Outer Sea Dragon Island

After several days of sailing, Li Lin finally arrived at Outer Sea Dragon Island.

In the legends circulating on the mainland, Outer Sea Dragon Island has always been a place of both love and hate. It's said to be overflowing with glittering gold coins, pearls, gems, and mysterious, powerful weapons and armor that only appear in dreams. Even a handful of these treasures would be enough for a person to live a life of luxury for the next hundred years. Naturally, no one would resist such a windfall. However, as the saying goes, there's no such thing as a free lunch. The dragons guarding Outer Sea Dragon Island wouldn't tolerate unwelcome humans plundering their treasures. According to records, countless people have gone to Dragon Island with various motives, but none have returned safely with the dragons' riches. Even in the Magic Empire, a joke circulates among Arcane Mage: "If you want to truly enrage a dragon, just take a gold coin that belongs to it, or is about to belong to it, right before its eyes."

Dragons are ruthless, willing to risk their lives for money, a trait most pronounced among the Chromatic Dragon Kind. While Metallic Dragon might show some superficial hesitation due to factionalism, the Chromatic Dragon are utterly profit-driven. Although their willingness to commit any act of violence or robbery for profit is currently convenient for Li Lin, their appetites are astonishingly large. Simply intimidating them with magic is useless; a combination of carrot and stick approach is necessary to get them to work for him.

Although Outer Sea Dragon Island is an island, looking at the vast land before them, no one would consider it one of those small islands. This pitch-black land is devoid of life; an evil aura has long since permeated every inch of the soil, and no life can survive in such an environment. Even the seawater surrounding Dragon Island is eerily still; the sound of the waves crashing is so weak and feeble. Even the arrival of the airship cannot change anything here. This land is already dead; only evil can dwell on it and thrive there.

Li Lin stood at the bow of the ship, gazing at the rotting land before him. He could already sense several pairs of malicious gazes, a common occurrence on Dragon Island, and... among them were familiar faces.

Paris raised his head, opened his eyes, exhaled a heavy, foul-smelling breath, and stared at the little thing flying down from the sky.

As the Dominator of Dragon Island, Paris naturally occupied the land with the best scenery and view. His favorite thing to do was to lie on his spoils and take a comfortable nap. Then, when he woke up, he would count his wealth. He had counted his possessions several times already, but this still did not satisfy the black dragon. Thus, this uninvited, annoying, and strange thing also greatly annoyed the black dragon.

However, the black dragon abandoned the idea of swallowing it whole or burning it. After all, Dragon Island hadn't had any visitors for a long time, and while the unchanging life was leisurely, it lacked novelty. So, since an idiot had foolishly come here, the black dragon didn't mind seeing what it intended to do. After all, for dragons, time was the last thing they lacked.

However, this did not mean that the black dragon could tolerate the other party swaggering in its "airspace". It spread its wings and let out a terrifying roar. Then, Paris flapped its wings and flew into the sky, blocking the way in front of the airship.

"Invaders, you have entered the dragon's territory. So, you lowly insects, are you lost travelers, or...?"

"Long time no see, Paris."

However, the black dragon's meticulously planned opening clearly failed. Contrary to his expectations, the opponent didn't tremble in fear or succumb to the pervasive Dragon Fear. On the contrary, this seemingly young human not only raised his hand and greeted him casually, but also immediately called out the black dragon's name. This made the black dragon immediately cautious. As one of the most powerful beings on the continent, the black dragon wasn't as foolish and irritable as the bard's tales portrayed. Although humans were indeed weak reptiles to dragons, one had to be wary of the venomous insects among them; being bitten in return was no laughing matter.

"Who are you? Human?"

Therefore, the black dragon temporarily calmed down. It narrowed its eyes and carefully observed the man before it. He didn't look familiar; in the black dragon's long memory, it seemed it had never encountered such a human before. However, at the same time, this man must be of high status, because behind him, two maids were standing there, watching his back. Unlike ordinary little girls, they didn't faint from fright at the mere sight of the black dragon.

Then, the black dragon's gaze settled on one of the maids. Her formulaic smile and almost identical posture seemed strangely familiar. It pondered for a moment, then dredged up information about this woman from its memories. It recalled seeing her in the Magic Empire a long time ago. At that time, she seemed to be...

"I remember you, woman... You're Arcane Mage's subordinate, aren't you?"

"Indeed, Lord Paris, it's been a long time."

Suoxiate lifted her skirt and gave a slight bow to the black dragon, while Yi Aier beside her quickly followed suit.

