The Red Iron Dragon's wings beat slowly through the air, generating waves of descending air currents. He controlled his speed, descending from the battle-scarred sky like a heavy, dark crimson cloud, gradually lowering himself to the bottom of Dragon Valley.
He took a deep breath of air, then slowly exhaled.
With this cycle of inhalation and exhalation, as ti passed, those blazing, lotus-bloom patterns covering his body began to gradually fade and lighten. The heart-palpitating high temperature and aura of destruction also receded as he slowly withdrew from the massively draining Crimson Lotus Form.
As long as he wasn't in the midst of intense combat, Garoth's control over the Crimson Lotus Form grew increasingly proficient.
On the other side, the Silver Dragon Edri also folded his wings and descended from mid-air, landing opposite the Red Iron Dragon not far away.
At this mont, both dragons bore injuries that were far from light.
Because of the fierce battle just monts ago, their auras fluctuated like tides, rising and falling unsteadily.
However, comparatively speaking, although the Silver Dragon Edri was trying his utmost to keep his long, slender neck straight, attempting to maintain the composure and dignity of a tal Dragon, his actual condition appeared far more disheveled.
After all, he had just been brutally smashed into the mountain's interior monts before. Aside from the crisscrossing claw marks, ice shards, and charred black marks covering his body, his silver scales were also stained with considerable dust and shattered rock fragnts, a far cry from his usual ticulous image.
Huff—!
He found the gri on his body sowhat unbearable. Muttering a short incantation under his breath, he summoned a fresh, gentle magical wind that swirled around him, blowing across his form.
Cleaning Spell!
The invisible magical wind acted like a servant. Wherever it passed, the shattered edges of the Silver Dragon's scales, the congealed dark red bloodstains, the dull gray dust, and the sharp-edged rock fragnts were all gently swept up, peeled away, and then dissipated into the air.
In the blink of an eye, although his wounds remained and his condition was still weakened, he had at least restored that elegant, noble baseline appearance of his past, albeit now tinged with a battle-worn aesthetic.
"Magic, at certain tis, can indeed provide many conveniences."
Garoth noticed this scene, a flicker of contemplative light flashing in his eyes.
The number of spell-like abilities a dragon naturally awakens with growth is ultimately limited. To master a more diverse and powerful array of spells, one still needs to engage in systematic study and research, just like other intelligent beings.
In the past, Garoth had never seriously considered delving into any magical path.
Because learning and mastering spells required investing vast amounts of effort and long stretches of ti, and their effects were far less direct and imdiate compared to tempering the body and raising one's martial combat level.
For Garoth, who was desperate to obtain self-preservation and developntal power in the shortest possible ti back then, magic was not a priority.
But now, his thinking had loosened slightly.
Before magic reached a certain qualitative transformation point, its enhancent of direct combat power might indeed be limited. However, in other areas—such as long-distance tracking and positioning, efficient concealnt and hiding, large-scale surveillance and perception... and even convenient little spells for daily life like the Cleaning Spell—it could provide him with assistance, compensating for the shortcomings of a purely physical path.
Moreover, judging from the general growth patterns of dragonkind, the vast majority of great dragons began formally contacting and systematically studying magical knowledge precisely during their youth. Starting now was, timing-wise, quite appropriate.
"What a pity..." Garoth sighed inwardly.
"The influence of the frenzied fla follows like a shadow, constantly eroding my rationality, making it difficult for my mind to maintain prolonged calm and focus."
"And without calm and focused thought, attempting to learn and master those intricate, complex magical knowledges would only yield half the results for twice the effort. It might even lead astray due to irritation and result in backlash."
Analyzing his own condition, he thought to himself, "It seems the study of magic will have to wait until I've completely adapted to and gained control over the frenzied fla within before it can be put on the agenda."
On the other side.
Seeing that the battle between the Red Iron Dragon and the Silver Dragon had settled and the atmosphere had eased.
Serena and Deborah, the mother-daughter pair who had been observing the battle from afar, also rose to their feet.
The Brass Dragon elegantly collected the soft cushion she had spread on the ground, while Deborah, unable to wait any longer, flapped her wings and flew over with her mother toward the two main protagonists.
"It's over already? I didn't... I didn't get a completely clear look at who won in the end."
Deborah almost blurted out her true feelings of 'not having had enough fun watching,' but fortunately changed her words in ti. However, the excitent and lingering sense of wanting more flashing in her bright draconic eyes betrayed her true thoughts.
Brass Dragon Serena also wore a gentle, playful smile, her gaze shifting between the two battle-scarred dragons before finally settling on her mate.
She asked softly, "Indeed, my dear, and Garoth."
"Who ca out on top in your splendid spar?"
Hearing this soul-piercing question from his wife and daughter, the Silver Dragon Edri's long tail unconsciously swayed a few tis, and an extrely rare expression appeared on his face.
It was a look of opening his mouth to speak, yet hesitating, ultimately transforming into a slightly awkward, stamring deanor.
