Night fell like ink, and the murderous atmosphere of Dragon Valley gradually dissipated.
The frost that had covered the ground silently retreated; the frozen flowers and grasses unfurled again, and frightened small beasts shook off the shattered ice and fled in a panic.
Not a single leaf had withered from the frost—neither plants nor living creatures had been hard under the Silver Dragon’s fierce wrath.
The red iron dragon’s pupils contracted slightly.
This was not a sign of insufficient power; rather, it proved Frostmark’s near-perfect control over ice power.
As a lawful and benevolent dragon, even in his wrath he upheld his code, sparing even the smallest lives.
Only Garoth, as the main target, had endured soul-piercing cold; the recoil from shattering the ice crystals had left his Frostburst Scales pocked with fractures.
“He’s probably not just a vigorous adult at two hundred luo; his life level might be 19, not 18.”
A level-19 Silver Dragon... if he wanted to contest for dominance, the convergence lands would long ago no longer be governed by the four tribes—they’d only survive by relying on dragonfire.
“Good thing ice resistance is no longer a weakness... If I were an ordinary young red dragon, I’d probably have been severely injured just now.”
Garoth breathed a private sigh of relief while considering the Frostburst Scales’ flaw.
They rely on absorbing heat rather than conjuring cold from nothing.
That ans fire-based attacks can help him accumulate heat, but pure extre cold or ultra-low-temperature attacks that don’t carry heat can neutralize his heat-absorption effect.
“The path to evolution is rugged and long. My Frostburst Scales are far from perfect; they have flaws and weaknesses.”
“How long until an ultimate flawless dragon is achieved... I wonder.”
Garoth thought silently.
At the sa ti, Frostmark Edri folded his wings and hovered in midair, lowering his head as a scrutinizing look passed through his silver eyes. “Reforming the convergence lands? Red iron cub, do you know how much blood and death have soaked this realm?”
“Order isn’t sothing you can create with a single sentence.”
Garoth did not argue with the Silver Dragon; instead he spoke earnestly: “Precisely because of that, I choose to act.”
He paused slightly, lifting his head. Calm with a glint of ambition at the edge of his expression, he said, “Those insect-like creatures—how could they possibly govern the convergence lands properly?”
“Only by sweeping them all away. When I beco the king of the convergence lands, I will bring order and end the chaos and conflict here.”
Talking about order alone would sound hollow and insincere.
Showing a bit of ambition at this mont made him seem more genuine.
“King of the convergence lands?”
Edri’s gaze narrowed slightly as he said, “Red iron cub, your tone is rather bold. I dwell in the convergence lands and belong here as well, and you want to be the lord of the convergence lands—”
A cold sneer leaked from between the Silver Dragon’s fangs: “—you an I should bow to you and call you master?!”
The misunderstanding was resolved.
But thinking about Deborah’s deceit and the fact that she had stood in front of this red iron dragon to block him still stoked anger in Edri’s heart.
It wasn’t the anger of a tal dragon at an evil dragon, but the fierce, paternal fury of a father seeing his beloved child oppose him for the sake of another dragon.
Even if the other side weren’t an evil dragon but a tal dragon, he would still be angry.
He was not a foolish White Scales; he was a noble, intelligent Silver Dragon.
Edri’s gaze sharpened, and it was not hard to see that the brass-silver dragon had already fallen for this red iron dragon—otherwise she wouldn’t have hidden things from him and stood before him like she did.
Thinking of Deborah’s once-obedient deanor compared to her wary stance now made his temper flare.
He tried to hold back, but the more he thought, the angrier he beca.
The Silver Dragon felt as if a fla burned in his chest.
But as a lawful dragon, he still followed his principles; he would not assault a young dragon without concrete cause.
So he was looking for a reason to provoke Garoth.
He wanted to incite the red iron dragon to show the arrogant, cruel side of an evil dragon and speak insolently—then he would have justification to beat him silly.
Under the Silver Dragon’s icy scrutiny, Garoth vaguely sensed ill intent.
Deeply attuned to dragon nature, he could roughly guess Edri’s thoughts and feelings at the mont.
“I can hand over the position of lord of the convergence lands.”
Garoth smiled faintly, open and carefree: “I believe tal dragons can bring order here as well. When that ti cos, I only ask for a corner to rest.”
