Chapter 390: Cobalt Blue

Chapter 390: Cobalt Blue

"I'll contact Grand Master Hu Lan."

Cheng Sheng took out a device similar to a walkie-talkie, about the size of a cell phone from Earth. With a few quick taps, he sent out a message.

Noticing Ji Xinghuo's curiosity, he explained, "This is a personal Stellar Union terminal. It doesn't have as many functions as a cell phone, but it can be used within the Stellar World and can even transmit messages through stargates to the Milky Way Galaxy. However, it's limited to the True Dragon Empire's territory and is usually only used for text-based communication."

Ji Xinghuo nodded.

This was similar to the 'Stellar Union device' that Chieftain Hanqiu used to contact the Virtual Spirit Guest, although the communication range of the Stellar Union device was much wider.

Communication is one of the most fundamental needs of any civilization.

While the True Dragon Empire's foundation lies in the Stellar World and they are not keen on technological development, their ether technology has reached the level of a seventh-grade civilization. Without communication capabilities, they wouldn't be able to rule over such a vast territory.

"Brother Cheng, are there any restrictions on purchasing a Stellar Union terminal?" Ji Xinghuo asked.

On Earth, any cell phone or internet-connected device required personal identity verification, leaving those without official identities unable to use them.

"Of course," Cheng Sheng replied. "However, this is the Stellar World after all, and information technology based on ether technology is not as advanced as electronic technology. No matter how strict the True Dragon Empire's management is, there are always loopholes. It won't be difficult to get a legal identity. First, get yourself settled, and I'll help you take care of it."

"Then, thank you," Ji Xinghuo said with relief.

This had actually been on his mind as well. He might need to roam the True Dragon Empire for a long time in the future, and having a legal identity would be crucial.

Just as Cheng Sheng was about to say something else, his personal terminal lit up briefly, and he stood up after just a glance.

"Grand Master Hu Lan wants us to meet her."

"Now?"

Ji Xinghuo was a little puzzled.

"Yes," Cheng Sheng explained. "Of course, she doesn't want to meet us, but she wants to see the letter from the Head of State. Come with me."

The two left the tea room and entered the large room next to the training hall.

Even before stepping inside, Ji Xinghuo sensed a powerful aura. Upon entering, he saw a massive creature.

It was a true dragon! Its body was pitch-black and shiny, with large, thick scales layered like towering mountains. From its head, along its neck, and down its spine, there was a row of huge metallic blades. Similar blade-like structures could be found at the joints of its limbs and on its tail. Its head was hideous and terrifying, looking like a war machine forged from steel!

"Steel Edge Dragon!"

Ji Xinghuo's eyes lit up as he admired the true dragon before him.

It was Cheng Sheng's true dragon companion, a brilliant Steel Edge Dragon with a body length of about thirty meters. At that moment, it was lying in its custom-made alloy nest, half-lidded as it rested. Sensing someone approaching, one of its eyes lifted its eyelid.

Instantly, a terrifying aura spread out, and its cloudy yellow pupils fixed onto Ji Xinghuo.

Its head also lifted, looking down at him from above, creating an overwhelming sense of oppression.

"Crazy Blade, this is my friend," Cheng Sheng quickly said. "He's not an enemy, so relax a little."

The Steel Edge Dragon continued to stare intently at Ji Xinghuo, its eyes filled with suspicion and curiosity—a display of its high intelligence.

The biggest difference between true dragon monsters and others was their intelligence.

Some true dragons were even smarter than most intelligent races, possessing varying temperaments and personalities—cunning, agile, calm, timid, and so on. To a certain extent, true dragons were an independent intelligent race.

"This friend of yours is no ordinary being," the Steel Edge Dragon said, its eyes never leaving Ji Xinghuo. Its deep voice echoed in the room.

Ji Xinghuo was not surprised.

True dragons could indeed speak, and they spoke the language of the true dragons.

The so-called "True Dragon language" was originally the language of the true dragons, which was then popularized by the True Dragon humans, incorporating human vocabulary and habits to form the current language family, which later evolved into hundreds of derivative languages.

"He's from Earth, just like me," Cheng Sheng introduced. "His name is Ji Xinghuo."

The Steel Edge Dragon lowered its head, moving closer to get a better look at Ji Xinghuo.

"An Earthling?"

"Why would an Earthling disguise himself as a barbarian?"

Ji Xinghuo heard the dragon's two questions and fully understood how intelligent true dragons were. They couldn't be treated as mere battle pets, so he explained, "The distance between the Thousand Peaks Forest and the Yuan Magnet Territory is vast, and I didn't want to be mistaken for a True Dragon human. So, I disguised myself to avoid any unnecessary trouble."

