Ashen Dragon

"Oh?"

Cassius did not panic; instead, he continued to hold his head high, staring unflinchingly at Beatrice, his strong claws lifted and his smooth, shiny wings unfurled.

"Is this the hospitality of the Eternal Order Realm? Fellow brethren, did you invite me here just to make me your enemy?"

Beatrice waved her wings, creating gusts of wind, her voice particularly cold: "Before his Holy Relic of Landis, there is only justice and order. Anyone who deceives and conceals will become our enemy!"

In their pupils, which resembled molten golden pools, they each reflected the other's similarly majestic visage. Two immense forces of Dragon's Might instantly overflowed, confronting and compressing each other, making the air seem on the verge of freezing into ice.

Under the influence of this collision, the Gold Dragons within the hall gradually opened their eyes, awakening from their meditation, and flew behind their familiar mentor—Beatrice, looking solemnly at the unfamiliar Ancient Gold Dragon.

Aurora flapped her wings, flying unsteadily between the two Ancient Dragons, first raising her head, looking at Beatrice with pleading eyes.

"Teacher, there must be some misunderstanding! Titus is a benefactor who saved the High Mountain Kingdom, known to mortals as the 'Dragon of Dawn.' How could he be an enemy?"

However, Beatrice did not heed her plea, commanding coldly: "Step back, Aurora! This does not concern you.

"Teacher, it's not what you think…"

"Enough! It's too dangerous, you have learned the secret history of our kind; those evil dragons are also often lurking for our strength. Who can assure — that the one behind you isn't a cunning and deceitful Blue Dragon or Green Dragon?"

"But..."

"No buts, stop this nonsense, Aurora, you are still too young to discern right from wrong." Beatrice's icy gaze passed over Aurora, casting onto "Titus."

"But I've already..."

Seeing that she couldn't argue with her teacher, the young Gold Dragon turned her head, her eyes guiltily looking at the Dragon of Dawn, whom she had invited.

"Senior Titus, I'm sorry, I did not wish to see such events unfold. The teacher merely has some misunderstanding; she does not truly regard you as an enemy."

Aurora turned her head back and forth, looking around anxiously, her voice particularly frantic, as if swallowing a mouthful of magma.

Yet neither party was influenced by her; in this conflict of Ancient Dragons, Aurora even felt dizzy, almost about to fall.

"Really... worthy of the grantor of Eternal Order, nothing can escape your eyes."

Cassius bowed his head, speaking in a low voice, the face that was previously angry gradually becoming calm, slack, and showing a helpless expression.

Finally, he slowly brought his wings together, like a huge golden moth folding its wings on its back, and the strong Dragon's Might also dispersed with it.

Feeling the confrontation in the air dissolving, Aurora finally breathed a sigh of relief, unable to help but wipe the sweat on her forehead with her claw, obediently landing on the ground.

But Beatrice still hovered in mid-air, scrutinizing the unfamiliar Ancient Gold Dragon, slowly opening her mouth, her long barbels fluttering by her mouth.

"Titus, what exactly are you hiding? Anyway, it's my duty as the guardian of Landis' scales to forbid all suspicious individuals from approaching." Her voice was stern as a judge's in a courtroom, echoing through the monastery's hall.

Cassius gave a wry smile, hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a low voice: "Disguise and deception are sometimes not out of malice, but merely habitual self-defense, and... protection for those around me."

He raised his head again, looking at the majestic female Ancient Gold Dragon in mid-air, adorned with exquisite runes. "Lady Beatrice, I have no intention of being your enemy, just... we may need to find a more covert place to speak slowly."

"Fine, follow me." Beatrice responded succinctly and decisively.

Seeing this, the other Gold Dragons retreated, returning to their places to continue their training, while Aurora, worried, glanced one last time and sadly departed.

But in her heart, she firmly believed that this "Titus," whom she had invited, could not be a bad dragon. Perhaps it was intuition; Aurora always found this mysterious senior to be exceptionally reliable, giving her an inexplicable sense of security.

Beatrice flapped her wings, flying out of the monastery gracefully and lightly, heading toward a secluded valley deep in the mountains, while Cassius, transformed into an Ancient Gold Dragon, followed closely behind, silent.

He was contemplating strategies.

In the Eternal Order Realm, specially designed for Carved Golden Dragons, solely with the power of this avatar, Cassius likely could not overcome Beatrice, this ancient guardian.

Dealing with such a wise Ancient Dragon, mere ambiguous riddles would mostly fail to deceive.

A half-truth and half-false lie, more lethal than pure Deception, perhaps he could exploit this angle, thought Cassius.

However, he was not worried, even if he were to fall here, it would merely mean the loss of an avatar, at most forsaking this power, the connections of High Mountain Kingdom, and the reputation he had built.

"Ah—"

The moment he entered the valley, Cassius heard cries and roars of anguish, noisy and chaotic, yet blocked by an invisible barrier, unable to escape the valley.