In the sky, the great dragon resumed its journey northward.
Lu Qiuchen felt downcast after being scolded harshly; Cui Site’s earlier attitude had left a faint sting in her heart.
After comforting Lu Qiuchen, Zhang Cheng sat face-to-face with Laity on the dragon’s back. The two exchanged thoughts through telepathy, quietly discussing their matters.
“The Sky Fragment you mentioned—is that the crystal my mother entrusted me with? The token the Dragon Clan gave to the Elven race?” Laity held the small box carefully in her hands, eyes wide as she looked at Zhang Cheng.
“Yes, the source of this information is absolutely reliable. As shameless as it sounds, I have to take it. It’s really important to me! As compensation, you can ask for anything within our means, and we will accept any conditions!” Zhang Cheng pressed his hands together in a gesture of supplication with a soft clap.
“Touching it causes a psychic backlash… I never imagined it would be so dangerous. No wonder mother forbade me from opening it…” Laity murmured.
The Dragon Clan and that bastard woman’s demon race behind them were fighting over it. Could she protect it on her own?
After some hesitation, Laity hugged the small box tightly, steeling herself before looking up and saying, “Even if you say so, this is a relic my mother entrusted me to guard… I still don’t want to hand it over to anyone else!”
Her gaze darkened slightly when she mentioned her mother’s relic, but recalling her mother’s admonitions, she quickly regained her composure.
Laity put the small box away. Seeing Zhang Cheng’s disappointed expression, she looked down at the silver dragon beneath them and shifted the topic: “But I am interested in the plan you mentioned earlier. If that stubborn Cecilia gets her comeuppance, I’ll be very happy! I can lend it to you temporarily when the time comes, but you must return it afterward!”
At the end of her telepathic message, Laity emphasized firmly that it was only a loan, and Zhang Cheng must give it back after use.
Zhang Cheng’s eyes lit up as he quickly nodded. As long as Laity was willing to lend it, he could still carry out the plan against Lu Qiuchen.
As for the Sky Gem, it wasn’t impossible to obtain either. Laity was so naive; if he told her more tragic youthful love stories these days—those “two who like each other but are forced apart for various reasons” tales—he could subtly brainwash her.
Then, when the time came, he could pull the “The Dragon Clan demands the Sky Fragment back before agreeing to their marriage; without the gem, they will be forcibly separated” moral leverage, and if that failed, he could cling to her leg in tears begging for her blessing. There was still a good chance he’d get it!
Though the method was somewhat unscrupulous, Laity was an adorable drow little girl. Zhang Cheng, unwilling to see a loli cry, thought this approach was far better than Lu Qiuchen’s typical giant dragon logic of taking by force if not given.
At least before the truth came out, Laity would think she had done a great kindness benefiting both parties.
And although the process might be questionable, the outcome was that both would benefit from Laity’s selflessness. If the two could be together, she would have indeed played a part.
Lu Qiuchen, hearing the movement on her back, glanced back to see Zhang Cheng and Laity getting along well, feeling quite satisfied.
It seemed the drow little princess was quite attracted to Zhang Cheng, who had elven blood. Judging by Zhang Cheng’s gaze, their relationship was developing rapidly! With Laity drawing attention upfront, she could relax a bit.
Hmm… she still needed to keep observing. This was an otherworld where strength decided everything. Strong men having harems wasn’t unreasonable, and Zhang Cheng might even be capable of being a playboy?
Lu Qiuchen began to ponder this seriously, which helped alleviate the sadness from the earlier scolding.
Unaware of Lu Qiuchen’s thoughts, Zhang Cheng and Laity began refining the details of their plan. Laity’s eyes brightened as she nodded repeatedly at Zhang Cheng’s proposals.
“Yes! This is how it should be—mercilessly torment that evil she-dragon’s heart!”
*****
After mastering all types of magic, Lu Qiuchen significantly increased her flight speed by using weight-reducing and levitation spells.
What had taken eight hours to reach before now only took about five.
Since this was her first time venturing to the northernmost part of the Northern Continent, Lu Qiuchen had lost the system’s map support.
She had to periodically confirm directions with Zhang Cheng.
Finally, just as night fell, they arrived at their destination: Betkur Island.
Betkur lay further north of the Northern Continent, about 20 kilometers from the closest point on the mainland.
The island was bitterly cold year-round.
The gray dwarves dug interconnected caves, building an underground city to withstand the harsh cold. This solved their basic survival needs.
However, the ground of Betkur Island remained covered in ice and snow, making crop cultivation impossible.
Without barley or wheat harvests, there was no beer—a fatal problem for the dwarves.
