Chapter 644: The Missing Gold Dragon King, the Mysterious Ring

New Calendar 696.

More than ten years had passed since the Raging Tides Dragon Domain was officially taken over by the Sacred Aola Empire.

Now, many Aolan dragons coiled within the Raging Tides Dragon Domain, scattered along the major islands of the Maelstrom Sea as garrison forces.

Most of them were stationed as imperial troops, responsible for maintaining order, patrolling the seas, and subtly reshaping the atmosphere of the domain over time.

The metal dragons of the Raging Tides Dragon Domain were gradually being drawn to Aola as well.

The order, power, and impartial attitude the empire displayed toward all dragons made many great dragons who had originally harbored resistance begin to re-evaluate their positions.

Especially the younger generation.

No matter the species, the young were always more receptive to new things.

They began to actively learn about this rapidly rising empire, privately communicating with Aolan dragons, and eventually, one by one, they were deeply captivated.

Most of them even left the Raging Tides Dragon Domain and came to Atlan.

Before this, the greatest number of five-colored dragons within the Atlan Empire were found here.

These dragon breeds, once rejected and despised by mainstream society on Bernardo, had found their place under Aola’s banner.

The empire did not discriminate based on scale color; it valued only ability and loyalty.

This had never changed since the empire’s founding.

And now, as time passed, the presence of metal dragons within the nation gradually increased, becoming an increasingly common part of the empire’s dragon community.

At the same time, within the Vophal Dragon Domain.

Above the archipelago, the north wind blew, murmuring and wandering between the dragon islands.

The cold-resistant shrubs on the sea cliffs had lost all their green. Sunlight leaked through gaps in the clouds, casting patches of broken gold onto the sea’s surface, only to be swallowed by surging waves moments later.

Garoth stood on a high cliff by the sea.

This visit to the Vophal Dragon Domain was at the invitation of the Silver Dragon King. At the same time, his offspring had expressed a desire to see him through the Bloodline Connection.

Garoth did not refuse his offspring’s request.

The sound of wings breaking through the air came from the side.

A gold dragon pierced through the thin veil of clouds, steadily descending in the north wind to land on the high cliff. As it touched down, its wings folded, and its claws gripped the rock.

Its scales were a dazzling gold, its physique outstanding among dragons of the same age.

Muscles bulged beneath the scales, forming iron-cast contours. Its dragon horns, slightly different from traditional gold dragons’, were incredibly thick, sweeping backward along the skull, more like the horn shape of a red dragon.

Gabriel Ignas.

In appearance, he was ninety-nine percent similar to a gold dragon, almost indistinguishable from a pure-blood gold dragon, but in reality, he was a half-golden-blood dragon.

He was now a prime dragon and had long reached the legendary level. Among the Emperor’s sons, his life level was second only to Garcro, surpassing even his elder brother Laria.

“Father, your scales shine brighter than a thousand suns.”

Gabriel didn’t open with flattery.

“Where the Red Wing passes, storms submit. Where the dragon pupil gazes, all things bow.”

“Your presence is the fortune of all dragonkind across the myriad worlds. Under your brilliance, all enemies will kneel and prostrate themselves in surrender. I, too, always feel honored by the blood similar to yours flowing within me.”

As he spoke these words, his dragon head was slightly lowered, his posture respectful.

But after finishing, he couldn’t help laughing to himself. Clearly, he knew his performance had been too exaggerated.

The red-iron dragon turned his head, his gaze falling on the gold dragon.

“If you have something to say, say it directly.”

“There’s no need for so many pleasantries as an opening. You specifically asked to see me—surely not just to offer praise?”

Gabriel scratched his head, rubbing his foreclaws twice against the scales on his neck, giving an embarrassed smile.

“Alright, Father always sees through everything. I won’t beat around the bush.”

His previous exaggerated expression faded completely, replaced by seriousness. He said, “Father, I want to go to the Raging Tides Dragon Domain.”

Garoth tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the gold dragon.

“Oh? Why the sudden desire to go to the Raging Tides Dragon Domain?”

