CHAPTER 580: CHAPTER 37: FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THE DRAGON RIDER

The Dragon War Empire is located in the highland area, abundant with mountainous forests, which are also the places where Dark Practitioners cultivate.

The Dragon Rider Reserve Camp, naturally positioned on a high mountain, serves as the reserve force for the first elite Dragon Rider Team of the Empire.

Yun Jiu Peak is located to the north of the Imperial City, rising six thousand feet, dotted with bizarrely shaped stones and inhabited by a plethora of flying birds.

The campsite of the Dragon Rider Reserve Camp is situated at the summit of Yun Jiu Peak.

When the first glimmer of dawn appears, a dragon’s roar resounds through the entire mountain.

The Quasi-Dragon Knights of the Dragon Rider Reserve Camp dare not delay, racing out of the camp towards the training ground.

At the training ground, Zhan Tian, a Dragon Rider of the Dragon Rider Reserve Camp, was already waiting there.

There is an unwritten rule in the Dragon Rider Reserve Camp: whoever arrives last at the training ground will face severe punishment.

The Sub-Asian Dragons of the Dragon War Empire can broadly be categorized into three types: terrestrial dragons, sea dragons, and flying dragons.

The Dragon Knights are divided into Quasi-Dragon Knights, Dragon Knights, and Dragon Riders.

Quasi-Dragon Knights, like Yue Minzhi and Long Rui, are those who join the Dragon Rider Reserve Camp.

Dragon Knights are those who have passed the Dragon Pulling Test and have officially gained the recognition of a giant dragon; they predominantly control one type of dragon—either terrestrial, sea, or flying dragon.

The last category, Dragon Riders, specifically refers to those outstanding Dragon Knights who can simultaneously control more than two types of dragons.

Zhan Tian, who is in charge of training at the Dragon Rider Reserve Camp, is a rare triple-element Dragon Rider, meaning he can adeptly control three different types of Sub-Asian Dragons: land, sea, and air.

The total population of the Dragon War Empire is about one hundred and thirty million, of which the number of Dragon Knights corresponds to one fifty-thousandth of the population, which amounts to several thousand people.

Among them, the number of Dragon Riders who can control two or more types of dragons is even fewer, only about a few dozen people. As for those like Zhan Tian who can simultaneously control three types of Sub-Asian Dragons, they are exceptionally rare; within today’s Dragon Rider Team, Zhan Tian is the only one.

It is because of this particular skill of Zhan Tian that, despite his foul temper, civilian background, and penchant for heavy drinking, Zhan Tian has been the sole Dragon Rider in the Dragon Rider Reserve Camp for the past fifteen years.

He has trained most of the Empire’s line of Dragon Knights, including Jin Nuo.

Coming from a civilian background, Zhan Tian detests nobles and is exceptionally strict, almost harsh, with the nobles in the reserve camp.

Every day at about five o’clock, when the first rays of sunlight appear atop Yun Jiu Peak, Zhan Tian has his mount, Dragon’s Promise, emit a deep dragon roar.

Normally, all camp members should arrive at the training ground before the dragon roar ends.

But today, when the Quasi-Dragon Knights arrive at the training ground, they unexpectedly find that the situation is slightly different.

Standing beside Zhan Tian is another person.

Upon seeing that person, Long Rui’s complexion changes drastically as she hurries along.

Ji Yun, the person standing next to Zhan Tian, is precisely Ji Yun.

Last night, Long Jiuzun threatened and tempted Long Rui, saying that if she could rush back to the Dragon Rider Camp, the General Mansion would find a way to preserve Yue Minzhi’s Quasi-Dragon Knight qualifications. Otherwise, Long Jiuzun would report Yue Minzhi’s unauthorized departure from the Dragon Rider Camp to Zhan Tian.

Despite her hesitation, Long Rui, who knew Yue Minzhi’s temperament well, finally succumbed to her brother’s threats and returned to the Dragon Rider Camp.

As she hoped that Yue Minzhi would manage to return on time this morning, she instead saw Ji Yun.

