Chapter 297: Chapter 40: Encountering the Dragon Lady at the Holy Pool, Her Dragon Thunder Volley Is as Strong as a Monster, Impossible to Defeat Even at Full Strength

"This must be a plot by the Imperial Citizens, meant to dull our blades and numb our will. If the new generation isn’t tempered by climbing up from the very bottom, how can the Yonglan Blood possibly remain pure and strong?"

"And this is all because of those Beastmen on the border. It’s just as they say: those of a different race are bound to have different hearts."

"..."

The Knights in the discussion were filled with righteous indignation. It wasn’t just the Knight Lords; some of them had even been serfs themselves before becoming Knights. Yet, they were also fiercely opposed to the liberation of serfs.

This wasn’t even born of an "I had to suffer, so others should too" mentality. Instead, they believed from the bottom of their hearts that such an ordeal was essential.

In a camp nestled within the woods, a Knight Lord stood upon a raised platform. Clad in black and gold Armor, he leaned on his sword with one hand and stroked his handlebar mustache with the other, gazing with satisfaction at the grand spectacle before him.

He was Morris, the Lord of a nearby Knight Territory, and the one who had organized and most generously sponsored this gathering.

As soon as the details of the pilgrimage were announced, Morris had staunchly declared his opposition. He immediately took action, even bringing all his resources to the Pool of the Holy Grail to mount a blockade.

CLACK, CLACK, CLACK—

The sound of crisp footsteps approached from behind. A trusted subordinate came up to the Knight Lord and reported,

"Lord Morris, the pilgrimage’s fleet has arrived."

Morris glanced up toward the horizon and smiled.

"Under the Divine Ancestor’s heavenly might, even the warships of the Celestial Vault Kingdom must submit to the storm. That’s the farthest they can advance. From here on, it’s our battlefield."

His metal-clad greaves crunched on the maple-yellow leaves as Morris raised an arm and bellowed,

"Brothers! Knights of Yonglan! Hear me!"

His powerful voice echoed through the woods, instantly silencing the clamorous crowd. As the organizer, Morris commanded respect. All eyes turned to the high platform, where the Knight Lord in black and gold Armor was speaking with impassioned fervor:

"We gather here today because we cannot bear to see the throne of the Knight King stolen by a petty scoundrel! We are here to defend the purity of the Country of Yonglan!"

"I’m sure you all know! Not long ago, a murderous fiend from the Empire halted the great expedition of the Knightly Path! He not only massacred the Jinquan Territory but also laid claim to Yonglan’s throne! What blasphemy!"

"And now, the usurper of Qinghui is marching toward the Pool of the Holy Grail! He wants to allow filthy, barbaric Beastmen to rank among the Grand Knights! Can any person of Yonglan with principles and a conscience tolerate such a thing?"

The Knights below raised their weapons and roared,

"We can’t! Absolutely not! Never!"

"Kill the Imperial Citizens! And kill the Beastmen, too!"

Morris turned to the side. "It is true that no Grand Knights have joined our ranks yet," he declared. "But do not despair, for I have brought this Riding God Giant Statue!"

The construct, appearing in a half-kneeling posture with its head bowed, had a form nearly identical to that of an Armored Knight. Its shell was cast from Mithril, and every inch of the steel was covered in platinum and azure engravings that gave off a faint, rippling shimmer.

In its hand, it gripped a massive Lance with a spiraling, phantom-blue tip.

The hundred-meter-tall statue looked even more majestic and magnificent in the sunlight.

"With this Riding God Giant Statue, we can fight back against that arrogant usurper!"

This was a unique construct of the Country of Yonglan, a creation classified as a "Divine Structure." Even in the Empire, such a thing would only be deployed during the era of the Dragon Race wars. But in the Country of Yonglan, Divine Structures could be forged by mortals.

A single Riding God Giant Statue was, in essence, a mass-producible source of Legendary Combat Power.

Although the cost in effort, resources, and time was immense, they could truly be replicated. This was one of the few secret technologies that allowed the Country of Yonglan to surpass other nations.

As Morris preened with satisfaction, he completely failed to notice the thunderbolt tearing through the sky.

KRRRAACK—

A roar tore through the atmosphere, seeming to set the very air ablaze. Accompanied by furious winds and arcs of electricity, something crashed straight into the side of the forest.

"What’s happening?!"

"Enemy attack!"

