After Becoming an Evil Dragon, I Was Entangled by the Saintess - Chapter 27

Yulxi calmly entered Mount Oms.

Gray shadows lingered throughout the mountain, and she occasionally encountered wandering monsters. Their aura was identical to that of the Gray Demons she had faced earlier. Clearing her path as she advanced, Yulxi eventually reached the Beastman camp established near the mineral vein.

Although the Beastmen’s Western Continent lay on the opposite side of the mountain, those who had seized the mineral vein grew increasingly brazen after realizing the Red Maple Territory couldn’t challenge them. They openly constructed a camp and began mining refined iron here. The camp was littered with Beastman corpses. The bodies of the Transcendents among them remained unrotted, lying face-up with their hands clutched at their throats, terror frozen on their faces.

Yulxi approached the largest wooden hut, which appeared to be the Orc Priest’s quarters. The interior was cluttered with various items: distillation flasks, retorts, furnaces, stands, tongs, and tubing. Shelves lined the walls, filled with bizarre boxes labeled with the plants used in potion-making. Several tables and chairs stood in the room, books scattered across the tabletops. Yulxi flipped through them, discovering spellbooks and ledgers.

The Beastmen had occupied Mount Oms for years, extracting considerable resources from its depths.

Yulxi frowned as she found a bookmark in the spellbook—a diary left behind by the Orc Priest. Within its pages, she finally uncovered the source of everything. The Beastmen of the Western Continent were a loose alliance of independent tribes. The Jackal Tribe, known for their ferocity and poverty on the grasslands, had seized Mount Oms. Their improved living standards, thanks to the mountain’s mineral wealth, naturally aroused the envy of other tribes. A rival tribe had already waged war against the Jackal Tribe on the mountain’s slopes. In the end, the Jackal Tribe, armed with superior equipment and weapons, narrowly emerged victorious.

The defeated warriors were brought to the mines beneath Mount Oms as slaves, but they showed no signs of submission. One of them, who had walked the path of a mage—though not by orthodox means—secretly left a strange symbol on the mountain. His life force was instantly drained, and the Gray Demon materialized within the mountain.

The Beastman Tribes had heard of the Creationist Society and the Evil God. The High Priest of the Jackal Tribe forbade the Gray Demon from appearing on Mount Oms and vowed to eradicate it. The diary described the old priest confronting the Gray Demon. However, Yulxi had already learned the truth from the Beastman camp: the Orc Priest had been defeated, the Gray Demon hadn’t vanished, and it continued to corrupt the demonic beasts from its hiding place within Mount Oms.

So, where is the Gray Demon hiding now?

With the Beastman Tribes gone, the fine gold mine on Mount Oms had reverted to unclaimed territory. But as long as the Gray Demon remained, mining operations were impossible. This monster was the Evil God’s emissary on Earth, and its gaze was unbearable for ordinary mortals.

Yulxi stepped out of the hut. The monsters outside, likely drawn by the scent of living flesh, were already approaching. With a cold expression, Yulxi dispatched them and incinerated the corpses—both Beastman and monster—with a burst of fire. Without another glance at the camp or any attempt to find the Gray Demon, she began climbing Mount Oms, ascending to its highest peak. The terrain here was rugged, with sheer cliffs carved as if by a giant’s blade. The air was frigid, and a misty haze drifted through the desolate landscape, amplifying the sense of desolation.

From her vantage point high on the mountain, Yulxi gazed across at the distant grasslands.

The two sides were connected, meaning the Gray Demon could be roaming the mountains or have already entered the Western Continent.

She saw no signs of Beastman habitation on the other side.

Have they left?

Yulxi’s thoughts stirred slightly.

By the time she descended the mountain, dusk was approaching.

The weather had changed. A fine drizzle fell, and thick fog spread in all directions, accompanied by strange, guttural croaking sounds.

Yulxi returned to Sharpwhite Town.

Before the monster tide arrived, only a few militia members patrolled the town’s perimeter.

The militiamen carried alchemical devices for long-range observation and lit their way with perpetual magic lamps.

Recognizing Yulxi, they bowed deeply. “Lord Yulshi.” They immediately escorted her to Keira’s residence.