Directly say he won?
Saying that himself would be far too shaless.
Frankly admit he was slightly inferior?
Edri felt his face couldn't quite bear that.
He, a dignified, experienced mature Silver Dragon, defeated by a Young Dragon—and this was the second defeat after that incident many years ago... If this got out, it would likely beco a laughingstock discussed over tea in the Raging Tides Dragon Domain for centuries to co.
Maybe... just vaguely say...
'A draw.'
Just as the Silver Dragon was struggling fiercely internally, tangled over his wording, the Red Iron Dragon took the initiative to speak, his tone filled with emotion. "Lord Edri is truly worthy of being a powerful mature Silver Dragon, and undoubtedly one of the outstanding figures among the Silver Dragon race."
"Over these years, I believed I had grown considerably and made significant progress in strength. But today's battle made realize there are always greater heights, and I still cannot truly achieve victory. I was too inflated."
His expression turned serious as he continued, "And this was rely a spar with limits, where Lord Edri undoubtedly held back considerably."
"If it were a true life-or-death struggle, with a mature dragon's rich experience and endless array of thods, I would likely be lying on the ground, unable to rise, by now."
"My thanks to Lord Edri for his ticulous guidance. It has made see my true level more clearly. I won't be as unrealistic, arrogant, and radical as before, inflated by my power growth."
Edri slightly turned his head, examining the sincerely speaking Garoth.
In his eyes at this mont, the image of this young Red Iron Dragon had beco unprecedentedly pleasing.
Powerful yet not arrogant in the slightest, understanding humility.
Even more rare was how considerate he was, giving this elder dragon plenty of face.
"This child... My previous attitude towards him seems to have been overly cold and distant. Moreover, subconsciously, I might have carried so inherent prejudice against evil dragons."
Edri reflected inwardly, even feeling a twinge of guilt.
After a mont of contemplation, the Silver Dragon seed to reach a decision.
He raised a foreclaw. A faint spatial fluctuation shimred, and nine exquisitely crafted small bottles of varying materials appeared in his grasp.
They contained liquids or solids of different colors and textures, all emitting a rich magical glow.
"According to the tradition of our tal Dragon race."
"As elders, we usually give so small gifts for self-protection to promising young dragons at appropriate tis, as encouragent and expectation."
Silver Dragon Edri's voice was gentle as he said, "During our first eting, the circumstances were special, and I forgot this courtesy."
"Now, let make up for it."
"However, I don't have any excessively rare or precious treasures on . These are magical dicines I personally concocted. I hope you won't find them beneath you."
He pointed to the small bottles one by one, introducing them. "This is Saint-Dragon potion, capable of rapidly healing severe injuries in critical monts. This is Wisdom-Dragon potion, which can temporarily greatly enhance ntal agility and focus. This is Magic-Dragon potion, which can temporarily amplify spell power and mana recovery. This is Blood-Dragon potion, which can stimulate bloodline potential, enhancing physical strength and recovery... Nine types of magical dicines in total, their effects covering combat, recovery, support, and other aspects. They can all be used individually."
He paused, his tone becoming slightly more serious. "Additionally, if you have sufficient courage and use these Nine Dragon Magical dicines simultaneously, their dicinal properties will stimulate each other, producing a marvelous reaction that comprehensively enhances all your attributes for a short period, with extrely significant effects."
"But rember, doing so will be followed by a not-insignificant period of weakness. This is a powerful side effect. Therefore, it absolutely must not be used as a regular thod, nor can it be abused all at once."
Earlier, during the intense battle with Garoth, Edri had relied on the comprehensive enhancent from simultaneously consuming multiple magical dicines, combined with alchemy and ice magic, to once reverse the declining situation, forcing Garoth to activate the Bloodburst State to cope.
Garoth noticed that the set of magical dicines the Silver Dragon was presenting now—whether in terms of quality, the energy fluctuations they contained, or the comprehensiveness of their types—were superior to the ones Deborah had possessed before.
"Thank you for your generous gift."
Garoth's eyes lit up. Without hypocritical refusal, he extended a claw, accepting all nine bottles of magical dicine the Silver Dragon offered and storing them properly.
Then, with a thick-skinned expression, he asked, "Do you have any extra reserves there? I'm fairly confident in my ability to withstand side effects."
The Silver Dragon chuckled, shaking his head as he patiently explained, "You are not a Magical dicine Sorcerer. Your understanding of dicinal properties and your body's tolerance are limited."
"Using this type of magical dicine too frequently won't necessarily yield better cumulative effects. On the contrary, it might lead to dicinal efficacy accumulation, producing certain undesirable effects."
"For example, it could cause thinking to beco sluggish, reaction speed to decline, affect mory, and so on. The gains wouldn't be worth the losses."
Looking at Garoth, he continued, "Here's what we'll do. Use this set of Nine Dragon Magical dicines first, carefully experience their effects and your own reactions."
