章節 206: Chapter 206: Encounter with an Ancient Silver Dragon
"The Bone Wasteland is not safe, and you are currently pregnant, so be extra cautious."
Garon glanced at the Stone Tomb Serpent Dragon's abdomen and softly cautioned her.
For dragons, pregnancy does not significantly impact their strength, but it can somewhat reduce the pregnant mother dragon's reaction speed and perception abilities. If not careful, they might find themselves in a precarious situation if targeted by other creatures.
Serpent dragon species are already rare enough.
Garon did not wish to see this already endangered rare dragon species disappear from the world one day, even though they are not part of the true dragon lineage.
"Thank you for your concern."
After hearing Garon's words, the Stone Tomb Serpent Dragon was initially startled, then gratefully responded.
"Besides the Ghost Queen, there are no creatures here that can threaten me. Please rest assured."
Garon nodded, then curiously asked, "Has the Ghost Queen reached legendary status?"
Now at a creature level of eighteen, the Stone Tomb Serpent Dragon is undoubtedly dominant below legendary status. However, it seems the only entity in the Bone Wasteland that it fears is Aisaya's remnant soul turned Ghost Queen, suggesting her strength may be even greater than when she was a ninth-circle great mage.
"I'm not entirely sure about her exact level of strength," the Stone Tomb Serpent Dragon pondered before replying. "She has many high-level undead under her command. I've only seen her from afar a few times, but my instincts tell me she is very dangerous, emitting an ominous aura that unsettles me."
The dragon paused before continuing, "Interestingly, when I first saw her, she was just a phantom ghost, formidable but not to the extent it is now. However, during our second encounter, she had shed her ghostly form for a corporeal body, which made me feel apprehensive."
Ghosts are typically remnants of soul energy catalyzed by necrotic aura, and it's quite difficult for them to acquire a corporeal form, especially since the Ghost Queen hasn't been around for long. Even as a former illusionist great mage, without sufficient nourishment from deathly aura over time, she shouldn't have been able to obtain a physical body.
Unless there was some opportunity involved.
"Could it be because of the Blood Sacrifice God-Sealing Ritual?" Garon speculated.
Harlis attempted to regain a complete human flesh body from his half-skeletal lich form through the ritual.
Although he ultimately failed, it's clear the ritual indeed possessed such capability. If not for Garon's intervention, Harlis might have been rampaging across the Noah Continent in a human body by now.
If the Ghost Queen managed to overcome her ghostly limitations so quickly because of the ritual, it wouldn't be impossible.
This line of thought seemed plausible.
Yet, deep down, Garon felt something was amiss, but couldn't pinpoint exactly what. It was a vague intuition.
However, he couldn't connect the Black Sun Sculpture to Ailena, no matter how much he speculated.
"From what you said earlier, the Ghost Queen is currently not in the Bone Wasteland?" Garon inquired, looking at the Stone Tomb Serpent Dragon.
The dragon nodded, expressing confusion, "Yes, I noticed she left some time ago. As for why she left and where she went, I have no idea."
Given Aisaya's expertise in mental illusions, her departure would have gone unnoticed by human guards around the Bone Wasteland.
"Her absence is actually convenient for me. None of her high-level undead subordinates can match me."
"With my current growth rate, once I hunt and consume them all, I'm sure I can achieve legendary status. By then, I won't need to fear the Ghost Queen upon her return to the Bone Wasteland."
The Stone Tomb Serpent Dragon, naturally adept at countering undead, was confident in its ability to reach legendary status and even defeat and consume a legendary undead like the Ghost Queen, should its creature level be slightly higher.
Garon frowned slightly at the notion of the Ghost Queen's absence.
Had she been in the Bone Wasteland, he would have stayed to find her and understand the changes occurring within her. However, with her whereabouts unknown, he had to abandon this plan.
"Once I become legendary, the Bone Wasteland will be my playground," the Stone Tomb Serpent Dragon boasted, flicking its crimson tongue.
"I look forward to it," Garon responded simply.
He then bid farewell to the Stone Tomb Serpent Dragon and continued his journey to the Holy See.
The silver dragon returned to the skies, flapping his wings, swiftly flying, tearing a clear path through the gloomy necrotic clouds which slowly healed behind him, briefly illuminated by the sparse golden sunlight before being engulfed by the clouds again.
