novelraw Chapter 112 : Dragon Egg Hatching, the Wonder of the Dragon Nest (4k)
Chapter 112 : Dragon Egg Hatching, the Wonder of the Dragon Nest (4k)
Chapter 112: Dragon Egg Hatching, the Wonder of the Dragon Nest (4k)
River of Fortune.
Jiang Zhaoming steered the small fortune boat, slowly departing from the familiar stretch of river, entering an uncharted region.
He focused his gaze on the endlessly surging current below, where countless unfamiliar strands of Fortune information shimmered like stars before his eyes.
【Divine Artifact · Fire Dragon Egg】: A biological egg imbued with fire-type magical energy. When placed in a specific hatching environment, it could give birth to a juvenile fire dragon.
As his gaze swept over the dazzling streams of information, a satisfied smile finally appeared on Jiang Zhaoming’s face.
After much effort, he had finally found the goal of this expedition—the dragon eggs.
【Remaining Fortune: Red 3, Purple 9, Blue 34, Green 54, White *35】
By completely pacifying Anxi, Jiang Zhaoming’s renown within the Great Zhou had risen to new heights, bringing with it abundant Fortune rewards.
The sheer increase in his recognition among the people of Great Zhou alone had granted him 1 strand of precious Red Fortune and 5 strands of Purple Fortune.
With such a massive reserve of Fortune at hand, and with the situation in the Prefecture stabilizing, Jiang Zhaoming decided to set his sights further ahead.
He planned to fish for blessings that could provide long-term benefits to Anxi Prefecture, laying a stronger foundation for its future.
Over the next several days, Jiang Zhaoming focused intently on fishing within the River of Fortune.
Eventually, after consuming six strands of Purple Fortune, he successfully reeled in six dragon eggs—each distinct in shape and possessing its own elemental attribute.
They were the Rock Dragon Egg, Water Dragon Egg, Fire Dragon Egg, Thunder Dragon Egg, Wood Dragon Egg, and Ice Dragon Egg.
Aside from these pure-blooded dragon eggs, Jiang Zhaoming also discovered the Fortune information of numerous sub-draconic species in this new region.
After confirming with Lilian, he filtered out several species that possessed relatively stable temperaments and were suitable to be domesticated as aerial mounts.
After a careful comparison, he decisively expended one strand of Red Fortune to redeem a grand architectural Wonder.
【Wonder · Flame-Feathered Wyvern Nest】: A marvelous creation originating from a certain magical continent. This nest covered vast grounds, stretching over a hundred li in both length and width, its terrain composed mainly of continuous steep cliffs. At its core, the nest could naturally produce thirty Flame-Feathered Wyvern Eggs each day. Mature Flame-Feathered Wyverns possessed the ability to fly and could breathe scorching fire.
Without the slightest hesitation, Jiang Zhaoming directly placed this massive Flame-Feathered Wyvern Nest within the perilous mountains near the City of Sunlight.
There, the local legend of the “Kingdom of Sunlight” served as a natural cover.
Whether it was revealing rare dragon eggs or conjuring such a vast nest seemingly out of thin air, everything appeared justified.
Moreover, the dense spiritual energy in the region surrounding the City of Sunlight far exceeded that of other areas in Anxi, proving exceptionally favorable for the growth and hatching of the Flame-Feathered Wyverns.
Anxi Prince’s Mansion, Rear Courtyard.
Following the detailed blueprints provided by Lilian, the finest craftsmen in the mansion constructed six uniquely shaped hatching nests.
These nests were neither metal nor stone, their material resembling a kind of warm, smooth jade, naturally etched with intricate energy circuits across their surfaces.
The inner structures differed greatly—some were piled high with blazing fire crystals, some flowed with trickling spring water, while others were surrounded by layers of hard black rock··—
Each one was carefully arranged in accordance with the dragon egg’s attribute.
With a gentle wave of Jiang Zhaoming’s hand, six giant dragon eggs—each taller than a man—descended steadily into their corresponding elemental nests.
