Besides the Dragon King Fruit, Nie Yan discovered another item lying quietly amidst the ruins — a dragon egg. The egg was oval-shaped, roughly the size of a washbasin. Its white shell was covered with numerous spiral-shaped black spots, resembling some kind of eerie symbols.
Nie Yan had seen quite a few dragon eggs before, but this one was completely new to him.
“Is it a flying mount or a pet?” Nie Yan furrowed his brows in confusion. He picked up the egg and tossed it into his backpack. He would identify it back at base and then find a suitable owner for it.
After confirming there was nothing else on the ground, Nie Yan summoned his Dark Winged Dragon.
The Dark Winged Dragon immediately locked its gaze on the Dragon King Fruit in Nie Yan’s right hand, looking somewhat impatient.
Everyone was watching Nie Yan closely. Was he going to feed the fruit now? What would happen to the Dark Winged Dragon afterward?
Nie Yan tossed the Dragon King Fruit into the air. Upon seeing this, the Dark Winged Dragon joyfully leapt up and caught the fruit in its mouth. The Dragon King Fruit melted instantly upon entering its mouth, turning into a stream of liquid that flowed into the dragon’s belly.
The Dark Winged Dragon stood still as streams of black light flowed across its body.
A powerful aura began to spread from the dragon.
Under the oppressive Dragon’s might, everyone instinctively stepped back. The immense pressure in the air seemed as if it could crush their bones.
“So powerful!”
They retreated a safe distance and kept a close eye on the Dark Winged Dragon’s transformation.
The dragon’s scales started shedding one by one, gradually being replaced by new ones resembling lavender-hued crystals. Slowly, the color deepened, approaching pure black until it became pitch-dark. Yet this blackness wasn’t chaotic or lifeless—it rather gleamed with the luster of a black diamond.
The scales of the Dark Winged Dragon emitted a glow that gave the impression of being unbreakable.
Its body was gradually growing larger, and its aura kept rising. Nie Yan could feel the barriers preventing the Dark Winged Dragon’s ascension shattering like brittle twigs before this unstoppable force.
Suddenly, the Dark Winged Dragon was engulfed in roaring black flames. Wrapped entirely in the dark inferno, it resembled a phoenix, radiating waves of intense heat mixed with dark power.
Nie Yan checked the Dark Winged Dragon’s status — it had finally ascended to level nine!
The members of Bull Tribe looked up at the Dark Winged Dragon. Now, it stood eight to nine meters tall, with a wingspan of over ten meters. Its entire body burned with black flames, like an ancient beast, exuding an immense and terrifying pressure.
This creature was truly invincible!
“This is a level-nine flying mount? Unbelievable!”
“Angel Empire’s highest-level flying mounts are probably only level seven, and they have fewer than twenty of those. The attacks of level six mounts are completely ineffective against this level-nine Dark Winged Dragon. This dragon will be unstoppable!”
They couldn’t help but marvel at the Dark Winged Dragon’s immense power. In Nie Yan’s control, this level-nine mount would undoubtedly unleash astonishing combat strength. Thinking about the upcoming aerial battle against Angel Empire above Sinner’s City, everyone felt their blood boiling. This would be a glorious battle for Bull Tribe!
Nie Yan slightly opened his right hand, and the Dark Winged Dragon suddenly vanished, having been recalled into his pet space.
“If all of us leave, Angel Empire will know we’ve obtained the Dragon King Fruit by checking whether the instance is closed. They will then be prepared. Who among you is willing to stay inside this instance? As long as one person remains, the instance won’t close, and Angel Empire will believe we are still inside,” Nie Yan asked the group.
“I’ll stay,” Badmanwhocannotdie volunteered.
Nie Yan nodded. “Alright. Keep an eye on the battle. Once my Dark Winged Dragon appears, you can leave.”
“I understand!” Badmanwhocannotdie replied. He was staying behind to create a false impression that they were still inside the instance, thereby misleading Angel Empire.
“The rest of you follow me. Put on your cloaks and leave the instance quietly without being noticed by anyone!” Nie Yan instructed in the party chat.
“Understood!”
They quietly left the temple through a side entrance instead of the main gate, making it nearly impossible for Angel Empire to detect their departure. Twenty-nine people exited the temple, but since Badmanwhocannotdie remained inside, the instance would not close. The Angel Empire players monitoring the area would assume Nie Yan and his team were still inside the temple. By the time they realized the truth, it would likely be too late!
A brilliant move — a perfect cicada-shedding strategy!
As the arranged battle time approached, the Bull Tribe players inside the End Bar were growing increasingly anxious, like ants on a hot pan.
