Golden Dragon: Six Thousand Years of Empire

"Talk about what?"

Noah, with eyes like the blazing sun and scales shimmering brilliantly, looked at the old priest who single-handedly withstood attacks from both him and the Beastman King Grom. At this moment, the old priest had transformed into a fragmented giant made of mountains.

The reason he was called a fragmented giant was that this giant only had an upper body. However, even with just half a body, the part rooted in the earth was several hundred meters tall.

Moreover, this half-bodied giant continued to absorb surrounding soil and rocks, constructing rocky armor for itself. Its body was still growing larger and becoming more complete.

"This battle is pointless, aside from shattering the skies and the earth."

High Priest Saka did not respond to Noah but instead looked at the extremely excited Beastman King Grom.

"This is destroying the future habitat of our beastmen."

"He wiped out my two large tribes."

Grom lifted the warhammer in his hand, pointing at Noah.

"If we continue fighting, the aftermath of this battle will wipe out even more future tribes."

"According to you, should we just end it here and accept the extinction of the two tribes?"

Grom's gaze shifted as he looked at the old beastman before him.

"This is what we need to discuss, Dragon. You see, our Beastman King is not willing to sit idly by and watch two tribes vanish. So, if you want peace, you must come to an agreement with us."

"You just declared to me that you would not accept any threats. If your beastmen can manage that, do you think I, as a dragon, would accept such threats?"

Although Noah sensed the old beastman's softened stance, he did not accept the goodwill the other party was offering.

He indeed could not defeat the Beastman King, and with the old priest in front of him, he could hardly defend himself. But conversely, they also had no way of dealing with him.

The demeanor the old priest displayed at the moment indeed surprised Noah, but Noah could immediately see its flaws.

The body formed by gathering the power of the earth, made of soil, wood, and rock, was too slow and cumbersome. If used in a defensive battle, it would undoubtedly be indestructible, even a deity couldn't handle it. But if it were a pursuit battle, Noah would laugh.

"This is not a threat; it's negotiation. As long as you can give us something far exceeding the loss of the two tribes' extinction, we can take a step back."

The old beastman priest corrected, his deep voice echoing through the world, empowered by the mountains, and as an Ascender, possessing divine strength. Ordinary legends were like ants before him, only able to look up.

Unfortunately, he now faced an Ancestor Dragon. The authority he possessed couldn't suppress this dragon. Moreover, he had too many vulnerabilities, faced with a Dragon Clan member who descended from outside the world, he could only choose to back down.

"Are you suggesting I pay reparations?"

Noah couldn't help but laugh. He wasn't angry, because indeed there was nothing to be angry about.

"Do you think that's possible?"

"Getting wealth from a powerful dragon is certainly impossible, but what we seek is benefit, and benefits can be created. We can cooperate."

The old beastman's tone was thick and steady, unchanged by Noah's mocking.

"Cooperate? You beastmen want to cooperate with me? Cooperate on what?"

Noah was genuinely surprised. In his view, the proposal of the old beastman priest was utterly absurd, yet he couldn't help but be curious about what this old beastman had to say.

Even though the average intelligence of beastmen was lower than other humanoid races, those who could become priests often had outstanding intelligence among the beastmen. The power of this old priest proved his status, and his status reflected his wisdom.

"War! No matter whom you wage war against, we can provide you with elite, fierce warriors!"

The words of the old beastman priest were shocking, not only startling Noah but also deeply shaking Beastman King Grom, who stood beside him.

"Saka, you old man, what are you saying?"

Although the Beastman King was angry, he did not immediately accuse but instead expressed confusion, as he doubted whether he misunderstood the words of the old priest before him.

He knew he was far behind this old priest in wisdom and strategy. The burden of leading the tribe was on the other's shoulders. He was merely good at fighting and commanding wars, which could not lead the current Beastman Alliance to grow and thrive.

"Grom, you are the king of the beastmen, and also my king. Have you thought about what we beastmen should do after our cavalry sweeps through the Helan Continent?"

"Of course, establish an empire, you told me long ago!"

Grom answered without hesitation, still unable to understand.

"It's just a change of name. Once we beastmen dominate the Helan Continent, whatever you want to do, as long as it's achievable, it can certainly be realized."

"What's the problem with that? What does it have to do with this dragon? Why would we let our warriors fight for it?"

"My king, have you not thought? When our beastmen's power on the Helan Continent reaches its peak, what will follow?"