Heroes' Prison

Chapter 611 - 586: So It Was That Person

The mysterious trail of smoke suddenly piqued Huang Yi’s interest. Besides, the Little Dragon had been flying for a day and was somewhat tired, needing rest. Huang Yi also needed to eat to avoid entering a state of hunger.

Huang Yi retracted the Little Dragon and flew directly towards the place where the smoke rose, deciding to see for himself who that person was.

At this moment, the evening clouds on the horizon were dyed with a golden glow that stretched for thousands of miles. The occasional roar of beasts came from the forest below, spreading in every direction. Huang Yi’s body moved through the golden afterglow, slowly descending through the gaps in the tree leaves, gently touching down on the ground.

This forest was filled with towering trees, through which the slanting rays of the sunset streamed in, casting golden beams of light—beautiful and peaceful. Huang Yi stepped through the underbrush, walking toward the direction the smoke was coming from.

Soon, Huang Yi saw through the thick underbrush a bonfire lit under a large tree, where a person was intently roasting a wild hare.

This person was dressed in animal skin, with a longbow on his back and a short dagger at his waist—he looked like a hunter. He seemed to live outdoors all year round, sun-kissed and wind-blown, his skin rough and dark, exuding a sense of ruggedness.

Upon seeing the hunter’s face, Huang Yi was taken aback!

He knew this person, and they shared a deep connection!

The hunter was none other than the Heavenly Demon Little Dragon!

A long time ago, shortly after the Hero Guild was established, Huang Yi was preparing to build the second sub-territory, Hero Harbor, by the seaside. On a stormy night in the forest, inside a dilapidated temple, he encountered the Heavenly Demon Little Dragon for the first time.

The Heavenly Demon Little Dragon used to be mistakenly killed by Huang Yi back in the Wind Forest Stronghold and had since sought revenge. He wandered the wilderness, searching for ancient relics and treasures to obtain that kind of game-changing treasure to enhance his strength. Furthermore, he had sworn to never return to the city until he had earned Huang Yi’s respect, making the wilderness his home.

Some time ago, Huang Yi learned the level 115 skill Anti Surveillance, which allowed him to avoid being tracked by enemies and to gain information about them. Using this skill, he shook off the Heavenly Demon Little Dragon’s pursuit and temporarily learned his whereabouts—he was already in the Demonic Beast Mountain Range!

Huang Yi never imagined that in the vastness of the world, he would encounter the Heavenly Demon Little Dragon twice! The probability was even lower than winning a lottery, as if there was a destined connection between them.

"Since you’ve come, why not show yourself?" Just then, the Heavenly Demon Little Dragon, preoccupied with roasting the meat, spoke without turning his head. Obviously, his hunter’s keen Perception had detected Huang Yi’s presence.

Huang Yi took a long look at the Heavenly Demon Little Dragon and walked boldly through the underbrush.

"In the vast mountain range, meeting is fate, brother, sit down! I just happen to have dinner ready, let’s eat together!" Only then did the Heavenly Demon Little Dragon look up at Huang Yi and, with a slight smile, extended the invitation—there was a warm feeling to it.

Huang Yi was still in his Big Baddie identity, with his appearance and level all changed, so the Heavenly Demon Little Dragon did not recognize him, treating him as a stranger.

"Thank you!" Huang Yi nodded and sat down by the bonfire.

Huang Yi carefully observed the Heavenly Demon Little Dragon. Compared to their first meeting, the Heavenly Demon Little Dragon’s temperament had changed drastically. He seemed to have lost his sharpness, and it appeared that through his long wandering in the wilderness, he had become more reserved. He sat casually in the forest, not looking around anxiously for impending danger, as if he were in his own backyard, his demeanor now at ease and unhurried.

This very temperament was enough to earn him the title of a master. The Heavenly Demon Little Dragon, after nearly a year of tempering in the wilderness, had completely transformed from an ordinary player into a master.

At that moment, the Heavenly Demon Little Dragon looked at Huang Yi and said with a slight smile, "Brother, do you have any wine? I haven’t had a drink for nearly a year, and I really crave some."

"Of course!" Huang Yi nodded, took out two bottles of Elf Fruit Wine from his storage ring, handed one to the Heavenly Demon Little Dragon, and drank one himself.

"Thank you!" The Heavenly Demon Little Dragon swallowed and eagerly took the wine, gulping it down, his expression immediately one of immense enjoyment. A beam of sunset light filtered through a gap in the leaves, casting a sheen on his chiselled face, the drops of wine on his faint beard adding a touch of time-worn grace.

In that moment, the warm glow of the fire shone on both their bodies against the backdrop of the gradually setting sun, exuding a sense of serenity. The distant roar of wild beasts was faintly audible, but the two of them paid it no mind, letting the fragrance of the smoke and roast meat drift away as they leisurely drank their wine.

"You just said you haven’t had a drink in a year, I don’t know why? You could simply buy a bottle in the city; this wine isn’t expensive." Huang Yi took a sip of the fruit wine, feigning ignorance as he tried to exhibit the curiosity one would expect from a stranger.

