Goat-Horned Earth Dragon
“Your goal is to become a Grand Knight! The distant stars are your goal!”
Leylin’s voice was filled with emotion, causing Baelin’s blood to heat up.
“Though your Knight training method came from me and is said to be the best of the best even by the standards of Grand Knights, you lack something important that the strong possess!”
“The strong? Something important?” Confusion appeared on Baelin’s face.
“Exactly! That is real bloody battles and confidence. The Knights who lacked the training methods you have developed their unrivalled confidence through constant bloody battles, smoothly stimulating their life energy and becoming Knights! You lack this process…”
“Hence, you need to take on an even more difficult task to stimulate your potential!”
Leylin’s expression looked like he was trying to tell Baelin it was all for his own good. “How about it? Can you see what I’m doing for you?”
“Though I don’t understand, it seems cool!” Baelin clenched his fists, “I’ll work hard, my lord!”
Next, this little fool who had been duped by Leylin began to truly prepare to leave the following day.
Seeing him in a frenzy of preparation, Leylin shook his head as he gave a gentle smile.
“Youths really forget things quickly. He was duped so easily…”
However, to make use of Jenny, this noblewoman, to enter the capital, Leylin didn’t mind helping them.
“Your sword...” Leylin took Baelin’s steel sword, which he had been holding. Having gone through numerous forging, it still held a cold glint, but a chip the size of an ant had appeared on the blade.
This kind of nick could only be formed from countless strikes made by a Knight using his full power. It was evident that Baelin had met with more dangers in the Woody Wastelands than just those Explosive Flaming Wolves.
“What’s wrong, my lord?” Baelin’s expression displayed his puzzlement.
“This sword is too old and not suitable for your expedition. I’ll give you a new one!” The corner of his lips lifted in a smile.
“Thank you! Thank you so much, my lord!” Baelin was so excited that he was almost incoherent in his gratitude.
After this battle, he finally discovered how difficult it was to groom a knight. On one hand, there was the secrecy of the breathing techniques, and on the other hand, there were the immense expenses in training and obtaining equipment.
Equipment forged by experts had a value of over 100 Gold. However, after explosively using his life essence a few times, a chip had appeared.
Wouldn’t regular weapons have simply snapped?
Knights grew through battles, and he wondered how many of these weapons would have to be used for this growth.
Baelin had originally intended to repair this sword and continue to use it. After all, he was used to living in poverty and couldn’t bear to waste resources. However, Leylin had simply given him another one!
“Don’t worry, I’ll send the bill to Ms. Jenny.”
However, Leylin’s next words caused Baelin’s grateful heart to burst into smithereens, “She’s the daughter of the Marquis and probably has more gold than their family will ever need. It doesn’t matter if they pay a little, right?”
Leylin tossed a new sword to Baelin.
“Aw, my lord! Can’t you let me continue to feel touched by your actions for a while longer?”
Baelin lamented, though his hands were not the least bit dissatisfied as he caught the sword.
*Clang!* Baelin gently caressed the sword, the blue edge of the blade having detailed, complicated patterns, and a cold air was emitted from it.
Based on his intuition after working here for so many years, Baelin could tell this was absolutely one of the best steel swords in the shop.
What he didn’t notice was that before his lamenting, Leylin’s palm had stroked the blade of the sword and left behind a dull red imprint.
This imprint had been carved into the sword itself and disappeared, and Baelin had not noticed at all.
……
Jenny’s team had rested and reorganized themselves in Potter Town and set off.
Though most of the adventurers and mercenaries who had followed her the last time had died or been injured, there was no lack of people who were so poor that they wanted to take the risk and strike it rich.
Jenny had simply given out a large amount of gold and gathered enough people. Of course, their strength was nothing much.
She had little choice. In Twilight Zone, the Goat-Horned Earth Dragon was a very rarely seen high-energy being. Only recently had people found traces of it in the Woody Wasteland.
If she let this opportunity go, she had no idea when she would get another chance to come across it.
Even if Jenny could wait, Marquis Argus — who was being tormented by poison — could not wait that long!
“Baelin, we’re depending on you!” There was another person in the group, and it was Baelin in his new armour. He had repaired it through the night, and he was somewhat able to continue using it. On his back was the sword that Leylin had messed with, giving him a very brave and formidable aura, and even caused some girls in the town to throw him coquettish glances.