The Yonglan Knights in the woods instantly went on high alert, their gazes fixed on the spot where the being had crashed.

A slender figure emerged from the crater and extended a hand. The moment pure, golden Dragon Thunder materialized, the dust was obliterated. The ensuing gust of wind billowed her flowing sleeves. The Silver-haired Princess with the high ponytail swept her icy gaze over the crowd and spoke:

"What... were you all just talking about?"

"Who is this ’petty scoundrel’? And who was it you wanted to kill?"

When the Knights got a clear look at Reiya, especially her pair of white jade Dragon horns that resembled frozen lightning, they immediately exclaimed:

"Where did this Dragon-man come from?"

"Which family’s Dragon Descendant is she?"

"Wait, could she be that Empress Princess from the Empire?"

"See? Those Imperial Citizens have no shame. They’d even get in bed with their mortal enemies to produce an inhuman mongrel."

Hearing the word "mongrel," a term she hadn’t heard in ages, Reiya actually felt a strange sense of nostalgia. ’No one in the Empire would dare call me that anymore,’ she mused. ’But the Yonglan People... they’re certainly straightforward.’

A cold smile touched her lips. She took a step forward, head held high, and said,

"It seems you were just discussing some rather impolite matters... I assume everyone gathered here is planning to obstruct the pilgrimage?"

Morris felt the overwhelming Dragon Might wash over him. His expression hardened, but he forced himself to step forward and say,

"Empress Princess... You are not the King Claimant. Since when do you have the right to speak? Bring out Duke Qinghui!"

"West doesn’t need to bother himself with you."

Reiya tilted her head and said,

"’I doubt it’s possible, but I must ask nonetheless... Are you willing to acknowledge Westheid Qinghui as the King of Knights?’"

"Ha! To think the great Empress Princess would act as a herald for a would-be king?"

Morris roared with laughter, drew his greatsword, and pointed it straight at Reiya.

"Enough! Since Duke Qinghui won’t come himself, staining our blades with Dragon Blood would be a fine consolation. We’ve long yearned for a battle with a Demon Dragon. Fighting a Dragon Descendant shouldn’t be much different, I suppose?"

Reiya did not answer. She simply observed the number of Knights present as she channeled her Dragon Thunder, condensing tangible Sunlight Spears in her palm and behind her back.

"Half."

"Hmm?"

Morris frowned, not quite understanding what Reiya was saying.

The Silver-haired Princess raised a finger and said calmly,

"I will kill half of you. Then I will ask again."

The moment she finished speaking, the Princess’s slender finger fell.

HUMMMMM—

In an instant, the Sunlight Spears formed behind her shot forward in a concentrated barrage.

The Knights had braced themselves, but only when the Sunlight Spears came hurtling toward them did they realize how terrifying these seemingly ordinary spears of lightning truly were.

The Yonglan Knights, with their ridiculously high stats, looked down on other nations. But in the face of a true T0, those stats were worth nothing.

As expected, the Sunlight Spears, condensed from Dragon Thunder, shattered the Knights’ Enchanted Secret Silver Armor and tore through their bodies of steel. Bone and flesh vaporized in an instant, rising as a fine mist of blood.

The Thunder Spears that missed their marks and struck the ground erupted in startling explosions, engulfing the dense vegetation.

The very first volley of Thunder Spears eliminated a third of the Yonglan Knights on the field, and nearly every survivor was wounded.

Without a moment’s grief for their fallen comrades, the professional discipline of the Yonglan Knights took over. They reacted instantly, charging as one toward Reiya.

’The power of the Dragon Thunder is beyond what we can withstand. We have to close the distance quickly and press the advantage while she’s preparing her next Technique.’

’This is the foolproof method for fighting Mages!’

However, Reiya couldn’t be considered a Mage at all. She didn’t need chants or preparations to cast Sunlight Spear; for her, it was an act as instinctive as breathing.

The Silver-haired Princess simply stood her ground, wielding a Dragon Thunder Sword Spear. The space behind her surged with even more Dragon Thunder, which she launched in a ceaseless torrent.

Under the torrential assault, not a single Knight could break through. Even a High-tier Knight at the Hero Tier would be killed instantly if they didn’t focus solely on defense.

After Morris parried several Sunlight Spears in succession, his treasured sword shattered under the strain.

Making an instant decision, the Knight Lord screamed at the top of his lungs,

"Activate the Riding God Giant Statue!"