Chapter 660: Immortal, Reinhardt, Thriving and Prosperous

The Red Emperor Capital was shrouded in the harshness of winter.

Breath condensed into white mist in the air, only to be quickly torn apart by the wind, scattering into the swirling snowflakes.

Atop the Dragon Court, the wind and snow never ceased.

Garoth's gaze pierced through the heavy snowfall, landing on the distant horizon. His slitted pupils were half-lidded, the folds of his eyes covering half the pupil, revealing a thoughtful expression.

"The information in this inheritance can only be used as a reference, not taken as absolute truth."

He said, "Even if it's cloaked in the guise of an ancient bloodline, it might not be anything more than a carefully woven lie."

"Dragon history has been tampered with more than once. Even our own records can't withstand repeated scrutiny, let alone this inheritance of unknown origin. There's no guarantee that this inheritance itself isn't part of the alteration."

He tilted his head slightly, withdrawing his gaze from the wind and snow, and fixed it on Sorog.

"As for the unknown world coordinates provided in the inheritance, do not attempt to investigate them for now. Until we have more definite confirmation, do not touch them at all—not even a tentative peek."

The Iron Dragon nodded.

"That's what I was thinking."

"The older something of unknown origin is, the more caution it demands."

"Moreover, whether the inheritance records truth or lies, this struggle for Potency won't be settled in the short term. Once you step into the Immortal realm and then begin to investigate, we'll be much more composed and far safer."

The Red Dragon Samantha had been listening with her head tilted.

Her tail swayed slowly behind her, sweeping a curved arc through the snow at her side. Her gaze moved between Garoth and Sorog several times before she couldn't help but ask:

"If we're not going, that's fine, but aren't we even sending scouts?"

"What I mean is, hasn't the empire been preparing for the Grand Expedition all along?"

"We have plenty of claws and fangs. Just pulling together an elite squad to scout it out, taking a look from a distance, isn't a big deal. Even if we don't touch anything, at the very least we'd know where those coordinates actually lead."

"Isn't this level of caution a bit excessive?"

On the other side, the Iron Dragon Gordon shook his massive head.

"That definitely won't do."

"No one knows what that world coordinate points to. It's best to just pretend we haven't discovered it."

Samantha didn't even look at him. She ignored the Iron Dragon's words and simply continued staring at Garoth, waiting for him to speak.

At that moment, Garoth shook his head.

"Gordon is right."

"A completely unknown world coordinate, with no anchor, no reference, and no reliable information—no one knows where it leads."

"What lies behind it may not necessarily be a normal Material Plane."

"If it involves some ancient existence, the moment a scout goes over, they'll become a clue to locate you. When information is still scarce, any rash action is unwise."

Samantha almost instantly dropped her casual demeanor, her movements crisp and decisive.

Her neck lifted slightly, and she put on a serious expression.

"My dear brother, as always, you're the most thorough in your thinking."

She agreed, "If you say don't touch it, then we won't touch it. It's not like it's urgent anyway. I was thinking too simply just now. We can investigate later when we have full preparations."

Garoth turned his dragon head, his gaze landing on the Red Dragon.

"Samantha, you could actually do a bit more thinking."

"You've always had outstanding wisdom—I've never doubted that—but you don't use it much."

He said.

The Red Dragon was slightly stunned.

Then, she shrugged her shoulder blades, the scales on her neck opening and closing slightly.

"With you and Sorog around, I can't be bothered to think about so much. Using my brain is too tiring, really. Besides, even if my thoughts are simple, to some extent, they still provide you with a reference."

"Different roles, right?"

In non-urgent moments, getting the Red Dragon to use her brain was still too much to ask.

At the same time, the Iron Dragon Gordon let out a low, muffled growl from the side.

"What I just said was clearly the exact same thing as Garoth."

"Why can't you listen?"

He said with dissatisfaction, his slitted pupils glaring straight at Samantha.

Samantha turned her head, looking at Gordon, and countered, "The same words coming from the mouths of different dragons naturally have completely different credibility. What's wrong with that?"

Hearing this, the Iron Dragon's back arched slightly, and the edges of his scales stood up.

He bared his teeth at Samantha and said, "Hmph, this is an insult to me. Wretched Samantha, I challenge you to a duel!"

The Red Dragon spread her wings, the wing membranes taut in the wind and snow.

"Then bring it on."

She taunted, eager to try: "Fly up there. Let's settle who's superior again."

Before the words faded, the Red Dragon had already flapped her wings and soared into the air. Her massive body tore through the snow curtain, swirling up a spinning cloud of snow. Gordon followed closely behind, pushing off with all four claws, launching himself from the ground, chasing after the Red Dragon's figure straight into the high sky.

The two dragons rapidly ascended through the wind and snow.

