Under the Red Dragon

The Dragon's Nest Mountains, part of the Golden Empire, stretched endlessly, their true height unknown.

No dragon had ever measured the full extent of this majestic mountain range, nor had any mortal or scholar dared to accurately calculate its height.

Yet, anyone arriving in the Golden Empire, setting foot on its soil, could see this undulating, towering sacred mountain from the distant coast, piercing the sea of clouds.

Even the maids serving in the Dragon King's Fortress only knew that the dragon castle, built on the widest part of the mountainside after the dragons had flattened the peak, stood ten thousand meters above the capital city.

The inexhaustible geothermal energy and the volcanic magma accumulated beneath the earth for millions of years seemed to be influenced by the nest effect of this ancient red dragon's long-term residence.

Originally without subjective will, the nest effect, under the influence of the ancient red dragon's strong subjective will, caused the Dragon Mountains to grow taller day by day.

Facing south, stretching thousands of miles from west to east, the easternmost mountains had already begun to extend into the sea.

Some fishermen who enjoyed riding whale-like sea beasts in the ocean were surprised to discover countless mountain peaks emerging from the seabed like spring shoots, growing from the roots of undersea volcanoes.

These submarine mountains grew so rapidly and numerously, gradually tending to cut off the northern and southern offshore waters. Many external scholars and mages were speculating about the current power level of the Empire's Emperor based on the influence of the nest effect.

As everyone knew, the Empire's Emperor had already begun to show his talents to the world in his youth, and even after many years in the lives of short-lived species, this elusive red dragon was still only in his adolescence.

Whether in the dragon story collections circulating in the Northern Territory or in the monster encyclopedias and picture books in the hands of nobles and mages, there was much knowledge about dragons for others to understand.

However, neither these common knowledge nor the bold speculations of scholars could truly grasp the true face of this red dragon.

Because even the nest effect of a legendary dragon could not compare to the subtle, large-scale influence of the ancient red dragon, which almost changed the fundamental topography and associated ecology of the entire region.

Even though the bloodline of an ancient dragon possessed greater power than ordinary dragons, in the adolescent stage, limited by the dragon's own path, it could not compare to the influence of the Dragon Emperor of the Golden Empire.

The ancient gold dragon, Obilash, still chained in front of the Dragon King's Fortress, guarding the gate, was proof of this.

Analyzing from the rare battles that the ancient red dragon had displayed, it was quite difficult to find the reason for this special red dragon's strength and its weaknesses.

Because the abilities that this ancient red dragon displayed each time were different from the previous ones, just like the layers of an onion planted in the ground, peeling off one layer after another, there were still layers upon layers of skin inside.

Only one thing was known to those who wanted to secretly explore the secrets of the ancient red dragon: this red dragon was still a pure dragon, possessing the particularly strong desire for greed that every dragon had.

It was said that in the Golden Empire, all races living in this country, especially the most outstanding, purest, and most beautiful young women, needed to be selected by the red dragon to fill its luxurious and magnificent palace.

All races needed to offer the largest and brightest pearls and gems, the most beautiful and soft silks and furs, the most delicious food, and the most delightful wines for the dragons to enjoy.

Otherwise, how could one explain the luxurious life of the dragons and the extravagant life of the Empire's Emperor?

Thus, in the world of Akania, some scholars specializing in the study of dragon civilization and ecology began to emerge, wanting to understand and explore the fundamental strength and weaknesses of this Dragon Emperor from the source of dragon civilization. These people were known as dragonologists.

This school of thought quickly became popular in the Northern Territory, but this was just one of the many changes caused by dragons.

The theory of the Golden Empire's threat, the argument that dragons would conquer the world, and the theory that dragons were using an evil order to subvert the traditional order of justice began to prevail as the Golden Empire grew stronger. The wind arose from nowhere, but it was not without reason.

Karon Gogmora stood atop the mountain peak, facing the evening breeze, as if the chaotic rumors from the outside world had no impact on him.

The silver dragon, Fro, stood with a serious expression on his face, side by side with the ancient red dragon on the mountain peak, overlooking the Empire's night below.

The adult silver dragon, Fro, felt very strange. As a super-giant dragon species, the adult silver dragon's body appeared somewhat thin in front of the adolescent ancient red dragon.

The ancient red dragon, with a body length of twenty-seven meters, would bring an unspeakable sense of oppression to an adult silver dragon, even among gold dragons, only those in adulthood possessed such a size.

