Starting with watering the World Tree for otherworldly survival

Page 286

"Xiuxiu, let's go find a water source too."

The red dragon flew away, and Qin He and Zhong Liuxiu headed towards the fountain, leaving only the white dragon's mournful cries and calls for help.

……

Examine the fountain closely; it is a feature within the Golden Dragon King's Castle. The sculpture on the fountain is naturally carved from fine stone, depicting a lifelike golden dragon spreading its wings and soaring into the sky.

Transforming into human form, Qin He and Zhong Liuxiu scooped up the clear spring water to drink. The blue crystal at the top, inlaid on the golden dragon's neck, had the function of purifying the water source and constantly gushing out fresh water, essentially acting as an inexhaustible water bag.

The principle is to collect and condense the water-based magical energy in the atmosphere, and continuously obtain pure water through crystals.

When they were truly full and transformed back into their dragon forms, Qin He and Zhong Liuxiu directly metamorphosed into baby dragons.

Although they are only in the early stages of becoming young dragons, they already possess a body length of six meters, even larger than Yan Liu's. Many young dragons may not grow to this size.

Now, Qin He and Zhong Liuxiu have a certain degree of self-protection ability.

"Oh? There's such a beautiful black dragon, and it's much larger than the young red dragon. Could they be some kind of atavistic... or ancestral species?"

The Red Dragon was aware of those chromatic dragons that were closest to the original species created by Tiamat. The two cubs before him were so powerful that it was hard not to consider them superior ancestral or first-generation species.

Of course, if the red dragon knew that the two of them were the one and only Nidhogg, and even more so, the future heirs to the Dragon Emperor's authority, it would probably be astonished.

Seeing the adult red dragon approach the water source, Qin He calmly used the dragon's tail to wrap Zhong Liuxiu up and protect her behind him.

"I noticed you two earlier. That stupid protein dragon getting trapped in the warehouse was probably your doing, right?"

The red dragon folded its wings to its sides, indicating that it had no hostile intentions.

"Just now, I detected the scent of fiery breath from two of the leg bones. This definitely wasn't caused by the white dragon, so—"

"Are you hybrid dragons, or some other, superior dragon species?"

In this world, dragons with multiple breath-breathing weapons are not uncommon. Blazing Lightning is the best example, possessing the flames of a red dragon and the lightning of a blue dragon, and also awakening the hellfire breath of the Rainbow Princess.

If it is a being favored by a powerful dragon and granted special power, then it is not surprising that it possesses multiple breaths.

"Good eye, Red Dragon."

Qin He gestured for Zhong Liuxiu to step back a little further, while he took turns demonstrating his breath to the red dragon. Fire, frost, and poison—three completely different breaths—left the red dragon speechless.

Moreover, Qin He boldly unleashed the majesty of the Dragon Emperor. With his abilities, the majesty of the Dragon Emperor was enough to intimidate dragons in their infancy and adolescence.

"Such pure dragon might!"

The red dragon knew perfectly well that the young dragon's display of its dragon might was not a provocation, but rather a demonstration of its superiority as a partner.

According to the Red Dragon's assessment, Qin He's dragon might in his youth was enough to transcend two age levels and intimidate teenage dragons...

If we make him stronger, what would happen?

“If needed, we would be happy to cooperate with a rational red dragon.”

The cooperation between dragons is not as irreconcilable as adventurers imagine; within the game mode of Dragon Island, it can be quite stable.

As the saying goes, talking about money hurts feelings. Even the gentlest silver dragon will sulk if the treasure is not distributed fairly.

On Dragon Island, the distribution of wealth is rarely a concern. Therefore, conflicts rarely arise. Even the naturally aloof Red Dragon wouldn't bother with points on Dragon Island.

As long as you can upgrade and evolve, you can earn more settlement points to exchange for Mystic Dragon Coins. What's the benefit of teaming up with other dragons?

They exchanged names, with Honglong using his real name, Chiling. Qin He and Zhong Liuxiu, unsure of each other's stance, naturally didn't reveal their real names.

“My name is Kotozuru, and this is my younger sister, Ryusei. It’s nice to meet you…”

After some deliberation, Qin He decided to still refer to Zhong Liuxiu as his younger sister. While this appeased Honglong, Zhong Liuxiu was not happy about it.

Her soft, plump dragon tail kept ramming into Qin He like an inflatable soft hammer.

Qin He could only smile as he discussed some details with Red Dragon. One of them was the matter of what to do with the stupid white dragon in the warehouse.

Red Dragon's plan is to wait until White Dragon dies of thirst, then Qin He can go in and retrieve the Dragon Crystal.

“Very well, it’s settled then. I’m going hunting. You two be careful to stay hidden. A group of metal dragons has recently come here and might be a threat to you.”

He instructed Qin He and Zhong Liuxiu to hide, and if necessary, to crawl into a warehouse or behind a fence. The red dragon then turned and spread its wings, flying into the air—

Zhong Liuxiu was surprised that the Red Dragon, known for its irritability and arrogance, was so easy to talk to on Secret Dragon Island.

