After Becoming an Evil Dragon, I Was Entangled by the Saintess - Chapter 31

Rina, ever diligent and dutiful, reported her observations to Orlandi without embellishment.

To help Your Highness the Princess secure her position, the Emerald Territory would court any potential allies.

However, the extent of their efforts depended on each territory’s strength.

The decision to bring four High-Grade Magic Cores this time wasn’t due to optimism about the Red Maple Territory’s prospects, but rather because the information they provided was invaluable—enough to tear a substantial chunk of flesh from the Second Prince. Yet upon arriving at the Red Maple Territory, everything Rina encountered defied her expectations.

She said gravely, “I fear Lady Kasha has already decided to support the Red Maple Territory.” A province guarded by a Legendary Wizard could not be taken lightly. Though insignificant compared to the Royal Capital, it was enough to deter those harboring malicious intentions. After all, only a Legendary could challenge another Legendary, and no Legendary would impulsively storm into the Red Maple Territory for a petty quarrel, would they?

“Lady Kasha?” Orlandi mused for a moment, then chuckled softly. “Her tavern alone couldn’t possibly sustain the construction of such a vast territory.”

“Huh?” Rina’s eyes widened. Recalling the legends of Great Dragons, she blurted out, “Could there be a Legendary Dragon involved?”

“If there were a Great Dragon, would the Red Maple Territory you see before you look like this?” Orlandi countered. Even benevolent dragons are obsessed with treasure; a dragon’s hoard is as sensitive as its reverse scale. Asking them to part with their wealth to build a city would be a pipe dream. She gazed at Rina through the crystal ball, smiled faintly, and said, “Since Viscount Byron was amassing wealth for the Second Prince, the treasures he possessed must be considerable.”

Rina’s eyes widened in realization.

The quickest way to accumulate wealth is through plunder, yet the commoners of Klein City didn’t appear to be heavily exploited. Moreover, squeezing resources from commoners alone wouldn’t yield significant gains. Robbing fellow nobles remained the most lucrative path to wealth, though such actions couldn’t be openly declared.

“Stolen wealth never lasts,” Orlandi murmured. “The previous Lord colluded with the Sain Auction House, relying on their financial support. But now that Miss Ilti has seized Viscount Byron’s assets in one decisive move and intends to abandon that path, she must find new industries for the Red Maple Territory. Is food her chosen path?”

As the adjutant to Princess Emerald, she was also of noble birth. No matter how Rina raved about the deliciousness of the food, she found it difficult to be impressed. If wealth were to fall into her hands, she wouldn’t use it to develop cities, as such ventures rarely yield immediate returns. Instead, she would use it to cultivate alliances with the lords of various provinces and ingratiate herself with the nobility.

Rina asked, “You don’t approve?”

“No,” Orlandi shook her head. “I haven’t walked that path myself, so I can’t say whether it’s good or bad. Nor does Your Highness require me to make such choices. Miss Ilti is a mage who has traveled widely for many years, making her naturally different from her father and brothers. However—”

“However what?” Rina pressed.

Orlandi continued, “Setting aside any clandestine dealings, the Red Maple Territory’s official revenue comes from taxes, the Mangshui Forest, and the fine gold mine on Mount Oms. But as far as I know, Mount Oms has already been seized by the Beastmen.”

One drawback of bordering the Western Continent was that while overall peace prevailed, small-scale raids by Beastman Tribes remained unchecked. If the Lord of Red Maple Territory couldn’t protect caravans after collecting taxes, the trade route would inevitably be abandoned. After all, the border between the Western Continent and the Empire wasn’t a single point but a long, winding line. In fact, Red Maple Territory had already lost ground, with Beastmen directly occupying parts of its territory.

Rina’s expression tightened slightly as she moved on to the second matter. “The Beastmen occupying the Fine Gold Mine have been driven out,” she said. “Both the Mage Guild and Steelheart have purchased significant quantities of fine gold from Sharpwhite Town.”

“Hmm?” Orlandi’s eyes flickered. Had Red Maple Territory acted so swiftly? She had assumed Ilti would be fully focused on Klein City’s reconstruction. Still, with a Legendary Wizard present, expelling the Beastman Tribes wouldn’t be too difficult.

“There’s one more thing,” Rina continued, pausing to choose her words carefully. “The Lord’s Manor has announced the discovery of the Heart of the Wilderness’s notes.”

