Chapter 417 The champion is merely the threshold to seeing me, Eternal Radiance Dragon Domain
Garros stood silently on the high ground, taking in the entire operation of the Dragonforged Land.
He saw the Dragon Forging Essence flowing slowly in the pool, the energy channels pulsating rhythmically, the warriors undergoing the transformation enduring pain yet remaining orderly, and the Corpse Demon Mages controlling every step... all of this constituted a picture of perfect order.
Galos nodded slowly, revealing a hint of approval.
He turned to Serafina and Ludwig, who were standing solemnly to the side, and said, "The Dragonforged Lands are operating quite well. You two have not disappointed me."
Upon hearing the Iron King's personal affirmation and praise, both the Black Dragon and the Green Dragon showed joy on their faces.
Immediately afterwards, they lowered their heads almost simultaneously and replied, "It's all thanks to your guidance and support! We are merely following your will, executing your blueprint, and are the claws and arms extended from your will."
Neither of them took credit for themselves; instead, they attributed all the credit to Galus, displaying an extremely upright attitude.
Galos glanced at them and said calmly, "No need to be so modest."
"Although you are still young, your contributions to the dragon horde are not to be underestimated, and have even surpassed those of many adult dragons."
Several of the little dragons he had personally saved are doing quite well now.
Black and green dragons are responsible for important dragonforging and modification projects; blue and red dragons expand the territory of the tribes in the frozen tundra.
Although the four of them are not directly involved in the war on the front lines of the wilderness, they all play important roles in the overall structure of the dragon pack.
"It is our greatest honor to receive your recognition."
The two young dragons responded in unison, their voices a mixture of awe and barely concealed joy.
Garros shifted his gaze from the area undergoing dragon-forging modifications to Seraphia. "Where is the Life Box located? Take me there."
His visit to the Longzhu base had another reason besides inspection.
Some time ago, he received a message from the black dragon Serafina.
After being nurtured in the Life Box for a long time, the soul of Charles Hines, the Flower Knight who died for him, has gradually awakened from chaos and regained clear consciousness.
A few minutes later, guided by the two young dragons, the Red Iron Dragon stepped into a heavily guarded secret room.
In the center of the room, the familiar life box sat quietly.
Red Iron Dragon stepped forward, extended its sharp claws, and slowly opened the lid of the Life Box.
As a wave of cold, negative energy surged, a rather solid phantom of a soul emerged from the box. Its appearance was none other than that of the Flower Knight, Charles Hines, who had fallen in the Battle of Gorsas.
He glanced at the red iron dragon with a blank look at it for a few moments, then his gaze gradually focused and brightened.
"Lord Garros..."
The voice emanating from the soul was ethereal and echoing, gently vibrating within the secret chamber: "To meet you again in this... ethereal state is truly an insult to you."
The phantom of the Flower Knight revealed a bitter and helpless smile.
Garus looked at him, a smile tugging at his dragon face, and said, "At least you've freed yourself from the constraints of that frail body in this way. There's not much to cherish about the short and fragile human body."
Have you ever been human? How can you be so sure that it's not worth missing?
Charles's soul longed to ask that question in return, but in the end, all his words turned into a long and complex sigh.
"I have imagined my final fate countless times..."
Charles's voice was filled with reminiscence and emotion, "Perhaps he died peacefully amidst the weeping of his children and grandchildren after his lifespan had come to an end; or perhaps he fought a fierce battle against an evenly matched opponent, and after a brutal struggle, he ultimately fell short and died a glorious death."
"But I never expected that my end would be to be killed in one blow and shattered to pieces."
He shrugged helplessly, though the gesture seemed rather strange for a soul. "You're right, the human body does have its limits; it's far too fragile."
Looking back on that battle, Sharl's swordsmanship and attacks did hit the berserk red dragon Gorsas, and even left wounds on several occasions. However, those were nothing more than minor superficial injuries to the thick-skinned dragon.
He himself was instantly shattered to pieces by a single solid frontal attack from his opponent.
At this moment, the Red Iron Dragon slowly spoke, asking the crucial question: "So, do you now wish to return to the earth and find peace and reincarnation, or are you willing to continue living in your current state?"
If he chooses death, given the resilience of his soul, there is a very high probability that he will be attracted to a higher plane, and may even be reborn as a naturally powerful celestial being.
But the price is that all his memories from his previous life will be completely erased, and all connections with his past will be severed.
As for continuing to exist as a soul, apart from a few extremely special secret techniques, the most common way is to transform into an undead, but the price is also very heavy.
Charles's illusory soul trembled slightly, then fell into silence and hesitation.
A few seconds later, he looked up and asked with a glimmer of hope, "My wife, Beverly... is she alright? Is she still alive?"
Galos nodded slightly.
Before coming here, he had specifically inquired about the situation of the relevant family members.
“Your wife Beverly has undergone dragonforging,” Garros stated calmly. “She remains youthful and vibrant, and she has given birth to a son and a daughter for you, a human boy and a snake-woman girl who inherited her bloodline. They now live in Riverwood, serving as local sheriffs and contributing to maintaining order in the tribe.”
