After Becoming an Evil Dragon, I Was Entangled by the Saintess - Chapter 1

After selling the demonic beast she had casually slain in the forest, Yulxi turned and entered the Gold and Silver Tavern in Red Leaf Province.

Just as Red Leaf Province lay on the fringes of the Montan Empire on the Feildon Continent, the Gold and Silver Tavern stood in a corner of Klein City within the province. Borderlands have always been places where humans and non-humans coexist, where chaos and opportunity intertwine. The nearby Mangshui Forest, teeming with magical creatures, drew adventurers of all professions to this remote region. Naturally, the Gold and Silver Tavern became a favorite haunt for adventurers and mercenaries alike.

Despite the general chaos in Red Leaf Province, the Gold and Silver Tavern maintained a semblance of order. Drunken brawls were rare, not because the adventurers were docile, but because the tavern’s owner was no ordinary being.

The owner, Kasha, was a cat-folk. Originally a pet of a reclusive demigod mage, she inherited all his wealth after his self-inflicted demise, managing to squeeze herself into the ranks of the extraordinary. While an ordinary cat-folk practitioner might not inspire fear, Kasha was far from ordinary. Her current professional rank was sixth-tier—Legendary.

Above Legendary lay only the realm of demigods.

The Fei’er Continent struggled to contain such immense power.

The Legendary Wizard Cat, Kasha, could stir up storms across the continent, yet she refused to join any faction, choosing instead to open a tavern in the Borderlands.

She was always lenient with adventurers, occasionally gifting them spellbooks or potions when in a good mood. But owing her money was an unforgivable sin.

Thus, adventurers visiting the Gold and Silver Tavern always carried enough gold coins or Magic Crystals, for Kasha strictly forbade credit.

Yulxi had no Magic Crystals, and her gold coins were only enough to buy ten cups of the tavern’s famous Fire Wine.

After ordering a drink, she quietly sat in a corner, listening to the adventurers’ conversations.

But the quiet didn’t last long.

A graceful black cat leaped onto the table, straightened up, and met Yulxi’s gaze. “What brings you here, meow?” Kasha asked curiously.

She recognized Yulxi. With her Legendary Wizard’s perception, she could see through Yulxi’s disguise—a teenage Black Dragon currently being discussed by the adventurers.

Yulxi replied tersely, “Drinking.”

Kasha flicked her tail, finding the answer utterly uninteresting. In her long years serving mages, she had encountered other dragons—Metallic Dragons and Five-Colored Dragons alike—but none were quite like Yulxi.

It must be a mutation, Kasha thought with unwavering certainty.

She didn’t linger with Yulxi for long, instead leaping gracefully to a young adventurer, eager to be pampered with skillful hands.

The Gold and Silver Tavern was teeming with cats, making it difficult for most to distinguish the owner. Kasha often mingled among the ordinary felines, letting herself be flipped onto her back for belly rubs, showing none of the aloofness one might expect from a Legendary Wizard.

Yulxi glanced at her briefly before turning away.

She was indeed a Black Dragon now, but that hadn’t always been the case.

Before her transformation, she had been a dragon maiden of the Yinglong lineage, secluded within the Primordial Realm Heavenly Court. During her travels, she stumbled upon a strange rift. Driven by curiosity and caution toward the unknown, she approached the fissure and found herself transported to this peculiar region known as the Fei’er Continent.

Of course, she had initially arrived as an egg.

Upon hatching, she inherited the legacy of the continent’s Dragon Clan. Under the Black Dragon mother’s imposing gaze, she recited her long, true name. Only two eggs had been in the nest. Her sister—if they could even be called that—failed to inherit the legacy, becoming a clumsy Dragon Beast. Dragons without this inheritance are deemed unworthy, and the Black Dragon mother ruthlessly cast the creature out.

As for her, she hadn’t received much maternal care either.

The dragons of this realm differed greatly from those of the Primordial Realm, their emotions being remarkably faint. Bl00d ties were hardly worth mentioning. When Yulxi turned sixteen, marking her transition into adolescence, her Black Dragon mother ruthlessly expelled her from the Nest Cave.

Yulxi harbored no resentment. She had long grown weary of the Nest Cave, where she had spent over a decade, and had yearned to leave.

Unlike the benevolent Metallic Dragons, the Five-Colored Dragons were practically synonymous with evil and villainy, the Black Dragons being a prime example. They were volatile and quick-tempered, preferring to lurk in swamps.

Yulxi detested such dark, damp environments.

Great Dragons were terrifying creatures, yet before adulthood, they didn’t inspire immediate panic. Their immense value made them prime targets for adventurers. According to human classification, adolescent dragons roughly equated to Second-Tier Practitioners. Of course, such categorization was overly simplistic and crude. While somewhat accurate for immature dragons, the Third-Tier and Fourth-Tier distinctions became meaningless once a dragon reached adulthood.

However, there were exceptions among adolescent dragons.

Yulxi, for instance.

The tavern buzzed with activity. Some adventurers boasted of their exploits in the Mangshui Forest, while others recounted legends of dragon hunting.