“The Heart of the Wilderness?” Orlandi’s eyes widened. “One of humanity’s greatest Druids in history? Her notes are of immeasurable importance, preserved by the Imperial Family and the Druid Guild’s Way of Nature. How could they have ended up in Red Maple Territory?”

“Was it stolen?” Rina asked. She had little interest in Druids but knew some basic facts.

“Hard to say,” Orlandi replied, avoiding a definitive answer. After pondering for a moment, she suddenly smiled. “Whether the notes are genuine or not, it’s clear the Red Maple Territory lacks Druids.”

“Should we introduce them?” Rina asked again.

“Let’s wait,” Orlandi said, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. “Let’s see how far they can get on their own. If they truly need help, we’ll offer our assistance then.”

News of the “Heart of the Wilderness” in the Red Maple Territory spread, but for the time being, there was little reaction. Rumors take time to circulate, and aside from Druids and those seeking to profit from it, few cared about it.

“If many people come seeking the notes, how will we handle the bidding?” Ilti pondered, frowning.

Flah ruthlessly shattered her daydream. “Wake up, we don’t have the notes.”

“But an auction house is still necessary,” Veranse said with a smile.

“The original Sain Auction House was massive, one of Klein City’s grandest structures, though most of it was dismantled. The Little Succubus even runs her Magic Potion Shop on its ruins,” Ilti said, looking troubled.

The Succubus Sisters weren’t wealthy, initially only able to set up a crude Magic Potion Shop amidst the ruins. However, after Samir began studying potion-making under Yulxi and Veranse, her humble shop was renovated, still occupying the land once held by the Sain Auction House. The crumbling walls and debris had been cleared away, and the cramped shop had expanded outward, its renovated facade now spacious and inviting, at least enough to pique one’s curiosity to enter.

“Rebuilding the auction house next to the Magic Potion Shop would also work,” Yulxi said coolly. Samir’s Inheritor ability indeed lay in Magic Potions. However, her talent in potion-making was somewhat lacking; no matter how Veranse taught her, her potion refinement skills only hovered around eighty percent. Yet when it came to Medicinal Powders crafted using Primordial Realm techniques, she possessed a unique aptitude. She had mastered the few simple formulas Yulxi taught her, achieving a ninety percent success rate and potency. In the future, the special Magic Potions Samir refined could also be auctioned off.

Ilti nodded in understanding, scribbling notes in her notebook.

The situation in Red Maple Territory, as Yulxi put it, was one of “everything waiting to be rebuilt.”

Yulxi’s concern for the territory’s reconstruction stemmed primarily from her ambition to advance her own cultivation path.

Over the past few months, the residents of Red Maple Territory had gradually shed their fear of the Great Dragon, at least to the point where they no longer avoided the Dragon God Temple. Initially, only guilds and merchants displayed the Black Dragon Flag, their motive being tax exemption. But the people of Klein City, ever prone to speculation, suspected ulterior motives. Still, if the nobles were doing it, they figured they might as well follow suit. Word had it that Sharpwhite Town had raised the flag early on. Sharpwhite Town, which had been plagued by Beastman raids, found immediate relief upon raising the flag, suggesting the Black Dragon Flag possessed some kind of Magic Power.

Having accepted the Black Dragon Flag, the residents grew less resistant to the Black Dragon statue in the Dragon God Temple. Some, lacking any firm beliefs, mustered the courage to enter the temple. The Lord had declared that prosperity and sustenance were gifts from the Dragon God—whether such a deity existed or not, the tangible benefits were undeniable, so offering a prayer seemed harmless enough.

These individuals lacked genuine faith in the Dragon God but acknowledged the deity’s existence and Yulxi’s measures. This recognition, akin to the Primordial Realm’s concept of Merit cultivation, provided Yulxi with feedback.

Yulxi could sense the power directed toward her. When she gazed at the Star Sea, the network of light representing the Dragon God Faith shone ever brighter. She could even hear a powerful heartbeat emanating from it—undoubtedly the remaining strong believers of the Dragon God.

The sealed Divine Power granted Yulxi the ability to contend with Legendary Mages, but it wasn’t a power she possessed permanently; for now, it was more like a borrowed force. As for her own rank, she was gradually advancing toward Fourth-Tier. She would need to reach demigod status at least to wield Divine Power without restraint. However, the Fei’er Continent’s damaged Source of Life restricted the level of Professionals. She would need to find a way to elevate the Source of Life’s tier. With the gods fallen, it was up to her to rekindle the dimming Faith Network.