The Charles fought to the death for him, and he instructed the Iron Dragon Sorog to treat his widow and children well.
Unfortunately, although Sharl's offspring are more gifted than ordinary humans or snake people and have reached the leader level, they have not inherited their father's amazing talent.
Currently, among the many familiars, only Gluttony Karu and Elvie have the potential to reach the Legendary level.
They are currently level 18 and 19 respectively, and their life level increases faster than ordinary dragons. One has just been assigned to the mineral-rich northeastern region to oversee the situation, while the other is responsible for suppressing the abyssal rift. They are the two strongest leaders of the dragon pack's followers.
The Snake Woman Sword Saint, who was originally stronger than them, is still at level 17, having reached her limit.
Moreover, the snake-woman swordswoman who was originally stationed at the border has been transferred to the wilderness to assist Sorog in handling various affairs, and in a sense, she is his "secretary".
Meanwhile, after hearing Garos's description of his family's current situation, Ciel's illusory soul was clearly stunned.
Although the soul does not need to breathe, he took a deep breath and said firmly, "I want to live on, to continue to exist."
This answer did not surprise Galus.
Giving up the remaining ties and attachments in the world is an incredibly difficult thing for those who value relationships.
“Very well.” Hong Tielong said in a deep voice, “In that case, I can give you two specific choices.”
"First, I will provide some rare materials to help you transform into a powerful undead creature. But you should be aware of the cost and side effects—you will gradually lose most of your emotions over time and begin to hate all living beings."
"Secondly, I know of a legendary item called 'Hall of Heroes,' which is modeled after the characteristics of the Heroic Realm. You can use it to transform into a Heroic Spirit and continue to exist. However, this item is currently in the hands of a legendary divine messenger, and I am not entirely sure what the specific drawbacks of transforming into a Heroic Spirit are."
Ciel cannot accept a version of himself that will eventually hate his wife and children and lose all his warm memories.
He smiled and said, "Heroic spirits... in any case, they sound infinitely better than undead."
"We've waited all these years, I don't mind waiting a little longer."
He paused, his voice filled with unwavering conviction, and continued, "Moreover, I believe that whatever you desire will eventually fall into your hands, and even legendary beings cannot hinder your will."
After a period of time.
The red iron dragon flapped its wings and returned to the border, back to Dragon Valley.
Besides the metallic dragon Deborah, the copper dragon Serena was also present, talking to Deborah.
As the massive body of the Red Iron Dragon crashed down, Serena's gaze immediately shifted to it.
Garros glanced around but didn't see the silver dragon Edley, so he directly asked the bronze dragon, "Didn't Uncle Edley come with you this time?"
Deborah shook her head slightly, answering for her mother.
"My father's prime slumber is about to begin, so he has returned to the Metal Dragon Domain to prepare for this slumber."
Upon hearing this, Red Iron Dragon smiled knowingly and said, "Then, I would like to congratulate Uncle Edley in advance and wish him a breakthrough to the legendary realm after this slumber."
When they last met, Edley had already reached level 20.
After another period of dormancy during his prime, with the Silver Dragon's talent and the accumulation of experience during that time, breaking through to the legendary realm is almost a certainty.
At that time, Edley will officially join the ranks of the old dragons.
“Your Uncle Edley was thinking of you before he left.”
Serena said with a smile, "He asked me to tell you to be extra careful in your actions during this time and try not to provoke any powerful enemies that are difficult to deal with. Once he wakes up, he will be able to support you. Of course, before that, he wants to spar with you again."
Galus had only recently emerged from his slumber of youth.
According to the normal growth trajectory of a dragon, it needs to go through at least one more adult slumber, approaching the stage of a mature dragon, before it can possibly reach the legendary level, which usually takes a long time.
Therefore, it is reasonable for Yinlong to offer his support.
Garros nodded and replied, "I am happy to accept and enjoy the protection of the metal dragon."
"As for sparring, that's fine too."
The atmosphere in the valley was harmonious and relaxed.
After chatting for a while, Serena seemed to suddenly remember something important. She abruptly changed the subject and, with a hint of excitement and encouragement, extended an invitation to Red Iron Dragon.
"By the way, Garos! The competition jointly organized by the five major dragon domains will begin in a few years. This is a golden opportunity for young dragons to make a name for themselves. Do you want to give it a try?"
She was unaware of the deal between Garos and the Golden Dragon Orvis.
Before Galos could answer, Serena continued with great interest, "You may not know this, but the rules of this competition are a bit special. It is said that the final champion, selected through rounds of competition, only earns the right to 'challenge' another mysterious dragon."
"Doesn't that sound outrageous? It's practically using the champion as a stepping stone."
"After the news spread, the younger generation of the various dragon domains were greatly stimulated. They were all indignant and wanted to know what kind of dragon it was and how powerful it was that made the competition rules change for it."
