When Yuan Chen heard that the thing inside the jar came from Mount Targon, a look of understanding finally crossed his face.
Mount Targon, Telecom Server 7, was also known as Targon Pit.
Despite the name, there weren't actually many people who were terrible at the game there; it was simply a pun based on a homophone. It was an obscure server with very few players. Once you reached a slightly higher rank, you basically faced the same few people every match. That was the norm on most of the remote servers in the Chinese region.
In the League of Legends universe, however, Mount Targon held an extraordinary status.
Whether it was the nations on the Valoran Continent or the lost deserts of Shurima, Mount Targon represented the pinnacle of the supernatural.
It stood in a sparsely populated mountainous region in western Shurima, at the very top of Runeterra.
Far from civilization and almost impossible to reach, it could only be climbed by the most resolute pilgrims, driven by the deepest desires of their souls.
The few who survived either returned dazed and broken, or became beings beyond all human understanding. It was also the only place in Runeterra where the Immortal Heaven lingered.
Only Mount Targon could give rise to such a treasure...
As he thought this, Yuan Chen's gaze filled with amazement.
But when Mordas noticed the amazement on Yuan Chen's face, he didn't feel proud or pleased with himself. Instead, an awkward expression crossed his face—
Having a treasure didn't mean you knew how to use it. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many tales of people stumbling upon hidden riches in Runeterra...
"You recognize it?"
"I do, but this is the first time I've ever seen one."
Yuan Chen gazed at the deep blue flame inside the jar, his eyes full of amazement—
He was certain that fewer than a handful of people in Runeterra could recognize this thing. The only reason he knew what it really was and where it came from was the appraisal function attached to his Scout Skill.
And after learning the value of the jar—or, more accurately, the thing inside it...
"Honestly, I'm wondering if I should kill you and take it for myself..."
Yuan Chen looked at Mordas beside him, his expression full of feeling—
He didn't even know what to make of Mordas's luck. No matter how he'd come by it, the quality of this thing proved just how extraordinary and precious it was.
Hearing that Yuan Chen was actually considering killing him and taking it, Mordas was startled. But he quickly regained his composure and asked Yuan Chen in confusion:
"What exactly is it? Judging by your expression... it must be incredibly valuable?"
"Extremely valuable..."
Yuan Chen shook his head with a sigh and said:
"Let me put it simply. If you gave this to Noxus—or any other nation on the Valoran Continent—you could instantly become one of the most powerful people in that country.
And if word got out, a war that engulfed the entire world would be perfectly understandable."
"..." Mordas couldn't help swallowing at Yuan Chen's words.
"Really...?"
"How did you get it?"
"I found it on Mount Targon ten years ago."
Mordas explained:
"Whenever a member of the Carnivore Beast Tribe reaches a certain age, they go on a hunt called a trial. To complete it, they have to obtain sufficiently valuable prey and win the elders' approval. Otherwise, they aren't allowed to return to the tribe."
"I was young then. After hearing the stories about Mount Targon, I wanted to hunt a powerful enough monster there... But as it turned out, my younger self was incredibly foolish."
"I only stayed at the foot of Mount Targon for a few nights before the ever-present cold and danger overwhelmed me, and I slunk back the way I'd come...
"Later, on my way home, a group of children tending livestock were attacked by Bo Mai, a carnivorous beast from Mount Targon. I rushed in without thinking and rescued them, sustaining a few minor injuries in the process.
"After that, a streak of deep blue fire flashed across the sky. When I came to my senses, the flame had landed right in front of me."
"..." Yuan Chen didn't know how to describe Mordas's incredible luck.
After taking a moment to collect himself, Yuan Chen said with a sigh:
"Have you heard the stories about Aurelion Sol?"
"Of course. Is there anyone in Runeterra who hasn't? The great Dragon King created the world beneath our feet..." As he spoke, Mordas paused, then stared at Yuan Chen in disbelief.
"Wait, was that deep blue flame...?"
"No, you're overthinking it."
"That's what I thought..." Yuan Chen's answer put Mordas at ease, though he seemed a little disappointed.
