Convergence Lands, Dragon Valley.
It was already deep night, and news of the Venomtail Tribe's loyalty and submission after being disciplined had reached the red iron dragon's ears. The specific details had been conveyed to Garoth by the iron dragon Sorog through their bloodline connection.
"Well done."
Garoth didn't hesitate to offer praise, responding through their ntal link.
Since becoming a Mind Sorcerer, the iron dragon's thinking had grown increasingly ticulous, his actions more thorough and comprehensive. He was gradually becoming qualified as the Molten Iron Tribe's administrator, essentially becoming Garoth's "external brain." Most of the tedious tasks Garoth didn't want to waste ti on were directly handed over to Sorog for processing.
"Sa as before - disband the Venomtail Tribe."
"Assign the serpentfolk warriors, sorcerers, shamans... to different Warhosts based on their specialties. Only retain those ordinary serpentfolk without combat skills."
Garoth instructed.
The Molten Iron Tribe was an entity that had unified multiple clans and tribes, with internal clan distinctions long since erased.
The various Warhosts were mixed formations based on characteristics rather than race.
However, due to the vast differences in habits among different creatures, unless in military environnts, normal coexistence was difficult. Ordinary tribe mbers therefore gathered in species-based groups like the ogre clans and centaur clans, serving as logistics support, population sources, and so on.
"Understood."
The iron dragon responded concisely, preparing to end the communication.
But just then, the red iron dragon's voice ca through with a hint of mischief, curious as he asked: "How was the taste of the serpent woman?"
The iron dragon...
Recalling his earlier praise to the serpent woman about the red iron dragon's unshakable will, steel-like resolve, and freedom from vulgar interests... he fell speechless for a mont, wanting to retract his previous words.
Without answering this vulgar question, the iron dragon directly ended the conversation.
"Garoth, co play riddles with ."
The brass-silver dragon's voice ca from nearby.
Garoth had just finished a round of training and was resting. He had wanted to empty his mind and enjoy so quiet, but considering the tal dragon sugar mommy had just given him two dragon blood magical dicines, he couldn't be too cold toward her.
"Alright, you go first."
Garoth said.
The brass-silver dragon seed to have prepared long ago, without hesitation or delay, imdiately saying:
"I was born deep within the earth, my body tempered by fierce flas; dull when light is absent, brilliant when illumination arrives."
"Emperors set in their crowns, poets praise as eternal tears; those who touch are wealthy or noble, those who lose are left with only sorrow."
After pausing briefly, the brass-silver dragon asked expectantly: "What am I?"
A very straightforward riddle.
"Gemstone."
Garoth answered.
"Correct! Right answer!"
The brass-silver dragon seed to cheer, then extended her opened claw before Garoth.
The red iron dragon blinked, puzzled: "Is sothing wrong?"
The brass-silver dragon snorted lightly, reminding him: "My gems, the gems you promised . You still haven't given them to yet."
Garoth had previously promised that during the major battle, the brass-silver dragon would receive ten gems as reward for guarding Dragon Valley.
"Oh."
The red iron dragon showed an expression of sudden realization, saying: "Sorry, I forgot earlier."
As he spoke, he took ten magic gems of various colors from his spatial ring, hesitated slightly, then gritted his teeth and handed them to the brass-silver dragon.
Watching the brass-silver dragon cheerfully accept the gems.
Garoth felt a sense of loss, but also a wave of pleasure and satisfaction.
Losing wealth instinctively pained him, but being able to give away ten gems at once ant his resistance training against wealth was showing results.
However, ten gems didn't seem to be his limit yet.
Taking a deep breath.
Garoth tremblingly took out another gem with shaking arms, giving it to the brass-silver dragon: "Those were the promised ones. This one is my personal gift to you, as a small..."
Before he could finish, the brass-silver dragon's tail coiled around and snatched the gem away, rubbing it against her cheek.
"Ah, what a beautiful little thing. I like it very much."
The brass-silver dragon made content and satisfied sounds.
Garoth took several deep breaths, gradually calming his mind, slowly suppressing the desire to snatch it back. When his thoughts regained peace, he asked: "Deborah, you should have many precious things. Why are you still so obsessed with gems?"
The dragon blood magical dicine Deborah had given him earlier.
While not as dragon-pleasing as gems, its true value certainly exceeded a thousand magic gems.
"It's different. Parents don't directly give treasures."
She blinked playfully, saying: "Besides, gems I earn myself are more beautiful, hehe. Especially those earned from a mixed-blood evil dragon like you - they're even more beautiful."
When before her tal dragon parents, Deborah had defended the red iron dragon, stubbornly claiming he wasn't evil.
But when the two were alone together.
She frequently called Garoth an evil dragon.
This behavior seed sowhat contradictory, but Garoth didn't mind, not taking it to heart, letting her use the "evil dragon" title freely.