“Lord Keira has guests from Klein City,” a militiaman whispered to Yulxi. “They seem to be important figures.”

Yulxi raised an eyebrow.

Important figures? Could it be Ilti and the others?

Keira’s residence was located near the town’s defensive line, allowing her to quickly reach the front lines and clear out monsters during attacks. The house was lit, casting shadows through the windows. After the militiaman knocked and murmured a few words, Keira swiftly emerged. Behind her stood three familiar faces—faces Yulxi knew all too well.

“Lord Yulshi!” Keira’s face lit up with joy as she saw Yulxi return safely. She had been anxiously awaiting her, fearing the brave adventurer might have perished in Mount Oms. Now, seeing Yulxi’s refined features, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The stone house was spacious, with wall lamps casting dancing shadows across the walls, dispelling the darkness and illuminating every corner. The furnishings were simple: four high-backed chairs stood facing the entrance.

“Lord Keira,” Yulxi greeted Keira with a nod, then glanced at Ilti and the others.

Veranse smiled warmly, while Flah whistled softly, remaining silent.

Ilti stepped forward and said, “We were just worried about you.”

Yulxi gave a curt nod. She then focused her gaze on Keira, noting the absence of any unusual expression on her face. This confirmed that Ilti had already spoken with Keira during Yulxi’s time in Mount Oms, and Keira likely now knew her true origins.

Though Keira had allowed Ilti and her companions to stay as guests, her demeanor remained aloof. Only when her eyes met Yulxi’s did a hint of warmth flicker across her face. “By the War God, you’re unharmed.”

A faint smile touched Yulxi’s lips. “My faith allows me to traverse these mountains unharmed,” she said. Her thoughts lingered on Keira’s abilities and the Pioneering Sword. Within the Red Maple Territory, besides Mount Oms, the Mangshui Forest also offered opportunities for expansion. After a pause, Yulxi added, “The Beastman Tribe in Mount Oms no longer exists.” She produced the Orc Priest’s handbook.

Keira murmured, “So it’s true.” With those monsters roaming the mountains, how could the Beastmen possibly cultivate the land safely? Initially, she had suspected the Beastmen themselves were behind the disturbances, but when she discovered that some of the wandering creatures were corrupted Beastmen, she dismissed the idea. An uncontrollable mutation had swept through Mount Oms, forcing the Beastman Tribe to either perish or retreat, even if not completely annihilated.

“What about the corruption?” Ilti asked.

As the nominal “Lord,” she had a responsibility to understand everything happening in Sharpwhite Town.

Yulxi’s voice deepened. “The Creationist Society. Someone sacrificed their life to summon a Gray Demon into the mountains. The Orc Priest failed to contain it. The Beastmen either died fighting or were corrupted into demonic beasts like the other creatures in the mountains.”

Ilti’s eyelid twitched, her face contorting in horror. If the Gray Demon had entered the Red Maple Territory—

The Professionals among them could barely withstand it, but what about the commoners? A single glance at the Gray Demon would corrupt them into monsters!

Keira’s face paled instantly. She had heard of the Creationist Society but had never faced a Gray Demon herself. She knew its danger—the only way to deal with it was through a potion called “Holy Domain Purification” from the Church of Light. While there was a Church in the Red Maple Territory, its Priests were a bunch of useless drunkards. How could they possibly possess the potion to combat the Gray Demon?! “Do you mean the Gray Demon is still in Mount Oms?”

“Let’s hope it went to the Western Continent,” Flah said, pursing her lips. “After all, it was created by the Beastmen. It’d naturally seek them out, right?”

“Veranse,” Yulxi turned to Veranse. Even without the potion, as a Holy Maiden from the Holy See and a mage, she must know how to brew it.

“You’ve finally noticed me,” Veranse murmured, her gaze never leaving Yulxi’s face. Yet Yulxi’s eyes held no trace of her. Veranse had made studying Yulxi her paramount obsession, her entire world revolving around this single figure. Why couldn’t Yulxi reciprocate with equal attention? The thought burned in Veranse’s mind, though her expression remained flawlessly composed, radiating the serene grace and radiant aura of a Holy Maiden.

“Holy Domain Purification Potion,” Yulxi repeated.