「Lilian, I’ll leave the rest to you.」
Jiang Zhaoming stepped back, giving space to the high-ranking wizard.
Lilian performed a graceful bow, her expression solemn and focused.
She removed the diamond-shaped crystal pendant she always wore upon her chest and clasped it tightly within her palm.
Obscure, ancient incantations began to flow from her lips, and the crystal pendant shone with a soft, multicolored glow.
The glow flowed like living water, transforming into countless fine threads of light that wound precisely around the six dragon eggs.
As the tone of her chanting rose higher, the light threads grew brighter, while surging magical power poured continuously into the depths of the eggs.
The air surrounding the nests began to ripple violently.
Elemental energies of various attributes were wildly drawn in, gathering above each respective egg and forming visible vortices of power.
「Crack—」
A crisp shattering sound first came from the Rock Dragon Egg.
A fissure split across the earthy-yellow shell, and a surge of mountain-heavy earth spiritual energy burst forth.
In the next moment, a thick, clawed paw covered in dark-brown, rock-like scales thrust out, tearing open the shell.
A small dragon the size of a full-grown ox struggled out of the fragments.
It shook its slime-covered head and let out a low growl, curiously observing this new world.
Almost simultaneously, the azure Water Dragon Egg rippled and dissolved like waves.
A slender little dragon covered in sleek, pale-blue scales slid out gracefully.
Its body was elegant and streamlined, its dorsal fins and tail shimmering with semi-transparent light, a soft mist swirling around its body as a pair of ice-blue eyes gleamed with clarity and liveliness.
On the crimson Fire Dragon Egg, cracks spread like molten veins of lava.
A spark of flame rose with the shattering of the shell, and a small dragon with budding wings and claws flapped out into the air.
Its body was covered in bright red scales edged with faint golden light.
Tiny sparks flickered continuously from its nostrils, brimming with vitality and a trace of heat.
Then, the Thunder, Wood, and Ice Dragons also broke free of their shells in succession.
Watching the six newly born elemental hatchlings, Jiang Zhaoming felt his heart fill with anticipation.
These young dragons, born of the divine Fortune within the River of Fortune, shared a natural, mysterious bond with Jiang Zhaoming.
He did not even need Lilian to cast a spiritual imprint—the faint yet affectionate and curious waves of thought from the six dragons reached directly into his mind.
Sensing those infant-like muddled emotions, Jiang Zhaoming couldn’t help but smile and shake his head.
He and Lilian then jointly conducted a simple test of the young dragons’ strength,
and the results surprised them both.
Despite being newborns, the energy fluctuations within these little creatures had already stably reached the early stage of the Divine Power Realm.
The innate advantage granted by their powerful bloodlines was unmistakably evident.
However, this strength came with a natural restlessness.
The young dragons quickly grew familiar with their own powers and began instinctively exploring their new world—
—or rather, causing chaos.
In the courtyard, the Wood Dragon hatchling raised its head and chirped softly, a surge of verdant life bursting from its body as countless vines and weeds sprouted wildly through the cracks in the stone tiles.
The Rock Dragon hatchling excitedly dug its claws—coated in stone-like scales—into the ground, turning the hard floor into soft soil as deep pits quickly formed.
The Thunder Dragon hatchling curiously released faint arcs of lightning that crackled and struck nearby rocks, leaving scorched black marks—」
「Stop!」
Jiang Zhaoming frowned slightly and spoke in a deep, commanding voice.
The voice imbued with pressure made the six playful young dragons freeze instantly.
They all shrank their heads, letting out aggrieved, low whimpers.
Jiang Zhaoming rubbed his temples with slight frustration.
If these young dragons were kept in the Prince’s Mansion, aside from how eye-catching they were, just their destructive tendencies alone would be enough to make the craftsmen of the mansion suffer headaches.
He then turned his gaze toward Lilian, a faint thought of shirking responsibility arising in his heart.
