Chapter 312 - 314 Disaster Omen
She had seen some scenes that would take place in the following days, likely in a collective of villages, where countless rats were scurrying out from granaries stocked with grain. In the sky, ice locusts swarmed densely, like a sandstorm…
These anomalies, when linked to what the Hu family siblings had said about the Fiend Star Dragon, made Li Xinghua feel there was a significant connection.
As for the Fiend Star Dragon being injured, Li Xinghua also believed it to be true. She had seen some blood-stained flora, a series of footprints of varying depth, and she also noticed the Scale Feathers currently in Zhu Minglang’s hand, which had fallen in the forest. That patch of woods was then enveloped by a black cold aura.
“Unless it’s an underage Fiend Star Dragon,” Mr. Jinli snorted coldly.
“Let’s figure out the situation first; in any case, the Orderer from Green Bull Mountain was quite sincere, having secured a month’s time for us in Runyu City,” Hu Bailing nodded in agreement.
What Mr. Jinli said was somewhat shocking, but if they didn’t start with the Fiend Star Dragon, Runyu City would be completely annihilated.
Hu Bailing and Hu Chongming had already promised the Orderer to pursue and assist in the hunt for the Fiend Star Dragon, and for this reason, the Green Bull Mountain Orderer granted Runyu City a month’s reprieve.
“Then, as the Female Monarch suggested, we will conduct a more detailed investigation first. Whether or not to hunt will be a separate matter,” said Chao Ruijin of the Copper Knife Army.
Chao Ruijin couldn’t tell Li Yunzi apart from Li Xinghua. In fact, Li Yunzi had been asleep for some days now, waking up very, very infrequently, and Zhu Minglang also knew that the number of Ancient Lantern Jades was still insufficient.
Four pieces were needed; even with the City Lord’s Seal, they only had three pieces, which was not enough to restore Li Yunzi to her former state.
“By the way, since your Hu family once swept through this area of the Mourning Dragons, you must know some older information about them. We found a relic in Pear Blossom Gully; those strange powers of the Mourning Dragons are mostly derived from exotic species within the relic. So, we surmise that the Mourning Dragons might have originated from ancient times… Sadly, the relic is in a sealed valley, impossible to enter again. There should be another entrance to the relic in the Tea-colored Ground. Do you have any clues?” Zhu Minglang said to the Hu family siblings.
Hu Bailing glanced at Hu Chongming, who after some careful thought, spoke, “We’ll have to ask our great-grandfather about this. Now that you mention it, City Lord, it does remind me of a story he told us a long time ago when we were still children, and we only listened to it as a story.”
Zhu Minglang nodded. Concerning the ancient lair of the Mourning Dragons, probably only the people of the Hu family would have clear knowledge.
Should they find another entrance to the relic, it would surely be a great aid in enhancing the cultivation of his own dragons!
“Commander Chao, take some elites and head north. If you encounter towns suffering from the ice calamity, conduct an investigation and then inform me of the details,” Li Xinghua said to Chao Ruijin of the Copper Knife Army.
“At your command!” Chao Ruijin did not ask further and saluted.
“Young Master, I would like to personally investigate the areas afflicted by the rat and locust plagues. Neither should be occurring in winter; their presence most likely indicates the influence of the Fiend Star Dragon,” Li Xinghua said to Zhu Minglang.
“Alright, I’ll go with you…”
“I can go with Ling Sha; Young Master, you and Zhirou should visit Yao Country. There are some even stranger occurrences there, and I’ve only seen quite blurry images,” Li Xinghua said.
Zhu Minglang nodded.
The Fiend Star Dragon is a rare dragon that serves as an omen in this world.
Destiny and the will of heaven, concepts that have always existed, were early on proposed by our ancestors. The arrival of certain special dragons is seen as a sign, a warning from the heavens of impending disasters and upheaval.
As a Prophet, Li Xinghua could see these omens more clearly.
However, the information received by Prophets is fragmented and requires observation. It needs to be deduced through minor details or through peculiar changes.
Li Xinghua had long noticed strange occurrences around the world but had been unable to understand the underlying reasons until the Hu Family Siblings obtained information about the Fiend Star Dragon from the Orderer at Green Bull Mountain. It was then she had a sudden realization and linked all the visions from the Dream World together.
“Our Azure Wolf Cavalry can also serve you. We don’t want to be sentenced to death, merely surviving another day or month,” Yu Gaojie from the Azure Wolf Cavalry said as he clasped his hands, indicating his willingness to join the search for the Fiend Star Dragon.
“Commander Yu, you could look for traces of the Greedy Dragon. This kind of dragon takes advantage of chaos during disasters. Their saliva contains a toxin that affects crops, making normally peaceful farmers restless and greedy,” Li Xinghua pondered and felt that the appearances of the Greedy Dragon were likely related to the Fiend Star Dragon.
“Good, the Azure Wolf Cavalry will handle this matter properly,” Yu Gaojie stated.
Yao Country is a surname nation where half of the population shares the Yao surname, and Yao Junshi is also from this nation.
Zhu Minglang was somewhat puzzled. Why did his aunt, the Prophet, insist on having the Yin Spirit Necromancer girl, Zhi Rou, accompany him? Could it be that his investigative journey required the abilities of this Yin Spirit Necromancer?
They flew toward Yao Country, which was not particularly far away since Yao Country is one of the four great warring states on the Tea-colored Ground. Their army had once been stationed in Runyu City before being expelled by the Brown Banner Army from Slaughter Country.
It took them approximately a day and a night to reach Yao Country.
Following Li Xinghua’s instructions, Zhu Minglang went directly to the capital of Yao Country and located the Prime Minister’s Mansion.
Yao Country was far less prosperous and powerful than Miao Kingdom. The size of its capital was only comparable to the Ancestral Dragon City-State. They placed excessive emphasis on their military to the point that civilian welfare was very poor, and the quality of life for the people was far inferior to that on the Li Chuan Continent.
On the way, Zhu Minglang took note of this, feeling that the nation was on the brink of collapse, maintaining its military and the sore-ridden royal power through sheer exploitation.
“Big brother, this Prime Minister’s Mansion has a very strong yin energy,” the Yin Spirit Necromancer Zhi Rou said in a low voice to Zhu Minglang, her pale purple eyes fixed on the mansion gate.
“Let’s pretend to be exorcists and go in to find out more. Tell me something convincing that we can use,” Zhu Minglang said.
“In their back kitchen, three chefs have died within a month,” the Yin Spirit Necromancer Zhi Rou said.
“We’re standing at the entrance, how would you know that?” Zhu Minglang asked, puzzled.
“Their spirits are sitting right at the front door!” Zhi Rou pointed at the threshold, where fully armed guards were also present on either side!