Chapter 365: Frost Sea Dragon

Ai Mi Li Si's movements were too fast, catching everyone off guard.

The skull hit the ground, and Wei Se Lai's wide eyes still held a trace of horror, as if he never expected to be slain by Ai Mi Li Si's own hand.

She stood by the corpse, brandishing a blood‑stained longsword, her face expressionless.

Everyone in the room wore a vivid look on their faces.

Wa Luo Gen could not hide his surprise, Ding La Ji was even dumbfounded, while A Si Tan remained as silently as ever.

Lei En raised an eyebrow, realizing he had still underestimated Ai Mi Li Xian's resolve.

A woman who, for the sake of restoring the nation and reviving her family's glory, could use her own body as a pawn and deliberately study bedroom arts to ensnare men, slaying her own cousin on the spot, both displayed her determination and her decisiveness.

Of course, that was Wei Se Lai's own doing, showing no self‑awareness at all.

It can be assumed Ai Mi Li Si had tolerated him for a long time.

Lei En looked at her soul, vast white interspersed with a hint of orange, indicating that while her emotions were calm, there was only a slight ripple.

"What a woman both ambitious and decisive!" he thought approvingly.

Ai Mi Li Si suddenly looked at Bi Ge Bei Er.

The loyal senior ranger shivered instantly, realizing his scheming had been seen through. When Wei Se Lai attacked Lei En earlier, he was the only one present who did not intervene; a moment's hesitation exposed his thoughts.

"Your Highness..." Bi Ge Bei Er knelt on one knee, opened his mouth, yet did not know how to plead.

Ai Mi Li Si simply stared at him coldly, saying nothing.

Bi Ge Bei Er's face turned grim; suddenly gritting his teeth, he drew his longsword and slashed at his own throat.

Now!

With a faint sound, Bi Ge Bei Er's longsword was knocked away.

It was Ding La Ji who stopped his suicide; the two had been friends for over a decade and could not bear to watch him die before them, pleading, "Your Highness, I am willing to stake my life; Bi Ge Bei Er's loyalty is unquestionable, he was merely momentarily misguided. Please give him another chance."

Wa Luo Gen and A Si Tan said nothing, but their faces showed sympathy, clearly agreeing with Ding La Ji.

"Lei En?"

Ai Mi Li Si looked at Lei En, seeking his opinion.

"This is an internal matter for you; I have no authority to decide," Lei En was indifferent, having already seen that Ai Mi Li Si leaned toward sparing Bi Ge Bei Er.

If he demanded execution, Ai Mi Li Si would certainly comply.

A few of her subordinates dared not voice complaints, yet harbored grudges, and the previously united internal relations showed a slight crack.

Moreover, the Soul Eye saw that Bi Ge Bei Er was indeed utterly loyal, with no thoughts of betrayal.

Ai Mi Li Xian let out a silent sigh, sheathed her sword, and said gravely, "Bi Ge Bei Er, I do not wish to see your personal pride jeopardize the Zhuo Geng Bao family's restoration plan again. I allow you to continue serving me, but there must be no next time."

"As you command, Your Highness," Bi Ge Bei Er's face showed a hint of shame, and he bowed his head deeply.

"Stand up."

Ai Mi Li Si did not look at him again, ordering, "Wa Luo Gen, please handle Wei Se Lai's affairs so that the Storm Church does not notice any trouble."

Wei Se Lai is a Level 9 Storm Priest, a rising star destined for Legend, and his sudden, unexplained death will surely draw the Storm Church's attention.

If mishandled, it would become a huge trouble.

Wa Luo Gen said lightly, "Your Highness, rest assured, Mr. Wei Se Lai will be accidentally killed in a dock clash tomorrow. In Haituoke, that is a common occurrence."

"Then it's up to you," Ai Mi Li Si nodded satisfactorily.

She turned, slipped her arm around Lei En's, and the two walked out of the room and upstairs.

Wa Luo Gen watched their silhouettes disappear, and after they were out of sight, he turned to the three colleagues and, unable to hide his hesitation, asked, "Count, you said he has no Blood Soul Curse; do you believe it?"

The horror of the Blood Soul Curse is well known.

The known way to lift the curse is for a transcendent profession to reach Level 20 and attain Saint Rank. For example, a Holy Soul Wizard, whose soul undergoes seven metamorphoses, each weakening part of the curse's effect, ultimately eradicating it completely.

Not every Saint Rank can succeed in removing it.

