Chapter 659: Ancient Secrets, Potency Inheritance

In dragon legends, there exist numerous deities.

The Chromatic Queen representing the chromatic dragons, the Platinum Dragon God representing the metal dragons, the Gemstone Dragon God representing the gemstone dragons, as well as the Dragon God of Justice, the Dragon God of Life, and other such beings.

Their names and deeds have been passed down through generations in dragon heritage.

Though the depth of faith may vary, at least every name was clearly recognizable.

However, there were no legends or deeds of any iron hybrid dragon god.

The heritage mentioned that there had once been an iron hybrid dragon king, but all information about him was vague and incomplete, with no detailed records existing.

It was as if someone had erased everything about him, leaving only an empty title.

Why was this?

Garoth had been puzzled by this question before and had pondered it more than once, but each time, he came up empty-handed due to a lack of key information.

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The heritage Sorog had awakened might finally provide an answer this time.

And so, Garoth broke the silence.

He slightly raised his lower jaw, his dragon pupils lighting up amid the swirling snow, his gaze landing on Sorog.

“My heritage vaguely mentioned that there was once an iron hybrid dragon king in dragon history, but all records about him were unclear.”

“No name, no deeds, not even a single epic poem or prayer related to him.”

“In the pantheon of dragon deities, this iron hybrid dragon king seemed to have been erased.”

“Sorog, is the iron hybrid dragon king you just mentioned the same as this one?”

The iron dragon Sorog was silent for a moment.

Snowflakes landed on his back, accumulating into a thin layer of white.

After careful thought, he replied, “Yes and no.”

“The iron hybrid dragon king in the heritage was the first generation, also known as the Supreme Dragon. If anyone can pass the trial and ascend the Iron Throne, they will have the opportunity to obtain his legacy potency and become the second-generation iron hybrid dragon king, the second Supreme Dragon.”

Supreme Dragon.

Garoth had never heard this title before.

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He guessed it was mentioned in the information Sorog had just obtained.

Supreme—that didn’t sound like an ordinary title.

Garoth’s pupils narrowed slightly, his tail slowly swaying behind him.

Sorog continued, his voice growing more solemn: “The heritage I received tells me that the vague and incomplete records about the iron hybrid dragon king were due to deliberate obfuscation.”

“And it’s not just the iron hybrid dragon king.”

He paused for a moment, then said, “Dragon history itself has also been distorted to varying degrees.”

“For example, the Dragonfall War as we know it—its cause, course, and outcome... This heritage tells me that there are considerable discrepancies between them and the truth.”

The snow flew upward.

Samantha tilted her head, staring at the iron dragon.

“How can you be sure your ideas are correct?”

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“Sorog, you had a dream that triggered a heritage you didn’t even know existed. What if it’s just a trap, some evil god influencing you through this dream?”

“It’s not like this hasn’t happened before.”

Garoth rarely agreed with Samantha’s points.

But this time, she did have a point.

Gold Dragon King Audothos had undergone a drastic personality change because of a dream.

This so-called dream was just a surface manifestation; behind it might lie a very deep influence. The information it contained could be referenced, but wasn’t necessarily true.

Just then.

“But do they think I’m a stupid dragon whelp?”

“I told her to first grant me a world’s worth of treasure before I considered believing in her. But she always blabbered on about other things, making promises without directly fulfilling them.”

“So, I saw through it every time and never fell for it.”

Garoth’s gaze shifted from Sorog to Samantha: “The whispers of an evil god—who is it?”

Meeting the red iron dragon’s gaze, Samantha said, “It’s the one you’re thinking of. Only she can project her voice directly into the ears of Legendary dragons through the bloodline.”

She was undoubtedly referring to the Chromatic Queen.

This evil god had caused Garoth no small amount of trouble before.

Gordon had been lying quietly nearby, listening. After hearing Samantha’s words, he couldn’t help but scratch the scales on his neck and open his dragon maw.

“Um, let me ask something.”

He raised a front claw: “Why hasn’t anyone tried to tempt me?”

“I’m an iron dragon too. I participated in the birth of Sacred Aola from nothing. But why haven’t I heard the whispers of an evil god, nor awakened a heritage like Sorog?”

The red dragon turned her head and swept a glance at him.

“The reason is all too obvious, Gordon. They probably think wasting time on you is less worthwhile than tempting a seal that’s full and basking in the sun.”

Gordon shook his head.

“No. Even you, with a head full of muscle, could hear the whispers. I definitely had a chance too.”

