Chapter 207: I Am Immune to Curses, Ineffective Totem Imbuement
The ancient fire dragon was both terrified and enraged. It thrashed its head wildly, even unleashing its flame breath in a desperate attempt to dislodge Tang Zheng from its throat.
But it had no effect at all!
In the ancient fire dragon's perception, Tang Zheng had already slid down its throat and was now completely inside its belly.
Terror surged through it!
Boom—
"Human!"
The ancient fire dragon beat its wings, desperately rocketing upward out of the Magma Sea.
Meanwhile.
Having burrowed into the ancient fire dragon's stomach, Tang Zheng could feel pressure closing in from all sides.
Within the deep, dark space.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
A vibrating sound, like a heavy mallet striking a drum, echoed continuously. It was the ancient fire dragon's heartbeat.
A caustic, sulfurous fluid began to gush from the ancient fire dragon's stomach.
Faced with this situation, Tang Zheng was not only unconcerned, but a hint of a smile even flashed in his fish-like eyes.
The plan was even more successful than he had imagined.
This was mainly because this method of attack was completely unexpected by the ancient fire dragon; moreover, it didn't know he had mastered teleportation magic.
That was why he had succeeded in one fell swoop.
Using [High-Tier Teleportation], Tang Zheng could have left the Magma Sea directly without needing to enter the ancient fire dragon's stomach.
He did this because he had to eliminate the ancient fire dragon.
As a member of the long-lived dragon race, it had certainly lived through the era of the Thirteen Heroes, and perhaps even the time of the Eight Greed Kings. Furthermore, being of the same race, the ancient fire dragon was very likely acquainted with the Platinum Dragon Lord. He hadn't directly confronted the Slane Theocracy, but this was different. If this ancient fire dragon wasn't a fool, it would immediately realize something was off about him!
Given the high probability that this information could be leaked, Tang Zheng had to dispose of the dragon to be truly at ease.
This was also the most important reason he had rushed back immediately after dealing with the Gray Dwarf Race in Despair Valley.
"The one who liked to burrow into an opponent's stomach to finish them off was that monkey."
The thought flashed through Tang Zheng's mind for a moment, but his actions didn't pause. With a thought, a scroll appeared beside him once more.
He opened his fish-like mouth and bit down on the scroll!
[High-Tier Teleportation]!
Within the Magma Sea.
The ancient fire dragon, which had been frantically charging toward the surface of the Magma Sea, suddenly vanished.
The ancient fire dragon's vision shifted. It stared in bewilderment at the familiar mountain wall before it and the Magma Sea in the distance.
It was now—on the outskirts of the Magma Sea?
The moment this thought appeared.
BOOM!
"ROOOOAR!!!"
The ancient fire dragon suddenly let out a pained, desperate shriek, its body falling uncontrollably to the ground.
Dust filled the air!
With a sickening tear!
On its chest, the massive, several-meter-long wound that had never fully healed burst open once more.
Scalding dragon blood sprayed from the wound!
Immediately after, a magical greatsword thrust out from its chest.
Tang Zheng tore the wound open and, covered in blood and steaming from the intense heat, pushed his upper body out of the ancient fire dragon's stomach.
"Cough, cough."
Fresh air rushed in, and Tang Zheng couldn't help but cough several times, a slightly savage grin spreading across his face.
After canceling his transformation, the gastric acid inside the creature's body had a severely corrosive effect on his skin.
The ancient fire dragon's blood flooded his mouth. The scalding, metallic taste immediately filled it, causing Tang Zheng to cough again.
"Is this what dragon blood tastes like? So foul."
Tang Zheng licked the corner of his mouth and stepped out of the ancient fire dragon's stomach.
Thud!
The ancient fire dragon's head slammed onto the ground with a dull thud. Having been completely disemboweled, even with the formidable life force of the dragon race, it had fallen into a near-death state.
"You... who pollutes... the world..."
The ancient fire dragon's crimson eyes stared fixedly at Tang Zheng, filled with rage and unwillingness. Its voice was extremely weak, a low mutter that was almost a curse.
Pollutes the world?
Tang Zheng's gaze hardened.
This ancient fire dragon really did know something.
However!
Tang Zheng had no intention of keeping it alive. A fourth-tier magic spell like [Charm Species] would be unable to completely affect the ancient fire dragon.
Besides, the dragon race itself possessed a certain resistance to mental-type magic.
Trying to use this kind of charm-type magic to extract information from its mouth would most likely end in failure.
Moreover, Tang Zheng couldn't be sure if this ancient fire dragon had any other hidden tricks up its sleeve. A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
Swoosh!
Tang Zheng flickered, appearing before the ancient fire dragon's head, which was twice his height. He gave it no chance to speak, swinging the magical greatsword in his hand and forcefully slashing at its neck.
"Fast Slash!"
Puchi!
