Chapter 76

Chuci finally experienced the wondrous feeling of signing a Dragon Knight contract. A strange power flowed from the crystal dragon's head to his palm, striving to break through his protective alchemical array and enter his body. Chuci quickly released his defenses, allowing this power to enter. A warm current flowed through his entire body, continuously strengthening his physique. This was not a transformation but a force that promoted evolution, varying from person to person.

A slight burning pain came from his back, and Chuci knew it was the inverted tree on his back. His Truth Body had accepted the dragon's power, and the Balance Technique began to measure the dragon blood magic the crystal dragon had imparted to Chuci through soul resonance. The magic for battle and enhancement was only a part of it; more importantly, it contained the valuable knowledge the dragons had gained from exploring the world.

In the distant Golden Age, Dragon Knights were the promoters and rulers of civilization. They were more inclined to be mages who explored the unknown rather than warriors skilled in combat. In that prosperous era, Dragon Knights became peacekeepers, educators, doctors, natural philosophers, and the most remarkable spellcasters. All the cutting-edge magic and knowledge of the era came from the Dragon Knights.

The crystal dragon was a mage among the dragons. In her memory, she excelled in magical knowledge, alchemy, magic arrays, elemental perception, and the exploration of life.

"My name is Vila, translated from dragon language as Wisdom." The crystal dragon nudged her small head against Chuci's cheek, her young voice resonating in his mind.

Vila's memories, transmitted through the soul, were perfectly digested by Chuci. Unlike Eragon, who was like a small bucket, Chuci, who was like a lake from the start, could use dragon blood magic with a little thought, and the efficiency of the dragon's power far exceeded Brom's expectations.

As the northern army was about to engage in battle, Chuci didn't have time to worry about whether Vila's growth would be a threat in the future. Following Brom's teachings, he spent every moment with Vila, keeping his soul in resonance and using his own power to nurture Vila's growth.

In less than two days, Vila grew to over ten meters, almost a decent dragon, and mastered the skill of flying. Although she couldn't carry Chuci, she could use the crystal dragon's signature magic, "Frost Spray."

"Alright, half of the new Dragon Knight combat technique is complete." Chuci was satisfied with the progress. Even if Vila couldn't carry him, he wasn't without means to ascend. Just the magic eagles could let him fly freely, so Vila could fight separately from Chuci, joining forces with Eragon, who held the dragon spear, forming a perfect aerial combat formation from close to long range, from support to output, from tank to mage.

Chuci and his companions prepared for battle, and the northern army arrived as expected. In five days, the northern army flattened all the paths in the Bier Mountains, opened the layers of tunnels, and paved a broad road for the troops to advance.

"Are you nervous?" Aieda, who should have helped Eragon put on his armor, was replaced by Ajihad's daughter Nasuada. Aieda, wearing a tight suit that revealed her body's curves, stood in front of Chuci and asked with a smile.

"A little, but it's meaningless." Chuci still wore his alchemical suit, but he had modified Desa's magic robe into a cloak, which made him look somewhat imposing. Although the northern army had 50,000 troops, Chuci's opponent was only one, the magic sorcerer Desa.

"Do you want to go up and enjoy the view from above?" Aieda suddenly leaned in, straightened Chuci's crooked cloak, and shyly asked him.

"At this moment?" Chuci's heart raced. Enjoying the view from above was just Aieda's pretext. He held Aieda's delicate hand and whispered, "Are you worried about me?"

These two days, busy stimulating the crystal dragon, Chuci had neglected Aieda's feelings. Now, thinking about it, he felt he deserved to die.

"Yes." Aieda nodded slightly, making Chuci feel a burning sensation in his heart. He held her tightly, and the tall Aieda looked up, their eyes meeting, creating an intimate atmosphere in the small space.

Aieda closed her eyes instinctively, and Chuci leaned down, kissing her full, inviting lips.

Then...

To find out what happens next, see the post-battle analysis.

Chuci wanted to do more intimate things, but a huge dragon roar came from outside. It was Saphira.

The enemy was attacking.

Chuci released Aieda, and both of them panted for a moment. Chuci looked out the window, his eyes blazing with anger at the northern army.

Damn, they're ruining my date.

Communicating with Vila, Chuci turned around, knelt on one knee, and extended a hand with a smile, inviting, "This noble lady, may I have the honor of inviting you to soar in the free sky?"

"As you wish." Aieda's eyes were full of love as she placed her hand in Chuci's.

"Let's go."

Outside, black and white light flickered, and the magic eagle grew larger, becoming a giant eagle over five meters tall, large enough for two people to stand on its back. Vila was already circling in the air, urging Chuci.

The wind blew continuously, and the northern army's arrows rained down. Desa had not yet appeared, and the two novice Dragon Knights were a bit at a loss.

The original movie plot can only be referenced, not relied upon. In this world, equivalent to medieval Europe, due to insufficient intake of fruits and vegetables and the disposal of animal organs as waste, most soldiers had dirty, yellow, and smelly teeth and a high rate of night blindness. The northern army naturally would not choose to attack Varden at night.

In broad daylight, two dragons were not mosquitoes. Once they appeared, they were immediately intercepted by the northern army's archers. These weak arrows were of no concern to Saphira and the magic eagle, but the relatively inexperienced Vila was kept out of the archers' range, using dragon language magic to bombard the ground, and Frost Spray to freeze the northern army into statues.

Among the northern army were also magic creatures modified by Desa. While the voodoo people hid in the mountain caves, these monsters were Desa's most powerful pawns.

Six-armed giant apes, rhinoceros-sized scythe mantises, giant worms that spewed corrosive acid, and golden beetles with hard shells—these creatures fearlessly tore through Varden's formations, causing heavy casualties. Even with a large number of magic puppets, Chuci was not a match for Desa, who had accumulated power for hundreds of years.

