The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 540: Volume 13, Sea Rain and Heavenly Wind, - 10 - Journey to the Sacred Land (3)

Chapter 540: Volume 13, Sea Rain and Heavenly Wind, Chapter 10 - Journey to the Sacred Land (3)

"No, it’s not for that reason. It won’t attack our tribe members, but it frequently sleeps in the Reed Marsh, and its self-preservation alertness while sleeping causes a special ice fog to form within a few hundred meters, which almost always proves fatal for our people when they accidentally wander into the area while fishing and gathering plants. As a result, we have lost at least hundreds of tribe members to this ice fog. And this creature won’t stick to one sleeping spot, frequently changing locations, which contributes to our people’s bewilderment. If you were in our shoes, could you tolerate this phenomenon continuing indefinitely?"

Sighing, Iris’s brow furrowed with concern. The Ice Dragon had escaped successfully and was thoroughly enraged in the process. Although a Pursuit Team had been dispatched, Iris did not know whether they would be able to kill or capture the young Ice Dragon. This depended on the speed of the Dragon Saliva Fragrance’s effect and the Ice Dragon’s own resistance.

Should the Ice Dragon successfully flee the Great Swamp Area, it would pose a huge hidden threat to the Jellyfish Clan.

The Dragon Clan’s desire for revenge is stronger than any other race’s; given such severe harm, it definitely would not rest until it had retaliated. Fortunately, her own Sword Qi had caught the dragon off guard and inflicted serious damage. For the short term, the Ice Dragon wouldn’t be able to recover to its original level. Although the dragons are vengeful, they are quite intelligent. The coincidental arrival of these few people would surely make the Ice Dragon wary. Until it felt strong enough to defeat everyone at once, it wouldn’t seek them out rashly. Iris hoped the illusion she’d given the Ice Dragon would last a while longer.

In fact, Iris had surmised the purpose of Komer’s group when they revealed their home – it was likely concerning the issue of the Catania River trade route. She was aware of the current situation in Caucasus; the main source of food for Mortals is grain, and after accepting a large number of Immigrants, Caucasus had been struggling. The middle and upper reaches of the Catania River were known for quality grain at low prices. Opening this trade route would be like a path filled with Sunshine and hope for Caucasus.

If Komer could solve the centuries-old curse plaguing her clan, she was inclined to agree to opening the Catania River trade route, albeit with limitations. Additionally, facing the Ice Dragon’s revenge, having the aid of Komer – a relatively more amicable neighbour – could significantly relieve the Jellyfish Clan’s pressure as the Ice Dragon couldn’t be dealt with by sheer numbers of ordinary warriors; such a tactic would only lead to more casualties, especially in the maze-like Swamp region.

"Heh, this Ice Dragon is quite interesting, even sleeping with such a grand display. Has this fellow always lived in the Great Swamp Area?" Komer’s interest in the Ice Dragon’s origins was piqued.

The Wicked Dragon hindering his own territory’s sea routes was a significant problem, now seriously affecting Mattdam’s shipping. Vessels bound for the southern regions had to detour near the Mediterranean Central Region to avoid encountering the Wicked Dragon. And it seemed the dragon had noticed this change; its territory was gradually expanding, and it unpredictably raided merchant fleets for their treasures.

Fortunately, the Wicked Dragon generally didn’t commit violent acts against people; the most it did was cause a loss of goods. But with such a creature disrupting sea routes, it made merchants and shipmasters wary and significantly harmed the shipping lines Komer had worked hard to establish. He planned to address this major problem when the opportunity arose. Learning about the origins and habits of the Dragon Clan was essential.

"No, no, the Ice Dragon isn’t a permanent resident of the Great Swamp. The Turtle Dragon is unique to the Great Swamp; there are at least thirty living throughout the region. Turtle Dragons are harmless; they eat fish and small animals and never attack our people. They’re quite docile. However, Turtle Dragons are considered the lowest tier in the dragon hierarchy, akin to the Earthwalking Dragons in Barbarian Territory and not even recognized by the Dragon Clan."

"This Ice Dragon, however, is different. According to tales, it ought to have migrated here from the Baden Gold Mountain Range more than fifty years ago. Apparently, it once lived in a lake over there for a period of time and for some reason moved from the Baden Gold Mountain to here. At first, it followed the rules and stayed deep within the Great Swamp, appearing in the Catania River to splash around once a year, and we all lived in peace, not wanting to provoke this creature. But as it grew, it seemed to become increasingly restless, frequently changing habitats and even occasionally coming to the river to play. This caused our tribe to avoid it in all directions and wreaked havoc in the entire Great Swamp. Even the Turtle Dragons had to steer clear of this haughty kin."