"Haha! I like the freedom of the wilderness, away from the crowds and away from troubles. Staying with the beasts isn’t so bad, either. The real danger isn’t from the beasts, but from the human heart!" Heavenly Demon Little Dragon wiped the wine stains from the corner of his mouth with a hearty laugh.

Hearing this response, Huang Yi knew that Heavenly Demon Little Dragon had indeed become more reserved. The first time they met, the other party had openly discussed the reasons behind it. But this time, he subtly skipped over it without going into detail.

"Did you come to this perilous Demonic Beast Mountain Range alone to capture a mount?" At this point, Heavenly Demon Little Dragon flipped the meat roasting over the fire, changing the subject to Huang Yi.

"Yes!" Huang Yi nodded, turned to look in the direction of the depths of the Demonic Beast Mountain Range, and spoke somberly, "I want to go deeper into the mountain range to capture a better mount. Do you have any definite knowledge about that place?"

"It hasn’t been peaceful there recently." Heavenly Demon Little Dragon shook his head slightly, his tone full of gravity, "I don’t know what’s going on, but lately the beasts from deep within the mountains have been fleeing outwards. Even I have encountered Advanced Holy Domain Beasts twice in these peripheral areas, which is very unusual. Luckily, I have some skills to escape, or I would have died long ago."

"The beasts from the mountain range are fleeing outwards? Could something big have happened inside?" Huang Yi was slightly startled when he heard this news. The Advanced Holy Domain Beasts were essentially the strongest in the Demonic Beast Mountain Range, typically residing deep within, not venturing to the outskirts. If even they were escaping, something significant must have occurred inside, and Huang Yi was about to delve into the Demonic Beast Mountain Range, seeking the Dragon Tomb— he would inevitably face that dangerous situation.

"I don’t know. I’m too weak to go deeper. Brother, the beasts in there might be powerful, but one must have a life to capture them! I advise you not to go in unless you’re someone like the God of Slaughter, Thunder God, Sword Emperor, or Dragon Emperor." Heavenly Demon Little Dragon shook his head, earnestly warning him. These four people he mentioned could be considered the four strongest in the China region. Yet Dao Feng, who was once on par with these four, had been ignored due to a lengthy retreat, only existing in memory.

Hearing the other party mention himself, Huang Yi casually took the opportunity to probe, asking another question to gauge his reaction, "What do you think of God of Slaughter?"

In that instant, Huang Yi keenly noticed a fleeting peculiarity flash in the depths of Heavenly Demon Little Dragon’s eyes, but it quickly returned to normal. He poked the campfire with a stick and said, "God of Slaughter has too much killing intent; he sometimes doesn’t spare even innocent bystanders in his quest to kill enemies. I don’t like him much, though he’s now known as the world’s number one. It’s more like he’s achieved that through violence."

With that, Heavenly Demon Little Dragon smiled lightly and continued, "By contrast, I prefer Dao Feng! Dao Feng’s actions are open and above board; he has strength and charm. When he rose to be the world’s number one, he won people over with morality. That level of character is the highest, earning even his enemies’ respect. It’s just a pity he chose to retreat, causing China to lose a great leader."

"He’ll be back, don’t worry!" Huang Yi nodded affirmatively, as he himself held a great respect for Dao Feng.

Before retiring, Dao Feng had gone to Dragon City to see him once, and that Dao Feng had emitted an aura of weariness and confusion from within—like a person who’s reached a plateau and finds it difficult to progress despite all efforts.

In Huang Yi’s view, Dao Feng’s decision to retire, while somewhat extreme, was absolutely the right one. Sometimes, taking a step back can open vast new horizons, and emptying oneself can welcome a peak state. Dao Feng had stood at the top too long; the pressure was immense. Stepping back would allow him to experience life and look at the world from a different point of view.

Huang Yi had always believed that Dao Feng’s departure was for a stronger return. Such a person could never be lost among the masses.

Just then, without any warning, a grand voice suddenly echoed between heaven and earth, reaching every corner of The Second World—

"[System Announcement]: Chinese player [Dao Feng] has obtained the [Blade of the Sword Emperor (Epic)] and is the first player to acquire Epic Equipment. He is rewarded with 1000 points of Public Prestige and has earned the [Unique Achievement]—[Epic Writing]. China National Honor Value +1"

Upon hearing this announcement, Huang Yi and Heavenly Demon Little Dragon were simultaneously taken aback. They were just discussing Dao Feng when the system unexpectedly issued an announcement about him!

But it wasn’t over yet. The next moment, a grand voice resounded through the world again—

"[System Announcement]: Chinese player [Dao Feng] has contributed 3 National Honor Points, meeting the criteria for Name Bestowing. He is hereby titled [Sword Emperor]."

At this moment, across all the continents, countless players heard these two announcements, and the entire world was nearly in shock!

They heard a name that had been absent for a long time, a name that once reverberated around the world! This was the first announcement triggered by Dao Feng since his retreat. Wherever he was, his announcement proclaimed forcefully to the world: Dao Feng was still around; he had not faded away with time!

This former world’s number one was once again in the public eye! Many people began to speculate in their hearts—

Is Dao Feng finally making his return? (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Starting Point (qidian.com) to cast your Recommendation Ticket and Monthly Ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)