Early the next morning, I embarked on my journey to Dragon City. To avoid unnecessary trouble, I put on my bamboo hat again – being too handsome can be a hassle.
The order and security in the Dragon God Empire are significantly better than those in the Orc Nation. After traveling for five days without encountering a single bandit, it's no wonder the Dragon God Empire can contend with the other two major powers; it indeed has its own advantages.
The gradually warming air reminded me that it was already noon, and my stomach was out of provisions. Fortunately, there was a small restaurant by the roadside ahead. Since arriving in the Dragon God Empire, I had become particularly fascinated with the local cuisine, which was vastly superior to what I had in the Orc Nation. As soon as I entered the restaurant, the enticing aroma hit me, making my mouth water. Although it wasn't luxurious, it was very clean and quite popular, with about sixty to seventy percent of the tables already occupied.
I found a quieter table near the edge and sat down. A waiter came over, handed me the menu, and asked, "Sir, what would you like to order?"
I flipped through the menu and casually picked a few dishes I hadn't tried before, ordering a pound of steamed buns. Soon, my food arrived. Holding a steamed bun in my left hand and chopsticks in my right, I began to devour the meal. Meanwhile, more patrons were arriving at the restaurant, and it quickly became fully occupied.
A young warrior entered from outside. He was about 1.8 meters tall, wearing a light blue warrior's robe. He looked strong and carried a long sword on his back—a very spirited young man.
Seeing that there were no empty tables, he approached mine and politely asked, "Brother, there's no place left. May I sit here with you?"
I was at a four-person table by myself, so I nodded and continued eating with my head down.
The warrior called out, "Waiter, bring me a pound of good wine, two small dishes, and a pound of steamed buns." After placing his order, he turned to me and said, "Brother, you look like you're traveling far."
Though I hadn't taken off my bamboo hat, I had lifted the veil to eat. Are humans always this friendly? I looked up and gave him a cold glance before nodding slightly. He seemed startled by my handsome yet aloof face. I continued eating my food, ignoring him.
He felt snubbed and gave an awkward smile. By the time his food arrived, I had already finished my meal. I casually placed a silver coin on the table, stood up, slung my pack over my shoulder, and strode out of the restaurant.
I noticed that many people in the Dragon God Empire rode horses, moving swiftly. I thought about getting a horse myself—it would certainly help me reach Dragon City sooner.
I stopped a passerby and asked, "Excuse me, where can I buy a horse?" The passerby frowned initially but, seeing my imposing figure, didn't dare say anything rude. He pointed ahead and said, "At the next intersection, turn left. About two kilometers down, there's a stable where you can buy horses."
I nodded at him and headed in the direction he pointed.
The stable was quite large. In the center was a racetrack covering about 1,000 acres, while the left side housed the horses for sale and various related accessories.
I approached the area where the horses were sold and asked the horse trader, "Which horses here are for sale?"
The trader immediately recognized me as an outsider with no knowledge of horses. He gave a contemptuous smile and said, "As long as you have the money, every horse you see here is for sale."
I acknowledged with a nod and began to look around, trying to find a horse I liked. Suddenly, I noticed everyone was gathering toward the western side of the stable. Curious about what was happening, I quickly grabbed someone to ask.
It turned out that the stable owner had recently captured a wild horse, which was very unruly and had yet to be tamed. The horse had been caught using blow darts laced with tranquilizers. Today, the owner had invited several renowned horse trainers to try to tame it.
Intrigued by this fierce horse, I decided to take a look. I followed the crowd to the western training ground, which was already packed with people. Despite standing toward the back, my height allowed me to see the center of the arena clearly. In the middle, six or seven people, all dressed neatly, surrounded a majestic black horse. Even though I wasn't an expert, I could tell the horse was exceptional. Its black coat shone like satin, and it held its proud head high, snorting impatiently, filled with hostility toward those around it.
The sky gradually darkened as large clouds gathered overhead. Despite the lack of sunlight, it didn't feel cooler; instead, the air grew more stifling.
The people surrounding the horse tried to lasso it and get onto its back, but the black horse was incredibly agile, evading the trainers' attempts repeatedly.