Long Rui was already aware that Ji Yun was pursuing her, but she simply did not regard this profligate son with any significance.

But at this moment, Ji Yun suddenly appeared at Yun Jiu Peak, and Long Rui still knew something was wrong in her heart.

The Dragon Rider, Zhan Tian, looked to be about forty years old from his appearance.

He had a towering figure, and his face, covered in thick, short beards, now showed impatience.

After he finished counting the numbers of people, he snorted through his nose, "Where is Yue Minzhi?"

The Dragon Rider Reserve Camp had a total of thirty-six people, arranged in six rows of six, each in their fixed positions; it was clear at a glance if anyone was missing.

Long Rui’s heart sank; she only thought to guard against her brother going to inform, but forgot that Ji Yun was also present yesterday.

"Lord Zhan Tian, I have something to report," Ji Yun hastily interjected.

Ji Yun rushed to the mountain overnight, and the mountain roads were rugged, costing him a lot of trouble.

By the time he bribed the guards and went to inform Zhan Tian, Zhan Tian was still hungover, making him wait in vain outside all night.

Barely waiting until dawn, Zhan Tian directly started the drill without giving him a chance to inform him alone.

Long Rui stared at him hatefully, "Ji Yun, shut your mouth."

"Long Rui, who allowed you to speak," in the eyes of others, Long Rui was the jewel of the National Guardian General Residence, but in Zhan Tian’s eyes, she was just a Quasi-Dragon Knight.

All Quasi-Dragon Knights had to obey his orders.

Long Rui gritted her teeth and said nothing more.

"Lord Zhan Tian, I know where Yue Minzhi has gone. He left the camp without authorization. Yesterday, one of my servants saw him at the Underground Beast Fighting Arena, he was also beaten and is now unconscious," Ji Yun boasted proudly, thinking inwardly, Yue Minzhi, let’s see what you do this time.

"Ji Yun, shut your beak, who said I was unconscious," a lazy voice came from behind, "Yue Minzhi" walked out.

Yue Jinghua, impersonating "Yue Minzhi," set off before dawn, intending to arrive at the Dragon Rider Reserve Camp in time for the morning drill. With her speed, she should have easily made it, but upon entering Yunjiu Mountain, Yue Jinghua realized she had underestimated the difficulty of climbing Yun Jiu Peak.

Yun Jiu Peak was rugged with overgrown weeds, one careless step and you could fall into the bushes, completely obscuring your view.

A huge number of fierce hawks and falcons lived in the old trees on the mountains; at night, their eyes glowed green, waiting to pounce on their prey at any moment.

Moreover, it was dark, and the mountain roads were slippery with dew. Yue Jinghua had to avoid the guards’ line of sight and chose some rugged, difficult paths amongst the rocks.

Even though she released the Gold Eater Worm to lead the way, with all the scrambling and crawling, by the time she reached the mountaintop, it was around sunrise.

Just as Yue Jinghua caught her breath and was about to look for the Dragon Rider Reserve Camp station, a loud dragon chant came through the mountains.

The chant shook the ground and the mountains, causing the rocks to rattle as if a minor earthquake had occurred.

The dragon chant reverberated in her ears, piercing like a sharp sword, invigorating the spirit and dispelling all traces of morning drowsiness.

It was foreseeable that the dragon that issued the chant was a sizable, powerful Sub-Asian Dragon.

Yue Jinghua had heard from Jin Nuo that the trainer for the thirty-six Dragon Rider Reserve Knights was a Dragon Rider of the Dragon Rider Camp, and he owned a Sub-Asian Dragon named Nuoyan.

This dragon chant was likely emitted by that Dragon Rider’s mount, serving as the signal for the morning drill of the reserve camp.

Yue Jinghua dared not hesitate, without bothering to tidy up, she hurriedly rushed towards the direction of the dragon chant.

But just as she arrived, she encountered the intense scene involving Ji Yun. Instantly infuriated, she roared, shocking both Ji Yun and everyone at the drill ground.