Boundless Radiance

"Roar--"

A long, resounding dragon roar echoed for miles around, and the powerful dragon's might slowly descended, making everyone feel a weight on their shoulders and unable to resist the urge to prostrate themselves in worship.

"Laugh--"

A sound like the air bursting open rang out, followed by the howling of the wind.

Red Dragon, over forty meters long, flapped its wings, creating a scorching hurricane, and leaped up from the top of the Istaria Great Altar, accompanied by flashing Mars.

Sunlight shone on the Red Dragon's crimson scales, casting a thin, hazy halo over his entire body, making him appear like a deity descending to earth.

The Dragon Wing blotted out the sun, casting a huge shadow that enveloped the thousands of imperial citizens beneath it. None of the people in the shadows felt fear; instead, they were filled with excitement and a sense of immense honor.

Under the protection of the Red Dragon's wings, what might be a death sign in other regions is a symbol of glory and good fortune in the Embers of the Burned Empire.

"Keosius above"

"It's an honor."

"His Majesty, he's right above me!"

As people looked up at the sky, hundreds of thousands of eyes were focused on the magnificent and imposing dragon body, and feelings of awe and reverence arose spontaneously.

Among the shadowy crowd was a Half-elf, hooded and disguised as an imperial merchant— Li Cha, a double agent for both the Empire and the Harpers.

At this moment, he was staring blankly at the giant dragon in the sky, his expression extremely complicated, as if he had lost his soul.

"Keosius above"

Having lived as an undercover agent in the empire for several years, this phrase had even become his catchphrase, and he would say it unconsciously.

Several years ago, at that coronation ceremony that shook the continent, Li Cha understood one thing—that dragon, that Embers of the Burned Emperor, was not something that human power could defeat.

He feared he would never be able to defeat this "enemy" in his lifetime, let alone seek revenge. His only goal was to rescue Abier, return to the South, and live a peaceful life with her.

However, just now, Li Cha witnessed a scene that filled him with utter despair—

On the altar appeared a familiar figure: tall, with emerald green eyes and the pointed ears typical of Elf.

Was it her, Abier, the Elf Ranger from Serenia, the lover she longed for day and night, the one who appeared in her dreams countless times?

But now, she stood on the Istaria Great Altar, gazing fervently at the Red Dragon in the sky, awaiting the emperor's blessing.

Li Cha didn't even dare to show his disappointment and despair too obviously, and had to force a smile, otherwise he would easily be mistaken for a spy by the people nearby and taken away to exchange for Gold Coin.

Within the empire, this even spawned a special industry where some people made a living from it, hence spies were affectionately known as "fifty gold" by the Imperial People.

"No, that's impossible."

Li Cha was pale, and his trembling voice was drowned out by the cheers of the crowd.

"Long live His Your Majesty Keosius!"

"Long Live the Empire!"

"For the Great Red Dragon!"

Amidst the deafening cheers of the surrounding crowd, Li Cha felt a profound silence around him. He gazed at the unreachable figure, and even heard a piercing buzzing sound in his ears.

He saw the Elf on the altar also cheering; her face was rosy, her eyes were fervent, and she was not much different from the imperial people around her.

According to the Half-Red Dragon proclaimer, Abier is a typical example of "repenting and converting to the Empire," and is the first Elf to join the Empire.

She's been brainwashed too!

Li Cha's mind, however, recalled a passage he had seen in the Empire Daily:

"The recipient of this blessing will have his soul blessed, and he will be forever loyal to the Empire, following the great Embers of the Burned Emperor for all eternity."

"No, Abier, you cannot become the emperor's concubine."

Li Cha muttered to himself, unable to resist reaching out his hand into the distance as if to touch the Elf's body, but the elf was only looking up at the sky devoutly, completely unaware of him.

He also knew that if he really tried to stop the ceremony, not only would he be imprisoned, but Abier would also suffer a terrible fate.

But if he stands idly by, Abier will become the emperor's soul slave, never to be freed, and they will never be able to go back to the way things were.

"Abier, no!"

Suddenly, a suffocating sense of powerlessness surged into Li Cha's heart, as if an invisible hand was gripping his throat, leaving him only able to utter desperate whispers.

He was once full of vigor and made a pact with the wild fairies, believing he could become a legendary hero who would save the world.

Now, Li Cha has realized that he is just a mortal who cannot control his own destiny.

Before a behemoth like the Embers of the Burned Empire, before that god-like emperor, he was nothing more than an insignificant speck of dust.

Li Cha strained to lift his head, gazing up at the soaring dragon with its Dragon Wing that Sky-Shading, a look of despair in his eyes.

"No"

However, at this moment, in this enthusiastic atmosphere, in this glorious and sacred moment, almost everyone was looking up at the emperor's majestic figure, and no one noticed Li Cha's unusual behavior.

