Kelaeli Rolling Over

The next day.

Xilong walked out of the Young Dragon's lava-cave nest. Kelaeli was waiting outside.

"The Gray Dwarves' smuggling has exposed no small problem. The Nurturer came to ask me about the details again. It seems to take this very seriously and has already begun a thorough investigation."

Xilong said.

"Short-lived Species have always been treacherous."

Kelaeli deeply agreed and nodded repeatedly. "The Nurturer has always forbidden Dragon Hatchlings from interacting with retainers. Thinking back on it now, it was probably not only worried that we would slaughter the retainers, but also that precious information about Dragon Hatchlings would leak out."

The Cobalt Dragon was enormous. Xilong had to raise his head to see Kelaeli's face. "Do you have any precious information on you?"

Kelaeli thought for a while, then answered earnestly, "Every part of me is precious."

"That is true. I heard that Cobalt Dragon blood is highly poisonous, but if the poison can be removed, it becomes an immortal elixir that Short-lived Species have always coveted desperately. Your internal organs are also valuable materials for brewing potions. No wonder you regard Short-lived Species as your greatest enemies."

Xilong said casually.

"Trying to scare me?"

Kelaeli narrowed his eyes. "Chrome Dragon claws and horns can be made into the finest weapons. Not only are they sharp, they also have the special effect of breaking magic. Pull out your spines and polish them slightly, and they become excellent spears. So do not always think Chrome Dragons can stay out of it."

Xilong looked puzzled after hearing that. "I meant you were timid. Why did you turn around and praise me instead?"

Kelaeli snorted, turned away, and pointed his tail at him.

Xilong circled around again. "I saw that Cobalt Dragons used to act collectively. When I invited you to join, I hoped you would bring the other Cobalt Dragons with you. Why did you still come alone in the end? Did losing to me mean you were no longer the Cobalt-Blue Overlord?"

"It has nothing to do with winning or losing. I just do not like being pushed along by them. I do not want to be an overlord. I only want to be Kelaeli."

Kelaeli shook his head. "Forget it. Chrome Dragons are loners. There is no explaining it to you people."

"Do I look like a loner now?"

Xilong said.

Kelaeli pondered for a while without replying. He spread his hind legs, sat down, and scratched the scales on his belly.

He had always been slow and unhurried, and he did not speak much. Only because Xilong was also one of the stronger dragons, and was called a Variant Species, had he been willing to say a few extra words. But by now, there was little left to discuss.

The autumn wind swept dust through the valley. One dragon sat while the other stood, silently waiting. For a long while, neither spoke again.

"It is about time."

Only after the sun had passed overhead did Xilong speak again. "I will draw Ladon's attention. You carry out the plan. If you get the meat, remember to save me a share."

"Of course." Kelaeli answered in a muffled voice.

After the Kobolds withdrew, mountain-like piles of bloody food were once again stacked at the gathering ground.

As usual, Ladon appeared, claimed the territory, swept his gaze around, then withdrew it and lowered his head to chew.

The day before yesterday, he had abandoned the food at the gathering ground to hunt the Thunderclap Dragon. This gave the watching Tungsten Dragons their chance to rush in and fight over it, and all of them had eaten their fill.

Once word spread, even more Dragon Hatchlings gathered nearby. Yet as usual, they hid far away and watched. No one dared challenge his strength.

Until Xilong entered the field.

The Chrome Dragon appeared openly and without restraint. He stopped twenty meters from Ladon, swishing his tail and grinding the gravel beneath his feet until it creaked.

Ladon bared his fangs, and the chase began at once.

Xilong did not anticipate his escape like In Tas had. Instead, he watched Ladon's body, only abruptly retreating once the Archaic Species lunged.

At the same time, seeing Ladon leave the mountain of meat, Xilong's companions swiftly began to act.

Afterglow stirred up a gale and dove down with astonishing speed. She deftly snatched up the piled bloody food, skimming over the gathering ground like a hawk catching fish.

Kelaeli rumbled forward, swaying as he charged before the mountain of meat. He flung huge chunks of beast flesh outward while opening his jaws wide to chew and swallow fiercely.

Moqi received them from behind. With smooth coordination, he dragged away every chunk of beast meat Kelaeli threw.

Of course Ladon knew what those fellows were doing, yet he continued pursuing Xilong relentlessly. He seemed intent on racing Xilong. His strides were enormous and his strength astonishing; in straight-line acceleration, he was fast beyond words.

But whenever he was about to close in on the Chrome Dragon, Xilong would swiftly turn and leap away. Ladon was not agile enough. Though he charged wildly and lunged with a howl, he was always just short, unable to catch his prey.

"Xilong!"

After failing again and again, Ladon finally roared. "Even that Lesser Dragon dared challenge me. You call yourself one of the strong among the dragonkind, yet with me chasing behind you, do you not even have the courage to look back?"

The air froze in an instant. Both sides slowed without prior agreement. Xilong gradually halted, turned around, and met Ladon's gaze.

In the world of dragons, meeting eyes was an invisible slaughter—a grim collision of strength and bloodline. Little dragons would never dare look directly into the eyes of Great Dragons, nor would Lower Species dare offend the majesty of Higher Species.

