The massive creature that caused the ground to tremble finally appeared.
The instant they saw the behemoth, Lin Lei and the group of children were completely stunned with fear.
"A seventh-level magic beast, the Rapid Dragon!" Hillman's face changed drastically. Roy and Roger beside him felt their legs go weak.
"So... so big, th-this is a legendary magic beast?" Lin Lei was utterly awestruck.
In his entire life, the largest animal Lin Lei had ever seen was probably the warhorses that passed through the small town, those tall steeds standing a full 1.8 meters high. But compared to the colossal creature before him now, those warhorses were like infants before a giant. The difference was astronomical.
Its enormous body stood two stories tall and was easily twenty to thirty meters long.
A magic beast, the Rapid Dragon!
The Rapid Dragon's entire body was covered in huge, fiery-red, hard scales. Each scale gleamed with a cold, metallic luster, sending a chill straight to anyone's heart just by looking at it. Its four long legs, also armored in scales, were incredibly thick—estimated to require two people linking arms just to encircle one. The entire beast was fiery red, with only its claws a deep, cold black.
The fiery-red scales covered most of its dragon tail, which was as long as its body. Like a whip, it swept across the ground, and each casual swipe plowed a deep, narrow trench into the earth.
"Hmph—"
The Rapid Dragon let out a low snort. From its nostrils, two streams of white smoke puffed out, carrying a sulfurous smell. Its two lantern-sized, crystalline eyes, as clear as diamonds, glowed an eerie red. The creature's massive head turned toward the group of youths, and the cold red light in its eyes froze them all in place, too scared to move.
"Pfft, pfft." The Rapid Dragon chewed twice, revealing two full rows of interlocking, saw-like teeth. Every tooth was stark white, making hearts run cold with dread. No one doubted their sharpness.
Lin Lei felt as if his heart had stopped beating. In that moment, all sounds from the outside world seemed to fade away.
"So terrifying... could anyone possibly stop this monster?" Lin Lei was completely dumbfounded with fear.
Just looking at the enormous magic beast, Lin Lei felt utterly powerless to resist. He was certain that if the Rapid Dragon's tail, like a long whip, so much as swept sideways, the sturdy stone houses of
"Is this Wushan Town?" Suddenly, a cold, emotionless voice came from atop the Rapid Dragon.
All the stunned youths blankly looked up at the creature's broad back. There, sitting cross-legged upon the wide, sturdy back of the Rapid Dragon, was a mysterious figure cloaked in purple robes. The beast was so massive, its back so broad and thick, that one could lie down or even roll around on it.
"Wizard sir, this is indeed Wushan Town. Is there anything I, your humble servant, may do for you?" Hillman's voice sounded.
Hearing Hillman's voice, everyone seemed to find an anchor, instantly snapping out of their previous state of terrified paralysis. Yet all of them, including Roy and Roger, still didn't dare make a sound. They simply stood behind Hillman, staring in fear at the colossal Rapid Dragon and the mysterious wizard in purple robes.
"Wushan Town. It seems I didn't take the wrong path," the robed figure murmured softly.
Then, the mysterious figure fell silent. The Rapid Dragon swept its cold, huge red eyes over Lin Lei and the group once more, snorted out two more puffs of smoke from its nostrils, and resumed its stride, continuing onward. Watching the Rapid Dragon head toward the town center, Hillman's expression changed.
"Everyone stay here," Hillman said, then immediately followed after the Rapid Dragon.
"Uncle Roy, what was that? A magic beast?" Lin Lei was the first to ask.
Roy swallowed hard, a trace of fear still in his eyes, but he nodded anyway. "Yes, it's a magic beast. But a very powerful one—a seventh-level magic beast, the Rapid Dragon!"
"The Rapid Dragon?"
Lin Lei etched that name deep into his heart.