Now, however, with just a word from Jenny, Baelin was elated.
Feeling the reverence of the adventurers around him, as well as the ardent pleas from the noble girl, Baelin felt like he had downed several bottles of strong alcohol, and was beginning to feel giddy.
“I never imagined I, Baelin, would have such an impressive moment!” Baelin nodded as he glanced at Jenny, admiration apparent in his gaze, “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely obtain the Dragon-Blooded Flower Bud!”
“Sigh, that pitiful fellow!”
Seeing Baelin so crazy over his young miss, James, who was standing to one side, couldn’t help but sigh under his breath.
So what if he was a Grand Knight? With the might of the Argus Family, they could easily summon a dozen of them! The person they really cared about was Sir Leylin, the person backing Baelin!
In Twilight Zone, only the mysterious lord Magi were suitable for his young miss to bow her head to.
“In addition, our young miss is an acolyte! Though her level is low, not just any regular person can do it.”
James sighed even more deeply.
The aptitude to become a Magus was a very mysterious thing. However, after many years of research, Magi found that if one of the parents was a Magus, there was a high likelihood that their descendants would have an increased aptitude. If both were Magi, the chances of acolytes could even rise up to 33%!
In addition, within this group of acolytes, there was a higher chance of them having outstanding talent.
For this reason, unless there were exceptions, any females in noble families who had the aptitude to become a Magus were not allowed to marry outside of their family. Their only fate was to marry their close relatives and produce an heir who would have greater aptitude!
The Argus Family might be happy to have a female peasant with an aptitude to become a Magus marry into the family. However, they would absolutely not tolerate it if Magi in their family married outside, even if they were merely acolytes!
Of course, neither Baelin nor Jenny was thinking that far.
Even Baelin himself had automatically gotten serious after entering the Woody Wasteland, blindly hurrying in order to preserve energy.
He had grown up in Potter Town and naturally knew of the terrors here. Many areas that seemed to be safe ground might take the lives of any adventurer at any time.
He was Baelin, someone about to become a Grand Knight! How could he die here?
“There’s something in front!”
All of a sudden, the team in front cheered, and Baelin immediately braced himself, approaching them.
“We discovered this! Come take a look!”
Jenny had changed into garments suitable for hunting and now looked more capable and experienced. She was now pointing at a large footprint on the ground as if she had seen some treasure.
Baelin crouched down. In front of him was a footprint almost a metre long.
The owner had left a very deep footprint, with four claw marks sunk deeply into the ground.
“There are five joints in the middle toe, and the smell is correct. This is it! This was left behind by a Goat-Horned Earth Dragon!”
James had also approached them. After using some strange item in his hands to probe it, he spoke to Jenny with conviction.
“What are we waiting for?”
She had a smile on her face. Though her target was right in front of her, she did not impatiently forge ahead.
“We’ll find a place to set up camp for today! All scouts are to move out and follow the footprint, and you must find the lair of the Goat-Horned Earth Dragon!”
Jenny’s purpose in coming here was to obtain the Dragon-Blooded Flower Bud of the Goat-Horned Earth Dragon. This special plant only coexisted with the Goat-Horned Earth Dragon, and it was hence necessary that they find its lair.
“I shall reward anyone who can find the lair of the Goat-Horned Earth Dragon with a hundred gold coins!”
In order to find the Dragon-Blooded Flower Bud as soon as possible, Jenny did not mind giving out large rewards, and it immediately resulted in loud roars.
Many adventurers who were originally not scouts left as well, wanting to try their luck. If they received this reward, and if combined with their own savings, they could practically retire already.
“They…” Baelin had a look on his face that showed he couldn’t bear to watch these adventurers leave.
He was not an idiot. In contrast, he was rather intelligent and knew Jenny’s intention in doing that.
These adventurers lacked strength or any special abilities. Their only function was to act as cannon fodder and bait!
Now that they had entered the territory within which the Goat-Horned Earth Dragon was active, they would inevitably attract its action with all these adventurers running around.
They would be able to find the dragon as long as they followed the blood-curdling screams or blood.
“It can’t be helped, Baelin!” Jenny laughed bitterly, “I’ll make it up to their families later…”
When the sun descended, three people did not return.
Jenny was overjoyed as she chased in the direction that the three had moved in.
“Here!” Baelin picked up a rock on the floor, his expression complicated as he looked at the blood stains and some bits of cloth on that stone.