“Where is Boss Nie still?”
“There are only ten minutes left until the battle starts. Why hasn’t Boss Nie returned yet? If we don’t show up, Angel Empire will accuse us of cowardice.”
“Boss Nie, please come back already!”
Seeing the Bull Tribe players’ restless state, Demonic Essence and Wu Dao exchanged helpless glances. They had already tried their best to calm the team down. If Nie Yan and his group still didn’t appear, it would truly cause a collapse in morale.
Just as Demonic Essence was about to send a message to urge Nie Yan, he suddenly received a notification. After glancing at it, a barely noticeable glimmer of joy flickered across his face. Calmly, he announced in the group chat, “Boss Nie said they’re still inside the instance and are being held up. This battle will have to rely on us alone.”
Upon hearing Demonic Essence’s words, everyone was stunned.
“Boss Demon, how can we fight without Boss Nie?”
“Yeah! Without Nie Yan’s group, we only have three level-seven flying mounts in total!”
“Does that mean you all turn into useless cowards without Nie Yan? Everyone, assemble! Nie Yan is held up, but he should be able to break free and support us soon. Even if Nie Yan doesn’t come, we still need to give Angel Empire a hard time and let them know we’re not easy targets!” Wu Dao shouted in the chat.
Although Wu Dao’s words calmed them down slightly, doubts still lingered in their minds. Without the elite team stuck inside the instance, could they really win?
“Remember, this battle isn’t about directly fighting Angel Empire head-on. Fight when we can, retreat when we can’t. Hold out until the reinforcements from Angel’s Fall arrive — they’re already on their way!” Demonic Essence said solemnly.
Under the command of Demonic Essence and Wu Dao, they still assembled their forces and exited the End Bar. In the courtyard, they summoned their flying mounts, and hundreds of them soared into the sky.
The garden area around the End Bar was a no-combat zone, so they didn’t have to worry about being attacked.
Standing atop their flying mounts, Demonic Essence and the others looked toward the northern part of Sinner’s City. Angel Empire’s flying mount force resembled a dark, endless cloud.
Inside Sinner’s City, players from various guilds and teams gathered everywhere. Many had come to watch the battle, while others aimed to seize the mount cores. A flying mount’s core was a massive fortune for many, enough to entice countless players. Obtaining just one would make them rich. Among the crowd were Bull Tribe and Angel Empire players alike, all eager to secure these valuable cores and prevent them from falling into the hands of others.
The appearance of Bull Tribe’s flying force stirred up Sinner’s City. Bull Tribe had indeed shown up as promised. More than 80% of the aerial forces from both Bull Tribe and Angel Empire had gathered here. This would be a grand and spectacular battle of the ages!
“Who do you think will win?”
“It’s hard to say. Angel Empire seems to have the upper hand. Look at their endless flying mount force — there must be at least 1,500 or 1,600 of them. Bull Tribe only seems to have around 1,000. It’s a known fact that Bull Tribe’s aerial forces have always lagged behind Angel Empire’s.”
“That might not be the case. Although Angel Empire’s aerial forces are stronger, have they ever truly gained an advantage over Bull Tribe? Nie Yan the Mad Rogue is an exception!”
“They say the infamous thief Nie Yan didn’t show up this time—apparently, he’s trapped inside an instance.”
“It’s strange that Nie Yan would be doing an instance at a time like this.”
“I think Nie Yan will show up eventually.”
“Although Angel Empire has always had an advantage in aerial forces, the outcome of a battle is unpredictable. Turning the tide from a disadvantage isn’t impossible. If Nie Yan dared to accept the challenge, he must have prepared thoroughly. He wouldn’t recklessly accept Angel Empire’s challenge without confidence.”
The players below murmured among themselves, gazing up at the countless flying mounts in the sky — a breathtaking sight.
This would undoubtedly be the most spectacular aerial battle since the game’s launch.
“Everyone, listen to my command. Split into two groups. Remember, engage in battle while retreating — don’t get too entangled with them!” Demonic Essence said solemnly. Glancing at the message Nie Yan had sent him, he suddenly understood. Nie Yan’s target was those Flame Roc mounts. Indeed, their fire net skill posed a significant threat, and eliminating them was essential. Nie Yan must already be waiting in some corner, ready to strike the Flame Rocs from an unexpected angle at the right moment!
The two flying forces drew closer, and everyone could feel the tense atmosphere.
Demonic Essence looked toward the opposing side. Angelwing was standing atop a silver-white dragon, gazing in their direction. His pupils slightly constricted — Angelwing had also acquired a dragon mount.
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