"Suoxiate, the second of the Seven Ring Spirit Envoys, sends his greetings."

"Hmm... it really was you."

From this movement, so precise it was down to the millimeter, Black Dragon confirmed his guess. Even in his long life, he would never encounter another woman as strange as her.

"You've changed owners? That's quite a novelty..."

Paris joked casually as he turned his eyes, refocusing his attention on the man before him. His golden pupils immediately contracted, and the dragon's unique magic silently began to scan and explore everything about the man, trying to ascertain his true identity. However, the other party was clearly no pushover either.

"My subordinates aren't so fickle, always thinking about changing masters, Black Dragon."

Facing the scrutinizing gaze of the black dragon, Li Lin smiled slightly. Immediately, traces of magical runes appeared on his body, and a dazzling light enveloped him, slowly spreading outwards, bringing a unique splendor to this originally desolate world.

This interrupted the black dragon's mental exploration. The power of the magical runes firmly protected Li Lin's thoughts, cutting off the black dragon's scan without hesitation.

"Arcane Mage?"

Few humans can easily gain an advantage over a black dragon, and the owner of this beautiful and familiar magical aura is self-evident.

"How strange, you've changed so much. I thought you were just another foolish bug who'd heard about slaying dragons and come to plunder our treasure."

The black dragon retreated slightly, its wings, which had been flapping the air and creating storms, moving much more slowly. Although it disliked humans, Arcane Mage were an exception; at least they were never foolish enough to covet Dragon Island. Moreover, dragons often received valuable items as rewards for assisting these Arcane Mages. These items were not only priceless but also extremely beautiful. Among the black dragon's collection were several treasures once created by Arcane Mage.

"However, I've heard that the Magic Empire has been destroyed. Arcane Mage are dead?"

Black Dragon slightly widened his eyes, staring at the man before him with a serious yet malevolent gaze, clearly trying to figure out his intentions.

"Just as you heard."

Facing the black dragon's gaze, Li Lin calmly spread his hands.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have become like this.

"So, what brings you to Dragon Island, Arcane Mage?"

"I need your help."

Li Lin stated his purpose directly.

"I want to eliminate those who participated in the destruction of the Magic Empire. For this, I need your assistance, Chromatic Dragon."

Hahahahaha...

Upon hearing this, the black dragon burst into laughter, and a swirling, foul stench erupted from its mouth as a whirlwind. It was then separated by the airship's protective shield, turning into tangible black smoke.

"Assistance? Arcane Mage, haven't you grasped the situation? The Magic Empire has been destroyed... So, what kind of reward can you offer in exchange? You want the help of all Chromatic Dragon, which requires a considerable reward. In your current state, can you offer enough to satisfy us?"

"While this is indeed a bit difficult, I don't think it's a problem."

The black dragon's attitude did not anger Li Lin; he calmly continued speaking, attempting to persuade the enormous, jet-black dragon.

"Indeed, I admit that the current Magic Empire does not have sufficient funds to pay, but I think that given our relationship with your dragon race, you should be willing to delay for a while. Furthermore, I promise you that for every city destroyed, fifty percent of its wealth will belong to your dragon race. How does that sound?"

"You mean you want us to help you eliminate the enemy, and then we have to collect the reward ourselves?"

Black Dragon snorted in dissatisfaction.

"This is against the rules, Arcane Mage. You should understand this perfectly well. Do you really think we would agree to such a foolish deal? The Magic Empire no longer exists, and you no longer have sufficient wealth, Arcane Mage. Although we have had a very pleasant working relationship in the past, I will not agree to such a stupid deal. Now, turn around and leave immediately. For the sake of our past pleasant working relationship, I will not make things difficult for you."

"I think you seem to have misunderstood something, Black Dragon."

After hearing Paris's reply, Li Lin's smile remained unchanged, but he flexed his fingers. This action made the already wary black dragon even more cautious; it wasn't foolish enough to want to fight an arcane Arcane Mage head-on.

"I acknowledge the power of dragons, but I don't necessarily need that power... Yi Aier."

As he spoke, Li Lin snapped his fingers, and immediately, Yi Aier, standing beside him, stepped forward and raised her right hand. The black dragon watched the girl's actions with suspicion, then stepped back slightly. Although the girl herself didn't possess much power, it seemed to sense a hint of threat from her.

Then, white light and a roaring sound took over everything.