Under his dragon father’s gaze, the gold dragon straightened his neck, folding his wings slightly, his posture solemn.

“Although the Raging Tides Dragon Domain has already been ceded to the Sacred Aola, the remnants of the Purification Faction’s ideology cannot be eradicated overnight,” the gold dragon said. “Those great dragons may outwardly submit, but in their hearts, they haven’t truly come around. The younger generation is more receptive to the new order, but they lack a role model they can truly believe in.”

“After all, you are too far removed from them.”

He paused, meeting Garoth’s gaze directly.

“But I can become that role model.”

The red-iron dragon looked at him. “That’s all?”

The gold dragon grinned, then suppressed the smile, shaking his head. “Of course, it’s not just for that. The Raging Tides Dragon Domain matter is only the surface reason. My true intention is...”

His voice trailed off.

Gabriel took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling before he continued.

“I believe the dragon domains are too conservative, too complacent. The problem lies not elsewhere but primarily with too many Dragon Kings.”

“Though the great dragon domains unite in the face of common enemies, going their own ways in peacetime severely hinders overall development.”

“Each archipelago has its own rules, its own traditions, its own way of doing things.”

“Each Dragon King has their own thoughts and completely different personalities.”

“That’s the core issue.”

His tone grew heavier. “There is no unified will among the metal dragons.”

“Even the most respected Gold Dragon King, with his transcendent status, is still just one of the Dragon Kings and cannot truly change the thoughts of the others.”

“If someone could step up and become the sole Dragon King, truly uniting the will of all dragon domains...”

“Then the current state of dragonkind would never be like this.”

This was something he had learned from his father.

Gabriel believed the primary reason the Sacred Aola had risen so rapidly over the past centuries was that it unwaveringly pursued a single will from top to bottom, striving toward a common goal.

The red-iron dragon listened quietly, without interrupting.

“So, Father, I have an idea.”

The gold dragon lifted his head, meeting his dragon father’s eyes directly.

“In the future, I want to become that sole Dragon King, then completely reform the metal dragons, breaking down all those outdated rules and regulations, so that every metal dragon stands under the same banner.”

“Of course, this requires sufficient power as support.”

“Without power, everything is just empty talk. I learned that clearly from you, Father.”

“But beyond that, I also need the heartfelt recognition and support of the metal dragons.”

“Here in the Vophal Dragon Domain, the younger generation of metal dragons all support me, but that’s not enough. So I plan to go to the Raging Tides Dragon Domain next, to gain the support of more young dragons. Step by step, first establish a solid foundation, then talk about bigger goals.”

Hearing these words, the red-iron dragon’s eyes showed a hint of contemplation.

He knew some things were deeply ingrained.

Differences in scale color and bloodline meant that many metal dragons, even if they admired, respected, and acknowledged his strength and achievements, could never truly trust him, this emperor, from the bottom of their hearts.

Nor was it because they were stubborn.

The concepts formed over countless years couldn’t be completely reversed in just over a decade.

Admittedly, if Garoth were willing to invest enough time, with his charisma and skill, he could certainly correct this.

But he himself had no interest in wasting too much time on this.

Within Aola, besides their admiration and loyalty to the emperor, the young dragons also had other thoughts.

For instance, the five-colored dragons generally looked up to Garcro, treating this Emperor’s son as their role model.

And now, Gabriel wanted to be the role model for the metal dragons.

“Having ideas and being willing to act on them is a good thing.”

The red-iron dragon said to his offspring, “Gabriel, my descendant, go ahead and do it. I look forward to seeing the results.”

The gold dragon’s eyes suddenly lit up, blazing with intensity.

Then, he quickly suppressed his surging emotions, lowering his head again, his expression solemn and serious.

“Father, you are the most revered being among all dragons, past, present, and future. That will never change.”

“The banner of the Sacred Aola is the banner of dragonkind. Your radiance is the radiance all dragons should look up to.”

“And I, as your descendant, will walk step by step under your radiance.”

“The era our fathers created needs the younger generation to continue and expand. I will follow behind you, sweeping away all the decayed, outdated obstacles hindering dragonkind’s progress, clearing them all away.”

