The wine was spicy and astringent, murky and turbid, with a terrible aftertaste—nothing compared to even the cheapest Erguotou!
Meng Lei wrinkled his nose in distaste, but he still took several sips. He had been traveling for a month, surviving on nothing but cold water and smoked jerky every day until he was sick of it. Now that he finally had alcohol, how could he not drink?
"Take it easy, don't drink it all!"
Captain Hades laughed and scolded him. "I spent a whole gold coin on this from a passing merchant caravan. There's only this one jug—once it's gone, it's gone!"
"Got it!"
After three rounds of drinks and five dishes of meat, half of the large wild boar had disappeared into the bellies of Captain Hades and Meng Lei. The two men leaned against the doorframe, chatting casually like old buddies.
"Meng Lei, you possess a talent for magic. Remember to cherish this opportunity—it's your chance to change your fate. Don't waste it!"
Captain Hades's gaze was profound. "I served in the army once and traveled to many places. I'm probably the most well-traveled person in our village!"
"Mhm!" Meng Lei nodded silently.
"Most people never get the chance to learn magic because they can't access any cultivation methods. At the same time, practicing magic requires innate talent. Without it, even if you have the methods, you can never become a noble mage!"
Captain Hades stared straight at Meng Lei. "But you… you somehow became a mage without anyone knowing. You must have an astonishing magical talent…"
He couldn't even find the right words to describe it anymore.
Unbelievable? Unimaginable? Astonishing?
One thing was certain: Meng Lei definitely possessed an extraordinary gift for magic—the kind countless people dreamed of but could never obtain!
Do I really have a talent for magic? Meng Lei thought, his heart pounding with doubt.
"Meng Lei! Remember this—remember it well!" Captain Hades burped, a bit tipsy now. "You should know that our village belongs to the Fire Dragon Kingdom, and the Fire Dragon Kingdom is one of the kingdoms under the Dragon God Empire!"
Meng Lei nodded quietly.
The Sky Dome Continent was home to countless races, but the most powerful and ancient were the four great intelligent races: the Dragon Race, the Titans, the Elves, and the Beastmen!
These four races dominated the Sky Dome Continent, controlling more than half its territory and founding the Four Great Empires that had ruled for over ten thousand years:
The Dragon God Empire! The Titan Empire! The Elf Empire! The Beastman Empire!
The Dragon God Empire lay in the eastern part of the continent, bordered by the Endless Deep Sea to the east and the Demon Beast Mountains to the west. It governed fifteen kingdoms and forty-eight duchies—an empire ruled by giant dragons and home to many races.
"Giant dragons have incredibly powerful bodies and are masters of draconic magic. They are one of the strongest races on the continent. Unfortunately, their bloodline is too strong, and their birth rate is extremely low!"
Captain Hades's voice grew somber. "Across the entire Dragon God Empire, pure-blooded dragons are extremely rare. To maintain control, the empire divides all its races into four classes!"
"Four classes?" Meng Lei's interest was instantly piqued.
"Four classes, also known as the Four-Class System!" Captain Hades smiled bitterly. "The four classes represent four completely different social statuses, as well as entirely different legal rights and racial obligations!
"At the very top—the first class—are the pure-blooded dragons. They are nobles by birth. The moment they are born, they are granted the title of Imperial Marquis. They receive vast territories and enjoy privileges we could only dream of!"
First Class: Pure-blooded Dragon RaceNobles by birthEnnobled as Marquises at birth
Meng Lei silently absorbed the information, then asked, "What about the second class? What race is in the second tier?"
"The second class is the Sub-dragon Race," Hades said softly. "Dragons are lustful by nature. To make up for their low fertility, pure-blooded dragons often engage in all sorts of depraved acts. As a result, they produce offspring with diluted dragon blood—these mixed descendants are called the Sub-dragon Race!"
"The Sub-dragon Race is further divided into Dragonfolk and Dragon Beasts!"
Meng Lei was speechless. In his mind, he couldn't help picturing some rather eye-searing scenes: a giant dragon mounted on a wild boar… giving birth to a Dragon-Pig? Or riding a wild horse… a Dragon-Horse? Or riding a human… well… a Dragon-person?
"The Sub-dragon Race inherits some of the Dragon Race's talents. Some possess powerful physiques, others excel at draconic magic. Combined with their terrifying numbers, they form the backbone of the Dragon God Empire. Eighty percent of the empire's nobility are Sub-dragons!"
"What about the third class?" Meng Lei asked again.
"The third class is where we human nobles belong," Hades sighed. "In the Dragon God Empire, the race with the largest population isn't the Sub-dragons or any other intelligent race—it's us humans. We make up ninety percent of the empire's population!
"Most humans are weak and lowly. They never touch magic or battle qi in their entire lives and remain fourth-class commoners for generations. But every so often, a few exceptionally gifted individuals appear. Through various means, they obtain methods to cultivate battle qi or magic and grow powerful.
"In the Sky Dome Continent, where strength is everything, power is the ultimate symbol of status. That's why the strongest among us humans can still earn the empire's favor and become nobles. The most famous example is the 'Snowblade Sword Saint'—Lord Galen Bonaparte!"
When he spoke of Galen Bonaparte, Captain Hades's eyes were filled with admiration and respect. "His legends echo across the entire continent. He is the idol and pride of every human, inspiring countless generations of human youths!"
"Galen Bonaparte?" Meng Lei nodded slightly. The name was sung by bards everywhere; even three-year-old children knew it. He was the strongest human in the Dragon God Empire—and the highest-ranking human in the entire empire.
"The fourth class is naturally people like us—ordinary humans," Hades continued. "Ordinary humans have extremely low status. We are the exploited class. We enjoy no protection under imperial law, yet we bear heavy conscription duties!
"Imperial law states that every human who reaches the age of sixteen must perform mandatory service: joining the army, working in the mines, or serving as slaves and guards in the mansions of noble lords…"
"This is the fate of the fourth-class people—the fate of all ordinary folk like us!"
"If I remember correctly… you're fifteen this year, right?"