The black dragon involuntarily closed its eyes. It could even feel, with astonishment, an immense destructive force constantly brushing past it, no less dangerous than the wrath of the Chromatic Dragon God. The roaring, furious power seemed intent on devouring and destroying everything; even the red dragon, most adept at annihilation, could not unleash such a terrifying attack. Fortunately, Yi Aier's attack was merely a deterrent and warning. Soon, the white light dissipated, and the black dragon opened its eyes again.

It didn't have the courage to look back at the sky, which had been cleaved open along with the black clouds.

"What I want to tell you is that I don't have the ability to do this; it's just too troublesome... Moreover, the only reason I want your assistance is to achieve my goal as quickly as possible."

"..."

This time, the black dragon did not speak immediately. It remained silent for a long time before finally slowly flapping its wings and shaking its head.

"I must admit, you do have the right to say that, Arcane Mage. However, we also have the dignity of the dragon race. Even if you can convince me, you cannot convince all the dragons living on Outer Sea Dragon Island, not to mention those annoying metal reptiles..."

"The Metallic Dragon will not interfere in this operation; no matter what you do, they will not appear."

Li Lin had clearly anticipated the other party's reaction. Even before arriving, he had considered the various possible responses from the Five- Chromatic Dragon. With his strength as a guarantee, he was certain they wouldn't suddenly turn against him. While this didn't mean they wouldn't feign agreement and then secretly disobey, or perhaps lurk behind his back to bite him later, these were all problems Li Lin could overcome. Moreover, he was confident that once the dragons understood the problems and impacts currently affecting the Upper Planes, they would make wise choices.

"I can guarantee that, and..."

As he spoke, Li Lin looked towards the dark, decaying land behind the black dragon. Because of the magic cannon beam from Yi Aier earlier, several powerful dragons had been awakened. At this moment, they were standing on a high mountain not far away, watching their airship with vigilance, caution, and doubt.

"If anyone is dissatisfied, I have a fair way to decide."

As he spoke, Li Lin clapped his hands, dispelling the magical barrier on the airship and allowing his voice to reach the ears of all the dragons.

"We all know that the Chromatic Dragon are a symbol of power, so let's make a decision in the simplest and most direct way... You send your strongest among them to fight my familiar to the death. If we lose, we will leave immediately and never bother you again. But if you lose, then... I will sign a contract requiring you to assist in my war."

"..."

The black dragon didn't answer immediately, and the other dragons also had differing opinions. They weren't unaware of the deal Li Lin had made with the black dragon, but given the inherently arrogant and wicked nature of the Chromatic Dragon Kind, they were unwilling to be forced to join any side. Moreover, the power Yi Aier had just displayed had already left them shaken. No matter how powerful a dragon race was, they probably couldn't withstand that destructive beam of light for even a moment; even the Chromatic Dragon God would likely...

"Furthermore, to be honest, this war isn't entirely unrelated to you."

Seeing that the time was almost ripe, Li Lin slowly and deliberately continued.

"Everyone, how long has it been since you received a message from the Chromatic Dragon God?"

What do you mean by that?!

Upon hearing this, the black dragon immediately opened its massive jaws and roared, its gaze fixed intently on Li Lin, its expression now showing hesitation. Indeed, as Li Lin had said, the Chromatic Dragon God hadn't sent any messages to these dragons for a long time. This was extremely rare. Although the black dragon itself had worried that something might have happened, it couldn't contact the Dragon God. While the Chromatic Dragon Kind were prone to infighting, they deeply valued their deity. After all, the Chromatic Dragon God was the source of their immense power. If anything happened to the Chromatic Dragon God, the power of these dragons would be significantly weakened, which was clearly unacceptable. This is what they want to see. Therefore, Li Lin's words immediately put the black dragon in a dilemma. If an ordinary person dared to speak like that, it would have already captured them and tortured their soul tens of thousands of times to force them to answer its question. But standing before it now was the former ruler of the Magic Empire, Arcane Mage. And judging from the skill he had just displayed, the Arcane Mage's strength was still extraordinary, at least beyond its capabilities. Thus, the black dragon had no choice but to suppress the urge to bite the man in front of it and swallow him whole, coldly staring at him.

This time, however, Li Lin did not answer the black dragon's question directly. He completely ignored the black dragon's angry gaze.

"If you want to know the answer, let's finish this match. And I promise I won't be the one to Yi Aier. At least, I understand that duels should be fair and just."

"Of course, Master."

Then, Angela, with an arrogant smile, slowly walked out from behind Li Lin. She still looked like a little girl, but the bewitching red light flashing in her eyes was now radiating a murderous intent.

"Dealing with these winged Tyrannosaurus Rex is a piece of cake for me... I'm quite skilled at taming those unruly pets, you know?"