Chapter 382: Annie's Transformation
"Would a half-dragon work?"
Since half-dragons were descendants of true dragons, they should be a viable option.
Provoking a half-dragon was much easier than dealing with a full-blooded dragon.
Moreover, half-dragons existed in far greater numbers compared to pure dragons.
[No. First-generation purebloods are acceptable, but second and third generations are not.]
"How many offspring does that dragon have?"
[Unknown. Dragons are naturally lustful. The Dragon Kingdom has existed for 2,000 years; there should be no shortage of first-generation purebloods.]
"But isn't it in hibernation? How would it have time to reproduce?"
[A dragon's slumber is akin to human sleep, only much longer. It can last anywhere from a hundred to thousands of years. When they awaken, they either hunt or satisfy their desires.]
"If dragons have such strong desires, why are they on the brink of extinction?"
Logically, species with strong reproductive urges should have large populations.
Yet dragons were nearly extinct.
Take elves, for example. They were infamous for their low libido among intelligent races.
Even dark elves, who were more passionate, were nowhere near as prolific as humans.
And yet, elves still had a considerable population.
Certainly not on the verge of extinction like dragons.
[The stronger a creature is, the harder it is for them to reproduce. Although dragons can mate with any species, conceiving with their own kind is extremely difficult. Many dragon pairs spend thousands of years together without producing a single offspring.]
Li Meng pondered this, finding it somewhat poetic.
It seemed that being too powerful came with its own drawbacks.
The world maintained balance by taking something in return.
However, Li Meng suddenly thought of Annie.
"Xiao Bai, could Annie become a major problem?"
For species with difficulty reproducing, offspring were of extreme importance.
Annie was still a young dragon.
It was only natural that an adult dragon would eventually come looking for her.
[Yes, her parents will come searching for her sooner or later.]
Standing by the riverbank, Li Meng's expression shifted through several emotions.
Finally, he grinned.
"That might not be a bad thing. That means I might get two female dragons."
Annie might be his subordinate,
but her mother was not.
Besides, dragons probably wouldn't mind bearing his children, right?
That being said,
if Annie's mother did show up,
it wouldn't be up to her whether she stayed or not.
"Xiao Bai, keep a close watch on Annie. If her parents show up, don't let them escape."
He did feel a little guilty toward Annie,
but if he could subdue her parents, everything would fall into place.
Annie's mother giving him offspring would be an inevitable outcome.
Xiao Bai was practically the progenitor of dragons.
Even if a dragon was parasitized, they would never notice Xiao Bai's presence.
That said, Xiao Bai's nature was somewhat unsettling.
Like a parasite, it latched onto living beings.
Only Li Meng could endure its antics.
Any other race would have perished early.
"Alright, let's go with this plan."
With a grin, Li Meng strolled away.
Dragons were massive creatures.
Who knew how many goblins a single dragon could birth in one go?
The thought was truly exciting.
------
The next morning, Li Meng paid Annie a visit.
Ogre Mountains, volcanic crater.
Like a glowing sphere, Li Meng descended slowly from the sky.
"Boss, why are you here?"
Sensing his arrival, Annie, who had been resting, opened her eyes.
Landing at the crater's edge, the radiant wings behind Li Meng dissipated.
"Annie, do you want to become human?"
"Become human?"
Annie's massive eyes stared at her small boss.
"Boss, only adult dragons can learn transformation magic. I don't even know if I'll be able to learn it."
"Is it really that difficult?"
"Yeah! Only about 20% of our kind can successfully transform."
Li Meng had assumed transformation magic was an innate ability of dragons upon reaching adulthood.
But it seemed to be a learned skill.
And one that was extremely difficult to master.
Dragons had nearly eternal lifespans, yet only 20% managed to transform.
"My father has been trying for 3,000 years and still hasn't succeeded,
but my mother mastered it in just a hundred years.
She said that learning transformation is purely dependent on talent.
If you can't do it within a thousand years, you probably never will."
Could transformation magic really be that hard?
Li Meng was skeptical.
For him, learning transformation was effortless.
The moment Xiao Bai taught him, his system immediately activated the skill.
"Xiao Bai, is transformation really that difficult?"
[Yes. Transformation isn't just illusion magic; it's a complete reconstruction of the physical body.
So, master, in this world, you are considered a monster.]
A monster?
Li Meng grinned.
As a goblin, wasn't he already a monster?
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a ring.
"Annie, if you wear this ring, you can transform.
But once you wear it, you will be bound to me through a life-sharing contract.
You will be able to use my mana to sustain the transformation."
Dragons already had long lifespans.
A life-sharing contract wouldn't put either party at a disadvantage.
But once signed, their fates would be tied together forever.
Annie stared blankly at the ring in Li Meng's hand.
It was platinum, engraved with golden runes inside and out.
------
"Boss, are you really a goblin?"
Annie opened her massive mouth, asking again.
Li Meng chuckled as his body twisted.
The black outfit he wore shifted into a flowing robe.
His body expanded rapidly.
His skin color changed.
Within five seconds, the handsome boss had transformed into a ten-meter-tall green-skinned monster.
Li Meng's body had never stopped growing.
Every meal, every attribute point increased his size.
Even eating a single ground mouse gave him slight growth.
"This is my true form—a goblin!"
Annie stared blankly at the massive figure before her.
Though still smaller than her, he was undeniably a goblin.
She had never heard of a goblin this big.
"Uhm... Boss, I don't want to give birth to goblins."
Annie had heard plenty of horror stories about goblins from her mother.
Goblins were cruel and deceitful.
To them, all females were breeding tools.
Even ground mice weren't spared.
"If you don't want to, I won't force you."
Annie was still young. Li Meng had no interest in young dragons.
Annie extended her claw.
"Boss... then you have to take responsibility, okay?"
She cautiously reached out her left hand.
Li Meng grinned, glancing down at the contract ring in his hand.
The small ring had grown in size.
In a way, the contract ring was also a spirit weapon.