章 213: Chapter 213: The Spirit of the Earth Appears
After a trip outside, Garon returned to his lair and closed his eyes slightly.
He began to sense the locations of the time marks.
Although there were many marks, Garon could clearly recall which mark corresponded to which magical item or creature, thanks to his photographic memory.
In Garon's perception,
Some of the magical items were in remote locations, unlikely to be discovered, and remained quietly in place, unmoved.
Others had been found by various creatures early on, carried to different parts of the world, creating diverse stories as they moved.
Two closely placed time marks caught Garon's attention. After discovering them, he opened his eyes with an odd expression.
"This guy is really lucky."
Somewhere in the northern ice plains, within a dragon lair covered in a layer of ice crystals,
The white dragon mother lounged leisurely, one dragon claw supporting her head, the other holding a magic crystal ball the size of a human head, looking at it with a happy expression.
Her long dragon tail swished back and forth.
"I, Salia, am beautiful, pretty, and powerful. Just by going out once, I can find magical items in a snow mountain ravine."
"Humph, as expected of me."
"It seems I should wander the northern ice plains more often, who knows what else I might find."
The white dragon mother proudly manipulated the crystal ball.
After some time, upon understanding the crystal ball's use, the white dragon mother's eyes gleamed with malice, and she revealed a sinister smile.
"Let's sneak a peek at what Garon is doing."
With magic infused, the crystal ball began to glow with elemental light, becoming clear and transparent.
At the same time, under the white dragon mother's mental guidance, the scene inside the indestructible fortress gradually appeared within the crystal ball, showing the stoic silver dragon looking as majestic as ever.
Before the white dragon mother could take a closer look, the silver dragon suddenly turned its head, looking directly at her.
Those platinum dragon eyes seemed to see through the crystal ball, making eye contact with the white dragon mother.
The next moment, a blinding white light shone.
"Ah, my eyes!"
Caught off guard, the white dragon mother covered her eyes, which were stung by the bright light. When she opened her eyes again, she found that the scene of the fortress inside her precious crystal ball had disappeared.
"How could he discover that? How powerful is Garon now?"
The white dragon mother has never had a clear concept of her eldest son's strength.
She rolled over, no longer attempting to spy on the fortress, pushing the thought aside, and then played with the crystal ball with renewed interest.
Inside the fortress, Garon shook his head imperceptibly.
That crystal ball had not been out for long and was a decent magical item. He hadn't expected the white dragon mother to pick it up by chance and use it to spy on him.
Due to the vast difference in magical knowledge, Garon could easily trace the source of the magical fluctuation and use the crystal ball to spy on the white dragon mother's every move without her noticing, but he had no interest in doing so.
Next, Garon took out Molton's research notes.
Due to the significant difference in size, it was inconvenient for him to browse, so he reduced his size, transforming into a dragonling shape.
Garon sat half-reclined on a massive cold iron throne, meticulously reading the research notes in his hands.
Though called research notes, they were essentially Molton's spellbook, with several volumes dedicated to high-level spells he had researched. The thick book Garon held, spanning hundreds of pages, documented just one spell.
Ninth-circle Transmutation Spell: Great Sun Fireball.
Garon had witnessed this spell in action.
Molton, consuming all his magic power, used this spell to instantly kill two high-level spellcasters.
The flames rolling across the sky, Garon still vividly remembers.
"Compared to Meteor Burst, it's a bit less powerful, but definitely not to be underestimated."
Despite being a legend, if such a ninth-circle Transmutation Spell were to hit Garon squarely, he would certainly be in trouble.
Garon's gaze shifted, memorizing all the runes and magic circuits.
Meteor Burst descends from the sky, accumulating power through numerous magic circles, then gaining the impact and destructive force of a meteor with the help of gravity, a genuine ninth-circle cataclysm spell.
Such spells are primarily used for wide-area damage and destruction.
Meteor Burst is effective against fixed targets and large-scale armies.
Its preparation time is too long, and its presence too conspicuous. Despite its superior power to average legendary spells, it actually poses no real threat to high-level forces. In the Bakki Plains, most of those who died in Meteor Burst were ordinary soldiers.
Great Sun Fireball is different.
It compresses fire elemental energy to the maximum extent in a very short time, forming a small fireball that looks harmless like a third-circle Fireball Spell, with extremely fast launch speed, making it hard for the targeted enemy to dodge.
Upon detonation, it reveals devastating destructive power, annihilating the enemy.
"Molton's most powerful researched spell is this Great Sun Fireball."
Garon closed the notebook and stored it in the dimensional space.
Molton was candid, writing that the Great Sun Fireball was researched based on Meteor Burst, slightly less powerful but with the advantage of targeting powerful individuals.
Compared to Meteor Burst, Garon preferred the Great Sun Fireball.
"Less powerful, but combined with sequential casting..."
Garon smiled.
Transmutation spells are powerful but also consume a lot. Solely driven by magic power and mental strength, Garon couldn't use a ninth-circle Great Sun Fireball many times in a short period. However, with sequential casting, he could use it with a smaller cost.
