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Chapter 335
Chapter 282: One Month. From This Moment On, Rain is Forbidden in the Hills
The tyrannical power and curse within the "Dragon Blood" were broken down and dissolved through the analysis of Lizardman Kuru Xue's blood. Then, by using the Lizardman Race's sacred treasure and refining the mixture in a magic crucible, the creation of the "Dragon Blood Potion" was finally complete.
Although both "Dragon Blood Potions" appeared blue, the difference between them was still visible to the naked eye.
It was just like the difference between a low-grade and high-grade "Regeneration Potion."
The ordinary "Dragon Blood Potion" looked just like any other common potion.
But the blue liquid within the "High-Grade" Dragon Blood Potion seemed to be "alive," slowly flowing within the bottle, which had even become warm to the touch.
…………
Item: Magic · Alchemical Solution (Dragon Blood Potion)
Level: Middle Class
Introduction: When consumed, grants the "Berserk" effect, +20 Physical Attack, and a certain amount of Mental Resistance. Lasts for half an hour. Induces a state of weakness after it ends (Effective below Level 30).
……
Item: Magic · Alchemical Solution (Dragon Blood Potion)
Level: High Class
Introduction: Slightly and permanently increases Life Strength. This effect ceases after a certain upper limit is reached. The higher the user's level, the lower the increase (Effective below Level 30).
…………
Tang Zheng calmly scanned the appraisal information.
Neither of these two Dragon Blood Potions was useful to him, though the high-grade "Dragon Blood Potion" could be given to his subordinates.
"'Increases Life Strength'... Life Strength probably doesn't just refer to the HP stat," Tang Zheng mused internally as he analyzed the contents of the appraisal information.
He remembered that with resurrection magic, the revived person would suffer a drop in Life Strength. Could this so-called "Life Strength" actually refer to "level"?
Tang Zheng had just drunk a bottle himself, but it had no effect on him, so he couldn't make a quick judgment.
Day by day, time passed.
Tang Zheng and his group gradually blended into Kalinxia. To outsiders, it appeared that besides regularly selling Regeneration Potions, Tang Zheng would also specifically purchase a batch of supplies from time to time. The rest of the time, he would remain in the inn, claiming to be researching alchemy.
During this time, "Black" Pavel would occasionally invite Tang Zheng to the taverns of Kalinxia for a drink.
This normally stern captain of the soldiers seemed to have a rather good impression of Tang Zheng.
However!
Tang Zheng was well aware that besides his Regeneration Potions having healed many maimed soldiers, there was also an element of surveillance to these invitations.
The information Pavel had gathered must have included an assessment of his power. In the other's eyes, a foreign adventurer possessing great power was inherently an unstable factor.
Compared to Orland, the other member of the "Nine Colors," Pavel's thoughts ran much deeper, a stark contrast to his daughter, Neia.
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
On the surface, the Holy Kingdom remained as placid as still water. In the shadows, however, a large number of nobles were using merchant ships at sea to trade all kinds of food and meat with the Ogre Race.
The frequency of these trades even somewhat exceeded Tang Zheng's initial expectations.
It seemed many nobles were well aware that such a high-risk trade couldn't be sustained for long, so they were doing their utmost to trade the surplus food in their territories for truly valuable gold and gems.
Beneath the calm surface, an undercurrent was already surging.
Abelion Hills, the southernmost part.
Inside the castle headquarters.
In the vast great hall.
Tang Zheng, the White Mist Witch, Lizardman Kuru Xue, Gagaran, the Blue Maggot King, the Pandes Matriarch, and the Demon-Human Nasurini.
A total of seven individuals were seated around a round table.
The vast differences in size and appearance among the various races resulted in them sitting at different heights, creating a strange sight from a distance.
"We have more or less conquered all the ogre tribes, large and small. In total, there are 2,000 ogres. The number of goblins is higher, at ten thousand."
