At the main camp of the Northern Barbarian Army commanded by A-Ly-Khat (Power B+), Mong Nuong (Dream Maiden) returned to meet the Great Lightning Bird Archmage (A+), who was also her teacher.

  "Forgive me, Master," Dream Maiden (A) said. "I have failed the mission you assigned to me."

  She then recounted everything that had occurred within the dream realm, hiding nothing—including her love for the Doanh Thuong Hien (Prince Hien) and her desire to leave the military. The Archmage was neither angry nor sad, speaking only with gentleness: "You are my beloved disciple; you are free to come and go. From the beginning, I never bound you. You came of your own will, and now you may leave of your own will."

  Dream Maiden bowed and stepped outside the tent. The Great Lightning Bird Archmage called out, "A-Ly-Khat, my son, come out."

  A-Ly-Khat emerged from the shadows, his heart heavy with an indescribable sadness. Previously, Dream Maiden had wanted to marry him, but he felt he was not yet worthy and asked her to wait. He had intended to use all the spoils of this war as a gift for her, but now his dreams were shattered. She no longer loved him; she wanted to leave the army and leave him forever.

  The Archmage spoke: "I told you before, do not be too proud. Since ancient times, when a woman marries, she does not need a dowry; rather, it is the woman who must be provided for. But you insisted on striving for fame and merit, exhausting yourself. I do not want any major trouble to happen here. If you want to keep her, do it now. If she leaves this time, she will never return."

  A-Ly-Khat bowed his head in silence and walked out gloomily. Knowing Dream Maiden loved roasted meat, he went to the storehouse and took out dragon and phoenix meat, marinating them with salt and spices. At the camp gate, he built a fire and began roasting. The aroma wafted everywhere, but no soldier dared join him, knowing this food was not meant for them.

  After gathering her belongings, Dream Maiden stepped out of her tent to return to her village. She caught the scent of the meat and heard the melodious, haunting song of A-Ly-Khat, which brought back memories of their beautiful days together.

  Dream Maiden slowly approached and sat by the fire. She took a skewer of meat and drank a fragrant milk wine. Swaying to the music, she raised her clear voice to harmonize with A-Ly-Khat. They remained as they were in the past—the most wonderful singing duo, enchanting everyone who heard them. That entire night, the camp was filled with singing and dancing. Everyone was happy.

  However, as dawn broke, Dream Maiden stood up and departed without a word. She did not hate A-Ly-Khat, but her mind was now filled only with the Prince Hien, her children, and a place of peace. This was unlike the dream world of A-Ly-Khat, which was filled with anger, resentment, and endless competition. In his head, there was only war.

  Dream Maiden met Shaman Bach Dieu (White Bird) (A), an elder of the tribe who was waiting outside the camp. She sighed and asked, "Elder, is there any way for the Immortal Kingdom (Northern Enemy) and the Jewel Kingdom to have peace?"

  Shaman Bach Dieu replied, "It is not that simple. This is a fundamental conflict of ideology. The southern kingdoms follow a Patrilineal tradition (the father is the head of the family). We follow a Matrilineal tradition (the mother is the head). These two ideologies clash like fire and water, heaven and earth. In their land, a man can have many wives, but a woman cannot have many husbands. In our land, a woman is permitted to have many husbands. This is the main conflict."

  "But we all lived together before," Dream Maiden argued. "We share a common ancestor in the Saint of Jewel Mountain. Why could we harmonize then but not now?"

  "True," Bach Dieu said. "Both great nations share the same ancestor, but in the Jewel Kingdom, they have hidden this information. It has become a mere legend, an oral tale excluded from their books."

  "Why?" Dream Maiden asked innocently.

  "Because the Saint of Jewel Mountain was a woman. She once held the title of Dream Maiden, just like you."

  Dream Maiden asked excitedly, "What was she like? Tell me more. How did the southern kingdoms manage to devalue women? We are skillful, strong, and capable of giving birth, while most men are just oversized children who like to fight over toys."

  "You are young and do not yet fully understand men," Bach Dieu cautioned. "Do not judge hastily. Men and women are two sides of the same coin, inseparable. This will take you a long time to understand. Do not toy with their emotions."

  The Bach Dieu sighed and began telling ancient tales of women who destroyed nations, beautiful fox spirits, and girls who incited jealousy and war. Men killed each other simply out of the desire for a beautiful woman.

  "In all those legends," Bach Dieu noted, "they shift the responsibility onto the women rather than accepting it themselves. That is how men are; they do not know how to admit fault because doing so is shameful, weak, and humiliating. So, they blame others—especially women."

  Dream Maiden remarked, "And we blame demons, habits, and everything else. We never admit we are wrong either."

  Bach Dieu laughed. "Exactly. We never admit we are wrong, whether male or female. That is why we suffer."

