The Magic Empire for 20,000 years

Chapter 22, Section 21: The Dragon Lord's Forest

The chieftains of the three clans, leading hordes of orcs, left the lands they had fought for centuries and entered the Emerald Mountains, a forested landscape.

Scorching sun and torrential rain, disease and insects and snakes caused many orcs to perish on this migration route.

This ridiculously long line was initially filled with an atmosphere of sadness and confusion.

The orcs were still immersed in the joy of past killings, never imagining that one day they might suffer a crushing defeat at the hands of humans, whom they had once regarded as lowly creatures. They still found it difficult to accept the changes that had taken place.

"Brothers, I know you're all disappointed."

The Blood Wolf Chieftain noticed the confusion among his kin and roared at the dejected ranks:
"But we haven't lost, and the orcs will never lose!"

"The one we are going to seek refuge with is the ruler of this Emerald Mountain Range, the ancient green dragon lord—[Emerald]. This densely forested mountain range is named after him."

Blood Wolf tried hard to recall the information the tribal priest had told him a few days ago:
“Jade is a real dragon, an ancient dragon that has lived for more than ten centuries, a remnant that has lived from the distant era of the dragon empire to the present day.”

“That’s a dragon, a real dragon.”

"Long before those disgusting elves ruled the continent, dragons were the sole rulers of the earth and sky!"

"That dragon lord now commands many goblins, kobolds, orcs, and humans. He also has many half-dragon descendants and sub-dragon monsters."

"I've heard that the Ancient Dragon Emerald is still recruiting troops and accepting the worship of more mortal races, preparing to further expand his territory, and has long been eyeing the river valleys occupied by the northern humans!"

“Our three clans of orcs are strong and powerful. If we go to him for help, he will surely accept us.”

"Perhaps in less than two years, with the power and strength of the dragons, we will be able to head north again, return to the land where we once fought against humans, kill all humans, reclaim everything we have lost, and avenge our fallen brothers!"

Hearing the Blood Wolf Chieftain's passionate words, the orcs were immediately invigorated.

After delivering a heartfelt speech, the Blood Wolf Chieftain glanced around and asked the High Priest beside him:

"Where's Haug Blood Wolf? You know, the one-armed guy. Why haven't we seen him?"

Chieftain Bloodwolf had a deep impression of this one-armed orc, who had survived his first battle against a human mage and then escaped death alongside him in the sea of ​​fire of Bloodscar Canyon.

"The one-armed Haug?" The high priest tried to recall the orc.

"Oh right? Where's Hauge?"

"Didn't he come along?"

Just as the priest was about to recall further, the orcs walking at the front of the procession suddenly stopped.

The beastmen saw that the forest ahead had changed—

The trees covering the mountains and plains are arranged in an extremely neat manner to form walls and passages, creating a huge maze.

A forest maze stretching for miles!
Tens of thousands of birds circled above the forest labyrinth, each one serving as an eye and ear of the ancient dragon.

This is the lair of the ancient green dragon.

The magic of the green dragon is intertwined with the forest.

"An orc clan from the north."

“I saw you the moment you stepped into this forest.”

A magnificent sound suddenly rang out.

Ancient Dragon's voice echoed between the sky and the earth, causing the forest to tremble slightly.

“I accept your service.”

"Come in and show your loyalty to the Dragon Lord!"

The next moment, the forest maze ahead suddenly changed.

The trees and shrubs moved on their own, clearing a wide path.

The orcs stared in horror, witnessing for the first time the magnificent dragon magic of legend.

……

The center of the forest maze.

Inside the dragon's lair, overflowing with treasure.

The giant dragon with emerald green scales opened its eyes and used its mind to control the trees in the forest to make way for it.

"It seems that the number of the lower races that serve me is about to increase again."

"Now that these orcs are willing to pledge their allegiance to me, my plan can proceed..."

Green Dragon Jade has been in a bad mood lately.

One thing was troubling him.

He is too old.

He has lived for over two thousand years and witnessed firsthand how the dragon empire that once ruled the entire continent collapsed and how the elven royal court subsequently rose to power.

They witnessed the emergence of a weak new race called humanity on the earth.

It witnessed how humans learned magic from those pesky elves.

We also witnessed how the earliest humans, who were the first to learn magic, built floating cities and separated themselves from the lowly people on the ground.

He witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations, and the years he experienced in his physical body were longer than the lifespan of many kingdoms.

Beyond time, so long.

This is a true dragon.

Witnessing the decline of an empire firsthand is an incredibly painful experience.

In the era when dragons ruled the world, Emerald was the only son of a great nobleman.

The vast fiefdom he was supposed to inherit encompassed almost the entire eastern wilderness of the continent—including the river valleys where the people of Eldoron live today, and much more.

At that time, Emerald was still a young dragon, eagerly anticipating coming of age and inheriting its fiefdom.