Seeing this, Eragon dove down to relieve the disaster on the ground, but three fierce flying monsters intercepted Saphira, blocking his path.

"Block my ass." Eragon clenched his Dragon Slayer, ready to use dragon blood magic to break through the interception. Chuci's voice came from behind him, accompanied by a huge alchemical array. Three chains snaked out from behind Eragon, wrapping around the three monsters. Even if they couldn't kill them immediately, they couldn't stop Eragon from going down.

"Thanks." Eragon immediately used a high-difficulty dive, folding his wings and plummeting like a meteor. At the last moment, just five meters from the ground, he spread his wings and flapped them hard, creating a blast of sand and rocks that blew some of the monsters into the northern army's ranks, disrupting their formation.

In the sky, after Eragon left, more than ten monsters rose, some with sharp heads and streamlined bodies, clearly designed for speed, others large and fat, likely using levitation magic to become long-range artillery, and still others wielding massive double-headed axes, with ram heads and bat wings, resembling demons from a covenant.

"Outnumbered." Chuci rubbed his chin, first casting three dragon blood magics, which turned into three ice crystal hammers, smashing the three chained monsters. He then slowly turned to the newcomers, counting them one by one.

One, two, three... fifteen. Fifteen monsters in a crescent formation approached Chuci.

"Quite a number. Looks like I need to use my ultimate move. Cover me." Chuci threw two puppets onto the eagle's back. Red and dark red light flashed, and two puppets appeared in front of him, one blocking physical attacks and the other energy attacks, protecting Chuci from all attacks.

Chuci clasped his hands, and a massive alchemical array emerged from the inverted tree on his back. The array depicted a Tree of Life symbolizing the growth of the universe, a revelation and a source of light, recording how humans could achieve victory through the journey of meditation and the path of the flaming sword.

Originally, Chuci couldn't use this ultimate move, but after absorbing the dragon's memory, the first path "Man" overflowed, allowing Chuci to activate the inverted tree alchemical array.

This was a great process of cyclic rebirth. Chuci pushed his hands forward, and the alchemical array covered the fifteen monsters. Even as they quickly retreated under Desa's command, they couldn't escape the speed of light. In an instant, the fifteen monsters were ensnared by the array, bound by black and white light, unable to break free no matter how they struggled.

Reversal.

From life to death.

Chuci changed his hand seal to an "X" shape, the symbol of reversing the inverted tree. In the next second, under the terrified gazes of many, the fifteen monsters, roaring and screaming, exploded into blood mist, raining down on everyone.

"Haha, interesting. What a great existence." Chuci's actions finally drew Desa's attention. Standing on a hill, a perfect vantage point overlooking the basin, Desa saw the inverted tree on Chuci's back and revealed a look of exploration that only traditional mages could understand.

"Darkness Descends, Darkness Summon, PKNPRZ Hell Bat." Desa cast four magic spells in succession. The first made the sun lose its warmth, the second plunged the sky into darkness, and the third and fourth summoned a giant bat from the abyss, with a mist-like body and a large head, its fangs protruding from its lips, ugly and fierce.

With the darkness, the voodoo people emerged from the tunnels, adding new strength to the northern army. These creatures, easily defeated by magic puppets, were formidable in one-on-one combat, leaving few Varden soldiers as opponents. As a result, Eragon, who had planned to ascend after dealing with the ground monsters, had to stay on the ground to maintain the situation.

Desa, riding the hell bat, flew to Chuci and asked seriously, "Bold young man, what is the symbol on your back?" Desa, though ambitious and rebellious, was fundamentally a mage, a point even Aieda couldn't deny. When he saw the inverted tree, his curiosity was genuine, and even Aieda had to admit his exploration was pure.

"This is the inverted tree, symbolizing the growth of the universe." Chuci hadn't expected Desa to turn into a magic researcher at this moment. Glancing at the ground, Chuci was happy to continue the conversation, buying time for Eragon.

"The inverted tree, that's interesting. Can you tell me more? My experience tells me this is a form of cultivation through totem belief, and this totem has a real existence." Desa knew the northern army was being beaten by Eragon on the ground, but he glanced at it briefly and then looked at Chuci, eager to learn more.

Chuci didn't dare to deceive Desa with false information and spoke slowly to buy time for Eragon.

From the ten feathers of the Lord to the four levels of the Tree of Life, from the three pillars to the twenty-two paths, Chuci deliberately mixed the order, making it difficult for Desa to absorb the alchemical knowledge effectively. He even maliciously mentioned the taboo of human alchemy in the earth vein alchemy, without mentioning its dangers, feeling secretly pleased when he saw Desa's eyes light up.

This stalemate didn't last long. By the time Eragon, covered in blood and full of killing intent, rose from the ground, Chuci had just finished explaining human alchemy.

"Alright, it's time to end this." Eragon's arrival broke the delicate balance, and Chuci and Desa moved almost simultaneously.

"1D Female Ice Nova."

"S, N, N Alchemy, Fire Rise."

Chuci, breaking convention, used dragon blood magic instead of alchemy, while Desa, surprisingly, deduced the basic fire alchemy from Chuci's few words, turning the tables on him.

Fire and ice collided, creating a white and red smoke that obscured Desa's vision. Vila's dragon roar was significant. The moment Eragon rode the dragon chariot, she cast a dragon language magic to restore Saphira's dragon power, accelerating her recovery. Meanwhile, Aieda, standing behind Chuci, cast ancient magic to give Eragon the Heart of Strength and Rock Skin, enhancing his combat power.

"Die!" Eragon charged through the smoke, his dragon spear like a meteor, aiming for Desa's heart, his vital point.

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