The crowd began to murmur, speculating that this attempt might fail as well. Just then, a middle-aged horse trainer suddenly threw a lasso, managing to catch the black horse's neck. The horse immediately became agitated, rearing up on its hind legs and letting out a loud, clear neigh. The trainer skillfully used the momentum to mount the horse, clinging tightly to its neck.
"Well done! Hang in there!" The crowd started to cheer.
The black horse bucked and jumped, trying to throw off the rider. Its violent movements forced the other trainers to retreat, leaving the lone trainer struggling on its back.
After a while, the horse, unable to shake off the rider, gradually calmed down and stopped bucking. It seemed that no matter how wild it was, it would eventually be tamed. The crowd began shouting the trainer's name, revealing him to be the stable owner's son. Proudly, he raised his hands in triumph while still on horseback.
Just then, something unexpected happened. The black horse suddenly stumbled as if it had lost its footing, startling the trainer who quickly dismounted to check on the horse, not wanting to harm such a fine animal.
As soon as he dismounted, the horse sprang back up and, with its front legs on the ground, delivered a powerful kick with its hind legs to the trainer's chest. Even from my distance, I could hear the sickening sound of the trainer's ribs breaking. He let out a long, agonized scream as he was thrown far away, clearly beyond saving.
In just the blink of an eye, chaos erupted among the crowd. The other horse trainers quickly moved the injured trainer to the side.
A well-dressed man ran out from the sidelines, shouting in anguish, "Bring my son back to life! Kill that vicious horse!" It was clear that this was the owner of the stable, and his son's death had driven him to madness.
Immediately, many stable workers rushed forward, wielding various weapons, ready to kill the horse. The black horse still held its head high, unaware of the impending danger.
For some reason, I felt an inexplicable affection for this majestic black horse the moment I saw it. It seemed it was time for me to step in.
"Wait!" I shouted, forcefully pushing through the crowd and stepping into the arena. A thousand pairs of eyes turned to look at me. I walked up to the stable owner, who was weeping over his son's body. I glanced down at his son's injuries. He was already dead, with blood flowing from his seven orifices and his chest completely collapsed. I couldn't help but shake my head.
"Give me a chance to tame this horse," I said.
The stable owner wept and said, "No, I will use its corpse to honor my son's spirit."
I frowned and replied coldly, "What fault lies with the horse? If you hadn't attempted to tame it beyond your abilities, this situation wouldn't have arisen."
Enraged, the stable owner shouted, "Who are you to come here and speak out? Guards, throw him out!"
I snorted disdainfully, ignoring him, and walked toward the black horse. But before I could take more than a couple of steps, I was surrounded by the stable workers. I removed my hat and slung it over my back, saying icily, "Don't force me to harm anyone."
The workers paid no heed to my words and rushed at me upon hearing my arrogant tone. Four or five of them grabbed hold of me, though they didn't draw weapons; it seemed they merely wanted to teach me a lesson on behalf of their boss.
Their skills were no match for mine. With a powerful wrench, I sent them all flying. Seeing them still approaching, I snorted heavily, my eyes flashing with anger, and shouted, "You dare to come forward to your doom!" With a heavy punch, I slammed my fist into the ground, creating a deep hole about one meter in diameter and half a meter deep.
Brushing off the dust from my clothes, I paid no attention to the shocked onlookers and walked straight toward the black horse.
The black horse seemed to sense the danger, its large eyes fixed on me, continuously pawing at the ground with its left foreleg.
I walked up to a spot about two meters away from it and stopped, giving it a contemptuous smile. With the strength to tear apart tigers and leopards, I had no reason to fear it. Whether it understood my expression or not, it let out an angry neigh, rearing up on its hind legs and forcefully stomping its front hooves down towards me.
I bent my knees and braced myself, raising my hands high. I managed to grab hold of its descending hooves, the force was indeed considerable, and my arms were pushed backward for a moment. But I quickly stopped it with my own strength, eliciting gasps of amazement from the onlookers.
"That's incredible strength, to withstand a horse's stomp like that!"