  While their conversation was lively, A-Ly-Khat sat in a distant corner. Initially, he intended to follow Dream Maiden to ask her to stay. But seeing Shaman Bach Dieu, he stopped and listened. He only heard what he wanted to hear; the talk of peace between the two nations irritated him. He didn't hate peace, but he understood Dream Maiden's intent: she wanted peace so she could go see her lover—that handsome, fair-skinned man (the Prince Hien).

  He left in a rage, muttering, "You stole everything from me, so you must die."

  A-Ly-Khat began intensive training. He constantly consumed dragon meat and organized more dragon hunts to quickly break through to a power level equivalent to Core Formation (A) to prepare for the upcoming battle with the Prince Hien. His cultivation method was the Rage Dragon Blood Technique, using anger combined with dragon blood and meat as a medium to forge an incredibly tough body with high recovery capabilities. He could transform into a dragon; due to his compatibility with the Black Dragon, his transformation resulted in a mature Black Dragon.

  During that same period, the Prince Hien also began his cultivation. He had previously absorbed White Dragon Blood but hadn't refined it immediately, letting it settle gradually. However, after his intimacy with Dream Maiden, his blood energy surged violently, forcing him into immediate cultivation. He had to refine it or expel it; otherwise, he would suffer dragon blood poisoning or explode. Both paths led to death.

  His cultivation method was Majestic Dragon Blood Technique, using bloodline superiority to suppress those with greater bloodlines, weakening and exhausting them, or even knocking them unconscious to follow his command. This was an excellent choice because his main offensive power came from Dragon-attribute soul treasures, while his personal abilities were focused on defense.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  The Jewel Kingdom and the Northern Enemy remained in a stalemate for nearly a year. Neither side achieved a clear victory, constantly losing and reclaiming territory. As winter arrived, the weather became harsh. War became extremely dangerous for both sides due to logistics difficulties and weather-related accidents. Consequently, two-thirds of the Northern army retreated to their smaller tribes. Only A-Ly-Khat and his allies remained, with a force of about 100,000. As a people accustomed to ice and snow, they intended to use the weather to launch a surprise attack.

  The Prince Hien, holding over 250,000 troops, had remained on the defensive. He used complex tactics to stall for time, using Flying Horses (Pegasi) to support besieged cities with food and water, allowing them to hold out for the year. The members of the Mac Family were the greatest contributors to these defenses. They constantly upgraded siege engines and turned small hills into fortified observation posts and defensive forts. The Prince Hien even established many Mac Family schools for soldiers and civilians to increase their city defense capabilities.

  A-Ly-Khat took advantage of a whiteout blizzard. He sent a 10,000-man cavalry unit to circle around the rear to intercept grain supplies, using sound, fog, and dust magic to create the illusion of 100,000 troops. When word reached the Prince Hien, he immediately dispatched his two strongest commanders, Aeris and Vuong Khac Dich, with the Flying Horse units and the Tiger-Leopard Army, totaling nearly 100,000 troops.

  However, this was a feint. A-Ly-Khat's main objective was the central command where the Prince Hien was stationed. He led nearly 100,000 troops against the 100,000 defenders. His vanguard was the elite Half-Dragon Army, all of whom could transform into Half-Dragons with scales covering their bodies and superior strength and speed.

  A-Ly-Khat was reckless. Crossing the river at night, he and the Half-Dragon Army scaled the walls and destroyed the defensive barriers. Once the gates were breached, they charged toward the main camp. Silver Beard mobilized the army to block them, gathering earth and stone to transform into a giant golem five stories tall. Its left hand fired boulders while its right hand became a stone blade. Occasionally, he summoned smaller man-sized golems to stall the enemy. A-Ly-Khat and his guards maneuvered through the chaos, searching for the Prince Hien, but found nothing.

  Suddenly, a massive pressure descended from above, freezing the enemies in their tracks. It felt as though a great dragon had appeared; many lost consciousness and fell. The Prince Hien was hovering in the air, supported by the Dragon Sinew (Heaven-Binding Ribbon). He held the White Light Dragon Spear, his mask circling around him alongside numerous floating stones.

  He looked down and commanded: "Drop your weapons and retreat immediately!"

  The pressure from the Prince Hien's Majestic Dragon Blood was overwhelming, crushing the enemy's will to fight. It was especially potent against those who had consumed dragon meat and blood. Even the Half-Dragon Army was severely affected. Many soldiers began to flee in terror.

  But soon, a Dragon's Roar echoed through the city. A-Ly-Khat transformed into a black dragon with leathery wings and a spiked tail. He flew up to snap at the Prince Hien, who dodged just in time. An intense aerial battle erupted, while chaos reigned on the ground.

  The Prince Hien and A-Ly-Khat were of equal cultivation and used similar dragon-blood-based fighting styles. Both possessed Dragon Might and Dragon Scales. Both were dragon hunters who knew the strengths and weaknesses of their prey. They clashed violently. A-Ly-Khat, in full dragon form, breathed fire and used powerful claws and tail strikes. He also controlled ice and water, creating explosive combinations of frost and flame. The Prince Hien was clad in dragon scales and a dragon-scale robe, with white flames providing recovery. Supported by soul treasures, he used the Dragon Sinew for flight and evasion, the mask for stone projectiles, and the Dragon Spear to activate the Mother Dragon’s curse. Their collisions sent sparks flying like clashing metal.