Dragons were a constant topic of conversation, immortalized in ballads sung across the continent. But the fervent discussion at the Gold and Silver Tavern wasn’t solely due to wandering bards.

Just recently, Earl Unos, lord of Red Leaf Province, had posted a notice offering a substantial reward to any adventurer who could slay the Black Dragon lurking in the Mangshui Forest.

Setting aside the generous bounty, which adventurer wouldn’t dream of hunting a dragon? Who wouldn’t covet the title “Dragon Slayer”? With luck, one might even secure a noble title within the Montan Empire.

The Black Dragon haunting the Mangshui Forest was none other than Yulxi.

At that moment, Yulxi watched the adventurers’ bombastic pronouncements with cold indifference, her heart unmoved.

“According to reliable sources, that Black Dragon is only about twenty-six years old—barely out of adolescence.”

“As everyone knows, Black Dragons are among the least intelligent of the Great Dragons. Whether in intellect or raw power, they rank at the bottom of the infamous Five-Colored Dragons, surpassed only by the White Dragons, who are practically imbeciles. Even if a dragon of that age learned magic in its sleep, it would be rudimentary at best—likely just Dark Arts.”

“Oh, and it has no companions.”

The adventurers’ summary painted a picture of a “young, solitary, and unintelligent Dragon,” as if anyone could simply walk up and land a blow.

Yulxi frowned, feeling a surge of displeasure at these slanderous remarks.

But the adventurers’ boisterous chatter abruptly ceased.

A young woman entered the Gold and Silver Tavern, like an elf who had wandered in by mistake. Her long, golden curls framed a pair of striking violet eyes. Her white mage’s robe, both sacred and elegant, resembled moonlight shimmering through a forest. Her radiant smile exuded warmth, and a single glance from her seemed to cleanse the soul.

Someone like her should be invited back to the Holy See as a Holy Maiden, the tavern patrons thought in unison.

Though some held the Church of Light in contempt, they swallowed their crude remarks.

Someone so pure shouldn’t be in a place like the Gold and Silver Tavern.

All eyes followed her as she moved with a light, brisk step toward the black-haired woman in the corner.

Huh? When did someone appear there?

Yulxi felt no interest in the radiant young woman. She glanced up only because this was their second encounter.

As for the first encounter, it happened before she came to the tavern.

The demonic beast she had sold was somehow connected to the girl.

While passing through Mangshui Forest, Yulxi spotted the girl standing by the swamp and casually slaughtered the beast.

However, she soon realized her actions had been unnecessary.

She possessed the innate skill “True Dragon’s Eye,” brought from the Primordial Realm. Anyone she gazed upon would have their corresponding data appear before her.

Yet when she looked at the seemingly harmless and pure girl, the panel displayed only a misty blur.

“Hello,” the girl greeted Yulxi with a nod, gracefully settling into the seat beside her.

Yulxi glanced at her but had little desire to engage in conversation. She casually sipped her drink, savoring the fiery sensation that danced on her tongue.

The girl’s smile didn’t falter despite Yulxi’s coldness. After ordering a glass of Fire Wine, she took a leisurely sip and smiled. “Great, benevolent, and mighty black… black-haired lady, I’ve come to express my gratitude. Thank you for saving me before.” At this, her brow furrowed slightly as she awkwardly introduced herself. “My name is Veranse.”

Yulxi, who had no desire to interact with others, should have gotten up and left immediately. However, after her gaze swept across Veranse’s sincere face, she felt compelled to act with proper etiquette. “Yulxi,” she replied.

“Yulxi?” Veranse tilted her head, softly repeating the name with a devout expression, as if chanting a sacred hymn. But her next words somewhat shattered her radiant, saintly image. “Dear Lady Yulxi,” she continued, “could you do me a small favor and settle the tab?”

Yulxi: “……” Veranse was likely entitled to a share of the profits from the sold demonic beasts—perhaps they were her prey. Dressed in a mage’s robe, she must be a mage, though Yulxi couldn’t determine her practitioner tier. Her thoughts raced, her expression remained cold as she nodded and paid Veranse’s tab.

As Yulxi turned to leave, a playful smile flickered in Veranse’s eyes.

She gazed intently at Yulxi, as if she had discovered something novel, a sudden surge of intense interest erupting within her.

Her bearing didn’t conform to noble etiquette, but an ethereal, inescapable radiance enveloped her, lending a fluid grace to every movement.

If there were any impropriety, it was the fault of the rigid rules, not her lack of decorum.

“A Black Dragon has appeared in the Red Maple Territory. Are you aware of this?” Veranse asked casually.

Yulxi raised an eyebrow slightly. “You’re interested in dragon hunting too?”

Veranse rested her cheek on her hand, observing Yulxi’s expression as she drawled, “Dragons are greedy creatures, hoarding vast treasures. Their hides are tough, ideal for crafting leather armor and shields. Dragon bl00d can awaken dormant powers, and their scales—”

Before she could finish, an excited voice interrupted.

“You’re adventurers looking to hunt dragons too? Want to join our dragon hunting party?”

Yulxi followed the voice to two unfamiliar faces.