Chapter 23: The Terrifying Land Dragon

A dragon’s entire body is a treasure trove—especially its crystal core, a rare and precious magical material, coveted yet seldom obtained. Crafting it into a staff can boost the wielder’s combat prowess by at least fifty percent. Yet Master Bafikle casually gifted such a treasure to his female apprentice as a birthday present.

Truly impressive. He deserves to be counted among the continent’s last two Archmages.

Since this formidable figure possessed such immense wealth, Xu Feng began calculating: if he helped cure his illness, what reward should he demand?

A powerhouse like him must have amassed countless treasures…

“Hey, let’s go!” Seeing the young man lost in thought, Corona found it slightly odd.

“Oh—right away!” Xu Feng snapped out of his reverie and hurried to catch up.

To most people, the Misty Forest was dangerous and mysterious—but not to Corona. She’d grown up here since childhood; the forest was practically her backyard.

With such a guide, the journey proved far easier than expected. Corona chose a route that was not only smoother but also sparsely populated by magical beasts. From morning until noon, they encountered no trouble whatsoever.

“Let’s rest for a while!”

Powerful as she was, Corona was still a girl—and as everyone knew, mages possessed relatively weak physical stamina. After several hours of walking, sweat already glistened on her forehead.

Not far away, a small stream shimmered. They scooped water to wash their faces—refreshingly cool. Corona retrieved some provisions from her spatial ring. “Sorry it’s not much. Please, help yourself.”

Xu Feng had no objections. He ate a few pieces—they actually tasted quite good. “Did Miss Corona make these herself?”

The girl nodded. Who would’ve guessed this alluring mage possessed such culinary skill? Well, she could handle both the hall and the kitchen—and if it came to the bedroom… Xu Feng glanced at Corona’s voluptuous figure and swallowed hard. Such an exceptional beauty—he had to find a way to make her his.

But just then, a low, thunderous roar rumbled from afar. Though distant, it was deafening. Corona looked up, a flicker of worry crossing her angelic face.

“Is it a magical beast?”

Corona remained silent, instead focusing intently, listening once more. This time, her expression tightened with anxiety. “Xu Feng—we’re out of luck. We’re in trouble—it’s an Earth Dragon!”

Earth Dragons, though among the lowest-ranked dragons, still carried true dragon bloodline. By magical beast standards, they were already terrifying!

“It’s heading straight for us—let’s go, now!”

Xu Feng naturally raised no objection. Together with Corona, they packed up and left the stream. Perhaps… the dragon had simply come to drink.

But that wasn’t the case. The Earth Dragon didn’t stop—it kept pursuing them.

“Damn it. Looks like we’ve been marked as prey!”

Corona said nothing more, instead casting several Lightness spells on both herself and Xu Feng. Simultaneously, her cherry lips parted slightly, and arcane syllables flowed forth. With a graceful wave of her slender hand, the path behind them transformed into a patch of swamp.

*Mirefoot*—an intermediate earth spell—wasn’t especially useful in direct combat, but it could yield unexpected results when hindering pursuers.

*Thud!* The Earth Dragon fell for it. True dragons were at least as intelligent as humans—but this brute was far duller. Even so crude a trap gave it trouble.

Its two powerful hind legs sank deep into the muck. The pair halted, and Corona continued chanting *Mirefoot*. As elemental light flickered, gradually, one-third of the Earth Dragon’s massive body sank into the swamp.

Xu Feng’s heart leapt—until the situation shifted.

*Roar!*

The Earth Dragon roared and thrashed violently. Its enormous wings flapped desperately. Unlike true dragons, low-level Earth Dragons couldn’t fly—but those seven- or eight-meter wings generated tremendous gusts with each beat. With a mighty leap, it wrenched itself free from the mire.

“Run!”

Startled, Xu Feng seized the girl’s hand and bolted.

Angry roars echoed relentlessly—each louder than the last. Human speed stood no chance against an Earth Dragon’s.

“Corona—what’s wrong?”

The girl suddenly stopped. Xu Feng panicked. The mage sighed, a resolute glint flashing across her lovely face. “We can’t outrun it!”

With that, she drew her staff from her spatial ring. About a meter long, slender and elegant, its shaft bore exquisite carvings. At its tip gleamed a genuine dragon’s crystal core—an elven masterpiece, worthy of being classified as a sacred artifact.

Yet her expression remained grave. They faced an Earth Dragon.

The air trembled with gathering power. A wind rose, fluttering her sleeves and billowing her skirt. Paired with her stunning features, she looked like a goddess descending from heaven.

*Roar!*

The Earth Dragon closed in. Sensing the surging magical energy, it held back—not yet attacking—giving Xu Feng his first close-up view of this legendary beast.

It was colossal—easily over ten meters long. Its grayish, earthen hide was covered in fine, dense scales. Less formidable than a true dragon’s, they still rendered it nearly impervious to physical attacks. Most alarming were its razor-sharp fangs and claws, gleaming with a cold, metallic sheen.

Earth Dragons lacked the awe-inspiring aura of true dragons—but standing before such a titanic creature was pressure enough.

*Roar!*

The Earth Dragon roared again—its short temper allowing little patience. It charged toward the girl, tail lashing like a colossal steel whip, swinging down with crushing force.

Xu Feng’s heart leapt into his throat!

Corona didn’t dodge. Mages were inherently slow in movement. Instead, her cherry lips murmured incantations—and her staff lifted gently…

Something miraculous happened. The air rippled like water, forming an invisible shield. The Earth Dragon’s ferocious strike rebounded off it.

The law of action and reaction held true even on Hailan Star. The dragon’s full force struck empty space—and recoiled upon itself. It was hurled backward, crashing through several thick tree branches along the way.

What a magnificent spell! Yet Corona’s face paled slightly. Gritting her teeth, she suppressed the churning in her chest. Reflecting an opponent’s attack with *Mirror Image* was still taxing beyond her current limits.