Garon crossed the gray wasteland and the battered ironstone defenses, leaving the Bone Wasteland's region in less than ten minutes at full speed.
As the dense gray clouds fell behind, the scenery opened up to rolling hills, swaying dense forests, with various creature tribes and human towns nestled among the mountains and woods, all coming into Garon's view.
Turning to glance back at the Bone Wasteland still shrouded in dark clouds, blocking any golden sunlight, Garon shook his head lightly and then refocused, flying towards the capital of the Timo Kingdom.
Timo Kingdom, the capital, Kraken City.
Compared to its bustling scene decades ago, Kraken City was now sparsely populated, with few pedestrians on the wide streets and many shops shuttered. Even the bright sunlight couldn't dispel the desolate and cold atmosphere.
For a long time, the most prosperous and powerful human kingdom on the Noah Continent had fallen to a state worse than some duchies.
Many nobles transferred their wealth, fleeing to other duchies with vast fortunes.
Disappointed residents also left this nearly thousand-year-old city.
After the war, as almost all human nations were weakened and busy stabilizing internally, the Timo Kingdom had not faced new provocations. However, once the other duchies recover, the weakened Timo Kingdom will still become a target.
The kingdom in name only was fading fast.
Without unexpected events, it wouldn't be long before even the nominal title of "kingdom" would be stripped away.
Under the shade of greenery, on the main thoroughfare, the occasional passerby wore anxious expressions, hurrying along, their eyes filled with uncertainty and unease about the future.
Suddenly, something massive seemed to block the sun.
Shadows spread and stretched on the ground.
Some people looked down at the shadow enveloping them and, after a brief pause, instinctively looked up.
A silver streak entered their vision, approaching from afar, descending from high above.
Muscular dragon wings, towering dragon horns, interwoven silver and gray dragon scales, and three rings of black scales encircling them. In a moment, a giant true dragon, larger than the city's tallest building, appeared before these people.
"The dragon has come again."
Some who had seen Garon before were shocked.
In less than a year, the dragon had significantly grown.
Rumors of the Eternal Dragon had also reached the Timo Kingdom, and they recognized this dragon.
"The Eternal Dragon. Could it really be the legendary Time Dragon?"
"How else could it grow so quickly?"
Some gazed at the sky, looking up at the silver dragon, murmuring in awe and fear.
The silver dragon made no effort to conceal its presence.
Its appearance caused a great stir in Kraken City.
Meanwhile, the royal guards spotted Garon, growing anxious.
The last time Garon visited, he brought several true dragons, nearly looting what little wealth the Timo Kingdom had left. The kingdom's treasury was still empty, struggling to recover.
"What does he want?"
Under various gazes, Garon did not head towards the Timo royal court.
His visit was not to take advantage of the situation.
Besides, even scouring the current Timo Kingdom wouldn't yield much of value. After acquiring the Magma Demiplane, Garon's wealth had surpassed the entire kingdom.
Garon had a clear objective, ignoring the ordinary people's stares, heading straight for the Holy See.
He had never visited the Holy See before but knew its headquarters were in the capital of Timo.
Easily spotting the Holy See's location from the air, he noticed a towering white tower with a glowing orb at its peak, resembling the sun, casting continuous soft light around it, more eye-catching than the royal palace.
As he approached the Holy See, Garon sensed a familiar presence.
"Hmm? What is she doing here?"
"And there are others."
Garon looked towards the Holy See, retracting his dragon wings to his sides, descending.
Suddenly, the air rippled, and a bright white light emerged, coalescing into a figure radiating light.
This was an elderly man in his seventies.
His aged face, covered in wrinkles, had white hair and beard. He wore a white robe branded with a burning sun, a golden solar crown on his head, and held an exquisite wooden staff emitting soft white light.
The staff, about 1.2 meters long, had golden patterns, with white light gathering from the air, infusing into it, giving off a transcendent vibe.
"A divine artifact?"
Upon seeing the staff, Garon's heart tightened.
"No, it couldn't be a divine artifact."
"It must be a divinity-imbued weapon."
Like deities, their weapons wouldn't easily appear in the material plane, which repels divine beings and their weapons.
Garon narrowed his eyes, carefully observing the old man.
