Chapter 1085. Andrea's and The Dragon's Conversation. (Patreon)

The dragon couldn’t help but observe Andrea. Of all the people who had arrived in front of him, she was up to the usual standards in terms of talent. He would not deny that Andrea was talented compared to average cultivators. However, those who overcame the previous trials to stand before him were outstanding talents who could reshape an era. Hence, Andrea could be qualified as ordinary at best.

And yet, he couldn’t help but feel that his affinity with this young human woman would be strangely high. When she entered the room, he was awakened by her presence. Her aura was, simply said, enticing. That simple fact had happened very few times in the past. Usually, he would stay sleeping until the trial takers were either too close to him or attacked him out of nowhere. ‘…Those were annoying people.’

He shook off those thoughts and refocused on the armor-wearing woman. She had been staring at him closely and without a shred of fear since the very beginning. There had been wariness but not fear. “As commanded by the Sun God, this trial is one that was created to subjugate me. But, as I explained, that’s not possible with your strength. Therefore, you need to, in more friendly words, make me acknowledge you and be willing to become your contracted beast.”

The Dragon with obsidian scales that seemed to have magma pulsing between them lowered his head and ordered Andrea. “Now, approach me and bathe in the flames that make out my mane. If you can’t resist those, then there is no deal to be talked about. You will be sent back as another failure.”

Andrea looked up at him with a firm gaze, but she didn’t move. ‘Hm… That tone…’

Her pensive gaze confused the dragon, prompting him to ask. “What’s wrong? Do you fear my flames? If you are hesitating thinking that they might kill you, I can be lenient and control them not to burn you.”

“I don’t fear them,” Andrea answered with a faint smile. “I’ve been bathed in hotter flames than those before. What I am hesitant about is your attitude.”

The dragon blinked his deep green eyes and then laughed. His low and rumbling voice had a touch of amusement. Still, Andrea could sense that he had taken offense. ‘Ah… I should’ve worded it better.’ The thinning of those vertical pupils was all too familiar to Andrea. 

The dragon spoke, his lips arched. “You are arrogant. Weren’t you servile before? Well, since you say that you can easily bear my flames…”

Andrea’s lips twitched. “Wait-”

The dragon opened his maw and then poured a sea of glowing scarlet-red flames in front of him. “Try to resist this.”

Andrea didn’t have a chance to dodge before the flames engulfed her. 

After a few seconds of surrounding Andrea with his powerful flames, he stopped pouring them. His gaze had a hint of doubt in them. ‘Hm… What were those flames around her before mine engulfed her? They looked powerful…’ Still, seeing that nobody came out of the flames, he snorted once. “It seems I overestimated her. In the end, she was just another arrogant person.”

When another few seconds passed, he sighed and spoke slightly disappointedly. “And here I thought I would finally escape this prison.” He turned around and muttered, his voice and gaze full of determination. “Still, even if I’m locked here for an eternity, I am a dragon. I won’t submit to anyone unqualified.”

“That’s admirable.”

The dragon paused and turned around, looking at where Andrea stood previously. There, the human woman was still standing in the same position, surrounded by a sparkly aura of red flames. “That’s…” the Dragon squinted and then said, his face gaining a touch of surprise. “A Natural Treasure? It feels related to fire, but it has something more… Star Attribute? I can’t read it.”

Andrea commented, dissipating the flames around her. “Dragon, does this count as having enough resistance to your flames?”

The dragon paused and looked at Andrea closely. His lips arched almost unnoticeably as he answered, his tone slightly grumpy. “Not bad. It does count as a pass. However, did you ever have the actual intent to contract me? I can sense another bond within you. A profound one.”

Andrea’s smile faintly faded. At first, she didn’t plan to do much more than subjugate the dragon here and be done with the trial. However, now that she had seen how powerful the creature here was, a feeling of want sprouted in her. ‘With him, I’ll close the distance between Yasenia’s strength and my own. Contracts also help both contractors, after all.’

Knowing what she wanted, Andrea’s gaze gained a determined light. “I already have contracted another beast through a blood pact. Hence, contracting you like so would usually be impossible.”

“Oh?” The dragon agreed with Andrea. “That’s indeed the truth. A human can’t make more than one blood contract.”

Andrea looked at the dragon and flew up, rising to eye level. “I said usually.” Andrea grinned toothily. “I feel that I can break that staple with you. Make a contract with me and become my contracted beast.”

“You’ll die.” The dragon answered calmly and bluntly. “If you contract me, your soul will collapse. The weight that I and the beast you have currently contracted will impose on your soul is too much for you to bear.” 

Andrea saw how the dragon’s eyes glowed, gaining a profound touch they didn’t have before. “The beast you have contracted has great potential, not lower than mine. Contracting us both will make it impossible for your soul to manage it. As we grow, you won’t be able to keep up and eventually collapse.”

Andrea touched her chin. “Is it a problem of the soul, or is it a problem of control and will?”