At this point, the bronze dragon, with a smug, urging, "So, Garos?"
"Don't you want to go and meet that mysterious dragon, teach him a lesson yourself, and see if he lives up to his name? I believe that with your strength, you can easily obtain the challenge qualification and win the final reward and honor."
Galos fell silent, his expression on his massive dragon head subtle and complex.
Under the expectant and urging gaze of the bronze dragon, he slowly spoke, his tone somewhat strange.
“That mysterious dragon… I happen to know it.”
Upon hearing this, Serena's eyes lit up with curiosity.
She stared intently at the red iron dragon and pressed, "You know him? Who is he? Could he be a powerful dragon lurking somewhere in the wilderness? Tell me quickly."
Red Iron Dragon slowly spread its wings and calmly stated, "He is right in front of you right now."
Upon hearing this, the bronze dragon's eyes widened instantly, its face filled with disbelief.
However, given how many surprises and unexpected events Galos had brought her, she quickly calmed down and accepted the fact.
"It was the Golden Dragon Ovis of the Fubo Dragon Domain who invited me to participate in the competition in this way."
“.”
Galos then briefly recounted the general course of events.
“I see, there’s another layer of connection behind it.” Serena clicked her tongue, digesting the information, her eyes sparkling with excitement and amusement. “Only the champion can qualify to challenge you… Tsk, Garos, whether you win or lose in the end, once the tournament is over, your name will surely resound throughout the five dragon domains and become the focus of discussion among all the young dragons.”
As she spoke, she suddenly turned her gaze to Deborah, the crimson-silver dragon, who was listening quietly to her.
Serena gave a mischievous smile: "My dear Deborah, you'd better live up to expectations. I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of outstanding offspring will be born from the union of the Iron Dragon and the Silver Dragon. Ideally, it would be as powerful and rational as Garos, and also a metal dragon."
Upon hearing this, the crimson silver dragon Deborah felt a surge of embarrassment and anger.
She turned her head away, ignoring her mother who always loved to tease her.
Serena, however, didn't seem to care. She turned her head and looked at the red iron dragon with great interest, asking, "So, Garus, what about yourself? Which bloodline do you hope your future offspring will inherit? Or do you have any preferences?"
"Do you want a five-colored dragon offspring or a metal dragon baby?"
Galos shook his head slightly, his tone calm: "It's fine, just let nature take its course."
Even so, deep down he did harbor a sliver of curiosity.
Besides the inheritance of bloodline, is it possible for one's descendants to inherit some of his unique special abilities?
"Can you change the subject?"
"I haven't even considered the possibility of a baby dragon; it's still a long way off."
The Crimson Silver Dragon issued a protest.
at the same time.
Above the distant ocean lies the 'Eternal Radiance Dragon Domain,' ruled by the Twenty-Four-Winged Golden Dragon King and renowned as the foremost of the Five Great Dragon Domains.
On a sun-drenched beach somewhere, two giant dragons are crawling.
One is a male adult golden dragon with scales as shimmering as flowing liquid gold, a well-proportioned and powerful physique; the other is a female bronze dragon with a relatively smaller physique and bluish-gray scales.
The two were talking about the competition.
"Absurd! These rules are utterly absurd!"
The bronze dragon swished its long tail in frustration, its tone filled with discontent. "The ultimate champion only gets a 'challenge' qualification? Who exactly is this so-called 'mysterious dragon'? Is it the reincarnation of the Dragon God?! Or are those legendary elders just bored and have nothing better to do than deliberately create this rule to play tricks on us?"
Compared to his companion's excitement, Jinlong appeared much calmer and more composed.
He gazed calmly at the shimmering ocean in the distance and spoke steadily: "Since the rules were jointly agreed upon by the legendary elders of the various dragon domains, there must be a deeper meaning behind them."
"That 'mysterious dragon' that has never shown its face must have something extraordinary to gain such recognition."
The bronze dragon shook his head vigorously, unable to accept this explanation.
She retorted, "No matter how extraordinary, can they be stronger than the elites nurtured by our Eternal Radiance Dragon Domain? Can they be stronger than you, Karlius?"
Upon hearing this, the golden dragon known as Karus simply smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying it.
Carius Villapellion is the full name of the Golden Dragon.
His surname, 'Veraperion', means 'eternal glory' in the language of dragons, and it is also the surname of the Golden Dragon King.
Karus belongs to the lineage of the Golden Dragon King. Moreover, not only does he inherit the bloodline from the Dragon King, but Karus also possesses a unique and powerful talent. Although his talent differs from that of the Golden Dragon King, it is still extremely strong.
That was enough to make him stand out among his peers.
In fact, almost all the young dragons considered favorites to win the championship in the five major dragon domains possess some special talents or opportunities.
Otherwise, it would be difficult to stand out among numerous competitors.
Of all these top contenders for the Dragon title, Karlus was the most famous and was originally considered the most likely to win the championship.
Now, under the new rules, he has become the most likely challenger.
(End of this chapter)
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