Veranse replied, “While I possess some knowledge of alchemy and potion-making, ‘Holy Domain Purification’ is a potion unique to the Light Church. Where do you expect me to obtain it?” After a pause, a mocking smile flickered across her lips. “Don’t you have your own methods for slaying Gray Demons?”

Yulxi frowned. “Extra rations,” she said.

She could indeed kill Gray Demons, but was she supposed to chase them down wherever they appeared? The people of Sharpwhite Town, who were determined to defend their home, must have their own means of combating the monsters. Until a new potion was developed, “Holy Domain Purification” remained the only viable option. Though Veranse’s true nature was malicious, even she could be tempted by the promise of food.

Veranse let out a soft “hmm,” nearly agreeing on the spot.

But even more important than extra rations was something else.

“I want to live with you.”

Ilti and Flah stared at Veranse as if she were a ghost.

Keira’s gaze was blank.

What is she doing?

“Veranse!” Yulshi’s voice carried a sharp edge.

Veranse smiled sweetly. “I’ve memorized so many spells and potions, I need time to recall them. Lord Yulshi, you’ll surely grant me this time, won’t you?”

Ignoring the strange tension between Veranse and Yulshi, Keira considered the matter. “I have a mage friend who might be able to obtain the Holy Domain Purification Potion. But she’s not in Red Maple Territory, so sending messages back and forth will take considerable time. If the Gray Demon attacks Sharpwhite Town during that period—”

Since there was another option, Yulshi abandoned trying to manipulate Veranse. She could still spare time to defend against the Gray Demon in the short term. “I’ll keep watch during this time—”

“I remember the Holy Domain Purification Potion’s formula,” Veranse interrupted Yulshi with a smile.

The Magic Plants and minerals required for the Holy Domain Purification Potion weren’t rare. After all, it was meant to combat the Gray Demon; if the ingredients were priceless, the potion would be useless. However, because the materials were cheap, the formula’s complexity and difficulty to master were exponentially higher. Without precise control over the ingredients’ properties, failure was the only possible outcome.

Moreover, the Holy See, in its pursuit of spreading its faith and establishing its authority, would never release the potion formula. Only Priests qualified to obtain the formula, and even then, only those serving in authoritative Churches in the Royal Capital or prosperous cities were eligible. In a backwater like Red Maple Territory, no one cared. The previous High Priest hadn’t known it, and the current High Priest, a junior Priest whom Veranse had forcibly promoted, had even less chance of learning it.

Keira didn’t press Veranse about where she had obtained the formula. Everyone had their secrets, and probing too deeply would only cause trouble. She glanced thoughtfully at Yulxi before withdrawing her gaze. She turned to Veranse and Ilti, a genuine smile spreading across her face. “With this potion, we need not fear the Gray Demons emerging from the deep mountains.”

“I will honor my promise and dispatch Knights to guard the defensive lines!” Ilti declared solemnly. Seeing Keira’s smile fade, she added, “The Knights are now paid for their service. It’s their duty, and Sharpwhite Town won’t have to pay anything.” Previously, the Knights had served the Lord entirely voluntarily, as a matter of “honor.” Unlike mercenaries, they received no wages, relying entirely on their own resourcefulness for survival. Those unwilling to become Knights had to pay a Shield Tax, though few actually did.

The Red Maple Territory that Ilti inherited was in a dilapidated state. The elite troops, long employed by the Lord’s Manor, had perished like her elder brother, returning to the earth. As for the knights… well, when news of a Black Dragon’s attack spread, a significant portion of them fled in disarray. The current Order of Knights was hired by Ilti, but in reality, they were a motley crew mixed with guards, militia, and mercenaries, a chaotic mess where distinctions had long blurred. Ilti couldn’t be bothered to sort it out; she’d deal with it when the need arose.

Keira harbored deep doubts about the Red Maple Territory’s Order of Knights’ combat effectiveness, but something was better than nothing. If any knight dared to threaten Sharpwhite Town, she wouldn’t hesitate to retaliate. Keira’s gaze turned icy.

Sensing a flicker of murderous intent, Ilti shrank back, her expression innocent.

