Chapter 387: Great Deeds Overshadow the Master

"Dragon Slayer!"

The Black Dragon's color shifted slightly, a hint of apprehension flashing in its eyes.

He had long sensed the Dragon Slayer's aura on Lei En, knowing Lei En was not exaggerating. He excelled at shapeshifting and stealth, yet these past days Lei En pursued him through sky and earth; wherever he hid, he was quickly found. They clashed dozens of times, many one‑on‑one with Lei En, and never once gained the upper hand.

Even in his formidable war‑ancient‑tree form, the human pressed him down, the pain of his branch arm shattered by a hammer still vivid in his memory.

Perhaps only the Black Dragon's true, most powerful form could defeat the opponent.

But Lei En also has three powerful allies.

The Black Dragon's gaze swept over the two giant dragons confronting him and the fire‑element‑brimming Ai Mili Si, whose cunning and cautious nature led him to weigh his options, knowing he was no match.

"Who are you? How exactly did you track me?" the Black Dragon finally asked, "And how did you find my lair?"

Lei En breathed a sigh of relief.

The fact that it asked shows the Black Dragon's attitude had softened. Indeed, a wise opponent is easier to negotiate with than a brute beast, understanding the stakes.

A smile tugged at his mouth as he introduced himself: "I am Ryan Augustus."

"Earl of Glamorgan?"

The Black Dragon was startled, couldn't help but scrutinize Lei En's appearance, and with cold sarcasm said, "Lord Speaker Weizelan, you even changed your guise to infiltrate the deep mud swamps—no wonder you possess such power, tsk tsk…"

His tone unintentionally took on a somewhat anthropomorphic air, like a noble, his voice leaning neutral as he looked at Ai Mili Si, "Your Grace, the Earl, have you taken a fancy to this draconic beauty?"

Then he glanced at the two giant dragons, "They were also subdued with your help, weren't they? What a fine man, making such efforts for his beloved."

The Black Dragon, merely from Lei En's name, instantly saw through the relationships among the opponents.

Ai Mili Si and the two giant dragons looked somewhat uneasy.

"Sharp eyes!"

Lei En clapped, unbothered by the Black Dragon's mockery, and said, "Indeed, Countess Ibixian of Bulantaniya, have these treasures been swindled from Bulantaniya as your spoils?"

"So what?" the Black Dragon replied, a hint of disdain in its eyes.

"With so much gold, Master Black Horn must have toiled for years to amass it, right?" Lei En asked with admiration.

For some reason, the Black Dragon grew nervous.

Lei En was right: only about two‑thirds of the lair's gold came from swindling Bulantaniya; the remaining third was accrued over centuries through plunder, profits from forging Black Soul elixirs, and transactions under various guises.

"What do you mean?" the Black Dragon sensed something amiss.

"With this much gold—at least five or six million Gold Shields—if it doesn't move you, that's a lie," Lei En said calmly. "However, Master Black Horn, if you are willing to sign the Dragon Oath, I can guarantee not a single coin will be missing; all will still belong to you."

"You're dreaming!"

The Black Dragon roared in a high, uncontainable fury; its terrifying draconic might seemed tangible, the sound waves shaking the cavern.

"This is not something you can refuse," Lei En said calmly, his Thunder Hammer quivered lightly, lightning crackling, and faint soul energy rippled on his Arcane Torrent Staff, "Once the horn sounds, you must answer the summons. It's a pity about all this gold—who knows how much can be preserved."

As he spoke, Ai Mili Si already produced the Dragon Summoning Horn, ready to sound at any moment.

"You…" the Black Dragon was both startled and angry.

The cavern's diameter was under a hundred meters—seeming vast, yet not spacious for giant dragons; three of them cramped inside, a few breaths of dragon fire could melt any amount of gold.

Escape was impossible unless they abandoned the treasure amassed over years.

Moreover, with Lei En's tracking ability, wherever they fled they'd be caught.

The Black Dragon suddenly realized he was cornered—unable to win the fight, unable to flee, even his most prized gold hoard now clutched by the opponent as leverage.

He had never felt so stifled.

Having maneuvered in Bulantaniya for years, he had tossed other men around like fish, thriving among the elite; even the Knight King had been swindled out of hundreds of thousands of Gold Shields. He never imagined that fleeing back to the swamp, he'd be tightly grasped by a young man whose name he had only heard of.

None of his tricks for dealing with aristocratic men applied here.

"Master Black Horn, you have one minute to consider."

Lei En produced a chronometer, pressed it lightly, and said, "When time's up, if you still refuse, I will have to force the summons."

The Black Dragon was burning with impatience, yet could think of no way out.

The chronometer's ticking sounded in his ears like a death curse, each second slipping faster; his draconic jaws twitched, the curved horns on either side quivered, sharp claws unintentionally gouged trenches in the ground, and his nostrils exhaled a sour, stinky flame.

"Master Black Horn."

Ai Mili Si suddenly spoke, "I only need you to help me reclaim Kangjiatuo's throne; by that day you may leave, without waiting three hundred years."

The Black Dragon looked at her, feeling a stir of interest.

