Chapter 552: Flame and Extreme Cold Domains

On his way back, Luo Ning opened the attribute panel.

All the towns seized by Karada and others on Shriek Island provided Luo Ning with a population exceeding three hundred thousand. The central city, Azure Sea City, alone boasted over one hundred ninety thousand inhabitants.

Immediately after taking possession of Azure Sea City’s census results, the requirement for the "Conqueror" achievement—seven major cities each with populations surpassing one hundred thousand—had been fulfilled.

Thus, he instantly received a reward of twenty thousand attribute points and forty thousand energy essences. Combined with the accumulation from the past four months, he now possessed 23,220 attribute points and 42,650 energy essences.

Luo Ning glanced at the updated content under the "Conqueror" achievement.

The next tier—and final stage—of this achievement demanded that he possess a metropolis with a population exceeding five hundred thousand, rewarding fifty thousand attribute points and one hundred thousand energy essences.

"The rewards are truly immense!"

Staring at the one hundred thousand energy essences, Luo Ning calculated: with such an amount, could he elevate Carlos to legendary status?

Once Carlos became a legendary being, he would no longer be forced into colossal proportions as he was now. Then, he could control his size freely.

No longer restricted by overwhelming bulk, Carlos wouldn’t only appear during the first wave of assaults. A smaller form meant he wouldn’t crush entire battalions upon landing; his opportunities to fight would multiply greatly.

"Five hundred thousand urban residents—that is indeed a monumental challenge."

Feeding five hundred thousand people wasn't the issue. But gathering so many within a single city involved countless complexities.

"The firewood problem should resolve once coal production increases."

"Grain transport and vegetable supply can be managed via rail lines, bringing resources from places like Marsh Town."

"But the crux lies in urban infrastructure and job creation."

Wubei City had adopted new concepts proposed by Luo Ning and Sophia in zoning, drainage, architectural structures, and sewer systems—laying the foundation for becoming a megacity.

Yet employment remained insufficient.

Luo Ning couldn’t possibly assign all five hundred thousand to farming—there simply weren’t enough fields outside.

Even if Wubei City's wealthy elite created numerous servant and steward positions, these service roles still couldn't meet the employment needs of half a million souls.

Thus, more industries must emerge, generating additional jobs.

"The textile factory in Threefold Town has just begun. In time, garment production could partially shift to Wubei City. Additionally, construction, catering, entertainment, crude medicine processing, spices, jewelry crafting—these too deserve consideration."

Luo Ning recalled Earth, where even moderately sized cities often exceeded one million residents, let alone provincial capitals approaching ten million.

Here, however, building a city of five hundred thousand felt daunting.

"With Wubei City already surpassing one hundred thousand, we’ll have to expand while constructing."

Achieving this goal would likely take considerable time.

He turned his gaze to the two remaining achievements: "Renowned Across the World" and "King of Slaughter."

"Becoming a king, slaying a legend—neither comes overnight."

He spent all his attribute points, advancing the Legendary Archmage level to (40,077 / 60,000), still needing 19,923 points to break through into Sagehood.

At the current monthly gain of 695 attribute points, he estimated becoming a Sage in roughly two and a half years.

"Two and a half years..."

Not a long span. With their current strategy of simultaneous expansion, governance, and consolidation, they’d probably reach Dragon City around then.

Luo Ning wasn’t in a hurry. This period offered the perfect chance to strengthen his domain’s soft power and technological advancement.

"Carlos."

The dragon slowed its flight. "Master, what are your orders?"

"Good news."

Smiling, Luo Ning channeled every last drop of energy essence into the dragon. Instantly, elemental forces of fire and water high above spiraled into a colossal vortex, rushing into the beast’s body like water drawn by a whale.

Carlos’s form expanded further—larger, greater.

"What is this?"

Elron stared in shock at the spectacle. Sensing the dragon’s shifting size and aura, he realized the lord was enhancing it.

"Dragons grow slowly. Without the protection of a dragon clan, individual young dragons face great risks. That Carlos follows our lord and has risen to eighth, no—ninth-tier beast in such short time is pure fortune."

After the upheaval subsided, a titanic figure loomed in the sky.

Now, Carlos measured seventy to eighty meters from snout to tail tip, with a wingspan exceeding two hundred meters—more oppressive than ever before.

Luo Ning noticed this breakthrough brought no shedding of scales. Instead, the luster of his scales deepened, exuding an ancient, profound aura.

"Roaaar~"

The dragon raised its head and roared toward the heavens. The sound rolled like thunder from the highest skies, sending birds and beasts on land, fish in the sea, even humans trembling in fear.

Luo Ning checked the dragon’s attribute panel:

[Frostfire Wing · Carlos]: Ninth Tier (22,775 / 100,000)

To advance from ninth tier to legendary required exactly one hundred thousand energy essences—an enormous sum!

Now, the final stage of the "Conqueror" achievement seemed tailor-made for him.

"Master, I am deeply grateful for your gift," Carlos said humbly.

Luo Ning laughed heartily. "Tell me, what new abilities have you gained?"

"Master, my ancestral memories contain two ninth-tier abilities: Flame Domain and Glacial Domain."

As Carlos explained, Luo Ning learned their functions.

He could unleash a Flame Domain centered on himself, covering a radius of five hundred meters. Within this zone, his strength surged dramatically, and fire-element spells grew immensely more powerful.

Meanwhile, enemies inside suffered suppression—especially knights and mages wielding fire-based magic or combat techniques, whose spells and skills weakened significantly.

Glacial Domain functioned similarly, but targeted water-element users.

"This ability..."

Luo Ning inwardly marveled.

Such wide-area enhancement and suppression were exceedingly rare. At least, Luo Ning currently knew of none like them.

Moreover, even if Carlos taught him everything, Luo Ning doubted he could fully master such a unique ability as Flame Domain.

No wonder legends said the higher a dragon ascended, the more unfathomable its powers became.

Now that Carlos reached ninth tier, only a fraction of his potential had emerged.

"Master, once I master this ability, I swear I won’t be captured by that woman again!" the dragon declared fervently.

Luo Ning chuckled and scolded, "Can’t you be more confident? Serendil is merely a Grand Archmage. Even without using domain power, you could now escape her restraints."

"Oh? Really?" Carlos sounded awkward.

"The Wind Serpent Chains that bound you had limited effect—you could snap free instantly. Thus, her black nails meant to immobilize you wouldn’t pierce your body accurately."

As he spoke, Luo Ning eyed Carlos’s scales with suspicion.

With the dragon’s current defenses, could those black nails even penetrate anymore?

Yet, Yan Yi was accustomed to using fire-based abilities.

With Carlos's suppression of the flame domain, if the final battle between Luoning and Yan Yi were to occur earlier, his chances of victory would greatly increase. (End of Chapter)