Claws clashed, dragon tails swept, and low roars mixed with the dull thuds of colliding scales came intermittently from high above, drowning out the howling of the wind.

Garoth didn't stop them.

He raised his dragon head, watching the two entangled, grappling figures high in the sky.

Sorog stood beside him, also gazing at the sky, his posture calm.

He watched for a while, then spoke in a low voice: "Those two troublemakers. They've both grown into ancient dragons and been through many things together, but their minds are sometimes still as childish as young dragons."

The Red Iron Dragon didn't say anything.

Being able to maintain a bit of a childish mindset wasn't a bad thing.

At least their days were much easier and happier than Garoth's and Sorog's.

Sorog tilted his head and asked, "Should I go call them off?"

The Red Iron Dragon shook his head: "Let them fight. They know their limits and when to stop. Think of it as them stretching their bodies."

Sorog nodded and said no more, turning his gaze back to the high sky.

The day was still long, and the wind and snow hadn't stopped.

The Red Iron Dragon stood amidst the vast white, quietly watching the two figures growing ever higher, weaving and flipping through the clouds. The wind carried snow across his side, leaving a thin layer of white on his scales, which melted instantly from his body heat.

"Sorog, keep an eye on things here. Contact me if there are any issues."

Not long after, Garoth said to the Iron Dragon.

He had planned a grand Grand Expedition blueprint for the Path of Immortality, and now there was an added struggle for the supreme Iron Throne's Potency. All of this could only begin after achieving Immortality.

For this reason, he didn't have much leisure time.

"Go ahead."

"Everything should focus on your growth. Just concentrate on your own affairs."

The Iron Dragon nodded emphatically, his slitted pupils reflecting the swirling white in the sky.

If it weren't for urgent matters, he would never disturb Garoth.

The Iron Dragon cared most about the empire's survival and understood better than anyone on whom Sacred Aola was built.

Sacred Aola could do without him, Sorog, and it could do without Samantha and Gordon. But if it lost Garoth, the entire empire would collapse.

Not long after, Garoth returned to the deep void.

He continued his training on the solitary planet, accumulating strength bit by bit.

Time passed silently. Two years flashed by in the blink of an eye.

New Calendar 745, Summer.

The Theo royal city of Silverglow was in its most prosperous season of the year.

Sunlight poured down from the clear sky, the entire city shimmering with rippling light in the midsummer heatwave. The leaves on the trees lining the streets were a deep, dripping green. Occasionally, a few leaves were swept down by the wind, drifting past pedestrians' shoulders.

Garoth walked on the main street of Silverglow City.

He had retracted his dragon wings and scales, transforming into a humanoid body.

Even though he had compressed his form as much as possible, he was still taller and more robust than the tallest Theo man around. His long black-red hair fell behind his shoulders, the ends swaying gently as he walked. He was broad-shouldered, with a powerful back, and his steps were steady.

His entire presence was extraordinary and quite eye-catching.

However, no one cast a glance his way.

It was as if they couldn't see him. The crowd simply ignored his existence.

This was the magic at work.

He had used a suggestion spell to make himself blurred in people's perception, preventing them from forming an impression of him.

Garoth walked down the street, his gaze sweeping across his surroundings.

The buildings on either side of the street were neatly arranged. The walls were mostly made of light gray marble, engraved with neat decorative dragon patterns. Window boxes were filled with blooming summer flowers, their red-and-yellow petals gently swaying in the breeze, a few occasionally falling onto the road.

These flowers had been introduced from the south by the Theo people. They had a long blooming period, almost covering the entire summer.

As for the architectural style, it had undergone a massive change.

They now belonged to Sacred Aola, or rather, Theo's style was gradually converging towards Aola's.

The originally intricate and delicate decorative lines had been simplified, replaced by more angular outlines. Aesthetics were subtly shifting towards a more practical and streamlined direction.

Apart from Garoth, the street was bustling with passing pedestrians.

Nearly all the adult men were robust, with broad shoulders and thick backs. The bulging muscles on their arms stretched the short sleeves tight. The women were equally sturdy, with straight backs and steady steps, showing no signs of frailty.

As they walked, they carried an air of self-sufficiency and confidence.

Even the children chasing and playing by the roadside had noticeably thicker bone structures. Their running footsteps were heavy, their landings stronger and more forceful than those of children their age.

Sacred Aola revered strength.

This reverence, like a seasonal wind, had blown into every corner of the empire, even sweeping up the vassal states.

Theo people had once prided themselves on intricate etiquette.

But now, bravery and martial prowess had become the highest form of praise.

When people evaluated a young man, the first thing they asked about was his physical condition and how much weight he could lift.

In terms of clothing style, Theo was also moving closer to Aola: neat, crisp, without trailing decorations or unnecessary frills.

Suddenly, a rumbling sound came.

