Without lingering on the topic, the most pressing matter was now to deal with the flood dragon. Knowing a formidable beast lurked within the core, leaving it unchecked was simply not an option.
Ao Yu spoke in a cold voice, instructing his subordinates, “Summon the others. Guard the exit well; I shall enter.”
“Understood,” the black-robed man beside Ao Yu replied, vanishing into the shadows to relay the message to all stationed personnel. With the Guild Master entering the instance dungeon, it was imperative to have someone guard the exterior, preventing any malicious individuals from slipping in. As for the spies, in their eyes, they had long since become mere dust within the dungeon, posing no threat.
Watching his subordinate depart, Ao Yu’s lips curved into a faint smile. ‘Heh, plan complete.’
With a sweep of his hand, the Azure Dragon Armor he held once again fragmented into countless dragon scales, instantly adhering to his skin. Unlike when Li Jia wore it, the Azure Dragon Armor, once affixed to his skin, transformed into streaks of light and seamlessly merged with him, leaving behind a subtle, dark green sheen. As all the dragon scales fused into his body, a potent aura of coercion erupted from within him, instantly unleashing a wave of cyan-green energy that swept outwards.
‘To put on a show, one must go all out, otherwise, how could the dangers within be proven?’
“Let’s go.”
Instead of entering through the dungeon’s conventional teleportation portal, Ao Yu extended a dragon claw and tore directly through the void. The usual path would involve a lengthy journey to reach the natural chasm; this method was far more expedient. As the dragon claw descended, several cracks spread across the void, gradually widening until they formed a passage large enough for an adult to pass through.
“Holy hell, big brother, you’re not serious, are you? It’s just a flood dragon. Tearing open the dungeon like this will lead to a formal reprimand from above when they investigate!”
The space within an S-rank dungeon was far more robust than the real world, separated by an invisible spatial barrier. Its rigidity was such that even a non-spatial S-rank individual might not be able to break through it in their entire lifetime. Furthermore, once the connection between the two was established, the dungeon’s consciousness might seize the opportunity to absorb the real world’s energy, thus giving birth to even more formidable monsters. This would significantly increase the probability of the dungeon going berserk. ‘Big brother is really trying to stir up trouble!’
“We’ll discuss it once we’re inside.” Ao Yu offered no further explanation. With that single remark, he stepped into the profound, dark passage.
Aya Tone followed closely behind him, entering as well. ‘Having a powerful figure clear the path ahead was far superior to his own half-baked teleportation magic.’
“Little brother,” Ao Yu began, “I actually have a favor to ask of you. Once it’s done, I’ll take the liberty of gifting you that fruit. How does that sound?”
“Huh?”
Aya Tone’s gaze sharpened, and he instantly grew wary. ‘Is it coming now? To offer an S-rank spatial fruit as compensation, what big brother was asking for must be no simple task!’
“When the time comes, I need you to accidentally help me shatter a stone. Remember to use your most powerful magic, *accidentally*, understand?” He purposefully emphasized the word ‘accidentally’. “Isn’t that simple? It’s that easy, and then an incredibly precious spatial fruit will be yours. What do you say?”
Ao Yu’s tone was enticing, as if he were luring a small girl.
“You’re not trying to dump some trouble on me, are you?” Aya Tone asked, wary.
“Don’t worry! Dragon Country people don’t deceive Dragon Country people!”
“Then… fine!”
Since Ao Yu had put it that way, it seemed impolite not to agree. ‘After all, this was his elder brother, albeit from different parents!’ Yet, a moment later, he realized something was amiss. ‘A stone in space? Dungeon, stone… the Core!? Holy cow, big brother is setting him up to take the fall for something massive!’
Noticing Aya Tone’s realization, Ao Yu quickened his pace, pointedly ignoring the pursuit of the short-legged figure behind him.
****
The void passage Ao Yu had torn open was long, yet remarkably stable. Throughout the journey, even without using magic to reinforce his body, Aya Tone felt no spatial distortion whatsoever. The void was calm and serene. When they stepped out of the void, they found themselves before an endless abyss.
“Little brother, remember, it’s an accident. Don’t make it too obvious, alright?”
Ao Yu’s front foot stepped into empty air, his entire body losing balance and plummeting straight into the abyss. Even as he fell, he still managed to turn back and remind Aya Tone.
“No, big brother, you still haven’t told me why we need to clear out this dungeon! This is a never-ending source of money!”
The thought of this inexhaustible goldmine being destroyed by his own hands made Aya Tone’s heart ache. ‘Forgive him.’ As a wage earner whose horizons were limited by poverty, he truly couldn’t fathom Ao Yu’s reasoning. But by then, Ao Yu had already plunged into the abyss, leaving no one to answer his questions.
“…”
‘Ignoring me!?’ Aya Tone pouted, then kicked a nearby boulder down into the chasm, muttering angrily, “If you don’t tell me, I’ll just go kidnap Xin’er!” He didn’t explicitly say he wouldn’t do it. ‘To strike a snake, one must aim for its vulnerable spot. To deal with an old father, one must, of course, seize upon his weaknesses.’
Indeed! Upon hearing the name ‘Xin’er’…
…a deafening dragon roar echoed like rolling thunder from the depths of the abyss. The roar carried boundless fury and majesty, seemingly warning all creatures who dared to trespass upon this place. Then, a hundred-zhang-long black shadow soared upwards, standing proudly above the abyss. Even the great chasm appeared insignificant beneath its form. With a voice like rolling thunder, he scoffed, “Hmph, if you kidnap Xin’er, I’ll kidnap Aya Jiu! Who’s afraid of whom?”
Under the stare of those massive dragon eyes, Aya Tone offered a sheepish smile. ‘He caved.’
“No, wait, it was just a joke.”
Ao Yu snorted coldly. “This kid seems to be itching for a beating. Get up here. The resources in this dungeon have already been plundered. Destroying it wouldn’t be a great loss, but the higher-ups have always disagreed, deeming it ‘tasteless to eat, yet a pity to discard.'”
“But aren’t those resources renewable?”
“It takes too long, and it delays me going home.” There were no outsiders present, just the two of them. Ao Yu spoke his true thoughts without the slightest pretense.
“Awesome.”
By this point, Aya Tone had landed amidst the dragon’s mane, curiously extending a hand, wanting to touch it. As a Dragon Country native, the reverence for dragons was deeply ingrained in his very being. To be able to interact with an Azure Dragon at such close quarters, his excitement was undeniable. ‘He never imagined he’d be a dragon rider one day! This was truly too cool! And this was so, so much bigger than the White Tiger form of Bai Xiao! Big! Is good!’
The mane on the Azure Dragon’s back shimmered with a golden glow, like burning flames. Each strand of mane was thick and rigid, resembling a sharp sword, refracting a kaleidoscope of colors under the sunlight. As a gentle breeze swept past, the mane swayed softly, emitting a crisp rustling sound, as if the Azure Dragon were humming a low melody.
“Hold on tight!” With a slight shift of its body, Ao Yu plunged headfirst into the abyss. The dragon’s mane swayed with his movements, as if imbued with life, perfectly synchronizing with every action of the Azure Dragon. Aya Tone, nestled within the mane, was protected by its dense strands, which formed a natural barrier around him due to his height. This severed his connection to the outside world. Thus, he only felt the mane around him shifting, undisturbed by the external changes. ‘Huh, is this what the world of a tiny bug is like? How narrow-minded…’