On the one hand, he did hope it was a gift from the Dragon King. On the other, he knew that if it really was, word getting out would spell disaster for the Carnivore Beast Tribe.
"It was a gift from the Azure Guardian Dragon, a descendant of the Dragon King."
"..." Mordas froze. "A descendant of the Creation Dragon God?"
"Mm." Looking at the flame inside the jar, Yuan Chen said with a sigh:
"Most of what people in Runeterra know about the Creation Dragon God Sol is actually wrong."
Yuan Chen explained:
"Besides Dragon God Sol, there are other divine beings born in the Immortal Heaven. And Runeterra wasn't created by the Dragon King. Even among the stars, it's an exceptionally unique and precious world.
"But the Dragon King is indeed a creator deity. The sun in the sky was created by Dragon God Sol. Only after that did Runeterra gain the ability to give rise to life. And the Azure Guardian Dragon is a descendant of Creation Dragon God Sol."
"The Azure Guardian Dragon..."
Yuan Chen's words made Mordas's scalp prickle—
He had never heard of an Azure Guardian Dragon, but just being a descendant of Creation Dragon God Sol was enough to prove the nobility of its bloodline—and the immense value of its gift...
Mordas was still processing his emotions, and Yuan Chen was doing the same. Gazing at the flame in the jar before him, Yuan Chen hadn't been lying or exaggerating earlier. The instant he saw the item's effects, he really had considered killing Mordas and taking it...
There was no other reason. Though this gift came from a supreme being of the Immortal Heaven, the flame itself might have been insignificant to the Azure Guardian Dragon. But for beings of that stature, even the slightest favor could change someone's life forever.
Name: Azure Starfire State: Fading Source: Immortal Heaven · Azure Guardian Dragon Quality: 'Transcendent' Item Description: A gift of flame from the Azure Guardian Dragon of the Immortal Heaven. It contains a large amount of pure Order Power. However, repeated use has caused the Order Power within it to dissipate severely. Even so, its quality remains transcendent. Effect: Actively activate the power within to make it burn. The activator gains the "Heavenly Power" effect, fully recovers, increases all attributes by 70%, and reduces stamina and mana consumption by 70%. At the same time, all hostile life within the flames' range and outside the Immortal Heaven is afflicted with "Heavenly Pressure." All attributes are reduced by 70%, with a high chance of causing intimidation, stun, disarm, fear, weakness, or power suppression. If the user is sufficiently qualified, activating the Order Power will initiate the inheritance trial for the Legendary Profession "Dawn Bringer." Warning! You have already received Demon's Blessing. The influence of Order Power is highly likely to break the balance of your power and cause you to die a violent death.
Gazing at the glass jar in his hand, Yuan Chen's eyes filled with thought.
The writers of League of Legends had repeatedly revised Aurelion Sol's backstory. At first, he'd been depicted as uniquely and purely powerful. But after the lore was expanded, the Immortal Heaven gained many other beings of his kind. This was reflected in the League of Legends card game, Legends of Runeterra.
After the Aspects tricked Aurelion Sol into submitting to them, his friend and fellow dragon—slightly younger than him—the Vow Sound Holy Dragon, had planned to destroy the Titan Race alongside him. But Aurelion Sol had stopped him, apparently because of Runeterra's unique nature...
Since the Aspects had tricked and ambushed Aurelion Sol, many people believed he might not be all that powerful. But that was wrong. The crown the Aspects used to ensnare him hadn't been made by them.
It was a cursed abomination born in the depths of the Immortal Heaven. And the reason Aurelion Sol hadn't destroyed the Aspects—the Titan Race—was that he knew the crown wouldn't hold him for long.
Compared to Aurelion Sol's life, which stretched on for an eternity, the time the crown could restrain him amounted to little more than a few naps.
In fact, in the current League of Legends universe storyline, Aurelion Sol had already broken free of some of the curse crown's restraints. When War Spirit Pantheon believed that possessing the crown meant he could control the Dragon King, Aurelion Sol killed him with the stray energy from a casual attack.
The True Form of the Twilight Spirit even went to Zoe, hoping to use the opportunity to mend her relationship with Aurelion Sol—who was very fond of the human girl.
