https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-406-Respawn-Corpse-Suburbs-of-Northwind-Keep/13676812/
Chapter 407 – Tore Open Earth
“Orestes, come with me.”
“Bring Hart Marquis as well.”
Kai Xiusu unfurled his wings and effortlessly tore open the space before him, creating a massive Spatial Rift. He gestured for the Lich to follow, then stepped through without hesitation.
“Yes, Master.”
Orestes trailed behind, shrinking back slightly as he answered in a hushed tone.
But as he caught sight of the Red Dragon’s grim, twisted smile, a chill ran through him. He couldn’t help but feel uneasy—every time this “Master” wore such a grin, it always ended in merciless exploitation.
Yet, the Lich’s Fate Chest remained firmly in the dragon’s grasp. There was no choice but to obey. He stepped into the rift, closely followed by Hart, who gripped his longsword and cast a wary gaze at the Lich.
“This should be it,” Kai Xiusu said, surveying the surroundings. He pressed his claw into the ground, testing its solidity.
The sun was setting, painting the Earth in golden hues. Before them lay a vast, open wasteland—flat and endless, dotted with distant mountains, wide valleys, and sturdy stone fortresses. Wyverns soared through the sky, while Lizardfolk rode Earth-Crawling Dragonbeasts across the plains, herding herds of Prime Ox toward grazing fields.
This was Storm Ridge—the Red Dragon’s ancestral home, the heart of the long-forgotten Ashen Hollow.
But now, this barren wasteland had become a borderland of the Empire, serving only as a breeding ground for Wyverns and Earth-Crawling Dragonbeasts, and a pasture for Prime Ox and horned sheep.
The ancient “Giant’s Maw Cavern,” once a legendary lair, had been transformed into the “Dragon’s Cavern” after Kai Xiusu moved into the Royal Palace. No one dared dwell there anymore—instead, it had been reshaped into something resembling an altar. A golden plaque hung outside the entrance: “Former Residence of King Kai Xiusu.”
Below it, a dozen pitiful Earth Gnomes guarded the hole, barely surviving.
Each morning and evening, hundreds—sometimes thousands—of monsters would arrive in orderly fashion, kneeling at the entrance, tossing in Copper Coins, praying for the favor of their king. They begged to be blessed, to one day become noble Dragon-Blooded, to inherit a purer bloodline.
“Truly nostalgic,” Kai Xiusu murmured, gazing upon the transformed wasteland. “Time truly flies—it’s been over a decade already.”
Orestes and Hart stood silently at his side. The Lich, sensing the dragon’s deep emotion, lowered his head, refusing to intrude.
But when he heard those words, a wave of astonishment surged through him.
Decades?
For a Lich, or even a Dragon, that span of time was no more than a blink of an eye. Yet the way Kai Xiusu spoke—so effortlessly—suggested that the Red Dragon had risen to this power in just years.
The realization struck him like lightning.
This is impossible.
No ordinary Red Dragon could achieve this in such a short time.
He exhaled slowly.
Good choice… I’ve found a master with limitless potential. Perhaps even godhood is within reach.
Before he could dwell further, Kai Xiusu’s voice cut through his thoughts.
“But… I’m not here for nostalgia. I’m here to reclaim what’s mine.”
“Back to business, then.”
“Roar—!”
The Red Dragon lifted his head and let out a long, thunderous roar. With a mighty sweep of his vast wings, he ascended into the sky.
Under his command, the boundless might of the Empire Domain descended upon the wasteland, sending tremors through hundreds of miles of magical weave.
“What… is this?”
“Is he—what is he doing?”
The Lich stared upward in terror. As a master of necromancy, he could feel the sheer, terrifying power of it—something beyond comprehension.
“Boom!”
A deep, shuddering rumble shook the Earth. Mountains swayed. The entire wasteland began to quake violently.
Wyverns shrieked in panic, flapping wildly into the sky. Prime Ox scattered in blind terror, fleeing in every direction. Even the Earth-Crawling Dragonbeasts stumbled and scrambled, letting out guttural cries of fear.
The ground, the mountains, the rivers—everything trembled.
It wasn’t just Storm Ridge.
The entire world seemed to shake.
“This… this surpasses the Ninth Circle,” Orestes whispered, trembling. “It’s a Legendary Spell! Only the ancient Nether Era could wield such power!”
He felt a surge of relief.
To possess such strength—this being could destroy him with a single thought.
“Your Majesty… he’s truly become this powerful?” Hart murmured, awe-struck.
Then, in the stunned silence of the Lich and the Zombie Lord—
The Earth ripped open.
A gaping fissure split the flat wasteland like a monstrous maw. Cliff faces rose sharply on either side, plunging into an endless abyss of darkness. Stones tumbled down, and it took a long, echoing silence before their impact could be heard.
Within the rift, a vast underground cavern had formed. The soil and rock had been reshaped by an invisible force—so perfectly aligned they looked like the work of an ancient, artificial hall.
“Come,” Kai Xiusu said, as if announcing a simple errand.
He spread his wings and glided down into the cavern. The Lich stood frozen for a moment—then, with a flicker of dark energy, he stepped forward on a black mist of Negative Energy, dragging Hart behind him.
“This is…” The Lich gasped, his eyes wide with shock.
The cavern floor was littered with massive, ancient skeletons—easily recognizable as Azure-Footed Dragon Serpents.
Scattered across the ground were countless relics: shattered colossal statues, the broken remains of grand structures, weathered inscriptions, crumbling books, and rusted, broken weapons.
It was clear they had been buried for ages—now unearthed, exposed to the light once more.
Yes… this was the resting place of Elder Storm Giant Landta—the forgotten mausoleum of the ancient Giant Empire, its treasures buried beneath the earth for centuries.
And now, the Red Dragon had unearthed it.
Even Landta, wise as he was, could never have predicted that an intruder would be so greedy.
Not only had the dragon stolen his eye—now he was ruthlessly plundering everything Landta had spent his life collecting.
The ruins of the Giant Empire.
“Landta… did you miss me?”
“I’m back.”
Kai Xiusu grinned, his golden vertical pupils gleaming with insatiable greed.
The Eye of the Storm Sovereign, the artifact he had risked his life to obtain, still rested at his side—his most vital gear, the key to his rise. Now, returning to the place of his origin, he intended to thank the old giant properly.
And his way of thanking?
To put every single one of Landta’s treasures to use.
The Lich, staring at the endless sea of bones, gripped his staff tighter.
Something felt… wrong.
No… surely he’s not going to resurrect all these giants?
(End of Chapter)
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