The entire Dark Forest is extraordinarily vast, with abundant resources, among which the territory occupied by the Dragon Nest is just a very inconspicuous small piece within the Dark Forest.
So Udi need not worry about lacking enough territory and resources for development.
"The West, huh...." Udi's eyes were deep, having made a decision.
He slightly lowered his head, looking at the lowly kneeling Kobold Shiji on the ground, opened his ferocious dragon mouth, and said,
"Shiji, in light of your contributions in intelligence and your somewhat clever mind, the great True Dragon—Udi Targaryen Diabolos Atoksi Mephisto Sigmund will grant you the honor of becoming a servant of the Giant Dragon!"
Shiji widened his eyes, seemingly unbelieving as he looked at Udi.
But he reacted quickly, or perhaps he was simply very smart, or perhaps he had no reason to refuse such a grand temptation! Therefore, Shiji unhesitatingly kowtowed to Udi, with a fervent expression, and even his tone underwent slight changes,
"Shiji shall serve you as master, oh great True Dragon Master!"
Udi nodded in satisfaction, however, come to think of it, the Kobold's Dragon Language really was a bit harsh to the ear, mixing in several doglike barks in a single sentence, sounding extremely unpleasant.
But never mind.
At least it is a race that can speak the Dragon Language.
The languages Udi obtained from the Dragon's Legacy, aside from Dragon Language, also included the Continent-wide Language and the Giant Language, a total of three languages.
And Kobold Shiji also mastered part of the Continent-wide Language.
Or rather, most intelligent races on this continent, those interacting with the outside world to some extent, could more or less speak the Continent-wide Language.
Reflecting slightly, Udi gazed at the kneeling Kobold Shiji before him, taking a dragon scale he had stored from the gap at his chest where his Reversed Scale was.
This dragon scale was one that naturally fell off from Udi's growth.
Udi's expression became much more serious as he recalled the Servant Contract from the Dragon's Legacy.
Normally, the Servant Contract already counted as a Casting ability, only usable after reaching the Juvenile Dragon stage and with a Magic Awakening.
However, as Giant Dragons are naturally top-level magical creatures, their innate casting talent isn't weak; thus, even Dragonlings or Juvenile Dragons could perform the Servant Contract by willing to pay some price.
And the Servant Contract comes in three levels of specification.
The highest specification is the Essence Blood Contract. The giant body of a dragon stores a considerable amount of blood, but what can be called Essence Blood is only that cluster by its heart, and the Essence Blood Contract involves a dragon forcing out a drop of Essence Blood to bestow upon a servant, fundamentally transforming the servant's bloodline, turning them into potentially strong Dragon Vein Creatures. Meanwhile, the servant gains the ability to grow alongside the master, though, the Essence Blood Contract causes significant loss to the dragon and is not used lightly.
The medium specification involves both Dragon Blood and Dragon Scale; the scale serves as the paper, the blood as the ink, and the spirit as the brush. A Magic Contract is drawn to establish a Spiritual Connection with the servant, transforming the servant into a Dragon Descendant. The servant will benefit from the master's growth, though not nearly as much as with the Essence Blood Contract.
The lowest specification involves merely being imbued with a dragon's aura, receiving dragon blood and dragon scales, or even simply being in a dragon's presence for an extended period, which might allow them to pick up a bit of the aura, gaining a tiny trace of Dragon Vein Power. Such servants gain no benefit from the master's growth, though they enjoy much more freedom, with fewer constraints than the other specifications, introducing a risk of betrayal.
After contemplating, Udi squeezed out a drop of viscous blood.
He planned to implement the second specification contract with Shiji.
Udi muttered a magic incantation, causing the dragon scale and dragon blood to slowly float into the air under the influence of invisible magical power, gradually converging and finally merging into one. A faint glimmer flashed across the ebony scale.
With the chanting of the incantation, lines of tiny words emerged on the dragon scale—contracts written in Dragon Script. This contract was not devised by any dragon but was inherited from the first Ancestral Dragon and refined over many years, regarded as one of the most perfect contracts within the Multiverse.
Having completed the contract writing, the scale slowly descended towards the forehead of the kneeling Kobold Shiji, adhering to it and gradually blending into the skin, disappearing, as the Dragon Vein Power contained within the scale spread through all parts of the body, nourishing its flesh and bones, fundamentally improving the feeble form of the Kobold.
The Kobold Shiji gritted his teeth enduring tremendous pain, the agony that bloodline transformation inflicted upon his body; after experiencing this intense pain, he was to be reborn.
After waiting about ten minutes, a preliminary transformation was complete. Shiji's face, strained from pain, slowly relaxed, opening his eyes. His orange-yellow vertical pupils darkened slightly—a manifestation of the initial transformation by Black Dragon Blood.
Udi sensed a faint spiritual connection emerging between him and the Kobold before him, realizing his first servant was born.
"Your humble servant Shiji offers you his sincerest gratitude."
Shiji was barely able to contain his excitement, feeling the newfound significant strength within him.
In the Black Teeth Tribe he belonged to, only the leader was a genuine Dragon Descendant!
And the leader's formidable power had long made Shiji envious beyond measure, and now, he knew that in the future, he too could achieve such power, perhaps even greater!
"Alright, from now on, stay nearby, but don't get too close to the Rotting Swamp, and don't return to your former tribe. When the Dragon Vein Power within you is developed to a certain level and you can protect yourself, head to the Western Region and gather some Kobolds to explore and gather information for me, occupying a territory." Udi casually waved his claw, then spread his immense Dragon Wings, becoming a shadow across the sky as he flew towards the distant Rotting Swamp, disappearing quickly.
The Kobold Shiji gazed at Udi's departing figure, gradually firming his resolve.
The commands of his great True Dragon Master, he, Shiji, must carry out perfectly!
After initially accepting the Dragon Vein Power, it didn't mean one would suddenly become extremely powerful; it required time to develop.
Combat, slaughter, devouring powerful demon flesh and blood—all could help develop the Dragon Vein Power hidden within.
Shiji surveyed his surroundings, quickly spotting a suitable hardwood stick, spending some time sharpening it before cautiously beginning his exploration of the vicinity.
He planned to find a place to establish a lair first, then begin honing himself to develop the Dragon Vein Power.
Meanwhile, Udi soon returned to the Dragon Nest.
Returning to the Dragon Nest, Udi couldn't resist his weariness, immediately curling up by the edge of a muddied pond, his head resting on his tail, and fell into a deep sleep.
As mentioned earlier, while Dragonlings and Juvenile Dragons who haven't undergone Magic Awakening can perform the Servant Contract, it comes at a price.
And that price entails consuming a significant amount of the mana stored in a dragon's blood.
Udi had overextended himself using magic beyond his age, leading to overconsumption of the mana in his blood.
Fortunately, due to Udi's robust physique, this type of exhaustion could be quickly recovered from with a good nap.
As for why he suddenly decided to take the Kobold Shiji as a servant?
It was merely a casual move on Udi's part.
If Kobold Shiji could achieve something notable in the Western Region, that would, of course, be splendid.
And if he were to die midway, the loss wouldn't be significant either.
This is called forward investment.