The red-iron dragon nodded, saying nothing more.

The topic ended there, and Gabriel didn’t linger long.

After a brief farewell, he immediately set off for the Raging Tides Dragon Domain.

And not just him alone—many young metal dragons from the Vophal Dragon Domain went with him. A group of dragons flew over the Vophal Dragon Domain sky, heading toward the Raging Tides Dragon Domain. The scene was quite spectacular.

The red-iron dragon flew toward the direction of the Cold Sacred Spring, disappearing into the north wind.

The sacred spring was perpetually shrouded in cold mist. The lake’s surface was calm as if frozen, and the reefs along the shore were covered in a fine layer of frost crystals.

But even in the harshest winter, it never froze here.

The spring water maintained the same temperature, cold but not icy.

The Silver Dragon King, Nereus, coiled on a massive reef by the sacred spring, her long neck slightly curved, the tip of her tail gently tapping the lake’s surface, sending out circles of fine ripples.

Her posture seemed relaxed, but her half-closed eyes seemed to harbor deep thoughts.

Garoth landed on a nearby shore opposite her, folding his wings.

Nereus lifted her eyes, gazing at the red-iron dragon.

“Times change so fast, it’s hard to keep up.”

Her voice was long and drawn. “Centuries ago, Aola was just a fledgling nation emerging on the Atlantis Continent, while the Purification Faction dragons roared at all evil in the Maelstrom Sea.”

“Back then, who could have imagined today’s scene?”

As she spoke, she lifted the tip of her tail, flicking a string of water droplets from the lake’s surface.

“Now, without realizing it, Aola has become a true Dragon Empire.”

She continued, “Even the most stubborn Purification Faction dragons are beginning to learn how to fly alongside kin of different scales. The changes are too great. It feels like just yesterday, people were still questioning, and now, all dragons are adapting.”

“But the Five Great Dragon Domains now only number four.”

As she spoke, the silver dragon slightly tilted her head, her gaze falling on Garoth’s faceplate.

“Garoth, I want to ask you a very direct question.”

“As the Silver Dragon King, I have a responsibility to consider the future of the Vophal Dragon Domain and to seek a clear answer for the metal dragons who trust me.”

Garoth looked at the Silver Dragon King. “What question?”

Nereus raised her head slightly. “Will the Sacred Aola be content with the Atlantis Continent?”

Garoth fell silent.

After about three or four breaths of silence, the red-iron dragon slowly spoke.

“I’ll give you the most direct, straightforward answer.”

“I have never considered stopping. Under my rule, the nation carries my spirit and will, so naturally, it will not stop either.”

“Atlantis is only the starting point of the Sacred Aola, far from the end.”

Nereus remained silent, her silver eyes fixed steadily on him.

“I know what you’re worried about.”

Garoth continued, “You’re worried that the Sacred Aola’s expansion will swallow the metal dragon domains one by one, just like the Raging Tides Dragon Domain, leaving no more metal dragon domains, only subjects of Aola.”

He paused slightly and shook his head.

“There’s no need for that.”

“The world is vast, the universe immense. Aola has too many directions for expansion; it doesn’t need to compete with metal dragons for sovereignty. Instead of wasting energy on allies who are already cooperating well, it’s better to explore the territories yet to be touched.”

“There will still be five dragon domains.”

“When the Purification Faction dragons’ thoughts truly return to normal, and those twisted beliefs are completely corrected, I can return the Raging Tides Dragon Domain to the metal dragons—completely, without interference.”

Hearing the red-iron dragon’s answer, Nereus squinted slightly.

She showed a meaningful expression. “Return it to the metal dragons, then push your descendant forward and support him as the sole metal dragon king?”

The red-iron dragon’s forehead scales wrinkled.

“You know about this?”

He asked.

Nereus let out a very light laugh.

“Your descendant, Gabriel, declared before many dragons in the Vophal Dragon Domain that he wouldn’t compete for the Vophal Dragon King anymore, because he wanted to become the sole metal dragon king, unifying all domains under one banner.”

