Evil dragon has a warm heart

"Frost Star is drawing ever closer—I can feel it. The presence of the Frost Snow Giants lurking is just waiting for the alignment of the Heavenly Track."

Inside the national observatory.

Russell shifted his gaze away from the telescope. Frost Star was becoming clearer, its actual form no different from the Shattered Frost Star he had seen in his dream. The entire planet looked like a shattered glass marble, covered in cracks everywhere.

As the leaves of the cosmic tree peeled away, the doomsday of Frost Star also loomed.

"It’s a pity we cannot fly out of Dragon Star’s atmosphere; otherwise, I’d really like to fly to Frost Star to see for myself what the situation really is," King Toka Kongsang said, stroking his beard. He was the king of the Clear Sky Dusk Kingdom.

After the Amber Council, travel between realms of the Volcanic Domain became unrestricted, so kings and grand dukes began to visit each other frequently.

"There’s no need to hurry. The Heavenly Track will soon align, and then Frost Star will be right before our eyes," Russell said with a smile, "Now we just need to wait for the magic power scholars to figure out how to cross the interdimensional gateways, and then we can land directly on Frost Star."

Frost Star invades Dragon Star.

If the giants could traverse interdimensional gateways to enter Dragon Star, then once this method was deciphered, Russell and the others could likewise traverse these gates to land on Frost Star.

"The task for each country now is to lay the groundwork for industrialization, enhance national power, and strengthen the might of the dragons," Russell continued, "Not to mention ascending to an Ancient Dragon; at the very least, we must enhance thirty to fifty percent of elemental power."

"Ah, Your Majesty Russell, you make it sound simple, but it’s actually quite difficult to do," King Toka sighed, "Just the Path of Man and Dragon is challenging enough... Industrial setup does not yield results as quickly as the Path of Man and Dragon!"

"Advance equally on multiple fronts, attacking problems from two angles."

"By the way, Your Majesty Russell, how is the power of your Shadowflame Dragon progressing? Has it touched upon the hope of returning to the ancient times?"

"It’s still rather vague, but I’ve already touched the edge of the rules. As for how to comprehend and embody the rules afterward, it’s still unclear," Russell shook his head. Even with his and the Little Dream Dragon’s help, the Shadowflame Dragon was still lacking the right opportunity.

"Even the advancement of the Shadowflame Dragon is so challenging, let alone for the rest of us," King Toka said with a wry smile.

Russell curiously asked, "King Toka, have you investigated in the Ice Ridge Duchy and found any clues about the Vengeful Dragon?"

"No," King Toka shook his head, "It’s very likely a case of a false rumor passed on. Darimu’s brother is probably truly dead, not saved by the Vengeful Dragon... The Lost Dragon is ultimately just an epic legend."

Russell shook his head: "There’s no smoke without fire. I plan to make some time to visit the Ice Ridge Duchy personally."

The Ice Ridge Duchy was breached by the Frost Snow Giants even before joining the Thunder Voice Conference. The Ice Ridge Dragon fell on the Snowfield, as did the previous Duke and his first heir, Viscount Darimu, who died in battle on the Snowfield.

Afterward, Darimu’s brother Dario succeeded the title, leading his people to migrate to neighboring countries.

However, rumors emerged from the Ice Ridge Duchy that a knight had seen a dragon resembling a curtain of shadows emerge from the void, rescue Darimu Ice Ridge, and then vanish into the horizon.

Thus,

Some people became convinced that Young Lord Darimu had awakened the slumbering Vengeful Dragon, the very same Lost Dragon chronicled in the "Song of the Volcano."

The Lost Dragon was just an ordinary dragon, but after bonding with Sigruft, it evolved into a Revenge Ancient Dragon.

"If the rumors are true, the Revenge Ancient Dragon would be the very first Ancient Dragon of Dragon Sleep Continent, but I don’t believe it," King Toka said, "If Darimu were riding the Revenge Ancient Dragon, then where would Sigruft be sitting?"

Legend has it that the Vengeful Ancient Dragon and Sigruft merged souls, inseparable, immortal.

"I’ll go take a look myself," Russell had made up his mind, "King Toka, feel free to tour the Dreamshadow Flame Kingdom on your own; I won’t accompany you."

"Please, Your Majesty Russell."

After sending off King Toka, Russell went to Shadowflame Volcano.

Seated with his sword across his knees, he pondered over swordsmanship in front of the Shadowflame Dragon before saying, "Shadowflame, come to the Ice Ridge Duchy with me."

"To search for the Vengeful Dragon?"

"Mm."

"The hope is faint, but Shadowflame really does want to meet the Vengeful Dragon," the Shadowflame Dragon rose to its feet, and Russell was quick to take his seat on the throne.

The next moment,

The duo appeared within the Shadowflame Elemental Volcano, touching the roots of the Amber Great Tree. Instantly, dozens of pathways unfolded before them, each leading to different realms within the volcanic area.

During this time, three teams of Dragon Knights had been continuously searching for human kingdoms, successfully recruiting a dozen more countries to join the Amber Council. In another month or two, they should be able to bring in all the kingdoms of Dragon Sleep Continent.

"Let’s go to the Scorching Volcanic Realm!"

With a flicker of intent, the duo arrived at a new Elemental Volcano, likewise entwined with the roots of the Amber Great Tree.

The Scorching Elemental Volcano was deserted.

At this stage, the countries did not yet have the resources to develop the Volcanic Realm; all the Flying Dragon Knights, Great Spirit Contractors, Amber Contractors, and Dragon Domain Lords who had access badges had been dispatched to the Amber Central Region to build the City of Amber.

