Dragon King

Dragon Court, by the Thousand Illusions Lake.

With a whooshing sound, one after another giant dragons plummeted from the sky, their heavy legs sinking into the soft mud by the lake.

Dragon King Gelie was already waiting nearby, with food and spring water piled up on the ground. The dragon elders, who had flown a long way, unceremoniously lowered their heads to devour and drink, their scalding breath condensing into white mist in the cool air.

Su Ming and Zijin jumped off Mo Yuan's back and looked around. They found that, apart from Lanmo was far away in Northern Ice Island, all the elders and above in Dragon Valley had gathered here.

The Grand Elder of Zhimeng Weaver pressed his hand to the ground, and the ancient runes around Thousand Illusions Lake quietly lit up. There was no dazzling light, only a vast, dark current of Magic Power surging silently in the void.

A ring-shaped chain of spells rose from the damp earth, resonating with a corresponding magic circle in the distant future.

Gelie remained silent. He lowered his dragon head, his massive body crouched down, and slowly closed his molten gold-like dragon eyes. The other dragon elders followed suit, some coiling up, others lying down, forming a continuous line along the lakeside.

Zijin led Su Ming to an ancient tree by the lake that required several people to encircle, and the two sat down with their backs against the gnarled trunk.

Seeing that everyone was ready, Zhimeng closed her eyes.

A soft green light rippled across the calm lake surface. Su Ming relaxed his mind and felt his consciousness sway slightly. The scene before him had been completely transformed. Although the terrain was still Thousand Illusions Lake, the sky had suddenly turned into daylight.

Even more remarkably, Elder Lanmo, who was thousands of kilometers away, also appeared among the dragons by the lake, lying down with the dragon elders!

The dragons opened their eyes in this illusory world constructed by Zhimeng.

"Please hurry," Zhimeng's voice trailed off, "Maintaining Lanmo's projection across such a distance is burning Magic Power crystals every second!"

Dragon Gelie raised his dragon head, scanning every figure on the lakeshore. This was the first time in hundreds of years that the highest-ranking members of Dragon Valley had gathered together. "Gentlemen," he began, "A colossal Crystal Dragon, exceeding five hundred meters in length, is wreaking havoc in the Dwarf Kingdom!"

"This monster is incredibly powerful." Zhimeng raised her Dragon Claw, and the lake surface rippled, recreating the scene she saw on the command center screen: the Final Bone Mad Machines launched its first wave of attack, and countless "Jiangling" missiles, trailing flames, crashed down like meteors, but were intercepted by the sea of light orbs that erupted from the back of the Crystal Dragon.

"It has such a large-scale array of magic formations on its back!" Elder Faerie Dragon Ziyuan exclaimed.

"The power is terrifying!" A hint of fear flashed in Elder Yin'er's huge silver-white dragon eyes. The anti-magic scales that the Silver Dragon was so proud of were simply unable to withstand an attack of this level.

The Dragon Claw of the Zhimeng swung once more, unfolding a topographical map of the Eastern Continent on the lake's surface, marking the trajectory of the colossal Crystal Dragon's movement.

"This super dragon isn't slow; it will arrive at the dwarves' ' Pomegranate ' mine in eight hours!" Her voice suddenly intensified. "Once it collects the large quantity of crystals there, its power will increase even further!"

A heavy, suppressed gasp suddenly filled the air by the lake.

But Elder Tengqiu of the Forest Dragon voiced a different opinion, "They are our dragons' kin, perhaps even ancestors!" Several elders echoed with low, resonant roars. But immediately, dissenting voices arose, "So what if they are our kin or ancestors? Does that guarantee they won't swing their claws at us?"

"Heh heh." Elder Qingfeng of the Azure Dragon let out a cold sneer, "Why are the Forest Dragon and Jade Dragon lineages so depleted now? Have you all forgotten that history?"

The dragon, who had previously tried to agree, paused upon hearing this.

Forest Dragon and Jade Dragon are the two most peaceful and least aggressive branches in the dragon lineage. Over the long years, they have been constantly squeezed out of resources by other Dragon Race, and even oppressed and attacked by other powerful dragon Dragon Race.

In the wild and primitive times, the claws of dragons were always stained with the blood of their own kind.

Even according to the oldest scrolls, the Forest Dragon and the Jade Dragon were not the weakest. Those dragon lineages weaker than them have been lost to the dustbin of history.

So what if we belong to the same race?

For most living beings, the most brutal battles occur between "their own people"!

One by one, the stars appeared and were reflected on the surface of the Thousand Illusions Lake.

"Should we... try to communicate with this super Crystal Dragon?" a dragon elder suggested. "Let's ascertain whether this kin is friend or foe before making a decision?"

Many elders' eyes flashed with thoughtful light, clearly indicating that they were somewhat interested.

"That dragon, perhaps, was once of the same kind." It was Lanmo spoke, his voice carrying an ethereal quality, like an echo from a secluded valley, thanks to the projection across the vast distance. "But it's definitely not anymore."

