The Elven Cultivator

Chenxi Calendar, Year 9310. Late autumn.

On the main road to Bishui Port, a convoy was slowly heading south.

Merchants and caravans along the way who saw this convoy hurriedly moved to the sides, clearing the road for fear of displeasing them.

This was because it was a convoy from Kresol Dragon City.

At the head of the convoy, four Dragon Race cavalrymen rode abreast.

They weren't riding ordinary horses, but a type of Dragon Beast called a "Firemane Beast."

Firemane Beasts were nearly three meters long and stood over 1.8 meters tall at the shoulder, a full size larger than the sturdiest warhorse.

These Dragon Beasts possessed an extremely thin trace of the Dragon Race's bloodline, making them stronger and more resilient than ordinary horses. They also had a natural resistance to blood and fire, making them the favored mounts of the Dragon Race.

Of course, due to that thin trace of Dragon Race blood, Firemane Beasts were also far more ill-tempered than normal horses. Aside from the Dragon Race, who had a natural advantage in suppressing them through their bloodline, other races found them difficult to control.

Behind the four Dragon Race cavalrymen were two columns of marching vassal soldiers, composed entirely of Gray Scale-men.

These creatures, covered in gray scales with long, slender limbs, were the main infantry of Kresol Dragon City.

In the center of the convoy, a black carriage moved slowly.

Inside the carriage, Marcus leaned against a soft animal-hide cushion, resting with his eyes closed.

He was tall and burly, towering over most people even while seated.

Dark red scales spread from his cheekbones to behind his ears. Two short, thick dragon horns grew from the sides of his forehead, extending diagonally backward, their keratin dense.

All this was proof of the high concentration of Dragon Race blood within him.

In fact, Marcus himself was one of the rare Pure-blooded Dragon Race.

It was precisely because of this that he had been able to climb to the position of a high-ranking Dragon Race officer in Kresol Dragon City.

Of course, his Golden Tier strength was also a significant factor.

The carriage suddenly jolted as a wheel rolled over a protruding rock. The slight tilt of the carriage interrupted Marcus's rest.

He opened his eyes, a flicker of irritation in his vertical pupils.

He hated this assignment.

A place like Bishui Port, teeming with a mix of lesser races, was nauseating to even think about.

'A high-blooded Dragon Race like myself, forced to deal with a bunch of lesser races.'

'This is an absolute humiliation.'

But he had no choice but to obey the orders of the Archons.

Ever since that incident eight years ago, his situation in Dragon City had become precarious.

Even though a considerable amount of time had passed, the memory still caused uncontrollable rage to surge within Marcus.

In Kresol Dragon City, it was common for high-ranking officers to mobilize Vassal Armies. As long as the city's overall defense wasn't compromised, the Archons usually turned a blind eye.

The problem was, he had botched the job.

The army of Stone-skinned Giant Demons sent to support the Molten Spike Tribe had been completely wiped out. Not a single one returned.

The Molten Spike Tribe itself was also destroyed by the allied forces of the Silver Moon Race and Gray Rock Castle.

Those pointy-ears and stout-dwarves had joined forces, uprooting the pawn he had cultivated in the wastelands for decades.

The vast resources he had invested in the Molten Spike Tribe, including the precious Extraordinary Level magical item, the Sun-Emblazoned Crest, had all gone down the drain.

When Marcus learned of this, he was filled with a mixture of shock and fury.

If Zhuogu hadn't already died in battle, he would have torn the man to pieces himself.

'To have such a huge advantage and still lose to the Silver Moon Race... what a complete waste!'

And the loss of the Stone-skinned Giant Demon army cast a shadow over Marcus's once-bright future.

In Kresol Dragon City, while Vassal Armies weren't highly regarded, they were still military assets that could not be squandered so easily.

Given Marcus's status, he wasn't severely punished, but the Archons' opinion of him inevitably plummeted.

He once had high hopes of being promoted to Archon, but now he would be lucky to just hold on to his current position.

The Archons who had favored him began to look to others, and colleagues who once tried to curry favor with him started to distance themselves.

Thanks to the subtle attacks from his rivals, his situation in Dragon City had been poor for years.

And now, he had been dispatched to Bishui Port.

The official reason was "to investigate the Fallen Dragon Association's attacks and take command," but anyone could see it was effectively an exile.

The thought made Marcus grind his teeth in hatred.

'It's all the fault of that damned Silver Moon Race!'

'And Gray Rock Castle!'

'If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have fallen into this mess!'

However, considering the Archons were already displeased with him, causing more trouble now would only worsen his situation.

What's more, the City Lord's sudden departure had thrown all of Dragon City into a state of some confusion.

At this critical juncture, any rash move could lead to unpredictable consequences.

So, he could only suppress his hatred for now and wait for the right time to take his revenge.

'I'll let you enjoy your moment of triumph for a while longer.'

Marcus took a deep breath, forcing down the rage in his chest.

Once he established himself in Bishui Port and dealt with the Fallen Dragon Association, he would slowly take care of those pointy-ears and stout-dwarves.

He would show them what it meant to offend a Pure-blooded Dragon Race.

The rumbling of the wheels on the road suddenly changed its rhythm, from a dull RUMBLE to a crisp CLICK-CLACK, signaling that the convoy had moved from the dirt roads of the wasteland onto the stone-paved streets on the outskirts of Bishui Port.

Marcus lifted a corner of the window curtain and looked out.

