Chapter 171: After all, wealth stirs the human heart.

"Seraph, tell me now, what on earth is this so-called God-Man Cemetery? Where do they come from..."

After listening to the other's account, Lu Chen learned that this lost continent was once the territory of dog-headed alien cultivators, while the lizard clan served as their domesticated mounts.

It was only a thousand years ago that the spatial resources here dried up, causing the dog-headed alien cultivators to leave in flying artifact-vessels, leaving behind the lizard herds to guard the God-Man Cemetery.

Before leaving, those fellows claimed that one day they would return.

In the beginning, the lizard clan was dutiful and conscientious, entering the God-Man Cemetery every day to stand guard.

Yet, after waiting for hundreds of years without seeing their masters return, the lizard tribe gradually grew lax, only occasionally sending kin into the cemetery to patrol.

The pyramid spirit treasure that the Lizard King had previously unleashed had been bestowed upon them before the masters departed.

As long as one channeled energy laws into it and communicated through incantations, the mummified undead army slumbering within the tombs of the God-Men could be awakened.

However, this spirit treasure had a drawback: every time it was activated, a large number of living creatures were required as blood sacrifices.

Seraph had previously been unwilling to let his subjects perish, which was why he had delayed using it.

This fellow also knew how to read the room; upon hearing Lu Chen's inquiry, it immediately spat out the pyramid spirit treasure and deferentially offered it up.

Taking it in hand, Lu Chen released his energy laws to sense it, only to feel countless layers upon layers of runes within, seemingly concealing an infinitely profound space. Then, a roar echoed in his mind, and his consciousness was expelled.

After probing it, Lu Chen did not return the item, instead directly storing it within his inner space.

He was not so naive as to completely trust the Lizard King based on a few words.

While this fellow looked submissive right now, who knew if it was just an act?

Moreover, leaving such a spiritual artifact in the other's hands was a waste of heavenly treasures; it was far better to keep it and study it at his leisure. There was plenty of time, and one day he would surely unlock its mysteries.

Seeing that the Dragon King did not return the spiritual artifact, Seraph did not dare to ask for it back.

Facing such a ferocious and terrifying being of immense might, it still felt overwhelming panic deep within, terrified of angering the other party once more.

Next, the fellow obediently took the lead, guiding Lu Chen as they flew toward the direction of the dragon's lair.

Along the way, Lu Chen obtained more information regarding the lizard tribe.

Although the lizard tribe had long lifespans, their growth was slow, taking over a hundred years to reach adulthood.

Seraph was not as old as he had previously guessed; it had not lived for a thousand years.

This fellow was currently only a little over a hundred years old, considered just newly adult.

An ordinary lizard could live for over 300 years, yet they did not grow old and die within this spatial domain; instead, right before death, they would leave through the portal left behind by the dog-headed alien cultivators.

As for where they went, even Seraph could not clearly explain.

Furthermore, their reproductive capacity was exceptionally poor. Legend had it that they had existed on the lost continent for thousands of years, yet the population currently living near the dragon's lair numbered only a little over three thousand.

As a result, Lu Chen had wiped out nearly a hundred of them in a single sweep.

If he came a few more times, the entire lizard race would likely face extinction.

As for the location of the lizard tribe's dragon's lair, it was near the massive active volcano Lu Chen had seen.

According to Seraph, ever since it was born, the volcano had remained in a state of eruption, and it had not subsided to this day.

Moreover, approximately every century, the volcano would experience an even larger-scale eruption, spewing numerous spirit stones from the deep bowels of the earth.

Most members of the lizard tribe possessed fire-attribute abilities, allowing them to withstand the scorching and viscous magma.

Thus, every time a massive volcanic eruption occurred, they would leap into the molten lava to search for spirit stones and store them away.

Hearing this, Lu Chen felt an exceptional surge of excitement within.

If this fellow was not lying, it meant that within the dragon's lair inhabited by the lizard tribe, a millennium's worth of accumulated wealth was waiting for him.

At the same time, his doubts not only failed to decrease but instead piled up more and more.

The Lizard King was also over a hundred years old... To live long without dying is to become a monster. Measured by the age standards of the Blue Star, this fellow was undoubtedly an ancient freak.

Yet from the moment they met until now, the impression the other gave him was extremely naive and simple-minded, almost leaving him speechless.

It answered every question asked, especially concerning such a vital secret as spirit stones, without concealing anything whatsoever.
Was it truly not afraid that Lu Chen might slaughter the entire lizard tribe afterward for the sake of the spirit stones?

Truth be told, a hint of murderous intent did indeed rise in Lu Chen's heart.

After all, wealth stirs the hearts of men.

An innocent man treasures his jade, but it is his crime.

If what Seraph said was true, these lizards sitting upon vast quantities of spirit stones were essentially like a seven or eight-year-old child walking through a bustling market while clutching a brick of gold.

They should also consider themselves fortunate that this different space had long been isolated from the rest of the world; otherwise, they would have been annihilated countless times over before Lu Chen ever arrived.

Wait... Thinking of this, Lu Chen suddenly became alert.

He had almost been blinded by spirit stones. The only reason this fellow was acting so docile was because he controlled its life and death.

For the lizard tribe to survive in this spatial domain for over a thousand years, they surely could not be as simple as they appeared.

This fellow had just mentioned that spirit stones would continuously emerge from the volcanic magma.

Even if the lizard tribe possessed poor evolutionary aptitude, under the supply of a steady stream of spirit stones, numerous powerhouses should have been born.

Perhaps there were still formidable beings within the tribe whose strength reached the 6th, 7th, or even 8th tier...

Realizing this, Lu Chen tentatively asked, "Your Highness Seraph, what is the realm of the strongest being within the lizard tribe?"

"Reporting to the Dragon King, I possess the purest dragon bloodline and am the strongest within the tribe. As for the realms the Great King speaks of, I do not know how they are classified," the Lizard King replied, turning its head.

Although the fellow answered very naturally, Lu Chen still harbored deep suspicion. "You are the strongest? You have devoured so many spirit stones, yet you are currently only at the 6th tier?"

"The Dragon King may not know this. Once our dragon strength reaches a certain level, it becomes very difficult to improve further, and no matter how many spirit stones we devour, they have no effect."

"There is such a thing?" Lu Chen asked in astonishment.

In his cognition, spirit stones could refine the physique, purge impurities and filth, and were one of the crucial factors for all living creatures to undergo evolutionary mutation.

Moreover, his own experience had already proven this... As long as a continuous supply of spirit stones existed, theoretical continuous evolution and upgrading were possible.

How could they have no effect?

"I once heard my parents mention that there is a certain imprisonment curse within the lizard tribe's bloodline, preventing us from continuously improving. Furthermore, this curse is hidden within the bloodline and passed down from generation to generation, completely impossible to expel. Therefore, spirit stones do not hold much use for us now. We have simply kept them, waiting for the day when the God-Men return and haul them away."

If everything this fellow said was the truth... Lu Chen couldn't help forming a guess: the so-called imprisonment curse was likely some kind of rune restriction left behind in their bloodline by those dog-headed aliens.

As for the purpose, on the one hand, it prevented the lizard tribe from hoarding spirit stones for themselves after finding them; on the other hand, it was probably out of fear that their realm would rise too high and break free of control.

Lu Chen had no way of knowing whether his thoughts were correct, after all, this guess was built entirely upon the words of the Lizard King.