From this, it was clear the gray dwarves had no choice but to settle here out of desperation.
The environmental limitations made life difficult for the gray dwarves initially.
Though there were many animals providing ample meat, unlike the golden dwarves who farmed barley on the surface, the gray dwarves previously lived underground.
They had cooperated with some drow mages to cultivate underground farms where magical arrays accelerated barley ripening to brew malt beer.
But their contact with the drow had since been severed.
The journey was long and dangerous—especially since encountering golden dwarves could be deadly.
They also did not know how to use magic to hasten crop growth anymore.
They had to find other ways to satisfy their hunger and thirst.
Unfortunately, they found no substitutes.
Once their supplies of alcohol brought during their escape ran out, the gray dwarves’ tempers flared.
Bloodshed and conflicts surged sharply in a short period.
Going without beer for extended periods was literally life-threatening to dwarves.
After some time, clever gray dwarves adapted to their new lifestyle and found other solutions—taking ships across the sea to trade forged iron goods with nearby orc tribes for grain or beer.
However, the orc lands were also frigid, with only a single farming season and limited crops.
Even so, the gray dwarves rejoiced.
Though the amount of beer they could obtain was small, it effectively slowed the collapse of their clans, prolonging their survival.
As alcohol flowed down their throats, their minds regained clarity.
They urgently sought better partners while searching for brewing materials.
Through brainstorming, they discovered a replacement material.
Subterranean yams.
This crop could grow underground without magical arrays or sunlight.
Though the yield was high and the texture soft and delicate—delicious as yam cakes—the gray dwarves preferred meat and beer.
Because of their past abundance, they had only regarded yams as a side dish.
They never noticed that this could also be used to brew strong liquor!
They had brought many subterranean yams when they fled and were overjoyed.
They began cultivating yams underground on a large scale, finally solving their beer problem.
After a millennium of development, the gray dwarves’ lives had improved even beyond before!
Meanwhile, the golden dwarves remained stuck brewing with barley and wheat, showing no progress—truly shortsighted!
Lu Qiuchen and her companions propped their faces in their hands, listening to the gray dwarves loudly boast about their “glorious history” while drinking the sharp, high-proof yam liquor.
Perhaps due to the long absence of outsiders—or because their party included a drow mage—the gray dwarves showed none of the evil, reclusive, or paranoid traits recorded in their ancestral memories.
Instead, they greeted the three warmly.
Opposite them, the gray dwarf wolfing down meat and beer with no airs, boasting continuously, was none other than the gray dwarven king, Umeil Steelhammer!
At the table, Lu Qiuchen noticed Umeil’s gaze often flickering toward Laity, understanding immediately.
This gray dwarf spoke ill of the golden dwarves’ foolishness but clearly still longed for the scent of malt beer.
When they had introduced themselves earlier, the gray dwarves bombarded Laity with questions, especially enthusiastic upon learning she was a mage.
This was practically a hint that they wanted to cultivate their own barley fields.
It was a win-win situation.
Laity would use her magic to hasten the crops, and the gray dwarves would carefully protect her to secure their beer supply.
The gray dwarves would gain malt beer, and Laity would have a stable place to live.
Her earlier promise to Laity was thus fulfilled.
Clearly, coming to Betkur had been the right decision.
After the gathering ended, the group returned to the guest rooms arranged by the dwarves and gathered to discuss matters.
Lu Qiuchen could tell Laity was curious about the gray dwarves after their warm hospitality.
After all three praised the dwarves’ rugged architectural style with tactful compliments, Lu Qiuchen suddenly asked, “Laity, can you accelerate plant growth with dark magic?”
In Lu Qiuchen’s understanding, this kind of magic, essential for surviving underground, should be a compulsory subject for drow mages.
But to be safe, she wanted to confirm.
“I can, but I haven’t used it in a long time, so I might not be very proficient now. Why do you ask?”
Laity blinked, puzzled by the sudden question. It didn’t seem related to their earlier discussion.
Hmm… she didn’t notice at all? No matter, the more naive, the easier to deceive.
Zhang Cheng, seeing Lu Qiuchen didn’t want to explain further, patiently elaborated the reason to Laity.
Laity immediately understood and clenched her fists, saying she had no problem helping.
If the gray dwarves decided to shelter her, she could help establish underground farms for them.
With Laity’s housing settled, Lu Qiuchen looked to Zhang Cheng and asked telepathically, “What about the Sky Fragment? Still haven’t obtained it?”
Zhang Cheng wore a mysterious expression and signaled her to be patient.
Lu Qiuchen gave him a puzzled look but didn’t press further.
She didn’t care how Zhang Cheng planned to get it—as long as he succeeded.
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