Including the Vow Sound Holy Dragon and Aurelion Sol, there were apparently four known supreme beings of that level. Another was the Heartbreak Eternal Dragon, essentially the League of Legends universe's equivalent of Yog-Sothoth, whose interest was spreading knowledge.
But that interest was entirely subjective. When spreading knowledge, he would dump everything he knew onto others—including knowledge of creation, genesis, destruction, and chaos.
The result was that the recipient's mind was overwhelmed by the knowledge, sending them straight to the next life.
The last one was the Fire Phoenix, truly immortal and indestructible, and the celestial being whose age came closest to the Dragon King's.
Though it was called a Fire Phoenix, both the Dragon King and the Fire Phoenix were, in essence, life, not creatures. It was only a one-word difference, but the distinction was immense.
Put simply, the Dragon King's familiar appearance was only meant to help people understand him. If he wished, he could take any form.
As for the Dragon King's destructive power...
Though there was no direct description of it, the constellation beings he created had been scattered across the stars to destroy enemies from beyond them.
According to lines in Legends of Runeterra, the Dragon King once ordered one of his constellation beings, Destroying Rhinoceros, to destroy a star system. Destroying Rhinoceros wasn't one of his favorite creations, nor was it one of his strongest or most perfect.
Of course, that was only how the Legends of Runeterra universe was currently written...
The League of Legends universe had been rebooted several times. Add the Chinese server's general neglect of the lore, and even now, as a transmigrator, Yuan Chen couldn't be sure which timeline his world followed...
At any rate, it wasn't the earliest version.
But regardless of which version it was, as a descendant of the Dragon King, the Azure Guardian Dragon possessed immortal power from the moment it was born—even if the growth cycle of such celestial beings was terrifyingly long.
Used properly, the Order Power contained in this Azure Starfire was enough to create a large number of top-tier divine weapons, all at least epic quality.
And if someone was compatible with it, they could directly become a Dawn Bringer, a Legendary Profession...
As he thought this, Yuan Chen narrowed his eyes...
Dawn Bringer was one of the most popular skin lines in the League of Legends game. It was paired with Night Bringer, representing Order Power and Chaos Power respectively. At first, the two skins belonged to Dawn Bringer Riven and Night Bringer Yasuo.
When the skins first came out, the Chinese server even stirred up a vote, letting players decide which one would win in the comic: Dawn Bringer or Night Bringer.
Though Night Bringer Yasuo won the player vote, in the skin universe's story, the two killed each other.
Mm, Darius and Garen's God King skins were also part of that skin universe, one of the most famous parallel timelines outside the main universe.
As he thought this, Yuan Chen looked toward Mordas and asked, "How many times have you used it?"
"Um..." Mordas paused to think. "About seven times."
"What happened when you used it?"
"It's incredibly powerful!" Mordas said.
"Every time I use it, my enemies immediately fall into an extremely strange state. They become so weak they're practically at my mercy... But I can feel that each use drains the flame's power, so I haven't used it recklessly.
"There have been several times when I only managed to turn the tables against wild beasts thanks to this flame... Other than that, I haven't noticed anything else."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Yuan Chen's eyes at Mordas's words—
Clearly, Mordas didn't have the aptitude to become a Dawn Bringer. Otherwise, even if his talent were lacking, using the flame seven times should have been enough to trigger the profession trial.
"What's wrong? Did I lose something?"
Mordas keenly sensed Yuan Chen's disappointment. Yuan Chen shook his head and said, "It's not really a loss. Surviving is the greatest gain of all."
"The Dragon Might in this flame can forcibly weaken the abilities of all beings outside the Immortal Heaven. Also, if the user has the aptitude, they can become the legendary 'Dawn Bringer.'"
"Dawn Bringer?"
"You can think of it as a warrior more powerful than the Ascended of the ancient Shuriman Empire, or even the Chosen of Mount Targon."
Mordas froze in place.
He didn't know what a Dawn Bringer was, but the power of the Ascended and the Chosen of Mount Targon was the stuff of myth—worshipped by every inhabitant of Shurima...
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