Looking forward to the destructive scene of the Great Sun Fireball hanging in the sky, Garon closed his eyes and began to inscribe the spell model.
Ninth-circle spells, regardless of school, are very complex. Even with Garon's legendary mental power, mastering one would take a long time, not a complex spell that could be completed overnight.
Garon concentrated, fully immersing himself in learning the spell.
Time passed slowly until a week later, Garon's focused gaze gradually relaxed.
The difficulty of ninth-circle spells was incomparable to any spell Garon had learned before, and this was his first time studying a ninth-circle spell, so the completion of Great Sun Fireball was low.
No progress worth celebrating.
After a week of studying the spell and inscribing the model with mental power, Garon felt somewhat tired and decided to rest.
He understood the importance of balancing work and rest. Forcing through the study would only lead to frustration, decreased efficiency, and continuous mistakes, preventing correct thinking and judgment.
He then walked into the main nest behind the great hall of the fortress.
Garon saw that Yuna had woken up.
Her bright purple eyes sparkled as she, like a bulldozer, burrowed through the amassed treasures, revealing only her head and part of her dragon spine's arc, endlessly entertained.
"Yuna, want to go outside and have a look?"
Garon approached Yuna and said.
After the monotonous spell research, Garon preferred to take a walk outside to relax.
The 'bulldozer' stopped abruptly, Yuna shook her body, emerging from the pile of treasures.
"Let me think."
After hesitating for a few seconds, Yuna whispered, "How long have I not left here?"
She was not as sensitive to time as Garon.
Being of an immortal race, young true dragons often don't mind the passage of time, but Garon was an exception.
"Four hundred and thirty-two days, you haven't left the fortress for four hundred and thirty-two days."
Garon provided an accurate number.
In fact, since he brought Yuna into the indestructible fortress, she hadn't left at all.
Initially, Garon's idea was just to show her around, but it inadvertently turned into the current situation.
"Um, then I really should go out for a walk."
Yuna blinked.
Although she was a homebody, she didn't stay in the dragon lair without going out.
In the lava semi-plane, Yuna would occasionally leave her force-crafted nest to move around, meeting Garon during one such outing.
Normally, Yuna would leave the dragon lair every two or three months to breathe fresh air.
But Garon's lair was too comfortable, with gems, coins, various precious metals... all the treasures a true dragon loves, even occasionally served food by vassals, leading to Yuna developing a more severe habit of staying home.
So much so that she stayed in the lair for over a year without going out.
Moments later, Garon left the fortress, spreading his wings under the night sky, spiraling and soaring among the stars and moonlight.
Beside Garon, invisible to ordinary people, Yuna also relived the long-missed sensation of flying.
Her flying method differed from Garon's; Yuna could control force, unaffected by gravity, not needing to flap her dragon wings, moving through the air like a fish in water, supported by omnipresent force fields.
The invisible force dragon's body turned in the air.
She sometimes plummeted, sometimes soared, without making a sound, still invisible, following beside Garon.
The two dragons sped through the air, enjoying the sensation of wind whistling past their bodies.
"Garon, let's race and see who's faster." "I remember your flying speed is very fast."
Yuna's voice reached Garon's ears.
Garon chuckled, nodding, "Sure, see that snow mountain? Whoever gets there first wins."
The silver dragon extended a claw, pointing at a towering snow mountain ahead.
Yuna thought for a moment, licking her lips, looking at Garon, "Wanna bet something?"
"Oh? What do you want to bet?"
Garon, being wealthy, asked directly.
Garon didn't just let Yuna help him for nothing. After each session of researching cross-temporal teleportation with Yuna, Garon would give her some gems as compensation. Over time, Yuna also accumulated some savings.
Now, it seemed she wanted to return her treasures to Garon.
Garon wouldn't be polite.
"If I win, you give me fifty elemental stones, twenty fire attribute magic gems."
"If I lose, I'll give you the same amount."
Garon smiled, his expression turning serious.
"Deal, I agree."
"Then I'll count to three, and we start at the same time."
Yuna said.
She flew over, maintaining the same altitude as Garon.
"No problem."
After hearing Garon's response, Yuna cleared her throat, then with a cunning look, quickly exclaimed, "Three!"
The air rippled, the force dragon girl, reflecting the starlight with only scales and claws visible, instantly moved, speeding towards the snow mountain.
Garon was momentarily stunned, not expecting Yuna to use the same trick he had used before on him.
The next second, the silver dragon's figure disappeared from its spot, accelerating to the limit, catching up with Yuna in an instant, then surpassing her, approaching the snow mountain.
The force dragon's speed was fast.
But compared to Garon at full speed, it was still lacking.
Watching Garon's back, Yuna panicked.
Because she could control force, affecting gravity, the force dragon's flying speed was also top-notch. Yuna thought she could reach the snow mountain before Garon by flying first, but she underestimated him and didn't expect to be so easily overtaken.
"No, no, that's all the treasure I have."