If not mistaken, this was the current Pope of the Holy See.
A legendary cleric, a legendary sculpting spellcaster, the Pope with dual legendary abilities, Yelain.
Harlis's long hibernation, acting only when the Pope was away, attested to the Pope's strength.
"Hello, the guardian true dragon of Mosha Duchy, the Eternal Dragon who defeated Harlis."
"My name is Yelain, the current Pope of the Holy See."
"I wonder, what brings the Eternal Dragon here?"
The Pope's smile was gentle, his demeanor as kind as a benevolent elder, disarming any hostility and imbuing his voice with a persuasive power.
"Hello, legendary Pope. I have some matters I'd like to discuss with you."
Pausing, Garon looked towards the Holy See, "But it seems you have other guests."
The Pope in front of him was just a magical projection, not his true form.
Maintaining his warm smile, the Pope replied, "I didn't expect the Eternal Dragon to visit suddenly. My true self is currently in a discussion. Please forgive me."
He spoke politely, his voice gentle and inviting, without causing any discomfort.
After speaking, the Pope invited Garon into the temple for further conversation.
Garon glanced at the temple's size and cast a transformation spell.
In a burst of light, the giant true dragon shrank into a harmless little dragon form.
Landing as a hatchling with four rounded horns, he flew towards the temple's entrance.
The silent, statue-like holy knights around did not glance at Garon, seemingly informed by the Pope of his arrival.
The entire Holy See radiated a blazing light of purity.
Any evil being here would be exposed and purified without the knights' intervention.
Garon had witnessed the Holy See's purification method before: a true annihilation of body and soul.
Entering the temple's hall, a tall statue greeted him.
The sculpture, over ten meters tall, had an indistinct face covered in a hazy white light, carved from pure white jade, also emitting a white halo.
Ninety percent of the hall's contents were white and gentle, like the warm sunlight.
"Garon?"
A familiar, pleasant voice reached Garon's ears.
He looked up.
A tall woman with waterfall-like golden hair and snow-white skin appeared in his view.
Beside her stood two others.
One was the Pope, Yelain, he had just met, and the other was a stranger to Garon.
This was a handsome young man, resembling a noble in his twenties, but his eyes bore the depth of time and experience.
This young man had a unique aura formed over time.
The golden-haired, fair-skinned woman was the silver dragon Luna, whom Garon hadn't seen for a long time.
Turning his gaze, Garon approached Luna, curious, "Weren't you on Dragon Island? How did you end up in the Holy See?"
As Luna confirmed it was Garon, she looked pleased but didn't directly answer his question. Instead, she introduced the young man beside her, "This is the eldest of the Metal Dragon Island, Grandfather Nehemiah, whom I've mentioned to you."
She then introduced Garon to Nehemiah, "This is my friend Garon, whom I met on the far north ice field."
Ancient Silver Dragon, Nehemiah. Garon turned his attention to the young-looking Nehemiah.
Narrowing his eyes, he cast a creature level detection spell.
Creature Level: Twenty-eight
Nehemiah's level was significantly higher than Garon's.
Nearing 1200 years old, Nehemiah was close to becoming an ancient dragon, on the verge of his life's end. However, becoming an ancient dragon would greatly extend his lifespan.
True dragons, whether ancient or not, are always on the brink of death, potentially succumbing at their peak of strength and falling into eternal slumber.
Ancient dragons are rarely seen on the continent.
Only by becoming an ancient dragon can a true dragon significantly extend its lifespan, reaching up to four or five thousand years, far surpassing the thousand-year lifespan of ordinary true dragons.
"Hmm? It's not polite or friendly to probe someone's strength uninvited."
Nehemiah, noticing Garon's spell, smiled and commented.
"I meant no offense."
Garon hadn't expected to be detected and awkwardly replied.
He respected Luna's elder, who indirectly helped him a lot by being the reason for the dragon soul stone's existence.
"Using that spell on beings stronger in spirit than yourself will be noticed."
"Be careful. It could provoke much stronger entities. Don't use it recklessly."
Nehemiah, unfazed by Garon's intrusion, kindly advised.
Meanwhile, his gaze shifted between Garon and Luna, smiling, "I often hear Luna mention you. In her words, you're an exceptional and special true dragon."
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