"This just proves that he's a seasoned veteran on Dragon Island. He knows that messing with special young dragons like us can easily backfire."

After transforming into a baby dragon, Qin He and Zhong Liuxiu's satiety levels began to drop again. Although they could wait for the red dragon to return from hunting, Qin He wasn't the type to live off a woman every day.

"Honey, try this!"

When Zhong Liuxiu reached the juvenile dragon stage, she used her dragon tail summoning spell to obtain dragon food. After a very tempting-looking summoning, a bag of pre-packaged monster meat skewers appeared in front of Zhong Liuxiu.

"Xiuxiu...be careful, go over to the fence."

Just as he was about to enjoy the meat skewer his wife was holding, the enticing aroma was masked by the smell of poisonous mist. The presence of this mist meant that some kind of giant dragon, like a green dragon, was likely making its move nearby.

They didn't miss a single meal or escape, and the two successfully hid inside the fence and concealed themselves in the flowerbed. As the energy barrier protecting the young dragon rose, Qin He clearly saw the source of the poisonous gas—

There were about eight or nine adult green dragons, their claws still clutching several different dragon carcasses. Soon, the dragon cores were transformed under the green dragons' claws into giant meat patties served on plates.

This should be a Green Dragon team.

They came here probably to occupy a corner of the castle and develop there.

In the corner, a young iron dragon suddenly caught Qin He's attention. Most iron dragons have some black markings on their bodies, but this one was very shiny.

"Qin Lan?"

When her name was called by that all-too-familiar voice, Qin Lan turned around abruptly.

"Your Highness Qin He, Your Highness Xiu Xiu?"

Although they had transformed into dragon form, Qin Lan could still recognize Qin He and Zhong Liuxiu even if they turned to ashes, thanks to the dragon's ability to recognize them.

Qin Lan actually entered Secret Dragon Island as well, and she was matched with Qin He.

"Let's come in and hide!"

Zhong Liuxiu gestured for Qin Lan to hide inside the fence first. Otherwise, the green dragon's venomous breath could kill the young dragon instantly.

"Huff... Huff... Your Highness Qin He!"

Qin Lan looked quite nervous, and she pointed out a grain of sand in her hand to Qin He.

"This is... a demiplane ring? Miss Zhuang came in too?!"

Upon entering Secret Dragon Island, Qin He did not carry a magical communication terminal. Therefore, he had no way of knowing what had happened between Qin Lan and Zhuang Daihua.

He understood why Qin Lan was so nervous. As a human, if Zhuang Daihua were killed on Secret Dragon Island, she would be truly doomed.

Chapter 363 Whose dragon horns are more comfortable to hold?

Having witnessed the fierce battle between several giant dragons on Dragon Island, Zhuang Daihua was now speechless with shock. Although the dragon's might wouldn't harm her, a moment of stunned silence was unavoidable.

Let's go back to before we entered Secret Dragon Island.

She had just woken up when she saw Qin Lan preparing to use her ticket to Secret Dragon Island to begin her trial.

Then, a voluptuous and beautiful woman in a purple robe appeared out of thin air before her. Strangely, neither Qin Lan nor even Yu Li, who had reached the Saint Rank, were aware of the woman's arrival.

The woman's smooth, jade-like shoulders were veiled as if by a shadowy black gauze. The pair of night-black dragon horns atop her head snaked into a magnificent crown, radiating an eerie light within the tent—

The true form of the Labyrinth Master is the Night Dragon, Farazul. She is the Dragon Queen of undead dragons and shadow dragons. Mysterious, elegant, and dangerous... Legend has it that she is a Dragon Queen even more evil than Tiamat.

"Zhuang Daihua, the newly chosen one of death. I'm so glad to meet you~ Next, I'd like to play a game with you."

Farazur lifted her black veil, and Zhuang Daihua was immediately drawn into her own demiplane ring. She didn't know what had happened, but she clearly saw the anchor point formed by the demiplane ring attach to Qin Lan.

"Let's go on an adventure to Dragon Island with this little iron dragon. If things go well, you'll thank me a lot later."

"Looking forward to seeing you again, Chosen One of Death~"

What happened next was exactly as Qin He is seeing now.

Because it was unknown whether humans could be resurrected after dying on Dragon Island, Qin Lan told Zhuang Daihua not to come out no matter what happened.

Using Iron Dragon's agile burrowing skills, she discovered the body of a young Yellow Jade Dragon whose dragon core had not been used by an adult green dragon. Zhuang Daihua used her demiplane ring to help her take the Yellow Jade Dragon away.

As a result, the green dragon tribe detected the metallic scent of the iron dragon in the burrows. Now they have occupied the castle, attempting to capture Qin Lan.

It wasn't because the green dragons were petty, but because they wanted to drag Qin Lan onto their pirate ship.