The Dragon looked at Andrea deeply and spoke. “Both. Once you make a blood contract with a beast, you create a tight link between both your existences. Adding another creature to this link is like trying to pry open your soul, mix it with a completely new one, and then stitch up the tear you created. Do you have such control over your soul without even having practiced the Soul Path? I don’t believe so.”

Andrea heard that and pondered, a faint smile spreading on her lips. “If you weren’t interested in me, you would not be explaining things to such an extent.”

The dragon snorted, a wave of scarlet fire swallowing Andrea again. “I am just worried a good seedling would try something silly and die in vain.”

Andrea waved her hand, creating a mighty gale to blow out the flames around her. “Well, I will accept your concerns. However, I still want to give it a try.” Andrea raised her eyebrow as her lips faintly arched. “My affinity with Dragons is great. I bet that by the time you are predicting that my soul will collapse, I will grow to such an extent that you’ll have to eat your own words.”

The giant creature asked, his tone clearly mocking. “Do you have a Dragon as a partner or something? Perhaps as your master? If not, you do not understand how powerful a dragon’s soul truly is. Especially one of a dragon at my bloodline level.”

Andrea purposely made a surprised expression. “How did you know? Do I have her scent all over me?” She scratched her cheek and giggled, feeling somewhat ashamed. “That’s embarrassing.”

The giant dragon blinked a few times. At first, he thought that she was joking. However, when he took a sniff, the overpowering territorial scent of our dragoness enveloped his brain, making him feel a sense of inferiority for a moment. ‘W-What? What kind of Dragon does this woman know?’

Even if he just took a sniff, he could somehow see a giant phantom of a gargantuan celestial dragon. That dragon looked as if it was made out of the night sky, with deep and gorgeous blue and glittering white stars all around her body. The glowing Sun and Moon on her wings amplified the mystique and imposing nature of the creature. ‘This dragon… She is a Progenitor. No. A Progenitor Queen.’

Andrea noticed his reaction and was slightly confused. ‘Wait… Did Yasenia rub her scent on me with that hug she gave before I entered this place?’

Both sides were silent for a few seconds. Eventually, the dragon relented. “Let’s do it then. However, if you die, I won’t be taking any responsibility. You can tell that dragon with you that. I want no trouble to follow me later.”

Andrea almost burst into laughter. ‘He is scared of Yasenia, isn’t he?’

They walked silently toward the middle of the giant hellish landscape. Eventually, the dragon suddenly spoke up. “Vairon.”

“Hm?” Andrea blinked and looked at him. 

The dragon gave her a side eye and sighed. “Are you always this slow?”

Andrea looked at him speechlessly. She reacted right away, her eyes widening slightly. “Ah. That’s your name.”

“Indeed.” The giant dragon commented. “I am a [Vulcan Sun Dragon]. My attributes are Fire, Magma, and Sun, the main one being magma.”

Andrea sincerely praised. “Oh! That sounds powerful.”

“No need for pleasantries.”

Andrea chuckled. “I mean it.” Then, she added. “In my case, my bloodline is called [Sun Eating Tiger]. Although, I have never really felt any effects other than being very good at controlling my Sun and Metal attributes.”

The dragon spoke with doubt. “How could it have any effects? You have yet to break the limit, right?”

“Hm?” Andrea remembered something and realized. “Ah. Do you mean that I need to reach the Sixth Realm?”

“Indeed,” Vairon affirmed it. Then, he added. “Not only that. Humans become much stronger depending on what type of tribulation you have and how deep your understanding of the intents is when you break through. Remember, you must increase your intents to Level 9 before breaking through if you want the best results. Many don’t follow this advice and end up wasting their entire potential.”

Andrea hummed as they landed on a massive circular formation. “Humans seem to become quite powerful when reaching the Sixth Realm, right?”

Vairon commented as he looked at Andrea. “Humans are the original Dragon Hunter race. Do you think that a weak race can gain such a title? Demons, Divines, Dragons, Phoenixes, Qilins, White Tigers, Vermillion Birds… Humans have hunted all these legendary creatures in the past. Most of the humans are weak, yes. However, in terms of potential, I don’t think that any race can compare to humans. A human who has realized his full potential is as scary as a fully matured dragon.”

Andrea was surprised. ‘Don’t Divines and Demons dominate the higher realms nowadays? Was the blow during the Heavenly Cataclysm that bad for humans?’

Vairon stomped the ground, creating a small earthquake and forcing the magma in the entire valley to stir. “Now, let’s start our contract. Don’t die, child.”

Andrea prepared her mind and soul, and her light green eyes flashed with determination. A smile spread on her lips as she spoke loud and clear. “I am ready.”

Vairon’s lips arched faintly. “You are not.”

He activated the formation, and an instant later, Andrea’s mind flashed white. A hellish pain that she had never felt before engulfed her entire existence, pushing a beast-like howl out of her throat. “AHHHH!”