Blood Canyon

Blood Canyon

Li Junshan groaned inwardly and looked toward Aldrich, but the latter also wore a questioning look, waiting for his answer.

"I really can't summon a Black Dragon. That was an accident," Li Junshan said slowly, his mind racing.

"At the time, I'd run into the barren mountains. I'd actually gone to take a look at the Black Dragon. Not long after I got there, I saw the Black Dragon get defeated by Mr. Laurat, and it came tumbling and flying all the way to right in front of me. I was scared stupid."

"Back then, I saw that the Black Dragon had no ability to resist, and I even tried, ridiculously, to summon it. Of course, I failed."

As he spoke, inspiration flashed through Li Junshan's mind, and he said, "From the Black Dragon's belly, right where that huge wound was, a magical beast egg suddenly rolled out. It wasn't a Black Dragon egg. It was like a magical beast egg that had been parasitizing the wound inside the Black Dragon."

"That magical beast egg rolled in front of me, and then it suddenly opened. A little monster with lots of claws crawled out of it. I was badly startled at the time, but after that little monster came out, it didn't move. It just looked at me with a very strange gaze. And I noticed that the Black Dragon seemed terrified of it, desperately shrinking backward."

"I don't know what I was thinking. I instinctively tried to summon that little monster, and to my surprise, it actually worked. All of a sudden, the little monster flew onto the Black Dragon's face, and then its body went stiff and fell off. I was startled, but I could feel that it hadn't died. I could clearly sense a subtle mental connection between us. It seemed very excited and pleased, and I couldn't figure out what was going on."

"After that, Mr. Laurat appeared. I didn't know then that he was an imperial court mage, so I had my summoned beast attack..."

At this point, Li Junshan glanced at Laurat and stopped speaking.

"Also, I've already hatched that Black Dragon egg, and it successfully became my summoned beast," Li Junshan added.

Clearly, Laurat had already recounted the whole matter. The few people in the hall exchanged glances, and no one asked further about what happened afterward.

After a long silence, Aldrich asked Randolph, "Mr. Randolph, you're a summoner and understand magical beasts better. Have you ever heard of such a thing? A magical beast egg parasitizing a magical beast's body? Separating from its own body?"

Randolph frowned and thought hard for a while, then said, "There are cases, but they're all very small, low-level little creatures, not even really magical beasts. Like the Blood-Sting Worm. It parasitizes the wounds of other magical beasts or animals and can lay eggs too, but even when that thing grows up, it's only about the size of a palm. The strange magical beast Nicholas described should be somewhat similar. The world is vast and full of wonders. Perhaps such a magical beast really does exist."

"Perhaps some magical beast mutated," Marquis Sweet cut in. "Just like the magical beasts of today. After ten thousand years of mutation, they're completely different. In the past, no one would have believed it if you told them, but now it's nothing unusual."

"Mr. Laurat." Aldrich smiled faintly and said to him, "Nicholas didn't know you at the time, and he was young and ignorant. He offended you quite a bit back then, so please don't take it to heart."

Although Laurat was an imperial court mage, he did not dare put on airs in front of Duke Aldrich, who had rendered great service to the empire. Though somewhat displeased, he still forced a smile and said, "Last night, I was gathering with a magic instructor from George Academy and heard that a new summoning student had summoned a peculiar magical beast. When I asked what that magical beast looked like, I became a little suspicious. After finding out that he was a child of the Harriman Family, I didn't dare act rashly, so I came to Marquis Sweet. I happened to run into Mr. Randolph, and after hearing him say that Nicholas came from Floro City, which isn't far from Windfire Town, and adding his description of Nicholas's summoned beast, I became even more certain."

Glancing at Li Junshan, Laurat continued, "I only came to confirm it. Since the matter has been made clear, there's nothing else."

"You can't put it that way." Aldrich laughed heartily a few times and said, "No matter how you look at it, the Black Dragon was subdued by you, Mr. Laurat. Nicholas only got lucky and picked up a bargain. How about this? I heard you've recently wanted to craft a staff and are lacking a crystal core. Tomorrow, I'll have someone send you an eighth-level Thunder Lizard crystal core. It happens to match your lightning magic, so consider it the Harriman Family's compensation to you."

"Old fox. If it's really compensation, then give me a ninth-level one," Laurat cursed inwardly, though the smile on his face did not change. "Then I thank you, Your Grace. I still have matters to attend to, so I won't intrude any longer." With that, he stood up.

Aldrich nodded with a smile, and Sweet rose to see him out.

"He clearly knows they're about to discuss important internal family matters, yet this old fellow still isn't leaving. Is something going on?" Laurat looked at Randolph sitting steadily and calmly, and couldn't help thinking this. As he passed by Li Junshan, he gave him another meaningful look.

Li Junshan pretended not to notice and lowered his head slightly, looking at the floor.

"Then why didn't you tell Marquis Sweet about this?" Sweet saw Laurat to the door, closed it, and turned back. The smile on his face vanished, and his expression became somewhat grave.