He shot back with a barbed retort.

Garoth paid no attention to the two dragons’ daily bickering.

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His gaze remained on Samantha, and he asked, “Samantha, why didn’t you tell me before?”

This was the first time he had heard Samantha mention being tempted by an evil god.

Garoth wasn’t narcissistic.

But he had ample reason to believe this was the Chromatic Queen trying to find a breakthrough from the other dragons around him, to carry out some plan targeting him.

Samantha was slightly startled.

She tilted her head, thought for a moment, then said, “Those temptations were just the same few types repeated over and over. After hearing them too many times, they were more annoying than summer flies. Besides, they didn’t affect me at all. I just let them go in one ear and out the other.”

She paused, and under Garoth’s gaze, her boldness reined in a bit, her neck shrinking slightly.

“My dear brother, you’re too busy.”

“And besides, I didn’t think it was anything important, so I didn’t mention it to you.”

That was a lie.

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Samantha was mainly worried that her brother might distance himself from her and become wary.

Even though she was certain she hadn’t been affected at all, what if Garoth thought she was a potential risk...

Though the possibility was low, Samantha didn’t want to gamble on it, so she chose to hide it.

But keeping a secret didn’t feel good.

This time, when Sorog mentioned the Iron Throne, she took the opportunity to reveal her own situation.

“Alright, I know what you’re worried about.”

The red iron dragon said, his tone steady, without any reproach: “If something like this happens again, notify me immediately.”

He needed to thoroughly investigate all the dragons under his retinue, he thought.

His offspring and the other chromatic dragons had probably heard the evil god’s whispers too.

When encountering such matters, dragons usually chose to keep silent.

That was understandable.

To put it crudely, the Chromatic Queen was no different from a stirrer of trouble. Once tainted by her, even if you knew you weren’t affected, you could easily face distance and suspicion from other dragons.

“Alright, I understand.”

“If there’s a next time, I’ll tell you right away.”

Samantha breathed a sigh of relief, her tail relaxing as well.

After this brief interlude, Garoth turned his attention back to the iron dragon.

“Sorog, you said dragon history has been distorted.”

“Then, regardless of whether this heritage you’ve awakened is true or false, what version of dragon history does it actually record? Start with the first-generation iron hybrid dragon king. How did he disappear?”

White snow drifted high in the sky.

Upon hearing Garoth’s question, the iron dragon organized his thoughts, then slowly began to speak.

“The first-generation iron hybrid dragon king was an Immortal dragon.”

“He wasn’t a deity, but his potency was comparable to a high-ranking deity, standing at the pinnacle of Immortal life.”

“At the height of the iron hybrid dragon king’s prime, he built a magnificent Dragon Empire in the Material World, with iron hybrid dragons as the main body.”

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“Countless iron hybrid dragons, and all their branching bloodlines, regarded the iron hybrid dragon lord as their supreme king, revering and cherishing him from the bottom of their hearts.”

Here, the iron dragon’s voice sank slightly.

“At that time, the iron hybrid dragon race shared a common lineage with the metal dragons, holding similar beliefs and order.”

“The Platinum Dragon God regarded all metal dragons and iron hybrid dragons as his people, hoping they would wholeheartedly believe in him. He could not accept that some of his dragon subjects held equal reverence for the iron hybrid dragon king.”

The iron dragon paused, his gaze profound.

“Thus, the Platinum Dragon God began to suppress the iron hybrid dragon king antagonistically. For example, he belittled the iron hybrid dragon king’s status, declaring that he was not worthy of the same reverence as deities. And the iron hybrid dragons never responded to the provocation.”

Hearing this, Garoth mused to himself.

“The content of the heritage Sorog obtained might be biased.”

“It was probably left by the iron hybrid dragon king himself, or by dragons loyal to him, so it somewhat demeans the other dragon gods.”

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The Platinum Dragon God might indeed have many issues.

But jealousy and belittling the status of other dragon gods?

It shouldn’t go that far.

Just then, the red dragon Samantha craned her neck forward and asked, “Since the iron hybrid dragon king had potency comparable to a high-ranking deity, why didn’t he fight back?”

Sorog shook his head: “The heritage says the iron hybrid dragon king didn’t care about faith.”

“He enjoyed the adoration of the iron hybrid dragons, but didn’t demand faith. And he felt that as long as harmony between the iron hybrid dragons and metal dragons was maintained, the Platinum Dragon God’s hostility would eventually fade.”