As an Archaic Species, Ladon could force Dragon Hatchlings into submission with his gaze alone. When Jelierion led the Iron Dragons to challenge him, they had deliberately avoided his eyes.

Yet Xilong turned and directly collided with Ladon's gaze.

Dragon might.

The Archaic Species' vertical pupils were like pools of lava and fire, boiling bloodflames burning within them. His rage, his bloodline, and his strength all crushed down through that stern gaze.

Xilong's heart palpitated, nearly trembling apart.

But Xilong was not ultimately crushed by that gaze. As his blood rushed faster, his pupils gradually blazed as well. As if in response, flowing light ignited within his originally orange-yellow vertical eyes, like molten gold.

Neither side won this exchange of gazes. Ladon froze for a moment and tried to exert more force, but Xilong had already turned away and retreated.

Ladon stared at that gray-white back, looking slightly thoughtful. Only after a long while did he give up the pursuit, tuck away his fangs, and return to the gathering ground.

It was still all for food, with no battle to speak of. Ladon felt somewhat disappointed, but when he returned to the gathering ground, he found that one Cobalt Dragon had not fled far.

To fill his belly, Kelaeli had eaten at the mountain of meat for a long time. Only now did he clamp a chunk of beast meat in his jaws and retreat on all fours. But he was too slow, and having eaten too much, his movements looked somewhat comical.

With a single leap, Ladon landed before Kelaeli. Looking at the even larger Cobalt Dragon, he nevertheless felt as though he were looking down at him.

"Are you joking?"

Ladon ground his teeth, fury surging upward. "This is outright humiliation."

Kelaeli was dumbfounded. He had not expected Ladon to return so quickly. He hurriedly swallowed the meat in his mouth and said, "This has nothing to do with me."

Ladon had no interest in hearing his explanation. He struck Kelaeli fiercely. The Cobalt-Blue Overlord, heavy as a small mountain, was sent skidding sideways in an instant, rolling across the ground and kicking up great clouds of dust.

What followed was nothing short of brutal.

Moqi, watching from afar, could not help covering his eyes. Only when he noticed Xilong returning did he quickly go to greet him.

"Xilong."

Moqi examined his body for a moment. Finding that Xilong was not injured, he relaxed and said softly, "There is something I do not know whether I should say. I also do not know whether you will be angry after hearing it."

"What is it?"

"I feel..."

Moqi hesitated. "I feel that Afterglow might like me a little."

"Hm?"

Xilong was stunned. "What makes you say that?"

"Earlier, I followed your advice and went to invite that Feather Dragon to join us. Before we acted just now, I saw her again. Every time she sees me, she smiles. Every time she sees me, she smiles, as though I glow."

Moqi explained awkwardly.

"She smiles whenever she sees you."

Xilong looked Moqi up and down a few times. "Could she be laughing at you? Feather Dragons can fly, and their eyesight is good too. Have you done anything embarrassing lately that she might have seen?"

"...No way."

Moqi had never considered that possibility. He stared blankly for a while, slowly mulled it over, and his expression gradually fell.

At that moment, Afterglow folded her wings and landed. She stepped closer, and upon seeing Moqi, she indeed gave a light laugh before looking toward Kelaeli, who was fleeing in the distance.

"How did he get caught by Ladon?"

Afterglow asked. "Should we save him?"

"It is fine."

Xilong shook his head. "Cobalt Dragons are the hardest to kill of all True Dragons, and Kelaeli is the Cobalt-Blue Overlord. As long as his head is not twisted off, he will be fine no matter what."

"Do you all want to watch me get beaten to death?"

Kelaeli rolled about in the gathering ground. "Come help me already!"

Chrome Dragons and Cobalt Dragons were bitter enemies and knew each other well, so Xilong could sit by and do nothing. But Afterglow was different. She looked at Kelaeli, who was shouting for help, and thought for a while.

"Why not take this opportunity to challenge Ladon too?"

Afterglow said. "The Iron Dragons have done it once already. If we gang up on him, it would not be shameful."

"Lesser Dragons simply do not understand the concept of Archaic Species."

Moqi hurriedly shook his head. "Even Jelierion and Hidorivi failed. How could a few of us possibly manage it?"

"Lesser Dragons merely lack the Dragon Legacy. The Nurturer said that at this age, I have already learned everything a True Dragon can learn."

Afterglow continued, "We are companions acting together, after all. Better for us to get hurt together than for him to bleed alone. And if we can bite a few chunks of flesh off the Archaic Species, that would be even better."

Hearing that, Xilong could not help looking at Afterglow a few more times. It turned out Moqi had been right. The Feather Dragon looked quiet on the surface, but there was a streak of ferocity in her bones. She truly was a bird of prey.

"That could work."

Xilong said. "It mainly depends on Kelaeli's wishes. If he fights back, we will go help him."

Kelaeli's cries came again. Moqi quickly shouted, "Overlord, if you fight back, we will go help you!"

Kelaeli seemed not to hear at all. Under Ladon's attacks, he rolled and tumbled, charging about with his head down, yet he did not fight back in the slightest.

"Then that is settled."

Xilong withdrew his gaze and smiled. "Where is my share of the meat? I will take it to In Tas."

"No need. We gained a lot this time."

Moqi said happily. "We each eat our own. I have prepared In Tas's share too. I will deliver it to him later."