The ceremony continued, Embers of the Burned Emperor remained high in the sky, like the rising and setting of the sun, unchanging regardless of the will of any mortal.

"Roar--"

The Red Dragon once again raised its head and roared.

The dragon's roar grew even more powerful and majestic, sweeping across the sky and earth, echoing throughout Anzeta, causing all living beings to tremble and look up in the direction of the Istaria City.

Keosius spread his wings, which had a span of nearly sixty meters, and flames burst forth from the edges of the Wing Membrane, spreading wildly to both sides.

The entire sky seemed to be torn apart by those fiery wings that spanned thousands of meters across the heavens.

"Whoosh—"

Red Dragon Huan slowly flapped its wings, and in an instant, flames splashed everywhere, enveloping the entire Istaria in a hazy firelight, filling the air with scorching heat.

"It's time."

Keosius mobilized the power of his entire bloodline; his burning heart pounded, scalding Progenitor Dragon Blood flowed through his Base Blood Vessels, and Sulfur Scent Gunsmoke spewed from his pores.

The surging light passed through his body, gradually gathering at his chest, and finally converging in the dragon crystal.

At this moment, the Red Dragon hung high in the sky, casting down a dazzling light that even blocked out the sunlight, just like the real sun in the sky.

The blinding light made people squint, yet they remained incredibly devout, constantly uttering prayers.

"Keosius above"

"Praise be to the Embers of the Burned Emperor!"

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty is the eternal sun of the empire!"

Immediately afterwards, Keosius voice echoed between heaven and earth, surging across the vast wilderness, roaring endlessly like thunder.

"I, as the Embers of the Burned Emperor, hereby declare—those who oppose the Empire, I will grant them annihilation!"

"Whoosh—"

As soon as the words were spoken, a piercing explosion rang out, and meteors fell from the sky, crashing into the crowded people amidst their horrified and astonished gazes.

Several panicked "people" were hit, their skins burning, revealing their true demonic nature, and they were consumed in a shrill wail.

The flames burned away the demons lurking among the crowd, but did not harm anyone else.

"There's still a demon within the Empire's borders! It was hiding right next to us!"

"Fortunately, His Majesty is discerning and has seen through the devil's true nature!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty! Praise be to Embers of the Burned Emperor!"

People were unaware that these demons were deliberately placed into the city by Keosius to create momentum for the bestowal ceremony.

Amidst the crowded throng, Li Cha secretly wiped away a bead of cold sweat, thinking that the all-knowing emperor had seen through his rebellious thoughts and unleashed his thunderous wrath.

In retrospect, he was a bit too nervous.

How could such an existence care about a mere wandering Ranger like myself?

The thunderous sound continued, and the air trembled slightly, as if the deaths of a dozen demons were merely a trivial incident.

"And those who remain loyal to the Empire—I will bestow upon them unparalleled glory and grant them eternal power!"

Beams of Beams shot down from the sky, like a link between heaven and earth, and were cast upon the people on the Istaria Great Altar, enveloping them in radiance.

"No"

"Abier"

As he watched the figure gradually blur, Li Cha fell into utter despair. He helplessly stretched out his hand into the distance, his eyes dimming.

Keosius slowly clenched his claws, and the surging power of his ancestral bloodline within him erupted completely.

He has already refined a lot of Progenitor Dragon Blood. The power brought by this blessing is absolutely unprecedented, and may even allow some of his followers to reach the level of True Dragon.

[Bloodline Gift]

Instantly, the bodies, spirits, and even souls of the Embers of the Burned Emperor and his retinue were connected by those clusters of Beams.

"Ah."

Under the influence of this power, everyone on the Istaria Great Altar involuntarily knelt on the ground, some even curling up in fear.

Reddish scales gradually bulged beneath their skin, Sulfur Scent Gunsmoke billowed from their mouths and noses, and scales protruded from their foreheads. The changes in those with more intense bloodlines were even more astonishing.

The Hobgoblin Dolo knelt on the ground, his body drenched in sweat and surrounded by scorching white smoke. On his back, a huge bulge protruded, like a volcano about to erupt, seemingly about to burst through his skin.

Under the pain of transformation, he gritted his teeth, his sharp fangs protruding outwards, and Gunsmoke billowing from between his teeth.

"Sizzle—"

Suddenly, a tearing sound rang out, and the goblin Hobgoblin raised its head, stretched out its arms, and let out a heart-wrenching roar of pain.

Immediately afterwards, the newly formed Dragon Wing suddenly unfolded behind him, stained with blood, and sprayed countless drops of blood in all directions.

With heavy breathing, the Dragon Vein Hobgoblin, which was nearly four meters tall, soared into the air, stirring up gusts of scorching wind.

"Aww—"

That was a long roar like a dragon's bellow.

