After Becoming an Evil Dragon, I Was Entangled by the Saintess - Chapter 34

Yulxi didn’t believe a word of Veranse’s sweet talk.

She scrutinized Veranse intently, finally asking a question she should have asked long ago: “If the Holy Maiden of Light isn’t at the Holy See, wouldn’t they notice?”

Veranse replied lazily, “You should be able to get news from the Royal Capital. The Holy Maiden is operating among the common people. Those swine only need the Holy Maiden’s charisma—as long as she can win over the hearts of the city’s commoners and make them loyal to the Holy See, what does it matter who the Holy Maiden actually is?”

Yulxi pressed, “You grew up in the Holy See. You must have people you can rely on. Don’t they care either?”

“What are you worried about?” Veranse leaned closer, winking at Yulxi. “Are you afraid the Holy See will come to punish you? If you need it, I have a hundred ways to turn their plans upside down.” For example, she could reveal to the archbishops that most of the Holy See’s Divine Artifacts were counterfeit, the real ones having been destroyed when she peered into forbidden knowledge. While the Holy See did have many Legendary figures, the Divine Artifacts were their most crucial assets.

“Don’t trouble yourself,” Yulxi said, her eyes dark. She subtly stepped back, widening the distance between herself and Veranse. She still wasn’t used to the false warmth radiating from Veranse. Nor did she have much interest in probing Veranse’s true nature at the moment.

“Do you dislike me?” Veranse asked, noticing Yulxi’s retreat and adopting a wounded expression.

“I don’t dislike you,” Yulxi replied coolly. In her eyes, Veranse was merely slightly different from Ilti and the others. If Veranse left the Red Maple Territory, Yulxi wouldn’t pursue her. But if she stayed long-term, Yulxi would need to keep Veranse under close observation to feel secure. As for Veranse’s occasional temper tantrums, they were inconsequential.

Veranse nodded in satisfaction, her gaze unwavering and undisguised. “Perhaps… you could grow closer to me?”

Yulxi let out a soft scoff and lowered her lashes.

In the heart of Mangshui Forest, the Crimson Flame Mercenary Group set out with Druid Ada.

Distant mountains loomed majestically, their slopes shrouded in a bleak, gray winter haze. A blanket of pristine white snow covered the land, muffling the sound of the group’s passage. Despite their numbers, their footsteps left only faint imprints in the snow. While most demonic beasts sought shelter in their dens during winter, the season also brought forth frost-aligned creatures rarely encountered at other times.

“Where exactly are we headed?” Chilian asked the Druid behind her. She wasn’t in a hurry to hunt; having received a generous reward from the City Lord’s Manor, her priority was ensuring Ada’s safety.

Ada, visibly nervous amidst the towering warriors, appeared small and awkward. She stammered, “I-I only have a vague sense of the direction.”

Her teacher hadn’t revealed their destination, but a mage’s mark on Ada’s body allowed her to sense the general direction. Though her teacher was a mid-level Druid, her self-defense skills were lacking. Ada shuddered to imagine what dangers might lurk in Mangshui Forest. The required Magic Plants could easily be purchased from the merchant guild.

“Which way?” Keira asked, casually swinging her sword to cleave through a thorny Magic Plant blocking their path. She cleared a trail through the vast expanse of snow-covered tracks.

Ada pulled her cloak tighter against the biting wind, shivering slightly. She pointed in a direction and said, “Over there.”

“Hmm? Towards the Rotting Swamp?” Keira raised an eyebrow.

“I heard there’s a Great Dragon hidden in the Mangshui Forest. The former Lord of Red Maple Territory even raised an army to hunt it down. It ended up being a complete joke.”

“But that’s a Legendary Dragon! You’d need a Sword Saint of equal rank to even stand a chance, right?”

“I’m more inclined to believe it’s all lies, just some dark secret within the noble families.”

The journey had been relatively easy so far, and the warriors in the group were in good spirits, chatting and laughing.

Keira fell silent.

Dragons aren’t just legends, she thought. They exist, but they’re different from what people imagine.

As for their rank, she couldn’t gauge it. The monster from Mount Oms that had plagued Sharpwhite Town for so long had been effortlessly annihilated. It couldn’t be too weak.

To reach the Rotting Swamp, they had to traverse the surface of the Underdark. During the day, this area should have been quiet, but an unexpected attack shattered the peace. The assailants were Gray Dwarves and Goblins. Gray Dwarves, exiled from the Dwarf clans, dwelled in the Underdark and were known for their ferocity and warlike nature.

“Even Gray Dwarves despise Goblins. What’s going on with these creatures?” the warriors muttered to themselves, quickly forming a battle formation as they faced the enemy. The numbers of Gray Dwarves and Goblins were manageable; the Crimson Flame Mercenary Group’s strength was more than sufficient to handle them.

But just as the monsters were about to fall, a frenzied, eerie shriek pierced the air. They drank a foul-smelling potion, and with a pop, each body swelled, transforming into grotesque creatures brimming with malevolent energy. The warriors slashed through them with their swords, yet the writhing bodies stubbornly continued to fight.

Keira’s expression abruptly changed. “Fall back!” she barked to her sisters beside her, tossing a Holy Domain Purification Potion and swiftly pouring it onto her sword’s blade. As a warrior, applying the potion to her weapon was far more effective than throwing it. Even after eliminating the monsters, Keira’s face remained grim, heavy with concern.