It was like striking a heavy fist into a puff of cotton.
The Silver Dragon’s eyebrow twitched; he exhaled a long breath and then said:
“I’m not interested in governing territory.”
Both gold and silver dragons liked order, but they weren’t good at managing lands or dealing with trivial affairs; more often they preferred to be guardians of order rather than its creators or lawmakers.
“Red iron cub, you want to be king of the convergence lands and bring order? Fine—I won’t stop you. I’ll even bear witness.”
At that, the Silver Dragon’s tone shifted and darkened a few degrees: “But if your existence only brings more chaos to the convergence lands, I will make you understand what price a usurping tal dragon must pay.”
Black-silver scales reflected a faint light, and Garoth lightly tapped his forehead forward: “Just wait and see.”
Sensing the determination in the red iron dragon’s words, the Silver Dragon’s expression softened slightly.
He surveyed Dragon Valley with his gaze, then folded his wings and slowly descended to the ground. Deborah and the Brass Dragon Serena also landed.
Soon after, a white shimr appeared and flickered across their bodies.
The large Silver and Brass dragons were using transformation magic; their bodies slowly shrank.
“The open ground in Dragon Valley is wide enough; there’s no need to reveal true giant dragon forms.”
Garoth said.
“Oh, stepping on flowers and grass isn’t good either. Being too large can be inconvenient sotis. From now on—” Serena had intended to continue, thinking Garoth would understand, but halted mid-sentence when she saw his imposing figure.
A young adolescent red iron dragon doesn’t equal an adult in size.
Yet his robustness was astonishing.
Both the Silver Dragon and the Brass Dragon were over three hundred years old adults, but in all their long years they had never seen a Garoth so exaggeratedly muscular.
Edri’s face was elfin and handso, his eyes a touch narrow and thus sharp; his long silver-white hair was bound with ice-crystal hair clasps, and a faceted gem like an ice spirit dangled from his left ear. Even when not smiling, he gave the impression of an iceberg—an appearance that was undeniably extraordinary.
“The records in the legacy were right—Silver Dragons truly are the most handso and elegant among the major dragon lineages.”
Garoth looked at the Silver Dragon’s humanoid form and barely shook his head, thinking, “He’s just a bit too slight—doesn’t look very muscular.”
Muscles like forged iron, sinews like cast steel.
Powerful! Dominant! Intimidating!
Even just standing there in silence made one sense terrifying strength... Garoth personally preferred that kind of image.
Serena stood beside Edri; she was far less noble than the Silver Dragon but pretty and playful, her face dotted with freckles, skin fine and honey-colored, eyes bright with youthful energy.
If one didn’t know she was over two hundred years old, Garoth would have thought her a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl.
“Red Iron Dragon, Deborah ntioned you before. I rember you were in the Ser Wilderness. Why did you co to the convergence lands?” Serena asked, not knowing what the red iron dragon was thinking.
“You may call by my na—Garoth.”
“Coming to the convergence lands was out of necessity. In the Ser Wilderness I was suppressed, driven out, and hunted by bounties placed by human nobles.”
Garoth answered.
There was no hint of grievance or rage in his voice—only a calm born of weathering storms.
Deborah blinked and explained for Garoth: “When he was in the Ser Wilderness, he secretly controlled a trade route, curbed monsters from harming people, established rules, and governed things neatly.”
“But human nobles used huge taxes to squeeze him.”
“Helpless, he had to choose mutual destruction—abandon his foundation in the Ser Wilderness and co to the harsher, more remote convergence lands, far from humans.”
She looked straight at her parents and spoke slowly and earnestly: “Father, Mother.”
“You always say evil dragons are born from their environnt.”
“Garoth suffered much prejudice, but he wasn’t twisted by it. He is far from the stereotypical evil dragon. I’ve never seen him slaughter the weak or revel in bloodshed.”
“He prefers a peaceful life, likes to focus on training, lives by a routine, and is never lazy.”
“The world holds bias and opposes him, yet he doesn’t bla it. He accepts reality calmly, survives cautiously, and adapts silently.”
So this is how Deborah saw him.
Garoth remained silent and listened quietly.
He felt Deborah had perhaps idealized him a bit, but overall she wasn’t far off—and he accepted that praise with equanimity.
User Comments
0 comments from readers