Due to the rules of the [Rare Species Protection Contract] on Dragon Island, the three limited dragon species—Rare, Iron, and Arcane—can freely form teams, and even mixed groups of dragons from different factions can be formed.

They can also join any of the three major factions: Color, Metal, and Gem. Some tribal groups that want to grow stronger on Dragon Island need members from these rare species.

For example, a blue dragonflight can invite the other four dragon types of the color faction to join. However, metal dragons and gem dragons cannot be recruited into a faction.

However, if there are purple dragons or other rare individuals within the Blue Dragon tribe, the Blue Dragon tribe can become the "behind-the-scenes boss" of the purple dragons.

At that time, the metal dragons and gem dragons can be brought under the command of the purple dragon, and will be subject to the orders of the blue dragon through the purple dragon.

That is to say: my vassal is still my vassal.

Similarly, metal dragons and gem dragons can perform the same operation.

This burgeoning green dragon tribe needs to absorb fresh blood. They need to use their rare dragon species to dominate other metal dragons and gem dragons in order to strengthen themselves.

Of course, their ideas were destined to fail.

There is no magic on Dragon Island. As long as Zhuang Daihua brings Qin Lan into the anchor point, no dragon can harm them.

Just now, while being chased by the green dragons, Zhuang Daihua had momentarily forgotten that she could protect Qin Lan like this.

"Really? Qin Lan, you did a great job."

While praising Qin Lan, Qin He pondered how to stabilize the current situation. Zhuang Daihua was human, but there were no humans on Secret Dragon Island.

If she were discovered, it would probably become big news on Dragon Island. Various giant dragons might swarm over to watch the spectacle.

Then it will be difficult to protect Zhuang Daihua. Qin Lan made the right decision immediately by not letting Zhuang Daihua show up, which is indeed commendable.

"Qin He, my child, this is the result of Farazur's interference. She sent the new Chosen One of Death to the Secret Dragon Island. If he dies here, this child will be permanently banished to the Underworld."

Tiamat's voice rang out, and Zhuang Daihua knew she would really die on Secret Dragon Island. Her heart immediately raced to the point of difficulty breathing.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine."

After a brief reassurance, Qin He asked Tiamat if she had any methods to protect Zhuang Daihua.

"Of course—my child, you can choose to let her hide inside the demiplane ring, as a personal storage box for you. Or..."

"I can hunt down a dragon and transform its bloodline, giving this child an 'account' of her own on Dragon Island. That way, she'll be safe on Dragon Island."

Tiamat described the trials on Dragon Island as being like a game, and Qin He roughly understood after listening to her explanation.

Whatever dragon he hunts next will grant Zhuang Daihua the abilities of that dragon within the Secret Dragon Island.

If Qin He defeats a golden dragon, Zhuang Daihua will gain the form of a golden dragon. She will then form a four-dragon team with Qin He, Zhong Liuxiu, and Qin Lan and begin their adventure.

“I understand~ Mother... Is there any purple dragon that I can handle? Send me its coordinates, and I'll go hunt it down for Miss Zhuang.”

Qin He was incredibly intelligent. Although finding a golden dragon to kill would please Tiamat, Qin He wasn't a fool who would lose sight of the bigger picture. Bahamut was also watching.

Besides, who knows if the Golden Dragon you killed might have a team behind him? What if they send twenty strong young Golden Dragons to cause trouble? You'll have nowhere to cry then.

In comparison, it would be better to target some powerful but unwilling individuals who are unwilling to serve under a powerful leader.

The sheer number and personality of the Purple Dragons mean they rarely appear in groups. Moreover, the Purple Dragons' abilities are unparalleled within the Secret Dragon Island.

"Yes, there is. Near the forest at the west entrance of the castle, there is a young purple dragon that has not yet joined any organization, and it is 4.3 meters long."

Based on the baby dragon's length, Qin He quickly determined its growth potential.

“Very good, Xiuxiu, Qinlan, once the green dragons have diverted their attention, we’ll rush straight to the outer entrance.”

After thinking for a moment, Qin He asked Qin Lan to give him the anchor point of the demiplane ring.

Zhuang Daihua, however, said with concern:

“Mr. Qin… how about we forget it… I can hide in the demiplane ring and help you collect supplies and provide a hiding place.”

"Hunting the Purple Dragon is too dangerous."

Although Qin He, Zhong Liuxiu, and Qin Lan all possessed fire resistance, the Purple Dragon's blade-like breath was indiscriminate; without magic on Secret Dragon Island, it could draw blood from anyone it struck.

Although she understood that Dragon Island was merely a trial within a game, seeing Qin He willing to leave the safe zone and risk being discovered by the Green Dragon tribe to hunt a Purple Dragon for her sake was still quite moving.

She had begun to worry about Qin He.

"Miss Zhuang, don't worry~ Purple Dragon's Blade Breath can ignore physical defense, but that doesn't mean it can split every dragon in two."

Purple Dragon's Blade Breath involves high-level force field damage. Qin He didn't have in-depth knowledge of this, so he just understood it as true damage in a game.