Lanmo took a step forward, his Dragon Claw claw pointing towards Thousand Illusions Lake. On the calm lake surface, the massive Crystal Dragon skeleton deep within the Rift Tribe ruins was reflected. After tens of thousands of years of erosion, the skeleton had decayed and become mottled, yet it still retained a large number of traceable marks.

"At first, we discovered the enormous crystal clusters on its back, which had the function of containing souls," Lanmo recounted. The lake's surface shifted with his words, revealing the ancient runes he and the Ashy Drongo had deciphered. "Based on the Heron's theory of souls, we deduced that the fragmented souls contained within these crystal clusters were used to share the pressure on the main soul controlling such a massive body."

"But soon we realized that this hypothesis was too naive." Lanmo's tone suddenly turned cold, and the scene abruptly switched to an enlarged image of the giant dragon's skull—hundreds of jet-black, twisted needles, like vicious thorns, pierced deeply into the skull!

Several dragons tried to open their mouths, but Lanmo stopped them with a gesture of his hand. "I know you want to say, is this the murder weapon left behind by the Rift Tribe when they killed this Crystal Dragon ten thousand years ago? I'm telling you clearly, it's not!"

With a flick of his Dragon Claw claw, the image focused on the piercing points of the long needles. Around the puncture holes, the bone was smooth and even, without any visible scars or gaps. "These healed calluses have completed the remodeling process; the fracture lines have completely disappeared," Elder Hongyao declared.

He held up his Dragon Claw, which had been severed and was not yet fully healed during the assassination attempt on Zijin, and said, "I often break bones. To achieve this level of recovery, it would take more than ten years!"

Experience is the best teacher, and Elder Hongyao's authority in this regard is even greater than that of Stacy.

Lanmo didn't waste any time letting everyone think, "So the conclusion is—these long needles piercing the dragon's brain were the work of the Crystal Dragon's modifier! Judging from the density, this Crystal Dragon must have died during the modification. The soul placed in the crystal cluster is what dominates and controls everything!" All the Dragon Race gasped in shock.

"So... it was nothing more than a flesh and blood puppet in the shape of a dragon?" Tengqiu's voice trembled. "This is even more Desecration than the bone dragons commanded by necromancers!"

A silence enveloped Thousand Illusions Lake, with only the surface rippling slightly.

Realizing his slip of the tongue, Tengqiu hurriedly turned to Su Ming and Zijin, who had remained silent, "I... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to refer to you two..."

"It's alright," Zijin said calmly, glancing at Tengqiu for a moment longer.

Dragon King Gelie raised his golden claws, silencing the murmurs that began to ripple through the hall. "The Bay Owl and Su Ming have a way to defeat this formidable enemy—but they need to borrow the remains of their slumbering brethren in the Land of Ancestral Spirits!"

The dragons already knew about this beforehand, so they didn't show any surprise. Instead, they exchanged complicated and unreadable glances.

"Power itself is neither good nor evil." The Grand Elder of Zhimeng his dragon neck slightly, his voice like a night breeze rustling through the treetops, "If it can avert the impending catastrophe, I do not object to using the power of the undead!"

"I am not against the power of the undead," Elder Tengqiu added, "But this matter concerns the peace of our compatriots' remains, which is something we must protect."

"Your so-called protection," Elder Hongyao scoffed, "Is it just about turning ourselves into withered bones to accompany them in the underworld?"

"I object to this," Gelie's deep voice rang out, instantly silencing all the argument.

As the Dragon King, once he makes a decision, it is extremely difficult to change it.

Gelie brandished his Dragon Claw claw, and with a whoosh, the green light enveloping Thousand Illusions Lake shattered and vanished like broken glass! All the dragons and humans opened their eyes in reality. Night once again enveloped the lake, with only the cold moonlight flowing across the dragon's scales. Gelie's gaze pierced through the fading Magic Power afterglow, looking at Zijin, his voice carrying an undeniable authority, "If this is truly necessary, please abide by the ancient rules of the Dragon Race."

All the dragon elders spread their wings and soared into the air, flying towards the Land of Ancestral Spirits. Accompanying them were hundreds of Dragon Court Guard. Su Ming and Zijin sat side by side on the back of the Zhimeng, the fierce night wind tearing at their hair and robes, making a rustling sound. "What exactly did Gelie mean by what he just said?" Su Ming asked.

"He means I have to fight him." Zijin's voice was carried on the wind, tinged with a helpless sigh. "The old rule of the Dragon Race is: the victor is king."

"... Then can you beat Gelie?" Su Ming turned to look at her, his tone clearly doubtful.

It's not that Zijin is weak, but her opponent is, after all, a giant dragon that has been immersed in the Saint Rank realm for hundreds of years.

"We can't beat them," Zijin admitted readily. "That's why Gelie led us to the Land of Ancestral Spirits to resolve the lingering issues of the White Bone Mark first."

"Uh, he... knows about our current situation?"

"Gelie knows," Zhimeng's voice rang out beneath them, "Don't you see what you've gotten yourselves into? He's been keeping a very close eye on everything you do lately!"

After a moment's thought, Su Ming understood Gelie's intention. "So that's what he was planning."