“When he spoke, his voice was loud enough to be heard across the sea.”

“Even if I wanted not to know, it would be hard. In fact, by now, there’s probably no dragon in the Vophal Dragon Domain who doesn’t know about it. As your descendant and a powerful legendary dragon himself, he’s always been under the spotlight.”

Garoth was speechless.

He always did things first, and only considered other matters after the deed was done.

For instance, the Sacred Aola Empire’s birth came only after Aola truly had the aura of an empire, riding the momentum rather than announcing it early.

In his view, loudly proclaiming something before it was accomplished only added unnecessary variables, with no benefit.

But Gabriel, that guy.

He had barely started and was already making a big show of his intentions.

This was very different from Garoth—in fact, it was the complete opposite.

Still, it wasn’t a major problem.

Garoth didn’t intend to interfere.

He thought for a moment, then said, “What Gabriel said actually makes some sense. The metal dragon domains are scattered across every corner of Bernardo, not gathered together. This subtly weakens the metal dragons by a notch.”

Intelligent races all knew the metal dragons were united in heart.

This impression came from countless battles fought side by side in history.

But when a true enemy appeared, wartime coordination, resource allocation, force integration, and so on would all be constrained by this scattered reality.

“If they were concentrated, integrating all dragon domains,”

“I believe the metal dragons’ voice on Bernardo would rise another notch,”

Garoth said.

Nereus was silent for a while.

She gazed at the lake, at her reflection in the water, then let out a soft sigh.

“What you said, the Dragon Kings aren’t unaware.”

She said, “Similar words have been spoken before, more than once. Every generation, young dragons propose similar ideas, then hit a wall, then give up.”

“The dragon domains being scattered is a historical leftover issue.”

“Back then, for various reasons, separate governance was a helpless choice. No matter the original intention, cracks had already been quietly laid when the first generation of Dragon Kings divided the rule. Later attempts to reunite weren’t so easy.”

She withdrew her gaze, looking at Garoth again.

“Let Gabriel give it a try. Maybe he can actually succeed.”

“After all, he has a father skilled at creating miracles. Perhaps he inherited that, too, and can break the barriers the older generation tried countless times but could never break.”

Metal dragons advocated unity; it was a belief etched into their bones.

If someone could truly make all metal dragons willingly stand under the same banner, she would only choose to support, not oppose.

Having said that, Nereus suddenly tilted her head, examining the red-iron dragon with a scrutinizing look.

“Speaking of which, Garoth, I have a question for you.”

“What?”

“After your Mandate of Heaven, did you... develop some kind of social trait?”

The red-iron dragon lifted his head, the corner of his mouth slightly curling upward. “Being able to detect this in a twilight state shows that you, Dragon King, still retain your sharpness,” he said.

“Just as I thought.”

Nereus showed a look of understanding. “When speaking face to face with you, I can’t help but listen intently to every word you say. Even if you’re just saying something very ordinary, I feel like I should listen carefully to the end.”

“This is very rare in normal conversation.”

Even if Garoth said something as trivial as “the weather is nice today,” it would make the listener focus entirely on his words.

This was quite abnormal.

Lower-level beings might not notice this abnormality, or even if they did, they couldn’t describe it accurately. They would only feel that listening to the emperor speak was a very comfortable experience, making them feel valued and respected, so they couldn’t help but listen intently.

But the Silver Dragon King was also at the Mandate of Heaven level.

She could sense something off with her own state.

“No helping it.” The red-iron dragon spread his claws slightly, helpless yet with a hint of natural pride. “This isn’t deliberate influence on my part, nor am I using some kind of charm skill.”

“It’s just... my charm is too high.”

Nereus was left speechless, unsure what to say.

She shook her head, dropping the subject. Her expression gradually grew solemn. She sat up straight, her tail resting quietly on the edge of the reef.

“Let’s set these trivial matters aside for now.”

“I invited you here for serious business.”

The red-iron dragon narrowed his eyes, waiting for her to continue.

Nereus said, “Audothos—I can’t reach him anymore.”