Gagaran's thick arms were crossed over her chest. Her enormous, three-meter-tall frame towered over the other demi-humans present. She swept her gaze over everyone with a condescending look and spoke faintly.
Ten thousand goblins was a large number, but to those present, it was completely insignificant.
Creatures as filthy and despicable as goblins were meaningless regardless of their numbers; they were so weak individually that even a frail human could easily kill them.
Even if gathered together, they couldn't be used as a proper army. They would likely fall into chaos and scatter before a battle even began.
"Why take in so many goblins?" the Demon-Human Nasurini asked, dissatisfied. "Even as slaves, no demi-human would want this bunch of short, green, filthy creatures."
"Is that so," Gagaran sneered. "This was the Lord's command."
The Demon-Human Nasurini's expression changed, and she quickly looked toward Tang Zheng to explain, "Lord, I have no intention of questioning your decision."
"I feel these goblins would still make for decent food," the Blue Maggot King said, its upper body squirming. Its voice was that of an authoritative middle-aged man, though tinged with a hint of sycophancy.
The food of the Blue Maggot Tribe is bodily fluid, and it doesn't matter whether the source is living or dead. Although the bodily fluid of a creature like a goblin is considered the lowest grade of food, it was perfectly fine for ordinary tribesmen to consume.
"Continue."
Tang Zheng leaned back in his chair, his entire body enveloped in a red robe, and his voice came out raspy and cold.
"The massive amount of food from the trades has been stored. The meat alone is enough to sustain us for a year."
As the Demon-Human Nasurini spoke, a hint of excitement entered her voice. She continued, "All the magic casters in the tribe who have mastered the ice attribute have already used ice magic in shifts to freeze all this food."
She had never imagined trading with humans before; the two sides held a mutual hatred for each other.
Even now, seeing the great benefits produced by the trade, the Demon-Human Nasurini still wouldn't choose to trade with humans.
Because if she did, she would become a common enemy to all the tribes in the entire hills region.
As for their current situation, they were merely forced to obey this mysterious human who could manipulate the undead to fight against the living.
Aside from the slight excitement in the Demon-Human Nasurini's tone, Gagaran remained stone-faced from beginning to end, while the Blue Maggot Tribe and the Pandas Tribe were completely calm.
This was because the food of their two races was bodily fluid and moss, respectively.
"My compatriots will continue to work with the Blue Maggots to excavate the entire gold mine, ensuring a continuous supply of gold ore," the Pandes Matriarch said in a mature, commanding voice.
Both races were natural subterranean dwellers and were well-suited for digging. Excavating ores was not a complicated matter for them.
After listening to the reports from each of the demi-humans, Tang Zheng nodded lightly and spoke in his raspy voice, "Take a portion of the grain and meat and supply it to the goblins with full priority. Give them ample food and let them breed and reproduce."
"Furthermore, your Blue Maggot Tribe may directly consume the bodily fluid of these goblins. You can even have their corpses for initial processing."
Hearing this, the Blue Maggot King couldn't help but lean forward in disbelief.
"Lord, is this true?" The warty appendages on the Blue Maggot King's face squirmed up and down irregularly.
Even though its facial expression was impossible to analyze, its excitement was palpable from its voice and these small movements.
The Blue Maggot King couldn't help but be excited.
Due to issues like food shortages, the population of the entire Blue Maggot Tribe had been steadily decreasing, to the point where they might face the risk of their race's extinction in the future.
With a plentiful supply of food, their Blue Maggot Tribe would surely grow strong!
Gagaran turned her head, her white eyes glancing at the Blue Maggot King. Her lips moved, but in the end, she looked away, casting a deep glance from the corner of her eye at the figure in the red robe.
How could this human who manipulates the undead be so kind?
Although Gagaran couldn't guess what Tang Zheng was planning, she could faintly sense that it was definitely not a good thing.
"You few, stay. The rest may leave."
Tang Zheng said lazily, raising a hand and waving it.
