Chapter 77: The Dragon-Blooded Dwarf

Head down the mountain first.

The slope was steep, but Xu Feng was a mage. Though his current strength didn’t permit long-distance flight, occasional use of Wind Control rendered him as light as a feather—cliffs and sheer rock faces posed no obstacle.

The scenery along the way was delightful: the mountain lush with greenery, small animals darting occasionally into view, the air crisp and fragrant with wildflowers—invigorating both mind and spirit.

Rumble!

Thunder rumbled in the distance. The young man looked up to see a massive, roiling dark cloud sweeping in from the horizon—rain was imminent. Xu Feng wasn’t overly concerned; mountain weather was notoriously fickle. He scanned the surroundings for shelter.

Not far off stood a cave. He approached, brushed aside the overgrown weeds, and stepped inside. Moments later, thunder cracked—and the rain began.

Xu Feng shook his head. It was nearly noon, and hunger gnawed at him. Had he known, he wouldn’t have recklessly practiced Space Magic—he could’ve been home savoring delicious food and the warm embrace of beautiful women.

Crash!

A deafening explosion echoed, and the entire mountain trembled faintly. Xu Feng frowned. This wasn’t thunder—he sensed immense energy rippling through the air.

A powerful being or top-tier magical beast was locked in combat. Strangest of all, the energy fluctuations emanated from directly behind him—right where the cave was.

Curiosity killed the cat—but though he knew interference was unwise, Xu Feng couldn’t suppress his urge and ventured deeper into the cave.

Pitch black—yet no hindrance for a mage. A simple Night Vision spell dispelled the darkness.

Simultaneously, he extended his senses and quietly gathered ambient magical elements. After all, beyond the two colossal energies clashing, who knew what other dangers might lurk?

Fortunately, the path remained uneventful. The cave stretched long—nearly half an hour of walking passed before Xu Feng glimpsed light again—the apparent exit.

Boom! Roars intensified; debris even began raining from the ceiling. He drew ever closer to the source of the battle. What could it be? A magical beast—or a formidable being?

Lost in thought, he reached the exit. Peering out, he saw a canyon—likely the mountain’s rear face. Sparse trees dotted the landscape, while countless black rocks jutted from the ground. An iron mine? he wondered.

As a mage, Xu Feng possessed vision far surpassing that of ordinary humans. Several hundred meters away, a fierce battle raged.

One combatant towered seven meters tall—massive, muscular, skin like hardened steel, roaring with fury. Resembling a human yet vastly larger, with a sharp horn protruding from its forehead, it belonged not to any near-human race, but to the Savage Giants—a fearsome magical beast.

Its opponent stood barely one and a half meters tall—stocky, broad-shouldered, jaw thick with dense, fiery beard. In its grip swung an enormous iron warhammer, grossly disproportionate to its stature—yet wielded with astonishing ease.

A dwarf!

Hailan Star hosted a far more complex ecosystem than Earth. Though humans, elves, and beastmen now dominated the continent, numerous other highly intelligent races coexisted alongside them.

Dwarves ranked among the most renowned. They lived in tight-knit tribal communities, adored ale, and possessed notoriously short tempers. Though their raw strength paled beside the three major races, they were legendary master craftsmen—dwarf-forged weapons and armor famed for peerless craftsmanship, universally lauded, and perpetually scarce on the market.

The warhammer whirled wildly; roars shook the air. To hold his own against a Savage Giant meant this dwarf’s power was truly exceptional. Xu Feng grew deeply intrigued—and crept closer, silently, without intervening.

He had no interest in meddling—only in witnessing the spectacle.

Yet as he drew nearer, something stunned him: exposed on the dwarf’s chest was a peculiar tattoo—a dragon spreading its wings, poised for flight.

Dragonblood Dwarf?

Xu Feng was utterly astounded. Dwarves comprised many branches—Mountain Dwarves, Hill Dwarves, Cave Dwarves—yet none surpassed the Dragonblood Dwarves in renown.

Legends claimed they descended from the God of War and maintained profound ties with mighty dragons. Among dwarves, they were the strongest branch—historically, Mountain Kings almost invariably hailed from their ranks. Yet what the world coveted most was their craftsmanship.

While most dwarves excelled as artisans, Dragonblood Dwarves forged armor and weapons far superior to those of their kin—each piece a masterpiece. Unlike other clans, however, they embraced seclusion, shunning contact with other races, living in total isolation. For a thousand years, fewer than ten pieces forged by Dragonblood Dwarves had ever entered the continent—each worth ten thousand gold, nearly impossible to acquire.

Such an encounter was pure chance—not something one could seek. He never imagined his luck would run this high. Countless adventurers had searched fruitlessly for traces of Dragonblood Dwarves—yet he’d stumbled upon one entirely by accident.

Originally, Xu Feng intended only to observe the battle—but his mindset had shifted decisively. Dwarves had fiery tempers, yet they honored gratitude and grudges with absolute clarity. If he aided this dwarf significantly, he’d surely reap generous rewards…

Call him opportunistic if you will. Having arrived in this world, his greatest ambitions were to savor life and protect the beauties he cherished. To ignore such an opportunity would be sheer folly.

Roar!

The battle had reached its climax. As a high-tier magical beast, the Savage Giant possessed overwhelming strength and impenetrable hide—but the Dragonblood Dwarf was no pushover. His iron warhammer weighed several hundred pounds, swung with such force that even a dragon would falter under its blow.

Crater after crater erupted; rubble flew everywhere. Enraged, the giant roared repeatedly—but his ferocity masked inner weakness, and he steadily retreated.

Victory seemed assured—the dwarf needed no help. Xu Feng sighed. He needed to find a way to earn his friendship.

But just then, everything changed.

Until that moment, the Dragonblood Dwarf had held absolute dominance—the Savage Giant’s defeat appeared inevitable. Then, a single plant altered the course of battle.

No need for surprise—Hailan Star’s ecosystem teemed with danger beyond magical beasts. Many plants too were perilous—predatory, flesh-eating entities known as demonized plants: man-eating flowers, man-eating trees.

Before them stood a flower over two meters tall—delicate, vivid, breathtakingly beautiful. Yet its name sent shivers down the spine.

God of Death’s Call—one of the most terrifying man-eating flowers.

Before prey approached, it lay motionless, indistinguishable from ordinary flora—waiting. Only when the target drew near did it strike: vines shot forth, wrapping tightly around the dwarf’s body.

The sudden ambush left the Dragonblood Dwarf horrified. He strained to break free—but the vines were unnervingly tough and cunningly coiled, rendering his strength useless.

“Damn it!”

The dwarf bellowed—but alas, a hero with no stage to display his might.

The flower bloomed wide—its mouth as large as a washbasin. From its stamen extended a fleshy tube, ready to drain his blood dry—his corpse soon to become its fertilizer.

Malt’s brow glistened with sweat. As a proud dwarf, he feared no death—but he refused this fate. He’d driven off the Savage Giant, only to be ensnared by a man-eating flower. This treacherous plant—if not for its stealthy ambush, if not for his momentary lapse—could’ve been shattered into dust with a single hammer strike.