But what the adult silver dragon, Fro, found strange was precisely this point.

In front of the opponent's body, which seemed to be the embodiment of the word 'power' in reality, the silver dragon, Fro, felt like a child facing a strong adult, visibly and undeniably unmatched.

But the ancient red dragon only gave him this feeling.

Only the eyes of a dragon could discover the difference between him and the opponent.

The adult silver dragon, Fro, prided himself on his powerful mental strength, which was also the reason why the silver dragon clan produced many powerful spellcasters.

But when facing the ancient red dragon, the silver dragon, Fro, could not even sense a trace of fluctuation that did not belong to the physical body, whether it was spirit, aura, or the extremely strong blood energy of the dragon clan itself.

In other words, what the ancient red dragon wanted the silver dragon, Fro, to see was what the silver dragon, Fro, could observe. If he didn't want the silver dragon, Fro, to see it, the silver dragon could only see the opponent's true essence existing in the material world.

"How big is the gap between me and him? Tens of times the level of mental power? Or unimaginably more?"

The silver dragon, Fro, speculated on the opponent's strength, and suddenly a chill rose from the spine of the cold-type dragon, because he now realized that the scales on the surface of the ancient red dragon's body were heaving as if they had their own consciousness.

Not only the scales of the ancient red dragon, but also the tough dragon skin and muscles beneath the red dragon's scales were undulating rhythmically. In just the blink of an eye, the red dragon's skin changed from red to several colors such as cyan, blue, purple, white, and bronze.

"Did I ignore these signs before, or was my perception covered and obscured by the other party's spirit, preventing me from seeing the other party's movements?"

The scales on the adult silver dragon's back suddenly bristled at this moment.

Karon ignored the adult silver dragon, Fro's, conjecture, even though with his current ability, he could easily detect the thoughts of this silver dragon who had been frightened by him.

He looked at the dimly lit Royal Capital below the mountain and entered a certain mode of observation on his own.

Now, within the dragon territory, they had long abandoned the primitive method of lighting with torches and kerosene, but had not yet entered the so-called age of electrical civilization.

Even though Karon had the ability to guide his empire, he never believed that the greatness of another world's civilization could surpass the brilliance of this world's civilization.

Thus, the brilliance of this world's civilization shone in the Golden Empire.

Those nobles and mages who possessed advanced productivity and cherished magical knowledge had long developed magical crystal lamps that could emit the brightest light in the darkest night.

But because they were niche and expensive, they could not be promoted to ordinary people, nor was it necessary to promote them to ordinary people.

However, the scholars of the Golden Empire, through the structure of magical crystal lamps, developed another cheap substitute, but the idea was different from that of magical crystal lamps.

Magical crystal lamps emitted light by injecting magical energy.

The scholars of the Golden Empire, however, conducted research and breakthroughs in magical materials science. After years of searching and researching combinations, they finally synthesized Moonlight Filament, which reacted to magical power.

This synthetic material could react with high sensitivity to the magical power contained in the air. In theory, as long as magical power existed, the Moon Reflection Light, which used Moonlight Filament as its filament, would always emit light.

Moreover, this Moon Reflection Light only consumed the Moonlight Filament as the filament and did not consume magical power. The two strange minerals used as synthetic materials were quite common on the continent of Akania, so they were quickly promoted throughout the empire.

The light emitted by the lamps named Moon Reflection Light was not as bright as that of magical crystal lamps, but it was like the gentle moonlight of a full moon, hazy and gentle, yet clearly visible.

Whenever night fell and the sun set, the entire empire, whether or not the moonlight was blocked by dark clouds, would be shrouded in moonlight, like a hazy veil.

Thus, the Golden Empire was also known as the "Country Where the Sun and Moon Never Set" and the "Country Where the Sun and Moon Shine Forever" in the outside world.

In the eyes of others, the night of the Golden Empire was like a country created by a giant god, shrouded in moonlight, gentle and quiet.

However, the gradual changes behind the appearance of the Empire, and the evolution of the system and social form of civilization, aroused associative thinking in Karon's eyes.

Even in the Golden Empire under the absolute dictatorial rule of the dragons, there would still be officials who took great risks to exercise illegitimate power, even though they already possessed greater power and even privileges than ordinary people.

They still embezzled and colluded with foreign countries, even though they already had absolutely excellent treatment, more wealth and benefits than ordinary people, and still wanted to seize more undue benefits and wealth.