After pondering for a moment, Yulxi dismissed the matter from her mind.

In any case, her strength was growing, defying measurement by Professional ranks.

The positive feedback from the Red Maple Territory lifted Yulxi’s spirits. She preferred resolving conflicts through peaceful means rather than relying on fear-inducing deterrence.

Bang!

A massive, fleshy beast crashed down from the sky.

Veranse stood where the rising dust couldn’t reach her, her mage robes as pristine as snow. She smiled. “Lord Yulshi, braised bone-in meat.”

Yulxi glanced down at the beast.

Its hide bore claw marks and bite marks, likely inflicted by the two young dragons.

After tossing the cubs to Kasha, Yulxi hadn’t paid them much attention.

After the cubs awoke from their first slumber, Kasha took them into the Mangshui Forest to hunt. Although she could have done it for them, raising Great Dragons was different from raising meat pigs. Even a Black Dragon who had received a “divine enlightenment” needed real combat experience to truly master their skills. The demonic beasts the young dragons hunted were supposed to be their food, but after tasting Yulxi’s cooking once, the tiny cubs refused to eat raw meat again unless they were starving.

But these two young dragons were different from Yulxi. They needed food to grow, and as they grew, their food requirements would only increase. How could Yulxi possibly prepare mountain-sized piles of prey into meals? He only ever cooked for one person, not for a dragon. The little dragons were aggrieved, but they couldn’t defeat Yulxi, so they could only eat scraps through tears.

They had to grow up!

“Great Dragons require immense amounts of food and energy. You seem different from them,” Veranse remarked as she followed Yulxi into the kitchen, watching him prepare ingredients with keen interest.

“Great Dragons can devour anything to replenish their energy—demonic beasts, plants, minerals, gemstones, Magic Crystals… Magical energy permeates every corner of existence; it’s simply a matter of quantity,” Yulxi replied calmly to Veranse, skillfully butchering the meat beast as she spoke. “If that’s the case, why can’t I extract magical energy directly from the air?”

She had initially attempted this method, but the laws of the Fei’er Continent differed from those of the Primordial Realm. Mages couldn’t achieve bi gu (grain abstinence) like cultivators, unless they reached the level of gods. Ultimately, Yulxi had forcibly reshaped her physical body using her Primordial Spirit. In this world’s terms, her Primordial Spirit was akin to a Divinity—indivisible and uninheritable.

“Don’t joke—” Veranse’s expression froze before she could finish the word “joke.”

Magical energy lay hidden in every corner of existence, its properties varying with different elemental combinations. For millennia, people had only known that energy from food could be absorbed through digestion. Casting magic, in essence, was another form of “digestion and absorption.”

The Magic Arcana, when mastered, allows one to deconstruct spell formations and grasp the essence of energy. This energy can be unleashed with the fury of fire or tamed into the gentleness of a lamb.

From the perspective of magical application, potion brewing is essentially a method of extracting and directly consuming energy. If we consider air as an invisible, boundless herb, could there truly be a spell formation capable of extracting its energy and directly infusing it into the human body?

Meditation, the mage’s method of gaining Magic Power and restoring vitality, also involves drawing magical energy directly from the air. However, this energy only replenishes Magic Power; it cannot satisfy hunger or restore physical functions.

Is this truly impossible, or is something missing?

Veranse’s mind raced, her entire being transforming into a statue.

She possessed an insatiable thirst for exploration and an intense curiosity about the unknown. Whether it was the light or the forbidden, anything within her reach she would learn, even going so far as to extrapolate and create new magic.

Yulxi’s words had ignited her imagination, plunging her into a storm of thought.

Yulxi glanced at her, sensing she was up to no good, but chose to ignore her.

She cheerfully prepared braised pork ribs, but when the dish was ready, Veranse remained motionless. Yulxi frowned.

What’s wrong? she wondered, washing her hands and patting Veranse’s shoulder. “Veranse?”

“I understand now,” Veranse murmured, her eyes gleaming as if possessed. Abandoning all pretense of saintly composure, she rushed out, only to dart back into the kitchen moments later and snatch her portion of the braised ribs.

Yulxi stared in bewilderment.

