Chapter Twenty: Durin's Skeleton

Xian Yu cut off a few pieces of deep stone and stowed them in his space. He didn't collect too much of this stone, as it might have other uses, but compared to Dragonfall, it was relatively insignificant. Collecting a few pieces was mainly driven by curiosity.

As he continued, the nearby rocks ceased to be scattered and turned into extensive red patches. Many plants also displayed hints of red, whether they were trees or grass. Xian Yu collected some of these dragon blood-infected flora, suspecting they might have other uses. Based on the novels he had read in his previous life, anything related to dragons was rarely straightforward.

Xian Yu had no intention of returning to the place he had previously visited, where nothing grew, not even a blade of grass. He only collected a small amount.

However, when he attempted to cut down the trees, he realized that these trees were significantly tougher than those outside. Using elemental power to sever them was a feat an ordinary person couldn't even dream of accomplishing. This highlighted the immense gap between Chosen Ones and regular individuals.

Looking at this red landscape devoid of wind and snow, it appeared to be an ideal paradise. However, in reality, no living creature could be seen, not even a Hilichurl.

Standing on a high rock, Xian Yu gazed around. The gigantic skeletons scattered across the mountainside were truly awe-inspiring, and the sense of insignificance in the presence of real skeletons surpassed what he had experienced in the game.

Raising his head, he noticed that a hundred meters above the ridge, there was still wind and snow, but none of it descended upon this area. In other words, within a hundred meters of the dragon's skeleton, a wind and snow-free zone had formed.

Remember, it was a hundred meters in radius, and just how massive were Durin's remains? Xian Yu could only conclude that they were extraordinarily vast because he couldn't see the entirety of Durin.

"Is this the Shadow dragon who was capable of battling Dvalin? It's indeed immensely powerful!"

"Even though he's been dead for many years, his influence still lingers in this land, and the subtle pressure makes me slightly uncomfortable."

Only within the confines of the skeleton's reach could he truly sense the oppressive aura. And this was just a lifeless skeleton.

It was nearly impossible to fathom the extent of Durin's power when he was alive.

As he thought about Durin's strength, Xian Yu's mind wandered to the Ancient god, Osial. If the deceased Durin emitted such an aura, how fearsome was Osial, the living, mighty god? What about the Dragon King Ruo Tuo above it? And Morax? Or even the "guardian of heavenly principles"?

Contemplating these thoughts, Xian Yu couldn't help but feel how feeble and insignificant he was in comparison.

"Phew."

"It's truly beyond imagination how fierce and grand the war between demons and gods was for thousands of years!"

"The war between the gods reshaped the world. I don't know when... I'll reach the level of a God..."

As long as he could break through to that realm...

After a considerable time, Xian Yu reined in the tumultuous emotions surging within him and began to observe his surroundings with precision.

"This place is so conspicuous that it's impossible for the Foolish Fatuus to have missed it. So why haven't they found it?"

It was practically a given that the Foolish Fatuus would be searching for anything related to the Demon God. Xian Yu had heard bits and pieces about the incident involving the remnants of the Demon God.

Hence, it was inconceivable that the Foolish Fatuus wouldn't have stumbled upon Durin's remains.

"Why haven't they found it?"

"But that's impossible. There were so many of them. There's no reason they wouldn't have discovered it."

"Is it because Durin wasn't a demon? Therefore, they didn't dispatch anyone to guard it?"

Xian Yu wasn't entirely sure if Durin was a "Demon God," but based on his intuition, Durin's strength didn't seem far off, even if he weren't a Demon God during his lifetime. Otherwise, Dvalin wouldn't have fallen into a deep slumber.

However, since the Foolish Fatuus hadn't found it, Xian Yu felt no need to hesitate further.

It would be more convenient if there were no Foolish Fatuus around. Their presence might lead to conflicts.

Xian Yu had always maintained a neutral stance regarding the Foolish Fatuus. In the game, he could typically handle them with ease, but in reality, that wouldn't be an option.

If he dared to confront them, it wouldn't be long before a higher-up sought a "heart-to-heart talk" with him.

As his thoughts raced, Xian Yu quickly found what he had been seeking. It wasn't the heart but the skull.

The sheer size of the keel made it somewhat unwieldy for Xian Yu to navigate. It was not just tall; it had some broken thorn-like bones that were somewhat problematic.

He had to be vigilant around these fractured bones. They were not to be underestimated. With Xian Yu's current physical defenses, they could easily pierce him. One wrong step could lead to disaster.

This was further evidence of Durin's power. Even in their near-rotted state, these bones retained an impressive level of strength, making Xian Yu even more cautious.

Carefully maneuvering through the remains, it took him a while to reach the skull.

However, when Xian Yu gazed down at the bones beneath him, he felt a sense of numbness. He had just tried to test the hardness of this thing, and it was incredibly sturdy. It was proving to be a challenging endeavor to "pull a tooth from the dragon's mouth."

Initially, he had contemplated taking more keel bones with him, but it was now evidently impossible. Even if he were to use the system's storage space, he had tested it and found that there was a size limit. This was the first time Xian Yu had encountered such a limitation.

Apart from a few smaller fragments, most of the keel sections exceeded the storage capacity.

"Perhaps I should try using my spiritual power..."

With that thought, he drew his sword and began to cut. Even so, the progress was less than satisfying, as a single strike only left a white mark.

Seeing this, Xian Yu wasn't disappointed but rather pleasantly surprised. The robust bones had the potential to be transformed into formidable weapons, especially when combined with other supernatural components.

A satisfying click was heard as Xian Yu extended his hand to extract and store the tooth. Grinding down a single tooth had taken considerable time and effort, leaving him a bit fatigued. It felt even more challenging than a battle. However, the rewards were well worth it. Once he inserted these teeth into the dragon's heart, absorbed its life force, and activated it, he would have achieved half of his mission.

Xian Yu had also identified the location of the heart, inside a cave on the mountainside. It resembled the one in the game, but he didn't rush in. With the heart's location confirmed, he needed to make adequate preparations to avoid any potential troubles upon returning.

He stood up and stretched his muscles. Xian Yu intended to continue extracting the tooth, as opportunities like this were scarce. Finding the Dragon Bone again in the future might not be as easy. While he could return later, there was no guarantee that the circumstances would remain the same.

After all, it was possible that Durin's heart was still "alive." This hypothesis was based on certain in-game clues. Once revived, these remains would likely disappear. Furthermore, it seemed unlikely that a creature capable of rivaling the gods would meet its demise so easily.