CHAPTER 66: CHAPTER66-THE DREAMSCAPE DRAGON’S TREASURE

"Hold on a minute, Mr. Bernard," Owen said, feeling uneasy, "Did you just laugh?"

Diana leaned in to listen and also heard Bernard let out a sly chuckle.

That kind of laugh was akin to a lecherous man on the street spotting a beautiful woman with bare legs, involuntarily emitting a strange giggle.

It was a laugh that didn’t quite fit the persona of a powerful being like Bernard.

Bernard responded cheerfully, "Indeed, I was just a bit excited to see the saint, that’s all."

Owen and Diana exchanged glances, not entirely convinced.

"Really?" Owen asked.

"Of course," Bernard assured him.

Owen decided not to doubt him further.

After all, if Bernard had any ill intentions, why would he go to the trouble of saving him?

"Mr. Bernard," Owen tried to steer the conversation back, "What exactly is your realm?"

"Grandmaster-tier," Bernard answered without hesitation. "But I’m close to breaking through to sage-tier, just one step away."

Owen was surprised, "That strong? Sage-tier, isn’t it that only the twelve elders of our clan are at that level?"

"Just a step away from sage-tier," Bernard emphasized. "That step might take all my remaining years... Advancing to sage-tier is not easy."

Diana chimed in,

"Mr. Bernard is right. Breaking through to sage-tier is a formidable barrier. Many on Novalia Continent have grasped the concept of sage-tier, but very few have actually broken through."

"Ah, the human saintess indeed knows her stuff," Bernard chuckled merrily. Owen was puzzled by Bernard’s jovial mood.

Diana was curious, "Mr. Bernard, you know my identity?"

"Your moon blessing is too pronounced, I couldn’t have missed it," Bernard explained. "In humanity, only the saintess is worthy of such a blessing, right?"

"I see. Did you also discover Owen’s identity as a saint through a blessing?" Diana probed, suspecting Owen was not as simple as he seemed.

"Not at all. The moment the saint completed the racial transformation, our bloodline received the news about him," Bernard revealed.

"That’s how I knew where to find him. After all, protecting the growth of a saint is the duty of every dragon."

"I see," Diana replied, slightly disappointed at not uncovering more.

Suddenly, an idea struck Owen:

"Mr. Bernard, do you have any information about the Eternal Nirvana Flame?"

"Why do you ask about that? Isn’t that the mythoflare clan’s legacy arcana? Naturally, we dragons don’t have it."

"I acquired a fragment of the Eternal Nirvana Flame from the second prince of the Laine Kingdom and am looking for an opportunity to complete it."

"I see! I really don’t know about that. After all, our dragons’ Divine Dragon Flame is powerful enough, and we don’t pay much attention to such things."

"Alright then."

"But since the saint has asked, I will keep an eye out for it in the future."

"Thank you, Mr. Bernard." Owen wasn’t disheartened.

The Eternal Nirvana Flame, a legacy arcana only attainable through great destiny, couldn’t be rushed to completion.

"Mr. Bernard, why do you reside in the dreamscape valley?" Diana was curious.

"To break through to sage-tier, of course. There’s no better place in the entire Novalia Continent for my cultivation than dreamscape valley."

"How long have you been here?"

"How long? Hmm, quite a while..." Bernard’s voice carried the weight of ages. "It could be a few hundred years, or even a few thousand."

Dragons are naturally long-lived, with a lifespan of two to three thousand years at birth.

After cultivation, reaching five to six thousand years isn’t unusual.

For someone at Bernard’s level, an eight-thousand-year lifespan is quite common.

Breaking through to sage-tier would add another thousand years, but living beyond ten thousand would require an even higher realm.

As time slowly passed, about an hour elapsed.

Given Bernard’s speed, Owen estimated they were now thousands of kilometers away.

Eventually, they landed gently, and Bernard transformed into a human form.

He was tall and elegant, with fair, jade-like skin exuding a mysterious charm.

His eyes were unforgettable – deep and bright, as if capable of peering into one’s soul.

He pointed toward the distance:

"Your Highness, that is the lair I use for my cultivation."

Owen wasn’t surprised; dragons transforming into humans wasn’t a particularly unusual skill.

He followed Bernard into his lair.

Nestled deep within a mystical forest, the lair was surrounded by dense trees and vines, seemingly cut off from the rest of the world.

