Chapter 391: Legendary‑Level Talisman

Under Lei En's orders, the Wind Roc circled the swamp for several hundred li, moving away from the area where the distant dragon's nest lies.

The metallic marker sensed grew farther and kept circling around the dragon's nest; only then did Lei En fully relax, laughing, "They can't catch up now."

"Can you be sure?" the Wind Roc below asked.

Lei En had come to understand this black dragon's temperament: cautious yet cunning, its mind sharp enough to detect hidden information in brief remarks, but sometimes overly suspicious, with an attitude like "There are always troublemakers out to harm me."

The black dragon didn't distrust itself; rather, it sought to probe indirectly the means by which it could sense a target's location.

Clearly, it had been frightened by the earlier tracking.

Lei En replied enigmatically, "Believe it or not."

The black dragon fell silent; Lei En, perched on its back, could see through a hazy veil with his Soul Eye that its soul color shifted constantly, its mind active, though its thoughts were unreadable.

He sensed Ai Mi Li Si's location.

After teleporting out of the dragon's nest, Ai Mi Li Si followed her own plan, using up the remaining portal charges of the Arcane Torrent Staff in one go, then flew straight toward Hai Tuo Ke.

From the Deep Mud Swamp to Hai Tuo Ke, there was no longer a need to cross the Stano Mountains.

That mountain range extends from Ten Thousand Pine Ridge; by flying southeast through the vast, cold Ten Thousand Pine Ridge, or heading east to the Thousand Island Sea and then south along the coast, one can eventually return to Hai Tuo Ke.

At this moment, Ai Mi Li Si had already left the Deep Mud Swamp.

The Wind Roc's speed outpaced the copper dragon and the frost sea dragon; it could catch them in half a day, and Lei En pointed the direction to the Wind Roc.

However, the Wind Roc suddenly transformed.

Its broad wings folded inward, its body shrank considerably, and in an instant it became a strange light‑blue griffon.

The griffon's body was extremely robust, larger than the royal great griffon by a few measures, nearly seven meters long; each feather was faintly visible, tinged with a slight pale blue, giving the whole creature a semi‑transparent appearance, surrounded by a phantom glow, and its flight produced only the faintest whisper, comparable to invisibility.

Lei En, riding on the griffon's back, was also enveloped by a layer of ghostly light, concealing his figure.

He recognized it as a very rare griffon.

Surprised, he asked, "Why did you turn into an ethereal griffon?"

The griffon kept flying; it was hard to spot from the ground, but its speed was far slower than the Wind Roc, even slower than a giant dragon, making it almost impossible to catch Ai Mi Li Si.

"The Wind Roc is too conspicuous," the black dragon explained, "In my experience, the ethereal griffon is the best form for long‑range flight, far safer than the Wind Roc."

The reason was passable but not wholly sufficient.

The Wind Roc, transformed by the black dragon, possessed legendary power and extreme speed; few creatures could keep up, and unless it met a foe as formidable as the Silver Dragon, it was generally safe.

It must have other motives.

Lei En understood this fully, but did not expose it, letting it proceed.

The ethereal griffon spent most of the day flying out of the Deep Mud Swamp, continued traversing the orc tribe's territory, rested a few times, and entered Ten Thousand Pine Ridge on the evening of the next day.

Ten Thousand Pine Ridge got its name from the countless massive red pines that grow there; despite sounding modest, it is a forest as vast as four or five provinces, half of which borders the Empire's northeastern province and the Empire's northwestern "Dead Forest Sea," together forming the Empire's two great green treasure troves. The ridge's overall elevation is not high and lacks towering peaks, yet the terrain is rugged and complex, riddled with hills and valleys like a continuous massive mountain range.

Because it lies adjacent to the north wind cold zone, the climate is perennially harsh; aside from a few forest troll tribes, most of Ten Thousand Pine Ridge is barren, hiding many powerful magical beasts and strange monsters.

Crossing Ten Thousand Pine Ridge on foot is actually very difficult and extremely dangerous.

Lei En had previously ridden a giant dragon, soaring over Ten Thousand Pine Ridge from the sky, so he felt little about it.

Ai Mi Li Si could establish herself in Hai Tuo Ke and connect with the centaurs of the Zhuo Geng Tribe, relying on a relatively safe secret path she discovered within Ten Thousand Pine Ridge.

Through this rugged trade route, Ai Mi Li Si could transport the steppe's specialties and materials to Hai Tuo Ke's port, sell them worldwide, exchange for Gold Shield to purchase weapons and gear, and help the centaurs of the Zhuo Ken Tribe rise.

This time, without Ai Mi Li Si to guide the way, Lei En had to be extra cautious.

The sky darkened quickly.

The ethereal griffon, taking advantage of the dim moonlight, flew through the night, grew weary, and found a secluded mountain hollow to land, preparing to rest briefly.

Lei En landed on the ground, his foot crushing thick fallen leaves, producing a muffled thud.

He listened carefully to the sounds of all things for a while; in the surrounding dark forest, many nocturnal beasts were active, but none posed a great threat.

The black dragon assumed the form of a Minotaur Druid, wielding a teal wooden staff; with a gentle swing, a green light entered the towering red pine ahead, and the whole tree seemed to come alive, its branches swaying and growing at a height of over ten meters, vines coiling, and within half a minute a spacious treehouse was constructed.

He flew to the treehouse door, raised one hand in an inviting gesture, and said, "Lord Count, please come in."

Lei En's eyes widened in surprise; he had to admit, the Druid truly thrived in the forest.

He flickered up and entered the treehouse; the wooden floor was smooth, the walls airtight, keeping the night chill out, feeling very warm.

The Minotaur also stepped in, and the branches behind him automatically closed the door.