Noticing Komer’s interest in the Ice Dragon, Iris sighed softly and elaborated on the origins of the Ice Dragon. It wasn’t a secret, nor did it need to be kept as such. Moreover, Iris hoped to forge a cooperative and harmonious relationship with Komer if he indeed could help with the Water God’s curse. That way, when the Ice Dragon sought revenge, she could request his aid. She wasn’t aware that Komer sought information about the Dragon Clan due to his own territory’s problems with the Wicked Dragon.

Time flew by as Komer and Saint Iris chatted and laughed. The broad Catania River was calm, and with no wind, perhaps finding the boat’s progress too slow, Iris summoned several Jellyfish Clan warriors to come to the side of the boat for aid. With the help of dozens of Jellyfish Clan warriors, the boat sped up significantly. Komer didn’t know why the Jellyfish Clan could live underwater for long periods, but each species has its own physiological traits distinct from other species, and it’s these traits that enable them to subsist in particular environments.

Up ahead, the river formed a colossal loop, where the Catania River took on a massive S-shaped bend, and at this bend, a forked waterway came into view. Towering watchtowers stood on either side of the river, some along the edges of the reed marshes, and some emerging from within them. Oddly shaped streamer flags and triangle flags fluttered in the wind atop the towers, and below them, massive wooden rafts were moored, with scattered piles of cargo that looked more like plant stems and tuberous roots.

Although they had been notified in advance, the sight of a mortal merchant ship entering the restricted area still drew surprised looks from the Jellyfish People active in the region. Komer could even clearly see the Jellyfish sentries atop the towers communicating with each other through a unique system of flag signals and peculiar whistles, most likely reacting to the merchant ship’s entry into their caution zone.

Looking out, Komer did not see any proper buildings, aside from the wooden watchtowers with obvious military purposes. He found no structures suitable for human habitation. Was it possible that the Jellyfish People even slept and rested in the water? This was somewhat unexpected, and Komer murmured to himself in wonder.

The giant wooden rafts were probably used for transporting various daily necessities. Though the Jellyfish People could live freely in the water, some items, especially those in large quantities, still needed raft-based transport.

A uniquely shaped canoe shot over like an arrow, hewn from a single large log, hollowed out at the front. The forerunner was clearly a scout, while the central figure was the attacker, and the rear member the regular operator, who also served as an auxiliary attacker in combat. The large bows they carried were likely their primary weapon for surface combat, and their naked bodies, covered only in special animal hides over vital areas, exuded a magnetic allure with their robust pectoral muscles.

Upon seeing Saint Iris sitting at the bow, the scouting party first clasped their hands over their hearts in respect—a gesture likely reserved for the most esteemed leader of their clan. After a brief exchange of the Jellyfish People’s internal language, Iris signaled that the merchant ship could follow behind the canoe into the harbor entrance.

After entering the harbor, the water became much calmer, and Jellyfish People could be seen fishing and swimming about. Komer surmised that this was an important communal living area for them, judging by the density of their activities, and their dwellings likely weren’t far off. Less than ten miles down the waterway, a huge gourd-shaped expanse suddenly unfurled before Komer and his party, leaving them astounded.

The vast swamp spanned at least hundreds of hectares, and the vague edges of the surrounding reeds allowed for a rough estimate. Several waterways diverged from here, underscoring its significance. In the center of the water, a towering structure, at least ten meters high, stood with an onion-shaped dome that delivered a unique visual appeal. Attached to this central building was a sprawling series of connected structures with curved, angular, and sloping rooftops, revealing the Jellyfish People’s remarkable architecture over the water and leaving onlookers breathless.

However, to enter this central body of water, they had to pass through several checkpoints. In addition to the visible watchtowers, Komer also noticed something peculiar about the wide waterway they were entering, with the merchant ship changing direction under the canoe’s guidance, at times even having to turn completely around, clearly indicating that there were special structures underwater restricting free navigation.

The final checkpoint for entering the central water area was a wooden sluice bridge built like those of mortals. The floating bridge could expand and contract and was lifted with winches. Cone-shaped lance cars stood on massive towers on both sides. They were powerful weapons crafted with springs and winches but not easily movable, serving as stationary defensive structures. While not particularly remarkable in mortal fortresses, their presence here in the Jellyfish territory came as a surprise to Komer.

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