After wrapping the Cold Forest Serpent Dragon in several more layers of ice, Luna and Nicole toured around Garon's territory, astounded by the strength of Garon's followers, especially the Wolfheart clan's winter wolves.
Winter wolves are notoriously stubborn, and even true dragons rarely manage to subdue them as followers. These highly intelligent wolves prefer cooperation over subjugation and are reluctant to serve anyone, even a true dragon, as subordinates.
There have been dragons who threatened their lives, but many winter wolves are too proud to bend.
Seeing the minotaur shamans mining gemstones, they expressed curiosity about these creatures who worship natural spirits. Believers in natural spirits exist but are rare; they were surprised to find Garon had subdued a group of natural shamans as slaves.
"Do you plan to build your Crystal Palace here?" Nicole asked, looking at the modestly high snow mountain. "This place is too low; it's not a good location for a palace."
Garon shook his head, "I don't stay here often. I'll build it within the territory of the ice cliffs that originally belonged to Salia."
Nicole nodded her dragon head in agreement, "That thousand-foot ice cliff would indeed be magnificent. Building the Crystal Palace at the top would make it shine brilliantly, imposing and majestic. From there, you can have an unobstructed view of the ice plains."
"You've helped me a lot. When you return from the south, I'll do my best to help you construct the palace and make it the most outstanding work I've ever done."
Garon smiled, "I look forward to it."
Since they still needed to look after Amos and Lilith, Luna and Nicole didn't stay long in Garon's territory. After another fifteen minutes, they prepared to leave.
Before leaving, Luna advised, "When you go to the south, don't underestimate humans."
"Ninety-nine percent of them are frail creatures, but the strong among them are feared even by ancient dragons."
A human with exceptional talent can become legendary by the age of twenty, whereas a twenty-year-old true dragon is still in its youth.
Though they are rare, it's enough to prove that humans should not be underestimated.
Most of the main material plane's worlds are under human dominion. True dragons are powerful and revered, but they are no longer the true rulers of the continent.
Garon hadn't thought about restoring the glory of true dragons, but as a time dragon, just by reaching a certain level of growth, his very existence could revitalize the dragon race to some extent.
The silver and crystal dragons ascended into the high sky, blending into the vast night and gradually disappearing from Garon's view.
After they left, the many creatures in the territory, who had been cautious and barely breathing, slowly returned to normal.
Having two unfamiliar massive true dragons appear was something many creatures would never see in their lifetimes.
Garon shifted his gaze to the Cold Forest Serpent Dragon lying on an open space.
Several winter wolves of the Wolfheart clan continuously exhaled frost to maintain the thick ice crystals around the serpent dragon.
Even so, as time passed, many visible cracks began to appear where the ice touched the serpent dragon's body, spreading outward like spiderwebs or branching tree limbs.
Garon moved closer to the front of the serpent dragon, examining it through the thick ice.
The rough green scales, fierce sharp spikes, and malevolent eyes made it unmistakably a creature of ferocity.
However, the serpent dragon's nature, although brutal and filled with destructive malice, did not mean it lacked intelligence.
Serpent dragons can even speak three languages, besides Dragonic, they know Demonic and Woodland languages.
Demonic language, used to communicate with ancient evils, some evil gods, or their followers, is one of the reasons many believe serpent dragons are favored by evil gods.
As for Woodland language, Garon considered it a silent language.
It's a method of communication with elves, characterized by its silence—a language spoken with the heart, audible only to beings with strong mental power.
Serpent dragons know Woodland language not because they are sensitive in spirit, but because they are particularly fond of eating elves, to the extent of embedding this language in their heritage to deceive and lower elves' guard.
Garon thought, with his talent for languages, he could learn Demonic and Woodland languages from the Cold Forest Serpent Dragon.
"Stop."
"Go do your own things, don't come here and disturb me."
He instructed the winter wolves.
The wolves, ceasing their frost breath, retreated and quickly disappeared into the surroundings.
Almost immediately after the wolves left, the thick ice crystals, no longer supported, began to tremble gently, quickly becoming more violent as time passed.
Crack, crack!
A series of sounds of ice cracking followed.
Soon, lightning-like cracks spread from the inside to the surface of the ice, and then suddenly
merged.
Boom!
Ice crystals shattered, spraying like bullets all around.
Garon stood motionless, a sweep of his broad dragon wings clearing all the broken ice shards.
Now in his sight, the Cold Forest Serpent Dragon, freed from the ice, shook off the last bits of frost from its body and then fixed a malevolent gaze on Garon.
"Seeing you true dragons always whets my appetite."
"I'll kill you first, then eat you, and then go find those two other despicable true dragons like you and tear them apart to devour."
The serpent dragon looked at Garon, saliva dripping heavily to the ground, hissing and producing wisps of green smoke.
Its appearance indicated that it wasn't just making threats—it really harbored the idea of eating dragons.
Even the most vicious chromatic dragons are not interested in the flesh of other true dragons; the fact that serpent dragons are not recognized as dragons is closely related to their nature.
"Not only you few true dragons, but I also intend to kill every living thing in your territories without exception!"
"Even the soil and trees in your territories, I will trample and destroy! Let you know the terrifying consequences of provoking me!"
As the serpent dragon spoke, its claws scratched at the ground, carving deep grooves.
Garon thought: My, it doesn't even spare the lifeless soil and trees?
Listening to the serpent dragon's threats, he remained unmoved, simply gaining a new understanding of the serpent dragon's fierce nature.