Ignoring Veranse’s antics, Yulxi assumed the recent peace meant nothing would go wrong. But that night, a deafening explosion shook the Dragon Palace. Her expression changed instantly as she raced toward the sound, eventually finding Veranse collapsed in the snow. She seemed to have crawled out of the shadows, half her body still tainted with shadowy residue. The other half was drenched in bl00d, a gruesome sight.

Sensing the surging magical energy, Yulxi thought, Thank goodness I inscribed so many magic arrays when building the palace, or the roof would have been blown off.

“Poor Miss Vilanse,” Kasha murmured, her lithe form gliding across the snow, leaving only faint plum blossom-shaped footprints.

“Why did it fail? What went wrong?” Veranse asked, seemingly oblivious to her pain. Her eyes, veiled with a hazy grayness, fixed intently on Yulxi, who stood with her arms crossed.

“It must have been a failed attempt to research new magic,” Kasha said, pointing a claw at Veranse’s head. “Some mages appear normal on the surface, but once they delve into magical research, they go completely mad.”

Yulxi’s gaze remained fixed on Veranse, her tone pointed: “Perhaps this is her true nature.”

“Aren’t you going to tend to her injuries?” Kasha blinked, then clicked her tongue. “The Light Church’s Holy Maiden used Shadow Walk at the moment of the explosion, plunging into the Shadow Realm? But the blast was too swift; half her body hadn’t fully retreated into the shadows, and she was caught by the raging energy waves… Wait, why would a Holy Maiden of Light know Shadow Walk?”

Yulxi shook her head. “No need.”

As soon as she spoke, a healing Holy Light enveloped Veranse, and the explosion-torn wounds healed at a visibly rapid pace. Only her tattered robes remained, clinging loosely to her body and revealing skin that shimmered in the moonlight against the snowy ground.

Yulxi tossed her cloak over Veranse.

This time, through the True Dragon’s Eye, she saw additional information:

Name: Veranse

Race: Human?

Title: Holy Maiden of Light

Class: Mage, Swordsman

Tier: Third-Tier

True God: None

Faith Level: Unbeliever

Abilities: Magic Fragments

Why was the race marked with a question mark?

And what did those Magic Fragments in the abilities section represent?

“Lord Yulshi,” Veranse gradually emerged from her dazed state. She tightened the black fur cloak around herself, tilted her head back, and donned her usual radiant smile. “How do you draw energy directly from the air, allowing you to sustain yourself without food? I’ve tried countless methods, but I’ve never been able to create a spell with the same effect.”

Yulxi: “……”

So Veranse was researching this?

Kasha glanced at Yulxi and sighed, “So the Black Dragon is the true culprit after all. Back when I first met the Black Dragon, I suffered greatly because of their whimsical ideas, and eventually just gave up. Even though Yulxi always wears that cold, emotionless face that seems incapable of lying, I still don’t believe it. She stomped her foot in the snow and sighed, ‘Veranse, the ability to not need food is something only Gods or the dead possess.'”

“Is that so?” Veranse’s eyes flickered. She took a step forward, her hand darting out from beneath her cloak to gently touch Yulxi’s face. She murmured, “But Lord Yulshi doesn’t seem like the undead. Then… are you a God?”

Kasha: “You really have quite the imagination.”

Yulxi yanked Veranse’s icy hand away.

She had just fallen to the ground, her palm still wet with snow, debris, and grit.

Yulxi managed to suppress her disgust in front of Veranse, her face remaining impassive as she said, “I was just talking nonsense. Don’t take it seriously.”

Even under the cover of night, Veranse couldn’t completely conceal her peculiar aura, especially now that Yulxi, who knew her true nature, was present. She didn’t even bother trying to hide. Her chest rose and fell as her eyes flickered. “When Great Dragons assume human form, it’s indeed a kind of low-power mode. But that’s only relative to their true selves. Your dietary intake is so minimal that I struggle to understand where you obtain the nourishment necessary for your growth.”

Yulxi gazed intently at Veranse, as if she could see crimson mist slowly swirling around her, punctuated by seven shimmering stars. She chuckled softly, raising an eyebrow. “Perhaps the portion that should have been mine was consumed by you, Ilti, and Flah?”

Kasha added, “And me too.”

Under the moonlight, the snow-covered ground seemed to flow like pale blue water, silent and ceaseless.

