Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 613 - 566 - Ideals and Allies

"The premise is that you pass your final exam in White Bone Spirit Summoning Studies, my student."

Lyle pondered the connection between the Dragon Priest’s transformation into a legend and his own exam results.

"You’re referring to the Dragon Creation Project."

The Dragon Priest rubbed his hands together excitedly, "Zhiyan has completely decoded the information of the Gemstone Dragon Bone, which means he has mastered all the physical data of the Firstborn of the Dragon, Koranac. And you, my student, your power as a creator will help me become a true Skeleton Dragon, a real Giant Dragon skeleton. My forbidden creation, the Sea of Skeletons, will provide you with the materials, and all you need to do, is to twist my bones into Dragon Bone following the data provided by Zhiyan."

My final exam in White Bone Spirit Summoning Studies was to dismantle and transform my mentor, twisting his body structure into that of a legendary creature, a Giant Dragon.

No matter how mentally prepared Lyle was, the fact that his final exam involved "taking down" his own mentor still felt strangely uncomfortable.

"This is an entirely new path, Dragon Priest, a crazy plan, a forbidden transformation that no one has ever achieved."

The Dragon Priest laughed heartily and gently patted Lyle’s shoulder.

"So you will be the first, my student. Once you succeed, everyone studying Spirit Summoning Studies at Andrey will remember your name. Andrey’s Dragon Transformation Pioneer."

"And what if I fail?"

The Dragon Priest turned sharply, his gaze haunting as he looked at Lyle.

"Then I will become your nightmare. I will turn into a giant Skeleton Monster of your making, I will be your disgrace, the stain on your Lich career! And believe me, I will not hide myself, you’ll live on as a Lich marked for killing your mentor...although it doesn’t seem like much of an issue, haha, so don’t feel too pressured, my student."

The first thing the Dragon Priest thought of was not his own future or safety, but the negative impact on Lyle. While a Lich’s disdain for death was one reason, Lyle was still deeply touched.

"I will give it my all, Dragon Priest."

The Dragon Priest affectionately stroked Lyle’s head.

"You better give it your all, or I’ll kill you myself, kid."

Lyle felt the strength of the Dragon Priest’s hand increase slightly, and under this pressure, his mind began to work rapidly, thinking through the details of the plan.

"But, Mentor, your talent is ’undying and indestructible.’ Not to mention the strength of your body as a master of White Bone Spirit Summoning Studies, even if we manage to modify your skeleton, won’t it just revert to its original form the next moment based on your talent?"

The Dragon Priest’s talent could instantly heal his combat injuries; not even a comprehensive, large-scale transformation was feasible – if they thinned down his finger bones, they would just revert back to their original form.

"Don’t worry, I’ve already found a solution to the talent issue. A method to counter ’undying and indestructible’... How much do you know about Marrow Fluid for bone strengthening, my student."

"A magic liquid extracted from high-magic skeleton bones, it can help liches repair their bodies, strengthen their skeletons, and turn fragile death casters into warriors whose physical strength can rival that of the demons."

"Your work is still so outstanding, even though you’ve never experienced a single bone forging ritual. Marrow Fluid can absorb the essence of the skeleton bones, and it can also reveal some of the innate talents within the skeleton, like the Marrow Fluid refined from my skeleton, which is an excellent restorative. I’ve always wanted to recommend it to you in class, but you’ve never even broken a little finger." Mr. Giant Dragon expressed his regret, and then continued talking.

"I’ve sought the help of scholars, and I’ve even exchanged secrets with reporters. In the end, I found a method from an ancient ritual that can temporarily conceal my talent. Using that method, I created some Death Bone Marrow Fluid. Transformed from my talent of being ’undying and indestructible’ into ’Destruction’, this special Marrow Fluid can temporarily abolish my talent."

"Before these fluids cool, Lyle, you must transform my bones into Dragon Bones. There can be no mistakes, for once it cools, the new talent will fix my body in that twisted form."

"You have only one chance, my student."

"But surely, if there is new Marrow Fluid, couldn’t we just start your transformation over, teacher?"

"There won’t be any more." Mr. Giant Dragon took out a small bowl of black liquid from his pocket, which was dissipating, emitting dangerous magical power. "The ’Destruction’ property of the Death Bone Marrow Fluid will affect themselves, decreasing every moment, and the raw material for this special Marrow Fluid is my forbidden creation, the Sea of Skeletons. Unlike my inexhaustible supply of bone material, we share the same origin. Perhaps these materials can regenerate, but I can’t wait any longer. They can’t wait either."

Mr. Giant Dragon used his forbidden creation as the raw material to make this special Marrow Fluid. He had used up a large part of it, and the rest was the material to build the Dragon Bones, which meant that regardless of the outcome of the dragon-making plan, Mr. Giant Dragon’s strength would regress. The ability of the skeleton imprinting would vanish, and without the inheritance of the Manu clan, he wouldn’t even satisfy the four-lock clan.

Staking all he currently had, Lyle couldn’t help but ponder for the sake of the dragon body.

"Is it really worth it?"

"Of course it’s worth it, for love, for the passion. I will become a dragon at any cost, for myself..." Mr. Giant Dragon hesitated for a moment, "and for those Dragon Priests, for my friends. They’ve been so oppressed by the Holy Light that they can’t breathe, they have lost their purpose, like empty liches, unable to find the road to redemption..."

"So I will become their Giant Dragon out of selfish desire. Zhiyan wanders eternally in the tombs in pursuit of the ancient... Scholars kill their own mentors, their own Giant Dragons, to protect their clans... Raymond turns into Andrey’s disaster for the sake of humanity..."

"It’s hard not to be influenced by people like them, Lyle."

"Becoming a Giant Dragon is my obsession. Now that I’ve found it, I will spare no expense to achieve it."

"That is meaning, that is the ideal that transcends life and death."

Mr. Giant Dragon’s fingertips, imbued with Deathly Cold Demon Power, touched Lyle’s Ring of Andrey, tracing a pale thread that entangled itself with the magical marks of the scholar and Raymond’s Holy Light Mark.

"In time, you too will find your own ideal."

"By then, I will stand by your side like everyone else, to become the strength you need to realize your ideal."

"Just as you are supporting me now."

"The Giant Dragon will be your eternal ally, Lyle."