NOVEL NEXT Chapter 194: They will hold
Grand Marshal Li Qingshan breathed slowly, each breath sharp and measured. He stood at the center of a vast stone arena carved from sapphire-like crystal, the floor etched with shimmering blue runes that glowed faintly beneath his feet.
Above, the sky stretched endlessly, cloudless, impossibly clear, and watching from the high platforms ringing the arena were the proud, haughty figures of blue dragons.
They lounged casually, their vibrant scales reflecting brilliant hues of cerulean, cobalt, and azure. Dozens of eyes watched Li Qingshan keenly, filled with cold disdain and reluctant respect. Each gaze was a judgment, a quiet reminder of his humiliating position—prisoner, captive, spectacle.
"Begin," rumbled a deep, feminine voice laced with power and authority.
It was the Blue Dragon Matriarch. Her voice alone resonated like a thunderstorm, setting off a ripple of excitement among the younger dragons. Li Qingshan looked up, briefly meeting her indifferent, regal gaze.
The matriarch observed with mild interest, her majestic head resting lightly upon her claw, seemingly bored by this daily ritual.
Before Li Qingshan could fully brace himself, a large shadow descended swiftly toward him. A young blue dragon crashed down opposite him, wings spread in aggressive challenge. Its scales gleamed brightly in the sunlight, and its amber eyes narrowed in arrogant confidence.
"Do your best, human," the young dragon sneered, voice dripping with disdain. "Perhaps today you might survive a little longer."
Laughter erupted from the spectators, a deep, resonant mocking sound that stung Li Qingshan's pride.
He said nothing in return. There was no point in arguing. His hands clenched slowly, his knuckles whitening. Muscles rippled across his battle-hardened frame as he assumed a fighting stance, the calm intensity of his presence immediately silencing the mocking dragons.
The young dragon lunged forward, claws extended, lightning crackling along its powerful limbs. Li Qingshan's eyes sharpened; he sidestepped deftly, his movements fluid, efficient, perfected from decades of combat.
Lightning grazed past him, scorching the stone behind, and he spun, delivering a precise strike to the dragon's flank.
The dragon recoiled, roaring in surprise and pain. "Filthy human!" it hissed, voice shaking in fury.
The laughter in the stands quieted abruptly.
Li Qingshan pressed his advantage, every move executed with quiet, unyielding precision. Each strike was strategic, deliberate, breaking through the dragon's defenses again and again.
Despite the vast difference in size and strength, Li Qingshan dominated through sheer mastery and skill. After several fierce exchanges, the dragon collapsed to the ground, groaning in disbelief.
The matriarch raised her head, eyes narrowed slightly. "Enough," she rumbled calmly.
Li Qingshan halted, breathing heavily, but the dragon's defeat did not bring cheers, only silence. Tension filled the air like a thick cloud.
Suddenly, three dragons descended from the stands, anger glittering in their eyes. Before Li Qingshan could react, they had already surrounded him, claws and tails lashing out mercilessly.
"You dare defeat one of us so boldly?" a dragon snarled, striking hard. Li Qingshan grunted in pain as he was knocked down, ribs cracking audibly under the relentless assault. Yet even then, his eyes burned defiantly.
Eventually, the beating ceased. Li Qingshan lay gasping on the stone floor, his body battered and bruised. Dragons around the arena hissed and chuckled in satisfaction, mocking him openly.
"Take the human back to his quarters," the matriarch commanded coolly. "I expect him healed enough for tomorrow's spar."
Two young dragons roughly dragged him away, dropping him carelessly into a barren stone cell, dimly lit by faintly glowing crystals.
Li Qingshan lay still, eyes shut tightly, enduring the throbbing pain quietly. Footsteps approached, gentle and familiar.
"You're stubborn as ever, Marshal Li," a soft voice chided gently. "If you keep antagonizing them, they'll never stop."
He opened his eyes slowly, gaze meeting that of a woman kneeling beside him. Her gentle features radiated kindness, framed by long, flowing silver hair. Her eyes were an extraordinary violet, reflecting a sorrowful understanding far beyond her years.
She was not from Earth, yet the camaraderie they'd formed transcended worlds.
Her name was Elyria.
"I have no intention of submitting to them, Elyria," Li Qingshan answered softly, wincing as she began treating his wounds with a delicate touch.
"You've proven your strength a hundred times already," Elyria sighed, gently applying a faintly glowing healing salve to his injuries. "Yet they still see you as less. To dragons, all others are inferior. Strength alone won't change their minds."
Li Qingshan exhaled slowly. "Then I'll find another way."
Elyria smiled slightly, shaking her head in exasperation. "And how long will that take? How many more bruises and broken bones before they realize you aren't like other humans?"
He looked into her violet eyes, resolute. "As many as it takes."
She paused, then resumed her healing gently. "The dragons won't ever truly accept us. We must find a way out of here. You came looking for the Lion King, yet found yourself trapped in the dragon world. Perhaps it's time to reconsider our strategy."
Li Qingshan stared thoughtfully into the dimly glowing crystals lining the wall. "Maybe you're right. But first, we need an opening."
Elyria nodded, helping him sit up slowly. "Rest first. An opening will come, but only if you're alive and strong enough to seize it."
He leaned back carefully, grimacing from lingering pain, yet determination shone in his eyes. "We'll find our way out. And when we do, neither dragons nor beasts will be prepared for what follows."
Elyria smiled softly, violet eyes glinting with quiet faith. "I believe you."
Silence settled comfortably between them, broken only by the quiet hum of Elyria's healing magic. Outside, dragons roared, their mighty voices echoing pride and arrogance. But within their dim cell, there was quiet resolve.
Grand Marshal Li Qingshan had not forgotten his mission. Nor had he abandoned hope. Trapped within the dragon world's suffocating oppression, he knew patience and opportunity would grant freedom.
And once freed, he would return home and lead them in their defence against Europe and the Beast Waves.
"They will hold, even without me. Our defences are strong, and the old geezers are all extremely powerful." He thought to himself. "They will be fine. It has only been a year…"
He had no idea that the country he loved had been almost reduced to smoldering ruins, with half of his countrymen dead.