After entering, he transformed again; the Minotaur's towering body shrank, instantly becoming a well‑proportioned human male.

This was the black dragon's first time showing a human form before Lei En; he appeared very young, just over twenty, with fair skin, long black hair tied simply at the back, dressed in an exquisite noble long robe, every movement exuding noble bearing.

His appearance was exceedingly handsome, surpassing Lei En in every way, one could even call it beautiful.

His attire leaned toward androgyny; his black eyes seemed to speak, his aura slightly feminine; without knowing the black dragon was male, one could easily mistake him for a lady.

The black dragon flipped his palm and produced a complete set of tables and chairs, placing them inside the treehouse.

He sat gracefully, bringing out item after item to set on the table—exquisite tea ware with red tea, fine wine, fragrant pastries, and a crystal lamp resembling a work of art, its soft light illuminating the treehouse; he also lit a brazier of incense, making the atmosphere somewhat odd.

The black dragon looked up at Lei En, speaking softly, "Lord Count, please sit, try the pastries and tea I brought from Brantania, and see if they suit your palate."

Lei En felt a sudden jolt in his heart.

The black dragon's voice also changed, becoming androgynous, its tone matching that of a noble lady.

"Cough..." Lei En cleared his throat to mask his embarrassment, pulled out a chair opposite the black dragon and sat down, but did not touch the food, and bluntly asked, "Yi Geng, what are you up to?"

"Please don't overthink it; I just wish to have a heart‑to‑hand talk with you," the black dragon smiled, and though still bearing a man's face, somehow there was a thrilling sense about it.

"What the hell!"

Lei En muttered inwardly, this scene he had truly never seen—could a man be so flamboyant? He internally scoffed, yet his face remained unchanged: "If you have something to say, speak plainly."

He now understood that the black dragon, having become the ethereal griffon and slowed its flight, was actually creating time to be alone with himself.

Yi Geng poured a cup of red tea, lifted it to his lips with his ring finger, took a gentle sip, then said, "Lord Count, Ai Mi Li Si, to persuade you to help her restore her nation and retake Kangjiatuo's throne, must have paid a great price, right? May I ask what plans are currently in place?"

Lei En couldn't help but size up the black dragon.

His tone and demeanor were nothing like a dragon's; the matters he considered far exceeded those of Galadros and Sindara, making him seem more like a true human.

No wonder she has been a Countess in Brantania for more than twenty years.

Lei En felt it necessary to give this black dragon a knock, and said gravely: "Conquering Kangjiatuo is Ai Mi Li Si's dream, and also Weizelan's Fu Kong Cheng's grand plan. You only need to obey orders, do not casually inquire about our plans, and certainly do not indulge your own schemes. If you delay matters, then don't blame me for showing no mercy."

Yi Geng's teacup trembled in his hand, splashing a few drops of black tea, and he exclaimed in surprise: "Weizelan Fu Kong Cheng!"

He originally thought Ai Mi Li Si had only persuaded Lei En alone, but did not expect Weizelan Fu Kong Cheng to get involved as well. As one of the Empire's three major powers, Weizelan Fu Kong Cheng carries great weight, greatly increasing Ai Mi Li Si's chances of reclaiming the throne.

Yi Geng hurriedly lowered his head and said, "Lord, I was only curious, I have no other thoughts."

"Then that's fine," Lei En said lightly.

With his Soul Eye blocked, he could not tell whether the black dragon was speaking, but he was not particularly worried; the black dragon was a sensible creature, understanding the balance of interests, and presumably would not dare to cause trouble for Weizelan.

Silence fell in the treehouse, broken only by Yi Geng's sounds of sipping tea and nibbling snacks.

Lei En did not eat his food; he took a few pieces of rations from his own ring and ate them casually, simply filling his stomach.

Both being men, his manner of eating and his food formed a stark contrast to Yi Geng's.

During the recovery of his strength, Yi Geng's eyes shifted, and he suddenly asked, "Lord Count, what do you think of my shapeshifting ability?"

"Very skillful, more impressive than anyone I have ever seen," Lei En evaluated candidly.

That was the truth; he knows little about shapeshifting arts. Weizelan also has several "Hundred‑Form Wizards" of the Imperial Soul School, one of whom is a legend, yet their shapeshifting abilities are far inferior to Yi Geng's by more than eight streets.

A black dragon moonlighting as a druid, having honed shapeshifting to this level, is truly a miracle.

Yi Geng was very pleased to hear Lei En say that.

He said with a mysterious expression, "Lord, I will tell you a secret; please keep it confidential, even Princess Ai Mi Li Si must not know." Before Lei En could refuse, he revealed the secret, "Actually, I am not a druid."

Lei En had not intended to learn any secret, but upon hearing it, he was surprised and asked:

"You are not a druid; how do you achieve shapeshifting?"

"I rely on a strange artifact."

Yi Geng opened his collar; on his slender neck hung a flexible branch like a necklace, from which dangled a palm‑sized wooden piece. The wooden piece was crudely crafted, bearing a simple pale‑green rune in the center, looking like a makeshift talisman.

However, Lei En sensed vast and mysterious power emanating from this wooden talisman.

It was the force of nature, pure and fresh.

Lei En inhaled lightly, as if immersed in a vibrant dream, the World Tree within his soul trembling faintly, an effect of the merging‑soul seed.

He instantly realized that the talisman was made from the core of the World Tree!

Combining Yi Geng's words, Lei En immediately recognized the origin of the strange artifact; he had seen information about it in a book detailing the great druids of history.

He searched on his phone and instantly got results; several pictures matched the talisman exactly, and he couldn't help but blurt out:

"Sai Lan Na's Soul‑Entwining Talisman!"

This talisman is a Legend Grade treasure!

(End of chapter)