Garoth turned his head and saw an alchemical vehicle gliding smoothly along the road.

Six wheels, a black shell, and glowing runic circuits embedded on both sides. Inside sat a few Theo people, huddled together looking at an unrolled piece of magic paper, probably calculating something.

Such vehicles were everywhere.

They shuttled back and forth on the main road, very stable. On the dedicated lanes, one passed by every few dozen steps, varying in type and function.

A whooshing sound also came from overhead.

Several hover discs were gliding over the city. Their chassis were flat and disc-shaped, with a dense circle of runes spinning around the edges, carrying three to five passengers.

Some wore light leather armor; others wore long robes.

They leisurely surveyed the street scene below, occasionally pointing at some distant building.

The flight paths of the hover discs were clear and smooth, without any lag or wobbling.

Clearly, the technology had matured.

Garoth glanced up and wasn't particularly surprised.

The hover disc technology originated from Sacred Aola and had long been mass-produced.

The same went for those alchemical vehicles. Things that once belonged only to nobles and professionals could now be afforded by some commoners who tightened their belts.

The price of a basic vehicle was roughly equivalent to a skilled craftsman's income for two years.

With installment payments, almost every family could bear it.

Prosperity. Strength.

This was the new impression Theo gave people.

It was no longer the trembling vassal state it had been after being conquered back then.

By closely following the pace of Sacred Aola, it had become one of the strongest kingdoms outside of Aola itself. The former defeated had long since become accustomed to a life of peace and prosperity, beginning to take pride in their status as imperial vassals.

Garoth slowed his pace.

He wasn't in a hurry.

Since he was already in Silverglow City, he could take the opportunity to see what this land had become.

Just then, a figure approached his side.

Young, handsome.

His short hair was neatly combed back, revealing a smooth forehead and a pair of eyes.

His build was slender and well-proportioned, not as bulging with muscles as the brutes around him. He was lean and wiry, wearing a swordsman's attire—a deep blue tunic edged with silver thread. His brow and eyes held a restrained sharpness.

He was like a fine sword sheathed in its scabbard.

Unrevealed, yet impossible to ignore.

Reinhardt.

The Light of Theo, once the challenger who had swung his sword before Garoth, now a Mandate-level swordsman serving under the Emperor.

He walked to Garoth's side, without kneeling or bowing.

This was a rule Garoth had abolished long ago.

Reinhardt lowered his head slightly, offering his respect.

"In recent years, Theo has developed quite well."

Garoth's gaze swept across the street as he spoke.

"We owe this to Your Majesty's mercy and generosity."

Reinhardt bowed his head slightly, his posture upright: "That Theo has its present splendor is all due to the blessings of Sacred Aola. Now, Theo is the strongest kingdom outside of Aola itself."

"This glory is deeply etched in the hearts of Theo's people."

Garoth didn't stop walking.

He continued down the street, and Reinhardt naturally followed at his side, matching his pace, his position slightly behind, maintaining the perfect distance.

"You're still so humble, Reinhardt."

"Theo basks in your light, Reinhardt. At least half of this kingdom's strength is propped up by you. The Light of Theo... your title is well-deserved and fits you perfectly."

He said slowly.

"Your Majesty flatters me."

"If Your Majesty's radiance is like the Blazing Sun, then I am nothing but a single firefly beneath it."

"A firefly compared to the Blazing Sun—insignificant."

Reinhardt said earnestly, his tone without a trace of flattery.

Garoth raised one eyebrow slightly.

A dragon's eyebrow muscles aren't very flexible; this action in his dragon form was equivalent to a slight narrowing of his slitted pupils. Now, wearing a human face, it looked more like a curious, appraising scrutiny.

"I didn't expect you to have learned to flatter as well, Reinhardt."

"It seems you haven't remained completely unchanged all these years."

He chuckled and said.

The swordsman's gaze didn't waver in the slightest.

He met Garoth's eyes, looking back frankly, and said, "This is not flattery, Your Majesty. It is a sincere compliment. What Your Majesty has brought to Theo is not just peace, but also dignity, order, and a path forward."

Garoth was momentarily taken aback, then laughed.

He withdrew his gaze and continued walking, his tone returning to calm: "Let's talk business. Are you preparing to break through to Immortal?"

For dragons, breaking through to Immortal had additional difficulties.

Humans didn't have this extra difficulty, but it was still no simple feat.

Looking at the entire history of Bernardo, there weren't many Immortal beings born. Those who succeeded were few and far between. Most exceptionally gifted experts met their downfall at this threshold.

But Reinhardt had the potential for Immortality.

He had faced major setbacks, had fallen to rock bottom, but after reaching the Mandate realm, he had no more demons haunting him.

This swordsman had fully accepted his past and present, and afterward, had consistently followed his inner heart with pure will, maintaining a terrifyingly fast growth rate. He had gradually reached the limit of the Mandate realm and touched the threshold of Immortality.