Everyone exchanged glances. Gagaran silently stood up and turned to walk out of the castle, with the White Mist Witch leaving alongside her.
Soon, only five people remained in the great hall with Tang Zheng.
"How is your mastery of 'Cloud Manipulation' coming along?" Tang Zheng turned his head to look at Lizardman Kuru Xue, who was still wrapped in straw beside him.
"I can now cast it independently," Lizardman Kuru Xue replied respectfully.
Tang Zheng nodded, a satisfied look on his face.
Over the course of a month, the continuous supply of Dragon Blood had raised Lizardman Kuru Xue's level to 25.
The precious Dragon Blood had not been wasted after all.
"Well then, let's go, everyone." Tang Zheng let out a sinister laugh through a magic item, then grabbed everyone present by making contact with them. "Teleportation!"
*Shua—*
In the next instant, everyone in the great hall vanished.
When everyone's vision stabilized, they found themselves standing on the peak of a mountain range, battered by a bone-chillingly cold wind.
It made the Blue Maggot King and the Pandes Matriarch shiver, their squirming bodies radiating terror.
"Teleportation magic!" exclaimed the Demon-Human Nasurini.
Everyone's gaze was fixed on Tang Zheng, momentarily unsure of his intentions.
"Do you see that sky thick with dark clouds?"
Facing their tense and wary gazes, Tang Zheng raised his arm and pointed to the dark clouds in the distant sky that were beginning to cover the hills.
Clearly, a heavy rain was coming.
This season was naturally one of plentiful rain.
"Rain nurtures new life."
Tang Zheng said in his raspy voice. He slowly raised and spread his arms, his back to the others. "Unfortunately, I despise new life."
"So, everyone, starting today, I intend to stop a single drop of rain from falling on the entire Abelion Hills. What do you think?"
*CRACK!* A massive peal of thunder.
The lightning crashed down from the dark clouds in the sky.
The flash illuminated Tang Zheng's figure, suffusing the air with an invisible sense of terror and horror.
(end of chapter)
The tyrannical power and curse within the "Dragon Blood" were broken down and dissolved through the analysis of Lizardman Kuru Xue's blood. Then, by using the Lizardman Race's sacred treasure and refining the mixture in a magic crucible, the creation of the "Dragon Blood Potion" was finally complete.
Although both "Dragon Blood Potions" appeared blue, the difference between them was still visible to the naked eye.
It was just like the difference between a low-grade and high-grade "Regeneration Potion."
The ordinary "Dragon Blood Potion" looked just like any other common potion.
But the blue liquid within the "High-Grade" Dragon Blood Potion seemed to be "alive," slowly flowing within the bottle, which had even become warm to the touch.
…………
Item: Magic · Alchemical Solution (Dragon Blood Potion)
Level: Middle Class
Introduction: When consumed, grants the "Berserk" effect, +20 Physical Attack, and a certain amount of Mental Resistance. Lasts for half an hour. Induces a state of weakness after it ends (Effective below Level 30).
……
Item: Magic · Alchemical Solution (Dragon Blood Potion)
Level: High Class
Introduction: Slightly and permanently increases Life Strength. This effect ceases after a certain upper limit is reached. The higher the user's level, the lower the increase (Effective below Level 30).
…………
Tang Zheng calmly scanned the appraisal information.
Neither of these two Dragon Blood Potions was useful to him, though the high-grade "Dragon Blood Potion" could be given to his subordinates.
"'Increases Life Strength'... Life Strength probably doesn't just refer to the HP stat," Tang Zheng mused internally as he analyzed the contents of the appraisal information.
He remembered that with resurrection magic, the revived person would suffer a drop in Life Strength. Could this so-called "Life Strength" actually refer to "level"?
Tang Zheng had just drunk a bottle himself, but it had no effect on him, so he couldn't make a quick judgment.
Day by day, time passed.