"Hmm..."

The Steel Edge Dragon nodded in a very human-like manner. "That makes sense. Your consideration is quite thoughtful."

However, despite its words, Ji Xinghuo could tell that it didn't fully believe him.

"Brother Cheng, I can fly. Just show me the way," Ji Xinghuo said tactfully.

The intelligence of true dragons could sometimes be a double-edged sword, as they often had their own ideas and were not easily obedient. As a master, if Cheng Sheng wanted to bring someone along, he had to seek the dragon's consent.

Of course, it could also be that this particular Steel Edge Dragon had a temperamental personality.

The Steel Edge Dragon belonged to the "Gold Dragon" species.

Dragons of this species were often known for their short tempers, a trait that could be both a weakness and a strength. In battle, they exhibited fierce and wild tendencies, and on average, their overall strength was slightly higher than that of other dragon species.

Unexpectedly, after a few seconds of hesitation, the Steel Edge Dragon said, "Since we're going to see Cobalt Blue, go ahead and get on."

"Thank you," Ji Xinghuo said, flying up and landing behind Cheng Sheng.

The feel of the hard surface beneath his feet was like standing on a steel plate, and the spine's blade edges provided a convenient handhold to steady himself.

Just then, the roof of the nest slid open on all sides.

The Steel Edge Dragon stood up, its limbs bending and coiling slightly before it surged forward with tremendous force. Its broad and resilient wings beat the air with a thunderous clap, and its massive, heavy body lifted off the ground, speeding high into the sky.

Its speed gradually increased, and within seconds, it stabilized its posture in the sky, ascending steadily towards the Titanium Ring City in the upper atmosphere.

The howling gale roared in Ji Xinghuo's ears.

This was his first time experiencing a true dragon up close, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of novelty.

True dragons were the perfect battle companions!

While their intelligence could sometimes be a challenge, it was still far better than having a dull-witted pet. With proper training, they could unleash incredible combat power and exhibit greater loyalty than most beasts.

Moreover, true dragons were far stronger than the vast majority of monsters, possessing a combination of strength, defense, and speed. They could fly, and their unique talents greatly amplified their masters' abilities. Not to mention, true dragons had infinite potential and could evolve alongside their masters! It was almost impossible to find a better battle partner in the world.

Their only drawback was their scarcity.

But this was not a flaw of the true dragons themselves; it was a shortcoming of those who were unable to obtain them.

Below, many people in the city looked up, their eyes filled with envy and awe as they beheld the flying true dragon.

In the sky, the massive Titanium Ring City loomed ever closer.

This metal ring, with a diameter of over thirty kilometers, hovered at an altitude of tens of thousands of meters. It was flat in shape, with all its structures built along the ring. A faint halo enveloped the entire city.

Even with the naked eye, it was an architectural marvel.

But within the magnetic field, it was even more breathtaking!

As soon as Ji Xinghuo entered the Yuan Magnet Territory, he noticed that the surrounding magnetic fields all pointed to one location—the Titanium Ring City.

At this moment, in his magnetic field perception, the Titanium Ring City before him seemed like the center of the world. Innumerable magnetic force lines from every corner of space constrained the flow of magnetic energy towards the city, holding it aloft.

The strength of its magnetic field was beyond imagination.

It was brighter than the sun! Ji Xinghuo dared not use his electromagnetic perception to observe the Titanium Ring City directly, fearing that it would scorch his mental faculties.

However, with the naked eye, everything appeared normal.

That terrifying magnetic field seemed non-existent, defying the laws of physics. But in the Star Realm, this was not unusual, especially considering that the Cobalt Dragon family had likely employed some form of ether technology to prevent the powerful magnetic field from affecting its surroundings.

Ji Xinghuo closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he had regained his composure.

"Are you alright?" Cheng Sheng asked, sensing Ji Xinghuo's unusual reaction.

"I'm fine," Ji Xinghuo replied honestly. "The magnetic field of the Titanium Ring City is incredibly strong, and as a Magnetic Maniac, I'm just not used to it."

Understanding flashed across Cheng Sheng's face, and he smiled. "It's a bit troublesome for Magnetic Maniacs, unlike other professions. But if you can legally reside in the Titanium Ring City, this unique magnetic field can actually bring you many benefits."

"What benefits?" Ji Xinghuo asked, intrigued.

"Of course, it speeds up your cultivation," Cheng Sheng explained. "You should be aware of the characteristics of the Cobalt Dragons. The Titanium Ring City was built specifically to nurture them, and members of the Cobalt Dragon family, as well as electromagnetically-inclined individuals, prefer to live here."

Ji Xinghuo nodded.

