"Okay, then. I’ll wait for West to co back."
Reiya nodded, glancing at the Giant Dragon Execution Officers behind her. It was best to keep the accompanying True Dragons out of sight when negotiating with the Trial Takers.
A few words from the Trial Takers wouldn’t have much effect, but she couldn’t risk letting them raise any suspicion. Westheid might not care, but the Iron Slave Silver-haired Dragon Lady would not tolerate any uncontrollable variables.
"Brother definitely needs to be watched."
Yolanda was making it clear: wherever Westheid went, she would follow.
Following the direction Reiya had given them, Westheid and Yolanda soon arrived at the site of the Dragon Beast attack.
’Let see... which weapon proficiency should I work on?’
Aboard the Dragon Beast, Westheid prepared to draw a weapon. With so many resources at his disposal, he wasn’t one to skimp on himself; he had commissioned a custom Weapon Box that contained everything from Short Knives, Daggers, and Bows and Arrows to Giant Swords, Staffs, and Axes.
It wasn’t that Westheid was a multi-talented master of the Hundred Martial Arts. On the contrary, his skills in that departnt were nothing to brag about.
’I’ll skip the flashy weapons for now. I can deal with them later, and it’s not like I’ll even need them.’
Finally settling on a Hand Axe, Westheid urged his Dragon Beast into a dive, plunging from above the cloud layer.
After a mont of rapid descent, Westheid and Yolanda imdiately spotted the Dragon Beast corpses scattered across the wilderness below.
Dozens of ferocious bio-weapons, now all dead in exceptionally grueso ways.
Impaled, torn asunder, decapitated, bisected, shattered to pieces... all manner of wounds had been rcilessly inflicted upon the Dragon Beasts. It was hard to imagine the sheer brutality of the slaughter they had endured.
And near the mangled Dragon Beast carcasses stood a wolf-eared maiden with long, purple-black hair.
Her silky, purple-black hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and the pair of wolf ears atop her head twitched from ti to ti.
She wore a slightly loose overcoat, the front of its black lining stretched taut over her ample bust, leaving not a single wrinkle. A light-blue belt cinched her slender waist, and her full, long, and impossibly straight legs were encased in tight-fitting trousers.
An exquisite Knight’s Silver Sword hung on her back, and her capelet was embroidered with the pattern of a cold wind—the very symbol of Yonglan.
Beneath the hem of her slightly oversized coat, a fluffy wolf tail swayed gently, like a wisp of smoke.
Although she didn’t reveal a single inch of skin, her figure alone was downright obscene.
Hearing the whistling sound from the sky, the Wolf-eared Knight Maiden slowly raised her head and turned.
Her profile alone revealed a heart-stopping, austere beauty. She had long, curving eyelashes, and a nose and cherry lips so perfect they seed carved from exquisite white jade. Her lips were slightly pursed, exuding a piercing aura.
Though her features were as delicate as a painting, she exuded more of a dashing, handso aura.
One of her eyes was hidden by her purple-black bangs, but the other was a crystal-clear, luminous gold, as if filled with flowing, molten Gold.
Her indifferent gaze fell upon the two descending on the Dragon Beast as her white-gloved right hand went to the hilt of her sword.
’She looks a bit familiar...’
Westheid lowered their altitude, frowning as he got a clearer look at the Wolf-eared Maiden’s face.
It wasn’t just that this Beast-eared Maiden was beautiful; Westheid was certain he recognized her, he just couldn’t place her at the mont.
Yolanda said, "That embroidered pattern... Isn’t that for the Yonglan Knights? There is indeed a delegation from the Country of Yonglan participating in this Secret Realm Trial, but to think there’s a Beastman among them... I’m not too clear on the details, but can Beastn even beco Yonglan Knights? Aren’t they supposed to be the ones their crusades are sent to crush?"
’Yonglan... a Beastman...’
Hearing his sister’s words, Westheid’s mind went blank for a second. He looked again at the Wolf-eared Maiden, who was now slowly drawing a massive Dragon Sword. A sudden jolt of recognition shot through him, and he frantically yanked on the Dragon Beast’s reins.