"After you've used them up, if you truly need more, you can co ask again. At that ti, based on your specific situation, I'll adjust the formula and dosage and prepare a more suitable Nine Dragon Magical dicine for you."
After this battle, the Red Iron Dragon's outstanding performance had caused a complete reversal in Silver Dragon Edri's impression of him.
The more he looked, the more pleasing he found this young Red Iron Dragon, his gaze filled with undisguised appreciation and satisfaction.
Garoth was also extrely satisfied internally.
He clearly knew that if he had possessed such a comprehensive set of high-grade magical dicines before that life-or-death battle with the Red Dragon Gorthax, the fighting process would have been much easier, possibly avoiding the outco of severe injury and deep slumber.
At this mont, in his eyes, the image of Silver Dragon Edri had also beco exceptionally pleasing and amiable.
Magical dicine Sorcerers were already an extrely rare and precious profession.
Gaining the recognition and long-term investnt of a highly accomplished mature Silver Dragon Magical dicine Sorcerer would undoubtedly bring countless benefits in the future.
"Your generous gift is engraved in my heart, but I will not take your precious magical dicines for nothing."
Garoth said with a serious tone.
"If supplents or custom orders are needed in the future, please be sure to allow to use equivalent gold coins, gemstones, rare materials, or other things you might be interested in for exchange or purchase."
Hearing this, Silver Dragon Edri gave a slight nod, the appreciation in his eyes growing stronger.
He felt Garoth was not only exceptionally talented but also understood propriety, deeply grasped the concept of proper limits, and was not a greedy, insatiable individual.
In terms of restraining desires and clarifying boundaries, he even far surpassed many young tal Dragons raised from birth within dragon domains who had received excellent educations.
A trace of regret couldn't help but well up in his heart.
Back when he first heard about this uniquely independent Red Iron Dragon from his daughter Deborah, he should have personally co to investigate.
If he could have discovered his potential and character early, taken him in as an adopted son, and devoted efforts to nurture him, how wonderful that would have been.
He already held the philosophy of guiding evil dragons towards goodness and proving the influence of nurture. And Garoth, in his view, possessed an inherently resilient and non-evil nature, making him the most suitable subject.
What a pity, what a pity!
Back then, he always thought guiding evil dragons was best started from the ignorant dragon stage, thus missing the optimal opportunity.
Now, this young Red Iron Dragon had already revealed his edge.
Looking across the entire Raging Tides Dragon Domain, among the younger generation of tal Dragons, he probably could not find a single one who could rival him in strength and potential.
In other dragon domains, there were indeed a few widely renowned, exceptionally talented young dragons, each said to possess their own unique special skills. It was unclear how they compared to Garoth.
But regardless.
The notion of taking him in as an adopted son was sothing Edri couldn't bring himself to voice now.
The gap in strength between them was no longer like that between an elder and a junior, but more like strong individuals among peers.
However, although an adopted son couldn't be made, there now seed to be other suitable avenues to establish a deeper, closer relationship with this promising Red Iron Dragon.
Thinking of this, the Silver Dragon's gaze subconsciously glanced toward his daughter Deborah.
"Father!"
Deborah imdiately caught that fleeting glance from her father.
She blinked her beautiful draconic eyes and said, "I've asked you for a complete set of Nine Dragon Magical dicines several tis before, and you always made excuses, unwilling to give them to ."
She twisted her long, slender neck, her voice sweet and pleading as she acted coquettishly. "I don't care, I want one too now."
"Please give a set! Okay?"
However, upon hearing his daughter's coquettish act, Edri's dragon face, which had just been all smiles and kindness toward Garoth, instantly stiffened, reverting to its usual dignity and sternness.
"Nonsense! What is your life level right now? And what is Garoth's life level?"
The Silver Dragon's tone was stern, carrying a lecturing tone. "Look at how Garoth diligently trains and constantly improves himself! Now look at yourself. Ask yourself, do you truly give your all in daily life? Have you been slacking? Have you been putting in effort?!"
He extended a claw, pointing at Garoth, then at his daughter, continuing, "When your growth progress and effort level truly satisfy , that's when I'll consider giving you the Nine Dragon Magical dicine as a reward."
"Until then, learn more from Garoth! See how he approaches training and growth! If you could even have half his effort and focus, your current life level would have risen by at least one more rank by now!"
Deborah was slightly stunned by her father's sudden comparison and criticism, her pretty draconic eyes widening.
Huh?
No, this isn't right!
The script shouldn't be like this!
Why was she, the biological daughter, the one being looked down upon instead?
The Silver Dragon father's 180-degree attitude shift left her montarily unable to react, standing there stunned on the spot, disheveled in the wind.
"Sigh, my poor little Deborah darling, it seems you're about to fall out of favor."
Serena extended a claw, gently patting her daughter's broad shoulder armor.
Based on her understanding of her mate.
She could roughly guess what the Silver Dragon was thinking now.
But she didn't plan to say much, because she had already admired the Red Iron Dragon long before the Silver Dragon's attitude changed.
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