However, with the destruction of the Dragon Empire, all the hopes of the past have become shattered bubbles...

"Why? Why did this happen?"

"If the Dragon Empire hadn't been mired in a thousand-year war with the giants, how could it have weakened?"

"If the empire hadn't been destroyed, we would still be the masters of this continent. Why would we have given up the mountains to the dwarves, and the magical forests and the most beautiful land in the heart of the continent to the elves?"

"By what right can the Elven Royal Court become the ruler of the continent?"

“Even those orcs, goblins, dwarves, and the newly emerged weak race called humans have managed to usurp my territory!”

After the fall of the Dragon Empire, Emerald, the Green Dragon with a special identity, was hunted down by many enemies and had to hide for many centuries.

It wasn't until recent decades that green dragon jade dared to show its face.

With the terrifying power of the ancient dragons, he conquered the entire Emerald Mountains—which should have been a small part of his fiefdom. He then spent many years fusing his magic with the forests of the mountains, planting half-dragons, and gaining the allegiance of a large number of goblins and kobolds, thus building his own power.

At this moment, Emerald noticed that to the north of the mountains, in those vast fiefdoms that originally belonged to him, there had also been an additional race called "Humans".

Humans and orcs, like clowns, wage war against each other in what should be their territory, each claiming it as their own.

Emerald, the Green Dragon Lord, intended to send troops to conquer the lower races and reclaim his lands, but he discovered his own problem—

He is too old.

Even the longest-lived dragons, after more than twenty centuries, have almost reached their limit.

The lifespan of the Color Dragons is ultimately shorter than that of the Metal Dragons.

He had to stay in this forest, which was one with the magic of his soul, and rely on the life force of the forest to sustain his last breath.

Leaving the forest and waging a war to reclaim the land would only hasten his death.

Emerald knows that in the era when the Dragon Empire still existed, the oldest ancient dragon could complete a magnificent magical ritual to achieve the sublimation of its soul and body, evolving into the final stage of a true dragon—the [Primordial Dragon], gaining infinite lifespan and high-level legendary power, with strength approaching that of a god.

Just like most of the so-called "dragon gods" in the dragon pantheon, they are actually just powerful ancient dragons without complete divinity.

However, the method to become an Ancient Dragon was completely lost with the destruction of the Dragon Empire.

This made the jadeite, whose lifespan was almost at its end, extremely uneasy.

Until recently, Emerald discovered a dark magic ritual originating from an ancient dragon empire, an evil ritual that required ten years to complete…

It gave him hope of extending his lifespan.

……

"what?"

"Great Dragon Lord, Master of the Forests, Emerald Dragon King, do you want us to sacrifice 6000 orcs?"

The chieftains of the three clans were utterly horrified upon hearing the ritual requirements of the Green Dragon Emerald.

"There must be elderly people, disabled orcs, or weak and useless people in your tribe."

"You're getting protection in exchange for 6000 elderly, weak, sick, and disabled people. It's a pretty good deal for you."

"Even your gods would be pleased to see your people purified by eliminating the old, weak, sick, and disabled!"

The green dragon jade spoke seductive words like a devil:

"What's wrong? Don't you orcs revere strength?"

"To exchange the life of a useless piece of trash for a chance to make a comeback."

"With such a great deal, why hesitate?"

The green dragon revealed an evil, wicked grin.

"Once I spend 10 years absorbing and containing the life force of all the sacrifices, I will not only gain a thousand years of lifespan, but I will also become more powerful than I am now!"

"Don't you want revenge against humanity?"

"At that time, I will personally lead you north to reclaim your land, and you can then take revenge on those hateful humans."

As the green dragon, the most skilled at seduction among the five dragonflights, Emerald was well aware of the humiliations suffered by these three orc clans and their psychological weaknesses.

His persuasive, yet sweetly poisonous voice reached the ears of the three chieftains.

After a long silence and hesitation, the chieftain of the Frost Dragon Clan finally spoke:

"No, I won't accept that. At worst, we'll leave, leave the Emerald Mountains, and go somewhere else!"

“Yes, I’m going too!” said the chieftain of the Flame Axe Clan.

The current Frost Dragon Chieftain and Flame Axe Chieftain are both successors to the original chieftain after his death. They are not from the same generation as the Blood Wolf Chieftain, but belong to the group of young orcs full of vigor and vitality.

Orcs can be defeated, they can die in battle, but they cannot submit in such a humiliating way, by voluntarily sacrificing a large number of their people!

"That's it..."

Green Dragon Jade sighed in disappointment.

"Then go ahead."

Jade's tone carried a hint of helplessness and disappointment.

The chieftains of the two clans turned around, intending to lead their people away.

The next moment, a cloud of green, corrosive gas attacked them from behind.

The green dragon's breath!
(End of this chapter)