Li Junshan hesitated for a moment and said, "Only after I successfully summoned the Black Dragon did I hear Mr. Laurat say he was an imperial court mage. I'd attacked him earlier, and I was a little afraid he'd harm me after learning my identity, so I hid it from everyone."

"If I say you're timid, you dared snatch a Black Dragon egg right in front of a Saint-level mage. If I say you're bold, you didn't dare tell anyone, afraid you'd draw revenge." Aldrich smiled and shook his head.

"Nicholas, are you willing to change academies?" Sweet sat down across from him, gazing at him as he spoke.

"Change academies?" Li Junshan did not understand and looked up at Sweet in confusion.

"Mr. Randolph, you tell him." Sweet leaned back in his chair and glanced at Randolph.

Randolph coughed and raised his head to look at Li Junshan.

"You said your mental space is extremely large, while your mental strength limits your growth. If you study summoning at George Academy, I'm not very confident I can draw out your greatest potential. There is only one place that can, and only there is there a Summoning Imperial Master rarely seen on the continent."

"Summoning Imperial Master? The highest rank for a summoner? One more breakthrough and it's Saint Domain?" Li Junshan found it simply unbelievable and asked, dumbfounded, "What academy?"

Randolph was very satisfied with Li Junshan's reaction. The corners of his mouth rose slightly as he said, "Strictly speaking, it isn't just an academy. Those who know of it call it—Blood Canyon."

"Blood Canyon?" Li Junshan murmured the name once, feeling that the name itself carried a sense of iron and blood.

"Humans and beastmen have been at peace for several hundred years," Aldrich suddenly interjected with emotion.

Li Junshan found this somewhat baffling. At that moment, he heard Randolph continue, "More than four hundred years ago, the thousand-year war between humans and beastmen ended. Retreat does not mean peace. No one knows when war will break out again; it's only a matter of time. Some human prophets saw humanity's shortcomings in that war: a lack of elites, a lack of those elites who could strike, succeed, and withdraw a thousand miles away."

"Beastmen are not as unbearable as the books of the continent record. On the contrary, they possess advantages humans cannot match. Some beastmen are born as priests whose existence is no inferior to mages, while some beastmen are born great warriors. After years of tempering and training, though they cannot become the decisive factor in victory or defeat during war, they can often influence local battle situations and cause great casualties among humans."

Randolph sighed here, then said, "After the war ended, the various human empires fought openly and secretly over their own interests, but they also formed an alliance. And so Blood Canyon appeared."

"All the elites on the continent gather there. Every person who can walk out of Blood Canyon can easily become a formidable figure whom the empires compete to win over. Likewise, there is no difference in status there. Strength decides everything, and there is an extremely high rate of casualties and crippling injuries."

"Nicholas, Blood Canyon has a special geographical location, and it also has the best summoning instructors. Only by going there can your potential be brought out to the fullest. You must know that for hundreds of years, those who could walk out of Blood Canyon have all been top-tier figures."

"Where is Blood Canyon?" Li Junshan's brows knitted together, and he couldn't help asking.

"The Falling Moon Mountains." The one who answered him was Aldrich. The old duke took a sip of red wine and said, "Nicholas, are you willing to go? First, you need to know that there are no feelings there, not even between instructors and disciples. There are no friends. Everyone may stab you in the back during the regularly held trials. Leaving aside whether your mind can control two Black Dragons, a young Black Dragon needs at least several hundred years to reach adulthood. Your current strength may not be something ordinary people can match, but there are always more powerful people than you can imagine. Besides, Black Dragons are only the lowest tier of the dragon race. They aren't as formidable as you think."

"Tell me, my child." Aldrich's eyes gleamed sharply as he watched Li Junshan and asked, "Are you willing to go?"

"Am I willing to go?" Li Junshan also asked himself inwardly.

If he did not go, perhaps the strength he currently possessed would be enough for him to live his whole life safely and comfortably, enjoying riches and honor, admired by others. If not for that great pile of Xenomorph Eggs still waiting to hatch, Li Junshan might have chosen to spend his life that way, nice and easy.

If he went, there would be danger, but with a Black Dragon Xenomorph at his side, he figured he could turn danger into safety. But what if he broke through his summoner rank? What if more Xenomorph Eggs hatched? Besides, the Falling Moon Mountains were a natural magical beast forest, filled with all kinds of magical beasts. They would become the best hosts for the Xenomorphs.

Most importantly, since Aldrich, that old fox, had let Randolph speak of Blood Canyon, he clearly wanted him to go. Li Junshan believed that even if he refused, Aldrich would not say anything, but having his fate held in someone else's hands was something Li Junshan could not accept.

Strength decided everything.

"I'm willing to go." After pondering for a long while, Li Junshan raised his head and spoke.

In an instant, a smile bloomed across Aldrich's face.

"Nicholas, in the near future, the Harriman Family will surely be proud of you."

"This feeling of being used as a bargaining chip for the family is seriously awful." Li Junshan felt a burst of gloom inside, but a sincere smile appeared on his face.