Read Novel Full Chapter 316: Fire Dragon River
Chapter 316: Fire Dragon River
"One companion is enough," Richard replied.
After giving it some thought, he decided it would be better to have someone accompany him so he could ask questions whenever he encountered something unfamiliar.
The Fire Spirit Queen nodded before beckoning to the young commander of the royal army, Prince Damian.
The latter immediately approached with a curious expression.
"Damian, accompany Richard around the city. There’s no need to bring any soldiers," the Queen instructed.
Hearing her order, Damian nodded before turning his gaze toward Richard.
Richard merely smiled faintly.
"Let’s go," he said before casually walking toward the palace gates.
Damian quickly followed behind him.
As the Queen’s nephew, countless thoughts crossed his mind, but he wasn’t in a position to voice any of them.
After passing through the gates, Richard noticed a long crystal bridge connecting the palace grounds to the city.
Earlier, he had bypassed it by flying directly into the palace courtyard.
A strange expression appeared on his face as he watched countless colorful fish leaping from the Lake of Fire beneath the bridge.
Still, he didn’t slow his pace.
Soon, they arrived on the bustling streets.
Although no one recognized Richard, Damian’s presence at his side was enough for everyone to assume he possessed an extraordinary status.
"Sir Richard, is there anywhere you’d like to visit?" Damian asked.
As his guide, he felt he should keep the conversation going. Otherwise, Richard would simply wander around aimlessly.
Even if Richard knew nothing about the city, he could at least describe the kind of place he wanted to see.
"Of course. I’d like to visit somewhere that can make me stronger. But as a Peak Lord, I doubt a place like that exists inside a city," Richard answered.
"Mm... there really isn’t," Damian admitted with a wry smile.
He himself had reached that very level and had been unable to advance any further.
"Right. Is there a good place to go fishing around here?" Richard suddenly asked.
The question came after he noticed several shops selling fishing equipment.
Surprisingly, the rods looked remarkably modern, crafted from strong yet flexible materials, complete with line guides and spinning reels.
They resembled the earliest versions of fishing rods from Earth’s modern era.
"The Fire Dragon River. That’s where everyone fishes. Many visitors from outside the kingdom come there as well. It’s the only way to catch fish from the river because the Fire Dragon River is far too hot. No one can survive inside it. Even the fishing lines used there are specially designed by our race," Damian explained.
"Oh? What kind of fish do they catch?" Richard immediately guessed they were something special.
"Fire Dragon Fish. They’re considered a delicacy that increases one’s affinity with the Fire Element. Of course, once your Fire Affinity reaches a sufficiently high level, they become ineffective."
"But those are only ordinary Fire Dragon Fish. There are also Fire Dragon Kings, Fire Dragon Emperors, and even the legendary Fire Dragon Ancestor."
"The last one has never actually been found. Its existence is nothing more than a legend. Even Fire Dragon Emperors have only been caught twice throughout history. Anyone who eats one immediately gains ninety percent Fire Affinity."
"Does catching them depend on luck?"
"No. It depends on the fisherman. We infuse our own power into the bait. The stronger the power, the stronger the fish it attracts."
"I see. Then let’s go there. I used to enjoy fishing, though it’s been a long time since I last did," Richard said.
With that, he walked into one of the fishing tackle shops.
The owner had been watching him from inside and hurried over to greet him.
"Sir, what are you looking for?" he asked respectfully.
He had connections with the palace elders and had already received word about Richard.
According to the rumors, this young man was most likely their queen’s lover.
"Obviously, I’m looking for fishing gear. Give me the best set you have. How much is it?" Richard replied.
Without hesitation, the owner brought out a complete fishing set with a rod nearly three meters long.
"Sir, this is the finest one we have. As for the price... there’s no need. Please, just take it."
"Are you serious?" Richard asked.
Honestly, he felt a little uncomfortable receiving everything for free wherever he went.
This wasn’t ordinary fishing equipment.
It was practically a powerful magical artifact.
Even if it hadn’t been forged as one intentionally, the materials alone were incredibly valuable.
"I’m serious... You don’t need to pay a single coin," the owner answered with a sincere smile.
"Then thank you."
Not wanting to argue any further, Richard stored the fishing rod away.
He then looked at Damian and gestured for him to lead the way to the Fire Dragon River.
Damian immediately headed in the opposite direction from where Richard had originally come.
Apparently, the river lay near the far end of the city, which explained why Richard hadn’t seen it earlier.
After walking for quite some time, they finally arrived before a massive canal nearly two hundred meters wide that split the Lake of Fire from one end to the other.
Within it flowed a river of fire that behaved just like an ordinary river.
The only difference was that the flames there were noticeably darker than those covering the lake.
Richard didn’t find them threatening, but his instincts warned him not to test the waters by jumping in.
The place was packed with fishermen.
The sight caused Richard to reveal an amused expression.
On Earth, such a scene would have been perfectly ordinary.
But this was an ancient world ruled by magic.
He even noticed numerous stalls selling all kinds of insects that were apparently used as fishing bait.
These insects possessed the ability to absorb small amounts of magical power, allowing them to acquire characteristics corresponding to whatever magic they absorbed.
Among the countless anglers, Richard saw not only Spirits but also a considerable number of humans trying their luck.
"Sir Richard, although it looks crowded, the Fire Dragon River is actually incredibly deep," Damian said.
"Even if you let out your entire fishing line, you still wouldn’t reach the bottom."