The Cobalt Dragons also belonged to the "Gold Dragon" species, but unlike ordinary Gold Dragons, they possessed not only formidable and sturdy bodies but also innate electromagnetic abilities.

"We've arrived."

The Steel Edge Dragon flew to an altitude of 10,000 meters, approaching the Titanium Ring City.

Towering skyscrapers were built along the flat surface of the ring, nearly ten kilometers wide, with the buildings rising and falling in height, and the streets forming concentric circles. Magnetic levitation vehicles sped along the streets, everything was in perfect order, and metallic walls gleamed in the sunlight.

There weren't many plants in the Titanium Ring City, and some of the structures were obviously not residences but seemed to be huge metal components.

Cheng Sheng turned back and instructed, "Don't speak, let me handle this."

"Okay."

The Steel Edge Dragon approached the halo that enveloped the Titanium Ring City. Cheng Sheng raised his hand and shot a beam of light from his wrist, which landed on the protective shield, creating a wave of light that formed a passage.

The Steel Edge Dragon flew through, and the passage closed immediately afterward.

It then landed on a platform.

Several True Dragon humans wearing dragon-patterned armor walked over and conversed with Cheng Sheng. The screens next to the platform displayed the scanning results of the dragon and the two humans, showing their physical characteristics, race, dragon power, and more, along with a notification about an unregistered individual.

"Who is he?"

A True Dragon human guard pointed at Ji Xinghuo and asked.

"He's a follower of Lady Titanium-Cobalt Blue," Cheng Sheng replied. "He's new and hasn't been registered yet. Lady Titanium-Cobalt Blue is already processing the paperwork, and his identity information will be available soon."

This was against the rules.

However, when the guards heard the name Titanium-Cobalt Blue, they hesitated and glanced at each other.

Just as a guard captain was about to say something, his Stellar Union terminal vibrated. After checking the message, he said, "Indeed, he's a follower of Lady Titanium-Cobalt Blue. Then, it's fine."

They were allowed to pass.

The Steel Edge Dragon took off again and entered the Titanium Ring City.

Soon, they arrived at a large independent manor, noticeably different from the surroundings. The manor had a lush garden, and the size of the residence indicated the high status of its owner.

The most striking feature of the manor was a towering structure that rose a hundred stories high, resembling a cylindrical tower.

Ji Xinghuo looked around.

Ever since he entered the Titanium Ring City, his electromagnetic perception range had been suppressed to less than a tenth of its usual range, now spanning only about 500 meters in diameter.

Moreover, the precision of his electromagnetic perception had also deteriorated severely. It felt like his senses were mired in mud, becoming sluggish and cloudy, as if his mind was soaked in a vast sea of magnetic field information, losing the near-omniscient ability he once had.

At the moment, he could only sense the presence of hundreds of people in the manor, but their locations were vague.

Among them, two magnetic field individuals stood out the most.

They were both at the top of the tower.

One had a vague human silhouette, while the other was extremely massive, like a huge shadow looming within Ji Xinghuo's magnetic field perception range, standing out like a lighthouse in the night, yet shrouded in a layer of mist that obscured its true form.

The Steel Edge Dragon landed at the base of the tower, and Cheng Sheng jumped off.

"Follow me."

Ji Xinghuo trailed behind Cheng Sheng and turned back to glance at the Steel Edge Dragon, which waited obediently, a stark contrast to its earlier haughty demeanor.

The two entered the bottom floor of the tower, which was empty.

"Stand on this."

Cheng Sheng led Ji Xinghuo onto a platform about ten meters in diameter, reminding Ji Xinghuo of the leap array.

Once they stood still, the platform beneath their feet began to glow.

Ji Xinghuo's surroundings changed, and he found himself in a spacious and bright room, neatly furnished and spanning over 300 square meters. The tall transparent window offered a view of the Titanium Ring City, indicating that they had reached the top of the tower.

His eyes immediately landed on a woman in the room.

She sat on a sofa by the window, her starry eyes falling upon him. Her face was beautiful and graceful, with silver-gray hair that had been dyed a deep blue, giving her a youthful appearance. However, her mature aura revealed that she was not as young as she seemed.

"Grand Master Hu Lan."

Cheng Sheng greeted her respectfully.

"You came quickly." Titanium-Cobalt Blue slowly stood up, appearing unhurried, but her words betrayed her urgency. She walked over and asked, "Where's the letter?"

Cheng Sheng looked at Ji Xinghuo.

"Please take a look, Senior," Ji Xinghuo said as he took out the letter from the Head of State. Before he could hand it over, the letter was plucked out of his hand and floated over to Titanium-Cobalt Blue, who opened it and took out the letter inside.

Without paying any heed to the two of them, she immediately started reading.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end