Tang Zheng and his group gradually blended into Kalinxia. To outsiders, it appeared that besides regularly selling Regeneration Potions, Tang Zheng would also specifically purchase a batch of supplies from time to time. The rest of the time, he would remain in the inn, claiming to be researching alchemy.
During this time, "Black" Pavel would occasionally invite Tang Zheng to the taverns of Kalinxia for a drink.
This normally stern captain of the soldiers seemed to have a rather good impression of Tang Zheng.
However!
Tang Zheng was well aware that besides his Regeneration Potions having healed many maimed soldiers, there was also an element of surveillance to these invitations.
The information Pavel had gathered must have included an assessment of his power. In the other's eyes, a foreign adventurer possessing great power was inherently an unstable factor.
Compared to Orland, the other member of the "Nine Colors," Pavel's thoughts ran much deeper, a stark contrast to his daughter, Neia.
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
On the surface, the Holy Kingdom remained as placid as still water. In the shadows, however, a large number of nobles were using merchant ships at sea to trade all kinds of food and meat with the Ogre Race.
The frequency of these trades even somewhat exceeded Tang Zheng's initial expectations.
It seemed many nobles were well aware that such a high-risk trade couldn't be sustained for long, so they were doing their utmost to trade the surplus food in their territories for truly valuable gold and gems.
Beneath the calm surface, an undercurrent was already surging.
Abelion Hills, the southernmost part.
Inside the castle headquarters.
In the vast great hall.
Tang Zheng, the White Mist Witch, Lizardman Kuru Xue, Gagaran, the Blue Maggot King, the Pandes Matriarch, and the Demon-Human Nasurini.
A total of seven individuals were seated around a round table.
The vast differences in size and appearance among the various races resulted in them sitting at different heights, creating a strange sight from a distance.
"We have more or less conquered all the ogre tribes, large and small. In total, there are 2,000 ogres. The number of goblins is higher, at ten thousand."
Gagaran's thick arms were crossed over her chest. Her enormous, three-meter-tall frame towered over the other demi-humans present. She swept her gaze over everyone with a condescending look and spoke faintly.
Ten thousand goblins was a large number, but to those present, it was completely insignificant.
Creatures as filthy and despicable as goblins were meaningless regardless of their numbers; they were so weak individually that even a frail human could easily kill them.
Even if gathered together, they couldn't be used as a proper army. They would likely fall into chaos and scatter before a battle even began.
"Why take in so many goblins?" the Demon-Human Nasurini asked, dissatisfied. "Even as slaves, no demi-human would want this bunch of short, green, filthy creatures."
"Is that so," Gagaran sneered. "This was the Lord's command."
The Demon-Human Nasurini's expression changed, and she quickly looked toward Tang Zheng to explain, "Lord, I have no intention of questioning your decision."
"I feel these goblins would still make for decent food," the Blue Maggot King said, its upper body squirming. Its voice was that of an authoritative middle-aged man, though tinged with a hint of sycophancy.
The food of the Blue Maggot Tribe is bodily fluid, and it doesn't matter whether the source is living or dead. Although the bodily fluid of a creature like a goblin is considered the lowest grade of food, it was perfectly fine for ordinary tribesmen to consume.
"Continue."
Tang Zheng leaned back in his chair, his entire body enveloped in a red robe, and his voice came out raspy and cold.
"The massive amount of food from the trades has been stored. The meat alone is enough to sustain us for a year."
As the Demon-Human Nasurini spoke, a hint of excitement entered her voice. She continued, "All the magic casters in the tribe who have mastered the ice attribute have already used ice magic in shifts to freeze all this food."
She had never imagined trading with humans before; the two sides held a mutual hatred for each other.
Even now, seeing the great benefits produced by the trade, the Demon-Human Nasurini still wouldn't choose to trade with humans.
Because if she did, she would become a common enemy to all the tribes in the entire hills region.
As for their current situation, they were merely forced to obey this mysterious human who could manipulate the undead to fight against the living.
