"These Elder Dragons are truly absurd. How exactly do they form such control over the natural environment? Do they rely on some kind of energy magnetic field, or do they resonate with the energy of the Bioenergy?"
Logan had no way of knowing the answer yet, but that didn't stop him from thinking of a counter-strategy.
From the scene earlier where Namielle summoned the rainstorm, it wasn't hard to see that this ability to control the environment wasn't instantaneous. It required time to brew and ferment—essentially gathering energy from the surroundings.
With that, the solution became clear: keep moving. As long as he moved quickly and constantly changed the battlefield, the energy triggered by the Elder Dragon wouldn't be able to converge properly. Naturally, it would be difficult for them to trigger a large-scale natural disaster.
Unfortunately, this method was only good for escaping, not for attacking. After all, if one truly had the power to chase an Elder Dragon around, there would be no need to fear the disasters they caused.
...
The accidental encounter with Namielle was merely an interlude. Logan and Zhu Peiniang continued their journey to find a river.
To the northeast of this area, they discovered a downward passage. A large amount of algae draped down along the accumulated coral reefs like natural ropes. A Hunter or a small creature could have climbed straight down using the algae, but with the weight of Logan and Zhu Peiniang, it clearly wouldn't hold.
Fortunately, many plate-like coral reefs extended from both sides of the passage. The winding growth of the coral polyps formed mesh-like structures that provided some cushioning. Logan estimated the height from the ground, then jumped without hesitation.
His massive weight instantly crushed the protruding corals. A series of crisp cracking sounds rang out, followed by a heavy thud as he hit the ground. Luckily, his strong ligaments, the spider-silk proteins throughout his body, and the elastic pads on his claws allowed him to buffer the impact. He rolled once and stood up.
When it was Zhu Peiniang's turn, she didn't have such courage. She could only grip the coral reefs on both sides tightly with her limbs, sliding down cautiously all the way.
...
Logan began to carefully observe his surroundings. This place should be the lowest point of the Coral Highlands, adjacent to the Rotten Vale. The surrounding corals, once vibrantly colored, were now covered in a dull yellow and decaying green. A faint mist drifted through the air, permeating with a lifeless atmosphere.
However, beneath this dull exterior lay a hidden vitality. Listening closely, the sound of the wind echoed, water gurgled, many Coral Birds chirped softly, and Skyward Snappers danced gracefully to the rhythm of light bands.
Following the sound of water, he saw the upper-level streams pouring down, forming ribbon-like waterfalls that merged into a vast pond.
Moisture and decay often seem to coexist. The nutrient-rich effluvium gave rise to a large amount of algae, providing abundant food for various small fish, which in turn nurtured larger carnivorous fish.
Would there be Goldenfry or Platinumfish here? Logan felt it was worth a try.
He began to control his stomach muscles. With a violent cough, he spat out a blue-gold bead the size of a table tennis ball. This was Machalite Ore and associated metals stored in his stomach—perfect for making a fishhook.
Logan pinched the bead with two fingertips. A massive surge of electricity followed; like an overloaded circuit, the bead turned glowing red at a visible rate, its material softening.
Relying on his high heat resistance and the hard, tiny scales on his claws, Logan shaped the glowing Machalite like playdough. Before long, a large fishhook about the thickness of a chopstick appeared in his claw. Though it looked rough and the tip wasn't sharp enough, he estimated it should suffice.
He used spider silk for the fishing line. The bait was an unlucky Coral Bird; he didn't even pluck its feathers before skewering it onto the hook and tossing it into the water.
Next was the patient wait. Since Logan had plenty of time, he lay quietly by the pond, occasionally tugging the line to attract fish.
An hour passed with no movement; two hours passed, and it remained the same. Soon, half a day had gone by. The Coral Bird on the hook had soaked until it turned pale, yet there was still no sign of a fish biting.
It seemed this bait wasn't to the fishes' taste. After a moment of thought, Logan pulled a thumb-sized piece of sugar crystals from the spines on his back and stuffed it into the Coral Bird's belly before tossing it back.
The sugar began to dissolve instantly upon hitting the water, seeping out through the bird's wounds. The high-nutrient substances and evolutionary active factors within it possessed an irresistible attraction to many creatures. Just minutes later, the line floating on the surface began to sink rapidly.
"Here it comes!!"
Logan whipped his tail up. His 10-meter-long tail was a ready-made fishing rod. The tough spider silk snapped taut instantly. The unstoppable force pulled the giant fish straight out of the water; there was no "tiring out the fish" involved.
Unfortunately, the catch wasn't his target. Although the fish looked similar to a Goldenfry, its dull scales and rust-red fins identified it as a Burst Arowana.
Burst Arowanas are a favorite food of Leviathans. Their bodies are rich in oils and combustibles, which can make a monster's fire breath even more explosive.
This fish is quite large, and looking at the luster of its scales, it seems to contain metallic components too?
The one-meter-long fish was easily hoisted up by Logan's claw, as effortless as a human picking up a small minnow. Adhering to the principle of never wasting anything, he quickly gutted the fish and stuffed the entire Burst Arowana into his mouth. The leftover entrails were kept as bait.
Afterward, he caught several Glutton Tuna, Sashimi Fish, and a Whetfish. This last one was incredibly hard; the thick scales on its back had completely mineralized. Even with the hardness of Logan's current claws, they made a clack-clack sound when scraped against it. No wonder it could be used to sharpen metal weapons.
These fish naturally ended up in the bellies of Logan and Zhu Peiniang. Unfortunately, whether it was bad luck or the limited resources of this water, the Goldenfry and Platinumfish never appeared.
Before leaving, Logan felt unwilling to give up. He decided to make one last attempt and lowered his long tail into the water.
Immediately, the Azure Horns on his head began to emit a faint blue light. An invisible magnetic field was drawn in, turning into wisps of static electricity that gathered into his body. The next moment, a massive amount of electrical energy poured down from his head like a burst dam, turning into galloping, shining arcs of lightning that plunged straight into the water.
It was as if an invisible storm had exploded underwater. The once-calm surface instantly boiled as if a bomb had been dropped. The mud at the bottom churned wildly, bubbles gurgled up, and a vast expanse of white fish bellies began to float to the top.
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