"Did you see the hole he made just now? He must be a high-level warrior."
"Is he even human? Can a human have such strength?"
I'm sorry, but I couldn't fully be considered human. At least not when it comes to strength.
With a powerful swing of my waist, I tossed the black horse aside, causing it to roll on the ground, crying out in pain. After struggling for a moment, it managed to stand up again. I walked up to it once more, locking eyes with it and said coldly, "Are you surrendering? With your strength, you can't possibly contend with me."
It seemed to understand my words, nodding its head and looking at me with pleading eyes. Slowly, it walked up to me and nuzzled my chest with its large head. I gently patted its head, a rare smile appearing on my face.
"From now on, you'll be my best companion. I'll call you Black Dragon, alright?" The black horse let out a joyful neigh, seemingly approving of the name I gave it.
Turning my head, I shouted loudly, "Stable owner, I'm sorry, but I'm taking this horse." Ignoring their reactions, I took out a bag of gold coins from my pocket, about fifty or so, and threw it over. Then, I leaped onto the horse. After mounting, I suddenly realized that I hadn't ridden a horse before (after all, how could an orc, being a beast, ride a horse?). But I brushed it off and tightened my legs around the horse's belly, gripping its long mane tightly. Without needing any urging from me, Black Dragon dashed out quickly. When we reached the railing, I struck out with my palm, shattering the top two rails. With a mighty leap, it soared over the railing, carrying me, its inexperienced rider, away in a swift gallop.
The sky gradually began to drizzle, and although my clothes gradually became wet, the cool sensation made me feel exceptionally comfortable. It was my first time riding a horse, and initially, I was a bit nervous. However, after a while, that feeling disappeared. Sitting on Black Dragon's back felt stable, with only a slight sense of bumpiness. The surrounding scenery whizzed by rapidly, and I leaned my body against Black Dragon's back. Gradually, I discovered that whenever I leaned to the left, it ran left, and when I leaned to the right, it ran right. It was quite fun. After all, I was only sixteen years old and was absorbed in playing, forgetting the direction of our journey. It wasn't until it was almost dark that I realized I had gotten lost. The surroundings were dense forests. Luckily, there was a small path; otherwise, I wouldn't even know which way to go. I decided to continue in this direction until I found someone to ask for directions.
So, I rode Black Dragon along the path for another two hours until we reached a town. I pulled back on the horse's mane, and Black Dragon gradually slowed down. Entering the town, I dismounted and found that my pants were soaked with Black Dragon's sweat. I affectionately patted its head and headed towards the town.
The town was not small, with various shops lining the streets, bustling with vitality. Black Dragon followed closely behind me as I found an inn. The waiter at the entrance hurried over, smiling apologetically, "Sir, why don't you stay at our place? We have complete facilities, affordable prices, and attentive service..." I impatiently raised my hand to stop him from continuing.
"Find a place for my horse to stay," I ordered.
The waiter looked at Black Dragon behind me and sincerely remarked, "You have a really good horse, but why isn't it wearing any saddle or bridle?"
"Saddle? Bridle? What are those?" I thought to myself but didn't ask. Instead, I replied, "Do you have them here? I was just thinking about equipping Black Dragon."
"We don't have them here, but there's a shop over there that specializes in saddles and bridles. You should go there. They have good quality products at reasonable prices."
"Take me there, then. I want a complete set," I insisted.
The waiter looked hesitant, saying, "But I'm still on duty here... you see..."
I sneered and tossed him a silver coin. "You're not busy now, are you?"
With a smile, the waiter caught the coin and replied, "Not at all, not at all. Just wait a moment." He then ran back into the inn to inform the other waiters before returning eagerly to lead me to the saddle and bridle shop.
I spent ten gold coins to equip Black Dragon with the best saddle, bridle, horseshoes, and other gear. I didn't bother with a whip because I felt it was unnecessary. With this new attire, Black Dragon appeared even more majestic, and the shop attendants couldn't stop praising it. It's worth mentioning that besides me, Black Dragon didn't allow anyone else to approach it. I had to hold its reins to reluctantly let the attendants help it put on the equipment.
