NOVEL NEXT Chapter 427: Heading To The City
Orion stood beside the massive corpse of a Peak Tier 8 beast, taking a few deep breaths. The enormous creature resembled an odd mixture of a rhino and a deer, its body armored with thick, metallic hide and powerful muscles that radiated a dense residual pressure even after death.
Orion wiped away the sweat trickling down his brow and shook his head lightly, a sense of satisfaction spreading through him.
"That was tougher than expected," he murmured softly, flexing his arms to ease the lingering tension.
The beast had pushed him to his limits physically; he'd deliberately restrained his mana cultivation, fighting purely to temper his body and refine his combat instincts. It was a risky fight, but the results were undeniably rewarding.
It had now been more than a week since Orion had begun his training deep in the wilderness, yet there was still no trace of Edgar or Lucan.
A faint sense of unease filled his heart as he thought about how long it had passed but they hadn't arrived yet. They should have arrived days ago, tracking him via the communication crystal.
Taking a deep, calming breath, Orion retrieved the Infinite Meatball Forge from his inventory. As usual, he activated the treasure, channeling mana into it as he threw the heavy corpse of the slain beast inside.
The forge hummed gently, consuming the carcass to produce nutritious, mana-rich meatballs essential for his evolution.
He had already accumulated a significant stockpile during this period, but it was still insufficient for his evolution.
Orion quickly moved away from the area, ensuring no other beasts would pick up on the scent of blood and come to hunt him down.
As he swiftly navigated through the dense, overgrown grass, he spoke aloud, voicing his inner worry. "It's been over a week, Lumi. Could something have happened to Uncle Edgar and Brother Lucan?"
Lumi immediately appeared as a small, glowing system screen floating beside him, radiating reassurance in her usual cheerful manner.
[I doubt anything serious has happened, Master. Edgar is an Exalted-level powerhouse, maybe even stronger. They're likely handling something unexpected or might be having issues finding you due to this Desolate Wilderness. After all, this is the Central Forest of the Zorathal Continent where no race has managed to reign supreme. There might be something interfering with signals.]
Orion nodded thoughtfully, feeling slightly comforted by her words. Still, the thought lingered, a small amount of worry rooted in his mind.
He sighed softly, deciding it was time to take action himself. "Well, I might as well try to head back on my own now. I've trained enough here. My combat instincts and physique have improved greatly."
Lumi enthusiastically agreed, her voice filled with pride.
[Indeed, Master! Your understanding of your Dragon Bloodlines has also improved a lot, reaching like around 35%. Now, you're even able to transform individual body parts into your draconic form at will.]
Orion smiled broadly, excitement gleaming in his eyes. "Haha, I had to take a few treasures that I had accumulated during this time and also train in the Inheritance grounds for who knows how long for this."
As soon as his words faded, Orion focused inwardly, channeling his bloodline power. A pair of magnificent thunderous draconic wings erupted from his back, each wing shimmering with fierce arcs of electricity.
The potent power of lightning crackled through the wings, illuminating the dim forest with flashes of brilliant purple and silver.
With a powerful flap, Orion soared effortlessly into the sky. Wind rushed past him, refreshing and invigorating, as he flew higher and faster than ordinary Tier 7 cultivators could dream of.
From this high vantage point, Orion changed his eyes to Draconic Eyes and now he could clearly see the landscape ahead. His eyes quickly settled on a distant city, bustling with activity.
His keen vision detected a diverse range of races intermingling: humans, beastkin, dwarves, Small Folk, and more, all moving harmoniously within the city's bustling streets.
Orion's curiosity was instantly piqued. "A mixed city, huh?" he mused thoughtfully. "Perhaps I can find a way back to the kingdom there. Besides, only about a month remains before Thunderpeak Academy's second test. Considering the absurd growth rate of my classmates, we might even graduate early if we pass certain thresholds."
Lumi's voice bubbled with excitement, matching Orion's enthusiasm.
[That's a wonderful idea, Master! You've mostly interacted with humans thus far except a few…foxes and elves. It's about time you expanded your horizons and encountered other races. Who knows, you might even make some friends among them!]
Orion laughed lightly at her suggestion, yet he couldn't deny his genuine excitement at the idea of meeting beings from different cultures and backgrounds.
If one thing he didn't like in his last life then it was the absence of various intelligent races, 'Sigh, how exciting it would have been if there were elves and beastkin in my previous world. I am certain a few people would have went crazy for Catkin and Foxkin haha.'
[Hmph, perverts.]
Chuckling lightly at her words, he adjusted his trajectory and shot towards the vibrant city ahead, his draconic wings buzzing with thunder as he went towards the distant city.
After a while, he gently landed some distance away from the city and retracted his wings before he started walking towards the distant city with light steps.
Looking from outside the city, Orion could already see the crowds gathered at the wide-open gates, forming orderly yet bustling queues.
The continuous flow of warriors entering and leaving created a vivid scenery of colors and sounds, brimming with life and intensity.
But more importantly, among these figures, nearly all possessed significant cultivation, ranging mostly from Tier 2 to 3, with occasional Tier 4 or even 5 cultivators sprinkled throughout the crowd.
Orion raised an eyebrow in mild astonishment. "Interesting. Even those casually coming and going are cultivators. Not a single mortal in sight. Looks like it truly is a city reserved only for warriors."
Noticing Orion's curiosity, Lumi tactfully remained silent, allowing him to freely explore and savor the city experience.
Orion carefully concealed his true cultivation base, restricting his aura down to a manageable Tier 5, precisely balanced, enough to earn the subtle respect of others without attracting undue attention.
He felt a mischievous sense of satisfaction stir within him, finally able to live out the classic trope of "pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger," something he had always enjoyed reading about in his previous life's novels.
As Orion advanced toward the city gates, cultivators who sensed his intentionally revealed Tier 5 aura swiftly moved aside, respectfully making room for him to pass.
Their gazes varied, some filled with admiration, others with caution or envy, but none dared challenge him openly. Orion inwardly chuckled, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of concealed strength and waiting for someone to come forward so he could slap them in the face.
With his Draconic Eyes still active beneath his hooded gaze, Orion eagerly absorbed every sight and detail.
Humans with vibrant robes, sturdy Dwarves armed with massive hammers and heavy axes, Beastkin of various kinds, Wolfkin, Catkin, Dogkin, Bullkin, and even Small Folk like Pixies fluttering gracefully in the line, alongside nimble Spirits and Gnomes, all coexisted harmoniously within the same vibrant environment.