The Underdark was a perilous realm, not human territory. Few dared venture there except for reckless adventurers. But the emergence of monsters in the Underdark inevitably threatened the surface world.

“Keira, do you know what these are?” Chilian asked, her gaze fixed on Keira.

Keira said gravely, “It’s highly likely the Creationist Order is operating in the Underdark. Some of the subterranean races have already been corrupted.” After a pause, she added, “We need to send word back to the Lord’s Manor.”

The mention of the Creationist Society caused Chilian’s expression to darken slightly. Even without direct encounters, she had heard of the order’s infamous reputation. No one doubted the Holy See’s warnings were exaggerated. The Creationist Society worshipped a foreign god said to bring calamity to the Fei’er Continent.

Ada gasped, startled. “Then… should we turn back?” Her anxiety deepened. If the Creationist Society was active in Mangshui Forest, wouldn’t her Teacher be in even greater danger?

“No,” Chilian said, her eyes shadowed with thought. “If Underdark creatures were frequently surfacing, the Professionals venturing here would have noticed. The Gold and Silver Tavern has no such rumors, and the tracks around us suggest these incursions are rare.”

She took a deep breath and turned to Ada. “We accepted this commission and will deliver you to your destination.” Her gaze lingered on Ada before shifting to one of her companions. “Feiyi, go send the message.”

The warrior known as “Feiyi” nodded to Chilian, then turned and sprinted across the snow-covered ground. Her movements were so swift that she vanished into the forest in an instant, leaving only a fleeting afterimage. Chilian nodded to Keira and continued following the Druid’s directions.

Feiyi was the fastest member of the Crimson Flame Mercenary Group.

She immediately rushed to the Lord’s Manor, but Ilti was still in seclusion, tinkering with her magic. Only an Elf, who had just finished training the guards, sat on a stone bench, sighing deeply as he gazed at the snowy landscape.

The Bigu Powder was remarkably potent, as expected from Veranse’s creation, and it even had a pleasant aroma. By the time its effects wore off, Flah’s craving for food had reached its peak. However, tempted by the Bigu Powder, she couldn’t resist eating more.

Upon hearing about the strange monsters appearing in Mangshui Forest due to the Creationist Society, Flah leaped up, drew her twin blades, and looked eager to fight.

“Don’t be impulsive,” Feiyi urged. “Such a major decision should wait for the Lord’s judgment.”

“I’m going to find Lord Yulshi,” Flah declared, then shot off like an arrow.

On the snow-covered ground, a gray-blue light flickered.

Having learned from Keira that Yulxi was one of the Red Maple Territory’s most distinguished figures, Feiyi hurried to catch up with her.

Yulxi received the news with a calm expression, showing no surprise whatsoever.

“Aren’t you surprised?” Flah asked, her eyes wide.

Veranse replied slowly, “Have you forgotten? When we first entered Mangshui Forest, we found a Creationist Society badge there.” After that, Yulxi never mentioned it again, and Veranse pretended to have forgotten as well.

There was a natural divide between the surface and the Underdark. Creatures accustomed to darkness disliked walking in sunlight. The Crimson Flame Mercenary Group’s speculation was correct; their encounter with the Gray Dwarves had been purely coincidental. After all, Kasha was hiding in Mangshui Forest, training two young dragons. If anything had truly occurred on the Underdark’s surface, Kasha would have already sent word back.

Her thoughts shifting, Yulxi said, “Let’s wait for Ilti to emerge.” She did indeed need to venture into the Underdark, but only after the Red Maple Territory’s soldiers had acquired a certain level of self-sufficiency and could no longer rely entirely on Kasha. If Ilti could develop a Magic Energy Impact Gun that even ordinary people could use, the Red Maple Territory’s military strength would be greatly enhanced. Only then could Yulxi leave the territory with peace of mind.

As for the possibility of failure—

No, she wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen.

Feiyi was responsible for delivering the message; she wouldn’t interfere with the Red Maple Territory’s decision.

With a slight frown, she quickly left Yulxi’s residence. Only after walking down the street did she turn back to gaze at the ancient, peculiar architecture, a strange, indescribable feeling rising in her heart.

Inside Yulxi’s Dragon Palace, Veranse smiled faintly as she observed her. “It seems our encounter with the Goblin last time wasn’t a coincidence. In places we can’t see, those creatures may have long since become vassals of the Creationist Society.”

“Those dark-skinned wretches have always consorted with darkness; their corruption is only natural,” Flah sneered, her voice dripping with contempt. Though both belonged to the Elf race, the surface Elves and the Drow harbored no harmony between them. “We should immediately storm Blay City in the Underdark and wring their necks!”

Yulxi calmly replied, “There’s still a Great Dragon in the Underdark.”

Flah: “?” She leaped up, her voice rising. “Isn’t that just a legend?”

A strange light flickered in Veranse’s eyes. “Legends can become reality,” she murmured, her gaze fixed on Yulxi. If two Great Dragons clashed, who would ultimately prevail? she wondered. She turned to Yulxi with a radiant smile and said softly, “If you’re going to the Underdark, please take me with you.”

Yulxi met Veranse’s gaze and nodded. Even if Veranse hadn’t asked, she would have insisted on bringing the Holy Maiden, whose reputation was less than pristine.

“I won’t go. I need to assist Ilti,” Flah said, cold sweat beading on her forehead.

Great Dragons… those aren’t creatures a weakling like me can handle.