Chapter 330: Chaos in Poison Dragon City

Chapter 330: Chaotic Poison Dragon City

Rumble, rumble.

The wheels rolled over the muddy road, carving out a deep furrow.

Horses bearing the bloodline of beasts unleashed great power, pulling the heavy carriage to gallop wildly along the uneven path.

Li Wei pulled back the curtain and gazed outward.

They had already arrived in the southern region of the Naze Kingdom.

Uninhabited mountain forests, vast lakes, and rushing rivers were everywhere.

Roar!

From afar came the roar of a beast, shaking the mountains and forests.

Startled, a large flock of birds fled in panic toward the distance.

After a while, Li Wei noticed the number of surrounding plants had decreased significantly.

The plants around grew fewer and fewer, becoming sparse and difficult to find.

Evelyn glanced and said, "We are nearing the Poison Dragon Cave."

Half an hour later, the carriage's speed gradually slowed.

Hearing noisy human voices ahead, Li Wei looked out and found a modest city at the foot of barren peaks.

Though small, the city bustled with people and activity.

This was the city closest to the Poison Dragon Cave.

It was a settlement established jointly by extraordinary professionals seeking to explore the cave and hunt for treasure.

Extraordinary professionals exploring the Poison Dragon Cave all gathered here for supplies and trade.

Although the Poison Dragon Cave was incredibly dangerous, it also nurtured countless treasures.

After the Wind Poison Dragon perished, its deadly venom bred countless poisonous insects and toxic mists.

The dragon's blood also nourished countless dragon-blood plants and creatures.

Though all carried toxicity, they were rare treasures nonetheless.

Finding just one kind of dragon-blood plant could earn a fortune.

This was the reason everyone knew the Poison Dragon Cave was perilous yet still flocked to explore it.

Countless legends of sudden wealth had been born within the Poison Dragon Cave.

The three disembarked outside the city walls, and Evelyn handed the carriage to those waiting to receive them.

She had visited Poison Dragon City before, purchasing some property here.

She had left personnel stationed here.

Evelyn said, "Before entering the Poison Dragon Cave, you must purchase some amulets within Poison Dragon City."

Li Wei displayed a puzzled expression, "Amulets?"

Evelyn explained, "Those are sachets researched by alchemists within Poison Dragon City; they can dispel most poisonous insects inside the cave, shielding the wearer from the ubiquitous miasma and toxic mist."

"Amulets have a duration; after using one, it lasts at most seven days, so each of us must prepare at least three."

Li Wei did not understand, asking, "Why not simply use a Magic Shield directly?"

Evelyn replied, "Maintaining a Magic Shield continuously consumes mana; we cannot sustain it constantly, or we might face insufficient mana when danger strikes."

Li Wei remained silent.

He directly cast a spell upon Evelyn, applying Invisible Armor.

A flash of magical light flickered across Evelyn's body.

She paused slightly, reaching out to touch the invisible armor enveloping her, her expression one of surprise.

"Is this a Magic Shield?"

Li Wei nodded, saying, "This is the Invisible Armor spell; it can last for a long time, requiring no concern for mana consumption."

Joy lit up Evelyn's eyes.

"So magical? It seems bringing you along was certainly the right choice!"

"However, for safety's sake, let us still purchase some amulets to carry."

Seeing Evelyn persisted in buying amulets, Li Wei did not decline or refuse.

Li Wei turned to cast a spell on Lillith.

Lillith said, "I do not need it."

Li Wei saw this and lowered his hand.

The three entered Poison Dragon City.

All passersby on the streets were extraordinary professionals.

One could hardly see the figure of an ordinary person here.

The Poison Dragon Cave was too dangerous.

Even though Poison Dragon City stood outside the cave, it remained fraught with danger for ordinary folk.

Poisonous insects crawling about everywhere might easily cost an ordinary person their life.

Toxic flowers and herbs seen everywhere could prove fatal.

"Boss, bring me nine of the highest-grade amulets," Evelyn said.

"Each purple amulet costs fifty gold coins, totaling four hundred fifty gold coins," the shopkeeper quoted.

Only after Evelyn produced the money did the shopkeeper retrieve the nine purple amulets and hand them to her.

Poison Dragon City was not a city recognized by the Human Empire.

Therefore, order here was extremely chaotic.

Even normal business carried the risk of robbery.

Everything relied solely on strength.

The builders of Poison Dragon City would strive to maintain order within the city.

But often, they could not attend to everything.

Some trivial matters could not even prompt the city lord of Poison Dragon City to intervene.

If robbed, one could only accept their misfortune.

Evelyn distributed the purple amulets to Li Wei and Lillith, three each.

Pointing to the red string on the purple amulet, she said, "Once opened, an amulet's effect lasts at most seven days, so pay attention to its validity period."

While he taught Li Wei and Lillith how to use the amulets.

Someone nearby was secretly watching the three.

Buying nine purple amulets at once, when paying, his eyes didn't blink once.

So much wealth!

Two women and a young man, their ages appearing quite tender, with soft skin and delicate flesh.

Their strength was clearly lacking at a glance.

This meant they were three fat sheep right before their eyes.

The rogues within Poison Dragon City had already set their sights on the trio.

Clutching their amulets, Li Wei and the others departed Poison Dragon City, heading toward the Poison Dragon Den.

Li Wei gazed into the distance and asked, "Where is the Poison Dragon Den?"

He observed many others leaving the city to explore the den.

Yet, casting his gaze outward, he could barely spot a single silhouette.

Where had everyone gone?

Evelyn replied, "The Poison Dragon Den lies beneath the earth, an immense subterranean cavern."

"We have arrived; the entrance to the Poison Dragon Den lies ahead."

Gazing far ahead, Evelyn spoke to Li Wei.

Li Wei followed her line of sight, spotting a massive black aperture on the ground that plunged deep underground.

It appeared to be the gateway to the underworld.

The trio traversed a field of jagged stone pillars.

Suddenly, a whistling wind echoed from all around them.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Li Wei looked upward and saw a vast net descending from the heavens.

Behind the surrounding boulders, clouds of green poison mist erupted.

Seeing this, Evelyn remained calm.

She had anticipated this long ago.

Upon her last visit, she had encountered the very same predicament.

This stone labyrinth was the only path leading to the Poison Dragon Den.

It was also the perfect ambush point for bandits.

Thieves favored attacking travelers amidst the chaotic rocks.

For one, the complex terrain allowed them to conceal their forms easily.

Furthermore, until entering the den, travelers were unlikely to have activated their amulets.

In such cases, poison mists and sedatives would prove effective.

If the amulet were active, however, ordinary toxins would lose their potency.

The effectiveness of their assault would be severely diminished.

Evelyn's form dissolved in place, scattering a few petals into the air.

Li Wei turned his head, realizing Lillith had vanished completely.

A dark shadow materialized upon the rock nearby.

The great net descended directly over Li Wei's head.

In the end, only he remained trapped within the mesh.

(End of Chapter)