After taking Garoth's gems.
The brass-silver dragon condensed a delicate, sparkling ice crystal bracelet, stringing the gems together, then directly wearing it on her wrist. As her wrist turned, gem after gem refracted dazzling brilliance under the moonlight.
"Wealth shouldn't be flaunted."
Garoth reminded: "Deborah, you're being too flashy like this. Be careful of getting robbed."
The brass-silver dragon happily humd, stating sothing terrifying in simple terms: "Anyone who dares rob my gem bracelet, I'll directly beat them to death with my spell-inscribed scale."
Imdiately after getting the gems, the brass-silver dragon didn't continue playing riddles with Garoth.
She waved her dragon wings, flying to a flower bed where she woke the faerie dragon Vira who was sleeping on a flower.
"Vira, Vira, look here - are my scales fading a bit?"
The brass-silver dragon extended her wrist, almost pressing it against the faerie dragon's face.
The faerie dragon drowsily rubbed her eyes.
"Your scales are fading? Let see..."
When the faerie dragon clearly saw the gems the brass-silver dragon was wearing, her voice cut off abruptly, then she swooshed over, only to be caught by the quick-reacting brass-silver dragon who grabbed her tail, preventing her from approaching the gem bracelet.
Garoth glanced a few tis, then withdrew his gaze from the showing-off brass-silver dragon.
Imdiately after, he took out an expensive high-grade ssage stone, asking: "How are the preparations going for the monastery in the Lothrian Kingdom?"
A response ca quickly from the other side.
"The basic frawork is already set up. It won't be long before completion."
This voice ca from the leader of the Gem rchant Consortium - Nick.
Since awakening, Garoth and Nick had frequently communicated, directing him to handle matters for Garoth in the Federation nations.
Now Nick rarely personally handled rchant ship transportation, leaving such trade to his forr apprentice Cole, while he mainly executed Garoth's commands within the Federation.
"Take in those holess orphan boys and girls, give them suitable environnts, let them learn dragon postures."
Garoth said.
Over a decade ago, Garoth had instructed Nick to work for him in the Federation, secretly establishing so societies to attract and recruit intelligent creatures who admired dragons or were naturally drawn to them.
Initially, to screen mbers, the Gem rchant Consortium invested so wealth into this.
But as developnt continued, the societies could sustain themselves solely through mber contributions, and their scale was gradually expanding.
Not only that.
After connecting with the iron dragon Gordon, Garoth had further instructed Nick to purchase venues in the Lothrian Kingdom, build monasteries, take in orphaned and begging children, and have the previously recruited Divine Dragon Monks from within the societies responsible for teaching, imparting knowledge and skills of the divine dragon path, fostering pro-dragon sentints.
Currently, the young divine dragon apprentices couldn't provide assistance to Garoth.
But this was preparation with an eye toward the future.
Human growth speed far exceeded that of dragons, and the monk profession wasn't particularly demanding in terms of innate talent. As long as one was diligent and hardworking, with corresponding resource support, progress along the monk path wouldn't be slow.
It wouldn't take too long.
By the ti Garoth reached his youth, he might have a group of Divine Dragon Monks he could command, located deep within the southern territories, who could later beco leverage points for him to extract benefits from the Federation.
"Dragon Lord, the Divine Dragon Monks in our society awakened through chance encounters where they witnessed dragon combat postures."
"Just by learning dragon postures, even with guidance from Divine Dragon Monks, those children will find it difficult to beco employed."
Nick responded.
"Don't worry about that aspect."
"Soon a dragon will co into contact with the monastery. By observing his posture and comprehending dragon mysteries... with a real dragon as ntor, employnt as Divine Dragon Monks won't be difficult."
A true dragon could be invited in the Lothrian Kingdom?
Nick felt so surprise at Garoth's extensive capabilities, but not too much astonishnt.
This communication soon ended.
As for the dragon Garoth could invite - without a doubt, it was none other than the Iron Dragon Brother.
Gordon wasn't a confined beast in the Lothrian Kingdom.
He had certain freedoms, and even held a nominal noble title. Many citizens of the Lothrian Kingdom knew the court kept an iron dragon with status higher than so nobles.
He himself was too lazy to go out, preferring the comfortable environnt of the court.
"Only..."
Thinking of Gordon's plump physique, Garoth couldn't help but feel so doubt: "Divine Dragon Monks who beco employed by imitating Gordon's posture - their subsequent developnt won't have problems, will they?"
"The inheritance ntions that observing dragons helps with Divine Dragon Sect employnt, but subsequent developnt has little relation to the observed dragon. It should be fine, and right now there are no other options."
"...I hope it goes smoothly."
The red iron dragon collected his thoughts, beginning another round of training under the moonlight, accumulating day and night, preparing for his return to the Ser Wilderness.
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