  Realizing the battle was too dangerous for soldiers and civilians, the Prince Hien flew higher toward a deserted area. He asked the Dragon Sinew, "Do you have enough strength to bind this dragon?"

  "He is too large," the Dragon Sinew replied. "What do you want to do?"

  "I want him to fall into that empty field."

  The Dragon Sinew flew off, tying itself to the dragon's wings to make it lose balance. It also bound the dragon's mouth. The dragon plummeted, and the Prince Hien followed. Lifted by the Dragon Spear, the Prince Hien dropped onto the dragon's position and pierced a hole in its chest, drawing blood.

  A-Ly-Khat, in his black dragon form, let out a massive roar of pain. His tail whipped around, striking the Prince Hien and sending him flying through several layers of rock. "Die! You stole everything from me! Revenge! Revenge!" He struggled and rolled, eventually biting the Dragon Sinew in half and tossing it away. The ribbon shortened itself and flew back to its master.

  The Prince Hien stepped out from the cliffside, laughing. "Haha! A man who specializes in robbing others is angry because he was robbed? I haven't stolen anything from you. This is the first time we've even met."

  "Die, you chatterbox!" A-Ly-Khat roared, unleashing a massive torrent of fire. The Rage Dragon Blood was taking full effect; his power grew as his blood boiled, but his mind was losing control, leading to a frenzied, uncontrollable attack.

  Meanwhile, the Great Lightning Bird Archmage was in the city, fighting Silver Beard. This time, Silver Beard was not weaker, as the city’s energy towers provided a constant supply of power. Although the Archmage’s Lightning magic countered his Earth magic, he held his ground.

  Aeris and Vuong Khac Dich, having been forewarned of the Northern tactics, had doubled back after traveling only a third of the way. Both used Meridian Point Striking to temporarily boost their power from Foundation Establishment (B+) to Core Formation (A) for one day, though they would be left paralyzed for at least ten days afterward. Together with Silver Beard, they coordinated an attack on the Archmage.

  The Archmage found it strange. Normally, the Prince Hien was a cautious commander, yet he had seemingly fallen for a trap and led 100,000 troops to save a granary. Suspecting a counter-trap, she had stationed an ambush outside the city. However, she did not retreat immediately because she couldn't see her son, who had disappeared from the aerial battle. Her hesitation led to many of her troops being surrounded and captured.

  As the Prince Hien fought A-Ly-Khat, a flock of Lightning Birds arrived. Their wingbeats were deafening like thunder, and electricity filled the air, though they seemed weaker than usual. The Star Dance System announced in a dry tone: "New opponent detected: Great Lightning Bird Archmage. Currently weakened by injuries. 90% probability of complete binding using Heaven-Binding Ribbon. Recommendation: Use her as a hostage to force the Black Dragon’s surrender. Success probability increases from 45% to 75%."

  The Prince Hien smiled. "That's more like it."

  He flew toward the flock and threw the Heaven-Binding Ribbon. The Dragon Sinew quickly found the specific Lightning Bird the Archmage had transformed into and bound her. The entire flock vanished; her magic was sealed, and she fell toward the earth. The Prince Hien placed his Dragon Spear at her throat and shouted, "Surrender! If you resist, I will kill your mother!"

  A-Ly-Khat reverted to human form. "Fine. I surrender. Release my mother."

  The Heaven-Binding Ribbon created another set of bindings for A-Ly-Khat. He sneered, "Do you really think you can hold me with this?"

  The Prince Hien laughed. "Of course not, but it's for everyone's peace of mind."

  The Prince Hien gathered all the prisoners, confiscated their armor and weapons, and spoke: "I do not want war. I want peace. Why do we not trade together? I guarantee you will be well-fed and never suffer hunger again."

  A-Ly-Khat replied, "You are the victor; you can say whatever you want. The law of the Steppe dictates that the winner has the right, no matter how unjust. The loser must accept it."

  "I am not a man of the Steppe," the Prince Hien said. "My rule is fairness: buy and sell fairly, with no lies."

  The prisoners remained silent, their faces etched with disbelief. Seeing this, the Prince Hien added, "Terror can create peace for ten years, but fairness creates peace for a hundred. Men, bring out the food!"

  Food was immediately served to everyone. Though hesitant at first, they eventually ate. Afterward, the Prince Hien released them all, providing warm clothes and provisions, though he kept their weapons and horses.

  Some time later, the Great Lightning Bird Archmage returned to the North and convened a meeting of over 120 tribes to establish a peace and trade treaty with the Southern Kingdom. This agreement created a trade route stretching from North to South, ushering in a period of peace that lasted nearly a hundred years between the two great nations.