Garoth said, “When he’s studying the mysteries of time, he completely shuts out the outside world. Is there a problem?”

In the eyes of the world, the Gold Dragon King was an image of mystery and power.

But Garoth had long seen through him.

Years of frequent contact had revealed the Gold Dragon King’s true nature to him.

In his view, the Gold Dragon King was closer to a scholar, or someone with a researcher’s mentality.

What truly fascinated him was only the mysteries of time. To explore this domain, he could invest endless effort, immersing himself in research while remaining oblivious to the outside world.

“This time is different.”

Nereus’s expression was grave. “I’ve tried all means of contact, and none got a response.”

“In the end, I even sent a signal using the most urgent contact method—the channel we Dragon Kings agreed to use only in life-or-death situations.”

“But he still didn’t respond. This goes beyond the normal range.”

Garoth’s gaze sharpened.

“How long?”

The Silver Dragon King recalled, saying, “From when I noticed the anomaly until now, it’s been nearly a year.”

“Before that, the last time he contacted me, his tone was extremely excited, saying he’d made progress and was about to break through to Immortal using his time Potency.”

She looked helpless as she spoke.

“You and Audothos have been close these years; you must know that when he says ‘soon’ or ‘almost there,’ those words can’t be trusted at all. So at the time, I didn’t think much of it, just took it as another bout of his overconfidence.”

“But this time, maybe something really went wrong.”

Her voice paused, and the silver dragon looked at Garoth.

“Aside from himself, you’re the only one who’s been into the space he created many times. So, I hope you can go personally and check what’s happened to Audothos.”

Over the years, Garoth had gone to the Dragon Sleep Corridor more than once, entering its deep spaces.

As for the purpose, it was simple.

Sparring with the Gold Dragon King to counter his time-based skills, thereby increasing his own resistance to time.

During this process, Garoth would hand over some body materials that had rapidly adapted and evolved to the Gold Dragon King.

Each time, the Gold Dragon King would solemnly accept them, his eyes lighting up, then hurriedly see him off before diving into his research.

Once the special power within the materials dissipated,

He would warmly invite Garoth back, completely forgetting how eager he had been to see him off last time.

“A year ago... that was probably the last time I went to the Everbright Dragon Domain.”

Garoth thought silently to himself, then looked at the Silver Dragon King. “No time to waste. I’ll head over now.”

Rip!

He tore through space with practiced ease, leaping inside, and his figure vanished.

The scene before his eyes transformed completely.

Garoth arrived in the special space where time flowed slowly. A large number of time-related artifacts and objects first came into view, scattered across every corner of the space.

But Audothos was not here.

This was extremely rare.

The Gold Dragon King was almost always in this space, either researching or waiting for the research process.

“What... is this?”

Suddenly, Garoth’s gaze sharpened as he focused on an object silently suspended in the center of the space.

It looked like a golden ring, its surface bearing scale-like patterns, arranged densely and neatly. The veins of the patterns were ninety percent similar to those of the evolved scales he had given to Audothos.

Beyond that, the ring’s surface flickered with many runes Garoth had never seen before, appearing and disappearing.

Like... some kind of complex code constantly in operation.

Hum!

As if sensing the familiar, kindred aura, the previously still ring suddenly began to tremble, sending ripples spreading through the surrounding space.

Then, it vanished abruptly.

No, not vanished.

Garoth looked down.

It had teleported to appear around his right wrist. The ring clamped tightly there, as if it had always been a part of him, but then another ripple spread out, and the golden ring faded, disappearing from sight.

“This Audothos fellow... what kind of strange thing did he create?”

The red-iron dragon’s forehead scales slightly wrinkled as he thought.

He lifted his right claw, gazing intently at his wrist.

It looked like nothing, no different from before.

The True Eye lit up, his gaze penetrating through scales, flesh, and skin, observing and sensing every detail of bones, blood vessels, and muscles inch by inch—but still, he saw nothing unusual.

What he had seen before seemed like an illusion.

But Garoth knew it truly existed and had vanished on his body.