The City of Amber was located at the foot of the Dreamscape Volcano, the site of the Amber Council, and here the first human settlement in the Amber Dreamland would be built.

"Return to reality!" led by his thoughts, Russell and his dragon transitioned through the Volcanic Realm and appeared within the real Scorching Volcano.

With a splash, the Scorching Giant Dragon, submerged in the magma, raised its head and uttered a magic dragon language that somewhat resembled the Shadowflame Dragon’s murmuring, "Your Majesty Russell, Shadowflame, welcome to the midst of the scorching volcano!"

The Shadowflame Dragon snorted out two streams of Dragonflame from its nostrils as a form of greeting.

Russell merely smiled slightly, "Hello, Scorching, we are just passing through on our way to the Ice Ridge Duchy. Do have a good rest."

"Then, farewell." The Scorching Giant Dragon once again retracted into the magma.

This place was the Scorching Black Soil Kingdom, located in the Ancient Northern Snow Plains and the nearest nation to the Ice Ridge Duchy.

Leaving the Scorching Volcano behind, Russell rode the Shadowflame Dragon, hastening towards the Ice Ridge Duchy to the north. On his forehead, a gold and a purple lightning mark flickered, alongside a green tornado mark.

These were the Phantom Dragon and Pseudo-Dragon giving buff to the Shadowflame Dragon.

With the Thunder element power of the Sacred Unicorn Polly and Nightmare Beast Senbula, he used Thunder Boosting Technology; coupled with the Wind element power of the Harpy Dragonbeast Hape, he executed the Wind Storm Disturbance Technique. These slightly increased the Shadowflame Dragon’s speed.

Barely enabling the Shadowflame Dragon to reach near the speed of sound.

Accelerating for a while, resting for a while, after a day and a night, they had flown from the Scorching Black Soil Kingdom to the Ice Ridge Duchy.

Like the Molten Fire Duchy, this nation’s Warm Enclave had already refrozen, leaving only a Volcanic Oasis struggling to maintain itself. Countless refugees were crossing the Snow Plains, migrating to other countries.

It was unknown how many had fallen on their journey.

"It’s a pity that an extinguished volcano cannot be reignited or activate the Volcanic Realm..." Russell silently lamented in his heart.

Moments later, he arrived at the extinguished Ice Ridge Volcano.

Interestingly, the Ice Ridge Volcano resembled more of a snow mountain, with everything above the halfway line engulfed in snow — the Ice Ridge Dragon was an Ice elemental dragon, and although its power could warm the oasis, the volcano was filled with chill.

With a splash!

The Shadowflame Dragon landed on the icy snow at the mouth of the volcano, showing its disdain with a roll of the eyes.

Someone had already been standing in the snow, waiting for Russell’s arrival — it was the Grand Duke Dario of the Ice Ridge Duchy.

Although his country had only a few years of existence left, he inherited the title of Grand Duke, "Grand Duke Dario extends the highest regards to His Majesty Russell, welcome to your arrival!"

"There’s no need for such formality, Grand Duke Dario." Russell extended a hand in a supportive gesture, "As I have already explained in the Thunder Voice, I came to investigate the clues about the Vengeful Dragon, so please Grand Duke Dario, reintroduce the details of the rumor."

"Yes, Your Majesty Russell," Grand Duke Dario immediately said, "The site where the Ice Ridge Dragon was slain is to the northwest of our country, as there are no human nations further north, so it’s rarely explored."

On that day, the Ice Ridge Dragon came to hunt the Snow Demons but encountered the Frost Giants and Snow Giants, ambushed and killed.

The former Grand Duke leading the Knight Regiment, along with Young Lord Darimu, both perished on the Snowfield, their bones now possibly turned into Snow Ghosts.

"Some knights came here to pay their respects to my father and elder brother... and then a blizzard swept through, and amidst the dim visibility, they saw the huge dark silhouette of the Vengeful Dragon and also saw a knight rise from the snow. The silhouette grew larger and larger, ultimately mounting the back of the Vengeful Dragon."

Grand Duke Dario recollected further, "I asked that knight carefully, he was my father’s guard, and a close friend of my elder brother, hence he saw very clearly that it was indeed the shadow of my elder brother, though he did not see the face."

Furthermore.

Later several knights also saw such scenes while honoring the dead on the Snow Plains. Each one was willing to swear on the dragon that there was not a shred of falsehood in their words.

"But as you know, Your Majesty Russell, since the Ice Ridge Dragon has fallen, swearing on the dragon has lost its significance," said Grand Duke Dario with a wry smile. "So whether these knights are telling the truth, I cannot judge."

"Can you bring them here?" Russell asked.

"As you wish," replied Grand Duke Dario and instantly ordered his attendants to bring those few knights.

Meanwhile, Russell had the three marks on his forehead manifest one by one onto the ground, revealing the forms of the Pseudo-Dragon and Phantom Dragon, and then he entered the Ice Ridge Volcano to comprehend the extinguished volcanic power.

Shortly after.

The knights were brought over, all Phantom Beast Knights.

"Your Majesty Russell, the men have been brought," Grand Duke Dario finished speaking and turned to address the knights, "In the presence of His Majesty Russell, there must not be a single false word, for the true dragon is watching you!"

"Great His Majesty Russell, we bear no lies!" the knights knelt on one knee, performing the most reverent of ceremonies.

When questioned by Russell, they recounted the events in detail without reservation.

Russell’s senses were at their sharpest; he could feel that these knights were not lying — they truly believed they had seen Young Lord Darimu and the Vengeful Dragon.

"Either it is true, or it is a hallucination... In any case, I will still need to make my own visit," Russell contemplated internally.