「Lilian, I’ll leave the feeding and instruction of these little ones to you. Perhaps placing them within the Wizard Academy would be a fine choice.」
Hearing this, a faint light flashed across Lilian’s amber eyes. After a moment of serious thought, she nodded.
「Honored King, your foresight is truly admirable.
Dragons themselves are powerful magical creatures. Studying them—especially topics related to 『Dragon Magic』 and 『Dragon Bloodline Alteration Art』—
may open up a unique and powerful developmental path for the wizard apprentices.」
「Dragon Bloodline Alteration Art?」
Jiang Zhaoming caught that term instantly, his brows arching slightly.
「Explain in detail. What kind of magic is that?」
「Bloodline Alteration Art is one of the most important fields in which we wizards explore the mysteries of life,」
Lilian explained.
「Through specific magical rituals and guided potions, part of a powerful creature’s bloodline traits can be safely merged into the body of the subject.
If successful, it can significantly enhance the wizard’s physical strength, magical affinity, and even extend their natural lifespan.」
Jiang Zhaoming immediately grasped the key point, his brows rising slightly.
「Then does this alteration fundamentally change the human essence of the subject’s bloodline? Especially in terms of their outward appearance?」
「That is natural, Honored King,」 Lilian said calmly. 「The merging of bloodlines inevitably brings change.
Although we can control the direction and degree of the transformation, the new bloodline traits will indeed merge into the subject’s life origin—and may even manifest in their descendants.」
Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoming fell silent for a moment, a heavy look flashing through his eyes before he finally sighed regretfully.
「Lilian, I must solemnly warn you.
Regarding the Bloodline Alteration Art—especially research and application involving non-human, powerful bloodlines—it must be strictly limited and never overused! Its potential risks far exceed imagination.」
These words from Jiang Zhaoming were by no means an exaggeration. If a large number of bloodline-modified individuals appeared within Anxi Prefecture, they would undoubtedly demonstrate greater talent in the cultivation field.
As they gradually assumed high positions within the Prefecture, people would start to believe their bloodlines were inherently superior.
As more bloodline-altered individuals rose to power, it could very well divide humanity into two separate races.
Conflicts between different ethnicities were already severe—let alone those between entirely different species.
Even worse, if the Bloodline Alteration Art became widespread, Great Zhou might one day become another Corrosive Slime Kingdom.
However, since the Bloodline Alteration Art was indeed a powerful magic, to ban its study entirely would also be unreasonable.
Lilian’s expression grew solemn as she bowed deeply and responded with earnest respect:
「Please rest assured, Honored King. I am well aware of the taboos and dangers of this art.
As your wizard, I will strictly control the extent of my research and never allow any uncontrolled bloodline corruption to appear upon the lands of Anxi.」
Hearing Lilian’s solemn promise, Jiang Zhaoming finally felt slightly relieved and nodded.
「Good. I trust you. Then, take these six little ones to the Wizard Academy and settle them there.」
Lilian received the order, softly chanting a brief spell. A gentle glow of magical energy enveloped the six still somewhat dazed young dragons, guiding them to follow her out.
The Wizard Academy—established by Jiang Zhaoming to secretly cultivate wizardly power for Anxi—
was not built within the bustling Prefectural City but rather deep in the mountain range west of Yili County, within Xuanchi County.
This place was far from the dust of the mortal world, its earth-vein energy pure and stable, providing wizards with vast testing grounds and tranquil environments for meditation.
More importantly, placing the Academy in such a remote and hidden land served two purposes:
First, because the extraordinary Path of the Wizard had yet to reach the right time to be revealed to the world.
Second, to ensure that potentially dangerous magical experiments would not harm innocent civilians.
The birth of six pure-blooded dragons was undoubtedly a crucial pillar of Anxi’s future elite strength.
However, Jiang Zhaoming knew well that if he truly wished to elevate the Prefecture’s military as a whole,
relying solely on these six mighty creatures—with their long growth cycles—would be far from enough.
That Flame-Feathered Wyvern Nest, capable of continuously producing wyvern mounts, was the true key to swiftly enhancing military power.