In the Dragon Race, the strong are revered. Defeating the Dragon King means only one thing.

Zijin turned around, her cool fingers reaching out to gently grasp Su Ming's hand.

"May I accept?" she asked.

"Just decide according to your own heart," Su Ming replied, his gaze involuntarily falling on their clasped hands. Although they often touched each other like this, at this moment, there seemed to be no particular reason for them to hold hands.

Zijin nodded, but did not let go of her hand.

For the rest of the journey, neither of them spoke.

Zijin closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to calm herself. Su Ming took out his phone to check the progress of the preparations sent by various parties.

Based on the new bone strength data and the combat requirements of equipping the "Vermilion Bow," the Jisu team is rapidly revising the design of "Type 59 Modified." This system now has an official name. "Giant Bone Dragon; Black Armor Form."

Beianqi and her team had already arrived at the experimental base next to the Celestite Hydropower Station to modify the energy links and support systems of the equipment. The Land of Ancestral Spirits was not far away; Su Ming had only explored half of it when the dragons began to descend.

The Zhimeng carried the two of them directly to the center of the core magic array. There, the skeletal dragon body of Zijin lay quietly. After the last adjustment of the White Bone Mark failed, it was left here.

As Zhimeng chanted in a deep dragon language, the dormant magic circles on the ground were awakened, lighting up piece by piece and radiating a gentle yet powerful Magic Power aura. Zijin didn't delay, taking a deep breath and saying, "Let's begin."

"Okay." Su Ming nodded.

Having learned from their previous experience, the two coordinated their movements with ease. The White Bone Mark fully unfolded before them, like a dark galaxy surrounding them. The core area of the mark was extremely dim, with most of the runes dormant, and only a few slowly rotating. The massive energy tentacles extending from all sides were also in a state of very low activity.

The two worked together. The core of the rune formula that had been forced to revert last time was quickly overwritten and rewritten, and a new structure gradually became clear.

[Su Ming.] Zijin suddenly said, [I won't stay in the Dragon Race forever.] Her tone was serious, [I will definitely choose to see a wider world.]

[I've never worried about that.] Su Ming replied calmly. [However, shouldn't we talk about something else...?] Zijin chuckled, a hint of cunning in her eyes. [Let's deal with that crystal lizard first—there's such a huge pile of high-quality magic crystals!] [Actually, I've got my eye on a few other things.] Su Ming also smiled.

With the completion and reset of the White Bone Mark, there were no obstacles this time. The brand-new four-cornered structure shone brightly, and the massive energy tentacles were fully activated and connected!

An overwhelming surge of dark energy swept back like a tide, instantly filling the entire White Bone Mark!

On the ground, the Zijin's bone dragon body seemed to be infused with life, its stark white skeleton suddenly shining with a lustrous glow. In Su Ming's sea of consciousness, a semi-transparent bone dragon phantom also appeared next to the White Bone Mark, echoing the White Bone Fortress phantom beside it.

Su Ming subconsciously extended a wisp of his senses into it, trying to feel the bone dragon, but unexpectedly "crashed" into an unusually soft mental energy field.

"Ah!" Zijin let out a short exclamation in reality, and abruptly withdrew her mental energy as if she had been burned.

Su Ming quickly withdrew his senses, and their eyes met in mid-air, a subtle unease flashing in their eyes.

"Alright, since that's the case, let's move on to the final step." Zijin composed herself and extended her hand to Su Ming. "It has to be done!"

Su Ming calmed himself down, took Zijin's hand in return, and reconnected with the bone dragon through his senses.

Both of them unleashed their Magic Power simultaneously. Zijin finally mustered the courage to use the life force she could currently control. The bone dragon's originally white body was filled with countless flowing rays of light, and it rose upright, segment by segment!

With the intervention of Conceptual Magic Power, an eight-winged phantom, like Stars fragments, appeared behind Zijin. Their radiance was not dazzling, but it possessed a penetrating power that made even the soul tremble, illuminating the Land of Ancestral Spirits as if it were a dream.

Even though they knew beforehand, when this legendary sight actually appeared before their eyes, all the dragons watching had an incredulous, intoxicated, and ecstatic light in their pupils.

This is an unprecedented eight-winged form. If Zijin can master it, her strength will surpass the known ceiling of the Taya Plane!

Including Dragon King Gelie Lie, all the dragons, whether elders or guards, lowered their proud heads.

"Didn't you say... we were going to have a fight?" Zijin looked at Gelie and whispered, somewhat bewildered.

"Is there any need to fight anymore?" Gelie raised his head, a somewhat relieved smile appearing on his dragon face covered in golden scales, his vertical pupils reflecting the dazzling Zijin wings. "Welcome to the new Dragon King's coronation!"

"Welcome the new Dragon King to the throne!" The dragon's roar, as loud as a mountain and as powerful as a tsunami, resounded through the sky.

Zijin took a deep breath, suppressing her surging emotions. She clasped her hands together in front of her, bowed deeply and solemnly to all the dragons before her, and kowtowed completely.

Thank you everyone!