As Owen stepped inside, he was struck by the spectacle before him.

Spacious and luminous, the lair radiated a mystical glow.

Its walls were embedded with various gems, emitting a kaleidoscope of light that illuminated the entire space.

The energy emanating from these jewels stirred a strange power within Owen, making him feel the pulsation of his own arcanergy.

The floor was covered in soft feathers, stepping on which felt like walking on clouds.

These feathers exuded a faint fragrance that brought a sense of tranquility and comfort.

At the center of the lair was a massive stone platform, laden with ancient tomes.

"Diana seems surprised," she remarked. "Mr. Bernard also enjoys reading?"

Bernard replied with a light smile, "To break the monotony of cultivation, I delve into these ancient books, hoping to find inspiration for breaking through to sage-tier."

"I’m in awe of your erudition, sir," complimented Diana.

With a wave of his hand, Bernard announced, "Your Highness, all my treasures collected over the years are here. Feel free to choose anything you like; you may take whatever catches your eye."

Owen gazed at the treasures piled like mountains within the lair.

"Really?"

"Of course," Bernard assured. "To me, these items aren’t of much use anymore."

Diana’s eyes gleamed with excitement as she briefly glanced over the treasures, noticing that most of them were epic-tier arcanergy artifacts, and some potions were even beyond her recognition.

"Lucky Owen!" she thought, feeling a twinge of envy.

Bernard, noticing Diana’s interest, said with a sly smile, "The saint of humans may also choose five items to take with her."

Diana, far from being offended by the distinction, was thrilled and clenched her fists in excitement, "Really, Mr. Bernard?"

"Of course..."

"You are so generous."

Bernard laughed heartily, "Go ahead and pick, while I gather some herbs to heal the saint’s wounds."

Owen bowed slightly towards Bernard, "Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Bernard."

"It’s no problem," Bernard waved his hand, "As I said, it’s my responsibility." With that, he transformed into a streak of light and leaped away.

Seeing Bernard leave, Diana fixed her gaze on the pile of treasures, her eyes burning with desire,

"Owen, I’m going to pick now." And with that, she dove into the pile of treasures.

Owen shook his head, somewhat speechless.

Diana, despite being the saint of humans, seemed to be quite a treasure enthusiast.

He approached the pile of treasures and began to pick at random, while Diana’s voice echoed excitedly:

"The Hellish Specter’s War Bow, the legendary-tier weapon of the human race’s War God, is in Mr. Bernard’s possession!"

"The Ice of Pluto’s Bracelet, also a legendary-tier arcanergy artifact. Wearing it accelerates ice magic training by a hundredfold. This is a divine artifact for ice magic support... Mr. Bernard has this too?"

"The Evil Enthrallment Poison, heavens, this poison once killed an entire city. Even sage-tier beings would be affected if they ingest a bit... Mr. Bernard collects such things?"

"The Dreamwalker’s Mystical Boots, by the gods. This treasure, I’m taking it with me."

Owen looked at Diana, who was holding a pair of shoes.

"Are these really that amazing?" he asked.

Since arriving in this isekai, he had been focused on training and knew little about rare treasures.

Diana looked at Owen as if he were an oddity. "You really don’t know?"

"Of course not."

"These shoes are magical. First, they possess endless power. No matter how far you need to go, no matter how tough the journey, as long as you wear these shoes, you’ll never feel tired. They’re the perfect tool for escaping."

Owen chuckled coldly, "Sounds rather trivial. If Bernard were to chase you, a hundred pairs of Dreamwalker’s Mystical Boots would be useless."

"Hmph, such a buzzkill. It’s rare for anyone to provoke a grandmaster-tier being anyway," Diana huffed.

"Go on," urged Owen.

"Secondly, these shoes also possess the ability to foresee the future. Once you wear them, you can see the path ahead. They offer a vague premonition of good or ill fortune, allowing you to prepare in advance. Isn’t that a powerful ability?"

Diana clutched the Mystical Boots to her chest as if afraid Owen might take them away.

Owen was unimpressed: "Just a vague prediction, is it accurate?"

"Aren’t you hard to please?" Diana’s eyes widened in exasperation. "Do you realize how insane this ability is?"

"I haven’t felt it," Owen retorted dismissively, visibly annoyed.

Diana stomped her foot in frustration, still holding onto the Mystical Boots.

Suddenly, another exclamation of surprise came from her.