Not wanting to lose, Yuna decided to play dirty.
The force dragon, speeding ahead, felt his body suddenly weighed down, as if invisible chains rose from the earth, firmly locking onto him, pulling his body towards the ground.
Whoosh! The force dragon's figure surpassed Garon.
Yuna played dirty, and Garon wouldn't back down.
He wouldn't let Yuna win; true dragons have a competitive spirit, and the bet was for gems, no room for leniency.
His gaze focused, and a Slow spell hit Yuna.
The force dragon's flying speed instantly slowed, her movements becoming sluggish and delayed.
Due to her long contact with Garon and the connection between force and time power, Yuna could now vaguely sense changes in the river of time, so when the Slow spell hit her, she noticed something was off.
Turning her head, she saw the silver dragon about to catch up.
Yuna released force, pushing her body forward while constructing layers of invisible force walls in front of Garon, continuing to increase gravity, affecting his flying speed.
Garon exhaled a breath of Time Expulsion, pushing the force walls out of the timeline, continuing the chase.
The force dragon and the time dragon employed various tactics, accelerating themselves while tripping the other, quickly approaching the snow mountain peak.
Soon, the snow mountain was in sight, Yuna leading Garon by a few dozen meters.
Her face showed joy, unable to resist laughing, "Garon, I'm going to win."
However, in the next second, the silver dragon, supposed to be behind her, seemed to flicker and instantly appeared ahead, standing at the snow mountain peak, leisurely watching her.
Yuna's smile quickly vanished, replaced by a hint of grievance.
"Garon, you cheated, you used Time Stop on me."
She almost forgot Garon had the skill of Time Stop.
Garon shrugged, smiling, "Didn't say Time Stop was off-limits, fair is fair."
"Alright, my poor gems."
Yuna landed beside Garon, dispirited, her eyelids drooping.
Her already modest treasure collection was further depleted by a whim of a bet.
Yuna shifted her gaze, looking below.
Buildings inhabited by numerous intelligent lifeforms came into view.
Minotaurs, gnolls, ogres, trolls, winter wolves... This was the snow mountain where the white crystal vein was located.
Now, the white crystal vein had been mined clean, and over time, this territory, once belonging to the frost giants, now became a residence for some of Garon's vassals.
The Cold Forest Serpent Dragon also lived in an underground cave in the nearby mountains.
These vassals didn't see Yuna.
When they saw Garon, many eyes filled with awe were cast his way, surrounded by waves of respectful greetings.
Garon was just passing by, not planning to stay long.
He was thinking of taking Yuna high into the sky, continuing to tour various parts of the northern ice plains, but suddenly sensed an unusual power.
Garon looked at Yuna.
In the air, a pair of ethereal purple eyes flickered.
Yuna looked towards the earth, also noticing something was off.
Garon and Yuna both looked carefully.
On the ground, a deep, heavy, vast power gradually converged.
Most vassals didn't feel it, still singing praises of the Eternal Dragon's greatness.
But Garon's slaves, the tall, muscular minotaurs with muscles like coiled dragons, mostly showed changes in expression, devoutly kneeling, murmuring prayers.
Among the minotaur slaves, those who were natural shamans were even more fervent.
A few natural shamans loudly prayed, their faces showing extreme excitement as if their suffering had finally ended.
"Earth Spirit, you have finally deigned to answer your humble followers' prayers, descending here to rescue your followers from dire straits."
Amidst the minotaurs' fervent prayers, the earth trembled gently.
Dust whirled without wind, some pebbles rolling on the ground, not stirring any elemental light.
This sudden phenomenon attracted many gazes.
"Earth Spirit?"
"The spirit of nature actually responds to the prayers of its followers, how strange."
Garon stared intently.
Countless dust particles, carrying pebbles, swirled, forming a giant, aged, humanoid face that rose from the ground, now expressionlessly looking towards Garon's position.
The minotaurs fervently looked up at the Earth Spirit, oblivious to their surroundings.
As if mortals had seen the gods they worshipped.
On the formed body of the Earth Spirit, Garon didn't feel a strong threat.
Garon used a creature level detection spell.
Creature Level: Twenty-six.
The Earth Spirit worshipped by the minotaurs was a legendary creature, on the same level as the current Garon.
Sufficiently powerful nature spirits are also divine-like forces, but weak nature spirits, if daring to expose themselves, can be captured by even lower-tier spellcasters as magical materials for making magical items.
"Garon, it's been staring at me."
Yuna frowned tightly, speaking to Garon.
Garon's gaze flickered.
Looking carefully, he realized the Earth Spirit was indeed staring dead at Yuna's position, not at him.
As for the kneeling and praying minotaurs beside them, they didn't catch the Earth Spirit's attention at all.
These minotaurs thought the Earth Spirit came to save them, but it seems that wasn't the case.
"Could it be attracted by Yuna's force?"
Garon didn't know much about nature spirits, only bits and pieces from his heritage.
However, seeing it staring at Yuna, he knew its appearance was likely related to her.
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