Moreover, reaching Level 20 is too distant for ordinary transcendants; out of millions, perhaps not a single one attains Saint Rank, and to common folk it is akin to myth.

Another method is a deity's blessing.

But this is even harder than attaining Saint Rank, because not every deity has the power to lift the curse.

The Lord of Darkness's curse can only be opposed by a handful of mighty deities, and it consumes vast divine power. Even the deity's most favored Chosen One may not be willing to pay such a price; many Divine Chosen still bear the curse.

From antiquity to the present, the mortal beings who have persuaded a deity to lift a Blood Soul Curse are so few they can be counted on two hands.

Only a handful have removed the curse, which does little for the whole human race; their offspring, once they intermarry with other humans, become cursed again.

It is like a terrible contagion; unless a cure usable on a large scale is found, the curse can never be eradicated.

Aside from these two methods, almost no one has heard of a third.

Lei En is neither a Holy Soul Wizard nor even a Legendary Wizard, and there is no word that he is a God of Magic's Chosen One; how could he lift the curse?

This is crucial for the dragon‑born clan; if Lei En bears no curse, then his offspring with Ai Mi Li Xian would inherit only a faint curse from Ai Mi Li Si. With the dragon‑born soul's potent nature, the curse can be easily suppressed, and through meditative cultivation they become pure dragon‑born.

If Lei En lies, the dragon‑born lineage will be extinguished!

Wa Luo Gen could not help but worry.

"I trust the Count," Ding La Ji said resolutely, "Wa Luo Gen, you have never dealt with him, so you may not yet understand his marvels and strength. His current reputation is not because he is a student of a Holy Soul Wizard; you will learn in time."

"Is that so?" Wa Luo Gen remained skeptical.

A Si Tan, rarely speaking, said, "Wa Luo Gen, you'd better trust him."

Even the newly survived Bi Ge Bei Er stepped forward, his expression complex, saying, "Princess' insight cannot be wrong; the Count is the best choice."

Wa Luo Gen was astonished inside, and ceased further questioning.

Late at night, Lei En held Ai Mi Li Si, speaking softly and affectionately, then laughed, "If you have anything to ask, just say it. No need to hide; I'll tell you what needs to be said."

Ai Mi Li Si's face flushed, "Is it that obvious?"

"You're just about to have it written on your face," Lei En shook his head helplessly, noting that she had paused several times that night, and had been absent‑minded while handling matters earlier.

"Hmm..." Ai Mi Li Si's delicate frame sat upright, displaying a graceful figure, and earnestly asked, "About the Blood Soul Curse..."

Lei En interrupted her and replied directly: "I have fused the Truth Willpower, automatically lifting the curse."

"Truth Willpower?" Since Ai Mili Si is a dragonborn apostle, she does not need to fuse demon souls, so she deeply studies the Elemental Demonstration. She was stunned for a few seconds before recalling, and exclaimed in shock: "Legendary Element Truth Willpower? It can lift a curse?"

"Yes." Lei En nodded.

Ai Mili Si's reaction was similar to Ao Xi Li Ya's at first; it took her a long time to digest this, she was overjoyed, then more enthusiastically entwined herself.

"Lei En, I want to bear a child for you." She breathed by his ear like an orchid, her eyes hazy.

Lei En hesitated for a moment.

"You don't want to?" Ai Mili Si sensed his expression, stopped moving, and said seriously: "I promise, as long as we successfully restore the Empire, our child will certainly ascend the throne of Kangjiatuo. Moreover, every descendant will have the prefix Augustus added before the surname Zhuogengbao."

Lei En shook his head, "It's not a matter of the surname."

He had a sentence left unsaid, confident that in the future Augustus would become a surname louder and more noble than Zhuogengbao.

By then, the Zhuogengbao family being able to prepend Augustus would be an unattainable honor.

"Why is that?" Ai Mili Si asked eagerly.

Lei En glanced at her; it was his first time seeing this dragonborn so flustered, and he said slowly: "I don't want my child to be incestuous."

Ai Mili Si seemed to have a cold bucket of water poured over her head, she loosened her clingy arms, and for a long time could not speak.

This was an almost unsolvable dilemma.

Dragonborn families for millennia have found no way but to maintain bloodlines through close‑kin marriage. Lei En didn't want his child to be incestuous, so he could only unite with other humans, meaning the dragonborn bloodline would inevitably head toward extinction.