Ai Mili Si continued, "Of course, I hope that in the future, when needed, I may summon Master Black Horn back to my side to fight alongside me. This is not gratuitous; during the war I am willing to pay fifty thousand Gold Shields per year for Master Black Horn's services."

She turned to Jialadeluos and Xindala, "You two have the same terms as well."

All three giant dragons wore surprised expressions.

Lei En raised an eyebrow; Ai Mili Si had never consulted him on this before, clearly not a spur‑of‑the‑moment idea but one she had contemplated for a long time.

The Dragon Oath is compulsory.

Even without generous terms, the three giant dragons must obey unconditionally, though they may be sluggish or outwardly compliant while secretly defiant.

He could guess Ai Mili Si's thoughts.

If the Black Dragon agrees to the oath, the three giant dragons would be successfully summoned with his aid; should Ai Mili Si later fall out with them, her presence could be weakened, losing control over the three dragons.

Then, who can command the giant dragons remains uncertain…

As the saying from a past life goes, "Great Deeds Overshadow the Master."

Thus she is willing to pay the steep price—150,000 Gold Shields per year—to buy the dragons' loyalty and maintain good relations.

Dragons are greedy; there is no more effective bribery.

"Women…"

Lei En sighed softly; in truth, he held no such notion.

He recalled the day he first arrived at Haituoke, when Ai Mili Si, because of a single word from him, slew the cousin she had grown up with, showing her ruthless cruelty and decisiveness surpassing most men.

That might be for the best; if Ai Mili Si truly is a simple‑minded woman, putting her on the throne likely won't last long.

In a minute, it was about to finish.

In the final seconds, the black dragon finally made up its mind and, reluctantly, said, "I agree."

Ai Mili Si was overjoyed; this black dragon possessed Mid-stage Legendary strength, stronger than Jia La De Luo Si and Xin Da La, and by signing a Dragon Oath with it she gained even greater advancement.

Buzz—

She sounded the Dragon Summoning, using up the last chance on the horn.

The resonant ancient horn echoed through the cavern, piercing outward; earth and stone could not block it at all, and it spread across dozens of miles.

The black dragon immediately answered the summons, establishing a faint link with Ai Mili Si.

Under Lei En's gaze, the black dragon could only lower its head, allowing Ai Mili Si to press her hand onto it; the horn was triggered, and a golden dragon illusion rose, split in two, each sinking into the black dragon's head, reaching deep into its soul.

Ai Mili Si's soul, stimulated by the oath, received the Divine Technique blessing bestowed by the Dragon God, releasing a great surge of divine power.

Her aura surged wildly, and her magical power skyrocketed.

In just half a minute, Ai Mili Si's extraordinary profession level rose from thirteen to fourteen, and continued climbing toward fifteen.

The black dragon also gained benefits, though not as many as hers; its already massive draconic body grew a bit sturdier, then it reverted to its ox-headed man form.

"Hand it over." The black dragon reached out toward Jia La De Luo Si and Xin Da La.

The two dragons, now in human form, were bewildered.

"Don't play dumb with me. The glowing stones in the passage, eighteen in total, give them back to me immediately, and keep everything else farther from my treasure, or don't blame me for being rude." The ox-headed man wore an impatient expression, a hint of danger flashing in his eyes.

Lei En also said, "Return them to him."

"Stingy one!"

Jia La De Luo Si muttered a few words, reluctantly handing back the glowing stones, while Xin Da La remained cold‑faced, as if others owed her tens of thousands of Gold Shields.

At that moment, Ai Mili Si's aura finally steadied.

Lei En's Soul Eye saw that she had risen to level fifteen, just one step shy of Legendary High-rank, though that step was like a heavenly chasm.

Dragon Summoning can only accumulate a use count once every thirty years; in the same period, at most a dragon descendant can sign an oath with ten great dragons. Moreover, each dragon descendant may summon a good dragon only three times in a lifetime, and the next use of Dragon Summoning won't be possible for another ten years, so Ai Mili Si no longer has a chance.

She opened her eyes, her joy beyond measure, and asked, "Master Black Horn, may I inquire about part of your true name?"

"You may call me Yi Geng."

The black dragon was silent for a few seconds before replying, "But I prefer to appear as Black Horn; try not to use my true name."

Ai Mili Si nodded, "Alright, Master Black Horn."

A great dragon's true name is their greatest secret, perhaps unique; the true name contains profound magical power and is never disclosed to anyone.

Lei En felt a stir; when he signed a soul contract with Ao Xi Li Ya, he learned her true name.

"Yi Geng, Yi Bi Qian An …"

He smiled, about to speak, when the surface of the pool in the dragon's nest suddenly rippled, and within the ripples the scene outside the cavern was revealed.

A beautiful, massive silver dragon raced across the sky, followed by a flock of silver‑winged Pegasus.

Armed knights rode on the backs of the silver dragon and the Pegasus, already drawing very close.

The ox-headed man's complexion changed dramatically, exclaiming, "Holy Grail Knight Ma Xiu* An Sai Long, and his Rose Knights!"

(End of Chapter)