I followed the inn's waiter to take Black Dragon to their stable, where I personally brushed and washed it before feeding it some high-quality fodder. Then, I returned to the inn to rest.
After a night's rest, I asked about the direction to Dragon City, found my location on the map, and set off again. Luckily, I wasn't going in the wrong direction. Although I deviated a bit, I quickly corrected my course and got back on the right track.
Riding Black Dragon with the saddle and bridle made the journey much more comfortable. I relaxed the reins, adjusting the direction, allowing Black Dragon to gallop freely. When there were no people around, Black Dragon maintained a moderate speed. But when it saw other horses, it immediately accelerated, eager to surpass them. I didn't expect a horse to have such a strong competitive spirit.
With Black Dragon, my speed increased exponentially. What would have taken over ten days to cover a distance of 3000 kilometers was achieved in just over ten days, thanks to my concern for its well-being, allowing it to run at a leisurely pace.
Finally arrived in Dragon City. Although it doesn't look as majestic as our Orcish capital, it's still impressive. The city walls are eight meters high, made of solid granite, adorned with carvings of various dragons, and the national flag of the Dragon Empire hangs high above. Perhaps due to its inland location, security seems relatively lax, and I entered the city smoothly. Dragon City is enormous, several times larger than our Orcish capital. It took me a full three days to get a rough idea of its layout.
The Sky Academy is renowned here, and it wasn't hard to find its location. I went there to register, only to find out that the exams won't start for over a month. With plenty of time on my hands, I decided to find a place to stay first. There are many inns around, and I chose one that seemed clean.
Every morning, I practice Thunderous Armor Removal. In the afternoons, I take Black Dragon around for a stroll. Sometimes, we venture outside the city to stretch our legs. Otherwise, Black Dragon would become too lazy. In the evenings, I focus on honing my Demonic Arts. It's essential to strengthen myself in this enemy territory, just in case. Despite my efforts, I've only reached the late stage of the second level of the Demonic Arts, still a long way from transformation. I need to complete the third level to achieve that, but impatience won't help. I'll have to wait until I enter the Sky Academy. And now, more than a month has passed in this manner.
After over a month of living here, I've noticed there are many warriors and mages in Dragon City. Although I haven't sparred with any mages yet, I've encountered a few wearing magical robes, and I can sense their formidable power. The level of the warriors also seems high. Indeed, Dragon City is a powerful nation. Initially confident, after observing for this period, I've started feeling somewhat intimidated.
In the Dragon Empire, warriors are divided into ten levels: Novice Warrior, Junior Warrior, Intermediate Warrior, Senior Warrior, Sword Master, Great Sword Master, Earth Knight, Light Knight, Sword Saint, and War God. From Sword Master onwards, they are further categorized as Upper, Middle, or Lower. Similarly, mages are classified into ten levels: Novice Mage, Junior Mage, Intermediate Mage, Senior Mage, Great Mage, Mage Lord, Great Mage Lord, Mage Master, Great Mage Master, and Holy Mage Master. Starting from Great Mage, they are also categorized as Upper, Middle, or Lower.
Estimating my current strength with a human body, I'd probably be a Lower-level Sword Master. But considering my powerful physique and extraordinary defensive capabilities, I should at least be a Lower-level Great Sword Master. The most common Dragon Knight should be a Middle-level Light Knight (excluding the dragon's power). Similarly, the most common Fallen Angel should also be a Lower-level Light Knight and a Middle-level Dark Mage. They possess strength comparable to a typical Bimon warrior (without berserk mode), equivalent to a Lower-level Great Sword Master. There's still a significant gap between me and them. It's no wonder we need over two thousand Bimon warriors and over thirty Fallen Angels to contend with just over a hundred Dragon Warriors.
Tomorrow's exam is looming, and I'm uncertain about whether I'll successfully enter the Tian Du Academy. I must continue to enhance my strength; otherwise, our Orc clan will never rise. With a nervous heart, I begin my final practice of the Tian Demon Technique before the exam.