Jiang Zhaoming’s thoughts stirred, and through spiritual sense transcending distance, he contacted the High Priest Sangji Jiacuo stationed in the City of Sunlight.
He ordered him to immediately inspect the Flame-Feathered Wyvern Nest placed near the City of Sunlight.
Sangji Jiacuo obeyed and departed. Before long, he confirmed that in the core area of the nest, indeed thirty freshly formed Flame-Feathered Wyvern Eggs were radiating gentle warmth.
Without delay, Jiang Zhaoming directly transmitted the complete methods that Lilian had taught him—
the hatching process of the Flame-Feathered Wyverns, the nurturing of the young, and the spiritual branding techniques—to Sangji Jiacuo.
After properly handling all matters concerning the dragon species, Jiang Zhaoming finally turned his attention toward a grand endeavor he had long been planning.
Deep within the Prince’s Mansion, in a spacious courtyard—
Jiang Zhaoming sat cross-legged, mind deeply focused. With a thought, an immense phantom image spanning dozens of zhang slowly emerged behind him.
It was his Myriad Phenomena Dao Foundation.
Upon that Dao Foundation, the positions of the Five Elements flowed unceasingly, and among them, the region representing Earth shone with the most weighty brilliance.
Looking closely, the phantom of the Black-Tortoise Dao Foundation coiled in the Earth position was engraved with tens of thousands of profound magical runes—
these runes were the crystallization of his years of devotion.
During the years of his campaigns across the Western Prefecture and governance over Anxi,
Jiang Zhaoming’s study of other elemental magics may have slowed, but his dedication to the Earth Path deepened immensely.
Every Earth-elemental scripture available within Anxi Prefecture, high or low, had been thoroughly comprehended and assimilated by him.
Moreover, each year upon returning to the Imperial Capital, he would spend over a month delving into the seventh and eighth restricted floors of the Imperial Royal Scripture Pavilion.
The texts stored there all concerned the profound secrets of the Golden Body Realm.
Though these scriptures were abstruse beyond his current cultivation of the Myriad Phenomena Realm,
relying on his unparalleled talent that comprehended all laws, and his ever-deepening Earth foundation,
Jiang Zhaoming forcibly grasped insights from them, glimpsing faint traces of understanding.
A grand blueprint gradually took form in his mind:
to construct, for the entirety of Anxi Prefecture, an unprecedented, ultra-long-distance, rapid transportation system based on Earth elemental laws.
If successful, it would completely transform the mobility of Anxi’s army.
Yet, though the blueprint was magnificent, the reality remained exceedingly difficult.
Jiang Zhaoming knew clearly that with his current peak Myriad Phenomena Realm cultivation,
to manifest the vision within his mind was no different from chasing a dream.
The immense spiritual power required—and the ultimate mastery over the earth veins—were far beyond the capacity of his current realm.
Only by breaking through that steadfast barrier and stepping into the Golden Body Realm,
gaining more majestic power and deeper comprehension of Heaven and Earth, could he even attempt its realization.
He had no doubt—once this method succeeded, Anxi Prefecture’s overall military strength would increase at least threefold.
After all, the greatest drain in large-scale army mobilization was always time—
and this method was precisely meant to shatter that final barrier.
At that moment, the courtyard of the Prince’s Mansion was exceptionally quiet.
A gentle breeze brushed against his face as Jiang Zhaoming gradually drew in his focus, dispersing the phantom of his Myriad Phenomena Dao Foundation.
He could clearly sense the spiritual power long dormant within him now surging actively in unprecedented motion.
Within his limbs and bones, countless warm currents converged,
drawing in pure spiritual energy from the surrounding heavens and earth, gathering naturally around his body.
A profound sense of completeness rose from the depths of his dantian, striking against the invisible barrier that had long obstructed him.
The opportunity for the Golden Body had arrived!
Jiang Zhaoming’s eyes suddenly snapped open, brilliance flickering within as his aura underwent a sharp transformation.