After seeing off the elves, Starlight and his companions turned back into the cave, only to run straight into Yserazor.
The Rift Dragon King was still in his portly human form, waving at them while rubbing his sleepy eyes. “Morning... they left in such a hurry. I wanted them to stay a few more days.”
Po Kong rolled his eyes and bluntly exposed him. “Give it a rest, old dragon! Starlight did the grilling, I poured the wine, and Little Shadow and the others cleaned up the mess. Aside from providing the venue, what did you, the ‘host,’ actually do?”
“Well... that is...” An embarrassed smile appeared on Yserazor’s chubby face, and he instinctively scratched the back of his head. “I mean, providing the venue... is also very important...”
But then, he suddenly dropped his playful expression and pointed a thick finger at Starlight. “Right, I have something important to discuss with you.” Seeing the confusion on everyone’s faces, he added, “Privately.”
“Me?” Starlight blinked in surprise, but he quickly nodded. “Alright, I’m coming.”
Starlight followed Yserazor through the winding cave tunnels until they reached a hidden stone chamber.
Inside, a single crystal lamp floated in mid-air, emitting a soft blue light.
Little Gold was already waiting by a stone table. The young Dragon Prince sat with his hands folded on the table, his golden pupils exceptionally bright in the dim light.
“Sit.” Yserazor squeezed inside, his massive frame taking up nearly half the room.
With a wave of his hand, the stone door behind them closed silently, sealing off all outside noise.
As soon as Starlight sat on a stone stool, Little Gold got straight to the point. “Starlight, we would like to invite you to become a Guest Elder of the Dragon Race.”
“What?” Starlight was genuinely shocked. This proposal was completely unexpected.
The flesh on Yserazor’s face wobbled slightly. “After this catastrophe, the Dragon Race desperately needs to rebuild. And you—the human to whom the Gold Flame Dragon King Seranox entrusted his final wishes, and a possessor of the Elemental Saint Body just like our Ancestor—are the only fitting choice.”
Little Gold pulled the now-dim Dragon Ancestor’s Legacy Scale from his robes, the final relic left by Seranox. “My father left a message within the scale... He hopes you can assist me until I have truly come into my own.”
“As a friend, I will certainly help... It’s just that with my current strength, I’m afraid I can’t offer much substantial aid.”
Starlight wasn’t lying. While his current power wasn’t weak—he could even hold his own against some of the weaker Saint Rank experts—it was nowhere near enough when compared to the heavyweights of the continent, especially within the Dragon Race.
In the battle against Desdoraka, the only reason he had played a decisive role was due to the unique nature of his Radiant Elemental Body and his soul. In a straightforward, head-on fight, he might not have lasted a single breath.
“Heh, this ‘Guest Elder’ is just a title. We aren’t actually asking you to do anything for us. Besides, we are about to prepare for the sealing of the valley to rebuild the Dragon Nest. We won’t be involved in outside conflicts for at least a century. Sigh... This means I won’t get any chances to go out and play~” Yserazor sighed.
Little Gold nodded and added, “Do you remember when Father said he would give you all a gift of thanks? Although I haven’t officially taken over the Dragon Race yet, I can still fulfill that promise. However...”
He scratched his cheek somewhat awkwardly and continued, “The Treasury is currently buried deep underground. While the items inside shouldn’t be damaged, getting them out is a major problem. So, I took the liberty of choosing some new things for you...”
Little Gold shot a look at Yserazor, and the Rift Dragon King grinned knowingly, pulling something out of his storage space.
When the item appeared in the stone chamber, Starlight froze.
A spindle-shaped crystal, a full three meters long, floated quietly in the center of the room. Its crystal-clear surface shimmered with a frost-like chill, while seven-colored lights could be seen slowly swirling within.
Starlight knew exactly what this was. A few days ago, this thing had nearly cost him his life—it was the dragon crystal that had been embedded in the chest of the Frost-Glow Dragon King, Cantia.
After Cantia’s death, this dragon crystal had been buried in the chaotic battlefield, and Yserazor had gone out of his way to dig it up.
Even without an explanation, Starlight could understand its extraordinary nature. Anything that could remain intact under the Gold Flame Dragon King’s Forbidden Spell and the wave of destruction was undoubtedly a unique treasure.
“You’re a lucky kid, Starlight. This thing is a special dragon crystal that the crazy woman Cantia nourished with her origin power for over a thousand years. It’s virtually indestructible and was her most precious treasure.” Yserazor reached out a large hand and gently flicked the dragon crystal, making it rotate slowly.
“Aidanach decided to give this to you. To be honest, even I’m a little jealous!”
“This is far too valuable. I cannot accept it,” Starlight said, waving his hands hurriedly.
He wasn’t entirely sure of the value of such a large dragon crystal, but he had seen commissions at the Adventurers Guild for dragon crystals before. Even a piece the size of a fingernail commanded an astronomical price. A supreme treasure refined from a Dragon King’s origin... he couldn’t even begin to imagine its worth.
But his refusal was immediately cut short by Yserazor, who mentioned a feature of this crystal that he couldn’t turn down.
“This thing is different from ordinary dragon crystals. Under the modification of Cantia’s mana, it has become capable of adapting to all element types. I’m not exaggerating when I say you probably won’t find another item in this entire continent so perfectly suited for an Elemental Saint Body.”
“If it were forged into a weapon, it would be no less than any Saint weapon in your hands. It might even rival the Divine Artifact that Po Kong kid carries.”
With that, Yserazor lightly tapped the surface of the dragon crystal, instantly stirring up ripples of seven-colored elements.
“Then... I will accept it with gratitude?” Starlight tentatively reached out. The moment his fingertips touched the surface of the dragon crystal, the elements within his body became active of their own accord.
Little Gold smiled and nodded. “This is what you deserve. Besides, this thing is useless to me.”
“Take it quickly! If you keep dilly-dallying, I might just snatch it for myself!” Yserazor bared his teeth, feigning a fierce look.
With the confirmation from both of them, Starlight carefully tucked the dragon crystal into his storage space.
Seeing him accept the gift, Little Gold nodded in satisfaction and continued, “As for Po Kong and the others, I have other arrangements. Fat... Uncle, go and let them know. I still have some things to ask Starlight.”
“Fine, fine. You two have your talk.” Yserazor didn’t take offense. He nodded and left the stone chamber.
As Starlight had expected, once the Rift Dragon King was gone, Little Gold asked him about the Dragon Race secrets the Gold Flame Dragon King had mentioned.
Since everyone had been healing together over the past few days, Starlight hadn't had a chance to speak with Little Gold alone. He took this opportunity to recount everything he knew.
After listening carefully to the description, Little Gold furrowed his brow and asked in confusion, “Ancestor was infected by some power before he died? Is that why he looked like Desdoraka...”
“So, Salenzo wasn't the true mastermind, but rather that entity capable of even corrupting the Dragon God? And that eye you mentioned... is it related to all this?”
Starlight nodded. “I suspect it’s deeply involved. Being targeted by such an existence... you’ll have to be careful in the future.”
He intended to offer further warnings, but Little Gold simply threw up his hands and spoke with an air of indifference.
“I understand what you’re saying. But that’s a power capable of corrupting even a god. If it really comes knocking, what can I even do? I’d rather focus on fixing this current mess first.”
Starlight was momentarily stunned, but then he gave an understanding smile.
Little Gold was right. Even the Dragon God in his prime couldn't withstand that power. It was far too early for them to be discussing such things.
The two of them spent some more time in the stone chamber discussing how to rebuild the Dragon Race before finally leaving.
Rate on N.U.
