Lu Xuan was speechless. Even having lived through several eras and hundreds of years, he had never witnessed such cruelty. This had crossed the line of what is acceptable for a human being. Simply put, it was equivalent to capturing a father or mother and then constantly using their screams to intimidate and enslave their child. Was this something a human being would do? Tragically, it was something a human being would actually do. In fact, only humans could commit such a thing.
But if you think that was the Valyrians' bottom line back then, you'd be wrong. After hearing this truth, Lu Xuan was left with a huge question: Why were dragons so much less intelligent?
Daenerys's three dragons, while possessing a degree of intelligence, were, as Lu Xuan clearly knew, merely more intelligent beasts than true higher intelligent beings. They had nothing to do with genuine advanced intelligent life. However, the dragon soul before him possessed complete human-level intelligence.
"Heh." The dragon soul's deep laughter conveyed a hatred that almost suffocated Lu Xuan.
"This is a long story. It begins in a time I can no longer recall. Back then, we encountered a nomadic tribe (the Valyrians, who were originally a nomadic people). They settled at the foot of our dwelling (the Fourteen Fire Peaks)."
Over our time as neighbors, we gradually developed a relationship. We taught those humans and dragons their languages and magic, granting them unprecedented power. In return, they had to become our vassals. This relationship lasted for centuries. Until one day, they rebelled.
Humanity's learning ability is astonishing. Even dragon magic, which is not suited for human practice, they can quickly adapt and improve upon, innovating and popularizing more spells. Of course, what we don't know is that the magic they secretly research most is how to kill us.
They did it. They killed the first generation of true dragons, our kind, and imprisoned our souls. But they weren't satisfied. They realized that magic alone wasn't enough for them to conquer the world. They needed a far more powerful weapon of war; they wanted to enslave us.
“But you weren’t…” Lu Xuan was about to say that you were all killed, but then he realized what had happened.
"Heh, they're dragon eggs. They ransacked our lair and found all the dragon eggs. There aren't many dragon eggs, because the birth of a dragon is extremely difficult. We actually have very few offspring. And in order to get the weapons they wanted faster, they forcibly incubated the Anxi dragon eggs."
Those children, not yet fully developed, survived, but they turned into a pack of mindless beasts, knowing only how to eat and kill...
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Chapter 270 Assassin
Lu Xuan had to admit that he now felt absolutely no goodwill towards Valyria. Because they were in a state of spiritual communication, although he couldn't see into the other's mind, he was certain that what the other was saying was true.
Although many details are left untold, the intricacies of the situation are already quite clear. It was a classic case of human betrayal. In this world, and indeed in all worlds, such things are all too common. It's just a pity that the dragons lacked the experience of a transmigrator like him.
This also explains the long-standing question in Lu Xuan's mind: Why are the dragons so gifted, yet their intelligence so pitiful?
"Alright, I have limited energy. Let's leave the story here. Now, we can make a deal."
.................
Astapor was in a frenzy of celebration, for Daenerys' fourth dragon had been born.
In truth, Lu Xuan was eager to see the expressions on the faces of all those chaotic beings hidden beyond the world. Those gods or demons who spread prophecies and stirred up trouble in the human realm were probably already bewildered.
Melisandre, the Red Woman, far away in Westeros, received the Lord of Light's oracle once more amidst the flames. But even after the flames died down, she remained frozen in place. The reason was simple: the oracle was far too complex. She...didn't understand it.
Astapor has lifted its curfew tonight, and all the taverns, restaurants, and brothels (weren't they already open all night?) will remain open all night. Daenerys has even gone so far as to host a lavish banquet, inviting all the prominent figures in the city, and bringing her newborn dragon with her.
It was a golden dragon. Completely different from Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegal (the names of the three dragons). Its body was covered in dark gold scales, exuding an innate nobility. Most importantly, it was unlike the other three dragons, who were known for their ferocity and rage.
The little golden dragon was very quiet. It lay still on Daenerys's shoulder, occasionally nibbling at its food. Aside from that, it remained completely indifferent to all gazes. There were no furious roars, nor any menacing displays of power.