Seeing her despondent and disheveled, Lei En comforted her: "You don't need to rush. I'll work hard to find a way to lift the curse. Even if I fail, I'll keep the Zhuogengbao family's bloodline strong, and will never lose the ability to rule Kangjiatuo because the dragonborn soul is gone."

Ai Mili Si's eyes flickered, she lightly bit her lip and stayed silent.

Lei En knew she didn't believe his words, but he hardened his heart and continued: "I'm still young, not ready to be a father yet; give me a few more years."

Ai Mili Si stared at him in a daze.

The Soul Eye showed that her soul's color was like a chaotic swirl of paint, shifting constantly, and her chest rose and fell with a slightly rapid rhythm.

After a long while, she sighed softly, "I understand."

Ai Mili Si nestled back against him; Lei En wrapped her in his arms, patted her back, and sighed inwardly.

In the following days, neither mentioned the matter again, maintaining tacit understanding before others; at night they still shared a bed, as if that conversation had never occurred.

They stayed in Haitoke for three days.

Lei En and Ai Mili Si boarded a ship and continued northward; after several days of sailing they deviated from the course and entered an unfamiliar sea area of the Thousand Islands Sea.

The Thousand Islands Sea is a vast ocean located between the Empire and Kangjiatuo.

In this boundless icy sea lie thousands of islands, scattered like pearls dotted on the sea constantly battered by winds, thus called the Thousand Islands Sea.

Long ago, in the previous era, elves and dwarves carved a safe route through the Thousand Islands Sea, the shortest path across the dangerous waters to the ports of Kangjiatuo.

After stopping there for repairs, they set out again; the next destination was the even more perilous New Continent.

Lei En and his companions' goal this trip was a remote island.

This island lies on the west side of the route, not far from the coastline; landing there leads to a barren, wind‑chilled northern tundra, blocked by the Ten Thousand Pines Ridge, an environment so harsh that even beast‑people cannot breed there.

Two days later, a white small island appeared ahead of the ship.

Ai Mili Si gazed at the island, nodded and said: "We've arrived, this is it."

Lei En had already activated his Soul Eye; the island is small, only a few dozen square kilometers, its whole surface covered by a massive glacier. From afar there is no sign of any living creature nor vegetation, appearing lifeless.

The temperature near the island seems even lower, the sea is deep, and its depth is unknown.

According to Ai Mili Si, the island harbors a giant dragon's nest.

She has spent years searching for dragon traces, expending great manpower and resources, and finally identified three suitable targets for a Dragon Covenant; this is one of them.

On the island is a Frost Sea Dragon!

The Frost Sea Dragon is an exotic dragon, mutated from a white dragon; it retains the ability to control frost and is adept at swimming in the sea, feeding on fish. When in the sea it is even more unapproachable than in the sky, prefers remote islands, dislikes treasure, and shuns contact with outsiders, so few know of it.

Ai Mili Si took off the necklace around her neck and gently stroked the black horn.

After a low whisper, the horn, only fingertip‑sized, returned to its original form, becoming a strange horn about a half‑meter long, as if carved from a real dragon horn.

She grasped the horn, sensed a few breaths, and said: "The Dragon Summon can be activated, indicating a mature good dragon nearby; blowing will summon it."

Lei En nodded.

The Dragon Summon is a Legend Grade treasure bestowed by the good‑dragon god Bahamut, usable only by dragonborn; the summoned dragon is limited to those who worship Bahamut, at least youth stage, and possess Legend‑level power.

Ai Mili Si had long ago sent people to observe secretly, confirming this Frost Sea Dragon is a female youth dragon.

When signing the Dragon Covenant, only the dragonborn and the designated sole helper may participate.

This time only Astan accompanied them; the others stayed in Haitoke.

"Begin."

Lei En changed into light armor, donned a blood‑colored cloak, took out the Thunder Hammer and Arcane Flood Staff, and prepared for battle.

Ai Mili Si was also ready.

He opened a portal, led the way inside, appearing on a flat beach at the island's edge; Ai Mili Si emerged afterward, without hesitation blew the horn.

"Hum…"

The soaring, lingering horn sound rang through the clouds, its tone bearing a heart‑pounding authority, as if a decree from Bahamut, echoing across dozens of miles of sea.

"Roar!"

Almost as soon as the horn sounded, a dragon's roar answered; the island trembled lightly, and a massive white shape leapt from the nearby sea, soaring skyward.

(End of Chapter)