After wrapping the Cold Forest Serpent Dragon in several more layers of ice, Luna and Nicole toured around Garon's territory, astounded by the strength of Garon's followers, especially the Wolfheart clan's winter wolves.
Winter wolves are notoriously stubborn, and even true dragons rarely manage to subdue them as followers. These highly intelligent wolves prefer cooperation over subjugation and are reluctant to serve anyone, even a true dragon, as subordinates.
There have been dragons who threatened their lives, but many winter wolves are too proud to bend.
Seeing the minotaur shamans mining gemstones, they expressed curiosity about these creatures who worship natural spirits. Believers in natural spirits exist but are rare; they were surprised to find Garon had subdued a group of natural shamans as slaves.
"Do you plan to build your Crystal Palace here?" Nicole asked, looking at the modestly high snow mountain. "This place is too low; it's not a good location for a palace."
Garon shook his head, "I don't stay here often. I'll build it within the territory of the ice cliffs that originally belonged to Salia."
Nicole nodded her dragon head in agreement, "That thousand-foot ice cliff would indeed be magnificent. Building the Crystal Palace at the top would make it shine brilliantly, imposing and majestic. From there, you can have an unobstructed view of the ice plains."
"You've helped me a lot. When you return from the south, I'll do my best to help you construct the palace and make it the most outstanding work I've ever done."
Garon smiled, "I look forward to it."
Since they still needed to look after Amos and Lilith, Luna and Nicole didn't stay long in Garon's territory. After another fifteen minutes, they prepared to leave.
Before leaving, Luna advised, "When you go to the south, don't underestimate humans."
"Ninety-nine percent of them are frail creatures, but the strong among them are feared even by ancient dragons."
A human with exceptional talent can become legendary by the age of twenty, whereas a twenty-year-old true dragon is still in its youth.
Though they are rare, it's enough to prove that humans should not be underestimated.
Most of the main material plane's worlds are under human dominion. True dragons are powerful and revered, but they are no longer the true rulers of the continent.
Garon hadn't thought about restoring the glory of true dragons, but as a time dragon, just by reaching a certain level of growth, his very existence could revitalize the dragon race to some extent.
The silver and crystal dragons ascended into the high sky, blending into the vast night and gradually disappearing from Garon's view.
After they left, the many creatures in the territory, who had been cautious and barely breathing, slowly returned to normal.
Having two unfamiliar massive true dragons appear was something many creatures would never see in their lifetimes.
Garon shifted his gaze to the Cold Forest Serpent Dragon lying on an open space.
Several winter wolves of the Wolfheart clan continuously exhaled frost to maintain the thick ice crystals around the serpent dragon.
Even so, as time passed, many visible cracks began to appear where the ice touched the serpent dragon's body, spreading outward like spiderwebs or branching tree limbs.
Garon moved closer to the front of the serpent dragon, examining it through the thick ice.
The rough green scales, fierce sharp spikes, and malevolent eyes made it unmistakably a creature of ferocity.
However, the serpent dragon's nature, although brutal and filled with destructive malice, did not mean it lacked intelligence.
Serpent dragons can even speak three languages, besides Dragonic, they know Demonic and Woodland languages.
Demonic language, used to communicate with ancient evils, some evil gods, or their followers, is one of the reasons many believe serpent dragons are favored by evil gods.
As for Woodland language, Garon considered it a silent language.
It's a method of communication with elves, characterized by its silence—a language spoken with the heart, audible only to beings with strong mental power.
Serpent dragons know Woodland language not because they are sensitive in spirit, but because they are particularly fond of eating elves, to the extent of embedding this language in their heritage to deceive and lower elves' guard.
Garon thought, with his talent for languages, he could learn Demonic and Woodland languages from the Cold Forest Serpent Dragon.
"Stop."
"Go do your own things, don't come here and disturb me."
He instructed the winter wolves.
The wolves, ceasing their frost breath, retreated and quickly disappeared into the surroundings.
Almost immediately after the wolves left, the thick ice crystals, no longer supported, began to tremble gently, quickly becoming more violent as time passed.
Crack, crack!
A series of sounds of ice cracking followed.
Soon, lightning-like cracks spread from the inside to the surface of the ice, and then suddenly
merged.
Boom!
Ice crystals shattered, spraying like bullets all around.
Garon stood motionless, a sweep of his broad dragon wings clearing all the broken ice shards.
Now in his sight, the Cold Forest Serpent Dragon, freed from the ice, shook off the last bits of frost from its body and then fixed a malevolent gaze on Garon.
"Seeing you true dragons always whets my appetite."
"I'll kill you first, then eat you, and then go find those two other despicable true dragons like you and tear them apart to devour."
The serpent dragon looked at Garon, saliva dripping heavily to the ground, hissing and producing wisps of green smoke.
Its appearance indicated that it wasn't just making threats—it really harbored the idea of eating dragons.
Even the most vicious chromatic dragons are not interested in the flesh of other true dragons; the fact that serpent dragons are not recognized as dragons is closely related to their nature.
"Not only you few true dragons, but I also intend to kill every living thing in your territories without exception!"
"Even the soil and trees in your territories, I will trample and destroy! Let you know the terrifying consequences of provoking me!"
As the serpent dragon spoke, its claws scratched at the ground, carving deep grooves.
Garon thought: My, it doesn't even spare the lifeless soil and trees?
Listening to the serpent dragon's threats, he remained unmoved, simply gaining a new understanding of the serpent dragon's fierce nature.
