Chapter 73 - 73 70 Dragon-seeking Conference_1

73: Chapter 70 Dragon-seeking Conference_1 73: Chapter 70 Dragon-seeking Conference_1 Since the reformation of the Well-Bottom Brigade’s operational system, although two-thirds of the Gnolls still needed to eat in the open-air canteen every day, the meal times were staggered, allowing only three to four hundred to dine at a time. The scene, although substantial, was incomparable to the near one thousand five hundred Blackwell Gnolls gathering together. The setting sun still hung on the hillside, and Blackwell Plaza was filled with a cacophony of barking and howling, creating quite a lively atmosphere. The news spread quickly, and the Gnolls on the plaza were all aware of the Dragon Seeking Event, their words and expressions barely concealing their excitement. The worship of dragons was etched into their very bones. Dragon Seeking Meditation was a legend known to every Gnoll. To find their own True Dragon and unleash their Dragon Abilities was the dream of every Gnoll. No one had thought the day would come when this dream would be so close at hand. Thirty-five huge bonfires lit up Blackwell Plaza as bright as day, and from thirty-one large pots, the tender wild boar meat, mingled with various vegetables, released an enticing aroma that permeated every inch of the space. On the wilderness outside the plaza, countless uninvited guests were drawn by the scent, leading to occasional screams—likely due to some poor soul accidentally triggering a trap laid by the Pitfall Tribe in the surrounding area. Apart from the Gnoll soldiers on duty, who gripped their weapons and watched the darkness, the other Gnolls ignored these noises. They were full of confidence in their tribe’s power, believing that if those Hunters truly charged in, it was yet to be seen who would end up in the cooking pot. For the first time, the Gnolls’ gazes were not on the cauldrons in front of them. Instead, they feverishly watched the central stage, where there was also a cauldron set up for just a dozen or so people—yet these were the core of the entire Blackwell Tribe. Gos jogged up to the stage, breathlessly reporting, “Leader, the Blackwell Tribe should have one thousand four hundred and twenty-two members present, and one thousand four hundred and twenty-two are in attendance, sans the one hundred and twenty on guard duty, all others have taken their seats.” “Very well, then let us begin,” Gaven said, rising to his feet without hesitation, stepping to the forefront of the stage and slowly raising his right hand. The plaza, previously filled with quiet whispers, fell into utter silence in an instant, leaving only the crackling of the bonfires, the bubbling cauldrons emitting steam, and wafting delicious aromas. Countless crimson eyes converged upon him.> In the gaze of these eyes, Gaven showed no sign of nervousness, but only a faint pride and excitement as he began softly, “The reason we gather here tonight needs no repetition. You shouldn’t only thank me for the opportunity to hold the Dragon Seeking Event. You should also thank Susie and the fellow members of the Pitfall Tribe for their selfless contribution of their people’s precious heritage, guarded for over a century, allowing you the chance to seek yourselves, to find your True Dragons. Tonight, let us sing in praise of their selflessness and raise our glasses to their good deeds. Today, your destiny changes because of me; tomorrow, my destiny is forged by you. Let the music play, let the feast begin.” Gaven spoke in Gnollish, his voice not loud, but carrying a unique vibration that drifted far with the wind. Not only could every Gnoll on the plaza hear him clearly, but even the distant Gnoll sentries could grasp the gist. This was a minor feat of using Psychic Powers to manipulate Magic Power—a trick that didn’t even qualify as a proper Spell. Gaven had painstakingly researched this technique specifically for speeches, which would become one of his most frequently used skills in the future. With a command, the bullhorn and cowhide drums in the four corners of the plaza began to sound simultaneously—slow in rhythm, uniform in step, without complex melodic changes, offering only a blood-boiling resonance with each beat, as if striking at the heart of every Gnoll. The Gnoll throat was not designed for singing, but they had their own music. It was said that the Bards of Gnolls were the best percussion and wind instrument masters in all Felen, a notion slightly evident from the present drumming. Those musicians of the Blackwell Tribe were merely part-timers, not Professional Level Bards. Following the Dragon Seeking Convention, the all-pork feast was destined to play a supporting role, and the Gnolls in the plaza ate heartily but lacked their usual sense of contentment and satisfaction. After devouring most of the meal, they set aside their bowls and chopsticks and gazed eagerly at the stage, awaiting the commencement of the Dragon Seeking Convention. “Leader Susie, let us begin. Today, their hearts are not in the feast,” Gaven said to Leader Susie with a smile, “What follows is up to you. You all should stop sitting up there in the cool breeze. Come down and join your tribesmen.” Gaven’s last words were directed to several Gnoll Commanders who were fidgeting restlessly. Although they had previously entered the Dragon Seeking Meditation under Susie’s guidance, they did not want to miss such a grand event unfolding before them. Hearing Gaven say this, as if receiving a general amnesty, they exchanged a few pleasantries and then hurried down from the stage to join the ranks of the Gnolls below. “We will certainly not disappoint your expectations, Leader,” said Leader Susie, slowly stepping forward. Compared to her usual plain attire, she was now resplendently dressed. Not only were mysterious dragon patterns painted on her scales, but she also wore a mask carved from beast bone atop her head. She wielded a bone staff in her hand, the top of which was adorned with a beast bone carving of a dragon’s skull, about the size of a fist. One could not help but be reminded of a sacrificial Shaman. Not just Susie, but the Gnolls of the Pitfall Tribe had donned decorations, each with dragon patterns etched onto their bodies, more or less. This must be an ancient custom of theirs, though whether it aided in seeking dragons was unknown. S~eaʀᴄh the novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Gaven typically did not interfere in such matters, instead offering them the utmost respect. Every tradition has its reasons for existing. Pretending to understand and meddling without knowledge are taboos for the ones in power. Leader Susie tapped the dragon skull staff heavily and intoned in a melodious voice, “The Dragon Seeking Convention officially begins. Concentrate on your heart, focus on your spirit, listen to the ancient call from deep within, the call of the Giant Dragon. Draw near to him, worship him, embrace him, and you will find the origins of your own bloodline, your own True Dragon.” Although the voice came from a diminutive figure much shorter than Gaven himself, it was not the usual high-pitched squeal but a deep bell-like roar, echoing like a primordial beast awakening from within her. The Earth Elements surged beneath her feet and gathered around her. This was not her power alone, but a collective strength of the entire Pitfall Tribe. In the Blackwell Plaza, the Pitfall Tribe’s Gnolls were the first to enter the Dragon Seeking Meditation. Following their lead, the surrounding Blackwell Gnolls were drawn in by an invisible magical force and entered a mystical state of introspection, embarking on their first Dragon Seeking Meditation. Dragon Seeking Meditation is typically something that can be understood intuitively rather than conveyed through words. If Susie were asked to describe Dragon Seeking Meditation verbally, she would probably be scratching her head, only able to guide them through it by example. The first few attempts are the hardest, but with previous experiences, one can easily enter Dragon Seeking Meditation by themselves thereafter. However, there are benefits to holding a Dragon Seeking Convention together. A Gnoll without an activated professional template can only invoke a limited amount of elements during Dragon Seeking Meditation. But when over a thousand Gnolls enter Dragon Seeking Meditation simultaneously, the elements they invoke can be rather astonishing. The ground of Blackwell Plaza pulsed slowly as if responding to their call.