Evolving by devouring from a young dragon

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye, but for the long-lived Auduin, it was just a fleeting moment.

He has never relaxed in the past six months.

They relentlessly hunt monsters, devouring their flesh and power to gradually strengthen themselves.

At noon that day, he lay down and slept in the sunlight.

He was originally a hybrid of a black dragon and a shadow dragon, and was born with an aversion to sunlight.

But after several evolutions, his body is no longer that of an ordinary dragon. His body is fully adapted to sunlight and will not feel any discomfort even when exposed to intense sunlight.

Having just finished eating, it was time for digestion, and during this time, Auduin couldn't help but feel sleepy, but he knew this wasn't a bad thing.

The dragon's slumber is a crucial part of a dragon's growth, and is essential for the development of its soul.

Auduin's eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and his vertical pupils slowly closed, leaving only a thin slit.

The sunlight shone on the dark golden scales, warm and cozy, making me feel as if I were soaking in lukewarm water.

His breathing became slow and long, his belly scales rose and fell, and his tail rested on the edge of the platform, swaying unconsciously from time to time.

The fire spirit chicks, perched on his dragon horns, seemed to have been infected by his presence and slept soundly.

In a state between sleep and wakefulness, his auditory perception automatically spread out, covering the entire territory.

In the mines, kobolds and goblins pushed minecarts forward, the wheels rumbling over the gravel; in the workshops, hammers clattered incessantly against the metal, creating a constant clanging sound; and from the orc training grounds, synchronized roars echoed…

Everything in the territory was peaceful and there was nothing unusual.

Then, three faint heartbeats came from the mountain path to the south.

His footsteps were quick and hurried, and his breathing was heavy and labored, indicating that he had traveled a long distance.

Auduin sensed it for a brief moment before withdrawing his perception.

It was a goblin who arrived, so much so that he didn't even bother to open his eyes.

To be honest, all goblins looked pretty much the same to him. He didn't even know if they were the same goblins who used to live in the Sunken Basin and were now under his command.

But regardless, these tiny goblins pose absolutely no threat...

With that thought, Auduin closed his eyes and continued to sleep.

……

When Guqi stepped onto the border of the Dragon Realm, he thought there was something wrong with his eyes.

He stood at the end of the mountain path, rubbing his eyes repeatedly to confirm that the scene before him was no illusion.

Underfoot was a road paved with gravel, smooth and sturdy enough for heavy vehicles to pass smoothly.

Neat wooden stakes stood on both sides of the road, with ropes strung between them. Small flags with flame symbols were hung on the ropes and rustled in the wind. The arrangement was neat and orderly.

He glanced back at the way he had come.

The mountain paths in the south are narrow and rugged, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. The weeds are waist-high and the rocks are scattered everywhere. He and his two followers traveled for four days, and the soles of their shoes were already worn out.

The road in front of us is wide and open, with plenty of room for large magical vehicles to drive side by side.

He scratched his head, looking somewhat bewildered.

Three years ago, he came here to search for the local goblins in the Sunken Basin. The whole area was a rugged wasteland with muddy and difficult mountain paths, and wild rocks and weeds everywhere. How could it have changed so much in just three years?!

He looked at the roadside signs, his shock growing.

The flame-patterned banners along the way are the emblem of the Emberfang Orcs.

He just couldn't understand how those barbaric and backward native orcs had managed their territory in such a state.

It seems their territory has expanded considerably...

Meanwhile, both of his henchmen were dumbfounded.

The goblin holding the wooden box stood frozen in place, his mouth agape. The other one squatted down, stroking the ground repeatedly, his face full of disbelief.

Gu Qi remained silent and stepped onto the main road.

The gravel still scratches your feet, but it's several times easier to walk on than the bumpy, uneven paths in the south.

He took a few steps, then bent down, picked up a piece of gravel, and weighed it in his palm.

Waste residue from refined iron ore.

In the goblin tribe where he lived, they treasured iron slag, mixing it into clay to make pots and bowls, one of which could be exchanged for three pounds of grain. But here, it was used to pave roads!

Guqi was dumbfounded, and at the same time, he was worried. The orcs were developing so fast, could it be that the goblin tribe that originally lived here had been wiped out?

The goblin tribes are scattered across various regions, each living in their own tribes. They are independent of each other, yet secretly exchange information to maintain the connection between their tribes.

But it's common for goblins to be wiped out, and they can reproduce, so they've long been used to it.

However, Gucci's concern wasn't about the goblins being wiped out, but rather about failing to complete his mission.

Guqi came here as a messenger to deliver messages to goblin tribes in various places, and coincidentally, the Sunken Basin was on his route.

His purpose in coming here was to inform the goblins in the vicinity to go to Eberron to attend the once-a-decade "Golden Party".

Gucci continued deeper into the territory.

Even if his own kind here had truly been wiped out, he had to confirm it with his own eyes.

Otherwise, it would be a serious dereliction of duty for someone responsible for conveying imperial edicts.

After walking less than a hundred steps, a wooden sign appeared by the roadside. The words carved on the sign were crooked and crooked, but the ink was black: "Mining restricted area, no unauthorized personnel allowed."

Below that is a smaller line of text: "Except for goblins and kobolds."

Gucci raised an eyebrow and continued walking forward.

At the same time, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief, at least he could confirm that the local goblins were still alive and working as usual, mining.

But upon further reflection, a bitter feeling inexplicably welled up in my heart.

These kin must have been enslaved by those orcs, trapped in the mines, mining every day without any freedom.

He could already picture his compatriots looking ragged and unable to even get a cold meal when he saw them.

Thinking of this, he not only wiped the corner of his eye, but was also filled with heartache.

As for the kobolds in the mines...

This race is naturally skilled at mining; they were born to do this kind of work, and there's nothing to sympathize with them for.

Gucci stopped his wild thoughts and continued on his way with his two followers.

He reached into his pants and touched the token tucked inside. A sense of pride welled up inside him, and his steps became much more steady.

With the Eberron Empire's envoy token, he could travel freely wherever he wanted!

This is also his greatest source of confidence, enabling him to traverse alien territories and visit various goblin settlements.

After walking for a short while, the entire mine was laid out before us.

Upon seeing the scene before him, Gu Qi stopped in his tracks, his mouth agape, unable to close it for a long time.

The mine was much deeper than he had imagined, with layers of mine entrances on the walls, making it impossible to see the bottom.

Kobolds and goblins moved among the crowd, pushing minecarts, carrying pickaxes, and hauling ore, each doing their part and working busily without any chaos or embarrassment.

Several towering ore mountains stand at the edge of the mine, the refined iron ore gleaming with a dark reddish luster that is so bright in the sunlight that it is hard to open one's eyes.

The scene before him completely overturned his memory. Was this really still the barren and dilapidated sunken basin in his memory, and the goblin tribe he knew so well?