Blood sprayed—
The fire dragon's head, its face twisted in a savage, resentful expression, rolled to the ground. The ancient fire dragon's body twitched a few times, then gradually went limp, falling completely silent.
*Gained Experience: 879,573*
*Experience Bar: 1,880,775 / 260,000*
Seeing the experience flash on his panel, Tang Zheng knew the ancient fire dragon was truly dead, but he couldn't let out a sigh of relief just yet.
Bang!
Within the ancient fire dragon's crimson, hate-filled eyes, a strange, black energy suddenly emerged.
This energy transformed into a phantasmal light that shot out swiftly from the ancient fire dragon's body.
It was so fast!
By the time Tang Zheng noticed it, it was already too late to dodge. It struck him directly.
No pain?
And no discomfort whatsoever!
This black, phantasmal light tried continuously to bore into Tang Zheng's body, but it was blocked by an invisible power. The two forces contended with each other.
Hiss—hiss—
The black light was gradually consumed, slowly turning into wisps of gray energy that dissipated completely into the air!
"So it was a dragon's curse."
Seeing this, an understanding look appeared on Tang Zheng's face. He then chuckled lightly as he looked at the fire dragon's head.
"My apologies, but I'm immune to curses."
He looked up slightly!
A glint flashed in Tang Zheng's pupils. In his vision, the ancient fire dragon's soul emerged from its body, and Tang Zheng's spirits lifted.
"[Totem Imbuement]!"
Tang Zheng immediately activated the ability of his [Shaman Master] class.
However!
An emerald-green light flickered all over Tang Zheng's body, but it had no effect on the ancient fire dragon's soul whatsoever.
The ancient fire dragon's soul lingered for a few seconds before completely dissipating!
"So the [Totem Imbuement] ability can't be used on a fire dragon?" Tang Zheng frowned slightly as he witnessed this.
He quickly realized.
The dragon race is its own distinct species; it doesn't fall into the category of a beast or magical beast. Naturally, it could not be absorbed by the power of [Totem Imbuement].
"Dammit!"
Tang Zheng suddenly thought of something. An anxious look appeared on his face as he looked at the ancient fire dragon's corpse. With a wave of his hand, he stored it in his item box.
He then stored the ancient fire dragon's head in the item box as well.
Looking at the fire dragon blood on the ground, which was still steaming despite the high-temperature environment, Tang Zheng's expression became pained.
He quickly took out a water pouch.
He carefully scooped up the ancient fire dragon's still-wet blood from the ground with his hands and poured it into the water pouch.
A dragon's entire body is a treasure trove!
For Tang Zheng, who was short on resources, this blood was a rare and valuable alchemical material.
"Major Wound Healing!"
"Major Wound Healing!"
While carefully collecting the dragon blood, Tang Zheng cast a few healing spells on himself.
He healed the corrosive injuries on his body caused by the ancient fire dragon's gastric acid.
"Based on the current information, the ancient fire dragon shouldn't be able to revive," Tang Zheng thought to himself.
The True Dragon Lords do not possess resurrection magic, because Wild Magic has no resurrection-type skills.
Otherwise, in the battle against the Eight Greed Kings back then, it would have been the Eight Greed Kings who were worn down and killed, not the dragon race.
As for ordinary dragons like this ancient fire dragon, they shouldn't have mastered resurrection magic either.
The lowest-tier resurrection magic is a faith-based, fifth-tier spell, requiring a minimum job level of 29.
The dragon race has always referred to magic as a power that pollutes the world, and with their own inherent strength, they have little need to learn it.
Few beings in this otherworld are capable of threatening the dragon race, so ordinary dragons wouldn't have the ability to use resurrection magic.
On the other hand, the True Dragon Lords might possess resurrection-type items obtained from players.
Boom!
A tremendous roar erupted from within the Magma Sea.
A Sun Anglerfish leaped high out of the lava, its pair of furious, crimson eyes staring fixedly in Tang Zheng's direction.
Its fish-like mouth opened, emitting a silent sonic blast.
However!
Tang Zheng was currently at the very edge of the lava zone, so the commotion caused by the Sun Anglerfish couldn't affect him here at all.
He watched the Sun Anglerfish as it repeatedly leaped from the magma and crashed back down, sending massive waves of magma surging into the sky.
Tang Zheng looked up toward the Magma Sea. "I know, I know. I'll be sending you all on your way soon. No need to be impatient."
Now that he had dealt with the ancient fire dragon, Tang Zheng naturally had no intention of letting its companion, the Sun Anglerfish, go either.
It would be a bit troublesome, though.
The temperature in the central area was too high. Unless he used his [Wild Transformation] ability again, re-entered the Magma Sea, and replicated his method for dealing with the ancient fire dragon.
But Tang Zheng wouldn't do that!
The Sun Anglerfish's body was nearly fifty meters long. If he were swallowed by it, Tang Zheng seriously doubted whether he could burst out of its stomach.
Lacking [Fire Resistance] was certainly a pain.
(end of chapter)