91: Chapter 91: Still Have to Rely on Oneself 91: Chapter 91: Still Have to Rely on Oneself Dragon Scale is slightly more flexible than steel, but much more durable, making it the perfect material for armor.

Normally, it may not compete with refined gold, but it should definitely surpass Mithril, as Mithril’s advantage lies in its lightness and flexibility, not its strength.

As a Red Dragon, Leon, who naturally possesses Dragon Scale armor, honestly doesn’t care much about armor; he cares more about acquiring a powerful weapon to enhance his combat abilities using the Sword Control Technique.

In this case, Mithril is never the material for making good weapons, it only reduces the weight.

Refined gold, on the other hand, is different.

Weapons forged from refined gold possess immense destructive power, and if crafted by a skilled blacksmith, they might achieve special effects…

Of course, refined gold weapons have a drawback: they are heavy, but that’s unimportant to Leon, who is very strong.

All in all, Leon really doesn’t care much about Mithril; it doesn’t make much difference whether he has it or not, as long as he has refined gold.

If he can obtain refined gold, then this trip to Crossroads City would be extremely profitable.

Leon looked at the Female Dwarf Mage and somehow felt she was surrounded by an aura.

Before he could even ask about the price, he heard Tassera’s voice—

“Where did you get the refined gold?

I’ve never heard you mention it before.” From Blue Dragon’s words, it was clear she was completely uninformed and wasn’t just pretending to be clueless to tease Leon who was desperately seeking it throughout Crossroads City.

“What?” Betty looked left and right, “Have you guys gotten something wrong?

I never said I had refined gold…”

Happiness comes suddenly, and so does its departure.

Indeed, the situation wasn’t as simple as it seemed, and Leon’s smile froze on his face.

Had the other person not been a friend of Tassera, if it were a stranger teasing him thus, Leon would probably have slammed the table already; but now, he could only patiently ask, “Didn’t you just ask me if I wanted refined gold?”

“Yes, I asked, is there a problem?” Betty wondered.

Leon pondered.

Just now, he had been confused by the sudden mix of good news and bad news, but now calmer, Leon quickly realized and said, “I understand what you meant now… You don’t have refined gold, but you have a way to buy it.”

“No no no, I don’t have a way to buy refined gold either,” the Female Dwarf Mage shaking her little hands, “Nowadays, refined gold is hard to buy.

It’s needed for making weapons and equipment, for constructing bodies, it’s needed everywhere, and even with money, you can’t find it…

I just know a place where there might be refined gold.”

“So it is…” Tassera commented sarcastically, “Seriously, could you not focus on what’s important when you speak next time?

It leads to a lot of misunderstandings.”

“I think I speak clearly.” Betty opened her arms, “It’s just that you are too hasty and presumptuous.”

“Indeed, we were presumptuous without listening fully.” Always amiable in a situation where he needed information, Leon asked, “So where can I find refined gold?”

“Even though you are Tassera’s good friend…

Eh, what exactly are you?

You don’t seem like Dragonborn, not like Magic Scale, a Dragon Vein Mage who awakened the Red Dragon bloodline, growing scales, wings, and a tail?” Betty tilted her head examining Leon and couldn’t come to a definite conclusion for a long time.

Leon wondered whether to reveal his identity as Red Dragon.

“Where were we?

Right, actually, I’m not very familiar with Tassera,” the Female Dwarf Mage finally got back to business, crossing her arms, “I can’t just give you such important information for free.”

Tassera sneered.

Leon is not someone to freeload, saying, “Of course I can’t just take your information for free.

Name your price.”

“I don’t want money; even though I need money, I want Whispering Tree Flowers more,” Betty said.

“Refined gold is deep within the Dark Territory, and you’ll definitely pass by the Whisper Trees if you’re going for the refined gold.

Just help me pick some Whispering Tree Flowers on the way…

that’s not too much to ask for, right?”

Leon figured this was an NPC issuing a quest.

“I originally wanted to ask you to bring back a Heart-stealer tadpole too, but I thought that’d be too much,” the Female Dwarf Mage said, hands on her hips.

“What were you thinking…

wanting a Heart-stealer tadpole,” Tassera interrupted.

“Without any surprises, Heart-stealer tadpoles live in the Brain Pool, which is well protected at the center of the Mind Flayer society, inhabited also by an Elder Brain…

One Elder Brain is tough enough, let alone a group of Mind Flayers.”

“So I didn’t mention that request,” Betty said, holding her head, “Fair exchange, unless I can directly come up with refined gold, I wouldn’t dare make that request.”

Listening to the conversation between the two, Leon figured out why the Female Dwarf Mage lived in Crossroads City.

Are pseudo-dragons bad, or are winged cats not tempting enough?

What kind of normal mage uses an imp as a magical pet, and now she’s fixated on obtaining a Heart-stealer tadpole.

“How about it?” Betty suddenly looked at Leon.

“I just want one Whispering Tree Flower; this definitely isn’t asking for much.

Do you agree?”

“No problem,” Leon responded without hesitation.

Thanks to a certain game, he was already familiar with Whispering Tree Flowers.

If there are Whispering Tree Flowers, there definitely is Whisper Tree Bark.

Whisper Tree Bark can be used to make weapons, and weapons integrated with Whisper Tree Bark have the potential to silence the enemy, preventing them from casting spells.

Aside from Mithril and refined gold, he now also wanted Whispering Tree Flowers; the task from the Female Dwarf Mage was indeed an unexpected surprise.

“Then it’s settled,” Betty said, unaware that Leon was already considering the idea of Whisper Tree Bark.

“Map, map…” the Female Dwarf Mage jumped and skipped to retrieve a map, advising, “I must remind you that Whispering Tree Flowers must not be exposed to sunlight; once exposed, they will rot and ultimately decay.

After you pick the Whispering Tree Flowers, make sure to store them in a box that blocks out light.”

“I know,” Leon said while examining the map.

The map, which was about the size of an A4 paper, obviously couldn’t provide much information.

In fact, the map merely had some simple lines and annotations.

“Isn’t this map a bit too simplified?”

“It’s enough,” Betty said.

“First, go to the Red Berry Tavern and find Evil Wolf…

He has been to the Dark Territory, and once you find any of the points on this map, you can use it to locate the refined gold.”

Leon nodded; he was skeptical of the map in his hands, but willing to give it a try.

Leon stayed in the Mage Tower for less than an hour before leaving the Mage District, returning to the Lower District to find the Red Berry Tavern, and upon discovering two people fighting, he didn’t rush to find anything about Evil Wolf but rather chose a spot to watch the excitement until the fight ended.

Then, he called over a waitress to ask about Evil Wolf.

“Right there, the one who was fighting,” the waitress pouted and answered Leon.

“The one who won or the one who lost?” Leon noticed that the winner was drinking while the loser was wailing.

The waitress pursed her lips, “The one who won.”

Leon felt relieved.