"Shit! Stop!"
The Dragon Beast, which had been about to land, imdiately pulled up, turning to hover in mid-air.
"Yolanda, put your weapon away! Whatever you do, don’t make a move."
Westheid ordered the platinum-blonde girl, his voice stern and urgent.
"Eh? Brother, why are you chickening out?"
Yolanda instinctively put her weapon away as the Patriarch had ordered, but voiced her confusion.
She had rarely seen Westheid look so shocked, let alone frightened. Ever since entering the Secret Realm Trial, the Qinghui Patriarch had displayed nothing but the confidence of a master strategist, acting as if he had everything under control.
’He was perfectly composed even when facing a Legendary Dragon Species, and had run circles around Scorching Wings with ease.’
’So why would he lose his composure like this over a single Trial Taker who rely looked like a Yonglan Knight?’
Westheid retorted, "I’m chickening out, not kicking the bucket. Could you please drop that tone?"
Yolanda asked, "Do you know her?"
"You could say that... just not the her of right now."
Westheid looked down at the Wolf-eared Maiden on the ground, his expression complex. He truly hadn’t expected to et her here.
After Westheid learned he possessed the exclusive [Heart and Soul’s Gift] Talent, he’d made a ranked list of other Talents—specifically, which Tier T0 Talents he could acquire for himself... and the Powerhouses who carried them.
Since he was in a relatively early point in the tiline, many "satellite characters"—those who were untouchable in the main ga—were now within his reach. A classic example was the [Withered and Flourishing Dragon Emperor], Reiya.
That was how Westheid, leveraging his foreknowledge and unstoppable personal Charm, had so easily won over the young Princess.
The [Withered and Flourishing Dragon Emperor] was one of the future’s most powerful beings in the Mortal World. But if she was only "one of," that ant others existed who could match her.
Take the one before him right now, for instance... she was a real heavyweight!
’The [Heaven-Devouring Wave], Mivana... To think I’d run into her in the Trial. Oh, right. She hasn’t gone completely unhinged yet. That ans... I can talk to her.’
The initial shock that had made Westheid’s heart skip a beat subsided, and he began to think calmly.
According to the future tiline in Poem of Destiny, this Beast-eared Maiden, who currently looked so righteous and noble, would beco one of the most unhinged psychopaths in existence. Forget about people who went looking for trouble—if she was just passing by and soone rubbed her the wrong way, she would happily slaughter nine million people just for the fun of it.
She was an unparalleled, bloodthirsty Monster, an invincible and voracious wolf.
She was the colossal wave that would sweep across the world of man.
And while she was a "satellite character" like Reiya, if the [Withered and Flourishing Dragon Emperor] could still be won over, the [Heaven-Devouring Wave] was destined for only one path: to beco a boss.
"Yolanda, let’s go down," Westheid said, "And be friendly."
Westheid shook his head, pushing his knowledge of the future aside, and slowly urged the Dragon Beast to descend.
"Lady Knight, please don’t be so quick to draw your sword. We an you no harm."
The Wolf-eared Maiden, who had been standing as still and straight as a pine tree, had been about to draw her sword to et them. But seeing Westheid pull back and then show a sign of peace, she hesitated before returning the Knight’s Sword to its scabbard.
Having just slaughtered a pack of Dragon Beasts, she truly didn’t want to kill again. Otherwise, she would soon reach her breaking point. Subjecting her sanity to the ravages of her own bloodlust was not a wise choice.
It was best to avoid any battle that could be avoided.
And so, the Lady Knight took a step forward and called out in a clear voice:
"You two, are you also Trial Takers?"
Westheid smiled. "We are. I am Westheid, Lord of the Qinghui Territory, the Imperial [Branch of Prosperity]. This is my sister, Yolanda. And you are...?"
"Ah, the Imperial [Branch of Prosperity]."
The Wolf-eared Knight placed a hand over her heart and saluted with grave formality.
"I am Mivana Frostburn, a Ranger Knight from the Country of Yonglan."
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