The Dragon Vein Ogre standing at the very top of the altar also let out a deep growl. He was also kneeling on the ground, and even in this posture, he was more than three meters tall.

Under that light, Lang Pu's body swelled with each breath, and the scales on his body became increasingly dense.

Two bulges also appeared on the back of the Ogre, as if something was about to emerge from them.

Suddenly, the sound of flesh being torn apart rang out again, and two fleshy wings tore through flesh and skin, appearing on Lang Pu's back. They flapped incessantly, making a buzzing sound—but this did not lift the Ogre off the ground even an inch.

Lang Pu is now nearly ten meters tall and extremely obese; just standing there, he looks like a heavy little mountain.

His wings, however, were only a little over a meter long; they were more like miniature ornaments than wings.

"Roar--"

Ogre sensed the surging power of the dragon vein within its body, it opened its gaping maw filled with fangs and let out a triumphant roar.

But he quickly noticed the tiny wings on his back and saw Hobgoblin goblin taking off in the distance, and the gleeful smile on his ugly face froze instantly.

"Ugh."

Beside him, Tiflin Medrosh was also kneeling on the ground, making suppressed sounds.

He missed an award ceremony before, and his Dragonification Degree" is far lower than that of Dolo and Lang Pu.

After being enveloped in light, thick white smoke billowed from Tiefling's body, and the scales on his red skin bulged out, as the demonic bloodline of the Nine Hells was suppressed by the Progenitor Dragon Blood.

Almost instantly, his ram-like devil horns bent backward and gradually transformed into the sweeping horns of Red Dragon.

And that devilish long tail became even thicker, its surface covered with scales and folds, transforming into the tail of a giant dragon.

"Aww—"

The White Dragon Tinia roared.

She disregarded her appearance, curled up on the ground, flapping her wings haphazardly and twisting her body constantly.

Fearing that the Bloodline Gift would conflict with her Progenitor White Dragon bloodline, Keosius also specifically removed some of the Red Dragon's fire traits from her.

Even so, the sudden surge of bloodline power into her body caused her immense pain, and she couldn't help but wail in agony.

The White Dragon's ferocious, enormous body swelled several times in size at a visible rate, becoming more robust and stronger, more like a powerful Red Dragon —rather than a weak and thin White Dragon.

Its Wing Membrane are a blue color similar to metal burning in fire, and they have become wider. The trailing edge of the Wing Membrane connects to the body far behind the hind legs and under the tail.

"Aww!"

"For the Embers of the Burned Empire!"

Amidst the surging flames and smoke, the Dragon Blood Noble roared and howled, growing scales and horns.

Their physical forms are becoming increasingly similar to those of the supreme emperor, the Burning Dragon Keosius, who is shared by all the people of the empire.

"Great Red Dragon!"

"What a noble appearance! These Dragon Blood Noble have become even more powerful!"

"It is said that even the lowest-ranking Dragon Blood Baron can live to be over two hundred years old."

"Yes, this is His Majesty's blessing. I really hope that one day I can stand on that altar."

The people below looked at the Dragon Blood Noble who were undergoing a transformation, their expressions filled with envy and longing.

After all, becoming Dragon Blood Noble means becoming an absolute beneficiary within the imperial system and enjoying countless benefits.

But in the crowd, there was a hooded man with a desperate expression and a choked, hoarse voice.

"No, no, Abier, you shouldn't have become like this."

Li Cha stared intently at the figure within the Beams, witnessing firsthand how that figure, which haunted his dreams, became increasingly ferocious.

Dragon horns, scales, and claws sprouted from the once proud Elf. The newly born Dragon Vein Elf gazed fervently at the Red Dragon in the sky, shouting "Long live the dragon!" This seemed utterly unfamiliar to Li Cha, who shook his head repeatedly.

But he knew he couldn't stop it all.

After this blessing, Li Cha had completely given up hope of returning to the South and living an ordinary life with Abier.

This left him with no other choice.

All he could do was continue to act as a double agent for the Embers of the Burned Empire, secretly protecting their lives while searching for a way to break the "curse."

"Abier, I will get you out of here."

Thinking of this, Li Cha pulled down his hood, and his clenched fist began to turn white.

"As expected of the bloodline of the Progenitor Dragon, the Bloodline Pressure of those two dukes is almost comparable to that of True Dragon."

Hundreds of meters in the air, at the center of those fiery wings that stretched for thousands of meters, Keosius narrowed his eyes, a hint of anticipation shining through his pale golden pupils.

He lowered his head, gazing at the invisible authority in his claws, and murmured, "It's time to test this newly acquired power."

"Splash."

He suddenly clenched his claws, and a surge of Law Power erupted from that invisible authority, scattering countless crystalline fragments.

[Divinely Granted Authority]