“Therefore, the iron hybrid dragons yielded at every turn, avoiding battle multiple times.”

“Until... there was no more room to retreat, and the iron hybrid dragon lord and the Platinum Dragon God erupted into a great war.”

Sorog said, “This battle took place in some distant Outer Plane. The iron hybrid dragon king’s strength was beyond doubt, but he was facing the Platinum Dragon God at his peak.”

Garoth asked, “So, did the Platinum Dragon God kill the iron hybrid dragon king?”

Sorog shook his head, his gaze growing heavier: “No. After being severely wounded, the iron hybrid dragon king tore through space and fled to the main material plane.”

“His intention was to lie low and recover in the material realm.”

“But he didn’t anticipate that another deity was waiting, leading numerous Apostles in a siege, delivering a fatal blow.”

“The Chromatic Queen again?”

“Yes. She lay in ambush along the path the iron hybrid dragon king might take to escape, waiting to spring the trap. The iron hybrid dragon king was already gravely wounded by the Platinum Dragon God, and caught off guard by the Chromatic Queen’s assault. Thus, he fell.”

Garoth lifted his head slightly, gazing at the wind and snow filling the sky, his vertical pupils reflecting the countless white specks continuously falling.

“In other words, the iron hybrid dragon king was attacked by both the Platinum Dragon God and the Immortal Dragon Queen, eventually falling in the main material plane.”

He said in a low voice.

The iron dragon nodded: “At least, according to the heritage information I’ve received, that’s how it was.”

Garoth withdrew his gaze and looked at Sorog: “The heritage you’ve obtained may itself have problems, but its logic is complete. Even if the details are off, the truth is probably close.”

The iron dragon said, “I think so too.”

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“Moreover, the death of the iron hybrid dragon king was precisely the trigger for the Dragonfall War.”

“After his death, the original balance of the dragons collapsed.”

“The Platinum Dragon God and the Chromatic Queen’s attention fell entirely on each other. The old grievances and new grudges between them were all dragged into the open, eventually erupting into a divine war. The dragons loyal to both sides then joined the battlefield.”

“This civil war spanned countless worlds and planes.”

“Chromatic dragons, metal dragons, iron hybrid dragons, gemstone dragons... almost all dragonkind were dragged into it. Even neutral dragons couldn’t stay out of it.”

“The flames of war burned for a long, long time. Countless dragons fell under the claws and dragon breath of their own kin, their bodies piling up like mountains.”

Silence.

The snow continued to fall, enveloping the world in a tranquil white.

All the dragons present knew the history of the Dragonfall War.

But the heritage provided no deep depiction of it.

The scattered fragments that had been passed down mostly only mentioned the result—the dragons were weakened by it—but didn’t explain in detail why they were weakened, how the process unfolded, or what the cost was.

Garoth spoke, breaking the silence.

“If it were now, dragons might wave their flags and shout, but they would never sacrifice their lives for a dragon god’s war.”

“We won’t easily become expendables for any existence.”

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Sorog nodded and said, “Indeed. And the heritage also records a hidden secret.”

“In that year, the Dragonfall War was a bloodbath. It dragged on for too long, and too many died.”

“Even the most warlike dragons, after endless slaughter, developed extreme war fatigue from killing too many of their own kind. Countless dragons also developed mental problems.”

“In the later stages of the war, dragons began to question.”

“Did the dragon gods truly care about the lives of their dragon subjects? If they really did, how could they allow the endless flow of kin blood? Thus, dragon faith began to shake violently.”

“Only then did the dragon gods urgently call a truce.”

“Immediately afterward, they erased the records of the war’s cause, course, and true cost, blaming the main failure of the Dragonfall War on the resistance of races like Elves, Giants, and Orcs, which overthrew dragon hegemony.”

“But in truth, without the civil war weakening them, who could have resisted the dragons of the Golden Age?”

A thousand-li dike collapses due to an ant hole.

The collapse of an empire often begins from within.

The dragons of that year were no exception, declining due to civil war.

Sorog raised his eyes and continued, “But the dragon gods probably didn’t anticipate that the disappointment and doubt of that time had taken root in the bloodline, passed down through generations with the blood.”

“When dragons mention the dragon gods, it’s hard to have faith.”

“They can feel awe and respect, but heartfelt reverence, devoutness willing to give everything? That’s already impossible.”

Garoth suddenly understood.

This could explain why dragon faith was so scarce now.

It turned out to be the post-traumatic stress of that war, inherited, producing a deep-seated distrust of the dragon gods.