The howling north wind buffeted them. Veranse tightened her cloak. “Thank you for your answer,” she said slowly, a faint smile curving her lips. “Shall I return your cloak after washing it, or would you generously allow me to keep it as a memento? It must be the latter, wouldn’t you agree?”

Yulxi regarded her calmly.

Veranse laughed lightly, turning to re-enter the house.

“The Dragon Palace can’t withstand explosions,” Yulxi called out. “If you need to conduct experiments, the Mangshui Forest would be a more suitable location.”

“As you command,” Veranse replied, bowing slightly.

As Veranse’s figure disappeared, Kasha leaped onto Yulxi’s shoulder, muttering, “What’s wrong with her?”

This was nothing like the radiant Holy Light she usually saw.

Yulxi answered casually, “She’s possessed.”

Kasha startled. “Don’t let her fall to corruption here!”

The Holy Maiden of Light wasn’t some stray cat. If something happened to her, the Light Church would send a legion of Legendaries. Kasha was just a weak little cat; she couldn’t possibly handle those guys.

Yulxi calmly countered, “Before Veranse, has there ever been a Holy Maiden of Light who could use Shadow Walk, Mind Domination, Dark Sacrifice, or even Wraith Mist?”

Kasha fell silent. “Never heard of such a thing!”

“Her magical talent is too strong,” Yulxi concluded.

“Could she be the Chosen of the Goddess of Magic?” Kasha wondered. “I thought that was me!” If not for being chosen, how could an ordinary cat have become a Legendary Wizard? Though she didn’t worship the Goddess herself. But the Goddess of Magic wasn’t a subordinate deity of the God of Light; she had her own realm, residing in the Heart of the Demon Realm. How could her Chosen possibly be the Holy Maiden of the Holy See?

Yulxi shook her head. “No.”

Yet she had indeed seen the Holy Emblem of the God of Magic on Veranse.

Returning to her chambers, Yulxi didn’t meditate. Instead, her consciousness plunged once more into the Star Sea.

The Dragon God’s Faith Network still shone brilliantly, but a subtle shift had occurred across the Star Sea. A particular star emitted a faint glow, drawing her consciousness toward it. There, she saw swirling crimson mists and seven blue-white stars—the Holy Emblem of the God of Magic!

The gods had fallen, and the stars had gone silent.

When a star reignited, it signified the revival of a being or Divinity.

She had observed the Star Sea only recently, meaning these changes were recent.

Was this the result of someone’s actions millions of miles away? Or was it because of Veranse—the woman who had glimpsed the Divine Realm, gazed upon forbidden knowledge, and yet survived?

In a nearby temple, Veranse sat in the darkness, her smile vanished.

She knew the true cause of the explosion, and half of what she had told Yulxi was a lie.

She had indeed been researching Yulxi’s request, but the cataclysmic surge of power had originated from within her own body, far exceeding any normal force. Had she not been wearing the Divine Artifact Guardian’s Seal, she would have been torn apart by the storm.

Where had this immense magical power come from? Who had sealed it within her? Veranse recalled her past, searching for any moment when her memories might have been erased. The only possible instance was when she had glimpsed the Divine Realm. Her memories of that time were tainted by the realm’s corruption, but could there have been something else—something she couldn’t comprehend—that had occurred?

She smoothed the cloak neatly folded across her lap. The magic she had been studying could no longer be pursued; it delved into forbidden secrets beyond mortal comprehension.

“Yulxi,” Veranse murmured the name, a smile returning to her lips and a spark rekindling in her eyes.

Far away, in the Royal Capital of the Montan Empire, stood the Watchers’ Guild.

This organization comprised mages who practiced divination, specializing in making prophecies for the imperial family and nobility.

At that moment, an elderly mage with snow-white hair suddenly awoke from her meditation, her expression shifting unpredictably. A devout follower of the God of Magic, she had dedicated her life to seeking a way to transcend demigod status. Yet her repeated prophecies had revealed only a bleak future.

The star symbolizing the God of Magic had gradually dimmed, and rumors claimed even the Goddess’s Priests could no longer receive her divine response.

Though she resisted the thought, she had to admit the Goddess had fallen into slumber. This slumber, with no end in sight, threatened to evolve into eternal silence.

But now, her tranquil heart stirred anew.

“My Lord’s power… is it gradually awakening?”