"Yes."

Reinhardt nodded and said, "I plan to go into seclusion for a while, to prepare wholeheartedly for breaking through to Immortal. I've already chosen the location."

Garoth turned his head and glanced at him.

Reinhardt would become an Immortal before him.

A subject of his, about to surpass him by a full major tier... For other great dragons, this might feel like a threat, prompting thoughts of eliminating him preemptively, just in case.

However, Garoth had no such thoughts.

"What are the chances of success?"

"One hundred percent."

Reinhardt replied.

Garoth turned his head, his gaze falling on him again: "That confident?"

Reinhardt's expression didn't change much. He pressed his lips together briefly, then relaxed them, and said, "Because behind me, I have Your Majesty's regard and trust, as well as the hopes of all Theo's people."

"And... I have already decided to bet everything."

"Leave no retreat."

"Either I become Immortal, or I die."

For dragons, the barrier of Immortality was a high threshold.

However, as long as they had enough age and accumulated power, and they hadn't died, if they couldn't cross it in one attempt, they could try a second, a third time. Time was on the dragons' side; they had plenty of opportunities to repeatedly storm the barrier.

But for humans, this threshold was a single-plank bridge, with a bottomless abyss beneath.

Human lifespans were too short, and their bodies couldn't remain at their peak forever. Basically, they only had one chance to break through to Immortality.

If the first attempt failed, both body and spirit would sustain irreparable cracks.

Afterward, the success rate would only get lower and lower, until it approached zero.

So Reinhardt wasn't just making bold declarations.

His choice really only had two options.

Cross over, or fall.

The two walked side by side for a stretch of road. The laughter of children chasing and playing came from the roadside. A few gray doves fluttered up from the eaves, tracing an arc through the sunlight.

Reinhardt was silent for a while, then spoke in a low voice.

"Your Majesty, although I have absolute confidence, this is, after all, no small matter."

"If, by some chance... if I fail, I hope Your Majesty will treat Theo kindly."

"The people of this kingdom all take pride in you."

He knew that Theo's strength largely depended on him. If he fell, Theo would be severely affected. Although the kingdoms under Sacred Aola's rule were harmonious, struggles still existed, just in a different form.

"Theo is Theo, belonging to Aola."

"I naturally treat my own people and my own wealth kindly."

Garoth's voice was steady as he spoke, his pace unchanged.

Reinhardt paused for a step, then bowed slightly: "Your Majesty, on behalf of all Theo's people, I thank you."

Garoth turned his head, his gaze falling on the magnificent city wall in the distance.

At the same time, he shifted the topic slightly and said, "Theo's current strength is due to the presence of a Mandate swordsman. If this Mandate swordsman ascends to Immortal, Theo's glory will continue, even surpassing its past."

"But if he fails..."

He didn't finish, but the meaning was clear.

Theo, without a Mandate swordsman overseeing it, even with its established systems and economic prosperity, would inevitably fade over the long years, sliding from a first-rate power.

Things that depend on a single person's prestige, once that person is gone, always slowly dissipate.

Reinhardt lifted his head and took a deep breath.

"Your Majesty, I will not fail."

"When that time comes, I will continue to polish Your Majesty's scales and claws with my Immortal sword. My sword will always be Your Majesty's sword."

Garoth didn't respond, simply continuing his leisurely walk.

Reinhardt also set aside other thoughts, silently accompanying the Dragon Emperor as he walked through Silverglow City.

This leisure time didn't last long.

After a brief ten minutes or so, Garoth departed, and Reinhardt had completely made up his mind, ready to make his sprint for Immortality.

In the empty deep void, on a white dwarf.

Garoth stretched his body, contemplating as he warmed up.

"Bernardo has been peaceful for a long time."

"If nothing happens again, in another thirty or forty years, I'll have to enter my next round of Dormancy. By the time I wake up, many of the troubles I used to worry about will no longer be troubles."

He thought to himself.

Nothing happening was certainly good for Garoth.

He could focus on his own growth, quietly accumulating strength without being disturbed.

If those lurking threats were willing to continue lurking, he was happy to use this time to temper himself to be heavier and more powerful.

Then, the Red Iron Dragon gathered his thoughts and started on his own affairs.

The time that followed remained peaceful.

The Kantum orcs clung to survival on Thalassia, no longer a threat to other continents. They were holed up in desolate corners, never again regaining their former aggressive momentum.

Nausil gradually eradicated the residual curses and began to regroup.

The land of Atlan also grew increasingly prosperous under the aegis of Sacred Aola. Trade routes were unimpeded, and commerce flourished like never before.

Time flowed serenely.

Bernardo thrived. Everything was moving in a positive direction, growing and prospering day by day.