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Those concealed truths hadn’t completely disappeared. They had turned into a vague instinct embedded in the bloodline, causing every generation of dragons to face the gods with an inexplicable sense of distance.

Moreover, there were plenty of dragons with mental problems.

The higher the level, the greater the proportion seemed.

Was this also due to inheritance?

The aftereffects of the civil war?

Garoth gathered his thoughts and said, “Dragons are highly intelligent life forms. They aren’t so easily used as pawns.”

“Besides, if not for the civil war, the dragons wouldn’t have declined to this extent.”

“The dragon gods ignited the war and then buried the truth to preserve their faith. If that’s really the case, it’s no wonder the dragons’ current situation is getting worse and worse...”

Garoth had little respect for the dragon gods.

The reason was simple.

The divine wars fought back and forth—those who died were the faithful and the subjects.

None of the dragon gods themselves had truly fallen.

The greatest price they paid was merely losing their peak power, becoming weaker, but they themselves were still alive and well.

Garoth didn’t care much about the Aola citizens either.

But every time there was a major danger, he, as the emperor, would act to protect the Aola citizens from casualties, rather than wasting their lives in vain.

He felt that was pointless.

The original purpose of his establishing this empire wasn’t to have it fight for him.

And in the eyes of the Aola citizens.

An emperor who stood at the forefront.

He wasn’t afraid of danger, facing the storms head-on, shielding all his people firmly under his wings. For such an emperor, it was only natural that the citizens’ reverence for him could reach the level of faith.

“Nereus lacks respect for the Platinum Dragon God.”

“Perhaps she guessed some of the truth of the Dragonfall War and was completely disappointed in the dragon gods.”

Garoth thought to himself.

Some things couldn’t be completely hidden.

Dragons who had lived long enough, even without receiving any special heritage, would more or less know some of the past secrets.

“I’m still too young, and my experience is a bit lacking.”

“The content of Sorog’s heritage can’t be fully believed, but it’s an important reference nonetheless.”

Garoth silently thought to himself.

Just then, the iron dragon Sorog’s expression grew even more serious.

He looked at Garoth and said gravely, “The iron hybrid dragon king fell in the Material Plane. The Chromatic Queen wanted to seize his potency, but before falling, he split his potency and cast it into various Material Worlds.”

“Whoever can gather and unify these potencies will be able to ascend the Supreme Iron Throne.”

“And then become the second-generation iron hybrid dragon king.”

His voice paused, and the iron dragon Sorog transmitted a world coordinate to Garoth through the Mental Link.

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“The heritage I awakened records one of the Material Worlds where a fragment of that potency resides. And I suspect that other iron hybrid dragons who have established Dragon Empires have received similar heritages. Perhaps some have already obtained part of the potency.”

“Whether to participate in this struggle for the potency is for you to decide.”

On Bernardo, Sacred Aola was the first Dragon Empire in known history.

But when the scope expanded to the entire Material World, there was certainly more than one Dragon Empire in existence, and naturally, more than one dragon emperor.

To ascend the Iron Throne, one had to compete with other iron hybrid dragon emperors.

Moreover, anyone who could forge a Dragon Empire in this era was bound to be a dragon among dragons, a strong among the strong, with no impurities.

Contending for potency with these dragon emperors was no easy or simple matter.

Garoth memorized the world coordinate.

But unless he had a more precise judgment, he wasn’t going to rush into participating.

It wasn’t that he feared the other dragon emperors.

If necessary, Garoth didn’t mind making contact with other dragon emperors, whether the process was friendly or tense.

He was even a little looking forward to it.

The problem was that while the benefits of this potency struggle were enormous, the risks were even greater.

Carefully designed traps were always draped in the most enticing cloak. Behind the glory on the surface, a blade might be hidden.

The information Sorog obtained couldn’t be trusted definitively. It might even be a trap.

Even if he could ultimately fight his way out and ascend the so-called Supreme Iron Throne, obtaining the complete potency of the iron hybrid dragon king, how could he guarantee that he would still be himself?

An Immortal dragon comparable to a high-ranking deity—had it truly fallen completely and died?

It wasn’t that simple.

Perhaps this was just a means left by the iron hybrid dragon king to revive himself.

And there was another possibility.

Perhaps the Chromatic Queen had already seized the iron hybrid dragon king’s potency, but potency that didn’t belong to her was difficult to absorb and use. To achieve some goal, she might be “fishing” this way, waiting for other dragons to take the bait.