In the distance, the walls of Bishui Port were faintly visible.

A large crowd seemed to have gathered before the city gate, with flags flying and formations neat.

Marcus sneered and let the curtain fall.

'Those lesser races certainly know how to put on a show.'

...

Bishui Port, South Gate.

The midday sun peeked through gaps in the clouds, coating the city walls in a veil of gold.

The area before the gate had been cleared. The long queue of people that should have been waiting to enter the city was gone, replaced by squads of soldiers in neat formation.

At the very front of the formation stood a dozen or so people.

Aside from three armored Dragon Race officers, the rest were middle-aged and elderly men dressed in either luxurious or respectable attire.

Anyone familiar with the Bishui Council would have noticed that, apart from the deceased Everett, all eleven remaining council members were present.

These powerful figures, who usually held sway over Bishui Port, were now standing obediently before the city gate. They wore perfectly crafted smiles as they looked to the north, awaiting the arrival of their distinguished guest.

No one complained, nor did anyone show any dissatisfaction.

At least, not on the surface.

Speaker Audric stood at the very front. He was over seventy, with white hair and a gaunt face, but his back was still straight, and his gaze was as steady as a deep pool.

As the Speaker who had governed Bishui Port for over thirty years, he had seen many Dragon Race officers come and go and had experienced far too many similar "welcoming ceremonies."

Each time was more or less the same.

A Dragon Race officer would arrive with an air of arrogance, followed by a period of "cooperation," long or short, that would end with the officer leaving with all the credit.

The only difference this time was that the visitor was a Pure-blooded Dragon Race, and a high-ranking officer at that.

This meant that for the foreseeable future, life in Bishui Port would not be easy.

Audric sighed inwardly but remained expressionless.

Before long, the convoy arrived at the city gate.

The three Dragon Race officers immediately went forward to welcome their future superior.

"Lord Marcus."

They approached the side of the carriage, bowing slightly with respectful attitudes.

Marcus lifted the curtain and spoke a few words in a low voice to the three Dragon Race officers, his face impassive.

Then, the curtain fell, and the carriage started moving again, passing straight through the gate and into Bishui Port.

From beginning to end, Marcus never got out of the carriage. He didn't even glance at the council members who had been waiting for so long in the cold wind.

The city gate fell into a dead silence.

The council members wore varied expressions.

"Speaker, this..."

A younger council member looked at Audric, his tone laced with clear dissatisfaction.

Audric raised a hand to stop him, took a deep breath, and put a smile back on his face.

"Lord Marcus is weary from his journey; it's perfectly normal that he wouldn't want to be delayed at the city gate," he said calmly. "We'll just go directly to the city hall."

With that, he boarded his carriage, parked nearby, and headed into the city.

The council members looked at each other, silent for a moment, before following him.

By the time Audric arrived at the city hall with the council members, Marcus was already seated in the second-floor meeting hall, having unceremoniously taken the head seat at the long table.

Several Dragon Race officers were seated below him.

Seeing this, the council members didn't dare say anything and quickly took their seats.

The meeting hall fell silent.

Marcus leaned back in his chair, his gaze sweeping over everyone present as he spoke coldly.

"The culprit who killed our three high-blooded kinsmen and Everett—have you caught them?"

Audric's expression faltered for a moment. He chose his words carefully before speaking, "Lord Marcus, the attackers were extremely cautious. We are still investigating with all our resources..."

Marcus cut him off with a cold sneer.

"With all your resources?" Marcus looked coldly at Audric, his vertical pupils filled with derision. "Speaker Audric, the Fallen Dragon Association has launched attacks more than once over the years, yet all you've managed to catch are a few useless small fry. You have nothing else to show for it."

"What exactly are you investigating with these 'full resources' of yours?"

Audric hurriedly tried to explain, "Lord Marcus, the members of the Fallen Dragon Association are truly cunning. We..."

"Enough."

Marcus raised a hand, cutting him off with a tone of impatience.

"I didn't come here to listen to your explanations."

"From this day forward, I will personally oversee Bishui Port until the Fallen Dragon Association is completely eliminated."

"During this time, I will be taking over all defense matters in Bishui Port. Your council's job is to cooperate with my investigation and provide all the resources and manpower I require."

He stood up, looking down on the seated council members, his gaze sweeping across the room.

"Any objections?"

The meeting hall remained silent.

No one dared to speak.

Audric sighed inwardly but was the first to declare, "Rest assured, Lord Marcus. The council will cooperate fully."

The other council members quickly chimed in with their agreement.

Marcus noted their reactions and sneered inwardly.

'Of course, I know some of them are reluctant.'

'But so what?'

'In the face of absolute power, they have to endure it whether they like it or not.'

Marcus said no more and turned to leave the meeting hall.

The Dragon Race officers quickly rose and followed him.

After leaving the meeting hall, Marcus headed straight for the military barracks in the port district.

He needed to take control of Bishui Port's garrison forces as soon as possible, then go on the offensive and drag out those sewer rats from the Fallen Dragon Association who only dared to launch sneak attacks from the shadows instead of fighting head-on.

Once he uprooted the Fallen Dragon Association, he could return to Dragon City in glory, with his achievements in hand.

Then, the Archons would once again restore their trust and admiration for him.

As for the Silver Moon Race and Gray Rock Castle...

A cold glint flashed in Marcus's eyes.

'Once things in Bishui Port have settled, it won't be too late to deal with them slowly.'

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