It can be seen that the nature of all beings is the same, unchanging throughout the ages, and no system or policy ideology works.

That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, whether it is human beings or other living beings.

Unless the entire empire can pursue the path of progress, with the increase of intelligence, emotionalization will become less and less, and more rational.

Emotionalization as a manifestation of bestial instinct will also be curbed, and irrelevant desires can be reduced.

The final life will evolve into divinity. At that time, the life will be in a state of absolute rationality, without instinct, and descendants will no longer be important, and interests and classes will naturally no longer be so important.

But this kind of assumption can never be achieved. Losing humanity means losing the instinctive ability of pleasure and sadness. Not only is Karon unwilling, but few living beings can do this.

Unless there is an absolute authority, an immortal will that maintains its original intention, controlling the order of the empire, so that the order of the world can converge and develop forward.

In Karon's pupils, all kinds of understanding suddenly bloomed. This was the concept and thought that had existed vaguely since the beginning of his creation of the empire.

He did not believe that any system or ideology could maintain a forever developing and forward-looking attitude, so he did not hesitate to choose dictatorial rule, using his own will as the will to control the absolute order of the empire.

Only under his will can the empire be guaranteed to maintain the goal of forward development, no matter how many thousands of years pass.

Therefore, this seemingly governing concept is also the prototype of Karon's legendary destiny law concept.

And Karon believes that the times should always be progressing, and the inheritance of those ancient bloodlines cannot surpass the current changes and improvements. Standing on the shoulders of ancient giants, he should far surpass the ancient inheritors.

And he also believes that true power is the power that can bloom in any world with different rules.

Therefore, the destiny law that he wants to condense encompasses everything. Once a law is issued, all laws flow, but it is under his will.

"My concept, the path I want to pursue, is not just an empty talk of ambition, but comes from my personality, experience, education, learned knowledge, and my own thinking. All kinds of combinations form my complete cognitive system of the world,"

Karon grinned, revealing his fangs, and smiled.

Governing a country can also observe the Dao.

The wisdom of all things, one law is understood, and a hundred laws are understood. In Karon's eyes, all existing wisdom can be used to observe the essence of the world, observe the essence of oneself, even a corner of the change of social form consciousness.

See heaven and earth, see all beings, and then see yourself, it is all like this.

"Therefore, the legendary destiny law is not chosen at will. The path of others may be thousands of times stronger than yours, but you cannot learn it. Empty ambition cannot condense your own concept,"

"Those who learn from me live, those who imitate me die," Karon said softly.

"What? Your Excellency?" The silver dragon, Fro, heard the ancient red dragon's whisper and quickly asked.

Karon turned his head, and his dark gold pupils stared at this silver dragon who seemed to be a conservative but was actually a radical, and whispered with a slight smile: "I allow you to observe politics in the Golden Empire, and I also allow you to learn the governing ideas and system concepts of the Golden Empire, and the relevant military system,"

"But there are some things that you cannot learn, even if you have some understanding, you cannot change them."

The adult silver dragon, Fro, was overjoyed and said: "That's enough. Being able to learn Your Excellency's governing concepts and ideas is already a rare experience for us. Praise Your Excellency Gogmora, you are indeed a generous king and emperor among dragons."

"Don't be too happy," Karon said with a soft smile, and suddenly said: "Without opponents, you cannot become a force. You will accept my test. I hope you can succeed."

"That also means that you can have wisdom that surpasses me, and I can therefore know my shortcomings."

The adult silver dragon, Fro's, mercury-like pupils suddenly dilated, and a fatal threat, like a covering shadow, enveloped his heart.

"Your Excellency, I don't understand your meaning."

"Heh, death is the most perfect design for a living being, because of death, living beings think, evolve, and respect life."

Karon raised his head and laughed: "What I mean is, when others say you possess evil powers, you better actually have them. When others say you want to conquer the world, you better actually want to, because that way, you won't always be trapped in a passive position."

"Dragons are born without worrying about death, so they become increasingly decadent, to the point of being almost like beasts,"

Karon's aura, at this moment, was finally revealed in the perception of this adult silver dragon. It was like a god, like a demon, the shadow expanding, covering the firmament.

"Faced with extinction, civilization will progress, the soul will be sublimated, and wisdom will burst forth. I am looking forward to your wisdom. I will let you know when you need to challenge me! Heh!"

Refresh, over!