After finalizing arrangements for Sharpwhite Town, Yulxi returned to Klein City. Her Thorn Manor had just been demolished and needed rebuilding, so she temporarily resided at Ilti’s estate. Veranse accompanied her, offering a grand excuse: she needed to use Ilti’s magical laboratory to refine the Holy Domain Purification Potion.

The Holy See guarded the potion’s formula closely, selling only the finished product. Veranse, however, showed no such reservations. She generously shared the formula, hoping Ilti and Flah would learn it. Despite their Magical Talent, the two struggled to grasp potion-making. After several test tubes exploded, they would look at Veranse with pitiful, soot-smeared faces.

Veranse: “……” Even the Holy Maiden, who always maintained perfect composure in public, couldn’t hide her visible coldness at Ilti and Flah’s ineptitude.

Three days of utter failure! Mage scum! Elf disgrace!

As Veranse brewed potions, Yulxi observed. The Dragon’s Legacy contained knowledge of magical potion-making, but Great Dragons rarely consumed such concoctions. Naturally, the Holy Domain Purification Potion, exclusive to the Holy See, was absent from their traditions. The formula included a series of intricate magical incantations that manipulated magical energy to enhance the potion’s elemental properties—steps crucial to its quality. The process bore a striking resemblance to alchemy in the Primordial Realm.

“Are there any apothecaries in Klein City?” Yulxi asked Ilti, rescuing her from her potion-making ordeal.

Yulxi feared Veranse might reveal her true nature and stage a “Dark Sacrifice” ritual against Ilti and Flah.

Ilti honestly replied, “Almost none.”

Veranse, uninterested in the bottles and jars, flashed a smile and quickly explained, “Adventurers heading to Mangshui Forest wouldn’t expect to find life-saving potions in Red Maple Territory. There used to be a potion shop under the Mage Guild, but the few mages here lost interest, opening it for a few days only to close it again. After learning the guild’s shops would be taxed, they shut down completely. Those with connections either commission potions directly from mages or try their luck at the Gold and Silver Tavern—Lady Kasha can brew some simple potions, after all.”

Though Veranse spoke the truth, Ilti felt a pang of embarrassment.

For some reason, she felt a sudden chill and instinctively leaned closer to Flah. Flah, in turn, grabbed Ilti’s mage robe sleeve and used it like a towel to wipe the grime from her face.

A vein twitched on Ilti’s forehead.

“After the Mage Guild closed its shops entirely, a new Magic Potion Shop opened in Klein City,” Veranse added.

“Really?” Ilti paused, genuinely impressed. “You know the Red Maple Territory inside and out.”

Maybe I should just let Veranse be the Lord while I wander the world as an adventurer.

Veranse smiled. “It’s my duty.” She still held the title of Deputy Lord of the Red Maple Territory. Of course, none of this was for the territory’s sake. She understood the world only to bring it before Yulxi, watching as the Black Dragon Lord shaped new legends, piece by piece. The gods had abandoned humanity; no one would be saved. What would this unique Black Dragon bring to the Fei’er Continent? Hope or destruction? Reason or madness?

Noticing Yulxi’s gaze, Veranse felt satisfied. She continued, “Lord Ilti, you must have heard of the shop’s owner.”

“Who?” Ilti asked.

Veranse smiled faintly. “Succubus Samir. She’s the succubus rescued from the Sain Auction House. Like the elves, they’re stubbornly unwilling to worship at the Dragon God Temple. The elves took to the battlefield to avenge themselves against Viscount Byron, while the succubi—thanks to your compassion—neither bowed to the Dragon God nor joined the war.”

Ilti’s face flushed crimson.

Flah eyed Ilti suspiciously. “How come I didn’t know about this?” She and Ilti were practically inseparable, sharing everything. Yet now Ilti was keeping secrets from her! Could Ilti have been charmed by the Succubus? Flah’s pointed ears twitched, her face a comical patchwork of dark and pale patches as her expressions shifted rapidly.

Yulxi fixed Ilti with a sharp gaze.

Ilti explained, “I just felt sorry for them! Samir looks no older than fifteen or sixteen, and she has a frail, pitiful younger sister to care for. Sending them to the battlefield would be a death sentence. As for the Dragon God Temple, Samir said she wasn’t unwilling to repay her debt, but she felt her heart wasn’t pure enough. Going to the temple would only defile Lord Black Dragon’s kindness. She and her sister will stay in Red Maple Territory until they’ve repaid their debt.”

