Li Ya's duplicate said lightly, "You are my knight. So your duplicate is also the knight of my duplicate. As long as you wish to create a Dragon Knight Legion, I support it. Whatever number of Iridescent Dragon mounts you need, give me enough Soul Diamonds and I will create them for you, but I have one condition."

Lei En's expression was serious: "You speak."

"You must do your utmost to nurture my juvenile duplicates; I want to train them all to become mages, rather than rely on innate combat dragons." As this duplicate spoke, its rainbow‑like eyes shone with yearning for magic and with blazing ambition.

Seeing her like that, Lei En felt admiration in his heart.

Ao Xi Li Ya truly lived up to being a genuine spellcaster, viewing the Core Mind and the Creation Technique entirely from a mage's perspective.

Just like Augulevi Master!

The Core Mind creates two kinds of split souls: one comes with an Element, allowing rapid generation of a batch of powerful duplicates; the other is a blank duplicate, which initially has little combat power and requires a great investment of time and effort to catch up with the first type.

However, the blank duplicate is the ultimate answer of the Core Mind and the Creation Technique!

Whether Thundercast Celestial Soldiers or juvenile Iridescent Dragons, their future paths have already been cut off, with little potential left to mine.

Yet the blank duplicate can undergo Soul Transformation to level up.

In the future, they will certainly surpass later; as long as there is a Saint Rank ascendant, whether a Holy Soul Wizard or a Grand Mage, their strength will exceed that of a swarm of Thundercast Celestial Soldiers and Iridescent Dragon duplicates.

This is a victory of quality over quantity.

I possess over ten thousand Thundercast Celestial Soldiers; logically, so many legendary wizards could have already swept across the Empire, with the God of Magic's tacit approval. Why, then, must I plot step by step, exhaust my mind on calculations, rally various Imperial forces, allocate benefits, and achieve political feats?

Because of the Supreme Council's Holy Soul Wizards.

Precisely, I fear the few Holy Soul Wizards openly on the Supreme Council, but I fear even more the Augulevi Master behind the scenes of the Supreme Council.

The Core Mind and the Creation Technique both originate from this historically strongest wizard.

Perhaps Augulevi Master's Core Mind is only level five, capable of creating 128 duplicates, yet I do not know how many of those 128 duplicates are Holy Soul Wizards, how many are Grand Mages, how many are Holy Soul Liches…

How many of these Saint Rank spellcasters have reached above Thirty‑level?

Over ten thousand Thundercast Celestial Soldiers are of little use before so many Saint Rank spellcasters; this is an asymmetric battle.

Augulevi Master only needs to destroy his own original body; once the original perishes, all duplicates will die instantly.

I still cannot grasp Augulevi Master's stance.

Only magic can defeat magic, so there is only one way to not fear Augulevi Master: to possess a batch of equally powerful Saint Rank spellcasters!

Grand Mages just above Level 20 are insufficient; at least several Grand Mages above Thirty‑level are needed.

So far, this goal is still far off.

Ao Xi Li Ya does not know Augulevi Master's inner details, yet she immediately thought of a place, showing that she possesses the same trait as Augulevi Master—the wisdom of a spellcaster—rather than being constrained by the instinct of her Iridescent Dragon identity.

To this, Lei En was very gratified.

He is not at all afraid that Ao Xi Li Ya will surpass him; without MutatedPhone and Soul Diamonds, Ao Xi Li Ya's duplicate growth depends entirely on him.

The initiative is firmly in his own hands.

"No problem at all," Lei En laughed, "Even if you are unwilling to create a Dragon Knight Legion with me, I will still help you."

"Fine."

The Iridescent Dragon showed a look of delight.

Lei En already had a plan in mind and said, "In the coming years, I will periodically supply a batch of Soul Diamonds; have these ten juvenile duplicates quickly reach Level 19 mage, then construct spell models, boost strength, and challenge the Grand Mage."

"You also must push for the eighth Soul Transformation; once successful and promoted, use Soul Diamonds to directly raise you to Level 29."

The Iridescent Dragon duplicate nodded slightly, pleased with Lei En's arrangement: "I thought the same."

She suddenly recalled something and asked, "Lei En, should I return to the Empire to publicly announce my promotion to Grand Mage and join the Supreme Council?"

"Not for now," Lei En declined after consideration.

Including myself, the Supreme Council now has thirteen Holy Soul Wizards; the Mo Du faction holds seven votes, occupying absolute control.

Adding Ao Xi Li Ya's vote would not mean much; better to keep it as a reserve card.

"I'll follow your lead."

The Iridescent Dragon had never been very interested in joining the Supreme Council; the suggestion was merely to help Lei En solidify his grip on the Supreme Council.

"By the way," Lei En was reminded, "Ao Xi Li Ya, unless I permit you, you must never enter the Dark Realm, and your duplicates may not go either."

"Why?" the Iridescent Dragon asked, clearly puzzled.

"There is no reason; you just cannot go, obey me." Lei En's tone was very serious; he could not reveal Augulevi Master's existence, nor could he explain clearly.

Augulevi Master seemed omnipresent; whether in the Empire or the New Continent, he was certainly watching his domain from the shadows. He had long guessed that the Thundercast Celestial Soldiers were his duplicates. Fortunately, the vast majority of Thundercast Celestial Soldiers hide on demi‑planes and plateaus as tools; the most public action they took was on the Dreweil Peninsula, assisting dwarves in wearing down Demonkin forces.

Augulevi Master could accept that he has many duplicates, but if he learned that Ao Xi Li Ya also wielded the Core Mind and the Creation Technique…

Lei En could not be certain what the other's reaction would be.

"You'd better keep the Dragon Valley for these years and avoid leaving as much as possible," Lei En thought it prudent, "The Iridescent Dragon duplicates as well; I will have the Thundercast Celestial Soldiers stay too, turning the Dragon Valley into a training base for the Iridescent Dragon Knight Corps."

Seeing Lei En's caution, Ao Xi Li Ya, despite any lingering doubts, could only agree.

Afterwards, the two discussed combat training for the Dragon Knights.

A Xi Na was not interested, told Lei En, and had Reslin dispatch the Dragon Valley and return to Albert Bay.

One day later.

Ao Xi Li Ya finally completed the first batch of duplicates: a full hundred juvenile Iridescent Dragons, all revealing their true giant dragon forms, soaring in the sky of the Dragon Valley, each giant dragon's back bearing a radiant golden Dragon Knight!

Like streaks of rainbow spanning the heavens, the scene was spectacular.

Lei En lingered in the Dragon Valley for several days, formulating the training plan and combat model for the Iridescent Dragon Knight Corps, then summoned Bo Er Qi to leave the Dragon Valley.

Continuing to write Chapter Two, it must be past midnight, but counting today, tomorrow will be updated as usual.

(End of Chapter)