"First of all, let me clarify that we are not dragon slayers. Village chief, I think I understand why you are so adept at dealing with adventurers. Could it be that many people came to slay dragons before?" Wu Yu asked uncertainly.

"Let me think. Every few years, a group of people come to slay the dragon. It seems like the last time outsiders came to our village was two years ago," the village chief said after thinking for a while.

"Tsk." Wu Yu clicked his tongue inwardly. Since the dragon was still alive, those adventurers who came to slay it were probably all dead. Truly, people die for wealth, and birds die for food. Wu Yu said helplessly.

"How stupid do these people have to be to do something so reckless? Even if I lack common sense, I still know that every adult dragon is at least a Saint-level being. Don't tell me that the adventurers who came before were just rookies below the Saint level."

“Occasionally, a seventh-tier legendary expert will come, but they are mostly a team of sixth-tier adventurers,” the village chief replied.

"Sixth rank! Are you here to die?" Wu Yu's voice involuntarily rose a few decibels. This wasn't the online game he used to play, where you could risk your life to test the BOSS's characteristics. Even if people in this world were born with an adventurous spirit, this wasn't the way to play with their lives.

"Adventurer, you may not know this, but the evil dragon in the mountains existed long before our ancestors came here. According to legend, this dragon is over ten thousand years old. Even though dragons are long-lived, ten thousand years is their lifespan limit. Like me, it is old and about to die. That's why those legendary-ranked warriors come to challenge it, hoping to make a name for themselves in one battle. As for those adventurer teams, they try to steal its treasure while it sleeps."

The village chief asked earnestly, "So, may I ask, esteemed adventurers, are you here to steal treasure?"

"Don't overthink it. We're just passersby. We can't do something so dangerous, but we do need to stay the night. Village chief, could you please lead the way?" Seeing that he had gathered enough information, Wu Yu didn't intend to chat with the village chief any further and ended the conversation directly.

Then Wu Yu readily said, "Don't worry, the reward will definitely not disappoint you."

If Wu Yu hadn't been looking at Violet when he said that, he might have really come across as a nouveau riche who spends money like water.

Violet didn't embarrass Wu Yu at this moment, and took out ten silver coins from her storage ring and handed them to the village chief.

The village chief glanced at the young man beside him, who stepped forward and accepted the silver coin. The village chief then tactfully said, "Then, esteemed adventurers, please follow me."

After leading Wu Yu and his group to two small earthen houses side by side, the village chief left with his men.

Wu Yu and the others randomly chose a room and went inside together.

Besides two wooden beds, there wasn't much else in the room, so it was only suitable for one night's stay. However, with a ceiling above, it was still more comfortable than sleeping in the wilderness.

After entering the house, Wu Yu plopped down on the bed. After a while, he said, "Everyone, sit down and rest for a bit. You all heard what the village chief said. Now, tell me your thoughts."

Violet frowned as she looked at the dusty wooden bed. She took out a blanket from her storage ring and spread it on the bed before pulling Ella to sit down. Layton, on the other hand, leaned against the wall at the entrance, looking like a doorman.

“We’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning. Let’s just pretend we didn’t hear anything today,” Layton said first.

“Yes, I agree.” Ella was almost always 100% supportive of Layton on small matters.

“I want to go see that evil dragon.” However, Violet offered a different opinion.

Wu Yu felt a headache coming on when he thought of the way Violet's eyes lit up when she heard the word "dragon." He rubbed his temples and said patiently, "Violet, stop messing around. We're not strong enough."

"Didn't the village chief say the dragon was sleeping? We just wanted to take a look, just one look," Violet pleaded pitifully at Wu Yu.

"What's so interesting about a dragon? It's just a monster. None of us here have ever seen a dragon, and we're not curious about it, are we?" Wu Yu continued to persuade him.

“But my brother has seen dragons. He said that although dragons are proud by nature, they are not cruel. As long as we don’t provoke them, we will be safe. Please, Wu Yu, I just want to see the scenery that my brother once saw.” Violet’s eyes showed sadness when she mentioned her brother.

"I'm not qualified to take you on adventures," Wu Yu said with a self-deprecating laugh.

"There's something wrong with this village chief. On the surface, he seems to feel sorry for the adventurers who are going to their deaths, but if he truly cared about them, he wouldn't have told us about the dragon. The dragon is supposed to be asleep, isn't that just deliberately tempting us to steal the dragon's wealth?"

Without Jack by his side, Wu Yu's clever mind could finally come into play. He might not be able to directly predict the correct outcome, but he could certainly deduce the most likely scenarios.

"Whether I'm being overly suspicious or not, it's always better to be careful. We'll leave first thing tomorrow morning. Don't forget, your brother's mission is for me to bring you to the capital." Wu Yu ended the discussion he had initiated with a one-man show, then got up from the bed.

"Hmph." Violet slammed her little fist on the bed to vent her dissatisfaction, but she didn't object to Wu Yu's arrangements.

"Phew." Having convinced Violet, Wu Yu, who was almost at the door, breathed a sigh of relief. After opening the door, he gestured for Layton to follow him.

······

Inside a cave in the Evil Dragon Mountains.

The dim light could not illuminate the entire cave. In the shadows, a huge creature kept its eyes fixed on a smooth stone wall located at the deepest part of the cave.

The walls flickered with fluorescent light, and dense array patterns spread out from a six-pointed star array, completely covering the entire mountain range.

"Asadron, ten thousand years have passed, and your lifespan is almost over, while my life is infinite. Why not release me sooner? I will have the king transform you into a demon, and you will gain eternal life." A sinister voice echoed from within the six-pointed star array.

The cave was illuminated by array patterns, revealing the enormous creature in its entirety—a giant dragon, though lacking the grandeur described in biographical novels.

The black dragon's scales were dull and cracked in many places. Although its body was as huge as in the legends, it was so thin that it was just a skeleton. The marks of time covered its body, and its once majestic golden dragon eyes no longer inspired fear, but instead showed signs of old age and dim eyesight.

Asadron spoke in a human voice, still booming like thunder: "My lifespan is indeed running out, but don't worry, we've been together for ten thousand years, how can I go alone? I will take you with me to hell."

"You?"

"Just wait and see, this thousand-year-old saga is finally coming to an end."