Yes, Lu Xuan sensed it the first time he saw this little golden dragon; it was much smarter. Although it still couldn't escape the category of a wild beast, it was definitely smarter than the other three dragons.
The golden dragon was named Yangyan (the most beautiful dragon in records). Its appearance instantly captivated all eyes at the banquet. If cameras existed in this era, the flash would be almost blinding.
Lu Xuan naturally attended the banquet as well, but as a bodyguard. There was no way around it; Daenerys insisted on holding this grand banquet to announce the return of the true dragons to the world. This action carried a clear provocative connotation. Therefore, Lu Xuan personally arranged the security for the banquet.
Before the banquet even began, the security guards arrested over twenty assassins. The entry checks were extremely rigorous. However, this still couldn't deter the enthusiastic visitors. Because Drogon and his dragons were simply too large and ferocious, unsuitable for crowded places. Therefore, this might be the perfect opportunity for them to get up close to the dragons. Who wouldn't want to touch history?
He strolled casually through the banquet. Some people recognized him as Daenerys's chief strategist and military commander, and they all came up to speak with him. But most people didn't even have the right to approach Lu Xuan.
He ordered the surrounding guards to take away the suspicious individuals. Lu Xuan subtly listened to his footsteps. He noticed someone: Jiqi, one of Daenerys's earliest handmaids. She and Doria had been handmaids of Khal Drogo since their marriages. She was also very familiar with Lu Xuan.
She held a silk scarf in her hands, which seemed to be some kind of accessory belonging to Daenerys, and walked quickly toward Daenerys. She also bowed to Lu Xuan along the way.
Lu Xuan felt a slight sense of unease. Although every detail about Ji Qi was flawless, he still sensed something was off. Instinctively, Lu Xuan stepped forward, blocking Ji Qi's path.
"Who are you?" he asked. This was a deception, because he wasn't actually sure what the other person's problem was. He only had a vague guess.
A hint of doubt flashed across Ji Qi's face.
"Sir Lu, I am Ji Qi, His Majesty's maid, we..."
Before she could finish speaking, Lu Xuan interrupted her, reaching out to grab her face. 'Ji Qi' reacted quickly, but ultimately couldn't match Lu Xuan. Lu Xuan clearly felt himself touching her face—her real face, or perhaps just a single face.
"Ah..." A classic soprano scream rang out from the audience. Because Lu Xuan was holding a human face in his hand.
"The Faceless One?"
The infamous ultimate assassin from the world of Ice and Fire. Lu Xuan had actually been waiting for them to come to him. He knew that some people wouldn't let Daenerys continue like this, and that taking action against her was inevitable.
The instant he grabbed that face, Lu Xuan clearly felt a fluctuation of magical energy. He even saw Paiya running anxiously towards him in the distance. Clearly, as a member of the Royal Guard on the magical side, he also sensed the magical energy fluctuation.
"Interesting." Lu Xuan tossed the face mask aside. Looking around, he saw some commotion in the crowd. However, most people were observing. Because the Faceless Ones always dealt fatal blows, rarely harming innocents.
Not far away, Ser Barristan had already drawn his sword. And in his hand was a Valyrian steel sword.
Lu Xuan was surprised that the Faceless Ones were able to evade his attack, but he could understand it. After all, legend had it that the Faceless Ones possessed the magic of disguise. Their ability to appear and disappear unpredictably, as well as their superb disguise skills, were somewhat beyond the realm of ordinary understanding.
He glanced down at his right hand. He saw dark lines extending from his palm up his arm. Clearly, the other person had poisoned his face. More importantly, after that attack, the faceless man had vanished from the hall.
In other words, the target of this assassination attempt wasn't Daenerys or her dragons. From the beginning, it was aimed at Lu Xuan. Lu Xuan could even guess that his adversary had meticulously studied his habits and status, specifically targeting him and setting this trap. They wanted him to willingly step into it, then launch a surprisingly fatal attack.
"interesting......"
Lu Xuan smiled slightly, then slowly collapsed to the ground.
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