Aside from the slight excitement in the Demon-Human Nasurini's tone, Gagaran remained stone-faced from beginning to end, while the Blue Maggot Tribe and the Pandas Tribe were completely calm.
This was because the food of their two races was bodily fluid and moss, respectively.
"My compatriots will continue to work with the Blue Maggots to excavate the entire gold mine, ensuring a continuous supply of gold ore," the Pandes Matriarch said in a mature, commanding voice.
Both races were natural subterranean dwellers and were well-suited for digging. Excavating ores was not a complicated matter for them.
After listening to the reports from each of the demi-humans, Tang Zheng nodded lightly and spoke in his raspy voice, "Take a portion of the grain and meat and supply it to the goblins with full priority. Give them ample food and let them breed and reproduce."
"Furthermore, your Blue Maggot Tribe may directly consume the bodily fluid of these goblins. You can even have their corpses for initial processing."
Hearing this, the Blue Maggot King couldn't help but lean forward in disbelief.
"Lord, is this true?" The warty appendages on the Blue Maggot King's face squirmed up and down irregularly.
Even though its facial expression was impossible to analyze, its excitement was palpable from its voice and these small movements.
The Blue Maggot King couldn't help but be excited.
Due to issues like food shortages, the population of the entire Blue Maggot Tribe had been steadily decreasing, to the point where they might face the risk of their race's extinction in the future.
With a plentiful supply of food, their Blue Maggot Tribe would surely grow strong!
Gagaran turned her head, her white eyes glancing at the Blue Maggot King. Her lips moved, but in the end, she looked away, casting a deep glance from the corner of her eye at the figure in the red robe.
How could this human who manipulates the undead be so kind?
Although Gagaran couldn't guess what Tang Zheng was planning, she could faintly sense that it was definitely not a good thing.
"You few, stay. The rest may leave."
Tang Zheng said lazily, raising a hand and waving it.
Everyone exchanged glances. Gagaran silently stood up and turned to walk out of the castle, with the White Mist Witch leaving alongside her.
Soon, only five people remained in the great hall with Tang Zheng.
"How is your mastery of 'Cloud Manipulation' coming along?" Tang Zheng turned his head to look at Lizardman Kuru Xue, who was still wrapped in straw beside him.
"I can now cast it independently," Lizardman Kuru Xue replied respectfully.
Tang Zheng nodded, a satisfied look on his face.
Over the course of a month, the continuous supply of Dragon Blood had raised Lizardman Kuru Xue's level to 25.
The precious Dragon Blood had not been wasted after all.
"Well then, let's go, everyone." Tang Zheng let out a sinister laugh through a magic item, then grabbed everyone present by making contact with them. "Teleportation!"
*Shua—*
In the next instant, everyone in the great hall vanished.
When everyone's vision stabilized, they found themselves standing on the peak of a mountain range, battered by a bone-chillingly cold wind.
It made the Blue Maggot King and the Pandes Matriarch shiver, their squirming bodies radiating terror.
"Teleportation magic!" exclaimed the Demon-Human Nasurini.
Everyone's gaze was fixed on Tang Zheng, momentarily unsure of his intentions.
"Do you see that sky thick with dark clouds?"
Facing their tense and wary gazes, Tang Zheng raised his arm and pointed to the dark clouds in the distant sky that were beginning to cover the hills.
Clearly, a heavy rain was coming.
This season was naturally one of plentiful rain.
"Rain nurtures new life."
Tang Zheng said in his raspy voice. He slowly raised and spread his arms, his back to the others. "Unfortunately, I despise new life."
"So, everyone, starting today, I intend to stop a single drop of rain from falling on the entire Abelion Hills. What do you think?"
*CRACK!* A massive peal of thunder.
The lightning crashed down from the dark clouds in the sky.
The flash illuminated Tang Zheng's figure, suffusing the air with an invisible sense of terror and horror.
(end of chapter)