What I didn't know is that the Dragon Empire also faces its own challenges. While Dragon Knights are formidable, they don't possess the innate strength of Bimon warriors. Bimon warriors can join battles after minimal training and grow stronger with time. However, training a Dragon Knight is exceedingly difficult. The Dragon Empire has expended countless resources and efforts just to maintain around a hundred Dragon Knights. This is also why they hesitate to launch a reckless attack on the magical and beast clans. Once their Dragon Knights are wiped out, they lose their advantage and are vulnerable to defeat by the combined magical and beast forces.
Awakening from my training, I change into a new warrior outfit. After a hearty meal, I arrive at my destination—the Tian Du Academy.
Upon reaching the academy's entrance, I freeze. There are so many people, densely packed, numbering in the thousands. However, the enrollment office mentioned they only accept 300 students. That means it's roughly a one in ten chance of being selected.
Carrying the admission ticket I received when registering—a wooden plank with the number 1 written on the front (I was the first to register over a month ago)—and the back engraved with the words "Tian Du Academy," I stepped into the academy. The playground here is spacious enough to accommodate all the examinees with plenty of room to spare. It's not yet time for the exam, so the candidates are scattered in groups, probably discussing what the exam questions might be.
A clear voice echoed: "Attention, all examinees! Please quiet down. Line up according to your number from east to west, with fifty people per line."
I looked around for the speaker, marveling at the volume of the voice. Who possesses such formidable power? Later, I learned that it was a magical broadcast made from amplification magic stones, capable of multiplying sound by dozens or even hundreds of times.
After searching for a while without finding the speaker, I gave up and decided to join the queue. Being number 1, I should be at the front of the first row.
The voice sounded again, repeating the same message: "Attention, all examinees! Please quiet down. Line up according to your number from east to west, with fifty people per line."
After the instructions were repeated three times, the queue finally seemed to be in order. I estimated there were over 60 rows, totaling more than 3000 people. It's indeed a 10-to-1 ratio, proving just how prestigious Tian Du Academy is. Admission exams are this challenging. (In the Dragon God Empire, almost all military leaders are graduates of the four major academies, especially the Dragon Knights. Being a Dragon Knight is no longer just a symbol of strength but also represents honor and power. In the Dragon God Empire, Dragon Knights wield significant authority, with even the lowest-ranking title being a viscount. The three grand marshals, being the pillars of the empire, hold the title of duke. For a commoner aspiring to become a noble, becoming a Dragon Knight is undoubtedly the best choice, and the four major academies provide the most solid foundation.)
"Alright, everyone, make sure to leave some space around you, about 1.5 meters apart," instructed the supervisors, and soon, all the examinees on the field complied.
About twenty monitoring teachers arrived, signaling the beginning of the exam. We wondered what they had in store for us.
"From now on, all examinees must remain still in a standing position, no movement allowed, until you can no longer sustain it. The last remaining 1000 examinees will proceed to the next round," declared one of the supervisors.
As soon as the words were spoken, the entire field erupted into chaos, with candidates discussing fervently.
"What kind of exam is this? It's like punishment standing."
"Damn, first time I've heard of a standing exam."
"What kind of school is this? Shouldn't have come all this way."
I also thought to myself, this is too easy, just standing. Oh well, might as well go along with it.
"Examinees, please remain quiet. Standing is a test of both physical stamina and mental fortitude. Whether it's martial arts or magic, without good physical stamina and strong willpower, one won't succeed. If any examinee is dissatisfied with the examination methods of the academy, they can withdraw at any time."
Impressive, truly worthy of being a prestigious academy. Stand it is. Although there was a lot of fuss earlier, after hearing those words, not a single person was willing to give up. After all, quitting before showing one's strength would be too embarrassing.
At first, everyone felt relatively relaxed. Despite it being summer, the morning was still quite cool. However, as time passed and the sun climbed higher into the sky, the temperature on the field began to rise steadily.
The sweat trickled down my face, although it wasn't particularly uncomfortable, the stifling heat made me feel uneasy. Thankfully, I was wearing light-colored warrior attire today, or it would have been even more unbearable. I glanced at the other examinees; their demeanor was truly impressive. It had been over two hours since morning, yet not a single person had dropped out.