Flah: “……”

“A Magic Potion Shop? If she can brew potions, she must have some magical talent,” Yulxi mused. “Invite them here. Let’s see if they can learn Holy Domain Purification.”

Ilti nodded.

Flah’s face lit up with mischievous glee. “If the Holy See’s dignitaries found out a Succubus—considered a heretic—had mastered Holy Domain Purification, they’d be furious!”

Sisters’ Potion Shop was built on the ruins of the Sain Auction House.

The charred remnants of walls, struck by lightning and fire, still stood, leaving only a narrow path wide enough for two people to walk through.

At that moment, Succubus Samir was not home. Clutching her sickly sister, Little Cecil, she rushed to the Church in Red Maple Territory to seek the High Priest, hoping he could use Divine Art to heal her ailing sister.

As a Succubus, Samir was considered a Heretic. She usually avoided Priests, but desperation had overridden her caution.

The strangeness of Red Maple Territory also contributed to her confusion. The Black Dragon Lord, the Dragon God Temple, the city’s reconstruction, the sanitation edicts… each new revelation left her astonished and bewildered.

“Lord, please save my sister,” Samir pleaded. The High Priest was the head of the provincial Church, and in Samir’s mind, he was the most powerful Priest in the territory. If he agreed to use Divine Art, he could surely pull her sister back from the brink of death.

Charlotte met Samir’s tear-filled, sorrowful gaze and felt a pang of shame.

Though she held the title of High Priest, she was only a First-Tier Priest. Her skills were limited to treating broken legs in livestock.

“I’m so sorry, I can’t help you,” Charlotte said, avoiding Samir’s gaze, afraid she would be overwhelmed by the sorrow in her eyes. After a moment’s hesitation, she added, “Perhaps you could try praying at the Dragon God Temple?”

Charlotte felt a pang of guilt as she spoke. Her faith wasn’t particularly strong, which was why her Divine Art skills remained mediocre even after becoming a Priest. Her Healing Art, in particular, paled in comparison to that of more devout practitioners of the same rank.

Samir froze, then her eyes blazed with sudden hope, as if grasping at a lifeline. “Can He save my sister?!”

“I can’t guarantee it,” Charlotte replied. In truth, some commoners had been visiting the Dragon God Temple recently, not to seek blessings for themselves, but to ward off evil spirits.

Samir’s body stiffened, a surge of desperate resolve rising within her.

She worshipped no particular Deity. During her years of wandering, she had invoked the names of any God that suited her needs. She had never set foot in a Church or Temple, fearing she would be branded a heretic for trespassing on sacred ground.

This was the first time she had even heard of the Dragon God Temple, let alone considered offering gratitude and worship for her freedom, as the lizardfolk did.

Yet now, the High Priest of the Church himself was suggesting she go there.

Could the Dragon God Temple truly possess such immense power that even the priests of the God of Light were humbled?

If it could pull her sister back from the brink of death, she would embrace the Dragon God and become his devoted follower.

She would dedicate her entire life to serving the great Lord Dragon God!

Samir sprinted through the streets, clutching her sister in her arms.

Gods above, this Unbeliever Samir bows her head!

When Ilti’s dispatched agents arrived at the Sisters’ Potion Shop, they found no one there.

The Succubus rarely ventured out, never spoke to her neighbors, and even the Lord’s Manor staff couldn’t glean any information. They returned empty-handed, their spirits crushed.

Within the Lord’s Manor, Yulxi meditated in his chamber.

Suddenly, he let out a soft “Hmm.”

The Dragon God’s Faith Network had been stirred.

Yet this was no mere echo of the Dragon God Faith intercepted from the Fei’er Continent; it was a direct, focused connection to him.

The strength of this faith surpassed even that of his Kobold familiars.

Yulxi turned his gaze toward that distant star, hearing the Succubus’s fervent plea:

“Gods, please save my sister!”

After a moment, he rose to his feet.

Just then, Ilti arrived to report the Succubus’s absence.

Yulxi replied calmly, “She’s at the Dragon God Temple. Bring them here.”