The proctors were divided into two groups, each supervising for about an hour, then they would switch and take a break. At one point, a female examinee made a slight movement, immediately noticed by a middle-aged proctor who pointed at her and said sternly, "You, out." They were very strict; even the slightest movement was not tolerated.
Another two hours passed. As the sun descended, the temperature gradually dropped. However, enduring a hot day without food or water had taken its toll. Stomachs growled incessantly on the field. Not eating was bearable, but not drinking water after a day of sweating made me uncomfortable. So far, over two hundred examinees had dropped out, not even a tenth of the total. How much longer would this standing last?
Time crawled by painfully slow. Finally, evening arrived, bringing with it a gentle breeze that provided much-needed relief. Practicing the Heavenly Demon Technique every night had become a habit; since I was just standing anyway, might as well use the time for training. Glancing around, I noticed that almost all examinees had closed their eyes, engaged in a mental battle with their own bodies.
Closing my eyes, I silently began to channel the dark energy within me. The first stage of the Heavenly Demon Technique was internal and wouldn't manifest outwardly during training, so I had no fear of anyone detecting it. I felt the dark elements converging around me, the chilling sensation gradually permeating my veins from the skin, and then following the path of my energy circulation, slowly coursing through. It was such a comforting feeling, as if all the fatigue of the day had vanished. Surprisingly, my craving for food and water also diminished. So, this was another benefit of the Heavenly Demon Technique. I activated the technique, following its predetermined route, gradually focusing my mind and entering a state of meditation.
When I emerged from meditation, it was already morning. Aside from feeling a bit thirsty and hungry, my body was surprisingly fine. I glanced around; although not many had dropped out, all the examinees seemed on the verge of collapse, their faces pallid. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes again.
By noon, it was another fine day, the sun blazing high in the sky. However, for us examinees, it wasn't a pleasant sight.
Drawing upon the experience from the previous night, I quickly tapped into the dark energy. Although training the Heavenly Demon Technique during the day was less effective, it still brought me a cooling sensation, making it much easier to cope with the scorching weather.
As the afternoon progressed, examinees began to drop out in groups, most of them needing assistance to leave. The sun gradually set, and the clouds in the distance appeared more beautiful under the evening glow.
"Congratulations to all examinees for completing the first round of exams. Please proceed to the proctors to register with your number tags and then rest. The second round of exams will commence the day after tomorrow."
Only 1000 examinees remained after the elimination rounds, and a collective sigh of relief echoed through the crowd. Everyone plopped down on the ground, and I was no exception. Though my stamina fared better than theirs, after two days and one night without movement, my limbs had stiffened. I sat on the ground, gently moving my numb body.
"Attention, examinees. Proctors will now register you one by one. Please cooperate." About a dozen proctors dispersed to register the remaining examinees. Of course, I was the first. Handing over my number tag, I said, "I'm number one." The proctor glanced at me and chuckled, "You're quite sturdy, young man." I just smiled back without responding.
Suddenly, a group of people dressed in chef uniforms emerged, carrying trays covered with cloth and various pots, plates, and bowls. Were they here to serve us food?
Sure enough, the clear voice announced, "This is the porridge and steamed buns prepared by the academy for you. Please finish your meal quickly and return to rest." It really was food. Taking advantage of my position at the front, I rushed forward and grabbed a big bowl, scooping out a bowl of porridge and gulping it down. Ah, it was comforting, surprisingly delicious. I had never thought porridge could taste this good. Before the crowd closed in, I managed to drink three bowls in a row. Then I filled another bowl and grabbed three steamed buns before heading to a quiet corner to enjoy them.
With my stomach filled and my energy somewhat restored, I suddenly remembered—it had been two days, and I hadn't fed Black Dragon yet. I had to hurry back; it must have been upset with me. Returning to the inn, I quickly obtained some fodder and ran to the stable. Black Dragon neighed happily upon seeing me, its large tongue licking my face repeatedly. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Here, eat up. It's all top-quality fodder."
After tending to Black Dragon, I felt incredibly exhausted. I collapsed onto the pile of hay in the stable and quickly fell asleep.